Ridealong has curated the best and most interesting podcasts and clips about MacBook.
Top Podcast Clips About MacBook
“… life my Power Mac 9600 350 which is a long time ago That was an amazing computer but yeah that was the last time you were in that market Yeah I been MacBook as my desktop I think ever since And you were obviously different, but I remember, but I'm excited by Power Macs and Mac Pro hardware. Just knew that they weren't really for me. And I remember being excited about the Trashcan Mac Pro. I was like, wow, that's a cool idea. Yeah, it was. I was excited about it, too. They tried something new. Yeah, and I guess the argument is if you don't occasionally have a dud of an idea, hopefully not like a …”“I don't know about you. And I was already not in the market. I haven't bought a Pro Mac desktop since... I think I only ever bought one in my life my Power Mac 9600 350 which is a long time ago That was an amazing computer but yeah that was the last time you were in that market Yeah I been MacBook as my desktop I think ever since And you were obviously different, but I remember, but I'm excited by Power Macs and Mac Pro hardware. Just knew that they weren't really for me. And I remember being excited about the Trashcan Mac Pro. I was like, wow, that's a cool idea. Yeah, it was. I was excited about it, too. They tried something new. Yeah, and I guess the argument is if you don't occasionally have a dud of an idea, hopefully not like a severe dud, but like, let's backtrack. And, you know, there was only one fat Nano, right? It's like, well, all right, let's backtrack and go back to the other. One buttonless shuffle. Let's, all right, forget about the one. Yeah, but didn't they try to say it had no buttons? I forget. Yeah, no, I said they did the one buttonless shuffle. Oh, okay, …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's current approach under Tim Cook lacks the exciting, rebellious spirit that defined the company during Steve Jobs' era. While the company remains incredibly successful, there's a sense that they're playing it safe rather than taking bold risks, as seen in their product launches and development timelines. This shift raises questions about the future of innovation at Apple and whether they can recapture the creative spark that once made them a trailblazer in tech.
The Talk Show With John Gruber·445: ‘Apple at 50’, With John Siracusa·Apr 01, 2026
“… computing that we have access to. I wrote a whole article about this. You have access to the greatest computing in the entire world from the MacBook Neo. Yes, the cloud computing. I will just mention, I want to go down a little bit of memory lane of my experience with the Mac Pro. And I was working in a place where our use case was we had to ingest two streams of HD video, recording both streams in sync, video and audio, and be able to play back those two channels of video and audio in real time. So we needed a computer that had four video channels, two in and two out, and a computer …”“… It's just not, there's not because anybody who like training LLM models is not a thing you need to be doing locally. Right? Like there's, there is a really good resource for that. It's called infinity in the cloud, right? Like it's like the most powerful computing that we have access to. I wrote a whole article about this. You have access to the greatest computing in the entire world from the MacBook Neo. Yes, the cloud computing. I will just mention, I want to go down a little bit of memory lane of my experience with the Mac Pro. And I was working in a place where our use case was we had to ingest two streams of HD video, recording both streams in sync, video and audio, and be able to play back those two channels of video and audio in real time. So we needed a computer that had four video channels, two in and two out, and a computer powerful enough to do that. Now, sure, the Mac Studio today would be powerful enough to do that. Like it has the horsepower to do it. But what I'm showing right now, and I will put a link in the show notes, even if it's not chapter artwork. And if you see the domain Oak tree pixels, just know it's mine. I'm hosting the pictures. I'm putting those on my …”View more
Ridealong summary
The Mac Pro was a powerhouse for specialized tasks, like ingesting and recording HD video in real time, making it a crucial tool for professionals. In contrast, while the newer Mac Studio can handle similar tasks, it lacks the reliability and convenience of the Mac Pro's PCI card slots. This is a nostalgic look back at how the Mac Pro excelled in demanding environments before its discontinuation.
Primary Technology·Apple’s Legacy and Future After 50 Years, Mac Pro is Dead, Claude Code Leak·Apr 02, 2026
“… list of vintage and obsolete hardware. A piece from MacRumors says Apple has put the third-generation Wi-Fi-only iPad Air and the 13-inch 2017 MacBook Air on the vintage rack. Generally speaking, vintage devices are those that have been off the market for more than five years, but less than seven. While Apple and its authorized service providers will service those machines in theory, such service is dependent on parts availability, so go gentle just in case. As for obsolete devices, the piece says the iPad Mini 4 and 32GB Apple TV HD have taken the long walk. Off the market for seven years or …”“… Cupertino company is said to be issuing refunds for folks in that situation. The ones with the adjustable stand stay the same price. Is. It's $3,299 for the regular glass plus a stand. Nanotexture plus stand stays. $35.99. Additions this week to Apple's list of vintage and obsolete hardware. A piece from MacRumors says Apple has put the third-generation Wi-Fi-only iPad Air and the 13-inch 2017 MacBook Air on the vintage rack. Generally speaking, vintage devices are those that have been off the market for more than five years, but less than seven. While Apple and its authorized service providers will service those machines in theory, such service is dependent on parts availability, so go gentle just in case. As for obsolete devices, the piece says the iPad Mini 4 and 32GB Apple TV HD have taken the long walk. Off the market for seven years or more, neither Apple nor its service providers will service or repair obsolete machines, so go extra gentle with those.”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple has officially added several devices to its vintage and obsolete hardware lists, including the third-generation iPad Air and the 2017 MacBook Air. Vintage devices may still receive service depending on parts availability, while obsolete devices like the iPad Mini 4 will no longer be serviced at all. If you own one of these devices, handle them with care to avoid costly repairs.
Mac OS Ken·Security Updates and Tim's 50 Year Memo - MOSK: 04.02.2026·Apr 02, 2026
“… for every PC maker, they only mention one PC maker by name. Little company out of Cupertino, ticker symbol AAPL. Trendforce sings the praises of MacBook Neo. That being supported by in Apple silicon chips giving Apple fewer headaches with CPU suppliers suppliers and greater flexibility and capacity allocation and cost negotiation Plus they pretty cookie cutter The standardized product specifications, streamlined model lineup, and concentrated memory capacities and configurations. Let Apple play let's make a deal with suppliers for the long term. And that is all good for Apple. According to the …”“… to buy as much as the lack of money to do so. As component costs continue to climb, the piece continues. Notebook brands are gradually passing these increases on to end market pricing to preserve margins. While the firm doesn't predict disaster for every PC maker, they only mention one PC maker by name. Little company out of Cupertino, ticker symbol AAPL. Trendforce sings the praises of MacBook Neo. That being supported by in Apple silicon chips giving Apple fewer headaches with CPU suppliers suppliers and greater flexibility and capacity allocation and cost negotiation Plus they pretty cookie cutter The standardized product specifications, streamlined model lineup, and concentrated memory capacities and configurations. Let Apple play let's make a deal with suppliers for the long term. And that is all good for Apple. According to the Post, TrendForce estimates that Apple's notebook shipments will rise 7.7% year-on-year in 2026, outperforming the broader market trend. You know, the trend where they're expecting the rest of them to fall 15%. Their thoughts on Apple are based on the Cupertino company's ability to expand into lower price segments, adopt a proactive pricing …”View more
Ridealong summary
While the laptop market is projected to decline by nearly 15% this year, Apple's notebook shipments are expected to rise by 7.7%. This surprising performance is attributed to Apple's control over its supply chain and a strategic shift into lower price segments, allowing it to thrive amidst industry challenges. TrendForce highlights Apple's unique advantages, making it the only brand to stand out positively in a tough market.
Mac OS Ken·A Threat Against Apple, Laptop Talk, and Apple at 50 - MOSK: 04.01.2026·Apr 01, 2026
“… way. It is really lovely. And the way the animations work are really nice. And it is technically very impressive in the way that like the 12 inch MacBook was really thin. Right. And it turns out that has very little to do with the actual experience of living with these products. I can take it further, too, because the 12-inch – look, the butterfly keyboard, for people who don't remember, I would suppress that memory if I could. It's for the best. It is that they designed this super low-travel keyboard for this super small laptop that they made, the Retina MacBook, which was underpowered and it …”“… butterfly keyboard comparison is that it does feel like the same thing is happening right now in which a group of people has decided that some pursuit of aesthetic perfection is what matters. Like liquid glass is beautiful in a very certain specific way. It is really lovely. And the way the animations work are really nice. And it is technically very impressive in the way that like the 12 inch MacBook was really thin. Right. And it turns out that has very little to do with the actual experience of living with these products. I can take it further, too, because the 12-inch – look, the butterfly keyboard, for people who don't remember, I would suppress that memory if I could. It's for the best. It is that they designed this super low-travel keyboard for this super small laptop that they made, the Retina MacBook, which was underpowered and it never really went anywhere. They're trying to replace the MacBook Air. It didn't really work. And it was one of their failures of the 2010s. but the big mistake with that butterfly keyboard is once they designed it to fit in this teeny tiny laptop they're like great we made a new keyboard let's put it everywhere let's shove it in every product even …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's recent software design choices echo the infamous butterfly keyboard disaster, revealing a troubling disconnect between aesthetics and usability. After Steve Jobs' death, the company prioritized visual appeal over practical functionality, leading to products that look great but frustrate users. This trend raises concerns about whether Apple can regain its focus on user experience in a competitive tech landscape.
The Vergecast·Apple at 50: the good and the bad·Mar 31, 2026
“… A new version of the Mac Studio with the M5 Max and presumably an M5 Ultra is expected this year. Meanwhile, Apple also sells three laptops, the MacBook Neo, the MacBook Air, and the MacBook Pro. There are options spanning dramatically different price points, configurations, and form factors. Apple needed to make a decision to either update the Mac Pro or discontinue it. Continuing to sell it with the M2 Ultra at such a high price was a disservice to Mac shoppers. There will undoubtedly be some Mac Pro loyalists disappointed by this news, but they shouldn't be surprised because the writing has …”“… an 80 GPU paired with 256GB of unified memory and 16TB of SSD storage With the discontinuation of the Mac Pro, Apple now sells three desktop Macs, the 24-inch iMac with M4, the Mac Mini with M4 and M4 Pro, and the Mac Studio with M3 Ultra and M4 Max. A new version of the Mac Studio with the M5 Max and presumably an M5 Ultra is expected this year. Meanwhile, Apple also sells three laptops, the MacBook Neo, the MacBook Air, and the MacBook Pro. There are options spanning dramatically different price points, configurations, and form factors. Apple needed to make a decision to either update the Mac Pro or discontinue it. Continuing to sell it with the M2 Ultra at such a high price was a disservice to Mac shoppers. There will undoubtedly be some Mac Pro loyalists disappointed by this news, but they shouldn't be surprised because the writing has been on the wall for a long time.”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's discontinuation of the Mac Pro was inevitable given its outdated hardware and high price point, making the Mac Studio the new 'Pro' desktop option.
Apple's decision to discontinue the Mac Pro was necessary to avoid disservice to consumers by selling outdated technology at a high price.
The discontinuation of the Mac Pro is a long-expected move, as continuing to sell it with outdated hardware was a disservice to consumers.
“… you know let's go in chronological i mean the two big products i want to talk about and i think that you have opinions on are the 17e iphone and the macbook neo there are new ipads ipad what air yeah new ipad air i actually forgot well that which Which is kind of the problem, right? Yeah, there's new iPads. And then the new regular Mac Pros, right? The Maxes and whatnot, which are screaming and seem like they're incredible machines. But the ones that I think are interesting outside of the norm are the E and the Neo, of course. Right. And I think that they are clearly, and I tried to write about it, …”“… it wasn't even at the beginning of the month. It's like it was on March 9th when I published my 17e review. so it wasn't even you know it was at second week of march already but it feels so long ago that i was writing about the 17d and i guess you know let's go in chronological i mean the two big products i want to talk about and i think that you have opinions on are the 17e iphone and the macbook neo there are new ipads ipad what air yeah new ipad air i actually forgot well that which Which is kind of the problem, right? Yeah, there's new iPads. And then the new regular Mac Pros, right? The Maxes and whatnot, which are screaming and seem like they're incredible machines. But the ones that I think are interesting outside of the norm are the E and the Neo, of course. Right. And I think that they are clearly, and I tried to write about it, but I feel like this is their theme for the show. And I feel like you are the perfect person, guest, to come and talk about it, to sort of see it. They are like sibling products. I mean, they could call. I love the name Neo, especially now that it's sort of sitting on my tongue for a couple of weeks after they've announced it. I think it's a great …”View more
Ridealong summary
The discontinuation of the Mac Pro is a strategic move by Apple, reflecting a shift towards more efficient and capable alternatives like the Mac Studio, which better serve professional needs.
Apple's decision to discontinue the Mac Pro is a strategic move that reflects a shift towards more efficient and powerful alternatives like the Mac Studio, despite the nostalgia for the Mac Pro name.
Apple's discontinuation of the Mac Pro reflects a broader neglect of professional users in favor of consumer products, leaving high-end users with subpar options.
Apple's decision to discontinue the Mac Pro is a strategic move to focus on more powerful consumer laptops and upcoming Mac Studio revisions, despite some consumer nostalgia and complaints.
Apple's decision to end the Mac Pro line is a strategic move that aligns with their focus on more powerful consumer laptops, but it leaves a gap for high-end users who relied on the Mac Pro.
Apple's decision to discontinue the Mac Pro highlights years of missteps and underperformance during the Intel era, suggesting a delayed transition to Apple Silicon that could have happened much earlier.
The discontinuation of the Mac Pro is a strategic decision reflecting the strength and evolution of Apple's current hardware lineup, particularly with the success of the Mac Studio and Mac Mini.
The Talk Show With John Gruber·444: ‘You’re Going to Have the Niggles’, With Christina Warren·Mar 29, 2026
“… you know um pull up like a definition or something like that um and yeah you don't i guess like the screen is bezel they're a little thicker than macbook air but like other and you get like eight gigs of unified memory instead of like you know 16 gigs uh on the macbook air but like i think people have done their testing and realized that like it's not a one-to-one comparison and i've been saying this since like 2020 when the first m1 macbook air came out and apple didn't send us a review unit to test and so like we at the time i was working at input and we bought a base macbook air um with m1 …”“… usbc ports they're not thunderbolt um the trackpad is a what is it called haptic it's not magic try multi-touch trackpad multi-touch uh track so it's not haptic anymore so you don't get that pressure sensitive layer where you can press into it and like you know um pull up like a definition or something like that um and yeah you don't i guess like the screen is bezel they're a little thicker than macbook air but like other and you get like eight gigs of unified memory instead of like you know 16 gigs uh on the macbook air but like i think people have done their testing and realized that like it's not a one-to-one comparison and i've been saying this since like 2020 when the first m1 macbook air came out and apple didn't send us a review unit to test and so like we at the time i was working at input and we bought a base macbook air um with m1 chip and eight gigs of ram and so i used that for like you know several weeks and then wrote my review um and so i knew firsthand You can go back in my review, and I did, just to see what it wrote, I did all these Final Cut export tests, and I did all these things, and I was like, this is still somehow still picking so much as. It's crushing a …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple is struggling to retain talent as employees are lured by higher compensation and innovative opportunities at AI companies like OpenAI.
The discontinuation of the Mac Pro is not a significant loss for most users, as many have already transitioned to using MacBook Pros for their computing needs.
Apple's AI and Siri upgrades need to demonstrate real functionality to impress, as past iterations have been underwhelming.
Apple's AI and Siri upgrades need to demonstrate real innovation and functionality to impress, as past efforts have been underwhelming.
The end of the Mac Pro signals a shift towards consumer-focused products, but the success of the MacBook Neo suggests Apple's strategy is resonating with new customers.
Apple's focus on function over form is a strategic shift to offer more value, but their AI initiatives, like Siri, need significant improvement to impress.
Apple's AI advancements, particularly with Siri, are met with skepticism as past efforts have failed to impress, and significant improvements are necessary to change perceptions.
The discontinuation of the Mac Pro marks a shift towards newer, more popular products like the MacBook Neo, reflecting Apple's strategy to cater to first-time buyers.
Apple's shift towards more functional products is seen as a positive move, but skepticism remains about the impact of Siri updates and the discontinuation of the Mac Pro.
Apple Bitz XL w/ Brian Tong·The Mac Pro Is Dead & WWDC26 Is Official So What Does Apple Need To Do ? (Apple Bitz XL, Ep. 372)·Mar 28, 2026
“… who has to go to college like i don't think i am that's where that wait also one one more nilai life update did you actually decide to keep your macbook neo i confess i returned mine um we should just i should just say this out loud i took it back i attempted to give it to anna my wife um because i have a mac mini and a macbook air and i thus have no use for a macbook neo but i gave it to anna because she has like a kind of crummy samsung chromebook that is like it works fine for most things but every once in a while she needs proper excel basically and is like annoyed at using a chromebook so …”“… i'm just saying this is the news apple's turning 50 and i'm finally doing the imac project a lot of people said i wouldn't do it here i am is are these two things connected no it was really the like am i gonna am i gonna carry the 3200 box past my baby who has to go to college like i don't think i am that's where that wait also one one more nilai life update did you actually decide to keep your macbook neo i confess i returned mine um we should just i should just say this out loud i took it back i attempted to give it to anna my wife um because i have a mac mini and a macbook air and i thus have no use for a macbook neo but i gave it to anna because she has like a kind of crummy samsung chromebook that is like it works fine for most things but every once in a while she needs proper excel basically and is like annoyed at using a chromebook so i was like look here's here's the neo do you just want this and she basically looked at it and was like i i have no i have no use for this like she reminded me about when whenever you have tried to upgrade becky's kindle and she's just like what do you mean i already have a kindle it does the thing that was anna's response to me trying to give her …”View more
Ridealong summary
Nilay's attempt to give his MacBook Neo to his wife backfires when she shows no interest, leading him to return it instead. Meanwhile, he reflects on the upcoming teardown of his old iMac, which is both exciting and daunting. This segment captures the quirks of tech upgrades and the emotional rollercoaster of gadget ownership.
The Vergecast·Meta's court losses could be just the beginning·Mar 27, 2026
“gone apple announced the macbook neo obviously and i have to know what was your reaction because i i messaged you right away i was in new york i had the price i i messaged you right away and i said 5.99 what was your reaction when you saw that i was surprised i really didn't think they going to go that cheap you were thinking like 799 at the lowest yeah around like with a number starting with seven for sure yeah um especially when in the days prior they made the macbook air …”“gone apple announced the macbook neo obviously and i have to know what was your reaction because i i messaged you right away i was in new york i had the price i i messaged you right away and i said 5.99 what was your reaction when you saw that i was surprised i really didn't think they going to go that cheap you were thinking like 799 at the lowest yeah around like with a number starting with seven for sure yeah um especially when in the days prior they made the macbook air more expensive at the base level right um because they gave it the higher storage but they took away the base Like the MacBook Air used to be Now it starts at what $1099, yeah. Yeah. So they were like making room for a $700, $799 laptop there to have like a differentiation from the Air. And then they're like, bang, $599. So yeah, I was surprised. I …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Neo launched at an unexpected starting price of $599, surprising many who anticipated a higher entry point. This strategic pricing aims to attract schools and everyday users, especially as the MacBook Air's base price increases. Despite some missing features like Touch ID, the MacBook Neo is set to become a popular choice, evidenced by its record launch week.
“… at any minute, so maybe it'll be out by the time you hear this. But back to Apple. No less an authority than Windows Central says that Apple's new MacBook Neo is a serious threat to OEMs like HP, Lenovo, and Dell, and their $599 laptops seem inferior, and Windows 11's reputation is at an all-time low, a sort of perfect storm. Quote, you can definitely get a more capable, perhaps even more powerful Windows laptop for $599. It would likely have more RAM and storage, but to most mainstream laptop buyers, none of this truly matters. Owning a Mac is less about the raw specs and more about it being a …”“No new Apple products today. I guess that's done for now, though the rumor is a new chat GPT might be dropping at any minute, so maybe it'll be out by the time you hear this. But back to Apple. No less an authority than Windows Central says that Apple's new MacBook Neo is a serious threat to OEMs like HP, Lenovo, and Dell, and their $599 laptops seem inferior, and Windows 11's reputation is at an all-time low, a sort of perfect storm. Quote, you can definitely get a more capable, perhaps even more powerful Windows laptop for $599. It would likely have more RAM and storage, but to most mainstream laptop buyers, none of this truly matters. Owning a Mac is less about the raw specs and more about it being a Mac and not a Windows PC. One of the reasons Windows laptops are so popular is that they're cheap. MacBooks have historically never been considered to be affordable laptops, but that changes with the MacBook Neo. Because of this, someone who had no choice but to buy a mid-range Windows laptop in the past now has the option of buying a MacBook. And …”View more
Ridealong summary
The MacBook Neo is a serious threat to Windows laptops, potentially causing a significant shift as users abandon Windows for Apple's affordable offering.
“Apparently, Tim Cook came out and said that the NEO has caused the largest jump in first time MacBook ownership that Apple has ever seen. Turns out price is important. one yeah one thing i i will point out and i i will give a a tip of the hat to the person who pointed this out to me is that the macbook neo uh very relevant to this conversation but does not have a glowing apple on the back it also does not have a backlit keyboard correct if that's important to you um and i i learned that on saturday because uh our dear friend john martellaro was …”“Apparently, Tim Cook came out and said that the NEO has caused the largest jump in first time MacBook ownership that Apple has ever seen. Turns out price is important. one yeah one thing i i will point out and i i will give a a tip of the hat to the person who pointed this out to me is that the macbook neo uh very relevant to this conversation but does not have a glowing apple on the back it also does not have a backlit keyboard correct if that's important to you um and i i learned that on saturday because uh our dear friend john martellaro was in the market to uh to perhaps buy a macbook neo and then said it was off his list when uh when he realized that that was uh that it did not have a backlit keyboard as many of you might know uh several days later we actually lost john modelero john um he he he actually was in fine health but you know he'd had some issues over the years as …”View more
Ridealong summary
John Martellaro, a brilliant mind behind the Apple II Space Shuttle lander simulator, recently passed away, leaving a legacy of laughter and innovation. His absence is felt deeply, as friends recall his intelligence and humor, highlighting how he made a lasting impact on those around him. In a bittersweet moment, they share memories that celebrate his life while acknowledging the void he leaves behind.
Mac Geek Gab·When the Internet Spits You Out – Mac Geek Gab 1135·Mar 30, 2026
“… end to end uh was we had these scripts. I think maybe even using Selenium or Selenium, just like QuickStream. But they're running on originally a MacBook that was in a server closet, or I guess not even a server closet, really a janitorial closet at the office. It was running on that laptop until the battery became what a friend calls a spicy pillow, started to expand. We had to trash out a laptop replace it with a mac mini um but yeah like that testing method you know is is obviously pretty inconvenient um you can only run uh like maybe one the suite of tests maybe every 15 minutes or so maybe …”“… as as it usually runs i guess oh yeah yeah right yeah totally and i guess this sort of maybe even goes into uh you know your guys's um the company you guys work at but yeah no it was very horrible uh the way to test it the only way to test things from end to end uh was we had these scripts. I think maybe even using Selenium or Selenium, just like QuickStream. But they're running on originally a MacBook that was in a server closet, or I guess not even a server closet, really a janitorial closet at the office. It was running on that laptop until the battery became what a friend calls a spicy pillow, started to expand. We had to trash out a laptop replace it with a mac mini um but yeah like that testing method you know is is obviously pretty inconvenient um you can only run uh like maybe one the suite of tests maybe every 15 minutes or so maybe even longer um so it's just running in the background and posting updates to slack definitely super inconvenient yeah that's fun browser tests are known for being like flaky and hard to maintain, but not for like battery exploding issues. Yeah. But yeah, maybe that's that as well. I imagine it also had that sticky note on top that said, don't close …”View more
Ridealong summary
Testing UIs can be a nightmare, especially when your testing laptop is in a janitor's closet and starts to explode. Jonathan Chan shares the hilarious and inconvenient reality of stress-testing Figma's React UI on a MacBook that became a 'spicy pillow.' This chaotic setup led to the creation of FuzzMap, a solution to automate and simplify UI testing.
The BugBash Podcast·The Dollar Bet that Fuzzed Figma: Exploding Laptops and UI Reliability with Jonathan Chan·Mar 25, 2026
“it'll be secure or somebody will break in. I don't know. Let's talk about the MacBook Neo. Now, obviously we've been talking about it for weeks now, uh, for years now, if we go back to the, all of those early rumors from the supply chain. We do have what I like to think of as a very Apple-y. Also, John Gruber and I always call these like the Jeff Bezos charts where there's no numbers. It's just like, line goes up. It's great. On X, Tim Cook said, Mac has just had its best launch week ever for first-time Mac customers. We love …”“it'll be secure or somebody will break in. I don't know. Let's talk about the MacBook Neo. Now, obviously we've been talking about it for weeks now, uh, for years now, if we go back to the, all of those early rumors from the supply chain. We do have what I like to think of as a very Apple-y. Also, John Gruber and I always call these like the Jeff Bezos charts where there's no numbers. It's just like, line goes up. It's great. On X, Tim Cook said, Mac has just had its best launch week ever for first-time Mac customers. We love seeing the enthusiasm. The strong implication here is that they are doing some sort of measurement, which they generally do, saying, is this your first Mac? Are you new to Mac? And the strong implication here is that it's MacBook Neo, or at least it's sales driven in part or in whole by MacBook Neo existing to bring in more first-time Mac customers. …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's MacBook Neo has achieved its best launch week ever for first-time Mac customers, signaling a strong shift in consumer interest. Tim Cook revealed that the new model is attracting users who have never owned a Mac before, particularly appealing to those looking for affordable options. This strategy not only enhances Apple's market share but also suggests potential upselling opportunities to higher-end models like the MacBook Air.
MacBreak Weekly (Audio)·MBW 1017: We Found a Google, and Put it in - WWDC 2026 Dates Announced!·Mar 24, 2026
“and then a year later the headphone jack was gone from every phone in the world Apple kept setting the standard even with the 2015 MacBook the single USB-C port back when USB-C wasn't normal for most people and only one how do I charge it and use a dongle how does that work? exactly it sounds like Apple's been doing that for years they have they'll promote some jack you know, SCSI or DisplayPort. And then, or remember the series of laptops where the power adapter connector would change with every new model? Yeah. That's really ridiculous. But I was just remembering, you know, the …”“and then a year later the headphone jack was gone from every phone in the world Apple kept setting the standard even with the 2015 MacBook the single USB-C port back when USB-C wasn't normal for most people and only one how do I charge it and use a dongle how does that work? exactly it sounds like Apple's been doing that for years they have they'll promote some jack you know, SCSI or DisplayPort. And then, or remember the series of laptops where the power adapter connector would change with every new model? Yeah. That's really ridiculous. But I was just remembering, you know, the iMac, I did not know this until I interviewed John Rubenstein, was originally meant to be an NC, a network computer. This was all the rage in the late 90s that now there was the internet, you wouldn't need a hard drive. You wouldn't need software on your machine. Everything would live on the internet, just like Google Docs now or Google Drive. So …”View more
Ridealong summary
The original iMac was designed as a network computer with no hard drive or CD drive, reflecting the internet's early promise. However, a heated debate between John Rubenstein and Steve Jobs led to the inclusion of essential hardware, transforming it into a real computer. This pivotal change not only saved the iMac but also set the stage for its iconic status in tech history.
9to5Mac Overtime·9to5Mac Overtime 065: Untelling parts of the story w/ special guest David Pogue·Mar 27, 2026
“… trying different things to see what worked. And he came back in the morning and had built him this system that ran this Frontier model on his MacBook. It's amazing the fact that, yeah, you can do this for relatively – I mean, brand prices are only going through the roof. But at least right now, at least on the Mac side, relatively inexpensively, you can do all this. And to your point, the fact that you're able to use the models themselves to create their own test cases and their own iterations and improve themselves, that's been the biggest thing, I think, of the last four or five months …”“him to do this project. On the one hand, it was Apple Silicon. On the one hand, it was this highly optimized model. And the third thing was Kapathi Loop. He just got called Code to run its own experiments, to create its own software, running experiments, trying different things to see what worked. And he came back in the morning and had built him this system that ran this Frontier model on his MacBook. It's amazing the fact that, yeah, you can do this for relatively – I mean, brand prices are only going through the roof. But at least right now, at least on the Mac side, relatively inexpensively, you can do all this. And to your point, the fact that you're able to use the models themselves to create their own test cases and their own iterations and improve themselves, that's been the biggest thing, I think, of the last four or five months that we've seen with the way that the AI models have improved so much is that the way that they're able to improve themselves and kind of do things more autonomously and get really good results has really, really improved. And yeah, the fact that he was able to get a model that size running on a MacBook is wild. and is incredibly impressive. And yeah, …”View more
Ridealong summary
A developer successfully ran a Frontier AI model on a MacBook, showcasing the impressive capabilities of Apple Silicon. This breakthrough highlights how Apple's hardware, with its high memory bandwidth and unified memory architecture, allows users to conduct complex AI experiments at relatively low costs. The ability of AI models to improve autonomously is transforming the landscape of artificial intelligence.
Cult of Mac·Surprise! AirPods Max 2 just dropped?·Mar 19, 2026
“I'm going to lean Air still, but I think the MacBook Neo is going to surprise people and absolutely make an impact. And if we just jump over to the, so yeah, it's a great Apple. That is the smartest business decision Apple has arguably made from a product standpoint in, ooh, from a price and performance. I don't know. I don't know. It's hard. When was there a bargain or entry-level product that was this good? this might be the smartest business decision and actual quality product that Apple's …”“I'm going to lean Air still, but I think the MacBook Neo is going to surprise people and absolutely make an impact. And if we just jump over to the, so yeah, it's a great Apple. That is the smartest business decision Apple has arguably made from a product standpoint in, ooh, from a price and performance. I don't know. I don't know. It's hard. When was there a bargain or entry-level product that was this good? this might be the smartest business decision and actual quality product that Apple's made that I can remember in at least 20 years. I'm really trying to think hard and out loud right now. It might even be more than that. It's really that major of a shift in philosophy, but also bringing a true MacBook experience to that price. It's amazing. um let's touch upon really quickly the m5 macbook air the quintessential the foundational …”View more
Ridealong summary
The M5 MacBook Air is Apple’s smartest business move in decades, offering unmatched performance at an entry-level price. With increased base storage to 512GB and doubled SSD speed, it’s a powerhouse for everyday users, starting at just $1,099. This shift brings a true MacBook experience to more people than ever before.
Apple Bitz XL w/ Brian Tong·MacBook Neo, M5 MacBook Air & M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro Reviews! Plus, New AirPods Max 2?! (Apple Bitz XL, Ep. 371)·Mar 19, 2026
“… a year. That's an insane amount of phones. And they sell around and it been pretty steady around 23 million Macs The vast majority of those are MacBooks right Yeah And that like its 10 to 1 ratio Right. If it's very, very possible that Apple will more than double their share of how many Macs they sell a year by being in this completely different price band, especially as everything else is getting a price hike. Everything in Windows laptop land is getting more expensive because of all the RAM shortages and chip shortages and everything. So if a year or two from now, Apple is selling 100 …”“… what's going to be exciting to watch with the NeoTrend is Apple sells, they don't give the numbers, but people do their analysis. And the best ones I could find, say Apple sells between 230 and 250 million iPhones a year. A quarter of a billion iPhones a year. That's an insane amount of phones. And they sell around and it been pretty steady around 23 million Macs The vast majority of those are MacBooks right Yeah And that like its 10 to 1 ratio Right. If it's very, very possible that Apple will more than double their share of how many Macs they sell a year by being in this completely different price band, especially as everything else is getting a price hike. Everything in Windows laptop land is getting more expensive because of all the RAM shortages and chip shortages and everything. So if a year or two from now, Apple is selling 100 million Macs a year because they're in this price band where most laptops are sold, most laptops are sold well under $1,000 in the world. that's going to really change how much emphasis the company puts on the Mac and Mac OS and everything else. We may all be the beneficiary of the MacBook Neo, even if we don't want one, just because it's going to make …”View more
Ridealong summary
The MacBook Neo could double Apple's annual Mac sales by tapping into a new price band, attracting customers previously priced out of Apple laptops. With most laptops sold under $1,000, this shift could prompt Apple to focus more on the Mac ecosystem, benefiting all users. If successful, we may see Apple invest more in Mac technology, similar to how they prioritize the iPhone.
Macworld Podcast·Episode 975: Reviews of the M5 Max MacBook Pro and M5 MacBook Air·Mar 18, 2026
“They had the MacBook Neo next to a $600, like, Windows machine. And, dude, the difference in just, like, the look. The look of the laptops, one was made of, like, that black plastic that IBM ThinkPads were made out of. It was creaky. It looked like the panel was, like, was going to, like, fall apart. And then you have the MacBook Neo, which looks like any other high-quality Mac. You know, like, if you took somebody who didn't know what they each were, it's kind of …”“They had the MacBook Neo next to a $600, like, Windows machine. And, dude, the difference in just, like, the look. The look of the laptops, one was made of, like, that black plastic that IBM ThinkPads were made out of. It was creaky. It looked like the panel was, like, was going to, like, fall apart. And then you have the MacBook Neo, which looks like any other high-quality Mac. You know, like, if you took somebody who didn't know what they each were, it's kind of like the iPad situation. Like you don't really know, oh, this is a $600 laptop and this one's a $2,500 laptop. They look and feel the same, you know. And that's, I think, what the superpower is. It's just like how much value you're getting at the price point and then the new standard that Apple's setting at $600.”View more
Ridealong summary
The MacBook Neo outshines a $600 Windows laptop in both aesthetics and build quality, setting a new benchmark for budget devices. While the Windows machine feels cheap and creaky, the MacBook Neo maintains a sleek, high-quality design that could easily be mistaken for a premium product. This comparison highlights the immense value Apple brings to the table at an affordable price point.
9to5Mac Overtime·9to5Mac Overtime 063: The new standard·Mar 17, 2026
“to run LLMs locally. There was a very, very interesting take in here where he's talking about the Apple MacBook Neo launch, which is $599, I think $499 for education, potentially very disruptive to other laptop makers. You still get discounts, Tyler? or just I think I'm still a student. Oh yeah, you're still a student because you're on lead. That's great. There you go. There are some legendary leave of absences where people have been away for like 10 years and then they go and do so many See the goal is to defer for so long but then also have such a …”“to run LLMs locally. There was a very, very interesting take in here where he's talking about the Apple MacBook Neo launch, which is $599, I think $499 for education, potentially very disruptive to other laptop makers. You still get discounts, Tyler? or just I think I'm still a student. Oh yeah, you're still a student because you're on lead. That's great. There you go. There are some legendary leave of absences where people have been away for like 10 years and then they go and do so many See the goal is to defer for so long but then also have such a meteoric rise that they have to give you the honorary degree before while you still eligible That's a good one. Because they're like, oh, well, we got it. I think Mark Zuckerberg got an honorary degree from Harvard, but he was on delay for like a year. And I think they gave him the honorary degree a couple of years later. So, you know, that's the speed …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Neo, priced at $599, is poised to shake up the laptop market, especially for budget-conscious consumers who previously avoided Apple due to high prices. With its focus on content consumption, the device challenges traditional PC makers like Asus, who downplay its impact despite acknowledging its potential to attract new buyers. This shift reflects changing user needs, as many seek affordable devices for everyday use rather than high-powered machines.
TBPN·AI vs. Dog Cancer, Oscars Reactions, How to Lose the AI Arms Race | Kevin Espiritu, Paul Conyngham, Tony Zhao, Drew Oetting, Carina Hong, Cameron Fink, Debra Birnbaum·Mar 16, 2026
“… M5 running a 30 billion parameter model capable of drafting legal briefs, debugging code, synthesizing research in under three seconds on a standard MacBook Pro. 18 gigabytes of memory, no internet, no subscription, no API key. The trick is an architectural advance called Mixture of Experts. The model carries 30 billion parameters, but fires only 3 billion per query. With 2.5 billion active devices prowling the planet, the journal P says Apple has already distributed its existing data center, one device at a time, into the pockets and onto the desks of a quarter of the world's connected population. …”“… Check your laptop, your desktop, and or your pocket. Edge AI is the answer. The journal piece sings the processing praises of last October M5 Apple Silicon with a neural accelerator in every GPU core The journal says Apple own benchmarks show the M5 running a 30 billion parameter model capable of drafting legal briefs, debugging code, synthesizing research in under three seconds on a standard MacBook Pro. 18 gigabytes of memory, no internet, no subscription, no API key. The trick is an architectural advance called Mixture of Experts. The model carries 30 billion parameters, but fires only 3 billion per query. With 2.5 billion active devices prowling the planet, the journal P says Apple has already distributed its existing data center, one device at a time, into the pockets and onto the desks of a quarter of the world's connected population. Again though, this seems to borrow heavily from Didier, who five days earlier posted Apple turned two billion devices into the data center. Every iPhone, Mac, iPad gets distributed AI at a scale no server farm can match, while its rivals burn cash, Apple, is doing the opposite. The thinking is our devices should be able to do a lot of what we want …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's strategic focus on edge AI and customer ownership positions it to lead in AI without massive infrastructure spending.
Apple's strategic focus on edge AI and customer ownership positions it to lead the AI revolution without the massive infrastructure spending of its rivals.
Apple's strategy of integrating AI capabilities directly into its devices positions it as a leader by leveraging its massive customer base rather than investing heavily in infrastructure.
Apple's strategic focus on edge AI and customer ownership positions it to lead in AI advancements without massive infrastructure spending.
Apple's strategic focus on edge AI and customer ownership positions it as a leader in the AI revolution, contrasting with rivals' heavy infrastructure spending.
Mac OS Ken·MacBook Neo News and Two Stories or One on Apple and A.I. - MOSK: 03.16.2026·Mar 16, 2026
“… things like you know various electron apps and things like that so like apple does care a lot No one else does Yes the 8 gig RAM constraint in the MacBook Neo keeps macOS lean but macOS wasn your problem Your problem is everyone else, and they're going to do whatever they're going to do. And the best thing macOS can do is have really good swap and virtual memory support. And it does. MacOS can use a lot of memory, especially when things run away. But the real question is, and this was the question when the Neo came out when we were discussing it. if you're going to roll out a brand new computer …”“… use all the ram in the world should we maybe put a second of effort into not duplicating this thing over here nope nope no one thinks that way at all no one pays attention not a single software developer ever cares about that kind of stuff when making things like you know various electron apps and things like that so like apple does care a lot No one else does Yes the 8 gig RAM constraint in the MacBook Neo keeps macOS lean but macOS wasn your problem Your problem is everyone else, and they're going to do whatever they're going to do. And the best thing macOS can do is have really good swap and virtual memory support. And it does. MacOS can use a lot of memory, especially when things run away. But the real question is, and this was the question when the Neo came out when we were discussing it. if you're going to roll out a brand new computer in 2026 with eight gigs of ram how long will mac os run on that computer because that's the question like i don't think their apple will feel constrained to keep mac os lean because they needed to run on the neo i think they'll decide based on wherever mac os is going how long the neo will be supported and i'm sure it'll be supported for years …”View more
Ridealong summary
The MacBook Neo's 8GB RAM may soon limit its software support, raising questions about its longevity. As macOS evolves, the Neo risks being the first Mac to fall off the update list, especially compared to its contemporaries with more RAM. This could leave users stuck with outdated software while others thrive.
Accidental Tech Podcast·684: It’s Not What Young People Do·Mar 26, 2026
“… I sort of go back and forth, like the pros and cons of each. This was before iPadOS 26 with the freeform multi-windowing. And it was also before the MacBook Neo, which is much cheaper. So both of the two biggest points, you know, the Mac is better at multitasking and the iPad is cheaper are no longer true. But there are still a number of limitations on iPadOS. For example, iPadOS can still only play one thing at a time. They can now do like big tasks in the background. But like files and QuickLook are much more basic compared to their Mac counterpoints of Finder, Preview and Disk Utility. iPad apps …”“… it really better to use a Mac than an iPad? I wrote an article on this, on Cult of Mac, which is now, of course, a few years old. A lot of things have changed since then. I wrote an article comparing, you know, should you buy an iPad or a Mac? And I sort of go back and forth, like the pros and cons of each. This was before iPadOS 26 with the freeform multi-windowing. And it was also before the MacBook Neo, which is much cheaper. So both of the two biggest points, you know, the Mac is better at multitasking and the iPad is cheaper are no longer true. But there are still a number of limitations on iPadOS. For example, iPadOS can still only play one thing at a time. They can now do like big tasks in the background. But like files and QuickLook are much more basic compared to their Mac counterpoints of Finder, Preview and Disk Utility. iPad apps are sandbox, so you can't have system-wide utilities like backup tools, clipboard managers, context-aware, note-taking and to-do apps, app launchers or keyboard macros. You can't compile open source software yourself. You can't virtualize Windows on an iPad or macOS for that matter. So those are the big things that I meant when I said macOS is …”View more
Ridealong summary
Many users prefer the iPad for its simplicity and durability, even after years of using laptops. One user shared how their wife transitioned from a stack of broken laptops to solely using an iPad, highlighting its resilience and ease of use. This raises the question: Is the iPad really a better choice for everyday tasks compared to a Mac?
Cult of Mac·What the new Siri will actually do·Mar 26, 2026
“… recently, and now some initial reviews are out. Now that we're recording, they announced the iPhone 17e, the iPad Air with M4, m5 pro and max macbook pro the studio display and studio display xdr and the macbook neo so a ton of devices all came out i did buy a couple uh did anything attempt you from these announcements david not really i it's just you know they're just not really in my wheelhouse i you know i know a lot of my nerd friends are buying neos as experiments but uh i number one i guess i'm too cheap but i i don't need it and i i don't think i could add anything to the conversation …”“I do have some more powerful automations we're going to talk about with Finder and Hazel and some other things and shortcuts in a bit. But Apple had some huge announcements recently, and now some initial reviews are out. Now that we're recording, they announced the iPhone 17e, the iPad Air with M4, m5 pro and max macbook pro the studio display and studio display xdr and the macbook neo so a ton of devices all came out i did buy a couple uh did anything attempt you from these announcements david not really i it's just you know they're just not really in my wheelhouse i you know i know a lot of my nerd friends are buying neos as experiments but uh i number one i guess i'm too cheap but i i don't need it and i i don't think i could add anything to the conversation that isn't going to get added anyway but the uh but i do think the neo is the big announcement we talked about it a little bit after sean it was really actually the day before that neo got released so um what are your general thoughts on the neo so i i got one to experiment and as we record it's arriving tomorrow but all the videos that I've been …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Neo is surprisingly powerful for its price, running demanding software like Final Cut and DaVinci Resolve efficiently. With an entry-level price of $500, it's perfect for students and enthusiasts looking to step into video editing without breaking the bank. This marks a significant shift for Apple, making high-performance computing accessible to a broader audience.
Mac Power Users·840: Finder is More Powerful Than You Think·Mar 15, 2026
“… doing some vertical stacking of dyes, which I didn't quite understand, but that's cool. I don't think we have to get into that here, but the but the MacBook Neo is the actual interesting new product line. Yeah. The, the top line on that is that it's a $600, um, uh, MacBook, small MacBook running, uh, an a 18 pro, which is last year's iPhone pro chip. Yeah. Um, like insane that we're at the point where a phone processor can now run a laptop, but I mean, we've been trying to people and try it for more than a decade. It just is kind of always sucked fair. Um,”“… of it, but there's only one actually new thing. I mean, they announced like M5 Pro laptops, but that's just iterative. I mean, there's some interesting stuff with the way they're designing their SoCs now for those, but I don't think we need, they're doing some vertical stacking of dyes, which I didn't quite understand, but that's cool. I don't think we have to get into that here, but the but the MacBook Neo is the actual interesting new product line. Yeah. The, the top line on that is that it's a $600, um, uh, MacBook, small MacBook running, uh, an a 18 pro, which is last year's iPhone pro chip. Yeah. Um, like insane that we're at the point where a phone processor can now run a laptop, but I mean, we've been trying to people and try it for more than a decade. It just is kind of always sucked fair. Um,”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Neo features a shocking price point of $600, powered by last year's iPhone Pro chip, the A18 Pro. This marks a significant evolution where a phone processor is now capable of running a laptop, challenging the notion of performance in portable devices. Such advancements raise questions about the future of computing and the merging of mobile and desktop technology.
Brad & Will Made a Tech Pod.·330: Our E-Cores Are Better Than Your P-Cores·Mar 15, 2026
“we often went with especially like the ipad air and the macbook air i think that was kind of the two before the neo came out it was like should i get the ipad air and get the the the pencil and the keyboard and or should I just get a MacBook Air? Well, you just kind of said it. Now you can just get both. Get an entry level iPad, get the Apple Pencil, do not get the keyboard. There's your iPad for iPad things. If you want to do the work on there, you can do it. But if you need more and you need your …”“we often went with especially like the ipad air and the macbook air i think that was kind of the two before the neo came out it was like should i get the ipad air and get the the the pencil and the keyboard and or should I just get a MacBook Air? Well, you just kind of said it. Now you can just get both. Get an entry level iPad, get the Apple Pencil, do not get the keyboard. There's your iPad for iPad things. If you want to do the work on there, you can do it. But if you need more and you need your keyboard, you whip out your MacBook Neo. Does it suck to carry two things? No, but you can basically get those two things for a little bit more than a starting entry MacBook Air. That is absolutely insane to me. I mean, it's like a few hundred dollars more, but still, I mean, like what you're getting are two completely different devices that can fulfill …”View more
Ridealong summary
You can now get an entry-level iPad and a MacBook Neo for just a bit more than a MacBook Air, creating a powerful duo for different tasks. This combination allows for a versatile setup where you can use the iPad for casual tasks and the MacBook for serious work. The longevity of iPads also means they remain useful, even as apps evolve, highlighting their value compared to traditional laptops.
The MacRumors Show·185: MacBook Neo Is Here — Should You Buy Apple’s $599 Laptop?·Mar 13, 2026
“When Apple made repairs for MacBook Neo significantly less expensive with Apple Care Plus versus repairs for other Macs with Apple Care Plus, I really thought it was part of the company's play for the more budget-minded consumer. Make repairs cheaper, so they'll go ahead and sign up. Turns out MacBook Neo is actually significantly easier to repair than other Macs. Mac Rumors has written up a teardown by Australian YouTube repair channel Tech Renew. standard screws less glue zero …”“When Apple made repairs for MacBook Neo significantly less expensive with Apple Care Plus versus repairs for other Macs with Apple Care Plus, I really thought it was part of the company's play for the more budget-minded consumer. Make repairs cheaper, so they'll go ahead and sign up. Turns out MacBook Neo is actually significantly easier to repair than other Macs. Mac Rumors has written up a teardown by Australian YouTube repair channel Tech Renew. standard screws less glue zero tape according to the piece a first from macbooks in memory the piece says the two usbc ports speakers and the headphone jack are all modular so the individual components can be swapped without replacing larger assemblies and while tech renewed didn't entirely disassemble the neo the piece says we already knew that the keyboard could be pulled out …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's MacBook Neo is not only cheaper to repair but also significantly easier to fix than previous models. With modular components and a design that allows individual parts to be replaced, the Neo is a game-changer in repairability. Meanwhile, India's government is pushing for new manufacturing incentives, aiming to make the country a global electronics hub, aligning perfectly with Apple's strategy to reduce reliance on China.
Mac OS Ken·MacBook Neo Repairability + IDC on RAMnarök = MOSK: 03.13.2026·Mar 13, 2026
“… buy the new one when it comes out. Stagger the releases. I guess I'm still confused why the touchscreen is going to be in the Pro. pro version of a macbook touchscreen feels like more of a like casual feature casual feature i agree yeah which is why i never wanted it in the first place yeah so you two are not allowed to buy this if it comes out i'm probably still gonna i think kind of a sneaky update is the m5 air because it's crazy that the air used to be the computer that people were like this used to be the neo where people were like you can't really do like really serious video editing etc etc …”“It's like a weird ladder thing. And maybe they do that on purpose to make you always buy the new one when it comes out. Stagger the releases. I guess I'm still confused why the touchscreen is going to be in the Pro. pro version of a macbook touchscreen feels like more of a like casual feature casual feature i agree yeah which is why i never wanted it in the first place yeah so you two are not allowed to buy this if it comes out i'm probably still gonna i think kind of a sneaky update is the m5 air because it's crazy that the air used to be the computer that people were like this used to be the neo where people were like you can't really do like really serious video editing etc etc on it but the m5 is like super capable yes and if you have one of those laptops you can do pretty crazy video editing like the m5 is probably just as good in many ways as the m1 like like pro or max was yeah yeah it was it's an eye opener like actually using the neo and just trying to find the performance ceiling and seeing that it'll just you can …”View more
Ridealong summary
For most college students, the new MacBook Neo is the ideal choice, handling 99% of typical tasks with ease. If their needs are more demanding, like serious video editing or coding, then the MacBook Air might be necessary. This shift in recommendations highlights how powerful the Neo has become, making it a game-changer for students.
Waveform: The MKBHD Podcast·The Apple Release Tier List·Mar 13, 2026
“… when we come to the discussion of ARM, which is this tiny British chip company that invented what we now know as the ARM processor that in every MacBook iPhone iPad Apple Watch every single thing in the world billions and billions and billions run this type of processor, very low power, very high speed. And John Scully, the much maligned John Scully CEO for 10 years, found this little company, his guys, and said, wow, this could be something. Let's invest in it. So he bought a big chunk of that company in the 90s. And then fast forward. Sorry. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. The yeah. The early 90s. And …”“It's in there. If you read along, especially when we come to the discussion of ARM, which is this tiny British chip company that invented what we now know as the ARM processor that in every MacBook iPhone iPad Apple Watch every single thing in the world billions and billions and billions run this type of processor, very low power, very high speed. And John Scully, the much maligned John Scully CEO for 10 years, found this little company, his guys, and said, wow, this could be something. Let's invest in it. So he bought a big chunk of that company in the 90s. And then fast forward. Sorry. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. The yeah. The early 90s. And then fast forward a few years, the investment had appreciated something like 8000 and was now worth $800 million at a time when Apple was almost broke. And without that money, Gil Emilio would never have been able to buy Next and bring Steve Jobs back. He literally sold that stock and used it to buy Steve Jobs and begin the second act of Apple. I get …”View more
Ridealong summary
In the early 90s, Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy when CEO John Scully made a pivotal investment in a small British chip company called ARM. This investment skyrocketed in value, ultimately providing the funds needed to buy NeXT and bring Steve Jobs back to the company, marking the beginning of Apple's resurgence. Without this strategic move, Apple might not have survived its darkest days.
AppleInsider Podcast·MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e and special guest David Pogue on the AppleInsider Podcast·Mar 13, 2026
“Normally on a MacBook, the battery is a full two-thirds of the internal space. There's a little thin strip of computer around the function keys in the top row of the keyboard. if you were to imagine that. And then the rest of the computer, the other two-thirds, is entirely battery. It's much smaller inside here. There's a motherboard along the top, and the battery is 50% of the interior. And then the bottom area is a big empty space for the speaker on the left and …”“Normally on a MacBook, the battery is a full two-thirds of the internal space. There's a little thin strip of computer around the function keys in the top row of the keyboard. if you were to imagine that. And then the rest of the computer, the other two-thirds, is entirely battery. It's much smaller inside here. There's a motherboard along the top, and the battery is 50% of the interior. And then the bottom area is a big empty space for the speaker on the left and right, and then a big empty space underneath the trackpad. Well, the empty space is functional for a speaker, isn't it? Because isn't that what a traditional speaker does? It's kind of like the iPad Pro, where it's presumably a cheaper speaker, and they can sort of make up for that by giving it like a big sound chamber on each side. So it has a …”View more
Ridealong summary
The new MacBook's speakers outperform expectations, with surprising sound quality despite their unique placement. Additionally, its blazing-fast performance challenges the notion that affordable laptops can't deliver high-end capabilities, outperforming even the impressive M1 MacBook Air. This shift shows how far Apple has come in making powerful machines accessible to everyday users.
Cult of Mac·Hands-on with the Studio Display XDR, MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e·Mar 12, 2026
“… is uh between these two chips and how and the relative sizes of the parts we also need to perform a correction from last week richard allen writes macbook pro storage upgrades didn't actually get any cheaper it only looks this way because the base storage was doubled across the lineup for the m5 or m5 pro this was accompanied by a 100 pound increase to the base models previously a 200 pound build to order in in effect this means that the price for storage is 100 pounds cheaper across all storage configs than the last gen but the gaps between storage tiers remains the same yeah i asked how uh he …”“… to get an idea of like what kind of stuff is in the chip even if this is not how it's arranged or how it's connected to each other this which is basically a repurposing of die shots of earlier m series chips gives you an idea of what the difference is uh between these two chips and how and the relative sizes of the parts we also need to perform a correction from last week richard allen writes macbook pro storage upgrades didn't actually get any cheaper it only looks this way because the base storage was doubled across the lineup for the m5 or m5 pro this was accompanied by a 100 pound increase to the base models previously a 200 pound build to order in in effect this means that the price for storage is 100 pounds cheaper across all storage configs than the last gen but the gaps between storage tiers remains the same yeah i asked how uh he was figuring this out because when i was trying to get this info for the review i made the mistake of missing the deadline to check apple's website for the upgrade prices like the they do the thing where the store goes down anyway i i couldn't go to apple.com and actually use the configurator for the old things so i did what i usually do which is go …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Pro storage prices seem cheaper, but that's misleading due to a base price increase. The base storage was doubled, leading to confusion over actual upgrade costs. This highlights how easily misinformation can spread in tech discussions.
Accidental Tech Podcast·682: Medium Core·Mar 12, 2026
“… things get wider, the menus change. So, yeah, I think Jason's probably right about that. Yeah, I'd worry about it. But you're right, especially with MacBook Neo, macOS needs some love. They're going to get – I think there's a very good chance that a year from now there's twice as many Mac users as there are now. No doubt. Yeah because everybody wants a laptop So yeah I mean Tim Cook said like this was our biggest our biggest biggest Mac launch for non users which I don know how they measure that so quickly After a week, that is meaningless marketing fluff. But it's still notable in the sense that …”“… for the touch. So I feel like be careful what you wish for when you ask to change macOS a lot because it might go the wrong direction. You can kind of get a glimpse of that with iPadOS 26. There's kind of some of that in there where if you hover, things get wider, the menus change. So, yeah, I think Jason's probably right about that. Yeah, I'd worry about it. But you're right, especially with MacBook Neo, macOS needs some love. They're going to get – I think there's a very good chance that a year from now there's twice as many Mac users as there are now. No doubt. Yeah because everybody wants a laptop So yeah I mean Tim Cook said like this was our biggest our biggest biggest Mac launch for non users which I don know how they measure that so quickly After a week, that is meaningless marketing fluff. But it's still notable in the sense that it's immediately attracting people who aren't previous Mac users. Yeah. I've been watching college baseball with my son and like every single ad break has a Mac Neo commercial. Oh, really? They're targeting the audiences that we thought they would. Yep. So that's going to be the ads for that are going to be huge. Come like supply will have rebounded …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's upcoming macOS update may sacrifice information density for touchscreen compatibility, causing potential frustration among users. As the tech giant prepares to launch touchscreen Macs, the interface might shift to accommodate wider touch targets, leading to a less compact design. This change could attract new users but also risk alienating current Mac enthusiasts who prefer the existing layout.
Macworld Podcast·Episode 976: WWDC26 news, Apple TV rumors, and more·Mar 25, 2026
“… virtual display plus other windows and it's great because i can have a i can have a i can have an xdr display in front of my face you can have your macbook neo as an xdr display i have not tried that yet i'm curious actually if i could do that i mean i would not be able to it's got it's got an a18 pro which is It's essentially an M4. Well, let me try it. I'm curious. But it can what? What can it do? I don't know. I don't know. Do the ultra-wide? I don't know if the MacBook Neo can do the virtual ultra-wide display. I don't know. I don't know. Let me know. Test for next time. Let me do that right …”“… really really good it just looks like my face yeah did uh do you still like just read and research on it i use it as so i started out before the mac virtual display was good having like windows open and right but now i use it most frequently as mac virtual display plus other windows and it's great because i can have a i can have a i can have an xdr display in front of my face you can have your macbook neo as an xdr display i have not tried that yet i'm curious actually if i could do that i mean i would not be able to it's got it's got an a18 pro which is It's essentially an M4. Well, let me try it. I'm curious. But it can what? What can it do? I don't know. I don't know. Do the ultra-wide? I don't know if the MacBook Neo can do the virtual ultra-wide display. I don't know. I don't know. Let me know. Test for next time. Let me do that right now. Oh, yeah, go ahead. All right, last couple of things. I have a Samsung Galaxy S26, which we'll just talk about a little later. But Clay was very nice. Sent me a long screen recording of how he customizes and how he uses his Galaxy S26. And there were a lot of things I was not aware of, as you can imagine. So appreciated that. I'm, I'm keeping …”View more
Ridealong summary
Rumors swirl that Apple is distributing MacBook Neos through a mysterious 'Creator Access Program,' but there's no evidence to support this claim. One Instagram creator's assertion has raised eyebrows, leading to questions about media literacy and the validity of such statements. Without confirmation from Apple or other creators, this speculation remains unverified and intriguing.
Primary Technology·Is Apple Giving Away MacBook Neos? iOS 26.4 Features, AI Generated Dead Actors is Too Far·Mar 19, 2026
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Neo, priced at just $599, combines the power of an iPhone chip with Mac OS, making it a compelling option for travelers. With impressive features like Touch ID and dual side-firing speakers, it promises a great user experience and long battery life. This could redefine what we expect from budget laptops.
Diggnation (Rebooted)·Hard Truths: Layoffs, Bots, and What's Next for Digg·Mar 18, 2026
“… here. And it is, we talk all the time about Apple's ability to sort of have a whole thought, right? And this computer feels like this is not a worse MacBook designed to be cheaper. This is like a different idea about a computer in a way that I think resonated with people pretty aggressively. I mean Apple will tell you I mean this was their entire message to us When we talked to their executives at the event they kept saying we can make crap We not going to make crap We were just able to make this computer great using the things we had today I watched the teardown video of it and it is remarkable at …”“But it started to really coalesce around like, oh, Apple's actually doing a very specific thing here. And it is, we talk all the time about Apple's ability to sort of have a whole thought, right? And this computer feels like this is not a worse MacBook designed to be cheaper. This is like a different idea about a computer in a way that I think resonated with people pretty aggressively. I mean Apple will tell you I mean this was their entire message to us When we talked to their executives at the event they kept saying we can make crap We not going to make crap We were just able to make this computer great using the things we had today I watched the teardown video of it and it is remarkable at how much it is just an iPhone Yeah. Like, the motherboard is this big. Yeah. Right? It's nothing. It's spread out a little bit because they have room. But you can see that, oh, this is just an iPhone with a huge battery and some speakers. It's so striking because you pick the thing up, and one of the first things you notice about it is, like, it …”View more
Ridealong summary
The MacBook Neo may render the iPad obsolete for many users, as it offers a more capable computing experience for those whose primary device is a smartphone. Apple's design philosophy behind the Neo emphasizes a new approach to laptops, making it a solid choice for everyday tasks like browsing and emailing. This shift raises questions about the iPad's future in the market.
The Vergecast·The MacBook Neo is a winner·Mar 13, 2026
“… I guess, and that fan was just always on no matter what you were doing. and it was loud it was like an airplane taking off going from that to the m1 macbook air be like oh this is just so much better it just feels like going from a spinning hard drive to an ssd for the first time to a solid state drive for the first time so if this is 47 faster than that macbook air the m1 macbook air then i don't think i would feel like oh this is even compared to like the what i'm using which is the m4 macbook air 60 slower you know and and then the multi-core stuff you You know, that's when, yeah, 4% faster than …”“They moved to 16 inches, but it just had a terrible time with thermals, I guess, and that fan was just always on no matter what you were doing. and it was loud it was like an airplane taking off going from that to the m1 macbook air be like oh this is just so much better it just feels like going from a spinning hard drive to an ssd for the first time to a solid state drive for the first time so if this is 47 faster than that macbook air the m1 macbook air then i don't think i would feel like oh this is even compared to like the what i'm using which is the m4 macbook air 60 slower you know and and then the multi-core stuff you You know, that's when, yeah, 4% faster than the M1 MacBook Air Virtual Ti, 10% slower than the M2. For the M4 that I'm using, 41% slower. I don't have a, I don't think a lot of what I, I think so much of what I do is the web. Yep. In single core, that there's just not a lot of tasks that aren't, I'm doing this thing this one time right now. Or like I'm doing this thing for a few minutes …”View more
Ridealong summary
If your MacBook feels sluggish, it might not be the RAM but rather a rogue website causing the slowdown. Despite having 16GB of RAM, a single bad actor can spike CPU usage and bog down performance. Using Activity Monitor can help identify and resolve these issues quickly.
“… to that and then triage from there what they should do. Yeah, do you need to upgrade? Yeah, or something like that. So, you know, if you're using a MacBook Air and you're like, oh, I spent too much on this laptop, take a look at this one. You know, maybe the MacBook Air might be too much for what you need. If you're using a MacBook Pro, you're probably not going to want this laptop. But maybe you will because you want to use it in a certain situation. Like, for instance, I want one because, and I wrote about this, I use, when I travel, I bring a really old MacBook with me. So if I lose it or it …”“… the top of the list. I'll ask more questions about what they do. Sure, right. But, you know, usually when people ask me, I parse that information. I parse the Macs in my head more. But I think this is going to be a go-to from now on. Immediately go to that and then triage from there what they should do. Yeah, do you need to upgrade? Yeah, or something like that. So, you know, if you're using a MacBook Air and you're like, oh, I spent too much on this laptop, take a look at this one. You know, maybe the MacBook Air might be too much for what you need. If you're using a MacBook Pro, you're probably not going to want this laptop. But maybe you will because you want to use it in a certain situation. Like, for instance, I want one because, and I wrote about this, I use, when I travel, I bring a really old MacBook with me. So if I lose it or it gets stolen or it gets damaged or something like that, I'm not going to sweat it. But it is a 15-year-old MacBook Pro, so it'd be nice if I could have something a little more modern. Not that this is a disposable computer, but... It's also a lot lighter than a 15-year-old MacBook Pro. It's also a lot lighter. But I won't stress over it like I would …”View more
Ridealong summary
If you're considering a MacBook but find them too expensive, the new MacBook Neo could be your perfect entry point at just $600. It's lightweight, modern, and ideal for casual users or those looking to upgrade from older models without breaking the bank. This laptop is a game-changer for anyone hesitant about diving into the Mac ecosystem.
“… phone as their every device. And so this is just a larger kind of canvas to do that The other thing is by the way my wife is still using the M1 MacBook and the MacBook Air and it fine She surfing the web She doing her emails She buying stuff on Amazon It a perfectly fine computer for that. Yeah. Those things are still running. People are still using those without issue, and this one's even more powerful. But like you said, I run into so many creators that are doing so much video production on iPhones, and now it's just in a laptop form factor. They shouldn't be scared because it's an iPhone …”“I edit on Premiere on my phone. Now, if I want to do something a little higher end, of course, I'll use Final Cut. But the point is, a lot of people are using their phone as their every device. And so this is just a larger kind of canvas to do that The other thing is by the way my wife is still using the M1 MacBook and the MacBook Air and it fine She surfing the web She doing her emails She buying stuff on Amazon It a perfectly fine computer for that. Yeah. Those things are still running. People are still using those without issue, and this one's even more powerful. But like you said, I run into so many creators that are doing so much video production on iPhones, and now it's just in a laptop form factor. They shouldn't be scared because it's an iPhone chip. It's still just Apple silicon, and it's really powerful. So they also updated the MacBook Air. Anything new about that that we should know? Because I've got one in the shopping cart. I've got an M3 right now. This is an M5. Anything that's super new about this? Nothing crazy new. I love the MacBook Air. I prefer to use it instead of my MacBook …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's latest product updates introduce significant enhancements, especially with the new M5 MacBook Air and iPhone 17E. The M5 boasts improved storage and Wi-Fi 7, while the iPhone 17E offers great value with its A19 chip and MagSafe features, making it ideal for first-time Apple users. These updates show that even entry-level devices can provide a powerful experience without breaking the bank.
Rich On Tech·Hands-on with Apple’s $599 MacBook Neo, the AI personality test everyone’s taking & Android helps airlines track lost luggage (164, March 7, 2026)·Mar 08, 2026
“… yeah. They was like talking about continuity and handoff and like starting in one thing and starting one thing on your phone and ending it on the MacBook. And they made the Apple ecosystem a feature of the MacBook Neo, which is the first, I'm not going to say the first time they've done that, but it's like the first time they've truly emphasized it as like a feature of the MacBook I think in my opinion Yeah I mean just think of all the stuff that been sort of gatekeeps away from ones who just didn have the circumstances or didn want to pay that much money to get in that ecosystem fully. Maybe …”“… marketing material and their ad. They were, sure, they talked about that, like three minute ad that they had the video. Yeah, they mentioned the Neo and they showed off all the things that it can do, but they were big on the ecosystem. Ecosystem, yeah, yeah. They was like talking about continuity and handoff and like starting in one thing and starting one thing on your phone and ending it on the MacBook. And they made the Apple ecosystem a feature of the MacBook Neo, which is the first, I'm not going to say the first time they've done that, but it's like the first time they've truly emphasized it as like a feature of the MacBook I think in my opinion Yeah I mean just think of all the stuff that been sort of gatekeeps away from ones who just didn have the circumstances or didn want to pay that much money to get in that ecosystem fully. Maybe they already have an iPhone. I know plenty of people with iPhones that have like Windows tablets or cheaper laptops and stuff like that because they just don't want to pay the premium, not completely understand that. but now this gives them the choice and now they get to benefit too from that ecosystem like having your airpods automatically switch …”View more
Ridealong summary
The MacBook Neo is an unprecedented move by Apple into the budget laptop market, offering unparalleled build quality at an affordable price point.
9to5Mac Overtime·9to5Mac Overtime 062: MacBook Neo lets the iPad be an iPad·Mar 07, 2026
“… expose the tweet. All right, it says right here. It says this. Is it possible I used Claude code so much somehow my USB connectors burned out of my MacBook Pro? Two of mine are dead and won't charge, and now the third maxes out at 15 watts. Now I'm afraid my code Tamagotchi is about to die. I just... So basically he's... I'm going to keep this tweet forever now. I'm going to put it on my super special meme site. I guess I don want to say anything too specific here because I mean I don work with MacBooks but what is he imagining would have occurred like what there a lot of using those connectors …”“… tweet. I don't know how true that part is, but I do have a story about lines of code. Yes. Okay. Just let me finish my lines of coding. Okay. Oh, by the way. Yes, I found the tweet. Okay, I think I have it. Here it goes. Okay, here we go. I'll just expose the tweet. All right, it says right here. It says this. Is it possible I used Claude code so much somehow my USB connectors burned out of my MacBook Pro? Two of mine are dead and won't charge, and now the third maxes out at 15 watts. Now I'm afraid my code Tamagotchi is about to die. I just... So basically he's... I'm going to keep this tweet forever now. I'm going to put it on my super special meme site. I guess I don want to say anything too specific here because I mean I don work with MacBooks but what is he imagining would have occurred like what there a lot of using those connectors more because you were using clawed code is it just because when he says burned out but is he did he use those to plug into the network and he thinks that the like network packets were going so fast to clawed code or something what What is the thing? Can I explain it? Please. I'm very confused right now. Is that Claude Code, especially during that …”View more
Ridealong summary
A programmer tweeted about potentially burning out USB ports on his MacBook Pro from heavy usage while coding with Claude. He claimed two ports were dead and the third was underperforming, fearing his computer would soon fail. This sparked a discussion on whether intensive coding could physically damage hardware, revealing the strain modern software can put on devices.
The Standup with ThePrimeagen·Why is Microsoft updating their text editors!?·Mar 06, 2026
“… laptops Mr. Ives has an outperform rating on Apple shares. His price target on the shares is $350. I joked about Apple calling the low-cost laptop MacBook Loco. But where'd they get that Neo name? According to MacRumors, they just thought it sounded cool. Asked about the name, Colleen Novielli, a Mac product marketing director, said the company wanted something that felt fun and friendly and fresh. and felt like it really suited the spirit of this product. I will say, it has had me listening to the soundtrack to The Matrix a lot this week, which in retrospect should have been called Songs of Woe. …”“… Thinking similarly was Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives With nearly half of Mac buyers still new to the platform, writes the analyst We believe this will provide incremental upside to Mac estimates As it addresses all consumers looking to upgrade their laptops Mr. Ives has an outperform rating on Apple shares. His price target on the shares is $350. I joked about Apple calling the low-cost laptop MacBook Loco. But where'd they get that Neo name? According to MacRumors, they just thought it sounded cool. Asked about the name, Colleen Novielli, a Mac product marketing director, said the company wanted something that felt fun and friendly and fresh. and felt like it really suited the spirit of this product. I will say, it has had me listening to the soundtrack to The Matrix a lot this week, which in retrospect should have been called Songs of Woe. Here's something you probably never thought you'd hear again, if you thought about it at all. Are these things going to sell out? With four colors and two configurations each, One has actually started slipping past release date.”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Neo name was chosen simply because it sounded 'fun and friendly,' according to product marketing director Colleen Novielli. With four colors and two configurations, the excitement around this model is palpable, leading to speculation about potential sellouts. This playful branding reflects Apple's aim to connect with a broader audience, especially as many Mac buyers are new to the platform.
Mac OS Ken·MacBook Neo Could Reshape the Global Laptop Space - MOSK: 03.06.2026·Mar 06, 2026
“… what the Xcode thing does, but I think, honestly, a little bit better. um anyway uh so i think this is this is great and i it is not the 12-inch macbook replacement that nerds like us were kind of wishing for but also that was never really rumored for this release this was always rumored to be a lower cost 13-inch macbook of some kind and they delivered possibly you know none of us have this thing yet but it sure looks like they delivered really well on that product brief. And I think it's going to be good for Mac. One more thing. So this is also a cost-saving thing, obviously, because you know …”“And it does pretty much what the Xcode thing does, but I think, honestly, a little bit better. um anyway uh so i think this is this is great and i it is not the 12-inch macbook replacement that nerds like us were kind of wishing for but also that was never really rumored for this release this was always rumored to be a lower cost 13-inch macbook of some kind and they delivered possibly you know none of us have this thing yet but it sure looks like they delivered really well on that product brief. And I think it's going to be good for Mac. One more thing. So this is also a cost-saving thing, obviously, because you know everything is about cost with this thing But there two options 256 or or 512 Those are your only choice and color There color and 256 or 512 And obviously that saves cost because you don't need to make lots of varieties, although Apple does have to make the colors and whatever ratios, they have to kind of guess about that. But the really important …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's MacBook Neo offers impressive single-core performance, surpassing even the current $7,000 Mac Pro, showcasing Apple's continued dominance in hardware innovation.
Accidental Tech Podcast·681: The Price of Your Nightmares·Mar 05, 2026
“… in Google Yes It definitely was When I okay foreshadowing some of the pushback Lots of people were like why wouldn you just buy a refurbished M2 MacBook Air And I was like, because the A18 Pro is actually better. And so I literally just typed in compare A18 Pro to M2 and Stephen's face pops up. It's amazing. So that was super fun. That, and then also, as I normally do with YouTube videos, you can do A, B title tests. And I got a text from Jason being like, that's not the price of the computer. So because the three titles I tested was MacBook Neo, Apple's cheapest laptop ever. I tested Apple's …”“you sent me the picture Apparently it was like the AI overview in Google Yes It definitely was When I okay foreshadowing some of the pushback Lots of people were like why wouldn you just buy a refurbished M2 MacBook Air And I was like, because the A18 Pro is actually better. And so I literally just typed in compare A18 Pro to M2 and Stephen's face pops up. It's amazing. So that was super fun. That, and then also, as I normally do with YouTube videos, you can do A, B title tests. And I got a text from Jason being like, that's not the price of the computer. So because the three titles I tested was MacBook Neo, Apple's cheapest laptop ever. I tested Apple's $500 MacBook is here, but should you buy it? And then the last title, MacBook Neo versus MacBook Air, every difference explained. Now, YouTube will automatically, an A-B test can go on for like weeks or hours, depending on how quickly YouTube identifies the winning combination. And so typically my A-B test will go for at least several days. This one …”View more
Ridealong summary
In just three hours, my A-B test revealed that 'MacBook Neo versus MacBook Air' outperformed other titles with a 40% watch time share. This quick turnaround surprised me, especially with pushback on my other title claiming a $500 MacBook. The results showed how crucial the right title is for video success on YouTube.
Primary Technology·Who MacBook Neo is For, Studio Display XDR, Anthropic, Nothing, and More!·Mar 05, 2026
“… weren't just for people who could spend more money. The rebel rebel in me says that the greater privacy protection and convenience of Touch ID on MacBook Neo shouldn't cost more either. I worry about the people who will default to password as their password. They might go with something more complex if they didn't actually have to remember it and type it in every time. It's not an unforgivable transgression, just something I wish was cooler. If you care about the whole environmental thing, MacBook Neo may be your machine. A piece from 9to5Mac says it sets a new record for recycled content in an …”“I said when we were talking about iPhone 17E earlier this week that it was nice that safety features like emergency SOS by a satellite and crash detection weren't just for people who could spend more money. The rebel rebel in me says that the greater privacy protection and convenience of Touch ID on MacBook Neo shouldn't cost more either. I worry about the people who will default to password as their password. They might go with something more complex if they didn't actually have to remember it and type it in every time. It's not an unforgivable transgression, just something I wish was cooler. If you care about the whole environmental thing, MacBook Neo may be your machine. A piece from 9to5Mac says it sets a new record for recycled content in an Apple product. According to Apple's press release, MacBook Neo features 60% recycled content, the highest percentage of any Apple product. That includes 90% recycled aluminum overall and 100% recycled cobalt in the battery. The enclosure is manufactured with a material forming process that uses 50 less aluminum compared to traditional machining …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's new MacBook Neo offers impressive environmental credentials but raises concerns about privacy features being tied to higher costs.
Mac OS Ken·Saying Hello to MacBook Neo - MOSK: 03.05.2026·Mar 05, 2026
“But this is like an entirely new piece of hardware, the MacBook Neo, and it was super casual. Yeah. So let's actually start with this. So the announcements that they talked about were the 17E, the iPad Air, the new MacBooks with M5 chips, the new Studio Display and Studio Display XR, all of which were around and we could touch them and it was the first hands-on experience anybody had had with them. And then the Neo. And I would say even before, all anybody cared about was the Neo, right? Like this thing has …”“But this is like an entirely new piece of hardware, the MacBook Neo, and it was super casual. Yeah. So let's actually start with this. So the announcements that they talked about were the 17E, the iPad Air, the new MacBooks with M5 chips, the new Studio Display and Studio Display XR, all of which were around and we could touch them and it was the first hands-on experience anybody had had with them. And then the Neo. And I would say even before, all anybody cared about was the Neo, right? Like this thing has been rumored for a while. The name came out, I think either yesterday or the day before, it was like, this was clearly coming. And there was a minute during that presentation where I was like, oh my God, they're not going to announce a new product at all because he said like turn this is up there and he said something to the effect of you know …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's introduction of the MacBook Neo is a strategic move to reclaim the education market by offering a competitively priced laptop that can rival Chromebooks.
The Vergecast·MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, and iPad Air: The Vergecast Livestream·Mar 04, 2026
“… already know what the remaining schedule is. But my interpretation of things is Tuesday morning will be a press release for the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models. Wednesday will be the low-cost MacBook. The question is whether they do anything else tomorrow alongside those MacBook Pros. I'm going to be optimistic and say that also tomorrow morning will be the new Studio Displays. That's the scope, I think. The fact they did the iPad and the phone together today suggests to me there's no more iPads coming this week. Yep. Because I think they would have done the other iPads if there was going …”“… quarter and be happy with it. So I think it's thumbs up, not the most exciting updates in the world, but nothing outrageously bad. So for the rest of the week, we're recording this on Monday night. So if you're listening to this on Tuesday, you might already know what the remaining schedule is. But my interpretation of things is Tuesday morning will be a press release for the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models. Wednesday will be the low-cost MacBook. The question is whether they do anything else tomorrow alongside those MacBook Pros. I'm going to be optimistic and say that also tomorrow morning will be the new Studio Displays. That's the scope, I think. The fact they did the iPad and the phone together today suggests to me there's no more iPads coming this week. Yep. Because I think they would have done the other iPads if there was going to be other iPads. So the other iPads will come later. I think the iPad Air is the only iPad for this week, which would be quite funny when we come to tomorrow and they do the other ipads but i don't think that's good yeah they did the phone and the ipad tomorrow they do the macbook pros and the scope is possibly external displays and maybe mac …”View more
Ridealong summary
The new low-cost MacBook is set to be a game-changer, potentially priced at just $699. With a thinner design and less power consumption thanks to its A-series chip, this model could redefine affordability in Apple's lineup. As excitement builds for its release, hands-on impressions are just around the corner.
9to5Mac Happy Hour·March Apple event week kicks off with iPhone 17e and M4 iPad Air·Mar 03, 2026
“All right. Comic Corner, last week and on this show, we talked about the cheap MacBook, and people have a lot of thoughts on this in response to our discussion how much RAM the laptop would have. Ivan Marshall 9806 on YouTube said, why don't you connected experts remember that Apple said that in the future, their Macs will be capable of running Apple Intelligence, which they stated would require 16 gigabytes of RAM. I don't think that was said, was it? No, so I was looking this up. Yeah, okay. I couldn't find Apple saying what …”“All right. Comic Corner, last week and on this show, we talked about the cheap MacBook, and people have a lot of thoughts on this in response to our discussion how much RAM the laptop would have. Ivan Marshall 9806 on YouTube said, why don't you connected experts remember that Apple said that in the future, their Macs will be capable of running Apple Intelligence, which they stated would require 16 gigabytes of RAM. I don't think that was said, was it? No, so I was looking this up. Yeah, okay. I couldn't find Apple saying what you needed to run Apple Intelligence. There's no way Apple would ever say that, because why would you buy any gigabyte? Well, they did say that you needed 16 gigabytes of RAM to use Xcode with Apple Intelligence. Correct. Sure. So they didn't specifically say that the consumer needed 16 gigabytes. Well, listen, man, anyone's buying this MacBook to …”View more
Ridealong summary
The debate over whether Apple's MacBooks should have 8GB or 16GB of RAM has sparked heated discussions. While some argue that 16GB is necessary for running advanced applications like Xcode, others point out that current tools function well on 8GB models. Ultimately, the push for 16GB stems from a need for better performance, especially in pro-level machines.
Macworld Podcast·Episode 972: What to expect at Apple's March 4 event·Feb 25, 2026
“… not gonna broadcast, oh, we're using the same CPU as the iPhone, but they might be able to flex that into, we have the longest battery life of any MacBook we've ever made. They're gonna basically be pushing every single button they can push to say that this is a special experience, that you're not getting a lesser than, you're getting a different MacBook, you're not getting a lesser than MacBook. And the opportunities that they have at this moment, Microsoft has handed Apple a big opportunity in discontinuing Windows 10 and suddenly rendering entire collections of older, perfectly functioning …”“They're not gonna broadcast, oh, we're using the same CPU as the iPhone, but they might be able to flex that into, we have the longest battery life of any MacBook we've ever made. They're gonna basically be pushing every single button they can push to say that this is a special experience, that you're not getting a lesser than, you're getting a different MacBook, you're not getting a lesser than MacBook. And the opportunities that they have at this moment, Microsoft has handed Apple a big opportunity in discontinuing Windows 10 and suddenly rendering entire collections of older, perfectly functioning Windows machines, Windows laptops, basically non-tenable. So now, not that they're gonna scoop up every single Windows user and convert them into Mac users, but a lot of them are gonna be saying, well, I haven't bought a laptop in four or five years, I wonder what's out there. That's probably gonna be another Dell, probably gonna be another Lenovo or …”View more
Ridealong summary
Apple's 'Special Experience' event is more about marketing hype than revolutionary product launches, with incremental updates rather than groundbreaking innovations.
Apple's budget MacBook is a strategic move to capitalize on Microsoft's discontinuation of Windows 10, but it faces stiff competition from high-quality Windows laptops available at similar price points.
Apple's new low-cost MacBook is positioned as a unique offering rather than a lesser product, leveraging opportunities from Microsoft's discontinuation of Windows 10.
