New security updates released by Apple March 8, 2021.
February Meeting Mac SIG
The February meeting will again be a Zoom meeting on Friday, Feb. 26, 10 a.m. (bedroom slippers still welcome—just turn off your video if you haven’t yet gotten around to getting dressed!).
The topic of this meeting will be Mission Control & Mac Basics.
Larry McJunkin is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting
— Friday, Feb. 26, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
iCloud Scam
Evidently there’s another round of iCloud scam calls ongoing—one of our members said she received several yesterday. The message says, “Your iCloud account has been breached, call us back at 315-232-8257.” Other area codes are 913, 855 and probably others. Obviously. you do not want to call.
The February 2020 issue of Macworld has a great article on protecting your iOS privacy. You can find and read it on our Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/19OpyUGJrZtV6a0thaT1tSi9yFTcsgdV4/view?usp=sharing.
— Karen Brown
Urgent! Apple Update
Apple is urging iPhone and iPad users to promptly update their operating systems to fix security bugs that may have already been exploited by hackers. The latest update (14.4) was released on January 26. Don’t wait to install this update.
On its support webpage, the company said three security flaws “may have been actively exploited.” It did not reveal too many specifics about the bugs, noting “Apple does not disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available.” The issue is a link in an exploit chain, meaning a hacker would need to exploit further bugs for it to be fully executable.
Mac SIG Update
Happy New Year to All
Every one of you should watch the following video. The five techniques he describes are invaluable. I could not get along without the App Switcher & context menus, and I have 6 permanent desktops (Mission Control) that I use for particular apps. For example, I have set Quicken to open only on my Desktop 4—and I leave it open all the time, but it doesn’t bother any of my other open apps because it’s on its own desktop. Similarly, I have Music set to only open on my Desktop 6, Photos to only open on my Desktop 5… Using App Switcher, it’s easy to move from one app to another on different desktops.
5 Basic Mac Techniques Every Mac User Should Know
To get the most from your Mac, every Mac user should know about context menus, the app switcher, mission control and more. Even if you already know these basic techniques, there are some tips for using each one.
I’ve sent you information previously on using keyboard shortcuts—I couldn’t function without them! They make using any computer easier. In addition, using them causes much less stress on your wrists than reaching for your mouse to pull down a command from the menu.
Mac Basics: Learning To Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts are one of the primary productivity tools on your Mac. You can discover shortcuts by looking in the Menu Bar and in System Preferences. You can also create your own.
How To Get Notifications Under Control On Your Mac
Take control of the notifications that appear at the top right corner of your Mac’s screen and in Notification Center. Learn how to use the notifications, including hidden functionality like replying text messages right from the notification. Then find out how to turn them on, off, or modify them to fit your needs.
