Month: July 2023
Don’t call it an SUV—the 2023 Toyota Crown, reviewed
Bold styling and a powerful hybrid suggest GT, but it’s more laid back than that.
Enlarge / An endangered species, the sedan is starting to adapt to the new crossover-based environment. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)
The sedan might not be properly extinct like non-avian dinosaurs, but it has certainly fallen out of favor with the car-buying public. That’s a topic that Toyota knows plenty about—even as the SUV becomes ascendant, its Camry sedan remains the nation’s best-selling vehicle that isn’t a pickup, crossover, or SUV. So its designers were evidently reading the tea leaves when it came time to replace the Avalon. That replacement is called the Crown, and while it definitely checks the “four doors and a trunk” criteria, its bold styling makes it the most SUV-like sedan I’ve encountered in some time.
The Crown shares its TNGA-K platform with other large Toyotas and Lexuses, including the aforementioned Camry, plus SUVs like the Venza, Highlander, and RX, and even a minivan. Those are all largely conventional, ignoring for the moment Lexus’ large cheese grater grille.
The Crown is less conventional, starting with a height that’s almost four inches taller than the Camry—60.6 inches (1,539 mm) despite near-identical ground clearance. It’s the same width as a Camry (72.4 inches or 1,840 mm depending on which flavor you speak) but four inches longer at 196.1 inches (4,980 mm), and with an inch-longer wheelbase (112.2 inches/2,850 mm). And it conforms—sort of—to the three-box shape one expects of a sedan.
Apple Releases Second Public Betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, Revised Developer Beta
Apple today seeded the second betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its launch. The second beta comes a little over two weeks after the first beta. The second public beta features the same content that’s in the fourth developer beta released last week, although Apple has also seeded a revised version of that developer beta today.
In addition to iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma, new public betas of tvOS 17, watchOS 10, and HomePod software 17 are also available.
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program can download the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates by opening up the Settings app, going to General, tapping on the Software Update section and toggling on the iOS 17 Public Beta option.
iOS 17 adds a new StandBy option for the iPhone, allowing it to serve as an information hub when it is in a horizontal position and connected to a charger. StandBy mode displays the time, Live Activities, incoming notifications, and tons of widgets.
Speaking of widgets, widgets you use on the Lock Screen and Home Screen are interactive, so you can do things like control a smart light or check off a Reminder without opening an app. Autocorrect is smarter than before, and it’s easier to correct mistakes with a quick tap.
AirDrop has a new NameDrop feature for quickly sharing contact information with a person nearby, and the Phone app has customizable Contact Posters that let you choose what people see when you call them.
Live Voicemail shows the voicemail that someone is leaving right on your Lock Screen so you can pick up if it’s important, and the Messages app has a refined look and a Check-In feature that’s meant to help you get to your destination safely.
FaceTime supports video messages so you can leave a video voicemail if someone misses a call, plus you can use it on the Apple TV. Safari has a locked private browsing window and a password sharing feature, and better tracking prevention. The Maps app now works offline, the Photos app can recognize your pets, and Visual Look Up works with food, symbols, videos, and more.
There’s a new mood tracking feature available in the Health app, and later this year, Apple also plans to add a journaling app.
For a complete overview of all of the new features in iOS 17, we have a dedicated iOS 17 roundup. iPadOS 17 also has some iPad-only features like a revamped Lock Screen, with details available in our separate iPadOS 17 roundup.
Apple has also released new public betas of tvOS 17 and watchOS 10.Related Roundups: iOS 17, iPadOS 17Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17This article, “Apple Releases Second Public Betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, Revised Developer Beta” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today seeded the second betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 to public beta testers, allowing non-developers to test the software ahead of its launch. The second beta comes a little over two weeks after the first beta. The second public beta features the same content that’s in the fourth developer beta released last week, although Apple has also seeded a revised version of that developer beta today.
In addition to iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma, new public betas of tvOS 17, watchOS 10, and HomePod software 17 are also available.
Public beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program can download the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 updates by opening up the Settings app, going to General, tapping on the Software Update section and toggling on the iOS 17 Public Beta option.
iOS 17 adds a new StandBy option for the iPhone, allowing it to serve as an information hub when it is in a horizontal position and connected to a charger. StandBy mode displays the time, Live Activities, incoming notifications, and tons of widgets.
Speaking of widgets, widgets you use on the Lock Screen and Home Screen are interactive, so you can do things like control a smart light or check off a Reminder without opening an app. Autocorrect is smarter than before, and it’s easier to correct mistakes with a quick tap.
AirDrop has a new NameDrop feature for quickly sharing contact information with a person nearby, and the Phone app has customizable Contact Posters that let you choose what people see when you call them.
Live Voicemail shows the voicemail that someone is leaving right on your Lock Screen so you can pick up if it’s important, and the Messages app has a refined look and a Check-In feature that’s meant to help you get to your destination safely.
FaceTime supports video messages so you can leave a video voicemail if someone misses a call, plus you can use it on the Apple TV. Safari has a locked private browsing window and a password sharing feature, and better tracking prevention. The Maps app now works offline, the Photos app can recognize your pets, and Visual Look Up works with food, symbols, videos, and more.
There’s a new mood tracking feature available in the Health app, and later this year, Apple also plans to add a journaling app.
For a complete overview of all of the new features in iOS 17, we have a dedicated iOS 17 roundup. iPadOS 17 also has some iPad-only features like a revamped Lock Screen, with details available in our separate iPadOS 17 roundup.
Apple has also released new public betas of tvOS 17 and watchOS 10.
This article, “Apple Releases Second Public Betas of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17, Revised Developer Beta” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Second macOS Sonoma Public Beta and Revised Developer Beta Now Available
Apple today provided the second beta of the upcoming macOS Sonoma update to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to test the new operating system ahead of its fall launch. The new beta comes a little over two weeks after Apple released the first beta.
In addition to the new public beta, Apple has also released a revised version of the fourth developer beta, presumably to address issues that were resulting in installation problems for some users following last week’s developer release.
Public beta testers can download the macOS 14 Sonoma update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after signing up on Apple’s beta testing website and opting into the public beta under the Beta Updates section.
macOS Sonoma introduces interactive widgets for the desktop, making widgets more useful and more prominent. You can even use your iPhone widgets on your Mac’s desktop through a new Continuity feature.
There are updated screensavers that are similar to the high-resolution animated screensavers available on the Apple TV, and for video calls and presenting, there’s a Presenter Overlay option that lets you move, walk, and talk in front of content you’re sharing from your Mac.
Safari supports web apps so you can add your favorite websites to your Dock, plus there are new Profiles to separate your work browsing and personal browsing. iCloud Keychain supports sharing passwords with others, and private browsing windows are locked when they are not in use.
Enhanced AutoFill is available for PDFs so you can quickly fill in information like names, addresses, and emails, plus users can collaborate on PDFs and see real-time updates through the Notes app.
For more on what’s new in macOS Sonoma, including a new Game mode, we have a detailed macOS Sonoma roundup that highlights all of the features in the update.Related Roundup: macOS SonomaRelated Forum: macOS SonomaThis article, “Second macOS Sonoma Public Beta and Revised Developer Beta Now Available” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today provided the second beta of the upcoming macOS Sonoma update to its public beta testing group, allowing non-developers to test the new operating system ahead of its fall launch. The new beta comes a little over two weeks after Apple released the first beta.
In addition to the new public beta, Apple has also released a revised version of the fourth developer beta, presumably to address issues that were resulting in installation problems for some users following last week’s developer release.
Public beta testers can download the macOS 14 Sonoma update from the Software Update section of the System Preferences app after signing up on Apple’s beta testing website and opting into the public beta under the Beta Updates section.
macOS Sonoma introduces interactive widgets for the desktop, making widgets more useful and more prominent. You can even use your iPhone widgets on your Mac’s desktop through a new Continuity feature.
There are updated screensavers that are similar to the high-resolution animated screensavers available on the Apple TV, and for video calls and presenting, there’s a Presenter Overlay option that lets you move, walk, and talk in front of content you’re sharing from your Mac.
Safari supports web apps so you can add your favorite websites to your Dock, plus there are new Profiles to separate your work browsing and personal browsing. iCloud Keychain supports sharing passwords with others, and private browsing windows are locked when they are not in use.
Enhanced AutoFill is available for PDFs so you can quickly fill in information like names, addresses, and emails, plus users can collaborate on PDFs and see real-time updates through the Notes app.
For more on what’s new in macOS Sonoma, including a new Game mode, we have a detailed macOS Sonoma roundup that highlights all of the features in the update.
This article, “Second macOS Sonoma Public Beta and Revised Developer Beta Now Available” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Water-soluble circuit boards could cut carbon footprints by 60 percent
German semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies AG announced that it’s producing a printed circuit board (PCB) that dissolves in water. Sourced from UK startup Jiva Materials, the plant-based Soluboard could provide a new avenue for the tech industry to reduce e-waste as companies scramble to meet climate goals by 2030.Jiva’s biodegradable PCB is made from natural fibers and a halogen-free polymer with a much lower carbon footprint than traditional boards made with fiberglass composites. A 2022 study by the University of Washington College of Engineering and Microsoft Research saw the team create an Earth-friendly mouse using a Soluboard PCB as its core. The researchers found that the Soluboard dissolved in hot water in under six minutes. However, it can take several hours to break down at room temperature.In addition to dissolving the PCB fibers, the process makes it easier to retrieve the valuable metals attached to it. “After [it dissolves], we’re left with the chips and circuit traces which we can filter out,” said UW assistant professor Vikram Iyer, who worked on the mouse project.The video below shows the Soluboard dissolving in a frying pan with boiling water:♻️ We are adopting Soluboard®, a #recyclable & #biodegradable printed circuit board substrate based on natural fibers. It was designed by @JivaMaterials & the #organic structure allows the components of devices to dissolve when immersed in hot water. More: https://t.co/3yLMC5cuGhpic.twitter.com/mnWjPbSok7— Infineon (@Infineon) July 28, 2023“Adopting a water-based recycling process could lead to higher yields in the recovery of valuable metals,” said Jonathan Swanston, CEO and co-founder of Jiva Materials. Jiva says the board has a 60 percent smaller carbon footprint than traditional PCBs — specifically, it can save 10.5 kg of carbon and 620 g of plastic per square meter of PCB.Infineon has produced three different circuit board prototypes using the Soluboard framework. The company is currently only using the dissolvable PCB for demo and evaluation boards, and it says around 500 units are now in use. However, it’s “exploring the possibility of using the material for all boards” with an eye on expanding adoption over the next few years. Based on the results of stress tests, it also plans to “provide guidance on the reuse and recycling of power semiconductors removed from Soluboards” to lessen the chances of the salvageable parts from future production models going to waste.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/water-soluble-circuit-boards-could-cut-carbon-footprints-by-60-percent-201845709.html?src=rss
German semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies AG announced that it’s producing a printed circuit board (PCB) that dissolves in water. Sourced from UK startup Jiva Materials, the plant-based Soluboard could provide a new avenue for the tech industry to reduce e-waste as companies scramble to meet climate goals by 2030.
Jiva’s biodegradable PCB is made from natural fibers and a halogen-free polymer with a much lower carbon footprint than traditional boards made with fiberglass composites. A 2022 study by the University of Washington College of Engineering and Microsoft Research saw the team create an Earth-friendly mouse using a Soluboard PCB as its core. The researchers found that the Soluboard dissolved in hot water in under six minutes. However, it can take several hours to break down at room temperature.
In addition to dissolving the PCB fibers, the process makes it easier to retrieve the valuable metals attached to it. “After [it dissolves], we’re left with the chips and circuit traces which we can filter out,” said UW assistant professor Vikram Iyer, who worked on the mouse project.
The video below shows the Soluboard dissolving in a frying pan with boiling water:
♻️ We are adopting Soluboard®, a #recyclable & #biodegradable printed circuit board substrate based on natural fibers. It was designed by @JivaMaterials & the #organic structure allows the components of devices to dissolve when immersed in hot water. More: https://t.co/3yLMC5cuGhpic.twitter.com/mnWjPbSok7
— Infineon (@Infineon) July 28, 2023
“Adopting a water-based recycling process could lead to higher yields in the recovery of valuable metals,” said Jonathan Swanston, CEO and co-founder of Jiva Materials. Jiva says the board has a 60 percent smaller carbon footprint than traditional PCBs — specifically, it can save 10.5 kg of carbon and 620 g of plastic per square meter of PCB.
Infineon has produced three different circuit board prototypes using the Soluboard framework. The company is currently only using the dissolvable PCB for demo and evaluation boards, and it says around 500 units are now in use. However, it’s “exploring the possibility of using the material for all boards” with an eye on expanding adoption over the next few years. Based on the results of stress tests, it also plans to “provide guidance on the reuse and recycling of power semiconductors removed from Soluboards” to lessen the chances of the salvageable parts from future production models going to waste.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/water-soluble-circuit-boards-could-cut-carbon-footprints-by-60-percent-201845709.html?src=rss
Samsung Wants Gen Z to Buy Into the Z Flip 5. Here’s Why It Might Succeed – CNET
Can Samsung persuade teen girls to part with their iPhones? Its newest foldable could be the phone to convince them.
Can Samsung persuade teen girls to part with their iPhones? Its newest foldable could be the phone to convince them.
Apple Reportedly an Ideal Partner to Distribute ESPN, But Deal Unlikely
Apple is one of several tech companies on Disney’s radar as the media giant looks for a strategic partner to help expand distribution of ESPN, according to the New York Post. However, the report does not indicate if Disney has actually held discussions with Apple, and there are a few reasons why a sports partnership between the companies is unlikely.
First, the report says that the idea of an ESPN app being preloaded on the iPhone would be appealing to Disney, but Apple has not offered a built-in iPhone app for a third-party brand since YouTube was removed as a pre-installed app on iOS 6 in 2012.
Second, ESPN is currently only available through cable and satellite TV packages, which does not make it a fit to be streamed through the Apple TV app. The report claims that Disney is looking to make the sports network available on an à-la-carte basis as early as 2025, but that timeframe likely rules out any imminent partnership.
Apple has instead been focusing on acquiring global rights to live sports content to stream through the Apple TV app and on its Apple TV+ streaming service. For example, Apple reached a 10-year partnership with MLS to stream all matches worldwide.
Apple and Disney already have a close relationship, with Disney CEO Bob Iger having appeared on stage at WWDC 2023 to announce that Disney+ will be available on Apple’s Vision Pro headset at launch. Iger also served on Apple’s board of directors from 2011 to 2019, and he was friends with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. As of now, however, any partnership between the two companies involving ESPN appears unlikely.Tags: New York Post, ESPN, DisneyThis article, “Apple Reportedly an Ideal Partner to Distribute ESPN, But Deal Unlikely” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple is one of several tech companies on Disney’s radar as the media giant looks for a strategic partner to help expand distribution of ESPN, according to the New York Post. However, the report does not indicate if Disney has actually held discussions with Apple, and there are a few reasons why a sports partnership between the companies is unlikely.
First, the report says that the idea of an ESPN app being preloaded on the iPhone would be appealing to Disney, but Apple has not offered a built-in iPhone app for a third-party brand since YouTube was removed as a pre-installed app on iOS 6 in 2012.
Second, ESPN is currently only available through cable and satellite TV packages, which does not make it a fit to be streamed through the Apple TV app. The report claims that Disney is looking to make the sports network available on an à-la-carte basis as early as 2025, but that timeframe likely rules out any imminent partnership.
Apple has instead been focusing on acquiring global rights to live sports content to stream through the Apple TV app and on its Apple TV+ streaming service. For example, Apple reached a 10-year partnership with MLS to stream all matches worldwide.
Apple and Disney already have a close relationship, with Disney CEO Bob Iger having appeared on stage at WWDC 2023 to announce that Disney+ will be available on Apple’s Vision Pro headset at launch. Iger also served on Apple’s board of directors from 2011 to 2019, and he was friends with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. As of now, however, any partnership between the two companies involving ESPN appears unlikely.
This article, “Apple Reportedly an Ideal Partner to Distribute ESPN, But Deal Unlikely” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Nintendo’s Switch successor is already in third-party devs’ hands, report claims
Sources shared some basic details about the new device, too.
Enlarge / The Nintendo Switch OLED. (credit: Samuel Axon)
Development hardware for Nintendo’s next console is already in some third-party developers’ hands in preparation for a launch in the second half of 2024, according to sources who spoke with gaming news site Video Games Chronicle.
Sources that spoke to Eurogamer corroborated the late 2024 release window, and a Nikkei Asia report previously claimed earlier this year that Nintendo planned to launch its next console sometime after spring of 2024.
Citing “multiple people with knowledge of Nintendo’s next-gen console plans,” Video Games Chronicle also claims to clarify a few details about the Nintendo Switch‘s successor. Like the Switch, it will also be usable in portable mode. However, two of Video Games Chronicle’s sources suggested that Nintendo will go with an LCD screen to keep costs down, which would make it a downgrade from the latest Switch model in one key area.
First US Nuclear Reactor Built In Decades Enters Commercial Operation
ZipNada writes: A new reactor at a nuclear power plant in Georgia has entered commercial operation, becoming the first new American reactor built from scratch in decades. Georgia Power announced Monday that Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, has completed testing and is now sending power to the grid reliably. At its full output of 1,100 megawatts of electricity, Unit 3 can power 500,000 homes and businesses. Utilities in Georgia, Florida and Alabama are receiving the electricity.
Nuclear power now makes up about 25% of the generation of Georgia Power, the largest unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co. A fourth reactor is also nearing completion at the site, where two earlier reactors have been generating electricity for decades. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday said radioactive fuel could be loaded into Unit 4, a step expected to take place before the end of September. Unit 4 is scheduled to enter commercial operation by March. The third and fourth reactors were originally supposed to cost $14 billion, but are now on track to cost their owners $31 billion. That doesn’t include $3.7 billion that original contractor Westinghouse paid to the owners to walk away from the project. That brings total spending to almost $35 billion. The third reactor was supposed to start generating power in 2016 when construction began in 2009.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
ZipNada writes: A new reactor at a nuclear power plant in Georgia has entered commercial operation, becoming the first new American reactor built from scratch in decades. Georgia Power announced Monday that Unit 3 at Plant Vogtle, southeast of Augusta, has completed testing and is now sending power to the grid reliably. At its full output of 1,100 megawatts of electricity, Unit 3 can power 500,000 homes and businesses. Utilities in Georgia, Florida and Alabama are receiving the electricity.
Nuclear power now makes up about 25% of the generation of Georgia Power, the largest unit of Atlanta-based Southern Co. A fourth reactor is also nearing completion at the site, where two earlier reactors have been generating electricity for decades. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Friday said radioactive fuel could be loaded into Unit 4, a step expected to take place before the end of September. Unit 4 is scheduled to enter commercial operation by March. The third and fourth reactors were originally supposed to cost $14 billion, but are now on track to cost their owners $31 billion. That doesn’t include $3.7 billion that original contractor Westinghouse paid to the owners to walk away from the project. That brings total spending to almost $35 billion. The third reactor was supposed to start generating power in 2016 when construction began in 2009.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.