Unlock all 14 languages: Get Babbel lifetime for just $159
Gain lifetime access to all 14 of the languages offered in the Babbel app with this great limited-time deal. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple just turned an entire generation of kids into Mac users
Macworld For years, Chromebooks and low-cost Windows laptops have dominated the education sector for one primary reason: aggressive pricing. Some models sell for under $200, making them easy to deploy at scale. They’re also more sensible than entry-level iPads, thanks to the more mature operating systems, larger displays, built-in keyboards, and fuller feature sets. That dynamic is about to shift, however. With the new MacBook Neo, Apple is set to disrupt this longstanding formula, positioning itself as a serious player in education. Until now, a truly affordable MacBook that parents and schools could justify for kids didn’t exist—Apple’s cheapest laptop started at $999 with the MacBook Air. Starting at a mere $499 for education, Neo is catering to this untapped market for the first time ever. Before long, many students will either be using a MacBook Neo or asking for one. Long-term gains The MacBook Neo’s starting price is a calculated decision. Apple could’ve easily charged more and still sold plenty of them, but short-term profit isn’t the primary goal here. With such a low starting price for students, Apple is ensuring Macs will begin showing up in classrooms all over the world, winning over younger generations and getting them accustomed to Apple hardware and software.  By introducing students to the Mac at a young age, Apple potentially secures them as lifelong customers who will later spend much more on higher-end devices. Plenty of Chromebooks and Windows laptops cost less than $499, but they don’t have the design or ecosystem Apple does. The MacBook is an established premium line, and, at just $499, it’s bound to become the new cool at school. Apple laptops are already popular with students, but now they’ll be popular with schools too.Apple iPhone’s BFF Back in the days when I was a college student, I sold my mid-range Lenovo laptop right after I switched from Android to iPhone. Instead of a Mac, I opted for an iPad to keep things in sync with my iPhone while I worked. Within a couple of years, my entire setup was converted to Apple-made products that worked seamlessly together. Many parents buy their kids iPhones for similar reasons. They can easily AirDrop notes, add them to shared photo albums, track them with Find My, set Screen Time limits, approve purchases, and much more. When they grown up, these kids will want a laptop that works just as well with their iPhones. The MacBook Neo offers native integrations with iOS, including iPhone Mirroring, notification forwarding, Universal Clipboard, plus the practical iCloud sync for photos, notes, contacts, files, and other data. No Chromebook or Windows laptop can beat that. Full desktop experience Another reason parents and schools may want to prioritize the MacBook Neo over a Chromebook is that it runs the full version of macOS. ChromeOS is essentially a glorified web browser that doesn’t offer the same set of advanced apps. While the MacBook Neo may run an iPhone chip, users will still get to install professional Mac software, such as coding tools, photo editors, and other comprehensive desktop apps. Apple doesn’t say how long it will support the MacBook Neo with software updates, but it’s safe to assume that it’ll be longer than any of its mid-range rivals. Cheap laptops often get quickly neglected by their manufacturers, as they focus their resources on supporting flagship machines. As such, Neo users will get the latest security patches, AI enhancements, and other new Mac features for years to come. Apple learned from the mistakes it made with the iPhone 5c.Foundry Far from an iPhone 5c When the plastic iPhone 5c flopped, Apple learned how not to build cheap products, switching to the SE model, which maintains the premium materials for budget iPhones and watches by incorporating dated components. The MacBook Neo is an evolution of this successful formula that sacrifices certain technologies for design and features that matter. According to Macworld’s Michael Simon—who got to try the notebook at Apple’s hands-on event—the MacBook Neo feels as premium as the MacBook Air. It features a sturdy aluminum chassis, reliable Magic Keyboard (albeit not backlit), stunning display, decent audio system, and more. Sure, you’re missing out on some higher-end specs available on Air and Pro MacBooks, but it doesn’t feel like similarly priced, low-grade laptops. Beyond its durability, the MacBook Neo also caters to students and youngsters by offering vibrant color options, including citrus and blush—plus the more subtle silver and indigo. The selection can add a fun aspect to a serious productivity device, making it appealing to a broader range of customers. If pretty much everything about the MacBook Neo is superior, why would anyone still want to buy another cheap laptop?

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Hands-on with MacBook Neo and more [Cult of Mac podcast No. 11]
This week on the "Cult of Mac" podcast: Griffin shows off Apple's new Studio Display XDR, iPhone 17e and not one but two MacBook Neos. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Hands-on: This hub fixes the MacBook Neo’s biggest limitation
Apple’s new MacBook Neo is one of the most exciting and disruptive products Apple has released in years. Starting at just $599, or $499 through the education store, it delivers incredible performance and build quality without much compromise. You get a laptop that looks, feels, and performs like a true Apple laptop. But like many Apple products in 2026, it lacks a variety of ports. I would argue that customers used to this price range expect more than just two USB-C ports from their Windows counterpart. That’s where MacBook Air users their ports back! Here is what you should know. more…

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Today in Apple history: Power Mac 7100 lands Apple in hot water with Carl Sagan
On March 14, 1994, Apple introduced the Power Macintosh 7100, a midrange Mac that landed the company in court against astronomer Carl Sagan. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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The MacBook Neo is the fantastic new Mac for the masses [Review] ★★★★☆
This will be a lot of people’s first Mac, and they’ll be very happy. A hands-on review of the MacBook Neo leaves us highly impressed. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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11-inch M4 iPad Air $40 Off
The iPad Air has been refreshed and is now powered by the M4 chip, making it faster and more capable of handling heavy tasks and graphics-heavy games. It has Apple Intelligence support, the AI system that keeps you organized and well on your way to getting through your workload. The device is compatible with Apple […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Apple To Announce Plans For 50th Anniversary
Plans for the 50th anniversary of Apple will be announced over the weeks to come, but no specific details have been revealed. The company was founded on April 1, 1976, and Apple will be turning 50 next month! The company stated that their celebration will acknowledge innovation, impact, and creativity made possible with technology at […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Teardown Video for MacBook Neo Released
Tech Re-Nu, an Australian YouTuber, has provided us with a teardown video of the MacBook Neo, showing the insides of the device. The video shows the new devices being disassembled in about 6 minutes, hinting that the company may have put simplicity first with clean routing designs for cables and standard Torx screws. The battery […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Updates and New Games Coming to Apple Arcade
Three new games are being added to Apple Arcade next month, with many updates to current titles. Apple will be adding My Very Hungry Caterpillar+, Dredge+, and Unpacking+ to their service with the games available on the second of April. My Very Hungry Caterpillar offers an interactive experience where you care for your own caterpillar […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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The AirPods 4 with ANC is $60 off
The AirPods 4 feature the H2 chip along with adaptive audio to blend both transparency mode and ANC in the earbuds effortlessly, allowing you to hear the world around you or lock in and immerse yourself in your game, music, or workout. The earbuds feature ANC, eliminating outside noise and allowing you to focus or […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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MacBook Pro Anticipated to Be Feature-Packed
Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple supply chain analyst, reports that the MacBook Pro will be getting a significant update early next year with an OLED display. The device will be seeing a release later this year or early next year. Having an OLED Display would mean that the MacBook Pro would have better quality for images and […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Samsung and Apple Tie For Number One In Smartphone Production
Samsung and Apple have manufactured nearly the same number of smartphones last year, meaning that they have tied for the place in global smartphone production. Production for smartphones worldwide has reached about 1.254 billion last year, with the research firm TrendForce stating that both Samsung and Apple have made about 240 million smartphones. This ultimately […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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Flight Sim ‘X-Plane 12’ Coming To Vision Pro
The Apple Vision Pro will be getting X-Plane, the world’s most advanced flight simulator. visionOS 26.4 will add support for the CloudXR 6.0 platform for NVIDIA, allowing the Vision Pro to stream immersive games from the PC wirelessly from servers powered by NVIDIA RTX. This includes X-Plane, a flight simulator. Users of the Vision Pro […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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13-inch M4 iPad Air Is $50 Off
The revamped iPad Air now features an M4 chip, providing you with strong and fluid performance when working, multitasking, and handling heavy tasks such as editing. It can also give you smooth graphics for an enjoyable gaming experience. The Apple tablet has support for Apple Intelligence, the personal AI system helping you stay organized and […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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New HomePod and Apple TV Tied With Revamped Siri Release
A new Apple TV 4K and HomePod are ready for release, but the company is apparently tying the release of these devices to the long-awaited revamped Siri that has faced delay after delay. The devices have a planned release for September, with the home hub being dependent on the new version of Siri. A new […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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iPhone Manufacturing in India Boosted
Production for the iPhone has been boosted by 53% in India during the previous year; they now make a quarter of the devices in India to dodge tariffs in China. The company manufactured 55 million iPhones in India throughout 2025. Apple manufactures about 220-230 million iPhones worldwide, with India apparently overtaking China as the lead […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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F1 Promotional Video Stars Tim Cook
A promo video has been shared by Tim Cook, Apple CEO, highlighting the company and its new role as the home of Formula One in the United States. The video was taken in Apple Park showing the CEO driving around in a small buggy before stopping beside Max Verstappen, a Dutch  4-time world champion F1 […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

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How to type the Pi (π) symbol on a Mac or iPhone
Macworld It’s every math geek’s favorite day—March 14 or 3.14, so this is the day when you’ll want to know how to type the Pi symbol: π. It’s one of the most recognizable symbols in mathematics but it’s not found on any standard English keyboard—there isn’t even an emoji for it. So can you get it to show up? The easiest way is to use a Mac. Here are the steps: Press and hold the option key (next to Command). Type the letter “P”. Release/repeat. That’s it. No matter what app you’re in or font you’re using, the Pi symbol will appear in the place of the letter “P” when you hold down the option key. It’s a little trickier on your iPhone and iPad. First, you’ll need to add a new keyboard: Head over to the Settings app. Tap General and Keyboard. Tap Keyboards, Add New Keyboard, and select Greek. Then, when you want to type the Pi symbol, click the globe icon in the bottom left corner of the keyboard until you see the Greek keyboard. Tap the Pi symbol, which is the Greek letter “P” (top row, second from right). Then tap the Globe icon again to return to the English keyboard. Here are a few other fun Pi facts to impress your friends: The Pi symbol is denoted by the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet representing the lowercase letter “P.” Welsh mathematician William Jones was the first person to use the symbol to express Pi. Physicist Larry Shaw started celebrating 14 March as Pi day at San Francisco’s Exploratorium science museum.  The longest extension of pi has been more than 62 trillion decimal places. In ancient Egypt, people believed the Giza pyramids were built on the principles of Pi. There’s an entire writing style called Pilish based on Pi’s mnemonic constraints. If you are trying to find out how to type some other unusual characters take a look at our story on how to type Æ, €, #, @, ©, and more special characters on a Mac.

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Apple @ Work: IT leaders fear vendor lock-in as the ‘Cloud Only’ dream fades
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. For the last decade, the strategy for many IT departments was simple: move everything to the cloud to save on costs. The promise was moving faster, with less downtime and less maintenance, but as we settle into 2026, the reality is looking a bit different for some teams. Parallels has just released its 2026 State of Cloud Computing Survey. The results paint a picture of an industry that is tapping the brakes on “cloud at all costs” because teams are starting to realize that it’s leading them into vendor lock-in. more…

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