O'Grady's PowerPage

  • macOS Tahoe 26.3 source code hints at three possible new Apple projects, new products

    macOS Tahoe 26.3 source code hints at three possible new Apple projects, new products

    Apple may have hinted at more than it meant to with an analysis of the macOS Tahoe 26.3 source code.

    Per Macworld’s Filipe Espósito, the code hints at the following forthcoming products and their codenames:

    The codenames:

    J700: Lower-cost MacBook
    J427: A new Studio Display
    J527: A new, higher-end Studio Display

    This marks the first time that these codenames have been spotted in Apple’s software updates and per MacRumors, the codenames were also present in updates such as macOS 26.2 and iOS 18.5 last year.

    The current assumption is that Apple will announce its lower-cost MacBook notebook as part of three days of new product announcements in the first week of March. The media would then receive hands-on time with the laptop during the “Apple Experience” in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.

    The MacBook is expected to be powered by a version of the iPhone 16 Pro’s A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series chip. It’s also thought that the unit will be available in a variety of bright colors, such as yellow, green, blue, and/or pink. Other rumored specs include a 12.9-inch display and 8GB of RAM. The starting price remains to be seen, with estimates ranging from $599 to $799 in the United States.

    Where the updated Studio Display is concerned, the unit is rumored to feature a 27-inch screen with mini-LED backlighting, up to a 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and an A19 chip or A19 Pro chip. No major design changes are expected.

    The current Studio Display launched in March 2022, alongside the first Mac Studio. It has a 27-inch screen without mini-LED backlighting, a 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., pricing starts at $1,599.

    It’s unknown exactly what a higher-end Studio Display will bring to the table.

    As always, stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Macworld

  • macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta hints at much-anticipated battery charge limit feature

    macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta hints at much-anticipated battery charge limit feature

    This is going to come in handy.

    Following up on the macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta Apple released to the developer community on Monday, the company has finally added the ability to set the charge limit for the battery in a MacBook. With the new slider, you can set the limit to 80 percent, to 100 percent, or to an increment (in fives) in between.

    The feature, dubbed “Optimize Battery Charging” under macOS Catalina, uses machine learning to limit charging. With the forthcoming update, users can manually set the charge limit to below 100 percent. This feature had been present in iPhone since iOS 18, and is now en route for the Mac.

    This is important given that every time you charge and deplete the battery, it puts wear and tear on it, and over time, the battery carries less of a charge than it used to. Charging to 100 percent and depleting completely accelerates this process. The lower the upper limit you can manage, the better this is for the health of the battery.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via Macworld

  • Dell offers a sitewide sale on select Alienware monitors and accessories

    Dell offers a sitewide sale on select Alienware monitors and accessories

    You may be a die hard Apple and Mac fan, but good hardware is good hardware and a good price is worth taking a gander at.

    Dell has been running a sale this week across its assorted product categories, including wares from Alienware, Logitech, Bose, and JBL. Where monitors are concerned, you’ll find up to $200 off select models, including the 27-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor.

    Monitors:

    • 24-inch Dell Plus Monitor – $119.99, down from $149.99
    • 27-inch Dell Plus QHD Monitor – $189.99, down from $219.99
    • 27-inch Dell Plus 4K Monitor – $239.99, down from $299.99
    • 32-inch Dell Plus 4K Monitor – $299.99, down from $369.99
    • 34-inch Alienware Curved Gaming Monitor – $299.99, down from $399.99
    • 27-inch Alienware 4K Dual-Resolution Gaming Monitor – $399.99, down from $499.99
    • 27-inch Alienware QD-OLED Gaming Monitor – $499.99, down from $649.99
    • 27-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor – $699.99, down from $899.99
    • 32-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor – $849.99, down from $999.99

    Accessories:

    • Alienware Wireless Gaming Mouse – $69.99, down from $99.99
    • Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse – $99.99, down from $119.99
    • Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker – $119.00, down from $159.00
    • JBL Charge 6 Portable Speaker – $159.95, down from $199.95
    • Alienware Pro Wireless Gaming Keyboard – $174.99, down from $199.99
    • Dell Pro Plus Earbuds – $179.99, down from $229.99
    • Bose SoundLink Max Portable Speaker – $329.00, down from $399.00

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Dell

  • Toyota launches Car Keys support for Apple Wallet

    Toyota launches Car Keys support for Apple Wallet

    If you’re a Toyota owner, you’re going to like this.

    The Japanese automaker appears to have launched support for Apple Wallet. Per a post on Reddit, the company is now rolling out Apple car key support for some of its vehicles, as confirmed by a 2026 RAV4 owner on Reddit.

    The adoption of car keys follows a report in December that Toyota had been added to Apple’s backend database of vehicle brands that could support the feature.

    While this doesn’t necessarily mean Toyota will immediately begin implementation, it does lend hope that car key support won’t take much longer to arrive.

    It’s unknown how many different Toyota vehicles support car keys, or what model years will gain support for the feature.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac, MacRumors, and Reddit

  • Rumor: Apple to announce low-cost, colorful MacBooks at March 4 media event

    Rumor: Apple to announce low-cost, colorful MacBooks at March 4 media event

    Following Apple’s announcement that Apple will be holding a media event in New York, London, and Shanghai on March 4, the rumor train has gone into motion and the word on the street is that Apple’s low-cost MacBook will be announced at the event.

    Per MacRumors and a leaker known as “Instant Digital” on Weibo, Apple is said to be using the color scheme of the Apple logo graphic used for the upcoming “Apple Experience,” which should match the colors of the new entry-level Mac. The invite graphic shows a 3D Apple logo made up of transparent discs in yellow, green, and blue. The post effectively constitutes a claim that the device is set to arrive at the event.

    According to noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a June 2025 post, the budget MacBook could come in silver, blue, pink, and yellow finishes, which would match the entry-level iPad. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has also noted in his latest Power On newsletter that Apple has tested a range of playful color options for its upcoming low-cost MacBook, going well beyond the muted tones available on its current notebook lineup.

    Gurman has stated that the colors tested so far include light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver, and dark gray. He’s noted that it’s unlikely that all of these colors will ship, even though these would be the most colorful notebooks Apple has offered since the iBook G3 era in the late 90s, which included Tangerine, Blueberry, Indigo, Graphite, and Key Lime.

    The low-cost machine is expected to feature a 12.9-inch display, an aluminum chassis, and an iPhone chip, likely the A18 Pro, rather than an M-series processor. It will likely retail for well below $1,000.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Bloomberg