January 2022

current events

Happy 2022 to All! May this be the year the pandemic begins to wane. Meanwhile:

As Omicron continues to spred across the globe like a fire, you can track canceled flights via FlightAware.com on their website or via the app.

A woman took a flight to Iceland a few days before Christmas, and then mid-flight, she started feeling ill, went to the bathroom to take a rapid Covid test: she tested positive and voluntarily self-isolated in the bathroom for 5 hours, to protect the other passengers. She also posted a TikTok video from the plane's bathroom. Fotieo credited a flight attendant for assisting her throughout the flight. "She bought me flowers and a little Christmas tree with lights so I could hang it," the passenger said. "It was so heartfelt, and she's just an angel."

Apple has Scrapped Office-Return Deadline Without Setting New Date.

iOS and Apple news

pple Becomes First Company to Hit $3 Trillion Market Value. Incredible. Especially if you remember that Apple was once a month away from total bankruptcy.

Apple had record iPhone holiday season with strong demand ahead, reports AppleInsider. Wedbush Securities analyst Daniel Ives believes Apple posted record iPhone sales in the in 2021 holiday season, is well-positioned to benefit from strong iPhone demand.

Remember that iOS provides the ability to notify you if you have had a Covid exposure, via Exposure Notifications? As omicron washes over America, much of the country still isn’t using exposure notification apps, the WaPo reports.

iOS 15.2 was released recently. It came with some significant new features, listed by Macrumors.

New with iOS 15.2: Help a friend or family member as their account recovery contact.

New with iOS 15.2: Legacy Contacts who can access your data after you die.

New with iOS 15.2: Privacy Reports. Here is Understanding iOS and iPadOS App Privacy Report.

Also, with iOS 15.2, 'Parts and Service History' Feature is Added to iPhone.

[ RUMOR ] British Car Leasing Company Creates 'Apple Car' 3D Render Based on Patents, reports Macrumors.

[ RUMOR ] Apple Might Be Developing an Audiobooks Service, reports 9to5Mac, based on an article by The Economist.

iOS and Watch apps

Bear continues to be one of the very best notes app. It has been updated to support tages within tags to help you categorize your notes. It's super nimble, it's probably the fastest app to create or update a note. You can enable a widget that gives you a shortcut to a new note that is so quick, it rivals having a physical post-it note at your hands.

Endless Paper gives you an 'infinite canvas' to take notes, doodle, and grow your ideas, as if you had an infinite paper napkin always available to jot down anything that comes to mind.

Fliqlo is an app that let's you turn you iPhone, iPad or Mac's screen into a giant flip clock that you can see across the room.

Peek-a-View gives you a read-only view of your photos. This is perfect for those times when you want to hand your device to someone to view some photos but you worry about them accidentally editing or deleting photos, as they wipe.

The best iPhone widget apps for customizing your iPhone home screen, by AppleInsider.

podcasts

Kara Swisher interviews facebook whistleblower Frances haugen. `The Facebook whistle-blower Frances Haugen leaked a treasure trove of internal documents to the press and testified before Congress about the extent to which the tech giant fuels political polarization and erodes the mental health of teenagers. In this conversation with Kara, Haugen contemplates how Facebook has gotten away with it for so long.' Also, access the transcript on the NY Times website.

tips & tricks

This may qualify for the most buried feature ever. But it's a wonderful feature to know, if you have Airpods Pro:

How to turn on Conversation Boost with AirPods Pro on iPhone and iPad:

Also, worth recalling another very feature: How to turn your iPhone into a remote microphone with AirPods & Live Listen. This has been available for a couple of years and works with any Airpod and iPhone. `With Apple’s Live Listen, your iPhone or iPad can act as a microphone, and send the sound to your AirPods. In doing so, you can now hear conversations in noisy situations. '

Smart AirPods trick: How to change your AirPods name. This can increase the chances of lost AirPods being returned to you: change the name to a brief contact message, such as “Please return to YOUR PHONE NUMBER HERE.”

How to use a dual SIM card on your iPone: setting up dual SIMS, or a combination of physical SIM card or eSIM. Nice to know if you have two lines or plan on traveling abroad.

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Here are 10 Free Ways to send large videos and files from iPhone. Worth bookmarking.

gadgets & accessories

Aqara leak sensor is a smart device that detects water leaks and notifies you. Supports Apple HomeKit.

The Anker 715 Charger is a fast and compact charger that works for a Macbook Pro and Air, an iPhone 13 (all flavors), iPad Pro and many other devices as well.

An iPad stand that's like an easel: For those who want to use an iPad to draw or paint, Sketchboard Pro is a stand that makes using your iPad much easier.

Eve Systems had two HomeKit-related news items at CES 2022 in Las Vegas yesterday: a new security camera and MotionBlinds for HomeKit, reports CultofMac. Their Outdoor security camera, with floodlight and not just Homekit support, but with Homekit Secure Video support. `Recordings are stored securely and fully encrypted in your iCloud account. Eve Outdoor Cam is on display at CES 2022 and will be available beginning April 5, 2022, from Eve, Amazon and later from Apple at a price of USD $249.95.'

Schlage unveils smart lock with support for HomeKit and home keys in the Wallet app, reports 9to5Mac. `Home security company Schlage has announced an all-new Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt, and the company is going all in on Apple’s ecosystem with support for both HomeKit and home keys in the Apple Wallet application'. Recall that Apple announced the `home key' feature at WWDC in June 2021. You can add a home key to your Apple Wallet app. Top use it, you can just tap to unlock the door using your iPhone or Apple Watch, in a manner similar to using Apple Pay to make a payment.

watch

This is an extraordinary ad for an Apple watch, titled: 911, What's Your Emergency?

According to analyst Neill Cybart, Peloton is struggling to compete with Apple's Fitness+, reports 9to5Mac.

general news and crossover

What is old is new again. Two wonderful examples:

A fascinating read: To protect her final letter from prying eyes, Mary Queen of Scots used an intricate spiral self-destructing lock. These days we might have email that is protected from prying eyes. In February 1587, Mary Queen of Scots wrote a letter the night before she was beheaded, and devised a smart paper lock to protect her letter from being read by anyone other than the intended recipient.

next iPUG meeting

Our next meeting will be on February 1, 2022.