Better Image Generation Capabilities and Apple Music Integration Coming to ChatGPT
Multiple features were added by OpenAI to ChatGPT, rolling out support for image generation and Apple Music. Support for app integrations was added earlier this year to ChatGPT, and the addition of Apple Music will allow ChatGPT to suggest playlists and music based on the user’s listening history. Other than support for Apple Music, OpenAI […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

A20 Pro Chip Coming to Next Gen iPad Mini OLED
The next iPad Mini equipped with an OLED screen will be powered by the A20 Pro chip. This came from an analysis of a kernel debug kit for macOS that had internal codenames Apple is using for its devices. Info in the kit was leaked earlier this year by accident on the Apple website. It […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »

This one feature justifies buying an iPhone 17
The iPhone 17 Center Stage selfie camera improves your video calling experience significantly. Trust me: you need this. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

Review: This MagSafe battery pack replaced multiple chargers for me [Video]
I have tested dozens of MagSafe battery packs over the years, including slim ones, chunky ones, low-capacity chargers, and full-on power bricks that aim to replace everything at once. Most of the battery packs I test are mostly fine; they do the job. But the Kuxiu S3 10,000mAh battery pack strikes a great balance of simplicity, multifunctionality, and, most importantly, reliability. Here is what you should know about their brand-new solid-state battery pack. more…

Read more »

Best NAS drives for Mac 2026: Top network storage picks & buying guide
Macworld There are three types of storage you can use with your Mac. External storage devices such as SSDs and hard drives can plug into your Mac and be used to back up your data or to extend your storage. There are also those little USB memory sticks you can use to store or transfer files, these days they can hold up to 2TB of files in your pocket. These days cloud storage is another popular solution, as it offers a simple way to access your data from anywhere, collaborate with teams of people, and it extends the amount of storage available on your Mac. With the advent of home working meaning fewer people are confined to the office, lots are turning to cloud storage for collaboration, but there are downsides to this, not least the fact that typical cloud storage solutions are not really suitable for backing up (even iCloud doesn’t work with Time Machine for example). As you basically rent cloud storage space it gets expensive quite quickly. There are various cloud backup services that we look at here: Best Cloud backup for Mac. The third kind of storage is a NAS (Network Attached Storage). A NAS drive is a good solution if you are looking for a shared storage solution for a team of people in an office, when you want to share data and projects between multiple workstations, keep on top of all that data in your home, or if you are looking for a way to keep your Mac backed up without needing to leave it plugged into a drive. Using a NAS to store your files means you aren’t reliant on a good internet connection, you don’t need to upload your data to an external service, and you don’t (generally) have to pay a monthly subscription.  Best NAS and PCS drives for Mac In this article, we round up the best NAS drives for a Mac owner that we have tested. If you’d like more advice about what to look for in a good NAS drive, such as the amount of storage you’ll need and the features to look for, jump down to our buying advice where we cover everything you need to know, and our methodology for testing these drives. TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus – Uber-fast network/workgroup storage Pros Holds up to 8 NVMe SSDs Up to 1GBps transfers over 10Gbe Cons Non-fatal bugs in the interface Price When Reviewed: $800 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The TerraMaster F8 SSD Plus is an 8-bay/slot NVMe NAS box with an 8-core Intel Core I3 CPU, 32-execution unit GPU (part of the CPU), 16GB of DRAM, and 10Gbe ethernet connectivity. Ports include 10Gbe ethernet, three 10Gbps USB ports (two Type-A, one Type-C), and an HDMI port for diagnostics rather than direct video output. It’s 7-inch tall, by 2.25-inch wide, and 5.5-inch. It’s not particularly hefty, weighing only 1 pound, 10 ounces with eight SSDs installed. The eight included heat sinks add another 5 ounces if you need them (that depends on how much traffic the fan-cooled box is subjected to). It opens via a single thumb screw and rests on rubber feet. It is stable despite its vertical orientation, but you might want to lay it on its side. Of course, SSDs aren’t as delicate as hard drives that normally inhabit NAS boxes, so a tumble likely wouldn’t be catastrophic. NAS/server features include security, file sharing, media streaming, BitTorrent downloads, video surveillance, Docker and VM hosting. These all require installing applications from TerraMaster. There are numerous backup solutions available, and the File Manager lets you add remote folders from Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, and Amazon S3/S3-compatibles. The operating system, TOS 6.0, isn’t quite as refined as those offered by QNAP and Synology. I couldn’t run file manager or anything else while installing an app, for example. Also, the program didn’t register a deleted storage pool, an added online destination, or a new volume immediately. I had to reboot each time to get changes to register. Despite this, I found TOS 6 attractive, decently intuitive, easy to use, and stable. But it could use some fine-tuning (and multi-tasking), even if none of the issues are particularly deadly. Read our full Terramaster F8 SSD Plus NVMe 10Gbe NAS review Synology DiskStation DS925+ – Versatile and expandable Pros Compact NAS drive with lots of storage Good performance Expandable Cons Hard drives cost extra Poorly designed apps Price When Reviewed: $640 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $639.98 View Deal $639.99 View Deal $639.99 View Deal Synology $640 View Deal $794.9 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Synology’s DiskStation DS925+, offers expandable storage with future-proofing capabilities.The DS925+ resembles its predecessor, the DS923+, with a black design and four drive bays for hard drives or SSDs. Two M.2 slots on the base allow for SSD modules for a high-speed cache. The DS925+ features a quad-core AMD Ryzen V1500B processor running at 2.2GHz, two 2.5Gb Ethernet ports for a high-speed network connection, and a maximum write speed of up to 565MB/s and read speed of 522MB/s. These speeds depend on network configuration and drive type. Like many Synology NAS drives, the DS925+ is sold ‘unpopulated’, an empty chassis without drives. The unpopulated drive costs $640/£575, requiring additional hard drives or SSDs. You must select 2.5-inch SSD or 3.5-inch hard drives approved by Synology. These can be bought from Synology or online dealers.  The DS925+ has four bays that can hold up to 20TB of hard drives, providing a maximum of 80TB of storage (with RAID options supported). An expansion module called the DX525 can be connected to further upgrade storage. It costs $449/£467 and adds five drive bays, giving a maximum of 180TB of storage. USB-A (3.2) ports on the front and back panels allow connecting external drives. Synology’s hardware design is efficient, but the software is confusing for new users. The box includes a QR code that leads to lengthy, complicated Help files on Synology’s website, which could easily confuse first-time NAS users. The DS Finder app, available for iOS and Android, can detect the DS925+ when connected to the office network. However, it only suggests using a web browser to download and install DiskStation Manager (DSM) software, which doesn’t work either. It then prompts users to download a separate desktop app called Synology Assistant, which initially fails but provides tips for adjusting encryption settings.  After installing DSM, users can switch back to the DS Finder app on their iPad to complete the setup process. The app also includes a QuickConnect option for remote access, allowing users to access files as a ‘private cloud’ when away from the office. Unfortunately, the DS Finder app requires additional apps for file management, photos, and other features. Synology should improve its documentation and simplify its app selection to make it more user-friendly for small businesses and home workers without IT support. The compact DS925+ is suitable for small businesses or offices, with expansion options for future storage. However, its software is unorganised, so it’s best suited for experienced networkers setting up a NAS drive.particularly deadly. Read our full Synology DiskStation DS925+ review Ugreen NASync DH2300 & DH4300 Plus – Best budget NAS for home Pros Affordable NAS for home users Money saving vs cloud storage Fast 2.5Gb Ethernet connection (DH4300 Plus) Low power consumption Quiet fan Cons Processors are not pro level USB only 5Gbps Less suited for virtualization, x86, Docker containers, and Plex Price When Reviewed: $209.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $209.99 View Deal Ugreen $209.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket NAS was once primarily the preserve of professionals, but is now increasingly finding its way into private households. More affordable than renting cloud space yet powerful enough for home or even small-office use, the Ugreen NASync DH series is the perfect starter NAS for a personal cloud and home network media server, whether it’s for multiple device backups, the kids’ videos, mum’s holiday photos or dad’s music collection. Available in the entry-level two-bay DH2300 (max 60TB) and more expansive four-bay DH4300 Plus (max 120TB), the drives are good looking, with the top-loading drive bays hidden below a discreet lid unlike the more industrial NASync DXP series (reviewed below) that show off their bays like muscles at a body-building show. In order to realise this price, Ugreen has made significant technical cuts compared to its higher-spec DXP range, with lesser powered processors and no slots for M.2 SSDs. The DH2300 features a gigabit (1Gb) Ethernet port, which will match most home networks. The DH4300 Plus is graced with faster 2.5Gb Ethernet. Higher-spec NAS drives reviewed here go up to 10Gb Ethernet. Pro-level compromises aside, the DH series should be fine for all but the most demanding home media centers. The centrepiece of the Ugo Pro operating system is the control panel; this is where users and groups are managed, folders and shares are created and the performance of the fans and automatic switching on and off are controlled. The Files app is comparable to the Finder and allows you to assign shares for folders. Multimedia applications are conveniently installed via the App Centre. The Photos app offers AI-supported functions for managing and sharing pictures with friends and family. The Theatre app serves as a central point of contact for films and allows you to play your own media either directly via the Ugreen app for iOS or via HDMI output on a TV or monitor. Other apps take care of synchronising data between Mac, iPad or iPhone and cloud storage. Even though the initial cost (with hard drives needing to be bought separately) is higher, you’ll save a lot of money over time. The DH2300 plus two 6TB drives is a one-time purchase cost of around $520 for 12TB of NAS storage. Just one year of 12TB iCloud storage from Apple will cost you over $700 at $60/month. That saving will pay off in months rather than years. The DH series offer the first truly affordable NAS solution for home users, and is powerful enough even for a small office setup. Read our full Ugreen NASync DH series review. Read our full Ugreen NASync DH2300 review Ugreen NASync DXP2800 & DXP4800 – Versatile, affordable and Mac friendly Pros Compact NAS drive provides lots of storage Hardware build quality Intuitive sofware Wide range of models Cons Not as many apps as competition Price When Reviewed: $349.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $296.99 View Deal Ugreen $349.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Ugreen has long been one of our trusted providers of docking stations and charging solutions. It’s a relative newcomer to NAS so has an uphill battle to take on the likes of Synology and QNAP but is using its accessory hardware expertise and pitching its newbie software with an intuitive interface and AI smarts. Ugreen’s DH series (reviewed above) is aimed at the home user, but the DXP range takes on the established NAS players and we came away impressed. As with most NAS systems, you need to add your own drives and can be flexible with large hard drives and/or speedy SSDs. The two-bay DXP2800 (max 76TB), four-bay DXP4800 (136TB), six-bay DXP6800 (196TB) and eight-bay DXP8800 Plus (256TB) offer a level of support that takes the DXP series to collaborative teams and the professional studio. While Ugreen is a relative newcomer to NAS, the solid build quality of the drives and the intuitive software make the range a tidy and easy to setup and use option for any small business or office. Read our full Ugreen NASync DXP2800 review Synology Beestation – Good for beginners Pros Apps provide useful features Cons Apps are tricky to use Price When Reviewed: $219 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price $219.99 View Deal $219.99 View Deal Synology $219.99 View Deal $226.98 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket The widespread use of cloud storage services such as iCloud and Google Drive means that NAS drives aren’t as popular as they used to be, and Synology is one of the few companies still making NAS drives that cater to the SOHO market (small office/home office) with its DiskStation range. Synology is expanding its product range with the introduction of the BeeStation. The BeeStation looks like a fairly conventional desktop hard drive, and it provides 4TB of storage so you’ve got plenty of room for your work or personal files. Like most NAS drives it uses an Ethernet port to connect to your home or office network, but once you’ve connected it to your Wi-Fi router, you can simply scan a QR code with your iPhone or iPad to connect to the drive remotely and set it up using a web browser (although you’ll need to provide an email address to set up your Synology account first). You are then prompted to download two mobile apps called BeePhotos and BeeFiles, which, as the names suggest, allow you to back-up photos and other files onto the BeeStation. Once the drive is set up, you can log in via a web browser on your Mac, and then download the BeeStation desktop app for Macs (running macOS 12 or later) and Windows PCs. These apps provide plenty of useful features, including the ability to automatically upload photos and videos from your mobile devices onto the BeeStation. You can share files with friends, family or colleagues, and sync specific folders on your Mac with the BeeStation. However, these apps can be a bit tricky to use–they tend to throw a lot of settings and information onto the screen, and the Help files on Synology’s website use a lot of techno-jargon that might be confusing for less experienced users. Mac users, for instance, will find that instructions for using the BeeStation with Time Machine are hidden within a rather convoluted Help file about ‘local access’ settings. So it may take a little work to get the BeeStation properly set up, but its ability to provide both online storage for mobile devices and a NAS drive for your home or office network makes it a very versatile back-up device for home and small business users. Western Digital My Cloud EX2 Ultra – The quick and easy option Pros Straightforward and easy to use Can be used as a RAID Cons Software has reduced compatibility Price When Reviewed: From $150.99 (unpopulated) to $1,299.99 (28TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Western Digital $150.99 View Deal Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Western Digital’s My Cloud Home drive provides a quick and easy option for home users who aren’t familiar with NAS drives and networking technology. In fact, the company doesn’t even call it a ‘NAS drive’, opting for the more user-friendly ‘personal cloud’ label instead. (If you feel a bit more comfortable with jargon such as NAS and RAID, you might want to step up to WD’s ‘expert’ range with the My Cloud EX2 Ultra instead.) The EX2 Ultra is a no-compromises NAS drive with additional features and customisation options, while remaining affordable enough for home users or self-employed people, such as photographers or designers, who need a really reliable backup drive for important work files. It’s a ‘two-bay’ drive that holds two separate hard drives, and allows you to remove the top panel so you can remove the drives for repairs or adding more storage in the future. You can buy the EX2 Ultra with a pair of drives pre-installed, with a wide range of prices depending on the storage you select. WD includes its high-performance Red Drives and 1GB of memory to help the EX2 Ultra multi-task when different people are using the drive on the network at the same time. There’s a Gigabit Ethernet port for connecting to your network, and the EX2 Ultra also has two USB ports that allow you to connect an external USB drive for additional storage. Alternatively, you have the option of buying the EX2 Ultra ‘unpopulated’—with no drives at all—and then providing your own drives to suit your particular needs. This is the best option if you think you might want to add extra storage in the future, and installation is really easy: the top panel simply pops open at the press of a button to reveal the internal drive bays. Using two separate hard drives also means the EX2 Ultra can work as a ‘RAID’ drive, with either RAID 0 – which improves performance by splitting files across both drives (called ‘striping’) – or RAID 1 ‘mirroring’, which makes separate copies of your files on each drive for extra reliability. If you want even more safeguards for your important files, there’s also an option to back up data from the EX2 Ultra on to an external hard drive connected to one of its USB ports. Despite all these extra features, setting up the EX2 Ultra is still very straightforward, as the drive supports Time Machine for automatically backing up files from your Mac. There’s also a My Cloud app for iOS/iPadOS and Android that allows you to back up and share files using non-Apple devices as well. The app provides remote access to the drive over the internet, and there’s a web browser interface also available for Macs and PCs, which allows more advanced users to configure RAID settings and features such as the FTP server – and even to use it as an ‘iTunes Server’ for streaming music across your network. It’s worth checking out the changes made by the My Cloud OS 5 software update, however; this adds several new features, but reduces compatibility with some web services. Western Digital My Cloud Home – For home and small business Pros Good Mac support Online backup sync Cons No simple drag-and-drop Price When Reviewed: $149.99 (2TB), $169.99 (4TB), $249.99 (8TB) Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Western Digital $149.99 View Deal $159.99 View Deal $1,275.94 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to Western Digital’s My Cloud range, with several models available for home users and small businesses, as well as a number of Expert and Pro models for larger organizations. The My Cloud Home is a little more expensive than other models in the My Cloud range, but is fast and provides additional features such as support for the Plex Media Server software (although that’s probably not a must-have for Mac users). It comes with a range of storage allocations; 8TB should be more than enough for most homes, as well as small offices and self-employed users. The slimline white-and-silver unit is neatly designed and only measures 2in wide, so it’ll sit easily on your desk or on a shelf close to your router without taking up too much space. There’s also a larger dual-drive model, called the My Cloud Home Duo, which houses two matching drives and offers considerably more storage. That provides RAID 1 mirroring for extra data protection, but if you want more sophisticated RAID features, as well as the ability to install and remove drives yourself, you’ll need to step up to the My Cloud Expert or My Cloud Pro models. Western Digital always does a good job with Mac support, and the My Cloud Home is no exception, with apps that handle a range of tasks quickly and easily. The iOS app can perform automatic backups of your photos and videos, while the Mac app lets you use Time Machine for your backups (and there are Mac and Windows versions of the apps available too). There are some nice touches too, such as the ability to right-click a folder on your Mac and automatically sync the contents of that folder on to the My Cloud Home. That will be handy for people who want an extra backup of their current work files or projects in addition to the basic Time Machine backup. You can also right-click any file that is stored on the My Cloud Home and send a download link in order to quickly share that file with friends or colleagues. And, if you also use an online backup service, such as Dropbox, then you can sync the contents of your Dropbox account on to the My Cloud Home too. You can even back up photos and albums from Facebook on to the drive for safekeeping if you want to. There are a couple of rough edges. You can’t simply double-click the drive’s icon on the Mac desktop in order to open the drive and then drag-and-drop to copy folders or files on to the drive. For some reason you have to open the app’s pulldown menu and view the contents of the drive through the app instead. You can’t create individual user accounts on the Mac either, so you’re forced to use the app on an iPhone or iPad if you want to invite someone else to create their own personal folders on the My Cloud Home drive. Most Mac users will have an iPhone or iPad, of course, but we’d like to see the Mac app updated to allow you full freedom to control the My Cloud Home with your Mac as well. Buffalo LinkStation 220D – Versatile & affordable Pros Versatile and affordable Cons Unreliable apps Price When Reviewed: From $119.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Buffalo Technology $119.99 View Deal Dell Home $264.99 View Deal $297.99 View Deal $387.49 View Deal $439.99 View Deal $487.57 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Buffalo’s LinkStation 220D is a versatile and affordable NAS drive that’s suitable for both home and business users. But, as we’ve seen with Buffalo in the past, its products sometimes lack the straightforward ease of use that Mac and iOS users take for granted. The LinkStation 220D is a dual-bay NAS drive that houses two separate hard drives. You can buy it ‘unpopulated’ – with no drives at all – and then provide the drives that you want to use for yourself. Alternatively, you can buy it with 2TB, 4TB or 8TB. There’s also a more expensive model called the 220DR that’s designed for use with Western Digital’s high-speed Red drives, but the standard 220D model that we review here should be perfectly adequate for most homes and small businesses. The dual-bay setup also means you can use the LinkStation as a RAID drive, supporting either RAID 0 for maximum performance, or RAID 1 for maximum data protection (storing separate copies of your data on both drives). Future upgrades are simple as well, as you can quickly remove the front panel of the LinkStation and pull out the drives by their handles, with no screws or tools required. There’s also a USB port on the back of the LinkStation that can be used to make additional backups to an external USB drive for extra safety. Getting started is quite straightforward, as the 4TB LinkStation that we tested automatically showed up on our office network once we connected it to our router with an Ethernet cable. That allowed us to simply drag-and-drop files onto the LinkStation for quick backups, but things get a bit more complicated when you start to move beyond the basics. The LinkStation does work with Time Machine so that you can back up your Macs over the network, but setting up Time Machine and a ‘shared folder’ for your backups proved rather complicated. Buffalo’s NAS Navigator app for Macs allows you to view the LinkStation on your network and displays basic information, such as its IP address. However, using any other features requires you to open up a web browser in order to view the LinkStation’s web interface. This does include a variety of useful features, including Time Machine support, remote ‘web access’ for when you’re away from home or the office, BitTorrent downloads, and the ability to use the LinkStation as an iTunes server for streaming your music across the network. But this browser interface is very complicated and won’t be easy for non-technical users to understand – and Buffalo’s 125-page jargon-heavy PDF manual doesn’t really make life any easier. And neither do Buffalo’s mobile apps. Buffalo provides two separate apps for iOS devices: Smartphone Navigator for basic setup, and WebAccess to provide access to your files via Wi-Fi when you’re out and about. These apps are getting on a bit, and some users have complained that they’re unreliable. In fact, the apps seemed to run on our office iPhone and iPad without any problems, but they’re still quite complicated and unhelpful for people who aren’t familiar with NAS drives and networking technology. So while the LinkStation is a good option for more experienced home or business users who already know a bit about NAS drives, it’s probably not the best option for first-time users who are still learning the ropes. How to choose a NAS drive Here are some essential features you should look out for when selecting a NAS drive for your Mac. macOS compatibility and Time Machine support One of the great unsung features of macOS is Time Machine, the software that sits inside your System Preferences panel and quietly performs an automatic backup of the entire contents of your Mac’s hard disk every hour, on the hour. If you accidentally delete a file you can go back and check out all the previous versions of that file that you backed up in the past. And if your Mac starts behaving oddly and you think you might have been infected by malware, you can just reboot your Mac and use Time Machine to restore the entire macOS to an earlier, untarnished state. But, of course, in order to use Time Machine you do need to have an external hard drive connected to your Mac that can store all your old backups. Hard drives are pretty cheap these days, but as we all start to own more and more desktop computers, laptops and mobile devices, it starts to become both expensive and rather impractical to buy a separate backup drive for every single device in our home or office. The answer to this problem is a NAS drive. Most NAS drives are ‘Mac-compatible’ – but not all of them are what we might call ‘Mac-friendly’. For instance, not all NAS drives will allow you to use Time Machine to make backups over the network, so support for Time Machine is a key feature that you should check on when thinking about buying a NAS drive for use with one or more Macs. User accounts and sharing Another important feature is the ability to create individual user accounts, so that each person in your home or office can have their own private area on the NAS drive for storing their personal files. And, at the same time, it’s also handy to create ‘shares’, which are like public folders that can be shared by everyone – perhaps for storing music or photos for the whole family. Most NAS drives will allow you to do this, but sometimes you need a bit of network know-how to figure out how each drive handles this process (and some drives, such as Apple’s now-discontinued Time Capsule, just ignore this side of things altogether and focus on the basic task of handling Time Machine backups). Mobile device support And, of course, you’ll also want to check that your new NAS drive provides an app for your iPhone or iPad. Most of us now tend to use iCloud for backing up photos, videos and other files from our mobile devices, but it can give you extra peace of mind to know that you’ve got a spare backup on your NAS drive in case anything goes wrong. A good NAS drive will also let you share your photos and videos with other people by streaming them to mobile devices over your network, or possibly even provide a remote access option that allows you to retrieve files over the internet when you’re away from home (a feature that manufacturers often refer to as a ‘personal cloud’). File streaming Many people also use their NAS drive as a kind of central media server for their home, perhaps streaming music and videos to a games console that is connected to their TV in the front room. Mac users should check to see if a NAS drive can stream files to an Apple TV, or act as an ‘iTunes server’, storing your iTunes/Music library on the NAS drive so that it can stream music to every Mac or iOS device on the network. How much storage do you need? That’s something you’ll need to decide for yourself, but it’s worth mentioning that some NAS drives are more flexible on this point than others. Some of the less expensive NAS drives are sold with a built-in hard drive—generally at least 2TB—but the hard drive is fixed and can’t be replaced once it’s full (although the NAS drive may have a USB port that lets you connect a conventional USB hard drive in order to add some extra storage). This is the simplest option, favored by most home users and small businesses, as it means you can just unpack the NAS drive and connect it to your router to get started. Choosing the right number of drive bays When selecting a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, two of the most critical decisions you’ll make are the number of drive bays and the RAID configuration. These choices directly impact your storage capacity, data redundancy, and overall performance. The number of bays in a NAS enclosure determines how many hard drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs) you can install. This choice depends on your current storage needs, plans for future expansion, and your desired RAID setup. Two-Bay NAS: A two-bay NAS is a common starting point for home users and small businesses. It allows for a basic RAID 1 configuration, which mirrors data across two drives for redundancy. This means if one drive fails, your data is safe on the other. Four-Bay NAS: A four-bay NAS is often recommended for those who need more storage, such as professionals, content creators, or small offices. With four bays, you can use more advanced RAID levels like RAID 5 or RAID 6, which offer a balance of storage efficiency and protection against one or two drive failures, respectively. Some four-bay models can support up to 80TB of storage and may offer expansion modules to add even more bays later. Larger NAS Units: For more demanding requirements, NAS devices with six, eight, or more bays are available, offering massive storage potential—up to 256TB in some cases. Many NAS devices are sold “unpopulated,” meaning you must purchase the drives separately. This provides the flexibility to choose your own drives and upgrade them in the future. Selecting a RAID Configuration RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) is a technology that combines multiple drives into a single logical unit to improve performance or provide data redundancy . The RAID level you choose is often dictated by the number of drives you have and your priorities for speed versus data safety. Here are some common RAID configurations supported by NAS devices: RAID 0 (Striping): This configuration combines two or more drives to maximize performance and capacity . Data is “striped” across the drives, leading to faster read and write speeds . However, RAID 0 offers no redundancy; if a single drive fails, all data in the array is lost . It is best suited for tasks where speed is paramount and data is backed up elsewhere . RAID 1 (Mirroring): This setup requires at least two drives and creates an exact copy (or mirror) of your data on each drive . It provides excellent data protection, as you can simply replace a failed drive and rebuild the array . The trade-off is that your usable capacity is only half of the total raw capacity of the drives . RAID 5: Requiring a minimum of three drives, RAID 5 stripes data across the drives along with parity information . This allows the array to withstand the failure of a single drive without any data loss . It offers a good balance of performance, storage efficiency (you lose the capacity of one drive for parity), and redundancy . Reads are typically fast, but writes can be slower due to the need to calculate and write parity data . RAID 6: This level is similar to RAID 5 but requires at least four drives and uses dual parity . This means it can tolerate the failure of up to two drives simultaneously, offering even greater data protection . RAID 10 (or 1+0): A hybrid RAID, this configuration combines the mirroring of RAID 1 with the striping of RAID 0 . It requires at least four drives and provides both high performance and redundancy, but at the cost of using only 50% of the total drive capacity .JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks): This is not a true RAID level. It simply combines multiple drives into a single large volume without any performance or redundancy benefits Choosing between HDDs and SSDs While traditional HDDs are the most cost-effective solution for bulk storage in a NAS, SSDs are also an option . HDDs: Hard drives offer large capacities at a lower cost, making them ideal for storing large media libraries or backups. It’s important to use drives specifically designed for NAS use, as they are built for continuous operation and are more resistant to vibration. However, be aware that some recording technologies, like SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording), are unsuitable for RAID configurations and can cause errors. SSDs: Solid-state drives offer significantly faster performance and are quieter than HDDs. However, they are more expensive and typically have lower capacities, maxing out around 4TB for NAS-specific models . Some NAS devices allow you to use NVMe SSDs as a high-speed cache to boost the performance of an HDD array. The unpopulated option However, many NAS drives are sold ‘unpopulated’—without any internal hard drives already installed—and simply provide two or more empty drive bays into which you insert your own choice of hard drives. This option is more expensive, but it allows you to customise the NAS by buying your own hard in order to provide as much storage as you need. And, if you run out of storage space, you can just take out the old drives and insert new, larger drives in the future. This type of NAS drive generally also offers a number of ‘RAID’ options—this stands for “redundant array of independent disks”—which use multiple hard drives to provide additional performance and data protection. How we test NAS drives To evaluate Network-Attached Storage (NAS) drives, our testing process combines standardized benchmarking with practical, real-world use cases to ensure a comprehensive assessment. Our methodology involves several key steps: Benchmarking: We conduct stringent tests and benchmarks on the NAS drives we review. This allows us to build a library of results for direct comparison across different models . Real-World Simulation: We mirror everyday usage by transferring various sets of files and folders to and from the NAS device . Speed Tests: During these transfers, we specifically measure both write and read speeds to gauge performance. Large File Transfers: We also test how the drives perform during large file transfers, which is a common use case for NAS devices. In addition to performance, a crucial factor for Mac users is compatibility with macOS features. We specifically look for robust Time Machine support, as this allows for seamless, automatic backups of your entire Mac. While most NAS drives are “Mac-compatible,” not all are what we would consider “Mac-friendly” in their integration and ease of use. The setup process is also a consideration. Unlike simple plug-and-play external drives, a NAS connects to your network, which involves a more complex setup. Once configured, it can be accessed by multiple devices, including Macs, iPhones, and iPads, either through the Finder, a dedicated app, or a web browser. This comprehensive approach helps us determine not just the raw speed of a NAS drive, but also its practicality and user-friendliness in a typical home or office environment. You can learn more about the pros and cons of using a NAS for storage or how they support features like Time Machine for backups.

Read more »

These $999 MacBooks now cost $400
Macworld TL;DR: Get an M1 MacBook Air on sale for $399.99 (reg. $999). The rising price of RAM is also raising the price of new computers across the board, which is just one more reason to look for deals on refurbished Macs like this one. Normally, this MacBook Air would cost $999, but right now, the price is reduced to $399.99. This M1 MacBook Air has an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine that keep apps responsive, handles multitasking easily, and supports creative tools that need more power. The 13.3-inch Retina display stays sharp with a 2560×1600 resolution, and True Tone adjusts the lighting automatically for more comfortable viewing. This model is also fanless, so it runs silently while staying cool. The SSD keeps apps and files quick to open, and the battery can last up to 18 hours, depending on your use. Stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support improve audio for calls and streaming. You get two Thunderbolt or USB 4 ports for charging and peripherals, a 720p FaceTime camera, Touch ID, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0. This refurbished unit comes with a Grade A rating, meaning minimal cosmetic wear, and includes a 30-day parts and labor warranty. Right now, it’s only $399.99 to get a MacBook Air. Apple MacBook Air (2020) 13″ M1 8CPU 8GPU 8GB RAM 256GB SSD Space Gray (Refurbished)See Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

Read more »

Samsung's 43″ Q8F TV dips to $347 today only, save up to $5,000 across line
Treat the family to a new television for the holidays while steep discounts are in effect, including Samsung's 43-inch Q8F QLED set that's on sale for just $347.99 today only.Get a 43-inch Samsung QLED Q8F for just $387.99 today only - Image credit: SamsungB&H's 24-hour Deal Zone event slashes $200 off the Samsung Q8F 43-inch QLED TV thanks to a $60 instant rebate stacked with a $140 in-cart coupon.Buy for $347.99 today only Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Apple Announces Changes to iOS in Japan for Compliance With the Mobile Software Competition Act
It’s the practical results of legislation and regulation that matter, not the intentions. The Japanese government seemingly gets that, and acts accordingly.

Read more »

Indie App Spotlight: ‘AnywAIr’ lets you play with local AI models on your iPhone
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact. AnywAIr, which is a play on the word “anywhere”, is a nifty little iOS app that lets you play with AI models – regardless of if you have an internet connection. It offers custom themes, a plethora of tools and games, and all of the local AI models you could want to mess with. more…

Read more »

These Mac mini deals start at $479, with delivery by Christmas
Finish up your holiday shopping with triple-digit discounts on Apple's M4 Mac mini, which starts at just $479, with delivery by Christmas to many locations.Grab last-minute deals on Apple's latest Mac mini.If you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift for someone special, Amazon and B&H Photo have discounts on Apple's latest Mac mini, with free next day delivery on orders shipped within the contiguous U.S. on dozens of SKUs at B&H.Amazon also has several models available for delivery by Christmas to select locations. Because inventory is fluctuating, be sure to check estimated arrival dates for your specific address. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

Quicken Classic 8.4
Updates the financial management app with a sackful of handy improvements and bug fixes. ($71.88/$95.88/$131.88 annual subscription, free update, 3.2 MB, macOS 12+)

Read more »

Parallels Desktop 26.2
Maintenance update for the virtualization software focused primarily on bug fixes. ($99.99 Standard Edition, free update, 5.4 MB, macOS 13+)

Read more »

Incogni can scrub your SSN and other sensitive data from the web
Would it surprise you to know that in all likelihood your Social Security number is freely available for sale to anyone who wants to buy it? The same is true of your phone number, address, date of birth, and much more. That’s because there are companies known as data brokers whose business is to buy personal data from websites, app developers, and other sources in order to offer it for resale. Fortunately, Incogni is here to help – 9to5Mac readers can get a massive 55% discount. more…

Read more »

Clever Apple Watch charger swings both ways
With both wireless and wired capabilities, this 1200mAh portable Apple Watch charger is super-convenient. Great gift for Apple Watch owners. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

Is the iMac Pro ready for a comeback? [The CultCast]
This week on Cult of Mac's podcast: Leaked code indicates Apple is working on a new iMac Pro, years after the all-in-one disappeared. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

Today in Apple history: NeXT buyout brings Steve Jobs back to Cupertino
On December 20, 1996, Apple Computer officially bought NeXT, the computer company Steve Jobs founded after leaving Apple a decade earlier. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

AI calculations on Mac cluster gets a big boost from new RDMA support on Thunderbolt 5
Real-world test of Apple's latest implementation of Mac cluster computing proves it can help AI researchers work using massive models, thanks to pooling memory resources over Thunderbolt 5.An M3 Ultra Mac Studio quartet set up for clustering over Thunderbolt 5 - Image Credit: Jeff GeerlingIn November, Apple teased inbound features in macOS Tahoe 26.2 that stands to considerably change how AI researchers perform machine learning processing. At the time, the headline improvement made to MLX, Apple's machine learning framework, was to support GPU-based neural accelerators, but Thunderbolt 5 clustering support was also a big change.One month later, and the benefits of Thunderbolt 5 for clustering are finally being seen in a real-world environment. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Read more »

2025 was huge for Apple — here’s why
In this end-of-year roundup, we’ve gathered the most ground-breaking rumors, consequential news and biggest surprises of 2025. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

Read more »

Apple @ Work: ABM Warranty shows why Apple’s new Business Manager APIs matter for IT teams
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. The new Apple Business Manager API enables third-party tools to access device data directly from Apple in a secure, predictable, and really helpful manner for IT teams managing large fleets of Apple devices. It is the kind of work that Apple does behind the scenes that ultimately has a huge impact as people build around it. When Apple exposes more of its device information and management capabilities through official APIs, the entire ecosystem benefits, and a new app is a prime example. more…

Read more »

Amazon has the AirTag 4 Pack Marked $29 off
Amazon has the AirTag 4-pack marked $29 off. Keep track of your items with Key Finder and Locator for your things like wallet, backpack, computer, phone, and more. You can find missing items faster, reduce the time spent, and eliminate the unnecessary stress of looking for them. The disc-shaped AirTag has a built-in speaker so […] The post appeared first on iLounge.

Read more »