Apple has confirmed that it intends to hold a streamed, online-only event on May 7 and there have been plenty of rumors about what that event will involve. We've been hearing for months now that Apple intends to announce a slew of new iPads, and that seems most likely. But a new report suggests that there could be something of a tease for what comes next, too.

That report, coming out of The Washington Post, suggests that Apple CEO Tim Cook will offer a hint at new AI features that will be announced later this year. More specifically, they're expected to debut at WWDC on June 10, with the company thought to have some big changes in store for iPhone owners. Those changes look set to be AI-based, although it's still unclear exactly what those new features will be.

The report doesn't suggest that Cook will go into details, simply saying that he will hint at new artificial intelligence features. Apple's iOS 18 and macOS 15 software updates are thought to be the biggest of the bunch this year, both benefiting from Apple's new focus on AI technologies. The company is thought to be in talks with both OpenAI and Google about using their generative AI technologies, but Apple is thought to have its own in-house solution available for some features, too. With the software set to be announced in June, Apple isn't expected to make any of the new updates available to the public until the fall.

Following the implementation of the European Union's Digital Markets Act in March Apple was forced to make some changes to the way the iPhone worked, specifically relating to the App Store. The implications were only for the iPhone at the time, but following news that the EU has now added the iPad to its list of gatekeeper platforms Apple was left with a decision - either make similar changes to the iPad, or appeal the decision.

Apple has chosen to go the former route, and the company has now confirmed that it will be making the same changes that it made to the iPhone in March to the iPad, with the update coming this fall. That would suggest that we can expect iPadOS 18 or a version of that update to be the one that makes the big changes for iPad owners in the EU.

Those changes will mean that EU developers will have the option of distributing their apps outside of the App Store, whether that's via a third-party app marketplace or via their own websites. The iPad will also start to offer third-party web browsers to users while developers will also be able to choose to sign a new contract with Apple that will change the way payments are handled. Apple will not take the same commission from sales that happen outside of the App STore but will instead charge a Core Technology Fee - its way to get paid for the development of iPadOS and infrastructure.

Hot on the heels of reports that some people's iPhones are currently not correctly making sound when an alarm goes off, a new report suggests that another Apple device is also having problems with something as simple as the time of day. This time it's the HomePod and HomePod mini, with the Siri digital assistant reportedly having problems with a simple request that does nothing more than ask the time.

According to a MacRumors report asking Siri what time it is can lead to the assistant being unable to answer and instead it chooses to direct users to an iPhone. Such things often happen when something needs to be displayed on-screen, like a website, but Siri should of course be more than capable of telling what the current time is.

While this issue appears to be impacting the HomePod smart speakers, the MacRumors report notes that asking the same question of Siri on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac appears to work just fine and the digital assistant offers the time as requested. With that in mind, it's unclear what is confusing Siri on the HomePod and HomePod mini.

If you woke up this morning and wondered why it was so late, that's probably because your iPhone's alarm didn't go off. Or, to be more precise, it did but didn't make any sound. It's an issue that has started to pop up for more and more people around the globe over the last few days, and it could be happening to you.

The issue, which was first reported by NBC's Today Show, doesn't appear to have a known fix just yet - but the report does suggest that Apple is already aware of the issue and that it's working on fixing whatever it is that's gone awry.

People around the world use their iPhone as an alarm for all manner of things, whether that's to remember to do something or because they need to be woken after a good night's sleep. But there are issues at hand, and they could mean that you miss an appointment or get to work late, and that's far from ideal.

In a world where too many people continue to use a single username and password combination across multiple devices, services, and accounts, it's good to see that the passkey revolution continues to gather pace. We've already seen various companies and services offer passkeys as a new way of biometric-secured authentication with Apple, WhatsApp, and PlayStation among others all on side. But now one of the really big names has also thrown its hat into the ring.

In a post on its security blog, Microsoft has confirmed that it is now rolling out passkey support for Microsoft accounts, making it easier, quicker, and more secure to sign into those accounts. Creating a passkey is easy with users given the option to switch from their previous username and password via the sign-in process.

When it comes to signing into a Microsoft account using a passkey, the new sign-in option will be offered with support for signing in using a fingerprint, a face recognition solution like Face ID, a PIN, or a security key. Microsoft says that, starting today, users can sign into Microsoft apps and websites including Microsoft 365 and Copilot using both desktop and mobile web browsers.

For those who are NVIDIA GeForce Now subscribers, but haven't got the streaming service up and running on their Steam Deck yet, because it seems like too much hassle perhaps - here's some good news.

NVIDIA has gone ahead and made the process of getting GeForce Now working on Valve's handheld a good deal easier.

As detailed in the latest GeForce Now Thursday update, NVIDIA has released an installation script that takes care of everything.

It's hardly unusual for a Windows update to introduce a bug, but most of the time, Microsoft provides a solution in a reasonable timeframe - not always, mind, and not ever in this more recent case.

Yes, this is a bit of an odd one, and it concerns the unlucky Windows 10 users who, when installing an update back in January 2024, encountered a Windows Recovery Environment error.

That installation failure error (stop code: 0x80070643) is related to the recovery partition not being large enough for the mentioned January security update (KB5034441).

Bethesda Game Studios, the studio behind mainline entries in the Elder Scrolls and Fallout franchises, focuses primarily on one game at a time, switching between franchises. However, with the studio spending several years building its epic sci-fi RPG Starfield, it's been over a decade since we got The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and close to a decade since the launch of Fallout 4.

With the success of the Fallout TV show on Amazon Prime, Fallout 4 is currently one of the most played games on PC and consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. However, With Bethesda Game Studios shifting its focus toward The Elder Scrolls 6 before tackling Fallout 5, it could be a decade before we see a new Fallout game - and years before The Elder Scrolls 6 is done and ready to ship.

Speaking with Kinda Funny Games, Bethesda Game Studios head and Skyrim and Starfield game director Todd Howard is fully aware of the long gap between entries in these iconic and popular franchises - and is looking to rectify it.

Tactical FPS Gray Zone Warfare has launched into Early Access on Steam. Even though it currently has a 'Mixed' user review rating, the general sentiment is that the game is on track to live up to its potential as an open-world shooter focused on realism. The good news for GeForce RTX 40 Series owners is that performance is boosted thanks to DLSS 3 Frame Generation support.

DLSS 3 makes it 60+ FPS playable in 4K using the 'Epic' quality preset on everything from the GeForce RTX 4070 to the RTX 4090 using DLSS 'Performance' mode with Frame Gen enabled. For those wanting triple-digit GeForce RTX 4070 performance, dropping the resolution to 1440p sees 81 FPS turn into 111 FPS.

This week, third-person space combat action RPG Everspace 2 is also getting DLSS 3 support. The game just got a massive Incursions Update for all players, introducing new content and migrating it from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5.3.

NVIDIA's RTX Remix enables modders to reimagine an older PC title with full ray tracing or path tracing, updated models, and AI-enhanced textures while leveraging modern rendering technologies and tools like DLSS, Frame Generation, and Reflex.

NVIDIA first showcased what RTX Remix could do with the impressive Portal RTX mod, and with the RTX Remix Open Beta kicking off earlier this year, we'll see many great projects pop up in the months and years ahead. This week, NVIDIA has updated RTX Remix with the addition of NVIDIA DLSS 3.5 with Ray Reconstruction. We first saw the groundbreaking tech in Cyberpunk 2077's Phantom Liberty expansion last year.

DLSS 3.5 with Ray Reconstruction dramatically improves the quality of ray tracing, adding new detail to ray-traced effects like reflections and shadows. Thanks to NVIDIA's GitHub community input, this week's update also improves RTX Remix mod performance and compatibility. We also got an update on the stunning Half-Life 2 RTX: An RTX Remix Project.

Diablo IV, Season 4: Loot Reborn will begin on May 14, 2024, and it will present a significant overhaul to many of the game's systems, including the endgame, itemization, crafting, leveling, and putting together a demon-slaying build. Throw in The Pit of Artificers, which sounds a lot like Diablo 3's Greater Rift system and revamped Helltide events, and Diablo IV is on track to become a whole new game in a few weeks.

With loot and items making up a big part of Diablo's action RPG fantasy, 'Loot Reborn' is bringing permanent and fundamental changes to how that will work. General items, including Legendaries, will now feature fewer, more meaningful affixes and stats and drop less frequently.

Customizing an item to make it more personal arrives with the new Tempering system that allows you to apply Weapons, Offensive, Defensive, Mobility, Utility, and Resource stats and abilities to items. In addition, the new Masterworking system is the endgame upgrade process that makes your gear more powerful.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) and its partners plan to build a base on the moon's surface that will serve as an international research facility for lunar-based objectives and exploration.

China's space agency has released a new video showcasing its plan to construct a high-tech lunar base that will act as an outpost for all lunar-based research, sample ferrying back to Earth, and exploration out into the lunar desert by astronauts. The project is called the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) and was announced by China and Russia in 2021. The project has already attracted international partners such as Venezuela, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, South Africa, Egypt, Thailand and Nicaragua.

The video shows off various missions being carried out such as sample return missionsd, landers and rovers moving about, communications arrays, power sources being constructed and much more. Surprisingly, the video shows off an old NASA Space Shuttle taking off from the surface of the moon, which was retired by the American space agency back in 2011.

Phillips has launched a brand new flagship gaming monitor under is gaming line-up called EVNIA, which has now introduced the Evnia 49M2C8900.

The latest gaming monitor from Phillips is a 49-inch dual 2560 x 1440p (5120 x 1440) resolution QD-OLED panel that is capable of hitting a 240Hz refresh rate with a 0.03ms GtG response time. Other specifications for the new monitor include a 1800R curvature, a 32:9 aspect ratio, a vast array of connectivity options such as USB-C docking with 90W power delivery, a KVM switch, and an ergonomic design that provides optimal viewing angles of this beast of a display.

As for color, Phillips opting for a QD-OLED panel means gamers will be provided with exception contrast, deep blacks, and vibrant colors that will undoubtedly bring to life images on the screen. Philips' Evnia 49M2C8900 QD OLED Curved Gaming Monitor has already been made available on Amazon with a price of $1,499.

NVIDIA's next-generation ultra-enthusiast GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card is rumored to be the ONLY new Blackwell-based gaming GPU released this year according to the latest leaks.

In a new video from Moore's Law is Dead, one of his sources reportedly from NVIDIA, said that they had the impression that NVIDIA is only going to be launching the GeForce RTX 5090 this year, adding that they were "NOT 100% sure". MLID's source said that either way, the "good news is that it is sounding more and more likely that it (the RTX 5090) will be unveiled at Computex, and be for sale in early Q4 of this year".

We've previously heard rumors that the new GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards would be launched at Computex in early June, but just the RTX 5090? Makes sense. The RTX 5090 is going to be an absolute beast when up against the current-gen RTX 4090... and the RTX 5080 will have to be better than the RTX 4090, but not by too much.

A Nintendo Switch accessory manufacturer has revealed key details about Nintendo's highly anticipated Switch successor.

There has been no shortage of Nintendo Switch 2 leaks and the latest one comes from Switch accessory manufacturer Mobapad, who took to its website to share a list of what to expect Nintendo's next console will feature. According to the blogpost, the Switch 2 will come with Joy-Cons that have larger volume buttons, metal SL and SR shoulder buttons, an additional button alongside L and ZL on the left controller, and R and ZR on the right controller.

Additionally, the sliding rail for the Joy-Con has been replaced with "electromagnetic suction technology". Mobapad writes the Switch 2 will also be able to connect to existing Joy-Con controllers along with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Another key feature is Mobapad writing the Nintendo Switch 2 cartridge slot will accept original Switch games, enabling full backwards compatibility. But, the Switch 2 cartridges won't fit in the original Switch slot.

If emojis and gifs aren't enough for you to convey what you want to say, soon you will be able to send audio emojis to really drive your point home.

Google has begun rolling out to the beta version of the Phone by Google app that adds six sound effects to that can be played during a phone call. The sounds correspond to an existing emoji and are very similar to a soundboard that is played during dead air on a radio show or podcast. The feature is expected to be rolled out to the public sometime soon, but how popular it will be remains a mystery, given how generic the sounds are.

Interested in getting the new audio emojis? Here's what you will need to do. Download the beta version of the Phone by Google app, sign-up here. Once that is complete, open the Play Store app, navigate to your profile photo at the top-right corner of the screen, and press Manage Apps & devices and Updates available. Download the latest update for the Phone by Google app. In the event this doesn't work on your device, wait a few minutes it should eventually appear.

Microsoft has confirmed with an update on its Windows health dashboard that a recent Windows security update has resulted in many VPN connections failing.

The company explains its April 2024 Windows security update and its April 2024 non-security preview update, which was pushed out to multiple versions of Windows, breaks VPN connections across client and server platforms. Microsoft writes it launched an investigation into the matter following user reports and that it will provide more information in "the coming days".

Versions of Windows affected by the connection severance are Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2008 and later. Currently Microsoft hasn't revealed the root cause of this issue, and has advised affected users and businesses to contact its respective Help lines. Home users are instructed to use the Windows Get Help app, and enterprise customers are directed to the "Support for Business" portal.

NASA is about to test its Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, which if is successful will unlock a new method of cheap space travel in the solar system and perhaps even beyond.

On April 23 NASA launched a CubeSat on the back of Rocket Lab's Electron rocket. The rocket delivered the microwave-sized CubeSat to Sun-synchronous orbit approximately 600 miles above the surface of Earth. NASA writes in its blog the CubeSat is healthy and all communications are working, which means NASA can move on to the next stage of the mission - unfurling the spacecraft's solar sail that is approximately half the size of a tennis court.

The unfurling of the sail will occur after a "one- to two-month commissioning phase" in which NASA will prepare for the sails deployment and maneuvering test. Once all preparation is complete the solar sail will unroll across four boom arms that will outstretch in a diagonal fashion, forming the diagonals of a square shape - approximately 23 feet in length.

Sony wants PS5 gamers to be able to easily jump into multiplayer experiences, and one hurdle is first adding your new friend to your friends list.

Sony's new feature seemingly solves that problem altogether as the company has announced via its blog a new feature that will be part of a coming PS5 update. The new feature streamlines gamers partying up with each other by generating a link that can be shared with anyone online. The recipient can then click this link, triggering them to jump into the party automatically. What is great about this feature is that players don't have to be friends for it to work, and it will work when they are away from their console.

An example of this feature working to its best ability would be a player meeting some friends on a social media app, and wanting to quickly jumping on a game together to play. One player sends the other a sharable link that has a QR code, and then a party is immediately formed, removing the need to exchange usernames first. It should be noted that this new feature will be coming to PS5 consoles later this year and will only work for PS5 games.

Nintendo's next-generation Switch 2 -- or a better name, the Super Switch -- will be clocked "crazy, crazy low" in handheld mode according to the latest leaks.

We know that Nintendo's next-gen Switch 2 is on the way, with a new Tegra SoC that has a GPU based on mostly NVIDIA's previous-gen Ampere GPU architecture, but borrows some tricks from current-gen Ada Lovelace, all on-the-go.

In a new video from Moore's Law is Dead, the topic of Nintendo's new Switch 2 is bought up and discussed. MLID says that we can expect "crazy, crazy low" clocks for the Switch 2 in handheld mode, far lower than 800MHz according to his sources. But when it's docked, clock speeds will reportedly 3x and the gaming experience will be amplified greatly.