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Long-form writing on the gear, apps and workflows behind the YouTube channel. For monthly reflections sent straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Lovelock Log.
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Is the MacBook Air M5 Worth £1,299? Not From Apple
The MacBook Air M5 rose from £1,099 to £1,299 in June. Where it is £111 cheaper, the charger missing from the box, and whether to wait for M6.
4 October 2026
Apple Gift Card UK: Don't Redeem It If You're Shopping In Store
Apple gift card UK rules, checked: once redeemed, Apple only lists online use. Keep the code for in-store buys, and know the 8 v 20 card limit.
3 October 2026
Apple One UK Only Pays Off If You Already Watch Apple TV
Is Apple One UK worth it? I priced every plan against the services people actually pay for. The saving only lands if you watch Apple TV.
2 October 2026
How to Factory Reset a MacBook the Buyer Can Actually Use
How to factory reset a MacBook without leaving Activation Lock on. The Disk Utility route most guides give can lock the next owner out for good.
1 October 2026
The Hashtag on Mac Swaps Places With the Pound Sign
Shift+3 gives you a pound sign, not #. The hashtag on Mac sits on Option+3 on a British layout, and the two swap on a US one.
27 September 2026
Apple NHS Discount: Blue Light Card's Own Page Says 2%
The Apple NHS discount is 2%, not the 10% page one promises. Here is what Blue Light Card actually gives you, and why the education store won't help.
26 September 2026
How to Copy and Paste on Mac, and Move Files Without Cut
How to copy and paste on Mac is two keystrokes, until you touch a file. Cut is greyed out, and the shortcut that moves files sits on another page.
23 September 2026
Apple Music Price UK: The Family Plan Wins at Two
The Apple Music price UK guide that does the maths: £11.99 individual, £19.99 family, and why the family plan already wins at two people.
19 September 2026
How to Force Quit on Mac When the App Isn't Listed
How to force quit on Mac when Option-Command-Esc is no help: the window only lists apps, and Apple's data-loss warning is on a different page.
18 September 2026
Apple Refurbished UK Gives iPhones a New Battery, Not Macs
Apple Refurbished UK is a flat 15% off, not "up to" 15%. My maths on today's prices, which devices get a new battery, and why to wait a week.
8 September 2026
Apple Studio Display: The 120Hz Is on the Other One
The 2026 Apple Studio Display is still 60Hz. What £1,499 really buys, what the £400 stand adds, and when the XDR at £2,999 makes sense.
7 September 2026
Apple Student Discount UK: It Isn't 10%. Here's the Maths
The Apple student discount UK buyers get on the education store is a flat cash cut, not 10%. I priced every Mac and iPad to show what you save.
2 September 2026
Mac mini vs Mac Studio: You're Comparing the Wrong Two
Mac mini vs Mac Studio with the new UK prices: the real choice is the £1,699 mini against the £2,499 Studio, and what that £800 actually buys.
1 September 2026
How to Uninstall Apps on Mac: The Bin Doesn't Finish the Job
How to uninstall apps on Mac properly: what the Bin leaves behind, where it hides, and the one check that tells you if it even matters.
28 August 2026
How to Clear System Data on Mac: It's Not Your Caches
How to clear system data on Mac: it is rarely the caches. APFS snapshots are the usual culprit, and two Terminal commands clear them out.
27 August 2026
New Mac mini: £899 Now Buys What £599 Did in 2024
The new Mac mini starts at £899 with the M6 chip and 256GB storage - the same storage the £599 model shipped with. Worth buying, or not?
25 August 2026
Touchscreen MacBook: Wait Until December, Then Decide
The touchscreen MacBook may be two months out, or may slip to 2027. When to wait and when to buy a MacBook Pro now, with UK prices.
25 August 2026
New iMac 2026: Wait for the M6, Not for OLED
The new iMac 2026 gets an M6 chip and new colours before year end. Here's why buying the M4 today is the one move I'd avoid.
24 August 2026
MacBook Air Shortage: Waiting Is the Expensive Option
The MacBook Air shortage has pushed UK delivery into September. Here's where stock actually is, and why waiting costs you more.
15 August 2026
M6 MacBook Pro: The One Mac I'd Skip This Autumn
The M6 MacBook Pro lands this autumn but the M7 follows six months later. Which MacBook Pro is actually worth your money, and which to skip.
11 August 2026
Use an iMac as a Monitor: 3 Ways, One You Can't Undo
I used an iMac as a monitor the hard way and destroyed it. Here are the three methods, what each costs, and which one you should actually pick.
3 August 2026
Apple Upgrade vs iPhone Upgrade Program: You Don't Own It
Apple Upgrade vs iPhone Upgrade Program: leasing not financing, no bundled AppleCare, and a buyout at the end. Plus what UK buyers actually get.
30 July 2026
AppleCare One UK Is Here: Is £16.99 a Month Worth It?
AppleCare One UK is live at £16.99 a month for three devices. What it covers, the excess fees, and when it beats separate AppleCare+ plans.
27 July 2026
MacBook Neo 2: 12GB RAM Is the Upgrade That Matters
The MacBook Neo 2 is tipped to bring an A19 Pro chip and 12GB of RAM. Here's why the memory bump matters more, and whether to wait.
23 July 2026
Apple Upgrade: Why You'd Lease an iPhone Through Klarna
Apple Upgrade launches 28 July: lease an iPhone, Mac, iPad or Watch via Klarna. How it works, what's eligible, and the AppleCare catch.
21 July 2026
The Best Mac Apps in 2026 (The Ones I Actually Use)
My pick of the best Mac apps in 2026 - the paid and free tools I actually use for creating, coding and keeping my Mac tidy.
20 July 2026
Mac Studio M5 UK: M5 Max or M5 Ultra, Which to Buy
The Mac Studio M5 is on sale in the UK from £2,499. M5 Max vs M5 Ultra, what each upgrade really costs, and which chip most people should buy.
16 July 2026
macOS Golden Gate Public Beta: What's New, How to Install
The macOS Golden Gate public beta is out. What's new in macOS 27, which Macs can run it, how to install the beta safely, and whether you should.
16 July 2026
The Apple Intel Chip Deal Was the Price of Dodging 100% Tariffs
The Apple Intel chip deal traces back to a 100% tariff threat and a meeting in Washington. Here is what the WSJ report reveals and why it matters.
11 July 2026
ChatGPT's New Mac App Bundles Codex and GPT-5.6
OpenAI's new ChatGPT Mac app bundles Codex, ChatGPT Work and the new GPT-5.6 models. Here's what it means for Mac users.
10 July 2026
Upcoming Apple Products 2026: What Shipped, What's Left
The September event has landed - iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, Watch Series 12, AirPods 5. Here's what's out and what Apple still has to ship in 2026.
3 July 2026
Wispr Flow Alternative: Why I Cancelled It for FluidVoice (Free Mac App)
FluidVoice is a free, on-device Wispr Flow alternative for Mac. Why I switched, plus how to use Apple's Mac dictation and fix it when it breaks.
29 June 2026
Apple Price Increase 2026: Every Mac and iPad Affected
The full list of Apple price rises in 2026 — every Mac, iPad and accessory affected by the memory shortage, and the models that stayed the same.
26 June 2026
macOS Golden Gate Icons: What Changed From Tahoe
A closer look at the macOS Golden Gate icons and how Apple reworked colour, sharpness and Liquid Glass refraction since macOS Tahoe.
22 June 2026
macOS 27 Drops Intel Macs: Is Your Mac Cut Off in 2026?
macOS 27 Golden Gate is Apple silicon only. Check whether your Mac is on the list, what happens to Intel Macs, and what to do now it has shipped.
4 June 2026
10 Hidden Mac Apps Apple Ships but Never Mentions
Apple ships a folder of hidden Mac apps it never promotes. Here are 10 worth knowing, from Keychain Access to Wireless Diagnostics.
3 June 2026
Microsoft Is Making Office 2019 for Mac View-Only
Microsoft is dropping Office 2019 for Mac into view-only mode on 13 July 2026. Here is what changes and how to keep editing.
31 May 2026
Mac Auto Power On: Skip the Button in macOS Tahoe 26.5
Set your Mac mini, Mac Studio, or iMac to auto power on when connected to power. New macOS Tahoe 26.5 feature explained.
25 May 2026
Mac mini Price Increase 2026: Which Model to Buy Now
The 2026 Mac mini price increase is here: the M4 model is retired and the M6 starts at £899. Which Mac mini to buy now, and which to skip.
5 May 2026
MacBook Neo Shortage: Why Apple Ran Out of A18 Pro Chips
The MacBook Neo is selling so fast Apple is running out of A18 Pro chips. Here's why the shortage happened and what comes next.
27 April 2026
What Makes a Mac a Mac? What the £599 MacBook Neo Tells Us
The MacBook Neo forces one real question: what makes a Mac a Mac? Here's what Apple kept, what it cut, and why the answer works.
16 April 2026
Claude Dispatch: Turn Your iPhone Into a Mac Remote
Claude Dispatch turns your phone into a remote for your Mac. Here's why mobile-driven desktop agents change how you set up your tools.
7 April 2026
How Apple Could Have Saved the Mac Pro (and Why It Didn't)
The Mac Pro arrived at the worst possible moment - and Apple's cancelled Extreme chip shows the fundamental problem with where the Mac Pro goes next.
31 March 2026
Mac Pro Discontinued 2026: Why Apple Killed Its Flagship
Apple has officially discontinued the Mac Pro. Here's why the writing was on the wall for years - and what it means if you're a pro Mac user.
27 March 2026
MacBook Neo Review 2026: Is the Cheapest Mac Worth It?
MacBook Neo review: I used the £699 Mac as my only machine for a week. What it nails, where Apple cut corners, and who should skip it.
12 March 2026
Apple's Big Week: MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, and M5 Macs
Everything Apple announced this week - MacBook Neo with an A18 Pro chip, iPhone 17e with MagSafe, M5 MacBook Air and Pro, and the new Studio Display XDR.
5 March 2026
10 Best Free Mac Apps You Should Be Using in 2026
These are the 10 best free Mac apps I use every day to boost productivity, tidy up macOS, and make my Mac worth the price tag.
24 February 2026
How I Built a Minimalist Desk Setup in a Garden Office
A full tour of my minimalist desk setup in a 4x3m garden office, featuring a MacBook Pro M4, Apple Studio Display, and the gear I use daily.
28 October 2025
How I Turned a 2015 iMac 5K Into a Monitor
I converted my old 2015 iMac 5K into a working external monitor using a converter board. Here is exactly how I did it and what it cost.
3 April 2024