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View Issues
Mac|Life
April 2023
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Other Articles in this Issue


START
THE TEAM
Matt Lochrie Art Editor Matt’s favorite product from
HomePod is back
Smart speaker revived with “breakthrough sound and intelligence”
News in brief
A bite of the Apple
> THE SHIFT
MATT BOLTON thinks that in a world where phone upgrades can’t be exciting anymore, maybe they should be boring
LETTER OF THE MONTH
I see that you are still recommending LastPass
CRAVE
THE BEST GEAR FROM THIS YEAR’S SUPER TECH SHOW
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO APPLE MUSIC
Take back control ofyour music collection, with our in–depth guide to the Music app for Mac and beyond…
Your music library
Import and manage your personal audio collection
Sync your songs across all devices
How to store your music with Sync Library
Listen your way
Become a Music genius — we show you how!
Worth your money?
Why should you consider subscribing to an Apple Music plan?
Buy music on the iTunes Store
Avoid monthly fees and own all of your favorite tracks
History of Apple Gaming
With Apple now in its fifth decade, we explore key products from its history, the impact they had on the gaming industry, and the sometimes surprising impact that gaming had on Apple itself
REVIEWS
TOUGH TESTING, TRUSTED RATINGS
REVIEWS
MacBook Pro 16–inch (2023)
A productivity beast, but don’t sweat it 2021 MBP fans
Mac mini (2023)
Apple has maximized the potential of its mini
The best C D/DV D drives for the modern Mac
No optical disc drive? No problem, check out our pick of the best drives to keep those discs spinning on modern Macs
Bowers & Wilkins Px8
The Px8 headphones bring the fight to rival AirPods Max, with even better audio quality and longer batter life
Creative Pebble Pro
Proof that big things come in small packages
Amazon Echo Studio
With its sound revamped to make it even more immersive than ever, Amazon’s most powerful smart speaker has a lot to offer
THE BEST NOTE–TAKING APPS FOR MAC
Apple may have improved its Notes app, but there are plenty of other options if it’s not for you
AGENDA
A note–taking app that will keep you focused and help with managing your day
Affinity Photo 2
Serif’s powerful editing app gets a serious update
CrossOver 22
Run (some) PC apps on your Mac without Windows
To help with your spring cleaning
Clear out the clutter and keep your home organized
Best of the best
Can’t find the hardware or app you’re looking for in our reviews section? Then check in here — we’ve highlighted the best in every major category, as voted for by us
WATCH ULTRA
How to get the most out of Apple’s smartest, most durable Watch ever
FIND YOUR WAY
The Wayfinder watch face is only available on the Ultra and is designed to aid you when undertaking more extreme adventures, and especially in adverse conditions. The face is laden with data, but still easy to read no matter the conditions.
CUSTOMIZE WAYFINDER
Almost all Apple Watch faces can be tweaked to your preferences, but for the Wayfinder it is especially important. The layout can become very crowded, and because it is a face you’ll need during harsh activities, you should spend time making it work for you.
TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF PRECISION DUAL‐FREQUENCY GPS
The L1 standard is the oldest GPS and contains two codes, and the L5 standard is designed for high–performance needs — together they make a formidable team to help the Ultra provide the best possible location data at all times.
TAKE THE BATTERY EVEN FURTHER
The Ultra offers twice as much battery performance as all other Apple Watches and this goes a long way to justifying the extra size of the device. Plus with Low Power Mode activated, you can almost double the battery life again.
TRACKING BACK TO YOUR SAFE POSITION
The Ultra is marketed as an adventure watch, and when you are exploring a location with very few people around it helps a great deal to know where safety is — this is where the clever Backtrack function will come in extremely handy.
TRACK YOUR CYCLE WITH THE TEMPERATURE SENSORS
The Apple Watch Ultra includes two temperature sensors that can be used to measure skin temperature. This can in turn be utilized to help keep track of your ovulation cycle, so it could be crucial in the right circumstances.
MORE WORKOUT DATA WHILE YOU EXERCISE
The larger Ultra display enables you to view more metrics at the same time, and in a way that still makes each one instantly understandable. With the Ultra, the information flow and display of real–time data is even smoother.
STAY ULTRA SAFE
The Ultra takes your safety many steps further with a selection of easy–to–use features that could actually save your life one day. Through hardware innovation and software that fits your needs, Apple has added some big functionality in a small space.
HOW DEEP IS YOUR DIVE?
The Depth app is designed to start working from the moment the Ultra is submerged. You need to enable “Auto–Launch App” in Settings > General where the Depth app will be listed, and from this point on it will kick in the moment the Watch is under water.
IMPROVED HEALTH TRACKING
It is undeniable how focused Apple has been in protecting the health of its users. As the health–tracking features become more honed you can start to have more trust in the results, to the point that serious illnesses may even be spotted much earlier.
CELLULAR CHANGES EVERYTHING
All Ultra Watches have cellular functionality built in, and there’s so much you can do without ever taking your iPhone out of your pocket. With low monthly prices, a longer battery and a bigger screen, it could be time to leave your phone at home more often.
THE ACTION BUTTON
The new Action button on the Ultra is the first new input mechanism on an Apple Watch since it was originally launched. It can be used in emergency situations or for extremely quick access to a task you need very often.
THE BEST FEATURES REMAIN, AND SOME ARE EVEN BETTER
The more powerful battery and improved GPS mean that you can enjoy the classic Apple Watch features even more on the Ultra. The device is fast becoming a tool that can handle the majority of your digital needs no matter how busy your days are.
TOUGHER THAN EVER
A watch by its nature will be prone to knocks and scrapes, and this is magnified when it is used in harsh environments. The Ultra Watch is designed for outdoor adventures and the build quality is obvious from the moment you unbox it.
A GENUINE DIVE COMPUTER
The Oceanic+ app will effectively turn the Ultra into a fully fledged dive computer and bring with it a host of features to keep you safe. It has the potential to replace expensive standalone equipment and to completely change the way you dive.
SUPERIOR SPECIFICATIONS
The main reason to purchase an Apple Watch Ultra over the previous offerings, or even the Series 8, is because of the improved specs. These work together to make the Ultra more usable in a variety of conditions, and they add a great deal to the value.
ASK
macOS patches
EXPERT ADVICE Our resident genius solves your Mac
> First Aid from the top or bottom?
When running Disk Utility’s First Aid, which should I check first: the disk, or its volumes?
> Reconnect to your mobile network
After I updated my iPhone XR to iOS 16.1.1, it shows No Service as its status. How can I reconnect it to its network?
Quick–fire questions & answers
WHY DOES CONTINUITY CAMERA SOMETIMES LOSE WI–FI CONNECTION?
> Connect a video projector
I’m due to give a talk in Keynote using my M1 MacBook Pro with a video projector. How can my Mac connect to that projector?
> macOS Ventura printer error
After upgrading my Mac to Ventura, trying to connect it to my Epson XP–750 printer fails with an odd error. Is it now incompatible?
> Missing Target Display
My iMac 27–inch running High Sierra won’t connect to my M1 MacBook Air using Target Display mode. What am I missing?
> Find proper movie files
When I use Find in a Finder window to look for movies, why do I see .ts files? How can I remove them from those results?
> Lost accented characters
When I updated macOS, I lost the ability to enter accented vowels in all my apps. How can I restore that?
> Permissions gone haywire
After a file–sharing session, permissions on files in my Home folder have gone haywire, and I’m asked to authenticate before I can move them. How can I return them to normal?
CREATE
Master login items on Mac
The Login Items feature gets an important makeover in macOS Ventura
Manage duplicate images
Discover and sort duplicate clips and stills for a cleaner Photos library
Make the most of Notes
Discover all the new and useful features on offer in the Notes app
How to use Live Text
Edit and translate image text on your iPhone
Type smarter on–screen
Set up shortcuts, send images, and more with Apple’s on–screen keyboard
Grading on the go
How to give your colors, tones and composition a cinematic makeover
Control the Home app from Mac
The long–neglected Home app finally gets a welcome revamp for macOS Ventura — we take a look at what’s new
Master complications
Complications in watchOS 9 make your Apple Watch even more “you”
Matter — the allied standard
The smart home tech of the future is coming to Apple devices