Author: News Room

Building on its recently announced plans to bring original Xbox games to PC, Microsoft is also planning to let developers bring their Xbox 360 games to PC as well, according to a leaked document, seen by The Verge, that was sent to developers recently. Xbox 360 games will be able to run on the next-gen Project Helix console, “Xbox PCs,” and handheld devices, the document says.Microsoft has already said that Helix will play PC games, so making these older Xbox titles available on PC helps build a broader Xbox library that can travel between devices, similar to what’s already possible…

Google is rolling out an update that will finally allow you to connect your Fitbit workouts, steps, vitals, and other data to Apple Health, as reported earlier by 9to5Mac. With Google Health’s 5.05 update, you can now tap your profile icon, select “Partner apps,” and choose Apple Health to link your data directly.Previously, you could only import your Apple Health data into Google Health, but not the other way around. That meant using third-party apps — like Power Sync for Fitbit or Fitbit to Apple Health Sync — or some other kind of workaround to connect your Google Health information…

Microsoft has confirmed an Xbox Series X games console with 1TB will now cost a whopping £670 in the UK, which is remarkable £170 increase on the previous £500 asking price. The Xbox Series S with 1TB is up to £529 from £350. The company had previously revealed plans to raise prices on August 1. However, back in June, only the specific increases for the United States were mentioned. Now we have the full picture in Europe and the United States too. Considering the consoles were released six years ago, have never quite achieved their initial promise, are now believed…

Panerai has just unveiled a watch that looks like it’s stepped straight out of the 1960s, but it’s actually built from one of the most interesting materials in modern watchmaking. Say hello to the Luminor Marina PAM01707. It’s got the classic Luminor silhouette, complete with chunky case, unmistakable crown-protecting bridge, and a black sandwich dial with beige lume. But the case itself is where things get interesting – it’s made from Carbotech, a carbon-fibre composite reinforced with PEEK polymer. That means it’s 64-percent lighter than titanium and a whopping 80-percent lighter than steel. On the wrist, that translates to a…

Apple’s rumoured forthcoming line of smart glasses could soon be a major health and fitness companion, but it might not be until later generations of the product, according to a new report. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the lighter and smaller form factor for smart glasses could enable Apple to realise a long-held desire after deciding against launching fitness features for the Vision Pro headset. Gurman reports that Apple had hoped to bring a version of Fitness+ to the Vision Pro, but it was deemed unfeasible due to the weight of the headset and the discomfort in wearing it for long…

The Kindle Scribe is worth considering if you’re heading back to school, as its large 10.2-inch screen can display textbooks and ebooks, or let you jot down handwritten notes during class. Now through August 8th, the first-gen model (with a Premium Pen) is down to just $149.99 with 16GB of storage in refurbished condition at Woot when you apply the promo code KINDLE25 at checkout. That’s $220 off its original launch price from 2022 and even cheaper than the current Kindle Paperwhite, though you’ll only get Woot’s 90-day warranty. Woot doesn’t specify the exact condition of its refurbished devices, but…

The European Union has ushered in some additional rules that aim to make it easier for people to identify chatbots and AI deepfakes online. The new transparency obligations under the bloc’s landmark AI Act came into effect on August 2nd, requiring companies to disclose when people are interacting with AI models, and if content has been generated or altered by them.The transparency rules differ between providers (companies that develop and market AI systems) and deployers (platforms and services that use those AI systems), though some companies like Meta and SpaceXAI are classified as both.Providers must design AI systems to explicitly…

Apple may raise the price of the iPhone 18 Pro smartphone models by as much as $300 (about £223) according to a sobering message from a prominent analyst. According to GF Securities researcher Jeff Pu, the iPhone 18 Pro range faces much higher build costs due to increased cost of producing the new 2 nanometer Apple 20 Pro chips and DRAM/NAND components. The current iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,099 so we may be looking at a $1399 starting price for Apple’s Pro smartphone range this year if Pu’s prediction comes to pass. That would likely put a dent a…

After its 1.0 launch last month, Palworld is coming to iOS and Android with a new open-world MMORPG launching later this year, Polygon reports. Garena, the developer behind the new game, says in its announcement that Palworld Online “reimagines the depth, freedom, and scale of the original PC survival creature-collecting title for mobile.”The core features of the new mobile game sound a lot like the original Palworld, with crafting, creature collecting, and multiplayer options for co-op, PvP, and PvE. Garena says it will introduce a “new narrative setting with original story elements,” and “expand the narrative with new side stories…

I distinctly remember walking into a car garage six years ago. When the salesman asked what my requirements were for the new car I was looking to buy, I said Apple CarPlay. Not a sunroof, special alloys, or metallic paint; CarPlay was what I had decided I couldn’t do without. Needless to say, he looked at me a little strangely (fair), but given that the customer is always right, he thought better of arguing.  As it turned out, CarPlay came as standard on the cars I was looking at (not true of all car manufacturers), so, much to his delight,…

Today, I’m talking with Toni Schneider, who is the brand new CEO of the social platform Bluesky — he formally took over after a short stint as interim CEO. This is one of my favorite kinds of interviews to do on Decoder, because a couple years ago, we had Bluesky’s prior CEO, Jay Graber, on the show — she’s now the company’s chief innovation officer, and all of that kind of shuffle is pure Decoder bait. And a new CEO often brings with them new priorities, which is perhaps the most Decoder subject of all.Bluesky in particular is a company…

If I had a pound for every time someone asked me whether they need a smart ring and a smartwatch, I’d be so rich I wouldn’t need to write about them. But alas, here we are. The truth is, it very much depends on who you are and what you are looking to track as to whether one is better than the other. Or, like me, you might appreciate the insights of both. I’ve worn both an Apple Watch and an Oura Ring for the past two years. Currently, I have the Apple Watch Series 11 and the Oura Ring…