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In Messages on iPhone , you can now use SMS, RCS, end-to-end encrypted RCS, and iMessage. Sure, sending media to Android is better, but everything else is more confusing and frustrating than ever. RCS end-to-end encryption is in beta so it doesn't always work right Sometimes a clever marketing trick or feature highlight can lead to deeply rooted societal divides. What started as a way to show users that they were not using iMessage and potentially being nickeled and dimed for each SMS is now, annoyingly, a kind of status symbol. The simple act of texting has become a divisive and sometimes irritating aspect of using a smartphone. Whether you care about technology or not, if you're an iPhone user, you've at the least subconsciously reacted to a green bubble text. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums
Price alone is likely to make the iPhone Fold (or iPhone Ultra ) a somewhat niche product in Apple’s lineup, but a new survey suggests there could be more interest than one might expect. While the majority of US smartphone owners unsurprisingly care most about two vital but uninteresting things, interest in new form factors like foldables was surprisingly high … more…
Google today announced a new series of Googlebook laptops that will be built with Gemini at the core. Googlebooks will run software built on a foundation that combines Android and ChromeOS. Google says the new laptops are designed for Gemini Intelligence for a more personalized and proactive experience. Instead of a cursor, Googlebooks have a Magic Pointer that users can wiggle to activate Gemini. Gemini can then provide contextual suggestions and answers based on whatever the user is pointing to on the screen. Pointing at a date in an email sets up a meeting, and selecting two images allows them to be visualized together. There are ask, compare, and combine tools available with the Magic Pointer. Create My Widget, a new Android feature, is coming to Googlebooks. Users can create custom widgets with a Gemini prompt. Gemini is able to search the internet and connect with Google apps like Gmail and Calendar to create a personalized dashboard that can be used for widget creation. Since Googlebooks will run Android, it will be easier to switch between a Googlebook and an Android smartphone. Apps from a connected Android smartphone will be available on the Googlebook, with a feature set similar to Apple's iPhone Mirroring. Quick Access will let users view, search, or insert files from a smartphone on the laptop, with no transfer needed. Google says it is working with Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, and Lenovo to make the first Googlebooks . The machines will be built with "premium craftsmanship and materials, coming in a variety of shapes and sizes." Each one will have a "glowbar" on the lid, making it clear that it's a Googlebook. Google has not given insight into Googlebook pricing, but with the specific "premium" build language, they could be priced above the low-cost MacBook Neo that Apple recently came out with. It's also possible that Googlebooks will have MacBook Neo-level pricing to better compete with Apple's laptop in on pricing and build quality. The first Googlebooks are set to launch this fall. Tags: Android , Google This article, " Google Unveils Googlebook, a New AI Laptop Built Around Gemini " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
Popular Mac menu bar management app Bartender received an upgrade today with the launch of Bartender Pro . Bartender Pro adds a new Top Shelf feature to the Mac's notch, with access to multiple utility tools. Top Shelf can be used for clipboard access, storing files, controlling audio, and sending content over AirDrop. It supports widgets for calendar, weather, and music apps like Apple Music or Spotify. There's a full Now Playing music controller, and options to get alerts when scheduled events are coming up. Top Shelf expands the size of the notch, turning it into something like the iPhone's Dynamic Island . Users can drag files over to the notch to store them or send them via AirDrop, and access a clipboard. The clipboard can be set to automatically capture content that's copied, with options to ignore passwords. There are customizable duration options for both the clipboard and file storage. Widgets in Top Shelf are customizable, and it supports a Live Activity-like tracking feature for AI agents like Codex and Claude Code. Info like volume, display brightness, and battery level is also available. Top Shelf works alongside Bartender, and all of the standard Bartender features are available with Bartender Pro. When not in use, Top Shelf is tucked away much like Bartender, and it disappears when Bartender is expanded. While it is a tool designed around the notch, it also works on Macs that don't have one. Bartender Pro is optional, and users who don't need the extra features can stick with Bartender 6. Bartender Pro is priced at $15 per year. The subscription includes Bartender 6, all future upgrades for the subscription duration, and the Bartender Pro suite. Bartender 6 is still available for a one-time $20 purchase, and the $80 Mega Supporter option continues to offer lifetime Bartender access with Bartender Pro included. Bartender Pro and Bartender 6 are available from the Bartender website . Tag: Bartender This article, " Bartender Pro Brings Widgets, Clipboard, and File Storage to the MacBook Notch " first appeared on MacRumors.com Discuss this article in our forums
