★★★★★
The best wall chargers include a display so you don’t have to guess about how much power is flowing. The BMX GaNsta Pixel has one too… and it’s both cool-looking and really easy to read.
More than that, the charger goes up to 140 watts — plenty to power your MacBook. Plus, there are three USB-C charging ports and a USB-A one, too.
I put the Mac/iPhone accessory through real-world testing and came away impressed. And I love its large display.
August 27, 1999: Apple Computer swaps out the striped, multicolored logo the company had used since 1977 for a new single-color version. The evolution of the iconic Apple logo from rainbow to monochrome shocks many longtime fans.
However, it is part of a sustained, company-wide overhaul led by Apple CEO Steve Jobs. The makeover includes new products, the “Think Different” ad campaign and, eventually, the removal of the word “Computer” from the company’s name.
August 26, 1991: In their first joint interview, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates trade barbs and debate “the future of the PC” in Fortune magazine.
The spirited discussion marks 10 years since the first IBM PC shipped. The piece also looks at what the future holds for both men — described as the former “boy wonders of computing, now thirtysomething.”
With the launch of the M5 Ultra in the new Mac Studio, Apple’s M5 chip lineup is finally complete. The M5 is the entry-level chip for most Mac users, while the M5 Pro, Max and Ultra progressively add more CPU and GPU cores and unified memory.
Wondering how each differs from one another, and which is the best option for you? Here’s a detailed comparison of the M5 chip family.
August 25, 1995: Apple releases the PowerBook 5300, the Mac laptop that will save the world from alien invaders in the 1996 blockbuster movie Independence Day.
The computer will make many more big-screen appearances, too. See some of the laptop’s most high-profile Hollywood cameos below.
Apple just gave its smallest Mac an outsized performance upgrade. The company on Tuesday launched new Mac mini versions powered by either the all-new M6 chip or the more powerful M5 Pro, bringing substantially faster performance and a major focus on local AI workloads to the tiny desktop.
“Whether it’s being used as a home computer, powering a professional studio, or as an always-on agentic device, it’s the little Mac that can do it all,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer. “Today, we’re taking this versatility even further.”
Apple just gave its most powerful desktop Mac a major performance boost. The company on Tuesday introduced an upgraded Mac Studio powered by the M5 Max processor and the all-new M5 Ultra, promising substantially faster AI, graphics and CPU performance in the same compact design.
“Mac Studio is the ultimate desktop for on-device AI and the world’s most demanding pro workflows, relied on by users for its tremendous performance and extensive pro connectivity, all in a quiet, compact design that sits right on your desk — and today, we’re pushing the boundaries even further,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s chief hardware officer, in a press release.
August 24, 2011: With his health worsening, a cancer-stricken Steve Jobs resigns from his role leading Apple. Tim Cook assumes the role of Apple’s seventh CEO.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” Jobs writes in his retirement letter to the Apple board. “Unfortunately that day has come.”
August 23, 2011: United Airlines says it will hand out 11,000 iPads to its pilots as part of its “paperless flight deck” filled with essential data. It’s the largest rollout yet of Apple tablets as a replacement for the weighty flight bags traditionally carried by aircrews.
Going paperless saves around 16 million sheets of paper each year, the equivalent of 1,900 trees not cut down. Even better, the weight difference between the 1.5-pound iPad and the 40-pound flight bag saves an estimated 326,000 gallons of jet fuel per year!
Conventional wisdom says that an iPhone that’s been dropped in water should immediately go into a bowl of dry rice to absorb the excess moisture. Turns out that’s rubbish advice for dealing with a wet iPhone.
Worse yet: It’s actively bad for your device. Here’s what to do instead.
Want to add Touch ID to your Mac without giving up your favorite keyboard? A DIY Touch ID project called the Dashboard Touch shows how you can build your own fingerprint sensor for less than $35.
It’s not as secure as Apple’s own implementation, but Anil Dash’s new DIY Touch ID hack should be safe enough for most users.
After years of small updates, Apple Watch Series 12 looks ready to kick things up a notch. Rumors point to a faster chip, a returning ceramic option and new AI-powered features.
The launch of the new smartwatch is mere weeks away. Here’s everything reported so far.
August 21, 2008: Microsoft recruits comedian Jerry Seinfeld for a series of ads. It’s a naked attempt to shake the company’s reputation as a stodgy oldster (as opposed to Apple’s trendsetting hipster image).
Microsoft pays Seinfeld a reported $10 million for the ads. However, thanks to the Mac’s appearance in virtually every episode of Seinfeld over the years, the comedian remains the world’s most famous Apple fanboy.
Managing passwords is and always has been a giant pain, but passkeys offer a better way. They are an advanced system that automatically signs you in to online services using your phone’s Face ID (or Touch ID) or your computer’s password.
Switching to biometric authentication or your device’s password means one less thing to remember. Plus, passkeys work without fiddling around with a password manager.
The technology promises a simpler, more convenient and more phishing-resistant way to log in. However, getting started can still feel confusing. Here’s how passkeys work and how to use them across your iPhone, iPad and Mac.
August 20, 2019: The Apple Card launch brings the titanium credit card to U.S. consumers for the first time. It gives them a new option for payments when Apple Pay isn’t available.
The iPhone’s Wallet app handles statements and payments. And the innovative card is “designed to help customers lead a healthier financial life,” according to Apple. Surveys show the card soon becomes beloved.
“We’re thrilled with the overwhelming interest in Apple Card and its positive reception,” says Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay, in a press release. “Customers have told us they love Apple Card’s simplicity and how it gives them a better view of their spending.”
★★★★★
When I first reviewed Halo Collar 5 in fall 2025, I called it “simply the best GPS dog tracker.” Imagine my surprise that it got better. Since the product launch, Halo added Precision+, which makes tracking your pet even more exact.
It’s also a real benefit with Holo’s virtual fence feature.
I tested Halo Collar 5 with Precision+ added, and came away even more impressed.
August 19, 2004: Google floats its initial public offering on the stock market. The Google IPO cements the company’s status as a tech giant, as founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin turn into instant billionaires.
Relations between Google and Apple are good at the time, with Apple CEO Steve Jobs serving as a mentor to the search company’s two young founders. Google’s Eric Schmidt will soon join Apple’s board of directors. However, the peace won’t last long.
Your iPhone can become a remote control for your iPad. It’s a convenient way to control a film or TV show playing on the tablet without having to get up off the couch.
And this doesn’t require a third-party application. All you need is Control Nearby Devices, a feature built into iOS and iPadOS.
Here’s how to do it.
August 18, 2007: A video goes viral on YouTube when 23-year-old internet personality Justine Ezarik, aka iJustine, posts a 300-page iPhone bill mailed to her in a box by AT&T.
The video of her reaction to the outrageous bill — which lists every single action that consumed cellular data on Ezarik’s brand-new iPhone — quickly racks up 3 million views and receives extensive media coverage. (You can watch it below.)
Apple on Monday released iOS 26.6.1, a small but important update for iPhone users focused on security rather than new features.
It also introduced macOS Tahoe 26.6.2 as well as iPadOS 26.6.1 to fix security bugs.
August 17, 2012: Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ stolen iPad winds up in the hands of a clown called Kenny, who performs kids’ shows in the San Francisco Bay Area.
It’s a bizarre story all around, and fortunately winds up with the iPad being returned.
August 16, 1993: Apple ships the PowerBook 165, a lower-cost, grayscale version of the PowerBook 165c, which was the company’s first laptop to offer a color display.
The new model lacks the most attention-grabbing feature of the 165c, but it also brings its own claim to fame. The PowerBook 165 is Apple’s most affordable laptop yet.
I love my Logitech MX Master 3S and MX Keys S keyboard. They are my go-to devices for my Mac. However, I don’t feel the same way about Logi Options+, Logitech’s companion app for its mice and keyboards.
The software feels unnecessarily bloated for what I need it to do. So, I replaced it with a third-party alternative called BetterMouse that’s lighter and even more feature-rich.
August 15, 1998: The original iMac — Apple’s brightly colored, translucent Macintosh relaunch — goes on sale to a rabid audience. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs‘ first major new product since returning to Cupertino, the internet-ready iMac G3 line will cement his legacy as a forward-thinking tech visionary.
The all-in-one computer also introduces the world to the design talents of Jony Ive — and pretty much saves Apple in the process.
Just another day at the office, eh?
The MacBook’s trackpad is one of the best you can get on any laptop, and Apple’s excellent gestures make it even better. You can swipe or tap with two or three fingers to nimbly jump around macOS, switching between Spaces, viewing all app windows and more.
But as a Mac power user, I wanted my trackpad to do even more. So I used BetterTouchTool to add custom gestures for managing tabs, arranging windows and speeding up other repetitive tasks.
I’ll show you what I did, and how you can use BetterTouchTool to turbocharge your productivity with custom Mac gestures.