Month: May 2025

Apple’s next big macOS update is mere weeks away, and according to recent information, a few older Intel-based Macs will not get it. Apple is planning a major shakeup when it comes to the naming scheme of its operating systems, aligning them with a year-based solution instead of the order of release. This means that the company will not release macOS 16 next month and instead jump straight to macOS 26. Well, some Macs would not support or be compatible with macOS 26.

Apple will end support for four older Macs this year, as they will not be compatible with macOS 26

According to people familiar with the matter cited byAppleInsider, Apple will end support for macOS 26 on four models of Macs, all of them with an Intel chip. You have to note that only the older models of Macs are being removed from the compatibility list.

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The following Macs will not be compatible with macOS 26:

• 2018 MacBook Pro
• 2017 iMac Pro
• 2018 Mac mini
• 2020 MacBook Air (Intel-based)

The Macs mentioned above are the oldest models to support Apple’s current macOS Sequoia update, but unfortunately, they will not be compatible with the upcoming update. The Macs were also omitted from the developmental builds, which indicates that the final version of the update will not support the hardware.

This is the second time the company has let go of some Macs as it moves closer to supporting models with Apple Silicon. Currently, there are only a few Macs left in the company’s lineup that are Intel-based but will still be compatible with macOS 26. You can check out the list below for more details.

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• 2019 and newer MacBook Pro models
• 2020 and newer iMac models
• 2019 and newer Mac Pro models
• M1 and newer Mac mini models
• All Mac Studio models
• M1 and newer MacBook Air models

Apple will announce macOS 26 at its WWDC event next mont alongside iOS 26, watchOS 26, and many other updates. The company will potentiallyunify the namesas well as the design language of the updates, which means that each update will take certain elements from visionOS, specifically the transparent glass-like effects and menus. Moreover, the company will also bring major design changes to iOS 26 withcircular app iconsand much more. The company could also surprise us with support for older Macs, so be sure to take the news with a grain of salt. We will share more details on iOS 26 compatibility soon, so stick around.

You’ve seen it pretty much every day now for decades, and you’ve interacted with it just as many times, but have you ever wondered why the power symbol looks the way that it does? There’s a joke that anyone born in the 21st century doesn’t know what the save icon is because they’ve never seen a floppy disk before. The same is somewhat true of the power symbol because, unless you had a hand in designing it or appreciate the history of computing, it’s likely you are just as in the dark as most folks.The power symbol is expressed in several ways, but most people are likely familiar with the circle that has a line extending from its center, breaking its border to the top. If you look at a toggle switch that you might find on a power strip, the symbol is broken up, so that the circle is on one side and the line on another. When the line side is depressed, the power is turned on, while flipping it in the direction of the circle kills the power. There are other variations, including a circle with the line enclosed within.Both the circle and the line have meaning in binary code, such that the circle represents “zero” while the line stands for “one.” In binary, these literally mean “off” and “on.” Symbols used to indicate power and others are universally accepted by the Unicode Standard, a character encoding standard used worldwide. The power symbol was first brought into Unicode 9.0 alongside many emojis in 2015, and it remains there alongside familiar icons. These days, the power symbol is a universally recognized means of telling whoever looks upon it precisely what it does.>>>Replacement battery for Getac G1History of the power symbol

While the power symbol made it into Unicode in 2015, it’s been around for much longer. The goal in moving it to Unicode was to add a crucial symbol used around the world by the masses. Initially, the symbol now used for power was the one used for stand-by, but its use was ambiguous, depending on the system in which it was emplaced. Additionally, it was important to create a proper symbol instead of labeling things in English with “on” and “off.” The symbol was redefined to indicate power in December 2004 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).>>>Replacement battery for Getac K120Three symbols were adopted for power, including the familiar one, the aforementioned enclosed circle, and the waning crescent Moon for sleep. The IEEE standardized these in IEEE Standard 1621. Prior to this, you could find the power symbol in all sorts of places, including the old Gateway Computers logo. The symbol appears on Android phones and other devices, but is rather simplistic, consisting of only two elements. That said, they’re two of the most important aspects of computing, and without them, modern computer systems wouldn’t exist.The fundamental aspects of computing are perfectly encapsulated in the button we push to turn on a device. That single symbol, combining zero and one, reflects the binary logic that underpins modern electronics.

The renamed Nintendo Switch App also adds support for GameChat.

Nintendo

Nintendo is gearing up for the launch of theSwitch 2on June 5, and to ensure you’re ready to go when the console arrives at your door, you’ll need to download the latest update for the newly renamed Nintendo Switch App. The app, which was previously called the Nintendo Switch Online app, had added a number of new features, including a more seamless screenshot interface, GameChat functionality and placeholder icons for game-specific services like Zelda Notes. The latter will become usable on launch day.

Arguably the most useful addition is the revamped screenshots and video upload feature, which allows you to link your phone to your Switch 2 and wirelessly upload in-game media to the app, either manually or automatically. This was already possible on the original Switch (and is hardly a revolutionary feature), but doing so involved someneedlessly clunkyQR code scanning that didn’t always work. Now, screenshots and gameplay clips should just appear in the app, where you can save them locally. Up to 100 files can be stored in the app for 30 days from the point of upload, and once you hit the limit the oldest files will disappear if not saved.

Another big Switch 2 feature is GameChat, Nintendo’s new multiplayer voice chat functionality. Via the Nintendo Switch App you’ll be able to receive notifications for GameChat invites, friends coming online and friend requests. Your added friends will be displayed on the home screen of the app. Again, no one who’s been playing games on a modern PlayStation or Xbox console for the last decade is going to be blown away by any of this stuff, but it looks like playing online with friends on Switch 2 is going to be mercifully less fiddly than on its predecessor.

The Zelda Notes icon now appears when you open the Nintendo Switch App, but it won’t be functional until June 5. The app, which is only compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 Editions ofThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildandTears of the Kingdom, effectively functions like a sat nav for tracking down missing Koroks and shrines on your save file. You can also share your Autobuild creations inTotKwith friends, edit in-game photos and check play records such as the number of enemies defeated and total game overs.

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Nintendo is making small tweaks to some of itsother servicesahead of the Switch 2’s arrival. Over on Nintendo Switch Online (not to be confused with the mobile app), where you can play a selection of emulated classics from Nintendo’s back catalogue, a new Switch 2-exclusive rewind feature will be added to the N64 library, as well as a new CRT filter option. These features were already available for NES and SNES games on the service, and it’s not entirely clear why original Switch owners won’t benefit from the additional N64 options as well.

Peripherals also face a rocky road when making the jump to Nintendo’s Switch 2

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Excited to watch some anime on your Nintendo Switch 2? Well,too damn bad.

Nothing is sacred, especially anime. However, the Crunchyroll app is just one of 100+ identified software casualties that will not be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch.

Nintendopublished testing datafor over 15,000 Nintendo Switch titles on May 27, measuring their compatibility with the Nintendo Switch 2, and over 100 games and apps are either completely incompatible or refuse to play nicely with the company’s upcoming handheld console.

The question is: are you going to be missing out on your favorite Nintendo Switch title when the Switch 2 drops on June 5? We know anime is dead (cries in Jujutsu Kaisen), but here’s a look at everything else Nintendo fans will be losing access to.

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100+ games and apps DOA for Nintendo Switch 2 launch

There are quite a few games, some you might not have heard before, and others that are near and dear to you.

Nintendo published the full list in three separate PDFs: games with somecompatibility issues, games withstart-up issues, and games that will befixed at or post-launch.

Some of the more popular titles that fail to start up include:Dead by Daylight,Final Fantasy,Little Nightmares,Warframe,Rocket League, andWolfenstein II: The New Colossus.

Half of these are online multiplayer games with a huge player base. I mean, can you tell me about a monster thatisn’tinDead by Daylight? Even Vecna is in there!

(For the uncultured, Vecna is an infamous monster from Dungeons & Dragons, popularized by Matthew Mercer’s portrayal of him in Critical Role — Mercer even portrayed him in the game!)

While Nintendo provided a list of all the games that have “issues,” there isn’t a document that states which titles are 100% not compatible. In the chart it published, there seems to be a number of them, but it’s unclear which.

But in terms of software, you’ll find these apps are DOA: Crunchyroll, Hulu, InkyPen, ABEMA, and Niconico.

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A chart shared by Nintendo (above) shows the percentage of Nintendo Switch games that are incompatible with the Nintendo Switch 2, which includes games likeDead by Daylight,Final Fantasy,Little Nightmares,Warframe,Rocket League, andWolfenstein II: The New Colossus.(Image credit: Nintendo)

Periphery pains: the Switch 2 won’t play nice with Switch accessories, either

Don’t play any of the affected titles? Well, did you happen to purchase the ridiculous range of peripheral-based games on the original Switch? Then I have some bad news for you, too: theNintendo Labo,Ring Fit Adventure, andNintendo Switch Sportsaccessories aren’t compatible with the Joy-Con 2 controllers.

Even if they were, the Joy-Con 2 controllers don’t feature an IR motion camera, so full functionality wouldn’t be possible. Thankfully, you can still connect the Switch’s original Joy-Con controllers to the Switch 2 and get the authentic experience.

What’s next

Nintendo is still testing these titles, so we may get some more wins and losses along the way ahead of the handheld console’s official release on June 5.

Overall, I hope that developers continue to work with Nintendo to make these games and software compatible, otherwise, we’re all going to be out of anime (cough), I mean,I’m so disappointed aboutFall Guyshaving compatibility issues.

Apple’s Self Service Repair program is expanding to the iPad, the tech giantannouncedon Wednesday. The program will give iPad owners the tools they need to repair their devices at home. They can get access to repair manuals, genuine Apple parts, Apple Diagnostics troubleshooting sessions, tools, and rental toolkits.

Starting Thursday, users who have an iPad Air (M2 and later), iPad Pro (M4), iPad mini (A17 Pro), and iPad (A16) can order repair kits and components, including displays, batteries, cameras, and external charging ports.

“At Apple, our goal is to create the world’s greatest products that last as long as possible,” said Brian Naumann, Apple’s vice president of AppleCare, in a press release. “With today’s announcement, we’re excited to expand our repair services to more customers, enabling them to further extend the life of their products — all without compromising safety, security, or privacy.”

Launched in 2022, Self Service Repair allows consumers to do their own repairs at home if they’re comfortable doing so by getting access to the same manuals used at Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Service Providers.

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Apple says the program now supports 65 Apple products, including the recently released iPhone 16e, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio. The company shared that Canada will soon become the 34th country where Apple offers Self Service Repair.

Apple also revealed more details about its Genuine Parts Distributor program, which allows independent mobile repair professionals to order genuine Apple service parts and components. These parts are available via authorized third-party distributors, such as MobileSentrix in the U.S., plus MobileSentrix and Mobileparts.shop in Europe. Genuine Parts Distributor offers many Apple parts for iPhone repairs, including displays, batteries, and charging ports, with iPad parts coming tomorrow.