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The Printed-Page Edition Wednesday, October 13, 2021

“Unleashed”: Apple’s Next, Probably Mac-focused Event Happens October 18, by Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica

We expect the October event to be devoted largely to the Mac lineup—namely, long-rumored Apple Silicon refreshes to the MacBook Pro lineup, possibly with a faster Mac mini or a larger-screened iMac thrown in. The 16-inch MacBook Pro in particular is long overdue for a refresh—Apple added some new GPU options in mid-2020, but the laptop's other specs haven't been touched since late 2019.

Apple Says iOS Is Safer Than Android Because Sideloading Apps Isn't Allowed, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

In response to the European Commission’s proposed Digital Markets Act, which could force sideloading of apps on the iPhone in Europe, Apple has shared an in-depth document highlighting the security and privacy risks of sideloading. Sideloading refers to installing apps outside of the App Store, such as from a website or a third-party app store.

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Apple added that even users who don’t wish to sideload and prefer to download apps only from the App Store would be harmed if sideloading were required, as some users may have no choice other than sideloading an app they need for work, school, or other essential reasons. In addition, Apple said criminals may trick users into sideloading apps by mimicking the appearance of the App Store or by advertising free or exclusive features.

Move Over, Word: The New Race To Reinvent Document Editing, by Jared Newman, Fast Company

It took several decades, but the newest document editors have finally stopped copying Microsoft Word.

Modern editors such as Notion and Coda don’t mimic the printed page. Rather, using them feels more like browsing the web. Their writing spaces flow freely without page breaks, and they can branch into subpages that link among themselves. Those pages are also interactive by nature, with checkboxes, charts, Trello-like kanban boards, and tie-ins to outside data sources.

Stuff

Apple Support App Adds Express Replacement, Improved AirPods, And Apple Watch Integration, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

It allows you to get a replacement for your broken or damaged iPhone before sending in your original device. This lets you to skip a visit to the Apple Store and it ensures that you are not without a phone.

1Password's New Feature Lets You Safely Share Passwords Using Just A Link, by M. Moon, Engadget

Password sharing in the workplace and at home is a common practice, but doing so securely can be tricky. 1Password aims to address that with its new feature that gives you a way to share log-in credentials in a secure way even with people who don't have an account with the service.

TextExpander For macOS Gets Even More Powerful With New Update, by José Adorno, 9to5Mac

This version brings enhanced Snippet Suggestions, which makes it even easier to notice and create Snippets from frequently typed words and phrases.

Take Your Screenshots Up A Notch Using 'Apple Frames,' Now With Support For iPhone 13 And More, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

This week, Viticci has debuted Apple Frames 2.0, a new version of the popular shortcut that has been completely rewritten to be faster and lighter, and add support for the latest iPhone 13, 24-inch iMac, and more.

Ecobee’s Smart Thermostat Now Supports Siri Voice Control, by J. Fingas, Engadget

You'll need a HomePod mini to serve as a hub, but you'll otherwise get to talk to Ecobee's device like you would your iPhone or Apple Watch — helpful if you want to set the temperature without reaching for another device first.

Hyper Unveils New 'Dual 4K HDMI' Dongles For Using Multiple External Displays With M1 Macs, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

The HyperDrive Dual 4K HDMI dongles can take one USB-C port on your M1 MacBook Pro or MacBook Air and power two external 4K displays.

ZMI PowerPack No. 20 Review: Compact External Battery Can Charge A MacBook, by Glenn Fleishman, Macworld

It has almost the perfect minimalism of an Apple product, with the fewest possible buttons, display elements, and ports to provide a powerful product that makes no compromises—even on charging the right price.

Bottom of the Page

I am not preparing to buy any new computers from Apple in the near future, so I don't really have a wishlist on what are the Macs Apple will announce next week. But it will be great if Apple announces the new Mac Pro, thus completing the transition journey, and Apple can start focusing on other new Macs, maybe. (Besides, there will be weeks of great stuff from John Siracusa in the ATP podcast I can look forward to.)

I want a Mac that is as portable and low-cost as an iPad. I do think the guts of the current iPad is more than enough to power a Mac with many of the regular apps. Maybe Apple will work on this once all the Pro Macs are ready.

On the other hand, Apple may not.

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I do want to see how the new AirPods look like. I hope they will be as comfortable as today's AirPods.

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Thanks for reading.