Macworld December 2021

The other shoe has finally dropped. A year after the release of the first M1 Macs ushered in the Apple silicon era for the Mac, Apple has addressed how it plans to serve the needs of users for whom iPad-level performance, impressive though it might be, just isn’t enough. With the October announcement of the M1 Pro and M1 Max, Apple has connected the dots and revealed two new chips that propel the MacBook Pro to new heights. Two connected dots make a straight line–and that line points to the future of the Mac. Here’s a look at what might be coming next. PUSHING THE PRO It seems obvious that the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are destined for computers beyond the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros. Even though they’ve been engineered…

Now that Apple’s Mac event has come and gone, we’ve probably seen the last of Apple’s 2021 releases. It’s been a great year, with a redesigned iMac, iPad mini, and MacBook Pro, the launch of AirTag, and a bunch of impressive updates. But 2022 could be even better, with several rumored products ready to launch. Here’s what we’re expecting in the new year. RELEASED IN 2021 > AirTag > Apple TV 4K > iPad Pro (11-inch/12.9-inch) > 24-inch iMac > iPad (ninth-gen) > iPad mini > Apple Watch Series 7 > iPhone 13/iPhone 13 Pro > AirPods (3rd-gen) > MacBook Pro JANUARY–MARCH 2022 Mac mini Like the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the Mac mini was one of the first Macs to get an M1 processor in late 2020, but there’s still an Intel model available for sale. Not for long, though. We’re expecting the higher-end…

The new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are incredible machines that anyone would love to have. But with a starting price of $1,999, they’re not exactly affordable. However, Apple has a new model in the works that is rumored to bring all of the style of the MacBook Pro without the eye-watering price tag. A new rumor by Dylan (@dylandkt), who accurately forecast the 24-inch iMac and details of the new MacBook Pro, describes the upcoming MacBook Air redesign. Here’s what he predicts: > It will be thinner and lighter than the MacBook Pro. > No tapered design or fans. > Color options similar to 24-inch iMac’s. > Off-white keyboard and bezels. > Mini-LED likely, but no ProMotion. > MagSafe and Thunderbolt (USB-C), but no SDXC slot or HDMI. > 1080p webcam. > 30W power adapter. That confirms several of…

Some file optimization and application removal programs on the Mac reach for the stars, trying to perform every possible task of optimization, file cleanup, operating system customization, and malware removal the developers can think of as part of an overarching package. Other apps have been more streamlined, seeking to perform fewer functions and executing them well. DaisyDisk, the brainchild of developers Taras Brizitsky (who programmed the original idea, interaction, and graphic design) and Oleg Krupnov (who now handles the code and technical support), as well as a large group of translators and contributors, belongs to the latter group. The application (version 4.20.3 reviewed here) focuses on locating file clusters, groups them by size, and offers a quick and easy means of dragging them to a delete icon and getting rid of…

The ZMI PowerPack No. 20 (Model QB826G) is the closest thing I’ve seen in many years to the kind of outboard laptop battery popular in the days when batteries burned through stored energy as quickly as sparklers. The PowerPack No. 20’s prosaic name hides its massive output: up to 210 watts across three output ports simultaneously! The name also undersells this sleek, surprisingly dense gray and black lithium-ion power pack, which has ports just on one end to access the 90 watt-hour (Wh)/25,000 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery. That’s about 50 percent more than an M1 MacBook Pro’s battery. (ZMI lists 3.63 volts and 90Wh; the MacBook Pro has a spec of 58.2Wh, and we can back out from the battery’s known mAh to get 11.3V as its discharge rate.) You’ll pay a price…

BOWERS & WILKINS ZEPPELIN Bowers & Wilkins turned heads when it brought the highly unconventional Zeppelin to market 15 years ago. The speaker’s shape is no gimmick, but B&W’s engineers have gone back to the drawing board to reimagine the Zeppelin for today’s streaming age. It supports AirPlay 2 and several music-streaming services, and you can also stream music directly from your phone via Bluetooth. An onboard microphone array will support Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant, but the company says it has no plans to also support Google Assistant.—MICHAEL BROWN BEYERDYNAMIC DT 700 PRO X The Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X headphones are aimed at content creators: folks working on the production of music, podcasts, and similar pursuits in home studios and on the road. They’re also for folks who feel like closed-back cans…