• Apple is constantly adding new tools to its iPhones with iOS releases.
• There are apps to automate tasks and other features that stave off overstimulation.
• Here are the coolest things I discovered my iPhone can do.

Apple took the world by storm with the iPhone in 2007, and its crown jewel is only getting more features that can be lifesavers — or just really cool.

I upgraded from the iPod Touch to an iPhone 5 as a 13-year-old in 2012, so I consider myself a bit of an expert. Yet years later, my iPhone 14 Pro Max seems to be outpacing me with innovations. I've grown used to the old ways of manual functions, typing queries into the Safari search bar, and having to rely on my memory.

As Apple introduces new features, I've picked up on the tools that I see every day — like sending voice notes over iMessage or searching for apps instead of looking for them in all of my folders. However, there are more obscure additions that I hadn't made use of.

These days, top-of-the-line iPhones cost over $1,000, and Apple analysts have said they could become much more expensive if President Donald Trump follows through with the steep tariffs he wants to impose on China, the main hub for iPhone manufacturing.

I decided it's time to get my money's worth out of my handset since I won't be getting an upgrade for a while.

Here are four ways I'll be putting Apple's software to good use.

Shortcut Automations

Apple launched the Shortcuts app as part of iOS 12 in 2018. It was marketed as a time-saving app that could perform actions according to custom commands.

I remember the "I'm Being Pulled Over" feature being a big deal in 2020. When activated it would begin recording your interaction with police during traffic stops, but that's the last I paid attention to Shortcuts.

I perused the app again and found a number of customizable features that could come in handy. What's more, they can be automated.

For a trial run, I made a command for my phone to automatically FaceTime my friend whenever he sent me the word "hey." It worked, though it's probably not a command he'd like me to keep on.

You can use Shortcuts for things like:

• Turning on "Do Not Disturb" when you open a certain app.
• Sending a message when you leave a location.
• Changing your wallpaper every day.

Voice Isolation

Voice Isolation is one of my favorite iPhone features of this decade. Since its release in 2021, I've been singing its praises to anyone I talk to on the phone.

In New York City, I find myself talking in a loud environment as soon as I step out of my door. Inside, my two dogs go wild with barking whenever someone gets too close to the windows. Voice Isolation, however, silences all of the fuss.

When my best friends and I fell into the habit of group FaceTime calls, we discovered that we could isolate our voices and silence non-vocal background noise. So, when a ambulance whizzes by with a loud siren, my friends can still hear me recapping my day.

You can enable it by pressing "Phone Controls" in the Control Center while you're on the phone.

Clean Up Safari Tabs Automatically

If you're an organized technology user, you probably don't need this. However, if you're like me, you're welcome.

I like to leave my Safari tabs open as a way to keep track of places I want to visit, things I want to buy, and any other helpful sites that I might need to refer to.

Naturally, many many tabs are never revisited again as I continue to add more. Eighty-nine tabs is modest compared to the 150+ that I've proven to be capable of. I'm hoping that will change now that I know I can set my tabs to automatically close after a period of time.

I think I'll start with monthly tab closings — just to ease myself into the concept.

Follow these steps to close all of your tabs:

Settings > Safari > Close Tabs.

Background Sounds

The most zen discovery of the group is also the coolest. I've played rain sounds and white noise before by looking them up on Apple Music, but I learned that they've been built into my iPhone.

Through the Settings app, you can turn on Background Sounds to hear calming sounds like the ocean, dark noise, or a crackling fire. The sounds will continue playing behind other media if you that setting toggled on.

Follow these steps to enable Background Sounds:

Settings > Accessibility > Audio/Visual > Background Sounds.

• Ritendra Datta worked as a software engineer for Google and Meta between 2010 and 2023.
• He compared the culture, promotion process, and workload, and said he burned out at both companies.
• Datta said, despite burnout, he felt a better influence, impact, and monetary gain at Meta.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ritendra Datta, a software engineer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I worked at Google from 2010 to 2019, then transitioned to Meta for just over four years.

If I look at it strictly from an engineering perspective, my first few years at Google were the best in my career. The company felt extremely mission-driven, and I was inspired as a builder.

At Meta, I worked more hours and experienced higher stress levels, but not necessarily in a bad way. In fact, working for Meta was a better experience overall than working at Google.

I loved Google, but I saw the company culture change

My early years at Google had a rare mix of being well-funded and feeling driven by a mission, not profit. Google was slow, steady, and careful with everything it rolled out. I knew the ins and outs of everything my team was working on.

I spent my first four years working out of the Google Pittsburgh office, where we had foosball tables, food options, and areas to hang out. No one cared if I spent an hour or two just jamming out with colleagues in the music room, and I loved it.

I think the company was betting that very inspired, well-intentioned engineers would build awesome things regardless of whether they worked 10 hours or four.

Google felt completely different when I transitioned to the Mountain View office

I switched to the Google Mountain View office because I was tired of East Coast winters and figured there'd be more opportunities. That location had amenities like lap pools and volleyball courts, but people seemed more heads down and focused on work. I think it was partially due to differences between the East Coast and Silicon Valley, and partially due to a cultural shift within the company toward beating out the competition.

After nearly a decade, I started to feel complacent. I was repeating the same tasks, collaborating with the same people, and no longer learning. I ultimately left Google and accepted an offer with Meta in 2019 because of a pay increase and the hopes of growing as an engineer.

I started working at Meta and immediately felt the difference

Meta's motto at the time of my hiring was "move fast and break things," and I felt it immediately. The second I felt like I understood something, they'd say, "Let's pivot, let's drop this, let's switch priorities." We failed often, but the amount we innovated outweighed it.

I felt good stress when we hustled to build a compelling product, and our motivation was clear. On the other hand, I felt bad stress when I didn't understand the motivation behind certain strategic shifts and would have to rally my team behind a strict timeline that I didn't even understand.

I think many people who come from Google don't ever really adjust to that change, but I think I adapted well.

I experienced burnout at both companies, in completely different ways

Somewhere around the middle of my career at Google, I started worrying I was falling behind. On the outside, it looked like I had an illustrious career, but what people don't see are the patches of very slow progress and extreme frustration. The pressure I felt to progress in my career burned me out.

The burnout I had at Meta was for moral reasons. In 2021, Meta was under scrutiny when a whistleblower presented scathing documents about the hate speech and misinformation that Meta allowed. This made me question whether I was fighting the right fight and building a better society.

I had a lot of doubts about my career and didn't even want to go to work despite having a big team to run.

Promotions worked differently at Google and Meta

The promotion process at Google felt fair, but it became more competitive, especially after I moved to the Mountain View office. I would create a promotion packet with my manager, and then a totally independent set of senior leadership would review it.

At Meta, the people who decided my promotion were either in or peripheral to my organization. Plus, it wasn't just important to do good work, but you also had to market your work.

We had an internal version of Facebook where people would post about their accomplishments, which caused a lot of competition. I became keenly aware of my team's visibility because marketing our work was just as important as doing it.

I developed a muscle of constantly thinking about visibility, and I don't think it was in a good way.

Meta shuts down jerky behavior more than Google

The feedback process was very strong at Meta. Everyone gave feedback on everyone, and if one person was a big jerk, their career would likely be affected by it.

Additionally, everyone's engineering levels were hidden except for some pivotal employees, like a director or VP, so there was no definitive hierarchy.

At Google, the emphasis was less on how well you collaborated and more on the technical work you did. People were very public about their level, meaning they might leverage their higher status to override decisions.

I preferred Meta over Google

My early years at Google were amazing. But when I consider influence, impact, and monetary gain, Meta was overall the best.

Despite this, I quit Meta in 2023 and accepted an offer for a role at a startup. I'm happy where I'm at now, but I truly believe both companies can be amazing places to work.

If you work in Big Tech and have a story you would like to share, please email the editor, Manseen Logan, at [email protected].

• Business Insider talked to US Army Secretary Driscoll during his visit to Alaska to see soldiers training for Arctic warfare.
• Driscoll told BI his focus is lethality, aligned with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
• That includes next-generation technologies, future warfare, and training.

Daniel Driscoll is only two months into his new job as the 26th Army secretary, but the 38-year-old former armor officer and Iraq War veteran knows what he wants: lethality.

Anything in the US Army that doesn't advance that goal could be out, he told Business Insider on a call this week. That could mean changes from training to force structure, even the tossing out of legacy systems, his staff said.

Lethality is a guiding light for the Department of Defense under Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. It was also a core objective — and talking point — in the earlier Trump and Biden administrations, though with different interpretations. The subjective measuring stick is what programs are being evaluated against.

"What has occurred is a hollowing out of a lot of the tools that we have given our soldiers," Driscoll, formerly an officer with the Army's 10th Mountain Division, told BI during his official visit to Alaska this week to observe the 11th Airborne Division.

Decision-makers in DC "have optimized for nearly everything other than the soldier in their decision-making," he said, arguing that the acquisition process for new capabilities and programs needs an overhaul and that the individual soldier's ability to effectively engage the enemy has to be at the forefront of every decision.

That push may force a reassessment of the US Army's older systems that may be vulnerable in a future fight.

Driscoll suggested cutting down training requirements for soldiers "to return to the core of things that they need to do to be good at their jobs," removing excess or unnecessary elements. "If it doesn't directly correlate with lethality, we're getting rid of it," he said.

From the military's perspective, lethality is essentially about the ability to engage an enemy and effectively put ordnance down range to deadly effect, but what is considered necessary to build a force capable of doing that varies.

What is lethality?

During President Donald Trump's first term in office, then-Defense Secretary James Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, made building a more lethal fighting force a Pentagon priority. Lethality was also a common topic under the Biden administration, though the current administration has accused its predecessors of focusing too much on superfluous agendas.

Lethality is a go-to buzzword in the Pentagon lexicon and for longstanding Army programs. Project Manager Soldier Lethality, for instance, develops next-generation rifles and machine guns for soldiers. A cross-functional team of the same name designs systems to help soldiers close with and destroy the enemy. The term has also been the subject of numerous professional panels and research papers by soldiers.

For this administration, Trump, Hegseth, and other military leaders are all-in on tossing anything they see as nonessential for warfighter readiness. That has included diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, climate change initiatives, and other projects.

"Everything starts and ends with warriors in training and on the battlefield," Hegseth said this week at the Army War College. "We are leaving wokeness and weakness behind and refocusing on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness."

Programs have been shut down. Billions of dollars in contracts have been cut. Still, many of the proposed plans are early concepts, and what exactly the significantly increased focus on lethality will mean for the future of the US military isn't clear yet, especially the nonlethal, non-combat roles that support other missions.

For the Army, Driscoll said, he wants to see improved combat readiness. Talking to BI, he highlighted the 11th Airborne Division's constant work on adjusting equipment, weapons, gear, and vehicles to the cold temperatures and harsh conditions of the Arctic.

"They were not focused on things like PowerPoint slides and how they could deliver better work products to the Pentagon," he said of the 11th Airborne Division. Instead, they are "out in the world figuring out what we need to do as an Army."

Lt. Col. Jeff Tolbert, Driscoll's public affairs advisor, told BI that the heightened emphasis on lethality could mean doing away with legacy gear and vehicles that aren't needed for future wars, such as older armored vehicles and command posts that are detectable and targetable with electronic warfare.

Instead, next-generation technologies — drones and other uncrewed systems, robotics, human-machine integration, improved night vision gear, and more maneuverable vehicles and formations — are a top interest for the Army. Communication integration that better informs commanders to make decisions is crucial, too.

The Army has been focused on these new emerging systems, learning much from the Ukraine war about the need for newer technologies, drones, the role of the tank on the battlefield, and mechanized warfare. Driscoll was recently in Europe, where he said many lessons are being learned from the war, now in its third year.

Artificial intelligence will also help with lethality in future warfare. Driscoll hypothesized that within 12 months, "you'll start to see generative AI showing up, maybe in some limited use cases, on the battlefield."

Driscoll served in the Army from 2007 to 2011, leaving the service as a lieutenant. In 2009, he deployed to Baghdad, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After leaving active duty, Driscoll attended Yale Law School, where he was a classmate of Vice President JD Vance. After receiving the Army secretary nomination in late January, he was confirmed as the service's top civilian official in late February.

In his first message to the force after confirmation, the Army secretary said: "You are a part of the most lethal land-based fighting force in the history of the world."

"But," Driscoll continued, "administrative burdens and unnecessary distractions have taken you away from what matters most. We will refocus, eliminating distractions and training you to fight and win in the most contested environments. Your country demands no less."

We don’t know about you, but spending the spring and summer in comfy sandals is at the top of our To-Do list. Since the season for open-toe shoes is upon Us, it’s only right to ensure our feet are in prime condition for constant exposure. Not a fan of pricey salon pedicures? This bestselling foot file buffs away dry, calloused skin and unveils soft, smooth feet in the comfort of your own home. With more than 9,000 five-star ratings, this bestseller has been purchased more than 30,000 times in the past month, proving just how many people are on the quest for soft, supple skin.

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Virginia Giuffre, the woman who accused Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual abuse and sex trafficking, has died. She was 41.

Giuffre’s family confirmed her death, which occurred on Thursday, April 24, in Neergabby, Australia via a statement made to People.

“Giuffre lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking,” her family said via the statement on Friday, April 25. “Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure. The light of her life were her children Christian, Noah, and Emily.”

Prince Andrew Accuser Virginia Giuffre Says She Has ‘Four Days to Live’

“It was when she held her newborn daughter in her arms that Virginia realized she had to fight back against those who had abused her and so many others,” the statement continued. “There are no words that can express the grave loss we feel today with the passing of our sweet Virginia. She was heroic and will always be remembered for her incredible courage and loving spirit. In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight. We know that she is with the angels.”

Giuffre’s attorney, Sigrid McCawley, also paid tribute following her death via a statement.

“Virginia was much more than a client to me; she was a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims,” McCawley said. “Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring. The world has lost an amazing human being today. Rest in peace, my sweet angel.”

The news comes less than a month after Giuffre claimed via Instagram she had “only days to live” following a bus accident.

Giuffre posted a disturbing photo via Instagram on March 30, and explained that she was hit by a school bus traveling at 110 kilometres per hour (approximately 70 miles per hour). As a result, she claimed that doctors have said she only has four days to live.

“This year has been the worst start to a new year, but I won’t bore anyone with the details but I think it important to note that when a school bus driver comes at you driving 110km as we were slowing for a turn that no matter what your car is made of it might as well be a tin can,” she wrote.

“I’ve gone into kidney renal failure, they’ve given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology,” she continued. “I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time, but you know what they say about wishes. S**T in one hand and wish in the other & I guarantee it’s still going to be s**t at the end of the day. Thank you all for being the wonderful people of the world and for being a great part of my life. Godbless you all xx Virginia .”

Giuffre met former Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000 while working as a locker room attendant at now-President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Maxwell introduced Giuffre to Epstein, and the pair later allegedly roped the young woman into their sex trafficking operation. Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019 and died by suicide while in prison that August. In 2021, Maxwell was found guilty of recruiting young women for Epstein to traffic and abuse.

Giuffre also accused Prince Andrew of abusing her in 2001. Andrew denied having any memory of meeting Giuffre in a now notorious November 2019 interview with the BBC. “I never saw them. I mean you have to understand that his house, I described it more as almost as a railway station if you know what I mean in the sense that there were people coming in and out of that house all the time,” he told Emily Maitlis at the time.

“What they were doing and why they were there I had nothing to do with. So I’m afraid I can’t make any comment on that because I really don’t know,” Prince Andrew added.

Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in August 2021 and the pair settled the lawsuit in February 2022. According to documents obtained by Us Weekly, the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money. A letter was submitted to the United States District Court in New York City, explaining that the parties plan on filing a stipulation dismissing the case within 30 days.

“Prince Andrew intends to make a substantial donation to Ms. Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights,” the letter reads. “Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre’s character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks.”

“It is known that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked countless young girls over many years,” the letter continued. “Prince Andrew regrets his association with Epstein, and commends the bravery of Ms. Giuffre and other survivors in standing up for themselves and others. He pledges to demonstrate his regret for his association with Epstein by supporting the fight against the evils of sex trafficking, and by supporting its victims.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Not long after Dorit Kemsley met real estate developer Paul “PK” Kemsley in 2011, romance flourished — but their journey has had its obstacles over the years.

“Well, we met and we didn’t really have our first official date for a couple of months,” the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star recalled during a September 2020 interview with Bravo’s Daily Dish. “We had a few things in common, so we went out as a group. … But [the chemistry] was very clear, very apparent.”

After a whirlwind courtship, Dorit and PK welcomed son Jagger in 2016. The couple wed one year later in March 2015 before daughter Phoenix completed the family the next year. (The England native also has two children from a previous relationship.)

“I’d like to stay married to PK for the rest of my life,” Dorit exclusively told Us Weekly in April 2021. “Even though … they say that there’s the marriage curse on Housewives and divorce that happens when they join, I think if you have a strong marriage, then that’s what stands the test of time.”

In May 2024, Dorit announced her separation from PK after nearly a decade of marriage. Nearly one year later Us confirmed that Dorit officially filed for divorce.

Scroll below to relive the couple’s relationship timeline:

When do you feel the most confident in your clothes? For Us, it’s when we’re dressed in flattering pieces that highlight our favorite assets and conceal the areas we don’t love as much. If your spring rotation could use a stylish shirt that disguises underarm bat wings, switch out your current tops with Dokotoo’s Puff-Sleeve blouse, an item that thousands of shoppers call “perfect.”

At just $26, this fashion find won’t break the bank, either. Made from breathable, sweater-like fabric, it’s airy enough to wear as the weather warms up, and the flattering puff-sleeves are a standout feature that Amazon shoppers are raving over. Many fashionistas are hunting for slimming, seasonal styles that conceal underarm bat wings, and this lightweight find fits the bill.

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The best part? Dokotoo’s design comes in nearly 20 different colorways. If you’re a fan of stripes, you can take your pick between orange, pink and green. Love the look of springtime florals? There are four botanical prints you won’t want to miss. Those who prefer something simple will also spot two neutral alternatives, both of which feature contrasting trims that take the everyday basic up a few notches.

17 Pretty Puff Sleeve Dresses That Hide Underarm 'Bat Wings'

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“Well-made, soft material, true to size, flattering; I usually avoid horizontal stripes due to concern of making me look big/wide, but this shirt is complementary to any figure,” one shopper wrote in their review. “Love the longer sleeves and the ruffled shoulder.”

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In case you were wondering, the perfect blouse does exist. It’s this under-$30 Amazon find, so add it to your wardrobe now and rock it on repeat all spring and summer long.

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Amazon Shoppers Have Found the ‘Perfect Summer Date Night Dress’ — And It’s Less Than $40 Today

‘There’s room for a car programme at the moment because cars are changing so fast,’ presenter said

Follow live as Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn settle their bitter grudge, over 30 years after their fathers rounded out their own rivalry

The Blues begin the weekend in sixth as they look to land another early blow in the battle for the Champions League places