This week was surprisingly big in the tech world.
Apple launched several new M5-powered machines in its lineup, Samsung announced the release date for its headphones, and Windows 10 was buried.
To catch up on all this and more, you can scroll down to see quick summaries of the week’s seven biggest tech news stories and links to the full articles if you need to know more.
7. Windows 10 support officially ended
The guillotine officially fell on Windows 10 this week. On October 14, the operating system used by millions of people entered its end-of-life phase, meaning it will no longer receive features, bug fixes, or security patches.
Is that the end of the story? Definitely not. The decision has been highly controversial with many criticizing the security implications, considering many cannot upgrade to Windows 11 (or do not want to buy a new machine).
Still, if you’re in that boat, you have a few options, from signing up for free extended updates to turning your Windows 10 laptop into a Chromebook or trying a stripped-down version of Windows 11. Alternatively, you can also read our full guide below on Microsoft’s latest Windows clanger.
6. Windows 11 got more AI powers
The same week that killed off Windows 10, Microsoft brought some new capabilities to Windows 11, and of course, they’re all related to AI and Copilot.
Interestingly, these updates are not reserved for Copilot+ PCs. Instead, Microsoft promises a “new wave of updates that will make every Windows 11 PC an AI-powered PC, with Copilot at the center of it all.”
The big change is new voice control. If you agree, simply say “Hey Copilot” (and definitely not “Hey Cortana”) and you can start issuing commands when Copilot’s microphone appears on your screen. Say “Goodbye” or close the panel to end the conversation.
There’s also the global launch of Copilot Vision, which until now has only been available in the US. It analyzes the content on your screen to help you accomplish the task you’ve set out to do and offers troubleshooting if something goes wrong.
5. The Pokémon series mega evolved
This world-renowned franchise has faced accusations of being outdated in recent years and having lost its way in the 3D era, but those accusations may disappear after the debut of Pokémon Legends: ZA.
We had the opportunity to review the game before its release and thought it was fantastic. The new battle mechanics feel closer to the anime than the series does, the exploration is excellent (even if Lumiose can start to feel a little weighed down after too many hours), and the story may be the most engaging we’ve ever had (with touches from the excellent Gamecube duo). XD: Gale of darkness and Coliseum.
That’s not to say it’s perfect (sometimes there’s a bit of clunkiness in the battles and it’s not always the most challenging), but Legends: ZA proves that sometimes you can reinvent the wheel to create something incredibly new but familiar.
4. Samsung set an XR release date
This week, Samsung announced that it will be introducing its Android XR consumer headphones on October 21 at an event titled Open worldwide.
While we don’t know the full specifications of these headphones, Samsung has been showing off Moohan, the precursor to its upcoming headphones, for some time now, and our demos with the headphones have been generally positive.
If an Android
That’s not a bad plus if you end up buying the headphones, but it also suggests that Moohan won’t be the cheapest option at launch if Samsung offers $100 freebies.
3. We review the Xbox handheld.
The Asus ROG Xbox Ally
After testing it, our review found that it is not a portable version of the Xbox console; Instead, it’s an impressive Windows 11 laptop gaming PC. While it doesn’t fix all of the Windows 11 laptop’s problems, it does feature some innovative hardware and software options that seem like a big step in the right direction.
As our review said, “While it’s probably the best premium handheld on the market, due to the high price and the feeling that the Asus ROG Xbox Ally
2. The new MacBook Pro started Apple’s M5 era
It wasn’t a big surprise to those who had been following the rumors, but this week Apple updated its 14-inch MacBook Pro with a powerful new M5 chip.
That was good news for anyone who’s been waiting to upgrade their creaky old Pro machine. But fans of the larger 16-inch model will have to fight a little harder: It looks like the more powerful M5 Pro and Max chips aren’t ready yet.
Still, with a new chip, faster SSD storage, and the same reliable design as before, the MacBook Pro M5 could be the safe bet creatives have been waiting for.
1. Apple introduced an iPad M5
As many expected, Apple launched its most advanced and fastest Apple Silicon, the M5 chip, and as it did with the M4, one of the recipients of this faster SoC is Apple’s powerful and ultra-thin iPad Pro.
The difference this time is the intense focus on artificial intelligence and how the faster Neural Engine and neural accelerators on each GPU core will drive generative AI operations, primarily by supporting local operation of third-party models.
Aside from that big brain change, there don’t appear to be any other changes to the 11- or 13-inch iPad Pro models. Even the prices are the same, which may be the best news.
