You're Using Tabs Wrong

Summary of You're Using Tabs Wrong

by MKBHD

1h 56m•April 10, 2026
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Overview of You're Using Tabs Wrong (Waveform Podcast — MKBHD + co-hosts)

This episode of Waveform covers a wide range of tech news and debates anchored around UX habits (tabs, docks, and browser choices), NASA’s Artemis II lunar flyby and its photos, new security concerns from Anthropic’s Project Glasswing, device/form‑factor experiments (LG rollable, Pixel/iPhone fold rumors), and a few smaller but practical stories (Samsung Messages EOL, a Skoda bell designed to pierce ANC, and a Whoop/Bevel legal dust‑up). The hosts mix hands‑on UI complaints, camera and space photography tech, privacy/AI competition analysis, and a spirited vertical‑vs‑horizontal tab debate.

Key topics covered

  • UX micro‑interactions and usability gripes
    • Android flashlight tile behavior, iPhone Dynamic Island tap vs long‑press ergonomics, notification/quick‑settings reachability, and screen‑time quirks.
  • NASA Artemis II lunar mission
    • Crew flew around the Moon, shot and shared spectacular photos (including personal smartphone shots), explained camera gear (Nikon D5, Nikon Z9, Hasselblad, GoPro, iPhone 17 Pro Max) and live streaming logistics.
  • Vertical vs horizontal browser tabs (main “tab” debate)
    • Pros/cons of vertical tabs (space efficiency on widescreens, tab grouping) versus horizontal tabs (familiarity, compactness). Discussion of Arc, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and personal workflows.
  • Anthropic’s Project Glasswing and Mythos model
    • Mythos reportedly found thousands of vulnerabilities across OSes and libraries (including Linux/FFmpeg/OpenBSD examples). Anthropic is offering vetted previews to organizations to patch issues before misuse.
  • Device/form‑factor & product news
    • LG rollable phone teardown, iPhone Fold rumor/launch timing debate, Pixel 10a Japan‑exclusive color and regional availability oddities.
  • Other headlines
    • Samsung Messages app being retired (migration to Google Messages), Skoda’s two‑tone bike bell designed to be heard through ANC headphones, Whoop suing Bevel over UI/metric naming and look, and annoyance with verbose AI notifications from home cameras.

Main takeaways

  • Vertical tabs are a tradeoff, not a universal win:
    • If you use widescreens or ultra‑wide monitors, vertical tabs can help manage many tabs and keep titles readable. On smaller or multi‑window setups, vertical sidebars may eat valuable space; hiding tabs (or using a reveal-on-hover approach) often resolves the conflict.
  • NASA’s Artemis II shows how modern missions leverage off‑the‑shelf cameras and smartphones:
    • Large pixel pitch cameras (e.g., Nikon D5) help with low‑noise space shots; phones provided unique, humanizing candid views. NASA streamed imagery by relaying data via satellites and released high‑res images for public use.
  • Project Glasswing is both important and worrying:
    • AIs that excel at code can also find and chain security vulnerabilities; Anthropic’s Mythos reportedly did so autonomously. Coordinated disclosure and patching are crucial before such tech becomes broadly available.
  • Platform/AI integration will be a competitive, complex battleground:
    • Apple, Google and other vendors will take different approaches (integrated on‑device AI vs cloud/third‑party models). Expect tension between openness, privacy, and vendor incentives to push native models.
  • Small UX details matter:
    • Little things (flashlight quick settings, large tap targets, notification verbosity) create friction and strongly influence daily experience and preferences.

Notable insights & quotes

  • “The things that can happen accidentally should be the less annoying things that happen.” — on tap vs long‑press interactions (Dynamic Island / flashlight).
  • “It’s not the phone — it’s the perspective.” — on why astronaut phone photos feel profound despite any phone brand.
  • Anthropic’s approach: use the model’s capability to find security bugs, then give targeted previews/access to organizations to fix issues before wider release.

Practical recommendations / action items

  • If you’re overwhelmed by tabs:
    • Try vertical tabs if you use a wide monitor or many tabs; try hiding tabs or use a browser like Arc that offers tab management features (spaces, hide/peek).
    • Alternatively, use keyboard shortcuts (Cmd/Ctrl+1–9) or a tab manager that saves sessions.
  • If you use Samsung Messages:
    • Note the announced shutdown — ensure you migrate threads to Google Messages (or another SMS app) and confirm data transfer well before the stated end date.
  • If you work on or manage software:
    • Take Anthropic’s announcement seriously: run security audits, dependency checks (FFmpeg, kernel components, common libs) and prepare for agents that can autonomously discover exploit chains.
  • If you cycle and people around you use ANC headphones:
    • Consider audible alerts with frequencies that pierce common ANC behavior (Skoda’s bell uses a two‑tone design). Always prioritize visibility and multiple cues.
  • If you care about privacy/AI:
    • Think about which model/service you want tied to your OS (Apple Intelligence vs Gemini vs others), and keep an eye on how vendors handle data and agentic capabilities.

Quick episode notes & links to explore (mentioned items)

  • NASA Artemis II images and metadata — check NASA’s site and Flickr for downloadable originals and system info.
  • Cameras mentioned: Nikon D5, Nikon Z9, Hasselblad 100MP, GoPro Hero (older models), iPhone 17 Pro Max for candid images.
  • Anthropic Project Glasswing / Mythos — Anthropic blog and Project Glasswing announcement (read with healthy skepticism and follow authoritative security analyses).
  • LG rollable teardown video (JerryRigEverything / Zack Nelson).
  • Chrome vertical tabs article referenced: David Pierce / The Verge piece arguing vertical tabs are better.
  • Skoda DuoBell project — Skoda news/videos about bell design and ANC testing.
  • Whoop vs Bevel legal matter — public filings and Bevel responses (watch for trademark vs copyright distinctions).

Trivia answers (from the episode)

  • Q: Where does the term “Glasswing” come from?
    A: B — It references the glasswing butterfly (transparent wings metaphor).
  • Q: What alternate name did Linus Torvalds consider for Linux?
    A: A — “Freaks” (stylized concept combining “free” + “freak” + “X” — historically referenced as “Freax”).

Final notes

  • The episode blends practical UX complaints, deep dives into photography/space tech, and a serious conversation about AI security. If you want a quick follow‑up: check NASA’s high‑res images (great wallpapers), evaluate your browser/tab workflow (hide docks/tabs to experiment), and review any messaging apps you rely on (Samsung Messages EOL).