Mac - page 29

Mac app lets you enjoy Continuity with Android devices

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MacBook-Pixel-3-Android
KDE Connect is free to download and incredibly useful.
Image: Cult of Mac

Not every Mac owner uses an iPhone, and that means they often miss out on first-party features like Messages and iCloud. But there’s one feature Android users can now enjoy.

KDE Connect is a new macOS app that allows for Continuity between Mac and Android devices. You can enjoy desktop notifications, file sharing, and more — and it’s free.

The last macOS Mojave update is nearly ready for public launch

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Mojave's new tool offers plenty of options for Mac screenshots.
Grab the new macOS Mojave beta now.
Photo: Apple

The handful of developers still beta testing macOS Mojave instead of macOS Catalina were treated to a brand new beta build in the form of macOS 10.14.6 today.

This is the fifth beta of macOS 10.14.6 which adds a host of new bug fixes and performance improvements to the Mac before Apple goes all-in on macOS Catalina this fall.

2019 MacBook Air vs. MacBook Pro: Which is right for you?

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MacBook on desk
Look at all those ports!
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple’s current laptop lineup is the simplest it’s been in a while. It consists of the 13-inch MacBook Air, and two sizes of MacBook Pro, which are almost identical apart from size.

If you want a 15-inch Apple notebook, then the choice is easy. But if you want a 13-incher, which should you pick? That’s what we’ll look at today, pitching the 13-inch MacBook Air against the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

Zoom rushes to fix its webcam-accessing flaw on Macs

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Apple offers up to $1.5 million to anyone who spots a software flaw
Flaw allowed hackers to access other people's webcams.
Photo: United Artists

Zoom conference calls are as much of a part of modern office working life as disagreements about the air-con system.

But security researcher Jonathan Leitschuh recently stumbled upon something extremely concerning. As discovered by Leitschuh, Zoom featured a vulnerability that allowed hackers to break into a target’s Mac webcam. This happened regardless of whether the Mac user was using Safari, Chrome or Firefox.

Fortunately, Zoom has, well, zoomed to correct it.

Making music on iPad forced me back to the Mac

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Tuning a ukulele
Sometime the old ways are the best.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

I use my iPad for almost all my computing. I write, read, record and edit music, edit photos — you name it. I’ve used my decade-old Mac less and less in recent years, as the iPad, or rather iOS, has gotten ever more capable.

But this week I dusted off my Mac, ordered some extra RAM (yes, it’s still available!), and fired it up. Why? Because, as powerful as the iPad is, the Mac is still way, way better for some tasks. In my case, that task is recording and editing music.

Apple brings True Tone to MacBook Air, faster chips to MacBook Pro

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The late-2018 MacBook Air with Retina display.
They’re now more affordable, too.
Photo: Apple

Apple has updated the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro for the back-to-school season. And they’re now more affordable.

The newest MacBook Air now ships with a True Tone display — just like its more expensive siblings. The newest 13-inch MacBook Pro is powered by faster Intel chips, while the entry-level model now offers a Touch Bar with Touch ID.

Save $200 on Mac mini, $820 on MacBook Pro [Deals & Steals]

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2019 MacBook Pro
So long, old friend.
Photo: Apple

Amazon’s Deal of the Day lets you save up to 29% on the 2018 MacBook Pro for today only. Prices start at $1,879.99 (down from $2,399.99) for a 15-inch model with a six-core Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.

And that’s just one of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup. There’s also $200 off the newest Mac mini, a rare discount on the newest AirPods with a Wireless Charging Case, and up to $100 off Apple Watch Series 4.

Plus, you can now get Amazon’s newest Echo Dot for half its usual price.

Many of these discounts are good for today only, so act fast and enjoy them while you can.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

macOS Catalina revives Expansion Slot Utility app for new Mac Pro

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Expansion-Slot-Utility-Catalina
Expansion Slot Utility reborn in macOS Catalina.
Photo: Steve Moser

Apple’s latest macOS Catalina beta revives the long-lost Expansion Slot Utility app for the new Mac Pro.

Now updated to version 2.0, the app helps users configure things like video cards, audio adapters, and more. It went away for a while after the introduction of the 2013 Mac Pro — but it will be called into action again when the 2019 Mac Pro makes its debut.

’CrescentCore’ malware attacks your Mac, evades antivirus tools

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CrescentCore-Flash-update
Don’t install Flash Player. Not even the real one.
Photo: Intego

Security researches have discovered new malware that targets macOS users and evades popular antivirus tools.

“CrescentCore” is distributed as a DMG package that’s disguised as Adobe Flash Player. It can now be found on multiple websites — one of which is “a high-ranking Google search result,” according to Intego.

Apple security chief will talk iOS 13, macOS Catalina at Black Hat

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Black-Hat-security-conference
Ivan Krstic last appeared at Black Hat in 2016.
Photo: Black Hat

Apple security chief Ivan Krstic will be returning to the Black Hat security conference this summer to discuss iOS 13 and macOS Catalina — as well as the security protections in Apple’s new Find My service.

The 50-minute talk, titled “Behind the scene of iOS and Mac Security,” will take place on August 8. Krstic describes it as the “first public discussion of several key technologies new to iOS 13 and the Mac.”

iWork apps for iOS and Mac get a massive update

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iWork
iWork could expose user data to U.S. authorities.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s suite of iWork productivity apps received a big batch of updates today for both the Mac and iOS versions.

Keynote, Numbers and Pages for the two platforms added a bunch of new features. The biggest addition is some new outline styles. There are also a couple of new customization options for Apple Pencil and a face detection feature that intelligently positions people in placeholders and objects.

Adobe Lightroom hits the Mac App Store and you can try it out for free

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Adobe-Lightroom-Mac
Try it for 7 days before signing up.
Photo: Adobe

Adobe has brought its professional photo editing software to the Mac App Store.

Lightroom for macOS is available now as a free download, and you can try it for seven days before deciding whether or not you want to cough up for it. This is the full version of Lightroom — just like you would get from Adobe.

Aspire is ditching its entire catalog of 32-bit Mac games

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Call-of-Duty-Black-Ops
Black Ops is one of many titles getting dropped.
Photo: Activision

Aspyr has confirmed plans to ditch its entire catalog of 32-bit games developed for Mac.

The news comes just a few weeks after Apple announced macOS Catalina — the first version of its operating system that won’t support 32-bit apps. A number of big titles will get the boot, including Call of Duty, Civilization, and Sims.

Sell your old Mac and bag a bargain upgrade today

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We've rounded up four top-shelf productivity apps for Mac, each discounted by more than half.
With big discounts on new Macs, it’s a great time to upgrade.
Photo: Cult of Mac

There are some incredible discounts to be had on some of the best Apple machines right now, like $780 off the 27-inch iMac, $400 off the 21.5-inch iMac, and $100 off the newest MacBook Air.

And yours could be even cheaper when you raise some upgrade cash with Cult of Mac.

We’ll pay real money for your old Mac, and we make the whole process quick and easy. What’s more, we typically cough up more than other buyback services. Get a quote today to find out how much your old Mac is really worth.

iOS and Mac apps no longer part of iTunes URL

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Apple pays $467k for doing business with blacklisted app developer
The App Store is striking out on its own!
Photo: Apple

In a subtle, but significant, change, iOS and Mac app listings on the web now direct users to a URL at apps.apple.com, instead of itunes.apple.com.

This follows WWDC, where Apple shared details of a world beyond iTunes. Apple is breaking up the iTunes app into Music, Podcasts, and TV apps. While you don’t need to worry about your iTunes content, this is the latest example of Apple shifting away from that branding.

Dropbox overhauls its Mac app, adds a bunch of awesome features

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Dropbox-overhaul
Try it out today.
Photo: Dropbox

Dropbox wants to be the only app you use on your Mac to access your most important files — wherever they are stored.

Its overhauled desktop client brings all your favorite cloud services together inside an all-new design with a bunch of awesome new features. It’s more than an app, Dropbox says, “it’s a completely new experience.”

Only a small number of Macs will support Sidecar in macOS Catalina

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Luna Display easily converts an iPad into a second screen for your MacBook Pro.
Third-party solutions are far from dead.
Photo: Astro HQ

Not many Apple computers will be left out in the cold when its big macOS Catalina upgrade rolls out this fall. But even if your Mac is compatible, it might not be able to take advantage of every feature.

Sidecar, which lets you use an iPad as a second screen, will only support a limited number of machines. If your Mac is getting a little long in the tooth, you’re probably going to be out of luck.