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Guide to Making Use of iOS 26’s Latest Apple CarPlay Widget Capabilities on iPhone

iOS 26 offers a plethora of fresh features for CarPlay overall. In addition to Apple’s innovative Liquid Glass design, notable iOS 26 features comprise Live Activities on your Dashboard, video streaming options, a compact view for phone calls, and enhancements for Messages. Integrating widgets into CarPlay is quite simple, with the key aspect to remember being that you can access them through your iPhone’s Settings menu, allowing you to add, remove, or rearrange widgets.

CarPlay already possesses several impressive tricks to enhance the experience, but the ability to incorporate widgets will undoubtedly be a significant advantage for users with an infotainment system that supports them. As an increasing number of third-party applications adapt to the new widgets feature, it will further broaden the functionalities available while you’re in your vehicle. Here’s how to begin.

Beginning with CarPlay widgets

One of the initial steps you should take is to ensure you have downloaded and installed iOS 26 on your iPhone.&nbsp

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Google Messages to Get Enhanced AI Image Editing Feature from Gemini

Google Messages Might Soon Receive One Of Gemini’s Top AI Image Editing Enhancements

One of Google’s leading AI functionalities, the Nano Banana image editor, may soon be introduced to Google Messages. The company has been gradually broadening the applications of its Gemini AI features, with Nano Banana recently transitioning to Google Search. Exactly what it will be capable of in Messages remains uncertain, as the team at Android Authority has only just unearthed a banana icon indicating the feature’s likely launch during a recent APK teardown. Although they succeeded in displaying the image, the authors couldn’t actually activate the feature.

It seems to only become visible when long-pressing on an image in both individual and group chats, suggesting it could be specifically related to images that users have captured previously. This is, of course, a significant step for Google, which has integrated Gemini into Messages but has generally avoided including any particular features previously beyond writing tools.

A logical advancement

While it may be among the initial highly-specific AI functionalities to arrive in Messages apart from Google’s AI writing tools, it is a logical progression. Nano Banana has gained widespread popularity since its debut, with some even claiming there’s no longer a need for Photoshop to edit images given its power. After receiving considerable acclaim, it’s reasonable for Google to make it accessible to users in Messages, which serves as a primary platform for Android users to share photos with friends and family.

And while it’s not precisely clear what capabilities will be available with the Nano Banana integration before photos are sent, the mere existence of it in the APK’s code indicates that Google is already considering the optimal way to enhance image-sharing practices with AI. Whether this is viewed as a positive or negative development will depend on individual perspectives regarding AI. The extent of what can be achieved with AI is indeed astonishing in many instances. Some even assert they have created functional clones for iOS, macOS, and Windows utilizing Gemini 3.0.

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Apple Loses Yet Another Leading AI Executive to Meta

Initially highlighted by Bloomberg, Yang was an ascending Apple executive who was recently appointed to lead Apple’s emerging “Answers, Knowledge, and Information” team. The mission of the AKI team is to enhance the Siri user experience by delivering precise answers to general knowledge inquiries. Reports indicate that the team also aims to make Siri’s interactions more conversational, akin to existing chatbots like ChatGPT.

Yang’s exit signifies yet another challenge for Apple’s apparently declining roster of AI expertise. Bloomberg mentions that Kang was “considered the most significant executive involved in” Apple’s new and ambitious version of Siri. In total, Apple has seen over 10 individuals depart from its premier AI and machine learning groups in the past year alone. For instance, in August, Ruoming Pang transitioned from Apple to Meta after receiving a compensation package in the neighborhood of $200 million. Pang’s exit was a substantial loss as he led Apple’s Foundational Model team and contributed to the development of the foundational models that support Apple Intelligence. Additionally, Meta also recruited several leading engineers from Pang’s team, including Tom Gunter and Bowen Zhang.

Meta is attracting engineers with enormous pay packages

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Declares Job Cuts of More than 500 Staff Members Owing to Financial Limits

Gallagher remarked that the choice was challenging, but “crucial for ensuring JPL’s future by establishing a more streamlined infrastructure.” With a workforce that once numbered around 5,500, these latest layoffs signify a 10% decrease in personnel, excluding contractors.

The director of the organization elaborated that the reductions are unrelated to the current government shutdown. Rather, he emphasized that this decision was part of the lab’s reorganization that commenced in July. This transition probably resulted from the financial instability that has been affecting the organization for an extended period. In February 2024, the organization dismissed approximately 530 workers, or roughly 8%, partly because of the lack of a fiscal year 2024 budget from Congress and doubts about the funding for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) project. Before the year concluded, two additional significant layoffs took place, with the lab terminating nearly 1,000 contractors and employees in total last year.

Continuing federal limitations

“October’s 5 Best Luxury Gadgets You Can Find on Amazon”

The Blue Elf massager pillow is priced at just $29.99 yet has the potential to work wonders on your tired neck and back muscles after a long day. It features 3D kneading with eight rotating nodes that simulate a finger-press action, aiding in relieving stiffness and tension. The elongated handles facilitate precise angling of pressure exactly where it’s needed, while the adjustable speed settings guarantee comfort.

It has garnered over 9,000 user reviews with an average rating of 4.2/5 stars on Amazon. One user stated that it’s the finest massager they’ve used among many others, while another mentions it offers great value for those unable to afford a full massage chair. Included is an AC adapter, and it automatically shuts off after 15 minutes for safety purposes. Additionally, the brand provides 24-hour online customer service and a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the product. You can also receive a replacement free of charge if the device malfunctions within 36 months of your purchase. We believe that’s an excellent offer given the low price, and it could also serve as a considerate gift for someone special.

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Recent Status Update: PayPal and Venmo Service Interruptions – Most Recent Details

Downdetector has indicated that the disruption affecting the two payment platforms is extensive. As of this writing, more than 8,400 users have reported issues accessing PayPal, while over 7,800 users are encountering similar difficulties with Venmo.

The issues seem to have begun around 11:00 a.m. ET. When I attempted to open the Venmo app on my smartphone, I was quickly logged out of my account. Some users have also encountered the following error message: “We’re sorry. We’re experiencing some difficulties completing your request at this moment. Please try again shortly, and if the issue continues, let us know.” Curiously, PayPal’s official status page does not indicate any problems and asserts that all systems are functioning normally. However, thousands of users having trouble loading the apps on their mobile devices would disagree.

What’s causing the outage for PayPal and Venmo?

“Groundbreaking Technology Unveils Once Hidden Microscopic Danger”

crabs adopting plastic as their shells, or the refuse accumulating in landfills and waterways. While unattractive and undoubtedly harmful to the environment and wildlife, there exists an even lesser-known plastic menace that could be more pernicious. Since plastic is never entirely eliminated and merely degrades into tinier fragments, these tiny pieces disperse globally. Minute bits referred to as microplastics have been detected in high altitudes and the ocean’s depths. Even tinier pieces, termed nanoplastics, have recently been discovered within the human body.

A significant reason why nanoplastics raise alarm regarding human health is due to their near invisibility. They are finer than human hair, and the extent of their presence within humans and their effects on our health is not fully comprehend. Nevertheless, a cohort of researchers from Germany and Australia has formulated a method for detecting nanoplastics. This innovation could transform our approach to studying and discerning the effects of nanoplastics on our health.

And this discovery couldn’t have been more timely, considering the unending plastic waste crisis. According to OECD reports, global plastic production surged from 258 million tons in 2000 to 507 million tons by 2019. This figure is anticipated to triple, reaching 1,356 million tons by 2060. Therefore, this innovative research tool is more crucial than ever for comprehending the plastic threat.

The instrument to detect nanoplastics

Causes for Nvidia’s Termination of the ‘GTX’ Graphics Card Series

RTX series of graphics cards. Although the GTX series of graphics cards had served as a foundation in Nvidia’s gaming portfolio for many years, advancements in technology necessitated new branding to showcase cutting-edge features like ray tracing. RTX cards were engineered with specialized RT cores to enable this technology, a characteristic absent in the GTX lineup.

Long live the GTX series

Possible Disadvantages of Utilizing a USB Hub

an economical and feature-rich USB hub can seem like a godsend when your laptop or desktop begins to run low on ports, allowing you to connect everything from external hard drives to keyboards and webcams, all via a single unit. Yet, if you’ve utilized a USB port and experienced unexpected disconnections, sluggish data transfer speeds, or devices failing to power on, you’re not mistaken.

Although USB hubs are intended for ease of use, they do come with compromises. Depending on the hub’s quality and the number of devices linked, you may encounter problems like bandwidth limitations, inadequate power supply, or sporadic hardware instability. For example, some of the top external hard drives and cameras that require significant power may not get sufficient energy from an unpowered hub, resulting in performance issues or complete disconnections.

A USB hub won’t inherently damage your system, but it can present peculiarities that are important to comprehend before depending on one for everyday use. From power allocation and data traffic jams to possible interference, there’s more complexity behind a straightforward USB hub than you might anticipate. Here’s what you need to be aware of regarding the possible drawbacks of using a USB hub, and how to mitigate them.

The drawbacks of USB hubs

How iOS 26 Shields You from the Growing Menace of Scam Messages

helpful features Apple rolled out with iOS 26 includes a fresh filtering system aimed at reducing the chances of users becoming victims of phishing scams via text messages. Given the increasing number of text scams, Apple took steps to ensure the safety of iPhone users with this latest iOS update.

The feature skillfully categorizes incoming texts by allocating messages from recognized contacts to the primary text thread while directing suspicious messages into a “Spam” folder that can be reviewed later. By default, messages from unknown senders — like verification codes from your bank or surveys from various companies — will be delivered to your main text thread. If you prefer to have those messages sorted out, Apple provides an easy way to filter them. To accomplish this, launch the Messages app on your iPhone. Then, tap the icon featuring horizontal lines (commonly referred to as a hamburger button) located in the upper right corner of the screen. After doing that, you’ll come across an option to “Manage Filtering” at the bottom. Choose that, and you’ll find a toggle that allows you to screen messages from unknown senders. When this toggle is activated, legitimate messages from unknown numbers will show up in a distinct folder labeled “Unknown Senders list.”

In summary, it’s a valuable feature that will hopefully reduce the risk of iPhone users divulging sensitive information to harmful entities.

Texting scams are increasingly common