Get your wallet ready because Apple revealed new goodies at their “Spring Forward” press event in San Francisco. The long-awaited Apple Watch, a new super-thin Macbook, and HBO NOW Streaming Service were the highlights of the event.
The Apple Watch is slated to come in different models based on size and their intended use but all are expected to hold an 18-hour battery life. The entry level variants, Watch and Watch Sport which both feature a stainless steel case, are priced starting at $349 for 38mm and $399 for 42mm sizes.
A standard steel case version starts at $549 and can go as high as $1,049 depending on the band you’d like. However, those models are cheap compared to the $10,000 Edition version which touts an 18-karat gold case with options that can rack the price up towards $17,000.
An iPhone 5 or higher is required for use of all Watch models.
The new 2015 Macbook is the thinnest 12″ laptop that Apple has ever made, coming in at just 13.1mm thin and sporting a 2304 x 1440 resolution. While keeping close to Apple’s iconic Macbook design, there have been a few changes to the keyboard and inputs were implemented.
The keyboard uses a “butterfly” mechanicism which uses a single assembly that allows the laptop to be 40 percent thinner. The trackpad no longer has a hinge when clicked and has been substituted with the feel of a click through haptic feedback vibration. There will be no internal fan and there will be two ports, which include a headphone jack and USB-C, a new USB variant, which will allow you to charge your Macbook without a power supply, similar to charging a tablet.
Each model comes in three colors: space gray, silver, and gold.
HBO NOW Streaming Service was detailed and you’ll now be able to watch your Game of Thrones on demand and on up to three devices simultaneously. At $14.99 per month, service to HBO NOW will be available through all Apple devices including the Apple TV, which also had its price cut to $69. All customers will receive a free month if they sign up from an Apple device during April.
Pre-orders for the Watch and Macbook will be available on April 10 and the estimated shipping date is April 24.
![Hashem Mishal using an angle grinder to cut a drill bit, in the SAE team’s garage at SF State on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. “We don't get anything from the school other than this workshop,” Mishal said. “Our advisor, he runs the shop, and he also works with us to try and get as [many] opportunities as possible. So it was really nice, in helping us get this space, but all the tools are just some of the guys’ or third parties’. I don't know where these tools came from, but a lot of it was sponsors, donations from alumni. Right now, all the hardware we’ve been paying out of pocket for the time being.” (Jonah Chambliss / Xpress Magazine)](https://xpressmagazine.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Chambliss_F1_001_LEDEPHOTO-1200x800.jpg)
