The sun is shining, so what better time to close the curtains and stay in dark rooms for hours? Yes, it's games week at techradar, and that means more gaming content than you can shake a boomstick at. Not only that, we've got supersonic trains, science from space, a whole bunch of VR news and one of our best friends joining us. It's a sun-dodging Week in Tech!
We got game(s)
Team techradar is big on PC (and Mac) gaming, and there's never been a better time to play on the PC: not only are top-end titles more fun than ever, but the imminent VR explosion is going to make gaming even more immersive. That's why we've been hosting our PC gaming week extravaganza, featuring the games you can't afford to miss, our favorite games of all time and the best VR games for PC and mobile, plus articles on how to make VR games that don't make players sick, and what game-related hardware we expect to see at Computex 2016. Not only that, we've got an in-depth review of the genre-busting Battleborn, which features magnificent chins, an awful music video and Borderlands-style black humor. Our verdict? Play It.
iPhone 7S: the S stands for 'screeeeeeeeeeeeeen'
The iPhone 7 hasn't even launched yet, but already the rumor mill has turned to next phone we expect to see after that one, the iPhone 7S. According to Apple blogger John Gruber the screen takes up the whole front of the device, with the TouchID sensor, speaker and other sensors embedded behind the glass. Factor in the rumored OLED display and Gruber may well be right: by removing the need for a backlight Apple could potentially make the bezel much, much smaller. As ever we'll keep you posted with the latest rumors.
Believe the Hype
Remember Hyperloop, the brainchild of Tesla's Elon Musk? Well, it's back! Back! BACK! And it's called Hyperloop One. In the first ever test of the system, Hyperloop One successfully chucked a 1,500-pound cart down half a mile of track using nothing but magnets. We asked Insane Clown Posse how that worked but they didn't know. Hyperloop One hopes to be moving passengers by 2021.
Astronaut's wee goes wheeeeee
What weighs nearly two tons, and falls to Earth from space? If you guessed "a Space X Dragon capsule full of items including blood and urine samples from an astronaut" then you'd be right. Duncan Geere explains: "Researchers plan to use the samples to examine how the body copes with long periods of time in space – crucial to understand before a planned mission to Mars in the 2030s… The return of the data marks the successful completion of one of SpaceX's toughest missions to date. The Falcon rocket booster that launched the capsule into orbit landed safely on an ocean barge, and is now sitting in a hanger in Florida awaiting another flight. Normally, these boosters are used once then discarded."
Instagram redesigns, not many dead
It's that time again: social media lovers are up in arms after another service for which they pay nothing had the temerity to change its design and app icon. This time the villain is Instagram, which is abandoning its previous skeuomorphic look and going for something flatter and gradient-based. "We designed our new look to match your vibrant and diverse stories," CEO Kevin Systrom posted. "You'll recognize parts of our previous icon that you loved, but you'll also see new parts that give a nod to your creative spark." So there you go.
Google's big VR reveal
Another brain-teaser for you: what begins with 'And', ends with 'roid VR', and is expected to be announced next week? Yup, it's Android VR, which we think we'll see at Google IO 2016, the company's annual developer conference, in the form of a dedicated headset that's more advanced than Google Cardboard but more limited than a Vive.
There's big VR news from Samsung too. Its Gear VR had over one million users in April, Oculus says, and it's about to get 360-degree snaps and videos in Facebook. The images won't be restricted to Gear VR users, but they'll be the most fun with viewed on Samsung's handy headset.
Say hello to our not so little friend
We're delighted to announce that one of the greatest camera brands on the planet has joined techradar: the mighty Digital Camera World will be bringing "a world of tips, tricks, guides and advice" – and no doubt lots of chat about "creamy bokeh" – to our photography channel. Welcome aboard!
