Twenty-five years ago today, the lights turned on here at OFB. We were going to help the Linux Desktop revolution happen. We’re not there yet, but it has been an interesting ride.

I’m closer to “Inbox Zero” than I’ve been in years today. I’d like to say that’s because of Apple’s spiffy new Siri AI. It isn’t. It doesn’t do that. But Siri AI teases a future and those already accomplishing that future show what Apple needs to do next.

The last decade, we’ve been told we have to speak — and speak loudly — or we’re the bad guys. And, of course, say what the mob says or we’re still the bad guys. But silence is often more profound.

The smallest Mac, which often merely existed to be the cheapest Mac, has been warming up for this moment. Thanks to AI, it is finally a star not a concession. And with this week’s M6 chip announcement, Apple finally has embraced that. You should, too.

With the 2026 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), I’m cautiously optimistic Apple is finally seeing what some of us have been saying for years. Having fumbled its big unveilings since at least 2023, while AI whizzed right past it, a glimmer of hope is emerging. Is it well founded?

Satechi is a long-running name in stylish computer accessories, but one that comes to mind for, say, a Thunderbolt hub, not a keyboard. The SM3 is a strong argument the time has come for them to be a part of the keyboard discussion.

I became the lab rat. Three weeks ago, I put away my trusty MacBook to discover if the technically powerful 11” M4 iPad Pro could handle everything this solo pastor’s jack-of-all-trades work demands — writing, video editing, programming, system administration, the whole enchilada. A year ago, the answer was clearly “no.” Now, I wasn’t so sure.

Black Friday no longer happens on a Friday or even in the week of the namesake Friday. It’s in full effect now and some of our perennial favorite fruity themed deals are back and worth grabbing before the deals sell out.

The Cracker Barrel rebrand ought to remind everyone, change and improvement are not the same. Amongst others, I hope Apple is listening.

The next few days, we’ll all be bombarded by Amazon’s Prime Day deals and the equivalents from other stores. But, the best are just off stage. A new Mac Mini for less than $287, for example.