12-08-25 -

Remembering David Lerner of Tekserve
David Lerner, remembered by many for his “May You have 1000 Backups and Never Need One” email signature, has died at 72. Read Sam Roberts’s obituary in the New York Times; we revisit his and Tekserve’s appearances in TidBITS.

12-08-25 -

TidBITS Needs Your Support in 2026
We don’t peddle your personal information to advertisers or rely on deep-pocketed corporate backers, so would you contribute to keep TidBITS vibrant in the next year?

12-07-25 -

Find My Saves Dave Barrys iPadTwice
Apparently, humor columnist Dave Barry’s brain is full, causing him to leave his iPad in public places—well, one public place—but Find My helped him recover it not just once, but twice. It’s a good reminder to turn on Find My and use Apple...

12-07-25 -

Hidden Setting Controls What Happens When You Tap a Call in the Phone App
In iOS 26’s Phone app, Unified view lets you tap a call to show contact info instead of initiating a callback. A hidden setting lets you switch that tap-a-call behavior back to a callback—but it appears only when in Unified view and isn’t av...

12-05-25 -

Apple Executive Departures Could Signal Welcome Changes
Apple’s hectic week of executive transitions could have more profound impacts than just reshuffling the org chart. With John Giannandrea retiring and Alan Dye departing, Apple has an opportunity to fix Siri and refine Liquid Glass.

12-05-25 -

SoundSource 6.0
Major upgrade for the audio control utility brings grouped output devices and integrated AirPlay streaming. ($49 new, $25 upgrade, 51.6 MB, macOS 15+)

12-05-25 -

Default Folder X 6.2.3
Adds open Finder windows to the Open/Save dialog utility's Quick Search results. ($39.95 new, free update, 28.6 MB, macOS 10.13+)

12-05-25 -

Fantastical 4.1.5 and Cardhop 2.4.3
Adds Control Center controls for both the calendar and contact apps. ($56.99 annual subscription new, free update, various sizes, macOS 12+)

12-05-25 -

Cocktail 19.3
General-purpose maintenance utility updated with support for macOS 26 Tahoe. ($29 new, free update, 2.1 MB, macOS 26+)

12-04-25 -

Retrobatch 2.3.1
Updates the re-encoding behavior of the Delete Metadata node. ($29.99/$49.99 new, free update, 58.7 MB, macOS 12+)

12-03-25 -

BusyCal 2025.4.2 and BusyContacts 2025.4.3
Updates the calendar and contact apps with improvements and bug fixes. ($49.99 new for each, free update, various sizes, macOS 11.5+)

12-02-25 -

Mellel 6.5.5
Collects controls to adjust the user interface appearance and customize colors in a new Appearance tab in Settings. ($69.99 new, free update, 107.6 MB, macOS 10.13+)

11-30-25 -

SoundSource 5.8.11
Updates the audio handling ARK plugin to address a rare crash. ($45 new, free update, 38.8 MB, macOS 14.5+)

11-24-25 -

No TidBITS Issue on 1 December 2025
We’re taking the next email issue of TidBITS off to celebrate Thanksgiving, although we’ll continue to publish articles on our website. You can look forward to the next email issue on 8 December 2025.

11-24-25 -

Do You Use It? Contact Posters Remain a Niche Feature
Two years after Apple introduced contact posters in iOS 17, our Do You Use It? poll shows that over half of respondents haven’t created a single one. The feature’s limited visibility and fussy creation process may explain the lackluster adoption.

11-23-25 -

Unite 6.5
Adds full native support for macOS 26 Tahoe to the site-specific Web browser app. ($29.99 new, free update, 28.8 MB, macOS 12+)

11-23-25 -

SuperDuper 3.11
Adds initial support for macOS 26 Tahoe to the backup app and fixes some security vulnerabilities. ($27.95 new, free update, 9.2 MB, macOS 10.13+)

11-23-25 -

Camo Studio 2.5
Adds a Screen Capture feature to the virtual camera system. ($49.99 annual subscription, free update, 81.6 MB, macOS 12.3+)

11-23-25 -

Timing 2025.9
Adds the ability to round time entry durations in reports for cleaner timesheets. ($108/$132/$192 annual subscriptions, free update, 31.9 MB, macOS 11+)

11-23-25 -

Scrivener 3.5.1
Long-form writing tool fixes bugs and updates app icon that to be more Liquid Glass-friendly. ($59.99 new, free update, 116.2 MB, macOS 11+)

11-23-25 -

ChatGPT Atlas Digitized Book Tables That Stymied Other OCR Tools
What started as a simple need—digitizing training pace tables for a workout app—became a test of OCR tools. ChatGPT Atlas won where others failed, autonomously processing five photos into perfect CSV data despite page curl and dense columns.

11-21-25 -

Inside Apples 3DPrinted Titanium Apple Watch Cases
Apple explains how it 3D‑prints Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 cases using recycled titanium powder and multi‑laser systems, saying it uses 50% less raw material and will save more than 400 metric tons of titanium in 2025.Read original article

11-20-25 -

TidBITS Memberships Now Support PayPal
Thanks to a reader request, PayPal is now available for TidBITS memberships. It’s a convenient alternative to using a credit card for renewals or new sign-ups. Stripe keeps things simpler for our administrative operations, but if you prefer PayP...

11-19-25 -

BBEdit 15.5.4
Improves the app icon appearance when running macOS 26 Tahoe. ($59.99 new, free update, 28 MB, macOS 12+)

11-19-25 -

Ulysses 39
Major upgrade for the writing app fully embraces Apple's Liquid Glass design language. ($5.99/$39.99 monthly/yearly subscription, free update, 59.99 MB, macOS 14+)

11-19-25 -

SpamSieve 3.2.2
Maintenance update with bug fixes and improvements for the spam-filtering utility. ($39.99 new, free update, 60.8 MB, macOS 10.13+)

11-19-25 -

Apples N1 Chip Improves Wi-Fi Performance
Apple’s new N1 wireless chip in the iPhone 17 family boosts Wi‑Fi speeds by up to 40% over the Broadcom‑based Wi-Fi radio used in the iPhone 16 lineup—especially in poor conditions.Read original article

11-18-25 -

Apple Hit with $634 Million Verdict as Blood Oxygen Battle Drags On
The Apple–Masimo fight over watch‑based blood‑oxygen monitoring has escalated with a $634 million jury award and a fresh ITC review of Apple’s workaround.

11-18-25 -

Cloudflare Outage Takes Down Large Swaths of the Internet
This morning’s Cloudflare outage impacted millions of websites worldwide, exposing a troubling truth about modern Internet infrastructure: a handful of companies now control critical chokepoints that can take down significant portions of the Web.

11-17-25 -

ChronoSync 12 and ChronoAgent 12
Upgraded synchronization and backup tools bring full compatibility with macOS 26 Tahoe and added features. ($49.99 new for ChronoSync, $19.99 new for ChronoAgent, free updates for previous licenses, various sizes, macOS 10.14+)

11-17-25 -

Firefox 145
Updates the venerable Web browser with several handy improvements. (Free, 143.2 MB, macOS 10.15+)

11-17-25 -

SoundSource 5.8.10
Brings full macOS 26 Tahoe support to the audio control utility. ($45 new, free update, 38.7 MB, macOS 14.5+)

11-17-25 -

Benefits of the AI Bubble
The dot-com bubble left us fiber and a Web‑savvy workforce; the AI bubble will leave behind chip fabs and power generation. Ben Thompson argues that bursting bubbles build foundations on which the next wave of technology can grow.Read original a...

11-17-25 -

How to Set Contact Avatars and Posters on the iPhone
Want to make your iPhone’s Phone app and contact cards more visually appealing? Adam Engst walks you through the often frustrating process of customizing contact avatars and posters. 

11-14-25 -

Bookends 15.2.2
Introduces a new Apple-related AI feature to the reference management tool. ($74.99 new, free update, 126 MB, macOS 10.13+)

11-14-25 -

Hazel 6.1
Brings a new Liquid Glass look to the automation and cleanup utility for macOS 26 Tahoe. ($42 new, free update, 27.9 MB, macOS 13+)

11-12-25 -

Apple Introduces Digital ID, but It Doesnt Replace Your Passport
Apple’s new Digital ID lets US passport holders add an ID to the iPhone’s Wallet app for TSA identity checks, but it’s no replacement for your physical license or passport.

11-12-25 -

Apples iPhone Pocket Is a Rorschach Test, Not a Must-Have Accessory
Apple’s iPhone Pocket collaboration with Issey Miyake might seem like the spiritual successor to iPod Socks, but it’s closer to luxury Hermès Apple Watch bands. Crafted in Japan and selling for as much as $230, it may reveal more about your o...

11-10-25 -

Fission 2.9.2
Adds full support for macOS 26 Tahoe and refinements to audio editor's recently updated color scheme. ($35 new, free update, 14.5 MB, macOS 14.4+)

11-10-25 -

Acorn 8.3.2
Updates the image editor with a few improvements and bug fixes for the image editor. ($29.99 new, free update, 86.9 MB, macOS 14+)

11-10-25 -

Affinity 3.0.1
Maintenance update for the recently announced free graphic design software. (Free, 981.4 MB, macOS 10.15+)

11-10-25 -

TextExpander 8.4
Text expansion utility adds a new Date Picker feature. ($40 annual subscription, free update, 47.9 MB, macOS 11.1+)

11-10-25 -

Audio Hijack 4.5.5 and Piezo 1.9.7
Two Rogue Amoeba audio apps bring full support for macOS 26 Tahoe. ($69/29 new, free update, various sizes, macOS 14.4+)

11-10-25 -

Comparing the Classic and Unified Views in iOS 26s Phone App
Apple redesigned the Phone app in iOS 26 with a new Unified view that combines Favorites and Recents—and, crucially, makes it much harder to call someone. Adam Engst walks through the differences between Classic and Unified views to help you dec...

11-05-25 -

Tahoes Terrible Icons, Another Take
Apple’s macOS 26 Tahoe icon overhaul prioritizes uniform “squircles” over personality. Paul Kafasis’s comparisons reveal softened, blurrier artwork that reduces at‑a‑glance recognizability.Read original article

11-04-25 -

Apple Launches Unified App Store Website
Apple has quietly launched a unified App Store website that brings together all its platform stores into a single responsive, searchable interface—though downloading still requires native apps.

11-04-25 -

Six Colors Charts Apples Fiscal 2025
It can be hard to get the big picture from quarterly financial statements, but Jason Snell’s charts of Apple’s annual performance make it clear just how well Apple is doing.Read original article

11-03-25 -

OS 26.1 Updates Bring Small Improvements
Update to OS 26.1 for incremental improvements and security fixes across Apple’s platforms. Highlights include Tinted Liquid Glass, AutoMix over AirPlay, Slide Over’s return to iPadOS, and dozens of patched vulnerabilities.

11-03-25 -

1Password 8.11.16
Adds support for the ChatGPT Atlas Web browser and fixes a few bugs. ($35.88 annual subscription, free update, 4.8 MB, macOS 12+)

11-03-25 -

Transmit 5.11.1
Adds support for renaming files larger than 5 GB in AWS S3. ($45 new, free update, 37.5 MB, macOS 12+)