Jeff Benjamin

Yesterday Apple released a huge new macOS Big Sur 11.3 developer beta to Mac users. The update brings some long-awaited new features to the table, such as the ability to set a HomePod stereo pair as the global default sound output option. In addition, the beta adds changes already implemented in the earlier release of iOS 14.5 beta for iOS devices, such as a new Made For You section in the Music app, and updates to sorting options in the Reminders app. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough as we showcase macOS 11.3 beta 1 changes and features.

Yesterday Apple released iOS 14.5 beta 1 to developers, and as you’ve no doubt heard, it’s quite the update. Headlined by the ability to unlock your iPhone with Apple Watch while wearing a face mask, iOS 14.5 beta 1 brings forth a number of practical improvements and overall enhancements to iPhone. Watch our hands-on commentary as we discuss the top iOS 14.5 beta 1 changes and features.

Today, third-party Apple hardware maker OWC announced the acquisition of LumaForge, best known for its Jellyfish lineup of shared storage solutions primarily aimed at video content houses. Notably, LumaForge will continue as a company, with team intact, as it seeks to further expand its hardware and software solutions.

As we noted in our previous hands-on looks at iOS 14.3, Apple has brought back the Set Wallpaper action to the Shortcuts app. With this handy action, users are able to create dynamic wallpaper that can be triggered using automations, such as when connecting an iPhone to power, or at certain times of the day. In addition, this tutorial shows you how to (temporarily) disable the annoying Shortcuts banner notification for that uber-clean look.

I recently went hands-on with the Level Touch smart lock, which is Level Home Inc.’s most recent foray into the connected home space. Level, whose newest smart lock is for sale in the Apple Store, and whose design team includes former Apple employees, prides itself on providing smart technology in an elegant and inconspicuous package. In fact, unless someone specifically told you, you might not even know that the Level Touch is a smart lock. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details.

Despite the unique circumstances presented by being in the midst of a global pandemic, Apple had one of its busiest, and arguably most productive years in recent memory. In this hands-on video, I take a look back at my favorite Apple hardware releases of 2020.

Parallels recently released a technical preview of Parallels 16 that’s compatible with M1 Macs, and it works surprisingly well. The Apple Silicon version of Parallels is specifically designed for ARM-based operating systems, so it won’t work with the x86 version of Windows 10, but instead requires the ARM version of Windows. In this video tutorial, we show you how to run Windows for ARM on M1 Macs using Parallels.

Apple Watch hardware has improved at a steady clip over the years, but the software has also received marked improvements with each new iteration of watchOS. The latest version, watchOS 7, brings big improvements in three key new areas: new watch faces features, fleshed-out fitness enhancements, and the Sleep app. After using watchOS 7 daily for the past few months, and with the recent launch of Apple Fitness+ capping off the release, here’s my final recap review of watchOS 7.

The initial iOS 14.4 beta includes a new feature that was first demonstrated during Apple’s iPhone 12 event. The new feature specifically relates to the HomePod mini and its U1 Ultra Wideband chip that allows for spatial awareness. An iPhone equipped with the U1 chip can interact with Apple’s diminutive smart speaker in new ways on iOS 14.4. Watch our hands-on walkthrough as we explore the updated Handoff experience and other iOS 14.4 beta changes and features.

Yesterday, Apple issued the release candidate for iOS 14.3 to developers, signifying that its widespread release to the public is imminent. With this in mind, we take a look at the top iOS 14.3 RC features, a release full of new changes, and support for upcoming products like AirPods Max and services like Apple Fitness+. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for an overview of what’s new in iOS 14.3.

Yesterday Apple’s MagSafe Duo Charger arrived on my doorstep, and I was anxious to get it unboxed and take it for a test drive. This $129.00 wireless charger was first revealed at the iPhone 12 event, where Apple officially announced the arrival of new MagSafe accessories for all four of the company’s new iPhone 12 models. Is it worth the steep asking price? Watch our MagSafe Duo Charger review video for the details.

Has the transition from Intel to Apple silicon on the Mac surpassed all expectations? Watch our hands-on video as we discuss what makes Apple’s M1 MacBooks so special in our MacBook Air and MacBook Pro review.

In my recent Top Features video walkthrough showcasing the iPhone 12, I didn’t yet have the iPhone 12 mini in hand, so I was only able to provide commentary on Apple’s large 6.1-inch baseline smartphone. Now that the iPhone 12 mini has arrived, I’ve been able to examine both smartphones in light of Apple’s entire flagship lineup. Watch our hands-on iPhone 12 & 12 mini review video for the details.

LumaFusion, which is in my opinion the best and most powerful video editing app available for iOS devices, recently received a big update that accommodates 10-bit HDR workflows. The version 2.4 update, which is free to existing LumaFusion customers, allows iPhone 12 HDR video shooters to import and export 10-bit HDR video.

Last week Apple unveiled the first three Macs powered by Apple silicon. The new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini are all powered by the same M1 system on a chip, meaning that we should expect similar performance from all three machines.

iOS 14.3 beta brings lots of new changes and features to the table for both developers and public beta testers. iOS 14.3 gives us our first look at Apple ProRAW image capture for iPhone 12 Pro users, while also bringing forth new changes to Apple Music, Apple News+ Audio, and more. Watch our hands-on video as we explore the top iOS 14.3 beta changes and features.

Apple has released macOS Big Sur to the public, which means that everyone gets the opportunity to upgrade from macOS Catalina. What new features can you expect from macOS 11? Watch our macOS Big Sur top features video as we showcase the brand new redesign, the addition of Control Center, big Safari and Messages app updates, and much, much more.

Yesterday, Apple issued the iOS 14.2 Release Candidate (GM) to developers, signifying that a public-facing release is not too far behind. iOS 14.2 RC includes over 100 new emoji characters, features eight beautiful new wallpapers, Shazam music recognition CC toggle, a redesigned AirPlay 2 interface, and much more. This iOS 14.2 release also fixes the annoying “A new iOS update is now available” message that appears upon each unlock for those on the previous beta. Watch our hands-on video as we explore iOS 14.2 top changes and features.

Of all of the iPhones that Apple announced at its fall event, the baseline iPhone 12 is probably the most “regular” of the four, but as you’ll see, it still packs quite a punch, and makes for a compelling upgrade for older iPhone users. Watch the hands-on video, as we review a dozen iPhone 12 top features and changes.