MacworldIts fair to say that the Apple Intelligence features released so far have been met with mixed reviews. Among the more contentious features is AI-powered summaries of notifications on the lock screen and notification shade. Its useful when you have a bunch of notifications from the same app or to quickly give you an idea of what updates to a Messages thread are all about.But like everything powered by Artificial Intelligence, it can get things wrong. Sometimes, very wrong. When summarizing news alerts, these poor summaries can completely misrepresent the real story, and Apple rightly received some real criticism over it. Whats more, the tiny little icon in the notification is not a clear enough indication that youre looking at an AI-generated summary.With iOS 18.3 (starting in beta 3), Apple is introducing several key changes to Apple Intelligence notification summaries that should help address these issues:Notification Summaries for apps in the News & Entertainment category will be disabled for now, and re-enabled in a future update when Apple improves the accuracy of the AI summaries.When you enable Notification Summaries in settings, it more clearly states that the feature is a beta (as all Apple Intelligence features are) and that summaries may contain errors.Summarized text is italicized, in addition to the little AI summary icon next to the text. This will further separate them from regular notification text.You can disable Notification Summaries for an app right from the lock screen. Swipe left on the notification partway, choose Options then Turn off Summaries.These changes are active starting in iOS 18.3 beta 3 and should be present when iOS 18.3 is released widely, likely in late January or early February.

OpenAI has started rolling out a number of new features to ChatGPT, according to Techcrunch.The big news is support for reminders; the feature allows users, for example, to ask ChatGPT to remind them when its time to renew an ID or passport. Users can also ask ChatGPT to deliver a news summary or weather forecast at the same time every day something OpenAI called Tasks.Initially, the new abilities will only be available to paying customers of Chat GPT Plus, Team, and Pro.

Magnetic charging stands that utilize iPad Smart Connectors are working again with the latest iPadOS 18.3 beta, proving it was just a beta bug and not a larger move from Apple.Kuxiu charging stands work again with latest iPadOS 18.3 betaApple doesn't officially offer the Smart Connector through the MFi program, but manufacturers have figured out ways to use it with unofficial workarounds. So far, Apple seems like it doesn't care about the use, but a beta bug caused some concern.After the third iPadOS 18.3 beta was released, users reported that the charging capability of their Kuxiu charging stands had returned. Kuxiu had previously confirmed that they believed it was a beta issue, and not a move from Apple, and this seems to be the case. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Following our previous look at an opening for aMuseum Technology Manager at the California Science Center, we are using this weeks edition of ourJob Highlights seriesto explore an open role on Archinect Jobs for aProject Captain at Practice (formerly GGA+).The role, based in Pasadena, calls for an individual who will engage with design, project execution, team leadership, quality control, marketing, and firm culture advocacy roles across the studio. Among the responsibilities for the role are coordinating project design and developing creative concepts, overseeing team adherence to project delivery standards, and developing and maintaining positive relationships with internal and external collaborators. A minimum of 5-7 years of postgraduate professional experience is required for the position.The California Endowment 'Hope Village' Restorative Health Campus. Image credit: PracticeWhy the role interests usAt a time when Pasadena has endured some of the worst destruction and...

After revealing his in-game appearance and Brutality, NetherRealm confirmed that Conan the Barbarian will join Mortal Kombat 1s roster on January 28th. However, Kombat Pack 2 and Khaos Reigns owners can start playing on January 21st. Check out his gameplay trailer below.Based on the 1982 film of the same name and featuring Arnold Schwarzeneggers likeness, much of Conans moves involve his sword. Some particularly devastating moves include slicing and embedding his sword into an opponents shoulder before forcefully removing it, and powerful spins. He can also stab an enemy, his their body over his head and slam them down.As for his Fatality, its pretty straightforward, as Conan boils his opponent in a cauldron, later extracting their skull to admire it. Meanwhile, his Animality involves morphing into a bull and goring threats.Stay tuned for more details when Conan the Barbarian goes live. Mortal Kombat 1 is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Check out our reviews for the base game and Khaos Reigns.

Maayan Margulis and Shira Lifshitz clean the mosaic. Emil Aladjem / Israel Antiquities AuthorityArchaeologists have uncovered an ancient complex of ruinedByzantine-era buildings in Israel. The structures include a winepress, a large warehouse and what may be a monastery boasting a colorful mosaic floor. The floor features a Greek inscription from Deuteronomy: Blessed are you when you come in and blessed are you when you go out.The ruins were discovered during excavations ahead of construction for a new neighborhood near the city of Kiryat Gat. According to astatement from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the monastery dates to the fifth or sixth century C.E., when the region was part of theByzantine Empire.This is the largest and most significant site discovered in the region from the Roman and Byzantine periods, say excavation managersShira Lifshitz andMaayan Margulis in the statement. The site was found near the city ofKiryat Gat. Emil Aladjem / Israel Antiquities AuthorityThe researchers think the site was continuously occupied from the early Roman period (around the first century C.E.) until the end of the Byzantine period (in the late sixth century C.E.). However, as Margulis tellsHaaretzs Ruth Schuster, the sites first human occupation may have occurred some 6,000 years ago, during theChalcolithic era, or the Copper Age.During the first few centuries C.E., Christianity slowlyspread through the Roman Empire. In the 300s, the emperor Constantine I converted to Christianity, and a new Byzantine capital was founded in his name:Constantinople, which heralded the beginning of Byzantiums golden age.One of the ruined buildings at the newly discovered site may have been a monastery. Among its remains, archaeologists found imported wares, metal and glass containers, coins and marble artifacts. In the buildings main aisle, they also unearthed a decorative mosaic floor featuring crosses, lions, doves, flowers, geometric patterns, an amphora (an ancient jug) and the Bible verse. The mosaic contains clusters of small stones. Emil Aladjem / Israel Antiquities AuthorityThe monasterys mosaic floor contains clusters of very small, delicately placed stones, Lifshitz tells Haaretzwhich arent common in Israeli archaeology.The mosaic discovered in Kiryat Gat is one of the most unique ever found in Israel, says Mark Avrahami, the IAAs head of artistic conservation, in the statement. The team plans to put the tiled design on public display, but transferring mosaics is a complex process that requires great skill and precision.The mosaic will first be taken to a workshop for conservation, then placed in an open area of Kiryat Gat where the public can view it, says Svetlana Talis, the IAAs southern district director, in the statement.The discovery of the site highlights the historical richness of Kiryat Gat and its surroundings, shedding light on the centrality of the region in antiquity, Talis says.The sites other treasures include a very sophisticated wine press, complete with fermentation rooms and collecting vats. Its development and upkeep likely required significant financial resources, time and a range of professional work and effort, per the statement. Pottery artifacts and fragments suggest that the settlement may have included a ceramics factory.The excavation has revealed the remains of ten buildings so far, and the settlements true size remains to be seen. As Margulis tells Haaretz, We just began to excavate the site.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Ancient Civilizations, Ancient Rome, Archaeology, Artifacts, Byzantine Empire, Christianity, Cool Finds, History, Israel, Middle East , Religion, Roman Empire

Early adopters like Couchbase are already seeing significant price-performance gains with Google Cloud's new VMs.Read More

90% of Africa's games industry revenue generated by mobile gamesBut almost 9 in 10 African developers are male, signalling "a need to foster greater inclusivity"Image credit: Africa Games Industry Report News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 16, 2025 A new report into Africa's games industry has revealed that 90% of its revenue is generated by mobile games.66 studios and 55 indie developers contributed to the 2024 Africa Game Developer Survey - a 42% increase on the previous year - of which 92% of survey participants were under 34 years old.However, just 12% of respondents were female, signalling "a clear need to foster greater inclusivity and diversity within the industry."South Africa leads with regard to revenue, generating over $110m between 2020 and 2023. Its overall market is projected to grow to $333 million by 2026, driven primarily by mobile gaming and esports.Nigeria's gaming market - "supported by a young, tech-savvy population and a growing esports scene - generated $249 million in 2021, whilst Kenya generated $46 million in the same year, with "significant growth in mobile gaming and a focus on educational, AR, and VR games.""The African games industry is surging forward, fuelled by a vibrant community and an unwavering spirit of innovation," said Hugo Obi, founder and CEO, Maliyo Games, which organised the survey."This year has witnessed remarkable milestones, from record participation in industry events to groundbreaking collaborations such as the Disney Iwj Rising Chef game."Despite challenges such as limited funding and access to international markets, the industry's momentum is undeniable. New voices are emerging alongside established veterans, creating a dynamic ecosystem supported by talent programmes, community meetups, and regional conferences."

Justin Carter, Contributing EditorJanuary 16, 20252 Min ReadImage via Microsoft.At a GlanceThis genAI-related patent comes after Microsoft teamed with AI dev Inworld to create AI design tools for Xbox developers.Windows Central uncovered a 2024 patent from Microsoft on using generative AI to "aid in the creation of the game narrative."The patent, which was filed last June, abstractly describes using the technology or other foundational models to "create new game content responsive to player input, measure player engagement metrics during gameplay, and/or modify the game based on the generated new content and/or player engagement."Its more detailed description likens genAI elements to "co-pilots" for game designers that could use natural-language descriptions (or image and audio files) to "provide many creative variations" to designers. From there, a designer would "augment or refine the prompt based on the model output...to iteratively design the game, or its initial version."In November 2023, Microsoft struck a deal with AI developer Inworld to create a multi-platform AI toolset and character runtime engine. As it pertains to its various first-party teams, the latter was pitched with the possibility of generating stories, quests, and dialogue, which are key features to narrative-focused studios and their projects.Microsoft hopes you L3+R3 to accept genAIThe patent's description also notes how genAI could allow players to become a game's "co-creators...as a result of their exploration of and interaction with the game." It posits that genAI could use player tracking as a form of "implicit feedback for the next iteration of the game." As such, players could diverge from the developers' curated game experience and "explore new possibilities" which are then incorporated into subsequent iterations.Similar language about genAI's impact on games, and players in particular, has been used by executives at Netflix Games and EA. Major publishers have embraced the technology for various purposes, such as in-game moderation, AI companions, and creating models of real-world people.Meanwhile, a survey from last August shows developers still have reservations about it. Of those asked, 30 percent believe it will help reduce costs, and 35 percent think it'll similarly lead to reduced quality in games. Separately, a January 2024 survey revealed 31 percent of developers have taken to using genAI outside of work.As with the recently unveiled deluge of patents from Sony, Microsoft's patent doesn't instantly mean it has eyes on genAI for its future Xbox games. But it does offer a view into how the company thinks it could benefit its developers and player base as it charts out what to do with the technology.Read more about:Generative AIAbout the AuthorJustin CarterContributing Editor, GameDeveloper.comA Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.See more from Justin CarterDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

SpaceXs next big launch is here. On Thursday at 5:37PM ET, Elon Musks space company will attempt to launch Starship for its 7th test flight from Boca Chica, Texas. You can watch the livestream from SpaceXs YouTube channel, on X, or its website.At 403 feet tall, Starship is the biggest launch vehicle ever. Its made up of two parts: the Starship spacecraft, which is designed to carry crew and cargo into orbit, and the Super Heavy Booster, which comes with 33 SpaceX Raptor engines that help propel Starship into space. Both the Starship spacecraft and its Super Heavy booster are reusable.Last year, SpaceXs launch tower successfully caught its Super Heavy following launch. The company will once again attempt to catch the booster with the launch towers chopstick arms.During its seventh test flight, Starship will attempt to deploy 10 Starlink simulators for the first time. These mock satellites are the same size and weight as Starlinks actual internet satellites, but they wont stay in space. Instead, theyll follow the same suborbital trajectory as Starship and are expected to demise upon entry.Starship also features major improvementsto reliability and performance this time around, making the vehicle slightly taller, according to SpaceX. Along with a redesigned propulsion system and an improved flight computer, Starship will debut a new heat shield with latest generation tiles and a backup layer to protect from missing or damaged tiles.