Most dev communities are graveyards. You post a question, wait three days, get one upvote from a bot, and feel more alone than before. So when @Puneet-Kumar2010 launched Crowdwide, I was skeptical. Another Discord clone? Another forum? I decided to put it through its paces. Not as a fanboy, but as a critic. I used it exclusively for two days while debugging KODA’s new UI. Here is the verdict. This is the killer feature. Compare that to Reddit or Stack Overflow, where you might wait weeks for a moderator to approve your post. Crowdwide is live. The energy is immediate. If you are stuck, someone will help you, because they are also building. As someone who codes on a $150 phone, I hate platforms that require a desktop browser to function properly. Navigation: Bottom bar (thumb-friendly). Input: Large text areas, easy tap targets. Media: Images load progressively without killing data plans. It feels like an app, not a website squeezed into a phone. That is rare. There are no "influencers" here. No one is trying to sell you a course. "My API is returning 500 errors, help?" "Is this color palette too harsh?" "How do I center this div?" It is humble. It is helpful. It is refreshing. If you try to find old threads about "React hooks," the search returns irrelevant results or nothing at all. Fix Needed: Implement Algolia or Meilisearch integration ASAP. Sometimes, replies don’t trigger push notifications reliably on Android. I missed two critical responses because I didn’t have the tab open. Fix Needed: Granular notification settings (e.g., "Notify only on @mentions"). You can paste code blocks, but syntax highlighting is basic. No copy-button on hover. No language detection. Fix Needed: Integrate Prism.js or Highlight.js for proper rendering. YES, IF: You are a solo founder or student developer who needs real-time feedback. You code primarily on mobile devices. You value speed over polish. You want to build in public with people who actually care. NO, IF: You need enterpri
Robin Winters · October 3, 2026 · Native iOS engineering and fitness technology This standalone teaching example and article were prepared with coding-assistant support. The events are synthetic. The code is separate from ShowFlex, whose shipped iPhone product is available on the App Store. A search controller can correctly reject stale requests while its view adapter still publishes the wrong state. The useful question is not only whether the controller owns its result: it is whether the task waiting for that result still owns the screen. The public controller already checks a revision before publishing success, failure or cleanup. Its new native SwiftUI demo makes the surrounding adapter explicit. It searches three synthetic fitness-event titles, selects by identifier and exposes clear, cancel, error/retry and a deliberately troublesome request race. The controller has plain state properties. The adapter conforms to ObservableObject, publishes the state the interface reads and owns the controller. The view holds the adapter with @StateObject. These are established SwiftUI state-object and Combine observable-object mechanisms; this example uses them to preserve the declared iOS 16 minimum. Starting a search immediately copies the controller's loading state, empty results and cleared selection. When the returned task settles, the adapter copies the completed state only if its own version still matches the version captured when it started waiting: version += 1 let ownedVersion = version let pending = controller.search(query) publish() Task { [weak self] in await pending?.value guard let self, self.version == ownedVersion else { return } self.publish() } This excerpt shows the ownership rule; the full source also handles an empty query before creating the waiting task. The adapter version protects its activity text and state-copying path. The controller revision protects the underlying results. The two checks sit at different boundaries. The Race demo control starts a
The motion design industry is accustomed to relying on established formats: Lottie, Rive, video, or frame sequences (PNG/GIF). However, when attempting to transfer these solutions to widgets (specifically for the Homescreen, Lockscreen, and Live Activities in iOS), engineering teams hit a fundamental technical barrier. The core problem does not lie in system-level prohibitions against dynamics. The error stems from attempting to use resource-heavy media formats and third-party rendering engines in an environment where device architecture strictly demands lightweight, declarative code. Trying to force standard animations into widgets inevitably leads to application crashes, severe device overheating, or outright rejections during the App Store moderation process. The WidgetKit architecture in the Apple ecosystem is designed around strict resource constraints to preserve device autonomy. Integrating standard asset files violates these boundaries for several structural reasons. Simulating animation through rapid frame switching is one of the most common architectural mistakes. A widget operates under a very strict RAM allocation limit. Loading dozens or hundreds of high-resolution images instantly overflows this memory stack. The operating system reacts by triggering a Jetsam Event—forcibly terminating the process to free up memory. As a result, users are left staring at a frozen or entirely blank screen instead of the widget interface. Popular platforms like Lottie and Rive operate by parsing files and rendering them through UIKit and CoreAnimation components. The WidgetKit architecture physically does not support these layers. Widgets are built exclusively on the declarative SwiftUI framework. It is systematically impossible to embed a third-party rendering engine on the iOS Homescreen—such code will simply fail to compile for the widget target. Using built-in video players or hidden web views to play media on widgets is actively blocked by the operating system. Even
Following the compute-based usage change in May, Google will soon introduce limits on which Gemini models free users and AI Plus subscribers can access. more…
The Bahrain Grand Prix is streaming for free on Apple TV this weekend, subscription not required. Rather amusingly, the location of the Bahrain Grand Prix is actually in Sepang, Malaysia. Usually, F1 on Apple TV requires a paid subscription. But this weekend, it’s free for everyone to tune in. You can catch up on qualifying in preparation to stream the live race tonight, which kicks off at 3 AM Eastern Time. more…
Welcome to Indie App Spotlight. This is a weekly 9to5Mac series where we showcase the latest apps in the indie app world. If you’re a developer and would like your app featured, get in contact. Everyone has issues with iPhone storage. Even if you use iCloud, Apple has a large gap between tiers, with it immediately jumping from 200GB at $3 to 2TB at $10. If you just want a little bit more than 200GB, it can be hard to justify that upgrade. HEVCut aims to fix this by optimizing your photo library, without needing to delete anything. more…
I’m someone who doesn’t often upgrade my Apple Watch right when a new one comes out. The Apple Watch Series 10 I owned prior was only purchased this January, despite initially coming out in September 2024. That said, Apple Watch Series 12 was a highly compelling purchase, despite the fact that the two largely share the same design language. Here’s why I took the leap. more…
Apple’s current iPad, the A16 model, has gone untouched for well over a year. It remains the only device in Apple’s core product lineup without support for Apple Intelligence. Rumors had swirled for quite some time about an A18 model coming this year. Now, it’s sounding like Apple has an even bigger plan. more…
It’s not even October yet and Amazon is already offering some Prime Big Deal Day discounts on its own hardware, along with plenty of other popular products. It’s all to hype up October Prime Day, which starts October 6th at 3AM ET and lasts through 3AM ET on the 8th if you’re on the East Coast (12AM PT). October Prime Day offers a glimpse of deals that will likely be available again during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. So, with the holiday shopping season officially underway, you can get some of your shopping out of the way before things get busier as we approach the holidays. The most recent update to this post on October 3rd added a couple of Bose speakers, building on what was added on October 1st (a couple of Belkin deals, plus a discount on a capable 1440p USB-C monitor). This post will be updated ahead of October 6th as new deals become available. Bose SoundLink Plus While the Max is an awesome, powerful speaker, the Plus packs a ton of performance into a more portable form factor. It has an IP67 rating, and it’s easy to clean, too. Read our review. Where to Buy: $269 $179 at Amazon $269 $179 at Best Buy $269 $179 at Bose Bose SoundLink Max Bose’s SoundLink Max improves on the smaller Flex with true stereo sound — and very powerful sound at that. It’s got a removable handle for easy transport, and there’s an aux input for playing audio when you want to listen at a higher quality than what Bluetooth can deliver. Read our review. Where to Buy: $399 $279 at Amazon $399 $279 at Best Buy $399 $279 at Bose Belkin Qi2.2 25W 2-in-1 foldable charging dock Slap a recent iPhone onto this charging pad and it’ll charge at fast 25W speeds. It can also charge AirPods, and includes a cord and wall adapter. Where to Buy: $60 $42.99 at Amazon $100 $75 at Amazon (w/ Apple Watch support) Belkin Charging Case for Nintendo Switch 2 The case features an integrated power bank and a small pocket to stow an AirTag (or other similarly sized Bluetooth tracker). Where to Buy: $69.99 $59.
We created a list of the most notable AI agents that can live in your text messages, from general assistants to agents designed for families, travel, and work.
While we are still awaiting some of the big fall Prime Day deals on some Apple products, there are already notable discounts up for grabs right now like the $500 price drop on this 2TB M5 Pro MacBook Pro, the new Beats 360 with 80% off the Cushion Kits, and Amazon low pricing on AirTag 2. We are also already tracking the official fall Prime Day price drops on some of our favorite HomeKit smart home brands like ecobee and a sizable collection of Eve smart plugs, outlets, switches and more, not to mention new all-time lows on many of the latest Belkin 25W MagSafe charging stations. Just be sure to check out the popular new Twelve South Airfly Drive wireless CarPlay adapter at $40 on your way down. more…
Meta now lets you make your own Muse gadgets that feature the company's new AI agent with code that the company open sourced. The company suggests projects like loading Muse on a color E Ink display to show reminders, adding it to an HDMI stick so you can display Muse on a big screen, or putting Muse on a small touchscreen device to make what looks kind of like a DIY Muse Charm. "Muse gadgets are open source devices you build yourself," Meta says. "Program an off-the-shelf ESP32 board or set up a Raspberry Pi with our SDKs, then connect Muse to your displays, buttons, sensors, actuators, and whatever else you've got lying on your workbench. … Read the full story at The Verge.
Apple has confirmed an issue causing a “small number” of iPhone 18 Pro Max devices on AT&T to lose cellular service. Apple released software and carrier updates to prevent the issue from affecting additional users, but the company tells 9to5Mac that devices that have already lost service will require a hardware replacement. more…
With Apple reportedly planning to unveil new products on October 13, here’s when the company could announce an event, based on the timing of its previous October announcements. more…
Jeff and Fernando share their excitement about the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera capabilities and explore whether it could truly replace a mirrorless camera for both photography and videography. Plus, they weigh in on whether you should buy the iPhone 18 Pro now or hold out for the iPhone Duo. 9to5Mac Overtime is a weekly video-first podcast exploring fun and interesting observations in the Apple ecosystem, featuring 9to5Mac’s Fernando Silva & Jeff Benjamin. Subscribe to Overtime via Apple Podcasts and our YouTube channel for more. more…
Siri AI is a major upgrade to Apple’s assistant that’s now available in iOS 27. And there’s one standout area I’ve noticed where it differs greatly from other AI assistants—for the better. more…
iPhone Duo has the largest display ever in an iPhone, bigger even than iPhone 18 Pro Max. But how do the two models truly compare in size? A side-by-side video offers a great look. more…
The Home app is a great place to configure your smart home, but it can be slow to control. The tab structure and room hierarchy make sense when you’re setting things up, but they add steps to everything you want to do fifty times a day. Home Widget builds the control panel that Apple didn’t. more…
Update, October 2: Many of you have asked for a full vehicle compatibility list for the Twelve South Airfly Drive. Our friends over at 9to5Toys have just published exactly that. Take a look! Complete vehicle compatibility list for new Twelve South Airfly Drive CarPlay and Android Auto adapter Twelve South, the company behind a range of premium Apple accessories, has launched a notable expansion of its Airfly brand. The company today unveiled Airfly Drive, a dongle that turns wired CarPlay into wireless CarPlay. It’s available to order starting today for $39.99. Here’s how it works. more…
Apple reportedly plans to launch new Home products on October 13 alongside an all-new operating system rumored to be called ‘homeOS.’ Here are the details. more…
This week Apple refreshed its third-party accessories lineup to include eight additional products. This includes the Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 and more. more…
Alongside using the iPhone 18 Pro, I’ve also been carrying out a little experiment as we await the launch of the iPhone Duo. To get a sense of what it might be like to use the large screen of the upcoming device, I’ve been using my iPad mini as a substitute phone some of the time. Given that the screen is a similar size and shape, I’m hoping that it gives me something of a preview of the experience … more…
Apple Podcasts is my podcast app of choice, but I’ve long had major issues with its central Up Next queue feature. I’m happy to report that iOS 27.2 introduces the solution. more…
Alongside the launch of the all-new Twelve South Airfly Drive wireless CarPlay adapter at $40, Amazon has once again updated its early fall Prime Day sale with fresh deals. Today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is headlined by Apple AirTag 2 down at Amazon all-time low pricing. We also have Sharge’s metal 300W smart display power bank at $50 off, loads of new all-time lows on Belkin’s 25W MagSafe charging stations, and the now live official fall Prime Day deals on the Eve Matter/HomeKit plugs, light switches, outlets, and more from $32. Scope it all out below. more…
Laytr lets you save articles, recipes, screenshots, videos, PDFs, and more for later, while keeping your archive private and synced across your Apple devices.
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Stuff:Stuff helps you get everything out of your head and into a simple, elegant system—closing open loops and reducing mental stress. A simple to-do list for iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with powerful tools that make organizing, tracking, and checking off your tasks a whole lot more satisfying. Get Stuff done. more…
We just published a comprehensive, free Kotlin course on the freeCodeCamp.org YouTube channel. Whether you're targeting Android development, scalable backend services, or cross-platform applications,
iPhone Duo pre-orders start soon, and while the foldable is Apple’s most expensive iPhone ever, the new Apple Upgrade program can get you a leased model at a lower monthly cost than I expected. more…
iOS 27 is packed with new features for Apple’s Photos app, including two that have long been on many users’ wish lists: full-featured slideshow creation and upgraded iCloud Shared Albums. more…
iOS 27 continues Apple’s trend of giving you more control over the design of your iPhone’s Lock Screen. This year, there are new customization options, wallpaper settings, and more. more…
Update 1:50 p.m. PT: More details from Apple are available here: Apple confirms iPhone 18 Pro Max AT&T cellular issues, affected devices require hardware replacement Since the iPhone 18 Pro Max launched, some AT&T customers have complained of various connectivity issues. In a new text message to customers, AT&T says affected users should update their devices to iOS 26.0.1 to fix the issues … but early reports indicate the update doesn’t actually fix the problem. more…
While the focus has been on AI agents’ hacking capabilities, a recently patched vulnerability in a ChatGPT app shows that AI software is itself an inviting—and vulnerable—target.