With iOS 18.2 and iPadOS 18.2 now available, iPhone and iPad users have access to a slew of new features that make use of Apple Intelligence. That includes Genmoji, a new type of AI-generated emoji that was first introduced at WWDC 2024.
What are Genmoji?
Genmoji are custom emojis you can create if youve installed the iOS 18.2 or iPadOS 18.2 update. They are the emojis of your imagination, made real with help from Apple Intelligence you describe what emoji you want to see, like a sad cowboy or an octopus DJ, and Apples AI will do its best to generate it. You can even create custom emojis of people you know if you have a photo of them in your library. Once youve made Genmoji, theyll be stored in your keyboard so you can use them in Apple apps that support emojis. They can be sent as part of messages, as standalone stickers or as Tapback reactions.
How to create Genmoji
To create a Genmoji, youll need a device that is up to date with iOS 18.2/iPadOS 18.2 or later and compatible with Apple Intelligence. That includes every iPhone 16 model, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, as well as iPad models with the M1 chip or later, and iPad mini (A17 Pro). At the moment, you can only create Genmoji on iPhone and iPad, though Apple says the feature will be coming to Mac down the line. The steps to create a Genmoji are the same for iPhone and iPad.
Apple
First, open a conversation and tap the text field to bring up the keyboard. Then tap either the smiley icon or the globe icon, depending on which you have. After doing that, you should now see a multicolored smiley icon with a plus sign on it at the top right of the keyboard. Tap that and a text bar will appear prompting you to describe the emoji youd like to create. Enter the description, then tap Done.
If youre making a Genmoji of a specific person, make sure youve already labeled them in your Photos app. Then, enter your description and tap the Choose a Person option above the text field. Youll be shown who it has identified from your photos, and a few style options as a starting point. Click the one you like, and it'll create the Genmoji using that character.
Apple
The results might not be to your liking the first try, and if thats the case, just try tweaking your description until you get better results. Once youve made Genmoji, youll be able to find them in your keyboard either by swiping right through all the emoji options or by tapping the sticker icon. You can also add them to Tapback by pressing and holding a message, and clicking the smiley with a plus sign icon to search the emoji keyboard.
How to delete Genmoji
If you made a Genmoji and later decide you arent into it anymore, you can always delete it after the fact. To do this, head back into the emoji keyboard and either swipe right through all the pages or just tap the sticker icon. From there, find the Genmoji you want to get rid of, press and hold it, then tap Remove once the option pops up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/how-to-use-genmoji-to-make-your-own-custom-emojis-225907928.html?src=rss
Hackers behind a cyberattack that targeted Rhode Islands public benefits system were able to get the sensitive data including Social Security numbers and some banking information of hundreds of thousands of people, and they have threatened to release it as soon as this week if they arent paid a ransom, Rhode Island governor Dan McKee said in a press conference on Saturday night. The Rhode Island government opened a toll-free hotline on Sunday (833-918-6603) to provide information on the breach and how residents can protect themselves, but you wont be able to find out for sure if your data was stolen by calling in. People who may have been affected will be notified by mail.
The attack targeted the RIBridges system, maintained by Deloitte, which is used to apply for Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), HealthSource RI healthcare coverage and other public benefits available to Rhode Islanders. A press release from McKees office notes that any individual who has received or applied for health coverage and/or health and human services programs or benefits could be impacted by this leak.
Its thought the hackers were able to get information including names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and certain banking information. Deloitte first detected the breach and notified state officials on December 5, and determined on the 11th that there was a high probability that the implicated folders contain personal identifiable data from RIBridges. It confirmed the presence of malicious code on December 13 and subsequently shut the system down, before officials announced the attack to the public the same day.
The system is now offline while Deloitte works to secure it, which means that anyone who needs to apply for one of the affected programs will have to do so by mail, and people who are currently enrolled wont be able to access the online portal or app. The state said it so far hasnt detected any identity theft or fraud relating to the attack, but it will be offering free credit monitoring to anyone affected by the breach. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/hackers-may-have-accessed-hundreds-of-thousands-of-rhode-islanders-sensitive-info-in-ribridges-cyberattack-194621262.html?src=rss
The Magic Mouse has gone a long time without any major changes to its design beyond things like dropping the AA batteries and gaining a USB-C port, but Apple is now reportedly planning an overhaul. In the Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman reports that Apple has started working on prototypes for a more modern version of the Magic Mouse, which was first released way back in 2009.
While some users have loved the Magic Mouse for its gesture controls, other aspects like its nonergonomic design and its underside charging port have been the subject of complaints for years. We dont know what exactly the redesign will bring, but itd be great to see those things finally addressed. And it sounds like we will. According to Gurman, Apple is looking to create something thats more relevant, while also fixing longstanding complaints yes, including the charging port issue. It could still be a while before we see the new Magic Mouse, though. Gurman notes that it could take another year to 18 months to get it ready for market.
The newsletter also gives us a bit more info on the rumored new AirTag that Apple reportedly has in the works for release next year. Building on his previous reports about a next-gen AirTag with a better chip and more tamperproof design, Gurman now reports that the new tracker will have a new ultrawide band chip on par with the one introduced in the iPhone 15, which he says could triple its detectable range with Precision Finding.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/apples-magic-mouse-may-be-getting-a-big-makeover-in-the-next-year-or-so-174255032.html?src=rss
Weve been hearing rumors about the foldables Apple may or may not be making for years, from clamshell iPhone prototypes to plans for a foldable iPad, but the latest suggests we may also be in for something much bigger. According to Mark Gurman in the Power On newsletter this weekend, Apple is developing a foldable device with a display that opens up to be nearly 20 inches. The plan is for something akin to a giant iPad that unfolds into the size of two iPad Pros side-by-side, with elements of both iPad and Mac functionality, according to Gurman. The company is reportedly targeting a 2028 release.
Not only will the device be enormous, but Apple is also working to make it creaseless when opened, Gurman reports, which other companies have failed to do in their own foldables. Apples prototypes have a nearly invisible crease, he writes, but its not completely gone. The report comes about a week after a leak that described a similar device with an 18.8-inch display thats allegedly due to be released between 2028 and 2030. Gurman predicts the foldable will run on iPadOS or a variant of it..
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apple-is-reportedly-trying-to-make-a-giant-ipad-like-foldable-with-no-crease-160821177.html?src=rss
We may see the next HDMI standard, HDMI 2.2, in only a matter of weeks. According to an email from the HDMI Forum sent around to press including Engadget this weekend, a new HDMI specification will be announced on Monday, January 6 in Las Vegas ahead of the official start to CES 2025. The details at this point are pretty scant all were told is that the new spec enables a wide range of higher resolutions and refresh rates and will be supported with a new HDMI Cable.
Its been seven years since the introduction of HDMI 2.1. It was most recently updated to version 2.1b in 2023, to support bandwidths of up to 48Gbps and resolutions up to 10K. The new specification with the next gen HDMI technology will bring higher bandwidth, according to the email. Thats about all we know now, but well have a team on the ground at CES keeping you up to speed on this and all the other announcements as they come.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/hdmi-22-could-make-its-debut-at-ces-next-month-233627519.html?src=rss
According to a report from Reuters, president-elect Donald Trumps transition team is trying to kill a rule set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that requires automakers to report crashes if advanced driver assistance technology or automated driving systems were in use within 30 seconds of the crash. The NHTSA issued the Standing General Order in 2021, stating that its goal is to gather data that could help it identify potential safety issues.
The data has been used in investigations into crashes involving six companies so far, including Tesla and GMs Cruise (which is shutting down its robotaxi program as of this week). Tesla despises the reporting requirement and believes the data could be misleading to consumers, Reuters reports, citing sources close to Tesla executives. In a document seen by Reuters, the transition team in charge of making a 100-day strategy for automotive policy reportedly recommended that the incoming administration repeal the requirement, saying it calls for excessive data collection.
Its unknown whether Elon Musk who donated over $250 million to help Trump get elected and was chosen to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency alongside Vivek Ramaswamy had any hand in the recommendation. Tesla has reported over 1,500 crashes, and accounted for 40 out of 45 fatal crashes reported to the NHTSA, Reuters reports. But, according to University of South Carolina law professor Bryant Walker Smith, who spoke to Reuters, Tesla has more cars on the road with advanced driver assistance technology and collects more real-time crash data than other companies, which could make for a disproportionate number of incidents reported.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/trumps-team-reportedly-wants-to-end-nhtsa-reporting-requirement-for-car-crashes-involving-automated-systems-213720835.html?src=rss
The holiday season has barely begun, but some of us are already getting ready for CES 2025. Shortly after New Years Day, many from the Engadget team will be packing our bags to fly to Las Vegas, where well be covering techs biggest annual conference. As usual, our inboxes are already flooded with pitches from companies that are planning to be there, and our calendars are filling up with appointments for briefings and demos.
Based on our experience, as well as observation of recent industry trends, its fairly easy to make educated predictions about what we might see in January. Over the years, the focus of the conference has spanned areas like TVs, cars, smart home products and personal health, with a smattering of laptops and accessories thrown in. At CES 2025, we expect to see AI get even more pervasive in all areas of the show floor. But we are also likely to get the usual slew of new processors and subsequent laptops, as well as all manner of wearables, trackers, bathroom appliances and massage chairs. Oh, the massage chairs.
If youre already looking ahead to 2025 and are studiously researching what might be coming in January, heres a taste of what our team expects to see at the show.
New video cards from AMD and NVIDIA
Theres no doubt 2025 is going to be a momentous year for PC gamers. NVIDIA is expected to debut its long-awaited RTX 5000 video cards at CES, while AMD CEO Lisa Su has confirmed well see next-generation RDNA 4 GPUs early next year. Of the two companies, AMD could use the upgrade more. Its last batch of Radeon 7000 cards were decent mid-range performers, but they lagged far behind NVIDIAs hardware when it came to ray tracing, and AMDs FSR 3 upscaling also couldnt compete with NVIDIAs AI-powered DLSS 3.
"In addition to a strong increase in gaming performance, RDNA 4 delivers significantly higher ray-tracing performance and adds new AI capabilities, AMD CEO Lisa Su said in an October earnings call.
As for NVIDIAs new hardware, a rumor from the leaker OneRaichu (via DigitalTrends) suggested that the RTX 5090 could be up to 70 percent faster than the RTX 4090. (Thats a GPU that I previously described as having unholy power.) They also note that other high level cards could see 30 to 40 percent performance bumps. Those gains might be enough to tempt wealthy RTX 4090 owners to upgrade, but RTX 4070 and 4080 owners might want to skip this generation. For NVIDIA holdouts with RTX 3000 and earlier GPUs, though, next year may be the perfect time to upgrade. Devindra Hardawar, senior reporter
AI PCs round 2
Last year, I predicted that AI PCs would dominate CES, and that mostly turned out to be true. As 2024 rolled on, we saw even more powerful NPUs in chips from Intel, AMD and Qualcomm. Microsoft also doubled down on AI PCs with its Copilot+ initiative, which gave a big marketing push for artificial intelligence features and premium specifications (like having at least 16GB of RAM).
Expect more of the same going into CES 2025, alongside even more AI being stuffed into every category of product imaginable. This year, in particular, PC makers are likely to gear up to take advantage of Windows 10 support ending next year. Instead of just upgrading your old computer to Windows 11, the likes of Dell and HP would rather you buy a whole new AI PC with the new OS pre-installed.
While 2024 was a year of endless AI PC hype, 2025 might end up being a year of reckoning. Microsofts long-delayed Recall feature is slowly trickling out to more users, but its already showing some glaring security holes, like failing to scrub social security and credit card numbers from screenshots. Weve also been mostly underwhelmed with Apple Intelligences image generation capabilities. PC makers have been eager to talk up the potential of AI-powered features until now, but in 2025 theyll have to actually prove they can live up to their fantastical claims. D.H.
Earbuds that follow Apples lead on hearing health
Im fully aware not every audio company has the ability to build out a clinical-grade hearing test and hearing aid features in their apps. However, Apples recent update for the AirPods Pro 2 should inspire the competition to offer some form of hearing health tools on their flagship products. Jabra was probably the best equipped to do this since parent company GN has extensive hearing aid experience. Sadly, the company announced earlier this year that it wouldnt make earbuds anymore.
Samsung and Google could probably integrate something like what Apple made for the AirPods, given both companies existing health platforms. If they did, those announcements are unlikely to be made at CES, as both companies prefer to host their own standalone hardware events throughout the year.
That leaves Sennheiser as the biggest audio company that consistently launches earbuds and headphones at CES. Last year, it showcased multiple new models, including one with heart-rate tracking for workouts. Plus, it already offers hearing assistance with dedicated devices like the true wireless Conversation Clear Plus. Those earbuds are more hearing focused than for general content consumption, so it would be great to see Sennheiser bring some features from that product to its flagship Momentum line of earbuds. Perhaps a Momentum True Wireless 4 Pro or Plus is in the cards, but the current model is just nine months old.
Of course, theres plenty of room for other companies to innovate here, and there will be no shortage of new earbuds in Vegas next month. We also tend to see a ton of assistive devices and technology launch at CES, from major ccessibility companies like OrCam and all manner of smaller brands. I just hope some of the new tech includes more general hearing tools on the models most people will want to use. Billy Steele, senior editor
Vehicle electrification goes sky high
As the growth of electric cars nears 10 percent of new models sold in the US, its easy to forget that wheeled vehicles arent the only kind of transportation seeing the shift to battery-powered propulsion. Flying taxis have been a mainstay of CES for the past few years, with concept vehicles from brands as large as Hyundai dotting the show floor in Vegas.
Granted, these contraptions look more like giant drones with cockpits than anything the Jetsons ever dreamed up. But with companies like Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation pledging to actually launch eVTOL services (electric vertical take-off and landing) in 2025, the era of air taxis may have landed for real this time. Sam Rutherford, senior reporter
Expanded dialog improvement features on soundbars
When it comes to the main aspects of soundbars, there really isnt a ton of innovation from year to year. Heck, Samsungs biggest update last year was the addition of HDMI 2.1 support to its flagship model, which shouldve been there already. Companies have also been focused on the transition to cable-free everything, whether thats wireless Dolby Atmos or wireless transmission boxes. Audio enhancement features are a place where companies can really rise above the fray, and tools like Sonos TV Audio Swap and Boses Personal Surround Sound are great examples of this. A key area nearly every company can improve is dialog boost, a feature that raises the volume or separates spoken word from background noise and music for better clarity.
Sonos made a huge leap in this regard on the Arc Ultra, offering two additional settings for its so-called Speech Enhancement. Previously, this was just an all-or-nothing toggle, which is how most companies handle their versions of this tool. Not only is the Sonos update customizable to a degree, its also just better, thanks in part to the redesigned architecture of its new premium soundbar. This is an obvious area where other companies can improve.
LG and Samsung typically announce new soundbars at CES, and there are plenty of smaller companies that will debut some too. Id love to see all of them take dialog enhancements a step further and at the very least give multiple options for how its applied. LG has been using AI Sound Pro from its TVs since 2021 and Samsung offers something called Adaptive Sound on its home theater speakers. I would expect them both to generally improve the quality of their features, but Im hoping theyll expand the capabilities too. B.S.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ces-2025-preview-the-new-technology-were-expecting-and-hoping-to-see-in-las-vegas-200052618.html?src=rss
Meta sent a letter to Californias attorney general on Thursday urging him to stop OpenAI from converting to a for-profit company, a move that Meta says would be wrong and could lead to a proliferation of similar start-up ventures that are notionally charitable until they are potentially profitable. The letter from Meta Platforms to Attorney General Rob Bonta, first reported on by The Wall Street Journal, comes on the heels of an injunction filed by Elon Musk at the end of November that also asked for OpenAI's conversion to be blocked.
Meta argues in its letter, which The Verge has published in full, that OpenAI was able to raise billions of dollars from investors under its original nonprofit mission and now wants to change its status while retaining all of the benefits that enabled it to reach the point it has today. It goes on to say, OpenAI should not be allowed to flout the law by taking and reappropriating assets it built as a charity and using them for potentially enormous private gains. The letter also calls upon the attorney general to look into OpenAIs past practices as a nonprofit. Engadget has reached out to OpenAI for comment.
Metas letter also voices support for Elon Musk and Shivon Zilis to represent public interests in Musks lawsuit against OpenAI, which was revived in August. On Friday, OpenAI published a timeline citing emails and other communications from Elon Musk to show how he previously pushed for OpenAI to become a for-profit with him at the helm.
In a statement shared with The Verge in response to Meta's letter, OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor said, While our work remains ongoing as we continue to consult independent financial and legal advisors, any potential restructuring would ensure the nonprofit continues to exist and thrive, and receives full value for its current stake in the OpenAI for-profit with an enhanced ability to pursue its mission.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/now-meta-is-trying-to-stop-openais-for-profit-conversion-too-181623327.html?src=rss
The annual Game Awards came and went this week, bringing a ton of announcements and trailers for upcoming games, and crowning 2024s game of the year: Astro Bot. Riding the excitement, The Game Awards has already announced the date for next years event. Itll take place on December 11, 2025 at LAs Peacock Theater.
#TheGameAwards returns on Thursday, December 11, 2025 to @peacock_theater in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/vueA0jW3V0 The Game Awards (@thegameawards) December 13, 2024
As always, The Game Awards on Thursday treated us to an orchestra performance of music from the GOTY nominees, and it goes so hard. That includes music from Astro Bot, Balatro and Black Myth: Wukong. Its definitely worth checking it out if you missed it during the stream.
Among the trailers, we got a surprise look at The Witcher 4 from CD Projekt RED and an Elden Ring spinoff called Nightreign, a co-op action game coming out in 2025. We also saw previews for Naughty Dogs Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Split Fiction from Hazelight, a cute-but-spooky new co-op game called Stage Fright from the team behind Overcooked, and over a dozen other upcoming titles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-game-awards-has-already-set-a-date-for-its-2025-show-155936829.html?src=rss
A federal court has denied TikToks request for a temporary pause of a law that could result in a ban of the app next month. The ruling, which came in response to an emergency injunction filed by TikTok earlier this week, is the latest legal setback for the company as it tries to avoid a total ban of its app in the United States.
In its request for a delay in the law taking effect, TikTok indicated that it planned to appeal to the Supreme Court. The companys lawyers also cited the possibility that President-elect Donald Trump may want to take a different approach given some of Trumps past comments about the app. But in a brief order, a panel of three judges denied that request, writing that such a pause was unwarranted.
TikToks future now depends on the Supreme Court, though theres no guarantee the court will agree to hear the case. "As we have previously stated, we plan on taking this case to the Supreme Court, which has an established historical record of protecting Americans' right to free speech, the company said in a statement. The voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world will be silenced on January 19th, 2025 unless the TikTok ban is halted."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-loses-its-bid-to-pause-the-law-that-could-ban-it-next-month-004200884.html?src=rss
