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My mum is 86 years old. She has an old 2014 MacBook Air and an iPad Mini 6th Generation. She doesn't use the MacBook so much anymore but she loves her iPad. It is her third now. She uses them pretty hard! Almost 24/7. Her faithful iPad mini (6th generation) (Wi-Fi + Cellular) started to behave badly last week when it failed to take charge anymore. I took it home and verified there was a problem with it. Fortunately I was able to back it up. I thought about binning it and buying another one, but decided to take it to the Apple Store to see what could be done.
TL:DR – Apple replaced it with a new same model iPad for the charge for a battery repair. Only Apple behave this way, at retail outlets worldwide. They stand by their products and help customers if at all possible.
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With the unveiling of Liquid Glass at WWDC 2025, Apple has undoubtedly dominated the conversation surrounding its forthcoming operating systems. But before you dive headfirst into the reality distortion field created by the fluidity of translucent widgets, it’s essential to scrutinise the broader landscape of innovation across Apple's platforms. Liquid Glass isn’t the sole revolution taking place; rather, it is a most visible tip of the iceberg of a multitude of innovations meant to redefine user experience. Lets explores not just the impact of Liquid Glass, but how its introduction is a signpost for other exciting developments across Apple’s ecosystem for the next decade and what all of this means for users, developers, and competitors alike.
TL:DR – Liquid Glass is a significant update in Apple's design ethos, but alongside it, the company is propelling forward with advancements in AI, infrastructure, and developer tools that will have a profound impact on software development, design frameworks, and user experiences. More innovations are on the horizon and many, like Liquid Glass will be shared across different Apple's different platforms, reshaping how we interact with their technology. For those not in software development, it may be wise to keep your device on the current release until the upgrade is released out of beta. Buckle up, it’s about to get interesting.
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Read more: Beyond the glimmer of Liquid Glass is a sparkle concealing a revolution
In product management, where the simplistic notion of developing "great software" has devolved into a relentless race for market share, the idea of using Artificial Intelligence as a tool to enhance productivity might cause a raised British eyebrow given the hype in the market. Yet, the increasingly complex demands of stakeholders and the relentless urgency of customer expectations make it imperative for product managers to embrace AI if they wish to not only survive but thrive.
TL:DR – Artificial Intelligence (AI) can provide product managers with tools to improve productivity through better decision-making, efficient prioritisation, and enhanced collaboration. By leveraging AI-driven frameworks and tools, product managers can streamline workflows, reduce the cost of the product creation and ideation process, ensure product alignment with customer needs, and ultimately deliver value more efficiently. Ignoring AI in the product creation process is, frankly, a dereliction of duty. The choice then is straightforward: embrace AI-driven solutions for product creation and management or risk becoming an anachronism in your own field.
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Read more: Improving product management productivity with AI
Ah, Microsoft Lists. The latest noble attempt to create a flexible, user-friendly tool for collating information and managing tasks. Yet, despite the promise of digital efficiency, these Lists often morph into a tangled web of SharePointy confusion and frustration. As organisations adopt Microsoft 365 and increasingly turn to this tool, I feel like its legitimate to ask the question: Does the brittle nature of Microsoft Lists inadvertently stifle adoption? The answer, regrettably reveals more about Microsoft’s approach to software than its ardent advocates would like to admit.
TL:DR – Microsoft Lists hold great potential for improving productivity, yet their fragility hampers user adoption. A plethora of issues, from simple conditional formatting problems to cumbersome PowerApps integration, contribute to a poor user experience. Adopting a systematic troubleshooting approach combined with user feedback mechanisms could rectify many of these failings. In the end, you would imagine that addressing these shortcomings wold be in Microsoft's best interests if they truly intend to foster long-term user engagement with Microsoft Lists.
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Read more: Does the brittle nature of Microsoft Lists stifle adoption
A Journey with Gemini AI towards Modularity and Quality
For seasoned software development professionals , the hype surrounding artificial intelligence often overshadows its practical implications. This article charts a meticulous journey towards refactoring a Node.js application, focusing on how iterative prompt engineering and a modular approach transformed a generic tool into a highly refined, maintainable with 100% test coverage. We'll dissect the truth of integrating AI tools, using our own development process as a case study.
TL:DR – Refactoring a Node.js app to ensure code quality and maintainability can take a great deal of time and effort, but with the help of AI you can achieve impressive results in hours rather than days through an iterative process of prompt engineering. Crucially, this journey transformed a basic app nto a sophisticated one, We'll explore how specific prompt adjustments, HTML sanitization, and a robust testing framework (Jest) were implemented, offering practical insights into building reliable applications with the help of AI.
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In software development, effective collaboration is essential for producing high-quality code in a timely manner. Pair programming, a practice wherein two developers work together at a single workstation, has proven to enhance both the quality of code and the learning experience. With the advent of advanced generative AI tools, notably the Gemini CLI, developers now have at their disposal a new method of collaboration that raises questions about the nature of pair programming. Is using Gemini CLI to assist in writing software the same as engaging in traditional pair programming? This article seeks to explore this query and examine the implications of generative AI in the programming space, particularly regarding collaboration dynamics and output quality.
TL:DR – The prospect of using AI, like Gemini CLI, in software development introduces new methods of collaboration but does not fully substitute for the human elements inherent in pair programming. While generative AI can enhance productivity and output quality when used effectively, the essence of pair programming involves the interpersonal dynamics of two developers working together, and the whole being greater than just the sum of the parts which is something AI, at its current level of sophistication, cannot replicate. Balancing AI assistance with human collaboration is crucial for optimal software development outcomes. That doesnt mean Gemini CLI isnt incredibly helpful, just that you need to use it for what it is!
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Read more: Is it pair programming when you use Gemini CLI to help you write software?
Google's Android 16 update partially released in June 2025 introduces notable enhancements centring around its Material 3 Expressive design language although this is largely absent from the initial release. The update aims not only to improve aesthetic appeal but also to refine user interaction through visual and functional improvements. Key features include updated icons, animations, and redesigned components, while some existing applications receive significant redesigns. Despite these advancements, it remains worthy of investigation to identify the announced features that are yet to debut, as well as the broader implications for device manufacturers and users.
TL:DR – The Android 16 update is a revitalisation of Google's mobile operating system experience, boasting significant design and usability enhancements. Though the rollout is impressive, some announced features sought by users remain absent But the advanced protection settings and hearing aid support in Android 16 are literally life changing for me. Call screening would be too but I hardly ever answer my phone. Early availability on Google's own Pixel devices is welcome but the complete realisation of Android 16's potential may take time.
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