🎬Everything Pro Max

January 10, 2025

Good morning and Happy Friday. Today, we’ll treat you to your first useless stat of the year: 2025 is a pretty unique year, mathematically speaking - it is a rare perfect square year, meaning it’s the square of an integer: 45. Soak it in, because this will be the last perfect square year you will likely experience: The last time it happened was 1936 (the square of 44) and the next time will be in 2116 (46 squared).

Cue in the calculators to see how many years till then and if you can make it.

— Chibuike Uzor.

CURRENCIES

Currency exchange rates against the US dollar as of market close. Here’s what these numbers mean

HARDWARE TECH
Everyone’s getting the Pro Max now

Dell Technologies

After decades of not learning the names of Dell laptops, you are finally free to continue not learning the names of Dell laptops. You probably already recognize the company’s new hardware categorization: Dell announced this week that its PCs will either fall into a simple “Dell” category or receive a “Dell Pro” or “Dell Pro Max” label.

“Oh, like Apple,” said everyone in response to the announcement. Dell execs denied following in the iPhone maker’s footsteps, saying Apple doesn’t own those words. Chief Operating Officer Jeff Clarke said that Dell’s nomenclature—which included “XPS,” “Inspiron,” and “Latitude”—got confusing in the past. Those will be retired to make way for what Dell believes are more consumer-friendly titles.

  • All three categories will also offer Base, Plus, and Premium versions.

  • Alienware, the gaming computer brand Dell acquired in 2006, won’t adopt the new names.

“Don’t go yet!” While the change may be substantial, Dell doesn’t plan on tossing the old names all at once. Existing products already launched under XPS, Precision, and other retiring brands will continue on as they are. But once discontinued, they’ll only be replaced by whatever Mad Libs concoction of Plus, Premium, Pro, and Pro Max Dell has lined up for them.

Big picture: While Lenovo, HP, and Dell still beat Apple in unit sales, no one is buying laptops like they were in 2020. Computer categories saw huge jumps at the pandemic's beginning but have slowly tapered off. Companies are banking that AI advancements will push users to upgrade their machines. -CU

THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW
And no, you don’t love to see it

Matrix Report

41% of employers plan on downsizing their workforce due to AI automation, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report. For those whose jobs are safe, 77% of large companies said they’re planning to reskill their existing workforce through 2030 to work more seamlessly alongside AI. Postal service clerks, payroll clerks, and executive secretaries are among the jobs expected to take the biggest hit from automation. Now might be the time to ask ChatGPT for a list of jobs that AI can’t do.

SHOWER THOUGHTS

“Kids are on their best behavior right before Christmas. Adults are on their best behavior right after New Year’s.”

NEWS
Round the continent

  • Venacio Mondlane, the Mozambican opposition leader who lost the Presidential elections and self-exiled afterward has returned to the country.

  • Two dozen attackers stormed the residence of the President of Chad yesterday. 19 people were reported killed.

  • Alassane Ouattara, Ivory Coast’s president has signaled interest in running for a fourth presidential term. It’s his 15th year in office.

  • Nigerian motorcycle-hailing startup Gokada filed for bankruptcy protection in October after failing to secure $750,000 in new funding, according to a TechCabal report.

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