★★★★☆
The HyperPack Pro has room for a 16-inch MacBook plus plenty of other gear in three big pockets, three more smaller ones plus more inner pockets. But what sets the backpack apart is a built-in tracker using Apple’s Find My technology so it can easily be found if misplaced or accidentally left behind.
I field tested the bag from Hyper by taking it on holiday. Here’s everything I love about it … and a few small issues.
A long-requested feature is finally coming to iOS 17: interactive widgets. With these, you can control apps on the device directly from the convenience of the home screen.
iOS 17 is still in beta so not everyone has access to the new feature yet. I do, so here is what it’s like to use it on an iPhone (and iPad, too.)
Turning the Apple Vision Pro headset from an announcement into a shipping product took a big step forward Wednesday with the release of the visionOS SDK. This includes the software tools developers will use to write applications for the AR headset that Apple unveiled earlier this month.
Apple also said it will open developer labs around the world soon, giving coders a chance for some hands-on time with Vision Pro, which won’t launch until 2024.
Apple just introduced a slew of operating system updates. That includes iOS 16.5.1, macOS 13.4.1, watchOS 9.5.2 and iPadOS 16.5.1, which fix bugs in the most recent versions.
But it also released bug-fix updates for older versions of the operating systems going back as far as 2020.
What hasn’t yet arrived on Wednesday are the much-anticipated second round of betas for iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma.
A National Labor Relations Board judge ruled Tuesday that Apple used illegal means to convince employees at one of its retail stores in New York not to form a union.
The judge issued several instructions to Apple that might assist in future unionizing efforts at the company’s 270-plus U.S. retail locations.
Turns out Apple TV+ is not going to turn Fritz Lang’s sci-fi classic Metropolis into a series. The ongoing writers’ strike reportedly caused the project to be shut down.
And it’s not the only Apple TV+ project to run afoul of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike.
Our password-free future just took a step closer. Apple has begin rolling out signing onto its online store can with a passkey instead of a password. The change allows shoppers to access the site with Face ID or Touch ID. The same is true for iCloud.com and Apple’s dev site.
However, the feature is still in testing so it’s not available for everyone. It requires a beta of iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or macOS Sonoma.
The Apple Self Service Repair program will soon expand to include the iPhone 14 series as well as MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models released in 2022.
The program provides customers access to parts and tools they need to fix their own devices.
A high-level Apple exec recently answered a question that bugs many Apple Watch users: Why aren’t third-party watch faces allowed?
It comes down to the company not allowing the wearable’s all-important home screen to be replaced by a non-Apple alternative that might not prove as reliable.
The European Parliament passed sweeping legislation last week intended to make recycling batteries easier. The new rules will require Apple to redesign iPhone and iPad so their batteries can be replaced by users. (Android devices will face the same mandate.)
This will be the second major hardware change to Apple products to result from EU legislation. iPhones soon will come with a USB-C port in place of Lightning because of a European requirement.
★★★★☆
The best way to be sure no one is accessing your files is to lock them on an encrypted drive. The Kingston Ironkey Keypad 200 includes built-in keypad so you can easily unlock the USB drive when it’s time to access your stored information.
I put the mini-SSD to the test in my home office. Read on to see how well it stood up use with a variety of computers and other devices.
While most people know iFixit for its brilliant teardown videos of Apple gear, its primary business is selling repair tools and other accessories. And that now includes a new 65W wall charger with a 6-foot cable.
As one might expect from a company known for looking inside devices, part of the housing for the new iFixit Fast Charger USB-C AC Adapter is transparent, showing off the internal components.
If a dragon had jet engines you’d have Jet Dragon, a flying, racing game that requires plenty of strategy to make a winning team.
The app debuted Friday on Apple’s gaming service, and is playable on iPhone, Mac and more.
The latest Apple retail store opened its doors Thursday in London’s iconic Battersea Power Station. Shoppers lined up to see the new location, and the Macs and iPhones may have been overwhelmed by the architecture.
Camera shutters were clicking. Check out some of the many images shared of the gorgeous new store, Apple’s 40th in the United Kingdom.
What if, instead of saying “Hey Siri” to activate your HomePod, you only had to glance at it? Apple is considering this possibility, and recently filed for a patent on it.
Whether this will become part of a future Apple smart speaker depends on whether it’s actually better than the current activation system.
Apple TV+ announced a season two renewal for Silo, the dystopian sci-fi mystery currently streaming on the service.
The decision doesn’t come as much of a surprise: the series is a huge hit.
The 2023 Mac Pro starts at $7,000, while a similarly configured 2023 Mac Studio is $4,000. The potential savings has people questioning whether they really need the Pro to get the job done.
Let’s compare these professional-grade desktops to see how they stack up. You might be surprised at how similar they are, given how very different the two designs are. If you’re considering the latest Mac Pro, check out this detailed comparison of Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro.
Apple’s total investment in its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative passed $200 million with an addition of $25 million in venture capital. The fund has the goal of expanding opportunities for Black, Hispanic/Latinx and Indigenous communities.
The Mac-maker has now more than doubled its original 2020 financial commitment to the REJI.
The base model 15-inch MacBook Air reportedly will have slower SSD performance than versions of the new laptop with more storage capacity.
This is an issue that also affects the 13-inch model that launched in 2022.
The just-launched 2023 Mac Pro lacks features considered critical for workstations: upgradable RAM and support for eGPUs. But this isn’t Apple blindly making an error — it’s an inescapable fact of the M-series’ unified memory architecture.
The limitation isn’t new: it’s been known since the M1 processor was announced. But Tuesday’s release of a top-tier macOS workstation shines a spotlight on the problem.
For those who weren’t paying attention back in 2020, here’s an explanation of why RAM upgrades and plug-in GPU aren’t an option for the 2023 Mac Pro.
Apple’s professional-grade Mac Studio desktop has been updated with either an Apple M2 Max or M2 Ultra processor. The new chips give a welcome increase in performance, and the top-tier model now supports 8K monitors.
Read on to discover what the first reviewers have to say about the powerfully upgraded Mac.
Antonin Carême rose from humble beginnings in Paris to the height of culinary stardom in Napoleon’s Europe. His story is coming to Apple TV+ as an eight-episode French drama.
Carême’s life had more excitement than one might expect from a chef and author, as he also served as an unwilling spy for France.
The Satechi Triple 4K Display Docking Station offers a dozen ports of a variety of types. Among the range of accessories that can be connected are up to three 4K/60Hz displays. And that includes Macs that ordinarily support only one external monitor.
Also included are multiple USB ports and Ethernet.
Reviewers have plenty of praise for the first 15-inch MacBook Air, with comments like it “does its job very, very well” (The Verge) and it’s “more than good enough” (CNET).
Shockingly, this killer consumer laptop starts at just $1,299 (and is already available at a $50 discount from some retailers). Read on for a summary of comments about Apple’s largest consumer-oriented notebook yet.
The first 15-inch MacBook Air was a highlight of WWDC23, but it was a bit overshadowed by other announcements. Perhaps that’s why Apple still has units ready to be preordered for pickup on launch day, June 13.
The same is true for the upgraded Mac Studio with M2 Pro or M2 Ultra processors. And the first Mac Pro with Apple silicon is also sold out on launch day.