Notes app

A comparison of smart TV manufacturers' software support periods is drawing attention, noting that support length varies wildly by brand even on expensive sets. Buyers increasingly expect years of updates for apps and security when investing in a premium television, and the piece breaks down which companies commit to the longest support windows and which lag behind.

Blogger Jack Baty has once more attempted to move his personal notes out of Emacs to another tool, and once more abandoned the effort, writing up the latest failed migration. The account of why he keeps returning to Emacs has struck a chord with readers who recognize the cycle of trying new note-taking apps and settling back on old, deeply customized setups.

Apple has showcased its new HomeView app, drawing attention across several countries including France, the Netherlands and India. German coverage notes the feature will not be available in Germany at launch, prompting disappointment among local users. Discussion is focused on what the app offers and why Apple has restricted its rollout to certain markets.

MakeUseOf reports on finding a better method for saving content from the web, a common frustration for people who bookmark, screenshot or clip articles and links only to lose track of them. The piece walks through the writer's new approach and why it works better than default browser bookmarks or scattered notes apps.

A French-language guide circulating on Mastodon, part of a 'Day 4' series on running Android without Google, recommends HeliBoard, an open-source keyboard available on F-Droid. The author argues default keyboards can send what users type to third parties, and walks through installing HeliBoard and setting it as the system keyboard, noting it learns words locally without sending data elsewhere.

Apple's iOS 27.2 software update introduces a new icon for the Apple Music app, according to a report by MacRumors. The change is one of the visual tweaks noted in the latest release. Details on other features in the update are limited so far, and users have been watching the rollout for further changes.

Microsoft has released a new version of its Edge browser app for Android and iOS, dated October 14. The update was flagged by Eleven Forum contributor Shawn Brink, who tracks Windows and Edge releases. The release notes cover the mobile builds of Edge, and users following browser updates on mobile platforms are being notified of the new version's availability.

WhatsApp is reportedly testing scheduled message sending, currently limited to select Android beta users. The feature, which lets users set messages to be sent later, comes with restrictions on timing and attachments, and questions remain about how it will work with privacy settings and group chats. Rival messaging apps have offered similar scheduling functionality for some time, and observers are noting that WhatsApp is catching up on a long-requested feature.

A former Plaud executive has raised $26 million for Ambi, a startup building AI apps for iPhone, Mac, and Apple Watch that passively listen to conversations in the background and capture them as notes. The funding signals continued investor appetite for ambient AI capture tools, though privacy questions around always-listening software are likely to follow the product's launch.

The latest edition of the Questionnaire, a recurring interview series in the Miscellanea newsletter, features Sam Howard, a conversion copywriter and strategist. The six-question format asks her about the books she reads, the apps she uses, and how she approaches note taking, offering readers a look at the tools and habits of people working in writing and marketing.

Google has integrated Antigravity into the Gemini app for macOS as part of the rollout of Gemini 4 Argon announced today. The update brings the agent-focused coding environment directly into the desktop Gemini client. Coverage so far is limited to tech outlets sharing the release notes, with commentary focused on how the integration positions Gemini as a broader developer tool on the Mac.

Character.AI has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to court papers, despite having around 12 million active users. The company has never been profitable and was reportedly losing more than $8 million a month. Disney has emerged as the opening bidder for some of its assets at $20 million, while the app remains operational during the sale process. Commenters note the case shows that a large user base alone does not guarantee a viable business.

Google has begun rolling out its new top-tier model, Gemini 4 Argon, in the Gemini app for subscribers on the AI Pro and AI Ultra plans. The rollout is gradual and has not yet reached all users in Sweden. Tech commentators are noting the update as Google's latest push in the competitive AI assistant market, alongside related projects like Antigravity and Google DeepMind's ongoing model development.

A woman named Elle, posting under the handle ellespeaks, says her payments have been stalled for five days and is asking for $295 to cover her remaining necessities for October. She notes her building's laundry machine also took $10 from her, and says any amount helps. She directs donations through Cash App, PayPal and Ko-fi, and thanks the mutual aid community sharing her appeal.

A How-To Geek guide laying out open-source replacements for everyday Google apps is circulating online, recommending swaps like Brave for Chrome, Aegis for Authenticator, Organic Maps for Maps, Fossify Calendar for Calendar, and notes apps for Keep. Readers are sharing their own suggestions and discussing privacy, independence from big tech, and how viable these free alternatives are for daily use.

The Mastodon Android app has released version 2.13.4, adding support for displaying Collections where a user's server supports the feature and reworking push notifications under the hood. Developers say the notification changes should not alter behavior for most users but modernize the underlying implementation. The release notes point users to GitHub for full details of the update.

The developers behind Lock It: Calculator Vault, an Android privacy app, have set up an official presence on Mastodon. The app works as a functioning calculator that, when users type an equation and press equals, opens an encrypted vault for photos, notes, passwords and two-factor codes, secured with AES-256. The team says this is its official account for updates.