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At the risk of repeating myself from Engadget's MacBook Air M1, M2 and M3 reviews: The M4-equipped MacBook Air is a nearly flawless ultraportable. Even better, it now starts at $999, which is $100 less than before. While I'd still like to see more ports and a faster screen refresh rate, the MacBook Air still remains heads and shoulders above the competition. And when companies try to one-up Apple, as ASUS did with its 2.2-pound Zenbook A14, it only proves how much better-designed Apple's hardware actually is. It's easy to take the MacBook Air for granted, since its design hasn't changed since the M2 model arrived in 2022. It's still a remarkable machine today, one that's fast, light and well-built. The only major downside is that there's a bit of a learning curve for Windows users jumping ship for the first time. But aside from that, the MacBook Air is a no-brainer purchase if you're looking for a new ultraportable. Hardware Once again, both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models feel impressively thin (measuring 0.44 inches thick) and light, weighing in at 2.7 pounds and 3.2 pounds, respectively. Last year, I noted "Its unibody aluminum case feels as smooth a river stone yet as sturdy as a boulder. It's a computer I simply love to touch." All of that remains true with the M4 models. In fact, it's even more impressive that Apple holds such a commanding design lead when competitors have had a chance to catch up. As much as we like the Surface Laptop, XPS 13 and ASUS' Zenbook S14, Apple still maintains a level of polish that PC makers can't quite match. The MacBook Air's case feels more luxurious than the rest, its keyboard is a dream to type on and it has one of the best trackpads around. (And before you go calling me an Apple fanboy, I'm still primarily a Windows desktop user.) Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Apple's M4 chip which sports a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine (or what you'd call an NPU in a PC) is the main upgrade with these new MacBook Airs. It's also worth noting that the base $999 13-inch model has a slightly slower 8-core GPU, which will slightly hamper gaming and media creation performance. Aside from a new Sky Blue option, there aren't any physical design changes. Apple also upgraded the webcam to a new 12-megapixel Center Stage shooter, which could be particularly helpful if you want to show off the contents of your desk. (More on that later.) The 13-inch MacBook Air features a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display, which practically feels like a 14-inch screen, while the larger model has a 15.3-inch display. They're still limited to 60Hz an annoyance since plenty of PC ultraportables are shipping with faster and smoother screens but they're impressive displays nevertheless, with support for the P3 wide color gamut and 1 billion colors. Both screens can also reach up to 500 nits of brightness, which is enough to be usable on a sunny day. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget In use: Fast and light Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs handled my basic workflow without a sweat: juggling browsers with a ton of open tabs, Slack, Spotify, messaging apps and the Pixelmator photo editor. But that was no surprise, as the previous models were similarly zippy. Still, after testing the sluggish Zenbook A14 recently, it felt refreshing to be using laptops that seemed eager to get to work. I couldn't actually feel a difference with the jump to the M4 chip, but according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark, its 19.5 percent faster than the M3 for single-threaded tasks, and 21 percent faster for multi-threaded tasks. That's a typical incremental jump for CPU improvements, so I won't knock Apple too much there. The M4's GPU gains were far less impressive, scoring just 6 percent higher than the M3 in the 3DMark Wildlife Extreme benchmark and 16.3 percent better in the Geekbench GPU test. Geekbench 6 CPU Geekbench 6 GPU Cinebench 2024 Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M4, 2025) 3,784/14,745 36,273 172/660 GPU: 3,465 Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (M4, 2025) 3,874/14,873 36,131 171/748 GPU: 3897 Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3, 2024) 3,190/12,102 30,561 N/A Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4, 2024) 3,797/14,571 37,869 172/979 GPU: 3770 Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite) 2,797/14,400 19,963 123/969 GPU N/A You likely won't be doing much serious creative work on the MacBook Air, especially since there's no fan to cool things down. But you can still squeeze out a bit of performance in a pinch. I was able to transcode a 4K clip to 1080p in 27 seconds using the M4's CPU in Handbrake, while using the GPU took just 17 seconds. In comparison, the Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ system took 32 seconds with its CPU and 24 seconds with its GPU. The graphically intense Lies of P ran at a smooth 60 fps in 1080p with high settings. That was also true of the M3 MacBook Air, but this time around the performance seemed a bit more consistent. While I'd never recommend buying a MacBook Air with gaming in mind, it's nice that it can handle a bit of playtime, at least. While jumping between the 13-inch and 15-inch models, I found a lot to like about them both. The smaller one is definitely easier to travel with, but I also loved the immersive screen on the 15-inch. Ultimately, choosing between them comes down to what's most important to you. Similarly, the leap to a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera isn't exactly Earth-shattering, but I appreciated having a slightly better picture during video call. I typically turn off the actual Center Stage feature on Macs, but I'm sure some will appreciate its ability to track you around a room. The new camera also supports Desk View, which projects a slightly skewed view of the area directly in front of the MacBook Air. As for battery life, both MacBook Air models lasted for more than 18 hours while playing an HD video. The 13-inch Air lasted for 18 hours and 15 minutes, while the 15-inch notebook went for 18 hours and 23 minutes. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget How can Apple improve the MacBook Air? As much as I love the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, there are still plenty of ways Apple can refine them down the line. As I mentioned above, it'd be great to have higher refresh rate displays, which makes scrolling through documents far easier on your eyes. And while I don't need Apple to go all-out with ports, it'd be nice to have at least one USB-C connection on the right side of the Air to allow for easier charging. Right now, you're stuck with a MagSafe charging port and two USB-C connections on the left side. Of course, I don't really expect Apple to actually deliver those upgrades anytime soon. I'd bet the company would nudge more demanding users to the $1,599 14-inch MacBook Pro, which has a ton of ports and a high refresh rate ProMotion screen. Still, a geek can dream. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Should you buy the M4 MacBook Air? If you can't tell by now, I think the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are the ideal ultraportables for most people. So sure, if you're in the market for a sleek laptop, they're worth considering. And if you're a Windows user who's hesitant to make the jump, I'd recommend trying an Air for a while. It's not that hard to learn the basics of macOS, and if you're not satisfied you can always return it (just be sure to double-check retailer return policies). While I'd bet most users would be fine with the base $999 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage, it may be worth jumping up to the $1,199 model with a 10-core GPU and 512GB SSD if you plan to do light media work. Or just jump straight to the $1,199 15-inch model, which comes with a 10-core GPU. As usual, I'd also recommend avoiding paying Apple's absurd upgrade fees for components. If you're considering spending $400 more for 32GB of RAM, you should probably be considering a MacBook Pro instead. If you're looking to save some cash, several retailers are still selling the M2 MacBook Air at a steep discount of $700. Even though it's an older chip, that laptop could still serve most users well for several years (just make sure you're getting 16GB of RAM). Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Wrap-up Once again, the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are basically everything we want from ultraportable notebooks. Theyre zippy, wonderfully light and can last well beyond a full day of work. While the M4 chip isnt a transformative upgrade, it helps Apple keep pace with evolving PC notebook chips. And now that the MacBook Air starts at $999, even Windows users should consider making the jump.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-macbook-air-m4-13-inch-and-15-inch-review-minimal-upgrades-at-a-much-better-price-130002570.html?src=rss
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Ford says it's done sending out all the complimentary NACS adapters that 140,000 EV customers in the US had reserved. The automaker announced in 2023 that it was working with Tesla to give Ford EV owners access to tens of thousands of Superchargers across the US and Canada. In 2024, Ford's EVs became the first non-Tesla vehicles to be able to access Superchargers. However, since Ford EVs come with Combined Charging System (CCS) ports, they need North American Charging System adapters to be able to plug into Supercharger stations. The automaker gave new and current members of it BlueOval Charge Network in other words, everyone who purchased it EVs complimentary NACS adapters until June 30, 2024. Now, it has finished sending out the free adapters to everyone who asked for it. Those who need one will have to purchase the Ford Fast Charging Adapter, which "unlocks access to a vast network of DC fast charging stations using the North American Charging Standard (NACS)," for $200. Ford was planning to make the switch to built-in NACS ports for this year's EV models, but it's now unclear if that will happen, seeing as the 2025 model Mustang Mach-E still comes with a CCS port. Ford has also announced that its BlueOval Charge Network now includes 180,000 chargers at more than 50,000 locations, which translates to a 40 percent increase from the beginning of 2024. Like other automakers making the switch to electric, Ford is making an effort to expand charging availability. The hope is that wider access to chargers can help assuage range anxiety and encourage more people to buy electric. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/ford-says-its-done-sending-out-all-its-complimentary-nacs-charging-adapters-120020255.html?src=rss
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The Justice Department said in a filing that Google will have to break up its network of myriad, overlapping businesses and services, upholding the previous administrations proposal. The DOJ reiterated Google will have to sell the Chrome browser saying, last year, that selling off Chrome will permanently stop Googles control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet. Google is likely to file its own alternate remedies, of course. In a December filing, the company said the Justice Departments original remedies went overboard and reflected an interventionist agenda. But Google is huge, and the DOJ is trying to grasp how its parts intermingle and make it less monopolistic. It dropped a Biden-era proposal requiring Google to sell AI startup stakes. Instead, Google must now notify officials before making AI investments. Early 2025 reports say Google has thrown another billion dollars at Anthropic. The company gave funds to both Trumps presidential campaign and his inauguration so it might be frustrated its donations arent working. Mat Smith Get this delivered directly to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The biggest tech stories you missed Elon Musk says a massive cyberattack is to blame for X being down The Last of Us season two promises a lot more action alongside devastating drama Everything announced at MWC 2025: Samsung, Nothing, Lenovo, Xiaomi and more tech news Watch the predictably cinematic 10-minute trailer for Death Stranding 2 My feels! Engadget Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is coming to PlayStation 5 on June 26. At SXSW, creator Hideo Kojima and his Kojima Productions dropped a 10-minute trailer. The trailer reveals Death Stranding 2 takes place 11 months after the creation of the United Cities of America. As previous glimpses have shown, there are familiar Hollywood faces, new stars, new creepy adversaries and AOT-style giants to fell. Continue reading. Apples smarter, more personal Siri gets delayed further New features are taking longer to complete than expected. Apple is delaying its updated version of Siri that understands personal context and can act inside apps, according to a statement published at Daring Fireball. The company says upgraded Siri features will roll out in the coming year. Yeah, a little vague. A revamped, more powerful Siri was a core part of Apples original pitch for Apple Intelligence. Way back when the company first detailed its plans, it claimed Siri would not only understand whats happening on your phone but also be able to take action in apps for you. It teased some agentic features, as teased by Amazons upgraded Alexa and even Rabbits AI assistant R1, which is only just warming up to delivering on those capabilities. Continue reading. iPad Air M3 review It's a modest update that's still easy to recommend. Engadget The iPad Air once again hits the sweet spot in Apples tablet lineup, offering a lot of additional features over the basic iPad while keeping the price down. Its the most affordable large-screen iPad, the chip is powerful and its better in every way to the base iPad. Continue reading. Would you rent a PS5? Sony is using a third-party partner to offer leased consoles in the UK. Were over four years into the current generation of consoles (which is probably past the halfway point), but perhaps not everyone has a PS5. Sony has teamed up with a leasing company called Raylo to offer a PS5 rental service in the UK via the countrys PlayStation Direct website. Leases for the PS5 Digital Edition, the version with a disc drive and the PS5 Pro are available on 12-, 24- or 36-month agreements or a rolling monthly contract. The longer a term you lock in, the lower the monthly price. A 36month agreement for a PS5 Digital Edition costs 11 (around $14) per month. A rolling contract for the PS5 Pro, however, will run you a whopping 35.59 (nearly $46) per month. At the end of that, youd return the console, but hey, youd be primed for the PS6 launch, possibly? Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111535558.html?src=rss
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