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Jeff Benjamin

Jeff Benjamin

Jeff is the head of video content production for 9to5. He joined 9to5Mac in 2016, producing videos, walkthroughs, how-tos, written tutorials, and reviews. He takes pride in explaining things simply, clearly, and concisely. Jeff’s videos have been watched hundreds of millions of times by people seeking to learn more about today’s tech. Subscribe to 9to5Mac on YouTube to catch Jeff’s latest videos.

iOS Decoded is Jeff’s flagship video series that breaks down what’s new in iOS betas, including behind-the-scenes deep dives into undiscovered features and exclusive details on the iOS roadmap. 

Jeff also produces a weekly podcast, alongside co-host Fernando Silva, entitled 9to5Mac Overtime. A video-first podcast, 9to5Mac Overtime airs weekly on our YouTube channel, but can also be enjoyed in audio form via Apple Podcasts, or your podcast app of choice.

Have a tip or exclusive? Connect with Jeff!

Connect with Jeff Benjamin

Top iPhone XR features – best bang for the buck? [Video]

Apple’s relatively budget friendly iPhone XR launched yesterday, and we’ve got a hands-on look at the colorful device’s top new features. Starting at $749, this 6.1-inch iPhone is significantly cheaper than the iPhone XS, yet comes with many of the same features. Is the iPhone XR the iPhone you should consider purchasing? Watch our video walkthrough as we explore the top iPhone XR features.
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What to expect for MacBook, iMac, and Mac mini at Apple’s October 30th event [Video]

Next Tuesday, Apple executives and invited media venture to New York City for a rare east coast event for a major Apple product launch. The end of October event, which begins at 10 AM EDT, is expected to be where Apple reveals long-awaited new iPad Pros along with new Mac hardware.

In a previous video, we examined the possibilities of what we might see on the iPad front. In today’s video, we conjecture about what Mac fans might see unveiled next week.
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Hands-on: Nomad Wireless Charger for Tesla Model 3 [Video]

The Nomad Wireless Charger for Tesla Model 3, recently landed in the office. Nomad, which is known for its Horween Leather-based iPhone cases and iPhone accessories, saw an excellent opportunity to fill the needs of iPhone-owning Model 3 owners. The result is a wireless charging pad that could easily pass as being a native part of the Model 3. Watch our hands-on video as we discuss the ins and outs of Nomad’s wireless charging solution.
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Review: Akitio’s 10 Gigabit Thunderbolt 3 Ethernet adapter brings high speed networking to MacBook Pro

The iMac Pro comes with 10 Gigabit Ethernet out of the box, which is great for connecting to high speed networks and devices like NAS boxes. But what if you have a regular iMac or MacBook Pro? You can use Akitio’s Thunder3 Dock Pro (review), which provides 10 Gigabit Thunderbolt 3 Ethernet, but that may be overkill if you just need to upgrade your network connection.

If that describes your situation, you’ll be happy to know that the prolific Thunderbolt 3 hardware manufacturer has the T3-10G, a much smaller bus-powered 10 Gigabit Thunderbolt 3 Ethernet adapter. Watch our hands-on video review for the details.
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Review: Wirelessly charge AirPods with HyperJuice’s handy adapter [Video]

With the current state of the Apple AirPods still uncertain, the HyperJuice Wireless Charger adapter presents an alternative method that lets your wirelessly charge AirPods. Yes, indeed, it’s a wireless charging case for your charging case. Absurd? Slightly, but nonetheless, it may prove to be convenient for those that have gone all in on wireless charging.
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iPhone XS/XR: How to force restart iPhone XS, enter DFU mode, recovery mode, and more

If you’ve recently upgraded from a device like an iPhone 8, iPhone 7, or older iPhone, you’ve likely noticed how different it is to use a phone that lacks a physical Home button. But what about basic iPhone reset functions like how to force restart iPhone XS, or even more advanced functions like entering Recovery or DFU mode? All of these functions previously required Home button input, so methods have changed with the latest crop of new iPhones.

In this post and hands-on video walkthrough, we show you everything you need to know about performing these functions on your iPhone X, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR.
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Top Apple Watch Series 4 features [Video]

Apple Watch Series 4 display

The Apple Watch Series 4 (read Zac’s full review) is the biggest upgrade to the Apple Watch since the product launched back in the spring of 2015. New features include an all new design, stainless steel gold color, faster internals, brand new watch faces, and more. Watch our hands-on unboxing and overview, as we discuss the top Apple Watch Series 4 features.
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How to master macOS Mojave screenshots [Video]

As someone who produces written and video tutorials for the Mac, taking screenshots is a natural part of my day-to-day workload. I’ve long relied on keyboard shortcuts for taking screenshots in previous versions of macOS, but macOS Mojave screenshots offer new utility with a graphical user interface. Watch our hands-on video for a walkthrough of macOS Mojave’s new screenshot features.
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iOS 12.1 beta 1 enables eSIM functionality, but you’ll need to wait on your carrier

eSIM iPhone

The embedded SIM (eSIM) functionality in the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, a feature that will enable dual line support in the latest flagship iPhone, can be found in the latest iOS 12.1 beta.

As Apple has outlined in its support document, Dual SIM functionality allows users with two phone lines to use both lines on the same phone. Although the eSIM settings are present in iOS 12.1, you’ll need to gather a QR code or additional information from your carrier before you can put it to use.
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macOS Mojave: Hands-on with 20+ new changes and features [Video]

After last week’s successful launch of iOS 12, it’s now the Mac’s turn to receive its yearly software update in the form of macOS Mojave. Version 10.14 of macOS includes loads of new features to help make your life on the desktop easier.

New features include things like the long-awaited Dark Mode, great for working in dimly lit environments, Stacks, a feature that lets you quickly tidy up your desktop. Mojave also includes a refined screenshot interface, and apps that were previously exclusive to iOS like Home, Voice Memos, Stocks and Apple News.

Needless to say, macOS Mojave is a major new update for Mac users. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough inside for a full look into what’s new.


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Top 20+ iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max features [Video]

Yesterday marked the official launch day of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, an upgrade over last year’s groundbreaking iPhone X release. Although iPhone XS is an ‘S’ model year upgrade, which generally means more refinements than radical new changes, there is still a lot to digest from a feature standpoint.

Most notably, this year’s release includes the largest iPhone display ever conceived — the 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max. Watch our hands-on video as we step through some of my favorite iPhone XS features.
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Review: Akitio Node Lite w/ Intel Optane SSD – workstation-class performance [Video]

I’ve reviewed several Thunderbolt 3 SSDs over the last year or so, and the Akitio Node Lite with Intel Optane SSD is the best performer of them all. Advertising speeds up to 2600 MB/s read, it’s the only external SSD that I’ve tried thus far that skirts close to such a speed rating without being affected by noticeable thermal throttling.

Granted, the combo package of Akitio Node Lite + Intel Optane SSD should be a great performer, after all its price is $1500 for a 960GB SSD. That’s a lot of money to pay for storage when you can buy a 1TB version of Samsung’s bus-powered Thunderbolt 3 SSD for less than half the cost.

But if you’re in the market for an SSD that delivers workstation-class performance and endurance, then the Akitio Node Lite with Intel Optane SSD is worthy of consideration. Not only does it have a high performance ceiling, but it can sustain that performance while under load. Watch our hands-on video for more details.
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iOS 12: Hands-on with a dozen new changes and features [Video]

Today the official version of iOS 12 was released to the public, and it brings a wealth of new changes and features to the table. Major speed improvements, better notifications, and enhanced Do Not Disturb are just some of the new items to explore in iOS 12.

If you’ve had the willpower to remain off the developer beta or public beta up until now, you’re in for a serious treat. In this post and video, we’ll walk through some of the headlining features and changes in iOS 12.
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Review: OWC’s Express 4M2 Thunderbolt 3 enclosure accommodates four M.2 SSDs [Video]

The OWC Express 4M2 is a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure that can accommodate up to four M.2 NVMe SSDs simultaneously for up to 8TB of storage. It features a compact design and dual Thunderbolt 3 ports for daisy chain setups along with DisplayPort for connecting to an external display.

OWC says that speeds for the 4M2 can reach up to 2800 MB/s read. To reach those speeds, you’ll need four fast drives configured with RAID 0 using the included SoftRAID software.

The 4M2, with its massive 8TB capacity and fast speeds is particularly apt for video editing workflows. But the enclosure, which costs $349 without any drives inside, requires a considerable investment to get the most out of it. Should you consider OWC’s chassis if you need the throughput speed and storage space? Watch our video walkthrough inside for the details.
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