On Thursday Satechi launched its newest product to the keyboard product line called Slim X2 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard.
New Bill Stops Apple Blocking Users From Removing Pre-Installed Apps
New antitrust legislation would stop Apple from blocking users who want to remove native apps from devices like iPhones
GitHub Desktop 2.9 Update Adds M1 Mac Support
GitHub Desktop was recently updated to version 2.9, and the team shared some of the new features included, such as squash and reorder commits. Users can now download a native build for their M1 Mac.
If a group of commits represents a single unit of work, or if a project requires that each pull request only has one commit, simply drag them on top of one another to squash them together and add a new commit message that captures the whole picture.
Apple TV+: 'Truth Be Told' Season Two to Premiere August 20
Season two of ‘Truth be Told’ will premiere on Apple TV+ on August 20, with a new trailer providing a first look at what is to come.
EU Tech Regulation Not "in Best Interests of Users," Says Tim Cook
Tim Cook has hit out a proposed European law that would force it to allow users to be able to install software not in the App Store.
The Story of BonziBuddy and its Company’s Demise
In the third episode of Kernel Panic, Mashable tells the story of one of the first virtual assistants known as BonziBuddy.
Behind the facade of that friendly gorilla, Bonzi Software, the company responsible for BonziBuddy, was collecting private information and contacts from the unsuspecting internet users who downloaded it — and bombarding them with ads and pop-ups that Bonzi would profit from.
Harry Potter and the Curse of Bonzi. If you ever downloaded this purple ape and noticed strange things start to happen, let us know in the comments. Maybe your browser was full of ads, or maybe he whispered into your ear at night, encouraging you to commit securities fraud.
Even With Swift Playgrounds, iPad is Not a Developer’s Tool… Yet
At WWDC 2021 Apple unveiled Swift Playgrounds 4 for the iPad. While it is a big step forward, The Verge reported that even when combined with the latest chip, the iPad is not yet a full-blown tool for developers.
Swift Playgrounds 4 isn’t the big announcement the developer community was waiting for. It has significant limits and lacks several advanced tools — debugging and profiling tools, versioning, storyboard integration, support for third-party packages, etc. “Swift Playgrounds is great for experimenting and debugging code, but it is missing many of the features … required to make fuller-fledged apps,” [Quo CEO Tucker] Haas explains. He says the program is “perfect for developing small utility applications, such as a to-do list, but currently incapable of building the next Angry Birds.”
Data Leak Exposes Customer Records With CVS Health
CVS Health recently leaked approximately one billion user records that include email addresses, user IDs, and metadata. The information was discovered in a non-password protected database.
CVS Health acted fast and professionally to secure the data and a member of their Information Security Team contacted me the following day and confirmed my findings and that the data was indeed theirs. I was informed that this was a contractor or vendor who managed this dataset on behalf of CVS Health, but it was confidential as to who the vendor was.
The Apple TV+ Year Long Free Trial Offer is Ending
The offer of a free year of Apple TV+ with the purchase of an eligible device is ending, with the free trial period becoming three months in June.
MOFT O Combines an iPhone Grip With a Stand
MOFT’s latest product is really clever. It’s called the MOFT O and it’s an iPhone grip that can also function as a stand. It’s MagSafe compatible or seamlessly snaps on any phone via the reusable MOFT Snap Sticker – a patented silicone pad with magnetic-like functionality. The slim multi-disc design object folds into a sturdy three-dimensional phone stand that rotates 360° for 3 viewing angles and snaps off to act as a 90° kickstand for live streaming. It’s available to purchase for US$19.99.
Apple’s Kevin Lynch Talks About Health in iOS 15, watchOS 8
Kevin Lynch, Vice President of Technology at Apple, talked about health in iOS 15 and watchOS 8 that will arrive later this year.
Apple is Coming After Substack and the Email Newsletter Industry
At WWDC 202, Apple announced Mail Privacy Protection, which removes tracking pixels from emails. These are used by newsletter services to let the sender see how many people open a message, how often, and when. Thanks to the likes of Substack and Revue, this industry has seen a recent boom, and Chris Stokel-Walker investigated for Wired how Apple’s move might affect them and others.
The decision is made all the more significant when you take into account Apple’s stranglehold on the email ecosystem. Between the iPhone and Apple Mail apps, more than 60 per cent of all email accounts are opened in a piece of software controlled by Apple… The worry among newsletter publishers is that at a stroke, Apple is about to do the same thing to the newsletter industry, removing one of the major benchmarks upon which newsletter advertising is sold – and therefore, the production of newsletters is funded.
nomadplug 18W World Charger: $74.95
We have a deal on nomadplug, a modular 18 watt world charger. It’s safe for use in all 195 countries around the world, and it delivers USB-C charging for your output, with all of those global plug options. This device is $74.95, and it’s available in blue and orange in the deal listing.
OtterBox Releases Swappable Xbox Controller Batteries
On Wednesday, OtterBox has officially released its newest product called Power Swap Controller Batteries.
Apple Trials, Beats Headphones, Channels for Podcasts – TMO Daily Observations 2021-06-16
Charlotte Henry joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the TV+ trial period, now-officially-released Beats headphones, and Podcasts updates.
Facebook and Michigan State University Work on Deepfake Detection
Facebook and Michigan State University are working on a deepfake detection system that can reverse-engineer the fakes.
Apple Unveils Beats Studio Buds – True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earphones
Apple has unveiled the Beats Studio Buds – true wireless noise-canceling earbuds, costing US$149.99 and shipping from June 24.
Apple TV+: Official Trailer For Season Two of 'Central Park'
The official trailer for season two of Central Park landed Tuesday. It shows the Tillerman as they live in and care for the famous park, which Bitsy continues to try and take over. Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Kathryn Hahn, Tituss Burgess and Stanley Tucci all feature in the season, which will land on Apple TV+ on June 25.
Invisi Mini Selfie Stick: $29.99
We have a deal on the Invisi Mini Selfie Stick. This device extends up to 26-inches, includes an internal battery for triggering the shutter button, can swivel at 90°, and it supports landscape mode. It’s $29.99 through our deal, and it comes in five colors.
Twelve South Introduces iPhone 12 Leather MagSafe Wallet
Twelve South is launching an iPhone 12 leather MagSafe wallet called SurfacePad. It’s available to purchase for US$49.99.
Should You Digitize Your ID With iOS 15?
One of the updates to Apple Wallet in iOS 15 is letting people scan their driver’s license. But is that a good thing?
One major question is how Apple users and law enforcement like TSA agents will actually interact with these digital IDs. If your driver’s license is on your phone, you could potentially have to present your fully unlocked device to a law enforcement agent in a transaction like a traffic stop or at airport security. That could, in turn, expose you to incidental search of your data, social media accounts, or anything else the agent flicks to.
Cryptocurrency and Hardware Wallets – TMO Daily Observations 2021-06-15
Andrew Orr joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the basics of cryptocurrency and the advantages of having a hardware wallet for storage.
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and Channels Now Available
After some delay, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels has finally launched featuring content from both independent and major outlets.
Content Consumption in Our 'Always Own' World — Media+
Rory Cellan Jones, BBC Technology Correspondent and author of ‘Always On: Hope and Fear in the Social Smartphone Era’, joins Charlotte Henry to discuss the launch of the iPhone and how Apple became a content creation company.