everyone, just a heads-up about a significant change that appears to be on the horizon for the next major version of macOS.

I've come across information indicating that macOS 28 will no longer support encrypted Mac OS Extended (HFS+) volumes. This means that any external drives, USB sticks, or disk images that are formatted as HFS+ and use FileVault (or the legacy disk encryption) will not be mountable or accessible in the new OS.

What you need to know:

1. The Cutoff: Support for these encrypted volumes is being dropped entirely in macOS 28.
2. What's Affected: Any drive formatted as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted)".
3. The Action Required: You will need to migrate your data before upgrading.

What should you do?
If you have any encrypted HFS+ drives, your best bet is to decrypt them first (by turning off encryption in Disk Utility) and then reformat them as APFS (Encrypted). Alternatively, you could back up the data elsewhere, reformat the drive to APFS Encrypted, and copy the data back.

This is a pretty big shift, so I wanted to get the word out early. It gives everyone plenty of time to sort out their external storage before the upgrade.

Has anyone else heard similar confirmation? Or does anyone have a good workflow for migrating a large encrypted HFS+ archive without needing a second drive of the same size?

Let's discuss!

So your 1TB external hard drive won't turn on – no lights, no sounds, nothing. This happens more often than you'd think, and in many cases, the data is still recoverable. Here's a systematic guide to troubleshoot and (hopefully) fix the issue without losing your files.

Step 1: The Physical Connection Check

Start with the simple stuff before panicking about hardware failure.

Check power delivery:

• If your drive has an external power adapter, make sure it's securely plugged into both the drive and a working wall outlet. Verify it's the correct voltage and amperage for your model.
• For USB-powered drives, try connecting to a different USB port – preferably one directly on your computer (avoid USB hubs). Some ports may not provide enough power.
• Try a different USB cable. Even if the cable looks fine, internal damage can cause power issues.

Test on another computer: If the drive works on a different machine, the problem is with your computer's USB port or drivers, not the drive itself.

Step 2: Check Device Recognition

Sometimes the drive is actually getting power but isn't being recognized properly.

For Windows users:

• Press Win + X and open Disk Management. See if the drive appears there (even if it says "RAW" or "Unallocated").
• Check Device Manager under "Disk Drives." If the drive has a yellow exclamation mark, there's likely a driver issue.
• If the drive appears in Disk Management but not File Explorer, try assigning it a new drive letter.

For Mac users:

• Open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities). If the drive appears but is grayed out, click "Mount".
• Try running First Aid to repair any file system issues.

Step 3: Update or Reinstall Drivers (Windows)

If the drive is detected but not working properly:

1. Open Device Manager (Windows + X > Device Manager).
2. Expand "Disk Drives" and right-click your external drive.
3. Select "Uninstall device" (not just Update driver – full reinstall often works better).
4. Unplug the drive and restart your computer.
5. Plug the drive back in – Windows should reinstall drivers automatically.

Step 4: Power Management Fix (Windows)

Windows power settings can sometimes cut power to USB devices:

1. Open Device Manager > expand "Universal Serial Bus controllers."
2. Right-click "USB Root Hub" > Properties > Power Management.
3. Uncheck "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power".

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Okay folks, the wait is over for the public beta testers. Apple just dropped the first public beta of macOS 27 Golden Gate, and the big headline is Siri AI finally arriving on the Mac.

I’ve been running the dev beta for a bit, but here’s the gist for anyone thinking about jumping in:

🆕 What’s new:

• Siri AI is integrated with Spotlight (Cmd+Space). It can hold natural conversations, understand context, see what’s on your screen, and access personal data across apps without you repeating yourself. There’s also a dedicated Siri app now that syncs chat history via iCloud.
• Apple Intelligence is everywhere – “Write with Siri” can generate/rewrite/proofread text across apps, and Visual Intelligence lets Siri answer questions about what’s on your display.
• App upgrades: Safari gets auto-tab organization + natural language extension creation, Shortcuts can build automations from plain English, and Photos has new AI editing tools.
• Liquid Glass design gets a transparency slider (finally!) to adjust the effect intensity. Better readability, clearer active/inactive window separation, and cleaner sidebars.
• Performance boost – faster app launches, smoother animations, quicker search in Spotlight/Mail/Messages. Apple claims even older supported Macs will see improvements.

⚠️ Caveats:

• Backup your Mac first – it’s still beta, so expect bugs and app compatibility issues.
• Apple Intelligence features (including Siri AI) require Apple Silicon – Intel Macs are out of luck for the AI stuff.

💻 How to install:

1. Sign in to the Apple Beta Software Program with your Apple ID.
2. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.
3. Click Beta Updates and select “macOS 27 Golden Gate Public Beta”.
4. Install the update.

If you’re already on the latest dev beta, you won’t see a new build – it’s the same one.

🤔 My take: The Siri AI integration is a game-changer for productivity if you’re in the Apple ecosystem. The performance tweaks are noticeable even on my M2 Air. But be prepared for some rough edges – the Liquid Glass slider is cool but still feels beta-ish in some apps.

Anyone else downloading this today? What’s the first thing you’re testing? Let’s share our bug reports and workarounds here.

Just came across a piece from News18 that claims Apple's iPhone 18 Pro keynote could be moving up on the calendar. Figured I'd share and see what you all think. According to a "reliable industry source" cited in the report, Apple's September event – where the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to debut – might happen earlier than initially predicted.

• The previous consensus pointed to September 9 (Tuesday), but the new timeline suggests it could land on September 8 (Monday) instead.
• That said, the article also notes there's still some disagreement within the rumor mill about the exact date, so don't sharpen your pitchforks just yet – we'll know for sure when the official invites drop.

I accidentally quick-formatted my 128GB Sony UHS-II SD card while switching storage on my mirrorless camera. All my vacation footage from last week—split into "Coastal Trip Footage" and "City Vlog Recordings" folders—completely vanished after the format finished.

I haven't shot anything new or copied any files to the card since realizing the mistake, so no data has been overwritten yet. There's no trash or recycle bin on the camera or card itself to restore from.

When I plug the card into my Windows 11 laptop via a card reader, disk-checking tools show only a blank, formatted partition with no accessible media files.

Is there a reliable way to complete this recovery myself at home? I'm looking for a genuinely free solution—not freemium with hidden paywalls. Any advice would be much appreciated!