Technology

• Nintendo has revealed that Donkey Kong Bananza is developed by the team behind Super Mario Odyssey
• This was confirmed by a representative at a hands-on preview event
• The representative would not confirm the game's director, or any other details

To no one's surprise, Nintendo has finally officially confirmed that the upcoming action platformer Donkey Kong Bananza is developed by the same team as Super Mario Odyssey.

The information comes from a recent hands-on preview event at Nintendo's UK office, where a representative explained that this is the case.

Interestingly, the representative would not indicate whether Odyssey director Kenta Motokura was also taking on a similar role this time around, or provide any other information about the team.

Many online commentators have speculated on the Donkey Kong Bananza development team since the game was first revealed, with many predicting that it is the same team responsible for Odyssey, given the apparent similarities between the two.

Having now spent a few hours with the game, I can confirm that there is a lot of Odyssey DNA apparent in what I've tried of Donkey Kong Bananza so far. Structurally, the two games seem almost identical - with the same focus on free-form exploration and collectible hunting within open-ended levels.

Many features, like the ability to buy outfits in shops using currency that is specific to each region, return, albeit augmented via new additions such as a skill tree and unique buffs associated with each item of clothing.

Donkey Kong Bananza is set to launch on July 17, 2025, and will be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. For an in-depth look at the game, be sure to read our new Donkey Kong Bananza preview.

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• Nintendo is raising the price of the original Switch, Switch OLED, and Switch Lite in Canada
• Accessories, physical and digital games, and Switch Online memberships will also be affected, but the cost of the Switch 2 will remain the same
• Nintendo explains that the pricing update is "based on market conditions"

Nintendo has announced that it will be increasing the prices of some of its products in Canada.

As reported by IGN, the company said that a "pricing update" will be implemented soon in Canada for certain Nintendo products, namely the original Switch, the Switch OLED, and the Switch Lite.

Notably, the cost of the new Nintendo Switch 2, which launched early last month, will not be impacted, and pricing will remain the same.

It also confirmed that physical and digital games will be affected, which will likely impact Switch 2 owners since most games are backwards compatible, as well as accessories, and Nintendo Switch Online memberships.

As for the reason for the sudden price hike, Nintendo explained that the pricing adjustments are "based on market conditions", but didn't offer any further details.

Nintendo of Canada issued an advisory warning that stated that the full details of adjusted prices will be revealed later today (July 1), which will be reflected on the official Nintendo Canada store.

We can't say for certain how much each product will increase by, but we'll keep you updated.

Switch 2 pre-orders were delayed in Canada in April, following the delays in the US, which were made so Nintendo could assess the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.

If you're hoping to get your hands on the new console, you can check out our live coverage of Nintendo Switch 2 restocks for the US and UK.

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• A new scam text is impersonating UPS and warning people of missed deliveries
• If you reply, you’re sent to a fake website that steals your personal data
• You can stay safe by deleting the message if you’re at all suspicious

If you’ve recently received a text message from UPS, be careful: it could be a scam. You need to be especially wary if the message has come out of the blue or if you’re not expecting a parcel, as phishers and scammers are on the hunt for your private info. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep yourself safe.

Specifically, the UPS text message warns that you’ve missed a supposed parcel delivery and that if you don’t respond, the package will be returned to the sender. In reality, there is no parcel – something given away by the lack of delivery number in the message. In other words, the scammers are sending out blanket texts without any specifics in an attempt to trick any users they possibly can.

The deception becomes more suspicious the closer you look. The messages in question contain a link that goes to a fraudulent website, but because the texts come from an unknown sender, many of the best phones will disable the link. In iOS, for example, links are not tappable if they come from new senders.

However, as soon as you reply to a message, the link is re-enabled. To prompt this, the scammers sending the UPS messages encourage you to reply with the letter Y – when done, this activates the link. The messages also tell you to copy and paste the link into a web browser, just in case. Replying not only re-enables the link – it also tells the scammer that your number is active, potentially opening you up to further targeting.

What the scammers are really after is your personal information, as they urge you to enter your details into their website. This can then be used for identity theft and other criminal activity. Needless to say, if you receive this message or are suspicious about its intentions, you shouldn’t reply or follow its embedded links. Instead, just delete it and report it as spam.

How to stay safe

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Regardless of whether you’re expecting a UPS parcel, you should not respond to messages like this. Instead, go to the official UPS website and check the status of your parcel there using your provided tracking number.

Telltale signs of a scam message are the lack of any identifying information (such as a parcel number or your name and address), and a disabled link to a website with a suspicious address, such as one that contains an unusual domain extension (like .pro or .xyz), misspelled words, or extra characters like hyphens that are not found in the official web address. If any of these elements are present, delete the message and report it as spam. You can also report it at the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center by going to ic3.gov.

Scam messages will often try to rush you into a decision by applying pressure and including threats. They might tell you that you will be fined or will lose the supposed package if you don’t respond. This is intended to get you to act too quickly and not think your decision through. If a message contains anything like this, take a moment to read it again and think clearly about whether it is likely to be genuine.

Both iOS and Android have tools to help you combat scam messages. Aside from reporting them as spam, both Apple’s Messages app and Google Messages now come with built-in spam detection, which can automatically banish fraudulent texts so that they never reach you. The latest iOS 26 update also has a Call Screening feature that requires unknown callers to identify themselves before they can ring you, and this is something that also exists in Android.

Vigilance is key to avoiding text scams, as despite the best efforts of companies like Apple and Google, there are bound to be some messages that slip through the net. If you get a suspicious text, check your gut feeling – does the text ask you to activate a weird-looking link? Is it overly vague with no identifying details like tracking numbers? Don’t panic if it threatens you – instead, take a breath and ask yourself if it feels off. If it does, exile it to the spam folder.

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• Google issues engineer-developed guidance on using AI for coding
• Around one-third of the company's code is now AI-generated
• Other companies are also using AI more to code

Google has issued new usage guidance and best practices for its internal developers using generative AI to help them code, and it may not come as a surprise the tech giant is pushing the security agenda.

Following a period of experimenting with AI and determining its use cases, the document was actually created by engineers (via 9To5Google) before getting approved and disseminated.

The guidance broadly encourages developers to adopt AI to boost productivity, enable faster iteration and enhance product development, however the importance of humans in maintaining security is stressed.

Google shares AI coding guidelines with workers

The guidance reportedly covers using AI for coding assistance, its limitations and building AI-based systems. However, Google also noted it wants to see workers adopt AI in other regions of their work to help boost productivity further.

Nevertheless, humans clearly remain an integral part of the development process, with code review, security and maintenance all areas that require further work.

"Our engineering teams are already regularly using our AI tools for coding, fixing bugs, and much more," the company confirmed.

"These recommendations and best practices, developed by a group of software engineers at Google, are designed to help all SWEs across the company get the most out of AI in their day-to-day work."

The push comes amid growing industry-wide adoption of GenAI in software engineering. Earlier in 2025, Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that around one-third of the company's code is now AI-generated.

Other companies, including Microsoft and Meta, are also increasing the amount of AI-generated code they use, and a recent study found that 30.1% of US Python code on GitHub was AI-generated.

Google's most formal guidance on AI in coding to date could also go on to inform policies for other companies. It also highlights the company's growing reliance on generative AI tools.

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• A detailed specs leak suggests the Pixel 10 Pro series could have bigger batteries
• They might also have a new chipset and slightly faster charging
• But the other core specs could remain largely unchanged

Going by the latest leak, the Google Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL could be two of the more disappointing smartphone launches of the year, as it sounds like not much might be changing.

According to Android Headlines, the main upgrade might simply be to their batteries, with the Pixel 10 Pro said to have a 4,870mAh one (up from 4,700mAh in the Pixel 9 Pro), and the Pixel 10 Pro XL apparently set to have a 5,200mAh one (up from 5,060mAh in the Pixel 9 Pro XL).

To go along with that, both phones will apparently have marginally higher wired charging power, at 29W in the case of the Pixel 10 Pro and 39W in the case of the Pixel 10 Pro XL – but that’s only a 2W increase over last year in both cases. Wireless charging could deliver up to 3W more power, reaching 15W.

Beyond that, the specs mentioned in this leak are largely identical to those of the current models. That includes the screens, which will apparently be 6.3-inch in the case of the Pixel 10 Pro and 6.8 inches for the Pro XL, with both having 1-120Hz refresh rates, both having a 3,000-nit peak brightness, and both using Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

The cameras will also apparently be largely unchanged, with both phones said to sport a 50MP primary sensor, a 48MP ultra-wide, and a 48MP telephoto, with 5x optical zoom. There’s also once again said to be a 42MP front-facing camera.

However, both the ultra-wide and telephoto cameras might be able to take macro photos this year, while the current models can only use the ultra-wide for macro shots.

More power and a higher price

The Pixel 10 Pro XL could cost more than the 9 Pro XL (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

These phones should at least get a power upgrade too, with this leak echoing others in saying they’ll have a new Tensor G5 chipset, as expected, but adding that they’ll once again have 16GB of RAM.

Finally, there’s a mention of storage, with the Google Pixel 10 Pro said to have the same configurations as its predecessor – namely 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. There’s a slight change mentioned for the Pixel 10 Pro XL, as this phone will apparently lack a 128GB option, but the site speculates that this will just be used as a way for Google to justify a price increase, so it’s not necessarily a good change.

We’ve previously heard that the Pixel 10 Pro XL might cost more than the Pixel 9 Pro XL, so this fits with that, but many of the other details in this leak are new, so we’d take these specs with a pinch of salt.

We should find out exactly what the Pixel 10 Pro series has to offer in under two months, with August 20 being tipped as the announcement date. Hopefully by then we’ll have heard some more exciting leaks, because based on the above, the Pixel 10 Pro line might not be worth upgrading to.

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2025 is set to be a big year for Tech conferences around the world.

If you need help deciding which to attend, or if you'd just like to check out the conferences on offer, TechRadar Pro has put together a list of the most anticipated festivals and events to keep you up to date!

Reuters Events: Momentum AI San Jose 2025

July 15th-16th | San Jose, CA

This two day conference will explore AI and looks to help improve the way that companies operate and can deliver products and services. Join industry experts to discuss the insights into AI.

Why attend? Hear from Seth Cohen Chief Information Officer at Procter & Gamble, and Yao Morin Chief Technology Officer, at JLL.

ACM Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) Conference

July 5th-9th | Madeira, Portugal

The ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference will have five areas of focus; Critical Computing and Design Theory, Design Methods and Processes, Artifacts and Systems, Research Through Design, and AI and Design - join industry experts to find out more.

Why attend? Hear keynotes from the brightest minds with and gain invaluable insights into all things design.

Women Impact Tech West Regional Accelerate Conference 

July 24th| Virtual

Over 1,000 women and leaders in tech to discuss AI, development, and engineering. Network and strategise with the best in your sector!

Why attend?

CompTIA ChannelCon 2025

July 29th-31st | Nashville, TN

Global Technology Industry Association's (GTIA) ChannelCon is one of the biggest IT events in 2025. Meet with tech experts, vendors and providers to take your business to the next level.

Why attend? Hear from experts such as Noelle Russell, Keynote Speaker, Leading AI Innovator & Practitioner, and Dan Wensley, CEO, GTIA.

• For information about adding your event to this list, please contact ellen.jennings-trace@futurenet.com

• Google Calendar finally has a native app for watchOS
• However, Google has also just pulled Google Keep for the Apple Watch
• There are now only three Google apps for watchOS

It's fair to say Google app support for the Apple Watch isn't the most comprehensive, so the arrival of a new Google Calendar app for Apple's wearables would normally be something to celebrate – only the Google Keep app has disappeared at the same time.

The arrival of Google Calendar was spotted by the team at 9to5Google. It's a pretty basic app, but it does the job: you get a week's worth of events, plus current Google Tasks, and the color coding is carried over from the main app.

You can't create new events or reminders from the Apple Watch, but there are two complications available, for showing the next appointment and the current date. In fact, it seems to be almost an exact match for Google Calendar on Wear OS.

The news of Google Keep getting pulled from watchOS was also reported by 9to5Google. That takes the number of official Google apps on the Apple Watch back down to three – with Google Maps and YouTube Music the other two.

Users are losing out, again

Google Calendar for the Apple Watch (Image credit: Google)

It's disappointing to see that Google Keep is no longer available for the Apple Watch, because it's just the kind of app you want at-a-glance access to. It's perhaps not a surprise, though: the watchOS version of the app hadn't been updated for years.

And it's a shame that Google is so reluctant to put its apps on Apple's wearable. No doubt it would rather people went with Android and Wear OS, but Google's apps for the iPhone are some of the best in the business, and constantly updated.

That means the millions of users with an iPhone and an Apple Watch are missing out when it comes to getting their Google app info on their wrists. That's more likely to push the masses towards Apple's own native apps, rather than Android.

Perhaps the arrival of Google Calendar for watchOS is an indication that Google Keep will soon return in a new and improved form – perhaps to coincide with the rollout of watchOS 26 later in the year – but we're not going to be holding our breath.

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• Amazon just deployed its millionth robot – nearly as many human workers as it has
• New roles are being created and existing workers are being upskilled
• AI and ML will continue to improve robotics, Amazon says

Amazon has revealed it now has nearly as many robots as humans in its workforce after deploying its millionth robot across its warehouses and operations, a WSJ report has claimed.

Helping to pick, sort, package and transport goods, robots now assist with around three in four global deliveries, however the effects on the workforce might not be as bad as it first sounds, and plenty of human jobs remain.

The company says it has gone from around 175 packages per employee to around 3,870 in the space of a decade, having seen considerable growth across its businesses.

Amazon's workforce is nearly half robots

One of the areas robots have proven their worth is in smaller, same-day delivery facilities that have fewer employees, where they can increase output. Products typically move around 25% faster in heavily automated facilities compared with traditional warehouses, it's reported.

Besides launching new robots (Amazon is the world's largest manufacturer and operator of mobile robots), the company also recently introduced DeepFleet, a foundation model built on AWS tools designed to coordinate robot movements.

Already, Amazon says it has see robot fleet travel efficiency improve by 10% using the AI, reducing congestion in its warehouses.

Among its current fleet are Hercules, which can lift up to 1,250lbs, Pegasus, which handles packages via a conveyor belt, and Proteus, Amazon's first fully autonomous robot operating alongside humans.

However, at the same time, Amazon Robotics VP Scott Dresser boasted that more than 700,000 employees have been upskilled since 2019 through training in robotics, engineering and maintenance, suggesting that human roles at Amazon could be evolving rather than disappearing.

Dresser also noted that new fulfillment centers, including Shreveport, LA, require 30% more technical roles to look after the tech.

Looking ahead, Amazon plans to continue using AI and ML to create more intelligent and responsive robots. Dresser envisions them improving employee safety, creating new career opportunities and boosting customer satisfaction.

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• Oracle CEO Safra Catz confirms a new, mystery cloud contract worth $30 billion
• Last year's total cloud revenue stood at $24.4 billion, so it's a big increase
• Oracle says it will spend big on infrastructure soon

Oracle has signed a mystery cloud contract worth over $30 billion annually, which would effectively more than double the company's current cloud revenue.

CEO Safra Catz explained that the company had gotten off to a "strong start" this fiscal year, having signed multiple large cloud agreements already.

However, among those agreements is a mystery contract, according to a new SEC filing, said to be worth "more than $30 billion," leading investors speculating who the deal could be with.

Oracle's huge mystery cloud contract

Although the contract was signed in the company's 2026 fiscal year, it won't come into play until 2028 – it's unclear whether further details could be shared before then.

Among the most common suggestions for partners include OpenAI, which is working together with Oracle on Project Stargate, Temu, which recently became an Oracle customer, and TikTok, which uses Oracle Cloud in the US.

Nevertheless, $30 billion in extra annual revenue is big news for Oracle. As of fiscal year 2025, Oracle's total cloud revenue was just $24.4 billion – less than this single mystery contract. Total company revenue was up 8% year-over-year to $57.4 billion.

In other news, Oracle has also confirmed plans to build a $40 billion AI data center campus near Dallas for Project Stargate, supplying 400,000 Nvidia GB200 GPUs for the project. The company also plans to spend up to $500 billion in infrastructure by 2029 to meet demand.

However, while the $30 billion contract will provide some stability for Oracle, capital expenditure increased threefold from $7 billion to $21 billion in just the space of one year.

Looking ahead, Oracle predicts cloud infrastructure revenue growth of 70% by the end of this fiscal year, with company revenue climbing to an estimated $104 billion by fiscal 2029.

TechRadar Pro has asked Oracle for more information on the contract, but we don't expect to get an answer.

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