macOS Monterey Quick Tips, M1 Choices, and Cool Stuff Found — Mac Geek Gab 898

It’s been a busy week in the Apple world: the new M1 Pro/Max-based MacBook Pros began arriving, Monterey dropped for most, AirPods Gen 3 arrived, you had questions, and your two favorite geeks have answers! Listen as John and Dave help try to sort through all of this, deciding what’s important, what’s not, and which macOS Monterey Quick Tips you might’ve missed in the mayhem. Press play and learn at least five new things together with the MGG family!

The Apple TV Box is Pointless

The Apple TV, even the recently updated model, is pointless in its current form and price. That’s the view of Bloomberg News‘s Mark Gurman in his latest newsletter. I find it hard to disagree.

Apple, known for its closed ecosystem, is even embracing the shift by offering many services on smart TVs and boxes made by competitors. Those services include iTunes movie and TV rentals, the Apple TV app, Apple TV+, Apple Music and AirPlay. Of course, that was intentional on the part of Apple, which sought new revenue sources when iPhone sales slowed around 2018. That made the Apple TV a mostly pointless accessory, and consumers seem to agree: 2020 data from Strategy Analytics found that the Apple TV holds 2% of the streaming device market. The product isn’t without its benefits, though, for the Apple ecosystem’s most loyal users. Integration with HomeKit, Fitness+, AirPods and the iOS remote app is useful. The new remote control and faster chip in this year’s version are definite improvements, and the box is getting SharePlay and Spatial Audio support later this year. Still, I don’t see these enhancements moving the needle for most people. For further reading, check out how to set up your Apple TV 4K.

Juice Jackers and Battery Drainers – Mac Geek Gab 873

Ever heard of Juice Jacking? Neither had John nor Dave. No problem, though, they dug in and found everything you needed to know. That’s the beauty of Mac Geek Gab, too: you ask the questions and then your two favorite geeks dig and see what they can find. Press play and learn at least five new things about battery draining, external drives, M1 displays, backups, and more!

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