Google has launched Gemini 3.8 Flash, its third Flash-tier model release in six weeks, which it says leads on the DeepSWE coding benchmark. A specialized version, Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber, is tuned for vulnerability detection but is currently restricted to trusted testers and government users. The standard model rolls out across Google's ecosystem today at discounted API pricing through year-end.
tech.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-03
Amazon's Labor Day sale has dropped the 2026 Apple Studio Display with Nano-Texture Glass and Tilt-Adjustable Stand to $1,684.88 via an on-page coupon, a $214 cut from its $1,899 list price and a new all-time low. The same sale also brings AirPods Pro 3 down to $199, a $50 discount, plus deals on iPad Air, AirTag 2, and new Anker and Powerbeats Pro 2 accessories.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-09-03
GKids and Fathom Entertainment will screen two separate filmed stage productions of 'Spirited Away' as part of Studio Ghibli Fest 2026 in US theaters. The stage adaptation, originally produced in Japan, dramatizes Hayao Miyazaki's animated classic with live actors and theatrical staging.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-01
Apple reportedly pushed up the release of its new Mac mini and Mac Studio models this week, months earlier than its usual autumn schedule, after enterprise demand for AI-capable desktop Macs exceeded expectations. The Information reports Apple emphasized the ability to cluster multiple Mac Studios together to run large AI models, a feature targeted at business and developer customers rather than consumers.
hardware.slashdot.org
· 2026-08-31
Apple's earlier-than-usual update to the Mac mini and Mac Studio was driven by unexpected demand from businesses using the machines to run AI models, according to The Information. The company touted the ability to cluster multiple Mac Studios for larger AI workloads, but reportedly lacks a dedicated enterprise engineering team or developer relations staff, and has declined requests from businesses to access its Private Cloud Compute infrastructure directly.
macrumors.com
· 2026-08-31
Apple revealed refreshed Mac mini and Mac Studio models about two weeks before its September 9 event instead of unveiling them on stage. According to The Information, the company moved up the announcement because demand for these machines for AI workloads exceeded expectations, leaving some configurations backordered for months.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-31
Visual effects veteran Phil Tippett, known for pioneering stop-motion and CG creature work across four decades, has stepped away from filmmaking after selling Tippett Studio. The announcement came over the weekend, closing out a career that spanned classic effects films and influential animation techniques.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-08-30
BYOK, a minimalist distraction-free writing gadget, is developing an optional scripting system that lets power users extend its functionality beyond basic drafting. Founder Nick Sjolinder is testing features like a screenplay assistant, character note tool, and writing analyzer that could flag passive voice or pull highlighted text into notes. The scripting system is still in early development and not yet public, with the company currently soliciting user feedback.
theverge.com
· 2026-08-29
StudioCanal is bringing James Cameron's Terminator 2: Judgment Day back to theaters this weekend to mark the film's 35th anniversary and the franchise's fictional 'Judgment Day' date of August 29, 1997. The re-release prompted a retrospective look at the sequel's production history, including Schwarzenegger's push for a follow-up and Cameron's decision to reframe the original Terminator as a protective figure for young John Connor.
arstechnica.com
· 2026-08-28
A user ran Alibaba's new Qwen3.8 27B model locally on a Mac Studio M3 Ultra for 10 days, using it for daily tasks like summarizing RSS feeds and renaming scanned PDFs, then formally benchmarked it against its predecessor. The Q4_K_M version generated at about 14 tokens per second versus 28.6 tokens/s for Qwen3.6 27B, but produced answers using roughly a third as many tokens, making total response time nearly equal. A 1-bit quantized version ran much faster at 27 tokens/s and stayed factually accurate but struggled to commit to definitive answers.
terminalbytes.com
· 2026-08-28
Apple this week rolled out updated Mac mini and Mac Studio models and sent out official invitations for its September event, where the iPhone 18 Pro lineup is expected to debut. Reports also point to additional fall product announcements still to come, alongside a small round of layoffs affecting roughly 200 employees.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-27
Following Apple's announcement of refreshed Mac Studio and Mac mini lineups with M6 and M5 Pro/Max/Ultra chips, retailers Amazon and Best Buy began accepting pre-orders the same day. Pricing starts at $899 for the base Mac mini and $2,499 for the Mac Studio, alongside an updated Magic Keyboard and a cheaper $9 Polishing Cloth.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-08-27