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#1603: Replacing a 27-inch iMac, Luna Display turns a 27-inch iMac into a 5K display, OWC’s affordable Thunderbolt 4 cables

With the release of the Mac Studio and Studio Display, Apple quietly dropped the 27-inch iMac and said it wasn’t working on a replacement. Many Mac users had been anticipating an Apple silicon version of the popular desktop Mac, so to help you adjust your thinking to the new lineup, Adam Engst compares the costs of various possible replacements. With the possibility of an extra 27-inch iMac kicking around, Adam also tests Luna Display’s new capability to turn such a Mac into a 5K Retina display. One of the lessons of that testing is to use Thunderbolt whenever possible, and for that, you might get a “one cable to rule them all” Thunderbolt 4 cable, now available more affordably from OWC. Notable Mac app releases this week include 1Password 7.9.3, SuperDuper 3.6.1, SoundSource 5.3.11, BBEdit 14.1.1, Airfoil 5.10.8, DEVONthink 3.8.3, GarageBand 10.4.6, Pixelmator Pro 2.3.6, FastScripts 3.1, Bookends 14.0.6, and Logic Pro 10.7.3.

Adam Engst 18 comments

OWC Releases Affordable Thunderbolt 4 Cables

If you want to avoid confusion surrounding USB-C cable compatibility with USB and Thunderbolt, get a Thunderbolt 4 cable, which supports all the protocol, data throughput, and power delivery possibilities. OWC now sells three Thunderbolt 4 cable lengths for $24, $34, and $57—far less than Apple’s $129 entry.

Adam Engst 70 comments

Which Mac Will Replace the 27-iMac for You?

When Apple unveiled the new Mac Studio and Studio Display, it also quietly dropped the venerable 27-inch iMac from the product line. Those who have been waiting for an Apple silicon 27-inch iMac are disappointed, but as Adam Engst shows (with lots of charts), there are plenty of other good options in the Mac lineup.

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SuperDuper 3.6.1 Agen Schmitz 5 comments

SuperDuper 3.6.1

Adds compatibility with macOS 12.3 Monterey and works around issues with asr (Apple Software Restore) replication. ($27.95 new, free update, 9.2 MB, macOS 10.10+)

Pixelmator Pro 2.3.6 Agen Schmitz 1 comment

Pixelmator Pro 2.3.6

Adds support for calculations in text fields and improves compatibility with third-party cloud storage providers. ($39.99 new, free update, 449 MB, macOS 10.15+)

Logic Pro 10.7.3 Agen Schmitz No comments

Logic Pro 10.7.3

Enables spatial audio monitoring with dynamic head tracking for the AirPods Max, AirPods Pro, third-generation AirPods, and Beats Fit Pro on M1-based Macs running macOS 12.3 Monterey. ($199.99 new, free update, 1.1 GB, macOS 11.5+)

ExtraBITS