Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has announced a major expansion of its operations in Austin, including an investment of $1 billion to build a new campus in north Austin, Texas. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Like me, you’ve probably given up on Apple ever releasing its long-promised AirPower wireless charger. May I recommend Belkin's $159.99 <a href="https://www.belkin.com/us/p/P-F8J234/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BOOST↑UP Wireless Charging Dock</a>?</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There are several ways to customize the Finder sidebar in macOS Mojave. To hide or show the sidebar: Choose View > Hide Sidebar or View > Show Sidebar. (If Show Sidebar is dimmed, choose View > Show Toolbar.)</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Microsoft has updated its suite of Office apps for Mac, adding complete support for macOS Mojave, including Dark Mode and Continuity Camera.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has hired more than 40 and up to 50 doctors in recent years, sources say, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/12/apple-has-dozens-of-doctors-on-staff.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>CNBC</em></a>. They’re “influential, scattered across teams, and helping guide strategy as the company delves into health care,” the article adds.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has has hired Sony's Tamara Hunter to serve as its head of casting for its Apple Entertainment Division (or whatever it finally calls its upcoming streaming service), reports <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/apple-taps-sonys-tamara-hunter-as-head-casting-1168556" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A new report from <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-developing-modem-as-chip-efforts-expand" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>The Information</em></a> says Apple is working on its own cellular modem, although it could take up to three years before they appear in iPhones and other products. That sounds right.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A new report from <a href="http://www.juniperresearch.com/CMSModules/Newsletters/CMSPages/Redirect.ashx?linkguid=111e606a-a87e-48b0-8314-e22272e95fae&email=submitnews%40applecentral.com&hash=898d7744c1fb18e3162d64eeaff77c4d3cc1a3b3101c2b7a131d8a324f3f7a58"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Juniper Research</span></a> has found that there will be an estimated 417 million hearables in use by 2022. This includes fitness-focused devices, hearing augmentation and purely audio-focused devices such as Apple’s AirPods.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing for<em> </em><a href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/12/12/17-inch-macbook-pro/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5Mac</em></a>, Ben Lovejoy says that LG’s <a href="http://www.lgnewsroom.com/2018/12/lg-to-unveil-new-gram-laptops-evolved-to-a-whole-new-scale-at-ces-2019/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">new gram 17</span></a> laptop shows how “lovely” a 17-inch MacBook Pro could be. I think he’s onto something.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple is preparing to relaunch <a href="https://www.texture.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Texture</a> in spring 2019 and make it a premium product within Apple News, reports <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-12/apple-s-netflix-for-magazines-is-said-to-rankle-publishers?cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-tech&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=tech&utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>, quoting unnamed “people familiar with the matter.” </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re an Apple Music subscriber in the UK, you can get a discount on Apple’s HomePod speaker until Dec. 16. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Future Apple Watches could come with watchbands that automatically adjust their tightness, or allow you to do so with the touch of the screen, to fit different activities. Apple has filed for a patent (number 10,149,521) for “dynamic fit adjustment for wearable electronic devices.”</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">There are several ways to customize the Finder toolbar in macOS Mojave. To start, open a Finder window by clicking the Finder icon at the left end of the Dock. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Egypt, where iPhone prices are up to 50% higher than elsewhere in the Middle East, has given Apple 60 days to end what it claims are unfair restrictions on local distributors or face legal action, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-12-11/apple-accused-by-egypt-of-violating-competition-laws" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Bloomberg</em></a>.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has released the first public betas of macOS 10.14.3, iOS 12.1.2, and tvOS 12.1.2. The public betas are available on <a href="https://beta.apple.com/sp/betaprogram/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple's Beta Software Program website</a>. Just remember that beta software, so proceed with care.</p>