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iOS 18.2 drops a huge number of new features onto the iPhone. The second major iOS 18 update, expected Monday, will expand the capabilities of Apple Intelligence — and add plenty of goodies for everyone else, too. Keep reading or on the new features awaiting iPhone owners in iOS 18.2. Although Apple showcased as the iPhone 16 lineup’s marquee feature, the AI-powered fun (and productivity) has barely started. The first Apple Intelligence features, which arrived in in October, seemed skimpy. The second batch of Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.2 prove much more promising. And new non-AI features will make your iPhone more useful as well. iOS 18.2 runs on all the same devices as iOS 18: iPhone XS, XR, 11, 11 Pro, second-generation iPhone SE and newer. Apple Intelligence features, however, require a much newer device: the iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max or any model. (Note: Not all Apple Intelligence features will arrive in all regions. They will be .) After the update is released, you will be able to install it in . Image Playground Image Playground is an Apple Intelligence feature that lets you . It’s available inside Messages or as a standalone app. You can create an image by typing in a prompt, picking a person you know or any picture from your photo library. You can add additional tags to add more detail to your image, by picking a setting or clothing accessory, or by typing in something specific. The results look far from the state-of-the-art images created by AI services like Midjourney. However, because it all happens on-device, you can make as many images as you want. Apple integrated a related feature, Image Wand, into apps like Notes. You can use it to circle a drawing and replace it with an Image Playground version of that drawing. Or, based on the context of a note, you can use Image Wand to create a related image from scratch. Genmoji If you’ve ever been irritated because you can’t find the right emoji for the occasion, in iOS 18.2. Just bring up the emoji keyboard and tap to the right. You can keep things simple, using prompts like “ostrich” or “shovel.” Or, you can be highly specific, like “Bernese mountain dog” or “African gray parrot.” (Genmoji works wonders with animals.) Alternatively, you can type in the name of someone in your Photos library and create an emoji-fied version of them smiling, laughing or frowning, and with a variety of gestures and expressions. Swipe through the generated emoji for different options — Genmoji makes four at a time. You can use these in Messages as emoji, tapbacks and stickers. Visual Intelligence Exclusive to iPhone 16 users, iOS 18.2’s new feature lets you look things up using the device’s camera. Click and hold the to launch Visual Intelligence; click it again to take a picture and analyze what’s in the image. Tap to send the picture to ChatGPT. OpenAI’s chatbot might be able to explain what you’re looking at, and you can ask it follow-up questions for more information. Tap to do a Google reverse-image search that can identify an object or look up a product. Other Visual Intelligence features are more context-dependent: Point the camera at something with event information on it and you might be able to quickly add that event to your calendar. Popular events like concerts or live shows might be matched online and filled in with additional details. Take a picture of a restaurant or store and Visual Intelligence will use your GPS location along with data from to give you information like the business’ hours, phone number, website and menu. ChatGPT integration In iOS 18.2, Siri gains ChatGPT integration. Sometimes, if you ask Siri a question it doesn’t know the answer to, instead of showing you Google results, it’ll ask if you want to pass your question along to ChatGPT. Tap to get the answer. You also can ask ChatGPT what you’re looking at on your iPhone. If you ask Siri “What is this?” while you’re looking at a photo, reading an article, browsing the web or watching a video, it’ll send ChatGPT a screenshot. The chatbot will analyze the info and offer its best guess. Daily sudoku puzzles If you subscribe to , in addition to the and , you can play a daily sudoku puzzle after you upgrade to iOS 18.2. Actually, you will find daily sudoku puzzles: easy, moderate and challenging. (Harder puzzles start with fewer revealed numbers on the board.) If you don’t know how to play sudoku, there’s a tutorial that teaches you the rules. The interface is pretty similar to other iOS sudoku apps. Tap on a square to select and tap on a number below to mark it. You can also write notes about possible solutions. The eraser clears a square. Without any squares on the board selected, tap on a number to highlight all instances of that number. When you have a number in every square, its key on the keyboard turns gray — so you know you’re done with it. If you get stuck, or if you find out you made a mistake, a few tools offer help. You can highlight all the conflicts on the current board, mark all the incorrect numbers, or if you want to give up, you can reveal the answers. Like all the Apple News+ games, it logs your statistics — your fastest time, average time, daily streak and win percentage. You can share your results and compete with your friends on . Share a lost item with an AirTag If you need help finding a lost item with an , like your luggage or a bag, you can temporarily get help from other people around you — employees at an airport or friends and family, for instance. Unlike , this new “Lost mode” is temporary, so it’s not like Doug who works at Chicago O’Hare will be able to see where your purse is forever. To use this new feature in iOS 18.2, open the app, tap , and then tap on the AirTag in question. You will see a new section. lets you pick a username or email address that people can use to find you if they find your item. gives someone else the ability to see where your bag is. Maybe if the item is in an employees-only area you don’t have access to, you can share it with someone who can get it for you. New email categories in Mail app In iOS 18.2, Apple’s Mail app automatically sorts your inbox into different categories: holds your personal emails and conversations with other people. shows your confirmation emails and order updates for shopping. is for notifications from online services. is for mailing lists, newsletters and other mass emails you subscribe to. You can tap on one of the icons to select the category and filter your mail; tap on the current category to deselect it and show in one unified list. This feature can make sorting through your inbox much easier. The new Mail categories feature only works on the iPhone. It’s not on the Mac — which is slightly understandable, since Macs run on a completely different code base — but weirdly, it’s not on the iPad, either. (It doesn’t appear on the , either, in case anyone cared.) Share quoted text in Safari If you want to send someone an article in Safari — but you want them to read a bit halfway down the page, one specific section, or even just a single quote — a new feature in iOS 18.2 brings a new, easier way. In Safari, first select a sentence. Then, from the pop-up menu, swipe over and tap . You can paste the link in Messages, Mail, Notes or in any other app. When someone opens the link, they’ll see your highlight. Improvements to Camera Control The iPhone 16 lineup’s gains three new settings in iOS 18.2. You can enable a focus and exposure lock, kind of like clicking and holding the shutter button on a traditional camera. Go to and enable . Then, when you hold down the Camera Control, it’ll lock the focus on whatever is in the middle of the frame. In , you will find a new setting for the Camera Control. With the setting enabled, when your iPhone is locked, clicking the Camera Control will wake it up; clicking it a second time will open the camera. Disable this setting if you want a single click of the Camera Control to launch the camera straight away. You can adjust the speed of the Camera Conrol’s double-click gesture. You can make it slow or much slower. Go to to set it how you want. Record a multitrack demo in Voice Memos If you own an iPhone 16 Pro, you can capture a multitrack recording in the after you update to iOS 18.2. This can come in handy if you want to record a quick music demo, laying down multiple parts that play at once. You can self-harmonize a cappella like a barbershop quartet or layer multiple instruments. To use the new multitrack feature, after recording the first track, tap the button to the left (with the icon of a waveform). Tap the to the right to add a second layer; hit whenever you’re ready. If you don’t like one of the takes, you can rewind to the beginning, toggle between 1 and 2, and tap to do it over. Tap in the upper left to adjust the mix between Track 1 and Track 2. Tap and you can save the new multilayer track over the original or as a new recording. You can import your recording into Logic Pro on a Mac for advanced editing. New settings and miscellaneous features in iOS 18.2 Here’s a lightning round of new settings and minor features: In the , you can now type in a specific change you want to make using a text prompt. You also can generate text from scratch with ChatGPT. You can put a volume slider on your iPhone’s Lock Screen to control the volume on-screen with your phone locked. To enable this, go to and turn on . If you like using but you find the “double tap the Home bar” shortcut keeps triggering accidentally, iOS 18.2 gives you another option: You can add a toggle in Control Center. With this enabled, you can disable in . iOS 18.2 also brings an easier, all-in-one interface for choosing default apps to act as your web browser, password manager, email client and more. Go to . Some of the categories don’t offer any alternatives yet. However, as Apple is legally compelled in different parts of the world to make iOS more modular, this user interface will become more useful over time. You can set a volume limit for your iPhone’s speaker. This only affects content like music, podcasts and videos; alarms and phone calls will still be able to use the maximum output. You can turn it on in by enabling and adjusting the slider. In , you can now press or to migrate your browsing history, bookmarks, extensions and passwords to and from a different web browser. This comes in handy if you want to . In iPadOS, you can customize the items in the top navigation bar with shortcuts to your favorite sections. Apple Intelligence now supports regional dialects of English for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. If you live in the European Union, you can delete more stock Apple apps from your phone. You can now remove Photos, Safari, Messages, Camera and the App Store. More new features in iOS 18 If you aren’t caught up on the other recent updates, check out the and the .Navitas Semiconductor Surges! Trading Volume Spikes as Analysts Revise Ratings.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has been ruled out for the second half of Saturday's SEC Championship Game against Texas after being injured on the final play of the first half. Texas' Trey Moore forced a fumble on Beck's pass attempt, appearing to injure the Georgia quarterback's throwing arm. Beck remained motionless on the field for a short time before joining the team in the locker room. Coach Kirby Smart told ESPN at halftime that Beck was done for the day. During the third quarter, Beck was seen with ice on his right elbow. Beck completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards and was sacked once before exiting. Georgia backup Gunner Stockton entered and led Georgia on a 10-play, 75-yard opening second-half drive, giving the Bulldogs their first lead at 10-6. Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson injured his left knee in the third quarter and was ruled out of the contest. He was taken off on a cart. --Field Level MediaBy Ojoma Akor Many Nigerians debating tax reform bills haven’t read them –Babangida Aliyu Nigeria’s tax administration system due for reform –FG Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You. NEWS UPDATE: Nigerians have been finally approved to earn Dollars from home, acquire premium domains for as low as $1500, profit as much as $22,000 (₦37million+). Click here to start. COVID variant XEC detected FG Nigeria No evidence
President Joe Biden’s judicial appointments are making waves in his final weeks in office. With the confirmation of Judge Tiffany Johnson to the Northern District of Georgia this week, Biden has now appointed —more than any president in U.S. history, according to The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. This milestone is particularly significant in a judiciary long criticized for lacking diversity. However, with a divided Congress and the prospect of a second Trump presidency, Biden’s picks could serve as a critical counterweight to policies that might target civil rights and marginalized communities. But as Biden prepares to leave office, pressing questions remain about the lasting impact of these appointments and the challenges of maintaining progress in the face of political opposition. In total, Biden has appointed 62 Black judges, the most by any president in a single term, according to The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. Among these appointments are , such as Tiffany Cunningham, the first Black judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and Dana Douglas, the first Black woman on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Approximately 40 percent of Biden’s confirmed Black judges come from diverse professional backgrounds, including civil rights lawyers, public defenders, and others who have dedicated their careers to protecting civil and human rights. “Even before taking office, President Biden signaled to the Senate that he wanted to make sure that people who had been historically excluded from our judiciary were included,” said Lena Zwarensteyn, senior director of the fair courts program at the Leadership Conference, in an interview with . “This isn’t just about fairness—it’s about better decision-making and restoring public trust.” Zwarensteyn explained, “The research shows that when you have more judges with different perspectives—because they’ve worked on different types of issues or come from different communities—it improves decision-making and certainly boosts trust in these institutions. So, ensuring that we have fair-minded judges at all levels is really important.” Biden’s most visible judicial appointment, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, made history in 2022 as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Her confirmation was a defining moment of Biden’s presidency and underscored a campaign promise to create a more inclusive judiciary. While Biden’s record-breaking numbers are notable, they also highlight a stark contrast with his predecessor. Donald Trump appointed only two Black women to the federal judiciary during his first term. In comparison, President Barack Obama appointed 26 Black judges over his eight years in office and former President Jimmy Carter, a previous benchmark for diversifying the bench, appointed 37 Black judges during his presidency. As Trump prepares for his second presidential term, with vows to dismantle key agencies like the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Biden’s Black judicial appointees could become pivotal in defending civil rights, voting protections and other democratic norms that may be under threat.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — De’Vondre Campbell’s decision to quit on his team in the middle of a game overshadowed the bigger issues for the San Francisco 49ers. An offense that was one of the most dynamic in the NFL during a run to the Super Bowl last season has been just ordinary for most of 2024 and was downright bad in a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night that just about ended San Francisco’s playoff hopes. San Francisco (6-8) was held to its fewest yards (191) in a regular-season game in eight seasons under coach Kyle Shanahan and its fewest points since Shanahan’s debut in 2017 on a rainy night that will be remembered mostly for Campbell walking off the field in the middle of the game with a towel draped over his head. The game also featured San Francisco going three-and-out on four drives as Brock Purdy struggled to connect with his receivers. Deebo Samuel dropped a potential touchdown pass after complaining earlier in the week about a lack of touches. Purdy then missed Ricky Pearsall on an underthrown deep shot in the fourth quarter before throwing an interception into the end zone that ended the Niners’ comeback attempt. RELATED COVERAGE Sean McVay’s Rams are on a roll toward the playoffs after 2 big wins in a 5-day stretch Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss reveals cancer diagnosis, 6-hour surgery Jets running back Hall ‘looks promising’ to play vs. Jags, but cornerback Reed is doubtful “I just feel like I had a lot of plays left out there that I could have made for our team,” Purdy said. “I thought the defense and special teams played so good. That’s what’s hurting me is I just feel like I failed the team. I could have been better for our offense and we could have put up more points.” Scoring has been an issue this season for the 49ers, who have been missing key playmakers like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk for much of the season. San Francisco is scoring 8.5 fewer points per game on offense than the Niners did through 14 games last season. The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . What’s working Red-zone defense. After allowing touchdowns on 13 consecutive red-zone drives over the previous four games, the 49ers kept the Rams out of the end zone on all three drives that went inside the 20. What needs help Receivers. The 49ers failed to get much production from their wide receivers with Purdy going 6 for 20 for 63 yards with an INT and a 19.4 rating when targeting wideouts. Samuel had 16 yards on seven targets with the key drop. Jauan Jennings had two drops and was the target on the interception. Pearsall had one catch for 16 yards on four targets. Stock up LB Dre Greenlaw returned for the first time since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season’s Super Bowl. Greenlaw had eight tackles in the first half as he brought needed intensity and physical play that had been missing for much of the season. Stock down Campbell. The 49ers are deciding whether to waive or suspend Campbell, who lost his starting job when Greenlaw returned and then refused to play when he was needed. “His actions from the game just is not something you can do to your team or your teammates and still expect to be a part of our team,” Shanahan said. “We’re working through exactly the semantics of it right now, but we’ll handle the situation appropriately.” Injuries Greenlaw came out of the game feeling OK after leaving with soreness in his knee and Achilles tendon. He is day to day. ... S Ji’Ayir Brown (groin) and LB Dee Winters (neck) are also day to day. ... LT Trent Williams (ankle) is still trying to get back to play after missing the last four games. Shanahan said Williams’ recovery has been “a lot slower than anticipated.” Key number 0 — The Niners didn’t reach the red zone once all game, with their deepest penetration into Rams territory being when they reached the 27 on a third-quarter field goal drive. This marked the first time since Week 11 in 2010 that the 49ers didn’t run a single play inside the opponent’s 25. What’s next The 49ers visit Miami on Dec. 22. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL