Mac & i issue 1/2023 is now available in well-stocked newsagents – and of course still in the Hot shop (Postage free up to and including February 9th) – either on paper or as a PDF. The topics:
Migrate from Android to iPhone
“Never change a running system” is an IT Anglicism that has long since become obsolete, and you no longer need to be deterred by it if you are thinking about switching from Android to Apple’s iOS. In the past, this path was paved with stumbling blocks, but data transfer is now easier. Nevertheless, there are a few things to consider to ensure that the data can be transferred without any problems or errors. We’ll walk you through the process step-by-step and draw your attention to details you should pay attention to to avoid frustration.
Continue to use older Macs sensibly
If the Mac doesn’t get a new macOS, many start counting the euro bills. But is it really necessary to always use the latest macOS version? Using the example of two MacBook Pros from 2010 and 2012, we show what is still possible, where there are problems and how to deal with missing security updates.
Mac & i issue 1/2023: cover photo
iPhone and iPad for advanced users
Any child can operate the iPhone, but there is much more behind the intuitive user interface: With multi-finger gestures, hidden settings and the iPad functions multitasking and Stage Manager, advanced users can elicit many more options from their devices and control them even more efficiently.
Practical tips for Mac, iPhone and iPad
Apple’s new Freeform app enables creative collaboration in teams and across different Apple devices. So that you don’t lose track of the almost unlimited screens, we’ll explain the most important functions.
In the renovated System Preferences of macOS 13, some options that were thought lost are just in a different place. Apple actually removed some. However, they can still be adjusted via detours. The Stage Manager also offers more than is initially apparent. Mac & i answers the most frequently asked questions about Ventura.
Many assume that a Mac works faster if you give it more memory. Anyone who understands the connection between RAM, processor and performance knows that this cannot be said in general terms. However, you can get the occasional memory bottleneck under control with simple tips, as our behind-the-scenes article by a MacPaw developer shows.
This time, the Developer’s Corner is about Live Activities: Since iOS 16.1, the iPhone can show ongoing activities such as the music currently playing, route guidance in the Maps app, an AirDrop connection or a timer on the lock screen and on the new devices in the Show Dynamic Island system-wide. In their article, Simon Hartmann and Mark Zimmermann show what possibilities the new interface offers and how developers can use it to enhance their apps.
Thorough hardware and software testing
Generational change: In mid-January, Apple presented new Macs – the MacBook Pros 14″ and 16″, which have been revised for the first time since their introduction in October 2021, as well as a Mac mini that has been reduced in price. All three now come with an M2 instead of an M1 chip. Johannes Schuster writes in his test report what differences they bring and whether an upgrade is worthwhile.
Good photos get even better with a little post-processing. This not only applies to JPEG files, but even more so to raw files. Fine-tuning – brightening image areas, adjusting colors and contrasts, correcting errors – can only be done with suitable programs. Sebastian Trepesch compared the main Mac representatives ACDSee Photo Studio for Mac 9, Adobe Lightroom Classic 12, Apple Photos, Capture One Pro 23, darktable 4, DxO PhotoLab 6 Elite and Skylum Luminar Neo 6. In a second post, he gives tips on how to edit raw images on Mac.
More and more devices that want to be charged via USB-C are gathering on the desk. Power supplies with multiple outputs create space and are useful when travelling, especially the new generation of devices with weight-saving gallium nitride technology (GaN). We tested seven of them on MacBooks, iPads and iPhones: Apple 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter, Anker Charger 735 GaNPrime 65W, Green Cell PowerGaN 65W, Satechi Dock5, Manhattan Power Delivery Charger 90W, Club 3D Travel Charger 132W and Ugreen Nexode 140W. Among them was a real bargain and a candidate that, with 140 watts, had an unrivaled amount of power, for example for charging a 16” MacBook Pro and an iPad at the same time.
Your own weather report: If you want to know the exact climate data for your home, you’d rather measure the actual values than rely on the regional weather report or an app. Mac & i tested the weather stations Davis Vantage Vue, Alecto WS-5500, Bresser MeteoChamp HD WiFi weather station 7in1, Brandson WiFi weather station 5 in 1 outdoor sensor, dnt WiFi weather station WeatherScreen Pro and the Netatmo Set. They are all complete weather stations with rain gauges and wind sensors that can transmit their data to an iOS app via WiFi. In an interview, Prof. Dr. Benjamin Bechtel from the Ruhr University Bochum, who researches urban microclimate in the Bochum Urban Climate Lab, on the usefulness of such measurements in the private sphere and says: “Crowdsourcing is a good addition to existing measurement networks”.
Exciting reports
After much pressure from users and security experts, Apple is finally planning to introduce three new security features: end-to-end encryption of iCloud data (Advanced Data Protection), support for Apple ID security keys, and the ability to verify contacts. Ben Schwan and Mark Zimmermann break down how Apple wants to better protect iCloud user data from prying eyes – and what remains unencrypted.
Using a satellite connection, the iPhone 14 enables emergency calls and location sharing in cell phone dead spots, which can actually save lives. The service is free for two years. Leo Becker explains how this works and what needs to be considered if the worst comes to the worst.
If you change the mobile phone tariff for iPhone, you can save a lot of money on the go. But before that, you should ask yourself several questions: Do you take a fixed-term contract or prepaid? How much data volume is necessary? Does it need 5G? And what should be considered with the Apple Watch? Mac & i provides answers and also explains, for example, how family members can also save and what to think of flexible tariffs.
The controversial scan for child pornography in the iCloud media library is off the table, but Apple has not given up on youth protection: In iMessage, parents can recently activate a filter that makes naked pictures on their children’s iPhones unrecognizable. Holger Zelder explains how Apple’s nude filter works in iMessage and what parents should watch out for
End customers no longer have to bring their defective device to the retailer: they can use the recently launched self-service repair program to obtain original spare parts and tools from Apple and repair selected Macs and iPhones themselves. How well does this work? Holger Zelder, who repaired devices in the workshop of an Apple dealer for years, tried it out with an iPhone 12 Pro from the editorial pool – and was not only enthusiastic.
At the end of November, Tesla and Twitter boss Elon Musk publicly declared “war” on Apple. Three days later, after a lightning visit to Apple headquarters, he backtracked and spoke of a misunderstanding. But the conflict can break out again at any time. There is a lot at stake, as Christoph Dernbach has researched.
As always, the new issue also contains lots of tips and tricks, tests of apps, accessories and games. Mac & i issue 1/23 you can also read in the browser as PDF or prepared for reading iPhone and iPad, Android devices and KindleFire Purchase in Mac & i Apps. subscribers already hold it in their hands, and Plus subscribers have the paper and the digital edition, which is enriched with bonus material, an interactive reading mode and a search function, among other things.
All subscribers can also read the previously published articles on heise+. The only requirement is that you have linked your subscription to your heise online account. To do this, please go to the “My User Data” page and click on “Subscriptions” in the area on the left. If you do not yet have a heise online account, you can register here free of charge.
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