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Update your iPhone: Apple releases security patch for an active exploit
Update your iPhone: Apple releases security patch for an active exploit
Apple just released an update for iOS and iPadOS 15.0.2, which fixes a security bug on Apple devices. Notably, Apple says that the bug "may have been actively exploited," which means you should update your device right now.
Monday's update fixes a memory corruption issue that might have allowed some apps to "execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges," according to Apple's support page. Translation? Hackers could use the vulnerability to take over your iPhone or iPad. Updating your device should close the vulnerability.
This is Apple's second security update in a month, following September's Pegasus spyware-related update.
Whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is gadmowera whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is hacked whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is crashing whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is in another language whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger is my home whatsapp kik viber or retxt which third party messenger home whatsapp/kik/line
WhatsApp, Kik, Viber or ReTXT: Which third-party messenger is right for you?
WhatsApp, Kik, Viber or ReTXT: Which third-party messenger is right for you?
James Martin/CNET
There is no shortage of third-party messaging apps in either the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store and it's pretty easy to see why. While every smartphone has a default messaging app, none have many extras.
Sure, you can send photos and videos, and probably emoticons, but beyond that the default chat apps are pretty bare. To its credit, Apple has made strides with iOS' Messages app with features such as being able to send your location and voice memos, while Android will let you send contacts and other business-related tasks, but there's not much fun in that.
Fortunately, third-party messaging apps are mostly free, offer fun extras, and some even have added features like encryption to keep your messages secure. All use data, so any texting limits you have with your carrier don't apply and the ones that make calls are free for people who have the app.
Feature comparison
Obviously, a text messaging app has to let you send text messages, and adding photos and videos is more or less the standard with these type of apps. But it's the extras like locations, contacts, and even doodles that set some of these apps apart. On the other hand, you may be someone who is uninterested in stickers and gifs, so this chart will let you zero in on the things you need and the things you don't.
WhatsApp Messenger
Kik
Viber
ReTXT
Text messages
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Phone calls
Yes
No
Yes
No
Photos
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Videos
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Audio clips/voice memos
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Video calls
No
No
Yes
No
Sketching/drawing
No
Yes
Yes
No
Locations
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Share contacts
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Special Graphics/Stickers
No
Yes
Yes
No
Emoticons
default keyboard
Yes
Yes
default keyboard
Subscription
Yes ($0.99/year)
No
No
Yes ($0.99/year)
Encryption
No
No
No
Yes
Read receipts
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
In-app purchases
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
James Martin/CNET
WhatsApp Messenger
WhatsApp has been in the third-party text messenger business for a long time, and even if you're not using it, chances are a lot of your friends are. The app has an extremely easy setup because you don't have to add buddies or invite people; WhatsApp Messenger scans your contacts for other users of the app and lets you start a conversation on your own.
WhatsApp shows your chats in little text bubbles, gives you a time stamp for messages, notifies you when a text has been viewed by your recipient and lets you include photos, audio notes and videos within your conversations. You can also change your background and send your GPS location to an interactive map. You can use premade away notes such as "I'm busy," "Available" or even "My battery is about to die," and you can block specific contacts from within the app. You also can easily send a friend's contact information to another user without leaving the app. So, while the app is not leaps and bounds ahead of other messaging apps, there are some nice extra features here.
It's important to note that WhatsApp is free for the first year of use, but then you'll need to sign up for subscription at 99 cents per year. But even though free is always better, I think a dollar a year (at the current exchange rate, that's about £0.65 or AU$1.25) is easily worth it for what you get.
Where it excels
A lot of people already use it so you don't have to convince as many people to download it.
Location maps look natural inline and let you tap to get more info.
You can make free calls to others who have the app.
You can customize the look by changing backgrounds.
Where it falls flat
You can't make video calls.
It has no special graphics other than emoticons.
It doesn't have strong encryption.
Best for: People who know that their friends already use the app. Also, it's great for sending texts and making international calls to others who have the app.
James Martin/CNET
Kik
Free; iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Kik is a messaging app that's much more about fun than it is about productivity. Yes, it has the regular messaging features and you can easily add photos and videos like most apps, but the extras here are more for a younger audience and not what you get with the other apps in this collection.
I noticed right away that Kik didn't have the ability to send your location or contacts. Instead, it's set up for having fun with things like stickers, the ability to sketch, add the latest viral videos and memes, and more. One really useful feature is the ability to perform an image search from within the app. It also has an assortment of original emoticons, but the ones you can use for free are not much different from what you get on your default keyboard.
And that's the other thing about Kik. It has its own currency called Kik Points (KP) that you use to buy sticker packs and special emoticons you can't find anywhere else. You don't buy Kik points with cash, though. You earn them by completing surveys, visiting specific websites, or signing up for services from one of Kik's partners. In other words, it's a way for Kik to make money without billing the users of the app.
Where it excels
It has a huge number of things you can add to your messages, like stickers, icons, doodles, memes and more.
You can perform an image search from within the app to add images to the conversation easily.
It has its own in-app browser to find other content.
Where it falls flat
Lack of location-adding and contact features make it less useful for working folks.
The requirement of using Kik Points to buy features means you'll need to jump through hoops to get that unique zombie emoticon.
Best for: Students or groups of friends who like to keep the conversation going continuously with lots of fun stuff to add
James Martin/CNET
Viber
Free; iOS, Android, Windows Phone
I recently reviewed Viber and found it to have the most useful features I've seen so far in a messaging app. It's excellent for messaging and calling your friends for free around the globe and you can even make video calls.
Sending a message is just like other apps, with balloons for each of the people chatting, and you can set up group texts for up to 100 participants. You can create an audio clip by touching the microphone, then touching and holding a big button in the bottom center to record. You also can send photos and videos, and you can send your location.
For some fun, there is a doodle feature, which lets you pick a brush size and color, then draw on the screen to send little doodles to your friends. You also get a good assortment of stickers for free, but can buy themed sticker packs if you're interested.
But what sets Viber apart from most third party messaging apps is the ability to make both audio and video calls and you can do it on a 3G connection or better. The app uses your regular phone number, and you can call anyone around the globe for free provided they also have the app. In my testing, call quality was excellent and even sounded better than regular calls on my iPhone.
You'll have to pay (through in-app purchase) if you want to call landlines or people who don't have the app, but it has a guide which shows how much it will cost you depending on the country.
Where it excels
You can make free calls to other people who have the app (like WhatsApp) and you can make free video calls.
Both audio and video calls are high quality even without a Wi-Fi connection.
It has its own assortment of high-quality, original emoticons.
It has plenty of stickers included for just about any situation, and you can buy more if you want themed sets.
Where it falls flat
The Public Chat features let you browse subjects and enter a conversation, but you can't participate (coming in a later update).
Not a lot of people use it.
Best for: People who want to message, or make audio or video calls internationally for free.
James Martin/CNET
ReTXT
Free; iOS and Android
ReTXT is the newcomer to the collection having only been out for a few weeks, but in my review, I really liked the unique features you can't find in the other apps of this collection.
It does all the usual things such as letting you send photos and video, and you can add audio clips and send your location. But while it's not big on special graphics, stickers or anything like those, it has something even better to offer: the ability to correct or delete a message you already sent. Everyone has been a victim of their smartphone's autocorrect at one time or another, but with ReTXT, you can just tap the sent message and edit whatever you want. It then corrects the message for both you and your recipient.
Another unique feature is the capability to ask for clarification. When someone sends you a message that doesn't make sense, you can tap a button that sends them a question mark that appears right next to their own message balloon. This indicates that they should clarify their meaning without you having to ask questions or engage in a lengthy back-and-forth conversation.
Finally, ReTXT has strong security features which ensure you and your recipient are the only people to view your message content. It doesn't store your conversations on any server, and it has end-to-end encryption. The other apps can't boast this level of security, so if security is your number one concern, this is the app for you.
It's important to note that -- like WhatsApp -- you'll need to pay a 99 cents a year subscription (about £0.65 or AU$1.25), but if these features are important to you it's easy to part with a dollar per year.
Where it excels
ReTXT lets you edit sent messages to fix any errors, whether it was an autocorrect mistake or maybe even something you shouldn't have said in the heat of the moment.
You can ask for clarification by touching a button so you can avoid the back and forth texts.
End-to-end encryption means you'll know only you and your recipient can see your messages.
Where it falls flat
It doesn't have any customization or special graphics and emoticons besides what comes with your default keyboard.
Almost nobody uses it because it's so new.
Best for: Those who find themselves making a lot of typos in their messages, or those who want an added level of security not found in other messaging apps.
CNET recommends...
All of these are great chat apps, and really it comes down to a matter of your messaging style for which one you pick. But I think for most people, the fact that Viber covers so many bases puts it on top.
Not only does it have more practical features, like sending your location and contacts, it also has fun features which let you add audio clips and stickers to your conversations. And the fact that you can make both audio and video calls pushes it over the top.
There's still the problem of getting your friends to download the app, but with all these features, it shouldn't be too hard to convince them.
Apple macbook 12 inch 2016 macbook air 2015 12 inch apple 12 inch macbook apple macbook 12 inch 2016 macbook pro 2015 12 inch apple macbook 12 inch 2017 apple macbook 12 inch battery replacement apple macbook 12 inch accessories apple macbook 12 inch retina display apple macbook 12 gold apple macbook student discount apple macbook pro m1
Apple MacBook (12-inch, 2015) review: A minimalist MacBook that proves less can be more
Apple MacBook (12-inch, 2015) review: A minimalist MacBook that proves less can be more
Editors' note (June 27, 2017): The12-inch MacBook, reviewed in full below, was updated in 2016 and then again in June 2017, at Apple'sWorldwide Developers Conference. The new $1,299 12-inch MacBook and $999 13-inch MacBook Air now have faster, more powerful Intel processors. The current crop of MacBook Pros -- the $1,299 13-inch, $1,799 13-inch with Touch Bar, and $2,399 15-inch with Touch Bar-- have those new chips, too, along with upgraded graphics hardware.
Otherwise, aside from a RAM bump here and a slight price drop there, the 2017 batch is very similar to the one from 2016, with the same enclosures, ports, trackpads and screens. But be forewarned: Buying a new MacBook Pro may require you to invest in a variety of adapters for your legacy devices. Also note that the 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2015 has been discontinued, though the $1,999 15-inch model from that year remains available for those who want all the ports and fewer dongles.
The complaints started even before Apple's first new MacBook demo ended. During the March 2015 press event, observers fretted about the new, slimmer, lighter 12-inch MacBook. "It's underpowered," they said. "The battery life will be short. The new keyboard is too shallow. The no-click touchpad is a gimmick."
The outcry, which ranged from deriding the new, singular USB-C port to the overall price was reminiscent of the world's reaction to the original iPad in 2010. And like that groundbreaking tablet, the new 12-inch MacBook won't do everything and isn't for everyone. But its strictly enforced minimalism will make this laptop the model that industrial designers will strive to copy for the next several years.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The 12-inch MacBook is a system that ditches the Air and Pro monikers and returns to a simpler designation not seen since the classic black and white polycarbonate MacBooks of the mid-2000s (the ones you still occasionally see in coffee shops despite being their being discontinued in 2011).
Starting at $1,299, it includes a high-resolution Retina screen (much sharper than that on the Air), 8GB of RAM and 256GB of solid state storage. Unlike other laptops with removable drives or RAM, everything here is (permanently) packed into a tiny custom motherboard that leaves maximum room for a large battery. A second version, priced at $1,599, adds a 512GB hard drive and a tiny processor speed bump. In the UK and Australia, the prices start at £1,049 and AU$1,799 for the base model and hit £1,299 and AU$2,199 for the upgrade. More expensive build-to-order models are available, too. (The MacBook can be ordered online at 12:00 a.m. PT tonight, the same time as the Apple Watch, and should be available in store -- presumably in limited quantities -- on Friday, April 10.)
By way of comparison, the 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $999, but a similar 8GB/256GB configuration will cost the same $1,299. The 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at the same $1,299 as this new MacBook, but with only half the storage. Upgrading that Pro model to the same 8GB/256GB will cost $1,499. And on the Windows side, a Samsung Ativ Book 9 with the same 8GB RAM/256GB flash drive and the same processor -- will cost you $1,399 (all prices in US dollars). So, in the context of its main rivals, the MacBook is actually priced rather competitively.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Looking only at a spec sheet, it's easy to see why this new MacBook might be a tough sell. The MacBook uses Intel's new Core M processor, designed for slim, light laptops, hybrids and tablets with premium prices. It's efficient enough that full laptops can even run fanless, allowing for quiet, cool operation. But, the Core M has disappointed in the handful of Windows systems in which we've already tested it, turning in sluggish performance and mediocre battery life, the latter an unforgivable flaw for computers designed to be as light and portable as possible.
To spare you the suspense, I can say that the new MacBook performs much better than any other Core M system we've tested to date, hitting 11 hours in our video playback test. That's not nearly as much as you'd get from a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro -- and it puts this system at a disadvantage compared to the longest-lasting laptops -- but battery life is definitely not the deal-breaker it could have been.
Heavy online use will drain the battery even more quickly, and I found myself frequently glancing up at the upper right corner of the screen to see the battery life percentage tick down as I worked. I've found it can last for a full work day of moderate usage, but unlike a current-gen MacBook Pro or Air, it'll be hard to go a few days without plugging it in at all.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Beyond that, the limitations of having a single USB-C port for all your connection needs (with the exception of a standard audio jack that also made the cut) is even more of a challenge, unless you're prepared to arm yourself with a pocketful of dongles and adaptors.
Other changes are easier to adapt to. We've previously gone into some detail about the new click-free pad, which Apple calls the Force Touch trackpad, which is also available in the updated MacBook Pro. It's a clever bit of space-saving engineering that replaces the old trackpad, with a hinged design for physically clicking down, with a flat glass surface augmented by a force feedback engine. The keyboard is an even more radical change, swapping out the long-standing Mac standard of deep island-style keys for a set of much shallower keys, but with larger actual key faces.
Using the new MacBook means accepting its limitations, some of which are deliberately self-imposed. That's especially noticeable when you look at another new laptop, the Samsung Ativ Book 9. It weighs the same as the MacBook, has a similar 12-inch high-res screen, and an Intel Core M processor, but manages to fit in two full-size USB ports and a micro-HDMI output (although it also has a proprietary power connection and lacks USB-C, which is set to become the new standard).
The new MacBook and the similar Samsung Book 9.
Sarah Tew/CNET
If your need for longer battery life, more powerful performance, or more ports doesn't automatically preclude you, then the in-person experience of using the new MacBook will far outshine the on-paper shortcomings. For writing, Web surfing, video viewing and social media, it's a pleasure to use, and makes the still-slim 13-inch MacBook Air feel a bit like a lumbering dinosaur, to say nothing of other ultrabook-style laptops. It's a perfect coffee shop companion.
Some of the critical reactions to this laptop remind me of another new Apple design introduction I covered seven years ago, the original MacBook Air. That system was also criticized for dropping ports and connections, such as an Ethernet and VGA, that people were convinced they still needed. And, much like the new MacBook, it included just a single USB port.
Back in 2008, I was correct that the Air's new, stripped-down design had real legs, and would set the standard for years to come. But also true was that future refinements down the road would turn the MacBook Air from a speciality product into a mainstream one. When the next 12-inch MacBook update arrives, I suspect it will at the very least add a second USB-C port, and that's when it will become much easier to recommend to a broader audience.
Apple MacBook (12-inch, 2015)
Price as reviewed
$1,299, £1,049, AU$1,799
Display size/resolution
12-inch 2,304x1,440 screen
PC CPU
1.1GHz Intel Core M 5Y31
PC Memory
8GB DDR3 SDRAM 1,600MHz
Graphics
1,536MB Intel HD Graphics 5300
Storage
256 SSD
Optical drive
None
Networking
802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0
Operating system
Apple OSX 10.10.2 Yosemite
Design and features
This is the thinnest Mac that Apple has ever made: at its thickest point it's just 13.1mm (about half an inch), 24 percent thinner than the existing 11-inch MacBook Air. It's also the lightest MacBook, at 2.04 pounds (0.9 kg). Samsung's new Book 9 weighs 2.08 pounds, essentially the same, although it has a slightly larger footprint.
The overall shape and industrial design is familiar, based on the past seven-plus years of MacBook design, but with a few new twists, such as new colors. Besides the traditional silver, the new MacBook also comes in space grey or gold. Our test unit was gold, and like the iPhone color scheme it copies, the coloration is subtle, and gives off the impression that your laptop has a bronzed finish.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The keyboard, another big change, uses a new butterfly mechanism for keys that's thinner and more stable. The nearly edge-to-edge keyboard has larger key faces, yes, but the keys are also shallower, barely popping up above the keyboard tray and depressing into the chassis only slightly. It takes some getting used to, especially if you're accustomed to the deep, clicky physical feedback of the current MacBooks or the similar island-style keyboards of most other modern laptops.
The first time I tried the keyboard, I couldn't get through even a few sample sentences without several typos, because of the shallow keys and their lower level of tactile feedback. But when I tried again a couple of hours later, it was already much easier.
Sarah Tew/CNET
After using the new MacBook keyboard for the better part of a week, the shallowness of the keys, and a lack of a deeply satisfying click still bothers me. But, as someone who types very longform, the larger key faces and rock-solid stability make up for that, tipping the needle into the positive category. The keys are almost completely wobble-free, as opposed to the wiggle you can get under your fingers on a current MacBook keyboard.
The new trackpad, called the Force Touch, is even more of a change. Nearly the same size as the Air's, but squeezed into a smaller space, it dominates the lower half of the laptop and goes right up to the bottom edge. While previous trackpads had a hinge along the top in a kind of diving board design, the new pad works very differently. We took a deeper hands-on look at Force Touch when we tested it in the only other Apple product to support the new TrackPad right now, the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Four sensors under the pad allow you to "click" anywhere on the surface, and the Force Click effect, which combines the sensors with haptic (or taptic) feedback, allows you to have two levels of perceived clicking within an app or task. That deep click feels to the finger and brain like the trackpad has a stepped physical mechanism, but in fact, the movement you feel is a small horizontal shift, which, even when fully explained, still feels like you're depressing the trackpad two levels.
Apple describes it like this: "With the Force Touch trackpad, force sensors detect your click anywhere on the surface and move the trackpad laterally toward you, although the feel is the same familiar downward motion you're accustomed to in a trackpad."
With that second, deeper click, you can access several types of contextual information, for example, highlighting a word and getting a Wikipedia pop-up, or seeing a map when deep-clicking on an address. Jumping into the preview view of a document or file works with the deep click, too, just as it does now by pressing the space bar in OS X. The most advanced use is probably fast-forwarding through a video clip in QuickTime, faster or slower, depending on how hard you press down on the trackpad.
I ended up using this trackpad just as I do almost every other one, Apple or otherwise, by tapping rather than clicking. It still bewilders me that Apple turns off tap-to-click by default, forcing you to hunt around the preferences menu to find it. Here's a tip: besides the tapping feature under the trackpad preferences menu, you may want to go to the accessibility menu and look under Preferences > Accessibility > Mouse & Trackpad > Trackpad options to turn on tap-to-drag.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The new MacBook has a 12-inch Retina display with a 2,304x1,440-pixel resolution. It, too, has a new design -- it's the thinnest ever built into a MacBook, at 0.88mm -- with a larger aperture for light and individual pixels in red, green and blue. The slightly unusual resolution is a combination of Apple's drive for a very high pixel-per-inch density, as well as an aspect ratio that sticks with 16:10, as opposed to nearly every other laptop available now, all of which use the same 16:9 aspect ratio as HDTV. (The 11-inch MacBook Air remains the only 16:9 MacBook.)
The screen looks clear and bright, and works from wide viewing angles. There's a glossy overlay, but I've seen much worse offenders when it comes to screen glare and light reflection. The screen bezel, that dead space between the actual display and the outer edge of the lid, is thinner here than on a MacBook Air, and the screen glass goes nearly edge to edge, giving the MacBook a seamless look much like the current Pro models. Thin bezels are definitely an important style note these days, although Dell does it much better with its current XPS 13 laptop, with an eye-catching barely there bezel.
The speaker grille above the keyboard is predictably thin-sounding -- this is a very small laptop after all, with little room for speaker cones to move air -- but it'll suffice for casual video viewing. With Beats Audio as part of the Apple family we may see a greater emphasis on audio in Macs in the future, just as Beats and HP had a successful partnership for several years.
Joe Kaminski/CNET
One spec that many feel was shortchanged in this new laptop is the built-in webcam. It's a simple 640x480 camera, and not as high-res as the 720p camera found in the Air or Pro laptops. The image above is taken from an iPhone 6, and shows my image, being transmitted from the 12-inch MacBook, via FaceTime. Note the softness of the image, which is an issue with viewing the 480p transmission on a much higher resolution screen.
Ports and connections
Video
USB 3.1 Type C
Audio
3.5mm audio jack
Data
USB 3.1 Type C
Networking
802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0
Optical
None
Connections, performance and battery
While testing the new MacBook, I found myself frequently plugging and unplugging accessories. Starting with the power cable connected to the single USB-C port, I pulled the power out to plug in a short USB-C to USB-A cable (sold by Apple for $19, £15 or AU$29), and connected the USB dongle for a wireless mouse. When I wanted to use a USB data key, I had to disconnect the mouse, and use the same adaptor cable to connect my key.
Shortly, you will be able to connect video the same way, using a USB-C to HDMI, DisplayPort or VGA adaptor. Apple has two connections blocks that include either HDMI or VGA for $79, £65 or AU$119, but neither was available at the time of this review.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The official pitch is that MacBook users will use wireless connections for just about everything. Bluetooth for a mouse, Wi-Fi for Internet access, AirDrop for file transfer, and so on. Most of these assumptions are correct, but there's something to be said for being able to use a full-size USB or HDMI port to connect to any USB key or HDTV with minimal hassle.
One potentially very useful benefit of USB-C is that, because it's used to power the laptop battery, it can also draw power from the portable backup battery packs that so many people have lying around in drawers and laptop bags. Take a USB-C to male USB cable (we tried a $10 one sent by Monoprice), and you can get some extra battery power on the go without having to bring the whole power brick or have access to a power outlet. It won't fully charge the laptop, but it could offer enough juice to get you out of a jam.
Sadly, MagSafe, truly one of the great developments in the history of laptops, is gone, and the new USB-C power plug has no magnetic connection at all. It simply slots in. The connector is fairly shallow, so it may very well just pop out if you yank the cable by accidentally stepping on it, but it certainly doesn't feel as accident-proof as the MagSafe version does.
The new 12-inch MacBook also breaks from the rest of Apple's computer line in that it does not use a processor from Intel's Core i series. Mostly Macs use Core i5 chips from either the current fifth generation of those chips, or the previous fourth generation (although the professional-level Mac Pro desktop uses an Intel Xeon processor).
Instead, this laptop uses the Core M, a new entry in Intel's laptop family. The pitch for Core M is that it enables laptops to be very thin and light, but still powerful and long-lasting. That's an appealing pitch, and Core M chips are so far only found in premium-priced systems (the least expensive being the $700 Asus T300 Chi).
Sarah Tew/CNET
But, in the first three computers we've tested with Core M chips, the results have not lived up to the hype. Lenovo's Yoga 3 Pro had sluggish performance and weak battery life. The Asus T300 Chi did a little better, but still ran for less than 6 hours in our battery test. The Samsung Ativ Book 9, a 12-inch laptop very similar to this one, did a bit better both on performance and battery life, coming close to 8 hours.
Getting the most out of Core M may require your hardware and software, including the operating system, to be properly tuned for it. And as Apple can control every aspect of its OS and exactly what hardware is paired with it, it's not surprising that the company is able to get some of the best results to date from the Core M. In our benchmark tests, no one will confuse this system with even the basic 13-inch MacBook Air, but it was faster in our multitasking test than the other Core M laptops we've reviewed. More importantly, in day to day use, it often felt just as responsive as a MacBook Air, with a few important caveats.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Basic Web surfing worked flawlessly, as did streaming even 4K video from YouTube or HD video from Netflix. Even basic gaming via Steam was doable, and I could play older or simpler games such as Portal 2 or Telltale's The Walking Dead series if I dialed the in-game resolution down to 1,440x900 and played with middle-ground graphics settings.
Using a browser other than Apple's Safari, which is very well optimized for the OS X/Core M combination, can lead to some slowdown, as can loading up multiple video streams at once. Pushing apps such as Photoshop with challenging filters and high-resolution files is likewise going to be slower than most Windows laptops with Core i5 CPUs.
But for many laptop users, especially those primarily interested in a laptop's size and weight, battery life is of the utmost importance. That is the one area where Apple's use of the Core M platform has caused the most angst-ridden speculation. Other Core M systems, all slim laptops or hybrids, have all turned in battery life scores that are on the low side, from about five and a half hours (for the Yoga 3 Pro and Asus T300 Chi) to seven and a half hours (for the Samsung Book 9) in our video playback battery drain test.
Meanwhile, Apple's own current MacBook Air runs for an amazing 18 hours (thanks to its recently upgraded Broadwell Core i5 CPU) and the 13-inch Pro ran for 15 hours in the same test. Two recent slim, premium laptops, the Dell XPS 13 and HP Spectre x360, both managed 12 hours.
Sarah Tew/CNET
The 12-inch MacBook doesn't last as long as those Core i5 laptops, but it does beat the other Core M systems by a large margin, running for 11 hours 3 minutes in our video playback battery drain test. Apple says it should give you at least 10 hours of video playback, so that's in line with the company's claims. Real-world scenarios, with more energy draining apps and frequent online use, will be shorter, and in a secondary test streaming online video non-stop over Wi-Fi, the system ran for 5 hours.
How did Apple manage to get better battery life from the notoriously fickle Core M? Part of it may be the optimization Apple can do as the creator of both the hardware and operating system. But a big part of it may be the large 39.7-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery crammed into the small MacBook's body. The actual motherboard and all the internal components have been shrunk down to be only fraction of the size of a typical laptop motherboard. Instead, the entire rest of the system interior is filled with a battery designed to fit into every nook and cranny of available space.
Conclusion
My initial impression of the original MacBook Air from 2008 feels timely and fitting here. Of that laptop, which was considered both groundbreaking and frustratingly limited, I said:
Sarah Tew/CNET
Likewise, this new MacBook will also be the right fit for a smaller segment of a public than the more universally useful 13-inch MacBook Air or Pro. But those who can work with the limitations -- primarily a lack of ports, shorter battery life, performance that's not suited for pro-level photo and video editing, and a shallow keyboard that takes some getting used to -- will love its sharp display, slim and light body, and responsive touchpad.
My primary caveat is this -- if history is any guide, you can count on a near-future generation of this laptop boosting its utility by doubling the number of USB-C ports to at least two. So like many new technology products, it may be worth waiting for the next version, even if having a 12-inch, two-pound gold MacBook right now will make you the coolest kid at the coffee shop.
Handbrake Multimedia Multitasking test
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2015)370Dell XPS 13 (2015, non-touch)428Apple MacBook (12-inch, 2015)465Samsung Ativ Book 9 (2015)563Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro682
Note: Shorter bars indicate better performance (in seconds)
Adobe Photoshop CS5 image-processing test
Dell XPS 13 (2015, non-touch)263Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2015)268Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro294Apple MacBook (12-inch, 2015)307Samsung Ativ Book 9 (2015)311
Note: Shorter bars indicate better performance (in seconds)
Apple iTunes encoding test
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2015)107Dell XPS 13 (2015, non-touch)112Apple MacBook (12-inch, 2015)130Samsung Ativ Book 9 (2015)130Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro142
Note: Shorter bars indicate better performance (in seconds)
Video playback battery drain test
Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, 2015)1080Apple MacBook (12-inch, 2015)747Dell XPS 13 (2015, non-touch)726Samsung Ativ Book 9 (2015)457Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro346
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance (in minutes)
