2026-10-29 03:46:00
I haven’t seen anyone else mention this so far, but it immediately stuck out to me that the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display lost its square bottom corners, and now has four rounded ones. I loved that the display used to be cohesive with the device’s frame — rounded on top but sharp on the bottom. It looked “right” for the laptop in a way that the all rounded one looks “wrong”, visually smaller, and more iPad-like than ever.
While I’m mentioning oddities, I was so sure that Apple would finally bring cellular data connection to its Mac laptops with this new, ultra-expensive model. They’ve had three generations of their own modems — C1, C1X, and C2 — but have yet to make a cellular Mac. I’m losing hope.
Other than those few gripes, these new laptops look fantastic! The return of the glowing Apple logo on the back of the MacBook was a welcome surprise. That the 14-inch model is as lightweight as the original MacBook Air is quite the achievement.
I won’t be purchasing one anytime soon — I’m quite happy with my M4 MacBook Air, but I do look forward to touch, OLED, and other features making their way down to the rest of the MacBook lineup over the next handful of years. Just not that squircular screen.
HeyDingus is a blog by Jarrod Blundy about technology, the great outdoors, and other musings. If you like what you see — the blog posts, shortcuts, wallpapers, scripts, or anything — please consider leaving a tip, checking out my store, or just sharing my work. Your support is much appreciated!
I’m always happy to hear from you on social, or by good ol' email.
2026-04-21 05:45:00
I’m happy to see the rumors were true that John Ternus will succeed Tim Cook as Apple’s CEO in September:
Apple announced that Tim Cook will become executive chairman of Apple’s board of directors and John Ternus, senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, will become Apple’s next chief executive officer effective on September 1, 2026. The transition, which was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors, follows a thoughtful, long-term succession planning process.
While no one can know right now how his leadership will differ from Cook’s, Ternus appears to be a worthy candidate: product-focused, likable, with a proven track record:
Ternus’s work on Mac has helped the category become more powerful and more popular globally than at any time in its 40-year history. That includes the recent introduction of MacBook Neo, an all-new laptop that makes the Mac experience even more accessible to more people around the world. This past fall, his team’s efforts were on full display with the introduction of a redefined iPhone lineup, including the incredibly powerful iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, the radically thin and durable iPhone Air, and the iPhone 17, which has been an incredible upgrade for users. Under his leadership, his team also drove advancements in AirPods to make them the world’s best in-ear headphones, with unprecedented active noise cancellation, as well as the capability to become an all-in-one hearing health system that can serve as over-the-counter hearing aids.
His personal quote in the press release is charming:
“I am profoundly grateful for this opportunity to carry Apple’s mission forward,” said Ternus. “Having spent almost my entire career at Apple, I have been lucky to have worked under Steve Jobs and to have had Tim Cook as my mentor. It has been a privilege to help shape the products and experiences that have changed so much of how we interact with the world and with one another. I am filled with optimism about what we can achieve in the years to come, and I am so happy to know that the most talented people on earth are here at Apple, determined to be part of something bigger than any one of us. I am humbled to step into this role, and I promise to lead with the values and vision that have come to define this special place for half a century.”
I’m on the record as being disappointed in Cook’s leadership of late, but he’s had a 15-year tenure — longer than any previous Apple CEO — with many ups and downs. His personal letter to the community (archived) is humanizing. I’m glad he wrote it:
This is not goodbye. But at this moment of transition, I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you. Not on behalf of the company, this time, though there is a wellspring of gratitude for you that overflows inside our walls. But simply on behalf of me. Tim. A person who grew up in a rural place in a different time and, for these magical moments, got to be the CEO of the greatest company in the world. Thank you for the confidence and kindness you’ve shown me. Thank you for saying hi to me on the street and in our stores. Thank you for cheering alongside me when we unveiled a new product or service. Thank you, most of all, for believing in me to lead the company that has always put you at the center of our work. Every day we get up and think about what we can do to make your life a little bit better. And every day, you’ve made mine the best I could have asked for.
And let’s not forget Johny Srouji, who I would presume was on the short list of candidates for CEO, but has ended up as Chief Hardware Officer — a brand-new role made just for him:
Apple today announced that, effective immediately, Apple executive Johny Srouji will become chief hardware officer. Srouji, who most recently served as senior vice president of Hardware Technologies, will assume an expanded role leading Hardware Engineering, which John Ternus most recently oversaw, as well as the hardware technologies organization.
I have been sitting on this title for years.
gotta catch ’em all
RE: https://techhub.social/@Techmeme/116438959705663471
…and now his watch has ended.
Apple announces that John Ternus, senior VP of Hardware Engineering, will become Apple’s next CEO on September 1; Tim Cook will become executive chairman (Business Wire)
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260420318241/en/
https://www.techmeme.com/260420/p24#a260420p24
Beginning in September, Apple will have had two CEOs named John, still behind the three going by Michael or Mike.
Tim Cooked.
We need fewer “Cooked” puns and more “I’ll Ternus car right around” puns.
Mom says it’s my Ternus the CEO https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/04/tim-cook-to-become-apple-executive-chairman-john-ternus-to-become-apple-ceo/
Assistant TO the regional CEO.
HeyDingus is a blog by Jarrod Blundy about technology, the great outdoors, and other musings. If you like what you see — the blog posts, shortcuts, wallpapers, scripts, or anything — please consider leaving a tip, checking out my store, or just sharing my work. Your support is much appreciated!
I’m always happy to hear from you on social, or by good ol' email.
2026-04-20 04:26:00
A weekly list of interesting things I found on the internet, posted on Sundays. Sometimes themed, often not.
1️⃣ I think you’ll like this picture of the world’s biggest and smallest Macs (an an original Macintosh) that Scott Knaster shared. [🔗 scottknaster.substack.com]
2️⃣ Robert Birming made a really cool calendar view for his Bear blog, so you can browse posts month-by-month. [🔗 robertbirming.com]
3️⃣ So, uh, someone made a compass that points to the Olive Garden in Times Square. And that’s all it does. And I don’t hate it. [🔗 theverge.com]
4️⃣ The Am Dash is a new punctuation mark introduced in two typefaces and is designed to signal that some text was written by a human — not em dash-happy AI. [🔗 theamdash.com]
5️⃣ Lynn Fisher has a handy mnemonic for remembering Markdown’s link and image syntax. [🔗 lynnandtonic.com]
6️⃣ This 14-year-old won a research prize for his origami prowess, which he thinks — based on the incredible strength-to-weight ratio of the Miura-ori fold — could be used for disaster relief. Incredible stuff. (Via The Good News Podcast) [🔗 businessinsider.com]
7️⃣ Louie Mantia makes an impassioned argument for processed American cheese — certainly the first I’ve heard in favor of it. It’s a convincing one, too. [🔗 burgerdigest.com]
Thanks for reading 7 Things. If you enjoyed these links or have something neat to share, please let me know. And remember that you can get more links to internet nuggets that I’m finding every day by following me @jarrod on the social web.
HeyDingus is a blog by Jarrod Blundy about technology, the great outdoors, and other musings. If you like what you see — the blog posts, shortcuts, wallpapers, scripts, or anything — please consider leaving a tip, checking out my store, or just sharing my work. Your support is much appreciated!
I’m always happy to hear from you on social, or by good ol' email.
2026-04-08 13:01:00
I love hearing about someone’s thoroughly considered argument for something that I’ve never given much thought to. It’s like pulling aside a curtain to discover there’s been a window with a gorgeous view behind it the whole time.
Take, for instance, the order in which a burger’s ingredients should be stacked. I probably could have improvised my preferred order with a few minutes of thought. But now I don’t have to because Louie Mantia’s already figured it out:
To me, an ideal cheeseburger has the following:
- Fluffy, toasted bun
- Grilled onion
- Processed cheese
- Thin patty
- Crisp lettuce
- Juicy tomatoes
- Cucumber pickles
- Tangy, mayo-based sauce
The order of ingredients is important. It’s not critical, but I think this order makes a lot of sense. The sauce and veg are the cool ingredients. Your tongue should hit those first so you enjoy how fresh and crisp they are and to save you from the hot patty and melted cheese.
The melted cheese sticks to the top bun. The sauce coats the bottom bun and dresses the “salad” part of the sandwich when you bite. If the cool ingredients are on the top, above the cheese, the watery vegetables sweat. The hot-cool barrier created between the patty and lettuce is the key to prevent that. The cool, raw vegetables don’t benefit being adjacent to the hot, melted cheese.
First, an excellent rating system, and now this well-reasoned defense? I think I’m going to enjoy this blog. 🍔
HeyDingus is a blog by Jarrod Blundy about technology, the great outdoors, and other musings. If you like what you see — the blog posts, shortcuts, wallpapers, scripts, or anything — please consider leaving a tip, checking out my store, or just sharing my work. Your support is much appreciated!
I’m always happy to hear from you on social, or by good ol' email.
2026-04-06 20:35:00
David Sparks blogs that companies whose leaders actually give a damn about the products are the ones worth watching:
You could argue that’s unhealthy. Maybe it is. But there’s something about a CEO who feels physical pain when the product falls short. That energy flows downhill. When the person at the top cares that much, everyone else figures out pretty quickly that they’d better care too. […]
You can spot it pretty easily. When a CEO talks about their company, do they talk about the product or the business? Walt talked about the park. Steve talked about the iPhone. Jensen talks about the chip. The ones who love the product can’t help themselves. The ones who don’t talk about market share and strategic initiatives.
Sparks’ sentiment pairs well with Marco Arment’s letter to presumed future Apple CEO John Ternus:
Apple doesn’t settle for fine, functional, or good enough in its hardware (and thanks for your incredible work on that). We love making and using products that aren’t just great, but greater than they need to be, always raising the bar of greatness for its own sake. Software, services, revenue sources, and world impact need to be held to that same standard.
Focus on making great computers with great user experiences above all else, and you can trust that every other major goal will follow: profit, market share, expansion, impact, and benefit to the world.
We have high expectations for Ternus. I hope he can live up to them.
HeyDingus is a blog by Jarrod Blundy about technology, the great outdoors, and other musings. If you like what you see — the blog posts, shortcuts, wallpapers, scripts, or anything — please consider leaving a tip, checking out my store, or just sharing my work. Your support is much appreciated!
I’m always happy to hear from you on social, or by good ol' email.
2026-04-06 09:37:00
A weekly list of interesting things I found on the internet, posted on Sundays. Sometimes themed, often not.
1️⃣ “Badlands” by Mumford & Sons & Gracie Abrams
2️⃣ “Easier Gone” by Jason Aldean & Brittany Aldean
3️⃣ “Grace Kelly” by Piper.Ally
4️⃣ “Forever Start (Stripped)” by Ryan Nealon & Jillian Rossi
5️⃣ “FTS” by The Summer Set & Travie McCoy
6️⃣ “Opalite” by Taylor Swift
7️⃣ “Angels Like You” by Miley Cyrus
Thanks for reading 7 Things. If you enjoyed these links or have something neat to share, please let me know. And remember that you can get more links to internet nuggets that I’m finding every day by following me @jarrod on the social web.
HeyDingus is a blog by Jarrod Blundy about technology, the great outdoors, and other musings. If you like what you see — the blog posts, shortcuts, wallpapers, scripts, or anything — please consider leaving a tip, checking out my store, or just sharing my work. Your support is much appreciated!
I’m always happy to hear from you on social, or by good ol' email.
