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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

Hands-on with watchOS 4.1 beta 1: Music streaming, new Radio app, and LTE music support [Video]

As we reported earlier, Apple has just released watchOS 4.1 beta 1 to developers, which brings the promised LTE music streaming to the Series 3 Apple Watch with LTE.

WatchOS 4.1 contains three notable features: First and foremost, the updated Music app allows access to your entire iCloud Music Library. This means that you’ll no longer have to sync songs in order to play them directly on your Apple Watch. It also means that you can use Siri to directly request playback of any song from Apple’s vast collection of 40 million tracks. Have a look at our hands-on video as we take Apple Watch music streaming for a test drive.
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The best (and worst) new iPhone 8/Plus features [Video]

The iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus are officially on sale, and we were able to score both new smartphones early last Friday morning (read Jordan’s full review).

This launch felt a little different from past iPhone launches, simply because the highly-anticipated iPhone X looms large on the horizon. I’ve asked lots of people, and many of them have stated that they are waiting for Apple’s OLED-enabled, diminished-bezel flagship model.

But just because the iPhone X is coming later this year doesn’t automatically mean that you should ignore the iPhone 8. Apple’s brand new flagship smartphone shares a lot of the same design characteristics as the iPhone 6, 6s, and 7, but it also shares some of the same technical power that’s found inside the iPhone X. In this hands-on video unboxing and walkthrough, we consider some of the iPhone 8’s best new features.
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iOS 11 GM leak seemingly leaks LTE Apple Watch with new face and Digital Crown [Video]

We’re still digging through the new iOS 11 GM firmware, and we’ve unearthed what we believe is the new LTE Apple Watch Series 3 that will be announced on Tuesday. The new Apple Watch makes a brief appearance in the Watch app sporting a red-accented digital crown, a signal meter, and complications that further hint at wireless LTE connectivity.
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Leaked iOS 11 GM reveals several vibrant (and OLED black) new wallpapers and more [Video]

We’re only a few days from Apple’s big fall iPhone event, but the big news tonight is the leaked iOS 11 GM firmware that we received this evening. The iOS 11 GM firmware, which should be pushed next week to developers, includes several brand new wallpapers, three exclusive to the upcoming iPhone, including seven sure-to-be-popular retro-styled versions and an all-black wallpaper fit for OLED displays. Have a look at all of the new wallpapers inside…
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Friday 5: Awesome subscription-free writing apps for iOS [Video]

When the news broke that Ulysses was moving from a one-time payment strategy to a subscription-only strategy, the reaction was unsurprisingly polarized. Many people empathized with how hard it is for developers to make a living with the modern realities of software development, while others were less forgiving and vowed to vote with their wallets.

Being that it’s my number one favorite writing app on iOS and Mac, I’ve personally decided to stick with Ulysses, taking advantage of its discounted subscription rate for existing customers. That said, I understand that subscriptions are not for everyone, and there will be a point in most of our lives where piling on subscription after subscription proves to be unsustainable from a financial perspective.

In this week’s Friday 5, I discuss five more of my favorite universal writing apps for iOS. To qualify for this list, each app must feature a one-time purchase and no additional subscription fees. These apps also support Family Sharing, and as of this writing, feature no additional in-app purchases. Have a look at our video walkthrough inside for a brief hands-on look.
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The best of iOS 11: the iPad Dock [Video]

We’re just weeks away from the official launch of iOS 11, and after covering literally hundreds of features over the past few months during iOS 11’s beta phase, it’s time to begin focusing on the features that will make an immediate impact on day-to-day usage.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll break down some of our favorite new features included in iOS 11. One outstanding example of such a feature is the revamped iPad dock in iOS 11. Have a look at our hands-on video walkthrough inside to see what makes the new and improved dock so special.
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Friday 5: Final Cut Pro tips for YouTubers [Video]

Final Cut Pro X is by far my most used app on the Mac, as I use it to produce a large swath of the content on our YouTube channel. As a long-time proponent of Apple’s flagship NLE, I’d like to use this week’s edition of Friday 5 to share some of my favorite Final Cut Pro X tips for those of you who use the app to create content for YouTube. Watch our hands-on video for a brief look at five handy tips.


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How to install Windows 10 on your Mac using a “Boot Camp” external drive via Windows To Go [Video]

Ever since I wrote about installing Windows 10 on a Mac earlier this year, I’ve received tons of questions about installing Windows 10 on an external drive using Boot Camp drivers. The truth is, this is a workaround using Windows To Go, and the process for doing so is a bit more in-depth than it is for installing proper Boot Camp on your Mac’s internal disk, but it’s still very easy to do, and only takes about 30-40 minutes.

In this hands-on step-by-step walkthrough, we show you how to install Windows 10 on your Mac using an external drive. Watch our video inside to see how.
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iPad Pro: Smart Keyboard vs Magic Keyboard – which one should you choose? [Video]

I’ve been using the Smart Keyboard + iPad Pro combination since the updated versions launched a couple of months ago. This combination has outright replaced my MacBook Pro for work on the go, but I still use a 5K iMac as my main work machine while in the office.

As an iMac owner who wields a Matias Wireless Aluminum Keyboard, the Magic Keyboard that came with the 5K iMac has remained tucked away in its original box up until recently. Since it was collecting dust in the closet, I decided that I should give the Magic Keyboard + iPad Pro combination a try to see how I liked it. Is it better than the Smart Keyboard? Here are a few of my observations.

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NBD, just a liquid cooled, Ryzen-powered Hackintosh inside a cheesegrater Power Mac G5 case [Video]

When you think of Hackintosh build, you may generally think of an Intel-powered rig in a big and bulky PC enclosure. That’s not the case for friend of the site Dom Esposito’s build, which took over a month to put together. His Ryzen-powered Hackintosh is neatly nestled inside of a custom Power Mac G5 case, providing a unique take on a Hackintosh build both on the inside and outside. 
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Review: Samsung T5 external SSD – a worthy, faster follow-up to the T3 [Video]

Samsung just released the follow-up to its T3 line of portable, external SSDs. Sticking with the same nomenclature of the previous T1 and T3 drives, Samsung’s new T5 external SSDs include USB 3.1 Gen 2 support, making it the fastest T-series drive yet. With an included USB-C to USB-C cable, the T5 makes a great companion for recent MacBooks or MacBook Pros, or even the newest iMac models.

If you edit videos, photos, or just need a small and compact external storage solution, then Samsung’s diminutive T5 drive may be a worthy solution. It provides speeds that are normally associated with internal SATA SSDs in a compact, external form factor. Have a look at our hands-on video walkthrough inside for more details.
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Report: Apple Watch Series 3 enters final testing for end of the year launch

Taiwanese-based Quanta Computer, an integral part of Apple’s supply chain as a maker of MacBooks and the Apple Watch, is ramping up to begin producing the Apple Watch Series 3, according to Chinese news outlet Economic Daily. Expected to launch later this year, the report notes that Quanta has entered the final testing phase for the Apple Watch Series 3 and is on the cusp of mass production.

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What’s new in iOS 11 beta 6? Hands-on with new features and changes [Video]

Earlier today Apple released iOS 11 beta 6 to developers, and like previous beta iterations, it comes with several new updates and changes. The most obvious change is found in a new controversial App Store icon update, along with an update to the Apple Maps icon that highlights the company’s new Apple Park campus. Have a look at our video inside for a brief hands-on walkthrough.
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