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All Things Apple (was MacBook Air, but things evolve...)
@Jeroen said:
Gatekeeper does its thing automatically. I thought Malwarebytes presented a Remove button when it found something it recognised? But its been quite a few years since I used it last. You could try AVG Free?
I suspect various products have changed their practices, so they're giving less away for free. I never got a "remove" button. Only a window for buying theirPremium service. But the info for Premium states they only protect against future malware etc.., so I didn't see any point in paying for something that doesn't say they also do clean-up/removal.
Thanks, I'll try theAVG.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
There are also a number of antivirus products that give 30-day trials. Might be worth a try.
I have a PC and I'm currently using CC-Cleaner. I do not know how good that is. I simply try to avoid "bad websites" but I'm considering maybe getting some other program.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
There are various websites that do reviews and group tests of anti virus products, its worth keeping an eye on these from time to time. On the PC the standard Windows Defender is actually pretty good.
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
There are lots of rumors about the AR/VR headset, but I think ultimately what matters is will people feel drawn to use it? The current VR headsets like Meta’s Quest lack a killer app, a reason that will draw people to buy and use it. Will Apple’s RealityOS provide some insight into this, we will have to wait and see.
@Jeroen said:
Gatekeeper does its thing automatically. I thought Malwarebytes presented a Remove button when it found something it recognised? But its been quite a few years since I used it last. You could try AVG Free?
Here's what AVG (free) says it does. It doesn't list cleaning and eliminating, only protecting.
Block viruses, spyware, ransomware, & other malware in real-time
Yes Yes
Block unsafe links, downloads, & email attachments
Yes Yes
Scan programs and files for threats
Yes Yes
Get automatic security updates
Yes Yes
The paid version does the above plus this:
Secure personal files with an added layer of ransomware protection
Yes
Avoid fake websites for safer payments
Yes
Get anti-phishing protection
Yes
Nowhere does either of them say they clean up and eliminate existing viruses, etc.
Update: I read a review site for anti-virus protection. It listed Intego, which is the one I had years ago, whose name I couldn't remember. I'm leaning toward getting that, but now I'm paranoid about buying it over the 'net, because, knowing that my computer's already compromised, would providing my info & cc #, etc. on their payment form be unsafe? I'm starting to get paranoid. I already encountered a problem today with a notice from the USPS getting wonky on me, with a warning popping up about it being an unsafe site.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited October 2022
There were a few updates to the Apple Store over the last few days (without an Apple Event, shock horror) where new products were released. In short there were a new iPad Pro with M2 processor, an updated base iPad, and a new Apple TV. There was a short video to announce them, here:
Strangely enough from Apple there were a number of missteps. The Apple TV no longer includes a USB cable for charging the remote, the base iPad has a USB port but only works with the Apple Pencil 1st gen which must be charged with Lightning ports and so needs an adaptor, the lowest spec Apple TV no longer includes an Ethernet port, stuff like that. It pays to read the fine print, and it no longer just works, which I think is very inconvenient.
There were also a bunch of price updates, and outside of the USA the iPads in particular got a lot more expensive. Here in the Netherlands the base iPad went from 429 euros to 589 euros. Luckily the old (9th-generation) base iPad is still available at the old price. But compare that to a Samsung Tab A8 for 200 euros.
There were also release dates for iPadOS 16 (with Stage Manager multitasking for M1 and better iPads), tvOS 16 and MacOS 13 Ventura. All coming within a week or so. Ventura has had a decently long beta cycle so most of the bugs should be gone.
Update: I bought the Intego anti-virus protection, with help from the website "chat" window, where a customer service person walked me through the installation, and assured the website was safe. After installation, it cleaned up the junk I'd picked up over the last couple of years; it was nothing serious.
All is well.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
If you’re in the market for a new MacBook, there are some good deals to be had at the moment because new models are being released and there is still stock of the old models in the stores. I heard that someone got a MacBook Air M1 for 623 dollars after trade in and sales discount, which is not bad for a 999 dollar laptop.
Amazon is doing some steep discounts on the M1 MacBook Pro’s.
Really beautiful. It does get "stuck sometimes", something that I would not have expected with an iPad, but I'm satisfied with it
Are we going to get an in-depth review of the tablet and how it compares to an iPad? I’m kind of interested because I am considering replacing my old iPad with a new tablet, and the current high prices for Apple gear in Europe make me wonder if a new iPad is the way to go.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited October 2022
I’ve taken the chance of installing MacOS 13 Ventura on my iMac at version 13.0… I usually wait until version x.1 or x.2, but I’ve followed the beta and release candidate process a bit and it seems pretty stable. I’m keen to have the Photos duplicates-finding functionality, among other things.
It seems to have installed fine and is just busy updating stuff in the background, everything works as expected so far. The installation was unusually quick, downloading and installing together took under 45 minutes for a 6 GB installer.
No sign of the Freeform app yet for collaborative whiteboarding. Guess it will come along later.
One thing I'm missing right now from an iPad / MacBook perspective is the ability to just click and slide things into folders. Not available here. Still, apart from that, the tablet is beautiful, works really well and the pen is really fun to use. Or to slide upwards and have all the winds visible. Here you need to click a button that appears on the corner... but anyway, not a big deal, just my habits...
I've retaken Japanese and calligraphy thanks to this device as I'm saving a lot of ink and paper. When I feel confident with a kanji, I practise writing on rice paper sheets. You might think... but that's so cheap K... yeah, but here deliveries take such a long time that I really need to consider carefully what I use!
The only thing I'm noticing is that is definitively slower, not so powerful as an iPad would be, that is for sure. But for the price difference I'm quite happy.
I also had a few "fights" with the system: learning to disconnect the magnetic "field" or something that kept suspending the tablet when I touched certain corners or moved; and learning how to turn off the tablet. Yes, this was annoying as you need to press the on button and the minus volume button at the same time and sometimes it just goes into suspension. I have to do it manually, but I prefer it: slide down, click settings, power button, off.
Battery is currently lasting almost two days. It has become a good companion, so overall I give it a solid 8/10, maybe even 9 if that means anything I hope I save some electricity because my objective is to do my revision using the tablet and the note making using my computer. As I said, sometimes it does feel a bit slow if you open like, for example, a busy Google Drive document. But apart from that, solid.
Let's hope it lasts a minimum of 5 years now I have to say Apple has spoiled me with those 10 year use lifespans.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited October 2022
The thing is, I’ve been using tablets since the original iPad, so when they were invented, a good ten years. And for me, the tablet as a computer replacement has been only a partial success. A tablet is lighter, more convenient to carry, simpler to use for some things. I use it to do forums, visit my favourite websites, some email.
But I find that for anything that requires more typing, longer pieces of writing and editing, I go to my iMac, because of the desk and keyboard paradigm. For watching tv and movies, I also use the iMac, because it has a bigger screen. For more varied computing tasks, MacOS is a clear winner.
The thing is, forums and web browsing and a little email are about 80% of my computer use, and so I find having a tablet quite convenient, just because I can use it in various places throughout the house. Because of the limited use cases I could probably manage with an Android tablet.
But you’re right that the build quality and software support are less, so it might not last as long.
I use it mostly for Telegram / Reading / YouTube videos and taking notes. Perhaps Zoom / Google Meets in the future.
The rest... I have my juicy PC, but I have to say I really like the entire concept of a tablet. Portable, simple. But using a keyboard to turn into a PC? Why overuse it? I think it could be detrimental to the device's life and capability..
Now I'm very careful in avoiding bad websites and overcharing / letting the battery die at 0. I used and abused a MacBook Pro (typing from my bed, installing huge games (World of Grindcraft) and it lasted almost 10 years.
I'm pretty sure if I do the same to this it will end up dead in 1 year or less.....
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
The thing is, there is a limited lifespan because of software support. When support of the OS on your device ends, you’re on a clock, eventually your web browser certificates are no longer maintained and then you can only access a much reduced set of websites.
There is also a limited lifespan because of hardware — the battery gradually loses its ability to hold a charge, there are no spare parts anymore should a fault develop, websites and apps demand faster processors and more ram, and things break.
Both things to be aware of…
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited October 2022
There was a new ad shared by Apple to mark the fact that you can now subscribe to Fitness+ with just an iPhone (before you needed an iPhone and an Apple Watch). That is, if you happen to be in one of the countries where Fitness+ is available.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited October 2022
Also the Freeform app is coming with MacOS 13.1, the first beta was just shared and it seems to be in good shape. It will also be coming to iPhone and iPad with iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, I heard. Its all part of the new collaboration features which allow you to take an iMessage conversation and use it to initiate a Freeform brainstorming session, and it also links into collaboration via Pages, Numbers and Keynote.
Also I came across a story by one guy who was installing Ventura and suffered a power cut in the middle of the install, and now the screen doesn’t power on anymore when starting up. Scary.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
It seems there won’t be any further hardware releases before the New Year, the new M2 MacBook Pro’s, the Apple Silicon Mac Pro, and a high-end Mac Mini were all anticipated but it looks like they will come in the spring to complete the transition of the Mac to all Apple Silicon chips.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited November 2022
There’s an offer for 2 free months of the Apple TV+ streaming service as a promotion for the Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me docu. Its widely available, valid until 2 December, get it here:
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Version 2 of the Affinity application suite is out now, and theres a time-limited 40% launch discount for buying it. If you’ve ever felt like owning professional photo-editing software, desktop-publishing software, and vector illustration software, then this is probably as cheap as its going to get, the Universal license for all three applications on all platforms is €120.
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
The Greatest, a short film by Apple about how its products are used by disabled people
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited December 2022
MacOS Ventura 13.1 is out, it solves most of the teething problems in 13.0. Also iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, so that all platforms get the Freeform app at the same time.
I've been waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for the updated Mac Mini.They came out with the Studio, but $~2,000 kind of defeats the whole point for me. Now it looks like maybe in the spring. Meanwhile, my 2012 Mini is holding up fine for most of what I do.
Funny, I spend more than Mini-level money on an iPhone, and I certainly don't wait 12 years between upgrades. But then, I spend much more time on the iPhone than on a computer.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
There is an M1 Mac Mini but that came out a couple of years ago. A new M2 Mac Mini might come in the spring, together with the new Mac Pro. Apple have kind of blown the timeline they had given themselves, two years to transition the complete Mac line to Apple Silicon. It looks like being more like three years now, but they had Covid in there, which is bound to have held things up.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited January 2023
Announcement today:
New M2 and M2 Pro Mac Mini (up to 3 displays on the M2 Pro chip), and also new M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro’s. Can be ordered today, shipping next week. Also the new M2 Mac Mini has had a price cut to 599 USD.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
10 good MacOS productivity tips, most of these I had no idea existed but will definitely start using.
JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Also macOS 13.2, with mostly bug fixes, very few new features. So if you haven’t yet upgraded to Ventura, it might be the moment to consider it. And iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Shot on iphone 14 Pro, a 30-minute cinematic short film by an Indian director.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Mail, Calender, Contacts = free (on a Mac)
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook = €299 (on a PC)
And there’s more good Apple-supplied software on Mac, like Garageband, iMovie, Music and TV. All free extra’s. Soon Freeform coming too.
I just wanted to expand on this a little. You get a lot of software for free on a Mac which you’d have to pay a subscription for on a PC. All of this is cloud-ready, and can be used across a range of Apple devices, which is why it tends to be more expensive in a third-party form.
Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Mail, Calendar, Contacts (office suite)
Equivalent: Office 365 Personal (69.99 euros / year)
All of which comes free with yearly updates, which is a value of 389.98 euros a year, or 2729 euros over the updated lifetime of a Mac of about 7 years. And then I’m not mentioning apps like Music, TV, Garageband and iMovie. It just puts the higher cost of the hardware in a bit of perspective.
Of course it is about what you need. Not everyone will need a cross-device, cloud integrated note taking service like EverNote, but the fact that its there on your Mac, iPhone and iPad means the devices are significantly more capable out of the box.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
MacOS 13.3 is out, with some new emoji’s and important bug fixes. While I haven’t encountered anything serious, reports of the forums show that there are still bugs, and that if you want the most stable experience you should update the OS only late in the development cycle, going from one OS at revision X.5 or X.6 to another at X.5 or later.
The most persistent bugs seem to be in handling non-storage USB devices, I sometimes read reports of people not being able to wake third-party screens from sleep or having issues with USB hubs. These kind of things could be in the device, not properly handling messages, or they could be in the OS.
Anyway, if you worry about these kind of subtle bugs or have a lot of USB hubs and devices, waiting to adopt a new OS makes sense.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited March 2023
@Jeroen said:
My mother has finally done the deed, last month she bought a shiny new 16” MacBook Pro with M1 Pro, 16 GB ram and 1 TB SSD. She bought from Coolblue, a large Dutch webshop which has physical stores across the country too, and paid about 500 euros less than the Apple Store price. Way to go mom.
Now that was in October 2022. We are now almost in April 2023.
The irony is, I have spent more time on the laptop than she has. She wanted to migrate the data from her old iMac, but because she bought the new machine online and wasn’t in a store that still has to be done, and she refuses to let me do it while she isn’t there, and she says she never has time because of the care for my stepfather.
With as a result that she does still use the old iMac, and the new laptop, which is more capable and more pleasant to use, gets very little use. Sigh. Not clinging today.
Apples AI (known as iA/A1 internally at Apple HQ) has compromised their iCloud servers. Apple has warned all users not to log into ANY of their devices until further notification …
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@lobster said:
Apples AI (known as iA/A1 internally at Apple HQ) has compromised their iCloud servers. Apple has warned all users not to log into ANY of their devices until further notification …
Have looked into this, could find no trace of such a warning. Looks like a prank…
Upgraded my Xiaomi Redmi (getting really glitchy..) to a Samsung A23. Now this is a fast piece of equipment. It looks very similar to the iPhone too!
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Yeah Samsung A-series phones have a really good feature set for the money. Last time when I bought a phone it was still the case that Android support was rather poor, like two Android versions and one extra year of security updates.
Which meant that an iPhone if you held onto it for its lifetime was not such a bad deal, with six years or so of iOS updates and a couple of years of security updates after that, even though the phone itself is more expensive. Anyway I couldn’t resist the shiny and splurged on an iPhone 13 Pro.
I'm really hoping it lasts 10 years. Realistically though, I know the 6/8 year border will meet the end. I was just tired of cheap phones that after one year they become unusable.
I have been moving away from Apple because I'm exploring Samsung, mainly cost wise, but truth to be said, my MacBook pro from 2018 still runs really well. I also think an iPad would run so much better than my current tablet (S6 Lite 2022 model). Though for what I'm currently using it (reading my uni notes and Dogen) it fulfills its purpose.
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@Kotishka said:
I'm really hoping it lasts 10 years. Realistically though, I know the 6/8 year border will meet the end. I was just tired of cheap phones that after one year they become unusable.
There are two key problems with phone longevity, one is battery life and the other is software support. The battery just slowly degrades, and after a while doesn’t hold enough charge anymore to get through the day, and then you need to get a replacement battery if they still make them for your model phone.
With software, quite a lot of key software like banking apps and digital identity apps only supports the most recent OS version and two earlier ones, so if you no longer get the most recent OS update then within two years you can find your phone is no longer supported.
I’ve owned an iPhone 3G, an iPhone 4S and an iPhone 7, so quite long periods between upgrades of 5-6 years, and often its been the battery and the combined lot of features in a new phone that would eventually persuade me to pull the trigger.
With software, quite a lot of key software like banking apps and digital identity apps only supports the most recent OS version and two earlier ones, so if you no longer get the most recent OS update then within two years you can find your phone is no longer supported.
I’ve owned an iPhone 3G, an iPhone 4S and an iPhone 7, so quite long periods between upgrades of 5-6 years, and often its been the battery and the combined lot of features in a new phone that would eventually persuade me to pull the trigger.
They could prolongue the updates, particularly to good models or all models if possible, aren't we supposed to be consuming less and being more mindful of our resources?
Edit: Any tips to make sure I don't abuse my battery too much?
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@Kotishka said:
They could prolongue the updates, particularly to good models or all models if possible, aren't we supposed to be consuming less and being more mindful of our resources?
Edit: Any tips to make sure I don't abuse my battery too much?
My new-ish iPhone 13 Pro is the first iPhone I’ve had that lasts me two whole days between charges, so that means fewer charge cycles and hopefully better battery health down the stretch. I’ve heard that it’s best to keep the battery charge level between 20% and 80%, but I don’t pay too much attention to that, I just recharge it when I get below 15-20% or so.
@Jeroen
So waiting for it to reach 100% is bad? I thought I had to keep till 100% then disconnect and then connect once it was almost depleted...!
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
Well maybe the remark I read was wrong? I’m not sure there is an optimal way to charge your battery, other than charging to 100% and then using until it goes near zero.
I found a "Protect Battery" option.... I clicked on it. Maybe it is placebo...But I trust...
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
@Kotishka said:
They could prolongue the updates, particularly to good models or all models if possible, aren't we supposed to be consuming less and being more mindful of our resources?
With Android phones it is still pretty variable. Some phone makers like Samsung are now making strides and are saying from the moment of launch the phone will get 4 years of Android updates, but then you may be buying the phone a year or two after it comes out. Also its not all phones, you usually have to check the status of your specific phone model with your manufacturer.
Apple’s service of 6-7 years of iOS updates and then some time of security updates is still the best in the industry. Which for an expensive device is not unreasonable.
Whether flagship phones get better service than the midrange is kind of debatable? The midrange sells better, but the flagship users have more expectations and generate more profit. The low-end phones tend to miss out, unless you pick a very popular model.
The "protect battery" does not allow the phone to charge up to 100%, but stops at 85%. Let's see how this goes. But I will take care of this expensive little guy and try to stretch him as much as I can...
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JeroenLuminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlandsVeteran
edited May 2023
I’ve just been getting some thoughts together on the Apple Watch Series 8, which I got as a gift for my 50th birthday a few months ago. It does a lot of small things well, like receiving phone calls and text messages on your wrist, and it can make an ECG, and it does a good job tracking your heart rate throughout the day and so helping you to keep an eye on your heart health.
As a fitness watch it tries to motivate you to stay active and it allows you to track your workouts. I went on a walking holiday with it and that was quite a pleasant experience, it allowed me to track all my walks and where I was doing strenuous walking and where not.
On the whole, I’ve found it a mixed bag. If you’re used to using a fitness watch and want something more capable, it may suit you very well. If you’re used to normal watches and don’t want to be disturbed you may find it more annoying than anything. I thought in the end its more a gadget than a watch as such.
Is it worth spending 500 euro’s? It really depends if you are into fitness, I think. For most people if you just treat it as a smartwatch it is a convenience thing so that you don’t have to dig out your phone so often. It’s a watch, it’s an extension of your phone, it’s a health and fitness device in one.
Comments
I suspect various products have changed their practices, so they're giving less away for free. I never got a "remove" button. Only a window for buying theirPremium service. But the info for Premium states they only protect against future malware etc.., so I didn't see any point in paying for something that doesn't say they also do clean-up/removal.
Thanks, I'll try theAVG.
There are also a number of antivirus products that give 30-day trials. Might be worth a try.
I have a PC and I'm currently using CC-Cleaner. I do not know how good that is. I simply try to avoid "bad websites" but I'm considering maybe getting some other program.
There are various websites that do reviews and group tests of anti virus products, its worth keeping an eye on these from time to time. On the PC the standard Windows Defender is actually pretty good.
There are lots of rumors about the AR/VR headset, but I think ultimately what matters is will people feel drawn to use it? The current VR headsets like Meta’s Quest lack a killer app, a reason that will draw people to buy and use it. Will Apple’s RealityOS provide some insight into this, we will have to wait and see.
Here's what AVG (free) says it does. It doesn't list cleaning and eliminating, only protecting.
Block viruses, spyware, ransomware, & other malware in real-time
Yes Yes
Block unsafe links, downloads, & email attachments
Yes Yes
Scan programs and files for threats
Yes Yes
Get automatic security updates
Yes Yes
The paid version does the above plus this:
Secure personal files with an added layer of ransomware protection
Yes
Avoid fake websites for safer payments
Yes
Get anti-phishing protection
Yes
Nowhere does either of them say they clean up and eliminate existing viruses, etc.
Update: I read a review site for anti-virus protection. It listed Intego, which is the one I had years ago, whose name I couldn't remember. I'm leaning toward getting that, but now I'm paranoid about buying it over the 'net, because, knowing that my computer's already compromised, would providing my info & cc #, etc. on their payment form be unsafe? I'm starting to get paranoid. I already encountered a problem today with a notice from the USPS getting wonky on me, with a warning popping up about it being an unsafe site.
There were a few updates to the Apple Store over the last few days (without an Apple Event, shock horror) where new products were released. In short there were a new iPad Pro with M2 processor, an updated base iPad, and a new Apple TV. There was a short video to announce them, here:
Strangely enough from Apple there were a number of missteps. The Apple TV no longer includes a USB cable for charging the remote, the base iPad has a USB port but only works with the Apple Pencil 1st gen which must be charged with Lightning ports and so needs an adaptor, the lowest spec Apple TV no longer includes an Ethernet port, stuff like that. It pays to read the fine print, and it no longer just works, which I think is very inconvenient.
There were also a bunch of price updates, and outside of the USA the iPads in particular got a lot more expensive. Here in the Netherlands the base iPad went from 429 euros to 589 euros. Luckily the old (9th-generation) base iPad is still available at the old price. But compare that to a Samsung Tab A8 for 200 euros.
There were also release dates for iPadOS 16 (with Stage Manager multitasking for M1 and better iPads), tvOS 16 and MacOS 13 Ventura. All coming within a week or so. Ventura has had a decently long beta cycle so most of the bugs should be gone.
Update: I bought the Intego anti-virus protection, with help from the website "chat" window, where a customer service person walked me through the installation, and assured the website was safe. After installation, it cleaned up the junk I'd picked up over the last couple of years; it was nothing serious.
All is well.
If you’re in the market for a new MacBook, there are some good deals to be had at the moment because new models are being released and there is still stock of the old models in the stores. I heard that someone got a MacBook Air M1 for 623 dollars after trade in and sales discount, which is not bad for a 999 dollar laptop.
Amazon is doing some steep discounts on the M1 MacBook Pro’s.
My tablet is finally with me.
Really beautiful. It does get "stuck sometimes", something that I would not have expected with an iPad, but I'm satisfied with it
Are we going to get an in-depth review of the tablet and how it compares to an iPad? I’m kind of interested because I am considering replacing my old iPad with a new tablet, and the current high prices for Apple gear in Europe make me wonder if a new iPad is the way to go.
I’ve taken the chance of installing MacOS 13 Ventura on my iMac at version 13.0… I usually wait until version x.1 or x.2, but I’ve followed the beta and release candidate process a bit and it seems pretty stable. I’m keen to have the Photos duplicates-finding functionality, among other things.
It seems to have installed fine and is just busy updating stuff in the background, everything works as expected so far. The installation was unusually quick, downloading and installing together took under 45 minutes for a 6 GB installer.
No sign of the Freeform app yet for collaborative whiteboarding. Guess it will come along later.
One thing I'm missing right now from an iPad / MacBook perspective is the ability to just click and slide things into folders. Not available here. Still, apart from that, the tablet is beautiful, works really well and the pen is really fun to use. Or to slide upwards and have all the winds visible. Here you need to click a button that appears on the corner... but anyway, not a big deal, just my habits...
I've retaken Japanese and calligraphy thanks to this device as I'm saving a lot of ink and paper. When I feel confident with a kanji, I practise writing on rice paper sheets. You might think... but that's so cheap K... yeah, but here deliveries take such a long time that I really need to consider carefully what I use!
The only thing I'm noticing is that is definitively slower, not so powerful as an iPad would be, that is for sure. But for the price difference I'm quite happy.
I also had a few "fights" with the system: learning to disconnect the magnetic "field" or something that kept suspending the tablet when I touched certain corners or moved; and learning how to turn off the tablet. Yes, this was annoying as you need to press the on button and the minus volume button at the same time and sometimes it just goes into suspension. I have to do it manually, but I prefer it: slide down, click settings, power button, off.
Battery is currently lasting almost two days. It has become a good companion, so overall I give it a solid 8/10, maybe even 9 if that means anything
I hope I save some electricity because my objective is to do my revision using the tablet and the note making using my computer. As I said, sometimes it does feel a bit slow if you open like, for example, a busy Google Drive document. But apart from that, solid.
Let's hope it lasts a minimum of 5 years now
I have to say Apple has spoiled me with those 10 year use lifespans.
The thing is, I’ve been using tablets since the original iPad, so when they were invented, a good ten years. And for me, the tablet as a computer replacement has been only a partial success. A tablet is lighter, more convenient to carry, simpler to use for some things. I use it to do forums, visit my favourite websites, some email.
But I find that for anything that requires more typing, longer pieces of writing and editing, I go to my iMac, because of the desk and keyboard paradigm. For watching tv and movies, I also use the iMac, because it has a bigger screen. For more varied computing tasks, MacOS is a clear winner.
The thing is, forums and web browsing and a little email are about 80% of my computer use, and so I find having a tablet quite convenient, just because I can use it in various places throughout the house. Because of the limited use cases I could probably manage with an Android tablet.
But you’re right that the build quality and software support are less, so it might not last as long.
Definitively Jeroen.
I use it mostly for Telegram / Reading / YouTube videos and taking notes. Perhaps Zoom / Google Meets in the future.
The rest... I have my juicy PC, but I have to say I really like the entire concept of a tablet. Portable, simple. But using a keyboard to turn into a PC? Why overuse it? I think it could be detrimental to the device's life and capability..
Now I'm very careful in avoiding bad websites and overcharing / letting the battery die at 0. I used and abused a MacBook Pro (typing from my bed, installing huge games (World of Grindcraft) and it lasted almost 10 years.
I'm pretty sure if I do the same to this it will end up dead in 1 year or less.....
The thing is, there is a limited lifespan because of software support. When support of the OS on your device ends, you’re on a clock, eventually your web browser certificates are no longer maintained and then you can only access a much reduced set of websites.
There is also a limited lifespan because of hardware — the battery gradually loses its ability to hold a charge, there are no spare parts anymore should a fault develop, websites and apps demand faster processors and more ram, and things break.
Both things to be aware of…
There was a new ad shared by Apple to mark the fact that you can now subscribe to Fitness+ with just an iPhone (before you needed an iPhone and an Apple Watch). That is, if you happen to be in one of the countries where Fitness+ is available.
Also the Freeform app is coming with MacOS 13.1, the first beta was just shared and it seems to be in good shape. It will also be coming to iPhone and iPad with iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, I heard. Its all part of the new collaboration features which allow you to take an iMessage conversation and use it to initiate a Freeform brainstorming session, and it also links into collaboration via Pages, Numbers and Keynote.
Also I came across a story by one guy who was installing Ventura and suffered a power cut in the middle of the install, and now the screen doesn’t power on anymore when starting up. Scary.
It seems there won’t be any further hardware releases before the New Year, the new M2 MacBook Pro’s, the Apple Silicon Mac Pro, and a high-end Mac Mini were all anticipated but it looks like they will come in the spring to complete the transition of the Mac to all Apple Silicon chips.
There’s an offer for 2 free months of the Apple TV+ streaming service as a promotion for the Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me docu. Its widely available, valid until 2 December, get it here:
Apple TV+ offer
Version 2 of the Affinity application suite is out now, and theres a time-limited 40% launch discount for buying it. If you’ve ever felt like owning professional photo-editing software, desktop-publishing software, and vector illustration software, then this is probably as cheap as its going to get, the Universal license for all three applications on all platforms is €120.
https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/whats-new/
The Greatest, a short film by Apple about how its products are used by disabled people
MacOS Ventura 13.1 is out, it solves most of the teething problems in 13.0. Also iOS 16.2 and iPadOS 16.2, so that all platforms get the Freeform app at the same time.
I've been waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for the updated Mac Mini.They came out with the Studio, but $~2,000 kind of defeats the whole point for me. Now it looks like maybe in the spring. Meanwhile, my 2012 Mini is holding up fine for most of what I do.
Funny, I spend more than Mini-level money on an iPhone, and I certainly don't wait 12 years between upgrades. But then, I spend much more time on the iPhone than on a computer.
There is an M1 Mac Mini but that came out a couple of years ago. A new M2 Mac Mini might come in the spring, together with the new Mac Pro. Apple have kind of blown the timeline they had given themselves, two years to transition the complete Mac line to Apple Silicon. It looks like being more like three years now, but they had Covid in there, which is bound to have held things up.
Announcement today:
New M2 and M2 Pro Mac Mini (up to 3 displays on the M2 Pro chip), and also new M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro’s. Can be ordered today, shipping next week. Also the new M2 Mac Mini has had a price cut to 599 USD.
10 good MacOS productivity tips, most of these I had no idea existed but will definitely start using.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/10-macos-tips-to-boost-your-productivity.2377679/
Also macOS 13.2, with mostly bug fixes, very few new features. So if you haven’t yet upgraded to Ventura, it might be the moment to consider it. And iOS 16.3 and iPadOS 16.3.
Shot on iphone 14 Pro, a 30-minute cinematic short film by an Indian director.
I just wanted to expand on this a little. You get a lot of software for free on a Mac which you’d have to pay a subscription for on a PC. All of this is cloud-ready, and can be used across a range of Apple devices, which is why it tends to be more expensive in a third-party form.
Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Mail, Calendar, Contacts (office suite)
Equivalent: Office 365 Personal (69.99 euros / year)
Notes (cloud multimedia notes app)
Equivalent: Evernote Personal (69.99 euros / year)
FaceTime (video conferencing)
Equivalent: Zoom Pro (139.99 euros / year)
Freeform (cloud whiteboarding)
Equivalent: Figma Professional (144 euros / year)
Keychain (cloud password manager)
Equivalent: 1Password Personal (36 euros / year)
All of which comes free with yearly updates, which is a value of 389.98 euros a year, or 2729 euros over the updated lifetime of a Mac of about 7 years. And then I’m not mentioning apps like Music, TV, Garageband and iMovie. It just puts the higher cost of the hardware in a bit of perspective.
Of course it is about what you need. Not everyone will need a cross-device, cloud integrated note taking service like EverNote, but the fact that its there on your Mac, iPhone and iPad means the devices are significantly more capable out of the box.
MacOS 13.3 is out, with some new emoji’s and important bug fixes. While I haven’t encountered anything serious, reports of the forums show that there are still bugs, and that if you want the most stable experience you should update the OS only late in the development cycle, going from one OS at revision X.5 or X.6 to another at X.5 or later.
The most persistent bugs seem to be in handling non-storage USB devices, I sometimes read reports of people not being able to wake third-party screens from sleep or having issues with USB hubs. These kind of things could be in the device, not properly handling messages, or they could be in the OS.
Anyway, if you worry about these kind of subtle bugs or have a lot of USB hubs and devices, waiting to adopt a new OS makes sense.
Now that was in October 2022. We are now almost in April 2023.
The irony is, I have spent more time on the laptop than she has. She wanted to migrate the data from her old iMac, but because she bought the new machine online and wasn’t in a store that still has to be done, and she refuses to let me do it while she isn’t there, and she says she never has time because of the care for my stepfather.
With as a result that she does still use the old iMac, and the new laptop, which is more capable and more pleasant to use, gets very little use. Sigh. Not clinging today.
Apples AI (known as iA/A1 internally at Apple HQ) has compromised their iCloud servers. Apple has warned all users not to log into ANY of their devices until further notification …
Have looked into this, could find no trace of such a warning. Looks like a prank…
Oh dear was it April Fools day? Tsk, tsk
🤣😈
Well I bet you looked for it on a Mac, I wrote it on an iPad. Is the naughty corner still available?
Anyone else pranked, pranking?
No pranks over here, but that was a solid one.
Upgraded my Xiaomi Redmi (getting really glitchy..) to a Samsung A23. Now this is a fast piece of equipment. It looks very similar to the iPhone too!
Yeah Samsung A-series phones have a really good feature set for the money. Last time when I bought a phone it was still the case that Android support was rather poor, like two Android versions and one extra year of security updates.
Which meant that an iPhone if you held onto it for its lifetime was not such a bad deal, with six years or so of iOS updates and a couple of years of security updates after that, even though the phone itself is more expensive. Anyway I couldn’t resist the shiny and splurged on an iPhone 13 Pro.
I'm really hoping it lasts 10 years. Realistically though, I know the 6/8 year border will meet the end. I was just tired of cheap phones that after one year they become unusable.
I have been moving away from Apple because I'm exploring Samsung, mainly cost wise, but truth to be said, my MacBook pro from 2018 still runs really well. I also think an iPad would run so much better than my current tablet (S6 Lite 2022 model). Though for what I'm currently using it (reading my uni notes and Dogen) it fulfills its purpose.
There are two key problems with phone longevity, one is battery life and the other is software support. The battery just slowly degrades, and after a while doesn’t hold enough charge anymore to get through the day, and then you need to get a replacement battery if they still make them for your model phone.
With software, quite a lot of key software like banking apps and digital identity apps only supports the most recent OS version and two earlier ones, so if you no longer get the most recent OS update then within two years you can find your phone is no longer supported.
I’ve owned an iPhone 3G, an iPhone 4S and an iPhone 7, so quite long periods between upgrades of 5-6 years, and often its been the battery and the combined lot of features in a new phone that would eventually persuade me to pull the trigger.
They could prolongue the updates, particularly to good models or all models if possible, aren't we supposed to be consuming less and being more mindful of our resources?
Edit: Any tips to make sure I don't abuse my battery too much?
My new-ish iPhone 13 Pro is the first iPhone I’ve had that lasts me two whole days between charges, so that means fewer charge cycles and hopefully better battery health down the stretch. I’ve heard that it’s best to keep the battery charge level between 20% and 80%, but I don’t pay too much attention to that, I just recharge it when I get below 15-20% or so.
@Jeroen
So waiting for it to reach 100% is bad? I thought I had to keep till 100% then disconnect and then connect once it was almost depleted...!
Well maybe the remark I read was wrong? I’m not sure there is an optimal way to charge your battery, other than charging to 100% and then using until it goes near zero.
I found a "Protect Battery" option.... I clicked on it. Maybe it is placebo...But I trust...
With Android phones it is still pretty variable. Some phone makers like Samsung are now making strides and are saying from the moment of launch the phone will get 4 years of Android updates, but then you may be buying the phone a year or two after it comes out. Also its not all phones, you usually have to check the status of your specific phone model with your manufacturer.
Apple’s service of 6-7 years of iOS updates and then some time of security updates is still the best in the industry. Which for an expensive device is not unreasonable.
Whether flagship phones get better service than the midrange is kind of debatable? The midrange sells better, but the flagship users have more expectations and generate more profit. The low-end phones tend to miss out, unless you pick a very popular model.
The "protect battery" does not allow the phone to charge up to 100%, but stops at 85%. Let's see how this goes. But I will take care of this expensive little guy and try to stretch him as much as I can...
I’ve just been getting some thoughts together on the Apple Watch Series 8, which I got as a gift for my 50th birthday a few months ago. It does a lot of small things well, like receiving phone calls and text messages on your wrist, and it can make an ECG, and it does a good job tracking your heart rate throughout the day and so helping you to keep an eye on your heart health.
As a fitness watch it tries to motivate you to stay active and it allows you to track your workouts. I went on a walking holiday with it and that was quite a pleasant experience, it allowed me to track all my walks and where I was doing strenuous walking and where not.
On the whole, I’ve found it a mixed bag. If you’re used to using a fitness watch and want something more capable, it may suit you very well. If you’re used to normal watches and don’t want to be disturbed you may find it more annoying than anything. I thought in the end its more a gadget than a watch as such.
Is it worth spending 500 euro’s? It really depends if you are into fitness, I think. For most people if you just treat it as a smartwatch it is a convenience thing so that you don’t have to dig out your phone so often. It’s a watch, it’s an extension of your phone, it’s a health and fitness device in one.