It’s a 2.44 GB download on my Mac Pro for what Apple describes as a WebKit security update.
And there’s still no Combo Updater.
posts
Kbase Article of the Week: Quadra/Centris 605/610/650/700: Frequently Asked Questions⇢
Sponsor: Soulver 3 for macOS⇢
Soulver 3 for macOS is a unique tool that brings the power of natural language processing, unit and currency conversions, calendar math and a whole lot more to the Mac in a native, rich application that integrates with system features including the command line, Automator, URL schemes and third-party services like Alfred.
I’ve been a Soulver user since … forever. It’s one of those Mac applications so wired into my workflow that I can’t imagine working without it. I use it for all sorts of administrative tasks, from verifying Relay FM membership payments to personal budgeting and more. The ability to bring in reference tokens from previous lines and setting up variables makes this work efficient and less error-prone, both of which are good things.
Mac Power Users #578: Getting to Know Notion, with August Bradley⇢
David and Stephen are joined by August Bradley, an expert in Notion. They discuss the features of the app, as well as its pros and cons. August then explains Systems Thinking and runs through some favorite apps and services.
For More Power Users, we return to the well of Apple silicon rumors.
My thanks to our sponsors:
- 1Password: Have you ever forgotten a password? You don’t have to worry about that anymore.
- TextExpander from Smile: Get 20% off with this link and type more with less effort! Expand short abbreviations into longer bits of text, even fill-ins, with TextExpander from Smile.
- The Intrazone, by Microsoft SharePoint: Your bi-weekly conversation and interview podcast about SharePoint, OneDrive and related tech within Microsoft 365.
- Indeed: Get a free $75 credit to upgrade your job post.
iMac Pro For Sale ‘While Supplies Last’⇢
It appears that Apple is winding down production of the Xeon-powered iMac Pro. As of this writing, the machine is still for sale, but only in its base configuration, with all custom options disabled.
There’s been some debate as to the future of this machine in an Apple silicon world, and I gotta say, it doesn’t look good for our space gray friend.
Update: Apple has confirmed the news to MacRumors, saying that the 5k iMac is the “preferred choice” for pros wanting an iMac.
The Sad Story of the Centris
When you think about desktop Macs from the 90s, names like LC, Performa, Quadra and Power Macintosh come to mind.
That’s pretty understandable. Apple shipped a bunch of those models. Nine Macs bore the name LC, while there were 11 Quadras, 24 Power Macs and a whopping 44 Performas.1
Then there’s the Centris line of Macs. Here’s the list of models that wore that name:
- Centris 610
- Centris 650
- Centris 660AV
Yep, just three Macs, all for sale for less than a year in 1993. In fact, the 660AV was for sale for a mere three months in the fall of that year, making my example a real treasure.
micro.blog⇢
Start a new blog or migrate an existing blog to Micro.blog with your own domain name. Micro.blog is the blog you will actually use. My thanks to Micro.blog for sponsoring 512 Pixels this week!
Inside the Fitness+ Studio⇢
It’s a blue-sky December day in Santa Monica and Men’s Health is on an exclusive virtual tour of Apple’s new 23,000-square-foot, three-story Fitness+ Studio, led by Jay Blahnik, Apple’s senior director of fitness for health technologies. The interior is Apple-modern, all-white everything, wood accents, lots of glass, lots of screens. All the screens show whatever is going on in the wood-walled and wood-floored fitness studio, which has three sliding glass doors opened to reveal a verdant garden. Outside the door to the studio, there’s a quote that reads: “Please be responsible for the energy you bring into this space.” (A different team member selects a quote or mantra every month.) Blahnik opens the door, and inside, an instructor is warming up on a spin bike, about to start a cycling workout with two other trainers. Seven robotic cameras are focusing on the trainers from the front, the sides, and even directly above. Arrays of bulbs shine down, bathing the riders in warm, welcoming light. When Blahnik closes the door, the spinning—and shooting—will start.
Connected #335: A Shelf is the Perfect Object⇢
Myke tries to get through some iPhone rumors but the others keep joking around about model names. Meanwhile, there’s big news for a couple of iOS apps. Stephen needs to deal with the problem brewing in his photos library and Federico goes missing for a brief time.
On Connected Pro, The Big Brother and LinkedIn are both discussed.
My thanks to our sponsors:
- Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code CONNECTED at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
- Baronfig: Do your best thinking. Use CONNECTED20 for 20% off the Idea Toolset.
- Impending: The team behind Head’s Up. Now hiring.
Mars Perseverance Rover Powered by PowerPC 750⇢
Joanna Nelius at Gizmodo, writing about the CPU at the heart of NASA’s newest rover:
The PowerPC 750 was a single-core, 233MHz processor, and compared to the multi-core, 5.0GHz-plus frequencies modern consumer chips can achieve, 233MHz is incredibly slow. But the 750 was the first to incorporate dynamic branch prediction, which is still used in modern processors today. Basically, the CPU architecture is making an educated guess on what instructions the CPU is going to process as a way to improve efficiency. The more information that’s processed, the better the chip gets at predicting what it needs to do next.
Kbase Article of the Week: Centris 610, 650 & 660AV: Differences⇢
What are the major differences between the Macintosh Centris 610, the Centris 650 and the Centris 660AV?
Sponsor: Micro.blog⇢
Micro.blog offers blog hosting and a welcoming community built around independent microblogs that can be used for short- and long-form writing. Start a microblog with your own domain name so your posts remain under your control. Add photos, videos, and even podcasts.
A clean timeline, without ads or algorithms. It’s a pleasure to read, write, and share online again.