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MacBook - page 11

Only a small number of Macs will support Sidecar in macOS Catalina

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Luna Display easily converts an iPad into a second screen for your MacBook Pro.
Third-party solutions are far from dead.
Photo: Astro HQ

Not many Apple computers will be left out in the cold when its big macOS Catalina upgrade rolls out this fall. But even if your Mac is compatible, it might not be able to take advantage of every feature.

Sidecar, which lets you use an iPad as a second screen, will only support a limited number of machines. If your Mac is getting a little long in the tooth, you’re probably going to be out of luck.

These Mac models won‘t get macOS Catalina

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No macOS Catalina
There are some older Macs that can’t upgrade to macOS Catalina.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple is hard at work on the replacement for macOS Mojave. The next version will include new features focused on privacy, accessibility and performance. But that‘s a bit hollow for notebooks and desktops that can’t install the upgrade.

Fortunately, Apple extended support for macOS Catalina to as many devices as possible.

iPhone chip manufacturing on its way to Indonesia

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iPhone 6s teardown
Pegatron will team up with an Indonesian manufacturer..
Photo: iFixit

Apple manufacturing partner Pegatron plans to invest up to $1 billion in a new iPhone chip plant in Indonesia.

The Taiwanese company outlined its plans in a letter of intent to the Indonesian government, according to a new report. Pegatron plans to work alongside local company PT San Nusapersada.

2019 MacBook Pro teardown reveals minimal keyboard changes

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2019 MacBook Pro keys
What’s inside a 2019 MacBook Pro key.
Photo: iFixit

Apple just dropped a new MacBook Pro with faster Intel processors that deliver even greater performance. But more importantly, it features “new material” that Apple hopes will fix its keyboard woes.

The machine now been pulled apart by iFixit so that we can see exactly what’s changed under the hood. Don’t expect anything too dramatic or you’ll be sorely disappointed.

Apple unveils the 8-core MacBook Pro, and our WWDC 2019 predictions, this week on The CultCast

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CultCast 389
Apple finally did it—they put 8 cores in a MacBook Pro.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: Apple releases the MacBook Pro we never thought possible, packed with Intel’s newest 8-core chip! But can a machine this slim handle the heat? Plus: WWDC 2019 is officially on! We talk our keynote predictions. And even more good news, Apple announces two new warranty repair programs to fix MacBook’s most troubling issues… for FREE.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain..

Samsung screens could be packed into OLED MacBook Pro, iPad Pro

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MacBook-Pro-concept
What a future MacBook Pro might look like.
Photo: Viktor Kadar

Samsung will be at least one of the suppliers for future MacBook Pro and iPad Pro upgrades with OLED displays, according to a new report.

The South Korean company, which already supplies OLED screens for the iPhone, has reportedly provided Apple with sample panels ahead of big product refreshes — but there’s no word on when we’ll see them.

How to remove Siri from MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar

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Free your Touch Bar from Siri's evil grasp.
Free your Touch Bar from Siri's evil grasp.
Photo: Aaron Yoo/Flickr CC

Maybe you’re one of the non-vocal majority that doesn’t mind the Touch Bar. Perhaps you even like it. And maybe, at the same time, you can’t see the point of Siri on the Mac.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could tailor your MacBook Pro just for you? A lovely, handy, beautiful Touch Bar, only without that dumbo Siri? Well, yes it would. Here’s how to remove Siri from the Macbook’s Touch Bar.

Apple unleashes its fastest ever MacBook Pro

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2019 MacBook Pro Fortnite
It's not clear what is causing the problem.
Photo: Apple

Apple just brought Intel’s latest eighth- and ninth-generation chips to the MacBook Pro, making it the company’s fastest ever laptop.

The newest 8-core models deliver up to twice the performance of a quad-core MacBook Pro, and up to 40% more than a 6-core model. They also promise powerful graphics, a T2 Security Chip, super-fast SSDs, and “all-day” battery life.

HP’s answer to the MacBook’s Touch Bar is a huge second screen

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HP Omen X 2S
It’s not quite as pretty as the MacBook Pro.
Photo: HP

Most MacBook Pro owners see the Touch Bar as a useless gimmick, but HP thinks a similar feature could be great for gamers.

The company’s latest gaming laptop features a massive second screen above its built-in keyboard. The 6-inch panel let you keep an eye on another app or watch videos while you play.

2019 iPhone lineup may finally come with 18W charger

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18W charger
Apple currently charges $29 to buy the 18W charger separately.
Photo: Apple

Freshly leaked details about the 2019 iPhone lineup claim customers can expect faster-charging capabilities right out of the box.

While Apple added faster-charging powers to the iPhone since the iPhone 8, it’s been giving customers the same 5W charger that has been used for years. That is finally set to change this year though as Apple is reportedly planning to include an 18W charger in the box with new 2019 iPhones.

Customer service ranking hails Apple ‘king of laptop tech support’

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You got the touch. Here's how to master your MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar.
Yet another reason to get a MacBook.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple has long been known for its great customer support — and that’s confirmed once more in a new ranking of customer service among top laptop makers.

The Laptop Mag rankings pit 11 of the major players against one another to determine who comes out on top. The winner? Everyone’s favorite fruit-titled tech giant, which secures a whopping 91/100 score.

Apple drops $99 fee for Data Migration on new Macs

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iMac
It’s crazy that Apple had this fee in the first place.
Photo: Apple

One of Apple’s most expensive services for Macs is finally getting cheaper. In fact, in a rare move, Apple actually decided to give something out for free.

The company has dropped the price of its Data Migration fee to zero dollars after charging a $99 fee for year to customers that purchased a new Mac and needed help moving data over from their old Mac.

Living with a MacBook keyboard is like managing a chronic condition [Opinion]

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Taking it out on your problematic MacBook butterfly keyboard will only make things worse.
Taking it out on your keyboard will only make things worse.
Photo illustration: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

At this point, we all know the MacBook’s butterfly keyboard can prove problematic. Apple recently admitted the problem is real — and even issued a rare apology.

Anecdotally, pretty much every MacBook owner I know has experienced keys sticking or repeating at one time or another. But occasionally I meet someone who seems blessed with a faultless MacBook keyboard. And Apple claims the problem only affects a small number of MacBook users.

So what is going on? I have a theory — and a tip that might keep your MacBook’s keyboard from crapping out if it hasn’t already.

$80 off Apple Watch and bargain accessories [Deals & Steals]

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watchOS 5 Face
Apple Watch Series 3 has never been cheaper.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Best Buy has again slashed the price of Apple Watch Series 3 to just $199, matching the best discount we’ve seen on this model so far. That price applies to the 38mm version with GPS, which usually costs $279. And it’s just one of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup.

We also have some massive discounts on great computer peripherals from Logitech, and 63 percent off the SanDisk iXpand flash drive for iPhone and iPad. Plus, you can pick up a 9-in-1 lens kit that will help you step up your smartphone photography for under $16.

Please, Apple, sort out your product naming nightmare [Opinion]

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Jumbled letters
Apple's new iPads underline its problem with product naming.
Photo: Lucille Pine/Flickr CC

As thrilling as new Apple devices are, this week’s surprise hardware updates really screwed the pooch on one important front: product naming.

The “new” iPad Air and iPad mini join a lineup of tablets with a variety of features and price points that will boggle the minds of even the most ardent Apple fanatics.

How did Apple’s naming strategy go so far off the rails? For the sake of the average customer, Cupertino’s once-brilliant branding needs to kick into gear. Because right now, the toxic hellstew of Apple product names is utterly confusing.

Add an anti-theft alarm system to your MacBook [Deals]

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Add an invaluable layer of security to your laptop, with a loud alarm that goes off if someone tries to steal it.
Add an invaluable layer of security to your laptop, with a loud alarm that goes off if someone tries to steal it.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you use a laptop, you probably bring it to public places like coffee shops or libraries. So when you go to get a refill or use the bathroom, the move is usually to ask your neighbor to make sure no one snatches your computer. That’s…not secure.

Sell your old Mac today and bag a bargain upgrade

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Mac
Isn't it time you swapped that dusty old Mac for a new one?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With B&H Photo offering up to $600 off the MacBook Pro at right now, and big discounts on other Apple computers popping up all over the place, it’s a great time to sell your old machine and bag a bargain upgrade.

And you could just be sitting on a small fortune. Cult of Mac typically pays more for your old Apple devices than other trade-in services — and we won’t leave you waiting ages for your cash. Get a quote today and find out how much your old Mac is really worth.

Bag a MacBook for $830, Apple Watch for $150 [Deals & Steals]

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12-inch MacBook lineup
Don’t pay full price for a 12-inch MacBook.
Photo: Apple

The 12-inch MacBook remains Apple’s smallest and most portable notebook, and it’s a great machine — especially when you get it at a big discount. Woot is currently offering refurbished 2017 models for just $829.99. It’s just one of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup.

You will also find refurbished Apple Watch Series 2 units for under $150, a delicious discount on the amazing Instant Pot, and more than half off Powerbeats3 wireless headphones. Plus, Amazon has knocked $17 off the Apple Magic Keyboard with numeric keypad again.

Future MacBook keyboards could be dust-proof

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Apple is considering a MacBook with a glass keyboard, not a traditional one.
Apple is considering a MacBook with a glass keyboard, not a traditional one.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple developed a design for a MacBook keyboard that’s slim, lightweight, silent and can’t possibly have problems with grit in the keys. That’s because it consists of a sheet of glass with raised keys.

Obviously there are drawbacks, but this proposal shows the company’s efforts to innovate.

Lack of in-built dust filters damages Macs, claims class action suit

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macOS high sierra
Class action lawsuit says Macs should come with built-in dust filters.
Photo: Apple

A growing class action lawsuit is seeking more plaintiffs to take Apple to court over its iMacs and MacBooks.

The accusation? That by selling computers without dust filters, Apple is willfully ignoring something which can interfere with the “functionality and use” of the high-end displays.

Amazon stocks its Apple store with new products ahead of Black Friday

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Apple store
Why go to the Apple store when you can just order it on Amazon with Prime shipping?
Photo: Nadine Kahney/Cult of Mac

The biggest shopping day of 2018 is nearly upon us and Apple and Amazon are teaming up to take advantage of the spending bonanza.

As part of its new online sales deal with Apple, Amazon has recently added a bunch of Apple’s latest products to its authorized reseller page, some of which are a bit cheaper than on Apple’s website.

MacBook shipments took a battering in Q3

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Apple
Neither of these MacBook Pros apparently set the world on fire.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s MacBook lines performed surprisingly badly in the third quarter of 2018 — with double figure declines in growth worse than any of the other five leading notebook manufacturers.

While Dell managed 8 percent year-on-year growth, market leader HP saw its shipments decline 1.8 percent. That’s nothing compared to Apple’s decline, however, which saw the company plummet a whopping 24.3 percent. That’s not good!

MacBooks become modern art on gorgeous walnut stand [Review]

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Yohann Macbook stand
The Yohann Wood MacBook Stand is artful and sturdy.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

In German, the boy’s name “Yohann” means “gift of god.” The same could be said about the Yohann MacBook stand, a sculptural walnut base divine in both look and function.

You may want to say a little prayer when you place your MacBook Pro on this elevating perch for the first time, though. You will wonder how this thing can support your rather expensive machine.