Deals: Apple's M4 Mac mini 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD dips to $1,049
This upgraded M4 Mac mini is not only $150 off, but it features a bump up to 24GB of memory and 1TB of storage.Save $150 on Apple's upgraded Mac mini.The upgrades add to the versatility and appeal of the current Mac mini, and B&H is making it even more attractive thanks to a month-end price drop, bringing the cost down to $1,049.Save $150 on Mac mini 24GB/1TB Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Here’s everything new Apple has coming in November
October is wrapping up, and all signs indicate Apple has new hardware and software releases coming in November. Here’s everything to expect. more…

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This guy turned his old MacBook into a trash can, and it can be yours for just $450
Macworld Facebook Marketplace has a reputation for having some weird stuff. Take, for instance, this trash can for sale by Brandon Nielsen. It’s not just any old trash can–it features a MacBook as its lid. Open the can by lifting the MacBook lid, and you’ll find a wide opening where the keyboard and trackpad used to be. Dump your trash, close the MacBook lid, and you don’t have to worry about the garbage stinking up the joint. So, the first question you have (or I have), is, why? “Just thought people didn’t want to stare at trash cans in nice areas,” according to Nielsen in the product description. Well, Nielsen certainly accomplished that–with the MacBook closed, it looks simply like a laptop sitting on a nicely-crafted stand. Brandon Nielsen/Facebook If you’re interested in the MacBook trash can, it can be yours for $450 (cash only). Also, you’ll need to make delivery arrangements–Nielsen is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. If you’re really interested, Nielsen apparently has a bunch of old MacBooks lying around, because he “can make more.” In other Mac trash news, Bewareweegee posted on Reddit about an old, working Core 2 Duo iMac that was actually found in a trash can. Come to think of it, that iMac body could make for a pretty cool trash can lid. Hey Brandon, I’ve got an idea for you…

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Lionel Messi: Clubs more spending freedom for Major League Soccer to grow
Lionel Messi, soccer's greatest play of all time, has some ideas for growing Major League Soccer, the league he recently signed on to play… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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iPad mini 7 after one year: The ‘everything’ computer
The iPad mini continues to hold a special place in my heart. The iPad mini 7 isn’t the most powerful tablet Apple makes by any means, but it’s the one that is the most inviting and the one my family and I gravitate to the most. It has been out for a year now and when I stopped to think about it, I began to realize just how many ways we use it, from simple web browsing and e-books, to child education purposes, to the brains of my work operation. And while my iPad Pro is my main computer and I love everything it does, I would have to say that the iPad mini is Apple’s most versatile and purest form of iPad. more…

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Affinity's entire suite goes completely free on Mac with new all-in-one app
The popular three Affinity design apps on Mac and Windows both have been scrapped, as Canva combines all previous functions into a single and completely free Mac app.The new Affinity app — image credit: CanvaIt's an enormous understatement to say that users of Affinity Publisher, Affinity Photo, and Affinity Designer, have been worrying for a month. New owner Canva removed Mac apps, made all of the iPad versions of its apps free, and promised a dramatic announcement.Now that announcement has broadly put to rest the key concerns: Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Touchscreen Macs, OLED iPad mini, ads in Apple Maps
Benjamin and Chance react to a bevy of Bloomberg reports about Apple’s future plans, from touchscreen Macs to ads in Apple Maps and a future OLED iPad mini. And in Happy Hour Plus, the 1X NEO robot makes waves with a launch that demonstrated perhaps the biggest divide between the hype and the reality of the product. Subscribe at 9to5mac.com/join. Sponsored by Framer: The only free design tool that brings your ideas to the web. Visit framer.com/design and use code HAPPYHOUR for a free month. Sponsored by Material Security: Material Security is transforming how companies protect their most critical cloud assets. Learn more and see how it works at material.security. Sponsored by Shopify: Grow your business no matter what stage you’re in. Sign up for a $1 per month trial at shopify.com/happyhour. more…

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Affinity is now an all-in-one free app with native Canva integration
Affinity has announced a complete overhaul of its design suite. Starting today, the company is unifying all its tools into a single app for vector, photo, and layout work, and making it permanently free. Here are the details. more…

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Slow Horses creator explains why he’s leaving Apple TV series
Slow Horses just premiered its season 5 finale this week, and as was reported this summer, it was the last season for creator and showrunner Will Smith. In a new interview, Smith explains why he’s leaving the show despite it being renewed for two more seasons. more…

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Apple adds iPhone 17 lineup to its self-repair program
Apple's newest iPhones have joined the Self Service Repair lineup, letting users order parts and access repair manuals for the full 2025 lineup — including iPhone Air.Apple has released self-repair manuals and opened parts orders for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air through its Self Service Repair portal. The program is currently available to customers in the US, Canada, the UK, and many European countries.As of now, you can order parts to repair various parts of the phone. This includes replacement batteries, cameras, glass, microphones, and more.The repair manuals for all four of the 2025 iPhone lineup are available on the following pages: Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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M5 iPad Pro is Apple's most repairable yet, but roadblocks remain
A new teardown shows the iPad Pro M5 earned Apple's best repairability score so far, but its sealed design and complex layout still make real fixes difficult.iPad Pro get's a mid repair scoreElectronics repair firm iFixit released a teardown of the device and revealed a "repair paradox." Despite Apple's official self-service repair parts and manuals, the tablet remains among its least repairable devices.The teardown, posted on October 30, revealed that the M5 iPad Pro is mostly a specification bump with no significant internal design changes. However, iFixit assigned it a provisional repairability score of 5 out of 10. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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10 best Halloween deals on Apple gear and accessories
Some Halloween deals on Apple gear and accessories -- from MacBooks to headphones -- are scary good right now. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Adobe Photoshop Elements review: Friendly photo editor gains more AI tools in 2026 update
Macworld At a GlanceExpert's Rating Pros Quick, Advanced and Guided modes Vast array of photo-editing features Dozens of filters and effects Guided Edits help newcomers Cons Three-year licensing scheme More expensive than some of its rivals Some of the AI tools are quite complex Our Verdict The update for 2026 is not just about fancy AI features, you’ll also find down-to-earth tools and feature updates that will speed up routine editing tasks. Photoshop Elements is still one of the best photo-editing tools for amateur photographers and hobbyists out there. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Adobe (three year licence) $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Price When Reviewed$99.99 (three year license) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Adobe (three year licence) $99.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Photoshop Elements is a photo editing software with a user-friendly interface designed for casual users and amateur photographers. It offers a range of powerful tools, including advanced features that use artificial intelligence to simplify editing tasks, without the complexity of the professional Photoshop version. While it isn’t the cheapest photo-editing program available for Mac users, it’s long been one of the most popular thanks to its combination of powerful editing tools – based, of course, on the professional, high-end version of Photoshop – and a well designed interface that makes it easy for beginners to achieve impressive results. The update for 2026 isn’t a massive upgrade but – inevitably – it includes a number of new features that use AI to speed up the editing process, as did the update for 2025. However, the changes to Adobe’s pricing that came with the 2025 update might not appeal to everyone. We’ll run through the changes for 2026 below before discussing some of the best features of Photoshop Elements. Photoshop Elements – What is new for 2026? It won’t come as any surprise that the 2026 update for Photoshop Elements – released in October 2025 – leans heavily into AI. In fact, you no longer even have to bother taking photos of your own as the program now uses Adobe’s Firefly technology to provide generative AI features that can create entirely new photos and artwork for you. To create a new image you first need to create a blank document of the required size – a detail that isn’t clearly explained in the program’s Help files (Adobe needs to tidy up its documentation for new users who may not be familiar with Photoshop Elements). Once that’s done you can simply click on the new Generate Image tool in the program’s main toolbar, which activates a series of options that are displayed at the bottom of the screen. There’s a text box where you can type a prompt – such as ‘Zebra running down the road’ – and you can either choose to create a photo-realistic image, or a more stylised image that looks like hand-drawn artwork. Then you simply click the Generate button and let Photoshop Elements create your desired image, along with four variations that you can choose from. Get some AI help creating images.Foundry You can also use generative AI to add new elements to existing photos, using the new Insert Object tool. This activates a brush tool that allows you to mark an area on your photo where you want to add a new object, and then you type in another prompt to describe the object that you want – such as ‘flying banana’. It’s a lot of fun to experiment with – but there’s a sting in the tail, as these generative AI features are not completely free to use. Photoshop Elements does give you 25 ‘generative credits’ per month for free, but after that you need to pay for a Firefly subscription, which starts at $9.99/£9.98 per month for 2,000 credits. It’s annoying, though, that this cost isn’t clearly highlighted when you’re using the generative AI tools in Photoshop Elements, with only a Learn More entry for generative credits tucked away within the program’s Help menu. Fortunately, Photoshop Elements 26 doesn’t just focus on fancy AI features. It also provides some more down-to-earth tools that will help new users and speed up routine editing tasks. The program has used AI – that doesn’t require you to buy extra credits – to update tools such as Restore Photo, which can be used to remove scratches and marks of wear and tear from old scanned photos. The Remove tool (introduced in the 2025 update) has been updated, making it easier to remove people or other objects from the background of a photo. The option to remove the entire background of a photo has also been improved, working automatically so that you don’t have to spend so much time painting around the main subject in the foreground of the image before removing the background. The Crop tool has been modified so that it’s easier to select the part of an image that you want to remove or keep, and even the program’s Tool Tips have been updated, providing additional information about each tool when you hover the mouse over the toolbar. There have been changes to the pricing structure as well, as is often the case when the software is updated. See the pricing section below for more information. Photoshop Elements – What was new in 2025? There weren’t a large number of new features in the 2025 edition of Photoshop Elements, that arrived in late 2024, but Adobe did add a number of AI features that quickly perform some very complex tasks. The Remove tool that can remove people or objects from a photo arrived with the 2025 update. The AI-powered Remove tool works really well, even with photos that include several people standing in front of complex, multi-coloured backgrounds. Remove people from your photos. Taking this approach further, the new Guided Edit called Combine Photos allows you to select the foreground subject from one photo and the background from another photo and combine them to create a new image. This was a little more complicated to use, though, and I sometimes found myself selecting the background or foreground subject from the wrong photo, so a little more clarity in the instructions wouldn’t go amiss. More straightforward are the new AI features in the Quick Action menu within Quick mode. These can provide motion effects, such as zooming the camera in or out, or panning from side to side, and then allow you to export the animated image as an MP4 video file. There are pulsing hearts to declare your love for someone on TikTok, as well as animated frames and particle effects to liven up your posts. So while this wasn’t a major upgrade there are key features, such as the new Remove tool, which make the program more powerful than ever before. Our top Photoshop Elements features Here are a few of our favourite feature that have appeared in Photoshop Elements over the years. Editing Modes A key element, so to speak, of Photoshop Elements is that it provides three different editing modes, which are suitable for users with different levels of experience. At the top of the program’s main editing window there are three tabs – Quick, Guided and Advanced – which provide different sets of tools. If you’re a beginner, or you just want to perform some quick edits to tidy up a photo, then you can click the Quick tab. This takes you into a simple workspace with a basic set of tools for common editing tasks, such as cropping an image, correcting red-eye, or adding text. There’s also a Quick Actions panel on the right of the window that provides a series of one-click tools that can instantly perform more complex tasks, including color correction, adjusting exposure, or even removing the entire background from a photo. Most of these are one-click tools that work automatically, but there are also simple slider controls that provide more precise control over lighting, color and other settings. More experienced users who really want to edit their photos in fine detail can select the Advanced tab instead, which opens up the program’s entire array of advanced editing. As well as providing a vast library of filters and effects that can alter the appearance of the entire photo, Advanced mode also includes precise tools for editing and manipulating individual pixels within the image, and using layers to combine multiple effects and objects within a single image. It’s a bit of a leap, though, to go from Quick mode to Advanced mode, so Photoshop Elements also includes a Guided mode, which includes a series of Guided Edits that provide step-by-step help so that less experienced users can learn how to use some of the program’s more advanced tools. These include Guided Edits for adding text and other effects, creating panoramic photos, or using pan and zoom effects to make your photos look more dynamic. Sensei / AI Adobe’s 2022 version introduced new artificial intelligence techniques – which Adobe refers to as Sensei – which could automatically perform editing tasks that might normally require hours of work. The app has always had a selection of filter effects that could make photos look like paintings, using media such as oil paints or watercolors, but Sensei introduced a new set of Artistic effects that aim to mimic a variety of popular artistic styles, such as cubist and post-impressionist. These aren’t always entirely successful – I suspect Vincent Van Gogh is spinning in his grave right now – but they’re fun to experiment with. One nice touch here is that you can apply the artistic effect to the entire photo, or just to the subject or background, which is a nice way of emphasizing particular aspects of a photo. If your artistic ambitions are a little more modest you can apply some simple animated effects – known as Overlays – such as falling snowflakes or flickering flames, to your photos and then save your work as a short video clip that you can upload to social media. The use of Sensei artificial intelligence continued with Photoshop Elements 2023. As well as applying animated overlays to an entire photo, this feature allows you to create moving elements that animate just one specific section within a photo. You could select part of an image, such as a waterfall or the flowing mane of a horse, and animate your selection to make the image look more dynamic and eye-catching. The program’s selection tools can help you to select either the background of an image, or elements in the foreground, and you can simply draw a line to indicate the direction of movement (so the waterfall flows down, rather than upwards). You can also adjust settings such as the speed of movement, and preview the animation effect before exporting the animated image file as an MP4 video clip or as an animated-GIF. Guided Edits One of the things that sets Photoshop Elements apart from many of its rivals is its use of Guided Edits, which give you step-by-step help in using some of the app’s most powerful tools. One really powerful Guided Edit that was introduced in 2021’s update is the ability to alter the aspect ratio of a photo by extending the background of a photo. If you’ve got a photo with an attractive background, such as a beach or some leafy trees then you can clone part of the background and use it to extend the background further – perhaps to turn a square photo into a wider landscape shot, or to extend a sunny blue sky upwards for an upright portrait shot that you can use on social media. And, of course, no social media account is complete without some cute pet pics, so Photoshop Elements includes a Guided Edit specifically for enhancing photos of animals. You can adjust the lighting and color in a photo, focusing either on your pet or the background, or add a subtle vignette effect. There’s also an option to remove blemishes, such as mud or dirt, and to remove glare from the pet’s eyes. The Guided Edits section of the program also gained new tools for adding overlays, new background images, or enhancing the appearance of the sky in your photos. And, with so many Guided Edits now available, we were pleased to see that this update added a new Search tool that helps you to quickly locate the Guided Edits you need by searching for keywords such as ‘crop’ or ‘sky’. In the 2024 edition, a new Guided Edit called Add Text, made it easier to use the program’s text tools and effects. You can quickly add horizontal or vertical text, apply text to a selection, or make text follow a path that you draw with a freehand pen. You can add drop shadows, graduated colours and other effects with a quick click of your mouse, and even change the angle of lighting that you apply to the text. And, for social media mavens, there’s a new Photo Reels tool, which is similar to an old-fashioned slide-show that flicks through a series of photos, but is very much focused on social media and provides a series of templates for use on Instagram, Tiktok and other services. When you create a Photo Reel you see a simple timeline view that allows you to arrange photos in sequence, adjust the size and aspect ratio of each photo. You can also adjust the playback speed of the photo reel, and add text, graphics and filter effects. Foundry Quick Actions Quick Actions panel is available within the program’s Quick editing mode. The Quick Actions panel gathers together a number of existing editing tools, but also gains new AI features, such as the ability to quickly select or change the background or sky in an image, or to smooth out fuzzy artefacts in compressed JPG files. For a selection of the best free photo editors for Mac see our Best free image editors round up. We also have a round-up of the best alternatives to Photoshop in our Best professional photo editors round-up. Also read: Best Mac for photo editing and Adobe Creative Cloud pricing: How to get the best deal. How much does Photoshop Elements cost? Most of Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, are aimed at professional users and require a monthly or annual subscription. However, Photoshop Elements is aimed at hobbyists and casual users, so it has traditionally been available for a one-time fee of $99.99/£86.99. That price didn’t change with the 2025 edition, but instead of paying a one-time fee that lets you use the program for as long as you want, Adobe now grants you a ‘three-year term license’ instead. In effect, you’re paying for a three-year subscription, which sounds a little disappointing at first. However, it does mean that you should get the next three updates free of charge, which is still pretty good value for money when spread over three years. If you own Photoshop Elements 2025 then your license will allow you to upgrade to this 2026 edition automatically. However, many people dislike the idea of software subscriptions – especially with hidden extras such as Adobe’s ‘generative credits’. So while Photoshop Elements remains one of the most powerful photo-editing tools for home users and hobbyists, it’s still worth considering some of the best photo-editors that offer less expensive subscriptions – or a simple one-time purchase with no subscription required at all. Owners of previous versions can also upgrade to the 2026 edition for $79.99/£70.99, and you can also buy Photoshop Elements together with the Premiere Elements (read our review) video-editor for $149.99/£130.49 (which again is for a three-year license). Beware though, as the version that is currently on sale in the Mac App Store (at the time of writing) is still the 2025 edition from last year, so Adobe’s own website is the best place to buy at the moment. There’s a 30-day trial available so that you can experiment for a while before buying Buying the desktop version of Photoshop Elements also gives you access to its companion mobile app for iOS and Android, and a web app that runs in a browser on any device. The mobile app allows you to upload photos and videos from your smartphone or tablet, and also provides you with 2GB of free online storage for your files. You can then quickly import these files into the desktop versions of Photoshop Elements when you’re ready to get down to some serious editing work. The web app works in a similar fashion, and also includes some simple tools for quickly creating slideshows and collages without having to use the full version of Photoshop Elements. Just remember that both the mobile and web apps are still in their beta test phase, so make sure you keep backups of your photos and files just in case. There’s also a free seven-day trial available, so that you can download the program and try out the new features before buying. Should you buy Photoshop Elements? Photoshop Elements is one of the best photo-editing tools for amateur photographers and hobbyists. Its great strength is that it provides admirable ease of use for beginners, along with powerful and precise editing tools for more advanced users. The update for 2026 is not just about fancy AI features , you’ll also find down-to-earth tools and feature updates that will speed up routine editing tasks.

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iPhone 17: Here’s what it costs to repair broken parts yourself
Apple has now made self-service repair parts available for iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and iPhone Air. Here’s what it costs to repair broken parts yourself. more…

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Deals: 24GB Mac mini $100 off, M4 MacBook Pro nearly $600 off, iPhone Air Bumper $30, more
Thursday’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break deals are now ready to roll starting with a $100 price drop on the most affordable 24GB M4 Mac mini you can buy and a pair of big-time open-box discounts on M4 Pro MacBook Pro with a full Apple warranty at up $598 off (a new 16-inch deal popped up this morning). We also have the official Apple iPhone Air Bumper case down at $30, an ongoing all-time low on Apple’s brand new 25W Qi2 MagSafe charger, and all of the M4 MacBook Air configurations at $200 off. Scope it all out below.  more…

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Threads rolls out reply approvals and new activity feed filters
Meta is introducing two more features designed to give Threads users more control over the conversations that happen around their posts. Here’s what’s new. more…

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Nvidia’s Huang joins Apple, other tech titans funding President Trump’s new White House State Ballroom
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced a personal donation to fund the construction of President Donald Trump's White House State Ballroom… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Get a pair of AirPods Pro 2 with a 365-day return policy for just $140 today
Macworld We’re used to seeing AirPods Pro 2 for $199 and even as low as $169, but we’ve never seen them this cheap. Amazon is selling a pair of Renewed Premium AirPods Pro 2 for just $140, a whopping $109 off Apple’s MSRP and a fantastic price. Amazon says these Renewed Premium AirPods Pro 2 have been tested and are in perfect order with at least 90 percent battery health. They come with accessories equivalent to those shipping in the original box (MagSafe Charging Case with speaker and lanyard loop, silicone ear tips (four sizes: XS, S, M, L), and a USB-C to USB-C cable), and have a 365-day return policy, so you can get your money back at any time. The 2nd-gen AirPods Pro are no longer Apple’s flagship earbuds, with the AirPods Pro 3 taking that spot, but they’re still one of our favorites. They offer exceptional audio quality and industry-leading noise cancellation, and we appreciated the earbuds enough to give them a 4.5-star rating when we reviewed them. And with the Hearing Health and Live Translation, they’re packed with features. And at $140, it’s hard to find a better deal on premium earbuds. So, don’t miss your chance—grab the AirPods Pro 2 before this deal disappears! Get the AirPods Pro 2 with a massive discountBuy now at Amazon

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Today in Apple history: iPhone goes on sale in China for first time
On October 30, 2009, the iPhone finally launched in China, giving Apple access to the world's largest market for the first time. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iOS 26’s Camera app hides key features, here’s how to find them
iOS 26 introduced perhaps the biggest overhaul yet for Apple’s Camera app. But some users might find that many of their favorite features are missing. Here’s how to find them. more…

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Trump cuts China tariff that costs Apple billions
Apple's iPhone tariff is slashed by 50%, potentially saving the company billions. And that’s not the only good news from a Trump/Xi meeting. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Trump cuts China tariff that costs Apple billions
Apple's iPhone tariff is slashed by 50%, potentially saving the company billions. And that’s not the only good news from a Trump/Xi meeting. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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CarPlay in iOS 26 upgrades your display with a familiar iPhone feature
iOS 26 is a huge update for CarPlay users, with more new features than we’ve seen in years. One addition that’s especially noteworthy is the introduction of widgets to CarPlay for the first time. more…

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Slim wall charger blows away anything from Apple [Review] ★★★★☆
Our hands-on review of the Satechi OntheGo 67W Slim Wall Charger shows it makes anything from Apple seem bulky, slow and limited. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple TV announces new holiday film specials and free offerings
Apple TV has announced its lineup of holiday-themed offerings for viewers, including classic holiday specials that can be viewed even without a subscription. Here are all the details. more…

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This dock transforms the Mac mini into a retro classic Mac
It’s becoming increasingly rare to find a tech accessory in 2025 that’s both functional and fun to use. As so many of these accessories become more commoditized, they begin to function and look the same, making them fade into the background. So when I saw the Wokyis Retro Docking Station for the M4 Mac mini, I was immediately intrigued. It transforms the Mac mini into something straight out of 1984. On paper, it had all the functions I needed out of a dock, but it was also such a cool-looking product. After using it for three weeks, it checked off every box. Here is what you need to know. more…

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Avast Free Antivirus for Mac review: Basic protection, for free
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Easy installation and setup Solid customization options such as whitelists, exceptions, and scheduled scans Handy network tools like Traffic Monitor and Network Inspector Cons Steady stream of ads, upgrade prompts, and assorted locked features The Web Guard module failed to catch obvious scam links The Scam Guard failed to detect scam, phishing, and ransom attempts Our Verdict Avast Free Antivirus for Mac delivers on its historically strong antivirus/anti-malware tools and offers some interesting network tools. However, the inConsistent web filtering and the failure of its AI-powered Scam Guard module, drags down the free version of one of the better security options for macOS.  Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Avast Software – Avast Free Antivirus Free View Deal Avast Software – Avast One Essential Free View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Avast Free Antivirus Retailer Price Avast Software – Avast Free Antivirus Free View Deal Avast Software – Avast One Essential Free View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket There’s a distinction that every software company’s marketing department has to make in terms of what’s a demo, what’s a free trial, what’s a teaser, and what’s the fully-featured version of a product it intends to release. The free version of Avast Security for the Mac, Avast Free Antivirus, combines a powerful antiviral/anti-malware core with several other modules, each with its own varying degree of success. Downloading and installing the software is simple; Avast Free Antivirus requires macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later to install. The installer, somewhat surprisingly, places an uninstaller application in your Mac’s Applications folder for easy removal, a nod to convenience. Once installed, the software both creates a network extension for itself and requests full access to your Mac’s hard drive, which is handled without any undue fuss by the installer. Like similar Mac antivirus applications, Avast’s antivirus suite is centered around several modules (Smart Scan, Virus Scans, Scam Guardian, Traffic Monitor, Network Inspector, Email Guard, Ransomware Shield, Core Shields, and Quarantine), each with its own settings and functions. The Smart Scan updates virus definitions and performs a surface-level viral scan, while its Advanced Issues feature scans for ransomware, network vulnerabilities, and fake website threats. However, you will need to subscribe to unlock additional features. Expect ads to pop up frequently offering Avast Security’s upgraded subscription package and its expanded feature set. Other modules, such as Traffic Monitor, follow up on features available in previous versions, and it’s fun to see where your internet traffic is traveling through and how much data you’re using. The Network Inspector takes this to the next level and offers a full network scan as well as a list of every device currently on the network, so you can be made aware if a device has connected that shouldn’t be there. Granted, this is only a casual set of network controls compared to a dedicated application, but it’s a nice tool to have on hand if you’re curious as to what’s happening on your network. The Virus Scans module is the heart of the app as you would expect, and there’s a lot to complement it on. Avast’s viral definitions are up to date, the application can scan .zip and .dmg archives, there’s a good level of customization with the preferences, and it’s easy to build a whitelist. Scanning external volumes is easy, and the scheduling function works well, but the function itself doesn’t jump up and declare that it’s running; you have to go into the Virus Scans module to watch it function. The Deep Scan feature is speedy, even if it could benefit from a timer declaring how much time has passed and/or an ETA as to how much time is remaining, and the overall antiviral element teams up well with the macOS’ Gatekeeper and Xprotect systems, which block everything that’s suspect (you genuinely have to bypass various dialog screens warning you as to what you’re about to do wrong to install malware). This, in turn, corresponds well with the Core Shields module, making it that much harder to install malware on your Mac. The free version of Avast’s Antivirus found lots of threats. Foundry Unfortunately, the remaining modules are locked by subscription. The Email Guard module is handy and ties into 22 different types of email accounts (such as Gmail, Outlook, etc.), but it is only available with a Premium account, and there’s no option to try it out without paying (with a subscription it provides decent warnings about spam and scam emails.) The Web Guard module’s success rate is sporadic, and after clicking through to dozens of questionable links in my Gmail spam folder, it let me visit the link that claimed I had an almost $14,000 cash payment waiting for me, but caught other scam-related links and directed me away from them as needed. Ransomware Shield, the accompanying sister module, also requires an upgraded account to access, and again, no demo is available in the free version, presenting a missed opportunity to show what the software is capable of. The Scam Guard module, an AI-assisted application, didn’t work very well in the free version of Avast Antivirus Free. You can drag and drop emails, images, and other files onto it in order to determine how scam-related they might be. Unfortunately this wound up being a disaster. While an innocuous .jpg file of a sleeping puppy came up as non-scam-related, when I dropped more questionable emails onto it, it offered no feedback that the content was linked to something scam-related. Just a cute puppy. Foundry The module failed completely when I dropped in a PDF file of a Bitcoin ransom scam email, claiming I’ve been videotaped via my webcam and that this would be sent to my friends, family, and contacts unless several thousand dollars were sent via Bitcoin to the sender. This is the height of a phishing attempt, a ransom attempt through and through, which the Scam Guardian module failed to interpret correctly. The AI assistant was of no help whatsoever. Just how much you should expect from a free antivirus is arguable, but Avast does clain that the Free Antivirus includes the AI-powered anti-scam protection, defense against online scams, and safer browsing and emailing, so really it’s fair to expect that those elements would work. Avast will readily let you know that its Ultimate subscription tier is available for free for 60 days, and all you have to do is enter a credit or debit card or PayPal information to set this up, and it states that nothing is due today and that you’ll receive a reminder seven days before billing. If you wish to upgrade from Avast’s free version, the retail version sells for $4.09 per month for the first year with support for one Mac, or $49.08 for the first year if paid in full. Read our full review of Avast Premium Security. Should you use Avast Free Antivirus Is Avast’s free version worth trying out? Yes. The antiviral/anti-malware core is as good as it ever was, if not better, and the supporting modules largely round it out and add to its functionality. Still, the Web Guard is hit or miss, the Scam Guard felt like the Hindenburg on an off day during testing, and the constant barrage of reminders to upgrade to the paid subscription tiers is annoying. There’s something credible here, but this application doesn’t know where it stands between freeware, trialware, and a fully-featured retail version, and there’s something to be said for releasing a fully-featured trial version for a given period of time and letting the user see what the software can actually do.

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WhatsApp now supports passkeys for backups
Your live WhatsApp messages and backups are both protected by end-to-end encryption, but so far you’ve only had the option of using a passkey to access your messages. Accessing backups required a password instead. That’s all changing now as the company is in the process of rolling out passkey support for backups … more…

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Deck the halls this holiday season with Apple TV
Apple TV celebrates the most wonderful time of the year with an expansive lineup of programming for the whole family, including the all-new… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Mother Describes the Dark Side of Apple's Family Sharing
An anonymous reader quotes a report from 9to5Mac: A mother with court-ordered custody of her children has described how Apple's Family Sharing feature can be weaponized by a former partner. Apple support staff were unable to assist her when she reported her former partner using the service in controlling and coercive ways... [...] Namely, Family Sharing gives all the control to one parent, not to both equally. The parent not identified as the organizer is unable to withdraw their children from this control, even when they have a court order granting them custody. As one woman's story shows, this can allow the feature which allows it to be weaponized by an abusive former partner. Wired reports: "The lack of dual-organizer roles, leaving other parents effectively as subordinate admins with more limited power, can prove limiting and frustrating in blended and shared households. And in darker scenarios, a single-organizer setup isn't merely inconvenient -- it can be dangerous. Kate (name changed to protect her privacy and safety) knows this firsthand. When her marriage collapsed, she says, her now ex-husband, the designated organizer, essentially weaponized Family Sharing. He tracked their children's locations, counted their screen minutes and demanded they account for them, and imposed draconian limits during Kate's custody days while lifting them on his own [...] After they separated, Kate's ex refused to disband the family group. But without his consent, the children couldn't be transferred to a new one. "I wrongly assumed being the custodial parent with a court order meant I'd be able to have Apple move my children to a new family group, with me as the organizer," says Kate. But Apple couldn't help. Support staff sympathized but said their hands were tied because the organizer holds the power." Although users can "abandon the accounts and start again with new Apple IDs," the report notes that doing so means losing all purchased apps, along with potentially years' worth of photos and videos. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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