Better late than never is our motto for this Monday evening. Today's late Apple World Today News Update podcast was postponed a bit, but now we're here with three short news stories to keep you informed and entertained:

• The HomePod smart speaker apparently saw higher day one pre-orders than any other premium smart speaker
• Apple's newest iPhone video ads are targeted squarely at users of Android devices, touting the ease of use, security, environmental friendliness and outstanding support versus Android
• Apple's share price is near record territory again, and a NYU professor thinks that the company is "the best value play" of the top four large tech firms