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Greetings!
Yes, we are back for 2021! Happy New year to Everyone - it matters to us all that everyone else has a good, covid-free year. For those who have been affected by the virus, or suffered from the lock-downs, dislocated families, or whatever - so sorry.
I think everyone who was able to join us for the Christmas drinks and chat enjoyed themselves. 13th Beach Golf Club proved a really nice venue and the food was very good. We would like to be able to do that again!
It is not clear that it is wise to plan a face-to-face meeting yet but we are hopeful it will be possible very soon. So our first meeting will be on Feb 9 and online. Please join us - if you have not already participated in a Zoom meeting, you may be surprised how easy it is.
Next Meeting Tuesday Feb 9th
This meeting will again be online. We'd like you to join us at 3.30 pm. If you have not used Zoom before, the way we work is that you are sent a link in an email a day or so before the meeting and if you are ready, you just click on the link.
But do things always work as we hope? No!!
So if you are not comfortable using Zoom, you can try earlier. Please send us an email if you would like a trial session - don't hesitate because it is not difficult! We will happily arrange a time and help you get going. Send a note to
info@bellarinemac.org.au
Meeting Topic, Feb 9 2021
We will start with a discussion of the alarming news that someone else can use your computer/tablet/phone to monitor you. There are some good things also made possible by this technology but it is certainly important to know of it and some simple fixes. You don't want your children using your fridge to order pizza without asking!
And you maybe don't want your neighbour using your Internet?
There has been a problem with What'sApp and now there is a highly recommended replacement. Learn about Signal and what is possible for these social media. In particular, you might not want to disclose all when you use the apps- see how to have a set of address books so you can keep private information private.
iOS tips - there are now different tips for different Apple devices - like the swipe left to get to an alphabetical list of apps you can search (only on iOS14, not iPads). For iOS Tips, you can subscribe to mailing lists - but what is this 'subscribe' business? You can subscribe to a Tesla battery - well, you own the battery but they continue to own the software and can control it - and you only licence (or subscribe) to Apple software etc.
Finally, what happens if I buy my Apple in Singapore and it breaks down here - can I get relief?
Apple News
Each month our Secretary combs the Apple news to find things that are likely to be of interest to some of you. Thank you Peter! Please, if you find interesting things, send us a note so we can add them to the newsletter - info@bellarinemac.org.au
So here we have links to bits and pieces in Apple Insider:
1/12/2020
How to use the new editing and search features in Apple Notes
- New search in Notes
- Editing in Notes
- Scanning and Continuity Camera
2/12/2020
- How to assign tasks to other people in Reminders in macOS Big Sur. It's an extremely useful feature that many advanced To Do apps don't have, but Apple has just added it to the basic Reminders in macOS Big Sur. Here's how to assign a task to someone and what happens when they've done it.
- Apple reveals 2020's most downloaded apps. Apple on Tuesday announced the year's most downloaded apps and games, lists topped by important productivity apps like Zoom and popular multiplayer hits including Among Us. Revealed in a press release that named Apple's "Best of 2020" App Store awards, the year's most downloaded apps and games reflect trends shaped by a global pandemic.
- iOS Wi-Fi exploit enables zero-click remote iPhone access without user knowledge. A newly discovered -- and already patched -- iOS vulnerability allowed hackers to access and gain control over nearby iPhones using a proprietary Apple wireless mesh networking protocol called AWDL.
19/12/2020
- Apple publishes safety guide for protecting against others accessing your data. Apple has released a comprehensive guide to how you can check if your data or devices are being accessed by others, plus preventative steps and how to lock people out when needed. As Apple continues championing privacy through features like the App Store "nutrition labels," it has now also published a guide that starkly outlines the risks of our data being misused. "Device and Data Access When Personal Safety is at Risk," is a detailed publication explains every security option available, how to use them, and when.
25/12/2020
27/12/2020
- How to erase and prepare a Mac for gifting, recycling, or selling. Whether you have your eye on a new M1 Mac or you just want to get rid of an old macOS device in an environmentally responsible way, it's important to properly sign out of certain services and delete your old data before doing so. The process is fairly straightforward but may take some time, so be sure to budget some time to preparing your Mac before getting rid of it. Also, these steps only apply to Intel-based Macs, since a couple of steps are a bit different on Apple Silicon machines.
- How to save an email as a PDF on iPhone and iPad
https://www.imore.com/how-save-email-pdf-iphone-and-ipad
15/1/2021
- Apple adds 'Privacy' collection to iOS Tips app
- Apple this week expanded the first-party iOS Tips app to include a section covering hardware, software, and account privacy.
17/1/2021
- Signal app recovers from outage.
- WhatsApp changes delayed. Changes in WhatsApp's privacy policy may have been the trigger.
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According to The Register, WhatsApp wanted to enable businesses to communicate with users via the chat app, forcing an update in the privacy policy. It seems that text in the update relating to how WhatsApp user details could be used by parent company Facebook and subsidiaries may have spooked some users away from WhatsApp in favor of a more privacy-focused home.
- Facebook and WhatsApp have since delayed the implementation of its privacy policy change until May.
How to view Apps as List in iOS 14 BUT not available (yet?) in iPadOS 14
Provides a much easier means to check which apps you have loaded and/or more easily access them.
- scroll screens to last screen which will then show as ‘Search App Library’ which displays all the folders you have set up. with their contained apps.
- Clicking on the top search field displays the apps in an alphabetical list.
- Alphabetic groups more quickly accessible via the alpha list on RHS (cf address book)
18/1/2021
- What to do when you forgot your Apple ID password
- Apple gives you many different ways to recover a lost Apple ID password, but they do get increasingly complicated. Here's what you can and must do if you forget, plus if your iPhone or other device is lost too
19/1/2021
- How to check your warranty on iPhone, iPad, or Mac. If you need a repair for your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, it is best to find out if a warranty covers you before seeking a fix. Here's how to find out if your devices are still covered
- How to delete contacts on iPhone or Mac
- How to turn on AirDrop. The AirDrop feature is often the quickest way to transfer content between iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. And beyond sharing images and documents, users can also AirDrop website links, passes from Wallet, Apple Maps locations, and pretty much anything else that can be shared via Share sheet.
20/1/2021
- How to make Siri listen to you on the right device
- It's common to have the "wrong" Siri answer. You can ask your Apple Watch to set an alarm, for instance, and find that it's your HomePod that does it. Here's how to make sure that Siri is listening to you on the device you intended.
An Interesting Question - Can someone see you through your phone camera?
FlexiSpy is software with advertising that might make you shiver. Their software aims to monitor, remotely, all that happens on a computer, tablet or smart phone. They are not 'watching' but they are recording and can interrogate what they find.
On their website, they say:
Parental Control Software: Children are surrounded by technology that parents barely understand. FlexiSPY parental control software gives parents the peace of mind that their children are safe. FlexiSPY parental control app will tell you what they won't.
Read more...
and
Employee Monitoring: The biggest threats to businesses come from employees — either unknowingly or as an explicit insider threat. Our employee monitoring software allows you to know everything that happens on your company devices.
Read more ...
You can see more at their website.
There's a story from a little while ago that might stun you: see https://www.certosoftware.com/ios-wifi-flaw-allows-hackers-to-gain-access/
Fortunately, there are ways you can protect yourself - see
https://www.certosoftware.com/how-to-stop-someone-from-spying-on-my-cell-phone/
For more from Certo, see https://www.certosoftware.com/
A Travel Tip
Although international travel is off the agenda, local and national travel is possible within current constraints.
Our various Apple devices frequently need to have their batteries recharged either directly from house power or battery packs.
Unfortunately Apple has changed cable connectors many times over the years as devices have evolved. While, we can have a collection of many single cables to suit the various devices, the following kit includes all of them is a single case.
mophie Cable Kit (complements their battery packs)
Travel-sized cable with fast charge capability
Durable metal connectors with braided nylon cable
Cables come in a compact case with a magnetic front cover
USB-C cable with Lightning connector
USB-C cable with USB-C connector
USB-A cable with Lightning connector
Cable length: 12.7 cm/5 in.
Cost: Unfortunately more expensive than individual cables at $84.95 but probably outweighed by the convenience. |
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