TechRadar News

Last year was the year of the best smart rings, and 2025 is shaping up to be another interesting one in the world of wearables – and we discuss that and lots more on the latest episode of the TechRadar podcast.

From the scramble to find the next 'it' form factor in the wearables space to the race for AI feature supremacy, there's plenty to talk about, and we're particularly interested in some of the new devices we've seen this year, like the Garmin Venu X1 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 8.

We've also seen our first glimpse of Meta's latest smart glasses, which it produces in collaboration with Ray-Ban's sister-brand, Oakley. Alas, we're not exactly thrilled with the outcome – you'll have to catch the episode to find out why.

Plus, with more devices set to land later this year, including the Pixel Watch 4 and the Apple Watch Series 11 (and, hopefully, the Apple Watch Ultra 3), it's still all to play for in the contest to release the best smartwatch of 2025.

To hear our thoughts on all of the above (and a robot vacuum), join me, Hamish Hector and Matt Evans, as well as friend of the show and special guest, YouTuber and tech reviewer Mark Ellis.

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, or if you prefer an audio-only podcast experience you can listen along on Spotify, or Apple Podcasts – and wherever you catch us, you'll also find all of our previous episodes, including our CES and gaming specials.

So, what are you waiting for? Tune in to find out why we think Garmin has a long way to go before winning over die-hard Apple or Samsung users, why Meta's Oakley collab fell flat in our estimations, and who has the lowest antioxidant level on a table of overworked tech journalists.

You might also like

• I'm wearing the Garmin Venu X1 right now – here's how it compares to the Apple Watch Ultra 2
• The latest Google Pixel Watch 4 leaks point to a price freeze
• 4 key changes Meta is making with its Oakley smart glasses to make them stand out from the Ray-Ban AI specs

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the best phones in Australia, and in 2025 it’ll be a difficult handset to beat as our attention turns to the Google Pixel 10 Pro and the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max coming later this year. It only improves upon the best cameraphone of 2024, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and it continues a trend set by the S24. In 2025, software took over the stage almost entirely in San Jose at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event.

Yes, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra received a new rounded design that makes it look more like its standard S25 and S25 Plus counterparts. Samsung also decided to axe Bluetooth features from the S Pen with the S25 Ultra, which enabled users to take photos with the phone’s included stylus (super useful for group shots and selfies, though Samsung said it’s not a popular feature). Hardware undoubtedly changed and indeed the phone did receive its annual CPU/GPU performance buff – but in 2025, Samsung’s more interested in software.

With the launch of One UI 7, Samsung’s app icons, widgets, status bar and other core software features have gotten a refresh. They feel more efficient, space-aware and better in line with the customization that many users crave from their smartphones. When I first received this phone, my colleagues and I were saddened at how limited the ‘Good Lock’ OS-modifying tool had become with One UI 7, but after toying with the operating system, I’ve come to realize that I could finally get by without it.

Better yet, the introduction of the Now Bar and the all-new Now Brief are actually useful productivity features that look good on the display, and they’re my favorite features of the launch.

Whether or not Samsung’s useful Now Brief page, which generates an AI-assisted snapshot of the rest of your day (or next day), effectively encompasses what has become the popular perception of AI (incorporating the use of large-language models and the like) feels beside the point. This is a genuinely useful feature and to some extent, I’m disappointed that it has been tarnished by the ‘AI’ tag that justifiably puts a bad taste in people’s mouths.

To that end, we can ignore the elephant in the room no longer – the messy state of affairs that is AI on a Samsung phone. Such phones are torn between Galaxy AI tools (many of which function on-device) and Google Gemini, and there’s cause for concern in this discrepancy.

So let’s chat Samsung’s latest OS polish, its handy new tricks, and its spotty AI-fication.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)Hello, beautiful

I’ll quickly admit that Samsung’s approach to UI design up until now hasn’t been my favorite. Coming from iOS in 2022, the Google Pixel range won me over with the uniform aesthetic that makes it the closest thing to an iPhone on the Android side of the fence. Samsung’s phones, albeit partly due to their overstuffing of bloatware with a fresh install, tend to have a more tech-savvy aesthetic – showing more icons on a space, settings icons at all times across the settings bar (top of the display) and generally sharing more information than is necessary for a casual user.

That doesn't seem to be the case with the Samsung Galaxy S25 series and One UI 7. With this launch, subtle but sweeping changes have been made to the home screen, including app icon scale choice, dark icons in dark mode when ‘Color Palette’ is applied to apps, and expanded folders (which you can tap to open apps without opening said folder).

One of my big reservations about Samsung phones up until now has been the cluttered Status Bar, showing oh so many symbols that don’t need to be displayed at all times (for example, the 5G icon, NFC icon and Bluetooth icon, to name a few). These icons have now been relegated to the status bar only when accessing the quick settings and notifications menu (accessed by swiping down), while app notifications continue to persist on the left of the status bar (unless disabled).

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)How to customize the Galaxy S25’s lock screen and always-on display

Widgets and lock screen/notifications menu pop-ups have also received a glow-up, and are now rounded at the corners and displaying more information on the home screen. However, to activate these notification ‘cards’ on the lock screen, you’ll need to do so in your lock screen settings (switching over from icons to cards).

Beyond that, there are a few ways to customize the always-on display: You can change the wallpaper, clock style, font, color, and add widgets galore. Some widgets might require the Good Lock app for customization, but it's a simple download that will help you fully customize your phone.

Then there's the new Now bar; a multi-function widget that appears contextually at the bottom of the lock screen. I really love how it expands when tapped while playing music, displays timers and how it communicates Google Maps info. It’s great having it so low on the screen, so it’s more accessible one-handed. It feels more intuitive than Apple’s Dynamic Island, which it seems inspired by.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Moreover, Now Brief is a genuinely useful addition to the One UI suite of features. In the morning, at mid-day and at night, the phone will produce a ‘Now Brief’ rundown of upcoming events (including weather reports, travel information and calendar notifications) and a recap of your last several hours (including sleep data, missed calls and photos taken).

It’s a useful tool for putting all your contextually appropriate alerts in the one spot for your review, and it pains me that it’s not even more useful. I’d love for it to pull information from more apps – recommending me to continue listening to a podcast, select audiobook or keep watching a Disney+ series. The best it’ll do on these fronts is recommend you a Spotify playlist or push you in the direction of YouTube Shorts.

I’d also like it to be a little less… wrong? After waking up one morning, it recommended me a ‘liquid EDM’ playlist. I've been known to l listen to the odd EDM song here or there, but it seems like a wild genre to wake up to.

But it’s in Now Brief that we approach the cluttered state of Samsung’s AI suite.

Samsung’s AI confusion

And then there’s Google Gemini. On One UI 7 and the S25 range, Gemini has replaced the default Google Assistant (Bixby who?), and while I do like Gemini as a virtual assistant, its coexistence with these other AI tools is potentially confusing to a casual user.

That being said, Samsung has added cross-app actions to the S25 range with Google Gemini. You can ask Gemini to perform a complex series of commands, such as finding the information on several businesses online to be added to your Notes app, and it will be done so fluidly (as demonstrated by our friends at Tom’s Guide). The only third-party apps currently supported are Whatsapp and Spotify, but this awesome time-saving feature genuinely has the potential to help get stuff done quickly.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Erring on the critical side, I think we’re being a bit liberal with what we’re appropriately calling an ‘AI feature’. For example; Google Circle to Search continues to be one of my favorite features of Android phones in 2024. It’s supposedly underpinned by AI, but it’s unclear how AI actually factors into the function of this tool. After all, it’s basically a simple-to-access spin on Google Lens with support for on-screen circling.

Similarly with Now Brief, it’s not clear just how much of it benefits from so-called AI features. A day-to-come or day-passed snapshot is simply a splash screen displaying your upcoming events, weather alerts, a smattering of content recommendations and health figures from throughout the day.

It might seem bereft to criticize AI features on the merit of being ‘AI-powered’, but I have one major concern. Since the launch of the Galaxy S24 range, Samsung has noted that it may, eventually, start to charge for its AI features. At the time of writing, the official company tagline is:

“Fees may apply for AI features at the end of 2025. Certain Galaxy AI features require [a] Samsung and Google Account. [An] internet connection may be required to use some features. AI Features will be provided free of charge until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices.”

My concern is that access to some of these genuinely useful features will be paywalled alongside the AI tools that many people won’t actually get any use from.

I have no problem paying a subscription for a genuinely useful product or service if I’m actually getting value from it. Between Circle to Search and Now Brief, I now have two AI features that I like.

And I don’t think I could sensibly pay for either.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)Samsung needs to steer carefully

While Samsung has spent a fair amount of time beautifying its operating system, its AI software is starting to become a different story altogether. No doubt people are using such features at their own discretion, but so far there hasn’t been a must-have AI tool built into One UI (or any phone OS for that matter).

On the bright side, One UI 7 brings with it a nice aesthetic refresh, and in a hardware lull year, it’s the best I could have wanted from Samsung.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 range is available now.

Section: You may also like…

• Annoyed Samsung fans have started a petition to bring Bluetooth back to the S Pen – and they have a point
• I can’t believe the Samsung Galaxy S25 is still the only phone of its kind to have this one crucial feature
• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: latest news, rumors, and everything we know so far

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director has revealed how he shot scenes that are supposed to be set in space – and what differentiates those sequences from other cosmic Marvel movies, including Guardians of the Galaxy.

In an interview with TechRadar, Matt Shakman admitted he didn't use a zero gravity (Zero-G) simulator to film sequences that involved The Fantastic Four heading into space via their Excelsior star ship. The group do so on a couple of occasions in the flick, with the most notable space-based set-piece seeing them confront Galactus in deep space after he threatens to destroy their world. You can read more about why he wants to in my review of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

It's during this intense intergalactic sequence that the film's crew needed to achieve the feeling of weightlessness for the eponymous team.

Indeed, as they flee in their spaceship (the Excelsior) after unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate with Galactus, the quartet are forced to act on the fly as they try to evade capture. Subsequently, there's no time to strap themselves into their seats, hence the need to carry out their actions in Zero-G.

First Steps' cast and crew used as many practical effects and sets as they could throughout its production (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

So, how did Shakman and company replicate the absence of gravity for this sequence? And what is it about the approach they took that separates it from the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy?

"One of the things I really wanted to do is imagine the Fantastic Four as the Apollo 11 astronauts," Shakman said. "When they go into space, it's zero gravity. It's not like Guardians, where they're able to walk around their ship like Star Trek. I wanted it to feel as real as possible.

"But shooting zero gravity is difficult," the Marvel Phase 6 film's director added. "It involves a lot of wire work and it's hard on the actors' bodies. It's very difficult for them to be able to perform and do what they need to do, while also dealing with that sort of physical discomfort. So, while it was a wonderful thing to execute and bring to life in an authentic way, it was challenging."

That scale of that challenge is more remarkable when you consider how much work goes into shooting a sequence like this.

#TheFantasticFour: First Steps is Certified Fresh at 88% on the Tomatometer, with 83 reviews: https://t.co/g632UvfMQK pic.twitter.com/BWhJdzUFMnJuly 22, 2025

For starters, over 10,000 feet of wire and almost 30 wire rigs were required throughout the Excelsior's interior. The ship's cockpit and fuselage were physically built by First Steps' production team to further underline the crew's commitment to use practical sets and effects wherever possible.

Once the actors portraying Marvel's First Family were hoisted up in harnesses and attached to various ceiling tracks via the aforementioned wires, they were taught to push off from the set itself without swinging harshly. Doing so would expose the wires and make it more difficult to delete the cables during the post-production phase.

Lastly, puppeteers in gray suits helped to control the speed and movement of each actor, and allow them to hit their marks. Add in the fact that each star had to remember their lines an actually act during this sequence, and you really get a sense of how demanding it was for the entire cast and crew to successfully execute.

Thankfully, all of their hard work pays off in the final product. It'll be interesting to see if a similar set-up will be used in future Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects, including Avengers: Doomsday, which is currently in production and might feature one or more space-set sequences. You can read more about the aforementioned film via my dedicated Avengers: Doomsday hub.

There's less than 24 hours to go (at the time of publication) until First Steps is out in theaters, so get your last-minute lowdown on it by reading my ultimate guide to The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Read the section below, too, for more exclusive coverage on it.

You might also like

• The Fantastic Four: First Steps cast and character guide: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and who else you'll see in the Marvel movie
• Marvel director Matt Shakman explains why The Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn't require any MCU homework: 'There are no Easter eggs or other heroes'
• Was Doctor Doom ever considered as The Fantastic Four: First Steps' main villain? The Marvel movie's director has his say

• IT decision-makers see upgrading as a chance to get the latest AI PCs
• Advanced security and boosted productivity are especially attractive
• 62% would now consider an AI PC over a regular PC

New research on Windows 11 and AI PC Readiness says the timing couldn't be more perfect – Windows 10 end of life has coincided with a surge of AI PCs available on the market, making now the perfect time to upgrade for two reasons.

The study from Dell found with 80% of UK businesses migrating or having already migrated to Windows 11, they're seeing it as a strategic opportunity to adopt AI-ready PCs rather than just a simple OS update.

Nearly three-quarters (71%) of IT decision-makers agree they've been presented with an opportunity to upgrade to more powerful AI PCs at the same time.

Windows 11 upgrade is causing many to consider AI PCs

Nearly half agreed AI PCs bring advanced security features (47%) and greater employee productivity (44%), with around two-thirds (64%) considering AI-capable hardware critical for future operations.

Those additional security features are much-needed, too, with a similar number (46%) citing security breaches as the main driver for refreshing PC fleets – more than the number of businesses refreshing due to the Windows 10 EOS (42%).

However, some factors continue to hold businesses back, and they're the same ones we see time and time again. Software compatibility (45%) was the most frequently cited concern, with many also concerned about hardware compatibility (34%) and operational disruption (32%).

That leaves 20% of the businesses surveyed not yet having started transitioning, even though the deadline is now less than four months away.

"Adding the context of the Windows 11 transition means the AI PC isn't just a new product to sell; it is a gateway to higher-value services like strategic deployment, security hardening and workflow integration," Dell UK Channel and Distribution Lead Ian Heath explained.

Looking ahead, it's clear that AI PCs are gaining in popularity. Three in five (62%) IT decision-makers would choose a Copilot+ PC over a regular one, based on the promises of longer battery life, better performance, local AI processing and integrated productivity tools.

You might also like

• Need an upgrade? Check out the best workstations
• The best mobile workstations and best business laptops come in more portable form factors
• This could be a great time to buy a new work PC - no-one is buying the devices makers stockpiled in anticipation of Trump tariffs

The technology industry is always trying to tempt consumers into buying or upgrading to the latest offerings. However, where consumers once rushed to get their hands on the newest technology as soon as possible, the diminishing returns that come from upgrading most devices today makes people much more reluctant to part with their hard-earned cash.

With this in mind, technology companies have started looking for new ways to appeal to consumers and something that’s become more and more prevalent in recent years is the promotion of ‘rugged’ features on consumer grade devices, such as rugged phones and rugged laptops.

In particular, ingress protection (IP) ratings have become commonplace amongst the latest smart devices, with many now boasting ratings as high as IP68. But what exactly does this mean?

IP ratings explained

IP ratings are a useful standard for understanding how resistant a digital device is to the intrusion of dust and liquids. The rating is split into two numbers with the first denoting the level of resistance to dust and outside objects, measured on a scale from 0 to 6 (with 6 being the highest resistance). According to the IEC’s rating guide, 5 means “dust-protected” and 6 means “dust-tight.”

The second number in the IP rating represents the device’s water resistance and is measured on a scale of 0 to 9 (with 9 being the highest resistance). Devices rated 7 can be fully submerged in shallow water for a short period of time, while those with an 8 rating are certified to go a few meters deeper and remain unscathed, although the increase in depth is variable.

For example, a device rated as IP68 is sealed off from dust and can be submerged in water up to a depth of six meters for a short time (around 15-30 mins) without breaking.

If an IP rating uses an “X” in one of the two number slots, it means the device isn’t rated for water or dust protection accordingly.

IP rating alone does not make a device truly rugged

While something like an IP rating can help with consumer confidence in the event of the device accidentally falling in the sink or down the toilet, it’s important to realize that this alone doesn’t make a device ‘rugged’.

Modern rugged design is about optimizing device performance in challenging environments where consumer grade devices simply wouldn’t survive for any meaningful length of time. Consequently, an effective rugged device must excel in multiple categories, from damage resistance and excellent all-weather performance to comprehensive connectivity and manufacturer support. Below are some of the key considerations for anyone looking to purchase a truly rugged device.

1. Independent rugged certifications

All rugged devices are IP and MIL-STD certified but a lack of legislation around the certification process means many manufacturers self-certify their products, making it hard to know how rugged they really are. True rugged manufacturers always will have their devices independently certified, so be sure to look out for this when choosing a device.

When it comes to specific rugged standards to look for, MIL-STD 810H is considered the benchmark, meaning the product has passed rigorous US Military standard testing focused on environmental conditions. Extreme temperature, moisture, dust, shock and drop resistance are just a few of the 30 situations in which a device is tested before it can be MIL-STD 810H certified. Similarly, IP ratings remain key to the process, with most fully rugged devices now coming with IP67-IP68 as standard.

2. Excellent battery life

Long battery life is another key consideration for anyone that wants to use a rugged digital device for extended periods of time in the field, where there’s usually no access to charge facilities. As such, many rugged devices are designed to accommodate high-capacity batteries and allow users to hot swap batteries on the go without having to switch the device off first. This means many more hours of uninterrupted operation than would be possible from a device with a fixed battery capacity.

3. Multiple connectivity options

Rugged devices typically feature a diverse set of connectivity options, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 4G/5G. This enables users to collect/share information and communicate with colleagues in a wide range of environments, from busy city centers to remote outdoor regions and everything in between. When it comes to connectivity options, the more a device has, the better.

4. Comprehensive aftermarket support and OS longevity

Before buying a rugged device, customers need to make sure it comes with a level of aftermarket support that fits their needs. This includes things like service and repair, diagnostic assistance, and provision of any software drivers that might be required, both now and at a later date. Another key thing to look at is OS longevity, particularly if their app ecosystem is built around a specific version.

5. A top-tier warranty

True rugged manufacturers stand behind their products. If a rugged device doesn’t come with a top-tier warranty, it’s best to steer clear.

In the fast-paced technology industry, manufacturers are increasingly using ‘rugged features’ to promote and differentiate their latest consumer devices. But while the inclusion of something like an IP rating can be great for a little added peace of mind, that alone is not enough to turn a consumer-grade product into a truly rugged device.

Rugged manufacturers specialize in creating devices that can thrive in highly challenging environments and this is reflected in their exceptional build quality, overall specification and aftermarket support. Not everyone needs the all benefits that a true rugged devices offers, but for those that do, there’s no substitute for the real thing.

We list the best rugged hard drive and SSD.

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

Everyone’s talking about AI agents. From Manus to Gemma, they’re hailed as the next frontier in enterprise transformation. In fact, 25% of enterprises are forecast to deploy AI agents this year alone. But the rise of AI agents isn’t the real story—it’s a symptom of something far bigger.

AI is not just changing how we work. AI tools are disrupting entire industries. From healthcare to finance, retail to telecom, AI is reshaping not only the tools we use but the very foundations of how businesses operate, communicate, and compete.

Organizations that cautiously experiment will fall behind. It’s those who rebuild from the ground up that will lead in the future.

This article lays out the critical mindset shift separating those who browse AI from those who build with it and shows how organizations can move from pilots to real transformation by embedding intelligence into the heart of how they work.

Two distinct approaches to AI adoption

To understand this divide, let’s first explore the Browsers. These organizations tend to approach AI cautiously, treating it as a set of isolated tools or pilot projects. They might deploy a chatbot, automate a single workflow, or experiment with generative content creation. On the surface, this seems progressive as they’re engaging with the technology, running pilots, and holding conversations.

But these efforts often lack long-term impact.

Such initiatives rarely scale or become integrated into core business processes. They often reside in pockets owned by teams without clear accountability for ongoing adoption or improvement. The central question guiding these efforts tends to be: can AI solve this one problem?

While well-intentioned, this mindset limits AI’s potential.

Builders reimagine the entire organization

In contrast, Builders take a fundamentally different approach. For them, AI is not merely an add-on feature—it is the foundation of how the business operates. These organizations embed intelligence throughout every process, workflow, and decision point.

Rather than asking if AI can solve an isolated problem, Builders ask: how can AI be integral to everything we do?

This shift in mindset drives measurable outcomes, accelerating innovation, enhancing operational intelligence, and enabling scalable growth. Builders aren’t just improving the present; they are engineering the future.

A broader disruption is already underway

This distinction between Browsers and Builders grows more critical as AI’s impact deepens. Disruption is no longer confined to specific tasks or isolated sectors. Entire industries—from telecommunications and finance to logistics, sales, and creative fields—are being fundamentally transformed.

AI is remapping the fundamentals of language, logic, design, engineering, and decision-making science. No layer of the enterprise remains untouched, and no sector remains immune.

The stakes could not be higher. Organizations that linger in cautious experimentation risk being outpaced by those bold enough to rebuild their foundations with AI at the core.

Transformation begins with process, not technology

Yet one of the most common missteps businesses make is leading with tools rather than strategy. It’s tempting to jump straight into deploying AI solutions—whether chatbots, copilots, or large language models—without first understanding how work currently happens.

Meaningful transformation begins by gaining clarity on existing processes.

When organizations adopt a process-first, AI-second mindset, they can design solutions that truly amplify and complement the way work is done. Intelligence then becomes a force multiplier, not a disconnected experiment. Skip this critical step, and AI initiatives risk becoming isolated pilots that fail to realize their true potential.

From pilots to platforms, what sets builders apart

It’s common to hear leaders say they want to “lead with AI.” However, their strategies often reveal something different: a pattern of proof-of-concept projects that stall, responsibilities assigned without execution, and business cases that do not translate into action.

This pattern exemplifies the Browser trap: movement without momentum.

Builders, by contrast, go deeper. They tailor AI models to their unique data environments, invest in infrastructure built for scale, and weave AI into their organizational DNA—embedding it into products, systems, and services so it evolves with the business rather than running alongside it.

Talent as a critical enabler

None of this transformation is possible without people.

In recent conversations with enterprise leaders across the UK and Europe, talent consistently emerged as a major barrier, not due to a lack of belief in AI, but because of limited confidence in teams’ ability to build, implement, and manage AI solutions effectively.

The most successful Builders do more than train their teams. They rethink how their teams work by fostering internal fluency in AI principles, pairing internal champions with external experts, and transforming AI from a discrete innovation project into a cross-functional capability.

The choice facing every organization

Ultimately, the question for every leader is no longer whether AI is relevant—that is already settled. The real choice is whether you will build for disruption or wait to be disrupted.

This moment calls not for incremental gains but for fundamental re-architecture.

In a world where intelligence becomes the new infrastructure, organizations that remain Browsers, tentatively piloting without scaling, will quickly fall behind. The future belongs to the Builders who have the vision, discipline, and talent to engineer transformation at scale.

If you want to lead, start thinking like a Builder. Embed AI into your processes, invest in your people, and prepare to redefine your organization from the ground up. Because AI’s real disruption isn’t just about new tools; it’s about a new way of thinking, working, and winning.

An aggressive CEO isn’t exploring just four AI use cases a quarter—they’re aiming for over 1,000 AI-powered interventions in the next 365 days, each built, deployed, and monitored with intent. And AI budgets? They won’t be a sliver of IT spend. In the near term, expect them to rival 25% of your personnel costs, reflecting a shift in how businesses create, scale, and compete.

In the era of AI, leadership isn’t about adoption, it’s about ambition. The organizations that build boldly now will be the ones defining what’s next.

We list the best business intelligence platform.

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

• Palmer Luckey has asked: Would you buy a 'Made In America' laptop from his firm Anduril for 20% more than a MacBook?
• The results of that poll on X currently show almost two-thirds of respondents would
• How such a notebook might be realized at this cost level is, however, far from clear - and there are lots of question marks here

Would you buy a laptop that was fully made in America if it cost 20% more than an Apple notebook made in China?

Tom's Hardware reports that this is a question Palmer Luckey has posed on X (and elsewhere, such as the Reindustrialize Summit), complete with a poll to test the waters.

Would you buy a Made In America computer from Anduril for 20% more than Chinese-manufactured options from Apple?July 20, 2025

If you're scratching around in corners of your brain trying to remember what Luckey was famous for in the tech world, it was, of course, the creation of the Oculus Rift - though his company was eventually swallowed up by Facebook.

Since then, Luckey has been dabbling in a few things, including crypto and military tech, the latter of which is the mentioned Anduril Industries in the above post. So, given the poll, how many people on X would buy a 'Made In America computer from Anduril' if it was a fifth more pricey than a (presumably roughly equivalent spec) MacBook?

At the time of writing, with nearly 77,000 votes registered on X, almost two-thirds of respondents (63.5%) would purchase such an Anduril laptop.

The response was seemingly not quite as enthusiastic at the aforementioned Reindustrialize Summit, based on the clip below also posted on X (where Luckey is apparently speaking through a robot, yeah, don't ask).

Here's the moment where @PalmerLuckey interrupted @ashleevance at Reindustrialize to ask:"How many people in the audience would buy an American made computer if it was 20% more expensive?"The full clip is a great distillation of his thinking on the opportunity. https://t.co/aEvFdAxyBx pic.twitter.com/77qsvBJ52dJuly 20, 2025

However, commenters claim the rough count of raised hands was underestimated (as the audience was difficult to see due to the spotlights shining on the stage, which does make sense to be fair). According to the report, it was supposedly more than half in favor, which aligns more closely with Luckey's poll result.

(Image credit: NATNN / Shutterstock)Analysis: One laptop to rule US?

As Tom's Hardware points out, there's an important distinction here. Luckey talks about a laptop 'made' in the US, and that's very different from a notebook that's merely 'assembled' in America - with components like the key chips coming from elsewhere (like China).

Our sister site points to the definition of 'Made in USA' as put forward by the FTC, and that includes not just the assembly happening in a factory in the US, but that also "virtually all components of the product are made and sourced in the United States".

It may be different in the future, but at this point, it seems unlikely that Anduril could source entirely US-made components for the potential laptop. In fact, it seems highly improbable that this could be realized with only a 20% price hike over what Apple charges. (What with the MacBook maker's highly leveraged deals with the Asian supply chain, of course - not to mention any would-be rival would have to compete with the now impressively refined M-series silicon Apple has in its armory).

Hardware complications aside, the other bone of contention on X is what this hypothetical laptop would run by way of an operating system - Windows or Linux? Frankly, there are too many elements up in the air with this idea right now, and too many questions - although there is clearly some basic level of desire for such a product in the US.

Will that compel Luckey to reveal more about how he might achieve this feat? Or is this vague laptop concept just a bit of media hype? As mentioned, there are definitely more questions than answers, and it'll certainly be interesting to see whether anything more will be forthcoming in terms of the latter.

What Luckey has more recently done (on X) is to fire back at 'cynics' criticizing the idea as "some cross between impossible and nakedly political opportunism driven by current US tariffs", adding that: "Don't miss the point. This problem transcends administrations. Myself and others have said so for years."

You may also like

• Microsoft promises to crack one of the biggest problems with Windows 11: slow performance
• Windows 11's handheld mode spotted in testing, and I'm seriously excited for Microsoft's big bet on small-screen gaming
• No, Windows 11 PCs aren't 'up to 2.3x faster' than Windows 10 devices, as Microsoft suggests – here's why that's an outlandish claim

• Kobo recently pushed out a fully redesigned reading app for iPhones
• Several new features have been added, including a listening bar for audiobook control, vertical scrolling and guest mode
• Instapaper integration is coming soon to replace Pocket support on Kobo ereaders

I've been a massive Kobo fan since I first started using the Kobo Glo way back when. I've always preferred the Rakuten-owned company's UI over Kindle, although I will admit I wasn't particularly keen on its phone app – whether iOS or Android.

I might be inclined to give the reading app a try now, given that the iOS version has been fully redesigned – its first major overhaul since it was released back in 2010.

Several new features have been added, key among them being vertical scrolling. Behaving more like infinite scroll on web pages, you can now read an entire book by just scrolling down and the pages will just keep loading. This, in my opinion, is a more seamless reading method on a phone, although I think I might still prefer the tap-to-turn on an iPad (not that I use one, I read on the Kobo Elipsa 2E).

Screenshots of the old Kobo iOS app (Image credit: TechRadar)

Other features include a new Listening Bar for audiobooks that 'freezes' the controls in place for easy access, even if you veer away from the listening pane to browse the rest of the application.

A new guest mode will let you "browse books, save previews and discover your next read" according to the Japanese-Canadian ereader maker, without you needing to sign into your Kobo account. This, in fact, is an ingenious way to pull new customers into the Kobo ecosystem.

Kobo also says that you will no longer need to manually sync your notes, highlights and bookmarks – it should get done automatically. There's still one major missing feature in the app: there's no way to find your handwritten notes on the app.

And, finally, to replace Pocket integration – which was a fantastic read-it-later service for long-form web articles – the brand is partnering with Instapaper and support will be rolled out to all Kobo ereaders later this year. A confirmed date has not yet been announced.

(Image credit: TechRadar / Sharmishta Sarkar)Take note, Kobo – we need a new Elipsa

As much as I appreciate the newly redesigned Kobo app for iPhones, I'm wondering if the ereader maker will release any new hardware this year.

Around the merry month of May is typically when Kobo has announced new ereaders, with the Libra Colour, Clara Colour and Clara BW arriving on schedule in 2024. This year, there's been radio silence, although it could be possible that the company is waiting for the Instapaper integration to be completed before releasing new devices.

That would be marvelous because it's time the Kobo Elipsa 2E got an overhaul. In fact, I wouldn't mind a new version of the Kobo Sage as well, but I'm partial to the larger epaper writing tablet.

Compared to newer models from the competition, like the several Boox options and the Kindle Scribe (2024), the Elipsa 2E – which launched in April 2023 – feels very dated now. They have better performance thanks to newer processors and the screens also feel fresher – sharper and better optimized.

I'd love to see the Elipsa adopt the E Ink Carta 1300 screen (the current 2E model uses the Carta 1200) that also features an ambient light sensor, much like the 2024 Kindle Scribe does, and has a 300ppi resolution (it's currently 227ppi). I'd also prefer a softer nib than the Kobo Stylus 2 currently uses as it can detract from a smooth writing experience, but that's a minor quibble.

While I wouldn't want to change very much in the UI, and I'm still a fan of Kobo's Advanced Notebooks, the only request I have is to allow subfolders within the library's Collections to organize ebooks better.

Pretty please, Kobo, I'm asking nicely so I can fall back in love with the Elipsa again.

You might also like...

• Find more epaper tablets in our pick of the best ereaders
• Take a look at the list of best Kindles instead if you want an Amazon ereader
• Need more epaper tablet options? Read my Onyx Boox Go 10.3 review and my reMarkable 2 review

Amazon is looking to make AI part of your daily life and has turned to the world of wearables to help. The tech giant has just acquired Bee AI, the maker of the eponymous device for your wrist or lapel that listens to everything happening around you.

Bee’s microphones and built-in AI transcribe it all in real time and make personalized summaries of your day and your stated upcoming tasks, and then make recommendations to improve your life based not only on what it hears, but the emails, calendar, contacts, photos, locations, and other data you allow it to access.

People already make jokes about how they will be discussing a product with someone else in person and, seemingly by magic, it will appear in their recommended products on Amazon. That can usually be chalked up to coincidence and forgetting previous searches, along with being unaware of your app permissions.

However, this may become part of Amazon's business model, prompting people to wear microphones to listen all day and pay $50, plus a $19 monthly subscription, for the privilege.

Bee listening

Naturally, Amazon saw potential in Bee. Alexa has mostly been stuck inside the house despite attempts at smart glasses and other wearables. Bee is a chance for Amazon to make its AI a real-world concern, part of your actual conversations and routines, not just what you yell across the kitchen. That might be helpful, but it's impossible not to think about what it might mean in terms of privacy and trust.

To be fair, Bee has a mute button you can hold down to pause recording when you need a moment of peace. But that assumes you realize you’re about to say something you might not want permanently archived by Amazon. Bee listens and turns your life into searchable text. Although the company claims it doesn’t retain the raw audio, the transcripts remain unless you delete them.

I don't know if I want everything I mutter under my breath to be a searchable note. Not to mention whatever it might overhear from when I watch TV or movies at home.

I get the appeal of a little AI that remembers everything so you don’t have to. Remembering every chore and birthday would be great. But the line between deliberate memory aid and surveillance feels blurry with it. Especially when Amazon already has so much information.

Although Amazon has promised to work with Bee, allowing users to have control over their data, the actual shape of that control remains unclear for now. And control is too often translated into a complex settings menu and paragraph of boilerplate text in the terms and conditions.

I know plenty of people who would at least try out Bee, especially when it becomes an Amazon device with all the special sales and integration with the e-commerce site that implies. Perfect recall is a tempting commodity, but it has its price. If you're willing to pay it, then I say go for it. Not every microphone is the gateway to Skynet. But skepticism and caution are essential if you want something to sit on your wrist and transform the events of your life into data points that might help sell you products.

You might also like

• Google just announced 5 new Gemini features coming to Android, and it’s good news for fans of foldable smartphones
• I tried Google’s new Gemini-powered clothing app – here’s how you can use AI to find the perfect outfit
• Adding Google Gemini to Samsung's Ballie AI robot sounds impressive, but I'm not sure it matters

• OpenAI is expected to release the Sora 2 AI video model soon
• Sora 2 will face stiff competition from Google’s Veo 3 model
• Veo 3 already offers features that Sora does not, and OpenAI will need to enhance both what Sora can do and how easy it is to use to entice possible customers

OpenAI appears to be finalizing plans to release Sora 2, the next iteration of its text-to-video model, based on references spotted in OpenAI's servers.

Nothing has been officially confirmed, but there are signs that Sora 2 will be a major upgrade aimed squarely at Google’s Veo 3 AI video model. It’s not just a race to generate prettier pixels; it's about sound and the experience of producing what the user is imagining when writing a prompt.

OpenAI’s Sora impressed many when it debuted with its high-quality images. They were silent films, however. But, when Veo 3 debuted this year, it showcased short clips with speech and environmental audio baked in and synced up. Not only could you watch a man pour coffee in slow motion, but you could also hear the gentle splash of liquid, the clink of ceramic, and even the hum of a diner around the digital character.

To make Sora 2 stand out as more than just a lesser option to Veo 3, OpenAI will need to figure out how to stitch believable voices, sound effects, and ambient noise into even better versions of its visuals. Getting audio right, particularly lip-sync, is tricky. Most AI video models can show you a face saying words. The magic trick is making it look like those words actually came from that face.

It's not that Veo 3 is perfect at matching sound to picture, but there are examples of videos with surprisingly tight audio-to-mouth coordination, background music that matches the mood, and effects that fit the intent of the video.

Granted, a maximum of eight seconds per video limits the scope for success or failure, but fidelity to the scene is necessary before considering duration. And it's hard to deny that it can make videos that both look and sound like real cats jumping off high dives into a pool. Though if Sora 2 can extend to 30 seconds or more with a steady quality, it's easy to see it attracting users looking for more room for creating AI videos.

Sora 2's movie mission

OpenAI’s Sora can stretch up to 20 seconds or more of high-quality video. And as it's embedded into ChatGPT, you can make it part of a larger project. This flexibility is significant for helping Sora stand out, but the audio absence is notable. To compete directly with Veo 3, Sora 2 will have to find its voice. Not only find it, but weave it smoothly into the videos it produces. Sora 2 might have great audio, but if it can't outmatch the seamless way Veo 3's audio connects with its visuals, it might not matter.

At the same time, making Sora 2 too good might cause its own issues. With every new generation of AI video model, there's more concern about blurring the line with reality. Sora and Veo 3 both don't allow prompts involving real people, violence, or copyrighted content. But adding audio offers a whole new dimension of scrutiny over the origin and use of realistic voices.

The other big question is pricing. Google has Veo 3 behind the Gemini Advanced paywall, and you really need to subscribe to the $250 a month AI Ultra tier if you want to use Veo 3 all the time. OpenAI might bundle access to Sora 2 into the ChatGPT Plus and Pro tiers in a similar manner, but if it can offer more to the cheaper tier, it's likely to quickly expand its userbase.

For the average person, the AI video tool they turn to will hinge on that price, as well as ease of use, as much as the features and quality of video. There's a lot OpenAI needs to do if Sora 2 is going to be more than a silent blip in the AI race, but it looks like we will find out how well it can compete soon.

You might also like

• Midjourney just dropped its first AI video model and Sora and Veo 3 should be worried
• I watched some of the viral ASMR videos made with AI and I feel more confused than soothed
• Google can now generate your AI videos more quickly than ever

Lego’s recreated some iconic pieces of tech over the years in brick-built form, but this surprise debut at San Diego Comic Con might just take the cake. You might have heard rumblings, but the Lego Game Boy is real, and I’ve held it.

It’s nearly a 1:1 replica of the iconic gaming handheld that you’ll assemble out of 421 pieces. You’ll not just build the console, though, as you’ll also build Game Paks for two legendary titles: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Super Mario Land. While these aren’t exactly playable, you can swap out the ‘screen’ for the console's loading system or moments from the games.

The best news here, beyond the rest of the details which I’ll get too, might just be the price. While this is a collaboration with Nintendo, Lego’s kept the price on the more affordable side at $59.99 / £54.99 / AU$99.99 – yes, a lot for an only slightly above 400-piece set, but it’s a unique collaboration.

The Lego Game Boy goes up for preorder tomorrow and will start shipping on October 1, 2025. I suspect this will be a highly popular gift as we enter the holiday season, and it’s for the attention to detail that Lego has done here. As a 1:1 replica, you’ll build dial controls for contrast and volume as well as all the main buttons: SELECT, START, +Control Pad, A, and B Buttons.

The Lego Game Boy was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 alongside the Lego Batman Arkham Asylum – which you can see TechRadar’s reveal of here – inside a booth that contained a shrunk-down, but still quite large, made-out-of-Lego replica of the convention center.

You can see a gallery of that below, plus a look at the eight other sets that premiered at the show. Those include Stranger Things BrickHeadz and several new sets themed to Wicked, ahead of Wicked for Good arriving later in 2025.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Lego's San Diego Comic Con 2025 Reveals

We're all counting down the days for Season 5 of Stranger Things, and Lego's latest BrickHeadz treatment pays homage to some of the show's iconic characters. Courtesy of 542 bricks, you'll build Will, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. Best of all, this one is up for order right now at Lego.com.

You can get a deep dive on everything you need to know about Lego's latest Batman set here, but here's the TLDR. The Lego DC Batman Arkham Asylum is filled with intricate details and includes 16 Minifigures. You'll build the Arkham Asylum out of nearly 3,000 bricks, and it contains over 60 stickers. It's up for preorder in September.

You might also like

• I watched The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and it heralds a much-needed new dawn for Marvel’s First Family on the big screen
• Exclusive: Lego’s Batman Arkham Asylum set is official – with stunning details and 16 Minifigures

• Lego’s next DC Batman set is official: Arkham Asylum
• The 2,953 piece set was unveiled at San Diego Comic Con
• It’s a three-level set and comes with 16 Minifigures

Yes, it’s the eve of San Diego Comic Con 2025, and Lego is wasting no time ushering in new sets – and TechRadar is exclusively showing off one of the most exciting additions to the Lego Batman theme in recent memory.

The Lego DC Batmobile has long been impressive, but the brand new Lego DC Batman Arkham Asylum set is a towering build with heaps of Minifigures – 16 to be exact.

The set is built from 2,953 pieces, and is designed as a display piece that stands 12.5 inches high and nearly 10 inches deep. It will come together as a two-story building plus a roof, and the Asylum can be split apart to customize the look. I have a feeling collectors and fans alike who opt for this set will do plenty of that to arrange the Minifigures inside.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

There are plenty of cells to house the likes of Harley Quinn, Bane, or The Joker, but there’s also the outer shell of the building, complete with red brick and plenty of details. In fact, the designers at Lego are shipping this set with 65 stickers – that’s a lot of custom options. There’s even the cement sign out front and other details pulled straight from the Batman universe, and wider DC brand.

Of course, Arkham Asylum wouldn’t be complete without a delivery van for inmate transport, so that's included too, along with various accessories for the Minifigures.

Let’s break down the Minifigures here as well. There are 16 in total, including Batman, Batwoman, Batwing, Robin, Mr Freeze, The Riddler, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, Bane, The Joker, The Penguin, Killer Croc, and two security guards.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Furthermore, and somewhat of a rarity for Lego sets, you’ll get transparent elements to help pose characters, including the ability to have Batman coming down off the roof or perched up top.

You can see a full gallery of shots of Lego’s DC Batman Arkham Asylum set below, and it will launch ahead of the holiday season on September 12 for $299.99 / £269.99 (Australian price TBC). If you’re a member of Lego Insiders – the brand's free-to-join rewards program – you can order the set early on September 9.

Considering it’s built from nearly 3,000 pieces and is launching before the holidays, Lego is also suggesting this could be used as a Batman advent calendar of sorts. How? Well, you’d build a part of each day for 24 days, as it comes with that number of bags to make up the building instruction booklet.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Jacob Kro/Future)

If you're just after a new Lego set, here are a few of my favorites on sale at Amazon right now.

Today's best Lego deals

If you simply want an easy and fun Lego build, this Sunflowers set is for you. And it's a massive 47% off at just $7.94. Using 191 pieces, you can create two lovely Lego sunflowers.View Deal

R2-D2 is the most iconic droid around, and right now you can build your own version out of 1,050 bricks for just $79.99. That's a 20% discount from the $99.99 MSRP, and Prime members get free fast shipping. This set is themed to the 25th anniversary of Lego Star Wars, and comes with a mini R2-D2, a display plate, and a Darth Malak minifigure.View Deal

@tomsguide

♬ Spooky, quiet, scary atmosphere piano songs - Skittlegirl Sound You might also like

• Disney Imagineers brought Walt Disney back to ‘life’ and I still can’t figure out exactly how they did it

• FFmpeg’s biggest speedup yet affects only one function few people will have heard of
• Handwritten Assembly makes a comeback in a niche filter that most users will never even touch
• AVX512 gives FFmpeg an absurd 100x gain - but only if your CPU supports it

The FFmpeg project, known for powering some of the most widely used video editing software and media tools, is making headlines again.

Developers claim to have achieved what they call “the biggest speedup so far,” delivering a 100x performance gain in a recent update.

The catch? It only applies to a single, obscure function, and the means of achieving it is raising eyebrows - handwritten Assembly code, a technique largely seen as outdated by most of today’s developers.

Assembly coding sparks both nostalgia and skepticism

Assembly language, once essential for getting the most out of limited hardware in the 1980s and 1990s, has become a niche practice.

Yet FFmpeg developers continue to rely on it for extreme optimization, calling themselves “assembly evangelists.”

In their latest patch, they rewrote a filter called rangedetect8_avx512 using AVX512 instructions, part of a modern SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) toolkit that helps CPUs perform multiple tasks in parallel.

On systems without AVX512 support, the AVX2 variant still delivers a 65.63% improvement.

As the team points out, “It’s a single function that’s now 100x faster, not the whole of FFmpeg.”

This news follows a similar boost reported in November 2024, where another patch brought certain operations up to 94x faster.

In that case, part of the earlier performance gap stemmed from mismatched filter complexity: the generic C version used an 8-tap convolution, while the SIMD version used a simpler 6-tap approach.

Even compiling the C version in release mode with a better compiler like Clang could close over 50% of the gap, suggesting that some of the claimed speed gains may have been exaggerated by comparing worst-case with best-case conditions.

“Register allocator sucks on compilers,” the devs quipped on social media, highlighting compiler inefficiencies.

Despite the caveats, this renewed focus on low-level coding has sparked fresh conversations around performance optimization.

FFmpeg powers everything from VLC Media Player to countless YouTube downloader tools, so even small improvements in isolated filters can ripple through widely used software.

However, it’s worth noting that such results are often difficult to replicate and apply across broader parts of the codebase.

While these kinds of deep optimizations are impressive, they may not reflect real-world improvements for everyday users editing footage with video editing software.

Unless other core functions receive similar treatment, the promise of a faster FFmpeg might remain limited to technical benchmarks.

Via TomsHardware

You might also like

• US government wants to ban Chinese technology in submarine cables
• These are the best NAS devices around
• We've also rounded up the best cloud storage platforms on offer

• Peladn Link S-3 exposes your GPU completely with no case, no fan, just airflow
• Exposed graphics cards make cool airflows easier, but leave components vulnerable to everything else
• Don’t expect global availability just yet; it’s only shipping in China for now

Peladn has announced the Link S-3, a compact eGPU dock that introduces Thunderbolt 5 connectivity at a relatively low price.

Priced at CNY 1,599 (around $223), the dock is set to begin shipping in China on July 26, although international release details remain unknown.

Designed to support desktop GPUs externally, the Link S-3 is aimed at users looking to boost graphics performance on devices like video editing laptops or compact desktops without internal expansion options.

Unusual design prioritizes form and airflow over protection

Unlike traditional GPU enclosures with bulky cases, the Link S-3 features a flat, open-air design, which helps reduce both size and cost, relying on ambient airflow to cool the graphics card.

While the design looks sleek, it may feel risky to leave the most expensive part of your setup fully exposed to the environment.

The Peladn Link S-3 does not include a built-in power supply but supports standard ATX or SFX units, with up to 140W power delivery through its Thunderbolt 5 port, meaning users will need to connect an external PSU to power the setup.

Connectivity is a key feature of the Link S-3. It includes two Thunderbolt 5 ports offering up to 80Gbps of bidirectional bandwidth.

However, GPU data transfer is limited to 64Gbps due to the PCIe 4.0 x4 interface.

While Thunderbolt 5 offers more bandwidth than previous standards, the real-world performance advantage over OCuLink may be marginal for most workloads.

Still, Thunderbolt brings added features that many OCuLink-based docks lack.

The dock also includes a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port powered by Realtek's RTL8156B controller, a 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, an SD card reader, and a PCIe 3.0 x1 M.2 slot for SSD storage.

These additions could make it especially appealing for content creators using a video editing PC or mobile workstation, where fast access to external drives and networks is essential.

Via Techpowerup

You might also like

• Check out the best portable SSDs you can get today
• These are the best NAS devices around
• We've also rounded up the best cloud storage platforms on offer

I love you Netflix, but there's nothing more heart-shattering than seeing the best movies being removed from your library. Although it happens every month, it's never a nice feeling to see your favorite titles run their course with one of the best streaming services – and August is no different.

While you wait for Netflix's new arrivals, now's the perfect time to start thinking about catching the movies and shows that have limited time left on Netflix, and there's a mixed bag of classic and modern titles to choose from.

Two of Hitchcock's best movies, The Birds (1963) and Psycho (1960), will be leaving on August 1, as will war epic Dunkirk (2017) and A24's coming-of-age drama Mid90s (2018). But it's not just movies that are getting the chop.

Netflix is also removing 10 TV shows (which is four more than last month) starting with the iconic drama series Ugly Betty, a popular title among TV buffs everywhere. However, it's not all bad news, as you can still binge it on Hulu or Disney+ if you're in the UK or Australia, so if you're still not subscribed to either, you may want to consider making the switch.

Everything leaving Netflix in August 2025

Leaving on August 1

Conan the Destroyer (movie)
The Birds (movie)
The Breakfast Club (movie)
Dawn of the Dead (movie)
Dunkirk (movie)
Everest (movie)
Field of Dreams (movie)
For Love of the Game (movie)
Hitchcock (movie)
Holey Moley seasons 1-4 (TV show)
The Lego Movie (movie)
Lucy (movie)
Matilda (movie)
Mid90s (movie)
Psycho (movie)
Smokey and the Bandit (movie)
Smokey and the Bandit II (movie)
Sniper (movie)
Sniper: Ghost Shooter (movie)
Spanglish (movie)
The Town (movie)
The Wedding Planner (movie)
Ugly Betty seasons 1-4 (TV show)
Uncle Buck (movie)

Leaving on August 5

My Wife and Kids seasons 1-5 (TV show)

Leaving on August 15

Ballers seasons 1-5 (TV show)

Leaving on August 16

Baby Mama (movie)
Ouija: Origin of Evil (movie)

Leaving on August 17

Thanksgiving (movie)

Leaving on August 19

Gangs of London seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Into the Badlands seasons 1-3 (TV show)
Kevin Can F**k Himself seasons 1-2 (TV show)
Preacher seasons 1-4 (TV show)
Un-Real seasons 1-4 (TV show)
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live season 1 (TV show)

Leaving on August 21

Kung Fu Panda 4 (movie)

Leaving on August 22

The Boss Baby (movie)

Leaving on August 25

Melancholia (movie)

Leaving on August 31

The Hitman’s Bodyguard (movie)
The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (movie)

You might also like

• Netflix's Untamed just made my childhood dream come true, and I didn't even have to leave my sofa
• Netflix’s Amy Bradley Is Missing captivates with its strange clues to the missing woman’s whereabouts – but if you want a happy ending, you’re better off with these 3 TV shows
• Sullivan’s Crossing season 4 has quietly been renewed, and we already know what ‘bombshell’ is heading our way

If I were to ask you to guess the price of a pair of noise-cancelling true wireless earbuds with hi-res audio streaming, incredibly long battery life and a six-mic setup for active noise cancellation, I suspect you'd start with a three-digit number. And yet Baseus's Bass BP1 Pro earbuds are less than twenty-five bucks on Amazon right now.

This is a triple-discounted price: the BP1 Pro earbuds are down from $39.99 to just $23.78. First of all, Amazon has dropped the price down to $27.99, and then it's added a second 15% off voucher that takes another $4.20 off the total price.

And you can get a free charging cable included that's ostensibly worth $18.99 included in that price, which has a screen on the cable that's supposed to show how charged your device is, handily.

Features like this are pretty rare in mid-tier earbuds, let alone in super-budget ones. I sure hope someone isn't getting fired for this blunder deal.

Don't forget to click the Redeem button next to the voucher details: this is a double discount but the second part isn't added until you click that button. And when you do it drops the price of these adaptive ANC, LDAC-streaming, 55-hour earbuds down to a frankly ridiculous $23.78 and gives you the option of a second pair for free. The deal applies to all three colors in the range: space black, ocean blue and moon white. And once you've done that, be sure to also click on the "How to claim" link next to the "Get 1 free item when you buy 1 select item(s)" offer, and follow the instructions for your free cable.View Deal

Baseus Bass BP1 Pro: lots of features for very little cash

At under $25, these buds are duking it out with the kind of headphones I'd go out of my way not to listen to. And yet the spec is very impressive, with support for LDAC hi-res audio, while active noise cancellation claims to reduce noise by up to 50dB. There are five different ANC modes, and a bass boost for music.

Battery life is decent, with up to 12 hours from the buds and a total 55 hours via the case, all with ANC off. With ANC on, you're still getting 7 hours from the buds and 36 hours from the case, which is pretty impressive and above average overall.

The buds also support rapid charging that'll give you 2.5 hours of music from 10 minutes on charge.

Bluetooth is 6.0 – 6.0! – and there are six mics for calling, and the buds are IP55 rated for dust and water. That makes them a pretty good option for the gym that I don't go to and the rainy walks my dog makes me go on. It's actually not that common for earbuds to be this well-waterproofed (it's often IPX4 at most), so it's another impressive box ticked here.

What do they sound like? I've no idea, but at this price I don't think I'd mind too much if they fall a bit short of the AirPods Max I paid nearly 20 times more for: they could sound like I'd been thrown into a metal waste bin that's being hit with baseball bats and I'd still consider getting them for the ANC alone, for times when I really need it from a pair of buds I can throw into any bag to take anywhere with me.

You may also like

• The best earbuds for every budget, all TechRadar tested
• The best wireless earbuds, all real-world tested
• Our Earbuds and Airpods Buying Guides

• Asus ProArt PA32QCV offers 6K clarity and HDR600 without the eye-watering XDR price
• Factory-calibrated color accuracy claims sound good on paper, but longevity remains an open question
• HDR10 support and 10-bit color make this panel interesting for high-contrast workflows

Asus has announced the ProArt Display PA32QCV, a 6K-resolution business monitor aimed at creative professionals who require accurate color and sharp detail.

Priced at $1,299, it undercuts Apple’s $4,999 Pro Display XDR while targeting similar use cases in media production.

The PA32QCV delivers 6K visuals at 6016x3384 resolution, producing a pixel density of 218 pixels per inch, more than three times that of a standard 1080p monitor.

ProArt PA32QCV brings impressive specs that remain to be tested

This device also supports HDR10 and meets the VESA DisplayHDR 600 standard, which allows for brighter highlights, deeper contrast, and are particularly useful when working with high-dynamic-range content. The extra detail helps with crisper text, sharper lines, and more precise visuals.

In terms of color accuracy, Asus promises factory-calibrated Delta E<2 performance, backed by Calman Verification. The display covers 98% of the DCI-P3 color space, and it also offers 100% sRGB support and 10-bit depth, delivering over a billion colors.

This makes it a strong option for video editing and other color-critical tasks, although how long the factory calibration remains accurate is unclear.

The monitor includes dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, supporting data transfer, charging, and video passthrough through a single cable.

Other connectivity options include HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-A, and additional USB-C ports.

Auto KVM support adds flexibility, letting users control two connected computers with a single keyboard and mouse.

These features suggest it could serve well not only as a display for photo editing but also as a capable all-purpose business monitor.

Asus also emphasizes Mac compatibility. macOS users can adjust settings using the DisplayWidget Center app.

A new M Model-P3 preset aligns the display’s output with macOS devices.

Users can change brightness, contrast, and color temperature with a mouse, and MacBook brightness keys can control the monitor directly.

This may appeal to Mac-focused creatives, although such software tools often lack long-term support.

Asus is promoting a Creative Cloud giveaway with the display in some markets, but the value of bundled software depends on the user’s needs.

The bigger question is whether this 6K screen, despite its impressive specs, will meet the demands of professionals over time.

Via Techpowerup

You might also like

• Here are the best mobile workstations around today
• We've also listed the best monitors for every budget and resolution
• Lenovo launches white ThinkPad with four ports, no red TrackPoint, and no physical touchpad buttons

Netflix never fails to let us down with its monthly additions of new movies and shows, and it's August schedule is no different. But there's one new show in particular that makes this month a rather exciting one.

After it shot to the top of the Netflix charts in 2022, comedy drama series Wednesday returns after a long three-year wait for a second season, with part one arriving August 6 and part two September 3. With the return of one of the nest Netflix shows just around the corner, we can't wait to see where Wednesday's journey will go next – but also Lady Gaga's cameo, which is what I'm most looking forward to.

As it is with every Netflix schedule, the first day of the month is packed with its usual slew of new movies. So, whether you're a big fan of crude comedies such as American Pie (1999) or sci-fi epics like Jurassic Park (1993), you're bound to find something new and exciting to add to your watchlist.

Everything new on Netflix in August 2025

Arriving on August 1

American Pie (movie)
American Pie 2 (movie)
Anaconda (movie)
Clueless (movie)
Dazed and Confused (movie)
The Departed (movie)
Despicable Me (movie)
Despicable Me 2 (movie)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (movie)
Fire Country season 2 (TV show)
Groundhog Day (movie)
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (movie)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (movie)
Jurassic Park (movie)
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (movie)
Jurassic Park III (movie)
Megamind (movie)
Minions (movie)
My Oxford Year (Netflix original movie)
Pawn Stars season 16 (TV show)
Perfect Match season 3 (Netflix original series)
Rush Hour (movie)
Rush Hour 2 (movie)
Rush Hour 3 (movie)
Thirteen (movie)
Weird Science (movie)
Wet Hot American Summer (movie)
Wyatt Earp (movie)

Arriving on August 2

Beyond the Bar (Netflix original series)

Arriving on August 5

Love Life seasons 1-2 (TV show)
SEC Football: Any Given Saturday (Netflix original series)
Titans: The Rise of Hollywood season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 6

Wednesday season 2 part 1 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on August 8

Stolen: Heist of the Century (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on August 10

Marry Me (movie)

Arriving on August 11

Outlander season 7 part 1 (TV show)
Sullivan's Crossing season 3 (TV show)

Arriving on August 12

Final Draft (Netflix original series)
Jim Jefferies: Two Limb Policy (Netflix original comedy)

Arriving on August 13

Love Is Blind: UK season 2 (Netflix original series)
Fixed (Netflix original movie)
Saare Jahan Se Accha: The Silent Guardians (Netflix original series)
Songs From the Hole (Netflix original documentary)
Young Millionaires (Netflix original series)

Arriving on August 14

In the Mud (Netflix original series)
Miss Governor season 1 part 2 (Netflix original series)
Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage (Netflix original movie)
Quantum Leap seasons 1-2 (TV show)

Arriving on August 15

The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea’s Tragedies (Netflix original documentary)
Fatal Seduction season 2 (Netflix original series)
Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser (Netflix original documentary)
Night Always Comes (Netflix original movie)

Arriving on August 16

The Fast and the Furious (movie)
2 Fast 2 Furious (movie)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (movie)
Fast Five (movie)
Fast & Furious 6 (movie)
Furious 7 (movie)
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (movie)

Arriving on August 18

CoComelon Lane season 5 (Netflix original series)
Extant seasons 1-2 (TV show)

Arriving on August 19

America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys (Netflix original series)
Titans: The Rise of Wall Street season 1 (TV show)

Arriving on August 20

Fisk season 3 (TV show)
Rivers of Fate (Netflix original series)

Arriving on August 21

The 355 (movie)
Death Inc. season 3 (Netflix original series)
Fall for Me (Netflix original movie)
Gold Rush Gang (Netflix original movie)
Hostage (Netflix original series)
One Hit Wonder (Netflix original movie)

Arriving on August 22

Abandoned Man (Netflix original movie)
Long Story Short (Netflix original series)
The Truth About Jussie Smollett (Netflix original documentary)

Arriving on August 27

Fantasy Football Ruined Our Lives (Netflix original movie)
Her Mother's Killer season 2 (Netflix original series)

Arriving on August 28

Barbie Mysteries: Beach Detectives (Netflix original series)
My Life With the Walter Boys season 2 (Netflix original series)
The Thursday Murder Club (Netflix original movie)

Arriving on August 29

Two Graves (Netflix original series)
Unknown Number: The High School Catfish (Netflix original documentary)

You might also like

• The Hunting Wives on Netflix fails to bring the bingeworthy soap-opera chaos I hoped for – these 3 scandalous shows are what you should watch instead
• Trainwreck’s next chaotic episode P.I. Moms drops on Netflix this week, and I can’t wait to learn why this story was canceled on Lifetime 20 years ago
• Netflix’s cheapest tier might become unbearable as the streamer confirms the rollout of personalized ads

• A new iPhone case gives older Lightning models a USB-C port
• It supports fast charging ,and there are versions for most older iPhones
• The iPh0n3 case is available now and costs around $55 / £40 / AU£85

If you have an older iPhone that frustrates you with its dated Lightning port, an engineer has just come up with a nifty solution – a phone case that gives it a USB port instead.

The Swiss engineer Ken Pillonel, who runs the YouTube channel Exploring the Simulation, previously achieved internet fame in 2021 for making the first ever USB-C iPhone. While that iPhone X mod was more a proof-of-concept, his new 'iPh0n3' USB-C case is available to buy right now at the Obsoless store.

The case, made from Nylon 12 plastic, is available for most pre-iPhone 15 models, dating back to the iPhone XS and XR (and older models). It supports wireless and MagSafe charging, as well as fast charging and CarPlay.

The only drawback is that accessories that need power from the phone, like external storage or displays, unfortunately won't work with the USB-C port, as they're locked down to only work with Apple adapters.

But otherwise, the case can help bring your older iPhone into the dongle-free world of USB-C charging and accessories. The 'iPh0n3' case starts from 43.90 CHF (around $55 / £40 / AU£85) – and while quite a few models are already sold out, many are due back in stock by the end of August.

How it was built

While the USB-C iPhone case doesn't functionally do much more than put a Lightning-to-USB-C adapter inside a case, the engineering process (explained in the video above) was more complex than you might think.

In Ken Pillonel's attempts to solve the fast charging conundrum, he discovered that many existing Lightning adapters employ simple tricks that prevent them from working correctly with all USB-C cables.

Instead, his case uses various techniques, including parasitic powering, to help it detect which way your cable is plugged in, so it always supports 9V fast charging. Whether you're looking to buy the case or not, the video is an interesting watch.

The ultimate aim of the project is to lure you away from an unnecessary iPhone upgrade by giving your older model USB-C connectivity. Naturally, it can't lengthen the amount of time Apple will support your iPhone for (typically 7-8 years in terms of security updates), but it looks like a neat accessory that some will appreciate if they want to move to a Lightning-free life without upgrading their phone.

You might also like

• The iOS 26 public beta could arrive this week, bringing Liquid Glass and more to your iPhone
• Apple just unveiled AppleCare One, and it offers two key upgrades that might just save you some money
• I've used every iPhone and can promise you don't need to wait for the iPhone 17

At the moment, there's a lot going on over at Disney+, who's gearing up to release a slate of new titles in August. Indeed, when it comes to its next monthly schedule, it's TV shows galore.

New Marvel animated miniseries Eyes of Wakanda lands on Disney+ August 27, marking the 15th television installment in the MCU and the first series in Phase Six. As well as the new Marvel show, there are plenty of documentary and reality shows to choose from, including new episodes of Limitless: Live Better Now with Chris Hemsworth and Project Runway – which has reached an impressive 21 seasons.

While it's exciting to see fresh shows come to one of the best streaming services, it's best to note that the availability of the following Disney+ titles are subject to change and will vary by region – so it's best to keep this in mind when looking for your next TV obsession.

August 1

• King & Prince: What We Got (Japanese Version)
• Outdoor Adventure Stream 

August 3

• Naming the Dead season 1 episodes 1-6

August 6

• Christmas Wars season 1, episodes 1-2
• Christmas Wars season 2, episodes 1-4
• Low Life season 1, episodes 1-2
• Rachael Ray’s Holidays season 1, episodes 1-4
• Raising Asia season 1, episodes 1-13
• Wild Vietnam season 2, episodes 1-2
• The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder season 3

August 7

• Ancient Aliens: Origins season 1, episodes 1-12
• Project Runway season 21, episode 3

August 8

• Christmas Hotel (movie)
• A Christmas in Tennessee (movie)
• The Christmas Pact (movie)
• Radio Christmas (movie)
• SuperKitties: Su-Purr Adventures: Shorts season 2, episodes 1-10

August 10

• Traveling with Snow Man episode 2

August 12

• Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends season 1, episodes 1-6

August 13

• Chibiverse season 2, episodes 1-3
• Chibiverse season 3, episodes 1-12
• Low Life season 1, episodes 1-2

August 14

• Project Runway season 21, episode 4

August 15

• Limitless: Live Better Now episodes 1-3
• Stand Up to Cancer 2025

August 17

• Disney Jr. Ariel - The Little Mermaid: Songs from the Crystal Cavern Shorts season1, episodes 1-10

August 20

• Ice Road Rescue season 7, episodes 1-8
• Ice Road Rescue season 8, episodes 1-8
• Ice Road Rescue season 9, episodes 1-9
• Reminder season 1, episodes 1-8

August 21

• Me & Winnie the Pooh season 2, episodes 1-6
• Project Runway season 21, episode 5

August 22

• Disney Jr.’s Ariel season 1, episodes 1-8

August 25

• The Last Rhinos: A New Hope (documentary)
• LEGO Disney Princess: Villains Unite 
• Princess Stream

August 27

• Chibi Tiny Tales: Shorts season 6, episodes 1-6
• Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends season 4, episodes 1-3
• Eyes of Wakanda episodes 1-4
• Shipwreck Hunters Australia season 2, episodes 1-6

August 28

• Project Runway season 21, episode 6

You might also like

• Want to prepare for The Fantastic Four: First Steps? Skip the movies and watch this animated Disney+ show – it’s the best adaptation of Marvel’s First Family
• 'We're leaving the door open': Ironheart producers address Riri Williams' future in the MCU amid mixed fan reception to the Marvel TV show
• Marvel confirms Thunderbolts* Blu-ray release date – here are the bonus features I’m most excited about