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- Thursday March 12
- 10:30 amThe Apple ecosystem is a bargain (no really)
Macworld Apple hopes to accomplish a lot of things with the MacBook Neo, not the least of which includes attracting more users to switch to the Mac. But it’s more than just growing the Mac user base. Apple hopes that by using a Mac, users will see the benefits of Apple’s ecosystem, which will lead to investing in an iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, etc. Supposed that’s what happens: You decide to go all-in on Apple. But like the MacBook Neo, you want to spend as little as possible on each device. How much will that cost you at the Apple Store? Well. let’s figure that out! Below is a list of the cheapest devices for the major Apple categories, along with what you get for the price. MacBook Neo Price When Reviewed: $599 Best Prices Today: $599 at Amazon$599 at Apple$599 at Walmart We’re starting with the MacBook Neo, since it’s now the new gateway into Apple’s ecosystem. It has an A18 Pro chip that offers excellent performance comparable to an M1 or M2 chip, so it’s powerful enough for some productivity tasks, web browsing, and even basic media editing. It has a gorgeous aluminum design in four colors, a very good 13-inch Liquid Retina display, and all-day battery life. Its 256GB SSD is a little small, but you can always sign up for an Individual Apple One plan for $19.95 per month, which includes 50GB of iCloud storage. Read our full Apple MacBook Neo review iPhone 17e Price When Reviewed: $599 Best Prices Today: $599 at Apple The iPhone 17e and the MacBook Neo have similar target audiences: switchers and budget-conscious customers. The 17e has an A19 chip with the same number of CPU and GPU cores as the MacBook Neo’s A18 Pro, and its 48MP Fusion camera that will be great for family photos and videos. You’ll also get a 6.1-inch display with Ceramic Shield, 256GB of storage, 5G, Face ID, MagSafe, and incredible battery life. Oh, and it comes in pink to match your Blush MacBook Neo. Apple Watch SE 3 Price When Reviewed: From $249 Best Prices Today: $239 at Amazon$249.99 at Target $269 at Walmart The Apple Watch is already one of the more affordable devices in Apple’s lineup. But at $249, the SE offers many of the same health and lifestyle features as the higher-end Apple Watches, including notifications for heart rate, heart rhythm, and low cardio fitness, the Vitals app, and sleep tracking. Also, Neo users can use the Apple Watch SE to unlock their device, approve passwords, and authenticate Apple Pay requests on the model without Touch ID. iPad (A16) Price When Reviewed: $349 Best Prices Today: $329 at Amazon$343 at Walmart$349 at Apple With a MacBook available for $599, the iPad is, more than ever, a consumption device. It’s the thing you grab in bed or at the beach to read ebooks, watch videos, and maybe play a casual game, make a FaceTime call, or check text messages. For those things, you don’t need anything more powerful than the entry-level iPad, which has an 11-inch Retina Display and an A16 chip. Read our full Apple iPad (A16) review EarPods (USB-C) Price When Reviewed: $19 Best Prices Today: $19 at Amazon$19.88 at Walmart$19.99 at Best Buy Wireless is all the rage, but Apple’s cheapest earbuds aren’t AirPods, they’re the USB-C EarPods. You’ll miss out on a ton of features, like how the AirPods can switch between devices seamlessly and hands-free Siri, but for just $19, they’re a surprisingly solid option that won’t ever run out of battery life. If you absolutely have to have a pair of wireless earbuds, you’ll pay are $110 more for a pair of AirPods 4. Apple One (Individual Plan) Price When Reviewed: $15/month Best Prices Today: $15 at Apple This is the only recurring charge on this list, and it’s not imperative, but a subscription to Apple One really opens up the Apple ecosystem. For $20 a month, you’ll get Apple Music, TV, and Arcade, as well as 50GB of iCloud storage for backups, files, and photos that sync across all of your devices. Here is my total at the U.S. online Apple Store. Foundry For the first time ever, you can go all-in on the Apple ecosystem for less than the price of some MacBooks. Even if you upgrade to AirPods 4, you’re still under $2,000. The MacBook Neo has highlighted just how affordable the Apple ecosystem really is, and you no longer need to spend thousands of dollars to get a fantastic set of devices. That total doesn’t include the Apple One subscription, and doesn’t include AppleCare, which is another $20 per month for AppleCare One to cover your MacBook, iPad, and iPhone against accidents. You can shop around for lesser prices on Amazon or Best Buy, and I you use your Apple Card, you’ll get a decent chunk of cash back (over $50) on the purchase, too. Overall, not a bad haul for less than $2,000.08:30 amMacworld Podcast: MacBook Neo review
Macworld We have the new MacBook Neo, and we put it through its paces. Is Apple’s new laptop worth your money? Tune in and find out! This is episode 974 with Michael Simon, Jason Cross, and Roman Loyola. Watch episode 974 on YouTube Listen to episode 974 on Apple Podcast08:00 amAirTag tech, but make it wallet-friendly — and on sale for just $24
Macworld TL;DR: Love Apple’s Find My tracking but hate the chunky AirTag shape? The MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card fits in your wallet and is just $23.99. Apple’s Find My technology was a fantastic game-changer for tracking your stuff. But their shape is really not practical. That’s why the MagTag slim tracker card is the new game-changer. Instead of a weirdly round puck, this tracker is shaped like a credit card and just 1.5mm thin, so it slides neatly into your wallet, passport pouch, backpack, or luggage tag without creating a bulge. Even better, it still works seamlessly with the Apple Find My app, which means you can locate your belongings using Apple’s massive global device network. If you leave something behind, MagTag can send instant separation alerts, letting you know your wallet or bag didn’t make it out the door with you. And if something gets misplaced nearby, you can trigger a loud beep to help you find it faster. The card also features a built-in keyring hole, so you can attach it to keys, kids’ backpacks, luggage tags, or ID lanyards. Unlike many trackers, MagTag includes a rechargeable battery that lasts up to five months and charges wirelessly with any Qi charger. Don’t miss grabbing this MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card while it’s just $23.99 (MSRP $59.99). MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card – Works with Apple Find My AppSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.04:39 amiPhone 18 Pro may skip a price hike — and that’s a bigger deal than you think
Memory shortages are pushing smartphone prices higher, but Apple appears ready to hold the line with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)03:14 amHow well does the new MacBook Neo handle gaming? Andrew Tsai tested 10 games to find out | 9 to 5 MacHow well does the new MacBook Neo handle gaming? Andrew Tsai tested 10 games to find out
From AAA games native to the Mac, to Windows games running through translation layers, to Switch emulated games, Andrew Tsai set out to find whether the MacBook Neo can actually run games well. Here’s how it did. more…02:13 amBartender for Mac is good again, and my menu bar is very thankful
Following months of playing whack-a-mole with bugs stemming from changes Apple made to the menu bar’s underlying structure in macOS Tahoe, the developers behind Bartender seem to have, at last, gotten things under control. more…01:04 amLatest iOS 15 & iOS 16 updates target Coruna exploit affecting older devices
Apple has virtually eliminated the remaining addressable iPhones being targeted by the Coruna exploit being traded around the black market — that is, if you update your iPhone.iPhone 8 is among the older iPhones patched with Apple's latest updatesAn exploit potentially developed by the US government leaked to the black market and has been used to target iPhone users globally. Bad actors that get their hands on the malicious Coruna exploit have modified it to perform other tasks, like draining crypto accounts.Apple has shared that iOS 15.8.7 and iOS 16.7.15 updates that went out Wednesday afternoon directly target the Coruna exploit. It was previously patched via iOS 17.2 on December 11, 2023, but the latest updates mean devices back to iPhone 6s are covered. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums12:15 amModifier Key Order for Keyboard Shortcuts
The correct order is Fn, Control, Option, Shift, Command — regardless if you’re using the words or the glyphs.12:13 amApple confirms today’s iOS and iPadOS updates for older devices address the Coruna exploit | 9 to 5 MacApple confirms today’s iOS and iPadOS updates for older devices address the Coruna exploit
Apple has detailed the security content for iOS 16.7.15, iOS 15.8.7, iPadOS 16.7.15, and iPadOS 15.8.7, confirming that the updates address the Coruna vulnerability disclosed last week by Google and iVerify. Here are the details. more…Wednesday March 1111:08 pmFriday Night Baseball coming back to Apple TV for its fifth season on March 27
Subscribers of the Apple TV streaming service will once again be able to join Friday Night Baseball games, with the 2026 season kicking off on March 27.Friday Night Baseball is returning to Apple TV on March 27.Apple's dedication to sports-related content remains as strong as ever. After confirming that Apple TV would offer Friday Night Baseball through 2028, the iPhone maker has now revealed when the weekly doubleheader is set to return for its fifth season.Apple and Major League Baseball have revealed the scheduling for games from March through June 2026. The season is set to start with a game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Houston Astros, along with the Cleveland Guardians competing against the Seattle Mariners Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums10:31 pmNew iOS and iPadOS security updates arrive for older Apple hardware
While all eyes are on iOS 26 and its latest features, Apple hasn't forgotten about its older products, as iOS 15 and iOS 16 just received an update.New updates for iOS 16 and iOS 15 have been made available.Following the release of macOS 26.3.2, which included fixes specific to the MacBook Neo, Apple has deployed yet another set of software updates. This time, though, it's intended for significantly older products.To be more specific, the iPhone maker has released iOS 15.8.7, with the build number 19H411, along with iOS 16.7.15, which bears the build number 20H380. Their iPadOS counterparts received new versions as well, bringing important security and bug fixes to a variety of devices. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums10:03 pmFolding iPhone may take a major step toward iPad-style productivity
The upcoming folding iPhone's multitasking features reportedly including split-screen capabilities for improved productivity. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)10:01 pmApple rolls out iOS and iPadOS updates for older devices
Apple is rolling out system updates for older iPhones and iPads that are no longer supported by the latest versions of iOS and iPadOS. Here are the details. more…09:55 pmiPhone Fold expected to feature iPad UI when open, including side-by-side multitasking | Mac Daily NewsiPhone Fold expected to feature iPad UI when open, including side-by-side multitasking
Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will incorporate significant updates to the iOS operating system. These changes will introduce iPad-style… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.09:38 pmiPhone Fold rumored to offer side-by-side iPad-like app multitasking
Apple is expected to revamp the iOS multitasking system specifically for the iPhone Fold, with a left-hand side bar and side-by-side app views being among the rumored changes.The iPhone Fold will allegedly offer side-by-side multitasking.Following a rumor saying the iPhone Flip was canceled, we now have new claims about Apple's first foldable iPhone, or more specifically, its multitasking system.Rumors of an iPhone with a folding display began popping up in 2017, with a report estimating that mass production of its screens would begin in 2020. While that ultimately never came to be, more recent rumors suggest the device is on track to debut in late 2026. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums08:58 pmWhich iPad is right for you? Here’s what Apple has to say
Over the years, buying an iPad has become an increasingly confusing task. With multiple models and overlapping features and accessories, there’s no longer a clear-cut way to recommend one iPad for one type of user. Still, Apple does have a general idea of how it sees the iPad lineup and who each model is meant for. more…08:26 pmiPhone Fold expected to include new app features, including side-by-side multitasking
Apple’s first foldable iPhone is coming this fall, and Mark Gurman at Bloomberg has new information about how the interface will work. Notably, it sounds like the iPhone Fold (or whatever Apple calls the new phone) will allow you to run two apps side-by-side. more…08:21 pmApple publishes repair manuals for the iPhone 17e, new MacBooks, iPads, more
Following today’s launch of several products, Apple updated its Self Service Repair Store with manuals for users looking to repair their devices themselves. Here are the details. more…08:21 pmSeverance season 3 is coming: Here’s everything we know right now
It’s been nearly a year since Severance’s season 2 finale left viewers reeling. Here’s everything we know so far about Severance season 3 and when to expect its Apple TV premiere. more…08:03 pmPC Mag reviews Apple’s iPhone 17e: ‘Entry-level price, premium feel’
Apple's iPhone 17e is a powerful and more affordable addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. At the heart of iPhone 17e is the latest-generation… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.