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.
If you’re looking for an eGPU that doesn’t occupy a lot of desk real estate, you basically have two options — the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Puck, and Gigabyte’s just-released RX 580 Gaming Box.
Whereas the Sonnet option comes with an RX 570, Gigabyte packs a more powerful RX 580 inside an area that’s a little bit larger than the Breakaway Puck. Should MacBook Pro users looking for a portable eGPU solution consider the RX 580 Gaming Box? Watch our hands-on video inside for more details. Expand Expanding Close
Apple today released an update for Final Cut Pro X that addresses a couple of annoying bugs that some users may have been experiencing. Version 10.4.2 of Final Cut Pro X arrives three weeks after version 10.4.1, a major update that brought about new features like closed captioning workflows and ProRes RAW support. Expand Expanding Close
One of the biggest sources of supply chain-based pre-release Apple hardware information has departed his position of nearly six and a half years. Ming-Chi Kuo, top Apple analyst at KGI Securities, left the company last Friday, April 27th, according to a report by the China Times via Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
KGI is Taiwan’s second-largest securities firm, and is set to mark its 30th year in business later this September. Kuo, who is easily the firm’s most recognizable analyst by name, previously worked at Taiwanese news company Digitimes. Now he appears to be largely moving on from reporting about Apple. Expand Expanding Close
If you’re in the market for a Thunderbolt 3 device that allows you to connect to up to two 4K displays at 60 Hz simultaneously, but don’t want to invest in a full on external GPU, then the Mantiz Titan may be worth considering. A multi-video dock featuring dual DisplayPort 1.2 connections and a single HDMI 2.0a connection, this unit allows you to connect a Thunderbolt 3-enabled MacBook Pro or iMac to two 4K displays at once.
Users can opt to use both DisplayPort connections or a single DisplayPort + HDMI connection to achieve a dual 4K display setup. In other words, the Titan allows you to quickly connect to multiple external displays without the need for an eGPU box with dedicated graphics card. Watch our hands-on video for a brief look at the Mantiz Titan in action. Expand Expanding Close
In this hands-on video walkthrough, we step through several basic and several advanced app icon management tips for iPhone users. Chances are you’ll know many, if not most of these, but there’s probably at least one or two tips that have flown under your radar. Watch our hands-on video to find out. Expand Expanding Close
Even though Final Cut Pro X curiously doesn’t support external GPUs yet, DaVinci Resolve is another popular NLE that already works with eGPUs on macOS. In fact, the $299 Studio edition supports multiple GPUs, which can have a noticeable effect on both timeline and render/export performance.
I’ve been super impressed with the relentlessness that Blackmagic Design, the creators behind DaVinci Resolve, has displayed while iterating on its hardware and software products. For example, DaVinci Resolve has progressed from what was primarily viewed as a colorist’s tool that you’d use and round trip back to your primary NLE, to a competent standalone NLE. The upcoming version 15, now in beta, even sports a motion graphics platform called Fusion that’s baked right in.
As I recently traversed the show floor in Las Vegas at NAB 2018, there was a noticeable buzz about DaVinci Resolve — several popular vendors specifically named-dropped Resolve in reference to its eGPU support, and noted the impressive performance gains made possible by this feature.
In this hands-on video walkthrough, I showcase using DaVinci Resolve with multiple eGPUs. As you’ll see, an eGPU can turn a MacBook Pro — a machine that may struggle editing in DaVinci Resolve on its own — into a capable editing machine. Expand Expanding Close
Now that macOS 10.13.4 is out, Apple is now officially supporting certain eGPU configurations for eligible Macs. As I outlined in a recent state of eGPU post, all currently released Thunderbolt 3-enabled Macs are eGPU compatible, including the 4K and 5K iMac, the iMac Pro, and the 2016/2017 MacBook Pro.
With this in mind, we recently got our hands on the Sonnet eGFX Breakaway Box 650W to unbox and document some first impressions. If you’re looking for the best overall Apple-recommended external GPU chassis for your Thunderbolt 3-enabled MacBook Pro or iMac, then look no further. Sonnet’s eGFX Breakaway Box is an eGPU enclosure that can power the most powerful Mac-compatible GPU — the AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 — while providing enough power to charge a 15-inch MacBook Pro at full speed. Watch our video walkthrough for more hands-on details and benchmarks. Expand Expanding Close
Apple’s mid-cycle (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 8 special edition is now arriving to customers who ordered online earlier in the week, and is also available for in-store pickup at most retail Apple Store locations.
Like last year’s iPhone 7 special edition release, Apple will donate a portion of the proceeds for the red iPhone 8 to charity. If you didn’t care for the look of the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7, there are two key differences with this year’s model that may change your opinion this time around. Watch our hands-on video unboxing and walkthrough for more details. Expand Expanding Close
The new closed captioning tools in Final Cut Pro 10.4 provide an easy way to create more accessible content. Closed captions are also useful for creating content that’s watchable in environments where it’s not practical to turn up the volume.
Closed captioning can help expand your reach by assigning different languages to your captions for easy interpretation. Needless to say, this is a major new workflow addition to Final Cut Pro X, one that might pay dividends as far as broadening your audience is concerned. Watch our hands-on video for a brief look at some of the high level closed captioning tool set features.
As promised last Thursday, Apple released a major update to Final Cut Pro X this morning. Version 10.4.1 of Final Cut Pro X brings two new key features to the table in closed captioning and ProRes RAW support, along with a whole host of additional features and changes.
Today ahead of next week’s NAB 2018 in Las Vegas, Apple is announcing the next major update to its professional NLE — Final Cut Pro 10.4.1. Available for download this coming Monday, April 9th, version 10.4.1 includes support for two big new features: ProRes RAW and a powerful new closed captioning toolset.
As is usually the case, the update will be accompanied by updates to companion tools Compressor and Motion. What all can you expect from Monday’s Final Cut Pro 10.4.1 release? Have a look as we break down details related to each change. Expand Expanding Close
With last week’s launch of macOS 10.13.4, Apple officially rolled out external GPU support as it promised at WWDC. As we noted last week, Apple has released updated documentation highlighting the details of eGPU implementation.
It also provided updated documentation to better help developers with targeting external GPUs in their applications. On this week’s episode of Back to the Mac, we discuss eGPU support in macOS 10.13.4, including some of the finer details about external vs internal display support, GPU monitoring, and more.
The first iOS 11.4 beta was seeded to developers earlier this afternoon, and it brings back several features that were found in previous betas. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough inside for a brief look at what’s included. Expand Expanding Close
Apple entered new territory with last year’s budget model $329 iPad — largely popular for reducing the barrier to entry for first time iPad owners. This time around, the thought of a budget iPad isn’t so crazy, as we’ve had a whole year to marinate on the idea.
Like last year’s model, the 6th generation 2018 iPad can be a compelling device if it happens to fit your needs. The good news is that it’s pretty easy to determine where this new iPad may fit in, and whether you should buy it or not. Have a look at our hands-on video walkthrough inside for the details. Expand Expanding Close
Today Apple released macOS 10.13.4 to the public, bringing official external graphics support to the Mac. Apple has published a new document to help users navigate the ins and outs of eGPU support, including a list of eligible Mac hardware, external graphics enclosures, and GPUs. If you’re considering adopting an external graphics setup, then you definitely want to be familiar with Apple’s published requirements. Expand Expanding Close
If you ordered a new 2018 iPad, you may want to check your shipment status, as we’ve received word via email that some deliveries are scheduled to arrive tomorrow, March 30th. Expand Expanding Close
The first update for the HomePod, version 11.3 (15E217) was released today. In this post, we’ll walk through the steps of updating your HomePod to the latest available public release. Expand Expanding Close
The iWork suite, including Pages, received a substantial update today as a part of Apple’s iPad education event in Chicago. The biggest feature included in the new update is Apple Pencil support for annotating text and objects and for drawing within a document.
In this hands-on video walkthrough, we step through how to use both drawing and Smart Annotations in Pages. Even if you don’t have an Apple Pencil, Smart Annotations and drawing support enhances the overall usefulness of the entire iWork suite. Expand Expanding Close
Apple has released new spring-infused colors two popular 10.5-inch iPad Pro accessories — the Leather Sleeve and Smart Cover.
The Leather Sleeve is a high quality, all leather product with a slot for Apple Pencil storage. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro also features a first party Leather Sleeve accessory, but these two new colors appear exclusive to the smaller, and likely more popular, 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
Along with the Leather Sleeve colors, Apple has also introduced two Smart Covers for the iPad Pro featuring new colors. Expand Expanding Close
One of the advantages of shooting video in 4K is that it allows you to zoom and pan within a 1080p project frame while still maintaining 1080p video quality. It’s great for doing faux-panning, or zooming in Final Cut Pro X to highlight specific parts of the frame without reducing video quality. As you might imagine, using such a technique is particularly beneficial for hands-on video tutorials when referencing specific items in frame.
I recently created a custom set of areas to make it quicker to zoom with greater consistency throughout a project. If you’re someone who shoots video in 4K, but delivers in a lesser resolution, then you might considering creating your own custom set of areas as well. Watch our hands-on tutorial inside for the details. Expand Expanding Close
When it comes to HomeKit devices, our own Zac Hall is the resident expert around these parts, but I’m doing my best to come up to speed with the plethora of options available. I recently took my first stab at installing a smart lock, the 3rd gen August Smart Lock, only to later find out that it wasn’t HomeKit compatible. It’s primarily my fault, because I wasn’t diligent enough with my research, but August, with its somewhat confusing nomenclature should take a portion of the blame as well.
Needless to say, I wasn’t keen on the idea of having a smart lock installed without HomeKit support. That would mean that I couldn’t unlock my door with Siri commands, couldn’t use the Home app to control the lock, and couldn’t use HomeKit automation to trigger other HomeKit-enabled devices. In other words, a smart lock without HomeKit support is just not something that appeals to me.
That’s not to say that the third-generation August Smart Lock is a bad product, because that certainly isn’t the case. It’s actually a decent product that’s inexpensive and easy to install. It’s just not for those who are knee-deep in the Apple/HomeKit ecosystem.
I reached out to Yale Real Living to inquire about reviewing its Assure Lock SL, which recently landed support for HomeKit via its iM1 network module. What I discovered was a modestly-featured smart lock with a fair amount of advanced controls. In fact, I’m strongly considering the purchase of another one. Expand Expanding Close
Outside of perhaps LumaFusion, Affinity Photo ($19.99 on App Store) is the most impressive app that I’ve ever used on the iPad. It continues to awe me with its sheer amount of depth, and the way that it’s able to closely mirror a full desktop experience on a tablet.
The problem with Affinity Photo is that it can be downright daunting for new users. As I’ll show you in this hands-on video, the app isn’t all that difficult to use once you understand a few basic features and mechanics. Join me as I walk through 25+ must-know tips for Affinity Photo beginners. Expand Expanding Close
The HomePod has great sound, but because it feature no physical inputs, users are limited to either Apple Music or AirPlay sources. It means that there’s no way to connect a home stereo or other source directly to the HomePod via traditional line-in or Bluetooth.
