Articles about iOS

Number pads are pointless. Don't get me wrong, I am sure some older folks use them out of habit, but I -- and many other consumers -- never do. Quite frankly, since you can buy a dedicated number keypad if you truly need it, why burden everyone with them just to please a small group of people? As a result, many keyboards are longer than they need to be. While that doesn't sound so bad, it is an annoyance since it takes up valuable desk space -- especially with more and more people working from home these days.

Today, Logitech unveils a slim wireless keyboard without a number pad. Called "MX Keys Mini," it is notable for more than just being compact. The backlit keyboard can fast-charge using USB-C, and Logitech promises up to 5-months of battery life with backlighting off. With the lights on, you can expect up to 10 days of usage.

Continue reading →

We live in a world where there’s so much information that keeping on top of it all can be nearly impossible. According to research commissioned by Microsoft, people "spend seven hours a day online, use six different feeds on a regular basis and check their feeds five times a day".

To help combat this, the software giant is introducing a personalized news feed called Microsoft Start, with news from premium publishers that’s tailored to your interests.

Continue reading →

Home automation continues to grow in popularity at an ever-increasing rate. The market value is expected to reach $114 billion by 2025, with smart lighting products accounting for 25 percent of that.

It’s hard to say where the average user begins with home automation, but we’d argue it’s likely to be with a smart lightbulb for most of them. It’s a product that seems straightforward and doesn’t have the dangers of locking you out of your house (as a smart lock could) or making you feel like you’re either in a) Death Valley, or b) Nome, Alaska (unlike a smart thermostat). 

Continue reading →

It’s been over a decade since Finnish game maker Rovio hit the big time with Angry Birds. New levels were periodically added to keep players interested and, capitalizing on that success, the company followed it up with other games such as Angry Birds Seasons and Angry Birds 2. They also released a tournament-based version called Angry Birds Friends. 

Rovio has kept the tournament version fresh and exciting by releasing loads of new levels every week. The goal of the game is to beat the people you're playing against and after completing each level you will see where you rank amongst those ahead and behind you  -- both places and points. 

Continue reading →

Before Android and iOS took over the mobile market, there was Symbian. Originally developed for PDAs in the late 1990s, it was the most popular mobile OS in the world for a time, powering early smartphones from Nokia, Samsung, Motorola and Sony Ericsson.

As Google and Apple’s mobile operating systems took off, Symbian OS went into an inevitable decline, and it was discontinued in 2010. But perhaps now is the time for a modern re-invention of it.

Continue reading →

A security researcher has discovered a strange iPhone bug that breaks wireless internet connectivity.

Self-proclaimed reverse engineer Carl Schou found that simply connecting to a network with an SSID containing particular characters "permanently disabled" his iPhone's Wi-Fi functionality. Although Apple is yet to acknowledge that there is a problem, it has been tested and confirmed by many users.

Continue reading →

Last year, Apple released new Mac computers powered by the company's own M1 processors. Not only were there new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, but a new Mac mini desktop as well. More recently, Apple released a new M1-powered iMac too. I was fascinated by the new Apple Silicon processors, so earlier this year, 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.

Continue reading →

Apple’s WWDC started yesterday with a two-hour long keynote in which the company revealed what’s next for its various operating systems, including iOS and macOS.

There are a lot of new features coming, including plenty to do with privacy, as well as FaceTime enhancements and updates for Maps, Weather, and Wallet.

Continue reading →

When digital assistants are mentioned, it tends to be Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa that come to mind; it is only for real Microsoft diehards that Cortana features.

So it is little wonder that Microsoft has seen sense and decided to kill off some implementations of its own digital assistant. Cortana will still be found in Windows 10, but mobile users will find that it is no longer available for either iOS or Android.

Continue reading →

One of the best things about using an Apple iPhone, iPad, or Mac is having access to the best overall web browser on the market -- Safari. That's why I am always a bit perplexed when someone chooses an alternative like Chrome or Firefox for an Apple computer or device. Don't get me wrong, those two browsers from Mozilla and Google are great too, but Apple's offering is just faster, more focused on privacy, and better for battery life.

But OK, for whatever reason, people do pick third-party web browsers on the iPhone; even though Apple doesn't allow those browsers to use alternative browsing engines. But hey, at least you can change your default web browser on iOS and iPadOS nowadays.

Continue reading →

Facebook is expanding support for physical security keys to mobile devices in order to help users secure their accounts.

The site already offers multi-factor authentication via SMS or authenticator apps, but adding support for hardware keys offers users another means of supplementing their passwords and keeping their accounts more secure.

Continue reading →

Apple has issued a couple of important security updates for its desktop and mobile operating systems. The company has released iOS 14.4.1 and macOS 11.2.3, both of which are described as being "recommended for all users".

The reason for this is simple -- these are important updates that patch a memory corruption bug that could be exploited by malicious websites. This is in addition to the vulnerabilities that have already been patched in another iOS update last month.

Continue reading →

Two years ago, Apple took the decision to create a slightly different version of iOS for its tablet range. iPadOS makes decent use of the additional real estate, with a new home screen and features that allow for multi-tasking and more ways to use Apple Pencil.

If you've ever wished that Apple would go a step further and really make full use of the iPad's larger screen and powerful internals, then take a look at this designer’s incredible vision for iPadOS 15.

Continue reading →

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.

Continue reading →

Researchers at mobile device security company Lookout have uncovered a new strain of spyware targeting iOS and Android users in multiple Asian countries.

Called Goontact, it targets users lured to illicit sites and steals personal information stored on their mobile devices in order to carry out sextortion scams.

Continue reading →