I had been in desperate need of a laptop upgrade last year and finally decided to pull the trigger on the new M1 MacBook Pro. In November, my Forbes colleague Patrick Moorhead suggested you “might want to pass” on Apple’s new M1-powered MacBook Pro, pointing out potential issues like compatibility with third party software and peripherals. He did suggest that if you stick with Apple software, things should be fine. I’m an Apple software guy, so I was hoping I would be okay. I’ve been using M1 MacBook Pro all day, every day, as my primary work machine for over a month now. This is a review of the M1 MBP from that perspective — a daily-driver for someone who primarily uses Apple’s included software.
From where I sit, this is a pretty incredible laptop. I’m not going to focus on things like the keyboard, display, or ports. Those are knowns. This review is all about hands-on experience with Apple’s M1 processor.
The Decision to Upgrade
Let me make it clear upfront that I am not a “power” user. My job involves research, writing, plus editing photos and videos for web use. For my purposes, Apple software does the job — I spend 90% of my time in either Pages, Safari, Numbers, Preview, iMove or Photos.
For the past five years, I’ve been using a 13-inch MacBook Air (connected to an external monitor). In fact, my last three laptops have been MacBook Airs… I always upgrade them to get the best performance for as long as possible, so the latest was equipped with a dual-core Intel Core i7 processor. But it was struggling. Slow (especially with a lot of browser windows open), exporting video files took an excruciatingly long time, and the fan would fire up constantly, sometimes blowing like an airplane engine.
It was time for an upgrade. I was considering a 16-inch MacBook Pro, primarily because of the video card, minimum Core i7, and upgraded keyboard. Then came the M1 announcement in November.
I would not have bought this laptop if it had been equipped with the infamous “butterfly” … [+] keyboard…
Brad Moon
I decided to skip the MacBook Air this time, I held off on the 16-inch MacBook Pro and instead took a chance with the M1 MacBook Pro. I wanted the maximum cores available for video processing, plus a fan, so I didn’t go with the less expensive M1 MBA. I opted for an upgrade to 16GB of RAM to ensure the longest useful life possible. The new laptop took the better part of a month to arrive, but it made an immediate impression.
Impressive Performance
My initial impression of the M1 MBP was that it was snappy, but not screaming fast. I’d read early reviews that made it seem like the instant I launched an app it would be onscreen. That’s not quite the case. It is very fast, but even with Apple apps it does take a split second. The laptop wakes instantly, but booting still takes 30 seconds to the login screen.
However, the M1 processor shows its power when you start giving it tasks to chew on. I can keep as many windows and apps open as I need. Video exporting was obviously a huge test and it passed that with flying colors.
A seven minute 1080p iMovie video at high quality exported as an MP4 file by the MacBook Air took about 14 minutes. That was with all other applications shut down. About a minute into the export, fans were blowing at full blast. In contrast, that seven minute 1080p video exported by the M1 MBP at maximum “ProRes” quality took 66 seconds. No fan. And while iMovie was processing the video, I had Firefox, Numbers and Pages open, and was actively surfing in Safari. I also had Activity Monitor opened, and it showed iMovie GPU utilization during the export ranging from 36% to 47%.
Yes, this a bit of an apples to oranges comparison given that it’s a MacBook Air vs. a MacBook Pro, and five years apart, but it was still a pretty incredible performance.
Speaking of Firefox, when I first used it the M1-native version wasn’t yet available. Rosetta 2 handled the app perfectly and after a slightly longer initial launch, I never would have known I wasn’t using a native app.
I use the laptop primarily as a desktop workstation, so I haven’t had the opportunity to really push the battery. However I did run on battery for a full day, from around 8am to after 11pm — including a three hour Zoom session — and it still showed about 20% of a charge left. That’s 14 hours of use and still some battery life remaining, so no complaints in that department.
Compatibility With Peripherals
I don’t use a ton of peripherals, but I have yet to run into an issue. I do plug into an OWC USB-C dock so I can easily access USB Type-A devices without requiring dongles.
I’m connected to a 27-inch 4K BenQ multimedia monitor (reviewed here) as a second display. No problems there at any resolution, and the USB-C connection to the monitor also keeps the MBP charged. I use a Blue Yeti X microphone (connected to the OWC dock using USB) and it has been solid. I have used a range of external hard drives including a Western Digital USB-C external SSD, multiple USB Type-A drives from WD and Seagate, and thumb drives. I print over Wi-Fi to an HP Envy 7640. I have a DAS mechanical keyboard plugged in.
So far, I’ve encountered zero compatibility issues.
I’ve also had no problem with Bluetooth connectivity. I have seen reports of M1 Bluetooth issues, but I have not experienced any. I use a Logitech MX Master 3 Bluetooth mouse (no dongle) and it performs as expected. I’ve also used a number of Bluetooth headphones with the M1 MBP without any issues.
The M1 MacBook Pro absolutely screams (at least with Apple apps), and multi-tasks like a champ.
Brad Moon
I Have Never Had the Fan Come On
In the entire month and a bit that I’ve been using the M1 MacBook Air, I have never had the fan come on. Not once.
During several college football games, I had a three hour Zoom session with my father-in-law so we could watch together while socially distancing. The laptop ran Zoom and at the same time, I streamed the game from the MBP in full-screen maximum resolution on my external monitor. No fan.
At one point I tried running the usual collection of Apple applications simultaneously, while exporting a ProRes file from iMove, and also streaming a collection of 720p, 1080p and 4K videos on 12 Safari tabs. Nothing. No slowdown whatsoever and no fan.
To be honest, I was starting to worry that maybe the fan was broken. However, even under a heavy load, I’ve never felt the laptop get overly warm. One of these days, I’m going to have to try to find the time for some gaming — that might do it…
Working with this little 13-inch laptop feels like working on a high-powered desktop workstation.
Brad Moon
M1 MacBook Pro Recommendation
In month+ I’ve spent with the M1 MacBook Pro — using it for work all day, five days a week and then some — I have been extremely happy with it.
Typically, when I move from one laptop to a new one, it’s four or five years between models and the new one will seem noticeably faster. Not an Earth-shattering difference, but enough for a better user experience. This time around that difference isn’t just noticeable, it’s spectacular. The closest comparison I can come to is moving from a laptop equipped with a 5400rpm hard drive to one with an SSD — except in this case the performance gains are across the board, not just when booting or copying files.
For $1,499 ($1299 plus $200 for 16GB of RAM), this M1 MacBook Pro is an easy recommendation for anyone who needs “lite” pro performance and works primarily with Apple software. If you’ll be using third party apps under Rosetta 2, you might want to check to see if anyone has tried them and what their experience is.
If you need more horsepower, this was just the first release and what will be the entry level in MacBook Pro lineup. Stay tuned through 2021 for expected new models featuring even faster Apple chips, support for additional RAM, slick new form factors, and maybe even some additional ports.
The federal government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform, but stopped short of ordering people to stay off the app.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the government’s “wind up” demand Wednesday, saying it is meant to address “risks” related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
“The decision was based on the information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and intelligence community and other government partners,” he said in a statement.
The announcement added that the government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content.
However, it urged people to “adopt good cybersecurity practices and assess the possible risks of using social media platforms and applications, including how their information is likely to be protected, managed, used and shared by foreign actors, as well as to be aware of which country’s laws apply.”
Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment seeking details about what evidence led to the government’s dissolution demand, how long ByteDance has to comply and why the app is not being banned.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of well-paying local jobs.
“We will challenge this order in court,” the spokesperson said.
“The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive.”
The federal Liberals ordered a national security review of TikTok in September 2023, but it was not public knowledge until The Canadian Press reported in March that it was investigating the company.
At the time, it said the review was based on the expansion of a business, which it said constituted the establishment of a new Canadian entity. It declined to provide any further details about what expansion it was reviewing.
A government database showed a notification of new business from TikTok in June 2023. It said Network Sense Ventures Ltd. in Toronto and Vancouver would engage in “marketing, advertising, and content/creator development activities in relation to the use of the TikTok app in Canada.”
Even before the review, ByteDance and TikTok were lightning rod for privacy and safety concerns because Chinese national security laws compel organizations in the country to assist with intelligence gathering.
Such concerns led the U.S. House of Representatives to pass a bill in March designed to ban TikTok unless its China-based owner sells its stake in the business.
Champagne’s office has maintained Canada’s review was not related to the U.S. bill, which has yet to pass.
Canada’s review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to might harm national security.
While cabinet can make investors sell parts of the business or shares, Champagne has said the act doesn’t allow him to disclose details of the review.
Wednesday’s dissolution order was made in accordance with the act.
The federal government banned TikTok from its mobile devices in February 2023 following the launch of an investigation into the company by federal and provincial privacy commissioners.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija in Ottawa
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2024.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s competition watchdog said Thursday it’s opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
The Competition and Markets Authority said it has “sufficient information” to launch an initial probe after it sought input earlier this year on whether the deal would stifle competition.
The CMA has until Dec. 19 to decide whether to approve the deal or escalate its investigation.
“Google is committed to building the most open and innovative AI ecosystem in the world,” the company said. “Anthropic is free to use multiple cloud providers and does, and we don’t demand exclusive tech rights.”
San Francisco-based Anthropic was founded in 2021 by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, who previously worked at ChatGPT maker OpenAI. The company has focused on increasing the safety and reliability of AI models. Google reportedly agreed last year to make a multibillion-dollar investment in Anthropic, which has a popular chatbot named Claude.
Anthropic said it’s cooperating with the regulator and will provide “the complete picture about Google’s investment and our commercial collaboration.”
“We are an independent company and none of our strategic partnerships or investor relationships diminish the independence of our corporate governance or our freedom to partner with others,” it said in a statement.
The U.K. regulator has been scrutinizing a raft of AI deals as investment money floods into the industry to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. Last month it cleared Anthropic’s $4 billion deal with Amazon and it has also signed off on Microsoft’s deals with two other AI startups, Inflection and Mistral.
