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Apps MacID

M

mbern1008

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 5, 2013
101
13
There is no Apple Watch app for this yes but i just tested and if you are using MacID with Proximity Unlock it will ding your watch and ask if you want to unlock.
 
MacID ver. 1.2 has been submitted to the MAS and should be available any day now. It does support the new Apple watch and comes with many new features including that which you mentioned, amongst others.
 
Not sure I want to trust these 'proximity unlock' apps with my WATCH. I used to use MacID, and while it was more reliable than, say, TokenLock, it drove the Bluetooth connection on my iPhone completely batty.

I would launch the Bluetooth settings on my iPhone and watch it say "Connected" ... "Not Connected" ... "Connected" ... "Not Connected" ... and I would also see the Bluetooth symbol next to the battery flash like crazy.

I can only imagine what impact it would have on my WATCH, whether it be the Bluetooth and/or the battery life.
 
BeyondtheTech said:
Not sure I want to trust these 'proximity unlock' apps with my WATCH. I used to use MacID, and while it was more reliable than, say, TokenLock, it drove the Bluetooth connection on my iPhone completely batty.

I would launch the Bluetooth settings on my iPhone and watch it say "Connected" ... "Not Connected" ... "Connected" ... "Not Connected" ... and I would also see the Bluetooth symbol next to the battery flash like crazy.

I can only imagine what impact it would have on my WATCH, whether it be the Bluetooth and/or the battery life.
Click to expand...
The proximity unlock feature can be adjusted (signal strength wise) with the upcoming ver. 1.2. That may work better for you.
 
First I've heard of this, how reliable is it compared to Knock? I tried their Watch app last night and, when it works, it works great. One tap unlocks my iMac, another tap locks it.

When it works that is, and I found it doesn't work all that well. More often than not, when I tap to unlock, nothing happens. I end up having to enter my password to unlock. If it only happened once in awhile, I could live with it. But it was failing to unlock after only a few uses.

Is MacID better in terms of reliability?
 
I only started using it today. I am using it with an iPhone 6Plus and a iMac 5K and no issues after about 15 proximity lock/unlocks
 
Bought the app on my iPhone and downloaded to my iMac. So far, a lot more reliable than Knock, has more options and controls. So far, I'm a fan.
 
I use MacID and in my case, since I'm forced to use a complex password and lock my screen when not there for security, it's a real bonus.

However, the unlock method I prefer is the tap pattern to unlock which works on your Magic Mouse or trackpad. Both are what I touch to wake up the display anyway, so tapping a pattern is virtually no extra effort. It's much easier than using my phone, and probably easier than even tapping my watch.

But while I'm a huge fan of the app, I do wonder about the impact all this Bluetooth interaction has on interference amongst various Bluetooth devices and other devices sharing the same spectrum. Never mind, the rather flaky Bluetooth stack in iOS8 and Yosemite :(
 
VirtualRain said:
I use MacID and in my case, since I'm forced to use a complex password and lock my screen when not there for security, it's a real bonus.

However, the unlock method I prefer is the tap pattern to unlock which works on your Magic Mouse or trackpad. Both are what I touch to wake up the display anyway, so tapping a pattern is virtually no extra effort. It's much easier than using my phone, and probably easier than even tapping my watch.

But while I'm a huge fan of the app, I do wonder about the impact all this Bluetooth interaction has on interference amongst various Bluetooth devices and other devices sharing the same spectrum. Never mind, the rather flaky Bluetooth stack in iOS8 and Yosemite :(
Click to expand...
Speaking of the tap pattern option, the upcoming version (1.2 due any time) will offer unlimited tap pattern, as well as being able to lock your device with the tap pattern.
 
Works good, also comes with two nice extras - phone battery level on glance, and song control from your watch to your macbook.
 
I've got it set for notifications, and I found that sometimes it lets me authorize from the notification screen, but other times it forces me to go to the app to unlock. Very odd. Regardless, I love using my watch to unlock my mac!
 
The unlock feature is so much quicker with the Apple Watch, is there a way to only get notifications on the Watch and not the iPhone?
 
OMG MacID is my new girlfriend.

So it works great when I get home and un sleep my mac book.

But this morning, when installing a new app on my mac, my mac needed authorization..

did not realize mac ID will ping your watch with a notification and then all you have to do is tap your watch.

SOO much better then typing my long password.
 
This is a great utilization of the apple watch. Shows what the future will bring. The auto unlock/lock based on proximity is brilliant.

One of the few (at this point) great AW apps.
 
BD1 said:
This is a great utilization of the apple watch. Shows what the future will bring. The auto unlock/lock based on proximity is brilliant.

One of the few (at this point) great AW apps.
Click to expand...

Just purchased and installed. Love it... Not a "killer" app but very very useful.
 
I can't get proximity unlock to work on my mbp. Instead of unlocking when I get close it alerts me and I have to authorize.
 
THIS is the best app for the Watch by far! I am surprised Apple did not release something similar....sure they will though.

It is so convenient and the first killer app IMO! Love it.
 
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