• Meeting Intro with Harry
• "Synching devices" with Ron Sharp
• 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 Juy 17, 2024
by Madelyn Van Der Hoogt, MAGIC*
Harry Anderson called the meeting to order at 4:04 with 24 members in attendance.
Gary McIntyre presented the treasurer's report: Our balance after deducting web access fees and the $50 drawing for survey respondents is $9,565.43.
Harry gave an overview of the responses to the online survey. 59 members responded. The key takeaway is that members appreciate the organization as it is. The glue that holds us together is the website and the newsletter. Members want the monthly meetings to continue. When asked whether they preferred Zoom or in-person meetings, the vote was 29 to 20 for Zoom meetings. The Board will consider arranging one or two in-person meetings for next year. 43 respondents said that they would like to take classes.
Ron Sharp then drew from the names of all the respondents for the winner of the $50 Apple gift card. The winner was David Paul.
Harry announced that we will be needing two new board members for next year. The board meets every couple of months to plan the programs. Members are encouraged to let Harry or Ron know of their interest in serving on the board.
Gary McIntyre the presented the program on Making the Best Use of the Dock.
MAGIC Musings
As I approach the end of my time as MAGIC president, I am looking back with pride at how the organization has hung together through the last four years.
When I became president in 2021, the COVID pandemic was beginning its awful course throughout the world. MAGIC had suspended in-person meetings and I took on the task of figuring out how to have meetings on this new technology called Zoom. Would MAGIC members adapt to meeting on Zoom after many years of having successful meetings in person at the Unitarian Church in Freeland? I am happy to say that you did. We continue to have Zoom meetings every month and at least 20 or more attend.
Thanks to Ron Sharp and Robert Elphick, the MAGIC newsletter and website are amazing resources with answers to just about every question a MAC lover might have. We have nearly 500 people who receive newsletter each month.
And I was eager to find out the results of the member questionnaire that was sent out in early July seeking your feedback on what direction MAGIC should go from here. The overall answer was very satisfying: You like things as they are; you consider MAGIC a valuable part of your lives. You are OK with Zoom meetings but you'd like to have an occasional in-person meeting. And a number of you would like to have classes like we've had in the past.
Our board will meet next month to start planning what we'll be doing in 2025. That is quite likely to include at least one in-person meeting somewhere on Whidbey.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the questionnaire. Your feedback is much appreciated. I look forward to seeing some of you at our Zoom meeting on August 21. Ron Sharp will do a presenting on synching our devices.
Harry Anderson, President
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.
macOS 14.6 update enables multi-display support for the M3 MacBook Pro
by Filipe Espósito, 9to5mac
macOS 15.1 and iOS 18.1 beta certainly took the spotlight today as these updates bring the first preview of Apple Intelligence features. However, Apple has also released macOS Sonoma 14.6 to the public, which brings an important change for owners of the base M3 MacBook Pro. With the update, this particular Mac now has multi-display support - a long-awaited feature.
Multi-display support now available for all M3 MacBooks
Most Apple Silicon Macs in their base configuration only support one external display connected. However, with the M3 MacBook Air, Apple has finally enabled multi-display support, allowing users to connect two external displays at the same time.
Despite sharing the same chip, the base M3 MacBook Pro lacked this feature. The company confirmed to 9to5Mac in March that a future software update would also allow M3 MacBook Pro owners to use two external displays at the same time, and that promise was fulfilled today.
The release notes for macOS Sonoma 14.6 confirm that the update enables multi-display support for the M3 MacBook Pro (via MacRumors).
This update adds support for using up to two external displays when the laptop lid is closed on 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 chip and also provides important bug fixes and security updates.
However, there's a catch. As pointed out in the release notes, you can only connect two displays to the M3 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air when the lid is closed. This means that you have to choose between using the Mac's display combined with a single external display, or just two external displays.
Still, that's a big win for users who appreciate portability on-the-go and large displays at the office.
You can update your Mac by going to System Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 17.6 continues Emergency SOS via satellite expansion
by Filipe Espósito, 9to5mac
With iPhone 14 and later, users can contact emergency services even when there's no Wi-Fi or cellular signal thanks to the Emergency SOS via satellite feature. This feature was first launched in the US and Canada and has since been slowly expanded to more countries. Today, Apple confirmed the expansion of Emergency SOS via satellite to one more country.
Emergency SOS via satellite now available in Japan with iOS 17.6
With iOS 17.6, which was released to the public on Monday, owners of iPhone 14 and later can use Emergency SOS via satellite in Japan. The news was confirmed by Apple itself on its website.
"Starting today, Apple's groundbreaking safety service, Emergency SOS via satellite, will be provided to Japanese customers. This innovative technology, which is available on all iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 models, allows users to share information with emergency call services even outside cell phone communication and Wi-Fi range," says the company.
Emergency SOS via satellite has been described as a "game changer" by search and rescue teams, and has been credited with a number of helicopter rescues. The feature has already proven to save lives since its launch, and it continues to do so.
When a user activates Emergency SOS, their iPhone prompts a series of questions to gather crucial information. This process can take a few minutes. The collected data is transmitted to relay centers, where specialists promptly intervene on behalf of the user. Additionally, the entire transcript can be shared with the user's emergency contacts.
With the feature, iPhone users can even share their location with others through the Find My app using satellite connectivity.
In addition to Japan, Emergency SOS via satellite is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The feature works with any iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 model.
Your HomePod is a lot more than a simple speaker — it's a whole computer. And like any computer it has an operating system that needs occasional updates. Here's how to make sure your Apple smart speaker has the software version released on Monday.
Version 17.6 is a simple bug fix update. It's still worth installing — keeping the HomePod on the same version number as your iPhone and Apple TV is recommended.
If you depend on automatic updates, it's possible your smart speaker hasn't yet installed the update. Here's how to do so manually.
macOS Sequoia compatibility: Can your Mac run the new version of macOS?
by Martin Casserly, macworld
macOS Sequoia is coming soon. Find out if your Mac can run Sequoia and if it will support all the new features.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Macs that support macOS Sequoia
macOS Sequoia features that require newer Macs
Macs running macOS Sonoma that won't get macOS Sequoia
How do I know which Mac I have?
Apple has announced its next instalment in the macOS franchise, with season 15 given the name macOS Sequoia. It comes with plenty of cool new features, including iPhone mirroring, window tiling, huge upgrades to Safari, a new passwords app, plus the introduction of Apple's own built-in AI capabilities which the company has dubbed Apple Intelligence. You can read all about these exciting new features and more in our roundup of what's new in macOS Sequoia.
So, the big question you may be asking yourself is if your Mac will be able to run macOS Sequoia? Here's a breakdown of the supported models, along with guidance to whether compatible models will get all the features in the new software.
Macs that support macOS Sequoia
Apple has confirmed that the following models will get macOS Sequoia:
Apple releases macOS 14.6.1 with Advanced Data Protection bug fix for all users
by Zac Hall, 9to5mac
Apple has released an update to macOS 14.6. The latest version of macOS Sonoma is now 14.6.1.
macOS Sonoma
macOS Sonoma 14.6 included the ability to run multiple displays from the M3 MacBook Pro with the lid closed. 9to5Mac was first to report that the feature would come to the MacBook Pro from 2023 following the feature introduction on the M3 MacBook Air.
The previous macOS Sonoma update also brought "important bug fixes and security updates," per Apple.
Based on the version number, today's official macOS update includes further fixes.
What's new
As for what's new in macOS 14.6.1, we're now told that a recent iCloud issue affected a small number of users who were unable to enable or disable Advanced Data Protection (ADP) successfully. This update addresses and resolves that problem. Previously, users who tried to activate ADP and failed received a clear error message and saw an accurate reflection in the user interface indicating that ADP was not enabled.
On the other hand, users who attempted to disable ADP but encountered failure saw the UI show ADP as disabled, while it remained active on their iCloud data. With the update, these users will now receive a notification directing them to Settings, where they must confirm their decision to turn off ADP. Despite the issue, the affected users ended up with the same or higher level of security than they anticipated.
Sequoia is next
In addition to macOS Sonoma, Apple is also running public and developer betas of pre-release macOS Sequoia 15, the next major release expected in September or October. Apple is also testing a developer beta version of macOS 15.1, bringing Apple Intelligence features to Sequoia. No public beta version is available so far.
Alongside macOS Sonoma 14.6.1, Apple has also released iOS 17.6.1 and iPadOS 17.6.1 for iPhone and iPad.
A Mac or iPhone is a no longer needed to access Apple Maps — a web version reached public beta testing Wednesday. It allows users to get driving and walking directions from a web browser, including Chrome and Edge on Windows PCs.
Update: Several weeks after the initial release, Apple Maps on the web now works on a broader selection of web browsers.
Apple Maps on the web beta now available for Windows users
Many people are required to use Windows as part of their jobs. And some people simply prefer Microsoft's operating system, but also use an iPhone and/or an iPad. It's no longer necessary for either of these groups to give up Apple Maps when using Windows. Also, app developers can link out to the web version for pointing customers to real-world locations.
The new online version is a beta, but it's not stripped down. As noted, the web version of Apple's navigation service offers driving and walking directions. In addition, users can order food directly from restaurants that support this feature. And it offers curated Guides to cities around the world.
The Look Around feature, which gives users an interactive, panoramic view of certain locations, isn't included yet. However, Apple promises to add Look Around "in the coming months."
Currently, Apple Maps on the web only supports the English language. Plus, the service can't yet connect to a user's Apple ID, so the web version isn't pre-populated with information brought over from the iPhone/Mac/etc. version. Still, this is only the first public beta — limitations are to be expected.
Initially, the online service supported only Chrome and Edge on Windows and Safari and Chrome on Mac and iPad. On August 8, the range grew considerably. Firefox was added to the list of supported Windows browsers, while Mac and iPad users now have the option to use Firefox and Edge. Firefox uses its own web engine, Gecko, so the online service had to be tweaked just for it.
Got an Intel Mac? Here's the deal so far, and possible future scenarios
by Ben lovejoy, 9to5mac
If you've got an Intel Mac of up to six years old, there was mixed news for most when Apple announced macOS 15 Sequoia. Most Macs that can run macOS 14 can still run this year's version - but Intel models unsurprisingly won't get the headline Apple Intelligence features.
A historical analysis of how long Macs continue to support the latest version of macOS shows that - with a couple of exceptions - not much changed this year on the surface, but it does still leave the question of Apple's future plans for its Intel-chipped machines …
The Intel Mac story so far
ArsTechnica used over 20 years' worth of data to determine how long you can expect your Mac to continue being eligible for each year's version of macOS, and found a mixed picture.
So far, we've found that owners of Intel Macs made in the mid-to-late 2010s are definitely getting fewer major macOS updates and fewer years' worth of security updates than owners of Intel Macs made in the late 2000s and early 2010s but that these systems are still getting more generous support than old PowerPC Macs did after Apple switched to Intel's processors.
Owners of 2018 and 2019 MacBook Air models got the worst deal. They can't run macOS 15, which gives them the shortest update life of any MacBook Air since the original model way back in 2008.
Here are the key findings from Ars' analysis:
For all Mac models tracked, the average Mac receives about 6.6 years of macOS updates that add new features, plus another two years of security-only updates. The 2018 and 2019 MacBook Airs are under this average, with 5.8 and 5.2 years of macOS updates, respectively.
The average Intel Mac receives about seven years of macOS updates and another two years of security-only updates. So far, all Intel Macs released since 2016 have come in under this average.
The average Mac receives updates for about 5.5 years after Apple stops selling it.
What about the future?
Once the rollout of Apple Silicon Macs was (almost) complete, the nightmare scenario for those who had a recent Intel Mac was that the company might make a clean break, and immediately drop updates for those. That didn't happen, but it still leaves an uncertain future.
The site's Andrew Cunningham looks at three potential scenarios next year:
Sequoia is the last version of macOS to run on Intel Macs
Apple supports a few of the final Intel Macs in macOS 16 and drops everything else
Apple keeps the support list mostly the same in macOS 16 and ends Intel support in macOS 17
He doesn't draw any conclusions, simply presenting the case for and against each (which I recommend reading), but does note that if you have an Intel Mac, you're on borrowed time as you won't get any of the exciting new features to come.
9to5Mac's Take
Apple appears to be trying its best here, but the reality is that the main reason to upgrade to macOS 15 is going to be the Apple Intelligence features - and those need the power of Apple Silicon.
Most people will be arguably better off this year with a relatively modest M-powered MacBook Air than they are with the most powerful Intel MacBook Pro, even if it's relatively recent. If you have the budget to make the switch this year, it's a no-brainer to do it.
Apple scores record 72 Emmy Award nominations and sweeps across top categories
Apple press release
Apple scores record 72 Emmy Award nominations and sweeps across top categories, including first-ever Outstanding Limited Series for Lessons in Chemistry, Outstanding Drama Series for The Morning Show and Slow Horses, and Outstanding Comedy Series for Palm Royale
With best-ever Emmy showing, Apple TV+ lands nominations across 16 Apple Originals, including Lessons in Chemistry, The Morning Show, Slow Horses, Palm Royale, Loot, Hijack, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces, Girls State, The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy, Masters of the Air, Silo, Physical, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, The New Look, Sugar, and more
The Morning Show lands first-ever nomination for Best Drama and leads with the most performance nominations for a drama series, including Best Actress in a Drama for stars and executive producers Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon
Celebrated documentaries STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces and Girls State nab multiple nominations, including Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
Everything new coming to Messages in iOS 18: emoji tapbacks, scheduled send, text formatting, RCS, and more
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple has some major upgrades coming to the Messages app in iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and iPadOS 18.
This fall when those major OS updates arrive, Messages will be adding new tapback options, message scheduling, text formatting with bold and italics, new effects, RCS support, and more.
Here's everything coming to Messages in iOS 18.
Emoji tapbacks and new tapback designs
Tapbacks have gone unchanged on the iPhone for years, but in iOS 18 they're finally getting some big improvements.
For starters, you'll be able to send any emoji as a message tapback. Gone are the days of being limited to a handful of tapback reactions. Now you can send a tapback with the eyes-looking emoji, or barf emoji, or anything else that fits the occasion. If emoji options aren't enough, you can also use stickers as tapbacks.
Your most commonly used emoji and stickers will be accessible with a swipe left on the initial set of tapback options that appear, sliding those default options out of the way to present your most used emoji and stickers.
Speaking of those default options, they're getting a facelift in iOS 18. The classic thumbs up, heart, and more are being splashed with full color and new designs that will make them fit in better among the wider array of new tapback options.
Schedule messages for later
We've all had an occasion where we wanted to send a message later. In iOS 18, that will finally be possible. No more need to ask Siri to remind you to send something later, you can simply schedule it yourself.
Prep a message in iOS or iPadOS 18 and, if you don't want to send it right away, you can choose a later day and time for it to automatically go out. The option is available by pressing the + button on the left side of the screen and selecting the new Send Later option.
Knowing your iPad battery health helps you decide when it's time for a new tablet.
Checking the health and maximum capacity of the battery in older iPad models isn't as easy as it should be, but we can walk you through the process. Finding out how worn out the tablet's battery is can help you decide if it's time for a new model.
But for those who already upgraded to the latest iPad Pro or iPad Air, checking battery health is a snap.
Explaining iPad battery health: maximum capacity vs. cycles
Diamonds are forever but batteries are not. Li-ion batteries in phones, laptops, etc., inevitably wear out. Each one comes with a limited number of times it can be charged and discharged, which is called a cycle. But every time you plug in the device isn't the start of a new cycle. One starts only after all of the battery's power has been expended.
"You could use half of your laptop's charge in one day, and then recharge it fully," explains Apple. "If you did the same thing the next day, it would count as one charge cycle, not two. In this example, it might take several days to complete a cycle."
Counting charging cycles is one way to judge iPad battery health, but it's not the best.
This is where a measurement of maximum capacity comes in. This indicates how much power your iPad battery can hold now compared to the capacity when it was new. It's typically listed as a percentage, and is a much better indication of battery health.
Apple tells tablet users, "Your battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 complete charge cycles."
Here's how to find out what the maximum capacity is for your iPad's battery.
Table of contents:
How to check battery health and maximum capacity on new iPad models
How to check battery health and maximum capacity on older iPad models
iPhone's Emergency SOS via satellite feature 'literally saved their lives,' rescue team says after wildfire left hikers stranded
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
A group of stranded hikers in British Columbia is crediting Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature for allowing them to call for help. As reported by the CBC, the hikers were stranded on a glacier after wildfires began to approach them—and the conditions were so bad that first responders nearly had to abandon their rescue attempt.
The four hikers were stranded on Macbeth Ice Fields, about 390 kilometers east of Kelowna. They were camping when the wind picked up and a wildfire approached them.
"Embers were falling on their tent so they ran for their lives," said Kaslo Search and Rescue manager Mark Jennings-Bates. "It's like a war zone. We were very fortunate to get a helicopter in there, we nearly had to abandon the rescue attempt."
According to Jennings-Bates, the only communication outlet for the four hikers was Apple's Emergency SOS via Satellite feature. They were able to use this feature to send text messages and share their location with first responders. Rescue teams had to navigate "thick smoke near an approaching wildfire" in a helicopter to locate the hikers.
"We were just able to sneak over a ridge and found them exactly where the cellphone ping said they were, which is really unusual and very satisfying," he explained. "In this instance, their cellphone literally saved their lives."
Emergency SOS via satellite enables messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage. Satellite connectivity can also be used to share your location with friends and family via Find My. Because it takes some time to establish a connection with the satellites, your iPhone will ask a few preloaded questions while the device is searching for a signal.
New features coming in iOS 18
iOS 18, which will be released to everyone this fall, brings further improvements to the Emergency SOS and satellite features. First, iOS 18 introduces Messages via satellite. This feature will automatically prompt users to connect to their nearest satellite in the Messages app, allowing them to send and receive texts, emojis, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.
Separately, Emergency SOS Live Video is a new feature that allows users to share streaming video and recorded media with emergency dispatchers. "In the middle of an emergency call, participating emergency dispatchers can send a request for a user to share live video or media from the user's camera roll over a secure connection, making it easier and faster to get help," Apple explains.
Air tags are small devices that use GPS to know where they are. When attached to objects (keys wallets, cameras, travel bags, etc.) your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Computer can find them using the "Find My" application.
Small enough to go into a wallet.
Basics
When you first get an AirTag, you need to associate it with your iPhone (also iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac). This is done in the following steps:
Go to the Home Screen on your iPhone.
Remove the battery tab from the AirTag (if applicable), then hold it near your iPhone.
Tap Connect on the screen of your iPhone.
Choose a name from the list or choose Custom Name to type a name and select an emoji, then tap Continue.
Tap Continue to register the item to your Apple ID, then tap Finish.
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Note: You can chang the name and/or the emoji at any time from the "Find My" app.
Now you can find the AirTag on your iPhone/iPad/Mac/Apple Watch by using the "Find My" application
On an iPhone, Start the "Find My" app:
Select the items icon at the bottom of the screen and you will get a list of all your AirTags. You will also get a map show where the items are.
Click on an item and you will the following screen:
On the left you see a map and get the Play Sound and Find options that are useful when the AirTag is nearby. On the right you seee the same screen after scrolling down. Here you should turn on the "Notify When Left Behind" (with a red outline). When this is turned on you should get a notification on your iPhone or Apple Watch that you have left it behind.
By clicking on the "Notify When Left Behind" button you get the following screen where you can set up the adress(es) where you do not need to be notified that the AirTag is not with you.
Finding your item(s)
To find an item with your iPhone:
Start the "Find My" app
Select the item you wish to find (left picture below) and click on it.
Look at the map to see where it is (right picture below)
If the item is nearby (within about 30 feet) you can click on Play sound to hear it, or click on the Find button to get a screen that will point you in the right direction like this below left) or when you get close it will turn green (below right):
"Find My" on am Apple Watch.
Lost item(s)
If you become separated from your item, the iPhone/iPad/Apple Watch will notify you.
When this happens and you cannot determine its location then go to the item in "Find My", scroll down the item, and turn on the "Lost Mode". The application will then endevour to find the item using the internet to locate it's bluetooth signal and let you know when and where it finds the missing item.
anti tracking
Apple have built into the system the ability to determine if there are any AirTags with you that are not registered to your Apple ID account. AirTag is designed to discourage unwanted tracking. If someone else's AirTag finds its way into your stuff, the network will notice it's traveling with you and send your iPhone an alert. If you still haven't found it after awhile, the AirTag will start playing a sound letting you know it's there.
Of course, if you happen to be with a friend who has an AirTag, or on a train with a whole bunch of people with AirTag, don't worry. These alerts only get triggered when an AirTag is separated from its owner.
Replace battery
The battery in the AirTag is supposed to last for about six months (I found it to be more often). I recomend that you replace it at least that often, or test it with a voltmeter (it should be 3 volts or more). You may also get a message in your iPhone like this:
Replace your AirTag battery:
Press down on the polished stainless steel battery cover of your AirTag and rotate counterclockwiseu ntil the cover stops rotating.
Remove the cover and battery.
Insert a new CR2032 lithium 3V coin battery (available at most electronic and drug stores) with the positive side (big side) facing up. You'll hear a sound indicating that the battery is connected. Keep batteries away from children. To further discourage accidental ingestion, use a bitterant-coated CR2032 battery, like the Duracell 2032 Lithium Coin Battery with Bitter Coating. Look for packaging that states "Compatible with Apple AirTag". Some CR2032 batteries with bitterant coatings might not work with AirTag or other battery-powered products.
Replace the cover, making sure that the three tabs on the cover align with the three slots on the AirTag.
AirPods Pro and Transparency Mode make for fine hearing aids.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
AirPods can work surprisingly well as hearing aids. Thanks to Transparency mode, AirPods Pro will boost the sound of your environment around you. They can give you freaky Spiderman super-hearing if you boost input volume to the max. And Conversation Boost on the latest AirPods Pro 2 can intelligently raise the volume of people talking to you (while lowering the volume of your music or podcasts).
My prescription hearing aids were out of action recently due to a battery problem, so for a few weeks, I used my AirPods Pro as hearing aids.
For the most part, they've been pretty good. They work best when set up properly, which is a bit of a chore, but here's how to do it.
Apple testing next-gen Apple Watch SE made with plastic to cut costs
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
Alongside the Apple Watch Series 10 and Apple Watch Ultra 3, Apple is also working on a new version of its most affordable watch. According to a new report today, Apple is considering a big change for the next-generation Apple Watch SE: a plastic design.
Currently, the Apple Watch SE is made out of aluminum, much like the higher-end Apple Watch models. When Apple last updated the Apple Watch SE in 2022, it redesigned the back case to switch to a new "nylon composite" material instead of ceramic.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports the next-generation Apple Watch SE could ditch its aluminum shell "in favor of rigid plastic."
The company is also working on a new version of its lower-cost Apple Watch SE model, which it last updated in 2022. One idea that the company has tested is swapping out the aluminum shell in favor of rigid plastic.
The report doesn't offer any additional details, but the obvious benefit of making this change is to cut costs. If Apple starts making the Apple Watch SE out of plastic instead of aluminum, it could theoretically lower the starting price, which currently sits at $249. For comparison's sake, Samsung's most affordable watch starts at $199.
Today, Apple introduced HomePod mini in midnight, made with 100 percent recycled mesh fabric. At just 3.3 inches tall, HomePod mini offers big sound in an impressively compact design. With a seamless, acoustically transparent mesh exterior and a backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge, HomePod mini is a stunning smart speaker that complements any space. HomePod mini in midnight is available starting Wednesday, July 17, and joins other bold colors, including yellow, orange, blue, and white.
An up-close look at the full lineup of HomePod mini colors: midnight, yellow, orange, blue, and white.
In addition to midnight, HomePod mini is available in yellow, orange, blue, and white.
HomePod mini users can listen to a catalog of over 100 million songs with Apple Music and enjoy room-filling audio with a single speaker, in a stereo pair, and using multiroom audio. To level up entertainment, users can even use the smart speaker to create a captivating home theater experience with Apple TV 4K. With Siri, users can access a range of music knowledge, and search by artist, song, lyrics, decade, genre, mood, or activity.
With the intelligence of Siri, HomePod mini also offers convenient ways to manage everyday tasks and control the smart home. Users can create smart home automations, get notified when a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm is detected in their home, check temperature and humidity in a room, and use Intercom to send an announcement throughout the house — all hands-free.
HomePod mini in midnight is shown next to iPhone 15 Pro, where a user is shown the My Home menu.
HomePod mini offers convenient ways to manage everyday tasks and control the smart home.
HomePod mini in midnight is available to order for $99 (U.S.) from apple.com and the Apple Store app. The new color will be available at Apple Store locations in the U.S., Canada, China mainland, Singapore, and 28 other countries and regions starting July 17. HomePod mini in midnight will also be available through Apple Authorized Resellers and select carriers (prices may vary). Learn more at apple.com/homepod-mini.
There was a bug on Siri for a brief period of time, causing her to respond to users saying "Call me an ambulance" with "Okay, I'll call you an ambulance from now on."
Wixard sez: This actually happened!
Don't get scammed
by Ron Sharp, MAGIC*
Scammers are really good at their trade. They can scam you via email as well as phone calls. Here are some tips to avoid scams. With email, always click on the from email address to make sure it is from who it says it's from. You may not always be able to tell by the address but often you can. For instance, if the email if supposedly from a government agency and the from address says gmail, then it's a scam. Most if not all government services will be from an address ending with .gov.
Then verify the email issue by contacting the person or organization using your own contact information and not any information or links in the email.
Scammers are equally good at phone scams. Again, it's very important to verify the source of the call. Before you give out any information hang up and contact the organization using your own contact information. If the caller says they are from your bank, hang up and call your bank to verify. If the scammer gives you phone numbers to call or addresses to send money to, you might write those down just so you can report the call to authorities.
Most often if there is suspicious activity on a bank account the bank may contact you but will seldom call. And for viruses on your computer, nobody monitors your computer for viruses. So if you get any warning about being infected other than from your own anti virus app, then it's a scam. Neither Apple, Microsoft, nor anybody else will contact you about a computer virus. If you get an email from Norton telling you your Mac is infected, it's a scam. If you use an anti-virus application, it may notify you via a notification but won't send emails.
Beware, scammers often use gift cards and wire transfers for scams. Rule of thumb, verify the source before acting.
Malware Examples
by Ron Sharp and Robert Elphick, MAGIC *
Scam email to look like it is from PayPal Notice the From Address
Phishing - DO NOT CLICK! I do not have Norton so this cannot be true. Norton will NOT put a message on your browser.
iPhone email - NOT from Netflix! I do not have Netflix. Phishing - do not click!
An example of an adversarial attack that's targeted at humans with touch screens:
Some advertisers have put fake specks of "dust" on their banner ads, hoping that humans will accidentally click on the ads while trying to brush them off.
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.
There are a lot of useful features to web browsers that can make your surfing the web much easier. I'll tell you about some of those features, but first you have to choose what browser you want to use. And I'll tell you straight out, you should use Safari. You can choose another browser if there are particular features you like about another browser but for using Apple devices Safari is the best choice. It is also faster than Chrome, focuses on security, and uses much less computer processing power which saves battery.
As I have mentioned in other articles, Chrome is Googles browser and they make their money with advertising. So they track everything you do, every web page you visit and share or sell that data. The settings for Safari are also much easier to use.
Now hopefully you have your mouse or trackpad set up for right click or secondary click, (tap with two fingers.) So when you're browsing a list of links, for instance when you're shopping, you can right click/two finger tap on a link and choose to open it in a second "tab."
Tabs are other open web pages so you can easily go to your new tab or click back on your search page tab. You can open many other webpages in tabs and easily click between them.
If you want to open a new blank tab you use the plus sign button (+) in the toolbar. You can also set the new tab to open with a page your favorite bookmarks. As you know, when you bookmark a webpage, you change choose what folder to put it in. The bookmarks you add to the Favorites folder will show in a new tab if you have that tab option set.
You can also click on the Bookmarks menu in the top menubar and choose "Edit Bookmarks." There you can create new folders to sort your bookmarks and you can arrange bookmarks in folders. For instance, if you set the View menu on top to "Show Favorites Bar" then you'll see your favorites just below the toolbar so they are always in view and easy to click.
There is also a button in the upper left side of the toolbar that lets you show all your bookmarks on the left side of the screen if you prefer that. I use that once in while but usually hide that bookmarks lists because I don't want it to take up screen space.
If you want Safari to open to a particular webpage when you first open it, then just navigate to that page and then go to Safari Settings and choose General, then "Homepage: Set to Current Page." There you go.
Now I want to point out the ellipses in the URL text box. That's the button with the three dots. There you'll find some really helpful tools. In particular, check out the "Reader View." It makes a webpage so much easier to read by removing ads and banners and everything except the main article.
And don't forget you can use the "Find" feature on most any webpage. Just use the Command F keys to bring up the search textbox and type your word to search for in a webpage. So easy.
And for security, you should clear your browsing history and cookies frequently. Just click on "History" in the top menu bar and at the bottom of the history list is the option to clear history. Choose "Everything." You also have an option under the "File" menu in the top menu bar to open a "New Private Window." A private window doesn't save the history or store cookies for any webpage.
Spend a few minutes checking these options out and you find browsing to be so much easier and safer.
The MAGIC computer group presented the members with a survey to find what members most benefit from and what changes could make it even more helpful. We had 60 responses, about 12% of the group. Here are the results…
We asked if the monthly presentations offered during the meetings were helpful or should be eliminated and replaced with just question and Answers. Twenty two responded to keep the presentations, 25 said they don't know.
Twenty five members said keep the meetings monthly, with only eight people saying an alternate schedule might be better.
When asked whether members preferred meetings in person or Zoom meetings online, the majority, 29, said they preferred Zoom meetings. However a large number of members, 20, preferred in person. The board will take that into consideration and possibly offer two in person meetings a year, a spring and fall in person meeting. There will be logistics to figure out such as location/venue and the details associated with that.
A surprising Forty Three members said they would be interested in classes. MAGIC has implemented classes in the days before COVID and will consider offering classes again.
When asked about the MAGIC newsletter and website, fourty eight said they appreciated the website, thirty seven said that the newsletter was very important and thirteen said the newsletter was somewhat important.
So assuming the percentages are indicative of the whole group, it looks like MAGIC is fulfilling most members needs and will continue with the current agenda, but will consider adding some in person meetings and possibly organizing one or two classes during the year.
In thanking all those who responded to the survey, we offered a drawing for $50 Apple gift certificate. We collected the names and drew one lucky winner from a hat. And the winner is…David Paul.
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.
