Early Geekbench 6 benchmarks show Apple’s new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips deliver major performance improvements for Macs. Most surprisingly, the M4 Pro chip outperforms even the previously top-tier M2 Ultra chip in multi-core performance, despite having fewer CPU cores. And the higher-end M4 Max proves even more impressive, of course.
So if you’re on the fence about upgrading to a Mac with either of these chips, these results should encourage you.
Many computer setups feature advanced camera and lighting arrangements for tasks like video streaming, but not every day do we see home rigs with teleprompters in them. Today’s MacBook Pro is an exception. The user runs a teleprompter setup with a specialized monitor and key lights. So is the user a remote correspondent on some news show? Nope, he uses the teleprompter outfit just for Zoom meetings, actually.
“Ghost jobs,” or job postings for positions that aren’t actually open, have become a widespread concern in today’s job market, particularly for recently laid-off workers in industries like technology, according to a scary new report (that just happens to fall on Halloween, bwah ha ha). And, no joke, it likens the phenomenon of ghost listings to “psychological warfare.”
Right after Apple unveiled the redesigned M4 Mac mini on Tuesday, people noticed the power button’s odd placement — on the bottom of the tiny but potent machine! The design provides precious little room for a fleshy finger to reach without tipping the whole computer to get at it. Since then, a variety of “fixes” have poked fun at this perceived error, which is most likely a very intentional Apple design choice.
Check out some of the best “Buttongate” fixes below.
With the release this week of new M4 Mac mini and M4 MacBook Pro computers comes a return to form for Apple advertising, with delightful M4 promotional videos that give the new hardware relatable human characteristics. They’re fun to watch, and you can do so below.
Tuesday’s animated video turns Mac mini into an affable yet capable and hyper-productive guy you might want to get a beer with. Wednesday’s MacBook Pro video depicts a power lifter-turned-showman flaunting effortless feats of strength, not to mention acrobatic prowess and grace.
The new M4 Pro and M4 Max chips Apple unveiled Wednesday for new, higher-end MacBook Pro models will bring more than enough power to handle Apple Intelligence and plenty of other complex computing tasks, Apple said. M4 Pro actually made its debut Tuesday with the redesigned M4 Pro Mac mini. The new chips may find their way into other machines, like Mac Studio, next year.
“Apple silicon has taken the Mac to unprecedented heights, and the rapid pace of innovation continues with M4 Pro and M4 Max,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. “With the world’s fastest CPU core, immensely more powerful GPUs, and the fastest Neural Engine ever, the power-efficient performance and capabilities of the M4 family extend its lead as the most advanced lineup of chips in the industry.”
As we’ve pointed out in product news coverage and reviews, Edifier is one of those smaller companies that always seem to come across with great value. Its audio gear is solid and sounds great, but it’s on the inexpensive side of things. And that’s the case for the Edifier powered speakers in today’s MacBook Air setup. The workstation features a penguin plush toy that doesn’t just use an Edifier box as a chair, according to the user. The stuffed animal apparently rocks out, too.
In a surprising development, Presumed Innocent — Apple TV+’s most-watched drama — will return with a fresh narrative unrelated to Scott Turow’s novel as well as a new female lead replacing star Jake Gyllenhaal for its second season, according to a report Tuesday. These Presumed Innocent season 2 changes spring the adoption of a first-time novelist’s upcoming legal thriller as source material.
You can find blazing-fast, high-bandwidth, high-wattage Thunderbolt 5 cables on the market, but as of Tuesday you also buy one straight from Apple. (And you’ll probably pay more, but hey, at least you know it’s high quality.) The iPhone giant unveiled a fancy new Thunderbolt 5 cable, its first one, to go along with its first Thunderbolt 5-capable computer, the top M4 Pro Mac mini. If you’re looking for a seamless wired network solution, an ethernet usb c adapter can help—don’t miss this deal on the Plugable USBC-E5000.
Apple’s new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad finally ditched the Lightning connector to become USB input devices Monday when they rolled out alongside color-matched versions for the new iMac, the first in this week’s M4 Mac announcements. The input devices, expected to ship October 31, are among the last of the iPhone giant’s accessories to make the change to USB-C.
Apple developed its groundbreaking Hearing Health experience for AirPods Pro 2 in its state-of-the-art Audio Lab in Cupertino. The innovative features, available in a free software update, turn AirPods Pro 2 into hearing aids and offer advanced tools for testing and protecting the hearing of people who wear the earbuds.
As one Apple engineer put it, with the new Hearing Health features, AirPods Pro 2 become “truly the interface to the ear.”
These days so many people run external displays that operate as USB-C hubs that it’s getting rare to see a charger in the middle of a computer setup. But today’s MacBook Pro and Studio Display outfit features a powerful charger right in the mix — an Anker Prime Charging Station. It blasts up to 250 watts of power, works in Wi-Fi mode and features one very interesting and unusual feature.
A new pair of bookshelf speakers from Edifier should catch the attention of Apple users who love clear sound from a compact package — the Edifier MR3 2.0 Monitor Speaker System. And the near-field monitor system brings studio-quality audio to your desktop at a surprisingly accessible price point of $120.
The wired or wireless MR3 speakers earned the coveted Hi-Res Audio certification, making them an ideal companion for Apple Music’s lossless audio streaming. With a flat frequency response in a wide range, from 52Hz to 40kHz, these speakers deliver the kind of neutral, transparent sound reproduction that audio professionals and discerning listeners demand.
Apple is secretly testing a new health app designed to help individuals with prediabetes manage their diet and lifestyle choices, according to a new report. The experimental app, tested with select employees earlier this year, focuses on helping users understand how different foods affect their blood sugar levels. That might help stave off Type 2 diabetes for some.
Some might use it just to marvel at how that cookie is spiking their blood sugar and choose an apple next time, instead.
With Apple Intelligence features coming out to much fanfare, it seems smartphone users don’t actually rank AI very high on their wishlists when considering smartphone upgrades, according to a new survey out Friday. With AI low on smartphone upgrade wishlists, what do they crave? Much higher among their hopes are longer battery life, more storage and better cameras. You know, the “classics.”
Billy Crystal has enjoyed a long career in comedy as a standup and in film and TV roles, but that’s not all he does. The unnerving trailer Apple TV+ dropped Tuesday for his new series Before, billed as a psychological thriller and a “supernatural mystery,” pushes a truckload of horror tropes fit to run you down in the dark of night. You weren’t sleeping anyway.
And Crystal not only stars but also executive produces the creepy-looking limited series, set to premiere October 25 on Apple TV+.
Update: Billy Crystal’s psycho-thriller limited series Before started streaming Friday on Apple TV+, so have at it. Reviews so far seem mixed, by the way. Some call Crystal “convincingly somber” and “spooky.” Others call the series “the year’s most disappointing show” and a “stagnant, repetitive mess.” Wow, tell us how you really feel.
Today’s featured M3 MacBook Pro setup comes from a user who packs not one, not two but three Mac Pro desktop computers (you know, the famously powerful and expensive ones). He uses a “trash can” Mac Pro regularly, but he’s not sure what he’ll do with the other two that he acquired recently for his Mac Pro collection, other than work on them. In the meantime, he’s got his Apple laptop, but his work makes him deal with a PC laptop most of the time, he said.
In central London, thieves snatch an iPhone out of someone’s hand every 6 minutes, often via passing moped. The problem is so pervasive someone came up with a new line of comically intimidating iPhone cases as part of an awareness campaign called “The Unsnatchable.”
One case bristles with silver spikes. Another looks like an angry electric eel. A third conveys a curse within. And a fourth takes the form of a gauntlet you wear to clutch the handset in an iron grip.
A new AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid firmware update sets the soundstage for the new Apple Hearing Health features expected with Monday’s public release of iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1. Apple began rolling out the update Thursday. The new features are Hearing Test, Hearing Aid and Hearing Protection.
Intended for both Lightning and USB-C versions of the earbuds, firmware version 7B19 updates from the previous version 7A305.
Prime Target, a new conspiracy thriller series involving a math genius, an NSA agent and probably a whole lot of paranoia, begins streaming January 25, Apple TV+ said Thursday. The eight-episode series starring SAG Award winner Leo Woodall, Quintessa Swindell and Stephen Rea, among others. It comes to us from writer Steve Thompson (Sherlock, Vienna Blood).
★★★★☆
In the ever-evolving world of smartphone accessories, Mujjo MaizCase for iPhone stands out as a compelling alternative to traditional leather for anyone looking for a blend of sustainability, style and protection. In this Mujjo MaizCase review, I’ll go into the various reasons why.
As Apple moves away from its traditional leather cases — with a stumble into the unpopular FineWoven material — Mujjo steps in with an eco-friendly alternative that delivers premium feel and functionality.
While some M4 Macs may arrive in the next week, Apple also gears up for a bigger expansion of its M4 chip rollout, including the M4 MacBook Air coming in early 2025, according to a new report. However, it may push back launch plans for the next Mac Studio desktop computer a few months into next year, amid other release plans next spring. Those include a redesigned iPhone SE and a new entry-level iPad (11th generation). If you’re curious about the Mac M4 lineup and its expected features, take a look at this in-depth coverage.
If you’re wondering when will iPhone SE 4 come out, speculation suggests a release could be just around the corner.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) imposed nearly $90 million in combined penalties on Apple and Goldman Sachs, the agency said Wednesday. The fines punish widespread customer service failures and misleading practices affecting Apple Card users. And the Apple Card fines for Apple and Goldman Sachs add up to some serious bank, too.
The enforcement action comes after an investigation revealed “significant breakdowns” in dispute handling and deceptive marketing of interest-free payment plans, CFPB said. Apple and Goldman Sachs didn’t much like the findings but pledged compliance.
We see more laptop-based computer setups using the machine in clamshell (mode) on a vertical stand than we see setups with open laptops. But they’re both pretty popular options. Today’s M3 MacBook Air sits on a tray attached to the same arm that holds the ultra-wide external display. So they float together above the desk. That monitor arm laptop tray situation wouldn’t work for everyone, but it’s a cool way to add a second display when you need one (and you have an external keyboard so you don’t have to use the laptop’s).
Fans of hit Apple TV+ series Severance — call it a surreal workplace thriller — would expect nothing less than to have their heads exploded by the season two trailer. And without too much exaggeration, that’s pretty much what they get with the video Apple TV+ dropped on YouTube Wednesday.
It leaves you with nothing but tantalizing questions. Like: What the hell are they doing? Well, whatever it is, we want in. The January 17 streaming date can’t come soon enough. Watch the teaser trailer below.