This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. The first US hub for experimental medical treatments is coming The news: A bill that allows clinics to sell unproven treatments has been passed in Montana. Under the legislation, doctors can apply for a license to open an experimental treatment clinic and recommend and sell therapies not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to their patients. Why it matters: Once it’s signed by the governor, the law will be the most expansive in the country in allowing access to drugs that have not been fully tested. The bill allows for any drug produced in the state to be sold in it, providing it has been through phase I clinical trials—but these trials do not determine if the drug is effective.The big picture: The bill was drafted and lobbied for by people interested in extending human lifespans. And these longevity enthusiasts are hoping Montana will serve as a test bed for opening up access to experimental drugs. Read the full story. —Jessica Hamzelou Google DeepMind’s new AI agent cracks real-world problems better than humans can Google DeepMind has once again used large language models to discover new solutions to long-standing problems in math and computer science. This time the firm has shown that its approach can not only tackle unsolved theoretical puzzles, but improve a range of important real-world processes as well. The new tool, called AlphaEvolve, uses large language models (LLMs) to produce code for a wide range of different tasks. LLMs are known to be hit and miss at coding. The twist here is that AlphaEvolve scores each of Gemini’s suggestions, throwing out the bad and tweaking the good, in an iterative process, until it has produced the best algorithm it can. In many cases, the results are more efficient or more accurate than the best existing (human-written) solutions.Read the full story. —Will Douglas Heaven Research cuts are threatening crucial climate data —Casey Crownhart Over the last few weeks, there’s been an explosion of news about proposed budget cuts to science in the US. Researchers and civil servants are sounding the alarm that those cuts mean we might lose key data that helps us understand our world and how climate change is affecting it. Long-running US government programs that monitor the snowpack across the West are among those being threatened by cuts across the US federal government, as my colleague James Temple’s new story explores. Also potentially in trouble: carbon dioxide measurements in Hawaii, hurricane forecasting tools, and a database that tracks the economic impact of natural disasters.  It’s all got me thinking: What do we lose when data is in danger? Read the full story. This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Donald Trump doesn’t want Apple building iPhones in India The US President claims Apple will be upping their US production as a result. (Bloomberg $)+ He also said that India was willing to “literally charge us no tariffs.” (WSJ $)2 Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot ranted about white genocide  In response to completely unrelated queries. (FT $)+ It’s not the first time Grok has shared questionable responses. (Bloomberg $)+ Grok told users it was instructed to accept white genocide as real. (The Guardian) 3 RFK Jr doesn’t think we should take his medical advice Which begs the question: why is he US Health and Human Services secretary? (NY Mag $)+ Kennedy said his opinions on vaccines are irrelevant. (NYT $)+ He defended his decision to downsize the health department amid protests. (The Guardian)4 GM’s new EV battery can power a truck for more than 400 miles  Its lithium manganese-rich cells use cheaper minerals than lithium-ion ones. (Fast Company $)+ Tariffs are bad news for batteries. (MIT Technology Review) 5 Anthropic has been accused of using AI-generated evidence in a legal case A lawyer for Universal Music Group claimed an expert cited a source that didn’t exist. (Reuters)+ A judge in another case reportedly caught fake AI citations, too. (Ars Technica)+ AI companies are finally being forced to cough up for training data. (MIT Technology Review)6 AI won’t put human radiologists out of a job any time soonThe technology is helpful, but is unable to do everything trained human experts can. (NYT $) + Why it’s so hard to use AI to diagnose cancer. (MIT Technology Review) 7 The US Defense Department wants faster aircraft and missiles And startups are more than willing to answer the call. (WP $)+ Phase two of military AI has arrived. (MIT Technology Review)8 SpaceX has successfully tested its Starship rocket 🚀Clearing a major hurdle ahead of its planned launch later this month. (Wired $)9 YouTube will start inserting ads into videos’ crucial moments Wow, that doesn’t sound annoying at all. (TechCrunch)10 Apple’s Vision Pro headset is a pain in the neckAnd early adopters are regretting shelling out $3,500 apiece. (WSJ $) + Maybe the ability to scroll using their eyes will change their minds. (Bloomberg $) Quote of the day “To say a professor is ‘some kind of monster’ for using AI to generate slides “is, to me, ridiculous.” —Paul Shovlin, a professor at Ohio University, reacts to student backlash against professors using AI to create teaching materials, the New York Times reports. One more thing Who gets to decide who receives experimental medical treatments?There has been a trend toward lowering the bar for new medicines, and it is becoming easier for people to access treatments that might not help them—and could even harm them. Anecdotes appear to be overpowering evidence in decisions on drug approval. As a result, we’re ending up with some drugs that don’t work. We urgently need to question how these decisions are made. Who should have access to experimental therapies? And who should get to decide? Such questions are especially pressing considering how quickly biotechnology is advancing. We’re not just improving on existing classes of treatments—we’re creating entirely new ones. Read the full story.—Jessica Hamzelou We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + Food nostalgia is the best nostalgia, and this Bluesky account of discontinued foods doesn't disappoint.+ Don’t even think of calling your newborn baby King if you live in New Zealand.+ Actor Jeremy Strong just loves a bucket hat.+ Watch out Swiss drivers—a duck has been caught speeding 🦆

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMay 15, 20255 Min ReadTuta via Alamy Stock PhotoGetting a new IT project off the ground requires a concept, a goal, meticulous planning, and, perhaps most importantly, a willingness to assume a certain amount of risk. It's this last point that often keeps IT leaders awake at night. Addressing risk prior to launching an IT project is crucial, since it helps to set clear expectations, identify potential obstacles, and create a roadmap for handling unforeseen challenges, says Anbang Xu, founder of JoggAI, an AI-powered video platform, and a former senior product manager at Apple and senior software engineer at Google. "Particularly when it comes to AI-driven projects, understanding the risks -- whether they're related to technology, data security, scalability, or talent -- can make the difference between a smooth launch and a failed initiative," he observes in an email interview. "By addressing these concerns early, you also ensure that resources are allocated effectively, and your team is better equipped to handle surprises." Building a strong mechanism to address risk during project planning is crucial to ensure that all decisions are made with transparency into cost, benefit, and risk, says Ola Chowning, a partner with technology research and advisory firm ISG. "Project decisions that don't estimate risk and its tangible or intangible impacts at the start, or even during a project, likely don't have the data needed to make informed decisions and balance cost, risk, and benefit," she explains in an online interview. "More importantly, failing to address risk can waste time if an event occurs and the team is left scrambling to determine how to respond." Related:There are also secondary risks, including budget, resources, and technology challenges, says Munir Hafez, CTO of Independence Pet Holdings via email (Hafez was senior vice president and CIO at credit reporting firm TransUnion at the time of the interview.) "Each of these risks should be addressed before launching an IT project to ensure that the project is starting off on a solid foundation and will gain alignment with all stakeholders." Accurate Estimations By quantifying risks, project managers can objectively assess their potential likelihood and impact, allowing efficient resource allocation and the development of appropriate mitigation strategies, Hafez says. "This structured approach ensures that no significant risks are overlooked and that the project remains on track." The best way to estimate risk is to divide the project into small components and assess the uncertainty around each unit, Xu says. This process includes examining the project's technical feasibility, the team's ability to handle complexity, and any potential dependencies on third-party tools or services. Xu states he relies on a combination of historical data from similar past projects and predictive models -- particularly when it comes to AI and machine learning applications, where it's often unknown how algorithms will perform at scale. "This allows us to develop a more nuanced risk profile, instead of relying on assumptions," he explains. Related:Many organizations use a risk scoring tool, built on previous project experiences and common risk categories, to guide project teams on risk types for their particular project, Chowning says. "Some [organizations] even have statistics on how often risks have occurred in the past and the average impact on previous projects." Risk Tips If a risk estimate appears overly optimistic, the leader should reassess the situation and adjust the project plan accordingly, Hafez says. "This may involve consulting industry experts or revisiting lessons learned from previous internal projects to accurately reflect the risk." The biggest mistake is underestimating the impact of technical debt and the complexity of scaling solutions, Xu warns. "Leaders often focus too much on the initial development phase and don’t account for the ongoing maintenance and optimization required," he explains. "Risk should be measured not only by the initial launch, but also by the long-term implications of maintaining and improving the post-launch system." Related:Final Thoughts As a project progresses, existing risks can evolve and new risks may emerge, Hafez says. "Regularly reviewing and updating the risk management plan ensures that the project will remain resilient and adaptable to these changes." Fostering a culture of open communication and encouraging team members to report potential risks early can significantly enhance a project's ability to respond effectively, Hafez says. This proactive approach helps avoid the "watermelon effect," where performance metrics appear positive (green) on the surface, but reveal underlying problems (red) when examined more closely. Embrace flexibility, Xu advises. In tech, especially in fields such as AI, things are constantly evolving. "A leader’s ability to adapt and pivot when necessary is as critical as the ability to plan," he notes. That's why it's important to continue refining risk assessments throughout the project's life. It’s important for project team and business decision-makers to understand that risks aren't a bad thing, Chowning says. "The underlying objective of risk management is to understand and mitigate risk, and to be prepared if risk events occur." Making high project risk scores a "bad thing" will simply drive team leaders and members to underestimate, ignore, or even attempt to hide potential risk. About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

The mixed-reality headset launched with great promise, but all these buyers got were dirty looks and sore necks.

The big picture: One of the biggest challenges in virtual reality is mimicking the kind of sharpness we're used to seeing on TVs and monitors – but in VR, the screen is just inches from your eyes. While today's mainstream headsets like the Meta Quest 3 (2,064×2,208 per eye), PlayStation VR2 (2,000×2,040 per eye), and Apple Vision Pro (3,660×3,200 per eye) have made big strides, Samsung is now aiming to leap past those and push into truly lifelike territory with its latest next-gen displays. The company has crammed specs such as peak brightness levels of up to 20,000 nits and beyond-4K resolution into a new OLED display measuring no more than 1.4 inches across. Samsung is offering two versions of its headset. There's a 15,000-nit variant that delivers up to 5,000 PPI, and there's a 20,000-nit model boasting a 4,200 PPI. Both use a technology that Samsung likes to call OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon), where the OLED layers are deposited directly onto silicon wafers. That's what allows such dense pixel layouts and makes them ideal for compact VR form factors. As for why we'd want something that bright so close to our eyeballs, it's because VR headsets actually suffer massive brightness losses due to their optics. Pancake lenses, which help keep headsets slim and portable, are particularly inefficient, with around 90% of incoming light lost during transmission. Another factor affecting brightness is low-persistence illumination – a trick used to reduce motion blur. According to UploadVR, the combination ends up with your supposedly 5,000-nit display looking more like a 100-nit one. Samsung's new panels, with up to 20,000 nits of raw output, mean that even after all the optical losses, users could see 300 to 400 nits in the headset, which is still a meaningful jump compared to other options on the market today. The extra brightness could allow for not only sharper motion rendering but also more realistic daylight environments in mixed reality. Resolution-wise, one of Samsung's demo units boasts 3,888×3,888 pixels, while the other stretches beyond 4K per eye. Add in true RGB subpixel layouts (unlike the white OLEDs with color filters used in today's premium headsets), and you've got richer colors, deeper blacks, and better efficiency. Samsung also claims 99% DCI-P3 coverage, which is more than the Apple Vision Pro's already-impressive 92%. It all sounds almost too good to be true, but there is a catch. Manufacturing true RGB micro-OLED is significantly more complex and costly than the current standard. So for now, Samsung is positioning these panels as R&D and not yet ready for mass production. // Related Stories

President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where basically they have agreed to charge us literally no tariffs. I said 'Tim, we are treating you really good, we put up with all the plants you built in China for years. We are not interested in you building in India. India can take care of themselves'." Trump claimed that following their discussion, Apple will be "upping their production in the United States." In the fiscal year ending March, Apple's iPhone production in India reached $22 billion, a nearly 60% increase compared to the previous year. However, Trump's comments complicate Apple's strategy to import most US-bound iPhones from India by the end of next year. Apple and its manufacturing partners have accelerated their movement away from China in recent months. The trend began after COVID restrictions disrupted operations, and has only accelerated amid ongoing US-China tensions, particularly in the wake of Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs. Most India-manufactured iPhones are assembled at Foxconn's factory in the southern part of the country. Tata Group's electronics manufacturing arm, which acquired Wistron's local business and manages Pegatron's operations in India, is another major supplier. When asked about the supply chain's future during the company's recent earnings call, Cook said: "What we learned some time ago, having everything in one location had too much risk with it. We have, over time, with certain parts of the supply chain, opened up new sources of supply. You could see that kind of thing continuing in the future." During the same earnings call, Cook highlighted Apple's impact in the United States, including plans to spend $500 billion over the next four years and expanding facilities in several states. A new factory for advanced server manufacturing in Texas is scheduled to open later this year. Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts. Tags: India, Tim Cook

This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology. The first US hub for experimental medical treatments is coming The news: A bill that allows clinics to sell unproven treatments has been passed in Montana. Under the legislation, doctors can apply for a license to open an experimental treatment clinic and recommend and sell therapies not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to their patients. Why it matters: Once it’s signed by the governor, the law will be the most expansive in the country in allowing access to drugs that have not been fully tested. The bill allows for any drug produced in the state to be sold in it, providing it has been through phase I clinical trials—but these trials do not determine if the drug is effective.The big picture: The bill was drafted and lobbied for by people interested in extending human lifespans. And these longevity enthusiasts are hoping Montana will serve as a test bed for opening up access to experimental drugs. Read the full story. —Jessica Hamzelou Google DeepMind’s new AI agent cracks real-world problems better than humans can Google DeepMind has once again used large language models to discover new solutions to long-standing problems in math and computer science. This time the firm has shown that its approach can not only tackle unsolved theoretical puzzles, but improve a range of important real-world processes as well. The new tool, called AlphaEvolve, uses large language models (LLMs) to produce code for a wide range of different tasks. LLMs are known to be hit and miss at coding. The twist here is that AlphaEvolve scores each of Gemini’s suggestions, throwing out the bad and tweaking the good, in an iterative process, until it has produced the best algorithm it can. In many cases, the results are more efficient or more accurate than the best existing (human-written) solutions.Read the full story. —Will Douglas Heaven Research cuts are threatening crucial climate data —Casey Crownhart Over the last few weeks, there’s been an explosion of news about proposed budget cuts to science in the US. Researchers and civil servants are sounding the alarm that those cuts mean we might lose key data that helps us understand our world and how climate change is affecting it. Long-running US government programs that monitor the snowpack across the West are among those being threatened by cuts across the US federal government, as my colleague James Temple’s new story explores. Also potentially in trouble: carbon dioxide measurements in Hawaii, hurricane forecasting tools, and a database that tracks the economic impact of natural disasters.  It’s all got me thinking: What do we lose when data is in danger? Read the full story. This article is from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. The must-reads I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology. 1 Donald Trump doesn’t want Apple building iPhones in India The US President claims Apple will be upping their US production as a result. (Bloomberg $)+ He also said that India was willing to “literally charge us no tariffs.” (WSJ $)2 Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot ranted about white genocide  In response to completely unrelated queries. (FT $)+ It’s not the first time Grok has shared questionable responses. (Bloomberg $)+ Grok told users it was instructed to accept white genocide as real. (The Guardian) 3 RFK Jr doesn’t think we should take his medical advice Which begs the question: why is he US Health and Human Services secretary? (NY Mag $)+ Kennedy said his opinions on vaccines are irrelevant. (NYT $)+ He defended his decision to downsize the health department amid protests. (The Guardian)4 GM’s new EV battery can power a truck for more than 400 miles  Its lithium manganese-rich cells use cheaper minerals than lithium-ion ones. (Fast Company $)+ Tariffs are bad news for batteries. (MIT Technology Review) 5 Anthropic has been accused of using AI-generated evidence in a legal case A lawyer for Universal Music Group claimed an expert cited a source that didn’t exist. (Reuters)+ A judge in another case reportedly caught fake AI citations, too. (Ars Technica)+ AI companies are finally being forced to cough up for training data. (MIT Technology Review)6 AI won’t put human radiologists out of a job any time soonThe technology is helpful, but is unable to do everything trained human experts can. (NYT $) + Why it’s so hard to use AI to diagnose cancer. (MIT Technology Review) 7 The US Defense Department wants faster aircraft and missiles And startups are more than willing to answer the call. (WP $)+ Phase two of military AI has arrived. (MIT Technology Review)8 SpaceX has successfully tested its Starship rocket 🚀Clearing a major hurdle ahead of its planned launch later this month. (Wired $)9 YouTube will start inserting ads into videos’ crucial moments Wow, that doesn’t sound annoying at all. (TechCrunch)10 Apple’s Vision Pro headset is a pain in the neckAnd early adopters are regretting shelling out $3,500 apiece. (WSJ $) + Maybe the ability to scroll using their eyes will change their minds. (Bloomberg $) Quote of the day “To say a professor is ‘some kind of monster’ for using AI to generate slides “is, to me, ridiculous.” —Paul Shovlin, a professor at Ohio University, reacts to student backlash against professors using AI to create teaching materials, the New York Times reports. One more thing Who gets to decide who receives experimental medical treatments?There has been a trend toward lowering the bar for new medicines, and it is becoming easier for people to access treatments that might not help them—and could even harm them. Anecdotes appear to be overpowering evidence in decisions on drug approval. As a result, we’re ending up with some drugs that don’t work. We urgently need to question how these decisions are made. Who should have access to experimental therapies? And who should get to decide? Such questions are especially pressing considering how quickly biotechnology is advancing. We’re not just improving on existing classes of treatments—we’re creating entirely new ones. Read the full story.—Jessica Hamzelou We can still have nice things A place for comfort, fun and distraction to brighten up your day. (Got any ideas? Drop me a line or skeet 'em at me.) + Food nostalgia is the best nostalgia, and this Bluesky account of discontinued foods doesn't disappoint.+ Don’t even think of calling your newborn baby King if you live in New Zealand.+ Actor Jeremy Strong just loves a bucket hat.+ Watch out Swiss drivers—a duck has been caught speeding 🦆

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMay 15, 20255 Min ReadJorge Pérez via Alamy Stock PhotoGetting a new IT project off the ground requires a concept, a goal, meticulous planning, and, perhaps most importantly, a willingness to assume a certain amount of risk. It's this last point that often keeps IT leaders awake at night. Addressing risk prior to launching an IT project is crucial, since it helps to set clear expectations, identify potential obstacles, and create a roadmap for handling unforeseen challenges, says Anbang Xu, founder of JoggAI, an AI-powered video platform, and a former senior product manager at Apple and senior software engineer at Google. "Particularly when it comes to AI-driven projects, understanding the risks -- whether they're related to technology, data security, scalability, or talent -- can make the difference between a smooth launch and a failed initiative," he observes in an email interview. "By addressing these concerns early, you also ensure that resources are allocated effectively, and your team is better equipped to handle surprises." Building a strong mechanism to address risk during project planning is crucial to ensure that all decisions are made with transparency into cost, benefit, and risk, says Ola Chowning, a partner with technology research and advisory firm ISG. "Project decisions that don't estimate risk and its tangible or intangible impacts at the start, or even during a project, likely don't have the data needed to make informed decisions and balance cost, risk, and benefit," she explains in an online interview. "More importantly, failing to address risk can waste time if an event occurs and the team is left scrambling to determine how to respond." Related:There are also secondary risks, including budget, resources, and technology challenges, says Munir Hafez, CTO of Independence Pet Holdings via email (Hafez was senior vice president and CIO at credit reporting firm TransUnion at the time of the interview.) "Each of these risks should be addressed before launching an IT project to ensure that the project is starting off on a solid foundation and will gain alignment with all stakeholders." Accurate Estimations By quantifying risks, project managers can objectively assess their potential likelihood and impact, allowing efficient resource allocation and the development of appropriate mitigation strategies, Hafez says. "This structured approach ensures that no significant risks are overlooked and that the project remains on track." The best way to estimate risk is to divide the project into small components and assess the uncertainty around each unit, Xu says. This process includes examining the project's technical feasibility, the team's ability to handle complexity, and any potential dependencies on third-party tools or services. Xu states he relies on a combination of historical data from similar past projects and predictive models -- particularly when it comes to AI and machine learning applications, where it's often unknown how algorithms will perform at scale. "This allows us to develop a more nuanced risk profile, instead of relying on assumptions," he explains. Related:Many organizations use a risk scoring tool, built on previous project experiences and common risk categories, to guide project teams on risk types for their particular project, Chowning says. "Some [organizations] even have statistics on how often risks have occurred in the past and the average impact on previous projects." Risk Tips If a risk estimate appears overly optimistic, the leader should reassess the situation and adjust the project plan accordingly, Hafez says. "This may involve consulting industry experts or revisiting lessons learned from previous internal projects to accurately reflect the risk." The biggest mistake is underestimating the impact of technical debt and the complexity of scaling solutions, Xu warns. "Leaders often focus too much on the initial development phase and don’t account for the ongoing maintenance and optimization required," he explains. "Risk should be measured not only by the initial launch, but also by the long-term implications of maintaining and improving the post-launch system." Related:Final Thoughts As a project progresses, existing risks can evolve and new risks may emerge, Hafez says. "Regularly reviewing and updating the risk management plan ensures that the project will remain resilient and adaptable to these changes." Fostering a culture of open communication and encouraging team members to report potential risks early can significantly enhance a project's ability to respond effectively, Hafez says. This proactive approach helps avoid the "watermelon effect," where performance metrics appear positive (green) on the surface, but reveal underlying problems (red) when examined more closely. Embrace flexibility, Xu advises. In tech, especially in fields such as AI, things are constantly evolving. "A leader’s ability to adapt and pivot when necessary is as critical as the ability to plan," he notes. That's why it's important to continue refining risk assessments throughout the project's life. It’s important for project team and business decision-makers to understand that risks aren't a bad thing, Chowning says. "The underlying objective of risk management is to understand and mitigate risk, and to be prepared if risk events occur." Making high project risk scores a "bad thing" will simply drive team leaders and members to underestimate, ignore, or even attempt to hide potential risk. About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

As I mentioned recently, SmartGym has become one of my favorite apps. Anyone who uses it as a workout companion can easily see why it was named Apple Watch App of the Year in 2023, chosen as a finalist for the Apple Design Awards, and recently featured by Apple as one of the best apps optimized for iOS 18. Now, the app just got even better, with its biggest update yet. More personalization Tracking your performance and streaks is one of the best ways to stay motivated. SmartGym now offers custom goals, complete with history, targets, achievements, and detailed infographics to help you visualize progress over time. And speaking of personalization, one of the app’s most unique features, the Smart Trainer, uses AI to generate personalized routines based on your goals and available equipment. In this update, the Smart Trainer UI has been completely redesigned. Users can now group routines together, customize them more easily, and tweak individual settings with less friction. Heart rate tracking You may remember that recently, Beats released the Powerbeats Pro 2 with built-in heart rate monitoring. Now, SmartGym supports the feature, and uses it to better calculate calorie consumption during the exercise. Even more helpful: it now displays live heart rate zones during workouts, an especially useful addition for HIIT sessions or cardio training. Better UX for mid-session use One of SmartGym’s greatest strengths is its UX for mid-training interactions. It does its best to get out of the way and quickly deliver the exact information, exercise editing tools, or stats you may need. Now, it allows you to quickly find an alternate exercise for any given workout, which is great for those busy days at the gym when that chest fly machine is really on demand. The app now also features a “listen” option that reads out loud the description of its vast database of nearly 700 exercises, which will surely be very useful for when you are not familiar with a new workout routine. To top it off, the app just crossed out one of my biggest wishes for it, which is to display a persistent rest timer right on the interface. Syncing and integration Much, if not all, of these new features will now work in sync or integrate between multiple devices. From displaying custom goals as an Apple Watch complication to syncing of exercise changes between the iPhone and the iPad, this SmartGym update really packs many actually useful features for both gym rats and casual home fitness fans alike. SmartGym is free to download on the App Store, and offers a wide variety of subscription options. But the developer Matt Abras was nice enough to send five promo codes for SmartGym’s Annual Plan. If this app is for you, act fast! 9XA7P9YREA3F 364MPJRE4LKJ E7H67W6LKHWR 4Y36HW43KR6J RW7JPLERM34M Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re 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. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Apple is rolling out its tool for migrating from other streaming music services to Apple Music, allowing users to retain their library and playlist archives.Apple MusicIn February, a tool was being beta-tested by Apple to help users shift from other streaming services to Apple Music. That tool is now rolling out to users, allowing them to more easily migrate to Apple Music from elsewhere, such as Spotify.Apple's support page says that the system is available for users of Apple Music in Australia and New Zealand. This seems like the initial steps of a global rollout, with it expected to spread to other regions soon. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums