Macworld Achievement badges are a funny thing. You know theyre just a simple little bit of visual flair, they dont even do anything, and yet for some reason you just have to collect them. Achievements are great motivators, and the achievement badges for the activity tracking on the Apple Watch have inspired many users to get more exercise. If you want to maximize your badge count, youre going to want to chase down as many activity achievements as you can. Most are available year-round, but there

Macworld Whether you have a MacBook Air or a Mac mini, you can always use more ports. And todays deal turns one port into seven with this ultra-portable dock on sale for a whopping 60 percent off: Amazon is selling the Baseus 7-in-1 USB-C Docking Station for $16 , a savings of $23 and the best price weve ever seen. This mini portable dock connects to your Mac with a single built-in USB-C cable and adds seven ports: HDMI, three USB-A ports, an SD/TF card slot, and USB-C PD. The HDMI port can powe

Macworld Following a brief sojourn at the top of the table, Apple has dropped down to the number-two spot (by units shipped) in the global smartphone market. According to IDCs figures for the first quarter of 2024, Samsung has moved back to the top position with 60.1 million shipments, a market share of 20.8 percent. Apple is in second place with 50.1 million (17.3 percent) while the Chinese firm Xiaomi sits in third place with 40.8 million units and a share of 14.1 percent. Samsung outperformed

Macworld Son, your mother and I want to talk to you about AI. No, dont get up. Look, we dont want you to learn about it on the streets. Because its an ugly business. The Macalope probably doesnt have to detail the many problems with AI. First of all, its a misnomer. Calling todays large language models artificial intelligence is like calling the first combustion engine a warp drive. Second, much like a coal furnace, all these various constructs have to be fed a corpus of content in order to be a

Macworld Microsoft 365 puts all the most useful apps you and your family need in the cloud, so you can tap into them anywhere. This Microsoft 365 Family subscription gives you 15 months of access for six people, with an extra 20% off with code ENJOY20 through April 21. Microsoft 365 gives you access to the full-featured versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, PowerPoint, and more, offering productivity apps in use by companies across the world. You also get other tools like the video editing suite

Macworld While Apple silicon has done great things for the Mac, Apple has yet to settle on a predictable update cycle for its Mac lineup. Along with shifting release schedules, each generation of chips has skipped a model without a clear reason why. The Mac Pro and high-end Mac mini never got the M1 chip. The iMac completely skipped the M2. And the M3 hasnt made it to the Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. But a new report claims the M4 will finally put the entire Mac lineup on a level playing f

Macworld iPhone owners feeling skeptical about the reliability of AI may be pleased to hear that Apples take on the technology will probably work on device rather than via the cloud. Initially, at any rate. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman made the revelation in the Q&A portion of this weeks Power On newsletter . As the world awaits Apples big AI unveiling [at WWDC ] on June 10, it looks like the initial wave of features will work entirely on device, he said (via MacRumors ). That means theres no

Macworld Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but its cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too. Big news Its been a rollercoaster ride for the iPhone SE since the glory days of the second-gen model from 2020, with rather more downs than ups. But now, based on a series of unex

Macworld Youve spent hours working on an Excel workbook on a MacBook, but now its gone. Or, when you exit an Excel file, you unintentionally select Dont Save. Is this to say that your entire effort has been in vain? This article systematically explains how to recover lost Excel files on a Mac . With our 4 methods, you can recover unsaved Excel files quickly. After selecting the Dont Save option or shutting down the MacBook without saving files, the Excel file vanishes on the Mac. Then, you shoul

Macworld Of the big Apple events of the year, WWDC is the most reliable: In each of the past 17 Junes, like clockwork, Apple has held a big get-together for its developer partners and announced a raft of important software updates. The September iPhone launch and the March/April spring event (which didnt happen in 2023) seem almost unpredictable by comparison. In this article, we list the major announcements (and some of the smaller titbits) you can expect to hear about at WWDC 2024. Some of the

Macworld With the release of the M3 MacBook Air about a month ago, Apples laptop lineup became up-to-date, with each MacBook sporting some version of the M3 chip, the latest in Apple silicon. So, now it should be time for the other shoe to drop: the updates to the desktop Mac lineup. But of the four models in Apples desktop Mac lineup, only one has an M3 chip, the iMac . That update came five months ago after a two-year wait, and we dont even know if the rest of the lines are going to get an upd

Macworld Microsoft is a world leader in tech because of its vast range of useful applications and software solutions. For those who are interested in a variety of the most popular selections, you can save with this limited-time bundle deal. Through April 16th at 11:59 PM PT only, you can save on this Ultimate 2019 Microsoft Bundle featuring Microsoft Office, Visio, and Windows with code ENJOY20 bringing the rate down to $79.99 (reg. $927). Project Professional features pre-built templates and da

Macworld How do you get someplace youve never been? No trick question here you need a map. Its the same answer for if youre trying to reach a goal or deal with complex data sets, but in that case, you need a diagram. Fortunately, Microsoft Visio Professional 2021 is the necessary tool for creating crisp, easy-to-understand visuals, and lifetime access is only $23.99 (reg. $249) with code ENJOY20 through April 16. Whether youre an architect or analyst, you can use Visios over 250,000 shapes and

Macworld Apples M3-series MacBook Pro was released in the fall of 2023, but Apple has seemingly put the laptop on a more frequent update cycle, with reports of an M4 MacBook Pro hitting the rumor mill. Well see more rumors between now and the M4 MacBook Pro release. This article will keep track of whats being reported, as well as offer a perspective based on Apples current lineup. MacBook Pro M4: Release date Apple has yet to make a big impression in the AI market, which is sizzling hot right no

Macworld Mac security software adds another layer of protection to what Apple already provides, with features that can help to protect your identity, passwords, and financial details. These are the things that criminals are after, and theyll often use cunning ways to extract them rather than spending time trying to break past Apples defenses in macOS. Although some of the packages here are solely focused on macOS, others will also protect Android and Windows devices you might also own, and that

Macworld Its been a long time since you could only buy aniPhonedirectly from Apple or from AT&T. Today, they are offered by all major carriers and big retailers, many of which try to entice you with special deals. Of course, you can still buy from Apple directly , either in-store or online, but the lowest prices can generally be found elsewhere. If you havent yet put in your order for aniPhone 14oriPhone 14 Pro, this article will help you to spend as little money as possible. We provide a summar

Macworld If youre looking for an iPhone but dont want to spend a fortune, the third-gen iPhone SE , Apples cheapest current handset, is the phone for you. It features a powerful processor (the A15, which also appeared in the flagship iPhone 13 Pro from 2021) at an affordable price, starting at $429 in the U.S. or 429 in the U.K. For a phone thats even cheaper, however, you may want to consider the second-gen iPhone SE from 2020. Apple no longer sells this device itself, but other vendors may sti

Macworld If youre looking to buy an iPhone 12 (or 12 mini, 12 Pro, or 12 Pro Max), make sure you get a terrific deal. Following the iPhone 15 launch, retailers will be looking to clear out any remaining stock; until they do, you can expect great deals on the iPhone 12 range, whether SIM-free or on contract. There are some great discounts on refurbished models too. In this article we look at every major retailer and contract provider to find the best deals for the iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 1

Macworld Its been a long time since you could only get aniPhonedirectly from Apple or from AT&T. Today, they are offered by all major carriers and big retailers, and many of them want to entice you to buy with them by offering special deals. Of course, you can still buy from Apple directly , either in-store or online, but you can probably find a lower price elsewhere. Thats particularly relevant if youre looking at devices that Apple itself no longer sells. The company still sells the iPhone 13

Macworld Google this week announced that its suite of AI-based photo-editing tools will imminently be available to all Google Photos users without a subscription. In the past, many of these features were restricted to Googles own hardware; Magic Editor, for example, initially launched on Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, while Magic Eraser started out as a Pixel 6 exclusive. But this development means iPhone owners can enjoy access to the same tools without having to switch to an Android handset. And wit

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Inductive charging abd magnetic hold on iPad Two different tips at both ends Available in five colors Cons Serious lag with Adobe Photoshop Our Verdict The Pro Stylus 2 is a good alternative to the Apple Pencil. It attaches magnetically to the iPad Air and iPad Pro and is charged at the same time. The Pro Stylus 2 also performs perfectly wellunless youre using Adobe Photoshop. Price When Reviewed $79.99 Best Prices Today: Zagg Pro Stylus 2 Retailer Price

Macworld I was recently visiting my parents when I got the dreaded question: I think my Mac has a virus but I thought Macs didnt get viruses? They were obviously a little concerned and somewhat embarrassed that they could have allowed something to happen to their Mac. First off: yes, your Mac can get a virus , though it is still somewhat rare. After all, there are far fewer viruses in the wild to attack macOS than Windows, and way more PCs than Macs in the world. But there are Mac attacks in the

Macworld Even non-coders probably know how important Python is to the tech ecosystem, but what you may not know is how easy it is to learn with the right training. The 2024 Python for Software Engineering Bundle is the perfect entry point for self-starters, with a focus on hands-on education. In these seven online courses youll get a quick but thorough introduction to the basics that allows you to grasp operators and object-oriented programming in general. For there, its a short leap to a step-

Macworld Most credit-card and debit-card numbers are a sequence of 16 digits, with the final number in the sequence being a checksum, or a calculated number that was once useful in checking that a card number provided was legitimate. Card numbers can easily be stolen in a lot of ways, including thieves obtaining lists of numbers that were issued through people working in the industry, subverting databases, or even hijacking websites and intercepting data. One technique to reduce the misuse of ca

Macworld Your iPhone 15 finally comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable that can charge all of your devices, but you still need a power adaptersomething small, portable, reliable, and fast. Weve got the perfect one for you: Amazon is selling Apples 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter for $40 , a savings of $19 (when you click the coupon on the page) and the lowest price weve ever seen. This power adapter is a little pricey at $59, but for $40 it checks all the boxes: a compact design, downward-f

Macworld A month ago, we told you about the release of Speedometer 3.0 , a new web performance testing benchmark that aims to provide a more fair and representative measure of how a web browser performs at modern web tasks. Unlike earlier versions of Speedometer, which were made more or less by Apples WebKit team, version 3.0 is made in a collaboration between Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Mozilla with a new governance model to agree upon what tests are important representations of the modern we

Macworld Apple plans to make a big splash with its Mac releases this year. According to Bloombergs Mark Gurman, the Mac will get an overhaul with an M4 chip that is designed with big AI enhancements. Gurman reports that every Mac model will be updated with an M4, which will come in at least three main varieties. Gurman states that the new wave of AI-enhanced Macs could start later this year and continue into 2025. The AI-enhanced M4 rollout begins with the MacBook Pro, the Mac mini, and iMacs. I

Macworld The M2 Max and Ultra Mac Studio were released at WWDC23 last June, and the M3 era of Apples System on a Chip started last November. So, with WWDC24 creeping up on us, its time to start looking forward to the next Mac Studio. The rumors will start to increase as June 2024 approaches, and whatever is reported now can change (and likely will) before the new Mac Studio is released. Well keep track of whats being said in this article. Update 4/11/24 : Apple is reportedly testing a Mac Studio

Macworld Apple on Wednesday alerted certain users in 92 countries that they may have been the target of spyware. As reported by TechCrunch , the email that was sent said, Apple detected that you are being targeted by a mercenary spyware attack that is trying to remotely compromise the iPhone associated with your Apple ID -xxx-. Apples message specifically points out that this is a targeted attack on specific users, not a widespread one on the masses. This attack is likely targeting you specifica

Macworld VPN services can give you online privacy, unblock regional content on streaming services like Netflix, iPlayer, Max, and Prime, and allow you to access websites that arent available in your region. They are also an essential tool if you have a MacBook and want to securely connect to open Wi-Fi networks in cafes, hotels, airports and other places. We can help you find the cheapest VPN to suit your needs. Choosing which VPN service to subscribe to can be difficult and this is compounded b

Macworld Apples list of currently available content for Apple TV+ continues to grow, and so does the list of upcoming projects in the works. Films, limited series, specials, and multi-season seriesApples got lots of irons in the fire.d Some of these projects have been officially announced and acknowledged by Apple, while others have been reported by the Hollywood press, which always has its ear to the ground about what projects actors, directors, and producers are involved in. Weve divided this

Macworld It probably wont surprise anyone that the iPhone 16 will have some minor differences from the iPhone 15. Slimmer bezels, a slightly different arrangement of cameras on the back, a new processor, and so on. Now, a pair of new rumors gives us some possible insight into other changes from last years iPhone. First, we have a leaker from Chinese social media site Weibo with an unproved track record who claims to have battery figures for this years iPhone 16 models (compared to the iPhone 15

Macworld According to a report by DigiTimes (subscription required), chip maker TSMC is on schedule with its 2nm manufacturing process, which could mean that Apple will start using 2nm chips as soon as next year. TSMC may be able to start trial runs of 2nm later this year, with small production runs following that, and larger production starting later in 2025. The timing seems to indicate that the A19 processor in the 2025 iPhone Pro would be the first 2nm chip. That could be followed by a 2nm M

Macworld Following an apparent delay due to production difficulties, Apples much-anticipated iPad refresh is now expected to take place in early May. And the odds on the announcements including a new iPad Pro with an OLED display just got a lot better, thanks to the discovery of giveaway code in the latest iPadOS beta. As first spotted by 9to5Mac , the beta of iPadOS 17.5 contains references to both unreleased iPads and new display firmware. There are four identifiers that dont match any current

Macworld Lumafield, a company that makes industrial CT and X-ray scanning software and equipment for designers, has a fascinating blog post and YouTube video comparing the internal structures of the Apple Vision Pro and Metas Quest 3 and Quest Pro. The catch is that these arent your everyday took them all apart teardowns, but rather comparisons of high-resolution industrial CT scans. You get a good sense, especially in the YouTube video , of how these products were arranged and designed differen

Macworld Ive long been a user of the 2019 Intel Mac Pro . I firmly believe it is one of the best, most upgradable products Apple has ever released. And even with a new M2 Ultra-equipped Mac Pro on the market, Im not giving up my 2019 Mac Pro just yet. To be clear, Im not recommending that you go buy this discontinued product. Generally, most users should not consider an Intel Mac Proor Apple silicon Mac Pro for that matter. A Mac Studio with the M2 Ultra can do whats needed in most key areas. Th

Macworld How much difference does a powerful operating system make? Ask anyone whos trying to operate without one. Whether youve been waiting to upgrade your current PC or start a new one on the right foot, theres never been a better time. If you have a Windows device that could use a boost, now may be the perfect time to upgrade your OS. Microsofts most up-to-date OS , Windows 11 Pro, is now on sale for only $31.99 with code ENJOY20 through April 16. Windows 11 Pro offers a user-friendly experi

Macworld If you are concerned about your privacy and security online using a VPN could give you some reassurance. Apple provides various measures in macOS that make Macs more secure , but if you want to ensure that the connection between your Mac and the internet is protected, rather than the computer itself, you need a VPN. Using a VPN essentially makes you invisible on the webyour data is encrypted, your IP address is hidden, and you can even make it look like you are surfing from another coun

Macworld Apple updated its entry-level iPhone in March 2022, adding a few nips and tucks here and there along with a quiet price increase. It kept the Home button and small form factor that appeals to some, but the aging design and minimal upgrades meant the new iPhone SE was coolly received by the masses, with many looking forward to the next generation and reviewers hoping Apple was planning a more radical overhaul of the device. Right on cue, rumors are now starting to appear about what that

Macworld Long after the project was cancelled for undisclosed reasons, Apples unreleased AirPower charger remains a fascinating glimpse of how things could have been. And even now, were learning new things about the product and its capabilities . A short video clip posted to Twitter/X on Sunday suggests, in fact, that it could successfully charge an Apple Watch. An Apple Watch Series 4 is placed on a prototype of the AirPower charger, and begins to charge. Prototype Apple AirPower with 16 coils

Macworld If youre a professional photographer or designer you need editing software that provides precision and control over your images, as well as support for editing RAW files and multi-layer editing tools. The popularity of selfies and smartphone photography in recent years has given rise to dozens of affordable photo-editing programs aimed at amateur photographers. While these free (or low-cost) apps are great for people who simply want to smarten up their selfies or holiday snaps, they may

Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros Easy to create a whitelist of safe/protected files and folders within the macOS. Robust Total Defense Shield and Safe Files features allow for an impressive level of protection against malware and ransomware efforts. Good user interface and layout. Cons Left chunks of known malware in place during testing. TrafficLight anti-phishing add-ons seem almost ineffective for Safari users, allowing access to highly questionable websites. Excessively long initial

Macworld The Vision Pro is an odd duck. (What else would you do with an odd duck than strap it to your face?) Its a device thats largely defined by its experiences, from spatial computing to immersive video and memories. But Apple hasnt exactly bombarded Vision Pro owners with them, and the few that have arrived lately have been hit-and-miss. Major League Baseball shipped an update to its visionOS app just in time for opening day and it hit for the cycle, if by hitting for the cycle you mean str

Macworld At a Glance Expert's Rating Pros Simple to use No device limits Some Mac performance hiccups Cons Slower on OpenVPN Our Verdict SurfShark is a great VPN option thats as easy to use as the best of them, while maintaining security across an unlimited number of devices something we dont see often. As with the likes of NordVPN, it leans heavily on two-year pricing, which can be problematic when VPN legislation and privacy protocols can regularly wax and wane. Price When Reviewed From $2.39

Macworld For about as long as anyone can remember, people have been trying to use the impressive power and always-in-your-pocket traits of iPhones to play games for old consoles like GameBoy. Emulating the functions of the chips in old consoles is perfectly legal, but distributing the games themselves (usually called ROMs) is often not as they are protected by copyright. Apple has never allowed these apps in the App Store, though. So those making retro console emulators for iPhone have had to ma

Macworld At a Glance Expert's Rating Pros Incredibly easy to use Great downloadable apps Plenty of server options Cons Pricing heavily weighted toward two-year plans Our Verdict NordVPN is a fully featured VPN option thats secure, easy to use, and unbelievably fast compared to its competitors. Our only concern is its pricing structure, and while two-year contracts arent the worst thing in the world, theres potential for it to rise after that time. Other than that, NordVPN is an easy VPN to recom

Macworld Apple fans may be excited about the idea of an Apple robot following every step you take in your home. However, it seems like a pie in the sky and theres another idea that is a lot more realistic. According to Bloombergs Mark Gurman, Apple is looking into ways to expand its presence in the smart home market, and one way it could do it is to make a new Apple TV with a built-in FaceTime camera . The device would also introduce new gesture controls the user can perform. While you might be

Macworld The long-awaited iPad refresh is now expected to happen in the second week of May, with a trusted leaker predicting that the launch will probably take place in the week of May 6. In the April 7 edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman reiterates his earlier prediction that we can circle early May for the eagerly awaited unveiling of new iPad models. (Near the end of March Gurman cited people with knowledge of the matter in predicting that the devices would ship

Macworld The next version of the Mac operating system, macOS 15, is expected to make its debut at Apples Worldwide Developers Conference , which kicks off with a keynote on June 10. After a beta period, the official release occurs in the fall. Rumors of what macOS 15 will entail are scarce as usualbecause software development doesnt rely on third-party production and manufacturing like hardware does, rumors about macOS dont happen often. But when rumors do leak, they will be tracked in this arti

Macworld More than two years after Apple launched the 3rd-gen iPhone SE at the Peek Performance event, we were starting to give up hope that a new model was ever going to arrive. But some recent rumors piqued our interest, while the latest leak has our full attention. According to a Weibo account (via LIANDR on X ), the iPhone SE 4 will arrive in the first quarter of 2025, matching the timing of the iPhone SE 2 (April 2020) and iPhone SE 3 (March 2022). However, while well have to wait a full ye