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Photoshop’s Generative Fill AI tested on a Mac: Equal parts amazing and unreal

tigaman webdesign — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 14:10:02 +0000

The words “generative AI” are on everyone’s lips at the moment. These technologies can create text, images, or video clips from simple prompts, and could change the media landscape as we know it. Adobe certainly thinks generative AI is worth further investigation, and is putting its marketing muscle behind Generative Fill, a new Photoshop feature that allows you to edit or manipulate your images in entirely new ways.

You can see for yourself how it works in the image below: drag the slider left and right to see the before and after. The blank areas were filled in–which is to say, extrapolated from what’s in the rest of the image–by Photoshop’s artificial intelligence. Thanks to technologies like this it has never been easier to transform images in portrait format into landscape format.

Generative Fill is still officially in beta. We’ve been using the Photoshop beta for several weeks now, and continue to be surprised by it on an almost daily basis. Some of the results are incredibly realistic. Others are so inaccurate they’re funny.

Installing and using the Photoshop beta

StackCommerce

If you’d like to install the Photoshop beta, you’ll need a valid license for Adobe Creative Cloud and an active internet connection, as the Generative Fill feature requires cloud processing. Once you’ve got a license, open Creative Cloud and select Beta Apps in the lefthand tab. Select this and you can then install the Photoshop beta and start using it straight away.

Save 30% on Adobe Creative Cloud

Photoshop Generative Fill: Limitations

With great power comes great responsibility. Fortunately, Adobe knows that you can do great damage with AI, so there are many rules to maintain “the high quality of creative content.” Anyone who does not follow the Adobe Generative AI beta user guidelines risks having their account blocked.

Adobe prohibits the use of generative AI for certain purposes:

Pornographic material or explicit nudity
Hateful or highly offensive content that attacks or dehumanizes a group based on ethnicity, national origin, religion, serious disease or disability, gender, age or sexual orientation
Graphic violence or gore
The promotion, glorification, or threats of violence
Illegal activities or goods
Self-harm or the promotion of self-harm
Depictions of nude minors or minors in a sexual manner
Promotion of terrorism or violent extremism
Disseminating misleading, fraudulent, or deceptive content that could lead to real-world harm
Personal or private information of others (like full name, home address, phone number, email address, government-issued IDs, or any other information relating to an identifiable individual)

Photoshop Generative Fill: How to get started

The Generative Fill AI saves time. A lot of time. It retouches unwanted picture elements, enables new perspectives, and creates new things, all via text command. The possibilities are limitless. You simply select the area, using the appropriate selection tool (shortcut: M), in which the AI is to do its work.

You can see Photoshop’s Generative Fill working here; in English, the field says “Generative Fill” and the button says “Generate”.

Simon Lohmann

To fill in the rest of an image, you’ll want to leave the search field blank to let Adobe’s AI scan the image and fill in the blank area. Photoshop then creates three different variants for you to choose from.

You get three variations. Which do you prefer?

Simon Lohmann

You can cycle between the different options. If you don’t like any of the options, you can try the process again or add some descriptive words to the search box.

Photoshop Generative Fill: False realities and extraordinary landscapes

At first glance, this appears to be a normal picture. At a second glance, you notice minor inconsistencies, such as the door handles and the house’s windows in the background. Things aren’t quite right.

Photographed Neuschwanstein Castle in portrait orientation, but want something more panoramic? No problem, Photoshop will fill in the rest.

Of course, the results have nothing to do with reality. Anyone familiar with the surroundings of Neuschwanstein Castle will recognize that the content created by the AI is artificial. It’s an image manipulation. But to the untrained eye, it’s pretty spectacular.

Photoshop still has big problems with people and animals. While the dog in the image below looks quite realistic, it’s immediately obvious that something is wrong with the man’s face.

Hands also pose a problem for Photoshop’s AI. The fingers are often distorted and look unnatural and occasionally have extra digits.

Hands still pose problems for Photoshop AI. Left: the original. Right: the AI version, with five fingers and a thumb.

Amanda Frank

Realistic textures and large-scale AI content can also be problematic. It depends entirely on the subject. While AI can handle images from nature well, architecture is evidently more of a challenge.

Photoshop has problems creating a realistic urban environment.

Lukas Souza

AI manipulation is easiest to spot if you know the original image, of course, but large-scale changes can also be obvious. Small changes are the key to success. Would you even notice if we only extended the image by a few pixels? The AI proves particularly handy in cases where, for example, you want to turn a 3:2 image into a 16:9 one.

In another test, we took an image of a church tower (left), cropped it (center), and then set Photoshop to reconstruct the tower (right). Other than the church clock, the result is quite respectable.

Photoshop Generative Fill AI designs a church tower and has trouble with the clock.

Simon Lohmann

This article originally appeared on Macwelt and was translated and edited by David Price.

Professional Software

Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft say they meet EU gatekeeper threshold

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 13:27:21 +0000

Seven tech giants, including Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, have said they meet the European Union’s new criteria for “gatekeepers,” which means they will be subject to stricter regulations.

Reuters:

Samsung and TikTok owner ByteDance also unexpectedly said they would meet the criteria, although TikTok disputed whether it should be included on the list. Booking.com said it expected to fall into the gatekeeper category next year.

Under the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) which came into force in November, companies with more than 45 million monthly active users and a 75-billion-euro ($82 billion) market capitalisation are considered gatekeepers providing a core platform service.

Companies labelled as such will be required to make their messaging apps interoperate with rivals and let users to decide which apps to pre-install on their devices.

The European Commission did not provide details of the companies’ core online services subject to DMA rules.

It will confirm the gatekeeper designation by Sept. 6 after checking the data provided by the companies, which will then have six months to comply with the DMA rules.

MacDailyNews Take: It will be interesting to see how Apple handles its Messages app and its iMessage instant messaging service under the DMA especially how much “interoperability” the DMA will ultimately demand and how much Apple will ultimately provide. Expect Apple to fight to preserve iMessage’s end-to-end encryption and Messages features that are unique to Apple products.

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Darkboard Drawing Accessory for iPad Now Available

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 27 Jun 2023 21:39:33 +0000

Astropad, known for its Astropad Studio software and Luna Display dongle for connecting an iPad to a Mac, today announced the general availability of its new Darkboard drawing surface designed to be used with the ‌iPad‌.

Darkboard is aimed at offering an ergonomic way to sketch and draw no matter where you are. The Darkboard is made from a rigid foam material that weighs in at 1.4 pounds, with the foam design providing cushioning and support for the arm and wrist.

According to Astropad, the Darkboard is ideal for using on the couch, in bed, and other situations where ideal ergonomics are unavailable. When you do have a flat surface to work on, there is a foldable stand that works as an easel or in a full vertical orientation.

A polycarbonate frame holds the ‌iPad‌ in place at any angle, so the Darkboard can be used in multiple orientations. There is 1mm of space between the ‌iPad‌’s display and the edge of the foam body to keep the ‌iPad‌ safe in case the Darkboard is dropped.

Astropad included a cutout for the camera, charging port access, and a pocket to hold the Apple Pencil. The Darkboard is 18 inches long, 14 inches wide, and an inch thick, and for transportation, there are grooved handles.

There are two available sizes, one that fits the third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro or newer and one that fits the 11-inch ‌iPad Pro‌ and iPad Air models.

Darkboard launched on Kickstarter in September 2022 and orders started arriving to customers in March, but it is now available for general purchase. Darkboard can be purchased from the Astropad website for $120.

Tag: Astropad

This article, "Darkboard Drawing Accessory for iPad Now Available" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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What We Know About the Apple Vision Pro Hardware So Far

tigaman webdesign — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 00:09:29 +0000

With the Apple Vision Pro not set to launch until 2024, there’s a lot that we don’t know about it. Apple has given us a rough overview of the hardware that’s inside, but hasn’t gone into detail on the different components or specifications.

What the headset weighs is unknown, for example, and there’s no word on just how many cameras and sensors are inside. We aggregated the limited information that we do know about the headset’s hardware for those who are interested.

Enclosure

There’s a three-dimensionally formed laminated glass display that attaches to a curved aluminum alloy frame.

There is a thermal system that quietly moves air through the Vision Pro to deliver performance and keep heat down.

Displays

There are two custom micro-OLED displays that provide “more pixels than a 4K TV” to each eye (23 million total). Apple says they’re the size of a postage stamp.

There is a three-element lens that makes the display feel like it’s “everywhere you look.”

An “EyeSight” external display shows other people when you’re using a less immersive augmented reality mode by displaying your eyes, or lets them know you’re fully immersed and unaware of your surroundings. This display also provides a recording indicator when you’re capturing video with the camera.

There’s a 90Hz refresh rate, with a special 96Hz refresh rate available for 24fps video.

For those who wear glasses, Zeiss Optical Inserts with your prescription can be magnetically attached to the lenses inside the headset.

Cameras

The headset has 12 cameras and five sensors for monitoring for hand gestures and mapping the environment. There were rumors that the headset would also look at leg movements, but that’s not something Apple has mentioned. Two of the cameras transmit more than a billion pixels per second to the display to depict the world around you clearly, while others are for head tracking, hand tracking, and real-time 3D mapping. There are infrared flood illuminators that enhance hand tracking in low-light conditions.

There’s a camera that’s able to take 3D photos and videos.

LiDAR depth sensors can determine the size and location of the objects in the room around you, and can also scan your face to create a digital Persona that’s used in FaceTime.

Inside the headset, there are four infrared cameras and LED lights. The lights project invisible light patterns onto each eye, and this system is used for iris scanning for authentication and also for accurate eye tracking so the headset can tell where you’re looking for navigation purposes.

Straps and Bands

Audio straps on each side include speakers that support spatial audio. They are described as dual-driver audio pods that are positioned next to each ear, with the ability to analyze the room’s acoustic properties to adapt the sound to match the space. Six microphones are included as well.

There’s a detachable braided headband that has a fit adjustment dial.

The magnetic Light Seal, which comes in multiple shapes and sizes, holds the headset to the face and blocks out light.

Buttons

The Digital Crown on the top right of the headset can bring up the Home View when it’s pressed, or control the level of immersion when turned. Immersion level can be adjusted when you’re using “Environments,” aka virtual reality scenes where you can do things like watch television. You can opt to use a full fake environment that makes the screen larger than life, or have the TV show you’re watching overlaid in your real room for less immersion.

A button at the top left can be used to take spatial videos and spatial photos.

Cables

There is a single woven braided power cable that attaches magnetically to the left side of the headset. The cable can be plugged into a power source or plugged into an external battery for use on the go.

The headset seems to ship with an external battery so you don’t need to be tethered while you use it. The battery is designed to fit in a pocket.

Chips

There are two chips inside the ‌Apple Vision Pro‌. The M2, which is the same chip that’s in the Mac lineup, is the main chip that handles the processing. The ‌M2‌ runs visionOS, executes computer vision algorithms, and provides graphical content.

A second R1 chip is responsible for all of the information that’s coming in from the cameras, sensors, and microphones. It is able to stream images to the displays within 12 milliseconds, and Apple has said this chip is able to provide a “virtually lag-free” view of the world.

As we get closer to launch, we’ll likely learn more about the headset’s capabilities and the specifics on the components Apple is using, but we may be waiting until after it becomes available for a full teardown and peek inside.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro

Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

This article, "What We Know About the Apple Vision Pro Hardware So Far" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple Vision Pro has a two user-account limit: Yours and a guest

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 09:45:00 +0000

Macworld

With a $3,499 price tag (and that’s before any lenses you might need), you want to get the most out of your Apple Vision Pro investment. One way to do that is to have one device used by multiple users and to facilitate that, it’d be ideal if visionOS, the software that drives the headset, supported multiple user accounts so an entire family or household could share one device.

During a demo of the Apple Vision Pro, Apple told me that it does…sort of. As of now, visionOS supports two user accounts: a primary user and a guest account. Apple could change this policy before the actual release next year if its beta research tells them it’s an in-demand feature. (Considering Apple’s stubbornness about making iPads multi-user capable, it seems like Apple is unlikely to change its mind.)

The primary user has their settings, such as EyeSight, saved to the device. In a Guest account, the user would have to perform an EyeSight setup each time the Guest account is put to use. The EyeSight setup takes a couple of minutes; a series of dots appear on the screen, and the user has to focus on each one.

Regardless of how visonOS handles multiple users, the headset’s lenses will need to be handled on a user-by-user basis. The lenses are magnetically attached and can be easily switched out. So, for example, if a primary user wears glasses and has lenses for the Apple Vision Pro, they’ll have to remove them for a guest who doesn’t need glasses. If the guest need lenses, they’ll need to have their own lenses that attach to the headset.

Apple has not revealed the pricing of lenses. During a demo, an Apple representative took my glasses and measured my prescription. When the headset is available for order, customers will need to provide Apple with a prescription from their optometrist.

Read our Apple Vision Pro guide for more information about the mixed-reality headset. And be sure to check out the other announcements from WWDC23.

Virtual Reality

Vision Pro and everything else Apple announced during the WWDC keynote

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 00:39:59 +0000

Macworld

Apple’s big keynote presentation to kick off WWDC 2023 was over two hours long. I’m as excited about new products as the next person, but who has that kind of time? If you want to catch up on everything Apple announced but don’t have two hours to watch the video, we’ve got your back. Here’s a quick summary of the announcements, with links to our further coverage when you want to dive in and learn more.

15-inch MacBook Air

Apple

The M2 MacBook is getting a big brother, as we’ve long suspected. It’s essentially identical to the 13-inch M2 model, only with a bigger 15-inch display. Prices start at a very reasonable $1,299, and the 13-inch M2 MacBook Air gets a price drop to $1,099.

M2 Ultra and Mac Studio update

Apple

Apple kept the Mac segment going with updates to the Mac Studio to support M2 Max and M2 Ultra. While the M2 Max could already be found in the 16-inch MacBook Pro, M2 Ultra is new. Just like M1 Ultra, M2 Ultra is basically two M2 Max chips bonded together with a super-fast interconnect.

Mac Studio with M2 Max starts at $1,999 and with M2 Ultra at $3,999.

Mac Pro with Apple Silicon

Apple

The Mac Studio with M2 Ultra not enough Mac for you? Apple finally completed its transition to Apple Silicon with a new Mac Pro. It’s built into an enclosure identical to the Intel-based model but sports an M2 Ultra, eight Thunderbolt ports, and six PCIe gen 4 slots.

The slots support upgrades like storage, networking, and A/V interfaces, but it doesn’t appear that you’ll be able to upgrade the RAM or graphics in the Apple Silicon Mac Pro.

Prices start at $6,999, exactly $3,000 more than the similarly-configured Mac Studio.

iOS 17

Apple WWDC 2023

Naturally, Apple will be updating iOS on a billion iPhones this fall, and iOS 17 brings lots to be excited about. There’s a new contact sharing and airdrop experience where you just bring your iPhones near each other, custom contact posters, a brand new autocorrect using new technology and interface, live real-time voicemail transcriptions, a new StandBy mode for charging stands, and much more.

iPadOS 17

Apple

The customizable lock screen from iOS 16 comes to iPad, but there’s more, like interactive widgets (also in iOS 17), improvements to Stage Manager, FaceTime, Live Activities, and the Health app just to name a few.

macOS 14 Sonoma

Apple

The name for version 14 is macOS Sonoma, and it includes widgets anywhere on the desktop, Game Mode and a new game porting kit for developers, big updates to Safari, slow-motion video screensavers, and more. Plus, of course, most of the core features of iOS and iPadOS, like improved autocorrect and PDF autofill, are coming to macOS as well.

Adaptive Audio for AirPods

If you have 2nd-generation AirPods Pro, they’ll get a new Adaptive Audio mode that blends together transparency and noise-canceling. It cancels the annoying background noise but allows significant sounds to come through. Conversation Awareness lowers the volume of what you’re listening to and enhances the sounds of people speaking with you in front of you. Personalized Volume uses machine learning to learn your volume preferences with different kinds of content and environmental conditions. Automatic Switching between Apple devices is faster and more reliable, and with AirPods Pro, Max, or 3rd-gen AirPods you can mute or unmute yourself when on a call with a quick squeeze of the stem (or tap of the Digital Crown on AirPods Max).

New AirPlay features

AirPlay is getting smart, with Siri suggestions based on how you start AirPlay sessions from your iPhone or iPad. AirPlay is coming to hotels–you’ll be able to scan a QR code on the hotel TV and connect to it via AirPlay with your iPhone or iPad to easily stream your own content.

Apple Music and CarPlay collaborative playlists

This fall, SharePlay is coming to CarPlay. When you connect your iPhone to CarPlay, passengers in your car will get prompted on their own iPhones to join the session. Then they can control playback, add tracks, and so on.

tvOS 17

Apple

There’s an all-new Control Center in tvOS 17, you can use your iPhone to locate your Siri Remote, and more. But the big new feature is FaceTime on Apple TV. It uses Continuity Camera like macOS does, to wirelessly connect to your iPhone and use it as your camera and microphone. It works simultaneously with SharePlay too, so you can watch content in sync together while on your FaceTime call.

watchOS 10

Apple

The Apple Watch is getting a big overhaul in watchOS 10. Scrolling the crown from your watch face shows a smart stack of interactive widgets. The apps themselves have been redesigned throughout watchOS. There are new features in workouts like Cycling, Hiking, and new workout APIs for third-party developers. You can log your mood in the mindfulness app, and the watch will be able to tell how much time you spend in daylight.

One More Thing… Apple Vision Pro!

Apple

The biggest part of the keynote was devoted to “One More Thing”: Apple Vision Pro, the poorly-kept secret of Apple’s big mixed reality headset.

It sports a pair of incredibly high-resolution micro-OLED displays (greater than 4K per eye!), a curved OLED external display so others can see your eyes, a crazy number of sensors and cameras (12 cameras, five sensors, and six microphones), and is powered by two main chips: an M1 processor and a new R1 processor that handles all the sensor data in just a few milliseconds to avoid latency.

This is Apple’s next big computing platform. As the Mac introduced personal computing, and the iPhone portable computing, Vision Pro is meant to introduce spatial computing.

It’s loaded with features, from new ways to enjoy video content in a virtual theater, the ability to run all your favorite apps simultaneously in floating windows of whatever size you want, new ways to use FaceTime and SharePlay, a virtual Mac display, taking and viewing 3D photos and videos, and so much more. There will be an App Store of course, with custom Vision Pro apps as well as thousands of compatible iPhone and iPad apps.

Naturally, all this insane technology doesn’t come cheap. Apple Vision Pro will start at $3,499 when it is released in the spring of 2024.

Apple releases Apple Music Classical for Android ahead of iPad or Mac versions

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 30 May 2023 21:05:51 +0000

Apple in late March launched Apple Music Classical, a brand-new standalone music streaming app designed to deliver the listening experience classical music lovers deserve. With Apple Music Classical, Apple Music subscribers can easily find any recording in the world’s largest classical music catalog with fully optimized search; enjoy the highest audio quality available and experience many classical favorites in a whole new way with immersive Spatial Audio; browse expertly curated playlists, insightful composer biographies, and descriptions of thousands of works; and so much more.

Apple Music Classical for iPhone

Apple Music Classical has been available on the App Store for iPhone since late March and is included at no extra cost with nearly all Apple Music subscriptions. The combination of Apple Music Classical and Apple Music provides a complete music experience for everyone, from longtime classical fans to first-time listeners, and everyone in between. Apple Music Classical is now available for Android, even before iPad or Mac versions.

Zac Hall for 9to5Mac:

Apple Music and Apple Music Classical are two distinct apps on the iPhone. While both apps share a similar design, the key difference is how Apple Music Classical handles metadata. Classical also uses a serif font like Apple Books while the main app is sans serif.

The same differences now apply to Apple Music and Apple Music Classical for Android. Notably, Apple Music Classical has launched on Android before the genre-specific app has been optimized for iPad and available on Mac. Apple Music Classical is also not viewable with CarPlay.

Prioritizing Apple Music Classical for Android over Apple’s other platforms does make sense, though. The separate app is based on Apple’s acquisition of Primephonic, which was a standalone classical music subscription service, and the Android app went away with Aplpe’s purchase. That’s similar to how Apple Music for Android has served as a replacement for Beats Music for Android.

MacDailyNews Take:

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Apple’s iPhone and Apple Watch can now replace BMW, Mercedes-Benz, other makers’ key fobs

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:04:49 +0000

Drivers may soon have another brand to consider when shopping for cars that support Apple’s Car Key feature as Mercedes-Benz appears to be ready to launch support.

You can use your car key on your iPhone or Apple Watch to lock, unlock, and start your car. The way that you use your key and the features available depend on the model of your car. Contact the manufacturer or your dealership to find out what features your key supports.

When you add your car key to the Wallet app, Express Mode is turned on automatically. Express Mode allows you to use your car key without unlocking your device, or authenticating with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.

Zac Hall for 9to5Mac:

BMW has the most vehicles offered with Car Key support, with several model year 2021 and later cars supported. Kia, Hyundai, Genesis, and BYD round out the list of brands offering Car Key today.

Last month, Nicolás Alvarez on Twitter shared evidence that British sports car firm Lotus appears ready to roll out Car Key as well. Mercedes-Benz made the news official around the same time for its E-Class lineup…

With Lotus still pending, Mercedes-Benz makes the sixth car brand to adopt Car Key support.

MacDailyNews Note: Mercedes-Benz’s official announcement:

With the Digital Vehicle Key, the E-Class can be started and locked simply by the driver carrying a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch. Key sharing is also possible: various digital channels can be used to invite family members or friends to use the E-Class. In doing so, the main user of the Mercedes me account can assign different rights, granting only access to the vehicle or also allowing it to be driven.

The vehicle can recognise several users at once, and the Digital Vehicle Key can be shared with up to 16 people. Sharing is possible via AirDrop®, iMessage® and other messaging services. The recipient can then add it to his/her own Apple Wallet.

The Digital Vehicle Key only requires a network connection for the initial one-time set-up and for sharing. After that, it works without mobile phone reception – so also in underground garages, for example. The system uses Bluetooth and ultra-wideband technology (UWB). This digital radio technology for close-range use is considered particularly secure.

Another advantage is that the main user always retains the ability to revoke other user rights, for example in the event of the key-enabled device being lost. This can also be done via Apple Wallet or the MBUX infotainment system.

In those markets where Mercedes me connect services are available, Pre-installation for the Digital Vehicle Key forms part of the KEYLESS-GO Comfort Package. This equipment combination is available in the new E-Class from the Premium Package onwards.

• A personal Mercedes me ID and agreement to the Terms of Use for the Mercedes me connect services are required to use the Mercedes me connect services. In addition, the vehicle must be paired with the corresponding user account. Upon expiry of the initial term, the services can be renewed on payment of a fee, provided they are still offered for the corresponding vehicle at that point. First activation of the services is possible within one year from first vehicle registration or commissioning by the customer, whichever comes first. Use of the Digital Vehicle Key also requires the customer’s own data volume.

• At market launch, the Digital Vehicle Key is compatible with iPhone 11 and later (except iPhone SE) as well as Apple Watch 6 and later (except Apple Watch SE). The prerequisite is UWB capability. Mercedes-Benz is working steadily to expand compatibility with other devices.

• In addition to the KEYLESS-GO access and drive authorisation system and the pre-installation for the Digital Vehicle Key, this includes the features flush-mounted door handles, convenience opening and closing and remote boot closing.

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Samsung’s new Smart Monitor M8 is the next best thing to a 32-inch iMac

tigaman webdesign — Wed, 24 May 2023 07:29:11 +0000

Macworld

Samsung on Tuesday revealed an update to its Smart Monitor M8, a stand-alone computer display. For customers looking for a high-resolution display but unable to afford Apple’s 5K Studio Display, the Smart Monitor M8 is an attractive option (on paper) if you’re willing to make some compromises.

For $700 (32 inches) or $650 (27 inches), the M8 will be available in June. It has the following specs:

4K resolution at 60Hz (not variable)
400 nits brightness
3,000 to 1 contrast ratio
HDR 10+
99% sRGB color gamut
HDMI 2.0; two USB-A ports; one USB-C port (65 watts)
Two 5-watt speakers

Apple’s Studio Display is better for content creation since it supports the P3 color gamut, has higher brightness, and True Tone. The Studio Display also has a more robust sound system, a built-in webcam, and a nano-texture glass option. But as an affordable general-purpose display, the M8 checks the boxes, and then some–it has Samsung’s SmartTV features that make the display do double duty as a stand-alone entertainment center. SmartTV includes video streaming apps such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and YouTube, and it also has built-in support for Bixby and Amazon Alexa.

The M8 supports AirPlay so you can stream from an iPhone, iPad or Mac. If you’re using the M8 as a Mac display, AirPlay support may not be that big of a deal, but it’s a handy feature to have.

An iMac doppelgänger

Let’s finally address the elephant in the room: The M8 looks like an iMac. It doesn’t have a chin like an iMac, but the stand (which has adjustable height, swivel, and tilt, and can pivot) looks like the iMac’s. The M8 is even available in four colors that would fit right in with the iMac’s color palette. I actually wish Apple designed the iMac to be more like the M8.

With a body thickness of 11.38 millimeters, the M8 is slightly thinner than the iMac’s 11.5 mm, but I’d be fine with making the iMac thicker if it helps eliminate the chin, as well as house the iMac’s six high-fidelity speakers with force-canceling woofers.

Samsung made a design decision that most users will disagree with: an external webcam that magnetically mounts on top of the display. This is a compromise made to keep a thin upper bezel. Apple handles this on its MacBooks by incorporating a notch, but on the iMac and Studio Display, the top bezel is bigger. Why not notch the iMac?

Apple’s 24-inch iMac is only two years old, so it’s not going to be redesigned anytime soon. But rumors have floated around that Apple is developing a replacement for the 27-inch iMac or the iMac Pro; a larger iMac that’s a step up spec-wise from the current iMac. It’d be pretty cool if Apple didn’t just take the current iMac and make it bigger but offered a design variation that’s similar to Samsung’s M8. That would be an iMac to get really excited about.

iMac, Monitors

Grab a new M2 Mac mini at Amazon right now and save $120

tigaman webdesign — Tue, 23 May 2023 15:44:05 +0000

Macworld

If you’re looking for a Mac under $1,099, you can turn to the Mac mini. And right now on Amazon, you can get a Mac mini with an M2 chip, 8GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD for $679, which is a 15 percent savings, or $120 off the regular price of $799.

This Mac mini is the mid-tier model in Apple’s lineup. The company offers a cheaper, lower-end model with the same processor and memory, but with a 256GB SSD, which Amazon is selling for $499–that’s $100 less than the regular price. But we prefer the mid-tier model and its larger SSD.

The Mac mini’s M2 is a great processor for everyday use. It handles web browsing, email, productivity apps, video streaming, and FaceTime without a hitch. And it’s powerful enough to handle creative work in iMovie, GarageBand, and Photos.

You’ll need to provide your own display, keyboard, and mouse/trackpad, which are not included with the Mac mini. The computer comes with two Thunderbolt/USB-C ports and an HDMI port for displays; input devices can connect via the two USB-A ports, the Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, or Bluetooth. To connect to a network, you can use the built-in Wi-Fi or the gigabit ethernet plug.

Mac Mini