Editing MacLife

{{Short description|Magazine focused on Macintosh personal computers}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = MacLife
| image_file = MacLife July 2024 cover.webp
| image_caption = Cover of the July 2024 issue
| editor = Nick Odantzis <ref>{{cite web|title=About Us – MacLife|url=http://www.maclife.com/about_us|publisher=MacLife|access-date=June 28, 2014}}</ref>
| frequency = monthly
| category = [[Mac (computer)|Mac]] and [[iOS]] computing
| company = [[Future US]]
| firstdate = September 1996 (as ''MacAddict'')<br/>February 2007 (as ''MacLife'')
| finaldate = 
| country = [[United States]]
| based = [[South San Francisco, CA]]
| language = [[English language|English]]
| website = {{URL|www.maclife.com}}
| issn = 1935-4010
}}
'''''MacLife''''' (stylized as '''''Mac|Life''''') is an American monthly magazine published by [[Future US]]. It focuses on products produced by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], including the [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] personal computer, [[iPad]], and [[iPhone]]. It was sold as a print product on newsstands, but is now a digital-only product distributed through Magazines Direct and the Mac|Life app, the latter of which can be obtained via the [[App Store (iOS)|App Store]]. From September 1996 until 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 [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] and [[Mac (computer)|Macintosh]] users, and each issue shipped with a [[CD-ROM]] of [[shareware]] and [[game demo|demo]] programs. In August 1996, ''CD-ROM Today'' ceased publication, with two magazines taking its place: ''MacAddict'' for Macintosh users, and ''boot'' (now ''[[Maximum PC]]'') for Windows users.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_1996_March_11/ai_18079665|title=Good News for Macintosh Consumers: Imagine Publishing Announces its second phase in the evolution of CD-ROM Today|work=Business Wire|date=1996-03-11|access-date=2008-04-04}}</ref>

As was the case with ''CD-ROM Today'', ''MacAddict'''s 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 Computer|Apple]] products. ''MacAddict'' also had a mascot, a stick-figure named Max. By 1998, ''MacAddict'' had surpassed ''[[Macworld]]'' as the Macintosh magazine with the highest consumer newsstand spending due to its $7.99 cover price.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/MacAddict+Magazine+Surpasses+Macworld+Magazine+in+Consumer+Newsstand...-a053162240 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305104717/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/MacAddict+Magazine+Surpasses+Macworld+Magazine+in+Consumer+Newsstand...-a053162240 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |title=MacAddict Magazine Surpasses Macworld Magazine in Consumer Newsstand Spending |website=The Free Library}}</ref>

In February 2007, ''MacAddict'' was relaunched as ''MacLife''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.macobserver.com/article/2006/10/09.8.shtml|title=MacAddict Rep Discusses New Magazine|publisher=MacObserver|first=Brad|last=Cook|date=2006-10-09|access-date=2006-10-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.macworld.com/news/2006/10/06/macaddict/index.php|title=MacAddict to rebrand as MacLife|publisher=[[Macworld]]|first=Peter|last=Cohen|date=2006-10-06|access-date=2006-10-23}}</ref> The new magazine had physically larger print editions than the old magazine, was focused on the creativity of Mac users, and no longer came with a CD-ROM.

In April 2023, ''MacLife'' issued its last print edition and switched to a digital-only format.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCracken |first=Harry |date=2023-04-15 |title=The End of Computer Magazines in America |url=https://www.technologizer.com/2023/04/15/the-end-of-computer-magazines-in-america/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=Technologizer by Harry McCracken |language=en-US}}</ref>

In Germany, an unrelated magazine of the same name is published by ''[[:de:Falkemedia|Falkemedia]]'' from [[Kiel]] ({{ISSN|1860-9988}}).

==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 imperfect product), and "Freakin' Awesome" (the highest). From 2002 to 2009, it was replaced with a more conventional five-point system. In 2010, ''MacLife'' adopted a 10-point system that included half stars.

==See also==
* ''[[MacFormat]]'' – sister publication published in the United Kingdom

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.maclife.com|MacLife}} – official site
*[[iarchive:macaddict|Archived MacAddict magazines]] on the [[Internet Archive]] 
{{Future plc}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maclife}}
[[Category:Future plc]]
[[Category:Computer magazines published in the United States]]
[[Category:Monthly magazines published in the United States]]
[[Category:Macintosh magazines]]
[[Category:Macintosh websites]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1996]]
[[Category:Magazines published in the San Francisco Bay Area]]