Month: July 2024
Apple’s iOS 18.1 developer beta adds AI call recording and transcription
Image: Apple
Apple’s iOS 18.1 developer preview comes with an AI-powered feature that lets you record and transcribe phone calls, as reported by MacRumors. Users with access to the beta can tap the new “record” button in the top-left corner of the call screen to keep an audio log of their call.
Once enabled, all callers will hear a message saying, “This call will be recorded.” The Phone app will then record the call, while automatically creating a transcription that will appear in the Notes app. In addition, users will also be able to access the full audio recording and an AI-generated summary of the call in the Notes app.
Apple first showed off phone call recording during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The feature seems useful for journalists who often conduct interviews over the phone and could even come in handy if you’re taking an important call from a doctor and want to remember exactly what they say.
Other Apple Intelligence features in the iOS 18.1 developer beta include natural language search in photos, email summaries in the Mail app, and an updated Siri design. While we’re going to have to wait a little longer to see an AI-supercharged Siri, Bloomberg reports this upgrade could arrive in 2025.
Image: Apple
Apple’s iOS 18.1 developer preview comes with an AI-powered feature that lets you record and transcribe phone calls, as reported by MacRumors. Users with access to the beta can tap the new “record” button in the top-left corner of the call screen to keep an audio log of their call.
Once enabled, all callers will hear a message saying, “This call will be recorded.” The Phone app will then record the call, while automatically creating a transcription that will appear in the Notes app. In addition, users will also be able to access the full audio recording and an AI-generated summary of the call in the Notes app.
Apple first showed off phone call recording during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The feature seems useful for journalists who often conduct interviews over the phone and could even come in handy if you’re taking an important call from a doctor and want to remember exactly what they say.
Other Apple Intelligence features in the iOS 18.1 developer beta include natural language search in photos, email summaries in the Mail app, and an updated Siri design. While we’re going to have to wait a little longer to see an AI-supercharged Siri, Bloomberg reports this upgrade could arrive in 2025.
Bike lanes and narrowed streets don’t slow emergency vehicles
People love to complain about traffic calming, but it makes roads safer.
Enlarge / Converting this street from two lanes in either direction to one lane in each direction with a turning lane in-between would make it much safer. (credit: Getty Images)
Although driving is a privilege, some Americans treat it more like a right. This entitlement leads them to get upset with policy proposals that try to increase road safety by prioritizing vulnerable road users over the wants of drivers. But a new study suggests that a common complaint—taking away lanes from cars makes emergency response times go up—about traffic calming isn’t actually true.
American roads aren’t particularly safe, and while much of the blame of late has been directed at ever-bigger trucks and SUVs, the problem is more complex than just big cars. Like the built environment, standard American road design, with a pair of lanes going in either direction, makes it very easy to drive much faster than the speed limit, which is often over 25 mph.
Which is where road diets come in—they’re a relatively cheap and simple way to slow traffic and significantly cut the accident rate along a stretch of road. You take a four-lane (two-way road) and repaint it so there are now three lanes for cars: one in each direction, with a center lane in the middle for turning. The remaining space on either side becomes bike lanes (physically protected ones, please).
Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.6 With Security Updates
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.6, the sixth update to the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last year. macOS Sonoma 14.6 comes a little over two months after the release of macOS Sonoma 14.5.
The macOS Sonoma 14.6 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Sonoma 14.6 includes bug fixes and security improvements, and it is recommended for all Macs that run the macOS Sonoma operating system. There are no new features or changes in macOS Sonoma aside from the under-the-hood updates. Related Roundup: macOS SonomaRelated Forum: macOS SonomaThis article, “Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.6 With Security Updates” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.6, the sixth update to the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last year. macOS Sonoma 14.6 comes a little over two months after the release of macOS Sonoma 14.5.
The macOS Sonoma 14.6 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Sonoma 14.6 includes bug fixes and security improvements, and it is recommended for all Macs that run the macOS Sonoma operating system. There are no new features or changes in macOS Sonoma aside from the under-the-hood updates.
This article, “Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.6 With Security Updates” first appeared on MacRumors.com
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Steam Deck modders rejoice: Valve is bringing third-party display mod support, which could open up more modding in the future
Steam Deck gets support for a third-party display mod – which is excellent news for future hardware and software mods.
Not only is Valve’s Steam Deck one of the best PC gaming handhelds on the market, with some of the best Steam Deck games to boot, but it’s also well-known for being incredibly easy to mod. And now, it seems like Valve is making it even easier with some official third-party mod support.
According to a Twitter post from Brad Lynch, the XR Project Manager at EOZVR, “Valve is starting to add official support for the Steam Deck LCD’s 1920x1200p ‘DeckHD’ mod right into the Gamescope compositor.” This means that Steam Deck owners won’t have to source replacement bios to run the third-party display option properly.
However, as of right now, the code seems to refer to the DeckHD mod, meaning that universal support isn’t here yet. But that could definitely change, given that even supporting this level of third-party mod is a huge step.
This mod support could change everything
The Steam Deck is already a monster of a PC gaming portable, still considered the gold standard in an ever-expanding market featuring some truly excellent competition like the Lenovo Legion Go, the Asus ROG Ally X, and Ayaneo’s line of handhelds. Valve opening up the floodgates with the DeckHD mod support is an incredible sign of what will come.
If this support turns out to be popular with a sizable enough portion of its audience, it could mean even more hardware modding support for other specs in the future. We could also see official software mod support, which would be a dream come true.
The Steam Deck is well-known for being an amazing emulation machine due to its excellent OS and, while I somehow doubt that official emulation support is in the future, support for better customizing the OS itself, as well as making it simpler to install programs, browsers, and other tools. Steam Deck’s recent expanded support for Nvidia’s GeForce Now already proves how beneficial that support would be, and that’s for one service.
It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for the Steam Deck, but judging from this news, it’s sure to be a bright one. If you need more proof, check out our Steam Deck vs. Lenovo Legion Go comparison, which highlights some of the best qualities of both systems.
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Apple Releases iOS 17.6 With Bug Fixes and Security Improvements
Apple today released iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6, the sixth point updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating system updates that came out last year. The iOS and iPadOS 17.6 updates come two months after the debut of iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5.
iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 15.8.3 and iOS 16.7.9 security updates for devices not able to run iOS 17.
There are no notable features in the iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 updates, with Apple adding unspecified bug fixes and security updates. Nothing new was discovered during the beta testing process.
This update provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.
iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 will likely be some of the last updates that we’ll see to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 aside from ongoing security fixes. Apple is set to release iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 in September.Related Roundups: iOS 17, iPadOS 17Related Forums: iOS 17, iPadOS 17This article, “Apple Releases iOS 17.6 With Bug Fixes and Security Improvements” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today released iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6, the sixth point updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating system updates that came out last year. The iOS and iPadOS 17.6 updates come two months after the debut of iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5.
iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 15.8.3 and iOS 16.7.9 security updates for devices not able to run iOS 17.
There are no notable features in the iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 updates, with Apple adding unspecified bug fixes and security updates. Nothing new was discovered during the beta testing process.
This update provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.
iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 will likely be some of the last updates that we’ll see to iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 aside from ongoing security fixes. Apple is set to release iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 in September.
This article, “Apple Releases iOS 17.6 With Bug Fixes and Security Improvements” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
French Internet Lines Cut In Latest Attack During Olympics
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: A number of fiber optic cables carrying broadband service across France were cut overnight in the latest attack on the country’s infrastructure during the Olympic Games. Connections serving Paris, which is hosting the Olympic Games this week, and the games themselves weren’t affected, a spokesman for Olympics telecom partner, Orange SA, said. Still, this is the second sabotage of French infrastructure in the past few days as the world converges on the capital. Coordinated fires on French rail lines disrupted trains ahead of the opening ceremony on Friday.
The fiber cables were cut in nine departments overall including: Ardeche, Aude, Bouches-du-Rhone, Drome, Herault, Vaucluse, Marne, Meuse and Oise, the French Telecom Federation said. SFR said its network was vandalized between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Paris time, and teams are working on repairs, a spokesman for the French phone company said. The carrier is using alternative routes to serve customers, though redirecting the traffic might lead to slower speeds. Other carriers, including Iliad SA’s Free and Netalis, also said they were impacted in social media posts. Netalis Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Guillaume said that the telecom company had successfully moved traffic to backup networks early on Monday. French cloud provider OVHcloud is also working to reroute traffic after the incident, which had caused slower performance on connections between Europe and Asia Pacific, a spokesman said. “We advocate for France reinforcing criminal sanctions for vandalism on telecom infrastructure, which should be put at the same level as vandalism on energy infrastructure,” said Romain Bonenfant, head of the French Telecom Federation industry group, in an interview. “Telecom infrastructure, like the railways, covers kilometers across the whole territory — you can’t put surveillance on every part of it.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: A number of fiber optic cables carrying broadband service across France were cut overnight in the latest attack on the country’s infrastructure during the Olympic Games. Connections serving Paris, which is hosting the Olympic Games this week, and the games themselves weren’t affected, a spokesman for Olympics telecom partner, Orange SA, said. Still, this is the second sabotage of French infrastructure in the past few days as the world converges on the capital. Coordinated fires on French rail lines disrupted trains ahead of the opening ceremony on Friday.
The fiber cables were cut in nine departments overall including: Ardeche, Aude, Bouches-du-Rhone, Drome, Herault, Vaucluse, Marne, Meuse and Oise, the French Telecom Federation said. SFR said its network was vandalized between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. Paris time, and teams are working on repairs, a spokesman for the French phone company said. The carrier is using alternative routes to serve customers, though redirecting the traffic might lead to slower speeds. Other carriers, including Iliad SA’s Free and Netalis, also said they were impacted in social media posts. Netalis Chief Executive Officer Nicolas Guillaume said that the telecom company had successfully moved traffic to backup networks early on Monday. French cloud provider OVHcloud is also working to reroute traffic after the incident, which had caused slower performance on connections between Europe and Asia Pacific, a spokesman said. “We advocate for France reinforcing criminal sanctions for vandalism on telecom infrastructure, which should be put at the same level as vandalism on energy infrastructure,” said Romain Bonenfant, head of the French Telecom Federation industry group, in an interview. “Telecom infrastructure, like the railways, covers kilometers across the whole territory — you can’t put surveillance on every part of it.”
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Apple Releases visionOS 1.3
Apple today released visionOS 1.3, the third major update to the visionOS operating system that launched alongside the Vision Pro in February. visionOS 1.3 comes a little over a month after the launch of visionOS 1.2.
visionOS updates can be installed by going to the Settings app on the Vision Pro, selecting the General section, and choosing Software Update. The Vision Pro headset will need to be removed to install new software, with a progress bar available on the front EyeSight display.
There are no new features in the visionOS 1.3 update, but it does bring small bug fixes and security improvements.
Apple will soon transition from visionOS 1 to visionOS 2, the next-generation version of visionOS. visionOS 2 is set to be released in September. Related Roundups: visionOS, visionOS 2Related Forum: Apple Vision ProThis article, “Apple Releases visionOS 1.3” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today released visionOS 1.3, the third major update to the visionOS operating system that launched alongside the Vision Pro in February. visionOS 1.3 comes a little over a month after the launch of visionOS 1.2.
visionOS updates can be installed by going to the Settings app on the Vision Pro, selecting the General section, and choosing Software Update. The Vision Pro headset will need to be removed to install new software, with a progress bar available on the front EyeSight display.
There are no new features in the visionOS 1.3 update, but it does bring small bug fixes and security improvements.
Apple will soon transition from visionOS 1 to visionOS 2, the next-generation version of visionOS. visionOS 2 is set to be released in September.
This article, “Apple Releases visionOS 1.3” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple Releases watchOS 10.6 With Bug Fixes
Apple today released watchOS 10.6, the sixth update to the watchOS 10 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 10.6 is comes two months after watchOS 10.5, which was another bug fix update.
watchOS 10.6 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on an iPhone running iOS 17 or later by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.
The watchOS 10.6 update does not add any new features, and instead focuses on bug fixes and security improvements. It is recommended for all Apple Watches that are able to run watchOS 10.Related Roundups: watchOS 10, watchOS 11Related Forum: Apple WatchThis article, “Apple Releases watchOS 10.6 With Bug Fixes” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today released watchOS 10.6, the sixth update to the watchOS 10 operating system that came out in September. watchOS 10.6 is comes two months after watchOS 10.5, which was another bug fix update.
watchOS 10.6 can be downloaded for free through the Apple Watch app on an iPhone running iOS 17 or later by opening it up and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery and it needs to be placed on a charger.
The watchOS 10.6 update does not add any new features, and instead focuses on bug fixes and security improvements. It is recommended for all Apple Watches that are able to run watchOS 10.
This article, “Apple Releases watchOS 10.6 With Bug Fixes” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums