Items tagged with Macbook
For many people around the world, a common way to protect their privacy and prevent anyone from watching them when they're not aware is to cover the camera lens on their notebook or desktop. People cover lenses of their webcams with all sorts of materials, including tape and other coverings. However, Apple has warned users not to close their MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro with certain types of camera covers installed. Apple reminds users that it designed Mac computers to protect their privacy with an indicator light tell users when the camera is on. If the Mac is closed with a camera cover installed, there is a chance that the display could be damaged because the clearance between the screen...
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Here we are again, folks; the latest chapter in the ongoing "will they or won't they saga" of Apple's inevitable transition to Arm processors for its Mac computers. Today, we're receiving additional information that Apple's Arm conversion will start in 2021, and it comes from a very reliable source. That source is Mark Gurman, who says that the first Mac Arm chip will be based on Apple's upcoming A14 Bionic SoC destined for the iPhone 12 family of processors. Like the A14 Bionic, the Mac-centric processor will be built on TSMC's 5nm process node and will have a total of 12 cores. 8 of them will be high-performance cores (codename Firestorm), while 4 will be efficiency cores (Icestorm). For...
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More than a few Apple MacBook users are reporting serious issues after trying to install the macOS Catalina 10.15.4 supplemental update. One Apple user reports that when attempting to install the update, about halfway through the computer shuts down. What's worse, this user noted that they were left with a bricked 2018 13-inch MacBook. The MacBook owner says that the computer won’t power on and that there is no power, no fans, or another activity when pressing and holding the power button. This same user also says that the MacBook was plugged in and fully charged while updating. An SMC reset did not help the issue. Several other users have posted in Apple's support forum that they also...
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We last visited the long-running saga of Apple's rumored switch from Intel x86 chips to its own Arm chips for Macs back in February. At the time, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Ch Kuo alleged that the first of these new machines would arrive during the second half of 2021. Today, however, we're getting some additional insight into these launches, with Kuo further alleging that "several" Arm-based Macs will launch in 2021 including both laptop and desktop models. Arm-powered desktops haven't really been on the radar for PC manufacturers as power consumption for a device that is constantly plugged in isn't usually as much of a concern for regular consumers. However, Kuo is indicating...
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After winning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for his film "Jojo Rabbit," Taika Waititi threw some comedic shade at Apple's laptop keyboards, saying "they are impossible to write on" and makes him want to go back to using PCs. Incidentally, the film director, writer, and actor was not referring to the troubled history of Apple's keyboards. "Apple needs to fix those keyboards, "They are impossible to write on—they’ve gotten worse. It makes me want to go back to PCs. Because PC keyboards, the bounce-back for your fingers is way better. Hands up who still uses a PC? You know what I’m talking about. It’s a way better keyboard. Those Apple keyboards are horrendous," Waititi...
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Apple may be ready to add a "free" performance boost to its MacBook and MacBook Pro laptops in a future software update according to references found in beta macOS Catalina code. The latest build of the macOS Catalina 10.15.3 beta makes reference to what Apple calls "Pro Mode", and it will apparently be user-configurable. According to 9to5 Mac, the new strings related to Pro Mode can be traced directly to macOS' power management system. With the new strings, Apple provides the following warning for those that attempt to enable Pro Mode: "Apps may run faster, but battery life may decrease and fan noise may increase." There are also options to keep the fans running at a higher RPM until the...
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There is often a risk with being an early adopter of anything, be it a new car model or a new laptop. Apple's latest notebook is the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, and early adopters of that machine are complaining about a couple of annoying issues. One of the issues is speakers that make popping sounds, and the other is display ghosting. Apple is apparently aware of the speaker popping issue according to reports. The intermittent popping sound coming from the speakers of the MacBook Pro is said to be noticeable after audio playback has stopped. The popping sound also reportedly occurs when the audio peaks too high or when the speakers are switched on and off. Some owners of the new Mac say that they...
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The hits just keep coming for Apple and its butterfly keyboard design that debuted back with the 2015 MacBook. A U.S. District judge nixed Apple's request to have a class action lawsuit brought against it over keyboard issues dismissed. As we have discussed on numerous occasions, the keyboards have been plagued with reliability issues, including keys that become stuck or fail completely after regular use. In some cases, a single speck of dust is enough to "kill" a key, resulting in an expensive keyboard replacement. Over the years, Apple has made refinements to the keyboard -- including the use of a silicone membrane to prevent debris from entering the key mechanism...
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What do Hollywood, Apple users, and Google Chrome share in common? A wave of unbootable MacBooks and Mac Pros. A Google Keystone update was able to damage certain Mac files and shut the affected devices down unexpectedly. This past week, several Hollywood film editors reported that their Mac devices were unable to reboot. Affected Apple users included the video editing team of ABC’s Modern Family. Many of these film editors use Avid Media Composer software and initially believed that a software bug or virus was to blame. Google later confessed that a Chrome update was the real culprit. Google Keystone Bug Most Mac devices include “SIP” or “system integrity protection”....
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After letting its entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro languish for the past two years without any major updates, Apple is finally "making it rain". Just in time for Back to School season, the base 13-inch MacBook Pro is gaining a number of features previously reserved for its more expensive siblings. Standard equipment now includes a True Tone display, the T2 security chip and the Touch Bar (which includes Touch ID). The last addition might be sad news for those Apple fans that hate the Touch Bar (admittedly, it's more of a gimmick than actually being useful) and love the traditional function keys on the top row. Apple has also updated the internal hardware, as the previous "old hat" 7th generation...
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Apple just can’t seem to get it right when it comes to the keyboards on its MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro family of laptops. Even though the company is currently on the third-generation of its “butterfly key” keyboard design, customers are still complaining of premature failures. With that being said, the process of replacing a defective keyboard is not a simple one, and requires removing the whole top panel of the notebook (which includes the integrated battery). Not only is it time extensive – currently requiring a few business days for the machine to be shipped off-site, repaired, and then sent back – but it is an expensive repair (for Apple) as it’s...
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When Apple launched its slimmed down MacBook family back in 2015, the device was praised for its compact frame and light weight, but one of the biggest criticisms was leveled at its expansion options. Or rather, lack thereof. The MacBook (to this day) only comes with a single USB-C port that is used both for charging and for connecting peripherals. So, if you want to, for example, power your MacBook while plugging into an external HDD or SDD, you’d need a hub. The folks over at Hyper have gotten in on the April Fools’ pranks that it says will be the “Mother of All USB-C Hubs.” Called, the HyperDrive Ultimate Ultimate Hub, would be seen as the ultimate docking...
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Keyboards aren’t an unknown quantity in the PC realm; we’ve been using them to input data into our computers for decades, and Apple seemingly was at the top of its game with keyboard design for its notebooks – that is until the 2015 MacBook and 2016 MacBook Pro redesigns occurred. A new report from The Wall Street Journal’sJoanna Stern indicates that Apple still has not exorcised its keyboard demons. Stern is already experiencing key failures on her new MacBook Air, which was redesigned late last year. That’s a relatively short span of time to begin seeing hardware failures on a brand-new piece of hardware. Stern rather interestingly highlighted...
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Tell me if you've heard this one before -- Apple is developing its own Mac processors in an effort to bring more hardware design in-house and to avoid Intel's oft-delayed product roadmaps. That rumor is once again making the rounds, and this time it's coming from Intel employees. A new report from Axios is suggests that Intel officials have privately confirmed to it that Apple will begin making the shift to its own ARM processors starting in 2020. Intel has a lot to lose if/when Apple begins shifting from Core and Xeon processors to its own designs, as Apple is one of its biggest customers. Couple that with the fact that Apple is also rumored to be working on its own...
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Apple has caught some heat designing increasingly thinner and lighter MacBook Pro systems seemingly at the expense of a proper typing experience, and there was even a class action lawsuit filed last year because of it. The underlying issue is the redesigned butterfly keyboard. Apple has taken measures to improve the typing experience, but looking ahead, it might scrap the butterfly keyboard altogether and replace it with glass panel plank. What seems to be causing all the fuss with the current design is that dust particles manage to creep inside, causing they keys to malfunction. This has led to a higher-than-usual failure rate. MacBook owners have also been frustrated that even when they have...
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A class-action lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California accuses Apple of using literally dirty design tactics with its iMac and MacBook computer systems. More specifically, the lawsuit alleges that some iMac and MacBook owners report "consistent problems with dark smudges on their screens" and other problems stemming from a lack of any dust filters. Image Source: Hagens Berman "The computer intakes air to cool its components, but with no filter, dust gets trapped inside. This affects the screen and logic board of the computer, leading to dust stuck behind the screen and gummed up motherboards, causing the computer to run slow and/or overheat," Hagens Berman,...
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Black Friday has come and gone, and for those who didn't brave the crowds to pick up goodies last week and over the weekend, you still have a chance today to score some deals. Cyber Monday is here, and this is the time when online retailers discount their goods to entice shoppers. Best Buy has some terrific deals going on right now that are good for today only. One of the deals is for a MacBook Air for $200 off making the 13.3-inch MacBook Air with an Intel Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage $999.99. You also get three months of Apple Music in that deal. If you want a MacBook, Best Buy is offering $200 off some of those machines as well with a 12-inch MacBook with an Intel Core M3,...
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Mac fans looking for some deals on laptops for Black Friday may have an early jump on the shopping season, with savings up to $650 off Mac laptops right now. The biggest savings comes at B&H with the Apple 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar in space gray or silver for $2,149, that is a discount of $650 on the mid-2017 model. Specs on this machine include a 2.9GHz Core i7 quad-core processor, 16GB of 2133 MHz RAM, 512GB SSD, and AMD Radeon Pro 560 graphics with 4GB of RAM. This MacBook has a 15.4-inch 2880 x 1800 Retina display and can be purchased here directly from B&H. If you want a MacBook Pro that is a bit more portable and costs less to boot, B&H also has a deal going...
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Macs used to have a persona of "no viruses or hacks" with many feeling like the MacBook and other Apple computers were more secure and therefore better than Windows counterparts. This was a long-running argument in PC enthusiast circles and despite ample evidence that Macs are vulnerable to attacks, some still feel that the Mac is immune to most of the hazards posed to a Windows user. Apple's latest 2018 MacBook models certainly aren’t immune from significant issues and flaws right out of the box. The high-end Core i9 version was hampered by thermal throttling out of the box that Apple blamed on a flaw in macOS, and a patch was later issued. Researchers at the Black Hat security conference...
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Intel is nearly ready to roll out a new family of low-power Core Y-Series processors, and they could find their way into a number of popular devices in the coming months. There are three processors SKUs that have been revealed, and they all fall under the Amber Lake family. According to Romanian website NextLab501, the three processors will officially launch during the third quarter and are considered part of the 8th generation Core family. All three processors are dual-core parts, HyperThreading-enabled, and incorporate Intel HD Graphics 615: Core m3-8100Y Base Clock: 1.1GHz All-Core Boost: 2.7GHz Single-Core Boost: 3.4GHz Core i5-8200Y Base Clock: 1.3GHz All-Core Boost: 3.2GHz...
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In May word was going around that noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was leaving KGI Securities and the world of Apple rumors behind. While he did, in fact, leave KGI, he is still prophesying things all things Apple and is back with a new rumor. Kuo is now at TF International Securities and has published an investor note that outlines what he expects to see in the fall hardware lineup from Apple. Perhaps the biggest news is that long after Tim Cook promised the Mac mini would remain part of the lineup as the cheapest Mac, it will finally get a performance update. Sadly, if you are dying for details on that Mac mini there are no hardware predictions offered. Other tidbits Kuo predicts include...
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One of the things that was rumored early on to turn up at Apple's WWDC last month were refreshed MacBooks running Intel Coffee Lake processors. Those refreshed Macs didn’t happen leaving many Apple fans disappointed. Now, however, a new MacBook Pro model with an Intel Coffee Lake processor has turned up on Geekbench giving Mac fans hope that refreshed hardware is coming. The Geekbench entry was logged this week and lists a "MacBook Pro 15,2" model notebook that packs inside an Intel Core i7-8559U processor. That CPU is a 28W part with a 2.7GHz base frequency. The turbo frequency for the chip is 4.5GHz. Other specs called out in the benchmark results include 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM running at...
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