Blur your house on Apple Maps

January 29, 2022

Hankering for a little privacy? You can scrub your house from Apple Maps just like Tim Cook, Billie Eilish and other famous figures.

In our top post this week, we show you how easy it is to get in on this digital disappearing act. (It works for Google Maps, too.)

Also this week:

  • Find out what's in all the updates Apple pushed out this week for iPhone, Mac and more.

  • Then, discover what new features are coming next, as seen in the latest Apple betas.

  • Get the lowdown on what Tim Cook called "Apple's biggest quarter ever."

  • Learn why Apple TV+ murder mystery/comedy The Afterparty is a total stiff.

  • And finally, don't miss our killer $50 deal on Microsoft Office for Mac.

Enjoy your weekend!

– Lewis Wallace, managing editor

Tim Cook’s home is hidden inside Apple Maps and Google Maps — likely because of an alleged stalking incident that just came to light. If you enter Cook's address, you’ll see nothing but a gigantic, pixelated wall. But this kind of digital scrubbing isn’t reserved for CEOs and celebrities. Anyone can get their home hidden from online maps. We’ll show you how.

News and opinion

This week's update squashes at least one bug that recently made headlines. But there are no new features. Apple also introduced iPadOS 15.3 to erase many of the same bugs. And macOS Monterey 12.2 and watchOS 8.4 debuted, too. tvOS 15.3 arrived Monday as well.

Plus, more on this week's updates:

The system will scan just the area around eyes. It's handy, but it comes with a warning that the change makes Face ID less secure.

Plus, more on this week's betas:

Apple's tablet has come a long way since its unveiling. The iPad lived up to Steve Jobs' original vision … and exceeded it. Here are a dozen reasons to love what the device has become.

How did Apple rack up its most successful quarter ever? By setting lots of all-time records in a quarter that easily beat Wall Street's expectations.

Apple celebrates by promoting Black business and innovation, amplifying Black voices, and showcasing Black creatives. Plus, there's a new, limited-edition Black Unity Braided Solo Loop and Unity Lights face for Apple Watch.

Steve Sheraton was crashing on a friend’s couch when he first got the idea of making a funny video that made it look like he was drinking beer out of his iPhone. Soon he was cashing in with an app.

Deals

We’ve got a hot deal on Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021. Right now, you can get a lifetime license to these six essential programs for just $49.99 (regularly $349).

Non-fungible tokens, aka NFTs, are a new way to uniquely register and ultimately protect your art in the open market. Grab "How to Create Your First NFT: The Beginner’s Guide" to get in on the action.

It can prove difficult to find a Lightning cable that works well and lasts a while. The Crave 4-foot Lightning-to-USB Cable is super-sturdy and can handle the output of a powerful charger.

Whether you resolved to lose weight, pick up a new hobby, start a side hustle or just get organized, there’s an app that can help you do it.

Reviews

Apple TV+’s newest comedy is a lifeless, listless and laughless murder mystery in seven parts, told by dozens of narrators. The premise is novel: Each episode, the first three of which premiered Friday, parodies a different storytelling genre. Unfortunately, The Afterparty fails to live up to that promise.

What to do with your MacBook or iPad when you’re not using them? You can leave them lying around, but that’s a waste of space. The iVoler Vertical Laptop Stand holds your computer upright, either when it’s charging or when you have an external screen and keyboard connected.

There are strangers in the house on this week’s episode. This is what it looks like when the kookiest people in town try to do things normally.

Setups

Some setups knock your socks off with lighting. It can be tasteful, warm, welcoming and conducive to work without eye strain. It can be bright, inventive and dazzling, like fantastic decorations. Or, as in this MacBook Pro-based setup, it can be both.

A brand-new M1 Pro-powered laptop meets a kooky crew of bobbleheads and other figures under an over-the-top camera rig used as a webcam.

Leave it to a digital product designer to work their magic in an immaculate workstation with an absolute minimum of cable clutter.