2026-03-09 01:11:01
Who is it? What is it? Is it friend or foe? Has it arrived in peace, or is it plotting to corrupt our SSDs and fray our USB-C cables?
Little is known about Lil Finder Guy, which is not its official name (I think), that first appeared the same day Apple debuted the MacBook Neo. It has appeared in the corner of one TikTok post by Apple (oh yeah, Apple started posting on TikTok and it’s unhinged) and in screenshot apparently captured during a “Matcha Break with MacBook Neo” livestream on TikTok on Wednesday afternoon, but I haven’t been able to track down any other shots of the stream itself.
Screengrab from the “Matcha Break with MacBook Neo” livestream posted by m2macmini on X.
All I know about Lil Finder Guy is that it’s freakin’ adorable, assuming it means me no harm. And instead of doing literally anything productive or tending to my adult responsibilities like bills, taxes, or work, I have spent my weekend tumbling down the rabbit hole trying to build a life for this mysterious little creature despite knowing next to nothing about it.
Lil Finder Guy appearing in the top corner of a post by Apple on TikTok about the new MacBook Neo.
Google Gemini (aka the next Siri) has been helpful in modelling out the rest of its body from the single TikTok post. From there, I started generating what Lil Finder Guy might look like working, angry, running, jumping, laughing, and more. Of course, this is all abstraction stacked on abstraction at this point. I do not know if Lil Finder Guy can laugh, what it finds funny, or whether its short, knee-less legs are even capable of jumping.
But it went further, again I’m really avoiding a lot of adult responsibilities and putting all my hope and dreams into this Lil Finder, because I even found a way to generate a 3D model of Lil Finder Guy.
“The Findies” posted by Andreas Storm on Twitter
Where I and the rest of the internet take this from here remains to be seen. All I know is that Apple should definitely keep this Lil Finder around.
But no, I do not think this is the last we’ve seen of Lil Finder Guy…
2026-02-03 02:59:05
From February 5-27, I will attempt to do 4,000 pushups to help raise money to support mental health initiatives across Canada.
From February 5-27, I will be participating in the Push-Up Challenge to help support mental health in Canada. 2,000 people lose their life to suicide worldwide, and this fundraiser is to help raise funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association in supporting people experiencing mental health struggles across Canada.
Last year was my first time doing the challenge, and I did 3,522 pushups across the 23-day challenge (~153/day) and together the people who contributed to my page raised $672 for mental health initiatives.
This year I am setting myself the even more ambitious goal of trying to raise $941 dollars for mental health and will try to not only hit the 2,000 pushups for the fundraiser, but personally attempt to double it and complete 4,000 push-ups across the 23-day challenge this year.
I work in mental health and witness firsthand the depth of suffering experienced by individuals with suicidal thoughts, as well as the profound and enduring grief carried by those who have lost a loved one to suicide. Because of this, it is a cause I am proud to support and champion each year.
If you are able to donate & want to support the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), you can do so by clicking on the link below that ties directly to my push-up challenge page:
Push-Up Challenge Donation Page
Donate to the Basic Apple Guy 2,000 push-up challenge
DonateYou can also always donate to agencies in your local area or provide your time for mental health initiatives. Most importantly, make sure you take care of your mental health and check in with those closest to you who might be struggling: listen to them, take them seriously, ask directly about suicide, and help them access support or emergency help. In whatever way you can support yourself and those around you, thank you.
Helping me achieve this goal is the Canadian made app Pushups Tracker: OneMore, which automatically counts and tracks the number of push-ups you do and logs it in Apple Health.
February 05 - Target: 63 | Achieved: 311 | Total: 311/4000
February 06 - Target: 75 | Achieved: 200 | Total: 511/4000
February 07 - Target: 100 | Achieved: 150 | Total: 661/4000
February 08 - Target: 0 | Achieved: 0 | Total: 661/4000
February 09 - Target: 87 | Achieved: 200 | Total: 861/4000
February 10 - Target: 50 | Achieved: 100 | Total: 961/4000
February 11 - Target: 46 | Achieved: 100 | Total: 1,061/4000
February 12 - Target: 140 | Achieved: 140 | Total: 1,201/4000
February 13 - Target: 89 | Achieved: 100 | Total: 1,301/4000
February 14 - Target: 120 | Achieved: 120 | Total: 1,421/4000
February 15 - Target: 0 | Achieved: 0 | Total: 1,421/4000
February 16 - Target: 75 | Achieved: 100 | Total: 1,521/4000
February 17 - Target: 64 | Achieved: 100 | Total: 1,621/4000
February 18 - Target: 143 | Achieved: 143 | Total: 1,664/4000
February 19 - Target: 70 | Achieved: 0 (travelling all day)
February 20 - Target: 85 | Achieved: 202 | Total: 1,864/4000
February 21 - Target: 170 | Achieved: 170 | Total: 2,034/4000
February 22 - Target: 0 | Achieved: 0 | Total: 2,034/4000
February 23 - Target: 53 | Achieved: 215 | Total: 2,249/4000
February 24 - Target: 160 | Achieved: 60 | Total: 2,309/4000
February 25 - Target: 60 | Achieved: 0 | Total: 2,309/4000
February 26 - Target: 200 | Achieved: 0 | Total: 2,309/4000
February 27 - Target: 150 | Achieved: 0 | Total: 2,309/4000
Note: The Push-Up Challenge website limits the number of push-ups you can log daily, as shown in the Target above. The Achieved number represents the total push-ups I completed each day.
I’m really disappointed that I fell so far short of my 4,000 push-up goal, even though I surpassed the challenge’s 2,000 push-up target. I committed to a number and underestimated how exhausting and difficult this would be while travelling for most of the challenge.
Toward the end, I also got hit with intense jet lag that took me out for 2 to 3 days, along with a heavy stretch of work and family stress. Not an excuse, just an explanation.
I’m sorry for missing the mark, but I’m genuinely grateful to everyone who donated. You helped raise an incredible $346 for mental health. You have made a real difference, and even though you’ll never meet the person your support helps, their life will hopefully be better because you showed up for this.
If you, or anyone you know, is experiencing suicidal thoughts and want support, here is a list of international agencies to call for support:
🇨🇦 9-8-8 (phone or text)
🇺🇸 9-8-8
🇦🇺 Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
🇬🇧 Samaritans: 116 123
🌍 Other
2026-01-30 05:47:10
Last February I released Fluted Gradient, a collection of eight gradient wallpapers with a vertical fluted design. And the people spoke. It went on to become the most popular wallpaper I released in 2025.
So yes, like Vanilla Ice, I am absolutely riding that one trick pony straight into the ground with the February 2026 Edition of Fluted Gradients.
The collection of Fluted Gradient wallpapers is available below, free of charge and in full resolution, but if you can support the work I do, I am also making the collection available as a donation gift of $4.99.
The Fluted Gradients: February 2026 collection includes 14 wallpapers for your Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Thank you so much for your continued support.
Read more about my approach to making wallpapers available for purchase over at The WinRAR Approach.
Once purchased, a download link will be emailed to you to download the .zip file (126 MB) containing all 14 versions for Mac (6016 × 3900), iPad (2752 × 2752), and iPhone (1320 × 2868).
The digital download link will expire 24 hours after the first download. If your link expires and you need to redownload the files, please send me an email with your order number and I can send along a new link for you.
This is an entirely new collection of 14 gradient wallpapers for iPad, Mac, and iPhone and yes, even iPod touch, if a few of you are still bravely rocking those out there.
Full disclosure, I have other wallpaper projects on the go (yes, including my very delayed iPhone Air internals), but I'll be indisposed throughout most of February due to some travel, a heavy teaching workload, and a stupid busy work schedule. So rather than be radio silent for whole month, I wanted to drop a new Fluted Gradient wallpaper for you every couple of days to enjoy!
I’m a one-person operation, working in healthcare by day & running this site as a passion project in my off time.
If you enjoy my work (the articles, the wallpapers, my general demeanour… anything really), consider leaving a tip & supporting the site. Your support is incredibly appreciated & goes a long way to keep this site and the works I produce ad-free & free of charge.
☕️ Tips2026-01-23 01:02:34
Introducing Floral - a collection of five minimalistic flower wallpapers for your Mac, iPhone, and iPad. 
When Apple released iOS 11 in 2017, it included a collection of beautiful flower photographs set against complementary gradient backgrounds. Floral is inspired by that collection. It features five flower wallpapers placed on soft gradient backdrops, with each flower emphasizing movement, bokeh, and blur. Together, these qualities give the wallpapers a gentle, delicate feel that I found especially pleasing across my devices.
Each of the five wallpapers is available for the Mac, iPad, and iPhone below. For iPad & iOS users running OS26, make sure to enable the spatial scene effect for the wallpapers as it gives it a really nice dimensional effect on your homescreen. Enjoy!
I’m a one-person operation, working in healthcare by day & running this site as a passion project in my off time.
If you enjoy my work (the articles, the wallpapers, my general demeanour… anything really), consider leaving a tip & supporting the site. Your support is incredibly appreciated & goes a long way to keep this site and the works I produce ad-free & free of charge.
🌸 TipsProcess & Stance on AI
Midjourney was used in the creation of these wallpapers. First, attribution-free photographs were put into Midjourney as a reference. After generating a wide range of images and refining the prompts, I produced hundreds of variations. From that set, the top five were selected. These images were upscaled using Topaz Labs’ Gigapixel software, then further edited in Photoshop. This included adding the gradient background, introducing additional elements, making image adjustments, debanding, and other refinements. Finally, each of the five wallpapers was adjusted and resized for Mac, iPad, and iPhone displays.
I know the use of AI is a divisive topic, and for some people there’s nothing I can say that will change how they feel about it. I respect that. I take a softer approach, aiming to find value in the technology while using it sparingly and being fully transparent when I do. For that reason, I don’t feel it’s appropriate to list this as a purchasable collection in the same way I do with wallpapers created entirely from scratch. I continue to focus on releasing projects that are 100% AI-free, and in rare instances like this one, I was genuinely pleased with the final result and wanted to share something I created for myself with the broader community.
2026-01-13 12:08:47
A look back at more than six years of Apple’s Lunar and Japanese New Year exclusives.
Apple has a long history of celebrating the Japanese and Chinese New Year with special discounts, products, and promotions during the holiday season.
Over the years, this has included partnerships with local artists in China, seasonal sales across Asian markets, and Japan’s beloved Lucky Bag promotion, which ran until 2015.
More recently, beginning in 2021, Apple shifted toward releasing its own limited-edition products branded with that year’s zodiac animal. The tradition began with the Year of the Ox in 2021 and has continued through 2026, with Apple most recently announcing special Year of the Horse AirPods Pro 3 for customers in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore.
I couldn’t find a resource that collated all this information, so for posterity’s sake, I wanted to create a small archive of the graphics and products Apple has released during this era. Enjoy!
Special envelopes featuring this mouse-inspired design were given out with Apple Gift Cards to customers who made qualifying purchases during the Japanese New Year sale.
I'm including this year because while Apple didn't release any products, it appears to have started the motif of blending thats year zodiac animal into the Apple logo.
That year Apple offered special discounts in the form of a Apple gift card on select products in Japan, similar to sales like Black Friday in Western Markets.
Apple’s Year of the Ox website logo.
Apple ran its Japanese New Year (Shōgatsu) sale on January 2 and 3 without any zodiac branding.
However, starting in other Asian markets, Apple marked the Chinese New Year by releasing a limited-edition Year of the Ox AirPods Pro.
Gallery showcasing the Year of the Ox AirPod engraving, AirPods Pro, and packaging.
These AirPods came in a special box and featured the same Ox engraving on the charging case. They were sold in select Asian markets including China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Only 25,400 Ox-engraved AirPods Pro were produced, so count yourself lucky if you managed to get one of them.
Apple’s Year of the Tiger website logo.
Following the launch of AirTag earlier that spring, Apple released a special limited-edition Year of the Tiger AirTag as part of its New Year promotion in Japan.
The Tiger AirTag design for the Japanese New Year promotion.
During the two-day event, the first 20,000 customers who purchased an iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, or iPhone SE received a complimentary AirTag featuring a unique Year of the Tiger engraving. Interestingly, this artwork was different from the tiger design used on the AirPods Pro released for Chinese New Year, making it a distinct collectible in its own right.
Then, on January 1, 2022, Apple launched a special Year of the Tiger AirPods Pro set in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and Singapore. Customers who purchased the AirPods in store also received a set of 12 special red envelopes, each featuring emoji-style zodiac characters dressed in adorable tiger costumes.
Gallery showcasing the Year of the Tiger AirPods engraving, AirPods Pro, and packaging.
Red envelopes featuring the 12 zodiac characters wearing tiger costumes. Source: ifanr on Weibo
Apple’s Year of the Rabbit website logo.
For the Year of the Rabbit, Apple once again released a special limited-edition AirTag as part of its New Year sale in Japan. It was limited to the first 30,000 customers who purchased a new iPhone SE, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13. Buyers also received a special Apple Store Gift Card worth ¥8,000
The Rabbit AirTag design for the Japanese New Year promotion.
Japan New Year Edition gift card design.
For Chinese New Year, Apple released a limited-edition Year of the Rabbit engraving on the new AirPods Pro (2nd generation) for customers in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.
Gallery showcasing the Year of the Rabbit AirPods engraving, AirPods Pro 2, and packaging.
Apple’s Year of the Dragon website logo.
For the Japanese New Year, Apple once again released a special AirTag, this time celebrating the Year of the Dragon. Nearly doubling the previous year’s run, the first 50,000 customers in Japan who purchased a new iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 13, or third-generation iPhone SE received this limited-edition accessory, along with an Apple Gift Card featuring the same design as the year prior.
The Dragon AirTag design for the Japanese New Year promotion.
For Chinese New Year, customers in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam could, for a limited time, purchase a special Year of the Dragon edition of AirPods Pro (2nd generation with USB-C charging case).
Gallery showcasing the Year of the Dragon AirPods engraving, AirPods Pro 2, and packaging.
Apple’s Year of the Snake website logo.
In Japan, from January 2 to 5, Apple once again ran its New Year sale, offering special discounts to Japanese customers along with a limited-edition Year of the Snake AirTag for the first 50,000 people who purchased an iPhone 15, iPhone 14, or iPhone SE.
The Snake AirTag design for the Japanese New Year promotion.
Meanwhile, in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore, Apple once again released special Year of the Snake AirPods, this time using the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. During this period, Apple also offered discounts on select products, and several third-party accessory makers released snake-themed items to join in the celebration.
Gallery showcasing the Year of the Snake AirPods engraving, AirPods 4, and packaging.
Apple’s Year of the Horse website logo.
This year, as part of the Japanese New Year promotion, Apple moved away from zodiac-themed AirTags and instead offered a limited-edition AirTag featuring a Daruma doll, a traditional symbol of perseverance and good luck for the year ahead. The AirTag was available to the first 65,000 customers in Japan who purchased an iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, or iPhone 16e.
The Daruma AirTag design for the Japanese New Year promotion.
A special Apple Gift Card design was also created and included with qualifying purchases.
Japan New Year Edition Gift card design for 2026.
In China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore, Apple is offering a limited-edition Year of the Horse engraving on the newly announced AirPods Pro 3 as part of its Lunar New Year celebration.
Gallery showcasing the Year of the Horse AirPods engraving, AirPods Pro 3, and packaging.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-holding-new-years-shopping-event-in-japan-on-january-2.2217282/?post=28097808
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/01/06/apple-ox-themed-airpods-pro-china/
https://macfan.book.mynavi.jp/article/36574/
https://m.weibo.cn/status/4720927805801613
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/12/27/apple-japan-new-year-limited-edition-airtag/
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/12/26/apples-japanese-new-year-promotion-2024/
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/01/17/airpods-pro-year-of-dragon/
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/12/26/apple-japan-new-year-promotion/
https://x.com/noric2014/status/2004593600957685956?s=61
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/12/30/apple-to-give-away-limited-edition-airtag-in-japan/
https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/01/05/limited-edition-year-of-the-horse-airpods-pro-3-go-on-sale-in-china
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/12/25/apple-japan-new-years-event-2020/
2026-01-09 04:26:50
Introducing Hive, a minimalist gradient wallpaper collection for your Apple devices. 
Already more than a week into 2026 and I’ve been buzzing away on new posts and wallpapers, but I won’t drone on. Let’s bee-gin the year with Hive, a minimalist gradient collection of five new wallpapers for your Apple devices.
The collection of Hive wallpapers is available below, free of charge and in full resolution, but if you can support the work I do, I am also making the collection available as a donation gift of $3.99.
The Hive collection includes five wallpapers: Aurora, Evenfall, Forage, Honeycomb, and Spring Light for your Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Thank you so much for your continued support.
Read more about my approach to making wallpapers available for purchase over at The WinRAR Approach.
Once purchased, a download link will be emailed to you to download the .zip file (10.1MB) containing all five versions for Mac (6016 × 3900), iPad (2752 × 2752), and iPhone (1320 × 2868).
The digital download link will expire 24 hours after the first download. If your link expires and you need to redownload the files, please send me an email with your order number and I can send along a new link for you.
Each of these wallpapers bee-gins as a custom gradient wallpaper. Next, an overlay of hexagons is placed over the gradient. From there, each of the cells is sampled and filled with a solid background colour. Repeat this 893 more times and you have a simple and elegant wallpaper that’s undeniably buzzworthy.
There are five variations to choose from: Aurora, Evenfall, Forage, Honeycomb, and Spring Light. Each of the wallpapers are available for the Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Enjoy!
I’m a one-person operation, working in healthcare by day & running this site as a passion project in my off time.
If you enjoy my work (the articles, the wallpapers, my general demeanour… anything really), consider leaving a tip & supporting the site. Your support is incredibly appreciated & goes a long way to keep this site and the works I produce ad-free & free of charge.
🐝 Tips
