The Mac turned 40 this week, and if you’re still on an Apple history kick, there’s a fun website that’s worth exploring called Mac40th.
Mac40th.com showcases every desktop and portable Mac ever made by Apple in a continuous stream of Macs, displayed in random order. But it’s not just Macs, interspersed with tons of photos, you’ll find embedded Apple commercials and promo videos to watch too.
Apple has released the first beta versions of iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 to users enrolled in the developer beta testing programs for iPhone and iPad system software.
There are some significant changes for European users arriving in betas for iOS 17.4, including changes to the App Store, and adding the ability to install apps through alternative app stores in order to comply with new European Union regulations. The functionality to install apps from alternative app stores is expected to be limited to the EU, and is unlikely to expand to the Americas or elsewhere (without similar government regulations from those other regions, anyway).
Aside from the region-specific EU compliance changes, iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 beta also includes new Emoji icons, and a variety of small changes and improvements to things like Apple Music and Podcasts.
You can download and build a Windows 11 installer ISO from a Mac with the help of a free MacOS app called CrystalFetch.
CrystalFetch is a very simple app that will download and build a Windows 11 ISO or Windows 10 ISO for either Apple Silicon or Intel X86 platforms, that you can use to install Windows 11 or Windows 10 onto a Mac, or install into a virtual machine.
A fair number of iPhone and iPad users are reporting that using AirPrint is no longer working on their device since updating to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, or a later update to those operating systems (like iOS 17.2, etc).
For many users impacted by this problem, the AirPrint compatible printer disappears after you select it for printing, preventing you from printing to the AirPrint printer from the iPhone or iPad.
This has been reported with HP printers, Canon printers, Brother printers, Epson, Samsung, Kyocera, Xerox, and many other brands, suggesting the issue is not necessarily specific to a single brand of printer, but instead is likely a compatibility issue or bug relating to compatibility with the printers, and perhaps either software running on the devices, or even something specific to the latest operating systems for iPhone and iPad.
We’re going to offer some troubleshooting steps for fixing issues with AirPrinting with iPhone and iPad, so read along and let’s get this taken care of.
Amazon continues to offer some great hardware deals on Apple gear, so if you’re in the market it’s a great place to check first. Why pay full MSRP when the same hardware is discounted? From deals on AirPods, iPads, Apple Watch, MacBook Air 15″… let’s take a look!
M2 MacBook Air 15″ for $200 Off
The 15″ MacBook Air M2 models feature the powerful M2 processor, SSD storage, a 1080p FaceTime webcam, Touch ID, backlit keyboard, and a great slim lightweight design, and is available in popular color options at a nice discount.
The brand new Apple Watch Series 9 is available for $329 again, which matches the all-time-low price that was briefly available during the holiday shopping season. The deal price is available in a variety of color options and band size combinations, down from the Apple retail price of $399. Apple Watch Series 9 offers a 41mm display, fantastic fitness tracking capabilities, a heart rate monitor, blood oxygen reader, ECG capability, crash detection, fall detection, ovulation tracking, always-on display, GPS, pinch gesture support for interacting with the Apple Watch with just one hand, and a powerful new chip to make the watch faster than ever before.
(Note: these Apple Watch models appear to continue having the Blood Oxygen Sensor enabled, despite the ongoing legal battle with Apple and a patent holder regarding that technology)
Apple Watch SE 2 for $199 (down $50)
Don’t need all that Apple Watch Series 9 has to offer? Apple Watch SE 2 is a great budget choice, featuring a 40mm screen, fitness tracking functionality, sleep tracking, crash detection, a heart rate monitor, and is water resistant, making it a fantastic entry-level Apple Watch for just about anyone.
The iPad 9th generation with a 10.2″ display is available for just $249, which is a $70 discount from the Apple MSRP. The iPad 9th generation features a 10.2″ Retina display, A13 Bionic chip, 64GB of storage, 12MP front camera, 8MP back camera, Touch ID on a Home Button, wi-fi, great battery life, and is available in Space Gray and Silver color options. This is a fantastic deal on a great entry-level iPad, whether it’s for a gift, more casual use, kids, parents, grandparents, couch surfing, kitchen use, or whatever else you may want to use an iPad for.
The M1 iPad Air 5th gen model is available for just $499, down from the $599 retail price. The 5th gen iPad Air features the powerful M1 chip, 10.9″ Liquid Retina Display, 64GB storage, 12MP front and 12MP back cameras, Touch ID, all day battery life, and full compatibility with Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil 2. Available in Starlight, Space Gray, Purple, Blue, or Pink. This is a great iPad that is quite powerful, and combined with a Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil is quite a package.
iPad Air M1 for $499 (clip the on-page coupon to bring down to fully discounted priced, down from $599)
iPad Mini 6 at 20% off, Starting at $399
Save $100 on the latest generation iPad Mini in select colors:
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Instagram is one of the most popular social networks out there, focused around the sharing of photos and videos, and people use it for myriad reasons. While iPhone and Android users can install Instagram on their device through the respective app stores, Mac users who want to install Instagram have a different route entirely.
If you’ve wanted the ability to use Instagram on the Mac as an application, you’ll be happy to know that the new web apps feature in Safari makes it possible. With this trick, you’ll have Instagram in your Mac Dock like any other application, and when clicked it will launch the Instagram web app as an application running on your Mac.
The Macintosh computer, which has played a pivotal role in shaping personal computing and design principles throughout the entire tech industry, has turned 40 years old.
Many Mac users like to use a feature that automatically hides and shows the Dock on MacOS, appearing when your cursor goes to the bottom of the screen, and disappearing when your cursor leaves that area. This offers a more minimalist experience and user interface, and it also optimizes screen real estate, by hiding the Dock. Mac laptop users in particular may find this useful, where display space is more coveted.
Let’s take a look at how you can set the Dock on MacOS to automatically hide and show. This particular guide applies to macOS Sonoma & Ventura, the newest Mac operating systems.
Apple has released MacOS Ventura 13.6.4 and macOS Monterey 12.7.3, each containing important security fixes, for Mac users who are not yet running macOS Sonoma. The security updates correspond with the macOS Sonoma 14.3 update that was issued for Sonoma users.
It’s not unusual for many Mac users to continue to run older versions of system software for a number of reasons, and Apple typically supports the prior two versions of MacOS with continued security updates.
No new features are included in either Ventura 13.6.4 or Monterey 12.7.3.
Apple has released iOS 16.7.5 and iPadOS 16.7.5 as updates for older model iPhone and iPad devices that are not running iOS 17.3.
These updates are available for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPad 5th generation, iPad Pro 9.7-inch, and iPad Pro 12.9-inch 1st generation, whereas newer devices will find iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 available as updates instead.
No new features are included in iOS 16.7.5 or iPadOS 16.7.5, as the updates are focused on security fixes.
Apple has released security updates to old model iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices running iOS 15 and iPadOS 15. Yes, you read that correctly and you do not need to check your calendar (or your eyes), iOS 15.8.1 and iPadOS 15.8.1 are new releases of system software for old hardware.
iOS 15.8.1 and iPadOS 15.8.1 security updates are available specifically for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone SE 1st generation, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4th generation, and iPod touch 7th generation.
These security updates are recommended for all users to install on their eligible devices, particularly since they’re not capable of running the concurrent modern releases of iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3, nor iOS 16.7.5, or iPadOS 16.7.5. Given that Apple took the time to release updates to these older devices running three year old system software, you can assume the security fixes are important, and thus should be installed onto any eligible devices.
iOS 17.3 for iPhone has been released by Apple, along with iPadOS 17.3 for iPad. The software updates include some minor new features, as well as security enhancements and bug fixes, and are therefore recommended for all iPhone and iPad users to install onto their devices.
The most notable new feature to arrive with iOS 17.3 is Stolen Device Protection, which aims to make it more difficult to access your device by requiring Face ID or Touch ID to make certain changes, even if it is stolen by someone who knows the device password. Additionally, Apple has added a new Black Unity wallpaper of doodled blooming flowers on a black background to honor Black culture for Black History Month. There’s also now an ability to share Music playlists with friends. The full release notes for iOS 17.3 are further below.
Separately, Apple has also released macOS Sonoma 14.3 for Mac, along with updates to Apple Watch with watchOS 10.3, tvOS 17.3 for Apple TV, and HomePod.
macOS Sonoma 14.3 is now available for Mac users running the Sonoma operating system on their computer. The software update includes bug fixes, security enhancements, and adds a few very minor new features, like the ability to collaborate on playlists with Apple Music and use Emoji reactions there. The full release notes for macOS Sonoma 14.3 are barren but included below.
Aside from the update to Sonoma, Apple has also released iOS 17.3 for iPhone, iPadOS 17.3 for iPad, watchOS 10.3 for Apple Watch, tvOS 17.3 for Apple TV, and an update for HomePod.
40 years ago on January 22, 1984, Apple ran the famous “1984” advertisement for the Macintosh during the Super Bowl.
The commercial features an unidentified heroine wearing a Macintosh tank top who runs into a gathering of enthralled sycophants staring up at a screen of a droning Big Brother, wherein the protagonist tosses an anvil into the screen to destroy the spell. The tagline “On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 wont be like ‘1984.’” then appears on screen and is spoken. Quite a commercial eh? If you’ve never seen the commercial, it’s embedded below and worth a watch.
Looking for a new fun wallpaper to spruce up your Apple devices? Apple released a creative new graffiti-themed wallpaper to celebrate the launch of a new store in the Hongdae area of Seoul, South Korea. Hongdae is apparently known for being a trendy area, and has a street affectionately named “Picasso Street” that features prominent artwork and graffiti.
Tetris is a classic and fun game that has hallmark simple yet challenging gameplay. Something about trying to piece together falling geometric shapes into lines is satisfying, and considering there are some studies that demonstrate Tetris may be good for the brain, what’s not to like? But if you want to play Tetris on your Mac, it’s harder than you might expect.
Fortunately there are a few options to play Tetris on the Mac, and technically they work on any other device too because they’re web based, so you can play the same Tetris games on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows PC, Linux, Android, or whatever else you’ve got with a capable web browser. And there’s also a way to play Tetris from the Terminal app on Mac, if you’re into the command line.
If you’re the type of person who likes to keep track of their daily step count by using iPhone as a step counter, it is frustrating when the iPhone Health app step counter does not update as frequently as you’d like. Additionally, there are some challenges that are linked to specific step counts, and many people have step count goals, so being able to rely on that iPhone Health app as your step counter is important for many users.
If you find the iPhone Health app step counter to be updating too slowly for your needs, and you’d like to see a real-time live view of your steps as detected by iPhone, you can do that.
You can quickly change your Apple Watch face by swiping on the watch face – that is, if you enable this feature first.
While older versions of watchOS system software allowed users to switch watch faces easily by swiping, that feature was later changed because apparently some users were accidentally activating it. However, as long as you have updated to the latest available version of Apple Watch system software, you will have regained the option to change watch faces by swiping on the screen. So while some users may be wondering what happened to the ability to change the watch face by swiping, it still exists but it has to be enabled first.
