The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference takes place next week and, as always in the lead up to the event, the rumor mill is churning away. A report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that Apple will reveal some big updates for iPadOS 16. Apple has long been trying to position the iPad as a viable alternative to a laptop, and the software changes will seemingly nudge the device further in that direction.

Gurman's sources say iPadOS 16 will have a revamped multitasking interface, including more resizing options. Currently, users can run apps in full screen or side by side in Split View. The Slide Over function allows you to bring in a narrower version of a third app as well. The next version of iPadOS will seemingly make it easier to move between apps and see which ones you have open too. 

To add fuel to the fire, developer Steve Troughton-Smith last week spotted code in WebKit which indicates that Apple may allow for freely resizable windows in iPadOS.

Improved multitasking options and resizable apps will be very welcome for many users. Folks have long been able to use keyboards with the iPad and Apple added full mouse and trackpad support two years ago. Whether the mooted iPadOS updates will actually help the device become a laptop killer remains to be seen, but it's clear Apple hasn't given up on the idea. 

Also during Monday's keynote, we'll surely get a look at what's next for the iPhone, Mac and Apple Watch operating systems. Gurman previously reported that iOS 16 will introduce more health-tracking features, upgraded notifications and support for always-on displays (which is expected to only be available on iPhone 14 Pro models at first). A refreshed lock screen may include widgets, which Messages is believed to be getting more features as well.

Just a couple of weeks after divulging the release date for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, Activision Blizzard is set to show off much more about the next game in the long-running series. A "worldwide reveal" will take place on June 8th at 1PM ET. 

The embattled publisher teased the reveal when it announced the October 28th release date last month. Activision previously confirmed some of the characters who will appear in Modern Warfare II, including John “Soap” MacTavish and Simon “Ghost” Riley. The reveal will surely offer a lot more info, probably including a first look at gameplay.

Infinity Ward is on deck for this year's Call of Duty game, which is a sequel to 2019's Modern Warfare. That itself was a reboot of the Modern Warfare sub-series, which started in 2007 with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Confused yet? Don't blame you.

Infinity Ward is also working on a major revamp of the Call of Duty: Warzone battle royale, which will arrive at the same time as Modern Warfare II. Among the updates will be a new engine for both games.

Amazon is trying to fend off scalpers and bots that snag all of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles before you can secure one. It's rolling out an invite-based ordering option for high-demand products that are in low supply to help legitimate shoppers get their hands on the items.

The invite option is available now for PS5 in the US. It will be enabled for Xbox Series X in the coming days. The company told TechCrunch it plans to use the system for more products and in other countries.

Requesting an invitation doesn't cost anything and you don't need to be a Prime member. When you visit the PS5 page on Amazon, there's now a "request invitation" button — you may need to click the "new and used" link to see it alongside the other ordering options.

Amazon

Amazon will assess whether an account that requests an invitation is authentic by looking at things like the account creation date and purchase history. If it believes you are, indeed, a human and your invite request is granted, Amazon will send you an email with instructions on how to buy the product.

You'll have a certain time period in which to complete your purchase before the invite expires and you'll see a countdown on the product page. Amazon will dish out more invites for a hot-ticket item as it receives more stock.

Sony has a similar invite system on its PlayStation Direct site, where it sells the PS5 in limited quantities. It would have been nice if Amazon had implemented its version before the consoles arrived in November 2020, but c'est la vie. 

Although requesting an invitation won't guarantee that you'll be able to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series X from Amazon, it could help. What's more, it might mean you don't have to participate in the rush to secure one whenever there's a restock.

There are other ways Amazon could fend off scalpers too, such as limiting the price of items for Marketplace sellers. At the time of writing, a third-party seller is offering the PS5 disc version on Amazon for $999 — double the console's retail price. Others are selling it for around $800.

BMW is expanding its lineup of electric vehicles once again. The iX1 SUV is an all-electric variant of the X1 crossover — BMW announced a third-gen edition of that vehicle as well. The iX1 is pegged as an entry-level model that's expected to supplant the i3 as the automaker's least expensive EV.

The company says the X1 will have two petrol and two diesel engine options when it arrives in October. Those variants "will immediately be followed by" the iX1 xDrive30, along with plug-in hybrid versions.

The iX1 will have a dual-motor powertrain with one on each axle. They'll produce a combined output of 313 horsepower and 364 lb-ft of torque. BMW says the EV will be able to go from zero to 100 kh/h (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds.

The automaker estimates the iX1 will have a range of up to 438 kilometers (272 miles). It can be charged at a rate of up to 127 kW and BMW claims you'll be able to top up the battery charge level to 80 percent of capacity in 29 minutes at high-speed public stations.

Inside the EV, you'll see a curved display with support for voice and touch controls. The central console includes a wireless charging tray for your smartphone. There will be support for BMW Digital Key Plus, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

BMW will build all models in the X1 lineup at its plant in Regensburg, Germany. It's keeping many of the details about the iX1 under wraps for now, including the battery capacity and pricing. The company should reveal pricing closer to the launch window.

General Motors has announced pricing for the 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV. In a rare move, given the current climate for new vehicles, they'll actually be less expensive than the 2022 model year EVs.

The 1LT version of the 2023 Bolt EV starts at $26,595 (plus a $995 destination fee). That's $5,900 less than the 2022 starting price. The 2LT has the same discount, but it starts at $29,795.

As for the slightly longer Bolt EUV (Chevy's branding for an electric SUV), that starts at $28,195. You'll save $6,300 compared with the 2022 model. Likewise, a 2023 EUV with Premier trim starts at $32,695, down from $38,995. A new cosmetic Redline Edition package costs an extra $495.

Chevrolet says the options and content are "pretty much the same" as the 2022 editions, so it seems the company hasn't had to strip some features out for cost-saving purposes. "The new price reflects our ongoing desire to make sure Bolt EV/EUV is competitive in the marketplace and better aligns the MSRP with average transaction price, providing more price transparency to the customer," a spokesperson told CNET.

Supply chain issues and chip shortages have led to other automakersincreasing prices of their EVs. So it's notable that Chevrolet is cutting prices, particularly given that the Bolt EV and EUV were already among the more relatively affordable options.

One tradeoff is that the 2023 Bolt EV and EUV won't use GM's Ultium battery system. In 2020, the automaker recalled 68,000 Chevy Bolt EVs following reports of battery fires, which dinged the reputation of the Bolt. Dropping the price of both vehicles by around $6,000 could help Chevrolet get the Bolt back in drivers' good graces. GM expects to start production of the 2023 Bolts this summer.

Just over six months after the James Webb Space Telescope launched, we'll get our first look at full-color images captured by the telescope. The European Space Agency says the imagery and first spectroscopic data will be unveiled on July 12th.

“The release of Webb’s first full-color images will offer a unique moment for us all to stop and marvel at a view humanity has never seen before,” Webb deputy program director Eric Smith said. “These images will be the culmination of decades of dedication, talent, and dreams — but they will also be just the beginning.”

JWST required several months of preparation before starting science work. The process included cooling the telescope to its operating temperature, calibrating instruments and aligning the mirrors. The ESA, NASA, the Canadian Space Agency and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STSci) spent over five years figuring out what Webb should capture first in order to show off what the observatory can do.

NASA has shared some images that JWST captured during the preparation phase, but it's unclear exactly what the full-color images will look like. “Of course, there are things we are expecting and hoping to see, but with a new telescope and this new high-resolution infrared data, we just won’t know until we see it,” STScI lead science visuals developer Joseph DePasquale said.

After the observatory captures its first images proper, it will start scientific observations. Astronomers will analyze data captured by the JWST's infrared sensors and publish papers on their findings.

Slack is rolling out a few new features for profiles, including ways to help folks avoid the embarrassment and unpleasantness of mispronouncing a colleague's name. Starting today, users can add an audio clip of them stating their name. You can include the phonetic pronunciation on your profile too.

Slack

Profiles have been redesigned to make them more streamlined with three key sections. One is for contact details, and another is focused on letting colleagues know which people you work with most often. There's also an expanded "about me" section, where you can include details such as your start date, what your job entails and your personal interests.

Another feature that the Salesforce-owned service is rolling out is Hover Cards. When you hover your cursor over a colleague's name, a card containing a condensed version of their profile will appear. You bring up their full profile by clicking on it. The cards will also help you start a Huddle, call or direct message thread with that person more quickly. 

These features should all help colleagues get to know each other better. They could improve communication on Slack too.

Slack

TweetDeck will soon no longer be available as a standalone Mac app. Twitter will shut down that version of its client for power users on July 1st. "We're saying goodbye to TweetDeck for the Mac app to focus on making TweetDeck even better and testing our new Preview," a tweet from the TweetDeck team reads. "July 1 is the last day it'll be available."

Killing off the standalone app means Mac users may soon need to have the client open in a separate browser or juggle another tab if they want to keep using TweetDeck. As 9to5Mac notes, however, there are other options. You can turn web apps into native Mac apps using services such as Unite for macOS or Coherence X. Alternatively, you can switch to another app like Tweeten, which is based on TweetDeck.

There have been rumblings that Twitter plans to make TweetDeck a paid feature as part of Twitter Blue to prompt more people to sign up. Twitter's prospective new owner Elon Musk has ambitious revenue goals for the subscription service, so moving TweetDeck behind a paywall doesn't seem out of the question. 

Twitter started testing a revamped version of TweetDeck last year. The new-look TweetDeck uses the same design language as Twitter's web app.

Diablo fans who have been eager to try the series' first new game in a decade won't need to wait any longer, as long as they're willing to play on mobile. Blizzard has opened up access to Diablo Immortal a day early on iOS and Android. Diablo general manager Rod Fergusson said Blizzard rolled out the mobile version one day before the official release date of June 2nd to give it time "to propagate through all the global stores."

PC players in most regions will still need to wait until tomorrow to dive in. Diablo Immortal will be in open beta on that platform for the time being. Those in some Asia-Pacific countries won't be able to try the PC version until June 22nd, however.

Engadget Weekend Editor Igor Bonifacic tried an early access build and felt that it's Blizzard's best game in years, but had serious reservations about its microtransactions and the monetization approach. In addition, there are randomization elements that could run afoul of loot box bans in Belgium and the Netherlands. As a result, Blizzard won't release the game in those countries.

Diablo Immortal is Blizzard's second mobile game after Hearthstone and its first attempt at bringing an existing series to iOS and Android. Activision Blizzard, spurred by the success of Call of Duty Mobile and its King division, is making a bigger push into mobile games. The company said in 2020 that it has mobile titles in the works for all of its "most important franchises."

Blizzard is planning to release another one later this year. Free-to-play strategy game Warcraft Arclight Rumble will be the first mobile title in the Warcraft series.

Loupedeck, a company that makes control pads for creators, is back with a device it's positioning as more of a direct competitor to Elgato's Stream Deck than its previous products. It says the Loupedeck Live S is designed "specifically for streamers and gamers that are looking for a simple and affordable way to control their streams."

The Live S has a touch panel with 15 customizable buttons. You'll be able to create up to 14 screens that you can swipe between, meaning you can have swift access to dozens of buttons that can trigger complex actions with a single press.

Alternatively, you could set up screens for specific scenes, depending on the type of stream you're hosting. For instance, variety streamers might want access to different actions when they're running an ASMR stream or taking part in a group discussion versus playing a first-person shooter.

The device also has dials, which Loupedeck says helps the Live S stand out from competitors. Streamers can turn the dial to make fine adjustments to things like lighting or volume or use it as a physical button to change a setting (such as muting the microphone). You can use the device as an audio mixer too.

Loupedeck

The Loupedeck Live S has native integration with software and services such as Twitch, Streamlabs, OBS and Voicemod. Plugins for creative suites like Final Cut Pro and Adobe Lightroom can be installed too. Other plugins, custom profiles and additional ways to customize the Live S will be available from the Loupedeck Marketplace.

Loupedeck is running an Indiegogo campaign for the Live S. Those who get in at the super early bird level can snag one for around $106, though there will only be 99 units available at this tier. There are 199 available on the early bird tier (approximately $128) and 599 for those who hop in at the last chance level (roughly $138).

If you miss out on any of those, you'll still be able to secure a Live S for around $149, which Loupedeck says is 23 percent off the retail price. The pledge amounts may fluctuate as the figures are converted to USD from Euros. 

The campaign features Indiegogo's Trust-Proven badge, which the platform uses to highlight creators that ran successful projects in the past, including delivery of perks to backers. Loupedeck ran a campaign in 2016 for an eponymous product designed for Lightroom. This time, the company says it's using Indiegogo more to announce it to an audience that will likely be interested in the Live S rather than to specifically raise money for the project. 

The Stream Deck also has 15 customizable keys and typically costs $150. That means, at the regular retail price, Loupedeck will be more expensive than the Stream Deck, but it offers fine control with the dials and option to access more controls by swiping to other screens.