MacBook Air - page 12

MagSafe charger could make triumphant return to MacBook Pro this year

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MagSafe
MagSafe was a great Apple innovation.
Photo: Gordon Mei/Flickr CC

Apple’s MagSafe branding technically made a return last year with the iPhone 12. But the MagSafe fans most fondly recall — the neat magnetic charging system for the MacBook — is also gearing up to make a comeback.

According to a Friday report from Bloomberg, Apple is bringing back MagSafe for this year’s MacBook Pro refresh. The connector will reportedly be similar in design to the “elongated pill-shape” original MagSafe. It will provide faster charging for the MacBook.

Save $550 on a speedy Intel MacBook Air with 16GB RAM

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Get the new MacBook Air for a big discount.
Bag yours before Intel Macs disappear for good.
Photo: Apple

Not ready to make the leap to an Apple M1 processor, but need a new notebook? Check out B&H Photo’s latest deal on the Intel MacBook Air, which is now available with 16GB of RAM at $550 off the usual price.

Get yours before the discount disappears!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

New, open-box iPads and MacBooks see stellar discounts on Woot

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Save on 13.3-inch MacBook Pro from 2020
Save up 35% today only!
Photo: Apple

Woot is offering cracking discounts on a whole bunch of new, open-box iPad and MacBook models today only. You can save up to 35% on 2019 and 2020 devices, including the newest iPad Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Stock is selling fast so enjoy this sale while you can!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Bag a bargain iMac, MacBook refurb from $359.99 today only

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Save on MacBook, iPad refurbs
Don't miss out!
Photo: Apple

Need to pick up an affordable Mac ahead of the holidays? Check out Woot’s one-day sale on iMac and MacBook refurbs. There are a whole bunch of models to choose from, with prices starting at just $359.99.

They’re selling fast, so bag yours before they’re all gone!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

This setup has a minimalism level well over 9,000 [Setups]

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MacBook Air Setup
A slab of wood, some peripherals and a giant monitor are all you really need for a great setup.
Photo: Mike Leardo

When we published a Setups post with the headline “This desk has a minimalism level of over 9,000,” consultant Mike Leardo felt compelled to send in his own rig to show what peak minimalism really looks like.

You can’t get more minimalist than this — mouse, keyboard and screen.

New MacBook Air is an ‘instant classic’ [Cult of Mac Magazine 377]

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M1 MacBook Air review: It's an instant classic.
The new M1-powered MacBook Air is a total joy.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Just how good is that new MacBook Air? Leander Kahney, our tab-hoarding editor in chief, calls it an “instant classic.” Read his full MacBook Air review to get some interesting insights into the incredible performance of this M1-powered laptop.

However, buyer beware: If you’re considering snapping up one of these new Macs with Apple Silicon inside, there are several things that could be deal-breakers, depending on your own particular needs. Be sure to check out our quick checklist of “6 reasons an M1 Mac might not be right for you.”

Read all that and more in this week’s free edition of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for a slick reading experience on your iOS device.

Also: Don’t miss out on the great deals in the Cult of Mac Store’s biggest-ever event. Our massive Black Friday sale runs all weekend long.

This handy guide lists all the M1-compatible Mac apps [Updated]

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A new site lists Apple Silicon apps
A new site shows all the apps that ready for the new Macs running the Apple M1 processor.
Photo: IsAppleSiliconReady

A new website could become the go-to guide to which applications are compatible with Macs running on Apple Silicon chips.

IsAppleSiliconReady.com lists apps that have been ported to run on Apple’s new M1 processor. It also tells if apps are compatible with Rosetta 2, the macOS Big Sur feature that allows the M1 Macs to run software compiled for Intel chips.

M1 MacBook Air is an instant classic [Review]

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MacBook Air M1 2020
Apple's new M1 chip makes this ultraportable laptop ultra-fantastic.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

I just opened more than 650 tabs in Safari on a new M1 MacBook Air. I would have opened more, but I got bored.

Meanwhile, in the background, the machine is downloading Photoshop and the Microsoft 360 suite, and I can see in Activity Monitor that it’s processing thousands of iCloud photos while also indexing the hard drive.

Despite this, the machine is as fleet as a greyhound. I started working on a Photoshop project while checking email, keeping an eye on TweetDeck and, of course, clicking around all those open Safari tabs. The MacBook Air is just humming. I’ve never seen anything like it.

Apple offers gift cards of up to $150 in new Black Friday promotion

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Apple Black Friday 2020 promo
Start shopping Friday to bag yours.
Photo: Apple

Apple today unveiled its four-day shopping event that kicks off on Black Friday. The company is offering gift cards of up to $150 when you buy select products, including iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac.

The event runs through Monday, November 30, but it excludes some of Apple’s newest products — such as iPhone 12 and the new iPad Air.

On The CultCast: M1 Macs are totally insane, our HomePod mini reviews, and iPhone 12 Pro Max vs. mini!

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M1 Macs
Apple's M1, destroyer of benchmarks!
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: Apple’s new M1 Macs are breaking all the benchmarks, and are now officially the fastest Macs ever made. The MacBook Air is outperforming the iMac — these M1 Macs are insane.

Plus: iPhone 12 Pro Max versus mini — we’ve got them both! Which one is the keeper? We discuss. And stay tuned for our HomePod mini review, and our favorite new gadgets in an all-new Under Review!

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.

CrossOver runs Windows apps and games brilliantly on M1 Macs

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CrossOver on M1 Mac
It's surprisingly snappy, even with all that emulation.
Photo: Codeweavers

It’s not possible to run Windows in Boot Camp on an M1 Mac, but that doesn’t mean you can’t run Windows apps. CrossOver allows Apple’s newest machines to run x86 software built for Microsoft’s platform.

And despite all the translation that’s required, it runs surprisingly well. So much so that you can use it to play action-packed online games on a MacBook Air that doesn’t even have a fan.

M1 Mac mini faster than all Intel Macs in single-core benchmarks

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New M1 Mac mini gaming
Now that's fast!
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest Mac mini, its first desktop with an Apple Silicon M1 chip, is substantially faster than all Intel-based Macs in single-core tests, according to new Geekbench benchmarks.

The only machines that come close to matching its performance are the newest MacBook Air and MacBook Pro — also powered by M1 chipsets. The 27-inch iMac lags far behind in the same tests.

Gorgeous Mujjo Sleeve keeps your MacBook covered and comfortable on the move [Review]

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Mujjo Sleeve for MacBook
Made from high-quality felt and leather.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The delightful Mujjo Sleeve for MacBook is a great way to protect your precious notebook when you’re on the move. It’s beautifully made from quality materials, and it won’t weigh you down like a bulky bag.

The Sleeve ensures your notebook remains free from marks and scratches, no matter how much you carry it around. It also offers space for some accessories, important documents and more.

I’ve been using one to protect my 13-inch MacBook Pro for several months now. Here’s what I think of it.

M1 processor is so good it surprises even Apple

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Apple SVP Craig Federighi was blown away by the M1 processor.
Apple’s Craig Federighi says his company’s new M1 processor exceeds his expectaions.
Screenshot: Apple

The capabilities of Apple’s new M1 processor surprised even the people who designed it. The new chip was created to get Macs away from Intel, and Apple executives are gushing about it. Craig Federighi, SVP of software engineering, said the M1 is outperforming the company’s own expectations.

M1 MacBook Air blows away predecessors, every other CPU in benchmarks

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MacBook Air power
Apple's fastest MacBook yet.
Photo: Apple

Early benchmark results for the new M1 MacBook Air have begun surfacing online, and boy are they impressive. Not only does Apple’s newest ultraportable blow away its predecessors, but its M1 chip outperforms every other mobile CPU on the market.

That’s even more astounding when you remember the new MacBook Air has a completely fan-less design that stays silent no matter how hard you push it.

Better move fast if you want one of the last Intel-based MacBook Airs

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2020-MacBook-Air
Get the 2020 MacBook Air with Intel processor while you can.
Photo: Apple

The Intel-based MacBook Air is quickly disappearing. Apple introduced the the first version of this svelte laptop with an M1 processor on Tuesday, and pulled the previous version off the Apple online store.

It isn’t unusual for a new Mac to replace on older one. But the MacBook Air just made a quantum leap to a new type of processor, and some people are likely still interested in one with an Intel processor. The supply is dwindling, though.

We learned way more than ‘One More Thing’ at Apple’s big M1 launch

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6 more things we learned at Apple’s One More Thing M1 Mac event
Apple’s “One More Thing” event showed us far more than one thing about its plans.
Composite: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple took a huge step in switching Macs from Intel processors to Apple Silicon on Tuesday. The M1 processor will bring big performance boosts to a trio of new Macs.

Here’s a rundown of not only what Apple CEO Tim Cook and Co. said during the “One More Thing” event, but what the announcements mean for the future of the Mac — and the company.

Apple Silicon M1’s biggest surprise? Insane battery life

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Apple M1 battery life
Apple's new M1 chip offers massive battery life improvements.
Photo: Apple

Apple Silicon was widely expected to be fast, but perhaps the biggest surprise of the new M1 chip is the insane battery life it enables.

During Tuesday’s “One More Thing” keynote, Apple touted some truly eye-popping battery life numbers. While we expected improved battery life from the new MacBooks, the numbers Apple released surpassed expectations.