macOS

Bumpr is a new macOS utility that lets you easily decide which apps to use when opening URLs. The app works with both browser URLs and email composition links and makes running multiple browsers and email clients easier to manage.

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Update: The latest build is now available to macOS Public Beta users, as well.

Apple is rolling out the fifth macOS 10.12.4 beta for developer testing. The upcoming version of macOS Sierra is the first to bring Night Shift to the Mac. Build 16E183b is currently available on Apple’s developer portal and should be available through the Mac App Store soon.

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First time checking out this series? You’ll get the most value by starting at the beginning, however you can also use the series overview if you’d like to go buffet style.

Note for regular readers, the already tech savvy, and IT professionals: this series is designed as a resource you can share with those you are helping or for those looking to become tech savvy on their own.

Background, Expectations, & Best Practices

Last week we covered building confidence and ease with iPhone and iPad navigation by dialing in to five different features and how they work. We’ll do the same today looking at macOS (previously known as OS X) which is Apple’s operating system for Macs.

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Apple’s iOS and macOS platforms both lost share to Chrome OS in the US K-12 education market last year, according to new data from Futuresource Consulting (via The New York Times).

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Apple is rolling out the fourth macOS 10.12.4 beta for developer testing. The upcoming version of macOS Sierra is the first to bring Night Shift to the Mac.

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One of the things that I’ve always loved about macOS is how easy it is to take a variety of screenshots with just a keyboard shortcut. Yet, with the release of the Touch Bar-adorned MacBook Pro, some may find that taking screenshots is easier than ever. In this brief tutorial, we’ll show you how.
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Apple has released the third public beta version of macOS 10.12.4 which includes Night Shift for Mac. macOS 10.12.4 public beta 3 follows the third developer version of the upcoming software update.

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Apple is rolling out the third macOS 10.12.4 beta for developer testing. The upcoming version of macOS Sierra is the first to bring Night Shift to the Mac.

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Apple has announced it is holding WWDC 2017 from June 5th to June 9th, with a big change from previous years: the conference will be held in San Jose, at the McEnery Convention Center.

At WWDC, Apple unveils the next major versions of its software operating systems. This year, expect the announcement of including iOS 11, macOS 10.13 as well as updates to tvOS and watchOS.

The 2017 conference marks a big shift in location — Apple typically holds WWDC in San Francisco — but it seems the logistics of the conference will otherwise be the same. Registration for tickets will start on March 27.

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As it becomes more common to use a subscription music service like Apple Music or Spotify, song duplicates are less and less of an issue. However, many of us still maintain a music library that consists of content from various sources and still have to wrestle with the issue from time to time. Let’s take a look at a few free options and a couple paid apps that can help…

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A new app from developer Cindori called VR Desktop for Mac provides a virtual reality experience of macOS using the popular VR headset Oculus Rift. The main idea of the project is to allow for a virtual multi-monitor workspace, meaning users can create virtual screens and interact with macOS using an entirely VR desktop.

For now it works in the Oculus Rift dev kit, but the company plans to later support other VR headsets, including the HTC Vive that could soon get Mac support. 

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You’ve probably experienced the frustration of duplicate contact cards at one time or another and the more contacts you have (especially if the duplicates have different information) the more of a headache it can be.

Luckily there are a couple easy ways to remove duplicates whether you have your Mac with you or not, as well as a way to merge contact card data. Follow along for how to make quick work of cleaning up your contacts.

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Apple has released the second public beta version of macOS 10.12.4 which includes Night Shift for Mac. macOS 10.12.4 public beta 2 follows the second developer version of the upcoming software update.

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Apple is rolling out the second macOS 10.12.4 beta for developer testing. The upcoming version of macOS Sierra is the first to bring Night Shift to the Mac.

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Code discovered in the current macOS 10.12.4 software beta includes references to what is likely Kaby Lake-based MacBook Pro models currently being developed. Apple released the current generation of MacBook Pro models in October. The code discovered in macOS 10.12.4 points to what could be coming in the next lineup.

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Over the years Apple has made steady improvements to how our devices sync content. On the whole, it’s becoming more seamless to keep photos, videos and other content synced and organized across multiple iOS devices and Macs with software like iCloud Photo Library and iCloud Music Library.

However, one area I believe Apple could really improve the user experience is with photo and video management for multiple users. While iCloud Photo Sharing is a nice social way to share and organize photos with others, it’s not a great option to mange your photo and video collection. A feature I’d really like to see is iCloud Photo Library support for multiple Apple IDs.

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Apple has released the first public beta version of macOS 10.12.4 which includes Night Shift for Mac. macOS 10.12.4 public beta 1 follows two days after the first developer version of the upcoming software update.

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Earlier today, we went hands-on with the recent addition of Night Shift to macOS. The feature comes with macOS 10.12.4, which was released to developers yesterday.

Night Shift is Apple’s color temperature adjustment feature that automatically changes the temperature of your display depending on what time of day it is. The feature was first introduced with iOS 9.3 and has come to the Mac one year later.

Do you use Night Shift on iOS? Will you use it on the Mac?

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One year after introducing Night Shift on the iPhone and iPad, Apple is bringing its display color temperature feature to the Mac starting with macOS 10.12.4. Here’s how to enable Night Shift on your Mac and how it works.

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