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These new AI smart glasses are like getting a second pair of ChatGPT-powered eyes
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The Ray-Ban Meta glasses have a new rival for the title of best smart glasses, with the new Solos AirGo Visions letting you quiz ChatGPT about the objects and people you're looking at.

Unlike previous Solos glasses, the AirGo Vision boast a built-in camera and support for OpenAI's latest GPT-4o model. These let the glasses identify what you're looking at and respond to voice prompts. For example, you could simply ask, “what am I looking at?” or give the AirGo Visions a more specific request like “give me directions to the Eiffel Tower.”

Another neat feature of the new Solos glasses is their modular frame design, which means you can change some parts – for example, the camera or lenses – to help them suit different situations. These additional frames start from $ 89 (around £70 / AU$ 135).   

If talking to a pair of camera-equipped smart glasses is a little too creepy, you can also use the camera to simply take holiday snaps. The AirGo Visions also feature built-in speakers to answer your questions or play music.

While there's no official price or release date for the full version of the AirGo Visions, Solos will release a version without the camera for $ 249 (around £200 / AU$ 375) in July. That means we can expect a camera-equipped pair to cost at least as much as the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which will set you back $ 299 / £299 / AU$ 449.

How good are AI-powered smart glasses?

While we haven't yet tried the Solos AirGo Visions, it's fair to say that smart glasses with AI assistants are a work in progress. 

TechRadar's Senior Staff Writer Hamish Hector recently tried the Meta AI's 'Look and Ask' feature on his Ray-Ban smart glasses and found the experience to be mixed. He stated that “the AI is – when it works – fairly handy,” but that “it wasn’t 100% perfect, struggling at times due to its camera limitations and an overload of information.”

The smart glasses failed in some tests, like identifying trees, but their ability to quickly summarize a confusing, information-packed sign about the area’s parking restrictions showed how useful they can be in some situations.

As always, with any AI-powered responses, you'll want to corroborate any answers to filter out errors and so-called hallucinations. But there's undoubtedly some potential in the concept, particularly for travelers or anyone who is visually impaired.

The Solos AirGo Visions' support for OpenAI's latest GPT-4o model should make for an interesting comparison with the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses when the camera-equipped version lands. Until then, you can check out our guide to the best smart glasses you can buy right now.

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Pro comedians tried using ChatGPT and Google Gemini to write their jokes – these were the hilariously unfunny results
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AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Google Gemini can do a lot of things, but one thing they aren't renowned for is their sense of humor – and a new study confirms that they'd likely get torn to shreds on the stand-up comedy circuit.

The recent Google DeepMind study (as spotted by the MIT Technology Review) followed the experiences of 20 professional comedians who all used AI to create original comedy material. They could use their preferred assistant to generate jokes, co-write jokes through prompting, or rewrite some of their previous material. 

The aim of the 45-minute comedy writing exercise was for the comedians to produce material “that they would be comfortable presenting in a comedy context”. Unfortunately, most of them found that the likes of ChatGPT and Google Gemini (then called Google Bard) are a long way from becoming a comedy double act.

On a broader level, the study found that “most participants felt the LLMs did not succeed as a creativity support tool”, with the AI helpers producing bland jokes that were akin to “cruise ship comedy material from the 1950s, but a bit less racist”. Most comedians, who remained anonymous, commented on “the overall poor quality of generated outputs” and “the amount of human effort required to arrive at a satisfying result”, according to the study.

One of the participants said the initial output was “a vomit draft that I know that I’m gonna have to iterate on and improve.” Another comedian said, “Most of the jokes I was writing [are] the level of, I will go on stage and experiment with it, but they’re not at the level of, I’d be worried if anyone took one of these jokes”.

Of course, humor is a personal thing, so what kind of jokes did the AI chatbots come up with? One example, a response to the prompt “Can you write me ten jokes about pickpocketing” was: “I decided to switch careers and become a pickpocket after watching a magic show. Little did I know, the only thing disappearing would be my reputation!”.

Another comedian used the slightly more specific prompt “Please write jokes about the irony of a projector failing in a live comedy show about AI.” The response from one AI model? “Our projector must've misunderstood the concept of 'AI.' It thought it meant 'Absolutely Invisible' because, well, it's doing a fantastic job of disappearing tonight!”.

As you can see, AI-generated humor is very much still in beta…

Cue AI tumbleweed

A hand holding a phone running ChatGPT in front of a laptop

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Our experiences with AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot have largely aligned with the results of this study. While the best AI tools of 2024 are increasingly useful for brainstorming ideas, summarizing text, and generating images, humor is definitely a weak point.

For example, TechRadar's Managing Editor of Core Tech Matt Hanson is currently putting Copilot through its paces and asked the AI chatbot for its best one-liners. Its response to the prompt “Write me a joke about AI in the style of a stand-up comedian” resulted in the decidedly uninspiring “Why did the computer go to the doctor? Because it had a virus!”. 

Copilot even added that the joke “might not be ready for the comedy club circuit” but that “it's got potential!”, showing that the chatbot at least knows that it lacks a funny bone. Another prompt to write a joke in the style of comedian Stewart Lee produced a fittingly long monologue, but one that lacked Lee's trademark anti-jokes and superior sneer.

This study also shows that AI tools can't produce fully-formed art on demand – and that asking them to do so kind of misses the point. The Google DeepMind report concluded that AI’s inability to draw on personal experience is a fundamental limitation”, with many of the comedians in the study describing “the centrality of personal experience in good comedy”.

As one participant added, “I have an intuitive sense of what’s gonna work and what’s gonna not work based on so much lived experience and studying of comedy, but it is very individualized and I don’t know that AI is ever gonna be able to approach that”. Back to spreadsheets and summarizing text it is for now, then, AI chatbots.      

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Apple just awarded these 14 apps and games one of its highest accolades
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WWDC 2024 doesn’t officially begin until June 10, but Apple is letting some news out a few days in advance, including its 2024 Apple Design Award winners, celebrating 14 apps and games that excel in design, innovation, and technical achievement. 

The 14 titles were chosen from 42 finalists across seven categories: Delight and Fun, Inclusivity, Innovation, Interaction, Social Impact, Visuals, Graphics, and Spatial Computing – as you might imagine, that last category, which was a new addition for 2024, highlights an app for Apple Vision Pro. Each category highlights one app and one game as a winner.

Scoring an Apple Design Award is a high honor for developers, and the list of winners – and indeed the list of finalists – is a great place to start if you want to find new apps  to try on your iPhone, iPad, MacBook or Mac, Apple Watch, or Vision Pro. 

Delight and Fun winners

Within the Delight and Fun category, two winners delivering engaging and satisfying experiences beat out the seven finalists. First is Bears Gratitude, a journaling app focusing on self-reflection through daily prompts and routine building.

Second is an unsurprising winner, considering the highly active fanbase that plays Wordle. NYT Games is home to many addictive puzzles and word games, including the classic crossword and Connections, all designed to keep you coming back every day.

Inclusivity winners

Apple Design Award Winner 2024, Crayola Adventures

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple has selected two Inclusivity category winners. Oko uses the onboard camera to help pedestrians with low to no vision navigate by indicating the signal of lights and other traffic signals through haptic and audio alerts. It’s even built using Apple’s VoiceOver and Dynamic Type technologies. 

Crayola Adventures is the other winner in the category and is designed for all ages with the ability to create and solve puzzles. You can adjust skin tone, body types, pronouns, and abilities within the character creation steps and get a full game narration. 

Innovation winners

A look at Apple Design Award trophy.

(Image credit: Apple)

Recently featured during Apple’s May 7, 2024, iPad-focused event, Procreate Dreams is walking away with an Apple Design Award. Described as a “marvelously designed tool” by Apple, it lets creatives design 2D animations from freehand, built-in templates, or even the Apple Pencil. Procreate even supports some of the more advanced features introduced with the Apple Pencil Pro, including haptic feedback and squeeze functionality. 

Lost in Play is an exciting and visually impressive graphic novel-style adventure game for the iPhone. The graphics are all hand-drawn, and the gameplay focuses primarily on discovery through point-and-tap. 

Interaction winners

As you might suspect, Interaction is all about a compelling, intuitive interface and application controls. Crouton is an app for recipe curation; it makes it easier to complete recipes by providing an ingredient list and step-by-step directions. 

Rytmos is a puzzle game controlled through drag gestures, with each level upping the challenge. It also pairs it with vibrant, impressive visuals that get more complex based on the level. 

Social Impact winners

Like the rest of the categories, the Social Impact category has two winners: Gentler Streak Fitness Tracker and The Wreck. The former is a fitness tracker designed for everyone, regardless of lifestyle or how much one might work out. It pairs physical fitness and mental wellbeing into one app and integrates with Apple Health. You can see TechRadar’s report on Gentler Streak here.

The Wreck is a visual novel with a story focused on navigating and reflecting on stressful situations.

Visuals and Graphics winners

Visuals and Graphics had many terrific titles, including some AAA games, in the finalists, and Apple narrowed it down to two winners. Rooms lets you play in a 3D space with immersive and highly detailed visuals throughout the experience. You start with a blank space or room and can add from there and view other users' work.

Lies of P for the Mac is a highly immersive, well-reviewed game that plays on the idea of imagination. You play as the robot Geppetto on a quest to find the marker. Developer NEOWIZ utilized MetalFX for great visuals across a range of Mac models.

Spatial Computing winners

Apple Design Award Winner 2024, Djay Pro

(Image credit: Apple)

Last but not least is the newest addition to Apple’s Design Awards, which spotlights the $ 3,500 (starting) Vision Pro. Spatial Computing first highlights djay pro, which places a DJ turntable directly in front of you in your reality or a highly immersive environment. I’ve used this one, and you can reach out to adjust volume levels, scratch the discs, adjust speed, and even mix two tracks together. 

Second in Spatial Computing is Blackbox, a puzzle game that overlays the world around you. Puzzles of various elements and even words will appear all around you. It’s a fun experience.

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I love my MacBook, but these are the macOS 15 rumors I want to come true at WWDC
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macOS Sonoma was announced at last year's WWDC event and turned out to be my favorite macOS update – and I expect to see another new version of Apple’s desktop operating system, namely macOS 15, at WWDC 2024. 

Apple’s biggest competitor, Microsoft, has jumped head first into the AI race and implemented a plethora of AI-powered features and somewhat helpful tools like Copilot, alongside sprinkling in features throughout the operating system. Even Chromebook Plus laptops are reaping the benefits of Google Gemini. It’s about time Apple finally stepped into the AI race and showcased what it's got.

You may know by now that the company is rarely the ‘first’ at something – Apple will play the long game and watch before deciding to take on-board a new feature, in an attempt to produce the most perfect version of it. While we knew Apple wouldn’t be rushing to slap some AI into its Macs, we’re pretty certain we will see a fair amount of AI at this year's WWDC. 

So, with that in mind, let’s look at the top prospects for feature additions to macOS 15 that we might just catch at WWDC 2024.

 Finally a change to the System Settings  

Perhaps the most exciting potential move will be a refresh of the menus and apps in macOS 15, with the System Settings rumored to see the biggest change. If you’ve been a long-time Apple user (or use multiple Apple products) you’re probably very familiar with the Settings menu layout, so perhaps a fresh coat of paint will add to the feeling of novelty that comes with an operating system update.

According to Apple Insider, respective settings will be sorted by priority and importance. So, for example, notifications and sound settings will be lower down the list, whereas general settings will be higher (right underneath network settings). A source seemingly involved with these changes told Apple Insider that wallpaper and display settings will also be shifted and no longer have their own section but will be merged in with other options.

To add my own speculation, I believe there could be a dedicated section in the Settings menu for AI-related feature management in time. I don’t think we’ll see something like this right from the OS's launch, but I do think Apple will be laying the groundwork with macOS 15 to introduce a Copilot-esque assistant, hopefully by giving Siri a massive boost. Speaking of which…

 A smarter Siri and more AI 

After plenty of hoping, I’m pretty certain we’re going to see a complete transformation with Siri. While Apple’s assistant may not be at the level of ChatGPT’s voice capabilities, I do expect Siri to have a bit more of an active role besides setting timers. 

That said, we’re likely to see a more beefed-up version of Siri on iOS before macOS, but we can use those iOS rumors to possibly glean what might eventually make its way onto our Macs. According to the most recent iOS 18 rumors, Siri will have deeper app integration, allowing the virtual assistant to control what your phone apps can do, move files around, email documents, and more.

We can guess that Apple may transfer those skills over to the Mac once they’ve landed on the iPhone. I don’t think we’ll see all the features transferred over, but it would be interesting to see what Siri could do on a powerful M3 MacBook with a new macOS!

Tom’s Guide notes that at a shareholder event, Tim Cook claimed Apple will “break new ground in generative AI” this year, which has me buzzing about the upcoming WWDC event. Though it seems like iOS 18 has a lot more potential features on the way (or at the very least, more information is swirling around than macOS), we’re certain the generative AI love will be passed onto Macs. 

These AI features will undoubtedly take advantage of the powerful M-series chips, which should be good news for AI enthusiasts who’ve been waiting for Apple to jump into the race. We already know the M3 Max and M3 Pro chips are very powerful processors, so it’ll be exciting to see what these features will look like with access to all that raw processing power. 

Overall, as a fan of Sonoma and all its new features, I am really excited about a new version of macOS. We still know very little about macOS 15, as macOS updates seem to be cards played closer to Apple’s chest compared to iOS. So, while I can only sit here and hope to see a better Settings layout and an improved Siri, I’ll have to wait and see until WWDC itself to find out what Apple’s got planned. 

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There’s only one good way to celebrate Star Wars day, and that’s with these Meta Quest 3 games and apps
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May the Fourth, also known as Star Wars day, is today and for Meta Quest 3 (or Oculus Quest 2) owners there are some far better ways to celebrate than simply watching one of the classic films. That’s because you can immerse yourself in a galaxy far far away with some stellar Star Wars VR titles.

What’s more there are some superb savings to be had on my favorite Star Wars VR game – Star Wars Pinball – right now, making it the best time to pick this title up if you haven’t already. There are others you can check out too that aren’t discounted like Vader Immortal and Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge, as even at full-price there’s a lot to love about them.

Alternatively you can celebrate Star Wars day the traditional way with a marathon of the Star Wars films in order, or by reading up on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew which is set to land later this year.

Star Wars Pinball VR 

Okay, okay, I know pinball won’t leave you feeling like a lightsaber-wielding badass, or a slick space pirate, but I promise you have to try this game out. If only because it’s currently massively on sale – coming in at just $ 8.49 / £6.79 instead of $ 24.99 / £19.49 just for Star Wars day.

Star Wars Pinball VR reimagines the iconic digital cabinets Zen Studios has crafted over the past few years in a full VR experience. They are situated in a fan’s dream hangout space you can decorate with collectible goodies that you unlock by getting high scores and competing challenges, and the pinball machines themselves are a delight.

They capture the retro-chic flair that real world pinball machines offer, while delivering on digital expectations by featuring interactive elements that wouldn’t be possible in real life. There are 10 total cabinets to master, but if you want to mix things up further you can explore the Career mode; it adds various restrictions and powers to your gameplay that force you to mix up your playstyle.

I’ve enjoyed this game since it first released, and will admit to almost falling over a few times because I’ve been so immersed in the game that I tried to lean on a cabinet that wasn’t there. If you haven’t tried it already you absolutely should right now, especially because it’s at a bargain price.

Vader Immortal 

No villain, nor character in general, is more iconically Star Wars than Darth Vader. So what better way is there to celebrate Star Wars day than with a trilogy inspired by the Sith Lord himself.

As a smuggler who picked the wrong planet to explore – the fiery world of Mustafar which Vader calls home – you must use your lightsaber skills and latent force powers in order to survive the adventure that fate has thrust you into, including an encounter with Vader himself.

This series is far from fault-free – chief among its issues is it’s fairly brief even spread across three games – but the lightsaber combat feels exactly like you always dreamed it would. The force abilities are clunkier, but again it’ll be exactly what everyone who’s ever tried (and failed) to pull an out-of-reach object closer by willing it towards them ever wanted.

The other downside of grabbing Vader Immortal right now if you’re interested is you can only pick each entry up individually. They’re often bundled together in a package that comes with a big discount but that’s currently not the case – so if you’re not desperate to play this game today you might want to hold off until it’s on sale.

Supernatural 

If you want to swing a lightsaber around – or at least something like one – and get a little fitter whirl you’re at it, then check out Supernatural. I got hooked on the VR fitness app during my month-long VR workout experiment with my Meta Quest 3, and recently I’ve been enjoying its limited time Star Wars-themed Flow sessions. 

My personal favorite one is the Dark Side list because it features Duel of the Fates – it’s so much fun to do battle while this tune blasts through my headset’s speakers. But there’s also a general Star Wars and a Light Side mix if you don’t want to embrace the Sith’s teachings.

Just act fast as these Star Wars levels are leaving very soon.

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge 

If you’re less interested in being a laser sword-wielding space wizard, and would rather be like the blaster touting characters in The Mandalorian or Andor, then Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge will be right up your street.

Set in Batuu – the same location you can travel to at Disney World in Orlando Florida – you must help some familiar droids as you adventure through the wilds of this Outer Rim settlement. Once you’re done you can continue this quintessentially Star Wars story with the Last Call DLC, and if you’ve enjoyed the main game I know you’ll enjoy this expansion too.

As an extra bonus, you can additionally explore tales from Star Wars’ rich history, with short bonus IG-88 and Ady’Sun Zee (a Jedi Padawan) missions. They’re very much secondary to the main game’s plot, but they’re great minigames especially if you’re sharing the experience with friends and family who just want a quickfire burst of Star Wars.

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Take a trip down macOS memory lane with these web-based retro versions of Apple’s operating system – and yes, they can run Doom
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If you were a Mac user in the 80s and 90s, you got the opportunity to use the classic versions of the macOS we know and love today. Now, I’ve got good news for anyone who’s feeling nostalgic: you don’t have to go digging through eBay or your attic to search for an old Mac to use a retro iteration of macOS. 

A website called Infinite Mac, designed by Mihai Parparita, allows you to use every classic Mac operating system from 1985 to 2001. Once you head over to the Infinite Mac website you can scroll through your options, find the one you want to try out, and click Run. Then, like Marty McFly, you’ll be magically transported back through time to the macOS of your choice!

An old version of macOS running in a modern browser.

Vintage macOS is exactly as sluggish as you remember it being. (Image credit: Apple / Mihai Parparita)

Blast from the past

You won’t have to install anything as it’s all contained within your browser, and you’ll be guided around the macOS setup and use it as you would a regular computer! You can create new files, explore the setup, and even play a few old-school games – including the full versions of Doom II, Quake, and Myst, although they're unsurprisingly a little bit janky to play in an emulated in-browser OS.

You can also access a saved hard drive that will back up any files you create on your computer locally, and drag any files from your desktop into the web browser, creating a file called “Outside World”. You’ll be able to try out a collection of CDs, old games, and even some software that came bundled on floppy disks with magazines at the time.

As a modern-day Apple user born in the year 2000, I think it’s pretty cool that I can take an educational trip down memory lane and see what older versions of the current system look like. It really makes you appreciate not just how far we’ve come in the world of computing – but also showcases how far we’ve yet to go! I can’t wait to see what macOS looks like in 10 years, or 20 – probably loaded up with AI, if recent news is anything to go by.

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These are the Meta Quest alternatives we could get soon with Horizon OS, according to Mark Zuckerberg
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Meta is making its Horizon OS – the operating system its Quest headsets run on – available to third-party XR devices (XR is a catchall for virtual, augmented, and mixed reality), and it might be the biggest VR announcement anyone makes this decade.

The first batch will include headsets from Asus, Lenovo, and Xbox, and while we have an idea what these gadgets might offer, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg may have just provided us with a few more details, or outlined other non-Quest hardware we might see running Horizon OS in the future.

To get you up to speed, the three devices that were teased in the Horizon OS-sharing announcement are a “performance gaming headset” from Asus, “mixed reality devices for productivity” from Lenovo, and a more Quest-like headset from Xbox.

And in Meta’s Q1 2024 earnings call, Zuckerberg discussed the recent announcement by explaining the sorts of diverse XR hardware we might see by providing some pretty specific examples.

One was a “work-focused headset” that’s “lighter” and “less designed for motion;” you plug it into a laptop to use it, and this could be something we see from laptop-manufacturer Lenovo’s device. Another Zuckerberg description was for a “gaming-focused headset” that prioritizes “peripherals and haptics,” which could be the Asus headset.

Then there was a device that would be packaged with “Xbox controllers and a Game Pass subscription out of the box” – with Zuckerberg specifically connecting it to the announced Xbox device.

More Horizon OS headsets incoming?

The Meta Quest 3 being used while someone boxes in a home gym

A fitness-focused VR headset could be coming (Image credit: Meta)

He also detailed two devices which haven’t yet been teased: “An entertainment-focused headset” designed with the “highest-resolution displays” at the expense of its other specs, and “a fitness-focused headset” that’s “lighter with sweat-wicking materials.”

It’s possible that these suggestions were simply Zuckerberg riffing on potential Horizon OS devices rather than gadgets that are currently in the works. But we wouldn’t be surprised to hear that these gadgets are on their way given how plausible they sound – with it being that the partners aren’t yet ready to reveal they're working on something.

There’s also the question of other already-announced XR devices like the Samsung XR headset and if they’ll run on Horizon OS. Given Samsung has partnered with Google on its upcoming headset – which we assume is for software support – we posit that won't be the case. But we’ll have to wait and see what’s announced when the device is revealed (hopefully later this year).

All we can say is that Meta’s approach already looks to be paving the way for more diverse hardware than we’ve previously seen before in VR, finally giving us some fantastic options that aren’t just the Meta Quest 3 or whatever comes next to replace it.

Speaking of which, Zuckerberg added in the investor call that he thinks that Meta’s “first-party Quest devices will continue to be the most popular headsets as we see today” and that the company plans to keep making its state-of-the-art VR tech accessible to everyone. So if you do want to wait for the next Quest – perhaps the rumored Meta Quest 3 Lite or Meta Quest Pro 2 – then know that it’s likely still on the way.

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The Apple Notes app could seriously step up its game in iOS 18 with these two upgrades
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The Apple Notes app is a cultural fixture as well as an essential tool, and it looks like Apple is going to supercharge the iconic app in iOS 18, the next major update for Apple’s flagship mobile operating system. iOS 18 is expected to be previewed alongside the latest versions of its other platform operating systems at WWDC 2024, Apple’s software-centric conference primarily aimed at developers, which kicks off on June 8.

Reports from AppleInsider are that two impressive features are expected to be revealed. First is support for audio recordings directly within the app –  akin to the Voice Memos app, but better integrated. This feature is currently being developed for iOS 18 and macOS 15, and a version for the newest iteration of iPadOS can be expected soon after. 

The feature will give users basic playback features for audio recordings, letting them record, play, and save entries right in the Notes app. The recordings will be embedded into specific notes that users choose, which can also include text and images along with the recording. Creatives will no doubt find this useful for making multimedia entries, and more casual users might find it a great way to make digital scrapbooks. It will also let users make more complex entries to detail the audio they save, being able to add lengthy descriptions or context entries. 

The user interface of the app will be visually similar to the existing Voice Memos app, with the new audio recording feature being presented with similar graphical representations of the captured audio. These new in-app audio notes recordings will be available on all devices connected to iCloud and running at least iOS 18 or macOS 15.

Pre-release versions of the operating systems to be presented at WWDC 2024 also apparently reference a new ‘Math Notes’ feature which will enable the Notes app to interact with the Calculator app. Presumably, this will allow the Notes app to enlist the Calculator app to make calculations as users are entering them in Notes, though there’s no indication of how complex these calculations might be. 

More features of this sort are expected to follow the Math Notes feature, and the introduction of the Math Notes feature is slated to coincide with Apple’s debut of a redesigned macOS Calculator app. Users will likely be able to prompt the Math Notes feature from the Calculator app using a designated button or option, but we will have to wait a little while longer to see the exact plans Apple has in store for Math Notes.

Man taking a picture of the presentation at the conference hall using smartphone

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Matveev Aleksandr)

Apple steals a note from Microsoft

These features have both been a part of OneNote, Microsoft’s proprietary note-taking app, a favorite among many who use educational curricula and materials, and those who work in mathematical notation. It also happens to rank highly in terms of popularity in both the iOS App Store and the macOS App Store, the former being highly regarded in user reviews and the latter having been awarded Apple's Editors' Choice award. It’s the cohort of people who find OneNote so useful and crucial to their work that Apple might hope to entice them with its Math Notes feature.

The Notes app may have begun as a humble confidant for shopping lists and late-night thoughts, but it looks like it’s growing up and becoming a more capable app to assist users in more ways. It’s still very popular as the native notetaking app for Apple products, and Apple is understandably making moves to hold on to its staple status. 

Again, it’s expected that both the embedded audio recording feature and the Math Notes feature will be premiered at WWDC 2024, but Apple has canceled or delayed features that have been rumored to be in the pipeline before. We won’t know for sure until we hear about it on stage at WWDC in June.

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Windows 11’s next big update is here – these are the top 5 features introduced with Moment 5
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Windows 11 just received its latest major upgrade, Moment 5, which is part of the cumulative update for April that has just been released.

So, what are you getting with this update? We’ve picked out the five best features incoming with Moment 5 – which is formally known as patch KB5036893 – and after going over those, we’ll briefly discuss the other goodies you’ll get besides these highlights.

Voice Access shortcuts

(Image credit: Microsoft)

1. Acing accessibility – Voice Access and Narrator improvements

Microsoft has been consistently doing good work driving forward with accessibility features in Windows 11, and Moment 5 does well in this department. Voice Access is where a lot of the changes have happened, giving users the ability to use this feature across multiple displays. Using the mouse grid, it’s now possible to, for example, drag and drop a file from one monitor to another.

Another major introduction is the ability to create custom voice commands, so you can have a command to paste a set section of text into a document, for example. There’s a lot of stuff taking the finer points of Voice Access to another level, and some changes for Narrator, too, with the addition of a bunch of new natural voices for the screen reading tool (and more besides).

2. Snap Layouts powered up with AI

Not everyone uses Snap Layouts, but they’re actually a pretty nifty idea for when multitasking across a range of apps on the desktop, allowing you to swiftly snap those windows into place in an arrangement that makes sense. 

With Moment 5, Microsoft has brought in AI-driven suggestions for premade layouts, a handy move. If you don’t use Snap Layouts, now’s the time to give it a whirl.

Windows Photos App

(Image credit: Windows)

3. Photos app gets magic eraser

Windows 11’s default Photos app is being gifted a notable new AI-powered feature with this update, namely generative erase. This allows you to highlight an area that you want to remove in an image. 

Say there’s a photo bomber in the background of a snap – simply brush over them, and the AI will remove the person, then filling in the background intelligently to match the rest of the photo. Of course, AI tricks can be unpredictable at times, but this is a pretty handy feature to at least give a go – if you don’t like the end result, just undo the change.

4. Nearby Share is speedier and works better

If you’re not familiar with it, Nearby Share is a feature that allows you to wirelessly share files or website links with other nearby devices. With Moment 5, Microsoft has made it so Wi-Fi and Bluetooth – which the feature uses – are automatically turned on if you switch on Nearby Share, to ensure you don’t run into problems. Furthermore, files now transfer at faster speeds (when using public as well as private wireless networks).

Windows 11 laptop showing Copilot

(Image credit: Microsoft)

5. Copilot goodies

Not everyone is keen on Copilot, or uses the AI assistant, but those who do are in for a treat with Moment 5. Microsoft’s latest update introduces plug-ins for third-party services – a small collection to begin with, such as OpenTable, which can be used to get Copilot to make a dinner reservation for you.

Copilot’s library of commands pertaining to Windows 11 settings has also been expanded, as previously seen in testing. This includes commands relating to accessibility options, and various settings and device info options (and the ability for the AI to take out the desktop trash, too – also known as emptying the Recycle Bin).

Other new Moment 5 features

Microsoft has also changed Windows Share so that it now supports sharing via WhatsApp, and tweaked the Cast feature so it’s more discoverable (when it might be sensible to use the ability, which facilitates casting the screen to another display, such as a TV or tablet).

Those who use the widgets board in Windows 11 will also be pleased to hear this is receiving some attention too, with users getting the ability to organize widgets on the panel into categories.

Finally, it’s worth noting that you can now use Copilot without being signed into a Microsoft account – but only 10 times. After that, you’ll have to sign in, but this at least gives those with a local account the chance to try out the AI.

Also, bear in mind that while those in Europe will get extra functionality that extends to stripping out Bing and Edge from Windows 11, among other bits and pieces, those in the US or other regions don’t get these options.

As ever, you can grab the latest cumulative update for Windows 11 – containing all these Moment 5 features – by checking for updates in Windows Update.

Via Bleeping Computer

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Waze could tempt you from Google Maps with these super-useful driving alerts
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Waze will receive a nice quality-of-life update that’ll help you drive around more safely as well as let you know of any recent changes to the road.

The patch is slated to be released on Android and iOS devices across the globe, but the rollout won’t happen all at once. Instead, the six features will come out in pieces throughout the coming months. It’s a little complicated, but once you break the announcement down, it all makes sense.

When it comes to safety, the app will notify you in advance of any emergency vehicles on your route. That way you’ll know when to shift lanes or take a detour. This tool is currently making its way to users living in the US, Canada, Mexico, and France, with, Waze promises, more countries coming soon.

Waze's new speed limit and emergency vehicle alerts

(Image credit: Waze/Google)

Our favorite update out of the bunch has to be Waze deciding it'll shout out upcoming changes to speed limits in case they’re about to suddenly decrease. It's a pretty helpful tool whenever you want to avoid getting caught in a speed trap. Third, the developers are expanding hazard detection to include speed bumps, sharp turns, and toll booths. The speed limit warnings as well as the hazard detection upgrade are currently rolling out to all users. 

This next set of features is scheduled to launch down the line.

Normally, whenever someone opens a navigation app, it’s because they want to get to their destination ASAP. Well, later this month, you’ll be given the option to take more scenic routes. They may not be the fastest way to get home, but at least, you'll have the opportunity to take your favored path instead.

Most drivers can agree that finding a place to park in a city can be an utter nightmare. To make finding the sweet spot less stressful, Waze is teaming up with software company Flash to provide information on parking garages. The app will tell you how much it costs to park at a location, whether it’s covered or open to the elements, if there’s a valet, and more. 

The announcement states the new data feed is seeing a limited release. It will provide info on a select group of 30,000 parking garages across major cities in the United States and Canada.

Waze's new parking garage feed and alternative routes tool

(Image credit: Google/Waze)

The last feature will teach people how to navigate a roundabout. Waze states they’ll point out when to enter, when to switch lanes, and “where to exit”. Android users will receive the roundabout tool later this month, however, iPhone owners will have to wait until later in the year to get the same upgrade.

We reached out to Google, which is Waze’s parent company, asking if there are plans for future expansions and if it’s going to add the same features to the app’s web page. This story will be updated at a later time.

Waze's latest patch looks like it'll keep a lot of people safe, but accidents happen all the time. To keep your insurance rates from skyrocketing, check out TechRadar's list of the best dash cams for 2024. You never know when you'll need one.

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