Macworld November 2018

Over the last year we’ve seen several rumors from reliable sources stating that Apple plans to introduce a new low-cost MacBook. Basically, it’s aiming to replace the beloved (but aging) MacBook Air, and probably make the MacBook obsolete in the process. This makes a lot of sense: both the MacBook and the MacBook Air are in need of an update. The rumors say the new product will launch this year; we think that’s likely to happen at an as-yet-unannounced October event. Without further ado, here are our predictions as to what we can expect from a low-cost (for Apple) MacBook Air replacement. THE NAME: MACBOOK (NO AIR) From a product positioning standpoint, Apple has dropped the “Air” moniker from its core products. AirPorts are gone, the iPad Air is gone, and…

You may think you own that application you just downloaded, but chances are good you merely license it. If Apple has anything to say about it, that fact may soon have a much bigger impact on your wallet. Recently, Business Insider reported on a “secret” meeting last year between Apple and some iOS app developers. Apple apparently encouraged the developers to switch from one-time, stand-alone purchases to a subscription-based model. The move is reportedly intended to give developers a more stable source of recurring revenue. It would also, of course, provide that recurring revenue to Apple as well, which takes a 30 percent cut on the first year of subscriptions, and 15 percent thereafter. Services have become a big part of Apple’s revenue stream. In Apple’s last earnings call, it reported a…

“The Mac keeps going forever.” So said Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller in an interview in this very publication on the occasion of the computing platform’s 30th anniversary in 2014. With this month’s release of macOS Mojave, the modern version of the Mac’s operating system hit its fifteenth major release, and celebrated its seventeen-and-a-half birthday—quickly closing in on outliving its predecessor, the classic Mac OS. Mojave charts some new directions for the Mac, most notable of which is the ability to run iOS apps with little to no modification. That feature has its fair share of shortcomings and has also caused a degree of consternation from some longtime Mac users who don’t want peanut butter in their chocolate. But it seems unlikely Apple’s going to back away from the idea…

Realmac Software’s RapidWeaver is a WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”) website development application designed to do most of the heavy lifting for you. Its easy-to-modify templates make it a snap to create a modern, custom website design through the comfort of a user interface that feels like it came straight out of Cupertino. WYSIWYG web apps aren’t as novel as they once were—online services like Wix offer to do the same thing for free or dirt cheap, often bundled with bargain-priced web hosting. And to be fair, even the latest version of RapidWeaver will get you only so far on its own, which is why Realmac continues to foster a community chock full of add-ons including themes, plug-ins, and stacks that users can purchase to accomplish…

Why buy a headset when you could just buy a great pair of headphones and a good microphone for the same price? So goes the conventional wisdom in comment sections around the world, every time someone dares to suggest that a gaming headset might not be so bad a purchase. But what if the self-professed audiophiles are right? And what if you could get the same form factor as a headset, but with any top-tier pair of headphones? Wouldn’t that be a better deal? We went hands on with the ModMic to find out. HAND IN HAND ModMic isn’t new by any means. Since 2011, Antlion Audio has done one thing and done it well: It’s allowed gamers to take their high-end headphones, attach a microphone on the side, and…

“Do be warned, detective…some men find this place hard to leave.” It’s meant as a threat, but I laughed. Even for the Rusty Lake series, this is one hell of a wink-nod, fourth-wall-breaking moment. Yes, one of the most prolific game development teams is back for its second game of 2018, Cube Escape: Paradox—and perhaps the most ambitious of the series, thanks to a 20-minute short film that’s integral to the plot. Just when you think Rusty Lake can’t get any weirder, it does. EMPTY THE MIND You’ll note of course that this is titled Cube Escape: Paradox, not Rusty Lake: Paradox. A bit confusing, no? To recap, the Rusty Lake games (Hotel, Roots, Paradise) spun out of a series of browser-based escape rooms, titled Cube Escape. Until now the…