Apple today released big iOS 18.4 and visionOS 2.4 updates, each of which come with a brand new app: Apple Vision Pro is the newest iPhone app, and Spatial Gallery is new to Vision Pro. Heres everything you should know about Apples latest apps.Apple Vision Pro is the latest iPhone app in iOS 18.4For years, Apple has offered a standalone Watch app on the iPhone for setting up and managing your Apple Watch.Now in iOS 18.4, that same idea has been applied to the Vision Pro.The new Apple Vision Pro app on iPhone offers a dedicated home to:view your Vision Pros model number, software version, and serial numberaccess tips and the Vision Pro user guideand discover new and recent Vision Pro content, such as immersive videos, apps and games, and moreOpening the app provides a single-screen Discover page where you can scroll through various stories about recent Vision Pro updates and content.It works a lot like browsing the App Stores Today tab.If you own a Vision Pro, the new Apple Vision Pro app will be automatically installed on your iPhone with iOS 18.4. However, for everyone else, the app is entirely optional as a separate App Store download.The second new app released today is Spatial Gallery, which debuts for Vision Pro users as part of visionOS 2.4.Spatial Gallery is a dedicated home for all the spatial media you have available: photos, videos, and panoramic shots. But thats not all it can do.Heres Apples full description of the app:Spatial Gallery, a new app for Apple Vision Pro, features spatial photos, spatial videos, and panoramas curated by Apple, and gives users a window to captivating and powerful moments spanning art, culture, entertainment, lifestyle, nature, sports, and travel, with new content released regularly.At launch, users can discover stories and experiences from iconic brands including Red Bull, Cirque du Soleil, and Porsche; go behind the scenes with Apple Originals likeSeverance,The Studio, andThe Morning Show; and listen to conversations with top artists like Bad Bunny, Charli xcx, and Keith Urban.Ill be curious to see over time how regularly Apple is able to add new content to Spatial Gallery and provide fresh reasons for users to open the app.What do you think of the new Apple Vision Pro and Spatial Gallery apps? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone and Vision Pro accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

As reported last year, the Unicode Consortium had teased eight new emoji that would become available on platforms such as iOS and Android. Now with the official release of iOS 18.4 to the public, Apple has finally introduced support for these new emoji.New emoji coming with iOS 18.4Perhaps one of the new emoji that stands out the most is the face with bags under eyes, which is basically an emoji with a really tired face. But users will also have a few other new options as well.Heres the list of new emoji added with iOS 18.4:Face with bags under eyesFingerprintLeafless treeRoot vegetableHarpShovelSplatterFlag of SarkIts worth noting that emoji are created and approved by the Unicode Consortium, and then Apple and other companies design their own versions of the characters.Another thing to keep in mind is that only users running the latest software can see the new emoji. This means that users running iOS 18.3 or earlier versions of the operating system will only see a blank icon if someone running iOS 18.4 or later sends them a message with the new emoji.In addition to the new emoji, iOS 18.4 also expands Apple Intelligence support to more languages. Moreover, iOS 18.4 brings a new Food Recipes section to Apple News+, the promised Priority Notifications feature, and enhancements to CarPlay.You can update your iPhone by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Its worth noting that the new emoji are also available for iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch users with the latest software.Gadgets I recommend:Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Tonight, SpaceX is scheduled to launch a first-of-its-kind mission that will carry four private astronauts or depending on how you see it, glorified space tourists to fly above the Earth's poles.Named "Fram2" after the Norwegian ship that made expeditions to both the Earth's poles over a century ago, the mission will use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to carry a Crew Dragon capsule containing the crew to an altitude between 264 to 280 miles.The mission commander is the same person who's financing it: Malta-based crypto entrepreneur Chun Wang, who founded the Bitcoin mining pool F2Pool.Wang is joined by three of his pals: Norwegian cinematographer Jannicke Mikkelsen, who will be the vehicle commander; German robotics researcher Rabea Rogge, the mission's pilot; and Australian polar explorer Eric Philips, the mission specialist and medical officer. None of them have ever flown into space before.Inexperienced as they may be, the crew will be venturing to where no astronauts have ever gone before: directly above the Earth's poles. During their three-to-five-day stay in space, the Crew Dragon spacecraft will attempt to fly at a 90 degree orbital inclination, putting its path perfectly perpendicular to the Earth's equator.Historically, there was little reason to fly at these steep inclinations, which burns more fuel and can put a spacecraft's path, when launched from the US, over heavily populated areas. There's also less protection from space radiation over the poles. Until now, the crewed mission that came closest to polar orbit was the Soviet Vostok 6 mission, which reached an inclination of about 65 degrees, .Besides its unique trajectory, Fram2 boasts a bevy of scientific objectives, with the crew expected to carry out 22 experiments. Some of the research includes monitoring how humans adapt to motion sickness in space, growing mushrooms in microgravity, and testing the use of blood flow restriction exercise. The mission is also collaborating with startups to explore whether space conditions can disrupt sleep patterns and women's hormone levels (half of the crew members, Mikkelsen and Rogge, are women.)Perhaps the most spectacular item on the bucket list is observing an atmospheric phenomenon known as the Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, or STEVE, a streak of light in the night sky that often accompanies the northern lights, which has seldom been observed from space.Some experts, however, are dubious about the actual scientific value of some aspects of Fram2."There's nothing unique to a polar orbit, (and) the science advantages are kind of overblown," John Prussing, professor emeritus of aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, told CNN."This is a private mission. You need something to say that's different and exciting about it," echoed Christopher Combs, associate dean of research at the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design at the University of Texas at San Antonio.It's "a notch above gimmick," Combs told CNN, "but not exactly a groundbreaking milestone."Fram2 is slated to lift off from Florida as early as 9:46 PM EST tonight, but delays are common.Share This Article

Experts have long warnedthat artificial intelligence is making its way into every corner of our lives but we didn't necessarily expect it to seep into our actual dreams.According to a new survey funded by the mattress company Amerisleep, one in five people are regularly having dreams about AI. Unsurprisingly, most of those dreams were rooted in anxiety and often, they were nightmares.The mattress makers asked 1,000 people in the United States a battery of questions regarding AI and dreams. While a majority (56 percent) said they dream about AI less than once per month, nearly one in five said they have one AI dream in the same time period, and 16 percent said they have more than one. Nearly 10 percent, meanwhile, said they have at least one dream about the technology per week.Though one in five of total survey respondents said they have AI dreams, that figure went up based on various demographics. Nearly a quarter of surveyed Gen Z-ers, or those born after 1997, said they've dreamed about AI and of those, one in six said they have nightmares about losing their jobs to the technology (the survey summary didn't say how many Millennials and Gen Xers dreamt about AI).According to Amerisleep's analysis, more than a quarter of participants said their biggest subconscious concern seemed to be about AI taking over the world. An additional 26 percent said they dreamt about speaking to AI as if it were a person, while 19 percent of total respondents said that losing jobs to the tech was a common dream scenario.And speaking of, "Dream Scenario" star Nicholas Cage has, coincidentally enough, also been talking about AI nightmares recently.During his acceptance speech at the Saturn Awards in February, for which he won "best actor in a film"for the picture, the inimitable thespian suggested that he found the rise of AI and its ability to worm its way into our subconscious one of the most "disturbing" things occurring in the world."I am a big believer in not letting robots dream for us," Cage said. "Robots cannot reflect the human condition for us."Obviously, the lowkey Coppola was using "dream" in a more metaphysical sense to refer to art but the sentiment stands, especially in light of the surreal dream-focused movie for which he was taking home the award."That is a dead end if an actor lets one AI robot manipulate his or her performance even a little bit, an inch will eventually become a mile and all integrity, purity and truth of art will be replaced by financial interests only," the icon said. "We cant let that happen."The "Mandy" star was, as he often is, right on the money with that one and in light of this new survey about AI dreaming, that sort of warning feels more prescient than ever.More on weird AI side effects: Something Bizarre Is Happening to People Who Use ChatGPT a LotShare This Article

DescriptionAre you a talented Back-End Developer looking for an exciting remote opportunity? We are constantly seeking skilled individuals who are passionate about backend technologies and want to make an impact while working from anywhere in Latin America. If youre ready to join a forward-thinking team and contribute to exciting projects, we encourage you to apply!Job Description:You will be responsible for developing and maintaining the server-side logic, ensuring high performance and responsiveness of web applications. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in server-side programming, cloud computing, and database management. This is a fully remote position where you will be working directly with one of our partners and contributing to a growing, innovative team.Responsibilities:Architecting, programming, testing and deploying new features, improvements and bug fixes.Design, security, integrity and performance of our PostgreSQL database and AWS infrastructure.Identification and support of opportunities for leveraging data science and machine learning to optimize customer outcomes.Enhancing, maintaining and documenting our RESTful API as used internally and by our integration partners.Building upon and scaling-up our CI/CD practices and technologies.Collaborate with front-end developers and other team members, all remotelyRequirementsMid/Senior level experience (38 years) as a Back-End DeveloperProficiency in one or more server-side programming languages, specifically Node.jsExperience with database management systems (e.g., PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB)Working knowledge of AWS or other cloud computing servicesSolid experience with SaaS application development, ideally in Fintech, would be a plus.Knowledge of API design and developmentFamiliarity with modern software development methodologies and cyclesExperience with software engineering best practicesExcellent problem-solving skills and a deep understanding of computer science fundamentalsStrong communication and teamwork skills in a remote work environmentProficiency in the English language, both written and verbalAbility to work remotely from anywhere in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, or Uruguay preferred)BenefitsFully remote positionCompetitive salaryOpportunities for professional growth and developmentApply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now

IGN's second annual live games show comes back to Los Angeles and tickets are now on sale.

Here's the answer to April Fool's tricky Connections puzzle for April 1, #660.

March 31, 20252 min readWatch SpaceX Launch Historic Fram2 Crewed Mission over Earths Poles TonightFram2, a first-of-its-kind private mission to send four astronauts into polar orbit around Earth, is about to launchBy Mike Wall & SPACE.com A close-up view of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and a Crew Dragon spacecraft before a launch at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The four-person Fram2 crew is set to ride similar hardware into polar orbit on the evening of March 31, 2025. Evgeniy Baranov/Alamy Stock PhotoSpaceX plans to launch the Fram2 astronaut mission over Earth's poles tonight (March 31), and you can watch the action live.Fram2's Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule are scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida tonight at 9:46 p.m. ET (0146 GMT on April 1). If that timeline isn't met, there are three additional opportunities available over the next roughly 4.5 hours, at 11:20 p.m. ET (0320 GMT), 12:53 a.m. ET (0453 GMT) and 2:26 a.m ET (0626 GMT).SpaceX will stream the launch live via its website and X account, beginning about an hour before liftoff. Space.com will air the webcast as well.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.Fram2 will send four people from four different nations to low Earth orbit for three to five days. Those crewmembers all of them spaceflight rookies are mission commander Chun Wang of Malta, vehicle commander Jannicke Mikkelsen of Norway, pilot Rabea Rogge of Germany, and Australian Eric Phillips, Fram2's medical officer and mission specialist.The quartet will circle our planet over both of its poles a trajectory no human spaceflight mission has ever taken before. Fram2 will also break ground with several of its 22 science experiments. For example, the mission will attempt to grow mushrooms and take X-rays of the human body in orbit for the first time."Additionally, after safely returning to Earth, the crew plans to exit from the Dragon spacecraft without additional medical and operational assistance, helping researchers characterize the ability of astronauts to perform unassisted functional tasks after short and long durations in space," SpaceX wrote in a Fram2 mission description.Fram2 will be SpaceX's 17th human spaceflight overall and the sixth conducted for private customers. Among the company's other commercial human flights were Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn, both of which were funded and commanded by Jared Isaacman, President Donald Trump's nominee to be the next NASA chief.SpaceX's 11 other crewed missions to date have been voyages to and from the International Space Station for NASA.Copyright 2025 Space.com, a Future company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

IGN Live confirmed to run 7-8 June, with tickets on sale nowIGN says to expect reveals, giveaways, demos, and celebrity guests - plus a t-shirt cannon if last year is anything to go by.Image credit: IGN News by Tom Orry Editorial Director, Gamer Network Published on March 31, 2025 IGN Entertainment (Eurogamer's parent company) has officially announced that IGN Live will run in LA from 7-8 June, 2025.The fan-focused event, which takes place during summer's video game event season, is being held in downtown Los Angeles at Magic Box @ The Reef. Currently the confirmed list of studios, publishers, and brands includes Netflix, 2K Sports, Lenovo, and Arcade1Up, with more set to be announced soon. IGN Live will feature playable games on PCs, consoles, and handheld devices, plus gameplay and trailer reveals, celebrity panels, merch giveaways, a live DJ and more. It's not just video games, either, with the show aiming to be a celebration of games, movies, TV, comics, collectables and more.Tickets can be bought now from IGN at a reduced price compared to buying at the door.Ticket prices are detailed below:Early bird, single day tickets: $15 USDEarly bird weekend/VIP tickets: $30Regular pricing, single day tickets: $25Regular pricing, weekend/VIP tickets: $40Single day tickets at the door: $30Weekend/VIP tickets at the door: $45Act early if you want the cheapest prices, with early bird tickets only available until 30th April. A VIP pass also includes a goodie bag containing exclusive items valued at $40. You can still save money on the door price if you buy tickets online after 30th April.If you can't make it to LA in June, IGN will be livestreaming the entire weekend event across IGN platforms, including IGN.com, YouTube, Twitch, social channels, and more.IGN Live 2024 saw a number of big-name guests and reveals including The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power cast, Xboxs Phil Spencer, Ubisoft discussing Assassins Creed Shadows, and Casper van Dien talking Starship Troopers: Extermination.For more information and to stay up to date on announcements, head over to ign.com/live.Sort-of-E3 replacement, Summer Game Fest, kicks off on 6th June, and it's fair to expect showcase videos from the major players at around that time, too, with reveals of games due this year and beyond.

Taiwan is investing heavily in unmanned surface vehicle (USV) technology, with the recent launch of the domestically built Endeavour Manta.The first domestically developed unmanned surface vehicle (USV) from Taiwans CSBC Corp strengthens the islands defense against PLA threats. The Endeavour Manta USV supports Taiwans asymmetric warfare strategy, using advanced, cost-effective technologies to counter a numerically superior adversary.USV features AI targeting and autonomous navigationThe drone attack boat was unveiled on Tuesday during a launch event in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. Measuring 8.6 meters by 3.7 meters (28 feet by 12 feet) and with a displacement of over 5 tonnes, the boat is constructed from fiber-reinforced plastic. It boasts a payload capacity of more than 1 tonne and can reach speeds of up to 35 knots (40 mph) with two outboard engines.The USV is equipped with various communication systems, including 4G, line-of-sight radios, and beyond-line-of-sight satellite links, ensuring continuous contact with a control center. CSBC chairman Huang Cheng-hung highlighted its AI-driven targeting, anti-hijacking features, and autonomous navigation, which enable it to return to base even if jammed by enemy forces, the South China Morning Post reported.The vessel is capable of carrying high-explosive warheads and light torpedoes, maximizing damage through direct suicide collisions. The USVs trimaran hull improves stability in the Taiwan Strait, where powerful currents and rough waves pose challenges. Its maneuverability allows for quick deployment with towing vehicles at beaches or ports.While the satellite guidance and engines are imported, all other components are locally made, and removing satellite guidance could reduce costs by 45%, according to Huang, who did not specify specific pricing.USV project aims for mass production by 2026In early 2024, CSBC began developing a military-grade USV as part of a $24 billion project led by Taiwans National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to create drone boats, with plans for mass production by 2026. Taiwans defense ministry has set specific requirements for the USVs, including a length of 10 meters, a full-load displacement under 4 tonnes, and a remote control range of around 43 miles.Local media reports suggest that the institutes USV features autonomous navigation and a stealth-optimized hull for surprise attacks. Once designated, it autonomously targets and strikes enemy warships. NCSIST aims to complete combat evaluations by the end of the year, with mass production set for next year. Reports also indicate that the army plans to acquire more than 200 units.RECOMMENDED ARTICLESIn June, NCSIST will conduct an open-sea trial and has invited local manufacturers to participate, though CSBC, which has taken a separate development path, will not join. Several other Taiwanese companies are also developing military USVs. At the Taiwan International Boat Show in December, Thunder Tiger showcased two attack models: the Tigershark 200 and Seashark 400.Furthermore, Taiwans military plans to deploy USVs for reconnaissance, minelaying, and direct attacks, strengthening its overall defense as Beijing increases its military activity near the island.