Apple Tech Tips

CCleaner COMPROMISED WITH MALWARE – CCleaner version 5.33 was compromised with malware. Please check to see which version of CCleaner you have on your computer.

Open CCleaner and you will find the version number in the upper left corner on the title bar.

Version 5.33 of the CCleaner app offered for download between August 15 and September 12 was modified to include the Floxif malware, according to a report published by Cisco Talos a few minutes ago. Updating to recent versions removes malware.

Floxif is a malware downloader that gathers information about infected systems and sends it back to its C&C server. The malware also had the ability to download and run other binaries, but at the time of writing, there is no evidence that Floxif downloaded additional second-stage payloads on infected hosts.

The malware collected information such as computer name, a list of installed software, a list of running processes, MAC addresses for the first three network interfaces, and unique IDs to identify each computer in part. Researchers noted that the malware only ran on 32-bit systems. The malware also quit execution if the user was not using an administrator account.

Avast recently bought Piriform – below from Avast CTO:

In an email to Bleeping Computer, Avast CTO Ondrej Vlcek said that updating CCleaner to the most recent recent versions fixes any issues, as “the only malware to remove is the one embedded in the CCleaner binary itself.”

“The affected software (CCleaner v5.33.6162 and CCleaner Cloud v1.07.3191) has been installed on 2.27M machines from its inception up until now,” Vlcek also added. “We believe that these users are safe now as our investigation indicates we were able to disarm the threat before it was able to do any harm.”

“There is no indication or evidence that any additional “malware” has been delivered through the backdoor,” Vlcek added.

Read the complete article at: http://bit.ly/2f5XmGX

EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT NEW SIRI, MESSAGES, PHOTOS, APPLE PAY – Learn all about the upcoming iOS 11, including its release date, top features, and biggest changes from iOS 10.

Apple’s iOS 11 brings a new voice to Siri, improvements to Messages. indoor maps, a file drawer and more. Here are the highlights.

iOS 11: The top features announced: Editors’ note: We’ve updated this story to include information about the newest iOS 11 developer release and ARKit demo videos.

Siri in iOS 11 has learned to sound like an actual human—and that’s just the beginning when it comes to the new mobile operating system for iPhones and iPads.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and friends gave us a full overview of iOS 11 during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote on Monday. New features include sweeping new upgrades to Siri, a redesigned Control Center and App Store, and a brand-new Apple Pay feature that lets you send or receive money to your contacts via iMessage.

In addition, developers can now create apps that tap into your iOS device’s potential to create augmented reality experiences via the new ARKit. Plus, there are new productivity features for the iPad, including drag-and-drop capability and a new Mac-style Dock.

Here’s everything we know so far about iOS 11, plus a bunch of the new features that we can’t wait to try.

Go to this Macworld Web page and read all about it. http://bit.ly/2exYJ0M

HOW TO STOP GOOGLE ASSISTANT, SIRI, CORTANA, AND ALEXA ACTIVE LISTENING – Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft each have audio-driven digital assistant technology that’s always listening to hear the magic wake word. These virtual assistants are included on all sorts of mobile hardware devices. The current trend is putting digital assistant technology in a smart speaker that is meant to act as a central hub for your household.

Amazon has Alexa on its Echo devices, Fire TV, and Fire tablets, and Alexa is rapidly showing up on other devices, too. Google Assistant is available on Android phones, select Chromebooks, and the Google Home smart speaker – its answer to the Amazon Echo. Microsoft’s Cortana is available on Windows 10, Windows Phone, and powers the Harman Kardon Invoke smart speaker; which is set to be released this fall. Apple’s Siri is available on its iOS devices, macOS Sierra, watchOS, and Apple TV via the Siri remote. Siri will also be featured in the soon to be launched HomePod.

The devices don’t record or transmit any data until the digital assistant is activated by the wake word first – in theory anyway. However, convenience and ease of use will trump security and privacy. After all, the selling point is the how simple it is to get things done — hands-free. However, you might want to have more control and kill the active listening on these devices when not in use.

Go to this groovyPost Web page and read the facts. http://bit.ly/2wy6VYD

GOOGLE MAPS TIPS – Don’t take Google’s trusty Maps app for granted. It gets even better once you dig into its settings and start customizing it. Here are some tips to make it even more efficient.

Go to this PCworld Web page and learn the new capabilities for Google Maps. http://bit.ly/2grAKop

SEPTEMBER 12 APPLE iPHONE ANNOUNCEMENT: 10^th-ANNIVERSARY iPHONE, APPLE WATCH RUMORS & MORE – Apple is expected to unveil its newest iPhone on September 12. It’s the 10th-anniversary Apple iPhone, so there are a lot of iPhone announcement rumors flying around about what kind of features it will have, the price, the release date, the size, shape, and even the colors that will be available. Another interesting aspect is the Apple Watch rumors. The Apple September 12 iPhone release event is sure to be packed full of surprises and fun new gadgets. If you are looking to learn more about the hype surrounding both the new iPhone 8 release date and the Apple Watch rumors, you’ve come to the right place!

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and get the facts. http://bit.ly/2xAzXFI

HOW TO CREATE DIFFERENT SIGNATURES FOR SEPARATE EMAIL ACCOUNTS ON iPHONE – Want to get rid of that annoying, “Sent from my iPhone” signature? Here’s how. Better yet, if you have more than one email account connected to your Mail app, you can create different signatures for the separate accounts. This is especially convenient if you have mail accounts for different purposes, such as one for work and one for personal use. You can create different signatures for Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, iCloud, and more. Here’s how to create different signatures for separate email accounts on iPhone.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and get the step by step with screenshots. http://bit.ly/2xPu3jr

HOW TO HIDE PHOTOS ON iPHONE IN A LOCKED & PRIVATE PHOTO ALBUM – So, you want to know how to hide photos on your iPhone, eh? Well the iPhone doesn’t really allow you to create a private photo album even though your photos are technically hidden. Hiding picture on your iPhone within the Photos app has some big loopholes that makes it easy for someone to find the photos you mean to keep private. Which is why we’ll go over how to hide photos with the built-in ‘private’ photo album, yes, but also how to lock photos away on iPhone so that they are hidden behind a passcode. We consider this the way to really, truly hide photos on iPhone. But for even more security, you can also use an app to hide photos in a secret photo album on iPhone. Here’s how to hide photos on iPhone by creating a locked photo album.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and get the step by step with screenshots. http://bit.ly/2eHkxaX

LIVE PHOTOS: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO IPHONE’S MOVING PICTURES –  Live Photos on iPhone are three-second-long moving pictures that first appeared with the iPhone 6s. If you’re not sure how to take a Live Photo, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how easy it is. I leave my Live Photo feature on for my iPhone 7 Plus camera; that way, all of my photos are moving pictures. My dog Buddy passed away earlier this year, and I was really grateful to have all of the Live Photos of him. There’s a lot you can do with your iPhone moving pictures. We’ll cover how to take Live Photos, how to make your own live wallpaper with Live Photos, how to turn your Live Photo into a gif, and much more. This is our complete guide to taking Live Photos; here’s everything you need to know about taking Live Photos on iPhone.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and get the facts. http://bit.ly/2glnTQP

AMAZON AND MICROSOFT AGREE THEIR VOICE ASSISTANTS WILL TALK (TO EACH OTHER) – Those betting big on AI making voice the dominant user interface of the future are not betting so big as to believe their respective artificially intelligent voice assistants will be the sole vocal oracle that Internet users want or need.

And so, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos are today announcing a tie-up, which will — at an unspecified point later this year — enable users of the latter’s Alexa voice assistant to ask her to summon Microsoft’s Cortana voice assistant to ask it to do stuff, and vice versa.

Go to this Techcrunch Web page and read the story. http://tcrn.ch/2elLgsS

MALWARE! MACOS ISN’T IMMUNE! THE BEST FREE ANTIVIRUS FOR MAC PROVIDES A BOOSTER SHOT – Mac malware has increased by 230% over the past year. Digital Trends compares several anti-malware platforms designed to give your Mac a booster shot against the latest viruses, adware, and ransomware. Read their reviews of the best free antivirus for your Mac. Beware of Fruitfly! Read the reviews at: http://bit.ly/2x7BdCu

BEST SIRI COMMANDS YOU NEED TO KNOW – Apple’s Siri has been helping people complete tasks since October 2011. This feature is going to be even more popular when Apple releases its HomePod later this year. In this article, Mark Jones, Komando.com, tells us about the best Siri commands that will enhance our experience. Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family so they can get in on the fun. http://bit.ly/2wTeJpo

iPHONE 8 RUMORS: NEW GESTURES, NOT A VIRTUAL HOME BUTTON, WILL CONTROL NAVIGATION – Apple is still selling tens of millions of iPhone 7s every month—but all everyone can talk about is what’s coming next. After all, 2017 marks the iPhone’s 10th anniversary, so Apple is reportedly gearing up to make this year’s model extra special. Read more of this MacWorld article at: http://bit.ly/2vG4f8p

RECENT FEATURE IMPROVEMENTS IN TWITTER FOR iOS – All the major social networks such as Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram are rapidly adding new features and functionality; it’s almost hard to keep up! Twitter is one of the popular social networks whose feature list keeps growing. Just like groovyPost’s Instagram feature guide, they have prepared a list of the latest features added to Twitter over the past year. Read more of the groovyPost article at: http://bit.ly/2ghsKWN

8 BEST IPHONE APPS YOU’VE (PROBABLY) NEVER HEARD OF – We are all aware that there are millions of apps in the App Store, which means there’s very little chance any one of us has been able to see even a quarter of what’s available. That’s why we love to look for lists of the coolest iPhone apps, best apps for iPhone, and now, the best unheard-of apps. Lots of cool apps are bound to slip below the radar. But we’re all excited when a new app we’ve never heard of turns out to be fantastic. We’ll cover ten awesome, educational, and helpful apps for iPhone, all of which you’ve probably never heard of. Time to discover something new!

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and see and read about these great apps. http://bit.ly/2uUaEwy

HOW TO VIEW YOUR RECENT SIRI CONVERSATIONS ON IPHONE – Did you know Siri is keeping a record of your conversations? Don’t worry; Siri only keeps a page of your most recent conversations with the AI. Which can actually be incredibly helpful if you ask a question and need to look at the answer multiple times. You don’t have to keep asking Siri over and over again if you’ve asked once. Just use this hidden trick to view your recent Siri conversation history.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and see what you asked Siri. http://bit.ly/2uTOpaa

HOW TO TRANSFER PHOTOS FROM IPHONE TO COMPUTER (MAC, PC, ICLOUD, & AIRDROP) – If you’re looking to transfer photos from your iPhone to your computer, you have lots of options. The classic way of getting your pictures off iPhone is to use the built-in Photos app both Mac and PC offer. This method of importing photos involves plugging your iPhone into your computer.

But you can download photos to your computer wirelessly by using iCloud, or if you have a recent Mac, you can use Airdrop for an incredibly easy transfer of your photos to computer.

Getting photos off your iPhone may be frustrating but it doesn’t have to be. Our devices have become our go-to cameras, which means we can’t avoid importing our pictures from iPhone to computer forever. Whether you have a Mac or PC, we’ll cover transferring pictures from iPhone to computer for each. Then we’ll cover using iCloud and Airdrop as popular alternatives. You’ve got plenty of photos to import from iPhone; don’t leave them there without backup pictures. This article will make transferring your pictures from iPhone or iPad to computer (Mac or PC) a breeze.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and get the procedures, step-by-step with screen shots.
http://bit.ly/2uTNh65

HOW TO HIDE APPS ON iPHONE (& HOW TO FIND THEM LATER ON) – It doesn’t matter if you want to hide apps on an iPhone 7 or an iPhone 5—you can hide apps from your iPhone or iPad Home screen regardless of what device you have, so long as it’s running iOS 10 or later.

Users have been trying to figure out how to hide apps on their iPhones for years, and we’re especially keen on hiding Apple stock apps. Plus, a lot of people want to know how to hide their apps on iPhone from themselves: out of sight out of mind, eh? And it makes sense: Spotlight search allows you to easily find any app on your device, so why not hide them?

While there is no official method on iPhone for hiding apps, smart users across the web have figured out a couple different ways to hide apps on their iPhone. And, of course, if you have iOS 10 or later, you can hide apps by Apple, such as iTunes Store, Calculator, Reminders, and more. We’ll go over a few different ways you can hide apps on your iPhone, as well as how to find those hidden apps on your iPhone later on.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and get the step by step with screen shots. http://bit.ly/2w5w65I

HOW TO SEE A LOG OF EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER DONE ON FACEBOOK – Facebook keeps an Activity Log of absolutely everything you do—tracking things you like, post, or share on someone’s Timeline. You can view that Activity Log anytime you like.

Go to this How-To Geek Web page and get the information with screen shots. http://bit.ly/2hIteFM

ONEDRIVE iOS APP UPDATED WITH PDF SCANNER, OFFLINE FILES, AND MORE – Microsoft’s mobile online storage client for iOS got a total rewrite today with new features such as offline scanning, paper scanning and expiring links. Some of these features were previously found in apps such as Microsoft’s own Office Lens scanning app. Now you can conveniently access them from the OneDrive app.

Go to this groovyPost Web page and get the right stuff. http://bit.ly/2vShQN7

APPLE REPORTEDLY PREPARES TO UNVEIL A CELLULAR-ENABLED APPLE WATCH – Well now, this is exciting Apple Watch news! Based on recent reports Apple is gearing up to release a cellular-enabled Apple Watch, and for the first time since its debut, I’m actually considering saving my money for the new Apple Watch.

Go to this iPhonelife website and read about it. http://bit.ly/2wxIwQX

HOW TO UPLOAD PHOTOS TO SOCIAL MEDIA (FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM) ON iPHONE – I love to add my photos to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, whether it’s to show off my vacation or share pictures of my kids for distant family members to see. And, of course, there’s the not-so-occasional cute photo of my pets. If you have an account on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, there is an easy way to upload your photos from your iPhone or iPad right to your choice of social media sites. Here’s how to upload photos to your social media account on iPhone.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and get the steps with screen shots. http://bit.ly/2vmBiRs

HOW TO RECORD YOUR IPHONE SCREEN WITH iOS 11 & iOS 10 – We do a lot of screen recording at iPhone Life for our Insider program. Before iOS 11, learning how to record your iPhone screen meant either finding a screen capture app or plugging your iPhone into a computer with a software that can screen record, which we’ll go over how to do below. But with iOS 11 on iPhone, you can record your screen with nothing more than the built-in function. There are many instances in which you might need or want to record an iPhone screen. There are plenty of iPhone screen recorders on the market if you don’t mind spending some money. But we’ll cover your free options here. Whether you have iOS 11 or iOS 10 & earlier, here’s how to record your screen on iPhone.

Go to this iPhonelife website and read all about it. http://bit.ly/2vmsM53

HOW TO CLEAR COOKIES FROM iPHONE & iPAD – When you delete cookies from your iPhone or iPad, you free up storage space and improve your device’s performance speeds. When you clear the cache and cookies on your iPad or iPhone, you can also better protect your online privacy and potentially remove any malicious bugs your device may have picked up. And the good news is that to delete cookies from your iPhone takes only four simple steps in your Safari settings. Keep in mind that clearing cookies on your iPhone will delete saved logins and other website information.

Go to this iPhonelife Web page and read all about it. http://bit.ly/2vSfoGu

QUICK TIP: HOW TO USE THE HIDDEN TOUCH PAD ON YOUR iOS KEYBOARD – Your smartphone opens up a world of new opportunities, but it does come with some compromises at times. For example, activities you would normally do easily on a PC with a mouse, like selecting and copying text, is not as easy and convenient on a small touch screen device. Apple tried to provide some convenience over the years with a magnifier, which zooms into text, however, if you’re like me, it’s far from perfect.

This is why I’m excited to show you a new iPhone tip for those of you with 3D Touch Support. With 3D Touch, Apple has made it even easier to work with your text on the screen.

Go to this groovyPost web site and get the facts. http://bit.ly/2tZlsZX

HOW TO VIEW AND DELETE YOUR GOOGLE MAPS HISTORY ON ANDROID AND iPHONE – If you’re anything like me, you use Google Maps a lot. The thing is, it keeps a detailed history of everywhere you’ve been—regardless of whether you’ve used navigation or not. Here’s how to delete that data.

Maps keeps your travel history in a couple of different places: “Your Timeline” and “Maps History.” The former is a very detailed look at everywhere you’ve been, even if you didn’t navigate there (yes, your phone is tracking your every step). The latter, however, is only places that you’ve used navigation to get to. It’s actually kind of confusing that they store this data in two different places, so that’s why we’ll cover both of them.

Go to this How-To Geek Web page and get the step by step with screen shots. http://bit.ly/2vsKTaK

HOW TO ENABLE COLOR FILTERS ON YOUR iPHONE OR iPAD FOR EASY-ON-THE-EYES READING – On an iPhone or iPad, you can use the “Display Accommodations” accessibility feature to invert the colors on your screen, reduce the brightness of white and bright colors on your screen, and enable color filters designed to aid people with color blindness.

This is different from the Night Shift feature, which blocks blue light for easier reading at night. It works in a similar way, however, adjusting the colors of everything on your iPhone or iPad’s screen.

Go to this How-to Geek website and learn How to Adjust Display Accommodations on your iPad or iPhone. http://bit.ly/2u41xwX

HOW TO SHOW EMERGENCY MEDICAL INFORMATION ON YOUR IPHONE – There’s a good chance you’ll have your phone with you in a medical emergency. That’s why Apple allows you to set a Medical ID that shows your medical conditions, drug allergies, emergency contacts, and organ donor status that anyone can see without unlocking your phone.

This Is No Substitute for a Medical Alert Bracelet

This feature is a great idea, but it’s probably a bad idea to depend on it if there’s crucial information you need paramedics, doctors, or other medical professionals to see in an emergency.

First of all, not everyone knows about this feature, so a doctor or paramedic may not think to check your iPhone for it. Second, it’s possible your phone could become damaged or the battery may die. If you need to communicate this information, it’s probably better to do it in the traditional way: By wearing a medical alert bracelet and recording more information on a card in your wallet.

But, if you’re already wearing such a bracelet—or if you just want to note down a few details, like your emergency contacts and organ donor status—you may want to record this information on your iPhone.

Note that, when you set this up, people will be able to view the medical details you provide from your lock screen without signing in. That’s the whole point! People can access this information even if you’re unconscious.

Go to this How-To Geek Web page and get the procedures, with screenshots. http://bit.ly/2wboNp9

HOW TO STOP TWITTER HIGHLIGHTS FROM PESTERING YOU WITH UNRELATED NOTIFICATIONS – Social networks are always trying to get you to “engage” more with their service and recently, Twitter has introduced a new trick: Highlights notifications.

Highlights are, in theory, content Twitter thinks you’ll want to see because of some secret algorithm. If a few people you follow all share the same link or have a conversation, you might get a notification, like the one below, telling you about it—even if you had no interaction with the tweet yourself.

For the time being, Highlights are only available in the official iOS and Android mobile apps, but they may make their way to the other platforms soon.

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do about Highlights. You can’t turn them off completely. The best you can do is ask Twitter to show them less often and turn off the push notifications. Here’s how to do both.

Go to this How-To Geek Web page and get the procedure with screenshots. http://bit.ly/2uYNplS

HOW TO PROPERLY TEST 911 SERVICES ON YOUR CELL PHONE – Recently, OnePlus owners got a scare when users discovered the new OnePlus 5 would reboot upon trying to call to 911 emergency services. Other Android users then showed up to say the same thing happened to them—many on non-OnePlus phones. The last thing you need is for your phone to not work when you need it most, so here’s the right way to test 911 services on your phone to make sure it actually works.

Before we get into it, however, I want to point out that OnePlus is aware of the 911 issue and is reportedly sending a fix. So, if you’re a OnePlus 5 owner, make sure you always have the latest software. This is exactly why you should always have the latest software on any device you use, regardless of manufacturer. Automatic updates save lives!

But if this whole mess has gotten the ol’ noodle wondering if you’d have that issue on your phone, then the time to address that curiosity isn’t when an emergency happens—it’s right now.

Go to this How-To Geek Web page and get the step-by-step procedure to check out your 911 call from your cell phone. http://bit.ly/2vINtWE

HOW (AND WHY) TO DISABLE 2.4GHz WI-FI ON YOUR NETWORK AND USE 5GHz – Technology is an odd duck: in less than 20 years, Wi-Fi has gone from an amazing (and expensive) luxury to an assumed inclusion in every device you own. And yet, there’s plenty of room for improvement…which is why you should consider disabling the old 2.4GHz band on your home’s Wi-Fi network and using the newer, faster, less crowded 5GHz band exclusively.

Why? Let’s break it down. Go to this How-to Geek website and get the facts. http://bit.ly/2h375Sq

13 SECRET CODES THAT UNLOCK HIDDEN FEATURES ON YOUR PHONE – The USSD protocol allows you to access hidden features you didn’t know about right from your smartphone’s dialer. But there is some trickiness you’ll need to know about.

The USSD protocol allows you to access hidden features you didn’t know about right from your smartphone’s dialer. But there is some trickiness you’ll need to know about.

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)—sometimes known as “quick codes” or “feature codes”—is an extra-UI protocol, which allows people to access hidden features. This protocol was originally created for GSM phones, but can be found on CDMA devices as well (if that’s a bunch of acronym gibberish to you, here’s a quick primer).

Go to this PCmag Web page and learn about the different codes. http://bit.ly/2w0DVpC

UPDATE YOUR IPHONE, IPAD TO SQUASH DANGEROUS WI-FI BUG – Apple yesterday made a number of security updates to its iOS mobile operating system, including a fix for a Wi-Fi chip vulnerability that could let hackers gain wireless access to iPhones and iPads.

The iOS 10.3.3 update addresses nearly four dozen security flaws, one of which, called “Broadpwn,” lies in the Broadcom Wi-Fi chip used in many iPhones and Android devices. Google announced an Android fix for Broadpwn earlier this month. Apple’s patch is available for the iPhone 5 and later, 4th-generation and later iPads, and the 6th-generation iPod touch.

Go to this cio-today Web page and get the news. http://bit.ly/2gQjjxq

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE IOS 10.3.3 UPDATE – Apple’s finally moved on from iOS 10.3.2 which means the company’s iOS 10.3.3 update is now live for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

The iOS 10.3.3 update isn’t as exciting as the company’s incoming iOS 11 update but it’s still an important release thanks to the bug fixes and two dozen security patches on board.

iOS 10.3.3 is a fairly small update but even the smallest maintenance releases can have a dramatic impact on your device’s performance. The iOS 10.3.3 update is just a few hours old and we’re already hearing about problems plaguing those who decided to download it.

Now that the firmware is officially out, we want to walk you through the most important things to know, right now, about the iOS 10.3.3 update. Let’s start with a quick look at the iOS 10.3.3 update’s performance on two popular iPhone variants, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 5…..

Go to this Gottabemobile Web page and get the important info. http://bit.ly/2tmSwLb

HOW TO INSTALL APPLICATIONS ON A MAC: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW – If you’re switching to macOS from Windows, you might be confused about installing software. Sure, there’s the Mac App Store, but not everything is in there.

If you look for apps outside the store, you’ll find different kinds of installers: DMG files with apps in them, PKG installers, and simple applications inside ZIP archives. It can seem overwhelming, but it’s relatively straightforward once you get the hang of it. Here’s how to install software on your Mac, from the App Store and beyond, and why all these different methods exist.

Go to this How-To Geek Web page and read all about it with screen shots. http://bit.ly/2uQlE1I

GOOGLE’S SEARCH PAGE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE FOREVER – Google’s homepage on the web – which has pretty much always been a sparse white page with a simple logo and search box – is about to become very different, as the company intends to populate it with a personalized newsfeed, Facebook-style.

The new look is set to replicate the Google mobile app, which witnessed the introduction of such a feed for both news and event (appointments, travel info and so forth) updates at the end of last year.

Go to this Techradar Web page and real the news. http://bit.ly/2uiMkoN

APPLE MACBOOK PRO 15-INCH (2017) REVIEW & RATING – This year’s MacBook Pro is similar to last year’s model, adding slight improvements in speed and major battery life improvements to the iconic design. If you’re willing to pay the premium, it’s the best large-screen Apple laptop yet.

Starting Configuration Price  $2399.00   Lowest Price$2,299.00

Pros Sturdy, sleek aluminum build. Beautiful display. Four USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3. Excellent Category-leading 15-hour battery life.

Cons Pricey. Competitors offer a 4K screen for less. Only USB-C ports, making adapters for legacy peripherals a requirement. Shallow keyboard.

Bottom Line This year’s MacBook Pro is similar to last year’s model, adding slight improvements in speed and major battery life improvements to the iconic design. If you’re willing to pay the premium, it’s the best large-screen Apple laptop yet.

Go to this PCmag Web page and get all the facts about the new MacBookPro. http://bit.ly/2v5fMi3

CLOUD COMPUTING – GOOGLE BACKUP AND SYNC LETS YOU BACK UP EVERYTHING ON YOUR PC – Whatever digital data you have on whatever device, Google has a new way for automatically backing up those files in the cloud: Backup and Sync. Announced last month, the new backup service, available to anyone with a Google account, combines the capabilities of two previous Google apps: the Mac or PC app for the cloud-based data storage service Google Drive and the desktop uploader Google Photos.

The new Backup and Sync, which Google said yesterday was now live for most users, is an app for both Mac and PC that also backs up data on any device regularly connected to a desktop, including phones, digital cameras, and SD cards. Users can specify which folders on their desktops to automatically and continuously back up, while USB devices and SD cards can be backed up and synced when they’re connected to desktops.

Go to this cio-today Web page and get the facts. http://bit.ly/2tWlqEw

HOW TO ENABLE MACOS’ DARK MENU BAR AND DOCK – You’ve seen it in screenshots: a black menu bar, and a black dock. How did they do that? If this seems like a magic trick, there’s a reason for that: until Yosemite a few years ago, setting up a black meant employing hard-to-install third party hacks. These days, it’s simple.

Go to this HowtoGeek.com web page and get the step by step with screen shots. http://bit.ly/2vpMw4J

APPLE REPORTEDLY PREPPING A MIRROR-LIKE FINISH FOR THE iPHONE 8 – (tech radar article) – It’s been a busy weekend for iPhone 8 rumors: right off the back of news that the wireless charging tech Apple wants to put in its next handsets might not be ready by September, we’ve got speculation that a special “mirror-like” finish is in the works for the flagship phone.

The tip-off is courtesy of seasoned Apple leaker Benjamin Geskin on Twitter, someone we’d trust more than most when it comes to iPhone info, who says that a source inside the company told him what was in the pipeline.

According to Geskin, four colors are in the way for the iPhone 8, with the others presumably white, black, and rose gold. We should point out that the image above, tweeted out by Geskin, is an older iPhone with a reflective case, but it gives you an idea.

Color us surprised. Previously we’d been expecting up to six colors for the iPhone 8, with red, gold and gray also on the table, but the mirror-like finish is something of a curve ball. It would certainly make the tenth anniversary iPhone stand out from the crowd, including the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus expected to launch alongside it.

We’re just glad to see a rumor that isn’t about whether the Touch ID sensor will be on the front or the back of the iPhone 8, to be honest – a saga of speculation and gossip that feels like it’s been running for the whole year.

Also on the cards for the iPhone 8’s unveiling in September are a bezel-free display, a vertically aligned dual-lens camera with some extra AR smarts, and possibly even a curved screen. We’ve rounded up all the rumors we’ve heard so far into one place for you here.

APPLE RELEASES PUBLIC BETA OF iOS 11: HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW – Several new features stand out in iOS 11, the coming update to Apple’s mobile operating system that became available in public beta yesterday. They include a new keyboard mode for easier one-handed typing, a “Do Not Disturb” feature for driving, and the option to ask digital assistant Siri questions by typing rather than speaking.

Set for general release in September, iOS 11 will be the “biggest software release ever for iPad,” according to Apple. For now, however, the developer preview and public beta are not necessarily “ready for prime time,” so users should expect bugs and avoid downloading the OS onto their primary work or personal devices.

Early reviews of the iOS 11 beta are calling the update “massive,” great,” and “ambitious,” and note the changes are particularly noticeable on the iPad. TechCrunch, for instance, said the operating system “feels like a completely new beast on the iPad.”

Go to this cio-today.com Web page and read about the details. http://bit.ly/2umVItT

HOW TO RECORD A PHONE CALL ON AN iPHONE – So you’ve decided you need to record a phone call. Maybe you’re performing a delicate sting operation…or maybe you just want to make sure you’re getting the best customer service possible. Whatever your reasons, things are a little difficult on an iPhone.

Is Recording Calls Legal? – Before you start recording phone calls, it’s important to know that—depending on where you live—recording phone calls without consent can be illegal. In the US, different states have different laws regarding this. Some states require that both parties consent to the phone call being recorded, while other states only require that one person consents (and that one person can be you). In that case, as long as you’re okay with recording a phone call, the other person doesn’t have to know about it all; that’s perfectly legal if the law allows it.

For more info, you can check out the Digital Media Law Project, which has a ton of info about the legality of recording phone calls and conversations. Go to this How-To-Geek Web page and learn how with step by step and screen shots.
http://bit.ly/2ujprAW

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SILENT, DO NOT DISTURB, AND THEATER MODE ON YOUR APPLE WATCH (and When to Use Each) – Since it was introduced, the Apple Watch has gained a number of different modes, but it’s not immediately clear when to use each. Let’s look at each mode, what it does and doesn’t do, and the best time to use it.

There are now three modes available to Apple Watch users: Silent, Do Not Disturb, and, the newest, Theater—seen in the image above from left to right. All three modes can be toggled on and off by simply swiping up on your Apple Watch face to access the watch’s Control Center and simply tapping on the icon for that mode. Here’s what they do: Go to this How-To Geek Web page and get the facts. http://bit.ly/2sGr9Kw

HOW TO GET THE BEST AMAZON DEALS AND DISCOUNTS – Amazon is synonymous with online shopping, and with good reason. Launched over 20 years ago, the world’s largest retailer now sells nearly every mainstream product throughout all categories with brands ranging from niche sellers to global labels.

At this point, Amazon is the closest thing to a digital one-stop shopping destination; it even sells clothes. The Seattle-based commerce giant has also expanded into food delivery with AmazonFresh; its latest gadget—the Dash Wand—makes it easy for shoppers to add items to their AmazonFresh shopping cart. It’s also testing a drone-based delivery system, dubbed Amazon PrimeAir.

But beyond the novel promotions and gimmicks, Amazon is an incredible option for shoppers of all stripes. There’s so much to choose from, but it can be challenging to find the best prices. To help you streamline the purchasing process, we’ve come up with 12 tips to score better prices and find the products you really want.
Go to this PCmag.com web site to get the 12 tips. http://bit.ly/2sGTWil

AMAZON PRIME DAY 2017 – Everything you need to know about Amazon’s shopping extravaganza. Prime Day, Amazon’s summer shopping event, is back for its third appearance. On Monday, July 10, Amazon will offer deals for 30 hours on more than 100,000 products on its sites around the world. Bargain hunters can track all the action via the company’s Prime Day landing page.

To keep Prime Day important to consumers, Amazon is giving people a reason to shop—and that’s by offering more deals, better deals, and higher stock of the best deals. For those reasons, we expect to again see some good buys this year and a general improvement on sale prices compared to last year. Here’s what you need to know about the day, and how to prepare.
o to this PCworld.com web site and read all about it. http://bit.ly/2sApGdA

WHAT ARE MDS AND MDWORKER, AND WHY ARE THEY RUNNING ON MY MAC? – While checking out Activity Monitor, you noticed a couple of processes you don’t recognize: mds and mdworker. Neither have an icon, and they seem to be running constantly. Don’t worry, they’re harmless. 

This article is part of How-to Geek’s ongoing series explaining various processes found in Activity Monitor, like kernel_task, hidd, installd, and many others. Don’t know what those services are? Better start reading! 

The two processes are part of Spotlight, the macOS search tool. The first, mds, stands for metadata server. This process manages the index used to give you quick search results. The second, mdworker, stands for metadata server worker. This does the hard work of actually indexing your files to make that quick searching possible. Go to this Howtogeek.com website and read the whole story. http://bit.ly/2tfYos4

APPLE IMAC 27-INCH WITH 5K RETINA DISPLAY (2017) REVIEW & RATING – The newest 27-inch Apple iMac is a gorgeous machine with a brilliant display and a handful of modern upgrades at an appealing price. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s the best version of the iMac to date. Go to this groovypost.com web site and read about the newest Mac 27 Inch. http://bit.ly/2tg8sBq

iOS 11 RELEASE DATE, NEWS AND FEATURES – Update: The iOS 11 release date is here – now anyone who wants to test out the public beta can get the latest version of Apple’s mobile software.

You can download it in its unfinished form, or wait for Apple’s final release, which we’re expecting later in the year (around the end of September).  

New iOS 11 features are transforming your iPhone and iPad, and Apple’s update is either out now or three months away, depending on who you are.

It’s an especially big upgrade for the iPad. Apple’s tablet becomes a possible laptop replacement (for some people) with revamped iOS multitasking. Both the iPad and iPhone get a much-needed Control Center reorganization, too. Go to this techradar.com web page and see what is expected with iOS 11. http://bit.ly/2tRRyHe

WILL APPLE’S NEW iOS 11 CAR SAFETY FEATURES HELP US HELP OURSELVES – This year at the World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) Apple announced some significant changes to the way the iPhone will behave while its user is driving. The new Car Safety features in iOS 11 arrive in response to increased pressure from the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, which has urged Apple and other cellphone manufacturers to develop safeguards to reduce death and injury attributed to distracted driving. Distracted driving has been an issue in at least some capacity for over 20 years without much response at the developer level. Distraction related accidents, whether involving gadgets or otherwise, killed nearly 3,500 people in 2015, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, with 391,000 lesser injuries. Read more at: https://www.iphonelife.com/content/will-apples-new-ios-11-car-safety-features-help-us-help-ourselves

APPLE RELEASES FOURTH IOS 10.3.3 BETA FOR IPHONE AND IPAD – Go to this 9to5mac.com website and read all the news. http://bit.ly/2sZipUr

APPLE UPDATES ALL iMACS WITH IMPROVED DISPLAYS, KABY LAKE PROCESSORS, AND MORE – Apple detailed new iMac hardware at the WWDC 2017 (Worldwide Developers Conference). Apple previously promised new iMac hardware for later this year, although a WWDC reveal was not totally expected. The new hardware includes improved Retina displays, Kaby Lake processors, and upgraded memory and storage options.

Kaby Lake is the codename used by Intel for a processor microarchitecture which was announced on August 30, 2016. Kaby Lake is produced using a 14-nanometer manufacturing process technology. Breaking with Intel’s previous “tick-tock” manufacturing and design model, it represents the optimized step of the newer “process-architecture-optimization” model.

The new machines include both USB-A and USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports on the back I/O. Updates are available for the 21.5-inch non-Retina machine as well as the 4K iMac and 5K iMac.

Apple has specifically described the new 27-inch iMac as designed for VR (Virtual Reality) development thanks in part to new GPU (graphics processing unit) upgrades. Included in the presentation is a demonstration of virtual reality gameplay driven by a new iMac paired with a VR headset.

Go to this 9to5mac.com website and see a graphics display of the new iMac hardware. http://bit.ly/2t0epTo

THE 50 BEST MAC TIPS, TRICKS AND TIMESAVERS – All the awesome things you forgot your Mac could do. Everyone knows that Apple’s Mac computers are nothing without their sublime software. But moving from Windows or Linux, adapting to macOS is easier said than done. One quick look at how files and applications are organized and you may be tempted to turn back to your old OS.

Fortunately, you can rest easy knowing that, as Mac experts, we at techradar know the ins and outs of Apple’s desktop operating system. And, in no time at all, you will too. Now, head to the App Store and make sure all your updates are installed so that we can go over all the top Mac tips up to the latest macOS Sierra.

This is neither a formal nor an exhaustive list; we’ve simply put our heads together to gather the 50 best Mac tips, tricks and timesavers that might have passed you by. Go to http://bit.ly/2sv2f3O for all the awesome tips.