Chance Miller, writing at 9to5Mac.com:

Apple has launched a dramatic new web interface for the App Store. You can now get the full App Store experience right in your browser, with dedicated pages for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision, Watch, and TV app libraries.

Previously, Apple’s “apps.apple.com” domain simply redirected you to a generic page about the App Store on Apple’s website. Now, it takes you to a full-fledged version of the App Store you can browse on your computer.

This new web-based interface for the App Store looks pretty good and feels very much like the real-deal App Store that you would have access to on a Mac with all of the usual details (ratings and reviews, screenshots, related apps, etc.) included on an app’s page.

I’m a bit late on posting about this, but it looks like the iPadOS 26.1 beta brings back Apple’s “Slide Over” multitasking feature. This is something that I frequently use on my iPad Mini so I was disappointed when I saw that it was removed in iPadOS 26.

Here’s an article by Jason Snell of SixColors that discusses “Slide Over”, as well as other updates that are included in the iPadOS 26.1 beta.

I was listening to the MacBreak Weekly podcast the other day and heard Jason Snell mention an article from iFixit, where they put one of Apple’s new TechWoven cases through some durability tests. In short, the TechWoven cases seem to be more durable (and stain resistant) than the FineWoven cases that Apple had previously released a few years back.

While I’ve never actually used a FineWoven case, I did purchase a TechWoven case when I picked up my iPhone 17 Pro Max and the material does feel pretty durable. iFixit mentioned that it’s almost feels like “ruggedized plastic” instead of fabric, which I would agree with. It definitely feels nice in the hand and slides into and out of pockets pretty easily, as well.

That said, I purchased an Apple Silicone case a few days ago, as I like to use alcohol wipes to clean my phone and I feel as though the TechWoven cases aren’t great for that sort of thing due to the fabric material that they’re made from.

Mark Gurman, writing for Bloomberg:

Apple Inc. plans to unveil a long-anticipated overhaul of the iPhone SE in the coming days, a move that will modernize its lower-cost model in a bid to spur growth and entice consumers to switch from other brands.

The company expects to announce the device as early as next week, ahead of it going on sale later in the month, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Apple is unlikely to hold a launch event for the device, opting to reveal it on its website instead, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private.

The current iPhone SE was released back in March, 2022 so it’s been a few years without a refresh. It will be interesting to see what the newest iteration of the iPhone SE looks like and what spec upgrades it receives, especially given the recent roll-out of Apple Intelligence.

The current iPhone SE contains an Apple A15 Bionic chip, which powered the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Max, as well as the iPhone 13 and 13 Mini, and the iPad Mini (6th Generation). The most recent Pro-model iPhones contain an Apple A18 Pro chip, with the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus both contain an Apple A18 chip.

Gurman also shared, in his article and on Twitter, that there are stock shortages of several Apple devices, including some of the ones mentioned above:

Mentioned in the story as well: Major shortages hitting the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, MacBook Air, 11-inch iPad Air and 13-inch iPad Air, in addition to the SE.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming week with the new iPhone SE!

Bill Gates’ latest book, Source Code: My Beginnings launched today. From the GatesNotes.com website:

Source Code is the story of the early part of my life, from growing up in Seattle through the beginnings of Microsoft. I share what it was like to be a precocious, sometimes difficult kid, the restless middle child of two dedicated and ambitious parents who didn’t always know what to make of me. In writing the book I came to better understand the people that shaped me and the experiences that led to the creation of a world-changing company.

The book is available from a variety of sellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books, among others.

Gates was actually in Boston yesterday, as a part of a book tour, to discuss the memoir with Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. at the Emerson Colonial Theater. My brother and I attended the discussion and I thought it was interesting to hear about the early parts of Gates’ life, prior to his days at Microsoft. The two discussed Gates’ childhood and upbringing, his fascination with computers at an early age, his meeting of Paul Allen at school, and his thoughts and views on a variety of other topics.

Mark Gurman, of Bloomberg, on Twitter:

A notable change coming to AppleCare+ next week: Apple is dropping the 2-3 year pay in advance option at physical retail stores and on devices and will only offer monthly and annual subscriptions. You’ll still be able to get those multi-year plans on the online store.

If true, this is just one of the many services out there that will have gone to a subscription model. I do wonder, though, if users will be able to purchase an Apple product at a physical retail store and then make a one-time AppleCare+ purchase online, after-the-fact, like users can currently do.

As it stands today, if a user wanted to purchase AppleCare+ for an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max, the one-time purchase price would be $199 for two years of coverage. The monthly option for the same coverage would cost $9.99/month, which would renew until cancelled. Assuming the user kept paying for monthly coverage for at least two years, they would end up spending $239.76, which ends up being $40.76 more expensive than purchasing the one-time plan for two years of coverage.

Whether or not Apple will update their pricing remains to be seen, but it will be interesting to see how this plays out and what users think of the changes.

Happy Halloween!

If you haven’t seen it yet, today’s Google Doodle celebrates Halloween with the latest edition (Part 3) of the “Magic Cat Academy” game which follows a cartoon cat that fights off ghosts and other adversaries using various magic spells that are launched from its magic wand.

Each ghost or adversarial creature that appears in the game will have one or more symbols displayed above it that the player must draw on the screen in order to cast a defensive spell to fend it off. Each game contains several levels, with each increasing in difficulty due to an increasing number of creatures, with some having multiple symbols that must be drawn in order to fend them off. (Thankfully, my wife and I played the game on a touch-screen Chromebook, which saved us from having to use a trackpad or regular mouse to draw the symbols.)

For those interested, Part 3 (Halloween, 2024) of the “Magic Cat Academy” game can be played here, with Part 2 (Halloween, 2020) and Part 1 (Halloween, 2016) also being available to play.

According to a recent post on AT&T’s Newsroom blog, AT&T revealed that the company fell victim to a hacking attempt, with the hackers getting access to customer data.

The post on the “Newsroom” blog, dated July 12, 2024, reads, in-part:

Based on our investigation, the compromised data includes files containing AT&T records of calls and texts of nearly all of AT&T’s cellular customers, customers of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using AT&T’s wireless network, as well as AT&T’s landline customers who interacted with those cellular numbers between May 1, 2022 – October 31, 2022. The compromised data also includes records from January 2, 2023, for a very small number of customers. The records identify the telephone numbers an AT&T or MVNO cellular number interacted with during these periods. For a subset of records, one or more cell site identification number(s) associated with the interactions are also included.

The data does not contain the content of calls or texts, personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, or other personally identifiable information. It also does not include some typical information you see in your usage details, such as the time stamp of calls or texts. While the data does not include customer names, there are often ways, using publicly available online tools, to find the name associated with a specific telephone number.

At this time, we do not believe that the data is publicly available.

The good news is that the data does not contain any sensitive information like Social Security Numbers and what not, nor does it contain the actual contents of calls or text messages. As well, AT&T doesn’t believe that the customer data has been made publicly available, which hopefully continues to remain the case.

Apple and Google, both members of the Data Transfer Initiative, recently announced a new tool that enables users to easily transfer photos from Google Photos to iCloud.

The announcement, posted on the Data Transfer Initiative’s blog, reads in-part:

Beginning today, Apple and Google are expanding on their direct data transfer offerings to allow users of Google Photos to transfer their collections directly to iCloud Photos. This complements and completes the existing transfers that were first made possible from iCloud Photos to Google Photos and fulfills a core Data Transfer Initiative (DTI) principle of reciprocity. The offering from Apple and Google will be rolling out over the next week and is the newest tool powered by the open source Data Transfer Project (DTP) technology stack, joining existing direct portability tools available to billions of people today offered by DTI and its founding partners Apple, Google, and Meta.

This is definitely a useful feature for those who may want to have copies of their photos spread across multiple services, as well as for those who are looking to completely switch from one service to another.

Given that it’s the end of 2017, it’s time for TechnicalCafe’s annual “Favorite Apps” post! As usual, I’ve used a variety of apps throughout the course of the year, with many coming in handy or being used every single day. Whether it’s keeping up with what family and friends are doing or taking some quick notes, my phone is probably one of, if not the most used device that I own, with much of this utility owed to the apps that are installed on it.

Below, in no particular order, you’ll find a list of some of my “favorite” apps from 2017. It’s likely that some of these apps appeared in previous versions of this post, simply due to how often they’re used and how helpful they may be.

Tweetbot

Tweetbot, by TapBots, is a third-party Twitter client that has a clean and easy-to-use user experience, while also offering a variety of gesture-based controls. For example, if you’re in the main timeline and swipe a tweet to the side, you can view replies and other information about it. Swiping the other way will bring you straight to a reply screen, where you can then write and send your own reply.

With an easy to use navigation and a clean and modern looking UI, I would recommend Tweetbot to anyone who’s looking for a no-nonsense way to view, write, and manage their tweets and Twitter profile. For those who use a Mac computer, Tweetbots also offers a downloadable client, as well.

SnapChat

SnapChat likely needs no introduction, and is an app that I use pretty much every day. With a great deal of friends and family members using the service to send quick photos and videos of what’s going on in their day, it’s fun to open the app and see what everyone’s up to. With the ability to dress up snaps with text, stickers, and filters, it can be a lot of fun to try and craft a creative photo or video and share it with friends and family.

Instagram

Like with SnapChat, Instagram is an app that I use daily in order to keep up with what family, friends, and others are up to. For those that aren’t on the service, Instagram enables users to post photos and videos, with others being able to comment on them. Additionally, Instagram also enables users to post SnapChat-like stories so that users can see small updates throughout the day that do not appear in the regular feed or on the poster’s profile.

Evernote

Ever since I (momentarily) switched to an Android phone in 2014, Evernote has been my go-to app for taking and storing the majority of my notes on the go. Whether it’s a list of items to pack for a trip or a photo of something that I’d like to remember, Evernote has support for it.

One feature that I particularly like about Evernote is that, in addition to being a mobile app, the service is also available as both a downloadable desktop app and a web app. This can be especially useful for when I’d like to write a more “complicated” or “drawn-out” note or if I’m just using my computer and don’t want to pull out my phone to remember something.

One drawback to the free version of Evernote (which is what I currently use), however, is that the service limits users to being signed in to a maximum of two devices at a time (not including the web app). So, if you have the Evernote app installed on an iPhone, Mac, and an iPad, for example, you’ll have to pick which of the two you’d like to keep signed in, unless you either purchase a premium subscription or log in via the web app instead.

1Password

With all of the websites and services that are available today, it’s virtually impossible to remember what passwords you chose for each service, especially if they’re comprised of a variety of different characters (upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols). This is where 1Password comes in – it provides a password-protected vault for users to store their passwords and other sensitive data in. What’s more is that all of the data stored within 1Password is encrypted, so even if someone were to get ahold of your backup, they still wouldn’t be able to determine what was stored in it.

Using 1Password is easy, and users can even choose to unlock their vaults using a fingerprint or FaceID, should they wish to do so. Then, finding a password (or other information about an account, etc.) is as simple as typing in the name of the website or service or simply scrolling through a list to see the available options.

Calendars 5

As a Google Calendar user, Calendars 5 has been my go-to calendar app for a few years now. I like how the app supports natural language processing, enabling users to add events to their calendars by simply typing them in “regular” language. For example, you could simply type “Meeting tomorrow from 1-2 PM” and the app would know to add an event to your calendar for the next day from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. This prevents users from having to manually select start and end times for events, making it quick and easy to add them to a calendar.

What’s more is that Calendars 5 supports several different calendar views, with the “Month” view being one that I tend to use pretty frequently. I find it to be useful to have a view that shows every event or appointment throughout the month in one view, and Calendars 5 seemed to be one of the few apps that offered this at the time that I first downloaded it. (Google Calendar, which I also have installed on my phone, does now offer this view, too.)

While Calendars 5 is somewhat expensive for an app ($6.99), I find it to be a great app for managing one’s calendar and would recommend it to anyone looking for a new calendar app.

YouTube

As someone who consumes a great deal of their video content from YouTube, this app definitely deserves a place on my “Favorite Apps” list. In fact, my wife and I have “cut the cord” (we never really had it in our house together to begin with) and don’t have cable, so we tend to watch a lot of web-based content including what’s available on Netflix, HBO Go, YouTube, etc. Given that I follow several “vloggers” and “how-to” channels on YouTube, I’m often using the app to see what new content is available.

What’s more is that we can push YouTube videos to either our ChromeCast (also by Google) or to the Apple TV and watch it on a bigger screen, if we want to, and can use the app to control what we’re watching.

Dark Sky

For those that like to keep an eye on the weather, Dark Sky is a full-featured weather app that provides a great deal of information as to what Mother Nature is doing. The app even includes an hour-by-hour breakdown (via a neat graphic) of what a day will look like, making it easy to plan activities or just see when it might rain or snow.

Also included in the app is a 7-day forecast, the ability to add and view weather for multiple locations, as well as the option to view maps that have weather radar and temperature information overlaid on top of them.

While Apple’s native “Weather” app gets the job done just fine, I’d recommend Dark Sky to those who may be looking for more detailed information about the weather.

AnyList

AnyList is a great app that enables users to create a variety of lists, like shopping lists, to-do lists, and more. What’s more is that users can add information and notes to list items and can easily drag-and-drop to move the items into different categories.

Perhaps the most useful feature of AnyList, at least for my wife and I, is the ability to share lists with other users. We personally use the app as our grocery list and are notified (via push notification) each time the other person updates the list. While there are a bunch of other list or to-do apps out there that have a sharing functionality, AnyList is easy to use, has a great set of features, is free, and just gets the job done.

For anyone looking for a list app, I’d definitely recommend that they check out AnyList, especially if you’re looking to share and manage your lists with others.

Reminders

While many people often replace native iOS apps for a variety of reasons, I’ve been using the default Reminders app for a while now and think it works pretty well for what I need in such an app.

Given that the app is integrated with Siri (as are most native iOS apps), it’s easy to simply dictate a reminder using my Apple Watch or iPhone. For example, if I’m driving or am out and about and want to remember to pick up some milk on the way home, all I have to do is say “Hey Siri, add a reminder to get milk today at 5:30 PM” and it is added.

The fact that the app automatically syncs with my other Apple devices is also very useful and makes it easy to see what reminders whether I’m using my phone or am sitting at my computer.

Users can create multiple lists and can even share lists with others, provided they have an Apple ID.

And there you have it – the TechnicalCafe.com 2017 “Favorite App” list! Though I’ve used many other apps over the course of the year, the ones chosen above stuck out to me as the ones that I’ve either used the most often or found the most useful throughout the course of the past year.

If you’re interested in seeing what apps were chosen in previous years, please feel free to check out the “Favorite Apps” posts from 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, and 2010 (yes, unfortunately, we did miss 2012…sorry…).

Thank you to everyone who read the TechnicalCafe blog, watched videos and tutorials on the TechnicalCafe YouTube channel, and to those who took the time to comment or reach out via email, I greatly appreciate it!

I hope that everyone has a happy, healthy, and safe New Year!

– Jamie