Tennis players know the struggle of finding consistent practice partners who match their skill level and availability. Traditional ball machines offer repetitive feeds but lack the dynamic interaction that makes tennis truly engaging and effective for skill development. While these machines can help with basic shot repetition, they fail to simulate the unpredictability, movement, and strategic elements that define real match play, leaving serious players with a significant gap in their training options. Enter Acemate, the revolutionary tennis robot that transforms solo practice into an authentic rally experience. Unlike conventional ball machines that simply shoot balls in predetermined patterns, Acemate actively moves across the court, tracks your shots with 4K binocular vision, and returns balls with human-like groundstrokes that respond to your play style. This breakthrough technology creates a training experience that closely mimics actual match conditions, allowing players to develop not just technical skills but also the tactical awareness and decision-making abilities essential for competitive success. Designer: Acemate Click Here to Buy Now: $1499 $2329 ($830 off). Hurry, only 28/290 left! Raised over $1,001,000. The robot’s 4K binocular camera system represents a quantum leap beyond the monocular vision found in other training devices. By capturing depth and speed similar to human eyes, Acemate achieves centimeter-level accuracy in tracking both the ball and your movements across the court. This precision enables the robot to position itself optimally for returns while analyzing your technique in real time, providing an experience that feels remarkably natural and responsive compared to the static drills of traditional practice methods. Players of all levels will appreciate Acemate’s versatile training modes designed to target specific aspects of the game. The Baseline Rally mode delivers customizable groundstrokes that keep you moving laterally and testing your consistency from the back of the court. Mini-court Rally offers gentler exchanges perfect for beginners or warm-up sessions, while Net Rally mode focuses on volleys with controlled feeds that enhance your reactions and hand-eye coordination at the net, addressing the full spectrum of skills needed for complete player development. Advanced players seeking higher-intensity training will love the Pro-level Simulation mode, which recreates iconic rally patterns inspired by ATP and Grand Slam matches. This feature allows you to experience the rhythm and intensity of professional exchanges, pushing your footwork, shot selection, and stamina to new heights. For serve practice, Acemate functions as both ball boy and coach, delivering balls directly to your hand while measuring serve speed and tracking placement accuracy, eliminating the tedious ball collection that typically interrupts valuable practice time. This versatility is thanks to Acemate’s mobility system, featuring four Mecanum wheels that allow omnidirectional movement, enabling the robot to glide across the court with surprising agility. This movement capability means you’ll be challenged to hit shots to different court positions just as you would against a human opponent, improving your court coverage and shot placement under realistic conditions. The robot adjusts its positioning based on your shots, creating the dynamic back-and-forth that makes tennis so engaging and developing the spatial awareness that static training simply cannot provide. The companion app transforms your smartphone or Apple Watch into a powerful training command center, offering real-time performance metrics and customization options from ball velocity to landing spots to shot types. After each session, receive comprehensive reports detailing your performance, as well as actionable insights that guide your improvement with the precision of professional coaching. The robot’s compact form and retractable handle make it surprisingly portable, and compatibility with all court surfaces without special setups maximizes your valuable practice time. With Acemate, your tennis practices transform from monotonous ball feeding into dynamic, responsive training that mirrors match conditions. Players gain a consistent, tireless partner that adapts to their level while providing detailed performance analytics previously available only to professionals. This breakthrough technology finally solves tennis’s fundamental training challenge, allowing players to develop complete game awareness and tactical skills even when hitting solo on the court. Click Here to Buy Now: $1499 $2329 ($830 off). Hurry, only 28/290 left! Raised over $1,001,000.The post Ace Your Tennis Training with Acemate’s Revolutionary Rally Robot first appeared on Yanko Design. Source: https://www.yankodesign.com/2025/05/13/ace-your-tennis-training-with-acemates-revolutionary-rally-robot/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ace-your-tennis-training-with-acemates-revolutionary-rally-robot #ace #your #tennis #training #with #acemates #revolutionary #rally #robot

Google's stalwart search button has a new neighbor: AI Mode. From a report: The artificial intelligence feature is being tested directly beneath the Google search bar beside a "Google Search" button, replacing the "I'm Feeling Lucky" widget. The new feature, though not widely available yet, is being tested in a location where Google rarely makes changes. Read more of this story at Slashdot. Source: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/05/13/2342248/google-tests-ai-search-on-its-homepage?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed #google #tests #search #its #homepage

In Brief Posted: 3:26 PM PDT · May 13, 2025 Image Credits:TechCrunch Google tests replacing ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ with ‘AI Mode’ Google is testing a redesign of its Search homepage in which “AI Mode,” the experimental AI-powered search feature the company rolled out earlier in May, replaces its longstanding “I’m Feeling Lucky” button under the Search bar. A company spokesperson confirmed to The Verge, which was the first to report the change, that the feature began rolling out to some users in Google’s experimental Labs environment. However, it may not launch publicly. The test comes just a week ahead of Google I/O, where the company is expected to announce some major updates to its AI-powered search offerings. Google rarely makes changes to its Search homepage, but may now feel pressure to do so. An Apple executive testified in court last week that Google Searches on Safari declined for the first time last month, attributing the change to the rise of AI tools such as ChatGPT. Topics AI, Google, In Brief Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/google-tests-replacing-im-feeling-lucky-with-ai-mode/ #google #tests #replacing #feeling #lucky #with #mode

Last week, Nintendo predicted it would sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles in its current financial year. This would actually be a fantastic result — equalling Switch, and just about any console you care to mention — but analysts called the figure “conservative” and “on the low side.” That’s just how high the expectations for Switch 2 sales are.The consensus was that Nintendo’s conservative estimate was due to uncertainty around President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but in some unusually direct comments during an investor Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa denied this was the case. Instead, he said it was the system’s high price that has made Nintendo cautious in its outlook.“Nintendo Switch 2 is priced relatively high compared to Nintendo Switch, so we recognize that there are corresponding challenges to early adoption,” Furukawa said. “We are taking steps like bundling software with the hardware to accelerate adoption in the first fiscal year, aiming to get off to the same start we did with Nintendo Switch.”Furukawa cautioned that investors shouldn’t get carried away over the extreme demand for Switch 2 pre-orders. Due to the system’s high price, he said that “even if there is momentum around the launch, we know it will not be easy to keep that momentum going over the long term through the holiday season and beyond.”Furukawa said that its production capacity for Switch 2 was “not a factor” in settings its forecast, and neither was the unstable economic situation. “The tariff situation in the U.S. or a possibility of a recession did not affectour sales volume forecast either,” he said.He went on to give Nintendo’s fullest statement yet in response to U.S. tariffs, saying that it was working on the assumption that the current tariff rates would persist for the rest of the financial year, which would result in “a negative impact of several tens of billions of yen at the profit level.”“Our basic policy is that for any country or region, if tariffs are imposed, we recognize them as a part of the cost and incorporate them into the price,” he said. “However, this year marks our first new dedicated video game system launch in eight years, so given our unique situation, our priority is to maintain the momentum of our platforms, which is extremely important for our dedicated video game platform business, and to rapidly expand the install base of our new hardware. Consequently, if the assumptions on tariffs change, we will consider what kind of price adjustments would be appropriate, taking into account various factors such as the market conditions.”To translate this from CEO-speak: Nintendo would usually slap the cost of tariffs onto the price of its hardware, but didn’t do so in this case because it wants to sell as many Switch 2s as possible. It’s not ruling out making pricing changes as the situation evolves (but it probably won’t).The whole Q&A is worth a read, just for the bizarre spectacle of a business leader patiently explaining and re-explaining to his insatiable investors why he thinks his new product is only going to be one of the fastest-selling consoles of all time, which is apparently a terrible disappointment to them. Capitalism!See More: Source: https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-2/598877/nintendo-switch-2-forecast-price-not-tariffs #nintendo #says #its #lowballed #switch #forecast #about #price #not #tariffs

As we creep up to the May 15 release date for DOOM: The Dark Ages, developer id Software has revealed a host of known issues that might plague the PC and console versions of the game. In its post, the company has stated that many of these issues are dependent on new drivers being released by GPU makers. It has also provided a list of temporary solutions until more permanet fixes can arrive through driver updates. Check out the full list of known issues below. As part of a pre-launch FAQ, id Software has also confirmed that players using Nvidia RTX graphics cards should make sure that they are running on driver version 576.40 or newer, while AMD Radeon GPU users should ensure that their driver version is 25.5.1 or later. Interestingly, the company has confirmed that there isn’t official support for running DOOM: The Dark Ages on the Steam Deck because the handheld system falls beneath the minimum hardware spec requried by the game. Intel Arc GPU users might also be out of luck when it comes to official support. However, those with GPUs sporting more than 8 GB of VRAM might be able to play using the latest drivers. DOOM: The Dark Ages is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Those that grabbed the Premium Edition of the game can already start playing. For those that haven’t yet, check out our review while you wait for the game’s release later this week. List of known issues for DOOM: The Dark Ages by platform: PC Issue: If you are playing on an RTX 50 series GPU and enable G-Sync (supported display required) or V-Sync plus Multi Frame Generation through NVIDIA Control Panel you can crash the game. Resolution: Until a driver fix is available, the workaround for this issue is to either disable one of these options in the NVIDIA control panel or if you want both enabled, set them in-game. Issue: If you are playing on an RTX 40 or 50 series GPU and enable Multi Frame Generation or FrameGen, V-Sync still shows as enabled. Resolution: This is a minor cosmetic issue – the game disables V-Sync under the hood in these cases. Issue: Users with NVIDIA GPUs may find that Alt-Tabbing while launching the game can cause the game to launch in the background and not be accessible. Resolution: This is a known driver issue. Until a fix is available in a driver update, to avert this issue, avoid Alt-Tabbing during game launch. If encountered, it can be resolved by restarting your PC. Issue: Users with NVIDIA 50 series GPUs may experience TDRs or system hangs when starting gameplay recording using Shadowplay with MultiFrameGen set to 3x or 4x. Resolution: To avoid this issue, either do not use the noted MFG settings or record gameplay with a different application. Issue: If capturing with OBS, game visuals may freeze when Alt-tabbing from Fullscreen Resolution: Until there is an update from OBS, the workaround for the issue is to capture in Windowed or Borderless mode. Issue: The game can lock up when manually resizing the game window with FSR FrameGen enabled. Resolution: To avoid this issue, do not manually resize the game window with FSR FrameGen enabled. Issue: Users who unplug a 2nd monitor during gameplay may notice that the game has frozen. Resolution: To avoid this issue, do not unplug any monitors while playing the game. Issue: Players running the game with the MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner overlays enabled may experience stability issues. Resolution: To avoid this issue, do not run the game with either application running in the background. Issue: In rare cases, players running DOOM: The Dark Ages on a supported PC spec at appropriate settings, who have the latest GPU drivers installed and also have an intel CPU model number that starts with the number 13 or 14 can run into persistent crashing. Resolution: In such cases, you may have a corrupted CPU. Please contact intel Customer Support at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact.html All Platforms/General Gameplay Issue: FOV changes do not carry over into Cinematics or interactive events, such as shield bashing through walls. Resolution: This is by design but we are evaluating a possible change to make FOV changes global in a post-launch update. Issue: Changes on the FOV slider after Cinematics or Wall Shield Bashes may not affect display. Resolution: This is a temporary issue that will reset when changing levels, loading checkpoints, or returning to the Main Menu. Issue: In rare cases, the Vagary in Ancestral Forge may disappear and block access to the collectible item placed at the wolf statue. Resolution: If you encounter this issue, the workaround is to reload the checkpoint. Issue: The “Barrel Stuffer” and “Super Barrel Stuffer” Mastery challenges may not appear to increment when expected. Resolution: Per the challenge descriptions, every pellet must hit demons, and this can be difficult if the demon is too small or dies before all pellets hit. Try on Heavy and Super-Heavy Demons for more consistent progress. Issue: You may maneuver the Slayer onto geometry or objects outside of intended, navigable space, and then become stuck. Resolution: If this occurs, and the object is not destructible, the workaround is to reload the checkpoint. Issue: In Siege – Part 1, the combat encounter in front of a cave to one of the Hell Portals in the swamp side of the map may not spawn under very specific conditions, blocking the player from continuing. Resolution: The current work around is to Reload the Checkpoint, which resolves the issue. Rare reports where this has occurred involve saving this Hell Portal for last, so approaching this encounter earlier may also avoid the issue. Issue: If you defeat a demon with a Melee attack while the Shield Saw is still embedded, the Shield may appear invisible in the hands for some time. Resolution: The Shield Saw will reappear after multiple uses. Issue: Some users may find that an additional button press is required to input actions when first opening the Dossier. Resolution: We are investigating a fix for a future patch. In the meantime, if you experience this issue, press your first input twice as a workaround. Issue: Some users may find that the amount of Gold in their inventory doesn’t change after purchasing an upgrade. Resolution: We are investigating a fix for a future patch. In the meantime, please be aware that this issue is purely cosmetic and that the Gold in your inventory will update after backing out of the Sentinel Shrine UI. Issue: In some cases, users may experience icons not appearing correctly after button actions have been remapped. Resolution: Remapped buttons will appear correctly after backing out of and re-entering the Inputs menu. ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go Issue: Users attempting to run the game on the ASUA ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion GO will experience poor performance and stability issues. Resolution: There are known driver issues on both devices which we are working with manufacturers to resolve. Source: https://gamingbolt.com/doom-the-dark-ages-list-of-known-issues-and-temporary-fixes-revealed #doom #the #dark #ages #list #known #issues #and #temporary #fixes #revealed

Photo Credit: Pixabay/Leonhard_Niederwimmer New satellite data shows NYC, Chicago, and Houston are gradually sinking Highlights 28 major US cities found to be sinking, latest satellite study confirms Houston records the fastest and most widespread urban land subsidence NYC and Chicago are sinking at rates reaching 10 millimeters per year Advertisement A new satellite-based study reveals that the 28 most populous cities in the United States—including New York City, Chicago, Dallas, and Denver—are gradually sinking at rates of 2 to 10 millimetres (0.08 to 0.4 inches) per year. Researchers at Virginia Tech used high-resolution radar measurements to map this ground subsidence across urban regions. In every city examined, at least 20 percent of the land area was found to be sinking; in 25 of the 28 cities, more than 65 percent exhibited measurable downward movement, posing serious long-term risks to urban infrastructure systems.Houston Leads US Cities in Ground Sinking Crisis Driven by Groundwater ExtractionAs per the Nature Cities report published on May 8, cities in Texas showed the highest subsidence rates, with Houston being the most affected—40 percent of the city is sinking faster than 5 millimetres per year, and 12 percent exceeds 10 millimetres annually. Under the direction of Leonard Ohenhen, the researchers linked almost 80 percent of the urban subsidence to too high groundwater extraction, a process motivated by growing urban needs. While natural geological activity is important as well, human activity is now the dominant driver of land depression.Experts warned that even small changes can undermine the structural integrity of roads, bridges, rail systems, and other infrastructure. “This hazard grows very slowly, decimates the ground from underneath, and if disasters occur, very few people recognise it in its early stages,” Manoochehr Shirzaei, who is an associate professor at Virginia Tech, said in a statement. The study also highlighted the vulnerability of not only coastal cities but also inland cities, including those located far from the ocean, where land subsidence increases the frequency of flooding and impacts the long-term planning of urban development.Although it's never going to be completely prevented, the report recommends more monitoring and legal action. Emphasis should be on improved satellite surveillance, changes in groundwater management, and building strong infrastructure. Left alone, the subsidence can turn into a quiet urban menace, experts stated. For the latest tech news and reviews, follow Gadgets 360 on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News. For the latest videos on gadgets and tech, subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you want to know everything about top influencers, follow our in-house Who'sThat360 on Instagram and YouTube. Gadgets 360 Staff The resident bot. If you email me, a human will respond. More Source: https://www.gadgets360.com/science/news/28-major-us-cities-are-sinking-including-nyc-and-chicago-satellite-study-finds-8370574#rss-gadgets-news #major #cities #are #sinking #including #nyc #and #chicago #satellite #study #finds

SAG-AFTRA publishes counterproposals in ongoing negotiations around performer rights and AI "This chart includes our analysis in plain language of what the proposed changes would mean for performers" News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on May 13, 2025 SAG-AFTRA - the union that represents 160,000 actors, voiceover artists, and other media professionals - has responded to the "video game employers' April 30 offer "with a comprehensive AI proposal" detailing "in plain language what the proposed changes would mean for performers." In a lengthy response posted to its website, SAG-AFTRA raised several points of contention, including a revised approach to the secondary performance payment (SPP) and questioning the video game employers' parameters of when it would be acceptable to seek a "vocal digital replica [...] in lieu of performer." "Employers only wanted to give AI protections to NEW performances under the [Interactive Media Agreement]. That meant that anything and everything done previously, and all performances taken from outside the IMA, would be given NO protections," the organization stated. "They are now willing to cover any work done under the IMA, no matter when it was recorded, as a Digital Replica. Also, if you are employed under the IMA for a particular project, they cannot designate your replica as an [independently created digital replica] for that project." SAG-AFTRA also detailed that if it "accepted Employer language" about consent as detailed in the agreement, "performers will have to pay back money to avoid scabbing a strike as their digital replica, which would be $6k "per game or higher." It also took issue with a clause that SAG-AFTRA said means "Employers want to be able to use your Replica for pre-production in a franchise you've worked on without ever getting your permission, but are willing to pay you a minimum of scale." "We hold that they should always have to let you know and get your Consent," the union said. "Some companies pay session by session for performers to record for pre-production, whereas many don't pay for this work or don't use performers at all. Paying a single session fee for all scratch use on a project is a middle ground." Visit the SAG-AFTRA website for full rundown of its counterproposals. SAG-AFTRA voted to strike at the end of July after it failed to reach an agreement with the convenience bargaining group over rights and protection concerns raised by the industry's exploration of AI technologies. SAG-AFTRA issued an update about the strike in March, saying it remained "frustratingly far apart" from video game studios and publishers. It came after two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors claimed they had been replaced for participating in the SAG-AFTRA strikes. Since then, the union has issued two new agreements to permit members to work with students and game jams. Source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sag-aftra-publishes-counterproposals-in-ongoing-negotiations-around-performer-rights-and-ai #sagaftra #publishes #counterproposals #ongoing #negotiations #around #performer #rights #and

As we creep up to the May 15 release date for DOOM: The Dark Ages, developer id Software has revealed a host of known issues that might plague the PC and console versions of the game. In its post, the company has stated that many of these issues are dependent on new drivers being released by GPU makers. It has also provided a list of temporary solutions until more permanet fixes can arrive through driver updates. Check out the full list of known issues below. As part of a pre-launch FAQ, id Software has also confirmed that players using Nvidia RTX graphics cards should make sure that they are running on driver version 576.40 or newer, while AMD Radeon GPU users should ensure that their driver version is 25.5.1 or later. Interestingly, the company has confirmed that there isn’t official support for running DOOM: The Dark Ages on the Steam Deck because the handheld system falls beneath the minimum hardware spec requried by the game. Intel Arc GPU users might also be out of luck when it comes to official support. However, those with GPUs sporting more than 8 GB of VRAM might be able to play using the latest drivers. DOOM: The Dark Ages is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Those that grabbed the Premium Edition of the game can already start playing. For those that haven’t yet, check out our review while you wait for the game’s release later this week. List of known issues for DOOM: The Dark Ages by platform: PC Issue: If you are playing on an RTX 50 series GPU and enable G-Sync (supported display required) or V-Sync plus Multi Frame Generation through NVIDIA Control Panel you can crash the game. Resolution: Until a driver fix is available, the workaround for this issue is to either disable one of these options in the NVIDIA control panel or if you want both enabled, set them in-game. Issue: If you are playing on an RTX 40 or 50 series GPU and enable Multi Frame Generation or FrameGen, V-Sync still shows as enabled. Resolution: This is a minor cosmetic issue – the game disables V-Sync under the hood in these cases. Issue: Users with NVIDIA GPUs may find that Alt-Tabbing while launching the game can cause the game to launch in the background and not be accessible. Resolution: This is a known driver issue. Until a fix is available in a driver update, to avert this issue, avoid Alt-Tabbing during game launch. If encountered, it can be resolved by restarting your PC. Issue: Users with NVIDIA 50 series GPUs may experience TDRs or system hangs when starting gameplay recording using Shadowplay with MultiFrameGen set to 3x or 4x. Resolution: To avoid this issue, either do not use the noted MFG settings or record gameplay with a different application. Issue: If capturing with OBS, game visuals may freeze when Alt-tabbing from Fullscreen Resolution: Until there is an update from OBS, the workaround for the issue is to capture in Windowed or Borderless mode. Issue: The game can lock up when manually resizing the game window with FSR FrameGen enabled. Resolution: To avoid this issue, do not manually resize the game window with FSR FrameGen enabled. Issue: Users who unplug a 2nd monitor during gameplay may notice that the game has frozen. Resolution: To avoid this issue, do not unplug any monitors while playing the game. Issue: Players running the game with the MSI Afterburner or RivaTuner overlays enabled may experience stability issues. Resolution: To avoid this issue, do not run the game with either application running in the background. Issue: In rare cases, players running DOOM: The Dark Ages on a supported PC spec at appropriate settings, who have the latest GPU drivers installed and also have an intel CPU model number that starts with the number 13 or 14 can run into persistent crashing. Resolution: In such cases, you may have a corrupted CPU. Please contact intel Customer Support at https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/contact.html All Platforms/General Gameplay Issue: FOV changes do not carry over into Cinematics or interactive events, such as shield bashing through walls. Resolution: This is by design but we are evaluating a possible change to make FOV changes global in a post-launch update. Issue: Changes on the FOV slider after Cinematics or Wall Shield Bashes may not affect display. Resolution: This is a temporary issue that will reset when changing levels, loading checkpoints, or returning to the Main Menu. Issue: In rare cases, the Vagary in Ancestral Forge may disappear and block access to the collectible item placed at the wolf statue. Resolution: If you encounter this issue, the workaround is to reload the checkpoint. Issue: The “Barrel Stuffer” and “Super Barrel Stuffer” Mastery challenges may not appear to increment when expected. Resolution: Per the challenge descriptions, every pellet must hit demons, and this can be difficult if the demon is too small or dies before all pellets hit. Try on Heavy and Super-Heavy Demons for more consistent progress. Issue: You may maneuver the Slayer onto geometry or objects outside of intended, navigable space, and then become stuck. Resolution: If this occurs, and the object is not destructible, the workaround is to reload the checkpoint. Issue: In Siege – Part 1, the combat encounter in front of a cave to one of the Hell Portals in the swamp side of the map may not spawn under very specific conditions, blocking the player from continuing. Resolution: The current work around is to Reload the Checkpoint, which resolves the issue. Rare reports where this has occurred involve saving this Hell Portal for last, so approaching this encounter earlier may also avoid the issue. Issue: If you defeat a demon with a Melee attack while the Shield Saw is still embedded, the Shield may appear invisible in the hands for some time. Resolution: The Shield Saw will reappear after multiple uses. Issue: Some users may find that an additional button press is required to input actions when first opening the Dossier. Resolution: We are investigating a fix for a future patch. In the meantime, if you experience this issue, press your first input twice as a workaround. Issue: Some users may find that the amount of Gold in their inventory doesn’t change after purchasing an upgrade. Resolution: We are investigating a fix for a future patch. In the meantime, please be aware that this issue is purely cosmetic and that the Gold in your inventory will update after backing out of the Sentinel Shrine UI. Issue: In some cases, users may experience icons not appearing correctly after button actions have been remapped. Resolution: Remapped buttons will appear correctly after backing out of and re-entering the Inputs menu. ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go Issue: Users attempting to run the game on the ASUA ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion GO will experience poor performance and stability issues. Resolution: There are known driver issues on both devices which we are working with manufacturers to resolve. Source: https://gamingbolt.com/doom-the-dark-ages-list-of-known-issues-and-temporary-fixes-revealed #doom #the #dark #ages #list #known #issues #and #temporary #fixes #revealed

Some software updates pack in a number of features and changes, while others fundamentally overhaul the experience of using the device in question. iOS 18.5 is neither: This is a minor update, but that's to be expected. WWDC is next month, where Apple will almost assuredly announce iOS 19.But iOS 18.5 isn't an empty update. Once you install it on your iPhone, you will notice some changes—and some of the changes you don't notice are the most important of all. Here's everything that's new in the latest iOS update:An easy way to disable contact photos in MailWith iOS 18.2, Apple upgraded the Mail app. For some, the changes made the Mail app more organized and efficient to use. For others, it was bloated and confusing. Contact photos didn't help. The idea is that if you have a contact photo for a sender, it'll appear in the left side of the message in your inbox. However, if you don't have such a photo, Mail will use an image from Apple's stock library. Taste is subjective, but, frankly, these stock icons just don't look good. Luckily, you can disable them, but you'd never know that unless you're someone who loves diving through your Settings app. iOS 18.5 fixes that with an easy option right in the Mail app itself. Lifehacker's Khamosh Pathak explained the change in more depth here. It just got more difficult to bypass Screen Time settingsApple's Screen Time feature is a great tool for parents—and, I can only image, a pain for kids. Parents can set a passcode to lock Screen Time settings, and ensure that kids can't access aspects of their iPhone their parents don't want them to. Of course, passcodes are an infamously futile restriction, as savvy kids will always figure out how to break in. While Apple's isn't reinventing the passcode wheel with iOS 18.5, it is making Screen Time a bit more secure. Once you update, you'll receive a notification whenever the Screen Time passcode is used on a child's device. That won't stop your kids from figuring out your Screen Time passcode, but it will nip their fun in the bud pretty quickly.I imagine the kids will figure out some workaround to this feature in the future. But, for now, you have an additional tool to help ensure the restrictions stay in place. A new "Pride Harmony" wallpaper Credit: Apple In anticipation of Pride Month, Apple is rolling out a new "Pride Harmony" wallpaper for its various devices. The wallpaper features colors of the rainbow that adjust their positions as you move, lock, or unlock your iPhone or iPad. Apple also has a new Pride Edition Sport Band, which features a similar color scheme. Apple says its goal with the Pride Harmony design is to "celebrate the strength and beauty of LGBTQ+ communities around the world." It's easy to be cynical about corporate pride, but considering the times we live in, it's cool to see Apple continuing to be as openly supportive of the LGBTQ+ community as it has been in recent years. (Tim Cook's donations aside.)"Buy with iPhone" now available on third-party devicesWhen you buy something on the Apple TV's TV app (say that three times fast), you have the option to approve that purchase with your iPhone. With iOS 18.5, that feature is coming to the TV app on non-Apple devices. That way, you don't need to make the purchase on the TV app of another Apple device before being able to watch on your third-party device. Carrier-provided satellite features are now available on the iPhone 13 seriesSince 2023, Apple has officially supported satellite communications for all iPhones starting with the 14 series. If you're out without cell services, you can connect to a satellite to reach out to the authorities for help—or even just text a friend. Following this latest update, however, iPhone 13 users will be able to take advantage of satellite features as well. Apple Vision Pro app gets a bug fixThe update also fixes an issue with the Apple Vision Pro app, where the app may sometimes display a black screen. Security updatesiOS 18.5's sleeper feature is the security boost it provides your iPhone. In all, the update patches over 30 bugs. Luckily, Apple isn't aware of any exploits for these vulnerabilities, which means hackers have likely not used these flaws to target iPhone users. That said, the safest course of action is to update your iPhone as soon as possible, in case someone does figure out how to use these flaws against you. Plus, there are some non-hacking vulnerabilities here you should patch. FaceTime's mute button, for example, might not actually work, which should be more than enough reason to update to iOS 18.5. (Be careful when talking smack while on a FaceTime call.)You can see the full list of updates here. Source: https://lifehacker.com/tech/everything-new-in-ios-185?utm_medium=RSS #update #your #iphone #make #sure #facetime039s #mute #button #actually #works

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Good news for Linux users: NordVPN now offers a GUI for its service David Uzondu Neowin · May 13, 2025 15:36 EDT NordVPN has launched a new graphical user interface for its Linux application. This changes things quite a bit because before this, Linux users only had access to the command line interface (CLI). While seasoned Linux users might not mind typing commands, it made the NordVPN app less approachable compared to the simple, clickable versions available on Windows or macOS. Bringing a GUI to Linux gives users the ease of a visual interface alongside the powerful features the service is known for. Now you can connect to servers, check settings, and manage your connection just by clicking, similar to how the app works on other desktop platforms. NordVPN, over the years, has brought its service to lots of platforms like Apple TV and, more recently, Windows on ARM devices. The announcement explains that the new Linux GUI is an evolution of their existing CLI app: With this new GUI, you get the best of both worlds — all the security of the CLI version, now with an easy-to-use, visually engaging experience. Existing features like Dedicated IP, Double VPN, Onion Over VPN, Kill Switch, and Threat Protection (via DNS filtering) are supported in the GUI. You even get light and dark modes. However, some advanced features like Meshnet are still only accessible through the CLI for now. Don't worry if you rely on those; the CLI remains fully functional right alongside the new GUI. Getting the new GUI is simple if you have installed NordVPN on Linux before. It follows the same process as the CLI installation, but you just specify the GUI version. You can install it with the following command in your terminal: sh The GUI is initially available via DEB and RPM packages, with a Snap version coming in the future. Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed Source: https://www.neowin.net/news/good-news-for-linux-users-nordvpn-now-offers-a-gui-for-its-service/ #good #news #for #linux #users #nordvpn #now #offers #gui #its #service