Innehållsförteckning för February 2020 från Essential Apple User Magazine

“Building the Mac Pro, Apple’s most powerful device ever, in Austin is both a point of pride and a testament to the enduring power of American ingenuity.”Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO…

BDM's Essential AppleUser Magazine usually costs £2.99 per issue, but a twelve-month subscription normally £35.88 is only £19.99, saving you £15.89! But that’s not all. You also get a six-month subscription to Setapp which at the usual price of $9.99 a month, would cost you $59.94. That's around £48 at current exchange rates. So for a mere £19.99, you get magazines and software worth almost £85. That's almost a whopping £65 discount. Wowzers! PLEASE NOTE: Prices, details and discounts may change based on digital magazine provider and application suppliers. How to Subscribe: To subscribe to BDM's Essential AppleUser Magazine, tap one of the buttons at the foot of this page and follow the instructions. When you’ve paid, you get a receipt saying you’ve subscribed. Send this receipt to appleusersubs@bdmpublications.com and…

It's amazing how much prices of top-quality displays have fallen over the last few years. This QHD (Quad High Definition) monitor offers 2560x1440 resolution and a 27-inch screen for under five hundred notes. Its low price certainly isn't at the expense of build quality. Solid and robust, its metal base has a very sturdy feel. You certainly won't knock it over by accidentally bumping your desk. It's very configurable too. You can adjust the height of the screen to suit, swivel it right and left without turning the stand and even rotate it 90 degrees into a portrait view. You can connect it to your Mac through HDMI or DisplayPort, and if you also connect a USB cable, there's a four-port USB 3.2 hub. It's a gaming monitor, so as…

If you remember the review we did of the devolo Magic 2 Wi-Fi Starter Kit back in Issue 2, you know that powerline adapters are a great way of extending the reach of your cabled and wireless network using your house's electrical wiring. A powerline setup consists of at least two plugs, which fit in your household mains sockets. By connecting one of them to your router using a supplied Ethernet cable and plugging the other into any mains socket in the house, you create a cabled connection between your router and the second adapter. This unit can offer a wireless access point for your network, Ethernet ports for cabled connectivity, or both. devolo’s Magic 2 LAN Triple powerline adapter starter set doesn’t offer Wi-Fi access, but it does have…

Oral-B iO toothbrush URL: https://io.oralb.com/en-us/ Price: TBA Just when you thought connected gadgets had gone as far as they could go, here comes this iPhone-compatible toothbrush. It uses 3D tracking to make sure you cover all your gnashers, has a pressure sensor to stop you pressing too hard and smiles at you when you’ve done the job correctly. It should be on the shelves in August 2020. Mezzo Backpack URL: www.sfbags.com Price: Mezzo Laptop Backpack: £229, $299, 269,50 € Complimentary Tech Pocket: £37.50, $49, 44? € The Mezzo Laptop Backpack is a sophisticated mid-sized everyday rucksack built to carry office and leisure gear in comfort and style. It’s secured by a self-finding, magnetic Fidlock clasp, or a performance-grade paragliding buckle (you choose), and there’s an optional tech pouch to hold…

For a long time, I ignored the advice: "The app is best experienced via headphones." And that was silly of me. Audio hasn't played a huge role in my mobile gaming. Let me explain. The touchscreen of my iPad, or iPhone, activates an invisible barrier between myself and my wife's inane droning, aka telling me about her day. The inclusion of sound would break the spell and alert her of my utter lack of interest and force me to pay attention. Having the realisation that sound – via headphones of course – plays such an important role in the immersion into my gaming has done little to improve communication with my spouse. Yet it's a small price to pay to experience mobile games as they were intended. Having stressed how…

Subscribe to BDM's Essential AppleUser Magazine and get a six-month subscription to Setapp. * BDM's Essential AppleUser Magazine usually costs £2.99 per issue, but a twelve-month subscription normally £35.88 is only £19.99, saving you £15.89! But that’s not all. You also get a six-month subscription to Setapp which at the usual price of $9.99 a month, would cost you $59.94. That's around £48 at current exchange rates. So for a mere £19.99, you get magazines and software worth almost £85. That's almost a whopping £65 discount. Wowzers! PLEASE NOTE: Prices, details and discounts may change based on digital magazine provider and application suppliers. How to Subscribe: To subscribe to BDM's Essential AppleUser Magazine, tap one of the buttons at the foot of this page and follow the instructions. When you’ve…

Computing in the Cloud What is it? How does it work? What can it do for you? We take a look at the cloud and the various services offered. Top Free iPhone & iPad Apps There’s nothing cheaper than free, and next month, we take a look at some of the best free apps for mobile devices. Technology Showcase We bring you the best new gadgets and gizmos for your Mac, iPad, iPhone and more. Read all about it! Essential AppleUser Magazine Issue #12 is on sale in March Steve Jobs said……

James Gale Managing Editor Dear Tim, can I please have an Apple Time Machine in 2020? That way I can skip forward in time and grab the text for this column for the entire year. Martin Smith Group Senior Designer I’d like to see the Watch more compatible with more external sensors for sports, such as heart rate straps, power meters, speed & cadence sensors. Bob Canning Staff Writer How about an Apple games console that can play both Mac and iOS games? They might be a little wary after the disaster that was the Pippin though. Alison Drew Sub Editor I would love to see an app that can translate between sign language and speech. I think this would be a real step forward. Ian Osborne Editor Google Glass…

An Apple eBook Reader? Paper books are dying. Within a few years, they’ll be the preserve of pretentious hipsters and museum archivists, with everyone else buying ebooks. So when will Apple make a decent ebook reader? I know you can use ebooks on Apple devices with the Books and Kindle apps, but I want a real ebook reader, something with an E Ink screen which is much easier on the eyes when reading novels. So come on, Tim. Give us an Apple eReader. Mike Dewsbury, Hastings, Sussex. Editor Says: The death of paper books might take a little longer than you realise. Not everyone is comfortable enough with technology to switch from the humble paperback, and CDs and streaming media haven’t exactly killed vinyl and DVD video, have they? If…

As is usually the case, there’s been far less speculation about the next generation of iPad, but we probably won’t have to wait as long to find out whether it’s accurate or not. There’s an Apple event in March, as always, and this year’s might well unveil a new model or two. One forthcoming upgrade that’s common to both the iPhone and the iPad is the new processor, which is expected to be called the A14 chip. This particular prediction should cause no great gasps of astonishment. The last generation was the A13 processor, and there’s no reason to expect Apple’s naming conventions to change in 2020. But what can the new CPU do for your iPad? The current A13 processor is seven nanometres thick (a nanometre is one thousand-millionth…

“…the future of learning is spatial. Technologies such as spatial computing, computer vision, 3D scanning, photogrammetry, virtual, augmented and mixed reality are being bunched together now commonly know in enterprise as extended reality (XR)…” Q: Tell us about MetaVRse. A: The future of learning is spatial. Technologies such as spatial computing, computer vision, 3D scanning, photogrammetry, virtual, augmented and mixed reality are being bunched together now commonly know in enterprise as extended reality (XR). When applied to learning, training and education, these technologies have been shown to increase retention rates, decrease training times, increase focus and enhance performance across the board. For example, learning science in a zero cost, multi-million-dollar virtual lab (Labster) or practising surgery multiple times before ever seeing the patient (OssoVR). MetaVRse helps organisations find, curate, manage…

If you need a gaming headset but can’t justify splashing out on the latest Bluetooth model, these are a decent option. 50mm speakers deliver stereo sound and there’s a mic on a flexible arm that folds away when you don’t need it. The Spirits headset is cabled, with a 3.5mm jack and a bundled extension for connecting to USB dongles or aeroplane seats. It can be used on home consoles as well as Macs and mobile devices. At this price, you wouldn't expect them to replace your favourite music earbuds, and they won't. Bass is lively and intense, but the vocals and treble sound muted. The ear pads are comfortable and do a decent job of blocking out external noises, though, after wearing them for a while they make your…

Alert Indoor Security Camera is an affordable way to keep an eye on your home, but it doesn't lack in smart features. After connecting the camera to your Wi-Fi network and pairing it with the SWANN Security app on your iPhone or iPad, you can view and capture high-quality video in 1080p full HD. It has a passive infrared sensor that can detect movement at up to 32 feet, and it can also detect loud noises and heat too. The camera then sends a push notification to your phone and starts video recording. You get free cloud storage, which saves clips for seven days, and they're also stored locally for two days. A full 110-degree viewing angle decreases blind spots, and there's a mic and speaker built-in for two-way talk…

Backing up isn't all about Time Machine. To be adequately backed up, it's best to back up twice. That's where Carbon Copy Cloner comes in. It's excellent for making bootable backups of your main drive, so if there's a problem, you can boot from your backup as if nothing had happened. You can also back up specific files, documents and drives, and schedule your backups to take place at a specific time and day. These scheduled back-ups kick in even if your Mac is in sleep mode at the time. Naturally, it can back up only new and modified files to save time, and you can choose to where you back up, such as external drives or another Mac on your network. With the latest version, Task Scheduling is improved.…

Fotomagico 5 is the Mac's premiere slideshow maker, combining ease of use with in-depth features for those who need more than iMovie can offer. It's now arrived on the iPad and retains its versatility and flexibility, but at a high price. FotoMagico for iPad lets you compile slideshows with photos, videos, music and text. It's AirPlay-compatible, so you can stream your shows to AirPlay devices, or you can export them as high-definition stand-alone videos. The quality of your images and footage is preserved, so they look just as good in your slideshows as they do on your iPad. There are, of course, plenty of special effects to apply as you switch from one slide to the next, including Ken Burns-style pan-and-zoom, Creating your first slideshow is as simple as dragging…

If you've played the original Life is Strange, you'll be instantly at home with this sequel. The game mechanic hasn't changed; it's still a narrative-driven graphic adventure with the story interrupted – and guided – by regular multiple-choice options. These choices define the path the storyline takes and directly affect how it plays out. Like the first game, it's episodic, with the story split into five, self-contained chapters. However, this Mac version bundles all five together; we don't have to keep waiting for the next one to be released, as did console and PC gamers when it came out on those formats. It features a protagonist with a supernatural ability too. But for all its similarities, there's plenty that's new here too. The title no longer centres on college girl…

Clearly inspired by the much-loved Nintendo Entertainment System’s Tecmo Bowl, UK-based developers New Star Games’ Retro Bowl takes on the NFL. Gridiron has been a staple of gaming since the beginning. Much like soccer, with the development and advancement of the hardware on which we play, the pick-up-and-play fun has been diluted by realism. This is certainly not the case here. The casual style is a perfect fit for iOS. Gameplay is split into two genres; Roster management features press duties and maintaining the egos and fitness of your players (try to keep them fit, as an injury lasts forever!) The second is based on the playing field. Although featuring a full roster of teams, players and tactics, the gameplay and the plays themselves are limited but always fun. The…

Candid Cameras Q: I love using the webcam on my MacBook Air, but I sometimes get frustrated by the fact that you can’t move it. Because it’s built into the notebook’s lid, I can’t reposition it elsewhere in the room to get a different view. Is there any way I can use another webcam with my Mac, instead of the built-in one? Stephen Goldberg, London A: Yes; just buy a USB webcam and plug it in. You then need to open the Photo Booth app and select Camera from the menu bar at the top of the screen. In the pull-down menu, all currently attached webcams are listed. Click on your new USB webcam in this list, and the camera feed switches to your external webcam. You can then open…

A few lines in the Mac range could do with updating. The Mac mini, iMac and iMac Pro are all getting a little long in the tooth, so maybe a refresh is on the cards for 2020. The most exciting rumour we’ve heard about this year’s Mac releases is that Apple is prepping a brand new line, a high-end Mac targeted at the gaming fraternity. It’s claimed the new machine would cost around $5000, and could be a new notebook or all-in-one desktop design catering mainly for the esports community, configured with video games in mind. We confess this rumour raised a few sniggers in the office at first. The Mac has never been popular as a gaming machine, so why would high-end gamers even consider switching to the Apple…

Device Guide While most of our reviews cover most devices, we have added these icons to give you a quick reference to what device is best suited for the product or software. Scores// Our ratings explained: 5 - excellent 4 - good 3 - average 2 - poor 1 - avoid…

Mixcder is noted for decent headphones at an affordable price, and these E10 noise-cancelling cans are no exception. They've certainly done a decent job on the build quality. Its all-metal skeleton is finished with comfortable padding, and its understated design is perfect for those who prefer gadgets with a minimalistic look. The latest tech is incorporated too, with Bluetooth v5.0 for faster transmission and Advanced Apt-X Low Latency Technology. Battery life is 30 hours on a full charge, and if you're in a rush, five to eight minutes of charging can give you two or three hours of music time. In our tests, the ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) proved adequate rather than remarkable. It wasn't bad; just not perfect. The overall sound is impressive. Although activating the ANC reduces the…

This home security camera is a different beast from the SWANN model covered elsewhere on the page. It lacks heat and noise detection, but it can detect motion at up to 16 feet. When it does so, it records 30 seconds of footage and uploads them to the cloud or your Dropbox account. It has a 130-degree angle-view and a fixed focus from between just under two feet to infinity. You can watch live too, of course, and, unusually for a security monitor, there's a privacy shutter you can activate when you don't want the camera to record you. Video quality is excellent and it works well both night and day. It's designed to stand on a flat surface. If you want to wall-mount it, you have to buy a…

Ever come across a video on YouTube and wished you could download it for offline viewing, or cut it to DVD and watch it on your living-room TV? Of course you have. Everybody has. With Airy, you can do just that. It's easy to use. Simply navigate to the YouTube video you want to download, then copy and paste the URL into the field in the Airy app, choose a resolution and click Download. You can download videos as MP4, FLV, and 3GP, with HD, 4K and 8K Ultra HD resolutions supported, or go for MP3 to download only the audio. Airy can also be integrated into most popular web browsers, such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Explorer too, to download directly from your bookmarks bar. If you've a…

Now here's a useful app to have on your phone. It can translate typed text into and out of 103 languages, as long as you've got an Internet connection. If you're offline, it can still translate 59 languages. If your typing finger is getting tired, you can simply point your iPhone's camera at a piece of text and translate it between 90 languages, or 50 languages at a higher quality if you use a photo. It can handle 95 languages using handwriting recognition and translate conversations in 43 languages. You can save translated words and phrases for future reference too. Naturally, it caters for all widely spoken European languages. It's a real boon for travellers. Not only can it make communication easier, if you're confused by signage or instructions, just…

Being an armchair pundit, manager, player, well; anything really, just as long as you can work on your sofa's butt groove at the same time, is the best job in the world. You answer to no one, you are paid well in self-worth and, most importantly, you're always right despite whatever you're told to the contrary. Obviously, as armchair football managers go, I'm one of the best! Each week, I know better than the current gaffer of my beloved football team, be it squad, formation, transfers, or even the away kit. Under my leadership, we wouldn't be facing relegation (AGAIN!) we would be looking toward Europe next season at the very least. Unfortunately, like all-too-many areas of life, it seems I'm wrong. Very wrong! Thanks a lot, Sega! But Football…

As a film bore, I take huge joy in spotting onscreen references to other flicks or catching the unofficial inspirations for those 'mockbusters' that litter the darker recesses of Netflix. Good Job Games' Epic Race 3D doesn't look to the silver screen for its obvious and COMPLETELY unlicensed inspiration. Instead, it turns to the TV. Epic Race 3D takes its inspiration from Ninja Warrior, or American Ninja Warrior, or Sasuke in Japan; a gameshow that pits contestants against a huge and increasingly tough series of obstacle courses, with more than a dash of parkour and insanity. In any of its guises and locational re-brands, it’s brilliantly fun and unmissably entertaining. The game follows the basics of the TV show, albeit in smaller, bite-sized chunks of two or three obstacles per…

Whatever Apple device you use for your games, the EDIFIER GM3SE In-Ear Gaming Headphones are for you. They connect using a regular headphone cable, so you can use them with any device with a 3.5mm headphone port, or Lightning-only devices with an adapter. Also in the box is an optional extension with two 3.5mm jacks, so you can use them with devices that require dual inputs. Whether you’re gaming on your Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, the action can be enhanced with the EDIFIER GM3SEs. The earbuds are built with gaming in mind. There’s a removable boom mic for in-game chat, while vibration effects give your games that extra punch. They feel very comfortable in the ears, so won’t make you ache after a few hours. They have onboard…