OS X Yosemite 10.10.3 is out and Macworld has advice for refreshing older Macs with an external SSD

Apple released 10.10.3 today. The main feature is the Photos app, which replaces iPhoto and Aperture. A wider cast of emojis also joins 10.10.3

 

iPhoto is not gone from my Mac, but I presume any future updates are just maintenance at best. 

 

Glenn Fleishman writes over at Macworld about updating an mid-2011 Mac Mini (just like mine!) with an external SSD from Otherworld Computing. Glenn went with Otherworld Computing’s SSD because it works with both USB 3.0 and Firewire 800. Other external SSDs, like the heavily promoted Samsung unit, only work with USB 3.0. 

 Fire800 is backwards compatible with Firewire 400 with the right cable. USB 3.0 is backwards compatible with USB 2.0, but you might find USB 2.0 too slow to use as a boot drive. 

Glenn writes that he decided against dismantling his Mac Mini to install an SSD. I recently installed a second hard drive in my mid-2011 Mac Mini. Glenn is correct in observing that you have to dismantle the Mini down to the chassis level in order to install a second drive. I didn’t find it that difficult and did it in 45 minutes. I ordered a Data Doubler kit from OWC to help. I couldn’t have done it without it. The tools and the illustrated instructions made it doable. 

Tom Briant

Editor, MacValley Blog