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Apple TV+ subscribers have a new movie to watch this evening after Apple Original Fillms' Argylle was made available to stream for free. The movie, which has already had a stint at the box office, includes a ton of stars including Superman Henry Cavill, and many more.

The movie's star-studded ensemble includes Howard, Cavill, Rockwell, John Cena, DeBose, Richard E. Grant, Dua Lipa, Bryan Cranston, Catherine O'Hara, Sofia Boutella, Samuel L. Jackson and Chip, the real-life cat of supermodel Claudia Vaughn (nee Schiffer).

You can get a feeling for what the movie has to offer via the trailer embedded above, but the gist is that Elly Conway, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, is a reclusive cat-loving author of a series of bestselling espionage novels about the impossibly glamorous secret agent Argylle (Henry Cavill). Argylle is on a mission to unravel a spy syndicate.

Microsoft's fragmented but synergistic approach to software and services is helping introduce new business models to the $200 billion interactive entertainment industry.

Xbox is making big disruptive power plays in the world of online gaming. Microsoft is no stranger to disruption, having shaken up the games market with its Xbox Game Pass subscription, the first dedicated multi-game subscription to define an emerging "Netflix of gaming" business model. Game Pass was only the beginning, and along the way it has helped iterate on multiple new gaming trends.

You might be familiar with Games-as-a-Service (GaaS), terminology that publishers use to refer to an online game with microtransactions and a cadence of updates. On top of GaaS, I think I've spotted two new business concepts: Games-as-a-Platform (GaaP) and Franchise-as-a-Service (FaaS).

Xbox Game Pass will grow nearly 500% across the next 10 years, Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter predicts.

Analysts often ponder their orbs in private, but rarely do we see ambitious forecasts given to everyday consumers by key industry figures. Michael Pachter is one such figure, and he's gained fame through his very public predictions. Pachter's latest estimate is nonetheless eye-opening: According to the analyst, Xbox Game Pass will break 200 million subscribers by the year 2034.

"In the next 10 years, I think it'll go to 200 million. I'll make that bet with anybody. I promise I'll pay. It will be 200 million in the next 10 years--they are that committed to it," Pachter said in the latest episode of his question-and-answer talk show, Pachter Factor, on SIFTD Games.

Business users have a new web browser option after Google revamped its business approach with Google Chrome Enterprise Premium. The browser is available to enterprise users for a monthly fee, bringing with it features that are designed to offer additional value to businesses.

Google Chrome Enterprise has been around for a little while and offers administrators more features to help manage the devices and software that people are using. Chrome Enterprise offers advanced data protection as well as protection against phishing, things that could understandably be a boon in a business setting.

The new Chrome Enterprise Premium offering costs businesses $6 a month per user. There are two versions on offer with Core available for free, but it's the Premium offering that costs the additional fee. That is the tier that includes data loss prevention and deep malware scans, making this the go-to option for businesses that need additional protections. The Core option includes neither of those things.

The Google Pixel 7a has proven to be a popular Android phone, just like the Pixel 6a that came before it. We can likely expect something similar from the Pixel 8a as well, and while Google hasn't yet officially confirmed the device we're seeing it leak more and more in recent weeks. Now, a new leak appears to have shared a number of renders that show the Pixel 8a in a variety of different colors.

The Google Pixel 8a is set to take its place in Google's budget lineup this year, with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro sure to sit above it for people who are willing to spend a little more to get additional features, performance, and capabilities. However, the Pixel 8a is expected to cost around $50 more than the Pixel 7a does which itself cost more than the Pixel 6a before that.

In terms of features, the Pixel 8a is sure to be a capable operator. The device is expected to sport a 6.1-inch FHD+ 90Hz display while processing is set to be handled by a Google-designed Tesnor G3 chip - likely the same as the one that debuted with the Pixel 8 last fall. A main 64-megapixel camera is expected, while a 13-megapixel ultrawide camera has also been touted. Given the improvements that the Google Pixel 7a offered in terms of camera capabilities last year, it isn't thought that any big upgrades will be offered this time out.

Apple has long been on the receiving end of controversy and discussion surrounding the way that it allows its iPhones and other devices to be repaired. Right-to-repair advocates argue that Apple goes out of its way to make its devices harder to repair, and Apple's parts pairing process is part of that. The process meant that only supported, genuine parts could be installed in devices but a new change to that policy will allow used parts to be installed - so long as they are genuine.

Apple announced the move in a press release posted to its website, saying that the change will enable customers and independent repair providers to install used Apple parts in repairs. The change will affect iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models starting this fall, with the new process designed to ensure iPHone users'' privacy, security, and safety are preserved.

That's a key aspect of Apple saying that the pairing of components to devices is critical to ensuring that iPhones remain secure. Apple says that while people will be able to reuse Face ID and Touch ID components, so long as they're genuine, and then calibrate them as if they were brand-new. However, third-party alternatives will not be supported because of the security implications.

If you're an Apple TV+ subscriber who also happened to be a fan of the Godzilla spin-off TV show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, you're going to be very happy to learn that a second season has now been greenlit. The show, which proved to be popular during the first season run, stars Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell.

Apple announced the new season, saying they the Legendary Entertainment show will also get multiple spinoff shows of its own. The movie followed the popular Godzilla movies and was set after Godzilla and the Titans had leveled San Francisco and let the cat out of the bag - monsters really are real.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters follows the story of two siblings following in the footsteps of their father to uncover the family's true connection to the organization behind Godzilla and the Titans, Monarch. Clues ultimately lead them to a world of monsters and army officer Lee Shaw, played by the two Russells. That leads the show to span three different generations, revealing secrets the likes of which the Godzilla movies had so far only alluded to.

AMD's Strix Point may have been slightly nerfed (kind of, if a fresh rumor is right), but they remain keenly awaited next-gen APUs and we've just been treated to a rumor around how powerful they might be in terms of graphics grunt.

As you may be aware, the integrated graphics in these chips are RDNA 3+ (also known as RDNA 3.5), which is essentially a beefed-up take on RDNA 3.

How well might RDNA 3+ perform though? Well, as Wccftech reports, according to leaker @Xinoasassin, we can expect impressive performance levels from this integrated GPU.

The Apple Pencil has long been a great accessory for iPad owners who want to take notes on their tablets. It's also perfect for artists who want to sketch on their iPad as well, but it can always be improved. The lack of iPhone support has also long been an annoyance for some, especially given the popularity of the Samsung Galaxy Note line of phones followed by the Galaxy S24 Ultra and similar devices. But a new patent suggests that things could be about to change.

Whereas the current Apple Pencil requires to be charged, a new patent suggests that Apple is working on a new version that is battery-free which could open the door to a new, smaller version that would work with other devices like the iPhone and even the Apple Watch.

The patent, which was filed to protect a design invention back in September 2023, was only approved on April 11, 2024. It's called 'Photo-sensing enabled display for stylus detection' and describes a non-powered stylus similar to an Apple Pencil.

If you own an Apple Watch you'll already be very familiar with its various features, especially if you're someone who enjoys physical activities like walking or running. It's a wearable that has long been a go-to for people who want to maintain, or improve, their fitness. As part of that the Apple Watch collects a ton of data on the wearer's activity and movements and that means that it can be uniquely placed to offer insight into fitness data.

As part of that, new data shared by the Apple Heart and Movement Study offers some insights into the training habits of people who are working towards being able to run a marathon, a common thing that people aim for when they are trying to improve their fitness. The study looks into how Apple Watch wearers use their wearable when walking and running. It does that based on data collected from November 2019 through January 1, 2024, across almost 198,000 people who recorded at least a single walking workout and more than 99,000 people with at least a single running workout.

Of those people, more than 50% of the people who recorded either exercise achieved a 5K (3.1 miles) distance or more at least once. The study goes on to wonder that if all the running and walking workouts were added together in a given period, how long would it take to reach the 26.2-mile marathon point?

NVIDIA has taken the unusual step of addressing a bug caused by another firm's hardware in Team Green's driver release notes - in this case, Intel's 13th-gen and 14th-gen processors.

In case you missed this one, it seems that high-end (Core i9) CPUs from the current and last generation of Intel's silicon are becoming instable when PC gaming and crashing regularly.

Unfortunately, this appears to be a problem which only gets worse as time goes on, and is a particular issue with games that use the Unreal Engine (UE).

Panther Lake CPUs are still some way off - we've got Arrow Lake to come first, as the next generation from Intel (and Lunar Lake alongside it) - but we've just caught sight of the Intel chips that are currently slated to launch in 2025.

As Wccftech flagged up, test tools are already present for PTL-U on Intel's official site, meaning Panther Lake U series CPUs, low-power chips for laptops - as highlighted by Harukaze5719 on X (formerly Twitter).

Panther Lake will be present in both mobile and desktop incarnations (just like next-gen Arrow Lake processors which should land later in 2024, though maybe not until the very end of the year).

Sandisk has revealed the world's first 4TB SD card, offering a ton of space crammed into a sliver of a storage device.

The manufacturer is set to show off this new 4TB SD card, the Sandisk Extreme PRO SDUC, at the NAB 2024 event (National Association of Broadcasters) which is about to kick off at the weekend in Las Vegas.

Sandisk notes that the SDUC standard (Secure Digital Ultra Capacity) allows for capacities of up to 128TB, and using the UHS-I interface, it's seriously speedy, and ideal for heavyweight work like 4K - or indeed 8K - video recording.

We've just had word of some hints as to what Microsoft is planning to reveal about AI PCs and Copilot, as well as Windows on ARM, at its Build conference which takes place in May.

Build 2024 runs from May 21 to May 23, in fact, and Windows Central was quick to spot that new details of the sessions that'll take place at the conference have been shared via the official website.

One of those sessions is entitled 'Introducing the Next Generation of Windows on Arm' and we're told that this is all about telling us why the ARM-based spin on Microsoft's desktop OS is about to experience a leap in its potential.

Amazon has just released its Fallout TV adaptation on Prime Video, and it currently has a 93% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans are also praising the adaptation on Reddit and social media, saying that it captures the look and feel of the video game franchise while being right up there with HBO's The Last of Us as one of the best video game adaptations ever.

In addition to Fallout 4 finally getting the 60 FPS remaster treatment for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S later this month and Fallout 76 currently experiencing a free-to-play period, a massive Fallout franchise sale is happening on Steam. You can pick up the 'Fallout Franchise Bundle' for $55.55 USD - a massive 77% off the total price.

The bundle includes every Fallout game and all associated DLC: Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role-Playing Game (1997), Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role-Playing Game (1998), Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (2001), Fallout 3 (2008), Fallout: New Vegas (2010), Fallout 4 (2015), and Fallout 76 (2018).

The latest IEA Electricity 2024 report states that the electricity and power demands from the data center sector in countries like the United States and China will increase dramatically by the time 2030 rolls around. If you've been keeping track of some of the AI data center plans from the likes of Google, Meta, Amazon, and others, you're aware that this year alone, hundreds of thousands of high-performance NVIDIA GPUs are set to be installed in various locations.

The report writes, "The AI server market is currently dominated by tech firm NVIDIA, with an estimated 95% market share. In 2023, NVIDIA shipped 100,000 units that consume an average of 7.3 TWh of electricity annually. By 2026, the AI industry is expected to have grown exponentially to consume at least ten times its demand in 2023."

According to Rene Has, CEO of Arm (via The Wall Street Journal), if AI accounts for around 4% of current power usage in the United States, this could rise to around 25% by 2030. He also called out generative AI models like Chat GPT as "insatiable" regarding electricity.

Laptops can be excellent productivity tools, but they often come in second to a proper desktop setup with multiple displays, an ultrawide, and plenty of desk space for peripherals. Thankfully, with high-speed USB-C, affordable portable displays are becoming more prevalent, bringing that dual-screen experience to people on the go.

Thanks to its tasty specs and features, the Minisforum MSS-A156 Portable Monitor (currently available for $189 USD) is suitable for day-to-day tasks, content creation, and gaming.

The 15.6-inch QHD (2560 x 1400) IPS display features an impressive FreeSync-compatible 144 Hz refresh rate, 400-nit peak brightness for outdoors and bright rooms, supports 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, a wide 178-degree viewing angle, and 10-point touch functionality.

An ex-Windows developer has taken to social media to call out what they perceive as "comically bad" performance for the Start Menu in Windows 11. With an accompanying video that you can watch below, Andy Young showcases a laggy and unresponsive Windows 11 Start Menu running on his Intel Core i9-powered rig with 128GB of RAM.

Of course, this is anecdotal, and based on the nearly infinite hardware configurations that make up the modern Windows PC, there are bound to be issues. "I love Windows," Andy Young adds. "I helped build parts of it. I want it to be as good as it once was. If data suggests the software you build frustrates a significant percentage of users, it means there's work left to be done."

That last big issue is the amount of negative feedback, opinions, and criticism about Windows 11. Of course, in 2024, negativity is amplified online. After posting his critique on the Windows 11 Start Menu, Any Young notes that his posts received over 3 million impressions, an increase of 2,576%.

Modding and customizing software used to be a big thing a couple of decades ago, from Winamp skins that would transform the only music player you needed for a PC to Nintendo-themed Windows XP skins for GameCube games like Super Mario Sunshine and Metroid Prime. Customization still exists, from wallpapers to different colored themes, but this new Cyberpunk 2077 browser mod for Opera GX reminds us of the good old days.

Opera GX, designed for gamers, delivers a custom internet experience to its users. It allows users to change backgrounds and sound effects while offering CPU, RAM, and Network limiters to reduce browsers' resource-hungry nature. Thus, users can game and browse with minimal impact on performance.

The Cyberpunk 2077 mod for Opera GX is impressive. It features a live wallpaper (V in Night City alongside his Quadra Turbo-R V-Tech car) that dynamically changes and animates based on the time of day. The color, neon glow, and glare effects are all customizable, and the theme can also sync with RGB lighting from ASUS, Razer, Corsair, Logitech, and more.

Microsoft announced early last month that on January 12, 2024, it detected a security breach in its corporate email systems, which was traced back to the notorious hacking group Midnight Blizzard.

The hacking group is known to be a Russia government-backed group that also goes by the name Nobelium, and the attack on Microsoft servers resulted in the group gaining access to federal government emails. Now, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the cybersecurity arm of the US government, has confirmed via a statement published on Thursday that federal government emails were stolen "through a successful compromise of Microsoft corporate email accounts."