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- Monday March 09
- 02:11 pmIntegrating pet products into the smart home with Jacob Zuppke on Smart Home Insider
On this week's episode of the Smart Home Insider podcast, our guest host Jacob Zuppke joins to discuss integrating pet products into the smart home, as well as more of this week's news.Smart Home Insider podcastJacob Zuppke is the CEO of Whisker, the company that created the most popular automated litter box, the Litter Robot. With his background in SEO and digital marketing, he became a master of all trades to help lead the smart home brand.We talk a bit about the new Litter Robot 5 Pro, but we also talk about the larger task of integrating smart pet products into ecosystems and the smart home as a whole. Before we get into that, we first talk about the news. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums02:00 pmWatch: Apple CEO Tim Cook discusses Apple’s first 50 years
Apple CEO Tim Cook sits down with CBS "Sunday Morning" to reflect on the company's 50-year journey, exploring Steve Jobs' enduring vision… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.01:58 pmEvery iPhone now has a useful hardware feature that zero Samsung phones offer
This week, Apple is releasing the new iPhone 17e, which doubles the storage and adds the “magic of MagSafe” to the $599 iPhone 16e replacement. Apple’s decision to bring MagSafe to the last iPhone holdout means every iPhone now has a useful hardware feature that zero Samsung phones offer. more…01:53 pmApple iPad Air review roundup: Faster as expected, but iterative
Early reviews say the Apple iPad Air delivers impressive performance gains with the M4 chip, but that doesn't mean existing users should rush to upgrade.M4 iPad AirReviews of Apple's M4 iPad Air began appearing Monday after the company lifted its review embargo. Major publications quickly published hands-on testing of the new tablet.Coverage focuses largely on the addition of Apple's M4 chip and updated wireless hardware. Apple kept the same overall design and Liquid Retina display found on the previous generation. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums01:50 pmApple floods TikTok with ‘brain rot’ videos
Macworld Apple has posted a flurry of TikTok videos following the launch of the MacBook Neo last week, and they’re pretty bizarre. In fact, anyone older than Gen Alpha may find them entirely incomprehensible. Apple has been on TikTok since April 2020, but you wouldn’t know it to look at the company’s account. It has a policy, here and on other social media networks, of deleting all of its posts from time to time in order to clear the decks for a major launch, and there are currently just 12 videos on there, all posted since the middle of last week. Of the 12 videos, the first three are relatively normal, announcing the launch of the MacBook Neo, showing it being unboxed, and summarising its specs and features. But then things get strange. The next three videos focus on citrus, the most eye-catching of the Neo’s color finishes. And the videos celebrate this with what those under the age of 16 would call brain-rot memes: “I love limes;” images of bubbles on citrus fruit, with strange accompanying noises; and a lime FaceTiming a lemon. It’s enough to make a middle-aged journalist feel very confused and very old, and that’s probably the idea. Apple is making it clear that the MacBook Neo is targeted squarely at young customers and the education market in particular. As we’ve written elsewhere, if you’re questioning the tech specs of the device, it’s not for you. Compared to the citrus videos, the rest seem almost normal. But in isolation, they’re still objectively odd. The next three are about the blush pink color option, so we get (obviously) Apple’s iconic face logo blushing and getting cute anime eyes; sped-up footage of a pink sunrise accompanied by the Apple startup sound; and POV of someone putting on pink blusher. There’s a brief interlude for grainy footage seemingly from the launch of the original Macintosh, with a binary caption that translates into the word “mother.” Then to finish, we turn to the indigo color finish, which means images of hands stained dark blue, and some sloshing dark blue liquid; and someone wearing dark blue jeans and incredibly noisy shoes revealing they have a MacBook in their back pocket. The comments on the videos are mixed. I saw several asking if Apple’s account had been hacked, or even if everything was okay. But it seems like exactly the sort of reaction the company would have wanted. It’s drawing attention firstly to the MacBook Neo’s existence, but secondly to how different the device is from what’s come before.01:47 pmiPhone 17e review roundup: Cheap, cheerful, and fixes the iPhone 16e's mistakes
The first wave of iPhone 17e reviews call it an improved budget smartphone, thanks to better performance and MagSafe.iPhone 17eOne week after the launch of the iPhone 17e, the first reviews of the budget iPhone have started to surface. As usual, it's a positive set for Apple's hardware.The update to the iPhone 16e, the reviewers all pick up on the new model being better than the previous one, packing more processing power and gaining MagSafe charging. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums01:32 pmM4 iPad Air reviews: Apple’s powerful, best-value model gets even better
Apple’s new M4 iPad Air arrives in users’ hands this Wednesday, and today the first reviews of the upgraded iPad have arrived. Here’s an overview of what reviewers are saying. more…01:31 pmiPhone 17e reviews praise improved budget pick that makes iPhone 17 look even better
Apple’s new iPhone 17e hits stores on Wednesday, and reviews for the latest $599 model have arrived. Reviewers are praising the new color option, doubled storage capacity, and inclusion of MagSafe. However, what the iPhone 17e lacks is also making the standard iPhone 17 look even better for those who can afford it. more…01:30 pmWhen a PDF refuses to cooperate, this is the tool to open
PDF Agile Premium is an all-in-one PDF editor that lets you edit, convert, annotate, and secure PDFs—and a lifetime license is just $39.99 right now. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)01:24 pmIf Alexa+ is this bad, maybe we shouldn’t be too impatient for new Siri
Attitudes to the hugely delayed launch of the new Siri seemed to be split between frustration and resignation. Apple promoted the more intelligent voice assistant in a deleted video ad for the iPhone 16, but it appears it may officially launch alongside the iPhone 18. Amazon’s Alexa+ service initially looked to be well ahead of Apple, but it too was delayed – and also appears to be failing to deliver on its promises … more…01:15 pmBest Apple product ever? Most underrated CEO? We interview author David Pogue.
We interview bestselling author David Pogue about his new book: 'Apple: The First 50 Years.' (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)01:10 pmApple’s forthcoming ‘MacBook Ultra’ to feature a multi-touch OLED display
Apple’s upcoming high-end MacBook update is poised to introduce a major leap forward with a touch-enabled OLED display, marking… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.01:00 pmThe Silicon Battlefield: Autonomous Weapons and the Next Era of Warfare
Autonomous drones, AI-driven weapons systems, and swarm tactics are changing how wars are fought, forcing militaries to rethink strategies and defenses designed for an earlier era. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.01:00 pmApple: The First 50 Years is the best all-in-one history of Apple [Review] ★★★★★
Apple: The First 50 Years by David Pogue is a comprehensive retelling of the most influential tech company in history. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)01:00 pmApple's TikTok ads for the MacBook Neo are the right kind of weird
Apple's TikTok ad campaign has gone down the absurdist route to promote the MacBook Neo. It's weird, but it works.Stills from three Apple TikTok videos promoting the MacBook Neo - Image Credit: AppleIn the attention economy that is modern social media, brands have to be bold with their posts while also marketing their wares. In the case of Apple's latest activity on TikTok, it's a very rare demonstration of a company "getting it."Apple's introduction of the MacBook Neo is intended to attract a new audience to its hardware line. With a relatively low price point, it's going after consumers that are more sensitive to budgeting than ever before, where they congregate online. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums12:48 pmUPerfect UColor O2 16-inch 3K OLED portable monitor review: Gamer specs on lightweight screen | MacworldUPerfect UColor O2 16-inch 3K OLED portable monitor review: Gamer specs on lightweight screen
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros 3K (2880 x 1800 at 120Hz) OLED display Lightweight Integrated folding travel cover and stand 16:10 screen ratio Cons No pass-through charging Our Verdict If superior color accuracy and clear visual effects are your requirement, this 16-inch 3K OLED offers you a lot of top spec for such a portable display. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$629.99 (Currently $379.99) Best Prices Today: UPerfect UColor O2 Monitor 16-Inch Portable 3K OLED Display Retailer Price UPerfect $379.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The UPerfect UColor O2 is a second extended screen you can use alongside your MacBook’s own built-in display to more than double the screen space for viewing open windows at the same time—for instance, for supporting documents or apps while you’re on a video call or giving a presentation. Or you can watch a movie in more visual comfort than even a 16-inch laptop offers. Of course, you can go big—very big—with a 40-inch widescreen monitor such as the Alogic Edge, but a display that you can carry with you and hide away when it’s not required is far more flexible. This UPerfect’s UColor O2 16-inch portable monitor is straightforward to set up and offers a higher screen resolution (3K) than most portable monitors we have tested. It works with MacBook, iPad, and iPhone—or PS4, PS5, Xbox, Switch, or DVD player if you prefer. Practicalities: Portability plus protective cover/stand Weighing just 1.59lb (720g), the super-thin UColor O2 will be barely noticeable alongside your laptop in your backpack or briefcase—although you’ll need to remember to pack a USB-C cable (one is included in the box), and maybe a charger if using the screen for an extended period. It measures 14 x 9.5 x 0.26 inches (35.4 x 24.2 x 0.65cm), with the cover/stand adding little more to such a small package. The detachable Smart Cover both protects the screen in transit or during storage and doubles up as a foldable stand that is easy to setup—much like an iPad protective cover. If you’re aiming to save valuable desk space, it features a VESA-compliant bracket (75 x 75mm), allowing the monitor to be mounted on a wall, stand or desk arm, and then adjusted to your needs. Simon Jary We set up the 16-inch monitor on a stand so that it could hover above our 14-inch MacBook Pro’s own screen. UPerfect also offers a 14-inch UColor O2 version. Simple setup: How easy is the UPerfect UColor O2 to set up? The UColor O2 can connect to your device via USB-C—compatible with the MacBook’s Thunderbolt—or mini-HDMI if you prefer. Two USB-C cables—one for video signal and the other for power—are included as is a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable. Setup is simple, and you can set resolution and refresh rate as well as arrange the second monitor in the Mac’s System Settings > Displays. Simon Jary How good is the OLED display for work, gaming and video? The UPerfect UColor O2 is a 16-inch OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) panel with a 16:10 ratio. It supports a 3K resolution (2880 x 1800) at an impressive 120Hz refresh rate that eliminates stuttering and smearing and will excite gamers and video viewers. The 212ppi pixel density is appreciated. OLED is generally considered better than LCD/IPS for picture quality—because each pixel emits its own light and can turn off completely, OLED delivers truer deep blacks and more vibrant, accurate colors. Response time (1ms) is quicker, which reduces ghosting in motion. And viewing angles are better, with colors remaining accurate from nearly any angle—on LCD panels they may fade or change tint. If you leave images onscreen for prolonged periods, IPS screens might be a better choice as they don’t suffer from the image retention that can affect OLEDs with static content. IPS panels often achieve higher peak brightness, but the UColor O2 boasts 500-nit brightness that eclipses many of the portable displays we have tested. In comparison, the Plugable 15.6-inch USB-C Portable HD Display features 300 nits luminance, and the popular ViewSonic VA1655 maxes at 250 nits. The 16:10 screen ratio provides a wider vertical field of view than standard 16:9 displays, allowing you to display more content at the same time. 16:10 provides around 10% more vertical screen space, so reducing scrolling in documents and web pages. 16:9 is the industry standard for TV/movies and games, so 16:10 might be a negative for gamers despite this monitor’s other pro-games specs. A VESA mount makes it easy to add to a flexible stand.Simon Jary How is it powered, and does it support pass-through charging? OLED screens require higher power than lesser screen types, so the monitor may need to be connected to a power source. The display itself can draw power from the connected laptop, or you can connect a charger or power bank to one of the display’s USB-C ports. A 30W USB-C wall charger is included in the box but can use any Mac laptop charger if you desire. Some displays allow pass-through charging, so you don’t need a separate power cable to the MacBook, but this isn’t a feature on the UColor O2 Display. The Plugable 15.6-inch portable can pass-through up to 85W of power to the laptop. There’s also no built-in battery that would enable you to use the screen longer on the go, but this would have added considerable weight to the monitor, making it less portable. Simon Jary Is the UColor O2 worth the price? The UPerfect UColor O2 16:10 3K/120Hz Display is priced at $629.99/£473.52, but there seems to be a permanent discount—which stood at $379.99/£285.61 at the time of this review. You can buy cheaper portable monitors—such as the $239 Plugable USBC-PDMON, but you’ll sacrifice specs such as screen 3K resolution, 120Hz refresh rate and 500-nit brightness. Check out our other reviews of the best portable monitors for Mac for more options. If you prefer a much larger, less portable display—see our roundup of the best monitors for Mac. Should you buy the UPerfect UColor O2 16:10 3K Monitor? If you are after a second screen for basic productivity tasks, a cheaper but lower-resolution IPS screen such as the Plugable Portable might make more sense. If superior color accuracy and clear visual effects are your requirement, this 16-inch 3K OLED offers you a lot of top spec for such a portable display.12:38 pmThese clever new manufacturing processes are good for both Apple and the environment
Apple hardware design lead Molly Anderson said that the company started from scratch when it came to the process for manufacturing the new MacBook Neo, resulting in far more efficient use of materials. The company is also reportedly looking to adopt an extremely challenging manufacturing technique for the aluminum chassis of future iPhones and Apple Watch models … more…12:21 pmApple-hating tech bros are lying to you
Macworld Before Apple unveiled the MacBook Neo on Wednesday, the consensus online was that it would cost too much. Following the shuffling of the MacBook Air lineup on Tuesday, it became clear that the Neo would slide under the Air’s previous $999 slot, maybe $700, but probably $800. It was already declared DOA. Apple instead released a $599 laptop ($499 for students) with 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, Magic Keyboard, multi-touch trackpad, 1080p webcam, Spatial Audio speakers, and a gorgeous aluminum design. It comes in colors we haven’t seen on a Mac in decades and is aimed at people who are otherwise comfortable using a budget Chromebook or Windows PC. Apple is going to sell a ton of them, and the people who buy one are probably going to love it. But to read through social media feeds since the announcement, you’d think Apple was charging $1,299 for an entry-level iPad. Scroll through the timeline on your social network of choice, and you’ll read all kinds of advice from experts proclaiming that the MacBook Neo is underpowered, overpriced, and underwhelming compared to similarly priced Windows laptops. It’s all lies. MacBook misinformation This post from Sankew on X sums up the general criticism of the MacBook Neo: i don't care what anyone says, but the MacBook Neo is not worth it-Only 8GB RAM-No Touch ID on the base model-No Backlit keys-No force touch trackpad, it's a diving board trackpad-Weak I/Oyou should probably get a M2, M3 or M4 MacBook Air at a discount instead. pic.twitter.com/0rld2WUHAk— Sankew (@Sankew06) March 4, 2026 I’ve read countless posts suggesting that getting an older Air is a better option. It’s terrible advice for someone looking for a budget MacBook. For one, any M2 or M3 Air is likely to be refurbished, and any M4 you find will be several hundred dollars more than the Neo. Mind you, the M2 MacBook Air is the same machine people criticized for starting at $1,099 with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. And now tech influencers are recommending buying one four years later because they don’t want to admit that the MacBook Neo got everything right. Would Neo be a better machine with an A19 Pro with 12GB of RAM and a P3 display? Of course, but that’s not what the MacBook Neo is and not who it’s made for. And the tech bros on X and other platforms advising people to buy something else are simply spreading misinformation. There are real reasons to criticize the MacBook Neo. Tying Touch ID to the $699 model effectively forces people to compromise on security. The trackpad misses out on Quick Look and other Force Touch features. It’s the first MacBook since 2011 that doesn’t feature a backlit keyboard. The Indigo color should be brighter. But instead of appreciating the MacBook Neo for what it is, social media is filled with terrible advice: Foundry Any used M-series MacBook Air you can find in this price range will still have 256GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and a 13-inch display, and it won’t be under Apple’s warranty anymore. You won’t be able to get AppleCare, and it’ll likely stop getting updates a year or two before the Neo. It might be scratched and dented. It’s a lie—there isn’t a used $600 MacBook Air on the planet that will be better than a Neo. Looking through the wrong Windows The MacBook Neo is obviously targeted at Windows and Chromebook users, particularly students. Apple has built a machine with low-end specs that performs well enough, but stands out for its design, camera, speakers, and display. There are plenty of similarly priced PCs to compare against the Neo, but few of the comparisons will be flattering. Still, you’ll find them all over your feeds. Take Windows Latest, which has 50,000 followers and nearly 500,000 views on the following tweet: This is the ASUS A14 with an OLED display, 60Hz refresh rate, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and all-day battery life thanks to Snapdragon.Oh, and it also has five physical ports. How many do you have on the MacBook Neo?Sure, the MacBook Neo is a big deal for the price in the Apple… https://t.co/CQGEtl6cL6 pic.twitter.com/21GGwKYBMp— Windows Latest (@WindowsLatest) March 4, 2026 It sounds like a well-researched, informed takedown of the MacBook Neo. They argue that there are Windows laptops, specifically the ASUS Zenbook A14 and Galaxy Book4 Edge, with twice the RAM, better displays, more storage, and more ports for the same price. The only problem is it’s completely false—the A14 retails for $999, while the Galaxy Book 4 in question is a year old and still $900 on clearance. Here’s another one, posted as a quote-reply to a post about an HP laptop from an Apple account: more RAM, more storage, larger screen, touch screen, more pixels, numpad, more ports https://t.co/BZXiaZDp0d— Gregor 🌹🇪🇺🇦🇹 (@salingergregor) March 4, 2026 This machine with “more RAM, more storage, larger screen, touch screen, more pixels, numpad, more ports” is actually one of the best-selling Windows PCs at the MacBook Neo’s price range. It’s such a valid comparison; there was a similar one on hand at Apple’s experience event in New York. But it wasn’t to test performance; it was to show off Neo’s design, display, webcam, and audio advantages. Yes, 16GB of RAM is more than 8GB. Yes, 15.6 inches is bigger than 13 inches. But Apple didn’t build the MacBook Neo to compete spec-for-spec. The fact is, Windows laptops have had better specs than their MacBook counterparts forever. 32GB of RAM standard, 4K displays, and discrete graphics. The same influencers calling out specs on social media understand this, but they’re choosing to bend the truth for engagement. Take the bait If you were considering buying a MacBook Neo until you saw one of these posts, then it’s almost definitely the right machine for you. It wasn’t made for influencers. It’s an affordable MacBook built from the ground up for K-12 students, college kids, grandparents, and anyone who doesn’t know USB 2.0 from USB 3.2. Apple got it right. And anyone who starts breaking down specs and ports to convince you otherwise is wrong. Or just lying.12:06 pmApple's updated leadership page reveals renewed focus on design
Apple only rarely updates its corporate leadership page, but when it does, it's significant for who it does — and does not — add, and what this tells us about the firm's plans.L-R: Molly Anderson, Steve Lemay, Jennifer Newstead — image credit: AppleApple is likely to be radically updating its Apple Leadership page over the next few years as Tim Cook and others retire. But in general, changes to the page are rare — and when they are made, they can tell a story about the company.The latest update is that the company has now added three new people, and revised another. The new entries are: Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums11:31 amWhat’s your favorite MacBook Neo color? [Poll]
Apple said that it wanted the new MacBook Neo to be seen as a fun new addition to the Mac lineup, and this was reflected in the colors as well as the name. The new machine comes in a choice of four colors, although admittedly these are less vivid in the aluminum than they appear in photos … more…