update Archives

Apple Intelligence coming to your phone (maybe)

WWDC: Apple Intelligence, new smarter Siri and lots more

WWDC is Apple’s annual conference during which they talk about all things software. Day 1 is always the biggest, and I watched all hour-and-a-half-plus of the event to update you on what’s new.

Come this fall, you’ll see … a new Passwords app that works across your Apple devices, better iPhone customization options, easier texting with your Android pals, and the ability to reply to all texts and iMessages with emojis. (Can’t wait to reply to Barry with an eye roll. Sorry, honey.)

OK, those are neat upgrades, but the real changes are all about AI.

Introducing AI

Not artificial intelligence — Apple Intelligence. No joke, that’s what they’re calling it. Personalization and making your life easier are the big focuses. Some of the highlights:

Create original, personalized animations and images to use in chat.
Find things with natural commands, like, “What did Barry ask me to pick up at the grocery store?”
Get alerts if there’s a conflict, like when someone adds a meeting to your schedule.
See a quick summary of emails you receive and the ones you write.
A new Rewrite feature can clean up anything you write across any app. That includes adjusting your tone, if need be. I’d be scared if I ran Grammarly …
Turn rough sketches into polished images with the tap of a button.

If privacy comes to mind, yep, you’re smart. Apple says almost all its AI will run on your device only and never make it to their servers. Some will, and that’s where Private Cloud Compute comes in.

🔐 These are servers used for just AI purposes, and I’m willing to bet they’ll put the entire might of Apple behind securing them.

That AI powers the new Siri

When Siri is active in iOS 18, the entire edge of your screen will illuminate. Whoa, earth-shattering!
Describe a feature you can’t find and Siri will do it for you, like, “Siri, make the text on my phone bigger.”
Edit photos with your voice: “Siri, make the picture brighter.”
Get info without having to provide all the specifics. Ask Siri, “When is my trip to New York?” to pull up the flight info from your emails and planning texts with a friend.

One more thing: The bad news

All the shiny, new AI features require the latest and greatest Apple devices — the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with an M1 or later chip.

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A new hospital cyberattack left patients without care – Keep your records safe

Come with me. Imagine you rush to the emergency room, but after five hours, they tell you to find another hospital. Or you check in at your specialist’s office for a chronic condition, only to find they’ve lost your entire medical history. Both of these scenarios just happened.

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Rug grippers: Put these grippers on all your rugs, whether they’re on hardwood floors or tile, to help keep the rugs from moving or causing a fall. This pack of 16 grippers is on sale for $7.99, 69% off the regular price ($25.99).
Outdoor solar lights: Light up the night with these waterproof lights for just $26.99 — 85% off (they’re normally $180!). Solar-powered for up to 12 hours, their elegant design is perfect for the patio or walkways.
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Car vacuum: Get rid of all the dirt, grime, food and who-knows-what-else in your car. This bestselling vacuum is now $25.99 — that’s 80% off the regular price of $129.99.
Bedroom update: Whether it’s for your room or the guest room, I really like this lightweight soft cotton quilt that includes two pillow shams for $43.10, a whopping 80% off (originally $219.99).

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Update your Netflix: Don’t know the difference between the “Today’s Top Picks” and “Your Next Watch” categories on Netflix? Me, neither. Netflix is redesigning its app to make it easier to navigate (and get you to watch more). It’s only available for a subset of users now, but it’s worth checking your TV or app store to see if you’re due for an update.

Play as you go: Uber wants to make your ride more fun. Hidden code in Uber’s latest iPhone app update hints at mini-games coming soon with data or an internet connection required. Why? It’s another way to serve you ads, of course.

AI coming to save Siri: Apple’s upcoming iOS 18 update, which is expected to be announced on June 10, is all about AI upgrades (Bloomberg, paywall link). Coming soon: The ability to control your apps using Siri, transcriptions and summaries of voice memos, automated text replies, AI-generated emojis, and advanced photo editing. If Siri worked for me, I would’ve fired her years ago.

Windows 11 surprise update: Microsoft is rolling out an unscheduled update for Windows 11. Patch KB5037853 is optional, but the changes will be applied to everyone during this month’s Patch Tuesday. There are bug fixes, new email tricks, ways to create QR codes and more. But you know about it first ‘cause I’ve got your back.

Over Wordle? There’s a new game hidden on your iPhone called Quartiles. You score points by making as many words as you can from three or four lettered tiles. The iOS 17.5 update includes the game for all Apple News+ subscribers (you can get a free three-month trial if you don’t have it already). To find the game, open Apple News and search for Puzzles > Quartiles.

🇺🇸 Patriot Mobile’s big breach: The self-proclaimed “Christian conservative wireless provider” exposed its cellphone customers’ info, including full names, email addresses, ZIP codes and account PINs. Hard to ignore the timing on this one … If you’re a subscriber, update your login info ASAP.

Did you hear the inventor of the remote died? They found him stuck in the couch. The new Google TV update included Find My Remote. Yup, that’s exactly what it sounds like. Simply press a button on your streaming device and the remote will beep for 30 seconds so you can find it. It’s already on some Roku and Walmart TVs.

Office freebie: Unless you absolutely need Microsoft 365, don’t waste your money. I’ve recommended LibreOffice, the free, open-source office software suite, for years, and it just got a major update. Plus, it works on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Restart Chrome: That’s the easiest way to update. The latest patch fixes a zero-day flaw. Translation: Hackers know about it, so update your Chrome browser now.

200 injuries so far: The FDA has recalled the Tandem Diabetes Care t:connect iOS app. It’s been crashing and relaunching, causing the compatible t:slim X2 insulin pump to shut down prematurely. If you’re affected, update your app to version 2.7.1 or later ASAP.

🎸 Update to yesterday’s newsletter: I linked to Randy Travis’ new song made with AI (and Travis’ blessing) because Travis can no longer sing since his 2013 stroke. Thanks for all the replies to learn more about the AI involved. Watch this CBS Sunday Morning story. Someone must’ve been cutting onions when I watched it.

VPN trouble: Microsoft’s April security update is causing some VPN connections to fail on Windows 11 (versions 23H2, 22H2 and 21H2) and Windows 10 (versions 22H2 and 21H2). No patch date announced yet, so beware: Your IP address and location could be exposed. I’ll let you know when they fix this.

Don’t buy an iPhone now: Apple’s doing a deal with the ChatGPT team to bring regenerative AI to the iPhone 16. This means the AI will learn and remember your likes and dislikes, just like a real (virtual) assistant. The iPhone 16 is expected to roll out in September or October. This will be the biggest iPhone update since it was first released in 2007.

r/Update: Reddit has been crappy to navigate on mobile for, well, forever. Not anymore. The latest app update makes it easier to get to the comments (what most of us use Reddit for anyway), watch videos and add your two cents.

With the updated Google for Education App Hub, educators and school admins have, at a glance, 25 apps to update class rosters, grade papers and so much more. My homeroom teacher once told me I’d never amount to much because of how I procrastinated. I replied, “Just you wait.”

Get off my PC: The latest Windows 11 update crams ads for apps into the “recommended” section of the Start Menu. Yes, it’s on by default. I’ve got the fix: Go into Settings and select Personalization > Start. Then, toggle off “Show recommendations for tips, app promotions and more.”

Key-ping up: YubiKey is a USB-based key used by the ultra-security-conscious who don’t trust 2FA or authenticator apps. Turns out, there’s a major bug that lets someone gain administrator access to all your usernames and passwords. If you use a YubiKey, get the latest update now.