macOS is Apple’s operating system for the Mac. It has been around quite a long time, but in its current form it really started in 2001 with Mac OS X 10.1. It’s built on top of a UNIX core, which makes it very stable, versatile, and great for developers. It’s popular with creators too, as a good platform for video editing and photography. More recently, Apple has begun working to bring iOS apps to the Mac, which could change how MacBooks, iMacs, Mac Pros, and Mac Minis work for everybody.
What better place to ring in the new year than in zombie-infested Raccoon City? The port for Apple devices, announced for the App Store earlier this year, has now gotten a December 31st release date, AppleInsider spotted.
Like Resident Evil 4 and Village, it’ll be free to start, and an in-app purchase unlocks the full game.
[AppleInsider]
The official Pixel Buds web app is now available for Windows (version 11) and macOS (running Sonoma 14 or newer) allowing more desktop users to manage firmware updates, battery levels, and specific controls like ANC and multipoint connectivity.
Prior to this update, Pixel Buds users needed a Chromebook or Android phone to access advanced features.
[support.google.com]
Along with Apple Intelligence, the new iOS 18.1 and macOS 15.1 betas introduce a handy new way to transfer files when mirroring your iPhone, as spotted by 9to5Mac. Apple previously said the drag-and-drop capability would arrive later this year.
Someone posted a Hacker News link to a demo of HNTerm, a command line tool that lets you browse that site using the MacOS or Linux Terminal. Here’s the GitHub link.
There are other similar tools, as this comment points out, but it’s a fun reminder that Terminal can do more than things like tweaking how long notifications stick around or adjusting your Mac’s power schedule.
[hnterm.ggerganov.com]
As reported by AppleInsider and MacRumors, today Apple released a second developer beta for iOS / iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 updates with Apple Intelligence features.
There’s also a sixth set of developer betas for the initial updates set to hit iPhones, Macs, and other devices this fall, and an update for the AirPods Pro 2 set that’s in line for some new features.
Last we heard, Apple doesn’t plan to make a 27-inch iMac equipped with its custom silicon chips. But a larger version of its slender all-in-one is still “something Apple is exploring,” wrote Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg today.
He adds that it’s not clear whether that will happen in time for the M4 chip generation or later, though.
If you update to macOS Sequoia, you’ll have to go to Settings > Security & Privacy and approve the app on first open, because Apple is taking away the current right-click (ctrl-click) workaround.
The warning signifies the developer never had Apple malware scan and notarize the app. Sensible security step or not, I’ll still grumble every time I have to open Settings to run something.
Mark Gurman reports for Bloomberg that “Apple Intelligence” features will be available for developers to beta test this week.
However, he also says the first ones won’t be released publicly until weeks after Apple’s big September updates for iPhone / iPad / Mac, etc. Rollouts for others from its WWDC showcase, like upgraded Siri, could stretch into 2025.
Improve your workflow by getting distracted and bouncing a virtual ball around your screen instead of doing whatever it was you were supposed to be doing.
The new versions of Final Cut Pro are rolling out to the iPad and Mac starting today. While the iPad version of the app includes a new live multicam feature and external project support, the Mac update features new AI editing features. Both apps are available as a free update for existing users.
[Apple Newsroom]
Apple’s long-included macOS Chess game has a new look in the first macOS Sequoia beta.
Shiny as it is, it’s missing things like the “Grass” board and the style picker for the pieces, 9to5Mac writes. Here’s the current version (using “Fur” pieces on the Grass board, of course) compared to a screenshot posted to Reddit of its coming replacement.
