Microsoft is undoubtedly one of the most important companies in tech history – so its 50th birthday today is a true cause for celebration. A celebration of what’s gone before, sure – from MS-DOS and Windows 95 through the short-lived Windows Phone era and, of course, the various Xbox consoles and Surface laptops – but it’s also about what’s coming next.
Which is… well, AI of course – what else could it be?
Scroll down and you’ll find our story on how Copilot is being transformed into a full-fledged AI companion, a move which the company presumably hopes will position it for continued success over the next 50 years. You’ll also find our live blog, where Editor at Large Lance Ulanoff and Managing Editor Jacob Krol are reporting from Redmond, and much more about this notable anniversary.
Nintendo has been around for even longer than Microsoft – more than 100 years – and it’s still going strong, launching its new Nintendo Switch 2 console this week. There was no mention of AI, but there were more than enough upgrades to make our Gaming Hardware Editor Rhys Wood proclaim that it “hasn't just exceeded my expectations – it's blown them away”. Check out his full early verdict below.
If you’re reading this in the US, though, you’ll have to wait a little longer to put in your pre-order for the new console. Nintendo announced today that it’s delaying pre-orders in the states so it can “assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions”. Expect more of this kind of thing in the coming weeks and months.
But to end on a more positive note, be sure to take a look at our guide to what to watch this weekend – it’s guaranteed to distract you from all that messy politics in the real world.
Did you know some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster? Yes, it sounds crazy. But it's true. The secret: Find a card with a "0% intro APR" period for balance transfers. Then, transfer your debt balance and pay it down as much as possible during the intro period. No interest means you could pay off the debt faster. Learn More
ADVERTISEMENT
The week in computing
Copilot is getting a birthday makeover (Microsoft)
We expected some big reveals as part of Microsoft's birthday bash, and the company has announced that Copilot is getting a massive update that will turn it into a more powerful and proactive AI assistant – and it's rolling out today.
TechRadar Gaming's Rhys Wood has spent four hours testing out the Nintendo Switch 2, and he's declared that his expectations for the console have been "blown away".
Based on our poll of almost 1,500 TechRadar readers, modern smartphone designs are boring – and most of us are missing the form-factor variety of years gone by.
Thanks to a major new image-generation upgrade rolled out to ChatGPT, it's now harder than ever to spot when an image has been made by AI – and that's a real worry.
Whether you're watching A Minecraft Movie at your local theater or streaming something at home, you'll want to read our round-up of what's worth watching this weekend.
