No company sold more smartphones than Apple in 2023, according to a market-research firm. iPhone shipments grew last year and outnumbered Samsung’s Androids.
It’s a milestone Apple never reached before.
★★★★☆
Put a Prox PRD on your keychain or in your purse and you’ll always be alerted when start to leave without your iPhone.
It’s not an AirTag or a tracker, and doesn’t collect any info about you. The device simply makes sure you don’t walk off without your handset.
I’ve tested the Prox PRD for weeks. Here’s why I’m satisfied with it.
Since its launch in late October 2023, retailers have frequently discounted Apple’s M3 MacBooks. Continuing that trend, Amazon is offering hefty discounts of up to $250 on the M3 Max-powered MacBook Pros.
Thanks to the deal, you can get the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max chip and 1TB storage for as low as $2,999, saving $200 from its $3,199 MSRP.
The first iPad Pro with a OLED display is reportedly on track to launch in April. While that’s generally good news, previous leaks predicted a release in March.
The next generation of iPad Pro is also expected to have other enhancements, like an Apple M3 processor.
For a would-be blockbuster packed with A-list Hollywood talent, the Apple TV+ spy thriller Argylle coming to theaters next month sure flew under the radar until recently. And not only is the high-concept global romp starring Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa and everyone else in Hollywood seeming to come out of nowhere. So is the developing Argylle movie franchise, which could dominate screens for years.
Turns out Argylle is based on book four of a novel series that has only just released book one. Does that mean a whopping four Argylle movies will come to Apple TV+? Or maybe even more?
Apple’s solution to evading a sales and import ban on the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 is apparently a simple one: It is reportedly prepared to delete the application at the heart of the patent dispute that caused the ban.
But this will only be necessary if Apple loses its next legal appeal, which will be made soon.
January 15, 2008: Steve Jobs shows off the first MacBook Air at the Macworld conference in San Francisco, calling the revolutionary computer the “world’s thinnest notebook.”
The 13.3-inch laptop measures only 0.76 inches at its thickest point and 0.16 inches at its tapered thinnest. It also boasts a unibody aluminum design, thanks to an Apple engineering breakthrough that allows the crafting of a complicated computer case from a single block of finely machined metal.
In a brilliant piece of showmanship during the MacBook Air launch, Jobs pulls the super-slim laptop out of a standard interoffice envelope. (You can watch his keynote introducing the MacBook Air below).
Sure, you can buy a computer monitor and set it up on the stand that came in the box. But what if you want to easily move the external display around? And what if you want to have multiple screens and move them around?
Keeping monitors up off the desk and mobile can really improve your setup. And the best way to do that is to mount your screens on arms. It takes some effort, but as today’s user points out below, it’s worth it.
As always on the third Monday in January, Apple’s homepage honors the memory of slain Civil Rights Movement leader Martin Luther King Jr.
It’s his national holiday. And this year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day you can download a free book that collects the man’s greatest writings.
The top-of-the line iPhone 15 Pro Max makes up close to half of shipments of the iPhone 15 series, according to a trusted market analyst.
This continues a trend from last year in which Apple’s most expensive model was also its most popular.
★★★★★
The SwitchEasy EasySelfie is a fantastically clever combination of three products — a selfie stick, a portable tripod and a camera remote — and it pulls off all three pretty well.
It’s cleverly designed and really well-made, and makes for a great mount for using Continuity Camera, among other things. If you’re looking for a portable and versatile way to mount your camera for all kinds of different things, the EasySelfie has you covered. Currently on sale with 20% off, making this $35.99 for a limited time.
The iPhone’s StandBy feature is great and all. But anyone who has fumbled around in the dark to turn off their iPhone alarm knows the importance of a good, solid alarm clock. In terms of design and functionality, this Mirrored Digital Alarm Clock is a keeper. Its LED screen and futuristic design make it look like something from a sci-fi flick. Plus, it doubles as a mirror.
With this large-format clock, you’ll know at a glance what time it is and when to wake up. You can now grab this stylish and functional alarm clock for only $21.99 (regularly $32).
Apple will run a promotion in China offering up to RMB 800 ($70 off) on iPhones. The sale will run from January 18-21 and is available through Apple’s online and retail stores in the country.
The Cupertino company is providing discounts on the most popular products in its portfolio, including iPhone 15 Pro, MacBook Air, and AirPods.
Apple could equip its entire 2024 iPhone lineup with 8GB of RAM and Wi-Fi 6E support. Currently, only the iPhone 15 Pro models enjoy these features.
Additionally, the company might exclusively use Qualcomm’s newest Snapdragon X75 5G modem on the iPhone 16 Pro. The non-Pro variants would stick to the X70 modem used by current-gen iPhones.
January 14, 2009: Steve Jobs’ cancer worsens to the point that he takes a medical leave from Apple.
Despite his illness, the CEO remains reluctant to take the time off. When he does, he keeps quiet about the severity of the situation. He calls “the curiosity over my personal health” a distraction caused by prying bloggers and reporters. Nonetheless, he acknowledges that his health problems “are more complex than I originally thought.”
Apple is shutting down its Data Operations Annotations office in San Diego and merging employees who are willing to relocate with their teammates in Texas.
The move reportedly comes as a big surprise to the California workers. Until very recently, Apple told them they would simply be moving to another location in San Diego.
The Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season finale reunites old friends and also gives us the kaiju fight people wanted all along.
Read our review/recap for Godzilla-size spoilers about episode ten, plus loads of speculation about the show’s second season.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Will Apple Vision Pro win the world over to “spatial computing” when it launches on February 2? With the $3,499 mixed-reality headset coming so close to reality, it’s time for a serious talk.
We’re all super-curious about Vision Pro. But the hefty price tag and lack of a clear purpose leave us wondering if it’s a solution in need of a problem. (If nothing else, we like the new Vision Pro ad.)
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast 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.
January 13, 2000: Steve Jobs’ longtime frenemy Bill Gates steps down from his role as Microsoft CEO, a month after his company’s stock hits its all-time high.
The news coincides with a turning point in the long-running battle between the two tech powerhouses. Microsoft begins a long decline from its previous dominance, while Apple continues its rise to the top.
If you’re not careful, wires and chargers can clutter up your desk and other living areas. And who wants a cluttered, unsightly desk? No one. Fortunately, the Bentostack Charge 8000 from Function101 is an affordable cable organizer that can help you manage your chaotic desktop situation.
With four stackable layers, a built-in wireless charger and ports for wireless charging, it’s a great way to organize all your Apple gear and keep it all ready to roll. And right now, it’s on sale for $79.99 (regularly $99) for a limited time.
There are a lot of things you can do with old iPhones. In fact, it might be worth keeping them around rather than trading them in. There are all kinds of things you can use an old iPhone for: a DIY HomePod, a games console, a camera, a weather station, a smart display or a digital clock. And someone else you know may want it if you’re feeling generous.
Here are the nine things you can do with an old iPhone.
★★★★☆
You can’t ask for much more than For All Mankind‘s season 4 finale “Perestroika” gives. It wraps up the season in heart-pounding and heartstring-tugging fashion Friday, bringing climax and resolution to the audience along with hope for the future of the space program — and maybe a season 5 of the show.
It’s a satisfying end to the conflict over Mars-based asteroid mining at the heart of the season. But the future development teased as the episode wraps up, which appears to beg a fifth season, could simply make a fitting end to the series (as we wait to see if Apple TV+ will renew it).
The Samsung T9 external SSD just hit store shelves in October and it’s already available at a hefty discount. Amazon knocked up to 24% off the regular cost of the speedy solid state drive.
It comes in capacities up to 4TB, and plugs easily into Mac, iPad and even the most recent iPhone models.
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January 12, 2005: Apple reports record earnings for the preceding three months. Holiday sales of the iPod, and demand for the latest iBook laptop, give the company a four-fold increase in profits.
Apple brags that it sold a total of 10 million iPods, and rightly so. The massive popularity of the portable music player drives Apple to its highest earnings yet.
A new year can and should mean new software — especially critical Microsoft productivity software like Windows and Office. You can seek out major bargains on those products and more in CdkeySales.com’s New Year Sale!
