Apple today announced M2 Ultra, a new system on a chip (SoC) that delivers huge performance increases to the Mac and completes the M2 family. M2 Ultra is the largest and most capable chip Apple has ever created, and it makes the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro the most powerful Mac desktops ever made. M2 Ultra is built using a second-generation 5-nanometer process and uses Apple's groundbreaking UltraFusion technology to connect the die of two M2 Max chips, doubling the performance. M2 Ultra consists of 134 billion transistors—20 billion more than M1 Ultra. Its unified memory architecture supports up to a breakthrough 192 GB of memory capacity, which is 50 percent more than M1 Ultra, and features 800 GB/s of memory bandwidth—twice that of M2 Max. M2 Ultra features a more powerful CPU that's 20 percent faster than M1 Ultra, a larger GPU that's up to 30 percent faster, and a Neural Engine that's up to 40 percent faster. It also features a media engine with twice the capabilities of M2 Max for blazing ProRes acceleration. With all these advancements, M2 Ultra takes Mac performance to a whole new level yet again.

"M2 Ultra delivers astonishing performance and capabilities for our pro users' most demanding workflows, while maintaining Apple silicon's industry-leading power efficiency," said Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. "With huge performance gains in the CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine, combined with massive memory bandwidth in a single SoC, M2 Ultra is the world's most powerful chip ever created for a personal computer."

As remote work and learning continue to transform daily lives, the demand for high-quality webcams has never been greater. Recognizing the need for versatile and high-resolution video capabilities among creative professionals, BenQ is proud to introduce the BenQ ideaCam, a specialized multi-mode desktop webcam designed specifically for creators and makers.

The BenQ ideaCam revolutionizes the creative possibilities with its four shooting modes: Portrait, Desk View, Handheld, and Macro. While the Portrait mode provides a familiar webcam experience, Desk View enables effortless display of objects or documents on the desktop. The intelligent auto-flip feature seamlessly transitions between Portrait and Desk View modes, automatically rotating and focusing the image. Handheld mode offers unique camera angles and immersive close-ups, while the magnetic Macro lens provides detailed magnification of 15 times.

ASUS today announced the Marshmallow Keyboard, a compact and versatile wireless keyboard available in Oat Milk or Green Tea Latte finishes. Ideal for everyday computing, this durable keyboard features long-lasting up to 10-million-click switches, optimal scissor keys, and two-level adjustable kickstands. A pair of system switch keys enable effortless switching between Windows, ChromeOS, MacOS, iOS, and iPadOS modes.

Distinct colors
The ASUS Marshmallow Keyboard is available in striking Oat Milk or Green Tea Latte color schemes that stand out in a sea of black, beige or gray keyboards. In addition, essentials like the Spacebar, Enter, and Esc keys are in a darker shade for better visibility. These unique colors give ASUS Marshmallow Keyboard a smart, youthful look that perfectly complements ASUS Marshmallow Mouse MD100, as well as modern laptops, PCs, and tablets.

For anyone struggling to multitask when working from home, Burlington tech company Mobile Pixels Inc. has unveiled the perfect solution. It recently launched a new series of dual monitors that are specially crafted to make work-from-home hassle-free. The latest in Mobile Pixel's innovations, the Geminos Series consists of two foldable and adjustable dual-screen desktop monitors vertically stacked to provide better ergonomic support and increased productivity.

The Geminos Series was brought to life following another wildly successful Mobile Pixels Kickstarter campaign that saw over 3,000 backers pledge as much as $2,161,609. With its official launch, Geminos now promises to revolutionize the lives of all working professionals, gamers, traders, streamers, entrepreneurs, coders, and students.

The Answers Lie Inside…Firmament is a new puzzle-adventure game by the legendary game studio, Cyan Worlds, behind the best-selling games Myst and Obduction. Featuring deep storytelling and world-building, discover the story of this seemingly abandoned world as you explore and unlock the mysteries of 3 unique Realms… and beyond! Firmament will be available on May 18th.

We are overjoyed by the positivity and excitement around Firmament's latest cinematic trailer. Thank you everyone! Can you believe it's only 10 days until launch? Haven't watched or wishlisted yet? Check out the video and links below!!

As market share of Apple's ARM based Mac computers has increased, so too have efforts to compromise them by previously uninterested hacker groups. A recent string of malware created specifically for macOS has shown that these groups are turning their gaze toward the generally well protected Mac ecosystem. One of these new malware threats, discovered by Jamf Threat Labs and dubbed 'RustBucket,' acts as a simple third-party PDF viewer. The application itself does nothing malicious until a specific PDF is opened which includes an encoded key that triggers a connection to be made between the attacker's server and the victim's Mac, and a small malicious payload to be downloaded. The initial payload begins running system recon commands to determine the machine information, and then downloads a third stage payload which gives the attackers further access to the underlying operating system. All stages after the user opens the PDF are run silently in the background. The PDF viewer used as the catalyst for this hack does require manually overriding Apple's Gatekeeper as it carries no signature, so the obvious step to mitigate this attack is to not use third-party apps or services aside from those curated on Apple's App Store.

The second macOS malware of the week was discovered by Cyble Research and Intelligence Labs (CRIL) being offered for a paltry $1,000 USD per month on a Telegram channel, with the malware going by the name "Atomic macOS Stealer" or "AMOS." This malware has capabilities to scrape keychain passwords, system information, files from the desktop and documents folders, the macOS user password, browser auto-fills, passwords, cookies, wallets, and stored credit card info. The malware is especially adapted to go after cryptowallets with Cyble citing examples such as Electrum, Binance, Exodus, Atomic, and Coinomi. Cyble notes that they've seen the malware receiving active development to improve its capabilities and the threat actors even offering management software and web panels for keeping track of victimized machines, all with a logging system that dumps to Telegram. The current attack vector is a simple Golang.dmg file which installs the malware, so this does appear to require direct machine access. However once installed, "AMOS" does its handiwork without detection and sends a compressed file off to the attacker's server with all the information it collected.

Earlier on in April keen-eyed users of macOS uncovered the presence of a strange document hidden deep within Apple's operating system directories. It turns out that this Easter egg was a digital copy of the original Bitcoin whitepaper, it is speculated that Apple engineers have been running a long term prank by stashing the manifesto inside of every released version of macOS since 2018 - which indicates that Mojave was the starting point. According to yesterday's 9to5Mac-published article the cryptocurrency whitepaper (said to be authored by mysterious figure Satoshi Nakamoto) has been removed from the latest macOS Ventura build - 13.4 beta 3 (made available to developers).

The initial discovery of the manifesto received significant press coverage, and it seems that Apple has chosen to send in the cleanup crew at some point in the weeks since then. The file was sat alongside miscellaneous assets in a folder relating to an Image Capture application. The internal tool "VirtualScanner.app" has also been removed from the latest macOS beta build. The 9to5Mac piece posits that Apple's engineers never intended to include the prototype image and document scanner app in any finalized operating system releases - hence the burying of the program's assets deep inside system files.

Opera is unveiling Opera One today. Opera One is the early access version of a completely redesigned browser that is planned to replace the flagship Opera browser for Windows, MacOS, and Linux later this year. Based on Modular Design, Opera One transforms the way you interact with your browser, delivering a liquid navigation experience which is more intuitive to the user. With today's release, Opera One also becomes the first major Chromium-based browser with a multithreaded compositor that brings the UI to life like never before. Opera One also introduces Tab Islands, a new, more intuitive way of interacting with and managing multiple tabs. This news from the company comes just weeks after announcing its first generative AI features, including AI Prompts, as well as access to ChatGPT and ChatSonic in the sidebar.

Introducing the first implementation of Modular Design
Opera has a history of reinventing itself to address the changing needs of its users as well as the evolving nature of the web. With Opera One, the browser has been redesigned according to Modular Design. The new design philosophy, which is being presented today for the first time, will allow Opera to over time build a more powerful and feature-rich browser that is ready for a generative AI-based future. The Opera browser is thus beginning its metamorphosis into a browser that will dynamically adapt to the user's needs by bringing only the key features to the foreground: the relevant modules within Opera One will adjust automatically based on context, providing the user with a more liquid and effortless browsing experience.

Conflicting reports are flying around about Apple's next generation MacBook Air lineup, mostly surrounding suggestions of a firm release date or debut reveal at WWDC 2023. 9to5Mac claims that its insider sources have pointed to a new range of M3 chipset powered MacBook Air extra thin laptops offered up in two different screen sizes: 13-inch and 15-inch. An insider claimed last month that Apple's upcoming laptop lineup was in an advanced stage of production, and was far along enough to warrant an "imminent" launch window. A Taiwanese publication has presented new evidence this week, and it posits that Apple could drop M3 chipset-based laptops from announcement presentations organized for this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, which is set to take place from June 5 to 9.

According to the financial section of Taiwan's UDN news site, Apple's key decision makers could be in favor of fielding laptops based on its current generation M2 SoC, instead of an entry-level M3-based range, due to delays and changes in priority for the N3B node at TSMC foundries. This is seen as an odd move given reports from earlier this month of Apple requesting a reduction in factory output for its M2 chips, following a slump in demand. Apple could be changing its strategy with regards to the alleged surplus of M2 silicon - the article theorizes that the company will spend more time fitting the older generation chipsets into a new range of laptops and desktop computers. An M3-based product line could be delayed into late 2023, and it is alleged that TSMC has been instructed to concentrate mostly on manufacturing Apple's Bionix A17 mobile chipset via the cutting edge 3 nm FinFet technology process (N3B) - earmarked to debut on the iPhone 15 Pro in autumn 2023.

Personal computers (PCs) based on Arm architecture will grow in popularity and their market share will almost double from 14% now to 25% by 2027, according to Counterpoint Research's latest projections. The ability of Arm-based hardware to run Mac OS has allowed Apple to capture 90% of the Arm-based notebook computer market. However, the full support of Windows and Office365 and the speed of native Arm-based app adoption are also critical factors in determining the Arm SoC penetration rate in PCs. Once these factors are addressed, Arm-based PCs will become a viable option for both daily users and businesses.

As more existing PC OEMs/ODMs and smartphone manufacturers enter the market, they will bring their expertise in Arm-based hardware and software, which will further boost the popularity of Arm-based PCs. The availability of more native Arm-based apps will also increase user comfort and familiarity with the platform. Overall, the trend towards Arm-based PCs is expected to continue and their market share will likely increase significantly in the coming years.

Reports from supply chain partners suggests that Apple cut off production of their current generation M2 SoC lineup in the months of January and February following significantly decreased demand for Mac computers containing the chips. The details trace back to partners in Outsourced Semiconductor Package Test, or OSAT, which is many different companies in the supply chain that contribute to assembly and testing of the final packaged SoC. OSAT partners claim they received zero M2 wafers from TSMC during both months, and that shipments have only resumed at half of the previous capacity in the month of March. The breadth of this shutdown touched many different suppliers, from the packaging facilities in Korea, to the solder ball suppliers in Taiwan, the TIM suppliers in Germany, and die underfill material suppliers from Japan. Many of these parts can be specific to the type of chip being produced, as M2 features a different packaging method to Apple's normal A-Series mobile SoCs; a lack of M2 silicon led to a full shutdown of this supply chain. An industry insider for Amcona states, "It is impossible to do other packaging work on the M2 line, the so-called 'Apple line' installed in Amcona chip packs."

In their Q1 2023 earnings conference Apple reported a sharp revenue drop in Mac sales from $10.85B down to $7.74B. "The PC market is facing a very challenging situation," stated Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, "I think we have an advantage with silicon but it will be very difficult in the short term." Apple began production of M2 well over a year ago when demand for Apple silicon equipped MacBooks was still sky high, and likely had large reserves of finished chips and machines stockpiled for the launch of M2 Pro and M2 Max in January. With demand dipping up to the launch of the new MacBook models it would certainly justify slowing down production, but outright halting it for multiple months suggests demand far undershot Apple's expectation.

Apple today announced it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in an online format from June 5 through 9, 2023, with an opportunity for developers and students to celebrate in person at a special experience at Apple Park on opening day. Free for all developers, WWDC23 will spotlight the latest iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS advancements. As part of Apple's ongoing commitment to helping developers create innovative apps, the event will also provide them with unique access to Apple engineers, as well as insight into new technologies and tools to help them realize their visions.

"WWDC is one of our favorite times of the year at Apple because it's an opportunity to connect with the talented developers from around the globe who make this community so extraordinary," said Susan Prescott, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. "WWDC23 is going to be our biggest and most exciting yet, and we can't wait to see many of you online and in person at this very special event!"

JLab is turning up the volume on the overlooked work-from-home category by expanding its signature innovation to its new Work Collection of keyboards, mice, webcams and microphones in the UK. They are currently available on Amazon UK with high street retailers also expected to stock very soon.

Studies have cited that the shift to remote work during the pandemic has brought a heightened level of productivity among office workers, and a recent Gallup State of the Workforce study found with 70% of workers would prefer a hybrid office arrangement in the future. To satisfy the diverse and evolving needs of the work-from-home contingent to a neglected category, JLab's new computer peripherals include mice and keyboards that seamlessly switch between three devices further evolving to today's evolving work-life blending. The new Work Collection is available in three product categories, GO, JBuds, and Epic. Further launches in these categories are expected throughout the year in the UK.

CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators, today launched a new entry in its acclaimed HS gaming headset lineup: the HS65 WIRELESS. This fashionably lightweight headset boasts two ways to connect to your games via low-latency 2.4 GHz wireless or Bluetooth, giving you the versatility to listen across all your systems and devices. Available in black or white, the HS65 WIRELESS offers advanced audio personalization with Sonarworks SoundID, for sound tailored to you.

The HS65 WIRELESS creates dynamic personal audio with integrated Sonarworks SoundID technology. Conveniently accessible in CORSAIR iCUE software, SoundID uses a quick sound test to find your unique listening preferences and create a personalized audio EQ profile that fine-tunes your audio experience. Combine that with Dolby Audio 7.1 surround sound on PC and Mac, and you have professional-grade sound, without paying a premium.

The global PC market has been experiencing a demand downtrend after the cooling down of COVID-19 in 2022. The market saw its shipments decline 15% YoY in 2022 and is expected to see another high single-digit decline in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research's data. However, among all the PC sub-sectors, Arm-based laptops are expected to show a comparatively resilient demand throughout the coming quarters thanks to Apple's success with the MacBook series, increasing ecosystem support and vanishing performance gap with x86 offerings.

Audio-Technica today announced the release of its ATH-M50xSTS and ATH-M50xSTS-USB streaming headsets. These models are the world's first headsets specifically developed to address the needs of live-streaming content creators. Based on the critically acclaimed ATH-M50x professional monitor headphones and incorporating technology from the iconic 20 Series microphones, the ATH-M50xSTS and ATH-M50xSTS-USB deliver full-spectrum, studio-quality for users and listeners on the receiving end.

The headsets are equipped with the same 45 mm large-aperture drivers to provide exceptional clarity throughout an extended frequency range, with deep, accurate bass response. The streaming headsets come with two sets of distinct earpads: M50x earpads that stress audio quality and sound isolation; mesh and leatherette earpads that emphasize breathability and comfort.

Apple's ongoing pursuit of leading performance in custom silicon packages continues with each new generation of Apple Silicon. Today, we have alleged Geekbench performance figures of the upcoming M2 Max chip, designed for the upcoming Mac devices. Featuring the same configuration with two E-cores and eight P-cores, the chip is rumored to utilize TSMC's 3 nm design. However, that is yet to be confirmed by Apple, so we don't have the exact information. In the GB5 single-thread test, the CPU set a single-core performance target of 1899 points, while the multi-core score was 8737. While last year's M1 Max chips can reach 1787 single-core and 12826 multi-core scores, these configurations are benchmarked in a Mac Studio, which has better cooling and allows for higher clocks to be achieved.

Apples to apples (pun intended) comparison with the M1 Max chip inside of a MacBook Pro version with presumably the same cooling capacity, which gets 1497 single-core and 11506 multi-core score, the new M2 Max chip is 19.4% faster in single-core results. Multi-core improvements should follow, and this M2 Max result should be different from the final product. We await more benchmarks to confirm this performance increase and the correct semiconductor manufacturing node.

Corsair Gaming, Inc.'s Elgato, a leading provider of hardware and software for content creators, today announced the launch of a new addition to its award-winning lineup of tactile control interfaces: Stream Deck +. Equipped with LCD keys, infinite dials, and a touch strip, Stream Deck + offers powerful new ways to interact with apps and tools for a faster, smoother, more intuitive workflow.

Stream Deck + adds new functionalities to the acclaimed Stream Deck platform with a combination of eight LCD keys, four push dials, and a dynamic touch strip, all of which are ideal for controlling audio, video, lighting, and other software-integrated technology. With over 100 ready-made app plugins available, and the option to map keyboard shortcuts to keys and dials, Stream Deck + enhances any workflow from content creation, podcasting and live production to photo editing, graphic design, and beyond. Stream Deck + integrates seamlessly with Elgato software, namely Camera Hub, Control Center and the lauded Wave Link virtual mixer, which is unlocked for all Stream Deck + owners to enjoy professional control over multiple audio sources and VST effects such as EQ, compression, or reverb. Both the LCD keys and touch strip can be personalized with Elgato's extensive library of icon packs and backgrounds, while the dials can be refitted with silver or gold caps (sold separately). Like all Stream Deck devices, Stream Deck + gives users access to thousands of royalty-free tracks and sound effects that can be triggered with the LCD (interactive) keys. When connected to a PC or Mac via the included USB-C to USB-A cable, Stream Deck + becomes the core of any setup.

After years of hard work, developer Bay 12 Games and publisher Kitfox Games are thrilled to announce that the highly anticipated, and newly inviting Steam and Itch.io PC release of the fabled Dwarf Fortress will release on December 6 for $29.99 USD! Originally released by brothers Tarn and Zach Adams in 2006, this new version of Dwarf Fortress reimagines the deeply intricate, dwarven civilization management and construction game beyond its ASCII character presentation with a brand new pixel art tileset, a new helpful tutorial to onboard unfamiliar players, new soundtrack and sound effects, new user interface and navigable menus, and other quality of life additions.

These new additions make this version of Dwarf Fortress the most approachable it has ever been, while still maintaining the beloved core experience and complex simulation that has made it popular for so many years. The classic version of Dwarf Fortress will remain available for download at no cost, and will continue to be supported, on Bay 12's website.

Today, Logitech announced a new "Designed for Mac" collection of products, crafted to be seamlessly compatible and reliable with Mac setups across a variety of use cases. The new collection includes the MX Mechanical Mini for Mac keyboard, MX Master 3S for Mac mouse, Lift for Mac mouse and the K380 Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac in a new Blueberry color.

"We know that Apple users value a consistent design aesthetic for their entire setup—work or home—and that they need mice and keyboards that work across their ecosystems," said Delphine Donné, vice president and general manager of Creativity and Productivity at Logitech. "We've created a suite of stylish tools that elevates how you work by adding more functionality, customization and comfort. And because we know that one size doesn't fit all, this collection was designed, developed and engineered to meet the diverse needs of Apple users."

OWC, a leading customer-focused creator of innovative solutions that have enabled individuals, businesses, content professionals, and educators to get maximum usefulness from their technology investment for over 30 years, today announced the acquisition of SellYourMac.com, the world's most trusted and highest ranked Apple trade-in company.

SellYourMac.com has been a leader in Apple trade-ins since its inception in 2009, and offers a fast, safe, and easy way for Apple users to cash in used Apple devices. The combination of SellYourMac.com's easy to use trade in platform and OWC's experience and trust in the Apple marketplace helps establish OWC as the #1 place for Apple users worldwide to trade in their Apple devices.

Belkin, a global consumer electronics leader, today introduces two new multiport solutions, adding to its impressive connectivity category. The CONNECT USB-C 5-in-1 adapter and CONNECT 6-in-1 hub make it easy to share content between devices, connect multiple components for enhanced productivity, and connect people safely and securely to the things they love. Both products are available to order now.

Designed with the growing number of Chromebook users in mind, the multiport adapter offers robust capabilities with a simple design, allowing for data, video, Ethernet and power all to pass through a single cable connection. This docking station is WWCB certified, featuring Chromebook optimized features and providing automatic firmware updates directly through Chrome OS for an enhanced connectivity experience. Additionally, the adapter provides Power Delivery up to 86 W to charge connected devices, ensuring a more reliable and fast charge.

ORICO - Shenzhen-based innovative enterprise focusing on high-performance solutions for USB data transmission and charging - is proud to unveil the ORICO USB4 High Speed Portable SSD Montage 40 Gbps series, with a striking and durable design inspired Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. The bold and bright aesthetic draws from Mondrian's famous work Composition with Red, Blue and Yellow, incorporating the thick black lines and blocks of color that immediately distinguish the device from the monochrome alternatives on the market. Loud, but not lurid, the design is applied with the durable in-mold labeling technique also found in automobile manufacturing for its resistance to corrosion.

However, the product engineers at ORICO do not pursue form over function and have invested in the right technology to make the Montage 40 Gbps series one of the best-performing SSDs available. During performance testing, the drive achieved 3,126 MB/s reading speed, a 2,832 MB/s writing speed, and transferred 3 GB files in just one second, matching, and even surpassing, many leading products currently on the market. Accompanied by a versatile 2-in-1 data cable for USB type A and type C connections, the drive is widely compatible and able to be used with Mac OS, Windows, Android, and Linux operating systems without requiring a driver. Depending on user requirements, the Montage series offers capacity options ranging from 512 GB to 2 TB. "We are so excited to launch the eye-catching Montage series, serving superior performance and carrying a timeless aesthetic that really transcends style trends," commented Xu Yeyou, CEO of ORICO. "We had in mind on-the-go creatives, such as photographers and video editors, when designing the product."

Kanguru announces a new FIPS 140-2 Certified External Solid-State Drive with enhanced security. The new Defender SSD350 hardware encrypted solid state drive series provides organizations with data protection at its best. The TAA Compliant, Defender SSD350 family of solid-state drives is ideal for high-security environments, including government, defense, healthcare, financial institutions, energy/utilities and other security-conscious organizations that rely on benchmark FIPS 140-2 Certification and military-grade, hardware encryption to meet strict security demands. Designed and built under the independent and rigorous testing verification process conducted by the National Institute of Standards for Technology (NIST), the Defender SSD350 provides organizations with exceptional data security and value.

Packed with military grade security features for both MacOS and Windows, it can also be remotely managed for a complete data security solution. Security/IT Administrators can monitor their organization's Kanguru Defender drives anywhere in the world with the Kanguru Remote Management Console (KRMC), which allows Admins to enforce security policies, locate lost or stolen drives, manage security settings remotely and much more.

ProScreenCast has announced their newest 4K 60 Hz with HDR screen casting adaptor, the SC01, is now available worldwide. SC01 build with HDMI 2.0b and is capable of streaming true 4K resolution up to 60 Hz refresh rate with HDR color, it is designed to stream video wirelessly to TV, projector or any display with HDMI. This allows you to experience 4K image quality on a big screen from your mobile phone or PC, without having to run cables across the room.

SC01 allows you to stream video from your mobile phone, Pad or PC to a big screen without using any cables. The plug-and-play installation is simple and you do not need to install additional APP to do the setup, everything can be done in the web browser. SC01 supports both 2.4G & 5G Wi-Fi to give you stable connection and is very compact in size and have internal Wi-Fi antenna, which allows you to carry around easily.