Your mom might not be as up to date as you on the latest tech trends, but that doesn't mean a carefully chosen gadget wouldn't make her life easier. While flowers and breakfast in bed remain lovely Mother's Day gifts, you may want to try a different tack this year and get your mom something she'll use long after the holiday is over. To help, we've collected a list of some of our favorite gadgets and services that any mother, tech-savvy or not, will love.

Apple iPad mini

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

We consider the iPad mini to be the best small tablet for most people, and that includes parents who could use a slightly larger screen to watch videos, read text messages and check out photos of their children (or grandchildren) on Facebook. The 2021 model with the A15 Bionic chip runs smoothly even when using more than one app in Split View, so mom can stream her favorite show on Netflix while quickly replying to messages without any issues. We appreciate the design updates Apple made to this model, making the mini look more like a smaller iPad Air than ever before. Its compact size makes it easy to throw in a bag and take with you, and it’ll last the whole day, too, thanks to its 12-hour battery. Not to mention, its new Center Stage front-facing cameras will keep Mom in the frame as she FaceTimes for the third time today. — Valentina Palladino, Commerce Editor

Belkin UV Sanitizer + Wireless Charger

Belkin

Your mom might have become a clean freak over the past year (who can blame her?) and Belkin’s UV sanitizer and wireless charger is a good device to give her to keep right near her doorway. It uses UV rays to get rid of 99 percent of bacteria on keys, cards, rings and other small items that your mom might bring with her wherever she goes. Yes, that also includes her smartphone and once it’s completely sanitized, your mom can set the handset on top of the lid to power up thanks to its built-in 10W wireless charging pad. The device is silent while sanitizing and as a bonus, it comes with its own cable and wall adapter so you can use it straight out of the box. — V.P.

Ember Mug

Take your mother’s morning coffee routine up a notch with the Ember Mug, a self-heating smart mug that keeps beverages at just the right temperature for up to 1.5 hours or all day if the mug is kept on its charging coaster. It has a temperature range between 120 and 145 degrees Fahrenheit, which lets your mom dial in just how hot she wants her brew. There’s also a companion app which lets her save preset temps for her favorite drinks, track her caffeine intake, customize the color of the LED light on the front of the mug and more. The latest version comes in a pretty rose gold color as well as white, black, gold, silver and copper. — Nicole Lee, Commerce Writer

Fitbit Inspire 2

Fitbit

After the past few years, your mom is likely excited to get out of the house more often – especially as the weather improves – and maybe she wants to take more regular walks and runs in her neighborhood. The Fitbit Inspire 2 is a low-cost and easy-to-use way to track her steps and sleep, along with other stats that indicate our overall fitness level. New users can also snag a free year of Fitbit Premium to add even more fitness guides and meditation features to the already-great app. — Kris Naudus, Commerce Writer

Instant Pot Duo

Instant Pot

For busy moms who love to cook but are short on time, an Instant Pot makes for a thoughtful gift. While it can be used as a slow cooker, rice cooker or yogurt maker, it’s particularly useful as a pressure cooker. It can shave hours off the cooking time of a lot of dishes, particularly braises and stews. Also, unlike its stovetop equivalent, the Instant Pot can come to pressure and stay there without having to be babysat the whole time. A built-in timer means it turns off on its own, while a Keep Warm function does exactly what you'd expect. Thanks to the popularity of the Instant Pot line, there’s also a vast array of recipes online that your mom will be able to make with her new cooking gadget. For more on how to make the most of it, check out our Instant Pot guide. — N.L.

Apple Watch SE

Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The Apple Watch is arguably the most sought-after accessory for iPhone users, and the Apple Watch SE is a good starter option for moms who want a more convenient way to stay in the loop. It has all of the essential features you’d expect a smartwatch to have, including smart alerts, activity and workout tracking, built-in GPS and Apple Pay. The SE’s Retina display is 30 percent larger than that of the Series 3 and, in addition to a water-resistant design, it has features like fall detection, high and low heart rate notifications and Emergency SOS. While the SE doesn’t have ECG capabilities or blood oxygen tracking like the Series 7 does, it remains a good gift for mom that will let her keep in touch with those she loves without whipping out her iPhone every second. — V.P.

Mpix photo book

Mpix

So many of us take hundreds of photos with our phones and then never do anything with them. They’re left to languish in our camera rolls, only to be uncovered when you have to scroll back months to find that one image you’re searching for. If you want to give mom a more polished way to look back at her favorite photos, an album from Mpix will do the trick. You can customize your photo book from the ground up, choosing the best images of her family and friends and laying them out on each page in a neat way. You can also pick from different types of cover options and paper weights, making the final product as premium as you want it to be. With options starting at $20 per book, it’s pretty easy to make mom a gift she’ll want to revisit long after Mother’s Day is over. – V.P.

Anker PowerCore 10,000 Redux

Anker

While it sounds like an impersonal gift, a power bank can really help your mom if her smartphone dies while she’s out. Anker’s PowerCore Redux is an improvement on the typical lipstick-sized portable batteries thanks to its slightly larger frame that houses a 10,000mAh cell. That capacity can power up an iPhone XS more than two times over, plus it can charge two devices simultaneously thanks to its USB-A and USB-C output ports. The LED light wheel will show mom how much battery power is left in the accessory and she’ll be able to throw it into any bag she owns thanks to its compact, 6.8-ounce design. – V.P.

Beats Studio Buds

Billy Steele/Engadget

Your mom probably spends her day juggling a lot of responsibilities. A good pair of earbuds can make her busy days more enjoyable by letting her listen to her favorite playlists, podcasts or audiobooks while she’s getting it all done. The Beats Studio Buds are small, comfortable and stylish, plus they now work better with Android than ever before. Since Apple owns Beats, iPhone users get perks like hands-free Siri access, quick-pairing and Find My support, but now Android users also have access to the latter two features as well. That means your mom can make the most of these earbuds regardless of the smartphone she has. Plus, she’ll be able to take calls without picking up her handset by using the buds’ five built-in microphones. – V.P.

iRobot Roomba 694

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

While a robot vacuum won’t eliminate all the cleaning your mom might already do around the house, it definitely makes one portion of it easier. The Roomba 694 is one of our favorite budget robot vacuums in part because it provides a ton of value for its $274 price. Most importantly, it does a great job cleaning both hard and carpeted floors and it runs long enough that it should get to most areas in your home before needing to recharge. It connects to WiFi so you can control it either with its companion mobile app, or using Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands. Your mom can even use the mobile app to set a cleaning schedule, so she doesn’t even have to think about the machine — it’ll scurry around the house, sucking up dirt and debris, all on its own time. — V.P.

Breville Smart Oven Air

Breville

If your mom is a cook and has the counter space for it, we highly recommend getting her a toaster oven like the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro. She can use it to toast bread, bake dishes or reheat food. Sure, a full-size oven can do the same thing, but firing it up can often warm up the whole house, which isn’t so great in the summer months. It’s also a lot more efficient. While a regular oven might need 20 or so minutes to preheat, a toaster oven can often get to temperature in just five or 10 minutes.

We also like this model for its 1-cubic-foot capacity. (In lay terms, it can fit a 9-by-13-inch casserole or a 14-pound turkey.) It can handle air frying (thanks to a “super convection” mode) and it comes with an air fryer basket that’s large enough to fit a dozen chicken wings. The oven also has several preset modes designed for specific functions such as toasting bagels or baking pizzas.

The Smart Oven Air is the classic model, but if your mom is extra adventurous in the kitchen (or extra tech-savvy), Breville’s latest tabletop appliance, the Joule Oven Air Fryer Pro, is a good step up. It does everything the Smart Oven Air does, but it adds WiFi connectivity so you can control the machine from your phone. Mom will get alerts when it’s time to put her dish in the oven after the preheat cycle, and when her food finished cooking to perfection. There are even recipes she can try out in the app, including some that have an “autopilot” feature, which automatically adjusts the oven’s temperature during cooking to make things like perfectly golden croissants and bread loaves. — N.L.

LEGO Bouquet

LEGO

Flowers die. Sure, they’re pretty and they smell nice but in the end they wilt, which is always kind of a bummer. So why not get your mom something just as beautiful that will stay that way? This LEGO bouquet is lovely to behold but also a great way to spend an evening putting together. As a bonus, it’s cheaper than a lot of flower arrangements you’d buy around Mother’s Day, and if she ever tires of it she can take it apart and build something else with the 756 pieces. — K.N.

Audible gift membership

Audible

If your mom loves reading but doesn’t have a ton of time to sit down and crack open a book, an Audible membership can give her a new way to enjoy reading anywhere. Gift memberships range from one month for $8 to one year for $230 and include a certain number of book credits that she can use on any title. Members also get access to exclusive sales and Audible has been experimenting with original content like podcasts recently, so there’s a ton of listening options to choose from. But the best part is being able to read anywhere at any time, be it in the car on the way to work, around the house while tidying up or at the beach on a lazy summer day. — V.P.

Nintendo Switch Lite

Engagdet

Women play games too, even if a lot of games marketing still says otherwise. In a house dominated by behemoths like the PlayStation 5 or a gigantic gaming PC, mom might appreciate having something that’s just for her, a handheld console she can sneak away with into the bedroom or yard whenever she needs some alone time. The Switch Lite is small enough to hide in a pocket or purse and, while there are plenty of great games she’d enjoy like Breath of the Wild, Untitled Goose Game and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we recommend snagging an eShop card so she can choose her own adventures. — K.N.

Winc Wine Club membership

Fattyplace via Getty Images

Forget giving your mother a bottle of wine she might not even like. Instead, give her a subscription to a wine club. There are many available today, including hyper-curated boxes, all-natural boxes and even celebrity-branded ones like Martha Stewart's club. If you’d rather take the guesswork out of choosing one, Winc is a good option. All mom has to do is fill out a short six-question survey about her tastes and then Winc chooses the wines for her. She can then rate the wines she receives, so Winc will get a better idea of what she wants, offering up more personalized selections the next time around. Winc is also great for you, the gifter, since gift subscriptions start at only $60. — N.L.

The Instant Pot may be the most popular and ubiquitous multicooker, but it's certainly not the only option. Companies like Ninja now make their own multicookers that can hold their own against the various Instant Pot models out there, and now you can pick up one of Ninja's most capable machines at a near record-low price. The Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 multicooker is on sale for $130, or $70 off its normal price and only $10 more than its all-time low that we saw at the end of last year.

As the name suggests, this model supports 10 cooking modes, including pressure cook, slow cook, steam, dehydrates and more. Among those is an air-fry mode, which isn't something all multicookers have, and the machine uses Ninja's "TenderCrisp Technology" to lock in juices using pressure cooking and then crisp the outside just before finishing. This multicooker has a 6.5-quart capacity, which is big enough to make a whole meal for a mid- to large-sized family, and it can fit a whole, five-pound chicken or a six-pound roast easily.

Generally, you'll find the best deals on these devices during the holiday shopping period, but this discount is a good one if you want to add a device like this to your kitchen immediately. And if you're totally new to the world of multicookers, you can check out our Instant Pot guide for handy tips, tricks and recipe sources since most of them can be applied to this Ninja device, too.

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Over the last week, the Elden Ring community has been entranced by Let Me Solo Her, a player whose skill at the tough-as-nails game is matched only by their fashion sense. The legend of LMSH was born when a Reddit user recently shared their experience of battling Malenia, an optional boss you can find toward the end of FromSoftware’s latest game.

The Blade of Miquella is a tough challenge even for the most seasoned Soulsborne veterans. She’s agile with an expansive moveset that becomes more deadly when she enters her second stage. After falling to her katana dozens of times, Reddit user Sazed813 turned to the game’s summoning functionality to call for help.

Like with most of FromSoftware’s recent titles, you can invite other players to assist you with the game’s most challenging boss fights. And when Sazed813 used that feature, Let Me Solo Her answered. For a series known for its fashion police, LMSH immediately stood out. They came into Sazed813’s game with nothing but a pot on his head, two katanas and a loincloth. But what they then went on to do was even more impressive. True to their name, Let Me Solo Her took on Malenia on his own and did so flawlessly.

Since becoming famous, Let Me Solo Her has inspired no shortage of fan art, including a piece that Berzerk creatorKentaro Miura would surely approve of if he were still alive today. And now there’s even a mod for players who want to bring the swordmaster on their adventures.

As Polygon notes, Elden Ring modder Garden of Eyes has created an addon that tweaks the Lone Wolf Ashes, an early-game item you can use to summon a trio of spectral wolves to your side, to instead call forth a computer-controlled version of Let Me Solo Her. You’re not getting the legend himself, but the beauty of the mod is that you can use it almost anywhere where it’s possible to use spirit summons, including fights out in Elden Ring’s open world. The catch is that Garden of Eyes is currently only offering the mod to those who subscribe to their Patreon for $5 per month. But if you ask us, that’s a small price to get a taste of Let Me Solo Her.

We're in the middle of an EV revolution and every day it feels like there's a new electric car, truck or SUV hitting the road. But if you want an electric van, your options are a lot more limited, which is precisely what VW is hoping to address with the upcoming ID.Buzz.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the ID.Buzz’s official debut back at SXSW, so when I heard that it would be making another appearance at the New York International Auto Show, I made sure to stop by and check it out. Now technically, VW isn't calling the ID.Buzz a van, so I’ll let you decide where this thing fits among other EVs. But what we do know is that it’s slated to go on sale sometime in 2024, featuring a 77-kWh battery with two rows of seats for the European model (which is what version VW had on display) or a full three rows of seats and slightly longer chassis for the US market. Other specs like its range and price are still to be determined.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But make no mistake, unlike the countless number of Microbus concepts we've seen over the past 20 years, this is a production-ready car, so it's more or less what you'll see at dealers. And I think it looks absolutely fantastic, which is actually kind of impressive. Normally, when you think about buying a van, it feels like you’re giving up on being hip or cool in favor of practicality.

Just like the original, VW has kept the Microbus' two-toned color scheme. Though if that's a bit much for your taste, there will also be less flashy single-color paint jobs. Meanwhile, to bring the Microbus' design into the 21st century, the company has gone minimalist with a lot of its details, opting for clean lines and a big VW logo in front and back, along with blacked-out pillars that makes the bus look like it's wearing a visor.

Inside, VW continues the new styling by using the same diamond pattern seen on the front grille, and a two-toned interior featuring animal-free upholstery and vegan leather. The infotainment system is similar to what's available in the VW ID.4, with a small display behind the steering wheel and a larger touchscreen in the center sporting icons that can be made to match the Buzz's paint job. There's also a thin lightstrip that runs across the base of the windshield that serves as a heads-up notification system, though I didn't get to see it in action because it's typically only active when the car is in motion.

My favorite thing about the ID.Buzz's interior are all the little usability touches. I spotted no less than four USB-C ports — one in every door — and I'm willing to bet the US version will have at least one or two more for third-row passengers. VW also made it so that you can completely remove the center console between the front seats, giving passengers more room to move about. It even threw in some fun easter eggs like a smiley face behind the front passenger's interior door handle and little ID.Buzz logos on the rear windshield and the base of the rear seats. And while VW didn't have it on hand, there's even an accessory that goes in the trunk to create a flat load shelf. That means you can throw a mattress in back and use the Buzz for stuff like camping, which was one of the best things about the old Microbus.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Perhaps most importantly, when you step back and look at the future van market, VW is leading the way with the ID.Buzz. Sure, Ford is working on an electric version of the Transit, and Mercedes has an EV version of Sprinter. But those are designed to be commercial vehicles, not something that the average person might buy. And that's kind of sad, because hauling kids or animals short distances around town is the perfect use case for an electric vehicle.

So when the ID.Buzz finally arrives sometime in 2024, it'll be well ahead of competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica, which currently only exists as a plug-in hybrid. Not only has VW made what looks to be a great reinterpretation of a classic, the ID.Buzz is a pioneering electric van. Oh, and if you just want to haul stuff around, VW is planning to make a cargo version of the ID.Buzz too.

Amazon is bringing two mobile games to its subscription-based entertainment platform for children. Known as Amazon Kids+, the $2.99 per month service has served as sort of a one-stop shop for kid-friendly books, TV shows, movies, games and more. The first game, Super Spy Ryan is a multiplayer game based on the children’s TV show Ryan’s World. It’s available today on both the Google Play and Apple app stores in the US, UK and Ireland. The title will be available later this year in Canada, Germany and Japan, but Amazon hasn’t specified a release date.

Another mobile game, Do, Re & Mi, is a musical education game designed for the preschool set. The show is based on the Amazon Kids+ show of the same name, which stars Kristen Bell and Jackie Tohn. That game will be available for iOS soon in the US, UK, Canada and Ireland.

Kids can play both games on either their mobile phone or Amazon Fire tablet. These are the first mobile games to be available on the Kids+ service, and more will soon follow. 

“We are always looking to bring joy and fun into the homes and lives of millions of families. That’s why, two years ago, we began looking at how we could reach even more kids and bring the magic and thoughtfulness of Amazon Kids+ original content to mobile phones,” said Natasha Lipovac, global head of the content division of Amazon Kids+.

If you’ve ever purchased a Kindle Kids e-reader for your child, you’re likely already familiar with Amazon Kids+ (the devices come with a free one-year subscription to the service). Amazon has made a serious effort to corner the children’s market in recent years. Given the sheer number of parents who are Prime subscribers, this makes sense. Last month the company released Amazon Glow, a kid-friendly video conferencing tablet that also includes games. We’re likely see much more children’s focused content from Amazon in the future, designed to work across all its different devices.

The Surface Pro's design has been with us for almost a decade, so it's kind of a wonder that in all that time, no one has really ever tried to make a detachable 2-in-1 gaming machine. Pretty much everywhere you look, there's a hybrid version of every type of gadget — from tablets to smartphones — aside from gaming PCs. And while ASUS teased us with the ROG Mothership back in 2019, now the company has finally returned to transform that concept into an actual retail device: the ROG Flow Z13.

Design and display

For those familiar with Microsoft's detachables, if you take one look at the Flow Z13 (which starts at $1,800) you'll immediately see why I mentioned the Surface Pro line, because ASUS has basically taken that blueprint and made it all gamery. You get a bright 13.4-inch full HD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a handy kickstand in back, and a magnetic strip for hooking up a removable keyboard cover. That cover also feels similar to a Surface, right down to the bounciness of the keyboard and its slightly too-small touchpad. This means any hardcore RTS or FPS gamers will definitely want to keep an external keyboard around. ASUS even hid a microSD card slot and removable M.2 cover behind the kickstand, just like the Surface Pro. You’ll also find an 8-MP camera around back, though its image quality leaves a lot to be desired (the cam in front is fine though). Elsewhere, we have one USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, a USB A port and a couple of other ports hidden beneath a protective seal. But more on those later.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, while its overall design is a lot like a Surface, the Z13 gives off a very different vibe. ASUS’ over-the-top cyberpunk aesthetic combined with a splash of red and black accents might be a bit much for some. But I kinda love it, especially that window with RGB lighting in back. In fact, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we need more see-through gadgets in general.

Specs and performance

On the inside, we got some relatively beefy components, particularly for a system this size. We're talking an Intel Core i9-12900H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 SSD, and an RTX 3050TI. In normal use browsing the web or social media, the Z13 is rather quiet, though that changes when you launch a game. Fan noise is noticeable, but doesn’t become a real distraction. And while the back of the Z13 does get warm, ASUS’ tablet design and vapor chamber cooling system helps keep throttling to a minimum.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now normally, pairing an i9 chip with a 3050 Ti doesn’t make a lot of sense. In most games, the Z13 is going to be bottlenecked by its GPU, which makes a high-end CPU seem like overkill. In benchmarks, I saw frame rates of 37 fps in Forza Horizon 5 on ultra settings, 64 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest and 40 fps in Metro Exodus on high. So decent, but not exactly mind-blowing.

That's where those hidden ports come in. Once you remove the protective seal, you can attach ASUS' optional (and expensive) $1,400 XG Mobile graphics dock, which has even more ports (HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, Ethernet, four USB 3.2 Type-A ports and an SD card reader), along with an RTX 3080 graphics card. And after I hooked everything up, gaming performance basically doubled, with frame rates in Forza Horizon 5 jumping up to 87 fps at the same settings, with similar results for other titles (134 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 95 fps in Metro Exodus).

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So now, we're looking at a portable gaming tablet that has the kind of performance you'd typically only get from a big 15 or 17-inch notebook. And because the dock is detachable, you have the option to leave it behind if you’re not gonna be gaming. It even has its own power cable, allowing it to send juice to the Z13 when connected. So theoretically, if you throw both of these in your bag, you can leave ASUS’ basic charging brick at home. And when you're not using the dock, beneath that seal next to ASUS' proprietary XG port, there's a USB-C 3.2 connection that supports video out with G-sync.

However, there are a number of quirks about the XG dock. First, you can’t just disconnect it at will. Before you pull the plug, you need to manually disable it from the icon in the Windows system tray, which takes more than a moment. You also can't pick what GPU goes inside, it’s either an RTX 3080 or nothing. That means if you want to upgrade in the future, you’re gonna have to buy a whole new dock, assuming ASUS even makes a second generation. And because of that proprietary port, the XG Dock is only compatible with this system and the ROG Flow X13, which is basically the laptop version of Z13.

Battery life

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

One of the biggest downsides of the Z13’s tablet design is not having a lot of room for a sizable battery. In our video rundown test, the system’s 56 Whr power pack lasted just five hours and 38 minutes. That’s four hours shorter than the Zephyrus G14 (9:45) and nearly two and half hours less than the Alienware X14. That means you will probably need to bring ASUS’ power brick whenever you leave the house, especially if you plan on actual gaming. And in the real world, even with the most casual workloads, I found the Z13 was often gasping for energy well before the end of the day. On the plus side, the Z13 uses USB-C Power Delivery, so at least the charger can top up other gadgets too.

Wrap up

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

When it comes to summing up a product, I’m usually not this conflicted. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea, I love the way it looks, and I love being able to tack on a beefy GPU when I want extra performance. I also love being able to flip it open, pair a controller and just get to gaming – no need to worry about a keyboard. There really isn't anything else like the Z13. The problem is that the whole kit isn't very practical, and it's not a great value either.

When you're using it as a laptop – like you know, on your lap – because all of its guts are stuffed inside what is essentially a tablet chassis, it's really top-heavy. Also, its battery life isn't very good, lasting at least two to three hours shorter than every other gaming laptop we've tested recently. And while it’s relatively thin, when you think about all the accessories you might want to carry around with it, the Z13 doesn’t really let you pack that much lighter when compared to a rival 14 or 15-inch laptop.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

And then there's its price. The Z13 starts at $1,800, or around $1,900 for one similar to our review unit with a 3050TI GPU, which is as high as you can spec it. And if you want the XG mobile graphics dock your all-in price climbs well above $3,000.

A similarly equipped traditional gaming laptop, like an Alienware X14 goes for about $200 less. Meanwhile, ASUS' own G14 Zephyrus can be had for as little as $1,450, and that's with a slightly more powerful RTX 3060. So if you just want to be able to game on the go, you can save a bunch of money simply by getting something less exotic. And if you need some extra performance now and then, you're probably better off getting a regular external GPU enclosure that you can upgrade yourself down the line instead of ASUS' proprietary dock.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now all this doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. But you should know what you're getting into first. The Flow Z13 is a wildly interesting system, and for people looking for a portable and adaptable machine with big time performance, I'm glad that ASUS finally made a gaming tablet/detachable 2-in-1 into a real device after all these years. And while its high price will make the Z13 an incredibly hard sell for most people, I still think it’s impractically cool.

Apple debuted a program in March that let it repair Face ID on newer iPhones without replacing the whole device, but it left the iPhone X out of the equation — frustrating if you're determined to use that 'classic' handset for a while longer. This shouldn't be a problem for now on, though. MacRumors has learned that Apple and authorized repair centers can now repair Face ID on the iPhone X without requiring a full-on replacement. Your much-loved handset should otherwise remain intact.

The initial program only offered these more targeted repairs for the iPhone XS and newer models. The update expands support to all iPhones with Face ID.

The expansion comes as Apple rethinks its overall stance on repairs. The company made it easier for third-party repair shops to fix displays without breaking Face ID, and has announced a self-service repair program. While these moves may be in response to public and regulatory pressure, they're welcome news for anyone hoping to extend the life of an Apple gadget without hefty fees or unnecessary device swaps.

If you love dinosaurs (and who doesn’t?), you’ll want to mark May 23rd on your calendar. That’s when Prehistoric Planet, a new five-part documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough will debut on Apple TV+. Produced by the BBC’s Natural History Unit, which previously worked on Planet Earth, the show promises to tell the story of some of the dinosaurs that roamed the Earth more than 66 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.

It will also feature music from Hans Zimmer and visual work by MPC, the VFX unit that helped Disney create its live-action adaptions of The Jungle Book and The Lion King. Apple said the series would incorporate the latest findings from paleontologists. Among other things, expect to see an “eye-opening” look at how the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex took care of its young. All five episodes of Prehistoric Earth will premiere the week of May 23rd, with one new episode each day.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has a new playable character, and it’s one that contrasts a bit with the action RPG’s gothic vibe. In the latest free update for the spiritual successor to Castlevania, developer ArtPlay has added Aurora, the fairy princess heroine from Ubisoft’s Child of Light.

Her arrival could give seasoned Bloodstained players a good reason to play through the Metroidvania again. She has her own moveset and abilities as well as a new storyline with rhyming cutscenes and dialogue inspired by Child of Light. 

Aurora can use a sword and Light Ray ability, and get some help from her companion Igniculus, who can heal her and slow enemies. By defeating opponents, Aurora will gain Shards you can use to upgrade her abilities. The character will also become older and stronger after you kill certain bosses. She'll be able to fly after she finds wings and swim underwater after she becomes an adult.

While Child of Light is rooted in fairy tales, it too is a 2D action game with elements of darkness, so perhaps it's not too much of an unexpected choice for a crossover and the final playable character. With her red hair and bright yellow dress, Aurora's aesthetic might clash a bit with Bloodstained's look, but she certainly seems to pack a punch.

You can select Aurora from the main menu now on the PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One versions of Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. The Nintendo Switch patch will arrive soon.

Apple isn't the only major tech brand introducing a fix-it-yourself program this year. Samsung is teaming up with iFixit to launch a self-repair program for Galaxy devices in the US sometime this summer. Most details won't be available until the program is ready, but you'll have access to official parts and repair tools as you walk through step-by-step repair guides. The early part selection will include back glass, charging ports and display assemblies.

The Samsung self-repair program will initially cover the Galaxy S20 and S21 phone lines as well as the Galaxy Tab S7+. Don't expect to service your new Galaxy S22 Ultra at first. The company will expand its effort to cover more devices and repair categories, though, and you can send the faulty parts to Samsung for recycling.

The company pitches the self-repair option as both a "convenience" and a sustainability move. You can fix your Galaxy hardware on your own terms rather than creating more e-waste. However, this is also likely a response to Right to Repair regulation and advocacy. Samsung can show that it's at least somewhat DIY-friendly before regulators swoop in, even if the products themselves aren't very conducive to repairs at the moment.