🚨 NERD ALERT 🚨 Hey all my retro #Apple peeps who are re-capping old #Macintosh machines! It turns out there’s a polarity type on the LC III / Performa 450 mainboard that, when using tantalum capacitors for your retrofit, can cause your repaired Mac to immolate itself. It’s a quick read, so get yourself up to speed before busting out the flux and solder wick. #retrocomputing #tech www.macworld.com/article/2…

I’m not sure I understand the purpose of this… device? #Apple’s Touch Bar which replaced the F-keys during the globally reviled “Butterfly Keyboard” era was half-baked and left to wither in a ditch and we already have a slew of #mactopads like the Streamdeck that do the same thing, but better because the keys are sized for human fingers and not to fit into a slim strip on a laptop. Then it retails at nearly $200. Hard pass. #kickstarter #hardware 9to5mac.com/2024/12/0…

Sadly it seems that #Apple is going to be delaying the rollout of their redesign of the already fantastic Apple Mail. While the redesign is in the current beta of #iOS 18.2, it’s not in the #macOS or #iPadOS betas. The updates bring a more Messages-like layout, contact photos, automatic inbox organization, AI enhancements for supported systems, mail training, and a digest view. Looks like they’re taking the time to refine things before release in the next point release. 9to5mac.com/2024/11/2…

Well, that’s not great. Another good reason to get a #MacMini, though I do understand the allure of the #iMac. When I got my M1 I considered getting the iMac, but I already had a dual-display setup and the M1 iMac can only handle one external display. #PROTIP: Always get AppleCare+. #Apple will make it difficult to get anything repaired unless they issue an official recall. #tech #hardware www.macworld.com/article/2…

Dave’s Garage on #YouTube does a nice breakdown of performance benchmarks comparing the new M4 Pro Mini to the M2 Ultra Mac Pro and, for shits & giggles, a Threadripper 7995WX. My takeaway: If you’re an everyday, average user, get the M4 Mini base model and an external Samsung T7 2TB SSD. #tech #apple #M4MacMini #benchmarking www.youtube.com/watch

CORRECTION: I originally stated the comparison included the M2 Ultra Mini, a system that does not exist, and have corrected it to M4 Ultra Mac Pro.

Here’s a rather fascinating (and detailed) breakdown of installing a 1TB mSATA SSD into a PowerBook G4 1.67GHz hi-res display model, the last of the mobile PowerPC PowerBooks. I put a similar rig in my G4 Mini 1.4GHz “Silent Upgrade”, though my SSD is a mere 120GBs. Then again, I run Mac OS 9.22 on it, with a 10.4 partition. #apple #Mac #retrocomputing #hardware lowendmac.com/2024/fanx…

Satechi dropped some details on their upcoming new hub stand for the redesigned M4 Mac Mini, sans a price, though the model designed for the older models sold for $100. From what we can tell, it has three USB-A ports and an SD card slot on the front and it can take up to a 2280 4TB NVMe SSD drive, but is limited to 10Gb/s speeds, so it’s probably best for wireless peripherals and TimeMachine backups. #tech #Apple #hardware satechi.net/landing/n…

When it comes to #tech press, one thing bothers me above all else; high-end reportage that ignores the bulk of users. The vast majority of people getting a #Mac probably don’t even know what a virtual machine is, much less need one. Despite this, nerd journos almost exclusively focus on the much smaller professional slice of the market. #Apple #Journalism www.macworld.com/article/2…

In short, if you want to buy a new computer and use it like an average person, go ahead and get an M4 Mac Mini base model. Grab yourself a Samsung T7 external SSD in 1 or 2TB capacity, and rest easy that your $700+ will last you for years to come. The M4 is a little terror that sips power. Your email, messaging, social media, and streaming sessions will be just fine.

Miffed by the power button of the new #Apple #M4 #MacMini? You’re likely a disgruntled PC user who is accustomed to having to reboot your machine frequently and are being enticed by the micro machine’s diminutive allure. Primarily, anyone who’s used a Mac for any time knows they almost never need to touch the damned thing. Sleep mode consumes an almost non-existent 1.6W of power. I reboot mine about once every 3-4 weeks. #tech #ButtonGate boingboing.net/2024/11/1…

#Apple has an issue with positioning itself for decades in the premium market, and while they do make excellent systems, they’re starting to pay the price. It shows in the fact that Apple has apparently loosened strictures on aggressive sale pricing from retailers (e.g., #Walmart’s $650 M1 MacBook Air, #Amazon’s regular steep price drops). Now they’ve stopped making new Vision Pro VR devices but are not exiting the space. #Technology glassalmanac.com/tim-cook-…