Table of contents for October 2017 in Macworld Australia

Every 90 days there’s a new Apple financial quarter, a new raft of federally-mandated financial disclosures, and another hour-long conference call that lets us hear Apple CEO Tim Cook (and CFO Luca Maestri) take questions from inquisitive Wall Street analysts. On Tuesday, Apple announced its quarterly earnings ( go.macworld.com/qe ) and followed it up with that exciting phone call. (If you’d like to read a complete transcript, I made one [ go.macworld.com/ ixo ].) Here are seven highlights that I gleaned from Apple’s quarterly exercise in extremely limited disclosure. 1. COOK DIDN’T DEFEND THE iPAD For the first time in a while, Tim Cook didn’t have to express publicly his belief that everything will be just fine with the iPad. That’s because, for the first time in three years, iPad…

RAVPower has significantly improved the efficiency of its USB-C offerings with its 26800mAh Portable Charger with Power Delivery 2.0 (PD 2.0) support. The 30W output is enough to charge and use the 12-inch MacBook and some of the MacBook Pro models, and charge all of them rapidly while in sleep mode. CHARGING LAPTOPS The RAVPower took about 2.5 hours to fully recharge a 2015 12-inch MacBook with a new Apple battery from empty, and a little less than five hours to recharge its internal cells. That’s substantially faster than any other USB-C battery without PD 2.0 on the market. These higher-wattage batteries also appear to be much more efficient than previously tested USB-C packs. In the case of RAVPower, it’s a huge difference. Its 20100mAh battery ostensibly had about 75Wh,…

The Fullbright Company likes haunted-house stories. Their debut title, Gone Home, had you exploring a spooky, empty mansion whose only specters were ultimately metaphorical. In Tacoma ($20 on Steam: go.macworld.com/tst ), the ghosts are digital—recordings of an abandoned space station’s absent crew, roaming on a loop through the places they called home, replaying the hours left to them after a catastrophic, potentially lethal accident. Your character’s been sent by the crew’s corporate employer to salvage the station’s artificial intelligence. But restoring and replaying those crew recordings as you tour the station quickly reveals that your job—and what happened to Lunar Transfer Station Tacoma and its crew—may not be as simple as it initially seems. Like Gone Home, Tacoma isn’t really a game. It’s a story you can walk around in,…

Though plenty of folks—myself included—have argued that you can get most, if not all, of your work done on an iPad, I’d wager that most consumers aren’t doing their work on the iPad, for whatever reason. If you, like me, were wondering when the iPad’s sales free fall would come to an end, we may now have an answer. Recently, Apple released its latest financial results (see page 7), including the first quarter of sales growth for the company’s tablet in more than three years. Arresting the tablet’s decline, though, didn’t necessarily mean blockbuster sales. Apple moved 10.7 million iPads in the most recent quarter, but that’s still well below the company’s quarterly record sales of 18.6 million back in 2014. That said, an upswing is an upswing. Whether it…

The Kingdom Hearts franchise has a wonderfully captivating premise: it’s a mashup of the Disney film catalog and the Final Fantasy gaming universe, letting you embark on charming quests across worlds inspired by everything from Aladdin to The Little Mermaid to Tron. The only problem is that it has become nigh-impossible to follow. After the first two PlayStation 2 entries from more than a decade ago, the series splintered into an array of spin-offs with oft-incomprehensible titles (like Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days) and even more convoluted plot points. And now you can play the series on your iPhone or iPad with Kingdom Hearts Union X[Cross] ( go.macworld.com/khu , another game with a quirky title. Does it at least have a clearer narrative arc? No, not really—but if you’re looking for…

Microsoft has warned users of Office for Mac 2011 not to upgrade to Apple’s macOS High Sierra when the new operating system launches next month. “Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Lync have not been tested on macOS 10.13 High Sierra, and no formal support for this configuration will be provided,” Microsoft wrote in a support document ( go.macworld.com/asd ). In the same document, Microsoft told those running the newer Office 2016 for Mac that they must update its applications to version 15.35 or later, if they intend to upgrade their Macs to High Sierra. (Version 15.35 was released in June; since then, Microsoft has issued 15.36 in July and 15.37 in August.) “In some cases, you may not be able to launch the Office apps [of version 15.34 under High…

Artists of every stripe—fine art, comic art, photo art—rely on Corel Painter to create original works, as its natural media methodology uses tech to mimic paint on canvas. As with many mature products, it’s hard to fathom improvements in historical software that’s already so deep and complete. But each year Corel tries, and with Painter 2018 ( go.macworld.com/p18 ; $429, available on Amazon, go.macworld.com/p18az ; $229 upgrade, available on Amazon, go.macworld.com/up18 ; $99 Education Edition available on Amazon, go.macworld.com/ep18 ), it has managed to add significant enhancements and new features to the roster—Thick Paint, enhanced Cloning, and 2.5D texture brushes. Improved drip and liquid brush technologies let you paint on an empty layer and then blend with underlying brushstrokes. From its better photo art and composite capabilities, new clone-source options,…

When fonts won’t display properly in Safari and Mail Don Walker opened Mail in macOS, and discovered a whole bunch of ??????s when trying to read and use the app. Don writes: System software is up to date. I use Suitcase Fusion ( go.macworld.com/sf1 ) and it’s also up to date. I tried booting up without Suitcase but that made no difference. Copying the camouflaged text and pasting into TextEdit reveals the original letters, so the underlying info isn’t lost—just hidden. Other people who have experienced the same problem, sometimes in Mail and sometimes in Safari, have solved it by resolving font corruption or duplication. You can use Font Book for both, a font utility found in macOS’s Applications folder and part of Apple’s sytem software. Open Font Book. First,…

If you’ve read any articles about Mac-based local and cloud backup software and services by me or any other longtime tech writers, you’ll know that, first, we largely recommended Code42’s CrashPlan for Home and, second, we have long also had concerns about it. That turned out to be reasonable, given that Code42 has announced the end of its Home product. Now it’s time to pursue a CrashPlan alternative, and this article will help get you started. First off, why did we like CrashPlan for Home so much? It was comprehensive, letting you back up nearly anything to anything: from a computer to external drives; from one computer to another you controlled for networked or remote backup; from one computer to a peer, a computer run by a friend or colleague,…

If you’re looking for a USB-C battery with no compromises and with all the extras, consider the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD ( go.macworld.com/268pd ; $119; $110 on Amazon: go.macworld.com/268a ). Using Power Delivery 2.0 (PD 2.0), the Anker battery can charge a MacBook, MacBook Pro, or other USB-C devices at up to 30 watts, allowing use of most laptops while you’re recharging. Anker has paired its 30W output charge for devices with a 27W recharging capability and includes a small AC adapter capable of that feat. The PowerCore+ 26800 has internal cells that add up to 26,800 mAh or 96 Wh. CHARGING LAPTOPS It took about two hours to fully recharge a 2015 12-inch MacBook with a new Apple battery from empty, and about five hours to recharge the PowerCore+…

NONDA USB-C TO HDMI ADAPTER  go.macworld.com/nonda It’s a little thing, but not having a USB-C to HDMI connector on a laptop becomes a big deal when you need to plug into a monitor or projector. Fortunately, a little thing can help: the $30 Nonda USB-C to HDMI Adapter is compact and foldable, robust, and functional. The Nonda translates DisplayPort video data at up to 4K and up to 60 frames per second. Where it’s unique is that it has a durable braided cable that wraps around the HDMI adapter portion, fitting snugly into a channel that also holds the USB-C jack’s head. This keeps the cable and adapter well protected while it bangs around in a bag. (amazon.com) —GLENN FLEISHMAN O6 PORTABLE SMART BLUETOOTH REMOTE  o6app.com Keeping your hands on…

Apple recently removed several virtual private network (VPN) apps from its App Store in China. Three VPN providers confirmed removal, and Apple provided a statement that said that regulations put in place in January were the cause. “We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations,” Apple said in the statement. Last January, China began to more strictly enforce existing regulations ( go.macworld. com/see ) that require Internet services to obtain licenses. During Apple’s recent earnings call (page 7), CEO Tim Cook said that not all VPN apps were removed in China. “We were required by the government to remove some of the VPN apps from the app store that don’t meet these new regulations,” but hundreds remain, he said, including…

Pixel Volley Pixel Volley ( go.macworld.com/pv , free, in-app purchases, iPhone, iPad, and iMessage) is a one-tap game involving “the wackiest game of volleyball you’ve ever played.” There are multiple game modes, and more than 50 characters to play with. Sidewords Sidewords ( go. macworld.com/sw1 , $3, iPhone and iPad) is “ part logic puzzle, part word game”—an app that features hundreds of puzzles, color schemes to fit our mood, and a chill no-score approach that lets you relax. Layton’s Mystery Journey Layton’s Mystery Journey ( go.macworld.com/lmj , $16 with extra in-app purchases, iPhone and iPad) lets you join Katrielle Layton as she explores London in a search for her missing father, Professor Hershel Layton. You can solve puzzles, put Layton in different outfits, and travel around to the city’s…

The Galaxy Note 8 is the first Samsung phone to feature a dual lens camera system. Similar to Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus, it includes a telephoto lens paired with a standard lens. This allows both phones to deliver fun depth-of-field effects—but does one company do bokeh better? Let’s check out the differences between their approaches, and see if one phone can emerge victorious. SPECS Apple’s Portrait Mode and Samsung’s Live Focus use their dual camera systems to gauge depth ( go.macworld.com/gdx ) in a scene and introduce bokeh, or blur, into a photo taken with the telephoto lens. This mimics high-end DSLRs and creates a stunning effect when done properly. But we’re talking about smartphone cameras here, so let’s first dig into the phones’ not-so-DSLR-caliber specs. On paper the differences…

Time tracking software is a troublesome realm. I’ve tried and used several such apps over the last many years and the result is usually the same. Some apps have features I like. Some apps use ideas I like. Some apps have interfaces I like. But no apps package all those features into one truly usable app. Worse, I’m yet to find a single app that makes it easy to get my tracked time into QuickBooks or any other business accounting application. All of this is true of the Timely app ( go.macworld.com/ta ). It offers some great features, makes time tracking easy, works on every device you’re using, but comes up short where it shouldn’t. HELLO SUBSCRIPTION-LAND Like so many apps these days, Timely uses subscription pricing. Subscriptions range from…

VIRTUAL REALITY LucidCam ( go.macworld.com/luc ; $499; available on Amazon, go.macworld.com/ lca ) addresses one of the issues that prevents wide adoption of virtual reality (VR): VR headsets aren’t hard to find, but VR content creation remains a major barrier. LucidCam is a compact, lightweight (8 ounce) stereoscopic 3D VR camera that slides nicely into the palm of your hand, and it promises to boost interest in casual content creation by and for mainstream viewers. The unit’s smooth, stylish exterior sports two front-facing fish-eye lenses—like a pair of eyes with peripheral vision—and gives you a 180-degree spherical 3D visual field of view (left, right, up, and down) for each lens. It captures both video and still images with a single button and switches modes easily. Both the still and video…

Apple’s Services division has been going strong for a couple of years now, and the company likes to tout its ability to combine those services with hardware and software in order to deliver unparalleled functionality to its users. But not all of Apple’s devices are created equal when it comes to its primary service, iCloud. It might be a bit strong to say that Mac users are second-class citizens in terms of iCloud integration, so let’s just say instead that there’s some goodwill for Apple to earn among Mac users—both those who are new to the platform as well as the ones who have used it for decades—by broadening iCloud’s options for those who still prefer laptops and desktops. In particular, with the announcement this week that CrashPlan was discontinuing…

With more Apple laptops with USB-C on the market and in people’s hands, and with the relatively high cost of Apple’s AC adapters, it’s natural to seek alternatives. Cable Matter’s 72W 4-Port USB Charger with USB-C Power Delivery ( go.macworld. com/72w ; $49; $29 on Amazon in black: go.macworld.com/72wa ; or white: go.macworld.com/72ww ) has a 60W jack for USB-C and shares 12W (5V at 2.4A) among its three USB Type-A ports. Its low price, compactness, and features make it a great travel or replacement charger. USB-C allows the use of Power Delivery 2.0 (part of the USB spec), which can provide a variety of voltages and amperages to charge higher-wattage devices, like Apple’s 12-inch MacBook and the 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models. They vary in power requirements from…

When Apple announced the tiny sixth-generation iPod nano ( go.macworld.com/sgi ) in 2010, Steve Jobs joked that some people at Apple had suggested you could wear it as a watch—and some people tried ( go.macworld.com/spt ). That particular iPod model is long gone, and now the iPod nano has been discontinued entirely ( go.macworld.com/inh ). But the spirit of the iPod nano lives on, and it turns out that that instinct from 2010 wasn’t that far off. Apple might not make a classic iPod anymore, but the product that most resembles it in Apple’s 2017 lineup is the Apple Watch ( go.macworld.com/taw ). I’m not saying that everyone who misses the iPod nano or iPod shuffle should run out and buy an Apple Watch—it’s much more expensive than those iPods!—but…

Most of the puzzle games on the App Store fall into a handful of genres: match-3, hidden object, point-and-tap. Occasionally, you’ll see a unique take on one of those genres (like Spry Fox’s Road Not Taken [ go.macworld.com/rnt ]), but…still in one of those genres. Causality ( go.macworld.com/cau ) is not your typical puzzle game. If I had to classify Causality, I guess I’d call it a turn-based puzzle…with a twist. But even that’s kind of a lie, because this is one of the most unique mobile games I’ve played. It’s so unique that it’s actually kind of difficult to explain, but I’ll take a stab: In this game, you travel backward (and forward) in time to help your past (or future) self (selves). Causality consists of 60 levels across…

MAXIMUS CASE  handliberation.com The Maximus case from HandL is known as the “Butt Case” ($70 MSRP) because, well, look at it. The makers say it’s the “most ergonomic phone case ever created.” All we know is that looking at it makes us giggle. SOFT SILICONE CASE  gadgetshopping.co The Soft Silicone Case ($17, on sale for $14) has a wooden-style exterior and soft silicone interior so your phone can look good even while it’s being protected from drops. TOMTOC ULTRA SLIM TABLET SLEEVE  tomtoc.com The Ultra Slim Tablet Sleeve ($36, $17 on Amazon) features a “caramel leather, charcoal felt exterior and soft felt interior” to wrap your iPad or MacBook in warmth and luxury. It’s also useful, featuring a custom side opening for access to your laptop’s charging port while it’s…

Paragon NTFS for Mac 15 ( go.macworld.com/pntfs ; $20) is a file system driver that allows Mac OS X Yosemite and later (including macOS Sierra) to read and write to hard drives, solid-state storage devices, and USB thumb drives formatted for Windows systems. Macs have always been able to read and write to another Windows format, FAT (File Allocation Table), but this older format isn’t well suited to today’s larger capacity drives, maxing out at 2TB with FAT32. Microsoft has since moved on to exFAT, which resolves the 2TB limitation while natively supported for read and write on a Mac. But NTFS remains the de facto standard for most PC users. With this software installed, working with such volumes is seamless. That’s because NTFS for Mac delivers read/write data transfer…

While there are many, many smart plugs on the market—outlets that you can control via a smartphone app—there are only a handful of power strips that offer app-based individual outlet control. The Geeni Surge sports four surge-controlled outlets, each of which are app switchable, and it has a four-port USB charger that can also be switched on and off as a set. Its smarthome app has easy controls for manually switching outlets on and off, and, because the device relies on Wi-Fi, it can be used outside your network to control switches when you’re away. The Surge doesn’t squeeze its AC outlets or USB ports together, making it easy to fit in a full complement of plugs. It also has its AC outlets rotated perpendicular to its length, which works…

When you use a digital camera, you may have the option to save the photo you’ve taken as a raw+JPEG file. This is a quasi-standardized file format that bundles a JPEG with the unmodified sensor information that forms a raw file. The benefits of using raw+JPEG include the ability to quickly preview the file anywhere, while still having access to the underlying data for carving out a version of the photo. A lot of software now supports importing and reading popular raw formats, so you can bypass changes imposed by cameras and photo apps for further editing without losing the original detail. Reader Luke Hartman has imported raw+JPEG files, and has a question about managing those files. There are several where I would like to keep only the JPG and…