Because technology changes so quickly, IT teams must constantly learn new things, from cloud platforms and coding languages to AI tools, data science methods, and security measures. But relying on technical skills alone isn’t enough to guarantee success. Many organizations now see that balancing strong technical abilities, a.k.a. hard skills, with soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork is necessary for IT teams to be effective in business. Balancing hard and soft skills isn’t optional; it’s essential for building high-performing IT teams, said Ximena Gates, CEO and co-founder of BuildWithin, a company that provides software to help employers create and manage apprenticeships and workplace training programs. “High performance is like a relay race: every team member must be a well-rounded athlete, excelling individually while ensuring smooth collaboration,” she said. “With AI automating more aspects of coding, quality assurance, and design, engineers must continuously learn, experiment boldly, and communicate effectively with their teams.” In the past, having strong technical skills was often enough to land an IT role, Gates said. “We hired engineers based almost purely on their coding ability and even overlooked poor communication, assuming they didn’t need to be public-facing,” she said. “Not today.” Now, Gates said she assesses soft skills as well as hard skills from the very first interaction. “When I interview, I evaluate active listening, curiosity, and the candidate’s response to demands and challenges to gauge resilience and persistence.” In today’s AI-driven world, success comes from combining technical skills with good communication, initiative, flexibility, teamwork, and clear documentation to keep teams organized and productive, Gates added. “Today, everyone — from employees to senior leaders — needs ongoing training in both technical and soft skills,” she said. Speaking the language of business Ramesh Kollepara, global CTO at Kellanova, formerly Kellogg Co., said his leadership philosophy focuses on building a culture of learning. And to make that learning culture effective, it’s essential to balance both soft and hard skills. Kollepara said hard skills are like the car’s engine and brakes — the technical capabilities that allow the car to function. Soft skills are like the GPS and steering wheel — the tools that guide the car to its destination. Kollepara’s analogy implies that just having strong technical skills isn’t enough. IT professionals also need the soft skills to effectively apply those technical capabilities and steer their teams in the right direction. “Durable” skills such as curiosity, adaptability, and agile learning enable IT pros to apply technology in a way that supports and aligns with business outcomes, said Chris Campbell, chief information officer at DeVry University. “For us, it’s super important that technologists speak the language of the business and communicate in terms that nontechnical stakeholders can understand,” he explained. “This bridges the gap in understanding between the technical and business sides.” Balancing hard and soft skills helps IT teams not only handle the technical work but also communicate well, adapt to changes, and align with business goals to ensure successful technology projects, he added. This balance is crucial for IT teams to be effective, he said. Strategies for hiring tech pros with balanced hard and soft skills Building well-rounded IT teams starts well before candidates receive job offers. During the hiring process, many companies now assess both hard and soft skills through several interviews with different departments. “It may seem old school, but we’ve found that going through multiple interviews with members of our team asking technical questions and seeing how the candidate explains the responses really helps us understand their proficiency technically and their ability to communicate,” said Louis Ormond, vice president and general manager at Toshiba America Business Solutions. Erin DeCesare, CTO at workplace catering platform ezCater, outlined a similar approach. During the hiring process, cross-functional partners format the interview around use cases that mimic real-life examples, she said. “So we’re asking a technologist to either design a system or code through a requirement,” she said. “They must demonstrate how they’d solicit requirements from nontechnical stakeholders and then detail how they’d technically solve the issue. In that same hour, we’re evaluating both their hard skills and the way they collaborate and communicate.” John Samuel, COO at CGS (Computer Generated Solutions), said that his interviewing style is to alternate between questions that test a candidate’s technical knowledge and those that reveal interpersonal strengths. “I might start with questions that look at their hard skills — for example, asking them to talk about their technical proficiency in the specific area that we’re hiring for, like cloud, security, or coding,” he said. “Things that you can measure. I’ll ask what projects they’ve led. What projects were successful and what they failed in.” Samuel said he then switches his questions to focus on soft skills, such as teamwork and conflict resolution. By moving back and forth, Samuel can see how solid a candidate’s technical background is and how effectively they leverage soft skills to handle real challenges. “This helps me understand the candidate’s overall balance of hard and soft skills,” he said. At DeVry, Campbell’s approach is to use behavioral-based interview questions to understand how candidates have handled situations that require both hard and soft skills. “We look for ‘red flags’ and ‘green flags’ in how the candidate responds, such as whether they can break down technical concepts in business terms,” he said. For example, if the candidate just doubles down on technical jargon and details when asked about communicating with nontechnical stakeholders, that would be a red flag because it shows that they’ll likely struggle to translate technical concepts into business language. But if the candidate demonstrates an ability to explain technical concepts in terms of the stakeholder’s business processes and outcomes, that would be a positive green flag, he said. Strategies for balancing hard and soft skills in existing IT teams Balancing hard and soft skills doesn’t stop after the interview process. Ensuring that existing employees have a balance of hard and soft skills requires ongoing training. For example, Kellanova offers training to help employees improve both their technical and soft skills through YODA, its Year of Development Always education program, Kollepara said. On the hard skills side, this training keeps Kellanova’s IT teams updated on programming languages, data science, and machine learning. And in terms of soft skills, the training helps IT team members think more creatively and better understand the needs of their colleagues in other departments. Dennis Di Lorenzo, director of skilling strategy at Micron Technology, encouraged IT managers to match their teams’ training plans with the company’s goals. “For example, cloud computing and cybersecurity skills must be complemented by problem-solving and collaboration for digital transformation success,” he said. “[IT managers] should also embed skills into workforce planning and leverage data for personalized learning. Using AI-driven analytics can help assess skill gaps and provide customized learning paths for employees, ensuring they acquire both hard and soft skills relevant to their roles.” Samuel at CGS recommended implementing quarterly performance reviews to track employees’ progress in developing their hard and soft skills over time. A regular, thoughtful review process is one of the most effective ways to help existing IT employees develop both technical and people skills, he said. Too often, IT managers view performance reviews as a formality — they simply go through the motions once a year, Samuel said. But when used properly, reviews can highlight each person’s strengths and pinpoint specific areas for growth, whether that’s learning a new coding language or improving communication and teamwork. Instead of filing these reviews away, Samuel said it’s best to revisit them regularly, ideally every quarter, to track employees’ progress. Along the way, managers or mentors can offer coaching, arrange classroom-style training, or provide hands-on support to ensure employees are continuously advancing their hard and soft skills. “I think it’s also important to create a culture that fosters healthy dialogue, both in hard and soft skills,” Samuel said. “People should feel like they can come and say, ‘Hey, I want help here. I’m struggling here in my soft skills,’ or ‘Hey, there are some new projects [I need help with]’ — and that might be more hard skills.” Further reading: How to keep tech workers engaged in the age of AI Just what is an ‘IT worker’ now? The definition is changing 15 mistakes that make hiring IT talent harder

Industrial AI is transforming how factories operate, innovate and scale. The convergence of AI, simulation and digital twins is poised to unlock new levels of productivity, flexibility and insight for manufacturers worldwide — and NVIDIA’s collaboration with Siemens is bringing these technologies directly to factory and shop floors, making advanced automation more accessible. Matthias Loskyll, head of virtual control and industrial AI at Siemens Factory Automation, joined the NVIDIA AI Podcast to discuss how Siemens’ work with NVIDIA is reshaping manufacturing, as the industry hits a turning point. Manufacturing companies are facing a shortage of skilled labor, widening skills gaps as experts retire and increased demand for resilient, efficient production. At the same time, AI advancements offer ways to automate tasks previously deemed too complex or variable for traditional programming — and digital twins open a path to designing and optimizing safe, efficient interactions between AI-powered robots and smart spaces. Siemens’ Inspekto, an AI-driven visual quality inspection system, enables even small manufacturers to automate defect detection in their production lines. Inspekto can be trained in under an hour using as few as 20 product samples, making it ideal for fields like electronics and metal forming. Meanwhile, automaker Audi is using industrial AI in its car body shops, where 5 million welds are made daily. Training AI models to automate weld-spot inspection and integrating them with Siemens’ Industrial AI Suite helped Audi achieve up to 25x faster inference directly on the shop floor, where the defects can be addressed. Siemens is creating an AI-driven vision software enabling robots to handle arbitrary, previously unseen objects. The company is also developing Industrial Copilots with NVIDIA NIM microservices to bring generative AI-powered assistance directly to shopfloor operators and service technicians. Loskyll noted that the Industrial Copilots will run on premises to keep sensitive production data secure while enabling rapid troubleshooting and process optimization. To learn more about the latest in industrial AI, watch the COMPUTEX keynote by NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang. Hear more from Siemens at NVIDIA GTC Paris, running June 10-12. Time Stamps 1:00 – Overview of NVIDIA’s collaboration with Siemens. 5:00 – Challenges faced by manufacturing companies. 15:00 – How Inspekto makes automated visual quality inspection more accessible. 24:00 – How Audi achieved up to 25x faster inference with Siemens’ Industrial AI Suite. 37:00 – Future directions with industrial copilots and AI-enhanced robotics. You Might Also Like…  Yum! Brands, the World’s Largest Restaurant Company, Advances AI Adoption Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Habit Burger & Grill, is partnering with NVIDIA to streamline order taking, optimize operations and enhance service across its restaurants. Joe Park, chief digital and technology officer at Yum! Brands, Inc. and president of Byte by Yum!, shares how the company is further accelerating AI deployment. Roboflow Helps Unlock Computer Vision for Every Kind of AI Builder Roboflow’s mission is to make the world programmable through computer vision. By simplifying computer vision development, the company helps bridge the gap between AI and people looking to harness it. Cofounder and CEO Joseph Nelson discusses how Roboflow empowers users in manufacturing, healthcare and automotive to solve complex problems with visual AI. NVIDIA’s Jacob Liberman on Bringing Agentic AI to Enterprises Agentic AI enables developers to create intelligent multi-agent systems that reason, act and execute complex tasks with a degree of autonomy. Jacob Liberman, director of product management at NVIDIA, explains how agentic AI bridges the gap between powerful AI models and practical enterprise applications.

Reviews Quantum Physics The unsung women of quantum physics get their due A new book celebrates the women in a field once called Knabenphysik, or “boys’ physics” Physicists Laura Chalk (left) and Jane Dewey (right) performed some of the first experimental tests of quantum mechanics. Women’s contributions to the field have often gone unrecognized. From left: Marilyn MacGregor; Samuel Goudsmit, courtesy AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives, Goudsmit Collection By Emily Conover 1 hour ago Women in the History of Quantum PhysicsEdited by Patrick Charbonneau, Michelle Frank, Margriet van der Heijden and Daniela MonaldiCambridge Univ., $49.99 In the 1920s, when quantum mechanics was young, physicists Jane Dewey and Laura Chalk performed some of the first experimental tests of the theory, based on a phenomenon called the Stark effect. Later, famed quantum physicist Werner Heisenberg gushed over the beauty of a Stark effect measurement by a male colleague, Canadian physicist John Stuart Foster. In doing so, Heisenberg neglected the contributions of both women. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

The right lighting can totally transform a space. Whether it’s to add mood lighting or to match up with what you’re watching to make for a more immersive experience, lights can change things in ways you might not expect. Of course, they can make things brighter when you don’t have any light to go by, too. And if you’re looking for flexible lighting to add to your home or maybe even just your living room, strip lighting is the way to go. Right now, you can get the 16-foot Philips Hue Indoor Solo Lightstrip Base Kit for just $55, down from its usual price of $90. That’s $35 off and a discount of 39%. See at Amazon Flexible lighting at an affordable price This 16-foot lightstrip delivers up to 1,700 lumens of brightness, providing awesome illumination for various settings. Its RGBWW LEDs ensure a wide range of color options, allowing you to customize the hue and intensity to match your mood or activity. All the lighting has a silicone sleeve covering it, so it’s more durable and easier to manipulate. And it works just like a regular strip you’d cut of paper. You just trim it to how much you want and stick it to a clean surface. Then plug it in. You can add it to your TV, to walls, and a number of different places and it’ll stay there as long as you want it. You can control the lighting with the Philips Hue app, which gives you over 60 preset scenes and the ability to create custom lighting schedules. For those who prefer voice commands, the lightstrip is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, providing hands-free operation. While the Solo Lightstrip functions effectively on its own, integrating it with the Hue Bridge (sold separately) unlocks additional features. This includes the ability to control up to 50 lights and accessories, set up automations, and manage your lighting remotely, enhancing the overall smart home experience. For just $55, you’ve got a lot of flexibility in terms of where you can put the lighting, how much you cut, what color you use, and much more. It’s much easier to use than a regular lamp, and you can make sure everything stays where it should. If you want to add some lighting options to more difficult spaces, this might be your best bet. Just make sure you get yours before it’s no longer on sale. You’ll be glad you did. See at Amazon

An artist’s impression of the exoplanet K2-18bNASA Astronomers are still arguing about whether we have recently seen the “strongest evidence” for alien life yet, or simply nothing at all. Now, the researchers behind the original bold claim have reanalysed the data and say they have yet more evidence for molecules with no origin outside of biology – but critics say this new work undermines the original efforts. Since Nikku Madhusudhan at the University of Cambridge and his colleagues announced their remarkable finding that K2-18b, a super-Earth 124 light years away, showed “strong evidence” for an atmosphere containing the molecules…

Your Nintendo Switch 2 preorder won’t ship with an OLED screen, but an OLED-version isn’t out of the picture. Nintendo has reached out to Samsung Electronics Co. to manufacture Switch 2 chips in a bid to ramp up production speeds and potentially break its sales projections by March 2026, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The Nintendo Switch 2 was met with almost unprecedented demand in Japan, and Nintendo has issued an apology that it had to limit pre-orders. Roughly 2.2 million people requested a preorder in Japan alone, and preorder numbers for Europe and North America haven’t been shared. However, pre-orders sold out quickly, indicating high demand across the globe. Recommended Videos Nintendo predicts that it will sell between 15 and 20 million units by March 2026, exceeding its initial goal of matching the Nintendo Switch’s debut sales of 15 million in the first ten months. Now, other factors have come into play, including supply chain woes and concerns over tariffs, but the gaming giant doesn’t expect to see much of an impact in overall sales. Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends Samsung has provided both flash memory and OLED screens for the Nintendo Switch, so this collaboration isn’t new. However, the original Nintendo Switch used chips manufactured at TSMC; the Switch 2 uses an Nvidia-based chipset, and Samsung’s manufacturing processes are optimized to produce that kind of chip. This means Nintendo won’t have to compete with other companies at TSMC for manufacturing capacity, increasing the chances of meeting the demand. So does that mean you should wait to buy a Nintendo Switch 2? Perhaps, but not necessarily. While an OLED refresh would be a nice improvement, it isn’t guaranteed. And it also might not be needed. The Nintendo Switch 2 has an LCD display and a much-improved framerate that put it nearly on par with an OLED, according to our hands-on review. The console also supports both ray-tracing and variable refresh rate to bridge the gap between LCD and OLED, and its use of DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) keeps the frame rate smooth and steady.

Alongside the now live Amazon Memorial Day sale and $100 price drops on iPad mini 7 (select configs are actually $110 off now), today we are starting off with the return $100 discounts on M3 iPad Air models and all four colors of the most affordable iPad (A16) back down at $299. And to go along with all of those iPads, we are also featuring some solid price drops on the Apple Pencil Pro lineup with deals starting from $66 and as much as $62 in savings. Everything else awaits below including the Eve Siri smart lamp and this AirTag alternative at $10. Back in late April Amazon knocked $100 off just about every single model in the latest M3 iPad Air lineup to deliver new all-time low prices. Since then pricing has started to jump back up on select models, but this morning the deals have returned on select configs and colorways – the 13-inch lineup is seeing $100 price drops across most storage configurations, while options at $100 off on the 11-inch family are drawing thin. Get a closer look down below. While you’re obviously going to go after which ever size, storage capacity, and color you like most, you also can’t really go wrong with any of them at $100 off. We wanted to highlight the mid-range 13-inch 256GB M3 iPad Air model that has now returned to the $799 Amazon low in Space Gray. This is $100 off the regular $899 list price and only the second time we have seen it down this low at Amazon – this is matching the best new price we have tracked there. You’re next best option on this config is the Best Buy open-box unit in “excellent” condition at $762.99 shipped, or $136 off the going rate. It ships with an Apple warranty and comes in at $36 under the brand-new deal price at Amazon – this is may or may not be worth the savings for you personally, but it is a lower price tag from a reputable source. Now let’s rundown the rest of the models you can still score the $100 discount on in brand-new condition right now: 11-inch M3 iPad Air 256GB from $599 (Reg. $699) 13-inch M3 iPad Air 128GB from $699 (Reg. $799) 13-inch M3 iPad Air 256GB from $799 (Reg. $899) 13-inch M3 iPad Air 512GB from $999 (Reg. $1,099) Current-gen open-box Apple Pencils up to $62 off: Pro, 2nd Gen, and USB-C, or brand-new at nearly 25% off As part of its Memorial Day sale, Amazon is continuing to offering the latest Apple Pencil Pro down at $99 shipped. This is nearly 25% off the $129 list and on par with the best new price we have tracked this year and the lowest we have seen since a couple very brief Black Friday offers at $95. That said, there is a notable Best Buy open-box offer you can take advantage of to score it for even less. After stock on Apple Pencil Pro started to get dicey on Amazon over the holidays last year, it has mostly returned and has remained readily available. This leaves the $99 new price as a solid offer at closer to 25% off, but for folks who don’t mind taking the open-box route on “excellent” condition units can grab one for less than that. We did see a very short-lived offer at Woot for an open-box Apple Pencil Pro at $80, but some folks might feel more comfortable going with Best Buy anyway, and its “excellent” units are now selling for $85.99 shipped. They are said to work and look like new and include an official 1-year Apple warranty. Here’s how the best Best Buy open-box deals across the Apple Pencil lineup look right now – you’ll also find a quick reminder of the iPad models they are each compatible with as well: Open-box Apple Pencil Pro $86 (Reg. $129) iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) iPad Air 13-inch (M2 and M3) iPad Air 11-inch (M2 and M3) iPad mini (A17 Pro) Open-box Apple Pencil 2 $67 (Reg. $129) iPad mini (6th generation) iPad Air (4th or 5th generation) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th generation) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation) Open-box Apple Pencil USB-C $66 (Reg. $79) iPad Pro 13-inch (M4) iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th generation) iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th generation) iPad Air 13-inch (M2 and M3) iPad Air 11-inch (M2 and M3) iPad Air (4th or 5th generation) iPad (A16) iPad (10th generation) iPad mini (A17 Pro) iPad mini (6th generation) Update: While we did see the yellow and pink colorways very briefly drop to $278 or so, those deals were very short-lived and never landed on the silver and blue options. All four colorways are now back down at $299 shipped via Amazon. Details below in the original post. Previously limited to just the blue and yellow colors, Amazon is now offering all four shades of Apple’s new iPad (A16) down at the $299 shipped all-time low. It might not be the powerful M4 iPad Pro or the M3 series iPad Air (also now at all-time low pricing), but this is a brand new iPad that just released a couple months ago at under $300. You’ll now find all four colorways of the base model 11-inch iPad running on the A16 chip with a Liquid Retina Display, 12MP front and back cameras, Touch ID, and 128GB of storage down at $299. That’s $50 off the regular $349 list price and the lowest we have tracked to date. Today’s deals mark the first time we have seen all four models at under $320 anywhere online. 128GB iPad (A16) from $299 (Reg. $349) 256GB iPad (A16) from $399 (Reg. $449) 512GB iPad (A16) from $599 (Reg. $649) The same thing goes for the upgraded 256GB and 512GB models that are both now $50 off in all four colorways. These are the same prices we have been tracking lately on these two, but again, you’ll now find all four colorways in-stock at the discounted rate. For some, the new iPad A16 is just too underpowered to consider, despite the particularly notable price we are featuring here today, and we get it. For others however – those that just never use Apple Intelligence anyway and just need a casual tablet experience for couch browsing, video chatting, and road trips – it’s a chance to score a brand new iPad release for a whole lot less. This is $100 under the best deal we have ever tracked on the iPad mini 7 and $200 below the current all-time low we are tracking on the most affordable M3 iPad Air. Our launch coverage over at 9to5Mac details the new iPad (A16) completely. Early Memorial Day deals usher in up to $110 price drops on latest iPad mini 7, matching all-time lows from $399 Best Buy 2025 Memorial Day sale now live! Apple, Samsung, up to $1,200 off appliances, LEGO, bonus credits, more Amazon’s early Memorial Day sale now live: Up to 50% off headphones, buds, speakers, tumblers, fitness, and much more As part of its Memorial Day sale, Amazon has once again dropped the Siri-controlled Eve Flare portable lamp down to $69.95 shipped. This wireless HomeKit light carries a regular $100 list price and is now seeing a solid 30% price drop to deliver the lowest price we can find. We have seen this light drop to $75 a few times over the last year so, but we are now looking at a price on par with the lowest we have tracked on Amazon, matching last year’s Black Friday and holiday price. One of my personal favorite products in the category, the Eve Flare is a smart portable orb lamp that neatly integrates into the rest of your HomeKit setup at home, but can also be moved out onto the porch or taken on-the-go tether free. Use the carry-and-hang handle to transport it easily to your terrace, living room, bedroom, kids room, bathroom, kitchen or on your table in your office. Features include Siri control, Thread support (plus Bluetooth connectivity), 6 hours of wireless operation time per charge, and your choice of millions of different colors. No Eve cloud or registration needed here – it is strictly local intelligence and direct communication without bridge or cloud dependency, you can customize the experience via “iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Siri, the onboard button, or HomeKit scene.” Today’s accessories and charging deals: Apple’s latest USB-C AirPods Max now nearly $80 off for Memorial Day, or up to $130 off open-box w/ 1-yr. warranty As part of the Amazon Memorial Day sale, and just after the highly-anticipated launch of the new Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, you’ll now find Apple’s latest USB-C AirPods Max over-ear headphones marked down to $479.99 shipped. Regularly $549, this is on par with our previous mention at nearly $80 off the list price. Head below for more details and a chance to save even more on some open-box listing. Reports from over the weekend sourced from a trusted Apple analysts suggest the AirPods hardware upgrades might not be coming until next year, with a proper AirPods Max revision getting potentially held off until sometime in 2027. That’s not great news for fans of Apple’s premium over-ears, but it does also mean that an investment now will leave you with Apple’s latest and greatest for a couple years or so. While we did see a short-lived opportunity earlier this year to land a set at $99 off, they do no often drop below the $480 we are seeing here today – all of the latest USB-C colors are now on sale. We are also tracking some opportunities to save on almost all of the latest USB-C colorways in “excellent” open-box condition courtesy of Best Buy. They are said to work and look like new with a full 1-year Apple warranty included. Midnight $446 (Reg. $549 new) Blue $441 (Reg. $549 new) Purple $446 (Reg. $549 new) Starlight $437 (Reg. $549 new) Orange $419 (Reg. $549 new) Anyone buying a new set of over-ear headphones right now should definitely have the new Sony WH-1000XM6on their radar. After getting a chance to test them out ahead of the world wide debut last week, I can confidently say they are easily the most exciting release in the headphone world for some time. They are now available for purchase and all of the details you need are waiting right here. Rare deal knocks Apple’s latest USB-C Magic Mouse down to $68 shipped today Today we are tracking one of only a couple good chances we have seen to save some cash on the latest USB-C Apple Magic Mouse down at $67.99 shipped via Amazon. Regularly $79, this is nearly 15% off, the best we can find, and a relatively rare opportunity to save on the latest model via Amazon. There was an extremely short-lived offer at $64 previously, but it came and went so fast even we didn’t even get a chance to take advantage. Today’s deal is otherwise on par with the lowest we have tracked at Amazon and is effectively matching the best price yet. The black model, which features a premium at $99 from Apple, is not seeing any notable deals today. While the latest Magic Mouse is, for the most part, identical to the previous Lightning model, folks looking to shed their setups of the older Apple connectivity standard can do so at a discount here today. On the bottom of the model on sale right now, you’ll find a modern USB-C jack so you can juice it back up when needed with one of the many cables you already have laying around. I have tried more than a few times to test out other mice from other brands, many of which on the recommendation of friends and colleagues, but for me it’s the Magic Mouse all the way. There’s just something about the smooth gesture control that has just become part of my daily routine and almost an extension of my person at this point – outside of the fact that you can’t charge it while you’re using it, the Apple Magic Mouse is perfect for me. Apple’s 13-inch 24GB M4 MacBook Air drops again, now starting at new $1,229 Amazon all-time low ($170 off) Pricing on the new Apple M4 MacBook Air continues to fluctuate as we ready for the weekend – most configurations are still at the $150 off mark, but others have been bouncing in and around there. That said, Amazon just dropped the Midnight 13-inch 24GB M4 MacBook Air down to its best price ever at $1,229 shipped – that’s $170 off. Regularly $1,300, we are looking at the upgraded 13-inch model here with 24GB of RAM and the 512GB SSD at $1,229 in the Midnight colorway – this is an Amazon all-time low. We are also tracking the new Sky Blue model with 24GB of RAM at better than $150 off with a $1,243.99 sale price while the Starlight is selling for $1,245.26 – both very close to the short-lived all-time lows at Amazon. Again you will still find the most affordable variant marked down from the regular $999 to $849 in most colors right now, and, now carrying 16GB of RAM, it is a great buy. But for folks looking for that upgraded investment with more breathing room into the future, this is easily among the best chances we have seen to score the 24GB model online since release a little over 2 months ago. Twelve South’s 3-in-1 15W HiRise 3 Deluxe MagSafe charger still at $100 Amazon low folks Score a regularly $299 set of Bose’s flagship QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds down at $169 (Refurb, full warranty) The new Sony XM6 headphones are here, and Amazon just knocked $100+ off the current-gen XM5 earbuds Land the Sony XM4 or XM5 headphones at up to $222 less than the new XM6 with today’s deals Sony just officially launched the long-awaited new XM6: The world’s ‘best noise cancelling headphones’ 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

"We use a lot of what I call ‘muddy colors,’ ” Alison Giese says of her namesake design firm’s signature palette. To establish a tailored but cozy interior scheme for a young family’s newly constructed ranch-style residence in San Antonio, Giese once more relied on “color that’s not colorful.” The way she sees it, “If it’s blues and pinks and greens that have a lot of brown in them, they become more of a neutral.” FAST FACTSAlison Giese, of Designer: Alison Giese InteriorsLocation:The Space: Four bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom houseWe just lavished it with color. If it’s fun and feels collected, then let’s go for it. GREAT ROOMA multi-functional space that lives large—and feels cozy. Yanglin CaiSectional: Vanguard, in Kravet fabric. Armchairs: Lee Industries, in Lake August fabric. Lounge chair: Design Within Reach. Rug: Dash & Albert by Annie Selke.The four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom house is laid out in a “boomerang shape,” Giese says, and is poised to be the family’s “legacy home,” a place to be enjoyed by many generations. Giese, working with Smithdish Architecture, filled the 5,000-square-foot interior with natural materials, botanical patterns, and personal touches.In the great room, eight-foot-long pendants from The Urban Electric Co. bring the vaulted ceiling down to “human height,” Giese says.LIBRARYDeep teal paint fuels the moody setting.Yanglin Cai Paint: Salamander, Benjamin Moore. Lamp: Currey & Company. Sconce: Visual Comfort & Co. Chair: clients’ own.In place of a home office, the family requested a library complete with a Putnam rolling ladder.KITCHENThe fresh cookspace isn't all it seems. Yanglin CaiPendants: The Urban Electric Co. Counter stools (with backs): Summer Studio. Cabinetry paint: Natural Choice, Sherwin-WilliamsThe most unassuming room is the open-concept kitchen with “a melody of colors and finishes,” Giese says. “At first glance, it may appear to be a white kitchen, but it is anything but! We have three paint colors and one stain in the cabinetry mix. We just kept all the color on the bottom half of the sight line.”Yanglin CaiThe 12-foot-long island boasts a custom brass footrail reminiscent of a restaurant bar.BREAKFAST NOOKCafé curtains level up the coziness.Yanglin CaiPendant: RTO Lighting. Banquette fabrics: Schumacher (back) and Nassimi (vinyl seat). Banquette paint: Mulberry Silk by Sherwin-Williams. Drapery fabric: Anna FrenchThe heirloom table on casters rolls out so people can easily slip in and out of the custom banquette. The family's livestock brand, E7, is engraved on the base of the banquette.LIVING ROOMA cozy hangout in a separate house on the grounds.Yanglin CaiPaint: Alabaster, Sherwin-Williams (wall); Mizzle, Farrow & Ball (trim). Shade: Custom, in Namay Samay fabric. Rug: Serena & Lily.The homeowners filled what they call “the garden cottage” with secondhand finds.GUEST BEDROOMA private retreat that boasts all the charm of a boutique inn.Yanglin CaiYanglin CaiInside the garden cottage, visitors can unwind in a cheery oasis wrapped in a meadow-inspired Morris & Co. wallpaper. An antique chair found at an estate sale and a floating desk turn a niche into a cozy workstation. Paint: Sudbury Yellow, Farrow & Ball. Bed: Serena & Lily. Table: vintage, Uncommon Objects. Rug: Pottery Barn. Art: clients’ own. Quilt: GreenRow.PRIMARY BEDROOMEarthy shades provide a serene place to unwind.Yanglin CaiBed: Woodbridge Furniture, in Schumacher fabric. Lamp: clients’ own. Chaise longue: Lee Industries, in Jasper Textiles fabric.To evoke the feel of a luxe hotel, Giese relied on a soothing palette with subtle pops of print. “We chose warm colors and a balance of masculine and feminine patterns,” she adds.DAUGHTER'S ROOMThe cottagecore style is playful yet elevated.Yanglin CaiYanglin CaiWhile the effect is subtle but stunning, bold colors shine in pockets of the house. In Giese’s favorite space, the daughter’s room, a floral Liberty of London wallpaper was the jumping-off point to cottagecore style. “We went all in on layering pattern and color,” Giese says, including covering the custom millwork in Dix Blue paint by Farrow & Ball. Beds: Bramble. Quilts: Etsy. Sheets and table lamp: Pottery Barn Kids. Carpet: Prestige Mills.PRIMARY BATHROOMThe epitome of quiet luxury. Yanglin CaiMirrors: RH. Sconces: Arel Lighting. Faucets: Rohl. Hardware: Classic Brass. Rug: Vintage.Textural cement tiles from Arto offer a nonslip surface, while an Arrabescato Corchia marble countertop adds a sleek touch and stunning focal point.LAUNDRYA charming place to check-off daily to-dos. Yanglin CaiPaint: Blustery Sky, Sherwin-Williams. Faucet: Moen. Roman shade: Custom, in Virginia Kraft Textiles fabric.“This quartzite is one of the prettiest I’ve seen,” Giese says of the Brilliant Grey stone countertops in the ultra-functional laundry room. MUDROOMWhere there's a place for everything.Yanglin CaiFlooring: Limestone, Material Bespoke Stone + Tile. Mirror: Schwung. Hooks: Clients’ own.In this corridor-style space, custom cubbies were designed to fit around the vintage chest. COAT VESTIBULEWarm wood envelopes the multifunctional space. Yanglin CaiBench fabric: Schumacher. Pillow and throw: Thompson + Hanson. Hooks: Etsy. Sconce: Huey Lightshop.This stow-away zone doubles as a privacy buffer between the foyer and adjoining powder room.FOYERIt's all in the textures.Yanglin CaiTable: Arhaus. Mirror: Arteriors. Lamp: Currey & Company. Rug: Passerine. Vessels: African gourd baskets, Alison Giese InteriorsA floor-to-ceiling limestone wall, which doubles as the backside of a fireplace, brings texture and warmth to the entry.EXTERIOR The grounds are vast.Yanglin CaiDespite its location just minutes from the airport, the property feels tucked away into the countryside, thanks in large part to the surrounding landscape, where the owners combined their several-acre property with an adjacent lot. With a one-bedroom guest cottage, greenhouse, barn, and “zen zone” with a cold plunge pool on the grounds, the home is both a family estate and an escape from the stresses of life outside its doors.About the DesignerAlison Giese founded the San Antonio–based design firm Alison Giese Interiors under the belief that "every room should have character and interest over perfection." Inspired by her travels and experiences, Giese loves to blend her clients’ existing treasures with carefully selected pieces to create harmony between old and new. AGI takes on projects from coast to coast, working closely with clients to develop interiors that reflect their story. SHOP THE SPACEWebster Bed$2,698 at Serena and LilyMeadow Sweet Wallpaper$312 at wmorrisandco.comNord Counter Stool$1,028 at summerstudiodesign.comSalamander Paint$6 at Benjamin Moore

Google has officially rolled out the NotebookLM mobile app, extending its AI-powered research assistant to Android devices. The app aims to bring personalized learning and content synthesis directly to users’ pockets by introducing new features that combine mobility, context-awareness, and interactive capabilities. NotebookLM, which first launched in 2023 as a web-based experimental tool, is designed to help users organize and interact with their own documents and media using a fine-tuned version of Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro model. With the new mobile release, Google is positioning NotebookLM as more than just a passive summarization tool — it’s evolving into an on-the-go research companion. Expanding Contextual AI to Mobile One of the core capabilities of NotebookLM is its source-grounded AI assistance. Users can upload documents—such as PDFs, Google Docs, or links—and the assistant will generate summaries, answer questions, and synthesize information based strictly on the materials provided. This grounded approach ensures transparency and relevance, reducing the hallucination risks common in general-purpose LLMs. The new Android app brings this paradigm to mobile in a more seamless, integrated way. Users can now add sources directly from their mobile device, whether browsing a web page, reading a PDF, or watching a YouTube video. A simple tap on the “Share” button in any app lets users send content to NotebookLM, which will ingest it as a new source. This makes it easier for users to build and maintain their research libraries without needing to manually upload files later. Offline and Background Audio Overviews NotebookLM’s Audio Overviews were introduced earlier this year to make content more accessible through auditory summaries. The mobile app enhances this feature significantly by enabling offline downloads and background playback. Users can now listen to these overviews while commuting, exercising, or multitasking — even without an internet connection. This supports a broader range of learning contexts, particularly for users who prefer audio-first experiences or have limited screen time. Importantly, audio playback continues in the background, aligning with typical media consumption behaviors on mobile. Interactive Audio Conversations with AI Hosts In a move to blend passive listening with interactivity, NotebookLM’s mobile app introduces Interactive Audio Overviews. These allow users to engage in real-time conversations with the AI “hosts” that narrate their overviews. By tapping “Join”, users can interrupt the playback to ask questions, request clarifications, or guide the summary in a new direction — a feature that adds conversational depth to the learning experience. This marks a departure from static, pre-recorded summaries and moves toward adaptive audio interfaces powered by LLMs. While many AI tools offer Q&A-style interactions, combining them with ambient audio and voice-first navigation is relatively new and signals Google’s intent to create more naturalistic AI assistants. Conclusion With the NotebookLM mobile app, Google is bridging the gap between context-rich AI research tools and real-world mobile usability. Features like offline Audio Overviews, universal source sharing, and interactive playback demonstrate a clear step toward personalized, context-aware AI that’s accessible anywhere. As AI tools continue to evolve beyond chatbots and simple prompts, NotebookLM stands out by focusing on what users already know and want to learn — organizing their own knowledge sources rather than relying solely on web-scale data. The mobile release pushes this philosophy forward, turning everyday moments into opportunities for exploration and deeper understanding. Check out the APP on both Android and iOS. All credit for this research goes to the researchers of this project. Also, feel free to follow us on Twitter and don’t forget to join our 95k+ ML SubReddit and Subscribe to our Newsletter. NikhilNikhil is an intern consultant at Marktechpost. He is pursuing an integrated dual degree in Materials at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. Nikhil is an AI/ML enthusiast who is always researching applications in fields like biomaterials and biomedical science. With a strong background in Material Science, he is exploring new advancements and creating opportunities to contribute.Nikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/This AI Paper from Microsoft Introduces a DiskANN-Integrated System: A Cost-Effective and Low-Latency Vector Search Using Azure Cosmos DBNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/LLMs Struggle to Act on What They Know: Google DeepMind Researchers Use Reinforcement Learning Fine-Tuning to Bridge the Knowing-Doing GapNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/LLMs Struggle with Real Conversations: Microsoft and Salesforce Researchers Reveal a 39% Performance Drop in Multi-Turn Underspecified TasksNikhilhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/nikhil0980/Salesforce AI Releases BLIP3-o: A Fully Open-Source Unified Multimodal Model Built with CLIP Embeddings and Flow Matching for Image Understanding and Generation 🚨 Build GenAI you can trust. ⭐️ Parlant is your open-source engine for controlled, compliant, and purposeful AI conversations — Star Parlant on GitHub! 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