Technology

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• Oukitel set to launch WP200 Pro in first quarter of 2025
• Device has a single earbud with a color LCD, useful for translation
• It comes with a staggering 1TB of storage and 24GB of RAM, the most I've seen in a rugged handset

We’ve reviewed a number of rugged devices from Chinese manufacturer Oukitel in the past and have always been impressed by what they offer, especially for the price.

The company now plans to debut three new 5G rugged smartphones at CES 2025, and it’s fair to say they all have something interesting that sets them apart from the competition. The WP100 Titan features a massive 33Ah battery, a camping light, and a DLP projector, while the WP200 Pro and WP300 Pro have a recess built into the back, into which you can drop a module.

For the Oukitel WP200, that module is a detachable single earbud that you can pull out and place in your ear for listening to music or podcasts, taking calls, and hearing translations. It saves you from having to carry a separate set of Bluetooth headphones, and as long as you remember to reattach it, you shouldn’t lose it.

1TB of storage

The earphone has a customizable color LCD display, so when you’re not using it in your ear you can glance at the back of your phone and see the time and other details on it. It looks similar to a smartwatch screen, so it’s probably no surprise that it can double as one. Drop it into the separate wristband, and you can wear it as a watch and benefit from its sport modes and health monitoring features.

The phone itself looks attractive, with a choice of blue and green textured finishes. It features a 6.7-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED screen and is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 SoC, backed by an impressive 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage - impressive for any smartphone and virtually unheard of in a rugged one. The main camera is a 108MP model, promising sharp and detailed images.

Additional details regarding the Oukitel WP200 Pro (and the WP300 Pro) are still sparse, although the WP200 Pro is expected to launch in Q1 2025. Crucial information, including pricing and global availability, will no doubt be revealed once CES gets underway.

While many rugged phones are mainly designed for users working in demanding environments, such as construction sites or outdoor industries, the WP200 Pro is likely to appeal equally to adventure seekers who are looking for a durable and versatile device for their explorations.

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• Across LATAM and East Europe, people are deliberately selling their ID documents
• Individuals willingly provide photos and documentation in exchange for payment
• This twist in ID misuse criminality makes standard forgery detection redundant

Researchers at iProov have uncovered a complex dark web operation aimed at undermining Know Your Customer (KYC) verification processes.

Unlike conventional identity theft, the scheme involves unsuspecting victims voluntarily handing over their identity documents and facial images in return for financial compensation.

This approach, dubbed "identity farming," allows criminals to exploit genuine credentials to bypass verification systems, complicating detection efforts.

Exploiting genuine credentials

In amassing genuine credentials, the operation, predominantly active in the LATAM region (Latin America), can outwit traditional document verification methods that excel at spotting forgeries or alterations.

While similar activities have been observed in Eastern Europe, no direct connection between the groups has been established.

In regions facing economic hardship and high unemployment, individuals are willing to compromise their identities for short-term financial gains.

Fraudsters exploit their victims in this way, offering payment in exchange for identity documents and biometric data, often under false pretenses. Many victims perceive this as a low-risk transaction.

How identity farming operations work

Attackers are a mixed ability group. Those at entry-level rely on simple yet effective techniques such as presenting static images or pre-recorded videos.

More sophisticated actors employ advanced tools like face-swapping software and lighting manipulations, and the most capable attackers use custom AI models and 3D animations, designed to mimic natural human behavior in real-time.

According to iProov, there's a need for a multi-layered strategy when safeguarding identity verification systems.

This includes measures such as verifying that the presented identity aligns with official documentation, using embedded imagery and metadata analysis to confirm the presence of a real person, and deploying real-time challenge-response systems to detect fraudulent behavior.

"What's particularly alarming about this discovery is not just the sophisticated nature of the operation, but the fact that individuals are willingly compromising their identities for short-term financial gain," said Andrew Newell, Chief Scientific Officer at iProov.

"When people sell their identity documents and biometric data, they're not just risking their own financial security - they're providing criminals with complete, genuine identity packages that can be used for sophisticated impersonation fraud."

"These identities are particularly dangerous because they include both real documents and matching biometric data, making them extremely difficult to detect through traditional verification methods.’’

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OLED is quickly becoming the hottest screen tech to use with the best gaming PCs following a bit of a breakthrough in the last couple of years of OLED and QD-OLED options among the best gaming monitors – and there’s a surprisingly tempting new option coming, though it’s not actually a monitor. But it is OLED, and it’s geared up for PC gaming.

The LG M5 OLED TV has just been announced, and not only does it have the specs PC gamers will look for – 4K, 144Hz, VRR including Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync support – but it also offers wireless connectivity between the TV screen and an external connection box, meaning you can have your PC and TV further apart, allowing for real flexibility of placement.

Imagine: at your rig, you have your normal gaming monitor. But sometimes, you want to play on the couch with the big-screen – in the case of the M5, the wireless box is also part of your desk setup, so you can just access all your same gaming libraries on your big-screen, with all your preferred saved settings. Your PC acts like both a PC and a console thanks to the wireless Zero Connect box. Could the LG M5 be the perfect PC gaming TV?

Specs and flexibility aplenty

The LG M5 OLED TV will feature a Zero Connect Box (pictured bottom left) similar to its predecessor, the LG M4 OLED (pictured here), but will offer more flexibility in placement (Image credit: Future)

Let’s get one thing clear – the LG M5 OLED is not the first to offer the wireless tech that PC gamers will love. That title belonged to the M5’s antecedent, the LG M3. That also offered 4K, high frame rate with VRR, Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync support, and the Zero Connect box, which is a wireless connections box that you plug all the external devices into, and then transmits the signal to the TV itself, meaning a mostly cable-free experience (power cable still required for the screen itself).

But, where the LG M5 will best its predecessor, according to LG, is in the freedom of where the Zero Connect box goes. LG has promised that the Zero Connect on the M5 will be ‘visually lossless’ and ‘true wireless’, regardless of where the M5 and Zero Connect Box are placed. The M4’s Zero Connect Box required line of sight, meaning objects could obstruct signals, but the M5 is said to have much more flexibility in its placement options, while still offering effectively zero latency.

So while the LG M3 and M4 TVs wouldn’t have been ideal for all setups, the M5 should have the flexibility so that you can just tuck the box out of sight and still get its wireless tricks.

Perfect timing for the Nvidia RTX 5080

A recent leak suggests the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 could be imminent - and it would make a perfect match for the LG M5 (Image credit: ChipHell / Via VideoCardz)

It’s no secret that Nvidia makes some of the best graphics cards on the market, with the RTX 4060, 4070 and 4080 all featuring in our picks for the best graphics cards. AMD has had a strong year, but when there’s talk of a new Nvidia graphics card on the horizon, people take notice.

It’s no surprise then that a recent leak of images said to be the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 has sent the PC world into a frenzy, with many believing that a reveal is imminent – maybe even as soon as CES 2025. This is potentially perfect timing for the LG M5 OLED. Because it’s an Nvidia G-Sync certified wireless TV, it should be a match made in heaven for the Nvidia RTX 5080.

One thing that should be noted – none of this is going to be cheap. While PC gamers expect to pay a lot for the best equipment, the LG M5 OLED is going to be at the premium end of the OLED TV market. While we don’t have pricing for the M5 itself, the LG M4 launched at a price of roughly €5,000 / $4,499 / £3,799, a significant price increase over the LG G4, so you can expect to the LG M5 to be similar if not more.

But, if you’re looking for the premium PC gaming experience with an OLED TV, the M5’s improved Zero Connect flexibility over the M4 could make it the perfect companion for PC gamers. Imagine not having to move your PC setup!

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TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

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• LG reveals high-end OLED TV models for 2025: LG G5 and LG M5
• LG M5 has a more flexible wireless video transmission box
• New OLED panels set to be brightest yet, with 165Hz support

LG has revealed its 2025 OLED TV lineup at CES 2025, with a brighter LG G5 OLED TV, and an updated LG M5 OLED TV. The latter will have greater flexibility in its Zero Connect Box placement, while both will have a brighter screen and new AI-centric interface for its webOS smart TV platform.

For OLEDs, the LG OLED M5, successor to the LG M4, will continue to use the Zero Connect wireless box for its cable connections and support 4K 144Hz with VRR including certified Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync for gaming. The M5 will also be the world's first ‘True Wireless’ TV meaning no loss in picture or sound quality over wireless transmission, which means its Zero Connect box can be placed further away and in more locations than the M4 (but the TV will still need a power cable, so 'True Wireless' is perhaps a little ambitious).

Both the LG M5 and the LG G5 – which is the successor to one of 2024’s best OLED TVs, the LG G4 – will feature an Alpha 11 AI processor, which comes with the Brightness Booster Ultimate tech, which LG claims will make the G5 three times brighter than the LG B-series, its entry-level OLED TV. The LG G5 will also support up to a 165Hz refresh rate, surpassing many of the best gaming TVs available.

Could we be seeing the brightest OLEDs yet at CES 2025? Reports suggest LG OLED panels of 3,700 nits could be available, which is a significant step-up over the LG G4 (pictured) – though we doubt the TVs will reach such heights anyway. (Image credit: LG Global)

LGs Evo OLEDs will also feature a Filmmaker Mode with a new feature called Ambient Light Compensation. This feature is applicable with models with a light sensor that analyzes the viewing environment and then aims to display the picture on screen "as the director intended" for that level of lighting. This new Filmmaker Mode was made in conjunction with the creative community.

Several upgrades are coming to LG’s webOS smart TV platform, which all LG OLEDs will have built-in, and are heavily focused around AI. These new AI features include AI Picture and Sound profiles as well as AI Recommendations linked to specific user profiles, AI Search (coming to US and Korea only so far), plus updates to AI Chatbot allowing it to make picture mode and sound mode recommendations.

Finally, LG’s Magic Remote has been given a re-design for a more slimmed-down appearance. The numbered buttons have been replaced with an AI button to access AI features, and an Accessibility button provides easy access to accessibility features.

LG M5 OLED

The LG M5 OLED (pictured) will be 'True Wireless' according to LG, delivering up to 4K, 144Hz video signal wirelessly. (Image credit: LG)

The LG M5 will be available in 65, 77, 83 and 97-inch sizes and have the same Zero Connect capabilities as its M4 predecessor, receiving a wireless signal from LG’s Zero Connect box, which has all the processing and HDMI connections built-in. The Zero Connect Box is now said to be ‘True Wireless’, meaning it can be placed at a greater range of angles and distances while still transmitting the same full-quality and zero-latency signal.

The LG M5 uses the new Alpha 11 AI processor Gen2, which has been improved with AI Super Upscaling (for lower-resolution content), Dynamic Tone Mapping Pro and Object Enhancing by Visual Perception. It will also support 11.1.2 Virtual AI Surround Sound.

LG G5 OLED

(Image credit: LG)

The LG G5 will be available in 55, 65, 77 and 83-inch sizes- and will feature a micro-lens-array (MLA) OLED panel and the same Alpha 11 AI Gen2 Processor as the LG M5. The G5’s biggest upgrade from the G4 is Brightness Booster Ultimate tech, which will see the G5's peak brightness levels at three times that of the B series.

Another major development in the LG G5 will be 165Hz refresh rate support. for PC gaming – a step-up on the G4’s 144Hz max refresh rate. The G5 will also support AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, HGiG and Dolby Vision gaming. It’s worth noting that Dolby Vision will not be supported at 165Hz.

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TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

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• Projectors are making a comeback in tablets and smartphones
• Oukitel WP100 Titan appears to be an upgrade of the 8849 Tank3 Pro we reviewed
• 33Ah battery is bigger than any smartphone or tablet on the market

If you’re looking for a rugged Android phone at an affordable price, Oukitel has you covered, with a host of new devices coming at CES 2025.

One of the most notable rugged phone launches is the WP100 Titan, which boasts a variety of features that help it stand out from the competition, including a giant 33,000mAh battery, ensuring you won’t have to worry about running out of juice while on the go, even if you’re away for several days.

The battery promises up to six months of standby time and includes 66W fast charging.

Camping light and projector

The device also comes with a 1,200-lumen camping light, which can illuminate your path at night, and an adjustable-focus 100-lumen, 120Hz DLP projector suitable for presentations or movie viewing - indoors or outdoors.

There's not much additional information available about the WP100 Titan at the moment, but it appears to be an upgrade of the rugged 8849 Tank3 Pro we reported on previously which also included a camping light and a 100-lumen projector. That device sported a massive 23,900mAh battery - impressive at the time but now seemingly modest compared to Oukitel’s upcoming device.

Further details about the WP100 Titan should be revealed in the coming days at CES 2025, and Oukitel has informed us that the new phone will be available for backing in a Kickstarter campaign launching sometime in February.

The launch is the latest in a series of Oukitel devices, and we've been impressed by many of them to date.

We rated the 5G Oukitel WP30 Pro as one of the best rugged phones you can buy right now. It’s lighter than most, which is great if you don’t want to lug around a heavy device, and features an 11,000mAh battery and is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 CPU, backed by 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It also offers dual nano-SIM support. We also really liked the Oukitel WP10 and WP15 - check out our full reviews for more details.

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• Roborock has launched 3 new robot vacuums at CES 2025
• All have slimline designs that let them clean under low furniture
• The Saros 10 has a navigation puck that pops up and down

Roborock has launched a new fleet of robovacs at CES 2025. The Saros 10, Saros 10R and Saros Z70 are being pitched as joint flagship models, and all sport the latest-and-greatest robot vacuum tech the brand has to offer.

The one that'll probably turn the most heads is the Saros Z70, because it has a big robotic pincer arm attached, but I'd like to also turn your attention to the Saros 10 and 10R. Neither are quite as flashy (a robovac with limbs is a high bar), but both sport some quietly innovative features of their own – and perhaps of the kind that are more immediately useful to more people.

Specifically: neither has the the fixed, raised central puck that you'll find on most of today's best robot vacuums. That means they both have a relatively short profile and thus can clean places that are off-limits to those other, taller robots. The most obvious example is the space underneath low-sitting furniture, which tends to go unvacuumed and as a result, can be a bit of a dust and dirt hotspot.

Let me back up a bit. The most popular methods of robot vacuum navigation requires a raised puck in the center of the machine. For most bots, this is for LiDAR, but in Roborock's case, it's used for a system called LDS (Laser Distance Sensors). In both cases, the puck helps the bots to 'see' a more complete view of their surroundings. But it also adds height.

The Saros 10 has a navigation puck that can pop up and down (Image credit: Roborock)

The means by which Roborock has achieved this low-profile design is completely different on the 10R and the 10. The 10R still uses the tried-and-tested LDS system for mapping, and in fact it still has a central puck – except this time, it's retractable.

The puck is designed to sense when it's entering a reduced-height area, retreat back inside the bot (taking it down to a slimline height of a smidge under 8cm), and then pop right out again when height permits. The LDR puck, meanwhile, has an upward ToF (time-of-flight) sensor that emits an extra laser beam to detect the height of low spaces. It also houses a wide-angle vision module that Roborock says helps with accuracy of mapping and means the robovac is much less likely to get lost when the puck is in its hidden, shy-turtle state.

Overall, the brand promises a bot with excellent spatial awareness, which can "navigate complex environments with ease". And that includes confidently venturing into the dusty depths beneath your sofa.

Starry eyed

The Saros 10R doesn't have a puck at all – popup or no – and that's because it doesn't use LDS. Instead, it makes use of an entirely new type of navigation called StarSight, and it made its debut on the Roborock Qrevo Slim, which was announced at IFA 2024. It's the same height as a puck-down Saros 10 robot vacuum – 7.98cm.

Exactly how StarSight works remains something of a mystery to me – like many robovac navigation systems, it relies on sensors and cameras, and this time it's combined with an added helping of AI for accurate object identification and avoidance. The key to the precise mapping and navigation here is that is uses a sampling frequency that's 21x higher than LDS uses.

The Saros 10 uses a new method of navigation, which doesn't require a raised puck (Image credit: Roborock) Flagship specs

The navigation method is the key difference between the Saros 10R and the 10, which otherwise are extremely similar. In fact, they're also very similar to the Saros Z70, with the exception of that big robotic arm.

Other special features on both Saros bots include a frankly stupid 22,000Pa of suction, which I'd estimate is roughly enough to suck up my whole flat, and a rubber roller that's split in the middle, to allow hair to escape through the gap and into the trash. These features alone have me eyeing these models up for a potential spot on our best robot vacuums for pet hair list.

At time of writing, pricing details haven't been released, but Roborock says both bots will cost exactly the same. That means the customer can make their own call as to whether they prefer the tried-and-tested LDS navigation – which, it should be noted, has performed consistently well on all the Roborock robot vacuums we've tried it on – or the newer, fancier, altogether more appealingly named StarSight.

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

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