OpenAI’s flagship AI chatbot, ChatGPT, returned to solid growth in the latter half of 2024, according to a new report published on Thursday by VC firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). While it took ChatGPT nine months to grow from 100 million weekly active users in November 2023 to 200 million in August 2024, it’s now taken […]
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AI company founders have a reputation for making bold claims about the technology’s potential to reshape fields, particularly the sciences. But Thomas Wolf, Hugging Face’s co-founder and chief science officer, has a more measured take. In an essay published to X on Thursday, Wolf said that he feared AI becoming “yes-men on servers” absent a […]
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Following the wide release on Tuesday, Android 15 QPR2 Beta 3 users are now being offered the stable “Android Beta Exit No Date Wipe” OTA update.
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ChatGPT on macOS is about to become more useful for coding. With the latest update for the app (version 1.2025.057), ChatGPT can now edit code directly within an integrated development environment — no need to copy and paste. You can find the full list of supported IDEs on OpenAI's website, but some of the more notable inclusions are Apple's own Xcode, Visual Code Studio and offshoots of Jetbrains like Android Studio and PyCharm.
According to OpenAI, IDE integration has been one of the most-requested features from macOS users since the company released its "works with app" framework back in November. If you're a Plus, Pro or Team subscriber, you can start using the integration today. As for Enterprise, Edu and Free users, look for the updated app to arrive next week.
ChatGPT for macOS can now edit code directly in IDEs. Available to Plus, Pro, and Team users. pic.twitter.com/WPB2RMP0tj
— OpenAI Developers (@OpenAIDevs) March 6, 2025
Perhaps unsurprisingly this feature arrives just as "vibecoding" enters the popular lexicon. For the uninitiated, vibecoding is a form of coding that involves using AI tools like ChatGPT (and the power of vibes, of course) to program apps and games. While it might seem like a meme, vibecoding is very much a real thing. In a video titled "Vibe Coding is the Future," Jared Friedman, a managing partner at Y Combinator, said a quarter of the startup accelerator's W25 cohort have a code base that was 95 percent generated by AI.
"This isn't a fad. This isn't going away. This is the dominant way to code. And if you are not doing it, you might just be left behind," Garry Tan, the CEO of Y Combinator, added in the same video.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-for-macos-can-now-directly-edit-xcode-projects-201904659.html?src=rss©
© OpenAI
Most Android phones ship with Google's Gboard as the default input option. It's a reliable, feature-rich on-screen keyboard, so most folks just keep using it instead of installing a third-party option. Depending on how you feel about circles, it might be time to check out some of those alternatives. Google has quietly released an update that changes the shape and position of the keys, and users are not pleased.
In the latest build of Gboard (v15.1.05.726012951-beta-arm64-v8a), Google has changed the key shape from the long-running squares to circle shapes. If you're using the four-row layout, the keys are like little pills. In five-row mode with the exposed number row, the keys are collapsed further into circles. The reactions seem split between those annoyed by this change and those annoyed that everyone else is so annoyed.
Change can be hard sometimes, so certainly some of the discontent is just a function of having the phone interface changed without warning. If you find it particularly distasteful, you can head into the Gboard settings and open the Themes menu. From there, you can tap on a theme and then turn off the key borders. Thus, you won't be distracted by the horror of rounded edges. That's not the only problem with the silent update, though.
Yesterday, reviewers agreed: AMD is finally beating Nvidia with its RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards, assuming they actually launch with sufficient stock at their $549 and $599 prices.
But this morning’s launch, while better than recent Nvidia launches in terms of supply, may not have met that bar — and AMD would not deny reports that even the best-priced models of these GPUs are capped to specific quantities, after which they may be sold at higher than $549 or $599.
When The Verge checked this morning, major US retailers Best Buy and Newegg listed as few as a single model of each GPU at their MSRP, which sold out quickly, of course. Most cards are listed for a $100 premium over that MSRP, if not more.
Micro Center appears to be doing far better, with as many as five 9070s and five 9070 XTs at MSRP and a website that claims they’re even still available for purchase if you visit one of its 28 US locations in person.
What happens next? It’s not unusual for each graphics card partner to sell a variety of fancier grades of the same GPU at higher prices with fancier cooling and overclocking — but retailers are now suggesting that even the prices of entry-level cards won’t hold.
“We have now learned how the recommended prices, also known as MSRP prices, work for the launch of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT […] they will apply to a limited number of cards,” wrote Swedish retailer Inet.se, as documented by VideoCardz.
“MSRP is capped quantity of a few hundred, so prices will jump once those are sold through,” UK retailer Overclockers UK also reportedly wrote.
Even Best Buy seemed to suggest that $549 / $599 prices were only temporary. When we visited this morning, the Best Buy website described them like they were on sale, though the company has since removed the “save $80” and “save $130” you see below.
We asked AMD:
AMD would not confirm or deny. It did address the larger question of MSRP availability with this statement from chief gaming solutions architect (and gaming marketing boss) Frank Azor, though:
It is inaccurate that $549 / $599 MSRP is launch-only pricing. We expect cards to be available from multiple vendors at $549 / $599 (excluding region specific tariffs and / or taxes) based on the work we have done with our AIB partners, and more are coming. At the same time, the AIBs have different premium configurations at higher price points and those will also continue.
On X, Azor tweeted that AMD is working to replenish stock “in the coming days and weeks,” adding, “MSRP pricing (excluding region specific tariffs and/or taxes) will continue to be encouraged beyond today so don’t despair.”
Shield AI is now one of the U.S.'s biggest defense tech startups by valuation, raising
$240 million at a $5.3 billion valuation in its latest round.
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The cross-platform development space just got an unexpected shake-up. ByteDance, the company behind TikTok, has launched Lynx, an open-source framework built to challenge React Native. And to clear up any confusion—this Lynx is not the old terminal-based web browser that shares […]
The post ByteDance launches Lynx, a React Native killer from TikTok’s arsenal first appeared on Tech Startups.
Day 4 of the Discover Samsung sale is now in full swing with with over $1,500 in savings on Samsung’s Bespoke AI Laundry Combo all-in-one washer and ventless dryer alongside a straight up $440 price drop on the new Galaxy S25 Ultra and ongoing $200 discounts Galaxy Z Flip 6, but for now we are focused on the Google Play app deals. Highlights include titles like Little Nightmares, Crying Suns, The Last Game, Charterstone, and more. Hit the jump for a closer look.
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Whether you’re a heavy user of Apple Notes or not, you may have missed that iOS 18 introduced a new feature designed to take lots of the work out of note-taking. Thanks to the addition of audio recordings, bolstered by transcripts and summaries, Apple Notes makes it easier than ever to capture notes on your iPhone, iPad, and more.
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At its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last June, Apple announced updates coming to its various operating systems, most of which focus on its own version of AI, dubbed Apple Intelligence. MacBooks will get macOS 15, aka Sequoia, that will support Image Playground, Apple’s image generation tool, and AI composition features that can rewrite, proofread and summarize text in Mail, Notes, Pages and more. But the AI smarts will only be available to Apple laptops with an M1 chip or newer. So if you have an older model (pre-2020), or want the latest chips to get the most out of macOS 15, you might want a new MacBook. This guide will help you pick which one makes the most sense for you.
After testing every model Apple makes, we think the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M3 chip and 16GB of RAM is the best choice for most people. But there are definitely reasons to consider the cheaper M2 Air and the fully featured Pro laptops. We’ve broken down all the options to help you decide which is the best MacBook for you.
Editor's note (3/6/25): Apple unveiled the new M4 MacBook Air earlier this week, featuring the new M4 processor, a base 16GB of RAM and a price cut to $999 for the entry-level model. Our current top picks here still stand, but we'll update this guide once we've put the new MacBook Air through its paces. You can currently pre-order the M4 MacBook Air, and it will become widely available on March 12.
Compared to PCs, Apple computers tend to have more streamlined specifications. The company has long been known for this simplicity, and the M-series “system-on-a-chip” condenses things even further. It started with the M1 chip, which has since been retired in all models. The M2 and M3 chips can be found in current-generation MacBooks, but the latest Apple silicon, the M4 chip, is only housed in the new iPad Pro. All M-series chips combine, among other technologies, the CPU, graphics card and unified memory (RAM). Apple’s Neural Engine is included too, which is a specialized group of processor cores that handles machine learning tasks such as image analysis and voice recognition.
While a unified chip means you have fewer decisions to make when picking a MacBook, there are still a few factors to consider, including specs like the number of CPU cores, amount of RAM, storage capacity, screen size, and, obviously, price. The finish color may be a minor consideration, but it's worth pointing out that the Pro come in just two colors (Silver or Space Gray) but the Air adds two additional hues (Midnight and Starlight).
Currently the lowest-specced chip in a MacBook is the M2 in the 13-inch MacBook Air. It comes with an 8-core CPU and either an 8- or 10-core GPU. At the other end of the spectrum, the M3 Max chip is built with up to a 16-core CPU and a 40-core GPU. Cores are, in essence, smaller processing units that can handle different tasks simultaneously. Having more of them translates to the computer being able to run multiple programs and applications at once, while also smoothly processing demanding tasks like video editing and high-level gaming. In short, more cores allow for more advanced computing and better performance. But if your processing power needs fall below professional-level gaming and cinematic video and audio editing, getting the highest number of cores is likely overkill — and after all, more cores equals higher cost and more power usage.
Your options for RAM, or in Apple’s terminology, Unified memory, varies depending on the chip you choose. The M2 and M3 chips can be paired with 8, 16 or 24GB of RAM. The M3 Pro chip has 18 or 36GB memory options, while the most powerful M3 Max chip supports 48, 64 or a whopping 128GB of RAM.
You’ve likely heard the analogy comparing memory to the amount of workspace available on a literal desktop surface, whereas storage is the amount of drawers you have to store projects to work on later. The larger the worktop surface, the more projects you can work on at once. The bigger the drawers, the more you can save for later.
More RAM is ideal for people who plan to work in multiple apps at once. And the more demanding each program is, the more RAM will be required. Extra memory can also come in handy if you’re the type who likes to have infinite numbers of tabs open on your browser. If your daily workflow doesn’t involve simultaneously using a vast number of memory-intensive programs, you can save yourself money and buy the RAM configuration that you’re most likely to actually use.
For casual users, 8GB may be enough, however, if you can afford an upgrade to 16GB of RAM, we recommend going doing so, as modern browsers tend to be pretty memory-hungry. Investing in more RAM now will give your new MacBook a longer lifespan of reliable use. It’s also important to keep in mind that, unlike most PCs, the RAM in current-model MacBooks is not user-upgradable, so you’ll want to get what you plan on needing at the outset.
Storage options range from 256GB of SSD for the M2 MacBook Air and 8TB of storage for the MacBook Pros with the M3 Max chip. If you want to rotate between a long roster of game titles or keep lots of high-res videos on hand, you’ll want more storage. If you’re mostly working with browser- and cloud-based applications, you can get away with a smaller-capacity configuration. That said, we recommend springing for 512GB of storage or more, if it’s within your budget. You’ll quickly feel the limits of a 256GB machine as it ages since the operating system alone takes up a good portion of that space. Having 1TB will feel even roomier and allow for more data storage over the life of your laptop.
When Apple announced the iPhone 15, the company also announced new iCloud+ storage storage plans, with subscriptions that allow up to 12TB of storage. You could also transfer files to an external storage device. But if you don’t want to pay for a monthly subscription and prefer the convenience of having immediate access to your files, it’s best to get the highest amount of storage space your budget allows for at the outset.
MacBooks come in 13-, 14-, 15- and 16-inch sizes. That might not seem like a huge difference, but, as Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham noted when he reviewed the now-retired 15-inch M2-powered MacBook Air, a larger screen "makes a surprising difference.” That’s especially true if you plan to use your laptop as an all-day productivity machine and won’t be using an external monitor. More space means you can more clearly view side-by-side windows and have a more immersive experience when watching shows or gaming.
But screen size is the main factor influencing weight. The 13-inch MacBook Air M2 weighs 2.7 pounds, whereas the top-end 16-inch MacBook Pro weighs 4.8 pounds. If you plan to travel a lot or swap your work locations regularly, a smaller screen will make life easier in the long run.
All MacBooks feature IPS LCD panels (in-plane switching, liquid crystal display), which Apple markets as Retina displays. The MacBook Air M1 has a Retina display. A Liquid Retina display comes with the M2 MacBook Air and the Liquid Retina XDR display comes with the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros. “Liquid” refers to the way the lighted portion of the display “flows” within the contours of the screen, filling the rounded corners and curving around the camera notch. “XDR” is what Apple calls HDR (high dynamic range).
Compared to most other laptops, MacBook displays are notably bright, sharp and lush. But one feature worth pointing out is another Apple marketing term: ProMotion. It’s the company’s term to describe a screen with a higher, 120Hz refresh rate, which results in smoother scrolling and more fluid-looking graphics. Only the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros offer ProMotion; the other models max out at 60Hz, which is perfectly fine for everyday browsing and typical workdays. But if you want buttery-smooth motion from your display, you’ll have to shell out more money for an upgrade.
When the MacBook Air M3 came out, Apple dropped the price of the base-model, 13-inch, M2-powered Air with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. With a $999 starting price, it’s now the least expensive new MacBook you can get. Alternatively, you can spend up to $7,199 for the 16-inch MacBook Pro M3 Max with 128GB of RAM and 8TB of storage. Chip type, screen size, memory and storage capacity all influence the final price, which is why guides like this can help you determine just what you need (and what you don’t) so you can get the most cost-effective machine for you.
We recommend the MacBook Air M3 for most people, the MacBook Air M2 for students and those on a budget, and the 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pros for professionals. If you have extra money to spare once you’ve picked your machine, we recommend upgrading to at least 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage to make your machine as future-proof as possible.
The MacBook Air comes with a standard M3 or M2 chip. MacBook Pro models have the option of more powerful M3 Pro or M3 Max chips. The Pro has a higher resolution screen with a higher peak brightness that supports XDR (extreme dynamic range). The battery life on most Pro models is longer than on the Air models. Pro models also have more ports and more speakers. In short, the MacBook Air is aimed at everyday users looking for good productivity and entertainment capabilities, while Pro models are aimed at professionals who need a high-performance computer.
MacOS is the operating system developed by Apple and used in all of its desktop and laptop computers. It can only be found in hardware made by Apple including MacBooks and iMacs. Microsoft’s Windows operating system can be found in the company’s own Surface laptops as well as computers made by a wide array of manufacturers, like Acer, Asus, Dell and Razer.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-macbook-140032524.html?src=rss©
© Engadget
