Latest news with #betatesters
CNET
01-08-2025
- CNET
How to Get Clear Icons and Other Home Screen Changes in the iOS 26 Beta
Apple released the first public beta of iOS 26 on July 24 and the beta brings a Liquid Glass design to the iPhones of developers and beta testers, alongside other updates like a new Games app. As part of the Liquid Glass design, the beta update lets people turn their icons semi-transparent. And this builds on the home screen customization options Apple introduced to the iPhone with iOS 18. Apple released iOS 18 in 2024 and it introduced a major (and long overdue) change to your iPhone, the ability to customize your home screen. With iOS 18, you can remove app labels, change the color of app icons, arrange apps around the screen in new ways and much more. You can frame your background with your apps or give your iPhone a more personal touch with different colored apps. Here are all the ways you can customize your home screen to make it as fun and unique as you are. While many of these customization options are available to everyone now, some options are only available to developers and beta testers in the iOS 26 beta. As that update is still in beta, the update might be buggy for you, and your device's battery life may be affected, so it's best to keep those troubles off your primary device. If you want to try the beta out, I recommend downloading it on a secondary device. It's also possible that Apple could adjust these, and other, update features before the company releases the final version of iOS 26 this fall. How to remove app labels in iOS 18 1. Long-press on your background to enter jiggle mode -- where your apps are all shaking. 2. Tap Edit in the top left corner of your screen. 3. Tap Customize. 4. Tap Large in the new menu that appears at the bottom of your screen. Your app icons will grow and the labels beneath them will disappear. This looks much cleaner to me and I don't plan on displaying app labels ever again. The Customize menu in the iOS 26 beta replaces the Small or Large options with the two squares in the corner. Apple/Screenshot by CNET If you don't like this, follow the above steps again but tap Small. The apps will revert to their normal size and the labels will reappear. If you are using the iOS 26 beta, you won't see the options for Small and Large. Instead, you will see two squares -- one is small and the other is large -- in the top right corner of the Customize menu. Tap these squares to make your app icons smaller or larger. How to change the color of your app icons 1. Long-press on your background to enter jiggle mode -- where your apps are shaking. 2. Tap Edit in the top left corner of your screen. 3. Tap Customize. 4. Tap the icon in the far right of the menu across the bottom of your screen labeled Tinted. This will pull up a gradient scale at the bottom of this menu and you can slide them until you get just the right hue. Clear icons might be difficult for some people to see in the iOS 26 beta. Apple/Screenshot by CNET You can also tap the eyedropper icon in the top right corner of the menu to select a color from your background that matches your icons more closely. That way you're not moving the sliders and getting frustrated because the colors aren't matching -- not that this happened to me, definitely not. This change will affect all your app icons. You can also give some of your apps a darker background. 1. Long-press on your background to enter jiggle mode -- where your apps are shaking. 2. Tap Edit in the top left corner of your screen. 3. Tap Customize. 4. Tap the icon left of center in the menu across the bottom of your screen labeled Dark. Apple's first-party apps, like Messages, Safari and more, will now have an almost-black background. This change applies to first-party Apple apps and some third-party apps, like the YouTube and Bluesky apps. Other third-party apps, like Instagram and Snapchat, are unchanged. Choosing Dark will darken your background, which could reduce the amount of power your iPhone uses and extend your battery life. If you're a developer or beta tester with the iOS 26 beta on your device, you will also see an option for Clear in the home screen Customize menu. Tap Clear and all the app icons on your home screen will turn semi-translucent. This will also affect icons across your device, like in Settings and other menus. How to only darken your background If you've tinted your app icons, or like the icons with a lighter appearance, you can darken your background to make the icons stand out. Here's how. 1. Long-press on part of your background to enter jiggle mode -- where your apps are shaking. 2. Tap Edit in the top left corner of your screen. 3. Tap Customize. 4. Tap the sun icon in the top left corner of the new menu. This will only darken your wallpaper and won't affect your app icons. How to arrange apps around your home screen Arranging apps on your home screen is the same process as before. You can either enter jiggle mode by long-pressing on a blank portion of your background and then dragging apps where you want them to go, or press and drag an app to a new location. You can arrange apps in a pattern or any formation you want. Apple/Screenshot by CNET You can place all your apps near the bottom of your screen, have them frame your screen or arrange them in any other number of patterns. Because I'm right-handed, I placed most of my apps on the right side of my screen so I can easily tap them without fear of dropping my phone. This also makes it easy to ensure you see your background if it's a picture of a loved one or a pet. The grid is still present, so you can't place apps on top of each other or too close together. If you enlarge your apps, there will be a sizable gap between your dock across the bottom of your screen and the lowest row of the grid. It looks like it's big enough to fit another app icon, but you can't -- I tried to no avail. Don't forget, any iOS 26 features mentioned here are still in beta. So Apple could adjust or remove these features by the time the company releases iOS 26 this fall. For more on iOS 18, here's all the features iOS 18.6 brings to your iPhone and our iOS 18 cheat sheet. You can also check out my first impressions of the iOS 26 and all the new features Apple said it will bring to your device later this year.
Associated Press
11-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
The Future of HOA Management is Here: Perfect HOA Unveils Intelligent, AI Integrated HOA Management Software Solution
Palm Bay, FL July 10, 2025 --( )-- Perfect HOA, a visionary tech startup proudly founded and based in Palm Bay, Florida, today announced the upcoming release of its comprehensive, all-in-one cloud-based HOA management software. This innovative platform is set to redefine community operations, offering a single, intuitive solution to eliminate administrative burdens for HOA board members and property managers. Born from the innovative spirit of Florida's Space Coast, Perfect HOA™ is meticulously designed to streamline every aspect of community living – invoicing & online payments, violations, ACC requests, document management, communications, and a whole lot more. Perfect HOA is currently seeking qualified beta testers, such as property management companies and HOA board members that manage residential units – to experience the software free of charge in return for valuable feedback and criticism. This exclusive opportunity allows early adopters to shape the future of HOA management while gaining a competitive edge. Interested parties are encouraged to inquire and apply on their website at Perfect HOA's robust platform brings together a powerful suite of features, eliminating the need for disparate systems and manual processes. Key functionalities include: Effortless Communications: Send emails, SMS messages, and even physical mail directly from the platform, maintaining a complete communication log for every resident. Centralized Document Management: Securely store, organize, and share all governing documents, meeting minutes, and important forms with unparalleled ease. Streamlined Violations & ACC Requests: Log violations with photo documentation, notify residents instantly, and manage architectural control committee (ACC) requests from submission to approval. Instant Invoicing & Online Payments: Generate and send invoices in seconds, track payments, and offer convenient online payment options (credit card, ACH) to residents. Comprehensive Bookkeeping & Financial Reports: Sync bank accounts, categorize expenses, and generate customizable financial reports to ensure complete transparency and informed decision-making. Intuitive Event Scheduling: Easily schedule and manage community events, board meetings, and amenity closures with a built-in calendar. Professional HOA Website Builder: Launch a public-facing website for your HOA using professional templates, providing residents with a self-service portal for payments, documents, and announcements. Secure HOA Board Voting: Facilitate transparent and efficient digital voting for board and member issues, ensuring every vote is recorded and managed with ease. AI-Powered Meeting Minutes: Record, organize, and share board meeting minutes online, with the added benefit of artificial intelligence to generate minutes efficiently. Multi-HOA Management: Ideal for property management companies or boards overseeing multiple communities, allowing for easy creation and switching between associations. About Perfect HOA: Perfect HOA is a cloud-based & all-in-one HOA management software that is dedicated to simplifying community living for property owners, self-governed HOA boards, and property management companies. As a modern tech startup, it is leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology to offer comprehensive tools for invoicing and payments, bookkeeping, reporting, compliance, communication, and more, empowering associations to operate efficiently and transparently. Perfect HOA is proud to be headquartered in Palm Bay, Florida, contributing to the region's vibrant tech ecosystem. Contact Information: Perfect HOA Inc Brandon DuBois 321-913-0035 Contact via Email Read the full story here: The Future of HOA Management is Here: Perfect HOA Unveils Intelligent, AI Integrated HOA Management Software Solution Press Release Distributed by
CNET
01-07-2025
- CNET
Apple Will Release At Least One More iOS 18 Update Before iOS 26
Before Apple releases iOS 26 this fall, the company will likely release iOS 18.6 this month. The company released the second public beta of that software on July 1 but it didn't change much on the iPhones of developers and beta testers. While iOS 26 will bring a major redesign to iPhones, the latest beta is filled with bug and security fixes so developers and beta testers shouldn't expect new features. Read more: iOS 26 Finally Lets Us Get Rid of the Abomination That Is the 9-Minute Snooze Apple/Screenshot by CNET Because this is a beta, I recommend downloading it on something other than your primary device. Because this isn't the final version of iOS 18.6, the update might be buggy, and battery life may be affected, so it's best to keep those troubles off your primary device. Note that the beta is not the final version of iOS 18.6 so more features could land on your iPhone when it is released. Apple will likely release iOS 18.6 to the general public this month but an exact release date is unclear. However, iOS 18.6 will likely be the last significant iOS 18 update the company releases before it makes iOS 26 available this fall. Here's what to expect from iOS 18.6 when it lands on your iPhone. This beta is all about security patches and squashing bugs If you're a developer or beta tester, don't expect much from this beta other than bug and security fixes. After downloading and looking into iOS 18.6 beta 2, I found no new features or noticeable changes. And that's not surprising considering Apple's iOS release schedule over the years. Apple announced iOS 18 at WWDC 2024 and released iOS 17.6 more than a month later in July. That update was filled with more than 30 important bug fixes and security patches but no new features. Apple recommended that everyone download the update at the time and it was the last major iOS 17 update before the release of iOS 18. Apple did the same thing in July 2023 when it released iOS 16.6. When the tech giant released that update, it was focused on bug fixes and security patches; the next major iOS release was iOS 17. Apple is likely shifting gears and focusing more on iOS 26. In fact, the company has already released two developer betas of that iOS software in preparation for its fall release. There will likely be more betas before iOS 18.6 is released to the public, so there's plenty of time for Apple to add features or change others -- but I wouldn't count on new features. Apple has not announced when it will release iOS 18.6 but because iOS 17.6 and iOS 16.6 were both released in July of 2024 and 2023, respectively, I expect Apple to release iOS 18.6 this month. For more on iOS 18, here's what you need to know about iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4, as well as our iOS 18 cheat sheet. You can also check out what you should know about iOS 26.
CNET
25-06-2025
- CNET
Before iOS 26, Apple Could Bring Some Bug Fixes to Your iPhone With iOS 18.6
Before Apple releases iOS 26 this fall, the company will release iOS 18.6. The company released the first public beta of that software on June 18, but it didn't change much on the iPhones of developers and beta testers. While iOS 26 will bring a major redesign to iPhones, the latest beta is filled with bug and security fixes, so developers and beta testers shouldn't expect new features. Read more: iOS 26 Finally Lets Us Get Rid of the Abomination That Is the 9-Minute Snooze Apple/Screenshot by CNET Since this is a beta, I recommend downloading it on something other than your primary device. Because this isn't the final version of iOS 18.6, the update might be buggy, and battery life may be affected, so it's best to keep those troubles off your primary device. Note that the beta is not the final version of iOS 18.6, so more features could land on your iPhone when it is released. It's unclear when Apple will release iOS 18.6 to the general public. However, it will likely be the last significant iOS update the company releases before it makes iOS 26 available this fall. Here's what to expect from iOS 18.6 when it lands on your iPhone. This beta is all about security patches and squashing bugs If you're a developer or beta tester, don't expect much from this beta other than bug and security fixes. After downloading and looking into iOS 18.6 beta 1, I found no new features or noticeable changes. And that's not surprising considering Apple's iOS release schedule over the years. Apple announced iOS 18 at WWDC 2024 and released iOS 17.6 more than a month later in July. That update was filled with more than 30 important bug fixes and security patches, but no new features. Apple recommended that everyone download the update at the time, and it was the last major iOS 17 update before the release of iOS 18. Apple did the same thing in July 2023 when it released iOS 16.6. When the tech giant released that update, it was focused on bug fixes and security patches; the next major iOS release was iOS 17. Apple is likely shifting gears and focusing more on iOS 26. In fact, the company has already released two developer betas of that iOS software in preparation for its fall release. There will be more betas before iOS 18.6 is released to the public, so there's plenty of time for Apple to add features or change others -- but I wouldn't count on new features. Apple has not announced when it will release iOS 18.6, but since iOS 17.6 and iOS 16.6 were both released in July of 2024 and 2023, respectively, I expect Apple to release iOS 18.6 next month. For more on iOS 18, here's what you need to know about iOS 18.5 and iOS 18.4, as well as our iOS 18 cheat sheet. You can also check out what you should know about iOS 26.
