[Solved] Apple Watch Typing Passcode on Its Own

An Apple Watch typing a passcode on its own may lead users to think the device is possessed, there is actually quite a reasonable explanation. While a friend of mine recently tried to perform an exorcism on their Apple Watch Ultra because it was acting so strange, I did some sleuthing online and found an […]

This post [Solved] Apple Watch Typing Passcode on Its Own appeared first on The Mac Observer

Planning To Buy the New OLED iPad Pro? We Have Bad News

If rumors are true, there are only a few weeks left until Apple announces the new iPad Air and iPad Pro. Many people are waiting  for their launch in order to get their hands on one of them. Especially the Pro model. But there is a catch: its price. We expect the new OLED iPad […]

This post Planning To Buy the New OLED iPad Pro? We Have Bad News appeared first on The Mac Observer

Macworld

Don’t let a language barrier prevent you from forging new connections with people from different countries and with varying backgrounds. During a limited-time price drop that lasts only through April 16th at 11:59 PM PT only, you can take an extra 20 percent off a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning with code ENJOY20, bringing it down to just $159.99 (reg. $599). 

Babbel has 14 languages on its platform and it helps users learn one at a time with a mix of bite-sized lessons, personalized review sessions, and speech-adjustment via speech-recognition technology. It allows you to download lessons for offline use too. Babbel is...

iMessage Not Syncing on Mac After Sonoma Update? Check These 6 Fixes

I recently updated my MacBook with the new macOS Sonoma version and things haven’t been going well. The iMessage app is not syncing on my iPhone and Mac—it has become a daunting experience overall. Thankfully, I quickly found a few methods that fixed the underlying errors. Here’s everything I did. What To Do if iMessage […]

This post iMessage Not Syncing on Mac After Sonoma Update? Check These 6 Fixes appeared first on The Mac Observer

9to5Mac’s Zac Hall joins Jeff Benjamin in this week’s episode of Overtime to discuss Visioneers, his new Apple Vision Pro podcast, and his origin story with 9to5Mac.

more…

Apple has been working on new iPads for a long time, since the last time the company introduced new iPads was in October 2022. According to rumors, the next generation is expected to be equipped with OLED displays for the first time – and the first iPadOS 17.5 beta seems to confirm this.

more…

Macworld

The Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 may have only debuted in September 2023, but the clock is already ticking for the release of their successors. We gather up all the news and rumors that give us some clues about what we might find in the Apple Watch Series 10, Ultra 3 and whether there will be a new Apple Watch SE in 2024.

Update 4/9/24: The next Apple Watch could use a new display that would help save battery life.

Will Apple update the Apple Watch in 2024?

Apple will likely update the Apple Watch in 2024 as it has done so every year. We expect to see a new Apple Watch Series 10, a new Apple Watch Ultra 3, and a third-generation Apple Watch SE.

Apple has a pretty set release schedule when it comes to the Apple Watch range. Usually, the new devices are announced at the September events (alongside the new iPhones). The new Watch models then go on sale soon after. The only...

BLUETTI, a pioneering provider of renewable energy storage systems, is expanding its Solar+ program to three new states – California, Massachusetts, and North Carolina. This comprehensive one-stop solution aims to simplify the transition to solar power for homeowners, offering a seamless path to energy independence and reduced utility bills.

more…

You don’t need to own an Apple Vision Pro to appreciate it. Just having competition from the high end is pushing Meta to improve its mainstream mixed reality headset.

Meta Quest 3 hit the market last year for $499. That’s $3000 shy of Vision Pro, but with the same goal of colorized passthrough for mixed reality. The only problem was that Meta’s version of passthrough was hardly comparable to Apple’s. My own evaluation is that Meta Quest 3 passthrough is usable but not convincing.

That appears to be changing now. In a Quest software update called v64, Meta says that it has improved passthrough quality for the . Here’s a summary from the release notes:

more…...

We're seeing a boom in journaling apps as safer, easier ways to ease us back into posting everything online. From a report: Last year, Apple released a journal app with iOS 17. Former Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer just unveiled a photo app called Shine, which is made to share photos and memories with a select group of people. Today, Retro -- a startup that we called "the new Instagram" -- is launching a feature called Journals within the app, which lets you record both photos and notes for a select group of people.

As a lifelong journaler, it's hard to forget that I already have an intimate, safe space to record my life and share memories. It is a notebook. I don't have to worry about marketers selling my information, because it's not accessible. What if creating a safe space all of your own means just getting off the internet altogether? Most of these apps are based on the central premise that most of us would rather talk to family or close friends than with a pretty stranger...

Macworld

Apple has released visionOS 1.1.2 to fix a few bugs, but the frustratingly opaque release notes don’t give us any idea what was fixed. No operating systems for other devices (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS) appear to have been updated at the same time, so whatever was wrong seems to be specific to the Apple Vision Pro. The visionOS 1.2 developer beta got an update today as well, likely to include the same unspecified bug fixes.

Apple’s release notes follow the boilerplate “unspecified bug fix” template:

This update provides important bug fixes and is recommended for all users.

For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/HT201222

The...

Sennheiser is finally shipping its . These new and even more unique true wireless earbuds were first revealed at CES 2024 back in January, and now just in time for spring, are actually available for purchase for $329.95 at both and B&H.

more…

Macworld

Apple updated its entry-level iPhone in March 2022, adding a few nips and tucks here and there along with a quiet price increase. It kept the Home button and small form factor that appeals to some, but the aging design and minimal upgrades meant the new iPhone SE was coolly received by the masses, with many looking forward to the next generation and reviewers hoping Apple was planning a more radical overhaul of the device.

Right on cue, rumors are now starting to appear about what that might look like. In this article we’ve gathered together everything we know so far, and what we can reasonably speculate, about the iPhone SE 4.

Update 04/09/24: We’ve added some specs and details from the latest rumors about the iPhone SE 4, which is estimated to launch in the spring of 2025.

iPhone SE...

Apple has released a new software update for Apple Vision Pro. visionOS 1.1.2 is now available. According to the release notes, visionOS 1.1.2 focuses on bug fixes.

Apple is also testing visionOS 1.2 for Apple Vision Pro users on the beta release cycle. A new build of visionOS 1.2 has also been released today.

more…

Apple Highlights How Enterprises Can Leverage Apple Vision Pro At Work

Apple showcased Vision Pro’s business applications, including individualized work areas, teamwork on 3D drawings, customized staff training, and remote supervision of fieldwork. In a spatial computing context, Apple described how the Vision Pro may improve company efficiency through integration with popular apps like Microsoft 365 and SAP Analytics Cloud. SAP Analytics Cloud, for instance, on […]

This post Apple Highlights How Enterprises Can Leverage Apple Vision Pro At Work appeared first on The Mac Observer

Want to go further with your Apple Watch health features or revisit important metrics you haven’t tracked in a while? Follow along for a look at 7 valuable ways you can check and improve heart health with Apple Watch.

more…

The chance to score Apple’s 13-inch M2 MacBook Air for just $849 is headlining today’s best deals. It comes joined by official iPhone 15 MagSafe clear cases starting from $28 as well as a deep discount on this cellular Apple Watch Series 9 stainless steel style at $197 off. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

...

Macworld

It’s typically Windows computers that get all the news headlines for attracting computer viruses, which can mean it’s all too easy to forget that Macs are vulnerable to malware, too. Our pick of the best Mac antivirus software will help keep you and your Mac or MacBook safe from whatever rogue software comes your way.

Macs have traditionally been a far less tempting target for malware writers, leading some to believe that Macs don’t even need antivirus, but their increasing popularity means they’re not immune from viruses and other types of malware. Virus researchers at AV-Test reported 1968 new Mac malware versions for October 2023, which is a drop in the ocean compared to the 3,957,566 new pests on the Windows platform, but evidence nonetheless that viruses can be a threat to Mac users.

Not everyone is a security expert, or...

Late last year the messaging app Beeper raised the ire of Apple when it found a way to recreate Apple's infamous "blue bubble" messaging on Android. Apple later hobbled Beeper, but it's not an entirely unhappy ending: The startup has been acquired in a deal valued at $125 million. From a report: Founded three years ago, Beeper is being snapped up by Automattic, the respected parent company of WordPress, the blogging and content management platform, as well as Tumblr, which it acquired in 2019. Beeper cofounder Eric Migicovsky said that the company will continue to exist as a stand-alone product within Automattic, and that all of Beeper's 27 employees -- who, like Automattic's employees, are entirely remote -- will be absorbed into the larger entity.

Exact financial terms of the acquisition weren't disclosed. According to Migicovsky, Beeper will be part of Automattic's broader strategy to offer more messaging features. Automattic first invested in Beeper in 2022, and late...

Enlarge / Beeper's new apps are now available, without waitlist, across nearly all mobile and desktop platforms.

Beeper, the multinetwork messaging app that recently gave up on trying to engineer around Apple's walled-off iMessage service, has been acquired by Automattic, the company behind WordPress. It is now open to everyone and has a completely revamped Android app.

All of Beeper's workers will join Automattic and will continue operating as an independent team, according to a press release. Eric Migicovsky, creator of the...

Macworld

The next Apple Watch is supposed to be the Series 10, or, if Apple’s nomenclature pattern holds, the Apple Watch Series X. With past X products (OS X, iPhone X),  Apple made drastic changes that put those products in a better position for the future. It remains to be seen whether Apple will do the same for the Apple Watch Series X, but we’re starting to get glimpses of what’s in store.

The latest comes from The Elec with a report that the next Apple Watch could use a low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED display. This technology applies oxide to...

Automattic, the company that operates WordPress.com, has acquired Beeper. As you may recall, Beeper is the company that briefly brought iMessage to Android, much to the chagrin of Apple. The move comes as Automattic aims to become an all-in-one solution for cross-platform messaging.

more…

Today, Apple has published a new Newsroom post looking at the benefits of its Vision Pro in the workplace. Last weekend, I published my thoughts on the impact of Apple Vision Pro in the short and long term in the workplace. Apple’s Newsroom post looks at how different companies are creating new enterprise experiences that leverage spatial computing to customize workspaces, collaborate on designs, deliver specialized training, and guide fieldwork in some exciting ways.

...

An Apple research paper describes how the company has been developing Ferret-UI, a generative AI system specifically designed to be able to make sense of app screens.

The paper is somewhat vague about the potential applications of this – likely deliberately so – but the most exciting possibility would be to power a much more advanced Siri …

more…

Audio-recording workflow app brings a new audio capture backend and various improvements. ($64 new, free update, 37.1 MB, macOS 14+)

A new leak today claims to offer details on iPhone 16 battery sizes. According to this sketchy rumor, the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max will feature larger batteries than their iPhone 15 counterparts. The iPhone 16 Plus, however, will reportedly take a step back…

more…

We first heard last year that former Apple design chief Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman were working on some kind of AI hardware project. It was later reported that Tang Tan, Apple’s chief iPhone and Apple Watch designer, was also joining the project.

A report now suggests that the pair are now seeking a billion dollars in funding, and are in talks with a venture capital firm founded by Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene Powell Jobs …

...

Macworld

The Vision Pro is an odd duck. (What else would you do with an odd duck than strap it to your face?)

It’s a device that’s largely defined by its experiences, from spatial computing to immersive video and memories. But Apple hasn’t exactly bombarded Vision Pro owners with them, and the few that have arrived lately have been hit-and-miss.

Major League Baseball shipped an update to its visionOS app just in time for opening day and it hit for the cycle, if by “hitting for the cycle” you mean striking out swinging, striking out looking and grounding into a triple play. (These are all baseball terms. Feel free to look them up if you’re confused.) Many of the snazzy features it demoed at the Vision Pro unveiling were missing and if you close the main navigation window while watching a game video, all the windows close. Hopefully, it at least made a happy “bleep-bloop” sort of noise. Reviewers were unclear about this....

TSMC is about to get a hefty chunk of funding from the United States government. The United States Commerce Department on Monday announced that it will be allocating a $6.6 billion subsidy to chip manufacturer TSMC for the advancement of semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. TSMC will also receive $5 billion in loans and be […]

Source

Sunbird Claims to Safely Bring Back iMessage to Android

While it is highly likely that Apple is working on adding RCS functionality to the iPhone later this year, Sunbird says it is bringing back iMessages to Android all over again.  Although Sunbird succeeded in getting iMessages to function on Android in the past, the entire affair turned out to be a security and privacy […]

This post Sunbird Claims to Safely Bring Back iMessage to Android appeared first on The Mac Observer

The social network X (formerly Twitter) introduced support for passkeys earlier this year. However, the new option was only available to iOS users based in the US. As of today, X is making passkey login available globally.

more…

Jony Ive, the former Apple designer. (credit: Gary Cohen)

Former Apple design lead Jony Ive and current OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are seeking funding for a new company that will produce an "artificial intelligence-powered personal device," according to The Information's sources, who are said to be familiar with the plans.

The exact nature of the device is unknown, but it will not look anything like a smartphone, according to the sources. We first heard tell of this venture in the fall of 2023, but The Information's story reveals that talks are moving forward to get the company off the ground.

Ive and Altman hope to raise at least $1 billion for the new company. The complete list of potential...

Macworld

The current iPad range is one of the most populated we’ve seen. It includes two iterations of the standard iPad, the iPad mini, the iPad Air, and the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, so there’s plenty to choose from. It seems Apple isn’t stopping there, though; rumors suggest it could be adding an even larger iPad Pro to the line-up. Here’s everything we know about the next-generation iPad Pro.

Update April 8: The latest intel says the iPad Pro will probably ship the week of May 6.

2024 iPad Pro release date: When will the M3 iPad Pro arrive?

Following no iPad updates at all in 2023, it looks like there will be a new iPad Pro in 2024. With the last update to the range being in October 2022, and iPad Pro launches tending to happen every 18 months, a spring 2024 update is nearly a certainty.

For some clues as to when Apple could launch the new iPad Pro, we normally look...

Macworld

For about as long as anyone can remember, people have been trying to use the impressive power and always-in-your-pocket traits of iPhones to play games for old consoles like GameBoy. Emulating the functions of the chips in old consoles is perfectly legal, but distributing the games themselves (usually called “ROMs”) is often not as they are protected by copyright.

Apple has never allowed these apps in the App Store, though. So those making retro console emulators for iPhone have had to make their apps available via sideloading on jailbroken iPhones (a big security risk, and increasingly difficult besides) or sometimes even by hiding their emulator within an innocuous app like a calculator.

New changes to the ...

Macworld

At a GlanceExpert's Rating
Pros

• Incredibly easy to use
• Great downloadable apps
• Plenty of server options

Cons

• Pricing heavily weighted toward two-year plans

Our Verdict

NordVPN is a fully featured VPN option that’s secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. Our only concern is its pricing structure, and while two-year contracts aren’t the worst thing in the world, there’s potential for it to rise after that time. Other than that, NordVPN is an easy VPN to recommend, particularly to newcomers.

Price When Reviewed

From $3.09 per month (basic 2-year plan with three months free); Monthly plans range from $12.99 to £15.99, depending on which features you opt for.

Best Prices Today: NordVPN for Mac

...

Now’s the time to upgrade to AirPods Pro 2 and its refreshed USB-C charging case. A $60 price cut lands at $189 to join these discounted Apple Watch SE 2nd Gen styles from $189. Plus, Belkin’s 15W BoostCharge Pro MagSafe pad now comes in two new colors at $60. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.

...

Apple Vision Pro has a number of robust privacy protections in place, including limitations on how third-party developers can access camera data. A new report from The Information today explores how Apple’s fear of Vision Pro having a Google Glass-level privacy outcry have impacted third-party developers.

more…

Macworld

Apple fans may be excited about the idea of an Apple robot following every step you take in your home. However, it seems like a pie in the sky and there’s another idea that is a lot more realistic.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is looking into ways to expand its presence in the smart home market, and one way it could do it is to make a new Apple TV with a built-in FaceTime camera. The device would also introduce new gesture controls the user can perform.

While you might be muttering to yourself, “finally!” hold on–Gurman doesn’t say it’s in development or prototypes are in the works. Gurman...

Macworld

The long-awaited iPad refresh is now expected to happen in the second week of May, with a trusted leaker predicting that the launch will “probably” take place in the week of May 6.

In the April 7 edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reiterates his earlier prediction that we can “circle early May” for the eagerly awaited unveiling of new iPad models. (Near the end of March Gurman cited “people with knowledge of the matter” in predicting that the devices would ship in that part of the year.) But he...

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by Ulysses: The ultimate writing app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Learn more and get started today for free. 

...

Apple Watch is an essential runner’s companion, and takes it to the next level with longer battery life and more. That’s why participants of this year’s The Speed Project call it an “instant lifeline” during a grueling relay race from Santa Monica to Las Vegas.

more…

Apple chipmaker TSMC has announced plans to open a third Arizona chip plant, in addition to the two already under construction. This will be the most advanced of the three plants, making 2nm chips.

The expansion plan appears to have been part of a deal for the company to receive a total of $11.6B in US grants and loans …

more…

Macworld

The next version of the Mac operating system, macOS 15, is expected to make its debut at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off with a keynote on June 10. After a beta period, the official release occurs in the fall.

Rumors of what macOS 15 will entail are scarce as usual–because software development doesn’t rely on third-party production and manufacturing like hardware does, rumors about macOS don’t happen often. But when rumors do leak, they will be tracked in this article. Here’s everything we know so far.

macOS 15 release date: When will macOS 15 arrive?

Since 2013, Apple has released macOS during the fall season in the U.S. The company has established a pattern of releasing iOS...

Apple may be looking to launch its new iPad Pro and iPad Air models during the second week of May. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman stated “For those looking for more specific timing, I’m told the launch will probably happen the week of May 6,” said Gurman, in his Power On newsletter on Sunday. “Another data point […]

Source

Macworld

You’re probably already hip-deep in spring cleaning around your house. But it’s wise to consider a serious spring cleaning when it comes to your trusty computer as well.

You can make sure everything from your operating system to your key productivity apps are updated and working in perfect synchronicity with this Ultimate 2019 Microsoft Bundle featuring Microsoft Office, Project,...

Four months ago long-time Slashdot reader Shayde tried restoring a 1986 DEC PDP-11 minicomputer.

But now he's gone even further back in time. Shayde writes:

In 1984, Apple II's were at the top of their game in the 8 bit market. A company in New Jersey decided to get in on the action and built an exact clone of the Apple. The Franklin Ace was chip and ROM compatible with the Apple II, and that led to it's downfall.

In this video we resurrect and old Franklin Ace and not only boot ProDOS, but also get the Z80 coprocessor up and running, and relive what coding in Turbo Pascal in the 80s was like.

Why Turbo Pascal? "Some of my earliest professional programming was done in this environment," Shayde says in the video, "and I was itching to play with it again."

...