Cloudflare on Wednesday began beta testing a macOS version of Warp, its virtual private network currently offered only on iPhone. The VPN encrypts all internet traffic for the Mac it’s installed on, helping to protect the user’s privacy.
VPNs add security, but are often slow. Cloudflare promises its service is fast. And it’s free.
Apple gave developers their initial watchOS 6.2.5 beta on Wednesday. This will be a “bug fix” update for watchOS 6.2 that launched last week.
The iCloud Keychain password manager built into iOS and macOS is reportedly getting support for two-factor authentication. This is a feature now only available in third-party password managers like Dashlane. It would make storing and using passwords more secure.
All the apps in Apple’s free iWork productivity suite for Mac now support iCloud Drive folder sharing, a collaboration feature that debuted last Tuesday in macOS 10.15.4.
This new feature is a highlight of each iWork application — Pages, Numbers and Keynote — reaching version 10.0. And there are numerous other enhancements, too.
The FCC on Tuesday gave wireless carriers until next summer to implement a system designed to prevent caller ID spoofing. The goal is blocking phone scammers from using fake caller ID information to convince call recipients that they are talking to someone trustworthy or from their local area.
A Russian law requiring all phones and computers, including iPhone and Mac, sold in that country come bundled with third-party software localized for Russia won‘t go into effect July 1, as had been originally planned. Instead, implementation won‘t occur until early next year.
This comes as a temporary reprieve for Apple. The company has such privacy concerns over this legislation it might withdraw from the country rather than comply with the law.
Lawyers representing a group of music composers from the 20th century have accused Apple of being “recklessly indifferent or willfully blind” to the actions of a company that operates a “massive music piracy operation” on iTunes.
Apple employees required to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic supposedly aren’t letting iOS 14 fall behind schedule. The next version of the iPhone and iPad operating system is reportedly on track for release.
And company engineers are also creating new versions of an array of hardware products from their home offices.
A HomeKit-compatible smart plug is an easy way to try home automation. And the Meross Smart WiFi Plug Mini is an especially inexpensive option. It enables a lamp or other simple electrical device to be remotely controlled from an iPhone using Siri voice commands.
A fresh update to Pixelmator Pro, an affordable macOS alternative to Photoshop for everyday users, includes an all-new color picker intended to let users choose and manage colors more easily. Plus, version 1.6 also makes it easier to select multiple objects.
The popular Pixelmator for iPad app is also getting its own update soon.
When you‘ve caught a bad cold, the flu or a global pandemic, it’s no help that your Apple Watch keeps urging you to go for a run. That’s why this wearable needs a sick mode.
When it comes out this autumn, watchOS 7 should include a mode that gives good advice for people ill enough to need bed rest rather than a trip to the gym.
Anyone packing iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods doesn’t have to deal with charging them separately. The Native Union Drop XL Wireless Charger (Watch Edition) can handle all three of these at once. And it won‘t take up much room on your nightstand.
I tested this multidevice wireless charger from a top-notch brand in my daily use to see if it lived up to its promises.
A LiDAR scanner is the highlight of the 2020 iPad Pro. So iFixit disassembled this just-released tablet to see how this 3D sensor works. And the company demonstrates why this scanner is not meant to be as accurate as Face ID.
The original Monument Valley was a huge hit in 2014, and its 2017 sequel carried on the legacy. ustwo Games has now made the iOS and Android versions of Monument Valley 2 free for a short time, a move the developers call a virtual hug.
The Zoom video conferencing app has been a lifesaver for many people unexpectedly forced to work from home during the coronavirus outbreak. But privacy experts have raised concerns that this app shares more user data than many might realize. That includes the iOS version reportedly sending information to Facebook, even about users who don’t have a Facebook account.
Update: Zoom has removed this controversial code.
Apple moved back a deadline to prevent iPhone and iPad developers from posting software updates to the App Store built with out-of-date tools. Developers now have three more months to upgrade.
Evidence emerged today that Apple‘s facial-recognition system will be built into future Macs. Face ID is already a highlight of iPhone and iPad, and there’s solid proof the company is looking into adding it to MacBook and iMac as well.
Apple reportedly informed its authorized service representatives that the anti-reflective coating on the Retina displays on MacBook Air models can experience “issues.” Earlier Mac laptops have had problems with this coating wearing off.
Emerging from the dark and noisy arcades of the 1980s is a updated version of a classic. Atari’s Missile Command: Recharged for iPhone and iPad is nearly identical to the original with only a few tweaks for a new generation.
And to double down on the nostalgia, an augmented reality mode projects your gameplay onto a virtual arcade cabinet.
A nearly unique pair of Apple sneakers was sold at auction this week. And this bit of company memorabilia from the 1990s pulled in close to $10,000.
T-Mobile customers who are also iPhone users can now reportedly pay their monthly bill with Apple Pay. This option showed up on the carrier’s website today.
And it can be used to get 3% cash back.
The 2020 iPad Pro takes Apple’s very capable tablet from 2018, improves the specs and performance, and even adds some great features.
I did hands-on testing of the new capabilities and found there’s a lot to love in the latest iPad.
ARKit 3.5, the new version of Apple’s augmented reality software, can capture a 3D representation of the world in real time. This feature employs the LiDAR scanner that’s already in the 2020 Pad Pro and expected in some of this autumn’s iPhone models.
And the version of ARKit that debuted yesterday in iOS 13.4 is better at allowing virtual objects to pass in front of and behind people in the scene.
Zagg is updating two of its keyboard cases for the 2020 iPad Pro that debuts tomorrow. The Slim Book Go focuses more on portability, while the Rugged Book Go brings a bit additional protection to Apple’s latest high-end tablet.
Macs everywhere can now upgrade to macOS Catalina 10.15.4. This adds iCloud Drive folder sharing as well as Apple Music time-synced lyrics and other enhancements.