Posts in news

Google Releases Gemini for Mac

Google released a native Mac app for its Gemini chatbot today.

The app, which can be launched from your Applications folder, Dock, the menu bar, or a global hotkey, will be familiar to anyone who has used Gemini in a browser. The chatbot supports Gemini 3 in Fast and Thinking modes, as well as Pro mode, which uses Gemini 3.1 Pro. Gemini can also interact with files, the contents of a window, Google Drive, Photos, and NotebookLM. It’s multimodal, too, with support for the generation of text, images, video, and music. Dig a little deeper into Gemini’s menus and you’ll find support for Canvas, Deep Research, Guided Learning, and Personalized Intelligence.

A Gemini mini window is available from the menu bar and a global hotkey.

A Gemini mini window is available from the menu bar and a global hotkey.

Even though I just downloaded the app a short time ago, my Gemini chat history was immediately available in the app. The history appears in the app’s sidebar along with a search field, My Stuff, which includes things like images and video generated in the past, and access to your account. The app is written in Swift which was a pleasant surprise.

All my past prompts were immediately available in the new Gemini Mac app.

All my past prompts were immediately available in the new Gemini Mac app.

I’ve only just begun testing Gemini for Mac, but I can already tell that it’s a cut above my hand-crafted single-purpose Safari web app solution. All the same tools found on the web are here, but in a native wrapper, which I appreciate. If you use a Mac and Gemini, the new app is well worth giving a try.

Gemini for Mac is available as a free download from Google.

Podcast Rewind: Text Editors, the Pocket Taco, Photo Backups, an Apple Frames Preview, and an Interview with Evan Ratliff

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, John and Federico revisit the state of text editors on Apple platforms and how they use them.

On AppStories+, John and Federico dig deeper into their writing workflows and the apps they’re using to write.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, Brendon reports back on the hardware he saw at PAX East, John gives the Pocket Taco a try, and with Federico, they cover the latest handheld news.

On NPC XL, Federico shows off the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3, and Brendon shares the SuperStation One.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by Evan Ratliff, an award-winning investigative journalist, bestselling author, and podcast host, known for his reporting on technology, crime, and online identity.

Comfort Zone

Chris has some new headphones, Matt wants to talk about why development is still complex in the AI age, and everyone tries to find the most clever way to back up their photos.

On Cozy Zone, the game roasts each other’s ten-year-old Home Screens.

MacStories Unwind

This week, Federico has a sneak peak at a big update to his Apple Frames shortcut, and both he and John share a couple of their favorite Apple TV shows.

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Steam Announces Steam Link for Apple Vision Pro and Releases Beta Version

The gaming ecosystem on visionOS continues to grow, this time with the announcement that Steam Link is coming to the platform. The official app will allow users to wirelessly stream games in 2D from Steam on their local Macs and PCs to their Vision Pros. According to the company, the app can stream games at up to 4K resolution and includes an adjustable, curved panoramic view. A TestFlight beta is now available for those who want to test the app before its public release.

Steam’s stature in the PC gaming market cannot be understated, so opening the platform up to the Vision Pro is a huge boon for gaming on the device. Of course, one would hope to see VR streaming support come with time, but official support even for 2D gaming is a big step.

Between an official Steam client, 4K cloud game streaming from NVIDIA GeForce NOW, console remote play via Portal, local OpenVR game streaming with ALVR, HDMI input over UVC via the Developer Strap, and native titles from Apple Arcade and the App Store, the variety of games available for Vision Pro users to play is getting larger by the day. There’s lots to be excited about in the world of visionOS gaming these days.

Claude Mythos Preview Will Only Secure Part of the Internet

Yesterday, Anthropic announced Claude Mythos Preview, a new general-purpose model that it says is exceptionally good at finding security vulnerabilities in code. In fact, the model is so good that Anthropic has decided not to release Mythos Preview to the general public. Instead, it’s being released to a select group of companies that control OSes and other critical software.

Anthropic found thousands of vulnerabilities across every major OS and web browser with Mythos Preview, but used these three examples to illustrate their severity:

  • Mythos Preview found a 27-year-old vulnerability in OpenBSD—which has a reputation as one of the most security-hardened operating systems in the world and is used to run firewalls and other critical infrastructure. The vulnerability allowed an attacker to remotely crash any machine running the operating system just by connecting to it;
  • It also discovered a 16-year-old vulnerability in FFmpeg—which is used by innumerable pieces of software to encode and decode video—in a line of code that automated testing tools had hit five million times without ever catching the problem;
  • The model autonomously found and chained together several vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel—the software that runs most of the world’s servers—to allow an attacker to escalate from ordinary user access to complete control of the machine.

A lengthy Frontier Red Team report brings the receipts for security researchers with an in-depth look at what Mythos Preview uncovered and the step change that the new model represents over Opus 4.6:

For example, Opus 4.6 turned the vulnerabilities it had found in Mozilla’s Firefox 147 JavaScript engine—all patched in Firefox 148—into JavaScript shell exploits only two times out of several hundred attempts. We re-ran this experiment as a benchmark for Mythos Preview, which developed working exploits 181 times, and achieved register control on 29 more.

As part of a test, Mythos Preview also managed to escape its sandboxed environment, message the researcher conducing the test, and then, outside the parameters of the test, posted about the exploit online.

The idea behind Project Glasswing, whose participants include Amazon Web Services, Anthropic, Apple, Broadcom, Cisco, CrowdStrike, Google, JPMorganChase, the Linux Foundation, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Palo Alto Networks, is to give them a head start at securing their systems before similar models emerge and are exploited for cyberattacks. If Mythos Preview’s capabilities are as Anthropic makes them out to be, this seems like the right approach. However, I do worry that with time, it could lead to a two-tier Internet where big tech companies operate in relative security thanks to tools like Mythos Preview, while those without access are left to swim with the sharks.

Roadtripping with ChatGPT Voice Mode

On Saturday, my wife Jennifer and I drove to Blowing Rock, a quaint little town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We’d been there once before, but didn’t know the town well, so as we headed west I poked at the ChatGPT icon on my dashboard to give the app’s new CarPlay integration a try. I asked:

What activities would you recommend for a day trip to Blowing Rock, North Carolina?

What I got back was a short but good list of highlights including a hike, a visit to the Blowing Rock cliffside overlook, a few restaurants, a coffee shop, and some local shops. It was similar to a list of activities I’d looked up before we left using Claude. So far, so good.

I switched back to Apple Maps and was thinking I probably wouldn’t use ChatGPT in my car very often, but that it could come in handy for similar requests, when things got a little creepy. I explained to Jennifer that ChatGPT’s CarPlay feature was new, and I had been meaning to check it out all week. Then, just as I’d said I thought it had done a pretty good job, a voice interrupted. It was ChatGPT’s voice mode saying it was glad I liked it.

You see, just like a phone call doesn’t drop when you switch apps in CarPlay, neither does ChatGPT. I supposed I should have anticipated that the mic would remain live, but I didn’t. Nor did I notice the End button in the corner of the screen; I was driving, not studying the app’s UI.

I take it as a positive sign that I didn’t expect ChatGPT to follow me back to Apple Maps. I treat chatbots like I do any app. Give it some input, and you get an output. Close the app, and you’re done. It’s not my little robot buddy. It’s a tool like any other app.

Of course, that’s not how the voice modes of these chatbots are designed to work. Chats are meant to be an engaging back and forth. But having ChatGPT jump in on our one-on-one conversation while driving down the highway was too much. Suddenly, it felt like something else was in the car eavesdropping on us.

The experience was a good lesson in the balancing of utility and social norms around AI tools. Useful as they can be in some situations, their developers need to be more mindful of user expectations and provide better cues about how they work to avoid uncomfortable surprises. The recommendations we got from ChatGPT were good, but I also don’t expect it will get a second chance on our family road trips anytime soon.

Podcast Rewind: Apple’s AI Future, the Legion Go’s Return, Niléane’s App, and an Interview with MacSparky

Enjoy the latest episodes from MacStories’ family of podcasts:

AppStories

This week, Federico and John draw from their experiences using AI agents to imagine the sort of agent Apple could build with tight hardware and software integration if it had a LLM to orchestrate the pieces already in place.

On AppStories+, John asks where artificial intelligence falls on the spectrum of historical technology milestones.

NPC: Next Portable Console

This week, a PlayStation Portable update, Honda and Sony call off car-based gaming, Epilogue shows of the SN Operator and makes an app, the fate of Windows handhelds, Federico’s Legion Go makes a comeback, and more.

On NPC XL, Federico finally received his OhSnap MCON controller, John has the Genki Convert Dock 3, and a conversation about how to make handheld gaming accessible to a broader audience.

First, Last, Everything

Jonathan is joined by David Sparks, productivity writer, podcaster, and creator behind MacSparky, best known for the Mac Power Users podcast and his Field Guides, on getting the most from Apple devices and apps.

Comfort Zone

Niléane built an awesome Mac app, Chris bought a new monitor (but it’s not what you thiiiiink), and Matt grills the group on what they’d install if they could only install three new apps on their Macs.

On Cozy Zone, the gang has to guess what Matt subscribes to on YouTube by just the thumbnails.

MacStories Unwind

This week, space exploration, workflow shakeups, a buddy movie, and more.

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Coming Soon: What’s Next on Apple TV and Apple Arcade in April 2026

It’s a new month and you know what that means: time for a roundup of everything coming to Apple TV and Apple Arcade for April 2026.

Apple Arcade (April 2)

Apple Arcade is debuting a trio of games this month:

Dredge+

First off is Dredge+ a Lovecraftian fishing adventure game. Federico and I had the pleasure of interviewing two members of the Dredge team at WWDC last year and were impressed with the thought and care that went into the Apple Design Award-winning game. The Arcade version includes all of Dredge DLC content that has been released, too. If you’re an Arcade subscriber and haven’t played Dredge yet, check out Dredge+ on Arcade, because it’s a treat.

Unpacking+

Unpacking, which won an Apple App Store Cultural Impact Award in 2023, is another game worth checking out this month. It’s a low-key puzzle game that revolves around removing possessions from boxes and arranging them in your home, which is surprisingly relaxing.

My Very Hungry Caterpillar+

Parents will will know Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar from the classic 1969 children’s book. In the game, My Very Hungry Caterpillar+, that same beloved caterpillar becomes a pet you care for and play with, unlocking new activities along the caterpillar’s jounney to becoming a butterfly. Having had a bookshelf of Eric Carle books when my kids were little, I’m sure this game will be a hit with Arcade subscribers too.

Also, on April 9th, Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop is slated to get a new Puyo Puyo Garden mode to celebrate the franchise’s 35th anniversary.

Your Friends & Neighbors, Season 2 (Friday, April 3)

Jon Hamm is back as Coop Cooper, a hedge fund manager turned burglar who steals from his neighbors to cope with his messy life. The new season picks up where the last left off with 10 new episodes that reveal even deeper, darker secrets of the super-rich.

Add to Your Calendar:

Outcome (Friday, April 10)

Outcome is a new dark comedy from Jonah Hill who write, directed, and produced the show staring Keanu Reeves, who plays Reef Hawk, a Hollywood actor whose life is upended by someone who tries to blackmail him with a mysterious video. The show also stars Cameron Diaz, Matt Bomer, and Hill, himself, as they try to uncover the identity of Reef’s extortionist.

Add to Your Calendar:

Margo’s Got Money Troubles (Tuesday, April 15)

Elle Fanning stars in a comedy-drama about a college dropout with money problems and a newborn baby. Fanning, who plays Margo, is joined by Nick Offerman, who plays Margo’s former pro-wrestler father, and Michelle Pfeiffer, as Margo’s mother, a former Hooters waitress. Also staring Nicole Kidman and Greg Kinnear, the show promises to be an offbeat drama full of unconventional characters that I can’t wait to see.

Add to Your Calendar:

Criminal Record, Season 2 (April 22)

I’m really looking forward to the return of Criminal Record, a thriller set in London. Season 1 was fantastic, so I’m looking forward to seeing Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo reprise their roles as detectives navigating another high-stakes mystery.

Add to Your Calendar:

My Brother the Minotaur (Friday, April 24)

Apple has been quietly building a large catalog of high-quality family-friendly show. This month it’s My Brother the Minotaur, a story about a half-bull, half-boy raised among humans. The show follows the young minotaur and his friends as they seek to uncover his past.

Add to Your Calendar:

Widow’s Bay (Wednesday, April 29)

Apple will close out April with Widow’s Bay a new horror-comedy starting Matthew Rhys as Tom Loftis, the mayor of an island town off the cost of New England. Loftis comes up with a plan to make his island home a tourist destination, despite legends of a curse that haunts the community.

Add to Your Calendar:

That’s it for April. It’s not as busy as some, but there are what look to be some excellent debuts alongside the returning favorites. I’m personally looking forward to Outcome, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and Criminal Record the most. If you’re a Club MacStories Plus or Premier member, drop by the TV and Movies channel in Discord to chat about what you’re looking forward to from Apple TV this month, and be sure to listen to MacStories Unwind, where I’m sure Federico and I will cover some of these shows along with our other media recommendations every week.

NVIDIA GeForce NOW Adds 4K 90 FPS Game Streaming on Apple Vision Pro

Source: NVIDIA.

Source: NVIDIA.

NVIDIA has released version 2.0.83 of its GeForce NOW game streaming service with a couple of upgrades for Vision Pro users. First, games can now be streamed at up to 4K resolution at 90 FPS. Gaming at this quality requires a subscription to the service’s Ultimate tier and a Wi-Fi connection with a speed of at least 55 Mbps, and users have to enable 4K resolution manually in their settings. Still, it’s great that game streaming of this quality is available to those who want to play cloud-streamed games on a huge virtual screen, and the 4K option is a Vision Pro exclusive not available on other headsets. It’ll really put the device’s powerful screens to good use.

This version of GeForce NOW also coincides with the gradual rollout of H.265 video encoding in supported browsers. Because the service is still accessed via Safari on Vision Pro rather than a native app, H.265 browser encoding will be beneficial for the efficiency and quality of game streaming on the device.

This news comes on the heels of foveated streaming support coming to Vision Pro with last week’s release of visionOS 26.4. Apple and NVIDIA worked together to include support for NVIDIA’s CloudXR technology in the framework, giving developers a way to take advantage of foveated streaming in their own VR games and apps. Flight simulator X-Plane, motorsport simulator iRacing, and 3D visualization tool Autodesk VRED have already committed to adopting the feature on visionOS, and I imagine we’ll hear more similar announcements soon.

The full gaming story on Vision Pro is yet to be told, but these developments – along with the integration of spatial controllers into visionOS last fall – point towards a bright future for gamers on Apple’s newest platform, and I’m happy to see Apple working with partners like NVIDIA to make the experience as enjoyable and immersive as possible.

Deals Worth Checking Out Before Amazon’s Big Spring Sale Ends

Sonos Ace Headphones, The Aqara Hub G5 Pro, and MOFT's Magnetic Wallet Stand.

Sonos Ace Headphones, The Aqara Hub G5 Pro, and MOFT’s Magnetic Wallet Stand.

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is wrapping up tomorrow, but there is still time to take advantage of some great deals. There are deals across every category, but the smart home and headphones dominate this year’s sale, including some favorites from the MacStories Setups page such as the Aqara Hub G5 Pro outdoor camera that I reviewed last year.

Other great smart home gear on sale includes:

AirPods Pro 3 and Beats Studio Buds+.

AirPods Pro 3 and Beats Studio Buds+.

Headphones, especially Beats, are well-represented, too:

Insta360 Link 2C and WITHINGS Body Smart Scale.

Insta360 Link 2C and WITHINGS Body Smart Scale.

Finally, I wanted to highlight a few other gadgets and accessories I love that are on sale:

That’s it for another Amazon sale season. For hand-picked deals throughout the year, be sure to follow MacStories Deals on Bluesky or Mastodon.