Tag Archives: author_name|Jeremy Gan

Apple has released iOS 18. Here’s how to update your iPhone

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Finally out of beta, iOS 18 arrived for public availability as of Monday afternoon. You can download and install it if your device is compatible, but it already comes with all iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro models that will be available on September 20. Those with eligible devices can update them by going to Settings > General > About > Software Update and starting the download and installation processes.

To see if your device is eligible, we have a list of iPhone models that can support iOS 18. Check it out and see if yours will work.

Some of the “hidden” features our editor Cherlynn spotted include Apple Maps upgrades, Calendar integration with Reminders and expanded Tapback options in Messages, letting you see who reacted with which emoji. Safari is getting a “Highlights” function, which generates a summary of web pages you’re on via machine learning. Our UK bureau chief Mat Smith also tried out some early iOS 18 features in July, and his main takeaway was that Apple Intelligence is the real star. Unfortunately, Apple Intelligence isn’t out today, but its first features will become available in October as part of a subsequent update.

Besides iOS 18, all of Apple's other major sibling operating system updates are available as well. That includes iPadOS 18, visionOS 2, macOS Sequoia, tvOS 18 and watchOS 11, all of which are coming to their respective devices today. Make sure to check if your devices are eligible for the update and that they have enough space. You may have to free up a few gigabytes of storage first.

Update, September 16, 8:17PM ET: Added more complete list of additional Apple OS updates that are now available, and additional context about Apple Intelligence (some, not all, of the features are arriving beginning in October).  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-has-released-ios-18-heres-how-to-update-your-iphone-171444043.html?src=rss

Google searches now link to the Internet Archive

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Earlier this year, Google said goodbye to its cached web page feature, saying it’s no longer needed. While many were sad to see it go, we can now rejoice as Google is partnering with the Internet Archive to bring something substantially similar back. Thanks to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, you can now look at archived web pages easily.

Clicking on the three dots beside any search result will let you begin to access cached pages. Next, look for the “About this Result” panel and click “More About This Page.” Doing so will lead you to the Wayback Machine, allowing anyone to see snapshots of webpages from various times.

Director of the Wayback Machine Mark Graham said some archived web pages won’t be available because their rights holders have opted out of having their sites archived by the Internet Archive.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/google-searches-now-link-to-the-internet-archive-164814487.html?src=rss

Utah judge blocks law preventing youth from accessing social media freely

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On Tuesday, Chief US District Judge Robert Shelby granted a preliminary injunction to block Utah from limiting the social media usage of minors. Republican Governor Spencer Cox had signed the Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act earlier in March. It was supposed to take effect on October 1, but the court’s decision to block the law is a victory for young social media users in Utah.

This isn’t the first time Utah’s governor has attempted to limit social media use among the youths in the state. Last year, he signed two bills that required parents to grant permission for teens to create social media accounts, and these accounts had limitations like curfews and age verification. He replacing the older laws in March due to lawsuits challenging their legality.

Under the law, social media companies would have been forced to verify the age of all users. If a minor registers for an account, they are subject to various limitations. The content they share would be seen only by connected accounts. Additionally, minor accounts could not be searched for or messaged by non-followers or friends, effectively nonexistent to strangers.

The primary reason for the preliminary injunction is due to NetChoice’s claim that the law constitutes a violation of the First Amendment. NetChoice is a trade association formed by tech giants such as X (formerly Twitter), Snap, Meta and Google. The association has managed to win in court battles and block similar laws entirely or in part in states like Arkansas, California and Texas.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/utah-judge-blocks-law-preventing-youth-from-accessing-social-media-freely-160008587.html?src=rss

Utah judge blocks law preventing youth from accessing social media freely

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On Tuesday, Chief US District Judge Robert Shelby granted a preliminary injunction to block Utah from limiting the social media usage of minors. Republican Governor Spencer Cox had signed the Utah Minor Protection in Social Media Act earlier in March. It was supposed to take effect on October 1, but the court’s decision to block the law is a victory for young social media users in Utah.

This isn’t the first time Utah’s governor has attempted to limit social media use among the youths in the state. Last year, he signed two bills that required parents to grant permission for teens to create social media accounts, and these accounts had limitations like curfews and age verification. He replacing the older laws in March due to lawsuits challenging their legality.

Under the law, social media companies would have been forced to verify the age of all users. If a minor registers for an account, they are subject to various limitations. The content they share would be seen only by connected accounts. Additionally, minor accounts could not be searched for or messaged by non-followers or friends, effectively nonexistent to strangers.

The primary reason for the preliminary injunction is due to NetChoice’s claim that the law constitutes a violation of the First Amendment. NetChoice is a trade association formed by tech giants such as X (formerly Twitter), Snap, Meta and Google. The association has managed to win in court battles and block similar laws entirely or in part in states like Arkansas, California and Texas.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/utah-judge-blocks-law-preventing-youth-from-accessing-social-media-freely-160008587.html?src=rss

Analogue’s latest limited edition Pocket consoles are inspired by the Game Boy Color

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Analogue’s retro handheld console, the Pocket, now has six colors available for a limited time besides the standard black and white. They will be available on September 12 at 11AM ET and will be shipped out between 24 and 48 hours after your order is confirmed. These aren’t the only limited runs from Analogue, as the company did release aluminum, transparent and Glow in the Dark Pocket consoles in the past (just to name a few).

The six colors are based on the classic Game Boy Color’s original shell hues, being color-matched to the handheld consoles sold from 1998 to 2003. The colors are Berry, Dandelion, Gold, Grape, Kiwi and Teal. You can get one of these limited consoles for $250.

Those who prefer the regular Pocket handhelds can rejoice, as they will be restocked and available for purchase on the same day. These will ship immediately as Analogue wishes to keep the standard versions in stock “steadily as possible.” This has been something that has been a challenge since the console launched, as it often feels like they’re more concerned with building expensive limited-edition options rather than keep the main product in stock.

In addition to these two announcements, Analogue promised a software 2.3 update, but we don’t have all the details yet, aside from the fact that it’ll be available on September 12. We’ll update this post when we get more info.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/analogues-latest-limited-edition-pocket-consoles-are-inspired-by-the-game-boy-color-150048157.html?src=rss

Here’s Bungie’s roadmap for Destiny 2

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Today, on the franchise's 10th anniversary, Bungie has released its roadmap Destiny 2. Buckle up, as we have quite some ground to cover.

Bungie will now release two expansions a year instead of only one. These expansions won’t be as large, but the team promises to make them interesting. They’ve already begun testing “non-linear campaigns, exploration experiences similar to the Dreaming City or Metroidvanias, and even more unusual formats like roguelikes or survival shooters.” Plus, they want to bring back the feeling of mystery older campaign storylines had.

Destiny 2 Frontiers Roadmap
Bungie

Since the expansion model has changed, so will the seasonal model. There will now be four major updates each year, one released every three months. Two of the major updates will coincide with the release of the biannual expansions. These updates contain various activities, weekly events, features and most importantly, rewards. Other changes include reworking the UI (the Director) and reward model, along with improving the Challenge Customization system.

Starting in Summer 2025, players can experience the first expansion of the year (right now it's been codenamed Apollo). Unlike older content, this expansion is a nonlinear adventure that lets you step into the boots of different characters at different times. The developers promise that the story will flow smoothly despite the nonlinearity. Other than the assumption that it will go live about six months after Apollo, there are no details yet on the second upcoming expansion (which they're calling Behemoth internally), so you’ll have to stay tuned for future updates.

These plans are ambitious, so let's hope Bungie can pull them off. Destiny 2's current expansion, The Final Shape, was delayed — a decision that was preceded a month earlier by layoffs at the studio.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/heres-bungies-roadmap-for-destiny-2-163138384.html?src=rss

Withings introduces a 39mm version of its ScanWatch Nova smartwatch

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Withings is announcing the ScanWatch Nova Brilliant, a 39mm version of its ScanWatch Nova smartwatch. It comes in titanium silver and a two-tone silver and gold. For those with smaller wrists, this watch should be a more comfortable fit than the standard 42mm option.

The elegant timepiece mixes analog features with modern digital ones. A small OLED screen on the top half of the watch helps you tell the time quickly and can also display health metrics, but there are mechanical hands for a classic look. It’s also water resistant up to 50 meters (5 ATM) and has a five-link stainless steel bracelet for improved outdoor durability. The battery lasts for 30 days but there’s no info about the charging time.

Withings outfitted this health-tracking smartwatch with a medical-grade electrocardiogram to check your heartbeat for irregularities. The watch can also detect temperature fluctuations, blood oxygen levels, breathing disturbances overnight and measure sleep quality. By pairing the watch with the app, it can also count your steps, calories burned, elevation and workout routes via the app.

The Withings ScanWatch Nova Brilliant will be available starting in early November. Those who want to purchase the watch in person can do so in the US, EU and UK at selected retailers. The new watch is priced at $600, €600 and £550, respectively, an identical price to the ScanWatch Nova.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/withings-introduces-a-39mm-version-of-its-scanwatch-nova-smartwatch-060056915.html?src=rss

Lenovo announces new Aura edition laptops

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Lenovo has just revealed its latest lineup of laptops at IFA Berlin. The standouts seem to be Aura editions of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 and Yoga Slim 7i. The Aura software, which is the result of a collaboration with Intel, can quickly shift these machines into various modes to optimize for specific tasks, like safe internet browsing, better video call quality or distraction-free work.

Lenovo Aura UI
Lenovo

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition, It’s a 14-inch laptop with a 16:10 2.8K (2880x1800) OLED display and a refresh rate of 120Hz. It also has DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification and reaches 400 nits of brightness. The CPU is an Intel Core Ultra 9, and the Intel Arc Xe2 GPU handles graphics. The battery is rated at 57Wh and is a replaceable unit.

The Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is larger at 15.3 inches and also has a screen resolution of 2.8K. The display can be an OLED or LCD touch panel, with a refresh rate of 120Hz and brightness of 500 nits. An Intel Core Ultra 7 processor powers this laptop and uses integrated graphics. With a battery life of 70Wh, it should last all day for web browsing and streaming video content.

Another laptop to look out for is the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1. It's equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor and integrated Adreno GPU. The 14-inch WUXGA (1920x1200) OLED screen can reach 400 nits of brightness, and the battery is rated at 57Wh. Best of all, the whole package only costs about $850.

The Yoga Pro 7, IdeaPad Slim 5x and the 13- and 15-inch IdeaPad Slim 5s are among the new arrivals as well, but unfortunately, these models won’t be available in the US.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/lenovo-announces-new-aura-edition-laptops-150005439.html?src=rss

ASUS equips its NUC 14 Pro mini PC with AI capabilities

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ASUS is now outfitting its NUC 14 Pro mini PC with a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of reaching 48 trillion operations per second (TOPS). The new model, the ASUS NUC Pro AI, will have up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor. With a height of only 1.3 inches, this mini PC can be carried anywhere and won’t get in your way. Most of the features like ports and internals should be similar compared to its predecessor.

To prevent overheating, ASUS installed some advanced thermal management solutions that meet EPEAT Climate+ energy efficiency requirements. Other features include Secure Boot, built-in speakers and voice command-ready microphones. There’s also a fingerprint reader for extra security, along with a trusted platform module (TPM). The latter is designed to secure the PC further using cryptography. Upgrading the ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI doesn’t require tools, and the mini PC can be controlled with ASUS Control Center.

This mini PC might be convenient, but it’s likely not going to run AAA games at higher settings. Fortunately, ASUS does have some NUC PCs capable of gaming.

As of now, there’s no release date for the ASUS NUC 14 Pro AI, but its announcement is less than a year following the first ASUS-built NUC that we saw at CES 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/asus-equips-its-nuc-14-pro-mini-pc-with-ai-capabilities-160052047.html?src=rss

Microsoft is testing a new on-screen keyboard layout that works better with game controllers

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Microsoft has been working on improving small-screen and touchscreen input, focusing on making it more accessible to Windows handheld console users (think the ASUS ROG Ally). Typing with a controller isn’t convenient, but Microsoft's latest small update introduced a new onscreen keyboard layout that’s a lot easier to use with an Xbox controller, or the controls on a portable gaming PC.

Windows New On-Screen Keyboard
Windows

The new layout isn’t confined to moving cursors and selecting specific keys anymore. For example, the X button can be used to backspace, while the Y button is a space bar. The left trigger opens the symbols and numbers page as well. It’s almost like a mobile keyboard but optimized for Xbox controller usage. Most importantly, all keys are vertically aligned, making navigating the keyboard easier.

The target users for this change include Windows-powered handheld users and PC gamers who prefer to stick to an Xbox controller while playing games. This latest update follows another change Microsoft made a few weeks ago that makes the Windows Game Bar easier to use on handhelds.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/microsoft-is-testing-a-new-on-screen-keyboard-layout-that-works-better-with-game-controllers-135058122.html?src=rss