SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " Apple " 4,461 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
HomeView will include these Apple apps at launch
Apple’s HomeView is available to pre-order now and ships November 13. Here are the Apple apps you’ll be able to use on HomeView at launch.
Why Apple is finally making its own smart home devices
The Home Collection might not be for you
Augusta Health to Host Community Career Fair in Waynesboro on October 22 Careers & Connections event will offer job opportunities, same-day interviews, and career resources
FISHERSVILLE, VIRGINIA — Augusta Health invites everyone —from experienced professionals and career changers to students and those simply exploring what’s next —to discover career opportunities at Careers & Connections: More Than a Job Fair. The event takes place Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Best Western Plus, 109 Apple […]
iOS 27.2 has three new changes just added this week
iOS 27.2 is launching soon, and Apple keeps introducing new updates with each beta. Here are three changes added to iOS 27.2 this week.
Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini Price Increases 'Much More Striking' Than New Features
Daring Fireball's John Gruber shared his first impressions of the new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini 2 this week, and he concluded that the price increases the devices received are "much more striking" than any of the new features introduced. Prior to receiving price increases in late June, the previous Apple TV 4K started at $129 in the U.S., while the previous HomePod mini was priced at $99.
Want Apple's folding iPhone? Duo you have patience?
Expected ship dates for Apple's iPhone Duo, the company's first foldable phone, have already slipped from October to January 2027.
Small business optimism dips in September NFIB survey
Small business optimism slipped in September as owners grappled with rising costs, higher interest rates and a persistent shortage of qualified workers, according to a monthly survey released by the National Federation of Independent Business. The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 0.8 points to 97.9, just below the survey’s 52-year average of 98.0. The […]
Apple's New CEO Just Demonstrated How to Stay Classy While Insulting the Competition
John Ternus described other folding phones as feeling 'kind of cheap and crappy.'
Ben Hollingsworth says 'Virgin River' is 'apple pie entertainment'
The 42-year-old actor credited the success of "Virgin River" to the fact that "it is a comforting show," which he compared to "a warm fuzzy blanket, or a hug."
The new Apple TV 4K just got its first (very small) discount
The electric screwdriver’s half off.
The best Amazon deals this weekend: Score big brands like Yeti, Lego, Apple and more for up to 70% off
We found fabulous fall discounts on everything from kitchenware and vacuums to holiday gifts, headphones, skin care and more.
HomePod is about to get free upgrade with these new features
There’s no new full-size HomePod launching yet, but Apple has confirmed three features coming to the existing HomePod 2 soon.
iPhone co-creator Fadell on Duo: There are both business and entertainment uses for these devices
iPhone co-creator and former Apple executive Tony Fadell joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss Apple’s opening of pre-orders for the iPhone Duo, use cases for HomeView, and more.
iPhone co-creator Fadell on Duo: There are both business and entertainment uses for these devices
iPhone co-creator and former Apple executive Tony Fadell joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss Apple’s opening of pre-orders for the iPhone Duo, use cases for HomeView, and more.
Best iPhone Duo cases now available for purchase 9to5Mac
Apple’s new iPhone Duo has arrived and if you managed to secure one (before next year), we have collection of...
Apple Pre-Orders Kick Off With First Discounts on HomeView and Apple TV 4K
Pre-orders are now live on Apple's newest devices, including the HomeView and Apple TV 4K, and Amazon has the first-ever discounts on these devices. We're also tracking great deals on MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and Apple Watch SE 3 in this week's best Apple deals. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Amazon cuts 2026 Apple TV 4K, HomeView prices with preorder deals
Amazon has issued 2026 Apple TV 4K and HomeView discounts today, despite the devices being announced mere days ago.
Apple’s first foldable iPhone sells out within minutes as preorders begin
Investing.com -- Apple shares rose 2% in premarket trading Friday after the company’s first foldable iPhone sold out shortly after preorders opened, with delivery estimates now extending to January 25 as orders continue.
Apple iPhone Duo preorders sell out, deliveries extend to late January
Apple's iPhone Duo preorders sell out immediately.
Didn't Pre-Order an iPhone Duo Yet? Wait Times Are Significant Now
iPhone Duo pre-orders began today in the U.S. and many other countries. If you have yet to place a pre-order on Apple's online store, however, wait times are longer now. The first customers who pre-ordered right when pre-orders began at 5 a.m. Pacific Time today will have their devices delivered on Friday, October 23. By just 5:20 a.m. Pacific Time though, select configurations on Apple's online store in the U.S. are now showing delivery estimates into late December for new orders.
First Apple TV 4K Pre-Order Discount Arrives at Amazon
Following in the footsteps of a small pre-order discount on the HomeView, Amazon is now offering the first cash discount on the brand new A19 Apple TV 4K. You can get this model for $289.99, down from $299.00. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Citizen Science Groups Grapple With the Rise of A.I. Slop
Facing a flood of A.I. slop, groups bent on democratizing science create new checks and balances.
Online Apple Store goes down ahead of iPhone Duo pre-orders
The online version of the Apple Store has gone temporarily offline, all in preparation for the opening of pre-orders for the iPhone Duo, Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone.
Here's when Apple will show off its touchscreen MacBooks and the OLED iPad mini
It looks like it's not going to be a traditional keynote. Last week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is planning a second October launch...
Apple lists unreleased iPad mini accessory ahead of rumored launch
While Apple is rumored to be gearing up to introduce an OLED iPad mini later this month, an oversight on the company’s French site might have just confirmed the product’s existence.
Oops, Apple's Website Just Hinted at iPad Mini 8
Apple has an unreleased iPad mini Smart Folio listed on its French regulatory website, hinting that a new iPad mini is coming. The case's A3632 model number doesn't match current or past iPad mini cases. Apple appears to have added the case to its website recently, and it's listed alongside iPhone 18 Pro accessories added in September. The listing doesn't include any iPad mini specs, but it does suggest design changes to the device it's meant for.
OLED MacBook Pro Won't Get M7 Chips Until Late 2027
Apple is "pretty much done" with M6 chips, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated today on his podcast. Apple debuted the M6 chip in the Mac mini and has plans for an M6 iMac and entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, but the company is not planning to make M6 Pro, M6 Max, or M6 Ultra chips. Apple will instead go from the M5 Pro, M5 Max, and M5 Ultra to the M7 lineup.
IP Saves the Day On Streaming
(Welcome to my weekly streaming ratings report, the single best guide to what’s popular in streaming TV and what isn’t. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. If you were forwarded this email, please subscribe to get these insights each week.) Before we get started, I wanted to highlight a new idea I saw from Real Good AI, proposing a ratings system for AI use. (H/T to Anthony Kaufman’s article highlighting this.) It would look something like this: In general, I think that this is a solid, middle-ground solution that should appease both the pro-AI camp (who love AI) and the anti-AI camp (who wants to know if what they’re watching didn’t come from humans). Regardless of your feelings on AI/LLMs—I’ll never use it for my writing—transparency is often the best solution to many problems. In general, I think way more media outlets need to be using way more AI disclosures. My quick “Yes and...” to this idea: what about ads? In particular, I hate it when I see or hear ads that are obviously AI-generated, but a person or voice says, “I used this product”. AI doesn’t use products! Just today, I watched a YouTube ad where a “person” said they use some sort of rain wind chime...but that’s not a real person! They didn’t use this product. (Especially since the video of the wind chime itself also appeared to be AI-generated...) I believe most traditional advertising already has standards like this anyway.1 Okay, on to this week’s issue. We’re covering the week of 14-Sep, and then next issue, I’ll be fully caught up with Nielsen’s new release schedule. In the future, I plan to put out Streaming Ratings Reports each Monday after Nielsen’s Thursday releases. Overall, we had some big new shows this week, like Prime Video’s Reacher spinoff_, Neagley_, which is off to a big, big start, and Netflix’s latest in its Monster anthology, which is their largest opening since June and the second-largest since One Piece came out in March. All that, plus Slow Horses returns, the trio of returning shows (Lioness, Reacher and Ted Lasso) continue to dominate the top tens, Paramount+’s latest crime drama, a big whiff for a Netflix original film and a precipitous drop for Netflix film charts, all the flops, bombs and misses, and a whole lot more. Let’s dive right in! (Reminder: The streaming ratings report focuses on the U.S. market and compiles data from Nielsen’s weekly top ten viewership ranks, Luminate’s Top Ten Data, JustWatch and Reelgood interest data, Samba TV household viewership, company datecdotes, Netflix hours viewed data, Google Trends, and IMDb to determine the most popular content. While most data points are current, Nielsen’s data covers the weeks of September 14th to September 20th 2026. You can find a link to my terminology here.) Subscribe Television - IP For the TV Win Can I use the dirty word of entertainment journalism right now? IP. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone I said it. But IP works at the box office, and we’ve seen some evidence it works in TV too. Not as well, and not all the time—no absolutes here!—but often enough. And glancing at the Nielsen top ten…it worked this week! Take Prime Video, who has a monster hit in the crime drama Reacher. Would a spinoff work for that show? Yep! They binge-released Neagley, about a detective from the original Reacher series, and its eight episodes debuted to 29.6 million hours. Here’s how it stacks up to Reacher, one of Prime Video’s biggest shows: That’s great. Nearly as strong as Reacher’s opening! (Both shows started with eight, binge-released episodes, so this comparison is apples-to-apples.) Notably, Prime Video scheduled the debut of Neagley to overlap with Reacher’s most recent season, to help drive tune-in. Obviously, I love smart release strategies like that. And even though I wrote “obviously”, it’s not really that obvious, since streamers don’t often take advantage of natural overlaps like this_._2 Other data backs how well Neagley performed. It opened at second place on Samba TV for two weeks and got 51.7 million hours on Luminate. That’s the eleventh biggest opening on Luminate since May of 2024 and tied with Bridgerton’s third season opening. That’s a huge opening! Its IMDb is solid too, a 7.7 on 24K reviews. Netflix’s latest edition in the “Monster” series—which started with Jeffrey Dahmer and comes from Ryan Murphy—did well too, opening to 24.7 million hours. That’s the biggest opening for Netflix since I Will Find You in June, and second biggest since March. Unlike the Reacher series, this franchise is trending downward, though. The first Monster show—Dahmer - Monster—was giant. More than anything, I think this reflects that Netflix running out of extremely popular—if that’s the right word?—serial killers to feature. Still, the data says this is a very good opening. It made it to third place on Samba TV for two weeks. It also opened to 40.0 million hours on Luminate. That’s not quite as elite as Neagley, but still very, very strong. I’ll be honest: my priors coming into any given week are that IP works to help drive buzz for new shows, but TV shows need to stand on their own even more than movies, so they will succeed or fail based on their quality. But these two spinoffs definitely worked. Quick Notes on TV The top show, film or special this week? Football, again. Specifically, Prime Video’s season opener of Thursday Night Football. The games run long (three hours) but mainly a lot of people watch each game. That adds up to a lot of viewership. Paramount released the second season of MobLand on an unusual day for that service, a Friday! Often, they put their new shows out on a Sunday, as they did last year with a run of shows (Lioness, Tulsa King and Landman). MobLand didn’t make Nielsen in its first week, but on Samba TV it got to eighth and seventh place. Luminate had a smaller opening too, only 5.3 million hours. MobLand missed the Nielsen charts for its first eight weeks, so this season is off to a stronger start. (Bonus note: the first season streams on both Prime Video and The Roku Channel, but I only have it as Paramount+ on those charts.) I’ve mentioned a few times that foreign-language originals do lower numbers than English-language originals on Netflix most of the time. But I don’t usually emphasize what country those originals come from, and observationally, they tend to be from Western or Northern European countries, in general. So credit to Not a Stranger, a Turkish Netflix original, for breaking through on Luminate, getting to 7.9 million hours in its first full week on those charts. As I mentioned last issue, Crew Girl ended up making the Nielsen charts in its second week. That’s still a soft performance compared to many shows, but again this, one looks affordable. And if you’re curious, here’s how it stacks up to some other sports romance shows: We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… …about a new data source and how it drives streaming viewership… ...what reality show is struggling in its latest season…. ...what Netflix film bombed…. ...How Reacher, Ted Lasso, and Lioness are doing on the charts… ...what obscure sport put up great viewership numbers… …how far streaming films are falling… …all the flops, bombs and misses for the last week… …and more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you want an idea of just how much content you’d get in a full issue, check out this older issue. Coming Soon! Next week, we’ve got a double issue, then we’ll be all caught up with Nielsen’s data. Yes! The goal is to have my report out on the Monday after I get Nielsen’s data. So next issue, I’m looking at East of Eden, The Great British Baking Show, a Willy Wonka game show (that people are upset uses AI, but viewers might not care), and a Cosby show spinoff reboot on Netflix, and Brothers on Apple TV (starring Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey). That’s about it for TV, but who’s going to win the streaming week, The Breadwinner or Backrooms on streaming? Answer: Toy Story 5. Plus Netflix has a Unabomber film and a new Tyler Perry film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma tries to repeat The Substance’s run on MUBI, and Paramount+ has Jackass: Best and Last. Long term, Netflix is remaking Lonesome Dove. I love this choice, but man, there are a lot of westerns on TV right now. And they’re making Sega TV shows, including a Crazy Taxi TV show and Sonic show with an “edge”.
Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Launch on November 6
Apple is planning to introduce new OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro models on October 27 or October 28, and the machines could launch on Friday, November 6, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said during his latest podcast. Apple retail stores apparently have a "big floor reset" scheduled for the evening of Thursday, November 5, and into Friday, November 6, which Gurman says could be in preparation for the new Macs.
New Withings Users Must Pay $99/Year for Apple Health Syncing
Withings, the maker of smart scales for measuring body weight, has announced that customers who create an account on October 13, 2026 or later must have a Withings+ subscription for automatic syncing of data to third-party apps, including Apple's Health app. In the U.S., Withings+ costs $99.50 per year. If you created your account on or before October 12, 2026, automatic syncing to third-party apps remains free.
'He's a bad apple': Mamdani goes after Blakeman in political ad supporting Hochul
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has posted a political ad going after Republican candidate Bruce Blakeman in support of Gov. Hochul.
Apple is about to kick off four weeks straight of new product launches
Next week’s iPhone Duo launch kicks off what’s shaping up to be four straight weeks of new Apple products arriving in users’ hands.
Man, You’d Better Not to Break Your iPhone Duo Screen
At this point, the product is basically a walking (er, folding) advertisement for AppleCare.
iPad Mini 8: Apple Has Tested Both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion Displays
On the latest episode of his Power On podcast, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said he heard that Apple has tested both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion displays for the next iPad mini. However, he has not yet learned which option Apple has chosen. However, he has not yet learned which option Apple has chosen.
Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
Apple announced the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K earlier this week, introducing the A19 chip, built-in microphones for hands-free Siri, four-speaker HomePod surround sound, and an updated Siri Remote. It replaces the third-generation model introduced in 2022, bringing a number of internal changes while retaining the same basic design and most of the same entertainment features. The new model costs $299 and comes with 128GB of storage.
I’ve Tested Echo Shows and Nest Hubs. Here’s How Apple’s HomeView Display Stacks Up
Apple’s new HomeView faces steep competition from Amazon and Google’s well-established smart displays. Here’s what I think, based on my past reviews.
Apple sets preorder date for its ambitious and expensive iPhone Duo
Apple's iPhone Duo is available for preorder Friday, Oct. 16.
Apple TV 4K, HomeView pre-order ship times now delayed to late November
Pre-order shipping times for new Apple TV 4K and HomeView products have already started slipping into late November for new orders.
Apple Lobbying Report Covers Trade and Public Health
Apple's Q3 2026 lobbying report covers IP, public health, and trade issues amid a pending ITC patent dispute. Read the full analysis to see what it means.
Apple CEO John Ternus on Early Foldables: 'Kind of Cheap and Crappy'
In a recent interview with TIME, Apple CEO John Ternus described some early foldable smartphones as feeling "kind of cheap and crappy". Samsung released its first foldable in 2019, but Apple opted to take its time and has now developed the iPhone Duo with a premium design and a barely-noticeable display crease.
Prime Video add-on streaming deals: $2 Apple TV, Starz, AMC+, and more
Through Oct. 28, you can save up to $13 per month on a two-month subscription.
Samsung says the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is more popular than ever thanks to iPhone Duo
Apple’s debut in the foldable market was always going to have an impact on Android foldables, with many brands having...
Apple sets cutoff time for getting fastest iPhone Duo pre-order
iPhone Duo pre-orders start tomorrow, and if you want the fastest checkout possible, Apple has a deadline for its ‘Get Ready’ process.
Apple Announces Deadline to 'Get Ready' to Pre-Order the iPhone Duo
Apple today announced that customers have until 9 p.m. Pacific Time today to "get ready" for their iPhone Duo pre-order. By completing this process via Apple's online store or the Apple Store app, Apple said customers can "check out with a single click" when iPhone Duo pre-orders go live on Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time. Pacific Time.
Touchscreen MacBook Pro and more launching at Apple event on Oct 28
We’ve long been awaiting the launch of the first OLED MacBook Pro, and a new report says that the official...
The 'renewable' iPhone Duo display layer may help buyers justify the price
The iPhone Duo starts at $1999 for the 256GB model and rises to an eye-watering $3199 for the 2TB version...
Vermont seasonal businesses try to make ends meet in a short window
From apple picking to finding the perfect pumpkin, business owners rely on customers to make their year-round work worthwhile.
Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'
Apple has begun inviting selected members of the media to a product launch experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a post on X, Gurman described the gathering as an "all-day product launch experience" for touchscreen MacBooks, a new iPad mini, and Macs equipped with M6 chips.
Va. lawmakers, Spanberger grapple with loss of federal healthcare funds for trans youth
Federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program money can no longer be used for certain gender-affirming care to young people in Virginia and other states, after a new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rule took effect on Oct. 13.
iPhone Duo's A20 Pro Chip Benchmarked Ahead of Launch
The iPhone Duo unsurprisingly offers performance similar to the iPhone 18 Pro, according to an early iPhone Duo benchmark shared on Geekbench 7. Both devices are equipped with Apple's 2nm A20 Pro chip with a 6-core CPU and a 7-core GPU. The benchmarked iPhone Duo (iPhone19,4) is running iOS 27.1, as expected, and it had a single-core score of 3986 and a multi-core score of 11067. That's in line with multiple benchmarks collected from iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models.
Apple and Schneider’s new smart thermostat could help cut your electric bill
Apple and Schneider's smart thermostat uses your iPhone to adjust temperatures and can shift energy use to cheaper, cleaner hours.
Apple doubled the price of its TV streaming box from $150 to $300, and even the company's hardcore fans are furious
The new generation of the Apple TV 4K costs so much that some longtime Apple enthusiasts are simply not interested.
The iPhone Duo's screen repair costs make Samsung foldables look like a bargain
Apple has revealed its iPhone Duo repair prices, with inner display damage costing $999 and other repairs potentially reaching $1,499.
Ubisoft plans cuts at German studios, adding to wave of workforce reductions
Ubisoft is planning to reduce its workforce in Germany, where it operates a trio of studios, by about 100 workers, Game File has learned. The company wants to offer employees buyouts to, should enough people accept, avoid having to lay anyone off. “In Germany, we initiated discussions with the Works Council last week regarding a proposed voluntary departure plan across Ubisoft Dusseldorf, Ubisoft Berlin & Ubisoft Mainz,” a company rep told Game File. A “works council” is a union-like group representing employees. “The voluntary plan is the primary measure being proposed to support the intended organizational changes,” the Ubisoft rep added. The company declined to confirm the scale of the potential headcount cut. Of the impacted studios, Mainz might be the best known to the public. It leads development of the Anno series and shipped the well-reviewed strategy game Anno 117: Pax Romana in November 2025. Berlin and Dusseldorf operate as support studios within Ubisoft’s creative network. Berlin recently supported the development of Rainbow Six Siege and the Rayman Legends Retold remake. Dusseldorf also contributed to those projects, as well as The Settlers and Ubisoft-branded escape rooms. Dusseldorf is the biggest of the three studios, with some 400+ workers, compared to just over 100 at the other two, a source familiar with the reductions and the teams told Game File. More than half of these new reductions of about 100 people are expected to happen at Dusseldorf. The planned cuts were announced at a town hall for the German studios on Tuesday of last week. In an email follow-up, the studio group’s managing director, Benedikt Grindel, said the cuts were intended to “best position our German studios for the future... with a clearer focus on their role, capabilities and organizational setup needed for the work ahead.” The email was an echo of the past. In January 2025, Grindel had emailed the Ubisoft developers in his region (or studio “zone”) to explain that a round of 185 cuts at the time, including about 65 at Dusseldorf, were “essential to improve our operational efficiency and ensure the long-term sustainability of our studios, the zone and the company.” A half-decade of continued job cuts Ubisoft has been aggressively cutting its headcount for years. At the end of September 2022, it had 20,729 workers. By the end of March 2026, that total was down to 16,590. Studio management is trying to trim costs as it grapples with a changing industry and a drought of releases, let alone hits. The company announced earlier this year that it had reduced its costs since 2022 by “nearly €325 million” ($362m) and planned to lower them through 2028 by another €180 million ($200m). In June the company said it was closing down its Winnipeg and Belgrade studios and cutting roles in its Barcelona team. Even commercial and creative success hasn’t spared studios from this ongoing company-wide contraction. As Game File was nailing down details around the proposed cuts in Germany, Ubisoft management was informing workers of cuts in its Singapore studio, which shipped a hit remake of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag this past July. Some 70 positions in Singapore are being eliminated “to align the studio with upcoming production needs,” per a company rep’s statement to Game File. In early 2024, a large team in the Singapore studio launched the multiplayer pirate game Skull & Bones. It performed poorly but has been supported with regular content updates since. Many of Ubisoft’s studios around the world are heavily subsidized via regional grants and tax breaks. Singapore had been among them for years, but received no such local assistance in the 12 months ending this past March. News of the Singapore cuts broke today alongside word that Ubisoft is also proposing the closure of RedLynx, pending negotiations with officials. The Finnish studio behind the motorbike series Trials was founded in 2000 and sold to Ubisoft in 2011. As reported by VGC (and corroborated by Game File), Ubisoft management told employees it could not come up with a new, sustainable assignment for RedLynx. The 2025 workforce at Ubisoft Dusseldorf were straight-up cuts. This time, Ubisoft is hoping the reductions at its trio of German studios will largely come from workers taking a payout to leave. The company offered such voluntary dismissals at its Massive Entertainment studio (The Division) a year ago. For the German studios’ buyouts this time around, Ubisoft and the Works Council had discussed a formula that’d pay a worker’s monthly salary multiplied by 1.5 and by the number of years they’ve worked at the company, according to Game File sources. The formula is still subject to negotiations with the Works Council and has not yet been part of an official offer to workers. It could be adjusted up or down, and it could be supplemented with additional bonuses. Asked about the floated payout formula, a Ubisoft rep told Game File, “The terms of a potential voluntary departure program remain subject to negotiation with employee representatives. No final agreement has been reached, and we won’t comment on specific proposals while discussions are ongoing.” Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe Item 2: Epic’s AI adventures Epic Games (Fortnite, the Unreal engine) is all-in on using AI to try to transform the way it makes video games and game-making tools. It’s leaders appear to be undeterred by any resistance among gamers and some game developers around generative AI—and instead emboldened by advances, particularly in AI-assisted programming. A recap of the last three days: On Monday, Bloomberg reported that Epic management told workers last week that development of an upcoming game combining Star Wars and Marvel characters would be “AI first.” Employees would be expected to use AI models such as Claude to code the game. A manager told Epic’s developers there would be “[n]o more hand-written code” and that art for the game would be “generated with full AI workflows,” per the outlet. Just ahead of that story running, Epic founder Tim Sweeney tweeted: “We have a huge pivot underway here at Epic, moving developers around to retool for maximum AI acceleration. The aim isn’t to do the same stuff with fewer people, but to enable everyone here to build MORE and BETTER stuff, and to bring the benefits to all teams using Unreal.” In a follow-up, Sweeney predicted that most game development processes would be at least three times faster a year from now than they were in January 2026, thanks to AI. To a person on X who told him he was failing to read the room, Sweeney said: “Much of the room wants it to be 2016 again, but it’s not. Our job, as the provider of tools and technology to much of the industry, is to design for the present that is and the future that will soon be.” On Wednesday, Epic announced it was releasing a faster launcher for its Epic Games Store marketplace. It did so by stating in a blog post as clear as could be that the launcher is an AI-enabled, vibe-coded project: Programming is hard. So, instead of doing that, we vibe coded a new Epic Games Launcher that’s way faster and more responsive than the current one, and has a new look. Programming is hard? That was unexpected phrasing from a company founded by a legendarily great programmer. Back in 2011, Sweeney told me that he’d picked up programming quickly as a kid and rejoiced at the power it gave him. “I could look at any program that anybody else had written and, with enough effort, build something cooler.” Item 3: The Xbox Labs experiment (and one of the people behind it) Microsoft’s Xbox division, which is flooding the zone with announcements lately, yesterday revealed a new internal tech-tinkering team called Xbox Labs. In the words of Xbox boss Asha Sharma Labs is “a small group of game makers, engineers and scientists whose job is to turn emerging ideas into things our players and developers can experience.” Conventional wisdom coming out of the announcement is that Labs is a team that’ll focus on ideas driven by generative AI. In her announcement, Sharma cited some of the dizzying achievements in tech and gaming over the past month as AI agents and other AI tools have been deployed to swiftly figure out how popular games work, then rebuild them and mix them up. She mentioned seeing ”games rapidly decompiled and rebuilt to run on hardware they were never originally designed to support” and said “[p]erhaps more surprisingly, we’ve seen many of the biggest games in the world have been remixed into the source code of another.” (Minecraft plus Elden Ring, for example, or Fortnite + Super Monkey Ball + Overwatch + Diablo + others.) Sharma also cited the work of Windows PC games being ported to run in browsers, a seeming reference to a recent AI-assisted fan port of Halo. Or perhaps Call of Duty or GTA. Sharma didn’t use the specific term “AI” in her memo, but she came close, citing AI “agents” and their potential for game-making tools that Labs could help craft: I think XBOX has an important role to play here. Coding became the first major workload for agents because they can write, run, and test software. Games share many of those same properties, and people spend more than 72 billion hours a year playing XBOX games, roughly five times the estimated time spent writing code worldwide. We’ve spent 25 years learning how to make great games, and I want our game makers to help shape what these new technologies make possible. As we learn, we’ll share the tools we build with developers across the industry, just as we always have. When I asked an Xbox rep if Labs was an AI-centric team, they said genAI was not the focus, describing it as having a broader mandate for using new tech in new ways in gaming. As an example, they pointed to Xbox’s recently launched disc-to-digital gaming usage rights program. Microsoft didn’t specifically name anyone involved full-time in Xbox Labs yesterday, but on social media and LinkedIn, I spotted Adrian Mato IDing himself as leading the creatio of tools at Labs and talking up the launch. Mato first caught my attention in late September, when he said on X that he was “starting to build a new team at Xbox focused on products and tools for how games get built and distributed as agentic tools become more capable.” At the time, he framed AI-based tools as a supplement to traditional game dev tools. “I don’t think we need to replace them,” he said. Since then, he’s publicly shown interest in AI and in games. He’s recently spent some of his X feed marveling at the power of AI agents and praising the lighting in the latest Gears of War. Following the Labs announcement yesterday, he enthused about the Xbox Labs’ stylish landing page. He wrote: “We built some fun tools to art-direct shaders in real time, experimented with interactive ASCII art, and sprinkled in lots of tiny details. “Move your mouse to leave a colorful trail that reveals the original footage, or interact with the video to trigger bursts of particles. “A lot of love went into making it all feel just right. “More to come”
Hiyd is a health tracker that attaches to the watch you already wear
Former Apple engineers figured out how to get a biometric sensor to attach to your watch without any magnets or adhesives.
As a TV enthusiast, I was hoping for more from the Apple TV 4K
Enthusiasts’ hopes for audio passthrough and 120fps were dashed.
Repairing the iPhone Duo’s folding screen costs as much as a new iPhone
You might want to get AppleCare Plus.
How to wash your apples to eliminate pesticides -- according to science
Always wash your fruit.
iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up
Apple's $1,999 iPhone Duo asks buyers to pay more for a folding screen while accepting almost 40 compromises compared with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, spanning camera capabilities, everyday usability, and ownership costs. At equivalent storage capacities, the iPhone Duo costs $800 more than the iPhone 18 Pro and $700 more than the Pro Max.
Apple HomeView Has These 15 Apps, Some CarPlay Apps and Widgets Also Supported
Apple's tech specs page for its all-new HomeView smart home hub contains a list of all of the built-in Apple apps available on the device. While it has no App Store, the HomeView can also display some CarPlay-enabled audio and video apps from a paired iPhone. This includes Audiobooks, Apple Music Classical, Apple News, and Apple TV, along with third-party apps such as Spotify, according to WIRED.
HomeView will support video apps like YouTube, Netflix—if they say yes
A newly published Apple document offers good news for anyone hoping the new HomeView will run third-party video apps like YouTube or Netflix.
iPhone Duo: Apple Charging $49 for New Cover Layer, $229 for Battery
We just published Apple's list of iPhone Duo repair fees for customers without AppleCare+ coverage, and we want to bring extra attention to two of the fees in particular: a new cover layer costs $49, and a replacement battery is $229. Apple's vice president of hardware engineering Kate Bergeron revealed that the iPhone Duo's nano-texture cover layer above the inner display can be removed and replaced.
iPhone Duo: Skipping AppleCare+ Could Be $1,499 Mistake
Apple today listed its estimated repair fees for the iPhone Duo without AppleCare+ coverage, with the maximum fee in the U.S. for "other damage" set at $1,499. If you only damage certain parts of the iPhone Duo, the fees are more manageable. For example, the repair fee for damaged back glass is set at $199. If you eventually want to replace the battery in your iPhone Duo, that will cost you $229.
HomePod mini 2 vs HomePod mini: Here’s everything new
Apple unveiled HomePod mini 2 yesterday, here’s everything new in HomePod mini 2 compared to the original model.
Apple Says HomePod 2 Also Works as Default Speaker With Select Macs
An addendum to our report about the HomePod mini 2 working as a default speaker on all Mac models with Wi-Fi 6E and later: Apple says this ability extends to the full-sized HomePod 2. An addendum to our report about the HomePod mini 2 working as a default speaker on all Mac models with Wi-Fi 6E and later: Apple says this ability extends to the full-sized HomePod 2.
Apple says beloved MacBook is now ‘obsolete,’ more products too
Apple has updated its list of vintage and obsolete products, adding the final model of the beloved 12-inch MacBook to the “obsolete” list.
Mom-and-Pop Business Owners Grapple with Harsh Times
Report shows small business owners in NYS less optimistic about the economy. Taxes, inflation, labor costs and competition from larger businesses are major concerns right now, they say By Aaron Gifford [caption id=attachment_11067 align=alignright width=300] Ashley Ranslow is director for New York state at The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).[/caption] Owners of mom-and-pop businesses in New York state have been less optimistic lately than their peers in other parts of the country, a recent report indicates. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), based on a survey of 11,000 of its members in the Empire State, reported that taxes, inflation, labor costs and competition from larger businesses are major concerns right now. “Indeed, while taxes are a major problem in New York and the United States overall, New York small businesses notably are struggling more with the state’s onerous, multi-level tax burden,” Ashley Ranslow, NFIB’s director for New York state, said in the July report. Compared with surveys of business owners in other states, far fewer New York respondents rated their businesses as in excellent or good health. The report also said labor costs here are about 25% higher than the national average and are the “single most important problem” facing businesses. One respondent to the New York-specific survey complained that too much red tape, taxes and laws that restrict high-yielding companies have stifled their operation’s growth. Others said high disability and workers’ compensation insurance costs, alarming increases in utility rates and excessive building regulations are discouraging. Statewide, New York has a gross domestic product of $2.53 trillion (third in the nation, followed by Texas, $2.90 trillion; and California, $4.25 trillion), a per capita income of $90,500 (sixth) and an unemployment rate of 4.6% (34th). There are 2.4 million small businesses that employ 3.9 million people. [caption id=attachment_11112 align=alignright width=451] Member of the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce gather at one of the several functions the chamber organizes monthly. “Everyone in this business community encourages each other to shop local. Everyone just wants to see each other succeed,” says Megan Wilmot, the chamber director[/caption] “New York state boasts one of the largest, wealthiest and most diverse cities in the world — and that’s still only about half the state’s population,” the report said. “In other words, the state is both its iconic city and so much more — geographically, demographically, economically. But New York is not without its challenges, challenges that include notably high taxes and other weaknesses that impact the small business environment,” it said. The report includes an optimism index that compares responses from New York (NFIB) members with those of their peers in other states across several categories. This ranges from plans to increase employment to expectations for higher sales, to plans to increase inventory or expand. The scores for Empire State business owners were lower in most categories, but they did score higher than the national average in noting that they have current employment openings, and that they are hopeful that the economy will improve. “The metrics so far paint a picture of a state with a series of challenges for small businesses, from a slightly below national average Optimism Index to a more seriously below national business health to very substantially below national Employment Index. What is going on with businesses that are creating these differences?” the report stated. In Central New York, the regional labor force comprises nearly 398,000 workers. The median household income here is $71,463, and the gross domestic product for the region last year totaled $61.3 billion, according to the CenterState CEO economic development and research organization. About half of the region’s labor force works for small and mid-sized businesses, although the number of people employed in that sector has decreased by 7% since 2010, according to CenterState’s 2026 economic forecast report. “While record-high employment in large-scale enterprises provides a strong foundation for Central New York,” the report says, “the long-term health of communities depends on a thriving small business sector to serve as a stabilizer.” Area employers identify several barriers to Central New York’s anticipated growth, including lack of specialized or skilled workers, government regulations, unaffordable housing options and long-term construction disruptions. In the city of Syracuse, the number of jobs in retail trade decreased by 1,500 or 4.7% between July 2025 and this past July. By contrast, the number of jobs in the leisure and hospitality sector increased by 2.5% or 700 jobs, in the same annual period, according to the New York State Department of Labor. Still, there’s plenty of interest for new businesses across Central New York. U.S. Census figures show that the number of applications for new businesses in all four counties increased significantly in the past 20 years. In Cayuga County, there were 324 applications in 2005 compared to 470 last year. In Madison County, the number increased from 385 to 480; Onondaga County, from 2411 to 4132; and Oswego County, from 553 to 836. Downtown Cazenovia is exemplary of Madison County’s trend: In the past year, the village welcomed a bait shop, a thrift store, a vitamin infusion center, a pizzeria, a Pilates studio and an Italian restaurant. A candy store is scheduled to open on the main drag in the months ahead. Oswego’s list of interesting new businesses in the past year includes a bubble tea shop, a hot dog eatery in Fulton, a specialty grocery store that features New York state products in Mexico, a beauty and esthetics studio in Hannibal and a hardware and farm supply store in Sandy Creek. In Onondaga County, the Liverpool area has also enjoyed a steady stream of new shops and eateries in recent years. That suburban community is unique in that, unlike neighboring communities, most of the restaurants are family-owned and not part of a national chain. [caption id=attachment_11116 align=alignright width=300] Megan Wilmot is the executive director of the Greater Liverpool’s Chamber of Commerce.[/caption] Megan Wilmot, executive director of the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, said independent business owners in her community maintain a strong sense of pride in holding their own against national companies. The chamber helps boost morale with red carpet events, ribbon cuttings, coffee hours and five-year anniversary celebrations for participating businesses. “We have built such a strong community,” Wilmot said. “Everyone in this business community encourages each other to shop local. Everyone just wants to see each other succeed.” In Syracuse, the downtown retail occupancy rate last year was about 82%, a slight improvement from 2024, according to the Downtown Syracuse Committee’s most recent annual report. Buildings with the largest amount of vacant space included The Galleries, One Park Place, and Equitable Towers, though not all of those spaces are designated for retail use. New businesses that opened in downtown Syracuse last year: Better with Time Clothing, Dakshin Curry & Biriyani, Havana Tattoo Society, Milano Bean Café, Miss Daisy, Pausa Coffee, Sweets for Babe, The Society CNY and Yafah Beauty Studio. The Destiny USA mall’s occupancy rate decreased from 80% in 2023 to 72% by the end of 2024, according to Integra Realty Resources. That leaves more than a quarter of the mall’s retail space vacant. “Looking ahead, the retail market is expected to see minimal rent growth, with vacancy rates likely remaining stable in community and neighborhood centers but continuing to rise in enclosed malls,” Integra’s report said. “New construction activity is low and redevelopment plans for former malls like Shoppingtown and Great Northern are still in the planning stages. The proposed Micron chip plant may spur development, but challenges remain in finding co-developers for large-scale projects.” Nationally, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce expects that small businesses will remain resilient and see their sales and revenues eventually improve. That organization, in a recent national survey, found that 25% of small business owners expect the economy to improve in 2027, while 45% indicated that they plan to increase employment in the next 12 months. And 69% said they believe their small business is in good shape and 70% said they are comfortable with their current cash flow. Thirty-one percent of small businesses reported raising their prices in July and 28% are planning to raise their prices within the next three to four months, the report said. Twelve percent indicated that this is a good time to expand their business. “Small business owners voice optimism for future revenues and hiring,” the report said. “High costs continue to be a wet blanket on reinvestment.” The NFIB reported in July that Main Street, despite gas price hikes, “is OK … for now.” Its small business economics trend report said sales across the country have been strong compared to last year, but continued inflation and higher prices from mom-and-pop establishments are causing some “cracks” to show. “If costs stay this high for much longer, reduced investment will have a tangible economic impact,” the report said. “The status quo is OK, but the outlook? The outlook is uncertain.”
HomePod Mini vs. HomePod Mini 2 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
Apple yesterday announced the HomePod mini 2, introducing the compact smart speaker's first major hardware update in six years. The new model retains the original's spherical design, but adds an S10 chip, faster wireless connectivity, Sound Glow lighting, new Mac and home theater capabilities, and support for Siri AI in a future software update. The HomePod mini 2 costs $149 in the United States, $20 more than its predecessor's last Apple price of $129.
Appleton-area high school sports results for Tuesday, Oct. 13
High school golf, volleyball, soccer and swimming teams were in action.
Beat the iPhone Duo pre-order rush with Apple’s Get Ready tool
You can already set up your pre-order now, before the pre-orders open on Friday (October 16).
Apple's new hardware strategy capitalizes on trust — just in time for the AI era
Apple's smart home strategy is about selling more hardware. But it's also about more tightly binding iPhone customers to its ecosystem.
Apple bets AI can finally make us want a smart home
The $299 HomeView is Apple's bet AI can fix the smart home.
7 events in Lancaster County this weekend, from AppleUmpkin Festival to Spooky Fest
Need some inspiration for your weekend planning?
Artists and business owners grapple with potential First Friday pause
On Tuesday, Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley provided the first real glimpse of what the future holds for First Friday in the Arts District, indicating it could come to a pause next month.
Everything Apple Still Has Coming in October
Apple debuted three new home products today, but the October announcements aren't over yet. Rumors suggest there will be another "event" on October 27, plus we're still waiting on the iPhone Duo. Here's everything we're expecting to see launch or be announced in October. October 16 - iPhone Duo pre-orders start. October 23 - iPhone Duo launches.
Welcome Home: Everything Apple Announced on October 13
Apple didn't hold an event today, but it did refresh its lineup of smart home products with the Apple HomeView, HomePod mini 2, and fourth-generation Apple TV 4K. The $299 HomeView is an all-new device that serves as a central home hub, offering apps, widgets, and personalized content for up to six people. The $299 Apple TV 4K now has microphones for Siri, more internal storage, a faster A19 chip, and Wi-Fi 7, while the $149 HomePod mini has a faster chip and new colors.
Apple's Get Ready service is now available for iPhone Duo pre-orders
You can have everything set up ahead of time so that you only need to click one button when pre-orders go live. Apple unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first...
HomePod Mini 2 Works as Default Speaker With Select Macs
The new HomePod mini 2 can be used as a default speaker on all Mac models with Wi-Fi 6E or later, according to Apple. You can use a single HomePod, or a pair for stereo sound. The previous-generation HomePod mini can also be used as a Mac's speaker via AirPlay, but it cannot be set as the default audio output. The previous-generation HomePod mini can also be used as a Mac's speaker via AirPlay, but it cannot be set as the default audio output.
It looks like Apple Music is getting a new icon
This new Apple Music app looks like sheet music.
iOS 27.2 adds new app icon for Apple Music, more design updates
iOS 27.2 beta 4 debuted today for developers, and the update includes a new app icon for Apple Music alongside other design updates.
iOS 27.2 beta 4 no longer includes Apple's overhauled Health app
An overhauled Apple Health app is coming, but it looks like iOS 27.2 won’t include it. Apple first announced the...
Apple's HomePod mini 2 is here with Siri AI, new colors and improved sound
The smart speaker is priced at $149. Alongside the new Apple HomeView, upgraded Apple TV 4K, and Apple Home Collection, the company also unveiled the...
Apple TV 4K And HomePod Mini 2 Hands-On: A Look At The Audio Updates And Siri AI
Listening to Apple's new audio features with Siri as our binge-watching companion.
RIP, homeOS
MacRumors was first to reveal the name "HomeView" last week, after discovering a trademark filing from a secretive shell company that we correctly suspected was linked to Apple. Apple was likely behind a "homeOS" trademark filing as well, but the company ultimately decided to stick with generic "HomeView software" naming, just like it refers to the HomePod's operating system as "HomePod software".
New Apple TV 4K Supports Surround Sound via Four HomePods
As was rumored prior to today's announcements, the new Apple TV 4K can connect to up to four HomePods in front-left, front-right, rear-left, and rear-right positions, enabling an all-Apple surround sound system for home theater setups. You can connect four of the new HomePod mini 2 speakers to the new Apple TV 4K, or you can mix and match pairs of HomePod mini 2 and full-sized HomePod 2 speakers, so long as the front and rear pairs of speakers match.
Apple unveils new smart home devices that showcase upgraded Siri AI
New products from Apple include the HomeView, an iPad-like device that acts as a hub for other smart home gadgets
Apple Says HomePod Mini 2 Won't Support Siri AI Right Away
Siri AI support on the new HomePod mini 2 will be "available later" as part of a "future software update," according to Apple. In other words, do not expect Siri AI to be available on the speaker when it launches on Friday, October 30. In other words, do not expect Siri AI to be available on the speaker when it launches on Friday, October 30.
Apple Wants to Invade Your Home With a Mountain of Cameras, Doorbells, and More
Apple's new smart home cameras and thermostats work with Apple Home and are processed on Apple servers, but they're not made by Apple.
Apple Home Collection launches with LG and Schneider cameras, thermostats, and sensors
None of them need a separate app or account. Apple had a busy day today. The company introduced its HomeView smart display, the next-generation Apple TV...
Inside the iPhone Duo and 18 Pro Cooling System: Apple Engineers Reveal a Simple Trick
In an exclusive interview with PCMag, Apple’s silicon and thermal teams explain the engineering that lets the A20 Pro chip run hotter and faster without cooking your phone.
Apple confirms HomePod mini 2 won’t have Siri AI at launch
HomePod mini 2 ships October 30, but the fine print on Apple’s website and press release confirms Siri AI won’t be available on launch day.
HomeView's Wall Model: Pay More, Get Less Speaker
Apple offers two versions of the HomeView, one that can be mounted on the wall and one that's a standalone model with a speaker base. The wall-mounted version and the speaker version are both priced at $299, with no discount for the base-free model. Wall mounting is the more expensive option because most buyers will need hardware that's sold separately and is currently priced starting at $60. There are three options for mounting the HomeView on the wall.
The Apple TV 4K Gets Siri AI, an A19 Chip, and a $299 Price Tag
Apple also updated the Apple TV 4K today. Last updated in 2022, the Apple TV 4K’s fourth-generation update is focused on bringing an improved surround sound experience to the Apple TV, along with Siri AI. From the outside, the new Apple TV 4K looks like the old one: a nondescript black box that sits under
Two High Courts Grapple With Climate Accountability
Last week marked a watershed moment for climate accountability in two country’s highest courtrooms. In a landmark decision, the High Court of Australia ruled in favor of climate action in MACH Energy Australia v. Denman. Simultaneously, across the Pacific, the United States Supreme Court convened to
Apple refreshes its Homepod mini with a new chip and $149 price tag
The new $149 HomePod mini with Siri AI and a 'SoundGlow' visual feature will be available starting October 30.
Apple's new smart home line-up includes a smart lock, thermostat and video doorbells
The new devices work with HomeView, the company's new smart home hub which can be used to control accessories and interact with apps.