eXtensions - Saturday 21 March 2025
By Graham K. Rogers
A group of 4 Mahidol students will be heading soon to Ireland to take part in the Invent for the Planet finale. This week an atypical note from Apple urged users to update to the latest OS versions to protect from attacks. Ordering and delivery notifications for Apple purchases have changed in recent years here, suggesting differences in Apple's logistics. MacBook Neo devices have now reached their owners and some interesting observations have appeared.
This year Invent for the Planet was held at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, over the weekend of 27 February - 1 March. The winning students were from the Kung Kung group (kung is the Thai word for shrimp). They came from the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Science. Full information about the group and their idea were submitted to the Invent for the Planet organizers.
This week it was announced that an international panel of judges had selected the Mahidol "Kung Kung" group as one of the teams to make a presentation at the Invent for the Planet finale. This was to have been held in Doha, but due to the unstable conditions in the region, it was quickly relocated and the Atlantic Technology University (ATC) in the Republic of Ireland has stepped up to the plate and offered to host events at their Galway and Mayo campuses in the beautiful west of Ireland.
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With the release of the 26.2 update Apple's OS versions immininent following the appearance of release versions for developers, Apple is also issuing warnings to users of older devices that will not take iOS 26. It is strongly suggested that they take advantage of the recent release of pre-OS26 software, which contain security updates that cover serious security risks.
Dorset Eye include the concerns of spokesperson Sarah O'Rourke and quote security experts within their text. Particularly noted are Darksword and Coruna (both spyware) which "can harvest a wide range of sensitive data, including emails, usernames, passwords, personal photographs, and even cryptocurrency wallet details". I cite Dorset Eye rather than a technical publication as an indication of how seriously these threats are being taken by a wider range of content providers.
As a further example, Zac Hall (9to5Mac) also covers this and links to the Apple Support Document. Jonny Evans (Apple Must) writes that Apple rarely does this, so it matters. He adds, "The fact Apple has made this rare warning means you should take it seriously, particularly as the company also released its first Background Security Improvement this week." Convinced yet?
I am speculating, but Apple seems to have changed the logistics of deliveries for products ordered online for those in Thailand. A few years ago when a new device like the iPhone or a MacBook Pro was ordered one could see the relatively slow progress as the product went from China through to Customs at the airport here, then again slowly out for delivery, eventually arriving in my hands. That was changed a few years ago so that instead of the long track from China, it became a shorter sprint from Singapore.
I guessed that the goods were mass delivered to the extensive premises Apple maintains in Singapore and from there distributed by courier services to countries in the region. There was also a certain improvement in efficiency, particularly after the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport (2006) and the computerized customs system that was introduced.
In the last year or so, this has become much more streamlined. I notice that when ordering something from Apple, whether it be an iPhone an iPhone case, an Apple Watch and now the MacBook Neo, initially the progress bar on the store shows only Processing. I ordered the MacBook Neo on Tuesday and so far nothing has happened. The green line has stuck resolutely at processing and the date for delivery between 24 and 27 of March has also stayed the same. If delivery is to be made starting on the 24th, then shipping must occur over the weekend from 20 to 23 March.
I now suspect that instead of starting the separate courier deliveries from Singapore, any devices ordered are shipped en masse from Singapore to Thailand brackets (in my case) for courier delivery to be arranged locally. That would explain why the iPhone. for example, suddenly appeared as Shipping and was in my hands within a day or so. I am looking forward to having my MacBook Neo delivered early next week.
I had been checking for the availability of the MacBook Neo in Thailand almost every day and noted that a Bangkok Post report on the recent announcements suggested this would be released here in mid-March. Early Tuesday morning (17 March) I checked the online store again and saw that although the Order button was now blue, the availability for store and delivery had not changed. A few hours later, I saw an email advertisement from the local Power Buy retail outlet offering the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro. Just below were the MacBook Neo and M5 MacBook Air. I went back to the Apple online store. This time the availability had changed and the Order button was live. The MacBook Neo should arrive in a couple of days time.
I am more than intrigued by this device and the approach by Apple to tap different sectors of the market. Reviews have almost all been positive, with some minor negative comments (screen, storage, memory). I also want to see how this performs in a real life situation. I am sure it will waltz through normal tasks like browsing, writing, and presentations, but I will try and push it further, particularly with my photography needs. I will link the Photo library using iCloud so all my images are available to me. iCloud will also allow me access to the files on other devices, with the MacBook Pro as a central depository: if it is on that Mac, it is available on all my other devices.
I intend to set it up as a new device and will then install a selection of software. iWork apps of course, Photomator, and I will also download some of the apps I regularly use, such as BBEdit and VueScan. If I can use it to scan negatives and upload files to the internet, that will give me greater flexibility. If something works on the M1 MacBook Pro, it should also work on the MacBook Neo despite the lower memory. As an additional note on that flexibility, I always run my Macs with an Admin account (this is needed), but work in an ordinary User account. If I need to install any software, I have to (consciously) type in Admin details. Some tasks can only be done from Admin. The setup also means that, unlike the iPad Pro, I can add other accounts, including temporary accounts for students without the need to fear access to personal information.
The MacBook Neo is being touted by some as a Windows killer, although some tasks are possible on software developed only for Windows systems. Ryan Christoffel (9to5Mac) reports that Tim Cook has mentioned that the recent releases have given Apple one of the best release experiences for a while, with a new record among first-time Mac buyers. Lee Morris from FStoppers went out an bought a $659 Asus machine to run a back-to-back comparison: Mac v Windows. While some tasks are fairly equal, the MacBook Neo scores highly on build quality and its lack of bulk. He also notes the better trackpad on the Neo and the superior battery life.
Not that I am recommending this, but Marcus Mendes reports on an upgrade carried out by YouTuber, DirectorFeng, on a MacBook Neo, that increases the 256GB storage to 1TB. This of course voids the warranty, but it is an interesting exercise and shows the potential of this new platform depending on how Apple develops it down the road. Not for the faint of heart, DirectorFeng removes the original chip "then solders in a 1TB replacement". He is apparently not the first.
The M5 iPad Pro has been out for a while and Alex Cooke (FStoppers) has some thoughts about his use of the device. I was drawn to the article by the second sentence of his opening, "I've been using it daily for the past two months, and it has become an indispensable part of how I create, consume, and work." This sums up my experience with (initially) the 11" M1 iPad Pro and its replacement the M4. I like to remind readers that I already had the money put by for the M3 iPad Pro, but Apple surprised us all by skipping that and releasing the M4. I am working on it now.
Cooke outlines the specifications, then (as befits a photography site) has a good look at the display. I would add that following a MotoGP race on this is far superior than on my current MacBook Pro or my television. Such clarity. Such sharpness. Just what a photographer needs. Naturally, he also takes some time to look at performance. The M4 is superb. The M5 of course tops that with its memory upgrades and faster read/write speeds. He also notes how the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil transform the device. I noticed on the M1 version how the folio keyboard improved input, then on the M4, I upgraded to the Magic Keyboard which was a leap.
I do note that the cover of my M4 iPad Pro is beginning to fray a little round the edges, but not as badly as the Folio keyboard on the M1 device. The Apple Pencil is an essential tool for editing the papers and student writing submissions that are a large part of my life. Cooke's longish examination of the 13" M5 iPad Pro is worth taking time over. The difference here is that this outlines how a device is used, not the "What'll she do?" of benchmarks and chip speeds.
Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. After 3 years writing a column in the Life supplement, he is now no longer associated with the Bangkok Post. He can be followed on X (@extensions_th). The RSS feed for the articles is http://www.extensions.in.th/ext_link.xml - copy and paste into your feed reader. No AI was used in writing this item.
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