Apple has released OS X Yosemite 10.10.4 for Mac users, the update offers significant bug fixes and improvements to Mac OS X and is recommended for all users running OS X Yosemite to install.

One of the most notable bug fixes with OS X 10.10.4 is the removal of the ‘discoveryd’ networking process in favor of a return to ‘mDNSResponder’, which aims to improve the the performance, reliability, and stability of networking components in OS X for Wi-Fi and local networking. Additionally, OS X 10.10.4 includes updates and bug fixes for Photos app and iCloud Photo Library, and several other smaller changes as well. The complete release notes for OS X 10.10.4 are included below.

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Apple has released iOS 8.4 for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. The version most prominently features the inclusion of a redesigned Music app with the Apple Music service, a streaming music and radio feature with a separate monthly fee. iOS 8.4 also includes a few minor bug fixes and improvements to iBooks and the operating system itself, complete release notes for iOS 8.4 are repeated below.

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The Apple Watch allows apps to be installed onto the device, but unlike the iPhone, iPad, or Mac, there isn’t really an App Store specific to Apple Watch with the traditional ‘get’ and ‘buy’ download buttons. Instead, installing apps onto Apple Watch is handled through the paired iPhone, which makes sense given that most Apple Watch apps rely on data and connectivity through the paired device.

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The modern versions of Mac Mail app support an easy to use image and PDF annotation feature called MarkUp. MarkUp allows users to quickly perform annotation tasks like drawing on an image, adding a note, or even adding a signature, it’s essentially the Preview apps editing tools suite but available instantly in Mail for Mac OS X, meaning you won’t have to leave the app and re-save a document to use it.

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This weeks featured Mac office setup is the triple-display workstation of a Software Development Manager Craig H.

Let’s dive right in to learn more about the hardware and apps put to use:
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Apple has started production of the next generation iPhone models which are to be equipped with Force Touch screen features, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Force Touch is able to detect differences in the amount of pressure placed on the display, offering different interactions as a result.

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Updating an Apple Watch to a new version of watchOS is very easy, but if you’ve never done it before you may find it to be different from other Apple devices like updating iOS and Mac OS. The primary difference is that updating WatchOS is not done on the Apple Watch itself, instead, it’s started on the iPhone that the Apple Watch is paired with. Beyond that, it’s incredibly simple and you should find it familiar.

Like all other hardware, maintaining updated system software is recommended to maintain new features, optimal performance, and stability, so let’s learn how to download and install updates to Apple Watch.

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Apple has added two new videos to their “Shot on iPhone 6” marketing campaign, both featuring movies which utilize the slow motion capture ability of the iPhone camera.

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Many people and professions rely on week numbers to plan events and schedule their time, particularly on a longer term yearly basis. By default, the iOS Calendar app does not show week numbers, but a simple settings change can make it so week numbers appear in the Calendar app of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

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Kernel extensions, called kext for short, are modules of code that are loaded directly into the kernel space of Mac OS X, able to run at a low-level to perform a variety of tasks. Most kexts are part of the core Mac OS X system software, typically hardware device drivers, but some third party apps will install a kext as well.

Sometimes, advanced Mac users and systems administrators may need to manually load or unload a kernel extension. Because kernel extensions are often critical components of MacOS, this is only appropriate for users who have a specific reason to be modifying whether a kext is loaded or unloaded into the MacOS X kernel space. Inappropriate modification of kext behavior can render Mac hardware useless or inaccessible, and can also prevent Mac OS X from functioning at all, so do not attempt to change any kernel extension without a compelling reason and understanding of what it’s usage is.

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One of the more interesting health features on Apple Watch is the ability to measure the wearers pulse as a heart rate in beats per minute, which you can see directly on the Watch itself, and also graphed over time on the iPhone through Health app. Monitoring heart rate is a pretty neat feature for fitness buffs obviously, but it’s valuable for really anyone who is health conscious too. You’ll also discover that measuring heart rate can offer some insights into how your lifestyle, diet, and behavior impacts your body in ways you may not have known before.

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Apple has released the second developer beta version of OS X El Capitan 10.11 to Mac users who are part of the registered Apple Developer program.

The updated build arrives as 15A204h and is officially labeled as OS X El Captain Developer Beta 2 1.0, separately, a second beta version of OS X Server 5.0 is also available.
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A group of Chinese developers known as “TaiG” has released a jailbreak for iOS 8.3. The jailbreak is untethered, meaning it can boot and reboot freely without the assistance of a computer, and installs on any iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad which is running iOS 8.3.

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Apple has released the second beta version of iOS 9 for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices. The new beta build is 13A4280e and can be downloaded as firmware through the Apple Developer Center, or as an over-the-air update on a device currently running the prior iOS 9 beta through Settings > Software Update.

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Windows 10 is able to run on all modern Mac hardware in a dual boot environment thanks to Boot Camp. If you’re aiming to run Windows alongside Mac OS X on the same Mac, you’ll want to create a bootable Windows 10 installer drive out of a USB drive, which can be done quickly from Mac OS X and the Boot Camp Assistant tool.

For the less familiar, using Boot Camp essentially means Windows 10 will run directly on the hardware as if the Mac were a PC, rather than in a virtual machine which runs Windows atop OS X, that translates to much better performance and a completely native experience – you boot the Mac, and you can choose to start Windows, or to start Mac OS X.

Here, we’re going to focus on making a bootable USB installer drive using a Windows 10 ISO from a Mac.

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If you have an Xbox One gaming console in the household, you may be pleased to discover that it’s really quite easy to stream video and audio from a local Mac or Windows PC to play directly on the Xbox One. This offers a nice wireless method to play movies from any Mac or PC onto a TV without having to use an HDMI connection, and the Xbox One Media Player app supports a huge range of popular file types, so you’ll be able to play just about any mp4, mov, avi, divx, mkv, wmv, mp4, m4a, or nearly any other popular movie or audio file. Yes, you can stream your iTunes Library to the Xbox this way. Setup is easy and there’s very little configuration required, we’ll run through the whole process from start to finish and you’ll be ready to go in just a few minutes.

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This weeks featured Mac workstation is the snazzy custom setup of Axel D., who has a swivel-arm mounted iMac and some great audio gear to round out a beautiful and clean desk. Let’s jump right in to learn more:

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iCloud Drive supports direct file transfers from the Mac, meaning you can take just about any file, folder, document, or item stored in Mac OS X, and copy it over to iCloud Drive, where it will be stored and accessible by your other Macs and iOS devices using the same Apple ID. Using iCloud Drive this way is kind of similar to how many users store files on other services like DropBox, OneDrive, and Google Drive, except it has the distinct advantage of being built directly into modern versions of Mac OS X and not requiring any third party downloads or logins.

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