A few years ago, my first impression of the MacBook Air was generally dismissive -- I felt the Air was underpowered and overpriced -- until I took a second look and realized it was <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2539010/apple-mac/the-macbook-air--first-impressions--second-thoughts.html">perfect for road warriors</a>. I won't make that mistake twice with <a href="http://www.apple.com/macbook">Apple's latest MacBook</a>. Like the MacBook Air, the 12-in. MacBook has new design elements that will be a deal-breaker for some and a revelation for others.
With more than 2200 Apple Watch apps already available, finding the best ones for new Watch owners isn't easy.
It's almost time.
The last time I reviewed the 13-in. MacBook Pro, I was quickly won over by its size, portability and performance. The solid build of the aluminum chassis wrapped around the high-resolution Retina display, in concert with great performance and battery life, led me to confidently recommend that computer.
So, it's April 25, 2015 and the delivery man has just delivered your new Apple Watch. Your first instinct: Spend more hard-earned cash trying out Apple's mobile payment system, Apple Pay.
When Apple execs took the stage on Monday, virtually everyone expected them to focus on the soon-to-be-released Apple Watch. That, they did. The Watch, we now know, arrives in retail on April 24, and it did indeed get most of the attention. But it wasn't the only thing to catch my eye.
Two years ago, I asked Creative Strategies analyst Ben Bajarin and curiousrat.com's Harry Marks -- both of them experts in all things Apple -- to share their ideas on what a successful mass-market wearable would be. In a world of smartphones, tablets, notebooks and miscellaneous gadgets, would there be a mass-market audience for yet another device to charge and keep track of? And would a smartwatch from Apple be disruptive enough to matter?
There used to be a time when the gap between Apple products made choosing the right computer obvious and easy. The deliberate compartmentalization of prices and features clearly dictated which laptop or deskop machine was right, with minimal overlap between the categories.
There are 14.7 million reasons to want Apple's latest iMac -- the 14.7 million pixels that make up its stunning 27-in. 5K Retina display. At $2,499, the new iMac isn't cheap, but its screen makes this desktop a great value -- if you can afford it.
If you liked last year's iPad Air, you'll almost certainly like this year's version, <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2834586/apples-new-ipads-and-retina-imac-empty-calories-or-nutritious-adds-to-portfolio.html">unveiled early last month (along with the 5K Retina iMac)</a> by Apple CEO Tim Cook. The <a href="https://www.apple.com/ipad-air-2/">iPad Air 2</a> features Touch ID, a (much) faster system architecture and an aluminum enclosure that is both thinner and lighter than the first-generation iPad Air it replaces.
The iPhone 6 lineup has introduced iOS users to new smartphones with bigger (and <em>bigger</em>) displays. I was ready for a larger screen, so quickly opted to buy an iPhone 6 last month, thinking it would be the best match. And indeed <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2689714/iphone-6-deep-dive-review-a-major-new-step-in-design-and-performance.html">I found the iPhone 6 to be gorgeous and well-built</a>, and felt that the 4.7-in. display was right at the edge of what was comfortable for me.
OS X 10.10, otherwise known as Yosemite, is the 11th iteration of the operating system that powers the desktops and laptops created by Apple. This update, <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2824548/apple-will-webcast-oct-16-ipad-event.html">expected to be released later today</a>, marks the second version of OS X whose code name is based on a California location instead of a species of cat -- and the second time Apple has let loose a major update for free.
Let's be honest: the past few weeks haven't exactly been the easiest for Apple. From the glitchy livestream during its product announcement to the problematic preorder launch of the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, to the public-relations headache-inducing "Bendgate," to the outright catastrophic iOS 8.0.1 software update (which was nearly immediately pulled and replaced days later with an 8.0.2 update), the last few weeks could have gone
This year's launch of the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2604468/apple-watch-steals-show-from-biggest-iphone-ever.html">wasn't exactly the smoothest of rollouts</a>. There were glitches during the Sept. 9 unveiling, a <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2607021/apple-bungles-iphone-6-pre-orders.html">delayed and problematic pre-order process</a> and an iOS 8 launch on Wednesday that saw key features pulled at the last-minute. But that didn't stop the company from booking an <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2683174/iphone-6-sets-sales-record-with-4m-first-day.html">astounding four million in iPhone pre-sales</a>, and it didn't dissuade thousands of people from standing in line for hours (some, for days) for a chance to buy one of the new iPhones.
It's almost fall again, and so Apple has released the next generation of software that powers its mobile lineup: iOS 8. As always, this is a free update, and it packs new features and enhancements, both obvious and subtle.