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5 excellent Mac accessories for transforming your new MacBook Pro into a desktop powerhouse

by technovatica.com on

The MacBook Pro is now one of the greatest computers money can buy, especially if you don’t intend to game on it. Sure, you can, but it’s not what it was designed for – no matter how hard Apple tries to convince us otherwise. But for almost everything else, a 16-inch MacBook Pro is hard to top.

Of course, I can use the M1 Power and its massive 16-inch display to get work done on the go — most likely at a coffee shop, since I’m a writer — but I prefer the flexibility that having a laptop provides at all times. When I get home, I connect it in and use it as a secondary display, complete with a genuine keyboard and mouse. And when I use it as a laptop, all of my programs and files are still there. There will be no synchronizing and then discovering that something did not fully upload, leaving me without it when I need it the most.

Some essential elements

Making the most of your MacBook Pro at a desk will necessitate the purchase of a few important components.

A monitor is the first, and arguably most noticeable. I didn’t want to spend my days crouched over my MacBook Pro’s 16-inch display, and you won’t want to do it on anything smaller. A suitable, large monitor is a must in this situation.

The second and third items are linked because they are both input peripherals. You will, indeed, require an external keyboard and mouse.

The fourth item? That would be a Thunderbolt or USB-C dock. Most laptops these days simply lack the connectivity choices that we all require on a daily basis, and a good dock not only provides those but also charges your laptop. It should also imply that you just need to plug and unplug a single cable to convert between desk and laptop mode.

The final item is a bit of a cheat because it’s something I don’t have yet but will be looking for in Black Friday specials. That something is a stand, something to elevate your laptop and accomplish two things: increase the display for better ergonomics and, the reason I want one, prevent a cat from walking all over the built-in keyboard!

I’ve found some great deals on several of the items I mentioned before, including ones that I use and highly suggest. Using just a handful of these can significantly improve your laptop game, and you will thank me later.

Let’s get started

Mechanical Keyboard Keychron K6 Pro

I myself use the Keychron K6 keyboard, which is fantastic. The K6 Pro adds a QMK/VIA programmable capability to that keyboard, allowing you to simply customize what each key accomplishes. It’s a hot-swappable keyboard, so you can install new switches if you like, and the blacklight is ideal for working in poorly lit spaces, though you shouldn’t.

If you’re a Prime member, you can get the Keychrone K6 Pro for $91.20 right now, down from the typical $114 asking price. To live that cubicle life, you’ll need an external keyboard, and this is a terrific — and clicky! — alternative

MX Master Anywhere 3S Mouse by Logitech

If you’re planning to use your laptop at a desk, you should get rid of the trackpad and replace it with a genuine mouse. And they don’t get any better than the Logitech MX Master 3S.

I’m sure I can’t tell you anything new about this mouse because it’s so well-known at this time. It has more buttons than you can count and can be used on nearly any surface, even glass. I use the smaller MX Master Anywhere 3 because my hands are small, but the larger model is the one to get if your hands are large enough. It is now available at Walmart for $89.99 in Pale Gray. Do you like black? Amazon has it for $99.99 with free Adobe Creative Cloud.

TBT4-UDX1 Thunderbolt 4 Dock Pluggable

The Thunderbolt 4 dock that I use is the Plugable TBT4-UDX1, and it’s been fantastic in the few weeks that I’ve had it. Its 100W rating is more than adequate for even the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and there are numerous connectors available, including Ethernet. There are HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, USB-C, and SD card readers, and Amazon is selling it for 20% discount, making it only $231.96.

That may appear to be a lot of money, but this dock boasts one of the best power ratings and 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 data capabilities, making it well worth it.

Studio Display by Apple

In reality, any external monitor will be an improvement over the built-in one. However, if you own a Mac and are used to living the Retina lifestyle, the Apple Studio Display is one of the few possibilities. It has a 27-inch 5K resolution display with 600 nits of brightness and P3 broad color.

There are less expensive monitors available, but few tick the retina boxes like this one. Amazon has reduced the price of the enhanced nano-texture variant by $100 at amazon.

A Laptop Support

Because I indicated that I need to acquire a laptop stand for myself, I can’t recommend one in particular right now. You may, however, find a variety of inexpensive laptop stands on Amazon. Which one is best for you depends depend on how high you want to set the resolution of your MacBook Pro, as well as factors such as aesthetics. A bright silver stand, for example, will clash with a Space Black MacBook Pro.

Before you place your order, be sure it’s rated to carry anything you’re putting on it so it doesn’t collapse or wobble.

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Applications

During an emergency, WhatsApp is exploring a phone-free method of logging into your account.

by technovatica.com on

WhatsApp is offering an alternate sign-in method that allows users to log in by inputting their email address as part of a new iOS update.

Meta has yet to make a public announcement about the upgrade. WABetaInfo is informing us about this. They say that this technique can be useful if you don’t have cellular service and are unable to receive the code by text message. This planned feature was initially hinted at in an early November beta. However, just a few people had access to it. Following that, iPhone users can enter their personal email address and receive a six-digit code to sign in.

Remember that this is only a backup method. In order to create a new WhatsApp account, you must still input your phone number. Logging in using the number will, of course, remain an option. According to 9To5Mac, emails would only be used to “access the account and won’t be visible to” others.

iPhone users will need to install WhatsApp for iOS version 23.24.70 to test the feature. Go to the Settings page and then Account, where you’ll find the email login option. There is no news on whether or not this update will be available for Android. According to WABetaInfo, the latest WhatsApp beta for Android provides a filter for platform status updates and not much more.

Increasing security

This fix is part of Meta’s ongoing work to improve and expand WhatsApp’s security. The year 2023 has been a busy one for the service, with the launch of the Protect IP Address tool, which allows phone calls to be routed through company servers, as well as support for passkeys. In the future, WhatsApp on Android will provide usernames as an additional layer of anonymity for those who do not feel comfortable exposing their name. It’s unclear when this will happen. The last time we heard anything about it was in May. It’s probably still in the works.

WhatsApp’s security is always a priority, but it doesn’t stop with apps.

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Applications

How to Secure Your Google Account Using Passkeys

by technovatica.com on

Password protection for your Google account on Windows, macOS, and mobile devices

If you’ve been following tech news for a while, you may have heard that passkeys, a new way to safeguard your Google account, have just been released. Passkeys are marketed as a more secure alternative to passwords, but how do they work and how can you use them to keep your accounts secure? This tutorial is here to assist you with that.

Passwords are famously unsafe because users are tempted to use easy-to-guess passwords, such as password123, or to reuse passwords across several websites, which means that if one account is compromised, a whole lot more could follow. Passkeys, on the other hand, safeguard your logins by using your unique biometric data (such as your fingerprint or portrait), making them significantly more difficult to circumvent.

Phishing attempts, for example, are made ineffective because there is no password to steal. And because there is no need to memorize a lengthy password, the possibility of compromising your own security with anything insecure is virtually gone.

And don’t worry about going through a time-consuming, unnecessarily complex process to create your first Google passkey. The search engine giant has made it simple to get started; simply follow the steps below to safeguard your Google account in minutes.

REQUIREMENTS AND TOOLS

  • A Google account is required.
  • As part of your gadget, a biometric data reader, such as a fingerprint scanner or facial recognition camera.
  • Windows 10, macOS Ventura, or ChromeOS 109 or later on a desktop PC.
  • iOS 16 or later on a phone, or Android 9 or later on a tablet.
  • A web browser that is supported, such as Chrome, Safari, or Edge.

SHORT STEPS

  • Click Security > Passkeys > Create a passkey in your Google account settings.
  • Your passkey should be generated once you enter your biometric data using a fingerprint reader or a face recognition camera.
  • You can now log in using your passkey rather than a password.

GUIDE STEP BY STEP

1. Make a passkey

To begin, sign in to your Google account and navigate to your account settings. Select Security from the left-hand sidebar. Scroll down under Google Sign-in Methods and select Passkeys.

Click Create a passkey on the next page.

You may be asked to grant your web browser access to your system’s passkeys. If so, follow the on-screen instructions to allow this.

Choose whether you want the passkey to be stored on your device or in your browser.

After you’ve made your selection, a popup should appear for you to enter your biometric data.

This is a Touch ID request for your fingerprint on a MacBook, for example. It might be a request for Face ID or Android facial recognition on an iPhone or Android smartphone.

Simply use your fingerprint reader or face recognition camera to generate your passkey. If it was successful, you’ll see a pop-up window labeled Passkey generated.

When logging in to your Google account, the default choice will now be to utilize a passkey rather than a password.

Go to Security > Passkeys in your Google account settings to see all of your created passkeys. You can name each passkey or delete it from this screen.

2. Remove passkeys as the default method of logging in.

Passkeys are unquestionably more secure than passwords, but you may want to use a password as the default sign-in mechanism for a variety of reasons.

If this is the case, go to your Google account settings page and select Security from the left-hand sidebar.

Scroll down till you see the phrase Skip password wherever possible. Click this, then on the following page, disable the toggle.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

Passkeys are a significantly more secure way to sign in to your Google account than passwords, and they’re simple to set up. There aren’t many reasons to disable them, as they can save you the trouble of remembering a slew of difficult passwords – and they help to eliminate the risk of reusing the same password repeatedly.

Passkeys are being used by an increasing number of websites, and they may eventually replace passwords entirely. Hopefully, this will assist to keep your accounts and logins more safe in the long run.

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Applications

Another useful new feature has been added to Windows 11’s Photos program.

by technovatica.com on

Background removal or replacement is now being tested.

Users of the Photos app in Windows 11 will be glad to discover that another important new feature is on the way.

It will allow you to remove or replace the background of a shot, and it is available in the newest version of the Photos app under testing.

Microsoft has made the process quite straightforward; removing the background is as simple as clicking a button. You can then copy the foreground object you saved to the clipboard and paste it elsewhere, or you can save the image as is.

Alternatively, you may use the replace button to remove the backdrop and replace it with a solid color. A simple palette can be used to select the desired color.

According to Microsoft in a blog post, in addition to this feature, the Photos app also allows you to easily share a photo that is backed up on OneDrive. Simply right-clicking on the image allows you to send a link via email (or copy the URL to the clipboard for further use).

Microsoft also mentions “various performance and stability updates to improve the Slideshow feature, navigation between tabs, and opening images.”

All of these improvements, as well as a few additional tweaks, are included in Photos app version 2023.11110.8002.0 (or greater), which is presently rolling out to testers (all channels, beginning with Canary testers).

Analysis: Photos are making steady development.

Microsoft has included a background blur function to the Photos app (it went into testing a few months ago), so this is yet another handy addition to the mix. It’s encouraging to see this essential application (which comes standard with Windows 11 but will be removed shortly) being developed further.

Not everyone needs a complex picture editor, and some people are perfectly content with the (very) basic programs included with Windows 11, owing to their simplicity. So, introducing an easy-to-use ability to delete or swap out backgrounds in just a few clicks is a nice touch for those types of everyday users (along with the handy backdrop blur option).

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Applications

Starting in 2024, multiple iPad models may be equipped with OLED displays.

by technovatica.com on

Another report has surfaced saying that numerous Apple devices would receive an OLED screen upgrade in 2024, including the iPad Pro.

This information comes from the South Korean news site ET News, however it has been translated by 9To5Mac. According to the prediction, the world will see the release of a 16-inch MacBook Pro with an OLED screen in 2025. In 2026, the company is expected to debut four OLED devices: an 8.7-inch iPad mini, a 10.9-inch iPad Air, two MacBook Air computers (one 13-inch and the other 15-inch), and a 14-inch MacBook Pro. Then, in 2027, Apple may complete the launch with a 12.9-inch iPad Air.

According to ET News, the iPad Pro will be available in 11-inch and 12.9-inch variants, both of which will enable ProMotion. This means that their respective screens will have a refresh rate of 120Hz, allowing for smooth scrolling and responsiveness.

The report does not include a specific launch date or window for any of the items listed. However, according to a prior claim from Chosun Ilbo, another South Korean news source, the 2024 iPad Pros will go into production in February. This would place the release date in June, “possibly coinciding with Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).”

OLED dual-stack

We do recommend that you take all of this information with a grain of salt. It’s talking about occurrences that will happen years from now. According to AppleInsider, the claims of an 8.7-inch iPad mini are strange given that there is only an 8.3-inch device available at the time of writing. Furthermore, no mention is made of dual-stack OLED panels on the iPad Pros.

If you’re unfamiliar with the technology, dual-stack OLED (also known as double- or two-stack) is a setup that can “greatly increase the overall efficiency and longevity” of a device when compared to a single-stack design. Back in 2022, it was rumored that Apple had hired Samsung to create a dual-stack display for future iPads, but that the deal would be cancelled. According to old speculations at the time, Samsung went back to the drawing board and began working on superior technology.

It’s likely that they were successful in developing a configuration that pleased Apple, which is why we’re hearing about an OLED iPad again.

Old issues; new solutions

The year 2024 is shaping up to be a big one for Apple devices. Aside from the redesigned screen, other rumors indicate that the tech titan is finally addressing the screen tearing issue, popularly known as “jelly scrolling.” This is produced by an iPad’s refresh rate misalignment, which causes one side to respond faster than the other, resulting in a bizarre wobbling effect. Apple has tried to justify this by claiming that it is completely normal, but it appears that this may come to an end with the next iPad mini 7.

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Applications

Create A Workplace That Makes No One Want To Work From Home

by technovatica.com on

In recognition of its assortment of benefits, including flexibility and shorter commutes, remote work has grown in popularity in recent years. It’s crucial to recognize that not every individual enjoys working from home. There are a number of excellent explanations why some people might choose the traditional office setting.

Kindness to Understanding and appreciating individual needs and preferences can contribute to a more diverse as well as successful work environment.

(more…)

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