Buying a high-end MacBook Pro requires money and patience. Photo: Cult of Mac
People who ordered a top-tier MacBook Pro in February are being notified that it won’t be delivered until June. The delay results from COVID-19 lockdowns in China hampering notebook assembly.
New orders also face delays of several months, making a refurbished 2021 MacBook Pro a better option for some buyers.
Turning a design into a product doesn't have to happen in China. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple will increase the number of countries where it does an important phase in developing products, according to a industry analyst. Currently, its R&D-oriented New Product Introduction (NPI) sites are in China, but the company plans to build NPI offices in other places as well.
Recent COVID shutdowns — which have disrupted several recent products — are supposedly the reason for the change.
This is not what you think it is. At all. Photo: by Pablo Rochat
A clever DIY project found a brilliant way to reuse on old MacBook. At first glance, it just seems like an Apple notebook sitting on a desk. Open it up and…
We’re not going to ruin it for you. Just watch the video on Twitter.
Just don't expect to see one any time soon. Image: ConceptsiPhone
Apple is said to be collaborating with LG on new foldable iPad and MacBook models with flexible OLED displays. LG is already gearing up to supply similar displays to HP for a foldable laptop scheduled to launch this year.
The report corroborates earlier claims from one display analyst, who claims Apple is exploring foldable/rollable display technologies for future devices. It warned, however, that a foldable iPhone won’t come until 2025 at the earliest.
Apple is rumored to be working on a 15-inch version of the MacBook Air — something many of its notebook users have long been asking for. But according to one analyst, the new machine may launch under a different name.
Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities, who has reliably predicted Apple’s moves many times in the past, predicts mass production of a larger laptop will begin in late 2023, and that it “might not be called MacBook Air.”
Even Apple’s newest Mac Studio desktop has USB-A and HDMI. And there’s an SD card reader on the front. Photo: Apple
For years, Apple seemingly worked to finish off the old USB-A and HDMI formats, as well as the SD card reader. It quit building them into most of its products, replacing them all with smaller USB-C ports. But that campaign appears to have stopped… at least for now.
You need look no farther than the newly announced Mac Studio for proof. It has USB-A, HDMI and an SD card reader.
It’s a sign that Apple is in a tough spot. There are good reasons to kill all of these. And an overwhelming reason to keep them. Let’s discuss.
Spring 2022 will bring an array of new Apple products, if the rumor mill proves correct, and we’ll get our first look Tuesday. Numerous leaks point to an improved 5G iPhone SE and iPad Air coming soon. And a new Mac (or multiple Macs) might show up, too. Maybe even a new M2 processor as the lineup completes the transition to Apple silicon.
All of this could be unveiled on March 8, when Apple holds its “Peek Performance” event. Or that could be just the first of multiple Apple spring events.
According to Twitter user DuanRui, "More and more people are buying a MacBook Pro without a screen to use as a Mac mini." Photo: @duanrui1205/Twitter
A MacBook with a broken screen can seem like a nightmare scenario. You’re stuck with a computer you can’t use and a repair bill that can easily exceed $600. But it turns out, for some people, a MacBook without a screen is actually the perfect machine.
It's official: Apple's spring event, dubbed "Peek Performance," will happen on March 8. Image: Apple
An Apple VP used Twitter to reveal the date for the company’s much-anticipated product-release event. Apple soon after began issuing invitations. As had been rumored, the streamed event will take place Tuesday, March 8.
While Greg “Joz” Joswiak, global head of marketing, announced the date, he didn’t post an itinerary. Still, leaks and rumors point to an improved 5G iPhone SE and iPad Air. And a new Mac is possible, too.
A MacBook with a 20-inch screen might look a lot like this cool concept. Photo: Astro HQ
Apple is reportedly working on a notebook with a display that dwarfs the 16-inch screen in the latest MacBook Pro. And the whole device won’t be gargantuan — because it’ll fold in half.
But don’t grab your credit card just yet. The product is supposedly still years away.
Transform your old Mac into a Chromebook with Chrome OS Flex Photo: Google
If you have an elderly Mac that’s not up to the demands of the latest macOS version, you can turn it into a Chromebook. All you need is Chrome OS Flex, an operating system Google created for older Macs and PCs.
The OS is still in beta, and targeted at businesses and schools. Nevertheless, it might become a way to bring some new life to your obsolete Mac.
Apple’s newest macOS 12.3 beta appears to eliminate a frustrating Bluetooth bug that causes excessive battery drain for many MacBook users.
The bug, introduced in macOS 12.2 late last month, continually wakes up a MacBook when it’s supposed to be asleep. That means the battery slowly drains while the computer’s not being used. Only disabling Bluetooth will prevent it for now.
It will be some time before Face ID graces a MacBook. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple considered bringing Face ID to the M1 iMac, which would have been an ideal candidate for the facial recognition technology, according to a new report.
It’s not clear why the company didn’t follow through with the move. It is believed Face ID could appear in a future Apple desktop. But one source, who has been reliable in the past, says the technology isn’t yet ready for a MacBook.
It would make missing Macs a lot easier to find. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple’s new macOS 12.3 beta, which rolled out to registered developers last week, suggests Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology is coming to Mac.
UWB, currently exclusive to iPhone models with the Apple U1 chip, allow precise location reporting to make missing devices much easier to find. UWB is also used to improve AirDrop and to enable Apple’s CarKey feature.
No more neck ache when using your laptop. Photo: Laut
Laut’s versatile Workstation stand makes using a MacBook or iPad at your desk even more comfortable. It folds up into a compact package that you can carry anywhere, and it’s made from sturdy aluminum.
This concept drawing gives a side view of the mechanism that could be used in a MacBook with a pop-up keyboard. Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
Suppose the keyboard of your MacBook rose up slightly and pivoted toward you when you opened the lid. That’s the idea described by a patent Apple was just awarded.
The concept has ergonomic benefits but also adds moving parts.
There’d be far fewer complaints about the MacBook Pro notch if it included Face ID. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Saying the 2021 MacBook Pro’s screen notch is controversial is putting it mildly. But Apple could have made it easier to bear. Building in Face ID would have better justified the display cutout — and also made the newest macOS notebooks easier to use.
Apple execs recently revealed why the MacBook Pro utilizes Touch ID instead of Face ID. And the reason is not convincing. The facial-recognition system is a better fit for MacBook than it is for any other Apple product — including ones it’s already built into.
The new Rode AI-Micro turns your iPhone, iPad or MacBook into an audio recording studio. Photo: Rode
Popular audio gear maker Rode just launched the affordable AI-Micro, a compact, dual-channel interface for recording to a mobile device or computer. Using the small gadget, one or two mini microphones, headphones and a choice of apps, your iPhone, iPad or MacBook becomes a mobile audio recording studio.
Despite chip supply problems, the MacBook business is booming. Photo: Apple
Apple shipped a rather impressive 6.5 million notebooks last quarter, according to new data — thanks in large part to the success of the M1 MacBook Air. That figure makes Cupertino the fourth-largest laptop vendor in the world.
Although Lenovo, HP and Dell all shipped significantly more laptops than Apple during the three-month period, the MacBook-maker did see decent growth of 10% over the same quarter last year.
But we'll be waiting years for the switch. Photo: Apple
Apple has enlisted Samsung’s help in its effort to bring OLED displays to future MacBook and iPad models, according to a new report. It is also said to be in talks with LG, one of Samsung’s biggest competitors in the display industry.
It is believed Apple originally planned to launch its first OLED MacBook in 2025, but thanks to complications surrounding the display manufacturing process, the plan is “likely to be postponed,” sources familiar with the matter said.
Got your fancy new MacBook Pro? Once you’re done admiring its all-new design and insanely fast chips, you’ll probably want to add some accessories that will help you make the most out of your new machine.
Here are seven essentials that will help you connect USB devices, backup your and transfer your data between difference devices, keep your MacBook Pro protected on the go, and more.
The HDMI port, MagSafe charger and SD card reader in the new 2021 MacBook Pro models prove Apple design is back on track. Photo: Apple
In 2016, Apple proudly unveiled a new MacBook Pro that rejected the HDMI port, the MagSafe charger and the SD card reader of the past. Fast forward to 2021, and the company just released new MacBook Pro models with an HDMI port, MagSafe and SD card reader.
Why the reversal? Apple’s head of design Jony Ive left in 2019 after decades with the company. His tendency to push form over function led Cupertino down the wrong path in many ways. And Apple is just now undoing mistakes Ive was responsible for. Like taking out ports that most buyers wanted.