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Some people love peace and quiet. Others love mechanical keyboards. That clackety-clacking noise is the very sound of productivity, isn’t it? The feel of the keys. The way you can practically make a lifelong hobby out of customizing a “hot swappable” model with different keycaps, switches and more. Today’s Mac Studio and Studio Display setup relies on a Keychron K8 mechanical keyboard.
The user swears by it, having chosen it over a couple of well-regarded Razer keebs. He’s still got the Razer wrist rest, though.
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Keychron K8 mechanical keyboard click with Mac Studio and Studio Display setup
So the Keychron K8 mechanical keyboard is a compact, tenkeyless model. That means it lacks a 10-key numeric key pad. It sports a total of 87 keys. It’s not tiny, but it’s not full-sized, either.
It features a Mac layout’s multimedia and function keys, but works fine with Windows. And it comes with extra keycaps for both OS and a simple switch to flip between the OS. It includes white backlighting, Bluetooth 5.1 or USB-C cable connections and a 4000mAh battery that lasts 200 hours without backlighting, according to the company.
“I used Razer keyboards for a long time, first the Black Widow and later the Huntsman TKL,” Monk said. “They are not bad, but I wasn’t super happy with the feel. I like the feel of the Keychron better. I also tried the K4, which is a 96% layout, but I’m used to tenkeyless now, so switched to the K8.”
And he added that he likes the Keychron K8 mechanical keyboard so much that he actually has two K8 keebs. The second one is for his work setup (Windows).
And along with that keyboard, by the way, Monk uses a mouse so popular we see it as much if not more than Apple’s Magic Mouse. That would be the seemingly ubiquitious Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse. You can find it and the other gear, including that great keyboard, in the gear list below.
This user said it’s hard to tell his Mac Studio and Studio Display aren’t new. Photo: [email protected]
Shop these items now:
Mechanical keyboard and mouse:
Computer:
Display and accessories:
Connectivity:
Other:
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to [email protected]. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches, challenges and plans for new additions.
It just became a lot easier to read along with a podcast, or pull an interesting quote out of one. The Apple Podcasts app now automatically generates transcripts for series and episodes.
Here’s how to find and read these transcripts in the iPhone Podcasts app.
Every episode on Apple Podcasts will get a transcript
Podcasts have proliferated since 2004 and become a popular medium for sharing everything from news reports on current world events to jokes and cooking tips. Those with hearing loss can’t take advantage of them, however. But a transcript solves that problem. And rather than expect every podcaster to make a written version of their program, Apple took on the job.
“Apple introduces transcripts for Apple Podcasts, an innovative new feature that makes podcasts more accessible and easier to navigate,” the company promised.
Beyond just reading the full text of all episodes, the new feature enables users to search episodes for specific words or phrases. And when they find one, they can tap the text to play from that point in the episode.
How to read transcripts for Apple Podcasts on iPhone
The feature is part of iOS 17.4, which launched Tuesday. So the first step in making use of this feature is to install the latest version of iOS.
Next, open the Apple Podcasts app (duh) and go to a podcast. Look in the lower left-hand corner for an icon that looks like a speech bubble with a quotes symbol inside. Tap on it.
This opens Apple’s automatically generated podcast transcript. And it opens exactly where you are in the podcast, with the current sentence highlighted.
The highlighting follows along in the transcript as you listen to the podcast. Or you can tap on a section of the transcript to jump to that portion of the audio, as previously noted.
Use your finger to drag the text upward and it’ll expand to fill the screen. A Search button also appears.
The audio controls stay on the screen when the text first appears, but if you scroll down they’ll disappear. Scroll up to bring the controls back. Or just wait a bit — they come back on their own.
Tap the icon in the lower left-hand corner of the screen again to close the transcript.
Computer-generated podcast transcripts
Transcripts are automatically generated after a podcast is published. Apple warns there will be “a short delay while we process your transcript.”
And these won’t be only for new episodes. Apple says podcast transcripts for back-catalog episodes are being added over time.
The text versions are created with voice-recognition software, but in my experience are quite accurate. That said, mumbled words or ones covered with background noise get left out.
Happily, the feature is available in a range of languages beyond English. Also available are French, German and Spanish. But this isn’t a translation service — you only get a Spanish-language transcript for a podcast that’s in Spanish, for example. That said, you can copy the text into your favorite translation app if you wish.
Now part of iOS 17.4 and coming to macOS 14.4
The feature is included in iOS 17.4. All iPhone users who install the OS update can read Apple’s new podcast transcripts. The same goes for iPadOS 17.4.
In addition, transcripts for Apple Podcasts will arrive in macOS 14.4 Sonoma. That’s not out yet, but is expected in mid-March.
The business version includes the AI feature. Photo: Logitech
Logitech’s new MX Brio and MX Brio 705 for Business 4K webcams combine ultra high-definition video performance with artificial intelligence to help find your best look, the company said.
“We know that MX users collaborate and communicate from many different environments, and need a versatile webcam offering the best video and sound quality,” said Anatoliy Polyanker, general manager of Logitech’s MX Business, in a press release Wednesday. “MX Brio is our highest-quality webcam, featuring customization and the ability to show themselves or their work in the best possible way.”
So it’s an update on the popular Brio 4K webcam. Here’s how Logi described the new one and its improvements:
MX Brio’s Ultra HD 4K resolution and advanced webcam sensor demonstrates Logitech’s continuous innovation with 70 percent larger pixels than the Brio 4K, our previous flagship webcam, offering an ultra sharp image. AI-enhanced image quality takes auto light correction further with face-based image enhancement that provides a more natural image, and video with 2x better face visibility and 2x finer image details in difficult lighting conditions compared to Brio 4K.
Customization via software
Also note, Logitech pointed out the new webcam offers a lot of manual adjustment via software, among other features. They include AI in the RightSight autoframing feature on the webcam’s model for businesses:
Advanced customization options allow users to fine-tune their appearance by manually adjusting exposure, tint, vibrance, field of view and more using Logi Options+, Logi Tune and G Hub software.
Show Mode makes it easy for users to share sketches or other physical objects by tilting the webcam.
MX Brio includes two beamforming mics to reduce background noise and an integrated privacy shutter.
The [AI] RightSight autoframing feature detects and centers on the speaker as they move around. Enterprise MX Brio 705 users can enable it through Logi Tune.
A version for businesses
MX Brio 705 for Business is an enterprise model of the webcam. The company said it works with most videoconferencing platforms. In fact, it’s certified for Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom, and it works with Chromebook. In addition, IT admins can update firmware and troubleshoot problems securely via Logitech Sync, a web-based device-management platform.
You can get the MX Brio 705 later in March in graphite and pale gray colors, Logitech said.
March 6, 2008: Apple releases the iPhone software development kit, finally allowing coders to start creating native mobile apps for the new smartphone. The iPhone SDK gives developers the tools they need to unlock the new smartphone’s potential.
When the App Store eventually opens a few months later, a new industry springs up overnight. Third-party devs rush to take advantage of Apple’s lucrative distribution network.
Birth of the App Store
From the moment Apple unveiled the iPhone, developers prayed for an SDK. At first, debates raged inside Apple about whether a marketplace for third-party apps made sense. Some thought the move risked watering down Apple’s level of control, potentially allowing low-quality software on iPhones.
The main person against the App Store initiative? Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs.
Others, such as Phil Schiller and Apple board member Art Levinson, lobbied Jobs to change his position and make the iPhone a generative platform rather than keeping it locked down.
Eventually, Jobs changed his mind. On March 6, 2008 — around nine months after the iPhone’s big reveal — Apple hosted an iPhone Software Roadmap event. Here the company announced the iPhone SDK, which became the basis of the iPhone Developer Program.
You can watch him reveal the iPhone SDK in the video below:
Apple releases iPhone SDK, the key to building iPhone apps
iPhone apps had to be built on Macs running a new version of Apple’s integrated development environment, Xcode. Other Apple software allowed developers to design iPhone-friendly interfaces and monitor iPhone memory usage. A particularly useful tool called Simulator let them mimic the iPhone’s touch interactions on a Mac with a mouse or keyboard.
Developers who wanted to launch apps on the iPhone paid a standard $99 annual fee. (A higher-priced enterprise tier was initially available only to companies with more than 500 employees.) Developers, Apple said, would receive 70% of the sales revenue from their apps — with Cupertino taking the other 30%.
By the time the App Store opened in June 2008, 500 third-party apps were available, with 25% of them being free to download. By 2024, the App Store — bringing software to more than 2 billion devices worldwide — has become a revenue-generating powerhouse, for devs as well as Apple.
“The efforts, innovation, and creativity of the developers who leverage Apple technology to build these incredible experiences, coupled with the power of the App Store’s global platform to connect businesses of all sizes with over 600 million people each week across 175 countries, has led to developers selling digital goods and services earning more than $260 billion since the App Store launched in 2008,” Apple said in a 2022 press release.
App Store success brings scrutiny
Opening up the iPhone to third-party developers with the iPhone SDK was a monumental step in the device’s history. The popularity of apps also became a big driver of growth for Apple’s smartphone.
However, Apple’s “closed garden” approach to the App Store has drawn international scrutiny from antitrust regulators. The European Union’s broad Digital Markets Act forced Apple to make changes to the App Store, among other things. Apple opened the iPhone to sideloading of apps and alternative app stores with iOS 17.4 — but only in the European Union — despite the company’s lingering security concerns about these sorts of changes.
Were you an early developer for the iPhone? What was the first app you downloaded? Leave your comments below.
Steve Martin is a comedy legend going way, way back, as the trailer for a new documentary called STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces shows. The Apple TV+ trailer, released Wednesday, is chock-full of admiring celebs talking about the famous comedian, plus clips from his wild and crazy standup years in the 1970s.
The two-part documentary, which premieres March 29 on Apple TV+, chronicles Martin’s meteoric rise to fame decades ago and his happy and fulfilled life now.
STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces trailer tells story of comedy legend
After starting his career as a TV writer in the 1960s, Steve Martin became a big-deal stand-up comic in the 1970s. He brought silliness back to the politics-saturated comedy of the time.
And then, somehow, he never really went away. All those appearances on Saturday Night Live and other shows, hit films (The Jerk and Planes, Trains and Automobiles), TV series (Only Murders in the Building), banjo concert tours and more certainly helped. He also won the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2005 and an AFI Life Achievement Award in 2015.
And when you’re famous for 50 years or so, you get to know, work with and be admired by a lot of other celebrities. The film features Martin Short, Tina Fey, Jerry Seinfeld, Eric Idle, Diane Keaton, Selena Gomez and Finn Wittrock.
Here’s how Apple TV+ described the Steve Martin documentary, which covers his rise to stardom and his life now:
Steve Martin is one of the most beloved and enigmatic figures in entertainment. STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces dives into his extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Martin’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. “Then” chronicles Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize stand-up before walking away at 35. “Now” focuses on the present day, with Martin in the golden years of his career, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.
The documentary comes from A24 and Tremolo Productions.
Watch the Steve Martin documentary trailer:
Watch documentaries on Apple TV+
The new Steve Martin documentary joins the slate of Apple TV+ documentaries on March 29. The service is available by subscription for $9.99 with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle. For a limited time, customers who purchase and activate a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch can enjoy three months of Apple TV+ for free.
After launching in November 2019, “Apple TV+ became the first all-original streaming service to launch around the world, and has premiered more original hits and received more award recognitions faster than any other streaming service. To date, Apple Original films, documentaries and series have been honored with 471 wins and 2,090 award nominations and counting,” the service said.
In addition to award-winning movies and TV shows (including breakout soccer comedy Ted Lasso), Apple TV+ offers a variety of documentaries, dramas, comedies, kids shows and more.
The 2024 MacBook Air lineup looks a lot like the previous models. However, the M3 chip inside gives the laptops a performance boost, and the new laptops come with several additional upgrades. But in an M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air showdown, what are the differences? And is the new model worth paying more?
Find out in our M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air comparison.
M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air comparison
Apple claims the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs are the world’s bestselling 13-inch and 15-inch laptops. And for good reason. They deliver excellent performance and all-day battery life in a slim package.
Apple did not change much when it upgraded the M2-powered MacBook Air to the M3 processor. That’s the right decision, as these laptops are excellent at what they do. Thanks to the M3 chip, the new MacBook Airs should be faster in some tasks while sipping less power. Apple did incorporate a few minor upgrades, though, which should deliver a better user experience.
Find out how the two laptops compare in our M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air comparison.
Table of contents: M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air
Design and display: Same
The M3 MacBook Air looks familiar, but there are a lot of new specs inside. Photo: Apple
There are no design or display changes on the 2024 M3 MacBook Air models versus the 2023 M2 models. Both 13-inch and 15-inch variants measure the same as their predecessors: 0.44 inches by 11.97 inches by 8.46 inches. Their weight also remains unchanged at 2.7 pounds (1.24 kilograms). Like the previous models, the new M3 MacBook Airs feature a fanless design, so they won’t make any noise even under heavy load.
The M3 MacBook Air display panels also retain the same specs as the M2 models, so you get a wide-color Liquid Retina display with a peak brightness of 500 nits. You can get the M3 MacBook Air in four finishes: midnight, starlight, space gray and silver. (The same color options were available for the M2 MacBook Air.)
Due to the size difference between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models, you get a four-speaker system on the former and a six-speaker system on the latter. (You can go through our 13-inch versus 15-inch MacBook Air comparison to learn more about the differences between the two models.)
Interestingly, while both M2 and M3 MacBook Airs ship with a three-mic array with directional beamforming, you get Voice Isolation and Wide Spectrum modes on the new laptops for enhanced voice clarity.
System-on-a-chip: M2 vs. M3 MacBook Air
Apple’s M3 chip is all about performance and efficiency. Photo: Apple
M2 MacBook Air: 8-core CPU, Up to 10-core GPU, 8GB unified memory, 256GB SSD
M3 MacBook Air: 8-core CPU, Up to 10-core GPU, 8GB unified memory, 256GB SSD
The biggest highlight of Apple’s 2024 MacBook Air lineup is the new M3 chip. Based on the 3nm fab, it brings improved performance and efficiency. Early benchmark scores suggest the M3 MacBook Air is up to 25% faster than the M2 MacBook Air in Geekbench benchmarks. (Compared to the now-discontinued M1 MacBook Air, the new chip is a staggering 45% faster.)
When unveiling the M3 chip in late October 2023, Apple boasted about the system-on-a-chip’s new GPU. It features dynamic caching, hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and mesh shading for better performance and higher-quality graphics. Apple says the M3’s 10-core GPU delivers up to 65% more performance while consuming nearly half the power of the M1’s GPU.
Another key improvement in the M3 chip is the addition of an AV1 decoder to the media engine. Netflix, YouTube and other streaming platforms use this codec for streaming content. So, the new M3 MacBook Airs should prove more power-efficient during such tasks.
The entry-level RAM and storage options remain unchanged at 8GB and 256GB, respectively. You can configure the M3-powered machines with up to 24GB of memory and 2TB of storage, again the same as the M2 MacBook Airs.
Note that the base model 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip ships with an 8-core CPU and 8-core GPU, while all other configurations pack a 10-core GPU. This was also the case with the 13-inch Air with M2 chip.
Despite the M3 chip bringing notable performance gains, the new MacBook Airs deliver the same 18-hour battery life as their predecessors.
Ports and connectivity: M3 MacBook Air adds support for second external display, faster Wi-Fi
M3 MacBook Air: Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3
M2 MacBook Air: Two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, headphone jack, MagSafe 3 port, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3
If you were bummed about the lack of ports on the M2 MacBook Air, the new M3 models won’t change that. They ship with two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, with a MagSafe port available for charging. All three ports sit on the laptop’s left edge, with the headphone jack on the right.
Since the new laptops come with the same pair of USB 4 ports, you must use a Thunderbolt dock or USB hub to connect multiple accessories to the M3 MacBook Air. If you already own one of the best USB-C hubs for iPhone 15, you can use that with your MacBook.
Like the late-2023 M3 MacBook Pros, the M3 MacBook Airs come with faster Wi-Fi 6E support. With a compatible router, you can enjoy faster Wi-Fi throughput speeds on the newer models.
All MacBooks with an M1 or M2 chip could only power one external monitor. With the M3 MacBook Air refresh, Apple enabled support for dual external displays. But there’s a catch. You must close the MacBook Air’s lid to use the second external display. On the bright side, the laptop can power a second external display with up to 5K 60Hz resolution.
Price: Same starting MSRP
You can’t go wrong with the MacBook Air. Photo: Apple
13-inch MacBook Air with M2 chip: Starts from $999
13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip: Starts from $1,099
15-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip: Starts at $1,299
Despite all the upgrades, the M3 MacBook Airs arrived with the same starting price as their predecessors: $1,099 for the 13-inch model and $1,299 for the 15-incher. (Education customers can save an additional $100 off the retail price for an even better deal.)
Apple did not discontinue the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air (although the 15-inch model disappeared from Apple’s online store). Instead, the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air gets a price cut to $999, making it the cheapest laptop in Apple’s lineup now. That’s a great price for a MacBook with a modern, sleek design and powerful internals.
M2 vs. M3: There’s still no better laptop than the MacBook Air
Based on your needs, you should select between the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air. If you want the lightest possible laptop, the 13-inch MacBook Air should be your go-to choice. And if budget permits, you should opt for the M3 model, because it delivers better performance and efficiency at a slightly higher price.
The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air can be your portable workhorse, with its bigger screen providing extra screen real estate to simultaneously run more apps.
MacBook Pro and MacBook Air combine to account for a staggering 90% of Apple’s Mac sales. That’s according to a new report Wednesday about best-selling Macs from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
The laptops’ dominant popularity over desktop Macs has long been evident. But the new report showing 2023 data really puts an exclamation point on it.
Best-selling Macs: MacBook Pro and MacBook Air make up 90% of Apple’s Mac sales
iPhone may be Apple’s biggest business line when it comes to earnings. But MacBooks dominate its computer sales to an amazing degree, new CIRP research showed.
MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, by far the best-selling Macs, account for 90% of Apple’s computer sales in the United States.
In addition, MacBook Pro models make up a little more than half of total sales. MacBook Air models capture 39%.
Among the iPhone giant’s top-selling desktop computers, iMac captures 4% of total sales, with and Mac Pro at 3%. And that means Mac mini and Mac Studio grab even lower sales shares, roughly 1% apiece. See the second chart below.
Buyers prefer the bigger laptops
The bigger MacBooks are most popular. Photo: CIRP
CIRP organized its findings on laptop sales by display size, noting that screen size is foremost on consumers’ minds when making a purchase. It said “almost half or more of consumers buy the larger form factor” (16-inch MacBook Pro and 15-inch MacBook Air; see chart above).
CIRP speculated about consumer choices and Apple sales strategy:
“We theorize that increasingly compact laptops, with smaller screen bezels and thinner, lighter chassis, make the larger screen models more practical and accessible,” it said. “These 15- and 16-inch laptops are positively svelte compared to their bulky ancestors.”
Computers aren’t going away anytime soon
MacBook Pro and MacBook Air dominate Mac sales. Photo: CIRP
The group also showed some optimism for the continued profitability of computers.
“This preference may help explain why Apple continues to feature laptops,” it said. “Besides its origins as a computer manufacturer and the role these computers play in the overall hardware, software and services ecosystem, there’s still significant revenue and profit in computers.”
And CIRP gave most of the credit for that to the larger laptops among the best-selling Macs.
“The larger form factors actually drive revenue and profits,” it noted. “In the same way that Apple encourages customers to upgrade iPhone and iPad storage, the larger form factor and display size presumably boost margin, as the added component costs are more than covered by increased prices.”
Spotify dominates the music industry. This becomes really obvious if you don’t use Spotify: You end up being sent, and inevitably clicking on, Spotify links all the time. It happens on social media, yes, but also in text exchanges with friends, in emails, and in DMs. The thought is a good one; someone enjoyed a piece of music and wanted to share it with you. The problem, though, is that the Spotify link is mostly useless if you don’t use Spotify.
What if you use other streaming apps, such as those offered by Apple, Amazon, and YouTube, to listen to music? Are you doomed to search for the track, album, or artist on those services manually? Is that forever your fate? Absolutely not. Here are a few tools that can help you turn Spotify links into links for your preferred music service. (Just note, these tools will work to locate songs, artists, and albums across platforms, but since playlists are usually unique to each platform, these methods won’t work with custom playlists.)
Google Chrome: An Extension to Automatically Redirect Links
If you use Google Chrome or a compatible browser like Microsoft Edge, the browser extension Music Link can automatically open all Spotify links in whatever music app you like. Just install the extension and click its icon to configure it. Choose which music service you prefer and you’re done: Any Spotify link you get from now on will redirect to your app of choice.
You can optionally uncheck whatever services you’re fine with getting links to. SoundCloud, for example, tends to let you play music regardless of whether you have an account, and a lot of its offerings aren’t on other platforms, so you might as well not redirect those links. For the most part, though, this is the kind of extension you can install and never think about ever again.
iPhone and iPad: Song.link for Apple Shortcuts
Chrome extensions may not always work on iPhones or iPads, but thankfully there’s an Apple shortcut for redirecting Spotify links. Just copy any Spotify URL to the clipboard then launch the shortcut Song.Link. This will find the URL in your clipboard and offer you links to the song on other platforms. There’s even a YouTube link, which is helpful if you don’t subscribe to any streaming service.
The highlight of the 2024 MacBook Air is the Apple M3 processor, and the first round of reviews show a 25% increase over the earlier M2-based models.
Otherwise, Apple didn’t tinker with the design of previous versions of its 13- and 15-inch consumer-oriented notebook.
Design: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
Apple took the wraps off the latest iteration of its popular MacBook Air on March 4. It quickly became obvious that all the important changes are internal.
As The Verge review of the new model put it, “The chassis of the 13-inch and 15-inch Air M3s are the same as their M2 predecessors: same wedgeless design, same dimensions and weight, same colorway options — same everything.”
The new computers are very slim — just over 0.4 inches — and lightweight. But there’s still room for a 13.6-inch screen or a 15.3-inch one, depending on the model.
No matter the size, the 2024 MacBook Air last up to 18 hours on a single charge, according to Apple. And both sizes offer two USB-C ports that support Thunderbolt. Getting more ports requires a hub or upgrading to a MacBook Pro.
2024 MacBook Air is all about the M3 processor
Not surprisingly, the first round of reviews of the latest macOS notebook for consumers focus on the one really significant change: the Apple M3 processor.
Engadget answered the query still on everyone’s mind by running Geekbench 6 benchmarking tests. The 13-inch version of the 2024 MacBook Air scored an 12,102 on the multi-core test, making it 25% faster than the M2 version. And the computer came in at 23% faster on Cinebench.
Cnet did its own benchmark tests and came up with a 12063 on the Geekbench 6 multi-core score. That makes the M3 version is 38% faster than the M1 model from 2020.
That said, those already using a recent MacBook Air shouldn’t expect a noticeable increase in speed. The M2 processor was already quite capable of easily handling most of the software consumers need.
“When it comes to real-world performance, I didn’t notice a huge difference between either M3-equipped MacBook Air, compared to the M2 model I’ve been using for the past few years,” noted the Engadget reviewer.
Bonus features
2024 MacBook Air can connect to a pair of external displays. Photo: Apple
Several of the reviewers confirmed the M3-based model’s support for two external displays, noting that it requires closing the notebook’s clamshell because Apple’s chip can only handle two screens at a time.
They also noted the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E, which can significantly increase wireless networking speeds but requires a router that supports the new standard.
Is the 2024 MacBook Air for you?
TechCrunch says of the MacBook Air models: “I don’t hesitate to call them the best consumer laptop Apple has ever made. Depending on where your operating system allegiances lie, it’s not a stretch to call them the best laptops for most people, full stop.”
Cnet said, “The M3 MacBook Air, either size, is an easy recommendation.”
Engadget says, “They’re great computers with excellent performance, gorgeous screens and incredible battery life.”
Video reviews
Cnet did a video review of the 2024 MacBook Air, and summed up the results saying, “If you’re on an older MacBook Air or even a MacBook Pro, the M3 MacBook Air continues Apple’s impressive performance streak, especially if you’re in need of a graphics boost.”
The first titanium Project Alaska Omega watch had a shielding case of anodized aluminum in bright red.
Photograph: Swatch Group
Omega followed the first Alaska prototype with a second design the following year, cased in the conventional 42-mm Moonwatch case. It retained the oversize red aluminum outer case and white dial, while on this model the steel cases were bead-blasted rather than polished to reduce dazzling reflections. The “capsule” hands also remained, but in black, and the classic Speedmaster’s tachymeter bezel (most useful for tracking speed over a known distance; relatively impossible in space) was replaced by a 60-minute scale.
Despite its more conventional styling and cheaper production costs, NASA decided not to order the watch, preferring to stick with what it knew. The Alaska Project watches did eventually make it into space, however, worn by Soyuz 25 mission cosmonauts between 1977 and 1981.
A white dial would not grace another Speedmaster Moonwatch until 1997, when a commemorative limited edition was produced to mark the 40th anniversary of the Speedmaster, and it was only sold in Italy.
In 2008, a limited-edition Alaska Project homage was released, and others have since followed, including the Silver Snoopy of 2015. In 2021, a white-dial Speedy was released in Omega’s proprietary Canopus white gold.
But this new model in stainless steel (reference 310.30.42.50.04.001) is the most attainable white version so far. Today, Omega says the color scheme is a nod to astronauts’ space suits, which it may be—but for fans of the brand it will always relate back to those Cold War creations.
So important were the Alaska Project watches, they were also immortalized in MoonSwatch form in 2022, as the red-bioceramic-cased Mission to Mars.
There are a number of other touches that cement this new Speedmaster’s place as the spiritual successor to the Alaska Project watches: The red Speedmaster dial text is a subtle nod to the design of both Alaska models; and the glossy lacquer used for the dial (another small first for Omega-kind) is in its own way harking back to the highly reflective capabilities of those top-secret prototypes.
Equipped with a sapphire crystal, water-resistant to 50 meters, and machined to tolerances that engineers of the 1960s could only dream of, this is a thoroughly modern Speedmaster—but like all the best Speedmasters, it has a powerful connection to the past.
March 6, 2008: Apple releases the iPhone software development kit, finally allowing coders to start creating native mobile apps for the new smartphone. The iPhone SDK gives developers the tools they need to unlock the new smartphone’s potential.
