AgileBits this week announced that it has released a new version of its popular password manager 1Password for Mac with macOS Big Sur optimizations, including a new icon and design tweaks to the password generator and item fields.
1Password 7.7 also introduces support for unlocking with an Apple Watch on Macs with Touch ID, as well as many newer models of the Mac mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. When enabled, you'll receive a notification on your Apple Watch any time you open 1Password on macOS Catalina or later. Simply double click the side button on the Apple Watch to unlock the app. Unlocking the app with Touch ID is still an option — both can be enabled at once.
1Password for Safari has also been revamped, and now intelligently offers logins, credit cards, and identities right on a webpage.
AgileBits informed us that 1Password currently runs through Apple's translation layer Rosetta 2, adding that it is excited about the opportunities native Apple Silicon support will offer and hopes to have more to say on the subject soon.
1Password 7.7 is a free update for all 1Password subscribers.
Electric vehicle charging network ChargePoint today announced integration with CarPlay, which adds new EV charging data to CarPlay-compatible cars. Drivers can look up nearby chargers, check station status, start a session, get directions to the nearest station, and more.
For convenience, there are filters that will sort stations based on the speed of the charger, cost, availability, and plug type. The CarPlay app also provides access to a list of favorite charging spots and a join waitlist option when stations are full.
To access the new ChargePoint functionality, vehicle owners will need a device updated to iOS 14 or above in a CarPlay vehicle along with the ChargePoint app, which, when connected, will provide charging information on the in-car infotainment system.
ChargePoint is also available through a new ChargePoint widget in the Today View for iPhone that lets drivers locate nearby stations and check real-time charging status, plus it is available on the Apple Watch.
Google today updated its Chrome browser for macOS to version 87.0.4280.66, introducing an icon change that's meant to make the Chrome browser better fit in with the new macOS Big Sur design.
The Chrome browser's icon now features a white background behind it, which is the only change that Google has made. In the prior version of Chrome, it had no white background and was just the standard colorful Chrome logo.
Chrome's icon change is the most noticeable change that will be obvious to Chrome users in the new update, but there are a handful of other new features and bug fixes that are included.
The new Chrome update also improves performance by reducing CPU usage through tab throttling that better manages resources. Background tabs no longer wake up the CPU as often, preserving battery life, so Chrome uses up to 5x less CPU, and battery life is up to 1.25 hours better.
Google says that Chrome starts up to 25 percent faster and loads pages up to 7 percent faster.
There are also new Chrome actions that let tasks like deleting browser history be completed from the address bar (just type in something like delete my history), and there's a new feature for searching through the tabs that you have open. In the near future, Google plans to add Cards to chrome that will help you get back to recently visited and related content.
At this point, we've seen enough reviews and benchmarks to know that the Apple SiliconM1MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini offer incredible performance compared to prior-generation Intel models, but there are still new tests coming out that demonstrate just how impressive Apple's chip really is.
MacRumors forum member iChan did a test on the base model M1 MacBook Air, opening up every default app in the dock on a new user profile and then opening up Activity Monitor at the end to see the RAM utilization.
The MacBook Air is able to seamlessly open every app with no lag time even as the number of open apps grows. Safari, Maps, Mail, Messages, Keynote, Numbers, Pages, the App Store, Notes, Reminders, and more are all running by the end and the 8GB unified memory in the machine handles it all without an issue. By the end, with every app up and running, App Memory comes in at 3.38GB.
Apple's M1 MacBook Air achieves this with 8GB RAM and no internal fan for cooling purposes, which is an impressive feat. The MacBook Air and Apple's other M1 Macs have been excelling in all manner of benchmarks and speed tests, beating out much higher-end Intel-based machines across the board.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Big Sur 11.1 update to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming five days after the launch of macOS Big Sur 11.0.1, the release version of the software.
Developers can download the macOS Big Sur 11.1 beta using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper profile from the Apple Developer Center.
There's no word yet on what's included in macOS Big Sur 11.1, but it likely includes performance improvements, security updates, and fixes for bugs that weren't able to be addressed in the release version of macOS Big Sur. We'll update this article should anything new be found in the software update.
By now, we've seen many benchmark results and reviews showing the breakthrough performance of Apple's new M1 chip for Macs, but the improvements are even more impressive when coupled with battery life metrics.
TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino compiled the open source code for Safari's browser engine WebKit on a variety of Macs, and as has come to be expected, M1-based models completed the task quicker than Intel-based models.
For example, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 compiled WebKit in 20 minutes and 43 seconds, more than twice as fast as the latest Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro, which took 46 minutes and 10 seconds. In fact, the M1-based MacBook Pro's performance in the test was almost exactly on par with the 2019 Mac Pro.
The only exception was the MacBook Air, which was bested by the 2019 Mac Pro by about five minutes in the test, as thermal throttling eventually kicks in on the notebook due to its fanless design. It's still impressive that Apple's entry-level $999 notebook performs within the ballpark of its professional desktop workstation, which starts at $5,999, and makes it exciting to see what Apple Silicon will deliver in higher-end Macs.
As mentioned, things get really impressive when battery life is considered. After the WebKit compiling was finished on the various Macs, the M1-based MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro each had 91% battery life remaining, compared to 61% on a high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro and just 24% on the Intel-based 13-inch MacBook Pro.
All in all, Apple's promise that its chips would deliver industry-leading performance-per-watt appears to be holding up. Panzarino's review has lots of other useful charts and benchmarks and is worth a read as customers wait for their new Macs to arrive.
Moment, the company behind the Moment photo editing app and Moment lenses for iPhone, today announced an Instant Film update for its RTRO app, which is designed to capture vintage photo and video clips.
The new Instant Film feature is designed to work like a real instant film camera, generating a unique film-like effect that can be seen in real time when capturing photos.
Moment says that Instant Film uses a new Analog Effects Engine that allows for generative photo effects, with each photo captured looking slightly different similar to what you might get out of a real film camera. Each effect is based on dozens of variables so every photo is one of a kind.
To create the new Instant Film feature, Moment studied how chemical effects were created during the film's development process to create an emulation in the viewfinder as you take a photo, giving users control over what the photo will look like and the intensity of the generated effect.
Instant Film is a RTRO+ feature, with RTRO+ available for $3.99 per month, $19.99 per year, or a one-time payment of $49.99. RTRO can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Almost seven million dollars worth of Apple products have been dramatically stolen from a truck in the UK, Northamptonshire Police reports.
A truck driver and security guard were transporting a large number of Apple devices in cargo before being accosted by thieves. The incident took place at around 8pm on Tuesday, November 10, on a slip road off the M1 highway, where the driver and security guard were targeted and tied up.
In what appears to be a carefully planned heist, the truck was driven to Crick in Northamptonshire, where the thieves transferred the trailer to an awaiting truck, and left the original truck driver and security guard behind.
The truck was later found in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, where it is believed the thieves transferred a total of 48 pallets of Apple products onto a third vehicle and escaped.
Northamptonshire Police are appealing for witnesses and individuals who have been offered Apple products for sale in unusual circumstances or for suspiciously low prices.
DisplayMate said the iPhone 12 Pro Max has a "state-of-the-art" display that sets or matches 11 smartphone display performance records, including high peak brightness, high contrast ratio, low reflectance, and color accuracy. DisplayMate said the iPhone 12 Pro Max's display is also up to 10 percent more power efficient than the iPhone 11 Pro Max's display.
With a 6.7-inch display, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the largest iPhone ever, sporting a 2778x1284 pixels resolution, 2,000,000:1 contrast ratio, peak brightness of 800 nits or 1,200 nits for HDR content, and P3 wide color gamut support.
Read the full DisplayMate article for in-depth analysis of the iPhone 12 Pro Max's display and the methodology behind its testing.
Last week, Apple rolled out the ability to apply for the Apple Card on the web in the United States, providing customers with another option beyond the Wallet app on the iPhone to get approved for the company's credit card.
To begin, head to the Apple Card application page on the web, click or tap on the "Apply Now" button, and follow the on-screen instructions. As usual, the process takes just a few minutes, and if approved, a virtual Apple Card will be available for purchases immediately. A physical, titanium Apple Card can also be requested through the Wallet app for use at retail stores that do not accept contactless payments.
Apple Card's key features include color-coded spending summaries, no fees, and up to three percent cashback on purchases, paid out daily. The card remains limited to the United States, but an international expansion will likely happen eventually.
As the first Macs containing Apple Silicon processors began arriving to customers today, reviewers have shared their first impressions of the new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. In particular, reviewers praised the M1 chip's ability to deliver excellent performance, thermals, and battery life.
MacBook Air
The Verge's Dieter Bohn remarked that "The MacBook Air with the M1 chip is the most impressive laptop I've used in years."
Forbes's David Phelan described the experience as similar to "every time you switch to a new iPhone with the latest processor - everything seems preposterously fast and responsive."
Bohn noted how well the M1 performs, even when using demanding "pro" apps or using multiple apps at a time:
The MacBook Air performs like a pro-level laptop. It never groans under multiple apps. (I've run well over a dozen at a time.) It handles intensive apps like Photoshop and even video editing apps like Adobe Premiere without complaint. It has never made me think twice about loading up another browser tab or 10 — even in Chrome.
Phelan also noticed a considerable improvement in speed when starting-up the MacBook Air:
One small thing is the way the computer is instant-on, something we're used to from phones and tablets but not so much from computers. This works brilliantly. In fact, I'm mostly just waiting for the Apple Watch or Touch ID to unlock it if I've been away from the laptop for long enough for it to lock.
Bohn found that the MacBook Air appeared to have very good thermals, despite having a passive cooling system with no fan.
The other differences are all on the inside. There's no fan anymore, for one thing, just an aluminum heat spreader. But even when pushing this machine to its absolute limit, I never felt it get more than a little warm.
Bohn said that while the M1 in the MacBook Air did deliver much better battery life, it was not as good as Apple claimed, and did not perform as well as the new MacBook Pro.
I'm getting between eight and 10 hours of real, sustained work depending on how hard I am pushing it. That's not quite 50 percent better than the last MacBook Air, but it's very close... the Pro is consistently getting a couple more hours on a charge
The area most criticized by reviewers was the MacBook Air's camera, which Bohn said was barely improved:
Unfortunately, that similarity extends to the webcam, which is still 720p resolution and still terrible. Apple has tried to borrow some of its real-time image processing from the iPhone to try to spruce up the image — and I do find that it does a better job evenly lighting my face — but mostly what I notice is that it looks bad (only now it's a more processed version of bad).
MacBook Pro
TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino said that "the M1 MacBook Pro runs smoothly, launching apps so quickly that they're often open before your cursor leaves your dock... Every click is more responsive. Every interaction is immediate." Much like Phelan, he described it as feeling "like an iOS device in all the best ways."
The Verge's Nilay Patel discussed the better thermal design of the MacBook Pro, since it uses an active cooling system with a fan. However, Patel did not notice much of an improvement over the MacBook Air:
The Pro seems to have a better, more effective thermal design than the Air overall: we ran our standard 4K export test in Adobe Premiere Pro several times, and the fan never came on, but export times stayed flat...
It's actually hard to get the fan to turn on in general. Things that instantly light up the fan on an Intel-based 16-inch MacBook Pro, like Google Meet in Chrome, barely register on the M1 MacBook Pro. Unless you are routinely pushing heavy sustained workloads on your laptop, the performance difference between the Air and Pro is really not noticeable.
Patel said that he "easily" got "10 hours on a charge and had to really push things to drain the battery in eight hours". Moreover, much like the MacBook Air, Patel chastised the camera:
We really considered giving these machines 10 out of 10 review scores, but this camera is bad enough to keep that from happening, especially on a pro laptop that costs more than the Air.
Mac mini
The Verge's Chris Welch indicated that M1 chip in the Mac mini was able to perform better due to its improved thermal design:
And since Apple doesn’t have to account for the tight confines of a laptop enclosure with the Mac mini, the M1 chip can hit the very best speeds it’s capable of and sustain them without throttling. Heck, I never even heard the fan spin up during repeated 30-minute Cinebench tests or when transcoding several 4K Blu-ray rips back to back. The mini has stayed silent no matter how hard I work it.
PCMag's John Burek had a similar experience, commenting:
In the course of testing, one big thing we noticed: Through all these benchmarks, pressing the CPU and GPU to their presumptive limits, the Mac mini was whisper quiet... It didn't rev up noticeably at even the peak of a Handbrake conversion grind, or after a series of six consecutive GPU game benchmarks. And the chassis stays remarkably cool throughout. There was no point in external thermal testing because the chassis was barely warm to the touch, anywhere on the surface, even at peak activity.
Burek found that the Mac mini performed better than the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but not by a wide margin:
The Mac mini, with its more liberal cooling scheme and extra GPU core, outpaced them both, but all three are in the same rough ballpark.
Yet Welch was disappointed that, in spite of the fact that it is more power-efficient, the M1 chip does not yield a reduction in power usage:
Battery life isn't a factor on the Mac mini, of course, and the M1 mini uses the same 150W power supply as the Intel model, so if there are power efficiency gains, they're not obvious.
He was also downcast about the Mac mini's loss of two Thunderbolt 3 ports:
Apple has gone from four USB-C / Thunderbolt 3 ports to just two — plus the pair of USB-A ports that are still present. Technically, the USB-C ports are more advanced (USB 4), and you can daisy-chain Thunderbolt devices to your heart's content. But there's nothing more convenient than built-in ports, and looking at this objectively, it's a downgrade for the mini's expandability.
Burek downplayed the loss of the two additional Thunderbolt 3 ports on the Mac mini, however:
Is fewer Thunderbolt ports than before a major issue? For most casual users, not really. We'd be hard-pressed to drum up four Thunderbolt 3 peripherals in PC Labs at one time, never mind on our individual desks. If you’re using an HDMI-connected monitor, you have two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports to play with. Also, some Thunderbolt 3-compatible peripherals support daisy chaining, so you aren't necessarily going to feel the pinch if you have more than two devices, depending on what they are.
Welch rebuked the Mac mini's internal speaker, saying that "it's the kind of speaker you'll never, ever want to use."
It's tinny, hollow, and just plain bad; even the macOS Big Sur startup chime sounds embarrassing compared to my thunderous 16-inch MacBook Pro. Considering the speaker advancements Apple has made with its laptops, I wish it would put in some more effort here.
Apple's Beats by Dre brand is today announcing a new collaboration with Tokyo-based design label AMBUSH to launch glow-in-the-dark Powerbeats earphones.
The special-edition Powerbeats, conceived by AMBUSH co-founder and creative director Yoon Ahn, are pale green with a prominent red Beats "b" logo and smaller "AMBUSH" branding. In the dark, the main bodies of the earphones and the cable linking them glow green.
Yoon Ahn, the co-founder and creative director for Tokyo-based label AMBUSH®, is known for her non-traditional, unisex designs that elevate every-day objects and merge together unexpected elements of streetwear, jewelry, luxury fashion and the local subcultures of her city. With this partnership, Yoon was inspired by the creative spark that can come from your nocturnal side -- especially when living in a city like Tokyo, which comes to life at night with a particular energy.
Aside from the glow-in-the-dark capabilities, the AMBUSH Powerbeats themselves are otherwise identical to standard Powerbeats, offering 15 hours of battery life, IPX4 sweat and water resistance, an Apple H1 chip for faster setup, pairing, and switching, Fast Fuel charging that gives one hour of playback with just five minutes of charging, and more.
As with other Powerbeats models, a short USB-A to Lightning cable is included, but the AMBUSH model also includes a unique Beats and AMBUSH co-branded ripstop pouch for storing and carrying the earphones.
Alongside the launch of AMBUSH Powerbeats, Beats is launching a new ad campaign featuring Afro-fusion artist Burna Boy and his song "Way Too Big."
AMBUSH special edition Powerbeats will be available starting tomorrow at apple.com, Dover Street Market, select Nordstrom stores, and nordstrom.com. They will be priced at $199.95, a $50 premium over the standard Powerbeats.
Shazam, the music recognition app that Apple purchased in 2018, has surpassed 200 million monthly active users worldwide. Shazam is available as a standalone app and as a built-in feature on the iPhone and iPad, accessible through Siri and through a new Music Recognition toggle added to the Control Center in iOS 14.
Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Apple Music, Beats, and International Content, commented on the milestone and said that Apple and Shazam offer a "seamless experience" for music fans.
"Apple Music and Shazam offer a seamless experience to music fans around the world, from Shazam's ubiquitous discovery platform to Apple Music's unparalleled content, global live radio stations and human curation. Looking back at our long history together, we can only see how close our missions have been: bringing the best home for music lovers and creators everywhere."
To celebrate, Shazam has shared a list of the 100 most Shazamed tracks ever across the globe, with the list available on Apple Music. The number one song on the list is Tones and I's pop single "Dance Monkey" with more than 36.6 million Shazams since its May 2019 release. Tones and I said that Shazam has had a major impact in terms of reaching new listeners.
"Shazam has been a huge platform for me in terms of reaching people. I didn't have a following when I released 'Dance monkey,' but it gave me the opportunity to reach more people and elevate my fan-base, which has all let to creating a career for myself. Shazam is definitely an app designed to help more unknown artists, and everyone knows Tones loves an up-and-comer!"
The second most Shazamed song was Lilly Wood & The Prick & Robin Schulz's "Prayer in C," while the number three most Shazamed song was Passenger's "Let Her Go."
Along with the top song list, those interested in finding more new music can do so through the Shazam Discovery Top 50, which offers up new songs from breaking artists around the world. Shazam also offers global, country, and city-specific top charts both in the app and on the Shazam website.
Shazam can be downloaded from the App Store for free, and it can be accessed through the Control Center on iPhone and iPad, through Siri commands, or on the Mac. Shazam is also available on Android devices and select features can be accessed on the web.
Apple's embargo has lifted on reviews of the first Apple Silicon Macs with the M1 chip, including the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. In addition to our review roundup, we've gathered up some videos below.
The introduction of the M1 chip marks the beginning of Apple's transition away from Intel processors in Macs. Back in June, Apple revealed its plans to begin using its own custom Apple Silicon processors in Macs, promising industry-leading performance per watt. Apple expects the transition to take about two years to be completed.
The Boost Charge TrueFreedom Pro Wireless Charger is the latest addition to Belkin's portfolio of Qi-certified wireless charging solutions. The TrueFreedom Pro offers full-surface charging, allowing users to place up to two Qi-enabled devices anywhere on the charging pad to receive 10W of power for each device simultaneously.
The charger contains 16 individual charging coils to intelligently provide consistent power to devices anywhere on the pad. This means that users need not align the devices exactly, as with many other wireless chargers, to begin charging. It also has two LED lights to indicate charging status, silver chrome accents, and a leather-like finish.
Belkin also unveiled the Boost Charge UV Sanitizer and Wireless Charger, which it claims reduces up to 99.99% of bacteria with two internal UV-C LED lights. Phones and other small, nonporous items can be safely sanitized by placing them inside the compact device. Belkin has also added a 10W wireless charger on the top of the UV sanitizer to power devices.
The TrueFreedom Pro appears to be Belkin's answer to other full-surface wireless chargers such as the Nomad Base Station, while the Boost Charge UV Sanitizer seems to be positioned as a rival to the PhoneSoap sanitizer.
The Belkin Boost Charge TrueFreedom Pro Wireless Charger is now available for purchase at select retailers and coming soon to Belkin's online store for $129.99. The Boost Charge UV Sanitizer and Wireless Charger is available now at select retailers and Belkin's online store for $79.99.
Google Maps gained three new features today to help users stay safe amid the coronavirus pandemic, including an expansion of its live transit "crowdedness" status information.
Crowdedness data shows the real-time state of transit lines when users look up directions. The information is crowdsourced and relies on in-app feedback from users. Before today, Google Maps only showed the data for stations, but that has now been expanded to buses, trains, and subways.
Avoiding holiday crowds might have always been your thing, but this year, we’re making it especially easy for everyone. If you need to take transit, Google Maps can help you more easily social distance with live crowdedness information. On Android and iOS globally, you’ll start seeing how crowded your bus, train, or subway line is right now based on real-time feedback from Google Maps users around the world (wherever data is available).
In September, Google Maps rolled out a COVID-19 overlay that can show how cases are trending in areas so users can make informed decisions about traveling. The overlay showed the seven-day average of cases per 100,000 people and whether cases are rising and falling. From today, the overlay also shows the all-time number of confirmed cases and deaths, with links to local resources.
Finally, Google now shows the live status of takeout and delivery in the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, Brazil and India when users book or order from Google Maps. As well as seeing expected wait times and delivery fees, users can reorder favorites right from within the app.
Apple has published an article on its website celebrating 40 years of community at its Cork campus in Ireland.
The story of Apple in Ireland began in 1980 with a single manufacturing facility and 60 employees. Fast-forward to today, and Ireland is home to more than 6,000 Apple employees and a sprawling campus in the city of Cork. As Apple celebrates its 40th anniversary in Ireland, the original manufacturing facility has expanded and is now part of a campus that includes AppleCare, Operations, Logistics, and a variety of other teams staffed by a diverse group of employees representing over 90 nationalities. Cork also serves as Apple’s European headquarters, supporting customers across the continent and beyond.
The newsroom article includes interviews with staff, including some members who have worked at the campus for over 30 years, and highlights employee initiatives such as Cork's LGBTQ Diversity Network Association (DNA) and the soon-to-be launched Cork Accessibility DNA, two of Apple's many DNAs that connect employees with shared interests, backgrounds, and values.
In addition, the report highlights Apple's Giving program in Cork, which has supported more than 400 registered charities in Ireland. For every hour a Cork employee volunteers, Apple matches their time with a monetary donation to the same charity. So far in 2020, 43 percent of all Cork employees have participated in volunteering activities.
The piece also mentions efforts around environmental responsibility. The Cork campus, like all Apple facilities, runs on 100 percent clean energy, has more than 200 solar thermal panels, and rainwater is harvested from the roof to supply restrooms across the campus. It has also achieved Zero Waste to Landfill, including for its manufacturing facility.
Today is the official launch day of Apple's new M1-powered Macs, and as customers who pre-ordered await their devices, Apple has also started in-store sales for the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini.
Customers across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, and other regions can now place an order on Apple's website or in the Apple Store app and arrange for in-store pickup at a local retail location.
For example, a quick spot check on the U.K. Apple online store suggests that most stores in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland have available stock for customers today or tomorrow. The same goes for other stores in the United States, Canada, and European countries where in-store pickup is available, including Spain, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.
In many cases, orders placed today for shipping to the home won't arrive until November 25 at the earliest, although there are likely to be exceptions depending on location. In-store pickup at U.S. stores is expected to become available later today.
Initial reports suggest Apple's M1 Macs are significantly faster than the models they replace, and faster than many Intel Macs with the "Pro" moniker. In fact, Apple's M1 Macs are faster in single-core performance than any other Mac that Apple makes, and when it comes to multi-core performance, are faster than the high-end 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
The M1 Macs are even faster in single-core performance when emulating x86 under Rosetta 2, and as for GPU performance, the integrated graphics outperform the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and AMD Radeon RX 560.
This article has been updated to reflect that Apple Store pickup has expanded to more countries, including the United States and Canada.