Opera today released Opera GX, a special version of its Opera browser that it says has been built to "complement gaming" on Mac.
Opera GX features several features designed to help users get the most out of gaming and browsing, the most prominent being GX Control, which lets users set limits on the browser's system resource usage.
Opera says a survey it conducted revealed that lack of memory and network limitations are the two main issues for gamers, which is why it came up with the idea of limiter controls for CPU, RAM, and network bandwidth.
Opera GX offers a unique set of features that provides solutions to these problems. The set of browser limiters, which includes a Network Bandwidth Limiter, as well as CPU and RAM Limiters, prevents the browser from becoming resource-hungry. What this means in practice is that everyone's machines are left with more resources for running games.
The browser includes other features aimed at making gamers happy, including Twitch accessible from the sidebar, picture in picture for watching streams, integrated messenger services, an ad blocker, free VPN, and several custom theme options.
The macOS version of Opera's gaming browser is now available for download in early access mode. Interested users can grab it now from Opera's website.
Twitter today announced support for Apple's Live Photos, which can now be uploaded to Twitter and shared as GIFs.
Apple first introduced Live Photos in 2015 alongside the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, though most social networks still do not support the format and do not allow Live Photos to play when uploaded.
Live Photos are designed to add movement to still photos to bring them to life, similar to the moving photos in the Harry Potter films. When you take a photo on an iPhone with Live Photos enabled, the iPhone captures a few seconds of video before and after the shot to enable the movement.
Live Photos are primarily able to be viewed from iPhone to iPhone, but there are apps that can convert them into formats supported by social networks like GIFs and videos, which is what Twitter is planning to do.
Give the gift of GIFs. You can now upload your iOS Live Photos as GIFs anywhere you upload photos on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/D8TIfsBwyd
— Twitter (@Twitter) December 11, 2019
Uploading a Live Photo to Twitter to share in a tweet will convert the Live Photo into a GIF that displays the animation. Users just need to select a Live Photo in the Twitter app on iOS and then tap the GIF button to upload.
Those who want to share a Live Photo but don't want it to be shared as an animated GIF can just avoid tapping the GIF button, which will cause it to be uploaded as a traditional still photo.
Live Photos support is rolling out to the Twitter app today.
Apple recently used the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) to get Twitter to remove a viral tweet that featured an iPhone encryption key, provoking the ire of the security community, reports Motherboard.
On December 7, security researcher "Siguza" on Twitter shared an encryption key that could potentially be used to reverse engineer the iPhone's Secure Enclave, which handles encryption for the device. While it doesn't expose user data stored in the Secure Enclave, it does give researchers the ability to access the Secure Enclave's firmware to investigate how it works.
Just two days later, a law firm that works with Apple sent a DMCA takedown notice to Twitter, requesting that the tweet be removed. Twitter complied, deleting the tweet.
Today, the tweet reappeared, and Siguza said that the DMCA claim was "retracted." Apple confirmed to Motherboard that it sent the takedown notice and then asked Twitter to put the tweet back in place.
iPhone11,8 17C5053a sepi 9f974f1788e615700fec73006cc2e6b533b0c6c2b8cf653bdbd347bc1897bdd66b11815f036e94c951250c4dda916c00
— Siguza (@s1guza) December 8, 2019
Reddit also received several DMCA takedown requests for posts shared on r/jailbreak, a subreddit where security researchers and hackers discuss methods for jailbreaking Apple iPhones. It's not clear if this is also Apple, as the source of the takedown requests was unable to be verified.
Still, security researchers suspect Apple, and according to Motherboard, they see Apple's actions as an attempt to stifle the jailbreaking community.
For many years, there was no available jailbreaking software for modern iPhones, but that changed earlier this year when Checkra1n, a jailbreak for certain devices running iOS 13, was released. Checkra1n doesn't work on iPhones released in 2018 and 2019, but it does work on all older iPhone models, which has likely put Apple on edge.
Apple is also in the middle of a lawsuit against Corellium, a mobile device virtualization company that supports iOS. Corellium's software allows security researchers and hackers to create digital replicas of iOS devices for the purpose of finding and testing vulnerabilities, and the security community has criticized Apple's decision to levy a lawsuit against Corellium.
New York City's public transit agency MTA today announced that its tap-and-go fare payment system OMNY is now available at Penn Station, a major hub, with support for both mobile wallets like Apple Pay and contactless credit cards from the likes of Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.
96 OMNY readers are now live at 18 turnstile arrays serving the A, C, E and 1, 2, 3 lines at Penn Station, according to the MTA.
New Yorkers will be able to tap and ride at a total of 85 stations across the MTA system later this month, and the MTA plans to expand contactless payments to all 472 of its subway stations and all of its bus routes by the end of 2020.
Apple Pay will be accepted on MTA-operated buses in Manhattan beginning March 2020, with further plans detailed on the OMNY website.
Apple Pay first became available at select MTA subway stations and on Staten Island buses in May, complete with support for Express Transit mode. Riders can simply hold their iPhone or Apple Watch near the contactless reader to pay their fare, without needing to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. The device does not need to be tapped on or unlocked, either.
OMNY is currently limited to full-fare, pay-per-ride use, with additional fare options set to become available during future phases of the rollout, such as unlimited ride passes and reduced fares. Keep in mind that free transfers are only available at OMNY-enabled stations, so plan your trip accordingly.
MetroCards will remain available until at least 2023, according to the MTA.
In iOS 13.3, Apple added new Communication Limits to its Screen Time options, which let parents control who their children are able to contact.
If you're not familiar with Apple's Screen Time functions, they enable users to keep track of their device usage and place self-imposed limits on the time they spend using their iPhone or iPad. Screen Time also serves as a parental control system for parents.
The latest feature addition, Communication Limits, lets parents manage who their children are able to contact through FaceTime, Phone, Messages, and iCloud Contacts.
The new options allow contacts only or everyone to be contacted during a child's allotted Screen Time, and there's a toggle that either allows or prevents people from being added to a group chat when a contact or family member is in the group.
There's also a separate setting for communication limits during downtime, which can be set to allow everyone or just specific contacts. Follow the steps below to set your preferences for your child's Screen Time and Downtime.
How to Set Communication Limits During Allowed Screen Time in iOS
Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap Screen Time.
Tap Communication Limits.
Tap During Allowed Screen Time.
Under Allowed Communication, select Everyone or Contacts Only.
To allow people to be added to group conversations when an iCloud contact or a family member is in the same group, tap the toggle next to Allow Introductions in Groups so that it's in the green ON position.
How to Set Communication Limits During Downtime in iOS
Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap Screen Time.
Tap Communication Limits.
Tap During Downtime.
Tap Specific Contacts.
Tap Choose From My Contacts and select the people that can be contacted during downtime, then tap Done. If the person you want to allow to be contacted isn't in your contacts, tap Add New Contact and enter their details in a new contact card, then tap Done.
Note that calls to emergency numbers are always allowed and when placed, will turn off communication limits for 24 hours to make sure children are safe and not prevented from communicating with people in the event of an emergency.
Ever since the Apple Watch launched in 2015, we've seen countless products that save up some counter or desktop space by letting you charge your Apple Watch and iPhone in one spot. There are numerous versions of this type of accessory, and now AT&T has released its own with the Power Drum.
The Power Drum is a cylindrical charger with a small 3-inch footprint that houses a built-in Apple Watch charger and is topped with a Qi-compatible wireless charging surface (subtly designed with the AT&T logo). The Power Drum can be used as a desktop charger through the included micro-USB charging cable, or on-the-go thanks to a 3,000 mAh internal battery.
There are a few things that work for the Power Drum, but to start with its most glaring issue, the accessory is just too small to reliably use as a wireless charger for the iPhone. With just a 2-inch base to place your iPhone on (the top portion is smaller than the foot of the Power Drum), placing my iPhone 11 Pro Max on the Power Drum every night for the past week or so always felt like a risk.
Going about this process is frustrating because I had to not only aim for the Qi hotspot on my iPhone, but also ensure that the iPhone was properly balanced on the Power Drum at the same time. The right wireless charging position typically never aligned with the perfect balancing position, and it always left me uncertain about leaving my brand-new iPhone 11 Pro Max dangling above the stand for any length of time.
In terms of iPhone charging, I found the Power Drum to offer the typical wireless charging performance. It trickle charged my iPhone 11 Pro Max at a solid rate overnight, but on a few occassions I did notice charging stopped before my iPhone was topped off. As a mobile battery, the Power Drum just isn't sensible for the Pro Max. Its 3,000 mAh battery can offer a bit of charge to the 3,969 mAh battery on the Pro Max, but once you account for the efficiency loss of wireless charging, the Power Drum doesn't come close to fully charging the smartphone.
AT&T's accessory makes more sense as an Apple Watch charger in both desktop and mobile formats. I was able to charge my Apple Watch Series 5's ~300 mAh battery multiple times without needing to fuel up the Power Drum. This makes the accessory a solid Apple Watch charger for places where a cord is unable to reach, like a bathroom countertop, but it is something you'll have to remember to charge up every few days.
The Power Drum separates into two parts, including a rubberized base and the central drum-shaped battery. Under the base are inserts sized for each version of the Apple Watch, helping to make sure your Apple Watch lines up with the charging puck on the front of the Power Drum.
The drum simply nests into the base, allowing you to place your Apple Watch around the drum and use Nightstand Mode, but I never found the two pieces were secured together enough. Easy disassembly will make packing it for travel less of a pain, but could also result in lost parts (particularly those Apple Watch case sizing inserts).
AT&T intends you to charge an Apple Watch and smartphone simultaneously, but I found the device to be more useful as an Apple Watch and AirPods charger. The Qi mat is just big enough for the AirPods Pro to fit, so it's less of a risk than placing your iPhone on the top of the mat.
This makes the Power Drum a convenient home hub for your Apple accessories if you have a nearby outlet to keep it constantly plugged in. Still, even with my AirPods Pro I had to occasionally shift the AirPods around to find the right charging spot on the Power Drum.
Bottom Line
There are aspects to the design of the Power Drum that work, but AT&T's overall execution of the device is lacking. Charging your iPhone on the accessory is simply not a good idea, so you'll really only want to look into it if you have an Apple Watch and another, smaller Qi-supported device like the AirPods.
But at $99.99 ($59.99 on sale), there just aren't enough positive aspects of the Power Drum to recommend it. For those interested in learning more, you can find the Power Drum on AT&T's website.
Note: AT&T provided MacRumors with the Power Drum for the purpose of this review, and no other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with AT&T. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple TV+ series "The Morning Show" has been nominated for three Screen Actors Guild Awards for outstanding male actor and outstanding female actor.
Steve Carell and Billy Crudup, who play Mitch Kessler and Corey Ellison, respectively, have been nominated for the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series award.
The two will be competing against Sterling K. Brown (Randall Pearson) from "This Is Us," Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) from "Game of Thrones," and David Harbour (Jim Hopper) from "Stranger Things."
Jennifer Aniston, who plays Alex Levy, was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series. Reese Witherspoon, who plays Bradley Jackson in "The Morning Show" was not nominated.
Aniston will be competing against Helena Bonham Carter (Princess Margaret) and Olivia Coleman (Queen Elizabeth II) from "The Crown," Jodie Comer (Villanelle) from "Killing Eve," and Elisabeth Moss (June/Offred) from "The Handmaid's Tale."
Apple has also received several Golden Globe Award nominations for "The Morning Show," including a nomination for best drama series. Both Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have been nominated for best actress in a drama series Golden Globe awards as well.
Apple is competing against HBO's "Big Little Lies" and "Succession," BBC America's "Killing Eve," and Netflix's "The Crown" for the best drama series Golden Globe award.
The SAG Awards are given by the Screen Actors Guild and they are considered one of the major award events in Hollywood. The Golden Globe Awards, also considered a major award event, are decided on by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
The SAG awards will take place on Sunday, January 19, 2020, while the Golden Globes will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2020.
Both the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards will be followed by the Academy Awards, given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Nominations for the Academy Awards, which will be held on February 9, have not yet been announced. SAG and Golden Globe nominations are often predictors of Academy Award nominations, though.
"The Morning Show" is the only one of Apple's TV shows to receive award nominations in 2020, and it is the series with the most notable cast. Prior to launch, "The Morning Show" received less than stellar reviews from critics, but it has fared better with audiences.
Available for $129.95, the Brydge keyboards are more affordable than Apple's own Smart Keyboards and offer a more traditional typing experience with 1.2mm of key travel.
Brydge keyboards, which come in gray, silver, and gold to match the colors of the available iPad models, are unique among third-party keyboards because of their tab system.
The iPad is designed to nestle into two silicone-lined tabs at the top of the keyboard, with no additional cover required for the rest of the iPad, which keeps the design more minimal. The tabs are hinged, so the keyboard can be closed over the iPad in a clamshell design.
Brydge keyboards aren't able to take advantage of the Smart Connector on Apple's iPads and instead must use Bluetooth, but Brydge says they're able to last for up to 12 months on a single charge depending on usage. There are integrated iOS battery management tools to cut down on power drain.
The keys are backlit, there's a row of function keys specific to iOS, and the keyboards use Bluetooth 4.0 to connect to the iPad. Each keyboard is made from a heavy, durable aluminum that's able to hold up to wear and tear, and it's simple to remove the iPad from the tabs that hold it in place.
The Brydge keyboards are available from the Apple online store and Apple retail stores in the United States and Canada starting today.
Apple is rumored to launch four 5G-enabled iPhones in fall 2020, and while 5G-related components could raise the production costs of the devices by $30 to $100 depending on the model, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will not significantly increase the price of 5G iPhones compared to this year's lineup.
iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max models start at $999 and $1,099 respectively in the United States, while the iPhone 11 starts at $699.
In a research note with TF International Securities, viewed by MacRumors, Kuo said Apple instead aims to offset the cost of 5G by reducing its supply chain expenses, potentially including dropping its upfront non-recurring engineering payment to suppliers of the redesigned metal chassis and frame for 5G iPhones.
Non-recurring engineering refers to the one-time cost to research, design, develop, and test a new product or component. Kuo believes Apple will shift more of this research and development in house.
While the non-recurring engineering payment has typically helped Apple's suppliers stay afloat when iPhone sales start to slow during the spring and summer each year, Kuo believes it will be less essential in 2020 and beyond since Apple is expected to start releasing iPhones on a biannual basis going forward -- lower-end iPhones in the spring and higher-end iPhones in the fall.
Kuo has previously claimed that 5G iPhones will sport a redesigned metal frame with an iPhone 4-like design, suggesting a return to flatter edges. In today's note, he said both the chassis and frame on 5G iPhones will cost Apple significantly more to manufacture, perhaps pointing towards an even more premium design.
Apple appears to be working on new "Powerbeats4" wireless earphones to replace the existing Powerbeats3, based on strings in iOS 13.3 code uncovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
Powerbeats3
9to5Mac was first to discover the Powerbeats4 reference, noting that the earphones will likely support hands-free "Hey Siri." This means the Powerbeats4 will likely have an Apple-designed H1 chip or newer, which delivers a faster and more stable wireless connection to your devices.
With the H1 chip, the Powerbeats4 would likely support "Announce Messages with Siri." When enabled, Siri reads your incoming messages out loud when your earphones are connected to your iPhone or iPad running iOS 13.2 or iPadOS 13.2 or later, you're wearing them, and your device is locked. Siri plays a tone, then announces the sender's name and reads the message.
Apple already released totally wireless Powerbeats Pro with "Hey Siri" support earlier this year for a regular price of $249.95. Powerbeats4 would likely be a cheaper version of the earphones and will presumably stick with the cord between the left and right earphone like the Powerbeats3, which retail for $199.95.
It is unclear if and when Apple will release the Powerbeats4 or if that will be the final consumer-facing name of the earphones.
Apple, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, and former first lady Michelle Obama have teamed up to donate Macs and iPads to Randle Highlands Elementary School in Washington, D.C., a school with a high percentage of low-income students.
Apple's donation includes iMacs for the school, a MacBook Air for each teacher, and an iPad for each student. The school is also receiving a $100,000 cash donation and a new basketball court from Ellen.
"Every child deserves the opportunity to create something that can change the world," said Apple CEO Tim Cook.
The donation was part of day one of Ellen's "Greatest Night of Giveaways," which will continue to air on NBC for the next two nights.
Google has released Chrome 79 with a number of enhanced security features and improvements for lower CPU usage.
On the security front, when you type your credentials into a website, Chrome will now warn you if your username and password have been compromised in a data breach, and suggest that you change them everywhere they were used.
Google first introduced this technology earlier this year as the Password Checkup extension. In October it became a part of the Password Checkup in Google Account settings, and now it has evolved to offer warnings as you browse the web in Chrome.
In addition to password warnings, Chrome has brought its anti-phishing protections to desktop. Google's Safe Browsing maintains a list of unsafe sites on the web that refreshes every 30 minutes, but Google found that some phishing sites were slipping through that 30-minute window, either by quickly switching domains or by hiding from Google's crawlers.
To counter this, the desktop phishing protection is real-time, and should warn users when visiting malicious sites in 30 percent more cases. Google is rolling out this protection to everyone with the "Make searches and browsing better" setting enabled in Chrome.
Chrome 79 also introduces automatic tab freezing, which aims to reduce the browser's CPU usage, especially when lots of tabs are open. With automatic tab freezing, Chrome pauses any tabs that have been in the background for a while so that they don't load content or do anything else that could tax the system.
Users will still be able to play audio in a backgrounded tab, but if there's no interaction with a tab for a while then Chrome will freeze it until the user returns to it.
Early reports from 16-inch MacBook Pro owners who have installed the macOS Catalina 10.15.2 update suggest that the new software fixes some of the speaker popping issues that were plaguing these machines.
According to a reddit user, after installing the update, the popping issue is no longer occurring, even after attempts to trigger it in VLC, Safari, Chrome, Netflix, YouTube, Premiere Pro, and Amazon Prime Video, all apps 16-inch MacBook Pro owners previously complained were affected.
There are similar reports from 16-inch MacBook Pro owners on the MacRumors forums. MacRumors readers Dextera, donawalt, and Lobwedgephil say their popping problems are entirely solved.
Just installed it over 10.15.1, ran about 6-7 different loud Youtube songs, tried the skip ahead/right arrow, and stopping songs, NADA! FIXED!
Reports from other 16-inch MacBook Pro owners are more mixed, though. Some users say that the update improves the popping problem, but does not eliminate it entirely.
Some users are hearing lighter and more muted popping sounds in apps like Chrome and Safari, and some report that the popping has stopped for some apps like Spotify, but not for others. From MacRumors reader Ries:
10.15.2, occasional pops still happen for me in all scenarios. Thou a lot less frequent and at lower volume than they used to be.
Just installed 10.15.2 and can confirm that although the popping has been significantly reduced (more often it sounds like a minor crackle as I would expect when signal is cut), it is still there. I'm inclined to think that since the issue has been reduced as it has, if you're not hearing it you may just not be hearing the old sound, as it now sounds different. It's about 50% of the max it was previously (the loudest I experienced).
I also had to skip pretty aggressively in YouTube to really get a good pop - better, but certainly not fixed. I also had my volume up quite loud, but not full.
16-inch MacBook Pro owners have been complaining of popping sounds since the machine was first released in October. Apple in a memo to Apple Authorized Service Providers confirmed the popping issue and said that a fix would be implemented in the near future.
When using Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, QuickTime Player, Music, Movies, or other applications to play audio, users may hear a pop come from the speakers after playback has ended. Apple is investigating the issue. A fix is planned in future software updates. Do not set up service, or replace the user's computer, as this is a software-related issue.
Apple in its note to service providers said that the fix would require updates plural, not a single update, which may explain the mixed reports that we're hearing from 16-inch MacBook Pro owners. The macOS Catalina 10.15.2 software appears to partially address the problem, but further software updates may be required to stamp it out entirely.
Apple CEO Tim Cook this week spent time in Japan, and during his trip, he sat down with Japanese news site Nikkei to cover familiar topics like privacy, manufacturing, and health.
Cook visited Apple supplier Seiko Advance in Tokyo, met with developers in the area, visited a primary school, and stopped by several local Apple Stores.
Cook said that Apple does manufacturing by looking at "all countries" and seeing what skills are available. "We pick the best," Cook said. He pointed out that Apple has created well over two million jobs in the United States, and says there's "enormous manufacturing" happening there. "Just not the assembly of the final product," he said.
On the topic of Apple's ability to innovate, Cook said that the smartphone market has not yet reached its peak and there are still advancements to come.
"I know of no one who would call a 12-year-old mature," he said. "Sometimes these steps are humongous, sometimes these steps are smaller. But the key is to always make things better, not just change for change's sake."
"The ethos and the DNA of the company have never been stronger on the innovation front. The product line has never been stronger."
Cook went on to say that he believes Apple's greatest contribution to humankind will be in health, something that he's said several times before. He specifically pointed out the ECG function of the Apple Watch as evidence of Apple's progress.
Cook also spoke about competition and monopolies, claiming that Apple has "more competitors than any company on earth." Apple is facing regulatory investigations in the United States and Europe over its App Store policies amid accusations that Apple has an unfair advantage over third-party app developers.
"A monopoly by itself isn't bad if it's not abused," Cook said, while insisting that Apple does not have a monopoly in any sector. "The question for those companies is, do they abuse it? And that is for regulators to decide, not for me to decide."
Cook ended the interview with a spiel on privacy, a topic that he often covers. He reiterated once again that customers are not Apple's product, and that Apple does not believe in trafficking data.
With the new 2019 Mac Pro now available for purchase, Apple has begun sharing support documents and tutorial videos covering the new high-end machine that's designed for professional users.
Two new support videos shared this morning walk Mac Pro owners through RAM upgrades and graphics upgrades through adding a new MPX Module. Apple designed the Mac Pro to be upgradeable over time, so all of the components can be swapped out.
Upgrading the Mac Pro's RAM can be done by lifting off the aluminum housing, opening up the DIMM cover, opening the DIMM ejectors, pulling out old RAM, and then aligning the DIMMs of the new memory into the optimal slots and pushing it in gently.
Installing a new MPX Module requires lifting off the aluminum housing, loosening the screws of the MPX base with a screwdriver and removing the clamp plates, unlocking the MPX base, and then sliding in a new module.
Apple also has a support document highlighting all of the parts that can be replaced and upgraded in the Mac Pro, including the memory, PCIe cards, Apple I/O card, power supply, SSD, and wheels.
Many other Mac Pro support documents are available to walk users through component replacement and other features, with a list below:
Apple warns that damage caused by failing to follow the specific instructions provided on replacing components in the Mac Pro is not covered by Apple's warranty.
There are also some support documents specific to the new Pro Display XDR.
Both the Mac Pro and the Pro Display XDR are available for purchase starting today, with pricing on the Mac Pro starting at $5,999 and pricing on the Pro Display XDR starting at $4,999.
Apple's new Pro Display XDR comes with an optional nano-texture glass, which is etched at the nanometer level to cut down on reflectivity and glare for a matte look.
The nano-texture glass costs an extra $1,000, and as it turns out, it also impacts how the Pro Display XDR can be cleaned.
According to an Apple support document, the Pro Display XDR with nano-texture glass must be cleaned only with the dry polishing cloth that Apple provides. No water or liquids should be used to clean the glass.
Apple warns that Pro Display XDR owners should never use any other cloths to clean the glass, and if the included dry polishing cloth is lost, Apple Support should be contacted so another cloth can be ordered. There's no word yet on what Apple is charging for replacement cleaning cloths.
Apple also has specific instructions for washing the polishing cloth, which includes using dish soap and water, rinsing thoroughly, and then letting it air dry for at least 24 hours.
The standard Pro Display XDR glass can be cleaned with a standard microfiber cloth and a small amount of water, while the casing can be cleaned using a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth.
Since its announcement, the Pro Display XDR has been the butt of multiple jokes as Apple is charging $4,999 for the display, and an extra $999 for its stand. The need for a specific Apple-designed cleaning cloth isn't likely to help the situation.
Apple's Pro Display XDR, which is meant to be used alongside the Mac Pro, is available starting today. Pro Display XDR orders with standard glass will start arriving to customers on December 20, but the Pro Display XDR with nano-texture glass won't be available until January 21 at the earliest.
Edison Software, makers of Edison Mail for iOS and Android, today debuted Edison Mail for desktop Macs. The developers say the app aims to eliminate common frustrations with desktop mail, all within a minimalist UI that's designed to save time managing emails.
Edison Mail for Mac includes all of the features that make the mobile apps popular, including One-Click Unsubscribe for junk messages, Block Sender, Custom Snooze, Undo Send, and automatic Read Receipt Blocking to prevent advertisers from tracking your email actions.
Email "power user" features are also built-in, including Dark Mode to reduce potential eye strain, Swipe Gestures to manage mail faster, and a Unified Inbox that makes Edison compatible with nearly all email providers to manage unlimited email accounts all in one place. Edison Mail for Mac supports use with Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, Outlook, iCloud, and many other mail providers.
Edison Mail for Mac also introduces new features that are designed to maximize mailbox efficiency for desktop users. New Keyboard Shortcuts are available in three settings — default Edison Mail shortcuts, shortcuts users are already familiar with from other mail providers, and the ability to create custom shortcuts.
Elsewhere, Threading allows users to view all of their emails on the same subject together (even for non-Gmail accounts that don’t support Threading), while new Email Templates aim to simplify the task of sending repeated emails with the same content.
Additionally, the ability to Search Settings allows users to find a setting item they're looking for ("Dark Mode" or "Font," for example) and other items, instead of having to navigate through all options.
According to the developers, the Mac app has been built for existing users of its mobile apps who requested a desktop version. As such, the new Mac app is available by invitation to current Edison Mail users on iOS and Android, rolling out throughout December and beyond. Everyone else can sign up to be invited to use the app at http://mail.edison.tech/mac.
Today, Edison Mail also released a new version of its app for iOS and Android featuring Assistant – a new feature to preview your upcoming meetings, travel, bills, missed calendar invitations, and forgotten subscriptions all in one place.
Assistant lives in the upper right corner of the Edison Mail inbox screen, where users can tap to see what they've got on their schedules in the coming days. Calendar integration includes the day ahead, events that users may have forgotten to RSVP for, bill payment reminders, and travel reminders and information.
For anyone who still has privacy concerns, both the mobile and desktop apps include options for users to opt-out of data sharing and fully delete any data from both the Edison app and the company's servers.
In a new support document, Apple has indicated that iOS 13.3 includes improvements to further minimize junk messages in the Messages app.
If you are trying to send a message to someone and you see an alert on your device that says the message was delivered as junk, Apple has provided some potential solutions to get around that:
- Ask the person that you're trying to message to add your phone number to their Contacts. - Ask the person that you're trying to message to send you a message to start the conversation. - On your device, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive and make sure that only your phone number is selected under Start New Conversations From. If your Apple ID is selected, the messages will be delivered as junk. - If you're on an iPad or iPod touch, turn on Text Message Forwarding from your iPhone.
In iOS 13.3, Apple added new Communication Limits to its Screen Time options, which let parents control who their children are able to contact. 
Google has released Chrome 79 with a number of enhanced security features and improvements for lower CPU usage.
