This week was a surprisingly major one in the world of tech.
Apple launched several new M5-powered machines across its lineup, Samsung announced its headset launch date, and Windows 10 was laid to rest.
To catch up on all of this and more, you can scroll down to see quickfire recaps of the week’s seven biggest tech news stories, and links to the full articles if you need to know more.
7. Windows 10 support officially ended
The guillotine officially came down on Windows 10 this week. On October 14, the operating system used by millions entered its End of Life phase, meaning it’ll no longer receive features, bug fixes, or security patches.
Is that the end of the story? Definitely not. The decision has been hugely controversial, with many criticizing the security implications, considering that many are unable to upgrade to Windows 11 (or don’t want to buy a new machine).
Still, if you’re in that boat, you have a few options – from signing up for free extended updates to turning your Windows 10 laptop into a Chromebook or trying a stripped-down version of Windows 11. Alternatively, you can also read our full guide below on Microsoft’s latest Windows clanger.
6. Windows 11 got more AI powers
The same week it killed off Windows 10, Microsoft brought some new capabilities to Windows 11, and of course, they’re all related to AI and Copilot.
Interestingly, these updates aren’t reserved for Copilot+ PCs. Microsoft is instead promising a “new wave of updates that make every Windows 11 PC an AI PC – with Copilot at the center of it all”.
The big change is a new voice control. If you opt in, simply say “Hey Copilot” (and definitely not “Hey Cortana”), and you can start issuing commands when the Copilot microphone appears on your screen. Say “Goodbye” or close the panel to end the conversation.
There’s also the global rollout of Copilot Vision, which has only been available in the US so far. It analyzes the content on your screen to help instruct you on how to achieve the task you’ve set out to do and offers troubleshooting if something has gone wrong.
5. The Pokémon series mega evolved
This world-renowned franchise has received accusations of being stale in recent years, and that it has lost its way in the 3D era – but those accusations can be put to bed following the debut of Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
We had the chance to review the game ahead of its launch and thought it was fantastic. The new battle mechanics feel closer to the anime than the series ever has, the exploration is great – even if Lumiose can start to feel a little cramped after many hours – and the story might be the most engaging we’ve ever had – with hints of the excellent Gamecube duo of XD: Gale of Darkness and Colosseum.
That’s not to say it’s perfect – there’s a little clunkiness in the battles on occasion, and it’s not always the most challenging – but Legends: Z-A proves that sometimes you can reinvent the wheel to make something that is superbly fresh yet familiar.
4. Samsung set an XR release date
This week, Samsung announced that it will unveil its consumer XR headset running Android XR on October 21 at an event titled World Wide Open.
While we don’t know the full specifications of this headset, Samsung has been showcasing Moohan, the precursor to its upcoming headset, for some time now, and our demos with the headset have been generally positive.
If an Android XR headset piques your interest, you can register to buy the headset now and get a small bonus for your faith – $100 credit towards other Samsung gear, after you complete your purchase.
That’s not a bad bonus if you do end up purchasing the headset, but it also suggests Moohan won’t be the cheapest option at launch if Samsung is offering $100 freebies.
3. We reviewed the Xbox handheld
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X (and its non-X sibling) finally launched, and we’ve been testing it out to see if this so-called Xbox handheld can reinvigorate our interest following Xbox’s recent Game Pass SNAFU.
After giving it a whirl, our review found that it’s not quite a portable version of the Xbox console; instead, it’s an impressive Windows 11-powered gaming handheld PC. While it doesn’t quite fix all of Windows 11’s handheld problems, it does boast some innovative hardware and software choices that feel like a major step in the right direction.
As our review said, “While it’s probably the best premium handheld device on the market, because of the high price and the feeling that the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X still fails to offer a truly console-like experience, this is a niche product in an increasingly competitive space, and the Xbox tie-in won’t be quite enough to make it stand out.”
2. The new MacBook Pro started Apple’s M5 era
It wasn’t a huge shock to those who’d been following the rumors, but this week Apple updated its 14-inch MacBook Pro with a powerful new M5 chip.
That was good news for anyone who’s been waiting to update their creaking old Pro machine. But fans of the larger 16-inch model will have to struggle on for a bit longer – the more powerful M5 Pro and Max chips aren’t quite ready, it seems.
Still, with a new chip, faster SSD storage, and the same trusty design as before, the M5 MacBook Pro might just be the safe bet that creatives have been waiting for.
1. Apple debuted an M5 iPad
As many expected, Apple rolled out its most advanced and fastest Apple Silicon, the M5 chip, and as it did with the M4, one recipient of this faster SoC is Apple’s powerful and ultra-thin iPad Pro.
The difference this time is the intense focus on artificial intelligence and how the faster Neural Engine and neural accelerators in every GPU core will propel generative AI operations, mostly through supporting local operation of third-party models.
Other than that big-brain swap, there appear to be no other changes to the iPad Pro 11 or 13-inch models. Even the prices are the same, which may be the best news.
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hamish.hector@futurenet.com (Hamish Hector)
