Macworld January 2019

There’s been a lot written about the potential merging together of the software that runs (and runs on) the Mac and the iPad. 2019 is shaping up to be a huge year, as Apple’s devices get closer together than they’ve ever been before. But while the focus on Apple’s smooshing together of its platforms has been primarily about the software (iOS apps running on the Mac) and hardware (the potential of future Macs running Apple-designed ARM processors), the new MacBook Air got me thinking about another way Apple’s approach to iPads and iPhones may dramatically change how we shop for Macs in the future. AS LONG AS IT’S BLACK The new $1,199 base-model MacBook Air comes with a 1.6GHz dual-core Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz. If…

Despite Apple’s push to turn all Mac professionals into Touch Bar devotees, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with a traditional row of function keys has remained popular. If you own one, you might be able to take advantage of a new SSD service program. Here’s everything you need to know: WHAT IS THE 13-INCH MACBOOK PRO (NON TOUCH BAR) SOLID-STATE DRIVE SERVICE PROGRAM? Apple has announced a new solid-state drive replacement program for certain 13-inch MacBook Pro models due to an issue that affects “a limited number of 128GB and 256GB solid-state drives.” According to Apple, some machines have “an issue that may result in data loss and failure of the drive.” I JUST BOUGHT A 13-INCH MACBOOK PRO. AM I AFFECTED? Apple says units with affected drives were sold between…

Apple recently released Final Cut Pro X version 10.4.4, a major update to the company’s professional video editor. Available through the Mac App Store the big change is that the app now supports workflow extensions that allow users to directly access third-party apps and services. In its announcement of the update, Apple highlighted three workflow extensions that are now available to Final Cut Pro X users: > Frame.io, a service for team collaboration, review, and approvals. > Shutterstock for accessing stock videos and photographs for use in FCP projects. > CatDV for media asset management. OTHER NEW FEATURES In addition to the new workflow extensions, Final Cut Pro X includes several new features that the company says were requested by users. These include: > Batch sharing, where a user exports multiple clips or…

Considering the awkwardness of almost every other aspect of Mac gaming, I was a little shocked to discover how easy it is to pair popular console controllers with my MacBook. Sure, you’ll need to tweak a few things. Yes, some of the “support” exists only through the generosity and dedication of a few modders. Even so, you’re not entirely nuts if you assume you can pick up your PlayStation or Xbox controller and use it with your MacBook without dropping any extra cash. There’s a catch, of course (and there always is): It’s easier to pull this off with some controllers over others. You’ll sometimes need to download separate drivers, and you might need to reboot the system to see those drivers take effect. You’ll almost certainly have a better…

The new version of Adobe Premiere Elements may be a bit lighter on new features that most people are used to, but the 2019 version puts a laser focus on automated operations that make quick work of editing your family videos. With increasing reliance on its Sensei artificial intelligence engine, Adobe assists users with tedious and complex tasks like picking the best photos or videos for a collage or trimming the fat out of movies before splicing them together. The first place you encounter improved automation is the brand-new Home Screen, identical to the one in Photoshop Elements 2019. It lets you access new auto-generated collages and slideshows derived from the photos and videos you loaded into the Organizer, the built-in asset manager that ships with the program. Premiere Elements dives into…

It’s hard to love a swamp. Mountains have majesty, deserts have mystery, but what do wetlands have? I imagine some Joe on the street would boil it down to something like “muck, malaria, and mosquitoes.” Even so, Famia Mercius, an antiquarian who’s a great admirer of the Elder Scrolls series’ lizard-like Argonians, is trying to get me to love the surrounding marsh as she does. She’s not doing such a hot job. She slaps a gnat off her neck while in the middle of a giddy introduction, and her stone house suggests she retains some reservations about living like the locals. I can’t say I blame her. After all, the place (and the name of the DLC) is called Murkmire, which hardly sounds like it’s going to rival Tahiti in…