1. M2 MACBOOK AIR
The newest version of Apple’s classic MacBook Air has the biggest ever Liquid Retina screen (13.6") that’s 25% brighter and has better performance with a new M2 chip, an improved camera, and up to 18 hours of battery life. The redesign has squared off some of the sharper edges of the 0.44" thin, all-aluminum body, and it still weighs a slight 2.7 lbs. The M2 Air is redesigned around the next-generation Apple M2 chip with a powerful 8-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine. The new chip is 1.4 times faster than the M1 and 15 times faster than an Intel-based MacBook Air. The 1,080p FaceTime HD camera doubles the resolution and low-light capacities of the previous Airs. A three-microphone array with beamforming algorithms and four-speaker sound system with two tweeters and two thin woofers include Spatial Audio for dimensional surround sound. Memory includes 8GB RAM, configurable to 16GB or 24GB, and an SSD from 256GB up to 2TB. Ports include a MagSafe power connector, two Thunderbolt ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Four finishes include a sandy starlight, silver, space gray, and matte midnight. www.apple.com
2. IPHONE 13 PRO
The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro arrived with the best battery life of any iPhone, updated cameras, and the first high refresh rate display on an iPhone. Apple has added another new feature: built-in privacy. When browsing online, Safari can intelligently block trackers from profiling you, and then it can show you which ones have been blocked in the privacy report. The OLED display on the iPhone 13 Pro is 6.7" or 6.1", and the iPhone 13 offers 6.1" or 5.4". The Pro model has a 5-core A15 Bionic chip, 5G cellular, and up to 28 hours of video playback. The iPhone 13 has a 4-core A15, 5G, and up to 19 hours of video playback. Both have Face ID, and the Pro camera system includes telephoto, wide, and ultrawide lenses, while the iPhone 13 has wide and ultrawide. www.apple.com
3. SURFACE PRO 8
The transition from desktop to laptop to the 2-in-1 tablet takes another step forward with Microsoft’s Surface Pro 8 for business. With built-in security that includes the ability to remove the hard drive for data protection, enhanced team collaboration, the ability to present using multiple screens and sign documents with the Surface Slim Pen 2, and the ability to work remotely with cloud-first management, the Pro 8 earns its business classification. It’s powered by 11th Generation Intel Core processors, i5 or i7, and has 256GB storage built on the Intel Evo platform. Biometric sign-in has Windows Hello, and the Pro Signature Keyboard has fingerprint ID, mechanical backlit keys, and a glass touchpad. A storage space on the keyboard provides wireless charging for the Surface Pen. www.microsoft.com
4. SANDISK MP3
If your music library or audiobooks are eating up too much memory on your phone, you might consider a dedicated MP3 player. The SanDisk Clip Sport is a light, clip-on MP3 player that’s compatible with a wide variety of file formats including MP3, AAC, Audible books (DRM-free only), WAV, and more. The built-in FM tuner can even interface with your health club’s wall-mounted TVs. Internal storage is 16GB, and there’s a microSDHC memory card slot for adding more, and the USB-rechargeable battery provides up to 25 hours on a charge. The color LCD screen is 1.44", and the player is a mere 0.63" 5 1.6" 5 2.6". www.westerndigital.com
September 2022
