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Alex Blake

Alex Blake

Computing Writer

In ancient times, people like Alex would have been shunned for their nerdy ways and strange opinions on cheese. Today, he fits right in at Digital Trends, where he writes about all things Apple, from the latest devices to ongoing developments and everything in between. He’s loved tech ever since he realized video games were about as fun as real people, but easier to manage and much cheaper.

He was first drawn to Apple thanks to its combination of beautiful design and aspirational price tags that helped remind him of his place somewhere between grunt and serf. He’s written for brands like TechRadar, GamesRadar and MacFormat, and runs a popular blog dedicated to EA’s FIFA series. They say that if the wind’s just right and you really listen hard enough, you can hear him ranting about FIFA’s career mode from anywhere in the world.

A person using a laptop with a set of code seen on the display.

In the age of ChatGPT, Macs are under malware assault

ChatGPT is changing the world, but is it giving hackers new tools to make malicious Mac malware? We interviewed a new Mac security outfit to find out.
Computing Features
An iPhone on a table with the Siri activation animation playing on the screen.

Apple has been secretly working on a ChatGPT rival for years

Apple has been developing a ChatGPT rival for years, Tim Cook says. The admission hints that the company could launch its own chatbot sooner rather than later.
Computing News
The Siri activation animation on an iPhone running iOS 14.

Apple’s ChatGPT rival is reportedly ‘significantly behind competitors’

Apple is working on a ChatGPT rival but it’s many years away from release. That’s according to a new report, which suggests Apple has a long way to catch up.
Computing News
The Facebook app icon on an iPhone home screen, with other app icons surrounding it.

Facebook might get chatbots — and that could be a problem

A new report claims Facebook will soon get chatbots with personalities, but concerns have been raised over the implications for privacy and misinformation.
Computing News
A man wears Apple Vision Pro.

The next Vision Pro could let you see invisible energy

A new patent shows Apple is working on letting the Vision Pro headset visualize invisible energy like Wi-Fi signals and radio waves. Here’s how it could work.
Computing News
A hacker typing on an Apple MacBook laptop while holding a phone. Both devices show code on their screens.

Hackers are using AI to create vicious malware, says FBI

AI tools like ChatGPT are being used to create malware and fuel terrorist activity, says the FBI, in a potentially worrying sign for future cybersecurity.
Computing News
The Arc web browser running on macOS Ventura, showing the tab sidebar on the left.

I tried the trendy new Arc browser — and this one feature blew my mind

A brand-new browser just dropped that does things totally differently from what you’re used to. One feature in particular is unlike anything I’ve seen before.
Computing Features
Google Drive in Chrome on a MacBook.

Google is creating ‘internet surveillance DRM,’ critics say

Google’s new project could be misused to prevent ad blocking and destroy rival browsers, critics say. Google argues it is fighting for privacy. Who is right?
Computing News
A person plays a game on the Apple Vision Pro.

Apple’s Vision Pro could get this incredible gaming upgrade

Apple’s Vision Pro headset might soon get advanced haptic controls, turning your hands into controllers and leveling up your virtual reality gaming experience.
Computing News
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed on a desk.

Apple may be working on a crazy modular MacBook with 3 screens

Future MacBooks could be modular devices made up of multiple displays and keyboards connected in almost any arrangement, an unusual new Apple patent suggests.
Computing News
A laptop screen shows the home page for ChatGPT, OpenAI's artificial intelligence chatbot.

Even OpenAI has given up trying to detect ChatGPT plagiarism

AI chatbot ChatGPT can be used to craft well-hidden plagiarism, yet its maker OpenAI has just shut down the very tool it created to detect AI-written content.
Computing News
An Apple MacBook Pro 14 sits open on a table.

Want an M3 Max MacBook Pro? There’s a lengthy wait ahead

Apple’s high-end MacBook Pro with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips might not launch until mid-2024, with the M3 Mac mini facing an even longer delay. Here’s why.
Computing News
A comparison of two images in macOS Ventura. The image on the left is the original, while the image on the right has had its background removed using a Quick Action.

This hidden menu has forever changed how I use my Mac

I recently came across a hidden macOS feature that has saved me a ton of time on my Mac -- and it could do the same for you. Here’s what it is and how it works.
Computing Features
Apple's John Ternus stands next to an image of the 15-inch MacBook Air at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2023.

Report: Apple’s 2024 MacBooks may face some serious shortages

A new report suggests Apple’s 2024 MacBooks could be hard to come by, all due to a planned chip factory in the U.S. struggling to hire enough skilled workers.
Computing News
The Apple Vision Pro reveals the wearer's eyes on a front-facing display.

Apple’s next Vision Pro may send you on a mood-altering trip

A freshly granted patent shows Apple is working on letting its Vision Pro headset alter your mood at the touch of a button. Could we see it in the near future?
Computing News
Apple iGlasses

Apple’s secret AR glasses may have this genius feature for glasses users

Everyone’s talking about Apple’s Vision Pro headset, but the company’s future AR glasses could solve a key problem for glasses users with this genius feature.
Computing News
Fortnite running on a Macbook M1.

The M3 MacBook Pro may launch sooner than anyone expected

A new report claims Apple will launch its M3 MacBook Pro in the third quarter of 2023, which is much sooner than expected. But can you trust its claims?
Computing News
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed on a desk.

M3 Macs may launch this year — with a surprising addition

Apple may launch a stack of new M3 Macs in October, just months after the company brought out computers packing the M2 chip. Here’s why they’re coming so soon.
Computing News
Google Bard on a green and black background.

Google Bard can now speak, but can it drown out ChatGPT?

Google has granted its Bard chatbot the power of speech. Will it be enough to overcome ChatGPT, or will Bard struggle to take the artificial intelligence crown?
Computing News
A hacker typing on an Apple MacBook laptop while holding a phone. Both devices show code on their screens.

Ransomware attacks have spiked massively. Here’s how to stay safe

Criminal gangs are raking in huge profits from ransomware attacks compared to 2022, but other methods have seen precipitous drops in revenue. What’s going on?
Computing News
Craig Federighi introducing macOS Sonoma at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2023.

macOS Sonoma public beta review: more than just screensavers

Apple’s latest desktop operating system, macOS Sonoma, has just launched into public beta. Should you install it on your Mac? Our hands-on review dives in.
Computing Reviews
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU.

Did Nvidia just fix the RTX 4090’s melting power connectors?

There have been reports of Nvidia’s graphics card connectors melting for months, but the company might have just found a fix for its super-powered RTX 4090 GPU.
Computing News
Man using a 24-inch M1 iMac.

Apple’s 32-inch M3 iMac could be facing yet another delay

Want a new iMac with a super-powered M3 chip? You’d better be patient, because Apple has apparently delayed it -- and a larger 32-inch model -- until next year.
Computing News
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air on a desk, with macOS Sonoma running on its display.

How macOS Sonoma could fix widgets — or make them even worse

Apple has been experimenting with Mac widgets for years and is giving them another go in macOS Sonoma. I’m excited -- but there’s a lot that could go wrong.
Computing Features
A person tries on an Apple Vision Pro mixed reality headset in an Apple Store, with an Apple employee alongside them.

There’s a bunch of bad news about Apple’s Vision Pro headset

Getting the Vision Pro headset ready to launch is giving Apple a host of problems, from customer discomfort to slow international rollouts, a new report claims.
Computing News
nvidia rtx 4060 review 01

RTX 4060 Ti 16GB launches July 18 amid desperate price cuts

Nvidia is about to launch a 16GB model of the RTX 4060 Ti, rumors claim. But will it prove popular amid poor sales of mid-range GPUs from both Nvidia and AMD?
Computing News
Craig Ferguson introducing Mac Gaming at WWDC.

Apple just gave Mac gamers a big reason to be excited

Apple could soon launch a Mac gaming revolution, and a quiet update to a developer toolkit shows exactly why gamers should be very excited for the future.
Computing News
Apple's 15-inch MacBook Air placed on a desk.

Intel chips held back the 15-inch MacBook Air, Apple says

Apple has claimed the 15-inch MacBook Air might not exist if it wasn’t for its own Apple silicon chips, in an apparent jab at Intel’s past processor efforts.
Computing News
The Mac Studio and Studio Display on a desk.

Your next Mac monitor could have this genius new feature

Apple has been working on a slate of secret Mac monitors, according to a new leak, and one of them could be a clever addition to Apple’s product lineup.
Computing News
The Caviar 18-karat gold version of Apple's Vision Pro headset with its front plate in place, seen from the side.

This $40K Vision Pro mod adds 18K gold to Apple’s headset

Apple’s Vision Pro is super expensive, but one company has just revealed an 18-karat version costing a cool $40,000. It takes the price to absurd new heights.
Computing News
Three iPhones side-by-side show the Apollo app for Reddit. On-screen are messages allowing users to decline a refund for their subscription, a thank you message, and a set of special wallpapers.

The final days of Apollo bring a surge of support in protest of Reddit

Apollo subscribers will be able to decline a refund after the app shuts down, in order to protest the heavy-handed tactics Reddit deployed against client apps.
Computing News
A laptop screen shows the home page for ChatGPT, OpenAI's artificial intelligence chatbot.

81% think ChatGPT is a security risk, survey finds

An overwhelming majority of people responding to a Malwarebytes survey worry that ChatGPT is a security risk, with many also finding it deeply untrustworthy.
Computing News
A slide of Xcode running on MacOS Monterey at Apple's WWDC 2021 event

Apple’s ChatGPT rival may automatically write code for you

Apple might be poised to enter the artificial intelligence chatbot race, but not in the way you’d expect. Here’s how the company could take on ChatGPT.
Computing News
The Apple Vision Pro reveals the wearer's eyes on a front-facing display.

Vision Pro 2: everything we expect from the future of Apple’s headsets

Apple will follow up the Vision Pro headset with a new high-end version and a cheaper model. But what will they be like? Here’s everything you need to know.
Computing Guides
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