Lowyat.NET: Latest topics in Apple Byte

suggestion for old imacs,

pandah — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:43:31 +0800

Good day everyone, so i have 2 old imac, a 27inch mid 2011 and a 21.5inch late 2015 4k retina iinm, retired by someone i know that no longer needs them.

For the 2011 imac, the hdd smart status is failing, otherwise it still functions as normal.
the os is high sierra and can not be updated anymore.

For the 2015 imac, it is all good, also with hdd, smart is verified.
the os is also high sierra, supposedly it can be updated to monterey, but monterey will need a newer file system which is bad when using hdd?

I read about opencore but i am really unfamilar with mac software so it would be a challenge

Or put linux on them? since even the opencore supported os seems to be outdated as well?
I am not sure where to find the driver for these imacs.

I also read that it can be made into monitor by gutting the unit and put a display driver board, but that could be a little more demanding.

Would like to heard if anyone has any good outcome repurposing old units. Thanks

Speak Chinese but can't read or type?, ISO iPhone Users to Test App

TOWO — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 02:48:16 +0800

Hi everyone!

I've been developing an iPhone translation keyboard app called **TOWO**.

The idea came from my own experience. I can speak Chinese, but I struggle to read and type it. When chatting with Chinese-speaking friends, I often have to switch between WhatsApp or WeChat and Google Translate.

So I decided to build something that makes the process easier.

**What TOWO does:**
- Translate between English and Chinese directly from the keyboard without switching apps.
- Paste incoming messages to translate and understand them.
- Show Pinyin to help users read Chinese.
- Rewrite messages to sound more natural.

It's still in beta, and I'm looking for a few Malaysian iPhone users to test it and give me honest feedback.

**TestFlight beta:**
If you're interested in trying TOWO, just leave a comment or send me a PM, and I'll share the TestFlight invitation link with you.

**Requirements:** iPhone running iOS 26.2 or later.

The beta is free. I'm not selling anything or asking for subscriptions. I'm mainly interested in finding out whether this solves a real problem for others like me.

I'd appreciate feedback on usability, translation quality, and anything that feels confusing or unnecessary.

Thanks for checking it out!

https://pictr.com/images/2026/10/14/x3Osnu.md.jpg

[2026] HomePod mini 2 with Siri AI,

westlife — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:16:28 +0800

Reserved…

[2026] Apple TV 4K,

westlife — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:15:01 +0800

Reserved…

[2026] 'HomeView' Smart Home Hub,

westlife — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:12:53 +0800

Reserved….

Screen time issue with google.com,

sitescope — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:25:23 +0800

Hi
I setup downtime in screen time menu.
'Always allowed' every apps except tiktok n utube.
No apps defined in 'App limit'
Off 'content n privacy restrictions'
Set 'web content' to unrestricted

When downtime is effective, open safari and google something, it will show 'time limit' reached limit in google.com

Chatgpt has teached few steps but still failed.
Anyone can helps?

(WTA) HomePod Mini unable to reset,

mahavilvam — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:57:24 +0800

Hi Bros
i have a home pod mini which was set using a diffrnet apple id .i try to reset it to connect to my id and device but i am unable to do it. Is theter any advice on this pleae.

Thnak you .

Mac mini vs Apple Tv,

NightKernel — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:59:59 +0800

Im thinking to buy apple tv but when look at mac mini it seems it can do more thing than apple tv.

Which to buy for my tv.

iphone cable, iphone cable and adapter

MXTK — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 22:39:18 +0800

WTS iphone cable(Lightning to USB Cable (1m), and iphone apater 5v. original and never use,new set. inbox ask information

[2026] All-New Studio Display XDR,

westlife — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:44:47 +0800

Reserved..........

Question on Apple Care vs Distributor Warranty, Asking Opinion

Phonzy — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:46:08 +0800

hi there, sometimes when we buy our apple products from other distributors other than the official apple store they will always sell you their in house insurance ya?

was wondering which would u guys usually pick? they will always push their shops insurance as i assume they get more commission

is it better? such as those insurance sold by machines , harvey norman etc

or apple care superior?

[2026] New AirTag,

westlife — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:52:47 +0800

Reserved…

Automatic keyword highlighter, Safari browser extension

Sanz10 — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:47:14 +0800

Hi everyone,

[YOUTUBE]soqX-6p5MXQ[/YOUTUBE]

Check out this Safari browser extension that automatically highlights keywords on websites. The built-in language model searches for relevant keywords and highlights them fully automatically. It is especially optimized for reading online academic articles but it works on scrolling and dynamic sites as well. It's completely free without any paywalls or ads and compliant with the strict data privacy policies by the respective browsers. Test how much faster you can read with it. Thank you and have a wonderful day.

Search for "Texcerpt" on your Mac App store or download from App store

[2025] Vision Pro with M5 Chip,

westlife — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 22:02:44 +0800

reserved…

Apple Offers and Discounts Threads,

Ricky Ling — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:39:40 +0800

Apple hardly discounted their products in the past. Lately, things change, Apple keep offering discount for current and past products throughout the year. Thus, it is time for a thread dedicated to Apple offering and discount prices.

My first contribution is offerings from IT World from 24 - 27 July, 2025 as listed in the table below:

[attachmentid=11516413]

PS: Apple MY currently is offering educational discount to Malaysian students and teachers in case you want to buy products from Apple website.

[attachmentid=11516389]

IPTV Player for IOS, iPhone iPad AppleTV

sonypshomer — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 08:57:53 +0800

I've been searching high and low for IPTV player that is free, no ads and doesn't force you to buy their monthly premium subscription and pro version every few swipes and clicks. Which almost every one of them does that in the apps store.

And i found one:-

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cloud-stream-...er/id1138002135

It doesn't support EPG yet, but that's ok. You can add any playlist and it plays almost everything.

Demo

[dailymotion]x9lgpb6[/dailymotion]

Anyway feel free to suggest, if you found any good one.

Fix Iphone 13 Pro/Max Green screen w/o replacing,

HasselBerd — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 20:16:34 +0800

Hello. I got this secondhand iphone 13 pro max that has its screen turned green 2 months after i bought it. It flicker to normal screen at random times.
Do yall know a person or a friend of a person in Malaysia who fixes this without having to replace the whole screen? like who knows how to identify different screen issues and like measure the voltages and fix using jumper wire?

The closest i have seen is this guy from Myanmar. Võ Quang Hiệp. Look at his pinned post in Facebook and he had this guide that only a technician can understand.

Iphone Keyboard Bugs?,

BurBurChaCha — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 10:53:25 +0800

This is my first time using an iOS phone, which is an iPhone 16 Pro, and it has already been used for 6 months. I’ve noticed that the keyboard sound is sometimes really loud, sometimes normal, and sometimes very soft. Is this a bug or an issue with my phone?

Malay language will be added on ios 18.2, apple intelligence

art6969 — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:32:02 +0800

"Luckily, future updates to Apple Intelligence are set to include expanded language choices, and it's promising to see languages like Malay being considered."

iPhone 16 pro max back cracked, HELPPPP

Nutbeater69 — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 19:47:14 +0800

Dropped my phone and the back got cracked…

May I know how long does it need to get repair if I book an appointment at TRX? And roughly how much? Anyone has the same issue as me?

Will it repair the same day?