iPad Pro's new Magic Keyboard *is* magical

May 01, 2020

Three wildly different reviews vie for the spotlight this week:

  1. The new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro is truly magical.

  2. The latest Apple TV+ comedy, Trying, doesn't try hard enough.

  3. A really old MacBook remains practically unbeatable.

Dive into those weekend reads, plus the best Apple news and how-tos from the past seven days, below.

The good, the bad and the unbelievable

It's comfortable. It's powerful. It's kind of heavy, but it's undeniably magical. Cult of Mac goes hands-on with Apple's fantastic new iPad Pro accessory.

Even during quarantine, you’d really need to not value your time to look beyond the failures of imagination at the heart of Trying.

A 2008 MacBook is more repairable, more upgradeable, and better-specced than modern Macs in almost every way. Is it the best ever?

News and opinion

While COVID-19 certainly overshadowed Apple’s most recent financial quarter, the company actually saw an annual increase in revenue. And the future looks strong.

What could be better than a mobile app that lets you play masses of games, like an old-school arcade squeezed onto your iPhone? A mobile app that lets you play masses of games and create your own.

The 2020 iPhone SE is the first Apple smartphone to offer Portrait mode photos created entirely with software techniques.

Plus more on iPhone SE:

How-tos

Dig deep into your Apple Watch and you’ll find plenty of fun and challenging workouts that require little or no special equipment.

There’s a right and a wrong way to charge your MacBook Pro. Who knew?

Plus more Mac tips:

You shouldn’t have to deal with the frustration of unlocking your iPhone with Face ID when you’re wearing a mask. And you don’t have to.

Apple’s default mouse and trackpad settings in iPadOS might work great with the company’s own accessories, but they can be less than ideal with third-party peripherals.

Deals

You can save on cases, screen protectors, charging pads and portable power banks for a limited time in the Cult of Mac Store.

Plus deals on Apple Watch bands:

Everybody loves a good sale, so we rounded up the biggest price drops currently offered by Cult of Mac Deals.

The 2020 Adobe Graphic Design Certification School covers Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign -- at a fraction of the usual cost.

Plus more learning opportunities:

We should be trying to keep germs at bay no matter what, but sanitation proves especially essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More reviews

iPad Pros used in the field require hard-core protection, and there’s no better option than the OtterBox Defender. The case wraps the tablet in layer upon layer of plastic to cushion it from serious accidents.

This week's episode of the Apple TV+ crime drama shows every member of the Barber family starting to crack as young Jacob moves closer to his murder trial.

Power banks designed for phones don’t do much for laptops and tablets. But the RavPower RP-PB055 AC Power Bank packs a whopping 30,000mAh, and more than doubles a MacBook’s time between recharges. Plus, it packs a standard electrical outlet.