Apple Introduces New Apple Watch, iPad Air, and AppleOne Services Bundle

It’s a strange year. Instead of the annual iPhone-fest that we’ve become familiar with in September, Apple’s flagship product is delayed until next month. So the company has presented some new items: the latest Apple Watch, an updated iPad Air, and a bundle of services and subscriptions called AppleOne. In another pre-recorded event from Apple’s spaceship campus, Apple showed off these new products and services, and, to the surprise of many, announced the released of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 for today.

Here’s what’s new from Apple.

Read the rest of the article on The Mac Security Blog.

How the Internet Works

It’s become second nature to use the internet for web browsing, email, messaging, and streaming music and video. It’s a bit like how we use electricity: we have a vague idea how it’s generated and how it gets to us, but we are rarely concerned about the details.

The difference with the internet is that you share personal information with retailers and social networks, provide detailed financial information to banks and investment firms, and tell some of your deepest secrets to friends and family.

Security and privacy are (or at least should be) key concerns for internet users. To fully grasp why these are so important, it’s helpful to understand how the internet works. In this article, I’m going to give you an overview of how the internet works, how your data gets from one location to another, and why it’s important to protect your privacy and security online.

Read the rest of the article on The Mac Security Blog.

PhotoActive Podcast, Episode 76: Shooting and Developing Film with Angus Haywood

This week we talk to landscape film photographer Angus Haywood about building his own darkroom in a shed behind his house, seeing the world in a square aspect ratio even during his earlier profession of airline pilot, and the pace and people you experience when shooting film.

Find out more, and subscribe to the podcast, at the PhotoActive website. You can follow The PhotoActive on Twitter at @PhotoActiveCast to keep up to date with new episodes, and join our Facebook group to chat with other listeners and participate in photo challenges and more.

Intego Mac Podcast, Episode #152: What if Apple Built a Search Engine?

With Apple holding a new product event next week, we discuss recent speculation that Apple might be building a search engine. The discuss the implications of this, especially if Apple’s own search engine replaced Google as the default search engine on macOS and iOS.

Subscribe to The Intego Mac Podcast, which I co-host with Josh Long. We talk about Macs and iOS devices, and how to keep them secure.

Intego Mac Podcast, Episode #151: Apple Authorized Mac Malware

iOS 13.7 is out, with support for Covid-19 exposure notifications. Apple’s clever new privacy ad highlights the way people give up personal data. Criminals are using Ring doorbells to know when the cops are coming. And Apple approved, through their “notarization” system, dozens of malicious apps.

Subscribe to The Intego Mac Podcast, which I co-host with Josh Long. We talk about Macs and iOS devices, and how to keep them secure.

The Next Track, Episode #191 – Exile on Monday

We begin an irregular series of key albums that stand out in the history of music. For our first foray into this type of discussion, we talk about The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street.

Help support The Next Track by making regular donations via Patreon. We’re ad-free and self-sustaining so your support is what keeps us going. Thanks!

Support The Next Track.

Find out more at The Next Track website, or follow The Next Track on Twitter at @NextTrackCast.

Intego Mac Podcast, Episode #150: A Six-Digit Passcode Isn’t Strong Enough

A Lightroom update has wiped user photos, and there’s no way to get them back; malicious Chinese code in 1,200 iOS apps is collecting data and simulating clicks to make money; and a chilling story shows why a six-digit passcode isn’t enough to protect your data on an iOS device.

Subscribe to The Intego Mac Podcast, which I co-host with Josh Long. We talk about Macs and iOS devices, and how to keep them secure.

PhotoActive Podcast, Episode 75: Creative Garden Photography with Harold Davis

The summer and fall are some of the best times to visit and photograph gardens, so we’re happy to welcome Harold Davis back to the PhotoActive podcast to talk about his newest book Creative Garden Photography. We cover photographing public gardens, your own garden, getting creative with light tables when the weather is sour, lighting, and more.

Find out more, and subscribe to the podcast, at the PhotoActive website. You can follow The PhotoActive on Twitter at @PhotoActiveCast to keep up to date with new episodes, and join our Facebook group to chat with other listeners and participate in photo challenges and more.

If Hackers Crack a Six-Digit iPhone Passcode, They Can Get All Your Passwords

iPhones and iPads have excellent security, and features such as Touch ID and Face ID help ensure that your data is protected. But for most people, Touch ID and Face ID are just convenient layers on top of a six-digit passcode. While six digits may seem secure, because there are one million possibilities for such a passcode, there are ways to crack passcodes. And if someone gets access to your passcode, the damages can be severe.

[…]

If someone can get your passcode, none of the other advanced security features on your iPhone, or in iOS, can protect you; the dominoes that secure your life will fall very quickly. Here’s what can happen, and why you should change your passcode to something more secure (I’ll explain how below).

Read the rest of the article on The Mac Security Blog.