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I used Muse, Instinct, and Grok Bot to plan my European vacation. Meta's AI agent was my favorite.

Jay Eskenazi, who used Meta's Muse to help plan is European trip, is pictured.
Jay Eskenazi is traveling through France and Spain with the help of Meta's Muse.

Jay Eskenazi

  • Jay Eskenazi planned the itinerary for his trip to Europe with Claude and the Grok Bot.
  • Once he landed, Eskenazi said he realized Meta's Muse was the most helpful for travel planning.
  • "These are the things that a very seasoned travel agent from 30 years ago would've done for you," he said.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jay Eskenazi. He lives in Los Angeles and worked in user experience for 19 years. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I'm in Paris, and I'm going to Barcelona tomorrow. The trip is three weeks.

I came here for the first time last year, and it was my first long trip by myself. Last year, planning it was very stressful, and I did a ton of research.

This year was the same thing, where I had these very long notes. At this point, everyone knows that you can go to any AI tool and say: "Hey, I'm going to City X, give me an itinerary for seven days."

I had this epiphany a few weeks ago, where I realized I had all these note files, bulleted stuff, and coffee shops to go to.

If someone gave you a list of five coffee shops and they were in five different cities, as someone who's not familiar with the terrain, you wouldn't necessarily know how to structure that in the course of the day. Which coffee shop goes with which museum?

So, instead of doing an itinerary, I was like: "Here's my notes. Put them together in an organized way for me. Structure them in a logical sequence."

I hadn't used Claude in a while, so I tried that a little. I use Grok a lot, and I just upgraded because I wanted to play with the Grok Bot. So, I made this really fancy itinerary. I kept iterating it. It did a really good job. Then I got here and was like, "It's not as good."

I'm naturally curious, so I tried out Muse. I think I must've gotten Muse two days before I left.

I was looking at this itinerary a couple of days ago and was like, "I don't like what it says tomorrow." So I opened Muse and asked for an afternoon itinerary. It spat out all of this stuff. I was like: "Oh! There's some new stuff in here."

These are really common scenarios. Maybe there are five museums you want to go to. It takes a lot of work: this museum's closed on Tuesday, this one's closed on Monday, and this one's free next Friday. The AI tools can structure that in a way that you would do if you had a thousand hours.

It's a small thing, but when you apply that to a thousand decision points, it does a really nice job of putting those things together.

Jay Eskenazi's Muse AI agent is pictured.
Jay Eskenazi said that Muse does what a "very seasoned travel agent from 30 years ago would've done for you."

Jay Eskenazi

If you're like: "Hey, I want to go get coffee, then I need something to do before I get lunch, then I want to go to the museum this afternoon." Most of the other AI tools will just give you the list. Then you're like, how do I get from place to place to place?

Muse would actually put it on a map with dots. I clicked a button, and it put it in Google Maps. I had this experience this weekend. None of the other tools did that.

I'm going to Barcelona tomorrow, and I'll get there in the evening. One of the reasons I picked it was because there's an annual festival. I timed it so I can be there for the core of the activities. But the main activities weren't published, even last week, because they're on some website in Spanish that didn't have the fully fleshed-out program.

In the hourlong Uber to Versailles, I was like, "What's the structure for Thursday?" It's able to pull that. It's got: this opens in the morning, this is free, this is mid-day, this is in the evening.

I don't know if ChatGPT would have it. Maybe it would, but it doesn't seem to output it in the same way. Also, I gave it access to my email, so it knows I'm leaving tomorrow. It has an idea tab that said, "I can map the opening night before you get there." It's proactive.

Jay Eskenazi's Muse agent is pictured.
Muse proactively offered to plan Jay Eskenazi's first night in Barcelona.

Jay Eskenazi

The other thing: I was indecisive about my plans over the last couple of days. What Muse was doing was checking the times to see what ticket availability looked like. It's doing this proactive thing for you, where it tracks it, because options are shrinking.

As a non-developer, I set up OpenClaw in February. That took a lot of time. I had a developer friend help me for hours. Then I had all these AWS bills I didn't understand. I'm asking it to give me a recipe; I don't know how many tokens that's going to cost. I ended up having to shut it down.

Muse is like OpenClaw for normies. If you're not a tech person, these things are useful because they do what an assistant would. Anyone could set this up.

It comes back to when I worked at Expedia. These are the things that a very seasoned travel agent from 30 years ago would've done for you. That would be a very expensive vacation for that level of service.

I also just got access to Instinct yesterday, because I was on the waitlist. I'm very curious, but you can't see exactly what it's doing. It had good ideas and gave me an itinerary, but it had to put them in a Google Doc. I was also confused because I don't remember what I told it, and it made personalized recommendations. I was like: "Wait, how did it know this?"

Muse just seems easier. It's very fast, and it feels more responsive.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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Apple event recap: CEO John Ternus reveals new iPhone 18 Pro and first foldable device

New Apple CEO John Ternus
John Ternus helmed his first Apple event as CEO on Wednesday. He had "one more thing" to share.

Monica Schipper/WireImage

For the first time in 15 years, a new CEO took the stage at Apple's big fall event. Taking a page out of Steve Jobs' book, John Ternus announced "one more thing" — Apple's first foldable phone.

Ternus, a "product guy" who previously led Apple's hardware team, took over for Tim Cook at the start of the month. The annual product keynote marked an opportunity for the new CEO to introduce himself to the wider world of Apple fans — and pitch them on increasingly expensive gadget upgrades.

The foldable iPhone Duo, which is shaped like a passport, becomes an iPad-shaped device when it's open. It's Apple's biggest design change to the iPhone since Jobs first unveiled the phone in 2007.

Apple
The new Apple iPhone Duo foldable opens to reveal a larger iPad-like screen.

Apple

Customers will have to pay big to own one of the devices, which opens for pre-orders on October 16 and launches on October 23. The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999.

Apple also announced it was raising the price of its high-end "Pro" iPhone lineup by $100, a few months after raising prices on MacBooks and iPads — the result, Apple says, of the bruising memory shortage. The new iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299.

Apple also unveiled new Apple Watch models with new health-focused and AI features, the new AirPods 5, and detailed the many software features launching in iOS 27, which launches September 14.

Scroll on for a play-by-play of Apple's big keynote:

That's a wrap!
The Apple iPhone Duo foldable display
Apple iPhone Duo foldable

Apple

Apple wraps up its September hardware event after giving the final details for the foldable iPhone Duo, which CEO John Ternus introduced using Steve Jobs' famous "one more thing" line. Apple's stock is trading down 1% as the livestream concludes.

Thanks for joining us! See you at the next Apple event.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 and launches October 23
The iPhone Duo
The iPhone Duo

Apple

You'll have to be a bit patient for the Duo. Apple will make the foldable iPhone available to preorder on Friday, October 16, and it launches on Friday, October 23. It will cost $1,999 for the base storage.

Yes, a new iPhone form factor means new accessories too.
An accessory for the iPhone Duo is pictured.

Screenshot via Apple

Apple shows two new accessories for its foldable phone. First, there is a small kickstand to prop the unfolded phone up. There is also a case that protects the edges of the folded.

The iPhone Duo is eSIM only

Apple removed the SIM card slot to free up space for batteries. Since the iPhone 14, US models have been eSIM-only.

The iPhone Duo's camera system

The iPhone Duo uses Apple's 48 megapixel Fusion Ultra Wide camera, which is one of the same cameras found in the iPhone 18 Pro. (The iPhone 18 Pro includes a beefier overall camera system though.)

Apple's new foldable phone, however, has another "FaceTime camera" which is visible upon opening the phone.

"iPhone Duo gives you fun new ways to use the camera that simply aren't possible on any other iPhone," Apple says. "With just a tap, iPhone Duo can become your personal photographer."

iPhone Duo gets two batteries
The iPhone Duo
The iPhone Duo foldable

Apple

Apple says there are two batteries powering the Duo. Users will get up to 44 hours of usability if they only use the outer display, and up to 31 hours of video playback when using the inner screens.

Apple explains the tinkering it did to minimize creasing on the iPhone Duo's screen

Foldable phones have long suffered from a visible crease down the middle when unfolded. But the goal is for the screen to look even and flat, without visible blemish. To improve on this issue, Apple developed a custom texture that creates a "flat matte surface" when opened. It's made from a custom polymer and has a special coating for scratch resistance.

You can also use the iPhone Duo as … a clock

One of the many possible uses of the iPhone Duo is as a clock, Apple says.

In the launch video, a person sets up the foldable phone on a bedside table, and it turns into a clock.

"iPhone Duo can transform into a delightful bedside clock with the ability to wake you up with a gentle glow, timed perfectly with your alarm," Apple says.

iPhone Duo is launching in two colors
Watching media on the iPhone Duo
Watching a show on the Apple iPhone Duo

Apple

Apple's first foldable phone will be available in Star White and Night Sky.

iPhone Duo brings back Touch ID

Users will be able to unlock the foldable iPhone Duo by pressing a finger onto the side of the device.

"Essential controls are on the side to free up vertical space for content," Apple says.

Apple's new foldable phone looks like a little booklet or passport

Apple's iPhone Duo, the highly anticipated folding phone, is roughly analogous to an iPad in size when unfolded, and a passport or small booklet when closed.

"We wanted the experience of using iPhone Duo to feel uninterrupted," Apple says. "With two screens, the transition between open and closed had to be fluid and completely intuitive."

Here are some more pics of the new foldable iPhone Duo…
Apple
Apple iPhone Duo foldable

Apple

Here's how it looks when folded up, and what the software looks like on that front screen:

THE NEW iPHONE DUO FOLDABLE
The Apple iPhone Duo foldable display
Apple iPhone Duo foldable

Apple

Say hello to the iPhone Duo, Apple's first-ever foldable phone.

John Ternus starts by saying he isn't impressed by other foldable phones. In unveiling Apple's long-awaited entry into foldable phones, Tenus had some harsh words for those who got a head start.

"Others have created foldables that just feel like two phones stuck together," he said.

Catch up quickly: Here's what has already been announced
Apple

Apple

We've seen:

  • iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
  • New AirPods 5
  • Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
'Siri recap' will use 'ambient listening' to record conversations

Apple introduces "Siri recap," a feature that uses "ambient listening" to take high-level notes of your conversations.

The feature gives a user recaps of their conversations. It can be turned off and on at any time via the control system.

"Privacy is protected at every step. These audio intelligence features do not create or store audio recordings," Apple says. "The raw audio used for processing is completely inaccessible, even to Apple."

Apple says it will be available in a beta version later this year.

The new Apple Watch Series 12 comes in ceramic finishes
Apple's Watch Series 12
Apple Watch Series 12 in ceramic finish

Apple

Apple Watch will let you 'rewind' conversations

The new Apple Watch will allow users to rewind conversations by up to 15 seconds, part of a suite of audio intelligence tools.

Additionally, the Apple Watch will be able to recognize sounds like a doorbell, a baby crying, or sirens.

Apple is replacing… the pacer test?

Apple says it's releasing a new assessment tool. It will ask users to jog in place with a coach, as shown on the iPhone, and give users tips for better form. The speed will speed up throughout the test.

Listen up, longevity-maxxers: Apple will tell you your 'health age'

Apple says it developed a new system that will take reams of data and tell a user their "health age."

Apple says the number is "a simple way to discover how key health metrics align with your actual age."

Apple's new 'readiness' score

Your Apple Watch can now judge how hard you should push. A new "readiness" score will analyze recent activity, vitals, and sleep to give a "clear call on your body's capacity to take on the day," Apple says.

The score also updates during the day, and is viewable both on the Apple Watch and the iPhone Fitness app.

Apple unveils a more advanced 'health sensing' system for watches
Apple
Apple's new health features

Apple

Apple says its new watches take "health and fitness to the next level" with a new sensor system.

The systems monitor a wearer's heart rate all day. "Background heart rate readings are now taken every five seconds all day long, even while you're on the go," Apple says.

Say hello to the new Apple Watches
Next up, new Apple Watches!
The new Apple Watch models

Apple

Next up is the new Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, which include new Health-focused features.

The company says the new Apple Watch sensors sit closer to the skin, even during workouts, and will now monitor your heart rate variability, or HRV.

Apple says the new AirPods 5 have live translation

Apple says its new Airpods 5 have standardized live translation, an innovation which first launched last year.

In the launch video, the AirPods worn by an actor translate someone speaking Spanish.

The new AirPods 5 will start at $129.
The AirPods 5
The new AirPods 5

Apple

AirPods 5 have a "new acoustic architecture and advanced computational audio," Apple announces. They will feature Apple's classic open ear fit while upgrading the audio. They will cost $129 for the standard charging case, and $149 with the wireless charging case.

The AirPods 5 are also getting a volume swipe slider on the side to more easily control how loud your music or podcasts play.

Introducing: AirPods 5
Apple's AirPods 5 are pictured.

Screenshot via Apple

Next up, AirPods

Apple is talking about the success of its AirPods Pro models, but it sounds like we're getting a new model of regular AirPods today.

Apple says its new operating system has child safety features

Kaiann Drance, the vice president of iPhone marketing, says iOS 27 has more child-safety features.

The features give parents "more flexible ways to manage what kids can see, who they can talk to, and when they have access," Drance says.

Apple wants you to know your photos are real

Let's face it: AI slop images are everywhere. Apple wants you to know whether images are generated or edited with AI.

Apple's Maryam Azimi announced a reference image system that can help verify whether a photo was taken with an iPhone 18 Pro. The camera holds an image that lives with the "regular, editable photo." She compared it to having a "digital negative" that users can compare against the original image.

Apple says variable aperture is coming to iPhone
Apple event
Apple's fall 2026 event

Apple

Speaking at a Hollywood set, Kaiann Drance, the vice president of iPhone marketing, says variable aperture is coming to the iPhone.

"We're introducing our biggest camera improvement in years, making stunning shots easy for everyone and adding new levels of creativity," Drance says.

Aperture settings control how much light enters a camera. Drance says, "This is the most advanced camera we've ever made."

The aperture system uses six laser-cut blades, Drance says.

The 'largest increase in battery life ever on an iPhone'

You can worry a bit less about your phone dying. Apple hypes up the battery life of its new iPhone 18 Pro. The phone will have up to 24 hours per charge, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have up to 30 hours per charge.

The iPhone 18 Pro also supports 50% charge in about 15 minutes.

Apple's new Siri upgrade comes with limits

While Apple boasts its new Siri updates, not everyone will get it at once. Siri AI is rolling out in beta for English speakers and will expand to French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish in October.

Some Siri features will also have usage limits if they rely on powerful large language models.

Don't like Siri's voice? Now you can customize it.

Apple says users can customize Siri's voice to new levels of personalization.

In addition to the traditional accents, Apple unveils two new customization sliders: pace and expressivity.

Apple says the on-device model "also enables more accurate system-wide dictation, making it easy for you to get punctuation, spelling, and capitalization just right."

Apple touts 'a new Siri'

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be able to run Apple's most advanced on-device AI model. As Apple previously announced, Apple is launching its overhauled Siri with a dedicated app.

Welcome: glacier and burgundy
The new Apple iPhone 18 Pro
The new Apple iPhone 18 Pro

Apple

Introducing the new iPhone 18 Pro, Ternus lists colors like deep black and silver. There's also a "fresh new color" called glacier, he says.

Plus, there's the "sophisticated and unique" new addition, Ternus says: burgundy.

The first product reveal: iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
The iPhone 18 Pro lineup
The iPhone 18 Pro lineup

Apple

It looks like…an iPhone! Ternus reveals the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models. There are new colors, and the underlying computer chip technology will enhance photos and the new Siri AI, Apple says.

John Ternus says privacy protection is paramount

In what appeared to be a dig at AI labs, Apple's CEO says that "others see that data as something to collect and store."

"They move it to their servers and ask you to trust them," he adds.

Ternus says that Apple intelligence instead stores data on individual devices when it can.

"When greater capability is needed, private cloud compute extends that same level of privacy protection, ensuring that nobody, not even Apple, can access what's yours," he says.

John Ternus says the iPhone is perfect for the AI age

The Apple CEO says the iPhone is the perfect medium to achieve what he calls an "intelligent personal hub."

His comments come as the world eagerly awaits OpenAI's entry into the AI hardware space later this year.

Tim Cook makes a brief appearance before handing things over to John Ternus
New Apple CEO John Ternus
New Apple CEO John Ternus

Apple

We finally see Tim Cook in the prerecorded video, smiling. "No, no, no! Not me," he says. "That's your guy. That's your opening shot."

John Ternus, Apple's new CEO, appears to begin the keynote.

Apple starts with video about possible opening shots
Apple event
Apple's opening video from its fall event

Apple

Apple's event begins with several action shots imagining possible openings to the event. Characters in the scenes say that each one should be the beginning scene.

And we're off! Apple's fall keynote begins…
Prefer to watch? You can tune into the 1 p.m. ET livestream here:
A look at where the action is happening…
Steve Jobs Theater at the company's Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.
Steve Jobs Theater at the company's Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California.

Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images

Apple shifted years ago from live keynote addresses (which run the risk of embarrassing demo fails) to pre-recorded keynotes. Apple, however, still hosts journalists and influencers at Apple Park, its Cupertino, California HQ. While Apple's CEO typically greets attendees, who will watch the livestream from the Steve Jobs Theater on campus, we're minutes away from seeing if new CEO John Ternus decides to switch things up — or keep the keynote pre-recorded.

Higher iPhone prices could entice people to try out Apple's leasing program, Apple Upgrade
The iPhone 17 Pro
The iPhone 17 Pro

credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Apple recently overhauled its device subscriptions, which it now calls Apple Upgrade. The program offers the opportunity to lease a new iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or MacBook with monthly payments lower than those of traditional financing. It's powered by buy-now-pay-later service Klarna.

With Apple's rumored foldable iPhone expected to command a $2,000+ price tag, you can bet some customers might decide to rent instead of ponying up the full up-front cost.

Tim Cook scored a $47 million pay package to stay on as Apple's chairman.

While Tim Cook is no longer CEO, Apple is keeping him around — and keeping him paid.

Cook's new job as Apple chairman includes a $2 million salary (instead of $3 million as CEO), and comes with an annual equity award with a target value of $45 million for fiscal year 2027. The former CEO will also help engage with "policymakers around the world," which means Apple isn't losing its "Trump whisperer."

Who is John Ternus? Get to know Apple's new CEO before he takes the stage.
Tim Cook and John Ternus
Tim Cook and John Ternus

Kevin Winter/GA/The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

John Ternus studied engineering and once worked under Steve Jobs. Tim Cook, who is staying on as board chairman, called Ternus "one of a kind" and said the CEO transition would go "seamlessly."

Read full story

Apple's new CEO drums up hype with cryptic video.

pic.twitter.com/CLu9eRDP5b

— John Ternus (@johnternus) September 9, 2026

John Ternus posted a short clip to X this morning ahead of Apple's 1 p.m. ET event. The teaser, which shows a glimpse of what is presumably an unreleased device, could signal a glitzier marketing strategy under Ternus. It's unusual to see Apple reveal actual imagery associated with coming devices ahead of an event, even if it's not 100% clear what we're looking at.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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The foldable iPhone Duo is Apple's boldest smartphone experiment yet

The Apple iPhone Duo foldable display
Apple's foldable phone, the iPhone Duo.

Apple

  • Apple debuted the Duo, its first-ever foldable iPhone.
  • The phone has two displays and is 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max. It's priced at $1,999.
  • The foldable is one of Apple's first departures from the traditional iPhone form.

Since its 2007 launch, the iPhone has had the same basic design: a flat, rigid rectangle.

Now, Apple is folding on that form factor.

Apple debuted the new foldable iPhone Duo on Tuesday at its annual September hardware event, marking the biggest design change in the device's history.

John Ternus, Apple's CEO, critiqued other foldables that "feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together." The company wanted a larger display, one that is "as natural and intuitive as an iPad," he said.

The iPhone Duo
The iPhone Duo comes in two colors.

Apple

The device has two displays: the closed front and the full-sized open screen. When opened, the phone can also have two displays on each side of the hinge.

It's 50% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 80% larger than the 18 Pro.

Apple said it has set the iPhone Duo price for $1,999 for 256 gigabytes of storage. Prices go up to $3,199 for two terabytes.

Breaking the iPhone's design rut

Apple certainly isn't the first company to put out a foldable. Samsung continues to expand its lineup, while Chinese companies like Honor and Oppo offer cheaper (and thinner) alternatives. One of Huawei's phones folds not once, but twice.

Still, the move is seismic for Apple, which largely iterated and finessed the form factor Steve Jobs first unveiled in 2007.

Watching media on the iPhone Duo
Watching a show on the Apple iPhone Duo

Apple

Designer Christopher Stringer recounted the process of picking a shape during Apple's 2012 lawsuit against Samsung. The company tested an "extrudo" model, which had a lozenge-like shape, he said. Then, it landed on the iPhone design we know and love.

At the end of the 2012 trial, Apple explicitly received its design patent: a rectangle with rounded corners.

For years after, Apple tinkered with elements of the design. It extended the display and removed the home button. It tried out new colors and side buttons. It tried lighter and thinner models.

Throughout it all, the basic rectangle design stayed flat.

The new foldable doesn't stray too far from Apple's roots. It does open into a rectangle with rounded corners, after all.

Still, the design brings something new to the market — and shows Apple can still mix it up.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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