Articles about Apple

The Apple TV+ streaming service is hot garbage. Just how bad is it? I think I've had it free for over a year now, and I almost never watch it. It came gratis when I bought an iPad, but then Apple kept extending that free period. It's a very bad sign that the company is continuing to give it away -- it clearly signals people aren't opting to pay for it.

I have gone to the service a few times to see if anything looked good, but I typically opt for something on Netflix instead. What I did choose to watch, however, didn't hold my attention. As the owner of two Apple TV devices (4th gen and 4K) I am probably one of the users Apple expected to embrace TV+, but nope. And now, Apple TV+ is coming to Google TV devices. The big question is, who the heck owns a Google TV device and cares about Apple TV+?

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A serious vulnerability was recently discovered in the sudo tool which could be used to gain root access on Linux-based systems. It soon transpired that the very same issue also affects macOS.

The security vulnerability -- known as Baron Samedit and tracked as CVE-2021-3156 -- is a years-old heap-based buffer overflow bug, and Apple has now issued a patch that fixes the problem for users of Big Sur, Catalina and Mojave flavors of macOS.

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It's an unfortunate fact of life that over time all laptop batteries become less efficient. The machine that once got your through the day will eventually only last a couple of hours -- perhaps even less.

Age is one thing, but sometimes there can be a hardware or software problem that exacerbates the issue. And this is case for some MacBook Pro owners. But there's good news. Apple may replace your battery free of charge.

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Back on January 23, the New York Times published an Op-Ed piece by Kate Murphy titled America Has a GPS Problem, citing fear at the highest levels of government and industry that international bad actors might bring down the Global Positioning System satellite network, running your Tesla into a guardrail in the process. It’s just the sort of story you’d expect to read here, rather than in the Times, but what the heck. And the story is absolutely correct: we are all in danger. But Ms. Murphy, beyond wringing her hands, doesn’t say how the crisis will be averted or who will do the averting. I predict that Apple will fix the problem and save the day and they’ll probably do it this year.

The military and intelligence communities have long been worried that China or Russia could shoot down some or all of the 24 GPS satellites, blinding our strategic weapons in the process. It’s literal shooting-down, too, since the anti-satellite weapons demonstrated so far have been kinetic -- dumb rocks smashed into our satellites at incredible speed, knocking them from the sky and requiring incredible precision. So far only China and Russia have this offensive capability. But Ms. Murphy and the Times expand the population of bad guys beyond China and Russia to include enemies jamming, spoofing, or otherwise hacking GPS, which could be anyone -- Iran, North Korea, even groups of private individuals.

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Living in Apple's ecosystem is a very rewarding experience. I know it is a cliché, but "it just works" is the truth. Are Apple products perfect and without issues? No. But when all of your gear is from Apple, it often works together brilliantly. An iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods together, for instance, is a trio that creates beautiful synergy -- especially when away from home.

If you are a road-warrior with both an Apple Watch and AirPods, Satechi has a new charger that you must check out. The elegant 2-in-1 USB-C charger connects to either a MacBook or iPad with USB Type-C ports and provides a mini charging pad that accommodates both AirPods or Apple Watch. Its small size makes it perfect to just toss in a bag. Best of all, since it charges both devices, you can potentially carry fewer chargers and ultimately reduce clutter.

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We recently wrote about a serious vulnerability in the sudo tool which could be used to gain root access to Linux systems. Now a security researcher has found that the security flaw also affects macOS Big Sur -- including on new M1 Macs.

The Baron Samedit vulnerability -- or CVE-2021-3156 -- is a heap-based buffer overflow bug that was discovered by cybersecurity firm Qualys. While it was initially thought to only affect Linux systems, researcher Matthew Hickey (who also goes by the name Hacker Fantastic) found that macOS is also vulnerable with only very minor changes needed to the original exploit.

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Apple has issued an extended warning that the additional magnets found in iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max as well as MagSafe accessories could pose a risk to people with pacemakers and defibrillators.

The company had previously acknowledged the potential for the magnets to interfere with certain implanted medical equipment, but has now gone further in explaining the risk and offering advice. Apple says that distancing is important, particularly when charging wirelessly.

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There has always been a healthy rivalry between Microsoft and Apple, and with a new ad, the Windows maker is spoiling for a fight -- a Surface Pro 7 vs MacBook Pro fight.

The ad sees Microsoft making the bold claim that its self-produced Surface Pro 7 is a better device -- and a better choice -- than Apple's MacBook Pro. One of the key arguments Microsoft uses is that its own device is much cheaper, helped by the fact that there is a special deal available at the moment.

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The arrival of Apple's M1 chips opened up the possibility of running iPhone and iPad apps under macOS. Running natively in this way is reliant on developers making the necessary changes to their creations which can then be installed via the Mac App Store.

But, of course, not all developers are willing or able to make the necessary updates and so their apps have not been available in the App Store. However, many people have been side-stepping this obstacle by sideloading unsupported apps. Having noticed this activity, Apple has intervened and blocked such sideloading.

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Last year, Apple released new Mac computers powered by the company's own M1 processors. Not only are there new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, but a new Mac mini desktop too. I am fascinated by the new Apple Silicon processors, so last week, I bought my very own Mac mini. Guess what? It is a phenomenal computer that I love very much so far.

The problem with the Mac mini, however, is it doesn't come with a keyboard or mouse. This is by design, as Apple hopes Windows users will replace their current desktops with the little Mac -- simply reusing existing keyboards, mice, and monitors. Unfortunately, a Windows keyboard is not ideal for a Mac. Will it work? Yes, but it doesn't have the exact same keys, such as "COMMAND." And so, Mac mini buyers would be wise to buy a Mac keyboard.

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If you have an iPhone with a screen which has become unresponsive to touch, you might be in line for a free replacement.

Apple has launched a new display module replacement program for iPhone 11 handsets. The company says that it is only this model of iPhone that is affected, and in order to qualify for a free replacement, the handset needs to have been produced between November 2019 and May 2020.

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Video doorbells are friggin' awesome. For my home, I rely on the Arlo smart doorbell and I couldn't be happier with it. Arlo's offering was very easy to install, but more importantly, it lets me know when there is any activity at my front door, such as food delivery people, packages, the occasional nighttime raccoon, and more. For a few dollars a month, I can even save recordings to the cloud.

Of course, not all video doorbells are the same. For instance, you should avoid Amazon's Ring Doorbells as there are too many privacy red flags surrounding it. While Arlo is great, another respected company is getting into the doorbell game. You see, Logitech has launched the Circle View Doorbell, and it looks like a solid product. Unfortunately, it only works with Apple HomeKit, meaning Android users should look elsewhere.

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Are you rich? Me neither. While I am not poor, I work hard for my money, and I am not about to waste it on frivolous things. So when I saw the price of Apple's new AirPods Max wireless headphones, I nearly fainted. Are you ready for this, folks? The company is asking $550! Seriously. Oh, Apple...

Don't get me wrong, they actually look like nice over-ear headphones. I really like the design; they look well-made and comfortable. And of course, Apple has all kinds of fancy technology to try and justify the asking price. But let's cut out the marketing for a moment and be honest -- you'd be a fool to spend so much money. Hell, these beautiful Audio-Techinca Bluetooth headphones can be had for less than a third of the price!

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It's only a matter of weeks since Apple agreed to pay out $133 million following the batterygate scandal that saw the performance of older iPhones being throttled. Now it looks as though the company could have another battery issue on its hands.

An increasing number of users who jumped to install iOS 14.2 are reporting that their iPhones are losing battery power very quickly. A similar problem is also being reported by people who have installed iPadOS 14.2.

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With the iPhone 12 series of smartphones, Apple went all-in on magnets with its all-new MagSafe technology. I say "all-new" as it is not the same MagSafe used in older MacBook computers -- Apple is simply reusing the name. This new MagSafe is essentially a "wireless" charger (with a wire) that connects to the back of the iPhone magnetically. It's kind of weird, and sort of cool, but yeah, it requires an iPhone 12.

With all of that said, popular accessory-maker Satechi has its own MagSafe-compatible cable on the way. While it looks nicely made, I am not entirely sure why it exists. It is $10 less than Apple's version, which is appreciated, but it apparently maxes out at 7.5 watts -- half the potential wattage of Apple's model (I have reached out to the company to clarify). The Satechi Magnetic Wireless Charging Cable is about 2-feet longer, however.

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