Macworld UK January 1, 2016

This month we’ve mostly been playing with the new Apple TV. It’s one of those devices where it’s very easy to get sidetracked when you are reviewing it, whether you get sucked into a game or become addicted to the Sing! karaoke app. We’ve managed to get together a complete guide to the new set-top box, as well as tips for using the Siri Remote and the Apple TV App Store. So if you are considering one for your Christmas wish list then this is a must read. It’s not all Apple TV though, we also have the review of the new 4K iMac – the first 21in iMac to ship with a Retina display. For all you Mac aficionados we also have 20 Mac power user tricks, and we…

Apple CEO Tim Cook caused a minor kerfuffle recently while promoting the iPad Pro in an interview when he asked, “Why would you buy a PC anymore? No really, why would you buy one?” The question baffled Mac users, and seemed to suggest that Apple might one day phase out the Mac – or combine it with the iPad to make a hybrid device similar to Microsoft’s new Surface Book. Cook clarified the meaning behind his question in an interview with the Irish Independent, telling the newspaper that Macs and PCs are not the same. Dig on PCs aside, Cook said he understands that some people need desktops and notebooks, while for others, a powerful tablet like the iPad Pro will suffice. “We feel strongly that customers are not really…

Some iPad Pro owners have noticed some strange behaviour in their new 12.9in tablets. Normally when you charge a device, unless the battery has completely died, the screen remains responsive. But some iPad Pros are completely freezing, then dying, after a recharge. Apple knows about the problem, but hasn’t said why it’s happening. There doesn’t seem to be a real fix for it, either – at least not yet. The company published a support document on Thursday advising Pro users to force restart their tablets to bring them back to life, but that’s not really a long-term solution, because the issue is ongoing.…

If you carry around sensitive information on your iPhone, you could soon have one less reason to panic. Apple has filed a patent to activate ‘panic mode’ when unlocking your iPhone using a designated finger. Once your iPhone is unlocked using the secret panic mode method, the device would automatically limit access to personal information, reset the device altogether or activate preset actions. Since Touch ID can register several different fingerprints, the patent suggests that iPhone users could designate a specific fingerprint to unlock the iPhone in ‘panic mode’. This would then make your left thumb your secret ‘panic finger’. According to the patent, using this finger would alert your iPhone you are in distress or in an emergency situation, and your phone would respond accordingly. Panic mode would give…

Consider yourself a Mac power-user? Or do you aspire to take your place amongst such privileged ranks? Here’s a selection of classic yet simple tricks taken from Mac Kung Fu: Second Edition to help you on your way. Priced just £1.49, it has over 400 tips and it’s written by regular Macworld contributor and Apple expert Keir Thomas, to boot. What more could you want? 1. Instantly Add Movies and Music to iTunes If you use third-party software to download or rip music and movies to your computer, you’ll be familiar with the rather lengthy process needed to add them to your iTunes library – you have to start iTunes, then ensure the correct music or movie list is visible, and finally drag and drop the files on to the…

As you may have guessed, we’re rather big fans of Apple computers here at Macworld. From the pristine beautify of the new iMac with Retina display, to the svelte pleasures of the new 12in MacBook, we enjoy them all. But why do these devices cause such loyalty and affections from users, when they could buy a perfectly good PC for a lot less money? Here are 10 reasons why we think Macs are better than their Windows based brethren. Any comparison of Macs and PCs needs to note that Macs are PCs. In fact, as Apple used to say in every boilerplate of every press release: “Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh.”…