Weekend Wrap-Up: HBO Now is Real; Apple Unveils New MacBook
Let’s not beat the dead horse that is the Apple Watch. Yes, we saw it last week. Yes, Apple spent a fair amount of stage time talking about it. But did Apple tell us anything we didn’t already know? Not really.
Apple did make news in other areas, though, as did a few other companies this past week. Let’s find out why.
HBO Now is Real, Will Debut on Apple TV
Leading up to the latest Apple event, we heard rumors that HBO and Cupertino were in cahoots on a new streaming service. That service, as we learned at the event, is HBO Now. The service will launch first on Apple TV, but will later become a multi-platform solution for those who want HBO programming without paying for a cable package. HBO Now will arrive on Apple TV in April at a price of $14.99 per month.
Apple Introduces New MacBook
It’s been awhile since we’ve seen a plain MacBook, hasn’t it? Apple just unveiled one at its event last week, but this isn’t the shoddy MacBook you might have had back in 2009. It packs the same aluminum body you’ve come to love in the Air and Pro lines, and even includes a Retina display (something the Air line can’t lay claim to yet). The downside? It isn’t as powerful, as it features an Intel M processor instead of a more capable i5. And there’s only one port. I may have an issue with that. Apple’s latest MacBook goes on sale April 10 and starts at $1,299.
Samsung’s Galaxy S6 Nets 20 Million Pre-Orders
If you think Samsung is on its way down, here’s something that might change your mind: the Galaxy S6 smartphone line has racked up 20 million pre-orders thus far. Now, to be fair, this isn’t just counting the S6 — this also counts the S6 Edge. But the two together seem to be exciting a lot of consumers, which Samsung’s S5 (a good, yet slightly disappointing phone) really failed to do last year. Samsung needs a big year to get back in the game, and it looks like the Galaxy S6 could kick things off the right way.
Google Shows Off a New Chromebook Pixel
Hot on the heels of Apple’s new MacBook announcement, Google announced a new laptop of its own — an update to its Chromebook Pixel. Most Chromebooks are relatively inexpensive, but the Pixel is meant to be an extremely high-end take on the concept, boasting a high-resolution display, a beefy amount of RAM (8 GB), and 32 GB of storage packed into a sturdy aluminum frame. The newest Pixel starts at $999 and is on sale now.