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5 Best Apps To Unlock Your Mac With An Apple Watch

The traditional way we’ve grown accustomed to unlocking our computers is with a quick password login. For some, it’s just a part of everyday life, but for others, those precious few seconds are a hassle and a waste of time. Passwords are also only as secure as their complexity and how safe we keep them from others. With wearables and smartphones everywhere, you can now unlock your Mac from one of these devices. Having a secondary physical device to unlock your computer is a new and potentially safer way to access your Mac and prevents others from doing so. That’s of course provided you keep tabs on your device which is now acting as your password. Check out these solutions for device based Mac unlocking.

1. Knock 2.0

With Knock, you physically knock on your iPhone twice to unlock your nearby Mac using Bluetooth Low Energy. It’s a fun way to turn a gesture into a password. Knock has added support for the Apple Watch so you can use the Knock Glance and unlock your Mac right from your watch.

2. MacID

MacID uses the fingerprint sensors on newer Apple devices to unlock your Mac from your iPhone or Apple Watch. You can even use a custom pattern based password if you want. MacID also supports limited remote control over various media apps.

3. NearLock

NearLock uses the same Bluetooth Low Energy communication to unlock your Mac and save battery power. It uses the strength of the Bluetooth signal to unlock your Mac based on proximity which is a neat trick. You can also fine tune the distance at which NearLock will unlock your Mac.

4. TokenLock

TokenLock will work with any Bluetooth device, not just those that support Bluetooth Low Energy. It uses the same proximity field trick to unlock your Mac and doesn’t require an iPhone or Apple Watch, just any Bluetooth device. Because it uses an older Bluetooth specification, it will consume much more of the battery however.

5. Umwelt

For you Android users who also happen to have a Mac, Umwelt works with Android Wear devices and Bluetooth Low Energy to provide an unlocking solution. It’s great if you have a newer Android Wear watch like the Pebble and want to be able to unlock your Mac from it.

iOS 9 Announced, Beta Available to Download

iOS 9 has been officially unveiled at WWDC and the Beta 1 is available for download and testing right now. As Apple gears up for the release of the next iPhone model and continues to tweak the new Apple Watch, they’ve included dozens of new features in iOS 9. From improvements to Siri’s accuracy and speed, predictive help with Proactive Assistant, an overhauled Maps, a new Wallet app and fully integrated Apple Pay, and a few major new official apps.

Apple’s new Notes app should prove to be the king of helpful note taking apps. You can even doodle sketches and integrate photos, maps and webpages to any note. It should make iOS devices even better for productivity.

Apple has also proudly shown off a new official News app which both shows news stories and curates those that you might be interested in based on your browsing habits and stories you like to read. The News app will have full multimedia support for audio, video, photos, etc. to make it more immersive and interactive. News looks like it will be also usurp most other News aggregation apps for iOS.

The iPad will receive full multitasking support for two apps open on the same screen, running simultaneously. Even more impressive, you can drag and drop data between the two apps which will open up a huge array of options and should be great for work and productivity.

iOS 9 promises to dramatically increase battery life as well by cleverly managing resources and using sensors to turn things off when not in use or not needed. A new Low Power mode can also be engaged to stretch out usage.

The iOS 9 Beta 1 includes all of these features to try out today. However, you must be enrolled in the Apple Developer Program at $99 a year to download and install the beta. You’ll also need a compatible device which means a newer iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini or iPod Touch. Finally, you’ll need the device’s UDID to register with the Apple Developer Program. If you have all of that, it’s a simple matter to download the iOS 9 Beta ipsw firmware file for your model and then install it to the device using iTunes.

Everyone else can wait a little bit for July to roll around and with it, the public beta release. Then you won’t need an Apple Developer Program account and anyone can try out these features. Or you could wait a little longer until September and just get the official iOS 9…patience, patience.

Apple Watch watchOS 2 Beta 1 Released With New Features

Apple has released the watchOS 2 Beta 1 for the Apple Watch following announcements of new features at WWDC. This update is a major upgrade to the Apple Watch OS and should greatly expand both what’s available on the watch and what it is capable of. Thankfully Apple has addressed many of the concerns of early Apple Watch adopters and it will be exciting to see how developers make use of these new features.

1. Watch Faces

Apple has added a multitude of new watch faces featuring time lapses of major world cities. Even better, watchOS 2 allows for customized watch faces that use any photo you want! You can even set the watch to display a random photo each time you raise your wrist. This will finally put to rest any complaints about not being able to set the watch face to exactly the image you want.

2. Third-party Complications

Those handy little data indicators called Complications can now be created and tweaked by developers. This greatly increases the flexibility of apps in terms of how information is displayed and should make for some very interesting app creations.

3. Time Travel

Now you can review your schedule, weather, appointments, etc. with a simple turn of the Digital Crown to go backward and forward in time. Or simply press the Digital Crown to return to the present.

4. Nightstand Mode

The Apple Watch can be set to continuously display while in nightstand mode. This makes it an amazing mini travel alarm clock.

5. Social Media and Messaging

The latest watchOS update will allow you to add more ‘Friends’ to your Apple Watch as well as make use of iMessage features like emojis, voicemail, and automated replies. You’ll be able to share achievements with friends on Facebook, Twitter, and iMessage as well.

6. Siri

Siri can now launch glances simply by asking aloud. Siri will also be able to start and end workouts simply by asking!

7. Fitness Rings and Third-Party Support

There is now better support for third-party fitness apps so you’ll actually receive credit for your exercise.

8. Transit Maps

If you’re in an area with support for Apple’s new Transit Maps feature, you can look at the maps right from your Apple Watch.

8. Apple Pay

WatchOS 2 will include all the new Apple Pay features which will make the Apple Watch a great mobile wallet.

9. SDK for Native Apps and Access to Apple Watch Internals

Developers will have a full SDK to run apps natively on the Apple Watch instead of doing everything through the iPhone. They’ll also get access to all of the sensors and features in the Apple Watch from the Digital Crown, Taptic Engine, and more. This should make for some very innovative and exciting apps soon.

10. Better Video Support

WatchOS 2 has much better support for video playback from apps like Vine.

11. Activation Lock

Now you can lock your Apple Watch in the event that it’s stolen, just as you can with the iPhone.

12. FaceTime Audio

You can make FaceTime Audio calls right from the Apple Watch! Dick Tracy watch OMG!

The watchOS 2 Beta 1 is available now for developers only. You’ll need a UDID to install the beta and the process is not particularly simple. Keep an eye out for the official release, it should prove amazing.

AIDA64 Released for iOS and Windows Phone

Popular PC diagnostic tool and software AIDA64 has been released on iOS and Windows Phone. It has already been released for Android a few months ago and has proved popular. AIDA64 is celebrating 20 years of being a helpful diagnostic utility that started way back on DOS. Whether you’re a grizzled old DOS user who wants to relive the glory days of AIDA64 on your mobile device or just want to peek into the internals, AIDA64 is there and ready to be downloaded right now.

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AIDA64 provides a bunch of data about the device being checked. Some of the data is reported by the device itself while other information has been added manually either because the device does not openly report it or there is no other way to access it. There is a great deal of data available ranging from the fine specifications of the device’s CPU, to its camera, battery, WiFi, hardware revision, etc. AIDA64 is also great for those who are very picky about whatever hardware revision they have if you want to be sure every little part in your device is the latest and greatest.

AIDA64 can also be used as a quick battery monitor and to quickly check certain specifications if you require tech support or repairs and need to know the exact model, etc. of your device. The iOS version is available for free with ads and the option to remove them for $1.99. The Windows Phone version currently comes without any ads. The developer FinalWire also plans to update AIDA64 to run on Universal Windows Platform so in the future it will run on every new Windows device possible.

With support for Android, iOS, and Windows, it’s never been a better time for fans of AIDA64. AIDA64 for one and all on every possible device!

Source: AIDA64 for iOS | AIDA64 for Windows Phone

Check Your Eyesight With Online App ‘Vision’

With the number of hours the typical person spends staring at their smartphone, computer, TV, etc. many are bound to have issues with their vision sometime or another. It’s also common for vision to fluctuate throughout life as the eyes change from aging and different conditions. Although modern devices can strain our eyes, a web app combined with a QR reader on a smartphone can provide a fun and useful test of your eyesight. The app is called Vision, and you can visit it via any web browser to test your eyesight with a friend or alone. Although this is no replacement for a visit to an Opthalmologist or Optometrist, it can be a useful way to gauge your general eyesight and see if there are any noticeable deficiencies. Vision only checks for myopia (or nearsightedness) as you should be able to tell if you’re farsighted if nearby objects are out of focus or you have trouble reading.

To use Vision, you first visit the Vision site where you begin by clicking ‘Try Now’. You’ll then need to calibrate your screen which can be done by clicking the gear icon next to ‘Start Here’. You’ll be presented with a rectangle that you can use to calibrate the size of the text that you’ll be tested on. You can use a credit card and adjust the slider until it fits perfectly in the calibration box.

Next, you can click the QR button and scan it with a QR reader on your smartphone. This will bring up a window where you can enter your answers for the test. You can also click a link here and have a friend act as your vision assistant and enter your answers for you.

When you’re ready to begin, stand 4 meters away from the screen. Now, if you’ve opened the link via QR code, you will see some grey stars representing each letter. Tap a star and you’ll be presented with a set of letters to choose from. Enter the letter you see on the chart to see if you’ve got it. It will turn green if it’s correct and red if it’s not. Your friend can also enter your choices via the alternative link in the same way by clicking each star and then clicking a letter.

Once you’ve finished, you can see your score at the top which seems to simply be a tally of the number you’ve gotten correct so a higher number means you can read more letters. It’s a fun way to test your vision and even get someone to act as your assistant.

Source: Vision Website

Keeping Safe When Using Public WiFi Networks

Public access WiFi networks are everywhere now, especially in more crowded areas. These range from networks set up by major internet and phone companies for their customers to use, to unsecured networks set up by random people in their homes and businesses, and unfortunately to unscrupulous types that want to steal your data. Though free internet might be tempting, it can be very difficult to distinguish between a trusted and safe public WiFi network and one designed to tamper with your device and intercept your private data. It’s a good idea to take some precautions when using a network that you can’t entirely trust. Follow these tips to create an extra layer of security if you need to access the internet through a public WiFi hotspot.

1. Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network)

VPNs used to be available mainly to larger corporations and groups that required higher levels of privacy and security. Now there are services for anyone to make use of a VPN either on a limited free basis or for a fee. VPNs are one of the best ways to protect your data while it travels through an unsecured network. Your traffic will be encrypted both ways which makes it very difficult to steal.

2. Turn on your Firewall

A firewall attempts to block network connections that might be unsafe or untrusted and is an excellent additional layer of security.

On a Mac, the firewall is disabled by default. To enable it, go to System Preferences, then Security & Privacy, then clicking the Firewall tab, and finally ‘Turn on Firewall‘.

On a PC go to Control Panel, then Windows Firewall, and click ‘Turn on Windows Firewall‘ for both public and private network settings. You can also choose to block all connections or have Windows notify you when something is blocked.

3. Turn off File Sharing

File Sharing might be useful in your home network but out on a public WiFi network it can be an invitation to having your files stolen.

To turn off File Sharing on a Mac, go to System Preferences, then Sharing, and turn off ‘File Sharing‘.

On a PC, go to Control Panel, Network and Internet, Network and Sharing Center, then click ‘Change advanced sharing settings‘ on the left side. Under ‘Guest or Public‘ turn off network discovery and file sharing.

4. Use HTTPS

HTTPS is an encrypted version of a standard HTTP site and offers additional security. When an HTTPS version is available, it’s always a good idea to use that instead of the regular HTTP site. Your traffic will be encrypted when sent over an HTTPS connection.

5. Use Two-Step Verification

Two-Step Verification makes it much harder for someone who has gained access to your account to get full control of it. They would also need control over your phone or some other account to complete the two-step verification.

Using an untrusted public WiFi network is never guaranteed to be 100% safe, even those that are from major internet providers. If you follow these recommendations however, you should be much safer than average and it certainly doesn’t hurt.