Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft’s cloud streaming service that comes bundled with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate , will soon introduce support for keyboard and mouse, rather than requiring players to use select gamepads or touch controls on their mobile phones.

Speaking during a developer Q&A , Microsoft Flight Simulator head Jorg Nuemann revealed keyboard and mouse support will be coming to Xbox Cloud Gaming soon, possibly within the next few months (thanks, Windows Central ).

“The next step for us is mouse-keyboard,” Neumann said when asked what other peripherals players will be able to use with the game through Xbox Cloud Gaming. “This is a platform-level support, so it has nothing to do with us, obviously mouse-keyboard works for our sim.

“So the platform team is working on this, and no I can’t give a date because it’s the platform team, I don’t know their dates. But it’s coming, and we are also talking about making touch work.

“I would say it’s in the next months, it’s not weeks. I’m hoping it will be done by June or so, but I can’t ever tell. Everybody wants it, I want it, and so it’s coming.”

Speaking to The Verge , a spokesperson for Microsoft confirmed mouse and keyboard support is on the way to the cloud streaming platform.

“At launch, Microsoft Flight Simulator supports standard controller inputs for cloud gaming,” the spokesperson said. “The team is experimenting with touch/gyro and is excited to embrace M&K once it’s available on the platform but we have no specific announcements or timing to share at this time.”

Currently, Xbox Cloud Gaming allows you to stream a selection of games to your PC, phone, tablet, or Xbox console. However, to play those games on PC, you need to connect a compatible controller - such as that of the Xbox Series X , or the PS4 DualShock 4 - while players using mobile phones can play with touch controls instead.

Analysis: a massive improvement

Mouse and keyboard support would be a massive addition to Xbox Cloud Gaming. As it currently stands, players streaming games to their PC can’t actually use their computer’s main peripheral with the service, having to source a compatible controller before they can play any of its games.

That’s a big turn-off for many PC players who are experienced with their keyboard and mouse but may run away in fear at the mere sight of an analog stick. The greater dexterity and motor control of a mouse can be a godsend in competitive multiplayer shooters like Halo Infinite or co-op FPS games such as Back 4 Blood .

While Xbox Game Pass already includes an impressive selection of games, mouse and keyboard support may also see an expansion of those available through its streaming wing. Many games currently aren’t included on the platform’s cloud service because they’re incompatible with controllers, such as Total War: Warhammer 3 , Age of Empires IV , and other real-time strategy games.

More peripheral options is particularly good news for those with older PC rigs, and any player who hasn't been able to upgrade their hardware due to the global chip shortage . Cloud gaming gives players with even the most humble PCs access to the graphically impressive blockbuster games. With keyboard and mouse support, they might finally be able to play them.

If you’re looking to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass, find the best deals below.

An insider's guide to getting the new iPhone SE 3 if it gets announced today

Color matters. It's become less of a way to define your taste and more of a way to own a product that looks new again.

While some believe that this event could be one of Apple's most important in decades, I'm of the opinion that not only is this misplaced, but the casual customer will only be interested in this event if a new color for the iPhone 13 , or the iPhone SE 3 , is announced.

I can speak from experience here, having worked in a phone store for three years in a previous life.

Color is everything, and Apple knows it

One story of mine goes back to 2016. In the midst of launch day for the iPhone 7 , Apple had announced an exclusive Jet Black color for the line. It collected more fingerprints than any model that preceded or followed it, but the shiny sheen did look great.

We sold out of these in the first three hours of opening, but there were still customers who had waited outside the store before opening, wanting only this color.

When I told them about the model selling out, I offered a waiting list, and they complied, regardless of their two-hour wait, and they came back in two weeks, ready to upgrade. Or go from their iPhone 7 in Space Gray on launch day, to Jet Black. It happened all the time.

Another similar story stems from when Samsung would offer its new Galaxy S7 smartphone in a light blue or Emerald Green color. Customers would switch networks just to have a semi-recent phone, but in a new color, and I'd help transfer the data across.

I mentioned previously that to see an iPhone 13 Pro in a shade of pink , alongside an iPhone 13 in a green variant could appeal to many, and with new rumors hinting towards this, I'm not surprised. I can see a similar story happening again for the iPhone 13 or iPhone SE 3, with the narrative repeating once again in stores across the world.

The first iPhone SE in 2016 was modeled after the iPhone 5S in 2013 that was catered to those who wanted a smaller iPhone but with the latest features. But while the SE granted this wish, it also came in a new Rose Gold color that didn't appear in this design before.

From my time of selling and setting it up almost every day since it was released in March 2016, it was a challenge to find a Rose Gold iPhone SE for our customers at the time. Many simply didn't care about having the latest and greatest iPhone - they wanted one that has a great color that sets them apart from their family and friends, and that's still true in 2022.

The iPhone SE may come with better battery life, MagSafe, and more , but if it comes in a shade of purple or green, that's what will make the device another smash hit.

But we can go even further back than the SE, to when Apple and Nintendo were redefining color for audiences.

Game Boy (and the iMac) have been here before

1998 heralded different color options for Apple's brand new iMac line, from Bondi-blue to cherry-red, alongside Nintendo bringing in an update to its Game Boy line, with the Game Boy Color.

For the first time you could play games in color on Nintendo's handheld, either with the games you already owned, or with ones to come that would be remade, but in full color such as Legend of Zelda: Links Awakening DX.

This line also came in countless color choices, to match the 'COLOR' branding:

Berry ( C ), Grape ( O ), Kiwi ( L ), Dandelion ( O ), and Teal ( R ).

With the final color being Purple, these choices lead the handheld to becoming a best seller soon after.

Color matters and Apple knows it. The event will most likely bring a new variant to the iPhone 13, and probably to the iPhone SE 3.

Green is a good candidate for the iPhone 13, but if the same form factor from the iPhone SE 2 goes unchanged for the iPhone SE 3, a purple variant in that design could be appealing to many.

Color has always made a difference to an existing product. Even the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers had new colors to the team of Green and White over the years. But you can be sure that if there's a new M2 Mac that's touted as the most powerful, alongside an existing iPhone that comes in green at today's event, you'll be seeing more social media reactions about the new color instead of the new efforts of Apple Silicon.

Garmin Epix (Gen 2) vs Garmin Venu 2: two of Garmin's best-looking watches compared

If you're in the market for a new sports watch, the Garmin Venu 2 and Garmin Epix (Gen 2) are two that are likely to be on your shortlist. They're certainly two of the most exciting Garmin watches around today thanks to their bright OLED screens, which are much easier to see in all lightings conditions than the memory-in-pixel (MiP) screens of watches in the Fenix and Forerunner series.

However, despite using the same screen tech, these are two very different watches. The Venu 2 is a fantastic all-rounder with a good range of everyday smartwatch tools, plus a great selection of sports tracking features. The Epix (Gen 2) on the other hand, is a watch for serious sportspeople, with advanced training tools designed to help you smash your goals and reach new personal bests. This difference is also reflected in the watches' prices; the Epix is around twice the price of the Venu 2.

That's just the fundamentals, there are also a lot more differences to be aware of, which we'll go through below. If you've already made up your mind though, we've rounded up the very best deals on both watches right here.

Watch models

The Garmin Epix (Gen 2) is only available in one size (47mm) but comes in two variants: standard and sapphire. The standard version is slightly cheaper (which we'll explain in more detail shortly), and has a Corning Gorilla Glass lens, a dark gray reinforced polymer case with stainless steel on the front and back. It's finished with a dark gray silicone band.

The sapphire edition has a titanium bezel and case back, and a reinforced resin case in either white or black. The lens is made from tough sapphire crystal, and you can choose a silicone band or upgrade to leather for an additional fee. At the time of writing, the leather band isn't available in the US.

The Garmin Venu 2 comes in two sizes (40mm or 45mm), the smaller of which is called the Venu 2S. Both of these are more compact than the Epix (Gen 2), making it a better choice for slimmer wrists.

Like the standard edition Epix, the Venu 2 has a reinforced resin case with a stainless steel back and bezel. It comes in a range of colors, with different options for the two sizes.

In January 2022, Garmin released the Venu 2 Plus , which has a case measuring 45mm in diameter. It's made from the same materials, but there's also a premium version that comes with a leather band in addition to the standard silicone one. Again, the leather variant isn't currently available in the US.

Price

The Garmin Epix (Gen 2) is a premium smartwatch, while the Venu 2 Plus is a mid-range model – and that's reflected in their prices.

The Epix (Gen 2) costs $899.99 / £799.99 / AU$1,399 for a model with a stainless steel bezel and Corning Gorilla Glass covering the face, or $999.99 / £899.99 / AU$1,499 for a sapphire crystal lens and a titanium bezel.

There’s also a model with sapphire crystal and a titanium bezel, plus a chestnut leather strap rather than the standard silicone, priced at £999.99 / AU$1,549 (but not currently available in the US).

The Garmin Venu 2 costs $399.99 / £349.99 / AU$629 for both the 40mm and 45mm versions, while the Venu 2 Plus is $449.99 / £399.99 / AU$699 for the standard version, and £449.99 / AU$749 for the one with a leather band.

Design

The Garmin Epix (Gen 2) and Venu 2 both have the round face typical of most of the company's watches, but the Epix has a more rugged look thanks to the exposed screws on its metal-covered lugs.

We've already discussed the two watches' sizes and materials, but it's also worth mentioning their button layouts. The Epix (Gen 2) has the five-button setup that'll be familiar to Garmin Forerunner and Fenix users. The start/stop button at the top right is protected by a small metal guard to prevent accidental presses or damage/

The Venu 2 has just two physical buttons on the right-hand side of the case (one to select a menu option and one to navigate back). All other watch functions are carried out using the touchscreen, though this is locked by default while you're tracking an activity to prevent accidental presses. The Venu 2 Plus has an additional button in between these two, which activates the watch's microphone.

Display

Both the Garmin Epix (Gen 2) and Garmin Venu 2 have bright OLED touchscreens that look great in all lighting conditions, and are much more striking than the memory-in-pixel (MiP) displays used by most Garmin watches.

All versions of both watches have the same screen resolution, with the exception of the compact Venu 2S, as shown in this list:

The screens of both the Venu 2 and the Epix proved smooth and responsive in our tests, but if you'd prefer to stick with the more traditional button navigation, you can choose to disable the screen during workouts, or at all times.

Battery life

The downside of an OLED display is that it uses a lot more power than an MiP screen, so the Venu 2 and Epix have shorter battery lives than watches in the Fenix and Forerunner series.

Their longevity is nothing to be sniffed at though, particularly if you're an Apple Watch fan who's used to charging your watch every night. Generally speaking, the larger the watch, the larger its battery, and the longer it will run between charges. We've rounded up all of Garmin's quoted battery stats here, but in our tests we found that we could expect each watch to run a little longer than this.

As with any sports watch or smartwatch, the real world battery life will vary depending on the features you use, such as SpO2 monitoring, GPS, and music playback. Enabling always-on mode will use extra power too, and dramatically cut battery life (though it does make your watch look great).

There are no solar variants of either the Venu 2 or Epix, but recently registered patents suggest that Garmin is working on a cost-effective way to incorporate photovoltaic cells into an OLED screen , so this may be something that arrives with a future iteration of either watch.

Smartwatch features

In terms of everyday smartwatch features, the Garmin Epix (Gen 2) and Venu 2 are very similar. Both can receive smartphone notifications, allow you to reject a call with a text message (if you have an Android handset), and allow you to find your phone through your watch (or vice versa). They also both let you control music playback on your phone, or play music directly from the watch itself (though the Epix has much greater capacity).

Whichever watch you choose, you'll be able to download additional apps through Garmin Connect IQ, but if you opt for the Epix (Gen 2) then you can do it through the watch itself rather than using the mobile app on your phone.

The Venu 2 Plus has all the features of the original Venu 2, plus a microphone that allows you to take calls from your wrist and use your phone's voice assistant when it's within Bluetooth range. In our tests, the sound quality was surprisingly clear for a smartwatch, and we found ourselves turning to Google Assistant much more often than we would normally. This isn't something you'll get with the Epix (Gen 2).

Fitness tracking

When it comes to fitness tracking, the Garmin Epix (Gen 2) is by far the more advanced of the pair. It has pretty much the same feature set as the Garmin Fenix 7 multi-sports watch, but with the addition of that excellent OLED screen, which really comes into its own for maps and navigation.

Both watches have Garmin's signature GPS (which is extremely accurate even in built-up locations), all-day heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, sleep tracking, and the ability to take a 'health snapshot' to check your vital stats at a particular point during the day.

They also have an impressive raft of sports tracking modes, but the Epix has a whole suite of advanced training tools on top – particularly for runners, swimmers, and cyclists. Training load monitoring, heat and altitude acclimation, a real-time stamina meter, estimated finish times, swim pacing alerts, and open water swim metrics are just a few of the tools right at your fingertips.

The Epix (Gen 2) also comes with an excellent set of pre-loaded maps, with more available through the watch's built-in map manager. In our tests, we were particularly impressed by the cycling and topographical maps.