This Week at Mark Ellis Reviews

👋 Hello all! After last week’s video on the subject, I’ve been reflecting a bit more on why switching from Windows to Mac was such a revolutionary moment for me, in more ways than simply having a better laptop. I also took a dive into the very murky waters surrounding the rumoured iPhone Fold, which is appearing as elusive as ever at the moment. Will further delays damage Apple in the long run? Do they even care? It’s all in this email!

Just a quick note to say our big Back To School giveaway ends at midnight tonight. You can enter here for your chance to win a pair of AirPods Max, an M2 MacBook Air or an M2 iPad Air!

FIRST THINGS FIRST

The REAL reason I switched to the Mac

Last week, I published a video on the Mark Ellis Reviews channel titled ‘Why Everyone’s Finally Switching to Mac in 2025’. I tell a lie - it was called something else originally, but that title didn’t ‘hit’, so we renamed it and lit a fire up its backside.

Whatever the title, there is some absolute cinema taking place in the comments section of that video. Those of you who appreciate how this YouTube game works will probably realise that this was intentional; we wanted a lot of people to get involved in this particular topic, and there’s only one way to do that: publish a ‘Windows vs Mac’ video and leave out some key details.

The stuff I left out wasn’t life-threatening. I made it abundantly clear - twice - that Windows 10 PCs won’t cease to work after Microsoft ends support for that version of its operating system in October. I simply failed to mention that Windows 11 is a free upgrade, providing your computer supports it (in my defence, that point was actually in the rough script - I just missed it). Oops.

I also failed to reveal my journey from Windows to the Mac, because by leaving out that key detail, I’d paint myself as even more of an Apple Sheeplz for the trouser-wetting Windows Massiv to obsess over. Which means yet more comments.

My story of switching to the Mac isn’t unique - nor is it particularly exciting. But it is personal to me, and it’s something I delve into during this week’s Tech Diary episode. Just a quick warning, though - this one is even more all over the place than normal. Enjoy!

BYTE-SIZED NEWS

Why Is It Taking So Long to Get the iPhone Fold?

Nobody seems to know when the iPhone Fold is coming; the only thing they’re sure of is that it keeps getting delayed. I don’t think Apple will be too worried yet; the market is still tiny compared to regular phones. But the later they leave it, the better the competition gets…I think they need to get a move on!

Rumours Suggest iPhone 17 Pro To Start At $1,049 with 256 GB Base Storage

Yeah…I’m not sure how this one is going to go down. Well, that’s a lie. It’s going to go down badly. To be fair to Apple, the reasons for the price rises are largely out of their hands and in those of a very well-tanned man in the White House. But nonetheless, this could be yet another bit of negative PR to add to the pile for Apple this year.

FREE EBOOK

Intentional Ambition: Redefining Your Work for Greater Joy, Freedom, and Fulfilment

HAVE YOUR SAY

In keeping with my Tech Diary video this week, I thought it made sense to get the lay of the land when it comes to you, my loyal readers. I want to know what your favoured operating system is and why, so make sure to comment your reasons! I’m guessing my readership skews towards Apple…but I want to see how many of you Linux folks are out there.

ICYMI

The BIG Problem With Ultra-Wide Displays (Apple Studio Display vs LG GX9s)

I love Apple’s Studio Display, but it doesn’t half cost a lot. As such, I use a range of different displays from various brands in the studio. These days, you really don’t need to spend copious amounts to get a respectable display. But what I haven’t managed to get on board with is ultra-wide displays. I’m hoping the LG GX9s can change my mind!

TIP OF THE WEEK

iOS Tip 👉 Most iPhone users know about the built-in Calculator app, but there’s a handy trick many overlook: it has a hidden backspace function. If you make a typo while entering numbers, it might seem like you have to hit “clear” and start all over. Instead, just swipe left or right across the number display, and the last digit will disappear without wiping your entire calculation.

TOP FINDS

What I Watched On YouTube This Week

🎤 Jonathan Ross Special Guests: Oasis | Best bits from interviews with Liam and Noel Gallagher (ITV Entertainment) - If you’re an Oasis fan, you’ll love this. You’ll also continually ask yourself the question: “Did they really split up?”.

🥵 Macaulay Culkin Is Up For a Goof While Eating Spicy Wings | Hot Ones (First We Feast) - Ever wondered what Macaulay Culkin has got up to over the last few years? I have. You may also be surprised at how unfazed he is when eating monumentally spicy chicken wings.

🤩 They Gave Me a Bentley. I Fell in Love. (The Next Drive) - Shameless plug. Because I’m very proud of this one. And boy, do I miss that car.

ELSEWHERE

Do smartphone unboxing experiences really matter?

We released the second episode of Not PC with Mark and Rob, our new tech podcast, last week, covering a range of things from Tim Cook’s impact on Apple to tech guilty pleasures. We were joined by the lovely Alex Gear & Tech, as you can see in the taster above. It’s a great episode for a road trip or when you need to get some cleaning done. I’d really appreciate it if you gave it a listen and left a rating!

Thanks for reading this week’s newsletter, I hope you have a great weekend. We’re nearing iPhone season, so stay tuned as the rumours ramp up!

~ Mark