A UI engineer who worked at Apple's online store from 2004-2006 shared how he redesigned the 'Personalize your iPod' page to replace a plain form with a rotatable iPod graphic, a live engraving preview, and a shipping-time highlight. The rotation used cycling JPEGs via JavaScript, ImageMagick generated the engraved text overlay, and CSS class swaps produced a yellow-fade effect to flag shipping changes. He notes a working demo of the old feature still exists.
dunstanorchard.com
· 2026-09-09
9to5Mac's daily podcast episode for September 8, 2026 rounds up recent reporting on rumored HomePod developments and anticipated changes to the App Store. The episode is available across major podcast platforms and is sponsored by productivity app Stuff and device-management tool iMazing.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-09
Sonos has released its Sonos 27 app update for all S2-compatible hardware, adopting a new year-based naming convention similar to iOS. The update lets pairs of portable speakers like Move 2 or Sonos Play act as rear surrounds with a compatible soundbar, introduces a redesigned navigation interface with swipe gestures and pinned rooms, and adds early-access features for headphone-speaker audio handoff and third-party AI assistant integration.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-08
With new iPhone models on the horizon, buyers face a choice between purchasing directly from Apple or through a wireless carrier. Apple offers unlocked phones with no long-term contract, plus a discount of about $30 if the phone is activated with a carrier at purchase, while carriers often provide financing plans that spread costs over time.
cnet.com
· 2026-09-08
Android Authority surveyed nearly 2,200 readers about Google's tougher sideloading measures, which add security checks, a 24-hour delay, and a forced restart before installing apps from outside the Play Store. Roughly 47.5% said the extra friction is always worth it, while another 36.6% said it's worth it for certain apps only, meaning over 80% of respondents remain willing to sideload despite the added steps.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-08
Google has rolled out Play Services version 26.35, which lets Android users tap their physical transit cards against an NFC-enabled phone to import the card and its balance into Google Wallet. The update also adds a redesigned 'Add a card' success screen and various account management and location-sharing improvements. Separately, Google Play Store version 53.1 introduces a new navigation bar and short feature descriptions in the 'Similar Apps' section.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-08
Meta has moved its agentic AI assistant, Muse, into a limited closed testing phase, according to Testing Catalog, gating access through a waitlist and invite codes. An App Store listing reveals the app can connect to Gmail, Google Calendar, health apps, and even users' bank accounts and cards to track spending and suggest canceling unused subscriptions.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-08
With the Pixel 11 lineup now priced from $899 to $1,900, Google is offering notably better trade-in credit for old phones than competing retailers. A 2024 Pixel 9 Pro XL that fetches only $255-$310 at Apple, Amazon or Best Buy can earn several hundred dollars more through Google's own trade-in program.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-07
Apple's Certified Refurbished program provides devices with new shells, new batteries, full Apple testing, complete accessory sets, and a full one-year warranty at roughly 15% off, typically appearing about three months after a product's launch. By contrast, Amazon Renewed items are inspected by third-party sellers, may include used shells and batteries rated to at least 80% capacity, possibly non-Apple accessories, and only a 90-day warranty, with cosmetic condition split into three tiers. Walmart Restored offers less transparency about condition standards compared to both Apple and Amazon.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-07
Reports say Apple is developing a privacy-focused home security and monitoring device that uses AI rather than video footage, tied to a new subscription service. Separately, executives including Eddy Cue are reportedly exploring ways to raise App Store margins and extract more recurring revenue from developers.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-07
Android Authority found evidence within Play Store version 53.0 of an unreleased interface specifically for paid games. The redesign uses a larger, more immersive banner image with ratings, age rating, and device compatibility info layered at the bottom, alongside the recently spotted Ask Play question-chip feature.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-07
Digging into Play Store version 53.0, Android Authority uncovered and activated a hidden option that lets users pause and later resume app installs instead of only being able to cancel them. The outlet recorded a working demo showing a new 'Pause' button alongside a 'Resume' option, with the built-in download manager listing paused downloads for quick access. Google has not made the feature public yet, but the code exists and works with some manual tinkering.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-07
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