• watchOS 7.4 beta 3 (18T5169f)
  (below from Mar. 3rd)
• tvOS 14.5 beta 3 (18L5173f)
  (below from Mar. 2nd)
• macOS Big Sur 11.3 beta 3 (20E5196f)
• Xcode 12.5 beta 3 (12E5244e)
• iOS 14.5 beta 3 (18E5164h)
• iPadOS 14.5 beta 3 (18E5164h)
  (below from Feb. 17th)
• Apple Configurator 2.14 beta (6A9)

• How to Merge Finder & Application Windows in macOS (sponsor blog)
  
  
• Forum thread on Cracked screen MacBook Pro with Touch Bar now 47 pages long.
  
  
• Apple M1 Q&A Session With Larry O'Connor & David Helmly, Sr. (sponsor blog)
  
  
• Apple forum thread on Mac Trade-In experiences (complaints)
  (Not a new thread, but worth reading if considering it. Especially the complaints on reduced trade-in price from (disputed) claims of 3 or more 'white spots' on screens.)
  
  
• Apple Hearing Study shares new insights on hearing health (pr)
  
  
• How to Scan and Store Documents with the Files App (sponsor blog)
  
  
• All U.S. Apple Stores Now Open a Year After Closures Began (bloomberg)
  
  
• Mac "Silver Sparrow" Malware Threat: How to Find and Remove It (sponsor blog)
  
  
• Apple Big Sur forum thread on some websites using GBs of Memory.
  - Includes Activity monitor screenshots from a M1 MacBook Air (8GB ram).
  (Heavy M1 swap file use has caused some concern on impact to SSD lifespan.)
  
  
• The mystery of the Silver Sparrow Mac malware (malwarebytes)
  
  
• Many Malware posts in Apple's forums on (name) "will damage your computer".
  Posts on CleanParameterd, Original Moduled, ActivityInputd, DominantPartitiond, InitialSkilld, RecordMapperd, StandardBoostd, & "ManagerAnalogd" (here & here).
  There's other examples in both the Catalina & Big Sur forums. Some have removal info.
  (Typically using free version of https://www.malwarebytes.com.)
  Check System Preferences > Network > Advanced > Proxies (Uncheck any Proxy).
  Also check if a "Profiles" preference pane exists. (If so, delete unrecognized profiles.)
  Check in ~/Library/LaunchAgents, /Library/LaunchDaemons, /Library/LaunchAgents.
  One post said his browser search engine had also been changed (serving ads), so check browser extensions/addons, and clear browser cache/cookies.
  (I'm guessing Apple may have recently updated protections to detect these.)
  
  
• Apple wins a patent for advanced monitors based on a new Micro-LED Chiplet Architecture (ledinside)
  
  
• Video Pros Weigh in on Where Apple Should Take Its Platform (sponsor blog)
  
  
• Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund helps COPAN Diagnostics ship millions of COVID-19 test kits (apple)
  
  
• A Comprehensive Guide to All Startup Modes for M1 Macs (sponsor blog)

"This patch release fixes a possible loss of network connectivity due to a crash of the Little Snitch network extension. This crash could occur when an application used the QUIC protocol. This protocol is a replacement for HTTPS which is used primarily by Google Chrome and its derivatives when connecting to Google servers."

"macOS Big Sur 11.2.2 prevents MacBook Pro (2019 or later) and MacBook Air (2020 or later) models from incurring damage when they are connected to certain third-party, non-compliant powered USB-C hubs and docks."

I'm not running Big Sur, but watching Apple's Big Sur, Mac Mini, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air forums for early feedback. (Was hoping it fixes CVM Server crashes, including from DVD playback.)

• Updated for macOS 11 'Big Sur' support.
• Fixed an issue in which valid SSDs would report as "not supported."
• Fixed an intermittent NVMe crashing issue.
• Fixed issue reading updated drive database.
• Updated Sparkle update framework to version 1.25.0.
• Other minor fixes and enhancements.

• Fixed an application crasher at launch.
• Corrected a drive database format change.
• Updated Sparkle update framework to version 1.25.0.
• Other minor fixes and enhancements.

• Chrome 89.0.4389.82 Stable Channel Update (March 5th)
  
  
• Chrome 89.0.4389.72 Stable Channel Update (March 2nd)
  - Included 48 security fixes.
  
  
• Microsoft Releases Out-of-Band Security Updates for Exchange Server 2013, 2016, & 2019 (If Microsoft page doesn't load, see this article.)
  
  
• Is Your Browser Extension a Botnet Backdoor? (krebs)
  
  
• 05.60.06 Update for USA LG B6 OLED TV, UH6330/7650/7700 LCD TVs
  - Added to the firmware updates listing.
  
  
• A Beginner's Guide to Understanding RAID (sponsor blog)
  
  
• Firefox 86.0 release notes and security fixes.
  
  
• Firefox ESR 78.8 includes "various stability, functionality, and security fixes".
  
  
• OWC announces their new Thunderbolt 4 Cable (sponsor PR)
  - Related press release on the Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable.
  
  

• If you get a personalization error when reinstalling macOS on a M1 chip Mac (rev Mar 1)
  
  
• Obtaining service for your Apple product after an expired warranty (rev Mar 1)
  - originally titled "Vintage and Obsolete products".
  
  
• What's new in macOS Big Sur (added v11.2.2 info)
  
  
• Find out which macOS your Mac is using
  
  
• Migrate your Aperture libraries to Photos or Adobe Lightroom Classic
  
  
• If your Apple Watch Series 5 or SE is in Power Reserve and won't charge
  (Fixed in watchOS 7.3.1 update.)
  
  
• If your built-in camera isn't working on your Mac (revised Feb 13)
  
  
• Charge your AirPods with charging case and learn about battery life (revised Feb 12)
  
  
• If your left or right AirPod isn't working (revised Feb 11)
  
  
• How to create a Bootable installer for macOS (revised Feb 10)
  - Covers macOS Big Sur, Catalina, Mojave, High Sierra, and El Capitan.
  
  
• Measuring and calibrating Apple Pro Display XDR
  
  
• Set up AirPods Max with your Mac and other Bluetooth devices
  
  
• If AirPlay or screen mirroring isn't working on your device
  
  
• If the battery in your 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro won't charge past 1%
  
  
• How to get old versions of macOS
  
  
• Set up home theater audio with HomePod and Apple TV 4K

February 15th to 19th, 2021 News Archive
• DisplayLink Manager macOS App v1.3 (for macOS Big Sur & Catalina).
• How to Create a Bootable USB Installer Disk for macOS Big Sur.
• Epic Games Attacks Apple in Antitrust Complaint to EU.
• Microsoft Office for Mac v16.46 (with Excel & Word Security Update).
• Apple Working on Magnetic Battery Pack Attachment for iPhones.
• How to Rename Your macOS Big Sur User Account & Home Folder.
• watchOS 7.3.1 Update (bug fix).
• New OWC Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C Cable.
• FW Update download pages date revised for LG BX/CX/GX/WX OLED TVs.
• Firmware Updates for 2018 Yamaha Receivers and CX-A5200 Pre-Pro.
• Chrome 88.0.4324.182 Stable Channel Update.
• Apple Support/How-To/Troubleshooting Article Updates.

For links to older news pages, see the Archives.