Hands-on: HyperDrive Next enclosure for Mac offers 80Gbps speeds for SSDs, more
Internal Mac storage upgrades are expensive, often causing users to resort to external media when possible. That also has its own problems of sometimes compromising on speed or reliability. HyperDrive Next aims to bridge that gap, by bringing incredible performance to external drives for your Mac. more…

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AMD or Nvidia eGPUs can work on Apple Silicon Macs, but not for graphic acceleration
Apple has signed a driver for AMD or Nvidia eGPUs connected to Apple Silicon but there are some big caveats, and it won't improve your graphics. Here's what they're for.An earlier time when you could use eGPUs with MacsWhen Apple announced the use of eGPUs with AMD Radeon cards in 2016, we were pretty excited. Full support shipped in early 2017 and for a few short years, Thunderbolt provided an excellent graphics-accelerating one-cable dock to our MacBook Pros.But even then, Apple has stubbornly prevented modern Nvidia GPUs from working with Macs. And, with the change to Apple Silicon, Apple effectively killed off any real use of an externally usable Nvidia GPU with its Mac lineup. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple debuts 50th anniversary exhibit at Apple Park with iconic products and photography
This story is part of 9to5Mac’s series celebrating Apple’s 50th anniversary. Apple often likes to say that it isn’t a nostalgic company, but they’ve gone all out to celebrate their 50th birthday. The company recently opened an exhibition on campus displaying some of their most iconic products from over the years alongside photographs of memorable moments. There’s even a large screen that plays iconic ads and keynote moments like the 1984 commercial and the opening of the Steve Jobs theater. Thanks to Meriam Al Sultan on X, we all can get a look at the exhibit. more…

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Apple’s latest acquisition is telling sign of where the company is headed
Last month, Apple acquired a popular Final Cut Pro plugin maker: MotionVFX. It isn’t clear what this acquisition will turn into, but based on the fact that it quickly followed the launch of Apple Creator Studio, it’s highly plausible that Apple will integrate its templates, effects, and other offerings as a perk of Apple Creator Studio. While that on its own is interesting, I think the implication behind it is far more worth talking about. more…

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How NASA approved the iPhone 17 Pro Max for the Artemis II space mission
Early images of the Artemis II launch showed an iPhone floating inside the spacecraft. Here's how Apple's smartphone got approved for spaceflight.iPhone 17 Pro Max is now in space following NASA's approval processNASA is very strict when it comes to what items are flown into space with astronauts. With the Artemis II trip around the Moon, it's marking the first time the agency is allowing the crew to carry iPhones in space.This is a big deal, as NASA has strict rules about what actually goes into space, and thorough testing to match. On Friday, the New York Times reported on what the iPhone 17 Pro Max had to go through to be allowed in the cabin. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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These are my favorite MacBook Neo accessories after one month
I’ve had the MacBook Neo for a month, and it’s been an absolute pleasure to use. The Neo has been one of the more exciting new Apple products in a while. It gives you insane value, amazing build quality, and great performance, especially for the price. But to get the price down to $599, Apple had to make some compromises. To elevate my experience a bit, I added a few budget-friendly accessories that I think anyone can add to their MacBook Neo setup! more…

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Elgato Stream Deck+ review: completely unnecessary but totally compelling
First, you can't see why you'd ever want a Stream Deck for your Mac, then you try one, and you will never give it back. Out of all the different models, though, the Stream Deck+ is best, and here's why.Get a Stream Deck+ and you'll never use a Mac without one againEvery Stream Deck is a Mac accessory that provides buttons to launch apps, perform entire sequences of tasks, or turn on your smart lights. You connect it through a USB-A or USB-C cable, and the difference in the models is chiefly in how many buttons you get and whether you also have dials.Get any of them. I've just set up a button that switches audio between my Mac and my headphones. I have one that opens all the folders for the books I'm writing. Another launches every app I need for AppleInsider, and positions them on the screen where I want. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Limited-time Apple Card sign up bonus offers users boosted 5% cash back on groceries
Now through April 13th, new Apple Card users can receive a boosted 5% cash back on groceries for their first 6 months of card membership. This is considerably higher value than the typical 1-2% cash back you’d receive on groceries. more…

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Don’t dread your next meeting
Turn your meetings into clean notes, summaries, and action items automatically with MeetScribe—lifetime access for just $67. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Today in Apple history: Apple frenemy Microsoft is born 51 years ago
On April 4, 1975, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft, a software company destined to become a tech behemoth (and key Apple frenemy). (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Here’s how NASA cleared the iPhone 17 Pro Max for astronauts on Artemis II
Earlier this year, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed that astronauts on the Artemis II mission would be allowed to ”fly with the latest smartphones.” Now, The New York Times has reported what it took to make that happen. more…

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UK hospital uses Apple Vision Pro to help patients visualize surgeries
The Apple Vision Pro is being used to help patients in a UK hospital visualize upcoming surgeries, expanding the headset's use in medicine.A patient view from the Apple Vision Pro in a pre-surgery consultation - Image credit: Chelsea and Westminster HospitalOne of the problems with medical procedures is explaining what needs to be done to the patients, in a clear and understandable manner. To help some patients suspected of having endometriosis, the Apple Vision Pro is coming into play.An app developed by Medical iSight is being used in the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK, in preparation for surgery, reports BBC News. Patients wear an Apple Vision Pro, and are shown an AR model in pre-surgical consultations. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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AirPods Max 2 are gorgeous, dreamy headphones — for now [Review] ★★★★☆
You don’t need to be a big audiophile to love AirPods Max 2. But you must be a little bold to buy them yourself. An AirPods Max 2 review. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple @ Work: PocketMDM puts Apple device management in your pocket
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage, and protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. My use of my iPhone has somewhat evolved over the years. I used to want to replicate everything that my Mac could do on my iPhone, but over time, I’ve looked to my Mac as the workhorse and my iPhone as a “cloud remote” to quickly do things on the go that take minimal effort and thought processing. Apple device management is one of those things. I don’t want to manage my entire database on my iPhone. I do, however, want to do a few things. That is where tools like PocketMDM come into play. more…

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KTC 27-inch 5K2K Dual Mode Monitor review: 5K at 60Hz on a budget
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Great-value 5K display Fine color accuracy and tone 2K at 120Hz mode for gamers Cons Not for high-end color professionals Basic stand Our Verdict Offering a high-quality, sharp screen without any bells and whistles, the well-made KTC 5K2K isn’t the very cheapest 5K monitor on the market but it does offer more-than-decent P3 color accuracy and tone on a budget. Its dual-resolution option that turns it from 5K/60Hz to 2K/120Hz will appeal to gamers who want one well-balanced screen for mid-range color work and another for gaming. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$669.99 Best Prices Today: KTC 27-inch 5K2K Monitor Retailer Price $549.99 View Deal KTC $669.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Not many people can afford Apple’s 5K Studio Display at $1,599 plus another $400 for a decent stand. That leaves the market open for others to tempt Mac users with more affordable 5K displays. You can downgrade to a 27-inch 4K display, where our recommended monitor is the BenQ MA270S for a significantly more affordable $529—at the time of writing just $499 at Amazon—not a great deal more than the Apple’s height-adjustable stand. Step up to BenQ’s MA270S for the full 27-inch 5K experience for $999. KTC’s curiously named 5K2K Monitor (or KTC H27P3 to its friends) offers a 27-inch 5K display for $669—and at the time of writing just $499, the same price as the BenQ 4K monitor. We had to try it out to see if that sort of money gets you a 5K you will be proud of. Design and stand The KTC 5K2K Monitor is not an Apple aesthetic lookalike in the vein of the Apple Studio Display but it’s a handsome display that’s nowhere near as plasticky as some cheaper monitors. The bezel around top and side clean edges is thin, going a little thicker at the base. KTC has even spent some time on the design of the rear of this monitor, which features an reflective black gloss. Where it matters at the front is a matte finish that reduces glare and reflections. The T-shaped stand is admittedly basic—even more so than the Studio Display’s default tilt and swivel stand. Like that one, it’s not height adjustable but it does offer 178° wide viewing angles with a -5° to 15° tilt (Apple Studio: 5° to 25°). There’s an option to attach a standard VESA mount at the back if you desire a more adjustable stand, but the KTC 5K2K is certainly more than its basic stand. Once attached to its stand, System Settings setup is simple when connected to your Mac.Simon Jary Display A 5K (5120 x 2880) resolution at a 60Hz refresh rate is excellent going at this price, and the monitor’s name is explained by its Dual-Mode setting that enables you to set it to a 120Hz refresh rate at a lower 2560 x 1440 (QHD) resolution. 120Hz will be much more friendly to gamers than 60Hz, but that lower refresh rate is fine for the vast majority of office users—indeed, it’s the same as the Studio Display’s maximum refresh rate. Pixel density is fine at 217ppi (Apple Studio almost identical at 218ppi) on this matte LCD IPS display. Brightness is great, too, at 500 nits (Apple Studio brighter at 600 nits). The KTC 5K2K Monitor can show a wide colour gamut, with a quoted sRGB 100% and 99% DCI‑P3. Color accuracy and uniformity plus tone response offer a great budget choice for office workers and even mid-level creatives. Professional photo creatives looking for very top-end AdobeRGB color accuracy and HDR video creatives will need to step up a level—maybe to consider the BenQ PD2730S 5K Designer Monitor that has a retail price of $1,399 but is often closer to $1,100 online. Simon Jary Features (or benefit of lacking extras) The high-quality screen is what matters most but a monitor usually comes with extras that often disappoint. KTC has been sensible in keeping the price low and dropping the extra features. As such there is no webcam—look instead at our top-rated Mac webcams or just use your iPhone with a mount. There are no speakers either, but there are very few monitors with a set of speakers you’d actually want to listen to much more than a system beep on. Apple’s Studio Display features a “high-fidelity six-speaker system with force-cancelling woofers and wide stereo sound, with support for Spatial Audio when playing music or video with Dolby Atmos”—yet it’s not a mind-blowing audio experience. Save your money for a separate decent sound system instead. Simon Jary Ports on offer There’s a hub at the back with a choice of HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C for connecting the monitor to your Mac. The Type-C port is probably all you need. The KTC 5K2K ships with a DisplayPort-to-DisplayPort cable as well as a USB-C-to-USB-C cable. As your Mac will require an adapter for DisplayPort we were happy connecting via USB-C. This also then supplies up to 65W of passthrough power to your MacBook—not quite enough to fast-charge a MacBook Air but enough to keep any MacBook powered during use. There are two legacy USB-A ports and an audio out jack. To gain data function using the USB ports, you must adjust the KVM seeing on the on-screen display (OSD). However, turning on to USB-C USB 3.0 takes away the 5K resolution option. To switch to 2K for the 120Hz refresh rate you must go onto the OSD to switch in Dual Mode.Simon Jary Controls Using a little joystick at the rear of the monitor you get access to an array of menu options, including: Display (Brightness, Contrast, Sharpness, Aspect Rato, etc), Color (there’s a Low Blue Light option), Gaming options such as FreeSync and G-Sync, Advanced (DDC/CI, HDR, KVM for setting up the USB ports, and Dual Mode for switching between 5K work and 2K for 120Hz gaming) and Input (Automatic works fine). Price The KTC 5K2K is very well priced at a retail price of $669.99, and expect to see lower prices on Amazon and Amazon UK. Check out our price-comparison widget for the today’s prices. Of course, it’s silly to compare this display to the $1,599 Apple Studio Display but the KTC’s screen measures up pretty well on the specs front. Its stand is basic but then so is Apple’s default. A better comparison is the $999 BenQ MA270S, which has a better stand than both of them and is an excellent all-round choice (read our BenQ MA270S review), but it’s hard to walk away from the KTC’s super low price-tag. Should you buy the KTC 5K2K Monitor? Offering a high-quality, sharp screen without any bells and whistles, the well-made KTC 5K2K isn’t the very cheapest 5K monitor on the market but it does offer more-than-decent P3 color accuracy and tone on a budget. Its dual-resolution option that turns it from 5K/60Hz to 2K/120Hz will appeal to gamers who want a well-balanced screen for mid-range color work and another for gaming.

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Run Windows on your Mac or revive an old PC for $13
Macworld TL;DR: Upgrade your PC or run Windows on your Mac with Windows 11 Pro for $12.97 (MSRP $199) through 4/4. You don’t always need a brand-new computer when your current one starts slowing down. Most of the time, the hardware is still fine. What actually makes a computer feel outdated is the software. Upgrading your operating system can make an older machine feel faster, more secure, and more capable without spending hundreds or thousands on new hardware. Windows 11 Pro adds a modern interface, improved multitasking tools, and built-in security features such as biometric login, Smart App Control, and advanced antivirus protection. It’s designed to be smoother, more efficient, and more secure than older Windows versions, which can help extend the life of an older laptop or desktop. Run Windows on Your Mac It’s also a useful option for Mac users. If you run Windows on your Mac using tools like Boot Camp, Parallels, or other virtual machine software, Windows 11 Pro lets you access Windows-only programs, business software, engineering tools, or certain PC games that aren’t available on macOS. Instead of buying a second computer, you can essentially run both operating systems on one machine. Gamers also benefit from Windows 11 Pro thanks to DirectX 12 Ultimate, which supports improved graphics, lighting, and performance for compatible games. Whether you’re trying to speed up an older PC, run Windows software on a Mac, or just want a more modern operating system, upgrading your OS is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve your computer. Get Windows 11 Pro for $12.97 (MSRP $199) through 4/4 at 11:59 PM PST. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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This Montessori kids app turns screen time into learning time — now 76% off
Macworld TL;DR: This award-winning Montessori learning app for kids ages 2–8 is $59.99 (MSRP $250). Finding apps for kids that aren’t full of ads, loud sounds, or constant stimulation can be difficult. Many apps are designed to keep kids tapping and watching, not necessarily learning. Pok Pok takes a different approach. It’s a calmer, more thoughtful app built to let kids explore, experiment, and learn through play instead of competition or fast-paced games. Pok Pok is designed for kids ages 2 to 8 and is inspired by Montessori learning principles. Instead of levels, scores, or winning, the app focuses on open-ended activities that encourage creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving. Kids can explore concepts related to numbers, language, shapes, music, and basic STEM learning in a way that feels like play rather than schoolwork. The app is ad-free, works offline, and doesn’t include in-app purchases, so kids can use it without interruptions. Each digital toy inside the app is made to grow with your child over time. Kids can explore space, dinosaurs, music, shapes, and more through simple yet engaging interactive activities. The artwork is hand-drawn, the sound design is calm and gentle, and the overall experience is built to avoid overstimulation. There’s no pressure to finish tasks or beat levels, just freedom to explore and learn at their own pace. One account can be used across multiple devices, and new content is added regularly. Kids can use the app on their own, or parents can join in and play together, making it a good option for both independent play and shared screen time. Get a Pok Pok lifetime subscription for $59.99 (MSRP $250). Pok Pok: Lifetime SubscriptionSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Mac mini and Mac Studio face long shipping delays
Mac mini and Mac Studio orders are facing unusually long shipping delays, stretching up to 4-5 months. This could hint at an upcoming M5 refresh or supply constraints. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple Studio Display XDR Standard/VESA is $100 Off
The Studio Display XDR features a 120Hz refresh rate for a smooth experience. It features Adaptive Sync for different frame rates with precision control, making sure that motion is as responsive as possible when being used. The display features a Mini-LED backlighting with 2304 dimming zones, minimizing blooming and halo. It features 1000 nits SDR […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple Adds More Products To Obsolete and Vintage List
The MacBook Air 2017 13-inch model is now considered vintage and has been added to the list of vintage products. The device is still qualified for repairs at Apple Authorized Service Providers and Apple Stores, subject to parts availability. Other products, such as the Apple TV HD and iPad Mini 4, have been added to […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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