Stories by Michael deAgonia

Hands on: A month with Apple’s 4K 21.5-inch iMac

The biggest difference in this year’s refreshed entry-level iMac is easy to see: It’s the new 4K screen, which brings a stunning high-resolution Retina display to the pricier 21.5-in. model. But to get the most from the iMac, you’ll want to accessorize.

Review: Apple shines up OS X with 'El Capitan'

After a summer in public beta, OS X 10.11 El Capitan is now available to the Mac masses. The newest desktop OS builds on the foundation put in place by last year's Yosemite, though it does also offer some useful tweaks and updates.

First look: The new iPhone 6S Plus impresses

From the faster new A9 chip to updated cameras, a faster Touch ID system and a new pressure-sensitive multitouch display, the latest iPhone represents more than a typical evolutionary update.

How to ditch the iOS 9 preview and go back to iOS 8

This is a time of temptation for Apple enthusiasts, many of whom are eager to get their hands -- and devices -- on the company's newest software. Between June, when company execs tout the upcoming versions of Apple's desktop and mobile operating systems, and the fall, when the polished, finished versions arrive, Apple users get a chance to serve as beta testers.

The Apple Watch disrupts, but is that enough?

Disruptive technology doesn't come along often, and is often initially dismissed because it's easy to ignore something you've lived an entire life without. But every once in a while a bit of tech comes along that makes it easier to do what you're already doing.

Finding your way around Apple's iOS 9

Ever since the move away from skeuomorphics in version 7, iOS has been in a state of flux -- one that many iPhone and iPad users and reviewers noted came at the expense of stability. With iOS 9 due out in public beta next month and to the general public this Spring, Apple continues refining the appearance and behavior of the software that powers the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. And just as it's doing with OS X 10.11 El Capitan, Apple is adding a variety of under-the-hood improvements and new tricks that focus on proactivity, UI refinements, and best of all, stability and performance.

El Capitan's 5 biggest improvements

When Apple execs <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/2932716/apple-ios/apple-unwraps-streaming-service-adds-intelligence-to-ios-and-os-x.html">took the stage last week</a> for the company's annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), they covered a lot of ground -- discussing changes to iOS 9, updates to watchOS, details about the company's music-streaming plans and specifics about OS X 10.11, <a href="http://www.apple.com/osx/elcapitan-preview/">better known as El Capitan</a>. All three platforms will see improvements focused on performance, privacy and refinements when they arrive later this year.

Deep-dive review: The Apple Watch after a month of use

Every once in a while, there comes a bit of tech that lets you do what you're already doing, but in simpler and more effective ways. After using the Apple Watch for a month, I've decided that the watch is that kind of product. If you're already in the Apple ecosystem, chances are that you'll want one.

Long-term review: The new MacBook is a great travel laptop

There are a lot of innovations crammed into Apple's latest MacBook, including a 12-in. Retina display, a new Force Touch trackpad, a full-size keyboard that's been redesigned to compensate for the device's size, the introduction of USB-C (a new USB standard featuring a reversible connection) and cleverly stacked batteries for maximum space efficiency. Also, for the first time, Apple is offering the MacBook in space gray, silver and gold, the same colors it offers in the iPhone and iPad lineup.

Hands-on: 48 hours with the Apple Watch

It's seemed like a long wait from when rumors of the Apple Watch first emerged two years ago to April 10, 2015, when Apple began accepting pre-orders. I was one of the lucky early purchasers and my Watch has finally arrived. So was all that anticipation worth it?

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