Innehållsförteckning för Spring 2021 från MacLife

ACCORDING TO THE latest J.D. Power TMT Insight survey, conducted in mid–December, Apple TV+ now has 14% of the US video streaming market, up significantly from 10% in the firm’s April survey. Market leader Netflix has 81% (down from 85% in April), Amazon Prime Video 65%, Hulu 56%, and Disney+ 47%. According to Kantar’s Entertainment on Demand service, however, Apple TV+ attracted only 5.9% of new subscribers in Q4 2020, while HBO Max attracted 19.2%, Amazon Prime Video 18.2%, and Hulu 13.7% of new subscribers in the quarter. More worryingly, research firm MoffettNathanson reports that 62% of Apple TV+ subscribers in Q4 said they were on a free trial, 29% of whom said they do not plan to subscribe after the free trial, and only 30% said they plan to…

1 Fujifilm X–E4 fujifilm-x.com From $849.95 (body only) Over time technology trickles down, but the X–E4’s tech inheritance has come from the pro–level X–series cameras in something of a torrent. Despite being priced to appeal to amateurs and enthusiasts, this interchangeable–lensed snapper gets the full–on 26.1 megapixel X–Trans CMOS 4 sensor from its far more expensive forebears, as well as lightning–fast autofocus, face–and eye–tracking, superior color–tweaking smarts, and video shooting from 4K/30p all the way to FHD/240p. There’s also an obvious aesthetic nod to classic film cameras in its 32.7mm–thin old–school casing. This is the perfect antidote to modern mirrorless devices, which stay chunky for no good reason — particularly considering the extensive list of X–mount lenses ready and waiting to extend the X–E4’s capabilities. 2 Earin A–3 earin.com $199…

When you look at the Wi–Fi Settings on your Mac or iOS devices you can see the names of all the networks in the area around your home. Unfortunately, the Wi–Fi Settings panel doesn’t provide much info beyond the names of those networks, so it’s worth using an additional app that can delve deeper into all those networks. There are lots of network monitoring apps available for both Macs and iOS devices, and many of these are free to download. However, the free apps tend to bombard you with ads and IAPs, so it’s worth spending just $1.99 on a straightforward app such as WiFi Explorer Lite. WiFi Explorer Lite can be a little daunting at first, as it shows a lot of information about all the networks around you.…

If you’ve just got one room where the Wi–Fi is a bit unreliable, then you can use a pair of inexpensive PowerLine adaptors to magically send your internet connection over your home’s existing electrical wiring. One adaptor is plugged into a wall socket that’s close to your router, and connected to the router with an Ethernet cable. Another adaptor is plugged into a wall socket in the room with the weak Wi–Fi signal, and the two adaptors can then connect together over the electrical wiring. Then you just plug your Mac or other devices into an Ethernet port on the PowerLine adaptor and you’ve got a fast, reliable internet connection in no time at all. Netgear PL1000 $74.99 netgear.com This two–pack is one of the cheapest PowerLine kits around, providing…

Most conventional routers are designed for use in homes with two to three bedrooms, or typically up to 1,500sq ft in size. A router like that may struggle to provide Wi–Fi throughout larger homes, especially where there are bedrooms on upper floors, or maybe even up in an attic. And even in smaller homes you may find that thick walls or ceilings can block the Wi–Fi signal. A mesh networking system is often the ideal solution for homes like these. Rather than a single router, a mesh system typically consists of two, generally for homes up to 3,000sq ft, or even three routers for really large homes. One of those mesh routers will use an Ethernet cable to connect to your existing broadband router in order to use its internet…

AS WELL AS fine–tuning your network to get the best possible performance, it’s important to keep your network secure too. An insecure network can allow your neighbors to piggyback on your Wi–Fi and steal the precious bandwidth you’re paying for every month. Even worse is the risk that hackers might penetrate your network in order to spy on you, or to steal important personal information. We’ve even heard of (albeit rare) cases where hackers have threatened people in their own homes by taking control of devices such as security cameras. STRANGER DANGER It’s actually not too difficult to spot unauthorized devices that connect to your Wi–Fi network as the apps provided with most modern routers automatically display a list of all connected devices, and generally allow you to quickly block…

My new router won’t connect to the internet Q I recently bought a new router to replace the ancient, slow router that was supplied by my ISP about four years ago. When I set up the new router my Macs and iOS devices can see the new Wi–Fi network that it has created, but the router itself can’t connect to the internet. A router on its own can’t actually connect to the internet, so the original router provided by your ISP is actually a combined modem router. It’s the modem, or modulator/demodulator, that handles the actual internet connection while the router is responsible for creating the Wi–Fi network and transmitting data to/from the internet to your connected devices. Most new routers that you might buy as an upgrade don’t include…

1 CHOOSE WIDGET SIZE In jiggle mode, tap the “+” to add a new widget. Find Reminders from the list. You have options for small, medium, and large widgets, each of which can display a single reminders list from Apple’s app. 2 CHANGE REMINDERS LIST Once you’ve chosen a size, drop it onto your Home screen and tap Done. Long–press the widget and tap Edit Widget. Here, tap the name of the list and choose your desired reminders list 3 GET MORE DETAILS Tap an individual reminder in the widget to go to its details. Alternatively, tap the widget itself or the More button in the bottom–left corner to view the list in its entirety within the Reminders app.…

$209 From Vissles, vissles.com Features 15.6–inch IPS display, 1920x1080 resolution, 2x USB–C, 1x mini–HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack Many of us have a second, large display for our MacBook or desktop Mac, but there are times when a smaller, more portable display can be useful too. The Vissles-M is a really good portable option, providing a 15.6–inch display. Its 1920x1080 resolution is relatively modest, but the display is bright and clear and fine for web browsing or streaming video, with small built–in speakers as well. At 22oz the slimline display is easy to carry around, and most of the screen is 0.2–inch thick — although the ports and connectors on the lower section swell it out to 0.4–inch. There are two USB-C ports and a mini-HDMI port on the right–hand side,…

Third–party keyboards have evolved far beyond the standard, basic models of old. And with working from home the new normal for many of us, freeing yourself from your laptop or getting more features than Apple’s smaller Magic Keyboard offers can be a good move. Priced the same as Apple’s keyboard and in some cases a little less, these can all work in wired or wireless mode, pair with more than one device at once, and be used across multiple operating systems. There’s never been a better choice of wireless keyboards on the market. Penclic KB3 $99.99 From Penclic, penclic.se Features Slim design, good looks, clever key labels Penclic’s KB3 is the smallest on test but has full–size keys and a very low profile to help keep your wrists flat and…

Belkin BOOSTCHARGE TrueFreedom Pro $129.99 From Belkin, belkin.com Features 10W charging for two devices, supports cases up to 3mm thick CHARGING RATE The 10W makes a real difference. We charged an iPhone 12 Pro and AirPods Pro (and case) simultaneously from empty to 100%; the iPhone took two hours 44 minutes, while the AirPods took two hours 55 minutes. Charging just the iPhone 12 Pro took two hours and 28 minutes. EASE OF USE Despite being the narrower charger, the space for each device is much more comfortable than on the Nomad when charging the max number of devices. It’s generous about how you place devices, making charging them easy. DESIGN Belkin’s charger exudes quality. Its compact, weighty frame is surrounded by a stainless steel edge, while on top is…

REMEMBER THE CONTROVERSY when Apple rolled out the skinny 12–inch MacBook in 2015 with its single USB–C port? Now all of Apple’s MacBooks are pure USB–C devices. In fact, USB–C has become the interface of choice for video connectivity for everything from the humble Mac mini to the mighty Apple Pro Display XDR. Hence our round up of some of the best monitors with USB–C connections. Until recently, full USB–C connectivity with charging made for a pricey panel. But the cheapest screen here is yours for around $250, and it also sports QHD (2,560 by 1,440 pixels) native resolution and a quality IPS panel. Not bad for the money. And speaking of resolution, combining 4K with full USB–C connectivity has also come down in price. In the context of desktop…

CES 2021 was not short of excitement, even if the year’s biggest tech show did happen on a website rather than in Las Vegas. Some big hitters revealed some very big hardware, and it gave a lot of smaller companies and startups a chance to show off their wares. When it comes to smart, CES showed that connected devices are bigger than ever, and we managed to find some particularly weird and wonderful devices among the noise. So this issue, we take a look at what’s going to make waves in the not–too–distant future, the products you might otherwise have missed, and a little that’s more pie–in–the–sky thinking. Bear in mind that the latter designation applies to a lot of the hardware from this year’s CES, even more so than…

Kohler did as Kohler does, using CES as a vehicle to announce everything new from its extensive smart bathroom range. This means it coughed up everything from a $16,000 spa bath equipped with a fog machine and mood lighting to touchless taps and toilet handles, as well the Innate Intelligent Toilet, which promises to bring the luxury of Japanese toilets to DIY installers. Depending on your definition of smart, you may find Kohler’s partnership with Phyn slightly more relevant than a convenience which can clean you off with an integrated bidet; the companies are working together on a self–installable water monitor, which can detect leaks in your home water supply and (if you go for the slightly more expensive version) automatically shut off your water to prevent any damage. We…

HOW DO I OPEN A .DOCX FILE IN FILES USING PAGES? Although Word .docx files preview properly in Files, iPadOS doesn’t have any options to choose which app to open them with, and tapping Open might use an inappropriate app. However, you can open them from within the Pages app itself. This is a current limitation of iPadOS compared with macOS. HOW DO I CHANGE A SUBSCRIPTION TO MONTHLY PAYMENT? Open the App Store app and tap your account icon (top–right). Tap Subscriptions, then the item in the list of your subscriptions. This offers all plans available, from which you can select a different one or cancel your current plan and resubscribe as necessary. CAN I USE AN OLD iMAC AS A MACBOOK PRO DISPLAY? Few iMac models support Target…

This is a long–standing problem which has troubled Apple’s Bluetooth keyboards since at least macOS Sierra. In older versions of macOS, it’s accompanied by an even more annoying problem in which the keyboard spontaneously disconnects then reconnects every so often; thankfully the issue has almost completely stopped since the Mojave release of macOS. One important change you can make which should improve this to the point where stuttering is infrequent and far less obtrusive is to disable lower frequency Wi–Fi options, particularly on all wireless routers and any extenders you might be running. This is because the lower of the two standard frequency bands used by Wi–Fi devices is 2.4GHz, which overlaps with those used for Bluetooth, and often causes interference in which Bluetooth devices suffer the more. Running Wi–Fi…

Deleting an unwanted user’s Home folder is best done when removing that user from the Users & Groups pane, because that offers the option to Delete the home folder at the same time. The quickest solution is to delete that folder in Terminal, but make sure you use the correct command. In Terminal, type cd /Users then sudo rm -rf shortusername where shortusername is the name of that user’s Home folder. Authenticate with your admin password. There is a more roundabout route which starts by creating a new user with exactly the same short username as the Home folder you want to remove. In the Users & Groups pane, create that account and you’ll be prompted to use the existing Home folder, which you should agree to. Log out and…

REQUIRES PCalc, OS X 10.9 or later YOU WILL LEARN How to use PCalc’s basic features and start using the app IT WILL TAKE 5–10 minutes IF YOU WANT to run some calculations and conversions on your Mac, Apple’s Calculator app and even Spotlight are decent places to start. But neither of those options offers anywhere near the level of depth, customization, and power you get with PCalc. If you find that they’re missing the mark, PCalc is what you need. The long–lived app has been around since 1992 — nearly 30 years! — yet is still going strong and feels right at home in macOS Big Sur thanks to its dedicated developer. It comes with a range of useful tools for almost any calculating need: switchable modes between binary,…

I HAVE TALKED about my disdain for the color of Apple’s iPad keyboard cases before — a dark grey tone so aggressively dull that it makes me pine for the fun, quirky look of an IBM ThinkPad. But I never felt this more so than when the iPad Air came out a few months ago — there I was, using a sleek iPad in a beautiful soft green color and I was folding it away into a case that was the same color as peat. Compared to the near–perfect mix of elegance and functionality that is the second–gen Apple Pencil, the iPad cases have really stood out. Not only are they too expensive, they look like cheap knock–offs of a nicer case you’d assume Apple must make. But at least…

1 Reposition the router Ideally, your router should be located right in the center of your home. That’s not always possible, but you can still make sure to lift the router up off the floor, and keep it away from obstacles that might block the signal. 2 Adjust the antennas You should remember to spread the antennas out as well (although some routers just hide their antennas inside). Each antenna transmits its own signal, so spreading these out ensures that the Wi–Fi signal reaches out in all directions. 3 Change Wi–Fi bands Most routers can transmit on both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands. The 5GHz band is faster, but 2.4GHz provides greater range and reliability, so that’s probably the best option for mobile devices that move around a lot. 4…

1 Network know–how Most routers provide an app that allows you to adjust various settings. The features in these apps can vary quite a lot, but they generally start by giving you an overview of all the devices that are currently connected to your network. 2 Take back control You can control individual devices, perhaps blocking devices you don’t recognize, or pausing the kids’ internet at dinner time. Some apps provide filters to block unsuitable material — but watch out for additional subscription fees here. 3 Day by day Another really useful feature — but not found in all apps — is the ability to create daily or weekly schedules to control your kids’ internet access. That way you can make sure they’re not on Instagram or TikTok all night…

TP-Link Archer C80 $97 tp-link.com TP–Link’s Archer range concentrates on providing good performance and value for money. The new C80 model is an affordable entry–level router, but it offers dual–band 802.11ac Wi–Fi running at a healthy 1,900Mbps and will be fine for streaming video and music, and the occasional gaming session. There are four Ethernet ports for wired connections, and TP–Link’s well–designed app will have you up and running in no time at all. D–Link DIR–1950 $99.99 us.dlink.com The DIR–1950 has an array of external antennas to provide wide coverage for the router’s Wi–Fi signal. The router provides dual–band 802.11ac Wi–Fi with a max speed of 1,900Mbps, which is fine for streaming video, online calls, and the occasional spot of gaming. The router also includes four Ethernet ports for desktop…

1 Unwelcome guests Your router’s app will show you a list of all devices that are connected to your network. It will also allow you to block any devices you don’t recognize, although you should follow our next few steps to stop it happening again. 2 Password protection While you’re at it, you should also consider changing your Wi–Fi password every now and then. You can do this in your app, and the app will also provide a secure option for sharing the new password with family and friends. 3 Check your security Your iPhone or iPad will actually tell you if your network is secure or not. Take a look at Settings > Wi–Fi, and you’ll see this warning if your security settings aren’t up to scratch. Oddly, though,…

TP–Link RE450/AC1750 $99.99 tp-link.com You can get cheap extenders for as little as $20, but it’s worth paying for one that provides decent performance. The RE450 provides dual–band 802.11ac Wi–Fi running at 1,750Mbps, plus one Ethernet port. Linksys RE9000 $149.99 linksys.com It may look like a regular router, but that’s the point — this tri–band extender has a 10,000sq ft range and offers speeds of up to 3,000Mbps — making it great for 4K video and gaming. Netgear EAX20 $149.99 netgear.com Netgear’s EAX20 is one of the first Wi–Fi 6 range extenders, and it will work with older 802.11ac routers too. It provides dual–band Wi–Fi at 1,800Mbps and has four Ethernet ports for additional wired connections.…

$34 From Houdah Software, houdah.com Needs macOS 14 or later We last reviewed HoudahSpot, a tool that allows you to perform speedy and highly customizable searches on your Mac, almost two years ago. Since then Apple has launched Catalina and Big Sur, and so HoudahSpot has progressed to version 6. Among the new features are a revamped interface to match Big Sur’s look, and support for Apple silicon. But there’s more to version 6 than just supporting the latest Apple tech. One key new feature is the reappearance of Apple Mail search. HoudahSpot uses the Spotlight index to find files on your Mac; in Catalina Apple prevented it from accessing the Mail database — version 6 sees the introduction of a plug–in to allow it to access and search Mail…

$259 From Grado, gradolabs.com Features Bluetooth 5.0, aptX, AAC & SBC codecs, 36 hours playback Designing and manufacturing headphones out of Brooklyn, New York, since 1953, Grado’s GT220 earbuds are its first venture into the wireless market. And judging by the sound these buds produce, it’s like Grado’s been bossing the scene from the start. Inside the GT220 earbuds are 8mm drivers that have been specifically tuned for their miniature polycarbonate housings to deliver Grado’s signature sound. They link together and become discoverable to your Mac or iOS device as soon as you remove them from the charge case and, when in use, deliver levels of detail that are missed by many other wireless earbuds. We heard new texture in songs we thought we knew inside out. The level of…

ReadKit The longtime Mac fave is now on iOS $4.99 From Webin, readkit.app Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch Needs iOS 14.0 or later When it comes to aggregating RSS news feeds with “read later” services like Instapaper, ReadKit has been our go–to desktop app for some time. With support for favorite services, smart playlists, and custom reading controls, there’s a lot to love. There’s only one problem: Over the years, our reading habits have shifted away from the desktop and onto mobile devices like iPhone and iPad, where ReadKit was unavailable — until now. Available on iOS and iPadOS at last, we’re happy to report ReadKit is every bit as remarkable as on macOS. That’s particularly true on iPad, where the larger display mimics the Mac’s three–column layout with…

Anyone with several Macs or devices can set up a Content Caching Server on a Mac, which eliminates multiple downloads. This feature used to be in Mac OS X Server, and moved into the regular version of High Sierra. To be most effective, use a Mac which is left running all or much of the time, with a good internet connection and sufficient free space, which can be on an external disk. Although the service has advanced options, for most small networks it’s simple to set up. Having identified where these updates are going to be stored, open the Sharing pane and select the Content Caching item in the list at the left. Decide whether you want it to cache only shared content including updates, or to add iCloud content…

In general, M1 Macs should work with all existing disks as long as they can be connected to its Thunderbolt ¾ or USB ports. There are some catches when upgrading from older models, though. Your old Mac mini has two Thunderbolt 2 ports, but the M1 version has USB–C sockets for Thunderbolt ¾. External disks with their own power supplies work fine with Apple’s Thunderbolt 3 to 2/1 adapter, but that can’t supply power to compact drives which draw instead from the Thunderbolt cable: those need to be connected to a powered dock to work. Where you can change their enclosure to USB 3.2 type with a USB–C connector that could be a good solution. If you haven’t upgraded to Big Sur, you’ll also need a disk that can be…

Big Sur can start up perfectly well from an existing Fusion Drive and runs from there much as Catalina does, but it will change the layout of the startup volume group to use its new Sealed System Volume. That doesn’t seem to have any effect on performance. If your external SSD is a Thunderbolt model, then it could prove a better choice for its startup disk, but it’s not as clear–cut if it’s a regular SATA disk which connects to a USB port. Running your apps from the SSD component in the Fusion Drive would require you to split and reformat it, which isn’t an easy process as it has to be performed in Terminal’s command line. You also can’t move any apps bundled with macOS there, as they’re locked…

REQUIRES iPhone or iPad, iOS/iPadOS 14; or Mac, macOS 11 YOU WILL LEARN How to control smart devices from the Home app IT WILL TAKE 30 minutes HOMEKIT IS A bit like Siri — it’s an impressive piece of tech that has never really fulfilled its potential. It’s a great idea because it allows smart devices such as light bulbs, speakers and security cameras to work together and be controlled via the central Home app. That’s a lot easier than constantly switching back and forth between several apps provided by different manufacturers. However, the Home app itself can be rather confusing at times, spreading controls and settings across a whole series of menus and screens. Thankfully, Apple’s most recent software updates — iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and Big Sur on…

LOGIC PRO SITS at the heart of both professional and home studios the world over. It’s an advanced digital audio workstation and sequencer that allows users to record, loop, and edit MIDI and other audio. Having started its life in the 1980s as a MIDI sequencer for the Atari ST platform called Creator, it became Notator when music notation capabilities were added. The real genesis of the software we used today came when, in 1993, programmers who had worked at C–Lab, the firm responsible for this older software, founded Emagic and launched a product called Notator Logic. This incorporated sequencing capabilities and “Notator” was ultimately removed from the software’s title. Apple bought Emagic in July 2002. Back then, Apple said Logic was actively used by 200,000 musicians worldwide. Sound On…

THERE ARE MANY things that can cause your home Wi–Fi network to slow down or become unreliable. Many electrical appliances, such as microwave ovens, cordless (DECT) telephones, and baby monitors generate electromagnetic signals that can interfere. Thick walls can block the signal travelling from room to room, and ceilings between floors can create a “deadspot” upstairs. The biggest culprit, though, will probably be rival Wi–Fi networks running in the homes of nearby buildings, so it’s worth knowing a little bit about how Wi–Fi networks transmit their data so you can pinpoint any interference. FREEWAY MADNESS Most conventional routers broadcast their Wi–Fi signal on two main frequency bands, at 2.4GHz and 5GHz. You can think of these two bands as being like two separate freeways for transmitting data (often referred to…

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH your Wi–Fi network? Unreliable online calls or stuttering video? Then it’s worth taking a look at the devices and services that are using your network. The first place to start is with your broadband connection. Bear in mind that even basic video streaming on Netflix requires a speed of 3Mbps, going up to 25Mbps for 4K video. A family of four who are working from home, home–schooling the kids, and then bingeing on Netflix, Fortnite and YouTube are going to need all the broadband they can get. Some basic broadband providers can only offer about 10Mbps, but you can get 100Mbps (or more) fiber broadband that will easily handle all your digital desires. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a zipcode lottery so you’ll need to enter…

For many people, the answer is simply: “So I can watch Netflix in another country.” But there are more important (and less legally dubious) answers too. For starters, your ISP always knows exactly what websites and services you’re using, so you have no real privacy when you’re online at all. That’s where a VPN — virtual private network — can prove really useful. A VPN uses special software to route all your internet communications through private servers that are run by the company that developed the VPN software. This means that your ISP can no longer see what websites or services you’re connecting to, and those websites can’t see where your connection is coming from either (which is how the Netflix trick works, although this is somewhat illegal). A VPN…

PUBLIC WI–FI HOTSPOTS ARE SAFE IF PASSWORD–PROTECTED Except that everyone knows the password — it is called “public” Wi–Fi, after all. Subscribing to a VPN app such as ExpressVPN will provide protection for all your devices, including your MacBook or iPhone, when you’re out and about. 5GHZ WI–FI IS ALWAYS FASTER THAN 2.4GHZ The 5GHz frequency does transmit data at higher speeds than 2.4GHz, but it has shorter range and is more prone to interference from other networks and devices. You may find that the 2.4GHz band works better for mobile devices that tend to move from room to room. SIMULTANEOUS DOWNLOADS WILL SLOW DOWN YOUR WI–FI Older routers were originally designed to transmit data to just one device at a time, so if you had two or more devices…

1 Start a new run Install Nike Run Club and find the app in the widget list. Choose either of the two Quickstart widgets and add one to your Home screen. These widgets feature a large Start button. Tap that to begin a run straightaway. 2 Choose a preset option Alternatively, you can pick one of the preset runs within the app. These include guided runs with audio accompaniments, runs designed for treadmills, and more. Once you begin, your data is logged with the app’s widgets. 3 Measure your progress To view that progress, enter the Add Widget screen again and drop one of Nike Run Club’s Last Run or Run Level widgets onto your device’s Home screen. These show your average pace and goal progress, respectively.…

$49.99 From Vivid–Pix, vivid-pix.com Needs OS X 10.7 and above Thanks to our ever–present iPhone it’s a quick and easy task to snap and share colorful, high–quality images of our daily activities with friends, family, and social media followers. However, many of us have collections of hard-copy photos that are lingering unseen between the pages of old albums or hidden in boxes in the basement. To help your old analogue photos compete with today’s pristine digital prints you’ll need to boost their faded colors and restore washed-out contrast. Fortunately, apps such as Vivid–Pix Restore can give venerable prints a new lease of life on our social media feeds. Restore has a clean and simple workspace. After clicking on the Select Image button you can choose a setting from the Restore…

$30 From Softobe, softobe.com Needs macOS 10.13 or later; 32–or 64–bit processor The first thing experts tell new computer owners is to back up their data — wisdom usually ignored until important files go missing. However, full backups don’t always make sense, especially when all you need is a pair of folders synced with identical information at any given time. That’s exactly what utilities like FoldersSynchronizer 5 are designed to do. Drag and drop source and destination folders into a cramped window, click the Synchronize button, and the software handles the rest. A pulldown menu switches between default sync and backup sessions, but users can create and manage their own. The difference is that a source folder remains untouched during backup, while synchronization replaces older files with new versions in…

$259.99 From Epson, epson.com/usa Needs macOS 10.11 or later; free Epson ScanSmart Accounting Edition software; USB 2.0 and/or 802.11 b/g/n Wi–Fi; iOS 10.0 or later with free Epson Document Scan app Despite the proliferation of mobile “document scanner” apps, nothing quite beats the quality and convenience of real hardware. Designed with this in mind, Epson’s RapidReceipt RR-70W is a compact battery-powered portable document scanner weighing less than 11oz and measuring 10.7x1.8x1.3in. With support for pages up to 72in long, it works wirelessly or via the included USB–A cable, which can be used with TWAIN–compliant desktop software as well as to power and recharge the unit. With Wi–Fi enabled, we were able to scan more than 100 pages on a single charge. Although lacking an automatic document feeder, the RR–70W’s optional…

$399 From Nextbase, nextbase.com Features Ultra–clear 4K recording, Digital Image Stabilization, Wi–Fi Packed with innovation, Nextbase’s new flagship dash cam model is an in–car smart hub that’s easy to install and records impeccably well. It captures ultra–clear 4K video at 30fps (or 1440p at 60fps, 1080p at 120fps Super SlowMo) and sports Digital Image Stabilization to work as a steady all–seeing eye from your car’s dashboard. A sensor built into the 622GW detects when the light starts to fade and utilizes night vision technology to capture high detail, even in low–visibility conditions. With Alexa built in, you can play music, place calls, get directions and control the dash cam using your voice. It also supports what3words for a precise global location, and Emergency Response mode can be employed to send…

Last year was one of the most stressful in recent memory, and so far this year hasn’t been much better, so it’s understandable if you’re looking for ways to increase your happiness. Thankfully, there are lots of apps on hand to help you take back control and feel more positive. There are apps that help you improve your sleep and wake up with peace of mind, there are apps that declutter your brain and enable you to overcome troubling thoughts, and there are apps that let you take stock of all the positive things in your life that you can overlook. Combined, they can help you lead a happier life in 2021 and beyond. HEADSPACE Free (IAPs) Made for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple Watch An App Store Editor’s Choice,…

1 Lockly Guard $500, lockly.com Filling that tricky space on sliding doors with narrow frames, Lockly’s super–thin smart lock can be unlocked with voice commands, with your phone, or by using its clever randomizing PIN pad which thwarts shoulder surfing. 2 eufy Security Smart Lock Touch & Wi-Fi £TBC, anker.com This is an upgrade to Eufy’s previous weatherproof smart lock, but one which vastly expands its possibilities by adding Wi–Fi to the Bluetooth, passcode and 3D fingerprint recognition options. 3 Den SmartStrike £TBC, densmarthome.com Den’s approach is not to create a smart lock, since these can be bulky and not suit all doors. Instead it has concocted a smart lock strike, which releases standard locks via an app — and you can still use your key.…

Big Sur still provides controls over what to do when optical discs are inserted in internal and external drives. What’s potentially confusing is that the CDs & DVDs pane only appears in System Preferences when the drive is connected and powered up. Trying to open the DigiHubDiscs pane from the PreferencePanes folder on Big Sur’s System volume fails similarly. Connect your optical drive and once it’s been recognized open that pane and set the action you want when a blank disc is inserted. If the pane doesn’t appear it’s because your drive isn’t fully supported by Big Sur, and needs replacing with a compatible model.…

Big Sur offers two different forms of Time Machine backup: it can continue using the old format with backups stored in Mac Extended (HFS+) format, or you can start making a new backup set to a volume in APFS format. Whichever you choose, you’re better off archiving existing backups and starting a new set. Apple recommends those running Big Sur should back up to APFS, which is free from many of the troubles which have afflicted Time Machine in the past. It’s also quicker and more efficient in its use of storage space. Unlike Time Machine backing up to HFS+ which can only copy whole files, when copying to APFS it only needs to copy those parts of large files which have changed since the last backup. To still use…

REQUIRES Luminar AI, macOS 10.13.6 or later YOU WILL LEARN How to import, adjust and share your shots with help from AI IT WILL TAKE 10 minutes LUMINAR AI IS designed to analyze a shot and suggest a collection of one–click templates that will change colors and tones to produce a particular mood or look that suits the subject. It has a collection of creative image adjusting templates that are designed to make your ordinary snaps stand out in a saturated social media feed. Perhaps you need to give your headshots a little more polish? Luminar AI will recognize a portrait and then suggest a range of suitable enhancing templates. If you import a landscape into Luminar it will analyze the differences between people, hills and skies then suggest a…

REQUIRES iOS 12 or later, SketchAR Create Art Draw Paint YOU WILL LEARN To draw using traditional media IT WILL TAKE 30+ minutes SKETCHAR USES THE power of an iPhone or iPad to guide your pencil and help you create lifelike drawings. It’s not as easy as the promo clips show, though — until you’re used to drawing with AR, it’s quite a tricky thing to master. You will need the right conditions — we placed our cartridge paper on an artist’s table easel and used our favorite drawing pencils. If you’re not comfortable using your setup without AR, it will only make using this kind of technology tougher. Drawing with AR doesn’t work for everyone, so take advantage of SketchAR’s free trial lessons before committing to the cost of…

REQUIRES Halide MarK II — Pro Camera YOU WILL LEARN How to shoot in Raw format, and sort exposure and focus IT WILL TAKE 15 minutes HALIDE MK II — Pro Camera is a camera app that has been redesigned to help you capture better photos. It features tools you’d find on high–end DSLR cameras, like histograms. These undulating graphs help you manually tweak exposure settings to ensure a shot is correctly exposed before you take it. You can also summon new zebra warnings that help you avoid capturing clipped (overexposed) highlights or under-exposed shadows. Halide also gives more control of selective focus of foreground or background subjects thanks to its new focus loupe. Or you can see which areas are in focus using the enhanced focus peaking tools. One…