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- Tuesday April 28
- 12:14 pmAdobe Firefly AI Assistant is in open beta. It's not great.
Adobe's shift towards agentic creativity is terrible so far, and might end up being a win for someone, somewhere. It won't be artists.Adobe Firefly AI | Image credit: AdobeAllow me to pull back the curtain on the inner workings of AppleInsider, just a peek, so that you may understand how the sausage gets made.I show up, five days a week, to a digital office of sorts: the fabled "Work Slack." And, on many of those days, my compatriots have taken to showing me, specifically, "some AI bullshit." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums12:06 pm'Liquid Glass Display' may kill iPhone bezel with optical trickery
The next generation of iPhone screen is rumored to be called the "Liquid Glass Display," with an all-glass design that bends light to minimize the bezel.Apple's next iPhone screen overhaul could use a lot more curved glass.The iPhone display has been the topic of rumors for a while, with most attention on the flexible version in the iPhone Fold. However, Apple is always looking to create screens that take advantage of new technologies, shaking up the aesthetics of its premier models.According to a Monday tweet by leaker Ice Universe, Apple's next generation of screen will be called a "Liquid Glass Display." The leaker insists it's not a traditional quad curved display, nor will it be like the curved displays seen on Android devices. Rumor Score: 🤔 Possible Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums12:03 pmHere’s why the Apple Ultra rumors make sense to me
A report yesterday suggested that we may be seeing a succession of Apple Ultra products, including the upcoming folding iPhone and an M6-powered MacBook. So far, of course, we’ve only seen the branding used for an Apple Watch. It may potentially be pointing to a new tier of Apple products across almost the company’s entire range of devices, and to me that would make sense for both the company and its customers … more…12:00 pmOpenAI Eyes AI Agent Phone, Kuo Says
OpenAI may be exploring an AI agent smartphone, signaling a potential move beyond apps toward a more integrated, assistant-driven mobile experience. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.12:00 pmOpenAI Eyes AI Agent Phone, Kuo Says
OpenAI may be exploring an AI agent smartphone, signaling a potential move beyond apps toward a more integrated, assistant-driven mobile experience. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.12:00 pmOpenAI Eyes AI Agent Phone, Kuo Says
OpenAI may be exploring an AI agent smartphone, signaling a potential move beyond apps toward a more integrated, assistant-driven mobile experience. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.11:50 amBest laptop stands for Apple MacBook Pro and MacBook Air 2026
Macworld Apple’s MacBooks are great, but—as with all laptops—using one isn’t that great for your back or neck. Continual bowing of the head to see a screen can lead to a stiff neck and what doctors scarily call spinal stenosis, which can compress blood vessels and displace nerves—cutting off blood supply to the brain. That’s not a good thing. Your screen should be at a comfortable height that doesn’t make you bend your neck down to see it. Try to make sure your eyes are in line with the screen while sitting with a straight back. This also helps when making video calls, so the other people aren’t staring up your nostrils. Using a laptop stand also makes using a separate keyboard and mouse much easier. See our roundups of the best Mac keyboards and best Mac mouse. And, after use, you can hide away your keyboard under the raised stand on certain models. Some stands raise the laptop to eye level, and others—known as “vertical” or “closed” stands—just keep the MacBook closed for minimal desk disruption if you have connected external displays to increase your screen size—learn how to set up a second screen for a Mac. The eye-level, open laptop stands are more ergonomic, raising the MacBook screen so that you are not straining your neck muscles, shoulders and back. It should also reduce screen glare, which means less eye strain and fewer headaches. On such a stand, the MacBook’s webcam will also be at a more natural level with your head, meaning less video calls with people looking up your nose or down on your head. Buy a vertical/closed laptop stand to keep your desk tidy and free up space for other stuff—be that a charger for your iPhone, backup hard disk, or a cup of coffee. Both types of stand should also raise the laptop, raising it off the desk and keeping it cooler. If a laptop gets too hot, its performance is likely to suffer. A laptop stand also works nicely with a MacBook docking station, which can multiply the number of ports and slots available to you and allow for multiple larger displays. Some stands even have their own integrated USB-C hub, which is a very clever addition. We’ve rounded up the best laptop stands for MacBook that we can find, each with its own special features. Most mimic the clean metal lines of the MacBook range, while others think differently. Twelve South Curve Flex – Most stylish flexible MacBook stand Pros Stylish Multiple height and tilt settings Portable Cons Expensive Price When Reviewed: $79.99 Best Prices Today: Retailer Price Check on Amazon Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Many laptop stands are rigid and offers little flexibility. The Cuve Flex, from premium accessory maker Twelve South, remedies this limitation with both height and tilt adjustability. It can elevate your MacBook screen and camera up to 22 inches (56cm) so it can be close to eye level and aligned with an external screen if you have one. This flexibility is better for your neck, back and eyes. You can angle the MacBook’s keyboard from 0 to 45 degrees. The Curve Flex is not just flexible; it’s portable, too. It weighs 28oz (795g), folds flat and comes with a padded neoprene travel sleeve. While it costs more than the original fixed-position Curve and even cheaper Curve SE (reviewed below), and indeed many of the MacBook stands tested here, the flexibility and portability justify the extra expense. The Curve Flex is available in matte black or white. Twelve South also has a companion stand for the external display you might connect to your MacBook. The Curve Riser will put your second screen at a similar height to the laptop, and includes a handy shelf for a docking station or other device.11:24 amApple makes expensive app subscriptions easier to pay
You can soon pay annual app subscriptions monthly with a 12-month commitment, making expensive apps more affordable. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)11:00 amPlease, John Ternus, bring back the Mac event
Macworld Here’s something that my editor pointed out to me the other day: The last time Apple held a Mac-specific event was in October 2023. At first, I was like, nah, that’s not right. But when I checked, it turns out that Apple hasn’t made any Mac announcements at a keynote since that Scary Fast event. At most, a recap of recent Mac releases was briefly mentioned, and that’s it. As a Mac guy, I accepted that the Mac became a lower priority for Apple, for a good reason: The iPhone is so prominent, it just has to be that way. And the Mac is into its fourth decade as a platform. It’s mature, it’s stable, it will always be here. It kind of takes care of itself. But, again, I’m a Mac guy, so I’d like to see Mac marketing events for the general public again. It doesn’t have to be every year, but we should not go nearly three years without one. And no, the Apple Experience event for the MacBook Neo doesn’t count. That was an invite-only event. There was no presentation to the general public, except for a press release and YouTube videos. And if there’s any Mac release in the last two years that called for a keynote, it’s the Neo. If you’re rolling your eyes, exasperated at what you think is a trivial request, I can see that. But you probably never watched Steve Jobs introduce the first Mac, or you never watched the introduction of the first iMac. These are iconic keynotes not just for the products they unveiled, but because they did more than introduce new computers to buy. Mac events, even the Scary Fast event from 2023, are a love letter to die-hard users. (Side note: Who was the last presenter at that event? New CEO John Ternus.) The Scary Fast October 2023 event was a Mac showcase–the last one Apple has done.Apple For a lot of us, the Mac has nostalgic value. The Mac says something about how we prefer to work, how we get things done. The Mac has a greater sense of community than any other Apple product, including the iPhone. A Mac event that celebrates that community and its users reminds everyone that the Mac is where it all started, and it’s the basis of everything that has come since. Just take a look at the reaction to the MacBook Neo. The amazement about the combination of price and quality has led to an infusion of excitement in the Mac community. But more importantly, it has led to those curious about the Mac to reach out, and what they are finding is a community that is happy to engage, willing to teach, and enthusiastic about sharing. Apple’s new CEO, who just so happens to be a Mac guy. I, like many others, am very optimistic about John Ternus’ ability to lead Apple. His decisions over the next few years, more so than any other time in recent history, are critical to Apple. We’re in a time in technology where companies need to move in certain directions to thrive, much less stay relevant. While Ternus has a lot of hard work ahead of him, reviving Mac presentation events is low-hanging fruit that would accomplish a lot. It would convey that the Mac is a top priority with Apple, and it would reinforce the bonds that make the Mac community. If the MacBook Neo tells us anything, that community is growing. Nurture that growth with Mac showcases.10:30 amApple is doomed because John Ternus isn’t Elon Musk
Macworld It is more than a week since Apple announced that Tim Cook would be transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman and John Ternus would be taking over as CEO, so if you think the Macalope has a “Ternus”-based pun to start this week’s column that hasn’t already been used, well, sorry, that well has been tapped bone dry. As a mythical beast who has had to endure years of Apple doomerism, it is interesting how decidedly calm everyone is about this impending transition. Sure, a few have said Ternus will have to hit the ground running on AI to overcome a perceived failure on Tim Cook’s part to dump billions into it, but for the most part, everyone has been remarkably chill, which has never been a word the Macalope would use to describe our esteemed corps of technology pundits. We are, therefore, left with only one logical conclusion: they have all been replaced by unfeeling, silicon-based lifeforms from the 8th dimension. Which… eh, okay. Even the concern over AI seems pretty unwarranted to the Macalope, though. Why? Here’s why: “OpenAI could be making a phone with AI agents replacing apps.” First of all, good luck with that. It should go about as well as other new phones that have been announced in recent years. Second, the reason OpenAI is taking this move is that it has to: AI is a service that needs to be delivered on a platform, and if you don’t own the platform, someone else is your gatekeeper. They will try pins, they will try glasses, they will try phones, they will try whatever hardware they can think of, but at the end of the day, they have to beat the iPhone. Which is why the Macalope says good luck. But there are a few reasons there has been no rending of garments over this changing of the guard. Probably the biggest one is that Tim Cook isn’t leaving the company. If Ternus needs to ask him a question like “How do I get Eddy Cue to dial it back a bit?”, he can just walk into his office. Apple also did an excellent job greasing the skids on this transition. Of course, Tim Cook has reached an age where it’s natural to wonder if he’d consider stepping down, but it’s not just because of that that we’ve been talking about this eventuality and John Ternus as his likely replacement for more than a year now. We can argue over who got it wrong and who got it right in terms of reporting this impending change, but the one who really got it right was Apple, which leaked just enough, got Ternus in front of the press just enough, and delivered the news at just the right time. If you’d like to receive regular news and updates to your inbox, sign up for our newsletters, including The Macalope and Apple Breakfast, David Price’s weekly, bite-sized roundup of all the latest Apple news and rumors.Foundry Finally, it cannot be stressed enough how important it is that Ternus is coming from inside Apple and from a product development discipline, no less. While the Macalope has been extremely critical of some of Cook’s decisions in the last, oh, 16 months or so (totally random timespan not at all linked to any national events), he is by and large a really tough act to follow. The fantastic growth Apple has experienced over the last 15 years, thanks to the ability to follow up on the single biggest consumer product in the history of capitalism–the iPhone–is no mean feat. (You have to caveat it with “in the history of capitalism” because fire was just slightly more popular on a percentage basis.) The one knock people have had on Cook over the years? “He’s not a product guy.” Ternus is. That knock was nonsense, of course, and it reached its fever peak when it was made into weapons-grade nonsense with one suggestion in particular. Please swallow any liquids in your mouth before you read the following suggestion, made back in 2017: “Why Apple Should Buy Tesla and Make Elon Musk CEO” Can? You? Even? Effing? Imagine? The Macalope has revisited this piece several times in the intervening years as Musk’s… [audible gulp]… unique personality… was put more and more on display and found to be severely lacking, and each time he reads the title, it makes certain parts of him clench ever tighter. Of course, no one was taking this seriously then, even the author. It was just another way to lob cheap shots at Tim Cook. Ternus is starting with a company still largely at the top of its game (government relations and macOS Tahoe notwithstanding) and a tremendous amount of goodwill. One could worry that there’s nowhere to go but down, but the Macalope is excited to see what results from this remarkable… Ternus events. Somebody probably already used that.10:00 amApple @ Work Podcast: Securing mobile apps in the age of vibe coding
Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple. In this episode of Apple @ Work, Alan Snyder from NowSecure joins the show to talk about MARI and the risks of LLM-generated code in mobile apps. more…08:00 amOne quick upgrade could make your PC usable again — now only $9.97
Macworld TL;DR: Upgrade your PC with Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for $9.97 (MSRP $199) and bring it up to speed without overspending. Your Mac probably handles most of your day-to-day work, but that doesn’t mean your PC gets a free pass to fall behind. Maybe it’s a backup machine, a work device, or just the computer you keep around for specific tasks — either way, running outdated software slows everything down. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is now just $9.97 (reg. $199), making it a low-effort way to bring that machine up to speed. Windows 11 Pro introduces a cleaner interface that’s easier to navigate, along with tools like Snap layouts that help keep multiple windows organized without the usual juggling. Performance feels more responsive, and built-in security features like BitLocker and improved protections help keep your data secure without extra setup. It also includes Copilot, which is an AI assistant that can help with quick actions like summarizing content or adjusting system settings without digging through menus. It’s a small upgrade that makes a noticeable difference, especially if your PC has been running on older software for a while. Upgrading to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for $9.97 before May 3 is an easy way to keep everything running smoothly. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.03:21 amKey takeaways after testing out SpeakON, an AI-powered dictation iPhone accessory
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to test SpeakON, a magnetic, AI-powered dictation accessory that snaps onto the back of the iPhone and refines transcriptions based on preset preferences. Here’s how it did. more…01:11 amApple accused of discriminating against unionized Towson workers
Following Apple’s decision to close its first-ever unionized store, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board. Here are the details. more…Monday April 2711:54 pmBambu Lab H2C review: the Cadillac of 3D printers
Bambu Lab's H2C 3D printer is a powerhouse built for professionals, easy enough for beginners to use, and comes with a price tag to match.Bambu Lab H2C 3D printerIt's been a minute since I've done any 3D printing. A couple of years ago, I got to try out the Ender 3 Neo, which I thought was neat, but ultimately couldn't justify keeping around.I thought maybe 3D printing wasn't for me. As it turns out, I was very, very wrong. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums11:03 pm9to5Mac Daily: April 27, 2026 – iOS 26.4.2, more on Ternus and Cook
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Bitwarden: Make your life easier with Bitwarden, featuring a secure, open source password manager with end-to-end encryption and seamless autofill across all your devices. more…10:27 pmHere’s what Apple showcased at ICLR 2026, one of the world’s biggest AI conferences
The fourteenth International Conference on Learning Representation (ICLR) is wrapping up today in Rio de Janeiro, closing out nearly a week of presentations, debates, and research showcases from leading AI scientists across academia and the tech industry, including Apple. Here’s what the company presented. more…10:03 pmJoanna Stern Launches Independent Media Outlet New Things
Tech journalist Joanna Stern has left The Wall Street Journal to launch an independent media outlet called New Things, promising columns, videos, and the same blend of technical accuracy and entertainment.Read original article09:41 pmApp Store annual subscriptions get new discounted monthly option
If that one big sum per year for an annual app subscription is too much to pay at once, the App Store will let you break that into monthly payments.Apple is making it easier to get annual subscription discountsSubscription revenue has become an integral part of Apple Services. Developers have a few ways to draw customers into long-term usage and bigger payouts, but they require big up-front financial commitments.Apple has revealed a new payment option that could help developers offer better discounts while still getting a long-term commitment from the user. It works by offering the user an annual discount that is paid for over 12 months. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums09:20 pmNotepad++ Finally Lands On macOS as a Native App
BrianFagioli writes: Notepad++ has finally made its way to macOS, and this time it is not through a compatibility layer. A new community-driven port brings the long-standing Windows text editor over as a fully native Mac application, built with Cocoa and compiled for both Apple Silicon and Intel systems. Instead of relying on Wine or similar tools, the project replaces the Windows-specific interface with a macOS-native one while keeping the core editing engine intact, allowing longtime users to retain the same workflow, shortcuts, and overall feel. The port is independent from the original Notepad++ project but tracks upstream changes closely, with development happening in the open. It is code-signed and notarized, and notably avoids telemetry or ads. Plugin support is being rebuilt for macOS and is still evolving, but the groundwork is in place. While macOS already has several established editors, this effort is aimed squarely at users who want the familiar Notepad++ experience without relearning a new tool. You can download the app here. Read more of this story at Slashdot.