In this early phase in the developer beta cycle, Apple is using each release to squash bugs, tweak the interface, and try different approaches in new features.
Mac
macOS Sierra 10.12.6 Beta 6 Released for Developers and Public
Apple released macOS Sierra 10.12.6 beta 6 on Wednesday, bringing us another step closer to a general release.
Mac, iPhone, and Apple Watch Tips - TMO Daily Observations 2017-07-05
Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to share some tips that make using their iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches easier.
Is the iPad a Real Computer? Do its Users Deserve it?
Those who like to argue about whether the iPad is a full-fledged computer are wasting their time, and no one cares.
Parallels Toolbox Is a Misnamed and Hidden Mac Gem
I recently caught on to an app for macOS and Windows that takes the place of a good half-dozen other pieces of software. It’s been around for a while, but I’d overlooked it because of the name — Parallels Toolbox. I quite naturally assumed it related to running Windows in a virtual machine. I use VirtualBox for that. Boy, was I wrong! In fact, Parallels Toolbox is a one-stop app for quite a few great features. You can use it to take a screenshot, record a screen cast, or download your favorite video. That’s great for saving movies and other videos from YouTube or Facebook. Parallels Toolbox also gives you buttons to secure private files with a password, keep your computer from sleeping, or convert a video to a format you can view on your iOS device. It lives in your Mac’s menu bar, and is just a click away for all of those tools, and more. There’s a seven-day free trial, and then Parallels Toolbox is just US $9.99 per year. New tools are added frequently, so be sure to check it out and enjoy your all-in-one toolbox.
Mac Malware, Cell Service Providers, Upgrading to macOS High Sierra – ACM 417
With Bryan out on vacation Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus joins Jeff Gamet to talk about why Bob doesn’t routinely run a malware checker on his Mac, plus the rant a little about cell service providers, and talk about their macOS High Sierra upgrade experiences.
Apple Rolls Out iOS 10.3.3, macOS 10.12.6 Beta 5
Apple released iOS 10.3.3 beta 5 for the iPhone and iPad, and macOS Sierra 10.12.6 beta 5 Wednesday afternoon.
Calendar: Contacting Event Invitees
Emailing or messaging everyone in a Calendar event invitee list is easy if you follow Melissa Holt’s advice.
Apple Music and the Record Labels, Macs in Education - TMO Daily Observations 2017-06-22
Kelly Guimont and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet Apple working to renegotiate how much money it pays to record labels for Apple Music, plus they dive into the state of Macs in education.
Pages, Keynote, Numbers Updates Add New Shape Libraries, More
Apple rolled out updates for Pages, Keynote, and Numbers on the Mac that add in more than 500 professionally drawn shapes, plus other improvements, too.
Apple Releases EndNote Compatibility Plug-in for Pages 6.2 and Newer
If you’re working on research projects that require a lot of citations odds are you’re using EndNote, and if you’re also using Pages 6.2 or later, it’s time to download the new EndNote Plug-in 3.0.
AppleCare+ for Mac: Accidental Damage Protection for a Price
You no longer need to lie to the Genius Bar!
Here are the Macs that can Run macOS High Sierra
Read on to see if your Mac makes the cut for macOS High Sierra.
Apple's WWDC Keynote Was One We Never Dreamed Could Happen
Apple’s WWDC keynote address was one that we hoped for, dreamed about but never thought would actually happen.
Apple's Developer Payouts Top $70 Billion
Apple shared the big payout numbers just days ahead of next week’s Worldwide Developer Conference.
How to Require a Password to Wake Your Mac from Sleep or Screen Saver
This Quick Tip is about a very, well…quick setting to change to make your Mac more secure. If you can just unlock your Mac after it’s been sleeping without needing a password or your fingerprint, you’ve gotta read this! And make the change! We pretty much insist.
Imagine What Mac Sales Would Do If Apple Did Something Crazy Like Update All the Macs
During the second quarter of 2017, Apple saw Mac unit sales increase by a modest four percent. Jeff Butts, ever the dreamer, imagines what would happen if Apple gave us new Macs across all the various form factor categories, from the Mac Mini to the Mac Pro.
Final Polycarbonate MacBook Joins Apple's Obsolete Product List
Farewell, white MacBook, because Apple just added you to its vintage and obsolete products list. The 2010 13-inch MacBook with white polycarbonate body joined the unsupported hardware list on May 1, closing the final chapter on the laptop model along with three MacBook Pro models.
Pop Goes the Laptop: Some New MacBook Pros are Making Unexplained Clicking Sounds
Your new MacBook Pro may be making a popping sound, but Apple doesn’t have anything to say about it. Many MacBook Pro users are complaining about what sound like random trackpad click noises coming from their laptop and so far Apple has been silent about the issue.
Macintosh Original Andy Hertzfeld to Keynote Vintage Computer Festival April 29th
Andy Hertzfeld from Steve Jobs’s original Macintosh team will be presenting a keynote address at Vintage Computer Festival Southeast 5.0 in Roswell, Georgia. The event takes place on April 29th and 30th, and Mr. Hertzfeld will be speaking on April 29th. This event is dedicated to vintage computers and includes booths, consignments, hands-on activities, exhibits, concessions, and speakers. In addition to Mr. Hertzfeld, Tandy executive Don French will be offering his own keynote presentation. Andy Hertzfeld left Apple in 1984, and in the years since he cofounded Radius (1986), General Magic (1990) and Eazel (via Wikipedia). He also took a lead role in the creation of Google+. Admission for the event is $10 for one day and $15 for two days. Kids 17 and under get in free with a parent or guardian, and students get in free with an ID. The pic below is of Steve Wozniak and Andy Hertzfeld from back in the day.
Touch Screen Macs, iPhone's Name, and Star Wars - ACM 407
Would Apple ever make a touch screen Mac? Bryan and Jeff chew over recent rumors about Apple making an iMac for creative pros that would compete with Microsoft’s Surface Studio. They also talk about iPhone’s name and Disney’s management of the Star Wars franchise.
PDFpen 9 Loads Up with New PDF Editing and Export Features
Smile PDFpen 9 and PDFpen Pro 9 for the Mac are out, and are loaded with more than 100 new features. The new versions improve annotations, and table of contents editing; export to JPG, PNG, 1-bit TIFF, and flattened PDF, plus exporting to several resolutions; can make and open links in other files, and supports forms with calculations; improves font smoothing, and more. PDFpen Pro is my go-to PDF editing app and it’s much easier to use than Adobe Acrobat. PDFpen 9 costs US$74.95 and PDFpen Pro 9 is $124.95. The upgrades for both cost $30 and are free if you purchased after January 1st, 2017. You can download demo versions at the Smile website.
APFS Performance Lags HFS+, for Now
Apple is looking to replace HFS+ with a new file system, but is APFS really ready for prime time? Jeff Butts and Dave Hamilton have put the new file system through some tests, and report in on their findings.
![Bob LeVitus’s ‘Working Smarter for Mac Users’ Available Now [Update]](https://www.macobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/working-smarter-mac-users-cover-bob-levitus-wide.jpg)
Bob LeVitus's 'Working Smarter for Mac Users' Available Now [Update]
Bob “Dr. Mac” Levitus released a new book Tuesday, Working Smarter for Mac Users. It’s a productivity book specifically written for Mac users, and it combines Bob’s own techniques for overcoming procrastination with his decades of learning how to get the absolute most out of his Mac. [Update: Working Smarter for Mac Users is now live on iBooks. – Bryan]