Oli Freke is a musician and journalist whose works have appeared in Sound on Sound, The Quietus, and Mixmag. This has included using math to explore the melodic potential of the Western 12-tone scale and deep dives on effects plug-ins. He's even written a book tracing the evolution of the synthesizer from 1963 through 1995, charting the change from analog to digital and back.

His new project is Beat Gems, a coffee-table visual history of drum machines from publisher Bjooks. Like other Bjooks titles, Beat Gems is loaded with gorgeous photos, fascinating historical tidbits, and practical advice for making the most of your gear, whether it's …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The post Motorola Moto Pad 70 Debuts Ahead of Launch: 12.1-Inch 2.5K Display, Dimensity 6400, and 5G Connectivity appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.

What Surrounds Us takes its title literally. You play as a circle surrounding a hole in its middle - it looks like a donut with frosting. You work together with other sentient moving circles, sometimes helping them joyfully meet with others. And you traverse a large map that's composed entirely of, you guessed it, a series of circles. But the circles everywhere aren't just an artistic choice; they underscore the game's themes about working in connection with the environment and the things around us.

Despite the trippy design, What Surrounds Us has a familiar format. I kept feeling echoes of The Legend of Zelda as I trekked across three dist …

Read the full story at The Verge.

The mega-disposable vaping sector has officially entered the 50,000-puff arena, introducing complex multi-battery architectures and hyper-advanced displays. In this ultimate high-capacity clash, the Upends UP9 50K Vape Kit goes head-to-head with the NEXA Ultra II (also recognized as the Ultra 50k II). Both devices seek to eliminate the anxiety of running out of juice on a long trip, yet they treat the 50k puff milestone with distinct approach pathways. The UP9 relies heavily on a specialized dual-battery setup, whereas the Ultra II leans into its innovative locked flavor preservation design.

Design

When it comes to aesthetic footprints, both devices break away from generic box shapes, opting instead for structural elements that immediately command attention. The Upends UP9 features a striking, clear visual layout dominated by a transparent e-liquid tank and an expansive, wrap-around 270-degree 3D screen. This sweeping panoramic screen offers constant, high-definition tracking of your real-time settings and power levels from almost any viewing angle. The combination of a crystalline tank and a smooth outer framework creates a look that feels highly technical and deeply satisfying to handle.

The NEXA Ultra II responds with a refined, ultra-modern polycarbonate chassis designed specifically to minimize annoying smudges and fingerprints. It is noticeably more compact than its direct predecessor, giving it a much softer, more pocketable feel. Like the UP9, the Ultra II boasts a clear, transparent tank window that lets you confidently evaluate your remaining e-juice by eye rather than guessing blindly. Its standout visual asset is a massive, smartwatch-inspired front display panel flashing crisp animated circuitry graphics. For those who prefer a stealthier approach, it introduces a convenient Dark Mode toggle that allows users to switch off the flashing lights while keeping basic stats active.

Features

Looking closely at the underlying mechanics reveals two distinctly engineered beasts designed to squeeze out maximum longevity.

The Upends UP9 is powered by a creative dual-battery system, distributing power across a built-in 850mAh base battery combined with a separate 230mAh battery tucked into the pod itself to achieve a total output pool of 1080mAh.

• Capacity & Puff Count: Packs a massive 20ml e-liquid reservoir delivering a full 50,000-puff ceiling.

• Adjustability: Utilizes a highly flexible Triple Power Mode scaling from a cool 15W draw (yielding 50,000 puffs) up to a punchy 25W cloud mode (dropping total yields to 30,000 puffs).

• Convenience: Integrates a Smart Click Match System, Type-C fast charging, and dedicated airflow adjustments to tailor the restriction.

The NEXA Ultra II utilizes a single, robust 900mAh quick-charge battery paired with an equally impressive 20ml e-liquid capacity.

• Juicy Lock System: NEXA implements a two-part assembly system featuring their proprietary Juicy Lock click-in framework. The tank and battery ship as separate components in the box, locking out leaking or stale e-juice prior to activation.

• Output Modes: The Ultra II is driven by a 1.0Ω dual mesh coil system supporting two distinct operation presets. Normal Mode delivers a steady, cool vape for the full 50,000-puff threshold, while Turbo Mode instantly cranks up flavor intensity, throat hit, and vapor density (reducing life to 30,000 puffs).

Verdict

Specification	Upends UP9	NEXA Ultra II
Battery Configuration	1080mAh Total (850mAh + 230mAh Dual System)	900mAh Integrated Battery
Output Adjustability	Triple Modes: 15W / 20W / 25W	Dual Modes: Normal / Turbo
Display Style	270-degree Panoramic 3D Screen	Animated Circuit Screen with Dark Mode
Freshness Protection	Smart Click Match System	Click-in Juicy Lock Mechanical Seal

Choosing between these two 50k juggernauts hinges on your preference for fine-tuning power versus total flavor structural defense. The Upends UP9 is a spectacular choice if you love deep wattage personalization, giving you three distinct power modes and a massive dual-battery reserve to play with. On the other hand, if your priority is consistent, zero-fade flavor performance protected by a physical leak-proof seal and an option to black out your display lights completely, the NEXA Ultra II stands tall as the absolute gold standard for long-haul durability.

Read Also: Kanger Subox Mix vs NEXA ULTRA II: The Battle of the 50K Puff Titans

The post Upends UP9 50K VS NEXA Ultra II Quick Comparison Review appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.

Aspire Pixo Aura 2 is a stylish and easy-to-use pod vape designed for adult users who value portability, performance, and simplicity. As the latest addition to Aspire’s Pixo Series, the Pixo Aura 2 combines a sleek ergonomic design, long-lasting battery, refillable pods, and smooth airflow to deliver an enjoyable vaping experience for both beginners and experienced users.

Whether you’re switching from disposable vapes or looking for a reliable everyday pod system, the Aspire Pixo Aura 2 offers a balance of flavor, convenience, and modern design.

Modern and Ergonomic Design

The Aspire Pixo Aura 2 features a slim, lightweight body that fits comfortably in your hand or pocket. Constructed from durable materials with a premium finish, the device is designed for everyday portability while maintaining a stylish appearance.

Its minimalist design includes intuitive controls, making it easy to operate without a complicated learning curve.

Long-Lasting Built-In Battery

Powered by a high-capacity rechargeable battery, the Pixo Aura 2 is designed to provide all-day vaping for most users. USB Type-C fast charging helps reduce downtime, allowing you to recharge quickly and get back to vaping with minimal interruption.

Smooth and Consistent Flavor

The Pixo Aura 2 is engineered to maximize flavor delivery through Aspire’s advanced pod technology. The integrated mesh coil heats e-liquid evenly, producing rich flavor, smooth vapor, and excellent coil longevity.

Whether you enjoy nicotine salts or standard freebase e-liquids, the device is optimized to provide a satisfying vape with consistent performance.

Refillable Pod System

The refillable pod design allows users to easily fill their favorite e-liquid while reducing waste compared to disposable devices.

Benefits of the refillable system include:

• Easy top or side filling (depending on pod version)
• Leak-resistant construction
• Transparent pod for monitoring e-liquid levels
• Convenient magnetic pod connection

The pod system is designed for quick installation and effortless daily maintenance.

Adjustable Airflow

The Aspire Pixo Aura 2 features adjustable airflow, allowing users to customize their vaping experience.

With a simple airflow adjustment, you can switch between:

• Tight Mouth-to-Lung (MTL) draws for a cigarette-like inhale
• Restricted Direct-to-Lung (RDL) vaping for increased vapor production

This flexibility makes the device suitable for a wide range of vaping preferences.

Intelligent Performance

The device automatically detects the installed pod and delivers an appropriate power level for consistent vapor production. This smart output system eliminates complicated wattage adjustments, making the Pixo Aura 2 especially beginner-friendly.

Built-in safety protections typically include:

• Overcharge protection
• Short-circuit protection
• Low-voltage protection
• Overheat protection
• Overtime vaping protection

These features help ensure reliable and safe operation during everyday use.

Easy Everyday Operation

Designed with convenience in mind, the Aspire Pixo Aura 2 offers a simple vaping experience.

Key user-friendly features include:

• Draw-activated firing
• Quick pod replacement
• Fast USB Type-C charging
• Lightweight construction
• Compact pocket-friendly size
• Minimal maintenance

Its intuitive operation makes it an excellent choice for users transitioning from disposable vapes to refillable pod systems.

Key Features

• Compact and ergonomic design
• Rechargeable built-in battery
• USB Type-C fast charging
• Refillable pod system
• Advanced mesh coil technology
• Rich flavor production
• Adjustable airflow
• Leak-resistant pod design
• Automatic power adjustment
• Suitable for MTL and RDL vaping
• Multiple built-in safety protections
  

Who Is the Aspire Pixo Aura 2 For?

The Aspire Pixo Aura 2 is ideal for:

• Adult smokers switching to refillable vape devices
• Users replacing disposable vapes
• Beginners seeking a simple pod system
• Flavor-focused MTL vapers
• Users looking for a compact everyday vape
• Travelers who need a lightweight and portable device
  

Final Thoughts

Aspire Pixo Aura 2 combines elegant design, dependable battery life, refillable convenience, and excellent flavor performance in a compact pod system. With adjustable airflow, intelligent power delivery, and easy operation, it offers a satisfying vaping experience for both new and experienced adult users.

If you’re looking for a stylish refillable pod vape that delivers consistent performance without unnecessary complexity, the Aspire Pixo Aura 2 is a strong option for everyday use.

The post Aspire Pixo Aura 2 Vape Review: A Compact Pod System Built for Flavor and Convenience appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.

LONGER LK10 Plus is a next-generation FDM 3D printer designed for makers, engineers, hobbyists, and small businesses seeking fast printing without sacrificing quality. Featuring a generous 320 × 320 × 400 mm build volume, a maximum print speed of 500 mm/s, and an upgraded direct-drive extrusion system, the LK10 Plus delivers the performance needed for everything from large prototypes to detailed functional parts.

Large Build Volume for Bigger Ideas

One of the standout features of the LONGER LK10 Plus is its spacious 320 × 320 × 400 mm printing area. The oversized build volume allows users to create large models in a single print or produce multiple parts simultaneously, improving productivity for workshops and production environments.

Whether you’re printing cosplay helmets, architectural models, mechanical components, or educational projects, the generous build space provides greater creative freedom.

High-Speed Printing Up to 500 mm/s

Built with a Klipper-powered control board, the LK10 Plus supports print speeds of up to 500 mm/s, significantly reducing print times compared to traditional desktop 3D printers.

Advanced motion control technologies, including vibration compensation and input shaping, help maintain print quality even at high speeds by reducing ringing and ghosting effects. This combination enables users to complete projects faster while preserving precision.

High-Flow Direct Drive Extruder

The printer features an upgraded high-flow direct-drive extruder capable of delivering up to 25 mm³/s volumetric flow. This design provides consistent filament feeding, improved extrusion accuracy, and excellent compatibility with flexible materials.

Combined with a redesigned hotend and enhanced cooling system, the extruder minimizes clogging while supporting reliable, long-duration printing.

Wide Material Compatibility

With a nozzle temperature reaching 300°C and a heated PEI print bed capable of 110°C, the LONGER LK10 Plus supports a wide range of popular filaments, including:

• PLA
• PETG
• ABS
• ASA
• TPU
• Other 1.75 mm materials

This versatility makes the printer suitable for decorative models, engineering prototypes, and durable functional parts.

Automatic Leveling for Easy Setup

The LK10 Plus simplifies the printing process through automatic bed leveling and Auto Z-Offset calibration. These features automatically establish the correct nozzle-to-bed distance, reducing manual adjustments and improving first-layer consistency.

For beginners, this means a faster setup process and fewer failed prints. Experienced users also benefit from improved workflow efficiency.

Stable Metal Frame with Dual Z-Axis

A rigid all-metal frame provides excellent structural stability during high-speed operation. The printer also incorporates a dual Z-axis system with independent motors and lead screws, ensuring smoother vertical movement and better layer alignment.

The sturdy construction minimizes vibrations, helping maintain dimensional accuracy across large prints.

Smart Features for Reliable Printing

The LONGER LK10 Plus includes several intelligent features designed to improve reliability and user convenience:

• Automatic bed leveling
• Auto Z-Offset calibration
• Filament runout detection
• Power-loss recovery
• Object exclusion during multi-part printing
• Sensorless X/Y homing
• 4.3-inch full-color touchscreen

Together, these features reduce interruptions and make long printing sessions more dependable.

Flexible Connectivity

Users can manage print jobs through multiple connection options, including:

• Wi-Fi
• LAN
• USB flash drive

The printer is compatible with Windows and macOS and supports common 3D model formats such as STL, OBJ, and STEP. OrcaSlicer is recommended for slicing and print preparation.

Technical Specifications

Specification	Details
Printing Technology	FDM
Build Volume	320 × 320 × 400 mm
Maximum Print Speed	500 mm/s
Extruder	High-Flow Direct Drive
Maximum Nozzle Temperature	300°C
Heated Bed Temperature	110°C
Layer Height	0.1–0.4 mm
Nozzle Diameter	0.4 mm
Supported Filaments	PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, TPU
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, LAN, USB
Display	4.3-inch Color Touchscreen
Frame	Full Metal
Bed Surface	PEI Spring Steel Platform

Who Should Buy the LONGER LK10 Plus?

The LONGER LK10 Plus is an excellent choice for:

• Hobbyists looking to upgrade to a larger, faster printer.
• Designers and engineers producing functional prototypes.
• Schools and makerspaces requiring reliable classroom equipment.
• Small businesses creating production parts or custom products.
• Cosplay enthusiasts printing oversized props and helmets.

Its combination of speed, large build volume, and intelligent automation makes it suitable for both beginners and experienced makers.

Final Verdict

LONGER LK10 Plus offers an impressive blend of speed, size, and ease of use. With a large 320 × 320 × 400 mm build volume, a high-flow direct-drive extruder, automatic leveling, Klipper-powered high-speed printing, and support for a broad range of materials, it provides excellent value for users who need a capable and dependable desktop 3D printer.

If you’re searching for a machine that can efficiently handle large-format prints while maintaining quality and reliability, the LONGER LK10 Plus is a strong contender in today’s FDM 3D printer market.

The post LONGER LK10 Plus 3D Printer Review: Large Build Volume Meets High-Speed Performance appeared first on IGeeKphone China Phone, Tablet PC, VR, RC Drone News, Reviews.

GoPro’s New Mission 1 cameras bring action cameras to a higher level with a larger sensor and more cinematic footage.

GoPro’s New Mission 1 cameras bring action cameras to a higher level with a larger sensor and more cinematic footage.

The modern Evangelical Church has shifted its focus from Jesus Christ to political and socio-religious affiliations, influenced by John Nelson Darby's spurious interpretations. All Old Testament prophecies point to Jesus as the Messiah, not to contemporary apostate Israel and Talmudic Judaism. The essence of true devotion lies in acknowledging Christ and Him alone.

Jean-Charles Cuillandre, astronome au CEA et membre de la mission Euclid, nous explique les secrets derrière la photo spectaculaire du centre de la Voie lactée acquise par le télescope spatial Euclid de 1,2 mètre de diamètre. Décryptage d'un processus invisible aux yeux du public, mais qui rend...

This week's episode of The MacRumors Show covers OpenAI's move into hardware and the trade secret lawsuit Apple filed against the company earlier this month.


Apple sued OpenAI in the Northern District of California on July 10, alleging a months-long scheme to obtain confidential information about unreleased products. The complaint centers on OpenAI chief hardware officer Tang Tan, a 24-year Apple veteran who previously led iPhone product design, and former Apple electrical engineer Chang Liu. Apple claims Tan coached recruits on evading its exit-interview security procedures and told at least one employee to bring hardware components to an interview, and that OpenAI persuaded a supplier to apply a proprietary metal-finishing technique to an OpenAI device by falsely stating it had Apple's permission. The filing describes OpenAI's hardware business as "rotten to its core."

The suit follows a souring of the 2024 partnership that brought ChatGPT to Siri, with OpenAI itself weighing legal options against Apple in May. More than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI, including Vision Products Group leader Paul Meade, and former design chief Jony Ive leads design on the hardware lineup through LoveFrom after OpenAI's $6.5 billion acquisition of his startup io Products. Apple has countered with retention bonuses of up to $400,000 and has now sent legal preservation letters to around 40 former employees, suggesting it believes the alleged misappropriation goes beyond those named. OpenAI says it has "no interest in other companies' trade secrets."

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman argues the case is already causing damage ahead of any ruling, deterring Apple engineers from interviewing at OpenAI and making Asian suppliers wary of deepening ties with the company. Ive is not named in the complaint, which Gurman believes was deliberate given Apple's relationship with io Products investor Laurene Powell Jobs.

OpenAI's first device, teased for months by Ive and CEO Sam Altman, is believed to be a portable, screenless smart speaker that is now expected in early 2027 at $200 to $300. Powered by ChatGPT and GPT-Live, it has a rechargeable battery so it can be carried between rooms, a camera for understanding its surroundings, and motorized elements that move on their own to give a sense that the device is alive. OpenAI reportedly does not regard the HomePod or HomePod mini as comparable, and people familiar with the project told Bloomberg the device is unlike anything Apple sells, making infringement unlikely. Apple's own smart home hub is the closest analogue.

Further out, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that OpenAI is developing an "AI agent phone" built around a continuous, context-aware interface rather than individual apps, with the company controlling both the operating system and the hardware. Kuo has since revised his mass production expectation from 2028 to the first half of 2027, projecting combined 2027 and 2028 shipments of around 30 million units. The device is rumored to be a direct iPhone rival.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion where we look ahead to the 20th anniversary iPhone, the radically redesigned model that Apple is expected to launch in 2027.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Can OpenAI Really Beat the iPhone?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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The Morning Show Season 5 will officially conclude one of the longest-running and most recognizable dramas on Apple TV when it premieres in 2027.

Apple confirmed that the fifth season will be the last, allowing Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and the creative team to complete the stories of Alex Levy, Bradley Jackson and the troubled journalists surrounding their fictional television network.

Aniston and Witherspoon will return as stars and executive producers. Both indicated that the ending was planned while the season was being developed, giving the writers an opportunity to create a deliberate conclusion rather than leaving the characters suspended after an unexpected cancellation.

Apple has not announced a specific premiere date or episode schedule. The company has released first-look images featuring Aniston and Witherspoon together, confirming that production on the final chapter is moving forward for a 2027 arrival.

The Morning Show Season 5 Brings a Planned Ending

The Morning Show Season 5 was originally announced in September 2025, shortly before the fourth season premiered. At the time, Apple presented the renewal as another chapter for an established global hit without indicating that it would end the series.

The decision to identify it as the final season changes the expectations surrounding every storyline. Rather than creating another crisis that could lead into a sixth season, the writers can determine where the central characters belong after years of professional upheaval, corporate conflict and personal compromise.

Showrunner Charlotte Stoudt suggested that the final episodes will examine what the journalists ultimately choose for themselves. That direction fits a series in which success has rarely provided its characters with stability or satisfaction.

Alex and Bradley began the drama from sharply different positions. Alex was an established television personality attempting to protect her career during a public scandal, while Bradley entered the network as an unpredictable outsider. Their relationship developed through rivalry, loyalty, separation and repeated confrontations with the institutions employing them.

The final season can now treat those ambitions as completed journeys rather than temporary stages. Alex must decide what remains worth defending after years of negotiating with executives, billionaires and political interests. Bradley must determine whether pursuing the story at any personal cost remains sustainable.

Season four moved the drama into a media environment shaped by deepfakes, conspiracy theories, corporate influence and uncertainty over what audiences can trust. Its story continued examining how journalism operates when the network reporting the news is also affected by commercial priorities and internal power struggles.

Apple has not disclosed the central subject of Season 5. The first-look images concentrate on Aniston and Witherspoon, placing their complicated partnership back at the center after a fourth season that separated the characters through an international crisis.

A Flagship Series That Grew With Apple TV

The Morning Show debuted on November 1, 2019, the same day Apple launched its streaming service.

Its position in the original lineup made the series more than another drama acquisition. Apple needed recognizable performers and an ambitious production capable of signaling that the new platform intended to compete for major television audiences and awards.

Aniston and Witherspoon provided immediate visibility, while the newsroom setting allowed the series to respond to current debates involving workplace misconduct, corporate accountability, political polarization and the influence of television journalism.

The first season began after allegations against morning-show anchor Mitch Kessler, played by Steve Carell, forced the network to restructure its leading program. Alex attempted to retain control while Bradley was selected as an unconventional replacement capable of changing the tone of the broadcast.

Later seasons expanded far beyond the original scandal. The drama incorporated the COVID-19 pandemic, a technology billionaire attempting to acquire the network, the merger of UBA and NBN, artificial intelligence, misinformation and international political pressure.

The willingness to move quickly into recognizable real-world subjects became part of the identity of The Morning Show. Its fictional network frequently operated only a short distance from controversies affecting actual media companies, public figures and technology platforms.

The approach sometimes pushed the series toward heightened melodrama, but that excess also distinguished it from a conventional workplace production. Executive decisions, personal betrayals and breaking-news events could carry the intensity of a political thriller.

Billy Crudup became one of its most acclaimed performers as Cory Ellison, the charismatic executive whose enthusiasm for disruption regularly concealed more complicated motives. Crudup won two Emmy Awards for the role and will return for the final season.

Apple executives have described the production as a defining part of the streaming service. Ending it after five seasons closes a direct connection to the original Apple TV launch lineup while allowing the platform to preserve the series as a completed story.

The Final Cast Adds More High-Profile Names

The final season will bring back Aniston, Witherspoon, Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nicole Beharie, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman and Jon Hamm.

Hamm joined the series as Paul Marks, a technology billionaire whose business ambitions and relationship with Alex reshaped the third season. His continued presence indicates that the consequences of his involvement with the network have not been fully resolved.

Several new performers will enter the drama for its last run. Apple has assembled additions including Jeff Daniels, Reneé Rapp, Jesse Williams, Sean Hayes and Lizzy Caplan, although complete character details remain limited.

Daniels brings a particularly appropriate history to the production after starring as news anchor Will McAvoy in The Newsroom. His presence creates an immediate association with another television drama concerned with journalism, newsroom ethics and the conflict between ratings and public responsibility.

Rapp returns to a major television role after building her music career and appearing in projects including The Sex Lives of College Girls and Mean Girls. Williams previously spent more than a decade on Grey’s Anatomy, while Hayes is best known for Will & Grace and has expanded into dramatic work.

Caplan has moved between comedy, drama and thrillers through projects including Masters of Sex, Fleishman Is in Trouble and Fatal Attraction. The scale of the additions suggests that the final season will introduce another major institutional or professional conflict rather than concentrating exclusively on farewell scenes.

Stoudt remains showrunner and executive producer. Mimi Leder continues as director and executive producer, while Media Res, Echo Films and Hello Sunshine remain behind the production.

Aniston described the opportunity to finish the story knowingly as a way to honor the characters with intention. Witherspoon emphasized that the series was never only about the personalities appearing on television, but also about the role of journalism and the people responsible for protecting the press.

That theme gives the final season a defined destination. The Morning Show began by asking whether a television institution could survive the misconduct it had protected. Its last episodes can decide whether the journalists inside that institution changed it, escaped it or became part of the machinery they once believed they could challenge.

The post The Morning Show Season 5 Will End the Apple TV Drama appeared first on AppleMagazine.

The TK705STi’s highly responsive, low-latency performance makes gameplay ultra-realistic. For movies and TV? It’s a purely average home projector.

The TK705STi’s highly responsive, low-latency performance makes gameplay ultra-realistic. For movies and TV? It’s a purely average home projector.

Apple’s Liquid Glass interface has always been a bold, polarizing experiment in translucency. With the iOS 27 public beta, the company is now letting users push it even further — into “More Clear” territory. One writer cranked the new slider all the way to maximum transparency and spent a full week living with the most warped, glassy, and delightfully distorted iPhone experience yet.

From notifications that ripple and refract app icons like light through actual glass, to menu bars that turn text into momentary abstract art, the clearest Liquid Glass setting revives the playful dimensionality Apple first chased more than a decade ago. It’s not the most practical choice for everyone, but for those willing to embrace the whimsy, it turns the phone into something closer to living, breathing art.

Wired‘s Reece Rogers dove in headfirst. Here’s what it felt like to go full transparent.

Reece Rogers for Wired:
‎

Fear not — if you don’t feel the same way as I do about transparency — you can drag that same slider to the right and boost the overall opacity of Liquid Glass. There’s still the option to Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast as well.

I immediately cranked my settings to maximum clarity after I downloaded the public beta and left the setting on for a week to get the full experience. I understand why some prefer the heavily tinted version or need to switch it for accessibility reasons, yet I reveled in the warped colors and characters as I experienced Liquid Glass in its clearest glory.

The “more clear” option also added an increased depth to my device — reminiscent of an Apple update from more than a decade ago, in iOS 7, that you likely haven’t thought about in a minute: 3D apps. Apple added a parallax wallpaper effect during the iPhone 5’s heyday that used the smartphone’s gyroscope to make it appear as if app icons on your home screen floated slightly above the background, visibly shifting to the phone’s tilt.

Both Liquid Glass and 3D app icons gave the iPhone a more tactile sense of dimensionality…

Halfway through my week of testing, this option started to look so normal to me that I worried I had accidentally reset my phone to the default and checked my settings to ensure “more clear” was still enabled. It was. Which was a relief, and a sign I’d adjusted to this clearer version of Liquid Glass even faster than anticipated…

[T]his clear-minded update was delightful to try, and I’m keeping up with my transparent lifestyle even after the weeklong experiment ended.

‎
MacDailyNews Take: You might even say that Apple’s Liquid Glass cranked up to maximum transparency makes the buttons on the screen look so good you’ll want to lick them.

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The post Crank up Apple’s Liquid Glass to maximum transparency and you’ll enjoy every warped second appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Apple TV has confirmed that “The Morning Show” will end after a fifth season in 2027. The series, which premiered in 2019 as one of the flagship original shows for the streaming service, stars and is executive produced by Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

The series is produced by Media Res and executive produced by Echo Films and Hello Sunshine. Charlotte Stoudt serves as showrunner and executive producer, while Mimi Leder directs and executive produces. Michael Ellenberg executive produces for Media Res, with additional executive producers including Lauren Neustadter for Hello Sunshine and Kristin Hahn for Echo Films.

Statements from Key Participants

Jennifer Aniston, star and executive producer, said: “From the beginning, Apple has supported our vision for ‘The Morning Show.’ It’s been a privilege to work with this cast, writers, producers and crew. We’re excited to share this final season and to conclude the series intentionally.”

Reese Witherspoon, star and executive producer, said: “The past nine years producing and acting in ‘The Morning Show’ have been the honor of a lifetime. This was a show about why the newsroom matters, freedom of the press, and the role of journalists. Thank you to Apple, our writers, crew and cast.”

Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of worldwide video, said: “Seeing this series through from start to finish has been the joy of a lifetime. ‘The Morning Show’ helped launch Apple TV and delivered five seasons of television. We’re grateful to the entire team and look forward to the final chapter.”

Jamie Erlicht, Apple’s head of worldwide video, added: “Working with Jennifer, Reese, Michael, Mimi and Charlotte has been one of the great privileges of building Apple TV. We’re proud of the series and its impact.”

Michael Ellenberg, CEO and founder of Media Res, described the series as a significant project for the team: “We’ve been fortunate to connect with a global audience. We look forward to fans seeing the fifth and final season.”

Showrunner Charlotte Stoudt said: “For five seasons, these journalists have chased their dreams. Now we’ll see where their endeavors lead them. It’s been a privilege to write for this cast.”

Mimi Leder, executive producer and director, said: “It has been the honor and privilege of my career to bring this series from conception to conclusion. It’s been a meaningful journey.”

Cast and Production

The ensemble cast is led by Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Nicole Beharie, and Jon Hamm. Season five will include new additions Jeff Daniels, Reneé Rapp, Jesse Williams, Sean Hayes, Lizzy Caplan and others.

“The Morning Show” is showrun and executive produced by Charlotte Stoudt and directed and executive produced by Mimi Leder. It is produced by Media Res, with executive producers including Michael Ellenberg, Stoudt, Leder, Witherspoon and Neustadter for Hello Sunshine, and Aniston and Hahn for Echo Films. Zander Lehmann and Micah Schraft also executive produce.

Season four, currently streaming, is set in spring 2024 following the UBA-NBN merger and explores themes of responsibility, truth, and media in a polarized environment.

Awards and Recognition

The series has received multiple award nominations and wins. Season three earned 16 Emmy nominations, with Billy Crudup winning his second Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. The show has also received Critics Choice Awards, SAG Awards, and recognition from the American Film Institute.

MacDailyNews Take: For us, “The Morning Show” ended sometime early in season 3. Steve Carell’s Mitch Kessler was the glue that held our eyeballs. Without him, buh-bye.

However, despite losing us, seasons 3 and 4 both performed well enough for renewals. The show has remained culturally visible and continues to generate headlines. There have been no leaks or reports about catastrophic drops in viewership that typically precede abrupt cancellations. So, this reads as a mutual, planned ending rather than a forced cancellation due to bad numbers. Apple and the producers likely decided together that five seasons provided the right arc for the series, especially with expensive talent and a desire to end relatively strongly.

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Nouveau acteur sur le marché du solaire, SAMDUO affiche de grandes ambitions. Le fabricant chinois a mis au point la batterie domestique la plus fine au monde, et entend devenir un acteur incontournable de la transition énergétique en Europe.

On Tuesday, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a report entitled "Science: A New Golden Age," in which it lays out how it has viewed science, found it lacking, and believes the Trump administration is in the perfect position to fix things. It's a bit unexpected coming from an administration that has been proposing crippling funding cuts to research and trying to enable political appointees to terminate grants awarded based on scientific merit.

The report presents itself as the spiritual successor of "Science, the Endless Frontier," a policy document that laid out the case for government-funded science in the wake of World War II. The New Golden Age (SNGA) says that, while the concepts promoted by the original remain vital, the circumstances have changed such that we need major revisions to how the government is implementing things.

The result is an odd mix. It completely ignores or glosses over many things that the administration is doing to harm scientific progress. In some cases, it identifies issues that have already been discussed as problems within the scientific community, but misrepresents them. Elsewhere, it's a mixture of political grievances, ideas without a solid intellectual foundation, and an injection of Silicon Valley's perspective on innovation (Michael Kratsios, the director of the OSTP, formerly worked with Peter Thiel). As a result, it's unlikely to have anything like the impact of "Science, the Endless Frontier."

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Out of Dyson’s two new affordable stick vacuums, this one is easily my favorite.

The market for small e-readers has been booming lately. Earlier this year, Jason took a look at the Xteink X4, a pint-sized reading device that was about as light and small as they come. But those maniacs at Xteink weren’t done yet: they followed it up with the $79 X3, which is unbelievably even lighter and smaller.

I wouldn’t blame you for wondering if there’s such a thing as too small and light—at 3.84 inches by 2.51 inches (and just 0.2 inches thick) the X3 is still larger than, say, a credit card, but not by much. The screen itself measures just 3.7 inches, more than half an inch smaller than the X4’s 4.3 inch, but its 259 ppi resolution still makes it plenty easy to read on.¹ At that size it’s little imposition to take it with you wherever you go. Easy to lose? Maybe. Easy to love? Yes.

For one thing, this small size unlocks at least one capability that the X4 couldn’t fully deliver upon—the ability to stick to the back of your phone. Like the X4, the X3 has a MagSafe-compatible magnet in its rear case and it fits just about perfectly on the back of my iPhone 17 Pro, nestled below the camera plateau.

However, the magnet is not particularly strong, and it lacks the secondary stabilizing magnet that you see on official MagSafe accessories, meaning it wobbles around a bit. I wouldn’t call it a super secure connection, but it’s pretty good if you’re just slipping it in and out of a pocket. Just be aware that it probably will come loose.

Like the X4 before it, the X3 features a pair of rocker switches on the front for a total of four possible buttons. But they’ve opted to skip the X4’s side mounted rocker switch in favor of a single buttons on each side. There’s also an on/off switch at the top (plus a recessed button used for resetting the device). And with all of that, they somehow managed to continue to fit a microSD slot in the top. The bottom left corner also has a little set of holes for a lanyard or wrist strap.

The one casualty of the smaller X3, however, is the port. The X4 was big enough to accommodate a USB-C connector, but the X3’s thin profile makes that impossible. Instead, there’s a pogo-pin USB cable that connects to four magnetic contacts on the reader. Is this a step back? Strictly speaking, yes. Using a proprietary connector is a bummer in the year 2026, especially because it means having to keep track of a single-use cable. That said, once you get the X3 up and running, the only real need for the connector is charging, and the battery on this thing lasts a very long time. (I’ve yet to run it down in several weeks of usage.) Just remember to make a note of where you stow that cable for the point months down the road when you do need to charge it and find yourself wondering whatever happened to it.

As with the X4, the X3 lacks any sort of screen lighting, meaning that it’s strictly a “read in bright light” device. But don’t worry, because Xteink has already unveiled a new X4 Pro with the company’s first lit screen.²

All in all, I found the X3 very comfortable to read on, whether attached to my iPhone or not. The side buttons work great as page-turners, and the screen is high-contrast and sharp enough to make text render very clearly. All in all, it’s a great reading experience—if you take into account one major caveat.

Soft where?

The elephant in the room for the Xteink X3 is the software. Xteink ships the X3 with its own built-in firmware which, by all accounts, has improved since the first version. But I can’t really tell you, because upon opening the box and powering up the device, the first thing I did was install Crosspoint, the open-source community-built firmware that has turned this device from a curiosity into a real contender.³

Unlike a lot of other firmware replacements, Crosspoint is super easy to install; you can do it right from a web browser. While it’s not fully free of technological hurdles, I’d say that most people comfortable using an e-reader or updating their iPhones will be able to handle the process with few problems. And the benefits are manifold.

Crosspoint goes beyond simply turning this into a functional device and into one that is actually fun to use. It’s got a straightforward, easy to navigate interface that makes it simple to do everything from reading to loading books (accomplished via a web-based interface). For those who like to tweak their reading setup, there are plenty of configuration options, everything from screen orientation to hyphenation and, yes, custom fonts loaded via the SD card.

Even the onscreen keyboard that you need to use for various configuration tasks is pretty solid for what’s available—on par with navigating via an onscreen keyboard with a game controller, in my opinion. I wouldn’t want to have to type in my Wi-Fi password every time—and you don’t, because it saves it for you—but one time was fine.

There are also a bunch of other features that might appeal to those who want to take reading to the next level. For example, support for Open Publication Distribution System (OPDS) standard means that if you want to host your book library on your own server, you can point your reader at that and download any of the books you already own directly to your device. There’s also support for KOreader sync to help keep your place between supported devices.⁴

Crosspoint has been so successful, in fact, that the team at Xteink has smartened up and started collaborating. (This after a brief moment when it looked like the company might try to firmware lock its devices.) Now, not only do the “developer editions” sold directly by the company continue to allow you to install the custom firmware, the company has been working with the Crosspoint team to make sure new devices, like the X4 Pro, will already be supported when they arrive. While Xteink hasn’t quite adopted Crosspoint as the default OS, it’s not far off.

The world is not enough

Given how positive I’ve been above, you might be all too tempted to run out and snap up an Xteink X3 for yourself. I don’t blame you! At $79 (and often discounted for less than that), it’s well positioned as an impulse buy. And while I don’t want to dissuade you, I have to note the biggest caveat of all: the world.

If there’s one thing that’s holding back the X3 and the X4 and, frankly, all the other wacky readers out there, it’s the market. The e-reader space is still unquestionably dominated by Amazon purveying its razors-and-blades strategy: buy the Kindle for cheap⁵ and the company earns it all back when you buy your books or sign up for Kindle Unlimited’s all-you-can-eat plan. Kobo, who makes the hardware that I prefer, is a distant second, and has some advantages, but operates on roughly a similar scheme.

Both of these companies benefit from lock-in in the form of Digital Rights Management. DRM is, of course, largely pushed by publishers, who insist upon cryptographic schemes to lock down the books they sell in order to nominally protect against piracy. Never mind the fact that books are still easily and widely pirated, the DRM is relatively simple to crack⁶, and many of those books have been vacuumed up by the boatload by an even more insidious thief in the form of AI training data.

I come at this, of course, from the perspective of both reader and writer. As a writer, I certainly want to be compensated for all the hard work I put in to create my books, but I also want people to read and enjoy them. That’s why you’ll find no stauncher defender of libraries.

Personally, I find the industry’s insistence on DRM misplaced, just as I did with the music industry two decades ago. The lack of these security features does not automatically turn people at large into thieves and it’s insulting to think that it would. In fact, the sci-fi publisher Tor, one of the biggest names in the business and a subsidiary of Big Five publisher Macmillan, has put out its titles without DRM for almost fifteen years and I haven’t seen any significant indication that it’s harmed their business. Many of my books are also available directly from my publisher without DRM, and I don’t think that’s put a dent in my bottom line either.

I would love to be able to easily load any book I’ve ever purchased onto my Xteink devices—or, for that matter, any e-reader or e-reading app of my choice. There are, of course, extensive repositories of DRM-free public domain books available. Amazon, to its credit, does now allow you to download DRM-free copies of any book that you’ve purchased.⁷ I argued a few years back that this is an opportunity for Apple to distinguish its stagnant ebook marketplace from the competition. But for first-run books, your options are currently more limited (and sometimes harder to suss out).

I’d also love to somehow see support for Libby, the popular library ebook borrowing app, on Xteink devices, though I don’t see that happening anytime soon. But in my opinion, the bottom line is that more ways to read makes more readers of books, which in turn makes more customers of books.

But I digress.

The conclusion

The other week I was riding the train with my kid, our usual weekend pastime. As he was enjoying looking out the window, I was reading a book on the X3, magneted to the back of my iPhone 17 Pro. As we neared a stop, a woman nearby caught sight of it and marveled over it. “Is that a tiny e-reader?”

I extolled its virtues for a moment before they got off at their stop. But it told me one important thing: there’s a hunger for these types of devices. Because people who self-select as readers in this day and age are, above all, passionate. You have to make a choice to be sitting and reading a book when you could be watching TikTok or Instagram or listening to music or a podcast, all of which are constantly at your fingertips.

That’s where the X3 (and the X4) deliver. A Kindle or Kobo isn’t exactly bulky, but they’re not pocketable either. Being able to take your e-reader with you just as we stuffed mass market paperbacks in our back pockets in days gone by is freeing and fun. Now if the world might just shift a little bit more to meet us, maybe we could free ourselves a little further.