• Apple's rumored 18.8-inch foldable might run macOS
• It's also now tipped to launch in 2027
• It could rely on big changes coming in macOS 16

While many of its rivals – Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and more – have started to release foldables, Apple has been noticeably absent. New leaks, however, are teasing it’s not just working on a bendy iPhone but a folding iPad too that is tipped to run macOS.

We reported yesterday (March 17) on the most recent foldable iPhone rumors. It could launch in 2026 but it may be pretty darn pricey, with a starting price of $2,300 (around £1,750 / AU$3,600) – for that kind of money we’re expecting an invisible crease and a self-healing screen.

Today we want to instead focus on Apple’s rumored 18.8-inch foldable which is said to be an iPad-MacBook hybrid. Previously it wasn't expected to launch until 2028, but a new report from Analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors) now suggests the foldable will begin production in late 2026 ahead of a 2027 release.

Beyond teasing an earlier release than we expected, Pu adds that the hybrid will lean more towards its MacBook side – saying he believes the foldable will run MacOS instead of iPadOS. This ties into comments made by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (behind a paywall) that design changes are coming to iOS 19 and macOS 16 to better support foldables and touch-screen computers.

For now, however, this report should be taken with a pinch of salt. While Jeff Pu is an analyst with a fairly solid track record, his macOS guess is just that: a guess. He doesn’t cite an insider’s leak and instead references a Wall Street Journal report (paywalled) which describes the foldable as being like a laptop but doesn’t directly confirm it runs on macOS.

That said, it wouldn’t be the first time the large foldable has been associated with macOS.

Back in December last year, we reported on rumors the device would be able to run macOS apps – though then it was said the device would run a souped-up version of iPadOS capable of running both operating systems' apps.

Even if it doesn’t end up running macOS proper, it sounds like Apple is gearing up to launch some kind of touchscreen laptop-like device which certainly has its appeal though some major questions remain like the device’s cost and specs. If the foldable iPhone is $2,300, expect this larger display to be a lot more expensive when it launches.

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• The Future Games Show Spring Showcase returns on April 20
• The broadcast will be hosted by actors Jennifer English and Nolan North
• Viewers can expect world premieres, exclusive game demos, new trailers, and more

It's almost time for Future's annual Spring Showcase, which is scheduled to air this week. It will provide the latest news and announcements for all the upcoming games of 2025 and beyond.

To get ready for the event, here's everything you need to know about the Future Games Show Spring Showcase, including start times, where to watch, and what to expect.

Start Time

The Future Games Show Spring Showcase is scheduled to begin on April 20, 2025, at 1PM PT / 4PM ET / 8PM GMT.

Where to Watch

You'll be able to tune in to the showcase on the Future Game Show's official Twitch, YouTube, X / Twitter, and TikTok, as well as Steam, Epic Game Store, Facebook, GamesRadar, PC Gamer, IGN, Gamespot, BiliBili, Ginx TV, GOG and more.

What to Expect

This year's annual Spring Showcase will be hosted by actors Jennifer English, best known for her role as Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3, and Uncharted star Nolan North.

Viewers can expect world premieres, exclusive game demos, developer interviews, and new trailers from more than 50 upcoming AAA, AA, and indie games.

We already know some of these announcements, including a release date for the System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster, a new look at Sandfall Games' upcoming game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an exclusive interview with Tarsier Studios about its co-op horror adventure Reanimal, and a new trailer for Remedy's three-player cooperative first-person shooter, FBC: Firebreak.

A preview of Fretless, a turn-based role-playing game (RPG), will also be shown, and a developer presentation on Kingmakers, along with a closer look at Revenge of the Savage Planet, Hawthorn, Compulsion Game's South of Midnight, and a new look at the third-person survival horror game Cronos: The New Dawn.

After the Spring Showcase, there will also be a 'FGS Live from GDC' that will air straight after and feature even more world premieres and exclusive trailers, news, and interviews from the show floor.

So far, a new trailer for Among Us 3D has been confirmed, as well as a developer interview with Rebellion about its upcoming title Atomfall, a new trailer for Fear FA 98, and the Infinity Nikki.

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• A new report has outlined what to expect from the iPhone 17
• That includes improved selfie cameras and better chips
• The tip also covers changes supposedly coming to the iPhone 18

Apple’s iPhone 17 range is still six months away from launching, but new information has tipped a few elements of the upcoming phones and could shed light on Apple’s top-secret iPhone 17 plans. Not only that, but we’ve also learned more about the iPhone 18 lineup too, despite that being likely some 18 months away from hitting store shelves.

All this information comes from Apple analyst Jeff Pu (via MacRumors), who published a research note outlining his expectations for the upcoming phones. In the note, Pu explained his belief that every phone in the iPhone 17 roster will come with a 24-megapixel front-facing camera. That’s double the resolution of the selfie camera in the current iPhone range, including in the top-of-the-line iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Pu detailed other aspects of Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17 phones, including the idea that the memory will be bumped from 8GB to 12GB, and that the telephoto lens in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will come with a 48-megapixel resolution, up from the current Pro models’ 12-megapixel offering.

In terms of the A19 and A19 Pro chips powering the phones, Pu said these will be made using TSMC’s newer third-generation 3-nanometer process – dubbed N3P – which could bring improvements in performance and efficiency. He also claimed that the iPhone 17 devices will feature an Apple-designed Wi-Fi 7 chip for the first time.

iPhone 18 gets tipped for some slick upgrades

Pu didn’t stop at detailing the iPhone 17 range – he also had something to say about next year’s iPhone 18 lineup.

Staying on the topic of chips, Pu stated that the A20 chip in the iPhone 18 will also be made using TSMC’s 3nm N3P process, suggesting that the performance differences between the A19 and the A20 might not be huge. However, the A20 could feature TSMC’s Chip on Wafer Substrate, which might bring improvements to Apple Intelligence.

The recently released iPhone 16e comes with Apple’s in-house C1 chip that handles 5G connectivity, and Pu’s report says this will be upgraded to the C2 chip when the iPhone 18 launches in 2026.

Such an upgrade could bring speed improvements and support for mmWave 5G in the United States.

Most of these rumors have been reported before – such as by fellow Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo – so there’s not a huge amount of new information from Pu.

But what his report does is solidify some of the ideas that we’ve seen elsewhere regarding the iPhone 17 and iPhone 18. With around six months until the iPhone 17 is unveiled, we’ll find out how accurate Pu’s predictions are later this year.

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The follow up to the Emmy Award-winning Leaving Neverland, Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson picks up the stories of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who both accused Jackson of sexually abusing them as children.

Keep reading, as we explain how to watch Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson, online and from wherever you are in the world.

Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson is the long awaited follow up to the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland. The new doc picks up on the stories of Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who allege that Jackson sexually abused them when they were aged seven and 11.

Six years on from the original, Robson and Safechuck have been subject to abuse and a major backlash from Jackson's loyal fanbase. The film focuses on their ongoing legal battle with Jackson's estate and the personal toll that revealing the accusations has had on both of them.

Unlike the original, HBO is not on board this time due to ongoing litigation from the Jackson estate. However, the producers have teamed up with Little Dot Studios' Real Stories YouTube channel to show the film in the US.

This is it: the new Michael Jackson doc is here! Keep reading as we explain how to watch Leaving Neverland 2 online from absolutely anywhere and for free in the UK.

How to watch Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson free online in the UK

How to watch Leaving Neverland 2 from anywhere

How to watch Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson online from anywhere

Although you can watch Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson free on Channel 4, the streaming service is blocked outside the UK.

If you're away from the UK, use a VPN to change your location and access your usual domestic streaming services – from anywhere in the world!

Try NordVPN today (it's awesome) with this 30-day trial:

How to watch Leaving Neverland 2: Surviving Michael Jackson around the world

How to watch Leaving Neverland 2 online in the US and Canada

US and Canadian viewers will be able to stream the latest Michael Jackson documentary on Little Dot Studios' Real Stories YouTube channel.

It says: "Leaving Neverland II will be released at 8pm ET / 5pm ET on 03.18.25".

Need to unblock YouTube? If you are abroad, you can access your usual YouTube account from any country with NordVPN. We use it all the time and it's super-reliable, secure and comes with a 70% discount!

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• Windows 11 has a new preview which bolsters its voice commands
• You can now give commands using natural speech rather than stilted phrasing
• Microsoft is also fine-tuning Recall and squashing some bugs therein

Windows 11 is getting new powers for Copilot+ PCs that’ll let the owner give voice commands to their laptop more easily, using natural language.

This is coming to Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon (Arm-based) processors, and it has only just been introduced to testing in the Dev channel with preview build 26120.3576.

It’s an expansion of the functionality of Voice Access commands, whereby you can give voice instructions to Windows 11 such as ‘Open Chrome’ to fire up your web browser.

Right now, if you deliver a voice command along the lines of ‘Can you open my Chrome browser,’ this won’t work – you have to stick to the exact syntax of ‘Open Chrome.’

With this change in testing, though, you’ll be able to ask in different ways, and Windows 11 will understand if you say, for example, ‘Please open the Chrome browser’ or similar.

Essentially, you can relax and use natural speech – as you would with a query delivered to an AI like Copilot – with Voice commands under Windows 11, without having to worry about getting any given command exactly correct in terms of its phrasing. Note that this feature is rolling out to testers, so some Windows Insiders may not get it straight away.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that Microsoft is further bolstering Voice Access in Windows 11 to support the Chinese language in this latest preview build (with both simplified and traditional Chinese options).

Microsoft has also done some tuning of the controversial Recall feature in this build, fixing some bugs (such as snapshots failing to save), and changing the Click to Do capability so its ‘intelligent text actions’ are now handled locally, rather than in the cloud. Essentially, that’s about keeping a tighter lid on security and processing Recall-related features on the device, rather than sending any data cloud-wards.

There's a clutch of other bug fixes here, too, and you can see the full details in Microsoft’s blog post about this new preview build.

Analysis: A good move, no doubt – but let’s have it on all Copilot+ PCs

How many folks use voice commands on their PC? Well, they are very useful for those with accessibility needs, of course, and potentially handy and convenient for any Windows 11 user. Having to get the commands exactly correct may have limited their appeal thus far, though, so bringing in a more natural use of language here is going to be a positive step forward for the popularity of this feature.

Voice Access will also be clever enough so that if it doesn’t understand the instruction that’s been issued, it will look for close matches in its library of commands, and present those as suggestions – you can then pick one if it is indeed the command you intended.

This is clearly good work from Microsoft to try and make voice commands more useful, although it should be underlined that this is for Snapdragon (Arm-based) Copilot+ PCs only. Whether that’ll change to include other Copilot+ PCs with Intel or AMD processors remains to be seen, as Microsoft doesn’t mention this (and the software giant usually would in release notes like this). Still, I don’t see any reason why there wouldn’t be a wider deployment of this new functionality eventually.

As a final note, we must remember that nothing in testing is guaranteed to make the cut for release, but it’d be very surprising if Microsoft curtailed this particular line of development.

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The Samsung S90D is a great pick if you want a good-looking TV for your living room setup. OLED technology offers fantastic pure blacks, vibrant colors and a sharp picture that means cinematic quality for whatever you're watching. If you want a premium display at a more affordable price, this is the TV for you following the latest $300 discount.

Today's best OLED TV deal

The Samsung S90D 65-inch OLED TV is the successor to the Samsung S90C which we gave a fantastic five-star rating when it launched. Think of this as the new and better model and you can’t go wrong.

Its feature list is full of fancy terms that genuinely improve picture quality. These include OLED HDR+ which analyzes each scene to improve brightness and image clarity, a 4K AI upscaling mode, and also AI tools for enhancing audio.

Audio options include Active Voice Amplifier Pro which amplifies voices against background sounds, and AI customization mode which detects what you’re watching and automatically optimizes the settings. Sure, you’ll still ideally want to invest in one of the best soundbars, but this is a good starting point if you don’t want to rush in.

Overall, this is one of the best TVs for most people and should keep you happy for a long time.

Of course, there are other OLED TV deals around if you’re tempted to go in a different direction. There are also plenty of soundbar deals if you’d prefer to get the home cinema setup complete in one flurry of purchases.

This ensures precise, up-to-the-moment monitoring, essential for optimizing fleet operations and enhancing security. The fully web-based system allows 24/7 access from any desktop or mobile device, giving businesses seamless control over their fleet anytime, anywhere.

Why OneStep GPS?

OneStep GPS is a straightforward, cost-effective fleet tracking solution designed to help businesses improve efficiency, enhance driver safety, and reduce operational costs. The major selling point is its ease of use, reliability, and affordability. There are additional features worth mentioning:

Real-time GPS tracking

OneStep GPS’s web-based tracking system allows you to monitor vehicles using turn-by-turn accuracy. You can do so from a desktop or a mobile device, with locations refreshing every 60 seconds while vehicles are in motion.

Easy, hassle-free installation

You don’t need a serviceman to install your software; it's as simple as plug and play. You connect it to the vehicle’s OBD port or use a hardwired system, and you are ready to go.

Smart alerts & notifications

You can stay updated with customizable text and email alerts for the following:

Unsafe driving behaviors (e.g., speeding, harsh braking)
After-hours vehicle usage
Entry & exit of designated areas (geofencing)

Industry-leading security & compliance

With SOC 2 Type II compliance, OneStep GPS takes data security seriously.

Today sees the opening keynote from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who is set to unveil a host of new hardware and AI tools - along with a few surprises, no doubt.

The keynote is set to start shortly - so stay tuned for all the updates as they happen.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the Nvidia GTC 2025 keynote!

We're super excited to see what Nvidia has in store for us today, with company CEO and founder Jensen Huang set to take to the stage in a few hours time.

• Nord Security has made NordProtect a standalone service
• US customers can access the service without a NordVPN subscription
• The service offers comprehensive identity theft protection and insurance

Nord Security, the company behind the best VPN and best password manager, has announced its NordProtect service, launched in 2024, is now available as a standalone service.

Previously, the service was only available with a NordVPN Prime subscription, but Nord has now released NordProtect as a singular service in the US.

The identity theft protection service offers up to $1 million in identity theft recovery, up to $50,000 in cyber extortion protection, and up to $10,000 in online fraud coverage.

Comprehensive protection

The service can monitor the dark web for mentions of your important data, such as your email addresses, Social Security Number, and phone numbers, and alert you if they are discovered on hacker forums.

NordProtect also offers credit monitoring to notify you of suspicious changes in your credit score that could be linked to fraudulent loans or credit cards taken out in your name. Additionally, if you are the victim of cyber extortion you are also insured against ransom payments through NordProtect’s cyber extortion protection.

“Criminals are constantly finding new ways to extort money from people, and our mission is to provide relevant and reliable tools to protect internet users. Online fraud is rapidly growing, with numerous variations leading to significant financial losses," said Tomas Sinicki, managing director of NordProtect.

“To address this, we’ve expanded our existing services, which now include better monitoring of personally identifiable information as well as reimbursement for certain online fraud incidents, ensuring our customers receive support when they need it most,” Sinicki concluded.

The service is currently only available for US customers, and NordProtect is offering a 50% discount that brings the annual cost down to $89.88.

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• Nintendo could be developing a new GameCube controller for the Switch 2
• New evidence has appeared in the form of a new FCC filing with new details related to the GameCube
• The "game controller" will feature wireless Bluetooth

Fresh evidence that a new GameCube controller is in development for the Nintendo Switch 2 has been spotted online.

It comes from a recently published FCC filing by Nintendo (spotted by NintendoLife) which shows that a new "game controller" is in the works.

This piece of hardware has a model number prefix of "BEE" which matches the Switch 2 and will be a "wireless Bluetooth controller", meaning it won't require a cable slot in the console, unlike the original GameCube pad.

Thanks to some Nintendo fans on Famiboards, it also appears that one of the attached images on the filing shows an etched label that matches the back of the GameCube controller.

However, it doesn't have NFC support, a feature included on the original Switch Pro Controller and Joy-Cons, meaning it likely won't be a Switch 2 Pro Controller.

It's unclear at this stage if this potential GameCube controller will be a re-release or a completely new model, but since it has Bluetooth capabilities, it's speculated that it could have a link to Nintendo Switch Online.

Rumors of a new wave of GameCube controllers started last year after a dataminer shared component shipment details for what they believed to be for the Switch 2.

The Nintendo Switch successor doesn't have a release date yet, but it's expected to launch in 2025. A Nintendo Direct Showcase is scheduled for April 2, which should hopefully provide us with a launch date and a new look at the hardware.

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• Jason Blundell has announced that he is leading a new PlayStation studio
• It's called Dark Outlaw Games and is currently working on an unannounced project
• It follows his time and Treyarch and the defunct Deviation Games

Jason Blundell, who worked at Call of Duty studio Treyarch for over a decade, has announced that he's helming a new first-party PlayStation studio.

The new studio, called Dark Outlaw Games, is something of a successor to Deviation Games - which he co-founded with Sony in 2021 after leaving Treyarch the previous year.

As explained by Eurogamer, Deviation Games ran into trouble in 2023 which led to significant layoffs and its eventual closure in March last year. Dark Outlaw Games is reportedly comprised of many former Deviation Games staff.

Speaking in a new interview with presenter Jeff Gerstmann, Blundell said that he's "had the amazing opportunity to create a new studio within PlayStation Studios for Sony." He revealed that it is called "Dark Outlaw Games" and stated that it has "been working away in the shadows for a while" on an unannounced project.

He also said that "when we've got something to talk about, we'll step out into the light."

I wouldn't expect any major news any time soon, however, as Blundell went on to characterize the studio's current activities as "staffing up" and "keeping it kind of lowkey" - which would suggest that it is still in its very early stages.

Given Blundell's history at Treyarch, where he mainly led the Zombies component of Call of Duty games, it might seem reasonably to expect this mysterious project to be some kind of supernatural co-op shooter, but it's still far too early to say. We'll be keeping an eye out for further updates.

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ExpressVPN, one of the best VPN providers on the market, recently launched a data scanner tool – completely free of charge.

Knowing which personal details have been exposed and, most importantly, who holds them is the first step to regaining control over your digital privacy. Even better, you won't even need to spend a penny to find out. Keep reading as I walk you through everything you need to know.

The dark side of data exposure

Every time you sign up for a new online service, use a mobile app, or access a website, you leave behind a trail of personal data.

Service providers collect this data and often sell it online to third parties without your consent. Recent research conducted by Surfshark, for example, found that 80% of the most popular fitness apps are selling your privacy by sharing users' tracked data with third parties.

Data brokers mostly collect this data – such as your date of birth, gender, home address, and phone number – to create a detailed profile about your digital persona that they can use to serve you with targeted ads.

Cybercriminals can also get hold of these sensitive details, leaving you vulnerable to spam, online scams, and even identity theft.

The data broker industry is pretty unregulated in the US due to a lack of federal data protection laws like those in place in Europe or some US States like California, Virginia, and Colorado.

People-search sites are common in the US, too, allowing virtually anyone to look up information about individuals, including names, email addresses, social media profiles, and sometimes even financial or employment information.

How to use ExpressVPN's data exposure scan

Using ExpressVPN's data exposure scan couldn't be simpler. All you need to do is head to the ExpressVPN website and enter your personal information.

On its side, the VPN provider promises to keep your data safe per its privacy policy.

As mentioned earlier, there's no need for you to open an account or enter any payment details. Living in the US is the only requirement for using it.

Once you have estimated your online data exposure level, you have a few options to take back control over your privacy.

You could ask for your personal information to be taken down from these sites yourself. Beware, though, this may be a very time-consuming and complex process.

Another option is signing up for a data removal service that will handle this for you by automating data removal requests.

If that's something you'd like to explore, I recommend subscribing to ExpressVPN's two-year plan, as it now includes an Identity Defender Suite alongside its tried and tested virtual private network (VPN) tool, starting from the equivalent of $4.99 a month. Beyond the data removal service, you'll also benefit from the ID Theft and ID Alerts monitoring tools.

• The ESRB has published a content summary for Silent Hill f
• The horror game will unsurprisingly have a 'Mature 17+' rating in the US
• The summary details gruesome imagery and acts of violence

Silent Hill f has received an ESRB rating, and while that alone won't shock you, its lengthy and graphic content warnings might.

As reported by IGN, the Entertainment Software Rating Board - which handles game age rating and content warnings in the US - has assigned Silent Hill f a 'Mature 17+' age rating.

By itself that's not too surprising, but a glance at the rating summary reveals more. Fair warning, if you're particularly squeamish (or eating your lunch) you'll probably want to click away now.

"This is a survival-horror action game in which players assume the role of a student confronting supernatural entities in a 1960s Japanese mountain town," the summary begins. "From a third-person perspective, players explore the town, solve puzzles, interact with characters, and battle enemy creatures (e.g., humanoid monsters, mutants, mythical creatures)." Yep, that all checks out so far.

"Players use axes, crowbars, knives, and spears to defend against and kill enemy creatures in melee-style combat. Blood-splatter effects occur frequently as characters are attacked; several areas depict large bloodstains in the environment and near corpses." Again, all sounding distinctly Silent Hill up to this point.

"Some enemy attacks can result in players' character getting impaled in the neck and/or getting their faces ripped apart.

"Cutscenes sometimes depict gore and more intense acts of violence: a character burned alive inside a cage; a woman branded by a hot iron; entrails and sinew displayed on serving platters in fantastical celebration/ceremony; a character sawing off her own arm; a character slicing off portions of a character's face during a ritual.

"Concept art depicts a nude mannequin-like character, with exposed buttocks and partially exposed breasts; the character appears in a creature-like form throughout the game."

Other than sounding like your average night out in Torquay, it's certainly pretty gruesome even by Mature 17+ standards. In fact, Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization has given Silent Hill f a 'CERO Z' rating. That's for players aged 18 and over, a first for the series, and is the highest possible age rating a game can receive in the country.

We don't yet have a release date for Silent Hill f, but you can wishlist the game now on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. You can also catch up on the Silent Hill f Transmission broadcast from last week to learn more about the game.

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• Users who factory-reset can now get back up and running
• A new Google Home update enables affected devices to be restored
• This bug was first widely reported last week

It seems as though the saga of the Chromecast untrusted device bug is finally drawing to a close: Google has now pushed out an additional fix for those users who factory-reset their devices as a way of troubleshooting the problem.

As per a forum post and an email seen by 9to5Google, the solution is to update the Google Home app on Android or iOS. That should then allow you to set up affected Chromecasts from scratch again – something which hadn't previously been possible.

This all started last week, when owners of the 2nd-gen Chromecast and Chromecast Audio devices – both launched in 2015 – started seeing 'untrusted device' messages. The issue was, apparently, something to do with expired security certification.

While it investigated, Google advised users against factory-resetting broken devices, as they wouldn't be able to set them up again – though by that time, plenty of people had done exactly that in an attempt to get everything working again.

Find your fix

As far as Google is concerned, the problem is now resolved. If you didn't factory-reset your Chromecast device then it should be working again, thanks to an update that was rolled out a few days ago. If not, try updating the device firmware.

If you did run a factory reset and have since been unable to get your Chromecast up and running, check for the latest version of Google Home on your phone – the version you're looking for is 3.30.1.6 for Android or 3.30.106 for iOS.

Once you've got the app update (it may take a few days to reach everyone), start the setup process from the beginning: Open the Devices tab, tap the Add button, then follow the instructions on screen for your Chromecast.

You should then be up and running again. "We sincerely apologize for this disruption and any inconvenience it may have caused, and we are committed to ensuring all users are back up and running as quickly as possible," says Google.

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In my Samsung S95D review, I was blown away by its picture quality, gaming features, gorgeous design and solid built-in sound. But one of the most impressive parts to it was its OLED Glare Free screen, which effectively eliminated distracting mirror-like reflections even in the brightest decisions. This not only made it one of the best OLED TVs I’d seen, but I labelled it “the standard bearer for OLED in 2024".

So, when I was offered the chance to see and get a hands-on with its successor, the Samsung S95F, I jumped at the chance. My colleagues had the chance to see the S95F in action at CES 2025, but it was now my turn – and given my experience with the S95D, I was naturally very curious about it.

Reflection-beating screen gets better

One thing worth noting; the Samsung S95F model I got to test was the 83-inch model, which is unique from the rest of the lineup. This model actually uses LG’s new W-OLED four-stack Tandem RGB panel that can be found in the LG G5, rather than the QD-OLED panel used in the other sized models (55, 65 and 77 inches).

My first port of call in my short test was to see if the S95F improved in one area that I felt the S95D struggled – namely its deep shadow detail in Filmmaker Mode. I heavily use Filmmaker Mode when reviewing TVs as I find it to be the most accurate picture mode in almost all cases.

While black levels, contrast and shadow detail were overall excellent on the S95D, I noticed in darker scenes that black crush occurred, which resulted in a loss in shadow detail. This mostly happened in well-lit conditions, which was a shame because it was a novelty getting to watch dark scenes in a bright environment with only haze reflections to deal with.

So, I naturally wanted to see how the S95F’s new OLED Glare Free 2.0 screen fared; and what an improvement it was. Using the same opening crime scene investigation sequence from The Batman that showed me the weakness in the S95D, the S95F demonstrated significantly improved shadow detail, with textures in Batman’s armor and other character’s clothing maintained far better while in Filmmaker Mode.

The room I was in had dimming lights, so I turned them up to the maximum and even then, black levels were still incredibly accurate and shadow detail was refined. Admittedly, with the lights on maximum, there was now a minor amount of black crush, but that's a small price to pay to avoid the annoyance of direct reflections.

A better handling of reflections

There are three types of reflections that TVs can suffer from; mirror-like, where objects clearly appear in the screen; haze, where objects are obscured by matte screens (like the ones found on the S95D and S95F) but there is still a hint of the object (such as a cloud-like look from a lamp) and Lambertian, which is reminiscent of haze but this evenly distributes across the reflected light across the screen and it can give blacks a faded look.

The S95D was extremely effective at dealing with mirror-like reflections, which is why I rated it so highly – it's possible to watch in spaces where other OLED TVs would've been overwhelmed by the light – but there were undeniably haze reflections for light sources and a sign of Lambertian reflection which resulted in the dulled, crushed blacks. The S95F’s screen showed a marked improvement in this.

Using footage from the Spears & Munsil Benchmark UHD 4K Blu-ray, scenes with pitch-black backgrounds, such as a ferris wheel at night and studio shots of animals and objects, showed deeper black levels more in line with OLED with glossy screens, even with strong lights in the room.

Even angling myself to purposely catch the overhead lights, the haze reflections were dramatically reduced and textures and details of objects appear clearer and more lifelike.

I loved that the S95D's anti-reflective screen made it a more flexible TV, and the downsides felt worth it, because they only occurred in conditions where reflections would have wiped out the TV's quality anyway. But now the downsides have been massively reduced too – it's very impressive.

Brighter and bolder

As I continued to watch the S95F, I also noticed a marked increase in brightness in Filmmaker Mode, and even a better handling of brightness. Viewing a black and white scene in Oppenheimer where the foyer in the university is brightly lit compared to the rest of the room, I noticed that the bright whites were punchy but without any loss in detail or any sign of oversaturation.

Turning on HDR Tone Mapping from Static to Active gave an even bolder brightness boost, yet the contrast between the black and white tones remained superb.

When I measured the brightness of the Samsung S95F it hit 2,388 nits in a 10% HDR window pattern – a huge increase over the 1,868 I measured for the Samsung S95D. Fullscreen brightness, measured on a 100% white window HDR pattern, was also a giant improvement, rising from 318 nits measured on the S95D to 465 nits measured on the S95F.

Again, it’s worth noting that the S95D I tested was the 65-inch model using the QD-OLED panel, whereas this 83-inch S95F uses the new-gen W-OLED panel – I'll be very curious to see how closely the smaller QD-OLED sizes match these figures.

I was glad to see that elsewhere the S95F maintained everything that made the S95D’s picture great. Colors were bold, vibrant and dynamic; textures were true-to-life; and contrast was excellent and well balanced. And of course, black levels and shadow detail was improved over the S95D.

After my brief time, I can’t wait to get my hands on the Samsung S95F for a full test. We’ll probably test one of the QD-OLED models for a fairer full comparison to the S95D, and to provide a counterpoint to these 83-inch measurements. But whatever size, it’s only excited me to try out the S95F in full. Will it be a TV of the year award repeat? There's tough competition, but we'll have reviews of all this year's hottest OLEDs in the next few months.

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One of the top reported uses of ChatGPT is writing emails. But plenty of people are taking this further, feeding not just emails but text messages and even voice notes into AI to analyze intent, craft persuasive responses, and try to ‘win’ arguments.

On the surface, this makes sense. AI can strip away messy emotions, offer a neutral perspective, and help structure arguments more clearly. ChatGPT has already been used to mediate legal disagreements, engage with conspiracy theorists, and can be highly persuasive in helping people to see different perspectives.

But does that mean it can help you ‘win’ a debate with your friend, boss, or partner? Not so fast. Just as we explored whether ChatGPT could replace a therapist, it turns out that while AI can provide clarity, relying on it to resolve conflict can make things messier, not easier.

I spoke to mental health and relationship experts about AI’s benefits, pitfalls, and limits as a neutral referee.

Why you shouldn’t rely on ChatGPT to resolve conflict

Let’s start with the obvious. ChatGPT isn’t human and, therefore, it lacks genuine emotional intelligence.

“Conflicts and deep arguments need active listening, empathy, and understanding different viewpoints, which AI lacks,” says Dr. Michael Kane, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer at Indiana Center for Recovery. “Authentic communication depends on full participation in which all of the contributors feel heard and valued, something machines are incapable of providing.”

Jordan Conrad, a psychotherapist and researcher at Madison Park Psychotherapy who focuses on the application of artificial intelligence in the mental health fields, tells me that if you feel the need to ask ChatGPT to help you ‘win’ an argument, you might have already lost.

“The biggest problem with using AI to 'win' arguments is that it demonstrates that you are not 'in it' together – you are trying to win, not resolve the issue. That is a big red flag,” Conrad explains. “As corny as it sounds, in relationships, arguments have to be framed as 'you and me vs. the problem,' not 'you vs. me.' If one person 'wins' and the other 'loses,' then you both lose.”

Disagreements should be about finding resolution, not scoring points. AI doesn’t change that dynamic, it might even make it worse.

This reminds me of a viral Reddit post from last year, where a man claimed his girlfriend would pause arguments to ask ChatGPT for help. And (would you believe it?) somehow, it always seemed to side with her.

“Couples need to find a way for both people to walk away feeling good about the disagreement. If one person dominates the other, you’re creating a feeling of disconnection,” Conrad explains.

There’s also a bigger issue here, that relying on AI to navigate conflicts could weaken our critical thinking skills over time. “AI over-reliance in emotionally charged situations may impair an individual’s ability to feel, process emotions, and hone vital talking skills,” says Kane. The more we outsource conflict resolution to machines, the less we engage in the messy but necessary human process of learning to communicate effectively.

Beyond that, AI may sound confident, but that doesn’t mean it’s right. We already know it can get things wrong, even hallucinate (make up information). This is because it generates responses based on probabilities rather than deep understanding. “It is not at all clear that, at this stage, if AI can genuinely win an argument and not simply do what it is programmed to do, which is provide the statistically most likely word in a sequence,” Conrad explains.

AI doesn’t ‘think’ the way we do, it just predicts the next most logical word based on its training. That can be useful, but it’s also a major limitation, especially in emotionally complex situations. “A calculator does not actually know arithmetic, it just solves the problem, and similarly, Microsoft Word does not actually know English grammar,” Conrad tells me.

Even seemingly simple phrases like "I love you" can carry vastly different meanings depending on context, something AI struggles to interpret. “A romantic partner and a drunken stranger saying the same words convey entirely different meanings. Likewise, a person with a history of trauma will interpret ‘I love you’ differently from someone with secure attachments,” Conrad says. AI lacks the depth to truly mediate between two people with different life experiences and emotional responses.

Why ChatGPT can sometimes be helpful

Despite its flaws, AI can be used to help during arguments and disputes, to a point.

One major advantage is that it can help you organize your thoughts. High-stress situations can make it difficult to articulate what we mean, and AI can assist with that. “I think it's okay to use ChatGPT to organize your thoughts or get your points across more clearly, especially when you’re trying to express something complicated or when emotions might get in the way,” says Michelle English, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Clinical Manager at addiction treatment center Healthy Life Recovery.

“For example, if you’re preparing for a tough conversation, ChatGPT can help you outline your message in a calm and clear way, so everything you want to convey is included and the message comes across effectively,” she tells us.

It can also serve as a useful brainstorming tool. “It's helpful for brainstorming ideas, finding the right words, or getting additional insight on something,” says English. Whether you need to think through different approaches to an argument, generate counterpoints, or explore alternative ways to phrase something, AI can provide a starting point.

AI can sometimes offer a neutral perspective. When emotions run high, a third party can help reframe things – but finding someone truly impartial (and willing to drop everything to mediate) isn’t always easy. While ChatGPT doesn’t fully understand emotions, it can at least take some of the heat out of a situation.

“ChatGPT can be a great tool to help reframe your points in a calmer, less accusatory tone. If you’re feeling emotionally charged, ask ChatGPT to help identify and articulate the other person’s viewpoint so you can approach the conflict with more empathy,” says Amanda LaMela, an Advanced Clinical Intern at PAD Mental Health.

Finding a middle ground

As with so many AI applications, ChatGPT isn’t a replacement for human communication, it’s a tool. Like therapy, using AI for support is fine, but outsourcing the entire emotional process? Not so much.

“A more effective approach would be using AI as a tool to provide objective information that helps discussion while also preserving the human element of communication,” says Kane.

For me, context is everything. A disagreement with a romantic partner, where honesty and authenticity matter most? I wouldn’t dream of using AI. Navigating a workplace conflict where I want to double-check my tone? Maybe.

Even then, it might not just be about context – it’s about the nature of the argument itself. Using AI as a mediator in a relationship feels wrong to me. But if a couple kept circling the same unresolved issues, both clouded by emotions and past experiences, could AI help? Maybe. Especially for those who can’t afford relationship counseling.

Still, that assumes AI has some all-knowing wisdom. And we know it doesn’t. It’s prone to hallucination and responds only as well as the prompts you feed it – this makes me worry it could be extremely biased in its views, depending on who asks what and how.

So where does that leave us? I like LaMela’s advice to see this like cooking. Bear with me.

“Using ChatGPT to win an argument is a bit like seasoning your cooking with salt,” she says. “Use it thoughtfully, and it can enhance clarity, smooth out bitterness, and help avoid burning bridges. But too much reliance on AI, and you're just serving up something artificial and gross.”

So, should you use ChatGPT to win an argument? Probably not. But can it help you communicate more clearly and approach discussions with more balance? Maybe. The trick is knowing when to use it, what to ask, and when to step away from the screen and have a real, vulnerable, messy conversation.

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• Stardew Valley is an iconic, relaxing RPG
• Someone has created a perfect Wear OS theme that mimics the game's aesthetic
• It means fans can take the relaxing vibes of the game everywhere they go

Stardew Vally is an iconic indie RPG with a quiet, calming aesthetic that's so good we dubbed it one of the Games of the Generation in 2020. Now, fans of the title with a Wear OS smartwatch can take the game everywhere they go with this incredible homemade watch face.

"I made a Stardew Valley themed Wear OS Watch face," u/brueqqe shared in the Stardew Valley subreddit in a post (spotted by ScreenRant) that now has more than 17,000 upvotes.

The custom watch face embraces the stylistic Stardew aesthetic, turning it into a functional watch face that can show you the battery life for your phone and watch, and featuring the Stardew Valley interface for date, time, and day progress. There's also a step counter and a temperature gauge, as well as a small exclamation notification for calendar events.

Get Stardew Valley on Wear OS

I made a Stardew Valley themed WearOS watch face from r/StardewValley

The Wear OS Stardew Valley watch face comes with a low-power alternative, too.

As for compatibility, the creator says this watch face will work with "all Wear OS Samsung watches" apart from the new Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra – so unfortunately, if you've got two of the best Android smartwatches, you can't use this face (for now at least).

This face is also uniquely built around Wear OS, so there's no chance of this popping up on the Apple Watch or Garmin devices anytime soon.

Since posting, the creator has flagged that some people are having problems installing the watch face because they're struggling to download the Kustom Watchface Creator (KWCH) app. If you've already got the app (you'll need the Pro version), you should be able to download and import the face.

Otherwise, u/brueqqe says they're working to rebuild the watch face in Samsung Watch Face Studio so more people can download it.

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• Ofcom will now issue sanctions for tech platforms for harmful content
• Fines of up to £18 million could be given
• Social media and messaging apps are in the scope of the Online Safety Bill

The UK’s communications regulator Ofcom has announced it will now issue sanctions against tech platforms that fail to remove illegal or harmful content on their sites.

From today, updates to the Online Safety Act mean new ‘illegal harm duties’ have come into force, meaning platforms must implement appropriate measures to “remove illegal material quickly when they become aware of it, and to reduce the risk of ‘priority’ criminal content from appearing in the first place.”

This means platforms will be assessed on compliance with ‘illegal harm obligations’, and law enforcement will be “ launching targeted enforcement action” when concerns are uncovered. Priority offences targeted include harassment, terrorism, abuse material, and fraud.

A wide scope

These enforcements won’t come just for social media platforms, but also for search engines, and ‘user-to-user’ services with “a significant number of UK users, or targeting the UK market”, where people may encounter content, including message, videos, and images that have been generated, uploaded, or shared by users.

Ofcom will use the ‘strong enforcement powers’ at its disposal, including applying to courts to block platforms in serious cases, and issuing fines of up to 10% of turnover, or £18 million for non-compliance.

“From our experience in advising clients with their Online Safety Act experience and assisting with their risk assessments, it is important for service providers to get it right and conduct the risk assessments properly,” comments Terry Green, Social Media Partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman UK LLP.

“This means service providers must fully take into account Ofcom’s risk profiles, various factors attributing to the risks and meet robust record keeping requirements. The amount of guidance released by Ofcom indicates it has high expectations in terms of how service providers are complying with its statutory duty.”

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• A German retailer and a UAE classifieds site have listed the Pixel 9a for sale
• Specs and images were also included
• These listings suggest the phone will be launching imminently

The Google Pixel 9a must be one of the most heavily leaked phones in recent memory, as along with leaked specs and images we recently saw detailed hands-on Pixel 9a videos – and now the phone has popped up for sale in two different places.

As spotted by GSMArena, the phone was listed on a now-removed page on the website of German retailer Technomarkt. The listing included pictures, a starting price of 549 euros (roughly $600 / £460 / AU$940), and a fairly detailed specs list.

According to the listing, the Google Pixel 9a will come in Gray, Rose, Black, and Violet shades, will have Gorilla Glass 3 protection, and will have either 128GB or 256GB of storage.

Solid specs we've heard before

It apparently has a 6.3-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2,700 nits, and it’s said to have a Tensor G4 chipset like the rest of the Pixel 9 line, 8GB of RAM, a 5,100mAh battery, a 48MP main camera, and a 13MP ultra-wide camera, all of which are details we've heard before.

The other listing is less revealing, and takes the form of a classifieds post in the UAE. This then isn’t an official store; rather it’s an individual who's selling a Pixel 9a for AED 2,350 (around $640 / £490 / AU$1,000), but the listing does include pictures of the box.

The fact that both of these listings exist suggests the Google Pixel 9a will launch very soon. Indeed, the German listing stated that the phone would be delivered in around 10-14 days.

We don’t know for sure when the Pixel 9a will be announced, but leaks suggest we could see it as soon as tomorrow (March 19), in which case we should know all the official details soon – although with the Pixel 9a having been so extensively leaked, we don’t expect to learn much that we haven’t already heard.

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• Subsea cables can detect disturbances in the light pulses they carry
• These can be used to locate potential sources of sabotage or damage
• Acoustic sabotage detection will become more common for subsea cables

Following several recent incidents of sabotage against undersea internet cables, many European countries, the European Union, and NATO, are looking for ways to detect attacks as and when they happen.

AP Sensing has now developed a way to ‘listen’ for irregular light pulses travelling through undersea fiber optic cables caused by acoustic energy, such as a diver touching a cable, or a ship dragging its anchor towards one.

Over 95% of the world's internet traffic travels using undersea cables, with damage to these cables being the leading cause of internet disruptions in early 2024.

Detecting sabotage

During a diver detection demonstration shown to the BBC, Daniel Gerwig, global sales manager at AP Sensing, said, “He stops and just touches the cable lightly, you clearly see the signal. The acoustic energy which travels through the fiber is basically disturbing our signal. We can measure this disturbance.”

In addition to the disturbances created by the acoustic energy of a diver touching the cable or a ship passing by, the light signals travelling through fiber optic cables can also be disturbed by changes in temperature, potentially indicating that a section has become unburied.

The technology developed by AP Sensing can also provide some approximate insight into a vessel’s size, location, and even direction of travel. The technology does not require brand new cables to be installed, as the system can use ‘dark’ or unused fibers, or live fibers with free channels.

The system is not perfect however, and requires listening stations to be installed on the cables around every 100km or so, with Gerwig noting that its systems can pick up vibrations up to hundreds of meters away, but “usually not several kilometers away.” The detection distance also varies on how much acoustic energy is transmitted into the cables.

Many other telecommunications and subsea cable companies are developing novel ways of detecting potential damage or sabotage of undersea cables following damage to a number of cables in the Baltic Sea that evidence suggests was deliberately caused by Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’.

Russia’s shadow fleet is made up of incognito commercial shipping vessels that appear to be engaged in maritime trade, but in reality often conduct reconnaissance, espionage, and, in this case, subsea cable sabotage. The vessels often have complex ownership structures and obscured or unknown insurance.

In 2024, the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience was launched by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) in response to increasing geopolitical tensions and the targeting of subsea cables by groups in the Red Sea area.

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While global discussions on AI tools often focus on increasing compute power, the real question for businesses is not just about capacity, but how effectively AI is utilized.

Speed Over Scale: The True Competitive Advantage

In the race to leverage AI, businesses often focus on scaling up their technology—purchasing more powerful software, adopting advanced algorithms, and increasing computational resources. While these efforts provide short-term improvements, the true competitive advantage lies in how quickly AI can deliver actionable insights. As opposed to simply aiming to expand AI’s capabilities, businesses should focus on how AI can help drive faster, data-driven decision-making.

The real differentiator is speed. In an AI-driven landscape, latency can substantially impact the agility of a company. Organizations that optimize their AI systems to deliver faster results will have the ability to respond more quickly to market changes, customer demands, and emerging opportunities, which all impact upon business successes. The faster a business can act on data insights, the more likely it is for the business to stay ahead of the competition.

Optimizing AI for Workforce Productivity

Treating AI as a supplementary tool or a “nice-to-have” often results in missed opportunities. The most successful AI deployments are those that embed the technology into the core of the organization, where it can seamlessly integrate with business workflows across teams and drive real value.

The key to unlocking productivity gains is ensuring that AI works in tandem with other systems within the organization. It’s not enough to simply apply AI to individual tasks; companies need to focus on integrating it into key areas like customer service, supply chain management, and fraud detection, where its impact can be maximized. By aligning AI with core business processes, organizations can drive efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the speed at which they make decisions.

Beyond operational efficiency, AI is also transforming workforce productivity. Businesses are now using AI-driven automation to enhance employee workflows, reducing time spent on repetitive tasks and allowing staff to focus on higher-value work. AI-powered tools can streamline project management, improve collaboration, and enhance decision-making across departments.

The future of AI in business lies with organizations that leverage AI to empower their workforce both horizontally and vertically to ensure all levels and all teams are using the technology to their advantage. This will see gains in efficiency and improvements in employee satisfaction and innovation.

Achieving AI Maturity: Strategy, Implementation, and Growth

To fully realize AI’s potential, businesses must approach its adoption as a long-term strategy rather than a quick technological fix. A structured AI roadmap—focused on clear business objectives, continuous optimization, and workforce enablement—can help organizations unlock sustained value.

The companies that succeed with AI will be those that not only integrate it into their operations but also cultivate an AI-first mindset. By embedding AI-driven insights into everyday decision-making, businesses can build resilience, accelerate growth, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

As AI continues to evolve, businesses that prioritize strategic integration, real-time insights, and measurable impact will be best positioned for long-term success. The key is not just adopting AI, but using it intelligently to drive agility, efficiency, and innovation. Now is the time for organizations to move beyond theoretical discussions and take actionable steps toward AI-driven transformation.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

So, when will Born Again's fourth episode be available to stream on Disney+? In this article, I'll reveal when it'll launch in the US, UK, and Australia. I've also included a full episode release schedule at the bottom of this guide, so you can commit it to memory and work out when new episodes will be released.

When can I watch Daredevil: Born Again episode 4 on Disney+ in the US?

Just like its three predecessors, Daredevil: Born Again's fourth chapter will be available to watch at 6PM PT and 9PM ET. It'll air on Tuesday, March 18 on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services, too, for those wondering.

What is Daredevil: Born Again episode 4 going to come out in the UK?

UK viewers will be reunited with Matt Murdock and his superhero alias Daredevil (well, if the latter shows up this week) on Wednesday, March 19 at 1AM GMT.

New episodes of the Marvel Phase 5 TV series will drop at that time next week as well. After that, though, the clocks will go forward in the UK, so the Disney+ UK release time will change from April 2 onwards. But, those of us who live on British shores will worry about that closer to the time.

When will Daredevil: Born Again episode 4 get released in Australia?

Born Again's fourth entry is set to make its Disney+ debut in Australia on Wednesday, March 19 at 12PM AEDT.

Like the UK, the episodic release time will change Down Under soon. The clocks will go back on Sunday, April 6, so you'll need to take that into account once it happens. I'll let you know when new episodes of this Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will launch on Disney+ in Australia once that takes effect.

When will new episodes of Daredevil: Born Again be released where I live?

New chapters of Daredevil: Born Again, which is one of the best Disney+ shows around, will arrive every week. There is one exception to that rule, though. In February, it was revealed that Born Again will have an unusual Disney+ launch schedule.

The reason? The forthcoming release of Andor season 2. The highly-anticipated Star Wars show's second and final season will be released on April 22. To stave off a clash between it and Born Again, the latter's first season needs to end before the first three episodes of Andor's sophomore outing are with us.

In short: Daredevil: Born Again has to wrap up by April 15. Here, then, is when new entries will air on Disney+:

• Episode 1 – out now
• Episode 2 – out now
• Episode 3 – out now
• Episode 4 – March 18 (US); March 19 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 5 – March 25 (US); March 26 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 6 – March 25 (US); March 26 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 7 – April 1 (US); April 2 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 8 – April 8 (US); April 9 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 9 – April 15 (US); April 16 (UK and Australia)

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For reference, the current standard is PCIe 5.0 which was introduced in 2019 and has since been adopted by the best motherboards with compliance for DDR5 RAM, meaning far superior data transfers compared to PCIe 4.0. More recently, PCIe 5.0 has come to graphics cards, including Nvidia's RTX 50 series (RTX 5090, RTX 5080, RTX 4070 Ti, and RTX 5070) and AMD's RDNA 4 (RX 9070 XT and RX 9070).

With that said, you may be wondering, what are PCIe lanes? That's exactly what we're going over. We'll be outlining the different slots, the data channels, and the differences between generations so you're fully up to speed, whether you've made the jump over to PCIe 5.0, or just want to understand your PC better.

HP’s OfficeJet Pro 9012e is almost indistinguishable from the 9010e we crowned inkjet Labs winner this time last year. It’s a chunky-looking, businessy MFP aimed squarely at home and small offices. While it’s clearly not an enterprise-class device, it’s built to take moderately high use, with a one-time maximum monthly duty cycle of up to 25,000 pages.

In reality this MFP is unlikely to print anywhere near that volume, but it’s well set up for its recommended 1,500 pages a month. In its base you’ll find a 250-sheet paper cassette, while on top there’s a 35-sheet ADF. It can print, scan, copy and fax, with direct control coming via a 6.9cm color touchscreen running a user-friendly menu. It’s hidden slightly on the left side, but you also get a USB host port for direct prints and scans.

The “e” on some HP printers denotes that you must sign up to HP+ to activate the device, and thereafter leave it connected to the internet for it to function. Happily, that’s not the case here, with users allowed to choose whether to activate HP+, the Instant Ink subscription service, or neither. We asked HP to clarify whether it had changed its “dual SKU strategy” which obliged users to choose HP+ or not at the time of purchase, but didn’t hear back before we went to press.

Regardless, the 9012e offers the best of all worlds. Choose to sign up to HP+ and you’ll get an additional year’s warranty and six months of Instant Ink for free. Opt out and you can still get two years’ cover with online registration, and choose to sign up to Instant Ink if you want. We discuss the economics of this in View from the Labs, but without it – at 1p per page in black or 4.2p in color – the 9012e is cheap to run for a cartridge-based inkjet.

HP claims the 9012e has self-healing Wi-Fi, but we had issues connecting it to our regular Labs router – an unremarkable dual-band TP-Link. It couldn’t detect the 2.4GHz network until we rebooted it, after which the printer failed to connect and lost sight of it again. We tried the 5GHz network with similar results, eventually giving up and using our main router. Although this worked without any problems, it’s further away from the test area, which may have slowed the 9012e down.

If it did, we can’t say we especially noticed. The OfficeJet Pro 9012e took quite a while to spool and start printing multi-page jobs, but once started it was the fastest inkjet in this group. It hit 21.1 pages per minute (ppm) on our 25-page text test, and reached an equally impressive 6.9ppm over 24 pages of color graphics. Encouraged by these results we tried our 50-page Alice in Wonderland test, but with a very long spool time this proved slower at just 11.6ppm. The 9012e was also underwhelming when duplexing, reaching only 3.4ipm when printing ten sides of color graphics.

For an inkjet, this is a fast copier, managing single black pages in nine seconds, and needing only ten seconds in color. It rattled off ten mono copies in 71 seconds, and again needed little longer in color, taking 79 seconds. A 10-page, 20-side duplex color photocopy took nearly five minutes, however.

When it came to scanning, this was again the fastest inkjet here, dispatching low-resolution A4 scans in only ten seconds. We were even more impressed at higher resolutions, the 9012e needing only 12 seconds to capture a 10 x 15cm photo at 600dpi.

The 9012e isn’t a great photo printer, with its pigment inks drying to a dull, semi-matte finish. We were also disappointed in its slightly dark and dingy photocopies. Otherwise, it’s hard to fault the quality of its prints and scans, particularly on typical office jobs such as text and color graphics. It’s certainly good enough for printing formal correspondence, and it would be great for archiving documents – if only it came with software that could save scans as searchable PDFs.

Overall, this remains a great MFP for a typical home office. It’s fast, robust, produces good results, and is almost as cheap to run as cartridge-based inkjets get. However, its purchase price has crept up somewhat compared to the 9010e, so it loses out on value for money.

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HP’s LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdw looks like the perfect color laser MFP for a small office. It’s a four-in-one with fax, topped off by a 50-sheet ADF. Both this and the printer are duplex-capable, so you can start a multi-page double-sided copy and go off to put the kettle on.

This MFP has virtually no packing to remove – you can just load up paper, join it to a network and install the drivers. Unfortunately, that didn’t go as smoothly as it should have. The touchscreen didn’t confirm whether the 4302fdw had joined our Labs network, and it didn’t respond when we repeatedly tried to print a network report. Shortly afterwards the printer sprang into life, delivering several unwanted copies.

We still don’t love HP’s TWAIN scan software, which in this case doesn’t offer 150dpi, but its MFPs’ lipless scan platens make it so much easier to retrieve your originals. This is quite a fast scanner, managing a 10 x 15cm photo at 600dpi in just 17 seconds, but it repeatedly dropped out midway through our 1,200dpi test.

If it’s been idle for a while, the 4302fdw needs only about three seconds extra to warm up before delivering a first black or color page. From standby it managed this in 17 seconds, and went on to deliver our 25-page test in exactly a minute. It was slower on our challenging color test, but its 14.4ppm still compares well at this price.

At 1.5p in black or 8p per color page this isn’t the cheapest laser to run, but you can sign it up to HP’s Instant Ink toner delivery, which brings the cost down as low as 1.3p. Unfortunately, you can’t do much about the 4302fdw’s indifferent print and scan quality. Black text was perfect, but graphics and photographs had a blue bias, apart from skin tones, which tended to look flushed. Office scans were perfectly good, but with photos we noticed a loss of detail from the darkest areas.

It’s a shame. The LaserJet Pro MFP 4302fdw should be the perfect small office device, but its results are just a little too weak.

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If Epson’s EcoTank ET-2830 was a normal inkjet we’d be bemoaning its high price and taking aim at a relatively basic specification. We’ll come back to the latter, but the first is explained by this MFP’s refillable ink tanks. The ET-2830 arrives with about 6,000 pages’ worth of bottled ink – enough to see out a year or two of light use in the home. It’s better value out of the box than a comparable entry-level, cartridge-based device.

And entry-level the ET-2830 is. It’s a three-in-one, able to print, scan and copy, yet there’s no display, no USB port and no memory card slot. Instead, you get a few buttons and LEDs, and a reasonably appealing and uncluttered design. It offers just a single rear paper feed, and a basic scanner with no ADF. The printer can’t flip over pages for double-sided prints, although the driver will help you do it manually.

The ET-2830 arrives with blue tape holding down every conceivable flap. Remove that and it’s time to flip open its ink tanks and empty the supplied black and color inks into the relevant nozzle – they’re physically keyed to prevent a disastrous misfuelling. This is usually the bit where we gripe about waiting for the one-off ink priming to complete, but Epson’s new Smart Panel app lets you join the MFP to a wireless network and get on with installing software while you wait. We found its verbosity annoying, but it worked perfectly and turned out to be a time-saver overall.

Once set up, this MFP offers no real surprises. Despite its basic nature, it will happily get on with regular household or micro-office duties, leaving printed pages in a neat stack. As you might expect, it’s not especially fast, managing only 12.3ppm on our 25-page black text test. However, with the print quality dropped to draft it reached 17.2ppm – significantly more than Epson’s stated 15ppm.

Cheaper inkjets often make a meal of our challenging 24-page colour graphics test, but the ET-2830 chugged along at a steady 4.5ppm – more competitive than it sounds. It wasn’t even that slow when printing larger photos, needing about three minutes for each 10 x 8in shot printed onto A4 paper. Unfortunately, it only offers borderless prints on 10 x 15cm paper, on which it took a beard-lengthening 14 minutes to deliver six prints. Color photocopies provided another opportunity to grow facial hair, with a single copy needing 35 seconds. At least mono copies, at 14 seconds each, were relatively brisk.

The ET-2850’s scanner didn’t hang about at lower resolutions. It completed a preview in 12 seconds, and in the same timeframe could capture an A4 document at 150dpi. At 300dpi, the same job took 22 seconds. Things got slower at middling resolutions, with the scanner needing 37 seconds to capture a 10 x 15cm photo at 600dpi. However, scan speeds remained competitive at 1,200dpi, with the same document needing just less than a minute.

Delightfully, there’s nothing especially entry-level about the quality of this MFP’s prints, scans or copies. Draft text was quite faint, but Normal quality produced crisp and dark results. Colour graphics weren’t the boldest we’ve seen, but they were free of banding, and comfortably good enough for home and internal business use. Photocopies faithfully reproduced the originals – although colour copies were a touch less saturated.

This MFP’s photo prints were a highlight of our tests, combining surprisingly crisp details with vivid colors and realistic skin tones. Only our black and white photo presented a challenge, with the ET-2830 adding a slight green tint and failing to preserve the darkest shade details. We were also very impressed with its scan quality, which combined excellent color accuracy with a wide dynamic range, making the most of office documents and photographs.

The EcoTank ET-2830 may be basic, but it’s not unduly slow, and it does everything well. Yes, it’s missing duplex printing and other helpful features, but it’s about as cheap as refillable inkjets get. Once you’ve used up the generous bundled ink, its ongoing running costs are less than 0.5p per color page. Don’t be fooled by the purchase price: the ET-2830 is a bargain.

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While Canon’s Maxify printers are aimed at home and small offices, the Pixma series is unapologetically focused on creative and home use. The Pixma TS8750 sits near the top of the current lineup; a six-ink MFP offering high-quality photo prints and detailed scanning. What it lacks in office features it makes up for with photo-friendly touches such as the memory card slot and a huge color touchscreen display.

The TS8750 is a striking MFP, made from a mix of textured, shiny and translucent black plastics. Its squat stance makes it look as much like AV equipment as it does a printer. But although it looks as if you could sit the TS8750 on a bookshelf, you’d risk losing access to its scanner and its 100-sheet rear paper tray. The bulk of the MFP is inset slightly from a base that juts out at the front. Here you’ll find a 100-sheet paper cassette and the card slot.

If it’s not immediately obvious where paper comes out, all becomes clear when you start printing. The TS8750’s motorized paper output tray emerges – tilting the front panel upwards – shortly followed by your first page. It’s a slick party piece, partially reversed when you turn the MFP off; the panel itself isn’t motorized, so it stays slightly open.

With manufacturers including Canon making a big push on refillable printers, it almost feels odd to fit the TS8750’s six supplied cartridges. They’re easy to insert and, although you can physically put them in the wrong slots, the printer won’t initialize until it detects everything is ship-shape. This printer augments a standard black, cyan, magenta and yellow setup with grey and a second black cartridge. The three colors, grey and smaller black cartridges all contain dye-based inks, ideal for photo printing, while the main black tank is pigmented for strong black text on plain paper.

The TS8750’s chunky SD card slot might seem to the smartphone generation like a relic, but it makes sense when many high-end cameras still use full-sized SD for storage. Insert a loaded card and the initial single-shot preview isn’t that helpful. You can pull up a multi-frame view through which it’s easier to find specific shots from a selection of snaps, but it won’t let you batch select photos to print.

The TS8750 has two other foibles. There’s a handy lip to help you pull out its main paper cassette, but it’s obscured once the output tray is extended. The paper output tray has a flip-up stop, useful to rein in multiple pages after longer print jobs, but it’s not extended automatically when the tray itself emerges.

We hit the TS8750 with our usual mix of office documents and photos. It wasn’t especially fast, reaching just 13.4ppm over 25 pages of text, and only 3.9ppm on our demanding graphics test. Photo prints were snappier, with borderless 10 x 15cm postcards arriving every 70 seconds or so, although a borderless A4 print inched out over five minutes.

This is a reasonably fast scanner, completing a preview in 12 seconds, and needing 20 seconds to capture an A4 document at 150dpi. At a detailed 1,200dpi it needed 78 seconds to complete a 10 x 15cm photo scan. Copy speeds were middling, with a single page taking 17 seconds in black only or 23 in color.

If we were underwhelmed by this MFP’s speeds, it rose sharply in our estimations once we looked at our results. Black text was as crisp and bold as you’ll get from an inkjet, while color graphics were punchy and consistent, with only the merest hint of banding. Photocopies were very strong, with both mono and color copies preserving the details of the original.

Without doubt, the best results came on glossy photo paper, and from the TS8750’s scanner. Captured images showed a sharp focus with faithful colors and a wide dynamic range that preserved detail from the very lightest and darkest parts of originals. Photo prints were exceptional, offering perfectly reproduced skin tones, vibrant colors and crisp detailing. Unsurprisingly, given the dedicated black and grey inks, black and white prints were rich and free of any color cast.

This isn’t a cheap multifunction in the first place, and with a cost per page upwards of 10p, it won’t prove especially economical in use. That’s particularly true if you’ll often print text, every page of which will set you back a steep 3.5p. However, if you want a smart home MFP that’s as comfortable printing photos as it is scanning artwork, the TS8750 may well prove worth the premium.

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It’s hard to get excited about a laser printer, but Brother’s HL-L9430CDN might just put a hop in an office manager’s step. It’s a big beast, designed for use in small businesses and workgroups, and it comes with a suitable specification. In the base there’s a fully enclosed 520-sheet paper cassette, while the large flap at the front hides a 50-sheet multipurpose feed. Printed pages emerge into a 250-sheet tray on the top.

So far, so standard, but the HL-L9430CDN offers direct control through a large 8.8cm color touchscreen. While many business printers run rather cryptic, unfriendly menus, Brother’s is simple, offering quick access to functions and settings. It’s enhanced with web features, allowing you to access and print from cloud services such as Dropbox, Google Drive and SharePoint. Hidden nearby on the left panel there’s a USB host port for walk-up printing.

The final front panel feature is an NFC reader, used to control access if you need to lock down users or features. Using the printer’s web interface you can block people from printing, using the USB port or accessing web functions, or you can limit the number of pages an individual can print.

It comes with USB and gigabit Ethernet ports. Curiously you can’t buy it off the shelf with a wireless interface, but Brother will sell you one as an option. There’s also a rear USB port for secure printing. Brother offers a range of extra paper trays and a staple finisher, so this printer can grow to match your business’ needs.

Load it up and you’ll see the usual nag about setting the correct paper type. The HL-L9430CDN follows this by asking if you ever want to see the question again – a brilliant timesaver if, like us, you rarely change paper type and it simply gets on your nerves. We were also happy to see clear orientation marks at the front of the main tray and in the center of the multipurpose feed. Too many lasers force you to unload the paper just to see how to orientate the stack; a pain if you’re re-using previously printed pages, or using single-sided media.

Start printing and it’s clear that this is a very rapid device. However, if it’s been idle for any length of time the warm-up period can be toe-tappingly long. After an hour of rest we timed a first black text page out in 25 seconds, but the first color page of the day took nearly a minute and a half.

This pause aside, the HL-L9430CDN made mincemeat of our tests. It reached 30.6ppm when printing 25 text pages, and managed 34.9ppm on our 50-page document. Both fall a way short of the stated 44ppm engine speed, but our tests include the time taken to spool and send the job. Discount this and it was almost bang on target.

Like all printers, the HL-L9430CDN was slower when printing our challenging color graphics test. Here it reached 21.8ppm, the fastest color result in this test, and not far behind the 27.7ppm mono result recorded by Kyocera’s P2235dn. At the best Fine print quality it delivered two 10 x 8in photos on A4 paper in only 22 seconds, and six 10 x 15cm prints on three A4 sheets in 21 seconds. It duplexed ten sides onto five sheets at a rate of 14ipm.

So often, a promising color laser is torpedoed by high running costs, but happily that’s not the case here. The HL-L9430CDN is complex, requiring four toners, a drum, a waste bottle and transfer belt, but even factoring in all these it costs 0.9p per black page or 6.1p in color. This printer arrives with generous 9,000-page black and 6,500-page color inbox toners. With the largest replacements good for 12,000 black or 9,000 color pages, maintenance intervals shouldn’t be too frequent.

While not offering perfect color reproduction, the HL-L9430CDN still made a good job of our test photos, and printed excellent color graphics with a pleasing luster.

Black text was as good as you’d expect, too. Overall we could hardly call this hulking laser exciting, but it delivers everything you need in a busy business printer. And with Brother having won our Best Printer Manufacturer award for ten years in a row, you can expect great reliability and support, too.

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The pressure to maintain airtight security while navigating complex regulations and internal business priorities is taking a toll. According to a recent survey 35% of UK CISOs experience regular stress and overwork, highlighting a growing crisis that threatens not only individual well-being, but also the security posture of businesses. Can businesses effectively protect themselves from cyber threats when the leaders responsible for their security are stressed out?

Business Impact of Burnout

The challenge security teams face is compounded by an increasingly complex threat landscape. Beyond traditional (but still incredibly prevalent and effective) threats such as phishing and malware; teams are facing sophisticated ransomware attacks that can cripple entire organizations, extortion, supply chain attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in third-party software, and possibly (in the coming years) AI-powered attacks (though the jury’s still out on that one).

This isn't just an issue of retention: burnout on the security team can translate into increased vulnerability to cyberattacks. Exhausted security professionals can be more prone to make mistakes, miss critical alerts, and struggle to implement effective security strategies. In fact, companies with burned-out security teams are more likely to experience a data breach, with the average cost of such breaches now exceeding millions.

Additionally, high CISO turnover due to burnout exacerbates the existing cybersecurity skills shortage, making it even harder for organizations to build and maintain strong security teams. Replacing a CISO represents a significant investment, not to mention the prospect of disruption and loss of in-house knowledge.

A Reactive vs. Proactive Approach

CISO burnout threatens to prevent security leaders from focusing on strategic initiatives, such as building a robust security culture or implementing proactive threat-detecting programs. When CISOs are constantly putting out fires, they don't have time to develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that aligns with business goals. This inability to strategically plan and implement can hinder innovation and growth, as businesses become hesitant to adopt new technologies or expand into new markets due to security concerns.

A Multi-Pronged Approach

So, what can businesses do to address the issue of CISO stress (and, for that matter, stress within the wider security team)? There's no silver bullet, but a multi-pronged approach is key. I would recommend:

1. Cultivating a culture of cybersecurity awareness: Cybersecurity needs to be recognized as a core business imperative, not just an IT issue. CISOs need direct and meaningful engagement with boards to ensure security priorities align with business objectives. This requires a cultural shift that empowers CISOs to effectively communicate the risks and needs of their teams.

2. Realistic resource allocation: Boards need to provide adequate funding and resources for cybersecurity teams. This includes not only financial investment in technology and personnel but also realistic expectations regarding workload and responsibilities. CISOs cannot be expected to be on-call 24/7. Organizations should create structured downtime policies and distribute security responsibilities more effectively.

3. Prioritizing work-life balance: Promoting work-life balance for CISOs and their teams is crucial. This includes encouraging mandatory vacation time, offering flexible work arrangements where possible, and providing access to mental health resources and support programs. A healthy and rested security team is a more effective security team.

4. Technology that enables, rather than overloads: AI and automation have the potential to ease the workload, but they should be implemented strategically. The focus should be on tools that reduce noise and improve efficiency, not add to the existing overload. Adopting the right technology can free up CISOs and their teams to focus on strategic initiatives.

5. Investing in wellbeing programs: Investing in mental health, exercise, and broader wellness initiatives, including peer support networks, and leadership coaching for cybersecurity professionals is not just about retention - it's about ensuring that cybersecurity teams can function at their best. These programs demonstrate a commitment to employee well-being, helping CISOs and their teams manage stress and burnout.

The Future of Cybersecurity Leadership

If businesses continue to push CISOs while offering insufficient support, they risk not only losing key talent but also compromising their own security resilience. Without a concerted effort to create a sustainable working environment, businesses will continue to face high turnover rates, increased security risks, and ultimately, a weakened ability to protect their assets. Now is the time for corporate leaders to take meaningful action before more CISOs succumb to the pressures of an already demanding profession.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

From what we can tell, the latest Megaboom 4 is a minor update to the previous model but, according to users who have already tried it, the fourth-generation speaker has a better soundstage. So it should be music to your ears to know that it’s received a booming 29% discount in Amazon’s Big Smile Sale.

Now, we haven’t actually reviewed the Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4, but we’re major fans of the brand as a whole and we gave the previous model four stars in our UE Megaboom 3 review. As a brand, it regularly churns out top-performing speakers that are both fun to live with and to use.

The Megaboom 4 should, therefore, continue that trend, especially as it introduces a few new features to ensure it remains top of the pile. Chief among the upgrades are new passive radiators that promise to improve bass performance and an overall bigger, cleaner sound.

Elsewhere it’s pretty much business as usual, but as we said in our UE Megaboom 3 review, that model refined what was already a great portable speaker and so UE didn’t need to reinvent the wheel with the fourth generation. What is perhaps most pleasing to see is a USB-C charging port (the old model used micro-USB, but it is 8 years old now) and battery life remains the same at 20 hours. It also retains an IP67 rating for protection against dust and water.

This AU$101 discount for Amazon’s Big Smile Sale brings the Megaboom 4 down to just under AU$250, putting it in the firing line of the talented Beats Pill. What makes Ultimate Ears’ speaker stand out is its 360º sound delivery, making it a fantastic addition to any party.

If you’re after more deals and discounts, check out our live coverage of Amazon’s Big Smile sale for 100+ more offers.

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I am a Lego fiend, and if I had the space, my entire home would be wall-to-wall plastic bricks and minifigures. I’ve settled for my personal favourites instead of the entire range, but every now and then a price drop on a nice set comes past that I simply cannot ignore. What can I say? It’s the ultimate generation-spanning toy and home decoration.

So, since Amazon’s Big Smile Sale went live, I’ve been grinning ear to ear. These are the five sets that the limited space in my apartment is begging me not to buy, but would likely be a hit in your home or as a gift for a loved one.

I’m of course being quite selective with the five I’ve picked out below, but I highly recommend browsing the Lego store on Amazon for the perfect set for you.

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• ViewSonic VP2788-5K enters the growing 5K space, but does it justify its premium price tag?
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The growing market for 5K and 8K monitors has seen more brands introducing high-resolution monitors for photo editing and video editing, with ViewSonic becoming the 10th vendor to enter this space by unveiling its VP2788-5K at the Pepcom Digital Experience in January 2025.

ViewSonic had announced the VP2788-5K would launch in Q1 2025, but scepticism arose due to the fate of its previous 8K monitor, the VP3286-8K, which was announced but never reached the market, raising concerns about potential delays.

However, the VP2788-5K has broken this trend, and it's now officially available on Amazon.

ViewSonic VP2788-5K: A professional-grade 5K monitor

The ViewSonic VP2788-5K is a 27-inch monitor with a 5120 x 2880 resolution, making it one of the smallest 5K displays available, and specifically designed for Mac users and creative professionals, offering 100% sRGB and 99% DCI-P3 color coverage to ensure precise and accurate visuals.

It has Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, which supports data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, 100W power delivery, and daisy-chaining for dual-monitor setups, while HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, and USB-A ports enhance compatibility with a variety of devices.

With Pantone validation and HDR400 certification, the VP2788-5K delivers vibrant colors and deep contrast, while its matte screen minimizes glare, and the ergonomic stand allows users to adjust height, tilt, and swivel for greater comfort.

At $1,041.66 on Amazon, the ViewSonic VP2788-5K is positioned as a premium option, but with alternatives offering similar features at lower prices, it remains to be seen whether it can still make an impact in the growing 5K monitor market.

Here are some other popular options that we spotted on Amazon, which sell for almost half the price of the Apple Studio Display.

ASUS ProArt PA27JCV: A budget-friendly 5K option

The ASUS ProArt PA27JCV is another 27-inch 5K monitor, priced at $799 on Amazon. Like the ViewSonic VP2788-5K, it offers 99% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB color accuracy, making it ideal for design and editing work.

It's Calman Verified, meaning it has been factory-calibrated for high color accuracy. The USB-C port provides 96W power delivery, supporting MacBooks and other USB-C devices.

The standout feature is Auto KVM, which enables seamless switching between multiple devices using a single keyboard and mouse, while LuxPixel technology reduces glare for better visibility in bright environments.

Samsung ViewFinity S9: A smart 5K alternative

Samsung’s ViewFinity S9 (LS27C900PANXZA) is another contender in the 5K monitor market, priced at $848 on Amazon. Unlike the other two monitors, it includes smart features, making it a hybrid between a monitor and a TV.

It has 99% DCI-P3 color coverage and a matte display to reduce reflections. Thunderbolt 4 connectivity supports up to 90W charging, making it a convenient choice for Mac users.

It includes a detachable business webcam, a remote control, and a two-year warranty, setting it apart from traditional monitors. However, it lacks Pantone validation and Calman certification, which may be important for professional designers.

The increasing availability of affordable 5K monitors suggests that they're now a practical choice for professionals who need more detail than 4K but don’t require an 8K monitor — which remain rare and expensive.

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Since October 2023, we’ve seen Panos Panay's arrival usher in changes within Amazon Devices group – think Echo, Fire TV, Kindle, and Alexa – at the broader shopping giant. Most recently, though, we saw Panos and his team at Amazon introduce a new Alexa, Alexa+, which reinvigorates the classic assistant with a ton of AI.

In a new interview with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Panay teases the next part of evolution and that he wants “perfection in every single product that we ship.”

He teased that he plans to re-engineer hardware across the lineup for more affordable, mid-range, and premium devices – dubbed ‘entry, core or signature.’

Better yet, Panos says battery life will be longer for portables, that the speakers will sound better – maybe even setting a standard higher than the first generation Echo Studio with a squeal – and, potentially taking a page from his time as Surface’s lead, promises ‘the best security available.’

It’s said that the first devices featuring Alexa+ that Panos has touched, beyond the Kindles and even the Echo Show 15 or 21, will arrive in the fall – think August to October of 2025.

Indeed, Panos is setting a high level for future Echo smart speakers and smart displays, as well as its lineup of Fire TV sticks and televisions, Fire HD tablets, and various other devices. We already saw the next generation of Kindle debuted in the last quarter of 2024, and in this wide-ranging interview, Panay stated: “There won’t be a corner cut. It won’t matter if we tried it before. It won’t matter what you thought it used to be.”

This could lead to a sharper focus for Amazon’s entire devices team, which is still starting at the customer and working backwards but also putting out future devices with more polish. It could also be a device type that Amazon has tried. However, this does not mean Amazon is bringing back the short-lived Fire Phone – Panos made it clear he doesn’t have plans to do that, though it’s not entirely off the table.

More likely, it could mean reinvestment in robots for the home, like the Ring Always Home Cam – a flying security drone – and Amazon Astro. The latter is still an invite-only Day One product, but Panos summed up a big part of the vision as giving folks a reason or a better one to use Alexa.

On Astro and robots as a whole, Panos said, “if a robot is part of that, then I’ll make sure we have a great robot.” He also hinted that augmented reality glasses and new wrist-worn devices could be part of a future lineup. This might mean future versions of Echo Frames could feature cameras, much like Ray-Ban Metas, but also be more full-featured devices with access to Alexa+. Panos confirmed that hardware upgrades are coming to Amazon’s current wearables, Echo Frames and Echo Buds.

It also makes more sense why Alexa+ had to be unveiled first. It will be the central feature of these future devices, essentially serving as the new platform on which they can hopefully excel. I still bet Amazon wants a screen in everyone’s house.

Like Panos’ strategy at Microsoft for Surface, Amazon’s forthcoming devices will likely have the utmost attention to detail and not just offer speeds for the sake of going fast but rather be there to provide some sort of functionality and genuine helpfulness for whoever is using it.

Panos stated, “We’re envisioning what’s the next thing for a customer when it comes to AI devices and we have some incredible ones.” It’s doubling down on Amazon’s devices lineup, and I’m just keen to see if Amazon will flood the market with new devices in the fall like its previous events or if it will be a more tempered approach. At the minimum, I hope for a few new Echo speakers across the entry, core, and signature lineup.

You can read the full interview with Panos Panay at Bloomberg here.

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As the name states, Deep Research is Google Gemini's AI-powered research assistant. Rather than the usual search and response of the standard Gemini model, it puts together a full report, including citations from sources that it analyzes and creates a tidy package from.

After testing the free Gemini Deep Research for a bit, I wanted to share some ways you can put it to use.

Explain that movie

We've all had that moment after a deliberately confusing movie or TV show where you're baffled and perhaps had to pretend to understand what was happening. Sometimes, not even the creators knew what they were going for (the story of Lost). Christopher Nolan is notorious for such plots, particularly in Tenet. If you really want to get into it, Gemini is the non-judgmental genius who will guide you out of the maze. I asked the AI to: "Explain the plot of ‘Tenet’ to someone who didn't understand it all."

The AI's report, amusingly titled "Unraveling the Temporal Knot," had everything I wanted. It walked through the movie’s complex concepts, like inverted entropy and temporal pincer movements, and even made a chart of the various characters and their goals and methods. I didn't actually like the movie more, but at least the structure of the more nonsensical parts became clear.

Argument round

I wanted to challenge Gemini and went for combining science with social interactions. Though I'm lucky enough not to have anything like this at Thanksgiving, I've heard a million stories of relatives who can turn Thanksgiving dinner into a conversational minefield for one reason or another. I decided to see if Gemini could help diplomatically defuse one particular example I would have trouble not pushing back against. I explained to the AI that: "My extended family member insists the Earth is flat and I need a gentle but compelling explanation of why it's not."

Gemini came back with a long, easily understood explanation covering any and all aspects of the facts that the Earth is round, ranging from historical anecdotes about early explorers to simple observations anyone can make. It even had a chart of the different forms of evidence and ways that anyone could see that they proved the Earth was round.

The whole thing was written in a way that didn't call someone who thinks the Earth is flat ignorant or any other provocation. I can think of a couple of friends for whom I might print this.

Purchase power

Next, I wanted to see how much help Gemini Deep Research could be when making a purchase. Ahead of some future house painting plans, I asked the AI to "Research the best paint finishes for high-traffic areas that are easy to clean and durable."

The report that came back was thorough. Honestly, a little too thorough. The AI made a point of defining a long list of different kinds of high traffic and explored a lot of the chemical differences that make the paint more or less durable.

Eventually, it came to the point of which paint features to consider and which specific brands to consider. Still, ultimately, I might have opted for the shorter answer from the usual Gemini model in this case.

Road tripping

I've been dreaming of doing a long weekend road trip with my wife not far from here. There are plenty of guidebooks, of course, but I wanted something a little more compact and tailored to our interests, so I figured I could see if Gemini Deep Research could help.

I asked the AI to: "Help me plan a 4-day road trip through upstate New York focusing on scenic hikes, cozy bed-and-breakfasts, and local food."

The AI came up with a very solid itinerary. Not only did it lay out what we could do every day, but it also had helpful lists and charts of places to stay, hikes to try, and restaurants to eat at. It also had a suggested packing list and tips for the drive that would make it a lot easier to get around. I also enjoyed the "local guide" flavor of the writing, with its talk of "breathtaking hikes," "authentic flavors of local cuisine," and "rugged wilderness and picturesque mountain towns."

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The popular perception of AliExpress is that it’s the kind of website that you’d use to purchase bargain-priced goods, sometimes only costing a couple of dollars, if not a couple of cents. However, tech companies such as Ugreen and gaming accessories maker 8BitDo have official store pages on the site, allowing you to save some serious money on quality products.

We’ve taken the liberty of rounding up some of our favourite deals from the sale below. Keep in mind that listings on AliExpress do not include GST (tax is applied at checkout), but the prices we’ve listed below are inclusive of GST.

We’ve also hunted down only trusted products from reliable AliExpress storefronts. Additionally, keep in mind that warranty claims may be complex and require posting an item back to the country of origin.

The anniversary sale ends on March 27, giving you a good bit of time to shop some fantastic bargains.

AliExpress is a TechRadar preferred partner (What does that mean?)

AliExpress products by category

It’s not just tech retailers on AliExpress. You can also shop fashion, automotive, home and jewellery on the website, among other categories.

• Accessories
• Automotive and motorcycle
• Babies and kids
• Computer, office and education
• Consumer electronics
• Furniture
• Home appliances
• Home improvement and lighting
• Jewellery and watches
• Garden
• Luggage
• Security and protection
• Shoes
• Sports and entertainment
• Tools
• Toys and games

AliExpress anniversary sale: 10 top deals

On top of the savings below, AliExpress is also offering some generous discount codes from March 17 at 6pm AEST. These coupons expire at 6pm on March 27.

• Save AU$3 with code AUAS03 (orders above AU$30)
• Save AU$10 with code AUAS10 (orders above AU$65)
• Save AU$13 with code AUAS13 (orders above AU$99)
• Save AU$20 with code AUAS20 (orders above AU$149)
• Save AU$40 with code AUAS40 (orders above AU$279)
• Save AU$70 with code AUAS70 (orders above AU$429)
• Save AU$100 with code AUA100 (orders above AU$609)
• Save AU$120 with code AUA120 (orders above AU$799)

If these aren't the kind of products you're after, take a look at the entirety of the AliExpress Anniversary sale on the retailer's site – there's heaps more where these came from. That page also lists all the coupons available so you can save more.

Garmin offers great value and quality, with its Instinct range a particular favourite among folks looking for a heavy-duty fitness companion. It’s not all about physical activity tracking with Garmin though – the Lily offers a nice aesthetic without the rugged design for the more delicate wrist while also adding some women’s health monitoring features.

So to set you up for your next smartwatch, I’ve found the best Garmin deals on offer this Big Smile Sale. Most of these aren’t at all-time low prices (the Venu 3S beat out its Black Friday price just slightly!), but they’re still worth the consideration, especially if you want an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch alternative.

If you’re after more deals and discounts, check out our live coverage of Amazon’s Big Smile sale for 100+ more offers.

• The folding iPhone is again tipped to launch in 2026
• A starting price of $2,300 has been predicted
• It's unlikely that it will be unveiled this year

While rumors of a foldable iPhone have been circulating for years, there's a growing pile of evidence that Apple is finally about to put a folding phone out into the world. Two fresh leaks give us a better idea of when it'll arrive and the high price tag that will accompany it.

First, analyst Jeff Pu from GF Securities (via 9to5Mac) has suggested that 2026 will be when the folding iPhone breaks cover. It matches previous predictions from other sources and means a launch this year is now very unlikely.

Then there's an entirely separate report from analyst Tim Long from Barclays (via MacRumors), estimating that the foldable iPhone will set you back $2,300 or higher, depending on storage. That's almost twice the $1,199 starting price of the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Assuming the same percentage price jump in other countries, we'd be looking at £2,300 in the UK and AU$4,120 in Australia. If the launch is indeed happening within the next 18 months or so, you might want to start saving up.

The foldable cost

One useful comparison point to that folding iPhone price rumor would be the cost of a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: the book-style foldable launched last July and is available at a starting price of $1,899 / £1,799 / AU$2,749.

It's quite a jump from there to the rumored price of Apple's foldable, but we've seen in the past that some consumers are prepared to pay premium prices for premium devices – and for devices with the Apple badge on them.

This high price rumor isn't necessarily a surprise either: previous predictions have hinted that the foldable iPhone will cost significantly more than $2,000. For that kind of money, we're hoping for an invisible crease and a self-healing screen.

Of course, none of this is official: analysts like Pu and Long make predictions based on sources working in the industry and supply chain, but it's only when Apple makes its announcement that we can be sure about what's coming.

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• The Maxtang SXRL-20 mini PC's aluminum chassis doubles as a heatsink for stable operation
• Five HDMI ports enable multi-display, digital signage, and surveillance setups
• Fanless design ensures silent, efficient operation in industrial settings

The Maxtang SXRL-20 is a passively cooled mini PC powered by Intel’s 12th Gen Core processors, featuring an Intel Core i5-1235U with a thermal envelope of 12W to 55W TDP, while more powerful configurations with the Core i7-1255U and Core i3-1355U offer flexibility for high-performance computing in industrial and commercial settings.

Per Androidpc (originally in Spanish), this device offers dual NVMe/SATA 2280 slots, supporting up to 8TB of high-speed storage and memory configurations of up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM.

One of its standout features of this business computer is the inclusion of five HDMI ports, with four HDMI 2.0 outputs supporting 4K at 60Hz for digital signage, surveillance, or multi-display setups, while select models add an HDMI input for video capture.

No, it's not a giant heatsink

The Maxtang SXRL-20 features an array of aluminum fins designed to dissipate heat efficiently without the need for fans as its extra-flat aluminum chassis doubles as a large heatsink, eliminating the need for active cooling.

This passive cooling system ensures reliable operation in industrial and commercial environments where dust, vibration, or temperature fluctuations could impact conventional PCs.

The SXRL-20 also comes with a range of connectivity options, including two USB 3.2 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB-C port, dual Ethernet ports (one 2.5G), and a COM port for legacy systems, giving it the potential to be one of the best workstations available for industrial and commercial needs.

For wireless connectivity, an M.2 slot supports Wi-Fi or modem expansion and can accommodate up to six external antennas for enhanced network performance. This level of expandability makes it suitable for networking applications, remote monitoring, and IoT solutions.

The SXRL-20 supports Windows 11 Pro and is compatible with Linux distributions while features such as RTC-based scheduled power-on and automatic boot enhance its application in industrial automation and embedded computing.

The Maxtang SXRL-20 mini PC is available on AliExpress starting at €544, with free shipping to some regions.

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• The Aoostar G-flip 370 is going to be released in "mid-March" 2025
• It features an AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370 APU and a 5-inch 1080p flip-up display
• No pricing has been announced, but it's expected to retail for $700-800

Mini PC manufacturer Aoostar has announced its new G-Flip 370 model which features the powerful AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370 SoC with 12 cores (24 threads) and a boost clock of up to 5.1 GHz. It's billed as the "first AI370 mini PC with removable memory" and seeks to challenge what we typically expect from all-in-one machines. It launches in "mid-March".

Announced in a blog post, the Aoostar G-Flip 370 utilizes the HX 370 chip, featuring RDNA 3.5 architecture integrated graphics with the Radeon 890M baked onto the silicon. The company claims that this new mini PC will be able to play demanding games such as Black Myth: Wukong with a "frame rate of 70 to 80" whereas other titles, such as Naraka: Bladepoint and Genshin Impact should hit the 60fps mark in 1080p.

It claims that the Radeon 890M should be roughly in line with what the 45W RTX 2060M discrete graphics solution could do, even going as far as to promise 4K output in lesser-demanding releases like League of Legends (when hooked up to an external monitor). With some calling the Radeon 890M the "world's fastest iGPU", the claims are not entirely unfounded, but other sources have cited performance closer to a GTX 1070 instead (via Tom's Hardware). It can hold its own against an RTX 3050M, however, the performance is nowhere near as consistent (via Hubwood).

That's because the Aoostar G-Flip 370 features a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen display with a refresh rate of 60Hz that's billed as a "secondary screen". While the advertising suggests using it for system monitoring, it's fully functional as a small monitor that you could use for gaming or media playback - provided you're really close to it. This is similar to the old PS1 flip-up screens from the early 2000s as if you mounted one to a machine (roughly) the size of a Nintendo GameCube.

Arguably more interesting than the built-in display of the G-Flip 370 is the claim of being the "first AI370 mini PC with removable memory". There are two M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots you'll have access to for storage expansion, as well as DDR5 memory modules that can be swapped out. The company was clear in citing people who were "tired of LPDDR memory" can "look forward to it" so the machine will have dedicated DDR5 sticks instead of the traditional LPDDR5 of many mini PCs in this form factor.

More than just another mini PC with a neat gimmick?

The Aoostar G-Flip 370 is an interesting device with a pleasing small footprint and some powerful hardware underneath. While its namesake and USP may point to the screen, it may not be something you get all that much use out of unless you're wanting to have it as a kind of desktop replacement for the likes of a Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally X. You won't necessarily be gaming on a machine like this, but the practicality of having a secondary screen could be useful for a few different things, such as reading stream chat or diagnostics information.

At a time where more mini PCs are hitting the market, many backed by Ryzen AI hardware, it's becoming harder to standout. The G-Flip 370 certainly does, however, arguably more so for its M.2 ports and DDR5 RAM than a bolted-on display. The price is going to dictate whether a machine like this will catch on with consumers, and while no MSRP has been provided, some market estimates position it around the $700-800 mark. This is consistent with some of the company's other products, such as the Aoostar Gem12 Pro (max configuration) and the Aoostar Aoostar GT37).

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• GMKtec's new prototype mini can run demanding games at 1440p above 60fps
• It features an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with a Radeon 8060S iGPU
• No pricing or release date has been announced at this time

A new prototype mini PC from GMKtec is boasting what's been called the "best iGPU performance" ever seen with hardware that appears to play demanding titles at 1440p and over 60fps across the board.

Spotted by Tweak Town, GMKtec's latest mini PC prototype features an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU with 16 cores (32 threads) and a Radeon 8060S (with 40 RDNA 3.5 GPU CUs) baked onto the silicon. The result is a console-sized machine that boasts impressive figures all without the need for one of the best graphics cards inside.

YouTuber ETA Prime, featuring more than one million subscribers, had exclusive access to this prototype machine, being so locked down that the rig itself was pixelated throughout the video.

The results speak for themselves. The new mini PC was able to run Cyberpunk 2077 at 80fps average in the High preset at 1440p, with the recently released Grand Theft Auto V Enhanced Edition (featuring new ray tracing functionality and lighting) running at 90fps in the Very High preset. It's a similar story for Marvel Rivals at 65fps natively with High settings, and 77fps in God of War Ragnarök maxed out, too.

Where we start to see the limitations of the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU's graphics performance is in the cutting-edge PC ports, as can be seen with Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Insomniac Games' latest superhero open-world title runs at a staggering 90fps in High settings, but this is with FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) turned to Quality mode, meaning some upscaling had to be done to achieve ideal performance.

Well-optimized titles have no problem running to a high standard on the GMKtec machine, as can be observed with how it handles Doom Eternal in 1440p in Ultra Nightmare, with an average framerate of 140 without upscaling. This machine can handle some of the more demanding titles on the market without compromising on the performance or visuals despite lacking a desktop GPU.

It's a demonstration of what's possible from a higher-end APU when running at 140W compared to a lower wattage which could be seen from an all-in-one or laptop configuration. Ultimately, the price of a rig like this will make or break it for most people, as this could (hopefully) be an affordable way to bring PC gaming to the living room or as an out-an-out replacement for the Xbox Series S.

A step forward for integrated graphics

While an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU isn't going to make the best processors and graphics cards sweat with what it can do, considering it's an SoC running at 140W, we're impressed by the claimed level of performance on display. We've seen several other manufacturers have a level of success with previous-generation mini PC configurations, such as the Misinforum AX A1 Pro and the Beelink SER9 AI PC, however, this "Strix Halo" rig goes to show that the hardware can stand up to discrete solutions in an otherwise impossible form factor.

The SoC itself is billed by AMD as facilitating the "ultimate next-gen AI PCs" as it's primarily used in some of the best ultrabooks on the market, such as the Asus ROG Flow Z13. We don't typically think of Ryzen AI chips as gaming hardware, given the lack of discrete graphics (whether that's in laptop or desktop form). However, the chip inside the laptop has a default TDP of 55W and not the 140W that's claimed in the prototype testing footage.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 supports a configurable TDP range of between 45 and 120W, meaning the prototype mini PC would have been overclocked slightly, benefitting from additional airflow of the chassis and cases inside. As such, we're seeing what can happen from the latest Ryzen AI pushed beyond its limit and not necessarily what the final consumer product (if it is released) could do from GMKtec. The result could likely feature a 120W TDP, and lose up to 16% of its performance potential at the cost of stability and longevity, but this is yet to be confirmed.

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• Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is tipped to get a showcase at April's Nintendo Direct
• If this tip is correct, we could finally see the game in action
• This has me thinking Metroid Prime 4: Beyond could be a launch game for the Nintendo Switch 2

We’re a little more than two weeks away from the next Nintendo Direct, where we expect to hear much more about the Nintendo Switch 2, and Metroid Prime 4 has been tipped to make a big impression at that showcase.

That is according to the host of the Kiwi Talkz podcast, Reece Reilly, who on Bluesky posted that the long-awaited Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will “blow everything else in the Direct out of the water.”

Reilly also took to X to note: “Nintendo are constantly tweaking Directs right down to the last minute but as of now I am 90% certain it will be in the Direct.”

As someone with a strong presence in the gaming industry, there’s weight behind Reilly’s worlds.

After last year’s tease of Metroid Prime 4 and the introduction of its ‘Beyond’ suffix along with a confirmed launch year of 2025, it would seem logical that the game would get revealed as part of a Switch 2 deep dive, especially as a way to show off the performance of the new hardware.

A launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2?

Going by this tip and what looks like an open-world Mario Kart game in the Switch 2’s reveal trailer, I’d cautiously predict that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Mario Kart will be launch titles for the second-generation Switch.

That would give the Switch 2 two big games to kick it off, especially given Metroid Prime 4 has been long-anticipated. And a new Mario Kart game would pretty much be a slam-dunk for the Switch 2, given the massive popularity of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Nintendo Switch.

I’ve not seen many other tips or leaks touting other first-party Switch 2 games, and there’s no hint of a next-gen Mario or Zelda game in the works.

However, we can expect Switch 2 to support a range of third-party titles that are too demanding for the current Switch hardware and backward-compatible games that could tap into AI upscaling on Switch 2 to look better without needing a direct remaster.

We’ll find out more on April 2 at 6am PT / 9am ET / 2pm GMT / 3pm CEST at the Nintendo Direct, which could be one of the most exciting events of the gaming year so far; rest assured TechRadar will be here to bring you all the latest news and thoughts on the Switch 2.

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It’s just $50 more than the lowest we’ve ever seen, but if you’re a My Best Buy Plus or Total member, you get an extra $50 off bringing it down to a record-low. If you sign up for My Best Buy Plus, it costs $50 and gives you access to exclusive member prices for a whole year, along with free 2-day shipping so it’s worth signing up for if you plan on buying anything else from Best Buy in the next 12 months.

Various versions of the MacBook Air have consistently featured in our look at the best MacBooks so you can’t go wrong with this M2 model. It’s the ideal budget MacBook with very good performance and an incredibly competitive price tag.

Today's best MacBook Air deal

In our MacBook Air 13-inch (M2) review, we gave it a very respectable 4.5 stars out of five. That was thanks to its “very good performance”, “long battery life” and “great design”. None of that is quite as up-to-date as it once was but it still packs a punch when it comes to performance, especially at this price.

It’s a thin and lightweight laptop that’s perfect for taking on your commute without being weighed down. This model has 16GB of memory and 256GB of SSD storage so you may wish to use cloud storage to bump up that capacity but that’s the only real flaw here. Otherwise, its fanless design is something you’ll wonder how you lived without and it has a 1080p webcam for taking video calls while you travel.

Ultimately, a strong-performing laptop with good battery life is always the dream and that’s exactly what this MacBook Air provides.

There are other MacBook Air deals around if you prefer, or you can opt for the extra power from the MacBook Pro deals going on. You won’t regret any of them, but if something Windows-based is more your style, we have other laptop deals too.

• Minisforum AI X1 excels in AI tasks with 38 TOPS of machine learning processing power
• Supports four 8K monitors via HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, and USB4 ports
• Offers fast connectivity with dual 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4

Minisforum has introduced the AI X1, a compact mini PC powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 260 APU, capable of supporting four 8K displays.

The AI X1 features the AMD Ryzen 7 260, an 8-core, 16-thread processor with a maximum clock speed of 5.1GHz, integrated with the Radeon 780M GPU running at 2700MHz, delivering strong performance for gaming and creative workloads.

This business computer also boasts a peak AI processing capability of 38 TOPS, making it well-suited for machine learning and AI-driven tasks.

High-performance processing with Ryzen 7 260 CPU

The AI X1 supports up to 96GB of DDR5 RAM at 5600MHz, ensuring smooth multitasking even with demanding applications. Storage options include two M.2 NVMe SSD slots, allowing for a total capacity of up to 16TB.

The standout feature is its ability to drive four 8K monitors simultaneously through HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 2.0, and two USB4 ports, supporting data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps, making it one of the best workstation options available.

The AI X1 features two USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, a USB 2.0 Type-A port, an OCuLink port, a 3.5mm combo jack, a Copilot button, and dual microphones (DMIC), ensuring compatibility with a wide range of peripherals.

There are dual 2.5G RJ45 Ethernet ports with link aggregation, delivering up to 10 Gbps speeds, along with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for fast and stable wireless connectivity.

Despite its powerful capabilities, the AI X1 remains portable, weighing just 0.6kg and measuring 128×126×52mm. It also incorporates an advanced cooling system with phase-change materials, a large fan, and copper heat pipes for efficient heat dissipation, maintaining optimal performance during intensive workloads.

The Minisforum AI X1 starts at $439, down from its original price of $549, offering a $110 discount. Shipments are expected to commence from April 8.

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• Aoostar G-FLIP mini PC sports a 5.5-inch 1920×1080 touchscreen display
• OCulink’s 64 Gbps bandwidth enables seamless external GPU connectivity
• Expandable memory up to 96GB RAM and 8TB SSD storage

Aoostar has introduced the G-FLIP, a mini PC featuring a 5.5-inch Full HD touchscreen with a 1920×1080 resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, and a hinged design that tilts between 0 and 65 degrees for system monitoring, quick controls, and secondary tasks.

Per Aoostar (via Androidpc, originally in Spanish), the G-FLIP is powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, a high-end Zen 5 processor built on a 4nm process with 12 cores, 16 threads, and a 5.1GHz boost clock, delivering smooth performance for tasks from office work to demanding creative applications like 3D modeling and video editing software.

A major advantage of this chip is its 80 TOPS AI engine, which enhances AI-driven workloads and automation, while the Radeon 890M GPU, running at 2.9GHz with RDNA 3.5 architecture, delivers strong gaming and graphical performance, allowing the G-FLIP to handle modern AAA games at 1080p with solid frame rates, rivaling entry-level discrete GPUs.

Expanding storage and memory options

This business computer supports up to 96GB of DDR5 RAM via dual SODIMM slots and includes two M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 slots with a total capacity of up to 8TB, delivering fast read and write speeds and positioning it as a capable workstation for professionals.

The standout feature of the G-FLIP is its OCulink interface, a 64Gbps high-speed connection for external GPUs, offering superior performance and stability over USB4’s 40Gbps bandwidth, particularly for gaming and content creation.

It features dual 2.5G Ethernet ports, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, USB4, four USB-A 3.2 ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort 2.1 with 8K HDR at 60Hz, supporting three external displays alongside its built-in screen.

Despite its compact size, the G-FLIP features a large vapor chamber cooling system and a bottom-mounted fan, ensuring optimal thermal management for sustained high performance.

While the G-FLIP pushes the boundaries of an all-in-one PC, its reliance on external peripherals and lack of an integrated battery, keyboard, or trackpad keep it desktop-bound rather than a fully portable solution.

The Aoostar G-FLIP will be available soon through AliExpress and Amazon, with pricing yet to be revealed.

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But, with some creative thinking, I've found phrases you can insert into almost any prompt and get far more from the AI as a result. Here are some of the best prompt formats for getting sharper, more engaging responses from ChatGPT.

1. “Roleplay a situation where…”

ChatGPT's dry, balanced, encyclopedia-esque tone is fine for facts, but if you want it to be more active in helping you, you can give it a job in the conversation. Suddenly, you have a method actor immersed in the role.

For instance, you might ask ChatGPT to: “Give me negotiation tips.” The list of strategies you get might help, but they don't make you feel like you're ready for that conversation.

Instead, you can tell ChatGPT to: “Roleplay a realistic situation where I’m negotiating a raise and you're my boss who has some resistance to the idea, so I have to respond effectively.”

ChatGPT might start with: "As your manager, I appreciate your hard work, but budgets are tight this quarter. What makes you think now is the right time for a raise?" Now, you can actually practice what to say, and ChatGPT will continue the discussion with you from your boss's perspective. It might not predict everything in the conversation, but you'll likely be much better at answering those specific questions than otherwise.

2. “Given everything you know about me…”

ChatGPT is a machine-learning model, not a mind reader. But if you’ve been having ongoing conversations with it, it does remember the context of your chats. It has a memory it will add to automatically during your chats, and you can adjust it at will. Why not take advantage of that?

You could always ask, “What book should I read next?” and you'll get some good recommendations, like 1984 or To Kill a Mockingbird. But they're all from generic lists of bestsellers or classics, not tailored to you.

Check the ChatGPT memory or whatever you might have said about yourself in the current conversation and use “Given everything you know about me," and the answer will be very different. You could even make it part of the prompt if you prefer.

So you might ask: “Given everything you know about me, such as my love of sci-fi, my preference for morally complex characters, and my need for a book that will emotionally torment me, what should I read next?”

Now, instead of the usual safe choices, ChatGPT might suggest: “Based on what you’ve described, you might love The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. It’s got deep moral ambiguity, thought-provoking worldbuilding, and an emotional gut punch at the end.”

3. “What would an expert say about this?”

The sanded-down ChatGPT answers to questions make for bland reading at best. If you want depth or expertise, you have to ask for it. That means asking ChatGPT to “Tell me about the future of AI.” provokes a short list of the pros and cons of AI, with caveats and uncertainties at the forefront.

You'll get much more intriguing responses by conjuring an expert on the matter and asking ChatGPT to "Tell me what an AI ethicist would say about the future of AI?" Of course, if you really want to spice up the answer you could invoke a couple of experts who might have different views by following up that prompt with: "Now contrast that with what a Silicon Valley venture capitalist would say.”

The conflict is much more engaging, even with ChatGPT's otherwise cautious tone in responding with: “An AI ethicist might warn that unchecked AI development could lead to massive job displacement, privacy concerns, and algorithmic bias. Meanwhile, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist would argue that AI will supercharge innovation, create new industries, and increase global productivity.”

4. “Break this down step by step for a beginner.”

ChatGPT sometimes assumes you know more than you do, throwing jargon at you without context. Slowing it down makes a big difference. You can ask: “How does machine learning work?” But then, you'll have to read a dense paragraph packed with technical terms. Unless you already understand them, the overall meaning might escape you.

For the uninitiated, a better way is to ask ChatGPT to “Explain how machine learning works step by step as if you’re teaching someone who has never coded before.” No more jargon in this answer: “Imagine you want to teach a dog tricks. You show it how to sit, and every time it does, you give it a treat. Over time, the dog learns that ‘sit’ means good things happen. Machine learning works in a similar way, except instead of dogs, it’s data, and instead of treats, it’s accuracy.” Machines as dogs is the kind of analogy far more people will get.

Easier to understand doesn't have to mean simpler, either. Maybe you just need the right kind of person to explain it. Combine the simplifying prompt with the roleplaying idea, and you could get a much more entertaining answer from a specific persona that appeals to you. Try asking ChatGPT to “Explain machine learning like you’re a stand-up comedian performing for an audience that has no science background.” Or “Explain machine learning as if you’re a pirate telling your crew about a mysterious new kind of treasure.”

5. “Give me an unconventional take on…”

Ask a normal question, and you’ll get a normal answer. Ask for something unexpected, and things get interesting. You could ask ChatGPT to “Tell me about the impact of social media on society.” You'll get a useful, if predictable, breakdown of the positive connections, technological advances, and entertainment possibilities, along with the rapid spread of misinformation, negative mental health impact, and authoritarian information control. It’s fine, but it’s nothing new.

Ask instead that ChatGPT “Give me an unconventional take on the impact of social media,” and you'll learn that “While social media is often criticized for shortening attention spans, it may actually be improving micro-learning. Users are absorbing complex ideas in bite-sized formats, making knowledge more accessible than ever. Unfortunately, that includes maliciously incorrect information and corporate propaganda, too.”

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• Western Digital unveils 26TB Red Pro NAS drive, priced at $569.99
• Built for RAID-optimized systems it promises 6Gb/s and 287MB/s transfer speeds
• Supports 550TB/year workloads and has a 5-year warranty

Although some companies believe the end is nigh for hard disk drives, makers like Seagate and Western Digital disagree. In February 2025, we reported on WD’s roadmap to the future of HDD technology which includes targeting over 100TB capacities in the not-so distant future.

Western Digital says that by 2026, its HDD capacity will reach 36TB–44TB thanks to HAMR, but before we see those drives arriving, the company has launched a new 26TB model at a surprisingly affordable price.

Designed to address the growing storage demands of NAS environments, the 26TB WD Red Pro HDD promises improved performance, scalability, and reliability in multi-bay RAID-optimized systems. The company is pricing the new NAS drive at $569.99 - for context, the same as it's charging for the 26TB WD Gold Enterprise Class model.

Capacity and reliability

“At Western Digital, we are constantly redefining what’s possible to meet the evolving storage demands of creatives and professionals, from 4K and 8K video production to AI analytics and critical workload storage,” said Nitin Kachhwaha, Director of Product Management at Western Digital.

“With the introduction of our expanded 26TB-based Professional lineup and WD Red Pro HDDs, we’re offering the capacity and reliability that today’s consumers and businesses need to stay ahead in an increasingly data-driven world. These solutions represent our ongoing commitment to delivering innovative storage solutions that empower creativity and drive digital transformation.”

The 26TB WD Red Pro HDD (WD260KFGX) helium-based CMR drive is designed specifically for NAS environments and promises a maximum interface transfer rate of 6Gb/s and an internal transfer rate of 287MB/s. It’s rated for up to 550TB/year workloads and boasts 2.5 million hours MTBF.

The drive comes with OptiNAND technology (which uses integrated iNAND embedded flash to perform key housekeeping functions) for improved data tracking and efficiency, and WD says the new model is built for 24/7 multi-user environments, supporting everything from creative workflows to enterprise-level NAS systems.

It comes with a whopping five-year warranty, but still no free data recovery, unfortunately.

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When purchasing an action camera you'll almost always need extra battery power, otherwise you'll have a pretty limited flight time. Thanks to this deal all those worries will disappear as it includes an Extreme Battery Plus pack, as well as several handy lenses, frames, mounts, and more that will cover you for a full day's shooting.

Today's best DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro deal

We have this action camera an impressive 4.5 out of five stars in our DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review. The coveted full marks are very hard to come by which shows just how highly we rate DJI's latest flagship action camera.

DJI hasn't been around for as long as GoPro but it's certainly pushing the limits of what is possible. For example, the Action 5 Pro is more waterproof and freeze-proof than all of its rivals. It also has better battery performance, not to mention the fact that its all-around performance is excellent.

Additionally, it features close compatibility with the DJI Mic 2 which guarantees crisp wireless audio, and a range of options and features that make it perfect for vloggers and general content creators.

DJI isn't your only option. If you'd like to see what other options are available to you then head over to our best action cameras buying guide. We've got a range of options based on budget, resolution, and durability.

YouTube app opens to shorts from r/youtube

This issue has been quite on and off for YouTube and has somehow resurfaced for more and more people over the past few weeks. For many users, the app will automatically open to show its Shorts tab if it was the last thing viewed/ used, as opposed to opening the YouTube homepage as it usually would.

However, according to 9to5Google, it’s noticed a growing trend where YouTube automatically launches Shorts no matter what was previously viewed - and this is the case for both free users and paying subscribers of YouTube Premium. As it stands, it’s not certain if this issue is cropping up for iOS users, however 9to5Google has noticed that Android devices - notably the Nothing Phone (3a) and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold - have fallen victim to this annoying bug.

There’s no doubt that YouTube has contributed a substantial amount of attention to launching its answer to TikTok’s popular short video feed, and even gained an edge over it with a music video remix feature last year. But it’s hard to tell if this bug is a minor fault in the system, or a tactic to get more users to ride the YouTube Shorts train.

How you can fix the YouTube Shorts bug

If you’re an Android user who’s having issues with YouTube playing you Shorts as soon as you launch the app, then there’s a way you can change this. As recommended in 9to5Google’s report, opening and force-stopping the app won’t be enough to solve the issue, but clearing your storage/ cache will help.

Though this is the trick to getting YouTube to stop auto-playing the Shorts tab when you open the app, 9to5Google says that the issue will return when Shorts are opened again. YouTube has yet to comment on its efforts to fix the issue, but we’ll update this story if any new information surfaces.

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The Sage Oracle Jet is a serious contender in the world of high-end espresso machines, offering an impressive mix of automation and precision. Designed to cater to both beginners and seasoned coffee enthusiasts, this high-tech machine helps simplify the often-fiddly process of making high-quality espresso, offering consistent results with minimal effort.

One of the Oracle Jet’s standout features is its high-precision burr grinder. With 45 settings, it allows for ultra-fine adjustments to the grind size so that you can get the consistency you need from your coffee beans. This is a really valuable feature, especially since I’ve found many of the best espresso machines require a lot of trial and error to get this right, which wastes time (and coffee). Sage’s latest model really doubles down on this, providing real-time feedback on extraction, and guiding you in getting the perfect shot every time.

While the automatic tamping system serves up a uniform coffee puck time and time again, I did find that the grinder could be a little messy, occasionally leaving stray grounds on the portafilter and even on the worktop around the machine, but nothing a quick wipe won’t sort out.

The machine makes up for this minor inconvenience with its sizeable, intuitive touchscreen, which makes the entire brewing process not only feel super premium, but truly effortless. It walks you through drink selection, grinding, extraction and milk frothing in a really fluid and enjoyable way, making it almost impossible to get a bad coffee. And the Auto MilQ steam wand automatically textures milk to the right consistency for your drink of choice, even adjusting settings based on whether you're using dairy or plant-based alternatives – a rare but certainly welcome feature in the world of home espresso makers.

Despite its many conveniences, Sage’s impressive machine does have some drawbacks. It’s quite bulky and heavy, so you’ll need ample kitchen worktop space. And the lack of simultaneous brewing and milk steaming can slow things down a bit, especially when making multiple drinks. And, of course, the £1,699.95 / $1,999.95 / AU$3,199 price tag makes it a serious investment.

Still, for those who want top-tier espresso without the hassle, the Sage Oracle Jet delivers. It offers barista-level quality at the touch of a button, making it what I believe to be one of the most advanced and user-friendly coffee machines on the market today.

Sage Oracle Jet: price and availability

• Available to buy now, priced at £1,699.95 / $1,999.95 / AU$3,499
• Sold as Breville outside Europe
• More expensive than most competitors

Sold under the name Breville outside of Europe and Sage in the UK, the Oracle Jet launched in October 2024, priced at £1,699.95 / $1,999.95 / AU$3,499. Available from the brand's official web store as well as John Lewis and other major retailers, it comes in Truffle Black and Stainless Steel in the UK, while buyers in the US and Australia get an additional Sea Salt White option.

Compared to Sage’s other high-end models, the Oracle Jet sits between the Barista Touch Impress (£1,199 / $1,499 / AU$1,999) and the flagship Oracle Touch (£2,099 / $2,799.95 / AU$3,699), making it a solid high-range option.

When stacked up against rival machines, the Oracle Jet holds its ground well. There’s the Ninja Luxe Café ($499 / £400 / unavailable in Australia), which offers a semi-automatic espresso setup with some smart features at a fraction of the price, but lacks the same precision and customization.

Meanwhile, the ProCook Barista Elite Bean to Cup Espresso Coffee Machine (£599 / $775 / unavailable in Australia) is another alternative, offering a very similar experience at a much lower cost, but it doesn’t feature the same level of automation, grind adjustment or cold brew functionality as the Oracle Jet.

• Value score: 4/5

Sage Oracle Jet: specs

Sage The Oracle Jet: design

• High-end build with sleek finish
• Intuitive touchscreen for easy navigation
• Clever built-in features like hidden wheels

The Sage Oracle Jet is a serious piece of kit. Right out of the box, everything about it screams premium, and just shy of £2,000, you’d like to think so, too. With a brushed stainless steel finish, it has a sleek, pro feel that will certainly look the part in any kitchen, given it’s got the space for it. That’s the thing – this isn’t some compact coffee maker you can tuck away in the corner of your kitchen. It’s just under 50cm wide and 40cm deep, so you’ll need plenty of free worktop space to fit this beast in comfortably. It's also pretty weighty, weighing in at over 12kg, so you might even need someone to help you lift it out of the box.

Once you've got it set up and pride of place, it’ll be hard not to immediately fall in love with the 5-inch touchscreen, which dominates the front of the machine, and for good reason – it’s your guide through the entire coffee-making process. Whether you’re brewing a classic espresso or frothing milk for a cappuccino, the Oracle Jet serves clear, easy-to-follow instructions through text and images. It even has light and dark modes, which is a nice touch depending on your kitchen lighting. The interface is smooth and responsive, which is a relief since the screen on Sage’s last machine, the Barista Touch Impress, was frustratingly sluggish. It now works as expected, making swiping between different drinks options a dream.

One of the Oracle Jet’s most, let’s say, thoughtful features is the front-fillable 2.3L water tank. If you’ve ever had to awkwardly shuffle a big ol’ espresso machine around just to access and refill the tank, you’ll definitely appreciate this design feature, as it means you can just fill it up via the access point on the top with a jug straight from the tap. There’s also a window just above the tray so you can peek at the water level, which is always welcome.

Another handy feature is the addition of hidden wheels. Given its size and weight, you might expect the Oracle Jet to be a hassle to move, but a simple swipe of the lever under the drip tray lifts the machine onto its 360-degree wheels, making it incredibly easy to reposition. It’s a small detail, but one that shows Sage has really considered its usability for its customers.

The grinder and portafilter system also boast brilliant build quality, with automatic grinding and tamping, which take the guesswork (and the effort) out of making espresso, but I’ll talk more about that in the performance section. The 58mm portafilter is barista-standard for even extraction, but it also feels well-built and weighty in the hand, like it should.

The Auto MilQ steam wand is another standout. It automatically textures milk to the consistency required for whichever type of drink you’re making – and the neat thing here is that you can input which type of milk you’re frothing, whether that’s your standard dairy or plant-based alternatives like soya, oat or almond. Coffee-brewing control freaks will be pleased to hear they still have the option to steam manually, too.

However, the machine’s biggest drawback is perhaps that you can’t brew and steam at the same time. If you’re making multiple milk-based coffee drinks, you’ll have to wait for one process to finish before starting the other, which can seriously slow things down. This is due to the machine’s single ThermoJet heating system. Unlike dual-boiler machines, which have separate boilers for brewing and steaming, the Oracle Jet uses one heating element for both tasks. If it’s a dealbreaker for you, Sage’s slightly pricier (but not quote as smart) Oracle and Oracle Touch machines are the firm’s only espresso makers that feature a dual heating system, so it might be worth considering those.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Sage The Oracle Jet: performance

• Automatic grind and tamping give top results, time and time again
• Fast heating and smooth espresso extraction
• Cold brew and iced coffee options

The Sage Oracle Jet is built to take the hassle out of home espresso, and after using it for just over a month, replacing my usual espresso maker, I can confidently say it delivers on that promise. From grinding to milk frothing, almost everything is automated, making it ideal for anyone who wants great coffee without the faff.

Let’s start with the grinder. It has 45 settings, which means you can seriously fine-tune your grind size to whatever beans you're using. The smart thing about this is that the machine even tells you if your shot is under- or over-extracted, so you know whether to adjust the grind next time. This is a game-changer if you’ve ever struggled with dialling in a manual espresso machine and haven’t been able to nail the extraction.

The automatic tamping system also works really well here as it means you don’t have to worry about pressing too hard or too soft – you can just let the machine do the work. That said, it does have a habit of leaving a few stray coffee grounds behind, which isn’t a huge deal but does mean a bit of extra clean-up.

When it comes to pulling a shot, the dual ThermoJet system heats up almost instantly, so there’s no waiting around like with cheaper machines. I found espresso extraction to be smooth and consistent, with rich, balanced flavours – whether you’re using high-end beans or just grabbing something from the supermarket. I used Lidl’s Deluxe range Colombian Supremo beans at one point (costly just over £2 per bag) and these proved equally satisfying in my morning coffee, offering a lovely full-bodied and smooth taste. I suspect this was down to the machine making the most of how they were brewed.

The real-time shot timer on the touchscreen is also worth a mention. It’s probably one of my favourite features on this machine—turning green if your shot is timed perfectly and red if something’s off, giving you immediate feedback. It’s so impressive!

The Auto MilQ steam wand also adds to the top performance experience of the Oracle Jet. The milk textures it produces are always silky smooth, and ideal for making latte art if you’re into that (not that I could produce anything worth looking at, but that’s certainly down to my lack of skills). While manual milk frothing is an option, most people will probably prefer the automatic setting and it will produce great results.

One of the more unique features on the Oracle Jet is its cold brew and cold espresso modes. Cold espresso is perfect for iced lattes, keeping the flavours bold without melting the ice too quickly. The cold brew function isn’t quite the same as traditional overnight steeping, but it still produces a smoother, less acidic coffee in a fraction of the time.

Cleaning is another area where the Oracle Jet makes life easy. Despite the mess the grinder can make, it has automatic cleaning cycles for the steam wand and internal components, so there’s not much hands-on maintenance. You’ll still need to rinse the portafilter and wipe down the drip tray, but overall, it’s much lower effort than most espresso machines, I’ve found.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Sage Oracle Jet?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Sage The Oracle Jet: also consider

How I tested the Sage The Oracle Jet

I used the Sage Oracle Jet for just over a month at home, making two coffee drinks per day using a mixture of high quality Lavazza decaf and fully caffeinated coffee beans. During testing, I noted flavors, consistency, temperature, time to brew, and noise levels. Beyond drinking the espresso and coffee black, I tried the different milk frother presets with both dairy and plant-based milk, observing the foam levels and differences between settings. In the end, I tested almost every setting on the machine and observed how it performed during every step.

First reviewed: March 2025

• See all the latest laptop offers at Dell

My top pick is this Dell XPS 13 for $799.99 (was $1,099.99), which is an excellent price for a modern laptop that features a powerful Snapdragon X Plus processor.

This brand-new tech bumps up performance and offers an incredible battery life of up to 17 hours, so you'll find this laptop ideal for demanding jobs, multitasking, and portability – even if the 256GB storage is a little disappointing.

For a cheaper option that still boasts a solid amount of power, consider instead this Dell Inspiron 15 for $449.99 (was $599.99).

It may be an older laptop, but it still has some excellent high-end components, including an Intel i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for storage. That spec will smash through your everyday tasks, such as web browsing, media streaming, admin jobs, and video calls.

There's more info on both of these offers below, as well as several more of the latest Dell deals that I'd buy. These are up there with some of the best laptop deals available right now so do shop them while you can as Dell likes to change its lineup of offers regularly.

Today's 4 best laptop deals at Dell