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macOS - page 20

iMac Pro packs new T2 chip for extra security

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iMac Pro
The internals are insane.
Photo: Apple

The iMac Pro is the most secure Apple desktop ever built, and it’s got a special chip to prove it.

Early review units are starting to trickle out to tech experts and according to iOS and Mac developer Cabel Sasser, the iMac Pro packs a new T2 chip that is basically like a secure enclave for the iMac.

iMac Pro impresses in first hands-on reviews

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Apple
This is the best iMac Apple's ever made.
Photo: Apple

Apple surprised us this morning by finally revealing the launch date of the iMac Pro, but a few lucky tech reviewers have already gotten their hands on the slick new machine.

The first hands-on reviews of the iMac Pro confirm a lot of what we already knew about Apple’s machine: it’s gorgeous and insanely fast. But according to those that have tested it, the iMac Pro actually blows past the hype of being the perfect iMac for professionals.

You can now pre-order apps in the App Store

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Coronavirus could have a surprisingly positive impact on App Store revenue
Coronavirus could have a surprisingly positive impact on App Store revenue
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is now allowing all App Store developers to accept pre-orders for upcoming releases on iOS, macOS, and tvOS.

Customers will be able to view product pages and place their order ahead of an app’s official release date. They will then receive a notification once it is available and the app will be downloaded automatically to their device.

Apple seeds first macOS 10.13.3 beta

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macOS high sierra
New beta software is here for the Mac.
Photo: Apple

Registered Apple developers just got a brand new beta build of macOS today after Apple seeded the first beta of macOS 10.13.3.

The new update comes less than a week after Apple released macOS 10.13.2 to the public bringing a host of bug fixes and performance improvements. Like the update before it, macOS 10.13.3 appears to mostly focus on under-the-hood improvements.

Apple patches HomeKit bug that left smart locks vulnerable

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HomeKit devices
This isn't good.
Photo: Apple

A huge vulnerability within Apple’s HomeKit software has been discovered that potentially could have allowed attackers to gain access to smart accessories like locks and garage doors.

The zero-day vulnerability was reportedly patched by Apple within the last few days but certainly shows that HomeKit might be quite as secure as some users think.

Buggy software could tarnish Apple’s sterling reputation

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iPhone buggy software
The bugs keep on coming.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple built its trillion-dollar reputation delivering beautiful hardware that turned tedious tasks into magical experiences.

But a recent string of ridiculous bugs — and a seriously shocking security flaw — put Cupertino in a precarious position: If Apple doesn’t stop the screw-ups, it could permanently sully its good name.

Huge security flaw leaves macOS High Sierra open to attack

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macOS High Sierra
Apple let a major security flaw slip through the cracks.
Photo: Apple

A serious security flaw in macOS High Sierra has been exposed that allows anyone to gain full access to affected Macs without knowing the computer’s administrative password.

The bug appears to let someone log into the admin account on a Mac by simply typing “root” as the username while leaving the password field blank. Attackers could potentially exploit the bug to access locked Macs and gain access to personal information.

Apple drops new betas for iOS, macOS and tvOS

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Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in iOS 11 control center
iOS 11.2 makes Control Center a bit better.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Developers received a new round of beta updates from Apple this morning after the company released the fifth beta build of iOS 11.2 along with new software for tvOS and macOS as well.

iOS 11.2 beta 2 comes more than a week after Apple seeded the last build to developers adding a bunch of tweaks to the iPhone and iPad.

Microsoft rips off AirDrop for Windows 10

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Windows 10 AirDrop
Windows 10 gets its own AirDrop clone.
Photo: Microsoft

AirDrop, Apple’s incredibly convenient file-sharing feature, has been ripped off by Microsoft. The latest build of Windows 10 introduces the ability to quickly send files between computers using “Near Share.”

Apple seeds fifth macOS 10.13.1 beta

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macOS High Sierra
Apple is said to be working on a fix.
Photo: Apple

Developers received a new beta build for Macs this morning after Apple seeded the fifth beta for macOS 10.13.1.

The new beta build comes just three days after Apple released the fourth macOS 10.13.1 beta alongside new betas for iOS 11.1 and tvOS 11.1.

Awesome Mac app makes managing contacts easier than ever

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Cardhop contacts app for Mac
Cardhop was created by the stellar team behind Fantastical.
Photo: Flexibits

Remember how Flexibits made managing your calendar incredibly easy with Fantastical? Now it is doing the same for your contacts with a brand new app called Cardhop.

Cardhop makes keeping your address book up to date and staying in touch with friends and colleagues quick and easy. It uses the same great natural language recognition found in Fantastical, and it’s available today on macOS.

There’s a serious security flaw in Wi-Fi and we’re all at risk

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KRACK Wi-Fi attack
Beware the KRACK attack.
Photo: Mathy Vanhoef

A major security flaw has been discovered in Wi-Fi and we’re all at risk.

Researchers discovered the weakness in WPA2, the protocol that secures all modern Wi-Fi networks. Any modern device with a wireless connection could be open to a KRACK attack that would expose information like credit card numbers, passwords, messages and more.

Google Opinion Rewards, The Talos Principle, and other awesome apps

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A Google app which lets you earn real money for basically no work is just one of the picks we’ve made for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week” roundup.

In addition, we’ve got a great artificial intelligence-themed puzzle game, a nifty email app update, and a camera app which lets you double the number of videos you can store on your iOS device. Check out our selections for the week’s most notable apps below.

Apple seeds new betas for macOS, watchOS and tvOS

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macOS High Sierra
Apple is said to be working on a fix.
Photo: Apple

Along with dropping a new iOS 11.1 beta, Apple also released the second beta builds for macOS 10.13.1, tvOS 11.1 and watchOS 4.1.

The new batch of betas come about two weeks after Apple seeded the last set of betas to developers and come with a host of bug fixes and under-the-hood improvements for Apple’s platforms.

Your up-to-date Mac might be vulnerable to firmware attacks

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Clean up your Mac the easy way with MacFly Pro.
Check your Mac's firmware. It might be vulnerable.
Photo: StockSnap/Pixabay CC

Updating your Mac to the latest version of macOS might not mean it’s impervious to firmware attacks.

According to a new security report, a shocking percentage of Macs are still vulnerable to critical firmware exploits despite running the latest version of macOS. Making matters worse, most users are completely unaware that their firmware isn’t up-to-date.

Apple’s big batch of betas is ready for public testers

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iOS 11
The new Control Center is just one of many great new iOS 11 features.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The first big beta update for iOS 11 is already available to the public, just one day after Apple seeded the new beta build to developers.

iOS 11.1 beta 1 can now be installed on iPhones and iPads by public testers and comes with other big updates for tvOS 11 and macOS High Sierra.

Apple ditches Bing for Google on Siri and Spotlight

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Siri is switching to Google.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple just gave Microsoft’s search engine Bing a huge blow today by replacing it with Google on iOS and macOS.

The company previously used Bing search results as the default when users made a search query via Siri on iPhones or from Spotlight on Macs. Bing will still be around in some capacity, but it appears that the company has given in and turned back to using Google.

Here’s when you can upgrade to macOS High Sierra

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macOS update
A macOS update adds support for Messages in iCloud.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Following three months of beta testing, macOS High Sierra is almost ready to make its public debut.

There are a whole bunch of new features and improvements to look forward to in this update, including an overhauled Photos app, enhanced Siri, and the new Apple File System.

Apple online store goes down ahead of iPhone X event

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Apple store down event
"We'll be back."
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

You’ve written your wish-list and sent it off to Santa, and now it’s time to hit the hay before you wake up to find out if you’ve been good enough this year. In other words, the Apple store is now down ahead of today’s special event.

When it comes back up, we expect to see a bunch of exciting new products, including Apple Watch Series 3, Apple TV 4K, and of course, iPhone X.