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I love a good animated GIF.
It’s a horrible file format, and looks like rubbish most of the time, but as a publisher, I can’t deny the power of a good GIF.
They’re like catnip to readers. Slap a GIF on a story or an ad, and it’s guaranteed to get twice as many clicks. (I made that stat up, but it’s true in general.)
As our top post notes, the GIF file format is the “cockroach of image formats” — it’s old and antiquated, but it refuses to die.
Why? Because it’s compatible with everything.
If you need to animate an image for a website, social media post, presentation — or a newsletter! — here’s a super-easy way to make a GIF.
Also in today’s newsletter:
Here’s when to expect the big iOS 26.2 update in your time zone. But as to the actual day (rather than the time), it’s still 🤷♂️.
I bought my brother the whopping W-King X20 boombox for Xmas, but after reading this full-throated endorsement, I’m wondering if I should have gotten the Soundcore Motion X600 instead.
With Apple rivaling HBO as a premium TV streamer, this gift card freebie looks pretty good. And yes, gift cards are perfectly acceptable Xmas gifts. I know they’re a bit pathetic, but at least the recipient is almost guaranteed to get something they actually want.
The iKlips S is a tiny SSD with a built-in fingerprint reader, which means you — and you only — can unlock it, no passwords needed. As our hands-on, four-and-a-half-star review notes, it’s a great, secure and easy way to secure sensitive data and files.
Apple just started prompting tardy iPhone users to upgrade to iOS 26, and there’s a tidal wave of complaints on the socials, just like when the update was first released! If you’ve been using iOS 26 for a while, what do you think of it now? Take the poll below.
— Leander Kahney, EIC.
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A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
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Tweets of the day
Wallpaper of the day
One more thing ...
Death is very likely the single best invention of life. It is life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.
Today’s poll
After using it for a bit, what do think of iOS 26 now?
Results from yesterday’s poll: Apple's executive departures: Concerned or no?
Best reader comments
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