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Newsstand - page 43

macOS Big Sur’s Digital Color Meter icon is a little off and it’s driving people crazy

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Digital Color Meter Big Sur 1
Spot anything weird about that pipette?
Photo: Roel Van Gils/Apple

When it comes to design, Apple’s not a lazy company. Cupertino sweats the small details, which — like that anecdote about Van Halen’s “no brown M&Ms” concert rider — shows it sweats the big details, too.

That’s why Apple fans seem so surprised to see that the icon for macOS Big Sur’s Digital Color Meter has something, well, just a little off about it. Can you see what’s wrong?

Belkin Thunderbolt 3 dock is ready for a professional office on the go

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Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core includes 8 ports.
Belkin Thunderbolt 3 Dock Core can be the hub of your mobile office.
Photo: Belkin

Belkin’s newly-unveiled multiport adapter uses Thunderbolt 3, not just USB-C, and can drive two 4K monitors at 60 Hz. But that’s just the start, as the Dock Core can also transfer data over a USB-C connection at up to 40 Gbps. Plus it includes Gigabit Ethernet, a pair of USB-A ports, audio in/out, and more.

It’s designed to be part of high-performance mobile office, as it does not need a second power source.

Samsung credit-card size SSD holds up to 2TB [Review]

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Samsung T7 review
The Samsung T7 isn’t much bigger than an Apple Card but still holds 2 terabytes of data.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Samsung T7 holds an amazing amount of data considering its svelte design. This Solid State Drive isn’t much bigger than a business card but holds up to 2TB. And it can be passed around between multiple computers — it’s compatible with Mac and iPad Pro, as well a wide variety of other devices.

I loaded up this recently-released SSD with a variety of files and put it through some real-world testing. Here’s how it stood up.

We rave about iOS 14’s best ‘secret’ features on The CultCast

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CultCast 442: AirPods with health sensors
Get a second shot of WWDC 2020 talk in this week's podcast.
Image: The CultCast

WWDC 2020 This week on The CultCast: We bring you a huge list of great iOS 14 features that Apple did not mention onstage during this week’s WWDC keynote, and there’s a lot here to love.

Plus: Why iOS 14’s new Home screen widgets aren’t as powerful as you might think. And get ready to log into websites with Face ID or Touch ID.

Today’s episode is supported by CleanMyMac X, an all-in-one utility that takes care of your Mac’s health: It’s a macOS cleaner, a performance monitor, a malware remover and, occasionally, a lifesaver. And until July 5th, you can go to macpaw.com/cultofmac to get CleanMyMac X with a 30% discount.

Why Apple still refuses to give the iPad a calculator

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Craig Federighi explained today why there’s no iPad Calculator app.
Apple exec Craig Federighi helped unveil iPadOS 14 at WWDC 2020, but there was still no Calculator app.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple software chief Craig Federighi just answered a question that’s puzzled people for years: Why doesn’t the iPad come with a calculator app?

In a video posted Friday, he also explained why the iPad lacks a weather app.

The best hidden features in iOS and iPadOS 14

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Best hidden features in iOS 14
There's a lot more to discover in iOS 14.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020Apple showcased some major changes and improvements for iOS 14 during its big WWDC 2020 keynote on Monday — and it was just the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more that we didn’t get to see.

We’re now discovering what some of those things are, thanks to the first beta release, which is already available to registered developers. Here are our picks for the best hidden features in iOS 14.

Easily add speedy Ethernet to your Mac with this inexpensive adapter [Review] ★★★★★

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Plugable USB-C to Ethernet Adapter review★★★★★
Enjoy the reliability of Ethernet with this simple USB-C adapter for your Mac or iPad Pro.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Adding Ethernet to your MacBook or iPad Pro is as simple as attaching the Plugable USB-C to Ethernet Adapter. This cuts your dependence on WiFi, instead bringing the security, reliability and speed of a wired connection.

I tested this very affordable and portable accessory, and bring you the results in this hands-on review.

iOS 14 protects your privacy in important new ways

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During the WWDC 2020 keynote, Apple doubled down on its commitment to privacy.
During the WWDC 2020 keynote, Apple doubled down on its commitment to privacy.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 The next iPhone and iPad operating systems warn you when the microphone or camera is on, let you share your approximate location, and block apps from tracking you. And these are just some of the ways iOS 14 and the iPad equivalent protect user privacy. Apple is clearly working hard to live up to its promise that it regards privacy as a fundamental human right.

Is noise cancellation fixed in latest AirPods Pro firmware? Nobody knows.

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Apple reportedly adding another supplier for its ultra-popular AirPods Pro
AirPods Pro users can't agree whether active noise cancellation is fixed by the latest firmware update.
Photo: Apple

Apple updated AirPods Pro to firmware version 2D27 on Tuesday. Users of these truly wireless headphones have since had a chance to install it, but there’s no consensus about whether it makes active noise cancellation as good as it was when this product first launched.

This visual guide to WWDC 2020 hits all the high points

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The virtual WWDC 2020 keynote packed in loads of exciting revelations. Breeze through the highlights in sketchnotes!
The virtual WWDC 2020 keynote packed in loads of exciting revelations. Breeze through all the highlights in these very visual sketchnotes!
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Monday’s WWDC 2020 keynote was very polished and a little fast-paced for me. This year, the entire Worldwide Developers Conference is virtual due to COVID-19, and the presentations flowed seamlessly from presenter to presenter, leaving little time for someone drawing to catch a breath. I ended up with five pages of drawings in my notebook.

I sketched out the important new features coming in iOS 14, iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, watchOS 7 and more. For a quick visual recap of the highlights of the WWDC 2020 keynote, check out my sketchnotes below.

Get ready to log into websites with Face ID or Touch ID

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Use Face ID or Touch ID to log into websites with Safari.
Logging in to websites is about to get easier for Apple users.
Screenshot: Apple

WWDC 2020 Safari users soon will be able to securely log into websites using Face ID and Touch ID. The new feature, which Apple is rolling out in iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and macOS Big Sur, should take away one of the most irritating things about using the web — remembering, and then typing in, user names and complicated passwords.

On websites that support the feature, users can opt in to use Apple’s biometric ID systems, making that irritating login dance a thing of the past.

Apple might face US antitrust probe over strict App Store policies

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app-store
Complaints about App Store have gained momentum recently.
Photo: Apple

The Department of Justice is considering a possible antitrust probe of Apple, according to three sources who spoke with Politico, the publication notes in a report published Wednesday.

Like the European Union, which recently launched an antitrust investigation of Apple, the DoJ is reportedly focused on Apple’s control of the App Store. Multiple companies have complained that the App Store raises prices and reduces options for customers.

iOS 14’s new Home screen widgets aren’t as powerful as you might think

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Home screen widgets in iOS 14
Widgets are awesome, but they're missing one thing.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2020 For many iPhone users, the biggest and most exciting change in iOS 14 is the addition of Home screen widgets. It’s a feature we’ve been waiting years to get — and a feature Android has offered since the very beginning. But there’s something you should know before you start using them this fall.

iOS 14 Home screen widgets aren’t quite as powerful as you might think they are.

Apple gets it ‘write’ with Scribble on iPadOS

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Scribble is the most significant new feature in iPadOS 14
Apple’s Scribble handwriting-recognition system makes iPad styli more useful.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple finally brought handwriting recognition to iPad. With Scribble built in iPadOS 14, it’s possible to enter text simply by drawing on the screen.

My testing with the first version shows its an amazing feature. But one with room for improvement.

After virtual WWDC, Apple should never go back to live keynotes

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During the WWDC 2020 keynote, Apple software chief Craig Federighi reveals big changes coming in iOS 14.
It was certainly a different experience, Craig. I'll give you that.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple turned chicken sh*t into chicken salad with Monday’s WWDC 2020 keynote, and now I don’t want Cupertino to ever go back to doing live keynotes. Crude? Perhaps. Truthful? You bet.

Before the streaming event started, some of my Cult of Mac colleagues discussed how Apple would deal with its first virtual keynote. Some of us thought Apple would simply deliver the same Steve Jobs Theater experience, but with no audience present. (Heck, if Apple wanted to, it could have gone the route of U.K. televised football and added crowd noise.) Others thought Apple would, well, think different.

Apple chose this second option and, in the process, freshened up a formula that has remained the same for years. Here’s why it would be a step backward for Cupertino to consider going back to live keynotes.

watchOS 7 adds new workouts, sleep tracking, shareable watch faces and handwashing

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watchOS 7 introduces new complications and watch face sharing
watchOS 7 introduces new complications and watch face sharing
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple revealed Monday what it has up its sleeve for Apple Watch when watcOS 7 debuts this fall. Thanks to rumors and leaked betas over the past few months, we already expected many of the Apple Watch features showcased during the WWDC 2020 keynote, like watch face sharing and sleep tracking.

Still, Apple still unleashed some surprises, including a redesigned and renamed Activity app. There’s even an automatic handwashing-detection feature that could help people keep COVID-19 and other nasties at bay.

macOS 11 Big Sur ushers in sweeping changes to Mac

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WWDC 2020: It's official: The next version of macOS will be called
It's official: The next version of macOS will be called "Big Sur."
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 The next Mac operating system, called macOS Big Sur, will bring the biggest design overhaul in nearly two decades, Apple said Monday. In addition to the massive visual upgrades, MacOS Big Sur will usher in huge changes to the Messages, Maps and the Safari web browser.

Apple unveiled the massive changes coming to macOS on Monday during the company’s keynote kicking off this year’s online-only Worldwide Developers Conference.

“This year, we’re taking the macOS experience you love even further,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior VP of software engineering, as he launched into a deep dive into changes coming soon to Mac.

It’s official: Macs will start ditching Intel for Apple silicon this year

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Apple silicon will power future Mac desktops and laptops
Yesterday's Apple keynote was one of the best in years. And not just because it had great products announced.
Screenshot: Apple

WWDC 2020In a dramatic shift, Apple is giving up Intel chips. Instead, future Macs will run Apple silicon — processors engineered by Apple based on ARM designs.

While Apple revealed a general timeline for the transition at its developers conference on Monday, and unveiled software developers will need to get their applications ready, the first ARM Macs are still months away.

tvOS 14 gets picture-in-picture support, deeper HomeKit integration

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tvOS picture
TvOS 14 brings some impressive new features to Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 Apple showed off improvements coming to Apple TV during the WWDC keynote Monday, as execs detailed changes coming in tvOS 14.

The biggest tweak in the next-gen Apple TV operating system is platform-wide picture-in-picture. This means that users can continue playing Apple TV games or using fitness apps while also screening a movie, watching live sports or keeping tabs on the news.

iPadOS 14 brings huge Apple Pencil advances

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Apple Pencil just got much more useful in iPadOS 14.
Use an Apple Pencil to enter text anywhere with Scribble in iPadOS 14.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2020 iPad owners can use an Apple Pencil to write words into any text box thanks to iPadOS 14, which Apple announced Monday at its developers conference.

And there are other enhancements coming as well, like home screen widgets, improvements to search, and some user interface tweaks.