Someone Tell John Ternus This Would Be a Terrible Crime →

⌘ Permalink

I am excited about the possibilities of a low-end MacBook powered by an A-series chip. I think the return of a fun consumer notebook would be good for Apple. There is one terrible disappointment in the most recent reporting about this machine, however. Here’s Mark Gurman:

Like all Macs, this machine — code-named J700 — will feature an aluminum chassis. It’s not plastic, despite the lower price point. To stick with this premium material, Apple developed a new manufacturing process that allows the shells to be forged more quickly. The technique is designed to be both faster and more cost-effective than the one used with Apple’s current laptops.

Apple will market the machine to students and enterprise users and offer it in playful colors, going beyond the muted tones of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Over the past year, Apple has tested options such as light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver and dark gray — though it’s unlikely all of these will ship.

The lack of orange in that last sentence pains me.

Apple Announces Press ‘Experience’ for March 4 →

⌘ Permalink

Earlier today, Apple sent invites to some folks for an event “experience” on March 4, being held in New York, London, and Shanghai. This is in line with some other press events Apple has held over the last several years for smaller announcements that warrant a hands-on approach. As John Voorhees writes, these spring releases tend to be a bit smaller in nature:

With several products rumored to be getting updates in 2026, it’s hard to guess what’s planned, although in the past, Apple has launched or refreshed products like the iPhone 16e, iPads, and the MacBook Air around this time of year.

Hartley Charlton at MacRumors reminds us of what is currently rumored to be nearing release:

The announcement of several new Apple products is believed to be imminent, including the iPhone 17e, MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, eighth-generation, iPad Air, 12th-generation iPad, and more. A refreshed Studio Display and an all-new low-cost MacBook with the A18 chip are also possibilities, along with a new Apple TV and HomePod mini.

I suspect we’ll hear from from Mark Gurman and others about what is planned before the 4th rolls around.

Jony Ive Designed a Car Interior

⌘ Permalink

It’s not every day that supercar news makes it onto the page of tech-centric websites, but the Ferrari Luce has done just that. The upcoming EV has made huge waves due to its interior design:

Luce

Of course, this cockpit is designed by Jony Ive and his collaborators at LoveFrom. Here’s how Ferrari describes it:

Ferrari has always been ready to innovate. The Ferrari Luce project with Jony Ive, Marc Newson and LoveFrom began with a mutual interest in learning, in understanding the future – and a deep understanding of and appreciation for Ferrari heritage. This work is motivated by excellence, and by creating something extraordinary.

And:

The Ferrari Luce’s interface is designed with clear organisational principles. Controls and displays are grouped functionally, with the most essential commands and feedback directly in front of the driver.

That webpage is worth scrolling through. The precision of the components reminds me of something like the iPhone 4. That’s the same product that came to mind for Tim Stevens:

If you’re familiar with the designs that Apple produced under Ive’s tenure, particularly in the era beginning with the iPhone 4, you’ll feel right at home here. The overall aesthetic is one dominated by squircles and circles, all with absolute, minute perfection and symmetry.

At first blush, it’s a bit clinical, but dig deeper, start poking and prodding, and you’ll see there’s a real sense of charm here. Fun little details and genuinely satisfying tactility begin to reveal themselves. The key, for example, has a yellow panel with an E Ink background. Push the key into the magnetized receiver in the center console, and the yellow on the key dims, moving across to glow through the top of the glass shifter. It’s meant to symbolize a sort of transference of life.

The shifter isn’t the only thing that’s glass. There are 40-odd pieces of Corning Gorilla Glass scattered throughout the cockpit, everything from the shifter surround to the slightly convex lenses in the gauge cluster. What isn’t glass is aluminum, much of it anodized in your choice of three colors: gray, dark gray and rose gold.

Yes, all that sure does sound like I’m writing about a new iPhone and not the latest Ferrari. But where Apple has been pruning every physical control it possibly can from its devices lately, LoveFrom will insert some great tactility in the Luce. The shifter moves through its detents satisfyingly, the air vents open and close with a clear snick and the paddles behind the steering wheel pop with a great feel.

I love the pushback against the Tesla-inspired everything-is-on-a-big-display-and-you’ll-like-it design that has taken over the car industry. I suspect more would-be buyers will struggle with the fact that this is Ferrari’s first all-electric car than they will with the interior design.

iPhones in Spaaaaaace →

⌘ Permalink

Eric Berger at Ars:

On Wednesday night, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman revealed that the Crew-12 and Artemis II astronauts will be allowed to bring iPhones and other modern smartphones into orbit and beyond.

“NASA astronauts will soon fly with the latest smartphones, beginning with Crew-12 and Artemis II,” Isaacman wrote on X. “We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world.”

NASA astronauts have long captured amazing photos from the space station, but having a smartphone on hand will open up a world of video possibilities. This will likely be especially useful when astronauts are conducting an experiment or looking outside a window and see an interesting, transient phenomenon.

Artemis II Pushed to March to Address Wet Dress Rehearsal Issues

⌘ Permalink

Artemis II is going to be on the ground a little longer. After a two-day “wet dress rehearsal” test in which cryogenic propellant was loaded into the rocket, a liquid hydrogen leak and an issue with a valve crew module hatch led to the launch being scrubbed for now.

“NASA now will target March as the earliest possible launch opportunity for the flight test,” wrote Rachel H. Kraft.

SLS

Stephen Clark at Ars Technica reminds us that such issues are exactly why these tests exist:

The practice countdown was designed to identify problems and provide NASA an opportunity to fix them before launch. Most importantly, the test revealed NASA still has not fully resolved recurring hydrogen leaks that delayed the launch of the unpiloted Artemis I test flight by several months in 2022. Artemis I finally launched successfully after engineers revised their hydrogen loading procedures to overcome the leak.

The One Where I Announce I’m Stepping Back From Mac Power Users

⌘ Permalink

MPU

In late 2018, David Sparks and I announced that I was joining Mac Power Users as a host. Here’s what I wrote at the time:

On this week’s episode, Katie announced that she is stepping away from the podcast almost ten years after the first episode. I will genuinely miss hearing her back and forth with David, her passion for technology and her uncanny ability to explain complex topics with ease.

Katie is leaving big shoes to fill, and it’s why I was deeply humbled when David asked me to step in as his new cohost. I am beyond thrilled to announce that I will be taking up the mantle on Mac Power Users starting in January.

Over seven years later, I’m still deeply humbled and beyond thrilled that David asked me to join him on MPU. The show is an institution, and I am honored to have helped steward it for so long.

However, working for yourself means a career full of change, even when that change is bittersweet.

I find myself needing to focus more on the behind-the-scenes, both at Relay and Cross Forward. Each will benefit from more of my time and attention, but to make that possible, I need step back from my podcasting a bit. That is what this change is about.

This change is not about anything internal to the show. David Sparks is the best podcast co-host, creative partner, and friend that one could ask for. From the moment I first told him about my decision to today, he has been nothing but supportive and understanding. There is nothing in our relationship or in our working together that led me to step back.

I am so pleased to announce that Stephen Robles will be taking my place on the podcast.

Being on MPU requires a spirit of exploration and a desire to teach, and Stephen has both. Just as importantly, Stephen has the dedication that this show demands. MPU requires more time than any other podcast I have hosted, and Stephen is more than qualified for the task. I mean, just LOOK AT HIS YOUTUBE OUTPUT MY WORD.

I’m thrilled Stephen said yes. It’s given me peace about this transition that I am thankful for, and I know that he and David will take Mac Power Users to all-new heights as the show inches toward its 20th anniversary in just three years.

So, what’s next?

The episode out today is my penultimate appearance as a host; a week from today will be my last. If you have questions or suggestions for our “Farewell, Stephen” episode, drop us a note. We’ll be recording it on Tuesday.

You can still catch me on Connected every week, and of course, I plan to blog here until they put me in the ground.

If you want to hear more, we spoke about this at the top of today’s episode.

Challenger at 40: Christa McAuliffe, America’s Teacher in Space →

⌘ Permalink

Michael Kranish, writing at The Washington Post (Apple News), reflecting on the life and impact of Christa McAuliffe:

On that day four decades ago, I was standing alongside McAuliffe’s parents and friends. I was a reporter in the Boston Globe’s bureau in Concord, New Hampshire, and I was assigned to follow McAuliffe’s journey from Concord to Cape Canaveral. I visited McAuliffe in her home, flew with her son’s class to Florida and witnessed the disaster.

As the 40th anniversary neared, I revisited McAuliffe’s journey, documented in my clippings as well as thousands of pages of books, reports and previously unpublished material. I tracked down the handful of surviving former officials involved in the launch decision, including the rocket company manager, who reversed himself and signed off on the launch.

What I found are intertwined stories: one of McAuliffe and her fellow crewmates, determined to revive interest in the space program, and another of behind-the-scenes turmoil as rocket engineers all but begged that the launch be scrubbed.

McAuliffe was chosen in July 1985 from 11,000 applicants to become the first teacher in space. This brought a wave of attention to the shuttle program that had been mostly forgotten by the public. The loss of the crew was always going to be a painful moment, but her presence on the shuttle meant many, many adults and children saw the moment live on TV.