When it comes to my favorite tech products of 2020, Apple nabs the top three spots. First is the revamped 2020 iMac, the best desktop the tech giant has ever released.
You can read my review here. The recent rev of the 27-inch iMac with 5K Retina Display is likely the final Apple all-in-one — perhaps even the last of the company’s desktops or laptops — to sport an Intel chip. From now on the tech giant will be equipping its computer line with its own M1 processors.
If the 2020 iteration of the 27-inch iMac is the last one with “Intel Inside,” it’s a fantastic swan song. It’s hands-down the world’s best desktop. Its performance — up to 65% faster than its predecessor for some tasks— is powerful enough for all but the most demanding “power users.” Add to that a TrueTone display, a 1080p FaceTime camera, and T2 Security Chip, and this iMac has everything but an M1 processor. But you can expect a redesigned all-in-one with such a processor in 2021.
Some folks find the iPhone 12 Pro Max too big, but it’s the perfect size for me. Its top-of-the-line camera features (and its price) will be overkill for some folks. However, since I use my smartphone as a phone, camera, video recorder, GPS, and, occasionally, a mini-computer, I find it has everything I need in features. Check out my review here.
I’m an avid user of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News+ and Apple Arcade, so I was thrilled when Apple announced its Apple One bundle of services. It also includes Fitness+, which I haven’t tried yet, and iCloud storage. The pricing tiers are very reasonable, although Apple really needs to fix the Apple One/Family Sharing glitches.
Kensington’s SD5600T — see my review here — isn’t cheap at $289.99, but it’s a great product for those who need to connect LOTS of peripherals to Macs. And it’s especially handy for Mac laptops and their dearth of ports. You can connect external monitors, USB drives, NAS, a keyboard, mouse, Gigabit Ethernet, etc. I sometimes use a 16-inch MacBook Pro connected to an external monitor, so the SD5600T makes it easy to have a desktop workstation through a single TB3/USB-C ports.
Satechi’s US$29.99 USB-C Magnetic Wireless Charging Cable is a more-than-viable alternative to Apple’s $39.99 MagSafe Charger. Designed with the iPhone 12 line in mind, Satechi’s charger allows users to take advantage of Apple’s new MagSafe magnetic wireless charging feature. See my review here.
