Pimping out a computer setup with vintage gear is super-cool, even if the old stuff doesn’t get much use (or is solely for display purposes). Today’s M1 MacBook Pro setup recently added a new Studio Display, and both of those modern machines bask in the glory of a nearby classic Macintosh SE from the 1980s.
The ancient all-in-one computer still works and it even gets some use.
No Apple TV+ film won an Academy Award on Sunday, despite 10 nominations for Martin Scorsese’s historical epic Killers of the Flower Moon — including Best Picture — and three for Ridley Scott’s historical epic Napoleon.
Despite the final results, Apple made it clear that it is honored to be nominated. And both films have drawn large audiences since they debuted on Apple’s streaming service.
Apple fixed the slow storage speed that plagued M2 Macs on the M3 MacBook Air. Early testing indicates the entry-level M3 MacBook Air delivers significantly faster read/write speeds than its predecessor.
The slow SSD transfer speed only affected entry-level M2 Macs due to them using a single-chip NAND.
Anyone criticizing Apple Vision Pro as a Meta Quest at seven times the price misses the profound difference between the two headsets. Apple made an augmented reality device, while Meta focused on virtual reality.
And the basic distinction between the two is that AR is the future of computing while VR will always be much more limited.
Both Apple and Meta seem to realize this, which is why their devices support AR and VR. The difference comes down to which one the rivals focus on, and that’s where Apple has the advantage.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Surprise! Apple drops new MacBook Airs with M3 chips inside. The new laptops’ specs and first benchmarks make the performance boost sound quite impressive indeed. But what should we expect next for the MacBook, and when should we expect it?
Join us for a titillating conversation about the current state (and future) of Apple’s laptops.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
Add Constellation to the lengthy list of Apple TV+ shows that are standout hits. The new sci-fi mystery horror series sits near the top of the popularity charts of two different ratings services, and has ever since its February premiere.
Masters of the Air remains popular, too. As do the historical dramas Napoleon and Killers of the Flower Moon. That puts all four of these series/films ahead of almost all the content on any streaming service.
Epic Games can release Fortnite in the EU and open an App Store rival after Apple restored the company’s developer account. This came as the European Commission was starting an inquiry into why the account had been cancelled.
Apple called Epic Games “untrustworthy” when it pulled the account.
New generative AI features are expected to be a highlight of iOS 18, and a skilled artist created a concept video that presents an early look at how they might work.
The video also shows other suggested upgrades, like bringing Split View — Apple’s multitasking feature that lets two apps appear side by side on iPad (and Mac) — to the iPhone.
With Apple expected to release new iPad models anytime now, Amazon bargain site offers a doozy of a deal on the still-awesome 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro: $389 off. Getting almost $400 off iPad Pro is not a deal we see every day.
“iHad an iPad but iLost it and now iSad,” Woot says at the top of the sale page. No need to be sad when you can bag a fantastic, brand-new, full-sized M1 iPad with 128GB of storage for just $809.99.
If you’re going to make and manipulate music or other sound with your Mac setup, odds are you need a good audio interface. Today’s Mac Studio workstation relies on a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 USB audio interface when the user makes YouTube videos, for example.
Check it out below, along with the rest of the setup’s gear.
Apple reportedly ordered 8.5 million OLED screens for the iPad Pro models it’s expected to launch soon. More of these panels are for the 13-inch version of the tablet than they are for the 11-inch one.
Leaks indicate the next generation iPad Pro will reach store shelves later this month. Possibly even next week.
Apple’s new M3 MacBook Airs, announced earlier this week, are now on sale. The 13-inch and 15-inch models feature upgraded internals and faster Wi-Fi.
Pre-orders for the new Airs went live right after Apple’s announcement on March 4.
Apple is building a way out of the iOS “walled garden.” It promised on Thursday to make it easier to switch the data from an iPhone to an Android or other handset.
That said, the migration tool is part of Apple complying with the European Union’s Digital Market Act so the solution might not be available outside of the EU.
Ridiculously rich people are the problem, ridiculously rich person Molly Wells (Maya Rudolph) says in the season two trailer for comedy series Loot, out Thursday. And that’s why she’ll give away her whole $120 billion fortune. Or she’ll try, anyway.
Loot season two debuts with two episodes April 3 on Apple TV+.
The wait is over for macOS Sonoma 14.4, with the new version going out a bit sooner than expected. It brings in new emoji plus auto-generated transcripts in the Apple Podcasts app.
watchOS 10.4 also went to all users on Thursday, as did tvOS 17.4 and visionOS 1.1.
BenQ rolled out a new 32-inch 4K display Wednesday aimed straight at Mac and MacBook users. It’s the BenQ PD3225U Thunderbolt 3 Designer Monitor. At $1,100, the 4K display packs features that might tempt you away from spending more on a Studio Display or another 5K monitor.
“Featuring IPS Black for 2000:1 contrast ratio, Color Match with Mac devices through M-book mode, and iKeyboard Control, the PD3225U is the perfect creative complement for Mac users in need of color accuracy and enhanced connectivity,” the company said.
Apple continues to work on a MacBook with a 20-inch folding screen, according to a reliable source of insider information. It could set a new pattern for notebooks for the coming decade.
The product has been on the drawing board for quite some time, but isn’t scheduled for release until 2027.
The history of the Apple car is littered with wild prototypes, astonishing hubris and a deadly dose of crippling indecision, according to a damning report that offers the best picture yet of the secretive Project Titan.
It sounds like many Apple employees — and even key execs — viewed the self-driving car project as a doomed effort nearly from the start.
“The big arc was poor leadership that let the program linger, while everyone else in Apple was cringing,” said an anonymous Apple executive who worked on Project Titan.
If you want to know how a massive research and development project can crash and burn, this new behind-the-scenes account of Project Titan will show you how. It’s filled with gory details of unachievable goals, chaotic management, bad decisions (and sometimes no decisions at all).
Epic Games will not be able to bring Fortnite back to the European Union. Apple canceled the company’s developer account (again) and called Epic “verifiably untrustworthy.”
Shutting down the developer account also means that the game-maker won’t be able to open its promised rival to the App Store.
MacBook Pro and MacBook Air combine to account for a staggering 90% of Apple’s Mac sales. That’s according to a new report Wednesday about best-selling Macs from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
The laptops’ dominant popularity over desktop Macs has long been evident. But the new report showing 2023 data really puts an exclamation point on it.
The 2024 MacBook Air lineup looks a lot like the previous models. However, the M3 chip inside gives the laptops a performance boost, and the new laptops come with several additional upgrades. But in an M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air showdown, what are the differences? And is the new model worth paying more?
Find out in our M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air comparison.
Logitech’s new MX Brio and MX Brio 705 for Business 4K webcams combine ultra high-definition video performance with artificial intelligence to help find your best look, the company said.
“We know that MX users collaborate and communicate from many different environments, and need a versatile webcam offering the best video and sound quality,” said Anatoliy Polyanker, general manager of Logitech’s MX Business, in a press release Wednesday. “MX Brio is our highest-quality webcam, featuring customization and the ability to show themselves or their work in the best possible way.”
Some people love peace and quiet. Others love mechanical keyboards. That clackety-clacking noise is the very sound of productivity, isn’t it? The feel of the keys. The way you can practically make a lifelong hobby out of customizing a “hot swappable” model with different keycaps, switches and more. Today’s Mac Studio and Studio Display setup relies on a Keychron K8 mechanical keyboard.
The user swears by it, having chosen it over a couple of well-regarded Razer keebs. He’s still got the Razer wrist rest, though.
Colin Farrell takes the lead in Sugar, an upcoming Apple TV+ series about a private detective searching for the missing granddaughter of a Hollywood magnate.
The trailer shows the series coming in April will be dark and violent.
Osamu Tezuka’s Midnight manga gets adapted to live action in the latest “Shot on iPhone” project. It’s an action film about a mysterious late-night taxi driver.
Apple also released a “making of” video to show how the movie was produced with an iPhone 15 Pro.