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The highlights of this week in Apple deals include ongoing low prices on AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max 2, and the 2026 MacBook Pro. We're also tracking solid deals on accessories from Anker and other companies on Amazon thanks to some back to school sales.
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Apple will introduce at least five new devices at its iPhone-centric event next month, and it's also possible we'll get devices waiting on Siri AI like the Apple TV.
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Samsung launched new foldable smartphones earlier this month, including the Galaxy Z Fold8. If you didn't know it was a Samsung device, you might look at it and think it's Apple's foldable because it matches rumors about the iPhone Ultra so well.
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Google raised the price of its latest smartphones compared to last year, and the increase may hint at what Apple will do with the iPhone 18 Pro models.
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Lead times of nine to 12 or even 18 months. Costs rising by 35%, 45%, even 50% to 200%. More than halfway through 2026, the market for IT infrastructure that's crucial for enterprise projects, including those involving artificial intelligence, is strapped.
Memory is at the root of the shortages. Memory prices "have risen by 50% to 200%, resulting in PC prices increasing by 35% to 45% and some server prices rising over 125%," according to Jon Forest, VP analyst at Gartner. Network switches also need memory, albeit in lesser amounts than servers, so they are not immune, with prices and lead times likewise rising dramatically.
Industry experts agree that most of the issues stem from hyperscalers gobbling up memory capacity, which trickles down to servers, storage systems, and networking devices. But while the source of the problem may be new, supply chain disruptions are far from unprecedented.
As a result, industry insiders are not short on advice on how best to deal with the situation, with tips including making better use of what you have, considering options beyond your usual scope, and lots of planning with your vendors and internal finance teams.
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As newspapers move online, the buildings that once housed their printing presses need new occupants.
The Minnesota Star Tribune has just sold its old printing plant on the edge of Minneapolis to the aptly named property developer Legacy Investing, which plans to create a new data center there. has found the ideal way to bring them back to life.
This is the second such move by Legacy. It has already bought a building in downtown Minneapolis that it has transformed into a data center for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
These old buildings, already connected to power, are an attractive option for developers — especially with some grid operators threatening power cuts for new-build data centers during power shortages.
Legacy is taking a small-is-beautiful approach rather than replicating the massive data centers being built for Big Tech firms. Those are the size of small towns and consume huge volumes of water and hundreds of megawatts of power, while the capacity of Legacy's downtown building is about 30 MW, and it expects the Star Tribune site to host around 20 MW
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