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The oldest purely electronic technology publication on the Internet. Thoughtful, detailed coverage of everything Apple since 1990.
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Compromised Apple Gift Card Saga Ends Well, but Risks Remain
Compromised Apple Gift Card Saga Ends Well, but Risks Remain - TidBITS
Paris Buttfield-Addison has regained access to his Apple Account after a tainted gift card locked him out. But his saga highlights serious risks associated with Apple Gift Cards that should make everyone...
tidbits.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Jeff Carlson Reveals How Cell Carriers Handle Disasters and Mega-Events
Jeff Carlson Reveals How Cell Carriers Handle Disasters and Mega-Events - TidBITS
From the Las Vegas F1 race to the Pacific Northwest's devastating floods, Jeff Carlson's CNET articles reveal the trucks, trailers, drones, and dedicated spectrum that keep first responders connected...
tidbits.com
December 18, 2025 at 10:38 PM
1Password App Zeroed Out by Failed Update
1Password App Zeroed Out by Failed Update - TidBITS
A failed update left 1Password’s app package empty on multiple Macs, rendering it non-functional. The good news: reinstalling 1Password resolved the issue with no data loss.
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December 18, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Compromised Apple Gift Card Leads to Apple Account Lockout
Compromised Apple Gift Card Leads to Apple Account Lockout - TidBITS
After trying to redeem an Apple Gift Card, Apple developer and author Paris Buttfield-Addison was locked out of his Apple Account with no explanation. Despite extensive media coverage and contact from...
tidbits.com
December 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
How the Music App’s “Skip When Shuffling” Option Can Help (or Hinder) Holiday Playlists
How the Music App’s “Skip When Shuffling” Option Can Help (or Hinder) Holiday Playlists - TidBITS
After 30 frustrating minutes trying to fix a broken holiday playlist, Adam Engst finally found the culprit: a “Skip when shuffling” option he had enabled last year and forgotten about. Is there a...
tidbits.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:45 PM
TidBITS 2025 Holiday Hiatus—See You in 2026!
TidBITS 2025 Holiday Hiatus—See You in 2026! - TidBITS
We will be taking a few weeks off to spend time with family and friends over the holidays. You can expect the next email issue of TidBITS on 5 January 2026. Thank you for reading TidBITS, and we hope...
tidbits.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:38 PM
OS 26.2 Adds Reminder Alarms, Edge Light, Podcast Chapters, and Enhanced Safety Alerts
OS 26.2 Adds Reminder Alarms, Edge Light, Podcast Chapters, and Enhanced Safety Alerts - TidBITS
Adam Engst walks you through Apple’s OS 26.2 updates, highlighting new alarms in Reminders, auto-generated chapters in Podcasts, Enhanced Safety Alerts, and Edge Light for Mac video calls—along...
tidbits.com
December 13, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A Suspicious Encounter Abroad Highlights iPhone Security Features
A Suspicious Encounter Abroad Highlights iPhone Security Features - TidBITS
Was it a sophisticated iPhone hack, a pickpocketing distraction, or just a weird coincidence? After a TidBITS reader’s suspicious encounter with a lost tourist, we examine the security of modern iPhones...
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December 13, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Remembering David Lerner of Tekserve
Remembering David Lerner of Tekserve - TidBITS
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...
tidbits.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:06 PM
TidBITS Needs Your Support in 2026
TidBITS Needs Your Support in 2026 - TidBITS
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?
tidbits.com
December 9, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Find My Saves Dave Barry’s iPad—Twice
Find My Saves Dave Barry’s iPad—Twice - TidBITS
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...
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December 8, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Hidden Setting Controls What Happens When You Tap a Call in the Phone App
Hidden Setting Controls What Happens When You Tap a Call in the Phone App - TidBITS
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...
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December 8, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Apple Executive Departures Could Signal Welcome Changes
Apple Executive Departures Could Signal Welcome Changes - TidBITS
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...
tidbits.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:51 PM
No TidBITS Issue on 1 December 2025
No TidBITS Issue on 1 December 2025 - TidBITS
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.
tidbits.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Do You Use It? Contact Posters Remain a Niche Feature
Do You Use It? Contact Posters Remain a Niche Feature - TidBITS
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...
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November 24, 2025 at 10:38 PM
ChatGPT Atlas Digitized Book Tables That Stymied Other OCR Tools
ChatGPT Atlas Digitized Book Tables That Stymied Other OCR Tools - TidBITS
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...
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November 24, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Inside Apple’s 3D‑Printed Titanium Apple Watch Cases
Inside Apple’s 3D‑Printed Titanium Apple Watch Cases - TidBITS
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...
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November 21, 2025 at 10:51 PM
TidBITS Memberships Now Support PayPal
TidBITS Memberships Now Support PayPal - TidBITS
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...
tidbits.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Apple’s N1 Chip Improves Wi-Fi Performance
Apple’s N1 Chip Improves Wi-Fi Performance - TidBITS
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.
tidbits.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Apple Hit with $634 Million as Blood Oxygen Battle Drags On
Apple Hit with $634 Million as Blood Oxygen Battle Drags On - TidBITS
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.
tidbits.com
November 19, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Cloudflare Outage Takes Down Large Swaths of the Internet
Cloudflare Outage Takes Down Large Swaths of the Internet - TidBITS
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...
tidbits.com
November 19, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Benefits of the AI Bubble
Benefits of the AI Bubble - TidBITS
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...
tidbits.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:45 PM
How to Set Contact Avatars and Posters on the iPhone
How to Set Contact Avatars and Posters on the iPhone - TidBITS
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. 
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November 17, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Apple Introduces Digital ID, but It Doesn’t Replace Your Passport
Apple Introduces Digital ID, but It Doesn’t Replace Your Passport - TidBITS
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.
tidbits.com
November 13, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Apple’s iPhone Pocket Is a Rorschach Test, Not a Must-Have Accessory
Apple’s iPhone Pocket Is a Rorschach Test, Not a Must-Have Accessory - TidBITS
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...
tidbits.com
November 12, 2025 at 10:42 PM