I was raised by careful shoppers in a home where Consumer Reports magazine was like a second Bible. Cars, a new washer and dryer, and a vacuum cleaner to handle the then-new orange shag carpeting were not purchased without first consulting this venerable institution of objective product testing.

So I hit the pause button on my excitement for the iPhone 7 camera when I read a Consumer Reports review that claimed the iPhone 7 represents “no major leap in camera performance” from the 6s.

One of the big reasons we love Apple is because the company’s devices hold up so well over time, meaning that used items are often almost as good as new.

You can save hundreds this week buying used and open-box Apple devices, including a refurb Mac mini directly from Cupertino itself. This and more are in this week’s best Apple deals.

The iPhone 7 features some of the most incredible tech found in a smartphone but the components only cost Apple about $220.

Including the basic manufacturing costs of $5, Apple’s total bill to manufacture the 32GB iPhone 7 reaches a total of $224.80, according to a teardown by IHS that found the device is $36.89 more expensive to produce than the iPhone 6s.

Fans weren’t expecting much from this year’s iPhone upgrade. We wanted something big — something that could reverse falling demand for Apple’s biggest product lineup — but we feared we weren’t going to get it.

What we got was the iPhone 7. It looks just like iPhone 6s (and iPhone 6), but Apple promises it’s a different beast. It’s faster, more exciting, and more capable than its predecessors — and it comes in new colors.

I’ve been using iPhone 7 since it went on sale last week, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with my experience so far. It’s definitely not the massive disappointment some people anticipated, but is it worth the upgrade if you already have a recent model? Read Cult of Mac’s iPhone 7 review to find out.

If Apple does make inroads in China with iPhone 7 sales, the company may have an Alaskan malamute named Coco to thank.

More precisely, it would go to Coco’s owner, Wang Sicong — who likes to spoil his dog with treats from the Apple Store. Wang bought eight iPhone 7 handsets for the pet.

With all there is to marvel about Steve Jobs and the story of Apple, it’s easy to forget what Jobs meant to animation.

So it’s not surprising that several animators have sought to capture the near-mythological character of Jobs in animated shorts that can be found all over YouTube.

In a shocking new speed test, the new iPhone 7 blows away the Galaxy Note 7 so completely you might forget about the Samsung phone’s other problems.

Watch the iPhone 7 versus Galaxy Note 7 in this new head-to-head video, created by PhoneBuff.

Apple fans may be resigned to paying full price for their gadgets, but we’ll certainly see Apple gear on sale this Black Friday season. The trick to finding these bargains is knowing where to look — and that’s anywhere but the Apple Store.

With the new iPhone 7 Plus sold out worldwide, some owners are turning a pretty profit on Craigslist and eBay.

There’s a brisk trade in brand new iPhone 7 devices, especially the Plus models in jet black, with many selling for almost twice their retail value.

This premium jet black 256GB iPhone 7 Plus, for example, just sold for $1,775 on eBay, with 29 bids. That’s $806 above retail.

At first glance, the iPhone 7 looks just like the iPhone 6s … and the iPhone 6. It feels the same in your hand, too. Unless you buy the jet black model, or you’re upgrading from a 4-inch iPhone, you’re not going to get any surprises when you pull this baby out of its box.

But there are some subtle changes you’ll appreciate. This is the iPhone you already know and love — only much, much better.