Apple

How to create blank disk images with Disk Utility

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 2, 2016

Should you ever find yourself in the need to create blank disk images, OS X's built-in Disk Utility is your friend. A disk image usually has a .dmg extension and appears, looks and behaves like any ordinary file, with one key exception: launching it prompts OS X to mount the volume on the desktop.

These mountable disk images can be useful in a number of situations. For example, you may want to create blank disk images for storage.

Furthermore, disk images can be used as a virtual disk for software distribution, to burn CDs or DVDs and so forth. In this step-by-step tutorial, you'll learn how to create blank disk images in Disk Utility, at any size, with optional password protection, formatting options and more.

Read More

Deal: Alto’s Adventure is 66 percent off today only

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 2, 2016

Alto's Adventure, an endless snowboarding odyssey, is currently available at a deep 66 percent discount as part of a Spring sale developer Snowman has been having since five days ago. The game is currently available for just 99 cents on the App Store, down from its usual asking price of $2.99 a pop. Alto's Adventure is a universal app so that's 99 cents to play this remarkable well executed triple-A on your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Apple TV.

I have confirmed with Snowman that the discount will be up for at least another 24 hours so now's the perfect chance to grab this premium game if you haven't already.

Read More

WSJ: Hulu is working on a cable-like digital pay-TV service

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 2, 2016

Citing sources familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reports this morning that Hulu has been busy putting together a cable-like subscription offering that'd include content from partners like Disney and Fox while providing such advanced features as a cloud-based digital video recording (DVR) capability, live TV and more. The service sounds a lot like a rumored skinny TV bundle that Apple's been unsuccessfully trying to create.

Analysts have estimated that Hulu may charge consumers about $40 per month for the yet-to-be-announced service, which won't launch before 2017.

Read More

Latest drone footage provides a look at an impressive progress at iSpaceship site

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 2, 2016

Work on Apple's massive flying saucer-shaped Campus 2 building may be completed in time for the planed January 2017 opening after all. New drone footage, courtesy of Matthew Roberts, reveals that the underground auditorium where future media events and corporate meetings will be held is nearly finished, with other structures progressing nicely, too.

The clip offers an overview of a 100,000 square foot fitness center, a research and development center located next to the main iSpaceship building, multiple tunnels scattered throughout the site, the last iSpaceship section being framed, massive glass panels and solar panels on the building's rooftops and more.

Read More

iPhone 7 may come outfitted with a slightly stronger battery than iPhone 6s

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 2, 2016

According to a post on the Chinese social network Sina Weibo, Apple's next-generation iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus smartphones may come outfitted with slightly larger batteries than the current-generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models. Based on a claimed spy shot of purported battery packages for the upcoming devices, the iPhone 7 should have a one percent stronger battery than the iPhone 6s while the iPhone 7 Plus should pack in a more than two percent stronger battery versus its iPhone 6s Plus counterpart.

Read More

Apple airs iPhone 6s commercial for Mother’s Day

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 1, 2016

Mother's Day is one week from today. Apple has already sent an email blast to registered customers to remind them to pick up an Apple Watch as a Mother’s Day gift recommendation and now the company has started airing a brand new iPhone 6s television commercial, aptly titled “Mother's Day”.

The 30-second ad “celebrates motherhood through the lens of iPhone users around the world”.

Read More

Drawing with pressure and other 3D Touch tips and tricks for Notes

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 1, 2016

With 3D Touch shortcuts and gestures available for iOS's stock Notes application, you can elevate your productivity and accomplish certain tasks faster and with fewer taps than without 3D Touch.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus owners can take advantage of their device's pressure-sensitive screen to quickly start a new note from the Home screen, preview a specific note’s content, sketch using pressure-sensitive drawing tools, quickly delete, share and copy notes and more.

Imbued with the information in this tutorial, you'll take full advantage of 3D Touch interactions that are available to you in Notes so that you can be more productive.

Read More

Apple’s vision of a streamlined clarification process for when Auto-Correction makes mistakes

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

There probably isn't a single iPhone user on this planet that hasn't experienced the “joys” of the Auto-Correction feature interfering with their messaging. Auto-Correction mistakes often produce hilarious miscommunications (there's a website for that).

Whether or not you're a heavy typist, you'll appreciate that Apple's been researching ways to improve Auto-Correction, according to a patent application that surfaced yesterday in the United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) database.

Cryptically titled “Device, method and graphical user interface for visible and interactive corrected content,” it envisions highlighting auto-corrected words in an iMessage for the recipient and a built-in Messages feature for streamlining the process of clarifying what the sender meant.

Read More

Tip: find tons of messages you didn’t know existed inside Messenger’s secret folder

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 18, 2020

What if I told you that you most likely have tons of messages you didn't even know existed, stowed away in a little-known folder on Facebook?

While messages from your Facebook friends and Messenger contacts are delivered straight to your inbox, the system filters out those it deems spam and tucks them away into a hidden vault.

Some of those filtered messages could be from a distant family member trying to re-connect with you. Others might be vitally important. If you suspect Facebook is hiding messages you should've been aware of, this tutorial will teach you how to access a treasure trove of messages that you never knew you had.

Read More

Spotlight Suggestions hit Denmark, Norway and Sweden, new Flyover and Transit data on Maps

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 29, 2016

Another day, another content expansion for Apple Maps. Less than 24 hours after bringing TrainLink and bus routes to commuters in New South Wales, Australia, Apple's mapping service has expanded its footprint with new three-dimensional Flyover content for Akron, Ohio and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Apple's also brought Spotlight Suggestions to the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac customers in Europe's Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Last but not least, traffic information on Maps has gone live in Thailand, bringing the total number of markets where this feature is available to 34 countries, as per Apple's iOS 9 Feature Availability webpage.

Read More

Phil Schiller gives fans a grammar lesson: never pluralize Apple product names

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 29, 2016

You use your iPhone every day, but how many iPhones do you actually own? That simple question would never pass a grammar check by Apple's boss of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller.

Responding to a debate on pluralizing the iPad Pro name, which ensued between Andreessen Horowitz partner Benedict Evans and analyst Michael Gartenberg, Schiller tweeted that “One need never pluralize Apple product names”. But what then does he propose as the correct way of saying that Evans used two iPad Pros?

Read More