Swindon Mac

How did it go with those G4s you ask? Well after a lot of old knowledge was dug out of the back of my brain the score was a very England-like one all. A faulty power supply did for one of them. The other responded well to the insertion of a 128gb ssd (these old timers can’t see drives bigger than that on their internal IDE bus!
A brief struggle with extension clashes causing freezes reminded me why OSX is so much better than classic macOS but hey! It works and at a much faster pace than before.
Never say die.

Next up, this 2001 iBook G3. I feel another SSD conversion coming on.

When is your Mac too old?
It’s never too old! Looks what’s come in today. 2x Quicksilver G4s still in daily use.
Customer loves Freehand, hates Adobe.
But even old machines need help sometimes. Looks like the hard drives are at last end of life.
Do we replace, restore and carry on or should we recommend a giant leap into a PowerMac G5 running classic mode (and an SSD)?
What do you think?

Most companies take their staff out to mark 20 years. Apple, not so much.
They gave the world the 20th anniversary Mac. A limited edition that cost $10,000 when released in 1997 and was hand delivered, set up by a butler wearing white gloves. Now that's an anniversary!
If you can find a TAM now, they fetch pretty good money. The TAM is one Mac that we have never actually seen at Swindon Mac, but we would love to work on one!
We've seen a few Mac models come and go but any working Mac is a good Mac to us.

Say what you like about Apple, they may cost a lot but they have always designed some lovely computers.

Or maybe not.

Say hello (or maybe just say uuurgh) to the G3 all in one “Molar Mac.
Edu only nightmare fuel. What did the kids do to deserves this monster.

Not a Mac... but close.
The reason this cube looks so stylish is that it was what Steve Jobs created in-between his first and second stints at Apple. The NeXT cube also provided the basics for Apple's own OSX operating system (now called macOS) and as a result helped to propel Apple back to success upon Job's return. Oh, and Tim Berners-Lee used one at CERN to invent the World Wide Web (technically, the hyperlink which powers the web) This little cube lives at Swindon's Museum of Computing which is well worth a visit.

When is an air not an air?
Apple's thinnest, lightest laptop used to be available in 13in and 11in forms. Now it's gone the other way and is available in 13in and 15in. So why buy a thinner laptop in a bigger, heavier size? The answer is the screen and performance. The new M3 15in Air is definitely NOT a Pro but it has plenty of power up to a point. Being an Air it throttles down to avoid overheating (no fans) if you work it too hard, but if you need a bigger screen and aren't editing video, images or doing 3D graphic work it copes just fine. It also looks fantastic across a range of colours.
Use it for light office work, internet browsing or uni work. Buy the most RAM and biggest SSD you can because you can't up either at a later date!

Even an older Mac can benefit from an update.
The hard drive in this 2011 iMac is the slowest part of the system. Replacing it with an SSD will give it a renewed sense of speed. It's not going to win any races against the current crop of Macs, but if you need you iMac to keep going then an SSD is the most cost effective solution. It also keeps another older iMac out of landfill!

Things to remember no 1 when you buy a new 2024 imac:
Your 2010 imac probably had a 1tb hard drive fitted. Your new 24in m3 imac probably has 256 or 500gb. You may want to check how much data you have on your old mac before you buy the new one.

So, definitely NOT a Mac but a huge shout out for the new Framework 16 laptop which has just earned 10 out of 10 from iFixit for upgradability and repairability. 6 hot swappable connection ports or additional storage, check. Additional number pls, changeable keyboard formats, check, upgradable RAM, double check, upgradable SSD, obviously, Swappable dedicated GPU module, niiiice!, internal cards secured by screws, yup, glued in stuff... nope.
It may be a windows laptop but if I wasn't typing the on my MacBook Pro I would be using this machine. Honestly it's how tech should be designed and manufactured.

The Framework 16 Teardown!-Best Teardown of the year already?? New year, new teardown! If you’re looking for a palette cleanser between CES garbage and Vision Pro, look no further than the latest tech from the modular no...

It’s take a Mac apart time for a year 1 T Level support class at Cirencester’s college. What could possibly go wrong 😁

Low effort iCloud scam email arrived today. Come on scammers, have some pride!

So while we are geeking over Apples curves, here’s what Apple put into a simple usb-c / thunderbolt cable. And why $130for a cable “might” not be as mad as it sounds.

Why Is Apple's USB-C Cable $130? Apple's new Thunderbolt 4 USB-C cable costs a staggering $130, more than ten times the price of a generic USB-C cable. But what's the difference between Thun...

This isn’t just a round corner this is an Apple round corner (apologies M&S).

The secret formula for Apple's rounded corners Discovering the hidden formula that determines the roundness of each Apple product.

Christmas is a coming... and if you like retro style Mac wearables, then I think I can help. Make the Mac fan in your life very happy this festive season. Or just treat yourself.

https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/classic-Mac-system-6-icons-by-TShirtGuy2267/134213553.9V5H1?ref=explore-for-you-recently-viewed

🔧 Things we've repaired this month! 🔧

We repaired a trackpad that wasn't clicking correctly. If your trackpad stops working, you need a new trackpad right? Not always.

A common issue on several types of Apple laptops is the battery swelling up inside the case. The swollen battery pushes up against the trackpad and stops it clicking. In particularly bad cases, the battery can twist the whole case causing the laptop to rock.

Having the battery swell can also present a fire risk as well as stopping the Mac from working properly. A genuine Apple battery isn't the easiest to fix either. Apple glue them in pretty well. However, we can and we do fix a lot of these so we know what to do!

As long as the replacement battery is a genuine Apple battery, this will fix the trackpad issue, restore the battery life and most importantly, not cause a fire.

Did you spill coffee on your laptop? Do you have an old iMac you want to sell? Whatever your Mac related conundrum, we can help!
Contact Swindon Mac today!

Swindon Mac Apple Mac services for the Swindon Area. iMac servicing and repairs. MacBook Pro repairs and servicing. Refurbished Apple Macs

Isn't it annoying when you unbox your bran new iPhone, only to find that it has been preloaded with an older version of iOS than even your old phone is running!

This horror story means the first thing you need to do is update the new phone to match the old phone. I know, it can seem like a hassle and as it happens, Apple agree with you.

They have now announced that they can now update iPhones wirelessly while they sit in their boxes on shelves in the shops and warehouses.

So, finally unboxing your phone can be the joyous experience Apple wants it to be!

Do you have a relative that struggles with technology? Or maybe you don't quite understand how to utilise your computer?

Sometimes getting a new machine can be tricky to wrap your head around. Whether you're old or young, we can teach you how to use your Mac!

🔧Things we've repaired this month!🔧

We fitted a new screen to this laptop! We made sure to use genuine Apple parts direct from Apple. It's the only way to ensure your repaired laptop works to Apple's specifications after fixing.

This 2021 M1 Pro 16inch needs to be genuine or it won't calibrate correctly when fitted.

If you have a similar issue, let us know and we can help you fix it!

✨iPhone 15 review✨

I purchased the new iPhone- should you?

In a lot of ways the iPhone 15 is a small step up from the old 14. Overall, it's the same size but a bit chunkier due to the best part of the update... the new cameras!

Each model brings new cameras but the ones in the new 15 are a definable improvement in quality and flexibility.

The new muted colours aren't as obvious as the old ones but look chic with the glass back and the gentle rounding of the screen make a surprisingly big difference in your hand.

The bump from 64GB to 128GB storage on the base model is very welcome and useful.

Overall, a solid phone. The more expensive (and reportedly more troublesome) 15 Pro is not necessarily compelling alternative to the less expensive offering.

Having made the move to a shiny M1 Max powered MacBook Pro what is it I miss most about my “old”2019 intel machine?
Should you believe it… it’s the touch bar. As Joni Mitchell perceptively told us “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone”
Happy to have MagSafe back though.