Microsoft released the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview to the Canary channel on Wednesday, introducing two significant upgrades. The biggest inclusion is an update to the Prism emulator for Arm PCs which brings support for additional extensions to devices running Windows 11 on Arm-based chipsets. With this, these devices will be able to run more legacy apps and games, as well as the latest Adobe Premiere Pro 2025. Alongside, the update has also introduced a new on-screen gamepad keyboard.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Gets Updated Prism Emulator

In its Windows Insider blog post, Microsoft announced the release of the Windows 11 Insider Preview build 27744. The new version updates the Prism emulator to let laptops and desktops powered by Arm chipsets such as the Snapdragon X series run unsupported apps and games.

Microsoft says the upgraded Prism will be able to run “more 64-bit x86 (x64) applications by adding support for more CPU features under emulation. This means software such as the Adobe Premiere Pro 2025 as well as legacy gaming titles will now work on these devices.

The newly added CPU extensions with this version of the emulator include AVX, AVX2, BMI, FMA, F16C, and more. The tech giant highlighted that while these extensions are not necessary to run Windows, however, they have become so common that some apps expect devices to have support for them. Notably, while in preview, only x64 applications will be able to use these new CPU features.

Apart from this, Microsoft has also introduced a new on-screen gamepad keyboard layout in Windows 11 Insider Preview. It supports the ability to utilise the users’ Xbox controller to navigate as well as type. The keyboard also comes with button accelerators and has a vertical alignment for better controller navigation.

Additionally, the new Windows 11 build also addresses several bugs and glitches. The design of the Disconnect and Logoff dialog in Task Manager now supports dark mode and text scaling. Another issue where PCs with older Nvidia GPUs saw the display appear as a black screen has also been fixed.

India’s Chandrayaan-2 lunar orbiter performed a manoeuvre in September to prevent a close encounter with the Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO), officially known as Danuri, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The adjustment carried out on September 19, 2024, was necessary to avoid a potential collision between the two orbiters, which was projected for two weeks later if no changes were made to Chandrayaan-2’s trajectory.

Following this, on October 1, 2024, another orbital modification was implemented to maintain separation from other lunar orbiters, including NASA‘s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), as per an ISRO report.

Frequent Collision Risks Among Lunar Orbiters

Around the lunar poles, orbiters such as Chandrayaan-2, Danuri, and LRO share a similar near-polar path, increasing the likelihood of close approaches. Over the past 18 months, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), which operates Danuri, reported having received over 40 collision alerts for interactions among Danuri, Chandrayaan-2, and LRO. These alerts, referred to as “red alarms,” underscore the growing risk of accidental collisions as multiple international agencies operate missions in close proximity around the Moon.

Previously, in 2021, Chandrayaan-2 reportedly avoided a similar situation by shifting its path, preventing a close pass by LRO that would have brought the two within just three kilometres. Danuri itself has performed at least three orbital adjustments since it entered lunar orbit in December 2022, including avoiding both LRO and Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM).

Lack of Unified Collision Protocols in Lunar Operations

At present, no globally coordinated protocol exists for managing collision risks around the Moon. Space agencies like ISRO, KARI, and NASA rely on direct communication, sharing spacecraft position data through email and teleconferences. However, according to Soyoung Chung, a senior researcher with KARI’s strategy and planning team, difficulties such as network security barriers and a lack of personnel contact information have, at times, complicated communication.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides the Multimission Automated Deep-Space Conjunction Assessment Process (MADCAP) software, which estimates and warns of collision risks. Still, experts like Chung have suggested the need for a formal international framework for managing close approaches around the Moon.

A new Asus Zenbook is in town with an interesting design and the latest Intel Core Ultra Lunar Lake processors. When it comes to Windows-based Ultrabooks, the Zenbook has always been right there among the best. Therefore, when Asus reached out for a review of the new Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406), I immediately said yes. All Zenbook models so far have had excellent design, nice displays, and decent battery life. However, the new Zenbook S 14 takes everything up a notch. After using it for about two weeks now, here’s why it’s now my new favourite Windows ultrabook.

The new Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED was launched in India last month at a starting price of Rs. 1,42,990. The top-end variant we received for review comes with 32GB RAM + 1TB storage and is priced at Rs. 1,49, 990. Both options in India are available with the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (Series 2) CPU and Intel Arc 140V GPU. The chipset also has a dedicated NPU for AI tasks.

Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406S) Design: Unique

• Dimensions – 31.15 x 21.39 x 1.19 ~ 1.29cm
• Weight – 1.20 kg
• Colours – Zumaia Gray, Scandinavian White

Asus has used a new material for the lid of the Zenbook S 14 OLED. It’s called ‘Ceraluminium’, and it’s supposedly the best of two worlds – ceramic and aluminium. Without going into too much detail, the material is both tough and withstands scratches/smudges. And truly, the lid hardly attracts any fingerprints. The lid also features silver lines running across with the Asus Zenbook logo on the top left corner. It truly stands out among all the boring laptop lids out there.

The ceraluminium lid hardly attracts any fingerprints

The laptop also has a geometric grille above the keyboard, which has 2,715 CNC machined vents that boast a unique design. This is also claimed to improve airflow efficiency.

The geometric grille design also features the new Asus logo

The rest of the laptop features an all-metal build and comes with US MIL-STD 810H certification. There’s no flex anywhere on the laptop. The hinge also seems durable, and you can open the lid with one finger. However, the hinge doesn’t go 180 degrees. You’ll find the intake vents at the bottom and two slits on the sides for 2 of the 4 speakers. Meanwhile, the exhaust ports are at the back.

You get enough ports on the Zenbook S 14 OLED

Despite being just 1.2cm thick, Asus has managed to add an HDMI 2.1 port, dual USB Type-C ports, a USB Type-A port, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack.

Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406S) Display: Great for business and pleasure

• Size and type – 14-inch OLED (Touch and non-Touch)
• Resolution – 3K (2,880 x 1,800), 16:10
• Refresh rate – 120Hz

The 14-inch OLED display on our review unit has touch support, and you can also get a non-touch panel if you opt for the 16GB RAM and 512GB storage variant. Touch support is a nice feature, but I hardly used it during my two weeks using the laptop. It’s not really very useful on a traditional laptop.

The display is quite good though, and you’ll have a great time watching content as well as working. Being an OLED panel, you get great colours, deep blacks, and good brightness (400 nits, as claimed by Asus). It also offers HDR, Dolby Vision, 100 percent DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage, and is Pantone Validated. You can choose between different colour gamut in the MyAsus app.

You can choose between touch or non-touch display on the Zenbook S 14 OLED

Overall, it is a great display for all kinds of work. However, working outdoors is not ideal as the display gets a glossy coating. Viewing angles are on point, though.

Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406S) Keyboard, Touchpad, speakers, and webcam

• Keyboard – Backlit Chiclet style, Copilot key
• Speakers – 4 x Harman/Kardon with Dolby Atmos
• Web camera – 1080p IR camera

The keyboard is one area where Asus could’ve done better, but I shouldn’t be complaining because it’s not easy to have a great keyboard in such a slim chassis. The laptop has a chiclet-style setup with a good distance between keycaps and decent travel. It is also backlit with three levels of brightness control, and it gets plenty bright at night. There’s a dedicated Copilot key as well. It’s a nice typing experience but nothing exceptional.

The keyboard doesn’t have a lot of travel, but is still quite nice to use

The touchpad on the laptop is fast, smooth, and supports multi-touch gestures. Click feedback is also good. Asus has also included edge controls on the touchpad that let you easily adjust volume brightness, and seek through a video. Once again, it would’ve been nicer if Asus also included the touch keypad function on the touchpad.

The Zenbook S 14 OLED speakers also turned out to be quite good. I’m very rarely impressed by speakers on Windows laptops, and the four-speaker setup (although facing downward) managed to wow me. The speakers are loud and crackle-free, and there’s decent bass as well. It’s still nothing like the speakers on the Dell XPS 13 or a MacBook Air/Pro, but it’s close.

Lastly, the webcam situation is not the greatest and I think Apple’s MacBook still has an upper edge. The quality is good in daylight conditions, but things get choppy in low-light situations. You do get Windows Hello support thanks to the included IR sensor, but it sometimes doesn’t work if the lighting conditions aren’t favourable.

Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406S) Software: Useful apps included

• OS – Windows 11 Home/Pro
• Apps – MyAsus, ScreenXpert

Our review unit came pre-installed with Windows 11 Home and the usual Office suite. There’s also the kinda useful Copilot chatbot, which I only used about 5 times in two weeks. Apart from the Windows suite of software, you get some AI features such as Live captions, and Studio Effects.

The MyAsus app lets you manage all kinds of features on the laptop

Asus has also included StoryCube, which is essentially an organiser that leverages AI to group and sort media, make searching for photos or videos easier, and create or edit highlight videos. There’s also the MyAsus app for managing laptop settings and changing power profiles and the ScreenXpert app for customising multi-window use.

It’s also worth noting that since this is an Intel-based laptop, you’ll have no trouble with app support. Everything will simply work well together.

Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406S) Performance: Great for work and light gaming

• CPU – Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
• RAM – Up to 32GB LPDDR5X
• Storage – Up to 1TB M.2 NVMe
• GPU – Intel Arc

Talking about everything working well together, the Intel Core Ultra 200V chipsets use a SoC design, which means that the RAM is integrated into the package. The advantage here is that it communicates better with the CPU, NPU, and the GPU. However, there’s no way to upgrade the RAM. The Core Ultra 7 258V chipset on the Zenbook S 14 is paired with the new Xe 2 GPU, which can now actually play some games and the new NPU 4, which is claimed to deliver up to 47 TOPs for AI features.

The laptop also features a new Intel Arc GPU

While overall performance across basic tasks is excellent, the chipset did not do better than the Snapdragon X Elite chipset or even the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX series processor in CPU benchmarks.

However, running in Balanced or Full Performance mode will not notice any lag. The power draw is managed well, and the heat is minimal to non-existent under normal usage. The fans only ran at full blast during gaming or when running benchmarks. The laptop got hot under these scenarios, including the area above the keyboard. You can also enable the Full Performance mode when running on battery.

Talking about gaming, the improved Intel Arc GPU left me impressed. I was able to play Forza Horizon 4, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, and a few other similar titles with decent frame rates (45-55 fps). When it comes to integrated GPU performance, the Intel chipset does much better than Qualcomm’s Snapdragon SoC.

Connectivity options on the laptop are also solid. There’s Bluetooth 5.4 and Wi-Fi 7, both of which worked without any issues. 

Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406S) Battery: Keeps on going

• Capacity – 72Wh
• Charger – 65W

For a laptop running an Intel chip, the battery performance is on par with what Apple provides with its M series chips or even the new Qualcomm Snapdragon X processors. It’s not there yet, but I was easily able to manage a full 10-12 hour work day on the Zenbook S 14. This included running Chrome with multiple tabs, desktop apps for WhatsApp and Slack, Outlook mail, some YouTube, and lots of editing.

The Zenbook S 14 OLED weighs about 1.2 kg

The new Intel Core Ultra Lunar Lake sips battery, and Asus has also provided a large 72Wh cell to offer long usage hours. Charging is also fast thanks to the 65W fast charger, and 20 to 100 percent of the charge takes about 50 mins.

Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED (UX5406S) Verdict

I haven’t been this impressed with a Windows ultrabook in a long time. A thin and light, compact laptop that checks most boxes is a rarity, but that might be a thing of the past with the new Asus Zenbook S 14 OLED. The new design is catchy, you get enough performance for work as well as light gaming, and the battery life is actually ultra for an ultrabook. Pricing isn’t too bad either, seeing how other similarly specced ultrabooks from Dell, HP, Samsung, or Microsoft cost about the same.

If you’re looking for a light, compact, and powerful ultrabook with excellent battery life, the Asus Zenbook S 14 is a good choice and worth the money. You will not be disappointed. 

Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro and ROG Phone 9 were launched on Tuesday as the latest gaming smartphones from the Taiwanese smartphone brand. The new ROG Phone lineup is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset paired with up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. The Asus ROG Phone 9 series sports AMOLED displays and has an IP68 rated build. They feature a triple rear camera setup led by a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 sensor and a 32-megapixel selfie camera.

Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro, ROG Phone 9 Price

Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro price is set at EUR 1,200 (roughly Rs. 1,00,000) for the 16GB RAM + 512GB storage model. The Asus Phone 9 starts at EUR 1,099 (roughly Rs. 98,000) for the 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model. The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition costs EUR 1,500 (roughly Rs. 1,33,000) for the sole 24GB RAM + 1TB storage variant.

The Asus ROG Phone 9 is released in Phantom Black and Storm White finishes. Only the former is available for the Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition and ROG Phone 9 Pro. 

Asus ROG Phone 9 Series Specifications

Both dual-SIM (Nano) Asus ROG Phone 9 series handsets run on Android 15-based ROG UI and features a 6.78-inch full-HD+ (1,080×2,400 pixels) Samsung AMOLED LTPO display with up to 165Hz refresh rate, HDR10 support. The display has Always-On support and is touted to deliver 2,500nits peak brightness. The screen has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection.

Under the hood, the ROG Phone family has a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition packs 24GB of LPDDR5X RAM and 1TB of UFS4.0 storage. The vanilla model and ROG 9 Pro boast a maximum of 16GB RAM and up to 512GB storage. They feature the company’s in-house ROG GameCool 9 cooling system for thermal management. 

For photos and videos, the Asus ROG Phone 9 handsets have a triple rear camera setup led by a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia 700 1/1.56-inch sensor with f1/9 aperture and a 13-megapixel ultra wide-angle camera with a 120-degree field of view. The ROG Phone 9 Pro boasts a 32-megapixel sensor with OIS and 3x optical zoom, while the brand has packed a 5-megapixel macro camera on the vanilla ROG Phone 9.

Asus
Photo Credit: Asus ROG Phone 9 Series

On the front, both ROG Phone 9 and ROG Phone 9 Pro sports a 32-megapixel RGBW camera with 1.4µm binning. The camera unit supports several AI features including AI Object Sense, AI HyperClarity, and AI HyperClarity among others.

Connectivity options on the Asus ROG Phone 9 family include 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, Bluetooth 5.4, GNSS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, QZSS, NavIC, 3.5mm headphone jack, NFC, USB Type-C port. Sensors on board include an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, e-compass, gyroscope, air trigger and a proximity sensor. They feature an in-display fingerprint sensor for authentication and have face recognition feature.

The Asus ROG Phone 9 and ROG Phone 99 Pro pack a 5,800mAh battery with 65W wired charging support and 15W wireless charging support. The fast charging technology can charge the battery from 0 to 100 percent in 46 minutes, according to the company. The battery is claimed to deliver up to 22.1 hours of video streaming time and up to 23.4 hours of social media usage (Instagram). Both phones have an IP68-certified build for dust and water resistance. 

Like previous ROG phones, the Asus ROG Phone 9 phones have three microphones with support for the company’s in-house noise reduction technology. They support Dirac Virtuo technology and have Hi-Res Audio certification. They come with AI-based gaming features including X sense, X capture, and AI grabber.

The Asus ROG Phone 9 Pro Edition model comes with AeroActive Cooler X Pro bundled. 

iOS 18.2 will reportedly allow users to “trust” a new computer without entering their passcode. The next iOS update is expected to arrive in December, and Apple rolled out the second developer beta version earlier this week. Unlike iOS 18.1, which mostly added support for a couple of Apple Intelligence features on eligible iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers, the company is expected to introduce more features with the iOS 18.2 update next month, including the ability to share the location of lost items with trusted people and the ability to change focus and exposure lock on the Camera Control button.

iOS 18.2 to Let Users Trust New Computers Using Face ID on iPhone

Apple’s security feature that requires users to enter their PIN, passcode, or password to “trust” a new computer will soon become a lot easier to use, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter) by user Aaron Perris (via 9to5Mac). Apple will let users allow a new computer to access the data on the device after authenticating using Face ID.

It’s worth noting that the new functionality is currently limited to beta testers, and is expected to roll out to users next month. It comes more than a decade after Apple added support for the “Trust This Computer” feature to the iPhone, allowing users to decided which devices would have access to the information on their smartphone.

If a user chooses not to trust a computer, they will see the prompt every time they connect the phone to that device — this is also the case when an iPhone running on iOS 16 or later is connected to a trusted computer where local backup (not iCloud backup) is enabled, according to Apple’s support document.

Other iOS 18.2 Features Expected to Arrive in December

When iOS 18.2 rolls out to users next month, it is expected to bring new Apple Intelligence features that are already available to beta testers. These include the new Visual Intelligence (iPhone 16 models), ChatGPT (and ChatGPT Plus) support, Genmoji, and the Image Playground feature, while the Notes app will also get some AI-backed improvements. This is the second wave of Apple Intelligence features, following the release of iOS 18.1 last month that brought support for Writing Tools and AI-powered Focus modes.

For users who are less concerned about AI features — or don’t have an Apple Intelligence-compatible device — the iOS 18,2 update will also add support for sharing the location of lost items on Find My with airlines or trusted people. It will also upgrade the Camera Control on the iPhone 16 series with the ability to control focus and exposure lock. The icons for apps shown in the Settings app will also match the tint selected on the Home Screen on iOS 18.2. 

The ninth console generation has been a relatively quiet one. The PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series S/X consoles have seen some major releases — Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Halo Infinite — but the current generation has largely been marked by the conspicuous absence of tentpole exclusive titles. Bigger games are certainly on their way; Sony has announced Ghost of Yotei for 2025, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launches on Xbox and PC next month. Until then, a string of remakes, remasters and some excellent third-party titles are keeping players busy.

But a lot of older games remain in the limbo of unrealised potential, waiting to utilise the power of current-gen consoles. When the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X launched in 2020, a slew of previous-gen games got free updates that bumped up their performance on new machines to 60fps — the expected standard on the consoles. These patches breathed new life into the games, previously locked to 30fps, bringing new and old players a smoother gameplay experience.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate 60 FPS Console Patch

But in the fourth year of the current console generation, these updates to older titles have thinned out, leading to many excellent games stuck in 30fps hell on modern consoles. On Tuesday, Ubisoft rolled out a free 60fps update for Assassin’s Creed Syndicate on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X, nine years after the game launched. I booted up the updated version of the game on the PS5, and the patch has had a transformative effect.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, the last AC title before the series shed its original identity and embraced an RPG-style approach, now runs at 60fps on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. And on PS5, PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X, the game hits the higher framerate at full 4K resolution. I installed the game on the PS5 after the patch rolled out late Tuesday and dove back into the game’s Victorian London setting. At 4K, 60fps, Syndicate feels fresh, even though its core gameplay loop hasn’t really stood the test of time. It was repetitive then; it is repetitive now. But with the improved performance on consoles, it’s worth revisiting the setting, characters and story of AC Syndicate.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate Is Worth Revisiting

While it remains a flawed game that still splits opinion among fans of the series, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate got a few things right. The game’s recreation of London is an immersive open world bursting with period-accurate detail. The Victorian architecture, the wide cobbled streets and familiar landmarks make London a distinct game world to explore. The city especially comes alive during nighttime, when grey, gloomy colour palette takes over. Syndicate also provides players more options to navigate the world, with horse-drawn carriages and the much-maligned grappling hook. Not all the design choices land well, but there’s an unmistakable personality to the game that later Assassin’s Creed titles failed to capture.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate’s London is brimming with period-accurate detail
Photo Credit: Ubisoft/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

The performance boost, however, shines the brightest light on the game’s excellent parkour system — a core Assassin’s Creed feature that has been diluted in subsequent games in the franchise. Climbing and jumping around rooftops is now smoother than ever on consoles, and the nifty climb down mechanic, which was borrowed over from Assassin’s Creed Unity, feels free flowing.

The game’s singular urban setting means that its environments aren’t as rich or diverse as newer games in the series, but it also brings concentrated detail to the locations you explore. The visuals hold up fairly well, too, especially the character models and facial animations, considering the game is almost a decade old.

London comes alive during nighttime
Photo Credit: Ubisoft/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate was the first — and still the only — game in the series to feature two playable protagonists, a feature that’s set to return in Assassin’s Creed Shadows. You play as twin assassins, Jacob and Evie Frye, who set foot in London in 1868. The two protagonists are distinct in their personalities and playstyles — Jacob is brash and prefers to tackle the mission head on; Evie, on the other hand, is reserved and takes a stealthier, calculated approach. Despite their contrasting temperaments, they work well together as assassins. Syndicate excels in establishing their playful and competitive chemistry. 

Together, the twins chip away bit by bit the city’s oppressive structures, freeing London’s boroughs from Templar control and establishing an assassin stronghold with the help of their own gang. During the course of the story, you also meet historical figures like Charles Dickens, Florence Nightingale and Karl Marx. Syndicate also sees the return of open-ended “Black Box” assassinations from Assassin’s Creed Unity. These large-scale missions, that offer multiple paths to your goal, urge players to make creative decisions, and remain a highlight to this day. 

The game features two playable protagonists, twins Jacob and Evie Frye
Photo Credit: Ubisoft/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul

With the latest 60fps patch, Syndicate has received a new lease on life, on consoles. It’s perhaps the best time to return to a game, that despite its many flaws, remains a reminder of the merits of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, serving just the right balance of history and fantasy. Following the update, performance is near flawless, and I’ve been getting consistent framerates in my new playthrough. The patch, however, doesn’t iron out the bugs and visual glitches that remain in the game. But the 60fps boost is a welcome upgrade; it’s something many other previous-gen games can benefit from. Ubisoft has rolled out similar updates to other Assassin’s Creed titles like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Origins. And with Assassin’s Creed Syndicate now getting the patch, one can hope for earlier games in the series to get updated, as well.

Alongside the patch, Ubisoft also announced that all editions of Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will get a 75 percent discount until December 3 as part of its Black Friday sale. The game is available for PS5, PS5 Pro, PS4, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox One, PC (via Ubisoft Connect, Epic Games Store, and Steam), and Amazon Luna. On PlayStation, AC Syndicate is available as part of the Game Catalog with PS Plus Extra and Deluxe/Premium subscription.

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