![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
New MacBooks and Apple Watch
Courtesy of Apple
Apple announced a new MacBook laptop and also finalized the details for its upcoming watch in a keynote on Monday. Apple will begin selling both devices in April.
Apple announced a redesign of the MacBook laptop and additional details, including upcoming availability, of its new Apple Watch at an event in San Francisco on Monday.
Apple has brought back the MacBook, which was phased out a few years ago, to its laptop family. The new laptop sports a 12-inch “Retina” display, similar to the one found on the iPhone, and is thinner and lighter than the existing MacBook Air. The new MacBook, setting a novel precedent for Apple laptops, only includes one port, that is used to charge the laptop, connect to external USB drives, and project to external monitors or projectors. The laptop also comes in the three color variants currently available for the iPhone and iPad: space gray, gold and silver. The device will retail for $1,299 and will be available starting in April.
“I think the trackpad is pretty interesting, actually, because of the pressure sensing technology they’ve put into it,” Varun Haltore (10) said.
Varun added that he appreciates the lengthy battery life Mac laptops offer.
At its media event, Apple also added more specifics to its highly-anticipated Watch. The device will be able to track fitness parameters, monitor health, receive calls, navigate through various locations and display notifications normally present on an iPhone. The Watch will also contain and 18-hour battery life and will be able to display any information on an iPhone 5 or newer. The Watch comes in three different variants, including an 18-karat gold version that will be produced in limited quantities. The base model will sell for $350, but prices could reach $17,000 for the most expensive gold version.
“The Watch provides another way to stay on top of notifications, emails, etc.,” Hemant Kunda (12) said. “It’s way more convenient than pulling out my phone.”
With the launch of both the MacBook and the Watch, Apple is attempting to further solidify its strength in both these industries.
Vedant Thyagaraj is the Science & Technology Editor for Harker Aquila. He is currently a senior and has been on staff for the past three years. Vedant...