Several news outlets have reported on the newly released Beta compilers from IBM.
XL C and XL C++ for Mac OS X (download here) are PowerPC 970 optimized versions of IBM's compilers which have been show to improve Power4's SPEC performance (PDF) significantly.
Some early benchmarks (Ars Thread) demonstrate significant performance boosts -- up to +210% in Scalar performance in one particular PowerMac G5 Fortran application -- with more modest improvements in other measures. The code utilized in this benchmark appears to be the Jet3d codebase used in the early "NASA" G5 Benchmarks.
Wednesday January 21, 2026 10:54 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In addition to updating many of its existing products, Apple is expected to unveil five all-new products this year, including a smart home hub, a Face ID doorbell, a MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, a foldable iPhone, and augmented reality glasses.
Below, we have recapped rumored features for each product.
Smart Home Hub
Apple home hub (concept)
Apple's long-rumored smart home hub should...
Apple is planning to debut a high-end secondary version of AirPods Pro 3 this year, sitting in the lineup alongside the current model, reports suggest.
Back in September 2025, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to the AirPods Pro 3 in 2026. This would be somewhat unusual since Apple normally waits around three years to make major...
Wednesday January 21, 2026 12:31 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple is working on a small, wearable AI pin equipped with multiple cameras, a speaker, and microphones, reports The Information. If it actually launches, the AI pin will likely run the new Siri chatbot that Apple plans to unveil in iOS 27.
The pin is said to be similar in size to an AirTag, with a thin, flat, circular disc shape. It has an aluminum and glass shell, and two cameras at the...
Tuesday January 20, 2026 2:34 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Over the last few months, rumors around the iPhone 18 Pro's front-panel design have been conflicted, with some supply-chain leaks pointing to under-display Face ID, reports suggesting a top-left hole-punch camera, and debate over whether the familiar Dynamic Island will shrink, shift, or disappear entirely.
Today, Weibo-based leaker Instant Digital shared new details that appear to clarify the ...
Thursday January 22, 2026 9:31 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is expected to release MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips soon, but you might want to pass on them, as bigger changes are around the corner.
It has been reported that the MacBook Pro will be receiving a major redesign in late 2026 or in 2027. Six new features have been rumored so far, including an OLED display, touch capabilities, a Dynamic Island, M6 Pro and M6 Max chips...
