Live Activity & Dynamic Island Development I am building an app where I'm trying to utilize the dynamic island on the iPhone (Live Activity) & the notch on the Macbook. Do I need a paid Apple developer account to build with Live Activity? Because I don't see it in the capability section. submitted by /u/MikeeBuilds [link] [comments]
How XProtect protects you from viruses on macOS XProtect is Apple's Mac virus detection system which keeps your Mac safe. Here's how the protective macOS feature works.XProtect is macOS's malware scaning tool.Viruses and other malware are a constant threat to computers, which web surfers have to work around every time they go online.A computer virus is a small piece of code that gets silently installed onto your computer. One where it runs or embeds itself into other software and causes havoc. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
How can I use iPhone true depth front camera to detect if the captured depth map of a face is a true 3d face or spoofed 2d image I'm trying to implement anti-spoofing in iOS app using iphone true depth front camera. I have checked the following questions still can't find a proper working solution. I trained a coreML model using 22000 depth human face images and 22000 non-human face(objects,food etc) images. The accuracy of the model is very less. When testing out […]
Struggling to Find Simple, Useful App Ideas as an iOS Developer I've been working as a professional iOS developer for two years, having started learning iOS development during the 2020 lockdown. Over this time, I've worked with two companies on three projects, two of which never saw the light of day. Despite my experience, I’ve never released an app on my own or purchased a paid […]
App with iMessage extension and sticker pack Hello! first post here and just learning. Im looking for some help and im at my wits end and ChatGPT is sending me around in circles. I want to create to have an app that does nothing but include a iMessage extension and a sticker pack. My first attempt I tried to create a iMessage […]
How to remove push notification when message is deleted On WhatsApp, if someone do “Delete mesaage for everyone” on their message, then the corresponding push notification for the message would vanish from the recipient phone. Can anyone enlighten me on how does that work/ point me to relevant documentation on that? Thanks submitted by /u/locustrun [link] [comments]
Regarding — and, Well, Against — Substack My advice to any writer looking to start a new site based on the newsletter model would be to consider Substack *last*, not first.
Development iOS App unable to connect to a self-signed SSL cert Secure WebSocket Server HTTP(S) Due to my iPhone being upgraded to iOS 16.6, it seems to no longer support a HTTP WebSocket Server connection. Just want to also say I have no prior experience with iOS app development so any help and guidance is appreciated. Background: The software engineer who coded the iOS app said it was written to […]
False positive 521 email alerts Nov 21, 02:07 UTCResolved - This incident has been resolved.Nov 21, 02:01 UTCMonitoring - A fix has been implemented and we are monitoring the results.Nov 21, 01:56 UTCIdentified - Cloudflare is investigating an issue where customers may have received a false positive "521: Web Server Is Down" email alert. The issue has been identified, and a fix is being implemented.
UIKit for collection inside scroll Could you explain how to implement an interface element commonly seen in applications like Instagram, where a horizontal collection view contains cells, each of which includes a vertical collection view for scrolling the items within the cells? The entire setup scrolls within an outer scroll view. I’m referring to UIKit, not SwiftUI. I’m encountering issues […]
More than 200 companies already support passkeys in their apps and websites The passwordless future is rapidly becoming a reality as more than 200 companies have now added passkey support to their websites and apps. This significant milestone, revealed by the company behind 1Password, signals a growing shift towards more secure and convenient authentication methods.
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20+ Ways to Free Up iPhone Storage If your iPhone or iPad is full, there are several things you can do to claw back storage space. In this guide, we run through several options and methods available to free up storage on Apple's iOS and iPadOS devices. Keep reading to learn what they are.
Every new iPhone and iPad model comes with a set storage capacity ranging from 64GB to 1TB for iPhones, and 64GB to 2TB for iPads. While it's always a good idea to buy a model with the biggest storage you can afford, depending on your usage sometimes even the highest storage devices can fill up, and it can happen when you least expect it.
From the music you buy and the apps you download, to the video you shoot and the messages you receive, all of that content has to live somewhere, either on your device or in cloud storage. When your iPhone or iPad storage is full, it's not like you can increase it. What you can do, however, is free up your existing storage. Here's how.
Basic Storage-Saving Tips
Apple is aware that many people struggle to manage storage on their devices, which is why it has introduced more and more tools with successive versions of iOS to help users keep on top of the kinds of apps and media that often eat up precious megabytes.
Launch the Settings app and select General ➝ iPhone/iPad Storage, and the amount of storage space you've used is shown in the color-coded bar at the top. Below it, you may see a list of recommendations for optimizing storage, by reviewing and deleting large attachments, for example.
These recommendations are followed by a list of installed apps and the amount of storage each one uses. The list also tells you when you last used each app, allowing you to easily find and delete the apps that you haven't used for a while or not at all.
When you delete an app, its icon, app data, and any user-generated data is removed. That's fine if you don't intend to use the app again, however Apple also lets you offload apps, which frees up storage space, but leaves the app's icon and user data in place. If an app you use a lot is taking up a lot of space, it's worth checking if you can clear any cache associated with it.
Another option that Apple added to iOS/iPadOS not so long ago is the ability to prevent your iPhone or iPad from from automatically installing software updates. It used to be the case that new software updates were downloaded automatically in the background and then installed through an Automatic Updates feature. However, these days the Settings app includes a toggle that lets you choose whether updates are automatically downloaded or not.
How to Remove the Apps You Don't Use on Your iPhone and iPad
How to Delete Apps on iPhone and iPad
Prevent iPhone From Automatically Downloading Software Updates
How to Delete Large Attachments on iPhone and iPad
How to Clear Cache on iPhone and iPad
Reclaim Space Taken Up By Photos
The photos that you keep on your iPhone or iPad naturally take up storage space on your device, which can fill up quickly depending on the available storage capacity and how much content you have.
If you see a message that your device's storage is full, it's worth checking out a system option called Optimize Storage, which is designed to work with iCloud Photos. This feature replaces full-resolution photos on your Apple device with smaller, device-sized versions that take up a lot less storage space, while the full-resolution images remain off-device in iCloud.
Another way of pruning your photo library is checking for redundant shots taken in Burst Mode. Burst Mode refers to when the camera on your device captures a series of photos in rapid succession, at a rate of ten frames per second.
It's a great way to shoot an action scene or an unexpected event, since you're always more likely to end up with the picture you were aiming for. But it also generates a lot of unwanted images, so it's good practice to pick out the best image for safe keeping, and delete the rest to save on storage space.
If you have an older iPhone, you can also save space when shooting in HDR. On iPhone X and earlier models, when the camera takes an automatic HDR photo, it can also optionally keep the standard shot in your Photo library, which is useful for comparison or for when the HDR picture doesn't come out as expected. However, if you want, you can disable this function and thereby save yourself some storage space.
In some cases, you can find your photo library getting bigger even when you haven't been taking pictures on your device. For example, the media that people share with you over WhatsApp may be automatically saved to your iPhone's Photos app. Fortunately, you can easily prevent this default behavior by disabling Save to Photos in WhatsApp's in-app settings.
Of course, if your photo library feels like it's ballooned out of control, one solution is to start afresh and delete all the photos on your iPhone. Just make sure you've already backed any up that you want to keep, and be aware that deleting your photos with iCloud Photo Library enabled will delete your photos from ALL of your devices.
How to Optimize Photos to Take Up Less Storage Space on iPhone and iPad
How to Delete All Photos From Your iPhone or iPad
How to Discard Normal Photos When Shooting in HDR
How to Delete Redundant Burst Mode Photos on iPhone and iPad
Stop WhatsApp Auto-Saving Media to iPhone Photos App
Reclaim Space Taken Up By Videos
Some of the above photo tips apply to videos stored in your device's photo library. However, there are other ways to prevent video content from eating up storage space. For example, you can customize the resolution and frame rate of recorded video to reduce the file size in Settings ➝ Camera ➝ Record Video.
Elsewhere, if you regularly download Apple Fitness+ videos to your iPhone or iPad, check the recommendations in Settings ➝ General ➝ iPhone Storage and you should see them listed under Review Downloaded Videos, where you'll be able to delete them individually or in bulk.
If you have an Apple TV+ subscription, or you've rented or purchased movies, you can download videos using Apple's TV app to watch them offline. However, if you're looking to save space, go to Settings ➝ Apps ➝ TV, then under "Download Options," make sure that you've selected Fast Downloads (lower quality, uses less storage) – it means lower quality videos, but they use less storage.
How to Delete Downloaded Videos on iPhone and iPad
How to Adjust TV App Video Download Settings on iPhone and iPad
How to Save Storage Space When Recording Video on iPhone and iPad
Reclaim Space Taken By Other Apps/Media
WhatsApp features a built-in media management tool that can help you identify, select, and bulk delete GIFs, photos, and videos that may be filling up your phone.
The tool groups together large files and media that has been forwarded many times, sorting files by size in descending order, and provides a way to preview files before deleting them. You can also see a preview of media before selecting one or multiple files to delete. To access the storage management tool, launch the app and go to Settings ➝ Storage and Data ➝ Manage Storage.
If you're an Apple Music subscriber, you can download songs, playlists, and albums from the Apple Music catalog to your iPhone or iPad for offline listening, but this can gradually eat up your device's storage space over time.
Fortunately the Music app includes a handy feature that can spring into action whenever your device's storage space runs low, and automatically offload songs you haven't played for a while in order to make space for newer ones.
Check Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Music ➝ Optimize Storage, and make sure the Optimize Storage switch is enabled. From here, you can also choose a minimum storage amount that you want to keep for music before downloaded songs start being removed from your device. You can also monitor storage space by turning off automatic downloads in Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Music and downloading new songs manually when needed.
Of course, Apple Music users can also remove songs and whole albums in the Music app. Simply press and hold an item, select Delete From Library from the pop-up menu, and then tap Delete Album/Song when prompted.
There are several ways to trim fat from the Messages app. For example, iOS can be automated to discard old messages that have been on your device for longer than a specific period of time.
In addition, if you tap the contact bubble(s) and at the top of a Messages conversation, you can also see every file that has been sent to you in the chat thread in one easily accessible location, where you can remove them all in one fell swoop.
Other Apple apps that are worth checking include the Books app and the Voice Memos app. If you listen to a lot of audiobooks, try nixing your back catalog, and review any old Voice Memo recordings to see if you need them any more.
How to Review and Delete WhatsApp Media
How to Limit the Space Apple Music Takes Up on Your iPhone
How to Remove Downloaded Apple Music Songs to Free Up Storage Space
How to Auto-Delete Old Message Conversations on iPhone and iPad
How to Delete Messages Attachments on iPhone and iPad
How to Delete Downloaded Books and Audiobooks From iPhone and iPad
How to Delete Voice Memo Recordings on iPhone and iPad
Wrapping Up
We've run through the main storage-saving tips for iPhone and iPad, but depending on your use case, there may be other ways that you can free up space on your device. For instance, if you do a lot of on-device file management in the Files app, consider compressing large files and folders by selecting Compress from the contextual pop-up menu.
If you're still short on space and you've exhausted all the above options, it may be worthwhile resorting to the "nuke" option – a clean install – by erasing your device and starting again. If that doesn't help, it could be time to upgrade your device.
How to Zip Files and Folders on iPhone and iPad
How to Erase and Restore Your iPhone or iPadGot any more tips we haven't mentioned here? Let us know in the comments, or Send us an email.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Musi Fans Refuse To Update iPhones Until Apple Unblocks Controversial App An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Who up missing Musi?" a Reddit user posted in a community shocked by the free music streaming app's sudden removal from Apple's App Store in September. Apple kicked Musi out of the App Store after receiving several copyright complaints. Musi works by streaming music from YouTube -- seemingly avoiding paying to license songs -- and YouTube was unsurprisingly chief among those urging Apple to stop allowing the alleged infringement.
Musi was previously only available through the App Store. Once Musi was removed from the App Store, anyone who downloaded Musi could continue using the app uninterrupted. But if the app was ever off-loaded during an update or if the user got a new phone, there would be no way to regain access to their Musi app or their playlists. Some Musi fans only learned that Apple booted Musi after they updated their phones, and the app got offloaded with no option to re-download. Panicked, these users turned to the Musi subreddit for answers, where Musi's support staff has consistently responded with reassurances that Musi is working to bring the app back to the App Store. For many Musi users learning from others' mistakes, the Reddit discussions leave them with no choice but to refuse to update their phones or risk losing their favorite app. The app may remain unavailable for several months as the litigation unfolds. "After Apple gave in to the pressure, Musi sued (PDF) in October, hoping to quickly secure an injunction that would force Apple to reinstate Musi in the App Store until the copyright allegations were decided," reports Ars. "But a hearing on that motion isn't scheduled until January, making it appear unlikely that Musi will be available again to download until sometime next year."
Further reading: Google, Apple Drive 'Black Box' IP Policing with App Store Rules
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
SMS Delivery Delays to Shelcomm Network in the United States of America Nov 20, 15:09 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing SMS delivery delays when sending messages to Shelcomm Network in the United States of America. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.
As Apple Prepares to Launch Home Hub, Amazon Debuts New Echo Show With 21-Inch Display Amazon today announced the launch of two new Echo Show devices, both of which have large displays. The Echo Show 15 has a 15-inch display and is a replacement for the original Echo Show 15, while the even bigger Echo Show 21 has a 21-inch display. For those unfamiliar with the Echo Show, it is Amazon's smart home control device, serving as a way to control smart home products.
According to Amazon, the Echo Show 21 has nearly double the viewing area of the Echo Show 15. Like other Echo Show products, it can be used for video calls, watching videos, accessing news, managing family calendars, controlling smart home products, viewing photos, and more.
The Amazon Echo Show is compatible with Matter as a controller, and it can connect directly to Wi-Fi, Thread, and Zigbee devices. Amazon's personal assistant, Alexa, is also included for voice-based smart home controls.
Amazon has been making various Echo Show devices for quite some time, and next year, Apple plans to offer a competing product. Apple's smart home "command center" is expected to feature many of the same capabilities as the Echo Show.
It will include a camera for FaceTime, plus it will control HomeKit and Matter devices. Internal speakers will allow for playing music, and it will have Apple apps like Calendar, Photos, Apple News, Apple Music, and Notes. The device won't be as big as Amazon's Echo Show, though, with Apple planning for a six-inch square display.
The upcoming Apple smart home device will have integrated Siri support with Apple Intelligence, and it will have a customizable home screen with widgets that can show things like the weather, upcoming appointments, and important home controls. Built-in sensors will be able to tell when a person is near, and Apple plans to offer both desktop and wall mounting solutions. Multiple hubs could be used throughout the home as intercoms as well.
It's not clear how Apple plans to price the home hub, but Amazon's Echo Show 15 costs $300, and the Echo Show 21 costs $400. Smaller versions are priced as low as $90.Tags: Amazon, Amazon EchoThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
On Call Engineers are Investigating an issue of FWO – Conversations returning 500s Nov 20, 15:04 PSTInvestigating - Our monitoring systems have detected a potential issue of FWO - Conversations returning 500s. Our engineering team has been alerted and is actively investigating. We will update as soon as we have more information.
Small-time drug theft leads to big-time trouble in Apple TV+ drama Dope Thief If you haven't had enough fictional drug crime lately, check out the upcoming drama series "Dope Thief" on Apple TV+. Looks gritty.
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
9to5Mac Daily: November 20, 2024 – iOS 18.1.1 update, next-gen Pro Display XDR rumors Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.
Sponsored by CardPointers: The best way to maximize your credit card rewards. 9to5Mac Daily listeners can exclusively save 50%.
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Price drop: Peer into your ears with your iPhone and this ear camera The Smart Visual Ear Cleaner's camera gives you a clear view of what’s happening in your ear. It's a high-tech earwax removal method.
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
T-Mobile Learns From Past Breaches, Manages to Stop New Attack U.S. carrier T-Mobile recently managed to thwart a major network breach before customers were impacted, reports Bloomberg. Hackers were able to get into edge-routing infrastructure, breaching a router owned and operated by T-Mobile.
T-Mobile was able to detect the suspicious activity, blocking hackers from further accessing its systems. There were apparently attempts at getting deeper into the T-Mobile network, but T-Mobile was able to catch the intrusion early so no customer data was compromised. Bloomberg says that people familiar with the situation have confirmed that T-Mobile knows how its network was breached and the access point has been fixed.
It is not clear when the hack covered in Bloomberg's article took place, nor who perpetrated the attack.
In recent weeks, Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached multiple telecommunications companies to access smartphones owned by U.S. politicians. On November 15, T-Mobile did confirm that its systems were accessed by the Chinese hackers, but said that it had seen no "significant impacts to T-Mobile systems or data" and had "no evidence of impacts to or exfiltration of any customer information."
Back in 2021, T-Mobile suffered a major data breach that saw attackers access data from more than 50 million users. Data obtained included names, phone numbers, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, driver's license and ID info, IMEI numbers, and IMSI numbers, and hackers put it all up for sale.
At the time, T-Mobile pledged to bolster security with a multi-year investment and long-term partnerships with cybersecurity experts at Mandiant.
The 2021 hack ended up costing T-Mobile $60 million after it was fined by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) for failing to prevent or disclose unauthorized access to sensitive customer data.Tag: T-MobileThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
United States Account Security Carrier Partner Maintenance – AT&T THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 20, 22:00 PST - Nov 21, 02:30 PSTNov 20, 14:03 PSTScheduled - Our carrier partner AT&T United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 20 November 2024 at 22:00 PST until 21 November 2024 at 02:30 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent API request failures for AT&T United States customers.Impacted Product: Verify Silent Network AuthWe are aware of the short notice and are working with our Carrier Partners to provide earlier notification where possible.
A user keeps on buying and then refunding the subscription after 6 days to get the app for free. How can I report them to Apple to ban the user from purchasing again? Basically the title. I am using Firebase auth, so I can just ban them from there, but is there a way to report them to Apple so they can't renew their subscription? Thanks submitted by /u/According-Boat-563 [link] [comments]
Facebook Messenger Gains Siri Integration, Audio and Video Voice Messages and More Facebook today announced several updates for its Messenger platform, introducing Siri call integration, new AI features, support for HD video calls, and audio and video voice messages.
iPhone users can now ask Siri to make a call or send a message through the Messenger app. "Hey Siri, send a message to [person] on Messenger" will now work for hands-free calls. This is a feature that Apple has offered for some time, but Messenger did not support it until now.
Facebook is also adding audio and video voice messages, mirroring a FaceTime feature that Apple introduced with iOS 17. Messenger users can leave audio or voice messages when a Messenger call isn't picked up.
Messenger now supports HD video calls, background noise suppression, and voice isolation for clearer call quality when using Messenger. HD is enabled by default for calls made on Wi-Fi, and it can be added for cellular calls as well in the Messenger settings.
In the near future, Messenger will support AI backgrounds in Messenger video calls. Creating a personalized AI background can be done by tapping on the effects icon in the sidebar of a video call and choosing the "Backgrounds" option.
More information about the new Messenger announcements can be found on Facebook's website.Tag: Facebook MessengerThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
United Kingdom Account Security Carrier Partner Maintenance – Three THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 20, 22:30 - 23:00 PSTNov 20, 13:42 PSTScheduled - Our carrier partner Three United Kingdom is conducting an emergency maintenance from 20 November 2024 at 22:30 PST until 20 November 2024 at 23:00 PST. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent API request failures for Three United Kingdom customers.Impacted Product: Lookup SIM SwapWe are aware of the short notice and are working with our Carrier Partners to provide earlier notification where possible.
SMS Delivery Delays to Altan Redes Network in Mexico Nov 20, 13:46 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing SMS delivery delays when sending messages to Altan Redes Network in Mexico. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.
Amazon slashes price on Apple iPad (10th Generation) to $279 In a limited time deal, Amazon has slashed price on Apple's iPad (10th Generation) by 20%, from $349 to $279…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Recording API Unavailable in IE1/AU1 Home Regions Nov 20, 13:30 PSTResolved - Recording API unavailable in IE1/AU1 home regions has been resolved and Recording API is operating normally at this time.
Here's What Else to Expect From Apple Before 2024 Ends 2024 is quickly coming to a close, but Apple still has some software updates and other remaining items on its agenda to get through. Below, we outline some of the key things to expect from Apple through the remainder of the year.
Apple's four-day Black Friday-Cyber Monday offer should return next week. In the U.S. last year, Apple offered up to a $200 gift card with select products. Keep track of our own Black Friday deals roundup for more savings on Apple products.
Apple previously announced that iOS 18.2 will be released in December. More specifically, we recently reported that the update will likely be released on Monday, December 9. Other updates should be released at the same time, including iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, visionOS 2.2, and HomePod Software 18.2.
iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 introduce additional Apple Intelligence features, including Genmoji for generating custom emoji, Image Playground for generating images, and ChatGPT integration for Siri. There is also a new Visual Intelligence feature on all iPhone 16 models that can provide information about things in your surroundings. For example, if you point your iPhone's camera at a restaurant, you will be provided with its operating hours and reviews. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16, an iPad with an M-series chip or A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M-series chip.
On the iPhone XS and newer, iOS 18.2 also adds a new default apps section in the Settings app, an item location sharing feature in the Find My app, and more.
For the Apple TV, tvOS 18.2 adds a Snoopy screen saver and ultra-wide 21:9 projector support.
visionOS 2.2 adds an ultra-wide mode to Mac Virtual Display, the feature that lets you use the Apple Vision Pro as an external monitor for a Mac. Apple says this is equivalent to using two physical 5K displays sitting side by side on a desk.
After those updates are released, the next wave of betas should follow in December. That should include iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, macOS Sequoia 15.3, watchOS 11.3, tvOS 18.3, visionOS 2.3, and HomePod Software 18.3. Apple's point-three updates are typically minor in scale relative to other versions, and there is a pause in beta releases during the holiday season. These updates will likely be released to the public in January.
The first vehicles with next-generation CarPlay could be released before the end of the year, if Apple meets the 2024 timeframe stated on its website. It has been nearly two and a half years since Apple first previewed next-generation CarPlay at WWDC 2022, so it has been a long wait. Apple has continued to prepare for next-generation CarPlay within iOS 18.2 code. For more details about next-generation CarPlay features, read our previous story.
Apple recently revealed the most popular podcasts of 2024, and Apple Music has some Best of 2024 playlists. Expect year-end charts and award winners for apps, books, and more soon, along with Apple Music's annual Artist of the Year selection. Of course, there could always be a surprise announcement or two in store through the end of the year.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
macOS 15.2 and iPadOS 18.2 public beta 3 released, here’s what to expect Apple has released public beta 3 for macOS Sequoia 15.2 and iPadOS 18.2, bringing refinements and bug fixes to Apple’s forthcoming software updates. Here’s what to expect.
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iOS 18.2 public beta 3 now available, here’s what’s new Just a few hours after releasing the latest iOS 18.2 beta for developers, a new public beta is here. iOS 18.2 public beta 3 arrives as one of the last releases before next month’s full launch. Here’s what’s new.
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Apple’s iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max the best-selling smartphones during China’s Singles’ Day Apple's iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max were the best-selling smartphones during China’s two-week Singles’ Day sales period…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Music debuts new ‘The Best of 2024’ playlists Apple Music has kicked off its year-end celebration with a collection of playlists recognizing ‘The Best of 2024.’ Here are all the details.
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These are my favorite HomeKit accessories this holiday season HomeKit accessories are always near the top of my holiday wishlist every year. I love making my home as smart as possible, but it’s often hard to justify spending my own money on these types of accessories.
Here are some of my go-to smart home recommendations for holiday shopping this year … and they all integrate with Apple’s HomeKit platform.
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Apple's iPad 10th Gen plunges to $279 in early Black Friday price war Grab the lowest iPad 10th Generation price on record as Amazon and Best Buy compete for the best early Black Friday deals.Grab the best iPad 10th Gen price on recordNovember is a great time to pick up an Apple device at a discount and iPads are no exception with one week to go before Black Friday. Take advantage of the lowest price on record on Apple's iPad 10th Generation, with prices falling to $279 at Amazon and Best Buy. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Threads now rolling out Custom Feeds in its mobile app globally Earlier this year, Threads began experimenting with Custom Feeds as a way to let users better personalize their experience on the platform by seeing only specific content they want. A few months later, Meta is finally rolling out Custom Feeds globally to all users of the Threads app.
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The 15-inch MacBook Air just got a crazy Black Friday price cut Macworld
Black Friday is our favorite time of the year because when else could you see a brand-new MacBook Air laptop drop to a new best price? The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air is now available for $1,234 at Amazon, a solid $265 off its MSRP and a whopping $465 off the price just a month ago when the base model started with 8GB of RAM.
This is a powerful laptop, especially thanks to the M3 chip, which is great for multitasking, creative work, or just having fun online. The laptop also comes with 16GB of unified memory, which is enough to help you run any app you want or swap from one app to another with ease. The model that’s on sale also features 512GB of storage, which is quite enough for most apps, files, and personal content we usually store.
Our review of the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air concluded with a 4.5-star rating, and our editor praised the laptop’s outstanding performance, fantastic battery life, and balance between price, features, and quality. “Overall, the M3 MacBook Air succeeds in continuing in its role as the laptop for everyone,” the review reads.
This, of course, is even better reflected in the discount we’re seeing ahead of Black Friday. The MacBook Air is perfect for your everyday workload, having fun streaming content, and anything else you want to do. So jump on the chance to get your very own MacBook Air with an M3 chip and 512GB for $1,234 at Amazon ahead of Black Friday.
A 512GB MacBook Air M3 this cheap?Buy it now at Amazon
iOS 18.2 beta 4: Here’s what’s new iOS 18.2 beta 4 is now available, introducing a few minor changes for iPhone users. The changes come ahead of iOS 18.2 being released to the public sometime in early December.
Here’s a roundup of everything new in iOS 18.2 beta 4…
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Do other companies also have flaky unit tests? Hi! I work at a large company and our CI is always blocked by flaky unit tests. Is there a tool that can help resolve this? thanks 🙂 submitted by /u/unknowngoogler [link] [comments]
Final Fantasy XIV is coming to iPhone in new mobile app iPhone games continue to get more powerful and higher profile than ever. Today, Square Enix announced that its famed Final Fantasy XIV is coming to mobile soon via a new adaptation.
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Hands-on with Snapchat’s newest AR glasses proves surprisingly delightful Snapchat unveiled a new version of Spectacles back in September, providing a peak at the future – with augmented reality glasses. I got the opportunity to try them out earlier this week, and honestly, they’re pretty impressive. Far from perfect, but definitely amazing.
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How to set AirDrop to share iPhone photos with anyone [Pro Tip] Here's why you might run into trouble when you want to share iPhone photos with your friend's iPhone over AirDrop, and how to fix it.
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
Apple's quick App Store takedowns over copyright claims are a nightmare for developers Developers of two media-centric apps say Apple is not playing fair with the App Store, especially when it comes to dealing with copyright law.TV Time and the App Store iconAs the controller of the App Store, Apple has a duty to keep the digital marketplace full of engaging apps that don't break or infringe laws. However, the amount of control Apple has over apps, and its ability to easily dismiss apps over claims of copyright infringement, has irked some developers.For TV Time and Musi, Apple is seemingly too eager to wield the banhammer. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
SMS Delivery Delays to T-Mobile & Verizon Networks in the US for a Subset of Short Codes Nov 20, 11:20 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing SMS delivery delays when sending messages to T-Mobile & Verizon Networks in the US for a Subset of Short Codes. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.
Get Apple's 10th Gen iPad for Just $279.99 on Amazon We're ramping up to big Black Friday deals next week, but you can still find all-time low prices on multiple products right now. Today we've already covered great discounts on M3 MacBook Air, M4 MacBook Pro, and Apple Watch Series 10, and now Amazon has a new record low price on the 10th generation iPad.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The 64GB Wi-Fi iPad has hit $279.99 on Amazon, down from $349.00. This is the best price we've ever tracked on Amazon for the tablet, and it's available in all four colors.
$69 OFFiPad (64GB Wi-Fi) for $279.99
$69 OFFiPad (256GB Wi-Fi) for $429.99
Amazon also has the 256GB Wi-Fi model for the best-ever price of $429.99 ($69 off), and both cellular tablets are on sale as well. The 64GB cellular is down to $449.00 ($50 off) and the 256GB cellular tablet is available for $579.00 ($70 off). Color options for the cellular models are a bit more sparse as of writing.
We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
macOS 15.2 beta 4 delivers new Apple Intelligence features Apple has released the fourth beta of macOS Sequoia 15.2, introducing new Apple Intelligence features and general system improvements…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Connectivity Issue – JP-OSA (Osaka) Nov 20, 19:03 UTCMonitoring - Our team is aware of an issue that affected connectivity in our JP-OSA (Osaka) data center. The issue started on November 18, 2024. During this time, users experienced intermittent connection timeouts and errors for all services deployed in this data center. At this time we have been able to correct the issues affecting connectivity in our JP-OSA (Osaka) data center. We will be monitoring this to ensure that it remains stable. If you are still experiencing issues, please open a Support ticket for assistance.
iOS 18.2 Introduces 'All Rings Closed' Activity Awards for Apple Watch As spotted by Mohammad Aldarawish and others, the upcoming iOS 18.2 and watchOS 11.2 updates add new "All Rings Closed" activity awards for the Apple Watch.
Apple Watch users can earn these awards for closing all three Move, Exercise, and Stand/Roll rings for 100 days, 365 days, 500 days, and 1,000 days, and at every 250-day interval above 1,000 days. One person showed off an impressive 3,250-day award, and tomorrow will be the 3,500-day mark since the Apple Watch launched in 2015, so anyone with a perfect track record of closing their rings should unlock that one very shortly.
The awards are applied retroactively as necessary, with past dates of completion shown in the Awards section of the Fitness app on the iPhone.
iOS 18.2 and watchOS 11.2 are currently in beta testing. The software updates are expected to be released to the public in early December.Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, iOS 18, iPadOS 18Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple Watch Series 10 Hits New Low Price of $329.99 on Amazon Black Friday deals continue to drop for the Apple Watch Series 10 on Amazon, with $69 off both 42mm GPS and 46mm GPS models. All of these deals have been applied automatically and do not require any coupon codes.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can get the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 for $329.99, down from $399.00. This one is available in multiple case colors and band styles, and it's a new record low price for the 2024 wearable.
$69 OFFApple Watch Series 10 (42mm GPS) for $329.99
Similarly, the 46mm GPS Apple Watch Series 10 is available for $359.99 on Amazon, down from $429.00. This one is also available in multiple case colors, band styles, and sizes at this all-time low price. There's also $69 discounts across the Series 10 cellular models.
$69 OFFApple Watch Series 10 (46mm GPS) for $359.99
We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
M2 iPad Air 128GB 11-inch on Sale at $100 Off Save big on the iPad Air M2 with this early Black Friday deal. The 11-inch Apple iPad Air comes with the M2 Chip that lets you run apps smoothly and simultaneously with its powerful performance. Experience faster speeds with WiFi 6E and activate Apple Intelligence with useful AI features to help you get work done […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Next year’s iPhone 17 decision will be harder than ever for users like me Most years, it’s not very hard to decide which iPhone model to buy. I always go with a Pro model—usually the smaller of the two. But with next year’s iPhone 17 line and the expected ultra-thin 17 Air model, my purchase decision will be harder than ever. Here are the key factors I’m considering.
more…
Russian-language RFE/RL app removed from App Store Apple has removed the Radio Liberty or Radio Free Europe app from the App Store in Russia because of the state’s mandate as to what apps can be allowed, with the move following less than a month after Apple was told to remove the app Current Time, a media service that was independent and a […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
New emojis may arrive on iMessage in 2025 The Unicode Consortium’s research group creates new emojis and manages them, and the organization has revealed its latest collection that will be added late next year to the iPhone featuring an Apple Core, Distorted Face, Fight Cloud, and many more. Each year, they present new emojis or changes to their technical committee, with 164 additional […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Mythic Quest returns with 4th season on January 29 Mythic Quest is returning for Season 4 on January 29 for the Apple TV+ more than three years after the show’s renewal, with the “Side Quest” spin-off series originating from the title “Mere Mortals” airing after the season concludes. The show will start airing on January 29 featuring 2 new episodes, and one episode rolling […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
SMS Delivery Failures to Digitel Network in Venezuela Nov 20, 10:44 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing MMS/SMS delivery failures sending to Digitel Network in Venezuela. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We expect to provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.
Uber app for iOS gets a new Home Screen widget for quickly requesting a ride Uber on Wednesday announced some updates coming to its app this holiday season. In addition to a new category called UberXXL, the company also revealed a new Home Screen widget for and iPad users.
more…
M4 MacBook Pro Black Friday Deals Arrive Early With Up to $250 Off Select Models Following a few all-time low prices on the MacBook Air this morning, Amazon is now discounting multiple M4 MacBook Pro models to new low prices ahead of Black Friday. Many of these require you to clip an on-page coupon in order to see the final deal price at checkout.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Prices start at $1,399.99 for the M4 14-inch MacBook Pro (16GB RAM/512GB), down from $1,599.00. This deal, along with a few others listed below, is a new best-ever price on the M4 MacBook Pro, and right now only Amazon is offering these discounts.
Note: You won't see the deal price until checkout.
UP TO $250 OFFM4 MacBook Pro Black Friday Deals
14-inch MacBook Pro
M4 16GB RAM/512GB - $1,399.99 with on-page coupon ($199 off)
M4 16GB RAM/1TB - $1,599.99 with on-page coupon ($199 off)
M4 10-core/24GB RAM/1TB - $1,799.00 ($200 off)
M4 Pro 12-core/24GB RAM/512GB - $1,749.00 ($250 off)
16-inch MacBook Pro
M4 Pro 24GB RAM/512GB - $2,249.00 ($250 off)
M4 Pro 48GB RAM/512GB - $2,649.99 ($249 off)
M4 Max 36GB RAM/1TB - $3,249.99 with on-page coupon ($250 off)
M4 Max 48GB RAM/1TB - $3,749.00 ($250 off)
We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
RESOLVED: **Summary:**
Google Calendar experienced service issues, preventing some web users from accessing their calendars.
**Description:**
On November 19, 2024, between 10:44 AM and 12:24 PM US/Pacific, a subset of Google Calendar users encountered problems accessing the Calendar web UI.
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our valued customers.
**Diagnosis:**
The issue affected Google Calendar Web users and was triggered when users attempted to transfer a calendar event ownership. Once this happened, one or more users were unable to access any part of their calendar through the website.
The issue did not affect the Calendar mobile application
**Workaround:**
There were no workarounds at the time of the issue Incident began at 2024-11-19 18:44 and ended at 2024-11-19 20:24 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)). The problem with Google Calendar has been resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and continued support. The affected users are unable to access Google Calendar. The issue affected Google Calendar Web users and was triggered when users attempted to transfer a calendar event ownership. Once this happened, one or more users were unable to access any part of their calendar through the website.
The issue did not affect the Calendar mobile application
Affected products: Google Calendar
New report reveals killer feature coming in next Pro Display XDR Macworld
Apple’s next big product launch might still be a long way off, but a new report has shed light on powerful new technology coming in the next version of Apple’s flagship Pro Display XDR.
The 2nd-gen model will use state-of-the-art quantum dot technology, according to the respected displays analyst Ross Young (via 9to5Mac). Young had previously reported that the M4 MacBook Pro, which was announced at the end of October, is the first Apple product to use quantum dot tech, but the next-gen tech is far more important for Apple’s high-end display. For one, it’s 32 inches; for another is uses “”state-of-the-art calibration and a sophisticated algorithm” to deliver “the highest-quality color possible.”
Quantum dot is a recent display technology designed to deliver better color and motion performance than is possible with conventional LED, mini-LED and OLED screens. (It’s also where we get the Q in QLED TVs.) As Young explains (login required), the MacBook Pro previously used KSF phosphor, which makes it plausible that other KSF-based Apple products will follow its lead and switch to quantum dot.
“Now that Apple has adopted [quantum dot] in the MacBook Pro,” he writes, “it will be interesting to see if they replace KSF films and KSF phosphors in other Apple products. KSF films are found in previous mini-LED MacBook Pros and the Mac Pro Display XDR. We expect the next version of the Mac Pro Display to adopt it.”
All very pleasing, but the catch is that we’ll likely be waiting a long time for the next version of the Pro Display XDR. The original device came out in 2019 and we’ve been expecting an update ever since the Studio Display was launched in 2022; but Young says it’s unlikely to appear until late 2025 or early 2026. You can keep up with the latest news and rumors with our new Pro Display XDR superguide.
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Google is pissed that the DOJ may make it sell Chrome You'll all pay for this, just you wait and see, says a petulant Google as the US Department of Justice is rumored to make it sell off its Chrome browser.Google Chrome on an iPhoneChrome is the darling of the technology industry because technical people love its customizability. But that does come with the price of your battery life, plus what Google may or may not do with your data.Consequently, it's common when you have a problem with a website to be told to switch to Chrome. For example, our own content management system works slightly better under Chrome than it does with Safari. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Fourth round of developer betas for iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2 land Apple is on its fourth round of developer betas for this generation, with new builds of iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 joined by the third build of watchOS 11.2.Examples of Apple Intelligence at work. The fourth round arrives after the third, which was on November 11 for iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2. That date also saw the second developer betas of tvOS 18.2 and watchOS 11.2, with visionOS 2.2's second build landing one day later on November 12.Apple brought out the third tvOS 18.2 and visionOS 2.2 builds on November 18. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta 4 released ahead of next month’s launch Apple has released macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta 4 for developers. The new update arrives as we get closer to the public launch that’s right around the corner. Here’s what to expect from beta 4.
more…
Apple Releases Fourth Betas of iOS 18.2 and More With Genmoji, Image Playground and ChatGPT Integration Apple today seeded the fourth betas of upcoming iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates to developers for testing purposes, a week after releasing the third betas. Alongside the fourth betas of the iPhone, iPad, and Mac operating system updates, Apple has also seeded the third beta of watchOS 11.2.
With today's updates, Apple is continuing to test the next phase of Apple Intelligence, with these features available for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS:
Image Playground
Image Playground is Apple's image generation app, and it can create images based on prompts. You can enter a description of what you want or use the built-in suggestions and concepts that Apple provides. Apple will suggest costumes, locations, items, and more to add to an image, and these concepts are intelligent and can draw inspiration from a Messages thread or content in the Notes app.
There are options to create characters that resemble your friends and family, and you can choose a photo for Image Playground to use as inspiration to create a related image. Elements added to Image Playground creations are previewed, and there is a preview history so you can undo a change and go back to a prior version.
While Image Playground is a standalone app, it is also integrated into Messages. Image Playground does not make photorealistic images and is instead limited to animation or illustration styles.
Image Wand
Image Wand is an Image Playground-related feature that's available in the Notes app on iPad. You can draw a rough sketch with the Apple Pencil or circle a blank space or a key phrase in a note to have Image Wand generate an appropriate image.
Genmoji
Genmoji are custom emoji characters that you can create based on descriptions and phrases. Like Image Playground creations, you can base them on your friends and family, with the data pulled from the People album in Photos. You can also make characters using basic elements, and you'll get multiple Genmoji suggestions to choose from. You can create Genmoji using the emoji keyboard.
Genmoji were limited to iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 as of the second betas, but will be coming to macOS Sequoia.
Siri ChatGPT Integration
Siri can integrate with ChatGPT for certain requests, but only with user approval. If Siri is unable to provide an answer to a query, Siri will hand the request over to ChatGPT. ChatGPT's answer will then be provided by Siri.
ChatGPT can be used to create content from scratch, including text and images. No account is required to use ChatGPT integration, and Apple and OpenAI do not store requests.
Visual Intelligence
iPhone 16 users have access to Visual Intelligence, a feature that provides information about what's around you. If you open the camera and point it at a restaurant, for example, you'll see opening hours and reviews.
Some other Visual Intelligence capabilities include reading text out loud, detecting phone numbers and addresses to add them to Contacts, copying text, and summarizing text. There is an option to search Google for where to buy a specific item that you see, and you can also point the camera at something and then get more information about it from ChatGPT.
Apple plans to expand this feature to include more functionality over time.
Writing Tools
Apple is enhancing the Writing Tools feature to add an option to make more open-ended changes. In iOS 18.1 and its sister updates, Writing Tools can only be used to change the tone to friendly, professional, and a more simplified version. In iOS 18.2, you can describe the tone or content change that you want to make, such as adding more action words, or turning an email into a poem.
More Languages
Apple Intelligence has gained support for localized English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and the U.K., in addition to U.S. English.
Wait List
If you've already been testing Apple Intelligence and are opted in, you will have access to Writing Tools, ChatGPT integration, and Visual Intelligence automatically.
There is a secondary waiting list for early access to use Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand. You can sign up to get access in Image Playground or in the areas where you access Genmoji or Image Wand.
When you request access, you are added to a wait list for all three capabilities and you'll get a notification when the features are available for you to use. Apple is rolling out access to the new image generation features over the coming weeks.
Availability and Compatibility
The iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 are available on all devices, but the Apple Intelligence features require a device capable of Apple Intelligence. Apple is still working on refining the new Apple Intelligence tools, and the company warns that Genmoji, Image Wand, and Image Playground can sometimes give you results you weren't expecting. Apple is collecting feedback on these experiences and will refine them over time.
Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro or any iPhone 16 model, an iPad with an M-series chip or an A17 Pro chip, or a Mac with an M-series chip.
Release Date
Apple is expected to release the iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, macOS Sequoia 15.2, watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and visionOS 2.2 updates in early December.Related Roundups: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS SequoiaRelated Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS SequoiaThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
iOS 18.2 beta 4 now available iOS 18.2 beta 4 is now available to developers as we inch closer to next month’s public release. The update includes major new Apple Intelligence features, a redesigned Mail app, upgrades to Find My, and much more.
Notably, iOS 18.2 beta 4 is not yet available over the air. It’s available as a download via Apple’s developer website. The over-the-air update should be released momentarily.
more…
Apple’s App Store in China paid over 95 percent of the $519 billion in 2023 revenue it generated to developers Apple's Chinese App Store paid out over $493 billion to developers in 2023, representing 95% of the total revenue generated…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Apple Says Mac Users Targeted in Zero-Day Cyberattacks Apple has pushed out security updates that it says are "recommended for all users," after fixing a pair of security bugs used in active cyberattacks targeting Mac users. From a report: In a security advisory on its website, Apple said it was aware of two vulnerabilities that "may have been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems." The bugs are considered "zero day" vulnerabilities because they were unknown to Apple at the time they were exploited.
[...] The vulnerabilities were reported by security researchers at Google's Threat Analysis Group, which investigates government-backed hacking and cyberattacks, suggesting that a government actor may be involved in the attacks.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
15-inch MacBook Air hits its best price yet after massive 20% discount The 15-inch MacBook Air — the world's slimmest laptop — is down to its lowest price after a big 20% discount.
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
Save up to 36% on Microsoft Office for Mac 2024 with this early Black Friday special A new early Black Friday software deal allows Mac and PC owners to score up to 36% off a standalone license to Microsoft Office 2024.Microsoft Office 2024 - Image credit: MicrosoftMicrosoft Office 2024 includes all essential Microsoft apps, from Word for text editing, Excel for super-powered spreadsheets, PowerPoint for captivating presentations, OneNote to keep everything organized, and Outlook for email management (Outlook comes with the Home & Business version only).Normally, users would pay $149.99 for a Home license or $249.99 if they'd prefer the Home & Business license. However, this promotion allows users to take 20% off of a Home license, dropping the price to $119.97, or 36% off of a Home & Business license, bringing the price to $159.97. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Shazam music recognition service reaches 100 billion song milestone Apple’s music recognition service Shazam is so popular that its usage total passed 12 times the population of the Earth.
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
Messenger adds Siri integration, AI video backgrounds, and yes, voicemail There’s a pretty cool update for Messenger out today. Meta has introduced phone and video calling voicemail, similar to FaceTime. The Facebook calling service is also adding AI video backgrounds and integrating Siri.
more…
Today in Apple history: iTunes bags its first exclusive movie iTunes movie distribution began on November 20, 2007, when "Purple Violets" became the first feature film to launch on Apple's platform.
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
Best external SSD for Mac 2024-2025 Macworld
Solid-state drives – aka SSD – used to be really expensive, but prices have really fallen in the last few years, and you can now pick up fast, reliable SSDs that cost only slightly more than their hard drive counterparts.
As well as being faster than conventional hard drives, SSDs are lighter and sturdier too, making them ideal for use with a laptop when you’re traveling. That’s reflected in the drives that we review here, most of which are small and light enough to slip into your pocket. However, the latest SSDs can also offer up to 8TB of storage, which makes them a good option for use with a desktop Mac in an office as well. And they can help to reduce cable clutter too, as they generally take their power from a USB port on your Mac, rather than requiring a separate external power supply.
Even the slowest SSDs are generally faster than mechanical hard drives, but there are still speed differences, with entry-level models providing speeds of around 500MB/s, while more advanced models can step up to 1000MB/s or even 2000MB/s. Other features to look out for include IP-ratings for weather protection and password protection for your important files. Just remember to check that any apps provided by the manufacturer work with Macs and well as Windows PCs.
Another thing to take note of is whether the SSD connects via Thunderbolt 4 or 3, and USB 4 or USB-C, USB 3 or USB 3.2×2. The latter is one to avoid if you are a Mac user because Apple supports only 10Gbps with USB 3.2, meaning 3.2×2 20Gbps SSDS are constrained to half their potential. We explain the difference between Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4, and USB4 in a separate article. As a Mac user there isn’t a big difference between Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 3 variations, but PC users didn’t get the full Thunderbolt 3 feature set.
Shopping for storage this Black Friday? Read: Add storage to your Mac this Black Friday with these Mac SSD & HDD deals.
Updated November 2024 to add Adata SE920 External SSD 4.5.
Best SSD for Mac
1. Kingston XS1000
Pros
Very competitive price
Pocket-size design
Weighs only 28.7g
Cons
No Thunderbolt interface
No bundled software
Cable is USB-A-to-USB-C
Price When Reviewed:
1TB – $84.99; 2TB – $139.99
Best Prices Today:
$64.90 at Kingston$74.99 at Amazon$74.99 at B&H
We liked the sturdy little XS2000 drive that Kingston launched back in 2022, but it was pretty expensive and used a version of USB known as USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, which isn’t fully supported on the Mac at the moment. Drives that use ‘Gen 2×2’ will still work with a Mac, but the Mac won’t get the full speed that the drive is capable of. However, Kingston has now launched a more affordable model called the XS1000. This is a more conventional USB-C drive, using standard USB 3.2 Gen 2, so it’s a good, affordable option for Mac users who just want a compact, lightweight backup drive.
The XS1000 is one of the smallest and lightest SSDs that we’ve seen so far – in fact, it looks more like a little USB thumb drive, rather than a high-capacity backup drive. It measures just 13.5mm thick, 32.5mm wide and 69.5mm long, and weighs only 28.7g, so you can easily slip it into your shirt or trouser pocket when you’re traveling. It’s not quite as rugged as the more expensive XS2000 – which had an IP55 rating for water and dust resistance – but the plastic and metal casing feels sturdy enough to cope with a few knocks when you’re traveling, and Kingston provides a five-year warranty as well.
It’s very competitively priced too, costing $84.99/£74.99 with 1TB of storage, or $109.99/£99.99 with 2TB. The drive’s USB interface provides a quoted write speed of 1000MBs, while the read speed is slightly higher at 1050MB/s. It didn’t quite match those speeds in our tests, but its write speed of 875MB/s and read speed of 950MB/s will still be fine for routine back-ups with Time Machine. Our only complaint is that Kingston only includes a USB-A-to-USB-C cable with the XS1000, so you’ll need to buy an adaptor or a new cable if your Mac only has USB-C. Professional users might prefer a faster drive, or a more rugged design, but if you just want an affordable backup drive that can go traveling with you then the XS1000 is great value for money.
2. SanDisk Professional Pro-G40
Pros
Thunderbolt 3 interface (compatible with USB-C)
Ultra-rugged design
Professional-level performance
Cons
Very expensive
Doesn’t support Thunderbolt 4
Price When Reviewed:
1TB – $299.99; 2TB – $449.99; 4TB – $699.99
Best Prices Today:
$159.99 at Amazon$299.99 at Western Digital
Many portable drives use a standard USB-C port for connecting to a Mac or PC, but SanDisk’s Pro-G40 opts for a high-speed Thunderbolt 3 port to provide maximum performance for professional users who need to work with large video and graphics files (and, of course, it’s backward-compatible with USB-C as well).
The Pro-G40 was first released in 2022, and was already on our list of the best SSD drives for Mac, but this current model provides both improved performance and higher capacity for your work files. The design hasn’t changed though, with a compact, portable drive that measures just 12mm thick, 58mm wide and 111mm long. It weighs just over 120g – depending on the capacity you choose – so you can slip it into a jacket pocket or into a carrying case alongside your MacBook with no trouble at all. The drive is also extremely tough, with a sturdy metal case that is rated IP68 – one of the highest ratings possible – for resistance to water, dust and other particles. Western Digital, which now owns the SanDisk brand, also claims that the drive can survive drops from a height of 3m, and can withstand crushing pressure of up to 4000lbs. The drive even includes a five-year warranty as well.
The 2022 version of the Pro-G40 provided read and write speeds of 2700MB/s and 1900MB/s respectively when using the Thunderbolt cable included in the box, but the current model is rated at 3000MB/s for read and 2500MB/s for write speeds. Our tests showed it to be absolutely spot-on for write performance, consistently hitting 2500MB/s. The read performance didn’t quite hit the quoted 3000MB/s, settling at just over 27000MB/s, but that’s still far faster than most USB-C drives, and provides the sort of performance that professional users need for backing up their work files.
That combination of high performance and ultra-rugged design does mean that the Pro-G40 is quite a bit more expensive than many USB-C drives, so it’s probably overkill if you just need an affordable portable drive for backing up personal files. However, professional users will be pleased to find that the price of the Pro-G40 has been reduced recently, with the 1TB model now costing $299.99/£294.99, while the 2TB version is $449.99/£441.99. And, as mentioned, there’s a new 4TB version to provide extra capacity, priced at $699.99/£687.99.
Read our full
SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 review
3. SanDisk Pro Blade System
Pros
Thunderbolt 3 interface (compatible with USB-C)
Ultra-rugged design
Professional-level performance
Cons
Very expensive
Doesn’t support Thunderbolt 4
Price When Reviewed:
$49.99 for dock I $159.99 w/1TB Mag I $219.99 w/2TB I $339.99 w/4TB
Best Prices Today:
$49.99 at Western Digital$159.99 at Amazon$159.99 at B&H
We normally organize reviews of portable drives and desktop drives separately, but the new SanDisk Pro Blade is a modular SSD storage system that is very much designed for professional and creative users, and allows you to switch between portable and desktop modes as required.
You can start by buying the Pro Blade SSD Mag, which is a solid-state storage module that is available in 1TB, 2TB or 4TB sizes (the 1TB was discounted from $179.99 to $119.99 at the time of our review). The SSD Mag is pre-formatted in APFS format for Mac users, and is tough enough to withstand being dropped from a height of 3 meters or 9.8 foot, and withstand 4000lb (1814kg) crush pressure, making it ideal for outdoor use. However, the SSD Mag modules can’t connect to a computer on their own, so SanDisk provides two options for portable and desktop use.
For portable use you can buy the Pro Blade Transport, which is a compact case for the SSD Mag, and is equipped with a USB-C port for connecting to your Mac. The Transport measures just 130.4mm long, 71.5mm wide and 16mm thick, so you can easily slip it into your pocket or a carrying case just like any other portable drive. It’s also possible to connect the Transport to a camera that has a USB-C interface so that you can record high-res video rather than having to carry lots of smaller SD memory cards.
When you get back to the office you also have the option of inserting the SSD Mag modules into the Pro Blade Station ($499.99/£490.99). This desktop storage system doesn’t include any built-in storage of its own, but it has four slots that allow you to insert SSD Mag modules (not included) providing up to 16TB of high-speed solid-state storage. The Pro Blade Station has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, with one used to connect your Mac, while the other port can be used to daisy-chain additional storage devices if required. The Pro Blade Station is fairly expensive – given that it doesn’t include any storage of its own – but it gives you the option of creating a high-speed, high-capacity SSD storage system for use in your office, whilst also being able to remove the individual SSD Mag modules and use them as portable drives whenever you need to.
Western Digital – which owns SanDisk these days – claims that the Pro Blade Station can provide read and write speeds of 3000MB/s and 2600MB/s respectively. Our tests actually recorded a read speed of 2600MB/s and write speed of 2300MB/s, but that’s still one of the fastest SSD drives we’ve ever seen, making it a good option for creative users who need a fast storage system that they can use both in the office and on the road.
Read our full
Sandisk Pro-Blade Transport review
4. LaCie Portable SSD
Pros
Small and stylish
Solid construction
Cons
Middling performance
Price When Reviewed:
500GB – $129.99; 1TB – $209.99; 2TB – $369.99
Best Prices Today:
$71.34 at Amazon$129.99 at LaCie
The LaCie Portable SSD is an option for people who don’t need James Bond levels of security. Available with 500GB, 1TB or 2TB of storage, the Portable SSD has a new design compared to its predecessor. Rather than sharply angular corners and edges of the now discontinued LaCie Mobile SSD, the compact Portable SSD has smoothly round corners – perhaps following Apple’s recent fetish for rounded corners on icons in Big Sur and Monterey.
It’s smaller and lighter than previous drives from LaCie too, measuring just 0.4in/10.6mm thick, 1.9in/50mm wide, and 3in/80mm long, and it weighs a mere 1.5oz/45g, so it’s ideal for carrying around with your MacBook or iPad when you’re traveling.
The drive has a single USB-C interface, and includes a USB-C cable, but the low cost means that there are no added extras, such as an adaptor for older Macs that have USB-A (3.2) connectors.
LaCie hasn’t cut any other corners, though. The Portable SSD has a solid, sturdy design that should be able to cope with a few bumps in a backpack or briefcase, and it performs very well too.
LaCie quotes read and write speeds of 1000MB/s, but repeated tests with the BlackMagic speed test app showed the Portable SSD comfortably cruising along at around 1,300MB/s with no trouble at all.
That combination of speed, compact design and competitive pricing makes the Portable SSD a great option for anyone that needs a portable backup drive for their Mac or iPad.
Read our full review.
5. SanDisk Desk Drive
Pros
Good performance
Up to 8TB capacity
Compact design
Cons
Requires mains power
No additional ports
Price When Reviewed:
4TB: $379.99; 8TB: $699.99
Best Prices Today:
$259.99 at B&H$279.99 at Adorama$279.99 at Walmart ElectronicsNot Available at Amazon
The lightweight, compact design of solid-state drives makes them a great option if you need a portable back-up drive to use with your MacBook when you’re traveling. However, portable SSDs do tend to have limited storage capacity, often with a maximum of just 1TB or 2TB. In contrast, the SanDisk Desk Drive provides both high-speed SSD performance and high capacity too, starting with a minimum of 4TB for $379.99/£359.99. If that’s not enough then you can also step up to 8TB, for $699.99/£663.99.
As the name suggests, the Desk Drive is very much designed for desktop use in an office, and it’s larger than most conventional SSDs, standing 40.2mm high and 99.2mm on each side, and weighing 268g. The drive itself is still small and light enough to slip into a backpack or traveling bag along with your MacBook, but it does require a mains power supply as well, so this isn’t a drive that is going to leave the office very often (we did try to power it through a USB-C port on our MacBook Pro, but that didn’t work).
It’s also a little disappointing that the Desk Drive just has a single USB-C port for data transfer. At this price, a couple of extra ports would have been a useful bonus, especially for MacBook models that only have a couple of USB-C ports of their own.
We didn’t have any complaints about the Desk Drive’s performance, though. SanDisk quotes a speed of 1GB/s, although the results we got were closer to 925MB/s and 910MB/s for write and read speeds respectively. That’s not as fast as some high-end SSDs that are designed for professional users – such as SanDisk’s own Pro Blade system – but it’s still a lot faster than a conventional hard drive, and the Desk Drive will be a very good option for people who simply need a fast backup drive that provides plenty of storage for photos, videos and work files.
6. Seagate OneTouch SSD
Pros
Ships with USB cables that cover both USB-C and USB-A
Sturdily built
Cons
Doesn’t offer hardware encryption options
Price When Reviewed:
500GB – $94.99; 1TB – $169.99; 2TB – $309.99
Best Prices Today:
$64.99 at B&H$82.55 at Amazon$94.99 at Seagate
Seagate’s OneTouch hard drives are a popular choice with many users. The OneTouch SSD is the smallest and lightest portable drive we’ve ever seen and is available in black, silver or blue.
When sitting flat on the desk it measures just 2in/50mm wide, 2.7in/70mm deep and a mere 0.4in/10.6mm thick. And it weighs only 2.6oz/74g, so you can easily slip it into your pocket and carry it around with your laptop or iPad when you’re traveling. It’s sturdily built too, with Seagate claiming that it can withstand being dropped from a height of 6.5 foot/2m.
The OneTouch drive has a USB-C interface, but Seagate includes both USB-C and USB-A cables so that you can use it with most Macs and PCs straight out of the box.
It works with Apple’s Time Machine for automatic backups, but Seagate also includes its own ToolKit app, which has a ‘sync’ option for backing up specific folders. The drive also includes a one-year free subscription to the Mylio photo-organizer app, and four months with Adobe’s CC Photography plan, normally $9.99/£9.98 a month on an annual plan (read our guide to getting the best deal on Adobe Creative Cloud).
The drive is available with 500GB, 1TB or 2TB of storage, so it provides plenty of room for backing up large libraries of photos, videos or music. It doesn’t quite match Seagate’s quoted speed of 1GB/s, but it recorded read and write speeds of 835MB/s and 915MB/s respectively in our tests, which still put it among the fastest solid-state drives that we’ve tested recently. And, with its ridiculously light and compact design, the OneTouch will be ideal for backing up all your important files when you’re on the move.
7. SE920 External SSD
Pros
High data transfer rates
Good fan
Cons
No transport bag
No rubber feet
Price When Reviewed:
1TB: $140 I 2TB: $200 I 4TB: $380
Best Prices Today:
$179.99 at Adata$179.99 at Amazon
The Adata SE920 External SSD is a high-performance USB4 SSD for those who need rapid data transfer speeds.
It combines passive and active cooling with a compact metal housing for passive cooling, and a micro-fan with openings for active cooling. The user can actually activate the fan by pressing on the housing.
If you are working on a project such as a video or image edit, or another task that could require a lot of drive access over a period of time, then switch on the fan. The rest of the time you can probably leave it.
The SE920 is primarily designed for Windows users, evident from the formatting in the NTFS file system and the backup software for Windows, but this shouldn’t be a problem for experienced Mac users. The SE920 is quickly reformatted in APFS using the macOS Disk Utility.
Data transfer rates measured with Aja System Test Lite were impressive. The SE920 achieved 2992MBps for writes and 3161 MBps for reads. Data rates are stable over a longer period and the thermal design works perfectly.
All this comes at a good price. We recommend the SE920 to any content creator.
Read our full
SE920 External SSD review
8. LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
Pros
IP67 ruggedized
Fast NVMe/Thunderbolt 3 performance
Operates via Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.0
Cons
Expensive
Price When Reviewed:
$419.99 (1TB), $739.99 (2TB), $1049.99 (4TB)
Best Prices Today:
$199.99 at Amazon$299.99 at B&H$388.21 at Walmart Electronics
LaCie’s Rugged drives have been popular with Mac users for many years, thanks to their combination of high-performance and that now-familiar orange sleeve that helps to keep the drive safe when you’re working outdoors. However, the Rugged range has mostly used conventional hard drives in the past, which are slower than the latest solid-state drives, as well as being bigger and heavier. Welcome the Rugged Pro SSD, which is primarily aimed at creative users.
The Rugged SSD range starts at around $180/£180 for a model with 500GB storage, but we were able to review the SSD Pro, which stands out from the rest of the range with its matte-black sleeve. It’s pretty expensive, costing $419/£249.99 with 1TB of storage, and a hefty $739.99/£379.99 for the 2TB model and $1,049.99/£999.99 for 4TB, but it justifies that price with an even tougher design and the latest, super-fast solid-state drives designed for professional video work. (U.K. prices dropped in 2024 but US prices don’t seem to have followed suit. Luckily you can get good deals at various resellers).
Switching to a solid-state drive means that the SSD Pro is now the smallest model in the Rugged range, measuring just 3.8in/98mm long, 2.5in/65mm wide and 0.6in/17mm thick. It only weighs 100g/3.5oz, so you can easily slip it into your pocket or bag when you’re traveling and barely even notice that it’s there.
Despite its compact design, that new black sleeve is seriously tough and rated IP67 for resistance to water and dust, allowing it to survive in 3.2 foot/1m of water for up to 30 minutes. It can cope with being dropped from a height of 9.8 foot/3m, and can even resist the weight of a two-tonne car driving over it. It includes a five-year warranty in case anything does go wrong, which includes one visit to LaCie’s data-recovery labs if you need to retrieve important data.
The Rugged SSD Pro includes just a single Thunderbolt 3/USB-C interface, but most of its high price is down to the use of the latest NVMe solid-state drives, which provide top performance for high-end video applications, such as editing 8K or super-slow-motion video files (which can be enormous, as they shoot at up to 240 frames per second on the latest iPhones). The drive didn’t disappoint, recording consistent write speeds of 1780MB/s, and an even faster 2480MB/s for read speeds – with both figures leaving just about every other SSD drive we’ve ever tested trailing in its wake. And, when backing up our iTunes music library, the Rugged SSD Pro blew us away by backing up 5GB of music files in just five seconds – look away for a couple of seconds and you’ll miss it!
Of course, not everyone will need that sort of performance – especially at this price – but if you work with high-res video and need a fast, tough drive for outdoor work then the Rugged SSD Pro is in a class of its own.
Read our full
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro review
9. LaCie Rugged Mini SSD
Pros
Compact, rugged design
Up to 4TB storage
3-year warranty
Cons
Expensive
No Thunderbolt interface
Requires USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 for maximum performance
Price When Reviewed:
500GB = $89.99; 1TB $129.99; 2TB – $234.99; 4TB – $439.99
Best Prices Today:
$79 at Amazon$79.99 at B&H$84.99 at Lacie
LaCie’s Rugged range of hard drives and SSDs has long been popular with people who need a sturdy back-up drive that can cope with rough weather and conditions when working outdoors. The Rugged drives have always tended to be rather large and bulky, though – like the Rugged SSD Pro (below) – so LaCie has now produced a more compact option in the form of the new Rugged Mini SSD.
As you might expect, the Rugged Mini looks very much like its rugged relatives, with LaCie’s distinctive bright orange rubber sleeve helping to keep the drive safe. But, of course, it’s a lot smaller than previous models, measuring just 17.3mm thick, 66.9mm wide, 105mm long. It only weighs 114g as well, so you can easily slip it into a jacket pocket or backpack when you’re traveling.
Despite that compact design, the Rugged Mini is still tough enough to cope with some rough treatment. It’s rated IP54 for water and dust resistance, so it should be able to cope with life outdoors if you’re working on location for a photo- or video shoot. And, thanks to that rubber sleeve, it can handle drops of up to 3m and even survive being driven over by a 1-tonne truck. And if that’s not tough enough, the drive comes with a three-year warranty that includes LaCie’s Rescue Data Recovery Service, to help restore any lost data.
The drive’s USB-C port will work with any Mac or PC that also has USB-C or Thunderbolt. But, like a number of drives that we’ve seen recently, it uses a version of USB known as USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, which isn’t fully supported by Macs at the moment. This means that Macs won’t be able to get the full 2000MB/s speeds supported by that interface, and our tests confirmed this, recording write and read speeds of 900MB/s and 970MB/s respectively. We’ve seen stronger performance from some rival drives, but those speeds should be perfectly adequate for routine backups when you’re on the road, and the sturdy design of the Rugged Mini makes it a good option for people who need a drive that they can use outdoors on a regular basis.
Pricing is a little confusing, though. In the US, the Rugged Mini costs $84.99/£74.99 (1TB), $109.99/£99.99 (2TB), and $159.99/£149.99 (4TB). We’ve seen much lower prices from Amazon and other online retailers, so it’s definitely worth shopping around before buying.
10. WD My Passport SSD
Pros
Lightweight
Offers USB-C and A
Hardware encryption
Cons
Expensive
Remarkably short cable
Software issues
Price When Reviewed:
500GB – $59.99; 1TB – $74.99; 2TB – $179.99; 4TB – $319.99
Best Prices Today:
$59.99 at Western Digital$74.99 at Amazon$117.99 at Walmart
Western Digital’s Passport drives have always provided portable, lightweight designs, and the My Passport SSD combines compact design with strong performance and additional security features.
Available in a variety of colors, the My Passport SSD provides up to 4TB of solid-state storage, although the 1TB model that we review here costs $74.99/£94.99.
The drive measures just 0.35in/9mm thick, and weighs 1.6oz/46g, so it’s small enough to slip into a jacket pocket when you’re on the move. However, it’s also tough enough to survive being dropped from a height of two metres.
The drive is equipped with a USB-C interface, but WD includes a USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor with the drive, so you can still use it with older Macs that don’t have USB-C. The solid-state drive provides good performance too, recording a write speed of 935MB/s and read speed of 908MB/s, making it a great option for backing up your important files on the move.
It’s secure too, as WD’s Discovery app allows you to set a password for the drive in order keep your files safe. There’s a second app as well, called WD Unlocker, which is built into the drive itself, and allows you to enter the password so that you can use the drive with another Mac or PC if you need to.
When the drive was first introduced there were complaints that the WD apps hadn’t been properly updated to 64-bit code for the latest versions of the macOS, but we tested the drive with our office Macs and didn’t encounter any problems.
Read a full review over on our sister site Tech Advisor.
11. SanDisk Portable SSD
Pros
Competitive price
Slim, lightweight design
Can survive 2m drop
Cons
Could be a little sturdier
Modest performance
Price When Reviewed:
1TB – $89.99; 2TB – $139.99
Best Prices Today:
$99.99 at Walmart119.99 at Western Digital
SanDisk has been making a push for the professional market with some of its recent products, but it’s also well-known for simply providing good value for money with products such as the SanDisk Portable SSD. In fact, the Portable SSD is so cheap that SanDisk doesn’t even bother selling a 500GB model on its web site, jumping straight up to 1TB for a very competitive $101.99/£104.99, while even the 2TB model costs just well under $200/£200.
The Portable SSD lives up to its name too, as it measures just 10mm thick, 47mm wide and 97mm long, so you can slip it into a jacket or even a shirt pocket and barely even notice that it’s there. The lightweight plastic case doesn’t feel quite as sturdy as we might have liked, and professional users who work outdoors a lot might prefer a drive with a more rugged design. However, SanDisk states that it can survive being dropped from a height of two metres, and there’s a handy little rubber hook on one corner to help keep it safe, so it should be able to survive general day-to-day use when you’re out and about with your laptop. The only oddity is that the drive has a USB-C interface, but SanDisk only provides a USB-C-to-USB-A cable, so you’ll need your own adaptor or cable if your Mac or PC only has USB-C ports.
It’s not the fastest solid-state drive around and, to be honest, even SanDisk’s quoted speed of 520MB/s seems a little optimistic. The drive’s write performance was a little erratic, but averaged around 300MB/s, while read performance was higher and more consistent at 430MB/s. Again, professional users might prefer a faster drive if they’ve got deadlines looming, but the Portable SSD is still a lot faster than a conventional hard drive, and it’s a good option for anyone that just wants a lightweight, affordable back-up drive for their Mac.
12. Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield
Pros
Rugged & shock resistant
Password protection
USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor included
Cons
The standard T7 is cheaper and may be sufficient for your needs.
Price When Reviewed:
1TB – $129.99; 2TB – $219.99; 4TB – $389.99
Best Prices Today:
$84.99 at Walmart$99.99 at Amazon$99.99 at B&H
There are three versions of Samsung’s T7. The standard T7 is a compact, lightweight SSD that looks very similar to the old T5 – although it boasts higher performance, so make sure you check the model numbers before buying. We tested the T7 Shield, which is a more rugged model, wrapped in a sturdy rubber sleeve designed for outdoor use. Both of those models can use Samsung’s Portable SSD app to add password protection for your files, but there’s also a third model called the T7 Touch that has a built-in fingerprint sensor for extra security and convenience.
Available in black, blue or silver, the T7 Shield costs $129/£110 with 1TB of storage, but we are seeing great discounts now it’s been out a while. It has a USB-C interface for connecting to your Mac, but Samsung includes a USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor so that you can use it with older Macs that have USB-A. The rugged protective sleeve means that it’s a little larger than the other T7 models, measuring 0.5in/13mm thick, 2.3in/59mm wide and 3.4in/88mm long, and weighing 3.4oz/98g. Even so, it’s still small enough to slip into a jacket pocket or backpack with no trouble at all, and many people will appreciate the extra protection that it offers.
The T7 Shield is rated IP65 for water- and dust-resistance, and Samsung claims that the shock-resistant rubber sleeve can survive drops from a height of three meters.
It’s a good performer too. Samsung quotes read and write speeds of 1,000MB/s, but our tests with the Blackmagic disk tool actually recorded a read speed of 1,780MB/s, and a write speed of 1,300MB/s, which makes the T7 Shield a great backup option for people who need to work outdoors with their laptop.
13. OWC Express 1M2 USB4 SSD
Pros
Very high data transfer rates
High-quality housing
Good cooling without a fan
Cons
Short connection cable
Price When Reviewed:
1TB: $219.99 I 2TB: $299.99 I 4TB: $529.99 I 8TB: $1,299.99
Best Prices Today:
$219.99 at OWC$249.99 at Amazon
The OWC Express 1M2’s cooling fins alone account for around half of the overall height of this external SSD. The aluminum housing is quite large at 5.2 by 2.8 by 0.9 inches (13.2 by 7.1 by 2.3 centimeters) and the very high-quality metal housing also has sufficiently large rubber surfaces on the underside.
To test for speed, we used two benchmarks, Aja System Test Lite and Blackmagicdesign Disk Speed Test. The results are impressive: 2736MBps (write) and 2980MBps (read) in Aja System Test Lite. The values with Blackmagicdesign Disk Speed Test were around 100MBps higher–it cracked the 3000 MBps mark in the read test.
Read our full
OWC Express 1M2 USB4 SSD review
How to choose an SSD: Buying advice
You’ve read our recommendations of the best SSDs for Mac owners on the market right now. But how did we reach these decisions, and what general advice should you follow when selecting an SSD?
SSDs vs hard drives
Cost per gigabyte is the main stumbling block. You might pay $200 for a 1TB portable SSD, whereas a 1TB external hard drive costs around $25.
This is because hard drives use relatively cheap spinning platters to store data. SSDs employ NAND memory chips. They are pricier, but also faster and allow for much smaller enclosures.
If you decide in favor of hard drives, see our roundup of the best Mac hard drives.
2.5in or ultra-portable?
SSD performance varies from around 300-500MB/s read speeds all the way up to 3000MB/s, but there are three basic physical forms of SSD. And two can be considered portable.
‘Naked’ SSD boards plug directly into PCIe or SATA interfaces. These are the kind you might use to replace the SSD in a laptop, or add to a desktop. They are not really portable.
2.5in SSDs offer a mix of portability and internal use, and are the cheapest way to get a portable drive. They have a plastic casing, avoiding damage to the components, but use SATA connectors rather than USB.
You can buy an enclosure to get more protection and that all-important USB or Thunderbolt interface, or even just use a SATA-to-USB cable. We use one of these cables in the office to ferry around test files on a 2.5in SSD.
For the ultimate portable experience you need a ‘pocket’ SSD, though, not one based on 2.5in drive dimensions. These are designed to be used with USB or Thunderbolt connectors, not those found inside a Mac or MacBook.
You’ll mostly find this kind below. They are incredibly small and convenient. However, they are more expensive than 2.5in-style drives, so you may want to consider the larger type if lower spend is a top concern.
Shock-proof, and rugged?
SSDs are more durable than hard drives. They have no moving parts, and won’t be damaged if they are moved or knocked while writing data. While modern hard drives have some level of shock protection, it’s still a big issue.
You can treat an SSD pretty mean before it starts complaining.
Some portable SSDs even offer water resistance. You can also get ruggedization in a specialized drive enclosure, if you choose to go down the 2.5in drive route.
This is a huge portability benefit. But if they are sat still all day, are SSDs more reliable than HDDs? Hard drives tend to fail mechanically. For example, the motor that spins the platters might burn out. SSDs’ memory cells age, which can lead to failure. Both kinds require specialist recovery. As ever,
back up important data.
However, for our purposes, as people who occasionally have to fling drives in rucksacks and plug them in while sat in an airplane seat, SSDs are the clear winner.
Matching SSD performance to your connectors
How fast can you expect SSD file transfers to be? The top external SSDs can read and write at up to around 550MB/s.
However, to get these speeds you need a port on your Mac or MacBook that can handle this bandwidth.
If you’ve got a recent model with a Thunderbolt 3 USB-C port, you’re set. While external SSDs use USB 3.1 standards rather than Thunderbolt, the port also supports USB 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2, which is what we’re after.
Have an older machine with USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 ports? You’ll see some speed compromise.
USB 3.0 can hack most of an external SSD’s speed, with theoretical max of 625MB/s, or a chunk lower in real-world use. Think twice if your computer is rather old, say a 2011 MacBook Pro, and only has USB 2.0 ports. These max out at 60MB/s, which just can’t do justice to these ultra-fast SSDs. In that case, consider a hard drive instead.
How much storage do I need?
Recent external SSDs tend to come in three or four capacities: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and you might even find 8TB.
You’ll want to think carefully about the capacity you need, as the cost difference between 500GB and 1TB models is usually stark. There aren’t the same relatively minor price leaps seen in 1-4TB hard drives.
We can’t answer this one for you, but it’s a good idea to do a quick mental calculation. For example, 4K footage from a Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera eats up 4GB every five minutes. Video editors who work in 4K need a lot of storage.
However, if you just need to back up or carry around some movies and photos, a smaller-capacity model may well do the trick. Check out your Mac’s own storage capacity and use that as a guide.
Emergency Network Maintenance – EU-Central (Frankfurt) THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Nov 20, 23:00 UTC - Nov 21, 03:00 UTCNov 20, 17:05 UTCScheduled - We will be performing an emergency network maintenance in our EU-Central (Frankfurt) data center beginning 20 November 2024 23:00 (UTC) until 21 November 03:00 (UTC). During this time, users with resources in the EU-Central (Frankfurt) region may experience intermittent issues when attempting to take actions like creating, updating, and deleting resources within this region
TV Time Attacks Apple's 'Significant Power' After App Store Removal TV Time's parent company criticized Apple's App Store control after the tech giant removed its streaming app over an intellectual property dispute. "Apple holds significant power over app developers by controlling access to a massive market and, in this case, seems to have acted on a complaint without requiring robust evidence from the complainant," Jerry Inman, CMO of Whip Media, which operates the app, told TechCrunch.
The app was pulled from the store by Apple after the developer refused to pay a settlement fee related to user-uploaded cover art. The app has since been reinstated.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple Watch 2024 holiday shopping guide: Series 10, Ultra 2, SE, and more Holiday shopping for an Apple Watch and don’t know where to start? Look no further than our Apple Watch 2024 holiday shopping guide as we take you through every option, key differences, and buying tips.
more…
Apple TV+ reveals first look at drug ring drama series ‘Dope Thief,’ premiering March 14th Apple TV+ on Wednesday unveiled a first look at “Dope Thief,” its new, eight-episode crime drama created and executive produced by…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
UPDATE: **Summary :**
Google Voice group chat users may receive malformed SMS messages.
**Description :**
We are experiencing an issue with Google Voice beginning on Tuesday, 2024-11-19 20:45 US/Pacific.
Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue.
We will provide an update by Wednesday, 2024-11-20 10:00 US/Pacific with current details.
**Customer Symptoms :**
Google Voice group chat users may receive malformed SMS messages.
**Workaround :**
None at this time Incident began at 2024-11-20 04:45 (times are in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)).Summary :
Google Voice group chat users may receive malformed SMS messages.
Description :
We are experiencing an issue with Google Voice beginning on Tuesday, 2024-11-19 20:45 US/Pacific.
Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue.
We will provide an update by Wednesday, 2024-11-20 10:00 US/Pacific with current details.
Customer Symptoms :
Google Voice group chat users may receive malformed SMS messages.
Workaround :
None at this time
Affected products: Google Voice
Deals: 16GB M3 MacBook Air $849 all-time low, M4 Mac mini from $500 low, M4 MacBook Pro, MagSafe Charger, more Well, we certainly thought we were going to have to wait until Thanksgiving Day for today’s headliner deal – the 16GB and 24GB M3 MacBook Air models are at new all-time lows. Now up to $450 off the price they carried just over a month ago, you can now score the newly upgraded MacBook Air starting from $849 shipped in all colors. We also spotted the lowest price to date on the new M4 Mac mini at $500 – but only for Costco members – as well as the return of the all-time low on the M4 Pro Mac mini at $129 off. Apple’s official MagSafe Charger from $15 and a host of other accessories are also on tap here today. Scope it all out below alongside the ongoing $249 price drops on the new M4 MacBook Pro models.
more…
AirPods 4 with ANC on Sale for $168.99 The AirPods 4 is for sale on Amazon today. Designed for comfort, you can use the AirPods all day- featuring up to 30 hours of listening time, 20 with ANC enabled, with an hour or 45 minutes of talk time replenished by the small yet powerful wireless charging case in just 5 minutes. SIRI your […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
Apple Pay ad released by Apple An ad for Apple Pay was released today by Apple in preparation for the holidays. The YouTube ad promotes the convenience and ease of using Apple Pay for online shopping. Apple Pay, with a card stored in it, can seamlessly be used for transactions with a TouchID or FaceID Authentication to verify if it is […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone XS Max now vintage, and Apple Series 2 Watches obsolete Apple has added the iPhone XS Max and iPhone 6S Plus and other older Apple products to the vintage list on their website. An Apple device is classified as vintage 5 years after which the company last distributed the product for sale. Sometimes, Apple would still offer repairs for vintage products if parts of the […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
WeChat introduces passkey technology for their iOS app WeChat is integrating passkey support in their iOS app, enabling those who are not in China to log into the messaging platform via their passcode, TouchID, or FaceID instead of entering a password, which is the standard way. Apple presented the passkey for the iOS 16 to provide a more convenient and secure verification method […]
The post appeared first on iLounge.
MMS Delivery Failures to AT&T Network in the US for a subset of Toll Free Numbers Nov 20, 08:35 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing MMS delivery failures sending to AT&T Network in the US for a subset of Toll Free Numbers. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We expect to provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.
Gamer gears up for World of Warcraft action with new Mac mini [Setups] Today's slick dual-monitor setup is purpose-built as a Mac mini gaming station, thanks to M4 Pro. Who says Macs aren't good for gaming?
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
How much should I expect to pay for the development of a relatively basic chatGPT wrapper mobile app? I am looking to develop a pretty basic chatgpt wrapper mobile app(it will be niched and and marketed to a specific audience). I am non technical and am looking to pay for someone to develop this for me. Is anyone able to give me a rough estimate of what I should expect to pay for […]
Add 13 Features That Improve App Growth, Retention, and Reviews to any app in 15 minutes Hi everyone! I’ve been building a iOS SDK which handles a ton of the grunt work you need in an app; things like when you ask for reviews, churn notifications, app-update messaging, etc. The idea came to me after building a lot of apps (both indie and as an engineer at Apple). There’s a ton […]
Iconic band Fleetwood Mac tells its own story in new Apple TV+ documentary A new Fleetwood Mac documentary coming to Apple TV+ tells the legendary rockers' story in the band members' own words for the first time.
(via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)
'Final Fantasy XIV Mobile' brings epic adventures to your iPhone Lightspeed Studios and Square Enix are bringing the critically acclaimed MMORPG "Final Fantasy XIV" to mobile, letting players embark on the epic Eorzean adventure on their iPhone.Final Fantasy XIVNaoki Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV Online, described the mobile adaptation as a "sister" game that aims to bring the core story and combat of the original to a smaller screen. Non-combat roles, like Disciples of the Land and Hand, will also be included.Final Fantasy XIV Mobile offers both longtime fans and new players a chance to explore Eorzea in a new way. Familiar characters like Thancred, Tataru, and Nanamo Ul Namo will appear, alongside features like fishing, Triple Triad, and chocobo racing. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
SMS Delivery Delays to Brisanet Network in Brazil Nov 20, 07:57 PSTInvestigating - We are experiencing MMS/SMS delivery delays when sending messages to Brisanet Network in Brazil. Our engineers are working with our carrier partner to resolve the issue. We will provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.
Apple’s Shazam hits 100 billion song recognitions Shazam has now officially surpassed over 100 billion song recognitions since it launched. This monumental milestone not only reflects how…
The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.
Overcast adds new listening stats and 48-hour undo features The popular podcast player Overcast has gotten a big update today with a new listening stats feature. The app can now show you which podcasts you’ve listened to most over the last two years.
Today’s Overcast update also adds an incredibly useful new 48-hour history and undo feature to help you recover from accidentally skipping a podcast.
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AirTag 2 has a lot more to prove than most Apple products Apple is reportedly planning to ship AirTag 2 next year, about four years after its predecessor. And when it arrives, it will have a lot more to prove than most other Apple products. Here’s why.
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503 Service Unavailable Errors on Twilio Chat Services Nov 20, 07:35 PSTInvestigating - Customers using older versions of the Programmable Chat client SDKs may experience HTTP 503 errors when trying to initalize the SDK client. Our engineering team has been alerted and is actively investigating. We will provide another update in 1 hour or as soon as more information becomes available.
Shazam has been used more than 100 billion times since it launched Shazam, the wildly popular song recognition app, has reached a major milestone by identifying more than 100 billion songs — up from 70 billion songs in 2022.Shazam Predictions 2022 playlist and new subscriber dealOn Wednesday, Apple took a moment to praise Shazam for reaching a major milestone. Since its inception in 2002, Shazam has been used to identify 100 billion songs worldwide.To put that in perspective, Apple points out that a person would need to use Shazam to identify a song every second for 3,168 years to reach 100 billion. It's also equivalent to 12 songs identified for every person on Earth. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Samsung Black Friday Event Begins With Huge Savings on Monitors, TVs, and More Samsung has introduced early Black Friday deals this week, and you can find discounts on TVs, smartphones, monitors and memory, wearables, appliances, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Samsung. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Notable deals this time around include multiple monitors and TVs at low prices, as well as deals on portable SSD accessories and memory. If you're shopping for the popular 27-inch ViewFinity S9 Smart Monitor, be sure to check out Amazon's price tag of $819.98 ($780 off), which is much better than Samsung's current price.
SITEWIDE DEALSSamsung Black Friday Sale
Below we've collected some deals on monitors, storage, TVs, and Galaxy products, but be sure to browse the full sale for even more Black Friday discounts at Samsung.
Monitors and Storage
990 EVO 5.0 NVMe SSD 2TB - $129.99, down from $239.99
2TB Portable SSD - $169.99, down from $284.99
34-inch Odyssey OLED G8 Curved Gaming Monitor - $799.99, down from $1,199.99
32-inch Odyssey Quantum Gaming Monitor - $799.99, down from $1,099.99
27-inch ViewFinity S9 Smart Monitor - $819.98 at Amazon, down from $1,599.99
49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,078.99, down from $1,799.99
55-inch Odyssey Ark 2nd Gen Curved Gaming Monitor - $1,799.99, down from $2,999.99
TVs
The Frame QLED 4K TVs - Save up to $1,300
55-inch Neo QLED 4K Smart TV - $1,199.99, down from $1,499.99
65-inch OLED S90C TV - $999.99, down from $2,599.99
85-inch QLED 4K TV - $1,479.99, down from $2,799.99
85-inch Neo QLED 4K TV - $1,799.99, down from $3,699.99
Galaxy Products
Galaxy Z Fold6 - Save up to $1,600 with trade-in credit
Galaxy Z Flip6 - Save up to $950 with trade-in credit
Galaxy Watch Ultra - Save up to $410
Galaxy Buds3 Pro - Save up to $155 We're keeping track of all of the season's best Apple-related deals in our Black Friday roundup, so be sure to check back throughout the month for an updated list of all the most notable discounts you'll find for Black Friday 2024.
Deals Newsletter
Interested in hearing more about top deals as we head into the holidays? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season!
Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Microsoft Ignite 2024: Enterprise Productivity Is the Easiest AI Sell This week’s Microsoft Ignite 2024 event in Chicago showcased Microsoft's vision and strategies for corporate and enterprise customers, highlighting AI's potential to transform operations. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.
Apple’s best selling iPhone models aren’t what you’d expect, but there’s a good reason Early in the iPhone’s life, Apple made only one model for everyone. Today, the company releases four flagships every year and also offers the iPhone SE and older models. It’s a lot to keep up with, but a new report gives us a good picture of which models are selling best.
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Registered Nurse – *Apple* Hill Surgical Center – PRN Day – WellSpan Health (United States) Registered Nurse - Apple Hill Surgical Center - PRN Day Location: WellSpan Health, York, PA Schedule: PRN/Per Diem Schedule PRN (As Needed) Hours: Flexible Hours
Nurse Anesthetist – *Apple* Hill Surgery Center – WellSpan Health (United States) Nurse Anesthetist - Apple Hill Surgery Center Location: WellSpan Medical Group, York, PA Schedule: Full Time At WellSpan Health, our community of 23,000 employees,
Anesthesia Technician – *Apple* Hill Surgery Center – Full Time – Days – WellSpan Health (United States) Anesthesia Technician - Apple Hill Surgery Center - Full Time - Days Location: WellSpan Medical Group, York, PA Schedule: Full Time Full Time (80 hours/Biweekly)
Environmental Services Technician – *Apple* Hill – Evening/Night – WellSpan Health (United States) Environmental Services Technician - Apple Hill - Evening/Night Location: WellSpan Health, York, PA Schedule: Part Time Part Time (40 hours Biweekly) Monday - Friday
Clinical Support Assistant – Orthopedics *Apple* Hill – WellSpan Health (United States) Clinical Support Assistant - Orthopedics Apple Hill Location: WellSpan Medical Group, York, PA Schedule: Full Time Schedule Full Time: Monday - Friday Day / Evening
Bi-lingual (Spanish) Level 1 *Apple* Support Specialist – CompuCom (United States) …right people. Our client is currently seeking a qualified Bi-lingual (Spanish) Level 1 Apple Support Specialist to join their team. This role can be hybrid / remote
Retail Assistant Department Manager, *Apple* Tech Shop – Barnes & Noble Education (United States) …combination of education, certification and experience will be considered. + A+ and/or Apple certified or able to achieve certification within 60 days required. +
Pharmacist (Retail) – *Apple* Hill – Part Time – Day/Evening – WellSpan Health (United States) Pharmacist (Retail) - Apple Hill - Part Time - Day/Evening Location: WellSpan Health, York, PA Schedule: Part Time Schedule: Part-time 20-hours per week Day/Evening
Sales Operations Manager II – *Apple* – DISH Network (United States) …large. **Job Duties and Responsibilities** The Sales Operations Manager II - Apple will provide critical operational and analytical support to ensure Boost Mobile's
Lead Teacher – Glenda Drive/ *Apple* ValleyTeacher – Learning Care Group (United States) Lead Teacher - Glenda Drive/ Apple ValleyTeacher Share by Email Share on LinkedIn Share on X
Omnichannel Associate – *Apple* Blossom Mall – JCPenney (United States) Omnichannel Associate - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple
*Apple* / Mac Administrator – JAMF Pro – Amentum (United States) Amentum is seeking an ** Apple / Mac Administrator - JAMF Pro** to provide support with the Apple Ecosystem to include hardware and software to join our team and
Hair Stylist – *Apple* Blossom Mall – JCPenney (United States) Hair Stylist - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Blossom
Cashier – *Apple* Blossom Mall – JCPenney (United States) Cashier - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple Blossom Mall
Seasonal Cashier – *Apple* Blossom Mall – JCPenney (United States) Seasonal Cashier - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple
Operations Associate – *Apple* Blossom Mall – JCPenney (United States) Operations Associate - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple
Endpoint Systems Engineer ( *Apple* Platforms) – SpaceX (United States) Endpoint Systems Engineer ( Apple Platforms) at SpaceX Hawthorne, CA SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is
Beauty Consultant – *Apple* Blossom Mall – JCPenney (United States) Beauty Consultant - Apple Blossom Mall Location:Winchester, VA, United States (https://jobs.jcp.com/jobs/location/191170/winchester-va-united-states) - Apple
Commercial Account Manager – Apple Roofing (United States) …in the greater Kansas City, MO area to service designated territory and clients. Apple Roofing is a leading name in the roofing industry, recognized for providing