Plugable just launched a hub for MacBook or iPad users who need to connect to multiple USB-A accessories. It includes four ports for legacy accessories, and connects to the computer via USB-C.
The inexpensive hub is designed for use in an office or on the go.
With macOS Sonoma, iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and tvOS 17 unveiled at WWDC23 on Monday, Apple made the initial betas available to developers. These are major updates for the various operating systems that run all Apple computers.
Beta testing will stretch through summer, with the full release of these OSs not coming until autumn.
The Keynote from WWDC23 was unusually jam-packed with huge announcements. Naturally, the first official details of new iOS, macOS, iPadOS and watchOS versions came to light, as is traditional. But Apple also used its annual developer conference to take the wraps off quite a bit of hardware.
And CEO Tim Cook used Apple’s classic “One more thing” line to unveil Vision Pro, the augmented-reality headset that was the absolute star of Monday’s Keynote.
An upcoming software update will add multiple new listening modes to AirPods Pro 2. These are designed to make it easier for the user to listen to music while also hearing what’s going on around them.
Apple also announced at WWDC23 that all AirPods will get better at switching connections between devices, plus a change intended to make conference calls easier.
iPadOS 17 will give iPad users the Lock Screen enhancements that debuted for iPhone last year. Another major addition for tablet users is interactive Home Screen widgets, a long-requested feature. And these are just a few of the changes coming in the iPadOS version announced at WWDC23.
“With interactive widgets on the Lock Screen, updates to PDFs and Notes, as well as enhancements to Messages and FaceTime, iPadOS gives users even more ways to get things done easier and faster than ever,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, in a statement.
The 15.3-inch MacBook Air 2023 starts at $1,299 and is available in several stunning colors, including starlight, silver, midnight, and the ever-popular space gray MacBook Air. For a closer look at how space gray compares to silver, check out this detailed review.
The newest macOS notebook boasts a long battery life, comes with an Apple M2 processor, and the price is only $1,299.
“With its incredible performance and striking design, the new MacBook Air is the world’s best 15-inch laptop. And it’s only possible with Apple silicon,” said John Ternus, Apple’s SVP of hardware engineering, in a statement.
Apple stock price is up 2% on Monday, rising to a new record high. Each share is going for about $184.60, sailing past the previous high of around $182 set back in early 2022.
Experts credit a recent rise in AAPL on anticipation for the VR/AR headset that Apple will almost certainly unveil on Monday.
★★★★☆
The JSAUX Omnicase 2 Pro is an 11-in-1 USB-C travel hub that offers USB and video ports plus SD card readers. And it sets itself apart from rival hubs with a built-in case for storing a cable, various adapters and SD cards. It’s ready to connect a Mac or iPad to USB accessories, monitors, Ethernet, memory cards and more. And it includes adapters if you run into connection problems.
I tested the multiport hub out to see how well it works. Here’s what I found.
The “Hey Siri” trigger phrase for Apple’s virtual assistant could go away soon, replaced with a shorter version. And the change might be announced at WWDC23 next week.
Being able to activate Siri by simply saying “Siri” near an iPhone, HomePod, etc., could make activating Apple’s virtual assistant easier.
There’s good news for Mac gamers: a pair of top-quality games are headed for Apple desktops and laptops. No Man’s Sky is out now while Stray is coming soon.
However, both won’t be available for Intel-based Macs.
The Apple Music Classical application that debuted for iPhone in March is now available for Android, too. The service gives access to the world’s largest classical music catalog, and is designed to help users find specific recordings of great works almost instantly.
It requires a subscription to Apple Music.
Sending video from iPhones to TVs over AirPlay will get easier in iOS 17, according to a tipster. The goal is supposedly to simplify sending video to other people’s TVs. The improvement will almost certainly be extended to iPad, too.
This is one of numerous small changes expected when iOS 17 is unveiled at WWDC23 in early June.
★★★★☆
The BenQ PD3420Q is a ultrawide monitor designed to appeal to creative professionals with its atypical shape and color consistency with MacBooks.
The 34-inch screen has a 2K resolution and a 21:9 aspect ratio. And there are some nice additions, like a HotKey Puck and built-in KVM.
I tested the PD3420Q in my home office, exploring the advantages and drawbacks of the very wide screen.
★★★★★
Season two of Prehistoric Planet will fill the heart of any dinosaur-obsessed child with joy. And adults should watch, too — especially anyone who still thinks dinos are slow-moving, stupid creatures that are just waiting around to go extinct.
These new episodes, which Apple TV+ doled out this week, combine cutting-edge CGI with the latest in paleontology. The result is a series that’s stunningly beautiful, exciting to watch and as scientifically accurate as possible.
Qi2 is a new wireless charging standard expected to go into widespread use later in 2023. And, according to an unconfirmed report, the upcoming iPhone 15 will be one of the handsets that supports it, including 15W charging.
That’s not surprising, considering Qi2 is heavily based on the MagSafe system built into current iPhones.
A new power bank from Belkin includes a built-in wireless charger that can juice up the latest Apple Watch models in the minimum amount of time. The battery also can simultaneously replenish an iPhone through its USB-C port.
The BoostCharge Pro Fast Wireless Charger for Apple Watch + Power Bank 10K launched Thursday.
A newly published patent filing shows Apple is exploring the possibility of building support for the Find My device locating system into a future version of the Apple Pencil. At the very least, the stylus might be able to play an alert sound to make it more findable.
Other products from the company already have this feature.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT for iOS makes the much-hyped chatbot easy to use on an iPhone. It’s powered by the same artificial intelligence as the web version, so it’s useful in many ways for people on the go. Plus, the app has its own voice-recognition system. And the basic version is free.
The ChatGPT AI already stirred up enormous controversy. But here are some suggestions for how to use the new iPhone application in positive ways.
The 2023 Mac mini with the powerful Apple M2 processor is already an amazing deal, and shoppers can now save even more by buying a refurbished unit.
These are primarily desktops that consumers bought then returned so supplies are limited. There are no units with the M2 Pro processor available at this time, for example.
Walking into a doctor’s office to be greeted by a public announcement of the medical condition you’re there to have treated would be a nightmare. A nightmare that plays out in the latest Apple video advert.
But one person in the ad is safe from embarrassment: the one who stores her medical data in the iPhone Health app, which Apple designed to protect user privacy.
The always-on display in recent iPhones will get a new use in iOS 17, according to a tipster. The device will reportedly show upcoming appointments, controls for smart home accessories, and more.
We won’t have long to wait to find out if this is an accurate leak — the official unveiling of iOS 17 at WWDC23 is expected in under two weeks.
The Snoopy Show season 3 premieres in June on Apple TV+, with Charlie Brown’s dog, his pal Woodstock and the rest of the Peanuts gang setting off for more fun. The trailer for the new season shows the irrepressible pooch becoming an airline pilot, a surfer, a skater, a pirate and much more.
And this is just one of the Peanuts shows coming soon to Apple TV+, including a new series.
Responding to years of requests for iPad versions of professional-grade software, Apple released Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPadOS on Tuesday.
These are not “lite” versions of Apple’s video editing and music creation software. They are equivalent to the macOS ones, but adapted for iPad. And that includes additional features.
With Generative Fill in Photoshop, users can select an area in their image then tell the app what they want added and the application will generate the addition through the power of artificial intelligence.
It’s the latest addition to Adobe Firefly, a collection of tools for generative AI.
Two weeks from today, Apple will launch the first 15-inch MacBook Air, according to multiple tipsters. This will be the largest consumer-oriented notebook Apple has ever offered.
You don’t need to wait for WWDC23 to get the details, though. Here’s everything that has leaked out about this soon-to-be-released Mac.