New Perplexity AI app opens Personal Computer to all Mac users
The new Perplexity Personal Computer AI app for Mac touts an "all-new native Mac experience" for more users. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Finally, a compact USB-C hub that handles dual displays properly [Review] ★★★★☆
We went hands-on with the EZQuest USB 4 Dual Display 8-in-1 Hub — seamless connectivity with your Mac thanks to eight USB-C ports. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iOS 27 has new features coming for two of iPhone’s most popular apps
iOS 27’s unveiling is only weeks away, and rumors for new features keep coming. Here are the rumored iOS 27 upgrades coming for two of iPhone’s most popular apps: Camera and Photos. more…

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The $599 MacBook Neo is here to stay
Macworld Back in March, Apple announced its cheapest notebook ever, the MacBook Neo. Starting at as little as $599 ($499 for students), the laptop has been selling like hotcakes. Typically, high sales would make the corporate overlords happy. The MacBook Neo’s exceptional success, however, has apparently become a real problem. Due to chip shortages and the MacBook Neo’s extraordinarily high demand, Apple is struggling to produce new units en masse. A recent report from analyst Tim Culpan suggests that the company could stop selling the base Neo model, pushing customers to the higher-end variant that costs $100 more and helping Apple preserve its margins. While this approach can potentially resolve one issue, it would introduce a bigger challenge. The Neo problem The MacBook Neo packs a binned version of the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro chip. In simpler terms, Apple is repurposing faulty iPhone processors that had one fewer GPU core that would have otherwise been discarded. This approach has enabled Apple to price the Neo competitively, as it had plenty of these flawed processors lying around. Once Apple runs out of those chips, making new ones won’t be a simple switch. While Apple had to know the MacBook Neo would be a hit, its popularity has exceeded even the company’s expectations. Departing CEO Tim Cook stated during Apple’s most recent earnings report that the company hadn’t forecasted this level of enthusiasm, which helped attract a record number of first-time Mac buyers. Consequently, Apple has reportedly increased the production target from 5-6 million to a whopping 10 million. So, between running out of binned A18 Pro chips and TSMC’s limited capacity to produce new units due to the memory crunch, keeping up with the MacBook Neo’s demand is becoming trickier. The MacBook Neo uses a binned version of the A18 Pro chip inside the iPhone 16 Pro.Connor Jewiss / Foundry Rumored remedies To deal with the RAM crisis without introducing sudden price hikes, Apple has been silently discontinuing certain Mac models. The entry-level Mac mini, which started at $599 and offered 256GB of storage, was recently removed from the Apple Store. This pushes customers to the 512GB tier, which starts at $799 instead. The company similarly stopped selling the M3 Ultra Mac Studio with 256GB and 512GB of RAM. Perhaps unrelated, Apple also recently stopped selling the Mac Pro, which started at 64GB of RAM.  Culpan’s recent report suggests that, as it did with the Mac mini, Apple may retire the $599 MacBook Neo with 256GB of storage. This would force customers to pay $100 more for the model with 512GB of storage and Touch ID. The same report also claims Apple may be exploring new color options to make the $699 configuration more enticing and “soften the impact of higher prices.” The problem, however, is that, unlike the Mac mini, the MacBook Neo’s budget-friendly pricing is its key selling point and the main stimulus behind its high demand. If a product is unaffordable to a group of people, a new shiny color won’t fix that. Even at $699, many would-be Neo customers will likely explore cheaper Windows laptops or Chromebooks. The MacBook Neo’s main appeal is its starting price. Even a small hike would limit its appeal.Eugen Wegmann The RAM crisis has been ongoing for a while now, and Apple still chose to release the affordable MacBook Neo right in the middle of it for a reason. While its sales may have exceeded expectations, the company was aware of the industry challenges and associated impacts on its products. Additionally, the MacBook Neo’s entire objective is to get students and kids used to the Apple ecosystem early on to win them as potential lifelong customers. It’s not meant to be a high-profit driver or a direct revenue generator. In a way, I see it as a free trial of sorts to get users hooked on Apple hardware. It would make more sense for Apple to absorb the costlier production fees than kill the Neo’s momentum. The $599 MacBook Neo is Apple’s gateway Mac, and it’s not going anywhere.Foundry Possible outcomes So, how does Apple deal with the situation? Just today, it was revealed that Apple will now require proper identification for students or teachers shopping in its discounted education store in the US and other countries. (Curiously, Apple’s education store has always operated on the honor system and never required buyers to use a dot-edu email or scan an ID card.) While a seemingly innocuous move, it could be hiding a solution for the Neo problem. If Apple is really in a predicament as big as Culpan says, Apple’s most likely route is to eventually make the $599 MacBook Neo exclusive to the education store, as its primary target is students on a budget. This would enable Apple to keep its low pricing but alleviate some of the demand for the cheapest model without eliminating it from the lineup completely. Alternatively, Apple could accelerate the production of the MacBook Neo 2 and release it sooner than planned, as Apple presumably has an ample supply of binned A19 Pro chips. Or maybe the $699 model gets the newer chip while the $599 model sticks with the A18 Pro. This would address the supply constraints in the short run until it figures out a sustainable, long-term solution that isn’t a price hike. Whichever route Apple chooses, one thing is clear: The $599 MacBook Neo isn’t going anywhere. And you’d be crazy to believe it would even consider it.

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Wedbush raises Apple price target to $400
Apple stock rose about 0.8% on Friday after Wedbush Securities delivered a strong bullish note, lifting its price target from $350 to a new… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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President Trump invites CEOs of Apple, Exxon, Nvidia on diplomatic trip to China
U.S. President Trump is inviting CEOs from Apple, Nvidia, Exxon, Boeing, and other major companies to accompany him on his trip to China… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Instagram redesigns iPad app to what it always should have been
Instagram finally launched an iPad app last fall, over 15 years after the iPad debuted. But the iPad version of Instagram differed from its iPhone app in key ways. Now, after a new update, Instagram for iPad has been redesigned to what it always should have been. more…

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Today in Apple history: 1997’s ‘MacBook Air’ weighed 4.4 pounds
On May 8, 1997, Apple released the PowerBook 2400c laptop, a 4.4-pound "subnotebook" that presaged the rise of speedy, lightweight notebooks. (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: 1997’s ‘MacBook Air’ weighed 4.4 pounds
On May 8, 1997, Apple released the PowerBook 2400c laptop, a 4.4-pound "subnotebook" that presaged the rise of speedy, lightweight notebooks. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Keep your iPhone Air charged around the clock with 40% off this official MagSafe battery
Macworld Apple iPad Air MagSafe Battery View Deal (function () { document.querySelector("#sticky-promo-block a").addEventListener("click", function(e) { const debug = document.location.host.search(/lndo.site|go-vip.net/) !== -1; const text = this.closest("#sticky-promo-block").querySelector("p.promo-title").textContent; const data = { event: "stickyConversionUnitClick", eventCategory: "Sticky Conversion", eventAction: "Click", eventLabel: text }; if(debug)console.log("Sticky Conversion CLick - pushing to dataLayer: ", data); dataLayer.push(data); return true; }); })(); If there’s one knock on the iPhone Air, it’s that the battery is a little small, and the last thing you need when you’re out about town with your skinny phone is to have its battery die on you. Thankfully, Apple has a solution that doesn’t add too much bulk to the phone, and today it’s cheaper than ever: Apple’s special iPhone Air MagSafe Battery is on sale for 39 percent off, bringing the price lower than ever down to just $60. Built specifically for the iPhone Air, this compact power bank will slip right into your pocket without adding too much weight. In fact, it’s slim enough that it won’t even bother you if it’s already magnetized to the back of your phone. As always, Apple brought in the sleek design that will perfectly match your device. As a matter of fact, Apple advises users to just snap this thing onto the back of the iPhone Air even when you have a full battery, simply allowing it to slowly charge the phone over the day as needed. The battery pack has a 3,149mAh capacity, so it’ll provide roughly 65 percent additional battery charge, more than enough to get you through a heavy day of use. And with 12W fast wireless charging when connected, it’ll keep up with everything you do. So upgrade your traveling upgrade strategy and get Apple’s iPhone Air MagSafe Battery for $60 while Amazon still has it on sale.

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Try these brilliant ways to use an iPad in a Mac setup
As iPadOS grows more capable, users find smarter roles for their tablet. These great workstations show the best uses of iPad in Mac setups. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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CarPlay now works with three top AI chatbot apps
CarPlay continues to give drivers more choice than ever when it comes to which services to use on the road. For example, . This extends the iPhone experience into the car without requiring special integration between automakers and services. more…

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Mac shortages, iPhone rumors, and 'Schmigadoon!' on the AppleInsider Podcast
Apple is having even greater success with the MacBook Neo than expected, and also startling success with its great but cancelled "Schmigadoon!" show, plus there are so many new iPhone rumors, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.Is this "Schmigadoon!" or a party at Apple Park for the hit MacBook Neo? - image credit: AppleIt was predicted before, but now it appears to be absolutely true. The MacBook Neo is so much of a hit that Apple wasn't ready for it and is having to spin back up production lines for its processor.Then, too, Apple presumably didn't expect "Schmigadoon!" to be such a hit on Broadway, or it wouldn't have cancelled the original TV show. Nonetheless, TV's loss is theater's gain and Apple has stumbled into a dozen Tony nominations for the show. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Fly with these highly affordable new power banks in your carry-on bag
The new Pisen power banks, great for iPhones and other devices, are certified for airline travel. And they don't cost much. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iPhone-controlled Anthbot M9 robot lawn mower has replaced cutting grass for me [20% off]
Update May 8: Anthbot M9 is currently 20% off on Amazon for the next few days, offering a big $180 discount off the regular price. I haven’t mowed my lawn in over a month, but it’s manicured like a golf course. That’s because I switched from a push mower to a robot lawn mower that I manage from my iPhone. It’s the Anthbot M9, and it’s by far my favorite new piece of technology I’ve tried this year. more…

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Apple’s camera-equipped AirPods enter advanced testing: A major leap toward AI-powered wearables
Apple is pushing deeper into the AI era with its most ambitious AirPods update yet. According to a new report… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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macOS security spotlight: 3 new Tahoe features you should know
Macworld One of the advantages of using macOS is that it offers a more secure platform than Windows. Part of the reason is that it’s not targeted as often (though it has been subject to more attacks over the years), but the main reason is that Apple acts more as a gatekeeper, with security implementations within the chipset, app notarization, and many other features. In an effort to create awareness, Apple recently met with the media to spotlight three security features introduced with macOS Tahoe. And whether you’re new to MacBook Neo or a veteran MacBook Pro user, they’ll keep you safe while you work: FileVault recovery key in Passwords With macOS Tahoe, Apple decided to turn on FileVault by default. FileVault is Apple technology for encrypting a Mac’s internal storage. If your Mac is lost or stolen, FileVault protects your data from unauthorized access. FileVault can be turned off in System Settings > Privacy & Security > FileVault, but you’ll be removing a significant layer of security. To access a Mac’s internal storage when FileVault is on, you need to enter the user password for the account being used–you do that whenever you log into your Mac to use it. But what if you have an instance where you can’t remember your password? You can use a FileVault recovery key (which is generated when FileVault is turned on) when booting the Mac in recovery mode. Foundry That FileVault recovery key used to be stored in iCloud, but with macOS Tahoe, it is now stored in the Passwords app. That means you can quickly access it in the Passwords app on you iPhone, iPad, or another Mac, provided that you sign into the same Apple Account and your devices are syncing data via iCloud. To see your FileVault recovery key in the Passwords macOS app, click All in the left column (on the iPhone/iPad, go to the Passwords screen and tap All). Then do a search for the name of your Mac. If you can’t remember the name you gave it, you can search for “FileVault” or “Recovery” and look for your Mac in the results that appear. Paste protections in Terminal One way an attacker may try to access your Mac is through scripts and commands that are processed through the Terminal. The Terminal is the Mac’s command line interface, and you might now know it’s actually an app in the Applications’ Utilities folder. Terminal commands seem like a foreign language to most users, which is why attackers are able to use them to lure unsuspecting users to make their system vulnerable. They find some sort of social engineering opportunity or send an email posing as an authority, and then they give the user a command to copy and paste into a Terminal window. As a safety measure, the Terminal will now post a warning when you attempt to paste something into the command line interface. You do have the option to bypass the warning and perform the paste if you want. This new protection was implemented in macOS Tahoe 26.4. Foundry Fortunately, for those who use the Terminal often, macOS can determine if you need to see the warning or not. For example, software developers who have Xcode and other tools may not see the warning because they use the Terminal frequently, and posting the warning isn’t necessary. Background security fixes With macOS 26.1, Apple implemented Background Security Fixes, which is the ability of macOS to install “lightweight security releases.” There are times when Apple wants to issue a security fix but doesn’t want to wait and include it in the next point-release update. Instead, they’ll release a Background Security Fix. If your Mac’s OS is up to date, then the first Background Security Fix was installed and you may not have noticed it. Back in March, Apple released a fix for a WebKit vulnerability. Apple maintains a list of released fixes you can check.

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MacBook Neo could face price hike, analyst predicts
Macworld The MacBook Neo, by almost all accounts, is a wildly successful product, so much so that Apple quickly started to run short of the “free” binned A18 Pro chips it used in the laptop. This is great news for Apple, which has a blockbuster on its hands and a new source of revenue in the budget space. But it could be bad news for consumers who haven’t yet managed to snag a Neo. According to the Taipei-based tech columnist Tim Culpan, writing in his Culpium newsletter this week, Apple has decided to respond to the higher-than-expected demand by doubling its Neo production plans… which might seem like a no-brainer, except that the ongoing components crisis means the new batch could be a lot more expensive for Apple than the original one. The company faces, Culpan claims, “a severe cut in gross margins amid escalating DRAM prices and a higher cost-base for the core processor.” At the heart of the issue is that the Neo’s binned A18 Pro, a mildly defective version of the chip produced randomly as a natural byproduct of the imperfect manufacturing process, are running low, and cannot be created to order. Most of the new processors Apple will receive, Culpan explains, won’t be binned at all: rather, they’ll be fully functional A18 Pros with six operational GPUs instead of the five in the Neo’s spec. Apple may disable one GPU chip via software, as bizarre as that sounds, in order to maintain consistency. But that won’t change the fact that these non-binned chips will cost more than the binned ones. And that’s on top of the fact that other components have also gone up in price as a result of ballooning demand for AI server hardware. Each second-batch Neo will cost significantly more to make than its first-batch equivalent, and profit margins tend to be tighter at the budget end of the market anyway. How can Apple preserve its profits? We’ve speculated earlier that Apple may introduce the A19 Pro Neo earlier than anticipated to absorb some of the blow, but Culpan suggests a bolder option. While he’s already floated the possibility that Apple drops the $599 256GB model from sale and pushes customers to the higher-margin $699 512GB configuration, in this latest article, he goes further, arguing that this now looks more likely than ever, after Apple pulled exactly the same move with the Mac mini. The 256GB model of that device is no longer available, effectively increasing the baseline price from $599 to $799 (although at least you get twice as much storage). It’s important to note that Culpan does not present this as something Apple is definitely planning to do, nor even that he has firm evidence that the company has discussed it. This is merely an analyst predicting what is likely, based on supply-chain pressures and recent activity with another budget Mac product. But sure, it could happen, so if you have your eye on a $599 MacBook Neo, you should grab it. Our MacBook Neo deals page is a good place to start.

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The Zens Semi-Solid-State Powerbank: a modest but worthwhile battery breakthrough
Next-generation battery technology is much like fusion power: a major breakthrough is always a year or two away. We keep being promised things like laptop batteries that can last for a month, and true wireless charging throughout a room. None of it ever materializes. However, one modest but still worthwhile breakthrough in battery tech is real and available today: solid-state powerbanks – including a new MagSafe model from Zens … more…

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∞ The Dalrymple Report: Swap Apple Intelligence Models, Apple advertising on Apple Maps
Perhaps one of the best Apple Intelligence decisions I've ever heard, the company announced this week that users will be able to swap Apple's AI model to a rival's to control the new AI system. That means you could use Claude or Gemini or another company that wants to have theirs available. Dave and I also talk about Apple's decision to show advertising on Maps. A disappointing choice for a company that ridiculed Google for its advertising efforts to customers and saying Apple doesn't treat its customers like the product. Follow this podcast Brought to you by: NordLayer: Get an exclusive offer: up to 22% off NordLayer yearly plans plus 10% on top with the coupon code: DALRYMPLE10. Try it risk-free—14-day money-back guarantee. Show Notes: Apple Stops Selling Mac Mini With 256GB of Storage, Starting Price Rises to $799 Apple settles Apple Intelligence lawsuit Apple plans to let users swap Apple Intelligence models Apple lands first-ever honors from the Tony Awards with a record 12 nominations Apple reports second quarter results Shows and movies we're watching Running Point, Netflix The Truman Show, Paramount+

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