June, 2016 | Infinite DiariesInfinite Diaries

Rogue Amoeba on macOS Sierra and Gatekeeper Path Randomization →

June 30, 2016 · 23:35

Jeff Johnson:

At their recent Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple announced macOS 10.12 (Sierra), the next major version of the Mac operating system. Sierra is scheduled for official release in the fall, and we’re hard at work on getting our software ready for it. For now, however, we recommend that if you can’t live without our software — which we love to hear! — you should stick with 10.11 (El Capitan) or lower. We’ll be releasing fully compatible updates for 10.12 as soon as possible. For more detailed information, please see our Status page.

I’d like to take a few minutes now to talk directly to fellow software developers about Sierra, specifically about a new Sierra security feature called “Gatekeeper Path Randomization” (GPR) that has serious implications for software delivered outside of the Mac App Store.

Apple Discontinues the Thunderbolt Display →

June 30, 2016 · 23:34

Rene Ritchie:

“We’re discontinuing the Apple Thunderbolt Display,” Apple told iMore. “It will be available through Apple.com, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers while supplies last. There are a number of great third-party options available for Mac users.”

The only monitors I would consider buying today, while waiting for a future Thunderbolt Display, are NEC’s and Eizo’s better 4K options, which actually work in Retina mode.

Matt Gemmell the Writer – a New Chapter in His Life →

June 24, 2016 · 15:09

Matt Gemmell:

Jutland, Denmark: a billionaire industrialist seizes control of a top-secret project that the European Defence Agency calls Destiny, manipulating it for his own ends.

Edinburgh, Scotland: physicist Neil Aldridge’s life is saved by an elite EU special forces team, codenamed KESTREL, drawing him into a race against time to prevent a disaster that will claim millions of lives.

As the chase leads to London, Amsterdam and beyond, Aldridge and his allies must battle a ruthless adversary: a trained killer with an unnatural ability, who seeks to hasten the cataclysm.

With time running out, Aldridge discovers that he and his enemy share an astonishing secret, which may be the key to salvation — or cause death on an unprecedented scale…

I’ve enjoyed many years of reading Matt Gemmell the software developer, but that aspect of his life was put to rest some time ago. Time to start enjoying his life as a writer, and as a sign of support, I will be reading his first book on both my iPad and Kindle.

Apple’s Statement on Why the iOS 10 Kernel Cache Is Unencrypted →

June 23, 2016 · 05:48

Rene Ritchie:

Apple has provided iMore with the following statement:

“The kernel cache doesn’t contain any user info,” an Apple spokesperson told iMore, “and by unencrypting it we’re able to optimize the operating system’s performance without compromising security.”

iOS 10 Beta Released With Unencrypted Kernel →

June 22, 2016 · 08:32

Tom Simonite:

Why Apple has suddenly opened up its code is unclear. One hypothesis in the security community is that, as Levin puts it, someone inside the company “screwed up royally.” But he and Solnik both say there are reasons to think it may have been intentional. Encouraging more people to pore over the code could result in more bugs being disclosed to Apple so that it can fix them.

Jonathan Zdziarski, another iOS security expert, favors that hypothesis, because accidentally forgetting to encrypt the kernel would be such an elementary mistake. “This would have been an incredibly glaring oversight, like forgetting to put doors on an elevator,” he says.

Apple MacBook vs. HP Spectre →

June 21, 2016 · 23:32

Joanna Stern:

HP’s trackpad, on the other hand, feels claustrophobic. I also repeatedly encountered issues with it, including jumping cursors and unregistered clicks.

This doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a deal breaker for me. The keyboard and trackpad have to be perfect, and despite it being 2016, few laptops actually deliver a good experience in this regard.

App Store Deals — 21/06/2016

June 21, 2016 · 08:59

There are a few good apps to be had for a good price today. The most excellent Alto’s Adventure is a must have game, while Chameleon Run recently won an Apple Design Award. Make sure to take a look at Lara Croft GO too (also an Apple Design Award Winner). Oh, and TextGrabber seems to be one of the best OCR solutions — it supports over 90 languages (including Polish).

Quick Thoughts on iOS 10, macOS Sierra, tvOS 10,
and watchOS 3 from WWDC 2016

June 20, 2016 · 23:45

I’ve been thinking about what Apple showed us at this year’s WWDC 2016, and I can’t help but be satisfied with what they presented. iOS and macOS seems to have finally been accepted as mature operating systems, and I haven’t seem much criticism, nor any ‘Apple is doomed’ stories.

Continue reading →

How Removing Apple’s ‘Junk’ Apps in iOS 10 Really Works

June 20, 2016 · 22:51

There have been a few misconceptions about ‘deleting’ Apple’s apps. This is what actually happens when you remove the Stocks¹ app…

Continue reading →

This one seems to be a popular example, but I am, of course, referring to all the apps which can be removed. ↩

Apple File System (APFS) →

June 20, 2016 · 22:41

Apple:

HFS+ and it’s predecessor HFS are more than 30 years old. These file systems were developed in an era of floppy disks and spinning hard drives, where file sizes were calculated in kilobytes or megabytes. Today, solid-state drives store millions of files, accounting for gigabytes or terabytes of data. There is now also a greater importance placed on keeping sensitive information secure and safe from prying eyes.

A new file system is needed to meet the current needs of Apple products, and support new technologies for decades to come.

I can only imagine John Siracusa’s grin, smile or tension-releasing-sigh when he first heard of this news.

The Talk Show Live, With Friends of the Show
Craig Federighi and Phil Schiller

June 20, 2016 · 22:36

I’m glad Apple pivoted on their PR policies and shows, like John Gruber’s Talk Show, are actually possible with my two favourite presenters from the Fruit Company — Phil Schiller and Craig Federighi. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I truly hope this becomes tradition — watching Craig and John ‘geek out’ is a pleasure to watch.

Continue reading →

2016 Apple Design Award Winners

June 15, 2016 · 12:17

None of the winners disappoint and I can personally recommend Ulysses and Lara Croft GO. I use the former for my Markdown writing, while the latter is a great procrastination tool.

★ Dividr – iPhone – Games – €0.00 →
★ Linum – iPhone – Games – €0.00 →
★ djay Pro – iPad – Music – €19.99 →
★ Auxy Music Creation – iPad – Music – €0.00 →
★ INKS. – iOS – Games – €1.99 →
★ Lara Croft GO – iOS – Games – €4.99 →
★ Chameleon Run – iOS – Games – €1.99 →
★ Ulysses – Mac – Productivity – €44.99 →
★ Frame.io – iPhone – Photography – €0.00 →
★ Zova – Personal Trainer – iPhone – Healthcare & Fitness – €0.00 →
★ Streaks – iPhone – Productivity – €3.99 →
★ Complete Anatomy – iPad – Medical – €0.00 →

People often say they want Siri to act more like a human being. I hope Apple sets the bar higher than that.

Dr. Drang

One Reason Why You Should Use 1Blocker for Mac & iOS

June 10, 2016 · 17:08

I bought a bunch of adblockers for iOS when they came out last year. After repeated experiments, I stuck with 1Blocker — it was extremely fast, very good at dealing with trackers (which I care about most), and streamlining my mobile experience. The latter is probably the most important, since it really helps conserve data when roaming — why would I want to download a 1 MB webpage and 9 additional megabytes of trackers, when I can just download that 1 MB?

Continue reading →

iMessage on Android to Be Presented at WWDC →

June 10, 2016 · 16:39

MacDailyNews:

Apple will announce that iMessage encrypted text messaging is coming to Android users at WWDC next Monday at WWDC 2016, according to a source familiar with the company’s thinking.

This would be the one thing that would actually surprise me.

32 Million Twitter Passwords Leaked →

June 9, 2016 · 15:37

LeakedSource:

This data set contains 32,888,300 records. Each record may contain an email address, a username, sometimes a second email and a visible password. We have very strong evidence that Twitter was not hacked, rather the consumer was. These credentials however are real and valid. Out of 15 users we asked, all 15 verified their passwords.

Change your password.

Google Will Offer App Developers 85:15 Split Following Apple Announcement →

June 9, 2016 · 15:37

Mark Bergen:

Now Google plans to up the ante at its app store: It will also move from a 70/30 split to 85/15 for subscriptions — but instead of requiring developers to hook a subscriber for 12 months before offering the better split, it will make it available right away.

I’m pretty sure developers aren’t complaining.

Phil Schiller Calls John Gruber to Talk About the App Store →

June 9, 2016 · 15:36

John Gruber:

“We’re doing something a little different this year. We’ve got a bunch of App Store/developer-related announcements for WWDC next week, but frankly, we’ve got a busy enough keynote that we decided we’re not going to cover those in the keynote. And rather, just cover them in the afternoon and throughout the week. We’re talking to people today for news tomorrow about those things, in advance of WWDC, and then developers can come and be ready for sessions about these things, with knowledge about them before the conference. We haven’t done this before, but we figured, what the heck, let’s give it a try.”

So started my phone call with Phil Schiller yesterday.

More information from John. I love how the ‘new Apple’ communicates with people like Gruber and Dalrymple. And it surprises me every single time.

Phil Schiller Talks to Jim Dalrymple About Changes to the App Store →

June 9, 2016 · 15:34

Jim Dalrymple:

These are some major changes from the App Store team—more than we’ve seen in years from Apple. It’s a good sign that Apple is focusing so much attention on making the App Store better for developers and customers. We’ll have to see how it all works out in the coming months, but a focus on making things relevant, fair, and easier to use should pay off for Apple, its developers and the customer.

A nice set of changes overall, although I am worried that many developers will want to jump on the bandwagon, ultimately resulting in a failed attempt at the newly announced subscription model.

The Author Should Write the Headline →

June 7, 2016 · 08:39

Ken Segall:

Last week, I wrote an article for The Guardian with the above title. It was a question, not a conclusion, and I tried to offer a thoughtful opinion. Sadly, The Guardian chose to give it a click-bait headline that contradicted my point of view. So, for the record, here is the complete article as originally intended.

I read Ken’s article on the Guardian and my first thought was that he’s an asshole for that clickbait headline. And that the article itself did not even make one sensible argument for the statement in the title.

Now it’s clear what happened.

Drive a 4K Display at 60 Hz With the 2016 MacBook →

June 7, 2016 · 08:17

Jeff Benjamin:

The 2016 MacBook is capable of driving a 4K display at 60 Hz via a single USB-C cable. Such a feat is achievable via an easy-to-apply IOKit patch.
One of the great things about the new Intel hardware inside of the 2016 MacBook is that it’s capable of supporting 4K resolution at 60 Hz. The jump in refresh is a big deal, as anyone who’s tried to put up with running a 30 Hz refresh rate can attest to.

Operating at 30 Hz results in jerky and choppy cursor movement, and in some cases can induce headaches after prolonged use.

The good news is that it is possible to enable 60 Hz at native 4K resolution and 1080p (HiDPI/Retina) resolution on a 2016 MacBook. In fact, I just did so on the LG 27UD88 4K USB-C monitor that I recently reviewed. Watch the step-by-step process in our video tutorial for the details.

I don’t understand why this is even necessary, but at least it’s possible. I can confirm that using a 4K, or any display for that matter, at 30 Hz is impossible for in the long run. It should be also possible (I assume) to run the display @1.6x, which results in a 2560×1440 pt workspace, which is what I’m using on my Eizo.

LG’s USB-C-Enabled 4K Monitor Lends Single Cable Simplicity to 12″ MacBook →

June 7, 2016 · 08:12

Jeff Benjamin:

you’re looking for a 4K display that can be paired with your 12″ MacBook via a single USB-C cable, then your options are fairly limited. It seems that LG is one of the few display makers that has such a monitor available for sale.

LG’s 27UD88-W is a 27″ USB-C-enabled display. Its USB-C port allows MacBook owners to connect a single cable to drive the display, charge the machine, and facilitate data transfer.

This is actually quite cool. Too bad the colour’s not even close to that seen on the new Retina iMacs, but still. It does however need a hack to run at 60 Hz (see my next post).

The Talk Show Tickets Sell Out in Seconds

June 7, 2016 · 08:09

John Gruber tweeted this, on the hour:

Tickets for next week’s live episode of The Talk Show are on sale now:https://t.co/E0dsb4nenU

— The Talk Show (@thetalkshow) June 6, 2016

One minute later:

Tickets for next week’s show are now sold out.

— The Talk Show (@thetalkshow) June 6, 2016

Taking into account that it took him a frantic few seconds to type out that second tweet, and that he probably first stared dumbfounded at his screen that it went so fast, 15-20 seconds seems like a fair estimation.

Lottery anyone?

Best Apps to Mark Up and Annotate Images for iOS →

June 4, 2016 · 15:01

Allyson Kazmucha:

One question I’m asked on a regular basis is “What apps are you using to mark up and annotate your images?” A few years ago, I would have told you that it wasn’t an easy task on iOS and you were better off using a Mac app, such as Napkin. Luckily, that not only isn’t the case anymore, it’s actually easier to mark up and annotate images on iPhone nowadays.

PointOut [App Store] is my tool of choice. Ally has some more suggestions though, if you’re looking for more.

How to Avoid Clipboard Poisoning Attacks on the Mac →

June 4, 2016 · 14:56

Thomas Reed:

Graham Cluley drew my attention the other day to an issue that has apparently been known to some for years, but was new to me: clipboard poisoning, an issue where a website can replace what you think is on your clipboard with something else (…)

It turns out that there’s a possibility that this could lead to remote code execution. In other words, it could lead to someone else’s malicious code being run on your computer without your knowledge!

Once malicious code has been run on your computer, that code can download and install other processes, and in no time, your Mac has been pwned.

The key to this issue lies with any code that the user might copy from a website, then copy somewhere else in such a way that it is automatically executed. It turns out that this is possible with shell scripts pasted into the Terminal.

As an example, consider the following command, which is commonly cited as a way to make your Mac show hidden files:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE; killall Finder

Read his full post for tips how to keep yourself safe.

via @qurczaq

No Apple Display With Integrated GPU at WWDC — Think Software for This Year →

June 3, 2016 · 08:21

Rene Ritchie:

There’d been some speculation on Twitter and rumor reports about Apple possibly introducing a display with an integrated eGPU. Theory being, it would take some of the graphical processing overhead off MacBooks and/or facilitate a single-cable connection that could drive 5K. It sounds cool, but I asked around, and it’s not happening at the keynote or any time in the immediate future.

So that’s that. I can’t wait to see the backlash from the internet that no new hardware will be introduced (reportedly).

BitTorrent Spins Off Sync App Into Separate Company →

June 3, 2016 · 08:14

Janko Roettgers:

saying good-bye to Sync, the file synchronization tool once pitched as an alternative to Dropbox and similar services. However, Sync isn’t being shut down: Instead, it is spun off into a separate company headed by former BitTorrent CEO Eric Klinker, Variety has learned.

Klinker’s new company Resilio will rebrand Sync as “Connect,” and apparently squarely focus on enterprise file sharing and synchronization needs. Klinker is being joined in his efforts by a handful of other former BitTorrent colleagues, including the company’s former GM of platforms Ilan Shamir.

I was about to get the paid version of sync to use instead of Dropbox. Not sure what to do now.

Apple Readying New External 5K Display, May Feature Integrated GPU →

June 2, 2016 · 08:38

Benjamin Mayo:

At first, the idea of Apple including a GPU in the external display may sound crazy. Our sources explain that the reason for it is primarily for compatibility with as many future Macs as possible. Due to the immense graphics needs required to push 5K worth of pixels, normal super high-resolution displays require connected computers to include significantly powerful GPUs.

If the GPU is used only to push the display’s pixels, and not add any more ‘oomph’ to a connected Mac, then I can see this happening.

I will however consider this a lost opportunity. The ability to use a regular MacBook 12″ for Final Cut Pro X, gaming, etc. would be too good to pass up for me personally.

Thunderbolt Display With Built-in GPU Theory →

June 2, 2016 · 08:00

John Gruber:

A 27-inch standalone retina display will be a genuine finally. If they announce it at WWDC, the crowd will go nuts. But just how they’ll drive it is a fascinating question. Using two Thunderbolt cables would be clunky. Maybe one cable that forks into two Thunderbolt adapters at the end?

UPDATE: Best guess so far, from Stephen Foskett:

@gruber What if Apple put the graphics card in the monitor? It would work with most (all?) Thunderbolt Macs and wouldn’t require 2 cables…

I’d bet on this.

The problem with this solution is that the GPU would have to be upgradeable. People buy screens for years, while GPUs tend to get updated much more often, and newer models usually boast significant gains.

I wouldn’t bother spending 1-2K (or more) on an LCD which doesn’t have a GPU I can replace. Nor would I want to buy a new screen every few years, just to get the latest and greatest GPU. And looking at Apple’s history, I seriously doubt a newer model of GPU would be introduced regularly and in a timely manner.

Spy Photos All but Confirm 2016 MacBook Pro’s OLED Touchpad →

June 1, 2016 · 08:46

Killian Bell:

These photos, sent into us by an anonymous source who claims to work for one of Apple’s manufacturing partners in China, reveal a new cutout above the MacBook Pro’s keyboard — where the function keys would normally sit — that could house that OLED touchpad.

There are a bunch of reasons why adding an OLED touchpad to the MacBook Pro is a great idea, the main one being the ability to customize those function keys to swap out shortcuts you don’t use for ones you will. You could also add shortcuts for specific apps.

I truly hope this doesn’t mean that I won’t have to start actually looking at what I’m typing — I use the top row a lot.

The four USB-C ports are fine, though I will have to get some sort of adapted for my older portable HDDs.