Apple has released the third beta version of iOS 14.5 and iPadOS 14.5 to users who are enrolled in the beta testing programs. Typically a developer beta build comes first and is soon followed by the public beta version.
Separately, Apple also released macOS 11.3 beta 3 for Mac beta testers.
Apple has released the third beta version of macOS Big Sur 11.3 to users enrolled in the beta testing program for Mac system software.
Even if you’re not running beta builds, following the beta build schedule can help to inform when a major update to macOS (or iOS/iPadOS) is in the works and may be available.
Did you receive an important work-related document or file from your colleague via iMessage? Maybe a friend or family member messaged you a spreadsheet or PDF file? If you have received any file within the Messages app on iPhone or iPad, you may be looking to store it somewhere safe or easily accessible for later use. Thanks to the built-in Files app for iOS and iPadOS, managing your iMessage files is pretty easy to do, as you can save them to your device similar to how you can save photos and videos from Messages app too.
A lot of people who purchased a new HomePod or HomePod Mini may want to leave it as it is, but there are some people who like to make certain changes according to their liking. If you’re the kind of user who’s looking to further personalize their HomePods, you may be interested in changing Siri’s voice and accent.
Did you know that you can set your Mac to start up or shut down on its own? This is an energy-saving feature that macOS has to offer, and it has been available since the earliest days of Mac OS X. Regardless of how long scheduled booting and shutdowns have been available, many Mac users may not be aware of this handy feature.
Want a set a timer with HomePod or HomePod mini? Perhaps you want a quick pomodoro timer for work or a project, or you’re cooking something, or want to get in 20 minutes of exercise, whatever the reason, setting a timer is convenient and simple with HomePod.
Are you one of those many people who recently made the switch to Signal as their primary instant messaging platform? If so, you may have trouble getting a hang of all the available privacy-related settings, like disabling read receipts for example.
Do you want to download all the photos you’ve shared on Facebook over the past several years? Fortunately, it’s a lot easier than you think, and you can do it right from your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows PC.
If you have an Intel Mac, you can make it boot directly into the boot disk options startup manager by issuing an nvram terminal command. This could be helpful for advanced users in particular whether they’re troubleshooting, have dual boot situations with multiple versions of macOS, macOS and Windows 10 in Boot Camp, macOS and Linux, for accessing a USB boot drive, a Time Machine restore disk, or myriad other situations where you’d want to boot a Mac directly into the startup manager.
Whether or not this is easier or faster than booting an Intel Mac from an external drive by holding down the Option key on system start and choosing the external volume to boot the Mac from is entirely up to you and your use case. But perhaps the Option/alt key isn’t working for some reason on a Mac, or you want to explore the boot options, or you can’t hold down the key on boot for some reason.
Looking to be sneaky while texting your friends and colleagues on Signal? Not everyone wants to let the other person know that they’re typing. Signal gives you a unique setting unlike most other messaging platforms that allow you to disable typing indicators if necessary.
Do you utilize the Notes app on your iPhone or iPad for note-taking, making to-do lists, or for writing down any other important information? If you own a HomePod, you’ll be pleased to know that you can also add notes to the Notes app, directly from the HomePod and without typing them out. That’s right, you can add notes with just your voice.
Apple has released macOS Big Sur 11.2.2 for Mac users, the update aims to prevent damage to newer MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models that when using some third party USB-C hubs and docks.
Due to the severe nature of the potential problem with MacBook Pro (2019 or later, Intel or M1) and MacBook Air (2020 or later, Intel or M1), it is recommended for owners of those machines to install the 11.2.2 update, particularly if they rely on USB-C peripherals, docks, hubs, or powered dongles.
The macOS 11.2.2 update does not appear to include any other updates, changes, bug fixes, or security enhancements.
Do you regularly use the built-in Voice Memos app to record audio using your iPhone or iPad? In that case, you may be interested in using this neat but simple trick to improve the quality of the recorded audio.
Don’t know where you last placed your iPhone? Unable to find it anywhere in the house even after a thorough search? Maybe it’s buried in a couch cushion somewhere or under the bed? Not to worry, because you can now use your HomePod to locate your iPhone, and all by voice.
Do you want to access specific files and folders on your Windows computer right from your iPhone or iPad? Thanks to the built-in Files app, it’s fairly simple and straightforward to connect to SMB file servers which includes shared Windows folders on a network.
Want to add events to your Calendar through Apple’s HomePod or the HomePod Mini? If you’re completely new to smart speakers, you may have trouble figuring out how to get some simple tasks done, like marking events on your calendar, adding reminders, or anything else really.
Do you frequently take advantage of Siri to perform various tasks on your iPhone? If so, you’ll be pleased to know that you can now use Siri without taking your phone out of the pocket, or in other situations where the iPhone screen is covered.
Did one of your apps stop responding while you were working on a Mac? Perhaps you tried closing or quitting the app but to no avail? This can happen from time to time where an app freezes up or becomes unresponsive, and while it’s frustrating, there are multiple ways to fix frozen apps easily on the Mac.
