• Meeting Intro with Harry
• "Sequoia - a MAGIC appraisal" with Robert Elphick
• Q & A with the "A" Team based on questions emailed prior to meeting as well from the audience
Location:
by ZOOM on-line
MAGIC Minutes for August 21, 2024
by Secretary Wendy Shimada, MAGIC*
The meeting was called to order at 4:02 pm by Vice President Ron Sharp, filling in for President Harry Anderson, who was away. Within a couple of moments 18 members were welcomed and Treasurer Gary McIntyre provided the financial report: an account balance of $9555.43, the exact balance of September, as the monthly website bill had not yet arrived. Gary explained to an enquiring member that yes, contributions were gladly accepted via either the MAGIC website or by check.
There was a brief discussion about MAGIC's history of donating scholarships to STEM participants, when funds permitted. It will be discussed at the next Board meeting.
Ron Sharp then proceeded to provide an interesting and informative session on Hard Drives. After the presentation, there was a Q&A on both hard drives and other topics brought up by meeting attendees. It was noted that before the General Q&A Session at the November MAGIC meeting, Robert will provide us all with updated information on the new Sequoia OS, now that the bugs have been worked out. Robert cautioned anyone planning to update to Sequoia, that it is best to skip 15.0 altogether and instead update to 15.0.1, which includes fixes to some of the bugs mentioned at our last meeting.
Ron adjourned the meeting at 4:59 pm.
MAGIC Musings
Nothing to report.
Harry Anderson, President
The MAGIC website "Tricks & Tricks" page just has updated two important pages:
These are both very important issues that all MAGIC members need to take care of. Read them and use them to keep your mac young and happy.
Sequoia MacOS 15.1
This release has fixed the issues that I report on the first version. It is now OK to update this version of Sequoia.
Robert Elphick
Note: This Software Update section of the newsletter lists the most relevant Apple updates. Not all updates are listed for all products. Additionally, I'll add other pertinent updates on occasion.
Apple releases iOS 17.7.1 with important security fixes for iPhone
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple released a ton of software updates today, including iOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1, and more. But there was another key software release you may be unaware of. If you're not yet running iOS 18, Apple's new iOS 17.7.1 update includes important security fixes for your iPhone.
iOS 17.7.1 is recommended for all users not on iOS 18
iOS 17.7.1 is available only for iPhones that haven't yet upgraded to iOS 18 or 18.1.
If for whatever reason you're still running iOS 17 on your iPhone or iPad, today's 17.7.1 release is an important one for security updates.
This update provides important security fixes and is recommended for all users.
If you're curious, Apple has shared the full list of iOS 17.7.1 security updates here on its website.
The listed fixes apply to features like Safari, Siri, Shortcuts, VoiceOver, and more. These patched vulnerabilities ensure that your iPhone is kept as secure as possible.
There are no other known changes in iOS 17.7.1. Don't expect any new features at all, as those are all reserved for iOS 18 and later at this point.
If your iPhone is compatible with iOS 18 but you've been waiting to upgrade, today's iOS 18.1 release might be a good time to do so.
Besides the variety of new features it brings, the update also includes its own security fixes and bug fixes that weren't part of the initial iOS 18.0 release.
iOS 18.1 now available with Apple Intelligence features, more
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
After three months of beta testing, iOS 18.1 with the first Apple Intelligence features is now available to everyone. This update includes features like Writing Tools, Clean Up in the Photos app, notification summaries, and much more.
iOS 18.1 is available to all iPhone models that run iOS 18. Apple Intelligence features, however, are only available on a subset of those phones. Here's the full list:
iPhone 15 Pro
iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 16
iPhone 16 Plus
iPhone 16 Pro
iPhone 16 Pro Max
iOS 18.1 is rolling out now with the build number 22B83. You can update your iPhone by going to the Settings app, choosing General, then tapping on Software Update.
Apple releases tvOS 18.1 and HomePod 18.1, here's what to expect
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple has released software updates for its two home products, the Apple TV 4K and HomePod. tvOS 18.1 and HomePod 18.1 are now available for download. Here's what to expect.
Apple TV app adds new Watchlist feature
Overall, there's not a lot new in today's tvOS and HomePod updates. They are instead largely focused on bug fixes and performance improvements.
However, there is one noteworthy change debuting in Apple's TV app in tvOS 18.1.
Up Next, the queue that tracks things you're watching and have saved to watch later, is getting a name change to Continue Watching.
And more significantly, the app adds a new Watchlist section which contains some items from Continue Watching.
Essentially, you might expect Continue Watching and Watchlist to function like similar lists do in an app like Netflix. One meant for resuming shows and movies you've previously started, while the other is for saved selections.
Apple's system works a little different, though. Continue Watching still contains everything it did before, in its 'Up Next' era. Everything you're actively watching is available there, plus all the shows and movies you've saved.
But the Watchlist contains only those latter saved items. So you won't see any TV shows or films you've already started. Only the ones that you've never watched at all.
If your Continue Watching section has grown too full, perhaps you'll find some benefit from having a new, dedicated Watchlist too. Overall, it seems like a curious addition though.
Following the release of iOS 18.1 with Apple Intelligence for the public, Apple is also rolling out watchOS 11.1 for Apple Watch users.
watchOS 11.1 doesn't bring any significant new features. Instead, the update focuses on bug fixes and overall stability. The watchOS 11.1 final build number is 22R585.
Although the Apple Watch does not officially support Apple Intelligence, after updating your iPhone to iOS 18.1 there is one great AI benefit your Watch will get: notification summaries.
You can update your Apple Watch by going to Settings > General > Software Update. It's worth noting that the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50% battery power and be plugged into a charger in order to install watchOS updates.
macOS Sequoia 15.1 now available with Apple Intelligence and these new features
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple has released the next big update for the Mac: macOS Sequoia 15.1. This brings the first wave of Apple Intelligence features to the Mac, plus some non-AI upgrades. Here's everything that's new.
New features available in macOS 15.1, including Apple Intelligence
macOS 15.1 includes a nice upgrade to iPhone Mirroring, which was first introduced in macOS Sequoia last month. Now you can drag and drop photos and files between your Mac and the mirrored iPhone. This makes for a convenient alternative to AirDrop for quickly moving files between devices.
Additionally, the Battery menu in the Mac's Menu Bar gains a new Low Power Mode toggle in today's update. This makes it easier than ever to turn the battery-saving feature on and off.
macOS Sequoia 15.1 provides access to the first Apple Intelligence features, though there are a few requirements you'll need to meet first.
Here are the AI features available in this release:
New Siri: Siri now has a new look, a typing mode, Apple product knowledge, more resilient request handling, and more. But the bigger upgrades will arrive in future updates.
Notification summaries: Receive more actionable and helpful notifications thanks to AI summaries.
Writing Tools: Use systemwide tools to proofread, rewrite, or reformat your text. Then later this year, ChatGPT will be baked into writing tools too.
Smart Reply in Mail and Messages: Use suggested replies that are better than ever.
Summaries in Mail and Messages: Get thread summaries that are more informative than a simple excerpt.
Reduce Interruptions Focus: Stay undistracted, except when something's actually important.
Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing in Focus: Get the benefit of your existing Focus modes, but with AI that only allows important alerts through.
Compatibility and requirements
macOS 15.1 is available for all Macs that could run macOS Sequoia. It is available in System Settings from the Software Update section.
Key features including Apple Intelligence are only available for Macs running an M1 chip or later (e.g., M2, M3, M4). Intel models will experience a more feature-barren update.
It's also important to note that Apple Intelligence features are marked as a beta release by Apple, and gaining access to them requires first joining a waitlist. To see the full list of AI requirements, including location restrictions, visit this article.
After the iMac jumped from the M1 to M3 chip in late 2023, Apple has launched the newest version of its all-in-one desktop with its latest custom silicon and more. Here's what's new and improved with the M4 iMac vs M3 iMac plus a buyer's guide.
The new M4 Mac mini buys Apple time for a larger iMac
by Ben Lovejoy, 9to5mac
While we were very confident beforehand that we wouldn't be seeing a larger iMac this week, there are still plenty of people waiting impatiently for at least a new 27-inch iMac. Many are hoping for 30-inch, 32-inch, or even bigger.
But while I do still think that's in the works, the launch of the M4 Mac mini relieves a lot of the time pressure, for a couple of reasons …
The timeless appeal of the iMac
I'm a laptop guy through and through. I like the flexibility of having a large-screen desk setup in my home office coupled to the ability to take my Mac with me when I travel. My MacBook Pro machines have literally been around the world with me, and have enabled me to work overseas for a month at a time.
But I do still totally understand the appeal of the iMac. If you don't need mobility, then an all-in-one machine that offers the power you need, a good screen, and looks great into the bargain is a very attractive proposition.
Even some people who do need mobility still like iMacs. You sometimes see them being used on location shoots, and I've often seen them used as display machines at exhibitions and conferences. While it's not a small thing to cart around, sometimes you can't beat the convenience of being able to set up a large screen in no time.
But the M4 Mac mini will work for many
The M4 Mac mini plus monitor isn't a direct replacement for an iMac for sure. But it does provide a reasonably good interim solution, for a couple of reasons.
First, the Mac mini was never a large machine, so carrying it plus a large monitor was never a major hassle, but the new model is literally half the size. Apple didn't quite get it down to the rumored Apple TV size, but it's pretty close.
It's compact enough that attaching one to the back of a monitor is eminently feasible (even if the positioning of the power button is less than ideal), replicating most of the convenience of an AIO.
At a $599 starting price for a perfectly usable machine, it leaves a good chunk of change in the budget for the monitor of your choice. As my colleague Filipo Espósito said:
We're talking about a computer almost the size of an Apple TV that is capable of rendering 8K videos and running console-level games with ray-tracing.
And if you're more of an iMac Pro person, then the M4 Pro Mac mini has you covered there:
14-core CPU with up to 20-core GPU
Up to 64GB RAM
Up to 8TB of SSD storage
Thunderbolt 5 with up to 120 GB/s transfers
Up to 273 GB/s of memory bandwidth
Indeed, I'd argue it's the better choice for most
As I say, I do totally get the "give me one box" mentality. But I'd argue that made much more sense back in the days when a desktop computer would barely fit on a desk.
The great thing about separating the Mac and the display is that you can configure the exact machine you need.
It may be you're a photographer who can edit photos perfectly happily with the base machine, but need a color-calibrated monitor. You can save money on the Mac and put more into the monitor.
Conversely, if you're a coder you may want to max out your processing power but be perfectly content with a more basic monitor.
Apple details all the security updates added in iOS 18.1 and more
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Today Apple released big new software updates for all its platforms, including iOS 18.1, macOS Sequoia 15.1, and more. Now, the company has released full details on all of the security updates added in those releases. Here's what you should know.
Release notes published for latest security updates
Following the launch of today's big updates, Apple has published release notes for the various security fixes introduced in today's software.
Examples include iOS 18.1 fixes for Siri vulnerabilities that allowed attackers to access user-sensitive data, Shortcuts app fixes that improve redaction of sensitive data, updates to Safari Private Browsing that prevent leaked browsing histories, and more.
You can access the full security update release notes via these links:
Five reasons to upgrade to iOS 18.1 besides Apple Intelligence
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
iOS 18.1 is a big release for iPhone users, primarily because of Apple Intelligence. But what if you don't have an AI-compatible iPhone, are in the EU or China, or just don't care much about AI? Here are five reasons to upgrade to iOS 18.1 anyways.
Call recording in the Phone app
iOS 18.1 adds a new built-in feature for recording calls inside the Phone app. There's no need to install a separate third-party app for making recordings anymore. Just hit the new icon in the top-left corner of the screen during a call, and the person you're talking to will be notified that a recording has started. After the call's over, iOS provides a transcript for your convenience.
Powerful new AirPods Pro 2 features
AirPods Pro 2 are getting a big upgrade in iOS 18.1 with the addition of three hearing health features: Hearing Test, Hearing Protection, and Hearing Aid. Apple says the vast majority of users haven't had a hearing test any time recently, and now in iOS 18.1 you can get that test with no additional equipment or medical bills. These health additions could truly prove life-changing for users.
New Control Center toggles
Control Center iOS 18.1 beta 6
iOS 18 introduced a fully customizable Control Center with a huge number of available controls. iOS 18.1 adds to that list of options. There are new controls for the Measure app, but perhaps the ones users will appreciate most are new standalone Connectivity controls for AirDrop, Satellite, VPN, and Wi-Fi. You can also now reset Control Center to the factory setting.
Apple Music enhancements
Apple Music gets new sharing integration with TikTok in iOS 18.1 beta 6
Apple Music is gaining two new features in iOS 18.1: TikTok sharing and a customizable iPad tab bar. The former lets you easily share music to TikTok the way you've long been able to do with Instagram. The latter is a handy tool to create shortcuts to your most-used sections, playlists, and folders inside the iPadOS Music app.
Key security fixes
Apple always includes a variety of security updates in its new software versions, and iOS 18.1 is no exception. The latest software release adds security fixes for vulnerabilities that involve Siri, Safari private browsing and downloads, the Shortcuts app, and a lot more. Here's the full list of security updates.
iOS 18.1 wrap-up
There's plenty more to enjoy about iOS 18.1. Chief among those additions are the included Apple Intelligence features, of course. But there are also several more non-AI additions, and even a variety of bug fixes.
iOS 18.2 with new Apple Intelligence features coming in December, Apple confirms
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
iOS 18.1 with the first Apple Intelligence features launched to everyone today, with features like Writing Tools, Clean Up, and more.
Last week, Apple started beta testing the next round of Apple Intelligence capabilities with iOS 18.2. Apple has since confirmed that these Apple Intelligence features and iOS 18.2 will launch to everyone in December.
What's new iOS 18.2?
iOS 18.2 continues the rollout of Apple Intelligence with the addition of multiple new features, including:
Image Playground: Create custom images based on text descriptions
Genmoji: Create custom emoji based on text descriptions
ChatGPT integration with Siri
New features for Writing Tools: "Compose" and "Describe your change"
Visual intelligence for iPhone 16 users
Image Wand to turn rough sketches into full images in the Notes app
In today's press release announcing the launch of Apple Intelligence, Apple confirmed that the new Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.2 will launch to the general public in December. Apple will also release Apple Intelligence in more regions in December.
"New Apple Intelligence features will be available in December, with additional capabilities rolling out in the coming months," Apple said today.
Beyond what's included in iOS 18.2, more Apple Intelligence features are set for a launch in 2025. This includes things like Priority Notifications and a next-generation version of Siri with personal context and in-app actions. These features are expected to launch with future updates including iOS 18.3 and iOS 18.4.
Apple's Passwords app won me over with this one unique feature
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple has offered password management features for years, but never until iOS 18 has there been a dedicated Passwords app. The new app has a lot going for it, but there's one feature in particular that's stood out for me above the rest: Shared Groups.
Shared Groups solves a difficult Passwords app problem
The Passwords app in iOS 18 takes much of the functionality previously available in the Settings app for iCloud Keychain and expands it.
One new addition I've enjoyed most is Shared Groups.
Simply put, you can create a group of passwords, passkeys, and more that can be shared with anyone in your contacts.
From an Apple support page:
Shared password groups are an easy and secure way to share passwords, passkeys, and Sign in with Apple credentials with your family and trusted contacts. Anyone in the group can add passwords, passkeys, and Sign in with Apple credentials. When a shared credential changes, it changes on everyone's device.
I used to share iCloud Keychain passwords with my wife via AirDrop. It was always a convenient option, but it quickly proved problematic. Why? Because logins would change, and we each had our own out-of-sync data that caused a lot of confusion over time.
Shared Groups are easy to create and add passwords to, and flexible enough that you can use them in whatever way serves you best.
Want to share logins with a significant other? Or some co-workers? Maybe your kid's school's PTA? Whoever you need to share with, you can create a group for that purpose. And whenever login details change, everyone gets the new data instantly.
This versatility of Shared Groups—which are entirely free—is a unique advantage over competing products that require paid plans for sharing, and usually with more restrictions on who you can share with.
Apple's pre-installed app advantage
The Passwords app being automatically installed on iPhones, iPads, and Macs also gets Apple over a major hurdle its competitors face.
Most users you want to share with won't have the same password manager as you—or they won't use password software at all. Thus, two-way sharing with live updates is an extremely difficult feature for anyone else to match.
But Apple has the unique ability to offer an effective sharing feature because the Passwords app is pre-installed, whether your friends and family know it or not.
WIZARD SEZ: Note that Password uses the iCloud to share passwords across devises - be careful!
Scan Documents with Notes
by Robert Y Elphick, MAGIC
Notes are now able to scan documents including hand written bits that you wrote at a meeting or on the fly. Shopping list? Quick reminders? Appointments? Recipes?
You will need to have Live text turned on if you need to do Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on the text. This can be done in the Setting by going to "General" and then "Language & Region" and turning it on.
To scan a document, got to the Notes Application and then press the key for a new note. It the bottom of the new note you will need to click on the paper clip (on older versions it is a camera icon):
Now you get a pop-up menu that gives you several options:
The options include:
Use the Scan Documents to get an image of whatever the camera is pointing at.
Use the Scan Text to get Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of whaterever text is in the field of view.
When the camera is pointing at the subject document you need to click on the camera button.
The image or text created can now be used the same as any other items in the Notes application, including copying and pasting into other applications.
How to turn the HomePod mini into a portable AirPlay speaker
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
When I reviewed the new Beats Pill earlier this year, I lamented its lack of AirPlay support. After all, AirPlay offers some nice benefits and better stability compared to Bluetooth.
Instead of waiting on Beats to make good on its promise from 2017 to make an AirPlay speaker, I decided to take matters into my own hands and turn my HomePod mini into a portable, battery-powered, AirPlay speaker.
A portable HomePod mini with Siri and AirPlay
On Amazon, you'll find a few different "Battery Base" options for the HomePod mini. I opted for one from a company called "PlusAcc," and it's served me well so far. It has a 10,000mAh battery inside of a base that's designed specifically to hold your HomePod mini in place. Another popular option I've seen recommended is the Mission Battery Base for HomePod mini.
There's a built-in cable management system, so you can wrap the HomePod mini's USB-C cable around the base, then connect the end of it to the Battery Base's USB-C port. The HomePod mini is held into place relatively well, but you'll need to treat it with care to prevent it from falling out of the base.
This setup is far from perfect, but it does get the job done. You can carry your HomePod around like it's a portable speaker, continue to use AirPlay, and even pair it with other HomePods as you move from room to room. Unlike normal Bluetooth portable speakers, you'll also have full access to Siri.
Something else to keep in mind here is battery life. The PlusAcc Battery Base's can last up to 10 hours when playing music at 50% volume, and up to 24 hours of standby time. I've been leaving mine plugged in, then unplugging it when I'm ready to take it around the house or outside.
This idea was inspired by Nil éane at MacStories, who cleverly refers to her battery-powered portable HomePod as the "RoamPod." In her story, Nil éane outlines a bunch of ways Apple could improve the experience and truly turn the HomePod into a RoamPod. My response to all of her ideas is a simple, "Yes, please."
You can order the "PlusAcc Battery Base" for HomePod mini on Amazon for under $50. Now's a great time to make the move if you've been thinking about turning your HomePod mini into a portable, AirPlay-enabled speaker.
Alternatively, if AirPlay isn't a key feature for you, I highly recommend the latest Beats Pill. It's a great truly wireless speaker.
Here's everything new coming to Apple TV+ in November
by Ryan Chritoffel, 9to5mac
Apple TV+ has been having a big fall, and November looks set to continue that hot streak. Two of the best reviewed TV+ series, Silo and Bad Sisters, are getting new seasons this month. Plus there are two high-profile films debuting, and new episodes of Shrinking and Disclaimer keep rolling out. Here's everything new coming to Apple TV+ in November.
Apple Watch Series 10 after one month: It's the anti-Ultra model
by Ryan Chritoffel, 9to5mac
I've been wearing the Apple Watch Series 10 for just over one month. And in that time, several key features have stood out that make this, in many respects, the anti-Ultra model. Here's what I mean.
Series 10 prompted an early upgrade
Normally, I buy a new Apple Watch every two years. But this year, the Series 10 compelled me to upgrade early. I had a Series 9 that was working well, but several Series 10 features prompted a surprise purchase:
larger display
faster charging
thinner body
wide-angle OLED
better always-on refresh
Overall, the feature list for the Apple Watch Series 10 showed that this was a bigger year than usual for the Watch.
After one month, I absolutely think that's true. But I've also found that some of the Series 10's most noteworthy features don't actually stand out much.
In fact, where the Apple Watch Ultra calls attention to itself in every way, the Series 10 does the opposite. It kind of just…gets out of the way.
Here are some tips if you do respond to a scam email. Call your bank. Put a stop payment on your charge card if it is involved. Change your account password for whatever accounts are involved. If it's a PayPal account, log into that account and change the password. If you use a bank account online change that password. You can also set up email "rules" to block email from the sender if their email address shows. If you use Apples Mail app you'll find the "Rules" options in the Mail app Settings. You should also change the password to your email account that the scam email came to.
If it looks fishy - it is fishy.
Phishing - DO NOT CLICK! I have never use DocuSign. It looks genuine - Very scary
When I looked at the From by double clicking on it I got inforyelphickmynl@avanco.gb.net. I get a lot of emails with the From like this including my name. DO NOT CLICK.
When I looked at the From by double clicking on it I got inforyelphickcqos@abyrne.store Another one with my name! DO NOT CLICK.
DO NOT CLICK If this is true then MAGIC has insurance in Japan!
Note the From address. NOT from WhidbeyTel, it is from Germany! The DO NOT CLICK
Internet Crime
Any one bothered by internet criminal activity should report it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at this web page. This includes phishing, malware, spoofing, any demand for money.
It's impossible to not notice that the Photos app has many changes, unless you never use it. I found it annoying to use. That is until I took the time to set it up to my preferences. So the new features allow you to customize the app so many ways. The very annoying thing is that it practically forces you to take the time to customize it so it's not annoying every time you use it.
The first thing to me is that it looks cluttered. Then what I found exasperating is that every time I opened an album and clicked on the first image in the thumbnail list, it would start a slideshow…with music no less. I would have to cancel the slideshow and select the Photos button to view the images manually. Every time.
What I've discovered since then, and yes I took time to check it out and read about the new app changes, I found that if I selected an image in an album other than the first image then I could view them manually without the slideshow starting up. But then once I did that, it seemed to function in the manual mode even when I selected the first image. It's as if they set the app to do these other things just so you know it's available and then reverts to "normal" after you figure out how to get to manual mode.
Opening an album on the iPhone will still do a slideshow on the upper half of the screen above the thumbnails until you select an image. However, you can slide the list/thumbnails up and it'll hide the slideshow view.
So for the cluttered aspect, for each "section" or list of choices you see for albums you can customize them. You can eliminate all the choices you rarely, or never, use. You can also move them around to reposition the lists. To do this customizing you have to scroll to the bottom of the photos app window and click on "Customize & Reorder."
Also, after each album or media type list you'll see a little arrow. Clicking on the arrow lets you customize each list. Reorder the list or even eliminate headings in the list.
Now I also discovered glitches. On the iPhone, when you open the app and get the thumbnails of "Recents" it looks normal. There is a "band" or border below and then the list of albums. When I swipe down on the thumbnail list the images replace the the albums below the border, but the wide border line oddly remains on the screen.
A major glitch on the iPad happened when I closed the photos app by swiping up, it immediately reopened and continued to do that until some random action in my swiping and clicking it finally quit.
I suspect some, if not all these glitches will be addressed with updates by the time this newsletter is ready and on our website.
One option that I would like is to have a photo that I add to another album to "move" to the new album and not show up on the main album. Or at least an option to have photos in other albums to show or not show in the main album.
Since the last Mac update I notice an unusual icon in my menu bar on the top of the screen. It was an icon for the last YouTube webpage I visited. I wanted to remove it so I thought I just need to clear the Safari history and it would go away. No such luck. That started a Settings search to see what might be enabling that particular icon. In my search I found a number of settings that I believe are new to Sequoia, Mac OS 15 operating system. At least I was not familiar with them. One is "Login and Extensions" in the "General" Settings. There I found it 16 app extensions that could be enabled or disabled. A few I was familiar with and want turned on, but I turned a bunch of them off. I rechecked the Finder menu bar and the that webpage icon was still there.
After checking "Desktop and Dock" and a few other Settings I still hadn't found how to eliminate that unusual icon. So I went to search the web for help. After a few misses found a tip. There is a setting in "Control Center" (who would have thought) labeled "Now Playing." You get three options, Show when Active, Always Show or Never Show. I had to choose "Never Show" for the icon to go away. It was set on "Show When Active" and even though that YouTube video wasn't active and in fact I had cleared all history, the icon still showed.
So now I'm not disturbed by a little annoying icon, but it's interesting what you have to do set your preferences. Why couldn't they just have you right click on the icon and get the choice to remove from menu bar? Or just drag it out of it's location and have it disappear like Dock icons? I think there are too many inconsistencies like this. I wonder if possibly some AI app could scan over the whole operating system to find little inconsistencies to correct. That would be a good chore for AI.
The latest iOS and iPad OS update add AI to your device. However most of the additions are only available on iPhone 15 and 16. So no worries for most of us, if you were worried about AI. I have to say I'm a bit hesitant myself. Partly because much of what I perceive as AI additions are not things I care about. But what about really invasive AI?
AI is not inherently evil. It is supposed to be smart and helpful. It should help make things that we do easier. And with a little faith in Apple, you know they'll more than likely give us controls to turn many options off if we choose.
The tech industry has to use caution with AI enhancements as many tech personalities have stated. In regards to Apple devices, I think we need not worry about it too much.
Some of the features in the recent updates include writing tools to help write a more friendly or professional message or letter. There are features for searching and editing your photos. And options to reduce interruptions. As for interruptions, there already are many Notification settings you can turn on or off, so I'm sure how the AI will help. Maybe enabling temporary settings for notifications. We'll see.
MAGIC, the Macintosh Appreciation Group of Island County, serves people who use Macintosh computers, software and peripherals. Our goal is to share information and get answers to questions to make us more productive with our use of technology. Our monthly meetings give us a chance to discuss computer problems and share ideas with other Mac users, feature speakers on specific topics, and to keep apprised of Apple news.
