creating a list from another list

I have a list where not all the elements are the same length but they mostly are lets say my list is

mylist = {'ABCD', 'DEFG', 'HIJKL'} i want to return a new list mynewlist looks like {ABC, DEF, GHI} %%- its always the first 3 letters of the old list

many thanks probably seems a bit arbtirary but struggling

Answer 1

[Azzi Abdelmalek]

mylist = {'ABCD', 'DEFG', 'HIJKL'} 
out=cellfun(@(x) x(1:3),mylist,'un',0)

Answer 2

[per isakson]

>> mylist = {'ABCD', 'DEFG', 'HIJKL'} 
mylist = 
    'ABCD'    'DEFG'    'HIJKL'
>> cellfun( @(str) str(1:3), mylist, 'uni', false )
ans = 
    'ABC'    'DEF'    'HIJ'
>>

[matthew arnott]

i think both answers are good - i didnt realise you could only accept one - many thanks to both.