Month: August 2024
Apple Seeds Eighth visionOS 2 Beta to Developers
Apple today released the eighth beta of an upcoming visionOS 2 update to developers, with the beta coming a week after the seventh beta.
Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app on their device, going to the Software Update Section, tapping on the “Beta Updates” option, and toggling on the Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.
visionOS 2 is able to take the depth information from 2D photos and turn them into 3D photos using advanced machine learning. Apple says that the feature is meant to add depth to photos to make memories more immersive.
There are new hand gestures for activating the Home View and Control Center, and the Home View is also now customizable with apps able to be rearranged. Travel Mode now includes support for trains, and Guest User profiles are now saved for 30 days so guests don’t have to do the setup process every time they try out the headset.
Later in the year, Mac Virtual Display will support higher resolution and larger sized virtual displays, which Apple says will be equivalent to two 4K monitors side by side. With an AirPlay update, the Vision Pro can serve as an AirPlay receiver, so content from the iPhone, iPad, or Mac can be shared to the headset.
The Mindfulness app can track and respond to breathing patterns using the camera for an improved meditation experience, and the Vision Pro supports Bluetooth mice with visionOS 2.Related Roundups: visionOS, visionOS 2Related Forum: Apple Vision ProThis article, “Apple Seeds Eighth visionOS 2 Beta to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today released the eighth beta of an upcoming visionOS 2 update to developers, with the beta coming a week after the seventh beta.
Registered developers are able to opt into the betas by opening up the Settings app on their device, going to the Software Update Section, tapping on the “Beta Updates” option, and toggling on the Developer Beta. Note that an Apple ID associated with a developer account is required to download and install the beta.
visionOS 2 is able to take the depth information from 2D photos and turn them into 3D photos using advanced machine learning. Apple says that the feature is meant to add depth to photos to make memories more immersive.
There are new hand gestures for activating the Home View and Control Center, and the Home View is also now customizable with apps able to be rearranged. Travel Mode now includes support for trains, and Guest User profiles are now saved for 30 days so guests don’t have to do the setup process every time they try out the headset.
Later in the year, Mac Virtual Display will support higher resolution and larger sized virtual displays, which Apple says will be equivalent to two 4K monitors side by side. With an AirPlay update, the Vision Pro can serve as an AirPlay receiver, so content from the iPhone, iPad, or Mac can be shared to the headset.
The Mindfulness app can track and respond to breathing patterns using the camera for an improved meditation experience, and the Vision Pro supports Bluetooth mice with visionOS 2.
This article, “Apple Seeds Eighth visionOS 2 Beta to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple Seeds Eighth Beta of tvOS 18 to Developers
Apple today seeded the eighth beta of the upcoming tvOS 18 refresh to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the seventh beta came out.
Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 18 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.
tvOS 18 adds an InSight feature to the TV app, and it is able to provide real-time information about actors, music, and more in Apple TV+ shows and music. Enhanced Dialogue has been refined with machine learning and computational audio so it is better able to boost vocal clarity over background noise and music, plus it is now available on built-in TV speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices.
Subtitles will now show up automatically when relevant, such as when the TV’s volume is muted, a show or movie is rewound, or when the language of a show doesn’t match the device language.
Other new features include 21:9 aspect ratio support for projectors, new screen savers and improved controls for swapping screen savers, and support for Live Captions during FaceTime calls through an iPhone or iPad.
This article, “Apple Seeds Eighth Beta of tvOS 18 to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
Apple today seeded the eighth beta of the upcoming tvOS 18 refresh to developers for testing purposes, with the beta coming a week after the seventh beta came out.
Registered developers are able to download the tvOS 18 update by opting in to the beta through the Settings app on the Apple TV. A registered developer account is required.
tvOS 18 adds an InSight feature to the TV app, and it is able to provide real-time information about actors, music, and more in Apple TV+ shows and music. Enhanced Dialogue has been refined with machine learning and computational audio so it is better able to boost vocal clarity over background noise and music, plus it is now available on built-in TV speakers, AirPods, and other Bluetooth devices.
Subtitles will now show up automatically when relevant, such as when the TV’s volume is muted, a show or movie is rewound, or when the language of a show doesn’t match the device language.
Other new features include 21:9 aspect ratio support for projectors, new screen savers and improved controls for swapping screen savers, and support for Live Captions during FaceTime calls through an iPhone or iPad.
This article, “Apple Seeds Eighth Beta of tvOS 18 to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
ESPN’s new ‘Where to Watch’ service is a TV Guide for sports streaming
Where to Watch shows you all the sports on ESPN — and elsewhere. | Image: ESPN
ESPN’s newest feature will be a welcome bookmark for sports fans everywhere: the company just launched “Where to Watch,” which aims to be a universal guide for streaming sports all over the internet.
When you open the page on ESPN’s website or in its app, Where to Watch looks like a typical schedule of games, the kind of thing ESPN has had forever — it’s sortable by sport and able to show your favorite team at the top. But next to each listing, it now shows where you can watch the game, even when it’s not on ESPN.
ESPN says Where to Watch has data from more than 250 streaming services. On Wednesday morning, it offered me a baseball game on MLB.TV, a college soccer game on ACC Extra, some MLS on Apple TV Plus, and five different ways to stream a WNBA game. ESPN says that you’ll be able to click some listings to go directly to a game, though that’ll require a separate partnership with those services. You can also set the feature to only show games on services you subscribe to.
Where to Watch is a useful solution to an increasingly common problem: sports streaming is a confusing, convoluted, expensive mess, to the point where even liking a single team can mean managing a laundry list of services. Venu Sports, the collaboration between several large entertainment companies, exists — and is hotly controversial — for exactly the same reason.
Image: ESPN
You can pick and choose all the services you have access to in the guide.
For ESPN, Where to Watch is just another way to get you into its universe. The company has a lot of sports rights, of course, and displays those all over the new guide, but it’s also looking for ways to get more people on its website and app, where they might also decide to play fantasy sports or gamble through ESPN Bet. As the company also pursues its own streaming goals, it’ll need more ways to show people what’s playing and where. Turning ESPN into the app people open whenever they want to watch a game, no matter where that game is, would be a big win for the company.
And the more the ESPN app becomes a destination, the more leverage ESPN has with partners who might want to show their games there. As broadcast and regional sports networks continue to disappear, Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN’s chairman, told Deadline that ESPN intends to take over. “We’ve made that point to various leagues and commissioners that we are very interested in stepping up,” he said. “We can make these games available in the ESPN app.”
Where to Watch doesn’t have all sports and all streamers, but ESPN says it’s working on adding more over time.
Where to Watch shows you all the sports on ESPN — and elsewhere. | Image: ESPN
ESPN’s newest feature will be a welcome bookmark for sports fans everywhere: the company just launched “Where to Watch,” which aims to be a universal guide for streaming sports all over the internet.
When you open the page on ESPN’s website or in its app, Where to Watch looks like a typical schedule of games, the kind of thing ESPN has had forever — it’s sortable by sport and able to show your favorite team at the top. But next to each listing, it now shows where you can watch the game, even when it’s not on ESPN.
ESPN says Where to Watch has data from more than 250 streaming services. On Wednesday morning, it offered me a baseball game on MLB.TV, a college soccer game on ACC Extra, some MLS on Apple TV Plus, and five different ways to stream a WNBA game. ESPN says that you’ll be able to click some listings to go directly to a game, though that’ll require a separate partnership with those services. You can also set the feature to only show games on services you subscribe to.
Where to Watch is a useful solution to an increasingly common problem: sports streaming is a confusing, convoluted, expensive mess, to the point where even liking a single team can mean managing a laundry list of services. Venu Sports, the collaboration between several large entertainment companies, exists — and is hotly controversial — for exactly the same reason.
Image: ESPN
You can pick and choose all the services you have access to in the guide.
For ESPN, Where to Watch is just another way to get you into its universe. The company has a lot of sports rights, of course, and displays those all over the new guide, but it’s also looking for ways to get more people on its website and app, where they might also decide to play fantasy sports or gamble through ESPN Bet. As the company also pursues its own streaming goals, it’ll need more ways to show people what’s playing and where. Turning ESPN into the app people open whenever they want to watch a game, no matter where that game is, would be a big win for the company.
And the more the ESPN app becomes a destination, the more leverage ESPN has with partners who might want to show their games there. As broadcast and regional sports networks continue to disappear, Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN’s chairman, told Deadline that ESPN intends to take over. “We’ve made that point to various leagues and commissioners that we are very interested in stepping up,” he said. “We can make these games available in the ESPN app.”
Where to Watch doesn’t have all sports and all streamers, but ESPN says it’s working on adding more over time.
Amazon and Bandai shutter anime MMO Blue Protocol
Image: Bandai Namco
Blue Protocol, an anime-inspired MMO developed by Bandai Namco, will shut down its Japanese servers on January 18th, 2025. The game was in the process of being released in the West, with publishing handled by Amazon Games. Because of the game’s pending shuttering, its Western release has been summarily canceled.
Blue Protocol’s developers released a statement on the game’s website in Japanese and English announcing the cancellation. “We have worked hard to prepare for the release; however, we have come to the conclusion that it will not be possible to provide a service that satisfies all of you,” read the English statement.
According to producer Sokichi Shimooka, Blue Protocol was in development for eight years before its Japanese release on PC in June 2023. Amazon Games planned to bring Blue Protocol to Western gamers, announcing its partnership with Bandai Namco at the 2022 Game Awards. Blue Protocol would have fit in with Amazon Games’ portfolio, which includes several MMOs like Lost Ark, New World, Throne and Liberty, and an unnamed project set in the Lord of the Rings universe. Amazon is also producing several single-player games, including a new entry in the Tomb Raider franchise and several other unannounced titles.
Image: Bandai Namco
Blue Protocol, an anime-inspired MMO developed by Bandai Namco, will shut down its Japanese servers on January 18th, 2025. The game was in the process of being released in the West, with publishing handled by Amazon Games. Because of the game’s pending shuttering, its Western release has been summarily canceled.
Blue Protocol’s developers released a statement on the game’s website in Japanese and English announcing the cancellation. “We have worked hard to prepare for the release; however, we have come to the conclusion that it will not be possible to provide a service that satisfies all of you,” read the English statement.
According to producer Sokichi Shimooka, Blue Protocol was in development for eight years before its Japanese release on PC in June 2023. Amazon Games planned to bring Blue Protocol to Western gamers, announcing its partnership with Bandai Namco at the 2022 Game Awards. Blue Protocol would have fit in with Amazon Games’ portfolio, which includes several MMOs like Lost Ark, New World, Throne and Liberty, and an unnamed project set in the Lord of the Rings universe. Amazon is also producing several single-player games, including a new entry in the Tomb Raider franchise and several other unannounced titles.
Man posing as teen YouTuber gets 17 years for horrific global sextortion scheme
Australian police called it “one of the worst sextortion cases in history.”
Enlarge (credit: Artur Debat | Moment)
Content warning: The following story describes instances of animal abuse.
An Australian man who pretended to be a famous teenaged YouTuber has been sentenced to 17 years for orchestrating what police are calling “one of the worst sextortion cases in history.”
Twenty-nine-year-old Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed blackmailed hundreds of victims across 20 countries, ultimately pleading guilty to 119 charges involving 286 people. Most victims were children, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a press release confirming that Rasheed targeted at least 180 kids under 16.
How to build your own customized Google Gemini AI chatbot
Google Gemini debuts personalized versions of its AI chatbot called Gems.
Google is rolling out the ability to build custom versions of its Gemini AI chatbot tailored to specific tasks and preferences first seen at this year’s Google I/O event. These ‘Gems’ are essentially Google’s equivalent of the Custom GPTs found in the GPT Store run OpenAI on ChatGPT.
Gems are pitched as personalized AI experts that are ready to go immediately after they are built and don’t require you to continually redo prompts to adjust the general Gemini model for your purposes. Instead, subscribers to Gemini Advanced or those using the business and enterprise versions of Gemini can quickly dive into whatever role they want Gemini to take on for them. Gems are available on both desktop and mobile devices in more than 150 countries and in many languages.
You can build a Gem in much the same way you’d build a CustomGPT. Simply describe the kind of expert you want or the tasks you have in mind, and Gemini will convert what you write into specialized instructions for Gemini. Simply name it, and you will be good to go. You can see how it works in the video below.
Polished AI Assistance
As a demonstration and to prime the pump for new Gems, Google has already set up several pre-made Gems for users. They’re somewhat broad but cater to common requests made of Gemini. The pre-made Gems include a tutor that simplifies complex ideas called Learning Coach, an idea generator called Brainstormer, a tool for helping find and get a job called Career Guide, a software programming assistant called Coding Partner, and the aptly named Writing Editor for exactly what the name says.
Like the newly upgraded Imagen 3 AI image maker, Google clearly sees Gems as a good way to entice and keep users on Gemini. Embedding it into the platform could give Google an edge in attracting users who are looking for advanced yet accessible AI tools. It’s part of the larger plan to make Gemini central to your life as much as possible. And, if you don’t like the way Gemini works out of the box, you can now polish it to look and perform the way you prefer.
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ChatGPT gets its equivalent of the App Store – here are the best early GPTsGoogle wants Gemini AI to be the star of every part of your lifeThe best version of Google Gemini is now out for more people, teens included
Get up to $150 off fire pits and pizza ovens in Solo Stove’s Labor Day sale
It’s almost fall, when the leaves start to turn colors and the weather gets a bit crisp. In other words, it’s nearly bonfire season. To commemorate this fact, Solo Stove is holding a sitewide Labor Day sale that includes fire pits, pizza ovens and just about everything else.
Here’s how it works. Purchases of at least $250 get a discount of $25, while purchases of at least $450 receive a discount of $75. If you really splurge and buy at least $850 worth of stuff, the discount balloons up to $150. Just pop in the code “LABORDAY” at checkout. Also, any purchase of a fire pit comes with some free accessories and tools.
Perhaps the best deal of the bunch is this bundle that includes the Bonfire 2.0 firepit, a removable base plate and ash pan, a stand, a lid, a carrying case and a shelter for outdoor storage. This bundle costs $455, which is a discount of $75 (with the coupon code.) We praised not just the Bonfire 2.0, but many of the accessories that ship with this kit. The removable base plate and ash plan makes it much easier to clean than rival products.
Multiple Solo Stove products made our list of the best outdoor gear, including the aforementioned Bonfire 2.0. If fire pits aren’t your bag, the code can also be used for the company’s line of pizza ovens. Who doesn’t love pizza?!
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-up-to-150-off-fire-pits-and-pizza-ovens-in-solo-stoves-labor-day-sale-164539357.html?src=rss
It’s almost fall, when the leaves start to turn colors and the weather gets a bit crisp. In other words, it’s nearly bonfire season. To commemorate this fact, Solo Stove is holding a sitewide Labor Day sale that includes fire pits, pizza ovens and just about everything else.
Here’s how it works. Purchases of at least $250 get a discount of $25, while purchases of at least $450 receive a discount of $75. If you really splurge and buy at least $850 worth of stuff, the discount balloons up to $150. Just pop in the code “LABORDAY” at checkout. Also, any purchase of a fire pit comes with some free accessories and tools.
Perhaps the best deal of the bunch is this bundle that includes the Bonfire 2.0 firepit, a removable base plate and ash pan, a stand, a lid, a carrying case and a shelter for outdoor storage. This bundle costs $455, which is a discount of $75 (with the coupon code.) We praised not just the Bonfire 2.0, but many of the accessories that ship with this kit. The removable base plate and ash plan makes it much easier to clean than rival products.
Multiple Solo Stove products made our list of the best outdoor gear, including the aforementioned Bonfire 2.0. If fire pits aren’t your bag, the code can also be used for the company’s line of pizza ovens. Who doesn’t love pizza?!
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-up-to-150-off-fire-pits-and-pizza-ovens-in-solo-stoves-labor-day-sale-164539357.html?src=rss
iPhone Driver’s Licenses in Wallet App Rolling Out in Seventh U.S. State
As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple recently started rolling out the ability for Hawaii residents to add a digital version of their driver’s license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues.
Hawaii is the seventh U.S. state to support this feature so far, joining Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, and recently California.
To add a driver’s license or state ID to the Wallet app, tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner, select Driver’s License or State ID, and follow the on-screen steps. Hawaii is not yet showing up as an option for all iPhone users.
Apple first announced this feature in September 2021, but it has been slow to roll out, and the digital IDs can only be used at a very limited number of locations.
For example, the IDs can be used at select TSA checkpoints within select U.S. airports:Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG)
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)Apple says travelers should refer to TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability of the feature, and the TSA’s website offers more details.
Apple’s website says that the digital IDs in the Wallet app can also be used to show proof of age or identity at “select bars, concerts, festivals, and more,” but the company does not list any specific locations, and adoption is far from widespread.
In a press release earlier this month, Apple reiterated that iPhone users “do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to present their ID.”
In 2022, Apple said the six additional states listed below would “soon” allow residents to add their driver’s license or state ID to the Wallet app, but over two years have passed and none of these states support the feature yet.
Those six states:Connecticut
Iowa
Kentucky
Mississippi
Oklahoma
UtahApple’s website has a page with more details about the digital IDs.Tag: Apple WalletThis article, “iPhone Driver’s Licenses in Wallet App Rolling Out in Seventh U.S. State” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
As noted by 9to5Mac, Apple recently started rolling out the ability for Hawaii residents to add a digital version of their driver’s license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports, businesses, and venues.
Hawaii is the seventh U.S. state to support this feature so far, joining Arizona, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, and recently California.
To add a driver’s license or state ID to the Wallet app, tap on the plus sign in the top-right corner, select Driver’s License or State ID, and follow the on-screen steps. Hawaii is not yet showing up as an option for all iPhone users.
Apple first announced this feature in September 2021, but it has been slow to roll out, and the digital IDs can only be used at a very limited number of locations.
For example, the IDs can be used at select TSA checkpoints within select U.S. airports:Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport (CVG)
John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH)Apple says travelers should refer to TSA checkpoint signage to confirm availability of the feature, and the TSA’s website offers more details.
Apple’s website says that the digital IDs in the Wallet app can also be used to show proof of age or identity at “select bars, concerts, festivals, and more,” but the company does not list any specific locations, and adoption is far from widespread.
In a press release earlier this month, Apple reiterated that iPhone users “do not need to unlock, show, or hand over their device to present their ID.”
In 2022, Apple said the six additional states listed below would “soon” allow residents to add their driver’s license or state ID to the Wallet app, but over two years have passed and none of these states support the feature yet.
Those six states:Connecticut
Iowa
Kentucky
Mississippi
Oklahoma
UtahApple’s website has a page with more details about the digital IDs.
This article, “iPhone Driver’s Licenses in Wallet App Rolling Out in Seventh U.S. State” first appeared on MacRumors.com
Discuss this article in our forums
Telegram CEO Released By Police, Transferred To Court For Possible Indictment
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is heading to court for a possible indictment after being released from police custody, authorities in France said on Wednesday. From a report: “An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment,” according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office that was quoted in an Associated Press article. Durov was arrested in Paris on Saturday and questioned by police for several days. The French investigative judge will “decide whether to place him under formal investigation following his arrest as part of a probe into organized crime on the messaging app,” Reuters wrote today.
“Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial, but indicates that judges consider there is enough to the case to proceed with the probe. Investigations can last years before being sent to trial or shelved,” Reuters wrote. The judge’s decision on a formal investigation is expected today, the article said. On Monday, prosecutor Laure Beccuau issued a statement saying Durov was arrested “in the context of a judicial investigation” into a “person unnamed.” The wording leaves open the possibility that the unnamed person is someone else, but the prosecutor’s statement listed a raft of potential charges that may indicate what Durov could be charged with.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov is heading to court for a possible indictment after being released from police custody, authorities in France said on Wednesday. From a report: “An investigating judge has ended Pavel Durov’s police custody and will have him brought to court for a first appearance and a possible indictment,” according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office that was quoted in an Associated Press article. Durov was arrested in Paris on Saturday and questioned by police for several days. The French investigative judge will “decide whether to place him under formal investigation following his arrest as part of a probe into organized crime on the messaging app,” Reuters wrote today.
“Being placed under formal investigation in France does not imply guilt or necessarily lead to trial, but indicates that judges consider there is enough to the case to proceed with the probe. Investigations can last years before being sent to trial or shelved,” Reuters wrote. The judge’s decision on a formal investigation is expected today, the article said. On Monday, prosecutor Laure Beccuau issued a statement saying Durov was arrested “in the context of a judicial investigation” into a “person unnamed.” The wording leaves open the possibility that the unnamed person is someone else, but the prosecutor’s statement listed a raft of potential charges that may indicate what Durov could be charged with.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.