Internet disruptions will hit Moscow and Saint Petersburg during the May holidays, Sber’s smart home gets a new voice-controlled automation feature, and Diablo IV finally reveals a hidden secret level years in the making. This week’s roundup from itzine.ru and the Forgeeks Telegram channel covers what you need to know-plus tips on moving photos from iCloud to Mail.ru Cloud for free. Dive in, listen to the podcast, and subscribe to ForGeeks on Telegram for more.

Mobile internet restricted in Moscow from May 5 to 9

Major Russian operators have warned customers about limited mobile internet access across Moscow and the Moscow region during the May Day holidays. MTS openly admitted there might be interruptions affecting cashless payments, ATMs, and location-based services. T2 clarified that these slowdowns aren’t caused by the operator itself. MegaFon cited large public events as the reason, while Beeline pointed to security measures.

Beeline recommends switching to Wi-Fi and using VoLTE for calls during this period. Saint Petersburg residents have received similar notices. Such internet throttling during major events is a security measure not uncommon in Russia, but it’s a disruption increasingly rare in Western cities where network density helps maintain service.

Mail.ru Cloud offers free photo transfer from iCloud

Mail.ru’s cloud service launched an unlimited auto-upload feature for photos from iCloud, letting users transfer files without using up their storage quota. Plus, from May 13 to 19, MegaFon and Yota subscribers won’t consume any mobile data doing this, whether via the app or browser.

To use it, download the Mail Cloud app and enable ”Auto-upload” in settings. Once set up, file transfer happens in the background with minimal user input.

Rosatom develops cathode material boosting battery energy density by 15%

Rosatom unveiled a new high-voltage lithium cobalt oxide cathode that tweaks the crystal structure and composition of existing battery technology, increasing energy density by over 15% without sacrificing stability, power output, or cycle life.

Target applications include portable electronics, power tools, and aerospace. Prototype samples are currently undergoing testing by potential clients-where laboratory improvements often face the real-world challenge of manufacturing durability and performance.

OpenAI adds three new voice models to Realtime API

OpenAI introduced three voice-focused models to its Realtime API lineup, with the standout being GPT-Realtime-2. This model handles a massive 128K token context window (up from 32K), and incorporates ”reasoning effort” levels, allowing it to better navigate natural conversation quirks like pauses, interruptions, and topic jumps. After prompt tuning, Zillow boosted successful call rates from 69% to 95% using this model.

The other models include:

• GPT-Realtime-Translate supports live translation across 70 languages for input and 13 for output;
• GPT-Realtime-Whisper offers low-latency streaming transcription.

Pricing is $32 per million audio tokens for Realtime-2, $0.034 per minute for translation, and $0.017 per minute for transcription.

Sber smart home learns to create automation scenes by voice

Instead of digging through menus, Sber’s smart home now lets users verbally build automation scenes. Tell the voice assistant ”make it cozy this evening,” and GigaChat will ask follow-up questions and save the setup automatically.

New modes ”I’m home” and ”I’m away” automatically switch devices, and lighting sources are split into primary and secondary groups so commands like ”turn off the lights” don’t inadvertently kill the nightlight. Command recognition has been improved to avoid errors like turning on the kettle instead of a fan.

ESA tests Space Rider reusable spaceplane

The European Space Agency is testing Space Rider, a reusable spacecraft designed to stay in low Earth orbit for up to two months conducting microgravity experiments and returning equipment to Earth. Unlike traditional capsules, it lands using a guided parafoil rather than a parachute or splashdown, offering airplane-like landing precision.

The thermal protection system passed plasma tunnel tests at 1600°C, including resilience checks on damage simulating micrometeorite hits. A full-scale mockup will soon undergo drop tests in Sardinia, with ESA aiming for a launch before 2030.

Secret cow level discovered in Diablo IV

After years of Blizzard denying its existence, streamer xGarbett found the elusive ”cow level” in Diablo IV’s Lord of Hatred expansion. The secret requires killing 666 cows and collecting obscure items to unlock a portal to an arena filled with hostile bulls in the Skovos region.

The reward is a ”Crown of the Cow King,” more of a fun trophy than a powerful artifact. Some fans are disappointed after years chasing the myth only to get a checkmark on an internet legend. The Lord of Hatred expansion launched on April 28 across all platforms.

Russia to allow keeping your phone number when moving regions starting September

The Russian government approved a regulation enabling phone users to keep their number when changing regions and carriers simultaneously starting September 1. Applications can be submitted in person, via the operator’s website, through a centralized database of transferred numbers, or via the government services portal Gosuslugi.

Currently, numbers can be retained only if the tariff plan stays tied to the original region, often resulting in higher local call costs. This change aligns Russia with global norms where number portability across regions and operators is standard.

Rumor: iPhone 18 Pro to feature smaller Dynamic Island cutout

New CAD renders suggest the iPhone 18 series will shrink the size of the Dynamic Island, with the frame design staying identical to the iPhone 17. Such leaks often lack solid evidence and are frequently debunked, as fake CAD files circulate yearly.

The rumored evolution fits Apple’s long-term strategy toward a notch-free display, with a reduced Dynamic Island possibly being an intermediate step before moving Face ID under the screen. The timeframe, however, remains uncertain-it won’t arrive until facial recognition performance is flawless.

Russia’s internet pauses around major holidays, domestic cloud services are catching up on data transfer ease, and the local tech scene keeps churning out battery and smart home advancements not far behind global trends. International companies like Apple and OpenAI continue to push voice and interface innovation, while game communities uncover secrets long denied by developers.

Looking ahead, watch how Sber’s voice-driven smart home evolves as it competes with giants like Google and Amazon in AI-powered automation, and whether Rosatom’s battery tech can scale beyond prototypes to impact mainstream electronics. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s voice models could redefine digital assistants’ naturalness, and the ESA’s reusable spacecraft will test Europe’s role in commercial spaceflight. And for gamers, will Blizzard leverage the buzz around the secret cow level to reinvigorate Diablo IV’s legacy?