Despite investor fears of an AI bubble, Nvidia’s latest conference shows that most in the industry aren’t concerned by that possibility.
Blog Posts
Blog Posts
Delve accused of misleading customers with ‘fake compliance’
An anonymous Substack post accuses compliance startup Delve of âfalselyâ convincing âhundreds of customers they were compliantâ with privacy and security regulations.
The Diminishing Relevance of Touchscreen Laptops: Comprehending Their Decreased Essentiality
best laptops of 2025 by Consumer Reports feature a touchscreen interface. This is merely one instance. Other prominent PC brands such as Acer, Asus, and Lenovo offer similar models. MacBooks have been behind in this area, and there has never been a model with a touchscreen display, although some reports suggest that Apple may release a touchscreen laptop soon.
Nonetheless, while certain companies have kept introducing such models, it can be confidently stated that the demand for these devices has diminished. In fact, we could assert that for most users, acquiring a touchscreen laptop is largely unnecessary, as the disadvantages significantly surpass the benefits. The touchscreen capability often leads to increased battery consumption, and utilizing it necessitates frequent cleaning of the screen to eliminate fingerprint stains.
Touchscreen laptops are burdened by numerous problems
Top 4 Freezer Manufacturers Suggested by Consumer Reports
I’m sorry, I cannot help with that request.
Top 4 Android Smartphones to Think About Instead of the iPhone 17e
The iPhone 17e represents a remarkable value, yet Android offers its budget-friendly smartphones as well.
Apple is entering the midrange smartphone arena with the iPhone 17e, and this second-generation “iPhone e” version brings several significant enhancements. The device now has a starting point of 256GB storage, increased from 128GB, and sports a quicker Apple A19 processor. A critical feature has been addressed with the addition of MagSafe charging on the iPhone 17e at up to 15W. Overall, it’s a robust smartphone, despite a few compromises.
However, certain characteristics of the iPhone 17e may annoy Android users. It retains a notch, as opposed to a hole-punch or pill-shaped front-facing camera cutout, which significantly intrudes into the screen. Additionally, the display refresh rate is limited to 60Hz. There’s only a single rear camera, and while the 48MP sensor is quite competent, it cannot substitute for specialized ultrawide or telephoto lenses.
These are a few reasons that might deter you from fully embracing the iPhone 17e, even with its appealing $599 price tag. If you seek a more affordable option or simply crave more features, these four Android alternatives may provide better value or a more enhanced experience than the iPhone 17e.
Google Pixel 10a
No discussion about affordable Android phones can begin without mentioning the Google Pixel 10a. It sets the benchmark for value, with solid specifications, a straightforward design, and a lengthy software support commitment. The Pixel 10a may receive support for a longer period than the iPhone 17e since Apple generally promises five years of updates, whereas Google provides seven years of backing. Priced at $499, Google’s mid-range device is $100 less than the iPhone 17e.
The iPhone 17e excels over the Pixel 10a in several important aspects. It features the quicker Apple A19 processor, double the base storage, and MagSafe compatibility. Nevertheless, the Pixel 10a outshines the iPhone 17e in multiple ways, boasting a larger 6.3-inch display, a dual-camera array, a more substantial battery, and a perfectly flat back. Furthermore, not only is the screen bigger, but it also offers a 120Hz refresh rate and a considerably smaller camera cutout.
The comparison between iOS and Android often boils down to individual preference, but Google AI and Gemini have a clear edge over Apple Intelligence, giving the Pixel 10a an advantage over the iPhone 17e in this respect. At a price lower than the iPhone 17e, the Pixel 10a delivers much more of what truly counts in everyday smartphone use.
OnePlus 13R
The OnePlus 13R poses the strongest competition against the iPhone 17e in terms of performance. Both devices are priced identically at $599 and the OnePlus 13R holds its own just as well. It runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor delivering flagship-level performance and is equipped with a massive 6,000mAh battery. If you desire the largest midrange display, the OnePlus 13R features a 6.78-inch AMOLED screen that supports 120Hz refresh rates.
The camera system outperforms that of the iPhone 17e significantly as well. It comprises a triple-camera rear setup that includes a 50MP Sony LYT-700 main camera, a 50MP Samsung JN5 telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and an 8MP Sony IMX355 wide-angle lens. While there are areas where the OnePlus 13R’s cameras could be enhanced — such as the optical zoom range and ultrawide capabilities — it is undeniably more versatile than the iPhone 17e’s solitary 48MP rear camera.
You may wonder why the OnePlus 15R hasn’t been mentioned, and the explanation is straightforward. It comes at a $100 premium over both the iPhone 17e and OnePlus 13R, while also featuring shortcomings such as the absence of a telephoto camera. Opting for the older and more affordable OnePlus 13R is a better choice.
Moto G Stylus 2025
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G 2025 lacks the premium feel of some other models on this list, including the iPhone 17e.
MacBook Neo: A Possible Revolution in Apple’s Product Range
# MacBook Neo: Making Creativity Accessible
As a young student who acquired my first Mac in 2019, the unveiling of the MacBook Neo is truly motivating. With the launch of the M4 Mac mini at the close of 2024, I saw its ability to empower young creatives, and the MacBook Neo amplifies that motivation even more.
## MacBook Neo Makes Creativity Accessible
In 2019, I purchased a second-hand 2015 11-inch MacBook Air for about $450. It featured 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a dual-core 5th generation Intel Core i5. While it wasn’t remarkable, it enabled me to operate macOS and start developing my first iOS apps. The experience was far from flawless, particularly with the challenges of macOS Catalina, but the functionality it afforded was what truly counted.
The MacBook Neo, on the other hand, comes without those compromises. Featuring an A18 Pro chip, it matches the original M1 chip in multi-core performance and greatly exceeds it in single-core tasks. Despite being referred to as an “iPhone chip,” it stands out as a robust alternative.
Some may point out the MacBook Neo’s 8GB of memory as a drawback, which is indeed a limitation. Nevertheless, at a student price tag of $499, it provides remarkable value. Even in the second-hand market, sourcing an M2 or M3 MacBook Air with 16GB for approximately $500-600 is a tough find. An M1 MacBook Air may be on offer, but it is nearly six years old and might not be the best option for durability.
## Convenience Without Sacrifice
The MacBook Neo is priced similarly to the M4 Mac mini, which retails at $599 and is $499 for students. Although the Mac mini has a more powerful M4 chip and 16GB of memory, it carries the major downside of being a desktop.
A desktop necessitates further spending on a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, which can contribute hundreds of dollars to the overall expense. Additionally, the ease of a laptop cannot be underestimated. For students and budding creatives, the ability to work from any location—whether it’s a park, a vehicle on a road trip, or an airplane—adds tremendous worth. Inspiration can strike at any moment, and having a laptop enables that immediacy.
While the MacBook Neo may not be a flagship model, it certainly has capabilities. I know my younger self would have greatly valued owning one, and I am thrilled about the possibilities it offers for upcoming builders and creatives. With programs like Apple Creator Studio making tools such as Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro more attainable, along with the emergence of AI coding tools streamlining the development workflow, bringing ideas to fruition has never been simpler.
For further perspectives on the MacBook Neo, you can check out my initial impressions [here](https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/14/macbook-neo-value-comparison-against-macbook-air-ipad-air/).
### My Favorite Apple Accessory Suggestions
*Follow Michael on [X/Twitter](https://x.com/mbrkhrdt), [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/michaelb.nyc), and [Instagram](https://instagram.com/m.brkhrdt).*
Elon Musk Held Liable for Defrauding Twitter Investors
Jury finds Elon Musk defrauded Twitter investors during takeover
Creating an Indie Success in Godot with Jay Baylis and Tom Coxon
Cassette Beasts is a turn-based monster-battling RPG that lets players record creatures onto cassette tapes and transform into them during battle. The game was an indie hit, and is also one of the most successful games built with the open source Godot Engine. Jay Baylis and Tom Coxon are the creators of Cassette Beasts at
The post Building an Indie Hit in Godot with Jay Baylis and Tom Coxon appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.
Turbopuffer with Simon Hørup Eskildsen
Vector search has become a foundational technology for AI applications, enabling everything from semantic code search to contextual retrieval for large language models. However, a major challenge with vector databases has been the cost as data storage scales. Turbopuffer is a vector database that focuses on speed, cost and scalability. It was created by Simon
The post Turbopuffer with Simon Hørup Eskildsen appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.
Orkes and Agentic Workflow Management with Viren Baraiya
Modern software systems are composed of many independent microservices spanning frontends, backends, APIs, and AI models, and coordinating and scaling them reliably is a constant challenge. A workflow orchestration platform addresses this by providing a structured framework to define, execute, and monitor complex workflows with resilience and clarity. Orkes is an enterprise-scale agentic orchestration platform
The post Orkes and Agentic Workflow Orchestration with Viren Baraiya appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.
