Scanners
- Tuesday March 03
- 05:19 pmAudible expands subscription options with cheaper Standard membership tier
While Apple sits out of the subscription audiobook service game, Spotify and Amazon Audible are battling it out lately. Amazon just announced a cheaper Audible membership following Spotify’s recent investment into the spoken word space. more…05:06 pmMore ‘MacBook Neo’ details leak ahead of official announcement
In addition to announcing six new products over the last two days, Apple has seemingly leaked the name of at least one more product we still expect to see revealed this week. Now it appears more than just the expected name has surfaced. more…05:00 pmApple Launches New M5 Chips, MacBook Pro, and First New Monitors In Years
Today, Apple updated the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air with support for its new M5 chips. It also unveiled a pair of all-new Studio Display XDR monitors. Longtime Slashdot reader jizmonkey shares details about the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which look to be fairly major updates from the previous generation: Apple announced its newest CPUs today, which it claims has the fastest single-threaded performance in the world. Both the M5 Pro and M5 Max have eighteen-core designs, versus twelve or fourteen in the M4 Pro and fourteen or sixteen in the M4 Max. However, the number of higher-performing cores has been reduced significantly. In the older M4 designs, the chips had eight, ten, or twelve "performance" cores and four "efficiency" cores. In the M5 design, there are now only six higher-performing cores (now called "super" cores) and twelve lower-performing cores (now called "performance" cores). [Apple positions this "reduction" as a redesigned architecture with new core types.] The maximum amount of RAM remains the same at 128GB for the M5 Max (64GB for the M5 Pro), and GPU performance has increased. [The M5 Pro features up to a 20-core GPU, while the M5 Max scales up to 40 cores, each equipped with a Neural Accelerator. Apple also says the new architecture delivers over 4x peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation, along with up to 35 percent faster performance in ray-traced graphics workloads.] Laptops with the new chips are available to order starting tomorrow and will be delivered starting March 11. As for the new XDR monitors, MacRumors highlights some of the key features in its reporting: Apple today introduced an all-new Studio Display XDR monitor with a 27-inch screen, mini-LED backlighting, 5K resolution, peak brightness of 2,000 nits for HDR content, up to a 120Hz refresh rate, Thunderbolt 5, and more. The new Studio Display XDR replaces Apple's former Pro Display XDR, which has been discontinued. Going forward, there are now two Studio Display models. Both new Studio Display models have the same overall design as the original model. Both models have a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera, but it now supports Desk View on the new models. Both models also feature an upgraded six-speaker system, with Apple advertising "30 percent deeper bass" compared to the previous model. Only the higher-end Studio Display XDR received a 120Hz refresh rate, mini-LED backlighting, increased brightness, and faster 140W pass-through charging. The regular Studio Display still has a 60Hz refresh rate and up to 600 nits of brightness. Both models have 27-inch displays with a 5K resolution. The new Studio Displays can be pre-ordered starting Wednesday, March 4, ahead of a Wednesday, March 11 launch. In the U.S., the regular Studio Display continues to start at $1,599, while the Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299. Read more of this story at Slashdot.04:57 pmSatechi's Thunderbolt 5 CubeDock is exactly the same size as a Mac mini
Satechi's new CubeDock packs a full Thunderbolt 5 hub, 140W charging, and optional NVMe storage into a chassis machined the same way as a Mac mini, designed to live right under your displays.Satechi's new Mac Studio-shaped dock, the CubeDock, is designed to help make the most of your workspace in a compact footprint. With speeds up to 120Gbps speed and 140W charging, it powers your favorite devices, provides bonus storage, and supports multi-display setups of up to 6k for Mac, and 8K for Windows.It doubles as bonus storage thanks to a built-in NVMe SSD enclosure, though you'll need to bring your own SSDs. It supports up to 8TB of M.2 NVMe (PCIe 4x4), with up to 6000MB/s transfer speeds.CubeDock supports a single display up to 6K at 60Hz. It also supports dual display up to 6K at 60Hz each for macOS, but triple display is exclusive to Windows users. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:43 pmDeals: M5 iPad Pro up to $287 off, M5 MacBook Pro $250 less than new entry config, iPad Air $250 off, more | 9 to 5 MacDeals: M5 iPad Pro up to $287 off, M5 MacBook Pro $250 less than new entry config, iPad Air $250 off, more
Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by M5 iPad Pro up to $150 off at Amazon, but we do have a chance to land the most affordable 13-inch at up to $287 off right now as well. And while Apple just raised the entry price on M5 MacBook Pro, you can score the most affordable 512GB model at $250 less alongside as much as $250 off M3 iPad Air models ahead of the M4 launch, and a rare chance to score black Apple Woven USB-C Cables from $7.50 each. All of that and the now live Apple 2026 Spring Collection accessories await below. more…04:40 pmToday in Apple history: Homebrew Computer Club meets for first time
On March 3, 1975, the Homebrew Computer Club, a hobbyist group that will spark the personal computing revolution, booted up in Menlo Park. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)04:35 pmAirPods 4 with ANC drop to the lowest price of 2026
Macworld While it might still be snowing near you, the first days of spring are nearly here, and outdoor weather is just around the corner. Just in time, we have a fantastic discount on the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Instead of getting them for their usual $179, you can snag these for $119 right now. These earbuds are the best non-Pro models we’ve reviewed. In fact, we gave the AirPods 4 a 4.5-star rating as we absolutely loved the great overall audio quality, the excellent battery life, and a wireless charging case with a speaker in case it gets lost. And of course, when you turn on active noise cancellation, you’ll have a fantastic listening experience, no matter how noisy it is around you. Speaking of ANC, Apple’s Adaptive Audio system was also built to blend transparency and noise cancellation to better suit your environment. Also, when you’re taking voice calls, the earbuds will isolate your voice and minimize the loud surroundings. The AirPods 4 offer up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge and a total of 30 hours with the charging case. So upgrade your earbuds and get the AirPods 4 for $119 before the price jumps back up. Buy now at Amazon04:30 pmNew Apple products keep launching, here’s what’s coming next
Apple has launched six new products already this week, but one more day of unveilings is expected. Here are the new products rumored to debut this Wednesday ahead of Apple’s in-person press gatherings. more…04:24 pmWhoops! Apple accidentally reveals ‘MacBook Neo’
Macworld We’re well into Apple’s “big week” of product reveals (we’ve had a new iPad Air, iPhone, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro; bookmark our live blog for all the announcements as the company makes them) but there’s still at least one product left to come. We know this because Apple accidentally told us. Eagle-eyed reporters at MacRumors noticed earlier today that Apple had posted to its compliance page a regulatory document for a product that doesn’t exist. This was labelled as “MacBook Neo (Model A3404),” and was separate from the entries for the M5 MacBook Air (A3448, A3449) and MacBook Pro (A3426, A3427, A3428, A3429) machines. One of these products is not like the others.MacRumors Almost as soon as the site wrote about its discovery (although not necessarily as a direct result of this), Apple took the document down. But MacRumors uploaded it to Scribd, where you can view it now. Sadly, it doesn’t include any tech specs or product images. It’s the existence of the product, not its contents, which is revelatory. Given that Apple is strongly expected to announce a new budget MacBook this week, it’s not a huge leap to assume that the MacBook Neo is that product. The name of the product has been one of its great mysteries. Would Apple simply call it “MacBook,” as it did with the 12-inch machine which launched in 2015 and sat between the Air and Pro lines? Would it be called MacBook SE, to match the budget-focused version of the Apple Watch and, until last year, iPhone? Or would Apple try to use the ‘e’ branding that budget iPhones now carry? Nobody was sure, and now it looks like the company has decided to use something completely new. The cheap MacBook is expected to come in a range of fun colors and aim at a younger audience than existing MacBook models. It’s debatable whether “Neo,” which means “new” but is closely associated with Keanu Reeves’ character in the “Matrix” movies, is an especially fun name, but the key with these Apple brands is to remember that they always sound strange at first. Ahead of the company’s first tablet launch, the name “iPad” sounded ridiculous, but after a few weeks of marketing, it sounds completely normal and even desirable. Of course, it’s possible that the regulatory document (or at least the label used for it on the website) was a cunning piece of misinformation designed to throw reporters off the scent, and it will have some other name entirely. We’ll probably find out tomorrow.04:22 pmApple leaks ‘MacBook Neo’ name on its website
Apple appears to inadvertently reveal the name of Apple's long-rumored budget laptop. The leak indicates it will be called "MacBook New." (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)04:17 pmM5 MacBook Pro maxxed out will cost you $7349, but could have been a lot worse
Apple's updated M5 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro can cost you as much as $7,349. Fortunately, unified memory upgrade tier prices are the same as last year, even as RAM prices skyrocket.MacBook ProThe 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max chip can be configured to cost up to $7,349, making it a top-tier mobile workstation. Apple rolled out the updated MacBook Pro lineup on March 3, featuring the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.These updates also include expanded memory bandwidth to support professional workflows. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:12 pmApple’s higher (and lower) MacBook pricing explained
Macworld Apple on Tuesday introduced new laptops with new chips–and new prices, as well. Usually, it’s easy to say whether something has gone up or down, but this time it’s a little more complicated than that. Let’s take a look at how the prices have changed. M5 MacBook AIr The new 13-inch M5 MacBook Air now starts at $1,099, which is $100 more than the $999 M4 MacBook Air. However, Apple doubled the base 256GB SSD that was in the $999 M4 Air, and the M5 Air now has a 512GB SSD. To make matters more confusing, the M4 Air with a 512GB SSD used to cost $1,199. So it looks like the price of the entry-level MacBook Air went up–which it did–but with more context, it also went down. The same up-and-down effect happens with the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air. It starts at $1,299, which is $100 more than the M4 version. But the M4 Air had a 256GB SSD, which has been replaced by a 512GB SSD in the M5 Air. The 15-inch Air with a 512GB SSD was $1,399, $100 more. The same applies to higher storage tiers M5 MacBook Pro The entry-level MacBook Pro, which has been on sale since October for $1,599, now starts at $1,699. But instead of 512GB of storage, you now get 1TB of storage, which costs $1,799 before. All other storage options also effectively cost $100 less, so the 2TB model will cost $2,099 instead of $2,199. M5 Pro /Max MacBook Pro The M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro is in a similar situation, though there isn’t the same up-and-down effect of the M5 MacBook Air. The base 14-inch M5 Pro MacBook is $2,199, a $200 increase from the base M4 Pro MacBook Pro. But with the M5 Pro/Max, Apple dropped the 512GB SSD and now offers a 1TB SSD as its entry point for storage. So the $2,199 M5 Pro MacBook Pro includes a 1TB SSD. Upgrading to a 1TB SSD in the $1,999 M4 Pro MacBook Pro added $200 to the price tag, bringing it to the same $2,199. So effectively, the pricing has not changed. The M5 Max MacBook Pro is no longer available with a 1TB SSD; it starts at $3,599 with a 2TB SSD. The laptop it replaces, the M4 Max MacBook Pro, started at $3,199, but it came with a 1TB SSD, and an upgrade to 2TB was $400, bringing its price to $3,599. So pricing is essentially the same, but the starting price is higher due to the extra storage. The same goes for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which now starts at $2,699 with an M5 Pro processor and 1TB of storage, or $3,899 with an M5 Max chip and 2TB of storage. It’s more expensive to get in because you’re forced into higher storage tiers. In all, the prices haven’t changed if you compare the SSD specifications. But if you simply look at the prices in terms of their placement in the lineup, they went up. Something to keep in mind as you shop for the new laptops.04:02 pmApple has announced 6 new products so far this week
Apple launch week is in full swing with six new products announced so far, and at least one major announcement still to come. more…04:00 pmStudio Display XDR arrives with mini-LED backlighting and 5K clarity
Introducing the Studio Display XDR: Apple's new premium monitor for professionals with mini-LED backlighting and Thunderbolt 5. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)03:58 pmNew MacBook Airs come with M5, double the storage, and higher starting prices
New Airs leave more room underneath for the rumored low-cost MacBook.03:52 pmThe MacBook Air has a new chip and a lower price (sort of)
Macworld Apple today announced new MacBook Air laptops with the M5 processor and a range of other upgrades, as part of its ongoing “big week” of product reveals. Externally, there are very few differences from last year’s M4 Air, and aside from dropping in weight by a single gram has identical vital statistics. The M5 model comes in the same two screen sizes (13.6 inches and 15.3 inches) and the same four colors (Sky Blue, silver, Starlight, and Midnight). The Liquid Retina display has the same specs, from the 2560 x 1664 resolution to the 500 nits of brightness, and still has a notch. There’s the same four-speaker sound system, the same Center Stage webcam, and the same keyboard. We weren’t expecting a redesign, and haven’t got one. The differences are on the inside, starting with that M5 chip. Apple is selling this principally as an AI-focused upgrade, claiming the M5 Air delivers “up to 4x faster performance for AI tasks than MacBook Air with M4.” The new Air, of course, runs Apple Intelligence, but the same is true of every Air going back to the M1 model in 2020. It should just handle Apple Intelligence’s AI capabilities more efficiently. For those with minimal interest in AI, it will be some consolation to hear that the M5’s power should also deliver noticeably better performance in other areas. Unified memory bandwidth has gone up from 120GB/s to 153GB/s, and Apple says the M5 Air can achieve both 3D rendering (in Blender) and image processing (in Affinity) up to 1.5x faster than the M4 model. Needless to say, Macworld will put all of this to the test once we can get review samples into our labs. Upgraded storage for less Aside from the processor bump, this year’s Air also has an SSD with 2x faster read/write performance than the previous generation, and comes with twice the storage as standard and throughout the tiers. Compared with the M4’s 256GB/512GB/1TB/2TB options, the M5 offers 512GB/1TB/2TB/4TB. Good news! Sort of. The twist is the price tag. The M4 Air started at $999 for 256GB, or $1,199 for 512GB. The M5 Air now starts at $1,099 for 512GB. So technically this is a price cut—the 512GB model has dropped by $100—but many customers, particularly those who don’t require much storage or store most of their files in the cloud, will view this as an effective price hike of $100 for the baseline model. It’s complicated. The MacBook Air’s design remains sleek and slim.Apple There are still two small internal upgrades to mention. Wi-Fi 6E on the M4 Air has been bumped to Wi-Fi 7 here, and Bluetooth from version 5.3 to 6. Apple cites the inclusion of its in-house N1 wireless networking chip for these improvements. Battery capacities are the same as last year (53.8Wh and 66.5Wh for the 13- and 15-inch models, respectively), and Apple gives the same battery estimates for this year’s MacBook Airs: up to 15 hours of wireless web browsing, and up to 18 hours of video streaming. The only difference we can spot in the power department is the new inclusion of Apple’s 40W dynamic power adapter with a 60W max. Last year’s models came with 30W (single-port) or 35W (dual-port) power adapters, depending on the size and configuration you selected. The new M5 MacBook Air starts at $1,099 for the 13-inch model or $1,299 for the 15-inch model. Preorders begin March 4 at 6:15 a.m. PST, and the machines will go on sale on March 11.03:45 pmFarewell Pro Display XDR — we barely afforded you
The new Studio Display XDR has killed off the Pro Display XDR, and at $5000 was out of most Mac users' reach. Even after seven years without an update, it offered features its replacement does not.Apple's Pro Display XDR in 2019When the Pro Display XDR launched back in 2019, it was the first Apple-branded monitor in three years. Then for three more years, it was the only one until the Studio Display launched in 2022.There were strong rumors that Apple had at least been intending to release something three years later in 2025. But instead, it was four years, and the launch of two versions of the Apple Studio Display. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:37 pmApple itself has leaked a 'MacBook Neo'
For one brief, fleeting moment, something called the "MacBook Neo" appeared on Apple's website, essentially confirming that Apple's new affordable MacBook release is imminent.Multicolored MacBooks are on the wayOn Tuesday, Apple's European EU / UK Declaration of Conformity site featured a yet-unreleased Mac under the 2026 section. The computer in question was listed as the MacBook Neo, model number A3404.It's not entirely clear what that item refers to. While Apple removed the listing quickly, it provided no further details or images anyway. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:23 pmApple’s first mini-LED ProMotion monitor has a nice price
Macworld On Tuesday, Apple finally announced some major updates to its display lineup. In addition to a refreshed version of the Studio Display, the company also introduced a more premium Studio Display XDR, which features a mini-LED panel. As previously rumored, there are now two new versions of Studio Display. The first is a simple update to the original model introduced in 2022. It keeps the same overall design and 27-inch 5K LCD panel, but it gets some meaningful updates under the hood. According to Apple’s press release, the new version of Studio Display features an improved 12MP webcam. The built-in webcam now supports Desk View to show what’s on the user’s desk and provides better image quality, despite having the same resolution as before. Sound quality is also better on the new Studio Display, thanks to a new speaker arrangement with four force-canceling woofers and two high-performance tweeters that deliver 30 percent more bass than the previous generation. Apple has also made some upgrades when it comes to port technology. While the original Studio Display was equipped with a single Thunderbolt 3 port and three additional USB-C ports, the new version has two Thunderbolt 5 ports and two extra USB-C ports. This means users will have more bandwidth to connect high-speed accessories, such as external SSDs or even another Studio Display. Apple says users can also daisy-chain up to four Studio Displays. The Studio Display comes with a tilt-adjustable stand, and users can upgrade to a more advanced stand with tilt and height adjustment or a VESA mount adapter. Studio Display XDR brings mini-LED and ProMotion However, what really stands out is the new Studio Display XDR, which is the version that brings all the technologies pro users have been dreaming of. Unlike the regular Studio Display, the XDR version comes with a much better mini-LED panel that supports HDR with a peak brightness of up to 2,000 nits. The Studio Display XDR also supports ProMotion with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, making animations and games more fluid with lower latency. The more expensive monitor adds support for the Adobe RGB color gamut, ideal for printing and design professionals. It even supports DICOM medical imaging presets that can be used to calibrate the Studio Display XDR to accurately display radiological diagnostics. The Studio Display XDR comes with a stand!Apple Of course, Studio Display XDR has the same internal specs as the base Studio Display, which include an improved webcam and speakers, and two Thunderbolt 5 ports with two extra USB-C ports. While it’s smaller than the 32-inch Pro Display XDR, which has been discontiniued, the Studio Display XDR includes many of the same Reference Modes, including P3 and P3 + Adobe RGB. Interestingly, the Studio Display XDR comes with a stand with adjustable height and tilt as default, with an option for a VESA mount adapter. On the Pro Display XDR, that cost an additional $999 on top of its $4,999 pricetag. The new Studio Display has the same $1,599 starting price.Apple A much lower high-end price Apple has kept the same starting price of $1,599 for the base model Studio Display. However, the more advanced Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299. With the new lineup, Apple discontinued the old Studio Display and also the Pro Display XDR, which featured a 32-inch 6K panel. Pro Display XDR cost $4,999, with an additional $999 for the Pro Stand. Undeniably, the new Studio Display XDR sounds like a much better deal, despite having a slightly smaller panel. Apple positions the standard Studio Display as a compelling upgrade for users who want better connectivity and camera performance without departing from the established Retina experience. The Studio Display XDR, meanwhile, sits in the premium tier where extreme brightness, HDR capability, and high refresh rates are differentiators for creative pros. Pre-orders for the new monitors begin tomorrow at 6:15 am PT, with the official launch set for March 11.03:17 pmM5 MacBook Air vs M4 MacBook Air: What’s actually changed?
Today Apple launched a new MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip. Here’s everything new in the M5 MacBook Air vs last year’s M4 model. more…