Technology

• Google Cloud operates across 42 regions and 127 zones, supported by 33 subsea cables
• The US government trusts Google Cloud Air-Gapped with top-secret information
• Europe has a number of local tools, and Germany is next

Amid ongoing US-China tensions over tech dominance, Google has recognized that some countries are concerned about the US' tech dominance, thus it has announced some updates to its sovereign cloud services to ensure optimal privacy.

In a blog post, Google Cloud President of Customer Experience Hayete Gallot boasted that the company now has more than 42 cloud regions, 127 zones, 202 network edge locations and 33 subsea cable investments supporting its global cloud services.

Once niche and limited to highly regulated sectors like defense and intelligence, sovereignty is now a mainstream concern for many sectors and most governments, and Google has responded with a handful of updates.

Google upgrades its sovereign cloud portfolio for customers

Key to the announcement is Google Cloud's air-gapped cloud service, which operates as a standalone cloud with no external network connectivity requirements. It's designed specially for sectors with strict data residency and security, and is build on open-source components which Google believes can enhance resilience and therefore business continuity.

The company even got authorization to store US government Top Secret and Secret-level data on Google Cloud Air-Gapped in 2024 – a sign of its strong privacy credentials.

The second of Google's three key announcements, Google Cloud Dedicated, is a partner-operated regional platform that meets local sovereignty standards. The company already partnered with Thales in 2021 to make its first-ever Trusted Cloud by S3NS for Europe, but now it's confirmed it'll be targeting Germany next.

Finally, Google Cloud Data Boundary gives users further control over where their data is stored and processed, with enhanced protection via external key management and confidential computing. For example, Workspace users can select to restrict processing to the US or EU, while also choosing local data storage countries.

A Mandiant-backed tool called User Data Shield is being added to this to ensure the ongoing verification of sovereignty postures.

Gallot expressed a commitment to "empowering organizations globally to navigate the complex landscape of digital sovereignty with confidence," while also noting how advanced security measure like a zero-trust posture, post-quantum cryptography and AI-powered defenses form part of the broader strategy.

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Two new technologies, stacked panels and phosphorescent blues, could further improve OLED's already best-in-class picture quality.

Your next genre binge awaits.

• Apple has marked the iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 as ‘vintage’
• This means there are fewer repair options should you need them
• The next step is to declare them ‘obsolete,’ but that’s not happened yet

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 7 Plus or an iPhone 8, we’ve got some bad news: Apple has just added them to its list of “vintage” products, meaning your repair options have just become a little more limited.

Apple declares a product to be vintage when the company stopped selling it more than five but less than seven years ago. Apple does this from time to time with older devices – after all, it can’t offer ongoing support for every device it's ever produced on an indefinite basis. But the news will still come as a disappointment to anyone still using one of these phones.

What does this mean in practice? Well, when Apple classifies a product as 'vintage', it cuts back on the support it will offer to owners. In theory, you’ll still be able to get one of these products repaired by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP), but it depends on whether the parts are still available. If they aren’t, you won’t be able to get genuine components when it’s time to repair your phone.

After a product has been classed as vintage, the next step is for Apple to label it 'obsolete', and this usually occurs when more than seven years have passed since Apple last offered the device for sale. The iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 were discontinued in 2019 and 2020, respectively, which means you’ve still got another year or two until they're classed as obsolete.

Old-school charm

(Image credit: Future)

Launched in 2016, the iPhone 7 Plus was the larger version of the iPhone 7, and it came with water and dust resistance, a solid-state Home button, new color options, and revised antenna bands. It also controversially marked the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack once and for all.

The iPhone 8, meanwhile, was released in 2017 and came with wireless charging, True Tone technology, a better chip, and improved cameras. It launched alongside the iPhone X, which was the first all-screen iPhone and consigned the Home button to history.

This is the second time in recent months that Apple has added devices to its vintage products list. In mid-April, the iPhone 6S was marked as vintage, alongside the 2018 Mac mini. Don’t be surprised to see further products added to Apple’s list over the next year.

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• Sony is shutting down its PlayStation Stars loyalty program after three years
• The program will no longer accept new members, but current members have until July 23 to earn Digital Collectibles, Points, and level up their status
• Sony says "this version" of the PlayStation Stars will fully end on November 2, 2026

Sony has announced that it's shutting down its PlayStation Stars loyalty program after three years.

In a new PlayStation Blog post, the company confirmed that PlayStation Stars will be closing down and will no longer accept new members as of today.

Those who choose to cancel their membership won't be able to rejoin and will lose all earned Points.

"Since launching the program, we’ve learned a lot from evaluating the types of activities our players respond best to, and as a company, we are always evolving with player and industry trends," Sony said.

"Through this evaluation, we have decided to refocus our efforts and will be winding down the current version of PlayStation Stars. We will continue to evaluate our key findings from this program, and are looking into ways to build upon these learnings."

Although the rewards program is shutting down, members can still earn Digital Collectibles, Points, and level up their status until July 23, 2025 at 7:59AM PDT / 3:59PM BST / 11:59PM JST.

After this date, no new PlayStation Stars Campaigns will be available, or additional rewards or status benefits to earn.

Sony said that "this version" of PlayStation Stars will fully end on November 2, 2026, but it's unclear if the company is planning on releasing another version of the loyalty program.

It also said that current PlayStation Stars members can continue to redeem Points as long as their Points don’t expire before that date, and that members can still access their Digital Collectibles, even after these changes go into effect.

The program was made available for PS5 and PS4 in 2022 and rewards players with earnable loyalty points that can be redeemed for various digital goodies after completing various challenges, like unlocking a specific trophy or playing a game on your system.

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• gTLDs enhance brand identity, trust, engagement, SEO and control over online presence
• 53% of businesses want to stand out from competitors – gTLDs can help
• Some marketers didn't know they could register gTLDs

New research from ICANN has revealed that generic top-level domains (gTLDs) have been likened to digital storefronts, noting that unique online addresses are becoming critical for branding and customer engagement.

ICANN's global survey of more than 2,000 marketers from 14 global markets found that gTLDs like .microsoft or .brazil offer untapped branding and operational opportunities.

The study also found that brands can enhance their identity, improve trust and control their online presence more effectively when using a gTLD.

Businesses are missing out on generic TLD benefits

An overwhelming majority (92%) of the marketers surveyed agreed that gTLDs offer benefits, including enhanced brand differentiation/identity (46%), improved customer trust and engagement (45%), better control over online presence (44%) and improved SEO (44%).

Although gTLDs might be new additions to companies' roadmaps, they can also form part of existing strategies. For example, 53% noted wanting to stand out from competitors as a top priority in the next 12 months. One in two (52%) also noted wanting to attract and engage the right audience, while a similar number (47%) declared keeping up with digital trends to be a top priority.

However, as with any change in technology, some are finding that there are certain hurdles preventing them from going all-in on gTLDs, including high costs (31%), a lack of knowledge (27%) and insufficient time, unclear ROI or security concerns (24% each).

ICANN also observed misconceptions, with 16% of marketers believing gTLDs were government-only and 9% thinking they were part of trade agreements.

With gTLDs offering a transformational opportunity for brands willing to spend the time setting them up, ICANN is urging brands to start preparing now in order to arm themselves with the knowledge and power.

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• The Retro Classics collection is now available on Xbox, PC, and supported smart TVs
• It's come by way of a partnership between Xbox, Antstream Arcade, and Activision
• Over 50 games are available now, with more than 100 expected to arrive eventually

Xbox has partnered with classic game service Antstream Arcade to bring Xbox Game Pass subscribers the new Retro Classics collection.

Microsoft announced the partnership via an official Xbox Wire post, which is described as "a collaboration between Xbox and Antstream Arcade, available to play for Game Pass members globally."

The service is available now and only requires the standard Xbox Game Pass subscription - Ultimate is not necessary. The Retro Classics collection is a separate app, available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and can also be streamed via supported Samsung and LG smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV devices and Meta Quest VR headsets.

Initially, the Retro Classics library houses over 50 retro Activision games. These include Pitfall, Dragster, Grand Prix, Kaboom!, Enduro and many more. Games also have their own sets of achievements, leaderboard challenges, and save state support - not unlike the main Antstream Arcade service.

"This initiative is a step in our commitment to game preservation and backwards compatibility, allowing players to experience many timeless games on modern devices," the Xbox Wire post reads.

Furthermore, the Retro Classics collection is set to expand over time. The post claims that the launch "is just the beginning." Eventually, the service is set to grow to well over 100 playable titles. If you don't have the cash for some of the best retro games consoles, then this could be a more affordable solution.

It's a pretty smart way to leverage a suite of classic games now made available to Microsoft via its Activision Blizzard buyout, and one I didn't really see coming. The Antstream Arcade service itself is something I've personally gotten some enjoyment out of, and it's cool to see a similar service make its way to Xbox Game Pass members on both console and PC.

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• The Samsung Galaxy S26 could have a new main camera
• However, it might still be 50MP
• It's possible the Galaxy S26 Edge and Plus will also get new camera sensors

The Samsung Galaxy S25 has the same main camera sensor as the Samsung Galaxy S24, so while this camera performs reasonably well, it’s really due an upgrade with the Samsung Galaxy S26. Thankfully, an upgrade is what we might get.

According to GalaxyClub, the Samsung Galaxy S26 will have a new 50MP sensor. Now, that’s no change in megapixels, but the site claims that “as far as we understand” it will be a new model in Samsung’s ISOCELL GN series, and possibly one that hasn’t been announced yet. That would be in place of the 50MP ISOCELL GN3 in the Samsung Galaxy S25.

While there’s no mention here of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, we’d expect that would also have this new sensor since the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus has the same sensor as the base S25. That’s assuming there is a Galaxy S26 Plus at all, as some reports claim Samsung is considering ditching this model in favor of a Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge.

Samsung or Sony?

Speaking of the S26 Edge, leaker @Jukanlosreve has claimed that both this and the base Samsung Galaxy S26 will use a 50MP Sony sensor. So that’s slightly at odds with the claim above, as while both leaks point to a new 50MP sensor for the Galaxy S26, there’s disagreement on the brand.

BIG: * NEXT YEAR'S S26 VANILLA AND EDGE MODELS WILL FEATURE A 50MP 1.0UM SENSOR FROM SONY.May 22, 2025

Still, it seems likely then that the sensor will be changing, even if we’re not sure what to. Equipping the Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge with a 50MP sensor would seem an odd choice though, since the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge has a 200MP one. Fewer megapixels doesn’t necessarily mean a reduction in quality, but it might not look great from a marketing perspective.

We’d take all of this with a pinch of salt anyway, as the Samsung Galaxy S26 series probably won’t land until early 2026.

We have started hearing quite a few things about these phones though, with earlier leaks pointing to bigger batteries across the whole S26 series, while the base model could have an Exynos 2600 chipset in some regions, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could get a new lens and a variable aperture.

So it sounds like there could be quite a lot of upgrades coming to Samsung’s flagship phone series.

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After reviewing the best internet plans available in Ann Arbor, we've shortlisted the ones that deliver good value and reliability.

Speed is no longer a luxury for businesses, it's a necessity. Whether shopping online, streaming content or using business apps, users expect instant and seamless experiences. Simultaneously, companies face increasing pressures to innovate, scale, and remain secure against ever-intelligent threats, all without breaking the bank.

As the internet and technology stacks evolve and grow increasingly complex, legacy IT infrastructures have struggled to keep up, resulting in poor user experience, security vulnerabilities and runaway spending. Many businesses are now turning to a modern edge architecture that seamlessly integrates in their stack and way of working, allowing for faster innovation, easier pivots and instant deployments. Here are four reasons why modern production systems need an edge architecture to match.

Being slow is unacceptable

Today’s audiences expect engaging and immersive content, and are more impatient than ever with low tolerance for low quality resolution. Viewers expect content to play instantly, every time.

Adding to the challenge of making your experiences instant every time, content is rarely consumed where it’s created, and geographical distances will introduce unavoidable latency. The more popular you are, the broader your geographical reach and the more global demand for instant playback.

Without a proper architectural strategy, a system broadcasting breaking news, viral content, or a game-winning moment in the United Kingdom will have Australian viewers waiting for data – an issue compounded by network congestion, routing inefficiencies, and the occasional ship’s anchor.

While the issue is as old as the Internet, edge computing solves the inherent delay using points of presence (POPs) placed strategically across the globe. At any given time, POPs can cache and deliver content from the server nearest the consumer, ensuring they receive content with the smallest possible delay. Latency is drastically reduced, page load times are accelerated, and consumers will experience improved performance for applications, streaming services, and websites.

Success shouldn’t break your budget

On the surface, using two or more hyperscaler zones as a way to build a geographically distributed application seems straightforward – and this is valuable for disaster recovery purposes. However, to do this in a way that simulates a true edge system with dozens of locations is not feasible when you consider cloud costs and engineering resources. Moreover, it distracts from your innovation efforts with your core business.

Modern distributed edge systems are more capable, flexible, and affordable than ever. They provide proven, robust performance with global coverage, enabling fast, personalized, and secure computing. Equipped to give developers the tools they need for instant scale and custom computing, these systems have evolved from traditional CDN use cases into highly customizable, API-friendly platforms that can integrate with a wide range of demanding applications. And you won’t need to spend tens of millions on physical infrastructure and operational talent to leverage them.

By using distributed datacenters, content owners and online businesses can optimize performance without extensive hyperscaler investments. Edge systems also help reduce cloud bandwidth costs by caching frequently accessed content closer to end users, minimizing egress traffic. This not only lowers operational expenses but also ensures an infrastructure that can deliver at scale when your business has the most successful days of its existence.

Your users require privacy and security

Users today are savvier than ever regarding their data privacy and security. With a new paradigm of regulatory requirements like GDPR, businesses must be prepared to simultaneously meet these requirements while also delivering the experience their customers expect within budget.

It is essential for companies that deal with sensitive data to leverage modern architectural design to separate public and private information without interrupting the user experience. One possible way to do this is to organize the data into separate API responses or services into static, cacheable data (financial market trends, news, product information) and personalized, non-cacheable data (account balances, user-specific notifications).

This way, public data can be cached while private data is kept secure and private. It also conforms to the trends in mobile app development, where API-first architectures naturally separate user-specific calls from general data. All of this is instantly configurable and programmable with a modern edge partner.

Beyond privacy expectations, for industries facing piracy threats and account takeover risks, edge computing systems offer distributed and high-performance countermeasures. A modern threat model requires a security portfolio that is intelligent, adaptable and cost-effective. An edge-based solution localizes enforcement so that platforms can detect and prevent unauthorized access in real-time. And since performance is optimized, users benefit.

Decoupling data, taking advantage of edge programmability, and incorporating dynamic caching mechanisms allow businesses to increase security, improve performance, and lighten the load on their infrastructure without affecting the user experience. Your architecture strategy should tightly integrate each of these perspectives.

Focus on reliability

Even if your site or applications are fast, within budget, and manage your user’s privacy and security perfectly, it’s all for nothing if your uptime flakes or your team is constantly paged out of bed to fight midnight incidents. Thankfully, the same edge strategies can give your business layers of resiliency through intelligent caching, layered origin protection, and instant system scalability.

Don’t let the biggest and most successful days for your business turn into catastrophes due to a lack of architectural planning and the wrong edge partner. Plan ahead and choose the most flexible, cost-effective, secure, and resilient partner to plan for your long-term success.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we 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/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,434 for May 23.

In March, AWS announced the general availability of its new multi-agent capabilities, bringing the technology into the hands of businesses across almost every industry. Until now, organizations have mostly relied on single-agent AI systems, which handle individual tasks but often struggle with complex workflows.

These systems can also break down when businesses encounter unexpected scenarios outside their traditional data pipelines. Google also recently announced ADK (Agent Development Kit) for developing multi-agent systems and A2A (Agent to Agent) protocol for agents to communicate with each other, signaling a broader industry shift toward collaborative AI frameworks.

The general availability of multi-agent systems changes the game for startups. Instead of a single AI managing tasks in isolation, these systems feature robust and manageable networks of independent agents working collaboratively to divide skills, optimize workflows and adapt to shifting challenges. Unlike single-agent models, multi-agent systems operate with a division of labor, assigning specialized roles to each agent for greater efficiency.

They can process dynamic and unseen scenarios without requiring pre-coded instructions, and since the systems exist in software, they can be easily developed and continuously improved.

Let's explore how startups can leverage multi-agent systems and ensure seamless integration alongside human teams.

Unlocking value for startups

Startups can leverage multi-agent systems across several critical business functions, beginning with research and analysis. These systems excel at data gathering, web searches, and report generation through the process of retrieving, organizing and dynamically refining information.

This allows systems to streamline complex research workflows, enabling startups to operate more efficiently and make informed decisions at scale. Meanwhile, in sales processes, multi-agent systems improve efficiency by automating lead qualification, outreach and follow-ups. AI-driven sales development representatives (AI SDRs) can automate these repetitive tasks, reducing the need for manual intervention while enabling teams to focus on strategic engagement.

Many startups may also need to extract structured data from unstructured sources. For example, multi-agent systems automate web scraping and adjust to website format changes in real time, eliminating the need for continuous manual maintenance.

Unlike traditional data pipelines that require constant debugging, multi-agent systems autonomously manage tasks, reducing the need for large development teams. This is particularly useful for startups as they can ensure up-to-date data without expanding technical teams too quickly.

How businesses can implement multi-agent systems

Startups seeking to gain outsized results by leveraging these systems can do so through two impactful approaches.

One option is purchasing existing solutions to replace complex data flows and human-driven processes. This is the most cost-effective choice for many startups, as they can automate and replace complex sales pipelines and make data workflows more robust, reducing reliance on humans for repetitive tasks.

But for startups with unique operational needs, developing a multi-agent system in-house is ideal. Traditional systems require coding for every possible scenario – a rigid and time-consuming approach that is prone to human error. Multi-agent systems, in contrast, are tailored for all possible scenarios and dynamically adapt to complexities, making them a more flexible and scalable alternative.

Regardless of whether startups buy or build, multi-agent systems provide a game-changing opportunity to streamline operations, reduce manual workloads and improve scalability.

Overcoming challenges in AI integration

Despite its advantages, integrating multi-agent systems comes with certain challenges. Decision-making by agents within the multi-agent system isn’t always transparent since the systems often rely on large language models (LLMs) that have billions of parameters. This makes it challenging to diagnose failures, especially when a system works in one case but fails in another.

Additionally, multi-agent systems deal with dynamic, unstructured data, meaning they must validate AI-generated outputs across various input sources - from websites to documents, scanned documents and chat and meeting transcripts. This makes it a greater challenge to balance robustness to changes and accuracy. Beyond this, multi-agent systems face difficulties in maintaining effectiveness and require monitoring and updates in response to input source changes, which often break traditional scraping methods.

Startups can overcome these challenges by embracing new tools, such as LangFuse, LangSmith, HoneyHive and Phoenix, which are designed to enhance monitoring, debugging, and testing in multi-agent environments. Equally important is fostering a workplace culture that embraces AI agents as collaborators, not replacements. Startups should ensure buy-in across stakeholders and educate employees on the value of AI augmentation to allow a smooth adoption.

Transparency is also key. Founders must be open with staff about how multi-agent systems will be used to ensure a smooth collaboration between human and AI coworkers.

Achieving outsized results

The AI field is moving fast, making it difficult for experts, let alone everyday users, to keep up to date with each new model or tool that is released. Some small teams may therefore see multi-agent systems as unattainable.

However, the startups that successfully implement them into their workstreams – whether by purchasing or building custom solutions – will gain a competitive edge. Multi-agent systems bridge the gap between AI and human collaboration that can’t be achieved with traditional single-agent systems.

For startups focused on growth, multi-agent systems are the best tool in their arsenal to compete with incumbents who might be stuck with an outdated tech stack. The ability to streamline operations, reduce manual workload, and scale intelligently makes multi-agent systems an invaluable tool in achieving outsized results.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we 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/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Retro compact with unique vertical sensor and LCD screen
• It reimagines the half-frame film camera experience
• It's available globally from June 12 in three colors, priced $849 / £699 / AU$1,349

Fujifilm has outdone itself with the new X half – a retro compact camera that packs some of its wackiest and outright funnest ideas yet, all inspired by film photography.

There’s a clue to the X half’s inspiration in the name – it’s a digital reimagining of half-frame film cameras like the Pentax 17. I've already tried the X half, and it was a much needed dose of fun – check out my X half hands-on review.

To facilitate half frame, the X half's 18MP JPEG photos are taken in 3 x 4 vertical format, recorded onto a vertical 1-inch sensor, and composed using the unique vertical LCD.

Alongside that fixed screen is a secondary screen that mimics the film canister window you see on many film cameras, and there's a fun surprise here – it’s touch sensitive, and allows you to swipe up or down to select one of Fujifilm’s Film Simulations. If this charming feature doesn't make its way into future Fujifilm cameras, I'd be shocked.

Film Simulation color effects are well known – they're inspired by Fujifilm film stock, and have helped to cement Fujifilm’s popularity over the last 10 years through cameras like the X100VI. The X half offers a stripped-back selection of 13 popular Film Simulations, including Provia and Astia.

You'd think all of the above would be enough to secure the X half's unique status, but Fujifilm has really let loose, with even more features for film photography fans to enjoy.

The LCD emulating a film cannister window with Velvia Film Simulation, and the vertical LCD (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Simulating film to another level

Going one step further from that twin-screen combo and vertical shooting, there’s a Film Camera mode. This locks in your chosen Film Simulation and camera settings such as ISO, and disables the screen preview, leaving you to compose your shots via the optical viewfinder instead, as if you're shooting with film.

Once your ‘film’ is used up – either 36, 54 or 72 shots – you can exit the mode and view the screen once more, and make changes to settings again.

Film Camera mode is such a fun feature, and for me is the closest experience to film photography that I've had using a digital camera – and it's optional.

The film wind lever tucked in with the camera off. In the on position, the lever sticks out for an easy reach. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Then there's what is in effect a film wind lever, which in this case, through 'cranking', is used to create diptychs – that’s two vertical shots side by side. These are recorded individually through the vertical 1-inch sensor, but then composited afterwards and displayed just like you'd get with a half-frame film camera on a roll of 35mm film.

Again, you can take or leave the diptych feature. I reckon it's a nice to have – working out how image pairs complement each other stretches your creative muscles.

We also get some completely new picture effects, almost all of which are film photography-inspired and include light leak, expired film and halation.

Full HD video capture is also possible, and the diptych effect can be applied to both photos and videos, which is really neat.

This is all packaged in a palm-sized, premium-feel compact that features a fixed 32mm f/2.8 lens with a mechanical aperture, plus the same battery as used in cameras like the X100VI for an 880-shot life, and which weighs just 240g.

Fujifilm X half in charcoal (left), silver (middle) and black (right). (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Fujifilm has created a dedicated app for the X half, which can be used to make diptychs, and upload and view images, plus the camera can connect wirelessly to one of Fujifilm’s Instax printers for on-the-go printing.

The app wasn't available when I tested the camera, but will be downloadable from early June. Meanwhile, the Fujifilm X half itself will be available globally from June 12 in silver, charcoal and black, and costs $849 / £699 / AU$1,349.

I’ve been reviewing digital cameras for 15 years, and the Fujifilm X half has to be one of the funnest yet – a compact camera with a difference. You can configure it in a way that’s as close to a film camera as you’re going to get with digital, plus it packs the retro look and feel that we’ve come to expect from Fujifilm.

What do you think of the Fujifilm X half? Let us know in the comments below.

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• Dyson has announced the new ultra-thin, ultra-light PencilVac
• Its new Fluffycones floorhead is designed to avoid hair tangling
• It looks like a specialist model for hard floors

I write about vacuum cleaners for a living, and while performance varies, most new models these days tend to look roughly the same.

So when news of a new addition to the Dyson vacuum lineup landed in my inbox, I expected to see something similar to its existing models: slick and high-quality, but not especially distinctive or surprising.

How wrong I was.

The newly unveiled Dyson PencilVac doesn't just have an unusual name, it's all-round one of the most unique vacuums I've seen. This brand knows what it's doing in this marketplace – it makes some of the best cordless vacuums you can buy, and today's very best Dyson vacuums include features you still can't find anywhere else.

So while the PencilVac strays a long way from the tried-and-tested formula of what works for vacuum cleaners, I'm very optimistic about its performance. Here's a rundown of the most intriguing features in this new launch...

1. It's ridiculously thin

The most immediately noticeable thing about the PencilVac is that it's incredibly streamlined. Without the floorhead, the whole thing is 1.5 inches / 3.8cm in diameter. To make that possible, the brand had to develop a tiny new motor – the Dyson Hyperdymium 140k motor is just 1.1 inches / 2.8cm wide, and hidden entirely within the handle.

The PencilVac is also impressively lightweight, clocking in at 4lbs / 1.8kg. For context, the lightest option in our best cordless vacuum roundup right now is 5.7lbs / 2.6kg, and there are a number of models that weigh over 6.6lbs / 3kg.

All the PencilVac's mechanics are shrunk down and fitted inside the handle (Image credit: Dyson)

Generally, when you shrink down a vacuum, you sacrifice power. That's why handheld vacuums tend to be much less 'sucky' than full-sized options. That holds true for the PencilVac – there's 55AW of suction, compared to 115AW for the V8 (the oldest Dyson stick vacuum in the current range) and a massive 280AW for the latest-and-greatest Gen5detect. However, while it's unlikely to be suitable for a truly deep clean, that's still a decent amount of suction for the size and weight.

As a side note, the 1.5-inch / 3.8cm diameter isn't incidental. Brand founder James Dyson says, "I have long wanted to make a vacuum of only 38mm diameter (the same as my latest hair dryer, the Supersonic r)". The Dyson Supersonic r is the pipe-shaped dryer that was originally released for professionals only, but recently joined the main consumer range.

2. There are cones instead of rollers

Moving down to the business end, and you'll find the new 'Fluffycones' floorhead. It sounds like a Pokémon, but it's actually a reimagined cleaner head. Vacuums traditionally have one brush roll, maximum two, and they're tube-shaped. The Dyson PencilVac has four brushrolls, and they're all conical.

There's logic to the tapering shape: it helps direct long hair along the roll and into the dust cup, whereas with parallel rollers the hair tends to just wrap around and stay there, until your rip it off or attack it with scissors. Dyson's hair screw tool also has a conical brush roll, and works exactly as it's meant to when it comes to tackling long hair.

Rather than one parallel brushroll, the PencilVac has four tapering rollers (Image credit: Dyson)

The cones project out at the sides so they can clean right to the edges of rooms, and the whole thing can lie flat to the ground, with a clearance of just 9.5cm / 3.75 inches off the floor.

I'm interested in Dyson's description of the rollers as 'fluffy', because in the brand's vocabulary that usually indicates a soft roller for use on hard floors only. In fact, the more I look at this vacuum, the more I'm convinced it's a specialist model just for use on hard floor. It's not specified in the press material I have so far, but it would make sense with the lower suction and smaller dust capacity.

3. There's no visible dust cup

One of the most baffling things about the PencilVac is that it doesn't appear to have a dust cup. Of course, there is one – like the motor, it's hidden away inside the handle.

The capacity is next-to-nothing: just 0.08L. However, Dyson has introduced a dust compression system, which uses air to squish down the particles so they take up as little room as possible. Dyson claims that means it can hold five times the physical volume.

The dust cup is also hidden within the handle (Image credit: Dyson)

The emptying process has also been reimagined, with a push-lever system replaced by an exciting-sounding "syringe, no-touch bin ejection mechanism".

As it pushes out dust and debris, the mechanism simultaneously wipes the 'shroud'. I'm not totally clear what the 'shroud' is in this context, but I do know that keeping the internal mechanisms clean is key to efficient vacuum performance, so this seems like a good thing.

4. The floorhead glows and appears to float

As well as siphoning off hair as you clean, the floorhead cones have another trick up their sleeve. The cones rotate in opposite directions, the aim being that this vacuum cleans just as well when it's pushed forward as when it's pulled back. This is a bit of a weak spot on the regular Fluffy floorhead – it has no trouble sucking things up when moving forwards, but pull it back and debris will pool behind it.

I'm intrigued to see how this new approach works in practice – especially because Dyson describes it as "floating" across the floor. I wonder, too, if it might make this vacuum reversible altogether, given the fact that the handle section looks very symmetrical.

(Image credit: Dyson)

Dyson has also added "laser-like" illumination to both the front and back of the floorhead. This is another feature borrowed from the exsiting Fluffy floorhead, and helps create big shadows on the tiniest bits of dust, which otherwise might go missed. It only works on hard floors, which is another indication this vac is likely not for carpet.

5. There's a tool that looks like a chimney brush

There's an intriguing addition to the tool lineup in the form of a 'Rotating combi-crevice tool', designed for cleaning in awkward gaps. This seems especially geared towards cleaning high-up, where it can be tricky to get your angles correct. It makes particular sense for an ultra-light vacuum like this one, which is far easier to lift above your head than your average stick vacuum.

As an aside, it looks like the PencilVac is button- rather than trigger-operated. That's dictated by the streamlined shape, but it's also great news for maneuverability and easy of use – the fact that many Dyson vacs still use a trigger to turn on is a perpetual bugbear of mine.

You'll also get a Conical hair screw tool, similar to the one included with the newest Dyson stick vacuums, for tackling long hair on furniture. Both can be stored on the magnetic charging dock.

The Rotating combi-crevice tool looks perfect for cleaning up high (Image credit: Dyson )6. It's app-connected

I'm much less excited about this feature, but it feel like I should point out that this is the first Dyson cordless vacuum to connect to the MyDyson app. The app will provide more information about battery life and also report on filter status. However, there's also a screen on the vacuum itself showing remaining battery, so I'm hoping the app connection is an optional extra rather than an essential.

There's a companion app, but key information is also shown on the vac's screen (Image credit: Dyson)Price & availability

The PencilVac will arrive in Australia first, with launch scheduled for August 2025. It's due to go on sale in the UK sometime in 2026, and I'm awaiting info as to if/when it will come to the US. As of yet I don't have any pricing info at all – I'll update this article with more details when I have them.

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