iOS 17 adds NameDrop, Journal, more

Oct 10, 2023

More personal and intuitive

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Just when you thought iOS couldn't get any better, Apple goes out of their way to add things you perhaps didn't immediately know you needed. Such is the case with iOS 17.

The new features range from calls and contacts upgrades, all the way to stuff for your mental health. Here are the most notable ones.

Users can customize how they appear, bringing a completely new look to incoming calls. Emoji, photos, different fonts and colors are all in play. Go wild. And they will also be available for third-party calling apps.

See real-time transcription as someone leaves a voicemail. And you can still pick-up the call as they are leaving their message. Spam calls won't appear as Live Voicemail, and will instead be instantly declined.

FaceTime now supports audio and video messages. When users call someone who is not available, they can share a message that can be enjoyed later.

Be more expressive during FaceTime calls with hearts, balloons, fireworks, laser beams, rain, and more. The new effects can be activated through simple gestures. Also works with third-party video calling apps.

FaceTime now extends to the biggest screen in the home. Powered by Continuity Camera, users can initiate a video call directly from Apple TV, or start the call on iPhone and then hand it off to Apple TV, to see friends and family on their television.

Lift subjects from photos and add effects that bring them to life. A new drawer in the keyboard puts all of a user's stickers in one place for easier access across iOS.

An expandable menu that can be accessed with a simple tap to display iMessage apps gives Messages a sleeker look. Search gets more powerful and precise with search filters. A new catch-up arrow indicates where the user last left off in the conversation, and replying inline is as simple as swiping on a text bubble. If a user shares their location, it will update in real time right in the conversation.

For when a user wants to notify a family member or friend that they have made it to their destination safely. After a user initiates a Check In, their friend or family member will automatically be notified as soon as the user arrives. Device location, battery level, and cell service status will be shared with selected contact if user appears to not be moving.

Bring iPhones together or bring an iPhone and Apple Watch together to easily share contact information.

With the same gesture, users can also share content or start SharePlay to listen to music, watch a movie, or play a game while in close proximity between iPhone devices.

Gives users a full-screen experience with glanceable information designed to be viewed from a distance when iPhone is on its side and charging.

A new app that helps iPhone users reflect and practice gratitude through journaling. It uses on-device machine learning for personalized suggestions for the user's journal entry. Suggestions are intelligently curated from recent activity, including photos, people, places, workouts, and more. It is built to protect a user's privacy and ensure no one — including Apple — can access a user's entries.

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It's the best game you won't be able to play

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Remakes are popular in the world of gaming these days. Three Japanese studios — Square Enix, Capcom, and Konami — all have released or upcoming remakes of their popular titles. However, the most impressive remake right now comes from somewhere other than these three giants. A group of fans have successfully recreated Final Fantasy IX with modern graphics.

Initially released way back in 2000, Final Fantasy IX remains one of the most endearing entries in the decades-long franchise. It was released for the original PlayStation. Of course, because of the hardware limitations back then, the original game looks dated.

Now, more than two decades after the original game's release, a team of over fifty fans worked hard since 2021 to create a short demo of Final Fantasy IX using modern technology. The team does have a storied resume, though. It included individuals with experience from big companies like Sony, Blizzard, Riot Games, and Sucker Punch.

We're thrilled to present the gameplay demo for our Final Fantasy IX Remake project, crafted with love and passion by over 50 professional videogame developers and artists over the span of three years.

We hope you enjoy the ride. pic.twitter.com/hUReF7ZuPR

— Final Fantasy IX: Memoria Project (@MemoriaProject) June 7, 2023

Unfortunately, if you want to play the remade game, you’re out of luck. The Memoria Project, as the collective is known, has no intentions of releasing a finished game — unless Square Enix gives them explicit permission to do so. Given how accurate the project is to the original game, copyright infringement is a legitimate concern.

As such, all fans have right now is a 25-minute gameplay video showcasing the opening Alexandria section of the game. It's an impressive showcase, though. If you were a fan of the original, check out the video.

SEE ALSO: Final Fantasy XVI PS5 Bundle announced

Hell is expanding

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In today's gaming landscape, live-service games often come with a veneer of controversy. While the format ensures content continuously pouring through the gate, a lot of players equate it to the plagued world of microtransactions. Eager to break out of the stereotype, the newly released Diablo IV, itself a live-service game, is already promising a wealth of content coming in the future — including two expansion packs.

In an interview with Kinda Funny Games on YouTube, the franchise's general manager Rod Fergusson has confirmed that the newly released entry in the popular series is getting at least two expansions down the line. With the live-service format, the studio can focus on polishing the content, rather than rushing them through the gate, according to Fergusson.

Though the expansions are already confirmed, neither Fergusson nor Blizzard have confirmed where the expansions will take players next. Both expansions will include unnamed narrative storylines, rather than focusing on introducing new mechanics.

Also, it will likely take a while before either expansion is announced. After all, Diablo IV just released a few days ago. Plus, the developers are working on putting out the first season of the title's battle pass.

Two expansions are quite impressive for the new title. Both Diablo II and Diablo III only had one expansion.

SEE ALSO: Diablo IV is Blizzard's fastest selling game ever

Follows TikTok in doing so

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Do you need an AI chatbot to hold a conversation? Instagram seems to think so. As the world rapidly experiments with developments in AI technology, the platform is reportedly working on a chatbot for its users.

According to Alessandro Paluzzi, a reverse engineer who usually digs up future plans for popular apps, Instagram is working on the AI chatbot feature for a future iteration of the app. Much like other chatbots out in the market today, Instagram's unnamed bot will enable users to interact with it in casually flowing conversation.

pic.twitter.com/r4VCV6oF15

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) June 5, 2023

The screenshots obtained by the engineer read that it "answers questions, gives advice." Additionally, it helps users "find the best way to express [themselves] … [through] writing messages." From a usability standpoint, the feature can help users craft replies to direct messages. They can also bring the bot into human-to-human conversations by mentioning the bot in the conversation.

To add to the quirkiness, Instagram will supposedly add 30 different personalities to the chatbot. Users can pick and choose which one they like the best. The sneak peek does not reveal any personalities included in the feature. (We’re hoping for a snarky one that judges and critiques posts.)

The feature has no timetable as to its release. However, since TikTok already released its own chatbot for testing, it should stand that Instagram's feature will come out soon.

SEE ALSO: Instagram is creating a Twitter competitor

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