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Apple Intelligence expands in iOS 18.2 developer beta, adding Genmoji, Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT

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The Apple Intelligence rollout has been slow, staggered and steady since the company first unveiled its take on AI at WWDC this year. It continues today with the release of the latest developer betas for iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia. The updates in iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 and macOS Sequoia (15.2) bring long-awaited features like Genmoji, Image Playground, Visual Intelligence and ChatGPT integration for those running the preview software, as well as Image Wand for iPads and more writing tools.

This follows the announcement that iOS 18.1 would be available as a stable release to the public next week, which would bring things like writing tools, notification summaries and Apple's hearing test to the masses. 

That represents the first time for people who haven't opted into beta software to check out Apple Intelligence, which the company has widely touted as the headline feature for the devices it launched this year. The iPhone 16 series, for example, were billed as phones designed for Apple Intelligence, though they launched without those features.

Now that the next set of tools is ready for developers to test, it seems like we're weeks away from them arriving to the public. For those already on the developer beta, the update will land automatically. As always, a word of caution: If you're not already familiar, beta software is meant for users to test new features and often to check for compatibility or problems. They can be buggy, so always back up your data before installing previews. In this case, you'll also need to have an Apple developer account to get access.

Today's updates brings Genmoji, which lets you create custom emoji from your keyboard. You'll go to the emoji keyboard, tap the Genmoji button next to the description or search input field, then enter what you want to create. Apple Intelligence will generate a few options, which you can swipe and select one to send. You'll be able to use them as tapback reactions to other people's messages too. Plus, you can make Genmoji based on pictures of your friends, creating more-accurate Memoji of them. Since these are all presented in emoji style, there won't be the risk of mistaking them for real pictures.

Apple is also releasing a Genmoji API today so third-party messaging apps can read and render Genmoji, and folks you text on WhatsApp or Telegram can see your hot new gym rat emoji.

Other previously announced features like Image Playground and Image Wand are also available today. The former is both a standalone app and something you can access from the Messages app via the Plus button. If you go through Messages, the system will quickly generate some suggestions based on your conversations. You can also type descriptions or select photos from your gallery as a reference, and the system will serve up an image which you can then tweak. To prevent confusion, only some art styles are available: Animation or Illustration. You won't be able to render photorealistic pictures of people. 

Image Wand will also be arriving today as an update to the Apple Pencil tool palette, helping to turn your cruddy sketches into more-polished works of art.

As announced at WWDC, Apple is bringing ChatGPT to Siri and Writing Tools, and each time your request might be well-served by OpenAI's tools, the system will suggest heading there. For example, if you ask Siri to generate an itinerary, a workout routine or even a meal plan, the assistant might say it needs to use ChatGPT to do so and ask for your permission. You can choose to have the system ask you each time it goes to GPT or surface these requests less often. 

It's worth reiterating that you don't need a ChatGPT account to use these tools, and Apple has its own agreement with OpenAI so that when you use the latter's services, your data like your IP address won't be stored or used to train models. However, if you do connect your ChatGPT account, your content will be covered by OpenAI's policies.

Elsewhere, Apple Intelligence will also show that you can compose with ChatGPT within Writing Tools, which is where you'll find things like Rewrite, Summarize and Proofread. It's also another area that's getting an update with the developer beta — a new tool called "Describe your change." This is basically a command bar that lets you tell Apple exactly what it is you want to do to your writing. "Make it sound more enthusiastic," for example, or "Check this for grammar errors." Basically, it'll make getting the AI to edit your work a bit easier, since you won't have to go to the individual sections for Proofread or Summarize, for example. You can also get it to do things lke "Turn this into a poem."

Finally, if you have an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro and are running the developer beta, you'll be able to try out Visual Intelligence. That lets you point your camera at things around you and get answers for things like math problems in your textbook or the menu of a restaurant you pass on your commute. It can tap third-party services like Google and ChatGPT, too.

Outside of the iPhone 16 series, you'll need a compatible device to check out any Apple Intelligence features. That means an iPhone 15 Pro and newer or an M-series iPad or MacBook. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-expands-in-ios-182-developer-beta-adding-genmoji-visual-intelligence-and-chatgpt-170920932.html?src=rss

You can try Monster Hunter Wilds next week, months before its February 28 release date

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One of the biggest games on the not-too-distant horizon is Monster Hunter Wilds. While the next edition of Capcom's blockbuster series has a February 28 release date, you'll be able to get a taste of it in an open beta test that's taking place next week.

PlayStation Plus subscribers will be the first to check out this beta starting at 11PM ET on Monday, October 28. That test will run for 48 hours. Capcom will then open up the servers to all PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC players on Halloween, also at 11PM. The open beta will end at 9:59PM on Sunday. November 3.

You can create both your character and your cat-like Palico companion in the beta. Along with being able to transfer your character creation data over to the full game, you'll get a virtual pendant and a few other goodies for taking part in the beta. The beta's story trial includes two hunts, one with basic tutorials and the other offering the chance to explore the environment on a Seikret animal mount. You can take on both quests in online multiplayer (Monster Hunter Wilds supports cross-play) or get some assistance from computer-controlled support hunters.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/you-can-try-monster-hunter-wilds-next-week-months-before-its-february-28-release-date-154421037.html?src=rss

The CES 2025 keynote speech will take place at Sphere with Delta CEO Ed Bastian

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Delta Air Lines is no stranger to CES, one of the largest tech events in the world. Today, the company announced that Delta CEO Ed Bastian will be a keynote speaker at CES 2025, which takes place from January 7 to January 10, 2025, in Las Vegas. Most notable is where this is happening — Bastian’s keynote will take place at Sphere, the immersive entertainment venue that has so far played host to acts like U2, The Eagles and Phish as well as a film by director Darren Aranofsky.

Bastian said that Delta intends to leverage three next-gen technologies at the Sphere venue in Las Vegas. The first is Exosphere, the world’s biggest LED screen, while the second is an interior display plane, an LED screen with the world’s highest resolution. The third technology is Sphere Immersive Sound, the most advanced of its kind and powered by HOLOPLOT. All three are Sphere technologies designed to “connect with key audiences, leveraging next-generation technologies to boldly deliver a one-of-a-kind experience and amplify their message,” as President and COO of Sphere Jennifer Koester said.

This will be Delta’s third CES appearance, following appearances in 2020 and 2023. The 2020 event showed off some intriguing new technology like “opt-in Parallel Reality displays” that can show custom messages to multiple travelers simultaneously. The Delta keynote speech is scheduled for 5PM PT/8AM ET on January 7. Those who wish to hear it in person must register for CES 2025, and the keynote also has a separate ticket.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-ces-2025-keynote-speech-will-take-place-at-sphere-with-delta-ceo-ed-bastian-154024275.html?src=rss

Dolby Atmos is making its live theater debut

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Dolby Atmos has integrated into spaces like movies, home theaters, and headphones over the decade plus since it launched in 2012. Now, its entering the live theater space for the first time since thanks to Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s take on King Lear. It has been used for live events before, however, like concerts at the Dolby Live in the Park MGM Las Vegas. 

Kenneth Branagh, who stars in the production, has previously used Dolby Atmos as a director of films like Belfast. "Kenneth Branagh’s brilliant implementations of Dolby Atmos in film, like for his Oscar-winning Belfast, demonstrate the power artists have to immerse audiences in ways never before possible," said Jed Harmsen, Head of Cinema and Group Entertainment at Dolby. He added that the "collaboration with Dolby will break ground in bringing Dolby Atmos to the world of stage performance and use intentional sound design to plunge audiences into the play’s universe."

King Lear will run for nearly two months from October 26 to December 15 at The Shed’s Griffin Theater in New York City. Dolby Atmos will create audio effects and music around the audience and above the actors. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/dolby-atmos-is-making-its-live-theater-debut-144150814.html?src=rss

Severance season two teaser trailer shows the world’s worst return-to-office policy in action

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After a lengthy break due in part to last year's Hollywood strikes, the hit Apple TV+ sci-fi/thriller series Severance is returning for its second season on January 17. The streaming service has released a teaser trailer that doesn't give much away, but has just enough in the way of intrigue and confusion to keep fans on their toes.

(Light spoilers for season one are ahead.)

Severance, you may recall, focuses on a group of people who undertook a brain procedure to entirely separate their work and non-work memories. Four workers at Lumon Industries (with their office selves known as "innies") eventually carry out an escape plan of sorts. They find a way to blur the lines between the two sets of memories, with three of them learning some world-shattering revelations about their "outie" lives in the first season finale.

Apple says that, in the second season, "Mark and his friends learn the dire consequences of trifling with the severance barrier, leading them further down a path of woe." The teaser shows a panicked Mark S. (Adam Scott) back at Lumon Industries, running through the building's oppressive corridors. In similar fashion to the previous teaser, sound bites from the first season are included alongside some eyebrow-raising visuals, including a troubling watermelon version of Irving's (John Turturro) head.

Mark halts in his tracks when he reaches an office area and encounters three new co-workers instead of his regular cohorts. A moment later, supervisor Milchick (Tramell Tillman) arrives to welcome the formerly displaced worker back while carrying a bunch of balloons with Mark’s face on them. You might think of it as the planet's most terrifying return-to-work policy being enacted.

The teaser works well as a first proper look at the new season. While the first season’s excellent finale gave the innies and the audience some much-needed and truly shocking answers, the clip raises some major new questions. It’s likely that we’ll need to endure plenty of tension in the 10-episode second season before getting more clarity as to what’s going on at this bizarro workplace.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/severance-season-two-teaser-trailer-shows-the-worlds-worst-return-to-office-policy-in-action-142930296.html?src=rss

Adobe Fresco’s previously paywalled features are now free for everyone

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Adobe Fresco is Adobe’s painting app, designed to compete with apps like Clip Studio Paint and Procreate. It launched almost five years ago for $10 a year, which was reasonable, but Procreate’s one-time $13 purchase came with many powerful features, which made it the go-to option for artists who wanted to draw on iPad. But now, Adobe is making Fresco completely free to use, letting everyone use functions that used to be locked behind a paywall.

By looking at this Adobe Fresco FAQs page, we can see what the paid plans back then offered. Fresco did have a free plan from the beginning, but those who didn’t pay are missing out on more than a thousand brushes, premium shapes and the ability to import custom brushes. Now, all of these features are free to use for all users.

For the uninitiated, Adobe Fresco is available on iPhone, iPad, Windows PCs and Windows tablets. Not every model will run the app, but you can check this list to see if your device is compatible. Most recent devices should be able to use it, though — support goes all the way back to iPhones and iPads Apple released nearly 10 years ago, including the iPhone 6 and every iPad Pro.

By making Fresco completely free, Adobe may be attempting to fight against the competition now that those apps cost more money. Fresco has unique functions like motion presets to instantly animate drawings and artwork mirroring, as mentioned by The Verge. Now that you can download it for free, those interested can grab it from the Apple App Store or the Adobe website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/adobe-frescos-previously-paywalled-features-are-now-free-for-everyone-141956420.html?src=rss

Eero launches a weatherproof extender for outdoor Wi-Fi

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Some folks have properties too vast to be covered by the fanciest of mesh Wi-Fi sets, especially if they’ve got vast tracts of land. It’s an issue Eero is looking to tackle with the Outdoor 7, an add-on to its Eero 7 series of mesh Wi-Fi nodes that’s built to live outdoors. The hardware is IP66 rated and the company says it’ll keep working in temperatures ranging from -40F to 130F, no matter the weather.

With a range of 15,000 square feet, Eero says the Outdoor 7 should suit everyone from cafe owners with patios to land owners looking to keep their security cameras connected. Each unit supports Wi-Fi 7 with speeds up to 2.1Gbps, works with Thread, Zigbee and Matter devices, and has a 2.5Gb ethernet port with support for Power Over Ethernet. You’ll also get a mounting kit that’ll help you screw it into stucco, vinyl, wood or fiber cement walls.

The Eero Outdoor 7 will be available to buy in the US on November 13 for $350, or for $400 when bundled with the company’s 30W outdoor Power Over Ethernet adapter.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/eero-launches-a-weatherproof-extender-for-outdoor-wi-fi-140010463.html?src=rss

Amazon’s God of War series hires Ronald D. Moore as showrunner

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A few days ago, Deadline reported that several key personnel behind Amazon's upcoming live-action God of War adaptation have left the project. But the series' production will still push through, and according to the publication, Ronald D. Moore will now serve as its showrunner, as well as one of its writers and executive producers. He's replacing original showrunner Rafe Judkins (Wheel of Time) and EPs Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby (Children of Men and Iron Man). It'll be Moore's first project with Sony TV after returning to the studio with a multi-year deal in June. 

Moore is known for developing and producing the Battlestar Galactica reboot and for writing dozens of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine episodes. His writing credits also include several Star Trek movies, Mission Impossible II, and Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams for Amazon. He worked with the studio for a decade, developing shows that include Outlander for Starz and For All Mankind for Apple TV+, before departing in 2020. 

Judkins, Ferus and Otsby had already written multiple scripts for the show, but Amazon reportedly wanted to move in a different creative direction. Deadline previously reported that in addition to hiring someone new to lead the production, Amazon was also looking to put a new writers' room together. Several EPs from Santa Monica Studio (the game's developer) and PlayStation Production who had been involved from the start are still with the project. 

The God of War series will be based on 2018 game that's inspired by Norse mythology. It will focus on Kratos, as he embarks on a journey with his son to spread the ashes of his late wife from the highest peak. They battled gods, monsters and other entities before they reached their destination, and they unearthed secrets about each other and the realm they live in along the way. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazons-god-of-war-series-hires-ronald-d-moore-as-showrunner-133004763.html?src=rss

Google’s Pixel Tablet is up to $110 off right now

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Update 10/26/24 9am ET: The deal below has expired, but you can get a similar deal on the Pixel Tablet at Wellbots right now. The Pixel Tablet with its charging speaker dock is $110 off and down to $489 when you use the code ENGPIX110 at checkout. You can use the same code to get $110 off the 256GB Pixel Tablet on its own, bringing the final price down to $389.

Tablets might be a cheaper alternative to laptops but they can still cost a good chunk of money. Sales make all the difference and, right now, the 128GB Google Pixel Tablet is available for $275, down from $399. The 31 percent discount brings this tablet to a new all-time low price. The sale is only available if you get the tablet in Porcelain and doesn't come with the speaker dock (though that combo is 11 percent off). 

Google released this Pixel Tablet in summer 2023 and gave us things we really liked and others we weren't wowed with. We gave it an 84 in our review thanks, in large part, to its smart home features. Our reviewer, Cherlynn Low, already had a Nest Mini in her room, but was impressed with how much better the tablet worked. The sound is great — though that was thanks to the Speaker Dock — and its Hub Mode is very useful. It shows you all the devices throughout your home, including camera feeds and switch lamps. 

If you want this device for entertainment and ease then it could be great. However, there were a few aspects that we weren't as keen on. Some of the movements aren't very intuitive and we didn't use it much without the stand. But, it has great battery if you do get it without a dock, lasting 21 and a half hours with 50 percent brightness on our test.

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/googles-pixel-tablet-is-cheaper-than-ever-right-now-132239944.html?src=rss

No Man’s Sky just got a creepy Lovecraftian update in time for Halloween

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There is no greater advertisement for the virtues of patience than No Man’s Sky. The game was an underwhelming fart when it first released back in 2016. Now it’s one of the best titles around, thanks to continuing support by developer Hello Games. The company just dropped a surprise Halloween-themed update and it’s pretty darned cool.

The latest release is called The Cursed and it’s filled to the brim with creepy stuff to experience. There’s a whole new “twilight universe” where “players will fight to keep a grip on reality while haunted by visions and voices from another dimension.” Time can shift unexpectedly and players could encounter “spectral anomalies.” There’s also no FTL in this twisted realm, forcing players to strategically use the ancient portal network.

This kind of reality-bending nonsense seems plucked straight out of the Gamecube classic Eternal Darkness or, more recently, the horror fishing sim Dredge. I’m very much here for it.

To navigate this cursed space, there’s a new ship to pilot. The Boundary Herald Starship is a legitimate flying saucer, made from a “Giger-esque coil of tubes, pipeworks and engines.” It’s a real beauty and the developer’s first attempt at designing a retro-style spaceship. The update also includes bioluminescent pets and a new exosuit.

A flying saucer.
Hello Games

This is a limited-time event, as players will only have around three weeks to explore this twilight universe. However, the glow-in-the-dark pets, updated exosuit and, thankfully, the flying saucer are here to stay.

This is just the latest gameplay update for No Man’s Sky. So far, there have been over 35 major named updates and many more medium-sized patches and the like. In recent months, the developers added the ability to fish and integrated new weather systems.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/no-mans-sky-just-got-a-creepy-lovecraftian-update-in-time-for-halloween-130020444.html?src=rss