Adam Engst

Have you ever suspected macOS of silently changing your settings during an update? Adam Engst’s free SetShot captures and compares snapshots of your Mac’s configuration so you can catch those changes—and maintain a journal of your own customizations.

USB-C cables look alike but vary wildly in capability. WhatCable, a free utility for Apple silicon Macs, shows you exactly what each cable supports for charging, data transfer, and display. The paid WhatCable Pro adds persistent cable naming and additional diagnostic options.

On 2 September 2026 at 11:30 AM EDT, veteran tech journalist David Pogue discusses his latest book, Apple: The First 50 Years, at a free NMUG presentation.

A Vermont road trip in the Hyundai IONIQ 5 revealed the joy of the car’s speed limiter feature, the frustration of short Tesla Supercharger cables on older stations, the importance of downloading offline maps before venturing into rural areas, and the utility of ChatGPT in finding a restaurant on the route.

We’re taking a brief break from building an email issue of TidBITS next week for the Labor Day holiday in the United States, so look for the next issue in your mailbox on 14 September 2026. Check our website for coverage of Apple’s iPhone announcements on 9 September 2026.

Apple has raised Apple TV subscription prices by $2 per month, marking the second significant increase in as many years. The annual plan jumps $20, from $99 to $119.

Apple’s AirPods 5 bring Active Noise Cancellation to both models, improve water resistance to IP57, and add more AirPods Pro features, while the higher-end version offers longer battery life, wireless charging, and stem-based volume control at a lower price.

Apple’s new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 pair redesigned health sensors with the S11 chip for denser heart-rate data, Readiness scores, and Audio Intelligence, while Ultra 4 gains substantially longer battery life and Series 12 brings back ceramic cases.

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max pair the faster A20 Pro chip with a variable-aperture Fusion Main camera, a smaller, more capable Dynamic Island, longer battery life, and higher prices, while otherwise changing surprisingly little from last year.

Apple’s first folding iPhone, the $1999 iPhone Duo, opens from a 5.4-inch outer display to a 7.6-inch inner screen—nearly iPad mini size—in a passport-like form factor. Pre-orders begin 16 October 2026, with availability on 23 October 2026.