Internet & Web
In case of emergency, break glass
A few observations after Apple’s WWDC25 keynote The title of my article obviously refers to the new UI Apple presented on 9 June, which they call Liquid Glass. I won’t beat around the bush: my very first impression is that we’re in UI emergency territory, but we won’t be able to break this particular glass….
How to secure your phone before attending a protest
Back in June 2020, when this article was first written, people were taking to the streets to organize for justice and protest against systemic racism and police brutality. There have been several other flashpoints for protests since then (for example, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade), but the recent activities of ICE, especially…
Is the Polestar 4’s missing rear window genius or a gimmick?
The Polestar 4 officially launched in the U.S., Europe and Australia last year, going head to head with Tesla’s Model Y in the mid-sized electric SUV space. However, an alternate option for the Musk-averse consumer is far from all this EV has to offer. Polestar has also gotten creative, completely forgoing a rear window in…
The Art of Duolingo Notifications: The Subtle Manipulation of Language Learners
Let’s get something straight: Duolingo is a brilliant app. It’s become a household name in the realm of language learning, and for good reason. The bite-sized lessons, the daily streaks, the gamified points, the whole dopamine-driven experience—it works. It works really well. And it’s not just the design that makes it addictive—it’s the notifications. Duolingo…
Better CSS Shapes Using shape() — Part 3: Curves | CSS-Tricks
If you’re following along, this is the third post in a series about the new CSS shape() function. We’ve learned how to draw lines and arcs and, in this third part, I will introduce the curve command — the missing command you need to know to have full control over the shape() function. In reality,…
Best Crypto Payment Gateway for High Risk — SitePoint
Businesses categorized as high risk often face unique challenges when it comes to processing payments as they are typically subjected to stricter scrutiny by financial institutions. A reliable payment gateway is crucial for these merchants as it not only facilitates secure transactions but also helps in managing chargebacks and fraud risks associated with high risk…
Collaboration: The Most Underrated UX Skill No One Talks About — Smashing Magazine
We often spotlight wireframes, research, or tools like Figma, but none of that moves the needle if we can’t collaborate well. Great UX doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes conversations with engineers, alignment with product, sales, and other stakeholders, as well as the ability to listen, adapt, and co-create. That’s where design becomes a team…
Social Media As A Customer Service Tool: Trends And Best Practices
Every tweet, direct message, and comment holds weight. Social media has long been a connectivity platform, where users engage with friends, colleagues, and family. In recent years, it’s also evolved to become a feedback mechanism for businesses. In many industries, customers are communicating with a business on social media. It’s a key customer service channel,…
How we decreased GitLab repo backup times from 48 hours to 41 minutes
Repository backups are a critical component of any robust disaster recovery strategy. However, as repositories grow in size, the process of creating reliable backups becomes increasingly challenging. Our own Rails repository was taking 48 hours to back up — forcing impossible choices between backup frequency and system performance. We wanted to tackle this issue for…
The best earbuds we’ve tested for 2025
It’s hard to buy a bad pair of wireless earbuds these days, and with constant discounts and deals wherever you look, now is as good of a time as any to splurge on the pair you’ve been eyeing. The market has come a long way since the early era of true wireless earbuds when we…