MacFormat içinde August 2024 için içindekiler tablosu

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is always full of surprises, but that was especially the case this year. For not only did Apple unveil the next version of macOS, named Sequoia, as well as iOS 18, iPadOS 18, watchOS 11, visionOS 2 and some Audio and Home updates (phew!), it’s One More Thing was actually Apple’s Next Big Thing, and it’ll have an enormous impact on the way we all use our devices for years to come. That ‘Thing’ is Apple Intelligence. Integrated right at the heart of its Mac, iPhone and iPad updates, Apple Intelligence brings whole new ways to do all kinds of things – from crafting text in documents and emails to creating original images. It’ll certainly help you to do things easier and faster, although…

One of the biggest benefits of Apple Intelligence will be in the way it handles photos and videos in your Photos library. Searches for people, pets, events and places promise to be easier and much faster, while image editing – such as removing unwanted objects or even entire backgrounds – will become much simpler with the Clean Up tool. It’ll also be much simpler to create Memories in Photos. Enter a prompt such as ‘Family holiday in Italy’ and Photos will serve up just the right images and videos, picking your best shots of your family, friends and locations, then arranging them in such a way that they tell a story. You’ll even get suitable Apple Music suggestions to go along with your creation and, of course, your privacy is…

While Apple Intelligence was the headline act of Apple’s WWDC keynote, the Mac got plenty of love too with some great new features coming courtesy of macOS 15 Sequoia later this year. Of these, the most surprising is that Apple is bringing the iPhone to the Mac via Continuity and a new feature it calls iPhone Mirroring. This shows your iPhone screen right on your Mac’s display and enables you to fully interact with it – even if your iPhone is locked and in your pocket or bag. You’ll be able to do things like use your apps, swipe between Home Screens and view and respond to notifications. You’ll even be able to use your Mac’s mouse, trackpad and keyboard to do so. Surfing the web with Safari will also…

The iPhone X led the way as Apple’s first OLED device, but since its debut in 2017 not much has followed. Yet the 2024 iPad Pro and its Tandem OLED display may be about to open the floodgates, with an almost complete overhaul of Apple’s product line-up apparently heading our way over the next couple of years. According to the rumour mill, this could all start happening in 2026. If the leaks are correct, that year will mark the launch of a MacBook Pro, an iPad Air and an iPad mini, all equipped with OLED screens. It would be one of the biggest display upgrade cycles in Apple’s history. One of the main sources of this information is Korean news website Naver. This outlet claims that Samsung Display ‘has recently…

Mac apps connect to the internet all the time, often in ways you don’t even realise, and often with the intent of tracking your data. Little Snitch stops that by letting you block any outward connections as they happen. If you’re concerned about the information that might be shared with third parties, it’s a must. Updated to version 6, the app now offers even more ways to protect your privacy. You can now install curated blocklists to stymy known offenders, group firewall rulesets by type, and encrypt your DNS queries to block out prying eyes. There’s also a new control centre in the menu bar that shows network info and blocked connections, plus new interactive traffic charts to help you see what’s happening in seconds. With all these features and…

One of the most Opertinent questions now asked by those wanting new Apple kit is whether they should splash out on an iPad or a Mac. Or, if you’re lucky, both. But the either/or dilemma became just that little bit harder to answer after Apple’s recent tablet upgrades, with the new iPad Pro and iPad Air (see p78 and 82). And in the future, there may well be another type of device to consider. A patent has recently been granted to Apple for a ‘hinged keyboard accessory having multiple installation modes for a tablet computing device’. In other words, a hybrid tablet/notebook. A similar patent for a hybrid device was also granted in July 2023. Of course, companies like Apple file patents all the time. We’ve seen countless intriguing documents that…

Remove devices from Apple ID If you have devices you no longer own or use associated with your Apple ID, in your web browser, go to appleid.apple.com and sign in. Choose Devices in the list on the left, and review the devices shown. To delete one, click on it and then click the ‘Remove from Account’ button. First things first. On a Mac, open System Settings/Preferences, and click [your name] > iCloud, and turn on ‘Access iCloud Data on the Web’. On a mobile device, in Settings, tap [your name] > iCloud and do the same. This makes your data available on iCloud.com. But what is iCloud.com? In a nutshell, it’s a web portal for your iCloud and iCloud Drive services. When you open the website and sign on using…

Subscribe online… www.magazinesdirect.com/mac/D35T Or call 0330 333 1113 and quote ‘D35T’ Great reasons to subscribe NEW! Digital access to 130+ issues when you subscribe to print!** Enjoy the MacFormat print edition for just £21.09 every six months! Or enjoy six months of MacFormat digital edition for just £16.87! Delivered direct to your door and device For more than 25 years, we’ve been helping Apple fans get the most from their kit Keep your subscription rolling today!  DIGITAL ONLY PRINT & DIGITAL ACCESS £16.87 every six months £21.09 every six months PLUS ACCESS TO 130 DIGITAL BACK ISSUES! Terms and conditions: Offer closes 20 August 2024. Please allow up to six weeks for the delivery of your first subscription issue (up to 8 weeks overseas). The full subscription rate includes postage…

IT WILL TAKE > 10 minutes YOU WILL LEARN > How to find characters and make changes to accomplish things more easily YOU’LL NEED > macOS 10.4 or later Your keyboard may feel fixed but it’s more adaptable than you may imagine. With a few tweaks, you can put a host of extra functions at your fingertips, making it easier to type and navigate applications. Maybe create your own macOS keyboard shortcuts and edit any of the existing ones. Or assign specific functions to keys and go beyond the character set you see printed on the keyboard, even making use of different language layouts. By investing a small amount of time exploring the options, you can use your Mac like a pro. It’s even possible, via System Settings > Keyboard,…

IT WILL TAKE > 20 minutes YOU WILL LEARN > About various iOS security options YOU’LL NEED > iOS 17 or later Touch ID and Face ID are hard to fool, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add more security to your iPhone – and iOS 17 makes it fairly easy to make your iPhone more secure. We’re saying ‘fairly easy’ because as you’ll see, the settings aren’t all stored in the same place so you need to go on a bit of a security safari to use them all. The bulk of these features are designed to limit the information that others can access, but some are specifically for preventing a lost or stolen iPhone from becoming an even bigger nightmare. So what should you do if your iPhone gets…

YOU WILL LEARN > How the Vision Pro creates and displays three-dimensional ‘spatial’ video It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster ride for the Vision Pro over the last year. Months of feverish speculation were followed by near-hysteria when Apple finally revealed its new VR headset at WWDC in June 2023. There were rave reviews when the Vision Pro went on sale in February this year, followed by a backlash over its high price and reports that sales were falling short of Apple’s targets (which slightly overlooks the fact that the Vision Pro still hasn’t gone on sale anywhere outside the US yet). But Apple has always been playing a long game with the Vision Pro, realising that it needs to put a lot of technologies into place before the headset…

Refresh a Fusion Drive Q The Fusion Drive in my iMac 27-inch is getting slower. How can I restore its speed? by SAM GILBERT A When Apple introduced Fusion Drives in late 2012, larger SSDs (solid-state drives) were still very expensive, and combining a smaller one with a large hard drive delivered good performance at relatively little additional cost. There’s a price to pay in the end, though: Fusion Drives don’t last as long as SSDs, and may even fail earlier than a conventional hard drive, because of the increased ‘wear’ they impose. Before going any further, start your iMac up in Hardware Diagnostics to check that its Fusion Drive appears healthy, before running Disk Utility’s First Aid in recovery mode. Although they may declare it healthy, check its SMART…

Apple designed your iPhone so that you can point, shoot and share your shots with the minimum of editing. In effect, your iPhone edits a photo in-camera to create a well-exposed, correctly coloured and sharply focused image. However, there are times when you’ll want to take manual control over the look of your images, so we’ll show you how to use macOS Photos’ editing tools to give your shots a more creative makeover. Adjusting multiple sliders to create a particular look can take time, but you can copy every adjustment that you’ve made to one shot and paste it onto others. After snapping a shot, a good springboard to the editing process is to click on the Auto Enhance (magic wand) button to boost contrast and create more vibrant colours. Both…

Can it be true? Is it really finally summer? Yes it is! And that means you can now pop out into the garden and venture further afield with the latest tech in tow. After all, as the days get longer and warmer, there’s simply no excuse to stay in your home and, since there’s a wide range of great kit designed to accompany you in the great outdoors, you’re certainly not going to be missing your gadget fix. As you’ll discover over the next few pages, there are devices to suit pretty much every situation. There are portable, battery-powered projectors that can turn your outdoor space into a pop-up cinema, for example, and HomeKit-compatible smart lights that can be controlled from your phone and alter the outdoor vibe in seconds.…

Whether you’re embarking on an adventure or simply looking to hit the beach with a stack of books and an abundance of games, you’re more than likely going to create many new memories. First, make sure they’re good ones by protecting your belongings when away from home and, if you’re going somewhere remote, take your own source of power so you’re not left high and dry. Next, look to capture your fun experiences forever by exploring various ways of taking the very best videos and photos – on land or in the air. Here we look at some holiday essentials depending on your trip. And don’t worry about taking too much tech with you either – a spacious bag is all you need. 1 DJI Air 3 > £962 >dji.com/uk >Holidays…

BUYING ADVICE Our authoritative reviews help you make more informed choices Contact us Email your queries and your questions to letters@macformat.com > Our ratings > Our reviews are totally independent; we’re not affiliated with Apple or anyone else, nor are we influenced by advertisers. > A truly exceptional product. Award given solely at the discretion of the editor. > The best example of its kind when pitted against comparable products. > A brilliant thing > Strongly recommended > Worth considering > Notable flaws > A waste of your money…

> From £599 > FROM apple.com/uk > FEATURES 11-inch Liquid Retina display (2360x1640) with True Tone, Apple M2 chip, 128GB storage (256GB/512GB/1TB available), Wi-Fi 6E (aka 802.11ax Wi-Fi), Bluetooth 5.3, 1x USB-C (USB 3) port, Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, 12MP Wide rear camera, Touch ID, support for Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) The addition of the M2 chip gives the iPad Air even more oomph While the new iPad Pro packs some incredible new hardware into its super-slim innards, its high spec and high price mean it’s overkill for many – the new iPad Air, then, is the Apple tablet most of us will want. Last updated in March 2022, the new iPad Air now comes in two sizes: 11-inch and a new 13-inch, with prices…

These days, it pays to be security conscious. According to the Office of National Statistics, there were 272,402 burglary offences in the UK for the year ending in June 2023. Although this is actually fewer than the previous year, that’s no comfort to those who were burgled. As well as home break-ins, there’s thefts from the shed, garden or garage. Having bought a bike to keep you fit during the pandemic, you certainly don’t want to see it stolen. It pays to protect your property with a quality outdoor camera or two, and it’s never been cheaper or easier to do so. These days, we all have a wireless home network, so with a Wi-Fi outdoor security camera – or more than one if you wish – you can keep an…

While Apple Intelligence will be able to do much of the heavy lifting, there will be times when you need a little more – and for those moments, Apple has partnered with OpenAI and its ChatGPT service. Apple says this will enable you to use ChatGPT’s Larger Language Model (LLM) to do things like create original stories (handy for when it’s your child’s bedtime), suggest recipes, and more, and you’ll be able to use it across macOS, iOS and iPadOS without a subscription. Invoke ChatGPT, and you’ll always be asked for permission to do so.…

Unsurprisingly, it’s iPhone that got some of biggest new features at WWDC – and not only because of Apple Intelligence. One of the biggest changes comes to the Home Screen, which will now be way more customisable. Not only will you be able to arrange your apps however you want them, you’ll also be able to switch them system-wide from light appearance to Dark Mode, and even completely change their colours, thanks to a new on-screen colour picker. The Photos app also benefits from a redesign with a new grid view at the top and Collections arranged below. It’ll also be easier and faster to find the images and videos you want and arrange them in great-looking Memories. The Messages app also gets a whole new range of range of…

The new iPad Pro’s Tandem OLED display is absolutely incredible and a major improvement over the miniLED panel that came before it. But some users have noticed a concerning visual effect on the new screens. Posting on a range of web forums, Apple customers have observed a grainy effect appearing in certain circumstances, particularly when the iPad’s brightness is dim and is it situated in low-lighting conditions. Yet this might not actually be a defect, as OLED panels are known to produce similar effects in rare circumstances. For instance, as OLED screens control brightness on a per-pixel level, this can lead to brightness inconsistencies that manifest themselves as graininess. There’s no way of knowing if this is what is happening or whether Apple has an issue on its hands, but…

Previews or full sized images You can save storage space by keeping previews on your local devices. On a Mac, open the Photos app and in the Photos menu, choose Settings/Preferences. In the iCloud tab, choose Optimise Mac Storage. On mobile devices, do this through Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos and choose Optimise [Device] Storage. With iCloud Photos, you can sync your photographs and videos across all your Apple devices, store them in the cloud and access them from any device with a browser at iCloud.com. This means, for example, if you take a picture on your iPhone, it automatically appears on your iPad and Mac. Any edits you make to individual pictures or videos are reflected on your other devices too. You can also enjoy your media…

EXPLAINED iCloud Drive explained 1 Files app On a mobile device, access iCloud Drive in the Files app. The sidebar icon (top left) gives access to these options. 2 iCloud Drive Tap iCloud Drive in the sidebar (as per the highlighted option above) for access to the files and folders in your iCloud Drive. 3 Folder options These buttons create a new folder, change the way they’re displayed and let you select more than one item respectively. 4 Using the folders Tap a folder to open it, and view the files inside. If you tap and hold a folder you get various options, including deleting it. 5 Cloud icon A cloud icon with a down-pointing arrow means there’s no local copy of that item on your device. Tap the icon to download it. You can…

IT WILL TAKE > An hour or so YOU WILL LEARN > How to create reflowable and interactive books YOU’LL NEED > macOS 13 or later, iOS/iPadOS 16 or later If you’re using Pages just to write letters and craft CVs, wait! It can do so much more than that! In fact, if you’ve ever fancied writing a book, Pages gives you all the tools you need to create a professional-looking tome. You can then share it with friends and family or even put it up for sale on Apple Books. Pages is nothing if not flexible. You can create pages with fixed layouts or allow the app to take care of the formatting so that you don’t need to worry about text looking messy on multiple devices. And since you’re…

IT WILL TAKE > 10 minutes YOU WILL LEARN > How to keep an eye on incoming/outgoing flights YOU’LL NEED > Flighty app (Free, offers IAPs), iOS 16 or later Travelling by plane can be stressful, particularly if flights are delayed or cancelled. Likewise, figuring out if a friend or family member’s flight is going well can also cause frustration, especially if you’re picking them up from the airport or waiting on their arrival at home. To help you better deal with air-related uncertainties, Flighty provides highly accurate flight-tracking data which comes into its own when predicting delays. Whether you are tracking your own flights or checking in on someone else’s, you can check the exact whereabouts of planes even up to 25 hours before take-off. You can also receive notifications…

EXPERT ADVICE Our resident genius solves your Mac and iOS problems Contact us Email your queries and your questions to genius@macformat.com Apple’s war against malware For many years, macOS has played cat and mouse with unwanted and malicious software. Persistent and thoroughly nasty adware like Adload has adapted rapidly each time Apple has improved defences like XProtect, part of the Gatekeeper checks run on-demand when opening apps. This changed in April, when Apple’s security engineers fired full broadsides against three of the worst offenders, Adload, Pirrit and Bundlore. This new assault extends beyond XProtect, which is effective even in older macOS before Sierra, and includes its more recent silent sister that scans daily for and removes malicious code in Catalina and later. Time will tell whether Apple’s adoption of a…

Check Time Machine backups Q How often should I check the integrity of my Mac’s Time Machine backups, and how should I do that? by MILO CAMERON A Time Machine’s backups made to APFS storage are completely different from those it made to Macintosh Extended disks of the past, and should need a minimum of checking or maintenance. In the past, Time Machine has offered a consistency scan, but that’s no longer functional. There’s still an option to Verify Backups, offered if you open the Time Machine menu with the Option key held, but that too doesn’t seem to do anything with local backup storage, only when backing up to network systems. What you should do every month or two is check that you can restore some of the contents…

On the previous pages, we explored tips, tricks and techniques to make your shots look great from the comfort of your Mac. If you’re working on your Photos on macOS, you can spot and fix artefacts like digital noise or soft focus more easily on the larger screen than on your iPhone or iPad. However, editing with Photos on iOS and iPadOS offers other unique strengths, such as the ability to counteract perspectival distortion – where a tall building’s vertical lines converge inwards towards the top of the frame instead of running parallel with the frame’s edge. It can be a bit fiddly to swipe an iPhone’s screen to straighten a tilted horizon, but you’ll find a one-tap Auto Straighten tool in Photos on iOS that is lacking in the macOS…

No matter how large or small your outdoor space is, technology can make it even more inviting. It can turn a lush green garden into a comfortable living space packed with entertainment and it can convert even the most spartan of backyards into a dining area for hazy summer evening barbecues. The right tech can also make your space more appealing to wildlife while deterring potential intruders. It can take away the hassle of maintenance, leaving more time for you to chill. By installing some lighting, you could even extend the days long into the night. In fact, with all of the tech we’ve uncovered you’re unlikely to want to venture back indoors. 1 Nebula Mars 3 > £1099.99 > From uk.seenebula.com > Easy to set up and offering up to…

> From £1,299 > FROM apple.com/uk > FEATURES Tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display (2752x2064) with True Tone, Apple M4 chip, 8GB of memory (256GB and 512GB models)/16GB of memory (1TB and 2TB models), 256GB of storage (512GB, 1TB and 2TB of storage available), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, 1x Thunderbolt 3 port, Landscape 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, 12MP rear camera Apple had to keep the iPad Pro relevant. And it has – and how The undoubted highlight of Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event in May, the new iPad Pro is truly a sight to behold. At just 5.1mm thick, not only is it the thinnest product Apple has ever made, it’s also one of the most powerful and beautiful – thanks to a breathtaking Tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display…

> £89.99 > FROM asus.com> FEATURES Dual-band Wi-Fi 6, 3Gbps speed, USB-C, 2x Ethernet; 21.5x120x120mm, 210g The RT-AX57 Go has built-in security features According to Asus, the new RT-AX57 Go, is flying off the shelves at the moment. And its bargain price of just £89.99 probably helps in that regard. Asus describes the RT-AX57 Go as a ‘travel router’, but it’s actually quite different from many conventional portable routers. Rather than having a SIM slot so that you can connect it to your own personal mobile broadband account – which of course can be quite expensive – the RT-AX57 Go is designed for use with free public networks in places like hotels or airports when you’re travelling. The connection speeds that you get will depend on the network that you’re…

> From £8.99 per month/£65 lifetime > FROM omnigroup.com > NEEDS macOS 13 or later Its novel Fluid outlines adapt to the information available for each Action Keeping on top of all those everyday tasks of life and work is often too demanding for Notes and Reminders, and merits closer integration with more dedicated features. OmniFocus has sufficient flexibility and power to handle tasks ranging from a brief course of dental treatment to moving house or setting up a business, and borders on full-blown project management. It has also been endorsed by David Allen, author of Getting Things Done, as an ideal platform for applying the techniques he advocates. Its success depends largely on its interface. Version 4 of OmniFocus brings a novel and near-perfect solution with its Fluid outlines,…

Apple has always been known for great marketing. I remember Steve Jobs launching the MacBook Air back in 2008 with the famous line “there’s something in the air” before pulling his magical new laptop out of a manila envelope to demonstrate how impossibly thin it was. Steve always had that knack for boiling everything down to its essence, so you knew exactly what a product was all about and why you wanted it before he showed it to you. What was the MacBook Air? Well, it could be described in one sentence as “the world’s thinnest notebook”, and who wouldn’t want that? His 2008 keynote, where he introduces the MacBook Air to the world (look it up on YouTube), is a masterpiece in generating excitement and anticipation when launching a new…

Genmoji is Apple’s latest fun addition to Messages, giving you a new way to interact with family and friends. Type or say a phrase using Genmoji and Messages will create a suggested image for you and you’ll be able to post it inline, use it as a sticker, or as a reaction in Tapback. Genmoji will be available on iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and in Messages on macOS Sequoia. There’s no word yet on whether Genmoji will come to Apple Watch with watchOS 11, but we can hope!…

While most of the new features found in iPadOS 18 will be the same or similar to those on iOS, including customised Home Screens, Apple’s saved some for just its tablets. The chief of these is a brand new Calculator app – long desired by iPad users, it not only uses the full size of the iPad’s screen, with both basic and scientific options, it also throws in some incredible new features – like the ability to handwrite sums and formulas in Math Notes and have your iPad automagically calculate them. iPadOS 18 also introduces yet another multitasking feature – a redesigned, customisable tab bar that floats above the app you’re using that can switch to a floating sidebar when needed. Like iPhone, the iPad also gets a new-look Photos…

A few years ago, Apple was hit with the ‘Bendgate’ scandal, where iPhones and iPads seemed to bend more readily than they should. Given the negative press, it’s unsurprising that Apple would want to avoid that ever happening again, and it’s just revealed exactly what it’s doing to guarantee that. In an interview with Arun Maini (the popular YouTuber Mrwhosetheboss), Apple hardware exec John Ternus explained that the new OLED iPad Pro comes with an internal metal cover that runs down the centre of the device, designed to shore up the tablet and improve its core strength. This metal cowling “tremendously improves the stiffness of the product,” according to Ternus. It also improves heat dissipation and cooling, the executive explained, which could help with the iPad’s M4 chip and the…

The iCloud service stores your important data such as photos, files, backups and more on Apple’s servers. All this can then be accessed using any of your Apple devices, or on the web at iCloud.com. You can also use iCloud to sync information such as notes, contacts, Safari favourites, reminders, wallet info and more across your Apple gear. Write a note on your iPad, and you can review it on your Mac and iPhone. Add a contact on your iPhone, and it also appears on your Mac and iPad. When you sign up for your Apple ID, you’re automatically given an iCloud.com email address and 5GB of free storage. If – or perhaps when – you run out of space, you can get more with a monthly subscription. Syncing You can…

The iCloud service offers more than cloud storage for files and media. By switching on the iCloud option for key Apple apps on both Macs and mobile devices, you can keep this data in sync between your devices. Make a change on one device, and it’s reflected on all the others. We’re concentrating on Safari, Mail and Messages here, but you can also sync data – and make it available on iCloud.com – in Calendar, Reminders, Notes, Contacts and more. To turn on iCloud for these apps on a Mac, open System Settings/Preferences from the Apple menu, click [your name] > iCloud and then the Show More Apps button. Make sure iCloud is switched on for the apps in question. On a mobile device, open Settings and tap [your name]…

iCloud+ Family Sharing If you subscribe to iCloud+, as opposed to only using the free 5GB you get with your Apple ID, you can share storage with your family. After setting up Family Sharing, you can then invite family members to join your shared iCloud+ plan, so the extra capacity to which you’ve subscribed can be used by everyone in your family group. There are several ways in which you can share files and collaborate using iCloud. You can even share a folder, so others can add to and delete its contents. In Apple’s iWork apps – Pages, Numbers and Keynote – as long as a file is in iCloud Drive you can send it to another person or collaborate on it. With a group of people working on a file…

IT WILL TAKE > 10 minutes YOU WILL LEARN > New ways to navigate your Mac system YOU’LL NEED > macOS 13 or later (for Stage Manager) While most of us stick with what we know, Apple has packed the Mac with lots of alternative ways to use it. This extends to such basic principles as how to navigate the desktop, organise applications and their windows, and switch between them. With a cluttered desktop, it can become a headache to navigate and find the app window you want. The Dock is fine for opening favourite apps and switching to them, while the Launchpad is good for viewing all your apps and searching for one. There are some extra tools to help you, however, which we’ll explore here. Switching between running…

IT WILL TAKE > 10 minutes YOU WILL LEARN > How to access some of your AirPods’ best features YOU’LL NEED > AirPods 3, AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods Max Your AirPods, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max aren’t just great-sounding headphones. They’re very clever too, with lots of customisation options and some very smart features. That’s particularly true of the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 3, which have spatial udio for more immersive sound – something that’s great for live and acoustic music, TV and movies. AirPods Pro 2 and Max add noise cancellation into the mix, and that’s where things get even smarter. In addition to noise cancelling, you can use Transparency mode to let some outside sound in – useful in cities so you can hear traffic and…

You don’t have to stick with Photos’ built-in editing tools; you can also use third-party apps to enhance your images, either by using them as Extensions within Photos itself (with apps such as Pixelmator Pro) or as stand-alone apps. Photos has many limitations compared to third-party apps. You can’t use Photos to creatively combine different images together via layers as you can with Pixelmator Pro. Photos is also limited when it comes to removing unwanted objects (especially if they are larger than spots and pimples) compared to third-party apps, such as Photoshop, which can seamlessly remove and replace much more complex objects using AI-powered tools. Photos is capable of correcting typical problems with colour, tone and composition but if you want to take your edits in a more creative direction (such…

Whether you’re travelling by air to a beautiful far-flung destination, cycling to an event or hitting the highways for the ultimate road trip, tech can be your best companion. By being well prepared, you can prevent your devices running out of juice, and even avoid going without sufficient water yourself. You can screen out background noise and relax, or crank up the sounds during stops to get everyone in a party mood. If you have to work while travelling, you can make life more comfortable and, if you’re making your own way to places, you’ll want a sense of direction and the comfort of knowing you’re prepared should something go wrong. Let’s check out the best travel technology. 1 Peak Design Out Front Bike Mount V2 > £67.99 > peakdesign.com >…

> IN PRINT > ON iPAD & iPHONE ISSUE 405 JULY 2024 >The best apps for everything >Meet the new iPad Pro and iPad Air > Apple’s incredible new M4 chip >6 best Safari alternatives ISSUE 404 JUNE 2024 >M3 MacBook Air: in-depth review >Discover fast fixes for your Mac > Apple’s new focus on AI robots >6 best Mac keyboards on test ISSUE 403 MAY 2024 >85 must-try iPad tricks + best apps >Meet the new M3 MacBook Air >Build your ideal smart home >Be an AI expert with ChatGPT To order back issues of the print magazine, go to bit.ly/macformat_backissues or phone +44 (0)330 333 1113 and we’ll post them out to you. Download back issues onto your iOS device at any time and keep them forever in…

> £129 > FROM apple.com/uk > FEATURES Tilt and pressure sensitivity, wireless pairing and charging, Squeeze, Barrel roll, Haptic feedback, Apple Pencil hover, double tap, Find My, compatible with M4 iPad Pro (11-inch and 13-inch), M2 iPad Air (11-inch and 13-inch) Launched alongside the new M4 iPad Pro (p78) and iPad Air (p82), the Apple Pencil Pro brings some welcome new features – along with more than a little confusion. That’s because while it’s supposed to be a direct replacement for the Apple Pencil (2nd gen), the second-gen Pencil remains available at the identical price of £129. The Apple Pencil (1st gen) and Apple Pencil (USB-C) are also still on sale. The caveat here is that the new Apple Pencil Pro only works with the new M4 iPad Pro and…

> $99.99 (about £95) > FROM topazlabs.com > NEEDS macOS 11 or later It was like pulling back a sheer curtain, revealing our subject’s blurred details in striking clarity The iPhone 15 Pro’s 48MP sensor produces super-high resolution photos measuring 6048x8064 pixels. This enables you to produce a 20x26-inch image with a detail-packed resolution of 300dpi (dots per inch), enabling you to print, frame and hang large images on your wall. However if you have photos snapped on older digital cameras then their resolution will be lower, leading to smaller print size options. Traditionally, you could use an app such as Adobe’s Photoshop to enlarge (upscale) a low-resolution image to make it large enough to print. However, when you enlarge a photo you need to add more pixels to it.…

> Free; Pro subscription £2.79/week; £9.99/month; £39.99/year > FROM lakecolouring.com > NEEDS iPadOS 14 later Lake stands out from the crowd with its gorgeous design The Apple Pencil is one of the iPad’s best features, giving you a highly realistic drawing experience directly on your Apple tablet. This is especially the case if you’re treating yourself to the very latest iPad Pro and new Apple Pencil Pro! Mostly used by creatives to create wonderful art, those of us who may be a little less artistic often struggle to find a real-use case for the Pencil. While the Apple Pencil excels for note taking, you can also use it for colouring apps to get that creative spark even if you don’t know how to draw. Lake, touted as ‘the world’s first…

BEST BUYS… >EXTERNAL DISPLAY Philips 27B1U7903 £1,099, philips.co.uk >An excellent monitor that satisfies on every level. It’s expensive, but you do get a lot of quality for your money. MF392 >OUR TOP 3 MESH NETWORK DEVICES ASUS ZenWiFi XT9 > £459.99 >MF386 > asus.com/uk Linksys Atlas 6 > £179.99 >MF386 > linksys.com/gb Devolo Magic 2 WiFi next > £174.99 >MF386 > devolo.co.uk > BLUETOOTH SPEAKER Marshall Middleton £269.99, marshallheadphones.com › Meaty, beaty, big and bouncy, the Middleton knows how to rock. MF391 >OUR TOP 3 PORTABLE SSDS Crucial X8 > £211.99 >MF388 > uk.crucial.com SanDisk Extreme > £99.99, > MF388 > westerndigital.com OWC Envoy Pro SX > £285 >MF388 > owc.com >NAS DRIVE Asustor Lockerstor 2 Gen2 AS6702T £469, asustor.com >Excellent and versatile mid-range network storage. MF390 > OUR TOP 3…