Technology

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• Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro brings rugged durability with IP68, MIL-STD-810H and Gorilla Glass
• Mid-range Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip handles essential business tasks
• Supports a hot-swappable 10,100mAh battery and POGO charging

Samsung has launched a new rugged tablet featuring a 10.1-inch WUXGA TFT LCD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, and touch sensitivity for gloves under 2mm thick and wet screen use - though not underwater.

There aren’t many rugged tablets from major brands, so it’s great to see the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro built specifically for tough environments. It boasts an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, MIL-STD-810H certification for durability in extreme conditions, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ to protect the screen against scratches and disinfectants like ethanol and bleach-based cleaners.

Power shouldn’t be an issue, as the tablet includes a 10,100mAh user-replaceable battery that supports dual hot-swap, allowing one battery to be changed without powering down the device. A POGO pin interface supports dock-based charging, although the dock is sold separately.

3.5mm headphone jack

This isn’t a device aiming to compete with mainstream tablets in raw performance. It’s powered by a 4nm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip, paired with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, expandable via microSD up to 2TB. This chip delivers mid-range performance and sits below the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 series in Qualcomm’s lineup.

For connectivity, the tablet supports 5G (Sub-6), LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, and NFC with front tagging. It also supports both physical SIM and eSIM, though eSIM availability may vary by region. Navigation is covered by GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS, although satellite coverage may differ based on location.

The Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature increasingly rare in modern devices. Samsung retained the port specifically for frontline workers who rely on wired headsets where Bluetooth may be unreliable or restricted.

Don’t expect flagship-level photography from the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro. This productivity-focused tablet includes a 12MP rear camera and an 8MP front-facing sensor. It does come bundled with an IP68-rated S Pen for added functionality, however.

Weighing about 680g, the tablet also supports a USB 3.2 Type-C port, Samsung Knox and Knox Vault for enhanced security, an RGB light sensor, and a programmable Active Key for quick access to user-defined functions.

“At Samsung, we understand that frontline professionals need technology that adapts to their fast-paced and demanding work environments,” said Jerry Park, EVP and Head of Global Mobile B2B Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics.

He added the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro combines "ruggedised durability, enterprise-grade security, seamless connectivity and intuitive AI-driven features to help businesses operate efficiently in harsh conditions while maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime.”

The Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro will be available starting April 2025, with a recommended retail price of £769 in the UK. US pricing has yet to be confirmed.

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• Deezer is rolling out four new features between now and the end of May
• They include new customization options for algorithms and the interface
• My Deezer Month and unique Universal Sharing are also coming

Well then, Spotify still down? Parisian rival Deezer picked a cute moment to unveil a quartet of new features coming to its music streaming platform, didn't it?

Deezer is clearly on a mission, not just to provide a Wrapped and Replay answer in the shape of My Deezer Month, coming in May, but to enable its users to express themselves and connect with others through music – whichever of the best music streaming services they're pinging you a track from.

Always subscribe to Spotify because it's the one your friends use? You're about to get another option.

Alexis Lanternier, CEO of Deezer, said: "At Deezer, we are constantly innovating to offer the most personalized and customizable music experience on the market. The new features we’re introducing today give users more control over their algorithm, greater flexibility to personalize their experience, and easy ways to share content with their friends, even beyond Deezer. We want to keep surprising fans with new and engaging ways to experience music."

What of the four brand-new features? Let's get into it…

Deezer's new features: let's get granular

(Image credit: Future)

The four-pronged suite of updates Deezer is bringing is as follows:

More control over the algorithm
Deezer tells me 40% of music streamers are either 34 or younger (well don't I feel old?) and the message is clear: they want better control over the algorithm. Deezer has already evolved its Flow feature to let users influence their algorithm-delivered recommendations over the years (including 'like' buttons), but starting in April, Deezer is launching an algorithm customization feature that it claims puts users "fully in control" of their music discovery. For the first time in music streaming, Deezer tells me users get to tweak their recommendations algorithm without restriction.

During an online briefing, Lanternier showed off what he jokingly calls Deezer's new personalized "nightmare section" within every user's personal account: all of the bands you have disliked and a timeline of what you shunned, and when. Don't like it? You'll no longer be sent tracks from those artists, or similar tracks to the one you listened to and hated. Apple Music offers vaguely similar 'favorite' (star) and 'suggest less' (thumbs-down) buttons for tracks, but it's nothing like this.

Enhanced personalization of the interface
The Deezer app is becoming even more customizable. Starting in May, users will be able to organize the Favorites tab for quick access to their preferred content, creating a truly personalized space. They'll also have the option to customize their playlist covers by adding photos, shapes, and stickers – remodeling the app to fit their personality. During the demo we were shown how to create a cover – think emoji stickers like suns, sunglasses and maybe a drink, a colorful background and a title like 'Summer 2025 Ibiza' maybe. (Lucky you, by the way…)

New stats to discover and share your musical identity
Building on its annual recap, My Deezer Year, Deezer is launching My Deezer Month. And let's not mince words: this builds on the mixed successes of Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay (which was vastly better than Wrapped late last year). Starting in early May, users will receive fresh stats – including most listened-to songs, artists, genres – and a detailed breakdown of their activity, all presented in a "unique and engaging way" every month. Yes, we have heard of this before, but just wait…

Share your music beyond Deezer
Coming late April, Deezer is introducing a next-level approach to music sharing, and one that transcends your streaming platform. With a universal sharing link, Deezer tells me users will be able to send their favorite tracks to friends and family who are using other streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music). The launch builds on Shaker, another unique Deezer feature that allows subscribers to create playlists with their community, even with friends who are not on Deezer – but come on! It's huge, no?

At a time when there's still no official sign of Spotify HiFi, Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz's hi-resolution streams have become ever-more tempting options. Deezer's audio file resolution still tops out at CD-quality, aka 16-bit/44.1kHz, (better than Spotify, not as good as the best offerings from Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music) but music I can send to a friend, safe in the knowledge that they'll be able to open and enjoy it, even if they're used to lowly Spotify streams? That is huge – and a big reason to switch.

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Netflix's new series The Gardener has been a big hit, rocketing to the top of its most-watched chart of non-English-speaking shows. It's the tale of a young man whose mother uses his lack of feelings to turn him into a hitman – but then he falls for his next intended victim.

What's made the show so popular is most likely the fact that it's character driven rather than action driven – and of course that means when things kick off, you're emotionally invested. And that's something that applies to these thrillers too: they're thrilling, of course, but they also feature characters you'll be rooting for.

Black Doves

With a whopping 94% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this Keira Knightley-starring spy story has "compelling performances, striking visuals, and a cheeky sense of humor," says the Times of India. It's the story of a woman having an affair, only for her partner to fall victim to the criminal underworld – so she's assigned Sam (Ben Wishaw), to protect her.

"It’s a smart, frolicking action-adventure full of twists and turns, but it also knows how to make the most of its stars, expand upon an audience’s expectations, and even riff cleverly on current events in our topsy-turvy world," says The Establishing Shot.

"Knightley and Whishaw are terrific here, playing all the layers of their characters’ lies and all the layers of their pains and joys," says The New York Times. It does get violent: however, as the UK Times says, it "is ultimately quite heartwarming despite the blood and gore."

House of Ninjas

Everybody loves a good ninja show, and this is a very good ninja show: season 1 of House of Ninjas has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Here's what we said about the first season. "Sharpen your shurikens and dust off your daggers: Japan faces a national crisis and the only ones who can help are ninjas in Netflix's new Drama series. Luckily for the people of Japan, the ninjas are still around, having spent years in hiding to stay out of sight and out of mind.

But when the nation needs their help, the last and deeply dysfunctional ninja family must spring into action."

Not everybody loved the story – the SF Chronicle found it "predictable". But ScreenAnarchy begs to differ. It's "a marvelous mix of stealthy ninja action, family drama, and gentle comedy. The cast is outstanding at playing the various notes called for throughout the series, and the action is bone crushing and bloody."

The Night Agent

The Night Agent comes from the same pen as The Shield, which was also created by Shawn Ryan. It follows low-level FBI agent Peter Sutherland who's in the wrong place at the wrong time when the phone rings: the call plunges him right into the middle of a massive conspiracy.

Reviews have been mostly positive with a few tomato splats, such as The Age saying that it's a "solid" if "unspectacular run-and-gun narrative that at least has a zesty female counterpart." But the San Jose Mercury News liked it a lot: it's "A solid conspiracy movie/series throwback involving two lethal killers, a bombing in a subway, a mole within the White House and a newbie FBI agent who’s in over his head."

Variety was enthusiastic too. "It’s a pleasure to see a show better than it might have been, when so often the opposite is true: The Night Agent sparks with curiosity and intrigue, a richly detailed show that propels viewers forward with a relentless pace."

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• Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch 2 Editions will let players repair their equipment
• Players will need to download the Zelda Notes app to access the exclusive feature
• The Daily Bonus offering will give players the chance to repair their weapons

The Nintendo Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will give players the ability to repair their equipment with a companion app.

Although this hasn't been officially announced by Nintendo itself, the discovery comes from YouTuber Zeltik, who spotted in the recent Nintendo Treehouse Live that the new Zelda Notes app will offer the feature exclusively for the Switch 2 Editions (via IGN).

When using Zelda Notes, players will be able to access a Daily Bonus feature once per day, allowing them to roll a roulette wheel and redeem a random bonus in-game. Some of these include health recovery, a fireproof elixir, a hasty meal, stamina recovery, energy cell recharge, and more.

These are all items or buffs that can be found in-game but, notably, the Daily Bonus will also offer ways to repair your equipment, something neither Breath of the Wild nor Tears of the Kingdom offers in the current Switch versions.

Some bonuses that can be spotted in the video are "Bow Repairs" and "Equipment Repairs", suggesting there may also be Sword and Shield repairs as well.

For players who may not be a fan of the game's weapon durability, this new Zelda Notes app feature seems like a decent workaround if you don't want to risk losing your favorite sword in the middle of a boss fight.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle. The Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are day-one launch titles.

Although there was some initial confusion, it's now been confirmed that both games will contain the full game and upgrades on the cartridge, although there is still some uncertainty as to whether players will need to re-purchase Breath of the Wild's downloadable content (DLC).

If you're looking to get your hands on a Switch 2, pre-orders are now live in the UK, but US pre-orders and Canadian pre-orders have been delayed as Nintendo assesses the potential impact of tariffs.

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Tesla often likes to bundle a number of big software updates into one, with its popular ‘Holiday Update’ typically introducing a series of choice tech upgrades to existing customers.

The latest over-the-air update, dubbed the ‘Spring Update’, sees a number of new features added across the line-up, with perhaps the most notable of all being Adaptive Headlights for cars in North American and Canada.

Both the Model S and Model X have also been catered for with a new blind spot camera video feed in the instrument cluster and an overall upgrade to the Dashcam and Sentry Mode camera coverage will benefit all owners, especially those worried about the prospect of anti-Musk protests.

Here are those Tesla updates and who's getting them...

1. Adaptive headlights arrive in North American and Canada

(Image credit: Tesla)

Available on Tesla models that feature matrix headlights, the software update will introduce high beams that automatically adapt to avoid blinding oncoming road users.

It works by dimming individual pixels, illuminating the parts of the road drivers need without inconveniencing others.

The technology and required software has been available in Europe for some time now, but the update, which can be toggled on and off in the Lights setting menu, comes to North American and Canadian customers thanks to recent changes in legislation that now allow for it.

That said, adaptive high beam headlights have been commonplace on models from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and many more for over ten years now, so it’s not exactly a mind-blowing addition to the Tesla tech arsenal.

2. Route planning gets smarter

(Image credit: Tesla)

Tesla’s route-planning is largely excellent, arguably among the best in the EV business, but it has just got better thanks to clearer choices for multiple route-planning options.

There’s now an option labelled ‘Fastest’ that keeps travel (and charge time) time to the bare minimum, while a ‘Best amenities’ option prioritizes Supercharger stops near top-rated restaurants, shops and restrooms, according to a Tesla post on X. Users can also manually toggle an option to avoid highways for more scenic drives.

Finally, there’s a ‘Fewer Stops’ that aims to reduce the number of charging stops by taking the most direct and efficient routes.

Plus, when scrolling through the various Tesla Supercharger stations, the infotainment system will offer details on any nearby attractions it deems worth visiting.

3. Improvements to Dashcam and Sentry Mode

(Image credit: Tesla)

For the Model S, 3, X and Y with the latest hardware, Tesla has added footage from the side cameras (mounted in the b-pillars) to both Dashcam and Sentry Mode recordings.

This means that the captured camera angles now jump from four to six, which will see pretty much all of the car covered, both when driving and when parked.

On top of this, the Dashcam Viewer app has been redesigned with a grid layout option, showing a selection of camera angles on one screen.

Users can now more easily navigate the captured footage thanks to quick-swipe video review tools, as well as easily toggle between the various angles captured by all six cameras.

4. You can charge accessories after leaving the vehicle

(Image credit: Tesla UK)

One subtle feature has been added that allows users to continue using USB ports and phone chargers after exiting and locking the car.

The system will keep charging accessories so long as the vehicle’s battery level is above 20%, to ensure there’s enough charge remaining to get drivers to a nearby charging station.

It’s a nice addition, but many rival manufacturers deliberately offer accessory outlets in the trunk and/or frunk for this exact purpose.

5. Driver screen gets a blind spot camera

(Image credit: Tesla)

Rather than having to look down to the central touchscreen when indicating to change lanes, a live feed from the blind spot cameras now appears in the driver display… but there’s a catch.

This update is only available on the refreshed Model S and Model X, which encompasses vehicles made between 2021 and now.

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• Google is testing even more new features in its Messages beta app
• These include an expanded 14-line message view and new RCS message labels
• While these are still in beta testing, they could start rolling out to users this month

Over the past couple of months, Google has been doubling down on eradicating all traces of Google Assistant to make Gemini its flagship voice assistant, but amidst the organized Gemini chaos, Google has been paying a lot of attention to improving its Messages app, giving it some much-needed TLC.

It’s safe to say that the new revisions to the Google Messages app have significantly improved its UI. Its new snooze function for group chats also comes to mind, but Google is still in its beta testing era. For a while, Google was experimenting with an easier way to join group chats, following WhatsApp’s footsteps. Now, it’s testing five more features that could make up the next wave of Google Messages upgrades this month.

Although these features are in beta, there’s been no comment on whether they’ll be officially rolling out to users. With that said, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any further updates.

Google expands its 4-line text field limit

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Just a few weeks ago, we reported on a new upgrade found in Google Messages beta indicating that Google would get better at handling lengthy text messages.

For a while, Google Messages users have been restricted to a four-line view limit when sending texts, meaning that you would need to scroll to review your entire message before sending. This is particularly frustrating when sending long URL links.

But that could soon be a thing of the past, as 9to5Google has picked up a new beta code that reveals an expanded message composition field on the Pixel 9a that now reaches up to 14 lines.

New RCS labels

Recently, Google has been testing new in-app labels that could distinguish whether you’re sending an SMS or RCS message.

Thanks to an APK teardown from Android Authority, the labels found in beta suggest that soon you’ll be able to see which of your contacts are using RCS in Messages, adding a new RCS label to the right side of a contact’s name or number.

Unsubscribe from automated texts

This is a feature we’re quite excited to see, and we’re hoping for a wider rollout this month. A few weeks ago, an unsubscribe button was spotted at the bottom of some messages, which could give users an easier way of unsubscribing to automated texts and even the option to report spam.

When you tap this, a list of options will appear asking you for your reasons for unsubscribing, which include ‘not signed up’, ‘too many messages’, and ‘no longer interested’ as well as an option for ‘spam’. If you select one of the first three, a message reading ‘STOP’ will be sent automatically, and you’ll be successfully unsubscribed.

Read receipts gets a new look

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Google could introduce another revamp of how you can view read receipts in the Messages app. In November 2024, Google tested a redesign of its read receipts that placed the checkmark symbols inside the message bubbles, which used to appear underneath sent messages.

In January, Google tested another small redesign introducing a new white background, which could roll out soon, and while this isn’t a major redesign, it’s effective enough to make read receipts stand out more.

Camera and gallery redesign, and sending ‘original quality’ media

We first noticed that Google Messages was prepping a new photo and video quality upgrade. In March, more users started to notice a wider availability, but it’s still not yet fully rolled out, meaning it could be one of the next new updates in the coming weeks.

Essentially, Google could be rolling out a new option that allows you to send media, such as photos and videos, in their original quality. This will give you the choice of the following two options:

‘Optimize for chat’ - sends photos and videos at a faster speed, compromising quality.

‘Original quality’ - sends photos and videos as they appear in your phone’s built-in storage.

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• Zeekr 007 GT will join 007 sedan in rapidly expanding line-up
• Sporty variant offers bags of space and plenty of pace
• Company says it will offer the car in further markets in the future

Fresh from the launch of its 7X SUV model outside of China, Zeekr has announced that it will make a sleek, grand touring shooting brake version of its 007 sedan available in China.

Slated to start at just RMB 202,900 (or around $27,615 / £21,000/ AU$43,300), the 007GT measures almost 5 meters (16ft 4in) in length, enabling the trunk to swallow 645 liters of kit with the rear seats up and a massive 1,737 liters with the rear seats folded flat.

It rides on the same platform as the recent 7X, as well as numerous other Geely Group products, with an 800V electrical architecture that allows for 10% to 80% battery charging in just 10.5-minutes from a suitable DC ultra-fast charger.

According to CNEV Post, the 007 GT will offer two battery sizes, with a cheaper 75kWh LFP battery from CATL providing just over 400 miles of range on China’s CLTC testing cycle.

Similar to the 7X, Zeekr will also offer its larger 100kWh ‘Golden Battery’ that sees the range jump to an impressive 512 miles.

Performance is also impressive, with even the lower-powered single motor models able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds, while the AWD dual motor variant can cover the same spring in just 3.8 seconds.

Nvidia Orin-X system-on-a-chip and Lidar technology provides the basis for advanced automated driving functionality, with advanced automatic parking and even automated robotic charging offered in the Chinese domestic market.

Analysis: Teasing Tesla with a more enticing range

(Image credit: Zeekr)

Having ridden in the back of a Zeekr 007, I can vouch for the comfort and levels of luxury the brand has managed to achieve. It’s a striking car from the outside, but also a very pleasant way to travel from the passenger seats.

The 007 GT bolsters Zeekr’s line-up in so much that it is aimed at families and couples, with the accompanying press imagery showing the car being used for camping getaways and various outdoor active lifestyle pursuits.

Although not 100% confirmed, Zeekr has said that it hopes to bring the 007 GT to global markets (thankfully dropping the 007 and opting for 7GT instead), where it will likely be priced to take on Kia’s EV6, the VW ID 7 Tourer and even Tesla’s Model Y.

Zeekr already has eight models available in China, covering sedans, shooting brakes, MPVs and a variety of SUVs. It is this kind of choice that Tesla is so desperately lacking right now and is a weak spot that rivals, like Zeekr, are looking to exploit.

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