The MacBook Neo exceeds all expectations and defies all logic. It’s a $599 computer that’s not slow. The cheap laptop sports a light aluminum unibody with exceptional fit and finish, along with a gorgeous, bright Retina display. It runs on an iPhone chip, yet it’s incredibly fast with unbelievable battery life.

The name itself, Neo, reminds you that this is not a computer made out of spare parts. It’s a bespoke industrial design with a brand-new display and feature set. That feature set excludes things that longtime members of the cult consider quintessential Mac features — a backlit keyboard, an ambient light sensor and a MagSafe connection.

Nonetheless, the MacBook Neo will be a lot of people’s first exposure to the Mac. I wanted to know what their experience will be like — and I think they’ll be very happy.

In iOS 26, the awesome new Spatial Scenes feature lets you convert an ordinary 2D photo to a 3D scene that moves in your hand. It doesn’t have to be a recent picture or one taken with a special camera, either. You can try out Apple’s new 3D effect on any decent photo, even if it’s from 20 years ago.

You can play with Spatial Scenes in the Photos app, converting images and seeing how the effect works. But the best part is that you can set one as your iPhone’s Lock Screen wallpaper, and see it every time you unlock your phone. It even works with the excellent Photo Shuffle feature, so you’ll keep getting new ones to gawk at.

Check out the GIFs below that show how Spatial Scenes work, or watch our hands-on demo video.

Artificial intelligence search engine company Perplexity just unveiled what it calls Personal Computer. It’s not a new piece of hardware, but a layer of software that transforms a Mac — specifically an M4 Mac mini in the company’s promotions — into a tireless AI employee.

It works around the clock, coordinates other artificial intelligence systems, accesses your local files and can be controlled from anywhere in the world. Mac users might be intrigued. Privacy advocates may not be so sure.

Whether you’re growing a small business or running an established company, you can benefit from organized, efficient financial management. If you want to track your income, expenses and more with greater ease, consider investing in Intuit QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024.

This app makes finance tracking easier on your Mac. And that will make tax time a million times easier when it comes around. With this new price drop, you can save on a lifetime subscription to Intuit QuickBooks Desktop Pro Plus 2024. Get the Mac version for only $224.97 (regularly $699). Or snag the Windows version for just $194.97.

In the wake of the very successful launch of the MacBook Neo, Apple should now turn its attention to a desktop version: Let’s call it the Mac Neo. With an A-series processor and 8GB of RAM, this could cost as little as $399.

A macOS desktop at this price could put Macs in the hands of millions who can’t afford one now. It also might expand Apple’s share of the global computer market to heights the company could previously only dream of.

March 13, 1997: With Apple preparing to cut thousands of jobs, CNN reports that “the coffin door is closing” on Cupertino. Apple is doomed! Doomed!

Knowing what happened in the years following, we guess this could technically be considered “fake news.”

MacBook Pro has long been the centerpiece of ambitious, eye-catching workstations. Whether it’s a sleek M4 Pro model driving a pair of 5K touchscreen displays or a still-going-strong M1 Max powering an audiophile-grade sound system, Apple’s flagship laptop has the chops to anchor setups that would make any pro proud. Here are the Top 15 MacBook Pro setups from Cult of Mac’s archive.

The MacBook Neo is possibly Apple’s most repairable MacBook ever. A teardown shows the affordable laptop packs modular components, making repair easy.

Unlike its existing MacBooks, Apple appears to have opted for a simpler internal architecture that makes accessing and replacing the internals easier.

Google is giving Google Maps navigation its biggest upgrade in a decade. Thanks to deep Gemini integration, the way you use Google Maps will forever change with this update. 

At the center of the update is a new Immersive Navigation view, which replaces the traditional map with a vivid, interactive 3D experience.

When my iPhone battery needs a quick boost, the Twelve South PowerCapsule is ready to keep it going for the rest of the day. It conveniently clings to the handset magnetically so no cable is needed.

As a bonus, the accessory looks great. It closely matches the look of my iPhone 17. And it fits easily in a pocket.

I tested the PowerCapsule in my home and on the go. Here’s how it stands up in real-world use.

March 12, 2010: Apple passes Walmart and investment firm Berkshire Hathaway in value to take third place in market capitalization among publicly listed U.S. companies. The Apple market cap soars past $200 billion, fueled by intense excitement over the first-generation iPad.

Things look good for the company as it guns for powerhouses ExxonMobil and Microsoft.

Apple marks a remarkable milestone this April 1 — 50 years since Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne founded the company in a California garage on that date in 1976. To commemorate it, Apple said Thursday it will plan a series of global celebrations. And CEO Tim Cook published a personal letter on apple.com. It looks back on five decades of innovation while expressing gratitude to the billions of people who have made Apple what it is today.

“Thinking different has always been at the heart of Apple,” Cook said. “It’s what has driven us to create products that empower people to express themselves, to connect and to create something wonderful.”

Apple upgraded the iPad Air with a faster M4 processor this week, and the speedy new version is already available at a discount. A deal knocks 7% off the cost of a brand-new M4 iPad Air lowering the mid-range model to a very affordable price: $559. Maybe you need one to finish out the school year, or the tablet is great for anyone needing a light-duty productivity and entertainment computer.

For shopping flexibility, you can snag a deal on either the newest 13-inch iPad Air or the 11-inch iPad Air variant, both at 7% off.

The 11-inch Apple M1 iPad Air (5th generation) I used for the past few years was a great device — fast, light, capable and well-integrated into the Apple ecosystem. Yet after just a couple days with the 13-inch iPad Air powered by Apple’s M4 chip, I can say this trade-in for an upgrade isn’t just incremental. It’s the kind of shift that quietly changes the way I use a device.

Despite the severe DRAM and NAND shortages, Apple will supposedly keep the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro’s price unchanged. The company wants to use current chaos to its advantage and increase its market share.

The memory shortages have already forced several smartphone and PC makers to raise prices.

AI job search tool FirstResume automates resumes, cover letters, tracking and interview prep so job hunting takes hours, not entire evenings.

FirstResume, currently on sale for just $39.99 (MSRP $899), treats the job hunt the way modern software treats everything else — as a system that should be automated.

The folding iPhone will require iOS 27 to be enhanced with support for running two applications side-by-side on its large, foldable display, according to a reliable source.

Split-screen multitasking is a feature borrowed from iPadOS, but Apple’s upcoming premium handset will be an iPhone and therefore run iOS — just a modified version.

When we reported last week that the $599 MacBook Neo set off alarm bells across the PC industry, the hand-wringing was mostly coming from pundits and outside observers. Now PC makers are saying it out loud — on earnings calls, no less.

ASUS co-CEO S.Y. Hsu didn’t mince words on the company’s most recent quarterly call. Apple’s move into budget-friendly territory is “a shock to the entire industry,” he said, adding that across the entire PC ecosystem, “there have been a lot of discussions about how to compete with this product.”

March 11, 2011: How do you follow up your biggest product debut ever? That’s the question Apple needs to answer as the iPad 2 launch date arrives.

Apple’s second-generation tablet boasts a faster dual-core A5 processor inside a lighter build. It’s also the first iPad to feature VGA front-facing and 720p rear-facing cameras.

Apple already can’t keep up with MacBook Neo demand, and the low-cost notebook just launched on Wednesday. Sales momentum will keep growing throughout the year, according to an industry analyst.

The laptop’s success will likely be buoyed by reviews that prove the MacBook Neo offers speedy performance, despite its entry-level specifications.

Email signature generator EmailSignatures lets you create polished, professional email signatures in minutes. More than simply bolding your name, you can add your company’s logo, your social links — whatever it takes to make your email shine.

Think of it as custom stationery for your outbox. And a lifetime subscription currently costs just $39 (MSRP $579).

Apple’s affordable MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, M5 Pro/Max-equipped MacBook Pros and the M4 iPad Air went on sale Wednesday. The M5-powered MacBook Air and new Studio Displays also hit retail stores today.

Apple began accepting preorders for these devices last week, shortly after unveiling them.

The Satechi OntheGo Foldable Stand Hub helps your iPad become the heart of a compact workstation. It holds up the tablet while simultaneously expanding its connectivity with five additional ports.

The multifunction stand also folds down so it’s ready to travel.

Studies show that a haptic keyboard improves touchscreen typing speed and input accuracy, but very few people know you can enable it on your iPhone.

Android phones years ago had haptic keyboards, but without a precision vibration motor, the feedback was too slow to make the illusion really work. With the Taptic Engine — hardware in every iPhone since the iPhone 6s that can simulate all kinds of vibrating textures — Apple created a perfectly convincing effect to enable the haptic keyboard.

Read on to see where to enable it — or watch our quick video.

The Espresso Lite 15 portable monitor includes a gorgeous LCD for work or entertainment when you’re away from your usual desk. It’s a more affordable option from a company previously known for premium screens, but it keeps up the quality.

It comes in a range of vibrant case color options, which really helps it stand out from its rivals. Plus, there’s Stand+, a brilliant ergonomic stand that can hold the 15.6-inch, 1080P LCD above your laptop.

I tested the Espresso Lite 15 in my home office and on the road, and came away quite pleased. Here’s why.