INSIDE: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR MAC WON’T WORK

SEPTEMBER 2021

YO U R

G U I D E

D E V I C E S

TO

W I T H

U S I N G
YO U R

H O M E K I T
i P H O N E

TURN YOUR
HOUSE INTO A

SMART HOME

#Dadication

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I N C O R P O R AT I N G M A C U S E R

SEPTEMBER 2021 CONTENTS
MACUSER
Three reasons to buy the M1 Mac mini
instead of the 24-inch iMac 7
Apple goes retro with free downloads of
OS X Lion and Mountain Lion 11
3 super-cool ways to control your Mac
with your Apple Watch 13
How to connect an Apple LED Cinema
Display to a new MacBook 16
MacUser Reviews 21
Hot Stuff 35

Essential guide to Apple HomeKit 54

iOSCENTRAL
Forget RCS: Here’s how Apple can make
iMessage better for iPhone users now 39
Pegasus spyware: iOS 14.7.1 reportedly
plugs security hole 43
Apple may be the privacy leader, but it’s
not doing enough 45
Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack will boost
your iPhone 12—but for how long? 48
How to erase your iPhone, iPad, or Mac
remotely after a theft 50

WORKINGMAC
How to make use of typographic tools in
Pages and other macOS software 81

Troubleshooting your Mac 64

How to start up your M1 Mac from an
external drive 90
How to fix the wrong permissions on
several files in macOS 93
Tripp Lite AVR900U UPS review 95

PLAYLIST
Astell&Kern KANN Alpha review 99
Eoz Audio Arc ANC wireless headphones
review 108
Rocksteady Stadium 2-Pack review 115
iLive Bluetooth Party speaker review 118

HELPDESK

5 Apple TV+ originals to watch 74
COVER IMAGE BY PROSTOCKSTUDIO / SHUTTERSTOCK

Mac 911: How to figure out if a MacBook
power adapter or battery has gone bad
123

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 3

MASTHEAD

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Egan
EDITOR IN CHIEF, CONSUMER BRANDS Jon Phillips
DESIGN DIRECTOR Robert Schultz
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michael Simon

Editorial
SENIOR EDITOR Roman Loyola
STAFF WRITER Jason Cross
SENIOR CONTRIBUTORS Glenn Fleishman, Rob Griffiths,

Joe Kissell, Kirk McElhearn, John Moltz, Dan Moren, Jason Snell
COPY EDITOR Gail Nelson-Bonebrake

Design
DESIGNER Rob Woodcock

Advertising
SALES INQUIRIES www.idg.com/contact-us/

INTERNATIONAL DATA GROUP CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Walter Boyd
IDG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. CEO

Kumaran Ramanathan

4 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

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SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 5

Remember the last time your family visited the forest? It’s a place
of wonder and imagination for the whole family—where stories
come to life. And it’s closer than you think. Sounds like it’s time to
plan your next visit. Make the forest part of your story today at a
local park near you or find one at DiscoverTheForest.org.

MACUSER

News and analysis about
Macs, macOS, and Apple

Three reasons to buy the M1 Mac
mini instead of the 24-inch iMac
The 24-inch iMac is tempting, but you can spend your money smarter.
BY KAREN HASLAM

A

fter more than a decade with
the same design (fave.
co/3rIvBJe), the iMac finally
has a brand-new look, and it’s
stunning (fave.co/3AvIV7y). The 2021
IMAGE: APPLE

iMac also has Apple’s super-fast M1
processor, a bigger display with even
more pixels, a much-needed update to
the FaceTime camera, and some pretty
awesome audio capabilities. But is this
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 7

MACUSER

3 R E AS ONS TO BU Y A N M1 MAC MINI

enough, or would you be better off
spending your money elsewhere?

GEEKBENCH 5
Single-core

1. PERFORMANCE AND PRICE
One thing is clear: The M1 chip is far
superior to the 8th-generation Intel quadcore and 6-core options in the iMacs it
replaces. If you are just seeking a new
iMac to replace an older generation of
iMac, then you won’t be disappointed in
the speed boost.
There is little to distinguish the iMac
from the other M1 Macs, though. We
have tested all the M1 Macs and found
their Geekbench scores to be similar—
it’s the same chip after all—even when
you consider that the MacBook Air lacks
a fan, which could theoretically mean
that machine is throttled when the going
gets tough. The lack of fan is probably
why MacBook Air lags behind a bit in
terms of graphics tests, even when you
compare the 8-core GPU against the
same 8-core GPU.
So, what of the 24-inch iMac, which
benefits from even better cooling than that
offered by the MacBook Pro? We’ve run
benchmarks and they have pretty much
proven the theory. Here’s how those
speed tests compare:
While the 24-inch iMac is obviously
superfast, there is one huge problem: Its
performance is practically the same as
that of the other M1 Macs, all of which
8 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

iMac (2021)
M1 8-core

Multicore

1,755
7,681

MacBook Air
(2020)

1,731

M1 8-core

13-inch
MacBook
Pro (2020)

7,584
1,724
7,569

M1 8-core

Mac mini
(2020)

1,793

M1 8-core

7,725
HIGHER SCORES ARE BETTER

offer significantly better value for money.
And even if you’re just looking for the
most speed, the M1 iMac is better than
nearly all the other M1 Macs except for
one: the Mac mini.
Take the entry-level iMac, which costs
$1,299 for an 8-core GPU/7-core CPU and
256GB storage. You could get these exact
same specs for the MacBook Air at a
fraction of the price: That’s $300 less than
the iMac, more than enough to buy an
additional external display to use with your
MacBook Air.
But the savings get even bigger if you
look elsewhere in Apple’s range. The Mac
mini is, in our opinion, the best-value Mac
you can buy. Here’s what you get for your
money: The entry-level M1 Mac mini costs
$699 for an 8-core GPU/8-core CPU and
256GB storage. That’s a savings of $600
over the entry-level iMac, so you can
practically get two Mac minis for the price

of one iMac, and you’d get an extra
graphics core to boot.

2. DISPLAY

on the M1 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
In many ways, this is a feature that makes
more sense on a laptop, which you might
move from room to room or use outside.
One point in favor of the iMac is the
fact that the screen is bigger than those
of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro,
while the Mac mini ships without a screen.
In each of those cases, though, you could
plug in an external display—and you
could choose one that’s bigger than 24
inches for less than $150, while a 4K
monitor will cost a bit more. With the
savings you’re getting with the Mac mini,
you can buy a very nice monitor that will
be at least as good as the one you’re
getting in the iMac, and since it’s not
connected to your Mac, you’ll be able to
position it exactly how and where you
want it.

Surely the display is an area where the 4.5K
24-inch iMac (actually 23.5 inches) can
trump the other M1 Macs. There is no doubt
that this is a superb screen that is vastly
superior to the predecessor’s 21.5-inch
display: The 24-inch display is bigger, has
more pixels (4,480 by 2,520 versus 4,096
by 2,304) and benefits from True Tone.
True Tone, which the old models lacked,
is Apple’s technology that adjusts the color
and intensity of the display to match the
ambient light. It means that your perception
of the colors you see on the screen will be
the same regardless of the lighting in your
surroundings. This is a particular benefit to
those who work in the creative industries
because it
means that
the lighting
conditions
shouldn’t
affect any
color-related
work they are
doing.
True Tone
is not unique
to the iMac,
though. It’s
also a feature
The 24-inch display benefits from True Tone.

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 9

MACUSER

3 R E AS ONS TO BU Y A N M1 MAC MINI

So that glorious
purple iMac has a
lavender front, and
the deep red is pink
on the front. You
may never see the
bold colors if your
iMac is sitting
against a wall.
Plus, if it’s colors
you want, you might
want to consider
There couldn’t be a better time to buy an iMac for your home.
waiting a little longer
3. DESIGN
to see if the rumors bear out that the new
None of the above will matter is what you
MacBook Air will come in a similar
really want is a computer that looks as
selection of tones.
elegant and fun as the 2021 24in iMac. If
In contrast, the Mac mini is (currently) a
your heart is set on a pink, green, or blue
small silver box that takes up hardly any
iMac, then it’s unlikely that any other M1
space on your desk. It might not have
Mac will light up your life in quite the same
the lively appearance of the extrovert
way. Plus after just over a year of spending
iMac, but the simple and subdued Mac
more time than ever at home, and with
mini gets our vote. ■
people starting to think seriously
about working from home for
good, there couldn’t be a better
time to buy an iMac for your home.
But—and there is always a
but—you should be aware of
something about the seven colors
it comes in: blue, green, pink,
yellow, orange, purple, and a
sober silver option. While they are
vibrant on the back of the display,
they’re quite muted on the front.
The Mac mini takes up hardly any space on your desk.
10 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Apple goes retro with free
downloads of OS X Lion and
Mountain Lion
You no longer have to pay a $20 upgrade fee to get older download codes—
but you can if you want.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA

W

hile macOS is currently on
version 11 (otherwise known
as Big Sur) and macOS 12
Monterey (fave.co/3ikjzTg) is
coming later this year, there are plenty of
folks who use old versions of the Mac
operating system. Some people are still
using OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8
Mountain Lion, and until recently, you had
to pay Apple $19.99 to get download codes
for those OSes. But there’s good news:
Apple is now offering Lion and Mountain
IMAGE: APPLE

Lion for free for anyone who wants them. To
get Lion and Mountain Lion for free, you
can visit the support documents for those
OSes on Apple’s website:
> Mac OS X Lion installer free
download (fave.co/3A57KX5) (4.72GB)
> Mac OS X Mountain Lion installer free
download (fave.co/3ifzpOU) (4.45GB)
Strangely, Apple still sells Lion (fave.
co/2VsvepN) and Mountain Lion (fave.
co/3lmZVrG) for $19.99 each. Apple
stopped charging for macOS updates with
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 11

MACUSER

F R EE O S X L ION A ND MOU NTA IN L ION D OWNLOADS

The oldest
OS an M1
Mac can run
is Big Sur.

Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

IS MY MAC COMPATIBLE WITH
LION AND MOUNTAIN LION?
Lion runs on Macs that came prior to the
launch of Mountain Lion in 2012. Mountain
Lion runs on the Macs below, but you may not
be able to downgrade to it unless you
completely reformat the drive. You can’t install
an old OS on top of a newer one. Also, the
oldest OS an M1 Mac can run is Big Sur.
> MacBook (late 2008 to 2010)
> MacBook Air (late 2008 to mid 2012)
> MacBook Pro (mid or late 2007 to
mid 2012)
> Mac mini (early 2009 to 2011)
> iMac (mid 2007 to 2011)
> Mac Pro (early 2008 and 2010)
If you want to know whether your specific
Mac can run OS X Lion or Mountain Lion, you
12 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

can use our complete list of versions of
macOS that each Mac model can run (fave.
co/3C6f32t). We have instructions on how to
make a bootable Lion drive (fave.co/3ltEGEi)
or a bootable Mountain Lion drive (fave.
co/3rRfg50), in case you want to start from
scratch on the Macs you’re working on.

CAN I GET SNOW LEOPARD?
Mac OS X 10. 6 Snow Leopard, which
was released in 2009, introduced the
Mac App Store. Apple used to sell Snow
Leopard for $19.99, but the company no
longer offers it. You can find
downloadable copies of Snow Leopard
(fave.co/3rPET6g) and Leopard (fave.
co/3xec4RL) on the Internet Archive, and
the reviews on the Internet Archive
pages have tips on how to create USB
installers from the downloads. ■

3 supercool ways to control your
Mac with your Apple Watch
Play music, switch slides, and unlock your Mac without touching the keyboard.
BY LANCE WHITNEY

Y

ou already know your Apple
Watch has awesome health and
fitness features, but you might
not know that it can also help
you use and control your Mac. From
unlocking the Mac to controlling apps and
music, you can enlist the aid of your watch
when your mouse isn’t within reach.
IMAGE: IDG

UNLOCK YOUR MAC
To unlock your Mac with your Apple Watch,
your devices must meet certain hardware
and software requirements (fave.
co/2TNk0fc). To check whether your
system is compatible, hold down the
Option key, click the Apple menu icon in
the top left corner, and select System
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 13

MACUSER

CO N T R OL A MAC W ITH A N A PPL E WATCH

Information. Select the Wi-Fi
tab under Network. Then find
Interfaces and make sure it
says that Auto Unlock is
supported.
Next, make sure that
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are
enabled on your Mac, that
your Mac and Apple Watch
are both signed into iCloud
with the same Apple ID, and
that your watch is set up with
a passcode. Then click the
Apple menu icon again (don’t
hold down Option this time),
open System Preferences,
and select Security & Privacy. Open System Preferences, and select Security & Privacy.
Under the General tab, you’ll
see “Use your Apple Watch to unlock apps
does when you’re wearing a mask with Face
and your Mac.” Make sure it’s checked.
ID on your iPhone (fave.co/3ln6gmY). You’ll
feel a buzz on your wrist and see a message
The next time your Mac asks you to enter
that your Mac was unlocked.
your password to confirm an app installation,
change a setting in System Preferences, or
CONTROL MUSIC
wake from sleep, your watch will
To control music on your Mac with your
automatically unlock your Mac just like it
watch, open the
Remote app on your
Apple Watch (the
icon is a white
triangle in a blue
circle), tap Add
Device, and take
note of the four-digit
1
number that
14 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

appears. Then
open Music on
your Mac and
select your Apple
Watch under
Devices. (On
pre-Catalina
Macs, click the
2
Remote button
near the top left
of the iTunes window.) When prompted,
type the four-digit number from your Apple
Watch, and you’ll see a message telling
you that the Remote app is now able to
control iTunes or Music. Click OK (1).
Then all you need to do is start playing
a song on your Mac. You’ll see a playback
screen on your watch where you can
pause, restart, skip to the previous song,
or jump to the next song (2).

USE A MOBILE APP
With a little help, you can control more
than Music on your Mac. For example, you
can download Mobile Mouse ($1.99, fave.

3.

co/3jcdNCi), which will let you open any
app on your Mac and control music or a
presentation from your wrist (3).
Here’s how it works. First download
the correct version of Mobile Mouse
Server (fave.co/3rLQi6O) for your Mac.
Follow the steps to grant the necessary
access. Then download the Mobile
Mouse app (fave.co/2WCrcf8) for your
iPhone and install it on your Apple Watch.
Open the app on your Watch and select
the items that you want to control—
Media, Presentation, or App Switcher—
and you’ll be able to control the
coordinating thing on your Mac.
Unfortunately, you
can only control one
thing at a time, so
you can’t play music
and a presentation
simultaneously, but
it’s easy enough to
switch between the
options. ■
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 15

MACUSER

How to connect an Apple LED
Cinema Display to a new MacBook
With a small investment, you can connect a Mini-DisplayPort Apple monitor over USB-C
to a MacBook or MacBook Pro.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

A

pple rarely releases sales
figures on particular models of
products it offers, but I have to
imagine it shipped at least
hundreds of thousands of its two Apple
LED Cinema Displays (24-inch, fave.
co/2VneYqb, 2008 to 2010, and 27-inch,
fave.co/3ikyXyZ, 2010 to 2013) based on
16 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

the number of people who have reached
out and want to connect them to a USB-C–
equipped MacBook.
I purchased several adapters and
cables that can take the LED Cinema
Display’s Mini DisplayPort (not Thunderbolt) and convert it into something that
passes over USB-C in a compatible
IMAGE: APPLE

chain that allows you to connect to a
USB-C equipped MacBook. My testing
shows three affordable and viable
options, plus a reasonable option for a
full-featured USB-C dock that requires
just a simple adapter.
Apple made multiple generations of its
displays: the first used DVI (in single-link
and dual-link flavors); the second, Mini
DisplayPort; the third, Thunderbolt 2. I’m
interested here in the second connector
type, Mini DisplayPort, which is distinct
from Thunderbolt 2, even though both
standards use the same connector type.
(You can find some options for DVI, but we
opted not to test them given the smaller
number, display quality, and age of those
that remain usable.)
Note that Apple says its Thunderbolt 2
to Thunderbolt 3 adapter (fave.co/3fhyDPx)
does not work with DisplayPort and Mini
DisplayPort displays, including the Apple
LED Cinema Display.
While there are a variety of USB-C
docks on the market that accept external
video, nearly all of them only have an
HDMI jack, and there is not, say, a female
Mini-DisplayPort to male HDMI adapter
available. (Don’t make a mistake and order
one of the male Mini-DisplayPort to female
HDMI adapters on the market.)
I searched across Amazon, product
manufacturers’ sites, and other retailers for
potential adapters, read reviews, and

settled on four adapters to test. Some of
the adapters tested go in and out of stock
rapidly, which is why I provide a few
different alternatives.
To cut to the chase, the clear winner on
features is the UPTab USB-C to MiniDisplayPort adapter (fave.co/37b8n4W;
$35). Its secret weapon? A pass-through
USB-C power jack.
If you’re looking for a full-scale USB-C
dock, look for one like the CalDigit USB-C
Dock (fave.co/2TMrkro). I discuss it below
and in a separate review (fave.
co/3rNEgtA), but it has both HDMI and
full-sized DisplayPort jacks, and requires
just a sub-$10 Mini-DisplayPort female to
full-sized DisplayPort male adapter to work
with an LED Cinema Display.

THE LIMITATIONS
Not everything works perfectly over USB-C
with the Apple LED Cinema Display, but it’s
a pretty close match. I tested on a 27-inch
model (fave.co/3AePKJZ).
Plugging in just a Mini DisplayPort
adapter gets you the following with the
products tested:
> External 1440p (2560×1440 pixel
resolution) display
> External audio via the display’s
speakers and control of audio volume from
the laptop
> Power (but not data) to the USB 2.0
ports in the display’s back
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 17

MACUSER

CO N N ECT A N A PPL E L ED CINEMA D ISP L AY TO A M ACBOOK

The only glitch seems to be a small line
of missing pixels in the upper right corner
of the display when connected through
the CalDigit dock, but that’s nearly
unnoticeable.
The missing piece, however, is
brightness and USB 2.0 data passthrough.
I didn’t find the default brightness level
distracting or glaring, but that’s a very
individual judgment.
You need to use a USB-C to Type-A
adapter to connect the monitor’s USB
Type-A plug, and then you can control
brightness via a keyboard, Touch Bar, or
Displays system preference pane, as well
as plug in a keyboard, mouse, and other
low-data-speed devices.
Plugging in USB also enables a built-in
iSight (640×480-pixel resolution) camera
and microphone, which are redundant to a
Mac laptop’s mic and FaceTime support.
For a MacBook Pro, using USB 2.0
means giving up two ports to get
brightness and other features: one for the
Mini-DisplayPort
adapter

UPTab USB-C to Mini-DisplayPort adapter.
18 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

and one to connect a USB plug. However,
if you’re using a USB-C hub or dock with
multiple Type-A ports, that can take care of
that problem.

WHAT TO BUY
I found four distinct options that worked
perfectly well.
UPTab USB-C to Mini-DisplayPort
adapter. This UPTab adapter (fave.
co/3xiuh0J) has great advantage of
supporting pass-through USB-C power. It’s
attractively made and seems solidly
constructed. The $35 price tag may seem
excessive compared to adapters and
cables that cost $10 to $15, but the
engineering and components for power
pass-through of the wattage level used to
charge a Mac laptop comes with a cost.
For a MacBook owner, the power port
is supremely useful, letting you use the
adapter without draining power. However,
with the laptop’s single USB-C jack in use,
you’re stuck if you need to connect other
USB devices, like a wired
keyboard or mouse, an
external drive, or an SD
Card reader.
Itanda Type-C
adapter. The robustly
made, attractive $20 Itanda
(fave.co/37bXuzK) is
probably the best choice for
a MacBook Pro owner. It’s

inexpensive and occupies a port
compactly.
A pair of adapters. If a direct
adapter, like the Itanda, isn’t
available and you want an
alternative that works just as well
in my testing, you can pair two
adapters.
I tried both the Cable
Matters DisplayPort to MiniStarTech DisplayPort to Mini-DisplayPort adapter.
DisplayPort Male to Female
Adapter ($9 from fave.
co/37cmeYP) and the StarTech
Why not HDMI? You might ask why I
DisplayPort to Mini-DisplayPort adapter
didn’t try some kind of HDMI situation,
($6.50 from fave.co/3lm4sKP) with the
where I converted Mini DisplayPort to an
Benfei USB-C to DisplayPort 4K Adapter
HDMI plug or adapter jack, and then
($15 when I purchased it from fave.
plugged that into the HDMI port available
co/3iiYQix). The Cable Matters and
in several USB-C docks. I tried a few
StarTech adapters both accept the male
variations of this, and it didn’t work,
Mini-DisplayPort connector from the
although others have had different luck.
Apple display, and have a male full-sized
DisplayPort is a video standard that
DisplayPort plug. That plugs into the
works over its own proprietary connector
Benfei’s female DisplayPort jack, and
styles (DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort),
then the Benfei plugs into a MacBook or
and can be embedded as a data standard
MacBook Pro via USB-C.
inside Thunderbolt 2, Thunderbolt 3, and
At $21.50 or $24 together, both are
USB-C. Although DisplayPort can also be
more expensive than the Itanda, but I had
routed via an HDMI cable—HDMI being its
no trouble getting the same crisp
own set of standards—it doesn’t seem to
performance and support.
survive the passage with multiple adapters
Some readers tried more complicated
and an Apple LED Cinema Display.
options, involving a female-to-female inline
The only reason to want this option is if
Mini DisplayPort adapter, but given the
you have a dock without a spare USB-C
two-adapter option, it’s no longer
data port that might allow DisplayPort
necessary to go that route.
passage and that has an HDMI jack. ■
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 19

The sooner you recognize
the signs, the sooner you
can help your child.
ScreenForAutism.org

MACUSER

The Latest Mac Products
Reviewed & Rated

DISK SPACE MANAGER

DAISYDISK 4: AN
ELEGANT AND FUN
WAY TO FREE UP
STORAGE SPACE
BY CHRIS BARYLICK

IMAGE: SOFTWARE AMBIENCE

REVIEWS

Some file optimization and
application removal programs
on the Mac reach for the
stars, trying to perform every
possible task of optimization, file cleanup,
operating system customization, and
malware removal the developers can think
of as part of an overarching package.
Other apps have been more streamlined,
seeking to perform fewer functions and
executing them well.
DaisyDisk (fave.co/3Cw0l5d), the
brainchild of developers Taras Brizitsky
(who programmed the original idea,
interaction, and graphic design) and Oleg
Krupnov (who now handles the code and
technical support), as well as a large group
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 21

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REVIEW: DA ISY D ISK 4

of translators and contributors, belongs to
the latter group. The application (version
4.20.3 reviewed here) focuses on locating
file clusters, groups them by size, and
offers a quick and easy means of dragging
them to a delete icon and getting rid of
them forever, bypassing the Finder’s Trash.
The result is an application that quickly
scans your Mac’s volumes after you’ve
entered an administrator password, and
then shows you which files and folders are
taking up the most space, helping you
quickly prune things down to size.
DaisyDisk also keeps a running count
of how much space you’ve cleaned up
recently, providing an even more

entertaining incentive to dig in and clean
up those forgotten project folders that
once gobbled up dozens of gigabytes of
hard drive space.

HOW IT WORKS

DaisyDisk’s premise is simple enough, and
a bevy of new features keeps it fresh,
interesting, and handy. After scanning a
partition, move the cursor over the image
map that DaisyDisk creates to get an idea
of what’s taking up the most space and
how this relates to the overall drive.
Previews of files can also be brought up
by clicking the file name to better remind
you what something is and whether it’s
worth keeping.
Quick access to
the macOS Disk Utility
program proves
handy for quick
repairs, and it’s simple
to access cloud-based
accounts such as
Dropbox and Google
Drive to see what’s
gobbling up space
and quickly remove
old files and projects
on the fly. Upon telling
DaisyDisk to delete
files, you’re given a
DaisyDisk’s map of a file system on an external drive. The image
five-second
breaks down how much space is available, how much is in use, and
which files and folders are consuming the most space.
countdown to abort,

22 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

chart, which doesn’t
immediately make sense and
takes a little getting used to.
This is currently the only view
available, and though it’s
impressive, it’d be nice to have
a selection of views. A quick
visit to the DaisyDisk website
and its 59-second tutorial
video (fave.co/2X0X8Kx) can
answer a lot of questions and
offers a clear idea what you’re
in for.
A quick view of a Google drive account via DaisyDisk.
Debatable user interface
foibles aside, there’s a lot going for
lest you delete something you didn’t want
DaisyDisk. In a week of reviewing the
to that is gone forever and requires data
application, there were two version
recovery software to retrieve.
updates, and the developers keep a good
If nothing else, DaisyDisk wins in terms
eye on bug fixes and changes. The
of its elegance and simplicity. It isn’t trying
program also hits a perfect $9.99 price
to be a catch-all that can do everything at
point, which realizes its value as a useful
once, but it’s focused on file management,
third-party application from a
presenting what’s taking up
mmmmh
good developer without asking
invaluable disk space, and
DaisyDisk 4
for an arm and a leg in return.
allowing you to work with it.
PROS

A DIFFERENT WAY
TO LOOK AT STORAGE
If there are caveats with this
program, it’s that its ultramodern
user interface may be a little
ahead of what users might
expect to see. It presents your
file groups as something
between a scatterplot and a pie

• Quickly scans storage and
finds large files.
• Graphical representation of
storage.
• File name previews.
• Can check cloud storage.
CONS

• Some user-interface quirks.
PRICE

$9.99
COMPANY

Software Ambience

BOTTOM LINE
No one ever said tracking
down and eliminating all the
stuff that was devouring space
on your Mac would be
pleasant, but DaisyDisk
succeeds in making it pretty
simple and actually
somewhat fun. ■
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 23

MACUSER

DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATION

ABLETON LIVE 11
SUITE: AUDIO
WORKSTATION
BUILT FOR THE
CREATIVE MUSICIAN
BY JON L. JACOBI

24 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Apple’s feature-packed Logic Pro software
(fave.co/3j3f9Ps) gets the lion’s share of
attention from the musically oriented Mac
media—and with a gigantic feature set and
comparatively affordable $200 price, that’s
rightfully so. However, Logic, like nearly all
Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs), follows
a design bent more on accommodating
studios and audio engineers than
creatives. Ableton Live (fave.co/3C3ozn4),
on the other hand, is a DAW that was
designed by musicians for musicians, and
is likely a better fit for the average Macwielding musical type.
Programs such as Logic, Pro Tools, and
Cubase trace their lineage back to the
1980s. Ableton Live is a relative newcomer,

IMAGE: ABLETON

Some love it, while for others
it’s an acquired taste.
With version 11, Live has
matured into a DAW that
could reasonably be
employed in a recording
studio. But first and
foremost, it remains a tool
created for and by artists
(fave.co/3l6sSYH).

FEATURES AND
INTERFACE
Live’s once-unique aspect is
how it compartmentalizes
musical material into “clips”—
anything from instrument samples, to MIDI
sequences, to full songs. Other DAWs
have since copied this aspect.

An early version of Live on OS X. It’s still easily recognizable
by its interface to this day where others are not.

appearing around 2000. As its name
implies, Ableton (the company) designed
Live at the outset for live performances
and quick composition
using audio samples.
To Ableton’s credit,
the initial keep-itfocused design was
spot-on, and it has
maintained much of its
unique and original
flavor, even with two
decades of
improvements and new
features. The look has
evolved in restrained
Ableton Live 11 in Session mode. Clockwise from upper left: the
fashion, but remains
media browser, the clip launcher, the mixer, and the detail view
instantly recognizable.
containing instruments and effects.

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 25

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REVIEW: A BL ETON L IV E 11 SU ITE

A closeup of Live 11’s clip launcher in Session view. Notice the play buttons and the scene
button for launching an entire row of clips.

In Live’s Session mode (shown above),
you can launch clips individually (one per
track) or in groups across tracks. This is
great for DJing or live performance (you
can edit and create while clips play), and
as a quick-and-dirty arrangement tool for
composers. Competing DAWs have
similar features, but by my lights, Live’s
implementation remains the most focused
of them all.
Live has also featured a traditional,
track-based timeline (Arrangement view)
since day one. It’s a bit nonstandard with
the track headers positioned to the right

(footers?), but it’s nothing users from other
DAWs won’t settle into quickly.
You can switch between Session and
Arrangement views (which share the same
track layout) using the Tab key. Clips are
exclusive to each view for playback, but
may easily be copied between them via
drag and drop, Command-C, and so on.
Live was the first DAW to ditch the once
prevalent Multi-Document Interface, a stack
of child windows for “panes” that fit into the
main window with no overlapping. If you’ve
ever had to hunt through a pile of virtual
(software) instruments, you’ll appreciate that.

A closeup
of Live’s
Arrangement
view.
26 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Ableton Live’s MIDI editor.

There are a number of normally
hidden panes accessible from both views:
a content browser (files, FX, sounds,
samples, tracks, and so on); a groove
pool for applying MIDI grooves to MIDI or
audio clips; a help pane that’s an
overview of the content along the
timeline; a file and project manager; and,
of course, audio and MIDI editors.
The audio and MIDI editors,
instruments and effects share the bottom
pane. When clips are selected, the
appropriate editor appears, and when a
track is selected, you get the instruments
and FX.
Live is especially flexible when it
comes to combining instruments and
effects into drum, instrument, and effects

“racks.” Combine them, stack them, switch
between them using “chains,” and assign
various parameters to macro controls for
use in real time. The sound creation
(inventing your own unique noises)
possibilities are endless. The whole deal
interfaces with Ableton’s own hardware
Push controllers (fave.co/3l6ZjpI).
As for audio editing, Live has featured
audio stretching since the early days, and
it’s easily the most facile implementation of
it among the major DAWs. Command-A/
Command-I/Command-U and your audio
file is quantized to the current value (1/4
notes, 1/16 notes, and so on).
You can also simply drop a Groove
onto the clip to quantize it. The transient
markers are large and obvious for easy

Ableton Live’s detail view displays editors when clips are selected, and instruments and FX
when tracks are selected.
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REVIEW: A BL ETON L IV E 11 SU ITE

Live 11’s audio clip editor. The mustard-colored markers are for stretching or time-aligning audio
events under the difficult lighting conditions you sometimes find in clubs. Each marker resides
where the program detects a transient, or the loudest portion of a note, chord, or sound.

recognition under the challenging lighting
which is seamlessly integrated into the
conditions you might find at a gig. Markers
software interface.
are also easy to manipulate
manually if you just want to
correct that one egregiously late
note, and in bulk if you need to
adjust the entirety of a timeaskew performance.
There’s no ARA/ARA2 (Audio
Random Access) integration so
you can’t employ Melodyne for
pitch manipulation. Pitch
manipulation is possible by
splitting clips in the
Arrangement view and using a
detune function that works in
cents (a hundredth of a semitone).
Not ideal, but good for the odd
correction here and there.
Ableton supports third-party
instruments and effects (such as
AU and VST2/3), but also ships
Live 11 at 100 percent scaling and 200 percent scaling
with a host of its own (depending with the same song. You can also run the program fullon the version—see below),
screen to recapture the space taken up by the menu.
28 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

SCALABLE, SCHEME-ABLE

NEWS AT 11

Live’s scalable interface was another
A huge new feature for cutting-edge
groundbreaking feature. Everything is
keyboard performers is vastly improved
rendered and/or a simple stretchable
support for MIDI Polyphonic expression
bitmap, so you can make elements and
(MPE). MIDI, the digital communications
text as small or large as you wish. Bitwig
protocol for musical equipment, originally
(fave.co/2WyW5kP), Tracktion (fave.
followed a strict one channel, one
co/3la8JRh), and others also do this, but
instrument model. MPE took the original 16
Live was the first.
channels and retasked them for use on a
In general, everything is created with
single instrument, allowing each note to use
quick and easy recognition in mind—a real
the corresponding channel’s expression
blessing if, as I’ve mentioned, you’re
data (pitch bend, modulation, pressure née
gigging in a difficult environment such as a
after-touch, and so on). Where Live formerly
dance club. Scaling is also great for
required recording on the 16 different tracks
anyone with eyesight issues.
to capture and edit MPE, it now only
Notably, you can run Live full-screen to
requires one. See the image below.
recapture the space normally used by the
MPE opened up huge performance
main menu. Moving your mouse to the top
possibilities for solo keyboard players;
of the screen
reveals said
menu when
you need it.
Live also
supports
different color
schemes and a
third-party
online scheme/
theme
generator is
available at
Live Themes
2.0 (fave.
Ableton Live 11’s MPE editing. If you’re rocking a Seaboard or similar, Live
co/3f82lqe).
now has you covered.
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 29

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REVIEW: A BL ETON L IV E 11 SU ITE

hence my reference to cutting edge. As
it’s better heard than told, you should
take a gander at this excellent
demonstration video (fave.co/3iXn4y1).
Note that MPE is now part of the latest
MIDI 2.0 specification.
Two new features in Live make the
software truly studio-viable: comping lanes
and linked track editing. Comping is
creating a “perfect” performance by
combining the best parts of several takes.
Formerly in Live, you had to use different
tracks or a rather clever but click-intensive
workaround to comp. Now you have lanes,
or subtracks that you can just swipe parts
of to create the “perfect” take in the
playback track. For a multiple-microphone
recording, you can link the separate tracks
and lanes so that the most common edits

Ableton Live 11’s audio comping.
30 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

are performed across all the linked
material. Edits are phase-locked as well,
meaning they are extremely precise.
Rather unusually, you can comp the same
way with MIDI tracks. It’s a bit like Logic’s
track versions, but without the extra fuss.
Nice touch, Ableton!
Live 11 now supports tempo matching
to external sources: that is, you can have
Ableton Live play along in time with a real
drummer. Formerly, you could only use the
tempo track or define an existing track as
a master.
New content packs as also available—
including brass and string quartets from
sample library heavyweight Spitfire—and
other content packs have been updated
and improved. A number of improved or
new FXs—including my favorite, Hybrid
Reverb—
combines
convolution
(using models
of real spaces
or devices) and
classic artificial
reverb.
Spectral
display is a big
deal for
version 11 and
is present on
several effects
including a

new delay and
resonator. Macro
controls double
from 8 to 16 and
can be saved as
instantly
switchable
presets.
The MIDI
editor now has
the ability to
collapse to a
scale with
highlighting, so
Ableton Live 11’s multiclip editing now allows you to edit notes from all
you can easily
selected clips at the same time. The colored bars at the top of the editing
paint notes
pane indicate which track and clip the notes are from.
without straying
outside the basic harmonic structure of a
combined contents, but you could edit
clip. You can also now paint notes of
only one clip’s notes at a time. Now you
differing pitches rather than just a row of
can edit notes from all selected clips
the same pitch.
simultaneously. Oddly, however, note
Live has always had a small amount of
velocities (how hard a key is struck) are still
random that you could apply via MIDI
edited on a per-clip basis. Here’s hoping
grooves, but the company has gone all in
that changes in 11.1.
on the concept with version 11. Not only is
Some users are also hoping you’ll one
there a new random function for velocity
day be able to can edit MIDI and audio
in MIDI clip, there’s note probability—
clips together. That may sound odd, but it
whether or not a note will be played at all.
can be very handy for syncing virtual
These two additions help alleviate
instruments (MIDI) with audio recordings.
robotic-sounding MIDI clips. There are
The major new features are very
other manifestations of random sprinkled
good, but two small tweaks actually
throughout Ableton Live 11.
convinced me to dump Live 10 for 11.
With multiclip editing, you used to be
Pressing the “C” key now arms or disarms
able to select multiple clips and view the
the current track for recording, and if you
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 31

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REVIEW: A BL ETON L IV E 11 SU ITE

start typing a number while a note is
selected in the MIDI editor, it will change
its velocity. The latter, combined with the
randomize velocity function, is a colossal
timesaver when I tweak my weak
keyboard or drum performances.
Command-Up/Down to change the note
selection is a cool add as well.

PERFORMANCE ON INTEL
Live is a bit of a CPU hog. Audio warping is
basically always-on (you can enable or
disable it for individual clips) and allows
you to speed up and slow down songs
without so much a how-do-you-do. Also,
for live performance Live must play back
glitch-free while other operations are
being performed. Given those constraints,
Live does quite well, thank you.
Indeed, I can manage with Live on a
2011 MacBook Air if the project is mostly
comprised of audio. If you’re the type that
has to have 43 instruments and effects on
every channel, err…well, then use Return
tracks (busses in Logic), or consider
simplifying your approach.
In my experience, Live sounds as good
as other DAWs. I’ve blind-tested every
major DAW, and, given the same plug-ins,
they all sound fantastic, not to mention
nearly identical. There must be some
correlation between Live’s unusual
appearance and the perception of sound
quality, because Live’s sound quality is
32 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

often questioned. Put bluntly, worrying
about the audio quality produced by any
modern DAW is a waste of time.

M1 SUPPORT?
I tried Live 11 via Rosetta 2 on an M1 Mac
mini, and the interface and load times are
super quick—a real joy. However, during
playback, CPU usage sat at around 30 to
35 percent for the Live Demo song, while
it was only 25 percent or so on my older
2015 Core i5 iMac. That’s a lot better than
Live 10 (until the most recent beta), and
quite the accomplishment, but hardly
showing off what the M1 can do.
I inquired of Ableton if there were plans
to recompile (and recode if necessary)
Live to support the M1 natively. The
company largely avoided comment.
However, I opined to them that any
company selling programs for the Mac
would have to be insane not to port, and
Ableton assured me that it is quite sane.
Basically, you can dye my body hair green
and call me Kermit if an ARM port doesn’t
transpire in the relatively near future. I give
it a year at most. Likely much sooner.

RTFM AND NITS
If you’re used to other DAWs, Live may
not always seem intuitive. It goes about a
lot of things differently. If you think of it in
the context of live performance, most of it
makes sense and some of the methods

I’m quite
often holding an
instrument and
don’t want to
contort my
hands to
accommodate
compound
keystrokes such
as ShiftCommand-L, so
I define my own
single-key
As most of the screens in this article show lots of stuff, I thought I’d include shortcuts using
one that shows how clean Live can actually be. This is how I keep the
Keyboard
interface looking most of the time. Tip: You hide the vertical grid lines by
Maestro (fave.
upping the snap value to more bars than are visible on screen, such as
32/1. I wish you could just turn them off, along with the horizontal lines.
co/3BVb2hi) as
well as
AutoHotKey (fave.co/3ypUg7X) on
are insanely clever. Other times they’re
Windows. Hint: Make good use of the
just clever. Occasionally, they’re odd for
numeric keypad and function keys, as
no apparent reason.
neither program recognizes when you’re
The sooner you stop trying to make
trying to rename a track or enter data.
Live conform to the methodology of other
There are also tiny behavioral
DAWs, the sooner you’ll begin to
inconsistencies throughout the program,
appreciate the method behind the
such as the use of the Shift rather than the
madness and be productive. I highly
Command modifier key for selecting
recommend a thorough perusing of the
multiple noncontiguous notes in the MIDI
user’s guide before starting.
editor, double-clicks that open but don’t
I do have a few gripes. For instance,
close items, and so on.
Ableton is very particular in its keyboard
My primary concern, however, is
shortcuts; there aren’t enough of them and
increasing complexity and visual clutter.
they’re only partially user-definable—
With a burgeoning feature set, menus are
hence my delight at the new track arm/
growing longer, and visual feedback for
disarm and note selection shortcuts.
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 33

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REVIEW: A BL ETON L IV E 11 SU ITE

various functions is piling up. The interface
is still a gem, but these are slippery slopes.
My hope is for deeper user configuration
options. Ableton walks its own path. Kudos
for that. We’ll see.

price differential between the different
flavors, so you can start low and work your
way up without a surcharge.

BOTTOM LINE

Ableton Live is by far the best DAW for
NOT EXACTLY CHEAP
artists and performers—once you get a
Where Logic, at a mere $200, is far and
handle on it. It can be a visual and
away the best DAW value on the planet,
operational challenge initially, especially
Live is, uh…a more considered purchase.
if you’re coming from a traditional DAW
There’s a tantalizing $99 Intro version, but
such as Logic, Cubase, or Pro Tools. It
the 16-track, 16-scene limitation is just
took me about three attempts before I
that—limiting. I’ve engineered with 16-track
got a feeling for it.
recorders, and 24 tracks opened up
It’s ace for live performance and
worlds, if you catch my drift. The pricier
quickly laying down ideas, and the only
$449 Standard version is the likely entry
DAW that can match it for sound creation
point for most users, as it has no limits and
and mangling is Bitwig (fave.co/2WyW5kP).
contains an abundance of
While version 11 is perfectly
effects and instruments.
workable for studio use, it’s
mmmmh
The full $749 Suite adds
probably not going to be the
Ableton
Live
11
Suite
another boatload of stuff,
first choice for most engineers.
PROS
including attractive additions
Happily, you don’t have to
• Clean and super-efficient
workflow.
such as a full multisampler; the
take my word for any of this—a
• Excellent for live DJ/EDM
Max for Live programming and
90-day trial (fave.co/3zNiQzQ)
performance and sound
creation.
plug-in development
is currently available. I
• Offers a vast array of
environment and its
recommend that you take a
effects, sounds, and
instruments.
instruments and effects; and
long hard look, no matter what
CONS
CV (Constant Voltage) support
your musical bent or current
• Steep learning curve.
for the modular synth crowd.
DAW preference. But before
• Could use more
configuration options.
Ableton’s comparison chart
you do, again, read the
• Expensive.
(fave.co/3BSrWNj) will help you
user’s guide. Live is different.
PRICE
$200
determine which version is the
And it’s full of stuff even
COMPANY
right one for you. Upgrade
experienced users sometimes
Ableton
costs are generally only the
don’t know about. ■
34 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Hot Stuff

What we’re
raving about
this month

T-MOBILE HOME
INTERNET
t-mobile.com

T-Mobile’s new 5G home broadband
gateway/wireless router matters for one
big reason: It’s an alternative to the
cable monopolies that dominate most
major markets in the United States. For
a small household that streams video,
checks email, and downloads software
updates in the background, T-Mobile’s
router is absolutely worth checking out.
The pricing is on par with or lower than
even the cheapest cable contracts, and
T-Mobile promises unlimited internet
with no data caps or throttling. Still, the
service is “not intended for unattended
use,” so if you frequently download
large files on BitTorrent, this isn’t for
you.—MARK HACHMAN

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 35

MACUSER

Hot Stuff
VILO MESH
WI-FI SYSTEM
viloliving.com

Vilo’s new budget Wi-Fi wireless
mesh network costs $70 for a pack
of three wireless routers. Many
competing systems cost hundreds
more. So is there a catch? Vilo’s
mesh routers aren’t predicated on
the latest Wi-Fi 6 or bleeding-edge
Wi-Fi 6e technology. Instead, Vilo
selected Wi-Fi 5 (aka 802.11ac), which
uses radio spectrum in the 2.4GHz
and 5GHz frequency bands to
transfer data throughout the home.
From what we’ve seen, the performance is good enough. If you have
an older network and are seeking a
quick, cheap upgrade, Vilo is definitely worth a look.—MARK HACHMAN
36 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

DYSON
V15 DETECT
dyson.com

The V15 Detect is a hyperpolished, ultrahelpful housemate; premium-priced at
$699.99 but arguably worth it over the long
run. Weighing just 6.8 pounds yet lion
strong, this vacuum is extra-easy to assemble and use in stick or hand-vac modes,
making home cleaning not just more
convenient, but almost effortless—even fun.
Dealing with a sudden spill or doing a daily
touch-up is a no-brainer when you have this
slim thing hanging on its wall-charging
station or stashed in a closet. The V15
Detect’s fresh features include an innovative display and a helpful laser light to
detect microscopic dust.—JONATHAN TAKIFF

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 37

AM I
OKAY
TO
DRIVE?
BUZZED DRIVING

G
N
I
V
I
R
D
K
N
U
R
D
IS

iOSCENTRAL

The latest on iOS, iPhone, iPad,
Apple Watch, and App Store

Forget RCS: Here’s how Apple
can make iMessage better for
iPhone users now
iMessage is great but it could be better.
BY DAN MOREN

M

essages is likely the most
used app on Apple’s
platforms—especially iOS—
and with our inability over
the past year and a half to meet up with
IMAGE: IDG

people in person, it’s probably become
even more popular.
iMessage, the Apple-created system
that powers the modern day Messages
app, is coming up on its tenth birthday this
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 39

iOSCENTRAL

HOW A PPL E CA N MA KE i MESSAGE BETTE R

fall and it’s had quite the decade. In 2016,
Apple said users sent roughly 200,000
iMessages per second; it’s not hard to
imagine that, five years later, in a world
more technologically connected than ever,
that number has grown immensely.
But for all of the popularity of
iMessage, and the company’s repeated
addition of new features and capabilities,
there are some places where Apple’s
messaging system remains somewhat
frustrating or even lackluster. For obvious
reasons, Apple has a lot of vested interest
in keeping the program stable and simple,
and it can’t implement every possible
feature, but a few pop out as things that
can be improved, or even just more useful.

expansion of its own Messages app with
carrier RCS support next year.
While I don’t subscribe to the idea that
Apple’s refusal to develop an Android
version is anticompetitive, I do think there
are places where the lack of compatibility
hurts Apple’s own users.
Just this past week, I was in a lengthy
family message thread, populated mostly
with Apple device users, but with a few
Android owners in the mix. And there I
encountered the problem that has
annoyed every iMessage user at some
point: You respond to a message with a
tapback (the handy thumbs up, thumbs
down, heart, and so on), and the
message thread spits out “Dan liked”

THE ANDROIDiMESSAGE DIVIDE
The truth is: It’s a dual-platform
world and we’re just living in it.
That Apple hasn’t made its
messaging system work better
with Android isn’t really a
surprise. The Google-backed
smartphone platform is Apple’s
biggest competitor in the
market, and iMessage is a
competitive advantage that
Apple sees as providing an
experience that can lure
customers to switch, even with
Google planning a major
40 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Using Tapback in a group chat that includes Android
users results in a clumsy experience.

followed by the entire text of the original
message.
That’s nominally for the benefit of those
on the text chain who aren’t using Apple
devices, but does it really help anybody? It’s
unsightly and it clutters up the conversation
with these responses for all users. Either
iMessage should be smart enough to only
display those reactions to compatible
devices, or it should stop offering the
feature altogether outside of threads that
include recipients of non-Apple devices. (If
iMessage can detect recipients for the
purposes of emblazoning them with the
dreaded green bubble, it can probably
handle that.)
The other option would, of course, be
to find some common ground with Android
to make tapbacks and other iMessage
features work across platforms, but I’m not
exactly going to sit around waiting for that
one, any more than I would expect Apple
to port Messages over to the Android
platform.

TAPBACK WITH EMOJI:
WHY NOT?
While we’re on the subject of tapbacks,
why are they so limited? Apple launched
the feature in iOS 10, and it’s become—as
the above anecdote will attest—quite
popular among users of all kinds. But since
their launch, tapbacks have allowed only
the same half-dozen options: heart,

Why aren’t emojis part of the Tapback
system?

thumbs up, thumbs down, ha ha,
exclamation points, and question mark.
That hardly covers every emotion a human
being can conceivably have.
Meanwhile, Slack—from which Apple
probably drew inspiration for the tapback
feature—allows you to respond to a
message with any emoji at all. So if you
need to drop a vampire or a woozyfaced smiley, you can. Given Apple’s
touting of its emoji design over the year,
I’m a little surprised that it doesn’t offer
the option to use any emoji you want in
a tapback. One could imagine the
company might argue that you can
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 41

iOSCENTRAL

HOW A PPL E CA N MA KE i MESSAGE BETTE R

always just respond by typing an emoji,
but if that’s the case, why even have
tapbacks as a separate thing in the first
place?
It’d be great if the tapback interface
added an extra button that would let you
summon an emoji picker, and perhaps
even let you pin some of your favorite (and
most frequently used) emoji as well. If
you’re going to implement this kind of
feature, why stop halfway?

ADDRESS CONFLICTS
As good as iMessage is, it has some
longstanding underpinnings that are kind
of clunky: specifically, its addressing
system. To maintain compatibility with
traditional text messages sent via SMS,
iMessage allows you to send and receive
messages to both phone numbers and
email addresses.
While that’s had its upsides, it’s also led
to a variety of issues over time, including
duplicate threads (when your “Start New
Conversations from” address gets out of
sync between different devices) and
messages ending up on the wrong
devices (when you have more than one
phone number attached to an account, for
example). All in all, this system has proved
to be more confusing than helpful and has
created lots of annoying unintended
consequences.
Unfortunately, it’s not necessarily an
42 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

easy problem to fix. There are good
reasons for having either an email address
or a phone number as your Sent ID, as
well as being able to accept messages
sent to a variety of addresses. But this is
one place where it feels like an abstraction
layer over the top might actually simplify
matters and cause fewer problems in the
long run.
That said, having kept it consistent for
so long, I have to imagine the company
feels pretty wary about messing with it—
approaching it much like a kitchen
cabinet with a hastily scrawled “open
carefully” note taped to it. ■

iMessage lets you send and receive
messages to both phone numbers and
email addresses.

Pegasus spyware: iOS 14.7.1
reportedly plugs security hole
Apple has likely fixed the hole that allowed the Pegasus spyware infiltration.
BY MICHAEL SIMON

I

f you’re concerned about recent
reports of the Pegasus spyware (fave.
co/37hC1W2) reportedly installed by
the Israeli NSO Group to hack
journalists and world leaders, there’s a tool
to check if it’s hidden on your iPhone (fave.
co/3lo3eyS). But you probably have
nothing to worry about (fave.co/3jdT5lr).
IMAGE: PXHERE

According to a report in the
Washington Post, in conjunction with
nonprofit groups Forbidden Stories,
Amnesty International, and several others,
military-grade spyware developed by an
Israeli firm was used to hack some 40
smartphones “belonging to journalists,
human rights activists, business executives
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 43

iOSCENTRAL

P EGAS U S SPY WA R E

and two women close to murdered Saudi
journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”
The phones appeared on a list of more
than 50,000 phone numbers, according to
the Post. NSO has denied the allegations.
There’s a good chance your iPhone
isn’t on that list. While the legality of the
operation may be in question, reports say
the NSO seemingly targeted high-level
politicians, government officials, and
journalists in the operation and were only
successful less than half the time. For
example, Amnesty International examined
67 phones and found that “23 were
successfully infected and 14 showed signs

44 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

of attempted penetration.” Of those, nearly
all were iPhones, according to the
investigation.
Apple has reportedly fixed the
vulnerability in iOS 14.7.1 (fave.co/3CapiCL).
The security notes don’t specifically
mention Pegasus, but they refer to “a
memory corruption issue” that “may have
been actively exploited.”
If you’re still concerned, there’s a way
to test whether your iPhone has been
targeted. It’s not an easy test, mind you,
but if you’re using a Mac or Linux PC and
have backed up your iPhone using it,
Amnesty International’s Mobile Verification
Toolkit (fave.co/3lo3eyS) will be able to
detect whether your phone has the
Pegasus spyware installed on it. The
tool, which TechCrunch tested, works
using the macOS Terminal app and
searches your latest iPhone backup on
your Mac. It “is not a refined and
polished user experience and requires
some basic knowledge of how to
navigate the terminal.” You’ll need to
install libusb as well as Python 3 using
Homebrew. (You can learn more about
the installation here.) TechCrunch says
the check only takes “about a minute
or two to run” once it’s been set up.
On Twitter, @rayredacted (fave.
co/3C748Fz) detailed the process in a
lengthy thread with additional
resources and explanations. ■

Apple may be the privacy leader,
but it’s not doing enough
The App Store and Mail still have glaring holes.
BY JASON SNELL

F

or years now, Apple has
trumpeted its commitment to the
privacy of its customers. Unlike
most of its competitors, Apple’s
business model (primarily selling products
and services, not advertising) allows it to
succeed without relying on collecting
personal information from its customers.
It’s a big advantage, and Apple knows it.
But when I look at Apple’s product
strategy, I’m surprised at all the ways that
the company has failed to take advantage
IMAGE: APPLE

of its unique position. From operatingsystem features to new services, the
company should double down on
privacy—and widen the lead it has over its
competitors.

GET AGGRESSIVE IN
OTHER APPLE APPS
Apple has done a pretty good job of
managing privacy inside Safari. Using the
web leaks information in some
fundamental ways, but Apple has done a
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 45

iOSCENTRAL

A P P LE TH E U ND ISP U TED P R IVACY L EA D E R

lot to reduce the amount of tracking and
profiling that can be done when you’re
using Safari. And of course, Apple’s new
tracking policies (fave.co/3A2zDil) have
made Facebook very, very angry.
But the company can do more. Last
week, Daring Fireball’s John Gruber
pointed out the privacy issues in Mail (fave.
co/3A4WDgu). Messages can have
embedded trackers in the
form of invisible images,
and by default Apple
Mail loads those images.
Yes, you can turn off
the automatic loading of
images—but that means
most email messages
you get look broken.
Apple gives you a way
to load images with a
single tap—but then all of
the images get loaded. And you can’t set
messages from people and services you
trust to automatically load all images, so
you have to do it every time.
Apple could do so much better. At the
very least, it should be more active in
blocking invisible tracking images from
loading at all. But since even a legitimate
image can be used as a tracker, it might
be worth considering a proxy system that
allows Mail to load remote images via an
Apple server, concealing your identity. For
now, there are third-party solutions to turn to.
46 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

STOP SCAMS AND SPAM
In recent weeks, developer Kosta
Eleftheriou (fave.co/3cGFFwr) has been a
one-man “bunco squad” (fave.
co/37eNgyD), exposing fraudulent iOS
apps with ridiculous subscription policies,
pornographic apps targeted at kids, and
endless streams of phony App Store
reviews. This isn’t news. Developers
have been reporting about
the endless stream of
scams on the App Store
for ages.
I get that patrolling
something as huge as
the App Store is a
difficult task. But
whatever Apple is
doing, it’s simply not
enough. Apple needs to
protect all of its customers
by making the App Store a safer place,
and that means spending more money
and hiring more people to remove
scammy garbage from the App Store. It’s
not worth the hit to Apple’s reputation to
have this sort of thing operating in the App
Store, even if Apple’s taking a percentage
of every scammy sale.
The last few years, Apple has given
apps the ability to filter incoming phone
calls for spam. I’ve tried some of those
services, and they work—to varying
degrees. But the right approach is not to

force iPhone users to figure out what
subscription app will do a good job of
blocking bogus calls—it’s for Apple to do
this itself. (I will say, this is also the job of
phone carriers—and some of them do
offer spam-blocking services…for an extra
fee. What a racket.)
But let’s extend this further. I’ve been
getting an endless stream of text-message
spam lately. And Apple
offers essentially no
tools to filter out those
messages (fave.
co/3xks6cM). Even
blocking numbers is
harder than it should be.
Finally, what about
adding junk-mail
filtering in Mail on iOS?
We’ve had it on the Mac
for years.

PRIVACY AS A SERVICE
Most of my suggestions will cost Apple a
lot of money to implement. In the case of
something like App Store integrity, the
company needs to pay up and do the right
thing. But since Apple has built an
impressive business on selling services to
its users, perhaps there’s an opportunity
here to increase privacy by providing a
subscription service.
A year ago, while writing about
Apple’s (still) adrift smart-home strategy, I

suggested that Apple could make a
router with a built-in VPN (fave.
co/3lBafwn). If you don’t know what a
VPN is, it’s essentially a secure tunnel
that encrypts all your internet traffic,
obscuring your address and making it
harder for people to track you.
But who needs a router? After all,
macOS and iOS already support VPNs.
Apple could build its own
VPN, and make it a
preferred, easy-to-use
choice—like Apple Card
is within Apple Pay.
Running a VPN for every
Apple device in
existence would cost a
fortune, and I’m sure
Apple would be loath to
do it—but what if was
connected to a new
privacy-focused Apple service? The
company could include a VPN and some
of the other features I’ve mentioned
here—proxying image loading in email,
spam call and spam voicemail filtering—
and ones I haven’t even mentioned into a
simple, easy-to-enable service that would
maximize security across all your Apple
devices, no matter where you are, no
matter what app you’re using.
If there’s any big tech company that
could get away with selling privacy as a
service, it’s Apple. ■
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 47

iOSCENTRAL

Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack
will boost your iPhone 12—but
for how long?
Magnetically connected charger for the iPhone.
BY ROMAN LOYOLA

G

ot an iPhone 12 or iPhone 12
Pro and always seem to be
running out of battery? Apple
has a new accessory to help
you out: The MagSafe Battery Pack (fave.
co/2WGFueK) is available for $99.
48 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

As the name of the product implies,
the battery connects to the iPhone 12 via
MagSafe, the magnetic connector
located on the back of the phone.
According to the product description on
Apple’s website, the MagSafe Battery
IMAGE: APPLE

Pack “automatically charges, so there’s
The MagSafe Battery Pack requires
no need to turn it on or off.” However,
iOS 14.7. When using the MagSafe
you can’t use two MagSafe products at
Battery Pack, you can check the
once, so if you’re using the wallet, you
charging status within the Batteries
will need to swap it out.
widget. You can add this widget to your
Apple does not list the capacity of
Home screen or see the status in the
the battery in the specs—though the
Today View.
image says 1460mAh with a 7.62 voltage
The support document from Apple
and Wh rating of 11.13—and it does not
also notes that if you use a leather
come with the items you need to charge
iPhone case, using the MagSafe Battery
the battery pack itself: a USB-C to
Pack could leave an imprint on it. Apple
Lightning Cable and a power adapter.
says this is “normal” and suggests that if
Apple recommends using a 20W or
you are concerned about it, you should
higher adapter; you can use a lowerconsider opting for a non-leather case
rated adapter, but it will take longer to
instead. ■
charge. Apple’s 20W power
adapter (fave.co/3jgwEw2) and
a 1-meter USB-C to Lightning
cable (fave.co/3xn9c54) are
$19 each.
According to an Apple
support document (fave.
co/3xmmChY), the MagSafe
Battery Pack needs to be fully
charged before using it, and it
has status lights to indicate
when the pack is charging and
fully charged. With just the
pack attached to the iPhone, it
charges at a rate of 5W. When
the pack is connected to the
power adapter and an iPhone
The MagSafe Battery Pack has a Lightning connector but
at the same time, the rate goes does not come with a Lightning cable or power adapater
up to 15W.
for charging.
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 49

iOSCENTRAL

How to erase your iPhone, iPad, or
Mac remotely after a theft
You can ensure your data remains safe through erasure.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

O

ne of the most powerful
features Apple added years
ago to macOS and iOS was
Find My iPhone—and iPad
and Mac. The iCloud-connected service
lets you track an accidentally misplaced

50 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

item and potentially recover one that has
been stolen.
With the service active on a device,
you can use Find My for macOS, iOS, or
iPadOS or via iCloud.com to erase your
computer, phone, or tablet or to queue an
IMAGE: APPLE

erasure signal for the next time the device
is on the Internet.
iPhones and iPads with a Secure
Enclave and Macs with FileVault enabled
simply delete the encryption keys for
storage. This renders the data irretrievable.
(It doesn’t affect your local or iCloud
backups, so don’t worry.) On a Mac with a
T2 Security Chip or M1 Apple silicon, disk
encryption is always enabled even if
FileVault isn’t, allowing Secure Enclave to
destroy the disk encryption keys instantly
even with FileVault disabled.
Pre-Secure Enclave iPhones and iPads
and Macs that predate the T2 Security
chip and have FileVault disabled take
longer to delete files, as each byte of data
has to be overwritten.
If you’re not sure whether your iPhone,
iPad, or Intel Mac has a Secure Enclave,
consult the list Apple provides (fave.
co/2Vv01ST). You can determine if FileVault
is enabled by going to the Security &
Privacy preference pane’s FileVault tab.

HOW TO ERASE A DEVICE
Apple has tweaked the process slightly for
its native apps, but it has left iCloud.com
virtually untouched for years.
In macOS, iOS, or iPadOS, launch the
Find My app. Tap the Devices tab, and
then tap your hardware. (If you have Family
Sharing enabled, you can also see the
devices of family members.) On an iPhone

Apple warns you about the consequences
when you’re about to erase your Mac
remotely.

or iPad, tap Erase This Device and follow
the prompts. On a Mac, right-click the
device and select Erase This Device.
With iCloud.com, log in to your account
and click the Find iPhone link—no “My” in
there. Enter your iCloud password again if
prompted. Click the All Devices menu and
select your hardware:
> For a Mac, click Erase Mac and
follow prompts; you’ll note that the text says
it “may take up to a day to complete,” which
is the worst-case example for a hard-drive–
equipped Mac without FileVault enabled
and with neither a T2 nor an M1 chip.
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 51

iOSCENTRAL

R EM OTELY ER ASE A N iPH ONE, i PA D, OR M AC

command. But for
iPhones, iPads, and
Macs with a Secure
Enclave, the stored
data can’t be
interacted with unless
someone also
obtained the
password. (For a
running Mac, there
might be cracks that
work, but if the device
is powered down and
FileVault is enabled,
Find My lets you see all your devices and select them for several
purposes—including erasure.
it’s effectively
impossible.)
> For an iPhone or iPad, just click
The device can be wiped, securely
Erase iPhone or Erase iPad.
removing your data—and then Activation
If the device is connected to the internet
Lock, a part of Find My, kicks in. (Macs
via whatever method it has at its disposal—
have a few additional requirements [fave.
Wi-Fi, cellular, tethering, or even a dial-up
co/3ynFxu7].) Activation Lock prevents an
modem—erasure begins immediately after
erased device from being set up again
the Mac receives the signal relayed via
without the iCloud password associated
Apple’s servers. In the cases noted above,
with the account that turned on Find My.
the drive or flash storage almost instantly
Criminal groups have apparently
becomes irretrievable.
figured out ways to bypass Activation Lock
Apple queues the erase command, so
in at least some cases, but those methods
if the device ever appears briefly back on
still require erasing the device, so your
the internet, it erases itself. Once your
data remains inaccessible.
device starts wiping its data, finding its
location via Find My is no longer possible.
A FUTURE OF
For devices that ne’er-do-wells have
REMOTE ERASURE?
taken offline or put in a metal box, they may
I can imagine a future in which the Find My
never return online to receive an erase
Network could be used to trigger erasure,
52 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

signals emitted for Find My Network by
too. Right now, the system is used entirely
Apple devices.
as a passive relay: An AirTag tracker and
If someone who had been near you
most Apple devices can broadcast their
receives a COVID-19 diagnosis and enters
position over Bluetooth in a carefully
a code provided by their healthcare
encrypted manner. Nearby Macs, iPhones,
provider into their smartphone, the
and iPads with Find My Network enabled
encrypted Bluetooth IDs
relay this data via Apple so
associated would then be
you can get updates about
uploaded to a database that
location without the party
all devices in your region or
relaying it knowing who
country regularly download
you are or which device is
and compare to stored IDs.
transmitting the information.
Now consider this: What
But AirTags point the
if you could report your
way to a potential two-way
device as stolen and
process. If Apple
indicate that you wanted it
determines that an AirTag
erased? That signal would
has been traveling with you
then be distributed in
and you’re not the owner of
encrypted form across all
it, you’re presented with a
Apple hardware in your
dialog on an iPhone or iPad
area or an expanded
that lets you play a sound.
region. If any of those
That command is passed
devices picked up an
along via Bluetooth.
encrypted Bluetooth signal
The COVID-19 exposure
that matched, they could
notification system points
An iPhone that spots an
to a more complicated
unknown AirTag traveling with transmit a similarly
encrypted erasure
system that preserves
it over time can send a signal
to prompt an action on the
instruction. Thieves try to
privacy and yet could be
AirTag.
disable all the wireless on
turned to device erasure as
a device, but Bluetooth is
well. In Apple and Google’s
often harder to block than Wi-Fi or cellular.
joint notification system, your smartphone
The safeguards around this would
recorded all specially formatted Bluetooth
have to be strong, but it’s not far-fetched—
signals around you and retained for those
just far-reaching! ■
a period of time; this is quite similar to the
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 53

FEATURE

AN ESSENTIA

APPLE H
APPLE’S
SMART HOME
EFFORT
GOT OFF
TO A SLOW
START, BUT
IT’S RAPIDLY
GAINING
MOMENTUM.
BY CHRISTOPHER NULL

54 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

IMAGE: APPLE

AL GUIDE TO

HOMEKIT

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 55

FEATURE

GUI D E TO A P P L E H OMEKIT

HomeKit can control any aspect of your smart home: lighting, security cams, motorized window
shades, thermostats, and more.

A

pple launched HomeKit in
2014, and for many users it
remains a bit of a mystery—an
outlier in the smart home
space that is wound up with the iPhone,
Siri, and an unintuitive corner of the smart
home universe. What is HomeKit, and is it
appropriate for your home? Let’s dig in
and break down what it is and how it
works today.

WHAT IS HOMEKIT?
While HomeKit is exclusive to Apple and
its licensees, it is really just a
communications protocol, a framework of
technologies that lets your iOS device
56 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

work with any number of smart home
products. Apple currently claims that
more than 100 brands of products (fave.
co/3yrUhrG) are now included in the
HomeKit universe, including all the usual
smart home suspects, such as smart
plugs and switches, light bulbs,
thermostats, motorized window shades,
and more.
The centerpiece of HomeKit is its
centralized control through the iOS Home
app, which is now standard on all iPhones
and iPads (and is now part of MacOS as
well). Through Home, you have access to
all your HomeKit-compatible devices
(Accessories), which can be separated by

room and assigned to Scenes (in which a
number of devices are controlled
simultaneously with a single tap) or
controlled via Automations (for basic
scheduling or as responses to trigger
events). Devices that appear in the Home
can also be controlled via Siri voice
commands, either through an iOS device
or a newer Apple TV (third-generation or
later) or HomePod smart speaker.
In a nutshell, Home works a lot like any
other smart home control app, except that
it is not tied to a specific vendor’s product.
If your devices are set up through
HomeKit, they’ll appear in the Home app.
You can also add compatible devices to
your HomeKit network after the fact, and
that won’t prevent you from using those
same devices in other smart
home ecosystems.

to work on making the necessary
connections. This process has changed a
bit over the years, but now it is generally
quite streamlined, and I’ve found that
HomeKit devices—for the most part—set
up quickly and seamlessly.
HomeKit devices can connect to your
phone for setup via either Bluetooth or
Wi-Fi. You don’t necessarily need an
internet connection to get a HomeKit
device up and running, but it certainly
helps smooth out the process.
HomeKit setup can often be confusing
to novices because nearly every smart
home device maker also makes its own
app that can be used to set up the device.
Instructions vary—wildly—from brand to
brand on this front. Some will direct you to

HOW DOES HOMEKIT
SETUP WORK?
HomeKit setup is easily its
biggest strength. For most
products, setup involves using
your iPhone to scan a QR
code printed on the smart
device (or affixed via a sticker).
Sometimes the QR code
appears on the device’s
packaging or manual. Once
the device is scanned and
powered up, your phone gets

A best practice is to create rooms and assign your smart
home devices to them, so you can see and control
everything at a glance.
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 57

FEATURE

GUI D E TO A P P L E H OMEKIT

start with the brand’s app, then switch over
to Home at some point, and then switch
back to the brand’s app to complete setup.
Most of the time you can ignore the
brand’s app altogether and just set things
up in Home directly. Or you can ignore
Home and just use the official app. Once
setup is complete, you can generally use
both apps to control the device, although
that can present new challenges.

HOW DO I INTERACT WITH
HOMEKIT DEVICES?

apps for things like firmware updates on
some devices, and many of these apps
offer added features that the iOS Home
app lacks (such as the ability to
dynamically tune smart-bulb color
temperature over the course of a day).
While you can interact directly with a
device via your phone, the real value of
HomeKit comes from having a hub inside
your house. Today, lots of devices can
serve as a hub, including an AppleTV
(fourth-generation or later), either of the
HomePod speaker models, or an old iPad
you have lying around (provided it doesn’t
leave the house and is never turned off). A
few other devices (fave.co/3CfRYdx),
including the Lutron Caséta Smart Bridge
and the Insteon Hub Pro, can bridge the
gap between smart home device and

As noted above, the big idea is that you
interact with your HomeKit devices in the
iOS Home app, but you can also use the
device’s sanctioned app to do the same
thing. In fact, in most brand-developed
apps, you will not only find that brand’s
devices, but HomeKit-compatible
devices developed by other
brands as well. This can quickly
get confusing if you have a
complicated, multivendor setup,
and it can create challenges if,
say, you set up automations or
schedules in both apps. When
those schedules conflict, results
can be unpredictable, so it’s best
to stick to one app for controlling
operations whenever possible.
Note that the official vendor
apps for your devices should still For smart bulbs, you can adjust brightness, color, and
be installed: You’ll need these
color temperature for each scene you wish to set up.
58 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

HomeKit, but they won’t allow
you to control your HomeKit
devices when you’re away
from home. So if you’re intent
on building a HomeKitenabled home today, you’re
best off sticking with an Apple
device as the hub.
Without a HomeKit hub,
you can control your devices
only when your phone is on
the same local network (or
within Bluetooth range, if the
device supports it). The hub
The $99 HomePod mini was an important addition to the
works by bridging your
HomeKit ecosystem, but Apple’s least-expensive smart
HomeKit devices to your
speaker still costs twice as much as the competition.
router, then on to the
internet. With a hub you can interact
Google Home. You can create some
directly with devices when you’re away, as
version of rooms, scenes, and
well as enable geofencing features such
automations with each of these platforms,
as turning on the lights automatically when
too. And as with those other platforms,
you get home. If you don’t have a hub and
products that support HomeKit are
you launch the Home app on your phone
increasingly advertised as such, with a
when you’re not home, your devices will
“Works with Apple HomeKit” logo
appear as unresponsive.
appearing on the packaging.
The primary difference to consider is
HOW DOES HOMEKIT DIFFER
support: All four platforms support
FROM ALEXA, GOOGLE
different vendors’ products, so you’ll
ASSISTANT, SMARTTHINGS,
need to consider carefully which devices
AND OTHER ECOSYSTEMS?
you already own or intend to purchase if
HomeKit has several similarities with
you’re interested in building your smart
these platforms, including support for the
home around one of these platforms. For
products of multiple vendors and the
example, SmartThings is the only platform
voice control features of Alexa and
that supports Z-Wave devices. Alexa and
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SmartThings both
support Zigbee devices.
All four platforms
support Wi-Fi and
Bluetooth devices—but
again, compatibility is
determined on a
product-by-product
basis, not just the
wireless standard it
uses. (You’ll also find
that some vendors sell
one version of a
product with HomeKit
support and one
Each of your smart home devices is represented by an
appropriate control interface.
without, adding even
more to the confusion.)
IS HOMEKIT COMPATIBLE
As well, Alexa and Google Home
WITH OTHER PLATFORMS?
products are more than just smart home
For the most part, yes. You can have
platforms, built primarily around their
HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Home all
voice-enabled smart speakers. You can
operating in the same household and all
ask Siri to set a timer or play music for
interacting with the same devices,
you, but these are features of iOS, not
presuming they have the necessary
HomeKit. Similarly, Alexa’s Skills system is
support. (And remember, almost all
nowhere to be found in HomeKit.
HomeKit devices will come with their own
Increasingly, HomeKit has been moving in
brand-created app as well.)
this direction with the launch of the
Problems can arise if you use different
HomePod, but that device is hardly as an
platforms to do the same thing. Theoretically
essential part of the HomeKit ecosystem
you could connect one device to four or five
the way an Amazon Echo is to Alexa.
different apps and use each of them to
Another major difference is, of course,
create a control schedule for that device.
HomeKit’s reliance on Apple products. If
But this would of course be a catastrophic
you’re a diehard Android user, HomeKit’s
mess and is not recommended.
probably not for you.
60 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

That said, it’s common for busier smart
homes to include more than one of these
platforms to control products that are not
compatible with the others. But,
increasingly and thankfully, broad
compatibility with multiple platforms is
becoming commonplace.

DO I NEED AN iOS DEVICE TO
USE HOMEKIT?
Yes. And to take advantage of all of
HomeKit’s features, you need more than
just an iPhone or iPad. If you want to use
your HomeKit device away from your
home, you need a hub as described above.
Again, while you need an iOS device to
use the features of HomeKit, you can still
use a HomeKit device without an iPhone.
You simply must use the vendor’s official

app to interact with the device—or another
third-party platform, such as Alexa, Google
Home, or SmartThings if the device is
compatible with one of those systems.

I’M AN ANDROID USER. WHAT
CAN I DO WITH HOMEKIT?
In a word: Nothing—at least not with your
smartphone. HomeKit works only with the
Home app, and the Home app is only
available on iOS devices. And there’s
probably no hope that this situation will
change anytime soon.
Now, as described above, if you use
Android and a device supports HomeKit,
that does not mean you can’t use the
device with your phone. You simply won’t
be able to use HomeKit to set it up and
manage it—unless you do so on an iPad.
Instead, Android users
should have no problem
using the brand’s official
smartphone app to set up
and manage the product.

HOW SECURE
IS HOMEKIT?

You’ll want an Apple product that can act as a HomeKit hub,
such as the Apple TV 4K shown here. A fourth-gen Apple TV
will also work, as will an Apple HomePod or a spare iPad.

HomeKit data is fully
encrypted both at rest and
in transit, and since Apple
must approve every
device that’s in the
HomeKit ecosystem, the
platform is as secure as
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any other smart home platform. (Alexa
and Google Home both encrypt data in a
similar fashion.)
In 2019, Apple announced a new
feature called HomeKit Secure Video
(fave.co/3Ci1n4i), which allows HomeKitenabled cameras to use iCloud for video
storage. Naturally, there are heightened
security concerns regarding cloud-based
video storage and streaming as
compared with, say, controlling a light
switch or thermostat over the internet, so
Apple has been careful to ensure that
HomeKit Secure Video streams are
encrypted from end to end. Ring just
introduced the same capability for its
security cameras (fave.co/3jl8h0j), but
Apple offers the privacy advantage of
performing any video analysis on your
local HomeKit hub.

Additional security measures are also
available in HomeKit Secure Video, such as
the ability to restrict access to streams
based on user and time of day. Apple has
pointed out that even the company doesn’t
have access to view your recordings.

HOW RELIABLE IS HOMEKIT?

Although the setup process is usually
amazing, in this reviewer’s experience,
HomeKit reliability during day-to-day use is
actually fairly middling, and it’s my least
favorite platform to use for control and
automations. I encounter more problems
with HomeKit losing its connection to
devices, failing to start or stop
automations, and generally not working as
expected than I do on other platforms.
I’ve found the geofencing features on
HomeKit to be particularly erratic, and the
interface isn’t terribly
friendly, either. That said, no
smart home platform has
come up with a perfect
interface or flawless
operational record yet, so
many of these criticisms also
apply to other platforms. But
while HomeKit and all
products in this industry
continue to evolve and
improve, at present my
interactions with HomeKit
HomeKit now supports several brands of motorized smart
shades, including the Lutron Serena shades shown here.
have been a bit lacking. ■
62 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

for some, feeling

LEFT OUT
lasts more than a moment.

We can change that.
We’ve all had moments where we’ve felt we didn’t belong. But
for people who moved to this country, that feeling lasts more
than a moment. Together, we can build a better community.
Learn how at BelongingBeginsWithUs.org

FEATURE

HELP!

TROUBLESHOOTIN
FOR WHEN

64 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

IMAGE: PEXELS

NG TIPS
YOUR MAC
WON’T WORK
BY ROMAN LOYOLA

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 65

FEATURE

TR O UB LE S H OOTING TIP S FOR MAC

T

he Mac is one of the most
reliable PCs you can buy, which
is probably why there’s a
heightened sense of anxiety
when you press the power button and
nothing happens. But take a deep breath.
When your Mac won’t start, there are a
number of reasons why, and most likely it’s
an easy fix. Apple has a support document
(fave.co/3jntdDD) with advice on what to
do when your Mac won’t turn on, but we’re
going to give you a little more detail and a
few more things to check. So be sure to
hold onto this article for when it inevitably
happens again.
66 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Before we start, let this be a lesson to
keep a backup. Whether you use a cloud
service, store important files on iCloud
Drive, or use Time Machine with an
external drive, you’ll want to make sure
you’ve backed up your personal stuff that
isn’t already in a cloud—local documents,
files, movies, music, and so on. That way
you won’t lose it even if you need to wipe
your Mac and start over.

YOUR MAC WON’T POWER UP
Make sure it’s not actually on
If you press the power button and nothing
happens, it might actually already be on. It

sounds silly, but when the battery is
drained, the Mac goes into a hibernation
mode, and it can be tough to tell if it’s
actually on or not. Listen for fan noise
(though even Macs with fans are pretty
quiet when they aren’t doing anything),
and check for light indicators, such as the
backlighting on a MacBook keyboard or
the Touch Bar on a MacBook Pro.
Also look at the display. If it’s a deep
black, the screen is definitely off, but if the
color is more like an extremely dark gray
that’s close to black but not quite, it’s on.
You can tell by checking the contrast
between the black bezel and the display
on a MacBook or iMac—it should blend
seamlessly if it’s powered down. If you’re
using an external display, look for a power
indicator LED on the front, and check that
the cable connection is secure.
If you’ve determined that
your Mac is actually on and not
responding, you can try the old
panacea: a restart. If you don’t
know how to do that, see below.

have a MacBook that you move around a
lot. When I use my MacBook Pro on my lap
while it is charging, sometimes the
Thunderbolt power adapter becomes
slightly unplugged and I don’t even realize
it. If it’s been unplugged and the battery is
dead, see above.
The power adapter in the wall. If
you’re not using an extension cable, the
weight of the MacBook power adapter
could cause it to fall out of a power socket.
Also, the power adapter brick can
somehow get disconnected from the
prong module—that happened to me
recently while moving things around for
the cable guy. If you have a desktop Mac,
it may have become unplugged while
moving your desk.
The power strip or UPS. If your Mac is
plugged in to a power strip or UPS, check

Check your connections
Beyond asking, “Is it plugged
in?” we have a few more
obvious issues that can often fix
startup problems.
The USB cable to the Mac.
This can sometimes get
knocked loose, especially if you

Modules generally stay well on the power adapter, but it
is possible for them to slide out of place.
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to make sure that it hasn’t been switched
off or unplugged.
The outlet. It seems too obvious to
mention, but blackouts and blown fuses
can happen, and during daylight hours you
may not notice. As I write this on an
unplugged MacBook Pro, the TV LED light
is the only clear and immediate indication I
can find in the room that the power is on,
so if the power went out, I wouldn’t know
until I looked at the TV. You could check
your circuit breaker or fuse box. Also,
check the power outlet itself by plugging
in something else.

Check the cables and peripherals
If you’ve determined that power is
available and everything is plugged in, try
to isolate the problem.
Try a different power cable or adapter.
Cables can get tweaked, and power
adapters can be rendered useless after a
power surge. If you don’t have a spare, ask
a friend.
Disconnect peripherals. It’s possible
that something attached to your Mac is
disrupting the boot process. Disconnect
anything that’s not needed to run your
Mac: printers, external nonboot storage,
cameras, and so on. (You can leave your
mouse and keyboard connected, as well
as the display on desktop Macs.) If you’re
using a Mac Pro, make sure the internal
components are seated properly.
68 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Plug in your MacBook and wait a few
minutes. If you’re trying to boot a
MacBook using battery power, maybe the
battery is drained. Let it charge for a few
minutes, then try booting again.

Cycle the power
You have power and all the connections
are good. You can try performing a power
cycle, which essentially forces your Mac to
restart the boot process. Here’s how to do
a power cycle.
MacBook: Press and hold down the
power button for 10 seconds. The
MacBook might make a squeal, and then it
will shut down if it’s on. Press the power
button again to turn it on.
Desktop Mac: Hold down the power
button for 10 seconds. Then unplug the
Mac for another 10 seconds before
plugging it back in. Press the power button
to turn it back on.

YOUR MAC TURNS ON BUT
WON’T BOOT
If a normal startup is unsuccessful, you
need to restart in Safe Mode again and
see if you can check for any macOS and
software updates, since there’s likely an
issue with the OS. If everything’s up to
date, there are a few more fixes to try.
Reset the NVRAM/PRAM. This is for
Intel Macs only; NVRAM on M1 Macs (fave.
co/2WTGnAV) works differently and

Reset the SMC.
This is also for Intel
Macs only; M1 Macs
do not have system
management
controllers (SMCs).
And the way to
reset the SMC
depends on the
type of Intel Mac
you have.
> Intel
MacBooks with a
T2: Turn off the
If the icon on the left appears during Mac startup, that means the
laptop. For 7
operating system on the startup device isn’t compatible. The icon
seconds, hold
on the right means the startup device has not been detected or the
installed system software is no longer working.
down the Control
and Option keys on
the left side of the keyboard, plus the Shift
doesn’t have an easy way for resetting.
key on the right side. (The Mac may turn
The Mac uses NVRAM and PRAM for quick
on.) After those 7 seconds have elapsed,
access to system settings. It’s possible that
keep those keys pressed, and press and
a setting here got corrupted, so a reset
hold the power button for another 7
may help fix things.
seconds. (The Mac may turn off.) Release
To reset the NVRAM and PRAM, turn
the keys and then turn on the Mac if it’s off.
off your Mac. Then, as you turn the Mac
> Intel MacBooks without a T2: Turn off
on, hold down Command+Option+P+R.
the laptop. On the left side of the
Keep holding down those keys until you
keyboard, hold down the Shift, Control,
notice that the Mac restarts and the Apple
and Option keys, and then press and hold
logo appears.
down the power button for 10 seconds.
After the Mac completes its startup,
Turn on the laptop.
you’ll need to go into System Preferences
> Intel desktop Mac with or without a
and make some adjustments to the sound
T2: Turn off the Mac and then unplug the
volume, screen resolution, and other
power cable. After 15 seconds, plug the
settings until they’re to your liking.
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cable in, and then wait 5 seconds. Power
up the Mac.

Fix the firmware
If you’ve followed all of the steps here and
your Mac still won’t start up, the problem
could lie within the firmware. If you have
another Mac, you can try connecting the
two together and performing a revive or
restore. We have complete instructions
(fave.co/3AaZPHK) for both Intel and M1
Macs in a separate article, but all you’ll
need is a USB-C data cable.

Boot into Safe Mode

activating Safe Mode depends on the Mac
you are using:
> Intel-based Macs: Turn off the Mac.
Then power it on while holding down the
Shift key. You can release Shift when the
login window appears (you may have to
log in twice). At the login window, you
should see Safe Boot in the upper right
corner of the screen.
> M1-based Macs: Turn off the Mac.
Hold down the power button for 10
seconds when you power it on, and the
release the button when the startup
options window appears. Select your
startup disk (usually your storage device
on the left), then hold down the Shift key
while you click Continue in Safe Mode.
You can release the Shift key when the

You’re able to turn on your Mac. Progress!
But if your Mac won’t start up all the way,
you’ll still need to do some work to get it
working again.
Safe Mode (fave.
co/3fxn9aD) is a
boot process where
the Mac uses only
what’s necessary to
start up—it doesn’t
load login items,
optional system
extensions, and nonmacOS fonts. It also
clears out system
caches and checks
your startup disk for
problems. The
If the Mac successfully boots into Safe Mode, you can try immediately
method for
restarting the Mac again and see if it will start up normally.
70 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

login window appears. Log in to the
Mac (you might have to perform this
process twice).
If the Mac successfully boots into
Safe Mode, you can try immediately
restarting the Mac again and see if it
will startup normally. If it does, the
problem might only be temporarily
fixed. We recommend checking your
login items—the apps and services
that automatically launch at startup.
To check your software login items,
go to System Preferences → Users &
Groups → Login Items. You’ll need to
go through the process of isolating
These are the main tools you can access when you
boot into macOS Recovery.
what software is problematic by
unchecking items, restarting,
startup disk and a gear icon called
checking an item, restarting, and repeating.
Options. Click Options.
After performing the boot procedure
Boot into macOS Recovery
above, the Mac will ask for a password,
Disk Utility. If you’ve reached this step,
and after you enter it, you’ll see a window
there’s likely a fairly large problem with
with four options. Click Disk Utility, which
your Mac, but it’s not hopeless yet. When
will launch the Disk Utility app. Now follow
you boot into Recovery mode, you can
the instructions below to repair your
access Disk Utility, among other things. In
startup disk.
this situation, you use Disk Utility to repair
1. Press Command+2 to Show All
any issues with your startup drive. Here
Devices. The left column shows all the
are the instructions.
> Intel Macs: Turn off the Mac. Hold
storage devices connected to your Mac,
down Command+R and turn on the Mac,
starting with the startup device.
and keep holding down those keys.
Underneath each device you’ll see
> M1 Macs: Turn off the Mac. Press and
submenus for each volume it has.
hold down the power button until you see
2. Select the last volume that appears
your startup options, which will be your
for the startup device. Then click the First
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erase your disk entirely
to install macOS.
On M1 Macs you’ll be
using Big Sur, but Intel
Macs might be a little
trickier. Instead of the
Command-R keystroke
above, you can boot into
macOS Recovery over
the Internet using two
methods. If you haven’t
Clicking the First Aid button in Disk Utility will help repair your
Mac’s startup disk.
updated the OS, use
Shift-Option-Command-R
Aid button at the top. You’ll need to
during startup to find the version of macOS
confirm the task by clicking Run in the
that came with your Mac, or the closest
pop-up that appears. You’ll also need to
one still available. You can also press
enter a password.
Option-Command-R during startup to get
3. When the task is done, select the
the latest macOS that is compatible with
next volume above, and run First Aid
your Mac, assuming you’ve been keeping
again. Keep doing this up the chain until
up with updates.
you’ve done the whole device.
4. Restart your Mac.
CALL APPLE SUPPORT
If, after all that, the Mac still won’t
Reinstall macOS
complete its startup process, it’s time to
You’ve reached the nuclear option, which
contact Apple support. Before you do so,
is to reinstall macOS. Boot into macOS
note any key points of behavior the
Recovery (as described above) and select
Mac exhibits while trying to start up, such
Reinstall macOS, which will launch the
as when pauses occur, when the startup
macOS installer that leads you through
stalls, any unusual things that show up
the process. It’ll take about an hour or so,
on the screen, and so forth. This
and you should be able to reinstall the
information can help Apple support
Library and important bits without losing
diagnose your problem. You can either
any of your data. However, if the system
call, chat online, or make an appointment
can’t read your disk, you may need to
at an Apple retail store. ■
72 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

My kid would never vape.

More than 5 million
American kids vape.
Which means, they’re being set
up for a lifetime of addiction.
Good students. Athletes.
Kids who’d never smoke
regular cigarettes.
All types of kids.
Maybe even yours.
Talk to your kid about vaping.
Start by getting the facts at

TalkAboutVaping.org

FEATURE

FIVE APPLE T
ORIGINALS TO

AFTER THE ‘TED LASSO
74 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

IMAGE: APPLE

TV+
O WATCH

APPLE TV+
IS DEEPER
THAN YOU
MIGHT THINK.
BY JASON
CROSS

O’ SEASON 2 PREMIERE
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 75

FEATURE

5 A P P LE TV + OR IGINA L S

W

hen Apple TV+ (fave.
co/3yklaxM) launched in
the fall of 2019, Apple really
tried to generate a
breakout hit for its streaming TV service. It
loaded up the premiere with big-budget
shows featuring big-name talent. The
opening slate was solid, but nothing really
caught fire with the public.
Then along came Ted.
Ted Lasso, which seemed like a
“second-tier” show, is headlined by Jason
Sudeikis (not exactly a huge star). It’s all
about a popular Midwestern football coach
who goes to the U.K. to serve as head coach
for a Premier League soccer team. You
know, the other kind of football. The one
Coach Lasso knows nothing at all about.
It’s a pretty standard fish-out-of-water
concept that had plenty going against it.
76 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

“American in Britain” tropes are old and
stale. Feel-good sports dramas are sort of
hackneyed. And nobody in the U.S. knows
or cares about soccer. Oh, and the show is
relentlessly optimistic and positive. Ew!
So it caught everyone by surprise
when it turned out to be good. Really
good. “I dare you not to like this show”
good. “You don’t have to care about
sports” good. Suddenly Apple TV+ has its
first real breakout hit, and the second
season of it premiered on July 23.
At only $4.99 a month, you may have
signed up for Apple TV+ just to watch this
Ted Lasso show everyone keeps
mentioning. Or maybe you let your trial
lapse and are coming back for Coach Lasso
and the boys of AFC Richmond. Whether
you’re done with Ted Lasso or are looking
for other things to watch while you wait for

1.
the next episode to drop, we have some
suggestions for Apple TV+ content that is
worth your time (in alphabetical order).

1. THE BANKER
This film, based on a true story, tells the
tale of Bernard Garrett and Joe Morris,
who hatched a plan to circumvent
redlining (fave.co/3ftSWtd) in the 1960s by
hiring a white man to pose as the face of
their real-estate and banking empire, so
that they could help African Americans get
loans and own property.
It’s a little timid
with its subject
matter, but the
performances by
Anthony Mackie,
Samuel L. Jackson,
and Nicholas Hoult
are strong enough to
make the movie
shine. It’s also
2.
beautifully shot and

briskly paced, the very definition of “an easy
watch.” This film is about a practice in recent
American history that more people should
know about, and it’s a very entertaining way
to do that.
Watch The Banker here: fave.
co/3fu3QPz.

2. FOR ALL MANKIND
The concept is simple and compelling: In
1969, the Soviet Union successfully lands
a cosmonaut on the moon, before the
United States does. This bolsters the

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 77

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5 A P P LE TV + OR IGINA L S

U.S.S.R. space program and puts the U.S.
on its back foot, resulting in a continued
space race that runs for decades and
greatly impacts world history. The first
season of For All Mankind follows NASA
throughout the 1970s, and ends with the
establishment of a permanent base on the
moon. The second season picks up a
decade later in the 1980s, and is even
better than the first.
This series has great special effects
and high-stakes drama, with a top-notch
ensemble cast. It’s the kind of thing you
don’t have to be a space buff to
appreciate, but fans of space, alternate
history, and hard sci-fi will love it.
Watch For All Mankind here: fave.
co/3xsDfbz.

morning news show and the seismic
changes it undergoes when its beloved
anchor gets caught up in a sexual
misconduct scandal and is replaced by an
impulsive reporter.
It has by far the most star power of any
Apple TV+ show. Jennifer Aniston, Reese
Witherspoon, and Steve Carell all deliver
fantastic performances, and Billy Crudup
won an Emmy for his supporting role.
The Morning Show is gripping, smart,
fast-paced, and very timely. Production of
the second season was delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, but now its premiere
is just around the corner on September 17.
Watch The Morning Show here: fave.
co/3Cd1XQV.

4. MYTHIC QUEST
3. THE MORNING SHOW
This was the marquee show for the launch
of Apple TV+: a hard-hitting drama about a

3.

78 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

A workplace comedy about a game
development studio? Frankly, it sounds like
it’s the kind of thing you have to be a bit of
a nerd to
appreciate. But
while it helps to at
least have a
passing familiarity
with video games
or gamer culture,
it’s definitely not
required. At its
heart, Mythic Quest
is what all good
workplace

5. TRYING

4
comedies are: a group of extreme
personalities under pressure to work
together.
The series starts off pretty well, but
gets very good around episode 5 of the
first season. The second season can’t
quite keep up the quality of the first, but is
still worth watching.
Ted Lasso is a half-hour comedy with
heart, one where you can root for almost
everyone. Mythic Quest isn’t quite on Ted
Lasso’s level, but it
fills that same role.
It also deserves
mention as the
only TV show
we’ve seen that
has made a good
remote-shot
pandemic episode.
Watch Mythic
Quest here: fave.
5.
co/3lujDBz.

Ted Lasso is an
upbeat comedy
about an American
in the U.K. If you
prefer your comedy
a little bit darker
and down-to-earth,
and your British
series a little more
British, check out
Trying. In it, Nikki and Jason decide to give
up on a long-shot IVF treatment and adopt.
They have to navigate the complex and
difficult adoption process, and their lives
are sometimes a bit of a mess.
It’s another “comedy with heart” that,
while completely different than Ted Lasso,
can easily scratch that itch until another
season arrives. There are two seasons of
Trying already, with a third on the way.
Watch Trying here: fave.co/3ftTH5x. ■

SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 79

“ Everything was always very tidy.
Then my family noticed how
disorganized I had become.”
—Theresa, living with Alzheimer’s

When something feels different,
it could be Alzheimer’s.
Now is the time to talk.
Visit

alz.org/ourstories
to learn more

WORKINGMAC

Tips, tricks, and tools to make you and
your Mac or iOS device more productive

How to make use of typographic
refinement in Pages and other
macOS software
Apple has built in many features for tweaking type and adding flourishes—but they’re a bit
hard to find and understand.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

W

ell-drawn type has been
integral to the Mac since
the very start. Steve Jobs,
who famously adored a
calligraphy course in college, insisted that
IMAGE: FLORIAN PIRCHER FROM PIXABAY

the Mac use “real” fonts, something made
possible by the company’s early
partnership with Adobe Systems. From
1984 through the present day, Mac
operating systems have always let you use
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 81

WORKINGMAC

HOW TO MA KE TY P OGR A P H IC R EFINEME N TS

typefaces that look great—as well as those
designed poorly, to be fair—but the
features associated with type aren’t always
well exposed.
Apple has over several years
gradually and quietly added support for
refinement available by accessing
features in OpenType, the standard way
in which font files are created for digital
use. Cracking open the Fonts palette in
Pages and other Apple software (as well
as some third-party apps or their
alternative controls) can let you make
routine documents look a little spiffier and
more legible, and add flourishes to ones
that could use some pizzazz.
(By the way, a typeface is generally
defined in modern days as the general
appearance and characteristics of a set of

characters meant to work together across
all its weights and styles, like Roman,
oblique, italic, bold, extralight, condensed,
and so on. A font is the part of a typeface
that you act on, whether it’s metal type
from the letterpress era gone by or a font
file that contains the digital outlines used
to draw type onscreen and on printers.)
Not all fonts include OpenType extras,
but many do. On sites that sell or offer
high-quality typefaces, you can often find
more detail about what features they
include. Google has released its own free
typefaces and distributes others through
Google Fonts (fave.co/2RR98fm), where
the description usually makes it clear how
built out the face is.
Some font foundries provide even
more insight. P22 Type Foundry (fave.
co/3lvaMQb), for
example, has a
Glyphs tab for each
font that lets you
examine every
character—known as
a “glyph”—in each
weight and style of its
faces. But it also has
an OpenType
Features drop-down
menu that appears if
the typeface or
particular font has any
P22 Type Foundry calls out OpenType features in some detail, as
well as showing all glyphs in its fonts.
special features.

82 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

You can use
macOS’s built-in
Font Book app to
see all the glyphs
in installed fonts.
Launch
Applications →
Font Book, click
All Fonts in the
upper-left corner,
select the font
you want to view, You can see all the glyphs in a font using Font Book, built into macOS.
and then choose
View → Repertoire. This reveals all the
reveal or hide it) and select Typography
characters, including any alternative ones.
from its gear menu in the upper-left corner
Use the Size field (upper-right corner) or
should display the same results.
slider (right side) to see the glyphs at a
The Typography items are all based on
larger or smaller size.
the current selection of text. Make a
change to any setting in the palette, and it
THE TYPOGRAPHY TOOL IN
applies to the range. In some cases, you
MAC APPS
will want to select individual characters or
The examples below rely on the later
small ranges—for instance, to apply small
version of Pages for macOS. However,
caps. In others, you can select your entire
nearly any app in macOS that lets you use
text run or make the change before you
the Fonts selector (press Command-T to
start typing to affect what follows—that’s

Various kinds of letters and figures in typefaces are drawn against invisible lines, with curves
dropping a little below and above them to correct for tricks of perception.
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bowls (the rounded part of the letters b, d,
and h, for instance).
> The cap height is where the top of
capital letters reach.
LINING FIGURES VERSUS
> The ascender is often slightly higher
OLD‑STYLE FIGURES
than the cap height, and it’s where the
Before charts and tables were common,
“ascenders,” or long vertical strokes of
nearly all numerals—called “figures” in
some lowercase letters, as in f, h, and l,
typography—were uppercase, lowercase,
top out.
and proportional. That requires a little
Figures were designed originally to fit
unpacking (see figure above). Type
into text-like letters, and had a sort of
appears on an invisible set of what are
lowercase look about them. The zero was
typically five horizontal lines:
a circle, like an o, though distinct; an 8 had
> The baseline is where capital or
its top bowl up at cap height; the 4 dipped
uppercase letters “sit,” as well as the
its leg below the baseline. These are now
bottom of most lowercase or small letters
known as “old-style” figures.
and numbers.
When you start using a lot of numbers
> Descenders drop below that
for financial and statistical data, they need
baseline—as in the letters p, q, and y—to a
to line up to be understandable; otherwise
common point.
your eye running down a column might
> The x-height is a midpoint, the height
mistake the 1,000s column in one line for
of the lowercase letter x and roughly the
the 10,000s in another. Thus came “lining”
top of most lowercase letters or their
figures, which each take an equal amount
of space to
line up
(monospaced)
and all of
which are
“uppercase”
—that is,
occupying the
same distance
from the
Old-style figures (and small caps for acronyms) fit the flow and “color” of text
better (left) than lining figures do (right).
baseline to
useful if you want to use old-style figures
throughout a document, as that setting
only affects the digits zero through nine.

84 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

When to use old-style
figures: Use them in the
middle of mixed-case
typing, where there are
relatively few numbers and
they don’t need to line up.
When to use lining
figures: Use them in
tables and charts, and
anywhere people need to
take in numbers at a
glance for financial or
Columns of numbers are far easier to parse if you use lining
statistical purposes. In
figures with monospacing (top) rather than old-style figures with
all-caps text, lining figures
proportional spacing (bottom).
look better, too, as oldcap height. (There were and are old-style
style figures seem as if you’d just mixed in
figures that are monospaced, too, but they
lowercase letters.
seem fussy and aren’t as legible for
SMALL CAPITALS OR
scanning numbers.)
SMALL CAPS
Old-style figures became hard to find in
While you certainly know lowercase and
the transition from metal to phototype and
uppercase, or capital, letters, you may
then into digital, because of the complexity
never have heard of “small capitals” or
of including them in limited fonts and
“small caps,” which occupy a space
accessing them on dedicated typesetting
between the two. Small caps were often
hardware and early desktop-publishing
used as a way to set off or emphasize
software. They eventually came roaring
text, including at the start of sections in
back when fonts could contain arbitrarily
books and articles, as well as to set
large amounts of glyphs.
acronyms without the awkwardness of a
How to apply old-style figures: You
run of capital letters in the middle of
can either select a range or select all the
mixed-case writing.
text in your document and use the Number
Historically, small caps were drawn
Case section of the Typography menu:
separately, just like the upper- and
choose Old-Style Figures. This setting
lowercase letters. However, optical and
applies only to figures.
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then digital typesetting allowed capital
letters to be shrunk and used as “fake”
small caps, and most desktop-publishing
and word-processing software let you
select “small capitals” and would duly
shrink the uppercase a bit.
But it never looked quite right, as the
thicks and thins of these fake small caps
didn’t resemble those of the upper- and
lowercase letters surrounding them. As
digital typefaces added small caps to their
repertoires starting decades ago (often in
typefaces labeled as “pro” versions, and
now in most complete fonts), software
didn’t entirely catch up.
For instance, in Pages, you can select
text, click the Format button and then the
Style tab, click the gear icon in the Font
area, and then select Small Caps from the
Capitalization menu. This creates fake small
caps, even if the font contains drawn ones.
How to apply small capitals: Select a
range of text and, from the Typography
menu’s Lower Case section, select Small

Capitals. Any uppercase letters in the
range will remain as full capitals.
When to use small capitals: To replace
acronyms, including things like ATM,
US-CERT, a.m., CD-ROM, and state
abbreviations such as WA or CA.
Traditionally, small caps were frequently
used in lieu of lowercase in the first line of
chapters in books.
When to avoid small capitals: Don’t
use them in long runs of text, as they’re
not designed to be read at length, just as
it’s hard to read long spans of uppercase.

LIGATURES

You know that Johannes Gutenberg likely
printed the first book with letters that could
be moved around and reused—so-called
movable type. But you might not know
that his studio produced over 200
different pieces of metal type to set his
remarkable Bible. Beyond the 24 or so
letters used in Latin at the time,
punctuation marks, and numbers, what
else did Gutenberg
require? Ligatures!
A ligature is a
combination of two or
more letters that fixes
ugly overlaps between
them or takes up less
space. Gutenberg
needed a pile of these
Drawn or “true” small caps are noticeably better than the “faked”
ones created by scaling uppercase letters.
to produce even left
86 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

particular contexts, but
often distracting for
modern readers.
How to apply
ligatures: With a range
or the whole text
selected, select
Common Ligatures or
Rare Ligatures (or both)
from the Typography
menu’s Ligatures
section. You can also
select ranges of letters
Ligatures change the flow of text and reduce awkward character
and deselect ligatures if
collisions. From top to bottom: no ligatures, modern ligatures (ffi),
you need a particular
historic ligatures (sh and ct), and ligatures containing letters that
are obsolete for modern prose (the long s).
effect. Text with
character spacing
and right margins, and to imitate the
applies—as in Pages under the gear menu
calligraphic writing of the hand-scribed
in the Font section of the Format palette—
Bibles of the day. Metal typesetters
will typically override ligatures.
needed ff, fl, ffi, ffl, and others to keep
When to use common ligatures: In
adjacent characters from crushing the
passages of text, always. In headlines or
metal “kerns”—the overhanging bits of
other forms, you may want to disable them.
otherwise narrow letters.
When to use historic ligatures: They’re
But there’s still a reason to use them
useful for particular projects, headlines, or
today: They avoid extra white spaces
other texts in which the extra flourish
between letters and keep an even flow of
makes sense.
text that aids in legibility.
SWASHES AND ALTERNATIVE
OpenType lets designers separate out
LETTERS
common ligatures, like ff and the like, and
For display uses, like headlines and larger
historic ones, like sh and ct, that were used
text, as well as drop caps, you might like to
frequently in the past but appear a little
find an alternate to the regular characters
atavistic today. The former are generally
in a font that are designed for legibility
useful; the historical ones are neat in
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when reading
passages of
text. These
swash and
Swashes, particularly on capitals like Q, can add variety and zest.
alternate
characters
> Alternatives: Selecting a character or
can add a little zest, though they attract
range and then picking one of a number of
attention. If that’s what you’re looking for,
different numbered alternatives may reveal
they’re great! It’s tempting to use these
exciting options.
everywhere, but that will turn your text into
> Alternative Stylistic Sets (checkboxes
eye-piercing mush that your intended
by character): In Monotype Sachsenwald,
audience will ignore or find illegible.
a typeface designed for German Fraktur (a
One of the absolute best alternate
style that has much in common with
capitals is Q, because it can be drawn in
“Gothic” or Old English faces), specific
several styles, particularly in italic, and
alternatives are called out by character.
some typefaces like to offer a Q with an
One or more options can be checked.
extra long tail stroke that will pass under
> Alternative Stylistic Sets (checkboxes
one, two, or even more lowercase letters.
by number): Many typefaces list one or
Because designers can choose to
more items by number, which can be
incorporate and label features in different
checked to overlay multiple different
ways, you may see different controls or
variations into the same range of text.
have to experiment with the Typography
How to apply swashes and pick
menu to find what you want:
> Contextual Alternates: Some faces
alternatives: The many options listed
offer specific checkboxes. Adobe
above will help. You can select as little
Garamond Pro lists Swash Alternatives and
as a character or as much as an entire
Contextual Swash Alternatives.
chunk of text.
When to use
swashes and
alternatives: Use them
for particular effect, such
as in a headline or drop
capital at the start of a
Some fonts call out which letters have alternatives, making it
easier to select those options.
paragraph.
88 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

SUBSCRIPTS, SUPERSCRIPTS,
AND FRACTIONS
Just like with small capitals, fonts built out
for use in setting books or text typically
include numbers drawn for use at small
sizes in superscripts (like exponents or
footnotes), subscripts (as in chemical
notations), and fractions for the numerator
(top) and denominator (bottom). These
figures are all drawn slightly smaller than
the x-height of the font they’re part of.
Fractions also require a fraction bar, which
resembles a forward-pointing slash, but is
also separately drawn.
What’s the difference among those
number types, which are all identical but in
different vertical positions? In most fonts,
these are how they look:
> Superscripts descend from the cap
height line and hang down over the
x-height.
> Subscripts hang about half above
and below.
> The denominator sits on the baseline
and rises to a bit below the x-height.
Pages, among other apps, will
automatically replace common fractions as
you type—like 1/2, 1/3, 3/8, and so on—with
single drawn characters that are part of the

font, if they exist. In other cases, you can
construct your own if the font contains
OpenType alternatives for fractions.
Pages and other software also offer a
way to create fake smaller figures for all
these purposes; in Pages, that’s in the
gear menu under Baseline in the Font
section. As with small caps, these resized
figures will look out of place, typically too
thin and gawky compared with true drawn
smaller figures.
How to use smaller figures: If fractions
are not automatically formatted, select the
entire fraction and then select Diagonal
from the Contextual Fractional Forms
section in the Typography menu. If that
doesn’t exist, try various numbered
alternates in the Alternate section. One
should create proper drawn fractions and
the fraction bar. For setting superscripts and
subscripts, select the range you want to
affect and then select the corresponding
item in the Vertical Position section.
When to use smaller figures: For most
uses in which you would use an exponent,
footnote, scientific subscript, or fraction,
you should use these smaller drawn
numbers, as they take up less space and
look correct in the flow of text. ■

Drawn fractions look terrific when the right numbers are used.
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How to start up your M1 Mac from
an external drive
It’s not as easy as it used to be, as it likely requires that you purchase new hardware.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

A

pple’s relatively new M1 Macs
that rely on Apple silicon have
a number of usability
differences from previous
Intel-based Macs. One difference that’s
tripped up some readers is how to start up
or boot the M1 Mac from an external drive.
Intel Macs generally make this easy.
You might want to use a bootable
external drive to have a higher-capacity
SSD than is offered or affordable via
90 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Apple’s pricing. Or you may want one for
backup in case something goes very pear
shaped with your M1 Mac.
Testing indicates that the following are
required to start up from an external volume:
> A Thunderbolt 3 drive. That’s not just
one that uses the USB-C connector, but
one that is a native USB 3.1 or 3.2 drive.
Nor can you use a Type A adapter for a
USB 3.0 or later drive. Success appears to
require a native Thunderbolt 3 drive.
IMAGE: PEXELS

> Erasing the drive completely, and
then formatting it as APFS.
> Obtaining a Big Sur installer, and then
installing Big Sur from your M1 Mac directly
onto the external drive. (This will allow only
an M1 Mac to boot from the drive; Intel
Macs will be unable to start up from your
M1-prepared external drive.)
Let’s expand on each point.

THUNDERBOLT 3 DRIVE
Most inexpensive external drives use a
flavor of USB 3 to connect over USB-C.
Thunderbolt 3 is generally reserved for
high-performance drives and arrays of
drives used for graphics and video
purposes. However, One World Computing
offers a specific line of lower-cost, buspowered Thunderbolt 3 SSDs. (Some
people have apparently been able to get a
USB 3 drive to work for this, but no one
has narrowed down which ones or why, so
it’s impossible to recommend this as a
course of action.)
With an SSD inside, OWC charges $199
for 480GB (fave.co/37l7GpL) and $299.75
for 1TB (fave.co/3rOjfPH). You can
purchase higher capacities, or just get its
Envoy Express enclosure (fave.
co/3loCazp), which runs $79 (fave.
co/3loCazp), to which you can add any
SSD that’s designed for the 2280 M.2
NVMe standard. (That sounds like a
mouthful, but you can search on that to

find compatible SSDs.) OWC says it
supports current capacities up to 4TB, and
is designed to support future higher
capacities, too. I opted to buy a relatively
inexpensive 500GB SSD for now (about
$75) so I could have a bootable option.

ERASE AND FORMAT AS APFS
To use Big Sur, the drive has to be
formatted as APFS. But reports indicate
that you may not be able to just change
the formatting on an existing drive, as
invisible partitions used for purposes
related to booting from an Intel drive from
a previous macOS installation on the drive
could cause issues. To avoid that, select
the drive in Disk Utility, click Erase, and
follow prompts to create a single APFS
container. This should wipe out any
conflicting data structures.

OBTAIN THE BIG SUR
INSTALLER
You have to be running Big Sur on an M1
Mac. You should be able to download the
installer directly from the Mac App Store
via this link (fave.co/3lrNZF8). Big Sur 11.1 or
later is required.

INSTALL BIG SUR ON THE
EXTERNAL DRIVE
Launch the Big Sur installer and select the
external drive as the target. Follow the
prompts and steps. When your Mac
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(Catalina and Big Sur invisibly
divide a macOS into a volume
containing system files and a
volume with your user data; the
data volume may not unmount
correctly.) You might prefer to
shut down at that point in the
process, unplug the external
drive, and start up again.
You can also use recovery
mode to change the startup
The startup screen for recovery mode on an M1 Mac lets
disk. This is a bit more
you pick an alternative startup drive.
complicated with an M1 Mac.
restarts, it will boot from the external drive
With an Intel one, you could
to complete the installation.
simply hold down the Option key while
If you want to make this drive a
restarting and select a drive (unless you
bootable clone, Bombich Software, maker
had turned on certain security settings, in
of Carbon Copy Cloner (fave.co/2VuKEtD),
which case you had to use recovery
recommends you first clone your data
mode to disable them).
volume (which its software can do), and
Here’s how you change the startup
then install Big Sur after that.
drive from recovery mode with an M1 Mac:
1. If macOS is running, you need to
RESTART FROM YOUR
shut down. A restart doesn’t work. Select
INTERNAL DRIVE OR
 → Shut Down.
SWITCH BETWEEN
2. When you see your Mac has
To get back to your internal drive as the
powered down, hold down the power
startup volume, you can open the Startup
button until you see a prompt that says
Disk preference pane while macOS is
“Loading startup options.”
running on the external drive and select
3. When the Options icon appears, you
the internal drive. Then click Restart.
will also see a list of volumes next to it that
You’ll have to unmount the external
you can select. Select the volume that you
drive after the restart is complete, and
want to start up from.
some people have reported that Big Sur
4. Click Continue, and the Mac restarts
says one of its partitions remains in use.
from that volume. ■
92 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

How to fix the wrong permissions
on several files in macOS
If the way in which a bunch of files can be handled on your Mac has gone astray, there’s
an easy fix.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

M

acOS is Unix at its heart, and
Unix thrives on “ownership”
and “permissions.” These
are attributes attached to
every file and folder that describe which
users and groups have the right to perform
what actions on them: read or view,
modify, delete, or, in the case of folders,
also see the contents, remove items, and
add items.
The Finder mediates access to
permission (it calls them Privileges in
IMAGE: APPLE

some places), and manages a number of
Apple-specific attributes we rarely need
to know about. But sometimes things go
out of joint, and the Finder can help set
them right. One reader noted that after
several transitions, they had a mass of
files marked as “Read only.” Even though
their user account “owned” these files, it
was still a one-at-a-time override situation
for them to interact with those files—and a
constant hassle. Fortunately, the solution
is very straightforward.
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F I X T H E W R ONG P ER MISSIONS ON FIL ES I N M ACOS

Get Info lets
you change
permissions
recursively for
folders (every
nested item) or
for groups of
items.

For files organized in a folder or set of
nested folders:
1. In the Finder, select the top folder in
the set of files and folders that you want
to modify.
2. Choose File → Get Info or press
Command-I.
3. In the Sharing & Permissions section,
click the lock icon located in the lowerright corner and then enter the appropriate
account password.
4. Change permissions as you wish,
such as turning the owner’s Privilege—here
labeled “glenn (Me)”—to Read & Write from
the popup menu to the right of the name.
5. From the gear menu below that list,
select Apply to Enclosed Items and then
confirm your choice.
94 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

6. macOS recursively applies this new
permission, which means it sets every file
and folder nested within the select folder
to the new permission.
For files and folders that are
scattered: You can change their
permissions as a group, but only by
selecting either files or folders in a pass.
If you have both files and folders, you
have to select first all the files and then
all the folders.
Follow these steps:
1. In the Finder, select all the disparate
files or folders (but not both) using Finder
selection tools. (Shift-click adds files to
selection and Command-click toggles in
from your selection.)
2. While holding the Option key, select
File → Get Info or press CommandOption-I. This brings up the special
contextual Get Info dialog that reflects the
current Finder selection. (With multiple
items selected, it has the very literal title
Multiple Item Info.)
3. In the Sharing & Permissions
section, click the lock icon at the lowerright corner and enter the appropriate
account password.
4. Change permissions as you wish.
If the permission changes require
access to folders outside your user
account, you will be prompted for an
administrator password. Otherwise, they
are immediately applied. ■

Tripp Lite AVR900U UPS:
This uninterruptible power supply
has the wrong set of features
It’s a quality product, but not the right choice for computers or home network gear.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

T

he 12-outlet Tripp Lite AVR900U
is the wrong intersection of
perfectly fine separate features
in an otherwise well-made
model. Its reasonable battery size could
support a tricked-out computer system
with multiple displays and peripherals for a
IMAGE: TRIPP LITE

few to several minutes during a power
outage. The line-interactive approach
incorporated in its design provides fast
power switchover (as quick as a few
milliseconds), along with constant power
conditioning to correct for minor fluctuations
without wearing out the internal battery.
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On the other hand, the
AVR900U relies on simulated
power switching instead of a “pure”
sine wave. That means it’s not the
right choice for computers with
active power factor correction (PFC).
A simulated, or stepped, sine wave
fed into an active PFC power supply
can cause a high-pitched whine and
prematurely wear its components or
The Tripp Lite AVR900U has a generous number of
even cause it to fail.
outlets: six that provide both battery backup and surge
protection, and six that provide surge protection only.
Active PFC power supplies are
more efficient than previous designs,
your broadband modem, Wi-Fi gateway,
and also allow voltage adaptive for
and other solid-state communications gear
worldwide sales. But they’re finicky about
power specs to figure total power
the smoothness of the alternating current
required.) Its generous 12 outlets are split
fed into them, and it’s not worth the price of
into one set of six backed by surge
repairing your computer rather than buying
protection only and another six that are
a better-suited UPS with a pure sine-wave
additionally shored up by line conditioning
output that’s as smooth as utility power.
and the battery. Two outlets on either side
For about $40 more, you can instead
are 1.75 inches apart from four grouped
purchase the CyberPower CP850PFCLCD
tightly in the center, the better to add
(fave.co/3ClGhCq), a line-interactive UPS
that also has a pure sine-wave output and
DC-adapter “wall warts.”
similar power capacity. (We reviewed the
But for the AVR900U’s price, the
slightly higher-capacity CyberPower
line-interactive power conditioning that
CP1000PFCLCD [fave.co/2WEYXfR], which
comes at a premium isn’t worth it. Instead,
is in same series of UPS models.)
consider a UPS with a standby design,
The AVR900U might be right to power
which is perfectly fine for networking gear
home-networking gear in the event of
that doesn’t have spinning drives or picky
power outages, as its battery could
power supplies. A standby UPS might tap
support about a combined 20W of
its battery more frequently if local power is
equipment power draw for up to two hours
routinely erratic, dipping below or above
and 100W for up to 30 minutes. (Check
standard voltage. If you have those issues
96 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

in your area and want to use a UPS to
Java. You can, however, use automatic
solve them while backing up network
restart, scheduled, and other built-in UPS
hardware, the price premium is worthwhile.
features found in Windows and macOS
I don’t recommend the AVR900U in
without installing the software.
any use case, not because of any flaw in
Tripp Lite doesn’t include warranty
the product itself, but because it doesn’t
information in the box, but the packaging
scratch the right itch. Other products from
says a $100,000 and 3-year warranty is
Tripp Lite and other UPS makers have a
included. The manual has a link to product
better mix of features that intersect
registration and generic warranty details;
usefully. For instance, we like the Tripp Lite
you apparently don’t get the specifics of
SmartPro SMC1000T (fave.co/3lww6oF), a
the warranty for your unit until you register.
600W unit ideal for computer-system
Only the original purchaser is
power conditioning and support.
covered, and claims must be filed with 30
The AVR900U has a variety of other
days of an incident. Tripp Lite’s insurance
minor flaws. It lacks a fairly standard
notes that it could offer to repair up to
multipurpose electrical fault detector for
$100,000 of damaged equipment, but it
grounds, shorts, and other issues
might replace it on a “pro rata” basis,
indicating an electrical wiring problem that
which I interpret to mean its depreciated
should have you on the phone to an
current value instead of its actual
electrician immediately. It’s a
replacement cost.
good feature for installing a
mmm
new UPS or noticing if there’s a
BOTTOM LINE
Tripp Lite AVR900U
PROS
problem over time.
Tripp Lite turned the dials on its
• Affordable for
It also lacks programmable
product matrix incorrectly
line-interactive power
backup.
features via buttons. You must
to come up with the
• Twelve outlets, with some
use downloadable software
AVR900U, but don’t let that
widely spaced.
CONS
when connected to a
discourage you from
• No Mac control software.
computer by USB with an
examining the company’s
• Windows software requires
included cable. The software
other products. The care of
Java.
• Lacks pure sine-wave
is mentioned in the manual,
manufacture and quality of
output.
and you have to hunt the site
design aren’t at issue, only its
PRICE
$98
to find it—only to discover the
suitability for the purpose here
COMPANY
control software only works
and cost per watt for potential
Tripp Lite
under Windows and requires
appropriate uses. ■
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 97

Remember the last time your family visited the forest? It’s a place
of wonder and imagination for the whole family—where stories
come to life. And it’s closer than you think. Sounds like it’s time to
plan your next visit. Make the forest part of your story today at a
local park near you or find one at DiscoverTheForest.org.

PLAYLIST

Everything you need to know about Apple Music,
Apple TV, and Mac or iOS-based entertainment

Astell&Kern KANN Alpha: This
digital audio player delivers the
high-res goods
With pristine sound, support for every major high-res wireless codec, power to drive any
headphone, and elegant industrial design, A&K’s Kann Alpha delivers sonic bliss.
BY THEO NICOLAKIS

The KANN Alpha is the third
model in Astell&Kern’s
acclaimed KANN (fave.
co/37k7V4e) series,
following the KANN (reviewed in 2018)
and the KANN Cube (fave.co/3ihbnmC;
IMAGE: ASTELL&KERN

reviewed in 2019). These are high-end,
high-resolution digital audio players
(DAP) designed to deliver pristine audio
to just about any set of headphones you
might decide to pair it with—regardless
of impedance.
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REVIEW: ASTEL L&KER N KA NN A L P H A

The Alpha
continues the KANN
line’s superlative
pedigree, but only a
select audience will
be willing to hand
over $1,099 to attain
its drool-worthy
feature set and very
high performance.
This player is perfect
for owners of difficultThe KANN Alpha uses USB-C for all digital connectivity and charging.
to-drive headphones;
music lovers who
welcome sight given the original KANN’s
demand the latest advancements in wireless
dual-personality with both micro-USB and
audio, including Bluetooth 5.0; people who
USB-C connectors—each with different
demand broad high-res codec support;
purposes. Connect the USB-C to your
audiophiles who want to take full advantage
computer and you can use the KANN
of 4.4mm balanced audio support.
Alpha as an all-in-one headphone amp
CUTTING-EDGE FEATURES,
and DAC.
UNRIVALED CODEC SUPPORT
The heart of the Alpha is an ESS Sabre
Having reviewed Astell&Kern’s previous
ES9066AS DAC. The ES9066AS is a 32-bit
two KANN models, it’s clear that each
stereo DAC with MQA rendering. The DAC
model has a specific focus. Whereas the
will decode MQA, FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, WAV,
KANN Cube was geared towards the
and every major legacy audio format,
audiophile demanding no-compromise
including native DSD256 decoding.
performance and balanced audio
The KANN Alpha’s wireless codec
connections to high-end audio gear, the
support is unrivaled. The Alpha supports
KANN Alpha seems targeted towards the
LDAC, MQA, aptX HD, aptX, AAC, and—of
audiophile who demands the latest high
course—SBC Bluetooth codecs. The Alpha
tech features and wireless standards.
even supports MQA-CD playback when
The KANN Alpha uses USB-C for all
playing MQA-CD’s via Astell&Kern’s
digital connectivity and charging. That’s a
CD-Ripper.
100 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Codec support doesn’t stop there. The
reason. I sometimes found myself clicking
Alpha’s settings menu allows you to select
things two or three times, unsure if the
a preferred codec for all your wireless
player had registered my input. While the
connections. When it comes to LDAC, you
lag is nowhere near the dog-awful
have a choice between audio quality
performance of the now defunct AK Jr
optimization or connection quality
(fave.co/3xoUoTH), for a player in this
price range, performance should be
optimization. If one of the Alpha’s onboard
snappy and precise.
codecs isn’t supported by your
It’s worth noting that the KANN Alpha
headphones or other Bluetooth receiver,
retains the rich feature set of all
then the Alpha will switch to a mutually
Astell&Kern players, including DLNA
supported codec.
network streaming. I’ll point you to my
Bluetooth 5.0 is on board, giving you a
AK70 review (fave.co/3jblhoU) for a more
huge advantage in wireless operating
in-depth discussion of all those features.
range, speed, low power consumption,
and security features. You’ll see a
INTRODUCING 4.4MM
theoretical maximum of 800 feet in open
BALANCED AUDIO OUTPUT
spaces and about 130 feet in typical indoor
The KANN Alpha sports familiar 3.5mm
spaces—that’s a far cry from the 33 or so
unbalanced and 2.5mm balanced outputs.
feet in Bluetooth 4.2. Likewise, Bluetooth
The Alpha is the first Astell&Kern DAP to
5.0 delivers twice the speed of Bluetooth
sport a 4.4mm balanced headphone
4.2: 2Mbps vs. 1Mbps.
Astell&Kern touts the
KANN Alpha’s quad-core
CPU. In my testing,
Astell&Kern either needs to
bump the processor’s
performance or optimize the
underlying operating system
a bit more. While the KANN
Alpha is generally
responsive, there were
times where the player
would just lag. I couldn’t find Detailed view of the KANN Alpha’s 2.5mm, 3.5mm, and
4.4mm headphone outputs.
a consistent rhyme or
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connection. Astell&Kern says its 4.4mm
implementation is unique and noise-free
because the Alpha physically separates
the 2.5mm and 4.4mm outputs using
microrelays. The Alpha’s design prevents
noise and interference from outputs that
aren’t in use by switching them off. Smart.

POWER AND BATTERY LIFE

hours. In real-world use, I sometimes went
days without needing to recharge the
KANN Alpha.

PROTECTING YOUR HEARING
Hearing is a precious gift. Thankfully,
protecting our hearing is getting easier.
For the first time, an Astell&Kern DAP gave
me a loudness warning. If I set the player
above 50 with the 2.5mm balanced
connection, or 60 with the 3.5mm output,
the player warned me I could permanently
damage my hearing. I had the option to
defeat that warning message or enable
volume limits in settings.

Clean power is the measure of any highperformance audio system, and the
Alpha’s amplifiaction is superb. The
Alpha’s internal amplifier has three gain
settings—low, medium, and high—so you
can match the amplifier’s output to your
headphone’s impedance. Setting the
amplifier to high and using the KANN’s
DOUBLES AS AN ARTISTIC
balanced output, you’ll be able to take
STATEMENT
advantage of the Alpha’s 12Vrms output,
The KANN Alpha’s gorgeous design
which is the same output as the massive
continues Astell&Kern’s seemingly endless
KANN Cube. Setting the amplifier to high
play with geometric design and textures.
will drain the battery quickly and
When you buy an Astell&Kern high-res
Astell&Kern recommends
connecting the USB-C charging
cable if you use the amplifier in
the high gain setting.
Draining the battery quickly is
a relative term and will depend on
several factors including the types
of audio files you’re playing and
volume levels you’re playing them
at. Battery life is rate at 14.5 hours
of continuous playback. You can
get a full charge in about 3.5
The back has a black, brushed-aluminum finish.
102 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

player, you’re buying a work
of art as much as you are a
DAP. To me, the KANN
Alpha’s design is a synthesis
of the KANN Cube (fave.
co/3ihbnmC) and elements of
the SA700 (fave.co/2Vqi9gP).
The player’s all-aluminum
casing has different finishes
on each side. The back
sports a black, brushedaluminum finish with the
words KANN machine
Top view of the KANN Alpha’s high gloss ceramic finish.
engraved into the player’s
body. The name Astell&Kern, with model
around the three heapdhone inputs
and power requirements, are laser
complement the black mirrored finish. The
engraved. That lettering, however, only
gold color pallet reminded me of the
becomes visible when you shine a light on
similar black and gold color pallet on
it, much like the One Ring’s Tengwar script
legendary high-end audio gear from
from the Fellowship of the Ring, which
Nakamichi and Pioneer Elite.
appeared only when heated in fire.
Astell&Kern says there is a special
The player’s sides and bottom are
coating applied to the ceramic surface to
matte-finished and untextured. This time
prevent fingerprints and smudging, but I
around, Astell&Kern chose to protrude the
didn’t find it to be effective. In my hands,
front glass ever so slightly from the
the KANN Alpha’s high gloss ceramic finish
player’s body and round the glass sides
and front glass were far from oleophobic.
and edges. The tactile experience is
They both collected fingerprints easily and
amazing and the rounded edges create a
at a far higher rate than my iPhone 12. I
singular line of light that complements the
found myself wiping the high gloss finish
player’s beveled, aluminum edge.
and glass every now and then.
Astell&Kern seems to be joining the
The KANN Alpha maintains the same
1980s throwback party by including a
mesmerizing LED illumination around the
ceramic black, mirrored finish along the
player’s volume knob that I first
KANN Alpha’s top. Gold circular accents
experienced in my review of Astell&Kern’s
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 103

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SA700 DAP (fave.co/2Vqi9gP). Unlike the
SA700, where the LED ring took center
stage, Astell&Kern has given it a more
subdued role, recessing the LED ring
almost inside the player’s casing. You’ll
notice it if you look at the KANN Alpha
from the side, but the LED ring is largely
shielded from view when you look at the
player head on.
As with the SA700, the LED ring isn’t
just a design element, it gives you a visual
indication of the file format you’re playing.
Red indicates you’re playing a 16-bit file;
green, 24-bit; blue, 32-bit, and purple
indicates DSD. If you don’t like the LED
feature, you can turn it off through the
settings menu. The LED temporarily

changes to a red color pallet when you
adjust the volume. The LED increases
saturation to a light-saber red as you turn
the volume louder, and it de-saturates
towards a light rose color as you turn the
volume down.
The LEDs worked as expected with
local files and the Open APP version of
Tidal, but I encountered an anomaly with
Quobuz. With that service, both
CD-quality and all high-res files up to
24-bit/192kHz showed only a red LED.
Either Quobuz wasn’t streaming the
high-res files advertised, or there’s a bug
in the Quobuz app that isn’t registering
properly with the Alpha.
Three rectangular buttons on the left
side (in contrast to the KANN Cube, where
the buttons sit below the volume knob on
the right) are unmarked. By now,
Astell&Kern assumes everyone knows the
top button is previous track, the middle is
play/pause, and the bottom is next track.

OPEN APP SERVICE

A recessed LED illuminates to tell you the
resolution of the file you’re playing.
104 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

A valid criticism of Astell&Kern players
over the years would have rightly been the
dearth of apps and supported music
services. In the past, I would have been
paying more careful attention to the KANN
Alpha’s 64GB internal storage and 1TB
micro SD card support. But now, with the
introduction of Astell&Kern’s Open APP
feature and support for streaming services

with high-res audio files, that’s
less of a pressing issue.
Astell&Kern’s Open APP lets
you install just about any major
streaming service onto the
player. I first experienced Open
App in my Astell&Kern SR15
review (fave.co/2VmJwbD). As
of this writing, 10 Astell&Kern
players support Open APP.
I have a serious love-hate
conflict with Open APP. The
good news about Open APP is
Rear view of the KANN Alpha’s multi-angled, multithat you can install Apple Music, textured aluminum body and physical button controls.
Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music,
Spotify, and a dozen more streaming
make it easier for the user to get the music
services to suit your taste or current
services they want. While I’m truly thankful
subscription. The downside is that the
that Astell&Kern has Open APP, its clunky
Open APP installation process remains
implementation sticks out like a sore
clunky and requires a computer. You can
thumb against the meticulous detail A&K
indulge yourself in the step-by-step
pays to the rest of the user experience.
installation process here (fave.co/3A5Xii2).
I’m sure you’ll agree that you shouldn’t
EFFORTLESS, MUSICAL BLISS
have to go through a nine-step installation
I used Focal Clear, Bowers & Wilkins P9
process on a $1,000+ DAP. At some point
Signature, Oppo PM-2, and Beyerdynamic
in Open APP’s evolution, Astell&Kern
Amiron Home headphones with the KANN
should pre-load all these apps into the
Alpha. I used a Kimber Cable Axios 2.5mm
player as “ready to install,” and then
balanced cable with the Focal Clear.
provide the end user the ability to perform
Though I also paired the KANN Alpha with
an over-the-air (OTA) installation over
a pair of Bowers & Wilkins PX Wireless
Wi-Fi. The other approach would be to
headphones, my comments below pertain
pre-install a dozen or so of the most
to my wired listening.
popular and allow the end user to turn
The KANN Alpha’s effortlessness is
them on or off. Astell&Kern just needs to
astonishing. The Alpha’s firm, unrelenting
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 105

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sonic grip on every single headphone
was completely insane. The KANN
Alpha’s control revealed ripples and
textures on the classic bass lines in
James Blake’s “Limit to your Love.” The
Alpha articulated the details and decay of
bass strings on Ingrid Michaelson’s “The
Way I Am.” I noted deep, controlled,
pulsating bass on Katie Melua’s “Sailing
Ships from Heaven.” No matter the track,
there was no smearing and no
muddiness. It goes without saying that to
get the most of the KANN Alpha’s bass
performance, you’ll want to use closedback headphones. The Focal Clear and
Oppo PM-2 open-back headphones
couldn’t deliver the deep bass
performance their closed-back
counterparts were capable of.
That sonic grip comes at a price: The
KANN Alpha is a brutally honest customer.

It won’t cuddle you or euphonize sub-par
headphones. It will lay bare any
shortcomings in your headphones and
your source material.
I shook my head again and again, track
after track at the attack, detail, and bass
control on anything I threw at it. Music
seems to emanate from a velvety black
background with this player. The noise
floor and channel separation are superb,
allowing you to peer deeply into the music.
Rebecca Pidgeon’s “Spanish Harlem,” by
Chesky Records, is a reference-grade
recording. It was easy to follow the
subtlest decays of Ms. Pidgeon’s vocals
through the KANN Alpha.
In fact, the KANN Alpha’s sound is so
clean and distortion-free that you’ll be
tempted to bathe yourself in sound for
hours. You can easily lose track of how
loud you’re listening to it.
The KANN Alpha’s
presentation is consistent with
other ESS Sabre-based players
I’ve reviewed. The presentation
won’t woo you with warmth;
rather, the music is clean,
transparent, and detailed with airy
highs and tight, controlled bass.
Astell&Kern hasn’t added any
artificial bumps or overemphasis.
I will note that during my
review period, the KANN Alpha’s
Detailed view of the KANN’s knurled volume and multiangled industrial design.
body had a tendency to get warm
106 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

If you’re an audiophile who wants the
freedom to connect any high-end
headphone, you also want to connect
your high-res DAP to your stand-alone
setup, you might find the KANN Cube a
better fit. If portability in a slimmer form
factor is a higher priority, then you
should add the SA700 (fave.co/2Vqi9gP)
to your shortlist.
But if you’re looking for a middle
ground, something that can drive any
headphone, fit in the palm of your hand,
and deliver cutting-edge wireless audio
tech, the Alpha is your ticket.
The Alpha’s gorgeous design; highpowered amplification; 40-meter wireless
The KANN Alpha’s display is bright, but it’s UI
range with Bluetooth 5.0; unparalleled
exhibited some lag at times.
high-res wireless codec
to quite warm. How warm will
support; generous battery life;
mmmmh
depend on your headphone’s
2.5 and 4.4mm balanced audio
Astell&Kern
impedance and if you’re
connections; and effortless
KANN Alpha
decoding DSD and high-res
sound with dual ESS
PROS
• 2.5- and 4.4mm balanced
files.
ES9068AS DACs are just the
audio outputs, with 12Vrms
output in the high-gain
introduction to a long list of
setting.
BOTTOM LINE
specs and features that truly
• Bluetooth 5.0 with both
LDAC and aptX-HD 24-bit
Astell&Kern’s KANN Alpha hits
make this the “Alpha” player
codec support.
a grand slam—though not
among its peers. Its occasional
CONS
• Occasionally sluggish UI
without a few stumbles around
sluggishness, clunky Open APP
performance.
the bases. The Alpha earns its
architecture, and fingerprint• Front display and polished
ceramic surfaces subject so
place among the finest highprone surfaces are minor
fingerprint smear.
res audio players I’ve
annoyances; they certainly
PRICE
$1,099
reviewed. By any measure, the
aren’t enough to dampen my
COMPANY
KANN Alpha is a superlative
spirits about this superlativeAstell&Kern
high-res DAP.
sounding high-res DAP. ■
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 107

PLAYLIST

Eoz Audio Arc ANC wireless
headphones: Superior comfort
with mediocre sound quality
This headphone emphasizes the lows and highs at the expense of the mids, which is
seductive at first but ultimately unsatisfying.
BY SCOTT WILKENSON

E

oz Audio was founded on the
belief that style and technology
are not mutually exclusive. As the
company website proclaims, “We
design our earphones to be as stylish and
elegant as they sound...We don’t manufac108 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

ture, we craft them. We use premium
materials because we want our products
to last, because we want them to be an
expression of our personality and style.”
The company’s latest offering is the Arc
wireless Bluetooth headphone. While the
IMAGE: EOZ AUDIO

build quality and
comfort are top
notch, I’m afraid
the sound quality
is not.
This review is
part of TechHive’s
coverage of the
best noise-cancelling headphones,
where you’ll find
reviews of the
competition’s
offerings, plus a
buyer’s guide to
the features you
Eoz Audio’s Arc ANC headphone is very comfortable to wear for long
should consider
listening sessions, but we didn’t find it enjoyable to listen to for very long.
when shopping
for this type of product.
design allows the headphones to be
The Eoz Arc is a closed-back, over-ear
folded to fit in a small hard-shell case. The
headphone that certainly lives up to the
Arc cannot be folded, and it comes with a
company’s vision in terms of build materisoft carrying bag, which is not as protecals. The elegant, minimalist earcups and
tive as a hard-shell case.
headband are made from stainless steel
In another nod to quality materials, the
and aluminum, which makes them far more
earpads consist of high-density, adaptive
durable and long-lasting than plastic.
memory foam covered in soft “protein
The earcups slide along the sinleather” that’s actually plant-based—pergle-piece headband to adjust them for
fect for vegan music lovers! According to
your head size. On most other headEoz, this synthetic leather looks and feels
phones, the earcups are attached to a
just like the real thing while being twice as
separate piece that slides in and out of the
durable. And unlike the more commonly
top of the headband, which is often someused polyurethane “leather,” it won’t peel
what awkward and more prone to breakoff after six months or a year.
age. On the other hand, the more common
Each aluminum earpiece houses a
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 109

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REVIEW: EOZ AU D IO A R C

40mm, graphene-coated diaphragm that is
specified to deliver a frequency response
from 20Hz to 20kHz (±3 dB). In a gesture
of uncharacteristic candor, however, the
company sent me a frequency-response
graph, which clearly shows the response
to be -3dB at 20Hz, -1dB at 40Hz, -6dB at
300Hz, +4dB at 5kHz, and -5dB at
20kHz—the classic “smiley” curve that
emphasizes the bass and treble at the
expense of the midrange. Other specs
include a maximum SPL of about 102dB at
1kHz and THD of about 0.1% at 1kHz.
As a wireless headphone, the primary
input is Bluetooth 5.0 with support for
the SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Low
Latency codecs. Onboard microphones
let you make and take phone calls and
utilize the voice assistant of a paired
phone as well. You can also connect the

Arc to a hardware headphone output
with the included 3.5mm cable
connected to the input at the bottom of
the right earcup; in this case, it presents
an impedance of 160 ohms.
Most Bluetooth headphones include
active noise cancellation (ANC), and the
Arc is no exception. It does not offer a
“transparency mode” that temporarily
disables ANC and feeds the mic signal
to the headphone so you can hear
things like a flight attendant’s
instructions.
The battery is said to provide up to 25
hours of play time at moderate volume
with Bluetooth on and ANC off, or 15 hours
with ANC on. It takes around 60 minutes to
fully charge the battery by connecting the
USB-C port at the bottom of the left earcup
to a 5V/1A USB power source.

A USB-C
charging port
is found at the
bottom of the
left earcup
flanked by
two LEDs that
indicate power/
charging and
Bluetooth
status.
110 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

USER INTERFACE
In addition to the USB-C
charging port, the lower
portion of the left earcup
holds three buttons:
power on/off/Bluetooth
pairing, volume up/skip to
next track, and volume
down/skip to previous
track. These buttons are
raised and well separated,
making them easy to find
by feel. Two LEDs indicate
power/charging and
Bluetooth-pairing status.
As mentioned earlier,
Three well-separated buttons are along the lower back of the
left earcup: power on/off/Bluetooth pairing flanked by volume
there’s a 3.5mm audio
up/skip to next track and volume down/skip to previous track.
jack at the bottom of the
right earcup, along with a
slider switch that turns ANC on and off.
testing. When I tried it with ANC off, the
sound was quite thin and restrained, so I
PERFORMANCE
turned it on and left it there.
The Arc is exceedingly comfortable. The
For my evaluations, I listened to high-res
protein-leather earpads are very soft, they
tracks from Qobuz on my iPhone XS. First up
are large enough for my ears, and the
was “What About Us” (24/44.1) from Pink’s
clamping pressure is not bad at all.
album Beautiful Trauma. This is a full-on pop/
When I turned on ANC without music, I
rock track with lots of bass, which was quite
heard a lot of hiss, which disappeared
prominent and somewhat boomy on the Arc.
when I turned ANC off. I could even hear
Also, things like cymbals were pretty zingy.
the hiss during quiet passages of music,
That “smile” curve is seductive, but I prefer a
which is not good.
more tonally balanced sound.
Eoz informed me that the company
Next, I cued up “Taliat” by Mdou Moctar
tuned the Arc for use with ANC on, so
from Afrique Victime (24/96). African pop
that’s how I listened to it for most of my
uses lots of electric guitar, which is front
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and center here,
accompanied by
bass, drums, and
vocals. The Arc
was pretty heavy
on the bass, while
the guitar was
sharp and crispy.
For some solo
guitar, I listened to
“Spring Ain’t Here,”
a Pat Metheny tune
played by John
Pizzarelli on his
Major style points to Eos for its industrial design, but the Eos Arc ANC
headphones just don’t deliver the performance we demand.
album Better Days
Ahead (24/44.1).
Once again, the Arc was bass-heavy with
Language (24/48). As I had come to expect
some congestion in the low midrange. Also,
by now, the Arc overemphasized the bass
there seemed to be a smooth veneer over
while the vocal was a bit recessed and the
the entire sound.
steel guitar was quite crisp.
Turning to jazz, I played “Gettin’ To It” by
On the classical front, I was delighted
the Christian McBride Big Band on Bringin’ It
to find La Lyre Amoureuse (24/88.2) by
(24/96). As before, the Arc emphasized the
Les Sacqueboutiers (The Sackbut Players).
bass, which was a bit boomy as well, while
I play sackbut (renaissance trombone), so
the horn sections sounded crisp and natural.
this is right up my alley. I listened to Sonata
I really dig Jon Batiste’s new album We
“La Augustana” by Giovanni Martino
Are, so I listened to “Show Me the Way”
Cesare (1621), which is scored for cornetto
(24/44.1), which beautifully channels Marvin
(a recorder-like instrument with a brass-like
Gaye and Earth, Wind, and Fire. The Arc
mouthpiece), sackbut, organ, and gamba
sounded quite bass-heavy, while the
(renaissance fretted cello), and the perforrhythm guitar was super-crispy, and the
mance here is amazing. On the Arc, the
vocal was a bit recessed.
cornetto and sackbut were nice and
Moving on to country, I played “Happy
natural sounding, but the low organ and
Anywhere” from Blake Shelton’s Body
gamba were somewhat ill-defined.
112 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Finally, I cued up the fourth movement
of Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op.
73, as recorded by the Tonkünstler Orchester under the direction of Yutaka Sado. The
Arc rendered the wide dynamic range well,
though as before, the low frequencies were
overemphasized, and the basses and
timpani were somewhat clouded. Meanwhile, the high woodwinds were too bright.
To test the Arc’s active noise cancelling, I took it into my laundry room and
fired up the clothes dryer. Unfortunately, its
ANC was not very effective. It cut low-frequency noise somewhat, but not nearly as
much as other ANC headphones I’ve tried.
Also, the passive isolation with ANC off

Eoz Audio’s Arc headphone looks and feels
beautifully crafted, but its audio performance
leaves much to be desired.

was not good at all.
During my listening, I compared the
Eoz Arc with the Cleer Flow II (fave.
co/3yuMEkp), which I found to perform
extremely well. The Flow II lists for $199.99,
though the Cleer website and other
retailers have it for $149.99 as of this
writing, which makes it almost exactly price
comparable to the Arc.
Because the Arc is designed to be
used with ANC on, I engaged ANC on the
Flow II during my comparisons. Unlike the
Arc, the Flow II sounds virtually identical
with ANC on or off.
In terms of comfort, the Arc wins hands
down; the Flow II’s earcups are too small
for my large ears. Also, the Arc seems to
be sturdier. In my review of the Flow II, I
commented on its good build quality, but
since then, the padding has started to
separate from the headband, and it
doesn’t seem to be replaceable.
Audio quality, however, is an entirely
different matter. Without exception, the Flow
II’s sound is much better—clearer and
cleaner with a better tonal balance. The low
frequencies were tighter and in their rightful
place, the midrange was more present, and
highs were not overly crisp. In general,
vocals were more forward than they were
on the Arc. On Pink’s “What About Us,” the
vocal was a bit sharper—my notes include
the word “astringent”—and on “Gettin’ To It”
by Christian McBride Big Band, the horns
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 113

PLAYLIST

REVIEW: EOZ AU D IO A R C

sounded slightly closed in.
The same was true of the
cornetto and sackbut on
Sonata “La Augustana,”
though in both cases, the
effect was minor.
With the dryer running in
the laundry room, the Flow
II’s ANC was far more effective than the Arc’s. It greatly
reduced the low frequencies
and midrange, and even
Eoz Audio’s Arc ANC headphone is more pleasurable to look
reduced higher frequencies
at than it is to listen to.
to some extent as well.
When you turn off ANC on the Flow II, it
curve” might be seductive to some, but its
engages ambient mode, which pipes
appeal will likely wear off quickly. Also, the
ambient sound through the onboard
bass and low midrange tend toward some
microphones into the headphones; it has
congestion.
no entirely passive mode. So, I
Then there’s the ANC, which
turned off the power to see
is not very effective at reducing
mmh
how much passive isolation it
ambient noise levels. In addition,
Eoz Audio Arc
provides—and it provides a lot
it produces a hiss that is audible
PROS
more isolation than the Arc.
during quiet passages.
• Sturdy build quality
• Super comfortable
At $139, the Eoz Arc isn’t
CONS
BOTTOM LINE
terribly expensive. But for not
• Sound is bass-heavy with
recessed midrange and
The build quality and comfort
much more, the Cleer Flow II
too-bright highs
of the Eoz Arc are impressive,
sounds a lot better, and its ANC
• ANC not very effective and
produces clearly audible
but they cannot rescue this
is far more effective. Granted,
hiss
headphone from mediocre
the Flow II’s earpads are not as
• Earpieces can’t be folded
into a compact shape for
audio performance. In general,
comfortable, at least on my
travel
the bass and treble are overlarge ears, and its build quality
PRICE
$139
emphasized, while the middoesn’t seem to match the Arc,
COMPANY
range is recessed by comparibut in terms of audio quality, it
Eoz Audio
son. This so-called “smiley
beats the Arc hands down. ■
114 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Rocksteady Stadium 2-Pack:
You could fill an arena with these
portable Bluetooth speakers
They sound great, but “AI-powered” audio smells like hype to us.
BY CHRISTOPHER NULL

R

ocksteady Audio aims for the
higher end of the inexpensive
Bluetooth speaker market with
its new Stadium line. This
speaker doesn’t compete with high-fidelity

IMAGE: ROCKSTEADY

multiroom audio systems such as the
Sonos Move or the Bluesound Pulse Mini
2i, but it mostly hits its mark.
The all-black mini towers are
deceptively demure, each measuring 6
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 115

PLAYLIST

REVIEW: R OCKSTEA DY STA D IU M 2- PACK

An unlimited number of Rocksteady Stadium speakers can operate in sync, with each one
producing the left or right channel of stereo content or both channels together.

inches tall with a 4.25-inch square base.
Designed with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity,
each 30-watt speaker contains two drivers:
a 28mm tweeter that gets 10 watts of
power, and a 70mm mid/bass driven by
20 watts of amplification. These active
drivers are augmented by a pair of 72mm
passive bass radiators. The specified
frequency response is 60Hz to 20kHz
(no tolerance given).
The bigger story, Rocksteady says, is
that the Stadium is “powered by Bambu
Tech’s AWSM (fave.co/37itum0), an
AI-powered audio authoring platform,” a
platform said to be so amazing you’ll be
able to “hear your favorite music again as
if for the first time.”
I wouldn’t go that far, but the Rocksteady
Stadium speakers were indeed loud, clear,
and clean in my testing, with plenty of bass
and some juicy mids and trebles. While the
clarity of sound was excellent, I found the
116 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

speakers more attuned to pumping out
bigger, busier party-style jams than delicate
classical piano. When I bumped up the
volume, I found that just about everything
sounded great.
One of the big selling points with the
Stadium is that you can pair an unlimited
number of units to play in unison—in a
process similar to Anker’s Soundcore
Flare (fave.co/3jjhia3)—so one speaker
serves as the “host,” relaying audio to as
many other Stadium speakers as you’d
like to deploy within Bluetooth range
(about 100 feet).
To that end, the Stadium is sold as a
single unit, in pairs, or in a bundle of four. I
tested the system with two Stadiums and
found the experience impressive—in part
because each speaker has a switch that
allows you to use it to play the right
channel only, the left channel only, or both
together. You can make this decision

independently for each speaker in your
USB-C connection used for charging
collection, so you can mix and match
(cables and an A/C adapter are included)
however you see fit.
and a 3.5mm Aux port. The 5000mAh
Pairing the host speaker to a source via
battery inside each unit boasts a 16-hour
Bluetooth is a simple process, but the
running time, and there’s a quick-charge
Stadium Mode feature was a little finicky in
mode that can juice the battery to 75
my testing, and it took me a few tries at
percent capacity in just an hour. (I did not
power-cycling the satellite speaker to get
intensively test the running time, but in
things synced up. Once I had them
hours of testing I never managed to get
connected, the system never stuttered—
the system below 50 percent capacity,
though note that volume is controlled on
according to the quartet of LED indicators
each speaker independently, which might
on the device.)
be a bonus feature for some and a mild
At $130 each or $250 for a pair,
nuisance for others if you’re using the
Rocksteady Stadium speakers are
speakers in a single area or outdoors. If
decidedly not cheap, considering that
you want to control volume
big-name-brand speakers in
globally, you’ll need to do so
the 30-watt range can be
from the source.
readily found for less than
mmmm
Each Stadium has a
$100. Also note that while the
Rocksteady Stadium
collection of mercifully intuitive
speakers are advertised as
2-Pack
touch-sensitive controls on top
being “outdoor speakers,” they
PROS
• Excellent sound quality.
within easy reach, letting you
do not have any significant
• You can synchronize an
control volume as well as
weatherproofing features, so if
unlimited number of like
speakers (within Bluetooth
pause, play, and forward/rewind
you want something you can
range).
tracks. These controls are easy
use poolside these may not be
• Compact and versatile, with
easy onboard controls.
to work with, and the power
the best fit. That said, the
CONS
button located on the rear
multispeaker synchronization
• Not particularly
weatherproof.
ensures you won’t accidentally
feature and some solid
• Syncing speakers can be a
shut the speaker down. Note
quality may make them worth
little tricky.
• The leather carry handle is
that track controls only work on
the investment.
nice, but it’s a $15 option.
the host speaker and are
But I’d suggest giving them
PRICE
$189
disabled on any satellites.
a listen first to ensure they’re to
COMPANY
A covered panel on the
your liking before you shell out
Rocksteady
back of the speaker includes a
for multiple units. ■
SEPTEMBER 2021 MACWORLD 117

PLAYLIST

iLive Bluetooth Tailgate Party
speaker (model ISB380B):
Cheap, light, and fun
With USB and SD card playback, as well as a microphone input, this Bluetooth speaker is
a versatile party animal. It’s also surprisingly light. Just don’t expect audiophile sound.
BY JON L. JACOBI

T

he iLive Tailgate Party speaker
(model number ISB380B) looks
heavy but is startlingly light. In
fact, it looks so much heavier
than it is that I almost launched it the first
118 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

time I picked it up. Knowing that heavy
magnets generally mean better sound, it
was a bit of an uh-oh moment. Learning it
goes for a street price of just 50 bucks
didn’t do much to dispel that notion.
IMAGE: IDG

But you know what? While the sound
is strictly mediocre (it’s no Mackie
Freeplay Live [fave.co/3fqUrbB]), it’s
workable for casual occasions and
because of the look, it’s fun. Okay, camp
might be a better word, but it’s also
decent low-cost, low-volume,
superportable party speaker and PA.

DESIGN AND SPECS
Basically, the model ISB380B (iLive has a
whole series of Tailgate speakers [fave.
co/3Cel1hS]) is the guts of a normal
Bluetooth speaker transplanted into a
largish body made of lightweight plastic.
Its enclosure measures a little less than 10
inches at its widest point, around 9 inches
at its deepest, and just under 17 inches at
its tallest.
The ISB380B looks like a bling-laden
(active RGB lighting), eighties-style
boombox crossed with carry-on luggage.
The latter effect is due to the retractable
handle and wheels that allow you to pull
the speaker around. It’s so over the top
that it makes me smile.
Appearances aside, if you need the
wheels, you really need to start working
out. If this speaker weighs three pounds
I’d be surprised. iLive doesn’t list the
weight on the product page, and I didn’t
have a scale accurate enough, but I was
able to lift the ISB380B easily using just
two fingers.

The retractable handle and
wheels allow you to pull
the speaker around.

Besides
the lightweight
materials,
there are two
other likely
reasons for
this: a small
battery that
delivers only
6 hours of run
time at half
volume, and a
small or superlightweight magnet on the 8-inch full-range
speaker. As I mentioned, magnets are
important when it comes to speakers.
Despite all that, the iLive Tailgate
Party is significantly more versatile than
the average Bluetooth speaker. It will
play back tunes via Bluetooth, from a
USB stick, or from an SD card, and it also
has a 3.5mm auxiliary input. There’s a
high-impedance 1/4-inch microphone
jack as well. It even has an echo effect
so that you can pretend you’re in a
larger venue.
That’s all found on the front panel,
which also features playback controls
(next/previous/input/play/pause); the
USB-C port for charging the unit; and the
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REVIEW: i L IV E BLU ETOOTH TA ILGATE PA RTY SPE AK E R

to begin with, the sound
drops from okay to a bit
dull in a hurry.
Compared to cheap
stuff in the past, the iLive
Tailgate sounds
surprisingly good.
Compared to modern
speakers? Meh. Put
another way, forget wine
and cheese while listening
to Bach; beer and people
The front panel has a wide selection of controls.
conversing over the top of
microphone level, volume, and echo rotary
the tunes is more its target scenario, or
controls. There’s a single-line LCD display,
occasional use as a lightweight small-group
so you know what track is playing.
PA. I was actually impressed with the way it
cut through background noise.

SOUND
The ISB380B produces quite a
bit of volume, though it distorts
a wee bit when you crank it all
the way up. But it doesn’t really
pump the bass. There is some—
this is an 8-inch driver, after
all—but perhaps not as much as
most people might expect given
the size and depth of the box.
There’s enough to know it
exists, but not enough to impel,
if you know what I mean.
High and midrange
frequencies drop off in clarity
as you move off center. As
they’re not outstandingly clear
120 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

BOTTOM LINE
mmmh
iLive Bluetooth
Tailgate Party
speaker
PROS

• Amazingly lightweight.
• Super affordable.
• USB, SD card, Bluetooth
5.0, auxiliary, and
microphone playback.
CONS

• Mediocre sound.
• Distorts at high volume.
• Anemic bass given the size
of its driver.
PRICE

$49
COMPANY

iLive

The iLive Tailgate Party Speaker
(model ISB380B) sounds
mediocre at best—there’s a
reason you find this and other
iLive products for sale at Home
Depot (fave.co/2VxEEkc). But
the iLive Tailgate ISB380B is
easy to tote around, fun,
versatile, and good enough for
a good time at small gatherings.
As a mini PA in particular, that’s
more than expected for a $70
list price—and much more for a
street price less than $50. Party
on, guys. ■

All
of the
things I
just found
too hard
to say.
LAUREN JAUREGUI //
TRACK 03

WHEN YOUR KID CAN’T FIND THE
LANGUAGE, FIND THE LYRICS.
USE THEM TO START A CONVERSATION
WITH YOUR KIDS ABOUT EMOTIONAL
WELLBEING. LISTEN TO THE ALBUM,
FIND TOOLS AND GET TIPS FROM
PROFESSIONALS AT

SOUNDITOUTTOGETHER.ORG

Getting back to these
moments we miss
starts with
getting informed.

Get the latest information
about COVID-19 vaccines at
GetVaccineAnswers.org

HELPDESK

Answering Your Questions and Sharing Your
Tips About Getting the Most From Your Mac

Mac 911
Solutions to your most vexing Mac problems.
BY GLENN FLEISHMAN

HOW TO FIGURE OUT IF A
MACBOOK POWER ADAPTER
OR BATTERY HAS GONE BAD
You plug in your adapter to your laptop,
and the battery doesn’t charge reliably.
Sometimes, your Mac dings to let you
know it’s plugged in to power; other times,
you have to plug and unplug or even
restart your computer. What’s up?
IMAGE: APPLE

Battery charging involves three
separate elements, so you have to go
through a process of troubleshooting to
identify which one is faulty.

The battery
For several releases of macOS, Apple has
provided alerts and information about the
health and status of a laptop’s battery.
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M AC 9 11

macOS warns you if something’s actively
wrong with a battery when it determines this.
In macOS Catalina and earlier, you can
Option-click the battery icon in the menu
bar, and get a little more insight about the
state of the battery. In macOS Big Sur,
there’s a lot more detail about the battery
available by default, but the condition is
nested more deeply: Go to the Battery
preference pane, click Battery, and click
Battery Health.
The condition should be listed as
Normal, but if the battery’s maximum
capacity has dropped below a certain
point (which Apple doesn’t specify), it
might say Service Battery. You may also
see one of a number of other messages
that Apple doesn’t document, such as
Service Recommended, Replace Soon, or
Replace Now, all of which have a little

more urgency, as the operating system
has deemed the battery holds a charge
poorly, or even doesn’t hold a charge at
all. If the battery dies entirely, an X appears
through the battery icon, and the message
reads No Battery Available.
In Big Sur through many earlier
releases, you can hold down the Option
key, select  → System Information, and
click the Power item under Hardware in
the left-hand navigation bar. Look for
Condition there, where you can also see
Cycle Count (fave.co/3yBUsB7) and, on
certain models and versions of macOS,
Maximum Capacity. The Cycle Count isn’t
the number of times you’ve charged, but
rather the total capacity of the battery
divided by the total energy every used.
The more cycles, the lower total capacity
the battery has remaining, though it should
be both years and hundreds
of cycles before you see
degradation below 80
percent. (A cycle measures
100 percent of the capacity
discharged, not the time
between being unplugged
and plugged back in. If you
deplete to 50 percent on two
successive days and
recharge to 100 percent, that
counts as one cycle.)
In Big Sur, you can also
Big Sur shows the current battery parameters but not battery
health. Click Battery Preferences for that.
use the Battery preference
124 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

pane’s Usage
History view to
examine how
and when your
battery has been
in use and when
it’s been
recharged.
Starting in Big
Sur, Apple
automatically
throttles and
adjusts your
charging pattern
to reduce stress
on the battery: It
no longer
Usage History in Big Sur reveals the pattern of charging on your laptop.
charges the
battery to 100 percent at all times, but,
internal wiring or circuitry and components
based on your usage, keeps it at 80
in the power conversion part that handles
percent whenever possible. Lithium-ion
AC-to-DC transformation could be on their
batteries face additional wear when
way out.
they’re fully charged all the time, which
If when you plug in your adapter, your
reduces battery life. This chart may reveal
computer doesn’t seem to charge
a pattern of slow failure.
immediately or reliably, see if you can
borrow an identical or similar adapter from
The adapter
someone else temporarily to see if it helps.
It’s natural to look at your power adapter
You might even purchase a replacement
for signs of wear, like a crushed portion,
from a store with a liberal return policy,
fraying cable insulation, bent or marked
and keep it if that’s the problem. (For Macs
AC plug blades, dirty or bent parts of the
that use MagSafe, please, for your own
laptop connector, or other signs of
safety, avoid third-party MagSafe chargers
problems. However, a frequently used
and adapters. Read the reviews to
adapter may look fine to the eye, but the
understand the risk you’re taking.)
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M AC 9 11

With MagSafe connectors, find the
appropriate matching adapter; Apple has
all the information in this note (fave.
co/2VdA0YN).
For Macs with USB-C ports (released
starting in 2015), it’s okay to test with an
adapter that’s rated with higher or lower
wattage than your laptop, by the way. If
you have a laptop that comes with a
29-watt adapter, you can use an 89W one
or vice versa: the laptop that requires
29W charges fully when in use with a
paired 29W adapter, but it doesn’t pull in
more electricity than necessary with a
higher-wattage one. Likewise, an 89W
laptop can charge with a 29W one,
though it may charge very, very slowly or
you might even see the battery decline.
But you can still check whether the
adapter is recognized and the adapter is
attempting to charge it.
All of Apple’s USB-C power adapters
have a removable charging cable. Try
swapping the cable out. You need another
one that’s designed to carry the wattage
noted (fave.co/3nWWXt1). Many USB-C
cables are designed with a maximum
wattage that’s far below the capacity of the
adapter, or can only carry data and lowwattage power over USB, such as is used
to charge an iPhone or iPad.
Apple notes also in its notes on
troubleshooting USB-C adapters (fave.
co/3ysi1MC): “Some possible sources of
126 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

line noise include lights with ballasts,
refrigerators, or mini-refrigerators that are
on the same electrical circuit as the outlet
you’re using. Plugging the power adapter
into an uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
or an outlet that’s on a different circuit can
help.” I have never seen this kind of
behavior, nor heard of it from readers, but
Apple clearly has.

Charging circuitry in the laptop
If you’ve gone through the above
troubleshooting and still have problems,
particularly intermittent ones, the internal
components required for charging may be
configured incorrectly or failing, or may
have suffered damage. This can explain
why restarting your computer allows it to
start charging again, or it might only
charge when it’s been shut down and the
components have cooled.
If there’s a setting fault, you can reset
the System Management Controller on
your Mac, which handles battery charging,
fans, sensors, lights, and a number of other
active hardware components. Follow
Apple’s instructions (fave.co/2VmHCrR) for
your Mac model to reset the SMC, and see
if that solves the problem.
If not, your final step is to find service,
hopefully under AppleCare. If your
AppleCare has expired, I recommend
finding a shop (via recommendations from
friends and colleagues) that can repair

components or source used parts.
Because of the integrated nature of power
in most of Apple’s laptops, it can be an
expensive repair to get a new
motherboard or subsystem board when a
used one may work just as well.

MAC SCREEN SHARING WON’T
WORK? DISABLE IT, THEN
TURN IT BACK ON
It’s a sad thing that after so many years of
offering screen sharing as a native
feature in OS X and then macOS, the
remote-access service remains
unreliable. I have two Macs in my house
on the same network—one a laptop, one
a desktop—and it’s often the case that
the two can see each other and mount
each other’s drives, yet can’t initiate
screen sharing.
With Big Sur, I recently noticed that
when I was unable to connect from one
machine, the one that wouldn’t share
stated that my other Mac was already
controlling it. (Big Sur offers more visible

and obvious signs of remote screen
sharing as one of the subtle security
improvements Apple added.)
If you haven’t used macOS’s screen
sharing, it’s quite simple:
> In the Sharing system preference,
check the box next to Screen Sharing.
> From another computer on the same
network, find that computer in the
Devices list in the Finder sidebar. Select
it, and then click Share Screen in the
upper-right corner. Log in with an account
on the remote machine when its account
screen appears.
> To access systems outside your local
network, Apple no longer offers its former
direct method (Back to My Mac). You need
to have a publicly assigned IP address on
your computer or punch through a
gateway, a much more complicated setup.
I attempted to disconnect that session
from the sharing machine by selecting the
Screen Sharing icon (two overlapping
rectangles) in the menu bar and choosing
Disconnect Remote Address. No go.

Big Sur tells you on the login screen if there’s an active remote session (left). When logged in,
two overlapping rectangles appear in the system bar with information (right).
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M AC 9 11

HOW TO SET A CUSTOM
SCALE FOR EACH WEBSITE
IN MACOS SAFARI

Click Turn Off to disable screen sharing, and
then reenable it right afterward.

The solution is paradoxical: Turn off
screen sharing. This resets the service:
1. Open the Sharing system preference.
2. Deselect the box located next to
Screen Sharing.
3. When prompted, click Turn Off to
confirm sharing.
4. Check the box again next to Screen
Sharing to reenable it.
You should find that you can now
connect from other Macs on the network.
If the built-in screen-sharing option isn’t
robust enough for you, or you need to
access your Mac outside your local
network routinely, you can find alternatives
in this review round-up of remote-access
options (fave.co/3hjnMGk) from 2019.
128 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Website designers have particular feelings
about how their work should look on your
display. The rise of responsive design over
the last several years has led to most sites
automatically resizing their type and
graphics and reshaping their layout to fit
the size of your browser window or the
device you’re using. You should be able to
read, navigate, and interact with a web
page without making your own
adjustments. (Responsive design means
the site uses style sheets and sometimes
JavaScript to respond to the dimensions of
the view within the browser window.)
Unfortunately, designers may have
better eyesight than many of us who use
the sites they produce, leading to sites
that are perfectly responsive in showing
type that’s—well, too small to read.
Perhaps you’ve had the experience as
often as I have of squinting and leaning in
more closely to read the type on a page or
puzzle out a symbol.
You likely know that you can use
keyboard shortcuts in Safari for macOS (and
other browsers) to scale the contents of the
page larger and smaller. Press Commandhyphen (used here as a “minus”) to shrink
everything on a page relative to its 100
percent scale. Press Command–equal sign
(used here for the plus sign, also found on

→ Preferences → Websites and
click Zoom. Here you see a list
of the zoom percentage for
sites in open tabs and windows,
as well as any custom zoom
values you’ve set for other sites
visited with the browser.
You can also use the “When
visiting other websites” pop-up
menu to change the default
zoom for any site you
subsequently visit.
The Zoom settings reveal the scale of sites open in your
Apple offers another kind of
browser and changes you’ve made to others you visited.
zoom as part of its accessibility
Ironically, I did not set a custom zoom for Zoom’s site.
features that can trip you up
the key) to enlarge a page. (Safari
because the keyboard shortcuts are nearly
recognizes the intent without your needing
identical. Accessibility’s Zoom option
to press Shift to directly “type” the plus sign.
enlarges the entire display in intervals
You can type Command–
equal sign or Command-Shift–
equal sign.)
Some sites take this
enlargement and reduction
better than others. Press
Command-0 (zero) to take the
site back to Actual Size,
whatever that means in a
relative world.
However, what you may be
unaware of is that Safari
retains these zoom
preferences in a way that lets
Accessibility’s Zoom option lets you enlarge the entire
you modify them later and set
display above 100% and back down or toggle between
an overall default. Go to Safari 100% and your last enlargement factor.
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M AC 9 11

above 100 percent. Press CommandOption–equal sign to enlarge the display
and Command-Option-hyphen to reduce
it. The minimum is 100 percent.
(Command-Option-8 toggles between
your last enlargement and 100 percent.)
The Zoom view in the Accessibility
preference pane offers more
customization options.

HOW TO SCAN DOCUMENTS
IN NOTES AND THIRD-PARTY
APPS ON THE iPHONE & iPAD

forms or make other modifications.
Based on reader email and online
questions in forums, relatively few people
seem aware of the power hidden away
there. Like most iOS and iPadOS apps,
Apple’s gradual improvements don’t
overcome people’s memories of what didn’t
work or was omitted in earlier releases.
You can also upgrade to a third-party
app if you need more advanced features
than Notes provides, particularly in
accessing text digitized via optical
character recognition (OCR), as well as
better editing and assembly of finished
documents.

Relatively few people buy stand-alone
scanners these days unless they work with
printed documents, photos, or
photographic negatives, and
most financial, medical, and
legal documents show up in
digital form—but not all.
That’s particularly true if you
have kids in school and are
tasked with endlessly filling
out variations of the same
form, by hand and often
submitted on paper.
Apple has built a scanner
into Notes for a few
releases, which lets you
capture pages or images as
Notes automatically figures
out where a document sits
documents, and then edit
against a contrasting backthem directly (via the
ground (left). You can adjust a
embedded Markup tool) or
scan afterward for color and
export them as PDFs to fill in other parameters (right).
130 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021

Scan with Notes
Notes provides an
efficient but not highly
featured document
scanner:
1. Launch Notes.
2. Create a new note
or select an existing one.
3. Tap the camera
button and select Scan
Documents.
4. With the document You can search on text recognized in the document (left). You can
beneath the camera, try
also apply a signature (right).
to get it as level and
square as possible. If the Auto setting is on
6. Continue scanning until all pages
(the word Auto appears in the upper-right
are captured.
corner), Notes captures a page whenever
7. Tap Save. Notes attempts to extract
it detects a document. This lets you
some text at the top of the document to
autoscan by swapping out pages beneath
use as its title.
the camera or pointing the camera at a
Once a document is saved, you can tap it
series of pages. You can also tap the
in the note, and then add additional pages,
shutter button in Auto mode, or tap Auto to
adjust cropping and colors, rotate it, or trash it.
switch to Manual, after which you must tap
You can also share it, including with
the shutter button to capture a document.
Markup, which lets you use a previously
In step 4, you can also adjust colors
stored signature or create a new one by
captured, as well as choose a flash setting.
tapping the plus sign in the lower-right
5. In Auto mode, documents are
corner and then tapping Signature. Tap
captured and keystone correction applied.
Done when finished to store the revised
In Manual mode, you can adjust the corners
document page in Notes.
of a document, and then tap Retake or
If you want to export the document,
Keep Scan. (Keystoning is the effect of a
select it in Notes, then tap the Share
rectangle appearing to be a different shape
button and select any available option. It’s
when it’s not captured—or projected as with
always exported as a PDF. You can also
a slide projector—absolutely squarely.)
open the same note in Notes for macOS, if
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HELPDESK

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you have iCloud sync enabled for Notes,
where you can view and modify it, as well
as export it as a PDF.
The contents of scanned documents are
digitized, so you can search Notes for
legible text on them.
However, Apple doesn’t
offer a way in iOS,
iPadOS, or macOS to
select that text or export
a PDF with the text
embedded in my
testing. That requires a
third-party app.

out of the PDF, as in the Preview app and
other PDF-reading apps.
For an in-app purchase price of $9.99
per month ($89.99 per year), or as an
included part of a Creative Cloud
subscription, you gain
additional options for
exporting in formats like
Word, bundling pages
into documents, and
more-advanced
features. You only need
these options if you
handle a lot of
documents, or if you’re
Scan with other
scanning pages of a
software
book or academic
Many iPhone and iPad
journal and want to have
scanning apps offer
better control over
Notes’ base features
creating the final
plus additional ones.
document and
(Some scanning apps
extracting the text for
offering faxing, too—
better reading access.
useful on rare
Alternatives include
occasions—but I was
Microsoft Office Lens
unable to find a combo Adobe’s scanning app offers similar
(fave.co/3xyz3aF), which
controls, but more advanced refinescan-and-fax app that
is free and independent
ment and export.
clearly disclosed fax
of Microsoft Office, but
pricing, even among well-reviewed apps.)
works with the company’s apps and storage
The most popular and full-featured of
service. There’s also PDFPen from
these apps comes from Adobe: Adobe
SmileOnMyMac (fave.co/3lvvdwC), which I’ve
Scan (fave.co/3rTfW9U). In its free version,
used for years based on its flexibility and the
it lets you scan pages and export them in a
friendliness of its interface—and it’s a $6.99
form that also lets you simply copy the text
one-time purchase. ■
132 MACWORLD SEPTEMBER 2021