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Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Smart inside and out Plenty of organizer pockets Recycled materials Cons High price Our Verdict The slimline and undeniably chic Troubadour Matrix Backpack acts like a super-organized mobile office, built for the everyday tech-heavy commuter and professional traveller. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed€279 Best Prices Today: Troubadour Matrix Backpack Retailer Price Troubadour 279,00 € View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket We’ve road-tested a lot of great backpacks, duffle bags, shoulder bags and totes in our bid to find the best MacBook bags, but we fell in love with the Troubadour Matrix Backpack on first sight. It’s gorgeous, slim and lightweight, and is specifically designed for the tech-carrying commuter or traveller—but you’ll pay a premium price for this luxury organizer. Troubadour Exterior designer looks On the inside, the Matrix Backpack is all about organization. But the exterior (which is only available in black) is business smart, in a FortiWeave waterproof fabric that’s built with recycled polyester, and featuring elegant elements of vegan leather trim. The back features a comfortable padded mesh panel for breathability to stop a sweat building up as you wear it. Staying with the outside of the backpack, at the front there are two zipped pockets. The top pocket is for easy access to the things you need to reach in a hurry, such as your AirPods and sunglasses, passport and papers, and includes a key clip and AirTag slot. Below that is a larger fold-down compartment that can handle a lot of bulkier items in its five pockets—one with magnetic closure—and zipped section. Here you might store your drives, charger, power banks, notebook, mouse, cables and other items. On one side is a flexible water bottle holder, and on the other a zipped pocket that would hold a compact umbrella, phone or another smaller device. The jersey-lined shoulder straps feature a hidden Quiver origami pocket for keeping your phone or travel card within easy but secure reach. At the top is a strong but comfortable non-slip vegan leather carry handle. The backpack weighs 2.6lbs (1.2kg) and measures 19.3 x 14 x 6.5 inches (49 x 36 x 16.5cm). Troubadour Inside tech organizer The most valuable piece of tech that you’ll want protected is your MacBook, and the laptop sleeve is padded and lined with a soft microfibre. Here you’ll also find compartments for paper or notebooks, or maybe your iPad too. There’s a storm cover built in to further protect your valuables. Overall storage is 20L, but the Matrix Backpack is probably not the carrying bag you need for a shop at the supermarket. If you need to travel with more packed in, try the 35L or 45L Pakt Travel Backpack 2.0 or 42L Stubble & Co The Adventure Bag. Instead, inside there are organizational pockets and pen slots and one deeper zipped pocket. We like the light-colored lining, which makes finding your stuff so much easier than in a dark interior. Troubadour Price This is a premium laptop backpack with quite the premium price of $279/£279/€279. In this case we can see every penny you spend has been lavished on an exceptional backpack, outside and in—designed for the well-heeled professional tech traveller. If the price is too steep, check out our other recommended MacBook backpacks for more affordable options. Verdict The Troubadour Matrix Backpack acts like a mobile office, built for the everyday commuter traveller who carries a lot of tech around with them, as well as other everyday essentials. It’s not bulky like some backpacks, and looks like a smart and stylish business-ready briefcase that’s more comfortable to carry.

The American workforce is undergoing a shift, with major companies like Amazon, Apple, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Tesla enforcing return-to-office (RTO) mandates, leading to fewer remote work opportunities for employees. Despite the back to workplace push, a survey of 1,000 US workers in January found strong resistance to full-time office returns. In the last two years, 60% of organizations have required employees to get back into the office, but many workers believe doing so undermines their quality of life — and some say they’ll quit if forced to go back, according to a new study of 1,000 workers by job development and search site Career.io. It found that one in six employees (16%) would quit if forced back to the office, while 40% believe returning would reduce their job satisfaction. “For these people, working from home provides a quieter and less stressful environment, eliminates commuting costs, and promotes a healthier work-life balance,” the Career.io study said. The pushback against RTO policies has been varied, with some workers outright quitting, others quiet vacationing and still others coffee badging to make it appear they’ve met their in-office requirements. Millennials, in particular, were most recalcitrant. Career.io’s survey found more than a third of millennials simply plan to disregard enforced RTO regulations. TopResume Overall, the survey found that 6.7% of workers plan to ignore the mandates by staying remote or going into the office less often, though 77% said they would comply with RTO policies to avoid consequences. (Despite the risk of losing top talent, few big corporations are offering incentives for employees to RTO. The survey found 65% of employees cited a pay raise as the top incentive, 54% want flexibility in hours to avoid peak commuting, and 10% said no incentive would make office returns worthwhile.) Over half (54%) of respondents said RTO requirements would negatively affect their work-life balance. In recent years, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic upended office routines in 2020 and 2021, workers have flourished with the advantages of not having to go into their cubicles; employees get to work flexibly and avoid the 43 hours of commuting on average that American office workers had to endure in the last year, according to the study. “The monster under the bed that is going unaddressed by CEOs is that one-third of respondents fear working from the office would significantly impact their mental health,” the study stated. “American workers are already struggling with record levels of burnout — something which could only worsen with office distractions.” Despite the commuting and lunch costs that come with RTO, more than a third of respondents believe they spend less money while in the office than at home. Remote workers may spend more on energy and office supplies, but they also contributed far more in online spending when at home. In 2023, remote workers contributed an extra $375 billion in online spending, according to a Master Economics Institute study. TopResume Career.io also analyzed over 6,000 U.S.-based remote job listings on LinkedIn during March, categorizing them by industry (excluding “other”). The analysis ranked industries by the number of remote job applications to identify those offering the most remote positions. The data showed the tech industry leads in offering employees the opportunity to work fully remote. Nearly 32% of all remote job postings were for tech jobs. Sales and marketing were in second place with 25% of job remote job opportunities. The top five of 12 industries account for about 84% of total remote job listings, the study found. It’s not just private industry that wants workers back in their chairs. In January, US President Donald J. Trump insisted federal employees return to their offices or face termination. That push has led to the same kind of push-pull between government managers and employees, and has angered federal employees who have been asked to go back to the office, even though office space has been downsized.

The Asahi Linux project is having trouble bringing the operating system to M4 Macs, with some chip changes making working with the latest Apple Silicon models a lot tougher.Asahi Linux logo and a Mac StudioAsahi Linux is a project to make the Linux kernel work with Apple Silicon, so that Linux users can natively use modern Macs with Linux. After having success with M1 and M2 chips, the project is running into issues when trying to work with M4.In a post to Mastodon on April 4, developer Sven Peter describes the work to add M4 support to Asahi Linux as "rather painful." This is in comparison to the challenges the project faced when it came to supporting M1 and M2. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

The 28-acre Henriquez Partners-led Oakridge Park mixed-use project for developer Westbank Corp. in the city of Vancouver is progressing toward its completion date later in the year. Once it is, it will boast space for 3,000 homes for nearly 6,000 residents plus workspaces for 3,000 creative industry professionals, 300 retail outlets, a large community center, seven small parks, live music venues, another culture hub, and Vancouver’s second-largest library. It will connect to the Oakridge–41st Avenue metro station. Westbank's founder Ian Gillespie spoke to Archinect about his desire to bring 'Big A' designers to the city in 2017.  

Through promotional images for Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo’s Korean website, the company has accidentally revealed that Pauline of Super Mario Odyssey fame will also be present in the game somehow. The image has seemingly since been corrected, but it was spotted by social media X user Genki_JPN. Check it out below. At the time of publishing, the promotional image has been altered to remove the presence of Pauline. Interestingly, Pauline’s presence in the game’s art indicates that there might be other crossovers between Donkey Kong Bananza and Super Mario Odyssey. It is worth noting that, while Pauline was officially named and was even featured in a singing role in Super Mario Odyssey‘s New Donk City level, the character has been around for much longer. Pauline is the person being rescued by Mario in the original 1981 Donkey Kong. More recently, 2017’s Super Mario Odyssey featured Pauline as a prominent part of its marketing leading up to its release. Pauline is also the character that sings the title’s theme song, Jump Up, Super Star!, which also acts as a bombastic finale for the game’s New Donk City stage. While the Mario and Donkey Kong universes haven’t really had much in the way of stories or overarching lore, Pauline’s presence in Donkey Kong Bananza does have some more humorous implications for both games. Since Pauline was originally kidnapped by the titular character in the 1981 Donkey Kong, it might be possible that the two have since become friends leading up to the events of Donkey Kong Bananza. Donkey Kong Bananza was officially unveiled during Nintendo’s Switch 2-oriented Direct earlier this month. The title is the first fully-3D platformer in the Donkey Kong franchise since the 1999 release of Donkey Kong 64 on the Nintendo 64. In Donkey Kong Bananza, players take on the role of Donkey Kong has he platforms and wrecks his way through various levels. The game also seemingly features quite a bit of environmental destruction, allowing players to cause plenty of chaos throughout the game’s levels. Donkey Kong Bananza will be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 17. More gameplay details about the title were revealed during Nintendo’s Treehouse streams. The new gameplay footage showcased the title’s exploration mechanics, including environmental destruction, as well as platforming. The title is slated to require 10 GB of storage when it comes out. File sizes for other games have also been revealed. Mario Kart World, for instance, will need 23.4 GB, while Switch 2 Enhanced title Kirby and the Forgotten Land will come in at 5.7 GB. Full key art pic.twitter.com/hWxDMyZ32D — Genki✨ (@Genki_JPN) April 5, 2025

Live from TED2025 5 things we learned at day 1 of TED2025 Posted by: Brian Greene, Maria Ladias and Oliver Friedman April 7, 2025 at 8:30 pm EDT NEO, a humanoid home helper, opens Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED) Buckle up: It’s time for TED! In a classically eclectic opening session, seven speakers and a performer explore the big issues of the day — from the rise of techno-authoritarianism and the existential threat of superhuman AI to the rebirth of Notre-Dame de Paris and signs of progress from around the world. Also, the humanoid helper NEO opens the show … because what would TED be without a surprise cameo from a robot? Here are some key takeaways from day 1: Carole Cadwalladr speaks at Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED) Politics is technology now. In the searing opening talk of TED2025, investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr explores how a fast-moving technological coup is threatening democracy around the world. The alignment of corporate power, massive data collection and emerging autocratic regimes has created what she calls “the broligarchy” — an unprecedentedly powerful class of tech bro oligarchs who are complicit in enabling authoritarian control on a scale never seen before. She says it’s time for people to digitally disobey: don’t accept cookies, don’t use your real name, use encrypted messaging services like Signal and support those defending data rights and freedom of expression. “Privacy is power, and we have more of it than we think,” Cadwalladr says. Yoshua Bengio speaks at Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED) With AI, we are playing with fire. Computer scientist Yoshua Bengio is at the forefront of deep learning research and AI development — and he’s also a leading voice in the effort to curb the risks of superhuman AI. He explains why, as AI develops tendencies to deceive, cheat and self-preserve, the world should treat the risk of extinction from AI as a global priority alongside pandemics and nuclear war. He also presents a technical solution to the problem: “scientist AI,” an intrinsically safe and trustworthy version of the technology developed as a global public good and used for human flourishing. Yancey Strickler speaks at Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED) An artist-powered revolution is coming. Streaming platforms, corporate gatekeepers and now AI have systematically eroded the power of artists, as musicians, writers, designers and other creative people struggle to earn a living. The solution? Writer and entrepreneur Yancey Stickler suggests that a radical new legal structure — the “Artist Corporation” — could give creators real economic and organizational power by pooling resources, sharing ownership and attracting investment on their own terms. Artists don’t need pity or prestige prices, Strickler says. They need a seat at the table. Philippe Villeneuve speaks at Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED) One of history’s most iconic cathedrals, reborn from the ashes. Led by chief architect Philippe Villeneuve, the revival of Notre-Dame de Paris following a massive fire in 2019 is more than a rebuild — it’s a blueprint for future restoration efforts. Drawing on time-honored techniques, Villeneuve shares how a team of craftspeople and experts came together to bring new life to this Gothic masterpiece — a bold act fueled by passion, precision and purpose. Angus Hervey speaks at Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED) Hope still exists, if you know where to look. From a groundbreaking malaria vaccine saving children to a sharp drop in Amazon deforestation, journalist Angus Hervey puts a spotlight on overlooked breakthroughs in a world teetering between collapse and progress. He reveals how humanity is persistently making strides toward a better future — even if these stories are regularly missing from the headlines. TED’s Chris Anderson and Helen Walters host Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED) Attendees in the TED Theater at Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED) Attendees in the TED Theater at Session 1 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 7, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

Mass Grave From Roman-Era Battle Discovered Beneath a Soccer Field in Vienna Archaeologists think that as many as 150 individuals may have been hastily buried at the site, likely after a “catastrophic” military event Archaeologists suspect that as many as 150 individuals may be buried at the site. Reiner Riedler / Vienna Museum Sometime during the first century C.E., a fierce battle took place in what is now Vienna, Austria—likely between Roman soldiers and Germanic warriors. Afterward, the battered bodies of dozens of men were dumped into a pit and covered with dirt. Now, centuries later, archaeologists are trying to piece together what happened during the “catastrophic” military confrontation, reports Philipp Jenne for the Associated Press. “Within the context of Roman acts of war, there are no comparable finds of fighters,” says Michaela Binder, an archaeologist with Novetus, the company that led excavations at the site, to the AP. “There are huge battlefields in Germany where weapons were found. But finding the dead, that is unique for the entire Roman history.” Archaeologists have identified one of the individuals as a Roman warrior. Reiner Riedler / Vienna Museum The remains were discovered in October by a construction crew renovating a soccer field in the Simmering neighborhood of Austria’s capital, according to a statement from the Vienna Museum. While working at the site, they found hundreds of entangled human bones in a mass grave. Archaeologists were brought in to study the mysterious remains, which appear to have been disposed of quickly. Many of the individuals were buried on their sides or stomachs, with their limbs intertwined. After months of research, archaeologists have now confirmed that at least 129 individuals were buried at the site. They also discovered many dislocated bones, which suggests the total number of victims could be as high as 150. The discovery of intact human remains from the first centry is unusual, as the Romans cremated their dead through the third century, A. Slonek / Novetus Their analysis revealed that all of the victims were men between the ages of 20 and 30. They were all relatively healthy, with good teeth and little evidence of infection, per CNN’s Amarachi Orie. But every individual had suffered some sort of devastating injury—like wounds made by swords, lances, daggers and iron bolts. Some also showed signs of blunt trauma. The men were likely stripped of their weapons after death, because archaeologists found very few in the grave. They did, however, unearth the remains of a helmet cheek protector, a few pieces of scale armor and nails used on the bottom of leather Roman military shoes called caligae. They also found an iron dagger and a scabbard that was inlaid with silver wire—a traditional Roman decoration. They dated the dagger to between the middle of the first century and the early part of the second century C.E. Meanwhile, the bones date to between 80 and 230 C.E. The remains were dumped into a pit quickly and haphazardly. Reiner Riedler / Vienna Museum Researchers suspect the fighting took place sometime in the late first century C.E.—probably between 86 and 96 C.E. during the Roman Empire’s Danube campaigns led by the emperor Domitian. The timeline makes sense in the context of historic texts, which describe battles between the Roman Empire and Germanic tribes toward the end of the first century. In 92 C.E, for instance, records indicate that Germanic troops invaded the Roman Empire near the Danube border and wiped out an entire legion, according to the museum’s statement. So far, researchers have only been able to identify one of the men as a Roman warrior. They hope to learn more about the victims—including which side they were fighting for—in the future using DNA and strontium isotope analyses, per the AP. Mass grave mystery: Archaeologists discover 150 Roman-era soldiers in Vienna Watch on Military significance aside, archaeologists say the discovery of any human remains from this period is extremely unusual. That’s because the Romans mainly cremated their dead until the third century. The grave gives researchers an unprecedented opportunity to study the “life histories” of individuals who lived during the first century, Binder tells the New York Times’ Eve Sampson. “For all of middle Europe from the first century, we don’t have any unburned, uncremated human remains,” Binder adds. The remains could also offer new insights into the history of Vienna itself. Vienna was once “Vindobona,” a modest Roman outpost on the Danube River. But the Romans eventually built up Vindobona into a full-scale military fortress—and perhaps this first-century battle was the catalyst. “This would place the mass grave in immediate conjunction with the beginning of urban life in present-day Vienna,” says Kristina Adler-Wölfl, who leads Vienna’s urban archaeology department, to CNN. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.