Apple Marks Earth Day 2021 with a Focus on Environmental Justice, Curated Content, and an Apple Watch Challenge

Apple has celebrated Earth Day for many years, but the company has more going on for 2021 than ever before including an environmental justice initiative, content tie-ins across several services, and an Apple Watch challenge. Apple has committed to be carbon neutral by 2030. Lisa … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

‘The iPad Pro Is a Killer Machine but its Software Is Killing Me’

Jason Snell, writing for Macworld about the new iPad Pro’s software limitations compared to its powerful hardware: With the announcement of USB 4/Thunderbolt support on these new iPad Pro models, I’m thrown back to the past. In 2018, when Apple released the first iPad Pro with a … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

How to Enjoy the New iMac Hello Screen Saver on Any M1 Mac

The new iMacs announced yesterday will ship with special ‘Hello’ screen saver that pays tribute to the original Macintosh and the color schemes of the new iMac models. On 9to5Mac, Jeff Benjamin has a walkthrough of the new screen saver, its options, and instructions on how to ena … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming Beta Launches on the Mac, PC, iPhones, and iPads

As we reported earlier this week, Microsoft began inviting Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to beta test Xbox Cloud Gaming yesterday. The beta is invitation-only, but if you’re a Game Pass Ultimate subscriber and are invited to test the streaming service, you can use it on PCs … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Music Editorial Content Is Coming to Apple News

Yesterday as Federico was putting the finishing touches on an in-depth review of iOS and iPadOS 14.5 that we will publish next week, he discovered something interesting: Apple Music is in the process of establishing a presence on Apple News. The content added to Apple News so far … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple’s April 20, 2021 Keynote: By the Numbers

As it does with every event, Apple sprinkled facts, figures, and statistics throughout the keynote today. Here are highlights of some of those metrics from the event, which was held online from the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. The New iPad Pros The maximum storage … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple’s April 2021 Event: All the Little Things

Apple events are always packed with little details that don’t make it into the main presentation or are easy to miss in the flurry of announcements. Some tidbits are buried in footnotes, while others are tucked into word clouds on Keynote slides or in release notes. Today’s event … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Reveals AirTags for Tracking Personal Items Using Its Find My Network

At today’s event in Cupertino, Apple unveiled AirTag, a small disk that can be used to keep track of personal items. The disk, which runs on a replaceable CR2032 battery, is a glossy white plastic on one side and metal on the other. The device uses Apple’s U1 chip technology comb … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Introduces New Spring iPhone 12 Finishes and Accessory Colors

In celebration of spring, Apple is releasing a very nice new purple finish for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini. Purple joins the existing 5 colors and continues to make the 12 Apple’s most colorful iPhone lineup since the iPhone 5c. The new purple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini ar … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Announces Apple Card Family

At this morning’s keynote, Apple announced an update to Apple Card in which family members can be co-owners of a single card. Apple Card Family accounts will have merged credit lines so that all members can build their credit equally on shared purchases. The feature ties into App … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Updates the Apple TV 4K with a New Siri Remote, Enhanced Video Support, and Color Calibration Tools

It has been a long time since the Apple TV was updated, but today the day for an update finally arrived with an all-new Siri Remote and other new and updated features. The new Apple TV 4K announced today runs on the A12 Bionic chipset, which enables high frame rate HDR and Dolby … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Shows Off New M1 iMacs in Beautiful, Vibrant Colors

I’m excited about the new iPad Pros, but the new 24” iMac took my breath away. I’ve long wanted Apple to return to the vivid colors of past Macs but wasn’t convinced the company would go that direction. Leading up to today’s event, mockups of iMacs in the pale color schemes of th … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Replay Apple’s April 20, 2021 Keynote and Other Videos

If you didn’t follow the live stream or announcements as they unfolded at Apple Park today, you can replay it on Apple’s Events site and catch the product videos on Apple’s YouTube channel. The keynote video can be streamed here and on the Apple TV using the Apple Events app. A h … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

New iPad Pros Announced with the M1 Chipset, Thunderbolt, 5G, New Cameras, and a Liquid Retina XDR Display on the 12.9” Model

Apple today announced all-new iPad Pros featuring the same M1 chip found in the company’s latest Macs along with several other new features, including a Thunderbolt-compatible port, 5G connectivity on cellular models, updated cameras, and on the 12.9” model, a Liquid Retina XDR d … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Announces Apple Podcasts Subscriptions

During today’s keynote event, Apple announced their new Apple Podcasts Subscriptions service. Launching in May in over 170 countries, the service will allow users to subscribe to premium podcasts directly from the Apple Podcasts app. Premium shows will offer access to various per … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Bartender 4.0 Offers Powerful New Control Over Your Mac’s Menu Bar Apps

Bartender 4.0 was in beta for a long time, and the time and attention to the details paid off. If you were waiting to update until the app was officially released, now’s the time to act because it’s out, and the update is excellent. I use Bartender on all my Macs, but I appreciat … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Microsoft to Begin Beta Testing Xbox Cloud Gaming on the iPhone and iPad

Tomorrow, April 20th, Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming, also known as xCloud, is coming to the iPhone and iPad and the PC as a limited, invitation-only beta. The service will allow invited Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to stream over 100 games using the Edge, Chrome, and Safari … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Boom 3D: Experience Immersive Audio on Your Mac [Sponsor]

Boom 3D by Global Delight is the premier app for enhancing your Mac’s audio whether it’s music, movies, games, or other content. The app produces exceptionally clear, clean, 3D sound without the need for added hardware – just use the headphones you already own. The app’s 3D effec … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

MacStories Unwind: Apple Event Announced, Spotify’s Car Thing, Fitness+ Expanded, and HomeKit Advice

[audio_player src=”https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/0de98bba-5e4d-4879-94dc-8c76a3a88322/episodes/ba6fe810-9f0d-4f19-9ec0-e50b53e53764/audio/f0bf13eb-af25-4dc9-8cc7-783ab608067c/default_tc.mp3” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”00:22:10” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_unwind] Spo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Expands Fitness+ Offerings with New Classes Designed for Pregnancy and Older Adults, New Trainers, and Time to Walk with Jane Fonda

Today, Apple announced an expansion of Fitness+ with new workouts for pregnancy and older adults. The company also expanded its existing offerings with new yoga, HIIT, and strength workouts for beginners and said Jane Fonda will be featured in the next episode of Time to Walk. Te … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

AppStories, Episode 213 – Music Part 2: Music Discovery, Playback, and Utility Apps

This week on AppStories, we introduce part two of our music miniseries, with a focus on third-party music discovery, playback, and utility apps. Sponsored by: Privacy – Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase. Pingdom: Start monitoring your website performance an … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Announces Online Media Event for April 20, 2021

As first confirmed by Federico on Twitter, Apple has announced a media event for April 20, 2021 at 10:00 am Pacific. The event will be held online only. https://twitter.com/viticci/status/1382001317149868033?s=21 In an unexpected twist, the date of the event was leaked by Apple’s … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Spotify Announces Car Thing: Dedicated Audio Streaming Hardware for Drivers

Spotify has announced Car Thing, a dedicated Bluetooth-enabled audio controller for your car. Car Thing, which is Spotify’s first foray into hardware, is currently available by invitation only to Premium subscribers in the US. Spotify’s new device is unique in that it isn’t a sta … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Quinn Nelson’s Approach to Home Automation

I’ve experimented with a lot of HomeKit devices over the past few years, and I often think about how I would set my home up if I were starting from scratch. That is exactly what Quinn Nelson of Snazzy Labs has done with his new home: https://youtu.be/85yH56DS5mg Nelson’s video sh … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

MindNode: Ever Had a Geistesblitz? [Sponsor]

A Geistesblitz is a flash of inspiration that hits you when you least expect it. For instance, when you’re in the shower or walking the dog. It can often lead to a flood of new ideas. Hi! I’m Markus, the founder of MindNode. If you’re like me, then a moment like this soon leads t … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

MacStories Unwind: Music and HomeKit App Reviews, an Update on the Epic Games Lawsuit, Arcade, and the Find My Network

[audio_player src=”https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/0de98bba-5e4d-4879-94dc-8c76a3a88322/episodes/5f4d5a41-dc6f-4e08-988a-c7d11feb30c2/audio/94dff2db-61d6-4edd-ba4d-6628e8e1047f/default_tc.mp3” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”00:27:34” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_unwind] Spo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

AppStories, Episode 212 – Music Part 1: How We Listen

This week on AppStories, we talk about Apple Arcade’s big expansion and the iOS component of John’s retro gaming project before beginning a new mini-series focused on music. For the first installment, we focus on hardware and services, covering our current setups, how we listen t … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Court Filing Details ‘Project Liberty,’ Epic’s Plan to Free Itself of App Store Commissions

Just past midnight Pacific time today, Apple filed Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in its legal dispute with Epic Games. The document, a standard pre-trial filing, is designed to serve as a road map for the trial judge, explaining the facts Apple expects will be … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Announces Find My Network and Three Initial Accessory Maker Partners

Today, Apple updated the Find My app to allow third-party products to take advantage of its network of devices to locate lost and stolen belongings from the app’s new Items tab. According to Apple’s press release: “For more than a decade, our customers have relied on Find My to l … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Albums 4.0: A Must-Have App for Music Lovers

Albums 4.0 is a beautifully designed, feature-rich app with more filtering and discovery tools than any other music app I’ve tried. The app is also opinionated, favoring album playback over individual songs or playlists. It’s the sort of focused, deep approach to music that Apple … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

HomePaper: A Handy Utility for Creating Beautiful Home App Wallpapers

Aaron Pearce, the developer behind some of my favorite HomeKit apps like HomeRun, HomeCam, and HomePass, has a new utility that is out today for the iPhone and iPad called HomePaper that solves a very specific problem: boring Home app wallpapers. The room and home settings of App … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Kara Swisher Interviews Apple CEO Cook for Sway

Apple CEO Tim Cook was interviewed on Sway, The New York Times’ podcast hosted by Kara Swisher, in an episode released today. Swisher asked Cook about a wide range of topics, including privacy, iOS 14.5, Parler’s removal from the App Store, autonomous vehicles, AR, its upcoming c … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Daylite: Do Big Things With Your Small Business [Sponsor]

This week MacStories is sponsored by Daylite, a real Mac and iOS app that empowers you and your team to handle more clients, close more deals, and execute more projects than ever before. Built exclusively for Apple users, Daylite is a native Mac CRM and project management app for … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Why Today Feels like a Quiet Turning Point for Video Games

Chris Plante, writing for Polygon on today’s major Apple Arcade news: Microsoft’s and Apple’s bets on downloadable subscription services would seemingly place them behind their streaming counterparts in the long run, but that’s not quite the case. Their success shows that they’re … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

MacStories Unwind: WWDC Announced, HoverBar Duo and Darkroom Reviews, Maps, Siri, and Music News

[audio_player src=”https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/0de98bba-5e4d-4879-94dc-8c76a3a88322/episodes/be44666f-7fd2-456e-82eb-e801d3a55e99/audio/5ecdf8da-566c-4355-9641-3c1a2cd42940/default_tc.mp3” mime_type=”audio/mpeg” total_duration=”00:32:33” caption=”“] [subscribe_to_unwind] Spo … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Arcade Expands More Originals and iOS Classics

Apple announced a significant expansion of Apple Arcade today, releasing more than 30 new games, bringing the total catalog to more than 180 titles. There are a couple of new aspects to today’s release. First, Apple has added new exclusive Arcade Originals, including NBA 2K21 Arc … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

The Case for Shortcuts on the Mac

Jason Snell writing on Six Colors: The more I use Shortcuts, the more I realize that in many ways, user automation on iOS has outpaced automation on the Mac. Let me give you an example: On iOS I built a shortcut to grab the contents of selected text in Safari and open the results … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Siri Adds Two New English Speaking Voices and Lets Users Choose Among Them

Matthew Panzarino, reporting for TechCrunch says the latest beta version of iOS and iPadOS 14.5 includes two new English Siri voices. The report elaborates that the existing female voice is no longer the default and that users will choose the voice they want to use with Apple’s v … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

HoverBar Duo: The MacStories Review

There is no shortage of iPad stands. Search for one on Amazon, for instance, and you’ll be met with page after page of results. Most stands are unremarkable, with little that distinguishes one from another. Twelve South’s HoverBar Duo is different, though. The black aluminum and … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Spotify Launches New ‘Spotify Mixes’ with Personalized Playlists Based on Artists, Genres, and Decades

Earlier today, Spotify announced their latest feature rollout for both free and premium users: Spotify Mixes. Inspired by the Daily Mix, which the company introduced in 2016, Spotify Mixes are a collection of personalized playlists tailored specifically to each user and available … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple and Others Invest $50 million into Music Distributor UnitedMasters

Apple quietly acquires companies with products and teams that complement its own offerings all the time, but it’s not often an investor, which makes the company’s recent investment in UnitedMasters notable. As reported by Matthew Panzarino at TechCrunch, Apple is joined by Alphab … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Google Announces New Maps Features, Including Indoor Live View, Weather and Air Pollution Layers, and Eco-Friendly Driving Directions

In more mapping news, Google announced several new features that are available in its Maps app now or are coming later this year, including improvements indoor navigation, weather and air pollution data, eco-friendly driving directions, and delivery and pickup information. Google … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

AppStories, Episode 211 – Apple at Home

This week on AppStories, we scrutinize Apple’s home strategy from its discontinued Airport routers and HomePod to the Apple TV, HomePod mini, HomeKit routers, the Home app, and more, plus ongoing browser and calendar experiments, and the hunt for an elusive keyboard continues. Sp … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

COVID-19 Travel Guidance for Airports Begins Appearing in Apple Maps

With more people being vaccinated all the time, air travel has picked up too. To help iPhone, iPad, and Mac users understand each airport’s health requirements, Apple has begun adding COVID-19 travel guidance to airport place cards in Maps. The data includes information like requ … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

A First Look at the Apple Developer App’s New Design and Search Functionality

Shortly after announcing WWDC will be held online again this year from June 7 - 11, Apple released a significant update to its Developer app, which serves as a hub for news and watching WWDC sessions. The sidebar of Developer is now easier to navigate. On the iPhone and iPad, con … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Apple Announces That WWDC 2021 Will Be Online-Only Again from June 7 - 11

Apple has decided to make WWDC an online-only event again for 2021, which is no surprise given the on-going global pandemic. Before going online-only last year, WWDC was held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, from 2017 - 2019. The event has been s … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Darkroom 5.2 Improves Photo Management with New Flag and Reject Functionality

One of the greatest advantages of the iPhone’s camera hardware is that it’s easy to take photos wherever you are. That’s also a bit of a curse because there’s probably no greater friction in managing a photo library than sifting through a large stack of images looking for the one … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago

Concepts: Sketch, Note, Draw [Sponsor]

Sketch, note, and explore endless ideas with Concepts’ infinite canvas for iPad. Draw in designer COPIC colors with liquid pens and brushes, and organize images, text and sketches into visual moodboards. Used by creative professionals for visual thinking, note taking, team commun … | Continue reading


@macstories.net | 3 years ago