Tidbits

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

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Apple Operating Systems Jump to 26?

1 week ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

It's no secret that Apple's operating system version numbering has evolved organically. The company currently maintains seven operating systems with version numbers that begin with four different integers (macOS 15, iOS 18, watchOS 11, and visionOS 2), although they share so much underlying code that they tend to move together with decimal updates.
AppBITS: Jettison Solves macOS Disk Ejection Annoyances

1 week ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

One of the longest-standing aspects of the Mac user experience is the necessity of ejecting disks before turning them off or unplugging them. Initially, this meant literally ejecting floppy disks from their drives, but Apple retained the term even after adding non-removable media. All About EjectThe need for the Eject command arises from two reasons. First, if there are open files on a disk, macOS refuses to let you eject it because doing so might result in data loss.
Do You Use It? VPN Use Is Widespread

1 week ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

Prompted by the latest revelations about common VPNs being owned by Chinese companies that may share data with their government, our latest Do You Use It? poll explored how TidBITS readers use VPNs. As someone who has never used a VPN, I was surprised by their popularity-84% of respondents use one at least some of the time. As always, the results of this poll reflect the audience and shouldn't be interpreted to imply anything more broadly. When Do You Use a VPN?
AFP Support Disappearing: Another Nail in the Time Capsule Coffin

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

When I covered the recent update to macOS 15.5 Sequoia (see " Apple Releases iOS 18.5, macOS 15.5, and Other x.5 OS Updates," 12 May 2025), I referenced a detail from Apple's enterprise release notes without providing any context:Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) client is deprecated and will be removed in a future version of macOS. While Apple hasn't specified a timeline for AFP's removal, macOS 16 seems likely.
From iPhone to AI: Why Jony Ive's OpenAI Deal Signals a Power Shift

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

In a video dripping with so much mutual admiration that I found myself muttering "Get a room," former Apple designer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have announced a collaboration to "create a family of devices that would let people use AI to create all sorts of wonderful things." Ive's hardware design company, io Products, will be acquired by OpenAI for $6.5 billion in stock, despite having only 55 employees and never having shipped anything.
From Animals to AI: Neal Stephenson on Coexisting with Non-Human Intelligences

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

It's always fascinating to view our current world through the eyes of someone who specializes in fictional realms. Acclaimed science fiction author Neal Stephenson is high on my list of authors to listen to, and not just because he coined the term "metaverse" in his 1992 novel Snow Crash. Twenty-five years ago, I shaped much of my thinking about digital privacy based on his keynote at the Computers, Privacy and Freedom 2000 conference (see " Threat Models and Domination Systems," 22 May 2000).
Microsoft Office for Mac 16.97

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Agen Schmitz

Microsoft has released version 16.97 of Office for Mac with improvements for Outlook and updates to email notifications for PowerPoint and Word.
Upcoming NMUG Presentation on Building a Modern Backup Strategy

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

I've written extensively about backup strategies over the years, most recently in " It's Time to Move On from Bootable Backups" (23 December 2024) and " Do You Use It? Backup Strategies Span the Gamut" (16 January 2025). If backup strategies interest you, I'll be distilling the advice from those articles in a presentation for the Naples MacFriends User Group (NMUG), one of the most vibrant Mac user groups. You're all invited to the free online meeting this Wednesday, 21 May 2025, at 11:30 AM EDT.
SmartWings HomeKit Shades: Affordable Automation Done Right

2 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

In 2018, Tonya and I replaced our perfectly functional roof at the behest of our insurance company, which believed that any shingles from 1984 should go the way of the mullet, regardless of their condition. We covered the roof with copper-colored steel and took advantage of the upheaval to replace three skylights with Velux solar-powered motorized shades. Sometime later, we added a Velux gateway that enabled us to control the shades using HomeKit (see " ," 15 January 2021).
CarPlay Ultra Debuts with Aston Martin, but Broader Support Remains Elusive

3 weeks ago | tidbits.com | Adam Engst

CarPlay is back in the news. Apple writes:Starting today, CarPlay Ultra, the next generation of CarPlay, is available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada, and will be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation infotainment system through a software update in the coming weeks.