We’re a week away from Apple’s next big event. While Macworld’s own Jason Cross did an excellent job of detailing what we expect to see, here are a bunch of smaller details I’ll be watching for carefully from my seat in the Steve Jobs Theater.

What’s the Apple Watch focus?

The unveiling of the Apple Watch four years ago this month painted the device’s possibilities with a pretty broad canvas, and as time has gone on, the conventional wisdom seems to agree that Apple wasn’t quite sure what part of the watch would resonate with customers, so it loaded in lots of features and waited to see the results.

To read this article in full, please click here

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 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. There are our predictions as to what we can expect from a low-cost (for Apple) MacBook Air replacement.

To read this article in full, please click here

Macs may be a far less tempting target for malware and viruses, but they’re not immune from attack. Even if you don’t care about adware or being used as a means to infect users on other platforms, it’s still possible to fall victim to ransomware, password theft, or stolen iPhone backups.

To read this article in full, please click here

Two of the most annoying things that can happen while reading is skipping over lines of text or reading the same text repeatedly. This can be a productivity-killer, especially when reading emails or study materials for work or school. Luckily, BeeLine Reader offers a simple solution to prevent line-transition errors for as low as $19.99.

To use BeeLine Reader, simply install it on Chrome or Firefox. It will apply a color gradient which changes from the front of a line of text to the end. The next line continues off where the previous line’s gradient stopped. By following the gradient as you read, you won’t lose track of your place in the text.

To read this article in full, please click here

Apple next major revision to its Macintosh operating system is called macOS Mojave. The company revealed the update at its 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and it features several user interface improvements to make the experience on the Mac better.

In this FAQ, we’ll give you the general details on macOS Mojave: When it will be release, what Macs are compatible, etc. We’ll add more details to this article as they become available.

Editor’s note: Updated 9/4/18 with the release of macOS Mojave developer beta 10.

To read this article in full, please click here

Look, the HomePod may not have been what a lot of us wanted it to be, but the fact remains that it’s a fantastic speaker. As we see it, it’s appeal goes up every time its price goes down, and right now Best Buy is offering them for just $300Remove non-product link, down $50 from the usual retail price.

To read this article in full, please click here

We’ve been seeing some steep sales on SSDs in recent weeks, but the juiciest discounts applied only to entry-level 120GB models. No more. Today, you can snag the 240GB Adata Ultimate SU650 for $40 on NeweggRemove non-product link. Over on Amazon, you’ll find another 240GB SSD by Inland Professional going for $40, and a 480GB Inland Professional SSD for just $65.

To read this article in full, please click here

Smart plugs allow control over even "dumb" household items such as lamps and fans. TP-Link's Kasa two-outlet smart Wi-Fi plug takes it one step further, letting you control two at the same time, and today, you can grab one on Office Depot's site for just $25Remove non-product link, down from a list price of $40 and $10 less than its previous all-time low on Amazon.

To read this article in full, please click here

When reading about potential problems with smartphones, it’s important to read the fine print. Sadly, the fine print is not The Macalope’s beat. All he has is all this coarse and itchy print.

Writing for the Forbes contributor network and heavily used fainting couch resale outlet, Gordon Kelly fires the patented Forbes contributor network manufactured hysteria confetti cannon.

“Apple Warns iPhones Have A Serious Problem.” (Tip o’ the antlers to Tibor, Dr. Technical and Daniel.)

To read this article in full, please click here

Since their invention more than 30 years ago (four years before the World Wide Web even), GIFs have come to be one of the most popular and beloved forms of expression on the internet. Indeed, the looping, flipbook-like animated GIF (or graphics interchange format) has been so influential in shaping our online communication that many “GIFs” you see on Twitter and Imgur are just video files coded to act like GIFs.

Today, there’s an ever-growing number of apps for finding and sharing GIFs. One of the most common is the GIF keyboard. These keyboards integrate with your smartphone’s standard keyboard so you can easily find and insert animated images into your messages. Some social platforms and apps—such as Facebook Messenger and Tinder—already have GIF search built in. 

To read this article in full, please click here

The Voice Memos app is one of the underrated gems of iOS’ stock apps, and Apple is giving it a much-appreciated makeover with iOS 12. It wasn’t bad before, but the latest update manages to transform it into both a useful recorder and audio editor without significantly changing the interface. Recordings even get uploaded to iCloud now, making it easy to import recordings into GarageBand or access them regardless of whether you’re on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.

It’s more useful than it probably looks. As a journalist, I find a good voice memo app is essential for everything from recording interviews to quickie article notes while I’m on the move. You, though, might find it useful for making quick remembers for what you need to pick up at the store. Regardless of the reason why you use it, here’s how to use it.

To read this article in full, please click here

While the rest of the internet was busy dissecting the iPhone event invitation and digesting the unprecedented leaked official renders, Apple quietly launched a new repair program for the soon-to-be-outdated iPhone 8. Apple has apparently determined that “a very small percentage of iPhone 8 devices contain logic boards with a manufacturing defect.” Here’s everything you need to know about getting your phone fixed:

To read this article in full, please click here

A great way to perpetually criticize Apple, it turns out, is to perpetually misunderstand the company’s business tactics. That way as the company blithely goes about making more and more money, you can complain that they’re doing it all wrong forever.

Writing for the Forbes contributor network and Monkeytown-Bananaville Board of Tourism, Ewan Spence says — and here the Macalope is legally required to advise you to swallow any liquids in your mouth before reading further as he and Macworld are not legally liable for any screen or keyboard damage incurred by uncontrollable spit-takes — the “iPhone X Plus Mission To Save Apple Will Fail.” (Tip o’ the antlers to Peter, Nick, Chris, Michael and Daniel.)

To read this article in full, please click here

On Thursday, the invitations for Apple’s September iPhone event at last went out, accompanied by the bird-eye outline of Apple Park and the words “Gather round.” The speculation as to what it could mean runs from the plausible to the absurd. Some folks, though, realized it looked a bit like a wheel; a racetrack. Is Apple hinting that it might be ready to show off the long-rumored Apple Car?

To read this article in full, please click here