Mac

Stay up-to-date on the latest Mac news, and tutorials. Get expert tips and tricks to optimize your Mac’s performance and learn about the latest Apple products and software updates. Discover the best Mac apps and accessories to enhance your user experience.

Minimalist clock screen savers for Mac

I like my desk to be clean, and as minimalistic as possible. This of course includes what's on my desk, but also what shows on my computer screen when I'm not actively using it. This is why for the past few months I have opted to use minimalist clock screen savers on my Mac.

Surprisingly, there aren't many options that meet my basic criteria of simplicity and minimalist beauty, but I did find a few that I'll share with you.

Second betas of iOS 10.3.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 now available to public beta testers

Both iOS 10.3.2 beta 2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 beta 2 are now available to the general public via the Apple Beta Software Program. Public betas of iOS 10.3.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 follow their developer-only releases yesterday. If you're enrolled in Apple's public beta program, you should receive the latest iOS 10.3.2 and macOS Sierra 10.12.5 betas through the Software Update mechanism in Settings on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and via the Updates tab in Mac App Store on your Mac.

The best VPNs for iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Amid all the recent conversation about ISPs retaining the legal right to sell your internet usage data, many are contemplating their VPN options so they can mask their internet activity for increased privacy and security.

In this piece, we’ll talk about some of the best VPNs for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Apple could soon let you use iPad Pro with your Mac as a Cintiq-style drawing tablet

In addition to his assertion that Apple has been working on additional MacBook Pro models sans TouchBar, OSNews' managing editor Thom Holwerda also heard from people in the know that all-new iPad and Mac integration could be in the works, too. As part of its planned pro-oriented feature enhancements, Apple is reportedly considering allowing users to hook an iPad Pro up to a Mac so that the tablet can be used as a Cintiq-like drawing tablet for their computer.

Apple apparently working on additional MacBook Pro models without Touch Bar

Thom Holwerda, managing editor of OSnews, heard from “people and sources who know their stuff” that Apple's been working on additional MacBook Pro models without TouchBar. Sources claim the decision to develop new MacBook Pros sans Touch Bar was made because Apple was taken aback by harsh criticism that professional users leveled at the latest MacBook Pro models.

Will the next Mac Pro ship in 2018 or 2019?

Apple has confirmed it's working on a completely rethought, highly modular Mac Pro that won't arrive this year. Thom Holwerda, managing editor of OSNews, is not entirely convinced that the machine will ship next year either.

After talking to people and sources “who know their stuff”, he now suspects we won't see the new Pros before late 2018 or early 2019 given how long it takes to develop a new desktop like a Mac Pro.

Keep in mind that his comments appear to be derived from anecdotal evidence, meaning you should take the story with a grain of salt.

The next Mac mini won’t be so mini anymore

Apple's most affordable Mac starts at just $499. Described as a BYODKM desktop computer (Bring Your Own Display, Keyboard and Mouse), it's just an inch and a half tall and weighs 2.6 pounds.

They're calling it Mac mini and it comes with four USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, HDMI video output, Gigabit Ethernet, an SD card slot and more.

The next Mac mini “won't be so mini anymore.”

That's according to a source, cited by the Pike's Universe blog, that's usually “pretty accurate”. The comment suggests that Apple's next flagship Mac mini model could feature a taller chassis in order to accommodate for more powerful hardware.

Is Apple working on 8K display for its completely rethought Mac Pro?

Apple is working on a “completely rethought” Mac Pro model with a highly modular design, slated for release in 2018, that should cater to the needs of its most-demanding pro users. As confirmed by company executives earlier this week, its engineers are also developing an external display that will launch at some point next year, too.

According to the Pike's Universe blog, the rumored Apple-branded display will feature a massive 8K resolution, giving it twice the pixels of a standard 4K screen and sixty percent more pixels than the 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina display.

New iMacs could sport Xeon E3 chips, ECC RAM, Thunderbolt 3/USB-C, new keyboard & more

Following up on a comment from Apple's Phil Schiller regarding upcoming iMacs with pro-grade features, Pike's Universum today shared a few specifics on what said upgrades might entail. Citing a “pretty accurate” source, the blog claims next-gen iMacs will feature Intel's more powerful Xeon E3 chips with up to sixty-four gigabytes of Error-Correcting Code (ECC) RAM, faster flash storage with capacities up to two terabytes, Thunderbolt 3, USB-C and more.

F-Secure buys Jonathan Zdziarski’s Mac security app Little Flocker

Finnish security company F-Secure announced the acquisition of the Mac security app Little Flocker created by iOS security researcher and former jailbreak developer Jonathan Zdziarski. As we told you, Zdziarski joined Apple’s Security Engineering and Architecture team last month.

Little Flocker offers protection against ransomware, spyware, malware, trojans, back doors, misbehaving applications and other threats to private data stored on your Mac.

Apple is “sorry” about “a pause” in Mac upgrades

A quick look at MacRumors' Buyers Guide is all it takes to realize Apple's neglected its Mac fans with slow upgrades. Part of the problem lies in Apple's heavy reliance on Intel. Making matters worse, the chip maker abandoned its tick-tock release schedule as it's become economically unsustainable.

Perhaps that's why Apple summoned its senior executives Phil Schiller, Craig Federighi and John Ternus for “a small roundtable discussion about Mac” with five journalists (Matthew Panzarino, Lance Ulanoff, Ina Fried, John Paczkowski and John Gruber).

Mac mini is “important” and shall remain a product in Apple’s lineup for the time being

Mac mini is an “important” model in Apple's family of computers and will remain a product in the company's lineup for the time being, said Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller when BuzzFeed's reporter John Paczkowski asked him about the state of the most affordable Mac desktop. He did not say, however, when the small computer might receive a hardware refresh.