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The Getting-Work-Done Edition Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Desktop-Class Safari For iPad: A Hands-On Look At The Difference The iPadOS Update Makes To Apple’s Browser, by John Voorhees, MacStories

Web apps are a substantial part of most people’s workflows these days. Whether it’s Mailchimp and WordPress, which we use at MacStories, or something like Squarespace or your bank’s website, complex, desktop-centric web apps are everywhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of MacStories readers gave up on using certain web apps in Safari on an iPad long ago and haven’t gone back. If that sounds like you, I encourage you to give Safari another shot. There are still a few rough edges as I’ve outlined above, but at least with the web apps I use regularly, they aren’t impediments to getting work done, which was absolutely the case with Mailchimp before iPadOS 13.

Apple’s Breathe App On The Apple Watch Has Been Confusing People For Years, by Zac Hall, 9to5Mac

Using the Breathe app doesn’t just help you collect your thoughts and focus on what’s important to you. The Apple Health app on the iPhone can log data from meditation sessions with a metric called Mindful Minutes.

This helps you realize insights like whether or not guided meditation helps you sleep, eat healthier, or remember to exercise.

Stuff

Apple Launches ‘Back To Uni’ Promo In Australia And New Zealand, Offering Free Beats And More, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

Apple today has launched its annual Back to Uni promotion for Mac and iPad buyers in New Zealand and Australia. This promotion is similar to the Back to School offer Apple runs in the United States every year and offers students discounts, free Beats, and more.

Spark For iOS Review: Free App Delivers Superior Mobile Email Experience, by J.R. Bookwalter, Macworld

Customizable toolbar actions, contact avatars, and a sleek new look with support for Dark Mode add up to a winning update for Spark, which remains one of the best free alternatives to Apple Mail.

Notes

Apple's iPhone XR Has O2 Network Problem, by Sam Shead, BBC

Turning the phone off and on again temporarily fixed the problem, O2 said.

Apple said the issue will be resolved in a new software release.

Apple Plans To Switch To Randomized Serial Numbers For Future Products Starting In Late 2020, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

The randomized format would likely not be decipherable, or at least hard to, and it could also help to reduce fraud.

FBI Seeks Apple's Help Unlocking Phones Of Suspected Pensacola Gunman, by Pete Williams, NBC News

In a letter sent late Monday to Apple's general counsel, the FBI said that although it has court permission to search the contents of the phones, both are password-protected. "Investigators are actively engaging in efforts to 'guess' the relevant passcodes but so far have been unsuccessful," it said.

Why Have So Few Women Won The Most Important Award In Computing?, by Susan D’Agostino, Slate

Million-dollar prizes like the Turing Award seize the public’s attention. Winners are sought-after, invited to give high-profile speeches, meet with business leaders, and advise politicians. For a certain nerdy cohort—one I belong to—they are heroes. In public programming emanating from the ACM Awards Banquet and beyond, they serve as role models to inspire young people. When women’s contributions are overlooked, the public forgoes opportunities to derive inspiration and gain advice from an important sector of computing pioneers.