- A Twitter user found that some airline phone numbers on Google Maps link to scammers CNN
- New warning for rebooking air travel after delays, cancellations ABC 7 Chicago
- Twitter user discovers scam numbers listed for airlines on Google Insider
- A traveler’s Delta flight was canceled, so he called the airline’s number listed on Google. It led to a scammer — then he says he discovered more airlines with the same problem. Yahoo! Voices
- Advice | Scammers are using Google results to target desperate travelers The Washington Post
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: maps
New, non-invasive imaging tool maps uterine contractions during labor – National Institutes of Health (.gov)
- New, non-invasive imaging tool maps uterine contractions during labor National Institutes of Health (.gov)
- Imaging tech produces real-time 3D maps of uterine contractions during labor – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
- Noninvasive electromyometrial imaging of human uterine maturation during term labor Nature.com
- New imaging tool creates real-time, 3D images and maps of contractions during labor News-Medical.Net
- Imaging tech produces real-time 3D maps of uterine contractions during labor Medical Xpress
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Millions are urged to change their settings on Google Maps to keep themselves safe
Millions are urged to change their settings on Google Maps to keep themselves safe
- Police have previously warned that online mapping tools are ‘useful’ to criminals
- But Google Maps offers two key options to improve personal safety online
- This include blurring out private details and location sharing with loved ones
From navigating cities to finding local restaurants, many of us have become dependent on Google Maps for getting around in daily life.
But despite its handiness, the platform’s panoramic street views may risk revealing private information about your home that might not be wanted online.
In the past, publicly accessible mapping tools have been deemed ‘useful’ to criminals planning attacks – from burglary to terrorism.
Google Maps itself also pixelated the home of Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook last year following stalking concerns.
But some may be pleased to know that blurring out what’s not wanted online is easily accessible to all using the Google Maps website.
Google Maps provides the option to blur out faces, your home, cars and other personal details
To do this, users can search for their home address on the computer using Google Maps.
A photograph of your home should then appear, which can be clicked on to present a close-up street view of the area.
If there are details that you would like to be blurred, click the three small dots that should be in the top left corner of the Google view.
This gives the option to ‘Report a Problem’ which, when clicked on, allows users to record an inappropriate street view.
Requests can be put forward to blur faces, homes, cars, license plates or different objects.
It also gives the chance to tell Google if there are any issues with image quality.
The only details required to put in about yourself is an email address.
For many of us, Google Maps is essential for getting around in day-to-day life
For those concerned about walking alone in the dark, Google Maps also allows users to share their location with loved ones.
To access this, click on the three lines at the left of the search bar which will provide view of a menu.
This provides a location sharing option where users can select the amount of time they want this tracking information made available to selected personal contacts.
How Google Maps lets loved ones know you’re safe at all times
Sharing your whereabouts with your loved ones so they know you’re safe or can call for help if you’re in danger can be very comforting to them and you, and it’s now easier than ever with the use of Google maps. Here’s how:
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Google Maps can do much more than just show you where to go.
WHY WINDOWS IS #1 TARGET FOR MALWARE: 2 EASY WAYS TO STAY SAFE
How to share your Google Maps location on an iPhone, iPad, Android or web browser
- Go to your Google Maps app (make sure your app is updated to the latest version) or log in to Google maps at Google.com/maps
- Tap your profile picture in the top right
- Click Location Sharing
- Tap the “Share Location” button
- In the first row you see, select the amount of time you’re sharing your location. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your location indefinitely, be sure to set a time frame when you’re traveling to then expire (i.e. “for 1 hour” or “until you turn this off”).
- In the next row, select the people with whom you want to share your location. Note: anyone with the link you send via email or text will be able to see your name, photo, and real-time location.
- Click Share button
- Your contact will receive an email or text message with a link. Once clicked, your contact can view your location on a Google Map on their device.
Here’s where you can share your location with friends and loved ones.
How to stop sharing your location on an iPhone, iPad, Android or web browser
- Go to your Google Maps app (make sure your app is updated to the latest version) or login in to Google maps at Google.com/maps
- Tap your profile picture in the top right
- Select Location Sharing
- In the bottom row, you’ll see the contact you shared your location with
- Click that row
- In the next menu, in the second row, click “Stop“, to stop sharing your location.
ARE YOU BEING STALKED? A SIMPLE SOFTWARE UPDATE CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE
Follow these steps to share your location on Google Maps.
HOW TO RESCUE YOURSELF FROM HOLIDAY TRAVEL NIGHTMARES
Can I share with someone who doesn’t have a Google account?
Yes, you may share your Google Maps location with someone who does not have a Google account. The steps to going about this are just a little different.
- On your mobile device or tablet, open the Google Maps app
- Tap your profile picture and go to Location Sharing
- Click Share Location
- Click More Options
- A Share with a link menu will pop up. Click the “Share” button
- Tap Copy to copy your location-sharing link
- Paste that link in an email, text, or other messaging app and send it to whoever you wish to share your location with.
For more Google tips, visit CyberGuy.com and search “Google” by clicking the magnifying glass icon at the top of my website.
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New Study Maps the Development of the 20 Most Common Psychiatric Disorders
Summary: 47% of patients with a mental health disorder receive a different diagnosis within the first ten years of receiving their initial diagnosis.
Source: University of Copenhagen
“Let’s see how things go.”
So psychiatrists often say to one another after a patient has been diagnosed with the first disorder – not because the diagnosis is not correct, but because psychiatrists know that psychiatric diagnoses have a tendency to change over the years.
In fact, 47 percent of psychiatric patients are diagnosed with a different diagnosis within 10 years of receiving their first diagnosis.
This is the result of a new study mapping the diagnostic development of more than 180,000 psychiatric patients in Denmark.
One of the researchers behind the study is Clinical Research Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine Anders Jørgensen. He is not surprised by the results of the study.
“Mental disorders are dynamic. They change over the course of a life. Therefore, I am not surprised by the relatively great diagnostic development in these patients,” says Anders Jørgensen.
The study shows which development is probable and which is improbable for the 20 most common mental diagnoses. The most uncertain, i.e., the ones that are most likely to change, include the diagnoses acute psychosis, addiction and depression.
The most certain, i.e. the ones that are least likely to change, include the diagnoses functional disabilities, which are long-term physical disabilities with no physical cause, eating disorders and sexual disorders such as reduced sexual interest or erectile dysfunction with no physical cause.
The study is useful from the moment a patient is diagnosed with his or her first disorder, as it enables doctors to look up the 10-year diagnostic development of other patients.
“Doctors wanting to plan the right course of treatment and be able to tell patients what they can expect need these figures. Ultimately, we hope it can help improve treatment and ensure evidence-based follow-up. The more you know about the probable course of illness, the better the treatment is likely to be,” says Anders Jørgensen.
The study is limited to patients treated in the psychiatric healthcare system. This means that the people who go to their GP and are referred to a psychologist are not included in the study.
“We only look at people who have been diagnosed in psychiatric hospitals and who typically experience more severe courses of illness than those who make an appointment with their GP,” says Anders Jørgensen.
Depression is one of the most uncertain diagnoses
Among the three most common diagnoses analysed in the study, patients diagnosed with a single episode of depression have the highest risk of being diagnosed with a new disorder within 10 years.
“According to the study, patients with this diagnosis have a 60-percent chance of being diagnosed with a new disorder within 10 years,” says Associate Professor Terese Sara Høj Jørgensen from the Section of Social Medicine at the Department of Public Health.
But numbers can be deceiving. Because the majority (20 percent) of those diagnosed with a single episode of depression is subsequently diagnosed with periodic depression, which is the name for recurring depressions.
“It is not surprising that a single episode of depression can develop into recurring depressions,” says Anders Jørgensen.
Next to periodic depression, personality disorder and stress reaction disorders are the diagnoses most likely to follow a depression diagnosis. A stress reaction disorder is when a major incident such as divorce or death causes the patient to develop a mental disorder resembling stress or depression.
Anders Jørgensen hopes the new data can help improve treatment for people who suffer a depression.
“Unlike patients who experience their first psychosis, we currently have no uniform treatment option for patients who experience their first depression. We may look into developing such an option, and our figures can support the development of effective treatment,” says Anders Jørgensen.
What did the study entail?
Using Danish register data, the researchers identified psychiatric patients aged 18 years or more diagnosed with one of the 20 most common mental disorders. This gave them a group of 184,949 individuals.
The researchers looked at how the patients’ diagnoses have change since the first diagnosis was given. They used so-called sequence analysis to analyse the development.
Typical development for the three most common diagnoses analysed in the study
Depression: 60 percent of those diagnosed with a single depressive episode are diagnosed with a new disorder within 10 years. 20 percent develop periodic depression, 10 percent a stress disorder and six percent a personality disorder.
See also
Addiction: 52 percent are diagnosed with a new disorder within 10 years. Eight percent develop a stress disorder, five percent a personality disorder and five percent schizophrenia. The category includes all addiction diagnoses such as alcohol, opioid, cannabis etc. Some forms of addiction are more uncertain than others.
Stress reaction disorder: 36 percent are diagnosed with a new disorder within 10 years. Eight percent develop a single depressive episode, seven percent a personality disorder and six percent periodic depression.
About this mental health research news
Author: Liva Polack
Source: University of Copenhagen
Contact: Liva Polack – University of Copenhagen
Image: The image is in the public domain
Original Research: Closed access.
“Mapping diagnostic trajectories from the first hospital diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder: a Danish nationwide cohort study using sequence analysis” by Anders Jørgensen et al. Lancet Psychiatry
Abstract
Mapping diagnostic trajectories from the first hospital diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder: a Danish nationwide cohort study using sequence analysis
Background
A key clinical problem in psychiatry is predicting the diagnostic future of patients presenting with psychopathology for the first time. The objective of this study was to establish a comprehensive map of subsequent diagnoses after a first psychiatric hospital diagnosis.
Methods
Through the Danish National Patient Registry, we identified patients aged 18 years or older with an inpatient or outpatient psychiatric hospital contact and who had received one of the 20 most common first-time psychiatric diagnoses (defined at the ICD-10 two-cipher level, F00–F99) between Jan 1, 1995, and Dec 31, 2008. For each first-time diagnosis, the 20 most frequent subsequent psychiatric diagnoses (F00–F99), and death, occurring during 10 years of follow-up were identified as outcomes. To assess diagnostic stability, we used social sequence analyses, assigning a subsequent diagnosis to each state with a length of 6 months following each first-time diagnosis. The subsequent diagnosis was defined as the last diagnosis given within each 6-month period. We calculated the normalised entropy of each sequence to show the uncertainty of predicting the states in a given sequence. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the risk of receiving a subsequent diagnosis (at the one-cipher level, F0–F9) after each first-time diagnosis.
Findings
The cohort consisted of 184 949 adult patients (77 129 [41·7%] men and 107 820 [58·3%] women, mean age 42·5 years [SD 18·5; range 18 to >100). Ethnicity data were not recorded. Over 10 years of follow-up, 86 804 (46·9%) patients had at least one subsequent diagnosis that differed from their first-time diagnosis. Measured by mean normalised entropy values, persistent delusional disorders (ICD-10 code F22), mental and behavioural disorders due to multiple drug use and use of other psychoactive substances (F19), and acute and transient psychotic disorders (F23) had the highest diagnostic variability, whereas eating disorders (F50) and non-organic sexual dysfunction (F52) had the lowest. The risk of receiving a subsequent diagnosis with a psychiatric disorder from an ICD-10 group different from that of the first-time diagnosis varied substantially among first-time diagnoses.
Interpretation
These data provide detailed information on possible diagnostic outcomes after a first-time presentation in a psychiatric hospital. This information could help clinicians to plan relevant follow-up and inform patients and families on the degree of diagnostic uncertainty associated with receiving a first psychiatric hospital diagnosis, as well as likely and unlikely trajectories of diagnostic progression.
Funding
Mental Health Services, Capital region of Denmark.
Translation
For the Danish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.
Google Maps update shows fast-charging EV stations, new AR views
A charging port is seen on a Mercedes Benz EQC 400 4Matic electric vehicle at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 13, 2019.
Mark Blinch | Reuters
An updated version of Google Maps for Android and iPhone is rolling out with several new features, such as the option to search for electric vehicle stations with fast chargers and an augmented reality feature that overlays more information about local points of interest on top of the real world around you.
Here’s what’s new.
Find fast chargers for your electric car
If you drive an EV, you’ll be able to filter charging stations to find the most time-efficient option. So, if you search for a “charging station” in Google Maps, for example, a new option appears that allows you to filter out to show only “fast charge” stations that are compatible with the plug your car uses. It builds on an earlier update that allows users to search for stations by plug compatibility.
Find stations with fast chargers (left) and plugs compatible with your EV (right).
Fast charging includes stations with chargers 50kW or higher. The update is available in countries where EV charging stations are available, according to Google.
New AR feature coming to Google Maps
Search with Live View starts rolling out in 6 cities next week.
Google Maps is also getting an update to its augmented reality tool. Starting next week, a feature called “Search with Live View” will let you use your phone camera to find out what’s around you.
When you hold up your phone, for example, and tap the camera icon in Maps, you’ll see nearby landmarks, parks, hotels, restaurants, bars, banks and ATMs. You’ll also see info such as how busy the location is, whether it’s open, what the price range is and how it’s rated by Google Maps users.
The feature will first launch in six major cities: New York, London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Tokyo and Paris.
Google adds wheelchair accessibility info to global maps
The ability to see wheelchair accessibility places is now available globally on Android and iOS.
Google has expanded its Accessible Places feature, which shows an icon on a business profile to indicate that it’s wheelchair accessible, to all global markets. The option has been available in the U.S., Australia, the U.K. and Japan since 2020. Google highlighted that the feature can be useful for people who are walking with a stroller or a cart, too, since they may want to know if a ramp is available before visiting a specific location. The accessibility indicator is powered by business owners and people who use Google Maps.
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New maps of ancient warming reveal strong response to carbon dioxide
Enlarge / Global map of rainfall change due to warming 56 million years ago: green = wetter, brown = drier. Circles show where geological data show it became dryer or wetter, as a check on the new results.
Tierney et. al.
In a study published in PNAS, professor Jessica Tierney of the University of Arizona and colleagues have produced globally complete maps of the carbon-driven warming that occurred in the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), 56 million years ago.
While the PETM has some parallels to present warming, the new work includes some unexpected results—the climate response to CO2 then was about twice as strong as the current best estimate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). But changes in rainfall patterns and the amplification of warming at the poles were remarkably consistent with modern trends, despite being a very different world back then.
A different world
The warming of the PETM was triggered by a geologically rapid release of CO2, primarily from a convulsion of magma in Earth’s mantle at the place where Iceland is now situated. The magma invaded oil-rich sediments in the North Atlantic, boiling off CO2 and methane. It took an already warm, high-CO2 climate and made it hotter for tens of thousands of years, driving some deep-sea creatures and some tropical plants to extinction. Mammals evolved smaller, and there were big migrations across continents; crocodiles, hippo-like creatures, and palm trees all thrived just 500 miles from the North Pole, and Antarctica was ice-free.
As our climate warms, scientists are increasingly looking at past climates for insights, but they are hampered by uncertainties in temperature, CO2 levels, and the exact timing of changes—prior work on the PETM had temperature uncertainties on the order of 8° to 10° C, for example. Now Tierney’s team has narrowed that uncertainty range to just 2.4° C, showing that the PETM warmed by 5.6° C, a refinement on the previous estimate of approximately 5° C.
“We were really able to narrow that estimate down over previous work,” said Tierney.
The researchers also calculated the CO2 levels before and during the PETM derived from isotopes of boron measured in fossil plankton shells. They found CO2 was about 1,120 ppm just before the PETM, rising to 2,020 ppm at its peak. For comparison, preindustrial CO2 was 280 ppm, and we’re currently at about 418 ppm. The team was able to use these new temperature and CO2 values to calculate how much the planet warmed in response to a doubling of CO2 values, or the “Equilibrium Climate Sensitivity” for the PETM.
Highly sensitive
The IPCC’s best estimate for climate sensitivity in our time is 3° C, but that comes with a large uncertainty—it could be anything between 2° to 5° C—due to our imperfect knowledge of feedbacks in the Earth system. If the sensitivity turns out to be on the higher end, then we’ll warm more for a given amount of emissions. Tierney’s study found the PETM climate sensitivity was 6.5° C—more than double the IPCC best estimate.
A higher number is “not too surprising,” Tierney told me, because earlier research had indicated Earth’s response to CO2 is stronger at the higher CO2 levels of Earth’s past. Our climate sensitivity won’t be that high: “We don’t expect that we’re going to experience a climate sensitivity of 6.5° C tomorrow,” Tierney explained.
Their paper does, however, suggest that if we continue to raise CO2 levels, it will nudge the temperature response to that CO2 higher. “We might expect some level of increased climate sensitivity in the near future, especially if we emit more greenhouse gases,” Tierney said.
Mapping climate by “Data Assimilation”
The new, sharper picture emerges from the way Tierney’s team dealt with geologists’ perennial problem: We don’t have data for every place on the planet. Geological data for the PETM is limited to locations where sediments from that time are preserved and accessible—typically either via a borehole or outcropping on land. Any conclusions about global climate must be scaled up from those sparse data points.
“It’s actually a hard problem,” remarked Tierney. “If you want to understand what’s happening spatially, it’s really hard to do that from just the geological data alone.” So Tierney and colleagues borrowed a technique from weather forecasting. “What weather folks are doing is they’re running a weather model, and as the day goes on, they take measurements of wind and temperature, and then they assimilate it into their model … and then run the model again to improve the forecast,” Tierney said.
Instead of thermometers, her team used temperature measurements from the remains of microbes and plankton preserved in 56 million-year-old sediments. Instead of a weather model, they used a climate model that had Eocene geography and no ice sheets to simulate the climate just before, and at the peak of, PETM warmth. They ran the model a bunch of times, varying CO2 levels and Earth’s orbital configuration because of the uncertainties in those. Then they used the microbe and plankton data to select the simulation that best fit the data.
“The idea is really to take advantage of the fact that model simulations are spatially complete. But they are models, so we don’t know if they’re right. The data know what happened, but they’re not spatially complete,” explained Tierney. “So, by blending them, we get the best of both worlds.”
To see how well their blended product matched reality, they checked it against independent data derived from pollen and leaves, and from places not included in the blending process. “They actually matched up really, really well, which is somewhat comforting,” said Tierney.
“The novelty of this study is to use a climate model to rigorously work out what climate state best fits the data both before and during the PETM, giving patterns of climate change all over the globe and a better estimate of global mean temperature change,” said Dr. Tom Dunkley Jones of the University of Birmingham, who was not part of the study.
Google finishes iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets rollout w/ Maps
Google is wrapping up the rollout of its iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets with Maps and Search for a total of six updated iPhone applications.
Version 6.40 of Google Maps introduces a pair of iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets. “Search” opens the app to the corresponding interface with your keyboard immediately ready for input. The 2×1 “Frequent Trips” could be powerful (depending on how often it updates) and notes the location, ETA, and traffic conditions.
- Frequent Trips: Get directions and an estimated time of arrival for your frequent trips.
- Search: Search in Google Maps for restaurants, gas stations, and more.
Meanwhile, the Google app has a total of five widgets, starting with two sizes (1×1 and 2×1) for Search. The rest are 1×1, with the last one for Lens possibly based on which filter you frequently use.
- Search: Access Google Search from your Lock Screen.
- Voice Search: Ask a question, hum a song, or search for content with your voice.
- Lens: Search with your camera or any image.
- Lens Shortcuts: Easily access your favorite Lens feature. Translate, shop, or solve homework with your camera.
These Google Search Lock Screen widgets are particularly well suited to replace Siri.
Maps and Search join Gmail, News, Drive, and Chrome as the first wave of Google apps with iOS Lock Screen widgets. After updating, be sure to launch each application before going to the Lock Screen editor to add or they might not appear.
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Hurricane Ian updates, radar, maps: Latest projections, possible path after swamping Florida, moving toward South Carolina
ORLANDO, Fla. — Ian’s winds strengthened to 75 mph Thursday afternoon, meaning the storm is once again a hurricane.
This is a breaking news update. A previous version of this report is below.
Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a strong Category 4 hurricane, bringing with it the threat of high winds, dangerous storm surges and even tornadoes.
After traveling north through the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Ian made landfall along the southwestern coast of Florida around 3:05 p.m. ET as a Category 4 storm, with sustained winds near 150 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.
Landfall was near Cayo Costa, an island off the coast of Fort Myers. The storm was approaching Category 5 strength as it headed toward the coast.
Projected path and spaghetti model
The storm has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, with winds of 70 mph midday Thursday. It’s near Florida’s east coast and is moving back over water near Kennedy Space Center.
Ian is expected to re-intensify over the Atlantic and become at least a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches the South Carolina coast near Charleston Friday morning. Landfall is expected around noon.
Weather alerts now extend across four states, from Florida to North Carolina. A hurricane warning has been issued for the entire coast of South Carolina and a tropical storm warning has been issued for North Carolina.
Storm surges
Parts of Florida have reported record storm surge, and life-threatening storm surge remains a risk as Ian moves north. Charleston, South Carolina, could see storm surge at least 7 feet high.
Rainfall
A large swath of the Florida Peninsula and up along the coast to South Carolina is forecast to get more than half a foot of rain through the upcoming weekend. Up to 10 inches is forecast from Charleston to the North Carolina border.
Up to 6 inches is also possible in parts of North Carolina and southern New Jersey.
Some of the heavy rain will come up to Philadelphia and New York City area by Saturday morning, with 2 to 3 inches of rain possible locally.
Extreme wind
Sustained winds could exceed 115 mph in some parts. As Ian moves north, tropical storm force winds could reach coastal Georgia and South Carolina. Tropical storm watches have been issued for Savannah and near Charleston.
Tornado watch
Tornadoes are possible as Ian moves north through Florida. At least three were reported in south Florida Tuesday night as the storm approached. A tornado watch remained in effect for east-central Florida Wednesday evening.
ABC Owned TV Stations contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2022 ABC News Internet Ventures.
Beta Guide: All Available Maps, Game Modes, and Rewards – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Wiki Guide
Running throughout the last two weekends of September, the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Beta will be available to play on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. The two-part Beta event will feature several playable game modes and maps, as well as unique rewards that will carry over once the game launches in late October.
So whether you’re chasing the scheduled start and end times, all the playable game modes and maps, or how to unlock all ten unique rewards, we have you covered in our Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Beta Guide below.
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Looking for something in particular? Click the links below to scroll to…
Modern Warfare 2 Beta Schedule: All Dates and Times
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 beta event will run over the last two weekends of September, with each weekend event spanning five days. It’s worth noting that the Beta is crossplay starting September 22, so players across PlayStation, Xbox, and PC can all play together.
A full breakdown of the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Beta Event schedule can be found below.
Weekend One (PlayStation Exclusive)
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Weekend One of the Beta is exclusive for PlayStation owners and will run from 10 AM PT Friday, September 16 to 10 AM Tuesday, September 20.
- Early Access Beta – September 16 to September 17
- Kicking off at 10 AM PT on Friday, September 16, all PlayStation players that have pre-ordered the game will have a chance to participate in the early access beta.
- Open Beta – September 18 to September 20
- Starting from 10 AM PT on September 18, all PlayStation players (no pre-order needed) will have the opportunity to delve into the open beta. The event will end on September 20 at 10 AM PT.
Weekend Two (Crossplay Beta)
Weekend Two of the Beta is all about crossplay. This Beta period will provide access to players across all platforms and will run from 10 AM PT Friday, September 16 to 10 AM Tuesday, September 20.
- Early Access Beta – September 22 to September 23
- Kicking off at 10 AM PT on Thursday, September 22, all Xbox and PC players that have pre-ordered the game will have a chance to participate in the Early Access Beta. All PlayStation players will have free access to the Beta during this period.
- Open Beta – September 24 to September 26
- Starting from 10 AM PT on September 24, all players across every platform will have the opportunity to play in the Open Beta, whether you have pre-ordered the game or not. The event will end on September 26 at 10 AM PT.
How to Access and Download the Call of Duty: MW2 Beta
The MW2 Beta is available to download and preload from the PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, Battle.net Store, and Steam Store. You can find more details regarding the Beta and where you can purchase the game when visiting Call of Duty’s Modern Warfare 2 Beta page.
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All Maps and Game Modes Available in the Modern Warfare 2 Beta
The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Beta will feature four playable maps and five different game modes. For more details, be sure to check out the complete list of all available maps and game modes below:
It’s important to note that all game modes and maps will rotate daily, so there’s a chance that not every map and game mode will be available every day. You can keep up with all the latest playlist changes by visiting the official Call of Duty Twitter account.
Game Modes
- Team Deathmatch
- Mode Description: Kill players on the opposing team. The first team to reach the score limit wins!
- Team Sizes: 6
- Maximum Players: 12
- Match Time: 10 Minutes
- Score Limit: 75
- Domination
- Mode Description: Capture, hold, and defend objectives to earn points. The first team to the score limit wins.
- Team Sizes: 6
- Maximum Players: 12
- Match Time: Unlimited
- Score Limit: 200
- Prisoner Rescue
- Mode Description: Leave no man behind. Locate the hostages and get them out alive or defend them at all costs. Team revives are enabled.
- Team Sizes: 6
- Maximum Players: 12
- Map Sizes: Small to Large Maps
- Objective Type: Round-Based Objectives
- Respawns: No Respawns
- Knock Out
- Mode Description: Eliminate the opposing force or hold the package to win. Teammates can revive each other.
- Team Sizes: 6
- Maximum Players: 12
- Map Sizes: Small to Large Maps
- Objective Type: Round-Based Objectives
- Respawns: No Respawns
- Search and Destroy
- Mode Description: Teams alternate between detonating and defusing a bomb.
- Team Sizes: 6
- Maximum Players: 12
- Map Sizes: Small to Large Maps
- Objective Type: Round-Based Objectives
- Respawns: No Respawns
Maps
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- Farm 18
- Valderas Museum
- Mercado Las Almas
- Breenbergh Hotel
How to Unlock All Free Beta Rewards
As you progress through the Modern Warfare 2 Beta, you’ll have the chance to unlock up to 10 unique in-game rewards that include an Animated Emblem and Player Card, an Operator Skin, two Weapon Blueprints, and even more. It’s also important to note that any unique rewards unlocked during the Beta will be available immediately at launch.
Joining the MW2 Open Beta after the first weekend? All weekend one rewards are still available to be unlocked. The only downside is that you’ll just have less time to achieve all the rewards on offer, which will require you to earn 290,000 XP to reach the maximum rank cap of level 30.
All Rewards Available During Beta Weekend One
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To obtain all weekend one rewards, you will need to reach rank 15, which is equal to 87,500 XP. Here are all the unique items that can be unlocked during the first beta weekend that runs from September 16 to September 20.
- Emblem: Smashed It
- How to Unlock: Rank 2 (3,000 XP)
- Charm: Buckle Up
- How to Unlock: Rank 4 (10,500 XP)
- Player Cards: Passed the Test
- How to Unlock: Rank 6 (25,000 XP)
- Sticker: Operation First Blood
- How to Unlock: Rank 10 (45,000 XP)
- Weapon Blueprint: Side Impact
- How to Unlock: Rank 15 (87,500 XP)
All Rewards Available During Beta Weekend Two
To obtain all weekend two rewards, you will need to reach rank 30, which is equal to 290,000 XP. Here are all the unique items that can be unlocked during the second beta weekend that runs from September 22 to September 26.
- Vinyl: No Competition
- How to Unlock: Rank 19 (130,500 XP)
- Sticker: Safety First
- How to Unlock: Rank 21 (155,000 XP)
- Vehicle Skin: Floor It
- How to Unlock: Rank 26 (225,000 XP)
- Weapon Blueprint: Frontal Impact
- How to Unlock: Rank 30 (290,000 XP)
Rank Progression Rewards
Check out our complete guide to All Rank Progression Rewards that are unlocked as you rank up to level 30 during the Beta event.
Pre-Order Rewards
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Should you pre-order the Vault Edition of MW2, you’ll receive the first-ever Weapon Vault, the FJX Cinder. In addition, players will also receive the classic Red Team 141 Operator Pack, which includes Ghost, Farah, Price, and Soap.
Both the FJX Cinder and Red Team 141 Operator Pack are available immediately and can be used throughout the beta period.
New Gunsmith Changes How Weapon Progression Works
The Gunsmith has received a significant update in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 that essentially revamps the original Loadout creation tool from Modern Warfare (2019). Infinity Ward’s goal for the overhaul was to create a much more explorative weapon builder that reduces repetitiveness.
And that they have done, as a brand-new mechanic called Weapon Platforms has been introduced, and it fundamentally changes the way that weapon progression now works in the game. Weapon Platforms are best described as a collection of up to five weapons within the same manufacturer that shares a pool of attachments. This is designed to help streamline progression and customization so that you can seamlessly swap between multiple playstyles on select weapons.
Learn more about all the Weapon Progression and Attachment changes in our Progression Guide below:
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Modern Warfare 2 PC Beta System Requirements
Plan on playing the Modern Warfare 2 Beta on PC? Here are the minimum and recommended PC specifications that are needed to participate in the Beta.
| MINIMUM SPECS FOR THE PUBLIC BETA | RECOMMENDED SPECS FOR THE PUBLIC BETA | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 – 64 Bit (latest update) | Windows 10 – 64 Bit (latest update) |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-3570 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600X | Intel Core i7-4770K or AMD Ryzen 7 1800X |
| VIDEO CARD | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 |
| VIDEO MEMORY | 3GB | 3GB |
| RAM | 8GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| STORAGE SPACE | 25GB | 25GB |
| SOUND CARD | DirectX Compatible | DirectX Compatible |
| RECOMMENDED GRAPHIC DRIVERS | NVIDIA: 516.
AMD: 21.9.1 |
|
| NOTES | All specifications require a broadband network connection and DirectX 12 Compatible system. | |
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