04-27-26 -

Joanna Stern Launches Independent Media Outlet New Things
Tech journalist Joanna Stern has left The Wall Street Journal to launch an independent media outlet called New Things, promising columns, videos, and the same blend of technical accuracy and entertainment.Read original article

04-27-26 -

FindYourTag Website Catalogs the Expanding Find My Ecosystem
Glenn Fleishman has cataloged the surprisingly diverse ecosystem of Find My-compatible products—now numbering over 70—and built a comparison website to help you navigate the options.Read original article

04-26-26 -

Acorn 8.5
Brings a new Shape Processor and Arrow shape style, plus several SVG improvements. ($29.99 new, free update, 87.7 MB, macOS 14+)

04-26-26 -

Quicken Classic 9.0
Updates the financial management app with several new and improved features. ($77.88/$101.88/$143.88 annual subscription, free update, 3.2 MB, macOS 13+)

04-24-26 -

My First 700-Mile EV Road TripWhat Worked and What Id Change
Adam Engst’s 711-mile round trip from Ithaca to Virginia became an education in EV charging—from unplanned charging stops to mysterious range variations. Here’s what he learned and what he’ll do differently next time.

04-24-26 -

Unite Pro 1.3
Adds a new option to open links in your default browser. ($39.99 new, free update, 34.3 MB, macOS 15+)

04-24-26 -

1Password 8.12.12
Fixes a bug that could prevent updates for beta release channel users. ($47.88 annual subscription, free update, 4.8 MB, macOS 12+)

04-24-26 -

Fantastical 4.1.12 and Cardhop 2.4.7
Maintenance updates for the calendar and contact management apps. ($56.99 annual subscription, free update, various sizes, macOS 12+)

04-24-26 -

Firefox 150
Brings a couple of handy improvements and bug fixes to the Web browser celebrating its sesquicentennial release. (Free, 151.4 MB, macOS 10.15+)

04-24-26 -

SoundSource 6.0.6
Audio control utility brings enhanced Head Tracking compatibility for AirPods and Beats headphones. ($49 new, free update, 53.7 MB, macOS 15+)

04-24-26 -

Parallels Desktop 26.3.1
Fixes a bug that prevented Steam from launching in a Windows 11 virtual machine. ($99.99 Standard Edition, free update, 5.4 MB, macOS 13+)

04-22-26 -

iOS 26.4.2 and iOS 18.7.8 Address Notification Privacy Flaw Highlighted by FB...
The FBI extracted Signal messages from an iPhone by exploiting a notification database flaw. Apple has now released iOS 18.7.8 and iOS 26.4.2 to fix a bug that allowed deleted notifications to persist on devices.

04-20-26 -

John Ternus to Lead Apple as Tim Cook Becomes Executive Chairman
Apple’s leadership transition puts hardware chief John Ternus in the CEO role while Tim Cook moves to executive chairman, where he’ll continue navigating the company’s complex political landscape.

04-20-26 -

36 Years and 1800 Issues of TidBITS
TidBITS is celebrating 36 years and 1800 issues of continuous publication. Rather than rehash past anniversary themes, Adam Engst uses this milestone to focus on the importance of community and invites readers to share how TidBITS has affected the...

04-20-26 -

VidBITS: Matt Sephtons Wall of Tiny Apps
When Matt Sephton told me he was releasing 18 apps on the same day, I knew I had to talk to him. Our two-hour VidBITS conversation covers everything from his tiny utilities—most of which would fit on a 1.44 MB floppy disk—to classic Mac preser...

04-18-26 -

Shutting Down SlackBITS After Impersonation-Based Malware Attack
A convincing impersonation of TidBITS contributor Glenn Fleishman on our public Slack group fooled an experienced IT professional into installing the OSX.Odyssey infostealer. Because Slack is designed for internal groups, its identity controls and...

04-17-26 -

Lightroom Classic 15.3
Updates the desktop-focused photo cataloging and editing app with feature and performance improvements. ($9.99/$19.99/$59.99 monthly Creative Cloud subscription, free update, macOS 14+)

04-17-26 -

Final Cut Pro 12.2, Compressor 5.2, and Motion 6.2
Maintenance updates for the professional video apps. ($299.99/$49.99/$49.99 new or $129.99 annually with Apple Creator Studio subscription, free update, various sizes, macOS 15.6+)

04-17-26 -

SpamSieve 3.3
Brings several helpful changes to improve spam filtering accuracy. ($39.99 new, free update, 61.5 MB, macOS 10.13+)

04-14-26 -

Farewell to Mac Writers John Martellaro and Chuck La Tournous
The Mac community has lost two longtime writers in recent weeks: John Martellaro and Chuck La Tournous. John wrote once for TidBITS in 1996 before settling at The Mac Observer, where Chuck was also a contributing editor.

04-13-26 -

Bookends 15.3.2
Reference management tool adds a new AppleScript command to sync a library. ($74.99 new, free update, 128.9 MB, macOS 11+)

04-13-26 -

Audio Hijack 4.5.7
Brings user interface updates to the full-featured audio recording app. ($64 new, free update, 27.7 MB, macOS 14.4+)

04-13-26 -

OmniFocus 4.8.9
Maintenance update with improvements and bug fixes for the task management app. ($74.99 new, free update, 40.4 MB, macOS 14+)

04-13-26 -

The Verge Hails Chromes Belated Vertical Tabs
David Pierce at The Verge makes the case for vertical browser tabs, echoing advice TidBITS has offered since 2023. Google Chrome users can now easily try them.Read original article

04-09-26 -

Why the macOS 49-Day Networking Bug Probably Wont Affect You
Don’t panic about the newly discovered macOS bug that freezes TCP networking after 49 days of uptime. Between security updates, sleep cycles, and typical usage patterns, most Mac users will never encounter this edge-case failure.

04-09-26 -

Apple Releases OS 26.4.1 to Fix CloudKit Syncing Bug
If iCloud syncing has been unreliable since you updated to iOS 26.4, relief has arrived. Although Apple’s release notes don’t mention it, developers confirm that iOS 26.4.1 and iPadOS 26.4.1 fix the CloudKit bug. Apple also released macOS 26.4...

04-09-26 -

What Anthropics Mythos and Project Glasswing Mean for Your Apple Devices
AI is accelerating the discovery of security vulnerabilities, transforming the landscape of digital security. But Apple users are in a good spot, thanks to Apple’s focus on security and control over the entire ecosystem. TidBITS Security Editor ...

04-06-26 -

Unite Pro 1.2.1
Adds support for opening supported URL commands directly in Terminal. ($39.99 new, free update, 34.2 MB, macOS 15+)

04-06-26 -

OmniOutliner Essentials and Pro 6.1
Adds over 20 Shortcuts to the Pro edition. ($24.99/99.99 new, free update, 39 MB, macOS 15+)

04-06-26 -

MarsEdit 5.4.3
Brings a few improvements and bug fixes to the blogging app. ($59.95 new, free update, 23.7 MB, macOS 10.15.4+)

04-06-26 -

Mactracker 8.2
Adds a new trivia game to the popular encyclopedia of Apple products. (Free, 268.9 MB, macOS 11+)

04-06-26 -

Fantastical 4.1.11
Maintenance release with improvements and bug fixes for the calendar app. ($57 annual subscription, free update, 68.5 MB, macOS 12+)

04-06-26 -

Living with Digital Key 2 on the Hyundai IONIQ 5
Setting up Digital Key 2 for a second driver was harder than expected, but now we’re leaving the bulky key fob at home almost all the time. Here’s what we’ve found in a few weeks of living with smartphone-based car keys.

04-06-26 -

iOS 26.4 CloudKit Bug Disrupts iCloud Sync, Fix Coming
A CloudKit notifications bug in iOS 26.4 breaks real-time iCloud sync for some apps and users. Data isn't lost, but changes will either be delayed or won't appear until you switch apps. A fix is in the iOS 26.5 beta.

04-01-26 -

What Apples 50th Anniversary Misses
Rather than revisiting Apple’s corporate milestones at its 50th anniversary, Adam Engst reflects on how the community around Apple once fostered connection and idealism—and why rebuilding that human infrastructure may matter more than celebrat...

04-01-26 -

Apple Offers iOS 18.7.7 Security Update as Alternative to iOS 26.4 Upgrade
To address the DarkSword exploit, Apple now lets iOS 18 users install the iOS 18.7.7 security update instead of upgrading to iOS 26.4. If you’re still using iOS 18, update immediately.

03-30-26 -

BusyCal 2026.1.3 and BusyContacts 2026.1.3
Adds support for AI-powered scheduling via the Claude Desktop Extension to BusyCal. ($49.99 new for each, free update, various sizes, macOS 11.5+)

03-30-26 -

Zoom Workplace 7.0
Updates the videoconferencing/communication app with a variety of additions and enhancements. (Free, 186.8 MB, macOS 10.15+)

03-30-26 -

Affinity 3.1
Brings some long-requested improvements to the creative suite. (Free, 983 MB, macOS 10.15+)

03-30-26 -

Mellel 6.6.5
Introduces a new licensing system to the eponymous word processor. ($69.99 new, free update, 105.3 MB, macOS 10.13+)

03-30-26 -

Firefox 149
Adds built-in VPN capabilities to the Web browser. (Free, 150.1 MB, macOS 10.15+)

03-30-26 -

LaunchBar 6.23
Brings several overall enhancements and substantial improvements to VoiceOver support. ($35 new, free update, 15.4 MB, macOS 12+)

03-30-26 -

DEVONagent Pro 3.11.11
Maintenance update for the research software. (Free/$4.95/$49.95, free updates, various sizes, macOS 11+)

03-30-26 -

ScreenFloat 2.3.6
Maintenance update for the screen capture tool with improvements and bug fixes. ($17.99 new, free update, 34 MB, macOS 12.3+)

03-30-26 -

Apple Discontinues the Mac Pro for Good
Apple has discontinued the Mac Pro with no replacement planned. The move ends a 20-year run for Apple’s most expandable desktop, though the Mac Studio and Thunderbolt 5 have made its PCIe-based expandability largely obsolete.

03-30-26 -

A Fun but Flawed Approach to Ranking Apples Top 50 Products
The Verge’s community-driven ranking of Apple’s top 50 products makes for fun clicking, but the nostalgic design and live rankings can’t overcome inconsistent criteria and a baffling product selection.Read original article

03-27-26 -

macOS 26.4s Script Editor Wont Open Some Older AppleScripts
After upgrading to macOS 26.4, some users found Script Editor refusing to open certain older AppleScripts—even though most of the scripts still ran fine from apps like BBEdit. Here’s how to fix affected scripts.

03-26-26 -

The Verge Explains the US Governments Router Ban
Sean Hollister’s lively Q&A explains why the FCC’s foreign router ban won’t recall existing routers, audit new ones, or do much of anything to improve security—it just blocks future imports unless manufacturers commit to US produc...

03-26-26 -

Unite Pro 1.1
Brings a plethora of improvements following the site-specific browser's recent reset. ($39.99 new, free update, 34.1 MB, macOS 15+)

03-26-26 -

Modern CSV 2.4
Adds a few features and improvements to the CSV manipulation app. (Free/$39/$59 new, free update, 27.3 MB, macOS 11+)