The Apple Beat: Apple’s Year in Review for 2015

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla 

If I’ve learned anything about Apple in 2015, is that it is no longer as predictable as it used to be and the old established norms no longer hold water. 

2015 was a huge one of for Apple in various areas. The company released its first new major product category with the Apple Watch, it also enjoyed an unprecedented year of product releases as well as an ever expanding focus on operating systems, ecosystems, music services and mobile payments.

What struck me most about Apple in 2015 is that it seems to have shifted from being conservative in its product announcements to being more like the multi-billion-dollar company it actually is. This means taking bigger risks with new product categories, filling-in empty spots between existing product sizes and models plus growing its various ecosystems and services.

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First Look: HP Envy 8 Note

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The HP Envy Note 8 could very well be the Surface mini we never got from Microsoft. A bona-fide 8-inch Windows 10 tablet, the HP Envy 8 Note is designed around note-taking and has a Wacom powered pen and another variant comes with an HP Folio Keyboard which gives it the ability to be a great note taking device.

2015 has had its share of interesting 2-in-1's like the iPad Pro and the Pixel C. These devices are tablet-first devices that can quickly convert to notebook replacements with partner keyboards. The Hp Envy 8 Note is the most compact and portable device we've seen in this class but how does it fare in real world use?

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Apple to pay Italy $348 million to settle tax dispute

Apple will be paying Italy US $348 million (318 million euros) to settle a tax dispute it has had with that country as well as sign a new tax agreement.

"Apple will pay the tax agency 318 million euros and will sign an accord for fiscal years 2015 onwards early next year," a source told Reuters. Apple and other technology companies like Google and Amazon have become the targets of tax inquiries in Europe.

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Jannarelly to debut new roadster in 2016

New entrants into the sports car market are few and far between but when they do make a reveal it is pretty special. Jannarelly Automotive is an up and coming carmarker that plans to release a two-seater  retro-styled roadster called the Design-1. This latest car from the designers of the Lykan HyperSport expected to launch in Dubai on February 2016.

The new brand, centered on “automotive emotions”, will be all about “self-expression and creativity” and its whole purpose will be to “allow a great freedom in self-customization and pure performance.”

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