I’ve been testing the beta version of Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 18, to give you a preview of what’s to come. The final version drops on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, but I know you like to be tech-ahead and not tech-behind, so here’s a preview of the good stuff.
It’s Apple’s take on artificial intelligence, and if the previews are anything close to reality, it’s going to be cool. The fancy AI features will be gradually rolled out when iOS 18 is released.
These include customized notifications, writing assistants, priority messages, audio summaries, custom emojis, and AI photo creation and editing. Finally, Siri will be truly useful and not a major annoyance.
🎣 The big catch here: Only the iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max and 16 models have access to Apple Intelligence.
… They order the same drink as yesterday but pay 20% more. I’m hoping that joke isn’t true this fall. In order to get iOS 18, you’ll need to have one of these phones:
If you have an iPhone X, 8 series or anything older, you’re out of luck. Those phones run iOS 16, which still receives security updates. It’s safe to use; you just won’t get cool new features.
Bye, snoops: Add Face ID and Touch ID to individual apps, like banking and dating. Sweet.
Control Center revamp: You’ll see more options (like Apple Music and translation) and layout controls. Even better, create multiple Control Center screens. Nerdy but super useful. I’ll do a whole how-to later!
🎮 New Xbox consoles drop Oct. 15: The 1TB Xbox Series X now comes without a disc drive and starts at $450 ($50 less). The Xbox Series S gets a storage upgrade to 1TB (up from 512GB), but the price jumps to $350. The special edition Xbox Series X with 2TB of storage? $600. If you already have an Xbox, save your money and get a storage expansion card. Yup, Santa’s bag is going to be loaded.
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Would this type of reinforcement motivate you to keep going?
Which company was the first to launch its Halloween merchandise online this year? Was it … A.) Michaels, B.) Target, C.) Party City or D.) The Home Depot?
In daily users on Reddit during the second quarter. Compare that to 1.6% for X and 7% for Meta (paywall link). Why the jump? With AI everywhere, more folks are turning to Reddit as a search engine that includes info from real people.
September is the apple of my pie: Apple’s set to show off the new iPhone 16 line, Watch Series 10 and AirPods on Sept. 10. The iPhone Pros and Watch have bigger screens, and the new AirPods look like a cross between 3rd-gen AirPods and the AirPods Pro. If you need a new iPhone (JoJo, talking to you!), just wait a little longer.
The Echo is a resounding success: Amazon is yanking the main feature of the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition: Showing your photos endlessly. Starting Sept. 23, it will display ads after three hours. Btw, this model costs $10 extra, plus there’s a $2 monthly subscription. I’d be mad, too.
“Alex” is using design software to create 3D objects and play the first-person shooter game Counter-Strike, all controlled with his mind. The next frontier? Connecting the brain chip to the physical world. Think full-control robotic arms. Incredible stuff.
🧑🍳 They knead more dough: Smart sous vide company Anova has been a fan fave for a decade — and they must be hard up for cash. Starting Aug. 21, anyone who makes a new app account will pay $2 a month (or $10 a year). If you have one, make an account while it’s still free! Links here for iPhone and Android.
Jeff Bezos took a break from, you know, counting his money to show off New Glenn, one of the largest rockets ever built at 320 feet tall.
Where there’s smoke: Mark Zuckerberg has three weeks to tell Congress why drug dealers are allowed to advertise on Facebook and Instagram. We’re talking ads featuring piles of pills, weed and bricks of cocaine, all directing you to chat apps and drug dealers. Wonder how he’ll spin this one.
New Google goodies: Big announcements at the Aug. 13 event include the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL (out Aug. 22) and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (out Sept. 4). The lineup also contains two new AI apps — Pixel Screenshots for searching screenshot info (I want that on my iPhone!) and Pixel Studio for text-to-image generation. Ahem, soon you’ll be able to get a Pixel 8 model as cheap as they come.
The U.S. military is developing a gun-wielding robot dog to protect our forces from aerial drones. The doggo is equipped with an AR-15-type rifle, electro-optical targeting system, infrared/thermal vision and a laser aiming device.
🎮 Don’t buy a Switch: A new version of the handheld Nintendo console is rumored for early next year (paywall link). The 2017 model is the third-bestselling console of all time, behind the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. Mario is mad at Peach; he caught her going through his Bowser history.
A lot of people think once their Airtag dies, they have to throw it away. I am here to bust that myth with 3 simple steps to change your Airtag battery. *No tools required
Kitboga is one of the most popular scammer baiters out there. What’s a scammer baiter? Watch to find out.
🚨 China, Iran and Russia: Foreign TikTok accounts are spreading a ton of AI-generated voice clips and fake statements from both U.S. presidential candidates ahead of the election. About one-third of young Americans are getting their news on TikTok (paywall link). Def worth having a chat with them about what they think each side represents.
A whole new world: Starting in September, Disney+ is cracking down on password sharing outside your household. Rumor has it you can add paid sharing, but no word on the cost yet. Oh, and the price for Disney+ will increase in October; the ad-supported tier will go from $8 per month to $10 monthly, and the ad-free version will rise from $14 to $16 a month. Yup, Mickey needs the money.
An indoor cam caught a dog chewing on a lithium-ion battery power bank, which then set the house on fire. The flames spread through the living room in minutes. The family (and all their pets) got out safely. Note to self: Keep power banks up high away from Abby.
