TidBITS

Europe’s potentially disastrous Internet copyright rule update is headed to the European Parliament for a vote, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation warns that it’s even worse than before.Read original article

TechCrunch has revealed that more apps are abusing Apple’s enterprise certificate program, this time to distribute gambling and porn apps outside the App Store.Read original article

Maintenance update with a lengthy list of improvements and bug fixes for the calendar app. ($49.99 new, free update, 21.2 MB)

Major new release for the note-taking and task management app with new features and improvements. (Free with $24.99 premium purchase option, free update, 31.5 MB)

Adds a new feature that enhances the details of raw images using Adobe Senseis artificial intelligence. ($9.99/19.99 monthly subscription Creative Cloud subscription, free update)

Adds a new trackpad sketching feature to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. ($149.99 new for one-time purchase, $99.99/$69.99 annual subscription options, free update)

When Apple broke the news that retail chief Angela Ahrendts would be stepping down in April, we asked for your thoughts on how she ran Apple’s retail efforts.

Photoshop may be the 800-pound gorilla of the graphics world, but Pixelmator Pro has stepped into the ring. How does it match up? The answer largely depends on what you need from an image editor. Find out what advantages Pixelmator Pro has, and where it lags…

Disgusted by Facebook’s behavior but feel stuck using it because it’s the only way you communicate with some family members? Try the free tier of the group-messaging system Slack instead. It’s great for families, doesn’t incorporate ads, and guarantees…

Online backup service Backblaze will soon increase the price of its unlimited plan from $5 to $6 per month. Annual and bi-annual discounts will remain available, and current subscribers can extend subscriptions by a year at the old rates.

Amazon has purchased Eero, maker of home mesh Wi-Fi systems, long a favorite amongst techies. The move will ensure the future of Eero’s technology but has some worried about the privacy implications of all network traffic passing through Amazon hardware.Read…

Bug-focused maintenance release for the word processor built for long-form writing. ($49 new, free update, 84.9 MB)

Maintenance release fixes bugs in the keyboard-driven launcher. (£23 new, free update, 2.9 MB)

Adds a new option for selecting the desired connected output device for your audio. ($39.99 new, free update, 37.1 MB)

Flickr’s new owner SmugMug is deleting excess photos from free accounts in an effort to make the service sustainable. It originally planned to do so in early February but has extended the deadline.Read original article

Apple’s Activation Lock feature has helped discourage iPhone thefts by preventing an iPhone from being activated while it’s registered to an iCloud account, but thieves are finding clever ways to work around this requirement.Read original article

If you’ve ever wanted to spot insulation leaks in your home or search for warm-blooded animals in total darkness, there’s finally an affordable thermal imaging camera that plugs right into your iPhone.

Former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts is leaving Apple after five years of running its retail operations. Did the Apple Store improve or decline under her reign?Read original article

Apple has released the iOS 12.1.4 and macOS 10.14.3 Supplemental Updates to re-enable Group FaceTime after fixing a nasty bug that enabled eavesdropping on FaceTime calls.

It’s obvious when an iOS app gets interface elements glaringly wrong. But can you tell when the errors are more subtle? The Can’t Unsee Web game asks you to choose which of two iOS-style screenshots doesn’t have a mistake.Read original article

As most working actresses know, Hollywood historically has offered more roles—and lines—for men than women, but a simple tool in the Highland 2 screenwriting app can help screenwriters better distribute their characters and dialog among the genders.

Improves drag-and-drop compatibility with third-party apps. ($45 new, free update, 68.5 MB)

It’s time to take a stand. We’re sick and tired of apps (Netflix!) and Web sites (CNN!) assaulting our ears and eyes with audio and video that starts playing on its own, without so much as a by your leave. Let’s fight back.

Improves imports from Evernote and support for Dark mode in macOS 10.14 Mojave. ($40 new, free update, 24.3 MB)

If you make your living in the Apple world as a consultant, developer, designer, or tech, there are a wide variety of conferences you can attend to hone your skills, learn new topics, network with your fellow wizards, and open your mind to new ways of…

Major new release for the video encoding and metadata management app with new features and a two-tiered subscription model. ($34.99 new, free update, 19.8 MB)

Adds new ways to open URLs and ensures the compose window stays open until a tweet is finished posting. ($7.99 new, free update, 14.1 MB)

Maintenance release with a bevy of bug fixes for the task manager. ($49.99 new, free update, 16.8 MB)

Major new release for the personal finance management app with a variety of new features and improvements. ($49.99 new, free update, 119 MB)

Adds a new crosstab or matrix report feature and returns the Export to Quicken Mac Transfer File (QMTF) format. ($34.99/$49.99/$74.99 annual subscription, free update)