• 📱 Apple’s upcoming iPhone Air 2 continues to make progress towards its release

• 🏭 The phone has reportedly entered an important phase in production

• ⚙️ The device will deliver key upgrades over the current Air

• 📆 It’s expected to land sometime in early 2027 alongside the iPhone 18

Apple is gearing up to launch a next-generation iPhone Air next year, and rumor has it that it’s reached an important phase during production. Leaker Sunny on X claims that the phone has entered what’s called EVT, which stands for Engineering Validation and Testing. It’s the first step in moving on from a proof of concept to a product you actually manufacture, which indicates the iPhone Air 2 release date seems to be in the near future.

• More: See the touchscreen MacBook Pro OLED – and the Apple logo finally glowing again

The next iPhone Air has been in the rumor mill for quite some time. It’s expected to debut sometime in early 2027, likely in the spring. Apple is said to release it alongside the base iPhone 18 and the budget-friendly iPhone 18e.

It’s said to come with a slew of upgrades over the original iPhone Air, which was released in September of 2025. The device will sport a familiar design that’s still impossibly thin and light, with one big external change: a secondary ultra-wide camera next to the primary camera.

Under the hood, Apple is rumored to include the A20 Pro chip (the same one found in the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro), a bigger battery, and new chips for improved wireless connectivity. The screen size is expected to remain the same at 6.5 inches, while a new purple color could wind up taking the place of blue in Apple’s lineup.

There was a rumor nearly two months ago that the iPhone Air 2 will replace the iPhone 18 in Apple’s lineup, although it’s unclear if that’ll actually happen. We haven’t heard anything beyond the initial report about it, so continue taking it with a grain of salt.

We’ll be tracking more iPhone Air 2 rumors until Apple decides to announce the phone next year. Stay tuned.

• Up next: Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 restock: Walmart and Target confirm exact release dates

Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.

• 🎮 The Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 is out today, October 29, but Walmart and Target are planning online restocks for November 6

• 🚨 Our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker @mattswider on X will send out an alert as soon as stock appears

• 👀 Walmart was our top pick to have a restock, but a supply chain delay has pushed the date back

• ⌚ GameStop, Best Buy, and Nintendo are holding in-store midnight launches where units will be available

Update (11:23 AM ET): Today’s launch day for the Zelda Switch 2 console and we’re constantly checking Walmart just in case more pre-orders open up.

Walmart: Zelda Switch 2 console

Best Buy: Zelda Switch 2 console

GameStop: Zelda Switch 2 console

Target: Zelda Switch 2 console

Nintendo: Zelda Switch 2 console

A new update has dashed our hopes of a major Walmart restock of the Zelda Switch 2 console, which we were confident would happen today. However, a new Reddit post (thanks, Wario64) has revealed that Walmart is waiting until at least November 6 to sell the special edition console online.

A employee note says: “Due to a supply chain delay, some stores may not receive the Nintendo Switch 2 Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition in time for its planned Oct. 29 release. To allow time to fulfill preorders and reshop inventory as needed, the point-of-sale (POS) block will remain in place through at least Friday, Nov. 6. As inventory arrives, orders will be fulfilled based on preorder priority and available inventory.”

The Redditor who posted the news shared that some people were able to get the console from Walmart after 8:00am local time, so there is still hope.

Target recently updated its Zelda Switch 2 listing to reveal that it will also start taking orders of on November 6, with in stores orders beginning November 5. Clearly, the supply chain delay is impacting other stores, otherwise we likely would have seen a restock take place today, as we initially predicted.

We now know that Walmart and Target will be taking online orders, and that Best Buy and Nintendo are holding in-store events on November 5. GameStop is also letting customers pre-order in-store via their website.

Despite the news, we’ll still be tracking every retailer with our restock tracker, which provides up-to-the-second information whether something is in stock. If the Zelda Switch 2 does appear – which it might – our followers will still be one of the first to know.

Up next: PS5 Pro restock: it’s available again, but you’re paying more than you should

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

• New GTA 6 gameplay appeared in Wednesday’s episode of South Park

• The clip shows protagonist Jason hitting a man in the head with a bag of dog poo

• The footage was presumably supplied to the show by Rockstar

• It’s not the first time South Park has featured a Rockstar game

A new look at Grand Theft Auto 6 has appeared in an unlikely place: the latest episode of South Park.

• Walmart: GTA 6 - $79.99

• Best Buy - GTA 6 - $79.99

• GameStop: GTA 6 - $79.99

• Amazon: GTA 6 - $79.99

• Target: GTA 6 - $79.99

• PlayStation Store: GTA 6 - $79.99

The episode, titled “Guinea Pig on a Stick,” saw Stan, Cartman and Kyle trying to get local beef back into their school after the town’s supply suddenly became highly prized.

Near the end, the owner of the steakhouse buying it all up tells the boys the beef isn’t the real issue. In what looks like a nod to the upcoming US midterms, she says people care about the country, not the cows.

She then switches on a TV, claiming “a lot of good Americans died to smuggle this to us.” What follows is new GTA 6 gameplay, which was presumably provided to South Park’s creators by Rockstar.

In the clip, Jason is on a beach when he spots a dog owner letting their pet do its business on the sand before picking it up with a bag. Jason throws an object at the man, which kicks off a fight. He then grabs the bag of dog poo and hurls it at the man’s head.

The steakhouse owner calls the graphics “seriously next-level” and says the world-building is on show, because players can pick up the dog poo and use it as a weapon. “That is what is coming in November,” she adds, which is when GTA 6 launches next month.

This isn’t the first time a game has turned up in South Park. Past episodes have centered on World of Warcraft, Guitar Hero, and Red Dead Redemption 2 became a plot point in “Time to Get Cereal,” where Sergeant Yates is annoyed that a police investigation is getting in the way of his Red Dead 2 sessions. We’ve also seen Cartman freeze himself to speed up the release of the Wii, and a turf war break out between Sony and Microsoft during Black Friday over Xbox One and PS4 bundles.

GTA 6 launches in just under a month, releasing on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

We might not have to wait too long for a PC port, either, as it could come in early 2027.

The PC release could coincide with GTA 6 Online launching, which Twitch CEO Dan Clancy has predicted will take place “next year”.

Up next: GTA 6 file size revealed, taking nearly a quarter of the PS5 slim’s storage

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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.

Update (9:39 AM ET): A new employee post on Reddit suggests that Walmart is reserving stock until November 6, due to a supply chain delay. Target has also updated its website with November 6 for online orders.

• 🎮 The Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 is out today, October 29

• 🚨 Our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker @mattswider on X will send out an alert as soon as stock appears

• 💰 The special edition costs $519.99 but doesn’t include a copy of the game

• 👀 Walmart is our pick to have a restock, and we’re tracking all the other retailers

Walmart: Zelda Switch 2 console

Best Buy: Zelda Switch 2 console

GameStop: Zelda Switch 2 console

Target: Zelda Switch 2 console

Nintendo: Zelda Switch 2 console

Today is the day we’ve been waiting for. There’s a strong probability that a Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 restock will take place at Walmart to mark the console’s release, and we’ll be keeping a close out on the retailer throughout the course of the day.

As the largest retailer in the US, Walmart should have the biggest stock allocation. It’s also historically held back units for launch days, even when pre-orders have sold out. Walmart sometimes ends up with an online exclusive as a result, with many stores offering in-store stock instead of online.

We saw a similar situation with the PS5 Pro, where Walmart offered next-day delivery with snacks included.

Aside from a surprise restock at the Nintendo Store taking place on October 26, which we alerted our followers to, the Zelda Switch 2 has remained out of stock since it went on sale.

Best Buy and Nintendo have announced in-store events on November 5, and GameStop is also letting customers pre-order in-store via their website. Hopefully, Walmart is reserving its stock for online customers, and today is when we expect to see a Zelda Switch 2 restock take place.

Walmart also tends to restock on Thursday and Friday mornings, so the timing conveniently lines up with its usual pattern. Of course, along with Walmart, we’ll be tracking every retailer for any restocks and sending out an alert to our followers as soon as stock appears.

Cancelled pre-orders and failed payments could have also freed up more stock, so we’re cautiously optimistic a restock at Walmart is on the cards.

There’s a good chance Walmart will also have a Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller restock which, like the console, has been completely sold out.

Why you should use our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker

We’re constantly monitoring all the major retailers for any stock updates, and will send an alert on X to Matt Swider’s followers. It’s the best way to get hold of Nintendo’s special edition console, as it means you’ll be first in line. Our followers were one of the first to hear about the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 restock at the Nintendo Store before it sold out again.

If you’re new to The Shortcut, we helped over 400,000 people buy a PS5 when it was impossible to find during the pandemic. Since then, we’ve continued to help our subscribers find hard-to-find items that quickly sell out or are remain in high-demand months later.

Remember: you’ll receive a notification on X (if set to on) when new Zelda Switch 2 stock arrives, thanks to our up-to-the-second US store inventory checks at the biggest retailers.

Up next: PS5 Pro restock: it’s available again, but you’re paying more than you should

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

Looking for Zelda Switch 2 console or Pro Controller pre-orders? Click our links, especially Walmart!

• 🫵 It’s the first touchscreen Mac, courtesy of the new PROLED XDR

• 🍎 Apple’s glowing logo returns to the lid for the first time since 2016!

• 🏝️ The iPhone’s useful Dynamic Island comes to MacBook for the first time

• ⚙️ Uses Apple’s M5 Pro or M5 Max chips; up to 128GB of RAM, 16TB SSD

• 💰 Starts at $2,899 for the M5 Pro, 1TB of storage and standard glass

• 📆 Pre-orders start today; ships Friday, November 6

It’s taken ten years, but this is the MacBook Pro redesign I’ve been waiting for. I’m about to “Pro and Tell” you why it’s Apple’s big glow-up moment, and why I pre-ordered ASAP.

I ordered the 14-inch MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR (it also comes in 16-inch), and I’m happy to report the illuminated Apple logo is back on the lid, and it’s bringing a friend: the first-ever Mac touchscreen. Apple has long resisted this feature, but it pairs well with the bright, color-accurate MacBook Pro display and its new interactive Dynamic Island.

It’s a huge shift for the MacBook, but before I touch on other points, let’s say hello to our Substack sponsor dbrand’s new cases for the iPad and skins for the MacBook Pro.

dbrand’s 47 MacBook Pro skins are on sale

Want to basically look inside your new MacBook Pro with a cool dbrand skin or just simply protect your $3,000 investment from scratches?

dbrand has already launched 47 skins for the new 14-inch and 16-inch laptops – and yes, there’s an option for a logo cutout to let that Apple logo shine! There’s also a Buy One, Get One Free option on several of the skins.

dbrand: MacBook Pro skins

dbrand’s new Folio Grip for iPad mini

dbrand has been making some of our favorite accessories for phones, gaming consoles, and laptops. But beyond skins, it hasn’t had much for iPads… until now.

This week, dbrand is introducing the new Folio Grip case. It took its existing Grip case for devices like the iPhone Duo and stretched it out to protect your iPad. It’s available for the iPad Pro and baseline iPad, as well as the new iPad mini with OLED.

The case wraps around the entirety of your iPad to protect it from drops and scratches, all while giving you a ton of extra grip thanks to a unique texture on the outside. It also comes with a folio flap on the front to protect the display, which can also bend to varying degrees to prop up your iPad exactly how you want. The best part? You can remove the flap and just use the case itself if it gets in your way.

The Folio Grip also accommodates your Apple Pencil on the edge of your iPad, and it has the same clicky buttons as the Grip case for phones and other devices.

dbrand is also launching a PRISM screen protector designed for iPad. It uses the same premium tempered glass as other PRISM screen protectors in its lineup that repels dust, prevents scratches, and has a fingerprint-resistant finish so your display will always look clean. Plus, you get dbrand’s genius installation tray in the box to make applying the protector to your iPad as idiot-proof as possible. It’s also available for iPad mini, as well as the higher-end Pros and the base iPad.

You can pick up the new accessories right now on dbrand’s website. Here’s how pricing shakes out for it all.

dbrand Folio Grip

• iPad mini: $69.95

• iPad Pro and iPad: $79.95

dbrand: iPad Folio Grip

dbrand PRISM

• iPad mini: $49.95

• iPad Pro and iPad: $59.95

dbrand: iPad PRISM

🎬 Breaking down today’s Apple news

Today marks a major shift for the MacBook Pro, and the high price reflects the cutting-edge technology you’ll see. We also got a new iPad mini with an OLED display, an upgraded 14-inch MacBook Pro, and a new 24-inch iMac.

As a team of creators, The Shortcut’s Slack has been blowing up with early thoughts and impressions on everything Apple has unveiled for the past three days, and we’re beyond hype to get a chance to review it all.

💻 MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR

📺 The first OLED screen on a MacBook. Apple has equipped the new MacBook Pro with the first PROLED XDR display its ever shipped. It’s a new tandem OLED display that stacks two OLED screens on top of each other for better brightness, which Apple says can reach 2,000 nits. It’s backed by all sorts of algorithms and engines to tune the display to show off accurate colors, deliver Extreme Dynamic Range, and boast an industry-first 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio. You can also add a nano-texture coating to reduce glares and make it easier to see in the sun.

🎙️ Touch me, baby. Cue The Doors, because you can touch the screen on the new MacBook Pro. Apple says that it’s built right into the display panel and not behind it, so it feels like you’re actually touching the content on your screen. You can do things from swipe through webpages to flick windows across your desktop. Apple also says it opens new possibilities for folks like graphic designers who want a 360 of what they’re working on, musicians who want to finely tune a project they’re working on, and more. The laptop is equipped with a hinge that keeps the display sturdy every time you touch it so it won’t wobble back and forth.

🏝️ Dynamic Island arrives on top. Look at the top of the new MacBook Pro and you’ll see something familiar: the Dynamic Island. Apple got rid of the notch for the Center Stage camera and built it into a hole-punch cutout in the display, then added the Dynamic Island to keep things alive and functional. You can do pretty much everything with it as you can on your iPhone, from controlling your music to tracking your Uber Eats order.

🚀 Unreal specifications. Apple equips the MacBook Pro with either the M5 Pro or M5 Max chip, depending on your performance needs and preferences. The chips deliver insane performance boosts for AI processing, handling 8K ProRes video, rendering complex 3D graphics, and more. But look on Apple’s specs page and you’ll see some other staggering configurations. You can load up to 128GB of RAM into these things, as well as an insane 16TB of storage. Yeah, if you plan to use your computer for the next, I dunno, 15 years, this is the one to get.

📐 A slightly slimmer design. Apple was able to shave a bit less than a millimeter from the thickness of both the 14.2-inch model and the 16.3-inch model. They’re also a bit lighter, coming in at three and four pounds, respectively.

💡Apple’s glow-up. This is the coolest design touch. The Apple logo on the back glows for the first time since 2016, which makes me extremely happy as someone who used to fawn over Apple laptops back in the 2010s when everyone had glowing Apple logos. It’s more than a statement piece. It’s an engineering feat to get the glowing Apple logo working inside a lid this thin. 👏

🔊 Industry-leading speakers. Apple claims to have reinvented speakers once again with its new MacBook Pro. There’s a new six-speaker audio system that gets you 50% deeper bass, while all-new tweeters should give your music and movies more definition. The most interesting tidbit here is the fact that Apple optimized the speakers to perform well when the lid is closed, which is how a lot of professionals wind up working if they need an external monitor. I’ll be the judge of how good this sounds when I get to test it for myself at Swider Studios, so stay tuned.

🔌 Plenty of ports, solid connectivity. Apple is still giving professionals all the ports they need to get work done. You get three Thunderbolt 5 ports, HDMI, an SDXC card slot, MagSafe, and a headphone jack on both models. You also get Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 for improved wireless performance. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Apple has introduced a 5G version of the MacBook Pro, as previous rumors suggested.

📈 Higher and higher. That’s a great way to sum up the prices of the new MacBook Pro. The 14-inch version now starts at $2,899, $900 more than the Mini LED version of the laptop. Meanwhile, the 16-inch now starts at $3,399. If you max out your configuration for the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, you’ll wind up paying $14,549. Yeah, these things ain’t cheap, folks.

📆 Launching November 6. Apple is opening preorders for the new MacBook Pro today, with orders shipping on Friday, November 6.

📱 iPad mini with OLED

One of the most anticipated updates to the iPad lineup arrived early this week with the new iPad mini, which is now equipped with an OLED display. While it’s more expensive than before at $699, there are plenty of upgrades to talk about.

📺 A much prettier screen. Apple swapped the 8.3-inch LCD panel from the old iPad mini for a new 8.5-inch OLED, which will deliver higher brightness, deeper black levels, and better contrast. Your movies, e-books, and games will all look far better on this display. What’s more, Apple is offering an option to upgrade to a nano-texture display, similar to what the iPhone Duo has, that lets you see the screen more easily in the sunlight.

📐 Thinner and more durable. With the OLED display, Apple was able to make the tablet even thinner than before at just 5.4mm. On top of that, it’s the most durable iPad mini yet with an IP67 certification, which means it’s safe against dust and water. You’ll be able to take this thing to the pool next summer without worrying about getting it wet, no problem.

⚙️ A big performance boost. The iPad mini's specs are the most powerful we’ve seen yet in a tablet. Apple gave it the A20 Pro chip (the same one that’s inside iPhone 18 Pro Max), the N1 and C2 chips for faster Wi-Fi and 5G, quicker charging speeds, and iPadOS 27 with Siri AI.

⬇️ Read more:

🖥️ M6-powered iMac and MacBook Pro

The smallest upgrades Apple introduced this week also happen to be quite powerful. The iMac and 14-inch MacBook Pro both got a brand-new chip: the M6.

🚀 More power to ya. Apple touts that the M6 chip, which was announced back in August, gives the iMac and base MacBook Pro big leaps in performance. From editing videos to AI-related tasks, the M6 delivers a faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine so that the entire experience is smoother and snappier. You can pair the chip with up to 32GB of RAM, 2TB of storage in the iMac, and up to 4TB of storage in the MacBook Pro.

🛜 Better connectivity. Apple also upgraded the two Macs with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, both of which will give you more reliable connectivity. The iMac’s Ethernet port is also capable of 2.5Gb speeds, which will make your internet speed even quicker.

📐 Same design and colors. Beyond these key internal upgrades, the iMac and MacBook Pro remain largely unchanged. Apple kept the same designs and colors as before for both models, as well as the same array of ports. The iMac costs a bit more at $1,499, while the MacBook Pro starts at the same $1,999 as before.

⬇️ Read more:

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• 🆕 Samsung has announced the new Galaxy Buds On

• 👂 It’s the first set of open-ear clip-on wireless buds from Samsung

• 💦 IP54 water resistance and clever tech inside to reduce sound leakage

• 🗜️ They feature a more secure fit than older earbuds

• 🔋 9.5 playback hours on the buds, 38 hours with the case, and powered by Qualcomm’s energy-efficient Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 Sound Platform

• 💰 You’ll be able to buy them from next month at a cost of $229

Get the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung has unveiled its first open-ear clip-on wireless earbuds, the Galaxy Buds On, as it enters a growing market sector currently dominated by Sony and Bose.

The new Samsung buds feature a clip-on design for a more secure fit than some of its older open earbuds, and feature Audio Leakage Reduction tech that Samsung says reduces sound leakage for those around you. To achieve this, Samsung’s tech protects reversed sound waves at the rear of each earbud.

The new buds are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S7 Gen 1 Sound Platform, which offers longer playback at higher volumes. A high-efficiency Class-D amplifier drives it, intricately designed to optimize power consumption.

Samsung says it has pulled data from over 119 million ear scans to help these new buds fit well across a range of ear shapes and sizes. They’re designed to ensure a low-pressure fit around the ear, making them more comfortable for extended periods than typical earbuds. For fitness fanatics and commuters, an IP54 water-resistance rating is a welcome bonus.

These aren’t technically Samsung’s first open design, as it released the Galaxy Buds Live some years ago, while the newer Galaxy Buds 4 have an open-type, semi-in-ear profile as recent AirPods do.

Samsung has packed in a new high-efficiency Class D amplifier for punchy audio and stronger efficiency – to this end, the 9.5 hours of playback on a single charge is solid, with the charging case upping this to 38 hours.

For calls, the Galaxy Buds On have three mics and a voice pickup in it which detects vibrations – the two elements work together to cut out noise and isolate your voice, plus it incorporates algorithms which have been trained to cancel out ambient sounds such as construction noise and car horns.

Samsung has also included support for gesture controls, so you can nod or shake your head to accept or decline calls, and even dismiss notification readouts.

If you’ve got a Galaxy smartphone, you’ll be able to access Gemini Live, as well as Quick Voice Memo recordings among other things, and the buds will connect to your phone as soon as you open the case.

The Galaxy Buds On will launch in early November 2026 and will be priced at $229.

Up next: Apple responds to iPhone Duo crackgate: ‘we are aware of an issue’

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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.

• 😲 GTA 6 is set to be the biggest game Rockstar has ever made in terms of full size

• 📈 The standard edition for PS5’s size is set to be 210GB

• 😬 That’s a quarter of a PS5 Slim internal SSD’s capacity

• 🎮 It means it’ll be over double the size of both RDR 2 and PS5’s GTA 5 port

The file size for GTA 6 has been revealed, and if true, it could be a rather hefty title.

According to PlayStation Game Size on X (via GameSpot), the $80 standard edition of GTA 6 will reportedly take up 210GB of storage on PS5.

• Walmart: GTA 6 - $79.99

• Best Buy - GTA 6 - $79.99

• GameStop: GTA 6 - $79.99

• Amazon: GTA 6 - $79.99

• Target: GTA 6 - $79.99

• PlayStation Store: GTA 6 - $79.99

That works out to approximately a quarter of the usable capacity inside a PS5 Slim – and, if you’re on an original PS5 with the 825GB SSD (666GB of which is usable), then you’re looking at nearly a third of your capacity being taken up by one game.

We don’t know how big the $100 Ultimate Edition is, which includes even more content than the standard game, nor how large the Xbox Series X|S version of GTA 6 is going to be.

For some good news, you’ll at least be able to preload GTA 6 on November 12, giving you a week to move some games around or uninstall them so you can fit Rockstar’s newest title on your SSD.

For reference, if this file size is true, it’s double the size of Red Dead Redemption 2, and between two and three times as large as GTA 5 Expanded and Enhanced on PS5.

It’s for good reason, though, as the GTA 6 map is three times the size of Red Dead Redemption 2’s, and Rockstar has packed the title with all sorts of fine details not even the executives know about just yet.

GTA 6 launches in just under a month, releasing on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

It seems like we also won’t have to wait too long for a PC port, as it could come in early 2027 according to reports.

The PC release could coincide with GTA 6 Online launching, which Twitch CEO Dan Clancy believes will also take place “next year”.

Up next: The next Grand Theft Auto won’t take 8 years to make: ‘we’re not going to rip it apart’

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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.

• 🎮 The Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 releases tomorrow, October 29

• 🚨 Our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker @mattswider on X will send out an alert as soon as stock appears

• 💰 It costs $519.99, $20 more than the standard console

• 👀 Walmart is the most likely to have a restock tomorrow, and we’re tracking all the other retailers

Walmart: Zelda Switch 2 console

Best Buy: Zelda Switch 2 console

GameStop: Zelda Switch 2 console

Target: Zelda Switch 2 console

Nintendo: Zelda Switch 2 console

We’re expecting to see a Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 restock at Walmart tomorrow, as the special edition console officially launches. Despite being sold out for several weeks, and aside from a surprise restock at the Nintendo Store taking place on October 26 which we alerted our followers to, there hasn’t been many stock drops to get excited about.

However, that should change tomorrow, as Walmart is our pick to watch if you’re after the elusive console. The retailer historically reserves stock for launch day events, even if its pre-orders have sold out, and sometimes even offers next-day delivery with snacks – as we saw with the PS5 Pro.

As the largest retailer in the US, Walmart usually gets the most stock – and while Best Buy and Nintendo have announced in-store events on November 5 – Walmart could be piling up units for online orders.

Walmart tends to restock on Thursday and Friday mornings, so the timing also lines up with its usual pattern. Of course, we’ll be tracking every retailer for restocks, and will send out an alert as soon as stock appears.

Hopefully, Walmart will also offer the Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller which, like the console, sold out fast. Like the Zelda Switch 2 console, the Pro Controller releases on October 29. Cancelled pre-orders and failed payments could free up more stock, and we’ll also be sending out alerts if we see the Zelda Pro Controller appear.

Why can trust our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker

Our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker is the best way to get hold of Nintendo’s special edition console. We’re constantly monitoring all the major retailers for any stock updates, and will send an alert on X to Matt Swider’s followers. Our followers were one of the first to hear about yesterday’s Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 restock before it sold out at the Nintendo Store.

Previously, we’ve helped over 400,000 people buy a PS5 when it was impossible to find during the pandemic, and we’ve continued to help our subscribers find items that quickly sold out or are remain in demand. The Shortcut followers were some of the first to secure the Switch 2 when it went on sale, and we’ve also helped countless others get consoles like the extremely limited PS5 30th anniversary edition.

Remember: you’ll receive a notification on X (if set to on) as soon as new Zelda Switch 2 stock arrives, thanks to our up-to-the-second US store inventory checks at the biggest retailers.

Up next: PS5 Pro restock: it’s available again, but you’re paying more than you should

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

• 📅 The Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 releases on Thursday, October 27

• 🚨 Our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker @mattswider on X will send out an alert when stock appears

• 😲 Nintendo Store held a surprise restock on October 26 and is holding a midnight launch event on November 5

• 🙏 Other retailers may be holding back stock for launch day, too

Walmart: Zelda Switch 2 console

Best Buy: Zelda Switch 2 console

GameStop: Zelda Switch 2 console

Target: Zelda Switch 2 console

Nintendo: Zelda Switch 2 console

We’re expecting to see a Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 restock tomorrow at major retailers like Walmart, as the console and Pro Controller are set to launch. However, Nintendo has joined Best Buy in announcing a midnight launch event for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on November 5, where limited quantities of the special edition console will be available.

There is a catch, though. To attend the in-store event, which will be held on November 4 at Nintendo San Francisco and November 5 at Nintendo New York, a Warp Pipe Pass is required, which means capacity will be limited.

If you’re lucky enough to receive a Warp Pipe Pass (they’re currently fully booked), you’ll be able to purchase The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition console, Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller and display stand, the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller on its own, and the Zelda 40th Anniversary carrying case and screen protector.

Purchases will be limited to one “per customer” and will be sold on a “first come, first served basis.”

Why you should follow our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker

Obviously, many will be looking to receive the Zelda Switch 2 before November 5, and an instore event isn’t exactly ideal for many. That’s where our exclusive Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker comes in, as we’re providing up-to-the-second US store inventory checks. Those who follow Matt Swider on X and turn on notifications will be the first to know when new stock is live, as you can see in the post below.

We’re strongly expecting retailers like Walmart to have stock on launch day, especially as it’s the largest retailer in the US. Cancellations can also occur in the run up to release, meaning more stock is made available that was previously taken. Thursday and Friday mornings is also when Walmart tends to offer restocks online.

We’re predicting other retailers like Target, GameStop and Amazon will also get a new wave of consoles on launch day, and we’ll notify you if and when any Zelda Switch 2 restocks appear.

You can trust our restock tracker as we helped over 400,000 people buy Sony’s console when it was in and out of stock for two years. We’ve since made it our goal to help our subscribers purchase hard-to-find items. We’ve done the same with the PS5 30th anniversary edition and many more in-demand products.

Up next: Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller restock looks increasingly likely at Nintendo Store

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

• 📗 Amazon introduces a larger $499 Echo Show 16 with a Nanomatte display and Dolby Atmos surround sound

• 🕗 $199 Echo Time is Amazon’s first smart clock with ultrasonic sensors and smart home pairing

• 🔊 $99 Echo Dot improves sound quality and voice pickup with more smart home hub capability and a 1,000ft Wi-Fi extender

• 📺 $219 Echo Studio is Amazon’s first home-theater-grade smart home speaker

• 📹 $249 Echo Studio with Home Camera adds video calling, home monitoring, and visual intelligence features

• 🖼️ $199 Alexa Photo Frame is a smart 10-inch photo frame you can personalize as a gift

• 🏷️ Amazon Echo Time, Echo Dot, Echo Studio, and Alexa Photo Frame are all available to order now

• 📅 Amazon Echo Show 16 will release later this year

Amazon is ending a month of new products by putting the smackdown on the Apple HomeView with its own 16-inch smart home screen, the Amazon Echo Show 16.

That large 16-inch screen gives the Echo Show 16 more than double the screen real estate to the Apple HomeView’s 7.7-inch display. It puts that display to good use, offering a full Fire TV experience with its 16:9 aspect ratio for Prime Video, HBO Max, Peacock, YouTube, and more streaming apps. It also features eight custom micro woofers and two tweeters that deliver an impressively loud, cinematic sound experience.

The Echo Show 16 also features the same Nanomatte display option as the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. Having used this display on Amazon’s tablet, you can expect glare-free viewing even in direct sunlight or under bright spotlights. Unlike matte coatings, Nanomatte uses a pixel-aligned texture that maintains black levels, so you don’t get a washed-out image on the Echo Show 16.

The Echo Show 16 also features a new custom processor with 20% more computing power, which for me translated into a smooth tapping and swiping experience. Amazon debuted its new Neo user interface that, in a word, feels bouncy. Elements smoothly shrank and expanded as I swiped left to right through Alexa+ answers to my AI questions. You can ask Alexa+ to help you do anything from scoping out your vacation to making meal plans for the week, or simply researching Halloween costume ideas, and it saves everything into a history of cards you can dive back into.

The Amazon Echo Show 16 is available for preorder starting at $499 – $569 for the Nanomatte display upgrade – and will begin shipping later this year. It can be either wall-mounted or put on a stand for $69. There’s also an adjustable swivel-and-tilt stand for $124.99.

Amazon Echo Time

Amazon also announced another Echo device with a screen in the new Echo Time. It’s quite literally an Echo Dot with a clock face, and we love that simplicity. You can still ask it questions and have it perform AI tasks through Alexa+ and use it as a radio, but the Echo Time primarily functions as a clock.

To that end, you can link the Echo Time to a smart light and have it gently turn on as your wake-up alarm approaches. Alternatively, the Echo Time can use its ultrasound sensors to detect when you’re in a lighter sleep stage and wake you up earlier so you feel less tired.

Echo Time is available today for $199.99 and comes in Graphite, Glacier White, and Coral Pink, and you can buy a color-matched adjustable stand for $39. The Amazon Kids Echo Time comes in two distinct designs – Galactic Grape and Cosmic Lime – starting at $209.99 with a one-year Kids+ subscription included.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon has also upgraded its most basic smart speaker, the Echo Dot. This new 2026 model features a vastly upgraded AZ3 processor, which allows it to act as a smart home hub with support for Zigbee, Matter, and Thread. At the same time, it functions as an eero Wi-Fi Extender to give you an extra 1,000 feet of coverage.

For sound, the new Echo Dot also adds a full-range driver that delivers more back volume for crisp vocals and 50% more bass than the last-generation model. It also adds a fourth microphone, letting the Echo Dot hear you better when you call for Alexa+ from another room.

The $99 Echo Dot is available today in Graphite, Glacier White, Agave Green, and Coral Pink. There are also two versions of the Amazon Kids Echo Dot, Octopus and Penguin, that start at a slightly higher $109.99.

Amazon Echo Studio

The Amazon Echo Studio has also grown up from just being a better-sounding Echo Dot to being a fully blown home entertainment speaker. Amazon’s Panos Panay demoed how a trio of these speakers could create a Dolby Atmos surround sound experience that tunes itself to the room’s acoustics using Advanced Room Adaptation. It’s all thanks to the new Echo Studio’s arrangement of three full-range drivers.

There’s also a new Echo Studio with Home Camera model that can be used for video calls and visual intelligence. For instance, you could hold up a board game and ask Alexa+ to explain the rules. Alternatively, you could have Alexa monitor your home and check if the dog is okay or if you left the room lights on.

The Echo Studio is available now for $219, and the Echo Studio with Home Camera is priced at a slightly higher $249.99.

Amazon Alexa Photo Frame

Lastly, Amazon has introduced possibly the best holiday gift, the Alexa Photo Frame. As the name suggests, it’s an Alexa-powered 10-inch digital photo frame. It includes an Alexa microphone and speaker, so you can ask Alexa to bring up photos specifically of family members or a particular vacation.

Amazon is also making the gifting process of the Alexa Photo Frame more personal by allowing users to upload a few photos and add a voice note for their recipient to hear as soon as it turns on.

The Alexa Photo Frame is available starting at $199 in Black, and $229 in real Birch or Walnut wood frames.

What’s possibly even better than the new Alexa Photo Frame is that Amazon is launching Amazon Photos, which gives anyone who signs up unlimited photo storage space for free.

• Up next: Apple HomeView announced: new Siri AI hub for your smart home

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

• 🆕 ModRetro has added two rare games, ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Cut and Body Harvest, to the M64 library

• 💰 ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Cut is a rare Blockbuster exclusive with loose copies valued around $1,500

• 🔞 Body Harvest was originally delayed by Nintendo due to its mature themes

• 👏 Both games cost $49.99 each and are also compatible with original N64 hardware

ModRetro: Clay Fighters

ModRetro: Body Harvest

ModRetro: M64

GameStop: Smoke ModRetro M64

ModRetro has expanded the M64’s library of games with two new titles, each of which will appeal to collectors and retro gaming fans.

ClayFighter: Sculptor’s Cut is arguably the pick of the bunch. The fighting game was originally released as a Blockbuster exclusive, making copies extremely hard to find.

According to ModRetro’s founder Palmer Lucky, loose copies of the game typically go for $1,500, while sealed copies can fetch as much as $175,000.

Body Harvest is also a fantastic addition for ModRetro M64 owners. It was originally intended to be an N64 launch title but was pushed back by Nintendo over concerns about the game’s mature and violent themes. Released in 1998, it was developed by DMA Design, the visionary creators who would go on to develop Grand Theft Auto III.

The re-releases of ClayFighter and Body Harvest will also work on the original N64 if you don’t own ModRetro’s modernized take on Nintendo’s classic console. Each title costs $49.99 and joins the releases of Buck Bumble, Xeno Crisis, Extreme G: Turbo Fusion and XIBALBA 64.

ModRetro has promised that more N64 games are on the way – including brand-new titles. The company recently released the ModRetro Chromatic Transparent, a more affordable version of its excellent Game Boy/Game Boy Color handheld.

Up next: Commodore is back: the C64C Ultimate begins shipping to customers worldwide

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

Acer has announced it will make its Predator Atlas 8 gaming handheld available for retail on November 1 for $1,299 to start.

That $1,299 price tag makes the Predator Atlas 8 the most affordable Intel Arc G3-powered gaming handheld yet. Comparatively, there’s the $1,799 MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and $1,549 OneXPlayer. The Acer Predator Atlas 8 is as expensive as the new Asus ROG Xbox Ally X20, though the former lacks an outstanding OLED screen.

BB: Acer Predator Atlas 8 – $1,299

What you are paying $1,299 for is the Predator Atlas 8’s potentially impressive gaming performance, which can run Forza Horizon 6 at 60fps with high settings and a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution. Meanwhile, you can also get incredibly demanding games like Battlefield 6 and Gears of War E-Day running at 60fps, again at full resolution. It also features a bright 8-inch WUXGA 120Hz VRR display, dual-mode triggers, TMR joysticks, an 80 Wh battery, and dual USB-C ports.

The Acer Predator Atlas 8 will be available exclusively from Best Buy. While preorders have sold out and the product landing page has seemingly disappeared, Acer has assured us that online orders will return on November 1.

BB: Acer Predator Atlas 8 – $1,299

• Up next: Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 restock signals good news for launch day buyers

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Kevin Lee is The Shortcut’s Creative Director. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

• 📅 The Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 releases on Thursday, October 27

• 🚨 Our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker @mattswider on X will send out an alert when stock appears

• 😲 Nintendo Store held a surprise restock yesterday, which is good news for other retailers

• 🙏 It suggests other retailers may be holding back launch day stock, too

Walmart: Zelda Switch 2 console

Best Buy: Zelda Switch 2 console

GameStop: Zelda Switch 2 console

Target: Zelda Switch 2 console

Nintendo: Zelda Switch 2 console

We predicted that a Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 restock would happen on launch day, October 29, and we’re now even more confident after the Nintendo Store’s surprise restock yesterday.

Our followers were the first to know that the Zelda Switch 2 was back in stock at the Nintendo Store, and the console even promised to arrive on launch day if you managed to secure one.

It strongly suggests that other retailers such as Walmart, Target, GameStop, Amazon and Best Buy will have more units – albeit in limited quantities – on launch day for those who currently don’t have a pre-order.

Retailers often hold back stock for launch day buyers who haven’t pre-ordered. Cancellations can also occur in the run up to release, meaning more stock is made available that was previously snapped up.

Zelda Switch 2 restock – why Walmart will have stock

Walmart historically holds back extra stock for launch day, and we’re expecting the same to happen on October 29. As the largest retailer in the US, it usually has the biggest stock allocation, and Thursday and Friday mornings is when the retailer tends to offer restocks online.

As we mentioned previously, Nintendo was also a retailer to watch – and it went live with a restock earlier than we thought. It had previously promised the Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 would be “replenished”, and it offered a limited amount of stock for those who were lucky enough to snag one. (Hint: Followers of Matt Swider on X and our restock tracker were first in line.)

We’re expecting other retailers like Target, GameStop and Amazon to get a new wave consoles on launch day, and we’ll notify you if and when any Zelda Switch 2 restocks appear.

Why you should follow our Zelda Switch 2 restock tracker

Remember when you couldn’t find a PS5 for nearly two years? Not our followers. We helped over 400,000 people buy Sony’s console when it was in and out of stock, and we’ve since made it our goal to help our subscribers bag hard-to-find times. We’ve done the same with the PS5 30th anniversary edition, Nintendo Switch 2, and many more in-demand products.

With up-to-the-second US store inventory checks, The Shortcut and Matt Swider on X offers exclusive Zelda 40th anniversary Switch restock updates. You’ll also receive an instant notification on X (if set to on) as soon as new stock arrives.

Up next: Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller restock looks increasingly likely at Nintendo Store

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

• 🎮 The Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller releases on October 29

• 💰 It costs $99.99, the same as other limited editions, and there’s a $109.99 version that includes a stand

• 📅 We saw the Nintendo Store restock the Zelda Switch 2 console, so the controller could be next

• 🚨 Our Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller restock tracker @mattswider on X will send out an alert as soon as stock appears

Walmart: Zelda Pro Controller

Best Buy: Zelda Pro Controller

Amazon: Zelda Pro Controller

Target: Zelda Pro Controller

GameStop: Zelda Pro Controller

Nintendo Store: Zelda Pro Controller

Nintendo surprised us all with a restock of the Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 yesterday, with the console appearing for pre-order after being sold out for several weeks. The Nintendo Store had promised we’d see more stock of the console soon – but what about the Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller?

A Zelda 40th Anniversary Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller restock seems more likely now, and the Nintendo Store could be the best destination if Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, Target, and GameStop don’t follow through.

The Nintendo Store is also the only place to get the Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller with the accompanying display stand, though it’ll cost you an extra $10 for the privilege.

Like the Zelda Switch 2 console, the Pro Controller releases on October 29, 2026, which is when we expect more stock will appear. People could cancel their pre-orders, freeing up stock, and retailers tend to hold back units for launch day to ensure stock is available for in-store shoppers and those who missed out on pre-orders.

Walmart is one to watch as, being the largest retailer in the US, often gets allocated the most stock for launch. The Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller should also appear in limited quantities elsewhere, and we’ll be letting our subscribers and followers know exactly when new stock drops.

Why you should use our Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller restock tracker

If you’ve been searching for a Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller restock, our tracker is the best way to get one. We’re monitoring all the major retailers for any stock updates, and will send an alert on X to Matt Swider’s followers. Our followers were one of the first to hear about yesterday’s Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 restock before it sold out.

We also helped over 400,000 people buy a PS5 when it was in and out of stock for over two years, and we’ve helped our subscribers continue to find items that quickly sold out or are remain in high demand. The Shortcut followers were some of the first to secure the Switch 2 when it went on sale, and we’ve also helped countless others get limited edition consoles like the PS5 30th anniversary edition.

You’ll receive an instant notification on X (if set to on) as soon as new stock arrives, as our up-to-the-second US store inventory checks at the biggest retailers.

Up next: Gran Turismo 7 PS5 controller pre-order times and where to buy

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

• 💻 Apple has introduced new versions of the iMac and 14-inch MacBook Pro

• ⚙️ The new models are powered by the upgraded M6 processor

• 📐 Designs have stayed the same compared to last year

• 💰 Both Macs are a little pricier, too, depending on which you get

• 📆 Preorders start tomorrow, with orders beginning to ship on November 6

After unveiling the new OLED iPad mini yesterday, Apple has announced two brand-new Macs. The company has revealed an upgraded version of the 24-inch iMac, along with a new version of the base 14-inch MacBook Pro. Both computers get a boost in performance thanks to the addition of the M6 chip. With it, though, comes a price hike for both.

• More: Apple responds to iPhone Duo crackgate: ‘we are aware of an issue’

Neither the new MacBook Pro or iMac have a new design. The same seven colors that the iMac ships in have returned, while the MacBook Pro is still available in space gray or silver. The biggest upgrade by far with both machines is the new M6 processor, which gets a 12-core CPU (two more cores than what the older versions shipped with) and a 12-core GPU with Neural Accelerators. There’s also a Dual 16-core Neural Engine for processing AI faster.

Apple touts that everything you do on these machines will be faster than before, with performance jumps ranging from around 25% for on-device AI workloads to jumps as high as 1,300% boosts for LLM prompt processing. For everyday folks, common computer tasks like document management and working in Safari or Google Chrome will be silky-smooth, while creator-focused workloads like editing videos and rendering graphics will take less time than before.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro carries the same Liquid Retina XDR display as before with up to 1,600 nits of brightness, a 12MP Center Stage camera, plenty of ports, and up to 24 hours total of battery life. Apple has equipped it with faster Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, which will make connectivity a bit snappier than before.

Meanwhile, the iMac also gets Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, in addition to 2.5Gb Ethernet support for up to 2.5x faster wired connectivity than the previous generation. There’s also four Thunderbolt 4 ports on the back for connecting external displays, hard drives, and other accessories. As for the rest of it, it’s the same old iMac you know and love with a 24-inch 2.5K display, a 12MP Center Stage camera, Dolby Atmos-equipped speakers, color-matched accessories in the box, and Touch ID in the included keyboard.

Both the new iMac and the MacBook Pro will go up for preorder starting tomorrow, October 28. Each has gotten a bump in price, however, with the iMac now starting at $1,499. The base MacBook Pro is the same $1,999 as last year, but certain storage configurations (including a new 4TB option) will drive the price up substantially. Orders for both machines will begin shipping on Friday, November 6.

• Up next: Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller restock tracker: we’re watching these retailers

Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut and co-host of The Shortcut Live. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.

• 🤔 Apple has finally responded to reports of cracked inner displays on the iPhone Duo

• 🤷‍♂️ It says the issue affects “a very small number of units” and that most Duos aren’t susceptible

• 👀 Apple also says affected phones appear to show defects quickly after use

• 📞 Owners with a problem are being told to contact AppleCare for a replacement

Walmart: iPhone Duo

Best Buy: iPhone Duo

Apple: iPhone Duo

Apple has finally responded to the iPhone Duo ‘crackgate’ issues that some users have reported with the phone’s inner display.

As per an X post from reliable Apple tipster Mark Gurman, Apple has said it is “aware of an issue impacting the inner display on a small number of iPhone Duo units. If users experience issues with their iPhone Duo display, they should contact AppleCare for a replacement.”

In a follow-up post, he also noted that Apple had stated the iPhone Duo issue “impacts a very small number of units and most iPhone Duo units are not susceptible to this inner display issue.” Furthermore, “Impacted devices appear to have the defects rather quickly after usage.”

The statement is the first time Apple has publicly acknowledged the problem. As we noted yesterday, owners had taken to social media to voice concerns about an issue that has been dubbed “crackgate”, where the inner screen of their Duo had developed a crack in one concentrated area of the screen.

Apple’s comments line up with what one Reddit user experienced, where they claimed the line on the screen appeared after just six hours of use.

Apple has advised affected users to contact AppleCare for a replacement device. 9To5Mac reported that some users have also been able to successfully obtain replacement devices by heading back to the Apple Store they purchased the handset from.

If you got your iPhone Duo from a third-party carrier, though, you may have to go through a different path, as carriers are much less likely to hold immediate stock.

Its comments that the issue is affecting a “very small number of units” also confirm what we thought – that if you managed to get an iPhone Duo, you’re most likely going to be fine, and that this is a very unusual issue.

If your Duo is holding up, you might want to take a look at our list of the best iPhone Duo apps, which range from the genuinely useful to the plain silly.

Up next: Apple upgrades iPad mini with larger OLED display, IP67, and faster chip

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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.

• 📦 Commodore has begun shipping the 64C Ultimate to pre-order customers, and it’s now on sale to everyone else

• 🎮 It recreates the 1986 slimline 64C using the original case tooling, with new USB mouse support, the GEOS suite and a USB Cassette packed with 100+ games and demos

• 👀 There are three editions to choose from, including a Starlight model with game-reactive LED lighting and a gold-trimmed Founder’s Edition

• 💰 Prices start at $299.99 for the BASIC Beige, rising to $499.99 for the Founder’s Edition

Commodore has announced that its Commodore 64C Ultimate is shipping to pre-order customers, and that anyone who missed the campaign can now buy one outright.

In a press release, the iconic brand shared that the device will arrive ahead of the holiday season, as had been originally promised. Those who didn’t pre-order can grab one from Commodore’s website starting from today.

Its new machine is the latest in the 64 Ultimate line and recreates the slimline 64C that Commodore introduced in 1986. The original 64C notably ditched the breadbin case of the original model for something sleeker and more contemporary.

As with the original C64 Ultimate which the revitalized Commodore produces, it has re-acquired the tooling used to make the original C64 cases, so the shells for this new model come from the same molds.

Inside, it works the same way as last year’s C64 Ultimate. Rather than relying on software emulation, it uses FPGA technology to recreate the original hardware cycle-for-cycle, in the same vein as retro consoles such as the ModRetro M64 and ModRetro Chromatic Transparent.

Commodore claims up to 99% compatibility with original software and peripherals, including monitors, printers, joysticks and cartridges.

There are a few changes this time around. The 64C Ultimate runs the latest firmware and adds support for a standard USB mouse, which pairs with the bundled GEOS suite for word processing, spreadsheets, file management and paint programs.

Every unit also ships with an updated USB Cassette offering quick access to over 100 games and demos. The User Guide has been designed to match the original 64C’s, too.

The 64C Ultimate comes in three editions, with the BASIC Beige option at $299.99 billed as an ideal replica of the original, while the $349.99 Starlight Edition features a translucent case with game-reactive LED lighting in the case and keyboard.

At the top of the tree is the $499.99 Founder’s Edition, which adds PVD gold keycaps and real 24K gold-plated Commodore and Power badges to the party, plus a translucent white case.

Founder’s Edition buyers also get a gold seal commemorative Commodore “Share” certificate, a Commodore flag and a 24k gold “dog tags” necklace. These are sent separately rather than in the box.

Up next: Best ModRetro Chromatic games: pick up these pocket-sized titles today

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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.

• 🎮 Nintendo will release a Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller on October 29

• 💰 It costs $99.99, the same as other limited editions

• 📅 A restock could occur on launch day at Walmart and Best Buy

• 🚨 Our Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller restock tracker @mattswider on X will send out an alert when stock appears

Walmart: Zelda Pro Controller

Best Buy: Zelda Pro Controller

Amazon: Zelda Pro Controller

Target: Zelda Pro Controller

GameStop: Zelda Pro Controller

Nintendo is releasing a special limited edition Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller to celebrate the 40th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda series. It releases on October 29, 2026, which is when we expect to see a long-awaited restock of the hard-to-find controller.

The Switch 2 Pro Controller features the same striking gold and royal emerald color scheme of the Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary edition, and also includes a fun little easter egg on the back: an 8-Bit Link.

This is the same Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller we’re used to, aside from the intricate design, but it means you’ll have to pay more as a result. It costs $99.99 instead of the standard $89.99. However, the Pro Controller is the easiest way to play the best Switch 2 games in TV mode.

If you’ve been searching for a Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller restock, here’s everything you need to know.

Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller should restock at these retailers

We’ve seen retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy restock items on release day, even when pre-orders have sold out. It’s likely that the Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller will be up for grabs on October 29, 2026, when the controller and console launches. Demand will be high, and stock could sell out fast.

However, we’ll be keeping a close eye on every major retailer, including Target, Amazon, GameStop, and the Nintendo Store and will alert our followers as soon as stock goes live.

Why you can trust our Zelda Switch 2 Pro Controller restock tracker

We’ve already helped over 400,000 people buy a PS5 when it was in and out of stock during Covid, and we’ve helped our subscribers continue to secure hard-to-find items. The Shortcut followers were some of the first to secure the Switch 2 when it went on sale, and we’ve also helped countless others snag limited edition consoles like the PS5 30th anniversary edition.

The Shortcut and Matt Swider on X offer exclusive Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller restock updates with up-to-the-second US store inventory checks at the biggest retailers. You’ll receive an instant notification on X (if set to on) as soon as new stock arrives.

Up next: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 review roundup: ‘a strong return to form’

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Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.

• 🆕 There is already a range of killer apps for Apple’s new iPhone Duo

• 👐 Some apps have genuine utility, such as the redesigned Netflix UI and the Flighty flight tracker

• 🎵 Others lean into the gimmicky side, such as Tiny Computers and Deck-Man

• 📅 The iPhone Duo launched on Friday, and starts at $1,999

Walmart: iPhone Duo

Best Buy: iPhone Duo

Apple: iPhone Duo

The iPhone Duo was released to the wider world on Friday, and developers have been making some fun and unique apps for Apple’s first foldable.

If you’ve been wondering what apps are out there for you to download beyond the usual scope of apps you may already have on your phone, then here are 10 of the best iPhone Duo apps out there, ranging from the useful to the plain silly.

Netflix

It might seem like a silly inclusion, but Netflix is one of the only mainstream apps so far that works well for Duo – no surprise, as it’s one of Apple’s hand-picked launch partners for the phone’s launch.

The app’s UI for Duo has been redesigned, with the outer screen allowing you to scroll through Netflix’s short-form ‘Clips’, while the inner screen adapts this to its bigger size seamlessly when you unfold the phone.

Flighty

Flighty is a very clever Apple Design Award-winning travel app designed to tell you everything you need to know about your upcoming flights, and has some neat tricks up its sleeve for the iPhone Duo.

The app takes full advantage of the phone’s form factor, spreading the map to the edges. When you open the Duo, your flight information moves to the left side, leaving more room for the globe so you can easily zoom in on different flight paths to plan your travels.

Flighty also works in split-screen so you can keep track of your flight while doing something else, and it even has a unique mode for Duo. Called En Route Mode, it works when you fold the Duo into its tent mode, and then place it on a flat surface. With it, you can watch your flight’s progress via Wi-Fi while you do something else, such as listening to music.

Deck-Man

If any app sums up what the Duo’s hinge is for, it’s Deck-Man (previously Duo-Man). Built by indie developer Vidit Bhargava, it turns your music library into a Walkman-style cassette player, with albums shown as tapes you load into the deck.

Fold the Duo shut, and the interface looks like the front of a Walkman. Open it up and the cassette sits on one side with the album art on the other. Play, pause, fast-forward and rewind all come with clicks and whirrs recorded from a real portable player. It’s pure nostalgia, but it’s also a feature that couldn’t exist on a normal slab phone.

TypeDraw

Closed, the Duo looks a bit like a pocket notebook, and TypeDraw leans into that completely. It’s a digital journal with an elastic closure band, and you can type in your own handwriting or choose from a dozen fonts designed by its creator, Phil Traut.

You can pick your paper (lined, grid or dotted) and ink colour, and add sketches alongside your text. Pages curl as you turn them, and you can even tug the elastic band for a twang animation. It’s a daft detail, but it makes the app feel like a real object rather than another notes app.

Wakeout

Former Apple App of the Year winner Wakeout, which serves up short movement breaks that feel more like mini games than workouts, has put real thought into the Duo. Rather than stretching one layout across the screen, it has a different interface for each way you can hold the phone: closed, open like a book, open like a laptop, and propped up in tent mode.

Book mode puts the exercise videos on the left side of the hinge, while laptop mode moves them to the upright screen. Tent mode is ideal for propping the phone on your desk during a stretch break. Even on the closed outer screen, the navigation tabs shrink into a slim side menu so the video gets as much room as possible.

Tiny Computers

Built for the Duo and aimed squarely at tech nerds (who, let’s be honest, are the phone’s early adopters), Tiny Computers is a collection of ten retro machines to poke around on. The line-up includes the Macintosh, Commodore 64, Amiga 500, Windows 95, iMac G3, ThinkPad and Windows XP.

You’re meant to use the Duo open like a laptop, tapping away on clicky keyboards, using working command lines and paint programs and loading floppy disks. There’s a game hidden in there too, with secret files and commands to find for medals. There are no ads, subscriptions or in-app purchases either, just a one-off $3.99 fee.

Sky Guide

The stargazing favorite Sky Guide is one of the apps Apple name-checked in its Duo launch announcement, and it’s easy to see why. Telling a planet from a star is far easier on the unfolded inner screen, where the sky map stretches edge to edge and shifts as you move and turn.

It’s a simple case of the bigger screen making an already good app better, and it’s one you’ll be glad to have on a camping trip or late-night walk.

MD Vinyl

Another one for the retro music crowd, MD Vinyl already had a loyal following thanks to its home screen widget, with a tiny spinning record showing the track and artist. On the Duo, that virtual turntable gets far more room to breathe.

The best bit is the tonearm: you can pick it up and place it on the record to start the music, then lift it off to stop. It’s a small touch, but it’s exactly the kind of thing that makes the extra screen feel worthwhile.

Pico Cam

Pico Cam was a fun novelty even before the Duo. It’s a Polaroid-style camera app where pictures eject from the Dynamic Island, and you can shake each one to speed up the ‘developing’ before decorating it with stickers and sharing it with friends.

On the Duo, it works whether the phone is open or shut. Closed, the outer screen gives you extra room to browse your gallery of snaps once you’ve taken them.

Toastie

Let’s be clear: this isn’t a ‘killer app’, and it isn’t trying to be. Toastie is the Duo’s answer to those old iPhone novelty apps that pretended to let you drink a pint when you tilted the screen. Billed as the ‘world’s most expensive toaster’ (a dig at the Duo’s price), it has you build a grilled cheese or toastie with butter, cheese and other toppings, then close the phone to let it cook.

The catch is that opening the Duo too early leaves you with undercooked toast and no five-star rating. You don’t need it, but at $2.99, it’s hard to argue after what you’ve already spent on the phone. It’s a bit of fun, after all.

Up next: iPhone Duo cases: protect your foldable with the best we found

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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.

• 😬 Some iPhone Duo users have taken to social media to complain about cracks in their new foldable

• 👀 The issue appears to affect the inner screen where the crease is, and emits a wide glow

• 🤝 Some have returned the device to the Apple Store they purchased it from and have gotten replacements

• 🤫 Apple hasn’t acknowledged the issue or provided a fix or any technical explanation just yet

Walmart: iPhone Duo

Best Buy: iPhone Duo

Apple: iPhone Duo

Some unlucky iPhone Duo owners are reporting that the inner display on their shiny new foldable is already cracking.

Users on social media have complained about cracks on the inner display on the Duo, with one Reddit user claiming it occurred after just six hours.

Apple have yet to officially comment on the situation, nor provide a technical explanation as to why it’s happening or disclose how widespread the issue actually is. Likewise, there isn’t an official line of action as to how affected users can get this rectified.

That said, 9To5Mac has reported that some users have been able to successfully obtain replacement devices by heading back to the Apple Store they purchased the handset from.

Users who have obtained the iPhone Duo from third-party carriers as part of a phone contract, though, who don’t carry immediate stock, are having less success in getting a replacement.

It’s worth remembering that we don’t know how many iPhone Duos Apple has sold, and that if it has sold hundreds of thousands of the device, a handful of reported issues make this a very rare issue.

Hinge failures that come from normal use, rather than “accident and abuse” or “wear and tear”, are covered under the device’s one-year warranty. Users then have two weeks to return a faulty device for a full refund.

If you want a repair once the warranty runs out, though, then that can be quite expensive. Costs run up to $1,500 for the Duo, which is nearly the cost of a new handset, depending on the model you selected.

If you have AppleCare One, you can extend said warranty on up to three devices starting at $19.99 a month, provided the covered devices are under four years old. That too doesn’t include service fees for accidental damage.

Up next: Apple upgrades iPad mini with larger OLED display, IP67, and faster chip

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Reece Bithrey is a journalist with bylines for Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED, and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.