Back in the summer, the UK’s High Court overturned legislation allowing citizens to duplicate copyrighted material for personal use. The British government has now accepted this ruling, meaning that the private-copying exception to anti-piracy laws no longer applies – and the government will not attempt to reintroduce it.

This means that we’re back where we started: doing something as simple as ripping a CD, backing-up your music to Time Machine or uploading it to a cloud service is once more illegal, reports copyright blog 1709.

So where does this leave ordinary users in the UK? Clearly some will have been unaware of the introduction of the exception last year, and possibly a larger minority will have been unaware of the rescinding of the exception, so they will no doubt continue to format shift their personally owned music and store tracks on the cloud in blissful ignorance that that is not legal in most cases.

It also means that Apple may need to change the terms of both iTunes Match and Apple Music in the UK.

Operators of cloud services may face pressure to amend their terms of service to reflect the new status quo, and some streaming services may be forced to tighten up their procedures to prevent users from creating multiple copies of the same download.

Yep, technically you can’t have the same music on your iPhone and Mac …

It seems unlikely that anyone will actually enforce the law, but these days, who knows. Just as plastic bags come with warnings that they should be kept out of the hands of infants, technology should come with a warning that it should be kept out of the hands of governments.

Via Gizmodo

Filed under: Apple Music Tagged: Apple Music, backup, copyright, iTunes Match, Law, Media, Music, Time Machine

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If you’re wondering why Apple Pay is as yet only available for Amex cards in Australia, it’s not because Apple isn’t working hard enough to introduce it there: it’s because Australian banks are refusing to sign up for it. The opposition Labor Party spokesman on digital innovation is now suggesting that this refusal may constitute anti-competitive behaviour, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Reserve Bank has been urged to examine potential anti-competitive behaviour in the emerging card-free payments market amid claims the banks have frozen out newcomer Apple Pay […]

“Australian consumers should not be denied the ability to make payment choices that are openly available to consumers globally,” Ed Husic wrote. “No doubt some will argue this move by the banks is anti-competitive – I am certainly concerned that it denies consumer access to a secure, efficient payment platform.”

As we reported back in August, one big sticking point is fees … 

U.S. banks typically take a 1% commission on card purchases, so they make $1 on a $100 transaction. Of this $1, Apple takes 15c. Australian banks, in contrast, would make only 50c on the same transaction, but Apple still wants 15c of it.

A second issue is that Australia is a very advanced market for mobile payment, and banks there already have their own mobile payment apps. They argue that consumers are therefore not losing out.

A third is that while MasterCard is keen to sign up for Apple Pay, Visa is reportedly happy with its existing mobile payment arrangements with the banks.

The Herald reports that the Reserve Bank declined to comment.

Apple is working to continue the international rollout of Apple Pay, with China the big prize. It was reported earlier this week that Apple had reached its first crucial agreement there in readiness for a planned February launch.

Via CoM

Filed under: iOS Devices

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If you own a PS4 but end up fighting for access to the big TV when other family members want to use it for watching TV shows or movies, Sony is working on an app for that. Sony’s president of worldwide studios Shuhei Yoshida tweeted that the company is working on an app to stream games to both PCs and Mac.

Some people asked if we plan to provide Remote Play function to PC, and yes, we are indeed working on an official application for PC/Mac. 😀

—
Shuhei Yoshida (@yosp) November 27, 2015

The games console already has Remote Play functionality built in, but it’s of very limited use as yet … 

Remote Play currently only streams game play to a small number of Sony smartphones. If you have either an iMac or a large monitor, the new app will allow you to get your big screen game fix without hogging the family TV.

Sony hasn’t yet given any indication on when the app is likely to be released.

Via The Verge

Filed under: Apps Tagged: Games, gaming, playstation 4, PS4, Sony

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As the Thanksgiving turkey and wine buzz starts to wear off and we head into the pinnacle of American consumerism known as Black Friday, we here at 9to5mac have some tips which should make the shopping experience pleasant, efficient and productive. Over the next 24 hours, everything Apple related will be at the lowest prices of the year. We’re going to guide you to getting in, saving a bunch of cash and getting on your way.

First some don’ts:

• Don’t for any reason actually go to a physical store. The 2-3 $150 50″ Best Buy TVs per store isn’t worth being in the vicinity of Black Friday shoppers and the “Door Busting”. It’s a nightmare out there. Go to a park. Play with your kids. Spend a few minutes with us and we’ll knock out that gifting.
• Don’t actually buy anything online tonight. Prices keep dropping in the runup to Black Friday. Wait. Enjoy the time with your family, watch some football. If you must, grab some small ticket items and get those out of the way. IF you miss something, it will likely be around again on “Cyber Monday”
• Don’t buy anything at an Apple Store or Apple.com. Apple has outsourced Black Friday to their retail partners and have normal prices across the board. The stuff you buy at Target/Best Buy/ Walmart/etc. is the exact same product and warranty you get at Apple. Pro-Tip: Apple Stores are for showrooming and repairs.
• Don’t touch that dial. Stick with us here at 9to5Mac, 9to5Google and most importantly 9to5Toys for all of the best deals. Heck, now’s the time to subscribe to 9to5Toys Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications. We’ve got a team of 20 people scouring the web for the best deals out there and tomorrow it is going to come fast and furious.

As for Apple products, we’ve distilled the absolute best deals out there into just a few options. Important considerations include state tax at time of purchase, gift cards vs. actual savings, shipping and rewards. Also, AppleCare discounts. Here’s the quick rundown:

Apple Watch

Target, B&H and Best Buy in the US have the biggest discounts we’ve seen this year. Best Buy will knock off $50 on Sport and $100 on Stainless. Target gives you a $100 gift card on both models which is of course good for an additional 5% cash back using their RedCard. Both sites charge tax in a 50 states but offer free shipping.

However, the best option might be B&H Photo which offers the Apple Watch in fewer varieties than Best Buy but for the same $50 off Sport/$100 off Stainless. In addition, B&H throws in a $50 gift card, B&H only charges Tax in New York State which may save you big money.

B&H Photo:

• Sport 38mm: starts at $299 (Reg. $349) +$50 gift card
• Sport 42mm: starts at $349 (Reg. $399) +$50 gift card
• Stainless Steel 38mm: starts at $449 (Reg. $549) +$50 gift card
• Stainless Steel 42mm: starts at $499 (Reg. $599) +$50 gift card

Best Buy:

• Sport 38mm: starts at $299 (Reg. $349)
• Sport 42mm: starts at $349 (Reg. $399)
• Stainless Steel 38mm: starts at $449 (Reg. $549)
• Stainless Steel 42mm: starts at $499 (Reg. $599)

Target:

Apple Watch Sport starts at $349 and comes with a free $100 Target Gift Card. Use your REDcard to save an additional 5% and your effective net cost is just $231.55. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen on new Apple Watches. Target will throw in the free gift card on any in-stock Apple Watch.

Apple TV

Target has the New Apple TV for ~$50 off in store but those prices will likely hit retailers like Walmart ($112) tomorrow. HHGregg also is expected to have some availability on Black Friday at reduced cost. Staples has $25 off if you checkout with Visa Checkout. The 3rd Gen Apple TV is $50 in a number of places and $40 Geek squad refurb at Best Buy. Stay tuned

iPods

For those of us that still love the iPod Touch, there are a few nice deals around. Best Buy cuts $50 across the board, Target cuts $40-$60 and Walmart cuts $35.

iPhone

iPhones with plans from the major US carriers are marked down significantly in a number of retail outlets

• Boost Mobile No Contract iPhone 6s for $549 | Boost
• All iPhones $100 off + $100 Black Friday Gift Card | Walmart
• iPhone 6s/Plus $200 Gift Card w/ iPhone 5 (or newer) trade | Best Buy
• iPhone 6s/Plus, get a free $250 Gift Card (installment plan) | Target
• iPhone 6s/Plus 16GB/64GB $50 off (2-yr contract) | Target
• iPhone 6S 64GB (all colors): $719 (Reg. $749) | eBay
• iPhone 6S Plus 64GB (all colors): $819 (Reg. $849) | eBay

iPad

iPad Air/2

• Any iPad Air 2, get a free $150 Gift Card | Target
• iPad Air 2 16GB/64GB $100 off, 128GB $125 off | Best Buy
• iPad Air 2 16GB WI-Fi (Gold): $399 (Reg. $499) | Walmart
• iPad Air 2 16GB Wi-Fi: $374 (Reg. $499) | Staples
• iPad Air 2 64GB Wi-Fi: $449 (Reg. $599) | Staples
• iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular $175 off | Sam’s Club
• iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB Wi-Fi $150 off | Sam’s Club
• Any iPad Air, get a free $100 Gift Card | Target
• iPad Air 16GB Wi-Fi: $349.99 (Reg. $399) | HHGregg

iPad mini 2/3/4

• iPad mini 2 16GB Wi-Fi: $199 (Reg. $269) | Walmart
• Any iPad mini 4, get a free $100 Gift Card | Target
• iPad mini 4 16GB Wi-Fi: $299 (Reg. $399) | Staples
• iPad mini 4 64GB/128GB $100 off | Best Buy
• iPad mini 4 64GB Wi-Fi: $450 (Reg. $499) | eBay
• Any iPad mini 2, get a free $80 Gift Card | Target

iPad Pro

• All iPad Pros $12 off at MacMall, Tax in only a handful of states
• 32GB iPad Pro: $749.99 ($50 off)| Buy.com tax in a few states

Macs

Mac prices and inventory will fluctuate wildly on Black Friday. Best Buy gives an extra $50 off to students on iMacs and MacBooks

Retina 12-inch MacBooks are now widely available in Gold, Silver and Space Gray. The best prices as of this writing are:

• $150 off the 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB at Amazon, Best Buy
• $170 off the 1.2GHz/8GB/512GB without tax at B&H and Ebay
• $100+ off configured at MacMall including 1.3GZ models.

MacBook Airs: B&H are running the table as of this writing with $120 off across the board, Tax only in New York and 6 months of Parallels Access but things will likely change- stay tuned.

• $120 off at Best Buy: 11.6-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB: $779, B&H (Tax in NY Only) $100 off: $799
• 11-inch 4GB/256GB: $979 ($120 off at B&H)
• 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB: $879 ($120 off at B&H)
• 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB256GB: $1,079 ($120 off at B&H)

MacBook Pro

B&H is leading the way with $150-$500 off 13-inch MacBook Pros and $200-$500 off 15.4-inch MacBook Pros. We expect to see some lower prices at eBay and other locations through the day.

iMacs

The entry level iMac is a whopping $200 off at Best Buy ($899) and with the .EDU  credit drops down to $850 shipped. After that B&H is leading the way with at least $100-$300 off on standard models and MacMall leads the way on custom configs. We’ve heard whispers that a retailler is going to do some serious price drops so we’ll post those when they happen.

Mac Mini:

B&H takes $50 off the base model which now starts at $449 and $70 and $100 off the higher models.

Mac Pros:

Again, B&H has the lowest base model price and most of the configurations along with MacMall.

These prices and inventory will likely be all over the place so we’ll be updating frequently.

We’re rounding up the best deals on Apple accessories here (tomorrow)

Filed under:
How-To, Buying Guides, iOS Devices, Tips and Tricks Tagged: App Store (iOS), Apple, AppleCare, best prices, Black Friday, discounts, iPhone, Retail and Wholesalers, save

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The best iPad deals (so far): Air 2 from $374 (Reg. $499), free gift card offers, more

Apple Watch Deals: Save up to $100 at Best Buy – Sport from $299, $100 Target gift card with purchase

iTunes Gift Cards: Buy One, Get One 40% off — 2x $50 cards for $80 shipped, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Heads up! During Black Friday/Cyber Monday you’re going to have to follow us on Twitter to get the best deals since many sell out too quickly to post.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

iOS/Mac apps: Infinity Blade free, Threes! $1, Fantastical 2 from $3, Transistor $3, freebies, many more

B&H Photo’s Black Friday Mac Deals live! 5K iMac: $1579, Mac Pro: $500 off, Retina MacBook: $170 off (Tax in NY only)

Amazon Black Friday: Fire TV Stick $25 (Reg. $40), Fire tablet $35 (Reg. $50), echo $149 (Reg. $180)

Save 30% on any book from Amazon — Iconic: A Photographic Tribute to Apple Innovation $39, more

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

DJI Phantom 3 Standard Quadcopter w/ 2.7k Camera: $499 shipped (Reg. $699)

• Pencil by FiftyThree smart iPad stylus from $30 Prime shipped (Orig. $50), more
• $100 Google Play gift card for under $80 shipped (20% off)
• Samsung 850 EVO 500GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD: $140 shipped (Reg. $160+)
• Black Friday game deals: Bloodborne $20, Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze $30, more
• GoPro HERO4 Cameras: Session $229 (Reg. $300), Black 4K $349 (Reg. $500)
• Nomad Black Friday Sale: Apple Watch Stand $40 (Reg. $60), more
• Daily Deals: Anker 20,000mAh Power Bank $28, ChugPlug for MacBook $25, more
• Black Friday console deals: Xbox One Gears of War + $60 gift card $300, Playstation 4
• Amazon 30% off Fashion Black Friday Sale
• Roku: Special Edition $25 (Reg. $50), 3 w/ voice search $70 (Reg. $100)
• Yamaha 7.2-channel 4K Wi-Fi Network AV Receiver: $300 shipped (Reg. $400)
• Crucial & Lexar Storage up to 75% off: 256GB Flash Drive $55, 500GB SSD $120
• Two Chromecast Streaming Media Players (newest version): $50 shipped (Reg. $70)
• Take 50% off any album purchase from Google Play
• ecobee3 HomeKit Thermostat w/ 3 Remote Sensors: $249 shipped ($328 value)
• Nest Thermostat (3rd Gen) w/ free $50 Amazon Gift Card: $249 ($299 value), more

BLACK FRIDAY AD LEAKS & NEWS:

Best of Black Friday – Streaming Media Players: Apple TV 64GB $180, Roku SE $20, 2-Pack Chromecast (2nd gen) $50, more

Best of Black Friday – Smart Home: Nest Thermostat $250 + $50 GC, Philips Hue kit $130

Best of Black Friday – HDTVs: 40-inch from $149, Samsung 55-inch Smart $580 (Reg. $1,200), more

Best of Black Friday – iPads, Tablets and e-readers: iPad Air 2 from $360, Amazon Fire $35 (Reg. $50), more

Best of Black Friday – Games: Xbox One/PS4 console bundles, deep discounts on games, more

Best of Black Friday – wearables: Fitbit Flex $59/Charge $90/more, $100 off Apple Watch, Android smartwatches, more

Best of Black Friday — Apple: deals on iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s/Plus, Apple Watch, Macs, more!

Top 5 ways to score the year’s best online Black Friday deals

10 can’t-miss deals for the holiday season: HDTVs, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6s, more

Best Buy’s Black Friday ad brings deals on Apple Watch, Macs, HDTVs, games & more!

• MacMall’s Black Friday 2015 Ad leaks, we have all 50+ pages
• Walmart’s Black Friday ad leak hits with 4K UHDTV deals, iPad Air 2 $100 off, more
• Target previews its top Black Friday deals, launches surprise one-day sale
• Staples Black Friday Ad Revealed: iPad Air 2 from $374, mini 4 $300, more
• eBay’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday will deliver deals on MacBooks, iPhone, iPad Air 2
• GameStop Black Friday ad leak: PS4/Xbox One bundles $300, new Nintendo 3DS XL $180
• Costco’s Black Friday ad includes deals on Chromecast (2nd gen), Fitbit Flex, more
• Microsoft launches its Black Friday promo early for Xbox Live Gold Members
• Toys R Us Black Friday ad leak: Xbox One/PS4 bundles $300, more
• Sam’s Club Black Friday ad leak: iPad Air 2 Cellular $175 off, Google Play $100 GC $80
• Sam’s Club One-Day Sale: iPhone 6s/Plus $100 off, iPad Air 2 64GB/128GB $150 off
• HHGregg Black Friday: Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Headphones $100, more
• Sports Authority Black Friday Ad: Free gift cards w/ footwear, FitBit Charge HR $120
• BJ’s Warehouse Black Friday ad hits with Samsung 4K UHDTV deals, fitness trackers

Cyber Monday Ad Roundup: What to expect from Target, Best Buy, Walmart and others

Amazon releases its Cyber Monday strategy with rotating deals every five minute

MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:

HyperDrive Macbook Storage Expander adds up to 200GB with no extra bulk: $20 Shipped (Orig. $30, CA Tax only)

Parallels $79.99 Black Friday Bundle: Free 1Password, Evernote, Camtasia, Pocket, PDFPen, Snagit, more

• Pixelmator for Mac gets a 50% discount today: $15 (Reg. $30)
• Apple AirPort Extreme 802.11ac Wireless Router (refurbished): $100 shipped (Orig. $199)
• iTunes HD Movies: Godfather Trilogy $10, Rocky Collection $30, more
• Apple iPod touch (6th gen) in multiple colors: 16GB $159, 32GB $199, 64GB $239
• Garmin Dash Cam 20 HD Driving Recorder with GPS: $150 shipped (Orig. $250)
• Panasonic Sound Rush Plus On-Ear Headphones $15 shipped (Reg. $60)
• Save on the 3rd Gen 1080p Apple TV with this refurb deal: $40 shipped (Orig. $69)
• Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Duplex Laser Printer: $50 shipped (Reg. $80)
• View-Master Virtual Reality Starter Pack for iPhone/Android: $20 (Reg. $30)
• Displays: ASUS 24-inch Gaming Monitor $185, more
• Cowboom 20% off: Apple Watch 38mm Milanese Loop Stainless (pre-owned) $359, more
• Herman Miller takes rare 15% off world’s best office chairs + desks
• Canon Pre-Black Friday Sale: T5 w/ 18-55mm lens kit (refurb) $200 (Orig. $549), more
• Early Black Friday Fashion: Save 50% at Gap – Polar Fleece Jacket $30, others
• Car Tech: iOttie Easy One Touch iPhone 6s/Plus Car Mount $10 (Reg. $17+), more
• Maker Architect 3D Printer $400 shipped (Orig. $600)
• Media: Mad Men Complete Seasons $5/ea on DVD, more
• The Black Friday Mac Bundle offers 10 productivity-boosting apps for $34.99 (Orig. $533)
• Save 25% on Nike Gear: FlyKnit Lunar 3 Men’s Shoes $90 (Orig. $150), more
• Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit: $199 shipped (Reg. $249)
• USB roundup: Anker MFi 3ft Lightning cable $4 Prime shipped, Power Banks from $6, more
• Seagate Backup Plus External Desktop Hard Drive: 5TB $120, 8TB $200
• Portable Solid-State Drives: SanDisk 120GB $60, 240GB $80 + more
• Samsung Chromebook 2 2.16GHz/2GB/16GB SSD: $149 shipped (Reg. $190+)
• Twelve South BookBook for iPhone 5/5s: $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $60)
• NETGEAR DOCSIS 3.0 High Speed Cable Modem: $80 shipped (Reg. $100)
• Amazon Kindle e-Reader deals from $50 shipped, Paperwhite $100 (Reg. $120)
• MacPhun offers up to 85% off Creative Kit 2016 for Black Friday: $89 (Reg. $630)
• Pebble Time iOS/Android Smartwatch: $130 shipped (Reg. $200)
• Home Theater: Samsung 55-inch Smart 4K LED UHDTV $900 (Reg. $1,200), more
• Verizon launches freebies promotion: 1GB of data, $5 iTunes credit, more
• Implosion – Never Lose Hope for iOS goes free for the first time ($10 value)

NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:

Unboxing and Review: Star Wars Battlefront limited edition PS4 is out of this galaxy [Video]

Mohu launches a “high-end” speaker with built-in Android display, save 10%

• Leica introduces a new low-cost M series camera, but don’t expect bargain pricing
• D-Link takes all the smart things and puts them together in one Komfy light switch
• Curate With Me, Win A Prize: 2015’s Most Coveted Holiday Tech Gifts List!
• The ultimate 4K set-top box battle [Video]
• GENII’s CAST streaming box skirts copyright rules to beam your content to friends

Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, Amazon Black friday, Amazon Prime, apple deals, Apple watch, Apps, Best Buy, Black Friday, coupon codes, Cyber Monday, Deals, free, free apps, free shipping, iPad Air 2, itunes deals, itunes gift cards, Mac deals, New Toy of the Day

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If you’re buying gifts for music lovers in your life, there has never been a better time to do it: there’s a vast range of products to choose from at every price level. But here I’m focusing on the premium end of the market – a main gift for someone who you love as much as they love music!

These are products consistent with my philosophy of buying the right thing once. Gifts that will be appreciated as much a few years down the line as they will when first unwrapped.

Let’s start with headphones … 

B&W P5 wired or wireless headphones

My trusty Bowers & Wilkins P5 on-ear headphones go with me anytime I’m using public transit – music, audiobooks or podcasts helping the time fly by. The sound quality is fantastic, they are really comfy to wear, let in just enough background sound to hear announcements and fold flat when you want to tuck them away into a bag. I’m not the only fan here.

The P5s are available in both wired and wireless versions. While I do generally hate wires, they do make it slightly easier for my typical mobile usage, which involves switching between iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air as my audio source. For most people, though, I’d say the wireless model would be the one to get them.

B&W doesn’t offer much in the way of discounts, but that’s because it doesn’t have to. The P5 Wireless are currently $10 off at $389.99, while the wired version are $30 off at $269.99.

B&O BeoPlay H8 Wireless ANC headphones

A great alternative to the P5 for someone who wants full noise-cancelling wireless headphones with equally great audio quality is the Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H8 ANC (for Active Noise Cancellation).

Usually noise-cancelling headphones carry a weight penalty, but at 255g, B&O has somehow kept these extremely light.

I’ve so far only had a brief play (with a full review to follow), but that was enough to reassure me that you’re getting the audio quality you’d expect from B&O. The RRP is rather steeper at $499, but you can currently get $50 off at $449.

Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 2 Wireless Active Collection

I hesitate to include these in a premium audio guide, as I’m definitely no fan of the audio quality, but there’s no denying the market appeal. Chances are, if you’re buying for a teenager in your family, they are going to be more excited about getting a pair of Beats headphones than either B&W or B&O.

Forget wired for the teenage market – that’s obsolete in their eyes. The latest and greatest model here is the lengthily-named Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 2 Wireless Active Collection. These retail at $299.95, but you can get them for $224.99, saving $75.

There’s a wide range of colors, so take a good look at their clothes and other kit to get a sense of which one they might prefer.

B&W MM-1 computer speakers

B&W offers what I consider the best wired computer speakers around: the MM-1s. Suitable for both Mac and PC, they don’t rely on the digital to analog converter (DAC) built into the computer – they instead use a high quality B&W DAC built into the speakers. They connect via USB so that you’re feeding in a digital signal.

They look great, the sound quality is amazing and the volume they pump out is truly incredible – it’s really hard to believe that they can deliver so much sound from such compact units.

Again, you’re unfortunately going to need to pay next to full price for them, at $494.49 – but they are totally worth it. Any music lover will be delighted with these.

Harman Kardon computer speakers

I’ve always adored the gorgeous and retro-looking Harman Kardon Soundsticks (left), with their glass casings. The sound quality isn’t quite up there with the MM-1s, but they still offer very acceptable quality and plenty of volume at a more affordable price.

The originals are still available at an absolute bargain $152.95 (saving $57), while there’s now also a Bluetooth version, currently $68 off at $206.95.

But if you’re an AirPlay fan (as I mostly am), the company has also introduced a single-unit AirPlay speaker that borrows heavily from the original design while giving it a cleaner look, the Aura. Despite being a single unit, it is still a stereo speaker, and offers Bluetooth support in addition to AirPlay. RRP is $480, but you can save $120 at $359.96.

B&W A7 & A5 AirPlay speakers

Speaking of AirPlay, if you’re looking for a single-unit speaker system for a medium-sized room, the B&W A7 is an excellent choice, with remarkable capacity to fill the room with sound. There’s zero distortion no matter how high you crank up the volume, thanks to a 6-inch subwoofer alongside the 1-inch and 3-inch speakers.

There’s no shortage of input options, with AirPlay supplemented by USB, 3.5mm socket and mini Toslink.

At an RRP of $799.99, and a tiny $20 discount bringing it to $779.49, this is an expensive gift by anyone’s standards – but to call it a speaker system really doesn’t do it justice: this is a hifi in a box.

The smaller A5 variant retails for $499.99, and while not in quite the same league volume-wise, it is more than enough for a smaller room. Also worth checking out is the Zeppelin, though the design is quirkier.

Sonos PLAY 5

If you have a Sonos owner in your life, the latest addition to the range is the new PLAY 5 – a single unit that incorporates six speakers, each of which has its own dedicated amplifier. Not to be confused with the older 1st-generation model.

Sonos does rather lock you into its own audio ecosystem, so it wouldn’t be the best choice as a standalone gift, but for anyone already invested in Sonos, this is a fantastic way to bring another room online. Both sound quality and volume are excellent, and it’s available in a choice of black or white casing. It’s a delightfully understated design that makes a fairly chunky unit blend into its surroundings remarkably well.

The unit contains some impressive tech. Once you’ve positioned it, the setup process prompts you to walk around the room with your iPhone, and the app uses audio from the speaker and the iPhone’s microphone to measure the acoustic properties of the room in which it’s placed and automatically adjust the speaker output to suit. I also love the flush touch-sensitive controls on the top of the unit.

As a new product, don’t expect any discount on the $499 price tag.

Spotted any new premium audio products you think I should take a look at? Let me know in the comments.

Filed under: Buying Guides Tagged: B&O, B&O BeoPlay H8 Wireless ANC, B&W, B&W A5, B&W A7, B&W MM-1, B&W P5, B&W P5 Wireless, Bang & Olufsen, Beats, Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 2, Beats by Dr. Dre Solo 2 Wireless Active Collection, Bowers & Wilkins, Harman Kardon Aura, Harman Kardon Soundsticks, Sonos, Sonos PLAY 5

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Welcome to 9to5Mac’s official Mac Holiday Gift Guide! This has been an exciting year for Mac lovers, thanks to the cool new 12″ Retina MacBook and 21″ Retina iMac, as well as great accessories from Apple and others. I’ve been canvassing all things Mac throughout the year, so what you’ll find inside are some great options at various price levels — everything from stocking stuffers and apps to “best gift I’ve ever received” material. Also included: the best (limited time only) prices I’ve found anywhere on new Mac computers.

Before you go further, I’d recommend that you bookmark and/or send this page to your favorite people, because either you or someone you care about is going to get a great gift from this guide. Beyond great Macs, apps, and accessories, some of my picks are designed to help an old Mac run better than new…

Small Stocking Stuffers: USB Hubs, Card Readers + Cables

It’s always handy to have extra USB ports — particularly powered ones that can recharge your iPad or iPhone even if the Mac is turned off. Moshi’s iLynx 3 ($60) is the hub I use, adding multiple ports to the front (rather than the inconvenient back) of your Mac. Most Macs have SD Card readers built in, but none of them has a CompactFlash reader — the card type used by many high-end DSLR cameras. If you only need CompactFlash support, Lexar’s Professional Workflow CFR1 ($17, shown) is a high-speed USB 3 card reader at a great price — the one I purchased for myself, and have found to be very reliable. Lexar’s Professional USB 3.0 Dual-Slot Reader ($34) includes both SD and CompactFlash slots, handy for 11″ MacBook Air users. And if you need Lightning cables for your Mac or iOS gadgets, Anker’s 3-foot Lightning to USB Cables are only $6 each, a great deal for authorized cables.

If you want something more deluxe than a USB hub and are willing to go beyond stocking stuffer pricing, Thunderbolt 2 docks let you connect high-speed hard drives, audio devices, and monitors to your Mac all at once with a single Thunderbolt cable — ideal for turning a small MacBook Air or Pro into a full-fledged desktop machine, or radically expanding the connector options for any Mac. My guide to the best Thunderbolt 2 docks picks OWC’s Thunderbolt 2 Dock ($224, shown at center) as the top overall choice for features and pricing, but there are other alternatives.

Ring Out With Joy: Great Mac Speakers + Headphones

Having spent years loving various affordable speakers from JBL and parent brand Harman, notably including the iconic clear Soundsticks ($170, also available in a $188 Bluetooth wireless version), I’ve shifted over to more contemporary Mac-matching audio accessories in recent years. Bowers & Wilkins’ MM-1 ($499, center) places more powerful, higher-quality audio drivers inside two black and silver housings that can straddle the sides of any Mac screen, while its similar-looking A7 ($800 new, $640 recertified) is even more powerful, an all-in-one enclosure with a booming subwoofer and AirPlay streaming capabilities. The company’s P5 Headphones ($300 wired, $400 wireless, reviewed here) have similarly Mac-matching looks and excellent sound quality; their leather earpads are the most comfortable I’ve ever felt in a pair of on-ear headphones. Pair them with a $20 BlueLounge Posto headphone stand to declutter your desk.

The Ultimate Mac Upgrade: A Solid State Drive (SSD) 

Unless you’re willing to buy a brand new Mac, the single best way to make your old Mac run crazy fast (and quiet) is to install a Solid State Drive, also known as an SSD. The SSD replaces either your Mac’s traditional hard drive, which is a little trickier but yields massive speed improvements, or the SuperDrive CD/DVD drive, which is easier but generally not as fast. Adding an SSD made my older iMac five times faster for loading apps and files, basically instantaneous, and enabled it to wake and sleep in seconds. To do this, you’ll need an SSD (go with Samsung’s awesome 850 EVO for desktop Macs, or model-specific alternatives for MacBooks), this special screwdriver kit to open any Mac, and for certain Macs, a thermal sensor cable.

Here are my full SSD guides for iMac hard drives, MacBook Air/Pro SSD capacity/speed bumps, and MacBook, Mac mini, and Mac Pro hard drives. Alternately, here’s my guide to swapping out the SuperDrives in iMacs, Mac minis, and MacBooks for SSDs. Readers have sent me so many “thank you!” emails that I know they’ve been thrilled with their SSDs. Your old hard drive or SuperDrive can go in an affordable external USB enclosure as a spare.

Magical Holidays: Apple’s Magic Keyboard + Trackpad 2, or Logitech Rivals

The mouse — a part of Macs since 1984 — is on the way out, as multi-touch gestures continue to become more integral parts of the Mac and iOS experience. Rechargeable keyboards are also becoming more popular. Earlier this year, I wrote 9to5Mac’s guide to the best Mac keyboards, anticipating that Apple was working on better sequels to its aging Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad. Lo and behold, Apple released the $99 Magic Keyboard and $129 Magic Trackpad 2 (both reviewed here), and they’re perfect gifts — the sorts of items any Mac user would love, but perhaps not buy on their own. Each comes with a Lightning cable to recharge an integrated rechargeable battery. By comparison, Logitech’s $95 K811 Easy-Switch Keyboard adds backlit keys and 3-device simultaneous pairing for the same price, while its $75 Rechargeable Trackpad is an alternative with multi-touch support at a much lower price. If you’re OK with AA batteries, Apple’s older Magic Trackpad is available for $70.

Office Decor, Desk Declutterers + Stands

To help you sort through the many Mac-matching lamps, posters, desks, shelves and chairs out there, my guide to the best Mac office decor provides a look at great options across various materials and styles. A rare sale on Herman Miller’s famous Aeron chairs and Embody desks makes them ideal high-end gifts for the holidays; BlueLounge’s $25 Portiko power strips and $10 Pixi cable managers are nice entry-level options.

I’ve written a guide to the best Mac stands and mounts, ranging from portable flip-out stands to stationary desktop stands with storage inside. For closed MacBooks, Twelve South’s new BookArc ($50) is a good pick; the same company’s HiRise ($70) is a better pick for open MacBooks. My iMac sits on Just Mobile’s Drawer ($58, right), which matches the silver and black looks of Macs while storing peripherals, spare change, cables, and other desktop clutter.

Virtual Gifts: A Few Great Apps

It’s hard to give apps as gifts, but I have three Mac app recommendations that are top picks of 9to5’s editors. Pixelmator ($15) is a far more affordable alternative to Adobe’s Photoshop, including photo editing and painting tools that are optimized for each new version of OS X, with full iOS Pixelmator compatibility. Macphun’s Creative Kit 2016 ($150, currently on sale for $90) is an incredible bundle of photo processing tools; my review explains how they can be used to make even boring photos awesome. Tweetbot ($5) is the Twitter client your Mac deserves, featuring full OS X El Capitan compatibility and numerous customizations, including single- or multi-column modes.

Store Photos, Videos, Music + Backups: Great External Hard Drives

As photo, video, and music collections grow, most Macs strain to hold everything without running out of space. That’s why external hard drives have become so popular — they store whatever your Mac can’t manage on its own. If you have an iMac, Mac mini, or Mac Pro, the external drive I’d recommend is G-Technology’s affordable G-Drive USB (left). Starting at $150 for a 2TB model, you can double its capacity for only $40 more, a great investment in a fast, professional-grade drive that will last for years. For MacBook Air and Pro use, portable drives such as OWC’s thumbdrive-sized Envoy Pro mini (center), Seagate’s slim Seven and LaCie’s stylish Mirror (both at right) offer tradeoffs in size, capacity, and pricing. My article discusses the benefits and tradeoffs you’ll get from cheaper, higher-capacity drives versus more expensive, longer-lasting ones, so you can choose what’s best for your needs.

Free Your Mac: The Cheaper iTunes Server

Years ago, the only way to run a small, quiet iTunes media server was to buy a Mac mini — a $450 solution I went with and liked. But this year, I wanted to free my Mac from server duty, so I researched less expensive options. For $113, the iview Cyber PC gives you the ability to run the PC version of iTunes off a computer the size of a thumb drive, plugged directly into any HDTV’s HDMI port. Pair it with a tiny $38 SanDisk 128GB USB flash drive and you’ll have space to share movies and music across your Apple TVs, iOS devices, and other computers with ease.

Give The Gift Of Multitasking: Extra RAM

Installing more RAM is easy for older Macs. My guide to choosing and installing quality Mac RAM ($90-$180) explains which Macs are capable of being upgraded, which will help them run multiple apps without slowdowns. You’ll generally need a small Phillips head screwdriver (found alongside many others in this screwdriver kit) to open your Mac; very little skill is required for RAM installation.

Power-Up: Keep Your MacBook Running For Days

Keeping a MacBook running for days without access to a wall outlet isn’t easy. ChargeTech’s ChargeAll battery packs (shown above, reviewed here) work as portable wall outlets, ranging from $86 to $225 depending on the power you need. The $150 version shown above adds 5-7 hours of additional Mac run time. Users of the USB-C-powered 12″ Retina MacBook have an easier alternative: Anker’s PowerCore+ 20100 ($70) is a USB-C charger with more than enough power to fully refuel the super-thin Mac.

The Best Gift Of All: A New Mac

A new Mac is the sort of gift most people dream about — the best computers Apple makes today for work or school. My personal recommendations would be the following Macs for the following situations:

• A Retina iMac for desktop office and/or serious photography/videography use.
• A Retina MacBook Pro for portable productivity with Apple’s best overall combination of power, pricing, and screen quality.
• An 11″ MacBook Air or 12″ Retina MacBook for portable work or school use when power is less important than pricing and physical size. Go with the Air for a lower price and more power, the Retina MacBook for a better screen and less power at a higher price.
• A Mac mini to replace your aging Windows PC, or serve as a Mac media center/server for your home.

Regardless of the Mac you choose, the best prices I’ve seen anywhere are at B&H Photo Video. If you’re in any state other than New York, you’ll save a lot on sales tax with B&H, too.

More From This Author

Check out more of my reviews, How-To guides and editorials for 9to5Mac here! I’ve published a lot of different topics of interest to Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch users, as well as a great holiday gift guide for iPhone users, and a separate holiday gift guide for Apple photographers.

Filed under: Buying Guides, Mac Tagged: gift guide, iMac, Mac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, MacBook

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V-MODA makes some of the best earphones available. While sports stars and celebrities are normally seen wearing Beats, you’re more likely to find a pair of V-MODA cans wrapped around the necks of DJs. And if I’m going to trust someone’s judgement on an audio product, I’ll choose a music professional over a sportsperson any day.

In the past, I’ve owned the Crossfade M100 and now, the award-winning earphones are back with an added feature: wireless connectivity. I’ve been using the Crossfade Wireless for the past week or so, and they’re rather fantastic…

If you’ve used V-MODA M100 Crossfade earphones before, the Crossfade Wireless will be immediately recognizable. They feature the same overall design; the tough polycarbonate hexagonal cans, with the removable decorative shield on the outside, the same bendable and unbreakable steel headband which sits really close to your head when worn, even the same vegan leather covering and padding. But there are a couple of differences.

Firstly, although extendable, the forks which hold the earphones in place are no longer foldable, so you can’t collapse the earphones.  The newly design exoskeleton case design makes that clear. Instead of being relatively small and portable, the new case is pretty big and will take up a lot of space in most bags. There are also four buttons placed on the right earphone. One is for switching on/off the Bluetooth, there are two volume buttons near the top of the right can, and a button in the middle which is used to play, pause or skip tracks. Which action it performs depends on how many times, or for how long, you press it.

Overall build quality — as you’d expect from the Italian company — is superb. Everything, from the cable and steel headband to the earphones themselves is built to last. And they look really classy too. I chose the Gunmetal base color, which subtly combines black and metallic gray to great effect. Other choices include ‘Rouge’ which is black and red, ‘Phantom Chrome’ which is white chrome and black or the ‘White Silver’ version.

Which ever base color you choose, you can change the look by ordering custom shields to decorate them with. There are a number of 3D printed materials and colors you can choose from. They range from the cheap, brightly colored plastics, through $150 3D printed metals to $9000 precious metals. You can add monograms, V-Moda designed patterns or upload your own design to customize the shields further.

As you’d assume from the name, the V-Moda Crossfade Wireless use a Bluetooth connection to connect to your smartphone, tablet or computer. But if you’d rather stick with the trusty, long-lasting 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable instead, you can do. Either way, you’ll get fantastic sound.

Audio-wise, it’s one of those sets of headphones where you hear little elements within a track you maybe didn’t notice before. It could be a subtle shake of a tambourine in the background, or actually hearing a bassists fingers brushing over the strings as he plays. Even at high volumes they don’t tend to distort much, and they can get pretty loud. But even then, audio is clear albeit slightly bass-heavy. Even with the loud bass, none of the other frequencies tend to get muddied over. Middles and highs are still really clear and distinct.

Wearing them is a joy too. The earphones are really well padded, so they’re comfortable to wear for extended periods of time and they don’t leak out noise for other people to hear (and hate you for). They’re relatively lightweight, and the steel headband fits so snugly that there’s no rattling, or shaking. They hold incredibly well to my head, regardless of whether I’m sitting still, spinning in my office chair or walking. Going wireless adds to that feeling of security and freedom. I’m not worried that a sudden movement is going to pull a cable from my ear, or cause the earphones to fall off my head.

The one downside is one you’ll experience with pretty much any over-ear headphone: Your ears get pretty warm after 20-30 mins of constant listening. V-Moda claims you can get 12 hours of music playback, which you probably can if you use it at low-ish volume. I listened to music through them for a solid 3-5 hours throughout this week, and they’re still going strong. I just wish there was a more accurate way to check battery life that didn’t leave me needing to rely on one single light warning me of low battery when it’s already too late. Still, even if the battery did run out, I could plug in the audio cable and get unlimited use until I reached a charger.

Charging is done the usual way: A Micro USB cable. While a necessary addition, it does mean that only the right can has a 3.5mm jack. It doesn’t have one in each side like the M100.

As an overall package the V-MODA Crossfade Wireless ticks all the boxes for me. It’s a durable and attractive pair of headphones that delivers great audio quality, and does so without wires. Exactly the reason they made it on to my list of great gift ideas for this holiday season.

You can pick up all four standard color combinations with Prime delivery on Amazon for $299 or — if you want to customize them before ordering — through V-MODA’s online store, delivery will take a little longer with custom shields and coloring. If you happen to own an existing pair of V-Moda headphones, you can trade them in for up to 50% off the Crossfade Wireless through V-MODA’s Immortal Life Program.

Filed under: Reviews Tagged: Accessories, headphones, reviews, unboxing, V-MODA, V-MODA Crossfade Wireless, videos

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The average Apple Watch owner interacts with their Watch 60-80 times a day, but most of that usage doesn’t involve anything more than looking at the watch face, checking the time and information displayed in the complications. The least common thing people do on the Watch is read emails.

These are among the findings of two very different studies noted by Fortune. Wristly’s latest update provides a whole raft of data about what people do with their watches, based on a large panel of 1450 owners, but relying on users to estimate their usage. A Stockholm University study took the exact opposite approach, studying a mere dozen owners, but analysing video from wearable cameras to measure what people actually did rather than what they reported … 

In the Wristly study, 96% of panel members said that their most common interaction with the Watch was simply looking at the watchface. Other popular uses were checking Activity progress, responding to a text message, using Siri and checking their heart-rate. The least common activities among those Wristly asked about were using it as a remote and playing a game.

Wristly’s panel also confirmed something I’ve found, having now worn my own Apple Watch in three different seasons: a fifth of owners said that they expected to use their Watch less frequently (or even stop wearing it altogether) when cold and wet weather would mean wearing more layers of clothing, losing the convenience of simply glancing at their wrist.

The Stockholm study broadly supported Wristly’s usage reports, finding that half of all interactions were simply glancing at the watchface (for an average of 3.8 seconds), with checking notifications accounting for a further 23%. Activity-related activities (Activity rings, Workout app, Workout timer) came next, at 11%, with Siri in a fairly distant fourth place, at just 2% of interactions. Reading email came bottom at 0.1%.

The longest interactions were for Maps, where the average time using the app was 46 seconds, followed by the main Apps screen, at 33 seconds – suggesting Apple has some work to do in making it easier to find the desired one.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to buy an Apple Watch, you can pick one up now from $232 effective price after gift card.

Filed under: Apple Watch Tagged: Apple watch, Apple Watch apps, Apple Watch features, Apple Watch statistics, Apple Watch stats, Apple Watch usage, Siri

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Facebook today has unveiled its own SDK for the new Apple TV’s tvOS. In a blog post on its Developers site, Facebook says that using the Facebook SDK on tvOS will allow developers to build “immersive” social experiences on the platform including tools like login, sharing, and analytics.

One area in which many believe the new Apple TV has fallen short is text input, especially when logging into services and applications. Facebook’s SDK for tvOS, however, will users to quickly login using their Facebook credentials. If a user were to choose the Facebook method, they would be presented with a unique 8 digit code that they could then enter into their smartphone or tablet to authorize the application. There would be no need to use the on-screen Apple TV keyboard to enter full log-in information.

Facebook SDK on tvOS will also allow developers to implement the ability for users to share content from the Apple TV to their Facebook accounts. This could include content like videos, photos, gaming high scores, and more. Think of how apps on iOS allow Facebook sharing now.

Finally, Facebook’s tvOS SDK will allow developers to more easily track their audience and audience engagement. Developers who implement the SDK will be able to see what type of users are viewing their apps and use that data to make more poignant decisions.

Developers interested in building with Facebook SDK for tvOS can check out the company’s developmental guide for more details.

Filed under: Apple TV Tagged: Apple TV, Facebook, SDK, tvOS

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