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- Friday March 06
- 08:26 pmMacBook Neo is great news for high-end Mac users, here’s why
MacBook Neo is an exciting addition to Apple’s product lineup, and even though the product isn’t meant for high-end Mac users, it should still prove good news for future models of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. more…08:26 pmMacBook Neo is great news for high-end Mac users, here’s why
MacBook Neo is an exciting addition to Apple’s product lineup, and even though the product isn’t meant for high-end Mac users, it should still prove good news for future models of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. more…08:15 pmApple blocks U.S. users from downloading ByteDance’s Chinese apps
Apple has implemented restrictions that prevent iOS users in the U.S. from downloading or updating other ByteDance apps… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.07:49 pmApple thinks it can lure in the 'Apple curious' for $599
Apple has made it pretty clear that it wants to siphon off Android and Windows users, and it's doing it by adopting an aggressive, "budget-friendlier" model across nearly its entire ecosystem.Apple is using $599 devices to grow its ecosystemWhen I first entered the Apple ecosystem, it was when I bought an iPhone 4 in 2011 — I got it right after the 4s made its debut. I don't remember exactly what I paid, but I know it was less than the initial $199 price tag.And back then, I thought that was a completely asinine amount of money to pay for a phone. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I had more money in my pocket than brains in my head, so I bought it just the same. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums07:49 pmApple thinks it can lure in the 'Apple curious' for $599
Apple has made it pretty clear that it wants to siphon off Android and Windows users, and it's doing it by adopting an aggressive, "budget-friendlier" model across nearly its entire ecosystem.Apple is using $599 devices to grow its ecosystemWhen I first entered the Apple ecosystem, it was when I bought an iPhone 4 in 2011 — I got it right after the 4s made its debut. I don't remember exactly what I paid, but I know it was less than the initial $199 price tag.And back then, I thought that was a completely asinine amount of money to pay for a phone. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I had more money in my pocket than brains in my head, so I bought it just the same. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums07:44 pmMolly Anderson on the ‘special equation’ that halved MacBook Neo materials use
Molly Anderson, Apple’s Industrial Design Leader, discusses the process behind creating the MacBook Neo in a new interview today. more…07:22 pmM5 14-inch MacBook Pro vs M5 13-inch MacBook Air: What’s the $600 difference?
The arrival of the M5 MacBook Air means that Apple once again has two laptops with the standard M5 chip inside. Apple first put the plain M5 chip inside a laptop with the 14-inch MacBook Pro. Both machines occupy the “under $2000” space in Apple’s laptop lineup. Here’s how the two MacBooks with the same chip compare. more…07:20 pmHomeKit Weekly: Tired of ugly air purifiers? Smartmi E1 is best looking Apple Home solution | 9 to 5 MacHomeKit Weekly: Tired of ugly air purifiers? Smartmi E1 is best looking Apple Home solution
Air purifiers are one of my favorite HomeKit accessories. Even though I live in an area with pretty decent air quality, I keep them running in our home to help clean the air for my family, especially in the spring. The problem is that most of them look like medical equipment. I love the Smartmi E1, and it effectively ends the era of ugly appliances. It is hands-down the best-looking HomeKit/Apple Home air purifier on the market. more…07:16 pmApple TV’s dystopian series ‘Silo’ season 4 wraps filming ahead of expected season 3 premiere this year | Mac Daily NewsApple TV’s dystopian series ‘Silo’ season 4 wraps filming ahead of expected season 3 premiere this year
Apple TV's dystopian series "Silo" is the story of the last ten thousand people on Earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.06:56 pmiOS 26’s Messages app got a big upgrade for an essential feature
iOS 26 adds a lot to the Messages app, like new group chat features, spam prevention tools, and more. Joining those improvements, Messages also got a big AI upgrade in iOS 26 for an essential feature: search. more…06:34 pmParallels shares status update on MacBook Neo compatibility
Does Parallels virtualization software work with MacBook Neo? The short answer for now is that the company isn’t sure yet. The official line as of March 5 is that support has not actually been confirmed yet: more…06:25 pmTech bros are lying to you about the MacBook Neo
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.06:20 pmAirPods Pro 3 long-term review: Apple's latest earbuds are great with one asterisk
It's been roughly half a year since Apple released the AirPods Pro 3 to the world, and I'm revisiting them to see how they've held up after months of near-daily use.AirPods Pro 3 long-term review: Holding the newest AirPods ProIn my original review of Apple's latest earbuds, I largely praised them for improving audio quality, ANC, as well as adding new features. Now that the initial excitement has subsided, let's examine the changes that have stood out.I went from the AirPods Pro 2 to the AirPods Pro 3. This wasn't a major jump by any means, but I felt it was worth it, especially since the battery life on my years-old pair had deteriorated, and I was able to pass them down to my partner. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums06:10 pmFirst benchmarks confirm MacBook Neo delivers the speed we hoped for
The first MacBook Neo benchmark scores confirm that it offers all the performance needed by entry-level computer users. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)06:01 pmMeta smart glasses said to be sending footage of ‘bathroom visits, sex, and other intimate moments’ to human reviewers in Kenya | Mac Daily NewsMeta smart glasses said to be sending footage of ‘bathroom visits, sex, and other intimate moments’ to human reviewers in Kenya
Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses (Ray-Ban Meta) may be sending sensitive user footage to human reviewers in Nairobi, Kenya… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.05:53 pmSilo gets exciting update ahead of season 3’s release
Silo season 3 is expected to premiere later this year, but the show just got a big season 4 update too. more…05:35 pmMacBook Neo proves Apple can build a $599 laptop without cheapening the Mac
Apple's industrial design chief says the MacBook Neo was created to bring the Mac into a much lower price tier without sacrificing the materials and design language associated with Apple laptops.MacBook NeoApple vice president of industrial design Molly Anderson said in a rare March 6 solo interview that the MacBook Neo retains its MacBook identity despite its $599 starting price. Apple introduced the MacBook Neo on March 4 as its most affordable Mac laptop.The MacBook Neo uses the A18 Pro processor instead of the Apple Silicon M-series chips found in other Macs. Apple is targeting students and first-time Mac buyers who might otherwise choose inexpensive Windows laptops or Chromebooks. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums05:34 pmApple drops 512GB M3 Ultra Mac Studio option, ups 256GB memory upgrade by $400
Apple has quietly removed the 512GB RAM configuration option for the Mac Studio this week. As of yesterday, the maximum available… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.05:19 pmSave up to $100 on Apple's new M4 iPad Air at Amazon
Apple's brand-new M4 iPad Air is already discounted, with Amazon launching preorder deals on both 11-inch and 13-inch models for the weekend.Save up to $100 on iPad Air M4 preorders.Despite being announced mere days ago, Amazon is already issuing preorder deals on the 2026 iPad Air with M4. Save up to $100 on preorders ahead of the official March 11 release.Save up to $100 on M4 iPad Air Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums05:00 pmThe MacBook Neo may cannibalize more iPads than MacBook Airs
Apple finally unveiled the long-awaited entry-level MacBook, the MacBook Neo – and it was certainly worth the wait. The shiny new machine hit the most optimistic of price estimates, with a starting price of just $599. There’s little doubt that the Neo will cannibalize some sales of the MacBook Air. Although it certainly involves compromises, it will be the right choice for many. However, my suspicion is that it will actually end up cannibalizing even more iPad sales … more…