Apple does an about-face on theatrical movie releases; ‘Wolfs’ now streaming on Apple TV+
Apple is changing up its theatrical film release strategy after the disappointing box office performance of several big-budget films… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Meta stored 600 million Facebook and Instagram passwords in plain text
Across Facebook and Instagram, Meta has been storing more than half a billion users' passwords in plain text, with some easily readable for more than a decade.One of Facebook/Meta's headquartersThe issue was first uncovered in 2019 when Facebook admitted to "hundreds of millions" of passwords being stored unencrypted. Facebook, now Meta, said that the passwords were not available outside of the company — but also admitted that around 2,000 engineers had made about 9 million queries on that user database.Now Meta's operation in Ireland has finally been fined $101.5 million after a five-year investigation by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC). The fine is levied under Europe's stringent General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple patent describes using AirPods to detect heart disease, likely next year
9to5Mac recently discovered evidence in iOS 18 that Apple is testing using future AirPods models to measure heartbeat, with our sources indicating that the feature will be implemented in both AirPods Pro 3 and the next generation of Powerbeats Pro. An Apple patent application describes how the company can use a health sensor not just to measure heart-rate, but also to detect heart disease … more…

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iPhone 16 Pro is Apple's most repairable model yet
A teardown of the iPhone 16 Pro has given a closer look at its internals, resulting in the highest repairability score since the iPhone 7.iPhone 16 Pro teardown [YouTube/iFixit]As is customary for an iPhone release, companies start to tear down the devices to check out the internals. While one initial teardown has shown off the new metal battery in the iPhone 16 Pro, another has looked at how easy it is to repair.Published to YouTube on Friday, the iFixit teardown again covers the inclusion of a fully-encased battery. According to the firm, the new battery offers a benefit to repairers, in that "you can accidentally poke it to your heart's content and it won't pose a fire risk." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iPhone 16 Pro experiences, Jony Ive's bear and more, on the AppleInsider Podcast
While we enjoy our new iPhone 16, Apple is working to make a lower cost Apple Vision Pro, Meta Orion is pretending to be regular glasses, and Jony Ive's firm has a cute new logo, on the AppleInsider podcast.Apple's new iPhone 16 ProAppleInsider is not into style over substance, it's always about going deeper. Still, the Desert Titanium color on the new iPhone 16 Pro range is glorious — and Jony Ive's new LoveFrom logo is the cutest thing you'll see this week.Not that it has competition for that title from, say, Meta Orion. Billed as the future of mixed reality headsets, it's currently making a spectacle of itself — or rather spectacles, looking like 1950s-style glasses. Yet it is a step forward, at least for Meta, and Apple is reportedly also making some strides in its move to produce a lower cost Apple Vision Pro. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple's Lisa Jackson says environmental regulation is essential
Talking at a climate conference, Apple's environment executive Lisa Jackson said the company believes in regulation, and also in how sustainable design requires working directly with communities.Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP of Environment, Policy, and Social InitiativesAs vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, Jackson is one of several Apple executives who have been tipped to succeed Tim Cook. At Climate Week NYC, she's been talking to entrepreneur leaders across all industries, and according to Inc. magazine, advised them all to work with communities."If you design an answer in a vacuum away from the community that's impacted and away from the people who have to live with it and use it, it's not going to be a solution," she said. Specifically regarding Silicon Valley, she added that "we're so smart [there], but communities know what they need, as well." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Up to 600 million Facebook and Instagram passwords stored in plain text
Meta has been fined €91M ($101M) after it was discovered that to 600 million Facebook and Instagram passwords had been stored in plain text. Some of those passwords had been unprotected since 2012, and were searchable by more than 20,000 Meta employees … more…

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iFixit iPhone 16 Pro teardown: New battery, Camera Control compromise, much more repairable
The iFixit iPhone 16 Pro teardown video is now up (below), and the company has highlighted some differences over last year’s model. This follows its earlier teardown of the standard and Plus models. Top of the list, and exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro, is a new type of battery. Apple has also had to make a compromise in order to create room for the Camera Control button … more…

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Following canceled theatrical release, new movie ‘Wolfs’ premieres today on Apple TV+
Featuring two Hollywood big stars in Brad Pitt and George Clooney, Wolfs was originally anticipated to be Apple’s biggest box office film to date, until it was unceremoniously pulled from wide theatrical release last month. Following a limited theatrical run last week, the action comedy movie is now premiering today exclusively on the Apple TV+ streaming service. more…

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How to get WhatsApp on iPad
Macworld WhatsApp is an incredibly popular iPhone app, connecting more than a billion active members around the world every day. It lets you send messages to friends, or groups of friends, over Wi-Fi or 4G/5G and make savings on your phone bill. (Of course, you may end up paying for data if you go over your limit, so don’t go crazy!) Unfortunately, right now WhatsApp is only available for iPhone–there isn’t a version of the app for the iPad despite the fact that WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart (in January 2022) acknowledged in an interview that people had been asking for an iPad app for a long time. Cathcart revealed that much of the infrastructure to develop an iPad app is already in place, but he made no immediate promises. Things could be about to change though. WhatsApp for iPad is available as a beta via TestFlight and can be installed on the iPad if you are part of WhatsApp beta testing program. Sadly the Whatsapp for iPad beta has remained a beta since it became available in September 2023 and there’s still no news about when it might be released to the public. If you aren’t part of the WhatsApp beta, don’t despair. In this tutorial, we show you how to use WhatsApp on the iPad using WhatsApp Web. This service connects to the WhatsApp account on your iPhone (or Android device) and forwards the messages on to your iPad, allowing you to send and receive messages, pictures and videos. It’s not quite native WhatsApp on the iPad, but it’s the next best thing. There is also a WhatsApp Desktop version if you want to use WhatsApp on your Mac. See: How to get WhatsApp on Mac for more information about that. WhatsApp for iPad release date While right now there is no WhatsApp app on the iPad, it does look like there is one coming soon. As of September 2023, WhatsApp beta testers have been able to try out a WhatsApp for iPad beta. The beta looks like the most promising evidence yet that a version of Whatsapp will come to the iPad. However, a year later there is still no news about when a Whatsapp version for the iPad will be available. Why is Whatsapp for iPad still in beta? If the lack of WhatsApp on iPad is due to security issues, perhaps changes in iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 that now allow RCS Messaging support will pave the way for the update. Support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) means that iPhone users can see if their message has been delivered to Android users and see typing indicators that indicate if they are responding. Apple claims the reason why RCS wasn’t previously on the iPhone was down to security issues. Either way, it doesn’t seem to be Whatsapp’s desire to keep Whatsapp off the iPad. Over the years there have been many indications that WhatsApp would eventually come to iPad, including Will Cathcart’s revelation above that people have been asking for one, and this tweet in August 2021, indicating that a team at Meta/Facebook-owned WhatsApp was working on a WhatsApp for iPad app: • Is WhatsApp for iPad a web app? No, it's a native app!• Will WhatsApp for iPad work independently? Yes.• Is WhatsApp for iPad already available? No.• WhatsApp beta for iPad? If you have WhatsApp beta for iOS, you will automatically have the iPad version in the future. https://t.co/aQYBBtW7Sb— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) August 21, 2021 using WhatsApp Web Foundry Foundry Foundry While there is not a WhatsApp app for iPad yet, there are ways to get your WhatsApp on your iPad. Follow these steps to get WhatsApp on an iPad: Open Safari on your iPad and head to web.whatsapp.com. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone. In Whatsapp tap on Settings. Tap on Linked Devices. Tap Link a Device. Use your iPhone to scan the QR code and pair with your iPhone. A web page should now load and display all your recent WhatsApp messages, along with any media or voice notes. Be aware that there are a few limitations when using WhatsApp this way. Most importantly, unlike when the service is used on a Mac or PC, notifications from web browsers aren’t supported on iOS/iPadOS. You won’t be notified of new messages. Apart from that and a few small bugs, however, the service is pretty easy to use and a great alternative for WhatsApp users keen to access the service on iPad. WhatsApp Web is a free and easy way to access the WhatsApp service on your iPad. Although you won’t get notifications (as you would when using the service on Mac or PC), it’s a great way to easily access your messages on a tablet. Moving from Android to iPhone and want to bring your WhatsApp messages with you? Read: How to move WhatsApp messages from Android to iPhone. How to install WhatsApp beta on iPad To run the WhatsApp beta for iPad you need to use Apple’s TestFlight. WhatsApp Messenger beta for iOS is available for testing on TestFlight!https://t.co/nVRkultTCcTesting is limited: join as soon as possible!— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) November 29, 2023 Unfortunately, the Whatsapp for iPad beta is currently full and has been for some time, but slots have come up from time to time so it’s worth checking. For more help installing the WhatsApp for iPad beta read this.

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iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max review: Built for Apple Intelligence*
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Camera Control can be very useful Fantastic battery life Outrageous performance Cons Camera Control can also be finicky Apple Intelligence is not yet available Heavy and dated design Our Verdict This year’s flagship iPhones are a modest improvement over last year’s Pro model. Camera Control and the big boost in battery life are nice, but you don’t need to buy a Pro phone to get them. But they’re a work in progress—Apple is in a months-long process of finishing this iPhone’s core software features, and when that is done perhaps they will stand out more from the iPhones of prior years. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$999 Best Prices Today: Apple iPhone 16 Pro Retailer Price Apple $999 View Deal $999.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket We are now well into the era in which yearly smartphone updates have become rather ordinary. Where the Apple Store lines would once stretch around the block and attract local news crews, today the first question everyone asks is, “Should I upgrade this year?” The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max fit into this zeitgeist neatly. Yes, they’re better. They’re faster, have better cameras, and include one new feature (the Camera Control button). But for most of the things most people use their iPhones for, many of these improvements won’t make much of a difference over last year’s model, or the year before. Enter Apple Intelligence. When hardware fails to excite, it’s up to slick new software to make you feel like you just have to get the new iPhone. And with all the buzz around generative AI lately, Apple Intelligence is that gotta-have-it software. It’s a suite of new AI features that summarizes notifications and emails, makes Siri a lot smarter, lets you generate custom images and emojis, transcribe calls, and more. So important is this AI stuff to the iPhone 16 that Apple’s marketing calls them the first iPhones “built for Apple Intelligence.” (Yes, the iPhone 15 Pro works with Apple Intelligence but Apple no longer sells that model.) There’s just one problem: Apple Intelligence isn’t out yet, and it’s going to dribble out in multiple stages over months. It’s also coming to regular non-Pro iPhone 16 models. So, why buy and iPhone 16 Pro or Pro Max? Let’s see if Apple’s latest Pro iPhones can make a case for themselves. Note: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max have identical features and performance, save for the obvious (size and battery life). This review covers both models. iPhone 16 Pro design: It’s an iPhone The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max look very much like last year’s Pro phones at a glance. Technically, both models are just a touch larger and heavier than their predecessors, and combined with slimmer bezels you get a slightly larger display: 6.1 inches becomes 6.3, and 6.7 becomes 6.9. The titanium body and colors are basically the same. There’s white, black, and natural titanium. Last year’s special color, blue titanium, has been replaced by desert titanium, which has a bronze look to it. The iPhone 16 Pro Max (right) is just a little bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max (left). The iPhone 16 Pro Max (right) is just a little bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max (left).Foundry The iPhone 16 Pro Max (right) is just a little bigger than the iPhone 15 Pro Max (left).Foundry Foundry The only thing that really looks or feels any different is the new Camera Control button, located about where the 5G mmWave antenna was on earlier iPhone U.S. models and the SIM tray was on some international models—about 2/3rd of the way down the right side under the power button. This new feature also comes with the regular iPhone 16. Despite the size difference, the displays more or less look like those on the iPhone 15 Pros, with equal brightness, ProMotion, and always-on capabilities. A small improvement I really appreciate is that the display now goes all the way down to a mere 1 nit of brightness. It’s just the thing for those who use their phone in bed with the lights off—but again, this is also available on the non-Pro models. The size increase over last year’s iPhones is not dramatic, but I still found myself gravitating more to the 6.3-inch iPhone 16 Pro while I used to prefer the Pro Max. The slightly larger display makes the smaller of the two Pro phones more usable without saddling me with the undesirable bulk of Apple’s biggest phone. If you’re one of those who doesn’t love the size of the Pro Max but uses it because you need that screen size, take a close look at the Pro this year. There’s nothing wrong with this year’s design, but the iPhone is in serious need of a refreshed design. Big, heavy, thick metal slabs with large, offset camera bumps that make the phone wobble on your desk (and make it hard to seat properly on some charging stands or wireless chargers in cars) just feel a little old and dull in 2024. Not much has changed since iPhone 12. Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Price When Reviewed: $1,199 Best Prices Today: $1199 at Apple | $1199.99 at Best Buy iPhone 16 Pro features: Camera Control Most of what is new in the iPhone 16 Pro is on the inside, but the one big new external feature for the entire iPhone 16 line is the Camera Control button. It’s a real physical button set flush with the edge of the body, touch and pressure sensitive, with haptic feedback. Press the button once and you open the Camera app. You can select a third-party camera app to launch in Settings > Camera, and and app like Instagram will typically launch right into its photo/video-taking mode. Once in the Camera app, a firm press takes a photo. Press and hold to take a video for as long as you hold the button. Tap once lightly and you’ll pop up a Camera Control function (zoom by default) which you adjust by swiping back and forth or dragging the control on the display. Double-tap lightly for a list of different functions that can be adjusted in this way: exposure, depth, camera selection, photographic styles, or tone. It does a lot—and it’s not always obvious what to press to do something. Some of the Camera Control functions are very useful, others are sort of finicky. Some of the Camera Control functions are very useful, others are sort of finicky.Foundry Some of the Camera Control functions are very useful, others are sort of finicky.Foundry Foundry I have mixed feelings about the Camera Control button. The full press to launch your most-used camera app is a huge boon. It’s fast, you can do it without fiddling with the screen, and it allows you to replace the camera launch on your lock screen with something else without losing any utility. Pressing the button as a shutter, or holding it down to take video, works great. It’s a gamechanger for snapping photos while wearing gloves. The pressure-sensitive functions, on the other hand, are too fiddly. It’s too easy to accidentally do a light press when you mean to click the shutter, or vice-versa. Sliding back and forth to adjust a control requires a lot of fine motor control in a small space; I often found myself going past the zoom I intended and having to carefully nudge my finger just a millimeter the other way to go get it right. I don’t really enjoy the way using the Camera Control button makes the whole camera interface go away, either, as it’s not always my only or last adjustment before I take the shot. In the end, I turned that Clean Preview option off in Settings and rarely used the Camera Control button for adjustments. I always use it to launch the camera and as a shutter, though. As far as photo and video quality goes, Apple is once again making small but significant strides. A faster video pipeline enables up to 4K at 120fps. The Photos app lets you change the playback framerate. Improved microphones allow for wind noise reduction and better overall sound quality. The new Photographic Styles are a little more nuanced with easier control and can be applied non-destructively after the shot is taken. The ultrawide camera has been upgraded to 48 megapixels, though to my eye the shots don’t look very different from the older 12MP camera. The 5x telephoto lens is no longer restricted to the Pro Max model, so those who like the smaller Pro size can enjoy zoomier zoom. And it’s clearly the biggest upgrade from standard to Pro other than titanium. My favorite new feature? The ability to change audio mix on a video with a tap, between Standard, In-Frame, Studio, and Cinematic. They make a huge difference. (This feature is yet another that’s also available on the standard iPhone 16.) But these are relatively minor changes. Power-users trying to film their next indie epic on iPhone will love this stuff but the vast majority of users will find that, maybe, if they squint just right, the new iPhone takes slightly better pictures than the old one. The biggest camera upgrade this year is definitely the dedicated button, and the non-Pro models get that, too. iPhone 16 Pro performance: A18 Pro The A18 Pro is similar to the A18 found in the regular iPhone 16, with a few small upgrades. It’s got the same 2 performance and 4 efficiency CPU cores but with larger caches, which should improve performance a bit. There’s an additional GPU core. The media engine (video encode and decode, image processing, etc.) is beefier. Both chips are made on an upgraded 3nm manufacturing process that delivers better power efficiency, and Apple has improved thermal design and management to help minimize throttling when the phones get hot. How does all this translate into performance? Well, this thing is fast. Single-core CPU performance is 15 percent higher than the A17 Pro, and it crushes every other smartphone on the market. Multi-core performance is around 10 percent faster, and considerably faster than any Android phone. It is not a stretch to say this iPhone is like having an M1 Macbook Air in your pocket, and in some ways, faster.

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How to connect two or more external displays to an M1, M2, or M3 MacBook
Macworld While the higher-end MacBooks with M1/M2/M3 Pro and Max chips support multiple external displays, the majority of Apple’s lower-end range of MacBooks that use a standard M1, M2 or M3 processor cannot natively connect more than one external monitor. This is a massive limitation compared to the previous Intel-based generation of Mac laptops that could run two displays when connected to a USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 docking station or hub. Apple’s M3 MacBook Air models do now support two external monitors (if the MacBook has its lid closed in what is known as Clamshell Mode). The M3 MacBook Pro supports a similar feature, but the macOS Sonoma 14.6 update needs to be installed. We explain how to run dual external displays on an M3 MacBook in a separate article. The solutions below, however, allow for more than two external displays on plain M1, M2 and M3 Macs with their lids open if you want it.. There have also been reports that the M3 MacBook Air with lid closed suffers significant performance decline due to heat build up, so following our advice below still has relevance even for M3 MacBook Air and Pro users who want to hook up to multiple displays and keep their Mac purring at full speed. Later, we list our tested and recommended software and hardware solutions for adding more than one display to the plain M1, M2 and M3 Macs. You can jump straight to our list of the best DisplayLink docks if you know all about DisplayLink. If not, read on a while. The solutions we explain here will also help M2 Pro and M3 Pro MacBook users extend to three external displays. Here are the external display specs for Apple’s current laptops: M1 MacBook Air: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below. M2 MacBook Air: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below. M3 MacBook Air: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Three using our workarounds. M2 MacBook Pro: Maximum one external display—read our workarounds below. M2 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Four using our workarounds. M2 Max MacBook Pro: Maximum four external displays. M3 MacBook Air: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Three using our workarounds. M3 MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays if MacBook lid is closed. Three using our workarounds. M3 Pro MacBook Pro: Maximum two external displays. Four using our workarounds. M3 Max MacBook Pro: Maximum four external displays. Workarounds allow four using just one laptop port, plus dock. However, there are ways around this plain M1/M2/M3 limitation, allowing you to run two or more external displays off your MacBook, which we will outline here. In each case, there’s a software download and a docking station, hub or adapter required.  The simplest solution is to get a USB graphics-enabled docking station or hub, sometimes called a DisplayLink Dock—and we’ve reviewed the best ones later in this article. USB graphics is a software-based technology (DisplayLink or InstantView) that compresses the video signals from the computer to the monitor, enabling you to connect multiple external displays to your M1, M2 or M3 MacBook. Installing third-party software drivers leads to a slight risk that these might later be unsupported by future updates of the macOS, but the two drivers we recommend are recognized industry standards that we believe will continue to be supported. External displays: Big problem for M1, M2 and some M3 Macs Apple’s Mac mini, MacBook Air, and 13-inch MacBook Pro were the first Macs to feature the Apple-designed M1 processor (CPU). They received rave reviews for their speed improvements over Intel-based laptops, including here on Macworld. Since then Apple has released M2 and M3 chips, plus Pro and Max versions of the M1, M2 and M3. But if your MacBook setup includes running more than one external display, you have a major problem. Apple’s basic (non-Pro or Max) M1 and M2 chips simply won’t allow it—at least natively. Apple states in the M1 or M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro tech specs that they support only “one external display with up to 6K resolution at 60Hz”. Apple Apple Apple While the M1 and M2 MacBooks natively support just one monitor, the M1 and M2 Mac Mini does natively support up to two external monitors—one via the HDMI port and a second via USB-C. But the M1 and M2 models of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro (plus the M3 MacBook Pro) support only a single external display over Thunderbolt. The latest M3 MacBook Air models (13- and 15-inch) are the first to support more than one external display—as long as you close the laptop’s lid (Clamshell Mode) to allow for the second external display. The first display (allowing an open MacBook lid) has a maximum 6K resolution at 60Hz. The second display (requiring the closed lid) can be up to 5K at 60Hz. The14-inch M3 MacBook Pro also supports two external display in Clamshell Mode, but the macOS Sonoma 14.6 update must be installed to do this. Apple doesn’t look like it will solve this problem for you—it would prefer you buy one of its more expensive laptops! We have this guide to monitors for M1 Macs and what you need to know before buying. We also cover the basics of how to connect your Mac to an external monitor. Workaround #1: Install DisplayLink software drivers You can use a combination of display technologies to get around the M1/M2/M3 MacBooks’ single-monitor limitation. DisplayLink is the most common software solution that you pair with a compatible dock: we’ve tested the best DisplayLink docks further down. Note that the docks need to state DisplayLink compatibility—you can’t just install DisplayLink drivers and hope they work with regular docks and hubs. A whole new category of docks—many reviewed below—has appeared to solve the M1/M2/M3 Mac one-screen problem. DisplayLink USB-C docks or just USB-C docks require software drivers to enable data compression that make them almost as powerful as a Thunderbolt dock. You’ll need to download the appropriate DisplayLink software from the dock manufacturer—full instructions later on. Many multi-display docks use a combination of native USB-C Alternate Mode (native “Alt Mode” video output) and DisplayLink technology. This combination serves as a workaround to the M1/M2/M3 platform supporting only a single external display via USB-C. Note that DisplayLink requires a third-party driver to be installed on the Mac. There are different versions of the DisplayLink driver, and some bring their own compromises to the party. But, in general, setup is straightforward. Some of the docks we review below offer the DisplayLink software when you first connect the dock to your Mac. The DisplayLink macOS app or DisplayLink Manager app are ways of enabling DisplayLink technology on macOS. The app is available as a standalone installer rather than through the mac App Store. Plugable docking station and three external displays via DisplayLink. Plugable docking station and three external displays via DisplayLink. Plugable docking station and three external displays via DisplayLink. 1. First, download the latest Mac DisplayLink driver. As stated above, some docks, do this for you but it’s always best to use the latest version. DisplayLink Manager Graphics Connectivity App v. 1.10.2 is compatible with macOS Monterey 12, Ventura 13 and Sonoma 14. For macOS Big Sur 11, look for version 1.9, and v1.5 for Catalina 10.15. It can be managed via the DisplayLink icon in the Apple Menu bar. The macOS requires the user to permit “Screen Recording” in order for DisplayLink devices to work properly. This can be found in System Preferences under Privacy in Security & Privacy; navigate to Screen Recording in the list on the left, then tick the Screen Recording permission for DisplayLink Manager after unlocking the padlock using your admin password. You may need to quit and restart DisplayLink Manager afterward. Don’t worry, DisplayLink isn’t recording your screen—this just lets it do its magic enabling multiple screens. Installation is straightforward. Older versions did not support laptops’ closed-display/Clamshell Mode, but 1.8.1 and later do support Clamshell Mode if the MacBook is Intel-based running macOS 12 or if the MacBook is M1-based running macOS 11 or later. The most scary bit is when you need to enable “Screen Recording” to allow the DisplayLink Manager app to capture pixels and send them to your USB peripheral. This entails making some adjustments in the Mac’s “Privacy” tab, but you are walked through it step by step. Take a look at the instructions here. There’s an option in DisplayLink manager to “launch at startup”, or you can drag the DisplayLink Manager to your Login Items in Users & Groups. 2. Then connect the MacBook to a docking station. 3. For the first screen you can connect via the dock’s DisplayPort or HDMI Port, and this will be handled natively by the M1/M2 MacBook. You could also connect the first external display via the dock’s other display ports or via a Thunderbolt or USB-C to HDMI or DisplayPort adapter. The HDMI or DisplayPort output uses Alternate Mode (Alt Mode), and as it is basically a pipeline directly to the system’s native GPU, it will behave just like if you hooked up a USB-C to HDMI dongle to your laptop. This requires no user driver installation. The second and third displays will rely on the DisplayLink software. DisplayLink uses an installed driver and the system CPU and GPU to convert graphics data on the system into data packets. That data is then sent over the cable as data packets and converted back to video information and output to the monitors via the DisplayLink chip in the docking station. Workaround #2: Install InstantView software Another third-party software solution is SiliconMotion’s InstantView, which operates in a similar way to DisplayLink and works with three of the hardware hubs and adapters we review below. The initial setup is easier than DisplayLink with the hubs from Hyper but similar to the Satechi hub—but it suffers the same challenge that Apple’s software updates could disable it, which will entail installing a newer version and allowing the necessary security & privacy settings for screen recording, just as with DisplayLink. You can download the latest version of InstantView software here. The latest version supports macOS 14 Sonoma, 13 Ventura and 12 Monterey. Neither software solution is complicated and both worked well in our tests as you can read below. Which docks support DisplayLink and InstantView? Originally, dock manufacturers did not officially support such a DisplayLink setup for Macs. The solution works, but they rightly warned that this could become unstuck in future versions of the macOS. Whenever there is a new OS update the drivers may need to be updated each time. However, after some recent testing and improvements Plugable, for example, has updated its compatibility to officially support that configuration. For Mac compatibility, it has validated both Apple and Intel platforms running at least macOS 11. Which dock is best? A docking station connects to your MacBook via Thunderbolt or USB-C. It then offers multiple ports that your laptop now has access to. These can include new display ports, such as HDMI, as well as Gigabit Ethernet for wired Internet access, USB-C/Thunderbolt/USB-A ports at varying speeds, audio plugs, and card readers. Learn more about the best Thunderbolt docking stations for more details, or you can connect via a simpler USB-C hub. Look for a dock with two or more display ports, preferably ones that can connect to your preferred displays without the need for an adapter. Thunderbolt 4 docks or hubs often have no dedicated display port but three available TB4 ports that can be used to connect directly to a USB-C display or via adapters to HDMI or DisplayPort monitors. While you may have to buy an adapter cable, 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4’s port flexibility and backward compatibility are recommended for users of modern Macs such as the M1 and M2 MacBooks. USB-C docks and hubs are usually cheaper, but not always so check our reviews below. Docking station and hub manufacturers are now actively marketing their products as solutions to the M1/M2/M3 external display limitation. Each requires either the DisplayLink download or another similar software solution, such as InstantView, but no further hardware adapter except for the dock or hub itself. And of course, these hubs offer the usual multi-port benefits as well as the external monitor solution. The best multiscreen hubs and adapters for M1, M2 and M3 MacBooks Below we have gathered the best dedicated hubs and docks for multiscreen M1/M2/M3. Note that most of these listed (and tested) below use USB-C rather than Thunderbolt, so don’t benefit from the MacBook’s potential 40Gbps data bandwidth. If you require all 40Gbps, go for a Thunderbolt dock and install DisplayLink as instructed above. Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink – three 4K displays at 60Hz for M1/M2, four for M3 Pros Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz One display at 6K 60Hz 11 ports, inc. three 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 2x HDMI 2.0 video ports Speedy SD card reader 96W charging and 180W power supply Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$299.99 at Satechi$299.99 at Walmart Electronics While plain M1 and M2 MacBooks are limited to three external displays using this dock when DisplayLink software is installed, M3 and M1/M2/M3 Pro/Max MacBooks can connect to four 4K at 60Hz. Other docks reviewed here also allow M1 and M2 Macs to connect to three displays, but what we really like about the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink is right there in its name: it’s a full Thunderbolt 4 dock rather than USB-C. It therefore offers 40Gbps data-transfer rates compared to the 10Gbps that you’ll find on most of the other docks reviewed here. If you require three monitors we think you might also prefer the fast data-transfer rates offered by Thunderbolt, so recommend this DisplayLink docking station to power users. That Thunderbolt port connection also allows one of the three screens to be at 6K resolution (60Hz) while the other two via HDMI will be 4K at 60Hz. There are two HDMI 2.0 ports plus a generous three downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (as well as one upstream TB4 to the laptop). It doesn’t host any extra USB-C ports but the three Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps data transfer, 15W power output) are backwards compatible with USB-C. There are two fast 10Gbps USB-A ports, too, plus a UHS-II SD card reader, Gigabit Ethernet and an audio jack. Non-Pro/Max M3 Macs can connect to four displays using this dock, as long as the laptop’s lid is closed (clamshell mode). It’s also a great option for M1/M2/M3 Pro users usually restricted to two external displays. Read our full Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink review Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Dual 4K monitor support for M1/M2/M3 Macs 13 ports 100W PD to laptop Fast SD card reader Cons Not for fast data transfer North America only Price When Reviewed: $199.95 Best Prices Today: $199 at Walmart$199.95 at Amazon Plugable’s redesigned UD-6950PDH docking station plus free-to-download DisplayLink software can connect two extra 4K/60Hz displays to M1, M2 and M3 Macs. While plain M3 MacBooks can already connect to two external displays, this DisplayLink dock allows plain M3 MacBooks to remain open with the two additional displays attached (otherwise the M3 laptop’s lid has to be closed). It features an impressive 13 ports including Gigabit Ether, SD and MicroSD card readers and five spare USB ports. You won’t get data transfer any faster than 5Gbps so if you crave the full 40Gbps Thunderbolt bandwidth you should instead consider the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink, reviewed above. You can use both of the dock’s HDMI ports or both DisplayPort or a mix of each, depending on your monitor requirements. Two video ports will always be left empty, but the flexibility is welcome. No availability outside of North America has yet been announced. Read our full Plugable USB-C Dual 4K Display Docking Station (UD-6950PDH) review Alogic DX3 Triple 4K Display Universal Docking Station – three 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz 12 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C 3x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports Speedy SD and MicroSD card readers 100W charging and 135W power supply Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $234.53 at Amazon$299.99 at Alogic This Alogic DisplayLink docking station is similar to the Satechi Triple 4K Display Dock (reviewed below) in that it supports up to three external 4K displays at an impressive 60Hz refresh rate and has an array of useful non-display ports. It can power the connected laptop at 100W and has a decent 135W external power supply so doesn’t require an extra USB-C charger. The DisplayLink download link is clearly shown in the user manual, and instructions make sense—although you need a magnifying glass to read them! The DX3 has fewer video ports than the Satechi dock but all are top-notch DisplayPort 1.4. If any of your monitors lacks DisplayPort but has HDMI, you’ll need to add an adapter between dock and display. As you’ll need to buy video cables anyway, this doesn’t matter as prices for straight cable and adapter cable are close enough. Unlike the Satechi, this dock does have a card reader—indeed it has two: SD and MicroSD, both at top 312MBps UHS-II—allowing you to add inexpensive portable storage to your laptop setup. It also has Gigabit Ethernet, four USB-A (one with 7.5W charging) and two 10Gbps USB-C (one 100W PD upstream to the laptop, and one 7.5W smaller device charging). Choosing between the Alogic DX3 and Satechi Triple 4K docks could be decided on whether your monitors have HDMI rather than DisplayPort, although adapters mean there is an easy solution. We also applaud the DX3 for its dual SD card readers. Reviewed further down this list is Alogic’s DX2, which supports two 4K displays at 60Hz and lacks some of the other ports found on the DX3. if you just need two external monitors for your M1/M2/M3 MacBook this may be a cheaper option. Satechi Triple 4K Display Docking Station – three 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz 12 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A 3x HDMI 2.0 and 2x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports 100W charging and 130W power supply Cons No card reader Price When Reviewed: $299.99 Best Prices Today: $299.99 at Amazon$299.99 at SatechiNot Available at Adorama The Satechi Triple 4K Display Docking Station is a quality horizontal dock that supports up to three external displays on a plain (non-Pro or -Max) M1/M2/M3 MacBook if you install DisplayLink software. The user manual includes a QR code that takes you to the software download page. Competitively priced at $299 / £299, it features three HDMI ports and two DisplayPorts and can support three 4K displays at 60Hz on a Mac. The mix of HDMI and DisplayPort offers a more flexible monitor choice than some docks tested here, although adapters will provide easy solutions if your dock’s port is DisplayPort but the monitor has just HDMI. There are 12 ports in total, including Gigabit Ethernet and 10Gbps USB-A and USB-C ports—two of which can power devices at a decent 7.5W. The dock connects to the MacBook via 10Gbps USB-C. Unlike most of the docks reviewed here it comes with its own 130W power supply, so doesn’t require a high-powered USB-C charger. It doesn’t boast a card reader to add inexpensive portable storage to your laptop, but you can buy one cheaply enough to attach to one of the USB ports. Alogic DX2 Dual 4K Display Universal Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 60Hz 10 ports 2x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports 65W charging and 100W power supply Cons No card reader Price When Reviewed: $259.99 Best Prices Today: $213.76 at Amazon$215.99 at Walmart$259.99 at Alogic We prefer Alogic’s DX3 that supports up to three 4K displays and offers more ports and faster charging for not much more cost, but the DX2 is fine if all you require is two top-end monitors connected to your mid-sized MacBook. It features two DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one 10Gbps USB-C with 7.5W charging, three 5Gbps USB-A ports (one with 7.5W), a 3.5mm audio jack and Gigabit Ethernet. Wavlink Dual 4K DisplayPort & HDMI Adapter – two 5K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 5K 60Hz 2x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports 2x HDMI 2.0 video ports Cons No USB ports, Ethernet etc Price When Reviewed: $79 Best Prices Today: $74.99 at Amazon This simple, portable and affordable adapter doesn’t give you loads of extra USB ports, Ethernet or card readers like a hub or docking station would, but it offers four powerful video ports: two DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.0. Once you’ve installed the DisplayLink drivers, this means an M1/M2/M3 MacBook can run two extended displays at up to 5K (5120-x-1440) at 60Hz using a combination of these video ports. You’d need to use both DisplayPort 1.4 ports for the maximum 5K resolution—the HDMI 2.0 ports max out at 4096-x-2160 at 60Hz. There’s no passthrough charging so you’ll need to use another of the MacBook’s Thunderbolt ports to keep the laptop powered up in use. Ugreen USB-C Revodok Pro 312 Triple Display Docking Station – three 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz 12 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A Ships with 100W wall charger Cons Expensive Price When Reviewed: $349.99 Best Prices Today: $49.99 at Walmart$229.99 at Ugreen$349.99 at Amazon The Ugreen USB-C Triple Display Docking Station is a quality compact vertical dock that supports up to three external displays on a plain (non-Pro or -Max) M1/M2/M3 MacBook if you install DisplayLink software. Priced at $329/£399, it features two HDMI ports and a DisplayPort and can support three 4K displays at 60Hz on a Mac. There are 12 ports in total, including Gigabit Ethernet, card readers, and 10Gbps USB-A and USB-C ports. It connects to the MacBook via 10Gbps USB-C. You need to install DisplayLink on your Mac—instructions above. Ugreen could make this easier with a link on its site. Read our full Ugreen USB-C Triple Display Docking Station review. Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 10 ports, inc. 5Gbps USB-C and USB-A 100W passthrough charging InstantView easier than DisplayLink Cons Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $199.99 Best Prices Today: $199.99 at HyperNot Available at Amazon The Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub doesn’t use DisplayLink and instead uses SiliconMotion’s InstantView. Hyper says that it works “without having to download cumbersome drivers” but there is some software installation involved, and you need to allow InstantView access to your Privacy settings in System Preferences. You connect the hub or adapter to your M1 MacBook and find the HyperDisplay app that appears in a Finder folder sidebar. Double-click the macOS InstantView icon and follow the System Preferences instructions. Once this has been completed your MacBook will automatically recognize the adapter from then on. It’s an easier solution than DisplayLink but with the same ability to allow M1, M2 and M3 Macs to connect to multiple external displays. This compact hub still includes 10 ports, including the all-important 2x HDMI. The first display at 60Hz is added via HDMI and DP Alt-mode and the second at 4K 30Hz through HDMI and InstantView. Also included are Gigabit Ethernet, MicroSD card reader (UHS-I), 3.5mm audio jack, 2x 5Gbps USB-A, and one 5Gbps USB-C. A further USB-C PD port allows you to charge the connected laptop at up to 100W—handy as the hub itself uses up one of your M1, M2 or M3 laptop’s two Thunderbolt ports. Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI Adapter – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 100W passthrough charging InstantView easier than DisplayLink Cons Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $129.99 Best Prices Today: $109.01 at Amazon$129.99 at B&H£129.99 at Hyper This double-function hub is designed to provide two HDMI display ports for a MacBook M1/M2/M3, plus passthrough charging for the laptop. It doesn’t offer a bunch of other ports like its big brother, the Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub reviewed above. As a result, it is cheaper and is one of the most cost-effective solutions for adding multiple monitors to the limited plain M1/M2/M3 Macs. Like the 10-in-1, it uses SiliconMotion’s InstantView rather than DisplayLink software to get past the limitation. The first display at 60Hz is added via HDMI and DP Alt-mode and the second at 4K 30Hz through HDMI and InstantView. If you require more ports, such as Gigabit Ethernet, card readers and USB ports, consider the Hyperdrive 10-in-1 or one of the other hubs or docks reviewed here.. Plugable USB-C to Quad HDMI Adapter (USBC-768H4) – four HD displays at 60Hz Pros Supports four external displays InstantView easier than DisplayLink Cons HD, not 4K Doesn’t charge your MacBook No card reader Price When Reviewed: $119 Best Prices Today: $119 at Amazon$119 at Newegg Do you really need four screens? If you do, and you can do without 4K resolution, the Plugable USB-C to Quad HDMI Adapter supports four HD displays even on an M1, M2 or M3 MacBook using the Silicon Motion InstantView software (requires download and installation). The adapter features just the four HDMI ports so doesn’t offer any Gigabit Ethernet or extra USB-C ports, but does what it says on the box. All four displays can support HD (1920-x-1080) at 60Hz images. The USB-C cable tucks neatly into the adapter’s case when not in use, making this a nimbly portable solution… as long as you don’t also carry the four screens around with you. Read our full Plugable USB-C to Quad HDMI Adapter review Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 60Hz 9 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A 100W charging DisplayLink file on dock connection Cons Requires USB-C charger No card reader Price When Reviewed: $199.99 Best Prices Today: $169.99 at Amazon If you don’t need three external screens, we like this USB-C dock for its two HDMI and two DisplayPorts, which you can choose between when adding two displays to your M1, M2 or M3 MacBook. This should suit most monitors, unless you prefer direct USB-C displays. Its spare USB ports (2x USB-A and 1x USB-C) are fast (10Gbps) for data transfer, and another USB-C port can be plugged into a USB-C charger (not included, which is common with the docks reviewed here) and supply up to 100W of charging power to the connected laptop. There’s also a Gigabit Ethernet port for fast, stable wired Internet access. You need to install DisplayLink on your Mac—instructions above—and UGreen has made this easy by adding the download files to your Mac when you first connect the dock. Read a full Ugreen 9-in-1 USB-C dock review. Alogic DV4 Universal Quad Display Docking Station – one 4K display at 60Hz, two HD displays Pros Supports three external displays, one at 4K 60Hz 14 ports, inc. 5Gbps USB-C and USB-A 3x HDMI 2.0 and 1x DisplayPort 1.4 video ports 12W USB-C charging 85W PD charging Cons 2 displays at HD, not 4K Requires USB-C charger Price When Reviewed: $239.99 Best Prices Today: $239.99 at Alogic With third-party DisplayLink drivers, this dock will support up to three displays on a Mac. You can connect one 4K at 60Hz display (3840×2160 pixels) via either the DisplayPort or one of the HDMI ports. The other two displays via HDMI, however, are at a lesser HD (1920×1080) resolution, both at 60Hz. There is a link to the DisplayLink download printed in the user manual, although the type in the manual is the smallest we’ve ever seen! The specs aren’t quite as impressive as the Satechi Triple 4K Display Docking Station, with 5Gbps a maximum data-transfer rate, although charging wattage for USB-A (3.0) is up to 7.5W each and USB-C is up to 12W, which beats the Satechi.. However, it does boast both SD and MicroSD card readers for affordable portable storage options, although UHS-I rather than super-fast UHS-II. And, crucially, it’s cheaper, although you will need to add your own USB-C 100W PD charger, unlike the Satechi Triple 4K Dock. Satechi USB-C Multimedia M1 Adapter – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 6 ports, inc. 5Gbps USB-C and 2x 5Gbps USB-A Cons Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Requires USB-C charger No card reader Price When Reviewed: $149.99 Best Prices Today: $99.99 at B&H$149.99 at Satechi The Satechi USB-C Multimedia M1 Adapter uses InstantView rather than DisplayLink but the installation process is practically the same when you follow the manual. It includes 2x HDMI ports: one of which can support a 4K display at 60Hz and the other at 30Hz. It’s more than a mere display adapter, though, as it also boasts USB-C PD passthrough charging at up to 85W, one 5Gbps USB-C port, and two 5Gbps USB-A ports. Although named after the M1 processor it is fixing on the multiple display front, it will also work with similarly limited M2 and M3 MacBooks. Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI Adapter – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K display at 30Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K InstantView easier than DisplayLink Cons Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz No other ports except passthrough charging Requires USB-C charger No card reader Price When Reviewed: $129.99 Best Prices Today: $109.01 at Amazon$129.99 at B&H£129.99 at Hyper Like the Hyperdrive Dual 4K HDMI 10-in-1 USB-C Hub, Hyper’s cheaper Dual 4K HDMI Adapter uses the simpler InstantView software rather than DisplayLink. Lacking any other ports, it’s not a hub and so just facilitates the dual-display function on M1 and M2 Macs. While it’s cheaper than its 10-port sibling, we’d recommend the more able hub—unless you need three displays, in which case you’d need to look at the other hubs and docks reviewed here. One HDMI port supports 4K displays at 60Hz, but the other at the slower 30Hz. A passthrough USB-C port requires a USB-C charger but can supply 100W to the connected laptop. If you’re based outside the US, beware as Hyper charges $80 international shipping, making this adapter more expensive than its 10-port sibling. Alogic Dual 4K Universal Compact Docking Station – two 4K displays at 60Hz Pros Supports two external displays at 4K 60Hz 7 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A HDMI and DisplayPort versions Cons Requires USB-C charger Best Prices Today: $199.99 at Alogic The Alogic Dual 4K Universal Compact Docking Station comes in two models—the CH2, which features two HDMI 2.0 ports; and the CD2, with two DisplayPort ports—so you can choose which best suits the external displays you already own. Two external screens are probably enough for most people. If you require three, see the other hubs and docks reviewed here. Both screens can be up to 4K at 60Hz. Basic instructions are given on installing the DisplayLink software for M1, M2 and M3 Macs. This neat, compact dock doesn’t feature as many ports as others mentioned here but what it has are top-rated: both the USB-A and USB-C ports support 10Gbps data transfer. There is also a Gigabit Ethernet port and a UHS-II SD card reader. A passthrough USB-C port—you need to add a suitably powerful charger—can handle 100W, although 22W is required by the dock so leaving 78W for laptop and device charging. The dock must be connected to the laptop to allow device charging. EZQuest Ultimate Plus USB-C Multimedia Hub – one 4K display at 60Hz, one 4K at 30Hz, one HD Pros Supports three external displays (2x 4K; 1x HD) VGA if you need it 12 ports, inc 4x 5Gbps USB-A Cons Requires USB-C charger Second 4K display is 30Hz rather than 60Hz Third display is HD not 4K Price When Reviewed: $169.99 Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Amazon$169.99 at EZQuest The EZQuest Ultimate Plus USB-C Multimedia Hub has two HDMI ports and a VGA port, and supports one 4K at 60Hz and one 4K at 30Hz via HDMI and 1080p HD via VGA. If you want three 4K displays, look instead at the Ugreen Triple Display Dock. It also features 5Gbps USB-A ports, Gigabit Ethernet and card readers. Like the Ugreen dock, it requires a USB-C charger for power and can pass through up to 85W to the connected MacBook, but connects via slower 5Gbps USB-C. Baseus 17-in-1 Docking Station – three 4K displays at 30Hz Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 30Hz 15 (actual) ports 85W PD Cons Requires USB-C charger for laptop 30Hz 4K not 60Hz Only mirrors laptop display Best Prices Today: $119.99 at Amazon$137.49 at Aliexpress The Baseus 17-in-1 Docking Station has three HDMI ports, each of which can connect to an external 4K display at 30Hz. If you require three 4K external displays at 60Hz, the Ugreen Triple Display Dock will fulfill your needs better. If 30Hz is fine, the Baseus will save you money. 60Hz is better for gamers as it offers smoother video. One big limitation for Macs, though, is that the external displays can only mirror and not extend the Mac’s screen. Its claim to have 17 ports is exaggerated slightly as one is for the external power supply that powers just the dock at 12W. and another to add power the dock via a USB-C charger and then onto the laptop. But it has 15 other ports including the upstream 5Gbps USB-C connection to the MacBook, plus Gigabit Ethernet, card readers and 5Gbps USB-A and USB-C ports. StarTech.com USB-C Hybrid Triple Monitor Docking Station – DisplayLink dock with video options Pros Supports three external displays at 4K 60Hz 15 ports, inc. 10Gbps USB-C and USB-A 85W passthrough charging Cons No card reader DisplayPort didn’t work on our test Mac Price When Reviewed: $293.99 Best Prices Today: $214.99 at Amazon This triple-monitor DisplayLink-based docking station is positively bristling with ports: 15 in total. Most interesting to us here are the six video ports: 3x DisplayPort 1.4 and 3x HDMI 2.0. This doesn’t mean you can connect six displays but it does should give you flexible options for the type of connection that fit your displays. However, in testing we had no success linking via DisplayPort, which makes the extra options rather worthless. As such, we prefer the other docks and hubs reviewed above. You need to download the DisplayLink drivers for your M1/M2/M3 Mac. StarTech.com has a link and a video, or just follow our guide above. As well as the half-dozen video ports are six USB ports: 2x USB-C (one at 10Gbps and one 5Gbps), plus 4x USB-A (one 10Gbps and three 5Gbps). The 5Gbps USB-C port can charge a connected device at 18W, enough to fast-charge an iPhone. One of the 5Gbps USB-A ports can charge at 7.5W. Rounding off the many ports are Gigabit Ethernet and a 3.5mm Audio In-Out. There’s no card reader to add portable storage but you could connect an adapter to one of the USB ports. Workaround caveats Whenever there is a new OS update DisplayLink and InstantView drivers may need to be updated each time. Plugable doesn’t recommend the workaround for gaming, video editing, digital audio workstations (DAWs), and protected content (HDCP) playback. For these workloads, users will want the full throughput of a “bare-metal” native GPU connection—such as provided by the DisplayPort or HDMI port on the dock using Alt Mode. Caldigit actively recommends against using DisplayLink, as it finds it unreliable and there would be no synergy between the driver and the dock. Because it requires a third-party driver, users are at the mercy of Apple and the third-party developer to support later versions, the company told Macworld. However, this combination of display technologies does allow M1 and M2 MacBooks to run more than one external monitor, and the M1 and M2 Mac mini to run more than two. And more manufacturers are coming out with docks and hubs that support it. The only risk is that it could stop working at any time, although it wouldn’t harm your system if it did, and you could simply uninstall DisplayLink. DisplayLink and InstantView are workarounds with a potentially limited timespan but the likelihood is that compatibility would be restored at some stage if the worst happened and you would get back your multi-monitor setup. Read our M1 MacBook Air review, M2 MacBook Air review, and M3 MacBook Air review. If you are wanting to use a second display with your Mac and not have your Mac’s screen on, read our feature How to turn a Mac’s screen off. Want to use an 8K monitor? Read How to connect an 8K display to your Mac. What you need to know about DisplayLink and InstantView FAQ 1. Does DisplayLink and InstantView block Netflix or other streaming content? DisplayLink and InstantView are great at adding multiple monitors to M1, M2 and M3 Macs, but there is a catch. Some protected content in Netflix, AppleTV, Amazon Prime, Disney+ or YouTube TV and other streaming applications may not play. The video remains black while audio keeps playing. This is all down to how the macOS interfaces the DisplayLink driver used to access graphics content. As soon as one DisplayLink-enabled screen is connected, protected content becomes unavailable on all screens. This is down to the streaming platforms using High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which is Intel-developed digital copy protection that prevents copying of digital audio and video content as it travels across connections. Because macOS requires DisplayLink and InstantView to enable Screen Recording, HDCP moves in because it thinks you are actually trying to record the content rather than just display it on screen. 2. How to enable streaming content when using DisplayLink or InstantView To get round HDCP stopping your DisplayLink or InstantView setup showing Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services, you may need to disconnect all the DisplayLink or InstantView screens, or switch to a browser other than Safari or Chrome (for example Opera or Firefox). You can disable hardware acceleration in your browser to access the protected content. On Google Chrome, go to Google Chrome settings, and click on “Advanced” and then select “System”. Here you can disable “Use hardware acceleration when available”. Select “Relaunch” to activate the new setting. If that doesn’t solve the black issue, disconnect the docking station, and try using the laptop’s build-in display or the direct video ports of the laptop. Uninstalling the software is the ultimate solution.

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Apple Intelligence will come to an M5-powered Apple Vision Pro
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple Intelligence will be the chief selling point of an M5-based Apple Vision Pro, and also that little else will change from the current model.Apple Vision ProWhile most recent rumors regarding the future of Apple's headset have concentrated on plans for a lower-cost Apple Vision version, it has also been obvious that there would be future versions of the Apple Vision Pro. It's also been obvious that such a future version would use a newer processor than the M2 in the current generation, but Ming-Chi Kuo now specifies that it will be the M5.AI spatial computing to be the main selling point for new M5-powered Vision Pro; new Apple suppliers like Zhaowei in focushttps://t.co/FPX2dYgmX1— (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) September 27, 2024 Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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The secret to success for small businesses and side hustlers
Macworld Unlocking your business’s full potential: Areas for growth and improvement Running a business is a stressful way of life, and the rate of failure can be disheartening. But life becomes easier if you understand where unsuccessful businesses most often go wrong. Whether you’re the owner of a major SMB, an up-and-coming entrepreneur, or a keen side hustler, there are four aspects of your business it’s vital to get right. Communication: You must keep everyone on the same page. A disjointed team cannot work effectively to achieve the business’s goals. Collaboration: Even before lockdown this was often a concern. But with remote working practices becoming more and more common it’s more vital than ever that you are able to coordinate across teams, and share files efficiently as and when they are needed. Silos are to be avoided. Professionalism: Regardless of the size of your organisation, a professional image is crucial. Contacting clients and partners using a personal email address is one all-too-common way to undermine credibility and confidence. Workflow efficiency: If your employees are wasting time on manual tasks, or getting bogged down juggling multiple inefficient software tools, this cuts into the time they can spend focusing on core business activities. They’re likely to become demotivated and bored, too. All too many businesses fall down in one or more of these vital areas. But you can avoid their fate by selecting the right business software solution. Google Google Google And here’s how we think Google Workspace can help Google Workspace is an all-in-one business software solution that’s perfect for SMBs, entrepreneurs and side hustlers. No matter the size or maturity of your organisation, it can benefit from Google’s comprehensive feature set. In all four areas listed above, Google Workspace will help your business to level up. The software provides a centralized platform where employees can communicate easily and efficiently: collaborating, sharing files, streamlining workflows and improving productivity. Custom branded email addresses, meanwhile, help you to project a professional, trustworthy image. And that’s only the start of what Google Workspace can bring to your organisation. It provides generous storage space, a vital resource for a growing business, and robust security features to ensure peace of mind: there’s no longer any need for you to worry about hackers or other companies getting their hands on your critical data. As you’d expect from a Google product, Workspace features an interface that is intuitive, easy to learn and works across multiple devices, which saves time when onboarding new employees and minimizes frustration for existing members of the team: staff will spend their time working towards the business’s goals, not wrestling with dropdown menus. They will gain access to an extensive suite of powerful productivity tools, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, Meet, and Calendar, all of which are integrated to work seamlessly together, and all of which are straightforward to learn. Workspace even gives you access to the latest developments in AI. Google’s Gemini AI add-on unlocks enhanced capabilities directly within the apps themselves, enabling your business to generate text and images, summarize emails and documents, take meeting notes, analyze trends, and more. Google is on the cutting edge of innovation, constantly adding new features and functions to Workspace through software updates. This is the perfect way to stay ahead of the competition. TRY GOOGLE WORKSPACE FREE FOR 14 DAYS Business software that grows with you Aside from its numerous other advantages, Google Workspace is a superbly affordable software solution that can grow with you, offering a range of plans to suit the specific requirements of business of all sizes. Side hustlers would be best advised to consider the Business Starter plan, which costs just $6 per user per month if you select the annual payment plan. As your organisation grows, you may graduate to the Business Standard plan, which starts at $12 per user per month, and eventually Business Plus at $18 per user per month. Learn more about all the things Google Workspace can do for your business, including the advantages of each plan, on the Google Workspace website, and sign up for your 14-day free trial.

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Some macOS 15 Sequoia users report trouble with USB functionality
This is why bug fixes exist. A number of users have reported experiencing issues with USB connectivity on their Macs following the installation of macOS 15 Sequoia. Per reports on Reddit and Apple’s support forum, drives and chargers plugged into the USB-C ports of a MacBook aren’t being detected, or take a long time to […] Source

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Rumor: Apple working on iOS 18.0.1 update, looks to address assorted bugs
You can’t knock a forthcoming iOS update, especially after a gigantic switch from iOS 17 to iOS 18. Apple appears to be internally testing iOS 18.0.1 for the iPhone, based on evidence of the software update in various website’s analytics this week. iOS 18.0.1 is expected to be a minor update focused on bug fixes […] Source

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How to stop your Mac from persistent ‘restarted because of a problem’ alerts
Macworld macOS recognizes when it’s been restarted without a proper shutdown or restart operation from the  menu. When that happens, you see a dialog at startup that tells you that “Your computer was restarted because of a problem,” and offers to let you send a report to Apple. There are lots of reasons that your Mac can restart, including a power failure, and you typically know why it happened. But for some people, every time they restart their Mac after that, whether using   > Shutdown or   > Restart, they see the same error. They know everything’s all right, why doesn’t macOS? This dialog should only appear the first time you restart after a problem. This dialog should only appear the first time you restart after a problem.Apple This dialog should only appear the first time you restart after a problem.Apple Apple The answer is a diagnostic file that can be left in rare circumstances after the problematic restart has resolved itself. You can fix this problem easily enough: In the Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder. Enter exactly the following and press Return: /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports Look for any file starting with the word Sleep and ending with .diag Delete those files and empty the trash (Finder > Empty Trash). On your next regular restart, the alert will not appear. This Mac 911 article is in response to a question submitted by Macworld reader Henri. Ask Mac 911 We’ve compiled a list of the questions we get asked most frequently, along with answers and links to columns: read our super FAQ to see if your question is covered. If not, we’re always looking for new problems to solve! Email yours to mac911@macworld.com, including screen captures as appropriate and whether you want your full name used. Not every question will be answered; we don’t reply to emails, and we cannot provide direct troubleshooting advice.

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Next-gen Vision Pro with M5 chip will support Apple Intelligence
Apple's next-gen Vision Pro might retain the same design, but pack significant performance boosts thanks to an M5 chip. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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SanDisk G-RAID Mirror review: Fast, safe hard drive storage and lots of it
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Up to 48TB of capacity Supports JBOD and RAID 0 striping/RAID 1 mirroring Faster sustained HDD transfers than you might guess Pro-Blade Transport port can hit 900MBps Cons Mirroring cuts advertised capacity in half Pro-Blade SSDs limited to 10Gbps Pricey per TB in lower-capacity models Our Verdict If you need a lot of storage in a single box, the Thunderbolt 3 G-RAID Mirror dual-HDD delivers at speeds that might surprise you. The box also accepts SanDisk’s Pro-Blade SSD modules for on/offloading and backup. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today WD’s G-RAID Mirror is an external enclosure housing two 3.5-inch hard drives. It provides up to 48TB of storage with the drives in striped (RAID 0) mode, or half that in mirror mode RAID 1. It also provides a Pro Blade SSD port for SanDisk’s modular NVMe SSDs. What you may not realize if you haven’t been around a 3.5-inch HDD in a while: They’re a whole lot faster than they used to be. In RAID 0, the G-RAID Mirror can deliver data at over 400MBps. This is not your father’s RAID box. Further reading: See our roundup of the best external drives to learn about competing products. G-RAID Mirror features The G-RAID Mirror is a handsome, dark gray, Thunderbolt 3, two-drive external enclosure available in capacities up to 48TB/24TB (striped/mirrored). The unit measures 5.24 x 8.27 x 4.06 inches (13.30 x 21.00 x 10.21 centimeters). It can weigh up to 7 pounds (3.17 kilograms) depending on the drives inside. Standing on non-skid feet, there’s little chance of this drive dancing around the desktop. The four hex bolts on each side hide anchor points for attaching the unit to a Digital Imaging Technician cart or adding other hardware. The back of the G-RAID Mirror is home to two Thunderbolt 3 ports (1 computer, 1 pass-through, see below) as well as the RAID configuration double dip switch (JBOD, RAID 0/1). That means the RAID is onboard, which I prefer over the software variety as it’s portable across operating systems without installing said software. There’s also a button to adjust the front LED light. The front of the drive is home to only the aforementioned LED light, and the removable front grate that allows access to the hard drives for upgrade or replacement. Note that because of the fantastic amount of capacity, rebuilding a RAID 1 array can take a very long time — two hours per terabyte. By far the most unusual feature of the G-RAID Mirror is its Pro-Blade Transport slot. The somewhat pricey Pro-Blade Transport modules are NVMe SSDs in proprietary enclosures that slide into the slot. They’re super handy for uploading, offloading, and backup, and are fast enough that you could boot from them. However, the Pro Blade system is 20Gbps USB 3.2×2, and current Thunderbolt (Mac and Windows) implementations don’t support USB 3.2×2 at 20Gbps, dropping it to 10Gbps. Still fast, but not optimal. Thunderbolt 3/4 does support 20Gbps USB 4, though, so I’m confused as to why SanDisk didn’t choose USB 4 for the Pro-Blade Transport, or even Thunderbolt 3. Especially as Mac users seem to be the intended audience. As this drive is largely aimed at the Apple/video production crowd, the G-RAID Mirror ships formatted to APFS. A single 24TB RAID 1 volume was in our test unit’s case. There is no software on the drive as you’ll find with most 2.5-inch hard drives. The high-capacity HDD conundrum While external 3.5-inch hard drives can be ultra capacious (trust me, it’s a hoot to see a 48TB drive on your desktop), holding so much more data than other media also makes them difficult to back up. The only media of acceptable speed capable of holding the same amount of data is, yup, another hard drive. Consequently, the easiest way to avoid data loss from hard drive failure is mirroring it to another hard drive (RAID 1), or split it among multiple hard drives in another type of fault tolerant RAID. How you set the G-RAID Mirror will depend on whether it’s a primary or secondary repository. If it’s just one component in a larger storage scheme, and backed up (macOS RAID for instance), then running it at full-capacity striped RAID 0 is fine. However, if it’s a solo repository, you’ll want to run it at half-capacity, mirrored RAID 1. Alas, mirroring tends to kill a hard drive’s price advantage over the far faster, far more physically robust, and more reliable SSDs. Not entirely, but the difference is drastically reduced. A handy segue into… How much does the G-RAID Mirror cost? The G-RAID Mirror is available in (striped/mirrored) 12TB/6TB, 16TB/8TB, 24TB/12TB, 36TB/18TB, 44TB/22TB, 48TB/24TB capacities for $660, $750, $1,000, $1,200, $1,400, and $1,600, respectively, in the U.S. Part of the reason for the higher-than-normal pricing is the Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. Note the Pro Blade port on the front of the G-RAID Mirror. Note the Pro Blade port on the front of the G-RAID Mirror. Note the Pro Blade port on the front of the G-RAID Mirror. That works out to $55/$110, $46.88/$93.76, $41.67/$83.33, $33.33/$66.66, $31.82/$63.64, $33.33/$66.66 (striped/mirrored) per terabyte. As you can see, the 44TB unit is the sweet spot in terms of price per terabyte. Last we checked, 4TB and smaller SSDs were down to around $70 per terabyte, though the larger 8TB models were still over $100 per TB. Keep that in mind when deciding on your storage plan of attack. If you’re not interested in the current Pro Blade system, then a cheaper USB 3.x RAID enclosure such as the WD (SanDisk’s owner) MyBook Duo is an option. How does theG-RAID Mirror perform? The 48TB G-RAID Mirror that SanDisk sent me arrived configured in RAID 1 (mirroring) — as you’d expect given the name. I tested it in that mode, as well as in RAID 0 to see just what it’s capable of. (Spoiler alert: a lot more.) I also tested the Pro Blade as I had two modules on hand, and put all three through PCWorld’s test suite for good measure. The result of all these tests means there are a lot of captures and images to wade through below. If you want to avoid that, the summary is that sequential throughput with the hard drives is between 175MBps and 210MBps in RAID 1, and 350MBps and 410MBps in RAID 0. The Pro Blade reads and writes around 800MBps, well below the 1.8GBps it manages over USB 3.2×2 on a Windows PC. In practical terms, however, even the HDDs in RAID 1 are fast enough for at least an 8K video stream, and probably several. With the Pro Blade on board, which mounts as a separate drive, you can accommodate even higher bandwidth scenarios. Sustained throughput is much better than with external 2.5-inch hard drives, especially in RAID 0. However, as you’ll see, if you want fast seek times, these are not the drives you seek. G-RAID Mirror RAID 0 results G-RAID Mirror RAID 1 results The RAID 1 results are significantly slower, but you’ll still want to use this RAID mode (1) if the G-RAID Mirror is not going to be otherwise backed up. WD SanDisk Professional Pro Blade results for reference Finally, the Pro Blade test results are about half as fast as what you’ll see on a USB 3.2×2 bus. See the charts below for evidence of that. This is good performance, but half of what the Pro Blade on a USB 3.2×2 bus is. This is good performance, but half of what the Pro Blade on a USB 3.2×2 bus is. This is good performance, but half of what the Pro Blade on a USB 3.2×2 bus is. This is fast, but half what the Pro Blade on a USB 3.2×2 bus is capable of. This is fast, but half what the Pro Blade on a USB 3.2×2 bus is capable of. This is fast, but half what the Pro Blade on a USB 3.2×2 bus is capable of. As I said, it’s always nice to have a little context, so we’ve included the results from PCWorld’s Windows test bed for the hard disks in both RAID 0 and RAID 1, as well as the Pro Blade SSD. They’re compared to the recently reviewed Seagate Expansion Desktop hard drive, and the Pro Blade Transport using USB 3.2×2. Yes, the numbers are a bit more impressive under Windows. But again, the Thunderbolt hindered the Pro Blade on the G-RAID by limiting it to 10Gbps. The random numbers for the hard disks are minuscule compared to the Pro Blade’s. But CrystalDiskMark 8’s numbers are still valid, even if it’s not designed specifically for HDDs. This chart shows just how choked the Pro Blade is on the Thunderbolt bus. It’s still way faster at random ops than the HDDs though. This chart shows just how choked the Pro Blade is on the Thunderbolt bus. It’s still way faster at random ops than the HDDs though. Jon L. Jacobi / Foundry This chart shows just how choked the Pro Blade is on the Thunderbolt bus. It’s still way faster at random ops than the HDDs though. Jon L. Jacobi / Foundry Jon L. Jacobi / Foundry Again, the Pro Blade Transport’s results are included to show you what these modules can do at 20Gbps on a real 3.2×2 bus, and just how choked the Pro Blade on the G-RAID Mirror is by the Thunderbolt 3 bus. The results for the Transport on the Mac are identical to those for the port embedded on the G-RAID Mirror. In RAID 0 the G-RAID Mirror beat the Seagate, but lost in the safer RAID 1 mode. In RAID 0 the G-RAID Mirror beat the Seagate, but lost in the safer RAID 1 mode. In RAID 0 the G-RAID Mirror beat the Seagate, but lost in the safer RAID 1 mode. Obviously, once again, the G-RAID Mirror in RAID 0 was way faster writing 450GB than RAID 1. The G-RAID Mirror took a while to write 450GB, as all hard drives will. The G-RAID Mirror took a while to write 450GB, as all hard drives will. Jon L. Jacobi The G-RAID Mirror took a while to write 450GB, as all hard drives will. Jon L. Jacobi Jon L. Jacobi The G-RAID Mirror’s fan, when it kicks in at startup is rather loud. Most of the time, however, my Mac Studio fan makes as much noise, and that’s hardly any. To be fair, my office has test beds and NAS boxes whirring away most of the time, so my tolerance for white noise is very high. But there’s also noise due the read/write heads moving about. If you haven’t been around hard drives for a while, it might bug you. One might argue for more sound-deadening material inside, but that tends to trap heat as well noise, and that would be bad. Note that the user guide I downloaded says you only have to turn off the G-RAID Mirror twice when changing RAID modes, which one might interpret as using the power button. This would be wrong. Info on the website and my experience says you must pull the power plug both times to switch RAID modes. In total, the G-RAID Mirror is a lot faster in RAID 0 than RAID 1, which means you might be better off with two less capacious models using RAID 0 and macOS’s own RAID 1 mode. Then again, you could employ the Pro Blade when you need real speed, and leave the HDDs safely mirrored. Should you buy the SanDisk Professional G-RAID Mirror? The G-RAID Mirror is an appealing storage product, especially for videographers. It’s handsome, speedy for a hard drive, and best of all, fantastically capacious. Throw in the Pro Blade port, even if it is running at half speed, and you have an extremely useful, albeit pricey solution for super-large data sets. But come on SanDisk, USB 4, USB 4…

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How to watch new movie Wolfs, starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney
Apple TV+ today premieres its new flagship original movie, called Wolfs, starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney. The film is streaming now on Apple TV+ for subscribers, worldwide. more…

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