![“[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)
Apple releases new iPhones and announces upgrades to other products
Wikimedia Commons
The iPhone XS Max, pictured here in its gold color, arrived in stores on Sept. 21. Some new features include a 6.5-inch screen, which is the biggest yet on an iPhone, depth control in Portrait mode, and an A12 Bionic chip.
October 11, 2018
It’s that time again. The time that every tech enthusiast looks forward to at the beginning of the school year (or scowls at, if you’re an android fan). It’s come consistently every year since 2007, and is on par with holidays like Christmas or Halloween. Sweeping with both rave reviews and controversies alike: it’s iPhone season.
Early last month, Apple announced the iPhone XS (available at 64GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage for $999, $1,149 or $1,349), the newest addition to its impressive lineup of technology must-haves, as well as the iPhone XS Max ($1,099, $1,249 or $1,449), the iPhone XR (64GB at $749, 128GB at $799, 256GB at $899) and the Apple Watch Series 4 ($399) among other continuations to their trademark products. All four products boast Apple’s largest screens to date, as well as faster processing systems than ever.
Most impressive in the lineup is Apple’s latest update to the Apple Watch Series. Introduced in 2015, the Apple Watch and its updates continue to revolutionize communication, fitness and health. As the years progress, the Apple Watch seems to be something to look out for as it becomes an increasingly essential part of people’s lives.
“I like that I can get news headlines and check texts and emails really quickly, just to have a sense of sort of what is going on when I’m not in front of my laptop or my phone — I think that’s what it does for me,” history teacher Donna Gilbert said of her own Apple Watch.
The Apple Watch Series 4 includes a new accelerometer and gyroscope, which are able to detect hard falls, and an electrical heart rate sensor that can take an electrocardiogram (ECG). More new features include its curved corners for a 30% larger display and its faster S4 processing chip. The Digital Crown, made to model those on mechanical watches, allows users to navigate the Apple Watch without obstructing the display. On the new model, users can access the ECG app with the touch of a finger. A staggering 18 hours of battery life makes it the longest lasting yet, and a 50% louder speaker makes calls clearer.
With the iPhone X, Apple aimed to revolutionize its user interface by including features like facial detection, the largest display seen on an iPhone yet and its impressive OLED display, and to pioneer advanced phone photography with portrait mode and the X’s two 12 megapixel telephoto and wide-angle cameras, among other new features.
“I would definitely say that the best feature of the iPhone X, or the 10, is the camera,” Jasmine Wiese (11) said. “Having both cameras, it’s really good. The portrait mode on it is just awesome, but it definitely took some getting used to. The screen is huge.”
The iPhone XS is that and more. But even so, according to Forbes Magazine, while sales for the first week out-paced both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X in its first week by nearly 50%, it arrived in stores on Sept. 21 and, much to peoples’ chagrin, didn’t quite land with the innovative impact that the iPhone X had, partly due to having many of the same features and not enough new ones.
That’s not to say that it isn’t a good buy. The iPhone XS is graced with new features like wireless charging and stainless steel casing, as well as depth control in Portrait mode and a revolutionary A12 Bionic chip which, not only is 15% faster than last year’s A11, but will also provide an enhanced experience for new technologies such as augmented reality. The iPhone XS, like the iPhone X, is optimized for speed and efficiency, just at a much higher rate.
The iPhone XR, announced Sept. 12 and available in stores Oct. 29, sports a build more similar to the X’s predecessor, the iPhone 8, though its features resemble that of the iPhone X: for example, the A12 bionic processor, the front-facing camera with FaceID and Animoji, and the larger display. It also introduces liquid retina to the game, the largest LCD screen to ever grace a phone, along with water and dust resistance.
The iPhone XS is a great purchase to make if you have an older model. With the faster processing system, incredible photography features, and the convenience and efficiency of features like FaceID, the iPhone XS is well worth its price when compared to older models.
“I feel like if you’ve got the iPhone 8, I would say that it’s not really worth it, but if you came from a 6 like I did, I think it really made a difference for me,” Srivani Vegesna (11) said.
But if the $1000 price tag is a wallet buster, a smarter option would be to wait for further innovation from newer iPhones, or to stay with the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, if you own it already.
