The meeting was called to order at 4:02 pm by President Harry Anderson, with 21 attendees within a few moments. Harry noted that this was the last meeting of the year because MAGIC traditionally does not meet in December. This is also the last meeting that Harry will preside over, as his term ends next month. Board members Madelyn van der Hoogt and Gary McIntyre are also both leaving the board at the end of this year. Harry commented that during his four years as President, we'd made it through Covid and the introduction of Zoom meetings.
Gary McIntyre, who has served as treasurer since 2014 encouraged MAGIC members to consider volunteering for the Treasurer position as nobody has stepped forward yet. Gary outlined the brief responsibilities, which are not very time consuming. He fondly recalled his last 10 years at MAGIC as treasurer but also assisting with the classes and other educational sessions. He promised to train the new Treasurer and reminded everyone he would still be around, just not as Treasurer. Madelyn has been a board member and Assistant Secretary for about 8 years and said she has really enjoyed being part of the organization.
Gary presented his last Treasurer's report, showing a healthy balance of $9,495.43. Harry reminded everyone that as we are currently not collecting dues, anyone who wishes to make a donation can do so on the Magic website. He then introduced Board member Mike Turnbull, who will take over as President in January.
Before Robert started his interesting presentation on the new Sequoia OS, he shared with MAGIC members that he had been working with Island County Historical Society and Museum and after discussion, MAGIC's board had approved a donation to the Historical Society to cover the purchase of some computer equipment to help bring them into the 21st century. Thank you everyone for your generous support that allowed us to do this.
After the presentation, there was a brief Q&A and the meeting was adjourned at 5:09. Our next meeting will be January 15, which will include a presentation by Robert on the new iPhone 16. Happy Thanksgiving and see everyone next year!
MAGIC Musings
Yuletide Greetings
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.
There are no new software releases this month.
M4 Mac mini two weeks later: The invisible Mac that does it all
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
I've had my M4 Mac mini for two weeks now, and it still seems kind of remarkable that this tiny little box can do so much. My uses for the M4 mini are probably unconventional, but that's also the beauty of the product: it serves a versatile set of needs, all at a very low price point (now $499). Here are my takeaways after a fortnight of use.
It fits in wherever you want it
As you can see above, my Mac mini currently lives on my nightstand shelf, right next to my M4 iPad Pro. I call it the M4 shelf (no, not really).
The Mac mini is so small, it can truly fit in wherever you need it:
on a big or tiny desk
under a desk
on a TV stand
in a bookshelf
or yes, in a nightstand
A nightstand might normally be a pretty inconvenient location for a Mac mini. Partly for the monitor issue, which I'll address in a moment, but also because of ports.
Fortunately, Apple's M4 redesign put two USB-C ports and a headphone jack on the front of the device. Connecting to those ports is so much easier than it would have been on prior models, providing more flexibility in where you can place your computer. It's a small touch, but one I'm grateful for.
It can disappear really well
My M4 mini and iPad Pro sitting snugly side by side works especially well because the iPad is actually my primary monitor for the Mac mini.
I've never been a fan of being stuck to a desk all day. I much prefer to work from a variety of spots around the house and regularly get outside the home too.
As a result, the iPad Pro with its built-in cellular connection has long been my productivity device of choice. So it only made sense to me that the iPad be my primary Mac monitor.
I have a wired setup for connecting the two devices, and wireless options as well—perfect for the versatility of my working habits.
Because I access my Mac mini through the iPad, the computer pretty much feels like it disappears. It sits on my nightstand, and I can connect to it from wherever I am.
I still camp out in iPadOS most of the time, but when I need to use a Mac, macOS is there waiting for me as just another iPad app.
It's a full-powered, impressive computer
Mac Mini and large Display
Despite relegating my Mac mini to a little nightstand shelf, and accessing it through my iPad Pro, I don't mean in any way to diminish its capabilities.
This Mac is a full-powered beast of a computer. It has:
the latest M4 chip
16GB RAM
upgraded Neural Engine for Apple Intelligence
hardware‑accelerated ray tracing for gaming
plus solid I/O with support for driving three displays
and of course, all the capabilities of macOS
For a little 5×5 box that can fit anywhere you want it and largely disappear, it's a remarkable feat of engineering.
Coming next: Mac Virtual Display in visionOS 2.2
Mac Virtual Display
All of this only scratches the surface of what the M4 Mac mini can do. But one feature I'm especially excited for is the upgraded Mac Virtual Display support in visionOS 2.2.
Since the M4 Mac mini gets out of the way so easily, it's kind of the perfect device to pair with a Vision Pro. You can use the two together now, but the improvements coming to Mac Virtual Display in visionOS 2.2 next month will make it even better.
Whether you're using your Mac via an iPad, a Vision Pro, or even going the traditional route of a desk and monitor, one thing is clear: the M4 Mac mini is a unique computer that fits into Apple's lineup like no other.
More than 200 companies already support passkeys in their apps and websites
by by Filipe Espósito, 9to5mac
The passwordless future is rapidly becoming a reality as more than 200 companies have now added passkey support to their websites and apps. This significant milestone, revealed by the company behind 1Password, signals a growing shift towards more secure and convenient authentication methods.
1Password shares data on passkey adoption; major companies already use them
The list of companies implementing passkeys has doubled since last year, now including names such as Walmart, Amazon, Target, Playstation, Discord, and Canva. For 1Password, this range of adopters shows the versatility and appeal of passkey technology across various segments.
For those unfamiliar, passkeys were introduced two years ago, and they replace traditional passwords with more secure authentication using a security key or biometrics. The technology was developed by FIDO Alliance in partnership with companies such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft.
1Password is also a member of the FIDO Alliance, and the company has also revealed some interesting data on the adoption of passkeys among its users.
For instance, more than 4.2 million passkeys have already been saved in 1Password, and there are an average of 2.1 million passkey authentications per month. 1 in 3.4 1Password customers have at least one passkey stored, and 73% of users with passkeys are consumer accounts.
These adoption metrics aren't just a major milestone for 1Password because we're at the forefront of passwordless advocacy. It's a testament to the trust our customers place in 1Password to provide secure and reliable passkey support.
As members of the FIDO Alliance, we're committed to help even more individuals and businesses move away from passwords and embrace a safer and simpler future without them.
Earlier this year, 1Password introduced a new "Passkey Ready" tool that helps web developers easily check whether their users are able to upgrade from conventional passwords to a passkey.
The FIDO Alliance recently announced new specifications for passkeys that include support for easy import and export of keys between different password managers. When it comes to iOS, the feature has been available in Safari since iOS 16 and was expanded to third-party apps with iOS 17.
You can find more details about the adoption of passkeys on the 1Password website.
HOW TO Remove Unwanted Objects, People, and Distractions in Photos on Your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
by Justin Meyers, gadgethacks
Editing out unwanted objects, people, and distractions from your photos just got a lot easier on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Before, you would have to use apps like Google Photos or Snapseed to erase background distractions or perform spot healing, but it's now a native feature in Apple's Photos app for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
Apple's built-in distraction eraser in Photos — called Clean Up — is available on iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later, all released on Oct. 28. However, it only works on devices that support Apple Intelligence. For iPhone, that means the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, or any iPhone 16 series model. For iPad, it works on the iPad mini (A17 Pro) and any iPad model with an M1 chip or newer. Your Mac will also need an M1 chip or newer.
Designed for photos only, Clean Up lets you quickly remove or pixelate distracting elements, unwanted faces, and objects from your images without needing a third-party app. With the new feature, you can smooth out imperfections, erase photobombers, or subtly hide certain faces, making it simple to transform your pictures without leaving the Photos app.
Removing People, Objects, and Details in Photos
Find and open the picture you want to clean up in the Photos app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Then tap or click the Edit button. You'll see a new tab for Clean Up. Tap or click that.
If it's your first time using Clean Up, Photos must download the tool first. When it's ready, it will instruct you to tap (or click), brush, or circle what you want to remove and replace. If Clean Up recognizes people or objects it thinks you'll want to get rid of, it will highlight those elements in the image with fluorescent colors. If it's correct, tap each highlighted element to make them disappear.
You can pinch the screen or trackpad with your fingers to pan and zoom around to see things better and be more precise with your edits.
Clean Up works rather well when the elements are among a relatively open space without complex objects or scenery around them. But if it's close to any complicated lines and shading in the image, Clean Up may have difficulty filling things in where the person or object was.
The best accessories for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch that make perfect holiday gifts
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
It's the time of year for gift giving, and Black Friday sales are in full swing. But if you're like me, you might struggle coming up with holiday gift ideas—both for yourself and for others. New accessories are a great place to start, so below you'll find many of the best accessory options out there for Apple users—for iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro, Apple Watch, and more.
Ater a while most computers have applications that are no longer used. They take up space on the internal disk, and worse still most have associated invisible files in Libraries and other secret places on your Mac.
Simply dragging an Application to the trash will not remove all the associated files so do not do that.
Some applications come with an "uninstaller" app. These usually work, if you can find them. These usually put the application and its files into the trash bin so you will need to empty the trash to get rid of them.
Apple does not want you to uninstall some of its own apps, including; Chess, News, Podcasts, etc. They cannot be removed.
Find App sizes
Open System Preferences
Click on General and then go to Storage and select the disk (Macintosh HD)
Select Applications
Check out your applications Applications sorted by size (note the third item is an older version.)
Applications sorted by Kind (note Duplicates)
Most Applications are in the Application folder in the Macintosh HD disk. However some may be in other locations on your computer and you may need the Find command or Spotlight to locate them. Now that you have decided which application can be deleted you can delete them.
Deleting
The easiest way to delete an app is to use a FREE application called AppCleaner. There are others but this one is my favorite.
When you start the application it shows a simple window:
Now Drag the application into this window:
You should see the icon for the application in the window along with any other files associated with the application. Note that in this case two are in libraries and to are in the var folder where you did not know about them.
Click on the Remove button to put them into the Trash. You will now have to empty the trash to remove them permanently.
For many apps you will need to supply your login password to confirm that you really want to delete the application:
Partitioning is used to divide a physical disk drive into two or more separate logical drives. Macintoshes come with hard drives that are not partitioned. New external hard drives are not usually partitioned. If you wish to have partitioned hard drive(s) then you will have to do it your self.
PROS & CONS
PROS:
better organization - keep different types of files separated, e.g apps, music, video, audio, etc.
keep separate versions or copies of operating system on different partitions
simplifies searches, backups, troubleshooting
CONS:
requires erasing drive
WARNING!
All the data on the hard drive will be erased - if you don't have validated backups of any data on the drive, don't even think about partitioning.
How to Partition a Hard Drive
Partitioning is best done on a new hard drive when you first obtain it, however it can also be done on an existing hard drive that has been thoroughly and completely backed up.
Perform the following steps:
Start Disk Utility (It is un the Utilities folder inside the Applications Folder)
Select the disk that you wish to Partition
Select the Erase Option and choose a format (We recommend APFS if it is an option for all Mac uses)
Once the disk has been reformatted, click on the partition option (on the left of the erase option)
Click the "+" button as many times as you need to get the number of partitions that you need (usually once is enough and will get two partitions.
Adjust the size of each partition by moving white dot on the circumference with your mouse or click on a partition and specify its size in the size box
Click on the apply button in the bottom right corner.
Recent version of the Mac OS have included a utility for capturing screen elements. It is called Screenshot and can be found in the Utilities folder that is inside the Applications folder on your hard-drive.
Since I use it quite a bit I keep an alias of the app on the Dock:
Starting the app by clicking on it puts a small window onto your screen with several options:
The icons perform the following actions:
Capture image of the entire screen
Capture image of the selected window
Capture image of the selected area
Capture movie of the selected area
Capture movie of the entire screen
Options provides a pop-up menu with the following options:
Save to - allows user to set a destination for the image.
Desktop
Documents
Clipboard
Mail
Messages
Preview app
Other Location...
Timer - delay before capture
None
5 Seconds
10 Seconds
Options
Show Floating Thumbnail
Remember Last Selection
Show mouse pointer
The Capture button appears after you have made a selection for an image or a movie and, when clicked, performs the action.
Another application is the Free-ware application SnapNDrag that can be obtained at http://www.yellowmug.com/
Further information can be found at the Apple website here.
This includes the old keyboard method for screen/window capture.
Screenshots can also be made with Preview and other applications.
Here's how the upgraded iPhone flashlight works in iOS 18
by Micheal Potuck, 9to5mac
Apple is known for its impressive attention to detail and a simple but important iPhone feature has received some of that love. Here's how the all-new iPhone flashlight in iOS 18 works with the Dynamic Island and new functionality.
Up until now, the iPhone has featured a basic native flashlight with an on/off toggle on the Lock Screen and the ability to pick between four levels of brightness when using Control Center.
Now the native experience in iOS 18 comes with improved functionality and a delightful UI on iPhones with the Dynamic Island. Along with more control over brightness, the new experience offers beam width control.
How the new iPhone flashlight works in iOS 18
Note: this is how the new flashlight UI works on iPhones with a Dynamic Island
Make sure you're running iOS 18 on your iPhone (full guide)
Turn on the flashlight from the Lock Screen, Control Center, or ask Siri to turn it on
Now you'll see the new flashlight UI appear in the Dynamic Island
Swipe left and right to adjust beam width
Swipe up and down to adjust the brightness
Tap the flashlight in the Dynamic Island to turn it off or back on
The flashlight icon stays in the Dynamic Island until you turn it off
There are many more levels of brightness you can choose between with the smooth slider beyond the 4 we've had with iOS up until now.
Here is how the new flashlight in iOS 18 looks on an iPhone 15 Pro:
iPhone 16 has a USB-C port, here's what you can do with it
by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5mac
All iPhone 16 models feature a USB-C connector, replacing the old Apple Lightning connector. Via this USB-C port, you can connect to a vast number of accessories and peripherals. iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max support faster USB-3 speeds over the USB-C port, enabling up to 10 Gbps data transfer speeds.
USB-C makes it easy to connect displays, external storage, cameras, and charge using the same cable as all your other devices. Here's what you can do with your new iPhone and its shiny new port …
This guide is targeted at people upgrading to the iPhone 16 from older generations of iPhone. But if you have an iPhone 15, everything is applicable to that device too as it began the USB-C transition.
In general, USB-C is standards-based and you don't need to look for special badges. iOS can automatically handle many types of accessories that are plugged in to it.
The one gotcha to be aware of is not all USB-C cables are made the same. Some support charging only, whereas others support data. You'll need to make sure to use a USB-3 rated cable to take advantage of the faster transfer speeds possible on the Pro models.
Universal USB-C Charging
Now that you have an iPhone with a USB-C port, you are probably close to being able to use the same single cable to charge all of your devices. All new iPads have a USB-C port, and all Macs have been including USB-C ports for at least five years. The newest Macs come with Apple's MagSafe charger, but they can also be charged by plugging in to one of their USB-C ports too. The latest-generation Apple TV comes with a USB-C remote, and Apple just released new AirPods 4 and AirPods Max with USB-C charging.
With the iPhone 16, you'll get a nice quality woven USB-C cable in the box. This cable supports charging only. If you need more, Apple sells its own USB-C charge cables separately, but you can also freely purchase cheaper USB-C cables, of different styles and lengths, from other brands. You can charge using any USB-C brick, including this nice dual charger from Anker, for example.
To charge your iPhone at full speed, you will want to use a 30-watt power adapter. Charging via cable at 30-watts, you'll be able to go from 0 to 50% in about 30 minutes. You can safely use any higher wattage power brick, too, like the one that comes with your MacBook even.
Charge other devices using your iPhone 16's battery
You can also use your iPhone's internal battery to charge other accessories. Through the USB-C port, the iPhone 16 can output about 4.5 watts of power.
You can use that capability to top up connected accessories. If your AirPods are running low, plug the case into your phone, and your phone is like a mini portable battery bank. You can even charge someone else's iPhone — just connect them together with a USB-C cable.
Easily connect to external displays
With USB-C on iPhone 16, you can output directly to an external display. Use a USB-C to HDMI cable and show your iPhone screen on a 4K TV or monitor, with screen mirroring.
If you want to run long sessions, like playing games, on external displays, you may want to pick up the Apple USB-C Digital AV adapter. It enables you to connect HDMI, a power output for continuous charging, and passthrough USB-C in one convenient dongle.
Expand your local storage with portable USB-C hard drives and SD cards
Connect a USB-C hard drive or SD card reader and browse files directly using the Files app on iPhone. If you go on holiday and take a camera with you, you can import photos directly to the iPhone photos app, from the SD card.
The iPhone 16 Pro Camera app will let you record ProRes 4K at up to 120 FPS video directly to USB-3 storage. ProRes is uncompressed and the output video file sizes are huge, consuming gigabytes per minute of recording. By connecting a 1 TB portable SSD, you can record for a while before running out of space. This requires a USB-3 cable (not simply a charge cable) to take advantage of the max 10Gbps transfer speeds made possible by the USB-C controller on the A18 Pro chip inside the iPhone 16 Pro.
Connect hardware keyboards and wired internet
USB-C on iPhone supports almost any basic plug-and-play accessory you can think of, without the need for special drivers or additional configuration. For example, plug in a USB keyboard and it will just work.
Or if you are podcasting on the go, you can record using a mini USB-C microphone. For reliable fast internet, use the USB-C to Ethernet adapter. And if you have a MIDI keyboard, you can compose a song on the go, using GarageBand or other music creation apps from the App Store.
Wired headphones that work with your phone and computer
Many of us have left wired headphones in the past, and moved on to wireless options like AirPods. But if you still prefer to plug in, it is much simpler now that you have an iPhone with the same port as your Mac.
Top comment by JustSayin Liked by 3 people:
The USB-C cables provided with the iPhone 16, and all other newer iPhones, are certified to 60W of power AND USB 2 data transfer speeds.
iPhone 15 works with any USB-C headphones, including Apple's USB-C EarPods. These headphones will work with any computer with a USB-C port. That means you can use the same wired buds with your iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Connect multi-port hubs/
USB-C is very flexible and allows for data and power to travel over the same port. This means you can carry a single dongle, which is a multi-port hub comprising all sorts of IO. These are super convenient as iPad and Mac accessories, and now work with the iPhone too.
For example, this $25 Anker 5-in-1 hub will work with the USB-3 USB-C port on iPhone 16 Pro and enable you to connect to external displays, connect to power, plug in USB accessories and an external display all at the same time.
The only thing you have to keep in mind is that the iPhone can power at the hub at a maximum of 4.5 watts. If you are using power-hungry accessories, you may need to also plug in an external power source.
AirPods 4 are here, and they are awesome. As a pair of on-ear wireless earbuds, they are really hard to fault. I have used AirPods 2 for the past five years — skipping the third-generation model due to fit concerns — and AirPods 4 are what I have been waiting for.
The new AirPods are available in two models: $129, or $179 with Active Noise Cancellation. I have the ANC buds and I'm thrilled with them, but I predict even the base model is going to drive a lot of sales this holiday season.
Considering the entire AirPods line, the AirPods Pro are obviously still king. The silicone tips form a perfect seal with your ear, which yields the best conditions for sound quality and noise cancellation. However, I have never felt comfortable wearing AirPods Pro, or most in-ear headphones for that matter. The pressure of the silicone tips inside my ear has never felt comfortable.
Although the Pros will always win on sound quality and feature set, the style of the tips will mean they are always off-limits to me. I had accepted that tradeoff of ergonomics, and figured I'd always be on the lesser track in terms of raw functionality.
14 emergency features on iPhone and when to use them
by Ankur Thakur, idownloadblog
Learn how to use your iPhone's safety and emergency features to quickly seek assistance and alert your loved ones in times of distress.
While most of the tips here focus on the iPhone, some are also available on the iPad and Apple Watch.
Additionally, we have dedicated tutorials covering these features in detail, and we've linked them here. If you need more information, be sure to check out those guides.
11 reasons to buy a new iPhone directly from Apple
by Ankur Thakur, idownloadblog
Find out why buying an iPhone directly from Apple might be a better option than purchasing from your carrier, Amazon, Best Buy, or other retailers.
Note that while buying from Apple offers obvious benefits (as we'll see below), there are instances where your carrier or other online stores may offer a much better price, particularly for iPhone models that are one or two generations old.
Secondly, we are primarily comparing buying from Apple versus your carrier. However, many of these tips also apply if you're purchasing from Amazon or other retailers.
Easy trade-in option
You can trade in your iPhone with your carrier or through companies that specialize in this, like Gazelle, Swappa, and Ucell. However, if you want the most hassle-free experience, the Apple Trade-In Program is definitely worth considering.
You can trade in your current iPhone when purchasing a new one on Apple's website or in-store, receiving instant credit toward your new device.
The iPhone will be all yours
If you can pay for a new iPhone upfront, you should consider buying it directly from Apple. When you buy an iPhone through a carrier on contract, you agree to pay monthly installments for 12, 24, or 36 months.
In some cases, the total amount paid over these months may end up exceeding the cost of the device. Additionally, even if you sell the iPhone to a friend, you'll still be responsible for continuing the monthly payments.
And don't forget that carriers lock these iPhones to work only with their SIM.
You can switch network providers and plans with an unlocked iPhone
Another major advantage of buying directly from Apple is you can get an unlocked iPhone by selecting the "Connect to any carrier later" option on the purchase page.
If you purchase from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or other carriers. your iPhone may be locked to that specific carrier only for the length of the contract.
Now, the original carrier will unlock your iPhone for use with other carriers once you have paid off all your monthly installments. However, the experience may not be seamless, and you may have to visit the carrier store or contact their support team.
>When you buy a product from Apple's website, details such as model, storage capacity, color, AppleCare+ coverage, are clearly listed, allowing you to make informed choices.
However, the same isn't always true for third-party websites. Since different sellers list iPhones on these platforms, there have been instances where descriptions were incorrect, leading to confusion and incorrect purchases.
You can choose from all the options
When you shop at Apple's official website or store, you can choose from every available combination of colors, storage options, and sizes. While it's true that you might not be able to get your desired color and storage option on launch day, if you're willing to wait or shop after the initial rush, you'll likely be able to get the exact model you want.
In comparison, you may have noticed that your carrier or favorite third-party seller—whether online or offline—may not always have all the color and storage options. As a result, you might have to settle for a black, 256 GB iPhone, even though you were hoping for a blue one with 128 GB storage.
You don't have to worry about fraud
The possibility of getting a counterfeit iPhone, a refurbished iPhone, an already activated iPhone, or something else instead of a new iPhone is extremely rare when you order online with Apple. And even if you receive a different product, like this user getting a Mac mini instead of an iPhone 16 Pro, you can rest assured that Apple Support or the local Apple Store will fix it immediately.
But when you order from other places, especially lesser-known, obscure sites, you may not get an original iPhone. Additionally, there have been a number of cases in various countries where the seller's warehouse or courier people have delivered a bar of soap or an empty box instead of an actual iPhone box.
Usually, these scams are done on the courier or outsourced warehouse level, but you can be confident that if this happens for an order from Apple.com, they will sort it out instead of leaving you helpless or banning your account as Amazon did.
Cashback and other offers
If you have an Apple Card, you get 3% cashback on every purchase made using Apple's online and offline stores.
Additionally, Apple partners with banks, and depending on your country, you may receive attractive discounts when purchasing directly from Apple. For example, in my country, Apple has teamed up with three major banks to offer nearly a 5% instant discount when using credit cards from those banks.
Learn what T9 dialing is and how it can help you quickly find the right contact to call without scrolling through your address book on iPhone in iOS 18.
What is T9 dialing?
T9 is an abbreviated form of the phrase "Text on 9 keys." Old feature phones, as well as the Keypad section of the Phone app on iPhone, feature keys 0 to 9, with each key (except 0 and 1) corresponding to three or four letters. For example, the number 2 key has the letters A, B, and C, while the 9 key has W, X, Y, and Z.
If you've used a smartphone, you have likely encountered some form of predictive typing, even though you may not explicitly know what it is. Simply put, predictive typing on your iPhone refers to the suggestions you get above your keyboard after you type the first word.
Apple begins selling new Gold Link Bracelet for Apple Watch
by Filipe Espósito, 9to5mac
When Apple Watch Series 10 was announced in September, the company also unveiled a new Gold Link Bracelet made of stainless steel. However, while the Natural and Slate versions were available from day one, the gold version was unavailable - but that has just changed.
Apple Watch Gold Link Bracelet now available
Two months after it was announced, the gold version of the Link Bracelet for the Apple Watch is now available to order from Apple's online store. However, there's a catch. As noted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple says that the first orders will be shipped in 5 to 6 weeks, which is around Christmas.
Although the website gives the option for users to search for pickup availability at a nearby Apple Retail Store, it seems that the accessory is not available anywhere for now.
The Link Bracelet was one of the first watch bands created for the Apple Watch. It's made of 316L stainless steel and has more than 100 components in its composition. With the launch of the Series 10, Apple has updated the Link Bracelet with new colors to match the finishes of the latest Apple Watch.
It's worth noting that the 42mm version also works with previous smaller Apple Watch models, while the 46mm version also works with previous versions of the larger Apple Watch - including the Ultra.
Apple in talks to upgrade a sports stadium for live Vision Pro immersive video
by Ryan Chritoffel, 9to5mac
Vision Pro users know that immersive video is one of the platform's strengths, but content has been relatively scarce. Apple is reportedly working on a big project to change that: upgrading a popular sports stadium with the tech necessary for live streaming games in immersive video on Vision Pro.
How to Refresh AirTag Location Manually & More Often
by Olena Kagui, iphonelife
What to Know
AirTags don't have a built-in GPS and require nearby Apple devices in order to be tracked, so you cannot refresh the location manually.
When set up properly, your AirTag's location will refresh automatically.
Putting your AirTag into Lost Mode will send you notifications if the location is updated.
AirTags are a great tool that help users find otherwise untrackable belongings like keys, wallets, documents, etc. When the time comes to actually track your AirTag, it's important to understand exactly how to locate AirTags, which may require you to wait for them to refresh their location. I'll also explain why the location may be updating more slowly and how to access your AirTag location history.
How to adjust Medications reminders on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch
by Glenn Fleishman, macworld
Medications are a regular, often daily part of many people's lives. Pill organizers and alarms are all well and good, but Apple's Health app has a Medications management and reminder feature that can be tuned to help you remember and check off drugs as you take them. This includes discretionary ones.
Man: Hello, I heard you record all our phone conversations, is that correct?
Agent: No sir, we don't do that
Man: Oh shoot. I was just talking to my wife and she gave me a list of things to do and I can't remember! I thought I would check with you rather than call her back and let her know I wasn't listening!
Agent: I'm sorry to hear that sir, but as I said, we don't listen to civilian conversations. However, you should:
Pick up a gallon of milk
2 dozen eggs
4 Macintosh apples
Help Sofia with her math homework
FTC going after more scammers after closing major loophole; will help protect seniors
by Ben Lovejoy, 9to5mac
Photo by Keith Tanner on Unsplash
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will now be going after more scammers after it closed a significant loophole in the law.
The agency says the expanded scope of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) will be of particular benefit to seniors, who disproportionately fall victim to fake tech support calls …
Existing telemarketing rules
The law already puts in place a number of requirements for anyone making unsolicited sales calls. Telemarketers must:
transmit their telephone number and, if possible, their name, to your caller ID service
tell you right away what seller or charitable organization they represent and that the call is a sales call or a charitable solicitation
disclose all material information about the goods or services they're offering and the terms of the sale
get your permission to charge you and to use a particular account number
They cannot:
call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your local time
be deceptive or abusive or lie about any terms of their offer
ask you to pay:
with a cash-to-cash wire transfer (ex. Western Union and MoneyGram)
by giving the PIN from a cash reload card (ex. MoneyPak and Vanilla Reload)
by asking for your bank account information to create a type of check that you never see or sign, called a "remotely created payment order"
Major loophole now closed
The rules used to apply only when someone called you. What scammers are increasingly doing is using online ads and email campaigns to try to persuade victims to call them. One common example is a banner ad made to look like a computer error message.
Many tech support scams try to trick consumers into calling them by using pop-up alerts and other tactics that claim that consumers' computers or other devices are infected with malware or other problems in order to sell them bogus tech support services. Tech support scams often want the caller to pay for tech support services they don't need, to fix a problem that doesn't exist.
The rule has now been updated to include inbound calls.
The Federal Trade Commission has approved final amendments to its Telemarketing Sales Rule that will extend the rule's coverage to so-called "inbound" telemarketing calls made for technical support services. These would include calls made by consumers to companies pitching technical support services through advertisements or direct mail solicitations.
Although scammers can be criminally prosecuted for fraud, the TSR enables action to be taken against them even when victims don't fall for the scam. Scammers also ask for payment via methods which cannot be reversed, and now even asking for one of these payment methods will be illegal.
The FTC says that the change will help protect seniors in particular.
As the FTC recently reported to Congress, last year consumers 60 and older were five times more likely than younger people to report losing money on a tech support scam. Older consumers reported more than $175 million in losses to tech support scams last year.
You can play your part by helping educate non-techy friends and family members, warning them of the dangers of fake tech support calls.
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.
Not from WhidbeyTel
Not from WhidbeyTel
Somebody is pretending to be at Docusign and representing Apple It is a scam. DO NOT CLICK or CALL..
When I looked at the From by double clicking on it I got ejshsxgzhsjskskxnx@gmail.com Definitely not Apple - DO NOT RESPOND.
DO NOT RESPOND The country code in the phone number is the Philipines - famous for this type of SCAM.
Note the From address. NOT from PayPal DO NOT RESPOND!
SCAM - Note the From address. NOT from a mail server DO NOT RESPOND!
SCAM - Note the From address. It looks very official but it is a fraud pretending to be docusign representing Apple. Delete and DO NOT RESPOND!
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.
For anyone interested in reading more tech news, the Apple magazine has high quality interesting articles. It's easy to access for free via the Libby app from the public library system. And if you're not familiar with that resource from the library system you're missing out on a huge amount of free books and magazines to check out via your computer or mobile device. They offer audio books as well as ebooks.
On your iPhone or iPad, just go to the App Store and search Libby. It's a great resource.
Passkeys instead of passwords! Here is how passkeys work. When you set up an account with a vendor/company, a "key" will be stored on your computer and a matching key will be stored on the vendors site. The next time you login to that vendor, those keys have to match up or you don't get in. Usually, a biometric is used to identify you in order for the passkey to be allowed. Either face recognition, voice recognition or finger print.
The difference compared to passwords is you don't have to set up a password or save it or type anything when logging in to a site. And the vendor doesn't have to save a list of passwords for customers. The keys are taken care of by the computers. And you can't be fooled to login to copycat websites because they won't have the necessary counterpart passkey. And you won't be fooled into giving a scammer your password because there is no password.
Even if a hacker steels passkeys from a vendor, which would be very difficult, they wouldn't be of much use because it would only be half the key. So there you go. Maybe not perfect, but much better than passwords.
Twas a few nights before Christmas, and there were very few packages under the tree. That is, if you could call it a tree. It's rather a leaning, one sided branch that was blown off a fir tree in the yard. "Hey, I could use that for a Christmas tree." …"Don't even try!"…"Too late."
The packages don't amount to much these days. The family doesn't get together at this holiday any longer. We're spread too far apart, too much trouble to travel, and …getting older! But I always get together with my twin brother. So we most often buy each other a gift.
Sometimes I find a great gift, occasionally because it's something I want myself! Other years I struggle to come up with anything I'm excited about. We often exchange shirts. Nothing surprising. But this year I thought of a great gift, a keyboard for his iPad. So I searched and compared dozens of products. I chose one and ordered online in time to arrive before the holidays.
That was my last gift shopping event for the year. I was done and ready for a relaxing time. So it was a couple days before Christmas, with a typical winter chill outside, I saw the email on my computer… shipping was delayed for the iPad keyboard. Expected time of arrival… the week after Christmas!
The next night a storm blew rain and sleet against the window as the lights in the house flickered. Hoping the power wouldn't go off I noticed my little Charlie Brown Christmas tree branch was leaning more and looked like it may need rescuing before long. I started to feel anxious, a feeling that I've become increasingly aware of this season.
I took a moment for myself as I became alert to the fresh evergreen scent from my little tree branch. It triggered a memory of past Christmases when my dad would recite a favorite poem or two about the woods filling up with snow and miles to go. And even with the stormy weather I was cozy sitting next to the fire, drinking a hot chocolate like my mom often made for us as kids on the holiday. I decided I didn't have to worry about the weather, and a late gift is just a late gift. My brother would not be upset. At that moment the chair I was sitting in felt more comfortable, like it gave me a hug. I was relaxing, and gifts or no gifts, all was good!
Anywhere you are, an old tradition or a fond memory or an act of kindness can revive the spirit! I also recalled a Dalai Lama quote that seems fitting for the season;
"Don't let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace."
I Don't Know What Christmas Is (From Guardians of the Galaxy)
Do you like my decorations?
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.
