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Apple has now released the first iPadOS 17 beta to developers, and in a first for the company, it is also giving non-developers the opportunity to download the beta on their iPads for free. Keep reading to learn how it's done.

In years past when Apple has announced a major new operating system update, the first wave of betas has officially only been available to download if you are a paying subscriber to Apple's Developer Program, which costs $99 a year. Public betas then become available to users enrolled in Apple's Public Beta Software Program after a delay of a few days or weeks after the developer beta has been released. However, this year you don't have to wait for the public beta to be one of the first to try out iPadOS 17.

In an unexpected change for 2023, anyone who signs in to Apple's developer account website with their Apple ID gets access to developer beta releases as well, even if they are not a paying member of Apple's Developer Program. This means anyone with an Apple ID can download and install the iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and macOS Sonoma betas without waiting for the public betas to launch.

iPadOS 17 drops support for the iPad Pro (1st generation) and iPad (5th generation), according to Apple. The new version of iPadOS supports the following iPad models:

Before downloading the update, it's worth noting that Apple does not recommend installing the iPadOS 17 Beta on your main iPad, so if you have a secondary device, use that. This is beta software, which means there are often bugs and issues that pop up that can prevent software from working properly or cause other problems.

With that caveat in mind, the following steps show you how to get iPadOS 17 betas on your iPad. Be sure to back up your iOS device before installing the software using the method described here, otherwise you won't be able to revert back to iPadOS 16 if things go wrong.

As of writing, the option to download and install the iPadOS 17 Developer Beta is also available for users who have previously enrolled on Apple's Beta Software Program, and yet the program is officially only supposed to be for Public Betas. This suggests the option is a bug and Apple will likely remove it. But until that happens, if you're currently enrolled to receive Public Betas, you can skip to step 6.

iPadOS 17 brings several new features to iPads, including updates to widgets and the Lock Screen that bring more parity with iPhones.

For the first time, iPads will support customized Lock Screens, while Home Screen widgets will be interactive. There's also now support for Live Activities, and the Health app is now available on iPad and takes advantage of the device's larger display sizes.

iPadOS 17 includes also improvements across the Notes, Messages, FaceTime, and Safari apps. In the Messages app, for example, there is a new consolidated sticker drawer that brings all of a user's stickers into one place, including Live Stickers, emoji stickers, and third-party sticker packs. iPad users can also create their own stickers from photos.

Other new features include a journaling app coming later this year, AirPlay in select hotel rooms, improvements to AirPods Pro 2 thanks to a new Adaptive Audio feature, offline Maps, Siri that does not require the "Hey" activation, and improvements to search and spotlight.

iPadOS 17 is expected to get its official public release in the fall, possibly in tandem with the release of iOS 17, or shortly thereafter.

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How to Install the iPadOS 17 Developer Beta on Your iPad for Free - MacRumors

From applicant tracking systems to payroll platforms, there are several different types of software that can help you streamline your business's human resources functions. Getty Images/MoMo Productions

Companies use human resources (HR) software to manage employees, processes, and information effectively. These programs reduce errors and ensure compliance. HR platforms can be all-in-one tools called human resources management systems (HRMS), human resources information systems (HRIS), or human capital management (HCM).

Conversely, small businesses may select individual applications on an as-needed basis. Several HR software providers let you add modules or upgrade plans to expand functionality beyond payroll or basic new hiring reporting tools. Explore the features and benefits of four common HR systems, then discover alternatives to a complex technology stack.

A small business applicant tracking system (ATS) streamlines the hiring process, from sourcing candidates to scheduling interviews. Recruiters and entrepreneurs use an ATS to filter resumes, allowing them to hire employees quickly. Applicant tracking systems can be standalone platforms or part of an HRMS program.

For instance, SmartRecruiters focuses on talent acquisition, offering applicant tracking, chatbot, artificial intelligence (AI), and text recruiting tools. On the other hand, Gusto Plus users can access an ATS application that integrates seamlessly with Gustos HR and payroll software. For small businesses that use project management tool Monday.com, you can leverage the applicant tracker template to gather applicant information via embedded forms.

According to Workable, ATS pricing varies widely, from free to hundreds of dollars per active position or month. The pay-per-employee model costs $4 to $7 monthly, whereas the pay-per-recruiter fee is typically $100 to $500 per active position.

[Read more: 8 Top Recruiting Tools for Hiring Managers]

A performance management system allows small businesses to set goals and track employee performance consistently and fairly. It reduces bias while increasing trust in your organization and HR department. Most performance management tools support 360-degree reviews, realistic goal setting, and analytics.

Betterworks 2023 Global HR Research report found that employees receiving meaningful performance enablement reported far higher levels of optimism, confidence, engagement, and productivity. Since only 32% of respondents told Betterworks that they trust their leaders and only 26% said they trust human resources, adding a performance management system can increase confidence in your company, resulting in better employee retention rates.

Per-employee pricing ranges from $2 to $27 monthly. Most systems let you establish company, team, and individual objectives. Like other HR software, you can choose from standalone systems such as AssessTeam or add a performance management module to your BambooHR plan.

Fully managed payroll services file payroll taxes and forms on your companys behalf, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws.

Payroll software is often one of the first HR systems a small business acquires. It calculates wages and employment taxes, provides employee portals, and direct deposits or cuts checks for staff. Fully managed payroll services file payroll taxes and forms on your companys behalf, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws.

Many payroll systems include HR features such as new hire reporting, onboarding checklists, and time-off analytics. The Paychex company SurePayroll specializes in small businesses with fewer than 10 employees and doesnt have many HR tools beyond payroll. Paychex is an all-in-one HR software solution offering payroll, benefits, and HR services. Likewise, Gusto provides payroll, HR, and ATS tools; features vary depending on the subscription.

Payroll and HR software pricing start at $17, plus $4 to $12 per employee monthly. The cost increases as you add HR features and functionality. When choosing a payroll app, consider options that scale with your business. These applications let you handle hiring or performance management from a single platform.

Learning management systems (LMS) and employee development platforms enable businesses to improve staff skills, increase engagement, and retain qualified workers. LMS applications support your employee training and development goals. Most provide web and mobile apps, allow leaders to develop personalized courses, and house various learning resources.

Since Betterworks reported that more than half of employees dont see a path for advancement in their current company, adopting an LMS can give your company a competitive edge. Indeed, outside of pay and benefits, respondents told Betterworks that internal career opportunities and better skills development would entice them to stay with their current organization.

You can find free online learning tools and paid options that use a monthly subscription or per-user payment model. In addition, some HR services like Rippling offer talent management modules with pre-made courses and compliance training.

Building an HR technology stack can be a complicated process. Ideally, your software works together to avoid repetitive data entry and potential errors. Moreover, a connected system gives you a clearer view of your overall performance. Yet, you can pay hundreds of dollars per employee monthly for HR apps. Then, you have the technical aspects, from training human resources employees on new tools to troubleshooting problems.

Companies with 19 or more employees may prefer to work with a professional employer organization (PEO). This co-employment relationship provides your business with human resources, payroll, tax administration, benefits, and regulatory compliance assistance. Small- to mid-sized organizations can offer employee benefits like dependent care, 401(k) plans, or health insurance.

According to the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO), Small businesses that work with a PEO grow 7% to 9% faster, and the return on investment of using a PEO, in costs savings alone, is 27.3%. PEO fees vary based on the number of employees you have and the types of services used.

CO aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

COis committed to helping you start, run and grow your small business. Learn more about the benefits of small business membership in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, here.

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Published June 15, 2023

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Human Resources Software: 4 HR Tools for Small Businesses - CO by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

YouTube has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Invidious, an open-source "alternative front-end" to the website which allows users to watch videos without having their data tracked, claiming it violates YouTube's API policy and demanding that it be shut down within seven days. From a report: "We recently became aware of your product or service, Invidious," reads the letter, which was posted on the Invidious GitHub last week. "Your Client appears to be in violation of the YouTube API Services Terms of Service and Developer Policies." The letter then delineates the policies which Invidious is accused of having violated, such as not displaying a link to YouTube's Terms of Service or "clearly" explaining what it does with user information. Invidious is open-source software licensed under AGPL-3.0, and it markets itself as a way for users to interact with YouTube without allowing the site to collect their data, or having to make an account. "Invidious protects you from the prying eyes of Google," its homepage reads. "It won't track you either!" Invidious also allows users to watch videos without being interrupted by "annoying ads," which is how YouTube makes most of its money.

Read more:
YouTube Tells Open-Source Privacy Software 'Invidious' to Shut Down - Slashdot

New research suggests that Arctic summer sea ice could melt almost completely by the 2030s, a decade earlier than previously projected, even with significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Smithsonian Magazine reports: "We are very quickly about to lose the Arctic summer sea-ice cover, basically independent of what we are doing," Dirk Notz, a climate scientist at the University of Hamburg in Germany tells the New York Times' Raymond Zhong. "We've been waiting too long now to do something about climate change to still protect the remaining ice." An ice-free summer, also called a "blue ocean event," will happen when the sea ice drops below one million square kilometers (386,102 square miles), writes Jonathan Bamber, a professor of physical geography at the University of Bristol, in the Conversation. This equates to just 15 percent of the Arctic's seasonal minimum ice cover of the late 1970s, per the Times.

Previous assessments using models have estimated an ice-free summer under high and intermediate emissions scenarios by 2050. But researchers noticed differences between what climate models predicted about what would happen to sea ice and what they've actually seen through observations, according to Bob Weber of the Canadian Press. "The models, on average, underestimate sea ice decline compared with observations," says Nathan Gillett, an environment and climate change Canada scientist, to Weber.

Now, in a new study published in Nature Communications, Notz, Gillett and their colleagues tweaked these models to more closely fit satellite data collected over the past 40 years. Using these modified models, the researchers projected ice changes under different possible levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Their paper suggests that regardless of emissions scenario, "we may experience an unprecedented ice-free Arctic climate in the next decade or two." Under a high emissions scenario, the Arctic could see a sustained loss of sea ice from August until as late as October before the 2080s, lead author Seung-Ki Min, a climate scientist at Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea, tells CNN's Rachel Ramirez.

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Arctic Could Be Sea Ice-Free in the Summer by the 2030s - Slashdot

KALAMATA, Greece (AP) A fishing boat crammed to the gunwales with migrants trying to reach Europe capsized and sank Wednesday off the coast of Greece, authorities said, leaving at least 79 dead and many more missing in one of the worst disasters of its kind this year.

Coast guard, navy and merchant vessels and aircraft fanned out for a vast search-and-rescue operation set to continue overnight. It was unclear how many passengers were missing, but some initial reports suggested hundreds of people may have been aboard when the boat went down far from shore.

An aerial photograph of the battered blue vessel released by the Greek coast guard showed scores of people covering practically every inch of deck.

Greeces caretaker prime minister, Ioannis Sarmas, declared three days of national mourning, with our thoughts on all the victims of the ruthless smugglers who exploit human unhappiness.

Coast guard spokesman Nikos Alexiou told state ERT TV that it was impossible to accurately estimate the number of passengers. He said it appeared that the 25- to 30-meter (80- to 100-foot) vessel capsized after people abruptly moved to one side.

The outer deck was full of people, and we presume that the interior (of the vessel) would also have been full, he said. It looks as if there was a shift among the people who were crammed on board, and it capsized.

A coast guard statement said efforts by its own ships and merchant vessels to assist the boat were repeatedly rebuffed, with people on board insisting they wanted to continue to Italy. Coast guard officials said the trawlers engines broke down around 1:40 a.m. Wednesday, and just under an hour later, the ship started to list abruptly from side to side before capsizing.

The ship sank 10 to 15 minutes later, the statement said.

Ioannis Zafiropoulos, deputy mayor of the southern port city of Kalamata, where survivors were taken, said that his information indicated there were more than 500 people on board.

Authorities said 104 people were rescued after the sinking in international waters about 75 kilometers (45 miles) southwest of Greeces southern Peloponnese peninsula. The spot is close to the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea, and depths of up to 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) could hamper any effort to locate a sunken vessel.

Twenty-five survivors ranging in age from 16 to 49 were hospitalized with hypothermia or fever.

At the port of Kalamata, around 70 exhausted survivors bedded down in sleeping bags and blankets provided by rescuers in a large warehouse, while paramedics set up tents outside for anyone who needed first aid.

Katerina Tsata, head of a Red Cross volunteer group in Kalamata, said the migrants were also given psychological support.

They suffered a very heavy blow, both physical and mental, she said.

Rescue volunteer Constantinos Vlachonikolos said nearly all the survivors were men.

They were very worn out. How could they not be? he said. Rescuers said many of the people pulled from the water couldnt swim and were clutching debris. The coast guard said none had life jackets.

The Greek coast guard said 79 bodies have been recovered so far. Survivors included 30 people from Egypt, 10 from Pakistan, 35 from Syria and two Palestinians, the agency said.

The Italy-bound boat was believed to have left the Tobruk area in eastern Libya a country plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime autocrat Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

Human traffickers have benefited from the instability, and made Libya one of the main departure points for people attempting to reach Europe on smugglers boats.

The route from North Africa to Italy through the central Mediterranean is the deadliest in the world, according to the U.N. migration agency, known as IOM, which has recorded more than 21,000 deaths and disappearances there since 2014.

Smugglers use unseaworthy boats and cram as many migrants as possible inside sometimes inside locked holds for journeys that can take days. They head for Italy, which is directly across the Mediterranean from Libya and Tunisia, and much closer than Greece to the Western European countries that most migrants hope to eventually reach.

In February, at least 94 people died when a wooden boat from Turkey sank off Cutro, in southern Italy, in the worst Mediterranean sinking so far this year.

The Italian coast guard first alerted Greek authorities and the European Union border protection agency, Frontex, about an approaching vessel on Tuesday.

The IOM said initial reports suggested up to 400 people were on board. A network of activists said it received a distress call from a boat in the same area whose passengers said it carried 750 people. But it wasnt clear if that was the vessel that sank.

After that first alert, Frontex aircraft and two merchant ships spotted the boat heading north at high speed, according to the Greek coast guard, and more aircraft and ships were sent to the area.

But repeated calls to the vessel offering help were declined, the coast guard said in a statement.

In the afternoon, a merchant vessel approached the ship and provided it with food and supplies, while the (passengers) refused any further assistance, the coast guard said. A second merchant ship later offered more supplies and assistance, which were turned down, the agency added.

In the evening, a coast guard patrol boat reached the vessel and confirmed the presence of a large number of migrants on the deck, the statement said. But they refused any assistance and said they wanted to continue to Italy.

The coast guard boat accompanied the migrant vessel and later headed a major rescue operation by all the ships in the area.

Alarm Phone, a network of activists that provides a hotline for migrants in trouble, said it was contacted by people on a boat in distress on Tuesday afternoon. That boat was in the same general area as the one that sank, but it was not clear if it was the same vessel.

The organization notified Greek authorities and Frontex. In one communication with Alarm Phone, migrants reported the vessel was overcrowded and that the captain had abandoned the ship on a small boat, according to the group. They asked for food and water, which were provided by a merchant ship.

We fear that hundreds of people have drowned, Alarm Phone said in a statement.

The Mediterraneans deadliest shipwreck in living memory occurred on April 18, 2015, when an overcrowded fishing boat collided off Libya with a freighter trying to come to its rescue. Only 28 people survived. Forensic experts concluded that there were originally 1,100 people on board.

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Paphitis reported from Athens, Greece. Associated Press writers Sam Magdy in Cairo and Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain, contributed to this report.

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Follow AP stories on global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration

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At least 79 dead after overcrowded migrant vessel sinks off Greece; hundreds may be missing - The Associated Press