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VMware won't charge you to run a new OS in Fusion
Virtual machine software is theoretically a one-and-done purchase, but you know that's not how it works in practice. You typically end up buying an upgrade every year just to get the latest operating system support, whether it's in the virtual environment or your native OS of choice. You might not have to run on that treadmill this year, though. VMware is releasing free upgrades to Fusion (8.5 and 8.5 Pro) and Workstation (12.5 and 12.5 Pro) that support the latest and greatest platforms. The Linux, Mac and Windows versions of those programs can all run Windows 10 Anniversary Update and Windows Server 2016 in a virtual system, including multiple systems on Linux and Windows. On the Mac, Fusion will also take advantage of macOS Sierra features like Siri voice commands and tabbed windows.
Jon Fingas08.30.2016
Siri cheat sheet shows how you can talk to your iPhone
Sure, iOS will give you a quick hint as to what you can ask Siri, but there's a lot more the voice control system will recognize. How do you know whether or not your command will work? You don't have to guess. Sandro Roth's recently launched Hey-Siri.io outlines a whopping 489 Siri actions for both iOS and the Mac, all of it neatly divided into categories with practical examples. If you want to know how to talk to your smart home devices or create a grocery list, the answer is likely just a few taps away. This probably won't cover absolutely every command (certainly not those for third-party apps), but it could save you a lot of guesswork... not to mention embarrassment.
Jon Fingas08.03.2016
Yahoo launches its redesigned Messenger app for desktops
Okay, this isn't the biggest news you'll hear from Yahoo this week, but bear with us -- it's important if you still rely on Yahoo for your messaging needs. The internet pioneer has released its long-in-development redesign of Yahoo Messenger for the desktop, giving the software both a much fresher look and a handful of big new features that you don't always see in personal chat clients. You can unsend messages, for example -- good for those overly hasty reactions or correcting mistakes. You can also search for GIF replies (much like you might in Slack), like posts and share numerous photos at once just by dragging them into the conversation.
Jon Fingas07.27.2016
Apple releases second public betas for iOS 10 and macOS Sierra
Were you quick to hop on the test versions of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra? It's time to start updating. Apple has released the second public betas of both platforms, and they're not just adding some spit and polish. The new iOS 10 beta introduces a functioning option for using Touch ID to unlock your device the "old-fashioned" iOS 9 way, where resting your finger is enough to get to your home screen. If you lock an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, you'll get vibration feedback. And if you're a health maven, you can opt to share your activity and workout data to help improve Apple's fitness features.
Jon Fingas07.20.2016
Apple releases macOS Sierra beta to the public
If you can't wait to see how Siri works on Apple's upcoming desktop platform, head over to beta.apple.com. Cupertino has just released the public beta of macOS Sierra, and you can download it today from the company's website. We took an earlier iteration of the OS for a spin in June, so you probably already have an idea of what to expect. Besides Siri, it also introduces a picture-in-picture mode for iTunes and Safari, a universal clipboard for macOS and iOS, a more feature-rich messaging app and a redesigned iTunes. Apple has made a few changes since then, though, including switching up Siri's keyboard shortcut from Fn-spacebar to command-space hold.
Mariella Moon07.07.2016
Watch Apple's WWDC 2016 keynote in 15 minutes
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){} try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}In typical Apple fashion, yesterday's WWDC keynote kicked off the annual developer's conference with a two-hour slate of software-focused announcements. While you may want to go back and relive all of the news, you probably don't have that amount of free time to dedicate to the task. Fret not, friends: we've condensed the chatter about all four of Apple's OSes down to a 15-minute affair, easily digested over your coffee break. There's talk of watchOS improvements, what's new for Apple TV, a massive overhaul of iOS and the move from OS X to macOS. For more detailed info on what went down, consult all of our WWDC 2016 coverage right here.
Billy Steele06.14.2016
What happened at WWDC 2016?
Need a quick recap on all the news from WWDC 2016? Our own Dana Wollman and Chris Velazco were on the scene and are ready to run through all the news about macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS and any other platforms Apple may have introduced. Most of these changes won't hit your devices until the fall, but this way it will only take a few minutes to get familiar with all the new features immediately.
Richard Lawler06.14.2016
Apple's new file system revolves around encryption
One of Apple's quietest announcements at WWDC might also be its most important. The company has introduced a brand new file system, simply called Apple File System (APFS) that makes security its centerpiece. It offers a unified encryption method for virtually every device Apple makes, ranging from the Apple Watch to the Mac. That includes multikey encryption, which makes it tough to crack even if you have physical access to the storage. In short, the FBI won't be happy: Encryption is now a core part of the operating system, not just something bolted on after the fact.
Jon Fingas06.13.2016
Apple details its latest desktop operating system: macOS Sierra
It wouldn't be WWDC without Apple detailing a new version of OS X. Oh wait, scratch that: Cupertino's desktop operating system is now named macOS, as had been rumored in recent weeks. But the name change isn't the only thing being discussed at the developers conference. For starters, Apple is bringing Siri to the Mac, giving users hands-free access to their computer. There's a new feature called Auto Unlock too, which will allow you to unlock your Mac with via an Apple Watch.
Edgar Alvarez06.13.2016
OS X is now macOS
After 15 years of large cats and a few California landmarks, Apple's OS X is getting a new name that's actually an old name. Apple's senior VP of software engineering, Craig Federighi announced that, henceforth, the operating system on desktop and laptops will be called macOS.
Roberto Baldwin06.13.2016
Siri hints at upcoming Mac support
Apple may have inadvertently erased doubts that Siri would come to the Mac. Brian Roemmele has discovered that asking iOS' Siri the right question (such as "open settings in the window") sometimes produces a response saying that the voice assistant can't find the Finder app -- you know, a crucial part of the Mac's interface. Barring the inclusion of a full-on file manager in iOS 10 (not very likely), this hints that Apple is laying the groundwork for Siri in OS X.
Jon Fingas06.11.2016
Apple hints at OS X rebrand in the App Store
If you think about it, OS X isn't really a great name for Apple's Mac operating system. It was just meant to be the next OS after Mac OS 9, but because it has a nice round (roman) number and used all-new UNIX-based tech, Apple has stuck with the name for nigh on 17 years. According to the rumor mill and apparent slip-up on the App Store, that's about to change, however. It now seems likely that Apple will change OS X to macOS, essentially reverting to its pre-1999 naming scheme.
Steve Dent06.09.2016
Apple patent application hints at a Siri-like assistant for Macs
Siri might be making her way to a Mac near you. According to a patent application filed in February and released today, Apple's considering bringing the iPhone personal assistant to its desktop OS. The 92-page document details how you'll interact with Apple's "digital assistant," a term that occurs 574 times in the patent app (the name Siri never makes an appearance, however). According to the document, a desktop version could pair Siri's current actions with more complex functionality, such as file and system management. After calling on the assistant by using a specific gesture on the touchpad or clicking an icon in the dock, you could use it to send emails, find images or YouTube videos on the web, print documents or copy and "hold" multiple files. As TechCrunch notes, there's no reference to such an assistant in the Yosemite beta preview, so it'll probably be at least another year before Siri (or her better-equipped equivalent) arrives on the Mac.
Zach Honig08.07.2014
Logitech G products updated to support Mac OS
It may not be the most popular hardware configuration in PC gaming circles, but Macs actually make pretty capable gaming rigs. It's hardly a surprise, then, that Mac users are clamoring for serious gaming peripherals. Logitech is happy to oblige, of course, announcing recently that its updated its gaming software to support more devices on Mac OS. Gamers in Apple's ecosystem can now make the most of the company's full line of G series mouse and keyboard products, including the eight it released to herald the rebranding of its gaming lineup. The update is free, of course, and promises to offer Mac users the same level of customization that traditional PC gamers enjoy. Check out Logitegh's official announcement at the source for the full list of compatible devices.
Sean Buckley04.20.2013
Online Steve Jobs memorial pays tribute to the original Mac OS
Rememberum is a new start up company that provides clean, customizable options for creating online memorials for loved one. To promote their new service the company has published a stunningly creative tribute to Apple founder Steve Jobs, designed to look like the original Mac OS. On his blog Rememberum developer David Kelly described the process of creating the unique design of the tribute site. One of the primary goals of the design was to simulate the original Macintosh OS interface as closely as possible – this meant pixelated (pixel-perfect) graphics as well as some of the original functionality of the Macintosh, such as keyboard folder navigation and double-clicking. We separated key points in his life into groups of folders and individual files. The folders have keyboard navigation and it is possible to hold down CTRL to select multiple files to open. Each file opens as a 'textpad' file and can be moved and cascaded like any window. This, coupled with the keyboard navigation and small retro animations helped to provide a more genuine experience of the original Macintosh computer. Rememberum's service is free to use, though the FAQ on the site mentions a future premium option. Details are still scant on the premium option and if it will allow users to create tributes like the Steve Jobs memorial for their own loved ones.
John-Michael Bond04.04.2013
Good Old Games now supports Mac, kicks off with approximately 50 games
Everyone's favorite DRM-free digital games distributor, Good Old Games, is now offering support for just over 50 games on Mac OS-based machines. That means that classics like Syndicate and the Wing Commander series are now offered through the service, not to mention new classics like Botanicula and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. To kick off the launch, GOG's offering a variety of discounts (including 50 percent off of SimCity 2000 -- a no brainer if you ask us), as well as an Apple-flavored commercial that we've dropped below the break. If you haven't already headed over to GOG and started madly purchasing things, we'd suggest watching the tongue-in-cheek trailer, for the chuckles alone.
Ben Gilbert10.18.2012
Apple unveils new features for Safari: unified search, iCloud Tabs multi-device syncing and more
Apple's fresh new hardware may have gotten the headlines thus far during Apple's 2012 WWDC keynote, but there's also some good news for browser aficionados, too. Safari has taken a page out of Chrome's book by offering unified search for the web, your history and bookmarks. Additionally, Safari now syncs your web-browsing info across all your devices. Called iCloud Tabs, the feature lets you see the tabs you have open on any device simultaneously. That means you can surf the web on your iPhone while you're out and about, and continue your web session seamlessly on that shiny new MacBook Pro when you get home by clicking the new handy dandy iCloud button. Not only that, Safari's picked up some new multitouch tricks, letting you swipe all the way out to tab view, then pinch on the page you want to dive back in. Safari's Mobile version has also gained the ability to upload images directly and it now has an Offline Reading List that downloads and caches anything you add. Furthermore, Safari can now provide a notification if there's an app for the website you're browsing. Tapping the notification brings you to the App Store, and once downloaded, the browser pushes the URL to the app so you can pick up the content right where you left off. %Gallery-157904% For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
Michael Gorman06.11.2012
Apple: 26 million copies of Lion OS sold, 66 million Mac users
As we try to get to our feet after that tidal wave of hardware announcements, Apple's moved onto Mac OS, quoting with some impressive new figures. Over 26 million copies of OS X Lion have now been sold, making it Apple's "best-selling release ever." Meanwhile, Mac users now total over 66 million -- that's three times the number in 2007. For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
Mat Smith06.11.2012
Approved Mac OS app boasts 'Retina graphics'
As if there wasn't enough speculation already, what with WWDC just around the corner, bets are already being placed on the possibility of "Retina Display" Macs. So, when an app turns up in Mac App store mentioning "Retina graphics" under the new features list, eyebrows are understandably going to rise. Of course, this isn't the first such tease we've seen, but it's not the least convincing either. So, we're still not ready to put our money down on a retina-reveal next week just yet, but those odds do seem to be getting ever shorter.
James Trew06.08.2012
Kaspersky exec calls Mac OS 'really vulnerable' (update: clarification from Kaspersky)
The Macintosh is an impenetrable fortress of malware-free computing, right? In recent years, we've certainly seen that image eroded a bit, thanks to a number of nasty outbreaks. And if you listen to Nikolay Grebennikov, the CTO of security software maker Kaspersky, things have the potential to be much worse. The executive told British site Computing that the company was invited to improve Cupertino's security, only to discover that, "Mac OS is really vulnerable." Grebennikov also had some rather unfortunate news for all the iPad and iPhone owners out there, telling the site, "Our experience tells us that in the near future, perhaps in a year or so, we will see the first malware targeting iOS." Update: So, this is turning into a whole "he said, they pubbed" situation. We reached out to Kaspersky earlier and just received a comment from the security company, which claims that the whole thing was simply taken out of context. Here's the statement. It's a doozy. On Monday, April 14, computing.co.uk published an article titled "Apple OS 'really vulnerable' claims Kaspersky Lab CTO" that includes an inaccurate quote regarding Apple and Kaspersky Lab. The article reports that Kaspersky Lab had "begun the process of analyzing the Mac OS platform at Apple's request" to identify vulnerabilities. This statement was taken out of context by the magazine – Apple did not invite or solicit Kaspersky Lab's assistance in analyzing the Mac OS X platform. Kaspersky Lab has contacted computing.co.uk to correct its article. Please refer to the statement below from Nikolay Grebennikov, Chief Technology Officer, Kaspersky Lab, which clarifies this misrepresentation: "As Mac OS X market share continues to increase, we expect cyber-criminals to continue to develop new types of malware and attack methods. In order to meet these new threats, Kaspersky Lab has been conducting an in-depth analysis of Mac OS X vulnerabilities and new forms of malware. This security analysis of Mac OS X was conducted independently of Apple; however, Apple is open to collaborating with us regarding new Mac OS X vulnerabilities and malware that we identify during our analysis. Kaspersky Lab is committed to providing the highest level of security for all of our customers, including Mac OS X, and we will continue to enhance our technologies in order to meet the ever-changing threat landscape. "
Brian Heater05.14.2012