If you are among therapidly-growingnumber of Mac users in the enterprise, you should know that Apples newly-released macOS Sequoia 15.4 is festooned with security updates, brings support for Apple Intelligence across most major languages (including to Europe), and introduces new AI tools for the app you most likely use every day, Mail.Those new tools already available on iPhones in iOS mean your Mac will try to highlight what it believes are the most important messages you receive, which could help you stay on top of your flow. There are some limitations the biggest of which is that you cant create your own Mail message categories.What are categories?We looked at Apples AI-boosted email categorization system for iPhones when it wasfirst made available. It tries to sort your incoming communications within the following categories:All Mail:All your Mail as it is received.Primary:All the messages Apple Intelligence thinks might be important to you.Transactions:Invoices, shopping receipts, banking messages.Updates:Subscriptions and stuff that you probably ignore.Promotions:All the mail you also probably ignore.Note: Mail puts time-sensitive emails in your Primary account.How to navigate categoriesClick on the currently selected category and you can access the All Mail category, or tap on that to select another.How to turn categorization offTo disable categorization on your Mac, tap the three-dot icon just above your in-box. You will then be able to choose to show your email by category, return to the familiar Mail in-box view in chronological order or find out more about what categorization is doing on your Mac.How to improve categorizationThe system isnt perfect. To change the category, command click on the email in the inbox to invoke a contextual menu within which you can select the Categorize Sender item. Use this to assign all emails from that sender to a more appropriate category.Can you create your own categories?As noted, you cant yet create your own custom categories; the best you can do is create Smart Mailboxes for specific contacts or topics. Perhaps this will change one day, but it hasnt changed yet.Now available internationallyThe new tools arent just for English emails. Apple Intelligence is also now available in 10 new languages and English language variants. Importantly, these include many of the worlds most widely used languages, including Chinese, Spanish, French and Portuguese, with localized English for India and Singapore, German, Japanese, and Korean.What else is new?Mail now also offers a Digest View in which you can look at all the messages you have received from a sender withing a single thread. If you choose to use it, you can also see relevant Contact photos in the inbox, just as you already do in Apples Messages app.Additional improvements, tweaks, and features in macOS 15.4 exist, but for me, the best enhancement is one you have to pay for: Apple News+ subscribers gain an Apple News Food section aggregating recipes, articles about food, and other information you can use to get more creative in your kitchen. (Its hard to avoid seeing this as an app designed for the tabletop iPad Apple is meant to be developing.) Other casual tweaks include a new Sketch style in Image Playground, Memory Movie support for custom slideshows in Photos, and new emojis.Significant security updatesThis particular macOS update comes with well in excess of 50 security updates addressing vulnerabilities across the system, from WebKit to Safari and beyond. Many of these vulnerabilities concern attacks designed to access sensitive user data or attacks designed to execute arbitrary code (to mess up your Mac or steal your digital stash). The number of security patches in this release alone should be good reason to install the new update.Growing painsIf you use driver extensions for some reason, such as for third-party accessories, you might experience issues when you upgrade. If you do, try this approach: Open System Settings>General>Login Items & Extensions and disable your affected driver extensions. Restart your Mac. After restarting, return to that section to re-enable the drivers.You can follow me on social media! Join me onBlueSky, LinkedIn, andMastodon.

Download the April 2025 issue of the Enterprise Spotlight from the editors of CIO, Computerworld, CSO, InfoWorld, and Network World.

The App Store hosted a number of VPN apps with ties to a Chinese military-affiliated company sanctioned by the US, with millions of downloads between them all.An iPhone on a Chinese flagUsers are often warned of the dangers of the Internet, with privacy issues prompting some to sign up for a VPN service. While there are many legitimate iPhone VPN services on the market, some have been found to be a potential national security risk.A report from research group Tech Transparency Project looked into the top 100 free virtual private network (VPN) services offered in the App Store to users in the U.S. in 2024. In tracing the corporate ownership of each, the investigation found that one in five were owned by Chinese companies. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The Apple of 1976 is unrecognizable compared to today's gigantic corporation, and yet key early decisions by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and more, are still having their effect today.Steve Jobs with the original Macintosh, made eight years after Apple's foundingBack in 2021, Tim Cook marked the then 45th anniversary of Apple with a tweet looking back to his friend and colleague, co-founder Steve Jobs.As Apple celebrates 45 years today, I'm reminded of Steve's words from many years ago: "It's been an amazing journey so far, yet we have barely begun." Thanks to every member of our Apple family for all you've done to enrich lives. Here's to the next 45 years & beyond! Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 1, 2021 Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Spending on nonresidential construction increased to a new record high level in February, according to the latest Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau, The index indicated a slight (0.3%) jump nationwide to a new seasonally adjusted rate of $1.255 trillion.Spending was up on a monthly basis in 9 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending increased 0.4%, while public nonresidential construction spending was up 0.2% in February. This is in spite of the fears that new tariffs against Canada, China, and Mexico have caused recently.Table credit: Associated Builders and Contractors"Nonresidential spending rebounded in February, rising to the highest level on record," said ABCs Chief Economist Anirban Basu. "A surge in highway and street spending accounted for more than 40% of the monthly increase, and public sector nonresidential spending is now up more than 6% on a year-over-year basis. Unfortunate...

Our latest weekly curated jobs roundup from the Archinect Job board includes eight architecture firms and one gallery with Marketing and Office Administration job opportunities in New York City.For helpful guidance on how to get that next job, make sure to check out Archinect's Guide to Job Titles series and our Archinect Tips collection. Rafael Violy Architects seeks a Social Media Producer"We are seeking a highly creative and motivated Social Media Producer to join our dynamic architecture firm. The ideal candidate will be passionate about architecture, design, and storytelling, with a strong grasp of social media platforms and video editing techniques. This position involves producing engaging video content that showcases the firm's projects, behind-the-scenes processes, team culture, and industry insights. You will be responsible for creating visually compelling content and writing social media captions that aligns with our brand's voice and enhances our online presence."Tok...

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work by uploading projects to Architizerand sign up for ourinspirational newsletters.When one sees the words France and balcony together, a specific image comes to mind: wrought iron railings, a pair of doors that might not open all the way and just enough room to lean out with a coffee or a cigarette (in the true spirit of the French). While we all love the charm of a classic French balcony, France also excels at larger terraces with a real presence and more versatile uses (though some might argue that the original French balcony serves its purpose just fine).From wide planted platforms and stepped rooftops to deep loggias and layered facades, these outdoor spaces are no longer just decorative. Theyre functional, generous and central to the architecture. To capture that shift in scale and intent, this collection features nine projects across the country where terraces shape the building, frame the view and give users room to live beyond the walls.EmblemBy Hamonic+Masson & Associs, Lille, FranceAt the edge of Parc Matisse, Emblem rises between roads, rail lines and the city. The building steps up gradually, starting low near the park and reaching 50 meters at its tallest point. This shift in height brings light into the site and opens up views in every direction. Its most striking feature is the residential towers continuous balconies, which wrap the building in curved lines of perforated metal.These terraces extend the apartments and provide shade, airflow and outdoor space throughout the tower. The perforated metal screens filter light and add a fine texture to the curved faade. Finished in an earthy tone, the balconies pick up on the colors of the nearby park and local buildings. They shape how the tower is seen from a distance and how it is experienced by the people living inside.ARBORESCENCE Winner of Imagine AngersBy WY-TO Group, France Located between Angers historic center and the banks of the Maine, Arborescence introduces a layered design that brings nature into every part of the building. A mix of housing, senior living, childcare and co-working spaces makes it a place for all generations.Terraces define the projects identity. They shift and grow across the faade like branches, shaped by wind and light. Deep planters and green edges soften the concrete and create privacy without closing residents off from their surroundings. These outdoor spaces add texture and variety, offering different ways to live with the seasons.The building wraps around a planted courtyard, where shared spaces and gardens bring people together. Every unit opens to light, air and views of the evolving landscape.Apartments in Illkirch GraffenstadenBy tectne architectes, France In a car-free woodland near the Rhine-Rhne Canal, this six-story housing project is shaped by its calm setting and careful densification. The structure follows a compact rectangular form, allowing space for gardens and shared areas at ground level.Each of the 31 apartments includes a private loggia, framed by a concrete exoskeleton that wraps the entire building. These terraces act as sheltered extensions of the interiors, offering fresh air and outdoor space while preserving privacy. Beveled pillars and wooden guards filter views and sunlight, giving the faade a quiet rhythm. A shared rooftop terrace crowns the building, offering residents a place to meet, relax or enjoy the surrounding trees from above.LArboretumBy Leclercq associs, Nanterre, France Set along the Seine in Nanterre, Arboretum reimagines the office campus with a focus on sustainability and sensory comfort. Spanning 1355 square feet (126,000 square meters), the complex is built almost entirely from cross-laminated timber and organized around a curved central path that follows the rivers slope.Terraces play a key role in the campus design. Every office opens onto outdoor extensions some for meetings, some for quiet work, others simply for fresh air. These planted spaces vary in size and purpose but all support a connection to the surrounding landscape. The scent of wood, access to light and changing views offer a calmer work rhythm. Together, the terraces and gardens bring nature into the workday without losing sight of the sites industrial past.Tale of Transformation La Fantaisie Hotel, ParisBy PETITDIDIERPRIOUX, Paris, France Tucked between dense city blocks in Paris 13th arrondissement, Hotel Rosalie transforms a former hotel into a garden-focused retreat. The renovation keeps the original structure while introducing a new faade of pre-patinated zinc that shifts in tone with the light. At the rear, terraces open out toward a reimagined courtyard garden.These outdoor spaces extend the hotel experience beyond the rooms, offering guests a quiet place to pause, read or have a coffee. The terraces connect directly to a ground-level restaurant beneath a wide glass roof, where diners overlook dense plantings that change with the seasons. More than a simple refresh, the project is shaped by a clear goal: to give city guests a reason to slow down and step outside.Tolbiac ApartmentsBy Atelier Architecture Vincent Pareiram, Paris, France On a corner site in Paris 13th arrondissement, Les toffes de Tolbiac builds on the areas layered history, replacing former workshops with housing, retail and generous outdoor space. The project is shaped by a striking grid of balconies that stretches across three volumes, tying them into a single architectural gesture.These balconies are not just repetitions however as they they shift slightly on each floor, expanding outward as the building rises. This subtle movement increases outdoor space and creates a rhythm that softens the scale of the concrete and timber structure. On the courtyard side, shared terraces and raised walkways link the blocks, offering spaces to gather, rest or look out over the city. A rooftop garden completes the network, giving all residents access to the Paris skyline.I ParkBy NBJ architects, Montpellier, France Facing Montpelliers new city hall, I Park explores how housing can adapt to the Mediterranean climate. The eight-level building is made up of shifting horizontal bands, each one adjusted to optimize shade, airflow and outdoor living.Terraces are central to the design. Every apartment opens onto an outdoor space, with planted faades that bring greenery to the edges of each floor. These terraces vary in depth and layout, shaped by solar exposure and wind conditions. The result is a building that reads like a series of stacked gardens.Designed in close collaboration with local specialists, the project uses vegetation not as decoration, but as an essential part of daily comfort. The terraces make space for both privacy and connection, shaped by climate and site.Ateliers VaugirardBy Hamonic+Masson & Associs, Paris, FranceStretching 425 feet (130 meters) along a busy street, this housing project aims to replace repetition with variety. Ninety-six apartments are divided into 37 distinct layouts, each shaped by a generous terrace or garden. The buildings stepped form opens up views and sunlight, while breaking down the scale of its long volume.Terraces are wide and deep, averaging 215 square feet (20 square meters) per unit. These outdoor spaces give residents room to grow plants, eat outside, or simply pause between indoors and out. The planted terraces also act as visual filters, softening views between neighbors and creating a layered edge to the street. Above, the skyline rises and dips. On the ground, shops and public paths invite life to spill into and around the building.BEAUPASSAGEBy Franklin Azzi Architecture, Paris, France In Paris 7th arrondissement, a formerly hidden industrial block is carefully brought back to life through a mix of rehabilitation and new construction. Franklin Azzis design respects the sites patchwork of buildings, preserving historic faades and structures while introducing modern uses.Terraces are carved into the architecture with precision. Inserted between existing frames and new additions, they act as quiet thresholds between the homes and the city. These outdoor spaces vary in scale, responding to the irregular geometry of the site. Some open to shared courtyards, others are tucked above street level, catching light where it falls.The project stays close to the original materials and proportions, using terraces to invite daily life into a place long kept out of view.Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work by uploading projects to Architizerand sign up for ourinspirational newsletters.The post Beyond the Balustrade, Balconies Gone Wild: How French Architecture is Expanding Outside appeared first on Journal.

Tomorrows Nintendo Switch 2 Direct promises to be an event to remember. Running for 60 minutes, it will showcase the upcoming console and its features, but what about the games?If there was any doubt regarding potential announcements, Nintendo has announced the return of Treehouse: Live for April 3rd and 4th. Each day at 7 AM PT, it will showcase hands-on gameplay of Nintendo Switch 2 titles.Well likely see the next Mario Kart in action, but what about other titles? Could Nintendo showcase titles like Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which has all but confirmed that its coming to the Switch 2? Maybe highlight select enhanced Switch titles running at higher resolutions with better performance? Will there be something, anything, for Hollow Knight: Silksong?Time will tell, but if nothing else, fans will have something to look forward to other than trailers. The Switch 2 Direct starts at 6 AM PT on April 2nd.Join us on April 3rd and April 4th at 7 a.m. PT each day for a Nintendo Treehouse: Live | Nintendo Switch 2 presentation featuring hands-on gameplay of #NintendoSwitch2 games! pic.twitter.com/gsi0MqyZyZ Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) April 1, 2025

Pocketpair, the studio behind Palworld, has revealed through a recent interview that the game development industry doesnt seem to have any money going around at the moment. Speaking to GamesRadar at GDC 2025, Pocketpair communications director and publishing manager John Buckley spoke about the studio getting pitches from other development teams after the release of Palworld.No one has money at the moment. Minutes, thats not even a joke; minutes after Palworld released and that started to happen, people were sending us pitches even though we werent a publisher, said Buckley. I think there was just this desperate, you know, we need money thats going on right now, and a lot of people contacted us.To our surprise, it wasnt just little two-man teams or something, continued Buckley. Some really big names contacted us, you know, AAA, AA, premium indies, all these contacts.Pocketpair had announced that it would be publishing games back in January. As part of this move, the company is helping Tales of Kenzera: Zau developer Surgent Studios with an unannounced new horror game. Buckley spoke about how the company had begun to hear out studio pitches as it was getting its publishing arm ready.We started meeting these people very early last year, listening to ideas, explained Buckley. And we were very honest. We said, hey, were not publishers or anything, but well listen. And we talked about it a lot internally. What can we do? What can we not do?We want to help cool indies get made. We want to help cool, premium indie, kind of AAs get made.Not many details about the first title with Surgent Studios have been revealed so far, except for the fact that it will be a horror game. Studio founder Abubakar Salim (also the voice of Bayek in Assassins Creed Origins), spoke about the opportunity his studio was getting through Pocketpair.We noticed a pattern in the entertainment industry, and Pocketpair has given us the opportunity to make a horror game about it, said Salim. Both Surgent and Pocketpair are well versed in taking risks. This game will be short and weird, and we think players will be interested in what we have to say.Buckley had spoken about the studios publishing arm being created in order to help more indie studios get their games made back in January. Taking to social media, Buckley commented on how quickly game pitches started coming in after the publishing arm was announced. He also spoke about wanting to give smaller studios financial independence to make their games.We give you money. You make the game, posted Buckley. If you want help with marketing or something well help out, but otherwise do whatever you want. Were giving devs the financial freedom to make games they want so they DONT have to get wrapped up in stinky rule makers and bullies.Pocketpair has been able to kickstart its publishing arm in a bid to help smaller developers thanks to the massive success seen by its game Palworld. According to a report from back in February, Palworld has been played by more than 32 million players so far. For context, the game was developed on a budget of $6.7 million.

Modern Architecture: The BasicsBy Graham Livesey (Routledge, 2024)Review Ian ChodikoffReading an architectural textbook many years after architecture school may seem like rereading the road safety manual we used when preparing for our drivers license examination. In both cases, its to our benefit to re-evaluate what we learned years ago in a contemporary voice.From my vantage point, reading through Graham Liveseys tightly constructedModern Architecturewas a worthwhile exercise, if only to recalibrate, cross-check, and validate the beliefs Ive evolved about my chosen profession during the intervening decades from first learning about the Farnsworth House, critical regionalism and the Crystal Palace.Modern Architecture is part of Routledges The Basics series of slim introductory textbooks that includes titles ranging from Jewish Ethics to Shakespeare. Within the book, Livesey tackles subjects such as the Bauhaus, Russian Constructivism and Postmodernism, in texts that are laudable in offering a rapid fire of architects, buildings and centres of influence. Collectively, this forms a holistic understanding of how our profession has evolved from Monticello to Canadas Truth and Reconciliation Commission.The book is minimally but helpfully illustrated with delightful hand drawings by Mohammed Moezzi. The intended audience (i.e., a university student) will likely study this guide with a smartphone close at hand and assemble a valuable digital compendium for quick Google searches, containing an infinite amount of imagery. For this reason, this book could not have been written 25 years ago. The many short references and sources supplied by Livesey offer thousands of little breadcrumbs as he revisitsand indeed correctsthe many subjects and periods discussed, such as dedicating overdue attention to the many women whose history was forgotten or subjugated by white men. This book recognizes the contributions of Black architects and the innovation and brilliance that emerged from countries like India, Malaysia, China, and Africa over the past 250 years. It also provides insightful connections to politics, technology, landscape architecture, and design that help contextualize the evolution of modern architecture.The work of practicing architects is supported by this volume, too. Including discussions of notable academics focussing on socialism, phenomenology, poststructuralism, and the effects ofcolonialism helps us understand the trajectory of thought that defined several generations of architects.Modern Architecturemakes a logical attempt at working chronologically. But the pendulum shifts both ways when advancing diversity, or practicing within a global climate crisis and social inequality: progress is not always linear or assured. This humbling circumstance reminds us that, to do our best work, we need to understand the past and as many facets of our history as possible.As appeared in theApril 2025issue of Canadian Architect magazineThe post Book Review: Modern ArchitectureThe Basics appeared first on Canadian Architect.