macOS CATALINA
QPrepare yourself
Before updating, choose
‘About This Mac’ from the
Apple menu, then System
Report. Under Software, click
Applications. Anything listed
as ‘No’ in the ‘64-Bit’ column
is not compatible with Catalina.
Check for updates, and hold
off on installing the new
OS if none are available and
you consider those apps vital.
Before you do update, make
a full bootable backup using
SuperDuper or Carbon Copy
Cloner – just in case.QGet your game face on
The Mac App Store now has
an Arcade tab. If you’re already
signed up to Apple Arcade,
progress will sync from
wherever you left a game
on your other Apple devices.
But note that not all titlesTHE BASICS
SCREEN TIME
QMonitor usage
In System Preferences,
select Screen Time. Here,
you can peruse app usage
by individual app or category,
unearthing your unhealthy
Twitter addiction. Websites are
listed too, as are notifications.QKnow your limits
Under App Limits, click ‘+’ to
set a daily limit for app groups
(or a single app found via
search). Limits can be set
per day by clicking Custom,
allowing you to differentiate
weekend usage. Use
Downtime and Always
Allowed to severely limit
access during certain hours.It may be named after an island, but the new Apple OS makes
the Mac less isolated than ever, linking up apps, services
and devices – Craig Grannell delves into its best bitsare available on Mac, and
on-boarding can be clunky,
leaving you to figure out
the controls.QGo on Safari
Check out the useful new
features of Apple’s browser:
open tab recommendations
in the address bar, improved
media controls when
right-clicking a tab’s speaker
icon, per-site downloadapproval, and warning you
when your passwords are
rubbish. It’ll nuke your old
extensions, mind.QMake yourself appy
As with iOS, Catalina brings
some welcome updates to
Reminders. Elsewhere, Notes
has a gallery view, and Photos
brings out best moments.
Also check the Mac App Store
for iPad ports such as the
new Mac Twitter app, Carrot
Weather and GoodNotes.QZoom it better
The green zoom button still
switches a window between
full-screen and windowed
mode (or maximises
displayed content if you
alt-click), but you can now
hover over it for more options.
These include snapping the
current window to half of the
screen, or sending it to an iPad
if you’re using Sidecar.BETA YOURSELF
Nighty night
Dark Mode isn’t new to
Mac, but automating it is.
In System Preferences >
General, click Auto to have
your Mac switch to Dark
Mode during evenings.