X Windows & OS X Aqua Seamlessly Side by Side
Sladhdot brings us some rather great news for the OS X user. A company known as Tenon has released public betas of two OS X applications. One, Xtools, is an X Window server for OS X which, as the press release states, "will provide seamless integration between an X Window display environment and Macintosh applications." The other, iTools, is an Apache port with many useful additions (above the base install) integrated, such as sendmail, SSL, etc.
Of the two, the X Windows servers is far more significant.
One stumbling block to bringing most graphical Linux apps across to OS X is Apple's proprietary Aqua GUI. While arguably superior to X Windows in many, many ways, it is a whole new technology that an X Windows application developer would have to learn before porting his/her app. With this integrated system, porting such an app would require
almost zero effort. X Windows apps run alongside
native Aqua apps (screenshot) and, while not offering the user all the nicities of a true Aqua-based app...at least the app would
exist
for OS X. And especially here at the beginning, that really will magnify the versatility of MacOS X...which is clearly a good thing.
Popular Stories
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
