Apple provides developers with new iOS 8.3 beta, adds fixes for CarPlay functionality
The second beta of iOS 8.3 was released to developers on Monday, fixing a bug found in previous versions that could cause issues when connecting to a CarPlay-enabled vehicle infotainment unit.
iOS 8.3 beta 2 is identified as build 12F5037c. It also comes with Xcode build 6D532l and Swift 1.2. As with previous beta releases, it is only intended for developers on test hardware.
Beta 2 fixes an issue that would present testers with a non-functional dialog when connecting an iPhone to a CarPlay-compatible car.
Because it is pre-release beta software, issues remain. Apple has advised developers that iOS 8.3 beta 2 has an issue with WatchKit, in which some animations in applications may play back as fast as possible, regardless of how fast they are supposed to play.
iOS 8.3 beta 2 also has an issue with LTE Voice for devices connected to the Verizon Wireless network. Developers on Verizon are advised to set LTE to data only for this seed.
The first beta of iOS 8.3 was provided to developers earlier this month, and introduced support for wireless CarPlay connectivity. Apple also included a revised emoji keyboard that allows users to scroll and browse more easily.
iOS 8.3 is unique because Apple has not yet released iOS 8.2 to the public. That update also remains in beta testing, with the most recent release having arrived in early February.
iOS 8.3 beta 2 is identified as build 12F5037c. It also comes with Xcode build 6D532l and Swift 1.2. As with previous beta releases, it is only intended for developers on test hardware.
Beta 2 fixes an issue that would present testers with a non-functional dialog when connecting an iPhone to a CarPlay-compatible car.
Because it is pre-release beta software, issues remain. Apple has advised developers that iOS 8.3 beta 2 has an issue with WatchKit, in which some animations in applications may play back as fast as possible, regardless of how fast they are supposed to play.
iOS 8.3 beta 2 also has an issue with LTE Voice for devices connected to the Verizon Wireless network. Developers on Verizon are advised to set LTE to data only for this seed.
The first beta of iOS 8.3 was provided to developers earlier this month, and introduced support for wireless CarPlay connectivity. Apple also included a revised emoji keyboard that allows users to scroll and browse more easily.
iOS 8.3 is unique because Apple has not yet released iOS 8.2 to the public. That update also remains in beta testing, with the most recent release having arrived in early February.
Comments
I wonder when we'll see the next iteration of whatever Siri is going to eventually become? ...and on a related note, a relative got a Windows phone and told me Microsoft's Cortana is not very good.
OT: I'm loving my Amazon Echo. I don't know what they use but Echo listens better than speaks better than Siri ever has. I can basically mumble my requests over music like one might do to a human before having their morning coffee and she seems to get it every single time. I can't wait to see what advances they bring to it.
OT: I'm loving my Amazon Echo. I don't know what they use but Echo listens better than speaks better than Siri ever has. I can basically mumble my requests over music like one might do to a human before having their morning coffee and she seems to get it every single time. I can't wait to see what advances they bring to it.
Strange, seems to go against most of the reviews that say voice recognition is unreliable and frustrating.
Yeah, my experience definitely doesn't mirror any of the reviews I've read. From the packaging, to the device, to the setup and operation I've very impressed. At $99 I feel it was a steal and I'd say it's worth the $199 that will be available to others for once it's out of this Prime member, invitational trial period.
I also love that all the requests are listed on their site and in the app, and they let you submit them to Amazon if it didn't hear you properly, which hasn't happened much at all. It even has a dialogue in their iOS app you can use to train it to better understand your speech patterns. I've been wanting this for Siri since it came out.
At first I was treating it like Siri. I would say "Alexa" and then pause, but quickly realized I don't have to wait for it to cue up with an acknowledgement for to continue. Then I started saying "Alexa blah blah blah" in one sentence, but was speaking slower and more careful than normal, because this is what Siri needs. Then I fell into simply saying what I wanted without having to yell over the music or really think about how I was speaking to it.
It's been a very Apple-esque experience in many ways, excluding Siri, which I don't find to be a very Apple-esque experience. I look forward to the features they'll be adding to it next. One of them is allowing you to change the name from Alexa or Amazon to something unique. I'll be changing that to Siri since I do use Siri on my iPhone.
Yeah, my experience definitely doesn't mirror any of the reviews I've read. From the packaging, to the device, to the setup and operation I've very impressed. At $99 I feel it was a steal and I'd say it's worth the $199 that will be available to others for once it's out of this Prime member, invitational trial period.
I also love that all the requests are listed on their site and in the app, and they let you submit them to Amazon if it didn't hear you properly, which hasn't happened much at all. It even has a dialogue in their iOS app you can use to train it to better understand your speech patterns. I've been wanting this for Siri since it came out.
At first I was treating it like Siri. I would say "Alexa" and then pause, but quickly realized I don't have to wait for it to cue up with an acknowledgement for to continue. Then I started saying "Alexa blah blah blah" in one sentence, but was speaking slower and more careful than normal, because this is what Siri needs. Then I fell into simply saying what I wanted without having to yell over the music or really think about how I was speaking to it.
It's been a very Apple-esque experience in many ways, excluding Siri, which I don't find to be a very Apple-esque experience. I look forward to the features they'll be adding to it next. One of them is allowing you to change the name from Alexa or Amazon to something unique. I'll be changing that to Siri since I do use Siri on my iPhone.
What have you found to be the most useful function or feature of the Amazon Echo product?
Related to that did you catch the news that SRI, the company Apple got SIRI from, has another AI development called Kasisto. This time it's available to any company wishing to integrate it.
I have not heard of this. I wonder if they'll be getting offers from Samsung and Google to buy the company.
Watched the demo video on their site and saw nothing particularly amazing, just some added functions which Apple should be able to surpass in short order.
Hmm.. I'm not sure about the most useful, but off the top of my head I will often walk by casually asking about the time, weather, or ask to play some music from my own uploaded playlists or what it has on file, when I'm in the kitchen for a few minutes.
The reason it's hard to pin down is because I can talk to it in a very casual manner without having to concentrate on the request. Even my roommate, whom are largely techtarded Luddites use it on a daily basis for music and news. It's kind of neat that if it doesn't have the music you want it'll almost always pull the samples from their Amazon website. For example, you can say, "play the soundtrack from Back to the Future" and it will run through those tracks (actual example).
The other day my roommate asked it a question I would have assumed Echo would know, but didn't. I'll see if I can find that in a minute (which I probably can since I can see a list of everything I've asked it (which I will then submit to Amazon right there in the history to let them know it's something I feel they should add).
edit: Alexa can tell you who the tallest US president is. However, she doesn't follow that up with saying how tall Lincoln was. You have to then ask "Alexa, how tall was Abraham Lincoln?"
Alexa doesn't know any of the Commandments or Amendments (and some other lists of things we all typically learn but forget to a point). Oddly, when I asked about the 1st Amendment she referenced a book by an author, which was the wrong way to go.
Alexa does know city capitals, distances from your specific location, like to the North Pole or various cities, and distance from Earth to Moon (which I assume is a stated average that isn't using your specific location on Earth and location of Moon at that moment to calculate). She also does a great deal of math and conversations, although most were relevant to the kitchen.
When simply asked "Alexa, what's the NASDAQ?," she answered with what NASDAQ stood for, and wasn't able to answer questions about what the NASDAQ closed at that day. (I am requesting the ability to add MY stocks to the list so I can have her repeat their change for the day with a simple request like, "Alexa, what are my stocks doing?"
Perhaps the best feature is that it's fast. There is none of that waiting that I experience with Siri so it's easy to talk to Alexa (technically it's the Amazon Echo but I prefer calling it Alexa) like you would a person. I feel like it allows you to keep your brain engaged in a different task better than Siri because there is no unnatural pausing, sentence structure and enunciation that I feel I have to do with Siri.
CarPlay still birth, or just slow to launch? I have been pretty disappointed at the slow rollout... By now I expected to see it in Camaro, Corvette, etc.
Apple having to rely on the automotive manufacturers to build in support for what is essentially a secondary display for the iPhone using the CarPlay UI is certainly a reason why it could fail and why Apple might want to have more control over the dashboard. Just because they sign up to support it doesn't mean they will support it or support it well.
So to answer question, not a still birth at this point, it absolutely slow to launch, but that doesn't mean we'll look at CarPlay a few years from now and say that it was never really born or laugh that we thought a year was too long to wait for car makers to get their act together.
Rampancy. She wasn't supposed to be in service that long.