How the pieces are falling into place for Apple to create a truly compelling smart home display
After what seems like years of rumors, delays, and generations of competition, we may only be months away from Apple's smart display as the final pieces finally fall into place for Apple Home.A mockup of Apple's long-rumored smart home displayApple has a tendency to be slow to enter a new product category. Historically, it prefers to wait until it can do something different or better before doing it at all.Hopefully, that is Apple's approach to the smart display market. Amazon and Google have long dominated this space, and as the smart home category grows, Apple's absence has been felt. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple challenges India’s new antitrust penalty law
Apple has filed a petition at the Delhi High Court challenging India's updated antitrust regulations, which could expose the company to… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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iOS 26.1 makes a clever and subtle Clock icon animation change
Starting with iOS 26.1, Apple has updated the Clock app icon to work a lot more like an Apple Watch. more…

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Apple Watch Series 11 Black Friday deals — get ’em while they’re hot!
Black Friday has arrived early, and the savings on Apple Watch Series 11 are making headlines. The much-talked-about smartwatch is seeing its deepest discounts to date, with GPS models now starting at $339 — $60 off list price — and cellular versions dipping below $440. Series 11 just launched in September, so it’s amazing you […] (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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M5 iPad Pro one month later: Future proof in the very best way
Apple’s M5 iPad Pro launched last month, and I upgraded from an M4 iPad Pro. My first impressions of the new model were positive, but here’s how my 13-inch M5 iPad Pro has held up after a full month of use. more…

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Hands On: Kagi's Orion browser is a surprisingly good alternative to Safari
Kagi's Orion for macOS is a fast and privacy-focused web browser that could be a great browser alternative for some users. Here's how it stacks up to Safari.Orion on macOSAmong web browsers, Safari is considered one of the more privacy-focused options on the market, in part due to Apple's policies in that area. While there are alternatives like the dominant Chrome and Firefox on the market, creating a browser that not only works well but also walks the walk when it comes to privacy is not easy to do.Cue search engine Kagi's attempt, with the multi-platform Orion. The macOS browser is promoted as a fast, native app that does everything to avoid the usual user tracking elements that tends to affect apps in the long run. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Amazon drops Apple's iPad 11 to $274, a new record low price
Apple's iPad 11 has received a steeper price drop on Amazon for Black Friday, with the 2025 release discounted to $274. Plus, save up to $259 on iPad Air and iPad Pro models.Black Friday iPad price drops offer prices as low as $274 - Image credit: AppleAmazon's Black Friday deals are live, and iPad markdowns are driving prices down further from previous record lows. Pick up the latest 11-inch iPad with Apple's A16 chip for $274, a $75 discount off MSRP (and $5 cheaper than November's best price on the standard 128GB Wi-Fi configuration).Grab the $274 iPad 11 deal Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Hit Apple TV thriller returns soon, new video has Idris Elba react to reviews
Idris Elba is the star of Hijack, a hit Apple TV thriller that’s returning for a new season soon. Ahead of the Hijack season 2 premiere, Apple has shared a fun new video of Elba “reviewing” season 1 reviews. more…

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Apple’s founding papers head back to auction, could fetch $4 million
It's April 1, 1976 — April Fool's Day, no les — and two Steves, Jobs and Wozniak, along with a third partner named Ron Wayne, are scribbling… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Audio Pro A28 W review: Classy stereo speakers with AirPlay 2 for Apple devices
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Excellent sound quality Good build quality Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 for wireless audio Cons Expensive No 3.5mm or USB-C connectors Our Verdict These stereo speakers are more expensive than their one-piece rivals, but they product a powerful, expansive sound that is ideal for listening to music or upgrading the sound on your TV. They’re well connected too, with both Bluetooth and AirPlay 2 for wireless audio. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$720 Best Prices Today: Audio Pro A28 W Retailer Price $720 View Deal Audio Pro $720 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Audio Pro recently updated its entire range of speakers with a new ‘W Generation’ that puts the emphasis on wireless connectivity and streaming. We liked its C10 MKII W, which provides Hi-Fi sound quality in a compact, one-piece design that makes it a good rival for Apple’s HomePod. But, of course, many people still prefer proper stereo speakers, and Audio Pro’s new range does include a number of stereo speakers of different sizes, starting with the new A28 W at $720/£500. The A28 W is described as a set of ‘bookshelf’ speakers but they’re fairly large, with each speaker standing 238mm high, 150mm wide and 200mm deep. The two speakers just about fit onto my desk, sitting on either side of my trusty 27-inch iMac, but they’ll probably be more at home on a larger bookshelf or on a stand when connected to a TV. The speaker cabinets are made of MDF, which feels very sturdy and also helps to reduce vibrations that might affect the sound quality. The A28 W is available in black or white, or with a walnut wood finish (although for some reason the walnut finish costs a little more in the UK, at £540).  You can remove the front grilles for a retro look, or leave them on for a cleaner, more minimalist style.Audio Pro Inside each cabinet you’ll find a 4.5-inch woofer for handling the mid-range and lower frequencies, along with a 1-inch tweeter for the higher frequencies. There are removable fabric grilles provided with each speaker, so you can decide whether you prefer a minimalist look with the grille covering the speaker drivers, or perhaps remove the grille for a more retro look with the drivers exposed. The A28 W requires mains power, with a power socket on the left-hand speaker, which then uses a single cable to provide power and audio to the right-hand speaker. Each speaker provides 75W output – 150W total – so there’s more than enough power for the A28 W to act as your main music system or to beef up the sound on your TV. As mentioned, the ‘W’ refers to the speakers’ emphasis on wireless connectivity, and the A28 W provides Bluetooth for a quick and easy connection to your mobile devices, with support for Apple’s AAC codec (although there’s no aptX for Android users). However, the speakers also provide dual-band Wi-Fi for connecting to your home network (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz), with support for AirPlay 2 for Apple devices, along with Google Cast. Despite that focus on wireless audio, the A28 W provides some useful wired inputs too. The back panel of the left-hand speaker provides stereo RCA inputs and one digital optical input for use with other hi-fi equipment, and an HDMI-ARC interface for a TV. And, for Hi-Fi buffs who like to build their own system, there’s also one more RCA connector that allows you to connect to an external sub-woofer as well. It’s a shame, though, that such an expensive speaker doesn’t include a standard 3.5mm or USB-C connector for wired audio too. There are no audio cables included either, so you’ll need to provide those for yourself if you want to use a wired connection. However, Audio Pro does include a handheld remote control for controlling playback and switching between different input options. We have more AirPlay speakers in our round up, see Best AirPlay speakers for iPhones and Apple Music. As well as Bluetooth and wi-fi, the speakrs include a number of wired connections for use with a TV or hi-fi equipment. Audio Pro You can also control the various audio settings using the Audio Pro app, which includes a 10-band equaliser for fine-tuning the sound, along with a variety of presets, such as ‘bass booster’ and ‘gaming’. Support for AirPlay means that you can play audio from any apps or streaming services on your Apple devices, but the Audio Pro app also includes direct support for Amazon Music and Spotify, as well as services such as SoundCloud and BBC Radio in the UK. But, of course, the main selling point for the A28 W is its ability to create an expansive stereo sound that is far more immersive and atmospheric than one-piece speakers such as Apple’s HomePod. It creates an airy cloud of sound when streaming Enya’s Orinoco Flow from Apple Music. Her multi-tracked vocals are silky smooth as they float through the air, and the A28 W is powerful enough to fill the room around me even on just 40% of maximum volume. The A28 W anchors the hazy sound with the weighty bass drum, but is still able to pick out lighter details such as the gentle cymbals and synth keyboards. The A28 W has no trouble handling a change of mood as I turn the volume up a little and switch to the sinister dance groove of Prime Evil by The Orb. It digs deep for the track’s slinky bass riff, and there’s a nervous jangling energy to the ticking percussion that sounds like someone pulling their hair out. The percussion piles up as the song progresses, but the A28 W keeps the sound clear and precise as it builds into a kind of musical maelstrom that could fill the dance-floor at a house party.  Should You Buy The A28 W? Some people will prefer the more compact design of one-piece speakers such as the HomePod or Audio Pro’s C10 MKII W. But, if you want the more expansive, spacious sound provided by true stereo speakers then the A28 W is hard to beat. It’s fairly expensive, but the sound quality is excellent, with more than enough power to act as your main music system, or as part of a home cinema set-up. And, of course, its support for AirPlay 2 makes it ideal for use with Apple devices.

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Apple faces new lawsuit over alleged use of conflict minerals
An advocacy group is taking another crack at Apple in court, again accusing the company of using conflict minerals tied to violence and human rights abuses in Central Africa.Mine with acid lake | Credit: dimitrisvetsikas1969 on PixabayInternational Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) has filed a lawsuit against Apple over its use of conflict minerals in its devices. The group alleges that Apple uses minerals connected to human rights abuses and conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.The Washington-based advocacy group is asking the courts to verify that Apple's use of conflict minerals violates consumer protection law. The lawsuit, spotted by Reuters, alleges that three Chinese smelters, Ningxia Orient, JiuJiang JinXin, and Jiujiang Tanbre, processed coltan that was smuggled through Rwanda after armed groups seized mines in Eastern DRC. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Vision Pro M5 review: It’s time for Apple to make some tough choices
A state of the union from someone who actually sort of uses the thing.

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This hidden iOS 26 setting lets you turn off Apple Wallet ads
Macworld Perhaps you noticed that over the past several months, Apple has been placing ads throughout its iPhone apps and alerts. It’s most prominent when you visit the App Store, but another place ads have recently appeared is in the Wallet app. The most prominent Wallet ad I can remember was for Apple’s F1 movie this past summer, but other ads have appeared more recently. Generally, I get disgusted by the idea of an ad appearing in my Wallet and close them immediately. Apple foisting ads on us is a bad look, but the company just did something to sort of remedy the situation. In iOS 26, you now have the option to deactivate ads from appearing in Apple Wallet. Here’s how: Open Apple Wallet and tap the ellipsis icon (…) at the upper right corner. In the pop-up menu, tap Notifications. In the list of settings, look for Offers & Promotions and tap the switch to the off position. There are other notifications here you might want to deactivate, as well. Click to enlarge.Foundry Check out our iOS 26 superguide for more information about Apple’s iPhone operating system.

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Black Friday Week deals: AirPods Max $149 off, M5 MacBook Pro $230 off, Series 11, official cables from $5, more
The Black Friday Week deals just keep coming folks. While in year’s past the early deals were just the early deals and they remained largely stagnant until Thanksgiving rolled around…not this year. Alongside the ongoing all-time low pricing on AirPods Pro 3 at $220, AirPods 4 at $69, and AirPods 4 with ANC $100, Apple’s AirPods Max dropped again late yesterday and you’ll now find all five colorways marked down to $399.99 shipped, or $149 off the list price – one of the best deals we have ever tracked. Those offers also join straight up $200 price drops on the new M5 MacBook Pro lineup as well as this particularly notable $230 discount on the 24GB/512GB model. All of that sits alongside even lower prices across most Apple Watch Series 11 models, and a load big-time official Apple accessory deals starting from just $5. Scope it all out below.  more…

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Rolling Square inCharge XL 6-in-1 charging cable review: One cable to rule them all
Macworld At a glance Pros Up to 100W Fast charges nearly everything Travel pouch with longer models Three color options Cons Slow data speed Our Verdict The inCharge XL a well-built cable that charges nearly everything as fast as is possible, is simple to use, and easy to keep protected with its tied cap and travel pouch. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When ReviewedFrom $34.90 Best Prices Today: Rolling Square inCharge XL 6-in-1 charging cable Retailer Price $34.90 View Deal Rolling Square $34.90 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket We all have too many cables in the house… until you suddenly need one, and then they all mysteriously morph into the ones you don’t need: why did I even keep a USB-A to USB-A cable?? The Rolling Square inCharge XL might be all you need, and it shouldn’t be easy to lose. Charge them all This is a 6-in-1 cable claims to have it all: two inputs (USB-C and USB-A) and three outputs (USB-C, Lightning and MicroUSB), giving you the following charging solutions: USB-C to USB-C (100W) USB-C to Lightning (27W) USB-C to MicroUSB (10W) USB-A to USB-C (18W) USB-A to Lightning (18W) USB-A to Micro USB (10W) E.U. law and common sense means we should all soon do all our wired connections via USB-C, but while older devices remain on older connection standards such as USB-A and Apple’s Lightning plus the hated but cockroach-like MicroUSB, we must reply on multiple cables or a catch-all such as this. Rolling Square The older adapters slide from the USB-C connectors, and are protected when not in use by a protective tied cap. The custom nylon cable itself is braided with reinforced. The 6.6ft and 10ft cables come with a rubber travel pouch and a desk support that is the most likely thing to go missing, unless your colleagues are known cable thieves in which case watch out as they’ll seek out the InCharge XL in numbers. The clever part is that the Lightning connector also works as the MicroUSB adapter. Remarkably, it stays reversible unlike the ultra-fiddly MicroUSB.0 It can charge to 100W using the base USB-C to USB-C configuration, which is enough to fast-charge all but the 16-inch MacBook Pro. 100W is fine for the 16-inch but you need 140W (PD 3.1) for fast charging that particular model. This config is also recommended for charging any version 15 or later iPhone or recent iPad, and can fast-charge those models. Older iPhones and iPads should be charged with USB-C at the charger end and Lightning to the iPhone. At 27W this can fast-charge all those iPhones, too. If you still own a USB-A wall charger, (1) use the USB-A to Lightning, or (2) dispose of it and buy a USB-C wall charger or (3) suffer slower charging times. USB-A to Lightning will never fast-charge anything, and here is pegged to 18W max. USB-A to USB-C is an unlikely configuration, but it’s there if you need it. Indeed, the inCharge XL should celebrate its own redundancy when no one needs USB-A, Lightning or MicroUSB ever again. Sadly, unless you have forked out on all new gear, many of have at least a Lightning AirPods case. There are even some MicroUSB LED lights in use in my house, because I haven’t yet found a suitable USB-C solution. Rolling Square Data less able Thunderbolt and some USB-C cables can carry a high charge and speedily transfer data too. The InCharge XL is a charging master to 100W, but has a USB 2.0 data-transfer speed of 480Mbps, which is 92% slower than Gen 1 USB’s 5Gbps and 166 times slower than Thunderbolt 5’s 80Gbps. It will work but make sure you have something to read while it’s doing it. Rolling Square Price There are three cable lengths available (1ft/30cm, 6.6ft/2m and 10ft/3m) each in three colors: Urban Black, Glacier White, and Summit Yellow. You can also buy a pocketable version, the 0.5ft (15cm) InCharge XL Pocket, which is aptly named except for the XL part. InCharge XL 1ft (30cm): $29.99 / £29.99 InCharge XL 6.6ft (2m): $34.90 / £34.90 InCharge XL 10ft (3m): $39.99 / £39.99 InCharge XL Pocket 0.5ft (15cm): $29.99 / £29.99 The pouch and desk support are for the 6.6ft and 10ft cables only. The inCharge XL Pocket is one for your bag, while the others can replace the snake from your cable drawer. Should you buy the Rolling Square inCharge XL 6-in-1 charging cable? The inCharge XL a well-built cable that charges nearly everything as fast as is possible, is simple to use, and easy to keep protected with its tied cap and travel pouch. Unless you are fortunate enough to own only products that charge via USB-C, having one cable that charges everything is very convenient, and may allow you the pleasure of retiring a bunch of your older cables or at least banishing them to the bottom of a rarely used cupboard.

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iOS 26.2 adds new features in six iPhone apps, here’s what’s coming
iOS 26.2 is launching soon, and it’s packed with a bunch of new features. Many of those features are additions to Apple’s built-in iPhone apps. Here’s everything new across six Apple apps in iOS 26.2. more…

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Apple Set To Become World's Top Phone Maker, Overtaking Samsung
Apple will retake its crown as the world's largest smartphone maker for the first time in more than a decade, lifted by the successful debut of a new iPhone series and a rush of consumers upgrading devices, according to Counterpoint Research. From a report: The iPhone 17 models introduced in September have been a hit both domestically in the US and in Apple's other critical market, China. They've enticed more people to upgrade, leading to double-digit year-over-year sales growth in both markets, according to the researchers. The US company also is benefiting from a cooling of US-China trade tensions and a depreciating dollar that has boosted purchases in emerging markets, they added. The growth will propel Apple past longtime rival Samsung this year, according to Counterpoint's figures. Shipments of the iPhone are set to grow at 10% in 2025, compared with 4.6% for Samsung. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Top 5 Black Friday deals on Thunderbolt 5, 4 docks knock up to $145 off
Expand your Mac's connectivity during Black Friday sales by taking advantage of steep discounts on Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5 docks.CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 HubThe traditional Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales period is nearly here, making it a great opportunity to upgrade your Mac setup. One way to do that for a Mac mini or a MacBook Pro is to acquire a Thunderbolt 4 or Thunderbolt 5 dock.View full Thunderbolt dock sale Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Price drop: Make marvelous diagrams with Microsoft Visio Pro, now less than $10
Create easy-to-understand visuals with confidence when you get Microsoft Visio Professional 2021 for just $9.97. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Ugreen NASync DH series review: A perfect home NAS for Mac users
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Affordable NAS for home users Money saving vs cloud storage Fast 2.5Gb Ethernet connection (DH4300 Plus) Low power Consumption Quiet fan Cons USB only 5Gbps Would love some home-friendly colors Our Verdict More affordable than renting cloud space yet powerful enough for home or even small-office use, the Ugreen NASync DH series is the perfect starter NAS for a personal cloud and home network media server. It is one of the most exciting NAS packages of the year. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$429.99 Best Prices Today: Ugreen NASync DH4300 Plus Retailer Price $339.99 View Deal Ugreen $429.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Whether it’s the kids’ videos, mum’s holiday photos or dad’s music collection, a family can quickly accumulate large amounts of data. Then there are the backups of all the devices found in a modern home. A Network Attached Storage (NAS) system is usually a better solution than directly connected hard drives or even SSDs because it’s a lot cheaper than renting expensive cloud storage and tidier and more convenient than hosting a stack of external hard drives. NAS was once primarily the preserve of professionals, but is now increasingly finding its way into private households. This is partly due to the simpler set-up but also to falling prices—as seen in two of the Ugreen DH series of NAS drives: the DH2300 and DH4300 Plus. From the entry-level $209 two-bay NASync DH2300 to more capacious $429 four-bay NASync DH4300 Plus the NASync DH series offers an extremely attractive price-performance ratio. With just two drives, the DH2300 is designed for home users with lower storage requirements. The somewhat slower processor, only 4GB RAM and 1Gb Ethernet are compromises. This should be bearable for the main home-user target group and it’s also sufficient as a backup server. Before we describe our practical experiences, however, let’s first take a look at the technical data. At the top we see the front of the DH4300 Plus, above the picture of the back ports.Thomas Bergbold Reduced technology In order to realise this price, Ugreen has made significant technical cuts compared to its higher-spec DXP range: read our Ugreen NASync DXP range review. This starts with the processor: the DH4300 Plus, for example, uses the 2GHz Rockchip RK3588C, an ARM-based eight-core processor. The 8GB of RAM is permanently installed and cannot be expanded. The DH2300 has the less-powerful RK3576 and has just 4G of RAM, but it’s still sufficient for the target home and small office market. Two bays are available on the DH2300 for 2.5″ or 3.5″ SATA hard drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs). Drives with up to 30TB per slot are suitable—so a maximum total capacity of 60TB. For many this should be more than enough for a private collection, but if not look to the four-bay DH4300 Plus that will offer up to 120TB. And if that’s not enough, each model has two USB-A ports and a USB-C port for external drives—but only with a speed of up to 5Gbps. There are no slots for M.2 SSDs as you’ll find in the more pro-level NASync DXP series. The internal drives can be connected in a RAID for robust backup security. JBOD/Basic, RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 and 10 are supported. The connection to the network is made via either standard 1Gb Ethernet (DH2300) or a faster 2.5Gb port (DH4300 Plus), and the HDMI 4K/60Hz output typical for Ugreen NAS is also included. This is particularly practical for a low-power NAS for the living room. Whether the built-in fan is too loud in the living room depends on personal preference— we found it to be pleasantly quiet, even for the 4-bay NAS. In contrast to the HDDs, it was not audible in the living room, especially in quiet fan mode. Ugreen specifies a power consumption of 7W in idle mode, 22-30W in normal operation and up to 40W with full AI activity. We measured 26W during data transfer and 18.8W in idle mode with four 4TB Seagate Ironwolf drives. When all drives are in idle mode, the measuring device even shows a fantastic 6.8W. Simon Jary Home help With its special design with the drive bays from above and the associated small footprint: even the 6.1 x 6.1 x 8.5 inches (15.5 × 15.5 × 21.6cm) NASync DH4300 Plus cuts a compact figure and won’t dominate your living room. The DH2300 is, as you’d expect, even smaller at 5.9 x 3.9 x 8.4 inches (15.1 x 9.8 x 21.4cm). Both are good looking, with the top-loading drive bays hidden below a discreet lid unlike the more industrial NASync DXP series that show off their bays as a badge of honor. That said, a version in a white (or even other colors) case might have been more sympathetic to some home decors rather than than the bachelor-pad gunmetal gray. Simon Jary The drives are still mounted in the drive frame in the old-fashioned way using screws (included); however, the rubber buffers make a very modern impression. Setup is carried out with a well-designed wizard and is completed in just a few minutes. If desired, the link for access from the Internet can also be set up directly. This makes the NASsync DH4300 Plus accessible from anywhere and turns it into a private cloud. Performance tests For the practical test, we configured the installed drives in various RAID modes and measured the transfer rates in the network with Helios LAN Test. Over a Gigabit Ethernet network, the Nasync DH4300 Plus achieved 92MBps write and 99MBps read in RAID 1. In RAID 0 the values were 94MBps (write) and 102MBps (read), in RAID 5 92MBps and 103MBps respectively. These are solid results, typical for the bandwidth of the older 1Gbit standard. The 2.5Gb Ethernet connection delivers significantly higher speeds: Here we measured 136MBps for writing and 206MBps for reading in RAID 1. In RAID 0, the NAS achieves 150MBps (write) and 228MBps (read), in RAID 5 140MBps and 220MBps. The fact that the CPU is only loaded with around 14-21% is a good sign. A few requirements must be met in order to achieve full performance in the network. The DH2300 features a gigabit (1Gb) Ethernet port, which will match most home networks. The DH4300 Plus is graced with faster 2.5Gb Ethernet. You’ll only gain the speed benefit if your network is faster than 1GbE, but 2.5GbE is backwards compatible with Gigabit Ethernet so will work seamlessly either way. If you buy the DH2300 and later create a faster network, you can buy an adapter to create the speedier Ethernet connection. If your home needs more Ethernet ports, for the DH4300 Plus a switch that supports the fast 2.5Gb Ethernet is important. Ugreen offers the UM106X for the home office at a price of $69.99 or £49.99. Next, don’t forget the cables. Even if Ugreen includes a proper shielded CAT 6 cable, CAT 7 or CAT 8 cables with a robust fabric sheath are the better choice. There’s an app for everything Ugreen offers a variety of helpful apps for its Ugo Pro operating system. The centrepiece is the control panel; this is where users and groups are managed, folders and shares are created and the performance of the fans and automatic switching on and off are controlled. The Files app is comparable to the Finder and allows you to assign shares for folders. The “Storage” app is used to conveniently create and manage storage pools (RAID modes). Simon Jary Multimedia applications—like many other tools—can be conveniently installed via the App Centre. The Photos app, for example, offers AI-supported functions for managing and sharing pictures with friends and family. The Theatre app serves as a central point of contact for films and series and allows you to play your own media either directly via the Ugreen app for iOS or via HDMI output on a TV or monitor. An app for music management and an integrated DLNA server are of course also on board. Thomas Bergbold Other apps take care of synchronising data between Mac, iPad or iPhone and cloud storage. This means that Ugreen now offers a wide range of applications for most tasks for which a NAS system can be used, including suitable apps for Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. Unfortunately, there is only an app for Android TV and not for other smart TV operating systems. Ugreen Is the performance enough? Ugreen has several four-drive drives available, which means you are spoilt for choice. The Nasync DXP480T is a very compact high-end NAS that only supports M.2 NVMe SSDs and is therefore significantly more expensive. We reviewed the DXP480T earlier. A direct comparison is more likely between the NASync DH4300 Plus and the NASync DXP4800 Plus, as both share four drive bays and the Ugo Pro operating system. The comparison shows clear differences in hardware, performance, expandability and target groups. The NASync DXP4800 Plus is significantly more robust and has a considerably more powerful Intel Pentium Gold 8505 (12th Gen, Alder Lake) with 5 cores, 6 threads and up to 4.4GHz. The RAM can be expanded to up to 64GB and there is space for two additional M.2 NVMe SSDs with up to 8TB each. The two-bay DXP equivalent is the NASync DXP2800, which is similarly more professional than the DH2300. Home users can rest assured that the DH series should be fine for all but the most demanding home media centers. This makes the DXP4800 Plus and DXP2800 the right choices when hardware virtualization, x86 compatibility, Docker containers and more demanding applications—including Plex with hardware transcoding—are required. Ugreen also ups the ante when it comes to interfaces: 10Gb Ethernet, faster USB-C and an SD card reader are available. However, this is reflected in a higher power consumption of around 42W in active mode. Ugreen Price: initially high but much cheaper than cloud storage The 2-bay Ugreen DH2300 is competitively priced at $209 / £169.99, and the 4-bay DH4300 Plus at $429.99 / £359.99. Remember that each drive comes empty—meaning you have to supply the hard drives. It would be an easier starter experience to be able to order the NAs boxes with drives to your desired capacity but Ugreen leaves you alone to separately buy the drives for yourself at this point. Each 4TB Ironwolf HDD, for example, costs around $100, so factor that into your overall costs. Amazon sells the Ironwolf hard drives in a range of sizes: 4TB ($99); 8TB ($179), 12TB ($249), plus 16TB ($299), 20TB ($419), 24TB ($469) to 28TB ($569) as Ironwolf Pro. See Amazon UK for prices in that country, from £100. Other quiet drives to consider are the WD Red Plus and Toshiba N300. One of the great things about NAS, however, is that even though the initial cost is higher, you’ll save a lot of money over time. The DH2300 plus two 6TB drives is a one-time purchase cost of around $520 for 12TB of NAS storage. Just one year of 12TB iCloud storage from Apple will cost you over $700 at $60/month. That saving will pay off in months rather than years. The DH series offer the first truly affordable NAS solution for home users, and is powerful enough even for a small office setup. Ugreen Should you buy the Ugreen NASync DH series? With the NASync DH range for home users or small office setups, Ugreen shows that targeted savings can even make sense in a private environment. The energy-saving ARM processor and the simpler hardware design are practical decisions that hardly have any disadvantages in the home. On the other hand, the manufacturer has not changed the central strengths: the simple drive installation, the fast interfaces and the uncomplicated operation. The user interface is reminiscent of other NAS systems, but is deliberately designed to be clearer in many places. The setup wizard and various integrated help functions also help here. Due to the ARM architecture, the software selection is somewhat limited, so you are primarily dependent on the apps from Ugreen. However, this is not a disadvantage for home use: from the private cloud to the media server to photo management with iPhone backup and AI support, the system offers everything that really counts in everyday life—and in a significantly improved form compared to our beta test of the NASync DXP480T. The theater app transforms the NAS into a versatile media player on the TV thanks to the HDMI connection, while support for Home Assistant offers more smart home functions than Apple’s HomeKit—and still remains compatible. With the NASync DH2800 and DH4300 Plus, Ugreen has succeeded in creating a convincing entry-level NAS without any major weaknesses, which we can particularly recommend for use in a private environment.

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Add 1TB to your Mac for just $180 with this slick and speedy Thunderbolt 4 SSD deal
Macworld Apple’s storage upgrades are notoriously expensive, so it’s always best to just get a portable SSD. Especially when it’s super-fast and on sale: Amazon is selling this 1TB OWC Express 1M2, one of our absolute favorites, for just $180 for Black Friday, a tidy 20 percent discount and matching its all-time low. We gave the OWC Express 1M2 SSD a 5-star rating in our review, along with our Editors’ Choice award. We loved the super-high data transfer rates, the high-quality housing, and its whisper-quiet operation. Even though it doesn’t have a fan, it does just fine at keeping the temps down. This drive can reach data transfer rates of around 3,000 MBps, and even comes with a 40Gb/s USB-C/Thunderbolt 4 cable so you can plug it into your MacBook straight out of the box. So forget Apple’s high prices and grab one of the fastest SSDs and expand your storage options with 1TB for just $180. Get this fast 1TB portable SSD for 20% offBuy now at Amazon

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Today in Apple History: Bill Gates hails Mac as the future of computing
On November 26, 1984, Bill Gates predicted that "the next generation of interesting software will be done on the Macintosh." (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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International Rights Advocates again sues Apple over Congo conflict minerals
A group has sued Apple alleging that the company uses conflict minerals tied to human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Best Black Friday 2025 Apple accessories sale: Save big!
Black Friday 2025 brings the best deals of the year on Apple accessories, with big discounts on storage, docks, SSDs and premium accessories. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Critically acclaimed puzzle game 'Blue Prince' coming to Mac App Store soon
"Blue Prince" arrives on the Mac App Store on December 15, which makes one of the year's most praised puzzle games far easier for Mac users to play.Blue Prince game on the Mac App StoreBlue Prince is earning the kind of critical attention that Mac games rarely see, and it's about to become much easier for Mac users to play. The architectural mystery puzzler is launching on the Mac App Store on December 15, which gives Mac gamers a way to download and update it without dealing with Steam.The game blends procedural mansion exploration with strategic room placement and a roguelike structure. Each run builds a new layout one room at a time, and every choice limits or opens future paths. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iOS 26 gave AirPods Pro a new setting you might want to turn on
iOS 26 arrived in September with a variety of new features for AirPods, including a new setting that you may want to turn on if you ever fall asleep wearing your AirPods. more…

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This affordable TV sound bar lights up parties, too [Review] ★★★★☆
Enhance your TV experience with this sound bar from iLive. Affordable, portable, and offers decent quality sound for $30. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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OWC's Black Friday sale has Apple accessories, docks, storage & more from $2.99
OWC's Black Friday sale delivers prices as low as $2.99 on Apple accessories, Thunderbolt docks (even a TB5 model), portable storage, and more.Save up to $150 on OWC docks, storage & accessories for Black Friday - Image credit: OWCWe've broken down highlights from the sale below, but you can jump straight to the entire selection of OWC's Black Friday deals, with savings of up to $2,100 off. For those looking for a Thunderbolt 5 Dock, OWC's offering is $50 off, bringing the price down to $279.99. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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New OLED iPad mini gets launch timing update from leaker
Previous reports have indicated Apple is planning an OLED iPad mini for launch as early as next year, but a reputable leaker just offered updated launch timing for the new product. more…

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Apple's 1976 formation papers could fetch $4 million at auction
The original founding agreement that resulted in the creation of the Apple Computer Company in 1976 is probably heading to auction, with the documents expected to sell for up to $4 million.Apple's founding documents - Image credit: Christie's Images LTD. 2025Apple memorabilia frequently goes on sale for high prices at auction. For one set of documents crucial to the history of the company itself, the buyer could end up paying millions.Auction house Christie's is selling a lot on January 23, consisting of the founding papers for the Apple Computer Company, reported by Arirang Newsand confirmed to AppleInsider. A three-page document, it helped create the original version of Apple, which later became the modern-day behemoth. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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