Apple's canceled Federation Square store lives on in Apple Vision Pro
One of Apple's most controversial stores never opened, but a virtual tour that can be viewed on Apple Vision Pro brings the dream back to life.Apple's Federation Square building render. Credit: Filip ChudzinskiApple's plan to build a flagship store in Melbourne's Federation Square sparked immediate backlash — and was ultimately canceled. Now, a virtual recreation offers a glimpse of what could have been.In 2017, Apple announced its intention to open a global flagship in the heart of Melbourne, marking its first in the Southern Hemisphere. Designed in partnership with Foster + Partners, the multilevel glass pavilion would have anchored the southeast corner of Federation Square. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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$2,300 iPhone could happen soon due to tariffs, per analyst
Days after sweeping new tariffs on US imports were announced, many are still wondering what the actual bottom-line impact will be on everyday products. According to analysts at one firm, Apple’s current flagship iPhone could soon cost up to $2,300 for high-end models. more…

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You can now use your iPhone to set up a new Mac
Technically, it’s a feature of macOS 15.4, but if you also have an iPhone running iOS 18.4, you can now use your iPhone to set up a new Mac … The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Security Bite: This old school alias trick will show you who’s selling or leaking your email
9to5Mac Security Bite is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Making Apple devices work-ready and enterprise-safe is all we do. Our unique integrated approach to management and security combines state-of-the-art Apple-specific security solutions for fully automated Hardening & Compliance, Next Generation EDR, AI-powered Zero Trust, and exclusive Privilege Management with the most powerful and modern Apple MDM on the market. The result is a totally automated Apple Unified Platform currently trusted by over 45,000 organizations to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. In this week’s Security Bite, I’m taking it back over 20 years to the launch of Gmail in 2004–because that’s how long its little-known plus addressing (aliasing) feature has quietly existed. It was originally created to help with filtering and keeping inboxes tidy long before spam became what it is today. Google never really promoted it, so most people still don’t realize it’s a thing. But over the years, it’s become popular among privacy-minded folks to track which online services, subscriptions, etc., are selling email addresses to other companies or leaking them. more…

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Dolby Atmos comes to Apple Music for Windows
At long last, . Now Windows PC users can enjoy Spatial Audio, available since 2021. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple stock bloodbath continues after China applies retaliatory tariffs
President Trump's announcement of tariffs and retaliatory measures by China has seen Apple's shares drop to their lowest point since June 2024, as investors predict rising iPhone prices and falling sales.Tim CookThe sweeping tariffs introduced by Trump will affect every single one of the very many countries Apple relies on for its manufacturing. Consequently, as with all technology firms, the company's share price took an immediate battering — but now it's getting worse.In response to the purportedly reciprocal Trump tariffs, China has announced its own retaliatory ones. Trump is levying a 54% import tax on China, now Chinese firms importing goods from the US will face a 34% tariff. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iPhone 17 Pro Max and Air will be heavily inspired by two other products
After years of mostly unchanged iPhone lineups, Apple has already shaken things up this year by debuting the iPhone 16e instead of the expected new iPhone SE. The company is just getting started though, as this fall’s iPhone 17 family—particularly the Air and Pro Max—will change even more, with direct inspiration from the Apple Watch. more…

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Buying opportunities abound as Nasdaq sheds $1.4 trillion in market capitalization
After Thursday’s slump wiped $1.4 trillion in market capitalization from the Nasdaq 100 Stock Index, the gauge is down 16% in the past six… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Crisp new 4K external display brightens MacBook Pro rig’s visuals [Setups]
This simple but effective MacBook Pro workstation gets a boost from a Dell display that brings the setup to a whole new level. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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How to avoid CC’ing the Atlantic editor-in-chief in your messages
Macworld You are likely not planning a military action in another country, but the accidental inclusion of unintended invitees to a group text, email, or other discussion could still prove a problem—from embarrassment to losing friends, causing a family rift, or even being fired from a job. The problem arises from two intersecting factors: how Apple and third-party software retain recipients’ information to make it easy to use in future messaging, and how quickly apps have trained us to type a few letters and move on without examining what’s being autocompleted and filled in. This means that you might intend to add “Jeffrey Pixenwald” to a group chat and instead invite “Jenny Hickenlooper” by typing “Je.” It happens. A great general place to start when inadvertently selecting the wrong person is your Contacts list. This list may contain people you’ve only connected with once years ago. Delete unwanted entries. You can also clear out the macOS Mail app’s list of suggestions, which I explain below in the Mail section. More generally, consider the following: Slow down when selecting contacts from autocomplete suggestions to ensure you read what’s suggested. Always double-check recipients before sending a message or email. Type the full name for important or sensitive messages rather than relying on autocomplete. This avoids any accidental overlap, even though it’s tedious. Here is more app-specific advice on how to avoid autocomplete filling in the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of people you didn’t intend to include in your communications. Messages When you start typing letters into the To: field in Messages on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, Apple tries to help by ordering the suggestions by how recently you’ve messaged someone. Matches are made by name or email address. This means that the first choice is often the best for the letters you entered, and the top suggestions are almost always sensible. Following the people with whom you recently interacted, Messages lists all other entries in your contact list (for first name, last name, or email) in alphabetical order by first name. Messages in iOS and iPadOS shows another list of suggestions following a break with the label “Siri Found in Apps.” You can disable Siri Suggestions in Settings > (Apple Intelligence &) Siri > Apps > Messages. Messages has a setting for Siri Suggestions, which is found in the (Apple Intelligence &) Siri options of Settings. (Click to enlarge the image.)Foundry In macOS, Messages selects the top choice, effectively autocompleting it, and you can press Return to accept it without review. For the safest way to add people, I suggest training yourself to not press Return and instead click the address you want. In iOS and iPadOS, you have to tap to select a recipient, which requires more deliberation. Mail Mail similarly provides suggestions ordered by recent interactions and then alphabetically as you start to type. macOS autocompletes the first item as the best match by selecting it. In iOS and iPadOS, as in Messages, you have to tap to select a match. Mail for iPhone and iPad includes Siri suggestions at the bottom, which you can disable via Settings > (Apple Intelligence &) Siri > Apps > Mail. You can’t control this any further on an iPhone or iPad, but Mail on a Mac has an additional source of suggestions and a way to restrict that list. Choose Window > Previous Recipients. This often lengthy list contains every person who you have emailed in the past with the date of the last time a message was sent from the Mail app to them. You can trim this list to avoid suggestions from it: select or search for individual entries or choose Edit > Select All and click Remove From List. (In the past, some readers have found suggestions continue to appear from this list even after deleting entries.) Mail for macOS also draws suggested recipients from its record of all previous recipients. (Recipients blurred for privacy.) Foundry Signal When you begin typing in a name in Signal to add a recipient, the app on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac (and other platforms) shows your most recent chat participants first, then an alphabetical listing by first name of all other matches. The system never selects an addressee for you. Instead, you have to click or tap to select a displayed entry. The one place Signal can bite you–as it did certain members of the current American administration–is that people’s names and addresses are imported from your contacts unless added manually. A profile image is only shown if that’s found in Contacts. Otherwise, two initials appear, like GF or RL. That can lead you to select someone in haste by noticing their initials and not their full name. Signal matches by name but never autoselects. (Recipients blurred for privacy.) To ensure you have the right name set for a contact, you can add a nickname within Signal that overrides the imported name. Signal doesn’t offer an address book for editing. Instead, you follow this process: Click or tap the New Chat icon to start a new chat. Enter the person’s name and make sure you’re seeing the right person. Select that entry. Click or tap the initials or image and name at the top of the chat area. Click or tap Nickname and add their full name or a descriptive name. Click Save or tap Done.

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Deals: M4 MacBook Air, M4 iPad Pro $300 off, Level Lock+ with Apple Home Key $184 off, more
Your Friday edition of the best Apple deals is now ready to roll with the return of all-time low pricing on Apple’s most affordable new M4 MacBook Air (all colors included). We then move over the banger 2TB 13-inch iPad Pro that is now $300 off the list price and joined by an ongoing price drop on the compatible Apple Pencil Pro at Amazon. Next, the regularly $329 Level Lock+ with Apple Home Key support has now dropped to $145 alongside a host of charging and accessory offers. All of that and more awaits below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break. more…

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How to use the new, easier Guest Mode on Vision Pro
Learn how to share your Apple headset, at least long enough to show it off to a curious friend. Here's how to turn on Vision Pro guest mode. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Top ways to save money on Microsoft software keys, including Windows 11 Pro
You don't need to pay Microsoft's list price for a Windows 11 Pro key or other software activation keys. We'll show you how to save. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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iOS 18.4 gave Apple’s TV app three welcome design changes
iOS 18.4 launched this week, bringing a variety of new features—including some small enhancements to the Apple TV app worth noting. Here are three nice updates that just hit your iPhone. more…

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Should you upgrade Apple gear now to beat rising prices from tariffs?
With fears of tariffs jacking up prices, should you upgrade devices before Apple prices rise? Anyone desperate to upgrade probably should. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple TV+ debuts trailer for season three of ‘Jane,’ premiering April 18th
Today, Apple TV+ released the trailer for season three of the Emmy Award-winning original series “Jane,” set to premiere on April 18th… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple Music for Windows now supports Dolby Atmos audio
Apple this week quietly released a huge update to the Apple Music app for Windows. With the latest version, PC users can now play Spatial Audio songs with Dolby Atmos. more…

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AirPods 4 deal cuts price of Apple’s most affordable earbuds
Get a deal on a pair of Apple AirPods 4 wireless earbuds. Here's where to find the best price — while it lasts! (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Should you buy an iPhone right now?
This week, Trump announced his plans to implement wide-ranging tariffs on all imports into the United States. The move sent the stock market into a free fall, with Apple among many companies down over 10% for the week. While the world prepares for the full impact of this move, here’s what I think is some straightforward advice for iPhone buyers. more…

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Here’s why iPad Pro is my only computing option (for now)
I love my M4 iPad Pro and do all of my work on it. I am interested, however, in using a Mac again full-time. But until the Mac gains cellular support, that’s not really possible for me. Here’s why the iPad Pro is my only current computer option. more…

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Avast Premium Security for Mac review: Excellent, but should you buy?
Macworld At a GlanceExpert's Rating Pros Clean, friendly user interface with a good level of customization Good performance on large-volume scans Caught and quarantined almost all the test files thrown at it Cons Email Guardian allows you to visit questionable websites without warning about phishing, scams, or malware More advanced network tools needed for complete control over connected devices Our Verdict Avast has delivered a good product that can head a ton of malware and viral activity off at the pass, but still needs work in terms of what its Email Guardian feature lets through and allows you to visit with no warning whatsoever. Still, there’s a trial period to be taken advantage of and once again, Avast Premium Security is worth looking into. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Avast Software $34.68 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Price When ReviewedFrom $34.68 for first year, usually $77.99 a year (1 Mac). Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Avast Software $34.68 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Avast Premium Security for Mac is an antiviral/anti-malware/security tool (and one of the better Mac Antivirus apps we have looked at). It protects against viral infections, offers safeguards for email accounts and network traffic monitoring. The current version provides some impressive high points as well as a few things for its developers and marketing team to look into. At the time of writing (spring 2025) Avast Premium Security has a spring offer of $34.68/£29.19 for the first year for one Mac, Avast says the usual yearly price is $77.99/£64.99, but it’s always discounted when we check for our best Antivirus deals round up. Users can also begin a 60-day free trial by entering a credit or debit card with Avast citing a 30-day money-back guarantee if not satisfied. Avast Premium Security is centered around several modules (Smart Scan, Virus Scans, Core Shields, Traffic Monitor, Network Inspector, Email Guardian, Ransomware Shield, and Quarantine) with quick access to its storefront, where you can purchase other Avast products should you desire. Foundry The user interface is as simple as you could ask for and it’s handy to be able to quickly focus a scan on an external drive without having to dig through options and menus. The Smart Scan quickly looks over your virus definitions, viruses, and malware, and Advanced Issues, which checks your Ransomware Shield and the folders it’s protecting, Network Inspector settings, and Real Site settings, which scans for imposter/phishing-based websites. The Virus Scans module may be the most impressive element of Avast Premium Security, as the module dovetails beautifully with macOS’ GateKeeper function, caught almost all of the test viruses and malware I could throw at it, and quickly put suspect software into quarantine. Once suspect files are found, they can be readily quarantined and/or deleted. The software can also run tests on external volumes and perform a deep scan to check every file on your hard drive, which may take several hours but is worth it. Avast has taken an interesting approach to its Traffic Monitor and Network Monitor modules, with the Traffic Monitor showing how much data you’re using and where your bandwidth is going and the Network Inspector quickly scanning the network you’re on, gauging its safety, offering a list of which devices are on the same network, and alerting you as to when an unfamiliar device joins the network. It’s interesting to see where your web traffic is going, which geographic locations it’s pinging to, and how much bandwidth it’s consuming. The Network Inspector offers a handy means of examining your larger network and can point out which devices are on it and if suspect devices might be lurking on your network. Foundry The Core Shields feature impressed me when I ran it through a fake/“smishing” website that spawned from a random text message I received claiming a package I hadn’t ordered had been lost, but that clicking on a fake USPS website link would resolve the issue. Avast’s Real Site feature prevented the site from loading and questionable software from being accessed, as the questionable website was written to do. While the text and its links were suspicious, to begin with, this can help avoid future mistakes.  The Email Guardian module is interesting and reveals which emails contain viruses, malware, or are part of larger phishing scams, and it’s easy to add an email account for Avast to look over, the suite allowing for whitelists and exemptions to be created and customized in its preferences. Still, there are some issues to sort out. As I mentioned the last time I reviewed Avast Premium Premium (in 2023), the Email Guardian feature was able to point out suspect emails but didn’t do much to prevent you from visiting questionable websites. This really hasn’t changed. Once again, the Email Guardian feature highlights questionable websites but still lets you readily visit every dubious link to be found in your spam folder without so much as a warning, which is still troubling. Yes, you’re a mature, responsible adult, and the choice is yours, but this still waves you on through to every message that offers free power tools for completing a survey, reverse mortgages paid in cryptocurrency, online casinos that claim you can’t possibly lose, and everything else under the sun without a hint of warning to be found. While Avast Premium Security is reasonably priced, there’s a question of semi-dubious marketing to be addressed here, as the website mentions a low monthly rate in bold text with the overall annual payment in subtle, non-bold text. Enter your payment information, and Avast gladly snags the annual rate from your bank account, which is valid but still feels as if the marketing department is going after a customer base that might not have time to read the fine print. This, combined with the fact that Avast still has yet to reply to media emails to questions sent along, points to a corporate element not firing on all cylinders, and you may have to reach out more than once if you have technical support questions. Should you buy Avast Premium Security for Mac? There’s a good product here, and I was impressed with how much questionable software Avast Premium Security was able to head off at the pass, even though it allowed CrossRat to install fake Java libraries and a fake Adobe Flash Player to be installed, even though it later caught up to them and removed them via a deep scan. Would I run the company the exact way it’s being run now? No. Would I sit the developers down, ask them to look over the Email Guardian feature, and strongly suggest that the software at least offer some warning before you link over to a spam link rife with grammatical errors that says you’re about to lose your driver’s license unless you pay off an unknown creditor in a foreign country? Yes. But even with these shortcomings, Avast remains a best-of-breed utility and may just be worth your consideration.

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President Trump says stocks will boom after import tariff negotiations
Following a downturn, a surge is on the horizon? President Donald Trump claims his tariffs will spark a stock market boom, yet investors are… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple Music on Windows finally gets Dolby Atmos support
Windows users who have an Apple Music subscription can now enjoy immersive, three-dimensional audio thanks to newly added support for Dolby Atmos on the Apple Music app.Dolby Atmos support rolls out for Apple Music on WindowsApple Music first came to Windows 11 in January 2023, and then showed up on the nearly ubiquitous Windows 10 just over a year later.However, it didn't include support for Dolby Atmos — even though Apple users had it since June 2021. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Today in Apple history: Apple frenemy Microsoft is born 50 years ago
On April 4, 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft, a software company destined to become a tech behemoth (and key Apple frenemy). (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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The 13-inch M2 MacBook Air 256GB is $240 Off
The M2 MacBook Air combines the lightness of its namesake with the computing power of the M2 chip. Today, the 13-inch variant with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage is down to just $759 from its original price of $1,000 on Amazon. Featuring a thin design, the MacBook Air is as ready as any other computer. […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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CNBC+ arrives on Apple TV
Media network CNBC recently announced the debut of its streaming service for Roku and Apple TV. The CNBC+ streaming service can be accessed through the CNBC app. It’s worth noting that the CNBC app is supported on all Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD devices. With CNBC+, viewers can get a live stream of […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple testing OLED for iPad mini
A leak within the Chinese supply chain claims that Apple is now testing a smaller OLED screen for the iPad mini. The leaker with the handle ‘Digital Chat Station’ revealed that there’s an evaluation for the iPad mini to have an OLED display and that it’s made by Samsung. There are still questions about whether […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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American Express and Visa try to land Apple Card partnership
The Wall Street Journal reported that both American Express and Visa are competing against each other to land the Apple Card deal. Apple Card is currently in the Mastercard network, but that could change soon. Apple apparently wishes to end the Goldman Sachs partnership and possibly choose a new payment network. Mastercard is trying to […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple stock hit hard as China retaliates to President Trump’s new slate of U.S. import tariffs
On Friday, major U.S. tech companies, banks, and oil firms saw their losses deepen after Beijing responded with an additional 34% tariff… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Visa Bids $100 Million To Replace Mastercard As Apple's New Credit Card Partner
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Visa has offered Apple roughly $100 million to take over the tech giant's credit card partnership from Mastercard, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Visa has made a bold push to secure the Apple Card, offering an upfront payment typically reserved for the largest card programs, WSJ reported. American Express is also trying to unseat Mastercard to win the Apple card. Amex is looking to become the card's issuer as well as the network, the report said, citing the sources. Goldman Sachs ended its partnership with Apple in late 2023 as the Wall Street bank retreated from consumer lending. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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How Each Pillar of the 1st Amendment is Under Attack
In an address to Congress this month, President Trump claimed he had "brought free speech back to America." But barely two months into his second term, the president has waged an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment rights of journalists, students, universities, government workers, lawyers and judges. This story explores a slew of recent actions by the Trump administration that threaten to undermine all five pillars of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedoms concerning speech, religion, the media, the right to assembly, and the right to petition the government and seek redress for wrongs.

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When Getting Phished Puts You in Mortal Danger
Many successful phishing attacks result in a financial loss or malware infection. But falling for some phishing scams, like those currently targeting Russians searching online for organizations that are fighting the Kremlin war machine, can cost you your freedom or your life.

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Arrests in Tap-to-Pay Scheme Powered by Phishing
Authorities in at least two U.S. states last week independently announced arrests of Chinese nationals accused of perpetrating a novel form of tap-to-pay fraud using mobile devices. Details released by authorities so far indicate the mobile wallets being used by the scammers were created through online phishing scams, and that the accused were relying on a custom Android app to relay tap-to-pay transactions from mobile devices located in China.

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DOGE to Fired CISA Staff: Email Us Your Personal Data
A message posted on Monday to the homepage of the U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is the latest exhibit in the Trump administration's continued disregard for basic cybersecurity protections. The message instructed recently-fired CISA employees to get in touch so they can be rehired and then immediately placed on leave, asking employees to send their Social Security number or date of birth in a password-protected email attachment -- presumably with the password needed to view the file included in the body of the email.

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ClickFix: How to Infect Your PC in Three Easy Steps
A clever malware deployment scheme first spotted in targeted attacks last year has now gone mainstream. In this scam, dubbed "ClickFix," the visitor to a hacked or malicious website is asked to distinguish themselves from bots by pressing a combination of keyboard keys that causes Microsoft Windows to download password-stealing malware.

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Microsoft: 6 Zero-Days in March 2025 Patch Tuesday
Microsoft today issued more than 50 security updates for its various Windows operating systems, including fixes for a whopping six zero-day vulnerabilities that are already seeing active exploitation.

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Alleged Co-Founder of Garantex Arrested in India
Authorities in India today arrested the alleged co-founder of Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange sanctioned by the U.S. government in 2022 for facilitating tens of billions of dollars in money laundering by transnational criminal and cybercriminal organizations. Sources close to the investigation told KrebsOnSecurity the Lithuanian national Aleksej Besciokov, 46, was apprehended while vacationing on the coast of India with his family.

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Feds Link $150M Cyberheist to 2022 LastPass Hacks
In September 2023, KrebsOnSecurity published findings from security researchers who concluded that a series of six-figure cyberheists across dozens of victims resulted from thieves cracking master passwords stolen from the password manager service LastPass in 2022. In a court filing this week, U.S. federal agents investigating a spectacular $150 million cryptocurrency heist said they had reached the same conclusion.

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Who is the DOGE and X Technician Branden Spikes?
At 49, Branden Spikes isn't just one of the oldest technologists who has been involved in Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). As the current director of information technology at X/Twitter and an early hire at PayPal, Zip2, Tesla and SpaceX, Spikes is also among Musk's most loyal employees. Here's a closer look at this trusted Musk lieutenant, whose Russian ex-wife was once married to Elon's cousin.

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