When we reported last week that the $599 MacBook Neo set off alarm bells across the PC industry, the hand-wringing was mostly coming from pundits and outside observers. Now PC makers are saying it out loud — on earnings calls, no less.

ASUS co-CEO S.Y. Hsu didn’t mince words on the company’s most recent quarterly call. Apple’s move into budget-friendly territory is “a shock to the entire industry,” he said, adding that across the entire PC ecosystem, “there have been a lot of discussions about how to compete with this product.”

March 11, 2011: How do you follow up your biggest product debut ever? That’s the question Apple needs to answer as the iPad 2 launch date arrives.

Apple’s second-generation tablet boasts a faster dual-core A5 processor inside a lighter build. It’s also the first iPad to feature VGA front-facing and 720p rear-facing cameras.

Apple already can’t keep up with MacBook Neo demand, and the low-cost notebook just launched on Wednesday. Sales momentum will keep growing throughout the year, according to an industry analyst.

The laptop’s success will likely be buoyed by reviews that prove the MacBook Neo offers speedy performance, despite its entry-level specifications.

Email signature generator EmailSignatures lets you create polished, professional email signatures in minutes. More than simply bolding your name, you can add your company’s logo, your social links — whatever it takes to make your email shine.

Think of it as custom stationery for your outbox. And a lifetime subscription currently costs just $39 (MSRP $579).

Apple’s affordable MacBook Neo, iPhone 17e, M5 Pro/Max-equipped MacBook Pros and the M4 iPad Air went on sale Wednesday. The M5-powered MacBook Air and new Studio Displays also hit retail stores today.

Apple began accepting preorders for these devices last week, shortly after unveiling them.

The Satechi OntheGo Foldable Stand Hub helps your iPad become the heart of a compact workstation. It holds up the tablet while simultaneously expanding its connectivity with five additional ports.

The multifunction stand also folds down so it’s ready to travel.

Studies show that a haptic keyboard improves touchscreen typing speed and input accuracy, but very few people know you can enable it on your iPhone.

Android phones years ago had haptic keyboards, but without a precision vibration motor, the feedback was too slow to make the illusion really work. With the Taptic Engine — hardware in every iPhone since the iPhone 6s that can simulate all kinds of vibrating textures — Apple created a perfectly convincing effect to enable the haptic keyboard.

Read on to see where to enable it — or watch our quick video.

The Espresso Lite 15 portable monitor includes a gorgeous LCD for work or entertainment when you’re away from your usual desk. It’s a more affordable option from a company previously known for premium screens, but it keeps up the quality.

It comes in a range of vibrant case color options, which really helps it stand out from its rivals. Plus, there’s Stand+, a brilliant ergonomic stand that can hold the 15.6-inch, 1080P LCD above your laptop.

I tested the Espresso Lite 15 in my home office and on the road, and came away quite pleased. Here’s why.

Apple is currently putting the finishing touches on a major step forward for the MacBook Pro line, with advanced features no current MacBook can boast of. And the M6 processor is just the icing on the cake. Here’s why you should wait for it.

Yes, the MacBook Pro just got updated with M5 Pro or M5 Max processors making it the fastest Mac ever. But you should think seriously about skipping it. You’ll kick yourself if you have a relatively new model when something far better comes along in a few months.

March 10, 2004: Apple sends out a survey to select Apple customers, claiming that it is considering relaunching the Newton MessagePad.

“We need to determine why the Apple Newton was not a commercial success and whether there is an interest in re-launching a new version of the Newton,” Apple’s survey says. “Your comments will help understand why the Newton failed and if there is interest in re-launching a new, improved Newton.”

In hindsight, it seems pretty clear that Apple’s apparent interest in launching another personal data assistant served as cover for stealth market research for the still-in-development iPhone.

PowerPresent uses AI to turn your ideas, notes or documents into complete presentations in mere seconds — and a lifetime subscription to this AI presentation maker costs just $79.99 (MSRP $240) for a limited time.

Apple revealed its versions of eight upcoming new emoji in iOS 26.4 beta 4, which it pushed to developers Monday. Standouts include Distorted Face — sure to become a hit when it arrives to the general public — and Hairy Creature, which looks an awful lot like Bigfoot.

See Apple’s versions of all the new emoji, and all the other changes in the beta, below. 

Apple once again delayed its long-awaited smart home hub with a display — casually known as the “HomePad” — until around September as the company continues struggling to get its revamped Siri voice assistant ready for prime time, according to a report Monday.

Last week Keychron trotted out an ultra-slim wireless keyboard that folds in half for easy portability. At $64.99, the Keychron B11 Pro Ultra-Slim Wireless Foldable Keyboard is aimed squarely at Mac users and mobile workers who want the comfort of a proper keyboard without lugging around a bag.

When folded, the B11 Pro measures just 196.3mm × 143 mm — roughly the size of a small paperback. That makes it small enough to slide into a jacket pocket.

March 9, 1996: Apple confirms that it will shut down its eWorld online service at the end of the month.

Part messaging service, part news aggregator — and all with Apple’s customary premium prices — the short-lived eWorld proved ahead of its time. Apple tells disappointed eWorld subscribers they can switch to America Online instead.

CAD drawings supposedly revealing the design of the first folding iPhone indicate the device will sport a very different shape than rival foldable smartphones.

The early Monday leak comes from a reliable source, and the design shown matches earlier reports about the so-called iPhone Fold. So this may well be what the new premium iOS device looks like when it debuts in the fall.

PDF Agile Premium is an all-in-one PDF editor that lets you edit, convert, annotate and secure PDFs — and a lifetime license costs just $39.99 right now.

Bestselling author David Pogue just published Apple: The First 50 Years, an ambitious book about the history of Apple.

The approximately 600-page, full-color book spans the company’s epic saga, from its founding by two college dropouts to its latest machinations with Apple Intelligence. It’s a fun and informative book, and an easy read despite being a doorstop.

I interviewed Pogue about his book and the wild ride that Apple’s been on for the last five decades.

Apple: The First 50 Years by David Pogue is a comprehensive retelling of the most influential tech company in history and the people behind it. The book covers the early hobby projects of teenage Steve Wozniak to Apple Intelligence, and the lifetime’s worth of everything in between, in about 600 pages.

It’s just the right amount of detail and depth to tell the whole story of Apple’s rocketing rise to power, years of tumult and insanely great turnaround. It’s an easy and highly entertaining read. You don’t need a technical or nerdy background at all. And there are hundreds of full-color pictures. 

Apple: The First 50 Years is now the definitive all-encompassing book I would recommend for anyone interested in the company that changed the world … at least three separate times. 

A major revamp to the MacBook Pro lineup should land later this year, featuring an OLED touchscreen display and faster M6 chips. The upcoming model could sit above the current MacBook Pro as an “Ultra” variant, carrying a higher price point.

If accurate, the move would mark a significant change to Apple’s professional laptop lineup in over a decade.

Ever been annoyed when someone sends you a PDF instead of a file you can edit? An all-in-one PDF editor like AcePDF Converter & Editor can help, and it doesn’t need to cost a fortune.

Lifetime licenses for the Mac PDF app are on sale for $23.97 (regularly $99.99).

March 8, 1997: Apple renames the forthcoming Mac OS 7.7 update, calling it “Mac OS 8.” It’s more than just a name change, though: It’s a sneaky sucker punch that ultimately knocks out Mac clones.

Unfortunately for Mac users, the updated operating system does not deliver the total top-to-bottom rewrite promised by Apple’s Project Copland. However, the renaming strategy turns out to be a brilliant (if underhanded) way of getting Apple out of terrible licensing deals.

Apple released no fewer than seven products last week, including the MacBook Neo, the M5 MacBook Air, the iPhone 17e and much more. But there are still three more products likely to be coming out of Cupertino this spring — and one of them is among Apple’s most popular offerings.

Here’s what new Apple products we can look forward to in the next few months across multiple categories.

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: The MacBook Neo is the obvious star that emerged from this week’s tsunami of Apple product announcements. Its potent combo of good looks, surprisingly good performance and an extremely appealing price tag makes it a powerful lure for bringing new people into the Apple world.

We discuss the new laptop’s strong points — as well as some definite drawbacks.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

• The brawny M5 Pro and M5 Max chips in the latest MacBook Pros sound absolutely mind-blowing.
• The iPhone 17e looks like a great upgrade to Apple’s budget handset.
• The new Airs (iPad and MacBook) also seem great, if not that surprising.
• And we wrap up the show with the results from last week’s predictions game.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

The Mag 3 Ultra 3-in-1 foldable charger from Adam Elements can power your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch at the same time. It’s perfect for travel — or anywhere, really — and it’s on sale for just $87 (regular price $109).