These 15 vintage PCs shaped the way we think about laptops today

This collection of computers, in part, has colored how we think about computers today.

Though packed away in garages and basements or collecting dust on a bookshelf, the computers of decades past are often things we have trouble discarding. It’s not just that electronics reuse is so challenging because of the components, it’s also hard to part with the laptops of yesteryear because they hold so much sentimental value and act as artifacts of our recent past.

I attended the Vintage Computer Festival in Orange, California, this month to try to figure out why old computers still have such appeal long after they become obsolete. There are now meetups in hotel ballrooms and convention centers across the country where people gather to share stories about old video games, swap repair tips, and yes, buy more old computers.

As a visual pairing with her story, “From the basement to the festival: The enduring allure of vintage computers,” Nelius also captured photos of 15 machines pivotal to how we define a computer — laptop, desktop, tablet, phone, watch, glasses — today.

AES Model 103:AES released the Lanier Model 103 “No Problem” word processor in 1978 with an Intel 8080 CPU (the company’s second 8-bit microprocessor), 32K of RAM, and dual 5.25-inch floppy disk drives. At the time, it cost $12,000, which would be nearly $61,000 in 2025. President Jimmy Carter used one of these PCs to write his memoir Keeping Faith: Memoirs of a President and found it “much easier to compose on one than a typewriter,” as he told the New York Times in 1981.

Apple iBook G3: The G3 was Apple’s first iBook. This model includes a PowerPC G3 CPU, an optical drive, standard USB, and Wi-Fi, and it is the first to use Apple’s Unified Logic Board Architecture. Apple released it in 1999 for $1,599, about $3,050 today. Nicknamed “the clamshell,” it was a far departure from laptop designs at the time, not just because it resembled a clam. Its casing was translucent and boldly colored on the outside.

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Bondwell 2: Introduced by Bondwell in 1985, the Bondwell-2 was a netbook-sized laptop that used a CP/M (Control Program/Monitor) system with a 3.5-inch disk drive. Bondwell originally designed the CP/M to load and run programs and organize files on 8- and 5.25-inch magnetic storage disks, so it was an unusual design choice to have it work with a more modern-sized floppy disk for the time. By 1985, MS-DOS and other operating systems had become more popular.

Laser PC4: This 1990 laptop shares several core features with today’s smartphones and laptops. It could keep track of your appointments, store telephone numbers, create spreadsheets, spell check documents, and function as an alarm clock. There was an IBM and a Macintosh version, so if you had either one of those desktop computers at the time, you could easily export files from the PC4 — but if not, the laptop came with an optional conversion kit for IBM, Mac, and Apple II systems.

Commodore LCD: The empty space here commemorates a laptop that never was: the Commodore LCD. The company canceled its release plans after announcing it at CES 1985, so only a handful of prototypes were ever made. One of those prototypes is currently in the hands of Bill Herd, an engineer who designed the LCD and other Commodore systems. Had the LCD been released, it would have run the Commodore BASIC 3.6 OS on a Rockwell 65C102 with 32KB of RAM and 96KB of ROM.

HP 110 Portable: The HP Portable was a stand-out laptop in 1984. Its screen was four times the size of the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 (its major competitor), its 5MHz CPU was extremely fast, and its 256K of RAM was enormous for the time. Its battery also lasted 16 hours on a single charge. Creative Computing voted the 110 Portable one of the best computers of 1984 for having “nearly everything you could wish for.”

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GTE XT300E Action Station: Before Bell Atlantic acquired GTE Corporation, it released a few unsuccessful business computers. One was the 1985 XT300E ActionStation. No one wanted it, even with a built-in modem, electronic telephone, 9-inch screen, speakerphone, email service, and online public database search capabilities. In addition to its $1,295 price tag (around $3,825 in 2025), it costs $15 per hour to access CompuServe’s online services. That’s like paying $45 per hour today to access the Internet.

The rare Apple Bose: Released in 1997, Apple’s Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh (TAM) commemorated the 20 years that had passed since Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne started Apple Computer. (Ironically, this was also the same year Steve Jobs returned to Apple after previously departing in 1985.) The limited-edition desktop PC featured a PowerPC 603ev CPU, ATI 3D RAGE II graphics, and a custom-made Bose sound system. At release, it cost an astonishing $7,500.

Commodore PET 2001: The Commodore PET 2001 was the world’s first personal computer, debuting at CES 1977. Starting at $795 (over $4,000 today), it was powered by a MOS 6502 microprocessor and could be configured with up to 32KB of RAM. The TTL monochrome monitor was built into the same chassis as the chiclet keyboard. The PET 2001 had an integrated dataset that used cassette tapes instead of floppy disk drives like its rivals.

Grid Compass Computer 1101: When the first clamshell laptop, the Grid Compass Computer 1101, was released in 1982, it cost $8,150 — a couple of thousand dollars more than the average price of a car. This price was way out of most people’s budgets. However, its size and internal hardware made it the perfect computer for NASA, which first launched one into space in 1983 aboard the space shuttle Columbia. The custom GriD-OS was powered by an Intel 8086 CPU and used bubble (solid-state) memory.

Osborne 1: The Osborne 1 was released in 1981 and was the first commercially successful, “all-in-one” portable computer—even though it weighed nearly 25 pounds, had a 5-inch display, and looked like “a cross between a World War II field radio and a shrunken instrument panel of a DC-3,” as Time Magazine noted in 1982. Its CP/M operating system was powered by a Zilog Z80 CPU, 64KB of RAM, and dual 5.25-inch floppy disk drives.

ThinkPad 700C: IBM released its iconic ThinkPad 700/700C in 1992. It was the first laptop to feature the TrackPoint, an integrated pointing stick that controls the mouse cursor. The ThinkPad is also known for its Japanese Bento Box design, which makes many of its internal components easily accessible for upgrades or repairs. Due to their popularity, they sold out quickly. Even President George H. W. Bush had a hard time buying one as a Christmas gift for his wife, Barbara.

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NEC 8401 A Starlet: Nicknamed “Starlet,” the NEC PC-8401A was a portable laptop released in 1985, the successor to the 8201 model. It was incredibly light for the time, weighing just 4.7 pounds, and came configured with 64K of RAM and 96K of ROM. The Starlet used the CP/M operating system, but its storage drives had to be purchased separately. However, the laptop did come with a few preinstalled programs for word processing, creating spreadsheets, and connecting to your phone line.

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Cambridge Z88: The Cambridge Z88 was first announced in the US during the 1987 COMDEX show in Las Vegas. Weighting just 2 pounds, it was one of (if not the) smallest and lightest laptops that existed back then. It ran a proprietary operating system but had built-in programs for keeping track of appointments and important dates, combined software for word processing and making spreadsheets, and good printer driver compatibility — though you’d need to alter the printer driver manually.

Epson HX20: When it debuted at COMDEX in 1981, the Epson HX-20 started a new portable laptop trend: briefcase-sized, powerful, battery-operated devices. The HX-20 could last around 50 hours on a single charge, and if it sat idle for too long, it would turn off to conserve energy. As awesome as this laptop was, it didn’t achieve commercial success outside of Japan when it was released a year later. Radio Shack’s TRS-80 Model 100 overshadowed it.

Catching up to Tesla: you can now unlock and start your Polestar 3 with an Apple Watch

Your wrist is the key

Polestar 3

(Image credit: Polestar)


  • Polestar 3 just got a big Apple Watch upgrade
  • It now supports car keys in Apple Wallet
  • You can unlock and drive your car with just an iPhone or your Apple Watch

Polestar has announced a big upgrade for iPhone andApple Watchcustomers that will allow drivers of its Polestar 3 to unlock and drive the vehicle thanks to car keys inAppleWallet.

The companyannouncedthat it was pushing an over-the-air software update to the Polestar 3. Car keys in Apple Wallet support now means that drivers can automatically unlock their cars while leaving their iPhones in their pocket, simply by wearing an Apple Watch.

It’s a big benefit that allows seamless, keyless entry to (and exit from) your vehicle. What’s more, customers benefit from Apple Wallet’s car keys sharing, so you can share keys through Messages, Mail, AirDrop,WhatsApp, and more with up to five other users, tweaking access between just gaining access to the vehicle or driving it as required. You can even use the iPhone Power Reserve feature to unlock and drive the car if your iPhone has run out of battery.

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Polestar 3 gets car keys support

This is a welcome quality-of-life upgrade for Polestar 3 owners, and the company has confirmed the Polestar 4 should get support soon too. What’s more, you don’t even need thebest Apple Watchor newest iPhone to take advantage, you just need an iPhone 11 or Apple Watch Series 6 or later.

It’s also a welcome catch-up play for anyone casting a jealous eye over at Tesla. Tesla supports Apple Wallet car keys and also unveiled a new bespoke Apple Watch app for Tesla owners late last year. The latter lets users remotely lock and unlock their vehicle, adjust climate controls, and even open the front trunk.

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While niche, Apple Wallet car keys is one of the coolest Apple Watch features going. The device’s Wallet app and NFC tools can also be used to unlock thebest smart locksfor your home, access hotel rooms, and of course, make payments using Apple Pay.

AirPods Pro 2’s hearing aid mode launches in the UK today – here’s what you need to know about it

Hear hear

AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Test Start Screen on an iPhone 16

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

Applehas announced that the hearing aid mode forAirPods Pro 2, which wasannounced and launched in the US last year, is coming to the UK today, Monday February 24th, 2025. We alreadyknew that it was coming to the UK following a regulatory change, but not when – however, you can expect it to become enabled imminently.

AirPods Pro 2 are able to help with mild to moderate hearing loss, and the hearing aid mode is designed to help people boost particular frequencies that may make it hard for them to hear conversations in loud rooms, for example – especially in combination with Apple’s noise-management tech used in the earbuds.

Using them as hearing aids is a two-step process: first, you take a hearing aid test with them in your ears from your iPhone by listening to a series of tones while in a quiet room. This was already available in the UK, and we recommend everyone tries it –like our writer, you might find interesting things out even if you have no hearing problems, or it might help clarify things for you.

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The second step is that the AirPods can take the results of your hearing test and create the hearing aid profile from there, boosting the parts of the world around you that need boosting when you wear them – though there are ways you can adjust how it works. This second part has been missing from the UK so far, but we’ve tried it out in the US, and it can be very powerful.

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There are lots of people who resist hearing aids, for various reasons, and being able to use (relatively) inexpensive earbuds as an alternative might help a lot more people to try out hearing augmentation.

Well, that’s as long as they have an iPhone as well, and don’t hearing support all day. There’s no Android support for this feature on AirPods Pro 2, and you’re limited to the roughly six-hour battery life that AirPods Pro 2 have before then need recharging from their case.

But for some people, that will be perfect – they’ll only need them when having lunch with a friend or watching TV for a few hours, and can put them back in the case to charge when they extra nuance they offer isn’t needed.

The feature is only available for the AirPods Pro 2, not any of the otherbest AirPods– even the newerAirPods 4, because it requires the in-ear seal that only the Pro model provides.

If you’re having trouble finding the new feature, make sure your iPhone is up to date by going to the Settings app, then General, then Software Update, to check for an update on that device. AirPods should update their software automatically in the background when charging and not in use, butApple recently finally shared instructions on how to update AirPods.

Apple finally admits a new product is coming next week, but is it the new iPhone that everyone is hoping for?

Apple’s Tim Cook has confirmed that the “newest member of the family” will launch on February 19

Apple Launch teased for 2/19

(Image credit: Apple / Tim Cook)

The possibility of an iPhone 4 SE has been circulating in theApplerumor mill for awhile – but now Apple is finally admitting thatsomethingis coming. Today, Apple’s Tim Cook shared an obscure teaser with a February 19 launch date on X (formerly Twitter).

The teasersimply reads: “Get ready to meet the newest member of the family. Wednesday, February 19.” The text is shared with a GIF of a shimmery metallic Apple logo.

The text and video don’t do much except indicate that some sort of new Apple product will be announced next week. The post on X doesn’t offer any hints as to what category the launch will even fall under, where that’s smartphones, tablets, computers, headphones or even VR headsets. (Although, the white circle behind the logo does remind me a bit of a MagSafe charger.)

But while Cook’s post doesn’t offer much insight outside of the launch date, rumors have been circulating about potential launches for several products. Apple tends to launch its more budget-friendly iPhones in the spring – though historically March has been the typical timeframe for iPhone SE launches.

With the traditional timeline for a budget iPhone quickly approaching, many are speculating that next week’s launch is theiPhone SE 4. Apple, naturally, hasn’t confirmed the rumors. Current speculation has the iPhone SE 4 expected to still have only a single camera but to potentially axe the home button like the more advanced iPhones. Of course, rumor sites were calling for the iPhone SE 4 to launch last week, so these reports shouldn’t be treated as certainties.

Another Apple product that tends to launch outside the big September event is theMacBook Air. Speculation points tothe slimmer laptop getting the M4 chip. That’s a safe guess with the M4 chip already available on theMacBook Pro, but again, Apple hasn’t offered any sort of hint at what specifically will launch on February 19.

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While the rumors have been circulating for a while now, Cook’s post means something (or perhaps multiple things) is coming next week.

iPhone 7 owners are getting $200 in class action lawsuit, and here’s how you can track yours

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus

Settlement payout from theiPhone 7 class action lawsuit against Appleare starting to roll out. Those who participated in the class action lawsuit have started to receive payments, with amounts varying based on whether you spent any money on repairing the iPhone 7 or the iPhone 7 Plus.

Some of the co-applicants in the lawsuit have started to receive around $200 as part payment from the $35 million settlement,9to5Macreported. While the payout is less than the maximum of $350 initially approved by the court, it should still feel satisfactory to the appellants.

The report does not clarify if payment terms have been revised, but it was supposed to fall between $50 and $350 for those who paid Apple to get the “audio IC” defect rectified. Those who notified Apple but didn’t pay for repairs were eligible for compensation up to $125. The actual payouts are supposed to be split judiciously between the plaintiffs and after squeezing payments for the class representatives and attorneys from the sum of $35 million.

Members of the settlement class who have yet to receive their payments can dial 1-833-633-0343 to check the status and the exact amount of the payments. You can also visit the designated contact page to find a mail-in address where you can send your queries or fill a contact form with your details to receive a call-back.

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What was the iPhone 7 class action lawsuit about?

Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

If you are unsure of whether you qualify for these payouts, we may have some bad news. That’s because the deadline to participate in the ended in July last year. If you missed the window, you are likely not eligible for the payouts, even if you own an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus — or did at some time between 2016 and 2023.

In case you are unaware why Apple had to part ways with such as high sum of $35 million, it is because of a widespread flaw found on the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus. Often referred to as the “loop disease” or the “audio IC” defect that led to issues with the speaker and microphone on the specific iPhone models when subjected to pressure. Widespread outrage culminated in a class action lawsuit against Apple, which it decided to settle in 2024.

Despite agreeing to settle the class action for $35 million, Apple continues to deny the allegations. For the three-trillion dollar company, that is surely loose change and badgering itself with legal woes would probably cost more.

I’m a tech writer, and Apple’s naming system even confuses me! Here’s how to decode it

Apple product names can be quite perplexing. But here’s my decoder to help make sense of them

I loveAppleproducts. They’re sleek, they’re powerful, and in the immortal words of Steve Jobs, they “just work” (well, most of the time). But their naming strategy? It’s a wild ride.

Take the iPhone lineup, for instance. Remember when it was just “iPhone” followed by a number? Those were simpler times. Now along with theiPhone 16we recently got theiPhone 16 Pro Max, theiPhone 16 Proand theiPhone 16 Plus. Plus right now, we’re expecting the imminent appearance of theiPhone SE 4; like that cousin no-one’s quite sure how to introduce at family gatherings.

And let’s talk about those chips. The M1 made sense as a starting point. Then came M1 Pro and M1 Max – okay, still following. But then Apple threw in the M1 Ultra, which is essentially two M1 Max chips fused together. Just when you thought you had it figured out, they launched the M2 series, and now we’re deep into M3 and M4 territory, each with their own variants. It’s like a Russian nesting doll of processing power.

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The iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

TheiPadfamily tree is another puzzle altogether. We’ve got theiPad Pro(in two sizes),iPad Air, iPad mini, and just… iPad. But wait – this basic / standard / entry-level iPad comes in different generations, and some older models are still sold new. Try explaining to your non-tech-savvy aunt why the 9th-generation iPad Air might actually be a better choice for her than the 10th-generation iPad Pro, depending on her needs and budget. To be honest, even your tech-savvy teenager might get lost at this point.

I could go on, but you get the point. Basically it’s all a hot mess. So I set myself the challenge of trying to create a decoder for Apple’s product naming system. Here’s what I came up with.

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Naming elementMeaningRecent examples
ProIndicates a higher-end, more powerful version. Usually the most expensive model in a series.Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M4 Pro, 2024), iPhone 16 Pro, Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)
AirSuggests a thinner, lighter, more portable version. Used to be much less powerful than the Pro versions, but the gap has narrowed in recent years.Apple MacBook Air 13in (M3, 2024), iPad Air M2 2024
miniDenotes a smaller, more compact version. Yes, the ‘m’ is meant to be lower case.Mac mini M4 Pro, iPad mini (2024)
MaxIndicates the largest and/or most feature-rich version.iPhone 16 Pro Max
PlusSignifies a larger screen size and/or slightly enhanced features.iPhone 16 Plus
SEStands for Special Edition: a more affordable version with some features of higher-end models.iPhone SE (2022)
[Number] eg, 16Used to denote the series that a product sits within.iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14
SeriesWith the Apple Watch specifically, the word ‘Series’ is attached to the number. Don’t ask me why.Apple Watch Series 8
[Generation] eg, 6th generationIndicates a version or iteration of a product.iPad Air 13-inch (6th generation) – aka iPad Air 13-inch (2024)
[Year] eg, 2024Alternative way of describing the generation. Sometimes Apple includes the year and the numbered generation in a product name, sometimes only one of these.iPad Air 13-inch (2024) – aka iPad Air 13-inch (6th generation)
[Storage capacity] eg, 256GBFairly straightforward this one: specifies the amount of storage.iPhone 16 Pro (256GB)
[Processor] eg, M1Refers to the Apple-made processor inside the device.Apple Mac Studio M2 (2023)
[M1/M2/M3/M4] ProMore powerful version of the base M chip. More CPU and GPU cores.MacBook Pro (M2 Pro)
[M1/M2/M3/M4] MaxEven more powerful than the “Pro” version. Highest core count, more memory bandwidth. ‘Max’ might imply ‘maximum’ but this is not actually the most powerful M-chip. That’s the Ultra, below.MacBook Pro (M2 Max)
[M1/M2/M3/M4] UltraThe most powerful M-series chip. Combines two M-Max chips.Mac Studio (M2 Ultra)

This decoder, I should stress, is by no means perfect or foolproof. And it’s certainly not something that’s been approved by Apple. Because while the broad principles I’ve outlined in this table will get you some of the way, the company themselves doesn’t apply them universally across the board. 

For instance, sometimes “Pro” means it’s the most powerful option (like with iPhones), but sometimes there’s an even more powerful “Max” or “Pro Max” version. Sometimes “Air” means it’s the slimmer, lighter option (MacBook Air), but the iPad Air actually sits in a middle ground between basic and Pro models. 

The MacBook Air 13in (M3, 2024)

It gets even worse when it comes to Apple’s accessories. For instance, AirPods come in regular, Pro and Max varieties – but the Max is actually over-ear headphones, not pods at all. The Apple Pencil, meanwhile, has four versions that look different and charge differently, and they’re not compatible with all iPads.

The naming convention here (and I’m not making this up) begins: Apple Pencil (1st Generation), Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)… so far so good. But then suddenly it veers off into Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Apple Pencil Pro. Would you know that the third of these was the budget model, just from the name? Of course not. And you need a spreadsheet to figure out which Apple Pencil works with which iPad: the names here are no use at all.

I tracked 10,000 steps with Samsung, Apple, Garmin and Polar – here are all the differences

I put step trackers to the test

Counting steps has become a universal way for most people to measure their daily activity – probably because it’s simple, accessible and easy to fit into daily life. But with a plethora of apps and gadgets promising accurate results, it got me thinking: are all step trackers created equal?

To put this to the test, I tracked a 10,000-step journey using four different devices, all running on different, renowned platforms. I armed myself with (a pretty retro)AppleiPhone 7 running the Apple Health app in my left trouser pocket and, in my right, one of thebest Samsung phones, the Galaxy S23 Ultra with the Samsung Health app installed. On my wrists, I sported two ofthe best running watches: the new Polar Vantage M3 smartwatch on my right and the Garmin Fenix 7 on my left. My goal was simple – to see how their step counts stacked up across a brisk 9km walk through Wellington city centre and back.

Would the fitness-focused smartwatches  which also track heart rate and other vitals  outshine the trusty smartphones that merely sat in my trouser pockets? Or would this experiment show that you don’t need fancy tech to track your steps accurately? Here’s what I discovered after using all four devices at the same time.

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Noticeable differences

My 10,000-step walk was fairly straightforward: I covered 4.5km from my home to the other side of Wellington city centre, took a short break and walked back – a total of roughly 9km. All devices were set to zero before I set off to ensure a fair comparison.

After 1.5 hours of brisk walking, I paused (read: had a sit down in a café with pastry in hand) to check the halfway point readings. These were as follows:

Halfway point results:

  • Apple Health app:5,003 steps
  • Samsung Health app:5,022 steps
  • Polar Vantage M3:5,276 steps
  • Garmin Fenix 7:5,120 steps

There were already small, but notable discrepancies between the different platforms. The step counts on the two phone apps were closely matched, with just a 19-step difference, which isn’t bad for non-fitness focused gadgets shoved in pockets. The smartwatches, however, varied more – the Polar clocked in 273 steps higher than the iPhone, while theGarminwas more middle-ground at 117 steps above the Apple count.

On the return leg, I took extra care in ensuring my pace was consistent, sticking to well-trodden paths and keeping my stride as steady as possible. By the time I got home, here’s what the final step counts looked like:

Final results:

  • Apple Health app:10,102 steps
  • Samsung Health app:10,142 steps
  • Polar Vantage M3:10,479 steps
  • Garmin Fenix 7:10,305 steps

Unsurprisingly, none of the devices reported the exact same total. However, the Apple andSamsungphone apps proved to be remarkably consistent with one another, both at the halfway point and at the end, with less than a 1% variance.

The Polar Vantage M3, meanwhile, consistently overshot the mark, adding an extra 379 steps by the end of the walk compared to the iPhone. That’s roughly a 3.8% difference – enough to slightly skew fitness goals over time, especially if you’re relying on exact data for training, assuming this is the most inaccurate by nature of being the outlier.

The Garmin Fenix 7, while slightly overcounting compared to the phones, was less dramatic than the Polar, adding just over 200 steps above the Apple tally. It seemed to strike a balance between sensitivity and accuracy, which doesn’t surprise meGarmin has a reputation for reliability among fitness enthusiasts.

Which gadget is the most accurate?

Determining “accuracy” is tricky without knowing the true step counta problem that plagues all step trackers. Factors like stride length,armmovement and even how a device is worn can influence readings. That said, my takeaway is this: phones are surprisingly accurate for everyday step tracking.

The Apple and Samsung apps, nestled safely in my pockets, kept pace with each other consistently, even when compared against the two top-tier smartwatches. This suggests that if you’re using your phone to track steps, you’re probably getting a solid estimate – and it won’t cost you a penny beyond the device itself.

The Polar’s higher step count could stem from its sensitivity to wrist movements, especially since it was strapped to my right wrist on my dominant arm. This might interpret extra steps during non-walking activities like turning corners or gesturing. The Garmin, on the other hand, seemed to lean more conservatively but still edged over the phone tallies.

Do you need wearables to track steps?

While the Polar and Garmin offer plenty of advanced metrics and features that go beyond step tracking – like heart rate, GPS routes and workout summaries – my walk experiment has shown that they’re not strictly necessary if your goal is simply to hit your 10,000-step target each day.

That said, smartwatches do have their perks. They’re great for those who want a more comprehensive picture of their fitness, including calorie burn, sleep tracking and VO₂ max measurements. Plus, they’re often more convenient to glance at mid-walk than pulling out a phone. There are discrepancies from unit to unit because each watch uses different algorithms and technology, but they’re generally in the right ballpart. We found similar differences betweenpremium Garmin and Apple Watches when testing them against each other during a marathon.

However, if you’re just looking to monitor your movement and improve daily activity, a smartphone app will do the job perfectly well if that’s all you intend to do. As my test proved, they’re more than up to the task, and you can save yourself hundreds of pounds in the process. You certainly don’t need to splash out on fancy gadgets to track your steps accurately – your pocket companion can do the job just as well.

Apple Maps just got a big upgrade to rival Google Maps

Apple’s take on Street View comes to browsers

Apple Maps on the web pictured on a Mac screen.

(Image credit:  Apple)

Apple finallybrought Apple Maps to web browsersback in June, allowing people without iPhones or Macs to access its navigation system for the very first time. That version ofApple Mapswas a bit limited since it was still in beta, but now it’s received a usefulGoogle Maps-inspired upgrade.

Apple has added the Look Around feature to Apple Maps on the web. For those that aren’t familiar with Apple Maps, it’s basically Apple’s take onGoogle Street View— letting you view different locations from street level. Of course, it’s not available in every location, and the system isn’t quite as intuitive as what Street View has to offer.

While Google Maps lets you click specific areas, or drag the yellow Pin man onto the map to load up Street View, Apple’s system is different. So long as you’re looking at a city with Look Around support, you have to keep an eye out for a set of binoculars in the bottom left. Clicking that starts Look Around’s pop-up window that superimposes the street view onto the map.

It works much the same way as Google’s Street View, letting you spin around 360 degrees and click locations in the distance to travel there. Alternatively, you can move the large map around if you want a little more control over where you end up.

I managed to get Look Around up and running in GoogleChromeon Windows, and it seems to be working pretty well. However, it did take me a hot minute to figure out how I was supposed to get started since Apple just expects you to know what to do. The only real downside is that Look Around is a lot more limited than Street View, which has almost the entire world covered in some shape or form.

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Only select cities in the U.S., Canada, EU, U.K. and New Zealand are supported, and Apple has afull liston its website. But this won’t stop you from wandering those virtual streets in Look Around when you live elsewhere.

Whether Apple will expand Look Around in the future isn’t clear, but it has promised to improve the beta version of Apple Maps Web. Support for more features, platforms and languages will apparently happen, which hopefully means that Apple Maps will finally come to Android in some form in the near future. While loyal Android users may be appalled at the idea, it’s always better to have options beyond thetwo big Google-owned navigation apps.

AirTag 2 could match the latest iPhones with huge upgrade on new chip

Apple introduced its first object tracker all the way back in 2021. In typical Apple fashion, the company hasn’t said a word about an upgrade, but as per reliable reports, theAirTag 2 has moved to the “manufacturing tests” stagewith an added focus on privacy measures.

Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has shed more light on the biggest hardware upgrade destined for the second-generation AirTag. In the latest edition of hisPowerOnnewsletter, Gurman writes that the object tracker will get a more powerful UWB chip.

UWB, short for Ultra Wideband, is a short-range radio technology that enables spatial awareness. In the Apple ecosystem’s context, this tech stack allows Precision Finding to facilitate accurate distance and direction guidance for object tracking.

AirTag next to an iPhone.

The purpose of Precision Finding is to offer more precise location and navigation instructions to users as they attempt to find their misplaced gadgets. In its current iteration, users get visual cues on the screen in the form of large arrows and distance estimation, alongside sound and haptic cues.

So, how good is this new UWB chip fitted inside the AirTag 2? As per Bloomberg, it will be “on par with the one introduced in the iPhone 15.” To recall, Apple equipped theiPhone 15andiPhone 16series with its second-generation Ultra Wideband chip.

The UWB fitted inside the current-genAirTag offers a range of 10 metersor roughly 30 feet. The second-gen UWB chip will reportedly triple those numbers, which means the minimum location-finding range will climb up to 30 meters.

An AirTag sitting next to an iPhone.

The UWB-powered Precision Finding feature is available for the iPhone 11 and all its mainline successors to date. On the iPhone 15 and 16 series, thanks to the second-gen UWB chip, Precision Finding also allows users to find a friend nearby using the Find My app.

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In addition to an improved UWB chip, Apple has reportedly tweaked the internal design and made it more difficult to tamper with the speaker assembly. That’s a thoughtful change and would dissuade bad actors from illicit activities like stalking and theft.

Back in 2022, “silent AirTags” with their speaker kit removed popped up on online platforms like Etsy and eBay. Such object trackers are much harder to find without the beeping sound produced by the onboard speaker, especially if the device is hidden well or concealed tightly.

I’m obsessed with this app that turned my iPhone into a retro iPod

As great as modern technology is, sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. Smartphones today are capable of virtually endless tasks and are light-years better than mobile gadgets from a decade or two ago. Still, it’s hard not to have some nostalgia for “retro” devices like the Palm Pilot, the first Motorola Razr, or your trusty old iPod.

While doomscrolling X the other night, I saw that Quinn Nelson of Snazzy Labs hadposted a short videoabout an iPhone app called “My Classic – Retro Console” that promises to turn your iPhone into an iPod Classic. It’s a very silly idea, but at a one-time price of $3, it was cheap enough that I decided to try it for myself. After living with myiPhone 16transformed into an old-school iPod for about a day, I’m absolutely obsessed with it.

Using my iPhone like an iPod in 2024

So, what’s it like having an app turn your iPhone into an iPod? Honestly, it’s kind of amazing. The interface is almost identical to what you would see on an iPod Classic or an iPod Nano. The home screen shows options for shuffling your songs, browsing your music, seeing what’s currently playing, and a few app settings (plus an option to tip the developer).

You navigate the menu by using the virtual scroll wheel, which vibrates and clicks to mimic the feel of an actual iPod scroll wheel shockingly well. It feels fantastic for browsing artists and albums, but the real magic happens when you open the Cover Flow view, which looks just as incredible in 2024 as it did in 2007.

All of the music content in the app is pulled from your Apple Music library, including your saved albums and playlists. If you select the Shuffle Songs option, it starts playing a shuffle playlist from all the songs saved in your Apple Music library.

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The My Classic app on an iPhone 16 showing the iPod interface.

Objectively, this is nothing more than another interface for the Apple Music app. If you play a song from the My Classic app and switch to Apple Music, you’ll see it playing there, too. It’s not adding any new features. If anything, it’s a more limited way of interacting with Apple Music. You can’t search for songs or find music not already saved in your library.

However, that’s also why the app is so charming. Not only is the interface and iPod Classic UI executed so perfectly, but being forced to interact with my music in a simpler way has been so refreshing.

It makes me focus more on my music library without being distracted by new releases or other recommended playlists. I’ve found myself listening to saved albums I’ve not played in months because, in the regular Apple Music app, I typically listen to recommended playlists or new albums. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but my music selections using My Classic have been different.

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How to turn your iPhone into an iPod

Screenshots of setting up the iPod interface on the My Classic app.

Want to use this app to turn your iPhone into an old-school iPod? Thankfully, it’s easy to do and only costs $3. TheMy Classic appinitially presents itself as a Game Boy simulator, but it takes just a couple of taps to activate the iPod interface. Here’s what you need to do:

  • Open the App Store on your iPhone and search for My Classic – Retro Console.
  • Pay for the app and wait for it to download.
  • Select theSettingbutton.
  • SelectDevice.
  • SelectMy Classic.

A wonderful blast of tech nostalgia

The My Classic app on an iPhone 16 showing the iPod interface.

In addition to the incredible execution of the My Classic app and the way it makes you listen to music, there’s also an undeniable nostalgia factor at play here.

I grew up with a 3rd-generation iPod Nano. I received it as a Christmas gift one year from my parents, and for many years later (until I lost it), that iPod Nano was a gadget I used nearly every single day. The interface of the My Classic app is exactly like the one used on my old Nano, so using the application has felt like teleporting back in time. It has brought back memories of me sitting at the computer with my cousin and syncing songs from our iTunes accounts to our respective iPods. Or playingThe Sims Bowling on car rides to school. Not to mention discovering artists like Green Day and Switchfoot for the first time.

My iPod Nano went through a lot with me, and being able to bring back that experience to my iPhone is really something special. Maybe I’m feeling particularly nostalgic because of the holiday season, but this is one of the coolest mobile apps I’ve used this year — and one I think I’ll keep on my iPhone for a while to come.