Technology

When OpenAI first introduced ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, I was intrigued by the idea that this might be the template for a voice assistant capable of all the Star Trek-style feats that Amazon and Google had promised a decade ago. A fluid, back-and-forth conversation with an AI that didn’t sound like you were talking to a robot stuck in 2014, capable of everything ChatGPT does, seemed ideal. It was a major reason I continued paying $20 a month for ChatGPT Plus.

It's worth taking a moment to appreciate what ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode can do, albeit imperfectly. You can engage in a real-time conversation with ChatGPT, one with the rhythm and even some of the emotions inherent in a human voice. You can interrupt the AI mid-sentence, and it won't forget what you were discussing. It generally mimics human listening and response behavior, even to the point of not waiting for you to finish speaking; it can interrupt you right back.

OpenAI recently decided to share the sound of ChatGPT with a version of Voice Mode that doesn't require a subscription fee. That raises an obvious question: If ChatGPT’s Voice Mode is now free, is it even worth paying for ChatGPT Plus anymore? Now, before you hit the cancel button, you should know the free version is not identical to what paying users get. OpenAI has made sure there’s still an incentive to upgrade.

First, the free tier is powered by GPT-4o mini, a smaller, slightly less powerful version of the GPT-4o model ChatGPT Plus users talk to. That means free-tier responses might be a little less nuanced and a bit more generic. The biggest difference, though, is the daily limit. Free users only get Voice Mode for a limited time each day before they’re cut off, while Plus subscribers can keep chatting five times as long.

Another major perk for Plus users is access to richer features like video and screen sharing within Voice Mode. While the free version is great for basic conversations, Plus users get a more immersive experience that lets ChatGPT provide visual explanations, making it more useful for things like troubleshooting, learning new skills, or getting walkthroughs on complex topics.

Sound Planning

I wanted to evaluate the differences between ChatGPT's free and Plus versions of Advanced Voice Mode. I conducted three distinct tests to see how each performed: a casual multi-turn conversation, a tongue twister challenge, and a request for entertainment recommendations. These tests aimed to assess both versions' responsiveness, coherence, and depth of interaction.​

For the casual conversation, I started by saying, "Hey ChatGPT, how's your day going?" I then asked the AI for a hobby suggestion and asked how to get into those hobbies. Both AI models responded immediately and in a similarly casual way. They each offered a couple of ideas for hobbies, and both suggested photography as an option. The free version's second suggestion was painting, while in ChatGPT Plus, the other suggestion was to try something more active, like hiking. Asking about how to start painting led to a somewhat generic list of painting supplies, and the same for hiking gear. Oddly, they both had the same suggestion for a camera to get if I wanted to try photography: the Canon EOS Rebel T7.

I then decided to test the listening ability of the models with a classic tongue twister by saying: "Alright, ChatGPT, let’s test your listening skills. Can you repeat this back to me? Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?" There was zero difference in the accuracy of the response or the speed. Both almost immediately said it back exactly right.

For the final test, I chose something that involved a search and judgment. I asked about a movie to watch and a restaurant to try in my town this weekend. They each paused for a couple of seconds before answering.

Both suggested seeing the new Captain America movie, though the free version offered the new Paddington movie as an alternative. The Plus model suggested Mufasa instead. They were perfectly in sync in recommending the nearby AMC theatre, though, and both pointed to the Hudson House restaurant in my town as the place to eat.

Pay for more

I conversed with both models for a while longer and noted a lot of overlap, if not outright repetition, between them. But, as I mentioned before, I was soon told I had maxed out my time with the free Voice Mode, whereas I went nearly twice as long with the Plus version before choosing to stop, with no indication I was close to reaching my time limit.

Both versions of ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode were helpful, accurate, and equally good at mimicking human speech in all three tests. While the GPT-4o model is undoubtedly better and more powerful than GPT-4o mini, you'd have to be a real power user to detect that.

If you’re a casual user who wants to mess around with AI voice chat for a few minutes each day, the free version is honestly pretty great. It’s smooth, responsive, and easy to use. You'd need to really rely on using it a lot to make Voice Mode the sole reason to pay for ChatGPT Plus. That said, there's a lot more to the subscription than just the better AI model for voice.

I've written about many of the ways I employ ChatGPT, and ChatGPT Plus means I have access to better models and extra features for everything from planning dinner ideas, entertaining children, keeping my New Year's Resolutions, and performing many other tasks. That includes getting access to the Tasks feature for ChatGPT, which lets you schedule AI missions in the future.

So, is it still worth paying for? If you’re just here for casual AI chats, maybe not. But if you’re using ChatGPT in other ways, that $20 a month still buys you a noticeably better experience. And if you’ve already been paying for ChatGPT Plus, I'd say the extension of Voice Mode to the free tier is not nearly enough of a reason to cancel. Of course, if OpenAI more than doubles the price, I may reconsider.

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Netflix continues to prove why they're one of the best streaming services, releasing a new trailer for their twisted comedy series Welcome to the Family. It looks like a hilarious mashup of Knives Out and Weekend at Bernie's, with all the inheritance politics of the Daniel Craig mystery smashing headfirst into the corpse chaos of the 80s comedy.

In Welcome to the Family, “A struggling single mom rallies her quirky family to outsmart a mafia boss after her estranged, wealthy father dies, leaving them with his debt.” Said debt, it turns out, is the very apartment that Cristina (Marimar Vega) and her family live in. Teaming up with his second wife Luciana (Erika Buenfil), who also stands to lose big in the deal, they formulate a plan: hide the body until the late patriarch's will can be falsified to return ownership of everything abc to the family and outsmart an increasingly agitated mob boss. However, with a nosy neighbor poking around and a lovestruck police officer on the case, things begin to unravel as the family desperately try to keep their ruse under wraps.

Judging by the trailer, which you can watch below, the show looks to be an absolute blast for fans of crime comedy, with everything from cartoonish mafioso and over-the-top violence to absurd characters to a lawyer who makes Breaking Bad’s Saul Goodman look like a paragon of virtue. Meanwhile, the sunkissed setting and bickering family dynamic will appeal to anyone who felt that Modern Family needed more organized crime.

Titled Bienvenidos a la Familia in its native Mexico, the show is a remake of the Catalan Benvinguts a la família, which ran for two seasons in its home country before finding international acclaim when it was acquired by Netflix for global release.

Confusingly, both are now available on the streamer under the Welcome to the Family title, so be sure to check the release year. That being said, the Catalonian version is well worth a watch, receiving critical acclaim on its release in 2018 and being favorably compared to Weeds and Shameless. Critics also pointed out how its themes of eviction and displacement tie into the larger context of the Catalan independence movement and the 2017 declaration of independence from Spain. The new version looks to play things more broadly, with a high-budget sheen that differentiates it from the bleaker, darker original. That’s not to say the Spanish-language version won’t have points to make, but fans of the original would be wise to expect a more popcorn-friendly approach this time out.

Either way, I’m always here for a new black comedy, especially one from the home of After Life and Santa Clarita Diet. And with a cast that’ll be familiar to anyone up to speed with Mexican cinema and telenovelas – including Ana Layevska, Erick Elías, and Martín Altomaro – Welcome to the Family is one I'll be checking out when it arrives new on Netflix in March.

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Watch Brit Awards 2025

Remember Brat Summer? Charli XCX's love-it-or-loathe-it siren call for "partying through a breakdown" feels like it was from a different era, but she's out to resuscitate that feeling for one night only at the Brit Awards. With comedian Jack Whitehall hosting, here's where to watch Brit Awards 2025 online for free – from anywhere with a VPN.

The Cambridge electropop artist leads with five nominations, one more than Dua Lipa, The Last Dinner Party, and 2023 Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective. Ahead of the show, Charli XCX was named Songwriter of the Year and her long-time producer A.G. Cook named Producer of the Year, while Sabrina Carpenter received the prestigious Global Success Award.

Carpenter, The Last Dinner Party and Sam Fender will headline the performances at the O2 Arena, so read on as we explain how to watch Brit Awards 2025 from anywhere.

Can I watch Brit Awards 2025 for free?

Yes. Viewers in the UK can watch Brit Awards 2025 for free on ITV1 and the ITVX streaming service, and fans everywhere else, including the US, Canada and Australia, can tune in for free via the Brits YouTube channel.

Away traveling and don't want to miss out? Don't forget you can use a VPN to watch Brit Awards 2025 on your usual free streaming service from abroad.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 from anywhere

If you're keen to watch Brit Awards 2025 but you're away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.

Use a VPN to watch Brit Awards from anywhere – our favorite is NordVPN.

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How to watch Brit Awards 2025 in the US

The 2025 Brit Awards will be streamed for free on the Brits YouTube channel, with the ceremony set to begin at 3.15pm ET / 12.15pm PT on Saturday afternoon, though coverage is expected to be on a delay, starting at around 4pm ET / 1pm PT.

It isn't clear if the live red carpet show at 12.30pm ET / 9.30 am PT will also be available to stream on the service.

Americans currently on holiday in the UK can use a VPN to watch Brit Awards 2025 on YouTube.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 for FREE in the UK

Brits can watch Brit Awards 2025 on ITV1 at 8.15pm GMT on Saturday, March 1. It will also be available to stream both live and on demand on ITVX.

A pre-party show will air on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm on Thursday, February 27 and again at 3.10pm on Saturday. There will also be a live red carpet show at 5.30pm on Saturday, which will be streamed on both Instagram and Facebook.

Outside the UK? Brits abroad can use a VPN to tune into ITVX while away from home, and watch Brit Awards 2025 for free.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 in Canada

As with the US, fans based in Canada can watch Brit Awards 2025 on the Brits YouTube channel. The show begins at 3.15pm ET / 12.15pm PT on Saturday, and coverage is due to start on a delay at 4pm ET / 1pm ET.

There will also be a red carpet show, beginning at 12.30pm ET / 9.30am PT, though it isn't yet clear if this will be available to live stream.

Canadians currently traveling in the UK can use a VPN to unblock the YouTube stream. We recommend NordVPN.

How to watch Brit Awards 2025 in Australia

The Brits YouTube channel will be live streaming Brit Awards 2025 for free, from 8am AEDT on Sunday morning. If that's a little early for your liking, you'll likely be able to tune in on-demand too.

There's also a red carpet show scheduled for 4.30am, though it isn't clear if it will be shown live on YouTube.

Australians currently away from home in the UK can use a VPN to watch Brit Awards 2025.

Brit Awards performers 2025

Sabrina Carpenter

JADE

The Last Dinner Party

Myles Smith

Teddy Swims

Sam Fender

Lola Young

Ezra Collective

Jorja Smith

Brit Awards nominations 2025 British Album of the Year

Charli XCX – Brat

The Cure – Songs of a Lost World

Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism

Ezra Collective – Dance, No One's Watching

The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy

Song of the Year

Artemas – "I Like the Way You Kiss Me"

The Beatles – "Now and Then"

Bl3ss with Camrin Watsin featuring Bbyclose – "Kisses"

Central Cee featuring Lil Baby – "Band4Band"

Charli XCX featuring Billie Eilish – "Guess"

Chase & Status featuring Stormzy – "Backbone"

Coldplay – "Feelslikeimfallinginlove"

Dua Lipa – "Training Season"

Ella Henderson featuring Rudimental – "Alibi"

JADE – "Angel of My Dreams"

Jordan Adetunji – "Kehlani"

KSI featuring Trippie Redd – "Thick of It"

Myles Smith – "Stargazing"

Sam Ryder – "You're Christmas to Me"

Sonny Fodera with Jazzy and D.O.D. – "Somedays"

British Artist of the Year

Beabadoobee

Central Cee

Charli XCX

Dua Lipa

Fred again..

Jamie xx

Michael Kiwanuka

Nia Archives

Rachel Chinouriri

Sam Fender

British Group

Bring Me the Horizon

Coldplay

The Cure

Ezra Collective

The Last Dinner Party

Best Pop Act

Charli XCX

Dua Lipa

JADE

Lola Young

Myles Smith

Best R&B Act

Cleo Sol

Flo

Jorja Smith

Michael Kiwanuka

Raye

Best Dance Act

Becky Hill

Charli XCX

Chase & Status

Fred again..

Nia Archives

Best Alternative/Rock Act

Beabadoobee

The Cure

Ezra Collective

The Last Dinner Party

Sam Fender

Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act

Central Cee

Dave

Ghetts

Little Simz

Stormzy

Best New Artist

English Teacher

Ezra Collective

The Last Dinner Party

Myles Smith

Rachel Chinouriri

International Artist of the Year

Adrianne Lenker

Asake

Benson Boone

Beyoncé

Billie Eilish

Chappell Roan

Kendrick Lamar

Sabrina Carpenter

Taylor Swift

Tyler, the Creator

International Group of the Year

Amyl and the Sniffers

Confidence Man

Fontaines D.C.

Future and Metro Boomin

Linkin Park

Best International Song

Benson Boone – "Beautiful Things"

Beyoncé – "Texas Hold 'Em"

Billie Eilish – "Birds of a Feather"

Chappell Roan – "Good Luck, Babe!"

Djo – "End of Beginning"

Eminem – "Houdini"

Hozier – "Too Sweet"

Jack Harlow – "Lovin on Me"

Noah Kahan – "Stick Season"

Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen – "I Had Some Help"

Sabrina Carpenter – "Espresso"

Shaboozey – "A Bar Song (Tipsy)"

Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone – "Fortnight"

Teddy Swims – "Lose Control"

Tommy Richman – "Million Dollar Baby"

• Illegal crrypto transactions could have hit as much as $51 billion in 2024, according to Chainalysis
• With the introduction of ETFs, the ratio of crime-to-industry volume dropped significantly
• Criminals are moving away from BTC and into stablecoins

Cryptocurrency addresses known to be associated with criminals received $40 billion in 2024, marking another hugely successful year for wrong-doers across the world.

The annual report from Chainalysis notes this is not a precise figure, and as time goes by, and new information emerges on previous crimes, it will likely rise - possibly to be closer to $51 billion.

Another important detail is that this estimate does not include money from non-crypto native crime, such as drug dealing, or money laundering.

Stablecoins

The 2023 figure stood at $46.1 billion, so if Chainalysis’ estimates turn out to be true, it will be a significant increase - in raw numbers, as percentage-wise, the figure has dropped significantly.

In 2023, the ratio of crime volume to industry volume was $0.61% - but with the approval of multiple spot ETFs in 2024, many large institutions and investors with big pockets moved into the industry, increasing the overall volume, and thus shrinking the ratio to just 0.14%.

Finally, cybercriminals seem to be moving away from Bitcoin and into stablecoins.

So far, whenever a ransomware attack (or a similar incident) happens, most threat actors would demand payment in Bitcoin, despite there being tens of thousands of different cryptocurrencies. That being said, four years ago around 70% of all criminal transactions were made in Bitcoin, dropping to 20% last year. At the same time, stablecoins moved in (cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to fiat currency and doesn’t fluctuate violently as standard crypto does), now taking up around 63%.

Monero was used in 10% of cases, Chainalysis added. Monero is a popular privacy-oriented coin, which is also mined through the infamous cryptojacker called XMRig.

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• Stellantis pulls investment into future Maserati products
• Aston Martin will cut jobs and delay debut EV... again
• Luxury car industry continues to struggle with electrification

Both Aston Martin and Maserati are reevaluating their plans for future electrification models, as budget and job cuts force the businesses to decide whether there is an appetite for future EVs bearing the recognizable performance badges.

Earlier this week, Aston Martin announced plans to cut 5% of its workforce following hefty fourth quarter losses at the tail end of last year, according to The Guardian.

Supply chain issues and a cooling of demand in China have been cited as reasons for the poor financial performance.

Although the marque hasn’t linked the jobs cuts directly to its future EV launches, Adrian Hallmark, the current chief executive, told The Telegraph that electric cars are “too extreme a step” for many of its customers and that we won’t see a fully-electric Aston Martin until “the latter part of this decade”.

We were due to see the British marque’s first attempt at electrifying its line-up this year, but the model was later postponed until 2027… and now looks like it might be delayed even further.

Instead, Hallmark told The Telegraph that plug-in hybrid vehicles will be a priority, because “you get more torque in the phase of acceleration but you still get all the benefits of combustion engine when the electric motor becomes less efficient at the higher performance range.”

Luxury Italian sports car manufacturer Maserati is also experiencing increasingly worrying sales figures, with its sales dropping by over 50% last year, falling from 26,600 in 2023 to just 11,300 in 2024, according to CarScoops.

The company, which only recently announced its Folgore range of EVs that includes the GranCabrio, GranTurismo and Grecale SUV, will have to limp on as its owner Stellantis pulled the plug on a planned £1.2billion ($1.6billion) investment this week.

The money had been earmarked to create new and exciting models, including an electrified Maserati MC20 supercar and EV replacements for the Quattroporte and Levante models.

According to Autocar, Stellantis’ chief financial officer Doug Ostermann, again blamed performance in China, noting that the company had higher expectations regarding the luxury market and how quickly it would transition to electrification.

Luxury brands continue to face EV struggles

(Image credit: Aston Martin)

While it is disappointing that both Aston Martin and Maserati have had to scale back their future EV plans, they aren’t the only luxury automakers struggling as the world pivots towards electrification.

Porsche said that it would cut 1,900 jobs by 2029, according to The FT, as it struggles with poor demand for its electric vehicles, even going so far as to mull over the possibility of shoehorning internal combustion engines, which it says it will continue to develop, into models that it previously stated would be all-electric.

Lotus Cars, which is currently owned by Chinese multinational Geely, was resurrected as a highly electrified brand, but it says it will bring back gas power next year with new “Hyper Hybrid” technology.

European CEO Dan Balmer told Evo Magazine that he is “reading the room” when it comes to determining the best powertrain to appease an ever-evolving market.

Unlike smaller and cheaper electric vehicles, buyers in the luxury market have been put off by eye-watering price tags and even more painful residual values that battery packs and electric motors bring with them.

Add to this the lingering sense of range anxiety and the lack of sonorous V6, V8 and V12 petrol engines, and it is proving a recipe for disaster for those in the business of making desirable performance machines.

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• Spitz Plus GL-X2000 offers dual-SIM connectivity, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and high-speed Ethernet
• There's also advanced networking features like QoS, encrypted DNS, and policy-based routing
• External SMA connectors and four antennas enhance signal reception

GL.iNet has introduced the Spitz Plus GL-X2000, a portable Wi-Fi 6 cellular router powered by the Qualcomm IPQ5018 dual-core 1 GHz SoC.

GL.iNet says the new offering supports bandwidth bonding, a feature that merges the data speeds of two SIM cards into a single, faster hotspot connection.

It also supports 4G LTE Cat.12 with 3-carrier aggregation, reducing network congestion and enhancing data throughput. This enables download speeds of up to 600 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 150 Mbps across global frequency bands.

Dual SIM and bandwidth bonding for stable connections

In addition to dual SIM slots and gigabit Ethernet connectivity, the GL-X2000 offers the option to install a physical eSIM, allowing storage of up to eight profiles for seamless carrier switching.

Just like the D-Link G530 5G NR AX3000 router, it supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), offering speeds of up to 574 Mbps on 2.4GHz and 2402 Mbps on 5GHz.

For wired networking, it includes a gigabit WAN port and a gigabit LAN port, providing high-speed data transfer and low-latency connections.

Equipped with four large antennas - two for LTE and two for Wi-Fi - the GL-X2000 is designed for strong signal reception and stability. External SMA connectors allow users to swap antennas for better coverage, making them well-suited for mobile setups, rural areas, or locations with weak cellular signals.

Running a customized version of OpenWrt 19.07, the router supports routing, access point, wireless bridge, and wired bridge modes. Features like QoS management, encrypted DNS, and policy-based routing provide greater control over network traffic.

For those looking for a secure router, users benefit from preinstalled VPN support for over 30 providers, with OpenVPN reaching speeds of up to 30 Mbps and WireGuard up to 190 Mbps.

Remote management options allow users to monitor data usage, update firmware, and configure settings from anywhere.

The GL-X2000 maintains a relatively low power consumption, operating at under 14W with a 12V/2.5A input, making it compatible with portable battery packs.

Weighing 443 grams and measuring 141 x 86 x 36 mm, it remains compact while offering full-sized networking functionality.

The GL-X2000 is currently available at a limited-time 23% discount, priced at $185.90 in North America and $175.90 in the EU, UK, and Australia. Without the discount, the device costs $239.90 and $229.90, respectively.

Via Cnx-software

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• You can sign up to try Alexa+ on Amazon.com
• Amazon unveiled the super-charged Alexa on Feb. 26 and will begin a phased rollout in March in the US
• You'll need an Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21 to be eligible for early access

Amazon finally revealed the Alexa upgrade we’ve all been waiting for several years for, and Alexa+ is set to begin an early access rollout for those in the United States next month, March 2025.

It’ll be a good few months, at least, before all eligible users have it. Still, if you’re itching to try out the super-charged Amazon assistant that blends natural conversing with some serious backend smarts, there is a path for at least signing up and having the correct device to potentially unlock access early.

While Alexa+ will be free with a Prime membership or $19.99 a month if you don’t have one, access to the service is free during the ‘Early Access’ period. So, let’s walk through how to sign up and tell Amazon you’re interested, plus the device type you’ll need to use Alexa+.

How to sign-up for Alexa+ Early Access

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

First things first, you’ll want to head over to Amazon’s landing page that invites you to ‘Meet the new Alexa” here. You can watch Amazon’s trailer for the new virtual assistant, but we recommend you read our breakdown of what you need to know about Alexa+ here.

If you scroll down the page, on the right side, you’ll see a box saying, “Alexa+ is coming soon." Then, if you’re signed into Amazon, you can sign up to mark your interest and be notified when it’s available. Doing this puts you in the waiting queue to access Alexa+.

Amazon said that access will begin rolling out in waves starting in March 2025 for customers in the United States. There is no timeline yet for locations outside the US, but it will likely be a bit, considering Amazon’s slow and steady approach here.

However, it doesn’t seem like capacity is a long-term concern, with Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s VP of Alexa and Echo, telling TechRadar it's ready, saying, “Yes, it is very nice to have AWS at Amazon.”

Once you sign up, you’ll see “We'll email you when available” and receive an email confirming just that. However, you will need a particular Echo device to be among the first to get the chance to try out Alexa+.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

And that would be one of these Alexa-powered smart displays: Echo Show 8, Echo Show 10, Echo Show 15, or Echo Show 21. No luck if you have the smallest Echo Show or a standard Echo smart speaker for early access.

Amazon makes it clear that it’s not limited if you already had one of these devices before Alexa+ was announced.

“We will start rolling out early access to US customers who own or purchase an Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21," – which is pretty clear that you can buy one now to get access.

While none of these models are currently discounted, Amazon is known for offering discounts, and there’s a good chance these will see some in the future. Further, Amazon’s latest Echo Shows – the 15 or the 21 – should be excellent screens for taking advantage of all that Alexa+ is set to offer. TechRadar just reviewed the Echo Show 21 and gave it four out of five stars, noting it’s an excellent, oversized smart display with a great cooking companion and smart home chops. The Echo Show 21 is available for $399.99 at Amazon.

Of course, if you don’t need a 21.5 inch screen, the Show 8, Show 10, or Show 15 are better options to consider. They are also a bit more affordable in the United States at $149.99, $249.99, and $299.99, respectively, compared to the $399 Echo Show 21.

We’re eager to go hands-on and spend more time with Alexa+, so much so that I’ve already signed up for a chance at early access and have an Echo Show 21. Once we go hands-on, we’ll return with our early impressions and tips to get the most out of Amazon’s latest.

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• The AuBox from Chuwi packs an array of ports for such a small size
• Running on Windows 11 will be a key draw for users
• RAM and storage upgrades take it up a level

Chinese hardware vendor Chuwi has unveiled the launch of a new mini PC that could rival Apple’s M4 Mac Mini thanks to a few eye-catching features.

The AuBox 8745 mini PC comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS CPU, boasting eight cores and 16 threads, and reaching maximum speeds of 4.9GHz. This is complemented with an AMD Radeon 780M GPU, also capable of up speeds up to 2.6GHz.

Combine this with 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe SSD, and you’ve got a powerful piece of hardware. Notably, the mini PC also has dual memory and SSD slots, allowing users to beef up both RAM and storage capabilities to 64GB and 2TB respectively.

What else is included in the AuBox 8745?

From a design perspective, the AuBox is very compact, measuring in at 154 x 152 x 45 millimeters, impressive given the array of ports available - users can choose from a single USB-C port and two USB-A 3.2 options alongside a single HDMI 2.1 port and DisplayPort 1.4, meaning you could connect four external 4K monitors at once and create a real productivity powerhouse.

Chuwi says the mini PC can also be mounted behind a monitor using a VESA mount, reducing clutter on your home office desk.

Other key features of the AuBox include:

• Two 2.5Gb Ethernet connectors
• Wi-Fi 6 capabilities
• Bluetooth 5.1
• A single 3.5mm audio jack

It also features an external, 120-watt power supply alongside an internal cooling fan which allows it to run at around 65 watts, making it ideal for casual gaming or more demanding tasks.

A key appeal of the AuBox will undoubtedly be the operating system, which runs in Windows 11.

There's no news yet on price or availability, so we'll keep our ears to the ground to try and find out more information when possible.

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The Techrot Encore update introduces extra weapons, protoframes and a new endgame mode to Warframe 1999.

Microsoft is hanging up on the service that helped make video calling mainstream and will focus on Teams.