M1

The M1 Mac mini – A Short Review and Unboxing

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Mac mini M1

Edit: this post was supposed to come out last December, so yes it is very late. And I know we will likely have a new Mac mini in twenty four hours’ time.

Yes, it is true. The M1 Mac mini has been out for a full year. Why did I buy it now? Because the M1 Pro Mac mini did not materialize in 2021, and because I happened to have a good deal on the existing silver model.

I have yet to replace my main Mac with the Mac mini, and it is currently connected to my TV, but it happens to be the only desktop I have that runs Monterey, and it is a champ at that.

The Mac mini is silent, runs fast, and does all the M1 stuff I need it to do. I am just slightly regretting not getting the 512GB model now, but a TB3 drive should suffice for additional storage.

If you are thinking of buying one today in Feb 2022, I will wait until March to see if a M1 Pro Mac mini is out by then, and if that model is a better buy. A theoretical M2 successor to this Mac mini probably will not come until later this year.

Here are some unboxing photos.

Mac mini M1

Mac mini M1

Mac mini M1

Apple Silicon M1 MacBook Air (Late 2020) Unboxing

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I borrowed an M1-powered MacBook Air from my relative for this unboxing.

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If you have been paying attention to the recent MacBook Airs, this unboxing is going to look exactly the same as the ones that came before.

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The keyboard has the only obvious physical change with these few key changes.

Battery life

I have not taken out the power adapter from the box yet, but have already installed the 11.0.1 update. It took more than 20 mins, and I noticed the battery percentage did not change even after the update has been completed. After playing with the MacBook Air for more than an hour in total, the battery percentage only dropped like 2-3%. Take note that I did not push the MacBook Air hard, nor did I do any benchmarks since those are all over the internet already, but this thing is fast and snappy! And the battery life is incredible.

The state of iOS apps on Apple Silicon macOS

It appears more than just a few developers have chosen to block their iOS apps from appearing from the Mac App Store, either because they already have a macOS version and obviously they want to make money from those, or they are just bent on not giving macOS users access to their apps. Possible reasons could be because their apps are “not ready for macOS yet”, or maybe because they will lose out on a lot more tracking info if users chose to use their apps instead of their websites. Whatever it is, none of the third party apps that I use on a daily basis are available on macOS, and that sucks. Maybe Apple was wrong to give the developers that choice in the first place. Developers who are lazy and want more money but do not want to do the extra work.

However, from recent reports it seems that you may actually be able to install iOS apps not available on the Mac App Store by executing their .ipa files directly. Worth a try I guess.

Conclusion

These are definitely the best Macs to have came out of Apple in probably the last two decades. Going Intel in 2006 might have allowed a lot more people to be exposed to Macs, but it also took away the uniqueness Macs have over the rest of the computing industry, with their RISC processors. With the M1 Macs Apple has regained its uniqueness and advantage over the rest of the traditional computing industry, and do not expect them to slow down anytime soon. Very soon the pathetic PC whiners are just going to claim that their old AF x86 platform architecture is superior because they say so, just like stupid Android people who still think they have the most powerful phones just because some manufacturers have to use massive cooling solutions for their shitty designs. Well idiots will be idiots and there are so many idiots in the PC industry that it is not even funny.

Should you buy an M1 Mac now?

The usual answer applies – buy only if you need a computer now. If not there will always be faster Macs in the future. If you have been waiting, especially for a MacBook Air, I think this is a good time to purchase it. The MacBook Pro, maybe not, since there are rumors that a 14-inch one is coming next year.

Apple Silicon Macs are Not Available to Buy in Singapore Just Yet

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This is not the first time IMDA has cause a delay in the purchasing of Macs in Singapore. Every time there is a significant change in the Mac’s innards or when something surprise drops (like the AirPods Pro), they are never available to order at the same time as the other countries. And this is definitely not Apple’s fault.

Now I have no idea of the process it takes to certify wireless devices locally, but I cannot imagine that the process is much longer in Singapore than in other bigger, more advanced countries. And I hate to wait.

If you know someone working in IMDA, or if you yourself are from IMDA, and are involved in the process, can you let me know? DM me on Twitter, email, or anything. I will read your email, delete it and pretend that I have no recollection of your existence or identity.

Also, I will love to hear from anyone interested in purchasing one of the three Macs Apple updated with Apple Silicon earlier today. Is the MacBook Air the must buy? Or will a Mac Mini as a supplementary desktop to test out Apple Silicon make more sense to you? I personally will not advise anyone to go for the 13 inch MacBook Pro since rumors are that an updated display (14 inch) is on the horizon. M1 (not the shitty telco) is so exciting.

Edit: The MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro are now available to order at 10am, 12th November. For some reason the Mac mini is still not available yet.

5G in Singapore with the iPhone 12 / Pro / mini / Max

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Screenshot 2020-10-31 at 8.38.50 PM

Now that you have decided which iPhone 12 you will purchase (or have already purchased one), the next thing that you are likely concerned about is the network service, for one of the headlining features of the iPhone 12 series is after all, 5G.

Sub-6GHz 5G in Singapore

All current iPhone 12 models that are not produced for the American market do not support mmWave, only sub–6GHz. In Singapore, the three main telcos, Singtel, M1 and Starhub (M1 and Starhub bidded as a joint entity) have won the two licenses available to build the nationwide 3.6GHz 5G network, and so it is likely that anyone looking for 5G services locally right now should expect that only the Big Three will offer it, for now at least.

If your main network is a MVNO (like mine is), please forget about 5G for the time being.

5G coverage, according to M1, Starhub and Singtel (accurate on 31st Oct 2020)

Here is M1’s coverage map.

Screenshot 2020-10-31 at 8.21.47 PM

Here is Starhub’s coverage map.

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It covers the following locations;

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And finally, here is Singtel’s coverage map.

Screenshot 2020-10-31 at 8.25.35 PMAreas in grey will only be live by March 2021

How much does 5G cost in Singapore?

Both Starhub and Singtel appears to only allow you access to 5G if you sign up for one of their postpaid plans that include 5G specifically, with all the shackles of traditional mobile plans.

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M1 is the only telco locally that seem to allow you to purchase 5G as a “booster pack” to their SIM-only plans with pricing structures similar to those of the local MVNOs.

Screenshot 2020-10-31 at 8.32.15 PM

Will you be going 5G? Or will you wait until the technology matures?

Registration of Interest for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus for all telcos

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If you have missed Apple’s preorders for the new iPhones last Saturday, or if you buy your annual iPhones from the local telcos like most of us, here are the various links for registering your interest to purchase this year’s iPhones.

Singtel

Starhub – Preorder closes 16th Sep, 12pm.

M1 – Registration now closed.

Unlike previous years, it seems like this year, at least for Starhub and M1, the telcos will be doing a staggered registration process where groups of customers will be invited to pre-purchase the iPhone online at differing time and dates, probably to prevent the annual server-crashing preorder load.

Singtel, Starhub, M1 Prices for iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c revealed!

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Finally the last two telcos revealed their prices for the new iPhones. Below are the price comparisons at the various plans. Images sourced from HWZ. Click on the images to view in full size.

Got questions about iOS 7 and the new iPhones? Visit sgmac.net today!

M1 and Singtel Price Plans for iPhone 5 in Singapore

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Ahhhh… After a horrible day yesterday I am now sure I am switching from Singtel to M1. Why? You ask. Cause I just can’t stand Singtel’s ways anymore. Everything wrong with Singtel reflects everything that is wrong with this country.

And here are the M1 prices.

And here are the Singtel prices, sourced from Lester Chan’s site. As usual, Singtel has the HIGHEST prices with the WORSE service. Singtel’s mobile internet is completely unusable in many places in town, even if there are full signal bars being shown.

iFlexi Plans

iFlexi Lite – SGD$39.90
2GB Data
100 Mins Outgoing Voice
800 SMS
iPhone 5 16GB Price: SGD$478
iPhone 5 32GB Price: SGD$598
iPhone 5 64GB Price: SGD$758

iFlexi Value – SGD$59.90
3GB Data
200 Mins Outgoing Voice
900 SMS
iPhone 5 16GB Price: SGD$198
iPhone 5 32GB Price: SGD$308
iPhone 5 64GB Price: SGD$468

iFlexi Plus – SGD$99.90
4GB Data
500 Mins Outgoing Voice
1,000 SMS
iPhone 5 16GB Price: Free
iPhone 5 32GB Price: SGD$48
iPhone 5 64GB Price: SGD$198

iFlexi Premium – SGD$205
12GB Data
2,000 Mins Outgoing Voice
2,500 SMS
iPhone 5 16GB Price: Free
iPhone 5 32GB Price: Free
iPhone 5 64GB Price: SGD$58

iPad 3rd Generation Singapore Launch at M1 Paragon

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Just some quick photos before I go to sleep.

And an iPad Launch won’t be an iPad Launch without scalpers, with a big bunch of them gathering at Starbucks after purchase to get paid by the big boss.

Oh and here’s my iPad.

P.S. I’m going to Singapore Polytechnic in the morning for the notebook sales. Anyone there tomorrow feel free to drop by the Apple booth (Sapura) to say hi. Not bringing my iPad though. :p

The 2011 M1 iPhone 4S Launch

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While I didn’t go to any of the launches myself, that doesn’t mean no one went to one on my behalf.

The guy arguably is a lousy photographer with a really outdated camera phone, but it beats having nothing at all.

Here’s two shots from the M1 Paragon Launch on the evening of the 27th.

And here’s the shot from the Ang Mo Kio Hub M1 Branch launch on the morning of the 28th.

These launches are always the same every year that it gets really boring to put any serious effort to reporting them. Unless, of course, you want to be engadget, or you have too much free time on your hands.

M1’s Prices and Launch Details for iPhone 4S in Singapore

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Was really waiting for all carriers to come up with their prices before posting this, but I guess I can’t be bothered to wait for Starhub.

M1 was the earliest with their prices, and these were released since last Friday.

M1’s launch is a first come first served event at 12am at the usual Paragon M1 shop, with no web preorders allowed until the 28th itself, unlike Starhub and Singtel.

Other M1 shops will start selling the iPhone 4S at 7am on 28th October 2011.

More information at here.