MacLife Boise Apple Premier Partner

Loose Lips Sink Chips: Beware What You Say to AI Chatbots

Generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Bing/CoPilot, and Google’s Gemini are the vanguard of a significant advance in computing.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/03/loose-lips-sink-chips-beware-what-you-say-to-ai-chatbots/

Take Advantage of the Reference Library in Your Mac

You may be used to Mac apps using red underlines to mark misspelled words, but did you know that macOS has also long included a fully featured Dictionary app?

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/04/take-advantage-of-the-reference-library-in-your-mac/

Six Reasons Why You Should Restart Your Mac Periodically

Long ago, before macOS was as stable as it is today, Mac users restarted their Macs regularly.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/04/six-reasons-why-you-should-restart-your-mac-periodically/

How to Sync Your Text Messages across All Your Apple Devices

Although many of us think of Messages as an iPhone app, Apple’s platform integration lets you read and reply to conversations in Messages on other Apple devices, including the Mac and iPad.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/04/how-to-sync-your-text-messages-across-all-your-apple-devices/

Looking for Apple Manuals? Check the New Documentation Site

Apple publishes a multitude of manuals and tons of technical documentation for its products on its support site, but until recently, it could be challenging to find something specific because the search engine on Apple’s site is poor.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/04/looking-for-apple-manuals-check-the-new-documentation-site/

Tips for Working with Mac Display Resolutions

You can change the resolution of your Mac’s screen—how many pixels appear—to make text and graphics larger and easier to see or smaller to fit more content onscreen.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/04/tips-for-working-with-mac-display-resolutions/

Annoyed by Inline Predictive Text Suggestions? Here’s How to Turn Them Off

In a slight nod to the hype surrounding generative AI, Apple added inline text prediction capabilities to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/annoyed-by-inline-predictive-text-suggestions-heres-how-to-turn-them-off/

How to Search Directly in Your Favorite Websites from Safari’s Search Bar

We’re all accustomed to searching the Web generally in Safari by typing in the search field and pressing Return or tapping Go.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/how-to-search-directly-in-your-favorite-websites-from-safaris-search-bar/

After “Mother of All Breaches,” Update Passwords on Compromised Sites

January’s big security news was the Mother of All Breaches, the release of a massive database containing 26 billion records built from previous breaches across numerous websites, including Adobe, Dropbox, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/after-mother-of-all-breaches-update-passwords-on-compromised-sites/

Help! My Account Has Been Hacked—What Should I Do?

How would you realize that one or more of your Internet accounts—email, social media, financial—have been hacked?

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/help-my-account-has-been-hacked-what-should-i-do/

Too Many Windows Open? Close Them All Quickly with These Tricks

Have you ever selected a bunch of files and accidentally opened them all by double-clicking one?

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/too-many-windows-open-close-them-all-quickly-with-these-tricks/

You Can Now Have Zoom Meetings on an Apple TV

When Apple introduced tvOS 17 last September, an eagerly awaited feature was its support for FaceTime calls, using Continuity Camera on an iPhone or iPad to equip an Apple TV with the necessary camera and microphone.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/you-can-now-have-zoom-meetings-on-an-apple-tv/

How to Avoid Head-Tracked Spatial Audio for FaceTime Audio Calls

If you listen to a FaceTime Audio call using AirPods and hear the other person’s voice moving annoyingly from side to side as you turn your head, the problem is likely head-tracked spatial audio.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/how-to-avoid-head-tracked-spatial-audio-for-facetime-audio-calls/

Use iOS 17.3’s Stolen Device Protection to Reduce Harm from iPhone Passcode Thefts

Last year, a series of articles by Wall Street Journal reporters Joanna Stern and Nicole Nguyen highlighted a troubling form of crime targeting iPhone users.

https://maclifeboise.com/2024/02/use-ios-17-3s-stolen-device-protection-to-reduce-harm-from-iphone-passcode-thefts/

The “Hey” Part of “Hey Siri” Is Now Optional

If you use Siri, particularly on a HomePod, you’re probably accustomed to saying “Hey Siri” as the trigger phrase before your requests.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/11/the-hey-part-of-hey-siri-is-now-optional/

Nine Tips for Switching from an iPhone with Touch ID to One with Face ID

In 2013, Apple added Touch ID to the Home button of the iPhone 5S.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/11/nine-tips-for-switching-from-an-iphone-with-touch-id-to-one-with-face-id/

Open the Mac’s Control Center with This Obscure Keyboard Shortcut

With macOS 13 Ventura, Apple brought Control Center from iOS to the Mac, providing a unified interface for features that users need to turn on and off regularly or that receive frequent adjustments, like screen brightness and audio volume.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/11/open-the-macs-control-center-with-this-obscure-keyboard-shortcut/

Four Solutions to Gotchas in macOS 14 Sonoma

We’re seeing an increasing number of people switching to macOS 14 Sonoma, and for the most part, things are going well.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/11/four-solutions-to-gotchas-in-macos-14-sonoma/

New M3 Chip Family Powers Updated MacBook Pros and 24-inch iMac

At Apple’s Halloween-themed Scary Fast event on October 30, the company unveiled its next-generation Apple silicon chips for Macs, the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/11/new-m3-chip-family-powers-updated-macbook-pros-and-24-inch-imac/

Use iOS 17’s Check In Feature to Reduce Worry

We’ve all had a friend or family member say, “Text me when you get home,” because they want the peace of mind from knowing you arrived safely.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/11/use-ios-17s-check-in-feature-to-reduce-worry/

Prevent Quick Screenshots from Cluttering Your Photos Library on the iPhone and iPad

By default, when you take a screenshot (instructions for iPhone and iPad), it saves to Photos. But what if you don’t want something like a quick image of a map for a friend to clutter your Photos library?

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/05/prevent-quick-screenshots-from-cluttering-your-photos-library-on-the-iphone-and-ipad/

Avoid Confusion by Setting iPhone Password Autofill to Only One App

Let’s say you use 1Password (or another third-party password manager) on an iPhone or iPad.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/06/avoid-confusion-by-setting-iphone-password-autofill-to-only-one-app/

Which Should You Use—a Mac, iPhone or iPad, or Web App?

Apps are everywhere these days, but it can be hard to remember that many exist in multiple versions.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/06/which-should-you-use-a-mac-iphone-or-ipad-or-web-app/

Need to Mask Nearby Noise? Try Ventura’s Background Sounds

Do you have trouble concentrating at work because of a loud office environment? Or do you work at home and want to block out the sounds of kids or appliances?

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/06/need-to-mask-nearby-noise-try-venturas-background-sounds/

What to Do If You’re a Mac User Who Needs Some Windows Software

For the most part, the days of Mac versus PC are over. Common apps now exist on both platforms, and when they don’t, there are plenty of alternatives in nearly every app category.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/06/what-to-do-if-youre-a-mac-user-who-needs-some-windows-software/

Apple Is Shutting Down My Photo Stream—Switch to iCloud Photos

Apple has quietly announced that it is shutting down the My Photo Stream service, the company’s first iCloud-based effort at helping users sync photos between devices.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/06/apple-is-shutting-down-my-photo-stream-switch-to-icloud-photos/

Apple Starts Releasing Rapid Security Responses for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac

By now, you’ve probably seen a new form of update for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS: the Rapid Security Response.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/06/apple-starts-releasing-rapid-security-responses-for-the-iphone-ipad-and-mac/

Pay Attention to Unsolicited Facebook Password Reset Messages

We’ve seen an uptick in attacks on Facebook accounts that generate email messages like the one below.

https://maclifeboise.com/2023/06/pay-attention-to-unsolicited-facebook-password-reset-messages/