For the longest time, I thought the purpose of ice was to save money. Bartenders chucked ice into drinks just so they didnt have to fill the glass up. After years of dabbling with mixology, I now know that isnt true. Ice does two things to a drink it waters the spirits down, so youre not chugging neat alcohol and getting buzzed immediately. It also helps cool your drinks, which enhances the mouthfeel. Some drinks just taste better when theyre chilled ice does that. Now, theres a third thing that ice can do to a drink if crafted well, ice can enhance your drinks visual appeal too, by giving it a gorgeous shimmering transparent gemstone-like effect.The Patterns tray takes your home cocktails a step further by imprinting sculptural motifslike honeycomb grids, oceanic waves, crisp chevrons, and clean line texturesinto large, bar-quality cubes. Each design has a kind of meditative stillness to it, like frozen architecture suspended in time. Its the kind of detail youd expect from a high-end bar in Tokyo or a curated speakeasy in New York, but now its sliding quietly into your own freezer.Designer: Ash HarborThe tray uses a polished aluminum mold (instead of the usual solid copper or brass) and a food-safe silicone drip-guard to quickly stamp those bold patterns onto both sides of a cube. No complicated setup, no long wait. Five seconds per side, and youve got a fully-formed geometric statement piece for your drink. It feels intentional, almost ceremonial, giving your drink a unique identity while having your guests totally admire your mixology skills.Of course the most impactful way to imprint your ice is to use clear ice cubes. The way it refracts light really makes a difference in cocktails which is why the Patterns tray is best paired with a clear ice maker (or if you already know how to make or where to buy clear ice, youre good). You can use cubes of any size or even shape. The four patterns on the one side are linear, which means even longer cuboids of ice work. While the other four squares are more conducive to a cubical-shaped ice block. And yes, Ash Harbor does make different variations of the tray with other patterns/styles based on elements, holidays, seasons, and botanical motifs. This one is more geometric, and evergreen, if you ask me personally.Ice, especially when its as detailed and pristine as this, conjures memorieshotel bars with leather-bound menus, summer weddings with signature cocktails, evenings with friends where the drink felt like a moment. The Patterns tray taps into that idea of hosting with intent. It encourages you to slow down, set the tone, and maybe even create a small tradition around a drink that deserves better than plastic cubes.And if youre looking to gift something that wont get lost in the shuffle of wine keys and novelty bar tools, this tray carries a certain weight. Not literallythough the aluminum mold does have a premium heftbut in how it presents itself. It feels curated, thoughtful, designed for someone who knows what they like and doesnt mind showing it. Whether thats a whiskey aficionado, a cocktail obsessive, or someone who simply values aesthetics in everyday objects, it lands with an understated confidence.The post Turn Your Home Cocktail Bar Into A Speakeasy With These Gorgeous Ice Cube Trays first appeared on Yanko Design.

If you own a reMarkable tablet, this update just made your digital notebook a whole lot more useful.

Now that iOS 18.4 is out, we're looking to the future with iOS 18.5, a rumored AI update to Apple Health, and the first rumors about the M6 processor, all on the AppleInsider Podcast.The original iPad with the original Apple logo - image credit: AppleThe iPad is now 15 years old and Apple is 49. It's hard to say which seems more unbelievable, but what's much easier to say is that today's iPad and today's Apple may be very different from their origins, yet they are still so clearly the same product from the same company.But if we must stop to acknowledge these anniversaries, and also acknowledge just how important the iPad and Apple itself have become to us all, there is still much more to come. We've just had the public release of iOS 18.4, but already the beta test versions of iOS 18.5 are out, and of course we are mere moments away from WWDC and the announcement of iOS 19. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

This edition of Bustler's curated picks of noteworthy architecture and design competitions features four calls seeking proposals for the revitalization of Yeosu City Hall in South Korea, standout products and designers that reflect forward-thinking design, student-driven urban solutions for the reimagining of a site along the Cai River in Nha Trang, Vietnam, and innovative lighting designs.For the complete directory of newly listed competitions, click here.

With the Switch 2 touting a significant technical leap over its predecessor, games are naturally going to be more visually impressive, technically demanding, and, by extension, larger in size- though nottoomuch larger, it turns out.Nintendo has started revealing file sizes for Nintendo Switch 2 titles via their Japanese eShop pages, and though they are obviously a jump from the Switch 1, by modern standards, they remain refreshingly manageable (based on early indications, at least).Mario Kart Worldis listed as having a 23.4 GB file size, in contrast to 11.3 GB forMario Kart 8 Deluxeon the Nintendo Switch.Donkey Kong Bananza,meanwhile, will have a 10 GB file size. In comparison, the dev teams last major 3D platformer,Super Mario Odyssey,has a 5.6 GB file size.Nintendo has also revealed sizes for upcoming native Switch 2 enhanced releases for a couple of Switch 1 titles, withKirby and the Forgotten Landweighing 5.7 GB, which is curiously about the same as its Switch file size, and Super Mario Party Jamboreecoming in at 7.7 GB (compared to 5.3 GB on Switch).The Nintendo Classics GameCube app, which will allow Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers to play GameCube titles exclusively on the Switch 2, will weigh 3.5 GB.Nintendo Switch 2 launches withMario Kart Worldas a launch title on June 5, featuring 256 GB of internal storage. Donkey Kong Bananzareleases on July 17.

Enterprise AI application development is moving forward with a new generation of vibe coding tools.Read More

Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), an agency that has a say over resources Musk needs or could benefit from for some of his private sector business, The Verge has learned.Three people who have been identified as DOGE staffers are listed in a public directory called Finding People at the FCC. Tarak Makecha, Jordan Wick, and Jacob Altik are all listed in the FCC directory, with email addresses associated with the agency. Each is listed under the office OCH, which in other agency documents refers to the Office of the Chairman.Makecha is a finance executive who, according to LinkedIn, has most recently worked in a drone detection software company and previously worked at Tesla. Makecha has reportedly been involved through DOGE at OPM and the State Department. Wick is a former Waymo engineer whos reportedly been given access to systems at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Altik is a lawyer whos reportedly been involved at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).Are you a current or former US federal government worker? Reach out securely and anonymously with tips from a non-work device to Lauren Feiner via Signal at laurenfeiner.64.DOGE has recently expanded into other enforcement agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, as The Verge reported earlier on Friday. The FCCs authority over radio, TV, broadband, and satellite intersects with Musks businesses, like granting certain permissions for SpaceXs Starlink operations. Its role as a regulator and enforcer also means it stores information on SpaceX and its competitors in order to make decisions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has previously said that Musk would recuse himself from potential conflicts. The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment about what the DOGE staffers role will be at the agency or what restrictions there will be on their data access.

Many of the best gaming keyboards Ive reviewed in recent years are tenkeyless ones that lop off the number pad to save desk space that also deliver high performance and fancy features. But I still want full-sized functionality on my keyboard, which is why I love the 96% layout where you still get all of the essentials with all of it crammed into a slightly more compact board with no gaps between keys or wasted space. They are tougher to find, however. And for that, I rode out the original Keychron K4 as my main until I spilled a drink over it and destroyed its mechanical switches. It was a solid keyboard that had everything I wanted at the time, but now its been updated with Hall Effect magnetic switches, and the results are fantastic.The Keychron K4 HE has been outfitted with Gateron double-rail magnetic Nebula switches and the frame has a slightly different trim, but its still the simple and sleek keyboard Ive always loved. While it doesnt have anything like an OLED control screen on the likes of a SteelSeries Apex Pro or Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75, I dont mind because sometimes its about getting the basics right, and offering that at a reasonable price.Keychron K4 HE - PhotosKeychron K4 HE Design and FeaturesI received the special edition of the Keychron K4 HE that comes in a cream white color scheme with wood grain along the side of the aluminum frame and a couple of gold keycaps for a pleasing accent. The OSA profile double-shot PBT keycaps are nice to the touch and have rounded edges for a softer overall look. There is RGB backlighting and a dedicated RGB key at the top-right to cycle through built-in RGB effects like breathing, waves, ripples, wheel, or just a single static color. But since the keycaps on the special edition dont have transparent legends, it only really seeps through between the keys (the standard edition does have transparent keycaps so I would recommend going with that model if it matters to you). Its bright enough to come through vividly even if it doesnt light up the key lettering.The 96% layout tickles a certain part of my brain and I like how neat everything looks despite being crammed together. Theres no wasted space, but that does mean I reach for the wrong key sometimes, like hitting home key instead of delete when working. Because its truncated in the way it is, you save a lot of deskspace without sacrificing the full suite of keys side-by-side with my tenkeyless SteelSeries Apex Pro, theres only a one-inch difference in width. The functionality I get back in return is very much worth it, and I find myself using the number pad often again for work or mapping additional actions/macros in games like the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV.The Keychron K4 HE executes on the important parts extremely well with a rare layout that makes it all the more special.There aren't going to be groundbreaking high-tech features here, or even simple things like easily accessible dedicated media keys, which are things I find useful, but at least you dont necessarily lose that functionality since those are combined with other keys via the FN key. It is nice, however, to have 2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth connectivity to give it a little extra versatility. The connection toggle is on the left side of the frame along with a Windows/Android-MacOS input toggle the buttons are smaller than I would prefer, but its one of those set-it-and-forget-it kind of situations.Keychron K4 HE Software and CustomizationThere's still a decent amount of customization on account of having magnetic switches, and theyre very easy to tinker with. Boutique manufacturers like Keychron have moved toward having web-based configurators as opposed to downloadable suites that bigger manufacturers use. (I get that Razer, Logitech, Asus, etc. do that to get you in their ecosystems.) You simply go to the Keychron launcher site, select your keyboard from the Connect menu, and you immediately have access to a full set of customization options.From here, you can set the actuation point on a per-key basis anywhere between 0.2mm and 3.8mm and in increments of 0.1mm and having a short actuation point is crucial for competitive gaming performance. You also have more nuanced features like one-key multi-command, which lets you map different inputs to various distances along the keystroke. And theres the analog gamepad feature that allows you to simulate specific sensitivities of controller inputs on a keystroke. Hall Effect switches are great for performance alone, but its this kind of versatility enabled by magnetic technology.Its pretty much expected for magnetic keyboards to have features like Rapid Trigger and LKP (last keystroke prioritization), the latter of which is the contentious SOCD (simultaneous opposite cardinal direction) input. We cover this with each magnetic keyboard since its becoming more commonplace and different companies call it something different. It certainly has its uses cases, but if youre not aware, SOCD (or LKP in this case) lets you hold one key and register an opposite direction every time you hit it, and re-register the key you're holding every time you let go of the other. You can counter-strafe (or jiggle strafe) at inhuman speed, making you a much harder target. Be aware that you will get kicked from Counter-Strike 2 matches, for example, if you exploit SOCD like LKP.Looking to upgrade your mouse, too?Best OverallRazer Deathadder V3 HyperspeedRazer made notable tweaks to its flagship mouse, making the V3 one of the best mice and further proving why Deathadders have been a staple for PC gaming for so long.See it at AmazonBe sure to check out our roundup of the best gaming mice!The extensiveness of options dont stop there, though Keychron has a fairly robust macro tool to map input sequences and set the timing of each input. You can also remap any key easily in the online configurator and set your RGB patterns and colors however you want. And its all neatly laid out and easy to understand, which several software suites cant exactly say.Keychron K4 HE PerformanceFor gaming, the Keychron K4 HE and the magnetic Nebula switches are as good as any other experience Ive had with Hall Effect keyboards. However, the one thing Ill note is that its rated at a 40g initial actuation force and a 60g bottom-out force while thats fairly standard, it does feel more firm on the touch than most other magnetic keyboards Ive used recently. It may wear you down a bit more over time, but there are advantages to this.When it comes to playing FFXIV, where Im constantly cycling through my attack rotation on close-by keys or trying to hit specific actions at important moments, having magnetic switches that are both firm on the actuation force but set to a shorter actuation point is incredible. I wont fat-finger a key because of the stiffer resistance and Ill register the input fast since the keystroke will be recognized much quicker. Its the best of both worlds in a game like FFXIV, especially as someone who has a heavy resting hand over his keyboard.In games like Counter-Strike 2 or Valorant, the short actuation points also come in clutch for jiggle-strafing, quick movements, switching weapons, or activating abilities on a dime. I went with 0.5mm with the K4 HE, which is much shorter than I would use on other keyboards, and that was the sweet spot. I played my usual batch of ranked matches to determine if this was suited for competitive game and it certainly passed muster for me. Although I may want to go with something lighter on the actuation force for competitive shooters, I certainly enjoyed using the K4 HE for them.Such is the case with most Hall Effect keyboards Ive used, but the smooth linear keystrokes of a magnetic switch are quite satisfying, especially as someone who always used linear mechanical switches like the Cherry MX Reds for nearly a decade. As I'm typing this right now, I get a kick out of the creamy "thock" of each keystroke and the clean feel of the magnetic switch, which you can also attribute to the different types of foam and padding tucked under the keyboard's plating.Purchasing GuideThe Keychron K4 HE is available for $135 for the standard edition and $145 for the special edition, and is available at Amazon or directly from Keychron. The standard version comes in all-black and has transparent legends to let RGB shine through the keycaps, while the special edition comes in black with woodgrain or off-white with woodgrain.

Apple TV+ is having an especially good year. Severance was a mainstream hit that somehow exceeded Ted Lassos success. The streamer had just come off a long string of other critical hits too, and Apples follow-through with shows post-Severance has been especially strong. After years of being called the new HBO, I think Apple TV+ may have finally started earning that reputation.Its not easy to create the next HBO, as Apple quickly learnedWhen Apple TV+ first debuted in 2019, Apple hyped it up as the new home for the worlds most creative storytellers. Prestige was the goal from the start.Apples services head Eddy Cue, in an early Apple TV+ press release, put it this way:Apple TV+ will be home to some of the highest quality original storytelling that TV and movie lovers have seen yet.The streamer famouslyor infamouslylaunched on November 1, 2019 with only nine titles available to subscribers. No library of content, only original shows and movies.Apples content goal was clear: not the most, but the best.The launch lineup included:The Morning ShowSeeDickinsonFor All Mankindplus three childrens shows, a documentary, and an Oprah specialPer Zack Van Amburg, one of the top Apple TV+ execs:With Apple TV+, we are presenting all-original stories from the best, brightest and most creative minds, and we know viewers will find their new favorite show or movie on our service.Unfortunately, the launch slate didnt prove as compelling to critics or viewers as Apple had hoped.Reviews werent altogether bad, but they also werent nearly positive enough to live up to Apples hype.Apple TV+ wanted to be the new HBO with its prestige content, but it stumbled out of the gate.Apple TV+ is finally earning that HBO-level prestigeFor most of its 5+ year run, Id argue Apple TV+ has had a higher than average hit rate for its new shows and movies. Meaning, it mostly makes high quality content.But until recently, its still struggled in two areas:consistencyquantityApple TV+ has made some really great shows. Its also made its fair share of expensive yet mediocre shows. Consistency has been a challenge.Even when Apples shows have succeeded, its typically one at a time. As a long-time subscriber, its been rare for Apple TV+ to air more than one series I cared about at a time.But for almost a year now, the streamer has improved on both fronts.Apple TV+ has been debuting top-tier shows one after another since at least last summerAnd for much of that time, its had multiple compelling shows running at onceWith Severance wrapped up, The Studio and Dope Thief have been very strong follow-ups to keep subscribers hooked. And Jon Hamms Your Friends & Neighbors is coming next week.All this to say: I think that new HBO title is starting to fit Apple TV+ pretty well.Apple needs to keep up its strong hit rate, and prove this past year hasnt been a fluke.But right now? Apple TV+ looks a lot like the new HBO to me.Apple TV+ isavailable for $9.99 per monthand features hit TV shows and movies likeTed Lasso,Severance,The Morning Show,Silo, andShrinking. You can alsowatch free in several ways.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 5.