Category: 4. Technology

Solos has launched the next generation of its smart glasses in the AirGo A5 and AirGo V2, both of which offer seamless voice control and advanced video capabilities.

The Solos AirGo A5 are everyday glasses with intelligent features. They offer automatic power-on/off and hands-free wake-up word functionality, so you can simply say “Hey Solos” to engage AI tools like SolosChat without reaching for a phone. You can jump in with follow-up questions as well.

Upgraded directional audio minimizes sound leakage for a more private listening experience, while enhanced bass delivers richer, deeper sound quality across music, calls, and voice responses.

Compatible with all frame fronts in the existing AirGo 3 lineup, the AirGo A5 offers an easy upgrade path for current users. They will be available starting in Q3 2025, with presales beginning in August, starting at US$249.

Meanwhile, the Solos AirGo V2 are slim smart glasses that combine a camera, AI, and real-time connectivity features in a slim, feather-light design made for all-day comfort. Equipped with a slim 16MP camera featuring advanced Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), wearers can capture high-resolution images and Full HD video, even during movement.

New to this model is live video streaming powered by ultra-low-power Wi-Fi, enabling real-time sharing without sacrificing battery life. The AirGo V2 also introduces SolosChat 3.0, a multi-modal AI platform that combines image, video, audio, and text for deeper, more dynamic interactions. You can do things like identify objects, translate signs, and get quick answers from multiple AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and DeepSeek.

The AirGo V2 retains all the intuitive user features introduced in the A5, including auto power-on/off, wake-up word activation, natural, interruptible conversation, and enhanced directional audio for private listening. It continues Solos’ signature modular system equipped with SmartHinge so you can easily swap out frame fronts to match your style.

A swappable battery also provides added flexibility if you’re looking to extend video recording time and power through longer days. Enjoy adjustable nose pads and temple tips.

The Solos AirGo V2 is expected to launch in Q4 2025 and will start at US$299.

As part of its open platform approach for design and software, Solos is working with select SDK partners to explore new AI-driven applications across accessibility, consumer technology, and healthcare. Initial collaborations include Envision, Deutsche Telekom, and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which is piloting speech therapy use cases. These partnerships highlight the growing potential for smartglasses to support real-world needs across industries and Solos’ open architecture to work with partners for smart glasses development.

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition has recently been rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board. With the ESRB finalizing its review of the game, it could mean the Elden Ring Switch 2 edition could be launching sooner than some expected.

‘Elden Ring’ Switch 2 Release Date Could be hinted at with ESRB Rating completed

Although Elden Ring Tarnished Edition was initially revealed during the Switch 2 Direct in April, no release date was given at the time. However, the popular FromSoftware RPG was recently rated by the ESRB for Nintendo’s console on June 30. This could actually give us an idea when we can expect the much-anticipated port.

Once a title is rated by ESRB, they sometimes release 4 to 6 months after it. “Sometimes” being the important keyword here, as this isn’t always the case. But it’s true for a lot of games. With FromSoftware stating that Elden Ring Switch 2 was set to launch “sometime in 2025”, it could launch on Switch 2 anytime between August through December. So while there is no guarantee, it looks like the game isn’t going to be delayed into 2026, as some fans had worried.

As a side note, I can’t help but be amused reading ESRB’s rating of Elden Ring Switch 2 edition. “ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition is rated M for Mature 17+ by the ESRB with Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, and Violence. During the course of the game, a humanoid monster is depicted partially nude, with scales/scars covering its breast and pelvic regions. The word “sh*t” appears in the dialogue.” I sometimes forget how weird Elden Ring gets. The fact that we can play it on a Nintendo console is just kind of mind-blowing, as a 90s kid.

‘Tarnished Edition’ to be featured during July Nintendo Direct?

With a Nintendo Switch 2 Direct rumored to be happening in July, some have theorized that the release date for Elden Ring Tarnished Edition could be announced then. Although the “leaked” Direct also claims a Metaphor: ReFantazio port is also going to be revealed at the event. Maybe it’s just me, but this is starting to sound a little too good to be true. But hey, you never know!

Another thing I’m curious about is how Elden Ring will actually perform on Switch 2. There is no way that it actually runs at 60 FPS, as it struggles to maintain that on PS5. But if FromSoftware is able to keep it locked at 30 FPS with decent graphics, it could be the best way to play the open-world RPG on the go. I’ve actually beaten the game on my Asus ROG, and it’s far from perfect.

FromSoftware is teaming up with Nintendo again, with the release of The Duskbloods. The exclusive multiplayer is scheduled to launch sometime in 2026. So Elden Ring releasing in 2025 would be a good warm-up for players diving into FromSoftware for the first time. Then again, you can play Dark Souls right now on Nintendo Switch 2. Even if it doesn’t have an upgraded version, it still runs decently!

Xbox is in a weird place right now, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. In fact, people with more important opinions on the subject than myself seem to agree: if Microsoft doesn’t get its shit together on hardware, the box as we know it is cooked. Laura Fryer, the former director of the Xbox Advanced Technology Group for the original Xbox project back in May 2000 and former executive producer for Microsoft Games Studios up until the Xbox 360 days, put it bluntly in a recent video.

“Obviously, as one of the founding members of the Xbox team, I’m not pleased with where things are today. I don’t love watching all of the value that I helped create slowly get eroded away,” Fryer said in a video on YouTube. “I’m sad because, from my perspective, it looks like Xbox has no desire—or literally can’t—ship hardware anymore. So, this partnership is about a slow exit from the hardware business completely. Personally, I think Xbox hardware is dead.”

The partnership that Fryer is referring to is, of course, the Xbox and Asus team-up that will see the release of the ROG Xbox Ally handheld that was announced at Computex earlier this month. The criticism from within the games industry and fans is that Microsoft didn’t design the handheld device, instead outsourcing the work to Asus, which modified its existing ROG Ally X handheld PCs, and then slapped Xbox software onto it. Was it laziness on Microsoft and Xbox’s part? Or is it afraid to commit to Xbox hardware?

Ouch. As rough as those words may be, it’s hard not to agree. Out of the gate, Xbox’s current generation of consoles, the Series S and X, were all but trounced by Sony and the PS5, the latter of which snatched a commanding 70 percent of the market share in the first five years of both consoles’ lives. There are a lot of reasons for that, and arguably the biggest is that PlayStation had the exclusive titles that made people actually want to buy a console. But pinning it on game exclusives doesn’t paint the full picture. Part of the problem is that Xbox, for all its past Gamer with a capital “G” glory, got boring. So yes, Xbox is in a weird place right now, but people still want consoles, which means it’s time for them to get even weirder—yes, I’m talking hardware, too.

First, let’s start with the boring box that Xbox houses all of that X in. It sucks. It’s a snooze that makes year-over-year smartphone design feel innovative. Sure, it’s sterile and can mesh with your new-build city-dwelling decor, but it’s also—on the downside—half-assed. If you’re selling people hardware that plays games, they ought to know that it’s a console and not a VCR you forgot to sell in 1997. Say what you will about the PS5 (it’s ugly; that’s the only correct opinion), but Sony took a swing with it. It made sure that everyone who bought one felt like they were buying a console, and like it or not, you eat with your eyes. If you want to give people a reason to buy your console, maybe try giving them a reason. Nintendo did that with the Switch in 2017, and as far as I can tell, that’s going (checks watch) really f*cking well.

Speaking of the Switch, Xbox should probably find a way to differentiate its hardware functionality-wise. As dominant as the PS5 has been in the console business, it’s still fundamentally the same machine as the Xbox. That’s a shame, considering Xbox had ample opportunities to bring hardware in exciting new directions over the years. Not to be the Kinect guy, but damn did Microsoft bungle XR big time—and then again, it bungled XR with the HoloLens. In the multiverse, there’s a timeline where Xbox used its experiments with XR via the Kinect and HoloLens to snatch value from the trembling hands of Sony and Meta’s Quest headsets. That is not this timeline, as we all know, but if it really wants to give Xbox a future worth financing, maybe there’s still room to take those more daring expeditions into gaming and refresh them for today’s age.

The last thing Xbox needs to do to get weird is a little more nebulous—it needs a new identity. Sure, Game Pass has been a ray of light in an otherwise dim outlook for Xbox, but turning the consoles into subscription machines doesn’t exactly scream, “We see you gamers, and we hear you.” Xbox can still continue to sell Game Pass subscriptions, don’t get me wrong—I love Game Pass, and being able to stream games on devices like the Quest 3 feels like a revelation to me. But the emphasis on Xbox being the thing that gets you to the thing makes hardware feel like an afterthought. Gaming on a console that you’ve spent $500 on should feel native; it should feel complete; it should feel like an Xbox, not a PC. That goes back to game exclusives, partly. Sony has had no issues getting weird with its exclusives—Death Stranding, for example, is one of the weirdest games you can play, and now Death Stranding 2 is a PS5 exclusive, which is apparently devastating some gamers. Sucks for them, but it’s kind of a huge win for PlayStation. It’s also more proof that Xbox doesn’t need to be the Netflix of gaming; it needs weird, magnetic titles that make its console feel experiential.

As you may have gathered, this would all be kind of a huge shift for Xbox, and it’s debatable whether Microsoft even has the will to make any of it work. I know the last few years have been lackluster for Xbox, but people still want consoles, and the recent success of the Switch 2 all but proves that. Nintendo, for its part, didn’t earn that success the easy way. It took a gamble with the Switch by redefining its hardware, pivoting inward towards games, and ended up releasing the defining console of our generation. That’s all to say, the ball is in your court, Microsoft. Are you going to go out with a bland, forgettable box? Or get weird and, at the very least, go down swinging?

If you’re a Galaxy phone user, Samsung warns that you need to activate some new features as soon as you can.

In a recent press release, Samsung explained that as phone thefts continue to rise around the world, it’s critical for users to make sure they enable their phone’s security measures – some of which are new to One UI 7.

Also: Phone theft is on the rise – 7 ways to protect your device before it’s too late

One of the areas getting an update is Theft Protection, which Samsung called “a multi-layered suite of features developed to safeguard personal data.” Existing and updated features in this suite include:

• Theft Detection Lock: This feature uses machine learning to detect motions associated with theft (like a sudden snatch and rapid acceleration), and instantly locks the screen to stop unauthorized access. Pixel devices introduced a similar feature last fall.

• Offline Device Lock: If your device is disconnected from the network for an extended time, the screen gets automatically locked.

• Remote Lock: If your phone has already been stolen, you can lock it remotely using your phone number and a quick verification step. You can also regain control of your account and explore additional recovery options.

These features build on the standard Android safety protection, Samsung noted, but take security a step further by introducing additional protection for high-risk scenarios when your access credentials have been compromised.

To turn on these features, head to your device’s settings menu and find security and privacy, then “Lost Device Protection” and “Theft Protection.”

Samsung also recommended enabling new anti-robbery features that were released in One UI 7, including: 

• Identity check: Samsung lets you define trusted places (say, your home in Google Maps) where your phone stays unlocked. With the “Safe Places” feature, if you’re outside a trusted place, your phone will require biometric authentication for any sensitive security changes. This helps keep your device safe even if someone has your PIN.

• Security Delay: If someone attempts to reset biometric data, your phone puts a one-hour waiting period in place. This gives users time to lock their stolen phone from another device before unauthorized access can occur.

These features are also under the Security and Privacy Section of the settings menu, but under “Lost Device Protection.”

Also: 5 warning signs that your phone’s been hacked – and how to fight back
Samsung said the updated theft features are becoming available now on previous flagship devices like the Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold6, Z Flip6, Z Fold5, Z Flip 5, S23, and S22 series, with future updates coming to even more Galaxy smartphones.

Features like this are starting to become commonplace. Android rolled out broader anti-theft measures last fall, added a few more in May, and even introduced some enhanced protections just a few days ago. Apple introduced its own version for iPhones last January.

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

It’s time for an electrifying event in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet during a mass outbreak of Electric-type Pokémon. From Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. PDT to Sunday, July 6, 2025, at 4:59 p.m. PDT, you’ll encounter groups of Dedenne, Pawmi, Pachirisu, Morpeko, Plusle, and Minun throughout the Paldea region, the land of Kitakami, and the Terarium at Blueberry Academy. Shiny Pokémon are more likely to appear during these special mass outbreaks, so don’t be shocked if you see Pokémon with unusual color schemes. Look for the following Pokémon in these locations:

• Paldea – Dedenne and Pawmi

• Kitakami – Pachirisu and Morpeko

• Blueberry Academy – Plusle and Minun

Mass outbreaks are a phenomenon in which many of the same species of Pokémon appear in one location. To participate in mass outbreak events, you will need to download the latest Poké Portal News and install the latest update data for your game.

Get charged up and have fun during this mass outbreak event, Trainers!

GET $150 OFF: As of June 30th, all colors of the Apple MacBook Air 2025 (M4 Chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) are on sale for $849, down from their regular price of $999, for a savings of 15%, or $150 off.

---

We already got excited about Apple’s 2025 MacBook Air hitting $150 off ahead of Prime Day, but last week you could only get one color: Starlight. Now we’re doubly hyped, with all colorways going on sale for the same 15% price cut… Yes, that includes Sky Blue, classic Silver, and Midnight. The choice is yours.

Right now, all colorways of Apple’s 2025 MacBook Air (M4 Chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) are on sale for $849, saving you $150.

The new Macbook Airs incorporate Apple’s supercharged M4 Chip, which are supported by 16GB of RAM. Even with a remarkably thin profile, these computers churn through calculations, so whether you’re running scientific experiments, performing, gaming, or simply opening lots of tabs, you’ll have the power you need.

Beyond computing power, the 2025 Air has a Retina display with 1 billion colors and a 12MP camera. It will support you in graphic design projects and online meetings.

Mashable Deals

Grab this deal to get any color of Apple’s 2025 Macbook Air (M4 Chip, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $150 off, and pay $849.

Built as the portable option among Apple’s laptops, the Air manages to fit an impressive battery in its half-inch thick body, and holds a charge for up to 18 hours. With such good battery life, it’s an excellent around-town laptop.

Amazon’s Prime Day is fast approaching and the are coming through thick and fast. One that is perhaps worth your attention is a discount on Apple’s USB-C AirPods Max. The headphones have , which is a $69 discount. The deal is available for all AirPods Max colorways except purple (sorry if you were holding out for a good deal on that variant!).

This isn’t the best price we’ve ever seen for the AirPods Max. They dipped to $450 during last year’s Black Friday period. Still, it’s a solid discount for anyone looking to pick up a pair now.

Apple finally the AirPods Max with a USB-C charging port and new colorways last fall. Earlier this year, the company updated the headphones with some new features, but only for the USB-C model. That version of the AirPods Max now supports lossless audio and , though only in wired mode.

That update and the switch to USB-C charging are the only major changes Apple has made to the AirPods Max, which still otherwise . Even so, the headphones deliver high-quality audio with good active noise cancellation.

We gave the original version of the headphones back in 2020. At the time, the lack of high-res music streaming was one of our main misgivings, but that has since been resolved. Another major negative for us was the price, though this offer mitigates that issue.

London, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pixalate, the leading ad fraud protection, privacy, and compliance analytics platform, today released the Q1 2025 Global Mobile App Ad SDK Market Share Rankings Reports for the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The Q1 2025 reports analyze the estimated market share of third-party ad software development kits (SDKs) used across apps on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Third-party SDKs are created by companies that are different from the app developer. App developers utilize third-party advertising SDKs to perform various advertising-related functions, including mediation, measurement, attribution, and more.

Top Android Ad SDKs Apps in the Google Play Store

Market share estimates are based on SDK presence. Pixalate identifies ad impressions on an app and attributes them to every SDK integrated into that app. Because many apps utilize multiple SDKs, this metric reflects an SDK’s footprint and potential access to impressions, not a direct confirmation of its participation in each ad sale.

Download the full report to explore the estimates based on the number of apps and impression volume.

Top Android Ad SDKs by Global Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• IAB OM Open Measurement OMSDK (95% estimated ad market share)
• Meta Audience Network (89%)
• Unity Ads (86%)
• AppLovin (85%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (83%)

Top Android Ad SDKs by North America Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• IAB OM Open Measurement OMSDK (96%)
• Meta Audience Network (92%)
• AppLovin (89%)
• Unity Ads (88%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (86%)

Top Android Ad SDKs by EMEA Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• IAB OM Open Measurement OMSDK (95%)
• Meta Audience (88%)
• Unity Ads (86%)
• AppLovin (86%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (82%)

Top Android Ad SDKs by APAC Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• IAB OM Open Measurement OMSDK (93%)
• Meta Audience Network (86%)
• Unity Ads (83%)
• Mintegral (78%)
• AppLovin (77%)

Top Android Ad SDKs by LATAM Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• IAB OM Open Measurement OMSDK (98%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (90%)
• Meta Audience Network (88%)
• Unity Ads (86%)
• AppLovin (85%)

Top Android Ad SDKs on ‘Video Gaming’ Apps by Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• IAB OM Open Measurement OMSDK (99%)
• Unity Ads (99%)
• AppLovin (98%)
• Meta Audience Network (96%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (96%)

Download the full Android Ad SDK Market Share Rankings for the Google Play Store here.

Top iOS Ad SDKs Apps in the Apple App Store

Download the full report to explore the estimates based on the number of apps and impression volume.

Top iOS Ad SDKs by Global Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• AppLovin (83% estimated ad market share)
• Amazon Ads (74%)
• Meta Audience Network (64%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (62% )
• ByteDance TikTok (60%)

Top iOS Ad SDKs by North America Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• AppLovin (84%)
• Amazon Ads (80%)
• Meta Audience Network (68%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (66%)
• Appodeal (65%)

Top iOS Ad SDKs by EMEA Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• AppLovin (83%)
• Amazon Ads (74%)
• ByteDance (TikTok) (59%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (55%)
• Meta Audience Network (54%)

Top iOS Ad SDKs by APAC Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• AppLovin (75%)
• ByteDance TikTok (71%)
• Meta Audience Network (67%)
• Amazon Ads (56%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (52%)

Top iOS Ad SDKs by LATAM Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• AppLovin (79%)
• Meta Audience Network (64%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (63%)
• Amazon Ads (59%)
• ByteDance TikTok (56%)

Top iOS Ad SDKs on ‘Video Gaming’ Apps by Estimated Market Share (March 2025):

• AppLovin (99%)
• Amazon Ads (85%)
• Vungle (Liftoff) (82%)
• Meta Audience Network (80%)
• Appodeal (79%)

Download the complete iOS Ad SDK Market Share Rankings for the Apple App Store here.

Pixalate’s data science team analyzed over 3.8M mobile apps downloadable from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store and 28 billion open programmatic advertising transactions during March 2025 (Q1 2025).
Download the reports for a complete analysis and review of SDKs:

About Pixalate

Pixalate is a global platform specializing in privacy compliance, ad fraud prevention, and digital ad supply chain data intelligence. Founded in 2012, Pixalate is trusted by regulators, data researchers, advertisers, publishers, ad tech platforms, and financial analysts across the Connected TV (CTV), mobile app, and website ecosystems. Pixalate is accredited by the MRC for the detection and filtration of Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT). pixalate.com

Disclaimer

The content of this press release, and the Global Mobile App SDKs Market Share Rankings Report, reflect Pixalate’s opinions with respect to the factors that Pixalate believes can be useful to the digital media industry. Any data shared is grounded in Pixalate’s proprietary technology and analytics, which Pixalate is continuously evaluating and updating. Any references to outside sources should not be construed as endorsements. Pixalate’s opinions are just that, opinions, which means that they are neither facts nor guarantees. Pixalate is sharing this data not to impugn the standing or reputation of any entity, person or app, but, instead, to report findings and trends pertaining to the time period studied.