• Meeting Intro with Harry
• "Using hard drives and thumb drives" 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 August 21, 2024
by Secretary Wendy Shimada, MAGIC*
The meeting was called to order by President Harry Anderson at 4:02 pm with 18 members attending. After Harry welcomed everyone, Treasurer Gary McIntyre provided the financial report: an account balance of $9555.43. Gary noted the monthly website fee has been increased to $30. Harry reminded everyone that though we are not collecting dues currently, we gladly accept contributions via the MAGIC website.
Harry shared that at the September board meeting, topics for early 2025's general meetings were discussed. Also, in response to members' survey answers, we are looking into one in-person meeting in the first half of the year; probably April, with details forthcoming. He reminded everyone that both he and Gary were retiring from the board this year, so we need at least two new board members and he urged members to step forward. It is not a big commitment and basically entails attending a zoom meeting about six times per year to discuss ideas for future presentations, etc. If anyone wishes to find out more information about what a board position entails, or is ready to help out, please contact a board member. Ron Sharp will be hosting the October meeting as Harry will be away, enjoying a cruise.
Before beginning the presentation topic for the day, Robert Elphick cautioned members that he has discovered that the new operating system Sequoia potentially has a couple of annoying glitches. After researching online, he learned that he was not the only one experiencing this. Both Ron and Gary are also using Sequoia without issues, but Robert has not been able to use Safari with Sequoia. It might be that the OS is not compatible with all computers but he anticipates there being some Apple fixes in the near future. He will update us with Sequoia's features at the November meeting, before the Q&A session. Robert then provided an interesting presentation on "Using Airdrop" (see https://www.whidbey.com/magicmug/tricks/airdrop.html for article) and also "Which Cord for Which Device" (see https://www.whidbey.com/magicmug/tricks/connectors.html for article), after which he and Ron answered members' questions both previously submitted and asked at the meeting.
Next month's meeting, scheduled for October 16, will feature a presentation by Ron on Hard Drives and Thumb Drives. November 20 will be primarily a General Q&A session, preceded by Robert's update on Sequoia operating system. Harry adjourned the meeting at 5:07 pm.
MAGIC Musings
Nothing to report.
Harry Anderson, President
At the September meeting, someone asked whether the 10 minutes could be changed in the AirDrop app? The answer is NO.
It turns out that the Chinese government insisted on the change because naughty people were using AirDrop to distribute anti government material in crowded places. In China it is illegal to criticize the government.
Robert Elphick
Note: This Software Update section of the newsletter lists the most relevant Apple updates. Not all updates are listed for all products. Additionally, I'll add other pertinent updates on occasion.
Apple rolling out another new firmware update for
AirPods Pro 2
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
Apple is rolling out another new firmware update to AirPods Pro 2 users today. This update comes just a week after the last update and two weeks after Apple released iOS 18 with new features for AirPods users.
Today's firmware version for AirPods Pro increases the build number from 7A302 to 7A305. Apple rolled out a major new firmware update for AirPods Pro 2 earlier this month, with features like Voice Isolation, Personalized Volume improvements, and more.
Apple hasn't published any release notes for today's update yet. Here's a rundown of the current firmware versions of each of Apple's AirPods models:
AirPods Pro (Lightning and USB-C) (2nd generation): 7A305
AirPods Pro (1st generation): 6A326
AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation: 7A304
AirPods 4: 7A304
AirPods (3rd generation): 6A326
AirPods (2nd generation): 6A326
AirPods Max (USB-C): 7A291
AirPods Max (Lightning): 6A326
AirPods (1st generation): 6.8.8
How to check your AirPods firmware version
To check your AirPods firmware version:
Open the Settings app on your iPhone
Navigate to the "Bluetooth" menu
Find your AirPods in the list of devices
Tap the "i" next to them
Look at the "Firmware Version" number
Updating your AirPods firmware
As you probably know by now, it is not possible to manually update your AirPods to new firmware versions. Instead, here's what Apple says:
Firmware updates are delivered automatically while your AirPods are charging and in Bluetooth range of your iPhone, iPad, or Mac that's connected to Wi-Fi. You can also use your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to check that your AirPods have the latest version.
You can find the full details on AirPods firmware updates on Apple's website.
Apple releases tvOS 18 for Apple TV and HomePod software update, here's what's new
by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5mac
Apple has just released tvOS 18 for the public, the latest software update for the Apple TV set-top box. You can get the new operating system version on Apple TV HD (2015) and all Apple TV 4K devices.
There's also a new version 18 update for HomePod and HomePod mini, also available now. Here's what's new …
The new OS versions are available for free, and include a bevy of new features in addition to bug fixes and security updates. They also interoperate with new functionality available in iOS 18, so you'll want to update your phone as well today too to take advantage of everything new.
How to update Apple TV
To update your Apple TV device, open the Settings app and navigate to System -> Software Updates and select Update Software. Do not unplug your Apple TV device while the box completes the installation.
How to update HomePod
HomePod and HomePod mini are updated through the Home app on iOS or macOS. In the Home app, go to Home Settings and navigate to the Software Update section. It will search for the latest update and ask to confirm to begin updating. Your HomePod speaker will glow with a white light while the update is applied.
New tvOS and HomePod features available now
Automatic subtitles to help enjoy TV shows and movies
Apple TV can now temporarily enable subtitles on your behalf, when it makes sense to do so. If you press the mute button to silence audio, subtitles will show until unmuted. Similarly, if you pause and skip back to replay a scene, subtitles will be on temporarily so you can read what was said if you missed it first time.
Subtitles can also automatically be enabled when speech does not match the device language. If you don't want this to happen, the behavior can be configured in Settings -> Video and Audio -> Automatic Subtitles.
Enhance Dialogue improvements
Enhance Dialogue helps you enjoy modern TV shows and movies that have frustrating audio mixes, where the sound of the person speaking may be muddy, or simply not loud enough compared to background music. This feature was previously available when paired with HomePod speakers, but with tvOS 18, it is now available for all Apple TV users. Enhance Dialogue is now an option when using the built-in TV speakers, or connected Bluetooth output like AirPods.
A further improvement to Enhance Dialogue when using HomePod speakers is set to arrive later this year, probably in tvOS 18.1 or tvOS 18.2, where it will use machine learning and computational audio algorithms for improved vocal clarity.
InSight when watching Apple TV+
Have you ever wanted to look up the actors in a movie? InSight helps make that easier. When watching Apple TV+ shows and movies, a new InSight menu appears in the video player interface. InSight includes a list of cast members currently on screen, as well as featuring the currently playing song from the title's soundtrack. You can click on an actor to navigate to their page in the TV app, or quickly add the song to your Apple Music library.
Shared music experiences with SharePlay on Apple TV or HomePod
Apple is adding support for a new SharePlay integration with Apple Music, available on both Apple TV and HomePod. When playing music, a friend can simply scan a QR code to join the session.
Friends can then freely control playback, or queue up new songs to be played next. This works for iPhone or Android friends, and it doesn't require them to have their own Apple Music subscription either. A simple feature that will be great for house parties.
New screensavers to watch on Apple TV
tvOS 18 also promises to bring some new screensaver options. In addition to the fan-favorite Aerials, there is a new Portraits screensaver that analyzes your photo library to find the best images to present on the TV. Similar to iPhone lock screen effects, the time will be composited into the photo, nestling behind foreground elements.
A dynamic Snoopy screensaver, as well as a TV and Movies montage that cycles through eye-catching sequences from Apple original content, are set to arrive in an update later this year. You can easily switch between screensavers using a new carousel interface.
And more changes …
Apple TV will gain native support for 21:9 format projectors. There's also a new home screen appearance setting to choose between seeing five or six app icons per row.
The Fitness+ app has been redesigned with a modern interface that surfaces workouts based on your favorite training sets and watch history.
Live Captions can be displayed during FaceTime calls. If you have a spare iPhone, you can set it as a Dedicated Camera so it will always stay paired to the Apple TV for Continuity Camera.
Siri requests will be handled more quickly and more privately, as tvOS 18 can now process some requests entirely on-device, without talking to Apple's cloud servers.
Point updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS & the rest released with bug fixes
by William Gallagher, appleinsider
Apple has released iOS 18.0.1, iPadOS 18.0.1, watchOS 11.0.1, visionOS 2.0.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.0.1 intending to address iPhone touchscreen issues and other bugs.
Ahead of the expected iOS 18.1 release bringing Apple Intelligence features in October, Apple has brought out an update ostensibly focused solely on fixing a series of problems found by iPhone and iPad users. The most significant is a fix for how the initial iPadOS 18 bricked the M4 iPad Pro.
It still isn't clear how many users were affected by this, or why it occurred with some peoples' M4 iPad Pro and not others. It is clear, though, that the problem only emerged when iPadOS 18 came out of testing, and Apple then pulled the release.
Equally curious, if not as severe, is that iOS 18 introduced problems with the touch screen. It was first spotted with the iPhone 16 Pro, but then later reports had models back to the iPhone 14 failing to recognize touches.
Again, the issue did not affect all users, but people affected were all using iOS 18. One supposition is that Apple turned up iOS 18's palm rejection feature — where it knows to ignore unintentional touches — too high.
iOS 18.0.1 and iPadOS 18.0.1 is build 22R361. macOS Sequoia 15.0.1 is build 24A348 and visionOS 2.0.1 is build 22N342. watchOS 11.0.1 is build 22R361.
Each update addresses recently reported bugs, like touch screen issues with iPhone, bricking iPad Pros, boot looping Apple Watches, and other problems. Users should install the updates as soon as is reasonable to ensure the fixed bugs don't affect their devices.
macOS Sequoia 15.0.1 now available with important bug fixes
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
macOS 15.0.1 is now rolling out with some key bug fixes for Mac users. The update addresses problems in the Messages app as well as compatibility issues that had affected third-party security software. Head below for the full release notes.
The build number for macOS Sequoia 15.0.1 is 24A348. The update is available now by going to the System Settings app, choosing General, then choosing Software Update.
Apple says that macOS 15.0.1 "provides important bug fixes for your Mac." Here are the full details on what's fixed:
Messages may unexpectedly quit when replying to a message with a shared Apple Watch face.
Improves compatibility with third-party security software.
Had you noticed any issues with macOS Sequoia 15 since it was released earlier this month? Does today's macOS 15.0.1 address those problems? Let us know down in the comments.
WIZARD SEZ: Sequoia 15.01 takes care of the problem that Safari had for some folks as reported at the last MAGIC meeting. Safari now works properly, even when the System Preferences -> Network -> Firewall -> Options -> Block all incoming connections is turned on. It had to be turned off for the previous system to work.
Latest Microsoft Office for Mac now available without subscription
by Ben Lovejoy, 9to5mac
Two new subscription-free versions of Office for Mac are now available from Microsoft, with Office Home 2024 costing $149.99.
For my money, the standalone versions are by far the best value, letting you buy them once and use them as long as you like, only upgrading if you want the latest features …
If you need or want Microsoft Office, the company very much pushes you toward its Microsoft 365 subscription options, with its homepage not admitting to any alternative. For home users, the recommended option is Microsoft 365 Family at $99.99/year.
But it does quietly offer a one-off purchase option, typically issuing new versions every 2-3 years. This costs less even if you upgrade every time, but there's no requirement to do so unless you consider any of the new features worth the cost.
Office 2024 for Mac is now available in two versions:
Office Home 2024 at $149.99
Office Home & Business 2024 at $249.99
The cheaper option gets you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. The Business option includes Outlook, and permits commercial as well as personal use.
The upgrades over Office 2021 for Mac seem rather modest, so personally I'll be sticking with that.
Experience faster performance when working in Excel, even if you have multiple workbooks open at the same time. Plus, Mac users can now customize swipe left and swipe right gestures in Outlook for Mac with a multi-touch trackpad or magic mouse.
In Excel, access new functions to help you more easily use text and arrays in worksheets. Easily paste pictures directly or use the IMAGE function to add images without changing the formatting. Visualize different datasets with dynamic arrays in charts that will automatically update to capture all data when the arrays recalculate […]
In PowerPoint, seamlessly embed a live camera feed directly into your slides with cameo, or record your narration, animations, transitions, and inking with recording studio.
There are six requirements to get Apple Intelligence features
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Apple Intelligence is launching in the next few weeks. But not everyone will be able to access the first wave of AI capabilities. Here are Apple's six requirements before you can use the new Apple Intelligence features.
Compatible device
Apple Intelligence devices
Apple Intelligence requires a lot of processing power. As a result, AI features are exclusive to a limited set of compatible devices.
Here's what you'll need:
iPhone: any iPhone 16-series model or a 15 Pro or Pro Max
iOS 18 is a big release for the iPhone apps, with the brand new Passwords app plus significant enhancements to apps like Messages, Photos, and Journal. One of my most-used apps, Notes, gets a variety of powerful new features in iOS 18 including live audio transcription, highlights, Smart Script, and more. Here's everything new in Apple Notes.
Collapsible note sections
If you're a heavy Notes user, you know that sometimes a note can get unruly if you add too much content to it. Personally I have a lot of notes that require a lot of scrolling to see their full contents.
Now, in iOS and iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, Notes automatically detects where you have a heading or subheading and makes the contents underneath that heading collapsible.
On iPadOS and macOS, hovering your cursor near the left edge of a heading or subheading reveals a new down-facing arrow that you can click to collapse that section—instantly hiding everything in it until you choose to click the arrow again and reveal it. On iOS, you'll need to tap on the appropriate header first to see the arrow pop up.
iOS 18.1 has the first Apple Intelligence features, here's what's coming
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
iOS 18.1 is almost here. When it arrives, it will bring the first set of Apple Intelligence capabilities. Here's the full list of AI features coming to your iPhone, iPad, and Mac with iOS 18.1 and more.
First set of Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.1
Assuming you have a supported device, here is the full list of features Apple says you'll be able to enjoy with iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.
Writing Tools: Use systemwide tools to proofread, rewrite, or reformat your text.
Notification summaries: Receive more actionable and helpful notifications thanks to AI summaries.
Siri enhancements: Enjoy the first version of Apple's new and improved Siri, with new product knowledge, more resilient request handling, new look and feel, more natural voice, the ability to type to Siri, and more.
Smart Reply in Mail and Messages: Use suggested replies that are better than ever.
Summaries in Mail and Messages: Get thread summaries that are more informative than a simple excerpt.
Reduce Interruptions Focus: Stay undistracted, except when something's actually important.
Intelligent Breakthrough & Silencing in Focus: Get the benefit of your existing Focus modes, but with AI that only allows important alerts through.
Requirements for accessing Apple Intelligence
In order to use iOS 18.1's Apple Intelligence features, you'll need to meet a few requirements:
You need a compatible device like an iPhone 16 or M-class iPad or Mac
Your device needs to be set to US English and be outside the EU or China
You'll need to join a waitlist before receiving feature access
iOS 18.1 feature wrap-up
iOS 18.1 is just the start for Apple Intelligence. With new sets of features dropping every couple months, expect for AI to transform the way your devices work.
Which of the first Apple Intelligence features are you most excited about? If you're running the iOS 18.1 beta, which features have you used most? Let us know in the comments.
The camera upgrades to the iPhone 16 line may be some of its most enticing new features.
In iOS 18, Apple's Messages app gains five great new features that will make texting all the more fun. New message effects let you bold and animate text. If you're the forgetful type, you can schedule your messages to send later — automatically. You can reply to a message using any emoji you like. Finally, texting will get easier with your friends on Android — and in the middle of the Gobi desert.
Watch our video or keep reading to see the best new Messages features after you upgrade to iOS 18. (You can find the new iPhone operating in Settings > General > Software Update.)
The 5 great new features in Messages in iOS 18
Now that texting is the new email, the Messages app is more important than ever. Apple's free messaging app always let iPhone owners communicate with other phones via text messages, but added special bells and whistles for messages sent between Apple devices.
In iOS 18, Apple starts to narrow the gap when texting with Android users. The Messages app adds support for RCS (short for Rich Communication Services) in iOS 18. As a result, most of the best new features in the Messages app will work with whoever you're messaging. They should make your messages more expressive and fun.
Other new Messages features will improve the texting experience all around. You can schedule messages to be sent in advance, react using any emoji you want, and send messages via satellite wherever you are (if you've got a new enough iPhone).
Table of contents: 5 great new features in Messages in iOS 18
iOS 18 features an all-new Photos app, here's how to customize it
by Chance Miller, 9to5mac
One of the biggest changes in iOS 18 is the all-new Photos app, which has been redesigned from the ground up. Apple says the new Photos design is meant to make it easier than ever to "find and relive special moments."
One of my favorite parts of the new Photos app in iOS 18, however, is that it's completely customizable.
How to change the new Photos app
When you open the Photos app, you'll immediately see the classic Library grid, which takes up the top two-thirds of the interface. The bottom of the interface, however, is a customizable array of Collections. This includes things like Recent Days, People & Pets, and Trips, generated by Apple's on-device intelligence.
The good news is that if you don't like the default layout of the Photos app, you can customize it to your heart's content.
Open the Photos app
Scroll all the way down and tap "Customize & Reorder"
Pick and choose the specific order of the various options and hide the ones
How to hide screenshots
One of my favorite parts of the new Photos app is how easy it makes it to hide screenshots. Like many iPhone users, my Photos library is cluttered with random screenshots that I don't necessarily need, but I'm not quite ready to delete.
iOS 18 makes this experience more manageable.
Open the Photos app and swipe up to view the full photo grid
Tap the arrows in the bottom-left corner
Tap "View Options"
Uncheck "Screenshots" under the "Show" menu
9to5Mac's Take
The new Photos app in iOS 18 is ambitious. After all, it's one of the most-used apps for iPhone users.
When you install iOS 18 for the first time, you'll likely have a knee-jerk reaction. After all, it's the most dramatic overhaul ever to the Photos app, and the navigation structure has fundamentally changed. I highly encourage you to spend some time perfecting the design, arranging and hiding the different sections of the app as you see fit.
Once you find that perfect layout, I think the new Photos app excels. In an era when we're taking more pictures every day, I'm glad to see a refresh to the Photos app that helps us better keep track of the things that matter most.
After all, we take pictures so we can revisit that memory in the future. The new Photos app lets you do exactly that, ensuring that your key memories aren't lost in a sea of social media screenshots and memes.
iOS 18 is a huge release for iPhone users and the system apps many of us rely on each day. Joining updates for Notes, Reminders, Photos, another built-in app that just got upgraded is Apple Maps. Here's everything new that iOS 18 brings to the Maps app.
Saved places feature
Building on the existing Guides feature, Maps in iOS 18 lets you save places with a quick tap of the + button on their Maps listing.
Saved places are accessible from the new Library menu, where you'll also find your Guides, Pinned locations, and more.
All locations you've previously saved in some way—such as adding them to a Guide—will automatically get added to your new saved Places.
You can search all saved Places, plus sort them by Date added, Name, or Distance, and view them in a List or Grid. You can also add new saved Places directly from the Library.
Personal notes for saved places
Notes in iOS 18's Maps app
A great component of saving a place is that you can then add a personal notes to it. Once you add a note, you'll see it every time you view the location's Maps listing.
Notes are a great way to save key reference info about a given location. I've started using them a lot to remind myself of key details I don't want to forget.
Custom walking routes in Apple Maps
Sometimes Apple's recommendations for routes to take aren't the way you want to go. Now, you can create your own custom routes—at least for walking.
When routing to a location via walking directions, you'll see a new option to create your own custom route. From here, you'll tap on the map to build out the exact route you want to take. This can be nice for a variety of reasons, such as purposely taking a more scenic route, or one that's intentionally longer so you can get more steps in.
Custom routes can be saved for re-use later, so you won't have to build them every time.
Hiking features
Hiking trails in Maps
A big focus of iOS 18's Maps update is better serving hikers. Here's what's new:
Topographic maps: Maps now features topographic maps to better guide you during a hike, with detailed trail networks including info for all U.S. national parks.
Offline hikes: There are thousands of hikes now built into Maps in iOS 18, and you can download any of them for offline access.
Create your own hikes: Similar to the walking route creation, Maps also lets you create your own custom hiking routes, opening opportunities to build your own adventure.
Save notes for trails: Like you can with any saved places in iOS 18, you'll be able to save personal notes about any trails you've saved, helping you better navigate them on future return trips.
Maps in iOS 18: Wrap-up
Maps gets better year after year, and with iOS 18 that streak continues. The variety of additions here serves a diverse set of needs, and offers more versatility in the app that many iPhone users rely on each day.
Apple TV+ shifts movie strategy to be very Netflix-like, per report
by Ryan Christoffel, 9to5mac
Today is the Apple TV+ debut of Wolfs, which had its original theatrical plans abruptly canceled. To mark the occasion, Bloomberg has a report out detailing Apple's new film strategy moving forward. And it sounds an awful lot like Netflix's approach.
New plan: low-cost TV+ films, plus rare theatrical blockbusters
Since Apple TV+ launched in 2019, Apple has earned acclaim for several of its movies. Notably, CODA was the first title from a streaming service to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
In the past couple years, Apple has shifted from producing arthouse awards darlings to going bigger budget. Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, Argylle, and Fly Me to the Moon all scored wide theatrical releases. None earned back their production costs, and some were complete flops.
So it's no surprise that Apple has a new film strategy, as outlined below.
Thomas Buckley and Lucas Shaw, writing for Bloomberg:
Apple will now focus on making about a dozen movies a year, most of them produced for less than $100 million, according to people familiar with the company's plans who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about an internal matter. That means Apple's commitment to spend $1 billion annually on films won't change, but the makeup of the company's movie slate and release strategies will, the people said. Apple will still aim to take one or two big theatrical swings a year with films exceptionally approved for higher budgets, such as F1. But films like Wolfs, for which Clooney and Pitt earned a combined sum of tens of millions of dollars, will be marketed as streaming rather than theatrical titles.
In summary, it sounds like Apple is going to take a note from Netflix's playbook.
Rather than investing much in theatrical releases, the company will instead produce most of its movies for streaming.
There will likely still be one-week limited theatrical windows, like Wolfs received, but that's solely for awards contention and to make Hollywood happy.
Overall, Apple's new movie strategy can be summarized as:
1-2 big theatrical swings per year, accompanied by larger budgets
But mostly lower-cost Apple TV+ releases for the vast majority of new films
9to5Mac's Take
Top comment by Calle Gustafsson
Liked by 8 people
I don't see the point in going to the cinemas anymore. The TVs at home are the same or higher resolution as the cinema. A 7.2 audio system handles the sound well enough.
And the best thing. No other people and I can pause the movie for a break if I want.
As much as movie theaters could use an injection of big tech's money, I think this is the right move for the company.
In this post-pandemic era, we're all more accustomed than ever to just watching movies at home. Film releases have to be especially compelling to garner substantial ticket sales.
Hands on - luxe Hermés Apple Watch Series 10 in silver titanium
by Andrew O'Hara, appleinsider
Apple's highest-end wearable is the Hermés version of the Apple Watch Series 10 in silver titanium. Here's what sets it apart.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Ultra 2 is the most expensive Apple Watch. Not a lot of time gets devoted to Apple's high fashion partnership with the French fashion brand, Hermés.
This partnership has lasted for years. In 2024 a custom Hermés version of the latest Apple Watch was again made available, paired with various Hermés bands.
Users have two versions of the Hermés watch to consider: the Series 10 or Ultra 2. We opted to check out the former.
What do the Apple Watch buttons do? Click, double-click and hold
by D.Griffin Jones, cultofmac
What do the buttons on the Apple Watch do? The Apple Watch borrows a lot from the iPhone, but the biggest difference between the two devices comes down to the way their buttons work. They do different things whether you click, double-click or hold them down.
In watchOS 10, Apple changed a lot of these features. The software update added a new Widgets view, assigned Control Center to the side button, and changed what double-clicking the Digital Crown does. (For older devices, consult our article about what Apple Watch buttons do in watchOS 9.)
What do the Apple Watch buttons do?
Last year's big changes in watchOS 10 marked the first major overhaul of the Apple Watch user interface since the very first model arrived in 2015. If you're a longtime Apple Watch user, the new actions for the buttons might trip up your muscle memory. Add the Apple Watch Ultra's Action button and the Shortcuts app into the mix, and you've got more options than ever for getting things done with your smartwatch.
Use the infographics below as a quick guide to what all the Apple Watch buttons do.
Apple TV+ shows and movies: Everything to watch on Apple TV Plus
by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5mac
Apple TV+ offers exclusive Apple original TV shows and movies in 4K HDR quality. You can watch across all of your screens and pick up where you left off on any device. Apple TV+ costs $9.99 per month. Here's every Apple original television show and movie available now on Apple TV+, as well as the latest trailers …
Apple TV+ content is available exclusively through the Apple TV app. You can watch on your Apple TV set-top box, iPhone, or iPad as you might expect.
But you don't need the latest Apple TV 4K to enjoy Apple TV+. The TV app is also available on other platforms like Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Sony PlayStation, Xbox, and even the web at tv.apple.com.
Apple TV+ offers original comedies, dramas, thrillers, documentaries, and kids shows.
For your $9.99/month subscription, you can watch all of Apple's originals — as listed below. You can download to watch offline too. Apple is adding new content every single month.
How to watch the free Apple TV+ shows
The TV app is the exclusive destination for Apple TV+, but the TV app is a little confusing because it blends together purchasable TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store, which you can buy or rent, content from other apps like Amazon Prime and Disney+, and Apple TV Channels.
The Watch Now screen does not really distinguish between content that you own and can watch, and just Apple's general recommendations.
The easiest way to get started with Apple TV+ is to open the Apple TV app on your device, and tap on the Originals tab. (On some platforms, this tab is simply labelled using the 'tv+' logo.)
This tab takes you to the Apple TV+ channel page. This shows you all of the Apple TV+ shows and movies available to watch, separated into categories like comedy, drama and family fun.
Be aware, the web experience at tv.apple.com is a bit barebonds compared to the native TV app on devices, and it only shows Apple original content. For the best experience, use the TV app on a device like Apple TV 4K.
What to watch on Apple TV+
Apple TV+ (Apple TV Plus, or as some erroneously call it Apple+ TV) is still in its infancy but has already seen breakout hits including comedy Ted Lasso and workplace sci-fi drama Severance.
Apple aims for premium quality across its drama, comedy, and documentary TV shows and movies so everything should reach a reasonable level of quality and hopefully be worth your time. In terms of personal recommendations, I suggest starting with Ted Lasso, For All Mankind, Severance, Trying, and the movie Finch.
Read on to see all of the TV shows, movies and specials streaming now on Apple TV+ as well as trailers for upcoming releases.
It doesn't matter how careful you are, your contact details and passwords can still be compromised by even supposedly secure websites that fall foul of a data breach.
With data breaches often kept secret for years, don't wait for telltale signs like a rise in spam or scam attempts. Visit haveibeenpwned.com to find out if your email address and/or passwords have been exposed.
If they have, find out what to do to rectify the situation below.
Have you been pwn'ed? website
If you find yourself the victim of a data breach, make a note of the accounts affected. Your first step is to change the password on each account immediately. If you frequently use the same password and it's also been compromised, you'll need to change that too. Use a password manager to help generate new passwords - turn the page for more advice on securing your online accounts.
If you find yourself the victim of a data breach, make a note of the accounts affected. Your first step is to change the password on each account immediately. If you frequently use the same password and it's also been compromised, you'll need to change that too. Use a password manager to help generate new passwords - turn the page for more advice on securing your online accounts.
WIZARD SEZ: I used this and found my account on DropBox. It turns out that DropBox has been broken into and accounts and passwords stolen, and so it is necessary to change your password.
Malware Examples
by Ron Sharp and Robert Elphick, MAGIC *
Scam email appears to be from WhidbeyTel but the from address confirms it's a scam. Also typing errors.
Phishing - DO NOT CLICK! I have never use DocuSign and I have never heard of this cindy. I opened it with a special editor and found evil in it. It looks pretty genuine - Very scary
Note the From address. Not from Whidbey. The address is in Germany!
Note the From address. This is Malware The address is in Kuwait!
Note the From address.NOT from WhidbeyTel The DO NOT CLICK the mispelled link
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.
With Apples September event they introduced new AirPods, new Apple Watches and the new iPhone 16. Here are some thoughts on the new products. The AirPods 4 updates are interesting. Really innovative features like limiting background noise when you are using the microphone, such as wind noise, so you can be understood easier. And when you are speaking to someone nearby they can reduce the music volume automatically. The AirPods Pro offer those features to a greater degree, better sound and come with different size silicone tips to fit your ears perfectly. Apple also offers AirPods Max which is an over the ear headphone.
Another great option is AirPods as hearing aides. You'll be able to take a hearing test via your AirPods and the app on your phone. And complete hearing aid functions. You'll be able to fine tune the amplification, the tone, and balance. And in noisy situations the noise cancelling will make voices easier to hear. I bet they'll function very well although they will be obvious you are waring them. Not like stealth hearing aids that are barley noticeable.
Apple offers a number of choices for the watch. There is the Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch series 10, the Ultra 2 and an Apple Watch Studio. Not to mention a Nike and Hermés versions. They have more features and faster charge times. The series 10 offers the largest, thinnest display and the Ultra 2 claims the battery lasts up to 36 hours, twice as long as the others at 18 hours.
The iPhone 16 was presented with many new features. You'll have to check out Apples webpage to get the full details, but there's a bunch of new camera features including a button on the side of the phone that has several camera functions. The processor is considerably faster than previous phones and longer battery life. They advertise up to 22 hours of video playback on the iPhone 16 and even more on the 16 Max.
All the iPhone 16 models include AI functions. However, I have to say many of the AI and software additions seemed rather useless to me. They offer a voice memo function that you can record on top of a memo while simultaneously listening to it. And you can have AI scan and rewrite your text messages for you. Those and a few other functions that are amazing that it can do it, but they're options that seem rarely used if ever. It's like dialing into specific professional or perfectionist needs, for people who have more interest to spend time learning all the tiny details of an app.
I do like that they are taking care to be safe and secure with the AI functions. Most the AI functions will be performed on device for safety. Any function requiring connections, data is encrypted to transmit.
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.
