How to watch Summer Game Fest's kickoff stream

Researchers have developed a new AI-powered technique called RenderFormer that can generate highly realistic 3D visuals from basic triangle meshes—think of it as turning rough digital skeletons into lifelike scenes with proper lighting and shadows. Unlike older methods, it handles global illumination (how light bounces around a scene) much more efficiently, potentially saving time and computational power for game developers, filmmakers, and VR engineers.

Editor’s Note: If you’ve ever noticed how video game lighting can look flat or unnatural, this tech could help bridge that gap. It’s not just about prettier games—faster, smarter rendering means lower costs for studios and smoother experiences for users. For an industry obsessed with realism, this is a quiet but meaningful step forward.

A vintage Apple server from the '90s—originally designed for enterprise networks—has been hacked to run Doom, the iconic first-person shooter. It’s the latest in a long-running joke among tech enthusiasts to get the game running on just about anything, from printers to pregnancy tests. This time, it’s a quirky nod to Apple’s forgotten hardware.

Editor’s Note: Beyond the fun of seeing Doom on yet another unlikely device, this highlights how tinkerers keep old tech alive in unexpected ways. It’s a playful reminder of how far computing has come—and how creative the hacking community can be when given a challenge. Plus, it’s a fun Easter egg for Apple history buffs.

Apple's iPhone sales in China are predicted to keep sliding this year, thanks to stiff competition from local rivals like Huawei and a sluggish economy. Market analysts IDC say shipments could drop nearly 2% in 2025—another blow for Apple in a market that’s crucial for its global growth.

Editor’s Note: China’s smartphone battle is heating up, and Apple’s losing ground. With Huawei’s resurgence and economic uncertainty, this isn’t just about fewer iPhones sold—it’s a sign Apple might need a new playbook to stay on top in the world’s biggest mobile market.

Netflix just dropped a triple dose of news for "Stranger Things" fans—three specific release dates for the show's fifth and final season. While the exact dates weren’t revealed in the excerpt, it’s clear the countdown to Hawkins' last showdown is officially on.

Editor’s Note: For one of Netflix’s biggest hits ever, this isn’t just another season—it’s the grand finale. Fans have been waiting years to see how the Upside Down saga wraps up, and now they’ve got concrete milestones to mark on their calendars. Expect hype (and maybe some Hawkins-style chaos) to build as those dates approach.

The MySQL improvement project is making waves in the tech community, with developers and database enthusiasts discussing its potential upgrades. While the details are still emerging, the chatter suggests this could mean better performance, scalability, or new features for the widely used database system.

Editor’s Note: MySQL is a backbone for countless applications, so any meaningful improvements could ripple across the web—making sites faster, more reliable, or easier to maintain. For developers, this is like hearing your favorite tool is getting an upgrade. Even if you're not deep in the database weeds, smoother-running apps and services are always a win.