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Now is a great time to buy a new Apple computer. One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make when buying a new Mac is whether you should buy a desktop model or opt for a laptop instead. Apple’s laptops might seem like the best choice, with a combination of portability and price, but Apple also offers a great selection of desktops, from the teeny-tiny M4 Mac mini to the all-in-one iMac. So the next time you’re shopping for a new Mac, consider joining Team Desktop and opting for one of Apple’s less portable Macs instead of a MacBook. STATIONARY COMFORT Let’s face it, hunching over a MacBook for hours on end does your body no favors. You’ll typically use your laptop on an arm-level surface, whether that’s a desk…

Apple has officially released iOS 26 to everyone, and while changes like Liquid Glass make the update impossible to miss, there are plenty of useful new features that aren’t as obvious. Some of them are buried in menus, and others only appear when you know where to look. Here are some of the best hidden features of iOS 26 that are worth trying, and exactly where to find them. USE AIRPODS AS A VIDEO-RECORDING MIC One of the most practical additions in iOS 26 is the ability to use your AirPods as an external microphone when recording videos with the iPhone camera. This means you can capture clearer audio, even if you’re standing a bit away from the iPhone. To do this, follow these steps: 1. Put your AirPods in your…

Apple Mail is a decent alternative to Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, Spark, and all the other email clients available for the Mac. But even though Apple has been delivering its in-house mail client for years and regularly updates it, it doesn’t come without criticisms—it could be a much better email client if it weren’t for these annoyances. HALF-HEARTED AI IMPLEMENTATION Since macOS 15.4 and iOS 18.4, Apple Intelligence has been an integral part of the operating system and also of Apple Mail, but it can still only tinker with email texts—summaries, smart replies, writing tools, and a bit more. There is enormous potential for AI features, especially in email management and spam detection. Instead of relying on real artificial intelligence, Apple Mail continues to rely on so-called “intelligent” folders for…

After months of testing, Apple has released iOS 26 to the public, and it’s a major update. The new version of the iPhone operating system features a new look and feel with Liquid Glass, which will instantly make your iPhone look fresh. But that’s not all. Under the hood, there are a bunch of refinements, utilities, and new APIs worth exploring. Here are the top things you absolutely should try once you update your iPhone to iOS 26. 1. EXPLORE THE NEW LIQUID GLASS INTERFACE Possibly the most notable change in iOS 26 is Liquid Glass, which is what Apple calls its new interface available across its family of operating systems. Liquid Glass simulates the effects of glass on the screen, bringing much more transparency and brightness to elements such as…

Apple’s macOS 26 public betas are now out, marking another major milestone on the road to their release this fall. While all the social-media discourse has been about Apple’s new Liquid Glass design, that talk obscures some of Apple’s other interesting choices in this year’s operating system cycle. While Apple would probably insist (like a proud parent) that it doesn’t have favorites among its platforms, the choices Apple has made in this cycle say an awful lot about the company’s priorities, especially when it comes to the Mac. LIVING IN GLASS HOUSES Let’s start with the Liquid Glass design itself. The entire premise of this design is that Apple’s devices are largely featureless glass slabs, so creating a software interface that plays on the illusion that it’s actually a set of glass…

The Mac rumor mill has been going into overdrive lately, with information about Apple’s release schedule for 2026. We’ve heard reports about every Mac in the lineup (including the enigmatic Mac Pro), except for one: the iMac. Not a peep about Apple’s iconic all-in-one desktop computer. The current M4 iMac was released back in 2024, and Apple released the M5 MacBook Pro in November. An M5 update to the iMac certainly seems timely, and it’s entirely possible that Apple will release it sometime next year, perhaps along with the M5 MacBook Air in the spring. Or maybe not. Given that we haven’t heard any rumors about an upcoming iMac, Apple might now have a different approach to its product cycle. When you consider Apple’s past chip history, how the iMac is built, and…

Just as Razer enters the Mac market with its Pro Click mouse, Logitech strikes back with a long-awaited (and widely leaked) update to its popular MX Master series. The MX Master 3 was released way back in 2019, with an update to the 3S in 2022. The 3S wasn’t a major update, but the new MX Master 4 does represent a real step forward, with Logitech introducing haptic feedback technology for the first time. We are, however, pleased to note that the price remains the same, at $119.99/£119.99, despite the introduction of the new haptic technology. The MX Master 3S also remains on sale, now at a discounted price, so that’s still a good alternative to Apple’s Magic Mouse too. It’s worth mentioning that, as with previous MX mice and keyboards, there…

For the longest time, Mac folder personalization was primarily limited to adding a name, tag, and custom icon. While you could tweak the look further through unofficial means, the default methods were quite restrained. With macOS Tahoe, that’s all finally changed. You can now easily add symbols or emojis, change the folder’s color, set a default look, and much more. Customize your folders to help organize your Mac or to add a little bit of your personal style. Here’s how. PICK A COLOR OR TAG FOR YOUR FOLDER If you’re a Mac user, you’re likely already familiar with tags in the Finder app. Tags let you organize files and folders based on criteria of your choosing. Each tag can have its own name and color, making it easy to identify…

There’s a gulf between the things Apple loves to talk about and the things its customers actually choose to buy. At the Awe Dropping event this past September, the company focused heavily on the iPhone Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, a trio of glamorous, top-spec show ponies. But far more people will buy the simple, standard iPhone 17. The question is not whether the 17 is a weaker phone than the Air and 17 Pro. The three phones start at $799, $999, and $1,099, respectively; of course it’s a weaker phone. The question is whether the 17’s sum total of benefits and compromises represents better value than its siblings—and I would argue that it absolutely does. “Simple” and “standard” are relative terms that shouldn’t disguise this phone’s impressive…

When pre-event rumors claimed that the iPhone 17 series would have a new horizontal camera bar, I admit that I was concerned. At the time, all we had were renders and supposed CAD designs, with the assumption that the camera bar’s purpose was to bulk up the camera array to make the rest of the phone seem even thinner. As it turns out, I was completely wrong. But as Tim Cook reminded everyone at the “Awe Dropping” event in September, Apple is the company of “design is how it works,” where a good design is one that works seamlessly and enriches your life, not just one that is visually appealing but devoid of functionality. As Apple demonstrated, the iPhone Air’s and 17 Pro’s camera “plateau” isn’t just a camera bar. Rather,…

In December 2024, I reviewed the BenQ MA270U, an excellent 27-inch, 4K display that’s designed for use with the Mac. The MA270U, however, has a matte display—it’s a great-looking matte display, but some people, especially Mac people, prefer a glossy screen. Fortunately, BenQ has a new display, the MA270UP, and it’s the same as the MA270U, except that it features a glossy front. Now you have a choice, glossy or matte, and best of all, you get a great display (with the same on-screen controls, specifications, software, and so on) and an attractive price. SPECIFICATIONS Size: 27 inches Glass front: Nano Gloss Panel Aspect ratio: 16:9 Native resolution: 3840×2160 Panel type/backlight: IPS/LED backlight Response time: 5 ms Contrast ratio: 1200:1 Frequency: 24Hz to 60Hz Color depth: 10-bit Brightness: 400 nits…

How important is a toggle? You probably haven’t given much thought to those little settings sliders you find scattered throughout iOS. But what if a toggle can shine a light on how a system is designed and the priorities of its creators? That’s something we can learn about Apple’s Liquid Glass redesign, and it’s not an encouraging lesson. Don’t get me wrong—there’s a lot to love about Liquid Glass. I think it looks gorgeous in macOS Tahoe, and there are plenty of places in iOS 26 where it’s a real step up over the designs we saw in iOS 18 and before. But it’s hard for me to deny I’m often irritated by it and left with the feeling that it’s an indulgence on Apple’s part, an example of the company trying…

You have undoubtedly heard about the recent massive spike in RAM prices. RAM for consumer devices like desktops, laptops, graphics cards, and smartphones (DDR, GDDR, and LPDDR memory) has skyrocketed in recent weeks. Prices are 50 to 100 percent higher than they were back in the summer, with some premium 32GB DDR5 kits going for as much as $400 at Amazon! The problem, as it so often is, traces back to AI. The massive rush to build more AI data centers at all costs has already increased demand for water and electricity, and previously sucked up much of the supply chain for the chips we use in consumer devices. RAM appears to be the latest culprit. AI data centers are using up a lot of the supply of DDR memory, but…

Thunderbolt 5 is a much bigger performance shift than Thunderbolt 4 was compared to Thunderbolt 3, which was just some Windows certification changes plus a few actual spec updates. The latest Thunderbolt 5 (TB5) connection standard doubles the bandwidth from 40Gbps to bidirectional 80Gbps, with 120Gbps possible as enhanced Bandwidth Boost for video. PCIe throughput increases from 32Gbps to 64Gbps, which is particularly beneficial for storage such as high-performance SSDs or RAID devices. Power delivery potential over Thunderbolt 5 goes up from 100W to 240W. OWC is one of the major makers of docking stations, so we have been looking forward to testing its first Thunderbolt 5 dock. OWC also has a cut-down Thunderbolt 5 Hub, which we will be testing soon. Aside from the new, faster connection standard there…

You may not think much about it, but the virtual keyboard is one of the most essential parts of how the iPhone works. Over the years, Apple has made countless refinements to make typing easier, from auto-correct and predictive suggestions to swipe typing and smarter layouts. However, since the release of iOS 26 last September, a growing number of users have been complaining that something feels off. If you’ve noticed more typos than usual, you’re not alone. And it turns out there really is a bug affecting the iPhone’s virtual keyboard. TYPING THE RIGHT LETTER, BUT GETTING THE WRONG ONE INSTEAD A YouTuber named Michi NekoMichi recently shared a video compiling complaints about the iPhone keyboard. According to NekoMichi’s video, he is “making more mistakes than usual” when typing in…

The iPhone 17 arrived last fall, and as always, it has a slew of upgrades over prior models, especially when it comes to the front camera. Many people enjoy taking selfies and filming vlogs with their iPhone (myself included), and all the new iPhone 17 models—including the ultra-thin Air—have some really cool new tricks up their sleeves. But is it a reason to rush out and upgrade your iPhone 16? Here’s a detailed comparison of the iPhone 17’s front camera versus the 16’s front camera. A LOOK AT THE TECH SPECS If you look at the iPhone 17 page on Apple’s website, you’ll quickly see that the front camera now has a new square-shaped sensor rather than a rectangular one. You’ll also learn that the new sensor is higher quality:…

The thing about cables is that either you’ve got too many of them messing up your desk drawer or you can’t find one when you really need it—usually leading to buying yet another. The Universal Cable for Apple Watch from Nomad is a clever solution to save you from doubling, tripling, or quintupling up on cables. It’s a simple idea but one done with a very smart eye on design and functionality. It looks great enough to have come straight from Apple’s design labs. Indeed, it looks better than Apple’s own charging cables. MacBooks ship with a 1m Apple USB-C to MagSafe 3 Cable, and iPhones have a 1m USB-C to USB-C cable coiled up in the box. The Apple Watch has its own 1m Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger…

Back in September, when macOS 26 Tahoe arrived for download on my MacBook, I installed it along with millions of other people. I didn’t give it a second thought—I have an M3 Max MacBook Pro with 36GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Running Tahoe shouldn’t be an issue. But it was. Almost immediately from the first day I installed it, I experienced intermittent freezes lasting a second or two that would interrupt whatever I was doing. I couldn’t tie it down to a single app, and it was difficult to predict. Some days it would happen numerous times each hour, but other days it wouldn’t happen much at all. I tried all the usual tricks—closing apps, restarting, shutting down—and of course I immediately updated to macOS 26.0.1, all to no…

Apple makes the best smartwatches on the market, but what if your budget doesn’t stretch to the $399 Series 11? (Let alone the $799 Ultra 3.) You consider the Apple Watch SE, which starts at just $249. Particularly now that Apple has launched the substantially upgraded 3rd-gen model. In our in-depth Apple Watch SE 3 review, we put the device through a battery of tests and help you decide if this is the best Apple Watch for you. DESIGN: REASSURINGLY FAMILIAR Historically, the Apple Watch SE tends to trail a few years behind the main line when it comes to design, and that remains the case here: In terms of chassis and screen size, for example, the SE 3 has more in common with the Series 6 from 2020 than the Series…

Apple hides some of its best features through obscurity, not intentionally. For many years, you have been able to select and change the icon for any file, folder, volume, or drive. But it’s a multistep process that requires starting with the right image. You can find the source icons all over the place. Generic ones are available at places like IconArchive and DeviantArt (which has a lot of NSFW content, but not drive related); companies that sell drives often make downloadable icons available of all the models they sell, like One World Computing and LaCie; and you can copy an icon from an existing volume. You can also find little projects, like these 20 icons made from historic Japanese patterns by a designer at software maker Panic in 2012. In the below steps,…

As the name suggests, VirtualBox (in version 7.2 at the time of this review) is a virtualization tool—similar to Parallels Desktop and VMware Fusion—that allows you to create a virtual machine (VM) that can run Windows and Windows apps from within the macOS itself. It’s fallen behind its rivals in recent years as it lacked support for Macs with Apple Silicon, but it made something of a comeback with the 7.1 update in September 2024 that finally added support for Apple Silicon alongside older Intel Macs. A number of maintenance updates have followed since then, bringing VirtualBox to version 7.2.4 at the end of October 2025. VirtualBox is owned by database giant Oracle, but it’s available as an open-source program and it’s free for personal and educational use. There’s also an…

One of the reasons why people invest in the Apple ecosystem is the interoperability between devices. The main reason for the interoperability is iCloud, Apple’s cloud service. You can get a free membership when you create an Apple Account, which includes a paltry 5GB of cloud storage. We recommend upgrading to at least 50GB if you can afford it, which costs $0.99/£0.99 per month. If you sign up for more storage, you are also getting Apple’s iCloud+ service. With iCloud (sans the plus sign), you get syncing between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and 5GB of storage. The plus sign in iCloud+ means that the service offers more features, but because iCloud has been a storage service for so long, these additional features are often overlooked. Don’t ignore them! iCloud+…

Qi2 wireless has finally caught up with Apple MagSafe’s 25W charging speed with the release of new products certified on its new Qi2 25W standard. That means you can get the fastest magnetic charging in a stand without needing to rig it with one of Apple’s charging pucks. The first Qi2 25W product out on the market and in Macworld’s review lab is Belkin’s UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Magnetic Charging Dock, alongside two others in its family: the UltraCharge 3-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger and UltraCharge 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Charger. Here’s how it performs. QI2 25W VS 25W MAGSAFE Apple raced ahead last fall when it announced that its updated MagSafe Charger could now charge the iPhone 16 and 17 up to 25W, up from its previous 15W rating. This left the once-proud…

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming digital workspaces, boosting efficiency and streamlining workflows. It has become a vital asset (and increasingly an expectation) for workflows, but AI still often requires human oversight. Like many other software companies, Adobe is joining the revolution by developing and integrating native AI features into Photoshop. Generative Fill is the highlight AI feature in Photoshop. Powered by Adobe Firefly, the tool lets you create images and insert them into projects using simple text prompts. More recently, the company unveiled three new AI perks: Harmonize, Generative Upscale, and an improved object eraser. I’ve put them all to the test to see how well (or terribly) they perform, and whether creatives will appreciate the output quality. The AI features are part of the latest version of the software.…

If you’re interested in unreleased Apple products, you’ve probably read something by Sonny Dickson. He’s one of the most widely known and frequently quoted figures in the mysterious world of tech leaks, with a long and distinguished track record of early and accurate predictions…and, as is the case for all leakers, a few missteps too. Nobody’s perfect. Now the poacher is turning gamekeeper, and Dickson is launching his own line of tech products inspired by the artistic merits of obsolescent devices. (Perhaps it would be poetic justice if some of his future products were leaked in turn.) Macworld caught up with Dickson over email to discuss life as a leaker, sustainability, tech as art, and his plans for the future. Macworld: When did you first become interested in technology? Sonny Dickson:…

Since the debut of the TrueDepth camera system with the iPhone X, the front-facing camera has mostly seen incremental upgrades. Features like Night mode, Photographic Styles, sharper image quality, and 4K video have trickled in over the years, but the overall selfie experience has remained largely unchanged. Instead, Apple has focused most of its innovation on the rear-facing Pro camera system, pushing the boundaries of mobile photography and videography. With the latest iPhone models, that strategy changed in a big way. Apple has added a slew of new front-camera improvements to all of its new phones, not just the highest-end 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max variants. Not sure what they are or what they do? Here’s a breakdown of all the fresh selfie camera additions bundled with your new…

We all have too many cables in the house…until you suddenly need one, and then they all mysteriously morph into the ones you don’t need: Why did I even keep a USB-A to USB-A cable? The Rolling Square inCharge XL may be all you need, and it shouldn’t be easy to lose. CHARGE THEM ALL This is a 6-in-1 cable claims to have it all: two inputs (USB-C and USB-A) and three outputs (USB-C, Lightning, and MicroUSB), giving you the following charging solutions: > USB-C to USB-C (100W) > USB-C to Lightning (27W) > USB-C to MicroUSB (10W) > USB-A to USB-C (18W) > USB-A to Lightning (18W) > USB-A to Micro USB (10W) EU law and common sense means we should all soon be doing all our wired connections…

The Finder is the main user interface for managing files on the Mac. Think of it as the starting point for navigating macOS—it’s like the Home Screen on an iPhone and iPad. You probably don’t give the Finder much thought, but it’s one of the most important places on your Mac. Because of that, you should make the most of your time with it. You can tweak the Finder so it better suits the way you do things, and there are a few tasks you can do within the Finder instead of in an app. Here are 10 things you should know so you can get the most out of the Finder. 1. FINDER AND DESKTOP EXPLAINED This is an explanation of terminology. Before you can master the Finder, it…

Chargers range in size from minuscule wall-based plugs to bulkier desktop bricks, in number of ports from one to ten, and in total output power from 20W (not enough)—and now up to 500W (now you’re talking!). The 6-port Ugreen Nexode 500W Desktop Charger beats our previous tested champ, the Nexode 300W also from Ugreen. The new 500W model can power five MacBooks at the same time and still have some power remaining for your phone or AirPods. DESKTOP POWER There are some impressive USB-C wall chargers that plug directly into the power socket. The Anker 140W Charger has four ports, including two 140W ports rated at PD 3.1 each, which is powerful enough to fast-charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro, although not at the same time, as maximum power output is…

It took the iPhone an eternity to strike Lightning in favor of the universal USB-C port. Now that it’s here on all models, including the low-end 16e, many users still limit its use to charging, overlooking the slew of other advantages it offers over Lightning. If you’ve got an iPhone 15 or 16 model, you can expand the USB-C port’s functionality beyond battery fill-ups, and we’ve got a few ideas to share. 1. CHARGE ANOTHER DEVICE Rival companies, like Samsung, have long supported reverse wireless charging, letting users turn their smartphones into portable Qi pads. However, it’s not all that practical, forcing users to flip over their phones and rendering both unusable. With the iPhone 15 and newer models, Apple introduced its own version that works via the USB-C port.…

Whereas the Apple Watch Ultra 2 offered very minimal upgrades three years ago, the Ultra 3 is a complete overhaul of Apple’s rugged outdoor smartwatch. In addition to the expected leap to a new chip, the manufacturer has given the device a longer-lasting battery and a bigger and better screen. There is also new connectivity that could come in handy on wilderness hikes. In addition to the switch from LTE to 5G, the smartwatch can use satellite connections to contact emergency services or share your location with contacts. So it’s not a minor update. But is it a worthwhile one? Read on to find out. BIGGER AND BETTER DISPLAY If you place the Ultra 1 and Ultra 3 next to each other, you’ll notice how thin the display edges have become.…

The Apple Watch often makes headlines for saving lives by detecting signs of atrial fibrillation, calling emergency services after a crash or fall, and other safety features. That wasn’t really the reason I bought one a few years ago. I was merely interested in the Apple ecosystem perks, like automatic Mac unlocking, iPhone notification mirroring, and music playback controls. So, despite sometimes recording my random workouts, I muted activity ring alerts. Closing them didn’t mean much to me. That all changed when I received a single notification late last year. HEALTH DATA KEEPS YOU IN CHECK It was October 23, 2024. I was sitting on my couch at home when my iPhone’s Health app alerted me about a change in my average resting heart rate. Following months of inactivity and…

Because 360-degree cameras record the entire surroundings, you never miss a moment and you can select any angle afterward. These cameras implement a process called reframing, which allows you to create videos that look as if you had a second cameraman with you. The positioning of the camera is less critical, operation is easier, and the risk of missing important moments is reduced. The 360-degree action cams are very popular with mountain bikers and motorcyclists. Another application is virtual tours and interactive 360-degree images, where you can move and look around in all directions with the mouse. This is perfect for the travel, property, and architecture sectors. But 360-degree action cameras are usually big and heavy, and editing the video is labor-intensive. Insta360 makes 360-degree videos a little easier to…

The Baseus EnerCore CR11 is a handy-size laptop power bank that in our tests supplied nearly a full charge to a 14-inch M2 MacBook Pro. Its name even sounds like a battery. It’s not just handy in size—it has a conveniently built-in USB-C cable, meaning you don’t need to carry one around with you. There are higher-capacity portable laptop power banks and even ones with two integrated USB-C cables, so what makes the EnerCore CR11 stand out? TECH SPECS Battery capacity: 20000mAh (72Wh) Fastest power output: 87W Total power output: 67W Power input: 45W USB ports: 1× USB-C cable (67W PD 3.0); 1× USB-C port (65W PD 3.0) Dimensions: 5.7×2.7×1.1 inches (14.5×6.9×2.8cm) Weight: 13.7oz (389g) POWER AND PERFORMANCE The Baseus EnerCore CR11 will work with any of Apple’s MacBooks, as…

One of the most consequential developments in the history of computing happened 50 years ago. It set Apple on course to becoming one of the most valuable companies on the planet and changed the face of computing in unfathomable ways. Yet you’ve probably never even heard of what went down. It’s an often-overlooked moment that had incredible consequences for years to come. Typing on a computer is something we all take for granted today. One of Apple’s key philosophies has long been to get the technology out of your way—Steve Jobs and Jony Ive have waxed lyrical on that idea—so day to day, we never really think much about how writing on a computer actually works. We can debate the pros and cons of various displays and even build our…

There are few more frustrating iPhone experiences than receiving a spam call. Whether it’s interrupting your work or play, it doesn’t take much for a junk call to take you out of the moment. The problem is that they’re seemingly extremely difficult to stop, and no matter what you try, a few still seem to make it through the net. At least, that was the case before iOS 26’s Call Screening feature came along. Since I installed iOS 26, it’s stopped unwanted calls in their tracks, leaving me in spam-free bliss all day long. The way Call Screening works is extremely simple. When you get a call from an unknown number, the caller will first be put through to an automated voice that asks them to identify themselves and describe…

In today’s world of cloud storage and painless wireless transfers plus inexpensive SD and microSD card readers, it’s easy to forget how useful the old-school flash thumb drives can be—especially as most still persevere with the old legacy rectangular USB-A connector that hasn’t been seen on a Mac since 2017’s MacBook Air. Flash drives were once the kings of portable storage, prized for their portability, ease of use, and offline data transfer capabilities. If you wanted to quickly and securely move files between devices without an internet connection, they were the perfect tool. Cloud storage is now the norm, but it is slower and less data secure, and it usually requires a monthly subscription. SD CARDS VERSUS FLASH DRIVES Modern MacBook Pros (and the Mac Studio) boast an SDXC card…

With the rise of third-party antiviral and anti-malware applications for the Mac, the question of how macOS defends against malware on its own has surfaced. To this end, is it safe to use macOS on its own and rely exclusively on macOS and security updates from Apple, or are you better off using a well-reviewed antiviral and anti-malware suite in conjunction with the native macOS layers of protection? Being somewhere between brave, curious, and outright idiotic, I backed up everything on my MacBook Pro as a Time Machine volume on my external hard drive, removed all third-party protection software, and then proceeded to run all of the Objective-See Mac Malware Collection across my operating system, throwing more than 130 chunks of questionable software at macOS 15.6.1 to see how things would hold…

I was there on that early October day 14 years ago when Apple–led on stage by Tim Cook, Phil Schiller, and Scott Forstall–rolled out iOS 5, the iPhone 4S, and one of the most important iOS features ever, Siri. (Steve Jobs wasn’t there, an empty seat left for him in the front row. He died the next day.) Siri was the first true “voice assistant,” a voice-driven interface that Jobs clearly thought would be a huge part of the future of how we use our devices. He legendarily called Siri’s co-founder 24 straight days to express his desire to buy the app and add it to iOS. While Apple got there first, competitors followed. In some ways, it’s the contrary example to what Apple normally does: Instead of entering a category…

It’s no secret that the iPhone has matured, with dramatic innovations now arriving only every several years. The regular iPhone 17 adopting past Pro exclusives is a clear admission that we’re approaching the iPhone’s final form. As such, Pro users on an annual upgrade cycle often find little to be impressed by—and this year appears to be no different. While one could easily distinguish the iPhone 16 Pro Max from the 17 Pro Max visually, the actual upgrades this year are relatively limited. Beyond the overhauled chassis, casual users will likely notice the sharper telephoto and selfie cameras—and a few other obvious changes. Despite this, I decided to upgrade from last year’s flagship to the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I don’t regret it one bit. A WHOLE LOT OF MEGAPIXELS…

There’s no doubt that in the five years since the M1 chip, Apple silicon has changed the MacBook in radical ways. We’ve seen a massive performance uptick compared to the prior Intel chips, phenomenal battery life, and cool and quiet performance. The difference is day and night. But after a few years, we’ve gotten used to the improvements. Each Apple silicon chip feels impressive, but nowhere near as exciting as it used to be. In some ways, we’ve come to take it all for granted. We can see that reflected in the M5 MacBook Pro. Both before and after it launched, this device was framed as an iterative update with very little to differentiate it from the M4 version. We were told to just expect a chip refresh and very…

Netflix is still perceived as the default on-demand TV streaming service, delivering movies and series to over 300 million paid subscribers. Despite its popularity and sizable catalog, the platform has been steadily raising prices while introducing changes that downgrade the overall user experience. Apple TV+, on the other hand, offers a more limited content library and has only attracted around 45 million users. Nevertheless, after using both platforms for years, I canceled my Netflix subscription and decided to embrace Apple’s alternative service. Here’s why. SHARING IS CARING One thing I despise is when tech corporations paywall free features instead of innovating to boost their revenue. Once upon a time, Netflix allowed multiple users to share a single account—even when they lived in separate households. In fact, the company encouraged this…

As consumer technology has become more complex over time, it has tended to become correspondingly more difficult to repair: Miniaturization has made components fiddlier and more intricately entwined and concealed. With this in mind, it would be natural to expect the iPhone Air, Apple’s thinnest ever smartphone, to be among its most repair-unfriendly devices. But a surprising new teardown of the device indicates that this is not the case. In a video, iFixit awards the iPhone Air 7 out of 10 on its repairability scale and offers some broadly positive comments on the ease with which the site’s experts were able to get inside and disassemble the ultra-slim handset. It also notes that counterintuitively, “thinner can actually be more repairable because we don’t have to dig through multiple layers for…

Apple likes to advertise its smartwatch on the wrists of sporty people—admittedly, they all look good—engaged in some physical activity against a breathtaking scene somewhere in the mountains or on the beach. This easily gives the impression that the Apple Watch is intended exclusively for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The Apple Watch is interesting not only for athletes but also for those who have nothing to do with sports. It collects vital data and can use this data to provide valuable insights into your own health. Some emergency notifications have already saved the lives of more than a few people. Here are the Apple Watch features you can make the most of every day. HEART-RATE NOTIFICATIONS Most of the life-saving stories we’ve heard from our readers and followers concern two…

While the rest of the world was waiting for the M5 iPad Pro earlier this month, I decided to buy an M4 iPad Pro, just days before Apple dropped its big M5 announcement, in fact. Yes, I knew the M5 iPad Pro was imminent. But the deal I got on the previous generation model was compelling enough that I didn’t hesitate. When the M5 model arrived, I was still within my return window. However, after digging into what’s new on the new iPad Pro, I’ve concluded that going for the M5 isn’t the no-brainer it appears to be. In fact, I’m here to argue that buying the M4 version now could be the smarter move if you want to save some money. And if you already have an M4 iPad…

The Ugreen Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 165W with Retractable USB-C Cable tells you nearly everything you need to know about it in just its name. It’s a compact 20K laptop battery pack that can deliver a total of 165W of power, including 100W from its extremely convenient built-in USB-C cable. You can buy higher-capacity portable laptop power banks and even units with two integrated USB-C cables, but the Ugreen Nexode 20K USB-C Cable power bank is a solid performer that might be everything you need on the road with your laptop and other devices. TECH SPECS Battery capacity: 20000mAh (72Wh) Fastest power output: 100W Total power output: 165W Power input: 100W USB ports: 1× USB-C cable (100W PD 3.0); 1× USB-C port (100W PD 3.0); 1× USB-A (33W) Dimensions: 5.7×2.1×2…

Apple offers three classes of AirPods to cater to different use cases and budgets: regular, Pro, and Max. But despite their size, price, and surname, the AirPods Max actually pack fewer features than the AirPods Pro 2. All too often underrated, the Pro models are packed with cool features you probably don’t know about. With every annual OS release, Apple continues to introduce new perks, many of which are exclusive to the latest Pro model, and iOS 26 is no exception. If you recently bought a pair of AirPods Pro 2, you’ve got to check out and set up these seven advanced features. REMOTE SHOOTING One of the most notable AirPods Pro 2 features bundled with this year’s software updates is the new camera remote. Like the Apple Watch’s shortcut,…

Twenty years ago, Mac OS X Tiger introduced us to a search feature that would stand the test of time: Spotlight. And while at the time I found myself ambivalent about its many quirks, some of which were maddening, with the benefit of hindsight, it’s hard not to be impressed by how far Spotlight has come. Almost every year, Apple has made Spotlight a little better, and macOS Tahoe is its biggest and most impressive upgrade ever. So let’s celebrate Spotlight for what it was, is, and is about to become. WHEN DISKS BECAME BIG ENOUGH TO SEARCH As soon as the classic Mac OS became capable of holding more than a few dozen files on tiny floppy disks, there was a need to find files. So Apple introduced a…

It wasn’t so long ago that 15W MagSafe was the fastest any magnetic wireless charger could output power to an iPhone? Since the launch of the latest Qi 2.2 technology, charger manufacturers have been racing to bring out wireless gadgets at the new top 25W speed. While Apple was first to 25W, that speed was limited to just its one-trick pony MagSafe Charger, a solid but solitary pad on the end of a variable length cable. Since then, multi-device chargers have appeared matching the 25W Apple charger at its claimed 50% iPhone charge in “around 30 minutes.” Qi 2.2 (aka Qi2 25W) is a new tech that takes 15W Qi2 and revs up the power output to a possible 25W for the iPhone 16 and 17 models—excluding the 16e (not…

The latest version of ChatGPT, GPT5, was released earlier this month, promising “a significant leap in intelligence over all our previous models.” GPT-5 has already been activated as the standard model for free ChatGPT users; you only have to pay if you need more capacity or usage or the Pro version with “extended reasoning.” This all sounds great. But can it live up to the hype? And why should Mac users, and Apple fans in general, care about ChatGPT-5? Allow us to explain. ANOTHER STEP TOWARD SUPERINTELLIGENCE? Let’s start by drilling down into what exactly OpenAI means by a leap in intelligence. For one thing, the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, is convinced that the new version has taken a big step toward artificial general intelligence, which refers to the theoretical…

If you watched Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote back in June, you probably remember the headline features in watchOS 26, such as the AI-powered Workout Buddy and Liquid Glass redesign. But you might not have realized there’s actually far more to it than these showy new additions. In fact, this software update is packed with a slew interesting updates, from clever widgets to new ways to enjoy your favorite photos. Here, we’ve picked out eight of our favorite little-known tweaks you’ll want to rush to try in watchOS 26. 1. CONFIGURABLE WIDGETS Love the Smart Stack on your Apple Watch? With watchOS 26, you now get even more options to customize it to your liking. For example, you can drill down into individual apps and decide which aspects of them show…

When Apple announced macOS 26 Tahoe at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, much of the attention rightly went to its Liquid Glass user interface redesign. It’s a massive change to the look and feel of the Mac operating system, and it’s the first time in years that anything this significant has happened to the visual style of macOS. But macOS Tahoe isn’t just a pretty face—it’s packed with beefy features aimed squarely at power users. From incredibly capable new shortcuts to intelligent suggestions in the Reminders app, there’s a lot for demanding pros to sink their teeth into. Here are five of the best power user features in macOS Tahoe, so you know exactly where to find them once it arrives on your Mac. SMART SHORTCUTS Shortcuts has always been a…

We’ve seen a few solid-state drives that support the latest Thunderbolt 5 standard in recent months, such as LaCie’s own Rugged SSD Pro5, but Thunderbolt 5 drives are still pretty expensive—and, of course, there’s currently only a handful of Mac models that actually support Thunderbolt 5 right now (although Apple is widely rumored to be launching a number of new MacBook Pro models as I sit here writing this review). If you don’t have Thunderbolt 5 on your Mac, or you don’t want to pay a premium for Thunderbolt 5 performance, then LaCie’s Rugged SSD4 is a more affordable option that opts for USB4 rather than Thunderbolt, but can still provide good performance for backing up all your important files. Prices for the Rugged SSD4 start at just $119.99/£139.99 for a drive with…

Car chargers can be a messy affair. It’s not uncommon to have USB cables dangling around the cabin if you have teenagers who quickly had to top up their phones before heading out of the car. The amount of power offered can also be unimpressive on many chargers, with a limited number of ports available. These aren’t problems you’ll find with the Baseus PrimeTrip VR2 Max, as its retractable built-in cables and additional charger ports make it purpose-built for families and people that want to power up multiple devices while on the go. DESIGN The design is relatively simple. You plug the connector into the auxiliary power socket in the car, then pull out a cable from the top of the squarish section that houses the coiled leads. There are…

Stacked dual displays are becoming more popular as people realize their ergonomic benefits compared to two side-by-side monitors, especially where space is at a premium—say, in a tight home-working space or WeWork. Finding a portable stacked monitor that is large enough when in use but discreet when folded up has been a dream of mine since I left an office space and moved to a more domestic setting. I’ve used a stacked screen for a few years (after many years with two 27-inch displays side by side), starting with the solidly built and somewhat colossal Mobile Pixels Geminos, moving on to the smaller but more portable UPerfect Delta Max Touch, and now have been using the Max’s bigger sibling—the superlatively named Delta Mega, which is nearly as large as the Geminos…

Compared to the iPhone and its complex functions, the Apple TV 4K is a relatively simple device. You’ve got a simple Home Screen with large icons, a few menus across apps, and just not much to set up, really. Nevertheless, tvOS enables power users to customize certain UI elements, system behavior, the Siri Remote, and more. Here are some of the essential settings tweaks that can help you personalize your Apple TV experience in as little as 15 minutes. 1. CUSTOMIZE THE SIRI REMOTE Before getting started, you’ll want to ensure that your Apple TV’s bundled Siri Remote behaves as expected. Head to the Settings app and visit the Remotes and Devices section. There, you can optionally speed up or turn off the remote’s touch surface after testing its default sensitivity.…

In contrast to the iPhone Air, this year’s new flagship Apple Watch sprang few surprises. The Series 11 is very much more of the same, in most respects following the same formula as 2024’s excellent (and also conservative) Series 10 and breaking very little new ground. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, of course. The Apple Watch has always been a high-quality product capable of effortlessly dominating its market. And while aesthetically speaking, the Apple Watch has evolved at a glacial pace, its design has a timeless charm. If the Series 11 can only address the few weaknesses of the previous model while delivering top-tier performance, it should earn a hearty recommendation. So let’s find out. In our in-depth Apple Watch Series 11 review, we put the device through a grueling…

One of Macworld’s favorite backpacks, fine enough to carry our beloved MacBook, is the Apex from premium bag maker Troubadour. The company doesn’t just make a bag and then move onto the next one. Like a technology company, it makes regular product updates, refining the design based on customer feedback. The Apex backpack is now up to version 4.0 with multiple small enhancements, although we miss the 3.0’s hidden AirTag pocket. The Apex 3.0, by the way, is still available and a little cheaper, although we’d expect the older version to disappear from the shelves when stock is gone. First, let’s look at why we liked the previous Apex versions so much. All bags we recommend must keep our (and your) technology safe as we move it around with us—whether…

Now that 25W wireless charging is here, Macworld Labs is testing these devices as fast as they reach us. The newest generation of wireless charging products is ramping up the product launches. Following our tests of the Belkin UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Charging Station and Ugreen MagFlow Magnetic Power Bank, we are now looking at Baseus’s offering. Qi2 25W brings wireless charging close to wired-charging speeds, as magnetic placement improves and thermal cooling keeps the devices charging despite the heat-inducing higher power output. The first 25W portable magnetic wireless battery pack we tested was the Ugreen MagFlow 10000mAh Power Bank, and it lived up to expectations by knocking around 12 minutes off the time to recharge an iPhone from 0% to 50%. Hot on its tail in the Macworld Labs is the…

One of the best things about owning a Mac is the fact that you are less likely to be a victim of malware than with a Windows PC. However, macOS isn’t foolproof, and you shouldn’t be too lax about protecting your investment. Here are our tips for keeping your Mac safe from day one: 1. CHOOSE A STRONG LOGIN PASSWORD The first thing you should do with your Mac is set up a good password. You might think that there is no need to password-protect your Mac if you’re only going to be using it at home, but there are various reasons why you need this layer of protection. For one thing, without a password on your Mac, nothing on your Mac is secure, and someone could gain access to your email,…

For many people, the Apple Watch is primarily a fitness tracker and an extension to the iPhone. It conveniently mirrors iOS notifications, calls, and messages, letting users stay updated without taking their phones out. What a lot of wearers don’t know, though, is how powerful and feature-packed watchOS really is, and how much your smartwatch can accomplish. Below are ten Apple Watch perks you’re probably unfamiliar with. TIMELY GATE ACCESS If you’re a watchOS user, chances are you’re already relying on Apple Pay to quickly make payments from your wrist. Similarly, the Apple Watch automatically syncs compatible tickets whenever you add them to the Wallet app on iOS. This lets you enter venues and board planes by double-clicking the side button and scanning the QR code on the smartwatch’s display.…

Apple’s MagSafe technology has transformed the iPhone power bank from a lumpen battery pack to a handbag-ready convenience essential. A magnetic MagSafe power bank clamps to any iPhone newer than the 11 to revolutionize wireless charging with efficiency and power. Pull your power bank from your pocket or bag and simply clamp it to the back of your iPhone to start immediate charging. No wires, no buttons to push. The Belkin BoostCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank with Qi2 15W 5K continues—maybe even advances—the company’s obsession with extraordinarily long product names, but we can forgive this predilection as this is not only the most colorful power bank we’ve reviewed but also the one that aced our battery performance tests with a new highest score. CHARGING POWER We’ll start with that test…

Most mice and keyboards will work with a Mac, but there aren’t many that are specifically designed for use with Macs. Many mice and keyboards also require an app that provides additional features, such as the ability to reprogram the buttons on a mouse or the Function keys on a keyboard. In recent years, Logitech has been one of the few companies that provides a proper Mac app for its MX range of mice and keyboards, which has made it the first choice for many Mac users who wanted an alternative to Apple’s own Magic mice and keyboards. Logitech has finally got some competition, though, as the gaming gurus at Razer have released a new version of its Synapse app that finally works on Macs with Apple Silicon (there was a…

Once upon a time, Apple used to make significant changes to the iPhone every two years. A new model (iPhone 4, 5, 6, and so on) would launch with an overhauled look, followed by an S variant that boosted performance and smoothed out any imperfections. That’s no longer the case. Primarily due to the iPhone’s maturity, iterative annual upgrades have become the norm. After all, there’s only so much it can improve year over year. And despite what you may have read about this year’s phones, the new lineup is looking to be more of the same, even with the introduction of a new Air model. That’s why if you’re planning to get a new iPhone, you may want to wait for next year’s iPhone 18 series. Unlike the iPhone…

When Apple introduced the iPhone 15 Pro, it retired the classic mute switch, which had been part of the iPhone design since the very first model. These days, all iPhones feature a customizable Action button, which users can freely remap to various different actions. Some of the default actions include muting the iPhone, toggling a Focus mode, launching the Camera app, recognizing a song, recording audio, and translating speech. While these actions are sufficient for many users, the pros may find them lackluster. Fortunately, iOS supports deeper customizations through Apple’s Shortcuts app, allowing the Action button to perform a practically infinite number of tasks. Once you understand the logic behind the feature, you should be able to build and assign any desired shortcut. GENERIC CONTROL CENTER TOGGLES If you find…

Apple has always been fond of square and stylish desktop designs, from the original Macintosh through the G4 Cube and all the way to the latest M4 Mac mini. Yet accessories such as docking stations that are meant to sit next to these Macs are usually either tall and thin or long and slim. The Anker Prime 14-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 Docking Station looks rather like the latest Mac mini and Mac Studio. And like those two desktop Macs, it is built around the latest and fastest connection standard, Thunderbolt 5 (TB5). DESIGN The Anker Prime 14-in-1 TB5 dock has the same aluminum finish as Apple’s Mac mini and Mac Studio, and mimics the port arrangements, too. It measures 4.6×4.6×3.0 inches (11.6×11.6×7.5cm) and weighs 38oz (1.1kg). Those measurements are similar to those…

Question for classic Mac users who go way back to System 6 or 7: Remember the Control Strip, which gave you direct access to various applications or functions at the click of a mouse? It was released in 1994 with System 7.1, with the PowerBook 500 series the PowerBook Duo 280 computers. With System 7.5.3, it was made available to all Macintoshes. Control Strip was a very useful tool, as it allowed settings such as volume, screen resolution, color depth, and much more to be adjusted at the click of a mouse. It was relatively extensively configurable and could be quickly switched on and off. But with the advent of the Dock in Mac OS X, the control bar became superfluous, because the Dock allows direct access to numerous applications,…

Given the choice, Apple would have rolled out its first custom-designed Mac chips on its own terms, probably at a high-profile event in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park. But given that it was November 2020, the company was forced to release a 45-minute video instead. No amount of in-person theatrics would have upstaged the star of that show, the M1 processor. Five years later, it’s clear that the arrival of Apple silicon has utterly changed the trajectory of the Mac. A CAREFUL START In that first event (which you can relive in this YouTube video), Apple announced its first wave of M1 Macs: the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. The Macs themselves all used the same design as their Intel predecessors, as Apple wrapped potentially scary…

What was long considered impossible has now been a reality for almost four years: iPhone owners are allowed to pick their own default apps for core functions such as email, phone, messaging, and web browsing. While Apple was reluctant to grant users these freedoms, pressure from regulators and competitors finally forced the company to yield ground. But how open is the system really? Who benefits? And are the non-Apple options genuinely useful in everyday life, or are they just a way to appease competition authorities? Let’s investigate. WHAT DOES A “DEFAULT APP” MEAN IN iOS? The default app for any given function is the one that iOS will use if it is not instructed otherwise. Until 2020, for example, Apple rigidly controlled which app “mailto:” and web links would open…

In my review of the first Express 1M2 for PCWorld, I was stoked that uber-fast USB4 storage was finally at hand. In Macworld’s review, it was touted that SSDs don’t get much better than this. At the time, that was true. Now it’s not, thanks to the 1M2 80G. By the last three letters in the moniker, you might guess that the new model is 80Gbps. It is. It’s also USB4 80Gbps, so unlike Thunderbolt 5, it can also function on any USB port. It’s fast. We like it. FEATURES Though it looks almost identical to the older 1M2 (basically a large silver heatsink with an NVMe SSD inside), the 80G is slightly different. The silver color is a bit brighter, and the Type-C port on the business end is…

If Safari is your primary browser, like it is for me, it’s certainly one of the most important apps on the Mac. But did you know you can make it do more? You can with browser extensions. If you aren’t familiar with them, they are software add-ons that add functionality to Safari. Safari doesn’t have as many extensions as Google Chrome, but there are several you can take advantage of. Safari extensions are available through the App Store. You can find extensions for Mac Safari by selecting Safari → Safari Extensions in the Safari menu bar. Then click on the Browse Extensions button. An overview page will then open in the Mac App Store. Free and paid extensions are available; installed plug-ins are also automatically made available on iOS and…

Fourteen years ago this month, Steve Jobs resigned and Tim Cook became the CEO of Apple. Given Jobs’s ongoing health issues, Cook’s ascension wasn’t unexpected; he had, in fact, filled the role during Jobs’s multiple leaves of absence. Cook was a familiar face and promised to be a steady hand at Apple, but if there ever was a tough act to follow, it was Steve Jobs. But here we are, living in an era where Cook has now served as Apple CEO longer than Jobs did. The Apple of 2025 is quite different from the company Cook took control of back in 2011. Today’s Apple generates nearly four times the revenue that the company did when Cook took over, driven by more-than-quadrupling iPhone revenue. Back in 2011, there was one iPhone;…

The AirPods Pro 2 are one of Apple’s best products of the last decade. They were great when released three years ago and have only gotten better with one software update after another adding useful new capabilities. AirPods Pro 3 seems like only a minor update, at first. They changed the eartips? The shape of the bud part is just a little bit different? It measures heart rate now (which my Apple Watch already does)? More like AirPods Pro 2.5, am I right? But despite using the same H2 chip as AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, the thoughtful changes to Apple’s best earbuds make them significantly better without raising the price tag. I hesitate to recommend them as an upgrade to AirPods Pro 2 users, but it’s easy to see…

I’m known as the Apple guy in my social circle. Friends and family routinely ask for purchasing advice, and I often end up reviewing their iPhones to see whether they’re missing useful apps, features, or settings. In many cases, I find people misusing their devices or disabling core functions due to unfounded worries. You have probably heard at least one of these 12 misconceptions before, and if you’re new to iOS or simply unsure how the platform works, you might believe them. Let us give you a clearer understanding of how your iPhone operates. 1. APP-CLOSING ASSUMPTIONS I frequently hear users—particularly recent switchers accustomed to Android—complain about needing to close iPhone apps manually. Many Android phones have long offered a button to close all active apps at once, while iOS…

In their early days, the iPad and MacBook were distinct devices that served completely different purposes. Recently, Apple began blurring the lines between the two, with the tablet gaining power-user features once exclusive to laptops. The latest iPad Pro with the M5 chip marks another milestone in this transition, featuring upgraded technology that allows more users to actually use it as a practical MacBook substitute. At this point, the iPad Pro is thinner, lighter, and more portable than a MacBook Air—and even surpasses it in performance and so many other aspects. PERFORMANCE: M5 POWER, WITH MORE AI When buying a new computer, you typically look into its processing power first. You wouldn’t want the operating system to lag or apps to crash while you get everyday work done. While, for good…

Certainly one of the main highlights of iOS 26, which was announced in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference 2025, is the new Liquid Glass interface. But the update also comes with a lot of other new features—such as many new application programming interfaces that open up a lot of possibilities for app developers. While Liquid Glass is the most notable change for anyone trying out the iOS 26 public beta, it’s not the only one. With smarter battery tools, improvements for AirPods and Apple Music, and more capabilities powered by Apple Intelligence, the update brings improvements to everyone. So even if you’re not a fan of the new Liquid Glass interface or are wondering what else iOS 26 has to offer, we’re here to show you that the update…

Going into this review for the M5 MacBook Pro, I wasn’t expecting much. The laptop it replaced, the M4 MacBook Pro, is excellent. But more importantly, that M4 laptop addressed many issues with the M3, M2, and M1 MacBook Pros, including the webcam quality and starting memory. The experience with the M4 MacBook Pro was so satisfying that I was a bit blasé about the M5 MacBook Pro—the only thing that’s really new in the laptop is the M5. That’s it. After spending time with the new M5 MacBook Pro, that indifference quickly evolved into being impressed. In all, the M5 MacBook Pro is an incremental update, but it does make some big performance leaps in graphics and SSD throughput that made me say, “Wow!” OUR MODEL’S SPECIFICATIONS This review is…

There was a time when Apple offered one iPhone model. That’s it. You want an iPhone, you got it. Does someone else you know want an iPhone? They got the same one you did. Times are a little more complicated, and now Apple offers multiple iPhone lines and models. Plenty of reasons exist for why that is, including the evolution of technology, the maturing of the market, Apple’s approach to sales, and more. But all that doesn’t matter to you. What matters is that a simple task is no longer so: Which iPhone should I get? Apple is doing its part to clarify which iPhone is the right one for each customer. Take the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the focus of this review. It’s Apple’s top-of-the-line phone, and it’s oozing…

I’ve been using the iPhone Air nonstop for over a week and I still can’t tell if I love it or hate it. In so many ways, it just feels like the future. But every day I run into some compromise or cut corner that frustrates me. In a very real sense, the iPhone Air asks you to pay more for less. It’s less in good ways: It’s the slimmest iPhone ever and is so light for its size that it surprises you every time you pick it up. But it’s also less in bad ways: a single rear camera, one poor earpiece speaker, and significantly less battery life. It delights and disappoints in equal measure, especially for an iPhone that costs a thousand dollars or more. THE iPHONE AIR…

During its iPhone 17 launch event, Apple introduced the highly anticipated AirPods Pro 3, which are available to purchase today. Prior to the keynote, some leaks suggested we might see bigger changes, including a design with much shorter stems. That didn’t materialize. Instead, Apple delivered the rumored Live Translation feature, along with stronger ANC, longer battery life, and heart rate sensors. On paper, these all sound like welcome upgrades that could entice many users to opt for the new model. However, a closer look at the spec sheet reveals 7 reasons you may want to stick with the AirPods Pro 2. COMMON TONGUES Live Translation is one of the neat additions that certain rival brands have offered for a while. As its name suggests, the tool lets you convert someone’s…

Apple One launched in late 2020, bundling the company’s premium subscription services together for a discounted price. The highest tier includes unlimited access to Apple Music, TV+, Fitness+, Arcade, News+, and iCloud+, and lets Apple loyalists save up to $32 per month after the latest Apple TV+ price hike. Five years on, Apple One looks largely the same from a functional point of view: You still get access to just the six main services included at the start. Look deeper, however, and you’ll find that most of these services have evolved and continue to introduce new features that subscribers can enjoy at no additional cost. Here are five lesser-known Apple One perks you have access to but probably aren’t using. EMAIL LIKE A PRO iCloud+ is one of Apple’s most…

Beats recently launched the new Powerbeats Fit—a revamped version of the popular Beats Fit Pro. The earbuds are an alternative to Apple’s AirPods, and it’s hard not to compare them to the brand-new AirPods Pro 3, which were also recently released. While both are designed to work seamlessly with the iPhone, they do have some key differences. If you’re unsure which one is right for you, read on as we compare Powerbeats Fit and AirPods Pro 3 in design, sound quality, and more. DESIGN AND COMFORT The first thing you’ll notice is that the two pairs of earbuds were designed for very different lifestyles. Powerbeats Fit are clearly built with sports and workouts in mind. Beats redesigned the wingtip to be more flexible, which gives them a more secure fit…

When Apple introduced the new iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro/Max, it highlighted their even faster fast-charging abilities. With an appropriate USB-C charger that can deliver at least 40 watts, it can charge up to 50 percent in just 20 minutes, where prior iPhones took 30 minutes (50 percent longer). It also introduced an intriguing new power adapter. The 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max is nothing if not confusing. It’s small—surprisingly so for an Apple charger with this capacity—and seemingly made for iPhones. But what does “60W max” even mean? If it can go up to 60 watts, shouldn’t it just be called a 60-watt power adapter? And what is it even for, if none of the new phones need it to charge as quickly as possible? Let’s break down…

If you’re like me, you probably have at least one old iPhone lying in a drawer, or an obsolete iPad that hasn’t been updated in years. Using these devices as your main phone or tablet is impossible as they no longer run the latest software and the battery life isn’t the best. Even so, there are still some things you can do with these devices if you don’t want to just throw them away—especially at a time when some people are trying to spend more time away from modern technology. From a smart home controller to a pseudo-iPod, here are some ideas on how you can breathe new life into an obsolete iPhone or iPad. TURN YOUR iPAD INTO A DIGITAL PHOTO BOOK iPads are excellent devices for viewing photos.…

In a couple of months, Apple will release macOS 26, which brings some nice features to your Mac, including Liquid Glass, a new Phone app, and vastly improved Spotlight Search (page 80). But like other recent updates, it lacks an eye-opening feature that leaves users in awe. When you take macOS 26 into context with the rest of Apple’s upcoming software releases, the Mac was vastly overshadowed. It could make a devoted Mac user wonder if the platform even matters anymore. iPADOS 26: THE FUTURE The most exciting release this fall will be iPadOS 26 and its new windowing system. Not only is it a much-needed feature, but it’s also well done—it works like it does on the Mac but with a more modern flair. After trying to implement a…

I am a diehard Mac user, even if it means I have to lug around a big and heavy (relatively speaking) MacBook with me instead of something more portable. I’ve tried using an iPad, but like many people, I found that iPadOS isn’t the proper environment for my productivity. Apple may have changed that. At Worldwide Developers Conference 2025, the company introduced iPadOS 26, the next major version of the iPad operating system, and Apple’s Craig Federighi called it the “biggest iPadOS release ever.” He’s not exaggerating. The changes in iPadOS 26 are so drastic that if I don’t switch over to an iPad completely, I’ll at least make it a viable part of my workflow. The next version of iPadOS is nothing short of transformative, and even old-school Mac…

One of the coolest new features of iOS 26 is the ability to do live, real-time translation in its most critical communications apps. This new capability runs entirely on device, so none of your sensitive communications go anywhere. And it works in multiple apps and even on multiple devices. With iOS 26 and the latest AirPods firmware, you can live-translate spoken languages with AirPods Pro 2 and 3, or AirPods 4 with ANC. But you don’t need a pair of AirPods to do Live Translation—you can also use your iPhone to get live translation in FaceTime and Messages, as well as during phone calls. Here’s how it works. LIVE TRANSLATION IN PHONE CALLS The most obvious application is in the Phone app. When you call someone speaking a foreign language, your…

With Apple’s rather pricey and then some internal storage upgrades, you can get a lot more bang (capacity) for your buck with external solutions. Not that the 4-drive TerraMaster D4 SSD is cheap at $300 sans drives, but even after you add SSDs, it’s a lot less expensive per GB than what Apple charges you. A lot. It’s also a nicely designed unit with good performance. FEATURES The TerraMaster D4 SSD is a 4-slot (M.2/NVMe) external enclosure utilizing the 40Gbps USB4 protocol. That’s basically Thunderbolt 4 but with better backward and forward compatibility than USB3.2×2. You can see the interior in the image, right. The D4 SSD measures 5.5 inches deep and tall, by about 2.35 inches wide. Relatively speaking, it’s a featherweight for a desktop drive, weighing in at…

It’s been more than three years since Apple announced the Studio Display, a cheaper alternative to the Pro Display XDR for Mac users looking for a great external monitor with Retina quality. Even with rumors suggesting that Apple will launch an updated monitor next year with better technologies, I couldn’t help myself and bought a Studio Display a while ago. Why on earth did I buy one now? That’s exactly what I asked myself right before buying it. But after using it for several months, I’m happy to say that I don’t regret it. At the same time, I know it may not be the right choice for everyone. If you’re torn between buying the current Studio Display now or waiting for a potential refresh, here’s what you should know. THE EXPERIENCE…

The gaming brand Razer introduced the Razer Joro at the beginning of May 2025, a compact gaming keyboard designed for mobile use. For Mac users, there is an interesting novelty: The Joro is the first keyboard from Razer with Mac keys (or, strictly speaking, with double print). The Razer Joro is almost a perfect replacement for the Magic Keyboard. DESIGN AND WORKMANSHIP Typical Razer: The Joro has a simple, completely black design. The body consists of a plastic base and an aluminum cover—where you touch the keyboard most often. This ensures a high-quality typing experience, but also reduces production costs and weight. Weighing only 13.2oz (374g) and with compact dimensions of 11.7×4.4×0.65 inches (29.8×11.2×1.65cm), the Joro can be easily stowed away in a MacBook backpack or bag. The Joro has…

Don’t be scared of the name or their forbidding looks—a NAS drive is a storage solution that has a place in both the home and office. Freeing you from restrictive and inflexible external hard drives and expensive cloud storage solutions, a NAS drive might be the storage solution that your small business or home office requires. A NAS (Network Attached Storage) drive is a dedicated file-based storage system that connects to your network and enables multiple users and devices to simultaneously store and access data centrally and even remotely over the internet. Operating as a single storage hub for a network, NAS is a scalable, collaborative, high-speed storage solution that can streamline a small business network with teams viewing, sharing, and live-editing files and documents, or control a home’s streaming entertainment…

Thunderbolt 5 is backward compatible with earlier versions of Thunderbolt and all the way back to USB-C. Investing in it now is the best way to future-proof your desktop technology and be ready for super-fast connectivity even if you don’t have a Thunderbolt 5–ready Mac at the moment. A docking station puts a lot of connections within arm’s reach, and the Plugable Thunderbolt 5 dock hosts a bunch of fast ports from 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 itself to 2.5Gb Ethernet. DESIGN The silvery Plugable Thunderbolt 5 dock can be placed in either a horizontal position or vertically through the included stand (see image below). The aluminum chassis feels solid, and we appreciate the on-off button at the front. While your laptop’s power management should regulate how much power is input, we…

It’s not often that Mac users get to enjoy a brand-new A-list game at the same time as the Windows world, but the original Hollow Knight was Mac compatible when it first launched way back in 2017, and the developers at Team Cherry made it clear they’d support the Mac for this sequel as well. Even better is the news that Hollow Knight: Silksong works on both Intel Macs and Apple Silicon. Its 2D graphics don’t require a powerful Mac to run well either, and the game ran smoothly at 4K resolution on my five-year-old Intel iMac with no trouble at all. There’s more good news with the announcement that Silksong costs just $19.99/£16.75 on Steam and Gog—and buying it once allows you to download either the PC or Mac versions…

It wouldn’t be the Worldwide Developers Conference if Apple didn’t do a little stealing. Apple has such a long-standing habit of introducing new software features that overlap and eventually overtake third-party apps, there’s even a term for it. Sherlocking comes from Apple’s Sherlock app, one of the first to usurp a popular third-party alternative called Watson back in the 1990s. This practice was on display again at WWDC 2025, where Apple introduced several new features in iOS 26 and macOS Tahoe that looked awfully similar to those offered by independent apps and developers. Of course, we’re not going to complain about new capabilities in macOS, and Apple is far from the only company to add features that have been done elsewhere before. But if you’re a fan of one of these apps,…

Adobe first launched Photoshop exclusively for the Macintosh in 1990. Since then, the software has grown to become the default photo editor for creative professionals on all platforms. Today, the app is available on all major operating systems and continues to keep up with the latest industry trends—including the current AI boom. While many rivals have put out alternative photo editing apps, very few brands have managed to gain a fraction of Adobe’s relevance in this space. Nevertheless, Photoshop is expensive, and whether it’s worth the recurring fees will depend on your personal budget and needs. Adobe Photoshop is available on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, Android, and the web. While all clients serve the same main purpose, the actual feature set differs based on the platform you’re using. For example,…

If Apple’s Magic Keyboard isn’t quite hitting the spot for you, branching out into the world of mechanical keyboards is often a good bet. The Lemokey L1 HE is a premium option with a price tag to match, but it’s overflowing with high-end features that promise to elevate your typing experience. Let’s start with the aspect that’s most apparent when you first unbox this keyboard: its phenomenal weight. It’s built like a tank, with an all-aluminum chassis and barely a strip of plastic in sight. It tipped the scales at a smidge over 2 kg (just under 4.5 lbs), and chances are it’s the heaviest keyboard you’ll ever use. There’s no need to worry about it shifting around your desk in day-to-day usage—this thing is staying put, no matter what. Not…

Compared to the iPhone and its complex functions, the Apple TV 4K is a relatively simple device. You’ve got a simple Home Screen with large icons, a few menus across apps, and not much to set up, really. Nevertheless, tvOS enables power users to customize certain UI elements, system behavior, the Siri Remote, and more. Here are some of the essential tweaks to settings that can help you personalize your Apple TV experience in as little as 15 minutes. 1. CUSTOMIZE THE REMOTE Before getting started, you’ll want to ensure that your Apple TV’s bundled Siri Remote behaves as expected. Head to the Settings app and visit the Remotes and Devices section. There, you can optionally speed up or turn off the remote’s touch surface after testing its default sensitivity.…

Most portable drives are designed to be used with Macs and PCs, but Lexar’s Professional Go Portable SSD With Hub is primarily designed for the iPhone. In fact, the company’s website states that it is “specifically designed for iPhone 15/16 users” and aims to provide extra storage for recording high-quality ProRes video (as only the iPhone 15 and 16 allow you to record onto external drives). However, the Professional Go is equipped with a standard USB-C port, so you can easily use it with a Mac as well if you want, and it’s certainly small enough to carry around along with a MacBook when you’re traveling. You could also use it to back up your iPhone recordings onto your Mac for safekeeping. Unlike most conventional portable drives, the Professional Go…

One of the most consequential developments in the history of computing happened 50 years ago. It set Apple on course to becoming one of the most valuable companies on the planet and changed the face of computing in unfathomable ways. Yet you’ve probably never even heard of what went down. It’s an often-overlooked moment that had incredible consequences for years to come. Typing on a computer is something we all take for granted. One of Apple’s key philosophies has long been to get the technology out of your way—Steve Jobs and Jony Ive have waxed lyrical on that idea—so day to day, we never really think much about how writing on a computer actually works. We can debate the pros and cons of various displays and even build our own…

When you update to iOS 26 this fall, your iPhone is going to feel dramatically different. There are always lots of new features in each major yearly release, but few are as in-your-face as those this year. There’s an all-new design and dramatic changes to some of the apps you use most, including Phone, Camera, Messages, and Safari. Here are the biggest changes coming to iOS this year. JUMPING UP TO 26 Apple is changing its naming scheme from sequential version numbers (which were all over the place, with different devices having different version numbers) to a year-based system. The OS versions that will carry Apple through 2026 will all be version 26. So you’ll have iOS 26, macOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, visionOS 26, tvOS 26, and…