TechCapsules

Microsoft is rolling out a change to its Authenticator app, requiring users to manually enter a two-digit number for login verification instead of tapping one of three options. This update aims to improve security by reducing the risk of accidental approvals and spam attacks. The change first appeared for enterprise and education users, but has since started rolling out to personal Microsoft accounts. The update is part of Microsoft's efforts to phase out insecure SMS codes as [...]

The Pokémon Company has launched "Pokémon Champions" on iPhone, iPad, and Android, expanding its competitive battle game beyond the Nintendo Switch. The free-to-play title focuses on Pokémon battles, allowing players to compete in ranked, casual, and private matches using familiar mechanics. Players can connect Pokémon Home to bring eligible Pokémon from existing collections into the game, and engage in cross-platform battles with mobile devices and Nintendo Switch consoles.

Facebook Messenger has suddenly disappeared from Android Auto, leaving users frustrated and without access to their messages while driving. The app's removal comes without warning and no official explanation from Meta. The change affects users with the latest version of Facebook Messenger, with the icon and app no longer appearing on car displays or in the launcher customization screen. Android Auto's notification UI still supports Messenger notifications, but without a direct filter.

A prototype browser using the Blink engine has demonstrated a significant speed advantage over Apple's WebKit engine in benchmark tests. The tests, conducted by Microsoft Edge's Kyle Pflug, showed Blink outperforming WebKit by 28.6% in the Speedometer 3.1 Web Responsiveness test and narrowly winning in the Motionmark 1.3.1 graphics rendering test. The results suggest that Blink may offer a viable alternative to WebKit, which has dominated the iOS browser landscape for years.

Google Photos is expanding its AI-powered "Edit with Ask Photos" feature to five new countries, bringing the total number of supported regions to nine. The feature, also known as conversational editing, allows users to make photo adjustments through the Google Photos app using text-based prompts. The expansion includes regions such as South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the UK, and Canada, with the functionality rolling out now to Android users in these areas. The feature was initially launched in [...]

Apple has released the fourth version of its Game Porting Toolkit (GPTK), a tool designed to help developers port Windows games to macOS. The new version, GPTK 4, utilizes AI-based technology to speed up the porting process and supports Metal 4, a version of the API exclusive to Apple Silicon. This allows for faster speeds and features like neural rendering and MetalFX Frame Interpolation, resulting in improved rendering of modern games.

General Intuition, a New York-based startup, is in talks to raise around $300 million, which would bring its valuation to over $2 billion. The startup, founded by Pim de Witte and co-founders Eloi Alonso, Adam Jelley, and Vincent Micheli, trains embodied AI and world models using a unique dataset from Medal's 2 billion videos per year. The funds will be used to scale up compute capacity and release a new product by the end of summer or

Nvidia has released an update for its GeForce NOW streaming service, adding support for seven new games, including Aphelion and Pro Cycling Manager 26. The service continues to offer discounts, with the 12-month Performance membership reduced to $64.99 and the Ultimate membership to $129.99. Nvidia also confirmed that support for GOG single sign-in and game library is incoming this summer, expanding the platform's compatibility with popular stores. Members can play games with cloud-save functionality, allowing seamless progress