Software

OpenAI has launched a faster, improved GPT-4o AI with the ability to chat using audio, images, and text for input and output. The AI has noticeably improved speech recognition across a variety of languages. The chatbot model is available for use today to free and paid users.

While the latest Intel Linux driver update allows for the system to automatically decrease the PCIe link speed when overheating is detected, link width throttling is not added yet. A future update will integrate it as well, since PCIe 6.0 and its successor, scheduled to arrive around 2028, could benefit from this.

Garmin has pushed a new update for the Fenix 7 and Epix 2. Also available across other flagship smartwatches like the Enduro 2 and Quatix 7, Beta Version 17.17 introduces several refinements, including one focused on improving Garmin's Outdoor Maps+ experience.

CheckMag Some might argue that YouTube adverts are getting ridiculous. With 2 ads often up to 20 seconds each at the start of a video and another one slapped in your face if you try to scrub through a section, it's no surprise that ad blockers are so popular. In response, Google is clamping down on their use by effectively ruining the experience, but there are still effective ways to bypass them.

Apple is now believed to integrate a chatbot into its next version of iOS, slated to debut with the iPhone 16 line-up later in 2024. The new feature is apparently more likely than ever to be ChatGPT, or based thereon, as the Cupertino giant allegedly draws closer to an agreement with its first third-party AI partner.

Oura has announced two new features for health monitoring, which aim to provide users with further insights into their own health and the influences of their lifestyle.

The Meizu 21 Note is slated to usher in a number of firsts for its flagship Android smartphone series, a new UI called Flyme AIOS included. It will also have the largest battery of its line to date, paired to a display of a refresh rate even higher than that of its own Pro sibling. Then again, it might make compromises in other areas.

ibisPaint has added an AI Disturbance feature to prevent generative AI from creating art that looks like your own. The feature adds noise to your art images in ways that corrupt the ability of AI to learn your art style, thus preventing look-alike art from being generated.

Ultraleap has released the Hyperion platform, a high-performance, high-accuracy hand-tracker software for its Leap Motion Controller 2 AR-tracker camera and AR/VR/XR headsets that have AR cameras and USB accessory ports. The flexible, customizable software allows users and developers to quickly customize hand-tracking models to suit their needs.

WhatsApp is getting a major redesign with simplified navigation, new icons and deeper integration of "Meta AI". The dark mode is darker than ever before, while the color palette of the popular messenger app has been revised.

ASUS has just announced the ROG Ally X, its next gaming handheld. Nestled within its ROG Ally X announcement is also a significant update for existing ROG Ally owners with a focus on improving the overall user experience and expanding ROG Ally community options.

Apple has received substantial backlash from artists over its latest iPad promotional video showing the destruction of traditional art supplies and instruments, with some calling the ad “tone-deaf,” especially in light of the current climate surrounding tech and generative AI. In response, Apple has issued a rare apology ahead of the expected launch of its own generative AI at June's WWDC 2024 event.

Xiaomi has introduced a change to its HyperOS development strategy. The company has announced that it will be ending the “Development’ version rollout. It will be replaced by the “Beta” version, which promises to offer a smoother experience to the early adopters.

The Nord CE4 is OnePlus' most affordable 2024 smartphone for the international market thus far. Its latest version of OxygenOS 14 has unlocked AI Eraser for its 50MP main cameras. It is rated to leverage the device's on-trend Qualcomm silicon in order to remove unwanted objects from the CE4's photos in a 'smart' manner.

RayNeo has partnered with SEI Robotics to present the Pocket TV: a new way to get Google TV apps and services on the former brand's virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) glasses. The portable device also doubles as a power bank and even external storage for Air- or X-series headsets, and also sports remote control-like buttons.

Released earlier today, the Nvidia GeForce Game Ready Driver 552.44 update package brings tweaks for Homeworld 3 and Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut (both not launched yet), as well as one-click optimal settings for Content Warning, Manor Lords, No Rest for the Wicked, Gray Zone Warfare, and Outpost: Infinity Siege.

Google is rolling out a new update for Pixel devices from the Pixel 5a onwards. Also available for the Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet, the new update is said to offer Bluetooth LE audio and camera performance improvements for multiple devices.

Apple spotlighted updates to its Logic Pro music studio software, showing off new AI-generated backing tracks, a tool for pulling tracks from any audio file, and more.

Apple is rolling out new versions of Final Cut Pro for Macs and Final Cut Pro for iPad, which include a bevy of new features. Primary among them is support for up to 4 live camera feeds on the iPad version, which can turn an iPad into a director's hub to manage multiple camera angles at once.

Apple's uncharacteristic failure to follow through on plans for a first-gen Car is what it is; however, the company might not have given up on the electric vehicle (EV) space after all. The Cupertino giant is now reportedly mulling a "collaboration" with a "start-up" (albeit possibly a very well-known one from the US) in order to make the best of the time and money sunk into its automotive project.

Garmin has brought more bug fixes to the Fenix 7 and Fenix 7 Pro through the release of Beta Version 17.16. The same update also adds a new feature that could help improve the experience of using a Fenix 7, Epix 2, Enduro 2, Quatix 7 or MARQ Gen 2 series smartwatch with an external heart rate monitor.

The popular command line tool Neofetch has not been actively developed for several years, and the source code has now been archived on GitHub by programmer Dylan Araps. However, there are a number of alternatives for displaying your Linux system information in the terminal.

Apple Music for LG TVs can now play tracks with Spatial Audio as well as in Dolby Atmos through a connected soundbars, so long as it is from the same brand. The feature, currently available on no other TVs, is backed to be the highest-end form of immersion on the app. LG TV users can try it out for free for a limited time.

Nvidia has added new vision, speech, and language capabilities to ChatRTX, a free, local AI chatbot that runs on PCs with Nvidia RTX 30 or 40 series graphics cards. Information analyzed by ChatRTX is not sent online and is kept private.

Redmi K40, also sold internationally as the Poco F3, launched as an affordable flagship Android phone in 2021. Given how popular the smartphone got, it's still likely in the hands of many. The good news is that it just got the stable Xiaomi HyperOS update. But there's a catch: it's based on Android 13.

CheckMag Whether its questionable privacy practices, incorrectly categorising images as child pornography, or using your data for its AI training models, storing your photos with Google continues to be a privacy nightmare. Thankfully a self hosted solution is making waves in the community, and for good reason.

Microsoft has released a beta version of its Edge browser with a hard RAM limiter. This setting allows users to set the exact amount of RAM that Edge is allowed to use, helping reduce performance problems when multitasking heavily especially during gaming.

Volkswagen has announced that the Pro S version of the ID.3 electric car can get from 0 to 62 miles per hour (mph) thanks to a more powerful motor. It also has some of the marque's latest infotainment and UI features, and can also charge faster with battery pre-conditioning. It can also be configured with a Harman Kardon sound system.

The FDA has approved Apple's AFib detection software for use in clinical trials. The regulatory body adds that Apple's AFib history feature is the first digital health technology to qualify for its Medical Device Development Tools (MDDT) program, too.

Garmin has begun rolling out a new update for the Fenix 6 series, which arrives on its Beta Program. While no new stable update is available yet, Beta Version 26.97 promises to improve the company's older flagship smartwatches with more bug fixes and improvements.

Anthropic finally makes its mobile debut with the release of the Claude iOS app. This comes after competing AI apps have already firmly established their position on mobile platforms, leaving the San Francisco company rather late to the party.

Introduced at the end of July 2023 for macOS, Arc is a web browser that became available for iOS this year, in early February, and now hits Windows. Only compatible with Windows 11, this piece of code is designed to be highly customizable and to use its own apps via a sidebar, but it supports Chrome Web Store extensions as well.

Now fully supporting Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 with 64-bit versions, LibreELEC 12.0 launches with Kodi 21 Omega alongside the Linux kernel labeled 6.6.28. This minimalistic distro can be used to run Kodi on HTPC devices with hardware made by Amlogic, NXP, Allwinner, Rockship, and more.

Samsung has kicked off its next wave of One UI 6.1 updates. Arriving first in its home market, the new update batch includes older flagships like the Galaxy S21 Ultra, as well as the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

Nothing has already rolled out ChatGPT integration on its first two phones. The latest Phone 2a is now getting the AI chatbot integration through the new Nothing OS 2.5.5a update. This update also brings camera optimizations, battery improvements, and many other changes.

Gaming on Linux can be a little complicated, but the open-source community has put into the software surrounding the Linux gaming experience. Here is a pick of four of the best tools and software packages to make the most of your gaming hardware running on Linux.

Huawei has introduced GoPaint as its latest in-house app. It is touted to help users of devices such as the OEM's flagship MatePad tablets to create better original art than ever before, with features such as tutorials, tools and a "wealth" of virtual brush types. The app will be released during Huawei's next major product event of 2024.

The MSI Claw has received new BIOS and driver updates. It promises an impressive performance boost in games such as GTA V, Cyberpunk 2077 and Diavlo IV.

Microsoft Store has received a new update that allows users to download app executables directly from the website. Before this, you could only get the apps from the dedicated app on Windows. With this change, the company aims to make the app installation process simpler.

Nothing OS 2.5.5 recently rolled out for Nothing Phone 2, through which the company brought ChatGPT integration to its top performer. Now, the update is rolling out to the brand’s first phone, the Phone 1, which also brings the AI assistant integration.

Garmin has finally brought new features to the Venu 2, Venu 2S, Venu 2 Plus. The series is now eligible for CIQ System 7, a significant update that is joined by other bug fixes and improvements, albeit only on Garmin's Beta Program for the time being.

The Fenix 7 series is eligible for yet another update on Garmin's Beta Program, shortly after Beta Version 17.14 arrived. This time, the company has released Beta Version 17.15 with yet more bug fixes for the popular smartwatch series.

Adobe researchers have demonstrated the progress of their VideoGigaGAN AI that upscales low-quality videos. The visual quality of the generated videos is better than other AI tested, but more research is needed to overcome notable limitations.

Epic space shooter Warframe is set to receive yet another round of meta-breaking changes, with sweeping quality-of-life changes announced for the Jade Shadows update coming in June this year. The hope is that these changes will make gameplay more interesting and diverse.

OpenAI recently showed off an impressive demo reel created by production house Shy Kids using its Sora video generator. As it turns out, Shy Kids sunk an incredible amount of work into the post-production of Air Head, despite OpenAI's assertion that Sora makes video production effortless.

Unreal Engine 5 has been updated to version 5.4, bringing a number of improvements to the game development environment. These include revisions to animation creation and rendering, as well as performance improvements.

Dr Viviane Ghaderi, an ex-Amazon executive and lead AI engineer, has revealed in a California lawsuit that she was told to ignore company protocol and copyright law in order to beat the competition in an AI arms race.

Bazzite Linux 3.0 has officially launched, bringing with it Gnome 46, KDE Plasma 6, as well as improved HDR gaming on the Steam Deck OLED and more features for more handhelds, including the Lenovo Legion Go, Asus ROG Ally, and two Ayn handhelds.

Garmin has started rolling out Beta Version 19.12 to the Forerunner 255, which remains one of the cheapest Forerunner smartwatches that it still supports with new software updates. The third update this month for the Forerunner 255, Beta Version 19.12 introduces various bug fixes, including one that relates to Zwift heart rate monitor support.

The Forerunner 965 is eligible for a new update. Currently released on Garmin's Beta Program, the new software makes various changes as the company attempts to squash outstanding bugs.