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An older blog post reintroducing the 'CRAP' metric (Change Risk Anti-Patterns) for assessing code quality has been circulating again. The piece explains the metric's origins and how developers can apply it to gauge the risk associated with modifying complex, poorly tested code.
A study slated for publication in Physical Review D proposes that neutrinos switching between types inside a collapsing star's core could help resolve long-standing mismatches between supernova models and observations. Current simulations of core-collapse supernovae largely ignore this flavor-swapping behavior, even though neutrinos play a central role in triggering the explosion. The researchers suggest accounting for these identity changes could bring predicted supernova rates and outcomes closer to what astronomers actually observe.
Ars Technica's review of macOS 27 Golden Gate reports that Apple has removed the option to disable Apple Intelligence, eliminating the toggle that once let users skip downloading its AI models. The release also ends support for Intel-based Macs entirely, running only on Apple Silicon, while bringing design fixes and performance polish to areas criticized in macOS 26 Tahoe.
A new tool called Delta has entered public beta, offering a multiplayer workspace where teams write code alongside AI agents and review the results without relying on traditional pull requests. The company behind it says it has already disabled pull requests on its own repository, running all internal collaboration through Delta instead. The tool is available on macOS, Linux, Windows, and via browser, including mobile access to ongoing conversation threads.
MIT Technology Review released an on-demand Roundtable featuring editors Niall Firth, Will Douglas Heaven and Grace Huckins debating how seriously to take Silicon Valley's warnings about AI causing human extinction. Separately, the outlet published a narrated podcast episode examining Generation Lab, a startup claiming a two-drug combination can rejuvenate blood and reverse aging effects without exchanging bodily fluids, though it refuses to disclose the drugs involved.
Apple has released the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which reviewers say deliver notable gains in battery life, processing performance, and camera quality over the prior generation. These improvements reportedly put the devices ahead of competing premium Android flagships in overall capability.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max bring a redesigned back where the glass camera cutout now matches the aluminum color, addressing criticism of last year's contrasting two-tone look. The phones also gain a variable aperture camera, faster performance, longer battery life, and added weight, and come in burgundy, glacier, silver, and black.
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro introduces a variable aperture camera with six blades controlled by a rotor, letting users choose between four settings from f/1.48 to f/4.0 directly in the Camera app. The update is paired with other imaging features including cinematic effects for standard video, Apple Reference Image, Photographic Styles 3, and an Audio Mix tool for music. According to early hands-on testing, the new aperture control produces more natural soft-focus effects than the phone's existing Portrait mode.
WIRED's review of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max highlights strong multi-day battery life, especially on the larger Pro Max, along with a significant performance jump from the new A20 Pro chip. The devices can run demanding console ports like Control, aided by a vapor chamber with triple the surface area for cooling. The phones also ship with iOS 27 and an upgraded Siri AI that remains less capable than rival assistants.
WIRED's roundup of the best Android phones for 2026 includes guidance for shoppers considering models outside the main recommendations, covering display type, screen size, processor, RAM, cooling and refresh rate. It notes that OLED screens are now common even in budget phones, that Qualcomm Snapdragon 7-series or MediaTek Dimensity 7000-series chips or better offer reliable performance, and that 8GB of RAM (ideally 12GB) suits multitasking and AI features.
Engadget tested Breville's Eye Q toaster across all seven of its browning settings using fresh whole wheat bread, finding a smooth, consistent gradient from barely crisped to deep brown without burning. The device automatically senses timing rather than relying on a fixed dial, and includes a sourdough mode plus a button to add extra toasting time if needed.
CNET is revisiting its original 2007 review of the first iPhone, written by Kent German and Donald Bell, as Apple prepares to launch the foldable iPhone Duo starting at $2,000. The original review praised the iPhone's design but criticized its missing features, slow EDGE network, and $499 price tag, which required a two-year AT&T contract.