Reset PRAM on Mac is one of those troubleshooting steps that has survived decades of Apple hardware, old support forums and emergency calls to the family member who “knows computers.” The name sounds far more technical than the procedure, which involves restarting an Intel-based Mac while holding four keys.

The reset can help when a Mac remembers the wrong basic settings. It may select an unexpected startup disk, return to an incorrect display resolution, use an unusual sound level or keep other hardware-related preferences that refuse to behave normally.

It is not a speed boost, a deep system repair or a magical cure for every Mac problem. Resetting PRAM will not clear storage, repair a damaged app or make an aging MacBook suddenly feel new. It is a focused fix for a small collection of settings stored outside the usual macOS preferences.

There is also one major limitation: the familiar keyboard shortcut applies only to Intel-based Macs. Apple silicon models handle this memory differently and do not require the same manual reset.

What PRAM Actually Is

PRAM stands for Parameter Random-Access Memory. It was the small amount of memory older Macs used to preserve certain settings while the computer was turned off.

Apple later moved to NVRAM, or nonvolatile random-access memory, but the two names remain closely connected in Mac troubleshooting. Users still search for PRAM reset, while Apple’s current documentation usually calls the procedure an NVRAM or PRAM reset.

The stored information can include the selected startup disk, speaker volume, screen resolution and other low-level settings. When that information becomes incorrect or behaves unpredictably, resetting it allows the Mac to rebuild the relevant preferences.

Nothing dramatic happens to personal data. Documents, photos, apps, emails and user accounts remain untouched. Some settings may return to their defaults, which is the point of the reset.

Reset PRAM on Mac Only When the Symptoms Fit

Reset PRAM on Mac when the problem appears connected to startup or hardware preferences rather than normal app use.

A Mac that repeatedly chooses the wrong startup disk is a good candidate. So is an Intel Mac that starts with an unexpected sound level or returns to a strange display resolution after every restart.

The procedure may also help when the date, time zone or other basic startup settings act strangely, although modern macOS versions usually manage those automatically.

It is less useful when Safari is slow, an app keeps crashing or the Mac is nearly out of storage. Those problems have different causes. Closing apps, installing updates or freeing storage will usually do more than resetting a small bank of startup memory.

The distinction keeps the old troubleshooting step useful without turning it into Mac folklore prescribed for every symptom.

Check Which Mac You Own

Before using the shortcut, confirm whether the Mac has an Intel processor or Apple silicon.

To check:

Apple menu > About This Mac

Look for a line labeled Chip or Processor. An M-series chip identifies Apple silicon. A processor name containing Intel means the traditional reset applies.

This check prevents a common misunderstanding. Holding Option, Command, P and R during startup on an Apple silicon Mac does not perform the old PRAM reset. The shortcut belongs to Intel startup behavior. Apple’s current startup-key guide lists it specifically among key combinations for Intel-based Macs.

Apple silicon Macs check and manage stored startup information through their newer boot system. A normal shutdown and restart is usually the first step when one develops unusual basic behavior.

How to Reset PRAM on an Intel Mac

The useful guidance is brief:

Shut down the Mac completely.

Press the power button, then immediately hold:

Option + Command + P + R

Keep the four keys pressed for approximately 20 seconds, then release them and allow the Mac to start normally.

Older Macs may play the startup sound more than once. On some newer Intel models, the Apple logo may appear and disappear during the process.

The timing is the only slightly awkward part. The keys need to be pressed immediately after the Mac begins starting. Waiting until the login window appears is too late.

After the Mac starts, check the setting that caused the problem. The startup disk, volume or display configuration may need to be selected again because the reset cleared the previous preference.

What Changes After the Reset

Most users will notice nothing beyond the original problem hopefully disappearing. The Mac does not present a dramatic confirmation screen or announce that PRAM has been purified.

Instead, a few stored settings may return to their defaults. The speaker volume may change. The preferred startup disk may need to be chosen again. A display may return to its standard resolution. Time-zone information may need a moment to update.

That understated behavior is normal. A successful reset is less like reinstalling macOS and more like asking the Mac to forget a handful of stubborn instructions.

Apple also uses an NVRAM reset as one of the preparation steps for certain Intel Macs before they are sold or transferred, since the procedure clears stored user settings from memory.

Why Apple Silicon Macs Do Not Need the Shortcut

Apple silicon changed the Mac startup process along with performance, power efficiency and system security. The older Intel keyboard combination no longer controls the same reset behavior.

For an M-series Mac showing unusual startup settings, begin with a full shutdown rather than repeatedly trying the old shortcut.

Use:

Apple menu > Shut Down

Wait briefly after the screen turns completely black, then turn the Mac back on.

If the problem involves selecting a startup disk or reaching recovery tools, hold the power button while the Mac starts until startup options appear. Apple documents this power-button process as the route into startup options on Apple silicon models. (⁠Apple Support)

That is usually enough guidance for a light troubleshooting article. Recovery, diagnostics and deeper repair steps belong to more serious startup problems, not every incorrect volume level or display setting.

When the Reset Does Nothing

A PRAM reset can fail to change anything because the problem was never stored in PRAM or NVRAM.

A slow Mac may be running too many apps. A browser may have dozens of heavy tabs. A startup disk may be almost full. A damaged cable may cause display problems. A weak battery may cause shutdowns. A broken speaker will not repair itself because four keys were held during startup.

If the symptom continues, return to the problem itself rather than repeating the reset indefinitely.

Check the related setting in System Settings. Install macOS updates. Restart the affected app. Disconnect unnecessary accessories. Confirm that enough storage is available. Persistent hardware behavior may require Apple Diagnostics or professional support.

The reset should be treated as one useful step, not an annual Mac ritual.

An Old Mac Fix With a Narrow Purpose

Reset PRAM on Mac remains relevant because Intel models are still in use across homes, schools and businesses. Many continue to work well, and their owners may eventually encounter the sort of odd startup preference that this procedure was designed to clear.

The method is simple, safe for personal files and quick enough to try when the symptoms fit. Its usefulness comes from being specific.

An Intel Mac remembering the wrong startup disk or display setting may benefit. A Mac with an unrelated software or hardware problem will need another answer.

The four-key shortcut has survived because it occasionally solves a strange problem in about 20 seconds. That is a good troubleshooting tool. It just should not be asked to perform miracles.

The post Reset PRAM on Mac to Fix Strange Settings appeared first on AppleMagazine.

A white spot on iPad screen can appear as a bright patch that remains visible while browsing, watching videos or using apps. It may be small and easy to ignore at first, then become distracting whenever the screen shows a white, gray or lightly colored background.

The spot may come from a temporary software problem, but a fixed bright area is more commonly connected to the display hardware. Pressure inside the iPad, a damaged backlight layer, display separation or an impact can create uneven illumination that no setting can remove.

Before arranging a repair, a few simple checks can reveal whether the spot belongs to the image being displayed or to the physical screen itself.

What Causes a White Spot on iPad Screen?

A white spot on iPad screen is often described as a bright spot, pressure mark or backlight patch. On iPads with LCD displays, light passes through several internal layers before reaching the glass. When one of those layers becomes damaged, separated or compressed, light can concentrate in one area.

The mark may be more visible against pale backgrounds and almost disappear when the screen displays black or dark content. This is different from a dead pixel, which usually appears as a tiny fixed dot rather than a larger cloudy patch.

Pressure is one possible cause. Carrying an iPad in an overloaded bag, placing heavy objects on it or using a tight case can place stress on the display. A drop may also disturb the internal screen layers without cracking the front glass.

Battery swelling can create similar pressure from inside the device. If the screen is lifting from the frame, the iPad feels unusually warm or the body appears bent, stop using it and seek service. A swollen battery should not be pressed back into place or handled as an ordinary screen defect.

The problem can also appear after a display replacement involving a poorly fitted or lower-quality part. Apple notes that nongenuine displays may produce inconsistent brightness, color or touch behavior.

Check Whether the Spot Is Really on the Display

Begin by opening several different apps. Look at the spot over a white webpage, a gray Settings screen, a dark photo and a full-screen video. A hardware-related mark normally stays in the same physical location regardless of what appears underneath it.

Rotate the iPad. If the content changes orientation but the bright patch remains in the same part of the glass, the display is the likely cause.

Taking a screenshot provides another useful test. A physical screen defect will not normally become part of the screenshot file.

To take a screenshot on an iPad without a Home button:

Top button + either volume button

To take a screenshot on an iPad with a Home button:

Top button + Home button

Open the screenshot on another device or send it to a trusted computer. If the white spot does not appear there, the image generated by iPadOS is normal and the problem is probably inside the display assembly.

If the mark appears in the screenshot, it may belong to an app, image, accessibility setting or software effect rather than the panel.

Restart Before Assuming Hardware Failure

A restart is worth trying because it clears temporary display and system behavior without affecting personal files. It is unlikely to repair physical backlight damage, but it can eliminate a short-lived graphical problem.

To restart an iPad without a Home button:

Press and hold the top button and either volume button > Drag the power slider > Wait approximately 30 seconds > Hold the top button until the Apple logo appears

To restart an iPad with a Home button:

Press and hold the top button > Drag the power slider > Wait approximately 30 seconds > Hold the top button until the Apple logo appears

After restarting, return to the same pale background and check the area again. A spot that remains fixed is unlikely to be caused by a temporary iPadOS issue.

Brightness Can Make the Problem More Visible

Lowering brightness may make a bright patch less distracting, but it does not repair the underlying display. The same applies to Dark Mode, Night Shift and Reduce White Point. These settings can change how noticeable the mark becomes without removing it.

To adjust screen brightness:

Settings > Display & Brightness > Brightness

Test the iPad at several brightness levels. A backlight-related spot may become easier to see as brightness increases. Photographing the screen against a plain background at medium and high brightness can also help document the defect before requesting service.

Avoid pressing or rubbing the affected area. Pressure may temporarily change the appearance, but it can damage the display further. Internet advice suggesting that users massage bright spots out of a panel should be ignored.

Check the Case and Screen Protector

Remove any rigid case that appears unusually tight or has been damaged. A poorly fitted case can place uneven pressure around the frame, particularly if the iPad has been dropped while inside it.

A screen protector normally cannot create a true illuminated patch beneath the display. It can, however, produce bubbles, trapped moisture or reflective marks that resemble a screen defect. Examine the iPad with the display turned off. If the mark is visible on the surface even when the screen is black, the protector or glass may be involved.

Do not remove a properly installed protector solely as an experiment unless the mark clearly appears close to its surface. A bright patch visible only while the display is illuminated usually comes from deeper inside the screen.

When the iPad Needs Repair

A persistent white spot generally requires display service when it remains after restarting and does not appear in screenshots. There is no iPadOS setting that can realign a damaged diffuser, remove internal pressure or repair separated display layers.

Back up the iPad before service so photos, documents and app data remain protected.

To create an iCloud backup:

Settings > your name > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now

Apple can inspect the device and determine whether the defect qualifies for warranty coverage, AppleCare service or paid repair. Coverage depends on the device, purchase date, condition and whether the problem resulted from accidental damage.

To check coverage:

Settings > General > AppleCare & Warranty

Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider may replace the display assembly or the iPad, depending on the model and available service process. The final repair estimate normally requires inspection.

Do Not Ignore Physical Changes

A stable white spot that has not changed for months may remain only a visual annoyance. A spot that is expanding, accompanied by screen lifting or followed by unusual heat needs faster attention.

Stop using the device if the display separates from the enclosure, the iPad becomes visibly swollen or pressure marks spread across the panel. Do not puncture the device, force the display closed or continue charging it unattended.

For an ordinary fixed bright patch, the practical path is simpler: confirm it does not appear in screenshots, restart the iPad, remove any case applying pressure and arrange display service if the mark remains.

A white spot on iPad screen rarely affects the information stored on the device, but it can indicate physical damage that software cannot correct. A brief check can rule out the easy causes. After that, repair is usually more effective than repeatedly changing display settings and hoping the light disappears.

The post White Spot on iPad Screen: What to Do appeared first on AppleMagazine.

Call forwarding on iPhone is a simple feature with a specific job: it sends incoming calls from your iPhone number to another phone number. That can be useful when you are traveling, using a temporary phone, separating work and personal calls, covering a business line or making sure important calls reach someone else when you cannot answer.

The feature is built into iOS, but it depends on carrier support. Apple notes that call forwarding can be set up on iPhone if cellular service is through a GSM network. If the service uses a CDMA network, users may need to contact the carrier for setup details. That means the option may not appear for every user, every carrier or every plan.

For most supported iPhones, the path is quick:

Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding

Turn on Call Forwarding, then enter the phone number where calls should be sent. When call forwarding is active, an icon appears in the status bar so the user can see that incoming calls are being routed elsewhere.

Call Forwarding on iPhone Sends Calls Elsewhere

Call forwarding on iPhone does not move messages, FaceTime calls, app notifications or voicemail settings by itself. It only redirects standard cellular phone calls. If someone calls your iPhone number, the carrier routes that call to the number you entered.

That distinction is important. If you forward calls to another phone, text messages still arrive on the original iPhone unless other settings or services are involved. FaceTime calls may still ring on Apple devices signed into the same Apple Account. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram or Messenger are unaffected.

Call forwarding is also different from Silence Unknown Callers, Focus modes or Do Not Disturb. Those features control how calls appear or interrupt you. Call forwarding changes where the call goes.

This makes the feature useful in a few common situations. A business owner can send calls to an office line. A traveler can forward calls to a local number. Someone with a damaged iPhone can temporarily send calls to another device. A freelancer can route calls to a partner during time off. A parent can forward calls to a spouse for a short period.

How to Turn On Call Forwarding

To turn on call forwarding:

• Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding
• Turn on Call Forwarding
• Tap Forward To
• Enter the phone number
• Go back to save the setting

Use the full phone number, including area code. If forwarding to an international number, include the correct country code. After setting it up, test the feature from another phone. Do not assume it works until a test call rings at the forwarded number.

To turn call forwarding off:

Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding > Turn off

After turning it off, test again. A quick call from another phone confirms whether incoming calls are back to normal.

If the Call Forwarding menu spins, fails to load or does not save the number, restart the iPhone and check cellular service. If the problem continues, contact the carrier because the setting depends on the carrier network.

Why the Setting May Be Missing

Some users look for call forwarding and cannot find it. That usually means one of three things: the carrier does not expose the feature in iPhone settings, the plan does not support it, or the network requires carrier codes or account-level setup.

Apple’s guide says CDMA users should contact their carrier for call forwarding information. Some carriers also use special dialing codes for forwarding all calls, forwarding when busy, forwarding when unanswered or forwarding when unreachable. Those codes vary by carrier and country, so guessing is not a good idea.

The best path is to check the carrier’s support page or app. Many carriers let users manage forwarding from the account dashboard, especially for business lines or multi-line plans.

If the option is missing, the iPhone is not necessarily broken. The carrier may simply handle forwarding differently.

What Happens to Voicemail

Call forwarding can affect voicemail behavior depending on the carrier and destination number. If the forwarded phone does not answer, the call may go to the voicemail of the forwarded number instead of the original iPhone voicemail. In some cases, carrier rules may still send it back to the original mailbox, but users should not assume that.

This is another reason to test. Call the iPhone from another number, let it ring, and see where the missed call lands. If the goal is to preserve the original iPhone voicemail, carrier support may be needed.

For work numbers, this can be especially important. A forwarded business call going to a personal voicemail greeting can look unprofessional. A personal call going to a shared office voicemail can create privacy problems. Check before relying on it.

Call Forwarding and Dual SIM

iPhone users with Dual SIM or eSIM setups should pay attention to which line is being forwarded. A personal line and business line can have separate carrier settings. Forwarding one does not automatically forward the other.

To check lines:

Settings > Cellular > Select the line you want to manage

Then return to:

Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Forwarding

The available settings may vary by carrier and line. If one line supports call forwarding and the other does not, that is usually a carrier difference, not an iPhone problem.

Dual SIM users should also test both numbers separately. Call the personal number, then call the business number, and confirm each behaves as expected.

When Call Forwarding Is Useful

Call forwarding works best when the goal is temporary coverage. It is useful during travel, device repairs, vacations, business handoffs, office moves, event coverage or times when another person needs to answer calls.

It can also help people who use a landline or desk phone during work hours. Calls can be forwarded from the iPhone to the office line, then turned off at the end of the day. The reverse can also work if the carrier supports it.

For small businesses, call forwarding can help avoid missed calls without adding a full phone system. A company can route calls to whoever is available. For individuals, it can be a quick fix when an iPhone battery is failing, a device is being repaired, or cellular reception is better on another phone.

The feature is less ideal as a permanent business phone solution. If multiple people need to answer calls, if calls need menus, if calls need recordings, or if voicemail needs to stay organized, a dedicated phone service may be better.

Privacy and Cost Considerations

Call forwarding may create charges depending on the carrier, plan and destination number. Forwarding calls to an international number can be expensive. Forwarding to another domestic mobile number is usually simpler, but users should still check the plan.

Privacy also deserves attention. Once calls are forwarded, the person or device receiving them may hear personal, business or sensitive conversations meant for the original number. Do not forward calls to a shared phone unless that is intentional.

Before forwarding a work line to a personal number, check company policy. Some organizations do not allow business calls to be routed to unmanaged personal devices.

How to Troubleshoot Call Forwarding

If call forwarding does not work, start with the basics. Confirm the iPhone has cellular service. Restart the device. Check that the forwarding number is entered correctly. Turn call forwarding off, wait a few seconds, then turn it on again.

Then test from another phone. A test call is the fastest way to know whether the carrier accepted the setting.

If calls still do not forward, check whether the carrier supports call forwarding through iPhone settings. Some carriers require account-level activation, carrier codes or a business calling feature. If the iPhone setting is missing or stuck, carrier support is usually the right next step.

Also check Focus modes and blocked numbers if the issue is not forwarding but missed calls. A call may fail to ring because of Focus, Silence Unknown Callers, a blocked contact, poor signal or voicemail settings rather than call forwarding.

A Simple Feature Worth Testing

Call forwarding on iPhone is easy to use when the carrier supports it. Open iPhone settings, turn on Call Forwarding, enter the destination number and test it. Turn it off when the temporary need is over.

The feature is most useful when it is deliberate and short-term. It can keep calls moving during travel, repairs, work coverage or busy periods, but it should be checked carefully because voicemail, costs and privacy can change once calls are routed to another number.

The iPhone makes the setting simple. The carrier decides how far that simplicity goes.

The post Call Forwarding on iPhone: How It Works appeared first on AppleMagazine.

AppleCare+ pricing has gone up for new Mac and iPad customers, adding another small cost increase to the Apple ownership equation. According to Bloomberg, Apple has raised monthly and annual AppleCare+ rates for new Mac and iPad plans, with the change applying to new coverage rather than existing plans already active on customer devices.

The increase is modest on paper. Reports indicate Apple has raised monthly AppleCare+ rates by 50 cents and annual plans by $5 for affected Mac and iPad products. For example, AppleCare+ for the 13-inch MacBook Air is now listed at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year, up from $7.49 per month and $74.99 per year. The Mac mini now starts at $4.49 per month or $44.99 per year, while the 16-inch MacBook Pro costs $15.99 per month or $159.99 per year.

The numbers are not dramatic alone. The context is harder for buyers. Mac and iPad prices have already been under pressure from component costs, financing changes and longer upgrade cycles. AppleCare+ is optional, but for many customers buying expensive laptops and tablets, it is part of the real purchase price.

AppleCare+ Pricing Adds to the Ownership Cost

AppleCare+ pricing is one of those costs many buyers do not fully consider until checkout. The device price gets attention first. Then come storage upgrades, cellular connectivity, keyboard accessories, Apple Pencil, taxes, financing, software subscriptions and protection coverage.

For a MacBook Air, an extra 50 cents per month may not change the decision. For a MacBook Pro, iPad Pro or a family buying multiple devices, the increases add up over time. Annual plans rising by $5 also signal that Apple is comfortable nudging protection costs higher even when the change is small enough to avoid a major backlash.

AppleCare+ remains valuable for users who carry devices daily or depend on them for work. Macs and iPads are portable, expensive and often used in places where accidents happen: classrooms, coffee shops, airports, offices, studios, kitchens and family rooms. A cracked iPad screen or damaged MacBook display can be expensive without coverage.

Apple’s pitch is convenience as much as insurance. AppleCare+ includes priority support, battery service when capacity drops below Apple’s threshold, and reduced service fees for accidental damage. For iPad, AppleCare+ can also cover Apple-branded keyboard accessories and Apple Pencil damage under service-fee terms.

That makes the plan attractive. It also makes the higher price easier for Apple to defend.

New Customers Feel the Change First

The latest increase applies to new Mac and iPad AppleCare+ customers. Existing customers with active plans are not the immediate target of the reported change. That distinction helps Apple avoid angering subscribers who already signed up at previous rates, while still lifting revenue from new device buyers.

This approach fits Apple’s broader shift toward recurring coverage. Apple has been moving AppleCare+ further into monthly and annual subscription-style plans, with AppleCare One offering a bundled option for multiple products. The protection plan is no longer only a one-time add-on at purchase. It is increasingly part of Apple’s services layer.

That matters because Apple’s services business depends on recurring payments. AppleCare+ may not get the same attention as iCloud, Apple Music or Apple TV, but it is another way Apple extends the customer relationship beyond the hardware sale. A Mac or iPad purchase becomes not only a device transaction, but also a support and repair subscription.

The price increase strengthens that pattern. A small rise across a large base of new buyers can support services revenue without changing the product lineup.

Mac Buyers Should Compare Plans

Mac buyers now have more reason to compare AppleCare+ options before adding coverage. Apple’s Mac plans vary by model because repair risk and device cost vary. A Mac mini plan starts lower because the device is stationary and less likely to face drops or screen damage. A 16-inch MacBook Pro costs more because it is a high-value portable machine with expensive components.

For a buyer choosing a MacBook Air, AppleCare+ may be easier to justify if the laptop travels daily. Students, journalists, consultants, photographers, editors and business travelers are more exposed to accidental damage than someone who leaves a Mac mini on a desk.

For MacBook Pro buyers, the decision often depends on work dependency. If the Mac is the primary income tool, AppleCare+ can be less about repair math and more about reducing downtime. Access to Apple support and lower repair costs can be worth the subscription if the device is central to daily work.

Still, users should compare the plan cost with their own risk. A careful desktop Mac user may not need the same coverage as a frequent traveler. AppleCare+ is useful, but it should not be automatic for every buyer.

iPad Buyers Face a Different Calculation

iPad AppleCare+ has its own logic because iPads are more physically exposed than Macs in many homes. They are passed between family members, used by children, carried around the house, taken to school, placed in bags and paired with accessories that raise the total cost of ownership.

For iPad Pro and iPad Air buyers, AppleCare+ can make sense because screen repairs and accessory damage can be costly. Apple’s current AppleCare+ terms for iPad include service fees for screen damage, other accidental damage and covered accessories. That can make the plan appealing for users who buy Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil Pro or a high-end iPad Pro.

The decision becomes more complicated for entry-level iPad buyers. A lower-cost iPad may not justify years of coverage for every user, especially if it stays mostly at home. Families, however, may see the protection differently. An iPad used by children faces more risk than a laptop used carefully by one adult.

The new pricing does not change the core question. It makes the answer slightly more expensive.

AppleCare One Becomes More Relevant

AppleCare One gives Apple another way to soften individual plan increases. The bundle starts at $19.99 per month for up to three eligible products, with additional devices available for $5.99 per month each. It includes AppleCare+ benefits and adds theft and loss coverage for eligible iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch products.

For users with only one Mac or one iPad, AppleCare One may not be the best fit. For users with multiple devices, it can become more attractive as individual plans rise. A person with an iPhone, iPad and Mac may compare three separate AppleCare+ plans against the bundle and find the monthly difference easier to justify.

That is likely part of the strategy. Apple can raise individual plan prices modestly while giving heavier ecosystem users a bundled option. The company has used similar logic across services with Apple One, where the value increases as users subscribe to more Apple products.

The same principle now applies to protection. The deeper a customer is inside Apple’s hardware ecosystem, the easier it becomes to turn support coverage into a monthly bundle.

Small Increase, Larger Signal

AppleCare+ pricing increases may be small, but they arrive during a period when Apple is asking customers to absorb more costs across the ecosystem. Device prices, component pressure, cellular financing, AI hardware demands and service subscriptions all affect the total ownership picture.

The AppleCare+ change fits that pattern. Apple is not dramatically changing the service. It is raising the price slightly while keeping the value proposition intact: lower repair costs, battery service, accidental damage coverage and Apple support.

For buyers, the best response is not panic. It is math. Compare the plan price with the device cost, repair risk, usage pattern and whether multiple Apple products would make AppleCare One more efficient. Someone buying a MacBook Pro for travel may want the protection. Someone buying a Mac mini for a desk may not. A family iPad may be a stronger candidate than a carefully handled personal tablet.

AppleCare+ remains a useful safety net. It is just a slightly more expensive one for new Mac and iPad buyers, and that makes the real cost of the device a little higher than the number on the product page.

The post AppleCare+ Pricing Rises for Mac and iPad appeared first on AppleMagazine.

Just ahead of WWDC 2026, Jason Snell noted that he gets a lot of pitches about Mac apps, attributing the sudden boom in macOS offerings to vibe coding aided by artificial intelligence. Regardless of how apps are getting built — be it with AI tools or the more conventional developer kits that Apple offers — it’s certainly true that a lot more macOS apps seem to be popping up, extending the capabilities of your hardware. And some of those apps deserve a little extra attention.

And that’s what I’m hoping to do with these app spotlights for Six Colors. We’ll profile some interesting new apps for the Mac (and maybe the odd iOS offering every now and again), and explain why you might want to give it a download.

Do you have an app you’d like to bring to my attention? Simply drop me a line at apps@sixcolors.com with a brief description of your app, and we’ll take it from there.

With that housekeeping out of the way, here’s what I’ve been downloading lately.

Park Shelf

Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but for most of us, our Mac screens are an unholy mess. Open windows clutter up the view, adding another layer of complication to multitasking. An app called ParkShelf from Digital X Design looks to bring some order to the chaos with a handy place for storing open windows instead of placing them in the dock or relying on your Mac’s App Switcher to jump between windows.

Instead, ParkShelf features a floating bar you can position anywhere on your screen (though there is an option to pin it to a specific area if you prefer). That way you need to call up a particular window, it’s just a matter of heading over to where you’ve stashed it in ParkShelf and summoning what you need. The rest of the time, you’ve got a clean, uncluttered workspace so that you can focus on the task at hand.

I’ve been trying out the free version of ParkShelf, where you can store up to three different windows at any one time. For unlimited storage, you’ll need to pay a one-time fee of $6.99 for the Pro version. In addition to the unlimited storage, the Pro version also gives you the ability to customize a hot key that sends an open window into ParkShelf’s waiting arms. (In the free version, option-P serves as the default hot key.)

For my purposes, ParkShelf works best when I’m focusing on a specific project. If I’m on a writing assignment, I can use the app to stash a window of notes, a browser page I’m using to research the topic, and data sheets in PDF form while I type away in my text editor. When I need anyone of those windows, I can turn to ParkShelf to look something up, but otherwise, those windows are out of sight and out of mind.

I’d like it better if I could store multiple web pages or notes, but ParkShelf seems to treat each app as its own window. For instance, even when I have web pages open in Safari for multiple windows instead of tabs, ParkShelf stores the whole kit and caboodle. Still, the free version of Park Shelf is certainly worth trying out if you’re looking for a way to better manage all the open windows on your screen.

Other apps

• ScrollPods lets you control scrolling on a Mac by tilting your head. The free utility works with 3rd-gen AirPods as well as any AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and Beats Fit Pro models. Install the app, turn on a switch, and a tilt of your head lets you scroll through emails, web pages and other windows. Mastering just the right tilt takes a little bit of practice, but this is a pretty clever accessibility tool that takes advantage of an accessory you probably already have on hand.

• Sleepr is a $5 app that serves as a sleep timer that lives in your Mac’s menu bar and lets you time shutdowns after 15-, 30-, 60- and 120-minute intervals; you can also have your Mac go to sleep at a very specific time. The 3.0 release adds Liquid Glass support, recurring bedtimes that automatically start themselves, a floating alert that can even appear over full-screen apps, and a live menu bar countdown.

• Senqu Image Converter is a $5 image utility that lets you convert among JPEG, PNG, HEIC, TIFF and PDF files. The recent 1.2 update added the ability to drop images onto a preset in the full window for instant conversions, while dropping a file now immediately starts the conversion process using current settings.

After an eight-year run, OnePlus announced today that it has exited the United States. It's bittersweet, as the brand has been on a comeback tour of sorts with its excellent OnePlus 15 and widely praised (though still too expensive) OnePlus Open.

The writing has been on the wall for a while now. T-Mobile stopped stocking OnePlus' flagship phones after 2022, instead deciding to only carry its low-end Nord devices, and Verizon's run with OnePlus only lasted two years, from 2020 through 2021. Even though it continued releasing flagships, OnePlus' US footprint has been fading. In January, Android Headlines even claimed that the brand was being …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Thalha Jubair, 20, and Owen Flowers, 19, sentenced to five and a half years each for cyber-attack that cost Transport for London £39m

The data of millions of commuters was stolen, Londoners were left out of pocket and 27,000 Transport for London staff were forced to reset their passwords.

Over four days in 2024 a pair of teenage hackers had London’s transport network at their mercy. Thalha Jubair and Owen Flowers had burrowed into the heart of Transport for London’s IT systems and held the “keys to the kingdom”.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: William Barton/Alamy

© Photograph: William Barton/Alamy

© Photograph: William Barton/Alamy

EV owners were sent hefty PCNs but say some signs in private car parks fail to warn of fees to park and recharge car

Does refuelling your car class as parking? The answer appears to be yes if it’s an electric vehicle. Guardian Money has been contacted by several readers who were fined after charging their cars away from home.

The motorists report being caught out by signs that fail to make clear that charging points are subject to parking tariffs or to store opening times. Also, they have found some chargers being advertised as available for use when it would be a breach of the car park’s terms and conditions to use them.

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© Photograph: Nigel A Messenger/Alamy

© Photograph: Nigel A Messenger/Alamy

© Photograph: Nigel A Messenger/Alamy

Paper Transport (PTI) announced today that it is evaluating the Tesla Semi Long Range in dedicated operations in the Chicago market, becoming the latest fleet to put Tesla’s electric Class 8 truck to work in daily freight.

The Wisconsin-based carrier, which has logged more than 87 million miles on compressed and renewable natural gas, is adding battery-electric to a sustainability push it has been running for over 15 years.

It pays to buckle up.

A passenger on Ryanair — because of course — had his insistence on keeping his seat belt fastened abruptly validated when the window next to him suddenly “detached” and sucked the bulk of his body out of the plane.

Witnesses told Agence France-Presse that the man, a tourist from Serbia en route from Thessaloniki in Greece to Memmingen in Germany, had to be pulled in by the other passengers. Yes, several of them.

“Most of us had fallen asleep, we had closed our eyes. There was a noise, like a tyre bursting,” one of them told Radio Thessaloniki, per AFP. “We immediately realized there had been a decompression. There were screams… for a moment I thought someone had accidentally opened the emergency door.”

“The masks dropped and there was a strong smell,” she added. “The head and shoulders of one passenger were outside the window. Fortunately, he hadn’t taken off his seat belt.”

Per AFP, Greek media reported that the window was broken by a piece of debris that came off one of the plane’s engines, causing the cabin to decompress. 

Ryanair in a statement described the incident anticlimactically. The plane “returned to Thessaloniki shortly after take-off when a passenger window detached during the flight. The aircraft landed normally and the passengers returned to the terminal.” An apology would’ve been nice, maybe.

Nearly getting airplane-keelhauled by the wind gods could take quite the toll physically and mentally. The man was hospitalized with friction burns, but thankfully authorities said he was in good condition otherwise.

You may remember a similar incident occurred over two years ago, when the door panel on an Alaska Airlines flight suddenly blew out midair, causing a massive scandal for the plane’s manufacturer Boeing. That plane was a Boeing 737 MAX 9; the Ryanair one was a 737 NG.

More on transportation: America Trembles as Transportation Secretary Announces Plans for Air Traffic Controllers to Lean on AI Tools

The post Man Sucked Out of Airplane, Dangles by Seatbelt appeared first on Futurism.

Welcome to Edition 9.02 of the Rocket Report! Our attention in the coming days turns to Asia, where there are a couple of notable rocket debuts. Up first is the Long March 10B on Friday, a medium-lift rocket with a reusable first stage. After launch this stage will attempt a landing on a recovery ship. Then, as early as Sunday, the private Indian company Skyroot may attempt to launch its first rocket, Vikram-1.

As always, we welcome reader submissions, and if you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

RFA sets launch date for August. Almost two years after an RFA One first stage burst into flames during a static fire test, German rocket-builder Rocket Factory Augsburg is preparing for a second attempt at the rocket’s inaugural flight from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, European Spaceflight reports. The launch window will open on August 10, the Spaceport said in its announcement.

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© Rocket Factory Augsburg

For many years, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has sworn up and down that the use of radar and lidar sensors for autonomous driving is a waste of time.

His counterargument has been that cameras and powerful AI-powered hardware are all you need for safe self-driving, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.

That decision is now risking a major roadblocks for the company in New Jersey. As The Verge reports, a bill that’s coming up for a vote this year would require fully autonomous vehicles to use both cameras and at least two other sensing technologies — in most cases, lidar and radar.

If the bill were enacted, it would effectively banning Tesla’s fully autonomous fleet of Robotaxis. Other states could soon follow — including New York, which is pondering a similar bill — in a domino effect that could completely derail the automaker’s current trajectory.

“This is not anti-Tesla,” bill sponsor and senator Andrew Zwicker (D-NJ) told The Verge. “I’m pro-New Jersey safety.”

Zwicker argued that there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that a single sensor, plus software “can handle situations that humans can.”

“Can we get there? Maybe,” he told the publication. “But we’re not there yet.”

Relying entirely on cameras that can be blinded by the Sun, fog, or heavy rain is part of Musk’s major bet on AI. He has argued that adding extra sensors may end up being less safe thanks to what he called “sensor contention” in a tweet last year.

“We turned off the radars in Teslas to increase safety,” he wrote. “Cameras [for the win].”

However, Musk is largely alone in that belief. Competitors, most notably Waymo, have made major headway by relying on both cameras and other sensor tech, such as lidar and radar, which perform far better in inclement weather and the dark.

“To run 24/7 across the majority of public roads in New Jersey today, it needs lidar,” Carnegie Mellon professor and autonomous vehicle expert Philip Koopman told The Verge. “It’s pretty clear that today camera-only technology is not up to the challenge.”

Tesla’s current fleet of 42 fully autonomous Robotaxis on public Texas roads is still dwarfed by Waymo’s, which has 577 authorized robotaxis in the state, in addition to several thousand more spread across ten US metropolitan areas.

That’s despite Musk promising Tesla’s fleet would grow to hundreds of thousands by the end of this year, a characteristically brazen prediction with little bearing on reality.

The company’s slow rollout has been mired by setbacks, which Musk has rationalized is the result of Tesla being “paranoid about safety.” The EV maker has gone to great lengths to censor the circumstances surrounding the Robotaxi crashes it has reported to regulators so far.

Unsurprisingly, Tesla is already lobbying to fight the New Jersey bill. Zwicker told The Verge that company representatives are discussing the subject with lawmakers.

The EV maker has also turned to New Jersey residents, telling its customers in the state in a message that they should “contact members of the New Jersey legislature” to oppose the bill.

It’s a precarious situation, especially considering the complete lack of comprehensive federal laws providing oversight over the rollout of autonomous vehicles. Each state has been left to fend for itself, a legal patchwork that’s allowing Tesla to push forward despite safety concerns.

More on Tesla’s robotaxis: Tesla’s Robotaxis Are a Complete Disaster

The post New Jersey Poised to Ban Self-Driving Tesla Robotaxis appeared first on Futurism.

Welcome to Edition 9.01 of the Rocket Report! Back in January, I wrote about the 20 launches and landings we were most excited about in 2026. The list included things that were, at the time, officially scheduled to occur this year. I also gave my own view of the probability of each of these events actually happening before December 31. Halfway through the year, we can only count one of the events as completed, and that was NASA's Artemis II mission in April. Many are now scheduled for next year, proving again that delays are a constant in the space industry. A couple of them—such as the launch of NASA's Roman Space Telescope—do appear to be on track to happen soon.

As always, we welcome reader submissions. If you don't want to miss an issue, please subscribe using the box below (the form will not appear on AMP-enabled versions of the site). Each report will include information on small-, medium-, and heavy-lift rockets, as well as a quick look ahead at the next three launches on the calendar.

Swift Boost Mission reaches orbit. A pioneering commercial mission to reboost the orbit of NASA's Swift astronomy satellite launched early Friday after attempts earlier in the week were thwarted by bad weather and a technical issue. The Link servicing satellite developed by Katalyst Space Technologies soared to orbit on the tip of a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket that dropped from the belly of a modified L-1011 jetliner over the remote Pacific Ocean. Mission managers called off two launch attempts Tuesday and Wednesday due to poor weather around the L-1011's staging base on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. On Thursday, "a launch vehicle issue temporarily prevented teams from deploying the rocket" after takeoff of the L-1011.

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© SpaceX

In a groundbreaking decade-long study analyzing São Paulo’s urban landscape, researchers have revealed how the expansion of bike lanes and public parks profoundly influences physical activity and public health. Between 2014 and 2024, the city’s bike lane network surged from 242 to 743 kilometers, complemented by the addition of 15 municipal parks. This urban transformation was linked to increased transport-related cycling, emphasizing the critical role of accessible infrastructure within a 500-meter radius of residents’ homes.

The study’s multidisciplinary approach combined longitudinal surveys of 1,500 residents with geospatial datasets from the Geosampa platform, enabling precise correlation between environmental changes and behavior. Findings indicate that proximity to bike lanes significantly counteracts declining bicycle use trends, suggesting these facilities serve as protective factors promoting sustained physical activity. Such activity reduction directly translates to lower risks of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and improved mental health outcomes like reduced anxiety and depression.

Importantly, the research underscores active transportation infrastructure not only as a logistical planning tool but as a vital public health strategy. By reducing reliance on automobiles, these interventions diminish air pollution and traffic-related accidents, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation efforts. However, the study highlights uneven developments: wealthier neighborhoods received disproportionate infrastructure investments, calling for policy shifts to equip underserved zones with similar amenities.

Beyond infrastructural improvements, the researchers emphasize that sociocultural elements and affordability constraints also limit cycling uptake. Despite increased bike lanes, economic barriers such as the high cost of bicycles and gender disparities in cycling participation suggest that integrated approaches—encompassing recreational street design, bike-sharing expansions, and commuter support facilities—are necessary for meaningful behavioral shifts.

An illustrative testimony comes from a local photographer who transitioned from motorbike to bicycle commuting due to new bike bridges providing direct, safer routes. While embracing cycling’s growth, he voices concerns about road space allocation favoring cars and the emerging challenges of cyclists’ vulnerability amid the rise of faster electric bikes. Additionally, issues of public safety and bike theft remain barriers to broader adoption.

Overall, the findings reveal that São Paulo’s urban planning efforts over the past decade represent a promising model of how thoughtfully designed public open spaces can foster healthier, more sustainable cities. Still, ensuring equitable access and addressing multifaceted cultural and socioeconomic factors remain essential for realizing the full potential of active transport systems.

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Subject of Research: Public open spaces and transport-related cycling in urban environments
Article Title: A decade-long study on public open spaces and transport-related cycling in the largest Brazilian city
News Publication Date: 13-Apr-2026
Web References: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2026.102323
Image Credits: Phelipe Janning/Agência FAPESP

Keywords

Urban planning, Transportation, Public health, Cycling, Active transportation, São Paulo, Infrastructure, Mental health

A groundbreaking study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has demonstrated that a structured, midwife-led birth debrief significantly enhances women’s emotional wellbeing postpartum—a development that could redefine standard maternity care. Conducted at Fiona Stanley Hospital, this research tested a standardized conversation guide for birth debriefings, co-designed with midwives, healthcare managers, and maternity advocates to ensure clinical and emotional relevance.

The intervention centers on an emotionally safe, woman-led discussion facilitated by midwifery expertise and therapeutic communication techniques. According to ECU Research Fellow Dr. Kate Buchanan, such debriefings empower women to reflect on and make sense of their childbirth experience, addressing unresolved questions or distress that may persist after hospital discharge. This approach contrasts markedly with typical critical incident debriefs, which focus on clinical review and involve medical staff rather than midwives, and psychological debriefings aimed solely at trauma patients.

Over 100 women participated in the pilot, reporting high satisfaction levels with the midwife-led conversations. Many described the experience as clarifying, validating, and empowering. Participants particularly valued having the discussion with a midwife they already knew, underlining the importance of continuity of care in emotional processing. Dr. Buchanan highlights that midwives, with their holistic understanding of birth as a profound life event, are uniquely positioned to foster this dialogue.

Significantly, the study underscores the potential of midwife-led debriefs to mitigate birth trauma, a condition affecting roughly 30% of women globally. Women who self-identified as having experienced birth trauma rated the opportunity to talk about their birth with a midwife as the most beneficial aspect of the intervention. This therapeutic exchange may offer relief by deepening understanding of the birth events and connecting mothers to further psychological support if needed.

Despite the additional time and resource investment required, hospital management at Fiona Stanley confirmed the intervention’s feasibility and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of allocated time and ongoing training for midwives. The potential long-term benefits, including reductions in mental health burdens and healthcare costs associated with untreated birth trauma, offer compelling justification for integrating debriefs into routine postnatal care.

This innovative research contributes to expanding the global movement toward integrating psychosocial care within maternal health services. By establishing a replicable model that combines clinical expertise with patient-centered communication, the study positions midwife-led birth debriefing as an essential standard in supporting maternal mental health.

The findings were published in BMC Public Health under the title “Co-design and feasibility testing of a midwife-led birth debrief: an implementation science project,” funded by the Women and Infants Research Foundation. As the movement toward holistic postpartum care gains momentum, this study cements the critical role of midwives not only as birth attendants but also as key agents of emotional support in women’s transition to motherhood.

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Subject of Research: People
Article Title: Co-design and feasibility testing of a midwife-led birth debrief: an implementation science project
News Publication Date: 16-Apr-2026
Web References: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27342-z
Keywords: Maternal mental health, birth trauma, midwife-led intervention, postpartum care, psychosocial support, implementation science

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions considers a hot topic within renewable energy

This week’s replies: Are there places on Earth where humans haven’t been?

I would like to know why we build solar farms over green space, when we could just put them over massive car parks as a popular current internet meme suggests. Chris, Middlesbrough

Post your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published next Sunday.

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© Photograph: Justin Paget/Getty Images

© Photograph: Justin Paget/Getty Images

© Photograph: Justin Paget/Getty Images

Handful of gas plants paid £4m to generate electricity at half- and full-time in World Cup game

• Europe heatwave live – latest updates

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A handful of Great Britain’s gas power plants were paid almost £4m to generate electricity for just a few hours on Tuesday evening as millions of sweltering viewers turned to air conditioning, electric fans and icy drinks during England’s second World Cup game.

The heatwave has caused electricity prices across Europe to surge this week amid higher demand for cooling and a string of power plant outages due to the record high temperatures.

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© Photograph: DeFodi Images/Shutterstock

© Photograph: DeFodi Images/Shutterstock

© Photograph: DeFodi Images/Shutterstock

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an ultra-efficient computer chip that could help tiny robots and lightweight devices create detailed 3D maps of their surroundings while using very little energy. The new chip could allow small drones to fly through narrow spaces, such as air-conditioning ducts or industrial pipelines, to inspect […]

The post Tiny MIT chip could help small robots navigate like experts while using almost no power appeared first on Knowridge Science Report.