I'm a Mac user, and a macOS fan, and I like Apple's industrial design, but the chatter of a return of the SD card slot to upcoming MacBook Pro laptops has me muttering a silent prayer of thanks. It feels like we've been languishing in dongle hell for many years now, and while Apple wasn't alone in betting on a tech future dominated by a single port, it's certainly been the most stubborn about that.
The sheer impressive power of the Apple Silicon M1 processor has made developers, hackers, and tinkerers daydream about possible use cases beyond what Apple intended or would even allow. Some have already gotten Windows to run on it, in a virtualized environment fashion, of course. Now a few security researchers have also figured out how to run Linux directly on the hardware, albeit with a few catches that could still make it not that useful for a daily driver for Linux users.
One of the main tasks that many people perform on computers is playing various types of media. To support media playback, PCs and Mac computers need media players, and one of the most popular multi-platform media players is called VLC. The macOS version of VLC has received a significant update adding full support for the new M1 Mac computers.
Apple's M1 Silicon opened the doors for more iOS and iPadOS apps to run on macOS beyond the very few supported by Mac Catalyst on Intel-based Macs. Unsurprisingly, some consider the doors still not opened wide enough as some apps are still unavailable from the Mac App Store. That has pushed some to look for a workaround that allowed them to install almost any iPhone or iPad app on M1 Macs. Unfortunately for them, Apple has now closed that window, perhaps for good.
Apple's Mac reinvention looks set to crank into high-gear in 2021, with new reports suggesting a huge change to the iMac is imminent along with Mac Pro and display news. The Cupertino company promised in mid-2020 that, over the course of two years, it would completely transition its Mac computer line-up to use its own Apple Silicon chipsets, shifting away from Intel processors.
You might be getting tired of hearing about how powerful and capable the Apple Silicon M1 is so here's yet another proof of that. Granted, being able to run Windows apps is already concrete evidence, let alone running Windows 10 itself. Still, gaming console emulation has always been a rather tricky matter, especially considering how it's not officially and directly supported, which is why this first successful attempt at running a Nintendo Switch game on an M1 Mac, even if short-lived, is already a huge milestone in that direction.
Of all the reasons to be excited by Apple Silicon, its potential to put high-end performance in more affordable computers like the Mac mini M1 could be the biggest. Apple's diminutive desktop is the cheapest way to get your hands on a new Mac and, while there may be some compromises to accommodate, it's arguably the most impressive way to experience the new M1 chipset so far.
BenQ just announced their new BenQ PD3420Q ultrawide monitor made for designers. This monitor works with BenQ's own AQCOLOR tech for top-notch color accuracy, Display P3 coverage, and a 34-inch, 21:9 aspect ratio flat screen display panel. This monitor is what BenQ America director Houston Wei describes as "the most comprehensive display for graphic designers, web designers, artists, and creatives."
Microsoft 365 for Mac has been updated with native support for Apple Silicon, with the core Office apps now running at their best on chipsets like the M1 in the newest MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. The update, released today, also brings a redesign to Microsoft 365, bringing it in line with the rest of macOS Big Sur.
The M1 chipset in the new MacBook Air may have wowed, but the Apple Silicon roadmap includes designs with up to 32 cores, it's reported, as the most potent Mac Pro prepares to abandon Intel. Apple's two year transition of its Mac range from Intel's x86 processors to custom Arm-based silicon of its own design was already known to be aggressive, but new leaks suggest it's going all-in to maximize performance.
Were Charles Darwin here today, once he'd finished screaming at us for tinkering with necromancy and demanding to know what the heck a Lexus was, I think he'd want to see the new MacBook Air. Apple's M1-powered notebook is one of a trio of Apple Silicon showcases and, as the "Father of Evolution" was well aware, some generations take a leap forward, not just a step.
This week Apple revealed their picks for best apps of the year 2020. This is what Apple calls their "App Store Best of 2020" and, unlike Google's very similar list, they've siphoned down the list to "15 of the amazing apps and games that inspired the world in 2020." Apple's list requires that apps and games are notable for their "positive cultural impact, helpfulness, and importance."