Technology

If you've been hunting for a powerful laptop that won't weigh you down, Geekom has you covered. The price of the h GeekBook M16 has dropped to $827 (was $899) at Amazon when you use our exclusive code TRGBM168 at checkout.

The deal is also available direct from Geekom by clicking here. This all-metal 16-inch laptop is built for programmers, data analysts, creators, and professionals who need desktop-level performance without giving up portability.

Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, 16GB of memory, and a fast 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD, it has the performance to handle demanding multitasking, creative applications, and everyday productivity with ease.

Today's top Geekom M16 laptop deal

Built for demanding workloads, this 16-inch laptop combines desktop-class performance, a huge 99.9Wh battery, expandable storage up to 6TB, advanced cooling, and modern connectivity in a slim aluminum design for professionals on the move.

Use our exclusive coupon code TRGBM168 at checkout.

Also from Geekom for $827 (was $899) here.View Deal

It's clear from the chassis, wallpaper, ultra-thin bezels, and the centered webcam that Geekom has been heavily inspired by Apple's M3 MacBook Pro design, although it comes with Windows 11 Pro preinstalled and can run a Linux OS if you prefer.

The M16 can sustain 55W of performance, helping it tackle demanding workloads such as code compilation, data processing, and intensive multitasking without slowing down.

The laptop features an enormous 99.9Wh battery, the largest capacity allowed on commercial flights. Geekom rates it for up to 24 hours of use, which is great for anyone who travels regularly, or spends long days working away from home or the office.

When it's finally time to recharge, the included 100W GaN charger gets you back up and running in no time. Geekom says just 10 minutes of charging can provide up to three hours of battery life.

Dual PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots allow you to expand storage capacity up to 6TB, which is plenty of room for large projects, development tools, creative software, and growing media libraries.

Geekom's IceBlade 3.0 cooling system keeps everything running smoothly and dual fans and dual heat pipes increase airflow while keeping noise under control.

Connectivity includes USB4, full-featured USB-C, dual USB-A ports, and HDMI supporting up to three external displays.

A fingerprint reader and physical webcam privacy switch also add welcome security features for anyone working with sensitive information.

The CNC-machined aluminum chassis measures just 0.66 inches thick while remaining durable enough for life on the move.

If you're looking for a premium productivity laptop with excellent battery life, desktop-class performance, and plenty of room to grow, this is a terrific deal and one not to be missed.

For more ultra-portable powerhouses, take a look at our guide to the best business laptops for professionals.

• See the full Geekom line-up at Amazon
• Shop the Summer Sale at Geekom

• VPN Super has released beta apps for Apple TV and Android TV
• The apps protect your streaming traffic
• They also rethink how your TV handles your data

Streaming has become one of the main reasons people reach for a VPN, and providers have noticed.

The latest example is VPN Super, which has just rolled out beta apps for Apple TV and Android TV, extending the service from phones and laptops onto the screen we watch the most.

The move follows a clear industry trend. Over the past couple of years, many of the best VPN services have shipped native apps for tvOS and Android TV, chasing viewers who want to unblock content, cut down on buffering, and keep their traffic private without wrestling with router settings.

What VPN Super is bringing to the big screen

The headline feature is straightforward: native apps that let you open the software on your TV, pick a server, and get back to watching.

According to VPN Super, the Apple TV app offers streaming-optimized servers built for smoother 4K playback, more than 50 server locations, and coverage for up to 10 devices on a single Premium subscription.

The company also promotes a no-activity-logs policy and an ad-free interface, along with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The apps are aimed at Premium subscribers, and the Apple TV version runs on tvOS 17 or newer.

There is a sports hook, too. VPN Super points to easier access to international soccer tournaments and major tennis events.

That's a pitch that other providers have leaned into, too, with X-VPN recently launching dedicated servers for the FIFA World Cup.

Why a VPN on your TV matters right now

The privacy argument is arguably the more compelling half of the launch. Modern smart TVs are far from passive screens.

Many use a technology called Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR, which samples what appears on your display and reports it back to manufacturers or their partners. Some sets do this hundreds of times per second, and the practice has been alarming enough that the FBI has urged consumers to weigh the privacy tradeoffs of smart TVs.

A smart TV VPN does not switch ACR off by itself, and you should still dig into your TV's privacy settings to disable it. What a VPN does add is an encrypted layer over the traffic leaving the device, which makes your activity harder to read on the network.

How to set up VPN Super on your TV

Getting started is designed to take only a few minutes: download the app, sign in with your Premium account, choose the location you want, and connect.

Both Apple and Android apps are currently in beta, with sign-up links available through VPN Super's site and its announcement.

• Windows Subsystem for Linux gets new container feature after being teased last month
• CLI and API form the basis of the latest update, Intune management also added
• Other changes being made available to alternative container CLI tools

Microsoft has released Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) containers in public preview following its earlier announcement at Build 2026, as a way to create, run and manage Linux containers directly on Windows.

When the feature update was first revealed, Microsoft described it as "a built-in way to create, run and interact with Linux containers using familiar CLI & API."

The new container feature is now available in the latest pre-release version, which can be downloaded from GitHub, and includes two new core features.

WSL containers now available in public preview

As part of the update, Microsoft has added a built-in container CLI and an API to let Windows applications run Linux containers.

The company noted that the API is particularly useful for reusing existing Linux specific code, like running cloud applications locally, while the CLI tool uses a familiar format so users can "use [their] existing muscle memory when running Linux containers."

Microsoft also added new management settings to let admins control whether people can use WSL distros and containers via Intune.

Besides the headlining container update, Principal Product Manager Craig Loewen also highlighted a series of other changes the company has made to WSL, including a new 'virtiofs' file system that makes Windows file access 2x faster and a new 'consomme' default networking mode to improve compatibility.

Loewen noted that the lower level platform changes are also being made available across "other fantastic Linux container CLI tools" like Docker Desktop, Podman Desktop and Rancher Desktop.

Microsoft has also published a support page covering how to install the API, which includes support for C, C++ and C#.

The company hasn't yet provided a timeline for general availability.

• An ex-Microsoft software engineer has created a lightweight alternative to Notepad
• TinyRetroPad turns back the clock to avoid the bloat Microsoft has introduced to the text editor
• The engineer observes that the app has no bloat or telemetry, and that it's "just pure old school Windows done right"

Ever long for the days when Notepad was a lean, mean, text editing machine? If so, a software engineer who used to work at Microsoft has just released something you may well be interested in.

The Register noticed that Dave Plummer — who was likely one of admittedly many catalysts that sparked Microsoft's fix Windows 11 campaign — has created TinyRetroPad. (It's a fork of Dave's Tiny Editor or DTE by Matt Power, which, in turn, was built on the foundation of Plummer's HelloAssembly — the world's "smallest possible complete Windows application" no less).

TinyRetroPad is a fully functional text editor in the style of the original Notepad, completely streamlined and with all the bloat removed, so it's, well, tiny as the name suggests, weighing in at 2.5KB.

Plummer explains that he isn't keen on Notepad as it is, and so he "rebuilt it from scratch", with: "No bloat. No telemetry. No nonsense. Just pure old school Windows done right."

Analysis: note to Microsoft – debloat Notepad

(Image credit: Dave Plummer)

In case you weren't aware, Notepad has been accused of being a bloated application for quite some time now, as Microsoft has expanded its features to cover all kinds of bases beyond what you'd expect from what's supposed to be a basic text editor.

Of course, the problem is that WordPad — which used to be the app that covered the middle-ground between Notepad and Microsoft's fully-fledged Word — was ditched back in 2024. Since then, Microsoft has drafted more and more features into Notepad in what's essentially covering for the removal of WordPad.

The trouble is that this is very much at odds with Notepad's core philosophy of being a lightweight text editor, and Windows 11 users now fear it's being bloated and will eventually end up less and less responsive, and therefore less useful as a quick-and-easy editor that puts a premium on convenience.

What all this means is that some people have abandoned Notepad and searched out third-party alternatives for Windows 11. Of course, TinyRetroPad represents another of these offerings, albeit about as pure and compact an alternative as you'll find.

How is this app so very small? Essentially, the program can be extremely compact because it taps components already installed in Windows.

As Plummer explains: "TinyRetroPad is basically a wrapper around the RICHEDIT50W control from the WinAPI."

So, Plummer notes, if you want Notepad to be "exactly like you might remember" from the Windows XP era, this is what TinyRetroPad does. I think the ex-Microsoft engineer may have a few takers on his hands.

Check out our favorite Windows laptops and MacBooks for work, tested and reviewed by CNET's laptop experts.

ChatGPT's new finance feature lets the AI chatbot take a look at any bank or similar accounts you care to open up for inspection. I was initially hesitant to try it out, but the tool only looks at the details of how you spend your money, and can't actually carry out transactions, so I agreed to let it analyze some of my accounts and offer its insights.

Finances is currently only available in the U.S. to Plus and Pro users on web, iOS, and Android. Setting everything up is as easy as using any other ChatGPT plug-in. You just select Finances in ChatGPT and then click Get Started then Connect with Plaid.

Finances uses Plaid to link to the accounts; you simply sign in and agree to let Plaid share the information. The service synchronized recent transactions and basically became an interactive, conversational database of my information. It's not that the AI can do things it couldn't before, but now you don't have to manually enter any finance details you want to ask it about.

ChatGPT looks at the receipts

At its suggestion, I asked ChatGPT, "How much did I spend eating out this year?" ChatGPT soon had a breakdown of my how much I had spent at various restaurants, including delivery, and broke down some of the patterns. It pointed out that it had gone up recently, which makes sense as the weather has became pleasant enough to walk into town more often to eat. It also identified a few spikes I could tell were around birthdays and family celebrations.

Next I asked, "What subscriptions am I paying for?"

That turned into one of the most practical moments of the experiment. ChatGPT gathered recurring charges across streaming services, software, and other monthly payments into one clear summary instead of leaving me hunting through statements. It also suggested reviewing whether every subscription still deserved a place in my budget.

"These subscriptions appear consistently each month, making them reliable recurring expenses.", it told me.

Financial chatter

Seeking a more detailed analysis, I asked ChatGPT, "What's changed in my spending this month?"

Instead of overwhelming me with every purchase, ChatGPT focused on the transactions that genuinely stood out. It noted a few large purchases at new locations, and asked if they were something I wanted more information on. I told it those were gifts, and the AI incorporated that fact into its response as not a new regular event but one that explained why overall spending had climbed this month.

"Those gift purchases are unusual compared with your recent history but they account for much of the increase, so your everyday spending has remained relatively consistent despite the higher overall total. Looking beyond one unusual month provides a more accurate picture of your longer term financial habits."

Using ChatGPT this way felt almost like the inverse of most financial software. Most budgeting apps expect you to learn their system first. ChatGPT let me ask questions however they occurred to me and then translated months of transactions into answers that were easy to understand.

That does not mean it replaces dedicated budgeting tools, and it certainly cannot make smarter financial decisions on your behalf. You still have to decide whether to cancel subscriptions, spend less on eating out, or save more each month. But I can see how it might make it easier for people who hesitate to look at their finances if they feel uncomfortable around spreadsheets. It didn't feel like math homework the way it often does.

Of course, it still relies on some trust in both OpenAI and Plaid, but as long as it's purely viewing and not actually touching the accounts, this could be a really useful, practical feature for ChatGPT users.

We've been rolling from one sales event to the next lately, and up now is the Best Buy 4th of July sale, which features discounts of up to 45% across appliances, TVs, laptops, headphones, gaming, speakers, and more. I'm not massively blown away by the offers, but I've still managed to round up 34 of the best deals that I think are worth your attention.

• Browse the full Best Buy 4th of July sale

I think the top offers are found on TVs, with everything from small and cheap everyday displays to premium screens for gaming and sports all up for grabs at great prices. One standout deal is the LG C5 65-inch OLED TV for $1,299.99 (was $2,699.99). It's still the best TV available right now according to our experts, with incredible picture quality, performance and features.

As always, the holiday sale is a good time to buy appliances, as there are savings of up to 45% off. This is on top of discounts on bundles from certain manufacturers, free delivery on all major appliances, and a price match guarantee.

The Best Buy 4th of July sale is live now and ends on Sunday, so there's still a fair bit of time left to browse. I'll be back to update this page with any new and worthwhile offers as soon as I spot them throughout the week.

Best Buy 4th of July sale — quick links

• Apple: up to $400 off MacBooks & iPads
• Appliances: up to 45% off
• Cameras: up to $1,000 off DJI & Canon
• Gaming: up to 40% off PS5 & Switch games
• Headphones: JLab, Beats & Bose from $19.99
• Kitchen: up to 50% off Ninja & Bella
• Laptops: from $179
• Phones: up to $1,100 off iPhone & Samsung
• Smart home: up to $100 off Ring & Arlo
• Smartwatches: up to $150 off Samsung & Oura
• Speakers: up to 35% off Samsung, Bose & JBL
• Tablets: up to $400 off iPads & Samsung
• Toys: up to 30% off
• TVs: from $69.99
• Vacuums: up to $350 off Dyson & Shark

My 9 top deals from the Best Buy 4th of July sale

Major appliances: save up to 45% on major appliances at Best Buy
Best Buy's official 4th of July appliance sale is now live, and you can save up to 45% on major appliances at the retailer. I've spotted savings of up to $1,900 available on refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and kitchen packages from brands like GE, Whirlpool, Samsung, and LG. The retailer is also running a price match guarantee, so if you see the same product cheaper elsewhere, you can call Best Buy, and they should offer you the lower price.View Deal

The newest version of the best-selling Apple AirTag is on sale for $89.99 in the latest Best Buy sale. This four-pack of trackers is a great way to keep an eye on a child's backpack or luggage. Simply attach it to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone will locate it.View Deal

This is my pick for the best Hisense TV deal in the latest Best Buy sale. You get a lot of top TV tech for the money in a reasonably sized display, including a bright and vibrant QLED panel with excellent contrast, and a high 165Hz refresh rate support for smooth images. It will excel as a TV to watch the World Cup, as well as stream all of your favorite shows and movies, and play the latest games.View Deal

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

This is a solid discount on a modern laptop powered by one of the efficient Snapdragon X CPUs. As well as excellent levels of all-around performance, this device boasts a huge all-day battery life, so you won't need to worry about being attached to a charger at all times. There's even 512GB of SSD storage, which you don't often see in combination with those other strong performance components at this price point. This is an all-around excellent laptop for everyday, college and business use.View Deal

The Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum offers convenient automation features and versatile cleaning technology, including a special brushroll that works on both hardwood and carpeted surfaces. Its self-emptying dock doubles as a charging station, which makes it easy to keep fully charged, even though it runs for up to 60 minutes at full battery. For under $300, it's hard to pass up such a high-tech and highly rated vacuum.View Deal

Bose is the best brand around for providing excellent active noise cancellation features, and you can now get these fantastic and affordable earbuds for a great low price. With the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, you get fewer options than the high-end range, but you still get up to 8.5 hours of battery life, the ability to adjust the equalizer and a very comfy fit. They’ll instantly make your commute, your runs, or your walks far more enjoyable.View Deal

The LG C5 OLED is TechRadar's best-rated TV, and Best Buy has the 65-inch model on sale for $1,299.99. The five-star OLED display delivers an outstanding picture thanks to LG's Alpha 9 AI processor Gen8, impressive gaming features, and a comprehensive smart platform featuring all-new AI capabilities.View Deal

Here's a super-tempting record-low price for one of the best action camera bundles in the world right now. The camera offers an impressive 5.3K video resolution inside a rugged and completely waterproof body. A sweet deal just in time for your summer adventures.View Deal

This large and budget-friendly 55-inch TV from Insignia supports high-quality 4K HD resolution, has smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa controls. I've picked out this size in particular as it's a great low price for the already affordable display. All this for under $200 is a solid offer for a no-frills TV of this size.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Televisions

It's one of the smallest and cheapest TVs you can buy, but if that's all you need, then this Insignia F20 is very hard to beat. Definitely don't expect the best picture quality or the fastest performance, but if you just need a display for infrequent streaming in a kid's room, the bedroom, or kitchen, then it's up to the job — and it doesn't cost very much at all.View Deal

This large and budget-friendly 55-inch TV from Insignia supports high-quality 4K HD resolution, has smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa controls. I've picked out this size in particular as it's a great low price for the already affordable display. All this for under $200 is a solid offer for a no-frills TV of this size.View Deal

For a budget-friendly option, consider this Hisense A6 65-inch 4K Fire TV for under $300. It lacks many of the premium features found in the more expensive sets, but you still get solid 4K resolution, a large display size, and support for all of the most popular streaming apps. If it's an affordable and big-screen everyday TV you need and are happy with a reasonable picture quality and performance, this one is hard to beat for the cost.View Deal

If you're looking for a big-screen budget display, Best Buy has this 65-inch 4K TV on sale for $299.99. It won't rival the premium QLED and OLED displays, but this entry-level TV from Samsung still packs a solid 'Crystal' UHD 4K processor, the easy-to-use Tizen operating system, and full HDR support. That's good value for money if you need a straightforward but capable display for your everyday viewing and media streaming.View Deal

Best Buy has slashed a whopping $650 off LG's 48-inch B5 OLED TV, bringing the price down to $649.99. Released as the successor to the popular B4 OLED, the LG B5 is easily one of the best budget OLED TVs on the market. This 48-inch version delivers an exceptional picture with brilliant colors and sharp contrast. You also get excellent gaming features, thanks to the four HDMI 2.1 ports, which ensure smooth and responsive gaming on current-gen consolesView Deal

This is my pick for the best Hisense TV deal in the latest Best Buy sale. You get a lot of top TV tech for the money in a reasonably sized display, including a bright and vibrant QLED panel with excellent contrast, and a high 165Hz refresh rate support for smooth images. It will excel as a TV to watch the World Cup, as well as stream all of your favorite shows and movies, and play the latest games.View Deal

This latest version of the Hisense U6 is a small step down from the U7 I mentioned above, but it's still an excellent TV when it comes to all-around use. You still get a QLED panel, so there's fantastic brightness and rich contrast, even in bright spaces, and the 144Hz refresh rate ensures a smooth and responsive image.View Deal

For a high-end OLED TV, consider this huge $1,300 saving on the 65-inch Samsung S90F. It may be a generation behind now, but this scored an impressive 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 buy if you've got some cash to spend on one of the best TVs available right now.View Deal

The LG C5 OLED is TechRadar's best-rated TV, and Best Buy has the 65-inch model on sale for $1,299.99. The five-star OLED display delivers an outstanding picture thanks to LG's Alpha 9 AI processor Gen8, impressive gaming features, and a comprehensive smart platform featuring all-new AI capabilities.View Deal

Sony's 65-inch Bravia 8 OLED TV has an impressive $400 discount at Best Buy, bringing the price down to $1,599.99. Sony's Bravia 8 features a sleek, slim design with a wide viewing angle, brilliant images with deep contrast, and cinematic sound from the entire screen.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Laptops

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

This is a solid discount on a modern laptop powered by one of the efficient Snapdragon X CPUs. As well as excellent levels of all-around performance, this device boasts a huge all-day battery life, so you won't need to worry about being attached to a charger at all times. There's even 512GB of SSD storage, which you don't often see in combination with those other strong performance components at this price point. This is an all-around excellent laptop for everyday, college and business use.View Deal

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

This powerful and versatile HP OmniBook Flip offers impressive performance for the price, with powerful components such as a modern Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, a healthy 16GB of RAM to boost performance, and a decent 512GB SSD for storage. You can comfortably handle everyday tasks, demanding work, video calls, media streaming and more with this laptop, all with the option to flip it around to a 14-inch touchscreen tablet when needed, too.View Deal

Display - 16 inches
Processor - Intel Core Ultra 7
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

One of Samsung's latest premium laptops just got its biggest discount yet in the Best Buy 4th of July sale. While similarly powered devices can be picked up for less, you do get a gorgeous 16-inch LED screen with smooth and responsive 120Hz support with this Galaxy Book6. It's powerful elsewhere, too, with an excellent battery life of up to 24 hours, making it a great pick for business and productivity needs.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Appliances

Major appliances: save up to 45% on major appliances at Best Buy
Best Buy's official 4th of July appliance sale is now live, and you can save up to 45% on major appliances at the retailer. I've spotted savings of up to $1,900 available on refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and kitchen packages from brands like GE, Whirlpool, Samsung, and LG. The retailer is also running a price match guarantee, so if you see the same product cheaper elsewhere, you can call Best Buy, and they should offer you the lower price.

This will never be one of the best coffee makers you can buy, but there's no denying that it is dirt cheap. It's a basic and no-frills drip filter coffee maker that can brew up to 12 cups at once, has a programmable timer so you can wake up to a fresh pot, and dishwasher-safe components that make it easy to clean.View Deal

The Bella Pro is exclusive to Best Buy, and we have seen this four-quart model a little cheaper in previous sales. However, for under $60, this is excellent value for money this weekend if you just need a compact air fryer for a small household or kitchen.View Deal

The Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum offers convenient automation features and versatile cleaning technology, including a special brushroll that works on both hardwood and carpeted surfaces. Its self-emptying dock doubles as a charging station, which makes it easy to keep fully charged, even though it runs for up to 60 minutes at full battery. For under $300, it's hard to pass up such a high-tech and highly rated vacuum.View Deal

You can get almost $200 off Dyson's best-selling V11 vacuum during Best Buy's 4th of July sale. This vac nails the basics, offering strong suction and excellent manoeuvrability. Information is displayed on an LCD screen that shows exactly how long you have left before the battery runs out in the current power mode, too.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Headphones

Bose is the best brand around for providing excellent active noise cancellation features, and you can now get these fantastic and affordable earbuds for a great low price. With the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, you get fewer options than the high-end range, but you still get up to 8.5 hours of battery life, the ability to adjust the equalizer and a very comfy fit. They’ll instantly make your commute, your runs, or your walks far more enjoyable.View Deal

If you want more affordable over-ears that don't compromise on quality, then consider these Bose QuietComfort Headphones while they are down to their lowest price this year at Best Buy. As with the Ultra version, you get impressive noise cancellation, top-tier audio quality and 24 hours of battery life, but in a much more affordable package that's only been $10 cheaper over Black Friday.View Deal

The Beats Solo 4 are getting old now, but this is a great price for a pair of solid headphones. This model supports lossless audio that you can listen to via USB-C or 3.5mm audio cable and Spatial Audio that uses head tracking to enhance your listening experience. These headphones also last up to 50 hours on a single charge and can regain five hours of playback time in just 10 minutes of charging.View Deal

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the last-gen earbuds from the manufacturer, so that means the price cuts are only getting bigger now. We awarded them four stars in our Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro review, praising the refinement over the previous model with AirPods-like ear sticks, active noise cancellation, an 11mm driver, and AI-powered features like a voice-call booster and a translation tool — provided you have a modern Samsung phone. They look and feel good in your ears, too, with up to five hours of battery life with ANC on, so they’re good for your commute or workout.View Deal

The AirPods Max use an Apple-designed dynamic driver to provide high-fidelity audio – and they sound fantastic for it. Exceptional active noise cancellation, personalized Spatial Audio, and Dolby Atmos support all reinforce that. They feel good on your head as well, thanks to the knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions, so you can easily wear them for the full 20 hours of battery life if you ever want or need to.View Deal

The brand-new Apple iPad A16 is down to its lowest-ever price in the Best Buy Memorial Day sale, so it's worth taking advantage of if you have an eye on the latest Apple slate. The biggest upgrade compared to the previous generation model is the latest A16 chip for faster performance. You also get double the storage of 128GB as standard, a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display, and solid 12MP front and back cameras.View Deal

There's a decent $100 saving on the latest iPad Pro 11-inch at Best Buy, matching the record-low of $899 we saw on Black Friday. This is still a pricey tablet, but you do get the brand-new M5 chip, high-quality tandem OLED display and 256GB as standard. Expect this to be one of the better offers we see on the tablet until later in the year.View Deal

As work becomes increasingly digital, it’s also becoming more visual. The average adult now spends approximately 7-10 hours per day looking at screens, demonstrating our increased reliance on visual technology for daily tasks and work.

Healthy Vision Month is an important time to revisit the intersection of workplace trends, technology and digital wellness.

As people spend more of their day engaging with screens, there’s an increased focus on how screen experiences can influence comfort, focus and productivity – and what that means for the future of workplace technology.

That opens the door to an interesting question: how will technology evolve to better support the way people naturally work?

As someone deeply invested in the future of visual technology, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly innovation is reshaping the way people work. At the same time, there’s growing awareness that the tools we use every day should not only help us work more efficiently, but also support comfort and wellbeing throughout the day.

In this piece, I’ll explore how smarter, more user-focused display technology can better support the way people work and live - from automatically adjusting brightness and color to features that help reduce eye strain and improve comfort during extended use.

Why digital wellness is becoming a core design principle in display technology

As screen engagement increases across work and personal life, digital fatigue is becoming a growing concern for both employees and organizations. While various factors contribute to digital fatigue, one’s tools and technology stack shouldn’t be a primary cause. In my role, I practice the philosophy for display innovations to be built around a simple but powerful idea: the screen should adapt to the user, not the other way around.

Across the industry, including at Lenovo, this philosophy is influencing how the next generation of display technology is being designed. Displays are evolving beyond passive screens into smarter tools intended to support healthier and more sustainable work environments.

This is reflected in features that address common user challenges, from eye fatigue to discomfort during extended work sessions. Technologies such as adaptive brightness, low blue light settings and intelligent color optimization can help reduce visual discomfort while creating a more seamless and personalized viewing experience.

When these features are a core design principle to building business monitors, we’re making progress in designing tools that reduce discomfort without compromising performance.

How AI is enabling displays to respond to human needs in real time

As AI tools and ambient technologies evolve, screens remain central to how people navigate complex, creative and collaborative work. In fact, Futurum reports that enterprises are shifting their budgets towards investing in personal computers (PCs) over the next year to capitalize on AI-enabled devices.

At the same time, Deloitte research highlights that organizations taking a purely tech-focused AI approach are 1.6 times more likely to not realize returns on AI investments, compared to organizations taking a human-centered approach.

What this signals is that the future of AI in the workplace cannot be focused solely on processing power or automation; it also needs to improve the everyday user experience. In visual technology, that means designing displays that can respond more intelligently and intuitively to how people actually work, helping support comfort, focus and productivity in real time.

While screen time becomes more integral to how we work and think, AI’s role in visual technology will continue to grow to make our monitors smarter and more personal.

For example, embedded wellness features may provide reminders to adjust posture during extended work sessions, while technologies that measure gaze duration and blinking frequency can help users better manage eye fatigue and create more personalized work setups.

Together, these innovations are helping transform monitors from passive work tools into more responsive and supportive technologies.

As businesses look to increase their investments in AI-enabled devices, monitors will continue to be an important interface for AI to enhance user experiences.

What this means for productivity, creativity and reducing burnout in a screen-first economy

In today’s always-connected work culture, wellness can no longer be viewed as separate from productivity as it increasingly shapes how people evaluate the technology they use every day.

McKinsey found that 84% of US consumers now consider wellness a “top” or “important” priority, while 42% of Gen Z and millennials say mindfulness is a “very high priority.”

Together, these trends reflect a broader shift in workplace expectations, particularly among younger generations, leaning toward technologies that better support focus, balance and long-term wellbeing.

From my perspective, this is changing expectations around technology entirely – whether for work or play. At work, employees want tools that feel intuitive and responsive to their natural workflows, rather than systems that add friction or contribute to fatigue.

As AI-driven workflows and screen engagement continue to increase, organizations are beginning to recognize that long-term performance depends not only on efficiency, but on how sustainably employees can work and create throughout the day.

This is where smarter display technology can play a meaningful role when they’re designed to adapt more intelligently to user preferences and enable seamless experiences. Over time, these seemingly small improvements can meaningfully shape how people focus, collaborate and maintain creative energy throughout the workday.

In a screen-first economy, the future of workplace technology will increasingly center on balancing productivity with well-being.

In Conclusion

As Healthy Vision Month reminds us, digital wellness is becoming an increasingly important part of the workplace technology conversation.

Displays are evolving into adaptive, human-centric tools that can help people stay focused, comfortable and creative in a world where screen engagement continues to grow. Looking ahead, the most impactful technology will be the tools that work more naturally along human needs and deliver value through comfort and wellness.

We reviewed and ranked the best laptops for programming: Top picks for professional programmers, coders, software engineers, and developers.

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

• Anthropic has released Claude Sonnet 5, calling it its “most agentic Sonnet model yet”
• The new model is designed to make plans, use tools like browsers and terminals, and run more autonomously
• Sonnet 5 is available across Anthropic plans, and is now the default model for Claude Free and Pro users

Anthropic has released a new version of Claude, called Sonnet 5, which it’s calling “the most agentic Sonnet model yet.” Agentic models are designed to do more than simply answer questions. They can plan, use tools, and carry out tasks with less step-by-step input from the user.

According to Anthropic, the new Sonnet 5 can “make plans, use tools like browsers and terminals, and run autonomously at a level that, just a few months ago, required larger and more expensive models.”

Sonnet 5 is aimed at coding and everyday professional work. Anthropic says the latest version outperforms the previous Sonnet 4.6, scoring 80.5% in Agentic Coding using Terminal-bench 2.1, compared to 67% for Sonnet 4.6.

Despite being aimed at professionals, the new release isn’t being restricted to paid users. It's available across Anthropic plans and is the new default model for Free and Pro users, and is available to Max, Team, and Enterprise users as well. It’s also available in Claude Code and on the Claude Platform.

The age of the agents

Claude Sonnet 5 is now the default model, even for Free plan users. (Image credit: Anthropic)

The release of Sonnet 5 marks a wider shift in the AI race. Chatbots are no longer just competing to sound smarter in a conversation. They are increasingly competing to act like agents — tools that can plan, code, browse, investigate problems, and complete work with less hand-holding.

Sonnet 5 arrives soon after the release of Gemini Spark, Google’s 24/7 agentic personal assistant AI.

Anthropic is also launching Sonnet 5 at the same time that Fable 5 and Mythos 5 have become wrapped up in government scrutiny. Claude Fable 5 has just been re-released after being restricted by the US government, while OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 is still under review.

How AI models are changing

Claude Sonnet 5 may look like just another model launch, but it points to a bigger change in how AI companies are competing. The next stage of the AI war will not be won by the chatbot that gives the neatest answer. It will be won by the assistant that can take a messy task, keep track of the plan, and actually get something useful done.

AI assistants will increasingly complete tasks rather than just suggest steps. In this new future, the best model may not be the one with the cleverest answer, but the one that can finish the job.

Commentary: The music rhythm game has returned, and I'm in love again

You can put a battery-powered security cam nearly anywhere. Here are the best models for your home.

Fable 5 was available for a week before the government demanded access limits.

A few weeks ago, Reuters reported that India's Tata Electronics, one of Apple's largest iPhone production facilities, suffered a serious data breach compromising 200,000 files and 630 gigabytes of data. Apple wasn't the only target — Tesla data was snapped up, too — but the apparent fruits of that illicit labor resulted in one very large iPhone 18 Pro leak.

We have no confirmation that the videos of a silver iPhone 18 Pro undergoing drop tests are real, but the detail in the online post that the videos come from a Tata leak lends credence to their veracity.

Some called it the biggest leak since Gizmodo and the iPhone 4. As others have noted — and I agree — it's really not on that level. After all, the iPhone 4 that someone found in a California bar was a fully functioning model. For all we know, the alleged iPhone 18 Pro shown in the video is just a dummy model or a chassis with no internal components.

It's what comes next, though, that has me concerned and I'm sure worries Apple too.

A trickle could become a flow

As of this moment, the data from the breach, which Tata Electronics confirmed, is on the Dark Web. This is a part of the internet hidden from the public web; it's not searchable by Google or even your favorite AI chatbot. Only people who know how to traverse the dank space, usually using a Tor browser, can search the treasure trove of information from Tesla and Apple.

According to Reuters, a group called World Leaks had started posting data from the breach on the Dark Web and it included "several purported Apple files and folders, some titled 'com.apple.factorydata', and documents referring to 'material specification'."

What appears to be happening is that hackers (and maybe others on the Dark Web who know where to find these files and how to dig into them) are just starting to unearth critical data from Apple (and Tesla). It stands to reason, then, that the videos we've seen are not the end of the leaks but just the beginning.

Why not Ultra?

With the launch of the iPhone 18 lineup likely just a few months away (most expect it to happen in the first half of September), Apple is well past the point of design and specification. It's working with manufacturing partners like Tata Electronics to assemble the phones (and maybe test them) and prepare them for shipping. Once Apple unveils all its new handsets, including perhaps the new iPhone Ultra foldable, it will be just a few weeks before they start shipping to customers. Apple must build millions of handsets now in order to prepare for typical demand.

As for what we might see next, that's anyone's guess. Obviously, this leak put Apple on high alert. It may be playing the whack-a-mole game of stamping out the spread of this leak, and is surely it's working with Tata to ensure another breach doesn't happen. But there's not much Apple can do to police the Dark Web. It can't break down the door of the Internet and demand those files back.

Hackers and other interested parties will dig through those folders and files, looking for other tidbits to post — I'm sure they've already been scouring them for any indication of a folding device. Tata, though, may not have been tasked with building that completely new and all-important device. This is just conjecture, but for that flexible handset, Apple could've turned to its oldest and most trusted iPhone manufacturing partner in China, Foxconn.

I know, why do that when the US is pushing for manufacturing outside China (and in the US, if it can get it)? My thinking is that the Ultra folding iPhone will be more expensive and probably not as appealing as a mass-market phone and will therefore sell in far lower quantities. In that case, Apple leaves that with Foxconn and still hands at least a third of the iPhone 18 assembly duties to Tata.

If that's the case, then future leaks will revolve around everything but the new foldable... if Apple is lucky.

Mark my words, though, I really don't think this is the last major leak we'll see in the run-up to Apple's big iPhone 18 launch.

Dreambeans is unlike any other social media or AI app I've tested in a good way.

• Researchers found "VPN Go" extensions for Chrome and Firefox secretly harvesting copied text
• The clipboard theft was not there at launch and arrived through a later update
• Anything copied while the extension was active should now be treated as exposed

Security researchers at Socket found two browser extensions distributed under the "VPN Go: Free VPN" branding, one listed on the Chrome Web Store and one on Firefox Add-ons, to secretly harvest copied text.

Both present themselves as free VPN tools with working proxy features. Underneath, Socket says, both also run a clipboard stealer that continuously watches copied text and sends it to infrastructure controlled by the attacker.

According to Socket, the clipboard theft was not present when the extensions first appeared. It was added later, through an ordinary-looking update, after the extensions had already built up a base of trusting users. That staged approach is exactly what makes this kind of threat so hard to spot, and why even a fairly cautious user can end up exposed.

For anyone weighing up a no-cost privacy tool, it is worth knowing that not every free option behaves like this, and the best VPN services are tested precisely so you do not have to take this kind of gamble. But this case shows how thin the line can be between a useful free extension and a data-harvesting one.

What Socket's research uncovered

(Image credit: Chrome)

Socket says the earliest analyzed builds behaved like ordinary proxy extensions, with no confirmed clipboard theft.

On Chrome, that changed with version 1.1, when the extension added a script that reads the clipboard and ships those chunks off to a hardcoded address. The Firefox version followed the same path slightly later, moving the same theft loop into its background script.

Once active, the monitoring is relentless. The Chrome content script checks the clipboard roughly every half a second, according to Socket's analysis, while the Firefox build polls every 1.5 seconds.

Each newly copied value is tagged with a session identifier so it can be reassembled on the other end, then sent out over plain HTTP. All of this was happening while the two apps' privacy policies stated that the tools did not collect, store, or share user data and did not keep activity logs.

TechRadar has reached out to VPN Go for comment, but both email addresses bounced, and both extensions have since been pulled from their stores.

Why clipboard stealers are dangerous for users

The reason clipboard theft is so effective is that it abuses something completely routine. People copy and paste sensitive information all day, and it's not careless to do so. Password managers rely on exactly that: copying long, unique passwords into your accounts.

An extension that can silently read the clipboard has access to all of this information; it just has to wait for you to copy the right thing. If you have used either of the two extensions in question, you should treat any information you've copied during that time as exposed.

Researchers have repeatedly found free VPN extensions doing things their users never agreed to. Recent reporting has covered a free Chrome VPN extension caught taking screenshots of every page its users visited, and a malicious free VPN extension that resurfaced after being removed, returning in a more evasive form.

The pattern is consistent enough that it is worth treating any unknown free VPN extension with caution by default. That caution matters: TechRadar's own polling found that nearly 1 in 4 readers use free VPNs despite knowing the risks.

How to stay safe

If you want the protection a VPN offers without rolling the dice, stick to providers with a track record and independent testing behind them.

A reputable paid service, or one of the carefully vetted best free VPN options, is a far safer bet than an unknown extension promising unlimited access for nothing. As the saying goes, when the product is free, there is a decent chance that you are the product.

• Backrooms is getting an extended cut, which will be in theaters from July 4
• The movie will be titled Backrooms: Everything Must Go and features 16 minutes of new footage
• Backrooms is the second-highest-grossing horror movie of 2026 so far

Backrooms was a monumental success for A24, becoming the second-highest-grossing horror movie of 2026 so far. Those of you hungry for even more lore won't be disappointed, as an extended cut is coming to theaters.

From July 4, Backrooms: Everything Must Go will be playing in theaters globally, where it will feature 16 minutes of brand-new footage. According to Deadline, the new version will have "more lore, and more Easter eggs for fans."

If you're a fan of the Backrooms lore like me, the promise of even more footage is likely an intriguing one. One of the reasons I keep coming back to the Backrooms is just how deep the online lore goes; I truly could spend hours wandering the place given half the chance. No matter how dangerous it might be.

The hype around Backrooms isn't dying down

Are you ready to go deeper? Experience BACKROOMS - EVERYTHING MUST GO in theaters nationwide this Friday, featuring 16 minutes of brand new footage from director Kane Parsons. Tickets on sale now. https://t.co/zxO6nlTEfY pic.twitter.com/MNYEe2EU8cJune 30, 2026

It's a great time to be a horror fan right now. Backrooms has caused quite the stir on social media, marking the first time the Creepypasta has been adapted for the big screen.

In an interview with our senior entertainment reporter Tom Power, Backrooms director Kane Parsons spoke about the rise in YouTubers making horror movies from Markiplier's Iron Lung to Curry Barker's Obsession, which is now available on demand.

Parsons said: "A common trait shared by a lot of these YouTube filmmakers is having an established contract with their audience, and treating fans like they're a little more intelligent and cognizant than the average entertainment fan. So, I can't speak to why studios are finally taking notice of us, but I'm glad they are."

With Backrooms re-entering theaters for an extended cut, I am certainly glad that horror is being taken seriously across the board. I can't wait to see what Backrooms: Everything Must Go has in store for us.

• Bipartisan bill wants big tech companies to pay for the additional energy consumption and capacity fueled by data centers and AI demand
• Congress will begin consideration of the bill, before it moves on
• Electricity prices have risen dramatically in the US, primarily because of an explosion in new data center construction projects

A bipartisan bill is currently moving through Congress that seeks to force the big tech companies behind the massive buildout of AI datacenters to pay for the energy they use.

Currently the cost of energy is calculated by a combination of factors such as how much it costs to generate and transport the power, with extra charges added for plant and infrastructure maintenance, local regulations, and additional capacity and demand charges.

That means those living in areas with data centers connected to the local grid will have to bear the cost of the sudden increase in demand and capacity, even if they are not using more energy themselves. The Ratepayer Protection Act looks to shift that burden onto the tech companies.

Ratepayer Protection Act

The name may sound familiar, and that's because the bill essentially looks to codify parts of Trump’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge — the commitment that companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI signed back in March this year. This pledge was only voluntary though, and lacked any real detail on exactly what signatories would be paying for.

The House of Representatives will now begin consideration of the bill, which seeks the introduction of a “large load standard” requiring tech companies to bear the cost of the energy they use, alongside upgrades to the local grids they connect to. The bipartisan bill’s primary sponsors are Reps. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., and Kathy Castor, D-Fla.

“Families and small businesses across the country shouldn’t be left to foot the bill for this new development, though the benefits of these innovations will be felt by all of society,” said House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie, R-Ky. “The Ratepayer Protection Act is a bipartisan effort, which would ensure that the costs of grid upgrades are appropriately paid for according to demand.”

If you weren’t already aware, there has been a nationwide wave of opposition to data centers, with both local grassroots movements and nationwide opposition groups successfully delaying and cancelling data center construction projects. There have been a range of motivations behind opposition, from ecological conservation and energy prices, to the fear of AI-influenced job losses and a modern resurgence of the Luddite movement.

The Ratepayer Protection Act is therefore a response to the growing resentment experienced across the US political spectrum, and represents one of the first Congressional attempts to force big tech to pay their way for the enormous increase in energy demand the US has experienced in the past few years — primarily driven by AI demand.

Speaking on behalf of his constituents, bill sponsor Evans said, “Colorado families, farmers, and small businesses should not be forced to cover the costs of new power generation driven by these developments.”

After passing through Congress, the bill will have to be considered by the Energy and Commerce Committee, the House, and the Senate before being ratified by President Trump. Whether the bill will still have teeth in that time remains to be seen. But the bill comes at a pivotal time in the US election cycle, with midterm elections just months away and data centers being a serious consideration for any sitting representative or hopeful candidate.

• Norton's scam detection tools are now available in Claude and ChatGPT
• Users can ask their preferred AI chatbot about the legitimacy of an email, text, website
• Most threats consumers face now come from scams, phishing and fake ads

Claude is the latest AI assistant to get access to Norton's Genie scam detection tool following its available for ChatGPT customers earlier this year.

Available across all Claude subscription tiers, Genie gives users access to scam detection capabilities and other cyber safety tips and advice.

Norton says its tool can analyze suspicious emails, texts, messages, images and links using its "multi-layered" detection intelligence.

Norton scam detection now available in Claude, ChatGPT

"AI assistants are becoming part of how people make decisions and evaluate information online," Head of Products and Portfolios Travis Witteveen noted, hinting that the increased prevalence of AI assistants.

"By bringing Norton Genie into even more AI platforms like Claude and ChatGPT, we’re making trusted Cyber Safety intelligence available directly in those moments to help people make more confident decisions in real time."

The company explained that Genie looks for language patterns, social engineering tactics, urgency cues, impersonation attempts, and requests for sensitive information. It also checks URLs and analyzes domains to confirm whether a user should click on the link.

When the tool launched for ChatGPT in March 2026, Norton described it as the "world's first AI-powered scam detector." Users can start conversations by tagging @Norton and asking questions like whether an email looks legit or if an online offer looks like a scam.

The company's own reporting reveals that nine in 10 threats targeting people in 2025 came from scams, phishing and fake advertisements.

So far, Norton looks to be the only security company offering direct AI chatbot integration to provide accurate insights into threat detection.

Silo season 3 is returning to Apple TV after a year-long break, which is a comparatively short wait for fans of Apple Originals.

The hit dystopian sci-fi series is widely acclaimed as one of the best Apple TV shows, and season 3 sees Juliette Nichols navigating her new role as mayor of Silo 18 while trying to regain her memory after the events of season 2.

There's plenty left to explore when it comes to Silo, and it has been renewed for a fourth season too. For now, here's what you need to know about Silo season 3's arrival on Apple TV.

What time can I watch Silo season 3 on Apple TV?

If you're in the US you can expect the first episode of Silo season 3 to be available on Apple TV on July 3 at 12am PT / 3am ET. Episodes will then drop weekly until the finale on September 4

Internationally, look out for the below times:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK – 8am BST
• India – 12:30pm IST
• Singapore – 3pm SGT
• Australia – 6pm AEST
• New Zealand – 8pm NZDT

When do new episodes of Silo season 3 come out on Apple TV?

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Episode 1: July 3

Episode 2: July 10

Episode 3: July 17

Episode 4: July 24

Episode 5: July 31

Episode 6: August 7

Episode 7: August 14

Episode 8: August 21

Episode 9: August 28

Episode 10: September 4

• Dacia responds to Leapmotor's price cuts
• Spring retains title of the UK's most affordable car
• Small EV now costs just £11,990 in cheapest version

Dacia has slashed the cost of its entry-level Spring EV in the UK to £11,990 in a direct response to fierce competition from Chinese rival Leapmotor.

The company, which shares a “strategic global alliance with the Stellantis Group, cut the cost of its T03 electric city car yesterday, dropping the diminutive EV down to just £12,995 via a doubling of what it calls its Leap Grant.

In recent years, the Dacia Spring has enjoyed the title of the most affordable electric passenger vehicle on sale in the UK (and much of Europe), also taking the crown as Britain’s cheapest car overall, but that title was handed over yesterday following Leapmotor’s aggressive price cuts.

However, it is worth noting that Dacia has reduced the price of its entry level Spring Expression model, which offers just 70bhp and a range of 140-miles on a single charge — both of these figures are easily bettered by the T03.

A recently upgraded Spring 100 is more closely matched in terms of specification and this is now priced at £12,990, a mere £5 less than the Chinese rival.

This version offers a more powerful 100hp motor, a 10.1-inch touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, vehicle-to-load functionality, copper-accented styling, electric rear windows, reversing camera, and more.

Lina Ribeiro, Dacia Brand Director for the UK, said that “production efficiencies” and a “strong drive to continue to offer real value to our customers” have helped the Romanian company pass on savings to the end user.

Analysis: could this spark a small car price war?

(Image credit: Dacia)

There are very few new cars currently on sale in the UK that can compete with an £11,990 price tag, let alone those that use a typically more expensive electric powertrain. But the battle to become the UK’s cheapest car could see other brands start slashing their prices.

The BYD Dolphin Surf, for example, currently sits at £18,650, while Honda’s upcoming Super N offers a lot of fun and bags of character for £19,000. The MG3 is also a steal at £17,495, although the brand has been known to heavily discount this price.

Should the Renault Twingo qualify for the full UK electric car grant, this could be sold for below £17,000 and offer 163-miles of range, as well as Renault’s excellent interior attention to detail.

Plus, with Chinese brands gaining more traction in the UK and European markets, we could see a whole host of previously ‘unknown’ models start popping up at dealerships, all with a view to undercut the competition.

If you’re in the market for a cheap electric city car, now could be the time to start shopping around.