Parse notes
Figma's Glass effect is now generally available with expanded capabilities beyond frames, allowing users to apply it to any object, shape, or text. The update includes non-uniform corner customization with precise radius control, as well as a new Splay property for adjusting light behavior around edges. Users can now apply variables to Glass properties for seamless integration with the design system.
Sebastiaan de With, co-founder of Halide and Lux, is joining Apple's Human Interface Design team, returning after earlier freelance work on products like iCloud and Find My. His hire comes during a wider design reshuffle at Apple following Alan Dye's exit, with Stephen Lemay stepping in to lead HIG and John Ternus now overseeing Apple's design teams, prompting optimism about the company's renewed design focus.
Android's desktop interface has leaked through a Google bug report, which revealed a new status bar optimized for large screens with time, date, battery, Wi-Fi, and other icons. The leak showed the interface running on an HP Elite Dragonfly Chromebook with Android 16, codenamed "Aluminum OS" (ALOS). The status bar appears taller than in tablet versions and includes features such as a notification bell, a keyboard language indicator, a Gemini icon, and a screen recorder pill.
Information tips—brief messages triggered by hovering or clicking icons like "?" or "i"—should provide supplemental context without hiding essential information or disrupting workflow. Common pitfalls include wasting time with redundant content, hiding critical instructions that most users need upfront, and interrupting tasks with intrusive modals or page takeovers rather than inline guidance. Well-designed info tips remain short, contextual, and accessible while keeping crucial information visible at the primary interface level.
Apple Creator Studio is a $12.99/month ($129/year) subscription that bundles ten pro apps for Mac and iPad—deeply discounted for students—while still allowing one-off Mac purchases, but not on iPad. The bundle targets serious creators who work across Mac and iPad rather than iPhone-first editing, with refreshed apps like Pixelmator Pro offering strong templates, AI tools, and logo/illustration features, albeit with some brush and workflow limitations compared to rivals.
Freelance creatives are split on whether speaking out against generative AI helps or harms their business: some argue that openly stating ethical concerns attracts like-minded clients who value human creativity, while others caution that defining yourself as “anti-AI” can oversimplify a complex issue and risk alienation. Overall, there's no single right answer—many creatives reject generative AI for core creative work but accept AI for menial tasks, agreeing that the most sustainable approach is to act authentically, clearly communicate what you stand for, and trust that the right clients will follow.
From script to finished, character-consistent anime and videos in a single workflow, with support for videos up to 30 minutes.
Screentell is a screen recorder and video editor for creating studio-quality product demos and tutorials in minutes.
Figma now allows Make prototypes to be embedded directly into Figma Design, FigJam, and Figma Slides, enabling teams to share interactive prototypes throughout their workflow for better alignment and feedback. New editing capabilities let users modify text, delete elements, and adjust styling within prototypes, while an editable to-do list breaks complex requests into reviewable steps. Additional features include multi-page navigation and the ability for Make to ask clarifying questions during the prototyping process.
Google's Gemini app uses dynamic gradients, rounded shapes, and intentional motion to make its constantly evolving AI assistant feel intuitive and trustworthy. The design team drew inspiration from Google's circular logo and Material Design elements, creating soft, directional gradients that visualize Gemini's thinking process and guide users through interactions. This fluid illustration system aims to bridge conceptual gaps around AI while maintaining familiarity with Google's established visual language.
Athletics NYC has refreshed the identity of S.C. GJØA, New York's oldest youth soccer club, by translating its Norwegian maritime heritage into a bold, geometric ship crest that balances history with modern youth culture. The new system—spanning crest, typography, and colors—emphasizes collective play, community pride, and digital-first clarity, turning tradition into a scalable, contemporary brand for the club's next generation.
Font ligatures are special characters that combine two or more letters into a single glyph, improving spacing and visual rhythm in typography.
Apple's Creator Studio represents a troubling shift from the tech giant's tradition of subsidizing software through hardware sales.
Apple dominated 2025 smartphone sales with seven iPhones in the global top ten.