Microsoft is now testing a new feature in Notepad that can generate text for you using AI.  It’s part of a Windows 11 update being released to Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev channels with Copilot Plus PCs. The update also includes new AI-powered features for Paint like a sticker generator, and improvements to the Snipping Tool that can automatically crop and resize screenshots based on what you’re selecting.

Notepad’s new Write feature can be used to “quickly draft text based on your prompt,” according to the Windows Insider Blog, “or build upon existing content with AI-powered assistance.” You can either right-click where you want new text to be inserted in a document or after selecting existing text you want to use as a reference.

After selecting the new Write feature in Windows’ Copilot menu, a prompt will appear where instructions can be entered. The AI-generated output will appear in the document but you’ll have the option to keep it, discard it if it’s not what you’re looking for, or refine the output by entering follow-up prompts. The feature was first discovered earlier this year in code included in test builds of Windows 11.

Write follows two other AI-powered tools Microsoft has been testing with Notepad. Summarize, first introduced last March, can generate a summary of the text in a document while Rewrite, which began testing last November, can adjust the tone of text, shorten or lengthen it, and rephrase sentences.

Joining AI features already being tested in Microsoft Paint like Generative Fill, Generative Erase, and the Cocreator tool that can create images based on text prompts and reference sketches, is a new Sticker generator. A new button in the Copilot menu opens a prompt where you can describe the sticker you want to create. Paint will then generate a small set of stickers based on your description that can be added to your canvas or copied over to other applications.

Paint is also getting a new Object select tool that relies on AI to create smart selections that takes most of the grunt work out of isolating and manipulating specific elements in a photo or painting.

To potentially make it easier to screenshot exactly what you need and immediately share it without edits, Windows 11’s Snipping Tool is gaining a new Perfect screenshot button on its toolbar. When framing a screenshot using the rectangle tool Perfect screenshot will use AI to “intelligently resize based on the content in your selection,” but you’ll still have the option to resize or reposition the selected region of your screen before capturing it.

It’s being joined by a new Color picker in the Snipping tool that lets you see the HEX, RGB or HSL color values below an eyedropper cursor, and it can be zoomed for more precision by either scrolling or using Ctrl +/- keyboard shortcuts.

You’ll need to be signed into your Microsoft account to use Notepad’s new Write feature which will use the same credits system as other AI-powered Windows 11 features do. Microsoft hasn’t yet announced what pricing for these credits will be if it eventually starts charging for them.

Rode has announced a firmware update for its Wireless Micro microphone system introducing a new feature called Direct Connect that allows the mic to directly connect to iOS devices over Bluetooth. Previously, you needed to use the company’s USB-C dongle receiver.

First launched last November, Rode’s $149 Wireless Micro pairs two tiny rechargeable lavalier mics with a wireless receiver that connects directly to mobile devices using their USB-C charging ports (or in the case of older iPhones and iPads, the Lightning port). The receiver can connect to and record from both of the microphones simultaneously using Rode’s mobile app, with a wireless range of 328 feet.

The new Direct Connect feature takes that wireless receiver out of the equation so the mics can now connect directly to a smartphone. That approach potentially allows for simpler setups, but it does come with a few compromises. The feature is only compatible with iOS devices — not Android — and audio can only be captured from a single Wireless Micro mic at a time. The use of Bluetooth also reduces the range of the microphones, and the wireless connection may not be as stable as it is when using the receiver.

Other upgrades in the firmware update include a new noise reduction feature that helps minimize unwanted background sounds while recording in environments where silence can’t be guaranteed. That feature can be activated for each microphone independently. There’s also a new output gain control that “lets users easily adjust recording levels directly within the app,” and when using the wireless receiver connected to both mics, the audio can be captured to a single merged stereo track or recorded independently to separate channels for more flexibility while editing afterwards.

There are still plenty of Tamagotchi devices that have you focusing on raising just a single digital character, but the new Tamagotchi Paradise puts you in charge of a planet full of needy dependents. To make it a little easier to navigate its digital world, the device includes a full color screen and complements its three button controls with a dial on the side for zooming from a view of the entire planet right down to the cellular level of your virtual pets.

Launching in Japan first on July 12th, 2025, for $45, the Tamagotchi Paradise experience starts with you hatching an entire planet in an event called the Egg Bang. From there you can zoom in on your world to one of three different unique ecosystems called Tama Fields that include land, water, and sky. Which ecosystem you start with is dependent on which of three colored versions of the Tamagotchi Paradise you buy, but you’ll eventually be able to unlock all three Tama Fields as you play.

Each Tama Field will affect how the Tamagotchi characters grow and evolve through unique activities and foods. The game includes over 50 different Tamagotchis separated into 12 different species that can be raised from eggs, but Tamagotchi Paradise expands that with a breeding mechanic so two compatible characters can create new Tamagotchi with 50,000 possible combinations available. Two Tamagotch Paradise devices can also be physically connected, letting characters from each interact to potentially start a family or become foes that prank each other and even get in fights.

If caring for a planet full of virtual pets isn’t hard enough, the device’s dial even lets you zoom in on Tamagotchis to the cellular level, which is how you care for and cure them when they get sick. It sounds exhausting, but unlike kids, dogs, or cats, if the responsibilities become overwhelming, you can simply pop out the device’s AAA batteries for some respite.

Dyson has announced what it’s claiming is the “world’s slimmest vacuum cleaner.” At first glance, its new PencilVac looks like a broom rather than a vacuum because the battery, motor, and electronics are all integrated into a thin handle that’s just 38mm in diameter — the same thickness as Dyson’s Supersonic r hair dryer. It weighs in at just under four pounds and is powered by the company’s smallest and fastest vacuum motor yet.

The PencilVac is designed to be a replacement for the slim Dyson Omni-glide, which launched in 2021 with a cleaning head that used two spinning brushes so it could suck up dust and dirt in multiple directions. The new PencilVac is not only slimmer and lighter than the Omni-glide, it uses four spinning brush bars that Dyson calls Fluffycones.

As the name implies, the Fluffycones each feature a conical design that causes long hairs to slide down to the narrow end of each brush and fall off so they can be sucked up instead of getting tangled up around the brushes. The Fluffycones slightly protrude at the sides for better edge cleaning, and are paired with green LED lights (instead of the lasers that Dyson’s other vacuums use) that illuminate dust and debris so you can see when floors have been properly cleaned.

Other innovations Dyson is introducing with the PencilVac include a motor that’s just 28mm in diameter but spins at 140,000RPM to generate 55AW of suction, and a new two-stage dust filtration system that prevents clogging and performance loss as the vac fills up. Given its size, the PencilVac has a smaller dust bin than Dyson’s other cleaners, but uses a new design that compresses dust as it’s removed from the airflow to help maximize how much dirt the bin can hold.

The PencilVac magnetically connects to a floor dock for charging and storage, and features a small LCD screen that shows the cleaning mode and an estimate of how long before the battery dies. It’s also Dyson’s first vacuum to connect to the MyDyson mobile app, which offers access to additional settings, alerts for when the filter needs to be cleaned, and step-by-step maintenance instructions.

The vacuum’s slim design does come with some trade-offs when compared to the company’s larger models. Its cleaning head is designed for use on hard floors, not carpeting, and while it can be swapped with alternate attachments like a furniture and crevice tool, it doesn’t convert to a shorter handheld vac. Runtime is also limited to just 30 minutes of cleaning at its lowest power setting, but its battery is swappable and Dyson will sell additional ones to extend how long you can clean.

Dyson hasn’t revealed pricing details yet, and while the PencilVac will launch in Japan later this year, it won’t be available in the US until 2026.

Following the debut of the Oura Ring 4 last October, which featured improved accuracy for blood oxygen tracking and heart rate readings, the company has announced it’s introducing additional algorithm improvements that will deliver more comprehensive and accurate movement tracking.

First announced last month, the updates are now “rolling out to members globally” and include a new step-counting algorithm called Real Steps that makes the Oura Ring function more like a pedometer. Instead of estimating your step count using generic movement data, an advanced machine-learning model will now more accurately determine when ring movement is the result of a step, although the company warns that users may see a decrease in step count of up to 20 percent as a result of the changes.

Oura’s active calorie burn estimates will also now factor in the intensity of your movements during exercise using heart rate measurements. As with the potential changes in step count, the company says that during more intense workouts users may see that they’ve “burned more calories than previously shown,” or have burned fewer calories during low-impact exercises like yoga or walking, when heart rates don’t tend to dramatically increase.

The wearable’s all-day activity tracking is being expanded to work all night as well, including between the hours of 12AM and 4AM, so that late-night activities such as dancing at the club until the early morning are tracked and taken into account. And if you forget to add a workout, you can add or edit activities from the past seven days in the Oura app — not just the current day — with Readiness and Activity Scores being automatically adjusted to reflect those changes.

New fitness metrics are being added to the Oura Ring’s Automatic Activity Detection, including running splits that leverage GPS data from a connected smartphone to show walks and runs in more detail. And heart rate data will now be included when importing activity data into the Oura app that was collected by third-party health and fitness apps, including Apple Health, Strava, and Android Health Connect.

In addition to these upgrades, Oura has announced new partner integrations with CorePower Yoga, The Sculpt Society, Technogym, and Open, whose respective apps will “tailor training and recovery recommendations” based on a user’s Oura Readiness Score and other biometric data captured by the smart ring, including sleep, stress, calories, and heart rate variability.

The University of Michigan has announced that its Zettawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System (ZEUS) produced 2 petawatts, or 2 quadrillion watts of power during its first experiment. That’s more than “100 times the global electricity power output,” according to the university, but don’t expect it to be harnessed to recreate the Death Star. Those intensely powerful blasts last just 25 quintillionths of a second long, and will be used for experiments in various areas of research including medicine, quantum physics, and materials science.

Funded by the US National Science Foundation, ZEUS cost $16 million to build and includes components like 7-inch sapphire crystals infused with titanium atoms that took over four years to manufacture. “The size of the titanium sapphire crystal we have, there are only a few in the world,” says ZEUS’ project manager, Franko Bayer.

Operating ZEUS isn’t as easy as pressing a button on a handheld laser pointer. The power of an initial infrared pulse from a laser is increased using pump lasers that increase its energy. The power is gradually increased through four rounds of these pump lasers, but to ensure the pulse “doesn’t get so intense that it starts tearing the air apart,” it passes through optical devices called diffraction gratings that stretch it out.

The pulse ends up being 12 inches across and a few feet long, but eventually it enters vacuum chambers where additional gratings flatten it down to just 0.8 microns wide so its maximum power intensity can be delivered to experiments.

The first experiment, conducted by Franklin Dollar, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine, targeted the laser pulse at a cell containing helium. The collision “produces plasma, ripping electrons off the atoms so that the gas becomes a soup of free electrons and positively charged ions. Those electrons get accelerated behind the laser pulse-like wakesurfers close behind a speedboat, a phenomenon called wakefield acceleration.”

The experiment is designed to eventually produce electron beams that are as powerful as those created by particle accelerators but without the need for expensive hardware installations that are often hundreds of meters in length.

Housed in a facility the size of a school gymnasium at the university’s Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, ZEUS is the successor to the center’s HERCULES laser that reached a maximum power output of 300 terawatts in 2007. First announced in 2022, ZEUS’ current power output is roughly double the peak power of other lasers in the US, and it’s designed to eventually deliver up to 3 petawatts. 

But while ZEUS is the most powerful laser in the US, it’s still less powerful than the laser at the European ELI-NP laboratory in Măgurele, Romania that peaks at 10 petawatts of power.

Walmart has released a new version of its 4K Google TV box that could be an even better replacement for Google’s now discontinued Chromecast line. The new $29.88 Onn 4K Plus Streaming Device is $10 more expensive than Walmart’s $19.88 entry-level Onn 4K, but includes a feature from the pricier $49.88 Onn 4K Pro smart speaker we felt was missing from the cheaper $20 option: support for Dolby Vision HDR content.

The new Onn 4K Plus also features a slightly faster processor than the Onn 4K Pro that launched a year ago — a Amlogic S905X5M quad-core processor clocked at 2.5GHz — but only has 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, compared to the Pro model that offers 3GB and 32GB, respectively.

The Onn 4K Plus also doesn’t double as a smart speaker like Walmart’s Pro model, and sacrifices features on its included voice-capable remote like backlighting and the ability to find the remote when it goes missing. But unlike the entry-level $20 Onn 4K box, the Plus’ remote does include a customizable button that can be programmed to launch your favorite streaming app and a dedicated “Free TV” button to quickly access Google’s ad-supported FAST channels.

The most tempting reason to choose Walmart’s new Onn 4K Plus is that it connects to a power source via a USB-C port. The Pro model instead uses a barrel-style connector for attaching a power adapter, while the entry-level 4K model includes an ageing Micro USB port.

Four years after the company released its first wireless arcade-style controller, 8BitDo is debuting a new version that’s almost one-third as thick as the original. Its new Arcade Controller managed to slim down by ditching the original’s joystick and focusing on only buttons in a unique layout. Often referred to as a leverless controller, or Hitbox after the company that helped popularize this style, 8BitDo’s includes a dynamic button layout that swaps labels at the turn of a dial.

The new 8BitDo Arcade Controller is available for preorder starting today for $89.99 and is expected to officially release on July 15th, 2025. The standard version is compatible with the Nintendo Switch and Windows PCs. 8BitDo also has an additional all-black version with adjustable glowing RGB accents that’s designed for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Windows, but it’s slightly more expensive at $99.99. However, both are much cheaper than competitors’ offerings, including Razer’s $300 Kitsune.

Leverless controllers may seem counterintuitive to those who’ve spent their lives gaming with analog joysticks or four-way directional pads, but they’re becoming popular among fans of fighting games where lightning-fast reaction times can sometimes be a deciding factor in who wins. Although it seems miniscule, playing with only buttons can eliminate the time it takes to move a joystick until an input is registered by a game, potentially giving a player a competitive advantage. At the same time, trying to aim in a fast-paced FPS game using four buttons will probably put you at a disadvantage, so this controller style isn’t for everyone.

Measuring in at 16mm thick, 8BitDo’s new Arcade Controller connects to the Switch over Bluetooth and to PCs using an included 2.4GHz USB dongle. For minimal latency, it can also connect to either with a USB-C cable. Its 1,000mAh rechargeable battery is enough for up to 20 hours of gameplay when using a wireless connection.

The controller’s 16 action buttons use Kailh Wizard low-profile mechanical switches out of the box, but you can swap those with alternative switches if you prefer a different feel. Four of the buttons, labeled P1 through P4, are programmable and utilize bean-shaped button caps to differentiate their feel. They can also be swapped out with included lie-flat alternatives, making them even easier to distinguish.

A toggle switch flips the controller’s button layout between an S-Input mode for the Switch and X-Input mode for PCs, which also swaps the illuminated labels automatically. And as with many of 8BitDo’s recent gamepad releases, its new Arcade Controller supports the company’s Ultimate Software, which lets you customize the button mappings or make complex macros that can be assigned to its four programmable buttons.

The 8BitDo Arcade Controller for Xbox also has a few key differences (besides the all-black finish and glowing RGB accent lighting around 12 of its buttons). There’s no Bluetooth connectivity — only 2.4GHz or a USB cable — and the battery is quite a bit larger at 3,000mAh, which bumps wireless playtime to 20 hours with lighting on or 40 with it off.

Only P1 and P2 can be reprogrammed. It also doesn’t offer the ability to switch the layout of its buttons. Instead, the gamepad’s dial controls volume, which will help if you use the included headphone jack for streaming gameplay and chat audio to a wired headset.

To potentially make it easier for users of streaming services like Spotify to switch, Apple Music has introduced a new built-in tool for importing libraries and playlists. A support page added to Apple’s website this week includes details on how to use the feature, as spotted by MacRumors, but it also points out that it’s currently only available in Australia and New Zealand, with no details on when it might be available in more countries.

The transfer can be started from in the iPhone, iPad, and Android versions of the Apple Music mobile app, but also using the streaming service’s web interface. “You can transfer your songs, albums, and playlists from other music services to Apple Music, but what you can transfer varies by service,” according to Apple’s support page. For example, you can only transfer playlists you created. “Playlists created by the music service won’t transfer.”

The feature is available in the Apps > Music section of iOS’ and iPadOS’ Settings app, or through the settings directly inside the Apple Music app on Android. Tapping ‘Transfer Music from Other Music Services’ brings up a list of supported third party services, which will then require you to provide your login details before you’re given options of what you want transferred.

If an exact match for a song can’t automatically be found in the Apple Music catalog, you’ll be warned that “Some Music Needs Review” and will be prompted to select alternate versions to add to your library. You have just 30 days from when you started the transfer to review unmatched songs, and, according to Apple’s support page, you won’t be able to start a new transfer until the previous review is completed.

Apple partnered with the creators of SongShift for the new feature, but it’s still available as a standalone app since it also allows for library and playlist transfers between other streaming services including Spotify, Deezer, LastFM, Tidal, YouTube, and Pandora – not just to Apple Music.

Audio-Technica’s engineers are seemingly working overtime to elevate the design of the record player. Following the reveal of its floating, glowing Hotaru turntable last month, the company has announced its new AT-LPA2 featuring a chassis and platter made from transparent acrylic. With electronics like its power supply and playback controls packed into a separate unit that can be kept out of sight, the turntable is a reminder that transparent tech can still look modern and sleek.

The AT-LPA2 features a similar design to the Audio-Technica AT-LP2022 turntable that was released in January 2023 to help commemorate the company’s 60th anniversary. The previous version was limited to just 3,000 units made available worldwide and sold for $1,200. The new AT-LPA2 is available starting today, and while its rollout won’t be as limited, it now costs $2,000.

The base of the turntable is made from a 30mm thick slab of high-density transparent acrylic, while the spinning platter atop is made from the same material that’s 20mm thick. It not only makes for a striking design, but acrylic is also an effective material for dampening vibrations which improves playback performance and helps keep the turntable operating quietly.

Direct drive turntables, in which the spinning platter is part of the electric motor, offer superior performance over those that use a separate motor connected with a belt. But in this case, a belt drive actually serves to enhance the aesthetics of the AT-LPA2. To ensure accurate playback, Audio-Technica includes an optical sensor that monitors the platter’s rotation so it maintains a constant speed of either 33 1/3 or 45rpm.

The company redesigned the tone arm included with the limited edition model, but it’s still made from carbon fiber to help reduce its weight and includes interchangeable counterweights that can be added and removed to help keep the arm balanced with different cartridges.

To help keep the turntable’s chassis as transparent as possible, playback controls and other buttons are included on a separate unit that also houses the power supply. That approach not only lets you position the control unit out of sight since it’s not transparent and doesn’t match the AT-LPA2’s aesthetic, Audio-Technica says it also isolates the turntable’s audio components from power supply noise “resulting in a cleaner, more accurate sound.”

Meta announced two new features designed to assist blind or low vision users by leveraging the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses’ camera and its access to Meta AI. The news came as part of Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

Rolling out to all users in the US and Canada in the coming weeks, Meta AI can now be customized to provide more detailed descriptions of what’s in front of users when they ask the smart assistant about their environment. In a short video shared alongside the announcement, Meta AI goes into more detail about the features of a waterside park, including describing grassy areas as being “well manicured.”

The feature can be activated by turning on “detailed responses” in the Accessibility section of the Device settings in the Meta AI app. Although it’s currently limited to users in the US and Canada, Meta says detailed responses will “expand to additional markets in the future,” but provided no details about when or which countries would get it next.

First announced last September as part of a partnership with the Be My Eyes organization and released last November in a limited rollout that included the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia, Meta also confirmed today that its Call a Volunteer feature will “launch in all 18 countries where Meta AI is supported later this month.”

Blind and low vision users of the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses can use the feature to connect to a network of over 8 million sighted volunteers and get assistance with everyday tasks such as following a recipe or locating an item on a shelf. By saying, “Hey Meta, Be My Eyes,” a volunteer will be able to see a user’s surroundings through a live feed from the glasses’ camera and can provide descriptions or other assistance through its open-ear speakers.

We Are Rewind, a Paris-based company that has relaunched the cassette player with modern features like support for wireless headphones and rechargeable batteries, has announced a larger boombox version. Streamlining the design of the portable stereos that were popular in the ‘80s, the €449 (around $500 USD) GB-001 can function as a Bluetooth speaker and stream audio from a mobile device. But its most appealing feature is its ability to play and record to cassettes, potentially reviving the mixtape for another generation.

The GB-001’s cassette deck mechanism features a user-adjustable motor with internal speed regulation for accurate playback. It also has a “noise reduction circuit” that emulates Dolby B so it can properly play tapes recorded using that older noise reduction system without any loss in sound quality. It can record on tapes, too, from external sources that include a wired microphone or a pair of mics connected wirelessly over Bluetooth.

The GB-001 has four speakers — two “powerful woofers for extended bass response” paired with two “soft dome tweeters for refined voices and treble.” We Are Rewind describes the GB-001 as having a “natural sound signature” so, unlike the boomboxes of the ‘80s, it’s not going to drown out lyrics with overpowering bass. And in keeping with current trends in audio gear, the GB-001 includes a “spatialisation function for a wider, more immersive stereo image.”

A rechargeable, user-replaceable 3,000mAh battery provides up to 10 hours of playback through the speakers when playing a tape, or up to 15 using an external audio source. That jumps up to 15 and 28 hours, respectively, when using headphones, but We Are Rewind didn’t specify if that’s through the 3.5-millimeter audio jack or Bluetooth.

Even if you’re not in need of its cassette capabilities, the design of the GB–001 still makes it an appealing alternative to Bluetooth speakers that often look like beach toys. It not only has a retro-looking folding carrying handle, it also sports a pair of functional analog VU meters that are backlit with a soft warm glow. For those of us who grew up enamored with the design of stereos from the ‘70s and ‘80s, the VU meters alone could help justify the splurge.

Plugable has announced a new docking solution for Windows and Mac users that supports up to five simultaneous displays, including a mix of 4K and 8K. The new $279.95 UD-7400PD dock actually supports more displays than the pricier Thunderbolt 5 docks that have recently launched which max out at three 4K screens. But Plugable’s latest comes with some performance limitations that could make it better suited for those wanting more screen real estate for spreadsheets and other productivity apps.

Unlike solutions such as CalDigit’s recently announced $370 TS5 dock that only supports a trio of 4K displays when connected to a computer that supports Thunderbolt 5, the Plugable UD-7400PD works with machines featuring at least a video-capable USB 3.2 Gen 2 port. That standard, supporting transfer rates of 10Gbps, debuted back in 2017, meaning Plugable’s new dock should work across a large number of existing PCs.

Using its two HDMI connections and three USB-C ports, the dock can drive up to five 4K 60Hz displays, three 8K 30Hz displays, or a combination of the two with four 4K screens plus an additional 8K one. It’s all made possible through Synaptics’ new DisplayLink DL-7400 chipset and the DisplayLink technology that compresses video feeds on the host computer so they can be transmitted through slower USB-C ports which are then decompressed using dedicated hardware in the dock.

You’ll need to install DisplayLink’s software on your computer to make it all work, and the approach could result in reduced performance for applications like games that produce a large amount of data. Apps like spreadsheets, by comparison, compress well because they’re relatively static. DisplayLink also doesn’t support High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) which could prevent you from watching content from streaming platforms like Netflix on the external displays.

The UD-7400PD dock also includes a front-facing 10Gbps USB-C port with 30W of power delivery and two 10Gbps USB-A ports. There’s also a 2.5Gbps ethernet port, a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack, and a host USB-C port that can charge laptops with up to 140W of power delivery. Given most productivity apps don’t require the latest and greatest processors and graphics cards, despite the few downsides of the technology, Plugable’s new dock provides an alternate path to an elaborate multi-screen setup without the added costs of upgrading all your gear to be Thunderbolt 5 compatible.

WiiM has announced three new wireless audiophile devices including the brand’s first smart speaker called the Sound with a design that looks inspired by the Apple HomePod. The speaker is joined by the company’s first sub-woofer called the Sub Pro that pumps out 250W of bass, and the WiiM Amp Ultra, a new amplifier that can stream directly from services like Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, and Pandora.

The WiiM Sound features playback controls on the top as well as a 1.8-inch high-res touchscreen on the side that can also be used for navigating playlists and menus, selecting presets, or just displaying album art for whatever’s currently playing. Using a four-inch woofer and “dual-balanced mode radiator tweeters” the Sound delivers 100W of power or more with two of them configured as a left and right stereo pair.

The speaker uses a built-in microphone to measure the acoustics in a room and optimize its sound output for the space, but it can also be customized using a 10-band EQ or one of 24 different preset sound profiles. With Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and an ethernet port, the WiiM Sound can stream from over 20 different music services or from apps on other devices using Chromecast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, DLNA, or Alexa Cast.

Hands-free operation is made possible through Alexa, Google Assistant, or an included wireless remote that supports voice commands. WiiM expects the Sound to be available sometime in the third quarter of 2025 through Amazon and “select retailers,” but says it won’t reveal pricing for any of the products it announced today until they launch.

If WiiM’s smart speaker doesn’t deliver enough low-end performance for your ears, it can be paired with the new Sub Pro which features an eight-inch driver and a Class-D amplifier that works in the 25-200Hz frequency range.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, ethernet, and an RCA input for connecting to home theater gear, while the Sub Pro offers the same customizability as the Sound smart speaker with automatic room correction and a 10-band EQ available through WiiM’s mobile app.

Wiim calls its new WiiM Amp Ultra its “most refined streaming amplifier yet.” Featuring a unibody aluminum chassis with a 3.5-inch touchscreen on the front, the amp uses audiophile-grade components including an ESS ES9039Q2M Sabre DAC and can deliver 100W of power per channel to drive up to four passive speakers simultaneously.

Dual antennas help ensure fast and stable streaming over a Wi-Fi 6E or Bluetooth 5.3 connection, even while listening to high-res music at 24-bit/192kHz quality. Through the WiiM Home app the WiiM Amp Ultra can stream from several popular services including Spotify and Amazon Music while support for Google Cast, Alexa Cast, DLNA, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, DLNA, and Roon facilitates streaming from other apps. 

The amp also supports voice controls through Alexa, Google Assistant, and its bundled wireless remote, includes an HDMI ARC port with support for Dolby Digital decoding, and has a dedicated subwoofer output so it can be paired with WiiM’s new Sub Pro.

Amazon’s Audible has announced that it’s planning to expand its audiobook catalog by giving select publishers access to its new “fully integrated, end-to-end AI production technology” that will let them more easily convert titles to audiobooks with their choice of AI-generated voices. The initiative will also help expand global access to audiobooks with the introduction of a new AI translation tool that’s expected to launch in an early beta later this year.

Audible says its new AI narration technology leverages Amazon’s advanced AI capabilities and will be made available to interested publishing partners in the coming months in one of two ways. For publishers wanting to be hands-off, an end-to-end service managed by Audible handles the “entire audiobook production process” right up to publication, while a self-service option will give publishers access to the same tools so they can independently direct the entire production process.

With both options, publishers are able to “choose from a quickly growing and improving selection of more than 100 AI-generated voices across English, Spanish, French, and Italian with multiple accent and dialect options, and will be able to access voice upgrades for their titles as our technology evolves,” according to Amazon.

Last September, Amazon invited a select group of Audible narrators to train AI-generated voice clones of themselves ahead of the launch of this new service. The company said that if their AI voice replica was selected for a project, the narrators would be able to review the final audiobook for errors or inaccuracies and use the platform’s production tools to fine-tune pronunciations or adjust the pacing of their voice.

Audible’s upcoming AI translation tools will also be limited to select publishers, and will initially support translations from English to Spanish, French, Italian and German. As with audiobook production, publishers will be offered two different approaches. Text-to-text translation for manuscripts which can be later turned into audiobooks, and speech-to-speech translation which uses AI to preserve the “original narrators’ voice and style across languages.”

Publishers will also be able to review translations themselves or opt for a human review through Audible with a professional linguist.

Ahead of the release of the Lenovo Legion Go S running SteamOS later this month, Valve has announced a new compatibility rating system for SteamOS devices. As the name implies, the new SteamOS Compatibility system will rate how compatible games are with third-party devices, similar to how Valve already rates the compatibility of games for its own Steam Deck.

The new rating will only show up on devices running SteamOS that aren’t a Steam Deck and are designed to quickly indicate to users if all of a game’s features and functionality, including any anti-cheat tools it may be using, are fully supported by the OS. Games will be marked as either “SteamOS Compatible” or “SteamOS Unsupported” in the Steam Store and Steam Client.

The rating “does not include testing results for performance and input, since we will not know (and have not tested) how all titles will run on all potential hardware,” as Valve points out in an announcement shared to its community pages yesterday. But the company expects “over 18,000 titles on Steam to be marked SteamOS compatible out of the gate.”

Because the new ratings are “automatically generated from Steam Deck verification results without additional testing,” Valve says that developers don’t need to take any additional steps to ensure their games are compatible with third-party SteamOS devices. “If your title already has a Steam Deck Compatibility rating, an automated process will use that data to give it a SteamOS Compatibility rating.”

The Legion Go S will be the first handheld gaming PC to trade Windows for SteamOS, the gaming-focused operating system that powers Valve’s Steam Deck.

Philips has announced a new initiative that will let consumers 3D print their own replacements for small but essential parts included with many of its personal health products. Philips Fixables is launching in the Czech Republic, where Prusa Research, the company’s partner for the initiative, is based. But the actual files that can be downloaded and 3D printed are being freely shared through the Printables platform, which is accessible globally.

You still can’t 3D print yourself a new beard trimmer if it breaks or the battery dies, but for accessories like a cutting guide, Philips Fixables will give some consumers an alternative to trying to find a replacement locally or have one shipped out. Being able to immediately fix your trimmer may also make it less appealing to throw away and replace a perfectly good device.  

Philips says it’s working with Prusa Research to ensure the 3D printed replacement parts it designs and releases meet the company’s standards for quality and safety. But it also points out that the durability and functionality of the replacements will depend on users sticking to the 3D printing material and guidelines the company recommends.

There’s currently just one replacement part available from Philips on Printables: a small adjustable comb designed to attach to its OneBlade trimmer. The company recommends the use of standard PLA filament and advises users to print the part using the same orientation it has in the original file, which doesn’t require the use of any added supports. Modifying the file to reduce the amount of filament it needs or decrease print times could compromise its durability.

It’s a welcome initiative, but one that’s only going to result in meaningful improvements to sustainability if the company follows through and releases more than just a single accessory. Philips is teasing additional 3D printable parts, including adjustable guides for beard trimmers and components for devices like electric toothbrushes and hair dryers, but doesn’t specify when they’ll be available. It also provides a form where consumers can specifically request a 3D printable alternative to a specific part, but it doesn’t guarantee one will be created, or specify how long it will take for one to be released after undergoing quality control testing.

The Sega Dreamcast wasn’t the first home console to store game saves on a portable memory card, but its virtual memory unit (VMU) stood out with a built-in screen, controls, and playable mini games. 8BitMod’s upcoming VMU Pro offers the same functionality as Sega’s original, but it’s rebuilt from the ground up with upgrades that include a full-color screen and enough processing power to use it as a handheld emulator for retro games.

Pricing for the VMU Pro hasn’t been revealed yet, but 8BitMods shared a teaser video on X over the weekend confirming that preorders will open on May 15th at 1PM ET through its online store.

For years modders have been turning the Sega VMU into a more functional handheld gaming device by completely swapping out its electronics with more capable hardware, but at the cost of it still functioning as a memory card for the Dreamcast. That’s what makes the VMU Pro unique. Although it’s been upgraded with a 16-bit IPS TFT color screen and enough power to emulate NES, Sega Master System, and even Game Boy Color titles, it can still be inserted into an original Dreamcast controller and used to store save game data.

Other upgrades include a rechargeable battery (the original Dreamcast VMU was notorious for going through CR2032 coin cell batteries when used on its own), MP3 playback for those living without a smartphone, the ability to copy and backup save game data directly from an original VMU, Wi-Fi, and unlimited storage through microSD memory cards.

The retro emulation on a full-color screen is a fun feature, but if that’s the only reason you’re considering the VMU Pro, the Anbernic RG Nano offers far superior emulation (including 3D consoles like the N64 and PS1) on a similarly-sized handheld. The VMU Pro will appeal more to those who still have a Sega Dreamcast in regular play rotation but are looking for a more reliable and easier way to store and swap game saves.

That’s assuming the VMU Pro isn’t going to be prohibitively expensive. In 2022, Dreamware Enterprises launched its own upgraded VMU called the VM2 with a backlit but monochromatic and pixelated screen for $114. It was a pricey upgrade for a console that Sega no longer supports, so hopefully three years of electronics evolution will result in a cheaper price tag for the VMU Pro.

A brochure shared on Reddit provides new details on Eufy’s first smart display. 

The Eufy Smart Display E10 hasn’t been officially announced by Anker yet, but it’s already received FCC certification and was recently demonstrated at a private event in New York. The smart display’s manual has also leaked.

According to the brochure, the Smart Display E10 features an eight-inch touchscreen with an HD resolution. It includes a charging station dock that draws power over USB-C, but the smart display also has a 5,000mAh battery that Eufy says will last up to 24 hours. You can carry it from room to room to keep an eye on what’s happening around your house or mount it to a wall in your home.

The E10 can simultaneously display up to four live camera feeds and prioritizes feeds where motion has been detected. A live feed from one of Eufy’s smart doorbells or door locks will also automatically pop up when someone presses the doorbell, with their presence and name being announced if their face is recognized.

The E10 will also provide daily summaries of all the activities it detected, including who may have stopped by and whether or not they dropped off packages. You can use a timeline view to navigate all the videos saved throughout the day.

You don’t need to pay for a cloud storage subscription. The E10 comes with 8GB of built-in storage, which can be expanded using a microSD slot, for saving video clips locally.

Other features include a microphone and speaker allowing you to communicate with people at your door through Eufy’s smart locks and doorbells, and a time of flight sensor for potentially detecting when a person approaches the display. There’s also a dedicated SOS button and, while the brochure doesn’t detail its exact function, a video captured during the recent Eufy event shows that holding the button for three seconds triggers cameras to sound an alarm, if they support that feature. 

It’s unclear how much the Eufy Smart Display E10 will cost or when it will be released. We also don’t yet know if it will support cameras, doorbells, or camera-equipped smart home devices from other companies.

Razer has announced three new products today, including an alternative to wireless headphones called the Clio that’s designed to attach to your gaming chair and double as a head cushion.

Powered by a 5,400mAh battery that Razer says is good for up to 14 hours of use, the Clio uses adjustable straps to attach to “most high-back gaming and office chairs” so that it’s positioned directly behind your head. Inside each of the cushion’s angled wings is a near-field speaker that uses a 43-millimeter driver paired with a passive radiator that work together to deliver “crisp, clear trebles and deep, punchy bass you can hear and feel.”

The Clio speaker wirelessly connects to Bluetooth-compatible devices like smartphones, tablets, and handheld consoles, but is also compatible with Razer’s HyperSpeed Wireless protocol for a low-latency connection to a gaming PC. Support for THX Spatial Audio creates a more immersive listening experience when using the Clio on its own, but it can be paired with additional desktop speakers and used as a dedicated rear channel as part of a larger 7.1 surround sound setup.

The Razer Clio wireless speaker is available for preorder now through Razer’s online store for $229.99 with shipping expected to begin on May 16th, 2025.

Razer also announced a new lightweight Basilisk Mobile mouse and Joro wireless gaming keyboard,  which it says were created to pair with portable gaming gear “without compromising on performance.”

The Razer Basilisk Mobile mouse weighs in at 76 grams and “boasts a compact, ergonomic design” designed to slip into pockets or squeeze into a laptop sleeve along with a computer. It supports wired, Bluetooth, or a low-latency Razer HyperSpeed Wireless connection to PCs with up to 105 hours of battery life with the latter, or up to 150 hours with Bluetooth.

The mouse includes a four-way tilting scroll wheel with two scrolling modes: free-spin for more speed or tactile cycling for more precision. There’s a Razer Focus X optical sensor with up to 18,000dpi of sensitivity on the underside, while the mouse’s primary buttons use Razer’s Gen-3 optical switches boasting a 90 million click lifecycle.

The Razer Joro ultra-portable wireless gaming keyboard uses a compact 75 percent layout and measures in at 16.5-millimeters thick and 374 grams in weight. As with most Razer products, it features RGB lighting that can be animated with various effects while still offering an impressive battery life of up to 1,800 hours when using its power saving mode.

The Joro connects to devices with a USB-C cable or over Bluetooth and is not only compatible with both Windows and Apple devices including iPadOS and iOS, it also features secondary keys with macOS labels and a dedicated Microsoft Copilot Key. Laser-etched ABS keycaps help ensure longevity, and in addition to the keyboard being customizable, it can also store up to five different profiles locally, and switch between them as needed.

The Razer Joro wireless gaming keyboard is also available for purchase now for $139.99 with delivery expected in mid-May 2025, but the $89.99 Razer Basilisk MobilePortable wireless mouse is still listed as “Coming Soon” on the company’s website.