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Best standing desks for home offices, tested and reviewed

Roundup: Standing desks 2023

Boost your comfort and efficiency with these standing desks that AppleInsider has tested and reviewed.

A standing desk can be a wise investment for your well-being and productivity, as it can help you avoid the health risks of sitting too long while working on your Mac.

At AppleInsider, we work from home with our Apple devices in various settings and scenarios. We know how vital it is to have a flexible and comfortable workspace that suits our needs and preferences.

We have tested various standing desks for our home offices and evaluated them based on their features, performance, and value for money. Here is a roundup of the best standing desks we tested for Apple users working from home.

HumanCentric Workflow Desk — solid wood

The HumanCentric Workflow Desk is an appealing combination of craftsmanship and functionality. It is made by manufacturers in the Midwest, USA, using high-quality solid wood.

HumanCentric Workflow Desk

HumanCentric Workflow Desk

This desk lets you customize your workspace to fit your needs and style. You can choose maple or black walnut for your desktop, and both offer a natural and warm look to complement your Apple devices.

Depending on your space and preferences, you can also select the length of your desktop, from 48 inches to 72 inches.

The Workflow Desk has a touch-sensitive controller embedded into the desktop that lets you adjust the height of your desk from 21 inches to 47 inches. This way, you can enhance your wellness and productivity by switching between sitting and standing positions while you work.

The HumanCentric Workflow Desk has a touch-sensitive controller

The HumanCentric Workflow Desk has a touch-sensitive controller

The desk comes with collision detection technology that keeps the desk from bumping into objects when moving up or down, safeguarding you and your equipment.

If you love wood finishes and want a solid-wood desk that offers elegance and functionality, you won’t regret choosing the HumanCentric Workflow Desk. It is a worthy investment for those who value form and function in their office furniture.

Uplift Standing Desk V2 — L-Shaped

The Uplift L-Shaped Standing Desk V2 is a versatile desk that fits nicely in a corner and adjusts to your preferred height. This desk can hold up to 535 pounds and is sturdy and spacious.

Uplift L-Shaped Standing Desk V2

Uplift L-Shaped Standing Desk V2

The L-shape design gives you plenty of space for your Mac, iPad, and other accessories. You can also plug in two devices on your desktop with the power grommet, making it easy to charge your gadgets.

In addition, this desk’s electric height-adjustable mechanism lets you easily switch between sitting or standing, and you can change the height from 25.3 inches to 50.9 inches.

Uplift L-Shaped Standing Desk V2 has a power grommet to charge your gadgets.

Uplift L-Shaped Standing Desk V2 has a power grommet to charge your gadgets.

The keypad lets you save and switch between four height presets with a quick touch. You can also lock the keypad and set maximum or minimum height levels.

The Uplift V2 desk combines clever accessory integrations with a roomy design, making it a valuable asset for users who spend a lot of time at their desks.

Jaxson Compact standing desk — app-enabled

Jaxson Compact standing desk

Jaxson Compact standing desk

The app allows you to save height settings and track your activity using an infrared presence sensor that measures your sitting and standing time. The app compares your data with your goals and reminds you to change position when you sit for too long.

The Jaxson Compact desk comes in various desktop finishes and sizes. We tried out the Bella Walnut option, which had a rich walnut color with a bit of texture.

The iMovr Jaxson Desk Control app

The iMovR Jaxson Desk Control app

You can choose from 24 or 30 depths, 47 to 71 widths, and 0.75 or 1.125 thicknesses. The desktop also has soft-contoured edges that are gentle on your wrists and arms.

The desk has a sturdy base that can adjust the desktop’s height from 21.5 to 53.6, depending on the model. You can select a base with a single-stage or dual-stage mechanism that can handle up to 220 pounds.

The desktop height can move at the speed of 1.5 inches per second, and you can adjust the height level with a push of a button.

FlexiSpot E7 Pro Plus — budget-friendly

The FlexiSpot E7 Pro Plus is ideal for users who want a quality standing desk without spending a fortune. It offers excellent performance and flexibility at an economical price.

FlexiSpot E7 Pro Plus

FlexiSpot E7 Pro Plus

With its powerful dual-motor system, the E7 Pro Plus lets you adjust the height of your desk from 22.8 inches to 48.4 inches. You can use the control panel to swap between sitting and standing throughout the day.

The E7 Pro Plus can handle up to 355 pounds of weight, so you can load it up with your Apple devices and accessories without worrying about stability. You can customize your standing desk with different desktop materials and sizes, ranging from chipboard, bamboo, or solid wood.

The control panel of the E7 Pro Plus

The control panel of the E7 Pro Plus

This desk has handy features that make your work more convenient and enjoyable. It has an LED screen that shows the current height and lets you save height-level presets for different users or tasks.

Additionally, there is a child lock function to prevent accidental movements. The keypad has a USB port to charge your gadgets as you work.

Get the FlexiSpot E7 Pro Plus Standing Desk (frame only) for $499.99 on their website, and add a chipboard top for $80. They have regular promotions, so look out for deals.

FlexiSpot Odin E7Q — heavy duty

The FlexiSpot Odin E7Q can handle heavy loads and let you adjust its height to your preferences. Whether you have multiple monitors or bulky equipment, this desk can efficiently support them.

FlexiSpot Odin E7Q

FlexiSpot Odin E7Q

The E7Q has four powerful motors and a durable carbon steel frame that can manage up to 440 pounds, and you can adjust the height from 23.8 inches to 49.4 inches.

Also, the desk has features that make it safe and convenient. It has an anti-collision function that lets you set how sensitive the desk is to obstacles when moving up or down.

The control panel lets you save three height presets for quick switching between sitting and standing positions. You can also lock the control panel to prevent accidental adjustments by children or pets.

The control panel of the FlexiSpot Odin E7Q

The control panel of the FlexiSpot Odin E7Q

This desk comes with a range of options to customize your workspace. You have plenty of desktop materials and colors to fit your style and environment.

Depending on how much room you have and how much desk space you need, you can select a desktop size from 48 inches to 94.5 inches.

The E7Q is a sturdy and robust workstation that can handle hefty equipment and is best for users who need a desk that can fit their heavy equipment and offer them plenty of room to work.

You can order the FlexiSpot Odin E7Q desk from Office Depot. The retail option is currently discounted from the $1,599.99 retail price.

Lillipad — temporary

Working from home doesn’t always mean having space for a dedicated office or an oversized standing desk. That’s where Lillipad excels — it can fold to a slab and be tucked away in a closet or under a bed.

Lillipad is a sit-stand desk that can fold up

Lillipad is a sit-stand desk that can fold up

The Lillipad sit-stand desk is an all-in-one solution that requires no assembly, has a power strip integrated with the desktop, and can be configured with a monitor arm. It has an operating range from 27 inches to 48 inches and shrinks to 6 inches when set for storage.

The 48-inch tabletop is spacious and can handle up to 75 pounds of load. The legs support the desk from the back, so there’s a little give in the top surface, but not enough to be an issue.

There are three outlets in the included power strip, plus three USB-A ports and a USB-C port for low-power devices. The desk also has an anti-collision function to keep it from problems when raising or lowering.

Ensure there is enough space for the desk to raise and lower

Ensure there is enough space for the desk to raise and lower

We included Lillipad in this roundup because it is one of the only sit-stand desks we’ve seen built for temporary workstations. It’s an excellent concept that helps create the perfect work environment, even if it’s going back under the bed a few hours later.

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Save up to $1,400 & get VIP rewards on Razer laptops, Thunderbolt 4 dock, monitors & more

Experience the VIP sales event at Adorama, and unlock 5% to 7% back in rewards on your purchases. Combined with our exclusive promo code that delivers up to $300 off Razer products, you have the potential to save up to a staggering $1,400 on your purchase.

Announcing the ongoing VIP sales event right now at Adorama.com. This is an exclusive opportunity for users to join their VIP program and unlock 5% to 7% back in rewards on qualifying purchases. Whether you’re a VIP or VIP Pro member, there are fantastic benefits available to you after joining.

VIP rewards

The VIP rewards can be combined with other offers like our exclusive promo code APINSIDER at checkout for up to $300 off* Razer products. Stacking more savings on top of the already great discounts and rebates available at Adorama can net you up to $1,400 off the Razer products highlighted below.

Whether you’re a gamer, a creative professional, or simply in need of a high-performance laptop or accessories, you can save big. With unbeatable discounts, rewards, and top-notch customer service, Adorama.com is still one of the best places to earn rewards while you save.

Here are just some of the amazing savings you can find on Razer products with this deal. And if you’re looking for the best deals on Apple products, the APINSIDER code works on nearly every Mac computer carried at Adorama. Apple products are excluded from the VIP rewards offer, but you can save up to $939 on numerous configurations with the coupon in our Mac Price Guide.

Razer deals

Each device below qualifies for an exclusive discount with the APINSIDER coupon code. The prices listed reflect any instant rebates in place stacked with the promo code. You can also take advantage of 5% back in rewards points for VIP members or 7% back in rewards points for VIP Pro members (points can be redeemed on a future purchase).

Thunderbolt 4 dock

  • Razer Thunderbolt 4 Dock Chroma, Black: $279.99* ($50 off + VIP promo)

Monitor

  • Razer Raptor 27 27″ QHD 165Hz IPS LED Gaming Monitor: $379.95* ($420 off + VIP promo)

Streaming gear

  • Razer Key Light Chroma All-In-One Lighting Kit for Streaming: $218.99* ($81 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Audio Mixer All-In-One Digital Mixer for Broadcasting & Streaming: $199.99* ($50 off + VIP promo)

Razer Blade 14

  • Razer Blade 14, QHD 165Hz, AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX 3.3GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3070 Ti 8GB: $1,999.99* ($600 off + VIP promo)

Razer Blade 15

  • Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model, QHD 240Hz, Intel i7-12800H 1.8GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3070 Ti 8GB: $1,849.99* ($1,150 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model, FHD 360Hz, Intel i7-12800H 1.8GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3070 Ti 8GB: $1,649.99* ($1,350 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model, QHD 240Hz, Intel i7-12800H 1.8GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3080 Ti 16GB: $2,299.99* ($1,400 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model, FHD 360Hz, Intel i7-12800H 1.8GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3080 Ti 16GB: $2,299.99* ($1,400 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 15 Advanced Model, QHD 240Hz, Intel Core i9-12900H 1.8GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3070 Ti 8GB: $2,599.99* ($700 off + VIP promo)

Razer Blade 16

  • Razer Blade 16, QHD+ 240Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 4060 8GB: $2,549.99* ($150 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 16, QHD+ 240Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 4070 8GB: $2,799.99* ($200 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 16, Dual Mode UHD+ 120Hz & FHD+ 360Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 4070 8GB: $3,099.99* ($200 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 16, QHD+ 240Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 4080 12GB: $3,399.99* ($200 off + VIP promo)

Razer Blade 17

  • Razer Blade 17, QHD 165Hz, Intel i7-12800H 1.8GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3060 6GB: $2,299.99* ($400 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 17, QHD, Intel Core i9-12900H 1.8GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3070 Ti 8GB, Black: $2,899.99* ($500 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 17, Full HD 360Hz, Intel i7-12800H 1.8GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 3080 Ti 8GB: $3,249.99* ($750 off + VIP promo)

Razer Blade 18

  • Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 4060 8GB: $2,699.99* ($200 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 4070 8GB: $2,999.99* ($200 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, RTX 4080 12GB: $3,599.99* ($200 off + VIP promo)
  • Razer Blade 18, QHD+ 240Hz, Intel Core i9-13950HX 2.2GHz, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD, RTX 4090 16GB: $4,499.99* ($200 off + VIP promo)

Headset

  • Razer BlackShark V2 X Multi-Platform Wired Esports Gaming Headset with Microphone: $39.99* ($50 off + VIP promo)

Gaming desktop case

  • Razor Tomahawk Mini-ITX Gaming Desktop Computer Case with Chroma RGB, Black: $149.99* ($50 off + VIP promo)

Gaming mouse

  • Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro Wireless RGB Gaming Mouse: $79.99* ($50 off + VIP promo)

Prices reflect the savings with instant rebates combined with the APINSIDER discount code.

(*) How to redeem the Adorama coupon

To activate the APINSIDER code at Adorama, simply follow the steps below.

  1. Shop through this pricing link and add a qualifying product to your cart.
  2. Proceed to checkout and when you get to step 3 (Payment), look for a link with a gift icon that says: “Do you have a gift card or promo code?”
    How to open Adorama coupon code field
  3. Click that link to bring up the coupon code field and enter APINSIDER. Here’s what it looks like:
    Where to enter Adorama coupon code

Even more great discounts

Best Apple prices on MacBook, iPad, Watch hardware

There are plenty of additional bargains to snap up alongside the discounts highlighted above. Here’s a roundup of markdowns, with hundreds of items on sale in our Apple Price Guide.

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Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro with 32GB RAM drops to record low $1,959, plus save $80 on AppleCare

Save $939 on this 16-inch MacBook Pro.

AppleInsider readers can snap up the lowest price on record on Apple’s MacBook Pro 16-inch with an M1 Pro chip and 32GB of memory. Along with a $939 discount off retail on the laptop itself, optional AppleCare is $80 off with promo code.

With the combined coupon and instant rebate, the savings total $939 off the Late 2021 configuration that is equipped with 32GB of memory, double that of the standard 16-inch MacBook Pro. The system, which runs on Apple’s M1 Pro chip with a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, also has 512GB of storage.

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iPad shipments more than doubled in China for Q1 versus 2022

Q1 iPad shipments double in China after tough 2022

A new analyst report shows Apple doubled shipments of the iPad in China for the first quarter of 2023 when compared to the same time period in 2022.

Apple’s iPad is more expensive than many competing Android tablets, and supply chain issues going into 2022 led to smaller shipments. However, it seems Apple was able to turn those numbers around by the start of 2023, according to new analyst data.

A report from Canalys seen by AppleInsider shows that shipments of the iPad more than doubled YoY in China for Q1 2023. The tablet market was particularly strong for the quarter, with 38% growth in total.

“The penetration of tablets in the region is increasing with an array of readily available diverse and affordable devices,” said Emma Xu, an analyst at Canalys. “Vendors are now innovating to bring productivity-focused improvements, including the use of accessories like keyboards, styluses, and applications to support work and study. This has bolstered the importance of tablets as a key pillar within wider device ecosystem strategies and helps ensure that vendors can tap into future demand stemming from consumers, businesses and the education sector.”

Apple isn’t mentioned in the PC market portion of the report. Desktop, notebook, and workstation shipments fell 24%.

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Get 3 months of Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps for record low $29.99

Get 3 months of Creative Cloud for $29.99.

Prepare to be amazed as StackCommerce presents an exceptional discount on a 3-month Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan.

Creative souls and digital artists should be on high alert! It’s time to unleash your artistic potential with incredible savings on Adobe Creative Cloud.

StackCommerce is currently offering a deal that gives users access to every single Creative Cloud app for just $29.99 for three full months. That’s right, all Adobe Creative Cloud apps are available for three full months at an astonishingly low price of just $29.99 (originally valued at $247.47).

Adobe has long been known to be the ultimate purveyor of tools and software programs for creative professionals everywhere. Now you can access to every feature of their groundbreaking software without the hassle of steep subscription prices.

Unlock powerful applications

Users can unlock a world full of color with popular apps like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Adobe XD, and After Effects. You will also get 100GB of cloud storage so you don’t have to worry about where to save your newest masterpiece.

From graphic design to video editing, UI/UX design, or social media content creation, Adobe gives you every tool in its arsenal to bring creative ideas to life. Transform your images with Photoshop, create precise designs with Illustrator, and produce professional videos with Premiere Pro. Work with PDFs effortlessly using Acrobat Pro, design captivating layouts with InDesign, and add stunning motion graphics to your projects with After Effects. The possibilities are endless.

And it doesn’t stop there. Access Lightroom for editing and organizing your photos, Adobe XD for easy UX design, Dreamweaver for responsive websites, and Audition for audio recording and mixing. The list goes on and on with apps like InCopy, Character Animator, Capture, and Adobe Fresco, each offering unique features to enhance your creative process.

Unleash your creativity with Adobe Creative Cloud.

Unleash your creativity with Adobe Creative Cloud.

Stay organized with Bridge, create standout content with Adobe Express, and edit on the go with Premiere Rush and Photoshop Express. Media Encoder ensures smooth workflows, while Aero allows you to design and publish immersive experiences in the real world. Adobe Scan, Fill & Sign, and Acrobat Reader all make working with PDFs a breeze.

Streamline your workflow

With access to every Adobe app, your creative potential knows no bounds. Streamline your workflow, access powerful tools, and stay at the forefront of your industry. Join the ranks of top creatives and make your mark today.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to unleash your inner artist. Visit Adobe’s website to get this incredible deal, and spread the word to every creative thinker you know.

Imagine the possibilities as you dive into a world of innovative applications, each designed to unleash your artistic potential.

Favorite apps included

  1. Photoshop: Create and enhance stunning images.
  2. Illustrator: Design captivating vector graphics and illustrations.
  3. InDesign: Craft professional layouts for print and digital media.
  4. Premiere Pro: Edit videos like a pro, with powerful editing tools.
  5. After Effects: Add visual effects and motion graphics to your videos.
  6. Lightroom: Organize, edit, and enhance your photos effortlessly.
  7. XD: Design intuitive user experiences and interactive prototypes.
  8. Acrobat Pro: Create, edit, and secure PDF documents with ease.
  9. Dreamweaver: Build and design captivating websites and web applications.
  10. Audition: Edit, mix, and enhance audio for your projects.
  11. Animate: Create captivating animations and interactive content.
  12. Dimension: Generate photorealistic 3D images for product visualization.
  13. Character Animator: Bring characters to life with animation and live performance capture.
  14. Spark: Easily create stunning graphics, web pages, and videos.
  15. Premiere Rush: Shoot and edit videos on-the-go.

Offer details

  • You have to create an account first with Adobe before you can redeem.
  • Make sure to review the renewal plan terms link to suit your needs.
  • Keys are stackable. The storage remains 100GB, but the subscription extends by an extra month.

More great deals to snap up

Best Apple prices on MacBook, iPad, Watch hardware

There are plenty of additional bargains to snap up alongside this Adobe deal. Here’s a roundup of markdowns on Apple hardware and software, with hundreds of items on sale in our Apple Price Guide.

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Apple’s 1TB MacBook Pro 16-inch is on sale for $1,899 for 1 more day

Save $800 on the 1TB MacBook Pro.

The $800 price cut delivers the cheapest price we’ve seen on the 1TB M1 Pro MacBook Pro 16-inch configuration. Plus, get free expedited shipping within the contiguous U.S.

Apple Authorized Reseller B&H Photo is running the $1,899 promotion, which delivers $800 in cash savings on the M1 Pro model with a 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 16GB of memory, and a bump up to 1TB of storage.

This particular spec in Space Gray also comes with free expedited shipping within the contiguous U.S., putting the laptop in your hands in 1-3 days to most locations. B&H Payboo cardholders can save on sales tax in qualifying states too, making the laptop a steal if you’re willing to pay off the balance in full right away. Or secure special financing with the Payboo card to spread the payments out over time.

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How to recover Notes stored on your Mac

Apple’s Notes app stores local copies of your Notes on your Mac. Here’s how to find them.

Apple’s Notes app lets you store notes locally and in iCloud. For both types of notes, macOS makes a local copy and stores them for the Notes app to use. Should you need to find these for any reason, or if for some reason you need to recover the thumbnail images for notes, you can do it locally on your Startup Disk.

You might want to do this if you’ve accidentally deleted a note, or want to recover a cached thumbnail from a note that was deleted long ago. You might also want to use the local files if you want to reinstall macOS, or set up a new Mac, although in the latter case, you’re probably better off syncing all the Notes to iCloud and then re-syncing the new Mac to it to download everything.

Trying to move the existing local Notes data over to a new Mac by copying the local files may work, but you may only obtain partial results, and the potential for losing data via this method exists.

To view both local and iCloud notes in the macOS version of the Notes app, first click the sidebar icon in the main window’s top left corner to reveal notes in the sidebar, then click the small hidden turnable arrow next to both the “Notes” item under the “iCloud” heading, and the one under “On My Mac”.

Click the sidebar icon, then the hidden arrow to reveal notes.

The small turnable arrow next to both items is hidden until you hover over them, which is a strange violation of Apple’s own Human Interface Guidelines.

Once the Notes items are revealed in the sidebar, click on each one to display iCloud or local notes in the main window’s right-hand pane.

You can also create new folders by clicking the small New Folder “+” icon in the main window’s lower left corner. The new folder gets created under either “iCloud” or “On My Mac” in the sidebar, depending on what the default account is set to in the Notes->Settings window from the main menu.

Notes also allows you to share Notes from other internet services such as Google, Microsoft Exchange, OneNote, Yahoo!, and others.

To add an internet account go to Notes->Accounts from the main menu. This brings up macOS Settings pane, from which you can click the “Add Account” button on the right to add a new internet account.

Local Notes

For local notes, the Notes app stores everything in:

~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/

In this folder you’ll find local Notes preferences stored in a subfolder in /Library/Preferences/group.com.apple.notes.plist. Many of the settings in this .plist file are private to Apple and may or may not be modifiable.

Some, but not all cached note thumbnails are also stored in the ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/ folder, but in a /Thumbnails/Recent folder. A .png and a .json description of the thumbnail are stored here.

Notes removes these thumbnail caches at times it sees fit, but which is undocumented.

A much larger thumbnail cache is also stored in ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/ but in the /Accounts folder in a folder with a UUID as its name. This folder contains a folder named “Previews”, which in turn contains .png files, each named with a unique UUID generated by Notes.

This folder can get quite large and it’s not clear the logic Notes uses to empty it when you delete individual notes in the app. To save disk space you may want to go through and manually clean out ancient files that are no longer used.

Also in the same /Accounts subfolder, is a folder entitled “Media”. This is where Notes stores any items you may have pasted into your individual notes: large images, videos, links, and other items.

The logic Notes uses for clearing this folder is also not documented by Apple.

There is another subfolder in /Accounts, named “LocalAccount”, but oddly not much ever seems to be stored here – local or not. iCloud items and media are never stored here, but to date, we’ve not seen anything from local individual notes stored here either, no matter how long they’ve existed.

Invisible files

Also stored in the ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/ folder is an invisible preferences file named .com.apple.containermanagerd.metadata.plist. To view this file, you’ll need to show hidden files in Finder, which we’ve discussed previously.

This file contains some metadata used by the Notes app – mostly just UUID settings and some POSIX user and group ID info.

The local database

In ~/Library/Group Containers/group.com.apple.notes/ you’ll also see several lock files which are used while Notes is running, and which are deleted or unused when it’s quit. There are a few other files and folders such as state, database backup files, and temp files. You can ignore most of these.

But the really important file is named “NoteStore.sqlite”. This is a local SQLite database file, which stores all the notes and info associated with them. SQLite is an open source standard and the NoteStore.sqlite file can be viewed with any database app which can read .sqlite files.

Easy-to-use free SQLite viewer apps include Liya, DBeaver, and DB Browser for SQLite. If any of your notes are protected by passwords you’ll need those passwords to be able to view the databases.

Most of the info in the database file are merely references back to the media on disk, and so it may take some searching to find what you’re looking for.

iCloud Notes

For Notes stored in iCloud, most of the note data is stored on Apple’s iCloud servers via the CloudKit framework and API in a remote database. If you have an Apple developer account you can view some of this data via the CloudKit web interface.

When you add a new note to the Notes app under the “iCloud” heading, the Notes app automatically syncs them to iCloud servers via CloudKit (actually the background daemon cloudd does the syncing).

In macOS Ventura, iCloud stores some partially mirrored iCloud Notes data locally in:

  1. ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Notes.datastore
  2. ~/Library/Containers/Notes/Data
  3. ~/Library/Containers/Notes/Data/Library/Notes

But most of the iCloud Notes data gets sent to the iCloud servers.

In ~/Library/Containers/Notes/Data/CloudKit you’ll find one or more UUID-named folders, each containing a database and other folders. You’ll also find a “cloudd_db” folder. These are mostly local caches of CloudKit databases, records, and indices used to speed up Notes data access, but they may or may not also contain some records.

There are also folders for the Notes Quick Look extension, and Spotlight indexing in the ~/Library/Containers/ folder.

Notes iCloud syncing has been a contentious issue for users for years, and Apple has yet to fully address the issue, although Notes syncing across devices does seem to have improved somewhat in recent years.

The biggest sync problems seem to arise where a huge number of notes are stored in the Notes app, or when one device hasn’t been synced in a long time and the synchronization data is far out of date for a particular device.

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Apple sweeps prestigious award show with ‘The Greatest’ ad & other content

Apple won awards

Apple recently received one of the most difficult awards to obtain in advertising with an accessibility film from 2022 and a Rihanna song from Apple Music.

At the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, The One Show, organized by the global nonprofit organization One Club for Creativity, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special ceremony. The advertising awards show is one of the most significant events of its kind, with 20,166 entries from 69 countries in 2023.

Apple London, in collaboration with Apple Cupertino, was honored with the Best of Show and Best of Discipline in Brand-Side/In-House categories for its film “The Greatest.” This film showcased Apple’s enduring dedication to accessibility and was launched on December 3, 2022, commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The company emerged as one of the prominent victors of the evening, being honored with the coveted One Show Pencil, a striking new design inspired by the original Pencil crafted by industry icon George Lois five decades ago. Luke Lois, son of George Lois, was present on stage during the unveiling of this remarkable accolade.

The One Show Pencil is an esteemed accolade in the advertising industry and is known to be one of the most challenging awards to obtain. In 2023, the competition received over 20,000 entries from various parts of the globe.

The redesigned Pencil, larger than the traditional version, features a crystal exterior encasing a black metal core for the Best of Show award and a gold metal core for winners of the Best of Discipline and “Of the Year” categories.

The submission for “The Greatest” aimed to generate awareness about accessibility innovations developed by Apple to support individuals living with disabilities. It sought to portray disability in a fresh light, celebrating ability within everyday moments made possible by Apple technology.

This work received five Gold Pencils and one Silver recognition from the awards show.

Apple achieved three additional wins alongside the Brand-Side/In-House Best of Discipline victory. In the category of Music & Sound, Apple received the Best of Discipline for “Rihanna – Stay,” created for Apple Music.

TBWA\Media Arts Lab Los Angeles, in collaboration with Blacksmith New York and MJZ, secured the Best of Discipline in Moving Image Craft & Production for their work on “Share the Joy” representing Apple. Partnering with OMD, the lab also claimed the Best of Discipline in Out of Home for Apple’s “Public Displays of Encouragement.”

“Apple really crushed it this year with work like ‘The Greatest’ and ‘R.I.P. Leon’ that shows off the brand in an innovative and inspiring way,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “We like to say ‘great creative is great for business’, and Apple’s continued success is proof that those two things go hand in hand.”

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No one can agree on what the Apple VR Headset will cost to make

Apple’s VR Headset will be expensive

Multiple industry reports place the Apple VR Headset bill of materials between $1,290 and $1,509, but differing information between the sources throws it all into question.

Early estimates suggested Apple’s VR Headset would cost around $3,000 retail. That would account for the research and development, bill of materials, shipping, and some margin for profit.

Information gathered by XR Daily News shows differing reports for the bill of materials. When discussing how much a product will cost on store shelves, small variations in the bill of materials can make a big difference, so the $200 swing is notable.

One report, from Minsheng Electronics, suggests that the total cost of the headset materials adds up to $1,400. It even adds in that a conservative shipping estimate places the cost at $1,600. The report also notes that Apple allegedly expects over 400,000 to be built in late 2023.

A document from Wellsenn XR suggests the total bill of materials is $1,509. It has slightly different names for some of the components but a similar set.

A third report contains information from two separate sources ranging the bill of materials between $1,209 and $1,300. These are notably lower than the other estimates provided, but may not include shipping costs.

So, data from four different sources places the bill of materials between $1,209 and $1,509 — assuming these are all estimated without shipping. Apple does account for research costs when determining the final price, and a margin for profit does need to exist, so a $3,000 starting price isn’t out of the question.

Some have seen these numbers and thrown out lower estimates, but conservatively, $2,000 is the absolute minimum. That is if any of these reports are accurate, since technically only one can be.

Apple is expected to announce its VR headset during WWDC in June. It would run xrOS and bring VR to Apple’s ecosystem.

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iPhone 16 Pro Max assembly to go to Luxshare as Apple helps with India expansion

Luxshare getting help from Apple for India expansion

Luxshare could see significant growth through 2023 and 2024 as Apple helps it build production lines in India while also offering it iPhone 16 Pro Max production.

According to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Luxshare is expected to set up production lines in India with Apple’s help. Then, as production yields increase, Apple will give Luxshare orders for the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

That would be a departure for Apple, as the company usually assigns production of the most premium iPhone to Foxconn. Luxshare is expected to ship 45 to 50 million iPhones in 2023, up from 20 million in 2022, showing how Apple is increasing its use of the company.

Kuo says Luxshare will primarily be responsible for the iPhone 15 Plus in 2023, adding iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max as a secondary supplier. However, as stated, the company will be allocated iPhone 16 Pro Max in 2024, with Foxconn taking iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16.

Pegatron has again been singled out as the loser in the order sheet, being assigned iPhone 16 Plus for 2024. Apple has already removed Pegatron from the production of the Apple VR Headset, placing Luxshare in charge of that.

There may be some pushback from India, but Kuo expects Apple will negotiate with the government to help Luxshare set up production lines there. These moves by Apple and Luxshare are critical for reducing Apple’s reliance on China.