Apple debuts beefed-up MacBook Pro with new M5 Pro, M5 Max chips

Source: Apple

Apple expanded its laptop lineup with the debut of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro powered by the all-new M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Externally, they look similar to their predecessors, while the internals received a massive overhaul centred on a new "Fusion Architecture." These chips feature an 18-core CPU with "super cores" that Apple claims are the fastest in the world, delivering a 30% boost in overall performance. Additionally, base storage has been doubled, with M5 Pro models now starting at 1TB and M5 Max models at 2TB.

One of its significant leaps arrives in the form of artificial intelligence processing and specialized hardware. Each GPU core now includes a Neural Accelerator, enabling M5 Pro and M5 Max to process LLM prompts up to four times faster than the previous generation. Professionals will also see a 50% increase in graphics performance and SSD speeds that are twice as fast as before, reaching up to 14.5GB/s.

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Premium features trickle downwards for Apple's iPhone 17e and iPad Air

Apple began its week of new product reveals by launching the iPhone 17e, and the iPad Air in 11-and-13 inch. configurations. The latest updates are geared towards the mid range of the consumer market but offer a variety of desireable features previously avaiable in more expensive segments.

iPhone 17e comes in black, white, and soft pink in 256GB and 512GB storage capacities, starting at $899 (CAD). It features an A19 SoC, double the storage from previous e-series iPhones (from 128-256GB), and full-magsafe support for chargers and accessories. Most importantly, the spec bump makes it more compatible with AI workflows, just in time for Apple Intelligence features around the corner.

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'Track Changes' recovers Canada’s forgotten internet music history

Source: Cam Gordon

A new non-fiction release, Track Changes: The Origin Story of Canadian Music on the Internet (1990–2010), shines a light on the era before streaming giants dominated the industry. Written by former communications head for Twitter in Canada and music journalist Cam Gordon, the book aims to be a cultural archive of the two decades when Canadian artists and fans first moved online.

It explores a "partially hidden history" of the digital frontier, documenting how early innovations—ranging from BBS communities and mailing lists to fan-built websites—fundamentally reshaped the country's music landscape before the platforms themselves went dark and the hardware became obsolete.

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MWC 2026: Honor toys around with adding a robotic camera arm on upcoming device

Source: Mashable

One of the new devices eventually coming from Chinese tech maker Honor adds a bit more whimsy to your typical smartphone experience. The company gave a sneak peek of its new Honor Robot Phone at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. The device features a 200-megapixel camera mounted on a robotic arm on the back of the phone.

It features a 4-degree-of-freedom gimbal that allows the camera to tuck away when it isn't in use. Honor claims it made the world's smallest micro-motor to allow the arm to bob, nod and rotate freely. The arm enables the camera to act as a physical 3-axis gimbal, giving the device actual built-in video stabilization instead of stabilization typically replicated by phones via software.

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