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The music-streaming app Spotify is down, leaving millions of music fans in the lurch. The company is aware of an issue and says it’s checking things out. To that end, we don’t know why it’s down or how long the service will remain unavailable. It looks like both the app and web client aren’t working right now.

We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!— Spotify Status (@SpotifyStatus) April 16, 2025

In the meantime, feel free to check out the millions of songs on YouTube, or slide into a rival service like Apple Music or Tidal. Alternatively, you could always just hum to yourself or call an old friend. We’ll update this post when we know more about what’s going on or when it’s back.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/spotify-is-down-its-not-just-you-143552171.html?src=rss

Anthropic is expected to launch a Claude voice modeA report from Bloomberg states that the voice mode will launch with three voicesVoice modes, research tools, reasoning models: Same-same, but different

Anthropic's Claude AI chatbot is set to be upgraded with a new voice mode, as the company with minority Amazon ownership looks to catch up with the likes of ChatGPT and Gemini.According to a new report from Bloomberg, Claude's new feature called "voice mode" could launch as soon as this month.The info comes from "a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to discuss private matters," who says the AI voice assistant will have three voices at launch.The voices titled Airy, Mellow, and Buttery will give Claude users the chance to pick from three diverse accents, although nothing is confirmed as of yet, and Anthropic could opt for more or fewer voices at launch.Claude's closest competitors, OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, both have their own respective AI voice modes. ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode and Gemini Live allow users to chat with AI, making the experience more conversational and natural.With Claude potentially throwing its name into the mix, consumers will have another AI voice assistant to choose from. But it begs the question: Does the population even care?

Just another AI tick box

AI chatbots seem to follow in each other's footsteps. Whether that's the introduction of a reasoning model, a research model, an image generation model, or, in this case, a voice mode.Whether you're using ChatGPT, Gemini, DeepSeek, or even Claude, the user experience with each chatbot is getting so similar that regardless of which one you use you'll end up with a similar result.Obviously, in a rapidly moving industry like AI, it's a race to release your product faster than your competitors, but as a consumer, we end up with. constant new releases of the same kind of feature, repackaged and marketed by competing tech companies.Claude's voice mode, when it arrives, will be yet another tick-box exercise for an AI company looking to have its product on a level playing field with its competition.As a consumer, I want these AI companies to throw out the playbook and try new things. AI voice modes are great, and they make chatbots even easier to use.When it comes to new AI software launches, however, I've started to wonder: Does the company even care? Or is this just a tick-box exercise?Hopefully, Claude's voice mode innovates the world of AI voice assistants, but until I see its potential, I fully expect yet another AI release that's exactly the same as the 10 other options out there.

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Surfshark Bypasser is now available on its macOS VPN appThe functionality allows users to select apps and websites to reroute outside the VPN connectionSurfshark is now among a select few providers offering this feature on Mac

Surfshark has extended support for its Bypasser feature on the macOS VPN app.Surfshark Bypasser is a handy functionality that allows you to choose specific websites and apps to reroute outside the VPN connection.Already available on Windows, Android, iOS, and browser extension, Surfshark has become one of the few best VPN services to offer this feature for Mac users.

Surfshark Bypasser's arrival on Mac provides a simple split tunneling solution that Mac users had previously been missing from the service (Image credit: Surfshark)

Why use Surfshark Bypasser?

Aimed at enacting users' control and convenience in a couple of clicks, Surfshark Bypasser is the company’s take on split tunneling. "A feature that gives users control over which apps or websites use the VPN and which connect directly to the internet," said Surfshark's Senior Product Manager, Justas Pukys.Every time you connect to your virtual private network (VPN) tool, your internet connection gets rerouted through the VPN servers via its encrypted protocol. Yet, while this is beneficial to boost privacy and security, it can cause friction with how certain websites and applications operate.This means users may have to turn off the VPN when accessing their online banking or local government site, losing protection on all their other activities. Surfshark Bypasser allows you to split the internet traffic into two paths – one to pass via the encrypted VPN connection, and the other directly to the internet via your real IP address.As Pukys explains, using Bypasser is especially beneficial for accessing local services or content that may block VPNs while maintaining protection for other activities."With the recent addition of macOS support, Surfshark has expanded its service package to offer this functionality across all major platforms," said Pukys.Surfshark Bypasser has been available for some time on Windows, Android, iOS, and browser extensions. Mac users have had to wait to benefit from this functionality as Apple removed support for the feature in 2021.In February 2024, Private Internet Access (PIA) was the first provider to bring back split tunneling on its macOS VPN app. Other TechRadar's top picks – namely NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and ProtonVPN – are among the services still lacking support for this feature on their Mac VPN at the time of writing.

How to use Surfshark Bypasser

Using Surfshark Bypasser on macOS promises to be very easy, too.All you need to do is open the VPN app and click Settings on the left-hand side panel. Then tap on VPN settings and Bypasser. Once there, you can start adding websites or apps you would like to exclude from the VPN connection.If you need more information on how to set up your Surfshark Bypasser on macOS, I recommend visiting Surfshark's dedicated tutorial here.

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This year marks the 125th anniversary of the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), and despite concerns over tariffs, there are still a lot of manufacturers here showing off new models including a handful of US and global debuts. So without further ado, here are some of the coolest cars on display at the 2025 NYIAS.

The 2026 Subaru Trailseeker

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

First up on the docket is Subaru, which is here today with a first look at its second-ever EV: the Trailseeker. Now I admit that the followup to the Solterra might not be the most exciting announcement, as this model will once again be based the e-TNGA platform, which is shared with Toyota's bZ4x. That said, while the Trailseeker doesn't have the most impressive range (around 260 miles), its updated styling, larger body and improved off-roading capabilities feels more suited to an outdoor lifestyle.

The 2026 Kia EV4

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Kia has been on a roll when it comes to EVs thanks to existing cars like the EV6 and EV9. And at the 2025 NYIAS, the company is looking to keep that momentum rolling with the US debut of the EV4, which incorporates many of the headline features from its previous battery-powered offerings, but with an even more affordable expected price of between $35,000 and $40,000. It also features Kia's improved i-PEDAL 3.0 regenrative braking tech which now works in reverse.

This story is in progress so stay tuned for more updates throughout the day.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/the-coolest-cars-at-the-2025-new-york-international-auto-show-144832805.html?src=rss

Ransomware operators are demanding more if they see their victim has cyber-insuranceCompanies with cyber-insurance usually pay higher ransom demandsThose with a backup solution are less likely to pay at all

Ransomware operators will demand significantly more money if they discover that the company they targeted has cyber-insurance, new research has found.The discovery was made by a Dutch police officer Tom Meurs while working on his PhD thesis, which saw him analyze 453 ransomware attacks between 2019 and 2021, discovering one of the first things threat actors do, after gaining access to the target environment, is search for documents of a cyber-insurance policy.If they find it, the ransom demand spikes. Generally, it increases by a factor of 2.8x, but if they also manage to steal sensitive data in the process, the ransom demand is increased 5.5 times.

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Praising the downfall

This discovery is in line with what cybersecurity researchers have seen in the past - ransomware operators trying to talk organizations into paying the ransom demand, arguing that since they have insurance, they essentially have nothing to lose.Law enforcement is generally against paying the demand, saying that it fuels more cybercrime.The researcher further determined that companies with insurance pay the ransom demand 44% of the time. Those that aren’t insured paid 24% of the time. Those with insurance pay, on average, around $800,000 while those without - $150,000."I often read in chat messages that cybercriminals send to each other, or on illegal marketplaces where login details are sold, that they are specifically looking for companies from sectors that pay a lot," Meurs said."My research shows that the ICT sector in particular pays high amounts. Companies from this sector often supply the ICT for many other companies, which means that multiple companies are victims of a single attack. This may be why the willingness to pay is higher."The best thing to do, to mitigate the risk, is have a strong backup solution set up, Meurs concluded. Those with a backup are 27 times less likely to pay the ransom demand, he found in the research.Via The Register

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Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a labor of love. You can see it in every pixel, animation and cutscene of the new 2D action game. It might be a surprise then that it's not the work of Team Ninja, the studio most closely associated with the series, but rather franchise newcomer The Game Kitchen. The Spanish studio is best known for its work on Blasphemous, a series of Souls-like Metroidvanias influenced by Spain’s own Andalusian culture and history with Roman Catholicism.

"I'm an '80s kid," says David Jaumandreu, game director and producer on Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound. "I still have my copy of the first Ninja Gaiden in the basement." The way Jaumandreu tells it, Ragebound is a dream project for him and his coworkers. The Game Kitchen began working on the game about halfway through the production of Blasphemous 2. French publisher Dotemu, best known for releasing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, approached the studio after seeing its work on Blasphemous.

There's some superficial visual overlap between Ragebound and Blasphemous 2, but when it comes to tone and gameplay, they could not be more dissimilar. Where Blasphemous 2 is dark and solemn, Ragebound leans into the franchise's origin as a product of the '80s. It's loud and frequently cheesy, but in an endearing way. It's also a lot faster paced, with levels that grade on how quickly you can complete them, often while taking as little damage as possible.

The Game Kitchen / Dotemu

Early on in the project, one of the things the team knew they wanted was to include two protagonists, with one of them hailing from the Black Spider Clan. For the uninitiated, the Black Spider Clan has usually served as the antagonists of the Ninja Gaiden series. Ragebound is set during the events of the 1988 NES game. After series protagonist Ryu Hayabusa leaves for the US to avenge his father's death, demons descend on peaceful Hayabusa Village and it's up to newcomer Kenji Mozu to save his clan.

"We thought if we're taking the series back to its roots, wouldn't it be cool to control one of the Black Spider Clan?" says Jaumandreu. "It's like when you get to make a Star Wars game, and you fantasize about controlling an Empire character."

To the surprise of everyone at The Game Kitchen, both Dotemu and Koei Tecmo — Ninja Gaiden's original license holder — liked the idea. In the demo I played, I didn't see the exact circumstances of how Kenji and the Black Spider Clan's Kumori end up working together, but the gist of it is that they're forced to merge souls to survive a deadly encounter.

The Game Kitchen / Dotemu

From what I can tell, outside of one mission that serves as an introduction to Kumori's skillset, you'll spend most of your time playing as Kenji in Ragebound. However, once the two of them join forces, Kenji's ability to engage enemies at range is greatly increased since he has access to Kumori's kunai.

Moreover, some of the platforming sections I ran into during the demo required that I play as Kumori to progress through the level. The tricky thing about these segments is that Kumori can only manifest for a short time, a gauge above her head indicating how much time I had left with her before I was back to Kenji and had to try the section again. It's possible to extend her gauge by taking out enemies along the way. At least in the demo, Kumori's segments weren't too difficult, but I could also see how the structure could really test players — maybe not to the level of Hollow Knight's Path of Pain, say, but something close.

One of the things that stood out about both characters was how nimble they felt. Kenji can pogo off enemies and projectiles to gain additional height over his foes. During her platforming segments, Kumori can use her kunai to teleport across gaps and complete jumps Kenji can't. Most levels also include ceilings the two can climb along, and I frequently had to fight my way through multiple enemies to get to the other end. Speaking of combat, it's frenetic in a way that has mostly gone out of style in modern gaming. Outside of bosses, most enemies will fall after one or two slashes from Kenji's katana.

Even in early combat scenarios, I often had to fight two or three enemies simultaneously, while dodging and deflecting ranged attacks along the way to my next target. Once the combat system started to click for me, it felt incredibly satisfying to bounce between enemies and use Kenji and Kumori's abilities in unison.

The Game Kitchen / Dotemu

I left my hands-on with Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound excited to play the final product. Of course, the ultimate test of the game will be how fans receive it. "We really put a lot of effort into creating a Ninja Gaiden game," says Jaumandreu. "We didn't want it to be a Blasphemous game with ninjas. We really hope when players get the controller, they feel at home with the series."

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound arrives this summer on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ninja-gaiden-ragebound-is-a-love-letter-to-the-series-nes-roots-150050773.html?src=rss

The music-streaming app Spotify is down, leaving millions of music fans in the lurch. The company is aware of an issue and says it’s checking things out. To that end, we don’t know why it’s down or how long the service will remain unavailable. It looks like both the app and web client aren’t working right now.

We’re aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!— Spotify Status (@SpotifyStatus) April 16, 2025

At about 10:40AM ET, Spotify updated its X account saying it was working on the issue and also said that "the reports of this being a security hack are false." We haven't seen any such reports yet, but we'll keep an eye on things to see if they offer any more details on this front.

In the meantime, feel free to check out the millions of songs on YouTube, or slide into a rival service like Apple Music or Tidal. Alternatively, you could always just hum to yourself or call an old friend. We’ll update this post when we know more about what’s going on or when it’s back.

Update, April 16, 2025, 11:04AM ET: Added details about Spotify claiming this downtime was not due to a security hack.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/spotify-is-down-the-music-streaming-services-outage-is-not-a-security-hack-143552014.html?src=rss

A VPN (virtual private network) can help you stay safe online and one of our top picks is currently on sale. A two-year subscription to the ProtonVPN Plus plan is currently $86.16. That’s 64 percent off the usual price. The deal drops the cost from $10 to $3.59 per month, and it reduces the overall price for 24 months by $153.

This plan allows you to use ProtonVPN on up to 10 devices at a time. It should be pretty easy to find a server to route your internet traffic through as well, since ProtonVPN has more than 8,600 of them across north of 110 countries.

ProtonVPN is our pick for the best VPN overall due to a blend of its security, usability and privacy. ProtonVPN has a no-logs policy. That means it doesn't keep any records of information that passes through its network. In other words, it doesn't track your internet activity while you're using it, helping to protect you and your anonymity.

Other features of ProtonVPN Plus include ad-, malware- and tracker-blocking, as well as fast performance. In our testing, ProtonVPN had a minimal impact on connection speeds in our geoblock, streaming and gaming tests. ProtonVPN is also open source, meaning that anyone with enough knowhow can take a look under the hood and validate Proton's technical claims.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/two-years-of-protonvpn-is-64-percent-off-right-now-152355980.html?src=rss

Doom: The Dark Ages is getting some limited edition Xbox hardwareA new Xbox Wireless Controller and Elite Series 2 can be bought nowAdditionally, an Xbox Series X console wrap is available to buy, too

To coincide with the launch of Doom: The Dark Ages on May 13, 2025, Microsoft has created a selection of limited-edition hardware based on the look and feel of the upcoming game that you can pre-order now.Announced via an official Xbox Wire post, there's going to be a new Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, and an Xbox Series X console wrap - all based on id Software's latest first-person shooter.I must admit the controllers do look impressively slick. The limited edition Xbox Wireless Controller matches the green of the Doom Slayer's armor. It features unique rubberized grips and runic symbols on the A/B/X/Y face buttons instead of the typical alphabetical iconography. This model also comes with a code for a Slayer Executioner skin DLC that's usable in-game.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

We've gathered the best links below for the controllers which are available to pre-order right now ahead of their launch on April 25, 2025 (a bit before the game comes out). They are both available at the Microsoft Store exclusively until April 18.

You can pre-order the 'regular' Xbox Wireless Controller with this link right now at the Microsoft Store. Exclusive to this storefront for now, it could appear at other retailers after April 18.UK price: £74.99 at the Microsoft StoreView Deal

You are seeing this correctly: a new limited edition version of the Elite Series 2 in the year 2025... While the controller itself has seen the competition usurp it's place as one of the best gaming controllers, the design on this bad boy is still seriously cool and likely to very attractive for Doom fans.UK price: £179.99 at the Microsoft StoreView Deal

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 features a bold red-on-black design, with splatters of blood emblazoned on its translucent shell. This one does feel decidedly less adventurous, looking more like a simple faceplate than what we see on the high-effort Xbox Wireless Controller limited edition model. But still, it's a smart design and one that Doom fans should appreciate.Lastly, a console wrap designed for the Xbox Series X has been announced. This supports both the standard Series X as well as the Xbox Series X Digital Edition. The inside is smartly etched with text and runes - not that you'll get to see them while it's fixed to the console, mind.

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Toshiba has unveiled a new portable turntable for vinyl recordsSimilar to the iconic Audio-Technica Sound Burger, it has a 10-hour battery Despite its portable design, we'd think twice about taking it to the beach

Bluetooth speakers are pretty much a necessity when it comes to a beach day or a summer day at the park, but have you ever wanted to flaunt your vinyl record collection in public? Well, Toshiba’s new portable turntable aims to answer that question.Toshiba, though not renowned for producing the best turntables, has announced the Aurex AX-RP10, a new wireless vinyl record player expected to be released later this month designed for analog music fans who want to take advantage of their collection outside of their usual home audio set up. Pricing hasn’t been unveiled yet, though we can’t imagine it'll be long before that's out in the open too.

Toshiba's portable turntable comes with an arm lifter, making it easy to raise and lower the needle. There's also an auto-stop function for when the record finishes playing. (Image credit: Toshiba )

Though the Aurex AX-RP10 isn’t quite as pocket-friendly as other music playback devices (it's a lot bigger than the best digital audio players), it still packs a compact size of 160mm x 300mm that can be transported around in its dedicated storage bag. But how does it run you may ask? It’s quite simple; a built-in chargeable battery with a 10-hour battery life.Let's be honest: Toshiba’s new portable turntable is strikingly similar to the iconic and re-released Audio Technica Sound Burger, which is a minor red flag in itself, given the original 1983 Sound Burger’s reported tendency to gradually scratch vinyl records over time (possibly not the Sound Burger's fault because I mean, if they're coming on road-trips with you, it's going to happen at some point). If this is the case for the Aurex AX-RP10 though, I worry for its longevity, and its audio quality likely won’t be enough to sway audiophiles.Since the Aurex-RP10 lacks its own inbuilt speakers, there's a stereo mini audio jack for plugging in the best wired headphones or your more traditional sound system, but if you're out and about, the turntable’s Bluetooth connectivity means you can also hook it up to Bluetooth speakers or headphones (and invite a bit of compression).

I’m not saying ‘never’ when it comes to Toshiba’s answer to portable tangible music – I still think it would look great as part of a minimal audio setup, especially if you’re limited for space. Or perhaps you want to replicate a Pinterest-perfect image in your living space, something I’d be guilty of and I'm not sorry. But as far as its portability goes, the beach is the last place I’d take it; my vinyl collection is far too precious for sand.

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Are you tired of feeling safe and happy all the time? Is your daily life overrun by feelings of security, contentment and peace? Do you want an escape from all of the oppressive niceness around you? Well, look no further — these are the games for you.Here, we’ve collected more than a dozen of the most evocative and disturbing horror games in recent memory. These selections cover a wide range of genres and styles, but each one comes with at least a tinge of unsettling terror. So take a peek, find your game, and prepare your skeleton for some fresh air because you’re about to jump out of your skin.

Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-horror-games-120029388.html?src=rss

Scientists have caught a colossal squid on camera in its natural environment for the very time, according to a report by the BBC. This happened around 100 years after the species was originally discovered, proving just how vast and mysterious the ocean truly is.

The squid is a juvenile, so it’s not nearly as large as its namesake suggests. It clocks in at around 11.8-inches long. Adult colossal squid can grow up to 23 feet in length and weigh up to 1,100 pounds. They are the heaviest invertebrate on the planet.

The crew was exploring the south Atlantic Ocean, near the South Sandwich Islands, as part of a 35-day mission to find new marine life. The juvenile squid was caught on camera at a depth of nearly 2,000 feet. Chief scientist Dr. Michelle Taylor said the team was unsure it was even a colossal squid at first, but filmed it anyway because it was "beautiful and unusual." The footage was then verified by another researcher.

"It's exciting to see the first in situ footage of a juvenile colossal and humbling to think that they have no idea that humans exist," said Dr. Kat Bolstad.

Wikimedia Commons

Most colossal squid found in the wild are already dead and spotted as remains in whale stomachs. Dying adults have been spotted near the surface of the ocean but this is the first time a specimen has been filmed in its natural element. We don’t even know that much about their life cycle, other than the fact that juveniles are transparent and adults are not. The Natural History Museum has said it’s hard to estimate the global population.

It’s incredible just how ignorant we still are of our own ocean in the year 2025. Only a fifth of the ocean floor has been sufficiently mapped. It truly is the final frontier of Earth-bound exploration. Maybe Katy Perry and Gayle King would have received a better reception if they took an 11-minute trip underwater instead.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/scientists-film-a-living-colossal-squid-for-the-first-time-161201996.html?src=rss

Zeekr 007 GT will join 007 sedan in rapidly expanding line-upSporty variant offers bags of space and plenty of paceCompany says it will offer the car in further markets in the future

Fresh from the launch of its 7X SUV model outside of China, Zeekr has announced that it will make a sleek, grand touring shooting brake version of its 007 sedan available in China.Slated to start at just RMB 202,900 (or around $27,615 / £21,000/ AU$43,300), the 007GT measures almost 5 meters (16ft 4in) in length, enabling the trunk to swallow 645 liters of kit with the rear seats up and a massive 1,737 liters with the rear seats folded flat.It rides on the same platform as the recent 7X, as well as numerous other Geely Group products, with an 800V electrical architecture that allows for 10% to 80% battery charging in just 10.5-minutes from a suitable DC ultra-fast charger.According to CNEV Post, the 007 GT will offer two battery sizes, with a cheaper 75kWh LFP battery from CATL providing just over 400 miles of range on China’s CLTC testing cycle.Similar to the 7X, Zeekr will also offer its larger 100kWh ‘Golden Battery’ that sees the range jump to an impressive 512 miles.Performance is also impressive, with even the lower-powered single motor models able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds, while the AWD dual motor variant can cover the same spring in just 3.8 seconds.Nvidia Orin-X system-on-a-chip and Lidar technology provides the basis for advanced automated driving functionality, with advanced automatic parking and even automated robotic charging offered in the Chinese domestic market.

Analysis: Teasing Tesla with a more enticing range

(Image credit: Zeekr)

Having ridden in the back of a Zeekr 007, I can vouch for the comfort and levels of luxury the brand has managed to achieve. It’s a striking car from the outside, but also a very pleasant way to travel from the passenger seats.The 007 GT bolsters Zeekr’s line-up in so much that it is aimed at families and couples, with the accompanying press imagery showing the car being used for camping getaways and various outdoor active lifestyle pursuits.Although not 100% confirmed, Zeekr has said that it hopes to bring the 007 GT to global markets (thankfully dropping the 007 and opting for 7GT instead), where it will likely be priced to take on Kia’s EV6, the VW ID 7 Tourer and even Tesla’s Model Y.Zeekr already has eight models available in China, covering sedans, shooting brakes, MPVs and a variety of SUVs. It is this kind of choice that Tesla is so desperately lacking right now and is a weak spot that rivals, like Zeekr, are looking to exploit.

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Google is testing even more new features in its Messages beta app These include an expanded 14-line message view and new RCS message labels While these are still in beta testing, they could start rolling out to users this month

Over the past couple of months, Google has been doubling down on eradicating all traces of Google Assistant to make Gemini its flagship voice assistant, but amidst the organized Gemini chaos, Google has been paying a lot of attention to improving its Messages app, giving it some much-needed TLC.It’s safe to say that the new revisions to the Google Messages app have significantly improved its UI. Its new snooze function for group chats also comes to mind, but Google is still in its beta testing era. For a while, Google was experimenting with an easier way to join group chats, following WhatsApp’s footsteps. Now, it’s testing five more features that could make up the next wave of Google Messages upgrades this month.Although these features are in beta, there’s been no comment on whether they’ll be officially rolling out to users. With that said, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any further updates.

Google expands its 4-line text field limit

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Just a few weeks ago, we reported on a new upgrade found in Google Messages beta indicating that Google would get better at handling lengthy text messages.For a while, Google Messages users have been restricted to a four-line view limit when sending texts, meaning that you would need to scroll to review your entire message before sending. This is particularly frustrating when sending long URL links.But that could soon be a thing of the past, as 9to5Google has picked up a new beta code that reveals an expanded message composition field on the Pixel 9a that now reaches up to 14 lines.

New RCS labels

Recently, Google has been testing new in-app labels that could distinguish whether you’re sending an SMS or RCS message.Thanks to an APK teardown from Android Authority, the labels found in beta suggest that soon you’ll be able to see which of your contacts are using RCS in Messages, adding a new RCS label to the right side of a contact’s name or number.

Unsubscribe from automated texts

This is a feature we’re quite excited to see, and we’re hoping for a wider rollout this month. A few weeks ago, an unsubscribe button was spotted at the bottom of some messages, which could give users an easier way of unsubscribing to automated texts and even the option to report spam.When you tap this, a list of options will appear asking you for your reasons for unsubscribing, which include ‘not signed up’, ‘too many messages’, and ‘no longer interested’ as well as an option for ‘spam’. If you select one of the first three, a message reading ‘STOP’ will be sent automatically, and you’ll be successfully unsubscribed.

Read receipts gets a new look

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Google could introduce another revamp of how you can view read receipts in the Messages app. In November 2024, Google tested a redesign of its read receipts that placed the checkmark symbols inside the message bubbles, which used to appear underneath sent messages.In January, Google tested another small redesign introducing a new white background, which could roll out soon, and while this isn’t a major redesign, it’s effective enough to make read receipts stand out more.

Camera and gallery redesign, and sending ‘original quality’ media

We first noticed that Google Messages was prepping a new photo and video quality upgrade. In March, more users started to notice a wider availability, but it’s still not yet fully rolled out, meaning it could be one of the next new updates in the coming weeks.Essentially, Google could be rolling out a new option that allows you to send media, such as photos and videos, in their original quality. This will give you the choice of the following two options:‘Optimize for chat’ - sends photos and videos at a faster speed, compromising quality.‘Original quality’ - sends photos and videos as they appear in your phone’s built-in storage.

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Tesla often likes to bundle a number of big software updates into one, with its popular ‘Holiday Update’ typically introducing a series of choice tech upgrades to existing customers.The latest over-the-air update, dubbed the ‘Spring Update’, sees a number of new features added across the line-up, with perhaps the most notable of all being Adaptive Headlights for cars in North American and Canada.Both the Model S and Model X have also been catered for with a new blind spot camera video feed in the instrument cluster and an overall upgrade to the Dashcam and Sentry Mode camera coverage will benefit all owners, especially those worried about the prospect of anti-Musk protests.Here are those Tesla updates and who's getting them...

1. Adaptive headlights arrive in North American and Canada

(Image credit: Tesla)

Available on Tesla models that feature matrix headlights, the software update will introduce high beams that automatically adapt to avoid blinding oncoming road users.It works by dimming individual pixels, illuminating the parts of the road drivers need without inconveniencing others.The technology and required software has been available in Europe for some time now, but the update, which can be toggled on and off in the Lights setting menu, comes to North American and Canadian customers thanks to recent changes in legislation that now allow for it.That said, adaptive high beam headlights have been commonplace on models from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and many more for over ten years now, so it’s not exactly a mind-blowing addition to the Tesla tech arsenal.

2. Route planning gets smarter

(Image credit: Tesla)

Tesla’s route-planning is largely excellent, arguably among the best in the EV business, but it has just got better thanks to clearer choices for multiple route-planning options.There’s now an option labelled ‘Fastest’ that keeps travel (and charge time) time to the bare minimum, while a ‘Best amenities’ option prioritizes Supercharger stops near top-rated restaurants, shops and restrooms, according to a Tesla post on X. Users can also manually toggle an option to avoid highways for more scenic drives.Finally, there’s a ‘Fewer Stops’ that aims to reduce the number of charging stops by taking the most direct and efficient routes.Plus, when scrolling through the various Tesla Supercharger stations, the infotainment system will offer details on any nearby attractions it deems worth visiting.

3. Improvements to Dashcam and Sentry Mode

(Image credit: Tesla)

For the Model S, 3, X and Y with the latest hardware, Tesla has added footage from the side cameras (mounted in the b-pillars) to both Dashcam and Sentry Mode recordings.This means that the captured camera angles now jump from four to six, which will see pretty much all of the car covered, both when driving and when parked.On top of this, the Dashcam Viewer app has been redesigned with a grid layout option, showing a selection of camera angles on one screen.Users can now more easily navigate the captured footage thanks to quick-swipe video review tools, as well as easily toggle between the various angles captured by all six cameras.

4. You can charge accessories after leaving the vehicle

(Image credit: Tesla UK)

One subtle feature has been added that allows users to continue using USB ports and phone chargers after exiting and locking the car.The system will keep charging accessories so long as the vehicle’s battery level is above 20%, to ensure there’s enough charge remaining to get drivers to a nearby charging station.It’s a nice addition, but many rival manufacturers deliberately offer accessory outlets in the trunk and/or frunk for this exact purpose.

5. Driver screen gets a blind spot camera

(Image credit: Tesla)

Rather than having to look down to the central touchscreen when indicating to change lanes, a live feed from the blind spot cameras now appears in the driver display… but there’s a catch.This update is only available on the refreshed Model S and Model X, which encompasses vehicles made between 2021 and now.

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With the A1, Sony was the first to introduce a high-resolution hybrid camera that was equally adept at stills and video — but boy was it expensive. Nikon and Canon followed that template with the R5 II and Z8 models that offered similar capabilities for less money, but those were still well north of $4,000.

Enter the S1R II. It’s Panasonic’s first camera that can not only shoot up to 8K video at the company’s usual high standards, but also capture 44-megapixel (MP) photos in rapid bursts. And unlike its rivals, the new model is available at a more reasonable $3,300 — half the price of Sony’s A1 II. At the same time, it’s a massive upgrade over the original S1R.

The main catch is the lack of a high-speed stacked sensor found in the other models, which can cause some skewing in both images and video. As I discovered, though, that tradeoff is well worth it for the lower price and picture quality that matches its competition. All of that makes the S1R II Panasonic’s best camera yet and a very tempting option in the high-resolution mirrorless category.

Design and handling

The S1R II is similar to other recent Panasonic models like the GH7 in terms of the design and control layout. It’s much lighter than the original S1R at 1.75 pounds compared to 2.24 pounds, so it’s less tiresome to carry around all day. As for handling, the massive grip has a ridge where your fingertips sit, making it nearly impossible to drop. The rubberized exterior is easy on the hands, though not quite as nice as the R5 II’s softer material.

I’ve always liked Panasonic’s controls and in that regard the S1R II may be the company’s best model yet. Along with a joystick and dials on the top front, top back and rear, it has lockable mode and burst shooting dials on top. You also get a dedicated button for photos, video and slow and quick (S&Q) modes, each with separate settings. There’s a dedicated autofocus switch, video record buttons both on top and front, a tally light and multiple programmable buttons.

The menu system is equally good, with logical color-coded menus and submenus. You can also rapidly find your most-used functions in the quick menu. All of that allowed me to shoot photos and video without fumbling for settings. You can also fully program buttons, dials and the quick menu to your own preferences.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The rear display is great for content creators and photographers alike. It tilts up and down to allow for easy overhead or shoot-from-the hip photography and also swivels out to the side so vloggers can conveniently film themselves. It’s very sharp and bright enough to use on sunny days. The electronic viewfinder is also excellent with 5.76 million dots of resolution and 100 percent magnification, matching Canon’s R5 II and beating the Nikon Z8.

Battery life isn’t a strong point, though, with 350 shots on a charge or just 280 when using the electronic viewfinder — far below the 640 shots allowed by the R5 II. It also only allows just over an hour of start-and-stop video shooting. However, Panasonic’s optional DMW-BG2 battery grip doubles endurance and also allows for battery hot-swapping.

The S1R II supports both SDXC UHS II and much faster CFexpress Type B cards, while also supporting SSD capture via the USB-C port like the S5 IIX and GH7. The latter two storage methods enable shooting in high-bandwidth RAW and ProRes to maximize quality.

Panasonic also included a full-sized HDMI port along with microphone and headphone jacks. For the best possible sound quality, the optional XLR2 accessory lets you capture four channels at up to 32-bit float quality to reduce the possibility of clipped audio. And finally, the S1R II is Panasonic’s first mirrorless model with a protective carbon fiber curtain that comes down to protect the sensor, just like recent Canon and Sony models.

Performance

Steve Dent for Engadget

Although the original S1R could only manage an anemic 6 fps burst speeds, its successor can hit 40 RAW images per second in silent electronic mode, beating all its rivals — though shooting at that speed limits quality to 12-bit RAW. To get 14-bit quality, you need to use the mechanical shutter for burst shooting which tops out at 9 fps.

However, the Panasonic S1R II doesn’t have a fast stacked sensor like rivals. The result is rolling shutter that can be a problem in some circumstances, like shooting race cars, propellers or golf swings. However, it does outperform many other non-stacked high-resolution cameras like Sony’s A7R V and Panasonic’s own S5 IIX in that area.

Pre-burst capture is now available and starts when you half-press the shutter. That lets you save up to 1.5 seconds of photos you might have otherwise missed once you fully press the shutter button.

With an overhauled phase-detect autofocus system and a new, faster processor, the S1R II features Panasonic’s fastest and smartest AF system yet. It can now lock onto a subject’s face and eyes quicker and follow their movements more smoothly, while also detecting and automatically switching between humans, animals, cars, motorcycles, bikes, trains and airplanes. I found it to be fast and generally reliable, but it’s still not quite up to Sony’s and Canon’s standards for speed and accuracy.

Panasonic boosted in-body stabilization to 8 stops. That’s nearly on par with rivals, though Canon leads the way with 8.5 stops on the R5 II. Still, it lets you freeze action at shutter speeds as low as a quarter second in case you want to blur waterfalls or moving cars when shooting handheld.

Image quality

Photo quality is outstanding with detail as good as rivals, though understandably short of Sony’s 61-megapixel A7R V. Colors are as accurate as I’ve seen on any recent camera, matching or even beating Canon’s excellent R5 II. My pro photographer friends took a number of shots with the S1R II and found it slightly superior to their Sony A1, noting that they rarely needed to white balance in post.

Thanks to the dual-ISO backside-illuminated sensor, low-light capability is excellent for a high-resolution camera, with noise well controlled up to ISO 12,800. Beyond that, grain becomes more problematic and shadows can take on a green cast. JPEG noise reduction does a good job retaining detail while suppressing noise, but gets overly aggressive above ISO 6,400.

If 44MP isn’t enough, the S1R II offers a high-resolution mode that captures eight images with a slightly offset sensor position and composes them into a single 177 megapixel file (either RAW or JPEG). It can supposedly be used without a tripod, though I found I had to remain very still to get decent images when doing so.

Video

The S1R II is Panasonic’s best mirrorless camera yet for video, albeit with some caveats I’ll discuss soon. You can capture up to 8K 30p 10-bit video at a reasonably high 300 Mbps, close to what Sony’s far more expensive A1 can do. Better still, it supports oversampled 5.8K ProRes RAW video internally with no crop for maximum dynamic range, or 4K video at up to 120 fps. Finally, the S1R II is capable of “open gate” 3:2 capture of the full sensor at up to 6.4K (and 8K down the road via a firmware update), making it easy to shoot all types of formats at once, including vertical video for social media.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Some of these resolutions, particularly the 5.9K 60 fps and 4K 120 fps modes come with a slight crop of about 1.1x and 1.04x, respectively. 4K 120 fps also uses pixel binning, which introduces a loss of resolution and other artifacts like rainbow-colored moire.

That takes us to the main downside: rolling shutter. The S1R II is actually a bit better than the S5 II in that regard, with a total readout speed of about 1/40th of a second, or about 25 milliseconds at any of the full sensor readout resolutions (8K or 5.8K). That can result in wobble or skew if you whip the camera around or film fast-moving objects. However, it’s acceptable for regular handheld shooting.

One complication is Panasonic’s dynamic range expansion (DRE) that boosts video dynamic range by a stop, mostly in an image's highlights. Enabling that feature makes rolling shutter worse.

Should you need to reduce rolling shutter, you can simply disable DRE without a big hit in quality. And shooting 4K at 60p minimizes rolling shutter so that it’s nearly on par with stacked sensor cameras, while still offering high-quality footage with just a slight crop.

As for video quality, it’s razor sharp and color rendition is accurate and pleasing. Dynamic range is on the high end of cameras I’ve tested at close to 14 stops when shooting with Panasonic’s V-log, allowing excellent shadow and highlight recovery, especially in DRE mode. It’s still very good without DRE though, particularly if you’re not shooting in bright and sunny conditions.

Frame grab from Panasonic S1R II 8K video

Steve Dent for Engadget

Video AF is also strong, keeping even quick-moving subjects in focus. Face, eye, animal and vehicle detection work well, though again, the system isn’t quite as reliable as what I saw on Sony and Canon’s latest models.

The S1R II offers more stabilization options than its rivals, though. Optical stabilization provides good results for handheld video, while electronic stabilization (EIS) smooths things further . Cranking that up to the most aggressive high EIS setting provides gimbal-like smoothness but introduces a significant 1.5x crop.

Along with those, Panasonic introduced something called “cropless” EIS. That setting takes advantage of unused areas of the sensor to correct corner distortion typical with wide angle lenses while also fixing skew. I found it worked very well to reduce rolling shutter even for quick pans and walking, which may help alleviate such concerns for some creators.

So yes, rolling shutter wobble is worse on this camera than rivals like the R5 II. However, there are ways to work around it. If minimal skewing is a critical feature then don’t buy the S1R II, but it shouldn’t be an issue for most users, particularly at this price.

Wrap-up

Steve Dent for Engadget

The S1R II is Panasonic’s best hybrid mirrorless camera to date, offering a great balance of photography and video powers. It’s also the cheapest new camera in the high-resolution hybrid full-frame category, undercutting rivals like Canon’s R5 II and the Nikon Z8.

The main downside is rolling shutter that primarily affects video. As I mentioned, though, it won’t pose a problem for many content creators and there are workarounds. Aside from that, it delivers outstanding photo and video quality while offering innovative features like cropless electronic stabilization.

If you need even more resolution, Sony’s 61MP A7R V offers slightly better image quality. And if rolling shutter is really an issue then I’d recommend Canon’s R5 II (though that model does cost $1,000 more) or the Nikon Z8. Should you want to spend considerably less, the Canon R6 II or even Panasonic’s S5 II or S5 IIx are solid picks. For other hybrid shooters, though, Panasonic’s S1R II is a great choice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/panasonic-s1r-ii-review-an-excellent-hybrid-camera-thats-cheaper-than-rivals-163013065.html?src=rss

Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch 2 Editions will let players repair their equipmentPlayers will need to download the Zelda Notes app to access the exclusive featureThe Daily Bonus offering will give players the chance to repair their weapons

The Nintendo Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will give players the ability to repair their equipment with a companion app.Although this hasn't been officially announced by Nintendo itself, the discovery comes from YouTuber Zeltik, who spotted in the recent Nintendo Treehouse Live that the new Zelda Notes app will offer the feature exclusively for the Switch 2 Editions (via IGN).When using Zelda Notes, players will be able to access a Daily Bonus feature once per day, allowing them to roll a roulette wheel and redeem a random bonus in-game. Some of these include health recovery, a fireproof elixir, a hasty meal, stamina recovery, energy cell recharge, and more.These are all items or buffs that can be found in-game but, notably, the Daily Bonus will also offer ways to repair your equipment, something neither Breath of the Wild nor Tears of the Kingdom offers in the current Switch versions.Some bonuses that can be spotted in the video are "Bow Repairs" and "Equipment Repairs", suggesting there may also be Sword and Shield repairs as well.For players who may not be a fan of the game's weapon durability, this new Zelda Notes app feature seems like a decent workaround if you don't want to risk losing your favorite sword in the middle of a boss fight.The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle. The Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are day-one launch titles.Although there was some initial confusion, it's now been confirmed that both games will contain the full game and upgrades on the cartridge, although there is still some uncertainty as to whether players will need to re-purchase Breath of the Wild's downloadable content (DLC).If you're looking to get your hands on a Switch 2, pre-orders are now live in the UK, but US pre-orders and Canadian pre-orders have been delayed as Nintendo assesses the potential impact of tariffs.

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Netflix's new series The Gardener has been a big hit, rocketing to the top of its most-watched chart of non-English-speaking shows. It's the tale of a young man whose mother uses his lack of feelings to turn him into a hitman – but then he falls for his next intended victim.What's made the show so popular is most likely the fact that it's character driven rather than action driven – and of course that means when things kick off, you're emotionally invested. And that's something that applies to these thrillers too: they're thrilling, of course, but they also feature characters you'll be rooting for.

Black Doves

With a whopping 94% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this Keira Knightley-starring spy story has "compelling performances, striking visuals, and a cheeky sense of humor," says the Times of India. It's the story of a woman having an affair, only for her partner to fall victim to the criminal underworld – so she's assigned Sam (Ben Wishaw), to protect her."It’s a smart, frolicking action-adventure full of twists and turns, but it also knows how to make the most of its stars, expand upon an audience’s expectations, and even riff cleverly on current events in our topsy-turvy world," says The Establishing Shot."Knightley and Whishaw are terrific here, playing all the layers of their characters’ lies and all the layers of their pains and joys," says The New York Times. It does get violent: however, as the UK Times says, it "is ultimately quite heartwarming despite the blood and gore."

House of Ninjas

Everybody loves a good ninja show, and this is a very good ninja show: season 1 of House of Ninjas has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.Here's what we said about the first season. "Sharpen your shurikens and dust off your daggers: Japan faces a national crisis and the only ones who can help are ninjas in Netflix's new Drama series. Luckily for the people of Japan, the ninjas are still around, having spent years in hiding to stay out of sight and out of mind.But when the nation needs their help, the last and deeply dysfunctional ninja family must spring into action."Not everybody loved the story – the SF Chronicle found it "predictable". But ScreenAnarchy begs to differ. It's "a marvelous mix of stealthy ninja action, family drama, and gentle comedy. The cast is outstanding at playing the various notes called for throughout the series, and the action is bone crushing and bloody."

The Night Agent

The Night Agent comes from the same pen as The Shield, which was also created by Shawn Ryan. It follows low-level FBI agent Peter Sutherland who's in the wrong place at the wrong time when the phone rings: the call plunges him right into the middle of a massive conspiracy.Reviews have been mostly positive with a few tomato splats, such as The Age saying that it's a "solid" if "unspectacular run-and-gun narrative that at least has a zesty female counterpart." But the San Jose Mercury News liked it a lot: it's "A solid conspiracy movie/series throwback involving two lethal killers, a bombing in a subway, a mole within the White House and a newbie FBI agent who’s in over his head."Variety was enthusiastic too. "It’s a pleasure to see a show better than it might have been, when so often the opposite is true: The Night Agent sparks with curiosity and intrigue, a richly detailed show that propels viewers forward with a relentless pace."

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Deezer is rolling out four new features between now and the end of MayThey include new customization options for algorithms and the interfaceMy Deezer Month and unique Universal Sharing are also coming

Well then, Spotify still down? Parisian rival Deezer picked a cute moment to unveil a quartet of new features coming to its music streaming platform, didn't it?Deezer is clearly on a mission, not just to provide a Wrapped and Replay answer in the shape of My Deezer Month, coming in May, but to enable its users to express themselves and connect with others through music – whichever of the best music streaming services they're pinging you a track from.Always subscribe to Spotify because it's the one your friends use? You're about to get another option. Alexis Lanternier, CEO of Deezer, said: "At Deezer, we are constantly innovating to offer the most personalized and customizable music experience on the market. The new features we’re introducing today give users more control over their algorithm, greater flexibility to personalize their experience, and easy ways to share content with their friends, even beyond Deezer. We want to keep surprising fans with new and engaging ways to experience music."What of the four brand-new features? Let's get into it…

Deezer's new features: let's get granular

(Image credit: Future)

The four-pronged suite of updates Deezer is bringing is as follows: More control over the algorithmDeezer tells me 40% of music streamers are either 34 or younger (well don't I feel old?) and the message is clear: they want better control over the algorithm. Deezer has already evolved its Flow feature to let users influence their algorithm-delivered recommendations over the years (including 'like' buttons), but starting in April, Deezer is launching an algorithm customization feature that it claims puts users "fully in control" of their music discovery. For the first time in music streaming, Deezer tells me users get to tweak their recommendations algorithm without restriction.During an online briefing, Lanternier showed off what he jokingly calls Deezer's new personalized "nightmare section" within every user's personal account: all of the bands you have disliked and a timeline of what you shunned, and when. Don't like it? You'll no longer be sent tracks from those artists, or similar tracks to the one you listened to and hated. Apple Music offers vaguely similar 'favorite' (star) and 'suggest less' (thumbs-down) buttons for tracks, but it's nothing like this.Enhanced personalization of the interfaceThe Deezer app is becoming even more customizable. Starting in May, users will be able to organize the Favorites tab for quick access to their preferred content, creating a truly personalized space. They'll also have the option to customize their playlist covers by adding photos, shapes, and stickers – remodeling the app to fit their personality. During the demo we were shown how to create a cover – think emoji stickers like suns, sunglasses and maybe a drink, a colorful background and a title like 'Summer 2025 Ibiza' maybe. (Lucky you, by the way…)New stats to discover and share your musical identityBuilding on its annual recap, My Deezer Year, Deezer is launching My Deezer Month. And let's not mince words: this builds on the mixed successes of Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay (which was vastly better than Wrapped late last year). Starting in early May, users will receive fresh stats – including most listened-to songs, artists, genres – and a detailed breakdown of their activity, all presented in a "unique and engaging way" every month. Yes, we have heard of this before, but just wait… Share your music beyond DeezerComing late April, Deezer is introducing a next-level approach to music sharing, and one that transcends your streaming platform. With a universal sharing link, Deezer tells me users will be able to send their favorite tracks to friends and family who are using other streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music). The launch builds on Shaker, another unique Deezer feature that allows subscribers to create playlists with their community, even with friends who are not on Deezer – but come on! It's huge, no?At a time when there's still no official sign of Spotify HiFi, Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz's hi-resolution streams have become ever-more tempting options. Deezer's audio file resolution still tops out at CD-quality, aka 16-bit/44.1kHz, (better than Spotify, not as good as the best offerings from Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music) but music I can send to a friend, safe in the knowledge that they'll be able to open and enjoy it, even if they're used to lowly Spotify streams? That is huge – and a big reason to switch.

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A mere two days after announcing GPT-4.1, OpenAI is releasing not one but two new models. The company today announced the public availability of o3 and o4-mini. Of the former, OpenAI says o3 is its most advanced reasoning model yet, with it showing "strong performance" in coding, math and science tasks. As for o4-mini, OpenAI is billing it as a lower cost alternative that still delivers "impressive results" across those same fields.

More notably, both models offer novel capabilities not found in OpenAI's past systems. For first time, the company's reasoning models can independently use all of the tools available in ChatGPT, including web browsing and image generation. The company says this capability allows o3 and o4-mini solve challenging, multi-step problems more effectively, and "take real steps toward acting independently."

At the same time, o3 and o4-mini can not just see images, but also interpret and "think" about them in a way that significantly extends their visual processing capabilities. For instance, you can upload images of whiteboards, diagrams or sketches — even poor quality ones — and the new models will understand them. They can also adjust the images as part of how they reason.

Separately, OpenAI is releasing a new coding agent (à la Claude Code) named Codex CLI. It's designed to give developers a minimal interface they can use to link OpenAI's models with their local code. Out of the box, it works with o3 and o4-mini, with support for GPT-4.1 on the way.

Today's announcement comes after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company was changing course on the roadmap he detailed in February. At the time, Altman indicated OpenAI would not release o3, which the company first previewed late last year, as a standalone product. However, at the start of April, he announced a "change of plans," noting OpenAI was moving forward with the release of o3 and o4-mini.

"There are a bunch of reasons for this, but the most exciting one is that we are going to be able to make GPT-5 much better than we originally though," he wrote on X. "We also found it harder than we thought it was going to be to smoothly integrate everything. and we want to make sure we have enough capacity to support what we expect to be unprecedented demand."

That means the streamlining Altman promised in February will likely need to wait until at least the release of GPT-5, which he said would arrive sometime in the next "few months."

In the meantime, ChatGPT Plus, Pro and Team users can begin using o3 and o4-mini starting today. Sometime in the next few weeks, OpenAI will bring online o3-pro, an even more powerful version of its flagship reasoning model, and make it available to Pro subscribers. For the time being, those users can continue to use o1-pro. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-new-o3-and-o4-mini-models-are-all-about-thinking-with-images-170043465.html?src=rss

X DMs may soon be kaput. On Tuesday, a company software engineer posted on the platform that "the whole entire DM's will be gone soon." But the former Twitter isn't getting rid of messaging; the company is said to be replacing it with a full-fledged chatting system called XChat.

X Software Engineer Zach Warunek replied to another user who asked whether XChat would replace message requests. "No, not like request messages but like the whole entire DM's will be gone soon," the engineer replied. Engadget contacted Warunek to ask about a timeframe for the feature, and we'll update this article if we hear back.

No, not like request messages but like the whole entire DM’s will be gone soon— Zach Warunek (@ZachWarunek) April 16, 2025

These aren't the first rumors we've seen about XChat. Early this year, the X account @xDaily posted a screenshot showing an XChat icon instead of Messages in the platform's sidebar. In February, owner Elon Musk wrote that, within a few months, he would discontinue his phone number and only use X for texts and calls. Then, @swak_12 (via Android Headlines) posted screenshots this month showing a PIN verification screen (similar to secure messaging apps like Signal) for XChat.

Yet another alleged leak posted on Wednesday by @P4mui includes more screenshots and a list of XChat features, including fully encrypted end-to-end messaging, file transfers and the ability to unread messages and delete individual ones for all users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-may-soon-replace-dms-with-its-upcoming-chat-platform-171006540.html?src=rss

Bloober Team has provided a first proper look at gameplay for its latest project, Cronos: The New Dawn, after a brief tease at the end of the initial reveal in October. The trailer has a very Dead Space-like feel, which shouldn't be too surprising given that this is a third-person survival horror game, but that's hardly a bad thing. There appear to be some other influences at play here, and there's one particular feature that seems quite terrifying.

The game takes place across two time periods, a decayed post-apocalyptic future and 1980s-era Poland. As a Traveller, you're sent back in time to rescue certain people before they die in an apocalypse. To do that, you'll need to battle creatures known as Orphans, which Bloober describes as "twisted, body-horror monstrosities born from humanity’s darkest nightmares." But you'll need to be sure to burn the bodies of fallen monsters. If you don't, that can spell a whole heap of trouble.

Living Orphans can absorb the bodies of their fallen ilk. This so-called Merging evolves the creatures. They become fast, stronger and tougher to take down, and they gain new abilities to boot. So yeah, you'll want to torch any Orphans that you take out.

There's a lot going on elsewhere in the trailer. Along with Dead Space, the action and visuals evoke games like The Last of Us Part 2 (if you know, you know), Returnal, Bioshock and Control — not least because of the shifting, fractured Brutalist architecture. The creature designs are reminiscent of those in last year's Silent Hill 2 remake, a game that Bloober Team just happens to be behind.

Those aren't criticisms in any way. There's nothing wrong with drawing inspiration from others and fashioning them into something new. Cronos: The New Dawn is looking pretty compelling, and it's already got a spot on my wishlist.

Cronos: The New Dawn is slated to arrive later this year. It's coming to Steam, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cronos-the-new-dawn-seems-to-smush-dead-space-and-control-together-in-a-good-way-172611962.html?src=rss

Microsoft just announced that Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One owners can now stream select games they own directly from the console. This feature is exclusive to Game Pass Ultimate members.

What’s the point of this? It’s intended to save both time and hard drive space. Gamers can jump right in immediately, without having to download and install a giant file. It doesn’t work with every game. As of this writing, there are over 100 titles that enable this feature. They include standouts like Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Animal Well, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Hogwarts Legacy, among others.

Xbox

All you have to do is peruse your library and look for the cloud icon accompanying a game. Playable titles can also be filtered in search. The Store app even displays this icon, allowing you to start playing as soon as you hand over some digital cash.

Xbox players could already do this on devices outside of an official console. Throughout the past few months, the feature has been popping up on select smart TVs, Amazon Fire TVs and Meta Quest VR headsets. It also works on browser-supported devices like PCs, tablets and smartphones. A beta test for Xbox consoles started in December.

Microsoft also just announced that backward compatible games from the Xbox and Xbox 360 will now be streamable via remote play across all supported devices. That significantly increases the library of available titles. It’s worth noting that the company has removed remote play from the official Xbox app on mobile, but it still works via browsers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-users-can-now-stream-games-they-own-on-their-consoles-173739687.html?src=rss