Why the new MacBook Pro needs to happen

Why the new MacBook Pro needs to happen

Image credit to Apple

With WWDC coming up, new device predictions have gone wild. A slump in Apple's sales has shown to the public the slowdown of innovation within the company. The Mac line has become stale, and the new MacBook has not helped much. The world isn't ready for it, so a new device needs to fill the gap.

The MacBook Air has lost its once important roll in Apple's lineup of portable computers. At one time, the Air was the thinnest MacBook with great specs to boost, but now it has become little more than a MacBook Pro with a worse display. The display's resolution, compared to the smaller 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro with Retina Displays, is much worse. The specs are not terrible by any means, but paying the small upgrade fee to the, now only slightly, heavier and more powerful MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The Air and Pro line need to merge to give the new MacBook a proper place in the lineup. The current Pro and Air designs have remained the same since 2012, and the ports on the devices are stuck in the past. USB-C should become the standard for Apple products if they plan for it to catch on, and Thunderbolt 3 must be there.

Apple's lineup is stuck in the past and a new professional-level laptop with USB-C will push the standard to the mainstream, instead of being stuck on only the highest end devices.

What we need to see in a new MacBook Pro:

• 14-inch and 16-inch models

The same display area can be used, but the bezels need to be cut down.

• A retina display

There is no longer room for a Mac to ship without a retina display. Once I used a newer display, I cannot imagine going back to a lower resolution.

• USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports

USB-C needs to be used as the charging port for the new MacBook Pro. I love MagSafe 2 as much as the next guy, but having a do-all port alongside traditional USB availability would push the standard.

• One traditional USB 3.1 port

A standard type A USB socket with USB-C would ease the worry of users that need the older standard for a device they use every day, and want to charge at the same time.

• Thinner or as thin as the current MacBook Air

Although the new MacBook is much thinner than the Air, the Pro needs to be about the same size as it. The MacBook 2015 and 2016 showed how compact a computer could get, and the Pro should use the same technology, maybe even using the new Intel processors from the MacBook 2016.

• MacOS 11 shipping with the device

Shipping the new OS with the device would show how radical a change it brings to the market, sparking interest in Mac OS again. 

Apple needs a new MacBook Pro to get consumers talking and make it affordable, around one thousand US dollars. Having a laptop that outperforms the competition at a price point that is viable to most professional users would help make every new innovation Apple is pushing (USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, MacOS) come to the mainstream.

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Download Windows Virtual Machine Images

Download Windows Virtual Machine Images

Microsoft has released free and legal Windows virtual machine images that run for 90 days until they expire. If you are a developer or want to test a program, these virtual machine images are perfect!

Virtualization Software Supported: VirtualBox, VMware, Parallels, VPC, or HyperV.

From Microsoft:

Test Microsoft Edge and versions of IE6 through IE11 using free virtual machines you download and manage locally.

Windows XP: (Hosted on Archive.org)

IE 6 on XP:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VPC VMware

Windows Vista: (Hosted on Archive.org)

IE 7 on Vista:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VPC VMware

Windows 7: (Hosted by Microsoft)

IE 8 on Windows 7:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VPC VMware Parallels

IE 9 on Windows 7:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VPC VMware Parallels

IE 10 on Windows 7:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VPC VMware Parallels

IE 11 on Windows 7:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VPC VMware Parallels

Windows 8.1: (Hosted by Microsoft)

IE 11 on Windows 8.1:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VMware Parallels

Windows 10: (Hosted by Microsoft)

IE 11 on Windows 10:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VMware Parallels

IE 11 on Windows 10 Preview:

VirtualBox Vagrant HyperV VMware Parallels

---

If any of the above links break, try the original websites. This was compiled to make it easier to download these images quickly.

Original Links:
Microsoft Development Center - Microsoft Edge VMs
Archive.org - Modern IE VMs

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Download Abandonware Operating Systems

Download Abandonware Operating Systems

Links to get started:

WinWorldPC Index - Includes Boot Disks, Commodore Amiga, Macintosh, Windows, Virtual machine images, and more

BetaArchive Forum - DOS to Windows 3.xx, Windows 9x and ME, Windows 2000, NT, XP, Vista, 7, 8.x, 10, and Windows Phone.

OSBetaArchive - Downloads for leaked Windows betas from Microsoft since Windows 3.xx

Longhorn.ms - A website documenting the development of Windows XP to Vista, with pictures of every step along the way.

Development versions of Windows are pieces of history that have been recovered and uploaded online to preserve the history of operating system development. I recently posted links to download Windows 8 Consumer and Developer preview editions from Archive.org, so I figured writing another segment on downloading abandonware operating systems should be done. Above are resources for anyone wishing to download an Abandonware Operating System. I will be posting later this week about abandonware software, so check back Sunday!

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Download Windows 8 Consumer and Developer Previews

Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Developer Preview Downloads

After hunting for Windows 8 Consumer and Developer Preview download links, I've found some on archive.org. These are hosted with them, so I don't have any mirror links. If these go down, I've backed them up so let me know in the comments! Use them with VMWare for the best results.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows 8 Consumer Preview: (Set BIOS date to 2/28/2012)

64-bit (x64)  Download (3.3 GB)

32-bit (x86)  Download (2.5 GB)

Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Windows 8 Developer Preview: (Set BIOS date to 10/24/2011)

64-bit (x64) with developer tools  Download (4.8 GB)

64-bit (x64)  Download (3.6 GB)

32-bit (x86)  Download (2.8 GB)

Product Key:   DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Android vs. iOS - 3rd Party Apps

Android vs. iOS

iOS 9 vs Android Marshmallow

Round 1: 3rd Party Apps

Android:

Android Marshmallow's app selection has improved greatly since its predecessors. The Play Store has grown exponentially since its early days as the Android Market. Many new apps are released on iOS first, and piracy is very easy with an Android device. A lot of apps are half-baked, or incomplete. The blame isn't on the OS, but the developers. Many applications are high-quality, but for every great app, two terrible apps are released. Malware is a growing issue, but it still is not too significant. Privacy settings in Android Marshmallow give users better control of the components an app can access.

Pros:

• Newer apps have a unified "Material Design" UI
• Universal navigation in most apps with the navigation buttons at the bottom of the device
• Development for the platform is free

Cons:

• Development for Android is sometimes an afterthought
• Malware and junk apps fill a lot of the store
• Many apps serve no function, or are bloated

• Conclusion - Google Play and its unified Google account support is very nice, especially with the ability to download apps across a large range of devices. Android also allows you to use other app stores, such as the Amazon Appstore and AppBrain. Android app files, known as APKs, can be downloaded right from the device and loaded without the need for a store. This leads to possibility of malware, but the built-in security features should keep it out.

As I said previously, the app support does not match iOS yet.

Rating:  8/10

iOS:

iOS 9 gives developers new APIs, such as Swift 2 and Metal, with optimizations made for every device that runs iOS. The specifications of the iPhone 6S on paper are much worse than the newer Android phones such as the Galaxy S7, but the application optimization is significantly better on iOS due to the smaller range of handsets. Malware is not much of a problem without a jailbreak, although it has slipped through the cracks before. A majority of apps on iOS are a decent quality, but many are throw-away, or can't run properly due to lacking updates. The same can be said for Android, but iOS gets most new apps first.

Pros:

• iOS gets most apps first
• Apple has a history with providing proper development tools
• Apple developers must pay $100 USD a year as a precaution to stop useless apps from entering the store, along with strict review processes

Cons:

• Apple is 100% in control of their app store
• Emulators, tweaks, and custom launchers are not available
• Many apps have no function
• Apple developers must pay $100 USD a year to publish their apps

• Conclusion - The iOS App Store was revolutionary, and had the edge on Android for a long time. The Google Play Store has caught up to it, and now gives developers more options and allows for apps to be placed in the store for free. Apple's developer fee has slowed new developers from joining, while filtering junk apps from the store. The lack of 3rd party app stores and app-loading from the device cause it to lack an openness that I personally would like, although most users don't use the feature in any case. 

Rating:  8/10

Round 3 is coming soon. Comment your opinions below!

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OS X Installer USB Tutorial

Create a Bootable OS X Installer USB

Requirements:

Mac OS X 10.7+

Purchased copy of OS X/macOS

8GB+ USB Drive formatted as OS X Extended (Journaled)

1. Download the OS X Installer from the Mac App Store.

Important: You can only do this with versions you have previously purchased or downloaded

• Open the App Store app
• Go to the Purchased tab
• Find the OS X version you want to install 
• Click the download button and allow it to complete the download while you continue the tutorial

2. Format your USB drive as OS X Extended (Journaled)

• Open Disk Utility
• Select the USB drive in the lefthand column
• Click Erase and select OS X Extended (Journaled)
• Disk Maker X Method: Name it whatever you would like and click Erase again
• Apple Method: Name the USB OSXINSTALL and click Erase again

Disk Maker X Method (Easier)

3.Download Disk Maker X

Download - Version 5.0.3 - Yosemite, El Capitan, and Sierra

Download - Version 5.0.3 - Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Capitan

---

Download - 3.0.4 - Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks

Download - 2.0.2 - Lion (with DVD support)

Download - 1.7 - Lion (with 4GB USB support)

4. Select the OS X version you want to use

Disk Maker X - 5.0.3

Disk Maker X - 3.0.4

5. Follow through the prompts until it is complete:

Click Use this copy

Click An 8 GB USB thumb drive

Select the USB drive you named and click Choose this disk

Click Erase then create disk

Click Continue 

Allow it to finish copying and erasing files, and then it will be bootable!

That's it! Hold the alt/option key on a Mac while it boots and you should be able to install OS X with it, use Disk Utility to recover a drive, or use Terminal and other practical uses.

Apple Method (Requires Terminal)

3. Open Terminal

OS X El Capitan:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/OSXINSTALL --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app

OS X Yosemite:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/OSXINSTALL --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app

OS X Mavericks:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/OSXINSTALL --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app

Hit enter and allow it to finish creating the installer USB. Hold the alt/option key on a Mac while it boots and you should be able to install OS X with it and use all of the other accessorizes. 

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PPSideloader Tutorial

PPSideloader Tutorial

Requirements:

PPSideloader (Download)
OS X El Capitan
Xcode 7.3 from the Mac App Store
iOS 8.0+ (iOS 9.0+ without a paid developer account)

Cracked .ipa file of:

Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or WhatsApp

First, delete the app.ipa file that is currently in the ppsideloader-master folder. Then, rename the Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook cracked IPA to app.ipa and put it in  the original app.ipa's place.

Now open the ppsideloader.excodeproj file with Xcode 7.3 on OS X El Capitan.

In Xcode, make the Bundle Identifier something original. I used:

com.fitzweekly.InstagramPlus

Now click Fix Issue and it should associate the Xcode project with your Apple Developer account

Click the arrow once your device is plugged in and you are ready to go.

Leave a comment if you have an issue!

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Android vs. iOS - Usability

Android vs. iOS

iOS 9 vs Android Marshmallow

Round 2 will be released next week, 4/17/16.

Round 1: Usability

Although my judgement is skewed because I use an iPhone 6 on a daily basis, I have used Android extensivly and have written tutorials on how to run it on your PC or laptop. Android Marshmallow has come a long way since 2011, when I dismissed it as an operating system not even comparable to iOS, dude to the lack of app support and specs that were better on paper than in real world usage.

Android:

Android Marshmallow is a very good operating system. It is lacking a few things compared to iOS, but the same can be said the other way around. It is hard to compare usability because Android is an operating system, and there is not a definitive version. The apps that come packaged with most devices can be broken down and compared to iOS quite easily. Every one of them is tolerable, and some are better than any alternative in the Play Store.

Updates - Most Android devices get updates for 6 months - 1 and a half years. Nexus phones are guaranteed updates much longer than that, but most handsets are released and receive one or two updates.

• Browser - The default browser app that comes with most handsets is usable. It doesn't exceed expectations, but that is because it doesn't have to. You can easily download Chrome from the Play Store.
• Email - It works, and its a mail client. There are still plenty of alternatives, so it is not an issue, but the app is okay and can handle most email services.
• Gallery - This app feels out of place on modern Android devices and most phone or tablet manufacturers replace it with their own version. The app feels stuck in 2012, and it is basic compared to newer apps like Google Photos, which supports backing up all of your photos into the cloud cross-platform. I usually put this in a folder and forget about it.
• Google - Google Now and all the benefits of having Google at your fingertips is great. Now on Tap, a new feature in Android Marshmallow is incredible and can search the internet for things on your screen. This app is amazing.
• Contacts - It's contacts. It syncs with your Google account, so you never have to worry about losing your contacts.
• Messaging - It is passable, but not great. Other messaging apps have tried to replace it, and nothing is that remarkable. Hangouts is a great messaging app, on the other hand, but can't fit in with your cellular plan like the original Messaging app. Hopefully in newer updates it will be polished a bit more.
• Phone - It dials phone numbers! 
• Maps - Google Maps is probably the best map service on the planet. It has been tried and tested for years now, and is accurate. Apple Maps is catching up, but with native integration, Google Maps beats it by a lot.
• Settings - Settings has improved a lot over the years. When not restricted by the device's manufacturer, it gives a lot of options and allows you to install .apk files right from the device. 
• Clock, Calculator, Downloads, Calendar - These apps do what they say, but nothing special.
• Find My Android - All you have to do is Google "Find My Android" and you can locate your device anywhere. It's great!

And most importantly,

• Google Play - Android Market has done a lot of growing up in recent years. Developers are beginning to take the store more seriously, and Google has been Apple-esque with their app rejection recently. The biggest problem with having so many devices is that a lot of apps just aren't compatible. For most, this is not a problem, but not being able to get an app because your screen is too small, or if your phone can't update to the next version to get an app you really want is infuriating. It is not Google's fault, but it is an issue. It is difficult to aim an app at such a wide variety of devices, so many developers accept their losses and determine a demographic. 

The app support have matured, but the quality does not match iOS yet.

Conclusion: Android 6.0 is completely usable, but lacks native split-screen multitasking and a truly customizable control center. Other device manufacturer's forks of Android, or their own editions, have filled in the gaps of Google's Android. The susceptibility to malware and viruses is still an issue, but most Play Store apps are fine to use.

Rating:  7/10

iOS:

iOS lacks many features that Android has, but its exclusives can outweigh the shortcomings. iCloud and iMessage are two features that keep many people locked in the ecosystem, but that will be discussed in Round 2 of this segment. The apps all work, but feel trapped in 2007, with few major changes since their initial release.

Updates - iOS devices get updates for typically 3 or 4 years. This is noticeably longer than Android devices, which gives it quite an upperhand.

• Safari - One of the few apps that has changed significantly since its debut, it is quick and reliable. iCloud tabs sync the websites you visit to all of your Apple devices and iCloud Keychain sync the passwords as well. It supports ad blockers, something Android does not currently do. Not much else to say, but it is a nice app.
• Mail - The app has not changed that much since 2007, but the few features it has work well for most people. It is a basic mail client, and that's about it.
• Photos - iCloud Photo Library gives the Apple Photos app an edge over the competition. Built-in to the device, all of the pictures taken can be stored on iCloud for free just like Google Photos, but its cross-platform compatibility is lacking. It requires using the (in my opinion, abysmal) icloud.com, and it feels bogged down by too many proprietary APIs.
• Siri - Siri is one of the best features on iOS. I use it daily, but it has started to fall behind Google Now recently. Most of its features can be replicated through Google, and it misunderstands me more than it previously had. It is not cross platform (yet) so the only way to use it is on the device itself.
• Contacts - It's contacts. It syncs with your iCloud account, so you never have to worry about losing your contacts (unless you switch to Android).
• Messages (and Facetime) - This app is decent, but has a killer feature, iMessage. You can message any Apple device with the Messages app (manufactured after 2010 running iOS or OS X) for free, as well as Facetime video call and audio calls. Sorry, Android users.
• Phone - It dials phone numbers! 
• Maps - Apple Maps has improved since the iOS 6 disaster in 2012, where it led people to abandoned streets and alleys. Today, it works almost as well as Google Maps, but is missing accurate mapping in many rural areas.
• Settings - The app is now searchable, and it helps navigation a little bit. Nothing special, and the options are very, very, limited.
• Clock, Calculator, Calendar, Music, and Notes - These apps do what they say.
• Find My iPhone - It works. I admittedly use this a lot, and now, finally, it is web-accesable on icloud.com.

And most importantly,

• App Store - The iOS App Store was released in 2008 and has had incredible developer support. Because the iPhone has always been a high-end device, app developers know that people that use the platform are more willing to spend higher ammounts of money for quality. This drives the apps to be released on iOS first. Android has begun to step up the quality of apps, but the solid user-base and monopoly Apple has control of on their devices make it superior to Google Play in many ways, but options is not one of them.

Conclusion: iOS 9 is a great operating system, but lacks customizability. In iOS 10, a lot of users are looking forward to see what the new features will be and hopefully iOS devices will be able to replace the native apps like Android users have been able to do for so long. Because iPhones and iPads still surpass a majority of Android handsets in stability, and receive updates much longer, the usability is better.

Rating:  9/10

Round 2 is coming soon. Comment your opinions below!

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Hackintosh Boot Flags

In the Boot Args section of Clover, enter the boot flags.

If this is your first time building or making a Hackintosh, boot flags may seem like a foreign concept. Once you understand what each of them means, you can get started!

Clover Boot Flags:

An example of verbose mode. When the computer hangs (stops), the last message you see is the message you should search to find a solution. 

Verbose Mode:

 -v 

Safe Mode:

 -x 

Single User Mode:

 -s 

 Zone Postponing: (use if hanging)

 -no-zp 

Single CPU core mode:

 cpus=1 

No Kext Cache Mode: (When changing kexts)

 -f 

Disables VT-x or VT-d:

 dart=0 

Verbose Mode:

 -v 

Enable NVIDIA Web Drivers: (do not use with nv_disable=1)

 nvda_drv=1  

Disable NVIDIA graphics cards: (do not use with nvda_drv=1)

 nv_disable=1 

Kext Dev Mode:

 kext-dev-mode=1 

Rootless Mode: 

Do not boot with this on El Capitan or macOS Sierra

 rootless=0 

  

If you're stuck at [PCI Configuration Began]:

 npci=0x2000 

 npci=0x3000 

Set Maximum Memory (RAM): (In megabytes)

 maxmem=4096 

 maxmem=8192 

Troubleshooting:

If you are having any trouble, first try this string. It works on a lot of systems with Intel HD Graphics to get into the OS X Installer from a Unibeast USB.

 -v -x -s -no-zp 

If you have an NVIDIA Desktop GPU, use this string to boot into the installer:

 -v -x -s nv_disable=1 

If all else fails, or you don't know where to start, use this string:

 -v -x -s -f cpus=1 maxmem=4096 nv_disable=1 -no-zp 

If you have an NVIDIA Desktop GPU and you've installed NVIDIA Web Drivers (Link), use this string:

 -v nvda_drv=1  + your bootflags (do not use nv_disable=1)

Common Issues:

If in verbose mode, a message about [IOBluetoothHCIController][start] -- completed or something similar appears, it normally has to do with a graphics issue. If you have an NVIDIA or AMD GPU, use nv_disable=1 and it should boot. Otherwise, boot into safe mode.

Comment any issues you have and I could recommend you a set of bootflags to use!

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Tweaks for Sideloaded Apps Tutorial

Tools Required:

• Tweaks for SideLoaded Apps by iMokhles

       https://github.com/iMokhles/Tweaks-for-SideLoaded-Apps

• A cracked Snapchat.ipa (The App Store version is not compatible)

       https://www.appaddict.org/ (or something similar)

• TweakApp by iMokhles

       https://github.com/iMokhles/TweakApp

Before you start:

(Recommended) Optool Install:

Download optool

Go to Finder and press ⌘ + Shift + G (all at once). Then type:

/usr/bin

Copy and paste the optool file into that folder.

(Necessary) OpenSSL:

dyld: Library not loaded: /usr/local/opt/openssl/lib/libssl.1.0.0.dylib
Referenced from: /usr/local/lib/libimobiledevice.6.dylib
Reason: image not found

Many users have this issue. I recommend installing the proper utilities before you start. Most people won't be able to complete the tutorial without this:

1. Open Terminal and type these commands:

/usr/bin/ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"

brew install openssl

Now all of the issues should be resolved.

Sideloaded Tweaks Tutorial:

Click Create a new Xcode project

Click Next when Single View Application is selected

Name it something you can remember, or use this example

Make sure you have a free or paid Apple developer account. You can sign up for free.Click Fix Issue and it should resolve itself if you've already connected your account. It will prompt you if you haven't.

Copy the bundle identifier from your Xcode profile to TweakApp and click your developer account.

Go to Finder and press ⌘ + Shift + G (all at once). Then type:

~/Library/MobileDevice/Provisioning Profiles

From that folder, drag the provisioning profile to TweakApp.

Drag the downloaded cracked Snapchat.ipa file to the IPA location. It must be dropped on the scrollbar.

Drag the SCFeaturesLite.dylib file from the Tweaks-For-SideLoaded-Apps folder downloaded from Github.  

Click Extract and you're ready to go.

Press the escape key on every prompt. Follow the instructions the text on TweakApp  gives you.
Only type the administrator password when you click Sign.

Click Patch Now and skip the administrator password by pressing Esc every time it appears.

Click Sign and type your administrator password each time it appears.

Click Install and make sure your device is connected.

That's it! TweakApp should have correctly installed the app. The instructions are similar for every other tweak. Good luck and comment with any issues you have!

Recommended Guide: Sideloading deb files without a Jailbreak

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Safari Technology Preview

Download the Safari Technology Preview

Official Apple Link - Google Drive Mirror (Version 9.1.1)

This is a pre-release version of Safari, so it is still testing. The release notes are printed below, but this is for people who are interested in testing new features before the official release. I've hosted a backup incase the download becomes unavailable in the future, so have fun with this version! There are not any significant visual changes, everything is under the hood.

Browser Differences

• ·      Safari Technology Preview can be run side-by-side with Safari and set as the default browser
• ·      Separate local data stores are used for history, bookmarks, cookies, and cache
• ·      Browsing history and bookmarks are synced over iCloud when iCloud sync is enabled
• ·      The Develop menu is enabled by default
• ·      Receives regular updates through the Updates tab of the Mac App Store
• ·      Bug reports made on bugreport.apple.com should specify Safari Technology Preview

JavaScript Improvements

• ·      ECMAScript 6 support including lexical scoping, iterators, generators, arrow functions, default parameter values and many new built-in APIs
• ·      Better standards compliant IndexedDB support with more stability
• ·      Included the B3 JavaScript JIT compiler with low-latency, high-throughput that boosts performance
• ·      Added the ability to use `document.execCommand('copy')` and `document.execCommand('cut')` in response to a user gesture to copy and cut text programmatically

HTML Enhancements

• ·      The latest implementation of the Shadow DOM specification
• ·      Added support for Content Security Policy Level 2

Web Inspector Changes

• ·      Added memory summary and JavaScript allocations timelines
• ·      Added a fast JavaScript sampling profiler
• ·      Improved JavaScript profiling timeline view

Behavior Changes

• ·      Included many web compatibility fixes and bug fixes

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