Shazam's latest update added a feature you may be surprised to learn wasn’t already present: the ability to identify music through your headphones.
The way it works, according to the patch notes on the App Store, is you first launch the app whenever you find a song on YouTube, TikTok, or wherever. Tap the headphone icon on-screen to tell Shazam a pair of headphones are connected and to begin listening. From here, you can go to the video with the mysterious song and the app will pick it up – hopefully. 9To5Mac states the tool works on “almost any… app you can think of”, alluding to the possibility that Shazam may have some blind spots. Once you’re done, you can find the name of the song on the app’s interface.
It doesn’t matter what kind of headphones you use. The patch notes confirm the feature will work through wired and wireless devices alike. Nor does there appear to be any hardware restrictions either. You won't need to own a pair of AirPods to gain access. It works with third-party brands.
Additionally, Shazam will continue to work normally even if a pair of headphones are connected. The feature won’t interrupt or prevent the app from listening to songs playing in your immediate vicinity.
We should also mention that the headphone listening upgrade is also available to Android users. The app’s listing page on the Google Play Store has been updated to now include a line mentioning the new functionality.
Possible macOS expansion
It’s not a major upgrade as you can see, but it does introduce a new level of utility to the app. You should now have an easier time finding out the names of songs you stumble across on social media.
It’s unknown if this function will roll out to Shazam on macOS. According to the Mac App Store listing, the last time Shazam on Mac saw a patch was August 11, 2022, so it’s been a while. We think this version is overdue for an update. So we reached out to Apple asking if there are plans to expand the headphone listening feature to its other rendition of Shazam. This story will be updated at a later time.
Google’s experimental AI chatbot Bard may be coming to the Google Messages app in the near future – and it promises to bring some major upgrades to your phone-based chats.
Tipster Assembler Debug uncovered the feature in the beta code of the Google Messages app. The AI-enhanced features are not yet available, and Assembler Debug states that it doesn’t seem to work. However, according to leaked images, you can use Bard to help you write text messages, as well as arrange a date and craft a message calling in sick to your boss, alongside other difficult conversations.
Bard in Google Messages could also help to translate conversations and identify images, as well as explore interests. The code suggests it could provide book recommendations and recipe ideas, too.
According to the examination of its code, the app is believed to use your location data and past chat information to help generate accurate replies. However, you can provide feedback to Bard's response with a thumbs up or down by long pressing, as well as copy, forward, and favorite its answers, thus helping the AI learn if its reply was appropriate.
#GoogleMessagesBard in Google Messages!!Doesn’t seem to work yet.#Google #Android #AI pic.twitter.com/aumaSzyQ6sJanuary 19, 2024
See more
The project codename “Penpal” was noted in a beta version (20240111_04_RC00) of the Google Messages app. According to 9to5Google’s insights of the beta code, Bard can be accessed by selecting the “New conversation” option, allowing you to select Bard as a stand-alone chat option.
You must be eighteen-years-old to use it and conversations with Bard in the Messages app are not end-to-end encrypted or treated as private, unlike messages exchanged with your contacts. So you might want to avoid sending personal or sensitive messages through the app when Bard is enabled.
Google states that chat histories are kept for eighteen months to help enhance Bard and could be reviewed by a human, but no information is associated with your account beyond three years. Google recommends not to say anything to Bard you wouldn't want others to see. Conversations with Bard could be reviewed by Google but are not accessible to other users. However, you can delete your chat history with Bard anytime, which will take 72 hours to remove the data.
Echoes of Allo
Bard AI's inclusion into the Messages app seems slightly reminiscent of the past project Google Allo, which incorporated the Google Assistant in both stand-alone requests and chats. This service was shut down in 2019 but it could live on in some way through this Bard integration.
When asked directly Bard said: “While I can't say for certain right now, there are strong indications that I might become available with Google RCS messages in the future.”
Bard then went on to say that integration with Google Messages was being tested in March 2023 and the functionality aligns with Bard's capabilities to process language, generate text, and answer questions, as well as summarize information making it a natural fit for enhancing messages.
The integration of AI into messaging apps reflects many companies' eagerness to infuse AI technologies into their upcoming smartphones, with Samsung’s Galaxy AI features being a recent example. Google, however, is no stranger to AI tools in its phones with features like Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, or Live Translate all being staples of Pixel devices.
The implications of AI being added to messages are also intriguing, meaning you may never know if that thoughtful reply or fantastic date idea was thought up by a human or their AI assistant.
Although Bard’s inclusion in Google's messaging app isn’t yet available and no release date has been announced, Google could decide to not continue with the project. Google could go the Samsung route and make its functionality a subscription-based feature. However, all of this is speculation right now and we’ll have to wait to see exactly how much Bard will change the Messages app in the future.
Some Mac users are being affected by an unexplained bug that causes macOS to automatically update to the new macOS Sonoma. The issue appears to have been ongoing for a few weeks now, with gradually more users affected, but only Mac devices that were previously running macOS Ventura. The complaints have been highlighted on Apple’s forums and Reddit, though we’ve yet to hear any official statement from Apple.
MacRumors reports that the complaints have also been posted on its own forums, detailing that the forced Sonoma update can occur even with automatic updates turned off. A majority of the complaints reported that a desktop notification would pop up alerting users that the Sonoma update was available, and despite the notification being dismissed their Mac would begin to install Sonoma anyway.
So far Apple hasn’t commented on this unusual situation and it’s currently unclear why some Macs are auto-updating without permission while others remain on macOS Ventura. There doesn’t seem to be any particular device being affected; everything from iMacs to the M1 MacBook Air seems to be vulnerable.
Right under my nose!
While this is definitely an annoying issue, if you’ve had this strange forced upgrade happen to your device you can at least go back to the previous Ventura update. We should note that Apple allows you to downgrade older software a lot easier on Macs than it does with iOS updates on iPhones, so you’ll be able to downgrade back to Ventura.
If you do want to return to Ventura – perhaps because you’ve got an older Mac product that is struggling with the Sonoma update – you’ll have to use the Time Machine recovery function to do so. If you made a Time Machine backup before the Sonoma upgrade, it’s a pretty streamlined process. You can restart your Mac in recovery mode and select the option to Restore from the Time Machine Backup, which once restored should take you back to Ventura.
That being said, we wouldn’t recommend doing this just yet; at least, not until we get more information from Apple as to how to move forward. Recovery from Time Machine may work, but it does put you at risk of losing valuable data. Another possible option is to factory-reset your Mac (if it’s an older model) which will return it to the original macOS version it shipped with and then allow you to update to Ventura – but again, this is an extreme measure and you’ll need to back up all your files first.
If you’d like to double-check what version of macOS you are on and make sure your automatic updates are turned off (though that might not protect you from this glitch), open up your System Settings app and head over to the ‘Software Update’ section of the general settings. Once you’re there you’ll be able to see what version of macOS your device is currently running on and whether or not your automatic updates are enabled or not.
Hopefully, Apple will soon release an official comment (and bug fix!) to resolve this issue. Until then, keep an eye on your Mac…
It would seem reports of 'laziness' on the part of the ChatGPT AI bot were pretty accurate, as its developer OpenAI just announced a fix for the problem – which should mean the bot takes fewer shortcuts and is less likely to fail half way through trying to do something.
The latest update to the ChatGPT code is “intended to reduce cases of 'laziness' where the model doesn’t complete a task” according to OpenAI. However, it's worth noting that this only applies to the GPT-4 Turbo model that's still in a limited preview.
If you're a free user on GPT-3.5 or a paying user on GPT-4, you might still notice a few problems in terms of ChatGPT's abilities – although we're assuming that eventually the upgrade will trickle its way down to the other models as well.
Back in December, OpenAI mentioned a lack of updates and “unpredictable” behavior as reasons why users might be noticing subpar performance from ChatGPT, and it would seem that the work to try and get these issues resolved is still ongoing.
More thorough
ChatGPT is pushing forward on mobile too (Image credit: Future)
One of the tasks that GPT-4 Turbo can now complete “more thoroughly” is generating code, according to OpenAI. More complex tasks can also be completed from a single prompt, while the model will also be cheaper for users to work with.
Many of the other model upgrades mentioned in the OpenAI blog post are rather technical – but the takeaways are that these AI bots are getting smarter, more accurate, and more efficient. A lot of improvements are related to “embeddings”, the numerical representations that AI bots use to understand words and the context around them.
ChatGPT recently got its very own app store, where third-party developers can showcase their own custom-made bots (or GPTs). However, there are rules in place that ban certain types of chatbots – like virtual girlfriends.
It also appears that OpenAI is busy pushing ChatGPT forward on mobile, with the latest ChatGPT beta for Android offering the ability to load up the bot from any screen (much as you might do with Google Assistant or Siri).
Big changes are coming to the iOS App Store for users in the European Union (EU), as Apple has announced it will soon start allowing third-party app stores to distribute apps to users from a host of European nations. And now, we’ve gained our first look at what these stores could look like.
AltStore, an existing provider of “sideloaded” apps, has announced they’re working on bringing their own alternative app store to iOS. That will move the store out of its current gray area of providing unofficial apps and transform it into what its developer calls a “legitimate app marketplace“.
Right now, AltStore provides a range of apps that fall foul of Apple’s existing App Store rules. For example, it hosts Delta, a Nintendo games console emulator, and UTM, a virtual machine that allows you to run Linux, Windows and more on iOS.
AltStore’s developer did not outline exactly what changes it is planning to make, but one difference is likely to be the installation process. Right now, you have to install a server app onto your Mac or Windows PC, then connect your iOS device and install the app store from your computer.
Once AltStore becomes has been approved by Apple as that “legitimate app marketplace,” you will likely simply be able to download the AltStore app directly to your iPhone, with no lengthy workaround process required. In theory, this will mean being able to download any apps you want, including ones that don't conform to Apple's own App Store guidelines.
(Image credit: AltStore)
You'll also be able to set the likes of AltStore (assuming it gets approval) as your iPhone's default app store, and manage them in Settings. As Apple states in its explainer about the app changes, “users can manage their list of allowed marketplace developers and their marketplace apps in Settings and remove them at any time”.
Your default third-party app store will integrate with some iPhone features like Spotlight, to help you find and use the apps. But if you delete that non-Apple App Store, this will also delete “all related data from the device and stop updates for apps from that marketplace”.
A seismic change coming to your apps
(Image credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The momentous change in Apple’s App Store policy will be implemented in iOS 17.4, which is currently in beta and is due for a full release in March.
Anyone in the E.U. will be able to install apps from third-party stores, and any developer will be able to release their own app store as long as they meet Apple’s requirements for fraud prevention, customer service and experience, and can provide a €1m credit note attesting to its ability to guarantee user support. However, despite the potential for this move to upend the way European users get their apps, there are a few catches attached to it.
For instance, Apple says that restrictions you place on in-app purchases using iOS’s Screen Time feature will not work in third-party app stores. Likewise, Family Purchase Sharing will be limited, as will the Ask to Buy feature, while universal purchases – where apps you buy work across various Apple platforms – won’t be available. That’s because Apple won’t be facilitating payments on third-party stores, so won’t be able to implement these features. The company also says it won’t be able to help users with refunds, purchase history, subscription management, and more.
Apple has fought tooth and nail against this change, but its hand was forced by the E.U.’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which will start levying hefty fines against companies that don’t open up their platforms from March onwards. Apple says this move is likely to provide “new avenues for malware, fraud and scams, illicit and harmful content, and other privacy and security threats,” and that it won’t be lifting its App Store restrictions anywhere outside the EU. It’s possible the company might even be able to stop you bypassing the geolocation restrictions using a VPN, too.
That said, opening up iOS in this way could lead to some more positive changes. Web browsers on iOS won’t be forced to use Apple’s WebKit engine, for example, and users will be given greater ability to change their default browser. Payment apps will also gain access to Apple’s NFC system, which could mean we start to see contactless alternatives to Apple Pay popping up.
With the EU breathing down its neck, Apple has been forced to begrudgingly make these changes. That could prompt other jurisdictions around the world to consider passing their own app store laws, finally blasting a hole through Apple’s long-standing walled garden. That’s perhaps something for the future – for now, AltStore has shown us what that future could look like.
The latest in a long line of Ayaneo PC gaming handhelds, dubbed the Ayaneo Next Lite, will not only be an incredibly affordable portable option but will also be changing course on its OS.
According to a statement posted on the official Ayaneo Twitter/X account, the handheld will come with Windows 11 64-bit Home Edition pre-installed instead of Linux. A great option for those who are more familiar with Windows OS versus a Linux-based one. However, for those who prefer the latter, users will still have the option of the open-source HoloISO project version of Linux, which is based on SteamOS.
All this and the Next Lite is still launching at the very budget price of $ 299 up to and during crowdfunding, which is far less expensive than other options on the market. It’s a switch-up from the Next and Next Pro, which seems to be sticking with the Linux-based OS. And that makes more sense as they’re both meant to compete with the Steam Deck.
Ayaneko could differentiate itself from the market
While in general, I’m quite agreeable with the idea of using Windows OS for the Ayaneo Next Lite, since it’s the most widely used operating system by a longshot, there needs to be a reckoning for PC gaming handhelds that use it in general.
What makes SteamOS so excellent is that it’s tailor-made for the Steam Deck, so it feels smooth and intuitive. However, other PC gaming handhelds that use Windows OS like the Asus ROG Ally and the Lenovo Legion Go, make the mistake of not tailoring said OS to the system which results in a much clunkier user interface.
Though we don’t know what Ayaneo is planning with the Windows 11 OS it’s using for the Next Lite, crafting a unique user interface would be a great way to differentiate it from other handhelds that otherwise have gotten more attention due to its brands being more well known.
Then again, Ayaneko has also made some unusual decisions, like choosing HoloISO which hasn’t been updated in months (at the time of this writing) instead of ChimeraOS for the Linux-based OS. So there’s no telling what the manufacturer is planning other than targeting a much larger market. We'll have to wait and see how things shake out when the handheld finally launches.
Pre-orders of Apple’s Vision Pro are supposed to ship out on February 2; however several reports have appeared online claiming there’s going to be a sizable delay.
People have flocked to Reddit and X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) with screenshots of their orders now having an arrival period of February 29 to March 7. That week is commonly seen among the buyers experiencing the delay, but it’s not uniform across the board with others claiming different dates. A user on X says their unit has been pushed back to February 15 while another on Reddit says Apple’s “phone system” told them the headset won’t ship out until March 14.
Apple Vision Pro delayed Feb 2 -> Feb 29th – Mar 7th. Received a text this morning about an “update” to my order. Did anyone else in the #NeckStrong gang receive one as well? pic.twitter.com/UecFLV795JJanuary 25, 2024
See more
It’s also been reported that Apple is contacting people about the shipping date pushback. A comment on the Vision Pro subreddit states they received a text from the company informing them of the shipping delay.
The setback seems to be primarily happening to two configurations of the headset: the 256GB and 1TB storage models. There hasn't been any news or screenshots showing that the 512GB Vision Pro is seeing similar delays; although we wouldn’t be surprised if it too was getting pushed back. It’s hard to say for sure as there is a lot of chaos surrounding this situation. People are understandably frustrated, plus Apple has yet to make a public statement about the new shipping dates.
To be fair, the dates are estimated delivery times. It’s entirely possible the headsets will arrive on time or the delay won’t be as extreme. In a worst-case scenario, early adopters may have to wait until the dust settles to get their hands on the headset. Or they can go onto eBay and deal with the many, many Vision Pro scalpers.
Prioritizing stores
It’s unknown exactly what is causing the delay. A prevailing theory being thrown around in online circles is Apple’s recent decision to stock more in-store inventory in preparation for the big day. It argues that the tech giant is choosing to prioritize in-store purchases resulting in a limited amount of headsets for pre-orders. Commenters have said their in-store pickup orders of the Vision Pro are completely fine. They can go to an Apple Store and grab their device without issue.
That could be one reason, but again, nothing can be said with total confidence due to all the conflicting information.
So, we reached out to Apple asking if they could provide any details regarding the Vision Pro delay. Will people receive their orders on time or will they have to wait over a month? This story will be updated if we hear back.
For those planning to pick up a Vision Pro on day one with a pre-order, good luck. Industry insider Mark Gurman says some stores “are anticipating little to no day one availability for non-pre orders”, according to his sources.
There are plenty of great headsets out there if you can't get your hands on Apple's latest tech. Check out TechRadar's list of the best VR headsets for 2024 if you want recommendations.
NTDEV, the team behind the Tiny11, is back and has achieved an incredible feat – compressing Windows 11 down to just 100MB. While impressive, we wouldn’t recommend trying to run the developer's latest take on Microsoft’s latest operating software because well – it's a bit bare, to say the least. To shrink Windows 11 to such a size they’ve had to strip away much of what we’re familiar with and reduce it down to a text-only version.
In a YouTube video posted by NTDEV (via PC gamer) you can get a better idea of what it looks like. Gone is the normal GUI (graphical user interface) that we all know and love (well, depending on who you ask) and it has been replaced with an almost entirely black background and lines of white text – essentially turning Windows 11 into a command-line operating system like DOS (an old PC operating system which was popular before Windows 3.1 arguably killed it off).
So, there’s no windows, no colorful greeting screen, and no desktop. You won’t have a menu to select from or a taskbar to search for apps- instead, you’ll have to write exactly what you want to do, similar to how you would the command line app of your PC.
There are no pre-installed apps either, of course, so forget about firing up Microsoft Paint. With the GUI gone, you lose everything except the very bare bones of Windows 11. Of course, NTDEV is not doing this to allow people to download and use the itty bitty OS for their everyday lives, but instead to just show that it is even possible. Most people who work office jobs or in fields that require daily computer use probably don’t want to add hours to their work week having to type in a command prompt to bring up everything they’d normally be able to access with a single mouse click.
This could be a fun project, however, for users who’ve always wanted to bring newer versions of Windows to life on some very old computers. Nick Evanson of PC Gamer makes a point that most people are probably not thrilled with AI making a jump to almost every app and potentially future generations of Windows (more so than we’re seeing already), so perhaps this is a potential solution for users who want to go back to the basics – like, very basic.
Still, it's a very cool ‘proof of concept’ to see and makes one nostalgic for 1980’s computing aesthetics, and could provide a point of reflection for everyone to look back at how far we’ve come in the world of computing. However, I do prefer my Windows to actually have windows!
Apple describes the Vision Pro as a “spatial computing” device, but right now it's arguably as much a pair of cinema goggles that can play 3D movies. That billing has been undermined by the absence of a few apps from streaming's big players – and Netflix has just explained why it's steering clear of the headset, for now.
In an interview with Stratechery (via The Verge), Netflix's co-CEO Greg Peters revealed why Netflix hasn't made a native app (or even made its iPad app available) for the Vision Pro. In a completely fair yet somehow slightly withering observation, he states that the Vision Pro “is so subscale that it's not particularly relevant to most of our members”.
Peters adds that Netflix has to make sure “that we’re not investing in places that are not really yielding a return”, but that “we’re always in discussions with Apple to try and figure that out”. In other words, Netflix isn't ruling out making an app for the Vision Pro in the future, but only when Apple's headset becomes a lot more mainstream.
Yet Netflix's conservative approach to the Vision Pro also reflects some historically frosty relations with Apple. Netflix hasn't let you sign up to its app through Apple TV for many years to avoid Apple taking a cut of the revenue. And Netflix also still hasn't fully integrated with the TV app on Apple's streaming box, which lets you see content from all of your streaming services in a single carousel.
Whether it'll be a similar story for Netflix on the Apple Vision Pro remains to be seen, but for now, the mixed-reality headset will be missing the world's biggest TV streaming app, alongside Spotify and YouTube.
A sensible move or a snub?
(Image credit: Apple)
Right now, the Vision Pro is arguably a very expensive developer kit that's also available to buy in limited quantities – so Netflix's stance is completely understandable.
Greg Peters does add that Netflix and Apple are in regular contact, stating that “we’re always in discussions with Apple” and that “we’ll see where things go with Vision Pro”.
That's far from a closed door – and yet Netflix hasn't even allowed its iPad app to run on Apple's headset. You can watch Netflix on a web browser on the Vision Pro, but that's hardly a premium experience.
Daring Fireball's Jon Gruber even recently suggested that a Netflix iPad app for Vision Pro did exist, but that the streaming giant had a change of heart – and that the decision was made out of “pure corporate spite”, rather than anything technical.
Whatever the reality behind Netflix not even offering its iPad app on the Vision Pro, Apple certainly has its work cut out to convince some of the world's biggest apps to join its $ 3,499 “spatial computing” party. It's rubbing many developers the wrong way with its potential approach to sideloading on the iPhone, and we'll likely need to wait until at least the Vision Pro 2 before it gets close to being mainstream.
Meta might have been a big – perhaps even the biggest – player in the VR world for some time, but newcomer Apple is already giving it ideas for features to add to its Quest headsets, and the first of these could be the ability to use your Quest VR wearable while moving in a car or on a plane.
Using a VR headset while traveling – especially on a packed plane – sounds like a no-brainer. Rather than having to contend with movies displayed on a small screen on the back of the seat in front of you, you can enjoy them on a massive virtual movie theatre screen and forget that you’re crammed into coach like a sardine.
(Image credit: Apple)
However, while the idea sounds simple, it’s rather tricky to pull off – as one disappointed Meta Quest 3 user discovered when they struggled to use mixed reality on a flight. On Twitter/X, user @afoxdesign posted a rather amusing clip of their Quest 3 menu floating off into the distance while trying to use the headset on a flight.
In a reply to the post, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth (@boztank) explained that the issue is caused by the plane’s movement throwing off the headset’s IMUs (inertial motion sensors). The sensors are picking up on the plane’s movement and acceleration, so your headset thinks you’re moving about and adjusts the position of virtual objects accordingly.
Encouragingly, Bosworth added that Meta is “Working on it” with regards to making it possible to use Quest headsets while traveling in a vehicle.
No, we use an IMU to keep objects localized relative to your headset motion so moving vehicles represent a challenge (when they accelerate in any direction). We also use the cameras, of course, they work together as the IMU is higher frequency but lower accuracy. Working on it!January 24, 2024
See more
Back in May 2023 Meta showed off a demo where a Meta Quest Pro was being used in a BMW, with the car’s own sensors keeping the headset's IMUs in check. Unfortunately, this solution wouldn’t work for low-tech vehicles or commercial planes, where it might not be the safest idea to give random people direct access to the airplane’s sensors.
Option two, then, may be to introduce a simplified travel mode in which these motion sensors are turned off. Instead, the headset would use scaled-back tracking data and reference points to enable stable versions of static experiences like watching a video or playing a game through the VR Xbox Game Pass app – becoming a headset version of the Xreal Air 2 and similar wearable AR display glasses.
We’ll have to wait and see what Meta comes up with, but with Apple offering a solution to the using-a-headset-while-traveling problem, and Bosworth saying that a solution is being worked on, we’re hopeful that Quest headsets will be usable on a plane or in a car in the not too distant future.
1 844.742.7448 
Email Us
Remote Support 
Contact
