Buyers Guide on Tech Journeyman

Vision

Sat, 22 Jul 2023 16:05:58 +0800

Vision

Apple’s first spatial computer. It can be a VR headset, but this is not a VR headset. It’s a computer like your Mac, but something that you wear it.

	Vision Pro
Model Name	Vision Pro
Features	M5 chip + R1 chip: M5 handle processing for the apps in Vision Pro while R1 will handle projection / immersion processing. Eye-sight: when you are not in immersive mode, the device will project your eye outside of the glass. Digital Crown: controls how immersive your experience will be. visionOS: the operating system behind Vision Pro that will make or break the device Apple ecosystem: It will run iPadOS apps right from the box on day 1. It will use first party app like iMessage, FaceTime and FreeForm on day 1. This is the actual strength of the Vision Pro. New for 2025: M2 chip upgrade to M5 chip. 10% more pixel rendered, 10% better battery. New Dual Knit band for comfort.
Launch Date	October 2025
Launch Price	From $3,499
Verdict	It is one of Apple's most innovative product, but based on sales data, it's a flop. But Apple playing the long game here It's price is hefty, but it's one of a kind of device. Despite efforts from others, Apple is above from the competition Just talking about the specs, it is an order of magnitude more powerful than what the competitors offers. Others offer less than 2K for each eye, Apple offers more than 4K for each eye. Apple is leveraging on the strength of its ecosystem to make the device as successful as possible The price is hefty, but consider this: You can have a Mac Virtual Display so you can use your Vision Pro as a display for your Mac. And it's equivalent to having two 5k display that you can resize to your heart's content. And considering the 27" Studio Display starts from $1599, the Vision Pro is a potentially good display replacement / supplemental. Another strategy Apple is considering is to make a VR glasses version of the Vision Pro if Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses took off.

Vision Pro

Iphone 2022

Sun, 28 Nov 2021 11:16:38 +0800

what to expect from iphone 2022

Services

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 10:52:50 +0800

Services

Since Apple shifted focus towards online services in 2019, Apple offerings and revenue stream in service has increased by leaps and bounds. Please read our article on services for a more detailed overview of Apple services offerings.

Streaming and subscription:-

iCloud service and drive - Online storage and services
Apple Music - Music streaming
Apple News+ - Newspaper and Magazine streaming
Apple TV+ - TV and Movie streaming
Apple Fitness+ - Fitness show
Apple Arcade - Games subscription

Purchase and online services

Others

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:42:34 +0800

Other Apple Products

Other than the mainline products which are the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch and Music, Apple has other products which help expands their ecosystem. Apple TV is Apple’s streaming box and micro console device. Other products include a 6k monitor which is called Apple Pro Display XDR which is a companion monitor for their top of the line Mac product, the Mac Pro. Apple also designs and sells other computing accessories such their Magic keyboard, Magic trackpad and other dongles.

Music

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:42:29 +0800

Music

Apple’s foray into the music world begins with the introduction of the iPod, the popular music player in the early 2000s which help Apple raise up from the brink of death. Later, Apple has introduced digital music distribution called the iTune store, updated the iPod with a new interface first featured in the iPhone, and later expand to Music streaming service and a line of popular earphones. Apple has bought over Beats by Dre, a popular headphones company in 2014 which they are still selling in their stores. Apple also introduced a line of smart speakers called HomePods which feature integration with Siri, Apple digital voice assistant.

Mac

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:42:25 +0800

Mac

Mac line up as of March 2022. Not shown: Mac Pro.

Laptop	Desktop	Laptop	Desktop	Laptop	Desktop
	Budget	Consumer	Professional
Mac	MacBook Neo	Mac Mini	MacBook Air	iMac	MacBook Pro	Mac Studio / Mac Pro
Features	A18 Pro chip, 2x USB-C port (1x USB3, 1x USB2), 8GB of Memory, 256 GB or 512GB of storage, TouchID on higher end model.	M4 / M4 Pro chip, 5x USB-C ports (3x Thunderbolt), HDMI, Ethernet, Up to 64GB of memory, up to 8TB of storage;	M5 chip; 13.6-inch / 15.3-inch Liquid Retina Display, TouchID Magic Keyboard, Magic Trackpad	M4 Chip, 4.5K 24" Monitor, 4x USB-C ports (2 or Thunderbolt), Ethernet	M5 / M5 Pro / M5 Max chip; 14-inch or 16-inch display, 3 USB-C ports (3x Thunderbolt), Up to 128GB of memory, Up to 8TB of storage	Mac Studio: M4 Max / M3 Ultra chip. Up to 32 CPU cores and 80 GPU cores on the M3 Ultra, 16 CPU cores and 40 GPU cores on the M4 Ultra. Up to 512 GB memory support on the M3 Ultra. Mac Pro: M2 Ultra. 24 compute cores: Upto 76 GPU cores, up to 192 GB RAM. Up to 8TB internal storage. 6x PCIe slots.
Launch Date	March 2026	November 2024	March 2026	October 2024	March 2026	Mac Studio: March 2025 Mac Pro: Jun 2023
Launch Price	From $599	From $599	From $1099	From $1299	From $1699	Mac Studio: From $1999; Mac Pro: From $6999
Best Feature	Cheapest all-in-one Mac you can buy. Perfect for school or retirees. The A18 Pro packs a punch.	If you like to customize your computing and want to be in the Apple ecosystem, and want something with a punch, the Mac Mini is the one you want.	The MacBook Air is one of the most popular laptop in the world for a reason. Amazing performance at that price.	Design. Will look good in your kitchen.	Most versatile laptop Apple ever makes for serious people doing (un)serious work at the Mac. You have performance choices from the decent M5 to supercomputer level M5 Max. A fully specs MacBook Pro can set you back $8000	The most powerful Mac in Apple's line up. The M3 Ultra might be a few generation behind, but it has the most powerful graphic in the entire Mac lineup. Mac Pro: Ultimate Mac. Customization. The people who are in the market for a $6999 Mac Pro are serious people with serious business. Pros have been begging for a Apple Silicon Mac Pro and Apple delivered. The only gripe is the upper memory limit is "only" 192 GB, but very few people need more than that much memory. Perhaps Apple will amp up the configuration with the need arises?
Verdict	You gateway to the Apple ecosystem	Customize away.	Best Apple laptop for everyone.	Powerful all-in-one	Standard work horse for professional on the go. Can't go wrong with this one.	If you need serious firepower, the Mac Studio will not disappoint you. Mac Pro: For the true professional that is a part of a serious production house. If you think the entry price is too high, this one is not for you.

iPad

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:42:11 +0800

iPad

	Consumer	Mini	Prosumer	Professional
iPad version	iPad (10th Gen)	iPad Mini	iPad Air	iPad Pro

Features	A16 chip, TouchID, 10.9" screen, USB-C connector	A17 Pro chip, TouchID, 8.3" screen, Apple Pencil USB/Pro support	M4 chip, TouchID, 11"/13" screen, SmartConnect, Apple Pencil 2 / Apple Pencil Pro support	M5 chip, FaceID, 11"/13" screen, Multiple lens camera system, LIDAR scanner, flash, Ultra Retina XDR display with Tandem OLED, SmartConnect, ProMotion, Apple Pencil 2/Apple Pencil Pro support, C1X modem and N1 wireless chip, up to 2TB of internal storage.
Launch Date	March 2025	October 2024	March 2026	May 2024
Launch Price	From $329	From $499	From $599 for 11", From $799 for 13"	From $999 for 11", From $1299 for 12.9"
Best Feature	The new standard iPad, at the new price. Double the starting storage at 128GB, so it's more useful.	Small size. Good enough to be the communication device if you don't want the iPhone. Same chip as the iPhone 15 Pro	It's has around 80%-90% of iPad Pro features at half the price. New Magic Keyboard for this generation.	FaceID and the best screen in Apple's iPad line up. Once you go ProMotion, you'll never go back
Verdict	The gold standard of iPads. Good enough for the kids or content consumption. With the new price of $329, can't find fault with the iPad	iPad Mini was updated in September 2021 and it was a major upgrade. However, the price bump to $499 will deter potential buyers, but it is the most powerful iPad after the Pro at this juncture	It's good if you want the iPad Pro form factor and most of the features without paying all the premium price. Although iPad technology is so overpowered that a 2018 iPad Pro is not a bad proposition either	Apple's attempt as a laptop replacement. At launch, it has the most powerful processor in Apple's lineup. CPU performance even matching M2 Max despite a 5.1mm thin tablet. iPadOS is holding it back though

The iPad is Apple’s line of table computers that was first introduced in 2007. The original iPad bought many firsts for Apple: first tablet, first custom chip, first mention of iOS (was first on the iPhone 4, but was redesigned for tablet in mind). Now the tablet has morphed into 3 distinct lines. The consumer is called the iPad or iPad Mini which means a content consumer device. The middle-tier is the iPad Air which has some of the features of the Pro models but a more approachable price. The top tier is the iPad Pro which is intended to be a laptop replacement device. The iPad Pro has many features that are not even available on the MacBook line up such as LIDAR scanner or MicroLED screen and is competitively priced against their own MacBook line. The iPads run on a special operating system called iPadOS which at the moment has features that are present in both iOS and macOS.

iPhone

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:42:07 +0800

iPhone

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	Budget	Value	Chic	Flagship
iPhone	iPhone 17e	iPhone 17	iPhone Air	iPhone 17 Pro / iPhone 17 Pro Max

Features	A18 chip, FaceID, 6.1" Super Retina Display, MagSafe, Ceramic Shield 2	A19 chip, FaceID, 6.3" Super Retina XDR Display, Dynamic Island, 2 lens camera system, Camera Control, Ceramic Shield 2 front, Center Stage Front Camera,	A19 Pro chip, FaceID, 6.5" Super Retina XDR Display, Dynamic Island, 1 len camera system, Camera Control, Ceramic Shield 2 front, Ceramic Shield back, Center Stage Front Camera 5.6mm thickness eSim only.	A19 Pro chip, FaceID, 6.3" / 6.9" Super Retina XDR Display, Dynamic Island, 3 lens camera system (all 48MP now), Camera Control, Ceramic Shield 2 back, Ceramic Shield back, Center Stage front camera, bigger battery on eSim models, vapor chamber for cooling, aluminum unibody.
Launched	March 2026	September 2025
Launch Price	From $599	iPhone 16 - $799	iPhone Air - $999	iPhone 16 Pro - $1099 / iPhone 16 Pro Max - $1199
Best Feature	The cheapest way to get a brand new iPhone	All around value. You get a lot for a smartphone and you don't really care about the pro features.	A very chic iPhone. Though for the thinness, some sacrifices has to be made, like a single lens camera system. But overall, design-wise, very nice to see and hold.	Pro features are really pro. ProRAW for photos, Log for videos, Spatial video recording, 5x zoom, 4K120. Those features are worth the price of admission.
Verdict	The iPhone SE is a no-brainer for value. This one is a bit tougher since at this level, an extra $200 is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It could be Apple's strategy of putting the iPhone 16 on a higher pedestal and eventually set the floor for "cheap" iPhone.	With trade-ins from Apple and cellular carrier, you probably could own these for next to nothing. The iPhone is now a mature product that upgrading is more like a every 2-3 years affair.	This is Apple's third attempt to make a third category of iPhones. Will the Air catch on? Time will tell.	Brand new design for the Pro models. They walked by from titanium to aluminum because of heat dissipation properties. Most feature packed iPhone to date.
Next Expected Update	March 2027	September 2026

The iPhone is Apple’s best selling product. It is a smartphone which literally help changed the world together with the Android platform. First introduced in 2007, the iPhone has grown from just a internet communicator, a phone and an iPod. Current iPhone line features a triple camera system in the rear, the front camera, retina display with HDR capabilities, Dolby Atmos sound, wireless charging and 5G.

Watch

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 23:51:25 +0800

Apple Watch

	Budget	Flagship	Professional
Apple Watch	Apple Watch SE 3	Apple Watch Series 11	Apple Watch Ultra 3

Features	S10 chip; 50m water resistant; Aluminum or Stainless Steel finish; Silver, Space Gray or Gold color; 40mm or 44mm size; Always-On display	S10 chip; Aluminum or Titanium Body. 42mm or 46mm. First 'redesign' in years. Faster charging. FDA approved sleep apnea detection. Water depth and temperature sensor up to 6m. Nike and Hermes edition. Hermes edition is available in silver titanium color.	S10 chip; Titanium Body. 49mm size. Dual band GPS for more accurate reading. Up to 72 hour between charges (42 hours in normal usage). 100m water resistance and up to 40m recreational dive. Dive Computer. Display is up to 3000 nits brightness. Dual band GPS for more precision. Hermes edition. SOS/Communication via Satellite. Tested ti MIL-STD 810H standard.
Launch Price	From $279	From $399 to $1499 for Hermes Edition	$799
Best Feature	The price	The Hermes Edition is the most stylish smartwatch anybody makes	Design for toughness
Verdict	The bare minimum to give to your kids. But with discounts, the series 6 or used series 5 is not a bad proposition either.	Latest and greatest. Do note that there are a few versions of this flagship, from the Apple to Hermes. Functionally, they are identical compared to the base edition but have exclusive bands and watch face. Bands can be purchase separately.	Basically created for professional or prosumers, the Ultra offers more for the people who demands more from their Apple Watch

Apple Watch is Apple’s line of smartwatches. Introduced in 2014, the feature set has grown from a simple companion computer of the iPhone to a capable fitness monitor and communicator. You will still need to pair it to an iPhone (minimum requirement as of now is the iPhone 6s) to make it work. Read more in our writeup to lear more about the Apple Watch Series 6 features.

Buyer's Guide

Sun, 29 Nov 2020 09:04:46 +0800

List of Apple products and how to buy them

Watch

Accessories

Watch bands - Buy at Amazon

Update Cycle

Apple Watch (Last update: Q3 2020, next update: Q3 2020)
Apple Watch SE (Last update: Q3 2020, next update: unknown)

Phones / Tablets

iPhone

The iPhone line-up has been updated last on a Apple special event in October 2020. Expect the line-up will be updated sometime at end-Q3 2021 or Q4 2020.