This week a set of leaks suggest that the 2021 version of the MacBook Pro will bring back some long-lost must-have features. Where the MacBook Pro used to come with a variety of ports: USB, HDMI, headphone jack, and SD-card included. With the latest data leak on the next MacBook Pro release from Apple, it would seem that we could get at least SOME of that variety back later this year.
With the latest version of Zoom, a new option is available for group calls. This new option is called Immersive View, and it may just change the way you experience video calls from this point forward. To access this option, you'll need to enable it manually. Immersive View may be available by default in the future, but for now you still need to flip a switch*.
Apple has a few enviable features that other platforms, especially Android, still try to implement. The simple convenience and presumed security of AirDrop is one of those and it wasn't until last year that Android's Nearby Share finally caught up. Unfortunately, it seems that AirDrop isn't really that secure after all and the simple act of opening the share sheet in macOS or iOS is enough to have the user's phone number and email address leak to any hacker within range.
I’ve used a handful of 8bitdo controllers throughout the years, and the SN30 Pro+ always stood out as one of the best to me. 8bitdo itself has described the SN30 Pro+ as the most advanced controller it has ever made, but now it’s got a successor: the 8bitdo Pro 2. You’d be forgiven for thinking the Pro 2 is the SN30 Pro+ at first blush, because the two controllers look very similar. However, there are a few key differences that the Pro 2 brings to the table, and it’s clear that it’s going to be 8bitdo’s new flagship controller.
Apple's M1 chips have definitely been hot items in the computing world but their availability has been limited to two kinds of devices only. The M1 MacBooks and M1 Mac minis cater to just one segment of Apple's customers and still leave some desktop users, particularly Apple's Mac Pro and iMac customers. The latter might finally get their due if the latest beta version of macOS Big Sur 11.3 is any indication, hinting at upcoming iMacs running on a slightly new M1 processor.
Apple is both famous and infamous for its stringent quality control over its app stores but some developers, not just Epic Games, have always criticized its sometimes incomprehensible policies that are applied inconsistently depending on the app. Valve has learned that the hard way years ago when it first launched the Steam Link app for iOS. While that has been resolved, it took two more years before the macOS version of the app finally makes its way to Apple's desktop platform.
The M1 Macs have become a real powerhouse, not only surpassing their Intel equivalents in terms of performance but also boasting of the ability to run some iOS and iPadOS apps. Of course, it's not like some magical device that immediately makes any and all mobile apps compatible with Apple's new computers and there are definitely some very rough corners that still need to be smoothed out. One of those is gaming, an area that the next macOS update may finally address with game controller emulation.
Apple has released iOS 14.4.1, iPadOS 14.4.1, and macOS 11.2.3 today, an unexpected software drop for iPhone, iPad, and Macs that includes an important new security patch. The new software addresses a WebKit vulnerability, Apple says, which was highlighted to the Cupertino firm by researchers from Google and Microsoft.
There's a rumor this week that Apple's diving back in to the desktop business head first. Not that the company ever really left, but given the amount of users that are now either working from home or plan on staying home after months and months of global pandemic and quarantine due to COVID-19, Apple seems to be seeing the opportunity to ramp up their desktop efforts once more.
The Mac isn't exactly impervious to malware, as evidenced by ransomware and adware reports in the past years. The popularity of the Apple M1 Silicon has even made it a bigger target for hackers these days. There has now been at least two reported malware designed to run specifically on Apple's latest and most powerful chip and this second, codenamed Silver Sparrow, has security experts perplexed and fearful because of its potential to do serious damage.
Apple has released an updated macOS Big Sur installer bringing the software to version 11.2.1. This version of the installer can correctly check for available free disk space to prevent errors during the installation process. The update is a patch for a critical bug in previous installers for Big Sur that could result in installation failure and data loss.
This week the folks behind the video player app VLC announced that they'd be bringing a major new version of the product to the public later this year. VLC 4.0 will be released in the year 2021 with a brand new user interface, making the entire video watching experience more intuitive and full of features for videos of all sorts. This new update will bring VLC into the future with more than just local video playback - they'll be rolling with extensions for online content, too.