It's no secret that 28 Years Laterused iPhones to shoot parts of the film. Now its director, Danny Boyle, has discussed the use of iPhones for the film in more detail with IGN. The first film in the franchise, 28 Days Later, was shot on digital video, giving it a homemade feel. Boyle explained that he and writer Alex Garland got the idea from the fact that home video cameras were common at the time, and people would've shot videos with them if an apocalypse had indeed happened. Those cameras, of course, have since been replaced by smartphones.
The movies used three special rigs for the iPhone sequences: One for eight cameras that one person can carry, another with 10 and another with 20. "I never say this, but there is an incredible shot in the second half [of the film] where we use the 20-rig camera, and you'll know it when you see it," Boyle told IGN. He described the 20-iPhone rig as "basically a poor man’s bullet time," which is a visual effect that uses multiple cameras to freeze or slow down time. Think the scene in The Matrix, wherein Neo dodged bullets in super slow motion.
Doyle said that the 20-camera rig can be attached to cranes or dollies and give you 180 degrees of vision of an action. In editing, you can choose from any of the footage each iPhone takes to, say, move between perspectives or jump forward and backward. For 28 Years Later, the team used the rig for violent scenes to emphasize their effect. "For a moment the audience is inside the scene, the action, rather than classically observing a picture," Doyle explained.
In addition to the iPhones, the filmmakers also used drones, cameras attached to actors and even farm animals to achieve an immersive feel for its 2.76:1 widescreen aspect ratio. They decided on the aspect ratio to create a sense of unease, since you'd have to keep scanning the screen to see potential threats coming from the sides.
Sony
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One of the many beautiful things about the indie gaming scene is that there's always something to check out. So if you don't fancy playing Elden Ring: Nightreign this weekend, there are plenty of other new options. To help you keep up with what's going on in the space, here's our weekly indie game roundup.
As a heads up, we won't be publishing an edition of this roundup next week. Not because there won't be enough games to highlight. Quite the opposite: Summer Game Fest kicks off on Friday June 6. There will be literally hundreds of game announcements and updates. There's also the small matter of the Nintendo Switch 2's arrival in a matter of days.
You can check out what to expect from SGF and find out how to watch the various showcases in our preview. We'll be bringing you news on titles of all shapes and sizes from Summer Game Fest Live, Xbox Games Showcase and other events. We'll also be on the ground in Los Angeles to go hands on with many of the newly announced games. Keep up with our coverage here on Engadget throughout SGF.
In the meantime, there are a host of new games to savor, as well as peeks at what's coming your way in the coming weeks and months. Let's get to it.
Thinky Direct
This showcase from Thinky Games was jam packed with captivating puzzle and mystery games. Two in particular caught my eye. The first is a very intriguing first-person archery puzzler. In He Who Watches, you'll walk on walls, rotate rooms and use a bow and arrow to solve puzzles. It reminds me of the shrines in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. A demo is out now on Steam and the full game should arrive this fall.
The other game that really stood out to me was Echo Weaver, a so-called "Metroidbraina." Unlike in many Metroidvanias, where you need to find power ups or new abilities to progress, here you'll move forward by acquiring knowledge, including figuring out your character's special abilities.
There aren't any procedurally generated elements here. As with the likes of Outer Wilds, each run is time-based. You can find ways to extend the limit or sacrifice some time to pass through a barrier. Echo Weaveris coming to Steam and Xbox (including Game Pass).
There was lots of other interesting stuff in the first-ever Thinky Direct. I really enjoy the chill train puzzler Railbound and it was neat to find out that there's a level editor available in beta. Kiko's Apple Adventureis an adorable-looking block-pushing game in which the aim is to nudge apples onto rafts. It just arrived on Steam.
The Button Effect features a museum with a lot of buttons, each with a purpose for you to find out. It seems like a certain Taskmaster task taken to new extremes. The first public demo just hit Steam.
Nonolith is another compelling game that was featured in the showcase. In this puzzle platformer, you can copy and paste blocks to create openings, bridges and staircases. At first glance, it reminds me a little of Animal Well. Monolith is coming to Steam in 2026.
New releases
One thing definitely worth getting excited about this week if you own a particular yellow console with a crank owner is the start of Playdate Season Two. Every Thursday throughout the six-week season (which costs $39), two new games arrive on Panic's diminutive device.
The first batch includes the charming-looking Dig! Dig! Dino! and Fulcrum Defender. The latter of those is from FTL: Faster Than Light and Into the Breach studio Subset Games, whose co-founder Jay Ma went through hell to make Fulcrum Defender.
One of the titles included in the season, Blippo+, is a full-motion video game. It will have weekly episodic updates for 12 weeks, extending far beyond the rest of the Season Two window. The first episode is out now.
Trails is a lovely puzzle game that just landed on Steam. You'll guide sandships to their destination by drawing a path for them. You can't take a ship through the same square twice, and you'll need to make sure they don't crash into each other. There are obstacles, of course, and you'll sometimes have to collect and deliver cargo.
I've enjoyed my time with Trails so far. Developer PurpleSloth gradually teaches you how to play through trial and error, and it adds new hazards and mechanics at a nice pace, though the puzzles do become quite tricky.
You may have spent many pleasant hours cleaning grime off of various objects and iconic landmarks in PowerWash Simulator (which is set to get a sequel later this year). It's time to flip the script a bit in Spray Paint Simulator, from North Star Video Games and publisher Whitethorn Games.
The concept is pretty similar, in that you'll complete jobs for clients by painting certain items or environments. There are no time limits here and a feature that lets you mask an area to ensure you get clean lines is a nice touch. If marking your territory on public or private property with sick, definitely-not-ugly tags is more your thing, there's a free spray mode that you can play alone or with a friend in co-op.
Spray Paint Simulator is out now on Steam, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. It's on Game Pass too. The game is also coming to Nintendo Switch on June 19.
Eternal Evil debuted on Steam back in 2022, and two and a half years later, the survival horror game has made the jump to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. It has mostly positive reviews on Steam and seems very much in the vein of the Resident Evil series (it even has a dual narrative with two characters to play). You'll take on vampires that get stronger as they feed in this game from solo developer Honor Games.
How could I not include a game with a name like Trash Goblin? This is a cozy shopkeeping title from Spilt Milk Studios that just came out of early access on Steam. You'll unearth, restore and upcycle trinkets to sell to customers so you can upgrade your shop. It seems one you might chill out with.
Elsewhere, To a T, a game we mentioned last week, is out now on Xbox Series X/S, Game Pass, PS5, Steam and the Epic Games Store. Cowboy-themed life sim Cowboy Country just landed on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch as well.
Upcoming
I've had my eye on Kingmakersfor a while. It's a completely bananas-looking blend of third-person shooting and strategy game from Redemption Road in which you travel back in time to a medieval war, bringing modern weapons and vehicles with you. Publisher tinyBuild revealed during a showcase this week that Kingmakers will debut in early access on Steam on October 8. Really looking forward to that one.
Beyond the Board is a moody-looking adventure that takes a rook... well, beyond a chess board. It takes inspiration from puzzle games like Limbo and Monument Valley, so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise that the story is told through visual storytelling and soundscapes rather than dialogue. This game from Fragile Shapes Studio doesn't yet have a release window, but you can check out a demo on Steam now.
An extended demo for a fast-paced, melee-focused dungeon runner called Bloodthiefdropped this week. It looks like a lo-fi, medieval spin on Ghostrunner (a series I enjoy but am quite bad at) but with vampires. So yes, I will be digging into this when I have a chance. The original demo is said to have 20 or so hours of gameplay and there's even more in the extended version, which will be featured in Steam Next Fest. Bloodthief, from developer Blargis, is slated to arrive later this year.
I'm going to close this edition out with a game you'll probably never be able to play. Developer Kenney says that, a few years back, they helped a young Star Wars fan make a game based on The Mandalorian after a Make-a-Wish connected the pair. It's a heartwarming story, and the game looks quite charming based on the clip that Kenney shared on BlueSky. However, for legal reasons, it'll likely stay under lock and key, sadly.
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Twitch is getting more TikTok-ified with vertical game streaming. Also, "2K" (1440p) video will let you watch that League of Legends stream in a higher resolution. The ability to rewind streams is coming, too. CEO Dan Clancy made the announcements on Saturday at TwitchCon Europe.
Portrait-mode streaming makes it a little easier to watch gameplay on your phone. Until now, Twitch only supported the orientation for clips and IRL streams. Clips are short highlights that creators can share after a stream ends. And "In Real Life" content shows everyday activities rather than gameplay.
But some screens work much better in a landscape view. Fortunately, Twitch is also rolling out a dual-format mode. Creators can go live in vertical and horizontal orientations at once. You can watch the version that works best for your device. The company will begin testing "with a small number of channels" this summer. It will expand access later this year.
Twitch's 1440p streams should be a welcome addition. (Who doesn't like a sharper-looking video?) On the back end, it uses a newer HEVC codec that produces a better picture with a lower bitrate. And the platform's Enhanced Broadcasting tech automatically tweaks the viewer's resolution.
The 1440p streaming begins rolling out today to all partners and affiliates. But it's in an open beta, so creators may need to wait for access.
Finally, Twitch is rolling out a rewind feature. If you miss part of a stream, you can scrub back to catch up on what you missed. That feature isn't quite here yet, either. Twitch will test it with "a small number of viewers" this summer.
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Gmail will now automatically show you a summary card for lengthy email threads if you check a Google Workspace account on the iOS or the Android app. The company introduced AI summaries last year when it rolled out Gemini side panels for Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive and Gmail. However, you'd have had to manually tap the "Summarize this email" option at the top of emails before if you wanted to see a thread's contents at a glance. Now, the summary will show up at the top of the email the moment you open a thread.
Google's AI assistant will write up key points from multiple messages and include them in the summary. It will keep re-generating that summary and keeping it up to date as more replies come in. At the moment, however, the feature will only work for emails written in English. Also, your personalization smart features in Gmail, Chat and Meet, as well as smart features in Google Workspace, have to be switched on. As The Verge notes, Google didn't say whether it will also make auto-summaries available on non-Workspace accounts and Gmail on desktop. But you can always tap the "Summarize this email" option at the top whenever auto-summary isn't available for you.
In addition to summarizing emails, Gemini in Gmail can help you draft new emails and help you find information from within your inbox or from your Drive files. At I/O 2025, Google CEO Sundar Pichai introduced Personalized Smart Replies, an upcoming feature that can look at your past emails and files to draft a response containing relevant information in the tone you typically use when you write.
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Q:My question is how best to set up an Xbox for my kid. I want to know how to control use time and whether I should use my email to set up. – Guillermo from Utah
A: You're in luck! Console parental controls have come a long way from the days of hiding NES systems (or their controllers) from unruly kids. Microsoft, in particular, has made it very easy through its Xbox Family Settings app for iOS and Android, which supports Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One systems. Once you've added your kids to your Xbox family group, you'll be able to manage and see reports of their playtime, restrict access to specific content, require parental approval for purchases and sort incoming friend requests. In typical Microsoft fashion, though, setting up Xbox family accounts can be a bit confusing, so let's go over it step by step.
Microsoft
How to set up an Xbox for your child
Turn on your Xbox and sign in with your Microsoft account.
Press the Xbox button on your controller, and head to Profile & system > Settings > account > Family settings > Manage family members.
Choose Add to family > Add new.
Unfortunately, Microsoft requires an email address for new accounts. You can either entire your child's existing email if they have one, or choose the Get a new email option to create an Outlook email address. (This may seem a bit absurd for younger children, so if you don't want to create an email for your 6 year old, you may be better off just physically controlling access to consoles like the old days.)
Next, you'll have to verify the addition of a new family group member. You can do so by either choosing This Xbox on the next screen and entering your Microsoft account details, or selecting Their phone/PC to have an email sent to you. In either case, you'll have to consent to the new member.
What is a Microsoft child account?
In its documentation, Microsoft says "a child account is defined as any Microsoft account that’s affiliated with an adult Microsoft account when the age of the child or teen is less than the age of majority for their country or region." These accounts are broken into "Child" and "Teen" categories, which specify age ranges between eight and 12, and 13 to 17. Microsoft notes there can be differences depending on location, like in South Korea where teen accounts range from 13 to 18.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Are there any issues with Microsoft child accounts?
As useful as the Xbox Family app and child accounts may seem, they can also lead to problems while playing Minecraft, according to comments on Reddit. Reddit user "Microdad_" said they weren't able to gift a game to their child's account, they had to deal with a buggy website to allow them to play Minecraft and after all of that trouble their child still can't play in their realm. User "Electronic_Ocelot825" encountered similar issues, replying, "You are spot on. I go through same [sic] crap and it drives me to the point where I am furious.”
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As tech reporters, the Engadget staff is always answering questions from readers, friends and family about electronics, software, gaming, big tech policies and more. So we decided to write down our answers. This question came from a coworker from Yahoo, Engadget's corporate parent. If you’ve got a tech-related question you’d like us to answer for you, please email ask@engadget.com.
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Podcast: We talk with Vigitrust CEO Mathieu Gorge about staying on top of compliance and artificial intelligence, where the danger is data that changes during AI processing and can also proliferate
We look at the areas of risk in artificial intelligence. Potential exposures abound, and include security and privacy issues, bias, accuracy and complete fabrication of results
Nikon has announced that it will increase prices on its photography products in the US due to tariffs, joining other camera manufacturers including Canon, Blackmagic Design and Leica in doing so. It hasn't yet shared which products will be affected, but severaloutlets have received word from dealers that the changes will mostly affect lenses and accessories manufactured in China.
"Due to the recent tariffs, a necessary price adjustment for products will take effect on June 23, 2025," the company wrote last week. "We will be carefully monitoring any tariff developments and may adjust pricing as necessary to reflect the evolving market conditions. We wish to thank our customers for their understanding and know that we are taking every possible step to minimize the impact on our community."
The development comes from Trump's recent tariffs affecting electronic goods, with Nikon noting that the increase could cut its operating profit by around $68 million. Canon, the worldwide leader in camera sales, said in its earnings report last month that it would raise prices soon. Fujifilm recently paused US preorders for several models including the X-M5 and X100 VI.
Other electronics companies, including Acer and DJI, also recently announced US-only price hikes. In its latest earnings report, Sony said it expects to seller fewer PS5s and expects a $700 million tariff-related revenue hit.
These increases could just be the beginning. Nikon builds its products in multiple countries affected by US tariffs, including China, Thailand and its home country, Japan. Unless those nations can negotiate new tariff terms before the end of Trump's 90-day pause, they could be subject to drastically higher rates by July — which would in turn prices for Nikon and many other camera manufacturers.
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At its recent ITF World 2025 conference in Antwerp, Belgian research institute Imec delivered a pointed message: as AI accelerates, the world needs new thinking – not just in software, but in the hardware ecosystems underpinning it
When I got an early look at Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, the first of a new supposed wave of thinner smartphones, it was easy to spot what I’d take issue with. But you know what? Those issues may not matter as much as I thought.
Engadget’s Sam Rutherford has put the device through its paces, and thankfully, the impressive battery life of the S25 series continues. Our rundown test lasted a minute shy of 26 hours. That’s less than other S25 phones with bigger batteries but roughly equal to Google’s Pixel 9 Pro.
And while there’s no optical zoom, the substantial 200-megapixel main camera sensor can crop in a lot, offering some kind of zoom, even if image quality doesn’t match true telephoto cameras.
I’ve got the S25 Edge with me, and these compromises are fine. I also like it thinner. And lighter. I’ve suffered enough with Ultras and Pro Max phones. If anything, I wish the S25 Edge had a smaller screen, closer to the base S25, Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro.
The biggest weakness I didn’t note with the S25 Edge? The perennial curse of measuring devices in millimeters and fractions of an inch means your protective case will almost certainly add those millimeters back on.
Sure, the Nintendo Switch 2 is almost here, but early June also means a whole host of gaming showcases as part of Summer Game Fest. Along with the two big events — Summer Game Fest Live and the Xbox Games Showcase — there are many others in store, including the always-delightful Day of the Devs. We’ll be there in person, and I’ll be flying out on Switch 2 launch day. So I won’t get to touch my Switch 2 until a week later. Bah.
We’ve pulled together all the livestream details revealed so far.
A bill banning social media for anyone under 18 recently moved past the Senate committee and is due for a vote in the Texas State Senate. If made into law, the bill would force social media platforms to verify the age of anyone setting up an account, like how Texas passed legislation requiring porn websites to implement an age verification system.
Texas’ social media ban also proposes letting parents delete their child’s social media account, which definitely won’t start blazing arguments in households across the state.
On June 9, the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote will showcase the changes coming with its 2025 software. What can we expect besides new numbers after every flavor of Apple software? Apparently, a platform-wide visual overhaul. The revamp is said to be a dramatic change, drawing inspiration from Apple’s mixed reality headset. The aim is to integrate all the OSes to a singular design, so jumping from iPhone to iPad to Mac feels like different screens showing the same thing.
We could also see the iPad get even more Mac-like (thanks to those powerful M-series chips), Apple Intelligence delivering on those promises (Siri?) and more health coaching.
In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the criticism being levelled at government proposals to use electronic visa data and biometrics to surveil migrants living in the UK. We also hear from a noted cyber pro about why he thinks the Computer Misuse Act is ripe for reform. And we find out everything there is to know about retrieval augmented generation architectures and how they can be used to infuse generative artificial intelligence (AI) into a business context. Read the issue now.
The FAA last week cleared SpaceX's Starship to fly again after concluding its review of the previous flight, which ended in an explosion, and the next test could now take off as soon as Tuesday. SpaceX is eyeing May 27 for Starship's ninth flight test, with a launch window opening at 7:30PM ET (6:30PM local time for the Texas Starbase). This launch will mark the first time SpaceX reuses a Super Heavy booster; the booster for flight nine previously flew with Starship's seventh flight test earlier this year. While single-use parts have been replaced, SpaceX says it's reusing 29 of the booster's 33 Raptor engines.
As always, viewers at home will be able to watch along by tuning into the livestream, starting about 30 minutes before Starship launches. That will be available on SpaceX's website and in a broadcast on its X profile.
SpaceX conducted Starship's eighth flight test back in March, but the vehicle ran into some issues a few minutes after launch. The Super Heavy booster was able to return to the launch site after separation from the upper stage and be successfully caught by the tower's "chopstick" arms, but as for the ship itself, several Raptor engines shut off, causing it to tumble and ultimately blow itself up.
SpaceX says the issue was likely due to "a hardware failure in one of the upper stage’s center Raptor engines that resulted in inadvertent propellant mixing and ignition." It's since made some changes to prevent that from happening again. SpaceX said in an update on May 22 that "engines on the Starship’s upper stage will receive additional preload on key joints, a new nitrogen purge system, and improvements to the propellant drain system."
For flight nine, the Super Heavy booster won't return to the launch site, but will instead splash down in the ocean. The Starship upper stage will attempt to deploy eight Starlink dummy satellites, and SpaceX is otherwise looking to this flight to test "several experiments focused on enabling Starship’s upper stage to return to the launch site."
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Texas could become the next US state to lay down the law with social media platforms. A Texas bill that would ban social media use for anyone under 18 recently moved past the Senate committee and is due for a vote in front of the Texas State Senate. The bill has until the state's legislative session comes to an end on June 2, leaving roughly a week for it to be approved by both the Senate and the governor.
Earlier this year, the bill passed the House committee stage and was later voted in favor of by the state's House of Representatives. If made into law, the bill would force social media platforms to verify the age of anyone setting up an account, much like how Texas passed legislation requiring websites hosting porn to implement an age verification system. On top of that, Texas' social media ban proposes to let parents delete their child's social media account, allowing the platforms 10 days to comply with the request or face a fine from the state's attorney general.
Texas isn't the only governing body interested in restricting social media access. Last year, Florida's governor, Ron DeSantis, signed into law a bill that outright bans anyone under 14 from using social media and requires 14- and 15-year-olds to get parental consent to make an account or use an existing account. Notably, Texas' proposed law is much stricter than that.
On a larger scale, the US Senate introduced a bill to ban social media platforms for anyone under 13 in April 2024. After being stuck in the committee stage, Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) recently made comments that signal a potential second attempt at getting this passed.
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Apple's long-awaited smart home hub could be available as soon as the end of this year, according to the latest report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Rumors surrounding Apple's smart home hub began circulating as early as 2022, when the product was first reportedly greenlit. However, the road to its release has been rocky since the product was expected to heavily rely on Apple Intelligence. Gurman previously reported in March that Apple had delayed the announcement of its smart home hub thanks to issues with upgrading Siri.
Gurman has since updated his expected timeline for Apple's upcoming product, claiming that a lower-end version will release "by the end of this year at the earliest." Gurman also revealed that a more advanced version that can "move around a person's desk on the end of a robotic arm" should release a year or two after the basic model's launch and is a "major priority at Apple." To meet this release window, Apple will reportedly abandon some of the "bolder features" with the robotic arm model. Gurman added that those features could be pushed back to later models instead.
Apple has said very little about its smart home hub, but rumors detail a design that draws from both the HomePod and iPad. It's rumored to have a seven-inch display, a new operating system called homeOS, and a dashboard that resembles the iPhone's StandBy mode. Apple will have to compete with existing smart home hubs like Amazon's Echo lineup and Google's Nest Hub, but it's rumored that the starting price for the robotic arm version could start at $1,000.
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The Amazon-owned robotaxi company Zoox has issued its second recall in a month following a collision that occurred in San Francisco. It has already submitted a voluntary software recall notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) after an internal review of the incident and has already deployed the software update to its fleet of 270 vehicles. According to the company's announcement, an unoccupied Zoox robotaxi was struck by an electric scooter after braking at an intersection to give right-of-way to other motorists.
The person on the scooter fell, and the robotaxi continued moving and only stopped after completing the turn. Zoox's robotaxi didn't hit the rider, but a company personnel met them and offered medical attention for minor injuries. The incident in San Francisco took place on May 8, shortly after the company announced a voluntary software recall following a separate incident in April wherein a Zoox robotaxi and a passenger car collided in Las Vegas.
Despite the recall, Zoox said that its vehicle was stopped and wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary when it was struck. Still, it rolled out a software update to improve its vehicles' perception tracking capabilities and to prevent them from moving forward again when a road user is in a vulnerable position nearby. While the robotaxi didn't make contact with the rider after they fell on the road, the company most likely realized that it could have, which could lead to more serious accidents in the future. Zoox rolled out its autonomous vehicles for testing on the streets of San Francisco in late 2024. Only company employees can catch a ride at the moment, but Zoox is planning to start offering rides to the public sometime later this year.
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Hey there! Welcome to our weekly indie games roundup. We've got lots to get through this time, including some news before we highlight some brand-new games you can play right now.
Indie journal publisher Lost in Cult is moving into physical game releases with a label called Editions. The focus here is on preservation — all of the games that it releases will be available to play offline, with no updates required. Physical game preservation team Does it Play? is playtesting each release. There are premium, limited-edition versions of each game with a slipcase cover, essay booklet, poster and more, as well as retail copies.
There will be new releases every month, and the first batch includes a couple of humdingers: Immortality and Thank Goodness You're Here. The Excavation of Hob's Barrow, a point-and-click folk horror gamerounds out the trio of debut titles. Really looking forward to seeing where Editions goes from here.
The latest Six One Indie showcase took place this week. I've mentioned a game or two that was featured in it below (Game Informer has a list of all the announcements), but I just want to call out a couple of things here.
The score for 1000xResist, one of the best-received games of 2024, is getting a vinyl release in October. Pre-orders are open now. Also, the game that closed out the show has somehow flown under my radar. Dinobladeis an upcoming hack-and-slash action RPG that puts big blades in the jaws of big dinosaurs. Hell yeah. Meanwhile, the folks behind the showcase have set up their own publishing label, Six One Indie Publishing.
We've got a ton of other gaming showcases coming up over the next few weeks as Summer Game Fest bobbles on the horizon. Fans of brainteasers may want to catch the Thinky Direct showcase from the Thinky Games community. The hour-long stream starts on May 29 at 1PM ET (just as the Cerebral Puzzle Showcase begins on Steam) It will focus on, you guessed it, puzzle games and other titles that should give your brain a workout. You'll be able to watch the stream on YouTube.
Meanwhile, a fun showcase of spy games just premiered. The 25-minute video highlights games across several genres that are largely about snoopin' and sneakin'. All of them, including a bundle of the I Expect You To Die VR trilogy, are featured in the Spy Video Game Rendezvous festival on Steam.
New releases
Deliver At All Costs was among this week's newcomers. It's an action game in which you play a courier in the '50s. As the name suggests, your primary goal is to deliver your cargo, no matter what. Reviews are mixed for this one but, hey, it's free on the Epic Games Store until 11AM ET on May 29. You can also get it on Steam for 10 percent off the regular price of $30 for the time being. The game is also available on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Speaking of vehicle-oriented destruction, it can be a chore to get the first few Grand Theft Auto games running on modern hardware. I live for chaos and Maniac, from Transhuman Design and publisher Skystone Games, reminds me a bit of those early, top-down GTA entries (which were made in my hometown, fact fans). It's out now on Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, a little over a year after debuting on Steam. I can't promise it'll tide you over for a year until GTA 6 drops, but Maniac will run you just five bucks.
Lynked: Banner of the Spark is a co-op action RPG that just came out of early access on Steam and landed on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. With its colorful visuals, it reminds me a bit of Hi-Fi Rush, aesthetically. There's a town-building aspect to this as well. I didn't get around to digging into the game during early access. Reviews have been pretty solid so far, though, so I'm hoping to try out Lynked (from FuzzyBot and publisher Dreamhaven) soon.
A few seconds into the latest trailer for Tales of Seikyu, I spotted a centaur, which was enough to catch my attention. This yokai fantasy life sim from ACE Entertainment and Fireshine Games is out now in early access on Steam. You can morph into other forms (including a slime!) to help with navigation and combat in this one. Centaurs and slimes, what's not to love?
Here's one for the turn-based strategy/history enthusiasts out there. Bonaparte - A Mechanized Revolution (the debut game from Studio Imugi) sees you take control of units like a giant commandant mech in a battle for the future of France. Expect some political intrigue from this one, which is out now on Steam early access.
Upcoming
Chrono Odyssey has picked up plenty of momentum, as more than 400,000 people have already signed up to try it out. The horror-tinged, open-world MMORPG from Kakao Games and Chrono Studio will have a closed beta on Steam next month. It's also set to be featured at the Summer Game Fest Live showcase on June 6. The latest trailer looks deliciously creepy.
Any game from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi is worth paying attention to. Even more so when publisher Annapurna Interactive is on board. And when it's a game that has a "call unicycle" button, I'm triple sold. Life-sim To a T tells the story of a teenager whose body gets stuck in a T-pose, with their arms stuck out to the sides. Thankfully, they have a cute pup who helps them actually do things. A delightful demo is out now on Steam, and the game will hit PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on May 28. This one will be available day one on Game Pass.
We've mentioned The Wandering Village a few times over the years and the game is finally coming out of early access on Steam on July 17. It'll also hit PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch on the same day. This is a city-building sim that takes place on the back of a giant creature.
I do enjoy the voxel destruction of sandbox heist game Teardown. So I was happy to hear that Tuxedo Labs and Coffee Stain are set to release another expansion next month. This time, we're going to space, as all great franchises (i.e the Leprechaun movies) eventually do. The Greenwash Gambit DLC will arrive on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on June 24. It'll cost $8, but owners of the season pass and ultimate edition will get access at no extra cost.
Artis Impact's pretty pixel art made an immediate impression on me during the Six One Indie showcase. It took Malaysian solo developer Mas four years to make this cozy RPG, which is "set in a decaying world ruled by rogue AI." Although the game has a main, linear main path, there are side quests, hidden interactions and random events to experience. A demo for Artis Impact is out now, and the full game is coming to Steam on August 7.
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Google I/O 2025 happened earlier this week, and while there was no new hardware to speak of, the company barraged developers with new AI announcements, search features and bafflingly pricy subscriptions.
First up is the new AI Mode chatbot in search. AI Mode handles more complex queries than traditional search, somewhere between striking up a chat with Gemini and barreling into a traditional Google search. You could, for example, compare multiple cars you’re considering buying or parse travel options for your next big vacation.
AI Mode can simulate how you might look in a new piece of clothing (you have to upload a photo of yourself first to do so), and Google can even track pricing in your size and preferred color.
AI Mode augments Google’s AI Overviews, powered by Gemini. You’ve probably seen them summarizing your search requests (and often getting things wrong, in my experience). When the Overviews do get things right, it means you never have to leave Google Search, which is great for Google but not for the places where Google got the answer. In fact, the News/Media Alliance says AI Mode is theft. President and CEO Danielle Coffey said, “Google just takes content by force and uses it with no return, the definition of theft.”
The most interesting announcement for me was Google’s latest upgrades to video generation and AI video creation tools.
It unveiled Veo 3, the first iteration of Google’s AI video generator that can make videos with sound slightly more realistic (less unhinged video). It’s joined by a new filmmaking app called Flow, which is based on the experimental VideoFX feature Google’s been working on for a few years.
With Flow, you can edit and extend existing shots, add and choose camera movement and perspective controls and even fold AI video content generated with Veo into projects.
In years past, we’ve seen solid Memorial Day sales on many of our favorite tablets, headphones, charging accessories, robot vacuums and more. That’s on top of all the seasonal items that usually get discounted at this time, like smart grills, pizza ovens and outdoor tech. If you’re tempted but not entirely sold, here’s your reminder that Amazon Prime Day typically happens in July. Maybe you can wait.
Maybe you want access to the most impressive AI features Google revealed this week. Maybe you want to play around with Flow. Well, you need either AI Pro ($20 a month) or the insane $250 sub to AI Ultra for some of the most intriguing, creativity-threatening features. Don’t worry, though! AI Ultra has an introductory offer of $125 for the first three months! What. A. Deal.
Google is trying to justify its pricing by including YouTube Premium and 30TB of cloud storage.
But YouTube Premium is $14 per month — what about the other $200-plus?
OpenAI is buying Jony Ive’s startup, io, for $6.5 billion. And to celebrate, it took a black and white photo on an iPhone. Ive and his design studio, LoveForm, will continue to work independently of OpenAI. However, the other cofounders will become OpenAI employees
alongside about 50 other engineers, designers and researchers. Does this mean physical OpenAI devices on the horizon? Apparently, it won’t be a phone or a wearable.
The latest trend-baiting camera from Fujifilm is, well, adorable. The X Half is an 18-megapixel digital compact camera, but it uses half of a 1-inch sensor to shoot 3:4 vertical photos. The name comes from half-frame cameras that use a 35mm film frame sawed in half, which were popular in the ’60s, like the famous Olympus Pen F. It was great for ’60s photographers, who could double-up the shots on a single roll of film — but that’s not really an issue in the digital era.
The X Half has the same 3:4 vertical ratio as Fuji’s Instax Mini instant cameras, so you can make prints using an Instax Mini printer. Fujifilm had a viral hit with the X100 VI, so the even more unique (and tiny!) X Half could appeal to a similar group of shooters. It’s now on pre-order for $850 (in black, charcoal silver and silver) with shipping set to start on June 12.
Netflix will roll out AI-generated ads in 2026, which will play in the middle of a show or whenever users hit pause in its ad-supported plans. Netflix has been steadily increasing subscription costs for its ad-free plans, so maybe 2026 will offer a final push to the pricier subscriptions.
HMRC is seeking a hyperscaler to manage a decade-long migration of its server workloads to the cloud, but the proposed deal is raising eyebrows among UK IT market experts
Whether you are trying to free up storage space or just want to tidy up your system, uninstalling apps on a Mac is a straightforward process. In many cases, removing an application is as simple as dragging it to the Trash, but depending on how the app was installed, there may be a few extra steps involved. Third-party tools are an option, but in most cases, you can uninstall Mac apps easily yourself. Some apps also leave behind associated files that you may want to get rid of to free up space, or to remove every last trace for a cleaner uninstall. Here is a step-by-step guide to uninstalling apps on a Mac, covering several different methods to help you manage your device effectively.
How to uninstall apps from Launchpad
Launchpad provides a simple way to remove apps that were downloaded from the App Store.
Open Launchpad by clicking its icon in the Dock or by pinching closed with your thumb and three fingers on the trackpad.
Find the app you want to delete. You can look it up in the search bar at the top if needed.
Press and hold the app icon until it starts to jiggle.
Click the small X button in the app icon's corner.
Confirm by clicking Delete.
If you do not see an X button, the app was likely not installed from the App Store. In that case, you will need to use a different method to remove it.
How to uninstall apps by moving them to Trash
For apps downloaded from the internet or installed from a disk, you can uninstall them manually through Finder.
Open Finder.
Navigate to the Applications folder.
Locate the app you want to uninstall.
Drag the app to the Trash in the Dock, or right-click the app and select Move to Trash.
To completely remove the app, right-click on the Trash and select Empty Trash.
Some applications may require you to enter your administrator password to complete the deletion. Also, don't empty your Trash too quickly after an install. Whether it's a program or files associated with one, it can be easier to retrieve those things if they're still lingering in your Trash.
How to use an app’s uninstaller
Certain apps come with their own built-in uninstallers, especially larger programs like Adobe products, Microsoft Office or antivirus software. These uninstallers are designed to remove the app and all associated files.
Open the Applications folder in Finder.
Look for a folder associated with the app you want to uninstall.
Open the folder and find the uninstaller tool, often labeled as Uninstall [App Name] or something similar.
Double-click the uninstaller and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you do not see an uninstaller, check the app's official website for specific removal instructions.
How to delete app leftovers manually
Dragging an app to the Trash usually removes the application, but some support files, caches, and preferences can remain on your Mac. These leftover files do not typically harm your system, but they can take up unnecessary space over time.
To manually delete leftover files:
Open Finder and click Go in the menu bar.
Select Go to Folder.
Type ~/Library and press Return.
Search for any folders or files related to the app. Common places to check include:
~/Library/Application Support/
~/Library/Preferences/
~/Library/Caches/
Move any related files or folders to the Trash.
Empty Trash to permanently remove them.
Be cautious when deleting files from the Library folder. Only remove files that are clearly associated with the app you uninstalled.
How to uninstall apps using Terminal
For users comfortable with command-line tools, Terminal offers another way to remove apps. This method can be useful for stubborn apps that do not uninstall easily through other methods.
Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.
Type the following command: sudo rm -rf(do not press return/enter just yet), then drag across the app you wish to uninstall, and Terminal will automatically paste its path. Then press enter/return.
Enter your administrator password when prompted and hit return to complete the action.
Terminal does not provide a confirmation message, so make sure you enter the correct app name before executing the command.
How to uninstall system apps and default apps
MacOS does not allow users to remove core system apps like Safari, Messages or Mail through standard methods. These apps are protected to maintain system stability.
While it is technically possible to delete system apps using Terminal commands and disabling System Integrity Protection (SIP), this is not recommended. Removing system apps can cause unexpected behavior and security vulnerabilities, and may interfere with system updates.
For apps you cannot uninstall, consider hiding them or removing them from the Dock if you want to keep your workspace tidy.
How to reinstall apps on Mac
If you change your mind after uninstalling an app, it is usually easy to reinstall it.
For apps downloaded from the App Store, open the App Store, search for the app and click Get or the Download button.
For apps downloaded from the web, revisit the official website and download the latest version.
If you deleted a default macOS app, restoring it may require reinstalling macOS or using the macOS Recovery feature.
Keeping a backup of important apps or their installers can help avoid any inconvenience if you need to reinstall them later.
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Google used news from its I/O developer conference this year to show what NotebookLM can do. The AI-powered research and note-taking tool has been around for years, but the company has infused it with more and more features as its AI tech improved. To demonstrate those features, Google created a notebook filled with news from I/O 2025, including a YouTube video of the keynote (complete with a transcript of the whole event), press releases, blog posts and even product demonstrations. You can visit all of those one by one, since the company uploaded them as sources to the notebook, but you can also use the AI tool to digest all the information for you.
You can ask NotebookLM anything you want about the event in the chat box, so that you can quickly find details for whatever it is you want to know. When I asked it what is NotebookLM, for instance, it gave me a response that aligned with what was announced during the event. "According to Google's announcements at I/O," the tool responded, "...NotebookLM becomes an 'expert' by grounding its responses in the provided material and offering creative ways to transform information."
Under the Studio section of its interface, you'll be able to generate audio overviews that can give you a quick or a more comprehensive spoken summary of the information you've uploaded. You can also create a Mind Map, which visually summarizes uploaded sources, showing one main topic branching towards several smaller topics and relevant ideas. Mind Maps are meant to structure information in a way that's easier to understand and remember. Google added a reminder to its announcement, however, that "like all AI, NotebookLM can generate inaccuracies," which is something to keep in mind while using the tool.
Google has released an official app for the tool in time for I/O 2025, which you can now download on Android or iOS. To see the company's I/O 2025 notebook, you'll have to be signed into a Google account.
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Before augmented reality was ever a thing, there was Google Glass: a much hyped experiment that was ultimately a failure over issues like privacy (and just looking like a dork). At an I/O session yesterday with Deepmind CEO Demis Hassabis, Google co-founder Sergey Brin admitted that he made "mistakes" with Google Glass in several areas.
"I just didn't know anything about consumer electronic supply chain chains, really, and how hard it would be to build that and have it it at a reasonable price point and managing all the manufacturing and so forth," he said during the session.
Brin said that he's still a believer in the form factor, though, adding that Xreal's latest device looks like "normal glasses" without "that thing in front." He noted that rather than going it alone as before, Google now has "great partners" in Samsung (the Project Moohan headset) and Xreal (Project Aura glasses) as part of the Android XR extended reality program.
There was also a "technology gap" when Google Glass came along in 2013 that no longer exists, according to Brin. "Now in the AI world, the things that these glasses can do to help you out without constantly distracting you, that capability is much higher," he said
Google Glass wasn't a complete flop. It's easy to forget that the product soldiered on for many years after its debut, largely as an enterprise device, and was only fully discontinued in 2023. It also paved a path for future VR and AR wearables like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro. Come to think of it, though, none of those projects have exactly set the world on fire, either.
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If you’ve been holding out for the latest 2025 PC models and graphics card loadouts, Computex is usually when you have to check your bank balance. The PC-centric tech show in Taiwan has kicked off with a barrage of new laptops from the likes of Razer, ASUS and Acer.
ASUS has revealed the new ROG Zephyrus G14, with a 14-inch (of course) screen at 3K resolution, a refresh rate of 120Hz, 500 nits of peak brightness and Dolby Vision support. The G14 can be outfitted with up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor with 12 cores and 24 threads and an AMD XDNA NPU with up to 50 TOPS. The graphics card maxes out with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, while RAM options go up to 64GB and on-board storage up to 2TB.
Meanwhile, Razer’s new Blade 14 laptops will arrive with RTX 5000 series cards, while still remaining thin, thin, thin. Those NVIDIA cards can tap into the company’s DLSS 4 tech to provide “the highest quality gaming experience possible in a 14-inch” laptop, according to Razer. The laptops have AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processors that can achieve up to 50 TOPS. And if you’re feeling even more lavish, there’s also the bigger Blade 18, which you can load out with the RTX 5090. And then there’s Acer, which is doing something special with thermal interface materials.
More original Switch games are getting a Switch 2 makeover. Although their enhancements are subtler than the Switch 2 editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, at least these will be free. Nintendo’s list includes some of the console’s best games: Super Mario Odyssey, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. It also has the platform’s top-down Zelda titles: Echoes of Wisdom and Link’s Awakening. A pair of Pokémon games makes the cut: Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.
LG’s 27-inch 1440p UltraGear OLED monitor is as close to gaming nirvana as fps-hungry players can get. Topping out at a 480Hz refresh rate means it can actually display up to 480 fps. Devindra is already obsessed with it — 240Hz can go to bed.