Everything Apple (the Mac heads thread)

I use Purity and set Safari to use that. Seems good enough.

I would check the Apple Refurbished page - https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/refurbished/iphone

You're getting basically a new device for less with the same limited warranty and AppleCare option. I bought a lot of Apple refurbs and had zero issues.

Aren’t the refurbs often just new old stock of previous models no longer sold in the Apple Stores?

Purity

This one? Description looks a bit weird, it's not like I need porn blocked, but ads. If it blocks both, could live with that.
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/purity-porn-block-browser/id1506160130

mix of both, you often see a lot of outgoing models in standard configurations for sale just after a model update/refresh.
Bought loads of refurbs over the years, a 2016 MBP has just died (screen but still functions with monitor) that was a refurb. only warranty i have overhead was a new not refurb 13in MBP that was freezing, turned out to be pressure on the base when picking it ups one handed pushing a badly soldered ram chip.
I use this site that mails you when your preferred model/configuration becomes available.
https://refurb-tracker.com

Great shout, thank you! My brother-in-law works for Apple and I might be able to get hold of his family/friends discount, so a refurb 12 Mini would be £380.97...

Just checked the local shops and the sealed 11 I saw was actually £320... they definitely could be haggled down from experience with them but not sure it's worth saving £100

Thanks again all!

Usually they come in blank packaging, so presumably they’re returns.

Though they never have any marks or scratches to indicate a human has ever touched them, so it’s hard to tell what they are. Maybe they have an amazing cleaning system.

(I did buy once an airport base station that hadn’t been 100% reset and you could see the previous user’s name)

I'm pretty sure the refurb devices get all-new casings and screens (and most likely batteries).

Refurbs are also often items that are caught with defects on the factory line and sent back, so essentially untouched.

It worked- I deleted old unused passwords out of keychain and no more pop up keyboard.

This, so much thanks. It’s akin to a car alarm stopping, I’d just learned to live with pop up keyboard. 🙏🏻

Changing your region with Apple is a massive pain in the arse.

Balanced against which, LFGSS is a thousand times more usable on my iPhone now that number pad pop-up issue has been resolved - thanks again to everyone who chimed in on that, it was a great team effort.

Yep, didn’t bother when I went to HK, only apps that I couldn’t get access to were McDonald’s and toys r us.

My bad. I meant Purify. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/purify-block-ads-and-tracking/id1030156203

I can’t install the app which controls my front door lock.

Anyone any recs on a long cabled USB C hub? Only really needs USB A ports, but want high speed and 1M + cable.

How high speed? From experience, 5Gb/s USB can be reliable up to ~3m if using a good quality passive cable, 10Gb/s up to ~2m.

Then there’s a whole world of active USB extension products to take you as far as you wanna go.

Just get a decent powered hub with a female USB uplink port (as opposed to a captive integrated cable), which supports the speeds you need, and a decent cable.

Posted in the pc thread too, but if anyone is after an EGPU I’m selling a Razor Core X, can include a gtx1060 for a little extra. I was using it with a 2018 MacBook Pro I think for gaming. Probably a bit under powered for more recent games.

I don’t know many of these words but I’ll start looking them up.
Not sure I see the benefit in a powered hub.

Which devices are you looking to connect to the hub?

I don't really want a TV with the ability to just watch whatever is on all the time, but with a baby due and my partner at home looking after said baby, it makes sense to have a bigger screen up on a shelf in the alcove, rather than a laptop on the table and cables etc. Mainly watch netflix, prime, disney+,iplayer.

I have a very old MBP so could connect up a monitor, I could get a second hand iMac that could then be used for more than TV if necessary.

Anyone use a mac a TV, is it a good/bad idea?

Doesn't really seem to have any benefits compared to a fire stick or android TV and lots of negatives in terms of ease of interface, power consumption, noise, etc

Yeah, I just saw how cheap a smart tv is!
I have not lived in a house with a TV since 2012 so was trying very hard to avoid it. Just one more thing that requires self control that I don't have. I'm easily distracted.

We have a smart TV but don't use any of its functions because it's so much more clunky than using a laptop to choose what to watch then have an older Apple TV box plugged in and a Chromecast which deals with casting anything from laptops and iPad to the TV. It's effortless

Moving over from the Fire Stick to an Apple TV box was one of the best decisions we made - it's so much quicker and there's a lot less clutter in general, would recommend to anyone looking for a streaming box.

Looking forward to having FaceTime added in as more of a core functionality as part of the next tvOS too.