An eBay listing for a prototype of the original Apple TV has appeared on the auction site, giving interested users nearly a month to snap up the collectible item with a "Buy It Now" price of $350.
Photos accompanying the listing show an Apple Development Team inventory barcode on the side along with a sticker marking the unit as a "DVT" prototype and listing the manufacturers of a number of components used inside the device. The device also has a plain Apple logo on its top as had been used when the device was initially previewed as the "iTV". Apple added a "tv" next to the logo for the shipping version of the product, which was renamed "Apple TV".
The photos also show the device booted up and displaying the stock photo screensaver, although it is not connected to the Internet and the item's description indicates that it has not been fully tested for functionality. Interestingly, despite the hardware bearing a resemblance to the pre-2007 iTV, the device does appear to have received software updates since that time, as it is running the more modern user interface introduced as Apple TV 3.0 in late 2009.
Prototypes of Apple hardware do appear from time to time on eBay, with some notable examples including third-generation iPod touches, a Mac Pro, and an early MacBook Air. Many of these listings have been quickly pulled, presumably at the request of Apple once they come to its attention.
Wednesday November 13, 2024 2:09 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 next month, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well....
Thursday November 14, 2024 4:19 pm PST by Juli Clover
The M4 MacBook Pro models feature quantum dot display technology, according to display analyst Ross Young. Apple used a quantum dot film instead of a red KSF phosphor film, a change that provides more vibrant, accurate color results.
Young says that Apple has opted for KSF for prior MacBook Pro models because it doesn't use toxic element cadmium (typical for quantum dot) and is more...
Wednesday November 13, 2024 11:01 am PST by Juli Clover
A trio of Apple customers this month filed a class action lawsuit against Apple, accusing the Cupertino company of violating California consumer protection laws and false advertising for continuing to sell AirPods Pro models that had ongoing issues with crackling or static sounds.
A few months after the AirPods Pro came out in October 2019, buyers began to complain about crackling, rattling, ...
Thursday November 14, 2024 2:54 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Google has launched its dedicated Gemini artificial intelligence app for iPhone users, expanding beyond the previous limited integration within the main Google app. The standalone app offers enhanced functionality, including support for Gemini Live and iOS-specific features like Dynamic Island integration.
The new app allows iPhone users to interact with Google's AI through text or voice...
Thursday November 14, 2024 2:19 pm PST by Juli Clover
With iOS 18, Apple introduced a feature that causes the iPhone to reboot every three days, security researchers have confirmed (via TechCrunch). In a demo video, security researcher Jiska Classen proved that an iPhone left untouched for 72 hours will automatically restart, and Graykey manufacturer also Magnet Forensics wrote a blog post about the feature.
After a reboot, an iPhone is more...
Wednesday November 13, 2024 11:59 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple last week replaced the M3 Max MacBook Pro with the new M4 Max MacBook Pro, and we picked up one of the new high-end MacBook Pro machines to see how it compares to the prior model with both benchmarks and real-world tests.
We tested an M4 Max with a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and 48GB RAM against an M3 Max MacBook Pro with similar specs. The two machines look similar, but the display on...