MacMost: Mac Hardware

If your Mac keyboard is acting strangely, such as keys typing the wrong characters, some keys not working, or symbols and variations appearing when you don't expect, it could come down to a setting you have changed.

Using your MacBook while not plugged in means the battery will drain. But which apps are using more energy than others? By paying attention to battery use on a per-app basis, you can optimize how you use your MacBook went battery life is important.

Screens with 1440p resolution are popular, but they are not an ideal screen to use as a primary or secondary display with a Mac. The 2560x1440 resolution is either too small or too big, depending on how you have it set up. A 4K screen is a better option for most Mac users. But if you are stuck with a 1440 screen, there are a few things you can do to make it look better.

What to consider when you are thinking of buying a new Mac. Should you buy when you need a new Mac, or when Apple comes out with a new model? How do you know when Apple is about to release something new?

Is Apple planning to come out with a new larger iMac? Or is the Mac Studio the replacement? If you were looking to buy a 27-inch iMac, what are your options now?

If you have recently switched from Windows, you may be confused about some things on the Mac keyboard such as the Command key, Option key or Globe key. Learn about the modifier keys, and also what is meant by key names like brackets, backslash and tilde.

If you are looking to buy a MacBook soon, here's a rundown of the current models and the differences between them.

Many of Apple's most interesting products are no longer around. Some of these devices pioneered entire classes of computers and peripherals.

If you are thinking about getting or have recently bought a new MacBook Air or Pro, you may want to know how to make it last as long as possible. Here is some advice on how to keep your MacBook running well for many years to come.

What does the Command key symbol mean? Or the Option key symbol? Where is the Backspace key? How is Caps Lock on a Mac different than Windows? Learn a little bit about the keys on your Mac keyboard.

If you want to get a second screen for your MacBook or iMac, or the primary screen for a Mac mini, here are some things to think about, including my recommendations for resolution and connections.

When you buy a new Mac, how long can you expect it to last before you need a new one? The answer depends on how you use the Mac, your needs and how they change, and a variety of other factors.

If your keyboard isn't working when you are trying to log in, there are a few things you can do, but no perfect solution. You can use another USB keyboard, but in some cases your wireless keyboard will work as a wired keyboard too. You can also set up an Accessibility function in advance to avoid the problem.

The Raspberry Pi is a very cheap computer you can use to access the web, mail, documents and learn basic computing. But by using the iCloud.com web apps and screen sharing can you also use it as an extension of your Apple life?

I tested out the new 13-Inch MacBook Pro with the M1 processor in some real-world tasks like using iMovie, Numbers, Safari and Photoshop. Spoiler: It's fast! Check out how you get and run iOS apps and see how they look.

When you buy a MacBook Pro you get a narrow touchscreen display at the top of your keyboard that charges as you move between apps. You can customize this Touch Bar to have it display things like F-keys, system controls, desktop switching and more. Even some of the app-specific controls themselves can be customized.

It is easy to be confused by the different types of ports on Maca, especially then names like USB and Thunderbolt are sometimes uses interchangably. Learn the differences between these kinds of ports and how to avoid confusion when talking about them.

If you want something faster than an external hard drive, and better than a USB Flash drive, you can build an external SSD drive with an SSD and an enclosure. I built a 256GB USB 3.1 external SSD for less than $70 that works great on my Mac. Learn how to build your own.

Have questions about how Macs are moving from using Intel CPUs to Apple's own ARM chips? When will the first new Macs appear? Is it still worth it to buy an Intel Mac? How long will Apple support Intel Macs? Will your apps run on the new Macs? How about Windows emulation?

The new macOS 10.15.5 features a battery health management switch in System Preferences. With it on, your battery will charge to a point that is best for longevity. With it off, it charges for maximum capacity.