MacworldAugust 2018的目錄

It was as absolute an answer as you could possibly get. Is Apple merging iOS and macOS? “No,” said Apple software chief Craig Federighi, with an animated accompaniment smashing down on the screen behind him. And yet…Federighi made that comment just moments before he unveiled a new system, being worked on by Apple over multiple years, that will allow the developers of iOS apps to bring those apps to the Mac more easily. And first up will be Apple itself, which is using this approach to translate the iOS Stocks, Voice Memos, News, and Home apps for macOS Mojave, coming this fall. While the Mac and iOS might not be merging, major changes are in store for the Mac and the apps it runs. It’s hard to imagine how the…

1Password 7 for Mac has a variety of small improvements and a fresher design that add up to a nice bump justifying the version number. But because its maker, AgileBits, switched to a subscription model as its dominant method of offering software, the company is clearly less obsessed with including the kitchen sink, as it tries to offer ongoing updates and new features between major releases to justify the cost to current subscribers. And that’s fine: a rush to cram features—some half-baked—into new versions of software where developers rely heavily on upgrade fees as part of their revenue cycle doesn’t benefit users. 1Password provides a secure, central place to store your password and account information, generate new strong passwords uniquely for every site and service, and retrieve or fill them into…

The new Tweetbot 3 for macOS remains fundamentally the same, though it has modest but noticeable improvements and new features that give the app a little more sparkle. For example, a new autoplay mode for animated GIFs and embedded video lets you mouse over to start the playback instead of requiring a click, though audio fortunately still requires one. (The feature can be disabled.) USABILITY The app’s approach focuses on what would now be called “classic” Twitter: a chronologically organized timeline with the newest tweets at the top, and an option to autoscroll as new tweets appear. Like other third-party apps, Tweetbot 3 doesn’t show Twitter ads. Tweetbot uses different views, which correspond mostly to Twitter details, to let you examine various aspects of Twitter related to your account, like…

Since it had been several days without an iPhone rumor, DigiTimes piped up in mid-June with a purported salacious scoop about next year’s iPhone. According to the site, Apple “will likely have its 2019 series of iPhones come with USB Type-C support,” replacing the nearly six-year-old Lightning port. In that time between Lightning’s arrival in 2012 and the upcoming 2018 iPhones, USB-C has risen to a position of prominence on many of Apple’s products. It’s a mainstay on Apple’s MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac computers, and nearly every Android phone maker has adopted the symmetrical port as the charging solution on its handsets. USB-C is vastly superior to all other forms of USB, and it comes as no surprise that it’s taken over the finicky microUSB and less-versatile USB 3.1…

As podcast popularity continues to grow, the apps used to listen to those podcasts have matured. Apple offers its own free Podcasts app, but several freemium and paid options remain, each with their own approach and options. Supertop’s Castro stands out for its inbox approach, which allows triage for dealing with an abundance of podcast subscriptions. The new Castro 3 adds requested features to the app, including a Trim Silences option (long available as Smart Speed in the competing Overcast app), as well as better chapter support, a rewritten voice enhancer, and per-podcast settings for several controls. But Castro 3 also comes with a new business model. While Castro 2 was a one-time paid app ($5), the new release is free, offers a Watch app, and includes all of Castro…

Apple both sets trends and chases them, and iOS 12, unveiled at the WWDC keynote, is no exception. With this release, Apple is focusing on performance improvements and enhancements, even for older devices. The company is also making important changes to augmented reality that will enable new experiences; improving Siri, FaceTime, and Photos to catch up to the competition; and adding new features like personalized Memoji and weekly reports about how you’re using your device. iOS 12 will be a free update for all users this fall, and it’s supported by every device that runs iOS 11, all the way back to the iPhone 5s released in 2013. Here’s a rundown of the biggest improvements in iOS 12. iOS 12 PUBLIC BETA 1 RELEASED Apple released the first public…

If you look at the lab ratings for Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, you could easily assume that the software package nails its focus on malware protection. It received the highest possible detection scores from AV-TEST and AV Comparatives: 100 percent from AV-TEST for detection of macOS potentially unwanted applications (PUA), and above 99 percent for identifying Windows malware. But those scores don’t tell the whole story. When I tested version 6.1 of this software, Bitdefender fared poorly against downloaded and decompressed macOS malware. However, after that review, Bitdefender released version 6.2, which adds 200MB of free VPN service as part of the subscription price. An update fixes one of the bugs we found, the company says, and I confirmed that. Accordingly, we’ve opted to review this updated version due to…

At 5:30 pm EDT on Saturday, June 16, the Tidal high-fidelity music streaming service was suddenly the center of attention. Just weeks after Kanye West dropped his Ye album on all streaming services—underscoring the dissolution of his once-exclusive contract with Tidal—Jay-Z and Beyoncé shocked the world with a surprise collaborative record titled Everything Is Love. And the only place you could get it was Tidal. While other high-profile albums have enjoyed Tidal exclusivity for weeks or, in the case of Beyoncé’s Lemonade, years, Everything is Love had a stint that lasted about 36 hours. Somewhat surprisingly, that exclusivity didn’t last very long. While other high-profile albums have enjoyed Tidal exclusivity for weeks or, in the case of Beyoncé’s Lemonade, years, Everything Is Love had a stint that lasted about…

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WHEN YOU INHERIT A MAC The loss of a loved one is devastating. When this gets tied up with a technical support issue? Even worse. Mac 911 recently received several emails from Macworld readers who inherited, purchased, or were given computers or iOS devices by people who have passed away. They have enough password information to use the Macs successfully, sometimes for years. But then an event occurs that requires resetting the machine. Macworld reader Andrew has a Mac given to him a few years ago by a now-deceased acquaintance. He attempted to disable FileVault after upgrading to High Sierra. After restarting, the Mac presented a lock screen and asked for a code to enter. It that didn’t resemble anything he’d previously used. (It’s unclear…

If you’re a student, the summer break is about re-evaluating the next year of your studies, whether that’s starting college or simply continuing the course you’re already on. One important thing to consider is the devices you’ll be working on to achieve your educational goals. And if your target is a new Mac or iPad, know that Apple has a dedicated Education Store that offers specific discounts for students. In this article we’ll tell you how to get these discounts and what’s on offer. It’s not just the ones paying attention in class that are eligible for getting the best deal, either—parents of students, faculty, staff, and home-school teachers can also buy from the Education Store. Apple clearly recognizes the opportunities that the education market offers—just look at the student ID…

BY LEIF JOHNSON To hear it from some people, Apple is the king of daily-wear conversation pieces, but I don’t think those people have ever seen a Saddleback Leather bag. Let’s put it this way: If you don’t like talking to people, you probably shouldn’t get one. As for me, I’ve made a bit of a game out of my past few days with the Saddleback Thin Front Pocket Backpack, counting down the moments to the next compliment, the next thumbs-up from a fellow Saddleback owner, or the earnest bus conversation from someone who’s eager to know how they can get one for themselves. (I’m currently sitting at nine hours.) It helps to know this admiration is justified. Much like an Apple product, a Saddleback bag delivers style and…

RING ALARM Ring Alarm is positioned as a mainstream home security system, and it’s already equipped with everything it needs to grow into a comprehensive smart home system. If an alarm is tripped, a not-terribly-loud (105dB) siren in the base station sounds off, and an alert is sent to your smartphone that launches the Ring app. With a professional-monitoring subscription, someone will call you (or your designated secondary contact if they can’t reach you directly) to make sure everything is okay. They’ll dispatch first responders at your request or if they can’t reach you.— MICHAEL BROWN BLUESOUND PULSE MINI The Pulse Mini has no digital assistant features like the HomePod; it’s a audio speaker that produces great sound and has the ability to play a plethora of file types from…

There’s a great scene in my favorite Christmas movie, Miracle on 34th Street, where a Macy’s sales manager is shocked to overhear the department store Santa Claus send a distraught mother to a competitor to buy a toy. But what starts as a fireable offense ends up becoming a marketing strategy, as Macy himself realizes that, counterintuitively, there’s a benefit to being seen as a store that cares more about its customers than its profits. Apple, it seems, has taken this philosophy to heart. The company has always put forth the image that it cares more about surprising and delighting its customers than about cold hard cash, and on occasion it seems to make decisions that would otherwise seem counterintuitive to the capitalistic idea of simply raking in as…

Scalak If you’re looking something to really tax your brain, check out Scalak. This original puzzler offers a serious challenge as you attempt to place panels onto objects at the correct points. At first, it’s as simple as dragging and dropping the circle, triangle, and square panels onto their obvious destinations. It doesn’t stay obvious for long. Jurassic World Alive Jurassic World Alive is incredibly similar to its inspiration at its core, tasking you with wandering around the real-world to capture dinosaurs that lurk on the in-game map. Rather than capture the beasts, you’ll use a flying drone to suck out DNA samples—and if you snag enough of them, you can replicate one for your own collection, and then use it in battle against other dinos. Super Hydorah If you ever…

It’s called macOS Mojave, and this next version of our favorite desktop OS was introduced by Apple software chief Craig Federighi at the WWDC keynote. While there was nothing earthshaking about the presentation, the new features we saw could improve the experience. And yes, it looks like iOS apps will eventually come to the Mac, although maybe not in the way you were expecting. Here are our favorite bits: 1. DARK MODE We’ve been wanting it for years, and Apple has finally delivered. That’s right: macOS Mojave supports a Dark Mode. Dark Mode doesn’t change the way your operating system works, but it does change typically white macOS screen elements like the dock, taskbar, and windows to something that’s more akin to Apple’s beloved space gray for hardware. It even…

Whenever I tell other writers why they should consider bringing a Mac into their lives, Ulysses inevitably enters the discussion. In fact, this sometimes happens without any proselytizing on my part: They simply see me typing on the minimalist app on my iPad or Mac at trade shows or conventions and demand to know how they could use it on their PC. But they can’t, and in my experience alternatives come up short. Ulysses is elegant. It’s intuitive. And thanks to the recent introduction of a couple of new features, it’s more useful than ever. But it’s important to keep in mind what Ulysses is. It’s not an organizational powerhouse in the vein of Scrivener, which allows for Herculean feats of research collection but ends up wallowing in ugliness in…

With tvOS 12, the Apple TV 4K finally gets the improvements necessary to be the best streaming box on the market. Announced at Apple’s WWDC keynote in early June, the OS update highlights Dolby Atmos support, but its Zero Sign-on feature could be the most important advance in making streaming media boxes easier to use. DOLBY ATMOS Apple TV 4K launched last year with a handful of issues, HDR and frame rate switching hiccups chief among them. Further iOS releases smoothed all of those out, but one oft-requested feature was still missing: Dolby Atmos audio support. With tvOS 12, Dolby Atmos comes to the Apple TV 4K. All you need for full 3D immersive audio is an Atmos-supporting sound bar or receiver. This makes Apple TV 4K the only…

Now that the WWDC 2018 keynote has come and gone, we’ll be spending the next several weeks breaking it all down. Apple had a lot to say over the course of its two-hour-plus keynote, but there were several apps, features, and products that were conspicuously absent from the main stage. Unlike prior years in which Apple execs spent gobs of time talking up features to death, there was a notable lack of filler during this year’s keynote. Apple had a lot to say about its four main OSs—so much so, in fact, that some of iOS 12’s most interesting features didn’t even make the cut. But even beyond longer Animoji messages and AutoFill passwords, there were a few missing announcements that point to something big on the horizon (and I’m not…

If you shot home videos between 1995 and 2010, there’s a good chance you did so with a tape-based MiniDV camcorder. With its simple FireWire connectivity, the DV format had a great run prior to the advent of smartphones. For those who want to relive those taped memories, LifeFlix is a Mac application that makes it simple to do. ATTACH YOUR CAMCORDER AND IMPORT THE VIDEO LifeFlix streamlines the process of capturing tapes in three easy steps. First, dust off your MiniDV, HDV, Hi-8, or Digital 8 camcorder and attach it to the Mac with a FireWire cable. This will be the biggest stumbling block for many, since Apple abandoned FireWire in 2012. You can overcome this hurdle by investing in a Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter ($29 at Apple); most…

We’ve heard enough rumors about Apple’s upcoming slate of iPhones by now to pretty much know the score. Much like this current lineup, there will reportedly be three models in three sizes, ranging from 5.8 inches (the current size of the iPhone X) all the way up to 6.5 inches. But the most intriguing model is the one that fits in between: a 6.1-inch LCD model. The scuttlebutt has always been that the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch iPhone XI models will be OLED, while the 6.1-inch iPhone will be LCD, thus retaining a lower-priced option. According to a new report in The Wall Street Journal, Apple expects that single model to account for more than half of all iPhone sales during the next cycle, meaning it expects to move more than…

Apple made a big deal about our digital well-being when it unveiled iOS 12 at WWDC, but there’s one feature it didn’t discuss that could have even greater life-saving benefits. In a recent press release, the company outlined how iPhones running iOS 12 will be able to share location data automatically and securely with first responders when you dial 911. Apple says this will help reduce emergency response times by providing faster and more accurate information that circumvents “outdated, landline-era infrastructure.” But in reality, it’s even more important than that. According to the release, roughly 80 percent of all 911 calls come from mobile devices, which shouldn’t come as a surprise. What may surprise some people is that it’s still difficult for emergency responders to pinpoint someone who calls 911 via cell…

BEATS POP COLLECTION POWERBEATS3 If your parents love popular music—from their era or from today—they’ll enjoy the sound quality from these Powerbeats3 earphones. These earphones use Apple’s W1 processor that allows for instant pairing with an iPhone. If mom or dad is more into cans, take a look at the Beats Solo3. And I have to mention that we love Apple’s AirPods—they will, too. BELKIN VALET CHARGER Your folks will love this portable battery because it can charge their iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time. The Valet Charger is a 6,700 mAh battery, carrying enough juice to charge the Apple Watch eight times, or a regular-sized iPhone three times. And it’s small enough to pocket or put in a purse, backpack, or briefcase. JOBY GRIPTIGHT PRO TELEPOD This…

These days, if you want to really make the best use of your laptops, tablets, and phones, you need a cloud storage service. The concept of storing files in the cloud may have started as a way for consumers to back up their data in case of disaster, but today’s best services offer so much more. A good cloud storage solution backs up your important documents, photos, and videos, but it also helps keep all your devices in sync. It’s a great way to make sure your laptop, phone, and tablet all have instant access to all your digital content. Plus, you can access and edit documents from a web browser and easily share files and folders with others. If you use Apple products—whether that’s just a single iPhone…

Your gateway to the Internet may be the portal that foreign hackers are using to snatch your data. The FBI recently issued a security notice warning that all home and small office routers should be rebooted after Cisco’s Talos group discovered sophisticated Russian-linked “VPNFilter” malware infecting at least 500,000 networking devices. Here’s what you need to know about VPNFilter and the FBI’s guidance to reboot your router—which might not even safeguard against the malware completely. WHAT’S THE THREAT? Since all your Internet and local network traffic flows through your router, it can be pretty severe. “VPNFilter is able to render small office and home office routers inoperable,” the FBI warns. “The malware can potentially also collect information passing through the router.” Routers are especially ripe targets for hackers because they usually…

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Cable companies are finally abandoning their stodgy old set-top boxes, and are finally ready to deliver television service through modern media streamers such as Apple TV. That’s the argument Apple put forth during its Worldwide Developers Conference, where the company announced that Charter Spectrum will deliver an Apple TV app later this year, complete with Siri integration and TV app support. Spectrum will also support a new “zero sign-on” feature for customers who have both internet and TV service, allowing them to log in into TV Everywhere apps on Apple TV without entering a username or password. “[The] typical cable box is becoming a thing of the past as these companies embrace internet-based delivery,” Jen Folse, Apple TV’s lead designer, said.…