MacRumors

Apple today announced it has partnered with non-profit organization RESOLVE to seek out innovative ways to source gold responsibly.

The problem: gold mining operations in Alaska and the Yukon region have resulted in a reduction in the salmon population in the creeks and streams being mined. RESOLVE's solution: combine mining with habitat restoration to improve the streams so that salmon and other species of fish return.

To accomplish this, RESOLVE introduced the "Salmon Gold" program in 2017 to connect local placer miners with environmentalists and government agencies in an effort to reverse the damage done from historic mining in the region.

Apple, which uses small amounts of gold for certain components in its products, says it will begin sourcing gold from miners participating in the program. This fall, Apple says all Salmon Gold entering its supply chain will be traced from the mine to the refiner using blockchain technology.

Paula Pyers, Apple's head of supplier responsibility:

As we continue to increase our use of recycled materials, we’re seeking out innovative ways to source gold responsibly. Partnering with Tiffany, a pioneer in sustainable sourcing, as well as RESOLVE ensures Salmon Gold can be an example of how the industry can evolve.

Stephen D'Esposito, CEO of RESOLVE:

There's a lot of tension between mining and salmon. Salmon Gold is like a peace treaty between mining and salmon habitat. It's a place where the three sectors can work together: the restoration community, First Nations and the mining industry.

RESOLVE has secured restoration plans with three miners in Alaska and the Yukon, with several more under consideration for next summer.

Parallels today announced version 15 of its desktop virtualization software for Mac, offering DirectX 11 support via Apple Metal, native support for Sidecar in macOS Catalina, and several other enhancements.

Parallels Desktop 15 is the first iteration of the cross-platform software to support DirectX 11 using Apple's hardware accelerated Metal graphics API.

The switch to Metal should bring a noticeable performance boost – Parallels claims 3D graphics rendering is up to 15 percent faster, while Microsoft Office apps should launch up to 80 percent faster.

The enhanced graphics support also expands the number of Windows apps that users can run on their Mac, such as Autodesk 3ds Max 2020, Lumion, ArcGIS Pro, and Master Series.

Gamers meanwhile can look forward to running their favorite titles at faster speeds, with the likes of FIFA 19, Age of Empires Definitive Edition, Fallout 4, Madden NFL 19, Crysis 3, and Mark of the Ninja: Remastered all receiving special mention.

Once macOS Catalina launches in the fall, Parallels' ‌Sidecar‌ support will mean users can wirelessly connect their iPad to their Mac to use as a second display in Windows. There's also new Touch Bar options for Apple Pencil, including Toggle between Pen, Eraser and Mouse modes. Parallels says support for additional Catalina features is currently in development and will be introduced around the release of macOS 10.15.

Notably, the virtualization software is offering better integration with macOS more generally, such as the ability to use screenshot previews in Windows applications and the ability to drag images from Safari, Photos, and other stock Mac apps.

Additionally, Parallels Desktop 15 supports a new category of Bluetooth devices, enabling users to connect an Xbox One Controller, Logitech Craft keyboard, IRISPen, some IoT devices (such as smart home appliances and smart bands) and more. There's also support for Bluetooth Low Energy, making it possible to run an Xbox game in a Windows 10 virtual machine.

Elsewhere, there's now support for the Share menu in Finder, so it's possible to send files from macOS using a Windows email application, and there's now Keychain support, offering quicker login to websites and apps within Windows. A more comprehensive list of changes and improvements in Parallels Desktop 15 is available here.

Parallels Desktop 15 requires macOS Mojave or later to run, and can be purchased for a one-off fee of $99.99, with the more feature-laden Pro and Business editions available at $99 per year.

Users with older versions of Parallels Desktop (including Pro and Business Editions) can upgrade for $49.99, while college students in the United States, Canada, Germany and UK have access to the reduced price Student Edition. A 14-day trial of the virtualization suite is also available.

A security researcher named MG has developed a Lightning cable replacement that can give hackers a way to remotely access your computer, reports Motherboard.

The cables in question (dubbed O.MG Cables) are cables directly from Apple that have been opened up to allow for additional components to be implanted, but the modifications are undetectable and there's no way to distinguish the hacked cable from the original.

When plugged into a target computer, the cable behaves as a typical cable does, connecting to and charging iOS devices, but it also lets hackers remotely connect to a machine to run commands. It comes equipped with scripts and commands that a hacker can run on a victim's machine, along with tools to "kill" the USB implant to hide evidence of its existence.

MG typed in the IP address of the fake cable on his own phone's browser, and was presented with a list of options, such as opening a terminal on my Mac. From here, a hacker can run all sorts of tools on the victim's computer.

"It's like being able to sit at the keyboard and mouse of the victim but without actually being there," MG said.

In a test with Motherboard, MG was able to connect his phone to a WiFi hotspot that the cable was emitting. He said he needed to be within 300 feet to access the target machine, but also said that the cable can be configured to act as a client for a nearby wireless network, potentially allowing for hacking from an unlimited distance.

"I'm currently seeing up to 300 feet with a smartphone when connecting directly," he said, when asked how close an attacker needs to be to take advantage of the cable once a victim has plugged it into their machine. A hacker could use a stronger antenna to reach further if necessary, "But the cable can be configured to act as a client to a nearby wireless network. And if that wireless network has an internet connection, the distance basically becomes unlimited."

MG imagines the cable could be swapped in for a target's legitimate cable or gifted to someone because it looks exactly like an Apple cable, complete with accurate packaging. Each of these cables were made by hand and are being sold by MG for $200, but he is teaming up with a company to produce them as a legitimate security tool.

It's not clear if there is any defense against this kind of hack, but it sounds like these cables are prohibitively expensive and limited in availability at the current time. Those concerned should buy cables directly from Apple without accepting free cables from anyone. Apple may also be developing a mitigation and has previously restricted other USB access techniques through USB Restricted Mode.

Apple's next-generation iPad could gain a dual-lens rear camera while the next iPad Pro range could get a triple-lens array, according to a rumor out of China.

Japanese blog Mac Otakara cited a Chinese supply source over the weekend claiming the fourth-generation 11-inch and 12.9-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ devices will get the same multi-sensor array widely rumored to be coming to Apple's next iPhone range this year.

Meanwhile, Apple's rumored new version of its entry-level ‌iPad‌ – a device with a slightly bigger 10.2-inch screen than the existing 9.7-inch model – will inherit the dual lens setup currently seen in the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

The new iPads will launch in October, claims Mac Otakara's source, who also said that diagrams of related accessories are "floating around," but they declined to specify whether they are Apple accessories or third-party ones.

Apple hasn't used dual-lens rear camera modules in any ‌iPad‌, let alone triple-lens arrays, so bringing the multi-sensor systems to three new models in the same year would be a first for the company.

In a February research note, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple plans to release two new ‌iPad Pro‌ models, a 10.2-inch ‌iPad‌, and a refreshed iPad mini this year. A month later, Apple released an upgraded ‌iPad mini‌ in March alongside a new 10.5-inch iPad Air.

Apple hasn't updated its third-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ lineup since October 2018 and its 9.7-inch entry-level ‌iPad‌ since March 2018, so we can reliably expect both to get some sort of refresh soon. Whether they will have the sort of multi-sensor cameras that are usually the preserve of smartphones is a different matter.

Rumors suggest Apple's next-generation 6.5-inch and 5.8-inch OLED iPhones will feature triple-lens rear cameras (with wide-angle, super wide-angle, and telephoto lenses), while the successor to the iPhone XR will feature a dual-lens camera with a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens.

Apple is widely expected to release three new iPhones in the fall, and an anonymous Twitter account with a proven track record has suggested that at least one of the models will have "Pro" in its name, such as "iPhone 11 Pro."

The tweet comes from a mystery account named CoinX, which has accurately leaked several details about upcoming Apple products over the past year, including the names of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR before anyone else, the removal of the headphone jack on 2018 iPad Pro models, and much more.

CoinX's accurate leak about the 2018 iPhone names:

In this case, CoinX phrases the tweet as a rhetorical question, but the account has a perfect track record so far with all of its leaks:

For what it's worth, MacRumors received the following anonymous tip on August 4: "The square camera iPhone will be called the iPhone 11 Pro. This is fact." It would be a disservice to our readers to simply pass along any unsubstantiated tip we receive, but it is now worth mentioning in light of this tweet.

This could mean the 2019 lineup will include the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, and perhaps the iPhone 11R, but we still don't know for sure.

Apple is widely expected to unveil three new iPhones next month, including two higher-end 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED models and one lower-end 6.1-inch LCD model. Rumored features include triple-lens rear cameras on the higher-end models, larger batteries, two-way charging of AirPods, and much more.

Read our 2019 iPhones roundup below for a recap of all rumors to date.

The Reminders app has never been one of the most popular built-in apps, mostly due to its limited functionality in comparison with other reminder and to-do apps available from the App Store.

In iOS 13, Apple overhauled the interface of the Reminders app, adding a new look and new capabilities that may encourage more people to check it out. In this guide, we'll go over all of the new features in the Reminders app and what it can do in iOS 13 and iPadOS.

Design

Reminders in iOS 12 and earlier offered a simple no-frills list-style view that organized items by list, but iOS 13 has an entirely new interface that's more intuitive. There are four main Reminders sections, which incorporate all of your reminders across all of your lists so you can see everything that you need to do in one view, whether it's for work or family.

There's a "Today" section for reminders that need to be addressed immediately, a "Scheduled" section for reminders that have a date attached, an "All" section for viewing everything all at once, and a "Flagged" section for your reminders that have a flag added to separate them out.

Along with the four main sections where you can access all of your reminders organized into different views, you can also see your content organized per list using the "My Lists" section. You can use Reminders in either dark mode or light mode, and there are unique looks for both.

Lists and Reminders

As with the previous version of Reminders, you can make as many lists as you need in the Reminders app. You can have separate lists for family, friends, work, and whatever other topics you want.

If you want to keep track of all the household chores you need to do along with your grocery list and your work projects, the Reminders app can handle that. Adding a list is as simple as tapping on the "Add List" button.

All of your lists are displayed individually in the "My Lists" section, while the individual reminders in that list are also available in the different sections of the Reminders app.

Adding a reminder to a list can be done by tapping into a list and then tapping on the "New Reminder" button, or by tapping into the Today, Scheduled, or Flagged categories at the top of the app and then choosing "New Reminder."

Ultimately, adding, organizing, and accessing lists is a more intuitive in iOS 13 than it was in iOS 12. Reminders located in the Scheduled tab and the Today tab are organized by date and time, but there are no manual sorting tools to allow for different organization.

• How to Create a Reminder in the iOS Reminders App
• How to Create a New List in Reminders
• How to Create a Scheduled Reminder in iOS
• How to Add a Reminder to a List in the Reminders App
• How to Delete a Reminder List in the iOS Reminders App
• How to See Your Completed Reminders in Apple's Reminders App

Customization

The Reminders app in iOS 13 adds new customization options to your Reminders list. There are additional colors to choose from to color code your lists, and there are also new icons that you can assign to each list for a visual cue.

There are all kinds of icons to choose from, including food, sports, work-related icons, shapes, and more.

• How to Customize the Look of Your Reminders Lists in iOS

Reminders Toolbar

When creating a reminder in the Reminders app in iOS 13, there's a new quick access toolbar that lets you add times, locations, and more to your reminders. There are four available icons, each with a different function:

• Clock - Lets you schedule a reminder for today, tomorrow, this weekend, or a custom date.
• Arrow - Lets you set a reminder to activate when you're arriving home, getting in the car, getting out of the car, or arriving to any custom location that you choose.
• Flag - Lets you add a flag to a reminder so it's easier to locate.
• Camera - Allows you to take a photo to add to a reminder, add a photo from the Photo Library, or scan a document. Adding attachments to Reminders is new in iOS 13.

Reminders can also be annotated with notes and URLs to provide additional context, and each reminder can also have subtasks associated with it. Reminders can also be set to repeat, and you can adjust the priority for each one, choosing between Low, Medium, High, or None.

Accessing all of the Reminder options can be done when tapping on the "Custom" option when setting a time or a date for a newly created reminder or by tapping on the "i" icon on an already existing reminder. Some of these options were available in iOS 12, but interface is simpler and more intuitive in iOS 13, making these tools easier to use.

• How to Create a Messages-Based Reminder on Your iPhone
• How to Create a Location-Based Reminder on Your iPhone
• How to Add Notes and URLs to Reminders in iOS
• How to Flag a Reminder on Your iPhone and iPad
• How to Change Reminder Priority in the Reminders App for iOS
• How to Add Sub-Items to a Reminder in iOS
• How to Organize Reminder Lists on iPhone and iPad

Reminder Settings

Using the toolbar and interface above, reminders can be set to activate in the following conditions:

• When arriving to a location
• When leaving a location
• At a certain time
• On a certain date
• When messaging a specific person in the Messages app

You can also combine these conditions when creating a reminder, so you can, for example, set a reminder to get milk on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. when you arrive at the grocery store.

Sharing a Reminders List

If you tap on the three dots in the top right corner of any list of reminders in the Reminders app, you can add a person, which adds that particular list to their device too, letting them see changes made to the list. This is ideal for something like a shopping list that you might need to share with a spouse or child. This feature isn't new, but its location has changed because of the redesign.

• How to Share Reminders in iOS

Grouping Reminders

If you have a lot of separate reminders lists, you can group them together in iOS 13 under a single heading. So if you have a grocery list, a drugstore list, and a list for your favorite clothing store, you can aggregate them all into a "Shopping" group that offers better organization in the "My Lists" section of the app.

Groups can be collapsed or expanded, making for a tidier Reminders app with deeper organization than was possible in iOS 12. To add a group, tap on the "Edit" button and then choose the "Add Group" option at the bottom left. You can also use drag and drop gestures to arrange you're lists.

• How to Group Together Lists in the Reminders iOS App

Nested Reminders

Using drag and drop gestures, you can drag a reminder under another reminder to create a nested reminder in your list, which essentially lets you add smaller tasks under a larger reminder.

If, for example, you have a reminder to do chores, you might also add smaller, more specific reminders underneath for individual tasks like vacuuming and doing the laundry. You need to be in the "All Reminders" section to use drag and drop gestures to rearrange your reminders lists.

Share Sheet Deep Linking

Using the Share Sheet, you can import content from Messages, Mail, and other apps, directly into the Reminders app as a new Reminder. Just select text, choose the "Share" option, and choose Reminders as the destination.

Reminders saved this way will include a deep link to the Mail thread or Messages conversation so you can get back to it quickly.

Siri Improvements

Reminders features enhanced Siri intelligence in iOS 13, which means you can type longer, more descriptive sentences that Reminders will automatically understand and use to provide relevant suggestions.

‌Siri‌ will also suggest reminders for you. When you're chatting with someone in Messages, for example, and someone mentions getting lunch at noon tomorrow, ‌Siri‌ might offer a suggestion for you to create a reminder.

Mac App and Upgrading

There's also a revamped version of Reminders for the Mac in macOS Catalina, with many of the same features. With the Mac app, you can also create reminders on the desktop that sync to the Reminders app on iOS devices. Below, we have some Mac-specific how tos that cover using the Reminders app on a Mac.

• How to Group Together Lists in Reminders on macOS

• How to Create a Reminders List in macOS

When upgrading the Reminders app on iOS 13 (which you will be prompted to do after upgrading), it's worth noting that it limits functionality on other devices. Reminders on the Mac won't be functional without macOS Catalina, and Reminders on the iPad won't be functional without iPadOS.

iPadOS is available, but there's no specific launch date for macOS Catalina, which is coming on an unspecified October date. Apple's support document has additional information.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about Reminders, know of an iOS 13 Reminders feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Apple has teamed up with the New Museum in New York to create an augmented reality art experience called [AR]T that can be experienced in San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, and Tokyo.

[AR]T is a curation of augmented reality pieces that are being featured in a series of guided walks, where people can use iPhones to view the creations. The art walks were first announced in July, but are set to kick off tomorrow.

Apple is hosting walking tours that are free and open to the public starting this Saturday. Each tour begins at an Apple Store location and features the same art work. Pieces are only accessible at certain points on the walk, providing multi-city open-air virtual exhibits. [AR]T includes pieces from Nick Cave, Nathalie Djurberg, Hans Berg, Cao Fei, Carsten Höller, Pipilotti Rist and John Giorno, artists picked by the New Museum.

A piece by Nick Cave called "Amass" will also be on view at every Apple retail location, and Apple will host a lab for those who are interested in learning more about augmented reality.

The New York walk starts at the Apple Fifth Avenue and then heads into central park, while the San Francisco walk starts at Apple Union Square and heads down Post street. Viewers are provided with an iPhone and a set of headphones (though you can also use your own AirPods). Each walk is approximately 1.5 miles, and attendees can sign up on Apple's website.

Details on each artist and the type of art you can expect to see on the [AR]T walk can be found on Apple's Today at Apple page for the experience.