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Report: Revamped Siri to Be at the Core of Apple’s New AI Strategy

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Apple’s shift to develop its own AI technology to keep up with competitors was today detailed in a The New York Times report.

Apple Silicon AI Optimized Feature Siri 1
Citing sources familiar with Apple’s work, the report explains that the decision to revamp Siri was taken early last year by Apple’s most senior executives. Senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi and senior vice president of Machine Learning and AI Strategy John Giannandrea are said to have spent several weeks testing OpenAI’s ChatGPT to understand the ways in which the competitor made ‌Siri‌ look antiquated. The ‌Siri‌ team purportedly failed to receive attention and resources compared to other groups inside Apple, and the company has struggled to recruit and retain leading AI researchers.

Apple executives are said to be concerned that AI threatens the iPhone‘s market share because it has the potential to become a more compelling operating system with an ecosystem of AI apps that undermine the App Store. Apple apparently fears the ‌iPhone‌ becoming a “dumb brick” compared with other technology.

This conclusion triggered a significant reorganization at Apple amid determination to catch up in the race to develop AI tools. The company moved to reallocate employees and resources toward AI, and the change of strategy was a contributing factor in the decision to cancel its electric vehicle project. Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 models will supposedly feature more memory to support AI features.

Apple is expected to reveal a series of AI tools at its WWDC keynote on June 10, including an improved version of ‌Siri‌ that is more conversational and capable, with the ability to “chat” rather than merely respond to individual queries. The company is working on making ‌Siri‌ better at handling tasks such as setting timers, creating calendar appointments, adding items to Reminders, and summarizing text. Apple plans to market the new version of ‌Siri‌ as a more private alternative to rival AI services because most requests will be processed on-device rather than remotely in data centres. See the full The New York Times article for more information.

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Apple Announces New iPad Pro With M4 Chip, OLED Display, and More

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Apple Event Live Blog: New iPad Pro, iPad Air, and More

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Everything Announced at Today’s Apple Event

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Apple Announces Redesigned Magic Keyboard for New iPad Pro Starting at $299

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Apple Says iOS 17.5 Coming ‘Soon’ With These New Features for iPhones

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News

macOS 15 Rumored to Feature Revamped Calculator App

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Apple will debut a major revamp of the Calculator app in macOS 15 later this year, according to AppleInsider.

macOS 15 Feature

The overhauled version of the Calculator app for Mac will reportedly feature:

  • An enhanced unit conversion system located in the main user interface, including for currency conversion with up-to-date exchange rates.
  • “Math Notes” to allow the Notes app to communicate with the Calculator app in mathematical notation, also coming to iOS 18.
  • A history tape in the sidebar to show previous calculations, likely accessible via a dedicated button on the top left, which also provides options to toggle between all three calculator views: Basic, scientific, and programmer.
  • Adjustable window size across all three calculator views, with buttons that enlarge and change shape as needed.

The redesigned app will apparently offer a new design inspired by its iPhone counterpart in iOS 18, featuring rounded buttons. ‌macOS 15‌ is almost certain to be previewed alongside ‌iOS 18‌ and Apple’s other major software updates at WWDC on June 10, followed by official release in the fall.

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Delta Game Emulator Now Available From App Store on iPhone

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NES Emulator for iPhone and iPad Now Available on App Store [Removed]

The first approved Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) emulator for the iPhone and iPad was made available on the App Store today following Apple’s rule change. The emulator is called Bimmy, and it was developed by Tom Salvo. On the App Store, Bimmy is described as a tool for testing and playing public domain/”homebrew” games created for the NES, but the app allows you to load ROMs for any…

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Hands-On With the New App Store Delta Game Emulator

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iOS 18 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

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Computers

Cherry MX2A Review: A Revamped Classic

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The Cherry MX switch is, arguably, one of the most important mechanical keyboard switches of all time. Some might argue it’s one of the best mechanical switches ever. No other switch has quite the same legacy. It’s been around for decades and is one of the few switches that run the whole gamut of keyboards. You can find it in everything from point-of-sale systems, office cubicles, and police cars to gaming setups and even premium, limited-run custom keyboards.

Until recently, nearly every mechanical gaming keyboard shipped with MX Reds, Browns, or Blues. For a long time, Cherry’s switches were the best option—mechanical switch or otherwise—for building a keyboard, and they had a reputation for their outstanding typing feel and longevity when compared to their rubber dome and scissor-switch contemporaries.

I have a love for the original Cherry MX switches. They still have a personality and charm no other switch has been able to replicate. I type on them regularly, almost every day, and always find them a treat to use, despite their shortcomings. So it came as a surprise when Cherry announced a successor with the MX2A. How could one of the most beloved and long-lasting mechanical switches suddenly change so drastically? Could these changes make the MX better?

Closeup view of computer keyboard missing a button with black keys and gold color trim

Photograph: Henri Robbins

Cherry’s Legacy

The Cherry MX Black is the mechanical switch. It’s a fairly heavy linear switch made entirely of Cherry’s proprietary blend of plastics and has been in production since 1983 with only minimal changes until now. Cherry rates its MX switches for 100 million keypresses, and it’s not unheard of for MX Blacks to be in operation even after two decades of near-constant use. They eventually became a signifier of quality: If you saw a keyboard with MX switches, you could be pretty sure that it would be both reliable and enjoyable to type on.

As the custom keyboard scene started to form in the early 2000s, people realized something interesting—the longer you used MX switches, the smoother they were to type on. This was true for all of them but most noticeably for MX Blacks. They were the most common in high-use office and point-of-sale systems and had a heavier spring that required more force to be pushed down, resulting in the plastics seeing large amounts of wear.

These “vintage” MX Blacks—which had to be desoldered from older keyboards—became incredibly sought out by enthusiasts for their smoothness, and their scarcity increased demand even further. At the time, Vintage MX Blacks were the best switches possible for a custom-built keyboard kit.

It’s worth noting that these worn-in switches are fairly scratchy by today’s standards. Modern switches, made from higher-end materials and lubed from the factory, are leagues ahead of MX switches in smoothness. However, many keyboard hobbyists today see the MX Black as having a “good” scratch compared to the scratchiness of other switches. It’s consistent, subtle, and rather charming as long as you don’t expect perfection. There are no sudden bumps or catches, but instead a consistent friction that feels more “real” and satisfying than something engineered for perfect smoothness.

Open clear plastic box with mechanical pieces from keyboard keys spilling out

Photograph: Henri Robbins

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