Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i Macworld UK

After launching iOS 17.4.1 last month, Apple has released a small update in macOS 14.4.1 that contains numerous bug fixes that have plagued Mac users during the month of March. Apple’s release notes state that the following bugs have been addressed in the update: • Copy-protected Audio Unit plug-ins designed for professional music apps may not open or pass validation. • USB hubs connected to external displays may not be recognized. • Apps that include Java may quit unexpectedly. Those listed bugs address most of the major bugs that have surfaced after the macOS 14.4 update that arrived on 7 March. The only other bug not listed involves a version of a file not saving when added to iCloud Drive. However, Apple likely fixed this as well either through the…

Apple has launched a new page for customers that brings together a lot of separate elements across its website into a single resource. The new Manuals, Specs, and Downloads page will help you find all the information you need for any of the Apple products you own. It’s organized by product category and includes tech specs, user guides, info pages, and repair manuals (when applicable) for Apple products going back decades – even including tech specs for the old iMac G3. Some pages include links to software downloads like EFI and firmware updates (for older Macs) or things like the Pro Display XDR calibrator software. The Software category is for downloads and manuals for Apple’s consumer, professional, and productivity software. It should be noted that info like Tech Specs pages…

If you’ve had your Mac for a few years you may be looking longingly at the Apple website wishing you could justify the expense of buying a new one. But luckily you don’t have to fork out for a replacement computer to enjoy speed increases: in this article, we gather some simple tips to enhance the performance of your current device. HOW TO MAKE A MAC RUN FASTER Below we will run through the various checks you should make to find out why your Mac is running slow and speed it up, we’ll cover why you need to have around 10 percent of your Mac’s total storage free to keep it running well and how you can free up that space if need be. We’ll also look at how to…

The Anker 675 USB-C Docking Station solves several of your laptop’s limitations in one user-friendly, stylish and functional product. A laptop is a wonderful device, but it comes up lacking in a few areas because of its portability. First, the screen is small and cramped for opening multiple files and applications. You can end up squinting at tiny text and having to keep open multiple tabs and layers of documents. Secondly, using a laptop is not great for your posture, neck, back, shoulders, eyes… basically, it’s not good for your body. Stooping over that small screen with hunched shoulders is not great for your neck, back or arms. Thirdly, many laptops lack connections and extension ports to attach other devices, such as storage, displays, and wired Internet access. You can…

Whether you just got a new Mac or upgraded an old one, macOS Sonoma is filled with fun new features to explore all over the place. But after you set your new screen saver and customize your widgets, you might find one new feature you don’t actually want. It’s called Click Wallpaper to Reveal Desktop and if you’ve used it, it’s probably been accidentally. Maybe you’ve misclicked on a file or shortcut or inadvertently clicked on your desktop wallpaper. However you got there, you were probably very confused when your windows flew away to reveal your desktop. Apple has given us the ability to quickly show your desktop for a while, either through a four-finger spread gesture or Hot Corner, but in macOS Sonoma, your desktop will show just by…

After a string of operating system updates last month that patched billions of devices with hundreds of security fixes, Apple released one more in March targeting a very specific vulnerability in GarageBand. The GarageBand 10.4.11 update is for users running the app in macOS 13 Ventura and macOS 14 Sonoma and wasn’t patched in macOS 14.4 or 13.6.5. It does not include any new features but Apple says it has “stability improvements and bug fixes and is recommended for all users”. GarageBand Available for: macOS Ventura and macOS Sonoma. Impact: Processing a maliciously crafted file may lead to unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution. Description: A use-after-free issue was addressed with improved memory management. CVE-2024-23300: Marc Schoenefeld, Dr. rer. nat. Apple released GarageBand 10.4.10 in December with several improved…

The AI race shows no signs of slowing down. We’ve reported about how iOS 18 is expected to build in many different AI features throughout the operating system, and Apple is racing ahead with its AI research and development, publishing new research papers and code several times per month. But all that internal development doesn’t mean the company won’t also the approach of Microsoft, whose Copilot features in Windows are built with licenced OpenAI technology. If the latest report from Bloomberg is true, iOS 18 may have one or more AI features powered by Google’s new Gemini AI (fave.co/43B7y1y). Mark Gurman cites “people familiar with the situation” in claiming that Apple is in talks with Google to licence Gemini to power “some new features coming to the iPhone software this…

Macworld columnist Jason Snell has written about how Apple should take more risks with its products – and I wholeheartedly agree, especially when it comes to the Mac. Makers of Windows PCs often implement odd features to stand out in a crowded marketplace – it’s something Apple doesn’t need to do because the tech giant relies on the Mac’s elegance, reliability and its role in an ecosystem that works well. But unique and daring features could breathe new life into the Mac and help it grow. So, taking cues from what’s in current PC laptops and what was shown at the recent Consumer Electronics Show, here are five features I’d like to see Apple interpret and use in its Mac products. Some of these are wild, way out there, and…

Apple Vision Pro is clearly a first-gen product. Expensive, flawed, limited and impressive. Much of what it needs to really become a mass-market device will need new hardware that is lighter, more affordable, and more fully featured. But that’s not to say that Apple should be content with aiming its next big push at Apple Vision Air or Apple Vision Pro 2. There are so many software changes that would make this a much better overall product, some of which can be done in the next few weeks or months, others that might need to be a part of visionOS 2. Apple has already released visionOS 1.1, but its improvements are minor at best, and don’t address some of the biggest pain points and missed opportunities of Apple’s new headset.…

One of the previous advantages of third-party virtual camera apps (such as Camo from Reincubate) over a built-in or add-on webcam used with your Mac is that they let you use an iPhone as a webcam for FaceTime, Zoom, and other videoconferencing apps. Apple changed that equation by adding Continuity Camera, which lets your iPhone appear as another video input to any app on your Mac. But there was still a virtual camera advantage: Continuity Camera showed you framed in the view of your phone’s Ultra Wide camera or followed you around with Centre Stage. But you couldn’t get the advantage of a place between those options: zooming in or out and panning within the frame. Apple added that feature quietly in a way that’s hard to discover in macOS…

HOW TO SET UP NETWORKED TIME MACHINE BACKUPS FOR A HOUSEHOLD Apple’s Time Capsule base station put a Wi-Fi access point, a network router, and a backup drive that tied into Time Machine all in a single box. That was its downfall, too: if the drive failed or became corrupted, you had relatively few options. Apple stopped selling Time Capsule devices in 2018, and many readers still miss them. You can simulate a Time Capsule if you have a desktop Mac that’s always on and has a robust network connection. A few asides: • You can use network-attached storage (NAS), but not all NAS systems support Time Machine. I’ve also heard many stories of inconsistent performance. • Your computer acting as a networked Time Machine destination doesn’t have to be…

Microsoft has revealed a number of important details about the new version of Office coming later this year. Among these is a particularly pleasing announcement for those who don’t want to sign up for a recurring subscription. The commercial preview of Office LTSC 2024, Microsoft said in a blog post (fave.co/3TTRCnP), will be released in April ahead of a general release later in 2024. Office LTSC, or Long-Term Servicing Channel, represents the version of Office intended for commercial and government use in specialist and niche uses where devices may not be able to access the internet, or where software updates are not desired: in manufacturing or medical testing labs, for example. It is not sold in stores and is only available for volume purchases. However, the blog post also addresses…

Over the years, we’ve touted the MacBook Air as the laptop for just about anyone – it’s an ideal combination of performance, features, and price. It became even more compelling when Apple redesigned it and upgraded to the M2 chip in 2022 and released a 15-inch M2 model in 2023. The MacBook Air now joins the M3 party that Apple started last autumn. It’s practically the same laptop as before – besides the chip upgrade, there are only two other new features in the new M3 MacBook Air. A lot has not changed with the Air, and neither has our perception of the laptop: The MacBook Air continues to be the best laptop choice for just about anyone. PERFORMANCE This update to the MacBook Air is all about the speed…

A good MacBook bag shares many qualities with Apple’s laptops. We want it to be tough, so it needs to be made from good materials. We want to use it for multiple tasks, so it needs to have plenty of pockets and compartments. Let’s admit it, with the diminishing number of ports on the MacBook, the bags often have the edge. And since we all admire good design here, we certainly don’t mind if the bag looks fantastic. Plus, whatever MacBook you’ve got, Air or Pro, you’ve probably spent enough on it that you don’t want to risk it breaking – and don’t mind spending just a little more to keep it safe. There’s no shortage of companies out there that make protective accessories for MacBooks, from laptop bags and…

Photoshop Elements isn’t the cheapest photo editor available for the Mac, costing £86.56, but it’s still great value for money as it’s able to use technology from the professional version of Photoshop to provide some really powerful tools for editing your photos and adding creative effects. Adobe also sells a bundle that includes both Photoshop Elements and Premiere Elements for video editing for £130.36, which can save you even more money. The key to Photoshop Elements’ success is that it manages to combine powerful editing tools with a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for amateur photographers to achieve impressive results. Adobe’s 2022 version introduced new artificial intelligence techniques – which Adobe refers to as Sensei – which could automatically perform editing tasks that might normally require hours of work.…

As you probably know, a battery’s charge capacity diminishes over time. If you’ve recently got an M-series MacBook, you spent a good amount of money on that laptop, so you want the battery to be viable as long as possible. Fortunately, macOS has built-in ways to help maintain your battery’s condition. In macOS Sonoma, the Battery System Setting provides good information you can use to determine your battery’s health. There’s a chart that displays your battery charge level over the last 24 hours and the last 10 days. Another chart shows screen usage – the MacBook’s screen is one of the most power-hungry components. But there’s a setting that’s not obvious in the Battery tab in System Settings. It’s called Optimized Battery Charging, and we’ll cover what it’s about and…