Tidbits

Tidbits (often written as TidBITS) is an online newsletter and website focused mainly on topics related to Apple Computer and Macintosh.

International

English

Newsletter (Digital)

Outlet metrics

Domain Authority

Ranking

Global

#283062

United States

#134275

Computers Electronics and Technology/Computers Electronics and Technology

#2845

Traffic sources

Monthly visitors

Articles

Why Using ChatGPT Is Not Bad for the Environment

23 hours ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

At his Substack newsletter The Weird Turn Pro, Andy Masley presents a comprehensive argument that concerns about ChatGPT's environmental impact are misplaced:The question this post is trying to answer is "Should I boycott ChatGPT or limit how much I use it for the sake of the climate?" and the answer is a resounding and conclusive "No."It's not bad for the environment if you or any number of people use ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, or other large language model (LLM) chatbots.
Do You Use It? VPNs

1 day ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

Virtual private networks, or VPNs, promise enhanced privacy and security by routing your Internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a theoretically trusted remote server, ensuring that no one on your local network or between you and the destination can see inside that tunnel. VPNs are also commonly used to circumvent location-based restrictions, such as watching the BBC from outside the UK, and IP-based limits, such as those schools employ to block games and adult sites.
Apple Releases iOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, and Other x.5 OS Updates

2 days ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

Apple has unveiled updates to its operating systems, primarily for security fixes, though some also include enhancements and bug fixes. Most notably, parents will now receive a notification in iOS 18.5, iPadOS 18.5, and macOS 15.5 when a Screen Time passcode is used on a child's device.
Apple Should Align Its Corporate Behavior with Its Stated Values

3 days ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

More so than any other tech giant (Google's fading "Don't be evil" slogan notwithstanding), Apple has built its brand over the years around being a good corporate citizen. Apple has long espoused a commitment to user experience, privacy, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility, touting its attention to detail in product design, its sustainability efforts, and its focus on accessibility.
WhatsApp Receives $170 Million Judgment Against Israeli Spyware Company NSO Group

1 week ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

At Politico, Maggie Miller writes:Israeli spyware company NSO Group was ordered by a U.S. federal court on Tuesday to pay WhatsApp and its parent company Meta almost $170 million in damages after its cyber tools were used to hack around 1,400 WhatsApp accounts. NSO Group has become the poster child in recent years for the mostly underground spyware market, used increasingly by governments to surveil dissidents, journalists and politicians.
iPhone 16 Users Report Bluetooth Issues with the Toyota RAV4

1 week ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

Have you been considering upgrading to an iPhone 16? Worries about extreme tariff hikes forcing Apple to raise prices recently triggered both Tonya and Lauri Reinhardt, who does support for TidBITS, to buy an iPhone 16 in April. Tonya's experience has been almost entirely positive-she quickly transitioned from her previous iPhone SE's Touch ID to Face ID, and while the iPhone's physical size is larger than she'd like, she immediately appreciated the extra screen space.
A Farewell to Sharon Zardetto Aker, Doyenne of Mac Writers

1 week ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that we Mac users will never again be graced with an article or book by Sharon Zardetto Aker, one of the earliest and most prolific tech writers in the Macintosh world. Sharon started writing professionally about the Macintosh at its inception in 1984, with articles in the earliest issues of Macworld and the premiere issue of MacUser.
Six Colors 2025 Enterprise Report Card: Strong Hardware, Weak Software

1 week ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

At Six Colors, Jason Snell has published his fifth annual Apple Enterprise Report Card. The report surveys 124 Apple IT administrators, with approximately half managing over 1000 devices. The results reveal a stark contrast between Apple's hardware and software efforts from an enterprise perspective. Just as in the past two years, Apple's strongest scores came in hardware and in the company's commitment to security and privacy.
Macintosh Magazine Media Project Hits 1 Million Files

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

At his personal blog, video game developer and TidBITS Talk contributor Matt Sephton writes:I am proud to announce that my Macintosh Magazine Media project has surpassed my self-imposed goal of 1 million files, an achievement that fills me with both immense satisfaction and slight bewilderment. Sephton's project preserves media from Japanese Macintosh magazines published between 1991 and 2002, capturing a period when software distribution primarily occurred via physical media.
Why TidBITS Will No Longer Post to X/Twitter or Facebook

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

While covering our recent anniversary (see " Staying the Course After 35 Years of TidBITS," 18 April 2025), I wrote:Like many, I find it difficult not to obsess about current events, and I encourage you to align your actions with your values in a way that feels right to you. When the path forward seems unclear, I believe we can best contribute by modeling the behavior we want to see in the world. A moment of reflection made me realize that I had an opportunity to model more of that behavior.