THIS WEEK’S UPDATE

If I could rewind 30 years…

This week, Apple revealed Creator Studio. This isn’t a new product - it’s a collection of apps that includes everything from Pages to Logic Pro. The idea is that you pay either monthly or annually for access to all 10 apps, complete with ongoing updates and premium features.

It’s easy to look at this cynically. Apple appears to have simply chucked a load of in-house apps together and charged an on-going fee for the privilege of using them.

However, I’m 45. I’m a child of the 80s and 90s. I’m still impressed by some of the stuff we can do on the Internet. Artificial Intelligence is mind-boggling and incredibly scary to me. I remember scraping together pocket money and weekend job funds to buy computers, software, and synths for my home studio. Back then, that stuff cost a fortune and it was nowhere near as advanced as it is today.

If I were a kid today who could class himself as a student, I could pay Apple £2.99 per month (or £29.99 per year) and gain access to not just Logic Pro (a professional-grade music creation tool complete with all the effects and soft synths you could ever need), but also Final Cut Pro (a professional video editing suite), and Pixelmator Pro (basically Photoshop). Oh, and MainStage, Motion, and Compressor, if I fancied getting even fruitier with my creative endeavours.

That’s insane. Three quid per month. I bet a weekly paper round is double that these days.

Oh, and if you’re wondering, you can still buy those apps separately for a one-off fee, as before. Read more about it here!

MUST-WATCH

Sennheiser HDB 630 - Best-Sounding ANC Headphones Yet?!

It’s been a while since I reviewed a truly new (to me) pair of headphones. So I was very excited to try Sennheiser’s HDB 360 after hearing a lot of good things about them. And wow, are these things good. They have a little trick up their sleeve too, which I’ll leave you to discover!

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE

Best Apple Watch For 2026: My Recommendations!

I’ve never put together a full Apple Watch buying guide before. So, with it being the new year and all, I thought it was time I put that right! I actually think buying an Apple Watch is a pretty simple decision, something this guide makes clear, but there are a few things you need to be aware of before parting with your cash…

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

💥 He Made $26M on YouTube...But Nearly Lost It All (Linus Tech Tips Interview) (Jon Youshaei) - Whatever you think of Linus, you can’t argue that he isn’t at least VERY open about the way his business - and this industry - works.

🎵 The Glue Tricks They ALL Use (But Never Explain) (Streaky) - I’m watching a lot of music production content at the moment. And it’s making me very happy.

😬 Every Mistake I Made in 2025 (Marques Brownlee) - I feel you, Marques.

TIP OF THE WEEK

Essential Mac App: Brain.fm 👉
Brain.fm basically pipes music into your ears which is designed to lock you into a ‘deep work’ state. It also offers music for relaxation, meditation, and sleep, but it’s the focus music that has been so beneficial for me.

ON THE ‘GRAM

Motorola’s CES Drop was HUGE: Razr fold, Moto Watch, Tag 2 & More!

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter! I’'ll see you next Friday!

~ Mark