A fantastic deal on the 15-inch MacBook Air knocks its price down by $200. That drops the price of the world’s slimmest laptop to as low as $1,099.

If you are looking for a sleek new laptop, the 15-inch MacBook Air is probably your best option. And that’s why you should not miss this deal.

The 40-year history of Macintosh computers is a roller coaster of ages golden and dark.

Anything that lasts so long in the forefront of technology has to change to stay relevant. This once-plucky computer that began as an antithesis to the IBM PC, which dominated the world in 1984, is now itself a dominating force, ever pushing the needle in the world of technology.

How did this all happen? Let’s walk through 40 years of Macintosh.

The sleek MacBook Air will get upgraded with the recently released M3 processor this spring, according to a trusted source of insider info.

The Apple M3 is also supposedly coming to the iPad Pro, probably at the same event.

Rumors indicate Apple is working on a 12.9-inch iPad Air due to launch later this year. A new leak shows off alleged design renders of the upcoming tablet.

The CAD renders show that the 12.9-inch iPad Air will resemble its 10.9-inch sibling. However, it apparently will feature a redesigned rear camera module.

Seven months after its announcement at WWDC23, Apple started accepting preorders for its Vision Pro headset Friday morning — and quickly sold out. Shipping dates for the company’s first AR headset slipped within minutes of preorders opening.

The preorder also answered some questions about the Vision Pro. Plus, if you want one, you still have a chance to get one. The $3,499 mixed-reality headset — which Apple hails as the dawn of “spatial computing” — goes on sale February 2 in Apple retail stores in the United States.

The Apple Vision Pro headset might be a real pain in the neck, according to new reports after the latest round of demos. Three separate people reported feeling discomfort or even pain after wearing the headset for short periods.

Each of the people also expressed some level of appreciation or even amazement regarding the Vision Pro’s immersive visuals. However, if strapping the headset on for a half-hour proves uncomfortable for a majority of users, that’s going to be a serious problem that no amount of spatial computing wizardry — or even an ugly strap — can overcome.

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:

• Apple apparently plans to keep the first Vision Pro reviewers on a short leash.
• The buzziest gadget at this year’s CES certainly looks cool. But what can it do?
• We’ll believe that an AI-boosted Siri is smarter when we see it.
• Are expensive cables worth the extra cash? Torture tests by Consumer Reports raise some eyebrows.

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.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset finally has a release date. Apple will accept preorders for Vision Pro in the United States starting Friday, January 19, at 5 a.m. Pacific, the company said Monday.

The headset’s retail availability will begin February 2 at all U.S. Apple Stores, with in-store demos also beginning that day. You also can place your Vision Pro order through Apple’s online store.

A third-generation, speed improved version of the Mac Studio is reportedly on Apple’s agenda for around the middle of 2024. An Apple M3 Ultra processor will supposedly be the highlight of the next iteration of the professional-grade macOS desktop.

The last upgrade reached customers in June 2023.

The Apple A3 series processors make the latest Macs into powerful gaming machines. And macOS Sonoma includes tools to make porting PC games to Mac much easier. As a gamer myself, these are very welcome moves.

But right now, Apple is taking a “build it and they will come” attitude. History shows there’s an important step needed to turn Mac into a serious competition for PC and gaming consoles: CEO Tim Cook and Co. need to put their money where their mouths are and financially encourage top game developers to bring their products to macOS.

That might even include buying one or more game developers.