Microsoft Teams is now available for home and personal use as of May 2021. Users can make personal video calls and chat using the Teams iOS, Android, web, or desktop apps.
Category Archives: Apple
Apple issues security updates for multiple devices in May 2021
Several security updates were issued for iPhone and other Apple devices on May 3rd and 4th of 2021 to fix WebKit flaws:
Developer online conferences in May and June 2021
Major technology companies will hold their annual developer conferences in the summer of 2021:
- Google I/O: May 18 – 20
- Microsoft Build: May 25 – 27
- Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC): June 7 – 11
Apple device repair programs for recent issues
Apple has reported that a small number of iPhone 11 models are experiencing issues with touch screen capability. A free repair is available for phones with a valid serial number that are having this problem.
Apple also has a repair program available for a small number of 13-inch MacBook Pro units with backlight display issues.
Apple is also providing free repairs for users having sound issues with AirPods Pro.
Apple releases new iPhone 12 smartphones and iPad Air
Apple announced the release of its new iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max, and iPad Air devices. These devices feature the new A14 Bionic chip and the smartphones include 5G service. These phones can be charged with the MagSave wireless charger, but items such as credit cards and other magnetic cards must not be placed between the phone and charger.
Apple releases iOS 14 and new Apple Watches
Apple announced the release of iOS 14, new Apple Watches, and other products and services at its September 2020 event.
iOS 14 has several new features, including a new Translate app with 11 languages, digital versions of car keys, and Home app for smart home management.
iOS 14 also shows if an app is using the camera or phone. A green indicator will appear if an app is using the device’s camera, and an orange indicator will appear if the microphone is in use. App settings for hardware use can be changed under Settings > Privacy. Apps running on iOS14 will also be required to obtain permission to track users starting in early 2021.
Apple has provided a list of compatible devices for iOS 14 and iPadOS.
New watches include the Apple Watch 6 Series and Apple Watch SE. Watch OS 7 also includes sleep tracking and other health related features.
Downdetector shows outage information for websites and services
Downdetector shows outage information and status for widely used websites and services such as mobile and internet service providers, social media sites, banking and financial services, etc. This includes:
-
- Most recent outages
- Facebook, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp
- Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat
- Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint
- AT&T, Comcast / Xfinity, Spectrum, CenturyLink, Frontier and Cox
- Google, Gmail, Google Cloud, and Google Hangouts
- Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and Box
- Apple Maps, iCloud, iMessage, and iWork
- Office 365, Outlook, Sharepoint, Skype and Skype for Business
- Visual Studio, Microsoft Teams, Azure, and Exchange
- Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cloudflare, and Zoom
Apple announces upcoming release of iOS 14
Apple announced the upcoming releases of several new technologies at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2020, including:
Apple releases new lower cost iPhone SE smartphone
Apple announced the release of its new iPhone SE smartphone on April 24th 2020, starting at a lower price of $399. The iPhone SE is water resistant and features 4K video, Dual SIM with eSIM, wireless charging, and one Lightning connector port.
Major tech companies working on new smart home device standards
Apple, Google, and other tech companies have announced the formation of a new project to set up new common communication standards for smart home devices. Project Connected Home over IP will allow smart home devices from different manufacturers to communicate with one another using an open standard with built-in security.