Should you upgrade your MacBook Neo for $100 to get Touch ID and more storage?

The $100 upgrade price is the only upgrade option on MacBook Neo and it gives you two features:

1. 256GB of extra storage, for a total of 512GB.

2. Touch ID instead of a Lock button.

In my opinion it is well worth the upgrade for these two features. 256GB is already limiting for a MacBook, and if you take a lot of photos and videos on your iPhone, the 512GB of storage comes in handy for local storage. Even though this laptop isn’t really a “creator’s laptop” due to its lower specs, it does give people plenty of power to dabble in photo or video editing, where storage once again comes in handy. There’s also the possibility of faster read and write speeds with double the storage and better performance when your 8GB of RAM is full, forcing the computer into swap memory. We will have to wait for the teardown to see if Apple is using single or dual NAND chips but like I said previously:

If I were a betting man, I would assume the base model comes with a single NAND 256GB chip instead of dual NAND 128GB chips. You would get extra performance if you had dual 128GB chips since you have more “lanes” for data transfer and memory swap, but since this is the budget MacBook, it’s hard to tell until someone does a teardown.

Even if there was no difference in SSD speeds and performance, the price upgrade is worth it.

The second reason - Touch ID, a huge time saver when you add the cumulative amount of time you would spend either typing in your password, or hoping your “Apple Watch to Unlock” feature is going to work. Don’t get me wrong - using your Apple Watch to unlock your Mac works really well most of the time…but you need an Apple Watch. Even if you have one, the times where it doesn’t work makes it annoying to manually type your password, potentially making it a security risk if people are snooping around.

Let’s not forget about the other benefits of Touch ID:

1. Apple Pay.

2. You can easily fill usernames and passwords more securely. Without Touch ID, you simply click your username and password from iCloud Keychain to fill the field with no authentication other than when you unlocked your MacBook. In this case Touch ID is less convenient (barely), but more secure.

3. Passkeys - if you’re trying to login with a passkey, there’s a lot less friction with Touch ID. Simply touch and you’re in. Without Touch ID, you would have to use an iPhone or iPad and scan a QR code, adding more friction.

Apple kept the upgrade path simple with MacBook Neo, and the $100 upgrade is a no-brainer. At $699, this is still a great deal and the deal gets even better with education pricing at $599.

Studio Display and Studio Display XDR have A19 and A19 Pro chips inside.

Joe Rossignol from MacRumors:

Apple's press release and marketing materials for the new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR models do not mention which chips are inside the monitors, but MacRumors has confirmed this information in the latest Studio Display firmware.

The firmware reveals that the second-generation Studio Display is equipped with an A19 chip, while the Studio Display XDR has an A19 Pro chip, according to code reviewed by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. Rumors had mentioned either the A19 chip or the A19 Pro chip, and it turns out that the two chips are split across the two models.

I was about to write about this exact topic, wondering why Apple didn’t reveal the chipset in these two devices. In 2022 they did discuss the A13 chip and how it was responsible for the Center Stage camera, “Hey Siri” support, and Spatial Audio among other functions. No doubt the A19 Pro is pulling a lot of muscle with all the new features, including medical grade imaging in the XDR model.

Apple debuts all-new MacBook Neo, starting at $599.

A very low entry price, and even lower at $499 with education pricing. The main specs:

• Powered by A18 Pro, the same chip in iPhone 16 Pro, except with one less GPU core.

• You can only get 8GB of RAM, which is a bummer, but makes sense for the target audience.

• Base storage of 256GB.

• For $100 extra, you get double the storage and Touch ID. Totally worth the $100, which could even be a wash when sales start happening. If I were a betting man, I would assume the base model comes with a single NAND 256GB chip instead of dual NAND 128GB chips. You would get extra performance if you had dual 128GB chips since you have more “lanes” for data transfer and memory swap, but since this is the budget MacBook, it’s hard to tell until someone does a teardown.

• Side firing stereo speakers - they sound promising (haha), and Apple does a good job of giving decent audio even in budget products.

• No MagSafe 3 - totally expected and I barely use it on my wife’s 14-inch M1 Pro.

• Two USB-C ports - a plus since I was expecting a single port. Supports one 4K display alongside the Neo’s display.

• Four colors:

  • Silver

  • Blush (light pink),

  • Citrus (excess vitamin intake piss yellow),

  • Indigo

  No backlit keyboard, but you do get color matching keycaps, which could be problematic in dark environments.

Full specs comparing the two models. I’ll be testing the base model which matches my M1 Air in terms of memory and RAM, so we’ll see if the performance at least matches my M1.

In all fairness, I’ve been happy with 8GB of RAM on my M1 Air, and for people who only use stock apps and maybe Chrome or Firefox, this will be a beast.

The only unanswered question on my mind - can you open the lid with one finger?

Apple’s new M5 Pro and M5 Max debut in the MacBook Pro, now starting with 1TB of storage.

Apple Newsroom:

Apple today announced the latest 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the all-new M5 Pro and M5 Max, bringing game-changing performance and AI capabilities to the world’s best pro laptop. With M5 Pro and M5 Max, MacBook Pro features a new CPU with the world’s fastest CPU core, a next-generation GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core, and higher unified memory bandwidth, altogether delivering up to 4x AI performance compared to the previous generation, and up to 8x AI performance compared to M1 models. This allows developers, researchers, business professionals, and creatives to unlock new AI-enabled workflows right on MacBook Pro. It now comes with up to 2x faster SSD performance and starts at 1TB of storage for M5 Pro and 2TB for M5 Max. The new MacBook Pro includes N1, an Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, bringing improved performance and reliability to wireless connections. It also offers up to 24 hours of battery life; a gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display with a nano-texture option; a wide array of connectivity, including Thunderbolt 5; a 12MP Center Stage camera; studio-quality mics; an immersive six-speaker sound system; Apple Intelligence features; and the power of macOS Tahoe. The new MacBook Pro comes in space black and silver, and is available to pre-order starting tomorrow, March 4, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.

The new storage bumps lead to both price increases and decreases, and this piece from Macworld explains all the price changes to the new MacBooks (including the MacBook Air).

Apple releases M5 Pro and M5 Max chips with more than 4x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to M4.

Apple Newsroom:

Apple today announced M5 Pro and M5 Max, the world’s most advanced chips for pro laptops, powering the new MacBook Pro. The chips are built using a new Apple-designed Fusion Architecture. This innovative design combines two dies into a single system on a chip (SoC), which includes a powerful CPU, scalable GPU, Media Engine, unified memory controller, Neural Engine, and Thunderbolt 5 capabilities. M5 Pro and M5 Max feature a new 18-core CPU architecture. It includes six of the highest-performing core design, now called super cores, that are the world’s fastest CPU core. Alongside these cores are 12 all-new performance cores, optimized for power-efficient, multithreaded workloads. Collectively, the CPU significantly boosts performance by up to 30 percent for pro workloads. The GPU scales up the next-generation architecture introduced in M5 to an up-to-40-core GPU. With a Neural Accelerator in each GPU core and higher unified memory bandwidth, M5 Pro and M5 Max are over 4x the peak GPU compute for AI compared to the previous generation. The GPU substantially increases graphics capabilities — now up to 35 percent for apps using ray tracing than M4 Pro and M4 Max — enhancing advanced visual effects and 3D rendering. With M5 Pro and M5 Max, the new MacBook Pro is the ultimate powerhouse for pros and is available for pre-order starting tomorrow, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.

Apple might not have the best AI chatbot, but they sure as hell will give you the best performance to help you make said chatbot. Also notable:

With all these features, M5 Pro delivers over 4x the peak GPU compute compared to M4 Pro, and over 6x the peak GPU compute than M1 Pro for AI performance. […]

M5 Max offers over 4x the peak GPU compute compared to the previous generation, and over 6x the peak GPU compute than M1 Max for AI performance.

It goes to show how crazy Apple went with their first set of silicon chips, the historic M1 lineup, still being used by many today without the need or urge to really upgrade.

Studio Display vs Studio Display XDR - full specs comparison document.

You can compare the fundamental differences between the two displays on Apple’s website, but you can compare the full specs of each in my attached document:

Studio Display vs Studio Display XDR (full specs)

Apple loves the iPhone Air and its durability so much, it didn’t need to release new cases for it.

MacRumors:

Apple's Silicone Case for the standard iPhone 17 model has three new color options, including Bright Guava, Vanilla, and Electric Lavender.

Bright Guava and Vanilla extend to the Silicone Case for iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, but the Pro models did not get Electric Lavender treatment.

Apple has a Silicone Case for the new iPhone 17e too, and it comes in Bright Guava, Vanilla, Soft Pink, and a handful of other colors.

Apple also has a MagSafe Clear Case for the iPhone 17e.

If you prefer an iPhone 17e case from Apple's Beats brand, there is a new MagSafe case with hard plastic. It comes in Bedrock Blue and Lime Stone.

Any new case options for the iPhone Air? Any?

Of course not, because why would the best designed iPhone, with superior Titanium durability, even need a case? Unlike the other inferior options with their inferior aluminum chassis, the Air can take a beating over and over again.

Apple’s love for the Air is more obvious than ever.

Apple releases iPhone 17e, with MagSafe (Finally!)

Apple:

Apple today announced iPhone 17e, a powerful and more affordable addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. At the heart of iPhone 17e is the latest-generation A19, which delivers exceptional performance for everything users do. iPhone 17e also features C1X, the latest-generation cellular modem designed by Apple, which is up to 2x faster than C1 in iPhone 16e. The 48MP Fusion camera captures stunning photos, including next-generation portraits, and 4K Dolby Vision video. It also enables an optical-quality 2x Telephoto — like having two cameras in one. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation and reduced glare.1 With MagSafe, users can enjoy fast wireless charging and access to a vast ecosystem of accessories like chargers and cases. And when iPhone 17e users are outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, Apple’s groundbreaking satellite features — including Emergency SOS, Roadside Assistance, Messages, and Find My via satellite — help them stay connected when it matters most.2

Available in three elegant colors with a premium matte finish — black, white, and a beautiful new soft pink — iPhone 17e will be available for pre-order beginning Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting Wednesday, March 11. iPhone 17e will start at 256GB of storage for $599 — 2x the entry storage from the previous generation at the same starting price, and 4x more than iPhone 12 — giving users more space for high-resolution photos, 4K videos, apps, games, and more.

MagSafe is the real win here, but also Ceramic Shield 2 is a huge win for durability, not to mention double the base storage starting at 256GB. Soft pink will be a big seller too.

All the right upgrades.

Absolute no-brainer recommendation for most people who just want a basic iPhone.

Apple releases new iPad Air with M4, and flexes more RAM for the same price.

Apple:

Apple today announced the new iPad Air featuring M4 and more memory, giving users a big jump in performance at the same starting price. With a faster CPU and GPU, iPad Air boosts tasks like editing and gaming, and is a powerful device for AI with a faster Neural Engine, higher memory bandwidth, and 50 percent more unified system memory than the previous generation. With M4, iPad Air is up to 30 percent faster than iPad Air with M3,and up to 2.3x faster than iPad Air with M1. The new iPad Air also features the latest in Apple silicon connectivity chips, N1 and C1X, delivering fast wireless and cellular connections — and support for Wi-Fi 7 — that empower users to work and be creative anywhere. Available in two sizes and four gorgeous finishes that users love, the 11-inch iPad Air is super portable, and the 13-inch model provides an even larger display for those who want more space to multitask. With game-changing iPadOS 26 capabilities, advanced cameras, all-day battery life, a powerful app ecosystem, and support for accessories like Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, iPad Air delivers a remarkable and versatile experience for anyone who wants to do more on iPad, from students and creators, to business users and gamers. […]

With the same starting price of just $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model, the new iPad Air is an incredible value. And for education, the 11-inch iPad Air starts at $549, and the 13-inch model starts at $749. Customers can pre-order iPad Air starting Wednesday, March 4, with availability beginning Wednesday, March 11.

Essentially just a spec bump, but the increase in RAM from 8GB to 12GB is notable. It’s funny how Apple never used to disclose RAM in their iPads and iPhones for years, and now we have them advertising it in the second sentence of their press release. 50% more RAM for the same price with today’s RAM prices? I would tout it too.

When compared to the previous two iPad Air devices, the M4 chip and RAM are the main upgrades.

What will Apple cut from the new budget MacBook?

According to a Weibo leak (reported by Tom’s Guide) the following limitations might apply to the new MacBook in order to reach a cheaper price point:

• No backlit keyboard

• The display may have a lower max brightness

• No True Tone color adjustment for the display

• Slower SSD speeds

• No 1TB or 2TB storage capacity options

• No fast charging support

• No N1 chip (the chip used to improve performance and reliability of connectivity features like AirDrop)

• No high-impedance headphones support

What I think should also be on this list:

• Single central speaker instead of stereo speakers

• Starting at 8GB RAM

• No MagSafe (but keeping a fast charging USB-C port)

• Single USB-C port

Bonus feature that could be a surprise welcome (complete wild guess):

• Vapor chamber similar to iPhone 17 Pro

We’ll find out soon enough.

Apple corrected its spelling mistake for turmeric.

Updated my watch to the latest watchOS 26.4 Developer Beta, and lo and behold, they spelled it right. Maybe someone at Apple does read my posts? I’m quite flattered.

Samsung didn’t put Qi2 magnets in their S26 lineup, and the phones’ design is probably why.

iPhone and Google Pixel are the only mainstream phones with magnetic Qi2 systems in place, and I think Samsung skipped it because their vertical camera setup makes it impossible to have a magnetic system that doesn’t interfere with squared off MagSafe accessories like wallets, battery banks, etc.

They’ve made cases as a consolation, but it’s still only useful for circular accessories. Take a look for yourself (phones not to scale).

Expect a plateau design in the future?

The “miracle” weight loss drug only works if you can withstand taking it for life.

Fast Company:

The impact of GLP-1 medications on weight loss is undeniable, but emerging research suggests the results may only be temporary. A growing body of evidence shows that when patients stop taking GLP-1 drugs, much of the weight they lost returns—and so do the medical complications that may have prompted treatment in the first place. 

“The only way that they work is if you keep taking them,” Scott Isaacs, an endocrinologist at the Grady Health System in Atlanta, told Market Watch. “And when people stop taking them, they have a lot of weight regain, and the medical problems that went away tend to come back.”

New research from the University of Oxford found that weight is projected to return to pretreatment levels within about 1.7 years after stopping medications. Improvements in cardio-metabolic markers—including blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes-related indicators—also trend back toward baseline within about 1.4 years after cessation.

It’s not a surprise that any medication for weight loss needs to be taken indefinitely, especially since personal responsibility takes a backseat. From personal experience, I take a cholesterol pill everyday, knowing full well that this might be a lifelong pill, and yes, it makes one eat a little less responsibly at times knowing that the pill will take care of my bad decision to eat a greasy burger with fries and soda, followed by some ice cream.

At least I know what to watch out for in terms of side effects, but anyone taking a medication for lifestyle improvements needs to realize wholeheartedly what they’re getting themselves into. Don’t just follow the fad and look at the positives, but look at the negatives as well.

Samsung’s Privacy Screen is the standout feature for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but don’t expect Apple to implement it until it’s perfect.

Having a privacy screen that can be customized to include certain fields (password entry) or even certain parts of the screen is really cool and I hope the iPhone gets it sooner than later.

Andy Boxall from AndroidPolice:

The Privacy Display is the top reason to consider buying the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and contrary to what you may initially think, it’s not a gimmick. It’s enabled through both hardware and software, and operates at a pixel level, meaning it has been engineered into the S26 Ultra and not just a cheap add-on.

It works by dimming pixels on the sides of the screen and boosting them in the center, with the result being at anything other than a mostly face-on angle, the screen appears black. Anyone looking at the screen from the side, no matter the angle, can’t see what’s on the screen.

It works fullscreen, but can also be tuned for partial screen use, meaning it only obscures notification popups. It’s not always active, and has to be manually enabled in the Quick Settings menu, plus it can be customized to only operate for certain apps.

Privacy Display is shockingly effective, and if you’ve ever wondered if someone sitting next to you is looking at your screen, it’ll stop them in their pixel-peeping tracks.

Why Apple won’t implement it just yet (Andy continues):

However, it comes with one downside: screen brightness.

Turn Privacy Display on, and the screen brightness instantly dims. Never to the point where you can’t see, but you will notice it. You can still manually adjust the brightness, and I don’t think you’ll have a problem seeing the screen in sunlight, but if you want the screen’s maximum brightness for games or videos, Privacy Display should probably be turned off.

Still a very impressive feature, but Apple likes to perfect a technology before it becomes a staple in its lineup. Samsung released their first major smartphone with an OLED display with the Galaxy S back in 2010, 7 years before Apple introduced their first OLED iPhone with the iPhone X.

It won’t be 7 years before iPhones get this feature, but I’m guessing whatever flagship iPhone comes out in 2027 will be the first.

Jony Ive is anxious to reveal the exterior of the Ferrari Luce, but should Ferrari fans be worried?

The spy photos of the Ferrari Luce’s exterior look absolutely hideous, the worst manifestation of a sporty hearse that you could imagine. It looks like an absolute disaster of a vehicle, but spy photos are meant to completely disguise the shape of the vehicle, so it’s anyone’s guess how radical it will look.

Jony’s vibe seems optimistic even though there are mixed signals (from Carscoops):

It’s not concern over the design itself that sparks that feeling, but instead the gravity of just how big this moment is for Ferrari. He called it “still clearly a Ferrari,” but went on to say that “It’s a different manifestation based on some of the beliefs around simplicity and the inherent beauty of something.” […]

Ive has also stressed that there is “no disconnection” between the exterior and interior, noting that both were designed simultaneously rather than by separate departments. In his view, that approach results in a complete package that feels cohesive rather than pieced together.

Still clearly a Ferrari, but also a different manifestation based on simplicity and beauty, and no disconnection between the exterior and interior. Mixed signals that manifest in anxiety if you ask me.

The full exterior reveal will be in May, but in the meantime, check out some interior design features that Apple fans would appreciate.

Nissan to be the first to introduce Qi2 wireless charging in their vehicles.

Yours truly just a couple of months ago:

One of the top worst modern car features is undoubtedly not so modern.

The ancient universal Qi wireless charging standard.

Automakers need to either get rid of it completely, or give us Qi2 with the Magnetic Power Profile (MagSafe), preferably in some sort of modular form that allows you to dock your phone similar to the Xiaomi SU7.

Looks like Nissan stepped up to the batter’s plate and is the first to introduce Qi2 magnetic wireless charging. Magnetically aligned wireless charging is a huge improvement both for efficiency and heat management, especially in a moving vehicle where a single pothole can throw your phone off the charging mat. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your destination thinking you have a topped up phone, only to see a low battery warning instead.

An absolute no-brainer, but it would be even better if it was vertically docked.

Apple’s new budget MacBook will be an absolute deal - just don’t upgrade it.

Apple’s new rumored MacBook with multiple deep color options might be the best deal for students and first-time Mac users, but the minute you go past the base model’s specs, it’s value proposition and charm will fumble.

Rumored to start at 8GB of RAM and at 256GB of memory, it’s a solid computer for an alleged $599-$699 starting price. 8GB of RAM is a limitation though and historically Apple charges a $200 upgrade to 16GB. Now we’re at $799-$899 for this smaller laptop, right in MacBook Air territory, making the M4 MacBook Air the logical purchase since it’s always on sale for $799.

The Air will have the same storage and RAM numbers for that $799 price, but performance and monitor support will be significantly better compared to the new MacBook. My gut tells me most people will go for the base model anyway to keep prices low. Those that go for the higher spec’ed new MacBook know they’re getting a worse computer for the same amount of money, but the power of real colors on a MacBook is going to suck a lot of people in, logic be damned.

It’s already working for the orange iPhone 17 Pro.

Should you use an LLM to generate your random passwords?

I know I wouldn’t, and you shouldn’t to.

Don’t take my word for it. Just read this post from Gizmodo to learn all the smarts. If you’re curious how Apple generates passwords, read Ricky’s post. Ricky is a Principal Engineer at Apple’s Authentication Experience team.

Tesla needs more iPhone users to update to iOS 26 before they can release CarPlay.

From Chance Miller at 9to5Mac (originally from Mark Gurman’s PowerOn Newsletter):

The report explains that Tesla discovered several “compatibility hitches” between Apple Maps and its own first-party mapping platform used for autonomy features.

“Specifically, the turn-by-turn guidance from Tesla’s maps app didn’t properly synchronize with Apple Maps during autonomous driving,” Gurman explains. “That could create a confusing experience for users, who could theoretically have both applications open side by side.”

Tesla reportedly asked Apple to “make engineering changes” to improve the compatibility between its own software and Apple Maps.

“To address this, Tesla asked Apple to make engineering changes to Maps to improve compatibility. The iPhone maker agreed and implemented the adjustments in a bug fix update to iOS 26 and the latest version of CarPlay. But here’s the catch: Adoption of iOS 26 has been slower than with previous releases. That meant, in Tesla’s view, too few users had the updated Maps changes by the end of last year.”

As Gurman notes, Apple released the first iOS 26 adoption numbers on Friday, revealing that 74% of all iPhones released in the last four years are running iOS 26. However, this doesn’t mean all of those people have necessarily updated to the later version of iOS 26 that includes this CarPlay bug fix.

I think 74% is a healthy number for iOS 26 adoption. People who are going to buy an all-electric vehicle are already more tech savvy, and are more likely to already be on iOS 26. Considering the software update is already public, there is no excuse to blame iOS 26 adoption. Tesla probably has more kinks to work out on its side.

Apple will host a special event on March 4th for certain creators.

Special events actually, in New York, London, and Shanghai. The event is rumored to be for the launch of several non-flagship devices, but we’ll know for sure as the date gets closer.