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App Store brasileira hospeda dezenas de jogos de azar disfarçados

18 July 2026 at 00:26

Dias após a Apple ter sido solicitada a fornecer mais explicações sobre suas políticas contra aplicativos de apostas no Brasil, uma investigação do 9to5Mac revelou mais de 60 apps que, especificamente por aqui, ocultam ou alteram recursos para promover jogos de azar.

Ou seja, eles se comportam exatamente como mostrado nas capturas de tela da App Store quando acessados ​​de praticamente qualquer lugar do mundo, exceto em terras tupiniquins.

Apps de apostas na App Store
Imagem: 9to5Mac

A maioria dos aplicativos é publicada por contas de desenvolvedores com apenas um registro na loja da Maçã. Esses aplicativos também tendem a usar políticas de privacidade semelhantes — ou possuem até mesmo políticas idênticas.

Ao aprofundar sua investigação, a reportagem encontrou um repositório público no GitHub contendo instruções para um agente de IA criar aplicativos simples, com código criado por meio de vibe coding, que servem como fachada para as plataformas de apostas.

As instruções exigem que cada aplicativo inclua de três a cinco interfaces visíveis, use um nome comercial e um ícone com tema animal (um dragão, boi, coelho, rato ou tigre) e suporte roteamento controlado remotamente para o aplicativo local, uma página da web dentro do aplicativo ou um site externo.

Elas também afirmam que os aplicativos devem ser construídos em torno de conceitos simples e imediatamente compreensíveis, com uma marca clara e várias áreas de recursos proeminentes, mas suficientemente diferentes entre si para parecerem produtos separados.

O repositório também inclui instruções explícitas destinadas a impedir que os aplicativos sejam sinalizados como suspeitos durante a revisão da App Store. Isso inclui atribuir a cada aplicativo códigos de inicialização e configuração remota com nomes exclusivos, dificultando a identificação deles como parte do mesmo grupo pelos revisores.

O método para burlar as diretrizes de revisão de apps da Apple tem funcionado, já que o próprio sistema de recomendação da App Store direciona os usuários para outros aplicativos suspeitos com mais frequência do que para aplicativos genuínos.

Procurada, a Apple ainda não comentou as descobertas da reportagem.

Promoções na App Store: Canon: Chord Composer, Drylands, PassFinder e mais!

17 July 2026 at 22:04

Fechando a semana com a nossa tradicional seleção de promoções na App Store para esta sexta-feira!

Canon: Chord Composer, desenvolvido por Dylan Shade, destaca-se como uma ferramenta de composição extremamente intuitiva e inspiradora — e, por isso, é o nosso destaque do dia.

O app combina três modos de criação (Instant Inspiration, Intelligent Discovery e Total Control), permitindo desde progressões totalmente aleatórias até construções manuais detalhadas.

A interface, limpa e direta, facilita a experimentação dos acordes de diferentes estilos (jazz, guitarra, piano, ukulele) e a audição de tudo com reprodução realista, seja você um músico profissional ou apenas um entusiasta no assunto.

Desbloqueie sua criatividade musical! Aproveite a oferta!


Abaixo outros jogos/apps que, juntos, somam quase R$60 em descontos:

Jogos

Jogo de aventura e estratégia.

Sons animais.

Aplicativos

Acompanhe a Estação Espacial Internacional.

Utilitário para acompanhar o sol.

Utilitário de chuvas.


Aproveite as ofertas e tenha um excelente final de semana! Vale lembrar que as ofertas são sempre por tempo limitado, então é bom correr. 🏎️

App Apple TV ganha widgets e suporte ao “Continue Assistindo” no Android

17 July 2026 at 18:42

Embora costume dar mais foco aos seus próprios sistemas operacionais, a Apple também lança esporadicamente recursos para as versões de seus aplicativos em plataformas concorrentes, como o Android.

O aplicativo Apple TV, por exemplo, está ganhando widgets para a tela inicial do Android — o que permite que usuários acessem ou visualizem informações sem precisar abrir o aplicativo.

Apple TV para Android
Apple TV para Android

Além dessa novidade, o aplicativo também está ganhando suporte ao recurso “Continue Assistindo” (“Continue Watching”) no sistema operacional do Google, juntando-se a outras tantas plataformas de streaming populares do mercado.

A novidade, semelhante ao recurso disponível no aplicativo Apple TV nas plataformas da Maçã, permite continuar assistindo a produções a partir do hub unificado de serviços de streaming do sistema operacional.

Apple has also launched homescreen widgets on Android for the Apple TV app. https://t.co/kKHqj0cqKd pic.twitter.com/qOhQsWqMeV

— Aaron (@aaronp613) July 16, 2026

Ainda na seara dos updates, o 9to5Google revelou que o Apple Music também está sendo atualizado no sistema concorrente, agora com suporte ao compartilhamento via WhatsApp.

Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, July 19 (game #1637)

19 July 2026 at 00:00
Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, July 18 (game #1636).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1637) — hint #1 — Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1637) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1637) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1637) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1637) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• A

• T

• B

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1637) — the answers

Quordle answers for game 1637 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1637, are…

  • SPURT
  • ACRID
  • THRUM
  • BLEEP

After crashing out yesterday, time to start rebuilding with my first win.

SPURT aside this was a fairly easy game, with a successful crop of letters from my three start words.

Trickier times lie ahead.

Daily Sequence today (game #1637) — the answers

Quordle Daily Sequence answers for game 1637 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1637, are…

  • CLUED
  • WRING
  • BRACE
  • TRAIT

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #1636, Saturday, 18 July: KNAVE, TIGHT, BLEAT, CHAOS
  • Quordle #1635, Friday, 17 July: CUMIN, PALER, GRASS, INBOX
  • Quordle #1634, Thursday, 16 July: IGLOO, PLAIT, YEAST, AROMA
  • Quordle #1633, Wednesday, 15 July: PROXY, BRICK, BROTH, SURGE
  • Quordle #1632, Tuesday, 14 July: EBONY, AVOID, RODEO, CUTIE
  • Quordle #1631, Monday, 13 July: VOICE, BISON, BURNT, BUILT
  • Quordle #1630, Sunday, 12 July: STAIN, BINGO, LARVA, DICEY
  • Quordle #1629, Saturday, 11 July: WORTH, PRONG, DINGO, DRUID
  • Quordle #1628, Friday, 10 July: GREET, STEAK, DUSKY, HAUTE
  • Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
  • Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
  • Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
  • Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
  • Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
  • Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
  • Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
  • Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
  • Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
  • Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
  • Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY

NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, July 19 (game #868)

19 July 2026 at 00:00
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, July 18 (game #867).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #868) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Big talk

NYT Strands today (game #868) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

  • SAIL
  • NAIL
  • HAIL
  • THEME
  • MOVE
  • COST

NYT Strands today (game #868) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #868) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 8th row

• Last side: right, 8th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #868) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 868 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #868, are…

  • GIANT
  • MAMMOTH
  • COLOSSUS
  • BEHEMOTH
  • LEVIATHAN
  • SPANGRAM: SUPERSIZEIT
  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

The letter Z helped me get the spangram — eventually, as I got “size” first, then “supersize” before finally SUPERSIZEIT.

Even though I understood the theme immediately and had an idea of the words we were searching for, I really struggled to put them together .

Although rarely used, LEVIATHAN is an incredible word (it features in the Bible, describing a fire-breathing sea serpent).

I was thinking that it really should be the name of a horror or at least a wrestler when a Google search told me that both already exist; the 1989 horror flick made less cultural impact than Dave Batista, who used the nickname Leviathan before becoming The Animal. Every day’s a school day with Strands.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, July 18, game #867)

  • SWEET
  • OATY
  • NUTTY
  • CRUNCHY
  • SALTY
  • WHOLESOME
  • SPANGRAM: BOWLOFGRANOLA

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, July 18 (game #867)

18 July 2026 at 00:00
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, July 17 (game #866).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #867) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… A healthy breakfast

NYT Strands today (game #867) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

  • COUNT
  • STAY
  • WOOLY
  • LUNCH
  • LONG
  • LARGE

NYT Strands today (game #867) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #867) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

• First side: left, 4th row

• Last side: right, 4th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #867) - the answers

NYT Strands answers for game 867 on a blue background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #867, are…

  • SWEET
  • OATY
  • NUTTY
  • CRUNCHY
  • SALTY
  • WHOLESOME
  • SPANGRAM: BOWLOFGRANOLA
  • My rating: Easy
  • My score: Perfect

I go through phases with breakfasts of having the same thing for ages before getting bored and switching to something new.

In recent months I’ve been through porridge, overnight oats, fruit and yoghurt, and recently a BOWLOFGRANOLA all in pursuit of “a healthy breakfast" when in truth I would love to eat bacon and eggs every day.

I digress. After finding SWEET and OATY the search became a hunt for the obvious — although I was unaware granola could also be SALTY.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, July 17, game #866)

  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • NATURE
  • SPORTS
  • GEOGRAPHY
  • SPANGRAM: TRIVIALPURSUIT

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, July 18 (game #1636)

18 July 2026 at 00:00
Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, July 17 (game #1635).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1636) — hint #1 — Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1636) — hint #2 — repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1636) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1636) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1636) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• K

• T

• B

• C

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1636) — the answers

Quordle answers for game 1636 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1636, are…

  • KNAVE
  • TIGHT
  • BLEAT
  • CHAOS

This was already a tricky game, with two words featuring silent letters. I navigated those okay, then crashed out — ending my win streak on the final word.

I had four possibilities for words ending I-G-H-T and I picked three wrong ones before I ran out of guesses.

Why I went with the obscure “wight” rather than TIGHT I can’t explain.

Daily Sequence today (game #1636) — the answers

Quordle Daily Sequence answers for game 1636 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1636, are…

  • DEPTH
  • CHUCK
  • CRISP
  • ETHOS

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #1635, Friday, 17 July: CUMIN, PALER, GRASS, INBOX
  • Quordle #1634, Thursday, 16 July: IGLOO, PLAIT, YEAST, AROMA
  • Quordle #1633, Wednesday, 15 July: PROXY, BRICK, BROTH, SURGE
  • Quordle #1632, Tuesday, 14 July: EBONY, AVOID, RODEO, CUTIE
  • Quordle #1631, Monday, 13 July: VOICE, BISON, BURNT, BUILT
  • Quordle #1630, Sunday, 12 July: STAIN, BINGO, LARVA, DICEY
  • Quordle #1629, Saturday, 11 July: WORTH, PRONG, DINGO, DRUID
  • Quordle #1628, Friday, 10 July: GREET, STEAK, DUSKY, HAUTE
  • Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
  • Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
  • Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
  • Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
  • Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
  • Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
  • Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
  • Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
  • Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
  • Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
  • Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
  • Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING

San Francisco orders Apple, Google to remove nudify apps from app stores

17 July 2026 at 17:10

This week, San Francisco’s attorney general, David Chiu, sent cease-and-desist letters, demanding that Apple and Google remove 13 so-called nudification apps from their app stores, Wired reported.

Nudification apps can make it trivially easy to transform ordinary photos of real people into explicit images. The harmful AI tools allow bad actors to remove clothing, change a person’s features, place them in sexualized positions, and swap victims’ faces onto other people’s naked bodies.

Chiu's letter warned that app stores were violating "California’s laws that prohibit supporting services that create deepfake pornography," Wired reported.

Read full article

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Hearty: a app que dá aos pais ideias prontas para passar tempo de qualidade com os filhos

16 July 2026 at 22:03

Entre a correria do dia a dia, arranjar ideias novas para brincar com os filhos nem sempre é fácil. Com Hearty, organize centenas de atividades por idade e categoria, para pais, avós e até professores usarem em casa.

The post Hearty: a app que dá aos pais ideias prontas para passar tempo de qualidade com os filhos appeared first on Tek Notícias.

CarPlay Apps: 120 Popular Options for Your Car

By: Jack
17 July 2026 at 22:33

CarPlay apps have grown far beyond maps, music and basic messaging. More than 120 popular iPhone apps now offer some form of support for Apple’s in-car platform, giving drivers access to navigation, podcasts, audiobooks, sports, communication, electric vehicle charging, parking, food ordering and newer AI assistants.

Not every compatible app places its full iPhone interface on the dashboard. CarPlay uses simplified layouts, voice controls and restricted features designed to reduce distractions. Some apps show lists and buttons, while others operate mainly through Siri or audio playback.

The larger catalog nevertheless changes what CarPlay can do. It is becoming a controlled extension of the iPhone rather than a small collection of driving utilities.

CarPlay Apps Cover More of the Journey

The first generations of CarPlay concentrated on a small set of familiar activities: choosing a route, making a call, sending a message and playing audio. Those functions remain central, but Apple has gradually opened additional categories to developers.

CarPlay apps can now help drivers find parking, locate fuel, identify EV charging stations, order food for collection and complete certain driving-related tasks. Automakers can also build apps that control supported vehicle features without forcing the driver to leave the CarPlay interface.

Apple continues to limit which app categories qualify. A social network, game or ordinary shopping app cannot simply reproduce its iPhone screen on the dashboard. Developers must use Apple’s CarPlay frameworks and present only functions considered suitable for the car.

The approach explains why the available catalog can feel both extensive and restrained. More than 120 apps may be compatible, but the dashboard does not become a crowded copy of the App Store.

Digital car dashboard displaying speed at 60 mph, range of 200 miles, temperature of 72°F, engine at 195°F, and sport mode engaged. The center screen features lane assistance with surrounding vehicles and Apple Maps MICHELIN Ratings integration.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

Navigation Remains the Starting Point

Apple Maps is built directly into CarPlay and provides turn-by-turn guidance, traffic information, estimated arrival times and destination suggestions based on information from the iPhone.

Drivers can also choose popular alternatives including Google Maps and Waze. Each service brings a different combination of traffic data, route preferences, incident reporting and familiar saved locations.

Other navigation and travel options include HERE WeGo, TomTom GO Navigation, Sygic GPS Navigation, Gaia GPS and specialist apps designed for trucks, motorcycles or outdoor routes.

The strongest choice usually comes down to habit and regional coverage. A driver already using Google Maps or Waze on iPhone can continue using saved destinations and preferences inside the car. Apple Maps benefits from tighter system integration, including Siri requests, Calendar suggestions and Apple Watch directions.

CarPlay allows several navigation apps to appear in the Dashboard layout, where mapping can share the screen with media controls and other useful information.

Music, Radio and Podcasts Dominate the Catalog

Audio remains the largest CarPlay app category because it suits an environment where users should spend as little time as possible looking at the screen.

Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Tidal and Pandora provide access to large music libraries. Radio services such as TuneIn, iHeartRadio and SiriusXM add live stations, news, sports and talk programming.

Podcast listeners can use Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro and Spotify. Audiobook options include Apple Books, Audible, Audiobooks.com and Bookmate.

The CarPlay versions usually emphasize large buttons, recent listening, saved libraries and voice search. More detailed account management remains on the iPhone.

Siri can start playback without requiring users to browse through several menus. The experience is safer and often faster when the request includes the service and content, such as asking Siri to play a specific playlist through Apple Music or Spotify.

Phone Charging but CarPlay Not Working

Messaging Is Becoming More Visual

Messages has long allowed CarPlay users to hear incoming texts and dictate replies through Siri. Third-party messaging services have expanded the same general idea.

WhatsApp now offers a fuller CarPlay experience that can display recent chats, calls and favorite contacts while keeping message composition centered on voice. Other supported communication apps include Telegram and selected business messaging services, depending on region and app version.

CarPlay does not display long text conversations like an iPhone. Siri reads messages aloud, and users can dictate a response. Visual elements remain limited so the dashboard does not become a scrolling chat screen.

Phone and supported calling apps also provide simplified access to contacts, recent calls and favorites. Meeting services can support audio participation, but video remains unavailable while driving.

AI Assistants Enter CarPlay

AI assistants represent one of the newest CarPlay app categories. ChatGPT, Perplexity and Grok have introduced CarPlay support, allowing drivers to interact through voice without handling the iPhone.

These apps can answer general questions, explain subjects, brainstorm ideas or continue voice conversations. Their usefulness in a car is different from navigation or music. They provide a hands-free knowledge interface during a commute or long trip.

Google Meet and other communication apps have also expanded their in-car presence, emphasizing audio conversations rather than video.

AI responses should not replace directions, emergency information or vehicle warnings. They can also produce inaccurate answers, particularly when asked about rapidly changing road conditions. Apple Maps, official traffic services and the vehicle’s own systems remain the appropriate sources for driving decisions.

The arrival of AI assistants still marks a meaningful expansion. CarPlay is no longer limited to commands with predefined outcomes. Drivers can now hold longer spoken interactions through supported services.

Parking, Fuel and EV Charging Become Easier

Practical travel apps can reduce the need to handle an iPhone after arriving near a destination.

Parking services can help locate garages, compare availability or start a parking session. Availability varies by city, but apps from services such as SpotHero, EasyPark and ParkWhiz may offer CarPlay functions in supported markets.

Fueling apps can guide drivers to compatible stations and, in some cases, prepare or authorize payments. EV charging apps can locate chargers, show connector availability and begin navigation to a selected station.

ChargePoint, PlugShare, Electrify America and other charging networks provide different levels of CarPlay integration. Drivers should confirm that their preferred service supports the platform in their country and app version.

Food-ordering support is more restricted. Compatible apps are designed around quick pickup tasks rather than browsing complete menus while the vehicle is moving.

CarPlay apps - Apple’s next-generation CarPlay interface displayed across multiple in-car screens, showing customizable speedometer, widgets, and climate controls.

Sports and Driving Information Join the Dashboard

Sports apps are also finding a place in the car. Apple Sports and selected third-party services can provide scores or spoken updates without requiring drivers to follow a live visual feed.

Audio broadcasters already make sports a major part of CarPlay through radio and podcast services. Dedicated sports support makes it easier to reach a favorite team or competition directly.

Driving-task apps can handle functions such as recording mileage, managing road trips or communicating with fleet systems. These experiences are generally built for narrow purposes and use simplified controls.

Automaker apps form another category. Depending on the vehicle, they can expose controls for radio stations, climate functions, drive modes or other systems through CarPlay. Support is determined by the manufacturer and may differ between models.

How to Find CarPlay Apps on an iPhone

Compatible apps installed on the iPhone normally appear in CarPlay automatically. Users can decide which ones remain visible and change their order.

To organize CarPlay apps:

Settings > General > CarPlay > select the vehicle > Customize

Apps can be added, removed or rearranged from this screen. Removing an app from the CarPlay layout does not uninstall it from the iPhone.

An app may not appear when its developer has not enabled CarPlay support, the feature is unavailable in the region or the app needs to be updated. Some services also require an active subscription or account.

The safest layout keeps frequently used navigation and audio apps near the first page. Less essential services can remain farther back or be removed to reduce dashboard clutter.

More Apps Do Not Mean More Screen Time

The value of 120 CarPlay apps is not having 120 icons inside the car. It is having a useful service available when a particular trip requires it.

A daily commute may involve only Maps, Music and Messages. A road trip may add charging, parking, audiobooks and weather information. A workday could involve audio meetings and mileage tracking.

CarPlay’s restrictions remain part of its appeal. Apps are expected to simplify their interfaces, support voice interaction and limit detailed visual tasks. The system should reduce the temptation to use the iPhone rather than reproduce every distraction on a larger screen.

As iOS 27 expands capabilities for audio, communication, navigation and driving-task apps, the catalog is likely to keep growing. The more useful evolution will be deeper integration with the Dashboard, Siri and vehicle controls—not simply another row of icons.

The post CarPlay Apps: 120 Popular Options for Your Car appeared first on AppleMagazine.

Best Digital Planners for Mac and iPad 2026

By: Hannah
17 July 2026 at 20:28

The best digital planners for Mac and iPad are not necessarily the apps with the longest feature lists. A useful planner should help make the day easier to understand, keep commitments visible and reduce the number of places where tasks quietly disappear.

Mac and iPad also encourage two different planning styles. The Mac is better for typing, reviewing projects and arranging a full week across a larger screen. The iPad is more natural for handwritten notes, Apple Pencil planning and checking the day away from a desk. The strongest apps either work well across both devices or focus so successfully on one style that the compromise feels worthwhile.

Some people want a digital version of a paper agenda. Others want a visual timeline, a task manager, a calendar command center or a workspace that can hold an entire life. These are the strongest options for those different approaches.

Structured Is the Best Visual Daily Planner

Structured is the easiest recommendation for users who want to see the day as one continuous timeline. Tasks, appointments and focus sessions appear in chronological order, making it immediately obvious when the schedule is overloaded or when a free hour actually exists.

The app feels particularly natural on iPad because tasks can be moved and adjusted visually. Its Mac version provides more space for planning the full day while preserving the same clean layout. Structured also offers apps for iPhone and Apple Watch, which helps keep the plan accessible without repeatedly opening the Mac.

This is a strong choice for students, busy families and anyone who struggles with traditional task lists. A list says what needs to happen. Structured shows where each task can fit.

Its limitation is scale. It handles daily planning beautifully, but users managing large professional projects may need a separate project-management system. Structured is best when the priority is today rather than the entire company roadmap.

Smartphone displaying a daily schedule app on a pink background, similar to the best digital planners or Mac planner apps, showing tasks like "Rise and Shine," "Yoga Workout," "Take a Shower," "Have a Coffee," and "Bike to Office" for October 16, 2025.
Image Credit: Structured

Goodnotes Is Best for Handwritten Planning

Goodnotes remains one of the best digital planners for iPad users who want the experience of paper without carrying notebooks. It supports Apple Pencil handwriting, PDF planner templates, typed text, images, links, stickers and searchable handwritten notes.

The experience depends heavily on the planner template selected. Users can choose daily, weekly, monthly, academic, financial or wellness layouts and import them as PDF files. Hyperlinked tabs can make a digital planner behave like a physical binder with instant navigation between months and sections.

The Mac app is useful for reviewing pages, typing longer notes and accessing the same documents at a desk. The iPad remains the better creation device because handwriting is the central appeal.

Goodnotes does not automatically manage time like a calendar-based app. Writing “meeting at 3 p.m.” on a page does not necessarily create a calendar alert. It is best for people who enjoy manually planning and reflecting rather than expecting the software to rearrange the day automatically.

Things 3 Is Best for Focused Personal Planning

Things 3 is a task manager rather than a traditional calendar, but its Today and Upcoming views make it an excellent personal planner. The interface is calm, fast and unusually disciplined. Tasks can be collected quickly, organized into projects and areas, then scheduled without turning the app into a complicated database.

The Mac version is especially good for weekly reviews and larger project organization. On iPad, Things feels lighter and more direct, with excellent keyboard support and touch controls. Cloud sync keeps tasks aligned across Apple devices.

Things is ideal for users who want to separate tasks from appointments. Calendar events can appear beside the daily list, but the app remains focused on actions rather than becoming a full calendar replacement.

The main drawback is collaboration. Things is designed primarily for personal planning, not shared team projects or household lists. It is also sold separately for Mac, iPad and iPhone rather than through one universal purchase.

A productivity app interface is displayed on a smartphone, tablet, desktop, and smartwatch, showing task lists, checkboxes, and a schedule for today—highlighting cross-device syncing and organization features for those seeking the best digital planners. It seamlessly functions as both an iPad planner and Mac planner to keep your workflow efficient everywhere.
Image Credit: Things

Notion Is Best for Building a Custom Planner

Notion works for users who do not want to accept someone else’s idea of a planner. It can become a project tracker, editorial calendar, habit journal, reading list, weekly dashboard or all of those at once.

Templates make the starting process easier. A user can create daily pages connected to tasks, projects, goals and notes, then display the same information through calendar, table, board or timeline views. Notion Calendar adds a more conventional scheduling layer and works well on Mac.

The flexibility is both the attraction and the warning. Notion can become a beautifully organized personal operating system. It can also become a weekend-long design project that produces more templates than completed tasks.

The iPad app is useful for reviewing plans, adding notes and working with a keyboard. It is less satisfying for freehand Apple Pencil planning than Goodnotes. Notion is the better option for structured information, connected projects and users who enjoy building their own system.

Fantastical Is Best for Calendar-First Planning

Fantastical is the strongest choice for users whose day is governed by appointments, meetings and scheduled commitments. It combines calendars and tasks in polished day, week, month, quarter and year views across Mac and iPad.

Natural-language input makes adding events fast. Typing a phrase such as “Lunch with Alex Friday at noon” can create the event without opening several fields. Fantastical also supports multiple calendar services, time zones, reminders, meeting links and scheduling tools.

The Mac app is a strong command center for professional calendars. The iPad version offers enough space to examine the week without feeling compressed. Users can also connect Apple Reminders, Todoist or Google Tasks so scheduled work appears beside events.

Fantastical is less suited to reflective journaling or handwritten planning. Its premium subscription may also be excessive for someone who only needs a basic calendar. It earns its place when the calendar itself is the planner.

A tablet displays a digital calendar in dark mode, showing a weekly schedule for September 2025 with various colored events and a highlighted date—an ideal setup for seamless digital planning with the best digital planners.
Image Credit: Fantastical

Sunsama Is Best for Deliberate Work Planning

Sunsama approaches productivity as a daily planning ritual. Each morning, users review tasks, decide what belongs in the day and place that work onto the calendar through time blocking. At the end of the day, the app encourages a review rather than allowing unfinished tasks to become permanent background guilt.

It can collect work from services such as Notion, Trello, Asana and other professional tools, then combine those tasks with calendar events. This makes it useful for people whose work is scattered across several platforms.

Sunsama is more guided than most planners. That structure can help users stop planning an impossible day. The Mac experience is the main attraction, while the iPad app keeps the plan available away from the desk.

The subscription is relatively expensive, and the deliberate workflow may feel slow to users who only want a simple task list. Sunsama suits professionals who want planning to become a daily boundary around work rather than another place to collect everything.

Which Digital Planner Should You Choose?

The right planner depends on how the user naturally thinks.

Structured works best for seeing the day visually. Goodnotes is the closest replacement for a paper agenda. Things 3 provides the cleanest personal task system. Notion offers the most freedom. Fantastical serves users who live through their calendars. Sunsama brings the most deliberate approach to professional time blocking.

Using several planners at once usually defeats the purpose. A better strategy is choosing one primary system and allowing other apps to support it. Someone might use Fantastical for appointments and Things for tasks, or Goodnotes for weekly reflection while Structured runs the actual day.

The best digital planners do not create motivation by themselves. They create a reliable place to decide what deserves time. On Mac, that place can become a detailed planning desk. On iPad, it can feel closer to a notebook held in the hand. The right app should make those two experiences feel connected rather than duplicated.

The post Best Digital Planners for Mac and iPad 2026 appeared first on AppleMagazine.

ARK Augmented Reality Could Build Apple’s Knowledge Layer

17 July 2026 at 19:33

ARK augmented reality describes a form of spatial interaction in which artificial intelligence does more than place digital objects in the physical world. It uses knowledge from foundation models to understand unfamiliar scenes, generate useful information and adapt its response to the person, task and environment.

The concept comes from a 2023 research paper titled “ArK: Augmented Reality with Knowledge Interactive Emergent Ability.” Its authors proposed a system that transfers knowledge from large foundation models into new physical and virtual environments. Instead of training an AI agent separately for every room, object or activity, ArK uses existing knowledge memory to interpret what it sees and generate appropriate 2D or 3D content.

Traditional augmented reality places information over reality. ARK augmented reality tries to understand reality before deciding what should appear.

That distinction creates a compelling direction for Apple. Vision Pro already blends digital content with physical space. Apple Intelligence adds language, image understanding and personal context. Visual Intelligence lets users look at objects, text and scenes before asking for information. Siri AI adds a conversational layer. ARKit, RealityKit and visionOS provide the spatial foundation.

Apple now has many of the components required to build a knowledge layer over the physical world.

ARK Augmented Reality Goes Beyond Digital Overlays

Most familiar augmented reality experiences are relatively fixed. A furniture app places a digital sofa in a room. A navigation app displays arrows over a street. A museum app identifies an artwork. A repair app shows where a component belongs.

These experiences can be useful, but they usually depend on predefined content and rules. The system recognizes a known object or location, then presents prepared information.

ARK augmented reality proposes something more adaptive. A knowledge-enabled system could enter an unfamiliar environment, interpret what is present and generate assistance based on a broader understanding of objects, relationships and possible actions.

A user looking at a complicated electrical panel would not only see labels. The system could identify the panel type, explain the purpose of each section, compare the arrangement with standard configurations and warn the user not to touch dangerous components.

A student examining a machine could ask how it works and receive a spatial explanation attached to its real parts. A surgeon could review anatomical information positioned around a medical model. A technician could receive repair guidance even when the exact equipment had not been included in a previous training dataset.

The display becomes less like a floating screen and more like an informed interpretation of the environment.

A cozy living room with a digital interface on Apple Vision Pro displaying a 3D wireframe chair design, superimposed in front of a fireplace and surrounded by modern furniture and warm lighting.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

Why Apple Is Positioned to Build It

Apple’s advantage would not come from inventing every part of ARK augmented reality. It would come from combining hardware, software, artificial intelligence and personal context into one controlled ecosystem.

Vision Pro already understands rooms, surfaces, hands, eyes and objects well enough to place digital content convincingly in physical space. Its cameras and sensors continuously map the environment while visionOS manages windows, volumes and immersive experiences.

Apple Intelligence provides another layer. Foundation models can interpret language, summarize information, generate content and connect requests with app actions. Visual Intelligence can identify text, images and real-world objects. Siri AI can act as the conversational interface.

The Apple ecosystem also provides personal context that a generic AR platform may not have. Calendar knows the user’s schedule. Maps understands location. Photos contains visual history. Notes and Mail hold project information. Health contains personal trends. Home understands rooms, accessories and automations.

An Apple-built knowledge layer could combine the environment in front of the user with the information already available across trusted devices and apps.

A person preparing for a meeting could look at a conference room and see the agenda, participant names and relevant documents arranged around the table. A traveler could look across a train station and receive directions connected to the correct platform, departure time and digital ticket. A homeowner could examine a room and see live information from temperature, air-quality and energy sensors.

The physical environment becomes the interface.

Vision Pro Is the Laboratory

Vision Pro is the obvious development platform for this idea because it already offers the cameras, displays, sensors and processing required for advanced spatial understanding. Its size and price limit broad adoption, but those same characteristics allow Apple and developers to test experiences that would be harder to build first on lightweight glasses.

ARK augmented reality on Vision Pro could become especially useful in enterprise environments. Apple already promotes the headset for employee training, product design, field service, collaboration and specialized visualization.

A worker could enter an unfamiliar facility and receive contextual instructions attached to real equipment. An engineer could inspect a physical prototype while design changes, performance data and maintenance history appear around it. A new employee could learn a workflow through spatial guidance generated from company manuals and operational knowledge.

The system would not need to display every available fact. It would need to understand which information fits the current task.

That is where AI knowledge becomes more valuable than a traditional AR overlay. Too much information can be as disruptive as too little. A strong system should filter, prioritize and explain rather than cover the room with floating labels.

ARK augmented reality - A modern living room with visionOS virtual reality overlays displays an online store page for a red stool, alongside a 3D modeling preview of the stool positioned on the floor near a fireplace and sleek, modern chair.

The iPhone Could Bring ARK to More People

Vision Pro may be the development environment, but iPhone could provide the scale. The iPhone already combines cameras, LiDAR on Pro models, location, motion sensing, Visual Intelligence and Apple Intelligence.

An iPhone-based ARK experience would be less continuous because users would need to hold up the device. It could still deliver useful knowledge interaction without requiring a headset.

A user could point the camera at a plant and receive care guidance based on its species, visible condition, local weather and placement in the room. Someone assembling furniture could receive generated guidance positioned over the actual parts. A shopper could compare products by looking at them rather than manually searching for each model.

The difference from ordinary visual search would be interaction. The user could ask follow-up questions, change the goal and let the system update the visual guidance.

Future glasses could eventually make the experience persistent. The iPhone would help Apple develop the intelligence, privacy controls and app ecosystem before lightweight eyewear becomes ready.

A World That Explains Itself

The most ambitious version of ARK augmented reality is a world in which information is attached to objects, places and situations only when requested or needed.

A city could become understandable without searching through maps, review sites and separate transit apps. Buildings could reveal history. Streets could explain temporary closures. Restaurants could surface reservations, dietary options and accessibility details. Public transport could show the correct entrance and platform.

Inside a home, Apple’s knowledge layer could explain energy use, identify maintenance problems and guide repairs. In a classroom, physical models could become interactive lessons. In healthcare, patients could receive visual instructions for approved home procedures or medication devices.

The experience would depend on context rather than menus. The user looks, asks and receives information positioned where it belongs.

This is the transition from augmented reality as decoration to augmented reality as understanding.

Privacy Will Decide Whether It Works

A knowledge layer capable of understanding the physical world also creates serious privacy questions. The system may see homes, workplaces, documents, faces, screens and private conversations. The more context it receives, the more useful it becomes. The same access can also make it invasive.

Apple’s privacy architecture could become one of its strongest advantages. On-device processing would allow some scene understanding without sending continuous camera feeds to external servers. Private Cloud Compute could handle more complex requests while preserving stricter controls than an ordinary cloud AI service.

Apple would also need visible controls over what is analyzed, remembered and shared. A user should know when the system is interpreting the environment and whether information is temporary or retained. Workplaces and public spaces would need rules for recording, identification and sensitive data.

ARK augmented reality cannot become socially acceptable if people feel that nearby devices are constantly cataloging them.

The successful version would behave less like surveillance and more like intentional assistance. The user asks for understanding. The system processes only what is needed. The knowledge disappears when the task ends unless the user chooses to save it.

A sleek, black, futuristic virtual reality headset with a smooth, curved design and reflective surface—perfect for exploring the latest Betas—viewed from the front against a white background.
Image Credit: Apple Inc.

Developers Could Build Knowledge Worlds

Apple would not need to create every knowledge experience itself. visionOS, ARKit, RealityKit and App Intents could let developers connect specialized knowledge with physical environments.

A medical company could build guidance for approved equipment. A manufacturer could create spatial maintenance systems. A university could attach interactive explanations to laboratories and museums. A retailer could create product comparisons based on inventory and customer preferences.

Apple could provide the shared intelligence layer: scene understanding, object recognition, language interaction, privacy permissions and spatial presentation. Developers would provide the trusted domain knowledge.

This division would be essential. General AI can explain many things, but professional environments require verified information. A generated answer about a historical building has different consequences from an answer about industrial machinery or medical treatment.

Apple’s platform could distinguish between general knowledge and certified domain sources, allowing users to see where information comes from before acting.

From Spatial Computing to Contextual Computing

Apple describes Vision Pro as a spatial computer because digital content can occupy physical space. ARK augmented reality suggests the next progression: contextual computing.

A spatial computer knows where digital content is placed. A contextual computer understands why the content is useful in that location, what the user is trying to accomplish and which knowledge should appear.

That would connect several Apple strategies that currently look separate. Vision Pro supplies spatial awareness. Apple Intelligence supplies reasoning and generation. Siri AI supplies conversation. Visual Intelligence supplies real-world understanding. The ecosystem supplies personal context.

Together, they could create a system that does not wait for users to open the correct app and search through the correct menu. The environment itself becomes the starting point.

Apple’s opportunity is to make that interaction restrained rather than overwhelming. The company does not need to cover reality with digital noise. It can use design, privacy and contextual intelligence to make information appear only when it improves the moment.

ARK augmented reality offers a useful description of that future. Reality remains visible. Knowledge becomes interactive. The computer begins to understand the world in front of the user instead of asking the user to translate everything into a search box.

The post ARK Augmented Reality Could Build Apple’s Knowledge Layer appeared first on AppleMagazine.

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