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OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub offers high-speed port expansion for Apple's newest Macs

OWC's new Thunderbolt 5 Hub aims to provide even more access to the fastest ports, by splitting one off into three more.


OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub - Image credit: OWC

In 2021, OWC introduced the Thunderbolt Hub, a dock that provided three additional Thunderbolt 4 ports when it was plugged into a Mac's Thunderbolt 4 connections. Three years later, it's doing it again, but for the newest Mac models.

The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub is the same concept as before, with one Thunderbolt 5 cable connecting to the host Mac while providing three more Thunderbolt 5 ports to plug devices into. The hub also adds a single USB-A port to the equation too.


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EU's latest demand on Apple about geolocking is unforgivably naive

The European Union has told Apple to stop geo-locking, where apps and services vary in different countries — entirely ignoring decades of laws and practices by other industries that have nothing to do with the App Store.


EU wants the impossible with Apple's App Store

Give the EU credit, it has implemented the kind of laws regarding Big Tech that other countries, including the US, are still only talking about. But in this case, its assumption that it can simply mandate how the rest of the entire world works is an excoriating overreach.

The new demand is that Apple stop geo-locking, and specifically that EU users must be able to:


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Apple Music Classical is now available in CarPlay

Apple Music Classical users will now find it easier to listen to their choice of music while driving, with it now being added to CarPlay.


Apple Music Classical

Classical music listeners can use both Apple Music and Apple Music Classical to discover and listen to compositions. However, only Apple Music has been enabled in CarPlay, so users have been forced to use the main app to access classical music behind the wheel.

In a Tuesday update, Apple has made Apple Music Classical available to use in CarPlay. The integration means users can access their library, playlists, and other recommendations from the Apple Music Classical app itself in the CarPlay interface.


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Ultimate guide on how to use an external SSD as a working drive on macOS Sequoia

It is easily possible to double the cost of a new M4 Mac mini by buying Apple storage — but if you know what you're doing, you can buy external drives, and save hundreds of dollars by working off those. Here's how.


External drives are vastly cheaper than Apple's storage upgrade prices

Apple's New Mac mini is a stunning bargain for its price and its performance — but maybe only in its base configuration. Once you start adding anything like more storage, you hit Apple's excessive upgrade charges and the bargain diminishes, or even goes away entirely.

It is true that Apple has made things better, both by increasing the amount of RAM that base model gets, and also by making 256GB the smallest amount of storage you can buy.


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What a VPN kill switch is, and why you need it

A kill switch can help prevent your privacy from being breached when your encrypted VPN connection stops working. This is why your VPN needs it.


An iPad disconnected from the Internet

The basic idea of a virtual private network (VPN) service is that your connection is more private. Using a secure encrypted VPN connection, your online actions are not able to be monitored by other web traffic.

However, there are occasions where you may not have the protection of a VPN. Rather than the encrypted tunnel to a different server, you may suddenly find yourself directly accessing the internet without the VPN.


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Holiday 2024 MacBook Buyer's Guide -- Which Mac laptop you should buy?

Apple's late 2024 update to its Mac and MacBook ranges has brought M4 to the product line. Here's how to choose the best portable Mac for your budget for the 2024 holiday season.


MacBook Air and MacBook Pro

Apple's fall product updates covered many areas, but for the Mac product category, it meant an update to M4. Following the introduction of the chip in the iPad Pro lineup earlier in the year, the MacBook Pro now uses the speedy chip.

Even better, Apple didn't stop at just M4, as it brought out M4 Pro and M4 Max variants as well. These additions offer a lot more performance options, and in the case of the M4 Max, more performance than an M2 Ultra in some benchmarks.


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Second developer beta of visionOS 2.2 finally arrives

One day after most of the other developer betas get new builds, visionOS 2.2 turns up for testers using the Apple Vision Pro.


The Apple Vision Pro runs visionOS

On Monday, Apple introduced the third round of developer betas for iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS SZequoia 15.2, it also brought out the second builds of tvOS 18.2 and watchOS 11.2 for testing.

Missing from the group was visionOS 2.2, but it arrived one day later, on Tuesday.


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iOS 18.2 could receive a full public release with Image Playground & ChatGPT on December 9

iOS 18.2 with access to ChatGPT integrations, Image Playground, and Genmoji could finally roll out to the general public on December 9 based on a notice recently posted by a UK carrier.


iOS 18.2 could receive a full public release on December 9.

On Monday, Apple released the third developer beta of iOS 18.2. Along with the various changes and quality-of-life improvements, the software also contains an update for carrier-specific settings.

The third developer beta contains an update for devices using the British carrier EE. The carrier settings shipped with iOS 18.1 and the second developer beta of iOS 18.2 had the version number 59.5.1, while iOS 18.2 developer beta 3 increased the EE carrier settings version to 60.5.2.


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Power press: Fixes for Apple's oddly-placed Mac mini button

Apple's decision to place the power button of the M4 Mac mini underneath has been questioned by users. In some cases, they've come up with their own "solutions" to the problem.


Mac mini power button

The introduction of the M4 Mac mini was welcomed by critics, with the already small Mac made to be even smaller. Getting to that size meant there had to be a compromise, and that took the form of an awkward power button placement.

Rather than at the rear, the button is instead underneath the corner of the Mac mini's enclosure. It's in a position that you have to lift or tilt the Mac mini to access it, which can be awkward for people with larger digits.


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Apple's smart display with smart home AI focus predicted for March 2025

The pivot from Apple Car set the stage for bigger investments in the smart home, and the initial products from that shift could be launching as soon as March according to a new rumor.


Apple could release an iPad-like home hub with AI and smart home features

Apple has offered smart home options since 2014 with the launch of HomeKit. Beyond Siri integrations, HomePod, and few product category additions over the years, the company's investment in the area hasn't been as strong as some of its competitors.

That could change as soon as March with the launch of a new smart display that isn't an iPad, doesn't have an App Store, and is voice-first. This device would be a precursor to the rumored display with a robotic arm that's been rumored since Apple Car was abandoned.


Rumor Score: ???? Possible


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Bluetti's new Elite 200 portable power station provides 17 years of charging

Check out the latest from Bluetti with an exclusive discount on the Elite 200 V2 portable power station capable of generating reliable 2 kWh power for 17 years.


Bluetti Elite 200 V2 is rated for 17-years of use - Image credit: Bluetti

Bluetti is an innovator in the home battery backup space that's been pushing the limits of consumer backup power solutions. The company offers some of the best portable power station units that serve you everywhere from the campground to your home during a power outage.

Tuesday, Bluetti has unveiled the latest in its lineup — the Elite 200 V2. It is a 2 kWh portable power station that is rated for 6,000 life cycles, which equates to over 17 years.


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How advanced content caching settings on the Mac works

Advanced configuration parameters control how your Mac stores cached content. Here's how to change the settings.


Content cache settings in macOS Sequoia.

Content caching controls what internet content gets stored locally in macOS when you visit websites and other online servers.

When you visit a site, some of the data (content) gets downloaded and stored locally on your Mac. This is so that if you access that content later, it can be loaded more quickly from the cache - instead of having to make more trips to the internet to fetch it again.


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Dance points to God

An OM DanceLink team shares the gospel with crowds during impromptu dance performances on city streets in Portugal.




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Dancers impact community in Portugal

A team of OM Dancelink dancers in Portugal impact the community through workshops, shows and street performances.




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Demon cast out through prayer

The Transform Surflink team prayed for a woman suffering from demon possession, and the demon came out.




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Portugal Dancelink team clears way for Transit team harvest

A Transform 2012 Dancelink team in Mondim, Portugal, clears the way for a Transform Transit team to see the Gospel bear fruit four months later.




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OM Portugal begins outreach to Fátima

OM Portugal sends a Portuguese pastor and his family to begin outreach in the Catholic town of Fátima.




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Transform 2016: Surfing and dancing in Portugal

Surfing on the beach or providing a dance workshop were new ways to share the gospel in Portugal.




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Going the distance for the gospel

A Malagasy girl exemplifies dedication to spreading the gospel.




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A king encounters the King of Kings

The king of a small village in Madagascar welcomes the OM team to plant a church amongst his people.




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God provides for Hanta to join an OM outreach

Hanta, a committed young Christian from a rural village in Madagascar, learns that if she’s willing to obey God, He provides a way.




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Waves of prayer envelop Madagascar

The OM Madagascar team mobilises the Malagasy church for prayer through radio programmes and SMS messages.




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Sports ministry changes lives in Antananarivo

OM Madagascar uses sport as tool for reaching youth with the gospel and relationship building.




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Project Namana: reaching out a hand of friendship

Starting a Christian micro-finance programme has been a long-time dream for OM Madagascar. In partnership with OM Hong Kong, this will soon become a reality.




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The Malagasy church takes up the baton

The vision of OM Madagascar is to partner with the Malagasy Church in every ministry. This vision is being realised in Manakara.




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New hope found through Project Namana

Project Namana is OM Madagascar's microfinance project designed to empower the marginalised people in the city.




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What the witch doctor saw

A Malagasy witch doctor comes to faith in Christ during an OM outreach and is baptised just one week before his death.




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Perline of great price

Since joining OM’s Namana Project, one couple has developed a successful business, built their own home and can give their children an education.




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He Went to Church For the Candy

Pastor Rene Armand, a pastor from the Androy region of Madagascar, shares how he became a pastor.




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The well(ness) project

A well is built in the village of Tsimihevo, Madagascar, improving the standard of living for the whole community.




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Transforming communities

Despite knowing very little about the Androy region, OMers Fara and Herimanina went willingly and have seen God at work.




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Music opens doors to hearts

In each village, a small crowd of people gathered, and children and adults watched the puppet theatre with much interest. The team also put on a concert featuring songs by Istvan Horvath, a member of the OM Hungary team, as well as English songs by the international team. during Easter




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Csodalotos: brokenness is the beauty

Such was the truth God gave the Artslink, Dancelink and Bill Drake Band teams for Baja, Hungary, from 10-17 July 2011. The results were eternal.




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Baseball transforms lives and communities

The impact of baseball as an outreach tool is growing far beyond the first teams that began nine years ago in Érd.




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Bringing love to a refugee camp at Christmas

OM Hungary team members put on a special Christmas programme a local refugee camp.




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Baseball brings the Gospel to local schools

OM Hungary's Sports Team brings baseball and the Gospel to local schools in their now-annual visit to sports classes.




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Ship on wheels hits party central

OM Finland’s Bus4Life partners with Table 22 to reach out to young people trapped in lives of crime, prostitution and drugs in Siófok, Hungary.




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Reaching out to the world in Hungary

Workers with OM Hungary minister to the weary and burdened in a local refugee camp.




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‘If you build it, they will come’

Long-term investment in baseball ministry sees a harvest in Hungary.




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Reaching the next generation through English

Through six camps over the summer, OM Hungary reached over 300 children and youth with the message of the Gospel while teaching English.




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Christmas puppets tell the story

OM Hungary’s Christmas puppet ministry is currently underway, with performances in the city of Érd and the surrounding area.




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Finns join Hungarians for puppet outreach

Many schools experienced a new international flavour this year when the OM puppet outreach team was joined by a supporting Finnish church.




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New opportunities in Christ

OM Hungary encourages local Hungarian pastors and their congregations through the Bus4Life during the Easter season.




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Together we make a difference

OM Hungary works alongside partner organisations to bring comfort and Jesus’ love to refugees in Budapest.




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Refugee ministry- a personal reflection

OM Hungary team member Jill shares about her experience of ministering to the refugees in Hungary.




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Refugee ministry continues in Hungary

Refugee families experience a fun day away from the city provided by local mission workers.




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Santa Claus and the street corner

An OMer in Hungary shares how God intervened in the lives of women in the sex industry through the Bus4Life ministry




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Bringing Christ to the youth of Hungary

The impact of baseball on young people’s lives in Hungary goes far beyond learning how to play a new sport.




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A place to come ashore

After many challenges, the vision for a community centre becomes a reality.




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Finding their voices

OMers help Hungarian children uncover their gifts through drama camp.