MacMost: Archives

A Japanese blog is reporting that the new iPads coming out later this year will feature smaller bodies and no headphone jack. Others have also reported that maybe new iPads will have a “notch” and no Home button like the iPhone X to allow the display to go to the edges. (more...)

In System Preferences there are several keyboard-related accessibility features that can be useful for anyone. You can set modifier keys to remain active so you can use keyboard shortcuts without needing to hold down multiple keys at the same time. You can enable typing sounds and a slight delay to prevent keyboard errors. You can also bring up an on-screen keyboard to use if you are having hardware issues.

When you look in List View in the Finder, you'll see a file size for every file, but no size listed for any folders. You can still view the total size of a folder using one of several methods. You can Get Info on a folder to see the size and number of files. You can also use the File Inspector. Quick Look also displays the folder size. If you want to see the sizes of all folders in List View, you can enable that by changing a setting.

Digital Trends has an interesting look at an Apple patent that shows MacBooks and iPads acting as inductive (wireless) chargers for iPhones and Apple Watches. You just stick one device on top of the other and it charges. But the headline they pull out of this patent is about a minor point where the MacBook appears to maybe have a touch screen. (more...)

Most fonts can either be called Serif or Sans-Serif fonts. The difference is that Serif fonts have extended strokes at the ends and corners whereas Sans-Serif fonts do not. The use of this term predates computers, and the existence of serifs even predates modern printing. Today it is useful to know the difference when choosing a font for a document or graphic element.

Apple Insider has an interesting story about an Apple patent that would make iPhone external lens attachments work better. The patent itself goes into all sorts of detail about how lenses fit and how the camera would adjust to them. But patents themselves aren’t worth much as rumor sources since Apple has a huge research and development department and they create all sorts of things that may or may not ever be used. (more...)

You can set your Mac to not require a password when you start up, wake up or log in. However, you should never use this function. Doing so leaves all of your information vulnerable to anyone who gets physical access to your Mac. Even if you are using a Mac that is stationary and locked up, it doesn't make sense to take the risk. Entering a password every time you use your Mac is a small price to pay for good security. You can mitigate the number of times you enter your password by setting the Require Password time to something reasonable, such as 5 minutes.

When you triple-click the iPhone's Home button, a variety of things can happen. This can trigger the magnifier, screen zoom, a type of dark mode, other screen filters and a few of types of touch assistance. You can have a single function activate instantly, or choose from a menu of more than one function.

Last week there was a bit of a controversy as a MacBook Pro i9 user reported slowness when rendering video with his new top-end MacBook Pro. Turns out the problem is a software bug, not any performance issue or attempt by Apple to keep the processor from reaching its full potential. (more...)

In System Preferences you can select from a variety of voices that are used when you have text read aloud to you on your Mac. You can also set a keyboard shortcut to read selected text. Another option will automatically read alerts out loud after a delay. This can be handy for recognizing when there is a problem or warning.

The new 2018 iPhones are expected to allow you to use third-party fast chargers. These USB-C chargers will let you charge your iPhone quickly and use a USB-C to Lightning adapter. Mac Okatara is reporting that this will also mean the chargers need to be certified devices, and if not they won’t work, or at least not at high speeds. (more...)

Spam robocalls are getting more and more common. They can be quite a nuisance. Some of the methods that people use to deal with these, such as blocking and reporting, are ineffective because the caller ID is fake. However, ignoring them, using custom ringtones, or using services from your mobile network can help alleviate the problem.

So far Apple products have been spared from new U.S. import tariffs as phones and computers have been exempted. But the Apple Watch could be subject to those new tariffs, which could mean a price increase, or at least the lack of future reduced prices. (more...)

When you are browsing web pages you are using either HTTP or HTTPS. The latter is the more secure way to view websites. HTTPS uses TLS and certificates to insure security, privacy and integrity.

MacRumors today is reporting proof that the new MacBook Pro keyboard is in fact designed to resist dust better than the previous versions. Apple has advertised that the new keyboard is simply quieter, but experts have said that Apple may simply be trying to avoid admitting that the previous keyboards have had issues. (more...)

There are many functions in System Preferences, Accessibility, Display that any Mac user may find useful. You can enlarge the cursor, change the contrast of your screen and reduce the motion effects and transparency of elements.

When people complained about the new MacBook Pros using USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports instead of old USB ports, I kept saying that they were missing something big. These new ports are not just ports, they are like expansion slots. Expansion slots just like opening up a desktop and inserting a card. And since then a few eGPU products have come out that let you do just that kind of thing. (more...)

While it isn't possible to create dynamic Pop-Up Menus in Numbers alone, you can use an AppleScript service to pull data from one table, present it in a list that will then populate the value of a cell. You can set this service up with a keyboard shortcut to make data entry easier. The list will automatically update as you update the second table.

Monday was World Emoji Day, and Apple shared a preview of some new upcoming characters to celebrate. There will be new facial expressions, and new hairstyles to represent a wider variety of people. (more...)

A point of frustration with Numbers users is that Pop-Up Menu cells must be populated with a list of typed values. Often it is useful to get these values from another table instead. While there is no easy solution, you can simulate a dynamic pop-up with a special technique that involves creating the Pop-Up Menu in the second table and pasting it into the first. This method requires a manual update of the Pop-Up Menus when the selections change, but can handle large lists.