Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 12 to Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 12 update to its public beta testing group, giving non-developers a chance to try out the new software ahead of its fall public release.

The first beta of tvOS 12 available to public beta testers corresponds with the second tvOS 12 update made available to developers. Developers have had access to tvOS 12 since June 4, when Apple introduced new versions of tvOS, iOS, macOS, and watchOS at WWDC.

The tvOS 12 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under “System.” “Get Public Beta Updates” will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.

tvOS 12 introduces long-awaited support for Dolby Atmos, and when tvOS 12 launches this fall, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies, with Apple offering upgrades for all purchased iTunes content.

tvOS 12 brings a new zero sign-on feature that’s designed to let cable subscribers watch live channels and on-demand programs that they’re entitled to through their cable subscription simply by being logged into their home internet networks. This is something that will be limited to Charter Spectrum users to begin with.

Other tvOS 12 features include autofill passwords from the iPhone to sign into Apple TV apps more quickly, and support for Home Control systems like Crestron and Savant, which will be able to be used to control the Apple TV. Apple also plans to make the Apple TV Remote a default option in Control Center on iOS devices, and there are new aerial screensavers created with help from the International Space Station.

tvOS 12 will see a public launch this fall, and until that time, will be limited to developers and public beta testers as Apple works out bugs and other kinks.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Releases First Public Beta of macOS Mojave to Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to its public beta testing group, giving non-developers a chance to try out the software ahead of its fall public release. Today’s public beta should be the same as the second developer beta, released last week.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program will be able to download the macOS Mojave beta through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store. As a word of warning, though, subsequent betas are installed in a different way, using the Software Update icon in System Preferences.

Those who want to be a part of Apple’s beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.

Potential beta testers should make a full Time Machine backup before installing macOS Mojave, and it should not be installed on a primary machine because betas are unstable and often have many bugs.

macOS Mojave’s main new feature is a systemwide Dark Mode, which gives Mac users a new way to view the operating system. A revamped Mac App Store makes it easier than ever to discover great apps, while Dynamic Desktops give you wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day.

An improved Finder window with Gallery View, Sidebar, Quick Look, and Quick Actions makes it easier to manipulate, edit, and organize your files, while Desktop Stacks organizes all of the files on your desktop.

The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have made their way to the Mac in Mojave, and for the first time, you can use Siri on Mac to control HomeKit products. Group FaceTime, an iOS 12 feature, is also available in Mojave and lets you chat with up to 32 people at one time.

Apple is keeping your data safer than ever with new security and privacy improvements, and Safari in macOS Mojave makes it much easier to track you through share/like buttons and via your system configuration.

macOS Mojave is compatible with 2015 and newer MacBooks, 2012 and newer MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac models, the 2017 iMac Pro, and Mac Pro models from late 2013 and mid-2010 and mid-2012 models with Metal-capable GPUs.

Mojave will be available in a beta capacity for the next several months so Apple can work out bugs ahead of a fall release.

Related Roundup: macOS Mojave
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Apple Releases First Public Beta of iOS 12

Apple this morning released the first public beta of iOS 12 to its public beta testing group, giving non-developers a chance to test the software ahead of its upcoming fall release. The first public beta of iOS 12 should correspond to the second developer beta, which was released last week.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program will receive the iOS 12 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.

Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple’s beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. Before installing a beta, make sure to create a full encrypted iTunes backup or an iCloud backup and be sure to install iOS 12 on a secondary device because beta software is not always stable and can include bugs.

iOS 12 is a significant update to the iOS operating system, introducing Group FaceTime, local multiplayer shared AR experiences, new Animoji, and a Memoji feature that’s designed to let you create a personalized Animoji that looks just like you.

Animoji, stickers, text, and more can be used in FaceTime and the Messages app, and there’s a new Screen Time feature to help customers understand and manage the amount of time they’re spending on their iOS devices. New Do Not Disturb features make it easier to manage notifications, as do interactive notification options and notification grouping.

Siri has been improved in iOS 12 with Siri Shortcuts, which is designed to allow Siri to work with any app, and Siri is also smarter and able to provide info on motorsports, food, and celebrities.

Under-the-hood improvements to iOS 12 will make everyday tasks on the iPhone and iPad faster and more responsive, with the camera launching up to 70 percent faster and the keyboard showing up to 50 percent faster.

iOS 12 will be available to developers and public beta testers as a beta for several months to allow Apple to work out kinks and bugs. The update will see a launch this fall.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Win an iPhone X and rep your soccer team with Speck Presidio World Grip cases

The 2018 FIFA World Cup is well underway, with the first match having kicked off on June 14 and the monthlong event running through July 15. To celebrate, we’ve teamed up with Apple and Speck to give our readers a chance to win a brand-new unlocked iPhone X along with a bundle of Speck’s new Presidio Grip phone cases designed to look like flags of the countries participating in the World Cup.

Speck is a no newcomer to the world of mobile protection and makes some of our favorite smartphone cases. The all-new World Edition iPhone cases put a patriotic spin on the original Presidio Grip, with each one sporting the colors of 2018 FIFA World Cup soccer teams.

Almost all of us are carrying and using our phones throughout the day – and we’ve all let them slip out of our hands at some point. It happens. The Presidio Grip cases are a great way to avoid the nicks, dings, and cracks that are sure to result when your phone is unprotected against those inevitable bumps and falls. The rubberized, ridged design also offers great purchase to prevent your phone from sliding out of your mitts in the first place.

The Apple iPhone X should also need little introduction: Apple’s latest high-end smartphone turned heads when it launched last year with a price tag of $1,000 – the company’s most expensive phone yet — but it lives up to the hype thanks to its great design, signature Apple build quality, and solid hardware. The new iPhone’s beautiful OLED display is also one of the best we’ve ever seen on any mobile device.

One lucky winner will take home the grand prize for free: A brand-new iPhone X along with six of the Speck Presidio World Grip cases, each one a $40-45 value, featuring the flag colors of the top teams playing in this year’s FIFA World Cup. This is the perfect way to protect your new free iPhone while repping your favorite team (or teams, if you’re the type to root for more than one country). We will be notifying the winner via email, so make sure to check your inbox once the giveaway is completed. You wouldn’t want to miss your chance at a brand new iPhone and some of the top cases on the market.

Looking for more great stuff? Find iPhone deals and more on our curated deals page, and be sure to follow us on Twitter for regular updates. Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win:

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Here’s how Microsoft’s Xbox One mouse and keyboard support could work

Microsoft and Razer may be partnering to bring mouse and keyboard support to the Xbox One, Windows Central reports. If implemented, it wouldn’t be quite the same as a PC or laptop, as only a single keyboard would be supported and only a select number of buttons on a mouse. While mouse and keyboard support could bring about new gameplay possibilities on console though, it may raise further questions over fairness.

Microsoft has promised keyboard and mouse support on its Xbox platform for years, but has only really delivered in Minecraft. Meanwhile, third-party hardware has made it possible to use a keyboard and mouse unofficially for some time, but recently as competitive games have become more adopted by mainstream gaming, their use has been controversial. Mice and keyboards tend to offer far greater control and accuracy in certain game types, most notably shooters and strategy games. Official support from Microsoft for such input options is exciting, but it does have the potential to raise the ire of those who feel themselves cheated by their opponents having better hardware.

Still, it’s not like keyboard and mice gamers on the Xbox One would have free reign. As the documents obtained by WindowsCentral state, game developers who want to support mice and keyboards would be mandated on supporting gamepads, too. Any mouse used would only be supported up to five buttons, as well as wheel movement. Most Windows-compatible mice would be supported, including wireless mice with dongles — though those with custom drivers may not be supported.

Microsoft also highlights that developers could detect which input option was being used by the gamer, thereby allowing them to make it so that keyboard and mice gamers play together, rather than mix and matching. That is something that Microsoft’s slides “highly suggest” that developers do, though it also encourages tracking how keyboard and mice and gamepad gamers fare against one another.

Since making a competitive game is so reliant on an active player base, developers may not be so interested in splitting their communities along those lines, but it would no doubt very much depend on the developer’s sensibilities and the size and scope of their game.

Implementing keyboard and mouse support at all may cause some consternation among console gamers, due to the inherent improvement in accuracy a mouse offers. As Microsoft has previously stated, it leaves it up to developers to use APIs to detect third-party hardware that allows that sort of input, if they so choose. That is something that some developers, like Bluehole, have already taken it up on.

While no announcement has been made about the official implementation of such support, The Verge confirmed with its sources that keyboard and mouse support on the Xbox One is in the works. When combined with better tracking of who is using controllers, it may lead to a fairer gaming landscape and new genre options for console gamers.

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Avoiding armageddon: U.S. reveals plans to counter killer asteroids

The U.S. government released a new report detailing some of the efforts underway to prepare for and respond to a catastrophe caused by a “near-Earth object” (NEO), an asteroid or comet that impacts the Earth.  Included in the report are several strategies the government could take to avert such a collision, which has the potential for immense widespread destruction.

Such an impact is highly unlikely, given the vastness of space and the relatively tiny size of the NEOs in our solar system. “Fortunately, this type of destructive event is extremely rare,” White House official Aaron Miles told Bloomberg.

The report breaks the NEOs into five general categories by the potential of impact devastation, ranging from “none” (the shooting stars we see in the sky all the time) to “global” (the event that led to the end of the dinosaurs).

Even relatively small objects can cause extensive devastation because they’re traveling at such high speeds. In 1908, for example, an object about 150 feet across exploded over Tunguska, Russia, leveling more than 800 square miles of forest. The report estimates that such an event over New York City would result in millions of casualties.

Luckily, we’re getting a lot better at tracking the most dangerous objects. In conjunction with the International Asteroid Warning Network and the United Nations, NASA has documented 96 percent of the largest “planet-killers,” according to Lindley Johnson, a planetary defense officer for NASA. The agency is currently tracking some 18,310 NEOs, with 8,000 of those in the “global” category.

On the other hand, there is a chance that a rogue object could suddenly appear from interstellar space, giving us mere months to prepare. That was the case with ‘Oumuamua,’ a strange cigar-shaped asteroid that was apparently just a visitor that cruised quickly into our solar system, slingshotted around the sun at 196,000 miles per hour, and departed.

The report encourages preliminary planning and designs for three different “NEO deflection” missions:

• Kinetic impact: Just smashing a spacecraft into the asteroid may be enough to sufficiently deflect its trajectory, especially if the object was years away from impact.
• Gravity tractor: Landing and attaching a heavy spacecraft on the object would have a similar effect to a barnacle on a ship’s hull, altering the path due to the increased mass.
• Nuclear explosion: While obviously the tactic Bruce Willis would approve of, the reality is more nuanced. A nuclear blast would reduce the mass of the object, allowing its trajectory to be altered more easily by other methods. The report emphasizes that no nuclear explosive tests in space are planned or necessary, and such a scenario would only be undertaken for a large object that is more than a decade from impact.

In the short term, the administration wants to increase funding for missions like the NASA Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), which will test some of these theories by crashing a spacecraft into the orbiting moonlet of a dual asteroid.

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Portable microphone system transcribes multi-person conversations in real time

In case you hadn’t noticed, we love gadgets here at Digital Trends. But, as much as we like them, gadgets can often fall under the “nice to have” banner, as opposed to being things which fundamentally transform our lives on a regular basis. The same isn’t true when it comes to accessibility devices, aimed at helping people with disabilities carry out the kind of day-to-day tasks many of us take for granted. That is why we’re excited about a new crowdfunding campaign created by a team of Netherlands-based entrepreneurs. Called SpeakSee, it’s a multi-mic system which will accurately transcribe conversations for deaf users, rendering everyday chat between groups of people as a multi-person script.

“Both of my parents have severe hearing loss since birth,” Jari Hazelebach, co-founder and CEO, told Digital Trends. “Throughout my life, I’ve seen the communication barriers that they had to face. My father has difficulties following meetings at work, and misses out on a lot of relevant information he needs to do his job. Enabling him and millions of others around the world to be a full part of conversations again is what inspired my co-founder Marcel van der Ven, Joshua Flowers and I to create SpeakSee.”

Using SpeakSee is as easy as handing out wearables microphones for people to clip on to their clothing. After this, their words are transcribed in different colors for deaf or hard of hearing users, who can read along using a connected smartphone or tablet. However, it could also be useful for other people, such as journalists who want to transcribe conversations more easily. With that in mind, text transcripts of conversations can be easily saved and then searched using keywords.

The smart technology making this all possible takes advantage of the recent artificial intelligence neural network-assisted advances in speech recognition. It is also aided by some neat microphones, which use beamforming technology to isolate specific people’s speech and filter out any background noise. An array of built-in sensors even adjusts the microphones according to different conversational dynamics.

As ever, we offer our usual warnings about the risks of pledging money for crowdfunding campaigns. If you’re aware of these and still wish to get involved, though, you can head over to the project’s Indiegogo page and pledge your financial support. A set of three microphones and a dock starts at $349, while a pricier option gives you the chance to get six mics and two docks at a discount. Shipping is set to take place in February 2019.

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The five best Wear OS devices right now

Wear OS smartwatches let you instantly access notifications, map directions, and even Google Assistant on your wrist. When manufacturers began making Wear OS watches — then called Android Wear watches — they were bulky and clunky. These watches have since slimmed down and they look attractive. More and more fashion and watch brands have come on board to make Wear OS smartwatches, such as Michael Kors and Movado.

Before you go browsing our guide to all of 2017’s Wear OS smartwatches, or even our best smartwatches guide, take a look at the models below. We’ve selected the best Wear OS watches at varying price ranges and laid out what features they pack. You should know, Wear OS works best on Android phones. If you have an iPhone, we strongly recommend taking a look at the Apple Watch Series 3.

The best

Huawei Watch 2 ($265+)

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The original Huawei Watch quickly became one of our favorite Wear OS smartwatches thanks to its beautiful design. We think the original looks better than its successor, but the Huawei Watch 2 is another hit, and it packs all the features you want.

The Huawei Watch 2 comes in a few different models — including the Huawei Watch 2 Sport and Watch 2 Classic, though thankfully the differences are largely only aesthetic. Unlike many other Wear OS watches, you get a heart rate monitor, which is great for those looking for deeper fitness tracking features, as well as GPS. Our favorite addition is “Watch Mode,” which turns off Wear OS for an analog watch face that keeps the device alive for 25 days. Other than that, it has a 420mAh battery that will give you about a day of battery life.

It has NFC so you can make contactless payments with Android Pay, and it’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 2100 chip. Like all recent Wear OS smartwatches, you can press and hold the crown to access Google Assistant, and access the Google Play Store to download third-party apps. The only feature that’s missing is LTE, which is not available on the U.S. model. Still, add everything else up and you get our pick for the best Wear OS smartwatch out there.

Buy the Huawei Watch 2 now from:

Amazon

The rest

Movado Connect ($595+)

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The Movado Connect may not have all the features the Huawei Watch 2 does, but it does pack a whole lot of style. The minimal design mimics Movado’s traditional timepieces, and our favorite watch face changes its color throughout the day from sunrise to sunset. It comes in a few different color and strap choices, with sleek lugs that cover up any excess space in between the watch and the straps.

It has all the basic Wear OS features, including support for Android Pay with NFC. You’ll only miss a heart rate monitor and GPS, but this isn’t necessarily a sporty watch. The biggest downside is the price tag — it starts at $595.

Buy Movado Connect now from:

Movado

Misfit Vapor ($200)

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

The Misfit Vapor has had a long road to release, but it’s now finally available to the public — and it may well be the best Wear OS watch for you. For starters, the Misfit Vapor features a sleek and stylish design, and while these days bezel-less is the new trend, the bezels that this watch has are touch-sensitive and can be used to control certain aspects of the watch’s software. On top of that, the watch has a beautiful AMOLED display, and interchangeable bands, meaning you can set the watch up to better fit your style.

Unlike many other Wear OS smartwatches out there, the Misfit Vapor features a heart rate sensor, meaning you can use it to track your workouts. It’s also waterproof up to 50 meters — so you don’t have to stop tracking your workouts when you get in the pool.

Buy the Misfit Vapor now from:

Amazon

Fossil Q Explorist/Q Venture

Simon Hill/Digital Trends
Simon Hill/Digital Trends

Fossil’s Q Explorist and Q Venture are members of Fossil’s latest smartwatch lineup, and like the Michael Kors watches, they offer Wear OS and a pretty stylish design.

The Q Explorist offers a nice, forward, thin-bezel look with three buttons and options for metal chain or leather straps. The Q Venture, on the other hand, is a little more understated, offering a thinner strap and a more curved overall look.

Buy the Q Explorist from:

Amazon

Buy the Q Venture from:

Amazon

Kate Spade Scallop ($295+)

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Kate Spade is known as a very fashion-forward company, and the Kate Spade Scallop proves that. The Scallop features an understated and classic design, along with a series of fun watch faces to complete the look. It’s pretty slim too — which is helpful in ensuring that the watch looks stylish.

The watch is simplistic more than full-featured, so you won’t get things like NFC for Android Pay or a heart rate sensor, but plenty of people won’t need those features anyway.

Buy the Kate Spade Scallop now from:

Amazon

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Catalyst Case protects your AirPods from anything you can throw at them

Apple may have new AirPods coming next year, but that’s still quite a way off, and things can and often will end up delayed, especially if you’re desperately waiting for them to come out. If you want to make sure your current AirPods last until the new ones out, Catalyst makes a case that looks like the perfect thing to keep them going no matter what you get up to while you’re carrying them around.

Catalyst claims its case is the first and only case that offers “complete protection” for your Apple AirPods. By this, presumably, the company is referring to the way its case works: This case isn’t a replacement for the small charging case you get along with your AirPods. Instead, that case goes inside of the Catalyst case, allowing you to access the charging port without having to remove anything.

The Catalyst case is made from soft but rugged premium silicone and is IP67-certified drop and water-resistant. The case can be submerged in water up to a depth of 3.3 feet, while it is shockproof when dropped from a height of up to 4 feet. An included carabiner lets you attach the case to a backpack or belt loop to make sure it doesn’t get away from you.

While the Catalyst case has been around in various parts of the world for some time, this marks the first time that it will be available directly via a retailer based in the United States. Specifically, the case will be sold via Verizon Wireless.

“We’re excited to offer this product to Verizon Wireless customers,” Catalyst CEO June Lai said in a statement. “The Catalyst Case for AirPods is a consistent top seller around the world and we are delighted to add Verizon Wireless.com to other major retailers and websites that stock the Catalyst Case for AirPods such as Virgin Megastore in the Middle East, Yodobashi Camera in Japan, JB HiFi in New Zealand, McShark in Germany and iStore in South Africa.”

The Catalyst case retails for $25 and is available now in Army Green, Deep Plum, and Slate Gray color varieties. For more information or to buy the case, head to the Verizon Wireless website. If you’re having any trouble with your AirPods or are a new owner, be sure to check out our list of problems you may encounter with your AirPods and how to fix them.

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Inhalable nutrients offer an alternative to energy drinks and supplements

In today’s world — with its emphasis on nutrition, health and wellness — it’s not just the high-level athletes who are juggling a daily buffet of energy drinks and supplements to take care of their bodies. Wouldn’t it be easier if there was a simple, one-stop-shop to give you all the nutritional supplements you need? Wouldn’t it be great if said approach was similar to vaping, thereby fulfilling both health and hipster criteria in one? That is what a new startup named Nutriair claims to have created with its series of currently available inhalable nutrients, designed to enter the body through the process of micro-aerosolization.

There are 11 different Nutriair devices, promising to boost everything from your energy levels to your quality of sleep. “Each of the 11 has their own designated flavoring, and we have correlated the flavoring with the function,” CEO Josh Matzkin told Digital Trends. “For example, Nutriair Sleep has an earl grey taste to it, which is synonymous to peacefulness, [while] Nutriair Energy has a sweet mint flavoring to perk you up.”

To use one of the devices, simply inhale it gently into your lungs for a couple of seconds, and then exhale through your mouth. A handy LED light will let you know when you need to switch to a new device, having exhausted the previous one.

At present, researchers are seemingly in disagreement about the positives and negatives of vaping. However, medicinal inhalation therapy has a number of things working in its favor as a method of nutrient delivery. These include its rapid response and the fact that it carries lower dose requirements, due to the greater absorption of intact nutrients to the bloodstream. According to Matzkin, the company is currently in the middle of trials to demonstrate the effectiveness of its devices, beyond the Food and Drug Administration approval for nutritional supplements they currently carry.

“Nutriair is currently evaluating the efficacy of its products by measuring the brainwave characteristics of subjects before and after inhaling Nutriair Energy and Focus,” he said. “Likewise, Nutriair Sleep is also being evaluated using a non-intrusive breathing monitor to measure sleep duration and sleep levels. The inhalation research that has been conducted regarding medicines, proteins, and peptides provides a sound scientific basis for applying those findings to the inhalation of vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional supplements. Although there is a scarcity of information on the inhalation of nutrients, current research studies — like those being conducted by NV Nutrition — are advancing the science of nutrient inhalation.”

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