Technology

• Companies going all-in on AI are also seeing positive impacts on headcount
• Entry-level roles saw higher-than-average growth, opposing existing research
• Workforce gains aren't immediate – AI needs time to find its place within organizations

A new report has challenged the narrative that AI adoption has been leading to job losses, instead revealing that the companies making the biggest investments in AI are actually growing their workforces.

The study combines corporate AI spending data from Ramp's payment platform and workforce records from Revelio Labs to analyze more than 21,500 US companies, making it one of the biggest of its kind.

It concludes that high-intensity AI adopters increased their headcount by around 10% during the first two years after deploying AI, making AI good news for workers and labor after all.

AI adoption is causing companies to hire more workers

Clearly, only strong AI adoption has a positive impact on workers, because companies making modest investments didn't see any significant growth.

The study also stresses that the impacts are slow-growing – rather than seeing an immediate uptick in employment, it takes time for companies to integrate AI, discover productive use cases and hire more workers.

High adopters are defined as those who invested around $33 per employee per month during the first three months after adoption, compared with around $3 for low adopters.

It also challenges other recent research, asserting that entry-level employment actually rose by a higher-than-average 12% among high-intensity AI adopters. Other reports have implied that entry-level workers have been among the hardest hit.

Even though tech giants dominate the headlines, with Salesforce cutting nearly half of its support staff and Amazon notably cutting tens of thousands of workers, the Ramp/Revelio Labs report actually shows growth across more than just AI engineer roles, spanning sales, marketing, admin, finance, customer service and more.

While the research can't be used to predict long-term labor impacts, it does at least serve as a notice that workers aren't currently at risk of total redundancy, even amid job role shifts.

Specs

Type: color multifunction laser printer

Functions: Print, scan, copy, fax, ADF

Connectivity: Ethernet, USB, Wi-Fi

Data storage slots: USB Host

Max print speed: 25ppm

Max paper size: Letter / A4

Print quality: 600x600 dpi (4,800 dpi color)

Memory: 1GB

Apple AirPrint: yes

Consumables included: 4 x toner cartridges (750 black, 500 color pages)

Dimensions: 16.18 x 15.71 x 13.58in (411 x 399 x 345 mm (WxDxH)

Weight: 42.9lbs/19.5kg

The first real fruit of the Xerox/Lexmark collaboration is a mid-priced multifunction laser printer aimed at hybrid workers and small businesses looking for high performance from a compact device that doesn’t need IT support.

It’s essentially Lexmark hardware with Xerox software and support, which sounds to me like the best of both worlds. The Lexmark print engine has proved fast and efficient in the past, but I much prefer the Xerox interface and Easy Assist App, so let’s see if this middle-of-the-road office all-in-one is worthy to wear the refreshed Xerox logo.

Xerox C255a: Design and build

(Image credit: Future)

The Xerox C255a is impressively compact for a four-in-one device with two paper inputs and a 50-sheet automatic document feeder (ADF). The main tray can hold up to 250 sheets of A4 or letter paper, while the slot-loading multipurpose tray is for single sheets or envelopes. It’s smaller than the Brother MFC-L8970CDW in all dimensions, which is good, but it’s a pity the display is less than half that printer’s size at just 2.8 inches. At least there’s a USB Host port beside the front panel, in addition to the USB data port at the rear.

It looks much like the Lexmark MC3326i on which this new model is based, except that it now has a playfully shaped plastic front panel that bends its top right corner outwards just enough to look like a furling sheet of paper, while offering an easy way to open up the toner compartment door. The black and gray livery looks smart and it’s showcasing the reworked Xerox logo, which now features a kind of crosshead screw icon that looks like a nod to Lexmark’s green square logo.

It’s reassuringly heavy at just under 20kg or 43lbs and it feels well made, from fifty percent recycled plastic. The toner cartridges lock into place with a satisfying click and the paper drawer opens smoothly. In short, build quality is a strong point. You can even add an optional swivel cabinet or adjustable stand, but sadly, you can’t add another paper cassette.

Xerox C255a: Features & specifications

(Image credit: Future)

As the company’s mid-priced model, the Xerox C255a has all the features on my check list to be among the best small business printers. Wi-Fi with AirPrint and Chromebook compatibility is built in, there’s a USB flash memory slot, strong security and a manual paper feed in addition to the main tray. It can auto duplex print, of course, but it can’t auto duplex scan. That feature is reserved for the step-up Xerox C325.

The print rate is also appreciably slower than the Xerox C325. That said, our Xerox C255a is no slouch at 26ppm (pages per minute) in simplex mode and it doesn’t slow down much when duplexing. I think it’s fast enough for the needs of most businesses.

Print resolution is the usual 600x600 DPI which matches the scan resolution, while color printing is enhanced to 4,800 DPI. The 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM is an improvement on the old Lexmark and Xerox’s recommended duty cycle of up to 50,000 pages per month suggests that this is a printer that can handle a very heavy workload.

Xerox C255a: Setup and operation

(Image credit: Future)

I found the setup procedure to be quick and painless and did not need to reach for the single-page quick start guide. You just have to remove all the transport packaging, load your paper, power up and follow the on-screen prompts to get online and print the first test page.

The inbuilt 2.8-inch display is rather small, but it’s intuitive and Xerox’s setup procedure makes it easy to link your smartphone so you can use the helpful Easy Assist companion app to get your printer onto your Wi-Fi network for the first time.

Day-to-day operation is simplified by the user-friendly OS which I think Xerox always did better than Lexmark. The Lexmark MC3326i always suffered from a lazy touchscreen and more convoluted menu system, which I’m happy to say has been much improved.

Xerox C255a: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

Firstly, the pages of crisp dark text on plain paper pumped out by the Xerox C255a look great and explain why Xerox was so keen to purchase Lexmark’s print engine. It’s not the quietest laser printer in its class, nor the fastest, but the black on white print quality is consistently excellent. Characters printed at small point sizes always appear legible and well delineated when viewed through a magnifying glass.

Mixed color documents are less impressive because the C/M/Y toner, which doesn’t appear to have changed since the Lexmark days, is somewhat dull. The color tones are actually quite natural and consistent, but they certainly don’t pop in the way that they do with the HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201dw, for example. I don’t think this is a problem for printing handouts and reports etc, but photographs, even when printed on laser photo paper, tend to look flat and disappointing.

The scanner bed and ADF both worked flawlessly during the tests and made accurate multipage copies swiftly and without paper jams. The duplicates appeared noticeably paler than the originals, but not enough to be a problem. As a digital copier, the Xerox C255a is fine, but without single-pass dual scanning, that’s not its strongest suit.

Xerox C255a: Consumables

(Image credit: Future)

The Xerox C255a ships with four pre-loaded starter cartridges containing just enough toner to print 750 black and pages, or 500 in color. That means they’re less than a third full because Xerox’s standard carts yield 1,200 color and 1,300 black pages, while the high-capacity carts yield up to 2500 color and 3,000 black pages.

With the highest yield black Xerox cartridges costing around US$100 or £98, the cost per page can be reasonably competitive, although it’s by no means the lowest running cost among laser printers in this class.

Apart from the badge, the cartridges look identical to those of the Lexmark MC33261i and contain the same toner, so we can assume they’re compatible.

Xerox C255a: Maintenance

(Image credit: Future)

Apart from replacing the toner cartridges, the Xerox C255a may require a new waste toner cartridge costing around $20 when the original becomes full.

The imaging drums are not built into the toner cartridges in this case, so they will also need to be swapped out if you notice serious deterioration in print quality or you receive the dreaded ‘Replace Drum’ message on the display.

None of those things should happen before around 40,000 prints, so I’d say this is a low-maintenance device.

Xerox C255a: Final verdictFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

The Xerox C255a performed well enough in all of my tests to recommend it to both home workers with high print demands and small businesses in a shared office. It’s compact enough to sit on your desk at home, while also having the print speed and paper/ink capacity to serve a small workgroup, and thanks to the intuitive touchscreen interface and strong app support, you’re unlikely to need IT backup.

It’s not the quietest of laser printers, nor the fastest and it lacks high-end features like NFC or single-pass dual scanning, but crucially, it does have all the essentials, such as Wi-Fi with AirPrint, an ADF and robust security. There’s not much toner in the starter cartridges, but Xerox’s high-yield refills are reasonably priced. Build quality is also reassuringly solid and having tested the Lexmark on which this Xerox is based, I can confirm that it’s a genuine improvement rather than just a rebrand.

For more top-rated options, I've tested out the best home printers and the best laser printers.

• A new report suggests foldable phone prices could rise by 18% this year
• That's in part due to the iPhone Ultra, which could launch at a very high price
• Samsung and other brands may well cash in on this market shift

2026 could be one of the biggest years for foldable phones yet, as the foldable iPhone Ultra looks set to finally arrive in September. But while that’s sure to excite anyone who’s been waiting for an Apple-made foldable, it could also come with some bad news for consumers.

You see, according to a recent Counterpoint Research report (via 9to5Mac), the average price of foldable phones could rise by as much as 18% this year, and that increase will in part be thanks to Apple’s upcoming model.

Specifically, the average price is predicted to rise to $1,485 (roughly £1,110 / AU$2,140), and that’s in part because the iPhone Ultra itself will probably cost significantly more than that, with a recent IDC report predicting that the phone could retail for as much as $2,500 (around £1,870 / AU$3,600) — and that might just be the starting price.

This being an iPhone, it’s sure to be popular and could therefore drive up the average price of foldable phones. But its impact might extend to other brands too, because a $2,500 foldable iPhone could make such prices more palatable when attached to phones from Samsung and other companies.

A welcome rival

Clamshell models like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 could soon cost less (Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

With this in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise that a Samsung exec said last year that the Korean giant is “welcoming others to join this category,” in response to a question about the iPhone Ultra’s arrival.

Don’t be surprised, then, if future Samsung foldables cost more than current ones — and not just because of rising RAM prices and inflation, but also because of the Apple impact.

Still, this Counterpoint report has some good pricing news too, as while it predicts that book-style foldables will continue increasing in price, clamshell models are expected to fall in price on average, bringing them “closer to premium bar-type smartphone alternatives.”

So while book-style foldables might start feeling even further out of reach for a lot of buyers, clamshell models could become increasingly attainable.

For a company that prides itself on delivering polished, functioning hardware and software, Apple dropped the ball with its original AI-powered Clean Up tool.

Not only did this Apple Intelligence feature arrive almost a year after similar tools from Samsung and Google, but by all accounts, it was objectively worse at removing unwanted objects in images than those big-name rivals. We tested Clean Up against Galaxy AI last year, and found that the former “comes incredibly short of the mark when Samsung’s offering is capable of truly achieving what it sets out to do.” Ouch.

But Apple has promised to make things right in iOS 27. At WWDC 2026, the company announced that Clean Up will be faster and more capable in your iPhone’s next software update — and so I put that claim to the test by comparing Clean Up as it exists in iOS 26 against Clean Up as it exists in the iOS 27 developer beta (if you’re keen to try an early version of iOS 27 for yourself, here’s how to download the iOS 27 developer beta).

Before we dive into the image comparisons, an important note: Clean Up is better in iOS 27 because it’s capable of engaging Apple’s powerful Foundation models when needed. Say, for instance, you want to remove an obstruction from your face; your iPhone will employ a ‘High Quality’ version of Clean Up that taps into Apple’s own Private Cloud Compute servers to access these Foundation models. But it doesn’t do this all the time.

For small touch-up jobs, your iPhone employs a ‘Fast’ version of Clean Up that uses Apple's on-device AI models to complete your request, just as it does in iOS 26 (albeit not under this 'Fast' banner). This version is (surprise!) faster than the ‘High Quality’ alternative, but it's also not as effective at removing objects.

In iOS 27, your iPhone defaults to using an ‘Auto’ version of Clean Up that switches between ‘High Quality’ and ‘Fast’ depending on the edit request you’re making, but you can force your iPhone to use one or the other by selecting your chosen mode in a drop-down menu.

The new Clean Up options in iOS 27 (Image credit: Future)

For this comparison, I stuck to ‘Auto’ to test how well my iPhone recognizes when (and when not) to use the more power-intensive ‘High Quality’ version of Clean Up — and because most people will use Clean Up in this default ‘Auto’ mode. I also wanted to see whether ‘Fast’ in iOS 27 — which my iPhone surely used for a few of the photos below — is more effective than it is in iOS 26.

I've added a separate section for comparing ‘Fast’ and ‘High Quality’ results in iOS 27, which is the starkest example of how much Apple's Clean Up tool has been improved.

And, of course, my results are based on the iOS 27 developer beta, not the finished version of iOS 27. There's every chance that Clean Up will be improved further once iOS 27 proper arrives later this year.

Photo comparisonsOriginal imageFuture / Axel MetzFuture / Axel MetzFuture / Axel Metz

In this first example, iOS 26 leaves behind an unnatural smear in place of the dog, while iOS 27 adds a more detailed, natural-looking replacement. The latter looks more like a bush than grass — and the end of the dog's tail is still visible in both examples — but iOS 27 delivers the better overall result.

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

iOS 26 actually delivers the better result here, leaving behind a slightly less visible L-shape than iOS 27. I suspect this is an example of that 'Fast' version of Clean Up in action, and that if I manually selected 'High Quality', the iOS 27 version would be superior (see the 'Fast' vs 'High Quality' comparison at the bottom of the page to see what I mean). This comparison also proves that 'Fast' in iOS 27 doesn't always deliver superior results to Clean Up in iOS 26 (at least as far as the developer beta goes).

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

Again, I'd say iOS 26 delivers the better result in this example — focus on the llama's erased head in both photos to see what I mean.

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel MetzOriginal imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

This is the first example in which I'm convinced my iOS 27-enabled iPhone switched from 'Fast' to 'High Quality'. When asking Clean Up to remove the long strands of hair over my left eye, the iOS 26 version completely botches the job, adding random ugly smears and not actually removing anything. The iOS 27 version, meanwhile, serves up a genuinely impressive result. It's not completely devoid of fakery, but it's certainly the more usable of the two results.

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

Now you see him, now you don't. At first glance, both iOS 26 and iOS 27 appear to do a similarly OK job at removing Bad Bunny from the roof of La Casita, but if you look closely, iOS 26 doesn't recognize that there are stairs behind him. The iOS 27 result isn't that much better, but it's the objectively superior of the two.

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

Another slim win for iOS 27 here. Neither version of Clean Up completely removes the dog's shadow, but iOS 27 makes a slightly better go of it than iOS 26.

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

In this example, the iOS 27 result is the much better of the two. Not only does iOS 26 leave behind a smeary cloud, but it also adds a random shape and (badly) generates an extra helping of mountain in the background. None of these mistakes are visible in the iOS 27 result.

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

iOS 27 wins again here, but not by much. The dark splodges left behind in the iOS 26 result are a tad more visible than those in the iOS 27 result, and I'd be more comfortable passing the latter off as reality.

Original imageFuture / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 26Future / Axel MetzClean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

This is probably the most challenging request of the bunch. I'm sitting on a backless bench while pedalling a piece of urban gym equipment, and I asked Clean Up to remove me, but keep everything else intact. iOS 26 fails miserably, and while iOS 27 doesn't totally succeed either — it leaves my right foot behind and removes the end of the bench entirely — it does do a better job of replacing what it removes with real-looking imagery.

Fast vs High Quality in iOS 27

Here's an example of the different results you can achieve by manually selecting the 'Fast' and 'High Quality' versions of Clean Up in iOS 27.

Original imageFuture / Axel Metz'Fast' version of Clean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz'High quality' version of Clean Up in iOS 27Future / Axel Metz

As you can see, the difference is huge. The 'Fast' result is a total mess, while the 'High Quality' result is genuinely real-looking. The latter isn't perfect — it's changed the menu art, for instance, and reduced the menu count from two to one — but I suspect that's because a portion of the menu was caught in the circle I drew around the coffee cup (and for that reason, I hope Apple reduces the thickness of the Clean Up line when iOS 27 releases in full later this year).

First impressions

In all but three of the comparisons, the iOS 27 developer beta version of Clean Up delivered the better result; however, it's clear that, when your iPhone opts for the 'Fast' version of the feature, the gulf in quality is not dramatic. In fact, in some examples, the iOS 26 result is better — so it's probably best to think of 'Fast' Clean Up and iOS 26 Clean Up as the same tool.

It's a different story for the 'High Quality' version of Clean Up in the iOS 27 developer beta, which delivered vastly superior results to Clean Up in iOS 26 when my iPhone auto-selected that option, or when I manually enabled it (as in the coffee cup example).

This proves beyond doubt that Apple has improved Clean Up in iOS 27 as it exists right now — but unless users manually select this 'High Quality' option (or always request complex edits that trigger its automatic use), the difference in Clean Up's capabilities may not be all that noticeable.

Again, though, I've been careful to specify that these iOS 27 results are from the developer beta — Apple will likely further tweak Clean Up between now and iOS 27's September release, so I expect the tool to get even better.

If you're looking for reliable backup power for your home, camping trips, or weather emergencies, the Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 is one of the best portable power stations we've ever tested.

Right now, the Explorer 1000 V2 is down to $449 (was $799) at Amazon, which is a solid $350 discount. And for readers in the UK, the power station has dropped to £379 (was £419) at Amazon.co.uk.

That makes an already excellent power station even better value. Whether you're preparing for unexpected outages, planning weekends away, or simply want dependable portable power for work and recreation, the Explorer 1000 V2 offers an impressive balance of capacity, performance, and portability.

Today's top Jackery portable power station deal

This portable power station delivers 1070Wh capacity with 1500W output, making it suitable for running household essentials, devices, and tools. Fast one-hour charging keeps downtime short, while multiple AC, USB, and DC ports allow several devices to run simultaneously.

In the UK: now £379 (was £419)View Deal

In our rave review, we said the "Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 is one of the best portable power stations around, a solid choice and one of the most robust and reliable options available." It scored 4.5 stars and earned a TechRadar Pro Highly Recommended badge.

Its 1070Wh battery and 1500W continuous power output are enough to run a wide range of everyday devices, including laptops, refrigerators, lights, routers, and small kitchen appliances. A 3000W surge capacity also helps when powering devices that require extra energy to start up.

The battery can recharge from empty to full in around an hour, making it ideal if you're heading off on a last-minute camping trip or need to get backup power ready before severe weather arrives.

The Explorer 1000 V2 includes three pure sine wave AC outlets alongside multiple USB ports and a 12V car outlet, allowing you to power several devices simultaneously without relying on additional adapters.

The unit weighs just under 24 pounds and includes a sturdy carry handle, making it easy to move between rooms, load into a vehicle, or carry around a campsite.

It also supports UPS functionality with a switching time of under 20 milliseconds, helping desktop PCs and other sensitive electronics continue running if the mains power suddenly fails.

The lithium iron phosphate battery is rated for up to 4,000 charge cycles, providing years of dependable service, while the companion app lets you monitor the battery and adjust charging settings directly from your phone.

For more choices, check out the best portable power stations we've tested and reviewed.

• Shop all the portable power stations at Amazon

One of my favorite things about the best music streaming services is that they’ve evolved into more than just audio platforms — they give you the freedom to create your own digital music space.

Take Spotify for example, the platform I’ve been using for over a decade. Not only does its algorithm learn to understand your tastes (though it takes quite a bit of time and effort to train it), creating playlists and folders gives you another way to make your Spotify space your own.

One of Spotify’s most handy features is pins, which places select playlists, albums, and artists, as well as audiobooks and podcasts to the top of your Library for quick and easy access, but the four-pin limit is a pain point that pretty much every subscriber has been asking Spotify to upgrade since the pins feature was rolled out some five years ago.

In the case of Apple Music, you can pin up to six different items which, while it’s still a small number, is better than four. Users have been begging Spotify to increase this number for years — and you’ll be relieved to learn that change is finally coming.

(Image credit: Future)From 4 to 20

I first spotted signs of a possible update after coming across a Reddit post (see below) in which a user shared that they had somehow found a way to pin more than four items in their Library. Apparently all they did was update their Spotify app, but other users responding in the comments saw no such change — myself included.

[Breaking | Pins] Look how many things I have pinned :) Update your app now. from r/truespotify

After coming across the post, I reached out to Spotify, which confirmed that it’s increasing the four-pin limit, which was one of the improvements I wanted the most in 2026. A spokesperson shared the following comment:

“Spotify is updating the number of items listeners can pin at the top of Your Library from 4 to 20. This gives our users more flexibility to keep the music, playlists, podcasts, audiobooks, and creators they care about most within easy reach. It's still rolling out and will be available for Free and Premium listeners around the world in the next month”.

Why pine for more pins?

I can imagine many people will read this and question the fuss over such a small feature, but there’s a lot more to it. For those who are seasoned Spotify users, the platform is much more than a music haven — it’s their source for podcasts and audiobooks.

When you factor this in, having only four pins across music, podcasts, and audiobooks is rather stingy — "Does Spotify think we only listen to 1 of each at a time?", someone commented on the post shared to the Spotify Community page. But it’s not just about being able to pin music, podcasts, and audiobooks simultaneously; it’s about enhancing the user experience.

Whenever you follow a new artist, pre-save an upcoming album, or save a new playlist, it all appears as one messy collection in Your Library. This forces you to scroll through a hoarding eyesore to find what it is you’re looking for, so pinning items bumps your most-used content to the top saving you bags of scrolling time.

Though you can simply search for the playlist you want to listen to, regular listeners have tons of them (I know I do), so it’s much easier having all of your music there at the tap of a button in Your Library. For others, it’s about more than making your playlists easier to navigate; it's about having more say in how you choose to curate your digital music collection — “we should get full control”, another user puts it plainly.

All things considered, then, avid Spotify users everywhere will welcome this update with open arms.

If you look at where global skills demand is climbing fastest right now, two areas are pretty hard to ignore: artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, AI and big data sit at the top of the fastest-growing skills ranking, with networks and cybersecurity directly behind.

These skills are increasingly being asked of the same person.

For most of the last decade, these were distinct careers.

Cybersecurity professionals attended cybersecurity conferences, earned cybersecurity certifications and worked in cybersecurity teams.

AI and machine learning sat elsewhere in data science org charts, research labs, product groups.

The two communities knew about each other. They rarely shared a calendar.

Security teams are now expected to manage AI systems

That separation has collapsed in the last 18 months or so, mostly because security teams are now expected to deploy, oversee and defend AI systems as a routine part of their work.

Research finds that 87% of security teams are prioritizing agentic AI adoption, with 77% of cybersecurity professionals comfortable letting these systems take action without human review. Adoption is happening fast. Demand for people capable of managing that adoption is growing accordingly. And the talent pool, predictably, has not caught up.

“Hybrid skills” is the operative phrase right now. Research finds that 59% of security professionals expect demand for hybrid skills to climb over the next three to five years. What hybrid means here is pretty specific. You need someone who understands attack surfaces and can also interrogate why a model behaved the way it did.

That same person has to have compliance literacy and be able to evaluate whether a deployed system is drifting from its intended behavior. And also be able to talk to engineers about adversarial inputs in the morning and to a general counsel about regulatory exposure in the afternoon.

That's a lot of capability for one job description. But it’s what’s happening.

Active demand and under-supplied

This profile barely existed as a hiring category two years ago. Today it's in active demand and naturally under-supplied. According to the World Economic Forum, only 14% of organization's have the skilled talent they need to meet their cybersecurity objectives.

And that figure becomes more uncomfortable when you remember that the bar keeps moving. AI literacy is now part of meeting cybersecurity objectives. A team that was adequate 18 months ago may not be adequate now, through no fault of their own.

External recruiting is not going to be a panacea for most companies. The supply of candidates who already combine deep security expertise with AI fluency and regulatory awareness is thin enough that aggressive hiring against this profile produces long, expensive vacancies and a lot of bruised hiring managers.

Which means most companies will have to grow these professionals internally. That looks like routing existing security staff through AI literacy training, embedding compliance professionals with model engineering teams, or rotating talent across both functions deliberately enough that the hybrid skill set develops as a byproduct.

This is a longer game than most CISOs and HR leaders want to play.

A real opportunity for cybersecurity professionals

Understandably, at least on the surface. It produces dividends in 12 to 24 months, in a discipline where the threat surface changes every month.

But the alternative is worse. Continuing to hire based on the old talent profile means continuing to deploy AI systems that nobody on the security team is fully equipped to govern, which means continuing to accumulate organizational risk that compounds quietly until it surfaces all at once. And it always surfaces.

There is a real opportunity buried in this for cybersecurity professionals reading the same data. It used to be that a career path like this one would plateau around senior analyst or security architect. Now it extends into AI risk leadership, AI governance, model security and adjacent roles that essentially didn’t exist as career destinations three years ago.

If you're a practitioner who adds AI literacy to existing security depth, you are positioning yourself for roles that are scarce, valuable and likely to remain so for at least the rest of the decade.

For employers, the takeaway probably feels less shiny, but it’s no less urgent.

The cybersecurity workforce of 2030

The cybersecurity workforce of 2030 is being trained right now, mostly by companies willing to invest in development before the market makes it cheap to hire ready-made talent.

There may not be an explosion of market talent, because they’re already in house. That means you really can’t wait around for these unicorn skill sets to hit the talent market. Instead, you have to cultivate them.

Look at your existing security and compliance teams. Find the people with curiosity about how AI systems work. Invest in them now.

The organizations that move first will be the ones best prepared to secure what comes next.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• Daisy One: new headphones from a new brand — and they're not cheap
• No app, heavier than average build, smaller drivers…
• …but I truly think the dedicated on-ear 'Still Mode' button could be a winner

You’ve never heard of Daisy (the Californian tech company; you may have heard of the flower) but it wants you to hear of it. Or hear it…’s debut over-ear headphones, which are called the Daisy One.

These new cans retail at the not-insignificant price point of $399 / £364 (about AU$700), money which could, it's important to say, be buying you some Sony or Bose cans. So why buy these instead? Refreshingly, rather than play the heavy-hitters at their own game, Daisy's throwing out the rule book on how to convince you.

Take the cans’ audio chops; instead of using the same 40mm drivers that almost everyone opts for, Daisy’s gone for a 35mm option, tuned by former Harman engineers and weighted towards the low-end. That’s pretty uncommon in pricier wireless models, where neutral sound is the typically the goal.

Then there’s the design: it’s heavier than average, at 318g, and uses a more slender, metallic look than your average over-ears and comes in silver, dark green or blue (no traditional 'charcoal' option here).

Perhaps the biggest selling point — something many brands (and reviewers) could consider a minus — is the lack of an app. Instead, controls are done on the headphone, with a dial for volume controls and play/pause, and a dedicated button that plays soundscapes recorded from around California. And what a dial/button it is! It puts me in mind of Montblanc's bijou earbuds or indeed the tip of a Montblanc pen.

What this button offers is called the 'Still Mode', and it includes access to rainfall sounds, five-minute breathwork tracks, ocean tides and more, but from the headphones themselves — ie. without the need to open an app or keep your phone connected to its source device.

There is a noise cancellation listed on the spec sheet too, but perhaps Daisy knows it can't beat the class-leaders at that game. Where most flagship cans want to give you silence with ever-improved ANC algorithms, Daisy is pushing a different route straight to the desired effect of said silence: a calmer mind — and one that is better able to focus.

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do

(Image credit: Daisy)

By turning traditional headphone flaws (see the lack of an app and a slightly smaller driver) into selling points, Daisy makes it clear that it’s trying something different.

It’s not clear if that’s by design, or by accident. In an interview with Wired, company CEO Jack Mulroe confirmed the designers were “from outside the audio industry”. So the brand brings some fresh perspectives, but potentially some shortcomings — Mulroe admits “I tweaked out on transparency for months” when trying to fix its issues.

In recent years, we’ve seen that headphone fans will welcome in new brands, perhaps more so than in other tech sectors. The likes of the CMF Headphone Pro, Nothing Headphone (a) and Soundcore Space 2 have proven popular (at least, I’ve seen people out and about wearing them) and you can see from the very end of the next train carriage that they’re not from the traditional Sony, Bose or Sennheiser roster.

We've seen other headphone startups try to help wearers stay calm and focus, albeit using very different tech. Take Neurable's 'brain-hacking' headphones, which monitor your brain activity while you wear them and thus aim to help you achieve a flow state. But Daisy's this approach is different again, and it does strike me that by taking a more hands-off approach (and leaving our gray matter alone) Daisy's approach perhaps sounds more conducive to calmness…

Ultimately, it’s always good to see a new brands step up to the plate, especially if it thinks it can do things differently to the big dogs. It’ll be very interesting to see what impact the Daisy One has, and where the company goes from here.

(Image credit: Daisy )

Forget BBQs, I'm all about outdoor pizzas this year. If you want to hop on the homemade pizza bandwagon (welcome, there's plenty of space!), then now's a good time to get yourself set up with a pizza oven. Making your own pizzas is fun and satisfying, and the results are so much more delicious than oven pizzas or takeaway. If you're short on time or not especially gifted in the kitchen, it's pretty easy to find premade dough base balls that you can just roll out and add toppings to (this is my preferred method).

When picking a pizza oven, your main decision will be the type of fuel you want it to run on. Most modern pizza ovens — including the one I have at home — run on gas, which is speedy, convenient, and easy to control by just adjusting a dial. Another option is to opt for wood, which gives that delicious smokey smell and taste (although your pizzas won't be cooking for very long, so the impact won't be massive), but requires more effort to control the temperature.

There are a few 'multi-fuel' pizza ovens that can be used with either wood or gas. Alternatively, you could opt for an electric pizza oven. These are ultra-convenient, easy to control and versatile too. However, they tend not to get as hot as the other options, and you lose that authentic experience and charred flavor.

Below, I've rounded up some of our favorite pizza ovens. If you want to see how these options compare, hop to the bottom of the page for a specs comparison table.

Gas pizza ovens

I tend to think of gas pizza ovens as a 'happy medium' option. They can reach scorching temperatures, so you'll get those authentic charred edges, but are reliable to use and it's easy to adjust the heat up or down.

You won't get the 'smokey' wood-fired flavor — however, given your pizza's only going to be in there for a couple of minutes max, the difference isn't going to be nearly as noticeable as, for instance, using a gas versus charcoal BBQ.

Ooni Koda 16 Gas Pizza Oven

Ooni Koda 12 Gas Pizza Oven

ZANUSSI ZGPO1PC Gas Powered Pizza Oven

Gozney Arc XL

Read our full review

Pros

• Larger pizzas
• More stable temperatures
• Digital thermometer

Cons

• Not portable
• No door for fast heat up
• No wood-fire option

Jamie Oliver by Tefal Outdoor Gas Pizza Oven, Rotating Stone

Wood fired pizza ovens

Wood fired pizza ovens run on pellets. Like gas options, they can get super-hot, but controlling the temperatures is trickier — it requires adjusting the vents and adding fuel. You'll also need to deal with the ash leftover afterwards. However, you will get the delicious smokey smell, and a more traditional cooking experience.

GEORGE FOREMAN Outdoor 12-inch Wood Pellet Pizza Oven

George Foreman Outdoor 16-inch Wood Pellet Pizza Oven

Zanussi ZPO1BPC Outdoor 12-inch Wood Pellet Portable Pizza Oven

Electric pizza ovens

An electric pizza oven won't give you that unique cooking experience; instead, it'll be a lot more like using an air fryer or regular oven. They also tend not to have a lower maximum temperature, so it's trickier to achieve those crispy bases and charred edges. However, what you lose in authenticity you gain in convenience — you can control temperatures precisely, and the results are very predictable.

Ninja Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven & Air Fryer MO201UK

Ooni Volt 2 Electric Pizza Oven

Ninja Woodfire 8-In-1 Electric Outdoor Oven, Pizza Oven & Smoker

Multi-fuel pizza ovens

Ooni Karu 2 Multi Fuel Portable Outdoor Pizza Oven

Gozney Dome (gen 2) Multi Fuel Outdoor Pizza Oven

Pizza oven specs compared

For the past year or so, predictions of SaaS's demise have dominated the tech conversation.

Headlines warned that AI tools would replace traditional software, engineers would become obsolete and the SaaS industry itself was headed for extinction.

The narrative became so widespread that Wall Street gave it a name: the ‘SaaSpocalypse’.

Fortunately, reality has proved far less dramatic.

While the SaaS market - once the darling of investors - has undoubtedly taken a substantial hit, it is a long way from dead. In fact, I would argue that software doesn't die; it evolves.

If history has taught us anything, then it’s that major technology shifts rarely eliminate software altogether. Instead, they reshape it, with the biggest winners often being those agile enough to adapt.

From the rise of the internet to the shift to cloud computing, time and time again we’ve seen established players demonstrate an ability to evolve alongside technological change.

The AI era is unlikely to be any different.

SaaS subsectors best positioned to unlock AI-enabled growth

And I’m not alone in this view. Over recent months a number of high-profile economists, technology historians and analysts have arrived at that same conclusion. JPMorgan continues to champion the SaaS subsectors best positioned to unlock AI-enabled growth. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs projects the global app software market could still reach $780bn by 2030, with agentic AI ultimately expanding the market rather than shrinking it.

Put bluntly, AI isn’t killing SaaS but rather separating the bad from the good. For years, SaaS startups have benefited from intense market hype and lofty valuations, often with minimum regard given to operational efficiencies, product differentiation or true value creation. Today that playing field looks a lot different. In effect, AI is now acting as a filter, revealing which SaaS models are superior and offer a genuine point of differentiation and, in turn, those which have for far too long favored style over substance.

For SaaS founders then, it isn’t time to panic. In our experience, investors-in-the-know will be more than willing to overlook the misguided SaaS narrative and recognize a genuine high potential opportunity should it arise.

Take, for example, the mid-market. Although much focus tends to surround the startup scene, I would argue that established software vendors are actually best positioned for AI transformation. After all, they already possess powerful structural advantages, including proprietary customer data, deeply embedded workflows and long-term contracts.

Moreover, they often sit on years of customer data. In this way, unlike startups where the focus is typically product, these firms actually have something meaningful to transform.

Well positioned to use AI to strengthen their market position

Far from becoming obsolete overnight, many are well positioned to use AI to strengthen their market position. Take, for example, Keyword.com. Having early recognized that search itself is changing, it launched a product to track brand visibility across AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. That repositioning opened up an entirely new growth vector.

In terms of how founders can best navigate this new terrain, it’s important to look beyond product and focus on structural resilience. For a long time, SaaS benefited from assumptions such as high multiples on ARR, heavy adjustments for stock-based compensation, and a willingness to prioritize growth over almost everything else.

That is now being replaced by a much more grounded framework. Investors are increasingly looking at real profitability, on a GAAP basis, and asking harder questions about cost structure, for example around sales and marketing efficiency, and now AI-related compute costs as well.

At the same time, as founders will be aware AI is introducing new variables. Revenue may be less predictable if it’s usage-based, and margins can be more dynamic because of inference costs, meaning investors won’t simply rely on simple rules of thumb anymore.

Valuation is becoming less about applying a multiple and more about understanding the underlying business, with a focus on true earnings quality, defensibility and efficiency.

Another significant but largely underappreciated upshot of the current environment is the emergence of roll-up opportunities.

The SaaS landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented

As valuations normalize and weaker players struggle to differentiate, the SaaS landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented. This creates fertile ground for consolidation strategies, particularly for investors with deep sector expertise.

Importantly too, AI enhances this model by enabling efficiencies across portfolios, from automated customer support to streamlined marketing and product development.

For investors, this is opening up a different kind of opportunity in terms of not just backing individual high-growth companies but participating in broader aggregation strategies that can unlock value through scale and operational improvement.

This means that purposefully positioning your business for ease of integration and standardization could pay dividends.

The short of it? Software isn’t going anywhere. Just like the major tech trends before it, it is simply evolving from a market that is less about hype and surface-level metrics to a more practical, mature model driven by genuine business outcomes.

For founders, this may mean navigating a more complex operating environment. But it also creates an exciting opportunity to differentiate.

Not all SaaS firms are primed for this new investment landscape, so those who pay due diligence by prioritizing intelligence over features, operational prowess and AI interoperability to deliver clear, measurable value will be best positioned to succeed.

We've reviewed and ranked the best business cloud storage.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

While it's certainly well designed and delivers respectable 1080p gaming performance, another PC offers better frames per dollar.

• KnowBe4 finds 55% of UK workers admit to using unapproved AI tools
• Only 16% believe they're effectively managing safe AI
• 27% supplement corporate AI with more suitable tools

More than half (55%) of UK employees admit to using unapproved AI tools at work, with as many as one in 10 knowingly sharing sensitive company information with these unauthorized tools, new research has warned.

The new report from KnowBe4 serves a purpose of defining shadow AI as unapproved AI, not AI use that goes under the radar, because the number of UK cybersecurity decision-makers identifying shadow AI as the biggest risk is nearly matched (58%), implying they're well aware of the challenges.

However, little seems to be being done, because only 16% believe their organization is effective at managing AI's safe use at the moment.

Shadow AI is an ongoing challenge

Nearly half (46%) have implemented targets to improve AI agent safety over the next 12 months, but with one in five (19%) already reporting that AI agents take autonomous action across multiple workflows with limited human oversight, the risks remain clear.

"UK businesses are embracing AI to drive productivity [but] many employees are still under pressure, using unapproved tools and regularly facing (and fearing) sophisticated threats such as deepfakes and phishing," Lead CISO Javvad Malik wrote.

Shadow AI doesn't necessarily mean that employees are turning their backs on enterprise-grade tools, with 27% admitting to occasionally sourcing their own tools on top of the tools they're given, indicating that companies are failing to provide the right tools that workers need.

So while governing AI's use with clearly defined policies is one area for improvement, simply providing workers with the tools they're demanding could go a long way to reducing shadow AI's impact on any organization.

Even though Prime Day is over, the big summer sales aren't going anywhere just yet. Currys is keeping its latest Epic Deals event going for just a little longer, giving you more time to save up to 40% on thousands of items. That's a whole lot of tech, so I've searched through the sale and picked out the 18 best deals I'd buy that are actually good offers.

• View the full Currys Summer Epic Deals sale

One of the biggest areas of the sale is TVs, with several displays on offer across a vast range of price points. It's been a popular time to upgrade with the World Cup going on, and if you've felt the need for a bigger and better screen, then consider this Hisense U7Q Pro 55-inch Mini-LED TV for £649 (was £699) — a great price for a TV packed with so many premium features that offers excellent picture quality.

I've gathered up more of the top deals from the Currys Epic Deals sale I recommend below, including discounts on laptops, headphones, appliances, vacuums, and more.

Currys bank holiday sale — quick links

• Appliances: up to 40% off Hotpoint & LG
• Headphones: JBL & Bose from £29.99
• Health & Beauty: up to £150 off Philips & Oral-B
• Kitchen: up to £70 off Tefal & De'Longhi
• Laptops: from £149
• Outdoors: up to 40% off spas & BBQs
• Phones: up to £205 off Honor & Samsung
• Tablets: Lenovo & Samsung from £89
• TVs: from £129
• Vacuums: up to £150 off Dyson & Shark

Currys Summer Epic Deals sale — my 18 top picks

As some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market, it's great to see this £50 price drop on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. For the money, you get amazing active noise cancellation and beautifully balanced sound, all topped off with a gorgeous design and impressive 8.5-hour battery life. Altogether, these are some of the best mid-range earbuds available now and are back to a record-low price.View Deal

This deal brings the Hisense U7Q Mini-LED TV, which is a TV with a lot to offer, down to a record-low price. The U7Q supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 Plus formats for more vivid colours and a sharper image, while 4K 144Hz and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro are available for smooth and responsive gaming. There aren't many TVs on the market that come with these features at this kind of price point, so this is a deal worth checking out. View Deal

The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is one of the best entry-level coffee machines around, with one-touch brewing so you can easily heat up in just 30 seconds. Use it with the included pods, and it does all the hard work for you, with the option of different brew sizes depending on how much you want to drink. As well as the Vertuo Pop machine, the bundle comes with coffee pods, mugs, spoons, and a milk frother.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Snapdragon X
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This is a great price for a relatively modern laptop that comes with a well-performing and efficient Snapdragon X CPU. On top of that, you get 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and incredible battery life of up to 28 hours, which represents good value for money overall. I like it as a light, portable and capable all-around everyday machine.View Deal

A clear party piece or ideal addition to your World Cup viewing party if there ever was one, this PerfectDraft Beer Dispenser connects up to compatible 6-litre kegs of your favourite tipple and pours them like you were just down the pub. The convenient LCD screen shows how much is left and when the beer or cider is at the right temperature, while its compact design and dishwasher-safe components mean it's easy to store and clean.View Deal

Promising simplicity of use, the De'Longhi Magnifica S features an easy-to-use touch control panel that lets you brew two cups simultaneously with minimal effort. It also has a silent integrated grinder with 13 settings, plus a handy milk frother too, so it’s a good all-in-one solution at a very affordable price after this near-£200 discount.View Deal

The Dyson V8 is now older, but it remains one of the top affordable vacuums and also one of the best Dyson vacuums – period. This still more-than-capable vacuum comes with a couple of essential attachments for cleaning around the home. Given its age and basic features, it's a struggle to recommend it at its full price, but now that it's discounted so heavily at Currys, it's an easy recommendation.View Deal

The Samsung S90F is a last-generation display now, but it's still one of the best OLED TVs you can buy — especially in terms of value for money following this discount.. A recipient of a five-star rating in our Samsung S90F review, we praised this display's outstanding picture quality, handy gaming features, and terrific value for money. Altogether, it's a brilliant TV to buy if you've still got some cash to splash on a big and brilliant brand-new display.View Deal

This Ninja Creami ice cream maker has become all the rage as a quick and convenient way to make all of your favourite frozen treats, milkshakes and sorbets at the touch of a button. While it's been a little cheaper over Black Friday, this is still a good price for the appliance that will only be more popular now that the warmer months are on the horizon.View Deal

Samsung's lineup of Crystal UHD TVs is less feature-rich compared to the pricier OLED and QLED displays, but they are a capable and affordable option for general everyday viewing. This 55-inch model is now available at a tempting low price in the latest Currys sale if you don't need all the fancy features of a premium TV. For the money, you get a large and modern TV that supports high-quality 4K resolution and all the most popular streaming apps. Other-sized versions are also available if you want to go bigger or smaller.View Deal

The excellent XM6s may have superseded these headphones, but the Sony WH-1000XM5s remain a top option when it comes to noise-canceling cans — and are an even better buy at this new record-low price. You can check out our review of the Sony WH-1000XM5 to get all the details, but the main points we love are the fantastic ANC, superior comfort, and top-tier sound quality.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Intel Core Ultra 5
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This powerful HP laptop has everything you need for business and productivity needs, and is down to a solid price after a £150 discount at Currys. The spec is strong, with an Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD all working together to provide excellent levels of power and performance.View Deal

I'll say upfront that you shouldn't expect a cinematic wonderland from an HD TV at this size and price (although it does support HDR, which is nice), but what I really rate here is that it's just a simple smart TV at a great price. The Freely TV interface is easy to use, intuitive, and supports all the key streaming services. So, if you want a small TV that does the job and has all the smart viewing options you could want to watch your favourite shows and movies, here it is.View Deal

Enjoy instant cinema-quality audio with this sound bar from LG, which is now a massive £700 off at Currys. With its 5.1.3 channel setup (including a wireless subwoofer and rear speakers), a whopping 580W power output, and premium Dolby Atmos support, you get a more immersive experience at a much lower price than normal.View Deal

The latest version of Sony's Bravia 8 is an incredible OLED TV that boasts some of the best picture quality to date, according to our review. The display was only released this year and this is the biggest discount yet. Sure, it's still quite the investment, but you do get a picture quality that's bright, vivid, and detailed, with strong in-built sound as well. It's perhaps not the best pick for gamers, though, given it lacks some features compared to the competition.View Deal

Sage makes some of the best coffee machines we've ever tested here at TechRadar, so I definitely want to shout out this offer on its excellent The Barista Express. We awarded it 4.5 stars in our review for its ease of use, bevvy of customisable settings and tasty results. While it's still a pricey machine, it's worth the investment if you really want to get into your coffee-making at home.View Deal

If you need a cheap and cheerful printer, this DeskJet 2910 is a great budget choice that supports wireless printing, scanning, and copying. This bundle also includes three months of HP Instant Ink, so you can save cash on your first few rounds of prints.View Deal

Here's a quality and good value big-screen TV from Hisense. The QLED displays ensure vibrant colours and excellent brightness, even in a brighter room, while 4K resolution support gives you top-tier picture quality. As far as large TVs go, this is one of the better options I've spotted in the Currys sale that balances price and features really well if you're on a tighter budget.View Deal

SwitchBot's latest 3K camera includes some familiar AI features and a couple of standout customizations I've never seen before.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 3.

The US Department of Energy wants changes to energy-efficiency standards enacted under the Biden administration.

Amazon's head of devices and services discussed the company's focus on artificial intelligence, Alexa Plus and new types of technology to support it.

• Six new F-35Bs entered service carrying ballast inside their noses instead of radar
• The APG-85 delay created stealth fighters without their primary sensor
• Lot 17 redesign decisions eliminated compatibility with older radar hardware

The United States Marine Corps has accepted delivery of six newly built F-35B stealth fighters carrying ballast weights where a radar should be installed.

The aircraft left production lines without the AN/APG-85 radar that future F-35 variants are expected to rely upon for combat operations.

Instead of delaying delivery, officials accepted aircraft configured with dead weight occupying the nose section reserved for the missing equipment.

A new radar arrives before the aircraft can actually use it

The unusual situation emerged because Lot 17 aircraft were redesigned around the forthcoming AN/APG-85 radar architecture and mounting structure.

Those modifications prevent installation of the older AN/APG-81 radar, leaving no interim option while the replacement remains unavailable.

The radar is to be supplied by Northrop Grumman rather than prime contractor Lockheed Martin, further complicating delivery schedules.

Marine Corps Lieutenant General Gregory Masiello informed lawmakers on June 23 2026 that only six Marine aircraft currently lack installed radars.

Acceptance testing for those aircraft began in February 2026 after successfully completing production earlier in the year.

Although the Air Force and Navy have not yet received comparable aircraft, similar deliveries are reportedly expected later this year.

Without radars, the aircraft can support basic flight familiarisation and pilot instruction activities while remaining unsuitable for combat operations.

The Joint Program Office defended the decision, stating the Pentagon "deliberately undertook a highly concurrent development and production program for advanced capabilities."

"This decision was made with full understanding of the risk of having production aircraft ready ahead of the capabilities."

Delay exposes larger questions around F-35 readiness

The missing radar arrives amid wider concerns surrounding operational readiness across the broader F-35 fleet during fiscal year 2025.

According to a recent US Government Accountability Office assessment, only about 25% of the F-35 aircraft achieved fully mission-capable status in 2025.

Aircraft capable of performing at least one assigned mission reached 44.1%, although this remained considerably below historical expectations.

Masiello said he would not "dispute their numbers or how they do it" during congressional testimony discussing the findings.

Using Joint Program Office calculations, he argued the mission capable figure stood closer to 56% across operational fleets instead.

The delayed APG-85 radar forms part of the wider Block 4 modernization package that continues encountering schedule and integration challenges.

Future F-35 models will require more cooling capacity, as new systems will draw between 62 and 80 kilowatts, more than double the 32 kilowatts current hardware consumes.

A next-generation engine that could have addressed this cooling gap was developed but ultimately defunded after proving too costly.

Current plans indicate that the APG-85 will enter service around 2028 but meaningful cooling will not arrive until after 2031.

The sight of stealth fighters carrying lead ballast instead of radars may therefore become an enduring symbol of contemporary defence procurement realities.

Via Defence Industry

I had to make sure Prime Day in Australia hadn't already started when I saw this AU$200 saving on the AirPods Max 2, since it's not everyday that Amazon discounts Apple tech. And, if there are any discounts to be found, it's the online retailer's annual mid-year sale that tends to throw them up.

So if you've had your eye on the latest set of Apple's over-ear headphones, then this price cut might just be of interest.

It would have been nice to have seen this AU$200 discount applying to more colours other than just blue, but I can't complain too much. The AirPods Max 2 are simply terrific. While the design hasn't changed much, the internals have been upgraded to deliver even better ANC performance, Lossless audio over USB-C and a wealth of useful features made possible by the new H2 chip. View Deal

It's no secret that the AirPods Max 2 are among the most expensive headphones we've ever tested here at TechRadar, and with a AU$999 RRP, you can easily spend less on a highly capable pair from the likes of Sony, Bose or Sennheiser.

Apple has thrown everything at the Max 2s though to help justify the high price, and they're easily some of the best headphones on the market right now, particularly if you can make use of their Apple Intelligence features (provided you have an iPhone 15 or newer device).

These features include things like live translate, advanced call screening, gesture control, conversational awareness, and adaptive audio. Pair all of these with a stunning high-end design, class-leading noise cancellation, and fantastic audio quality, and the AirPods Max 2 are definitely worth considering.

As we said in our Apple AirPods Max 2 review, they're the "the best noise-cancelling iPhone headphones on the planet", with a soundstage that's "expansive" and "a noise floor so low that bass frequencies rumble, snap and boom in so much space it's almost a crime".

If you own an iPhone, they're a no brainer.

Should I wait for Prime Day?

(Image credit: Future)

That's tricky question to answer. As I mentioned earlier, it's surprising that there's a discount of any sort on the AirPods Max 2. However, it only applies to the blue colourway — could Amazon be teasing discounts to expect when Prime Day rolls around next week, and apply a saving to all colours?

We'll ultimately have to wait and see. I feel the blue colour is pretty inoffensive and should suit most people pretty well — midnight (navy blue) or silver are obviously more ambiguous — so if you've been considering Apple's top-tier cans, but don't want to pay a grand, this is a good opportunity to save a decent chunk of cash.

The vast majority of the best TVs use a dedicated OS, complete with access to the full gamut of video streaming apps. However, if you've found yourself struggling with your TV's native interface — be that due to its age, or because it's from a niche/no-frills TV brand and doesn't have the fastest processor — then a dedicated streaming device can often breathe new life into an old TV.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick range is a perfect example. They couldn’t be simpler to install — just plug one into an HDMI port on your TV — or use. They can speed up navigating through menus by using dedicated processors that often outperform the built-in chips found in cheaper TVs — they’re literally built for one task — while also adding more functionality.

I’ve broken down the benefits of using a dedicated streaming device compared to sticking with your TV’s own operating system.

• Faster navigation: Budget TV manufacturers often prioritise the display technology and tend to skimp on the processor to save on manufacturing costs. In these cases, a dedicated streaming stick with a more powerful chipset allows them to better handle both menu transitions and running apps.
• Longer lifespan - TV manufacturers eventually stop updating the built-in OS as your TV gets older, so a newer streaming device is a great way to bypass the OS altogether. The newest devices from Amazon and Apple also support Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which both can deliver speeds of up to 9.6Gbps, whereas most TVs over 2 years old only support the slower Wi-Fi 5 (3.5Gbps) standard.
• Smart home integration - While some of the bigger TV brands have built-in smart home support, Amazon, Google and Apple’s dedicated streamers are all designed to serve as central hubs for their respective smart home ecosystems (Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit). That means if you have other smart home devices, you can control them all from the comfort of your sofa.

Of course, Apple and Google's latest dedicated streamers cost around AU$400 and AU$160 respectively, so they're not exactly cheap – which is where Amazon's Fire TV Sticks come in as a better option, with RRPs starting as low as $79.

What’s more, this pre-Prime Day deal on Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (the middle option of the family) sees it hitting an all-time low price, making that value proposition even more apparent — especially if you don’t need all the bells and whistles of the pricier Apple and Google offerings (and don’t mind a bit of integrated advertising).

This Plus model is a refreshed version of the Fire TV Stick 4K, with its new name differentiating it from the lower-specced Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which has less RAM, no Dolby Vision support and only Wi-Fi 5 connectivity. The Select also isn’t discounted, making the Plus AU$5 cheaper than the latter with this deal. Don’t have a 4K TV? The Amazon Fire TV Stick HD runs on 1080p resolution and is also discounted to just AU$39.View Deal

Still not convinced? Here’s how the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus compares with the Apple TV 4K and the Google TV Streamer:

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus

Apple TV 4K

Google TV Streamer

RRP

AU$99

AU$299

AU$159

Processor

MediaTek MT8696D (1.7GHz Quad-core)

Apple A15 Bionic (6-core CPU / 5-core GPU)

MediaTek MT8696 (2.0GHz Quad-core)

RAM

2 GB

4 GB

4GB

Storage

8 GB

64 GB (Wi-Fi) or 128 GB (Ethernet)

32 GB

Wireless Connectivity

Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.2

Wi-Fi 6 (Dual-band) + Bluetooth 5.0

Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) + Bluetooth 5.1

OS

Fire OS 8 (Android-based)

Apple tvOS

Google TV (Android 14)