Kicking the tires on a Chromebook purchase? As a cheaper alternative to a Windows laptop or a MacBook, a Chromebook is an attractive option for budget buyers. The simplicity of Google‘s Chrome OS, which is little more than its Chrome browser with a bit of window dressing (Windows dressing, if you will), is also a …
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Apple’s MagSafe cable might be back (thanks to a dongle)
Try not to get too excited, MacBook owners, but your beloved MagSafe charging cables might be coming back from the dead — albeit via dongle. The magnetic-attaching charging cables were a fan-favorite feature from the MacBook Pro because of how easily they’d disconnect when accidentally yanked, a design that no doubt saved countless laptops from coming crashing down to the …
Read More »Apple updates Mac Pro specs, promises redesigned model
Now playing: Watch this: Apple tweaks Mac Pro, says new desktops coming 1:16 The cylindrical Mac Pro hasn’t seen much change in more than three years. Screenshot by Dara Kerr/CNET Mac Pro fans will finally get their wish. They just need a little patience. Apple confirmed Tuesday that it is working on a big refresh of the Mac Pro, its …
Read More »Why you should install Chrome on your laptop
For quite some time, Google Chrome has had a reputation: great browser, terrible performance. In particular, if you’re a laptop user and typically keep more than a few tabs open, expect hits to not only overall speed, but also battery life. Google has acknowledged this in the past, and in fact promised to make reducing power usage a “top priority …
Read More »2 ways to keep your MacBook from falling asleep
MacOS lets you set a time for how long your MacBook‘s display stays on during a period of inactivity before it shuts off to reduce energy usage and increase battery life. You’ll find a slider that goes from 1 minute to Never in the Energy Saver panel of System Preferences. There’s a slider for when you are running on battery …
Read More »How to keep your Chromebook from falling asleep
I don’t employ a Chromebook as my primary computer, so I view Chrome OS limitations as virtues. I love the simplicity. It’s quick and responsive, and its updates are the opposite of oppressive; they occur infrequently and when they do, they happen nearly instantaneously. You could say I skipped past the five stages of Chromebook acceptance and went directly to …
Read More »Microsoft won’t fix the most frustrating thing about Windows: forced updates
Maybe you’re delivering a presentation to a huge audience. Maybe you’re taking an online test. Maybe you just need to get some work done on a tight deadline. Windows doesn’t care. Windows will take control of your computer, force-feed it updates and flip the reset switch automatically — and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it, once …
Read More »How to upgrade your MacBook Pro with an SSD
If you have an old MacBook Pro with one foot in the grave, the single best thing you can do to breathe new life into it is replace its traditional spinning hard drive with a solid-state drive. There’s a reason that all modern MacBooks and the vast majority of all laptops sold today use SSDs. They are more energy efficient, …
Read More »Save $175 on an entry
Best Buy frequently offers discounts on Apple products, but its “Deal of the Day” for March 6 caught my attention because it’s the first time I’ve seen the latest MacBook Pros on sale. The caveat here is that the $175 discount is for Apple’s entry-level $1,500 13-inch MacBook Pro, which is missing the step-up models’ Touch Bar. It also has …
Read More »Sorry USB
Those hoping that Apple would trade a Lightning connection for a standard USB-C connection on the iPhone 8 will most likely be disappointed: Apple has always had a proprietary connection on its iOS devices and it’s not going to change that, in my opinion. The rumor that Apple might ditch Lightning in favor of USB-C, which is increasingly found on …
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