Technology

• Two new Samsung Galaxy Watch models are on the way
• The Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic have surfaced, this time in regulatory filings
• One battery listed is slightly bigger than last year's model, but it's not a massive upgrade

Details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 lineup have appeared for the second time in just a few days, this time with our first hint at the battery capacity for one of the models.

In late March, firmware for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic was spotted, pointing to four new Galaxy Watch models coming in 2025 – two Classic and two regular models, each with a Wi-Fi and an LTE (cellular connectivity) version.

Now, filings have been uncovered in South Korea's SafetyKorea certification database, one of the myriad global regulatory bodies with which device manufacturers have to register upcoming new products, including the best Android smartwatches, before they can go on sale.

As reported by Xpertpick, the batteries that will feature in the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic appear to have surfaced in the database. The outlet matches these with the aforementioned firmware leak, indicating one battery each for the Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic, respectively.

This would reinforce the idea that two new models are on the way, but also gives us one small hint about battery life.

Galaxy Watch 8 battery leaks

As per the report, only one of these battery filings has a listed capacity, the Galaxy Watch 8. The battery is listed at 435mAh, a very minor bump over the Galaxy Watch 7. While that's technically bigger, it's nothing to write home about, and likely won't yield any tangible results in terms of battery-life performance.

And if Samsung has added more power-hungry features to the new model, battery life might only match last year's model, and if so you can expect Samsung's rating of around 22 hours. This is the larger 44mm model, with no information out there about the smaller version yet.

That definitely won't be enough to challenge the best Android watch for battery life right now, the OnePlus Watch 3, but it does tell us that both of these smartwatch models definitely exist, and will probably launch in early summer in the US and UK.

The absence of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in database listings could indicate that the company won't release an Ultra model this year, and may be alternating between the Classic and the Ultra on an annual basis.

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• Two new Samsung Galaxy Watch models are on the way
• The Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic have surfaced, this time in regulatory filings
• One battery listed is slightly bigger than last year's model, but it's not a massive upgrade

Details of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 lineup have appeared for the second time in just a few days, this time with our first hint at the battery capacity for one of the models.

In late March, firmware for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and Galaxy Watch 8 Classic was spotted, pointing to four new Galaxy Watch models coming in 2025 – two Classic and two regular models, each with a Wi-Fi and an LTE (cellular connectivity) version.

Now, filings have been uncovered in South Korea's SafetyKorea certification database, one of the myriad global regulatory bodies with which device manufacturers have to register upcoming new products, including the best Android smartwatches, before they can go on sale.

As reported by Xpertpick, the batteries that will feature in the new Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic appear to have surfaced in the database. The outlet matches these with the aforementioned firmware leak, indicating one battery each for the Galaxy Watch 8 and 8 Classic, respectively.

This would reinforce the idea that two new models are on the way, but also gives us one small hint about battery life.

Galaxy Watch 8 battery leaks

As per the report, only one of these battery filings has a listed capacity, the Galaxy Watch 8. The battery is listed at 435mAh, a very minor bump over the Galaxy Watch 7. While that's technically bigger, it's nothing to write home about, and likely won't yield any tangible results in terms of battery-life performance.

And if Samsung has added more power-hungry features to the new model, battery life might only match last year's model, and if so you can expect Samsung's rating of around 22 hours. This is the larger 44mm model, with no information out there about the smaller version yet.

That definitely won't be enough to challenge the best Android watch for battery life right now, the OnePlus Watch 3, but it does tell us that both of these smartwatch models definitely exist, and will probably launch in early summer in the US and UK.

The absence of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in database listings could indicate that the company won't release an Ultra model this year, and may be alternating between the Classic and the Ultra on an annual basis.

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Some of the best Netflix movies and best Netflix shows of recent years have been watched by millions of people from different countries all around the world.

Think Spain's Berlin, France's Lupin or Korea's Squid Game. And now many more Netflix viewers can experience shows from around the world in their native languages as the service becomes even more multi-lingual.

Starting now, Netflix has upgraded its audio and subtitles options to offer you more than 30 different languages for on-screen translation or audio dubbing. Netflix says this is in response to the "thousands of language requests" it receives from customers every month.

And that's not all. Netflix is coming for the Duolingo owl.

What's new in Netflix's multilingual update

Netflix knows that many of you use its foreign-language films to practice language learning, and it wants to point out the additional features it offers that can help you with that.

For example, you now can customize subtitles to adjust their style and size for better legibility. Or you can watch a show with subtitles in one language and audio dubbing in another. And if you're on PC, you can use the 'Browse By Language' feature to find some suitably educational entertainment.

This is an important and welcome upgrade for Netflix specifically, because it's been investing quite heavily in movies and shows from around the world. Squid Game is the most famous example, of course, but many of its other non-English language shows have been huge hits too: Money Heist, Lupin, La Palma, Who Killed Sara? and more.

And of course it works in the other direction too, with the language features opening up English-language movies and shows to Netflix's huge global audience.

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Some of the best Netflix movies and best Netflix shows of recent years have been watched by millions of people from different countries all around the world.

Think Spain's Berlin, France's Lupin or Korea's Squid Game. And now many more Netflix viewers can experience shows from around the world in their native languages as the service becomes even more multi-lingual.

Starting now, Netflix has upgraded its audio and subtitles options to offer you more than 30 different languages for on-screen translation or audio dubbing. Netflix says this is in response to the "thousands of language requests" it receives from customers every month.

And that's not all. Netflix is coming for the Duolingo owl.

What's new in Netflix's multilingual update

Netflix knows that many of you use its foreign-language films to practice language learning, and it wants to point out the additional features it offers that can help you with that.

For example, you now can customize subtitles to adjust their style and size for better legibility. Or you can watch a show with subtitles in one language and audio dubbing in another. And if you're on PC, you can use the 'Browse By Language' feature to find some suitably educational entertainment.

This is an important and welcome upgrade for Netflix specifically, because it's been investing quite heavily in movies and shows from around the world. Squid Game is the most famous example, of course, but many of its other non-English language shows have been huge hits too: Money Heist, Lupin, La Palma, Who Killed Sara? and more.

And of course it works in the other direction too, with the language features opening up English-language movies and shows to Netflix's huge global audience.

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• Google Pixel 9a phones come with a new Battery health assistance tool
• It will intentionally drop your phone’s maximum battery life every 200 charge cycles
• It turns off after 1,000 charges, and you can’t switch it off before then

The Google Pixel 9a has a new feature that will intentionally reduce your phone’s battery life over time – and there’s nothing you can do about it.

While they’re never the most exciting features, battery health tools are some of the most useful you’ll find on modern smartphones. Following best practices can ensure your phone doesn’t become a massive battery sink after a year or two of use and can extend how long you can go before buying a replacement lithium-ion cell for your handset.

And with its latest Google Pixel 9a release, Google looks to be taking battery health seriously with a new Battery health assistance feature that (at launch) will be exclusive to the new handset.

But rather than giving you a choice on how your phone charges – such as manually setting your device to cut charging off at 80%, or only reaching a full charge just before when your phone expects you to unplug it – according to Google’s official help page Battery health assistance will automatically lower your battery’s maximum charge every 200 charge cycles.

This gradual decline will continue every 200 cycles until your device completes 1,000 cycles.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

What’s more, while Google has confirmed to 9to5Google that the feature “will be voluntary for any customers using previously launched devices,” (i.e. the other best Google Pixel phones) its help page for the Pixel 9a reveals that for its latest device, “Battery health assistance settings on Pixel 9a aren’t customizable by the user.”

Now, some of you might be worried that this will mean your Google Pixel 9a runs out of battery more quickly than if you could switch this feature off, but the silver lining here is that this feature will probably mean your phone battery lasts longer.

Over time, most batteries degrade anyway, so 100% charge after several months won’t last as long as it did when the phone was brand new.

The hope is that while you’re still losing some battery performance over time, Google’s controlled descent will mean your battery lasts longer per charge than it would if you didn’t use Battery Health assistance.

Though we can understand that the lack of control over how you can manage your device is likely to rub many the wrong way, even if it is an upgrade. It also doesn’t do much to assuage concerns surrounding intentional performance throttling from smartphone manufacturers to encourage you to upgrade your smartphone more regularly.

It’s looking like this feature is an upgrade in disguise, however, and if it’s a success we’ll likely see it appear on other Google smartphones going forward.

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• Google Pixel 9a phones come with a new Battery health assistance tool
• It will intentionally drop your phone’s maximum battery life every 200 charge cycles
• It turns off after 1,000 charges, and you can’t switch it off before then

The Google Pixel 9a has a new feature that will intentionally reduce your phone’s battery life over time – and there’s nothing you can do about it.

While they’re never the most exciting features, battery health tools are some of the most useful you’ll find on modern smartphones. Following best practices can ensure your phone doesn’t become a massive battery sink after a year or two of use and can extend how long you can go before buying a replacement lithium-ion cell for your handset.

And with its latest Google Pixel 9a release, Google looks to be taking battery health seriously with a new Battery health assistance feature that (at launch) will be exclusive to the new handset.

But rather than giving you a choice on how your phone charges – such as manually setting your device to cut charging off at 80%, or only reaching a full charge just before when your phone expects you to unplug it – according to Google’s official help page Battery health assistance will automatically lower your battery’s maximum charge every 200 charge cycles.

This gradual decline will continue every 200 cycles until your device completes 1,000 cycles.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

What’s more, while Google has confirmed to 9to5Google that the feature “will be voluntary for any customers using previously launched devices,” (i.e. the other best Google Pixel phones) its help page for the Pixel 9a reveals that for its latest device, “Battery health assistance settings on Pixel 9a aren’t customizable by the user.”

Now, some of you might be worried that this will mean your Google Pixel 9a runs out of battery more quickly than if you could switch this feature off, but the silver lining here is that this feature will probably mean your phone battery lasts longer.

Over time, most batteries degrade anyway, so 100% charge after several months won’t last as long as it did when the phone was brand new.

The hope is that while you’re still losing some battery performance over time, Google’s controlled descent will mean your battery lasts longer per charge than it would if you didn’t use Battery Health assistance.

Though we can understand that the lack of control over how you can manage your device is likely to rub many the wrong way, even if it is an upgrade. It also doesn’t do much to assuage concerns surrounding intentional performance throttling from smartphone manufacturers to encourage you to upgrade your smartphone more regularly.

It’s looking like this feature is an upgrade in disguise, however, and if it’s a success we’ll likely see it appear on other Google smartphones going forward.

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• Some iPhone users have seen random apps appear on their devices
• Many apps were previously deleted but others are totally new to the users
• The bug might be caused by updating to iOS 18.4

Every now and then, a strange iOS bug comes along that brings back long-lost items, seemingly from the dead. We’ve seen this kind of behavior before with deleted photos, and now it looks like iOS 18.4 is mysteriously resurrecting old iPhone apps that some users removed many moons ago.

As spotted by MacRumors, the issue has been documented by users posting on Reddit and Apple’s official support forums. There, people have been describing how their iPhones began automatically downloading apps after they were updated to iOS 18.4.

Interestingly, while some users reported that the apps in question had once been on their devices but have since been deleted, other iPhone owners claimed that the apps were entirely new to them.

For example, Reddit user EagleEyedTiger7 stated that their iPhone “randomly” downloaded the Last War game after updating to iOS 18.4. In response, user schulze1 said the same thing had happened to them and that “I’ve never had that app installed before.”

A strange situation

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

On first glance, it might appear that the issue relates to the Automatic Downloads setting in Apple’s App Store. This enables Apple devices to automatically download apps and games that have been installed on other Apple products you own, even if they have never been added to the device you are currently using.

However, several users claimed that their iPhone is the only Apple device they own, meaning the apps could not have been downloaded in this way.

We also do not have many details about whether the bug is only affecting people with certain iPhones, users who are located in specific regions, or people who have taken any other steps. It’s also unclear how widespread the issue is.

For now, the main solution is simply to delete the unwanted apps from your device. Hopefully, Apple will soon roll out a fix that stops random apps from appearing on people’s iPhones, but for now we’ll just have to wait.

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• WordPress.com, Tumblr and WooCommerce owner Automattic is laying off 16%
• Automattic wants to become more agile and responsive
• Long-term financial viability and profitability is also key

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, Tumblr and WooCommerce, has confirmed it will be laying off approximately 16% of its workforce.

The news is estimated to impact around 280 of its nearly 1,750 employees (via TechCrunch), with CEO Matt Mullenweg confirming HR representatives would be reaching out to affected workers after his email landed in the inboxes of all “Automatticians.”

The usual “financial and support benefits” were promised, with Mullenweg citing profitability as a key driver for the layoffs.

Automattic layoffs

“We have reached an important crossroads,” Mullenweg wrote, illustrating a scenario of continued growth and an equally high competitive market. “We must improve our productivity, profitability, and capacity to invest,” he added.

The leader confirmed that the changes would help the company to become more agile and responsive, break down organizational silos, focus on product quality and ensure long-term financial viability.

More broadly, the layoffs follow a precarious year for both Automattic and Mullenweg personally, after he became embroiled in a battle with WP Engine, likening the WordPress hosting provider to a cancer that takes more than it gives back to the project.

Mullenweg added the redundancy process would be more complex with workers in 90 countries, but as a rule they could expect severance pay and other benefits, including the retention of company laptops and other job placement resources.

“I’m confident we will come out of this situation in a better position… In the coming weeks, we’ll share more about our path forward and how we’ll work together to strengthen our company,” Mullenweg added.

According to layoffs.fyi, Automattic became the 96th tech company to announce layoffs in 2025, but although layoffs continue to plague the tech sector, workers are seemingly a lot more safe than the height of the tech sector layoffs in 2023.

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• The Galaxy S25 Edge has apparently been delayed due to technical issues
• It might now launch in May or June, in line with other recent claims
• But there's seemingly the possibility that it could be canceled entirely

Just yesterday, we heard that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has been postponed from a planned launch in mid-April to sometime in May or June, and while sources at the time suggested this was not due to any problems with the phone itself, we’re now hearing that Samsung might be facing technical issues after all.

In a report for WinFuture, reputable leaker Roland Quandt claims that “sources close to Samsung” have confirmed that the delay is due to “technical reasons” and that further testing of the phone is necessary.

They didn’t specify what these technical issues might be, but Quandt seems under the impression that they could be significant, stating that it is “questionable whether Samsung will bring the S25 Edge to market at all.”

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future) Its prospects aren't promising

Quandt sounded similarly bleak about the phone's prospects across a couple of Bluesky posts, saying in one that they “wonder if Sammy might even decide to cancel it overall” and in another that “the official pics I posted earlier could well be the only ones we'll ever see.”

It would seem surprising for Samsung to cancel the Galaxy S25 Edge at the last minute, especially since the company has already teased the device, but this certainly doesn’t sound promising for the Edge’s prospects.

With the phone still potentially landing within the next few months, we’ll probably hear more soon – and if we don’t, that in itself could be a good sign that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has been canceled.

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• Nintendo confirms that some Switch 2 games will only contain a download key
• It explains that games with Game-Key Cards don't feature the full game data
• Players will require an internet connection when first inserting a Game-Key Card

Following the full reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo has confirmed that certain physical games will only feature a download key.

The company detailed everything we need to know in a new customer support post after the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, explaining that its new 'Game-Key Cards' - physical Switch 2 games - will contain a download "key" and don't feature the full game data.

"Game-key cards are different from regular game cards, because they don’t contain the full game data. Instead, the game-key card is your 'key' to downloading the full game to your system via the internet," Nintendo said.

After the game is downloaded, players can play the game by inserting the Game-Key Cards into their console and starting it up like a standard physical game.

Players can identify which Switch 2 physical games will contain a Game-Key Card by a key icon on the front of the game box. When a card is inserted, the HOME Menu will then provide instructions on how to download it for the first time.

Currently, we know games like Bravely Default and Street Fighter 6: Year 1-2 Fighters Edition will only feature a Game-Card Key, while new titles like Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza will offer standard physical game cards like the original Switch.

Many fans are conflicted about Nintendo's new Game-Key Card idea, with some worrying that the company might be moving toward a full digital output. However, it's worth mentioning that keys are quite similar to some PS5 physical games that may require an additional download via the internet, except the PS5 only offers one physical version compared to the Switch 2.

In case you missed it, the Nintendo Switch 2 officially launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99, with preorders set to begin on April 8.

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• Lenovo has leaked Nvidia’s next GPUs, in theory, in a listing for an incoming desktop PC
• The Lenovo Legion Tower 5i offers options on the as-yet-unannounced RTX 5060 Ti and 5060
• If Lenovo is preparing product listings that mention these GPUs (and accidentally sent one live), this hints that RTX 5060 models are imminent

What could be Nvidia’s next Blackwell GPU models – the RTX 5060, and 5060 Ti – have popped up in the official specs page for a Lenovo desktop PC.

As VideoCardz highlighted, the machine in question is the Lenovo Legion Tower 5i Gen 10 (Intel), which as the name denotes has an Intel processor (actually a mobile flavor, soldered to the motherboard – up to an Intel 285HX CPU, apparently). Note that Lenovo refers to this chip as a ‘Core Ultra i9’ which is incorrect, confusing Intel’s old naming scheme (i9) with the new one (Ultra 9).

It’s the GPU options which are key here, though, and they consist of a choice of the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti, or the RTX 5060 Ti, or RTX 5060 (the RTX 5070 seems to have been skipped over by Lenovo for this PC).

Of course, the RTX 5060 models don’t officially exist yet, but are rumored to be nearing release. The fact that Lenovo has listed them with this PC is a heavy hint that these graphics cards are indeed imminent, just as the grapevine has suggested multiple times now.

(Image credit: Lenovo) Analysis: Possibly imminent GPUs and pressing concerns about stock

The rumor mill has been alive with chatter about the RTX 5060 graphics cards for some time now, and theories that Nvidia actually intended to launch this next tier in its Blackwell GPUs already – but there have been delays.

Obviously, we need to take that speculation about Nvidia pushing back its plans with a fistful of seasoning, but the latest guess is that the RTX 5060 Ti is possibly delayed to mid-April and the vanilla RTX 5060 to mid-May.

Mind you, if we are looking at mid-April, that’s only a couple of weeks away now, so it makes sense that Lenovo is readying listings for PCs with these GPUs to go live on its site, and has accidentally published this product blurb a little prematurely.

Normally, I’d expect after this sighting was reported, Lenovo would have taken down the listing (or at least removed the mention of the unreleased GPUs here), but at the time of writing, it’s still live (as linked above).

Unfortunately, there are no spec details accompanying the mention of the RTX 5060 GPUs, but as VideoCardz noticed, we do get a glimpse of the graphics card inside the PC, showing it has two fans and a single 8-pin power connector (which backs up existing rumors).

Speculation thus far contends that the RTX 5060 will run with 8GB of VRAM, but the RTX 5060 Ti should offer both 8GB and 16GB versions (exactly as is the case with the current RTX 4060 range).

The consistent rumors about the RTX 5060 being likely to suffer from poor levels of supply are also a worry here, but with what we’ve experienced so far from Blackwell launches, this would hardly be a surprise. That might well be tied into the rumored delays, as Nvidia really needs to ensure a more robust level of stock for Blackwell GPUs that are going to be priced more affordably, and therefore be under much greater demand, than the RTX 5070 and above.

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• More signs of ultra wide-band in Find My Device are spotted
• The upgrade could be rolling out imminently
• Devices can be tracked more precisely with the technology

Google's Find My Device platform got a hefty upgrade last year, adding support for offline devices and third-party trackers, and it looks like it's about to get another significant boost – courtesy of ultra wide-band technology (UWB).

This is the precise location tracking protocol that you'll find in everything from the Apple AirTag to the Google Pixel 9 Pro, and the team at Android Authority just found references to it inside the latest Find My Device app for Android.

Phones and other gadgets can already be located via GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, but UWB adds an extra level of accuracy. Rather than just knowing something is in your house, you'll actually be able to find the sofa cushion it's buried under.

We actually got the first signs of this upgrade last June, which were then followed up by mentions of a 'compass' tool in the Find My Device app. The latest code snippets – which aren't yet live – suggest the feature is now about to be deployed.

Compatible devices

AirTags offer UWB support (Image credit: Apple)

Ultra wide-band isn't just about location tracking: the standard works over short distances using radio waves, and it also has applications in smart home and car tech (letting you wirelessly unlock your vehicle, for example).

For you to be able to find something via UWB, you'll need the tech to be built into the phone you're searching with, and the gadget you're trying to find. You can then find the lost item to an accuracy of just a few centimeters or inches.

Many devices now include UWB, such as the Google Pixel Watch 3, but it's not everywhere – the flagship Google Pixel 9, launched last August, doesn't offer UWB. You will find UWB in some tracking devices, including the Galaxy Smart Tag 2.

We're still waiting for some Google-branded AirTag competitors, and we haven't seen anything to suggest they're launching imminently. If Google were to launch its own trackers soon, it would be the perfect way to showcase UWB support for Find My Device.

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Microsoft is celebrating a very special birthday, and you're all invited. The Microsoft 50th Anniversary Copilot Event takes place tomorrow, and will see the Seattle tech giant unveil its latest AI developments – and, presumably, look back at its vast history.

In the lead-up to the event at 9:30 AM PT / 12:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM BST on April 4, we'll discuss all of our favorite Microsoft moments from the last 50 years and predict what Copilot upgrades we can expect to see.

Whether you're a fan of Windows, Xbox, Copilot, or even the Zune (remember that?), you won't want to miss this birthday bash.

Plus, we'll have reporters on the ground in Seattle ready to cover all the breaking news as it happens, so stay tuned to TechRadar and bookmark this live blog to keep up with everything Microsoft 50th Anniversary and Copilot.

Good morning! John-Anthony Disotto, TechRadar's Senior AI Writer here, ready to kickstart our coverage of the Microsoft 50th Anniversary Copilot event!

Stay tuned – because we've got a while until the event starts tomorrow (April 4), so we'll have plenty time to talk about the best (and worst) Microsoft moments from the last half century.

And of course, we'll also be speculating as to what we expect to see from Copilot, and bringing you any last-minute rumors on that front.

Let's go over the basics first:

The Microsoft 50th Anniversary Copilot Event will be live-streamed on the company's website on April 4 at 9:30 AM PT / 12:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM BST.

We expect to see announcements related to Microsoft AI, but details are pretty scarce at the moment.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In the lead up to the event, we've asked the TechRadar team to discuss their favorite Microsoft memories from over the years.

Whether that's the launch of Windows 95, Microsoft's venture into games consoles in the early 2000s, or Windows Phone, we've got so much to reminisce about.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Let's kickstart this time capsule 50 years ago, back in 1975.

It's generally considered that Microsoft was founded on April 4, 1975, but Bill Gates and Paul Allen's journey started in January of that year when the duo spotted the MITS Altair 8800 on the cover of Popular Electronics.

With their creative juices flowing, the duo launched BASIC in February 1975 as the first computer programming language for a PC and sold it to MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The pair then moved to Boston where Microsoft was co-founded as BASIC. By July 1975, BASIC v2 had officially shipped, and the journey had begun.

Microsoft's first logo

(Image credit: Microsoft)

In November 1967, Micro-Soft was registered as a trade name and we got our first glimpse at a Microsoft logo.

It's definitely not as iconic as the colorful Windows logo we've all grown to know and love, but back in the 60s logos were more about practicality than style.

Let's start bringing in some of TechRadar's staff to discuss their favorite Microsoft memories, starting with TechRadar Pro's Managing Editor, Desire Athow.

His favorite Microsoft product of all time is Windows 95, and for many that might be the very first experience you ever had with a computer.

My favorite Microsoft product: Windows 95

Desire said, "Launched almost 30 years ago, Windows 95 remains my favorite Microsoft product of all time. Those of a certain vintage will remember the days of MS-DOS and the joys of text-based operating systems.

The transition from c:\ to GUI (graphics user interface) was a true paradigm shift, opening the world of computing to a much, much wider audience and cementing its status back then as the OS powering the personal computer revolution.

The cursor changed everything, but it's something else, an afterthought, that truly changed the world: Internet Explorer."

"Back in the day, we had bootlegged pirated copies of Microsoft Windows 95 Beta (AKA Chicago), and I vividly remember the hours I spent trying to install it from a CDROM.

Ironically, 30 years later, AI has brought back that same feeling. Gemini, the AI I used the most, is in dark mode by default and text mostly, not unlike the OS of yesteryear. P.S.: if you want to relive Windows 95 in all its glory, have a gander at this site that puts Windows 95 in your browser."

I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Microsoft (kind of)

Microsoft's impact can't be overestimated, it has truly defined the tech industry, and in turn everyone at TechRadar's careers, in some shape or another.

Computing Managing Editor, Matt Hanson owes a lot of his career to Microsoft, He said "In a way, I owe a lot of my career as a tech journalist to Microsoft, and if it wasn’t for the company - and a rather unpopular version of Windows - I wouldn’t be here typing away about PCs.

Not because I wouldn’t exist at all - thankfully Microsoft had nothing to do with my actual creation, that would be one heck of a family tree to get my head around, but because the very first publication I worked for at Future Publishing was Windows Vista: The Official Magazine."

(Image credit: Future)

Hanson adds, "This was back in 2008, and Microsoft had licensed Future to create a magazine to show off its new operating system and help users get the most out of their PCs.

While it was the official magazine, Microsoft was thankfully quite hands-off for the most part, and the magazine was far more than just an advert for Windows Vista. Magazines were still selling well and we had a big team, and we did some really fun features such as renting out cars and using various map websites and SatNavs (remember them?) to see who could get to a random place as fast as possible.

It was genuinely fun, and here I am almost 20 years later still at Future and still writing about PCs.

The only issue was that Windows Vista was a bit, well… crap. I moved publications after a few years, writing for esteemed organs such as PC Plus, PC Format and Linux Format, to name a few. I was also involved in the launch of Windows 8: The Official Magazine, which again was a fun publication, though it had to deal with the fact that Microsoft had somehow made an operating system worse than Windows Vista.

But I’ll always have a soft spot for those less popular versions, as they helped get me to where I am today."

What about the future?

(Image credit: AdriaVidal via Shutterstock)

While it's lovely to talk about the past, what about the future?

The event tomorrow is focused around Copilot, but what could we see Microsoft unveil when it comes to AI?

This week, the company has rolled out Copilot Search in Bing, and it's available for free. Could that be at the core of the event? I'm not convinced

(Image credit: Microsoft (Screenshot by John Loeffler))

I don't think Copilot gets the love it deserves, and my colleague Eric thinks the same.

Earlier this week he wrote about the Copilot app and why you should give it a try.

Read his piece, "I tried Microsoft Copilot's iOS app, and here are 3 reasons why you should too" and maybe you'll be convinced to give Microsoft AI a go.

The good ol' days

(Image credit: Future)

Let's jump to another TechRadar team member's favorite Microsoft memory. This time in the company's gaming division.

Axel Metz, TR's Phones Editor, says "I'm jumping in to nostalgia dump about my beloved Xbox 360.

This picture, taken in November 2013, is the first in my iPhone’s camera roll and shows my modest collection of Xbox games just moments before they were moved onto another shelf to make way for my shiny new PS4 collection.

I happily played those PS4 games for most of the next decade, but my fondest gaming memories relate to my Xbox 360 and the hundreds of hours I spent playing the likes of Halo: Reach, Assassins Creed: Brotherhood, Skate 3, Batman: Arkham City, Red Dead Redemption, Far Cry 3, Just Cause 2, FIFA 13… the list goes on.

The 360 console design was perfect; the controller was perfect; the dashboard was perfect; party chat was perfect – looking back, I can’t believe just how badly Microsoft dropped the ball with the Xbox One (even I, an Xbox lover, was forced to defect to PlayStation), but lest we forget just how much its game-changing 2005 console meant (and still means) to millions of people.

I remember those Xbox 360 days too Axel... What a time to be alive, coming home from school and jumping on Xbox live to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

I have especially fond memories of the 360 era of video games because of my prowess at wrestling games. My claim to fame is my worldwide ranking in WWE Smackdown! vs. Raw 2007 where I was 11th in the world for steel cage matches.

Nowadays I'm lucky if I can win a game in any online lobby, kid these days are just built different!

(Image credit: Getty Images)

TechRadar's very own Editor At Large, Lance Ulanoff, is in Seattle for the Microsoft event, and he's written an excellent piece on how Gates and co have helped define the tech industry.

Lance has been covering Microsoft since the 1980s, so he's got a wealth of experience and knowledge to share on the evolution of the company throughout the decades.

In his latest article, "I've been covering Microsoft, DOS, and Windows since the 1980s, and Microsoft turning 50 is more important than you think", Lance discusses the company's impact on the industry and the ups and downs of the tech giant over the years.

Here's one of my favorite quotes from the piece:

"I booted up the computer and started playing around in what was then Windows 2.0. It had mouse support and windows, but seemed rigid, and as soon as I discovered there was no font support – a key component for digital publishing. I was out.

What I didn't realize at the time was how our destinies – Microsoft's and mine – would soon be intertwined."

This is an awesome article, go and give it a read!

Hello, I'm a PC

(Image credit: Apple)

Graham Barlow, TechRadar's AI Editor has chimed in with his thoughts on Microsoft's 50th anniversary.

"With Microsoft hitting its 50th anniversary I’m reminded of the old rivalry between PC and Mac.

Back in the early 2000s, I was the editor of MacFormat, the UK’s no.1 Apple magazine, and Microsoft was our sworn enemy. It was just a few years later (2008) that Apple created the “I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” advertising campaign featuring John Hodgman and Justin Long.

I used to love those adverts and I remember recreating the look and feel of them with the editor of PC Answers at the time, Simon Pickstock, for a magazine feature. We had some fun with that. Of course, I played the Justin Long character and Simon played the John Hodgman character. I made fun of Windows’ inability to survive for five minutes on the Internet without getting some sort of malware infestation and he laughed at the Mac’s inability to get a DIY memory upgrade.

The two iconic characters exemplified everything about Mac and PC owners of the time, and in a way, it’s still true today. Windows and Microsoft have never been ‘cool’ like the Mac has, but it’s a testament to Windows’ enduring popularity that it’s still here today, and still the only real choice for a PC operating system. (Yes, I’ve heard of Linux, thank you).

Of course, the joke was on me when a few years later I was asked to also run Windows Help & Advice magazine in addition to my duties on MacFormat, in a way that made it pretty clear that “no” was not going to be an option. Windows Help & Advice didn’t survive COVID-19 sadly, but at least that meant I got a break from running “How to reinstall Windows” cover features every other month (yes, they were that popular).

Interestingly, MacFormat is still going strong, and it’s one of the few technology magazines that continues to still exist in print.

While the Windows magazine readers may have all migrated online and now exist in the cloud somewhere, it turns out that they were the ones who were more interested in living in a digital world than the Mac owners. Back in 2008, who would have thought that?"

I'm loving all these Microsoft memories, and it's great to learn more about my colleagues' careers. Keep em' coming folks!

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Back to the Copilot event. It's hard to know exactly what Microsoft has up its sleeve for tomorrow's livestream, but you'd hope it's something important considering it's linked to the company's golden anniversary.

Eric Hal Schwartz wrote about the 4 things he wants to see announced at the Copilot event, and I'm in agreement with some of his ideas.

My favorite concept in his list is the return of Clippy, Microsoft's most famous mascot. Could you imagine a Copilot-powered Clippy in Windows 11? Sign me up!

Now, let's go back down memory lane, as Marcus Mears II – TechRadar's Computing Reviews and Buying Guides Editor – looks back on the Xbox 360.

The One Thing No Xbox Owner Wanted to See

It's not too often we get omens in the world of tech and gaming (well, not counting HP). But there's one symbol synonymous with the Xbox 360 - and its creator, Microsoft - that certainly fits the bill. The infamous "Red Ring of Death" would rear its ugly head to tell you "this Xbox's time is up. Repair or replace, but go no further!"

A number of flashing red lights would appear around your 360's power button, alerting you of one or more critical hardware errors going on under the hood. But did you know that depending on how many lights were shown, and in what positions they populated, your Xbox was giving different and specific cries for help?

If you saw one red light in the bottom right of the ring, you were looking at some form of acute hardware failure, and typically it was followed up with an error code on your display. If two red lights appeared, your Xbox was overheating and needed some time to cool off.

Three red lights was the unfortunate star of the show, the Red Ring of Death, and it meant your Xbox 360 had critical hardware errors preventing it from running normally. Your display wouldn't show an error code, and you were left clutching your console in your hands, thinking back on all the good times you had together (or more likely using some choice words while trying to get it to work again).

After several years of Microsoft-fueled fun, my own 360 went the way of the Red Ring. Getting rid of your favorite tech is never fun, but thinking back on it certainly can be. 50 years in the game is a long time, and there's bound to be ups as well as downs. Leave it to Microsoft to make the downsides an iconic walk down memory lane.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 3.

With announcements flooding in on all sides from Nintendo Direct, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and miss some important details.

One of which isn't all Mario Sunshine and daisies: unfortunately, you won't be able to play all of your Switch 1 games on the Switch 2.

This is due to how Nintendo built the Switch 2 as, interestingly, it "doesn't contain any Switch hardware."

That doesn't mean you won't be able to move any of your favorite titles over to the new system, but it does mean you won't see the same kind of compatibility you saw between the DS and 3DS.

Here's what you need to know.

The Switch 2 focuses on "enhancing its performance as hardware"

Dohta (left) and Kawamoto (right) discuss the launch of the upcoming Switch 2 (Image credit: Nintendo)

Now, the incompatibility between some Switch games and the new Nintendo Switch 2 does come with a reasonable explanation.

In Vol. 16 of Nintendo's Ask the Developer conference, Kouichi Kawamoto (Producer, Entertainment Planning & Development Department), Takuhiro Dohta (Senior Director, Entertainment Planning & Development Department), and Tetsuya Sasaki (General Manager, Technology Development Division) accepted questions on the development of Nintendo's new handheld console.

When asked if the team had "already decide[d] on this functionality when [they] were first planning the development of a new dedicated game system," the team highlighted that compatibility was indeed a consideration. Even so, it wasn't as simple as porting Wii games to the Wii U.

The foremost focus with the Switch 2 was instead "on enhancing its performance as hardware, namely, expanding its capacity. So, compatibility was a lower priority."

This meant creating a revamped system with no original Switch hardware under the hood. Sasaki comments, "It's tricky to explain... Maybe the easiest way to understand it is that the methods used to achieve compatibility between Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, and between Switch and Switch 2, are completely different."

Kawamoto adds to that: "Simply put, those systems were compatible because Nintendo 3DS contained Nintendo DS hardware, and Wii U contained Wii hardware. However, Switch 2 doesn't contain any Switch hardware."

If you're brave enough to check whether your favorite game made the journey, Nintendo published and continues to update a comprehensive list of Switch games that are not compatible with the Switch 2.

It's not all gloom and doom, though

That's not to say the Switch 2 won't run any games from the OG Switch. Most of your favorites run just fine thanks to what Dohta explains is "something that’s somewhere in between a software emulator and hardware compatibility."

It's also important to note that almost all first-party Nintendo titles are available on the new Switch 2 (save for Fitness Boxing).

Sasaki continues, "There are some games that ran well due to the Switch system's hardware configuration. Switch 2, on the other hand, has increased processing capabilities and an expanded memory capacity, which could theoretically cause some of those games to stop working. We weren't so confident at first, but as we tested games one by one, we found out that some issues could be solved by making improvements. This process helped us build confidence that, while we might not be able to solve everything, we can work it out for many games."

In fact, thanks to the Switch 2's new and improved hardware, some of your go-to games may even run better. The team mentioned seeing shorter load times and more stable gameplay in some instances.

You'll also see the arrival of some new features like GameChat, which lets you voice chat and screen share with up to 12 players at a time. This could be a home run for party games, ultimately enhancing the experience of hanging out with your Switch- 2-wielding friends.

Overall, it's worth checking the list of games that will run on the Switch 2 to make sure your favorites aren't on the red light list. The good news is that the majority of Switch titles will run on the Switch 2, which launches June 5 and will be available for preorder starting April 9.

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