Macworld June 2023

Rumors picked up again recently that a new 15-inch MacBook Air will be Apple’s next major Mac release, possibly at the Worldwide Developers conference, according to Mark Gurman’s latest report. But whether we get it before, during, or after WWDC, this much is true: It will instantly become Apple’s perfect laptop. That may seem like a stretch, but hear me out. Assuming the rumors and our own assumptions are true, the 15-inch MacBook Air will be the ideal laptop for nearly every user, with its combination of size, processing power, and value. The MacBook Air is already Apple’s most popular laptop, and a 15-inch model would be the jewel of the lineup. Here’s why. THE RIGHT SIZE Apple offers MacBooks in four different sizes: 13.3 inches (13-inch MacBook Pro), 13.6 inches…

I love speaking at user group meetings. There aren’t as many Apple user groups out there as there used to be, and these days the meetings are mostly over Zoom, but as someone who mostly speaks with developers, PR people, and media types, it’s refreshing to speak to people who are much more purely enthusiastic about Apple and its platforms. User groups also tend to do a good job of exposing the concerns and pain points of Apple customers who aren’t doing this for a living. It’s a great perspective shift. Last month, I spoke to a group that made it pretty clear what Apple is doing that is making them unhappy. The particular complaints that floated to the top were, I think, instructive about where Apple needs to make changes…

It’s been more than a decade since Steve Jobs passed away, but his influence is still felt in everything Apple does. Now a new free ebook charts his life and legacy through speeches, interviews, and neverbefore-seen photos of Steve’s remarkable life. The new digital handbook, “Make Something Wonderful,” is divided into three eras: 1976–85 (Apple’s founding and the launch of the original Macintosh), 1985–96 (the creation of NeXT), and 1996–2011 (the return to Apple and creation of some of the world’s most iconic products, including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad). The book includes an introduction by his widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, and was edited by “Troublemakers” author Leslie Berlin. In the acknowledgments, it says the book is designed by Jony Ive’s firm, LoveFrom. Each of the three parts begins…

For a long time, Mac users have been able to watch from afar as Windows users had to deal with increasing ransomware attacks. But according to new evidence, there may come a time in the not-so-distant future when Mac users won’t be so immune. According to security research (via Wired), hackers are putting more effort into creating macOS versions of the malware attacks that are already prevalent on Windows. MalwareHunterTeam has found that a collective known as LockBit is working on ransomware encryptors that work on both Macs using Apple M-series chips and Intel processors. The findings indicate that LockBit is in the early stages of development and may not have ransomware that’s completely ready to be unleashed. But the collective is working toward that end. “It would be naive to assume…

The other day my son needed a ride and before hopping in the car, I did a pocket check. Sure enough, I forgot something. “I gotta get my wallet,” I said to my son. When I got into the car 30 seconds later, he asked me, “You carry a wallet?” Bemused, I replied, “Uh, yeah. I need to carry my driver’s license so I can drive you to work. Plus, I have my work security card, my ATM card, cash, and some other things.” My son snickered. “You use an ATM card. And cash. You’re funny.” Generational differences aside, a physical wallet is a handy thing to have. They’re like the folders in the Mac user interface, a place to organize the stuff you need. That seems to be what…

Window sizing and placement are two of the least-evolved parts of macOS. There’s a joy to familiarity, and whenever Apple makes a change, many people roll their eyes and grit their teeth about learning something new after acquiring many years—decades even—of motor memory. However, managing the size and position of windows is something Apple has neglected because its current implementation is just good enough. (If you hover over the green resize dot on any window, you’ll see a drop-down menu that shows the extent of Apple’s commitment.) If you want more efficiency, control, and speed in managing windows across one or more displays, Apple’s lack of interest has left room for Lasso, a single-minded utility designed to let you use a grid to move and resize windows quickly. Use Lasso…