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The Ray-Ban Stories 2 is here with a new design, new specs, and a new name
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We knew Meta Connect 2023 would be when Meta finally told us everything we needed to know about the soon-to-release Meta Quest 3 VR headset, but that’s not the only XR gadget up Meta’s sleeve. It also introduced us to its latest smart glasses collaboration with Ray-Ban, (up for preorder right now starting at £299, US and Australian pricing to be confirmed) and I got to try them out.

This follow-up to the Ray-Ban Stories may not be called the Ray-Ban Stories 2 – officially it’s known as the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Collection (quite the mouthful, I know) – but it might as well be a sequel. Meta has improved everything, from the internal components to the design of the case, while keeping everything that makes the Ray-Ban Stories what they are.

The first improvement is the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses’ camera. It now boasts a 12MP snapper instead of 5MP, which will capture images and video at a higher resolution than before. The 32GB of internal storage can hold up to 500 photos, or 100 30-second videos. The mic system has also been upgraded, and Meta says the five-microphone setup is better at capturing immersive spatial audio.

You’ll likely notice the speakers are better too. According to Meta, the open ear speakers in each arm are 50% louder than those found in Ray-Ban Stories. Plus, Meta promises they can deliver deeper bass, greater clarity and have less audio leak (so people should have a harder time hearing what you’re listening to).

RayBan Meta Smart Glasses jumping out of their case

(Image credit: Meta)

A new useful feature is the addition of a simple voice assistant. You can instruct it to take a photo or video, or if your Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are wirelessly connected to a phone, you can ask the assistant to call someone in your contacts and send them a pic of where you are.

The design has also been refreshed. You can still pick up a pair in the classic Wayfarer style (either standard or large) or you can buy them in the new Headliner style created for this collaboration. Every frame type is compatible with a range of different lens styles for prescription to polarized, and you can customize the frames with five different colors: glossy black, matte black, transparent black, transparent turquoise, or transparent orange. Thanks to all these options, there are over 150 different combinations, so you should be able to find the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses you want.

The new specs are set to ship on October 17, with preorders live right now. The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Collection starts at £299 (US and Australian pricing to be confirmed). If you want to pick up a pair with Transitions or Polarized lenses, this will cost you a little more, at £379 and £329 (US and Australian pricing to be confirmed) respectively.

What I thought of the RayBan Meta Smart Glasses

You can check out my full hands-on Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses Collection review for my in-depth thoughts on the new Meta x RayBan smart specs, but long story short – these glasses seem good albeit a bit niche.

Hamish wearing a black pair of Wayfarer smart glasses from Ray-Ban and Meta. He's also wearing a hat and a bag in a large modern living room.

(Image credit: Future)

Images and videos I snapped with the glasses look fine – plus the hands-free nature makes it easy to capture moments that wouldn’t suit your holding a phone in hand. I also agree with Meta that the glasses allowed me to capture a memory while also feeling more active in the moment than I might feel if I were recording on my phone.

Audio from the glasses seem solid too. I didn’t have the opportunity to hear as wide a range of tracks as I’d need to for a full assessment but my first impression is that they offer good clarity and volume, though I’m not sure the sound is as forceful as I like. As for audio leakage, this seem controlled. I had my demo at the same time as another person and when their music was on moderate loudness and mine was off, I couldn’t hear what they were playing even though I was standing fairly close.

My main concern is that the glasses feel a bit niche. Ideally, these are something you’d wear as often as possible to enjoy music wherever you are, or to capture a picture or recording of whatever impromptu moments come your way – but I’m not sure the people around me will love that I’m wearing a noticeable camera everywhere I go. 

Sure, I could carry them around in their charging case and only take them out when I need them, but then why wouldn’t I just use my phone instead – even mid-range phones have a better 50MP+ camera. 

If I need both of my hands free or I want to feel more involved in the moment, I could whip out one of the best action cameras, many of which are cheaper or only slightly more pricey than these specs. And for a similar music experience, you could pick up a pair of air-conduction headphones such as the JBL Soundgear Sense.

You can see inside these transparent orange frames, giving you a look at the internal componenst and spoeakers housed in the arm of the Ray-Ban and Meta smart glasses

(Image credit: Future)

That said, I’m admittedly not super familiar with this category of glasses. My experience is with specs like the Xreal Airs, which are focused on AR video rather than having an in-built camera. During a longer test, I imagine finding a use-case for these RayBan glasses that makes them feel less niche.

If you can already see how these glasses would suit your lifestyle then they might be a worthwhile purchase. But if you can’t think of a good use for them, maybe think twice about getting your pre-order in.

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The Meta Quest 3 is here, and I think it’s the best VR headset yet
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At Meta Connect 2023 we finally got a full look at the new Meta headset the Meta Quest 3 – a headset the company has called its most powerful yet. Best of all it’s available to preorder right now starting at $ 499.99 / £479.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta), with the headset set to ship on October 10

While this Oculus Quest 2 successor costs slightly more than Quest 2 did at launch – it was just £299 / $ 299 / AU$ 479 for its cheapest 64GB model and was later the same price for a 128GB headset – the Quest 3 comes with a whole host of upgrades to help justify its price.

The star of the show is the new Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset, which offers a two-and-a-half times better graphical performance compared to the Quest 2’s XR2 Gen 1 chip. Plus with its now 8GB of RAM this means VR experiences can offer more realistic physics and lighting, as well as fuller environments for you to explore and interact with.

These improved graphics will be shown on a new and improved pair of LCD displays which now boast 2,064 x 2,208 pixels per eye (up from the Quest 2’s 1,920 x 1,832 pixels per eye). Best of all this display has a variable refresh rate that can get as high as 120Hz.

The Meta Quest 3 and controllers on their charging station which is itself on a wooden desk next to a lamp

The Meta Quest 3 and its charging station (which is sold separately)  (Image credit: Meta)

You’ll also find the design has been given a few upgrades. Not only is the headset 40% slimmer which should help to make it more comfortable to wear but it’s easier to adjust the headset to suit your needs. There’s a lens adjustment scroll wheel that you can turn while wearing the headset so you can set the lens to perfect spacing apart and a built-in adjustable spacer that makes room for glasses if you’re wearing a pair.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the Meta Quest 3 is a mixed reality-focused device with new full-color passthrough capabilities and a depth sensor to make it better than Meta’s previous headsets at mapping out your real-world space. Mixed reality has always felt a little gimmicky, but with its improved capabilities and new features like Augments – these sort of mixed reality widgets – the Meta Quest 3 might finally make us care about MR as much as VR.

As I mentioned above, preorders are live now with the new Meta headset set to ship on October 10, 2023. You can pick up the base 128GB version for $ 499.99 / £479.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta), or you can buy the 512GB Quest 3 for $ 649.99 / £619.99 (Australian pricing to be confirmed by Meta). You can also pick up a range of accessories including a Quest 3 Elite Strap, and the one I’m most excited about, the charging dock (as the Quest Pro charging station was a massive help).

To help incentivize you to make a preorder, Meta will give anyone who orders a Meta Quest 3 before January 27 a free copy of Asgard’s Wrath 2. If you order the 512GB model you’ll also get a six-month subscription to Meta Quest Plus – a service that gives you new free VR games and apps every month that you can play as long as you’re subscribed.

What I thought of the Meta Quest 3 

You can read my full hands on Meta Quest 3 review for a more in-depth rundown of my initial Quest 3 reaction, but the TL;DR is this device seems like a major step forward compared to what Meta has produced before and I think it could be the best VR headset out there.

Hamish striking a disco dance pose while wearing the Meta Quest 3 headset

Samba de Amigo on the Quest 3 is silly fun (Image credit: Meta)

Visually, the Quest 3’s graphics look almost night and day compared to the Oculus Quest 2. The most obvious improvement is for text – it’s actually really easy to read words on documents you find in-game now – but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Shadows and reflections behave much more realistically, and objects have a crisper look to them that helps the world feel significantly more real than they did on Quest 2.

Mixed reality has received a massive bump up too. Passthrough footage of the real world is more color-accurate and less grainy than with the Meta Quest Pro. It’s still not life-like but it's a leap in the right direction. This higher quality makes mixed reality feel less gimmicky – I loved the mixed reality experiences I tried for Stranger Things VR and First Encounters, and I’ll definitely be trying out more MR content when I get my hands on the Quest 3 again.

The performance also feels solid. While booting up Assassin’s Creed Nexus did take a while, once the game had loaded the Italian city I explored as Ezio felt alive with characters and interactable props without any noticeable stuttering to break my immersion.

As for the design and comfort, again the Quest 3 excels. The headset has an IPD wheel so you can gradually adjust the lens spacing while wearing the headset – saving a lot of hassle compared to the Quest 2, since you no longer have to keep taking the headset on and off to make changes. The slim design also seems to help with comfort. Generally, the Meta Quest 3 feels less bulky compared to the Quest 2, though I wasn’t using it for a super long time and didn’t get a true sense of how easy it would be to wear it for a long stretch of time.

Hamish wearing the Meta Quest 3 as he stands in front of a plant. He's looking at something in VR with wonder.

Mixed reality is a blast on the Quest 3 (Image credit: Meta)

I’ll need to spend longer than a roughly 30-minute demo with the headset to know how impressive the Meta Quest 3 really is, but there is certainly a lot to love about the headset.

Previously I’ve always recommended people buy Meta’s Quest 2 because of the value for money it offers – and it is still a solid value option. But if you can afford to splash out a little more (or are happy to wait longer to save up) the Meta Quest 3 looks like a worthy successor and a VR gadget that more than justifies its higher cost. I can’t wait to try it out again.

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Apple Podcasts has gotten a big overhaul – here are the big changes
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Apple is going all in on original content for iPhone as the tech giant has revealed a big upgrade to its Podcasts app on iOS 17, introducing a redesigned layout and new features.

Throughout the year, the company made various promises to expand the Apple Podcasts in multiple ways. It announced during its last WWDC event in June that new original programming was coming to Apple Music and Apple News Plus. It also planned to revitalize the platform by adopting a more modern, colorful look. Everything that has been teased for the past several months is now here and there’s a lot to cover. 

1. App Redesign

The Apple Podcasts redesign has actually been around since June when it was first released in beta. Not much has changed since then as Apple has seemingly decided to stick pretty closely to the initial look. As stated earlier, things are more colorful. The Now Playing screen now displays a “blurry version of the podcast cover art”, according to 9To5Mac. Both the “volume and playback progress slides [adopt] the same style found in the Music app.” 

Apple Podcast redesign

(Image credit: Apple)

Chapter lists display “how much time is left until” the next episode. Search results can be filtered by “Top Results, Shows, Episodes, and Channels”, if you're looking for something specific.

2. Content expansion

Beginning September 26, people who have a subscription to either Apple Music, Apple News Plus, Calm, or Lingokids will be given access to over “60 original podcasts”. This includes, but is not limited to, news briefs, radio shows, educational courses, guided meditations, and narrated articles. The last one will be available through the Apple News Plus Narrated show. 

At the time of this writing, there are 16 episodes on Narrated covering stories from GQ to The New Yorker. It doesn’t look like every single article written by a publication will have a narrator; just a select few.

We should mention episodes of the original programming will roll out every week throughout autumn. Presumably, things will slow down moving into the winter

3. Connected subscriptions

Next month, the tech giant will be rolling out a new API (Application Programming Interface) for third-party companies giving them the opportunity to integrate their content app with Apple Podcasts. That way, people can listen to their favorite shows without having to install another app. Everything will be together under one roof.

Users will need to first connect their subscription to Apple Podcasts. Once done, they’re able to browse through a broadcast’s library across a variety of devices, including their iPhone or Apple Watch. 

Only a few publications will support the connection at the start. Notable names include the Wall Street Journal, Mamamia, plus The Economist. No word if anybody else will support the API, but the door is open for developers.

Connected podcasts

(Image credit: Apple)

This update is currently rolling out to all users. Obviously, your iPhone needs to be running iOS 17. To connect your subscriptions to Apple Podcasts, you will also need iPadOS 17 or macOS Sonoma, which just came out today.

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Desperate for dark mode with Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot? It’s now here
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Microsoft’s Bing chatbot and Bing search on desktop have just got dark mode, a feature that many folks have been keenly awaiting for some time.

Jordi Ribas, Microsoft’s CVP, Head of Engineering and Product for Bing, made the announcement on Twitter.

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As you can see, dark mode is rolling out over the next few days, so everyone should have it before the weekend.

Indeed, going by feedback to the tweet, many people are already using dark mode when chatting to the Bing AI (or using the Bing search website) on their desktop PC.

If you’re not sure whether you have the ability to turn on dark mode, just go to the Bing site, click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines, top-right), and go to Appearance, where you’ll find light and dark modes (if available). There’s also an option to automatically use whatever system-wide choice you’ve made for the light or dark theme.

Analysis: Folks are over the dark side of the moon

This has happened earlier than expected, which is always good. Last week, we were told that dark mode was inbound for Bing AI (and search), but we were informed it would be here in a couple of weeks. It only took one week to appear, then, so Microsoft moved a bit faster than anticipated.

As you may recall, Bing AI also got the full rollout of Visual Search last week, so everyone now has that, too. This feature allows you to fling an image at the chatbot, and then get a reply imparting info on the pic (for example, if you have a picture of a historical building, Bing will tell you what – and where – it is).

You can combine that function with the chatbot’s image creation capabilities, too, and ask it to compose a similar image. (Say you’ve got a picture of a wolf in daylight, you could ask Bing to create something just like it, but at night with a full moon).

There’s an increasing amount of neat tricks that Bing AI can perform, though Google is speeding up its progress on Bard, too. The chatbot arms race is in full swing, for sure.

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Android 14 Beta 3 is here, and it brings enhanced lock screen customization
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We’re not expecting the finished version of Android 14 to roll out for another two or three months, but the beta version has just had a big update, with Android 14 Beta 3 now here, complete with new lock screen customization options for Pixel phones.

These features – spotted in Beta 3 by Mishaal Rahman – were previously teased at Google I/O 2023, and they allow you to change the colors, size, and style of the lock screen clock, as well as choosing which shortcuts to display on the lock screen.

For the clock, you can choose from a number of digital options along with one analog one, while for the shortcuts, you have a choice of mute, device controls (for smart home devices), Google Wallet, camera, do not disturb, video call, flashlight, and a QR code scanner.

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You can place one in the bottom left corner and one in the bottom right, or choose not to display shortcuts. Disappointingly though you’re limited to those options, so you can’t have truly custom shortcuts.

Still, this should be a handy update, and bring the Pixel series more in line with what’s possible on the iPhone 14, along with the other best iPhones, especially since iOS 16 introduced a similar feature. And while this implementation isn’t currently supported by other Android handsets, some manufacturers have been offering similarly capable lock screen customization for a while, anyway.

Interface tweaks and a new tutorial

This isn’t the only new feature in the Android 14 Beta 3 though, as Rahman also reports that there’s a new tutorial for gesture navigation, and there are various small interface tweaks, such as a new charging indicator, themed icons now having more vibrant colors, and more rounded buttons in the screenshot preview.

So the enhanced lock screen customization is definitely the headline feature, but there are a few other things that users might appreciate too.

Notably though, this beta has been released on the schedule Google previously set, which means we should be on target for a finished release, likely in August or September. As such, there shouldn’t be too long to go now, and we’d recommend most users wait until the final version is ready, since betas always have bugs.

That said, if you really want the latest Android 14 beta now and you have a compatible phone, you can head to our how to download the Android 14 beta guide for full step-by-step instructions.

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Windows 11 Moment 3 update is packed with cool features – here are 5
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Microsoft’s latest feature update for Windows 11 is now rolling out and is full of big changes. Dubbed “Moment 3”, the release brings long-requested features and quality-of-life improvements that make it an update worth installing straight away.

Seeing as Moment 2 was released late in February, it’s quite a pleasant surprise to see how quickly the next release has arrived. These Moment updates are part of Microsoft’s approach to improving Windows 11 – instead of dropping a huge update every year, the company has shifted to putting out new features as part of more frequent cumulative updates. So, without further ado, here’s our pick of the five coolest features coming our way with Moment 3.

1. Taskbar and Notification Improvements

Windows veterans will be happy to find a few improvements to the taskbar, like a network icon that will indicate an active VPN connection with a small lock icon – helpful if you’re one of those people who often forget whether or not you’ve got your VPN turned on. Keep in mind, though, that the icon will only appear when you use ‘native’ VPN connections set up in the settings app, and won’t pop up if you’re using third-party VPN applications. So that’s a bit of a bummer.

Most people might find the updated taskbar clock to be the best change in the Moment 3 update, as the clock can now display seconds! It’s about time (pun intended).

The most helpful change to notifications is the ability to copy two-factor authentication codes from desktop push notifications with one click. This feature is already present on Android and iOS, so it’s good to see Microsoft finally bringing it to the desktop operating system – so no more opening emails just to copy a few numbers!

2. An improved widget board

The updates to Windows Widgets in Moment 3 are a little sparse, but what we do is get a redesigned widget picker so you can preview a widget before pinning it to the board. This is a bonus for those of us who are a little particular about how our widget boards look, so at least now you can properly plan the layout of your board instead of finding out after the widget is in place that it messes up your widget feng shui.

Again, it’s not a huge update, but it does give you a little more creative freedom when laying out your space, and could possibly leave room for bigger changes to Windows Widgets in the future as more updates roll out.

3. This new Task Manager feature

Task manager will now support live kernel memory dump, a feature for gathering data to troubleshoot issues in the background while the operating system keeps running. This may not mean a lot to the average user, but if you’re a developer that needs to investigate unresponsive applications or weed out the source of other issues, it’s a pretty useful addition.

Once you have the update installed, you can create a live kernel memory dump by heading to the Task Manager and right-clicking the System Process, where you’ll find the ‘create live kernel memory dump file’ option.

4. A better Settings menu

There are quite a few changes and improvements to Windows Settings with Moment 3, but we’ll just go into the more interesting ones for now.

Tab hoarders and multitaskers rejoice, Snap Assist has now been bulked up to help with your numerous open tabs! Normally you can press Alt + Tab or trigger Snap Assist by dragging your window to the top of the screen, and you can split the screen into a maximum of four tabs. But with Moment 3, you can now head over to a new section of the Settings menu and choose between three, five, and 20 tabs. You have been heard, and your many tabs are valid.

The Settings app also has a dedicated new section for all of your OneDrive subscriptions and a better breakdown of the stored content on each one. This will no doubt come in handy for cloud storage users when keeping tabs on your files, helping you get a proper breakdown of what exactly is eating up your cloud capacity.

5. Bonus Wallpapers!

Of course, we can’t talk about the Moment 3 update without mentioning the snazzy new wallpapers! The iconic Windows 11, uh… swirly pattern now comes in wonderful shades of pink, magenta, and purple, which stand out even more in the darker versions of the new wallpaper. 

Hopefully, these new wallpapers signify a fresh new era for Windows 11 that’ll be packed with more aesthetic positives. The cheerful wallpaper tones really are the cherry on top of a solid, well-thought-out feature update. 

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Here are the six best Sonic Mania levels put in by modders
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There used to be a time when the only way to prolong a game further, would be to use cheats or hope that an expansion pack would soon arrive to bring out new levels.

But we live in a time where modding a game can be very easy, as long as you have the patience. The Sonic community is a great example of this, where full-blown makeovers of existing games, or additional levels have been created to showcase what a game could do further.

Since its release in 2017, Sonic Mania is still regarded to be one of the best Sonic games of its time, but modders have been expanding it with new levels, mods, characters, and conversions to prolong it further.

With this in mind, we've played through countless levels to highlight five of the best, from their time and attention paid, to the complete randomness of how some fit so well for a Sonic game.

Aquatic Ruin Zone

Sonic Mania Aquatic Ruin Zone

(Image credit: Future)

This zone is part of a collection that has four other levels from Sonic 2, released back in 1992.

Sonic 2 Mania is a team effort to remake certain zones into the Sonic Mania engine, but with remixed music and their Act 2 variants twist what you think of what the level entails.

This mod has been the template for other modders to follow since its first release in 2019, as other levels released before this, would be 1:1 copies. Here, they're fresh but look as though they're DLC from SEGA.

Aquatic Ruin Zone has been remade from the ground up, with remixed music and all the enemies intact, alongside the dangerous arrows and the breakable pillars that are across the two acts.

Labyrinth Zone

Sonic Mania mod: Labyrinth Zone

(Image credit: SEGA)

This zone is a great example of building on what made the level memorable while expanding its design.

Released as part of the Misfits Pack, you also get three other zones as part of a demo that remixes established and cut levels from past Sonic games.

The music is a big highlight here, where the drums and percussion make the track pop as you run for an oxygen bubble or jumping across platforms.

But what makes this zone a highlight, is how much the level doesn't stay in the underground parts of the Mega Drive version. As you try to jump and run to the top of the level, you see cracks of light in the background, reminiscent of a scrapped idea for the zone that was found in a leaked beta build of Sonic 1.

Once you reach the top of the level, you find an unexpected night sky, but it works so well you end up accepting this.

As there's currently no way to edit or add in new bosses, you're using the same one from Hydrocity Zone Act 1, but it still fits the brief, and it makes you wonder how a new boss could work in this remixed Labyrinth Zone.

Jungle Zone

Jungle Zone in Sonic Mania

(Image credit: SEGA)

This is a level taken from the Master System release of Sonic 1, SEGA's 8-bit system released two years before the Mega Drive.

Some arguably regard the 8-bit port to be superior to the Mega Drive version, mainly due to the different zones such as Jungle Zone and Sky Base Zone, alongside the Chaos Emeralds being hidden in each level, rather than the motion-sickness-inducing Special Stages.

Instead, this mod is the best of both worlds, where you get one of the best levels from an 8-bit Sonic game, with its green and orange pixel art put together with its catchy music tune that's remained unchanged, and rightfully so.

Available as two acts, with the second act offering a sunset theme, it's a level that's asking to be remade in a future game.

Music Plant

Sonic Advance 2 level Music Plant in Sonic Mania as a mod

(Image credit: SEGA)

This isn't just one zone from the GBA sequel released back in 2003, but six, all working as intended in Sonic Mania.

Music Plant is part of a collection of levels from the Game Boy Advance release of Sonic Advance 2, released back in 2003. It was the second time Sonic appeared in a 2D game on a handheld other than SEGA's, with an appearance on the NEO GEO Pocket Color in 1999.

Here, there are six zones recreated in Sonic Mania, all with its original music. But it's Music Plant which is the highlight for this mod.

In one of the most colorful zones in a Sonic game, you're bouncing between piano keys while rolling down rails, all in Sonic Mania's engine. The zone's music is originally from another SEGA game called Ristar, which is also in this mod, which fits well for the design and the atmosphere of Music Plant.

But the mod is still under development, with more zones being worked on to be implemented.

Hill Top Zone

Sonic Mania Hill Top Zone

(Image credit: SEGA)

We're slightly cheating here, as this is part of the Sonic 2 Mania mod that has Aquatic Ruin Zone in this list. But when you consider that there's two Acts here, completely remade, with remixed music and a twist in Act 2, it's one of the best mods you could download for Sonic Mania.

You can control other characters here as well, but Knuckles is a good fit for Hill Top, as you can glide and climb up the platforms while avoiding the lava.

The moments of being in a cave and the rising lava is all here as it was in Sonic 2, and again the two acts feel as though they are right at home in Sonic Mania. For a level that was originally conceived to be a past version of Emerald Hill Zone during Sonic 2's development, it's become iconic in 30 years since its debut, and begs to be remade for a future 2D or 3D outing.

The PrideLands

The PrideLands level from Lion King, in Sonic Mania

(Image credit: SEGA)

Do you remember playing The Lion King in the mid-nineties, and wondered if a level could work in a Sonic game?

Wonder no more, as a talented modder has ported over the fifth level from the SEGA Mega Drive game, with monitors and enemies scattered throughout.

It's a short level, as you need to reach the top, and Act 2 requires you to get to the end in under sixty seconds.

But what sells it, is a cover of Toto's Africa that plays throughout both Acts, which is random on one hand, and so right on another.

Its randomness is what makes this level so compelling, and while there's next to no chance of a Sonic and Simba crossover, it does make you wonder if other levels from The Lion King, or Aladdin on the Mega Drive, could also work for Sonic Mania.

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Here are the six best Sonic Mania levels put in by modders
  • No Comments

There used to be a time when the only way to prolong a game further, would be to use cheats or hope that an expansion pack would soon arrive to bring out new levels.

But we live in a time where modding a game can be very easy, as long as you have the patience. The Sonic community is a great example of this, where full-blown makeovers of existing games, or additional levels have been created to showcase what a game could do further.

Since its release in 2017, Sonic Mania is still regarded to be one of the best Sonic games of its time, but modders have been expanding it with new levels, mods, characters, and conversions to prolong it further.

With this in mind, we've played through countless levels to highlight five of the best, from their time and attention paid, to the complete randomness of how some fit so well for a Sonic game.

Aquatic Ruin Zone

Sonic Mania Aquatic Ruin Zone

(Image credit: Future)

This zone is part of a collection that has four other levels from Sonic 2, released back in 1992.

Sonic 2 Mania is a team effort to remake certain zones into the Sonic Mania engine, but with remixed music and their Act 2 variants twist what you think of what the level entails.

This mod has been the template for other modders to follow since its first release in 2019, as other levels released before this, would be 1:1 copies. Here, they're fresh but look as though they're DLC from SEGA.

Aquatic Ruin Zone has been remade from the ground up, with remixed music and all the enemies intact, alongside the dangerous arrows and the breakable pillars that are across the two acts.

Labyrinth Zone

Sonic Mania mod: Labyrinth Zone

(Image credit: SEGA)

This zone is a great example of building on what made the level memorable while expanding its design.

Released as part of the Misfits Pack, you also get three other zones as part of a demo that remixes established and cut levels from past Sonic games.

The music is a big highlight here, where the drums and percussion make the track pop as you run for an oxygen bubble or jumping across platforms.

But what makes this zone a highlight, is how much the level doesn't stay in the underground parts of the Mega Drive version. As you try to jump and run to the top of the level, you see cracks of light in the background, reminiscent of a scrapped idea for the zone that was found in a leaked beta build of Sonic 1.

Once you reach the top of the level, you find an unexpected night sky, but it works so well you end up accepting this.

As there's currently no way to edit or add in new bosses, you're using the same one from Hydrocity Zone Act 1, but it still fits the brief, and it makes you wonder how a new boss could work in this remixed Labyrinth Zone.

Jungle Zone

Jungle Zone in Sonic Mania

(Image credit: SEGA)

This is a level taken from the Master System release of Sonic 1, SEGA's 8-bit system released two years before the Mega Drive.

Some arguably regard the 8-bit port to be superior to the Mega Drive version, mainly due to the different zones such as Jungle Zone and Sky Base Zone, alongside the Chaos Emeralds being hidden in each level, rather than the motion-sickness-inducing Special Stages.

Instead, this mod is the best of both worlds, where you get one of the best levels from an 8-bit Sonic game, with its green and orange pixel art put together with its catchy music tune that's remained unchanged, and rightfully so.

Available as two acts, with the second act offering a sunset theme, it's a level that's asking to be remade in a future game.

Music Plant

Sonic Advance 2 level Music Plant in Sonic Mania as a mod

(Image credit: SEGA)

This isn't just one zone from the GBA sequel released back in 2003, but six, all working as intended in Sonic Mania.

Music Plant is part of a collection of levels from the Game Boy Advance release of Sonic Advance 2, released back in 2003. It was the second time Sonic appeared in a 2D game on a handheld other than SEGA's, with an appearance on the NEO GEO Pocket Color in 1999.

Here, there are six zones recreated in Sonic Mania, all with its original music. But it's Music Plant which is the highlight for this mod.

In one of the most colorful zones in a Sonic game, you're bouncing between piano keys while rolling down rails, all in Sonic Mania's engine. The zone's music is originally from another SEGA game called Ristar, which is also in this mod, which fits well for the design and the atmosphere of Music Plant.

But the mod is still under development, with more zones being worked on to be implemented.

Hill Top Zone

Sonic Mania Hill Top Zone

(Image credit: SEGA)

We're slightly cheating here, as this is part of the Sonic 2 Mania mod that has Aquatic Ruin Zone in this list. But when you consider that there's two Acts here, completely remade, with remixed music and a twist in Act 2, it's one of the best mods you could download for Sonic Mania.

You can control other characters here as well, but Knuckles is a good fit for Hill Top, as you can glide and climb up the platforms while avoiding the lava.

The moments of being in a cave and the rising lava is all here as it was in Sonic 2, and again the two acts feel as though they are right at home in Sonic Mania. For a level that was originally conceived to be a past version of Emerald Hill Zone during Sonic 2's development, it's become iconic in 30 years since its debut, and begs to be remade for a future 2D or 3D outing.

The PrideLands

The PrideLands level from Lion King, in Sonic Mania

(Image credit: SEGA)

Do you remember playing The Lion King in the mid-nineties, and wondered if a level could work in a Sonic game?

Wonder no more, as a talented modder has ported over the fifth level from the SEGA Mega Drive game, with monitors and enemies scattered throughout.

It's a short level, as you need to reach the top, and Act 2 requires you to get to the end in under sixty seconds.

But what sells it, is a cover of Toto's Africa that plays throughout both Acts, which is random on one hand, and so right on another.

Its randomness is what makes this level so compelling, and while there's next to no chance of a Sonic and Simba crossover, it does make you wonder if other levels from The Lion King, or Aladdin on the Mega Drive, could also work for Sonic Mania.

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The start of a new era for Microsoft Teams is here
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Microsoft has rolled out an update for Teams that will change the way many people collaborate with colleagues and perform their daily tasks on the platform.

The update introduces functionality from Microsoft Loop, a new application designed to help workers cooperate on tasks in real-time with portable components that synchronize across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem.

As per a new blog post, Loop components have now arrived for Microsoft Teams, unlocking a variety of opportunities to streamline workflows, as well as minimizing the number of apps workers are required to juggle.

For example, users can post a data table or list of actions into a Teams channel, where all members are able to edit the content and see any changes live. The content will also remain up-to-date wherever else the components have been deployed (say, in a Word document or PowerPoint presentation).

“Loop components offer teams more flexibility in how they get work done – ensuring everyone always has access to the latest information. Where it is contributing in real-time or at a time that better fits your team’s schedule, Loop components enable you and your team to stay connected without worrying about working with stable information,” explained Microsoft.

Microsoft Loop comes to Teams

First unveiled at Microsoft’s annual Ignite conference last month, Loop is made up of three elements: components, pages and workspaces.

Loop workspaces are shared spaces that contain everything relevant to a specific project. Loop pages, meanwhile, are described as “flexible canvases” where users can organize their various components and draw in files, links or data.

“For years, the established patterns of work were clear. Communication took place via email and content creation was mostly documents, spreadsheets and presentations,” wrote Microsoft in a separate blog post, when Loop was first announced.

“In the last 18 months, the world has changed, and we have adapted to a new working environment where people had to complement traditional communication tools and in-person collaboration with alternative solutions. But we need to go further. That is why we are reimagining Office, adding new apps to respond to new opportunities, and making Office a universal, interactive canvas.”

Deployed in Microsoft Teams, Loop components have the potential to change the way remote and hybrid workers collaborate with colleagues in a significant way. And this is just the start, Microsoft says; additional components are expected to be announced at Microsoft Build next year.

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