Deals: Apple Watch Ultra 2 from $530, M4 Pro MacBook Pro $250 off, iPad Air $110 off, M4 iMac, more
While we are still tracking a new all-time low price on AirPods 4 at $100, as well as a solid drop on AirPods Pro 2 at $170, today we are turning back to the MacBooks, iPads, and Ultra 2. First up, we spotted a sweet refurbished offer on the Natural Titanium Ultra 2 at $269 off the regular new price courtesy of a trusted Best Buy listing. Next we move over to the most affordable M4 Pro MacBook Pro at up to $250 off the going rate before sliding over to the M2 iPad Air lineup – 11-inch models are starting from $499 and the 13-inchers are now up to $110 off. All of that, as well as a $149 price drop on the M4 iMac, and more awaits down below.  more…

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Hackers are using AI to attack your Mac and it’s only going to get worse
Macworld Malwarebytes has released its 2025 State of Malware report, which reveals that AI has also captured the attention of threat agents and will become a key tool in future malware attacks. The AI implementation that has gained a wide audience is generative AI, which can create content based on a user’s inquiry. For example, Apple Intelligence tools such as the Image Playground app or Writing Tools create content based on input the user provides. According to Malwarebytes, generative AI has not had a significant impact on malware. However, the next iteration of AI is what experts call agentic AI, which can act autonomously to solve complex, multi-tiered problems. According to Malwarebytes, “Big game ransomware requires a lot of human labor,” and a lot of that labor can be addressed with agentic AI by threat agents. “Agentic AI could be used to scale up the number and speed of attacks,” according to the report. Agentic AI can also be used to defend against malware attacks through autonomous agents that can proactively check for vulnerabilities, monitor systems, and ensure that security patches are put into place. Malwarebytes recommends that organizations “operate their security as efficiently as possible” to protect against attacks, which includes active monitoring of security consoles and acting on alerts immediately. Automated tools can be used to install security patches quickly and efficiently. Malwarebyte’s report is targeted at IT professionals and the “big game” attacks the report covers involve corporations. The report also states that 2024 was the worst year ever for known ransomware attacks, which rose 13 percent. The U.S. saw a majority of the reported attacks, and two-thirds of the attacks were targeted at the manufacturing sector. The easiest way to protect yourself as an individual user from malware is to avoid downloading software from repositories such as GitHub and other download sites. Apple has vetted software in the Mac App Store and is the safest way to get apps. If you prefer not to patronize the Mac App Store, then buy software directly from the developer and their website. If you insist on using cracked software, you will always risk malware exposure. Apple releases security patches through OS updates, so installing them as soon as possible is important. Macworld has several guides to help, including a guide on whether or not you need antivirus software, a list of Mac viruses, malware, and trojans, and a comparison of Mac security software.

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New Apple Invites app is now live on the App Store
Apple has launched its Apple Invites app for iPhone, a way to help arrange events, parties, and any occasion, with invitations, RSVP managing, plus shared photo albums and music.The new Apple Invites appReportedly known internally as Confetti, Apple Invites was expected to be launched for testing among employees. But instead it has now been released publicly, and is appears to be currently rolling out to all users."With Apple Invites, an event comes to life from the moment the invitation is created, and users can share lasting memories even after they get together," Brent Chiu-Watson, Apple's senior director of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apps and iCloud, said in a statement. "Apple Invites brings together capabilities our users already know and love across iPhone, iCloud, and Apple Music, making it easy to plan special events." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple published a new Press Release
Apple just published a new Press Release:Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together

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Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs considers buying Yahoo
On February 4, 2008, Steve Jobs reportedly considered buying the search engine Yahoo. Apple could have teamed up with Disney to do it! (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple’s stock price could make healthy gains for foreseeable future
Apple could be at the beginning of a nice growth curve for the next three years, and that could lead to healthy gains for its stock price… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Netflix says its polarizing new release practice is ‘creator-driven’
Netflix has long championed the binge model of TV releases, dropping full seasons all at once. Recently though, split-seasons have become more common. Now, Netflix’s content head has explained why. more…

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Apple confirms ‘Invites’ feature coming to iCloud+, here’s how it will work
The stage is set for “Apple Invites” to arrive at any point now. The new feature first revealed by 9to5Mac has now been named on Apple’s iCloud website. more…

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I’d love to see the MacBook Air copy these four Zenbook features
After I commented on the ASUS Zenbook A14 not only emulating the look of the MacBook Air, but exceeding its specs in several respects, I got the chance to spend some time using the machine. While I’m certainly not going to be making the switch from macOS to Windows, there are a few things I’d love to see Apple replicate in future MacBooks … more…

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Best iPad mini deals this month
Macworld The 7th-gen iPad mini launched on October 15, 2024 and went on sale on October 18, three years after the previous generation arrived. The new model will be able to run the new Apple Intelligence features, comes in a new selection of colors, and works with the Apple Pencil Pro. Best of all, Apple has upped the storage, so you now get twice as much for your money. With the arrival of a new iPad mini, Apple has stopped selling the older model, although you may find it in Apple’s Refurbished Store (US) or Apple’s Refurbished Store (UK). Beyond Apple, we expect resellers to continue to sell the older (2021, 6th-gen) iPad mini for a while, and you can expect to see some discounts as they clear out their old stock. Just note that at the entry-level these older models had half the storage of the newer ones. Read on to find details of the best places to pick up the 2024 iPad mini (A17 Pro) or the 6th-gen iPad mini at the best price in the U.S. or U.K. If you’re after a larger display we also have the best deals on the 10th-gen iPad, the best iPad Air deals, and the best iPad Pro deals. There’s also a complete roundup of the best iPad deals. If you’re not sure which model to go for, read our iPad buying guide, and you may also like to read: best iPad for kids, best iPad for students, and best iPad for seniors. Best iPad mini deals right now You’ll find the lowest current prices on the various iPad mini models in our automated tables below, but here are the very best deals we’re seeing right now. U.S. deals: Walmart, iPad mini (A17 Pro, 128GB): $479 ($20 off, MSRP $499) Amazon, iPad mini (A17 Pro, 256GB): $569 ($30, MSRP $599) U.K. deals: In the U.K. you can pick up a small discount on a brand-new iPad mini. John Lewis, iPad mini (2024, A17 Pro, 128GB): £453.97 (£45.03 off, RRP £499) Amazon, iPad mini (2024, A17 Pro, 256GB): £559.97 (£39.03 off, RRP £599) John Lewis, iPad mini (2024, A17 Pro, 512GB): £749.97 (£49.03 off, RRP £799) Best iPad mini (2024) deals If it’s a deal on the 2024 iPad mini you’re after, you may have to wait a while for anything major. But we are seeing a few smaller discounts on new Apple products, so it’s likely you’ll be able to save money if you look in the right places. iPad mini (2024, 7th gen, 128GB, Wi-Fi); MSRP $499/£499 Retailer Price $484 View Deal $499 View Deal $499 View Deal $499 View Deal $499 View Deal $499 View Deal $499.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket iPad mini (2024, 7th gen, 256GB, Wi-Fi); MSRP $599/£599 Retailer Price $562.95 View Deal $577 View Deal $577 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket iPad mini (2024, 7th gen, 512GB, Wi-Fi); MSRP $799/£799 Retailer Price $562.95 View Deal $577 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599.99 View Deal $799 View Deal $799 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best iPad mini (2021) deals If you want to get your hands on the older iPad mini at the best price, you’ve come to the right place. We’re tracking the best deals, as well as the retailers that have models in stock right now. Our advice though is that the price of an older iPad mini will need to be really good to compete with the new models that offer twice the storage for the same price. iPad mini (2021, 6th gen, 64GB): MSRP was $499/£499, now discontinued Note that this comes with half the storage of the baseline 2024 model, so the current deals will need to be really good or you should just buy the newer model with 128GB storage rather than 64GB. New Refurbished Retailer Price $389.99 View Deal $449 View Deal $519.99 View Deal $549 View Deal $549 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad mini (2021) 64GB – Purple – (WiFi) $392.89 View Deal iPad mini (2021) 64GB – Space Gray – (WiFi) $416.86 View Deal iPad mini (2021) 64GB – Starlight – (WiFi) $429 View Deal iPad mini (2021) 64GB – Pink – (WiFi) $448.92 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket iPad mini (2021, 6th gen, 256GB): MSRP was $649/£649, now discontinued Bear in mind that the 256GB version of the 7th-gen iPad mini now costs $599/£599, so make sure you’re not spending anywhere near that. New Refurbished Retailer Price $389.99 View Deal $549 View Deal $549 View Deal $649 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPad mini (2021) 256GB – Space Gray – (WiFi) $395.72 View Deal iPad mini (2021) 256GB – Starlight – (WiFi) $429 View Deal iPad mini (2021) 256GB – Pink – (WiFi) $462.52 View Deal iPad mini (2021) 256GB – Purple – (WiFi) $499 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Where to buy the iPad mini You can buy one from Apple and a number of other retailers (either outright or with a network provider), details of which you will find below. For a while part of the problem with buying an iPad mini right now wasn’t just finding a good deal; it was actually finding the model you want in stock, although stock does seem to be at more reliable levels now! If you don’t want to buy the iPad mini from Apple, you may be able to pick it up from the following retailers or on contract from various network providers: US retailers: Apple Amazon B&H Photo Video Best Buy Costco Target Walmart US contract deals: AT&T T-Mobile/Sprint Verizon We’ve heard that US customers who bought the 5G iPad mini 6 from Apple could get a $200 pre-paid Mastercard when activating with T-Mobile/Sprint or a $200 e-gift card when activating with Verizon. Currently, we can only see 3% Daily Cash if you use an Apple Card to purchase an iPad mini (A17 Pro). Looking for other ways to save money? Find out if you can save money buying Apple products from another country. UK retailers: Apple Amazon Argos Currys John Lewis KRCS Very Apple has a number of Apple Premium Resellers who stock iPads in the UK, and also offer other services. Try the following: KRCS iStore Select Western Computer UK contract deals: EE O2 Sky Vodafone Virgin Media Three iPad mini refurbished deals The deals you will see above are generally from Apple resellers rather than Apple itself; the company rarely reduces prices. Apple does, however, sell reconditioned iPads in its refurbished store. So you can grab a bargain. The iPads in Apple’s refurbished store may be ex-display stock, or they may have been returned to Apple due to a fault, but they are fully reconditioned now and come with a full year’s warranty. It’s not like buying secondhand. In the U.K. watch this page and the U.S. Refurb Store page is here. The U.S. refurbished store has a selection that includes: Standard iPad (8th and 9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th and 5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) Compared to the original price, you can save as much as $320 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Get a refurbished iPad at Apple's refurbished store (U.S.) In the U.K. you’ll find a similar selection of iPads available from Apple’s refurbished store. You’ll find the following: Standard iPad (9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) There are savings of £480 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, compared to the original price. Get a refurbished iPad at Apple's refurbished store (U.K.) Another place to look is BackMarket U.S. and BackMarket U.K., which sell refurbished Macs and other Apple products. Amazon also has a certified refurbished store for Apple products, but we would advise against buying any products that are older than five years. Most of the products we see on the Amazon refurbished store are unfortunately very old. There’s a large refurbished market for the iPad mini. We’d recommend taking a look at these refurbished resellers for iPad mini offers: Amazon AWD Big Phone Store eBay Envirofone Affordable Mac Tech Trade 4Gadgets Handtec Laptops Direct Music Magpie Preloved Smartfone Store See our full guide to buying a refurbished iPad.

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Best iPad Air deals this month
Macworld If you want a new iPad Air at a discounted sale price, you’ve come to the right place. We’re looking at all the best deals and prices for the iPad Air right now–including contract plans. The Air remains incredibly popular and is an excellent halfway house between the entry-level iPad and high-end iPad Pro–ideal for those who need some extra power but don’t want to spend hundreds on a device that may not replace their laptop.  In May 2024 Apple introduced a new iPad Air, equipped with the M2 processor and available in two sizes: 11 inches and 13 inches. Read our review of Apple’s iPad Air M2 and find out how it compares to the 2024 iPad Pro in our iPad Air (M2) vs iPad Pro (M4) comparison. Have a look at our iPad buying guide if you aren’t sure which model you want. You may also like to read: best iPad for kids, best iPad for students and best iPad for seniors. Best M2 iPad Air deals right now U.S: Amazon, 11-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB): $549 ($50 off, MSRP $599) Amazon, 11-inch M2 iPad Air (512GB): $799 ($100 off, MSRP $899) B&H, 13-inch M2 iPad Air (256GB): $699 ($100 off, MSRP $799) U.K: John Lewis, 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB): £559.97 (£39.03 off, RRP £599) Amazon, 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 256GB): £654.97 (£44.03 off, RRP £699) John Lewis, 13-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB): £749.97 (£49.03 off, RRP £799) Amazon, 13-inch iPad Air (M2, 256GB): £842.97 (£56.03 off, RRP £899) Best M2 iPad Air deals The M2 iPad Air models launched in May 2024. Look through the tables below to find the best discounts. These tables will always be up-to-date with the latest prices for each iPad Air. For even bigger savings, the previous generation of iPad Air models can be found in the section below this one. 11-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $599/£599 Retailer Price $539 View Deal $559 View Deal $569 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal $599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 11-inch M2 iPad Air (256GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $699/£699 New Refurbished Retailer Price $596.95 View Deal $649 View Deal $649 View Deal $680.99 View Deal $699 View Deal $699 View Deal $699 View Deal $699 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 13 (2024) 256GB – Space Gray – (WiFi) $899 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 11-inch M2 iPad Air (512GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $899/£899 Retailer Price $789 View Deal $844 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 11-inch M2 iPad Air (1TB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $1,099/£1,099 Retailer Price $1,024 View Deal $1024 View Deal $1069 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (128GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $799/£799 Retailer Price $739 View Deal $749 View Deal $799 View Deal $799 View Deal $799 View Deal $799 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (256GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $899/£899 New Refurbished Retailer Price $799 View Deal $829 View Deal $887.99 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal $899 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 256GB – Purple – (WiFi) $659 View Deal iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 256GB – Starlight – (WiFi) $659 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (512GB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $1,099/£1,099 New Refurbished Retailer Price $999 View Deal $999 View Deal $1014 View Deal $1079.99 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal $1099 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 512GB – Blue – (WiFi) $849 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket 13-inch M2 iPad Air (1TB, Wi-Fi): MSRP $1,299/£1,299 New Refurbished Retailer Price $1,259 View Deal $1259 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal $1299 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price iPad Air M2 11 (2024) 1000GB – Space Gray – (WiFi) $736.51 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Best M1 iPad Air deals Below are the best prices we have seen for the previous generation of iPad Air, the M1 model from 2022. This has been discontinued by Apple, but may still be available from other vendors. Browse to find the model you want at the best price. Just beware that some prices may be for used iPads, so pay attention to the details. iPad Air (2022, 64GB, Wi-Fi) MSRP was $599/£669 New Refurbished Retailer Price $359.99 View Deal $431 View Deal $599 View Deal $599.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPad Air (2014) 64GB – Silver – (WiFi) $126.79 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB – Space Gray – (WiFi) $353.95 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB – Starlight – (WiFi) $374.99 View Deal iPad Air (2020) 256GB – Green – (WiFi) $379 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB – Blue – (WiFi) $389 View Deal iPad Air (2022) 64GB – Purple – (WiFi) $439.58 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket View more prices iPad Air (2022, 256GB, Wi-Fi) MSRP was $749/£849 New Refurbished Retailer Price $449.99 View Deal $699 View Deal $738 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price iPad Air (2022) 256GB – Space Gray – (WiFi) $640 View Deal Price comparison from Backmarket Where to buy the new iPad Air If you want to buy the iPad Air directly from Apple, you can order on the Apple US or Apple UK site. There won’t be any discounts available, though Apple does offer occasional carrier deals and trade-ins. Of course, Apple isn’t the only place you can buy an iPad Air, the usual resellers around the world will also be stocking the new model including the following. You can see the best prices at these resellers in live price comparison boxes below. US retailers Amazon Best Buy Target Walmart Adorama BH Photo Video Looking for other ways to save money. Find out if you can save money buying Apple products from another country. UK retailers Amazon AO Apple Argos – check stock by post code EE/BT Shop Box Currys eBuyer John Lewis Laptops Direct Very Apple has a number of Apple Premium Resellers who stock iPads in the UK, and also offer other services, try the following: KRCS often is the first to discount new products iStore Select Western Computer iPad Air education discounts Apple offers students and staff in higher education discounts on the iPad Air in its Education Store. Apple isn’t the only retailer that offers student discounts, however. In the U.K., KRCS offers up to 10 percent off for qualifying students. University students and teachers can also save on the iPad Air with Apple’s Education pricing. See our full guide on to how to get an education discount. Or head directly to Apple UK or Apple US to get the educational discount. iPad Air carrier deals If you’re after the cellular model and want to buy it on contract, here’s where to look: U.S. carrier deals Verizon: Save $100 with an Unlimited plan and up to $200 when you buy with an iPhone. U.K. carrier deals O2: Get up to 6 months of Disney Plus (or another streaming service); plans start at £28.56 per month, £20 upfront for 1GB data Vodafone: Starting from £27 per month, £30 upfront for 1GB data (but check the details carefully; that’s a 48-month tablet contract and prices will go up) EE: Get 5GB data for £45 per month, with nothing to pay upfront Sky: Get 3GB of data for £28 per month and £12 upfront iPad Air refurbished deals The deals you will see above are generally from Apple resellers rather than Apple itself; the company rarely reduces prices. Apple does, however, sell reconditioned iPads in its refurbished store. So you can grab a bargain that way. The iPads in Apple’s refurbished store may be ex-display stock, or they may have been returned to Apple due to a fault, but they are fully reconditioned now and come with a full year’s warranty. It’s not like buying secondhand. The U.S. refurbished store has a selection that includes: Standard iPad (8th and 9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (4th and 5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) Compared to the original price, you can save as much as $320 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Get a refurbished iPad at Apple's refurbished store (U.S.) In the U.K. you’ll find a similar selection of iPads available from Apple’s refurbished store. You’ll find the following: Standard iPad (9th generation) iPad Air (4th generation) 11-inch iPad Pro (2nd and 3rd generation) 12.9-inch iPad Pro (5th generation) iPad mini (5th and 6th generation) There are savings of £480 on a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, compared to the original price. There is a large refurbished market for the iPad Air. We’d recommend taking a look at these refurbished resellers for iPad Air offers: Amazon AWD Big Phone Store eBay Envirofone Affordable Mac Tech Trade 4Gadgets Handtec Laptops Direct Music Magpie Preloved Smartfone Store See our full guide to buying a refurbished iPad. If you’re interested in one of the other iPads, or just want the best deal, we’re also tracking the best iPad deals if you want to see other top offers. Also, check out our best Apple deals.

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Twitterrific team launches new ‘Tapestry’ iPhone app for Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS, more
The Iconfactory, makers of the now-discontinued Twitterrific app, have today launched the spiritual successor to their Twitter client. Tapestry pulls together feeds from Bluesky, Mastodon, RSS, YouTube, and more into a single timeline. more…

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Apple TV+ debuts trailer for new drama ‘Berlin ER,’ premiering February 26th
Apple TV+ on Tuesday unveiled the trailer for the gritty new German-language series “Berlin ER” (FKA “KRANK Berlin”), the fast-paced drama… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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MacBook Pro is just fine without OLED
Don’t hold off until 2026 getting a new MacBook Pro because you want an OLED display. It won‘t be worth the wait. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Apple wants you to be able to point your iPhone at anything to control it
You shouldn't have to touch devices or tap on apps to control them, says a new Apple patent, you should be able to just wave your iPhone and let it figure out what you want.Detail from the patent showing an iPhone (or "wireless communications device") controlling other devices — image credit: AppleSometimes you can see a clear connection between different Apple patents, and this may be one of them. For Apple was recently granted a patent for what appears to be a remote control for the expected Home Hub — and now it's gone further.In a newly-granted patent called "Controlling Electronic Devices Based On Wireless Ranging," Apple expands its idea to remotely controlling anything from real-life physical devices, to virtual ones. Right now you can control a TV set from your iPhone or unlock a car, but this new patent wants one device that controls everything, and figures out for itself what you want. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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For $5, Adobe’s Acrobat AI assistant will check your contracts before you sign them
Adobe’s Acrobat AI assistant has long had the ability to summarize documents for you, but it now claims to be able to help you make sense of contracts – and catch discrepancies between them … more…

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Say goodbye to unreliable AI — generate fact-checked content with ease
Designed to deliver accurate, SEO-friendly and plagiarism-free content, Katteb produces more than 30 content types in 110+ languages. (via Cult of Mac - Apple news, rumors, reviews and how-tos)

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Parallels Toolbox review: Dozens of fun, handy utilities
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros More than 50 tools and utilities Available for Mac and Windows Slick, easy-to-use interface Cons Requires annual subscription Few users will need all tools Would like to see a backup utility included Our Verdict Among the collection of 50+ tools there are some real gems, like the Clipboard History and video download tools. There’s also a lot of tools you probably don’t need, but someone somewhere does. It’s a shame that a Toolbox now requires an annual subscription (unless you get it as part of Parallels Desktop) but you can take advantage of the 7-day trial to see how useful Toolbox will be for you. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Retailer Price Parallels Toolbox Free 14-day Trial Free View Deal Parallels (1 year, 1 Mac) $24.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Price When Reviewed$24.99 per year Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Parallels Toolbox Free 14-day Trial Free View Deal Parallels (1 year, 1 Mac) $24.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket For several years throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, there was the sheer joy of buying a new computer magazine from the rack or getting the new issue in the mail and seeing that a free CD-ROM had come with it. The CD-ROM generally contained various demos, updates, and free utilities to try out, and as you loaded it onto your Mac and copied everything over to try out later, your geeky heart thrilled to the idea of being able to play with some cool new applications and utilities you otherwise might not have come across. Parallels, makers of the Parallels desktop virtualization software, has kept this alive with Parallels Toolbox, which stands at version 7.0.0 as of this writing (version 7 launched in September 2024). What’s present in Parallels Toolbox is a giant grab bag of small, cool apps that function somewhat as system widgets, but are still unique in their own right. Parallels Toolbox is included in our review of the best cleaner apps for Macs, and for good reason, as it includes a number of tools and features that can help you to fully uninstall apps, and clear out old or duplicate files that are taking up unnecessary disk space. However, there’s a lot more to Toolbox than that simple handful of features. Parallels Toolbox applications number more than 50 tools available in the Files, Audio, Images, Photography, Internet, Screen Capture, System, Time, Utilities, and Video categories. The applications arrive as small downloads and are easy to dive into, with pre-loaded utilities like Uninstall, Download Video, Free Memory, and Clean Drive clamoring for your attention while the Library hints at other nifty apps that can be downloaded and explored. Each tool works like a kind of mini-app that performs one specific task – such as the Free Memory tool, which shows how much memory your Mac currently has free, and which apps that you’re running are using the most memory. Since it first launched as a small collection of utilities that were–and still are–included free of charge along with Parallels Desktop. The app has continued to grow and is now available as a standalone product for both Mac and Windows, with an annual subscription fee of $24.99/£20.99 a year. There’s also a 7-day free trial available so that you can try it out before deciding if you want to buy the full version. Parallels Toolbox tools You can set Parallels Toolbox to run automatically when you start your Mac, and the Toolbox icon will then be displayed on the Mac’s main Menu bar–alongside Time, Volume and other standard Mac controls. This allows you to open a pull-down menu that has two tabs for displaying tools. The Dashboard tab shows some of the most popular tools to help you get started, as well as the tools that you’ve used most recently. There’s also a Library tab that displays the entire list of tools that are available, with additional sub-tabs that sort tools into related groups, such as Video Tools or System Tools. You can tag your favourite tools so that they are added to the Dashboard view for quick access, but many tools can also be placed with their own icons in the Menu bar as well, and there’s also an option to create your own keyboard shortcuts to launch individual tools as well. Find the tool you need for the job in Parallels Toolbox.Foundry A collection of more than 50 tools means that there’s a lot to take in when first getting started but, as mentioned, Toolbox can sort tools into groups to help you find the tools you need. If you’re looking for cleaner tools that can help you to reclaim disk space or fine-tune your Mac’s performance then the Clean Drive tool can locate unnecessary files that are taking up space on your Mac, and also find duplicate files that you may no longer need. Another tool can fully uninstall Mac apps, along with any related files that may be scattered around your Mac’s drive. It can also highlight large files that are taking up a lot of space, such as games that you may not need anymore. Other groups of tools include Video Tools, with options such as Download Video, which can help you to download videos from YouTube and other websites, while Convert Video can convert your video files into different formats for use on an iPhone or iPad, or even into the AVI or WMV formats for Windows devices. The video tools also include options for creating screen recordings and animated GIFs, and there’s a useful Download Audio tool, which lets you just grab the audio track from video files that you find online. Here’s an overview of some of the most useful tools we found: The Uninstall app works as well as can be expected, and while this definitely isn’t completely original on the Mac in this day and age, it allows you to go through a list of installed applications on your Mac, pick and choose what to remove, and reliably strip out both the app and its support files, which comes in handy. Where Download Video is concerned, this actually functions more as a web browser extension than a standalone app, but it’s simple, to the point, and allows you to easily save Internet-based video as well as offers an option for whether or not to save a video’s subtitles. Yes, 4K Video Download offers more options, such as isolating audio and video for download, but this offers something simple and handy and worth trying out. Foundry Clean Drive: Once again, this feels a bit typical/in line with similar utilities being developed by other companies these days, but it offers easy notifications and access as to what’s eating drive space (i.e., log files, cache files, trash, browser data, mail cache, mobile apps, iTunes temp files, iOS device backups, and old updates) and offers a nice level of control as to clearing them out. Clean Drive also offers quick access to the macOS Storage pane, which tends to be overlooked, and allows you to adjust your storage preferences on the fly. Free Memory: Similar to other memory cleaners on the market, this notifies you as to where your Mac’s RAM/Unified Memory is going, which applications are munching up the majority of it, and allows you to mark the amount of free memory in macOS’ Menu Bar, which can be useful. Parallels Toolbox will free up memory on your Mac.Foundry Record Screen: This turned out to be both cool and handy, and after assigning it permission in the Screen & System Audio pane, it allows you to record what’s on screen as a QuickTime movie file and save it to the desktop. You’ll need to tinker with its options to get it exactly how you want it, but it’s impressive nonetheless. Break Time: The Break Time tool tracks time reminds you to get away from your computer every now and then. It is fairly customizable to boot. It’s easy to add your work calendar, customize notification sounds, and tell it to block your screen during breaks, thereby forcing you to actually relax and yank yourself away from a device for once in your life, and that’s appreciated. Yes, it could be a bit more customizable and offer an option to enter more specific numerical times for work and break cycles, but this is off to a good start and succeeds in reminding you to pull yourself away from your Mac throughout the day. Unit Converter: Just a nifty widget that can take just about any numerical unit and convert it into distances, monetary units, or about anything you can imagine on the fly. Yes, other widgets do this as well, but this is easy to pull up and work with and fun to boot. Transform Text: This got me truly into Parallels Toolbox and made me a fan, offering a quick and easy set of text settings that can be readily copied over to other apps and pasted in as desired. Yes, being able to create backwards and upside-down text to send along to friends may seem a bit silly, but this is a fun tool that makes you want to see what else you can come up with. Screenshot Foundry Encrypt: The cool on-the-fly encryption application Hollywood promised but no one ever actually delivered. This allows you to drag and drop files and folders in, and quickly encrypts everything to the .pboxz format, which can be locked to the password of your choice. It’s quick, it’s speedy in both its encryption and decryption functions, and you can designate where the file is saved to as well as save your passwords to the macOS keychain for easy retrieval. Eject Volumes: This ejects all the external volumes mounted on your Mac at once, which can be incredibly convenient, or at least easier than telling a friend or family member to remember to drag a volume to the trash or tell them to click an icon and use Command-E to eject it, which is a conversation I’ve had dozens of times over the years that never got less frustrating. Clipboard History: One of the biggest groups of tools is time-saving Productivity Tools. My personal favourite–which has earned its own spot on my iMac’s Menu bar–is Clipboard History, which can store multiple text and graphics items that you have copied into the clipboard, going back as far as the last 30 days. This is really useful for me when writing and editing articles as it allows me to quickly look back and retrieve text or graphics that I may need to use again. Foundry Focus On: I also like the ability to quickly launch an entire group of apps or files with one click–such as Pages and Photoshop Elements when I’m working on screenshots for reviews–and the Focus On Window tool that reduces distractions by dimming the entire screen apart from the window or app that I’m currently using. Foundry There’s also a useful set of time-management tools, including a countdown timer, and a calendar countdown that counts the days until a specific date. A stop-watch, and the ability to create multiple alarms (which I find much simpler than Apple’s own Reminders app). Not all of these tools will seem essential. The tools for reading and creating barcodes will probably only appeal to a rather niche audience, while the tools for creating screenshots and screen recordings largely seem to reproduce the features that are already built into the macOS itself. In spite of a few things that could be added to the apps in order to improve them, I see this as a playground of interesting utilities that’s easy to play with, enjoy, and dive into. Yes, you can find Apple widgets within macOS and Web-based applications across the Internet that perform similar functions, but this is a well-consolidated library, and it’s fun to watch this grow and evolve over time. Verdict It’s a shame that a relatively modest piece of software such as Toolbox now requires an annual subscription, as that will probably deter quite a few potential users. I do find Toolbox useful–but I get it included with my copy of Parallels Desktop, so I don’t need to pay an additional subscription fee for it. And, incidentally, Parallels Desktop still provides an option to buy that as a one-time purchase without an annual subscription, so it’s disappointing that Toolbox itself is now subscription-only. And, of course, there are many utilities available from other developers that provide similar features. But at least you can download the free trial and see how useful Toolbox is for your own personal work set-up before buying.

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