Innehållsförteckning för May 2025 från Macworld UK

Apple has announced the dates of this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference get-together. As expected, the event will run from June 9 to 13, 2025. As in prior years, this year’s WWDC will be a hybrid event. The entire five-day program will be available online, but there will also be an in-person gathering at Apple Park on June 9. Attendees will watch the keynote, take part in activities, and get a chance to speak one-on-one with Apple experts. “We’re excited to mark another incredible year of WWDC with our global developer community,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “We can’t wait to share the latest tools and technologies that will empower developers and help them continue to innovate.” WWDC (fave.co/3zmnbvC) is the second-biggest event in Apple’s calendar…

As part of the M4 MacBook Air announcement (fave.co/3RmZbkR) on Wednesday, Apple also revealed a brand new MacBook color: Sky Blue. But it comes with a price: Gone is the MacBook Air’s longstanding Space Gray option, which means that Apple no longer offers any new Mac in Space Gray. Space Gray made its debut on the iPhone 5s in 2013 (which we referred to as “something called ‘space gray’” when it was introduced, fave.co/3RoCoFi). The first Space Gray Mac was the 12-inch MacBook in 2015 (fave.co/3WCW4qK), which we described as a “serious and sophisticated finish”—we also erroneously wrote it as “grey” and not “gray” as Apple puts it. While Space Gray had only one name during its tenure, it took on different shades over the years. Sometimes it was lighter…

Adding more screen space by connecting two or more external monitors to your MacBook, Mac mini, or Mac Studio can enhance your productivity by allowing you to have multiple applications, documents or websites open side by side and therefore more accessible. With more screen space, it’s easier to switch between tasks without cluttering your screen or desk-based workspace. But two monitors take up physical desk space and require multiple video ports—often meaning you need to use a MacBook docking station (fave.co/3h1wVoY). Instead of having two monitors, why not choose one large display? To recreate the breadth of two monitors side by side, a widescreen display makes the most sense. One wide monitor rather than two monitors is also a more ergonomic design, with the broader field of view potentially reducing…

WATERFIELD DESIGN SHINJUKU BACKPACK sfbags.com The newest edition to the company’s Shinjuku Collection that is inspired by the world’s busiest transit hub, located in Tokyo. It is big enough to hold a 16-inch MacBook Pro and features multiple compartments for organization. Available in X-Pac Canvas with a waterproof laminate or waxed canvas. —ROMAN LOYOLA MOBILE PIXELS TETRA KEYBOARD mobilepixels.us This three-piece keyboard attaches magnetically and can be separated so you can position each part for comfort. The keyboard features scissor-switch keys, 1.3mm travel, backlighting, and Bluetooth connectivity. The 8-inch 1280×800 USB-C display can be used as a secondary monitor, or you can use the Tetra Board App and set it up as a control dashboard. —ROMAN LOYOLA PLUGABLE THUNDERBOLT 5 CABLE plugable.com Apple’s high-end Mac features Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, but…

While working on my iPhone 16e review (see page 82), I came across something strange. Let me explain. I posted a grumpy article (fave.co/4iOsI3d) Monday citing the lack of MagSafe support as the single most annoying thing about Apple’s new iPhone 16e. Having lived through and reviewed large segments of four consecutive iPhone generations with MagSafe support, I’m not relishing the prospect of going back to wireless charging dependent on absolute accuracy in placement. But then I took my iPhone 16e out of its case to get some photos with my old MagSafe charging puck (fave.co/3DKMFJ1) for illustrative purposes (showing that it can charge from such accessories, but won’t have that handy magnetic attachment) and I made a surprising discovery: The magnets inside the charger do attach to the iPhone…

With an edge length of less than 10cm and a height of 8cm, the Zens Nightstand Charger 2 looks small on the bedside table. To prevent it from getting accidentally pushed to the side, it has a rubber coating on the underside and, thanks to its zinc alloy materials, weighs a hefty and stable 326 grams. The 15W MagSafe-compatible Qi2 charging pad can be folded out to activate the iPhone’s standby mode. A charging slot for the Apple Watch is hidden behind the iPhone charging pad. If you need it, simply fold it up. Thanks to Qi2 with 15W, the charging speed is fast. After 30 minutes, we measured 30 percent for the iPhone 15 and 60 percent for the Apple Watch 7. A 20W power adapter is included with…

While the MacBook Air is Apple’s most popular laptop, it’s not the first in line to get Apple’s latest M-series chip. That honor goes to Apple’s most powerful laptop, the MacBook Pro, which was updated with the M4 chip (http://fave.co/}3XFlqX4) last October. The MacBook Air traditionally gets the chip update a few months afterward—and right on schedule, the Air’s time has come for its M4 update. The MacBook Air is a great laptop with an M4 or even with the older M3 chip. But even with the four major changes in the M4 MacBook Air, only one of them is a compelling reason to ditch an M3 MacBook Air that you recently bought (fave.co/46MJcDT). And if you’re still relying on an Intel-based MacBook Air, the M4 MacBook Air is an…

Apple’s upgraded Passwords (fave.co/3DM5z2c) app in iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15 may be motivation for you to consolidate passwords you’re managing elsewhere. If you ever use Chrome or have a Google account, it’s very likely you have password management set up alongside your Google Account. Fortunately, it’s easy to migrate them into Apple’s system. A Mac is required, as Passwords for iOS and iPadOS doesn’t offer an import option. Here’s how to proceed: 1. Open Chrome. 2. Go to fave.co/4lf7kpq. 3. Click the Gear icon at top to the right of the label Password Manager. 4. Click the Export button to the right of Export Passwords. 5. Confirm your choice by clicking Export. This will create a file that’s downloaded with the plain text of all your passwords.…

The compact Ugreen NASync DXP480T Plus (fave.co/43zJQF8) network-attached storage device is built practically. This starts with the fast 10-gigabit ethernet port, which is particularly useful for large amounts of data such as videos and images. The processor is a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with 10 cores and 12 threads. The 8GB or RAM can be expanded to a maximum of 64GB with DDR5 modules. 128GB of storage is standard, and it has four M.2 NVMe slots so you can upgrade it with your own NVMe cards to a maximum storage capacity of 32TB. The small NAS also has a lot to offer in terms of interfaces, which is rarely found in a network storage device. For example, it has two Thunderbolt 4 ports for fast drives. This allows the…

Apple announced in March that the USB-C–equipped AirPods Max would soon get an update that was inexplicably left off the USB-C model, allowing users to play lossless audio and ultra-low-latency audio through a wired connection. After an initial hiccup due to an iOS bug, the new feature is now available in a firmware update with the release of iOS 18.4 (fave.co/4iQ65LR), iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4. To use the 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio and ultra-low-latency audio, the headphones must be connected to the audio source through a USB-C cable. When Apple updated the AirPods Max with USB-C (fave.co/4epXFso) last September, the new USB-C port was enabled only for charging. The Lightning-equipped AirPods Max are not included in the feature update. The new lossless audio support can be used…

CAN’T GET iPHONE MIRRORING TO WORK? HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO The iPhone Mirroring feature appeared with macOS Sequoia (fave.co/4eBdXyb) and lets you screen-share your iPhone on a Mac in a way that’s never existed before. It’s like running a virtual version of your iPhone right there on the Desktop. However, you may encounter problems getting iPhone Mirroring to work because of its many requirements and settings. Check the requirements To use iPhone Mirroring, you need iOS 18 installed on your iPhone as well as Sequoia on your Mac. The Mac must be an Apple silicon model (M-series processor) or a later-generation Intel Mac with a T2 Security Chip. Fortunately, few Intel models that lack that chip can even run Sequoia, so you’re unlikely to come across that scenario. You…

Spring is the time of somewhat odd Apple announcements. We all know that we’ll see the revisions to all of the company’s software platforms in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference, and that new iPhones and Apple Watches arrive in September. But spring? Anything can happen! The field’s wide open. If this year’s spring announcements have a theme, it could be summarized as “everything old is new again.” From the iPhone 16e’s iPhone 14–like design (fave.co/4c7vaiI) to the amazing staying power of the M3 line, Apple once again showed us how it loves to recycle (fave.co/4c44jnw). But the unveiling of the latest MacBook Air, Mac Studio, iPad Air, and base-level iPad demonstrated something else as well: Apple’s commitment to delivering legitimately good entry-level devices to welcome as many people as…

Streaming services have become the most popular way to watch movies and TV on a Mac. But rising prices and the number of services now available can make it hard to afford all the subscriptions required to deliver the content you want to watch. That means it’s tempting when you come across websites like MyFlixer, which offers loads of AAA titles at no cost. Of course, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and you should always be deeply suspicious of sites that contain free versions of premium content. MyFlixer has already been banned or blocked in several countries, but mirror sites reappear quickly, making it hard to stop people accessing the portal. It’s not just the fact that the content is provides is very likely pirated, but more…

The latest game in the long-running Civilization series brings some big changes to the format that was established in previous games. Veteran Civ players may feel this new approach is dumbing the game down somewhat, although others may argue that it’s a good way of making the game more accessible for newcomers. Like all previous Civ games, Civilization VII allows you to choose a leader and a civilization that you control and develop throughout the ages, with the aim of either conquering rival civilizations or using soft power to emerge as a world leader through economic, scientific, or cultural dominance. But in Civilization VII, your leader and your society are now entirely separate, allowing you to mix and match leaders and countries in all sorts of historically inaccurate ways. A…

Remember the iPhone 16 ad where Bella Ramsey asked her phone to remind her of the name of the person she had a meeting with a few months ago? You probably won’t be able to do that until the iPhone 17. Apple confirmed (via Daring Fireball; fave.co/428lHD0) that the new personalized Siri that was originally expected to arrive in iOS 18.4, then pushed back to iOS 18.5 (fave.co/43Z2Ywk), now won’t arrive until sometime in the coming year. With Worldwide Developers Conference around the corner, it seems likely the revamped Siri will be delayed until the iOS 19 cycle, and will probably appear in a 2026 update. The main features being delayed, according to Apple’s statement, are onscreen awareness, personal context, and app intents, three of the most anticipated Apple Intelligence…

Apple followed up on its promise to release new products in early spring (fave.co/4l8xYQK) by unveiling the new iPad Air (fave.co/4j18x1E) less than 10 months after last year’s model. It has a new M3 chip and—well, that’s it. The colors are the same, the screen is the same, the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are the same, the cameras are the same, even the wallpaper is the same. You get a very slightly faster chip for the same prices as the M2: $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model. The only other difference in the spec sheet has to do with the eSIM, which now “supports advanced eSIM technology for more convenience and security.” Otherwise, they’re identical. Apple says the new M3 chip will deliver a 20 percent…

The ESR Qi2 MagSlim Kickstand Power Bank uses fast 15W magnetic wireless charging—the same speed you find with Apple’s MagSafe. It also has a USB-C port that can simultaneously charge another device with a maximum of 27W and is used to charge the power bank itself. The charging performance meets expectations for a modern wireless power bank. An iPhone 15 is charged to 50 percent within 30 minutes using USB-C and 32 percent via the Qi2 charging pad. The 11-inch iPad Pro and MacBook Air M3 both charged to 36 percent using a USB-C cable, in line with expectations. The fold-out stand offers an adjustable angle of 45 to 70 degrees. A stand is always handy if you want to charge your iPhone at the same time as using it…

The iPhone SE is gone and its replacement is here. Or is it? Apple’s newest, cheapest smartphone isn’t actually all that cheap and differs from the SE in some major ways. More of a replacement for the iPhone 14, then? Maybe. Kind of. It’s complicated. I spent a few weeks with the iPhone 16e, putting the device through our exhaustive testing process and weighing its place in the Apple range and your life. Is this the budget (ish) smartphone for you? Let’s find out. DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY: A SMART BALANCE This is a slim, lightweight, good-looking phone with a classic design that has stood the test of time. It feels great in the hand, and the camera module on the rear is far less obtrusive than those on costlier…

Mullvad is so keen to not store users’ personal information, it doesn’t offer new recurring plans anymore. That’s the kind of privacy-first mindset you can expect, and while you may think that sounds like overkill, your account information is tied to a single account number. That means you can log into your account without having to hand over an email or password, and payments are handled monthly at that flat €5 per month rolling deal (so the only price change will be dependent on the exchange rate at that time). You can even buy prepaid cards if you don’t want to log payment information, which makes Mullvad the ideal VPN service for anyone looking to leave a minimal digital footprint. For that lower price, you may be wondering what kind…

While we have no clue what the heck is going on with Siri (fave.co/4lcB71K), we now know one thing: The hit Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso will have a fourth season. However, Apple’s announcement (fave.co/42cvUi2) does not state when the new season will arrive. “As we all continue to live in a world where so many factors have conditioned us to ‘look before we leap,’” said Jason Sudeikis, the show’s executive producer, who also plays the titular character, in a press release. “In season four, the folks at AFC Richmond learn to LEAP BEFORE THEY LOOK, discovering that wherever they land, it’s exactly where they’re meant to be.” Sudeikis appeared on the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast to announce season four, stating that “they’re writing season four now” and that…

Master & Dynamic makes some great wireless headphones and earbuds, including the excellent—but rather expensive—over-ear MW75 (included in our round up of over-ear headphones, fave.co/3Prhvtf) which includes both wired and wireless options. However, it recently released the new ME05 earbuds, which are completely wired and quite a bit more affordable than the MW75. Somewhat oddly, the price varies depending on where you’re based. In the U.S., the ME05 is available in four different colors, which all have the same price at $199. Prices vary in the U.K. and other regions, starting at £169 for the gunmetal (gray) and palladium (silver) models, while the gold and white models cost £196. That’s still relatively expensive for a set of wired earbuds, but M&D’s classy design shines through, as well as providing excellent…

On Wednesday, February 19, Apple launched a completely new iPhone SE. However, unlike a fall iPhone launch, which takes place at a special media event and is therefore flagged a week in advance by a clue-filled invite, Tim Cook’s teaser on X (fave.co/3FJJYrC) wasn’t for an event. Rather, the new iPhone SE followed the less glamorous route of an emailed press release that went out sometime that Wednesday morning. It’s a similar route Apple chose for last October’s Mac announcements. We expected an event, but instead we got three days of press releases. Press release announcements may let Apple retain the element of surprise (and save money on video production and acting coaches), but they lack a certain something when it comes to excitement. I complained (fave.co/3XAHIch) recently about the…

For creative professionals, the standard keyboard and mouse and trackpad configuration isn’t a model that promotes efficiency. The need to frequently access options and to fine-tune settings in creative pro software means these input devices aren’t ideal. What works are knob controllers and keypads that allow for precise control and quick access, like Logitech’s MX Creative Console ($199 from fave.co/4hSj1PX). The MX Creative Console consists of two parts plus configuration software. The most striking part is the dialpad with a large rotary knob, four buttons, and a roller. Depending on the application, the dial can be used to set volume or adjust exposure. The roller can be used to scroll through documents. For a quick start, the setup wizard already configures the buttons for some programs and the Finder. These…

Got Bag specializes in recycling plastic from the sea and using it primarily for its nylon yarn. In addition, the inner material of its bags, such as the Pro Pack, is made from recycled polyester and the zippers are made from recycled nylon. This is supported by the Clean-Up program in Indonesia, which collects Ocean Impact Plastic from the sea and coastal areas in order to actively contribute to the reduction of plastic pollution. The design of the Pro Pack follows the maxim: square, practical, good. With a volume of 25 liters and compact dimensions of 18.5×12.2×6.3 inches (47×31×16 centimeters), it complies with IATA guidelines and is therefore perfect as hand luggage for air travel. The storage space is easily accessible from the top via a large lid. Inside there…

Almost hidden within the announcement of the iPhone 16e (fave.co/42ldRHt), Apple dropped something of a bombshell: It is producing its own 5G modems now. This has of course been rumored for a long time, and it has frankly taken longer than expected: Apple bought Intel’s modem division in 2019 (fave.co/3gpvi0M) for its patents and engineers, with the intent of producing its own cellular modems instead of purchasing them from the likes of Qualcomm. There was a time (fave.co/3QSgCty), in fact, when we weren’t even sure it would ever be released, but now that Apple’s first cellular modem is here, what do we know about it? What don’t we know? How is this going to shape the future of the iPhone and other Apple products? Here’s everything we’ve learned about the…

When Apple released Messages with RCS support in iOS 18 (fave.co/3YmJSvA) last year, it was missing a key security feature: end-to-end encryption. At the time, Apple said it would wait until encryption was part of the RCS Universal Profile before bringing it to Messages. That day has arrived. The GSM Association announced in March that the new GSM specifications for RCS will include end-to-end encryption (E2EE) based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. In a press release (fave.co/41MO4b8), the GSM Association said the new specifications will provide users with “the highest level of privacy and security” for protection from scams, fraud, and other threats. These procedures ensure that messages and other content such as files remain confidential and secure as they travel between clients. RCS will be the first…

Apple’s AirTag (fave.co/3bvoCMd) has proved an invaluable tool in tracking down baggage lost or delayed by airlines, misplaced items you’ve left behind, or stuff stolen from you, whether a bag containing a camera or your car or bike. Its biggest failing? The CR2032 lithium coin battery required to power it lasts about 6 to 12 months. (Apple claims it can last over a year [fave.co/3LmnoDJ], but I and many others see a more typical shorter life using brand-name batteries.) Some companies offer Find My network compatible items certified by Apple that have nonreplaceable batteries with longer lives, like the 2-year warrantied promise of the Chipolo Card Spot (fave.co/42mRyRM; review, fave.co/3X5FazN), after which they offer a discounted replacement. Others, like Pebblebee with its Card Universal (fave.co/4lb66LG, Apple or Google network support;…

With all the marketing Apple does around privacy, and all the talk lately of government surveillance (fave.co/4hRdQ2v) around the globe, you would hope that the data for all your Apple cloud services is locked down tight. You may be surprised that a lot of it, depending on the settings you choose, is not nearly as secure as you may think. Here, we’ll spell out the difference between Apple’s two different encryption methods, discuss the Advanced Data Protection mode, and let you know which services are encrypted in which ways. ALL ENCRYPTION IS NOT THE SAME Apple employs two different forms of encryption for iCloud services. The most basic type is what the company calls “In Transit & On Server” encryption. The other, more secure method is end-to-end encryption. In Transit…

While there’s no shortage of good backup utilities for the Mac, sometimes the promise of a product is greater than what’s actually delivered. Case in point: Acronis True Image for Mac, which functions as both a customizable backup utility as well as an antiviral and anti-malware piece of software. You can also make backups to the cloud. True Image (fave.co/4hWmq0e), which requires macOS 11 (El Capitan) or later to install and run, is available as a 30-day free trial without having to enter your credit or debit card, and retails for $49.99/£42.99 per year for one computer with local backup and anti-ransomware under the Essentials package, $72.99/£62.99 for one year for one computer with 250GB of Acronis cloud storage under the Advanced package (there are also options for 50GB and…

Apple has released Someday, a short film directed by Spike Jonze (fave.co/42hzAiB) that promotes the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation (fave.co/3YBXgNR). In the film, Pedro Pascal (fave.co/3FNvzup) stars as the main character who has his heart broken, but the magical effects of the AirPods 4 Active Noise Cancellation brighten his gloomy day. The video features two songs, “Conticinio” (fave.co/426LU52) by Guitarricadelafuente, and “Perfect” (fave.co/4hSU9Yb) by Sam i and Tropkillaz (featuring Bia and MC Pikachu). It also features some funky dance moves by Pascal, which should alleviate any concerns that comic book fans have about his being agile enough to play Mr. Fantastic (fave.co/4civwmG) in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. You can watch Someday here: fave.co/3DQcMyd. Jonze has collaborated with Apple before, having done the Welcome Home short film (fave.co/3RvTeSI)…

It’s easier than ever to carry streaming accounts with us as we travel for work or pleasure. Many hotel rooms, Airbnbs, and other properties have smart TVs or set-top boxes from Roku and others that let us log in to Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, and other services. Some of these devices are configured so that after you check out, the configuration is refreshed, and any account information is removed. But not all—especially not in the informal world of Airbnb, VRBO, and other rental arrangements. On a recent trip, I realized when I was hundreds of miles away that I had a mental note to log out of streaming TV services…and that note was absolutely still unchecked. Fortunately, streaming services track your authorized, connected devices and have a variety of pathways…