Technology and Computing
This story has been updated. It was originally published on June 22, 2019. If you’ve got access to a Netflix or Spotify account—or any other subscription streaming service—you might be using a friend or relative’s login details rather than your own. Or maybe you’re the one doing the login lending. It’s common practice, but should you be doing it? Might you run into technical or even legal problems down the line? We’ve taken a detailed look at the major streaming…
Apple’s highly-anticipated Self Service Repair program launched Wednesday, giving US customers tools, parts, and instructions to fix common iPhone issues. For now, only iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and third-generation iPhone SE lineups are available as part of the program. Apple lays out the process in four parts: first, iPhone users dealing with a faulty phone would try to identify the problem in the newly-released repair manuals, which lay out the makeup and parts inside various iPhone models, as well as…
This story has been updated. It was originally published on February 3, 2020. You’re standing on the street when a total stranger walks up and asks if they can borrow your phone to make a call. Theirs died, you see, and they have to tell whoever they’re meeting they’ll be sitting in the back. Or you’re talking to a friend about the person you started dating, and when you pull up their Instagram to show a picture, your friend snatches…
Attention iPhone users: You may have recently sent an iMessage and seen a brief alert in the chat that your contact has silenced notifications, along with the option to notify them anyway. If you use Focus mode to do the same, your phone may also be telling your contacts about it. Not a fan? Turn it off. How to turn off Focus status alerts (or turn them on) When Apple launched iOS 15, it transformed and expanded its “do not…
The mundane act of changing a computer file’s name seems so simple that many of us take it for granted. But if you’re trying to rename multiple files on macOS, things get weirdly complicated—you’ll see way more options than you may think possible for such a humdrum task. How to rename multiple files on a Mac To change the identity of a bunch of photos, documents, videos, or whatever you have saved on your computer, you’ll first need to select…
Apple doesn’t put its products on sale very often, so when they do, you won’t want to miss out. For a limited time, Amazon and Walmart are offering a 22-percent discount on the newest Apple AirPods (3rd Generation), bringing the price from $179 down to just $139. That’s just $10 more than the previous-generation AirPods typically cost. The 3rd-generation Apple AirPods are earbuds that offer advanced features that you won’t find in the AirPods 2 model. Those features include spatial…
Before iOS 15, Apple had strict rules about how much you could customize the text size on your iPhone. No more. OK, OK, there are still rules, but they’re less strict. Now you can fine-tune the size of text within individual apps—a move that isn’t flashy but could change the way you use your phone. At its core, the aptly named Text Size widget is one of several accessibility tools that gained expanded capabilities when Apple rolled out the latest…
Apple is going to start allowing everyday customers to repair their own devices, if they choose, with genuine Apple parts and tools. This new capability is available as part of Apple’s new Self Service Repair program, which the company announced on Wednesday. The move marks a striking evolution from the company’s previous attitude on the issue. The program, which is expected to roll out early next year starting in the US, will first be in effect across the iPhone 12…
This story has been updated. It was originally published on September 19, 2019. Every family, workspace, and even friend group has that one person officially anointed by a higher tech power as “The IT Master.” If you’re familiar with diving behind your parent’s couch to get their WiFi working or spending endless hours trying to de-infect a virus-ridden laptop at work, we’re sorry to break the news… it’s probably you. As you begrudgingly prepare for the next time someone asks…
This story has been updated. It was originally published on November 4, 2019. Choosing a good password means finding a careful balance between something simple you won’t forget, and something complex that no one will ever guess. Reusing passwords across multiple accounts is a tempting way to ensure you won’t get locked out of your favorite platforms, but this is a dangerous tactic as far as your online security goes. If hackers gain access to one account, they can get…
Stan HoraczekIt’s the weekend, which is typically a great time to lay in bed all day vising sketchy websites. This weekend, however, Apple strongly recommends you update your iPhone, iPad, and Watch before you go cruising around the web. Yesterday, the company rolled out iOS 14.4.2, watchOS 7.3.3, and iPadOS 14.4.2 to close up a vulnerability poses an “active” security threat. Apple’s initial security announcement is sparse with details. That’s typical for the company, which doesn’t usually provide many specifics…
In a move that was unprecedented until the advent of COVID-19, but now is becoming a new standard, Apple moved its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) online for 2020. This is a cool move, since it allows the event to become even more accessible to even more people. And as always, Apple had some exciting news to share about its upcoming developments. Let’s take a quick look, so you can get excited about future Apple products, and then bring them…