iPad gives nonspeaking woman a voice to advocate for Americans with disabilities
A woman with nonspeaking autism got an iPad when she was 18, and through an app on it, is now speaking in schools — and working for the government.Jordyn Zimmerman using an iPad accessibility tool to give her a voice (Source: CBS)Apple introduced Live Speech with iOS 17 in 2023, but as far back as 2014 there were iPad apps that could speak whatever was typed into them. The iPad then radically changed the life of Jordyn Zimmerman, then aged 18, who had nonspeaking autism."[The] iPad gave me so much confidence to really connect with people," she told CBS Mornings. "No matter where I am on iPad, I can double tap that assistive touch button, which allows me to open a live speech accessibility feature." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Nearly half of iPhone buyers choose upgraded storage tier, study finds
CIRP is out with a new report today focused on the sales patterns of iPhone buyers when it comes to storage tiers. They highlight how storage tiers have become a major way for Apple to increase its profit line for each new iPhone sold, as the iPhone’s margins get increasingly better when storage is upgraded. According to CIRP’s findings, almost half of iPhone buyers opt to upgrade the storage on their device. And this trend skews even higher, reaching over 50%, when considering the iPhone 15 lineup in isolation. more…

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25-year Apple design veteran announces departure; Jony Ive’s old team ‘almost entirely dissolved’
Apple is losing another veteran design team members, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Duncan Kerr, a designer who has been at Apple for over 25 years, has reportedly informed the company that he will depart in the near future. more…

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M2 iPad Air vs M1 iPad Air: What’s upgraded?
Apple has launched the 2024 iPad Air with an upgraded M2 chip, a larger 13-inch version joining the 11-inch model, Apple Pencil Pro compatibility, and more. Join along for everything that’s new and improved for the M2 iPad Air vs M1 iPad Air. more…

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Apple’s new iPad Pros are shockingly thin
Apple's new iPad Pro is the thinnest Apple product ever with a shockingly thin and light design, taking portability to a whole new level… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Alternate Avengers assemble on Apple Vision Pro in 'What If…? — An Immersive Story'
Disney is bringing even more immersive content to the Apple Vision Pro. This time it's the turn of Marvel's "What If...?" franchise.A screenshot from Marvel's 'What If...?" experience for Apple Vision ProDisney is working closely with Apple to provide Apple Vision Pro users more exclusive experiences. On Wednesday, the Disney-owned Marvel Studios and ILM Immersive revealed that a new one will be arriving soon.Dubbed "What If...? — An Immersive Story," the content will consist of elements from the original Disney+ animated series of the same name. The show reimagines how various characters within the Marvel universe would be and act if their situations had changed. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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New 13-inch iPad Air will eat into iPad Pro sales
A new report predicts that sales of the new iPad Pro will be affected both by its higher price than before, and by the appeal for consumers of the lower-cost 13-inch iPad Air.New iPad Pro (source: Apple)Trendforce has previously and rather obviously predicted that if Apple releases iPad Pro models with OLED screens, it would drop the previous versions that had mini LED displays. Now that Apple has done exactly this, Trendforce has released a report estimating the potential sales of the new iPad range.The report from market research firm Trendforce is really focused on AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) screens. This is the slight but significant variant of OLED that lets the iPad Pro control every individual pixel, and also do so while consuming less power. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple profits surge as consumers choose pricier iPhone storage options
Amidst plateauing iPhone sales, Apple's enhanced storage upgrade options have emerged as a significant profit driver.Apple has long leveraged the strategy of encouraging iPhone users to opt for higher storage variants, significantly increasing the device's price. The approach has proved crucial in offsetting the otherwise stagnating revenues from iPhone sales.Upgraded storage options do come with a higher price tag, ranging from an additional 10% to 50% of the base model's price. The value they offer can be significant, depending on the owner's use case. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple TV+ limited series ‘Lady in the Lake,’ starring Natalie Portman, premieres July 19th
Apple TV+ on Wednesday unveiled a first look at “Lady in the Lake,” the upcoming, seven-part limited series starring Natalie Portman, who… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple Original Films unveils trailer for ‘Fancy Dance,’ starring Lily Gladstone
Apple Original Films on Wednesday unveiled the trailer for “Fancy Dance,” the acclaimed Sundance Film Festival selection from… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Drama Fancy Dance brings back Oscar winner Lily Gladstone
Gladstone returns to Apple TV+ in the "Fancy Dance" trailer. Watch the teaser for the powerful family drama right here. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple TV+ drama Fancy Dance brings back Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone
Gladstone returns to Apple TV+ in the "Fancy Dance" trailer. Watch the teaser for the powerful family drama right here. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Sorry Apple faithful, there won’t be any stickers in the new iPad boxes
Macworld For as long as we can remember, Apple has included a little gift when you buy a new iPhone, Mac, or iPad that makes users feel like they are valued members of a community: A small sheet with two Apple logo stickers. However, if you buy one of the new iPad Pros or iPad Airs, you won’t receive any. According to 9to5Mac, Apple has distributed a memo to its store employees explaining the change, which is due to the environmental push to remove all plastic from its packaging. Stickers are included in products as recent as the new M3 MacBook Airs that were released in March, though notably the Vision Pro does not come with any. 9to5Mac reports that stores will have stickers on hand and will hand them out on request when someone buys one of the new iPads. However, if you don’t buy your new iPad from the Apple Store, it’s unclear whether you’ll be able to get them. The site says Apple won’t ship stickers to third-party retailers but you may be able to get one by bringing proof of purchase to an Apple Store and asking nicely. At any rate, we doubt many people are going to actually ask for their stickers or even notice. And so begins the beginning of the end of another benefit that’s just going to go away, like EarPods, a cleaning cloth, and a power adapter. As for us, we’ll be cherishing our Space Black stickers a little more now. iPad

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Best Mac Keyboards 2024
Macworld If you spend hours typing each day, it’s important to find the keyboard that suits your needs – whether that’s a mechanical keyboard that provides satisfying tactile feedback or a keyboard packed with media controls and macOS shortcuts. There are plenty of options to choose from, and here we look at some of the best keyboards for Mac to help you decide. We have all sorts of Mac keyboards in this round-up, including Apple’s 2021 Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and the cheaper, and still-on-sale, Magic Keyboard. We have some wired keyboards (for those fed up with searching for new batteries every few weeks) as well as ergonomic solutions to help you avoid RSI, the best gaming keyboards for Mac, and some pretty stylish offerings that give Apple a run for its money. And, talking of money, there are quality Mac-ready keyboards out there that cost a lot less than Apple’s – and do more too. You might also be interested in discovering the best mice for Mac if you want to fully upgrade your workstation. Updated May 2024: We’ve added the Logitech K950, Logitech MX Keys S, Satechi SM1 and SteelSeries Apex Pro. 1. Logitech MX Keys S – Best for Power Users Pros Competitive price. Function keys and numeric keypad. Bluetooth or USB wireless adaptor. Cons Backlight drains battery. Can’t adjust tilt. Price When Reviewed: $109.99 Best Prices Today: $109.99 at Logitech It’s hard to keep up with Logitech’s ever-growing MX range of keyboards, but the MX Keys S is its latest top-of-the-range wireless keyboard, priced at $109.99/£109.99. Its slimline, low-profile design is very smart and attractive, and available in either black, pale gray or a Mac-like graphite. It’s solidly built, though, and capable of surviving some heavy-handed typing when it needs to. The MX Keys S is cheaper than Apple’s Magic Keyboard, but also a lot more versatile, as it includes a dedicated set of buttons that allow you to pair it with three separate devices, including Macs, iPads, Windows PCs, and even Linux and Chrome devices. You also have two options for connecting it to your Mac, as it can use ordinary Bluetooth or a separate USB wireless adaptor that provides greater range and reliability than Bluetooth (although it’s odd that this adaptor and the charging cable both have USB-A interfaces, so you may need to provide an adaptor if your Mac only has USB-C). The original MX Keys was launched a few years ago, so this updated MX Keys S includes a number of new features, such as Function keys that can be used to activate dictation on your Mac, open the emoji menu, or mute/unmute your microphone for video-calls. The backlighting has been improved too, automatically reacting as you first move your hands onto the keyboard, and adjusting to suit the ambient light in the room around you. The backlight does drain the battery though – the keyboard can last for up to five months if you’re not using the backlight, but this drops to around 10 days if you have the backlight on all the time. You can use the MX Keys S with any Mac, and it will work like a standard keyboard with a row of Function keys that control settings such as brightness and volume, or activating Exposé. However, Logitech also provides an app, called Options+, which requires macOS 12 or later. This allows you to reprogram the various Function keys to perform different tasks. It can also be configured to work with specific apps such as Photoshop or Premiere, which makes it a particularly good option for professional users who want to speed up work in their key apps. The app has also been updated for the MX Keys S, adding a new Smart Actions feature that works a bit like Apple’s Shortcuts, by allowing you to record a series of actions that can be triggered using a single key. 2. Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (2021) – Best for M-series Macs Pros Touch ID. Nice design. Cons Touch ID won't work with Intel-powered Macs. Slimline so keys don't 'travel' much. Smaller version is cramped. Price When Reviewed: $149; $179 with numerical pad Best Prices Today: $107.84 at Amazon$111.95 at B&H$129.99 at Best Buy At first glance, the two Magic Keyboard models launched by Apple in mid-2021 look very similar to the original models – which are still available and reviewed here as well. However, these newer models bring a number of new features that aren’t available on the older Magic keyboards. For starters, these new models are officially referred to by Apple as (1) the Magic Keyboard With Touch ID For Mac Models With Apple Silicon ($149/£149), and (2) the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and Numeric Keypad for Mac Models with Apple Silicon ($179/£179). Note there are Space Gray versions that cost more ($199/£199) so make sure you select the white models if you want to save money. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but Apple is making it abundantly clear that the new keyboards are specifically designed for the latest Mac models that have Apple’s home-grown M1 processors. You can use these new keyboards with older Macs that have Intel processors, but you’ll really only be able to use them as basic QWERTY keyboards for typing, as most of the new features – including the Touch ID sensor that sits in the top row of Function keys – won’t work on Intel Macs. The basic design of the two keyboards hasn’t actually changed that much, with the same slimline design and month-long battery life as their predecessors. The smaller Magic Keyboard With Touch ID is priced at quite a premium for the Touch ID sensor. And, like the standard Magic Keyboard, it feels rather cramped, with a small Space bar and cursor keys. The lack of ‘travel’ – the up and down movement of the keys as you press them – also makes the keyboard feel a bit lifeless for people who type a lot and need a bit more tactile feedback when they’re typing up a storm. Then again, you might feel that your fingers have to do less ‘work’ compressing the key. Apple also introduced new versions of the Touch ID keyboard with black keys in early 2022. The key feature of these new keyboards, though, is the Touch ID sensor, which sits by the F12 button on the top row of Function keys. This works just like the Touch ID sensors on the iPhone and iPad, and – on Macs with Apple Silicon – you’ll see a new Touch ID panel appear in System Preferences when you first connect the keyboard. This allows you to store up to three fingerprints, which you can use to unlock your Mac, or to make secure payments on the Apple Store, or other online stores that support Apple Pay. There are a few other new features as well, including an Emoji command on the Fn key in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard, which displays the Emoji viewer panel so that you can quickly add emojis to any document or message that you’re typing. There are new Function commands too, for activating Spotlight, Dictation and Do Not Disturb. As always, the larger version of the keyboard is even more expensive but the numeric keypad will be useful for people who do a lot of number crunching at work. There’s more room to provide a larger Space bar too, and larger navigation keys. Even so, the thin keyboard panel means that the keys still feel a bit lifeless, so business users and budding novelists may prefer to look at one of the larger and more solidly built keyboards available from other manufacturers. 3. Satechi Slim W3 – Best Wired Keyboard Pros Good build quality. Affordable. Lots of Function keys. Wired connection (USB-C). Cons Only U.S. layout available. Quite large. Lies very flat on the desk. Price When Reviewed: $69.99 Best Prices Today: $51.44 at Amazon$69.99 at Satechi I’ve never understood the need to put batteries and Bluetooth into keyboards. After all, if a keyboard is just going to sit on your desk all the time then it’s both simpler and cheaper to opt for a straightforward USB connection instead. And, as this is a backlit keyboard, you don’t have to worry about the backlight draining the battery either. Satechi is one of the few companies that still makes a good range of wired keyboards, such as the affordable Slim W3, which costs just £62.99/$69.99 Satechi also has a strong background in the Mac market – making some really useful Thunderbolt hubs and docks – which ensures that the W3 provides good Mac support too. The Slim W3 is aptly named, as it measures just 9.9mm thick, and lies almost completely flat on your desk, although Satechi also includes a couple of small risers that you can stick onto the base of the keyboard if you want to increase the tilt a little. It’s sturdily built too, with a tough aluminum panel that weighs 440g, and the keys travel well given the slimline, low-profile design of the W3. The keyboard is quite large, measuring 420mm wide and 115mm deep, but it includes a numeric keypad, arrow keys, a set of navigation keys, and even manages to squeeze in no less than 19 Function keys as well, just like Apple’s more expensive Magic keyboards. Alternatively, if you want something a little more compact, then Satechi also makes a smaller wired model called the W1, costing £53.99/$59.99 that omits the numeric keypad and navigation keys, as well as a number of mechanical keyboards that are more suited to gaming or high-speed typing. The only disappointment is that Satechi is a very US-centric company, so its keyboards only offer US layouts. That’s not too much of a problem for UK users, though, as you can still use standard commands such as ‘Shift+3’ to print the ‘£’ symbol, even though the US layout means that the ‘3’ key is labeled with the ‘#’ symbol. But, if you need non-English layouts then you’ll need to look elsewhere. 4. Logitech MX Keys Mini – Best For Home Users Pros Five month battery life (if backlight turned off). Function keys mimic those on Mac keyboards. Cons Keyboard backlight can drain the battery quickly. Price When Reviewed: $99.99 Best Prices Today: $71.36 at Amazon$89.99 at Adorama$89.99 at B&H Logitech’s Craft and Ergo K860 keyboards are both designed for specific types of users, but if you’re just looking for a good general-purpose keyboard then its MX Keys range is hard to beat. The latest model in the range is the new MX Keys Mini ($99.99/£99.99) and has a compact, low-profile design that clearly pitches it as an alternative to Apple’s own Magic Keyboard. And, to be honest, Logitech’s years of experience with mice and keyboards really give it the edge. The basic design of the MX Keys Mini is impressive. Available in a variety of colors, it’s heavier and sturdier than the Magic Keyboard, with firmer keys that feel more responsive when typing. The keyboard has a backlight too, with a sensor that automatically activates the backlight as your hands approach the keyboard, and then turn it off after a few seconds when you move away. The backlight does drain the keyboard’s rechargeable battery, lasting only 10 days if you have the backlight on full brightness the whole time. However, turning the backlight off extends that time to a full five months – far longer than the single month provided by Apple’s Magic Keyboard. The top row of Function keys works automatically with the Mac, allowing you to adjust the backlight, volume and other controls. Logitech’s Options app also allows you to program the Function keys to perform different tasks, such as opening Mail or Safari. There’s also a larger version, simply called the MX Keys, which has a separate numeric keypad as well – and this has recently been on sale at the same price as the MX Keys Mini, although it’s not clear if that price cut will turn out to be permanent. 5. Apple Magic Keyboard – Best for Intel Macs Pros 2021 model includes a USB-C-to-Lightning cable Cons No Touch ID Slimline so keys don't 'travel' much Navigation keys are a bit fiddly to use Price When Reviewed: $99 Best Prices Today: $99 at Adorama$99 at Apple$99 at Walmart Apple’s keyboards are a bit confusing at the moment, with two generations of keyboards available, and each generation offering two different keyboards, with or without a numeric keypad. The older generation of Magic Keyboards is still available, and is now intended primarily for use with older Macs that have Intel processors. These older keyboards lack the Touch ID sensor that is available with the two new keyboards that Apple launched in the summer of 2021. However, Touch ID and some of the other features of the new keyboards don’t work with Intel-based Macs, so if your Mac has an Intel processor then these older keyboards are the best options available from Apple – although, of course, there are plenty of other keyboards available from other manufacturers, which we review here as well. The smaller Magic Keyboard can be expensive at $99/£99, but its elegant slimline design started a trend for ‘low-profile’ keyboards that many other manufacturers now follow too. The aluminium body does feel quite sturdy, but the slimline design means that the keys don’t ‘travel’ very well, so speedy typists might prefer a larger keyboard that is actually designed to do some proper work rather than just looking pretty. The Space Bar and the little set of navigation keys in the lower-right corner of the keyboard are also rather small and fiddly. To be fair, though, the compact little keyboard does squeeze in quite a few useful features, with the top row of Function keys providing controls for brightness, volume and playing music. The Magic Keyboard works as a standard Bluetooth keyboard, and Apple says that its rechargeable battery will last for about a month at a time. Like all Apple keyboards it has a Lightning port for charging, but the latest version of the Magic Keyboard – also updated in Summer 2021 – now includes a USB-C-to-Lightning cable, so make sure you don’t buy an older model from other online stores, which might still have a USB-A cable instead (unless, of course, you’ve got an old Mac that only has USB-A connectors). And, of course, there’s the larger version, called the Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad ($129/£129). This is also quite expensive but adds a numeric keypad for people who need to do a bit of serious number crunching every now and then. This keyboard also has a larger set of navigation keys, which is very useful for scrolling through long documents or web pages, and an additional set of navigation keys that allow you to quickly jump to the top or bottom of a document. The larger keyboard layout also means that there’s room for some additional Function keys too, going right up to F19 (rather than F12 for the smaller Magic Keyboard). It’s a shame, though, that the options in the macOS for programming your own keyboard shortcuts are fairly limited, so power users might prefer to use a third-party utility such as USB OverDrive or HotKey App, to make full use of these extra Function keys. This larger keyboard has the same month-long battery life as the smaller Magic Keyboard, although it’s showing its age a little as (surprisingly) its charging cable still has a USB-A connector. You can find the best prices for Apple Keyboards and Mice in our deals round-up. Read our full Apple Magic Keyboard review 6. Satechi SM1 Pros Versatile connectivity features. Good Mac support. Can pair with four devices. Cons Layout is US only. Backlight drains the battery quickly. No numeric keypad. Satechi’s W3 is a full-size wired keyboard with a low-profile design that is primarily designed for use with Macs. In contrast, its SM1 is a more compact wireless keyboard with robust mechanical keys, and the ability to quickly switch between Mac and Windows modes as required. The SM1 has a 75% layout that consists of a simple QWERTY keyboard with a row of Function keys, but lacks a separate numerical keypad. That keeps the size down to just 308mm wide and 119mm deep, so it doesn’t take up very much desk space at all, and you could easily slip it into a backpack if you wanted to carry it around with you. It’s solidly built, though, and uses brown keys that are smooth enough for fast typing whilst also providing good tactile feedback for gaming (other types of mechanical keyboards can offer red and blue keys as well). It’s also impressively versatile for such a compact keyboard. You can pair the SM1 with four separate devices and switch between them, and you have the option of connecting via Bluetooth, a USB wireless adaptor that’s included in the box, or simply opting for a wired USB-C connection (although the wireless adaptor has a USB-A interface, so you may need an adaptor for Macs that only have USB-C). There’s a row of 12 Function keys that support standard Mac commands for adjusting brightness and volume, and activating features such as Mission Control or Spotlight. It has the standard Command and Option keys that you’d expect on a Mac keyboard, but you can switch between Mac and Windows modes with a quick shortcut, and Satechi even includes three spare keys for the Windows menu and Alt keys, so that Window users can physically swap keys and feel more at home. The rechargeable battery lasts for up to two months if you’re not using the backlight, although this drops to a modest 16.5 hours when using the backlight (which includes 14 eyeball-frazzling lighting patterns that can be controlled using a special lighting key). However, the keyboard has a sleep mode to conserve battery power by turning the backlight off if the keyboard hasn’t been used for a while. I was also pleased to find that you can use the SM1 in wired mode as well, using the USB-C cable that is included in the box, whilst also recharging the battery at the same time. Just remember that Satechi only provides keyboards with a U.S. layout, so there’s no option that’s suitable for non-English languages. 7. Logitech Craft – Best for Creatives Pros Backlit keys with proximity sensor Microsoft Dial-esque input dial Cons Given the lack of interest in the Touch Bar we aren't convinced by the dial Price When Reviewed: $199 Best Prices Today: $124.99 at Amazon$199 at Logitech The Craft is Logitech’s wireless keyboard designed for creatives across Windows and Mac, and it’s incredible. The keyboard is sleek, gorgeous and features a solid body, providing a sturdy keyboard that will never move when in use. The Craft features increased key stability that doesn’t only reduce noise when compared to similar keyboards, but the spherical key imprint makes it easier to orient your fingers and type quickly and accurately. The typing experience is near perfection, with both comfort and accuracy in mind.  It features backlit LED keys like many other keyboards, but with a difference. Thanks to a built-in proximity sensor, the keys will only light up when your hands are near the keyboard. Admittedly it’s only a small feature, but it really highlights the attention to detail required to develop this keyboard.  Of course, the key feature of the Logitech Craft is the Microsoft Dial-esque input dial on the top-left of the keyboard. The dial is completely contextual, and the functions will change depending on the app you’re using. This is done automatically for popular apps like Google Chrome, Photoshop and Illustrator, but it can also be set up manually via the Logitech Options app. Tapping the dial provides access to a range of functions, from volume control to brush size to tab switching. Whatever you need, the dial can provide it.  The Logitech Craft is stunningly gorgeous and impressively practical, and is a must-have for all Mac power users, not just creatives. It costs $179 (currently on sale for $169.99)/£189 from Logitech. 8. Penclic KB3 – Most Comfortable Keyboard Pros Comfortable and ergonomic design Wireless with rechargeable batteries Works with iOS Cons Uses Micro-USB for charging Price When Reviewed: $99.50 Best Prices Today: $99.50 at Penclic Penclic is a Swedish accessory company with a specific focus on products that help reduce repetitive strain injury and other desk-related ailments. That means the KB3 has a firm focus on ergonomics, with a light key travel, comfortable spacing, full-sized keys, and a subtle gradient to the aluminium body. The KB3 is a similar size and style to Apple’s own Magic Keyboard, but opts for a more colourful design, the black body broken by orange and teal highlights to illustrate the various secondary key functions. Like the Magic Keyboard it’s wireless and rechargeable – though it uses Micro-USB – and is compatible with iOS. It also has the added benefit of working with Windows and Android in case you ever need to break out of the Apple ecosystem. It costs $109.99/£89.99. 9. Logickeyboard Final Cut Pro X Keyboard – Best For Video Editors Pros Features FCP editing commands printed on the relevant keys Keyboards are available for other apps such as Logic Pro X Cons Niche market – although it can be used as a standard keyboard Price When Reviewed: $124.90 Best Prices Today: $124.90 at LogicKeyboard Video-editing programs such as Apple’s Final Cut Pro X often use dozens of keyboard shortcuts to activate various editing tools and commands, and trying to remember all those shortcuts can be a real headache when you’re trying to get your work done in a hurry. Logickeyboard produces specialised keyboards designed for Final Cut and other creative applications. The basic design of the keyboard is very similar to Apple’s own keyboards, with a slimline design and aluminium casing, and a handy pair of USB ports for plugging in a mouse and other devices. It has all the same function keys as Apple’s keyboards, so you can control iTunes or adjust the brightness and volume. And, of course, it can be used as an ordinary keyboard for typing in Microsoft Word and other programs, and there’s a numeric keypad for data entry as well. However, it also has the most important Final Cut editing commands printed on the relevant keys, and the keys themselves are colour-coded for quick access. LogicKeyboard also makes similar keyboards for other apps, such as Apple’s Logic Pro X and Adobe’s After Effects. 10. SteelSeries Apex Pro Pros Impressive build quality. Smooth, comfortable mechanical keys. Includes wrist-rest. Cons Mac app needs an update. Expensive. Price When Reviewed: $199.99 Best Prices Today: $145.15 at Walmart$198.99 at Amazon$199.99 at Best Buy SteelSeries makes some excellent gaming gear, and I’ve long used its Aerox mouse and Arctis headphones with my office iMac for general office use as well as gaming. Its keyboards are more of a mixed bag, though. The Apex Pro is one of its top-of-the-range mechanical keyboards and is advertised as being Mac-compatible, and – like most keyboards – it works perfectly well as a basic QWERTY keyboard. However, expensive keyboards such as this tend to offer additional features too, and there’s one of those evil asterisks* tucked away at the bottom of the Apex Pro web page that states – “not all software features supported on macOS”. The company’s SteelSeries GG app hasn’t been updated for a while, and its support pages also state that ‘compatibility for Macs with Apple Silicon is limited’. Even so, the Apex still boasts some attractive features, not least of which is its impressive build quality. It’s a full-size wired keyboard that includes a row of Function keys, navigation keys and numeric keypad. The frame of the keyboard is made out of ‘aircraft grade’ aluminium which is very sturdy, and the mechanical keys have an extremely smooth action when typing. The rather hefty price tag also includes a wrist-rest as well. However, the limited Mac app means that the first few Function keys are unused, and I wasn’t able to get the GG app to assign my normal set of keyboard shortcuts to them (although I had better luck using the third-party HotKey app that is available for free on the Mac App Store). Other Function keys work normally, though, including F10 and F11 for activating Expose or showing the desktop. You can also use the special SteelSeries key to use additional commands with these keys, such as F11 to control the keyboard backlight as well. There’s also a handy volume dial on the top-right corner of the keyboard that allows you to quickly adjust or mute the volume. Other features remain frustratingly out of reach, though, including the small OLED screen that allows PC users to view additional features that are available within the SteelSeries app for Windows. The Apex Pro is certainly well designed, and SteelSeries does state that updates for the Mac app are on its ‘roadmap’, but at the moment it’s perhaps best suited to serious gamers who are prepared to put in some work to overcome those limitations. For more advice about accessories and software for your Mac, iPad or iPhone see all our Best Picks. Keyboards, Laptop Accessories, Mac

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Deals: Apple Watch Series 9 models $100 off today, plus AirTags, AirPods, and more
While pre-orders are now live at major online retailers for Apple’s new M4 iPad Pro, iPad Air, and Apple Pencil Pro, the deals are still rolling elsewhere this afternoon. Firstly, we are tracking straight up $100 price drops on Midnight, Silver, and Starlight Apple Watch Series 9 models. Those offers also join AirTag bundles at under $20 per tracker as well as a solid discount for folks who still pledge allegiance to Apple’s AirPods 2nd Gen. Everything is waiting below in today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break.  more…

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Cases, keyboards and screen protectors are ready for 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air
A range of accessories are ready for the launch of the 2024 iPad Pro and iPad Air. That includes rivals to Apple Magic Keyboard. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple Vision Pro to receive exclusive Marvel immersive app: ‘What If…? An Immersive Story’
Today the Walt Disney Company announced it would be launching its “first-ever interactive Disney+ Original story coming exclusively to Apple Vision Pro.” What If…? An Immersive Story is described as a new app for Vision Pro that will enable an interactive mix of immersion, video, storytelling, and more. The app will connect to the Disney+ series, Marvel’s What If…? more…

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A top microphone needs a great audio interface [Setups]
The YouTuber behind today's MacBook Pro setup relies on a Shure SM7DB microphone and a Focusrite audio interface for sound quality. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Flagship iPad head-to-head — M4 iPad Pro vs M2 iPad Pro compared
After a year's gap, Apple has finally updated the iPad Pro, with a surprise M4 debut and OLED in the spotlight for 2024. Here's how the newest iPad Pro models compare against the previous generation.2024 iPad Pro with M4 [left], 2022 iPad Pro with M2 [right]The iPad was complete absent from 2023, with the only change being to add USB-C to the Apple Pencil. Instead, consumers had to purchase iPad Pro models that were introduced in October 2022.That one-year gap has given Apple time to make quite a few changes to its highest-tier tablet lineup. The result is its 2024 releases. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple Slammed By Users Over iPad Pro 'Crush' Ad
Less than 24 hours after Apple held a special event to unveil the new, record-thin (0.20 inch, the thinnest Apple device yet) iPad Pro with M4 chip inside, which the company says is optimized for AI, it is facing a loud and fast-spreading public backlash to one of its new marquee video advertisements promoting the device -- a spot called "Crush." VentureBeat: The video features a giant, industrial hydraulic press machine -- a device category famous for appearing in viral videos over the last decade-and-a-half -- literally pressing down upon and destroying dozens of other objects and creative instruments, from trumpets to cans of paint. The ad concludes with the press lifting to reveal these objects have somehow been transformed into a new iPad Pro. The metaphor and messaging is pretty obvious: the iPad Pro can subsume and replace all these older legacy instruments and technologies inside of it, and all in a more portable, sleek, and more powerful form factor than ever before. It's analogous to similar observations and advertisements other fans and creatives have made in the past about how PCs and smartphones replaced nearly all the individual gadgets -- stereo radios/boom boxes, journals, calculators, drawing pads, typewriters, video cameras -- of yore by offering many of their same core capabilities in a smaller, unified, more portable form factor. [...] People are revolted by the bluntness of Apple's metaphor, the destruction of beloved traditional instruments and objects which people hold in high esteem and affix intangible value to for their creative potential, and the overarching and perhaps unintentional messaging that Apple wants to literally flatten creativity and violently crush the creative tools of yesterday in favor of a multi-hundred dollar piece of luxury technology whose operating system and ecosystem of applications it tightly controls and restricts. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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