''MacLife'' (stylized as ''Mac, Life'') is an American monthly magazine published by
Future US. It focuses on the
Macintosh
The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...
personal computer and related products, including the
iPad
The iPad is a brand of iOS and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple Inc. The iPad was conceived before the related iPhone but the iPhone was developed and released first. Speculation about the development, operating ...
and
iPhone. It’s sold as a print product on newsstands, and an interactive and animated app edition through the
App Store
An App Store (or app marketplace) is a type of digital distribution platform for computer software called applications, often in a mobile context. Apps provide a specific set of functions which, by definition, do not include the running of the c ...
.
Between September 1996 and February 2007, the magazine was known as ''MacAddict''.
History
''MacLife'' is one of two successor magazines to the defunct ''
CD-ROM Today''. First published in 1993 by Imagine Publishing (now
Future US), ''CD-ROM Today'' was targeted at both
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ser ...
and
Macintosh
The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...
users, and each issue shipped with a
CD-ROM of
shareware and
demo
Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to:
Music and film
*Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release
* ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes
* ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
programs. In August 1996, ''CD-ROM Today'' ceased publication, with two magazines taking its place: ''MacAddict'' for Macintosh users, and ''boot'' (now ''
Maximum PC
''Maximum PC'', formerly known as ''boot'', is an American magazine and website published by Future US. It focuses on cutting-edge PC hardware, with an emphasis on product reviews, step-by-step tutorials, and in-depth technical briefs. Component ...
'') for Windows users.
As was the case with ''CD-ROM Today'', ''MacAddicts discs included shareware and demo programs, but also came with other added features, such as staff videos and previews of content inside the magazine's hard copy. The ''MacAddict'' website was updated daily with news relevant to
Apple
An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...
products. ''MacAddict'' also had a mascot, a stick-figure named Max. By 1998, ''MacAddict'' surpassed ''
Macworld'' as the Macintosh magazine with the highest consumer newsstand spending due to its $7.99 cover price.
In February 2007, ''MacAddict'' was relaunched as ''MacLife''.
The new magazine is physically larger than the old magazine and was focused on the creativity of Mac users, and no longer comes with a CD-ROM.
In Germany, a magazine of the same name but with no association is published by ''
Falkemedia'' from
Kiel
Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021).
Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the Jutland ...
().
Reviewing system
From 1996 to mid-2002, there were four rating icons, which depicted Max. There was "Blech" (the lowest), "Yeah, Whatever" (a mediocre product), "Spiffy" (a solid yet not perfect product), and "Freakin' Awesome" (the highest). From 2002 to 2009, it was replaced with a more conventional five-point system. Then, in 2010, ''MacLife'' adopted a 10-point system that included half stars.
References
External links
* – official site
*
Archived MacAddict magazines on the
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maclife
Computer magazines published in the United States
Monthly magazines published in the United States
Macintosh magazines
Macintosh websites
Magazines established in 1996
Magazines published in the San Francisco Bay Area