This week, Apple launched new AirPods, Alexa+ landed in the UK, and we got our first Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer — and much more that you need to know about.
To catch up on the biggest stories we’ve covered this week, we have this handy ICYMI catch-up. Scroll down for snippets about each story, plus links for you to find the full piece and a deeper dive.
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7. Amazon Alexa+ has hit the UK
Just over a year after its debut in the US, Alexa+ has arrived in the UK — and it’s got more than just a British accent. The AI-powered virtual assistant connects to services and news sources used by people in the UK (including TechRadar), and its chatty new personality uses particularly British turns of phrase (including calling users ‘mate’ when commiserating over the previous night’s football score).
Underneath the surface, Alexa+ is designed to work as an ‘ambient’ assistant that’s there when you need it, and fades into the background when you don’t. You can give it instructions using natural language rather than phrasing commands in a specific way, and it can follow multiple commands at once. It’s rolling out in Early Access now for owners of the latest Amazon Echo speakers and displays, and will be coming to older Alexa-enabled devices later on.
6. Spider-Man swung into action
The day finally arrived: we got the first trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and it is filled with details about what’s in store for Peter Parker in the next flick.
We see him still living with the fallout from No Way Home, which ended with the whole world forgetting who he is — including his best friend and his girlfriend. Clearly dealing with some stuff mentally, Peter has thrown himself into being the best Spider-Man he can be — tackling a whole load of bad guys, including facing the Hand, it seems — but something is also messing with his powers and causing him to mutate in some way.
We didn’t get a glimpse of who Sadie Sink is playing in this movie yet, but with an emphasis on mutants, could this be some kind of X-Men setup?
This week, Meta announced that on June 15, its Horizon Worlds metaverse will become mobile-exclusive, meaning VR players would no longer be able to enjoy (or be subjected to, as was the case for many) the platform’s many VR worlds. But, it then reversed course… kinda.
In an Instagram AMA, Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth revealed that instead of closing Horizon Worlds down entirely in VR, Meta will instead keep existing spaces alive — VR players just won’t get anything new.
While not the biggest story for many, this is a serious shift for Meta, which even changed its name to go all-in on the metaverse — a dream which now feels like it’s not far from being sunset entirely.
4. We reviewed the Nothing Phone (4a)
A gorgeous design, a bright 6.8-inch display, and an impressive mid-range chipset with a streamlined OS, the latest Nothing Phone is nothing short of a delight in so many regards.
The camera admittedly isn’t quite up to the standard of some more premium handsets, with the 50MP main snapper not capturing the picture performance you’d expect from rivals.
That aside, using this phone is just fun in a way so few phones are these days, and at $499 / £499 / AU$949 for its cheapest model, this phone won’t break the bank either — proving affordable doesn’t have to mean bland.
3. Samsung’s Trifold might have been discontinued
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Samsung might be pulling the plug on its Galaxy Z TriFold phone that was launched just three months ago. Initial reports said sales would stop in South Korea first, following a final restock, and then in the US.
There are several reasons for this, but it’s apparently down to industry costs to manufacture the device, which is why the Galaxy Z TriFold went for a staggering $2,899. Additionally, Samsung never intended the device to be for the average consumer and was to simply showcase the innovative lengths the company was capable of going.
However, this doesn’t tell us that the Galaxy Z TriFold series is being discontinued altogether, as recent reports suggest that the company is in the process of developing a sequel device.
2. Apple finally launched AirPods Max 2
AirPods Max 2 are finally — finally! — here. It’s been just over five years since the original launched, and while Apple upgraded them with USB-C instead of Lightning, there have been multiple new AirPods Pro models in that time.
The AirPods Max 2 are pretty much exactly what we might have guessed: they have Apple’s H2 chip powering them, which means a ton of new smart features; they have a claimed 1.5x improvement to active noise cancellation; and they have a new “high dynamic range amplifier” for “cleaner” audio.
Two things that haven’t changed? The below-average 20-hour battery life and the design. The latter has become a modern icon, so that’s understandable, but it’s a shame that Apple also didn’t make them any lighter. Still, AirPods Max are loved for the detailed and natural sound, so if that’s been improved even further, maybe they’ll be worth the still-hefty $549 price.
1. Nvidia DLSS 5 made gamers mad
Essentially, DLSS 5 utilizes “content-controlled generative AI” according to Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, after hitting back at gamers, saying “they’re completely wrong” about DLSS 5’s use in games going forward. Popular game publishers and studios such as Capcom have already signed up and supported the use of DLSS 5 in both current and future games, once the feature is released this fall, and did so without informing their game developers.
It may be too late for Nvidia to hit the reset button on DLSS 5, but its hand could be forced if gamers and developers continue to push back against the use of generative AI in games.
