Tag: mac

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How to use Apple’s Universal Control with a Mac and iPad

Apple’s new ‘Universal Control’ feature has rolled out, and after spending some time with it, I recommend taking it for a spin if you have two Macs or a single Mac and an iPad.

What you need

  • Mac computer(s)
  • iPad(s)

At the bare minimum, you need at least one Mac computer to start. All Apple devices also need to be updated to iPadOS 15.4 or newer and macOS 12.3 or newer.

Universal Control can work with two other iPads/Macs or a total of three connected devices. To be clear, this can be a combination of Macs and iPads or Macs and Macs, but not iPads and iPads.

How to start

Starting can be a little tricky since Universal Control is still in beta. Ideally, you should be able to drag your mouse from your Mac towards your iPad, and the cursor should pop up a little resistance barrier and then slide over to the iPad.

In my case, it wasn’t that easy since my Mac and iPad don’t line up perfectly all the time. To remedy this, you need to open up System Preferences on a Mac. Navigate to ‘Display,’ and you should see your iPad as a tiny screen that you can move around. In my case, it doesn’t always move to where I want it to, but in theory, it should be able to be placed anywhere. Now that you know where the computer thinks the iPad is, it should be easy to drag the mouse between devices.

If it’s not working, there should be a small box in the bottom right-hand corner of your Mac’s Display settings called ‘Universal Control.’ Click on that and make sure the first two checkboxes are selected. It’s also worth clicking the third box if you want your devices to connect automatically.

The first time I updated my devices, I needed to reset them, but they connected automatically after that.

To check if it’s enabled on your iPad, open the ‘Settings’ app. Select ‘General’ and then ‘AirPlay & Handoff.’ Inside that sub-menu, you’ll notice a new section called ‘Cursor and Keyboard (Beta).’ This is the Universal Control on/off switch.

This is the Menu Bar icon on Mac that appears when Universal Control is enabled.

If everything is turned on, you should be able to move freely between all of your devices and use the same keyboard to type on more than one.

On your Mac, you’ll also notice a new icon in the Menu Bar that signifies when Universal Control is on. It looks like a little rectangle that’s cut in half with a mouse on one side and two dots on the other. Clicking on it allows you to enable or disable Universal Control if you choose not to enable your devices to connect automatically.

Potential use cases

So far, I’ve enjoyed how easy this makes dragging photos and screenshots from my iPad onto my Mac desktop and into Photoshop.

It’s also nice to be able to answer emails on my iPad with the same keyboard and mouse as my MacBook. It’s not a revolutionary experience, but it’s handy during the workday nonetheless.

I also found a random use case for people who film themselves sitting at their desk a lot. If you use an iPad as a teleprompter, you can use your mouse to control it. This is a very niche use case, but it blew my mind when I discovered it.

If you have Universal Control set up to connect automatically, it’s also more convenient than Sidecar if you want your iPad to be a display on the go.

I found the most useful use case for Universal Control to be moving between two Macs and not a Mac and an iPad. Imagine having a powerful Mac Studio at your desk with a multi-monitor setup but without a mouse and keyboard. Instead, you place a MacBook Air down and control the Mac Studio through it. Then, when you’re on the go, you can just carry your files and do some light work on the MacBook Air.

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Mobile Syrup

Apple to Unveil 7 New Macs this Spring

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will debut seven new Apple Silicon-powered Macs this March. Gurman reported as a part of his Power On Newsletter that the new Macs would feature either a new M2 chip, last year’s M1 Pro and M1 Max chips or super-powered versions of the M1 Max.

The Bloomberg reporter listed that the seven new Macs featuring this continued push for Apple silicon would be:

  • A new Mac mini with an M1 Pro chip
  • A 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 chip
  • A Mac mini with an M2 chip
  • A 24-inch iMac with an M2 chip
  • A redesigned MacBook Air with an M2 chip
  • A larger iMac Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max chip options
  • A half-sized Mac Pro

Gurman writes that all seven of these new Macs would be coming sometime in 2022. An official announcement is expected for March. He thinks the entry-level MacBook Pro and Mac mini would be the first to get the upgrade as they are some of the oldest in the lineup.

This means a new Mac Mini and entry-level Mac MacBook Pro could come as soon as March 8 when Apple’s next event is rumoured to take place. From there Gurman says Apple is ramping up for the next wave in May or June.

That second round of Mac releases could potentially focus on a new iMac Pro and Mac Pro. These may sport souped-up versions of the M1 Max. This new iMac Pro was first rumoured to come earlier in the year but has seemingly been pushed back.

Gurman finishes his newsletter by mentioning that he thinks a Pro and Max version of the M2 chip is further down the line, launching sometime in 2023 alongside the M3.

Source: Mark Gurman via Bloomberg

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s new monitor will reportedly cost less than the company’s usual display

Apple is working on a new external monitor rumored to cost half the price of the company’s professional display.

The news was outlined in the latest version of Mark Gurman’s newsletter, Power On (seen by 9to5Mac). The Bloomberg journalist said he’s “hoping” the monitor comes out this year.

Gurman wrote about the monitor in his December newsletter as well. He said the price drop could come from Apple reducing the screen’s brightness, and making the monitor itself “slightly smaller.”

Source: 9to5Mac

 

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Mobile Syrup

Apple reportedly set to complete silicon transition away from Intel, completed by WWDC instead

Apple’s debut of its in-house M1 chip during November 2020 was the first milestone in Apple’s transition away from Intel reliance. Apple had planned a two-year period to pave the road for the company to complete its transition. Now, a new report claims WWDC 2022 will see the completion of this transition period.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a brand new Mac Pro, a new Mac mini, and an iMac Pro with a large screen. All three new devices are said to be backed by Apple silicon. These will prove to be the defacto finish line in the company’s plan. As explained in Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter (seen by 9to5Mac), the three devices may be unveiled during the first half of 2022.

“The company has a bevy of new pro Macs in the works based on the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that are already inside the MacBook Pro. That includes a smaller Mac Pro with up to 40 CPU cores and 128 graphics cores, a new Mac mini and a large-screened iMac Pro. I’d expect Apple to finish its transition to its own silicon from Intel chips as early as June at WWDC 2022,” Gurman wrote.

He also discusses the next-generation chip from Apple. Tentatively dubbed the ‘M2’ chip, it’s said that while expected in 2022, it won’t offer any major performance improvements but will feature “the same overall CPU core count”. Apple’s M1 offers four high-performance cores and four energy-efficient cores. Though, Gurman believes the M2 will feature a modestly improved GPU. The differences between the M1 and M2 are said to be comparable to the improvements made between Apple’s annual iPhone upgrades.

The report also backs up previous claims that Apple is working on a major refresh to its MacBook Air. It’s believed that the new device will sport the M2 chip over the M1 Pro and M1 Max silicon. It’s also expected that the new MacBook Air will feature the “biggest redesign in the product’s history.”

Apple’s breakup with Intel has long been openly discussed by the iPhone maker. Rather than rely on Intel to make meaningful innovations, Apple has taken ownership over the silicon in its own devices. So far, it’s been met with positive reception. Though, Apple silicon is still in its infancy. It remains to be seen if the M2 can impress next year.

Imag credit: Apple

Source: 9To5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

Discord working on native M1 support for Mac app

Popular game-focused chat platform Discord is finally working on an update that will officially support Apple’s new M1 chips.

Some Reddit users (via 9to5Mac) spotted the change in Discord’s ‘Canary’ version. Discord Canary is available from the platform’s website and is a space for the developers to test new versions of the app before officially pushing out the updates to the stable app.

The latest Discord Canary version runs natively on M1 Macs.

As 9to5 points out, native M1 support brings benefits like improve energy efficiency and performance. However, Discord is an Electron app, which means it may not offer as noticeable gains as other native Mac apps.

Regardless, M1 support is a step in the right direction and should help make Discord a little better on Apple computers.

You can download Discord Canary from the Discord website, but you may want to wait for the stable version if you don’t want to deal with bugs and other instabilities. Unfortunately, there’s no word yet when Discord will push the official native M1 update to users.

Source: Discord Via: Reddit, 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

Apple launches DIY repair program for iPhone and Mac, starts selling official parts and tools

Fundamentally shifting how it’s approached product repairs for the past several years, Apple has revealed plans to start selling official parts and tools to allow iPhone and Mac owners to repair their devices at home.

Along with official tools, the tech giant will also offer instructions regarding how to repair its devices. Apple says that this program will start with the iPhone 12/iPhone 13 and that the next device to be added to its DIY repair list is Macs powered by its M1 chip. Regarding repairs, iPhone owners will be able to replace their iPhone’s display, battery and camera using parts directly from Apple.

Previously, official repair options were only available at Apple Stores and officially licensed third-party repair stores. Of course, the company emphasizes that the program is designed for “individual technicians with the knowledge and experience to repair electronic devices” and that the average Apple device user should still bring their device to a professional to be fixed.

It’s also important to note that attempting a DIY repair with Apple’s tools won’t void the device’s warranty, according to TechCrunch. Last year, Apple started selling “genuine” parts to third-party repair shops.

MobileSyrup can confirm that Apple’s ‘Self Service Repair’ program will launch in the U.S. first early next year but that it will expand to “additional countries throughout 2022.” It’s currently unclear if Canada will be included in this list or how much parts will cost.

Source: Apple

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Apple says it fixed an issue with the T2 security chip that bricked some Macs

Apple’s macOS Monterey update brought a few frustrating bugs with it. However, the company says it’s fixed one of the more frustrating flaws that bricked some older Mac devices after installing the update.

Apple says it identified a problem with the T2 security chip and rolled out an update that fixed the problem. You can read the full statement below (as shared by Rene Ritchie on Twitter):

“We have identified and fixed an issue with the firmware on the Apple T2 security chip that prevented a very small number of users from booting up their Mac after updating macOS. The updated firmware is now included with the existing macOS updates. Any users impacted by this issue can contact Apple Support for assistance.”

9to5Mac elaborates, noting that Apple deployed an updated version of the ‘bridgeOS’ firmware that runs on the T2 chip, which should prevent the problem from happening to other people. However, it, unfortunately, seems like the update won’t fix machines already impacted by the bug. Instead, Apple says affected users should contact Apple Support for assistance.

Below is a list of Mac computers that feature the Apple T2 security chip:

  • iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
  • iMac Pro
  • Mac Pro (2019)
  • Mac Pro (Rack, 2019)
  • Mac mini (2018)
  • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
  • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
  • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)

Source: Rene Ritchie (Twitter) Via: 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

Apple has several refurbished iPhones, iPads and Macs in stock

After being limited to the U.S. market, refurbished iPhones officially surfaced on Apple’s Canadian website last month. Along with iPhones, Apple’s refurbished store currently has several discounted iPads and Macs in stock.

Check out all refurbished offerings below:

iPhone

Find all refurbished iPhones here.

iPad

Find all refurbished iPads on sale here.

Mac

Apple TV

As expected, the discounts only amount to about $240 to $300, but this is a solid deal given Apple’s stellar reputation when it comes to its used devices. Find all of Apple’s refurbished products here.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though MobileSyrup may earn a commission on purchases made via these links.

Source: Apple

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Mobile Syrup

This new USB-C dongle can run two 4K displays from an M1 MacBook

Accessory maker Hyper says that its new docks allow M1 MacBook owners to plug in and use two external 4K displays at once.

This solves a major pain point since the existing M1 MacBooks can only connect to one external 4K display at a time.

There are two versions of this product. One only supports two HDMI ports and USB-C passthrough for power, and the other is a 10-in-1 hub in addition to having the power to run two monitors. This includes slots for an Ethernet cable, SD Card headphone jack and more.

The smaller dongle starts at $129 USD (roughly $160 CAD) and the more expensive option costs $199 USD (roughly $248 CAD). Only the more expensive version is currently listed in the Hyper store and it’s expected to ship on October 21st.

Overall, this product seems to solve the issue of only allowing one display, but it should be noted that only one of the monitors is going to be 60Hz while the other will get throttled down to 30Hz.

Source: Hyper

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Mobile Syrup

Intel tries to dunk on Apple in new ad, scores own-goal instead

Intel is back with another cringey ad about how much better Intel-powered PCs are than Apple’s Mac computers sporting custom chips.

As with other recent ads from Intel, this one picks a few areas to bash Apple computers over that, again, have almost nothing to do with the processor inside the computer. Those areas include customizing your computer, gaming, having two touchscreens and 2-in-1 form factors.

What makes this ad particularly annoying is Intel uses the classic ‘put people in a room to tell them about one thing, then reveal you were talking about something else’ format. Several of the people in the ad act completely shocked at various “innovative new features,” even though most have been around for a while.

The ad’s fine print notes that they are “real people paid for their time and opinions,” but nobody speaks like these people. One person loudly exclaims they are “100 percent loyal to Apple” and another looks at an RGB gaming rig and calls it “artwork.”

Before I get too much deeper into this, I want to acknowledge a few things. First, it’s entirely possible that people who don’t spend their days writing about tech wouldn’t know about some of these features. However, anyone that has shopped for a laptop in at least the last five years would know about 2-in-1s and multi-touchscreen computers. Plus, PC gaming has been around basically as long as the computer has.

The other thing I want to say is that I hope the criticisms I lay out here don’t come off as favouring either company. I wouldn’t call myself a fan of Intel or Apple — I have no allegiance to either one, and as far as the processor in my computer goes, it doesn’t matter to me as long as it works (and works well).

Intel’s “benefits” don’t have anything to do with the CPU

That said, Intel’s arguments against Apple computers are foolish. Let’s break them down, starting with the computer customization angle. Intel implies in the ad that people can buy a PC and freely swap out the hardware — for example, upgrade the RAM if they need more. That may be the case with some computers, but chances are if you walk into a Best Buy and purchase a laptop, you won’t be able to upgrade the components inside it. On the other hand, Apple is arguably worse in this regard since it puts the RAM and processor on the same chip. While that yields performance benefits, it also kills the potential for future upgrades.

But let’s be honest — Apple was never keen on letting people upgrade the parts in old Intel-powered Macs. Making it more difficult for people to upgrade computers with Apple Silicon is just Apple backing up a long-held stance.

Next up, dual touchscreens and 2-in-1 formatting. I’m going to lump these together because neither has anything to do with the processor. Apple doesn’t offer either of these form factors because, as far as I can tell, it doesn’t want to. The company has staunchly kept the iPad and MacBook lines separate despite continuously marketing the iPad Pro as a laptop replacement. I know the M1 chip isn’t a factor here because it currently powers both the latest MacBook and the latest iPad Pro — Apple Silicon could power some iPad-Mac hybrid device if Apple chose to make one.

I also know Intel’s chips aren’t at fault for this because several Windows 2-in-1s use the company’s hardware. Again, if Apple had wanted to make an iPad-Mac hybrid running on an Intel chip, it could have.

Also, I doubt Apple will ever put two screens on a MacBook. The company has always portrayed itself as a stickler for design, and every dual-screen laptop I’ve seen tosses good design out the window to squeeze in that extra display.

Apple’s M1 chip didn’t ruin gaming on Mac — it already sucked

Finally, the gaming argument. Yes, the hardware in your computer matters when gaming, but it’s also not the reason why Macs suck for gaming. Hardware impacts gaming in two ways — it determines first if you can even play a game, and second how good the game looks. That first part really comes down to game developers and what platforms they target — most of them develop games for Windows PCs, which primarily use Intel or AMD CPUs.

If a game developer wanted, they could totally build a game for an ARM-powered device, such as Apple’s M1 MacBook. But they don’t. Even when MacBooks ran on Intel hardware, developers didn’t make many games for them. Largely, this was because the player base on Apple computers was so small that the cost of porting to Mac didn’t make sense. I imagine the move to ARM-based chips didn’t help in that regard, but it’s definitely not the reason Macs suck for gaming.

Perhaps the worst part of Intel’s ad is that none of these features Intel boasts about are Intel-exclusive. The Verge pointed out that there are AMD-powered options with the features Intel touted as benefits of Intel-powered PCs. Plus, AMD is closing the market-share gap between it and Intel — maybe Intel should be focusing on something other than attacking Apple.

Source: Intel Via: The Verge