Edward Mendelson

New York

Contributing Editor at PCMag

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Articles

I've Reviewed Mac OSes for Decades. Apple Should Add These 12 Features to the Next MacOS

3 days ago | pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

We don't know what it will be called, but at WWDC on June 9, Apple will reveal the latest version of macOS. Based on my long history with the operating system, here are a dozen features that would make it better than ever. (Credit: James Martin/Apple) Every June, Apple introduces a new version of macOS (and much more) at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC).
Looks Like Big Changes Are Afoot for MacOS: These Are the 12 Features I Most Want to See

1 week ago | pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

Every June, Apple introduces a new version of macOS (and much more) at its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). Like in past years, we expect its latest desktop OS version to go into public beta a few weeks after the announcement and release fully in the fall. Rumors about the next version of macOS are already rampant. Bloomberg says to expect a major visual overhaul (codenamed Solarium) for the first time in many years.
ABBYY FineReader

1 month ago | me.pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

No other productivity app quite rivals ABBYY FineReader's combination of document comparison, optical character recognition (OCR), and PDF editing features, let alone puts them into as slick an interface. Its OCR tools are the most accurate we've tested, and we appreciate how its editing interface helps streamline the manual correction process that working with old or damaged documents often requires.
UTM Virtual Machine Review

Feb 28, 2025 | pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

Available for free or at a low cost with automatic updates Supports almost any operating system on all types of recent Macs Reasonably fast virtualization of Arm systems on Apple silicon Painfully slow emulation of Intel systems on Apple silicon No drag-and-drop file transfer support Limited documentation and help UTM Virtual Machine Specs Name Value Free Version Available Runs Under Windows Supports Windows Guest Machines Supports OS X Guest Machines Drag and Drop Files Between Guest and...
Oracle VirtualBox

Jan 6, 2025 | me.pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

Oracle's VirtualBox, a free and open-source virtualization app, has long let you run almost any x86 operating system virtually on compatible host machines with Linux, macOS, or Windows. But it now also offers an ARM-based version for Apple silicon Macs that supports a select few ARM-based Linux and FreeBSD systems. We like that VirtualBox continues to evolve, but competitors (including some that are free) go much further with their ARM support and work more smoothly.
The Best Virtualization Software for 2024

Nov 25, 2024 | me.pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

Parallels Desktop is the fastest and most reliable emulation software for running Linux, older macOS, and Windows guest systems on Apple silicon- and Intel-based Macs. We especially like its kiosk-like Rollback Mode, which ensures that changes to your computer aren't permanent. Parallels Desktop is, by far, the best virtualization software for non-commercial Mac users. It works smoothly, supports ARM-based versions of Linux and Windows, and is very intuitive overall.
VMware Fusion Pro

Nov 21, 2024 | me.pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

Pros Free for personal and non-commercial use Works on both Apple silicon- and Intel-based Macs Intel-based virtual machines can run on Linux, macOS, and Windows hosts Cons Slower than Parallels Desktop Limited Windows integrations on Apple silicon machines No kiosk-style rollback featureIf you need a virtual machine (VM) on your Apple silicon or Intel Mac, VMware Fusion Pro is a versatile choice.
Microsoft Office 2024

Oct 12, 2024 | uk.pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

Pros Includes updated versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more One-time purchase Volume licensing available Apps will get security updates ConsA license covers a single computer The Microsoft Office 2024 office suite lets you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote without paying for a Microsoft 365 subscription. All of these programs are among the best at what they do, so this is a great value for Windows and macOS users who work on just one machine.
Parallels Desktop

Sep 29, 2024 | me.pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

Pros Runs ARM-based Windows on Apple silicon Macs Faster than rivals in testing DirectX 11 support and smooth graphics performance for gaming Can install macOS from the recovery partition on Intel-based Macs Kiosk-like rollback mode ConsPotentially confusing integrations between Windows guest and Mac host Parallels Desktop is by far the most powerful and effective tool for accessing a Windows or Linux instance on your Mac.
How to Edit a PDF

Aug 30, 2024 | uk.pcmag.com | Edward Mendelson

If you've ever tried to edit a Portable Document Format file, or PDF, you've almost certainly discovered that it's a lot more trouble than editing a Microsoft Word or Google doc. That's because PDFs were never designed to be edited at all. When Adobe introduced the PDF spec back in 1993, the whole idea was that it would be a virtual print-out, the on-screen equivalent of hard copy. Like any printed document, it wasn't intended to be changed.