In a press gaggle, President Donald Trump said that some companies that have been hit the hardest by the blockbuster tariffs applied by the administration may get some relief — and nobody has been or will be hit harder than Apple.Apple may see some relief from tariffs. Image source: AppleIt has been a rollercoaster week as President Trump finally enacted global "reciprocal" tariffs in an attempt to either bring manufacturing to the United States or be used as a negotiating tactic to lower other country's tariffs. The administration retaliated against China on Wednesday morning with a 104% tariff, then increased that tariff to 125%, and lowered every other tariff to the base 10% for 90 days.Apple's stock bounced back slightly on the news of the pause, but after the market close, President Trump suggested that some companies may be considered for an exemption. He previously stated there would be no exemptions outside of the ones outlined already on "Liberation Day," but like with the global tariffs, he's changed his mind, citing "flexibility." Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

When Nintendo Switch 2 launches this June, it will accompany the long-requested addition of GameCube games to Nintendo Switch Online’s growing library of legacy titles. Three titles will be available on day one to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers on the console, including The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker- though for those concerned, the GameCube original making its way to the Switch 2 doesn’t mean its 2013 Wii U remaster couldn’t be ported to the console as well.  That’s as reportedly per Nate Bihldorff, who is senior vice president of product development at Nintendo of America. Speaking during a recent episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily, Kinda Funny’s daily news podcast, Tim Gettys stated that Bihldorff told him at a recent Switch 2 press event that The Wind Waker HD’s release for the Switch 2 is still very much “on the table.” “I did ask if having The Wind Waker on Nintendo Switch Online precludes it from the Switch 2 getting the actual Wii U port at some point, and he was very quick to say ‘no, all options are on the table,'” Gettys said (via VGC). In addition to The Wind Waker, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack’s GameCube launch will also bring F-Zero GX and Soulcalibur 2. Several others will arrive down the line, including the likes of Pokemon Colosseum, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, Luigi’s Mansion, and others.

Aqara is adding support for over 50 new Matter device types, making it one of the most comprehensive smart home platforms in terms of Matter support, alongside Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant. The company is also bringing advanced bridging to all its Matter controllers, allowing you to integrate Aqara’s many advanced automation features into any Matter-compatible smart home platform via scenes and triggers. This includes Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. The new update also lets you bridge Matter devices that are not yet supported by a platform into those ecosystems.The new Matter device types that can now connect to Aqara Matter controllers include:Robotic vacuumsDimmable plugsSmoke and CO alarmsAir quality sensorsLeak, freeze, and rain sensorsCurtains and blindsFans and air purifiersAir conditioners and heat pumpsWater valves and pumpsPressure sensorsSolar panels and battery storageElectric vehicle chargersWashing machines and dryersFridges and freezersCooktops, hoods, and kitchen surfacesOvens and stovesWater heatersVideo players and speakersThis is in addition to sensors, thermostats, switches, and lights, which were already supported. Aqara says the update will roll out with Aqara Home version 5.1.9 and Matter Controller firmware version 4.3.5 later this month.Aqara seems committed to making its platform open and interoperable, stating that it believes interoperability is essential to move the smart home industry forward. “By extending Matter support, we aim to offer users greater flexibility and ensure that Aqara products remain useful across a wide range of platforms,” said Eugene You, CEO of Aqara. Aqara has long worked with all the major smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and more recently SmartThings, and it’s now positioning itself as a central part of the Matter smart home.Aqara hubs work with its line of Zigbee-based smart home products; several are also Thread border routers. The company says they have been optimized to support Thread network sharing, meaning they can join existing Thread networks managed by Apple HomePods, Amazon Echos, or Google Nest hubs, for example. However, compatibility will depend on those platforms’ implementation of Thread. This should help provide a stronger network for Thread smart home devices.“By extending Matter support, we aim to offer users greater flexibility and ensure that Aqara products remain useful across a wide range of platforms.”Advanced bridging, which was introduced with the M3 hub earlier this year, will come to all current and upcoming Aqara Matter controllers, even the entry-level Hub M100. This brings two benefits. First, you can bridge Matter devices into platforms that don’t yet support that device type, and second, you can use Aqara’s advanced automation features and scenes in any Matter-compatible platform.The latter ability means that you can use Aqara’s G4 Video Doorbell’s facial recognition feature as a trigger in an Apple Home automation that turns your lights on when you come home. The facial recognition trigger is added to Apple Home as a virtual “occupancy sensor,” according to Aqara.Other advanced features that can be translated as either “virtual occupancy sensors” or “virtual plugs” include package detection from a camera’s on-device AI, fall detection from Aqara FP2 mm-wave sensor, and automations triggered by a device’s energy usage. Fingerprint sensing, gesture control, and presence sensing can all also translate, according to Aqara. This advanced bridging feature is not native to the Matter spec, but is something a hub manufacturer needs to develop. Home Assistant has similar capabilities that allow you to import its scenes, scripts, functions, and other non-Matter-supported entities to connected platforms.Aqara says advanced bridging is essentially a stopgap solution that allows users to access its full features in any Matter platform until (or if) Matter gains support for these more advanced features.See More:

There are a bevy of great wireless gaming headsets on the market, many of which pack several key features that we’ve come to expect. High-end wired headphones, however – the kind from companies like Sennheiser or Audio Technica that audiophiles gravitate towards – tend to focus on the things that matter most in the audio experience: comfort and sound quality. Beyerdynamic is in the conversation as well, and with its new MMX 300 Pro, you get a wired headset with that audiophile-level of sound quality, paired with impressive clarity from its built-in microphone.At a regular price of around $300 USD, it’s a tough pitch considering that even the best wireless gaming headsets can be found for lower. But at the high-end where studio-grade audio quality is achievable, the MMX 300 Pro shows why good audio is worth investing in.The MMX 330 Pro is the Open-Back Version That's Even BetterUpdate (4/9/25): While the MMX 300 Pro is a fantastic gaming headset that's easy to recommend, the MMX 330 Pro has the slight edge by virtue of its open-back design. It shares the same specs and an identical build – side-by-side, you wouldn't be able to tell the two apart. However, the open-back MMX 330 Pro lets that great sound quality breathe for a more spacious audio profile, and it's easier to hear yourself talk if you'll be using the microphone. The closed-back MMX 300 Pro would be the way to go if you prefer having natural sound isolation, but I definitely enjoy the subtle advantages of an open-back headset. Otherwise, much of the evaluation in this review applies to the MMX 330 Pro as well.Beyerdynamic MMX 330 Pro - PhotosBeyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro – Design and ComfortThe MMX 300 Pro is built on a metal frame with leather-like padding wrapped around the headband for comfort – the padding buckles onto the headset so you can remove it, although there wouldn’t be any reason to do so unless you want to customize or replace it. Each earcup extends out to accommodate bigger heads and voluminous hair as most headphones or headsets would. The frame itself is flexible and can twist or contort without feeling like it’s going to snap or get damaged, so you get the impression of durability right off the bat.What makes the MMX 300 Pro comfortable to wear for long sessions is the densely padded earcups with their velvety velour upholstery. Velour is my favorite material for earcups on headphones and headsets, and these strike a wonderful balance between comfort, breathability, and sound isolation. Although the headset has a slightly tight clamp to it, I never felt like there was too much pressure even after two or three hours of wearing them. And over the course of a week of using them daily, they started to break in and feel even easier to wear.Pair great audio with great visualsSamsung - Odyssey G51C 32" QHD FreeSync Premium Gaming Monitor with HDR10Check out the best gaming monitors out now!This isn’t a flashy headset; Beyerdynamic puts out the type of headsets that are no-nonsense, so you’ll see only a bit of branding along the side of what’s an otherwise fairly discreet-looking product. One thing to note here is that the microphone on the left earcup is not detachable – it can rotate nearly 360-degrees around to get it out of your face, and the gooseneck-style mic arm flexes into place so you can lock it into any position you need, but if you want the MMX 300 Pro to look like just a pair of headphones, well, sorry.Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro – FeaturesThe MMX 300 Pro is a slim package; you get the headset, a 3.5mm dongle to unify the audio and microphone jacks (handy for consoles), and a pop filter for the mic – that’s it. Along the detachable 8.2-foot cable is the microphone mute toggle and volume control wheel (which acts independently of the device it's connected to). Since this is a wired analog headset, there are no onboard features like active noise canceling, built-in microphone feedback, or swappable EQ presets via software. This headset is tuned a specific way, so if you want to pair it with an amplifier or DAC, you can definitely get a more custom audio profile, but those are factors outside of the headset itself.However, there’s a comfort in knowing that what you hear is what you get – especially when the MMX 300 Pro delivers some of the best audio I’ve experienced from a closed-back gaming headset. That’s because of Beyerdynamic’s “Stellar.45” audio drivers, which are also found on the professional-grade DT 700 Pro X and DT 900 Pro X headphones.Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro – Sound Quality and MicrophoneThe MMX 300 Pro has the best sound quality I’ve experienced when compared to your typical gaming headset. By using the same tech found in its high-end headphones, Beyerdynamic stakes its claim on uncompromising audio, and that’s the hope considering the price tag. As with other audio gear, I played ranked matches of Counter-Strike 2 and cleared several raid instances in Final Fantasy XIV, in addition to using the MMX 300 Pro as my daily headphones for music – the results were fantastic. Everything sounds full and bold due to its strong bass that doesn’t get distorted at loud volumes. Yet it remains balanced so as to not drown out other frequencies, so the clarity of mids and vocals are still highlighted. And with highs that tend to be ear-piercing at loud volumes on lower-end headsets, the MMX 300 Pro handled them wonderfully, letting me enjoy the details in the sound design of the games I played.The MMX 300 Pro has the best sound quality I’ve experienced when compared to your typical gaming headset.“In Counter-Strike 2, gunshots and explosions didn’t sound distorted and had a punchy edge to them. But what’s most important in a game like this is positional audio. This being a closed-back headset, you tend to lose some of the spatial audio advantages of open-back headphones or a gaming headset with audio profiles specifically designed to tease out certain types of sounds or simulate distance. For gameplay in particular though, I still wouldn’t say I was at a disadvantage or advantage compared to other high-end headsets I’ve used. Even without special gaming features, the clarity and detail was enough for me to anticipate enemies around corners and figure out their actions to inform my decisions in a match. So to be clear, the MMX 300 Pro is no slouch here, which is expected from a headset of this caliber.For Final Fantasy XIV, the new Dawntrail raid series introduced several incredible new songs, so I was happy to play with the sound at full blast. As I’ve said in the past, with all the sound effects of spells and attacks going off simultaneously in a party of eight players, FFXIV can be very busy sonically. However, it was nice to hear everything in full detail without any particular frequency sounding crunchy and still have the soundtrack playing in all its glory.Some budget headsets are able to get away from their limitations with software-side solutions, but this can sometimes sound artificial. Audio gear in this range, on the other hand, doesn’t suffer from that problem, which is why I tend to gravitate towards headphones from companies like Beyerdynamic. I use the Sennheiser HD 599 as my everyday headphones, but the bolder bass of the MMX 300 Pro actually has me a bit bummed to go back to old faithful (I still love my Sennheisers, though). So, as someone who cares a lot about sound in the gaming experience, the MMX 300 Pro represents the kind of audio experience I believe is worth paying for.Simply put, the MMX 300 Pro has the best built-in headset microphone I’ve used thus far.“To my surprise, it’s the microphone that justifies the price. I’m using an Elgato Wave 3 as my external microphone at the moment and will continue to do so. But if I had to rely on the MMX 300 Pro’s built-in mic, I wouldn’t be mad – in fact, I’d be pretty happy. I recorded my voice through Audacity and compared the two side-by-side, and the mic on the MMX 300 Pro rivals mid-range standalone mics. It has clarity worthy of streaming, podcasting, or just recording your voice for content creation. Even just hopping into Discord with friends, they were surprised to hear I was using a headset mic. Compared to the Elgato Wave 3, the headset mic is a bit muffled and still has some popping when pronouncing P’s (even with the pop filter), but the overall quality is very impressive. Simply put, the MMX 300 Pro has the best built-in headset microphone I’ve used thus far.One caveat to consider, however, is that since this is a closed-back headset, it’s tough to hear yourself talk if you don’t have a way to monitor the microphone feed. With open-back headphones, this isn’t much of an issue, and good headsets like the recent Turtle Beach Stealth 600 and Atlas Air I reviewed recently offer sidetone. (Take note of the aside at the top of this review if you are interested in the open-back version of Beyerdynamic's headset.)Purchasing GuideYou can find the Beyerdynamic MMX 300 Pro gaming headset for $279.99 at MSRP from retailers such as Amazon, or for $299.99 directly from Beyerdynamic. The open-back MMX 330 Pro goes for $329.99 directly from Beyerdynamic.

Hospitality software firm Mews raised Dutch tech’s biggest funding round in the first quarter of 2025, in what was a tough start to the year for the sector. Dutch startups raised around €460mn in the quarter, with a 59% decline in growth-stage funding raising alarm bells, according to the Quarterly Startup Report. Together, the top 10 deals accounted for over €320mn — more than 75% of all funding raised last quarter. Here are the biggest Dutch deals of Q1 2025: 1. Mews — €68mn ($75mn)  Mews, based at TNW City in Amsterdam, has built a cloud-based system that helps hotels and other hospitality businesses streamline tasks like booking rooms, checking guests in and out, and processing payments. The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! This round follows a raise of $100mn in credit financing in September and a $110mn equity round in March 2024 — when the scaleup became a unicorn.  2. Alesta Therapeutics — €65mn Alesta Therapeutics, based in Leiden, Netherlands, is a biotechnology company focused on developing novel oral small-molecule therapies for rare diseases.  3. Leyden Labs — €63mn ($70mn) Leyden Labs is another biotech startup from Leiden — home to one of Europe’s leading life science hubs. The company is developing intranasal medicines to protect against respiratory viruses.  4. Vivici — €32.5mn Vivici is a Dutch foodtech startup using precision fermentation to produce animal-free dairy proteins. Its proteins are designed to replace traditional dairy ingredients like whey and casein.  5. QuantWare — €20mn Quantware designs and manufactures superconducting quantum processors. The startup claims to have created a 3D chip architecture that offers the fastest route to a 1-million qubit quantum computer — and plans to sell it to Big Tech companies.    6. Thorizon – €16mn Deep tech startup Thorizon is developing modular molten salt reactors (MSRs) that utilise long-lived nuclear waste as fuel.  7. Varmx — €15mn Varmx is a biotech startup developing a treatment to reverse bleeding in patients taking blood thinners. 8. Workwize — €12mn ($13mn) Workwize provides cloud-based software for managing IT hardware in remote and hybrid workplaces. 9. Sirius Medical — €10mn Another biotech startup, Sirius Medical has developed a tumour localisation technology that helps surgeons to precisely locate and remove breast tumours. 10. Stacks — €9mn ($10mn)  ​Amsterdam-based Stacks provides an AI-driven platform that streamlines financial closing processes for businesses. Despite several eye-catching deals, a significant drop in growth-stage funding and fewer deals overall are raising concerns about the long-term health of the  Dutch tech ecosystem.  Fewer deals, fewer growth rounds for Dutch tech In total, just 79 deals were recorded in Q1 2025 — an 11% drop compared to the same period last year. It marked the fifth consecutive quarter in which deal count has fallen. Most striking is the sharp decline in later-stage funding. Series B+ rounds halved from 14 in Q1 2024 to just seven this year. In total, late-stage startups raised €287mn — down an eye-watering €609mn from the previous year.  Equally telling, for the second quarter in a row, there were no Dutch mega-deals above €100mn — a stark contrast to previous years when such rounds were relatively common, the report found. Early-stage startups, on the other hand, were a rare bright spot in an otherwise poor outlook. Seed deals (typically €1mn-€4mn) accounted for nearly half of all investments in Q1 2025, with total funding in this category growing over 15% year-on-year to €58.4mn. That’s a healthy sign for future innovation, but without sufficient late-stage capital, there’s a risk that promising Dutch startups will be forced to look abroad for growth funding. What’s next? The outlook for the rest of 2025 is mixed. On the one hand, the resilience of seed investment and a growing interest in deep tech and hardware — areas where Dutch startups like QuantWare and Thorizon excel — provide reasons for optimism. “We can be proud of the Dutch entrepreneurs who, together with investors, realise world-class deep tech innovations,” said Myrthe Hooijman, director of ecosystem change and governmental affairs at Techleap.  On the other hand, several issues are causing concern. Global trade tensions, a sluggish exit market, and the increasing caution of international investors could slow down growth-stage funding even further, according to the report. “We are not yet sounding the alarm, but standing still means going backwards,” said Lucien Burm, chairman of the Dutch Startup Association. “Not only did Europe lose its position internationally, but within Europe, the Netherlands is now losing importance.” “With the geopolitical and economic unrest of the moment, instead of reactive measures, broad and deep investment in the business and investment climate is the recipe.” The Quarterly Startup Report was put together by Dealroom.co, Golden Egg Check, KPMG, the Regional Development Companies (ROMs), the Dutch Association of Private Equity Companies (NVP), the Dutch Startup Association (dSa), and Techleap. The future of Dutch tech is a key theme at TNW Conference, which takes place on June 19-20 in Amsterdam. Tickets for the event are now on sale. Use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 at the check-out to get 30% off the price tag. Story by Siôn Geschwindt Siôn is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Siôn is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Siôn has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletter Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Also tagged with

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by CardPointers: The best way to maximize your credit card rewards. 9to5Mac Daily listeners can exclusively save 30% and get a $100 Savings Card.  New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available. Stories discussed in this episode: Listen & Subscribe: Subscribe to support Chance directly with 9to5Mac Daily Plus and unlock: Ad-free versions of every episode Bonus content Catch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes! Don’t miss out on our other daily podcasts: Share your thoughts! Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

The popular social media forum will use Google's Cloud services, including Gemini for search, as part of its AI-powered Reddit Answers service.

Image: Koei Tecmo, Nintendo One of the many games Nintendo highlighted during the Switch 2 Direct last week was the new Zelda title Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. This is another Koei Tecmo Musou game where you'll take control of multiple characters and unleash all sorts of attacks on seemingly endless hordes of enemies. Although there hasn't been much publicity about this game since then, this new entry has actually led to quite a lot of discussion and speculation within the Zelda community, as it's been officially described by Nintendo's press release as being a "canonical tale".Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube806kWatch on YouTube The game features epic battles against hordes of enemies as it tells the untold story from Hyrule's distant past of the Imprisoning War that ultimately led to the events of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Fans of the Legend of Zelda series and players of both The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom can experience the thrill of battle and this canonical tale featuring Princess Zelda, King Rauru, and other familiar characters. Fight for Hyrule’s future when Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment comes to Nintendo Switch 2 this summer. As explained in a story on Zelda Universe, Age of Calamity admittedly took a lot of "creative liberties" and has been considered to be part of an alternative timeline and non-canon by some. Other Zelda enthusiasts on social media and elsewhere online are also warning this may not necessarily guarantee anything in terms of lore and timeline updates. Admittedly, there are a lot of theories flying about right now, and we've also shared one of our own about this new Hyrule Warriors game. Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube806k Takes place before Tears of the Kingdom What do you make of all this? Give us your own theories in the comments. Related Games See Also Share:0 0 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment... Related Articles Where To Pre-Order Nintendo Switch 2 Update: Nintendo pre-orders live in Europe today (with an invite!) It's Official, Switch 2 Joy-Con Will Not Feature Hall Effect Sticks Controllers have been designed from the ground up Upgrade Pack Price For Zelda: BOTW And TOTK Has Been Confirmed A pleasant surprise! Nintendo Confirms US Price For 'Switch 2 Welcome Tour' Quick, act surprised! Select EU Retailers Are Abandoning Nintendo's Suggested Retail Price For Switch 2 Games Let's see if others will follow suit

Billionaire Elon Musk has just been countersued by OpenAI, but that isn’t stopping his AI company, xAI, from making its flagship Grok 3 model available via an API. It has been several months since xAI unveiled Grok 3, the company’s answer to models like OpenAI’s GPT-4o and Google’s Gemini.  Grok 3 can analyze images and respond to questions, and powers a number of features on Musk’s social network, X, which not-so-coincidentally was acquired by xAI in March. xAI is offering two flavors of its flagship model via its API: Grok 3 and Grok 3 Mini with “reasoning” capabilities. Grok 3 is priced at $3 per million tokens (~750,000 words) fed into the model and $15 per million tokens generated by the model. Meanwhile, Grok 3 Mini will cost $0.30 per million input tokens and $0.50 per million output tokens. Speedier versions of Grok 3 and Grok 3 Mini are available at a premium: $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens for Grok 3; and $0.60 per million input tokens and $4 per million output tokens for Grok 3 Mini. Grok 3 isn’t cheap relative to the competition. xAI is matching the pricing of Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, which also offers reasoning capabilities, but it is more expensive than Google’s recently released Gemini 2.5 Pro, which achieves generally higher scores than Grok 3 across popular AI benchmarks. (Notably, xAI has been accused of being misleading in its Grok 3 benchmark reports.) As several users on X pointed out, Grok 3 via xAI’s API also has a smaller context window than the model is supposedly capable of supporting. (“Context window” refers to how many tokens the model can process in one go.) The API maxes out at 131,072 tokens, or roughly 97,500 words — short of the 1 million tokens xAI claimed that Grok 3 supported in late February. When Musk announced Grok roughly two years ago, he pitched the AI model as edgy, unfiltered and anti-“woke” — in general, willing to answer controversial questions other AI systems won’t. He delivered on some of that promise. Told to be vulgar, for example, Grok and Grok 2 would happily oblige, spewing colorful language you likely wouldn’t hear from ChatGPT. But Grok models prior to Grok 3 hedged on political subjects and wouldn’t cross certain boundaries. In fact, one study found that Grok leaned to the political left on topics like transgender rights, diversity programs and inequality. Musk has blamed that behavior on Grok’s training data — public web pages — and pledged to “shift Grok closer to politically neutral.” Short of high-profile mistakes like briefly censoring unflattering mentions of President Donald Trump and Musk, it’s not yet clear whether xAI has achieved that goal at the model level, and what the long-term consequences might be.

Quantum computing is moving beyond theoretical milestones into practical business applications faster than many realize.