A piece of Apple history has fetched a hefty price tag. A business card signed by Steve Jobs sold for a staggering $181,183 (roughly 1.312 million yuan) at RR Auctions on March 24th. This “ultra-rare, immaculate” card, estimated to be from around 1983, sold for a whopping 14 times the price of an unsigned Apple business card previously sold at the same auction house.

The card is one of the only five known certified Steve Jobs business cards

While not entirely flawless – the card shows some fading, a minor stain on the front, and faint tape marks on the back – its exceptional condition for a 40-year-old item is a key factor in its value. Signed memorabilia is even more desirable when its authenticity can be verified. This particular business card boasts certification from the prestigious Professional Sports Memorabilia Authentication Agency (PSA) with a coveted “Gem Mint Level 10” rating.

The card offers a glimpse into a key time for Apple. Signed during Jobs’ tenure as chairman of the board, it predates the launch of the iconic Macintosh computer. Apple’s main product at the time was the Apple Lisa, the world’s first commercial PC with a graphical user interface (GUI), even more advanced than the Macintosh but ultimately less commercially successful.

According to RR Auction House, this is one of only five known Steve Jobs business cards to have successfully passed PSA/DNA authentication. The signature itself is described as “neatly positioned and very clear.” It won’t be too long before another piece of Apple’s history shows up and sets a huge new record in the auction scene. Who knows? We’ll have to wait and watch.

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A collection of rare Apple items, including the second check the company ever wrote, signed by co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, is heading to the auction block, following the record-breaking sale of a sealed 4GB original iPhone, which sold for almost $200,000. This new auction, organized by RR Auction, offers over 50 unique items, affording enthusiasts an intimate look into the nascent days of one of the world’s most iconic tech companies.

The collection includes the second check ever written by Apple Inc.

The second check that Apple issued, bearing the signatures of both Jobs and Wozniak, has the potential to fetch over $50,000. Dated March 19, 1976, the check was written for $116.97 to Ramlor, Inc., a Palo Alto-area manufacturer of printed circuit boards. This document harks back to the time when Apple was crafting its debut product, the Apple-1, and predates the company’s official inception by about two weeks.

Notably, this check is labeled “No. 2,” and was written around the time Apple was still operating out of the Jobs family garage. The check also bears significance as it predates the official formation of Apple Computer, Inc., which didn’t happen until April 1, 1976. On that date, Jobs, Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne formalized the partnership, distributing 45% of the company each to Jobs and Wozniak, with the remaining 10% going to Wayne.

Given its date and payee, the check likely covered costs associated with the circuit boards for the initial batch of Apple-1 Computers. These units were initially envisioned as kit-based products, for hobbyists to assemble. However, the project’s scope widened after a meeting with Paul Terrell, owner of The Byte Shop in Mountain View, one of the first-ever personal computer stores. This latest auction offers an extra rare opportunity to acquire extremely rare pieces of Apple’s early history, signifying the tech giant’s humble beginnings before it transformed into a worldwide phenomenon.

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When it comes to Apple, most of us think of the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and AirPods. However, when we look back at the company’s history, we can see that Apple has produced many interesting products. Devices such as the Apple Newton, Lisa, and Pippin game console are now very rare and considered collector’s items. Therefore, they sell for very high prices. However, the ultra-rare Apple sneakers that recently appeared on the market surpassed them all with a price of $50,000. Here are the details…

The Rainbow-Colored Apple Sneakers That Are Worth Their Weight in Gold

Retro Apple products are often in the headlines for being auctioned off for high prices. For example, we recently told you that a special 4GB version of the original iPhone was sold for a whopping $190,372. Now, a new product has been added to the list: a pair of Apple Computer Sneakers from the mid-1990s that are now available for purchase. You may be wondering, “Did Apple produce shoes?” The answer to this question is a bit complicated.

Actually, Apple never produced shoes. However, the Apple Computer Sneakers were created in the mid-1990s as a promotional item for Apple employees. Only a small number of pairs were ever made. The sneakers are characterized by their white upper with a rainbow Apple logo on the tongue and lateral quarter. They also feature a faux “Air” cushioning window in the heel. Due to their limited availability, these sneakers are extremely valuable. One of them is now up for auction.

A pair of Apple Computer Sneakers are now available for purchase. They are brand new in the box and feature a white upper, white sole, and an iconic, old-school Apple logo on both the side and tongue. The singular pair of sneakers are available in size 10.5 (44 in European shoe size). The asking price for the sneakers is $50,000. Of course, this is a very high price for a shoe. However, it is important to remember that this product is not aimed at standard users like us, but at collectors.

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Apple is getting ready to launch the iPhone 15 series later this year. But it seems that the value of the first gen iPhone is still much higher than any of its current iterations, with the latest auctions for the original iPhone brought bids that crossed a whopping 50,000 US Dollars.

Previously, we had reported on a first gen iPhone model that was still in the box selling for over 63,000 US Dollars, marking a sales record for this smartphone model. Now, another original iPhone model that is still factory sealed saw an auction bids hit 55,000 US Dollars. In the past, there have also been unopened original iPhones that sold for 35,000 US Dollars and 39,000 US Dollars.

In other words, the value of the nearly 16 year old phone is continuing to rise even now. This trend isn’t just true for the Cupertino based giant’s smartphones but also some of its older products as well. This includes an “undiscovered” Apple-1 computer that was auctioned off for an unspecified but high sum. There was even an iPhone 11 model that sold for nearly 4,000 US Dollars since it was signed by Apple CEO Tim Cook.

Similarly, technical instructions from Steve Jobs (Founder of Apple) was sold for around 12,500 US Dollars while his business card was sold for a hefty sum of 6,188 US Dollars as well. The factory sealed iPhone that is being sold was owned by an Apple employee that got the device by working in the company. However, he already bought an iPhone back in 2007 so the spare model was never opened. And now, its value has sky rocketed over the original price tag.

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An auction has just sold one unopened first generation Apple iPhone model in the US for a whopping price tag of over 35,000 US Dollars. Alongside the smartphone, the auction also sold a first ever iPod model as well for an eye watering price tag too.

The unopened first ever iPhone was sold for a price tag of 35,414 US Dollars, while the first generation iPod was sold for 25,000 US Dollars in the auction. For those unaware, the first gen iPod was released back in 2001 and the first iPhone was announced back in 2007. The iPhone was sold by RR Auction and marks a new milestone for rare gadgets being auctioned around the world.

Price for antique technology have already gone up to millions of dollars. The latest auction of the unopened iPhone was actually unique since it included an original circuit board of the Apple I computer, which was also hand soldered by Apple co founder, Stephen Wozniak and was sold for 677,196 US Dollars. For its time, the iPhone was quite an advanced mobile phone that came with a 2 megapixel camera, voice mail support, and much more.

As stated above, the sale of this iPhone also marks a major milestone for the history of personal technology. Apart from its premium price tag, the original iPhone was also a game changer back when it first launched since it came with an all touchscreen functionality, which all smartphone brands followed soon after.

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Nothing is gearing up to launch its first ever smartphone in a couple of weeks. However, prior to its launch, the company had recently announced an auction for the first 100 units of the Phone (1) model, and now, the highest bids have crossed a whopping 2,600 US Dollars.

For those unaware, the company had began the auctions on the 21st of June 2022, which was set to be live till June 23rd. This auction was hosted on StockX and included limited edition models that have laser engraved numbers ranging from 1 to 100. It isn’t surprising that a number of people bid for these limited edition Phone (1) models owing to the amount of hype Nothing has created through its marketing strategies.

Thus, the bids have skyrocketed well past the smartphone’s actual retail value, with the highest bids hitting a whopping 2,679 US Dollars. Interestingly, this is closer to the price tag of high end foldable smartphones like the top end variant of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. After the auction ends, the company has promised to ship the smartphone to the one that bids the highest within 35 working days.

Despite the handset crossing the 2,600 US Dollars mark, it is believed to actually be priced somewhere under 400 US Dollars in retail. So stay tuned for more, as we will be covering any notable updates regarding the device before its July 12 launch.

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The Nothing startup from the former OnePlus Founder, Carl Pei, has certainly generated tremendous hype around it, but this is even more evident considering auctions for its Nothing Ear 1 TWS earbuds limited editions have already reached prices over ten times its original retail value.

As per the auction listing on StockX, the startup’s first product, the true wireless earbuds, has recorded the highest bid of 1,029 US Dollars. This is more than 10 times its original retail price, which is set at 99 US Dollars. While the earbuds will practically be the same as the ones that will go on sale from July 27, these are limited editions and are serialized between 1 to 100. In other words, it is likely to be highly sought after by enthusiasts that can’t wait to get their hands on the new Ear 1 TWS earbuds.

The auction will be over tomorrow, so for those interested, you still have a chance on grabbing a limited edition pair. Carl Pei has been quite secretive with Nothing’s first product, but the official did reveal key specifications of the earbuds in a recent interview. The Ear 1 TWS earbuds will arrive with active noise cancellation support and will offer up to 36 hours of battery life depending on use.

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Earlier this year, Carl Pei, the former OnePlus co-founder, had revealed his new tech startup dubbed Nothing and revealed that its first product will be wireless earbuds. Now, the startup has offered a chance to grab this product early, but it has a catch.

Remember how OnePlus first launched its smartphones with an invite system during its initial years, well, Nothing is following a similar unique system to offer people a chance at buying their product. But rather than an invite system, the firm is starting an auction for those that can’t wait to get their hands on the new truly wireless earbuds. For those unaware, the hearables in question are the Nothing Ear (1) TWS earbuds.

While the earbuds are set to launch on 27th July 2021 in various regions, the company is hosting an auction for the first 100 pairs of ear (1) true wireless earbuds. These earphones will be auctioned on DropX at 9 AM ET on Monday and are clearly aimed at enthusiasts that seek to buy the product before anyone else. While the first 100 Nothing ear (1) true wireless earbuds are not a special variant and will be the same as the ones that will be sold after, the product will feature a unique engraving between 1 to 100 based on their final sale price.

As per Akis Evangelidis, Head of Marketing and Co-Founder of the startup, “We’re conducting an auction exclusively on StockX, which means our communities will have a chance to purchase Ear (1) before anyone else and also before it is fully revealed.” Similarly, StockX Chief Marketing Officer Deena Bahri added that “From sneakers and apparel to collectibles and now electronics, we are committed to bringing customers and culturally relevant brands together on our marketplace. Nothing was the perfect partner to launch our very first electronics DropX and help demonstrate how StockX connects consumers to innovative technology.”

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With 5G spectrum auctions set to start in a year, Indian telecom operators have raised their 4G capacities. The recent spectrum auctions excluded the newer and faster bandwidth, but offers for 4G spectrum has still seen high biddings.

According to the LiveMint report, the results of the recent auctions came as a surprise as the local government received bids worth 77,815 crore INR (roughly 10.6 billion US Dollars). This signifies that the telecom operators are bidding on what’s currently available rather than waiting for the next auction, which would include 5G spectrums. Notably, the figure is also much higher than what the government had previously estimated to receive. A few of the bids were for renewal of spectrums, but a majority were for growth.

As per the report, the auction saw a more aggressive response than what was expected, with the total bids being over 70 percent higher than the renewal spectrum requirement. Furthermore, Reliance Jio spent the most during the auction, spending 800MHz on renewals worth 20,000 crore INR, and even raised its Sub GHz capacity for better indoor coverage. The company has even spend a lot on capacity spectrum in the 2300MHz band, along with the mid range 1800MHz.

On the other hand, Bharti Airtel spent an amount far lower than Jio, amounting to only 18,699 crore INR in the overall auctions. This arrives as the company’s data volumes grew by 52 percent last year, much higher than the 22 percent growth in data volumes on Jio’s wireless network, which also appeared to have capacity constraints as well.

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LeEco, the Chinese company which dared to take on the likes of Netflix and Tesla and called Apple as “outdated” at the same time, was making quite a progress. But suddenly, the world of LeEco, earlier known as LeTV, crumbled as the company faced a number of setbacks. It was growing too fast without a solid financial foundation.

The company is now facing a number of lawsuits in its home country from various vendors, although the same has been going on for years now. In the latest development, Jingdong Judicial Auction listed 1,354 patents held by LeTV Information Technology (Beijing) Co. for judicial auction.

The listing had a starting price of 136,000 yuan (approximately $19,240) and the current bid for the trademarks has reached 113 million yuan. It began the bidding process on 29th June at 10:00 AM local time and the process was closed today, i.e. on 30th June at 10:00 AM local time.

The process seems to have attracted more than 90,000 people but only 105 signed up for the bidding. This first auction of the company’s assets and IP includes trademarks like “LeTV TV” and “LeTV Super TV” among others.

The auction process for the trademarks was based on the increased-price method where a reserved price is set and then each bid increases the price by at least 500 yuan (~$71). The competition among the bidders is fierce given that most bids were only a minute apart and the bid has been increased by 800 times compared to the reserved price.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung Galaxy Note20, powered by SD865+ SoC, has improved camera focusing ability

Earlier this month, the auction of around 22.1 million shares of LeEco held by Jia Yueting, the company’s founder, took place on 13th June and 14th June. Despite over 14,000 people interested, none of them participated in the bidding process.

The auction price of the share was decided based on the average closing price of 20 trading days before the trading was suspended. With the price of 2.51 yuan (~$0.36) per share, the total comes down to 55.47 million yuan.

It’s noteworthy that the auction price almost doubles the price of the share from the 1.69 yuan per share cost on the last trading day before LeTV’s suspension. The company entered the delisting consolidation period on 5th June and thus, the LETV stock trading was suspended in China. By the end of 12th June, the company’s share price fell below 0.9 yuan (~$0.13) per share, bringing down the market value to 3.59 billion yuan.

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