Newsletter Editor:
| Date: | 20 April 2022 |
| Time: | 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. |
| Place: | Zoom on line |
| Presentations: | • Meeting and Q&A with Harry • "Printers" by Ron Sharp |
by Penny Holland, MAGIC Secretary
The March meeting of MAGIC was held per Covid rules via Zoom. There were about 28 people in attendance/on line with us. President Harry Anderson called the meeting to order at about 4:00.
BUSINESS MEETING
Our treasurer, Gary McIntyre, stated that our balance at the end of February totals $8862.17. When Gary announced that we pay some $14 per month for our website, Robert Elphick noted that we used to get our website for free, and he says he assumes we should still be eligible for a gratis website. The two agreed to straighten it out. Harry reminded everyone to feel free to go to our MAGIC website if you wish to want to make a donation.
Harry announced about upcoming meetings:
Minutes for Magic Zoom meeting, March 16, 2022
Our Board will meet in a month or two to decide pm when or where our live meetings will take place. We would appreciate input from the membership about this decision, but perhaps we can do some sort of a hybrid meeting, so that people who do not attend meetings in person, could view the presentation live with Zoom or later from our website by video.
ZOOM RULES: Harry asked us all to put ourselves on MUTE for the presentation. Please do not interrupt the speaker, but rather your questions can be sent via CHAT. The rest of the meeting will be recorded. People can turn off their own video if they do not wish their faces to be viewed.
PRESENTATION
Gary McIntyre gave a very detailed and thorough presentation: "PREFERENCES" He covered several important preferences in System Preferences, as well as individual App preferences that may be set through the Menu Bar. These are ways we can personalize our Mac to best work for our individual needs.
This presentation may be viewed by either going to the MAGIC website and by viewing the video presentation of the Zoom meeting of this date. (see this and previous zoom meetings.)
Q & A
Q: Do you recommend that we upgrade our OS to Monterey?
A: Gary says any time you can upgrade your Mac, it is a good idea to do so.
Q: What is a v-card?
A: It is a document containing all the data listed in a contact. It is a standard that is accepted by all address applications on all computers.
Q: Is a v-card secure?
A: No, it is written with ASCII code and so is universally visible with any text editor. You can export a v-card with just one person's information. OR if you have a group of people you select, then you can create a v-card for the group, with all their names, addresses, etc.
Q: When did Menu Preferences show up on the Mac?
A: They have always been there - Some are put there by the OS and some by some applications. You can control many of them by using System Preferences or the Preferences of the Application that has this feature to turn them on or off in the menu bar.
Q: Do you recommend running Time Machine automatically?
A: As long as the backup drive is plugged in,Time Machine will back up every hour. This is highly recommended. In system Preferences there is a place where you can check "show time Machine in Menu Bar."
Gary suggested that if you have any questions from this talk, send him an email and he will attempt to get an answer for you.
Q: I shut my computer off every night. When I turn it back on do I have to turn on Time Machine as well? And what about if there is a power outage?
A: No, Time Machine comes on automatically because it is probably being powered by the USB cable that remains plugged into the computer. After a power outage, the same is true. One exception is that there are a few old backup drives that are plugged into the wall instead of getting their power from the computer. In this case you should check the status.
Q: What are good external HDs?
A: Most mac stores as well as the Apple site all sell good products. Just don't go find the cheapest one Amazon. Popular brands are La Cie, Western Digital, and Seagate . They can be purchased from any electronics store, office store, or on line.
Q: Sometimes when I search for a particular folder I can't find it.
A: There is an app called EasyFind, and it will find anything. Otherwise make sure where you are searching from. There is also a free program called Onyx, which will re-index the Spotlight search app as well as do other OS maintenance - run it every month or so to keep you Mac running smoothly. (Make sure you get Onyx for the operating system you are using.)
Q: On my old Computer I could reindex Spotlight but I cannot find it on my newer computer. Is it still possible?
A: Not an easy way, but here is a link to Apple support article to reindex spotlight by folder.
Harry thanked Gary for the great presentation. We hope to see everyone on April 20th for Ron Sharp's presentation on printers.
With no further questions being posed, Harry adjourned the meeting a little after 5:00
by Harry Anderson, MAGIC President
No Musings this month.
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.
by José Adorno, 9to5mac
Six months after the last update on the iWork suite, Apple is releasing a new version of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. Here's everything you need to know about version 12.0.
While version 11.2 brought lots of improvements for the three productivity apps Apple offer, version 12.0 seems more discreet.
For Numbers, Apple is bringing three new features:
Since Apple just released these updates, it might take a while for you to download them on your devices.
by Filipe Esposito, 9to5mac
With the release of iOS 15.4.1 and macOS Monterey 12.3.1 on Thursday, Apple has fixed some bugs in its operating systems. However, in addition to bug fixes, the company also made security enhancements to iOS and macOS, which include patches for multiple zero-day exploits.
One of the patched exploits affected both iOS and macOS devices. According to Apple, the exploit allowed malicious apps to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. A second exploit found in the Intel Graphics drivers, which only affected macOS, could lead to the disclosure of kernel memory. Both exploits were reported by an "anonymous researcher" and have now been fixed, as you can read below:AppleAVD
Available for: macOS Monterey and iOS 15
Impact: An application may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges
Description: An out-of-bounds write issue was addressed with improved bounds checking. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
CVE-2022-22675: an anonymous researcher
Intel Graphics Driver
Available for: macOS Monterey
Impact: An application may be able to read kernel memory
Description: An out-of-bounds read issue may lead to the disclosure of kernel memory and was addressed with improved input validation. Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited.
CVE-2022-22674: an anonymous researcher
For those unfamiliar with the term, a zero-day exploit is basically a newly discovered vulnerability that the fix is still unknown to the developers and engineers. That's why it's so important to keep your devices updated in order to protect them from malicious software.
When it comes to other bugs, iOS 15.4.1 fixes an issue that could drain the battery of iPhones and iPads more quickly than expected, while macOS 12.3.1 fixes an issue that could cause Bluetooth devices to unexpectedly disconnect from the Mac.
Both iOS 15.4.1 and macOS Monterey 12.3.1 are now available to all users. You can find more details about Apple's security updates on this webpage.
by José Adorno, 9to5mac
After a few weeks of testing, Apple is finally releasing tvOS 15.4 and HomePod 15.4 to all users. After a small 15.3 update, this one is full of new features for Apple TV and HomePod users.
One of the biggest improvements HomePod and Apple TV users will note is that Apple added a clever way to sign in to pesky captive Wi-Fi network on these products.
According to Apple, tvOS 15.4 and HomePod 15.4 add captive Wi-Fi network support, which means you can use your iPhone or iPad to connect the Apple TV and HomePod to networks that need additional sign-in steps. The company explains in the release notes:
Captive Wi-Fi network support on tvOS allows you to use your iPhone or iPad to connect your Apple TV to networks that need additional sign-in steps, like at hotels or dorms.
The Apple TV video player on tvOS 15.4 now has an "Up Next" queue that can be viewed from the "Now Playing" screen. From there, users can choose the content they have added to their Up Next queue. With just a tap, the app starts playing the movie or series you have chosen. That way, you don't need to go back to the Apple TV app's main screen to find the Up Next section and then select other content.
Apple is also bringing back the "Tap to Navigate" feature to the Physical and Motor options, after removing it in mid-August of 2021. In addition, the company has also revamped the Spatial Audio controls with tvOS 15.4.
Both tvOS 15.4 and HomePod 15.4 get a new non-binary, American Siri voice. Alongside that, HomePod users in the Netherlands can take advantage of Dutch voice recognition.
The company is also releasing iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, macOS Monterey 12.3, and watchOS 8.5 to all users.
by Jason Cross, macworld
The new service would let you pay a monthly fee for an iPhone or other Apple hardware, and may launch late this year.
If you subscribe to Apple One or Apple TV+, Apple may soon have a new iPhone to sell you.
According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple has been working on a new subscription service for the iPhone and other hardware products that will let customers subscribe to Apple hardware with a monthly recurring payment. According to Gurman's sources, Apple has been working on the subscription program for several months and is expected to launch it at the end of 2022.
Unfortunately, that's all the detail we have right now. We don't know anything about pricing, bundles, which Apple hardware would be offered (other than the iPhone), or terms for trade-ins and upgrades. Apple already offers the iPhone Upgrade Program in the U.S., U.K., and China, which lets users pay for a new iPhone with AppleCare+ over 24 monthly payments with the option to upgrade after 12 months.
Gurman says the program wouldn't simply split the price of the device split across 12 or 24 months. Rather, Apple would charge a flat monthly fee like its other services. It's also possible that the hardware subscriptions could incorporate the Apple One bundle or AppleCare+.
This new subscription service would presumably make buying an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch as easy as subscribing to Apple Music or Apple TV+. However, it's not clear yet how much this service would differ from the iPhone Upgrade Program, other than using the same Apple ID and payment methods that customers currently use for purchasing apps, in-app content or subscriptions, and other Apple services.
The iPhone Upgrade Program is technically a loan with a two-year payment plan and an option to trade in your device and upgrade to a new iPhone after one year. It is financed by a third-party bank (Citizen One in the U.S.) and requires a separate credit application with payment info and billing than your typical Apple services (though you can pay with Apple Card).
Gurman cautions that the service could be delayed into 2023 or end up getting canceled.
by Mike Peterson, appleinsider
Apple's new Mac Studio is the company's most powerful Apple Silicon machine yet. Here's how it stacks up against the Mac Pro, Apple's most powerful Intel-based Mac to date.
The Mac Studio fills a new slot in Apple's Mac lineup between the Mac mini and the Mac Pro. While it's technically in between those devices in the lineup, it actually outperforms the Mac Pro across a variety of metrics.
To see how the Mac Studio can deliver more power for less money, here's a comparison of the two machines as far as CPU, graphics capabilities, and other considerations.
by techjunkie
Every Apple product has a unique identifier, known as the serial and model number. Although it's not a number you'll need to know offhand, it comes in handy when you need to find out technical details about your device. It's also useful for when you're ready to trade it in or sell it.
There are several ways to find your serial and model numbers are. In this article, we'll explain what these numbers tell you about your MacBook or iMac and the easiest ways to find them.
by Steve Sande, rocketyard
If you have a portfolio of investments, you know that it can be difficult to keep up with the current value. You're probably familiar with the Numbers app (macOS, iOS, iPadOS). With Numbers, it's possible to create a portfolio of stocks, market funds, cryptocurrencies, commodities, and more. The value of the portfolio updates automatically every day. Here's how to start tracking stock values in Numbers!
Why not use the Stocks app? The Apple Stocks app for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS has a lot of nice features, including real-time price tracking and the ability to make a "watch list" of your favorite stocks, indexes, and so on. On the other hand, there's no way within the app to see the value of your current overall portfolio. That's where the Numbers app and a special function come in handy.
by Jason Cross, Macworld
At its "Peek Performance" event this week, Apple had a lot more in store for us than a new iPhone SE and an extra thick Mac mini otherwise known as Mac Studio. But Apple's newest desktop Mac is bigger than a Mac mini for a good reason: it's meant to house and cool the M1 Ultra, a surprise new high-performance chip. Or rather higher performance, as the M1 Max already turned heads.
As with the rest of the M1 line, it's not just the claimed performance of Apple's new multi-chip package that impresses. It's that Apple is doing it all at a fraction of the power of its competitors. With the M1 Ultra, Apple will trade blows with performance PC hardware that uses hundreds of watts of power while consuming way less than 100 watts. It's a performance-per-watt advantage that AMD, Intel, and Nivida are not likely to catch for some time.
Apple announced that Arizona is the first state to offer driver's license and state ID in Wallet. Starting today, Arizonans can add their driver's license or state ID to Wallet, and tap their iPhone or Apple Watch to seamlessly and securely present it at select TSA security checkpoints in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
"We're thrilled to bring the first driver's license and state ID in Wallet to Arizona today, and provide Arizonans with an easy, secure, and private way to present their ID when traveling, through just a tap of their iPhone or Apple Watch," said Jennifer Bailey, Apple's vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. "We look forward to working with many more states and the TSA to bring IDs in Wallet to users across the US."
Additional states will offer driver's license and state ID in Wallet soon. Colorado, Hawaii, Mississippi, Ohio, and the territory of Puerto Rico plan to bring this feature to their residents, along with the seven states Apple previously announced.
Apple launches the first driver's license and state ID in Wallet with Arizona
by Jason Cross, macworld
If you've noticed your battery draining faster after and iOS update, don't worry. Just give it time.
Every time there's a big iOS update-either a major yearly release or a particularly feature-packed point release like iOS 15.4-you'll find users complaining that their battery doesn't last as long as it used to. On social media, users will complain of significant battery drops just hours after the update.
Those who follow this closely have maintained that this is to be expected. The operating system is performing background operations, optimizing all sorts of data, and sometimes doing stuff like re-scanning your photos with new machine learning algorithms, and this increases battery drain. Not to mention that battery management is handled by sophisticated algorithms that may need several charge-and-drain cycles to adapt.
In a rare official comment on the matter, the Apple Support Twitter account confirmed this to be true.
According to Apple, fast battery drain is not unusual after an iOS update but usually resolves itself within 48 hours. If you've just updated (or restored) your iPhone and have noticed that your battery isn't lasting as long as it used to, don't panic. Just use it as you normally would for a couple of days and check again. If, after several days, you find your battery is still draining much more quickly, it might warrant reaching out to support to investigate the issue.
by Ed Hardy, cultofmac
Your iPad is a powerful computer, and becomes even more so if you attach a keyboard to it. Fortunately, it's easy. The only complication is there are a bunch of different options.
Let's go through the possibilities so you can pick the one that's best for you.
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
If you're looking to buy truly wireless AirPods from Apple, you have more options than ever from which to choose. Apple's lineup of truly AirPods currently consists of AirPods 2, AirPods 3, and AirPods Pro. Each of these are unique in their own ways, so head below as we recap all of the similarities and differences between the AirPods available today…
by Tim Hardwick, macrumors
Atrial fibrillation is a health condition that often goes undiagnosed, so ECG app and heart rhythm alerts on Apple Watch are highly useful for detecting early signs of disease. ECG readings also normally require a full ECG machine and a visit to the doctor, which is far less convenient than a reading taken with the Apple Watch. apple watch ecg
Atrial fibrillation is a health condition that often goes undiagnosed, so ECG app and heart rhythm alerts on Apple Watch are highly useful for detecting early signs of disease. ECG readings also normally require a full ECG machine and a visit to the doctor, which is far less convenient than a reading taken with the Apple Watch. apple watch ecg
The irregular rhythm notification feature intermittently checks heart rhythm in the background and sends a notification if an irregular heart rhythm is identified that could potentially be atrial fibrillation (AFib). Upon receiving a notification, users in territories where the feature is approved can immediately launch the ECG app and perform a more comprehensive test in just 30 seconds by placing their finger on the Digital Crown to generate an ECG waveform.
Apple has designed two algorithms that Apple Watch uses to measure electrocardiogram (ECG) waves. The second algorithm improves upon the first, by allowing the ECG app to check for atrial fibrillation (AFib) at higher heart rates - during exercise, for example. However, because of regulations in your country or region, version 2 might not be available to you. You can verify which version of the irregular rhythm notification feature you have on your Apple Watch or iPhone by following these steps.
by Paul Horowitz, osxdaily
Got a red dot on the screen of your Apple Watch? Wondering what the red dot is at the top of the Apple Watch screen?
You're certainly not alone, as many Apple Watch users are wondering what the red dot means, and perhaps how they can get rid of it on their device.
What does the red dot on Apple Watch mean? If you see a red dot at on the Apple Watch screen, it means you have a new or unread notification on the Apple Watch.
The unread notification could be from any number of things; an unread text message, missed phone call, email, alert, or any other notification.
You can check notifications on Apple Watch by swiping down from the top of the watch screen.
Red Dot on Apple Watch screen, explained
How do you get rid of the red dot on Apple Watch? If you want to dismiss the red dot and get rid of it, swipe down from the top of the Apple Watch screen to check notifications.
You don't need to read or dismiss the notifications, simply swiping down from the top of the screen will do the job.
This will mark them as read, getting rid of the red dot icon.
You can also use the clear all notifications trick on the watch if you'd like to.
How to Disable the Red Dot on Apple Watch You can also choose to disable the red dot indicator on Apple Watch, if you'd rather not see it at all.
To do this, open the Watch app on your paired iPhone, then go to My Watch.
Next, tap on "Notifications", and toggle the switch for "Notifications Indicator" to the OFF position.
This will disable the red dot completely, even if you have unread notifications on the Apple Watch.
You can always turn the red dot indicator back on by returning through the same steps, then choosing to toggle "Notifications Indicator" to the ON position. That's up to you.
So, the red dot icon on Apple Watch means you have a new notification that is not yet read, and you can check it or dismiss the red dot by swiping down from the top of the Apple Watch screen. Pretty simple, right?
by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5mac
Apple TV+ continues its prolific rollout of premium series this year with the announcement of Prehistoric Planet. The series has been in the works for approximately three years, hailing from BBC Studios Natural History Unit and executive produced by Jon Favreau.
Prehistoric Planet will stream beginning May 23rd, with one episode released each night of the week. It relies on big-budget CGI to tell a story of the last days of the dinosaurs, narrated by David Attenborough. Watch the trailer after the break …
In what feels like a revival of the classic Walking With Dinosaurs series, Prehistoric Planet combines cutting-edge visual effects with natural cinematography to depict dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period, spanning biomes like water, forests and icey lands.
The stunning CGI sequences were developed by the Moving Picture Company, who worked on live-action theatrical releases of The Lion King and The Jungle Book. The show's soundtrack was scored by Hans Zimmer.
Prehistoric Planet is the second outing for David Attenborough on Apple TV+. The legendary narrator was first seen in the 2021 Apple TV+ special The Year Earth Changed.
from Apple
Apple today announced the lineup of broadcasters and production enhancements for "Friday Night Baseball," which leads off tomorrow, April 8, only on Apple TV+. Fans can access "Friday Night Baseball" games and additional content, including new exclusive programs such as "Countdown to First Pitch" and "MLB Daily Recap," beginning today in the Apple TV app.
Beginning Friday, April 8, the broadcast team of Melanie Newman (play-by-play), Chris Young (analyst), Hannah Keyser (analyst), and Brooke Fletcher (reporter) will call the New York Mets at the Washington Nationals at 7 p.m. ET; and Stephen Nelson (play-by-play), Hunter Pence (analyst), Katie Nolan (analyst), and Heidi Watney (reporter) comprise the crew that will call the Houston Astros at the Los Angeles Angels game at 9:30 p.m. ET. Game assignments for "Friday Night Baseball" broadcasters will be announced on a weekly basis. In her new role with "Friday Night Baseball," Newman becomes the second woman to lead play-by-play duties for a national broadcast team; she joined the Baltimore Orioles' broadcast team in 2020.
"Friday Night Baseball" live pre- and postgame coverage will be hosted by Lauren Gardner, along with a rotating group of analysts and former Major League Baseball (MLB) players, including Carlos Peña, Cliff Floyd, and Yonder Alonso.
Scheduled games are available to anyone with internet access, for free, only on Apple TV+. Users can find step-by-step instructions to access "Friday Night Baseball" across devices.
Produced by MLB Network's Emmy Award-winning production team in partnership with Apple, "Friday Night Baseball" will offer a modern and dynamic broadcast experience that appeals to new viewers and veteran fans alike. Each game broadcast will employ state-of-the-art cameras, including high-speed Phantoms, the high-resolution Megalodon, and more throughout the season to present vivid, live-action shots, and offer immersive sound in 5.1 with spatial audio enabled. "Friday Night Baseball" will also incorporate new on-screen graphics that include innovative new probabilities-based forecasts of different situational outcomes, plus highlights and live look-ins from around the league integrated right into the broadcast. Throughout the "Friday Night Baseball" broadcasts, fans can enjoy on-screen callouts about batters' walk-up songs from Apple Music, test their knowledge of baseball trivia with help from Siri, and more. And, in a first for MLB games, "Friday Night Baseball" will feature rules analysis and interpretation from former MLB umpire Brian Gorman.
In addition to two marquee games on Friday nights throughout the regular season, fans in the US and Canada can enjoy new 24/7 live programming with MLB game replays, news and analysis, highlights, classic games, and more. Each Thursday, fans can tune in to "Countdown to First Pitch" for a preview of the week's upcoming games, and every morning to "MLB Daily Recap" for highlights from across the league, both available only on Apple TV+, as well as the "MLB Big Inning" whip-around show featuring live look-ins and in-game highlights every weeknight. Additionally, fans will be able to watch full games, as well as condensed game replays, on demand on Apple TV+ after the completion of the live broadcasts each week.
In Apple News, fans can easily follow their favorite teams and watch personalized MLB highlights right in the News app. Today, fans can find an Opening Day preview curated by Apple News editors, and each Friday, enjoy a curated group of highlights and stories from around the league, and easily tap to watch "Friday Night Baseball" directly in the Apple TV app.
In Apple Music, fans can find exclusive playlists of batters' walk-up songs from teams featured on "Friday Night Baseball" each week, as well as a collection of classic songs celebrating baseball.
"Friday Night Baseball" games will be available to anyone with internet access across devices where Apple TV+ can be found, including on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV 4K and HD, and on tv.apple.com, along with smart TVs, gaming consoles, and cable set-top boxes. "Friday Night Baseball" will be available on Apple TV+ in the United States, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, and for a limited time, without the need for a subscription.
About Apple TV+
Apple TV+, the first all-original video subscription service and home of today's most imaginative storytellers, offers an award-winning and inspiring lineup of original series, films, and now, sports, beginning with "Friday Night Baseball." Subscribers can watch Apple TV+ Originals both online and offline — and on demand — on the Apple TV app, which comes preinstalled on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, and Mac, as well as online at tv.apple.com. The Apple TV app is also available on select smart TVs, including Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Sony, TCL, VIZIO, and others; Amazon Fire TV and Roku devices; PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles; Chromecast with Google TV; and set-top boxes including Sky Q, SK Broadband, and Comcast Xfinity. More information is available at apple.com/apple-tv-app.
by Penny Holland, MAGIC*
If a Mac user sees a crime being committed, does she become an iWitness?
There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who like binary and those who don't.
by Ben Lovejoy, 9to5mac
A Mailchimp hack means that you'll want to be even more vigilant than usual about phishing emails. Attackers have taken a clever approach to making their emails appear genuine …
Background
When you subscribe to an email list, there's a decent chance that the emails you received are actually sent by a company called Mailchimp, rather than directly by the company itself. Mailchimp offers companies a range of tools that make it easy to manage email databases, and send marketing emails and newsletters.
Mailchimp is an all-in-one Marketing Platform for small business. We empower millions of customers around the world to start and grow their businesses with our smart marketing technology, award-winning support, and inspiring content […]
Mailchimp was designed as an alternative to the oversized, expensive email software of the early 2000s. It gave small business owners who lacked the high-end tools and resources of their larger competitors access to technology that empowered them and helped them grow.
Although originally targeting small businesses, it is now used by some larger ones too.
Mailchip hack
Engadget reports that hackers managed to gain access to more than 100 Mailchip customer accounts, giving them the ability to send emails that would appear to have come from any one of those businesses. One of the affected email lists was that of cryptocurrency company Trezor, with attackers trying to gain access to their wallet credentials.
Trezor users over the weekend received emails claiming that their accounts were compromised in a data breach. The email included a purported link to an updated version of Trezor Suite, along with instructions to set up a new pin — though in actuality it was a phishing site meant to capture the contents of their digital wallets.
In a tweet on Sunday, Trezor confirmed that the emails were a part of a sophisticated phishing campaign by a malicious actor that targeted MailChimp's newsletter database. "The Mailchimp security team disclosed that a malicious actor accessed an internal tool used by customer-facing teams for customer support and account administration," Trezor wrote in a blog post.
Metaverse platform Decentraland said it was another of the accounts breached. The identity of the others is not yet known, but Mailchimp has contacted all affected companies, so we can expect more warnings to follow.
We recently outlined key cybersecurity precautions, including a warning never to click on links in emails, even if they appear genuine.
by Ron Sharp, MAGIC *
MAGIC member David Shoup shared a Wall Street Journal article about the increase in scammers using QR codes. They are easy to scan with a smart phone, but be aware and never enter credit card information without scrutiny. If the QR code scan takes you to a webpage, click on the URL to see what the page might actually be. If anything looks questionable, don't go there. Instead, manually open the webpage you want via your Safari browser instead of relying on the QR code to take you to the web page.
by Ron Sharp and Robert Elphick, MAGIC *
Watch out for the ongoing scams about covid-19. We have learned of a number of spam emails and phone calls offering free covid testing kits that are just trying to get data from you. If in doubt, contact medicare.
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.
by Ron Sharp, MAGIC
Apple presented their new products on March 8th this year. The video is on their website if you want to watch it. But here is my review of it which is the most concise you'll find. Well, at least concise to my interests! So I won't go into detail about the new Mac Studio desktop computer which, by the way, can be ordered with the new M1 Ultra chip rated 60% faster than a 28-core Mac Pro in processing. But you can read the comparison article about it in this newsletter.
But the news I find more interesting include the new iPhone SE with the A-15 bionic chip, 12 megapixel camera and capable of 5G cell service. It's the smaller size phone that's easier on your pocket as well on your pocketbook, with a reasonable price of $429.
The iPad Air is another updated product that I'm interested in. They've given it the M1 chip, supposedly 60% faster than the previous iPad, all day battery life, and it starts at $599. The cellular option is capable of 5G service and now with a usb-c port so you can easily connect an external drive to transfer and store files.
A new version of the M1 chip, the M1 Ultra was introduced at the event. A 20 core CPU and 64 core GPU for graphics. The chip is built on the amazingly small 5nm scale, memory performance capable of 8GB per second, and per watt performance to make it a leader in efficiency.
Tim Cook also announced some new Apple TV series and a Friday night Baseball program. Apple TV has received 35 Emmy nominations, 20 for their comedy series "Ted Lasso." I've watched the Ted Lasso series and I can tell you it's one of the best and most enjoyable comedy series I've seen.
by Ron Sharp, MAGIC
3 Secret iPhone Camera Features For Perfect Focus:
iPhone settings:
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.