Why my Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max cost more than my M4 Mac mini
Back in the day, when personal computers were first making their way into homes, buying a desktop was often a massive investment. The price tags on those early machines were no joke, especially in the ’80s and ’90s. Dropping a couple of thousand dollars on a beige box humming with potential was considered normal. Fast forward to today, and times have certainly changed -- computers, including the powerful M-series Mac minis, have become more affordable, while flagship smartphones have skyrocketed in price.
I recently bought Apple’s new base-model M4 Mac mini, which set me back $500 with the education discount ($600 regularly). For those keeping tabs, that’s for a fully functional, highly efficient desktop computer. Not too long ago, such a price would have barely covered the cost of an average, bare-bones PC tower. This particular Mac mini runs circles around most mainstream computers from just a few years ago, delivering top-notch performance at a budget-friendly price.
HTC teases new Android smartphone
In a recent Facebook post, HTC Taiwan has stirred up excitement among Android enthusiasts with a teaser for its upcoming smartphone. The post hints at a significant unveiling slated for June 12, 2024, at 8 AM, encouraging fans to "lock htc.com" for the latest updates. On X (formerly Twitter), the company also shares a hashtag of #ALLFORU.
The brief yet suggestive announcement has left many speculating about the features and advancements the "new HTC 2024" might offer. While details remain scarce, the anticipation builds as HTC aims to regain its foothold in the competitive smartphone market. Historically known for pioneering features in the smartphone realm, industry watchers are eager to see what innovative elements HTC will introduce next.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 brings enhanced on-device AI to Android devices -- should Apple be worried?
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. has officially announced the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 Mobile Platform, which is primarily designed for premium Android smartphones. This latest addition to the Snapdragon 8 series is tailored to bring the most coveted capabilities to a broader range of future flagship smartphones, ensuring high quality performance across various aspects, including generative AI, photography, and gaming.
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 platform is designed to deliver an array of premium features, such as support for on-device generative AI, an always-sensing ISP, hyper-realistic mobile gaming, state-of-the-art connectivity, and lossless high-definition sound. It also supports a wide range of AI models, including popular large language models (LLMs) like Baichuan-7B, Llama 2, Gemini Nano, and Zhipu ChatGLM.