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I strongly advise against going without a passcode on any device. Your passcode serves as the first— and perhaps only— line of defense for keeping the contents of your device secure. Devices like iPads and iPhones are vulnerable to theft during break-ins at home or work, can be easily taken from abandoned cars, or may be left behind in public places such as restaurants or taxis.

It is alarmingly easy for someone to lose their device while simply walking in the park. When your device is not protected by a passcode, anyone who comes into possession of it has unrestricted access to all your private information. This includes emails, websites and passwords, text messages, photos, audio recordings, videos, and sensitive financial records related to banking, investments, taxes, medical information, and prescriptions.

The risks extend beyond strangers; without a passcode, your children, their friends, babysitters, house cleaners, and roommates can snoop around and potentially copy anything on your device. It’s a certainty that this will happen when the opportunity arises. While some may argue they have nothing to hide, the fact remains that safeguarding your privacy is crucial.

Apple has made it incredibly simple to enhance your device’s security. Setting a four-digit passcode takes just a second to enter once a week and will significantly help in keeping your private information secure. The little effort it takes to maintain this layer of protection is worth the peace of mind it provides.

Lately, I’ve observed a trend where many users opt for models like the 16e, 16, 16 Pro, and even the 16+, but not as many are choosing the 16 Pro Max. This raises the question: why is that? I always thought bigger was better when it came to smartphones. Is there a growing preference for smaller devices, and if so, who is making that choice?

One notable example is the iPhone SE3. Its compact size makes it an appealing option for those who dislike carrying large devices. Personally, I’ve had my regrets about purchasing a Samsung phone that now sits unused in its box. Recently, I acquired the 16e in white with 512 GB of storage, and after setting it up, I couldn’t be happier.

Coming from the 16 Plus, which was an excellent phone, the size became an issue. It caused hand pain and was cumbersome to store in pockets, so I made the switch to the 16e, and so far, it feels perfect. Friends of mine have expressed similar sentiments regarding smaller phones. One individual mentioned that they currently own a 15 Pro but would love to go back to the Mini, which fit more comfortably in hand and was lighter in their purse.

Unfortunately, transitioning to the 15 Pro required purchasing a new case since it didn’t fit their old one. There’s a collective desire for Apple to bring back the Mini line of iPhones. Additionally, I’ve been contemplating a tri-fold device that resembles the size of a 16 Pro Max when closed but expands to the size of an iPad when opened. I’ve also been eyeing the Light Phone, as its minimalistic design appeals to those of us who appreciate compact devices.

One must consider whether the lack of 16 Pro Max users is more about cost rather than size. The price difference between the 16 Plus and the 16 Pro Max might be a significant factor pushing consumers toward smaller, more affordable options.

Hello. I’m currently on my second unit of the iPhone 16 Plus.

The first one had a significant issue with the screen, as a Genius at the Apple Store pointed out that the brightness was quite poor. After that, I received a replacement.

Today, I decided to visit the Apple Store again to compare my new unit with the display model. I quickly noticed that my phone’s brightness was once again inferior, despite both being set to the same settings.

However, I discovered a setting I hadn’t considered before: Auto Brightness in Accessibility. The display model had this option turned off, while mine was set to on.

The Genius at the store then shared some interesting insight. He mentioned that Apple adjusts the operating system on display models to enhance their visual appeal, making them appear brighter and more vibrant.

I was surprised to hear that, but when I turned off the Auto Brightness feature on my phone, the screen did indeed become more illuminated. However, this raises a concern, as there are warnings regarding battery performance when the brightness is increased.

It’s puzzling why Apple would choose to handle it this way. The Genius explained that he had encountered numerous customers returning due to similar brightness issues, leading to repeated replacements.

His tone was somewhat authoritative, even suggesting that I was fortunate for not having to replace my phone again. What are your thoughts on this situation?

I wanted to share my recent experience with cancelling my broadband provider. I decided to cut ties with my old service and now rely on my iPhone 14 Pro as a hotspot using mobile 5G. Previously, I was with TalkTalk, which offered a maximum download speed of 65MB.

In contrast, my current mobile provider, Three, delivers exceptional speeds of 500MB or more with their 5G service. I am on an unlimited data plan, which costs me just £17 a month. This change has not only improved my internet speed but also allowed me to save money.

While I used to pay £25 a month for TalkTalk, switching to Three has provided significant savings. In terms of performance, the difference is remarkable. The 5G connection from Three performs far better than my previous broadband service.

I enjoy the convenience of having unlimited data on my mobile device, which suits my lifestyle perfectly. Overall, cancelling my broadband and utilizing 5G through my phone has been a positive move. Not only am I experiencing much faster download speeds, but I am also well within my budget with the cost savings.

If you’re considering a similar change, it may be worth exploring mobile data options as an alternative to traditional broadband services.

Today, I noticed that my battery health dropped to 99%, after it had been holding steady at 100%. This prompted me to check in with others about their battery cycle counts and health statuses. For those who think we should stop stressing over battery health, I understand your perspective. This is simply a matter of curiosity and entertainment for me.

I’m not actually upset about my battery hitting 99%, so there’s no need to raise alarms! To provide my details, I have a 15PM model with a health reading of 99% and a cycle count of 152. This device was purchased on its release day, which makes the cycle count somewhat expected. I’m sure many of you can relate to tracking battery performance, especially when it’s such a crucial part of our daily tech experience.

I believe sharing these statistics can be informative and perhaps even entertaining! So, if you have insights or experiences related to your battery health and cycle counts, feel free to share. Whether it’s a similar model or a different one altogether, I’d love to hear how others are faring. Remember, this is all in good fun, so let’s keep the discussion lighthearted and engaging!

Mousio Hint is an auxiliary tool designed to enhance user experience while using the main Mousio app. Its primary function is to generate keyboard shortcut hints adjacent to on-screen UI elements, allowing users to navigate efficiently without relying on a mouse.

By utilizing these keyboard shortcuts, users can swiftly move their mouse pointer to a target location directly from their keyboard. This functionality eliminates the need for manual mouse operations, thus significantly boosting overall system efficiency.

In scenarios where certain applications fail to retrieve all UI elements, users can still utilize Mousio, making the experience feel more like a game while providing precise control over the mouse cursor’s position. However, it is important to note that Mousio Hint cannot operate properly within a sandboxed environment.

This limitation arises because the tool requires direct access to UI elements and their positions. While the main Mousio app can run in sandbox mode, Mousio Hint is an auxiliary positioning tool that seamlessly integrates with Mousio through its settings.

In summary, Mousio Hint enhances the overall functionality of the Mousio app by providing keyboard shortcut hints that allow for efficient navigation within various applications. Even in cases where the system struggles to recognize UI elements fully, users can depend on Mousio to maintain their operational experience.

With precise keyboard control, Mousio Hint truly transforms the way users interact with their system, offering a unique and enhanced method for navigating user interfaces.

I am excited to announce the launch of a new virtual machine manager tool for macOS called VirtualProg. This innovative software is built using Apple’s native Virtualization Framework, enabling users to run both macOS and Linux guest operating systems. Designed with a modern interface and a focus on seamless integration, VirtualProg offers features such as full snapshots, screen recording, and template support, making it an attractive option for users of both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.

While there are several virtualization tools available, including popular ones like Parallels, VMware Fusion, and UTM, VirtualProg is distinct from VirtualBox. Although VirtualBox is well-known for handling Windows installations, it lacks compatibility with Ventura and older macOS versions. VirtualProg aims to provide a more streamlined and native virtualization experience specifically tailored for the macOS environment.

I appreciate the thoughtful inquiries from users regarding VirtualProg’s capabilities. At this time, the software supports automatic starting of virtual machines upon user login, but it cannot trigger auto-starts at system boot due to App Sandbox restrictions. Unfortunately, USB device passthrough is also not yet available due to limitations in Apple’s Virtualization Framework, but we are monitoring updates closely.

The feature for scheduled automatic snapshots is on our development roadmap and will be included in future releases. Your feedback is crucial as we work to improve VirtualProg. We understand that certain features, such as nested virtualization, are currently in development and will be integrated for Linux virtual machines soon.

Thank you for your support, and we hope that when the time is right, you will explore what VirtualProg has to offer.

As a regular user of Pixelmator, I appreciate its capabilities, especially since I struggle to remember how to navigate Photoshop. Pixelmator meets my needs well enough, but I have been eagerly anticipating a solid release of Photomator for a couple of years. My goal is to switch to Photomator for light editing and library management, moving away from Lightroom.

However, I’ve found that Photomator is almost there, but not quite. Since Apple acquired the software, the change log has been suspiciously quiet over the last six months, with updates being the only notable changes. This lack of communication and progress is concerning, and I’m starting to feel frustrated.

I can’t help but voice my disappointment. It feels like I’m simply shouting into the void here. If anyone has any insight or updates regarding Photomator, please share!

The current situation is leading me to consider sticking with Adobe for the foreseeable future, which is not where I want to be. Ultimately, I hope that the developers will ramp up their efforts and deliver the features that would make Photomator a viable alternative to Lightroom. Until then, my patience is wearing thin, and I dread the thought of becoming an Adobe user for life.

I’m having trouble with my Mac Mail account. I’m unable to send emails as they are stuck in the Outbox. The application keeps prompting me to choose a valid server, even though I have iCloud set as my mail server.

Strangely enough, I can still receive emails without any issues; it’s just the sending part that’s causing problems. I’ve double-checked all the necessary settings, and everything appears to be configured correctly. Despite this, I haven’t been able to find a solution online that resolves the issue.

If anyone has suggestions or tips on how to fix this problem, I would greatly appreciate your input. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share my experience with managing files across various storage locations, including a NAS, internal drives, and external drives. My files are scattered across these different devices, making it challenging to stay organized. For instance, my NAS contains:

– Folder 1
– File 1
– File 2

My external drive has:

– Folder 1
– File 1
– File 3

And on my internal drive, I find:

– Folder 1
– File 1
– Folder 2
– File 4

This disorganization creates a lot of frustration when using Finder to manage my files. I am seeking a software solution that would allow me to compare files and folders between my NAS, external drive, and internal drive.

Ideally, I would like to consolidate everything into one or two locations, which would save me time and reduce the hassle of searching for files. For example, I envision a target structure that might look like this:

On the NAS:

– Folder 1
– File 1
– File 2
– File 3
– Folder 2
– File 4

And on the external drive:

– Folder 1
– File 1
– File 2
– File 3

After syncing, I would remove any redundant files from the other locations. If anyone has suggestions for software that can facilitate this type of organization and comparison across my drives, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!