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I’ve worn an Apple Watch Ultra since the 2022 launch of the rugged, outdoorsy timepiece (two traits I, alas, do not share).
I love its long battery life and big, bright screen. The bulk bothers me not a whit. And even though I’m a clumsy oaf, it still doesn’t have a scratch on it — it’s Grade A.
I’m ashamed to admit I bought a second one in 2024 — the Ultra 2 — simply because it came in matte black. I don’t even remember the other purported improvements, which were scant — the new finish was enough. I’m ashamed because it’s a very expensive luxury item that I bought simply because I wanted it, something I rarely do.
Amusingly, I remember going through all kinds of rationales in my mind to justify it. I need it for this or that — none of which were really true. I just lusted after it.
I’ve noticed this pattern a lot with Apple devices. We invent all kinds of reasons why we need a new MacBook Pro (writing the great American novel, finally learning Xcode, etc.,) when really it’s just plain old technolust.
And ofc, after a few days, I barely paid the Ultra 2’s finish any mind. In fact, I now prefer the titanium of the original. 🤷
The good news is that I now have two Ultras that are in constant rotation. One’s always on the charging stand while the other is reminding me to stand up or logging my fitful sleep.
I’d recommend this arrangement to everyone — having two Apple Watches — if you can afford it. Now that Apple Watches can log sleep, detect sleep apnea and the like, it’s a great idea to have one strapped to your wrist 24/7.
If you’re an Ultra fan, there’s a new model just around the corner — the Ultra 4 — which we should get to see in just a couple of weeks. And unlike the Ultra 2, there’s probably more to it than just a new finish.
Also in today’s newsletter:
Talk about lusting: I really want the new Mac mini. My work M1 iMac is getting long in the tooth, and it’s struggling to run the macOS Golden Gate beta. (It’s only got 8GB of RAM — a huge mistake when I bought it.) But I could save, maybe, by getting the older M4 model. Decisions, decisions. Which one???
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Here’s an item that someone bought just because they wanted it: Steve Jobs’ eighth-grade science project. You might be surprised by how much they paid.
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This is an interesting bit of Apple history. As well as lugging a 15-pound Macintosh “Portable” into space, the crew of the Atlantis space shuttle also wore Seiko WristMacs, primitive proto-Apple Watches.
— Leander Kahney, EIC.
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Finally, here’s my AirPods wireless charging tip — and more: Cult of Mac podcast #30
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It's not about pop culture, and it's not about fooling people, and it's not about convincing people that they want something they don't. We figure out what we want.
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