Latest news with #Macbook
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Costco Fans Debate Over New Checkout Process
Earlier this month, Costco announced its new buy now, pay later feature (BNPL) through Affirm. Basically, online orders totaling between $500 and $17,500 qualify for payment plans ranging from three to 36 months. The interest rates range from 10 percent to 36 percent with no hidden fees or late penalties. Additionally, payments are managed through the Affirm app or website, with options for automatic deductions. 😋😋🍳🍔 Taking to a popular Costco forum on Reddit, one user joked, 'Buy now and pay later = hotdog debt?' Unsurprisingly, it sparked a lot of debate about BNPL, and whether or not it's actually beneficial to shoppers. 'Affirm is a huge scam,' one user argued. 'No, not if you know what you're getting into; I bought a new MacBook Pro on Affirm and paid it off in four months, zero interest charged,' another responded. Related: 'It's still a predatory business model. They make money off the people who screw up or use it because they have no other choice. I understand the 0% benefit, but for me, a Macbook is a luxury purchase and luxury purchases should never be financed. Just my opinion,' the original user replied. A third user chimed in the thread, 'Would you finance a car? Or a house? I need my MacBook every day to do my work—yes, I could use a cheaper Windows PC, but the MacBook Pro is reliable and tough and helps me work best. Bought mine with cash, but have loans for my house and car still, oops.' Nowadays, many retailers use BNPL options through third-party providers like Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna, or PayPal. Examples include Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Zara, Revolve, Sephora, Apple, and Samsung. Costco Fans Debate Over New Checkout Process first appeared on Parade on May 25, 2025 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Los Angeles Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
OpenAI teams up with former Apple design chief Jony Ive as AI race heats up
Jony Ive, a former Apple executive known for designing the iPhone, is joining forces with OpenAI, the San Francisco startup behind popular chatbot ChatGPT. On Wednesday, OpenAI said it's buying io, an AI devices startup that Ive founded a year ago, for nearly $6.5 billion in an all-stock deal, the largest acquisition in OpenAI's history. 'We have the opportunity here to kind of completely reimagine what it means to use a computer,' OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman said in a video with Ive about the partnership. The pair don't specify what AI devices they're working on, but Altman called it 'the coolest piece of technology that the world will have ever seen.' The partnership shows how OpenAI is taking on some of the world's most powerful tech companies including Google, Apple and Meta that are also working on AI-powered devices to shape the future of computing. Chirag Dekate, a VP analyst at Gartner, said the announcement reflected an 'inflection point' in the tech industry, where future products and services will offer users more personalized and proactive assistance. 'This shift suggests a future where technology is less about the tools themselves and more about the intelligently orchestrated experiences they enable,' he said in an email. Globally, spending on generative AI is expected to total $644 billion in 2025, an increase of 76.4% from 2024, according to a forecast by Gartner, a research and advisory firm based in Connecticut that focuses on technology. The race to build AI-powered wearable gadgets and roll out more AI tools that can generate video, text and code and help people shop also means that major tech companies are recruiting top-tier talent. Earlier in May, OpenAI hired Fidji Simo, a former top Meta executive and the chief executive of grocery delivery startup Instacart, to lead the startup's applications team. Ive, a British American designer, is a well-known figure in the tech industry because he designed some of Apple's iconic products such as the Macbook, iPhone, iPad and iPod. Joining Apple in the 1990s, Ive became Apple's chief design officer in 2015. He left the company in 2019 and started LoveFrom, a creative collective and design firm that worked with brands including OpenAI. Silicon Valley tech companies have been working on gadgets, including headsets and glasses, for years but they're still not as ubiquitous as the smartphone. There have also been major flops such as Humane's AI pin, a wearable virtual voice-operated assistant that was criticized for various issues such as providing inaccurate information and overheating. In February, San Francisco-based Humane shut down the AI pin after it was acquired by Hewlett-Packard. But the fumbles haven't stopped tech companies from barreling forward with building glasses, brain-computer interfaces and humanoid robots as they look to a future beyond the smartphone. When Google released smart glasses in 2013 that could shoot photos and videos, the company faced concerns about people using the device to surreptitiously record other people or read text while ignoring others. But the gadget resurfaced years later. This week, Google unveiled a prototype of its AI smart glasses at its annual I/O developer conference in Mountain View, demonstrating how people can use the device to search for information about a painting, travel and other topics without having to type on their smartphone. The search giant is partnering with eyewear brands Warby Parker and Gentle Monster on smart glasses. Last year, Santa Monica-based Snap unveiled the fifth generation of Spectacles, its augmented reality glasses that overlay digital objects on the physical world. The device, which was only available for developers, allowed people to play with virtual pets, conjure up images with a voice command or swing a virtual golf club. Meta teamed up with Ray-Ban on smart glasses that include an AI assistant that can answer questions, translate and help take a photo. It's also working on a more powerful pair of AR glasses that lets people take video calls, get recipe recommendations and multitask in other ways. And Apple, which unveiled a pricey mixed-reality headset known as the Vision Pro in 2023, is also reportedly working on smart glasses. In the video with Altman, Ive said the products that people use to connect to technology are decades old, so it's 'just common sense to at least think surely there's something beyond these legacy products.' 'I have a growing sense that everything I've learned over the last 30 years has led me to this place and to this moment,' Ive said in the video.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Mint
Trying to choose the right laptop? It depends on what you want it for
Deciding which laptop to buy is a hell of a confusing task in 2025. Let alone the fact that you simply have too many choices out there, personal considerations reign supreme, and unlike smartphones, we tend to focus more on the features and specs rather than the brand when it comes to buying a new laptop (accepting that there are two camps – Macbook lovers and Windows afficionados – to begin with). For most of us, the budget is the first consideration. Then it's whether you're a gamer, a student at a university, working in a corporate environment, or someone who edits movies on the fly. Laptops tend to last at least 4-5 years, and then the decision to upgrade from that can take another 6-12 months. The plethora of models and combinations, from chipsets to form factors and from display choices to types of keyboards, can confuse anyone. I'm here to cut through the clutter and give you the best of the best from a range of categories. I won't delve into the MacOS vs. Windows debate, so there'll be a separate category for Apple laptops. Without further ado, let's get to it. Laptops with the longest battery life For many years, battery anxiety has been a serious concern for consumers. In recent years, smartphone manufacturers have beefed up their batteries (smartphones with battery capacities of 5,000mAh and over are now commonplace), and chipset manufacturers have optimised their SoCs. For 2025, it's the turn of laptop manufacturers to double down and ease consumers' battery anxiety concerns. That's something each one of us can get behind. Asus Zenbook A14 When I got the Zenbook A14 for review, I wanted to test Asus' claims of 'up to 32 hours of battery life'. While I didn't get to that number (I tried replicating it in a few different scenarios), the laptop boasted 17-18 hours of battery life. It truly is a battery champion in a sea of laptops that disappoints. It's powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon X (or X Elite) processor and is one of the lightest CoPilot PCs on the market. Price: ₹99,990 MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro) Even though Windows manufacturers have caught up with Apple in the battery department and surpassed it (in some cases), the MacBook Pro 16 (M4 Pro) stands tall. Apple has always touted battery life (and chipset efficiency) as its USP, and the MacBook Pro 16 is no different. Price: ₹2,49,990 (16-inch) Best business laptops Lenovo ThinkPad X9 15 Aura Edition Lenovo's ThinkPad range has always been the top choice for business consumers. For 2025, you can't go wrong with the ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition. It's a 15-inch ultraportable with everything you need to be efficient and help you get through your day. Its thin and light design makes it a boon for travellers. It has many ports (one USB-A, two USB C/Thunderbolt 4s, and even a full-size HDMI). The gorgeous 120Hz 2.8K OLED display is the icing on the cake, as it provides vivid and punchy colours and crisp text. The keyboard, which is at the heart of every ThinkPad consumer, is comfortable, and there is a large haptic touchpad. With a brilliant 1440p webcam, all your video conferencing needs are taken care of. Last but not least, Intel's Lunar Lake Chip is under the hood for a smooth experience no matter what task you throw at it. Price: ₹1,44,067 HP EliteBook Ultra G1q If you're an enterprise consumer looking to maximise battery life, look no further than the HP EliteBook Ultra G1q. Yes, it's on the expensive side, but we're sure you can convince your office to get a bulk order. The big USP of this laptop is HP Wolf Security for Business, which adds extra layers of protection (anti-malware, anti-phishing) and the HP AI Companion. Price: ₹1,68,999 Best Ultrabooks Dell XPS 13 The last of its ilk before the rebranding, the Dell XPS 13 (with the power of Intel's Lunar Lake) is one beast of a laptop. It's got a svelte design with an invisible trackpad. It's meant as a head-turner but can also wow consumers with its excellent performance. With a battery life of 12 hours in real-world usage, the Dell XPS 13 is no slouch. Price: ₹1,82,389. Asus Zenbook S 14 (UX5406) The Asus Zenbook S 14, launched in September 2024, hits all the right notes. No one laptop ticks all the boxes, and user preferences vary. Nonetheless, the Zenbook S 14 comes mighty close. It's got an Intel Core Ultra 200V series processor, a 14-inch 3K OLED display, 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and all the ports you'd need. It's made from scratch-resistant Ceraluminum, which also keeps the chassis lightweight. It comes in at just 1.1 cm thin and 1.2 kg light. One of the USPs of this laptop is its battery life. Yes, it's not the best in the business (and we'll get to that later), but it provides a real-world usage of around 14 hours. Price: ₹1,34,990. Best Apple laptop MacBook Air M4 If you've already decided on a MacOS laptop, you've only got one manufacturer to choose from. For me, and most people, the MacBook Air M4 (more portable while sacrificing some power) is the way to go. It's got a new chipset, more memory and a much better webcam than its predecessor. Price: ₹99,900. MacBook Pro M4 If you need more power (for complex tasks) or are a video editor, the MacBook Pro M4 is your default choice. That's it. Price: ₹1,69,900 (14-inch) Best budget laptops Acer Swift Go 14 (2024) The Swift Go 14 from Acer has to be one of the most value-for-money offerings in the market currently. It has an excellent OLED display, is lightweight and portable, and has enough computing power for daily tasks. The only downside is that battery life is a tad bit short of what we expect today. Price: ₹59,990. Infinix Zero Book Ultra AI PC You're getting a lot of bang for your buck at the current price (on Flipkart) of ₹59,990 and an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor. It has a 15.6-inch display and weighs in at 1.8kg. It isn't the sleekest or lightest, but it's powerful enough for everything but gaming and video editing. This could be the best buy for a student or even someone who needs to make presentations and showcase them daily. Price: ₹59,990. Best mid-range laptops ASUS Vivobook S14 (M5406) At just ₹89,990, you're getting an AMD HX 370 processor that completely steals the show here. With a stunning OLED display (14-inch and 3K resolution), an RGB keyboard, powerful performance, and excellent battery life (upwards of 11 hours on a single charge), you can't go wrong at this price. Price: ₹89,990. Moto Book 60 Yes, I'm recommending a Motorola product in the laptop category—the Moto Book 60. It's got an Intel Core 7 series processor, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for just ₹78,990. Add to that the gorgeous OLED display, and it's an outstanding laptop for those with a light workload. The display steals the show, and you can binge the Indian Premier League with your friends without anyone complaining. Price: ₹78,990 Best 2-In-1 Tablet Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition (2024) Microsoft has been the king of this segment ever since the first Surface device was released. The 11th edition features a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processor, a sleek design, a detachable display, and the best battery life of any Surface product. This device has many AI features and many more ARM-compatible apps than before. The only downside is that the Flex Keyboard must be separately purchased. Price: ₹1,13,990. Best 2-in-1 Laptops Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 (14-Inch, 2024) Lenovo practically came up with, and subsequently dominated, the 2-in-1 laptop category. I remember buying, owning, and then returning the original model back in the day. Lenovo's come a long way and the Yoga 9i (14-inch, 2024) model is my pick for this category. That's only because the Aura Edition (unveiled at MWC in Barcelona) hasn't come to India yet. It's got top notch performance, an improved webcam, and great speakers. Price: ₹1,81,990 HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) The HP Spectre x360 is another 2-in-1 that has been on the scene for quite some time. The design has been reined it, but it's still a handsome fellow. The 14-inch display is gorgeous and the icing on the cake. You get an Intel Core Ultra processor, some AI features, up to 32GB and 2 TB of storage. Price: 1,62,499. Best gaming laptops Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 For this category the winner has to be an Asus ROG laptop. Yes, the Republic of Gamers line from Asus has some of the best products money can buy for the professional gamers out there. The ROG Zephyrus G16 is a professional-meets-casual gamer heaven. It's got the looks to be used when out and about and the guts to amp up your gaming needs. It's surprisingly compact and lightweight. Just don't go and play games when on battery power. It's built on AMD Ryzen AI Strix Point hardware and comes with Nvidia RTX 5000 series graphics card (up to RTX 5080 on the highest-tier model). Price: ₹2,79,990 Razer Blade 16 (2025) The Razer Blade 16 is a close second when it comes to the gaming category. This one hasn't yet launched in India but should arrive within the next few months. It's more powerful than the Asus ROG model listed above and has a beautiful design that'll win you over. Price: N/A Also read: Lumio Vision 9 review: Does it live up to its 'fast TV' claims?
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Good Morning Britain star reveals new career move away from the show as she turns 50
A GOOD Morning Britain anchor has revealed she's "taken some time out" to focus on a fresh career. The ITV favourite, who is a familiar face on the weekday series, will soon celebrate her 50th birthday. 6 A Good Morning Britain anchor has revealed their new focus away from the show Credit: ITV 6 Charlotte Hawkins is getting set for her 'year of the book' Credit: Instagram @charlottehawkins1 6 Charlotte, 49, joined a writing retreat this week Credit: Instagram @charlottehawkins1 And just a day before her milestone, Charlotte Hawkins told how she had been on a writing retreat, planning for her "year of the book." Charlotte, who also hosts a podcast as well as a show on Classic FM alongside her Good Morning Britain role, took to her Instagram grid to share the detail. She captured snaps showing her at the event held at Lainstone House Hotel, with her posed at her Macbook ready to write before heading into nature for some inspiration. Charlotte was also seen with her fellow Rosie Reinvention Retreat guests before they tucked into a tasty barbecue. In her lengthy caption, the mum of one wrote: "So.. my big birthday is just a day away now on Friday (eek!) which seemed like the perfect time to take a few days out and spend some time focussing on something I've been wanting to do for ages.. write! "Ever since I was a child obsessively reading and creating my own stories, it's long been a dream to write my own book. With 50 years on this earth fast approaching it felt like the right time to try to make that childhood dream a reality - so I've been on a writing retreat organised by the brilliant @rosiejnixon. "It's covered writing skills by @jilldawsonauthor, offered an agent's perspective with @jen_savill, and the author's view from @jessicabullnovelist as well as Rosie herself. All set at the glorious @lainston_house, in Jane Austen's Hampshire, just the perfect location to write. "It's allowed me to find the joy of being a writer with a really special group of people - big thanks to you all. "Plus we squeezed in a cookery course as well as a walk down the most gorgeous avenue of lime trees!" Teasing her new career twist she added: "I'm so excited to actually have the beginnings of a book.. now time to build on it. Good Morning Britain host says she's 'in so much trouble' with husband as she leaks bedtime recording live on TV "Hopefully turning 50 could be the year of the book… wish me luck!!!" She has been presenting GMB since 2014. She is married to hubby Mark Herbert, 50, and recently told how she was "in so much trouble" with him after letting slip a personal secret on-air. The GMB presenter and show panel previously discussed whether couples should sleep in separate rooms if one of them is snoring. Good Morning Britain presenters Current presenters: Susanna Reid (presenters Monday to Wednesday and alternate Thursdays) - 2014 to present Kate Garraway (presenters alternate Thursdays and Fridays) - 2014 to present Martin Lewis (Money Saving Expert) - 2021 to present Richard Madeley (presents Monday to Thursday) - 2022 to present Ed Balls (presents on a rotating basis) - 2022 to present Adil Ray (presents on Fridays) - 2024 to present Robert Rinder (presents on a rotating basis) - 2024 to present Charlotte Hawkins (stand in and holiday cover presenter) 2014 to present Former presenters: Ben Shephard (Thursdays and Fridays) - 2014 to 2024 Sean Fletcher (Monday–Friday) - 2014 John Stapleton (Wednesday) - 2014 Piers Morgan (Monday to Wednesday) - 2015 to 2021 Lorraine Kelly (Monday to Friday) - 2022 Charlotte captured her man in full flow as he headed off to the land of nod in a very loud segment of audio. Yet she admitted the reveal might not go down well at home. The broadcaster, who shares daughter Ella Rose with Mark, said: "I've recorded my husband because he was in denial about snoring. "So I actually recorded him, as a good journalist obviously as proof. "I'm going to be in so much trouble." Later in the show, she conceded "he's not thrilled the recording has been broadcast to the nation." CLOSE COUPLE Charlotte's spouse Mark turned 50 in 2023, two years before her special milestone. He seems to prefer a private life and leaves the spotlight to his wife. The family currently live in their home in Surrey - which boasts a luxury cosy living room and a spacious garden. The pair have been married for 15 years after tying the knot on August 23, 2008 at Chichester Cathedral - which was the church of the bride's father. They married in front of their closest friends and family members - including fellow TV presenters and former This Morning anchors Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes. 6 Charlotte joined GMB in 2014 Credit: Rex 6 She headed off to a retreat prior to her 50th birthday Credit: Instagram @charlottehawkins1
The Irish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Good Morning Britain star reveals new career move away from the show as she turns 50
A GOOD Morning Britain anchor has revealed she's "taken some time out" to focus on a fresh career. The ITV favourite, who is a familiar face on the weekday series, will soon celebrate her 50th birthday. Advertisement 6 A Good Morning Britain anchor has revealed their new focus away from the show Credit: ITV 6 Charlotte Hawkins is getting set for her 'year of the book' Credit: Instagram @charlottehawkins1 6 Charlotte, 49, joined a writing retreat this week Credit: Instagram @charlottehawkins1 And just a day before her milestone, Charlotte, who also hosts a podcast as well as a show on Classic FM alongside her Good Morning Britain role, took to her Instagram grid to share the detail. She captured snaps showing her at the event held at Lainstone House Hotel, with her posed at her Macbook ready to write before heading into nature for some inspiration. Charlotte was also seen with her fellow Rosie Reinvention Retreat guests before they tucked into a tasty barbecue. Advertisement READ MORE GMB In her lengthy caption, the mum of one wrote: "So.. my big birthday is just a day away now on Friday (eek!) which seemed like the perfect time to take a few days out and spend some time focussing on something I've been wanting to do for ages.. write! "Ever since I was a child obsessively reading and creating my own stories, it's long been a dream to write my own book. With 50 years on this earth fast approaching it felt like the right time to try to make that childhood dream a reality - so I've been on a writing retreat organised by the brilliant @rosiejnixon. "It's covered writing skills by @jilldawsonauthor, offered an agent's perspective with @jen_savill, and the author's view from @jessicabullnovelist as well as Rosie herself. All set at the glorious @lainston_house, in Jane Austen's Hampshire, just the perfect location to write. "It's allowed me to find the joy of being a writer with a really special group of people - big thanks to you all. Advertisement Most read in News TV "Plus we squeezed in a cookery course as well as a walk down the most gorgeous avenue of lime trees!" Teasing her new career twist she added: "I'm so excited to actually have the beginnings of a book.. now time to build on it. Good Morning Britain host says she's 'in so much trouble' with husband as she leaks bedtime recording live on TV "Hopefully turning 50 could be the year of the book… wish me luck!!!" She has been presenting GMB since 2014. Advertisement She is married to hubby , 50, and recently The GMB presenter and show panel previously discussed whether couples should sleep in separate rooms if one of them is snoring. Good Morning Britain presenters Current presenters: Susanna Reid (presenters Monday to Wednesday and alternate Thursdays) - 2014 to present Kate Garraway (presenters alternate Thursdays and Fridays) - 2014 to present Martin Lewis (Money Saving Expert) - 2021 to present Richard Madeley (presents Monday to Thursday) - 2022 to present Ed Balls (presents on a rotating basis) - 2022 to present Former presenters: Ben Shephard (Thursdays and Fridays) - 2014 to 2024 Piers Morgan (Monday to Wednesday) - 2015 to 2021 Lorraine Kelly (Monday to Friday) - 2022 Charlotte captured her man in full flow as he headed off to the land of nod in a very loud segment of audio. Yet she admitted the reveal might not go down well at home. Advertisement The broadcaster, who shares daughter Ella Rose with Mark, said: "I've recorded my husband because he was in denial about snoring. "So I actually recorded him, as a good journalist obviously as proof. "I'm going to be in so much trouble." Later in the show, she conceded "he's not thrilled the recording has been broadcast to the nation." Advertisement CLOSE COUPLE Charlotte's spouse Mark turned 50 in 2023, two years before her special milestone. He seems to prefer a private life and leaves the spotlight to his wife. The family currently live in their home in Surrey - which boasts a luxury cosy living room and a spacious garden. The pair have been married for 15 years after tying the knot on August 23, 2008 at Chichester Cathedral - which was the church of the bride's father. Advertisement They married in front of their closest friends and family members - including fellow TV presenters and former This Morning anchors Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes. 6 Charlotte joined GMB in 2014 Credit: Rex 6 She headed off to a retreat prior to her 50th birthday Credit: Instagram @charlottehawkins1 6 Her husband Mark celebrated his milestone birthday in 2023 Credit: instagram Advertisement
