Innehållsförteckning för April 2023 från Macworld

Back when Apple announced its transition from Intel processors in June 2020, it made a couple of promises that haven’t been fulfilled. Most notably, it said the transition would be completed “in about two years,” which is either four months or eight months behind schedule, depending on when you start counting. And in addition to vowing to “continue to support and release new versions of macOS for Intel-based Macs for years to come,” which it’s done, Apple also said it “has exciting new Intel-based Macs in development.” While we did get a new 27-inch iMac with 10th-generation Intel chips later that summer, suffice it to say, we haven’t seen any new Intel Macs, exciting or otherwise, since the first M1 Macs rolled out. And with just one Intel-based Mac remaining in Apple’s…

Apple’s efforts to protect a user’s data are a major selling point for customers. If your MacBook is stolen, it’s extremely difficult for the thief to bypass the laptop’s security measures and access the data as long as you’ve taken advantage of the tools at your disposal to lock down your machine. However, those same security measures can render a Mac useless in a legitimate sale on the second-hand market. A report by Vice highlights the frustrations of an independent computer repair specialist and refurbisher, John Bumstead, who tweeted about the “millions” of MacBooks that have been “condemned…to death” because of Apple’s Activation Lock. This feature associates a device with an Apple ID and is automatically turned on when you activate Find My Mac within the Apple ID settings on your Mac.…

Some free security programs appear to offer an array of features beyond just basic antivirus protection. But when you dig deep, you find that most of those extra, advanced options actually require a paid subscription. Such is the case with Avira Free Security for Mac. Free for home use, Avira Free Security starts off with antivirus protection but then lists a VPN, password manager, browser cookie cleaner, junk file cleaner, application uninstaller, startup manager, and PC performance booster. All of these features pop up in the program’s dashboard, but only a few are actually accessible in the free product. INSTALLATION The Avira Free Security for Mac installation is quick and painless. The process directs you to the specific preferences on your Mac that must receive permission for Avira to install. After…

With a little more than half a year to go until the iPhone 15 makes its debut, there isn’t much that we don’t know. Over the past week, we’ve gotten CAD renders for all four models, which show a new curved-edge design, slimmer bezels, and the long-awaited arrival of USB-C. But there’s still one unanswered question: Will the flagship 6.7-inch model be called the iPhone 15 Pro Max or the iPhone 15 Ultra? Several reports have suggested that the phone will still be a larger version of the 6.1-inch Pro phone, while other rumors suggest it will get the Apple Watch Ultra (fave.wco/3kPW1ts) treatment, with exclusive features that set it apart from the other models. After looking at the latest rumors and renders, however, it’s looking like Apple will be going…

Apple’s Visual Voicemail was heralded as a remarkable change when it appeared with the iPhone in 2007. Prior to that, carrier-managed voicemail required calling a number and navigating a menu with cellphone buttons. The interface is largely unchanged over 16 years, with the exception of Apple adding rough transcription in 2016. What if you want to free up your voicemail and not lose precious or important (or legally valuable) messages forever? You can export or record the messages you want to save. To export the voicemail, open the Phone app, select the voicemail message, and tap the Share button. Because the audio is a file, not an image or video, the options you see are file related. You can text it to yourself, use AirDrop to save it to a…

Apple’s switch to its own silicon has a lot of advantages on the Mac, but one major feature was lost in the transition from Intel processors: Boot Camp, Apple’s utility that allows Macs to natively run Windows alongside macOS. While Boot Camp is still supported in Ventura, you won’t find it on an M1 or M2 Mac. If a user wants to run Windows on one of those newer Macs, the solution is to use the Arm version of Windows through virtualization software. However, Microsoft’s licensing restrictions didn’t officially allow users to run Windows for Arm on an M-series Mac—even though technically it could be done. However, on Thursday Microsoft announced through a support document that Parallels Desktop 18 is now “authorized” to run Arm versions of Windows 11 Pro and Windows…

I find myself regularly needing to limit a search to a particular kind of file, like images or mail messages. Or I know that I have a limited number of files on my Mac of a certain kind, like those created by OmniGraffle, and I can’t remember the file name—just that I created it in OmniGraffle! You can use Spotlight in the Finder or create a smart folder for repeated uses that will fit this need. In the Finder, press Command-F to bring up a new window with the focus in the Search field. From here, you can type freeform, entering a search term such as kind:omnigraffle or kind:image statue if you’re looking for all image files in any format with statue in the title or metadata. You can refine…

iTunes Match launched in 2011 to bridge the gap between physical and digital media. If you had ripped CDs at any point in the past, you might have lower-quality versions, like 128Kbps MP3s, as you lacked storage or computational power. By 2009, Apple had begun upgrading its digital-downloads music store to 256Kbps AAC. For many of us, there was a gap. For $24.99 a year, a price unchanged for over a decade, iTunes Match let you find tracks that you had ripped or purchased in digital form via other sources, automatically match them to Apple’s high-quality library, and access them from any device. All these Apple-supplied tracks were DRM-free—not locked to Apple’s encryption system for playback. With a little effort, you could even download all your matched songs in the higher-quality version. If…

HOW TO MAKE TIME MACHINE BACK UP TWO VOLUMES HOURLY Some people want a belt and suspenders on their backup: two Time Machine volumes that are both kept up to date in the worst case of failure. Apple lets you attach multiple volumes to your Mac directly or over a network to act as Time Machine destinations. But macOS alternates each hour among attached volumes. Is there a way to have macOS back up hourly to both without manually clicking the Time Machine system menu and choosing Back Up Now? Not precisely. You can try one of two alternatives: > Use TimeMachineEditor, a free utility (donation requested) that lets you control certain aspects of Time Machine backups. You could change the frequency to every 30 minutes, so neither backup would be…

Apple’s new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M2 Pro and M2 Max processors aren’t nearly as exciting as their predecessors. They have the same display, design, and ports, and the processor is a relatively small speed bump compared to the massive leap with the 2021 redesign. But even if you spent thousands of dollars on an M1 Pro or M2 Max model, there are still a few reasons why power users might want to trade in their M1 model and upgrade. 1. YOU DO A LOT OF GRAPHICS WORK The new models Apple just released have M2 Pro and M2 Max processors that are obviously faster than their predecessors. But the real gains are on the graphics side, where the 19-core GPU in the M2 Pro boats about a 30…

The Computer History Museum held an event on January 31 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Lisa computer. The event featured interviews with members of the Lisa development team, a demo of the Lisa, and even a “one more thing” moment. The museum announced it has posted a video of the event, which can be watched on YouTube. Moderated by Katie Hafner, the 100-minute event includes interviews with Lisa software manager Bruce Daniels, engineering director Wayne Rosing, graphic artist Annette Wagner, and market development manager Dan’l Lewin. The members of the team recount their experience with the Lisa development, its release, and its short stint in the market. Also, journalist Steve Levy examines why the Lisa was a commercial failure. [Spoiler alert for this paragraph!] At the end of the video…

GLYPH BLACKBOX PRO RAID DESKTOP DRIVE The Glyph Blackbox houses a pair of enterprise-class 7,200-rpm hard drives configured as RAID 0, 1, JBOD, or SPAN. Available in capacities ranging from 8TB to 40TB, the Blackbox has two removable drive chassis for replacing a drive in the case of a failure. An option for a hub featuring front-loading CFast 2.0 and an SD (UHS-II) card reader and a 10Gb USB-A is also available. The drive comes preformatted for the Mac, so it’s ready to go out of the box. —ROMAN LOYOLA TRONSMART HALO 100 This portable speaker produces huge sound and great-sounding playback for random playlists on Spotify, streaming radio, or listening to audiobooks. It connects to an iPhone via Bluetooth, and you can connect two Halos to create a stereo…

Apple makes a big deal about how the iPhone can protect your privacy and security. But the company takes your physical safety just as seriously. Over the years, Apple has introduced a host of features meant to help you out in a dire emergency. Some you probably know or have heard about, others feel like lesser-known secrets. Here are some of your iPhone’s most important physical safety features and how to use them. They may seem optional or even annoying, but someday one of them could save your life. 1. CONTACT EMERGENCY SERVICES WITHOUT DIALING 911 Perhaps one of the simplest things your iPhone can do to keep you safe is to call emergency services. But it’s not always easy to just call 911. For those instances when you can’t…

Well, this was a surprise. Apple ditched the HomePod back in 2021, indicating breezily that it intended to focus instead on the smaller and cheaper HomePod mini. But now it’s come crawling back, professing undying affection for the full-size form factor. Or, in less dramatic terms, Apple has launched a 2nd-gen HomePod, and everyone is wondering what’s changed, and why the company thinks this time will be more successful. In our in-depth review of the 2023 HomePod, we intend to find out. PODCAST: SOUNDING OFF ABOUT THE NEW HOMEPOD Listen now DESIGN AND BUILD QUALITY: MUCH THE SAME, IN A GOOD WAY The HomePod 2 is a handsome speaker. It’s a neat, chunky, but relatively compact cylinder with the edges smoothed off at the top and bottom. As with the very first iPad,…

Apple has long offered a laptop option when you want to use just an external display in mirrored mode and not view the internal monitor. You can close the clamshell lid, and your separate screen continues to work. But what if you want to have external devices active and don’t need a display? One reader, for instance, wants to keep a webcam active but close their laptop’s lid. Apple doesn’t provide a “headless’ option, and I can’t find third-party software designed for consumer models. It might be undoable. You can keep the lid opened a little bit and set it so that its display dims after a short period: > In Monterey or earlier, go to System Preferences → Battery, and in the Power Adapter view, check “Prevent your Mac…

The Sennheiser HD 660S2 is a polarizing headphone. It’s less of an upgrade to the HD 660S than a completely different approach to the listening experience compared to any other product in the company’s vaunted 6XX line. And I dig it. An open-back headphone has a specific use case, because sound will inevitably leak into your listening environment during playback. That’s by design, as that openness creates a wider soundstage for the listener. That also means they’re not good for use in an office, on public transport, or next to your partner in bed. These are for solo listening only. The HD 660S2 has divided the audiophile headphone community, mostly because reviewers and message board commenters seem shocked by Sennheiser’s introduction of a completely new sound profile to its line.…

Streaming video gives you the world of television and video at your fingerprints on an iPhone or iPad in an age of unlimited internet download bandwidth (although many ISPs and wireless providers have their own definition of unlimited.) Often overlooked, however, is how many streaming services have added offline options for low-bandwidth and no-bandwidth periods—including Apple TV+. As someone who recently spent about 40 hours on airplanes and 30 hours on trains across one business trip and one vacation, let me extol the virtue of not having to rely on in-flight or in-transit data options, even when they prove surprisingly good. Big tip to those with Wi-Fi available on flights and not paying for data, just using a free or cheap option for text messages: When you’re connected to Wi-Fi,…

A wise green puppet once contended that “size matters not.” Obviously, he never had to contend with navigating Apple’s product lineups. Recent reports suggest that the Cupertino, Calif.–based company might soon be releasing a MacBook Air with a larger 15-inch screen. Strategically, that makes a lot of sense: The MacBook Air is Apple’s best-selling Mac, and for it to only be available in a single size is a missed opportunity. Yes, there are upsell opportunities for those who want a larger display above all else, but given that it currently entails a jump all the way from $1,200 to $2,000, many customers won’t take the leap—especially if they don’t need the power or performance of a MacBook Pro. Screen size has proven to be a key differentiator in many of Apple’s…

Keychron has made a name for itself by producing high-quality mechanical keyboards, but more recently it has branched out into other accessories, including the wired M1 mouse. Now Keychron has a new wireless mouse, the M3, a nice addition to the company’s lineup and a high-performing alternative to Apple’s Magic Mouse. The M3 was made with PC gaming in mind, but it can be used on a Mac without any major operational issues. Compared to the Magic Mouse, the M3 has a utilitarian design in white or black that looks a lot like many other third-party computer mice. I do find the M3’s higher profile more comfortable in my hand than the Magic Mouse, but if you favor the latter’s design aesthetic, you probably won’t like the M3. Since it’s…

If you own an iPad and an iPhone, this has happened to you at some point, maybe even all the time: You find yourself using functions and features specific to your tablet, and then you switch to the iPhone and find that you can’t do those things anymore. If you could, everyday tasks would be easier and more efficient. Apple brought even more new productivity tools to its tablet in iPadOS 16 that would be great to have in our pockets. Here’s our wish list of iPad features we’d like to see on the iPhone one day (soon, we hope). 1. APPLE PENCIL It’s been seven years since iPad users got the gift of the nifty invention known as the Apple Pencil, and you still can’t use it on an…

We’ve all seen the Google Pixel ad where Giannis Antetokounmpo removes a “glizzy” from his selfie with Simu Liu just by circling the unwanted photobomber with his finger. Now even iPhone users will be able to use the feature to clean up their photos—as long as they pay for Google One. As part of the latest benefits to its storage plan, Google has added “Extra Google Photos editing features,” including Portrait Light, Portrait Blur, and Magic Eraser. The features are rolling out to all subscribers beginning this week and may not be available on your phone yet. To try out the new features, open Google Photos, then select a photo. Tap the edit button that looks like a series of sliders. If Magic Eraser is available, it will appear under the…

Everyone wants their iPhone battery to last longer. The good news is, Apple has been steadily improving battery life, and an iPhone made within the last couple of years has some of the best battery life of any mobile phone. The bad news is, it seems like that’s never enough, and your battery life gets shorter as your iPhone ages. There are a million ways to save battery life on your iPhone. Nearly every feature uses some energy, and you could spend all day in Settings turning things off to squeeze out a few more minutes. But a lot of the iPhone battery-saving tips from yesteryear just don’t apply anymore. The efficiency of many different features and functions have gotten good enough that turning them off has an almost negligible impact…

Apple stores passwords and other secrets in a keychain on your device—but is it the Keychain? The difference confuses some readers. Generally, it works like this: macOS: The operating system maintains multiple keychains, which you can view via Applications → Utilities → Keychain Access. This tool can manage some low-level encryption details, like certificates, and will show at least a System and login (lowercase) keychain. Your login keychain contains the items used for your account, which include Wi-Fi network passwords, network volume passwords, website passwords, and many other things. iOS and iPadOS: Keychain management is hidden. iOS and iPadOS reveal passwords for websites and certain apps in Settings → Passwords. The fact that the password is for an app is opaque as Apple lists passwords by website address. Apps use…

The Philips TAA6606 bone conduction Bluetooth sports headphone make it easy to listen to music while you’re running or engaging in other types of exercise, but audio performance takes a backseat to two other goals: Ensuring a secure but comfortable fit even while you’re moving around, and maintaining situational awareness while you’re outdoors. Unlike conventional on-ear, over-ear, or in-ear headphones, you wear the Philips TAA6606 like a laurel around the back of your head, wrapping hooks over the tops of your ears. Rather than positioning speakers outside or inside your ear canal, a bone conduction headphone such as this rests its speakers in front of each ear and transmits sound through the bones in your skull. This design leaves your ears completely unimpeded from hearing sounds in your environment, which…

When is an MP3 not an MP3? When it’s a PDF. This isn’t the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, but a sort of question posed by Apple’s Music app in macOS. One reader and some other people in forums have encountered a seemingly rare issue in which the file types used for music and music video files become corrupted in the Music app’s library database. Instead of appearing as MP3, AAC, or other formats, they appear as PDF or even stranger file types. Despite that oddity, Music will continue to play the files just fine. But when you try to export the file and use it elsewhere, it shows up as an invalid format. Is there a way to fix this? Yes, but it’s a slight pain. Apple doesn’t…