#macOS is by no means perfect (although, y’know, close). One glaring design error is the menu bar, which doesn’t handle the – uhum ­– edge case where there are too many menu bar icons to display on screen (either because they bump up against the current app’s menu or, on the laptops, the notch… which, well, don’t get me started on the notch…)

Anyway, so a lovely little indie app called Ice fixes the problem the way #Apple should have.

https://icemenubar.app

More tips: https://codeberg.org/aral/gists/src/branch/main/mac-setup.md

New post on The Digital Renaissance: macOS Might Have an Apps Problem in the World of Apple Intelligence

https://blog.samclemente.me/macos-might-have-an-apps-problem-in-the-world-of-apple-intelligence/

#Apple #Technology #ArtificialIntelligence #AppleIntelligence #Blog

New post on The Digital Renaissance: Apple Intelligence Might Give iPadOS the Edge Over macOS it Needed

https://blog.samclemente.me/apple-intelligence-might-give-ipados-the-edge-over-macos-it-needed/

#Apple #Technology #ArtificialIntelligence #AppleIntelligence #Blog #IndieWeb

When it comes to #tech press, one thing bothers me above all else; high-end reportage that ignores the bulk of users. The vast majority of people getting a #Mac probably don’t even know what a virtual machine is, much less need one. Despite this, nerd journos almost exclusively focus on the much smaller professional slice of the market. #Apple #Journalism https://www.macworld.com/article/2524164/the-m4-macs-have-one-flaw-that-may-make-you-reconsider-buying-one.html

In short, if you want to buy a new computer and use it like an average person, go ahead and get an M4 Mac Mini base model. Grab yourself a Samsung T7 external SSD in 1 or 2TB capacity, and rest easy that your $700+ will last you for years to come. The M4 is a little terror that sips power. Your email, messaging, social media, and streaming sessions will be just fine.

New post on AllThingsTech: Apps I Use to Customize macOS

“Check out some of the apps that I use to customize the macOS experience”

https://blog.allthingstech.social/apps-i-use-to-customize-macos/

#AllThingsTech #Apple #Apps #Blog #FOSS #Mac #MacOS #Technology

New post on The Digital Renaissance: Why People Treat Macs Differently

“Reviewers seem to treat Macs differently when it comes to how they perceive particular upgrades—here’s why I think that happens”

https://blog.samclemente.me/why-people-treat-macs-differently/

#Apple #Technology #Blog #Mac #iPad #IndieWeb #OpenWeb

New post on AllThingsTech: Hands-on: M4 Macs

"Apple recently announced a new slate of Macs with M4 chips and I am going over my initial thoughts on all of the hardware”

https://blog.allthingstech.social/hands-on-m4-macs/

#AllThingsTech #Apple #Blog #Hardware #iMac #M4 #M4Pro #M4Max #Mac #MacMini #MacBookPro #OpenWeb #IndieWeb

I’ve waited Years for Apple to give a Damn about Gaming — with Cyberpunk 2077 coming to the Mac, it’s finally happening.

Apple silicon Macs will get their ultimate gaming test. One of the most graphically demanding and visually impressive games in recent years, will soon get a Mac release, according to CD Projekt Red.

https://www.cyberpunk.net/en/news/50947/just-announced-cyberpunk-2077-ultimate-edition-coming-to-mac

#apple #silicon #mac #cyberpunk2077 #gaming #engineer #media #it #tech #news

An everyday capitalism-related warning: if you’re planning on buying an Apple Watch online with the solo loop, don’t. You can’t just send the strap back if there’s a problem with it (mine caused contact dermatitis after a few day’s use). They’ll happily take the whole order back though because, well, fuck you, I guess. Anyway, caveat emptor and all that. And your daily reminder that trillion-dollar corporations are all asshats.

Right, as you were.

#apple #appleWatch #watch #soloLoop #warning

It sounds good as such sensors may provide some good functionality, but it is also the reason I sold my LG Watch and never bought another one from them.

The reason is that straps, like batteries, are the first things that start breaking. The strap usually goes way before the battery does, and if it is any form of silicone/plastic strap, this usually happens after just a year and a bit.

Then you’ll discover those straps are really pricey with the sensors inside. Also, you can forget about having two or three alternative colour straps for other occasions, as that will also be expensive.

Want to buy a cheaper alternative strap? Well, then you lose some functionality on your watch. Oh, and seeing this integrates with the watch, you’ll have to buy replacement straps from Apple otherwise they won’t work.

Great for the manufacturer (Apple), not great for the consumer.

See https://gizmodo.com/future-apple-watches-sensors-embedded-in-the-bands-2000521187
#Blog, #apple, #technology

Apple creates Private Cloud Compute VM to let Researchers find Bugs.

The company also seeks to improve the system's security and has expanded its security bounty program to include rewards of up to [$1 Million] for vulnerabilities that could compromise “the fundamental security and privacy guarantees of PCC”.

https://security.apple.com/blog/pcc-security-research

#apple #pcc #vm #securityresearch #bug #bounty #programming #ai #it #security #privacy #engineer #media #tech #news

#psa If you use #Dropbox and are a #writer or #author, do you know about the Offline Files Access changes in Dropbox? It affects Basic Plan (free) users only.

Empirically, Dropbox Basic syncs any changes you make anywhere to the cloud, but only indicates a sync occurred on devices (phones, tablets). In the Files app on iPhone, I see a ghost image with a down arrow in a cloud symbol beside files changed elsewhere. I have to open them to get them to sync locally. If I have no data access at my moment of need, the local file either doesn't exist yet or is out-of-date. For some reason, my Mac always syncs and downloads, at least if it is open. It's my iPhone (likely my iPad, too) that don't.

What cued me is the notifications in the Dropbox app.

I've attached a screenshot. The notifications imply this is a new monetization feature. Sadly, a good one from Dropbox's company standpoint as it may get many more people to pay a minimum of $120 a year. (BTW, #Apple #iCloud now offers Keep Downloaded even in their free 5 GB plan, though I'm still testing to see if I trust this always works.)

#Scrivener uses an API, which seems to cause my Mac to sync file last changed on iPhone or iPad when I turn on my Mac... However, sometimes I need to pause Dropbox syncing and resume it on my Mac to get the Scrivener files to sync. Could this be the cause of those intermittent sync errors I've been getting lately, because I'm not paying $10/m for offline access? I can't definitively say.

In any case, we Scrivener users know you need online access when opening Scrivener on iPad or iPhone to get the latest files, consistent with the issue. There's no auto-download feature in Scrivener for iPhone and iPad, and on the Mac it's the Dropbox app controlling the syncing... oh, my.

All this seems to imply that without a paid subscription, Basic Plan Dropbox isn't good for disaster recovery after all data access disappears (hurricane, earthquake, black out). Of course, if data is important to us, the retort is "Pay for your f***ing security!"

Has anyone looked into this?

Linked is the May 20, 2024 Dropbox FAQ on this, and it's somewhat inscrutable. The image is of the notifications I've received that imply some change.

Anyone want to analyze this?

Please boost so we might some who can discuss this. #boostingIsSharing

#backup #sync #cloud #writers #journalism #journalist #writingCommunity #writersOfMastodon #FreeSoftware

https://help.dropbox.com/sync/access-files-offline#How-to-keep-your-offline-files-and-folders-updated-on-the-Dropbox-mobile-app

EU Commission scores stunning court win in €13B #Apple tax row - https://www.politico.eu/article/commission-scores-surprise-win-in-apple-tax-row/ whoa

1/2 🚨 @edri & 9 civil society groups' submission to the @EU_Commission concludes that #Apple fails to comply with the #DigitalMarketsAct #DMA.

To protect its gigantic profits, the #gatekeeper continues to block freedom of choice on your device 🙅‍♀️

Read more ⤵️ https://edri.org/our-work/apple-must-comply-with-the-dma-urges-civil-society-call-to-european-commission/

Seeing the photo of the Palm screen listing "Graffiti" reminds me...

I could approach *thirty words per minute* with my Palm devices.

The trick was the well designed "shorthand" called Graffiti. Basically, every letter (with the exception of 'X') was a single stroke. It was genius! 👍 💕

On my iOS devices I can barely input three words without a typo... 🙄

>>>>> WHY ISN"T THERE A GRAFFITI INTERFACE FOR IOS?!?!? <<<<<

It would be SO much better than typing with my thumbs.

Searched and found this on an Apple forum...

May 22, 2014 8:29 AM

"I'm with you on this request. I've tried several of the note-taking and handwriting apps for iOS but NOTHING is even close to the ease and efficiency that Palm Graffiti offered for handwriting recognition."

"Even Apple's old Newton handwriting system was better than anything out there right now."

Note the year 2014. No answers since then as far as I can tell?! 🤷‍♂️

#Apple #IOS #Graffiti #Palm #Handwriting #UserInterface

Update. "#Oregon’s legislature just passed a #RightToRepair bill over the objection of #Apple lobbyists, and which would require Apple to change an anti-repair design in the iPhone and other devices. If signed by the governor, it will become by far the strongest repair law in the nation."
https://www.404media.co/oregon-passes-right-to-repair-bill-that-would-make-apple-redesign-the-iphone/

Update. "#Apple might’ve backed a #RightToRepair bill in #California, but it was spotted lobbying 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 a new bill in #Oregon that tries to ban the practice known as parts pairing."
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/9/24067957/apple-right-to-repair-oregon-bill-parts-pairing-ban

Update. From @pluralistic: #Apple's public support for #California's #RightToRepair legislation masks deep and effective opposition.
https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently

Ambrosia apples, where have you been all my life?! 🍎

#fruit #apple #food #delicious

Companies and orgs that have suspended advertising on twitter this week

Apple
Comcast
Disney
European Commission
IBM
Lionsgate
Paramount
Warner Brothers
NBC Universal

Yeah, yeah, what took them so long? And how long will they stay away?
But it's a start. And better late than never.
Hopefully, more will find the courage and quit funding that cesspool; after all, there is safety in numbers.

Also https://gizmodo.com/tesla-investors-call-elon-musk-suspended-1851031830
#twitter #Apple
1/n

#China quiere devolverle las sanciones y vetos a Estados Unidos donde más le duele: el #iPhone y #Apple

https://www.xataka.com/empresas-y-economia/china-quiere-devolverle-sanciones-vetos-a-estados-unidos-donde-le-duele-iphone-apple

Here’s some #followfriday fun for ya.

@dennyhenke
@mark
@sharpstick
@PamB
@taichara
@voimaoy
@meganhadley
@Scott
@Lizette603_23
@johnpkeating
@Skepticat
@TidalFlats
@cassiapole
@markarayner
@anhdoilc
@parvXtl
@counternotions

Some #Chicago some #photography some #Apple some #science some #writing some #tech some #politics some #arts some #justsmart
All good folks All good fun.

Some folks ask me why I don’t list more info about each suggestion. Discovery is where the fun is.

Technically #Apple does not allow social media (user generated content) apps without blocking function

If Elon continues this way soon it will belong in the bottom part described and not allowed at all, hopefully..

https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/