Bluetooth SIG, the organization that oversees Bluetooth development and ensures companies follow its standards, recently announced the new Bluetooth 6 standard. One key feature of Bluetooth 6 is Channel Sounding, which will significantly improve object-tracking solutions. According to the organization, this innovation brings “true distance awareness, introducing transformative benefits across various applications,” making it easier and faster to locate items. This could be as good as Apple's Precision Find feature, but for everyone rather than only people with newer Apple devices. While Bluetooth SIG expects Channel Sounding to start expanding in two to three years, the organization is now focusing on another function that could finally become mainstream by next year: Auracast. Auracast is a new protocol introduced a few years ago with Bluetooth 5.2. It enables shared audio experiences that offer fast pairing with unlimited devices. This could be perfect for conferences, museums, parties, and anything that could benefit from audio experiences for the masses. Bluetooth SIG highlights roadmap, new features, and more In a recent talk with BGR, Chuck Sabin, senior director for marketing development, and Henry Wong, senior manager for marketing development at Bluetooth SIG, explained the organization's roadmap and how they see the future of connected devices with wireless communication improvements. For example, Wong tells BGR that we should expect Auracast solutions for public venues in the first half of 2025. While he doesn't tease what companies will offer these experiences, Chuck Sabin says this is all "a matter of time," as "the infrastructure that enables these possibilities are coming to the market right now. Several iconic locations are working to implement Auracast: theaters, cinemas, opera houses, and so on." One of the use cases for Auracast. Image source: Bluetooth SIG So far, Auracast impressions have been limited to Bluetooth SIG demonstrations at big tech shows, such as CES and IFA. "Part of our role is to demonstrate the vision of what's possible and then highlight the companies that are building products with these technologies. We just did that at IFA," says Sabin. With a projection of over five billion Bluetooth-enabled devices being released in 2024 alone, I questioned why some of these features take so long to become available to the public. With the recently announced Bluetooth 6, Apple, for example, is promoting devices with Bluetooth 5.3—even though it doesn't mean the company enables some of the latest perks, such as Auracast, Bluetooth LE, and so on. They tell me that after Bluetooth announces a new standard, companies take one to two years to add it to their products. However, some manufacturers deliver the new standard and don't turn it on. "Samsung S23, S24, and Flip devices all support Auracast. They didn't at the release, but later, Samsung released a firmware update that turned it all on." Channel Sounding and Digital Keys are Bluetooth's next priorities Image source: Apple Inc. With Auracast finally taking off early next year, Bluetooth SIG will focus on Channel Sounding and Digital Keys. The organization believes these two features will greatly improve our lives with find-my capabilities, the ability to unlock lockers and cars safely with Digital Keys, and also enable higher data throughput with Bluetooth LE. That being said, users should see companies introducing devices with Channel Sounding, higher data transference through Bluetooth, and even wireless communication in higher bands in the coming years. "In 2025, we’re emphasizing LE Audio and Auracast capabilities, pursuing Channel Sounding experiences, Digital Keys support, and find-my solutions throughout 2025," Sabin tells me. You can find a list of devices that already support Auracast technology here. Don't Miss: Bluetooth 6.0 could revolutionize one of my favorite iPhone features The post This revolutionary Bluetooth feature could finally become mainstream in 2025 appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Today’s deals: $367 Apple Watch Series 10, $66 14-piece cookware set, $99 230-piece Craftsman tool set, more Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Today’s deals: $100 off iPad mini 7, $60 off Nintendo Switch OLED, $90 Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL, more Today’s deals: Free Echo Pop & Amazon Smart Plug, $30 Philips OneBlade 360, $38 Sony headphones, more

A couple of weeks after seeding the first beta of iOS 18.2, Apple has now released the second test version. This build should improve general stability while continuing to build the new Apple Intelligence features expected to launch later this year. These are the top features available with iOS 18.2 beta 2: Image Playground: Users can create playful images in seconds, choosing from Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. This app is built right into apps like Messages and is also available in a dedicated app; having trouble with the waitlist? Check this; Genmoji: Create custom emojis by combining two figures; users can type a prompt like “monkey with pink hat” to make an entirely new emoji; here’s how to use it; Image Wand: “Rough sketches can be turned into delightful images, and users can even select empty space to create an image using context from the surrounding area” in the Notes app; ChatGPT integration: When you feel Apple Intelligence isn’t enough, you can allow ChatGPT to access Writing Tools and other features for a better response; if you are tired of Apple Intelligence asking to confirm every prompt, do this. Image source: José Adorno for BGR For iPhone 16 users, iOS 18.2 beta 2 also unlocks new capabilities for Camera Control. Visual Intelligence helps users learn about objects and places faster than ever. Users can click and hold Camera Control to pull up the hours or ratings for a restaurant they pass, add an event from a flyer to their calendar, quickly identify a dog by breed, and more. Despite these Apple Intelligence features, Apple added a few more changes. For example, there's an all-new Mail app, which uses on-device categorization to organize and sort incoming emails into different sections. It's possible to change default Messages and Phone apps, limit how loud your iPhone speakers can play media, and use the Voice Memos app upgrade. BGR will let you know if we learn anything new from this beta. Alongside the iOS 18.2 beta release, Apple is also seeding a new testing version of iPadOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2. Don't Miss: iOS 18.2 beta features: Everything new coming to your iPhone The post iOS 18.2 beta 2 now available with five new Apple Intelligence features appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Today’s deals: $150 off eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20, $30 Fire TV Stick 4K Max, $99 Beats headphones, more Today’s deals: $100 off iPad mini 7, $60 off Nintendo Switch OLED, $90 Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL, more Today’s deals: $18 portable power bank, $120 electric standing desk, $220 TP-Link WiFi 7 router, more Today’s deals: $56 for 2024’s easiest Halloween costume, $699 M2 MacBook Air, 20% off Dyson, more

A couple of weeks after seeding the first beta of iPadOS 18.2, Apple has now released the second test version. This build should improve general stability while continuing to build the new Apple Intelligence features expected to launch later this year. These are the main features available with iPadOS 18.2 beta 2: Genmoji: Create custom emojis by combining two figures; users can type a prompt like “monkey with pink hat” to make an entirely new emoji; here’s how to use it; Image Playground: Users can create playful images in seconds, choosing from Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. This app is built right into apps like Messages and is also available in a dedicated app; having trouble with the waitlist? Check this; Image Wand: “Rough sketches can be turned into delightful images, and users can even select empty space to create an image using context from the surrounding area” in the Notes app; ChatGPT integration: When you feel Apple Intelligence isn’t enough, you can allow ChatGPT to access Writing Tools and other features for a better response; if you are tired of Apple Intelligence asking to confirm every prompt, do this. Despite these Apple Intelligence features, it's unclear what else Apple is bringing with iPadOS 18.2. With iOS 18.2, the company is testing an all-new Mail experience. However, it might never be released to iPad users. Here's what Apple says about this upgrade:  Mail is introducing new ways for users to manage their inboxes. On-device categorization organizes and sorts incoming emails into Primary for personal and time-sensitive emails, Transactions for confirmations and receipts, Updates for news and social notifications, and Promotions for marketing emails and coupons. Mail also features a new digest view that pulls together all of the relevant emails from a business, allowing users to quickly scan for what’s important at the moment. With iPadOS 18.1, Apple brought the first batch of Apple Intelligence features, including: Writing Tools: Proofread your text, rewrite different versions until the tone and wording are right, and summarize the selected text with a tap. Improved Siri: With a new design, Siri can maintain context between requests. Even if you stumble over words or shift what you’re saying mid-sentence, Siri can understand what you actually want. Priority notifications: They appear at the top of the stack, letting you know what to pay attention to at a glance. Notifications are summarized, so you can scan them faster. Clean Up: This feature can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without accidentally altering the subject. Summarization: Apple Intelligence can now summarize more than just Messages and Mail notifications. BGR will let you know if we find anything new with today's iPadOS 18.2 beta. Apple is also releasing the second testing versions of iOS 18.2 and macOS 15.2. Don't Miss: iOS 18.2 beta features: Everything new coming to your iPhone The post iPadOS 18.2 beta 2 now available with Genmoji, Image Playground, and more appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Today’s deals: $100 off iPad mini 7, $60 off Nintendo Switch OLED, $90 Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL, more Today’s deals: $367 Apple Watch Series 10, $66 14-piece cookware set, $99 230-piece Craftsman tool set, more Today’s deals: Free Echo Pop & Amazon Smart Plug, $30 Philips OneBlade 360, $38 Sony headphones, more Today’s deals: $18 portable power bank, $120 electric standing desk, $220 TP-Link WiFi 7 router, more

A couple of weeks after seeding the first beta of macOS 15.2, Apple has now released the second test version. This build should improve general stability while continuing to build the new Apple Intelligence features expected to launch later this year. So far, macOS Sequoia 15.2 beta 2 includes the following Apple Intelligence feature: Image Playground: Users can create playful images in seconds, choosing from Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. This app is built right into apps like Messages and is also available in a dedicated app; ChatGPT integration: When you feel Apple Intelligence isn’t enough, you can allow ChatGPT to access Writing Tools and other features for a better response. While Genmoji wasn't available with the first beta version, we hope Apple has added it in the second build. With this feature, you can create custom emojis by combining two figures; users can type a prompt like “monkey with pink hat” to make an entirely new emoji; here’s how to use it. Image source: José Adorno for BGR We also don’t know other features Apple is planning for this software update, which is expected to be released later this year. With macOS 15.1, Apple added iPhone Mirroring improvements and the first Apple Intelligence features, which include: Writing Tools: Proofread your text, rewrite different versions until the tone and wording are right, and summarize the selected text with a tap. Improved Siri: With a new design, Siri can maintain context between requests. Even if you stumble over words or shift what you’re saying mid-sentence, Siri can understand what you actually want. Priority notifications: They appear at the top of the stack, letting you know what to pay attention to at a glance. Notifications are summarized, so you can scan them faster. Clean Up: This feature can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without accidentally altering the subject. Summarization: Apple Intelligence can now summarize more than just Messages and Mail notifications. Alongside macOS 15.2 beta 2, Apple is seeding the second developer’s beta of iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2. Public versions are expected this month. BGR will update this article once we learn more about the new features. Don't Miss: macOS Sequoia 15: Features, Apple Intelligence, download, beta, Mac compatibility The post macOS 15.2 beta 2 now available with new Apple Intelligence features appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Today’s deals: $56 for 2024’s easiest Halloween costume, $699 M2 MacBook Air, 20% off Dyson, more Today’s deals: Free Echo Pop & Amazon Smart Plug, $30 Philips OneBlade 360, $38 Sony headphones, more Amazon gift card deals, offers & coupons 2024: Get $365+ free Today’s deals: $150 off eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20, $30 Fire TV Stick 4K Max, $99 Beats headphones, more

Apple has finally started beta testing tvOS 18.2, watchOS 11.2, and visionOS 2.2. After a mild .1 update, these systems still have delayed features from their original announcement at WWDC 2024. At the moment, it's unclear if Apple is adding them. However, here's what we expect. tvOS 18 has these features delayed, and tvOS 18.2 beta might add them: Robot vacuum cleaners are now compatible with the Home app, so they can participate in automation and scenes and can be activated by a user’s voice using Siri. Screen savers: Movies and TV screen savers are yet to be added; 21:9 support: When connecting your Apple TV to a projector, Apple will give you the option to watch content in this frame. Image source: Apple Inc. visionOS 2 also lacks one important feature, and visionOS 2.2 beta could add it: Mac Virtual Display: It will feature a higher resolution and larger size, creating an ultra-wide display equivalent to two 4K monitors side by side.  watchOS 11.2 doesn't have delayed features. However, Apple still needs to expand Sleep Apnea notifications to more countries and regions. Unfortunately, this depends on governments rather than the company. In addition, a rumor expects Apple to add Apple Intelligence to Apple Vision Pro in 2025. With that, Apple’s spatial computer would be part of this AI platform, along with the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Cupertino could potentially be waiting for Apple Intelligence to launch and get its best features before expanding to another software. If Apple adds new features to watchOS 11.2, tvOS 18.2, and visionOS 2.2 in this first beta, we’ll make sure to update this article with the latest features. With these system major updates just released to all users, we can’t wait to see what else Apple has in store for them. These updates will likely arrive next month alongside Apple Intelligence features expansion for iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2. Don't Miss: tvOS 18: Release date, features, download, Apple TV compatibility, more The post Apple releases first betas of tvOS 18.2, watchOS 11.2, and visionOS 2.2 appeared first on BGR. Today's Top Deals Best deals: Tech, laptops, TVs, and more sales Today’s deals: $18 portable power bank, $120 electric standing desk, $220 TP-Link WiFi 7 router, more Today’s deals: $90 Lenovo Chromebook, $360 Apple Watch Series 10, $100 off Ninja blenders, more Today’s deals: $100 off iPad mini 7, $60 off Nintendo Switch OLED, $90 Ninja Air Fryer Pro XL, more

Imagine that a massive ice sheet covered Canada and oozed down over a large part of the northern United States, like icing spilling down the side of a cake. That was the situation somewhere between 19,000 and 26,000 years ago. The ice sheet covered land all the way south to modern-day Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

PFAS are in Miami's rainwater. And it is the latest evidence the synthetic "forever chemicals"—that have raised health concerns for people and wildlife—hitch a ride on the water cycle, using the complex system to circulate over greater distances.

Pope Francis is adding another name to the list of Catholic prelates he will appoint as cardinals in December, the Vatican said Monday.

Twenty-four hours before the U.S. presidential election, the betting is closer at this stage than before any election on the winning odds between Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, and Democrat candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.

The 2024 presidential election is at razor-thin margins in the battleground states, according to a new Emerson College/The Hill poll.