While Stephen is busy with the Podcastathon, Sal Soghoian joins me on this episode of Mac Power Users to talk about the state of automation and the best way to get started with automation in 2025.
This episode of Mac Power Users is sponsored by:
There’s a lot of chatter lately about Apple working on a new entry-level MacBook. The latest report from DigiTimes claims it could feature a 12.9-inch display and, more importantly, a $599 price tag. That’s right, six hundred bucks for a MacBook.
If true, this could mark the return of the plain old “MacBook” branding. Apple retired that line back in 2019, but it has always carried a certain charm. The old 12-inch MacBook was ahead of its time and had the right ideas: ultra-portable, fanless, and light. It was, however, during the Intel era and it was also underpowered, got too hot, and was overpriced. A modern spin with Apple Silicon under the hood could be the redemption story for the name.
The real story here is the price. At $599, this would dramatically undercut the current MacBook Air, which starts at $999. It would also make Apple competitive with Chromebooks, low-end PCs, and even iPads with keyboards. This isn’t just another MacBook, it’s the gateway Mac for first-time buyers, students, and maybe even Windows switchers who’ve hesitated at the $1,000+ threshold.
Think of it as a Mac mini with a screen.
Of course, to get down to $599, something has to give. The screen would be a little smaller than the Air’s, and the processor could be a repurposed A18 mobile chip rather than an M-series. RAM will almost certainly be at the bare minimum. Storage could start at 128 GB. And don’t expect a rainbow of color options; Apple will likely keep this simple to keep costs down.
A $599 MacBook will eat some into Air sales, but Apple may not care if the net effect is pulling in more users. It could also make some would-be iPad + keyboard buyers think twice. For years, the Air has been the entry-level Mac. If this rumor pans out, the Air suddenly has company on the lower shelf.
I’ve long wished Apple would bring back the ultralight 12-inch MacBook. I don’t think this is that machine. This one feels like it’s going to be all about minimal specs at a low price point. But Apple Silicon is that good. Even a “budget” version will likely feel fast and capable for most people. If Apple really does launch a $599 MacBook, I expect they’ll sell a lot of them and their owners will be happy.
In this week’s episode: The new hardware reviews are in, an updated batch of product rumors, and the Relay for St. Jude podcastathon is happening today.
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MacPaw just announced Cloud Cleanup, a new feature that brings CleanMyMac‘s cleaning capabilities to your cloud storage accounts. As someone who relies on CleanMyMac, I’m happy to see the app tackle yet another common problem: managing the mess in my cloud storage.
Cloud Cleanup extends CleanMyMac’s functionality beyond your local Mac and into cloud storage services like iCloud, Google Drive, and OneDrive. The feature offers two cleanup methods: Remove (deletes unnecessary files from cloud accounts) and Unsync (removes local copies while keeping files in the cloud).
You get a tile-based dashboard showing key insights for each connected account, plus smart alerts when unused files are detected or storage limits are near. The feature works entirely on-device without saving or accessing any files in your cloud storage, connecting through existing desktop apps.
Starting July 29, 2025, Cloud Cleanup is available exclusively in CleanMyMac’s new Plus plan. As someone who already uses CleanMyMac regularly, having cloud storage management built into the same workflow makes sense.
Karabiner-Elements is a keyboard remapping tool that many folks think of in relation to fancy third party clicky-keyboards. But there is no reason you can’t also use it with your Apple laptop or Apple Magic Keyboard. Let me show you how.… This is a post for the MacSparky Labs Pathfinder and Insider members. Care to join? If you’re already a member, you can log in here.
This week, MacSparky is delighted to feature Timing, the premier automatic time-tracking app for Mac users. As we march toward the macOS 26 Tahoe release, Timing got a nice update and now looks great with Liquid Glass. Just look at this screenshot:
Unlike traditional timers that require manual activation, Timing works seamlessly in the background, meticulously recording your activity across apps, websites, and documents. This ensures you gain an accurate and comprehensive overview of how your time is allocated, enabling you to identify productivity patterns and areas for improvement. Looking at your Timing log will let you know exactly what went down if your day ever gets away from you.
Understanding how you spend your time is the first step toward enhanced productivity. By providing an unobtrusive and precise tracking system, Timing empowers you to make informed decisions about your time.
Today is iPhone review release day. Hooray! Tyler Stalman’s iPhone Camera review was most interesting to me. He’s a fan. It was interesting how much he talked about the improvement to the selfie camera. For typical users, this may be the biggest win. The biggest surpise to me was the quality of the AirPods as a wireless mic for shooting video with your phone.
There are a bunch of new contenders for voice-to-text dictation. In this video I test four of them to discover which are performing the best.
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Apple dropped their latest batch of iPhones this week, along with new Apple Watches and an AirPods Pro update. Here’s what you need to know.
The iPhone 17 lineup brings the usual suspects with some interesting twists. The standard 17 gets some nice upgrades and features that were traditionally only on the Pro phones, like ProMotion. The 17 Pro and Pro Max got a noticeable upgrade to the cameras, and their switch from titanium to aluminum should allow the A19 Pro chip to cook without actually cooking. The Pro models finally get some personality with new color options (more on that in a minute). The oddball is the iPhone Air. It’s remarkably thin and light, but you’re giving up some camera capabilities and battery life to get there.
On the wearables front, the Apple Watch Series 11 focuses on health tracking improvements and better battery life. The new Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the notable watch release this year, getting satellite communications from your wrist, a slightly bigger screen (in the same size case), and several other iterative improvements.
The new AirPods Pro 3 bring improved noise cancellation and, hopefully, even a better fit for more people. They also added two more watch faces that appear entirely inscrutable to me. Apple’s streak of bad Apple Watch faces continues.
Here’s what really struck me about this event, though. The iPhone Air is fascinating because it’s not following Apple’s usual playbook. This isn’t a budget phone. It’s not a performance monster either. Apple’s asking people to pay premium prices for something thinner and lighter, and they’re paying with both money and features. You’re getting less camera capability than the Pro phones. Battery life won’t match the Plus models. But for some people, having a phone that practically disappears in their pocket will be worth those trade-offs.
I don’t expect the Air to be a runaway success, and that’s perfectly fine. I actually love that Apple’s making phones for different priorities now. They’re the only company making iPhones, so we only get what they give us. But at least they’re giving us more options than “big or bigger” and “expensive or more expensive”. Some folks want the absolute best camera system. Others want all-day battery life. And apparently, some people just want their phone to be as thin as possible. Good for them.
As for me? I’m going all-in on the iPhone 17 Pro Max in orange. Apple’s never offered vivid colors on the Pro phones before, and I’m here for it. After years of Space Gray and Natural Titanium, I want something with personality. My phone is with me constantly. Why shouldn’t it spark a little joy? The Air doesn’t really call out to me. I’m always going to want the most powerful iPhone with the best cameras. Also, the difference in weight between the iPhone Pro Max and the iPhone Air is 66 grams. That’s not insignificant for something you put in your pocket, yet it seems trivial to me for those additional features and battery life.
Looking ahead, the Air might be more important than it appears. Word is Apple’s been working hard on ultra-thin phone technology because next year we might see a folding iPhone. Folding phones need to be incredibly thin since a folding phone necessarily has two screens stacked together. Samsung and others have been selling folding phones for years now, and the timing feels right for Apple to jump in with its take on it.
I spend a lot of time reading on my phone, so the idea of unfolding it into a mini-tablet has real appeal. I’m already starting to save because if Apple does release a folding iPhone, it’s going to cost serious money. We’re probably looking at $2,000 or more if the current folding phone market is any indication. After years of incremental updates, we’re getting real variety in the lineup, and next year could bring the biggest form factor change since the original iPhone.
In short, the iPhone is interesting again.
In this week’s episode: New iPhone models announced, we’ll have to wait longer for new AirTags, and I’ve got a book recommendation.
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