What does Bing Bong do in Peak? No matter how far youve made it through the latest climbing game hit, youll no doubt have already seen Bing Bong, the cute mascot of Bingbong Airlines. Not only does his cute face appear on the airline's marketing, but theres a cute Bing Bong plush item in-game, as well.Plenty of Peak items have important uses. Theres a powerful Peak magic bean thats a real boon in a pinch. Other items are essential for reviving Peak teammates in the co-op game. When you first wake up on the shore, though, some of the loot scattered around you might look less crucial - even if they are super cuddly. If youre wondering whether to use up a valuable inventory slot on the Peak Bing Bong plush, heres what you need to know. Continue reading What does the Peak Bing Bong plush do?MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Peak capybara location, How to revive in Peak, Peak bugle explained

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This Squash Casserole is a wonderful summer treat! Loaded in flavor and a great side dish. WHY WE LOVE THIS RECIPE We love our garden vegetables, and we always have extra squash! We make this delicious side dish every year, loaded with cheese, bacon, and topped with Cheez-its. It is also super versatile; you can...

Quick Baked Tacos are stuffed with seasoned ground beef and shredded cheese then baked and topped with an optional homemade cilantro lime cream sauce!A 35-MINUTE OVEN TACO RECIPEYou cant go wrong with Baked Tacos. Seriously, these are a huge family favorite and they are so good! They make for a fun, new taco night tradition while still keeping it easy. Baking them in the oven gives you this nice little crispiness to the shell that really takes the taste over the top. I included an easy recipe for homemade cilantro lime cream but it is totally optional. You can grab the store bought version if you prefer or you can serve these as-is or top with a little sour cream you make the call!FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:Can these baked tacos be made in the air fryer? Yes, I suppose they could. I havent tested it but pretty much anything you make in the oven can be made in an air fryer. It will just take longer to make them all since you can only fit so many in an air fryer at one time.I would suggest preheating the air fryer to about 375F degrees. Put in however many tacos you can comfortable fit in your air fryer basket (maybe 2-3.) Spray one side of the tacos with nonstick cooking spray then flip them over and spray the other side. This should help them to crisp up. Cook for about 6 minutes until golden brown. Can I use store bought cilantro lime crema instead? Yes, if you dont want to make your own, you can buy some. Many grocery stores offer it now. Ive even found it at Costco and Ive seen so many people loving it. Cholula makes a good cilantro lime crema- they also make the popular hot sauce with the cor- like topper. Many grocery stores even have their own name brand versions for cheap too. So, that could be another option if you dont want to make it from scratch. I dont like corn tortillas, can I use flour tortillas instead? Yep! If you dont like corn tortillas you can use flour. Id suggest grabbing the street taco size flour tortillas. Why are my corn tortillas ripping? My number one tip for this recipe is to make sure you dont skip warming up the corn tortillas before assembling! If youve never worked with corn tortillas before, you may not know how easily they tear. Warming this up keeps that from happening. You want them nice and pliable before filling them. Note: if you are using flour tortillas, you can skip that step. What other toppings can I try? You can use any toppings youd like including salsa, avocado, sour cream, etc. Generally whatever you use for tacos use for this. You can open these up after baking to add some toppings or you can drizzle the outside of these with sour cream or the cilantro lime crema and then pop on the toppings the cream will help the toppings stick to the taco (see my images below). How long do leftover Baked Tacos last? Store leftover tacos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store leftover avocado crema separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 8 days. These can be frozen if store properly for up to 3 months. What to serve with Baked Tacos? These tacos are great by themselves, but you could finish of your meal by serving with Mexican Rice, Homemade Refried Beans or a simple salad! What part of the cilantro bunch do I use? For the cilantro, its typically sold in standard sized bunches. Youll use the whole bunch in this recipe. Its up to you if you want to use the stems or not they are an edible part of cilantro. If you want a more mild cilantro taste, start with less cilantro in the sauce and then adjust to your liking. Whats the best way to reheat Baked Tacos? You can reheat these tacos in the microwave, but to keep the crisp Id recommend the oven or air fryer at 250F degrees for 5-7 minutes. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)oil great options to use are olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil (whatever is your preference)ground beef but you can easily swap this beef out for ground turkey or chicken. You could even use Birria (beef), Carnitas (pork), or Chicken.taco seasoning grab a packet of your favorite seasoning, or use some Homemade Taco Seasoning an especially good option to make if you need to adjust the salt content in your seasoning waterwhite onion I used a white onion here but you could use a sweet or yellow onion.shredded Mexican blend cheese if you want some other Mexican cheese options to try, give any of these a whirl: Queso Oaxaca (Mexican mozzarella basically), Queso Chihuahua (similar to cheddar) and Queso Asadero (this one is a fabulous melting cheese!)corn tortillas as I said above, you can use flour, just get the street corn size. You want them to be similar in size as the corn tortillas would be.sour cream you can use plain Greek Yogurt as well.mayonnaise we dont use a lot of mayonnaise in this cream sauce but just enough helps to balance out the flavors.fresh squeezed lime juice I prefer fresh squeezed citrus juices over the bottled stuff for best flavor. I think the bottled lime juice can taste overly acidic.lime zestgarlic use fresh garlic here if at all possible. The jarred garlic just doesnt give that stronger pop of garlic flavor we want here. cilantro cilantro is sold in bunches, you will use the whole bunch (the stems are edible but I will leave that up to you whether you want to include those or not.)saltHOW TO MAKE BAKED TACOS:Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add in the onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook and crumble the ground beef until browned. Drain any excess grease.Then add in the taco seasoning and water with the ground beef mixture and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes.Sprinkle in the shredded cheese and stir until melted. Then take off the heat. Warm up the corn tortillas to prevent them from tearing while assembling the tacos. This can be done by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds.Arrange the warmed tortillas on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.Assemble the tacos by spooning some of the taco beef mixture onto half of each tortilla and then fold them in half.Bake on the middle oven rack for 15 minutes or until golden brown.While the tacos are baking, make the cilantro lime crema sauce by combining the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cilantro, and salt in a blender and blend until fully combined and smooth.Drizzle the cilantro lime crema over the top of the tacos once done baking, and enjoy!CRAVING MORE RECIPES?Crock Pot Birria TacosShrimp TacosWalking TacosCrock Pot Shredded Chicken For TacosCrock Pot Buffalo Chicken TacosBig Mac Smashburger TacosHillbilly TacosTaco Stuffed ShellsCilantro Lime ChickenTaco Biscuit Cups PrintBaked TacosThese quick and easy beef tacos are baked in the oven in a crispy tortilla shell.Course Dinner, Main CourseCuisine AmericanPrep Time 5 minutes minutesCook Time 30 minutes minutesTotal Time 35 minutes minutesServings 10Calories 259kcalAuthor Brandie SkibinskiIngredientsTaco Ingredients:1 Tablespoon oil (olive oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil) white onion, finely diced1 pound ground beef1 packet taco seasoning1 Tablespoon water (see notes below) cup shredded Mexican blend cheese10 corn tortillasCilantro Lime Crema Ingredients:1 cup sour cream1 Tablespoon mayonnaise2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juicezest of lime1 clove garlic, minced1 bunch of cilantro (see notes below)1 teaspoon saltInstructionsPreheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add in white onion, finely diced and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 pound ground beef to the skillet and cook and crumble the ground beef until browned. Drain any excess grease and put back into the skillet.Then add in 1 packet taco seasoning and 1 Tablespoon water with the ground beef mixture and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle in cup shredded Mexican blend cheese and stir until melted. Then take off the heat. Warm up 10 corn tortillas to prevent them from tearing while assembling the tacos. This can be done by wrapping them in a damp paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds. Arrange the warmed tortillas on the parchment paper lined baking sheet.Assemble the tacos by spooning some of the taco beef mixture onto half of each tortilla and then fold them in half Bake on the middle oven rack for 15 minutes or until golden brown. While the tacos are baking, make the cilantro lime crema sauce by combining 1 cup sour cream, 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice, zest of lime, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 bunch of cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until fully combined and smooth. Drizzle the cilantro lime crema over the top of the tacos once done baking, and enjoy! Top with your favorite taco toppings! NotesPlease refer to my FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.If youre not used to purchasing cilantro, they come sold in bunches. You are going to use one bunch for this recipe. The stems are edible but you can remove them if you prefer. If you arent sure that you want to use that much cilantro, start with a little then taste. Add a little more at a time until you get it to your taste preference.You are not using the amount of water called for on the back of the taco seasoning packet. We dont want the meat mixture too wet. However, if you like that texture better, then use the 3/4 cup called for on the back of the packet.NutritionCalories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 343mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g

Samsung is about to launch the seventh generation of its foldable Galaxy devices, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 set to star in an Unpacked press conference next Wednesday. Almost every other big player in the smartphone business has released at least one foldable phone since Samsungs first Fold device.Apple is the notable exception, a company known for taking its time before matching the tech offerings of its biggest rivals. But even Apple is now widely expected to launch foldable devices, starting with a foldable iPhone that will be part of the iPhone 18 series next year.A foldable iPad should follow as early as a year later, unless Apple decides to postpone the release of the larger device. A new report from Asia claims that Apple is doing just that, putting the foldable iPad development on hold while it proceeds with prototyping the foldable iPhone.Continue reading...The post Foldable iPad may be delayed, as focus shifts to foldable iPhone appeared first on BGR.

iOS 18 is Apple's current operating system for iPhone models, including the new iPhone 16. Previewed during the WWDC 2024 keynote, this software update offers a Home Screen redesign, more privacy features, and Apple Intelligence.BGR has a guide highlighting the upcoming iOS 26, set to be released later this fall.Release DateiOS 18 has been available since September 16, 2024. Its first beta was released on June 10, with a public beta made available the following month.FeaturesiOS 18 is full of new features for iPhone users. BGR has compiled the most important ones here for you.Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center revampiOS 18: Big home screen redesign Image source: Apple Inc.In previous iOS updates, Apple has tweaked the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center. This time, the company has finally taken customization to a new level. Now, apps can be organized in any way, which means they can be placed anywhere.App icons and widgets can take on a new look with a dark or tinted effect, and users can make apps appear larger to create the perfect experience. In the Lock Screen, it's possible to choose new widgets instead of the Flashlight and Camera options. Here's how to customize the iPhone's Home Screen in iOS 18.Image source: Jos Adorno for BGRFinally, the Control Center has been redesigned. Users can create new groups of widgets for Home controls, connectivity, and music listening and reorganize the widgets' locations. The new controls gallery displays the full set of available options, and users can customize how the controls are laid out, including adjusting them to the ideal size and creating entirely new groups. Here's how to customize the iPhone's Control Center in iOS 18.There's even an over-the-top new interactive flashlight widget. However, with all of these changes, adding a new wallpaper seems more confusing than ever.Photos app gets the biggest update to dateImage source: Apple Inc.Apple has an ambitious plan for iOS 18's Photos app. With its redesign, Apple wants to make it easier for users to find and relive special moments. With a single-view display, it offers new collections to help users browse by themes without having to organize content into albums.Collections can be pinned to keep favorites easily accessible. While there was a new carousel view, Apple removed it during the beta test in favor of a more simplified experience. Apple says that auto-playing content throughout the app brings libraries to life "so past moments can be enjoyed while browsing."With iOS 18.2, Apple improved the app with these changes:Albums in the Photos app can now be sorted alphabetically, by date created, or manually.The Favorites album now appears in the Utilities collection in addition to Pinned Collections.Improvements when viewing videos include the ability to scrub frame-by-frame and a setting to turn off auto-looping video playback.Improvements when navigating Collections views, including the ability to swipe right to go back to the previous view.Recently Viewed and Recently Shared album history can now be cleared, and more.Still, months after iOS 18 was released, many iPhone users have continued to complain about the "Indexing Your Library" issue.If you disliked the new look, there's a way to almost bring back the old design. Here's how to fix the iOS 18 Photos app.Messages get powerful new featuresImage source: Apple Inc.With iOS 18, Apple is adding even more features to Messages. These are the top new functions:All-new text effects: You can amplify any letter, word, phrase, or emoji with dynamic, animated appearancesPersonalize messages: Users can better express tone by adding formatting like bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough;Tapbacks: Includes any emoji or sticker;Schedule messages: Over the iMessage menu, you can schedule a message to send later;Messages via satellite: When cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren't available, you can send and receive texts, emojis, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.Passwords App and new ways to stay safeImage source: Apple Inc.Building on the foundation of Keychain, the new Passwords app makes it easy for users to access their passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes.In addition, Apple has released new features that let users lock and hide apps. When an app is locked or hidden, content like messages or emails inside the app is hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system. Users can only unlock it with Face ID and Touch ID. BGR teaches you how to hide and lock iPhone apps in iOS 18.CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra featuresImage source: Apple Inc.iOS 18 also brings new features for CarPlay users. Here they are:Announced Notifications support:Announce Notifications can read aloud your notification summaries when using AirPods or CarPlay.Spatial Audio:Drivers can now listen to Spatial Audio songs and albums available in Apple Music and third-party apps while connected to CarPlay. Vehicles with multichannel audio capabilities can enable an immersive sound experience. Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos can also be implemented in compatible vehicles.Accessibility:Color Filters, Bold Text, Voice Control, and Sound Recognition accessibility settings are now available in CarPlay in IOS 18, providing a consistent experience between the iPhone and the vehicle.Apple also announced CarPlay Ultra, its long-awaited "next-generation CarPlay." Here, you can learn more about it.Everything new with Apple Music in iOS 18Image source: Jos Adorno for BGREvent Tickets with Apple Wallet:The new Tickets in Wallet feature improves event information with venue and parking details, in-seat food delivery, and even recommended playlists from Apple Music. It all depends on the promoter.Music Haptics:Apple Music has a breakthrough feature coming with iOS 18, but its likely not for you. With Music Haptics, Apple brings a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music on iPhone. The company explains: With this feature enabled, the Taptic Engine in iPhone plays taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the audio of the music.UI tweaks:Apple has tweaked the Shuffle, Repeat, and Autoplay icons with bigger buttons.You can learn more about Apple Music features in iOS 18 here.RCS is hereImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRLast year, Apple announced that RCS messaging support would come in 2024. With iOS 18 now available, Cupertino brings RCS-supported texts, better integration on group messages, high-quality photos and videos, and more between iPhone and Android. However, if you don't see RCS support on your device, you must wait for an update from your carrier.Still, features like memoji, stickers, edit, and unsend messages will continue to be iMessage-exclusive. You can have a first look at RCS texting here.Additional iOS 18 featuresThere's even more Apple available with iOS 18, including:InApple Maps, users can browse thousands of hikes across national parks in the United States and easily create their own custom walking routes, which they can access offline;Game Modeenhances the gaming experience with more consistent frame rates, especially during long play sessions;SharePlaywithApple Musicallowseven more users to share control of music playing from HomePod, Apple TV, or any Bluetooth-enabled speaker, making listening together more fun and engaging;iPhone Mirror: You can control your iPhone on a Mac running macOS Sequoia; it's possible to follow notifications and even drag and drop content;In theNotes app, formulas and equations entered while typing are solved instantly with Math Notes; you can learn more about the new Notes app here;InJournal, an all-new insights view helps users keep track of their journaling goals, and the ability to search and sort entries makes it easy to enjoy past memories. You can learn more about the new Journal app here;Calendarbecomes even more helpful by showing both events and tasks fromReminders;iPhone Contacts app gets a security layer, and Apple now asks if you want to share only a few contacts or all your agenda with an app.Here are 13 hidden features that you should be using every day on your iPhone.iOS 18 Apple Intelligence's major featuresApple Intelligence running on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Image source: Apple Inc.Exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, Apple offers Apple Intelligence, which is an AI platform built-in with "privacy from the ground up." These are the main features:Writing Tools: Users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps;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;Genmoji: With this function, iPhone users will use AI to generate new emoji characters based on text input, such as T-rex wearing a tutu on a surfboard. Learn more about it here;Memories in Photos: Users can create stories they want to see just by typing a description. Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on the description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc;Clean Up tool: This Photos app feature can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without accidentally altering the subject;Siri: Users type to Siri and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri in whatever way feels right for the moment.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.Here, you can learn everything iPhone users can test so far.Delayed iOS 18 featuresApple has one iOS 18 delayed feature that it won't deliver:On-screen Siri awareness: Promised during the WWDC 2024 keynote, this Apple Intelligence feature would be available alongside iOS 18.4. However, Apple has indefinitely postponed this function until it becomes usable.Major software updatesThese are all major iOS 18 updates:iOS 18iOS 18.0.1iOS 18.1iOS 18.1.1iOS 18.2iOS 18.2.1iOS 18.3iOS 18.3.1iOS 18.4iOS 18.4.1iOS 18.5iOS 18.1 featuresImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRiOS 18.1 was released on October 28. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights: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 youre 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.Priority messages in Mail:Elevate time-sensitive messages to the top of your inbox, like an invitation that has a deadline today or a check-in reminder for your flight this afternoon.Clean Up:This Photos app 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.Record and transcribe calls in the Notes app:Just hit record in the Notes or Phone apps to capture audio recordings and transcripts. Apple Intelligence generates summaries of your transcripts, so you can get to the most important information at a glance.Reduce interruptions:An all-new Focus Mode understands the content of your notifications and shows you the ones that might need immediate attention, like a text about picking up your child from daycare later today.Smart Reply in Mail:Quickly draft an email response with all the right details. Apple Intelligence can identify the question you were asked in an email and offer relevant selections to include in your response.You can learn more about this software update here. It also includes security patches and bug fixes with it.Apple privacy claims questioned over AI that analyzes personal photos without opt-in starting with iOS 18.1iOS 18.2 featuresImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRiOS 18.2 was released on December 12. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights:Apple is expanding Apple Intelligence features:Genmoji support:Create custom emojis by combining two figures; users can type a prompt like monkey with pink hat to make an entirely new emoji heres how to use Genmoji on your iPhone 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 here's how to request access to Image Playground so you can use GenmojiChatGPT integration:When you feel Apple Intelligence isnt enough, you can allow ChatGPT to access Writing Tools and other features for a better response how to stop Apple Intelligence from making you confirm every ChatGPT requestVisual Intelligence: It 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 moreImage 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 appThere are other functions available with this update:All-new Mail app: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 whats important at the momentChange default apps:iOS 18.2 lets iPhone users change the Messages and Phone default appsVolume Limit:The Settings app now has a new Volume Limit control. This lets you limit how loud your iPhone speakers can play mediaVoice Memos:During the iPhone 16 event, Apple announced the iPhone 16 Pro would get a Voice Memos upgrade. With iOS 18.2, users can layer multiple tracks on top of each other.iPhone users complained about several iOS 18.2 bugs, including an iPhone camera issue and battery life drain.iOS 18.3 featuresImage source: Apple Inc.iOS 18.3 was released on January 27. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights:Notification summaries (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)Easily manage settings for notification summaries from the Lock ScreenUpdated style for summarized notifications better distinguishes them from other notifications by using italicized text as well as the glyphNotification summaries for News & Entertainment apps are temporarily unavailable, and users who opt-in will see them again when the feature becomes availableThis update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:Calculator repeats the last mathematical operation when you tap the equals sign againFixes an issue where the keyboard might disappear when initiating a typed Siri requestResolves an issue where audio playback continues until the song ends even after closing Apple MusicYou'll also find these changes in this version:Camera Control icons:Apple has updated the Camera Control icons to the new Dark Mode. This change has been spotted byX user Aaron Perris. In addition, the Camera Control has renamed the AF/EF toggle to Lock Focus and Exposure.Visual Intelligence improvement:iOS 18.3 adds Visual Intelligence support for adding events to the Calendar app. So when viewing a poster or flyer, Apple will give you an option to add an event to the Calendar app.Plants and animals on Visual Intelligence:Similar to Visual Look Up, the Visual Intelligence feature enabled by the Camera Control can identify plants and animals in real time.Black Unity wallpapers:As usual,Apple released new Black Unity wallpaperswith iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. This time, Apple was inspired by the rhythm of humanity to create this collection.iOS 18.4 featuresImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRiOS 18.4 was released on March 31. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights:New languages:Apple adds Chinese, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and localized English for Singapore and India.Image Playground:The long-awaited Sketch style is now available alongside the Animation and Illustration options.Genmoji:Apple tweaked the Genmoji icon on the keyboard, as it now reads Genmoji.Apple News+ Food:This update will bring a new Food section to Apple News. Subscribers can access recipes, tips for healthy eating, restaurants, and more.Vision Pro app:With iOS 18.4, Apple Vision Pro will get its own iPhone app. It will help you download apps, visionOS content, tips, and information and even set up Guest Mode.Apple Maps change:You can now set a Preferred Language to get directions instead of the one you use on your iPhone.Ambient music:iOS 18.4 adds new Control Center toggles for Ambient Music, including Chill, Productivity, Sleep, and Wellbeing.CarPlay update:Cars with bigger screens now get three rows of apps displayed.AirPods Max with Lossless: The USB-C headphones now support lossless audio.iOS 18.5 featuresiOS 18.5 was released on May 12. This is one of the lightest iOS 18 updates so far, focused on bug fixes:Parents now receive a notification when the Screen Time passcode is used on a childs deviceBuy with iPhone is available when purchasing content within the Apple TV app on a 3rd party deviceFixes an issue where the Apple Vision Pro app may display a black screenSupport for carrier-provided satellite feature is available on all iPhone 13 models.The company is currently testing iOS 18.6.Apple revealed iOS 18 accessibility features before WWDC 2024Image source: Apple Inc.Before WWDC 2024 kicked off, Apple announced several accessibility features coming to the iPhone. Here are some of them:Music Haptics:Music Haptics is a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music on the iPhone. With this accessibility feature turned on, the iPhones Taptic Engine plays taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the musics audio. Music Haptics works across millions of songs in the Apple Music catalog and will be available as an API for developers to make music more accessible in their apps.Wide Range of Speech:With Vocal Shortcuts, iPhone and iPad users can assign custom utterances that Siri can understand to launch shortcuts and complete complex tasks. Listen for Atypical Speech, another new feature, gives users an option for enhancing speech recognition for a wider range of speech.Vehicle Motion Cues:Vehicle Motion Cues is a new experience for iPhone and iPad that can help reduce motion sickness for passengers in moving vehicles. With Vehicle Motion Cues, animated dots on the edges of the screen represent changes in vehicle motion to help reduce sensory conflict without interfering with the main content.CarPlay gets Voice Control:Accessibility features coming to CarPlay include Voice Control, Color Filters, and Sound Recognition. With Voice Control, users can navigate CarPlay and control apps with just their voice. With Sound Recognition, drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing can turn on alerts to be notified of car horns and sirens. For users who are colorblind, Color Filters make the CarPlay interface visually easier to use, with additional visual accessibility features including Bold Text and Large Text.Official iOS 18 downloadiOS 18, codenamed Crystal, has been announced on June 10. The official download has been available since September 16, 2024.How to download iOS 18Image source: Jos Adorno for BGRHere's how to download iOS 18:On your iPhone, open the Settings appTap on General and Software UpdateHow to download iOS 18 beta and public betaiOS 18 beta has been available since June 10, and the public beta since July 15, 2024. After enrolling in the Apple Beta Software Program, follow the steps below:On your iPhone, open the Settings appTap on General and Software UpdateTap on Beta Updates and enable iOS 18 Public BetaHere we detail nine reasons to install the newest beta. Or, if you need to, here's how to uninstall the iOS 18 beta. So far, using beta gives you early access to Apple Intelligence features.Supported devicesiPhone 15 Pro Max camera system. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGRWith iOS 17, Apple ditched the iPhone 8 and iPhone X models from its lineup. With iOS 18, Apple continues to offer support for the same iPhones. However, Apple Intelligence features will be exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro models. That said, these are the iPhone models that can run this new system:iPhone XR, XS, and XS MaxiPhone 11iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro MaxiPhone SE (2nd gen)iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro MaxiPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro MaxiPhone SE (3rd gen)iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 PlusiPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro MaxiPhone 15 and iPhone 15 PlusiPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro MaxiPhone 16 and iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro MaxiPhone 16eReviewIn our iOS 18 review, BGR praises the redesign available with this software update. However, the most important features aren't here yet.iOS 18 has several quality-of-life improvements, and even if you cant enjoy Apple Intelligence, Cupertino has lots of features that will almost make you feel like youre using a new device. This is the beginning of a new era, even if we cant enjoy it just yet.Don't Miss: iPhone 16: Release date, features, review, price, AI, and moreThe post iOS 18: Features, release date, beta, download, Apple Intelligence appeared first on BGR.

iOS 18 is Apple's current operating system for iPhone models, including the new iPhone 16. Previewed during the WWDC 2024 keynote, this software update offers a Home Screen redesign, more privacy features, and Apple Intelligence.BGR has a guide highlighting the upcoming iOS 26, set to be released later this fall.Release DateiOS 18 has been available since September 16, 2024. Its first beta was released on June 10, with a public beta made available the following month.FeaturesiOS 18 is full of new features for iPhone users. BGR has compiled the most important ones here for you.Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center revampiOS 18: Big home screen redesign Image source: Apple Inc.In previous iOS updates, Apple has tweaked the Home Screen, Lock Screen, and Control Center. This time, the company has finally taken customization to a new level. Now, apps can be organized in any way, which means they can be placed anywhere.App icons and widgets can take on a new look with a dark or tinted effect, and users can make apps appear larger to create the perfect experience. In the Lock Screen, it's possible to choose new widgets instead of the Flashlight and Camera options. Here's how to customize the iPhone's Home Screen in iOS 18.Image source: Jos Adorno for BGRFinally, the Control Center has been redesigned. Users can create new groups of widgets for Home controls, connectivity, and music listening and reorganize the widgets' locations. The new controls gallery displays the full set of available options, and users can customize how the controls are laid out, including adjusting them to the ideal size and creating entirely new groups. Here's how to customize the iPhone's Control Center in iOS 18.There's even an over-the-top new interactive flashlight widget. However, with all of these changes, adding a new wallpaper seems more confusing than ever.Photos app gets the biggest update to dateImage source: Apple Inc.Apple has an ambitious plan for iOS 18's Photos app. With its redesign, Apple wants to make it easier for users to find and relive special moments. With a single-view display, it offers new collections to help users browse by themes without having to organize content into albums.Collections can be pinned to keep favorites easily accessible. While there was a new carousel view, Apple removed it during the beta test in favor of a more simplified experience. Apple says that auto-playing content throughout the app brings libraries to life "so past moments can be enjoyed while browsing."With iOS 18.2, Apple improved the app with these changes:Albums in the Photos app can now be sorted alphabetically, by date created, or manually.The Favorites album now appears in the Utilities collection in addition to Pinned Collections.Improvements when viewing videos include the ability to scrub frame-by-frame and a setting to turn off auto-looping video playback.Improvements when navigating Collections views, including the ability to swipe right to go back to the previous view.Recently Viewed and Recently Shared album history can now be cleared, and more.Still, months after iOS 18 was released, many iPhone users have continued to complain about the "Indexing Your Library" issue.If you disliked the new look, there's a way to almost bring back the old design. Here's how to fix the iOS 18 Photos app.Messages get powerful new featuresImage source: Apple Inc.With iOS 18, Apple is adding even more features to Messages. These are the top new functions:All-new text effects: You can amplify any letter, word, phrase, or emoji with dynamic, animated appearancesPersonalize messages: Users can better express tone by adding formatting like bold, underline, italics, and strikethrough;Tapbacks: Includes any emoji or sticker;Schedule messages: Over the iMessage menu, you can schedule a message to send later;Messages via satellite: When cellular and Wi-Fi connections aren't available, you can send and receive texts, emojis, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS.Passwords App and new ways to stay safeImage source: Apple Inc.Building on the foundation of Keychain, the new Passwords app makes it easy for users to access their passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi passwords, and verification codes.In addition, Apple has released new features that let users lock and hide apps. When an app is locked or hidden, content like messages or emails inside the app is hidden from search, notifications, and other places across the system. Users can only unlock it with Face ID and Touch ID. BGR teaches you how to hide and lock iPhone apps in iOS 18.CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra featuresImage source: Apple Inc.iOS 18 also brings new features for CarPlay users. Here they are:Announced Notifications support:Announce Notifications can read aloud your notification summaries when using AirPods or CarPlay.Spatial Audio:Drivers can now listen to Spatial Audio songs and albums available in Apple Music and third-party apps while connected to CarPlay. Vehicles with multichannel audio capabilities can enable an immersive sound experience. Spatial Audio with support for Dolby Atmos can also be implemented in compatible vehicles.Accessibility:Color Filters, Bold Text, Voice Control, and Sound Recognition accessibility settings are now available in CarPlay in IOS 18, providing a consistent experience between the iPhone and the vehicle.Apple also announced CarPlay Ultra, its long-awaited "next-generation CarPlay." Here, you can learn more about it.Everything new with Apple Music in iOS 18Image source: Jos Adorno for BGREvent Tickets with Apple Wallet:The new Tickets in Wallet feature improves event information with venue and parking details, in-seat food delivery, and even recommended playlists from Apple Music. It all depends on the promoter.Music Haptics:Apple Music has a breakthrough feature coming with iOS 18, but its likely not for you. With Music Haptics, Apple brings a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music on iPhone. The company explains: With this feature enabled, the Taptic Engine in iPhone plays taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the audio of the music.UI tweaks:Apple has tweaked the Shuffle, Repeat, and Autoplay icons with bigger buttons.You can learn more about Apple Music features in iOS 18 here.RCS is hereImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRLast year, Apple announced that RCS messaging support would come in 2024. With iOS 18 now available, Cupertino brings RCS-supported texts, better integration on group messages, high-quality photos and videos, and more between iPhone and Android. However, if you don't see RCS support on your device, you must wait for an update from your carrier.Still, features like memoji, stickers, edit, and unsend messages will continue to be iMessage-exclusive. You can have a first look at RCS texting here.Additional iOS 18 featuresThere's even more Apple available with iOS 18, including:InApple Maps, users can browse thousands of hikes across national parks in the United States and easily create their own custom walking routes, which they can access offline;Game Modeenhances the gaming experience with more consistent frame rates, especially during long play sessions;SharePlaywithApple Musicallowseven more users to share control of music playing from HomePod, Apple TV, or any Bluetooth-enabled speaker, making listening together more fun and engaging;iPhone Mirror: You can control your iPhone on a Mac running macOS Sequoia; it's possible to follow notifications and even drag and drop content;In theNotes app, formulas and equations entered while typing are solved instantly with Math Notes; you can learn more about the new Notes app here;InJournal, an all-new insights view helps users keep track of their journaling goals, and the ability to search and sort entries makes it easy to enjoy past memories. You can learn more about the new Journal app here;Calendarbecomes even more helpful by showing both events and tasks fromReminders;iPhone Contacts app gets a security layer, and Apple now asks if you want to share only a few contacts or all your agenda with an app.Here are 13 hidden features that you should be using every day on your iPhone.iOS 18 Apple Intelligence's major featuresApple Intelligence running on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Image source: Apple Inc.Exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, Apple offers Apple Intelligence, which is an AI platform built-in with "privacy from the ground up." These are the main features:Writing Tools: Users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps;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;Genmoji: With this function, iPhone users will use AI to generate new emoji characters based on text input, such as T-rex wearing a tutu on a surfboard. Learn more about it here;Memories in Photos: Users can create stories they want to see just by typing a description. Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on the description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc;Clean Up tool: This Photos app feature can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo without accidentally altering the subject;Siri: Users type to Siri and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri in whatever way feels right for the moment.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.Here, you can learn everything iPhone users can test so far.Delayed iOS 18 featuresApple has one iOS 18 delayed feature that it won't deliver:On-screen Siri awareness: Promised during the WWDC 2024 keynote, this Apple Intelligence feature would be available alongside iOS 18.4. However, Apple has indefinitely postponed this function until it becomes usable.Major software updatesThese are all major iOS 18 updates:iOS 18iOS 18.0.1iOS 18.1iOS 18.1.1iOS 18.2iOS 18.2.1iOS 18.3iOS 18.3.1iOS 18.4iOS 18.4.1iOS 18.5iOS 18.1 featuresImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRiOS 18.1 was released on October 28. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights: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 youre 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.Priority messages in Mail:Elevate time-sensitive messages to the top of your inbox, like an invitation that has a deadline today or a check-in reminder for your flight this afternoon.Clean Up:This Photos app 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.Record and transcribe calls in the Notes app:Just hit record in the Notes or Phone apps to capture audio recordings and transcripts. Apple Intelligence generates summaries of your transcripts, so you can get to the most important information at a glance.Reduce interruptions:An all-new Focus Mode understands the content of your notifications and shows you the ones that might need immediate attention, like a text about picking up your child from daycare later today.Smart Reply in Mail:Quickly draft an email response with all the right details. Apple Intelligence can identify the question you were asked in an email and offer relevant selections to include in your response.You can learn more about this software update here. It also includes security patches and bug fixes with it.Apple privacy claims questioned over AI that analyzes personal photos without opt-in starting with iOS 18.1iOS 18.2 featuresImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRiOS 18.2 was released on December 12. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights:Apple is expanding Apple Intelligence features:Genmoji support:Create custom emojis by combining two figures; users can type a prompt like monkey with pink hat to make an entirely new emoji heres how to use Genmoji on your iPhone 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 here's how to request access to Image Playground so you can use GenmojiChatGPT integration:When you feel Apple Intelligence isnt enough, you can allow ChatGPT to access Writing Tools and other features for a better response how to stop Apple Intelligence from making you confirm every ChatGPT requestVisual Intelligence: It 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 moreImage 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 appThere are other functions available with this update:All-new Mail app: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 whats important at the momentChange default apps:iOS 18.2 lets iPhone users change the Messages and Phone default appsVolume Limit:The Settings app now has a new Volume Limit control. This lets you limit how loud your iPhone speakers can play mediaVoice Memos:During the iPhone 16 event, Apple announced the iPhone 16 Pro would get a Voice Memos upgrade. With iOS 18.2, users can layer multiple tracks on top of each other.iPhone users complained about several iOS 18.2 bugs, including an iPhone camera issue and battery life drain.iOS 18.3 featuresImage source: Apple Inc.iOS 18.3 was released on January 27. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights:Notification summaries (All iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max)Easily manage settings for notification summaries from the Lock ScreenUpdated style for summarized notifications better distinguishes them from other notifications by using italicized text as well as the glyphNotification summaries for News & Entertainment apps are temporarily unavailable, and users who opt-in will see them again when the feature becomes availableThis update includes the following enhancements and bug fixes:Calculator repeats the last mathematical operation when you tap the equals sign againFixes an issue where the keyboard might disappear when initiating a typed Siri requestResolves an issue where audio playback continues until the song ends even after closing Apple MusicYou'll also find these changes in this version:Camera Control icons:Apple has updated the Camera Control icons to the new Dark Mode. This change has been spotted byX user Aaron Perris. In addition, the Camera Control has renamed the AF/EF toggle to Lock Focus and Exposure.Visual Intelligence improvement:iOS 18.3 adds Visual Intelligence support for adding events to the Calendar app. So when viewing a poster or flyer, Apple will give you an option to add an event to the Calendar app.Plants and animals on Visual Intelligence:Similar to Visual Look Up, the Visual Intelligence feature enabled by the Camera Control can identify plants and animals in real time.Black Unity wallpapers:As usual,Apple released new Black Unity wallpaperswith iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. This time, Apple was inspired by the rhythm of humanity to create this collection.iOS 18.4 featuresImage source: Jos Adorno for BGRiOS 18.4 was released on March 31. The main features regard Apple Intelligence. These are the highlights:New languages:Apple adds Chinese, French, German, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and localized English for Singapore and India.Image Playground:The long-awaited Sketch style is now available alongside the Animation and Illustration options.Genmoji:Apple tweaked the Genmoji icon on the keyboard, as it now reads Genmoji.Apple News+ Food:This update will bring a new Food section to Apple News. Subscribers can access recipes, tips for healthy eating, restaurants, and more.Vision Pro app:With iOS 18.4, Apple Vision Pro will get its own iPhone app. It will help you download apps, visionOS content, tips, and information and even set up Guest Mode.Apple Maps change:You can now set a Preferred Language to get directions instead of the one you use on your iPhone.Ambient music:iOS 18.4 adds new Control Center toggles for Ambient Music, including Chill, Productivity, Sleep, and Wellbeing.CarPlay update:Cars with bigger screens now get three rows of apps displayed.AirPods Max with Lossless: The USB-C headphones now support lossless audio.iOS 18.5 featuresiOS 18.5 was released on May 12. This is one of the lightest iOS 18 updates so far, focused on bug fixes:Parents now receive a notification when the Screen Time passcode is used on a childs deviceBuy with iPhone is available when purchasing content within the Apple TV app on a 3rd party deviceFixes an issue where the Apple Vision Pro app may display a black screenSupport for carrier-provided satellite feature is available on all iPhone 13 models.The company is currently testing iOS 18.6.Apple revealed iOS 18 accessibility features before WWDC 2024Image source: Apple Inc.Before WWDC 2024 kicked off, Apple announced several accessibility features coming to the iPhone. Here are some of them:Music Haptics:Music Haptics is a new way for users who are deaf or hard of hearing to experience music on the iPhone. With this accessibility feature turned on, the iPhones Taptic Engine plays taps, textures, and refined vibrations to the musics audio. Music Haptics works across millions of songs in the Apple Music catalog and will be available as an API for developers to make music more accessible in their apps.Wide Range of Speech:With Vocal Shortcuts, iPhone and iPad users can assign custom utterances that Siri can understand to launch shortcuts and complete complex tasks. Listen for Atypical Speech, another new feature, gives users an option for enhancing speech recognition for a wider range of speech.Vehicle Motion Cues:Vehicle Motion Cues is a new experience for iPhone and iPad that can help reduce motion sickness for passengers in moving vehicles. With Vehicle Motion Cues, animated dots on the edges of the screen represent changes in vehicle motion to help reduce sensory conflict without interfering with the main content.CarPlay gets Voice Control:Accessibility features coming to CarPlay include Voice Control, Color Filters, and Sound Recognition. With Voice Control, users can navigate CarPlay and control apps with just their voice. With Sound Recognition, drivers or passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing can turn on alerts to be notified of car horns and sirens. For users who are colorblind, Color Filters make the CarPlay interface visually easier to use, with additional visual accessibility features including Bold Text and Large Text.Official iOS 18 downloadiOS 18, codenamed Crystal, has been announced on June 10. The official download has been available since September 16, 2024.How to download iOS 18Image source: Jos Adorno for BGRHere's how to download iOS 18:On your iPhone, open the Settings appTap on General and Software UpdateHow to download iOS 18 beta and public betaiOS 18 beta has been available since June 10, and the public beta since July 15, 2024. After enrolling in the Apple Beta Software Program, follow the steps below:On your iPhone, open the Settings appTap on General and Software UpdateTap on Beta Updates and enable iOS 18 Public BetaHere we detail nine reasons to install the newest beta. Or, if you need to, here's how to uninstall the iOS 18 beta. So far, using beta gives you early access to Apple Intelligence features.Supported devicesiPhone 15 Pro Max camera system. Image source: Christian de Looper for BGRWith iOS 17, Apple ditched the iPhone 8 and iPhone X models from its lineup. With iOS 18, Apple continues to offer support for the same iPhones. However, Apple Intelligence features will be exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro models. That said, these are the iPhone models that can run this new system:iPhone XR, XS, and XS MaxiPhone 11iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro MaxiPhone SE (2nd gen)iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro MaxiPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro MaxiPhone SE (3rd gen)iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 PlusiPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro MaxiPhone 15 and iPhone 15 PlusiPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro MaxiPhone 16 and iPhone 16 PlusiPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro MaxiPhone 16eReviewIn our iOS 18 review, BGR praises the redesign available with this software update. However, the most important features aren't here yet.iOS 18 has several quality-of-life improvements, and even if you cant enjoy Apple Intelligence, Cupertino has lots of features that will almost make you feel like youre using a new device. This is the beginning of a new era, even if we cant enjoy it just yet.Don't Miss: iPhone 16: Release date, features, review, price, AI, and moreThe post iOS 18: Features, release date, beta, download, Apple Intelligence appeared first on BGR.

Microsoft is leveraging another round of layoffs despite posting consistent growth.

Tesla sales fell more than 13% compared to last year as the company struggles to find demand for its aging lineup, and as CEO Elon Musk continues to damage the brand.