TechRadar News

• Octopus Energy says it's sold out of its plug-in solar kits for a second time
• More stock of the now-legal kits is apparently "on the way"
• Meanwhile, manufacturer UKSOL says more retailers are stocking its kits

The threat of a worsening energy crisis is pushing many of us towards tech that could help cut our growing bills — and Octopus Energy says it's now sold out of its plug-in solar kits for a second time in less than four weeks, after being "blown away" by the demand.

Plug-in solar kits, which can be installed without professional help, were legalised in the UK just over a month ago. Octopus Energy has been offering two DIY kits to customers, with a choice or one 460W panel (£450) or two panels (£650, including VAT and curb-side delivery).

The energy giant says that "thousands of households" have been trying to get one of its plug-in kits, but supply hasn't been able to meet demand. Octopus says the first 500 kits were gone in two weeks, and it's just sold out another batch.

Because they can be mounted on either walls or the ground, plug-in solar kits are particularly appealing to renters. Octopus claims customers can save up to £150 a year thanks to savings on their electricity bills and by using its Outgoing export tariff. However, that figure is for its dual-panel setup and can vary depending on your sunlight levels, installation and energy consumption.

That dual-panel option is apparently the most popular choice among Octopus customers, with 89% of early buyers opting for that more powerful kit. That's not hugely surprising, given household bills are predicted to see their biggest rise (16%) in four years from January.

Analysis: A first step, rather than a quick fix

Octopus Nook batteries (above) are due to go on sale in early 2027 (Image credit: Octopus Energy)

The popularity of plug-in solar kits isn't surprising given the recent headlines about energy prices, but they're far from a quick fix.

Even if you opt for the dual-panel option from Octopus, the payback period is still over four years, according to the energy giant's figures. And while plug-in solar kits are now legal in the UK, you're not currently allowed to plug them into home batteries (without professional installation) to store the electricity.

Octopus Energy recently told me that plug-in batteries are the "the real game-changer", and it's patiently waiting for those to become legalised in the UK. It's already announced its Octopus 'Nook Cube' battery and says it's "due to launch in Q1 next year".

In the meantime, UK residents who don't want to spend thousands on a professionally installed setup can only lay the groundwork with plug-in solar kits. While Octopus Energy has promised that more of its kits are "on the way", one of the UK's main plug-in solar suppliers has just revealed that its kits are now available in more retailers.

UKSOL, which became the first plug-in solar company to get regulatory approval back in August, says its kits (starting at £599) are now available online from Wilko, Homebase and PlumbNation. You can already buy them from the likes of Argos and Very, though model availability varies by retailer.

Like Octopus Energy's kits, they combine the solar panels, mounting equipment and a microinverter, plus an app for monitoring your electricity generation.

Lego is constantly switching up its lineup — and as thrilled as I am to discover each month's batch of new releases, it's always tempered by the knowledge that a load of existing sets will also be getting the chop. And this month there are some truly iconic kits set to make their way to the big Lego bin in the sky very soon.

First up, a Nightmare Before Christmas set that's perfect for October. It features Halloween Town in all its wonky, whimsical glory, with instantly recognizable scenes including the moon over Spiral Hill. It's almost a crime to be retiring this set during spooky season, but you still have time to grab one if you're quick.

Another set I'm especially upset about is a Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory set (the classic Gene Wilder one, not the terrible Johnny Depp one). This movie walks the line between magical and haunting, and it's all there in the Lego set, from the candy scenery to the chocolate river and the paddle boat that haunted my childhood dreams.

Scroll down to browse my highlights from Lego's retiring-soon lineup.

US: Lego sets retiring soon

Hop down to the UK section

Lego Disney Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas

Lego Harry Potter Luna Lovegood's House 76467

Lego Icons Natural History Museum

Lego Harry Potter The Burrow 76437

Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon 75192

Lego Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon's Tale

Lego City Central Train Station 60469

Lego Arcade Machine

LEGO Lego Wicked Emerald City Wall Art 75685

Lego Vincent Van Gogh — The Starry Night

Lego Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Lego The Botanical Garden

UK: Lego sets retiring soon

Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon 75192

Lego Disney Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas

Lego Harry Potter Luna Lovegood's House 76467

Lego The Burrow – Collectors' Edition

LEGO City Central Train Station 60469

Lego Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Lego Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon's Tale

Lego Icons Natural History Museum

LEGO® Arcade Machine

Lego The Botanical Garden

LEGO Lego Wicked Emerald City Wall Art 75685

Lego Vincent Van Gogh — The Starry Night

• Micron has warned that the RAM shortage will get much worse in 2027 and 2028
• Then coming to the end of the decade, robots are going to put more strain on memory supply
• So-called 'physical AI' could need 200GB+ of DRAM and multiple terabytes of storage per unit, Micron predicts

Micron just published its latest financial results, complete with some predictions for the future of the RAM crisis that aren't going to prove very comforting for consumers.

Wccftech reports that Micron, which is one of the three big memory chip makers, just revealed its results for fiscal Q4 2026 with predictably booming profits — and some not-so-obvious predictions about the RAM shortage.

As flagged on X by Eric Jhonsa, a portfolio manager for a Dutch asset corporation, in Micron's accompanying guidance the company observed: "We expect memory and storage supply-demand conditions to be much tighter in calendar 2027 and 2028 than they were in 2026."

Micron also said: "Even with additional industry DRAM cleanroom space plans, with robust demand trends including new upside requests from customers, we do not have line of sight to when supply and demand will return to balance."

Also highlighted on X by Shay Boloor, who is chief market strategist at Futurum Equities, Micron made the point that even if the current AI bubble deflates, lessening RAM demand for servers in data centers as a result, there could still be a high level of demand from 'physical AI' — meaning robots.

We're told that "humanoid robots could need 200GB+ of DRAM and multiple terabytes of storage per unit with several physical AI customers already sampling next gen products", and that this could become a "significant driver of memory and storage demand by the end of this decade."

Analysis: robot RAM drain

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In short, Micron is saying that RAM supply is going to be tight not just in 2027 — which has been a widespread prediction — but also in 2028. Granted, 2028 has been forecast as a gloomy year in general, but from what Micron is saying here, the company is putting this year on a level with 2027 in terms of the memory shortage, and next year is set to be pretty dire by all accounts.

This is feeding more into the RAM crisis lasting until 2030 narrative (one of the earliest mentions of this came from Nvidia's CEO), and the comment about robots further reinforces this. Even if the demand to drive AI falls away somewhat so data centers aren't gobbling up so much memory, the overall strain on RAM supply may remain due to an uptake of robots, which will also need a lot of memory.

The one thing I would say is that Micron may be exaggerating somewhat in terms of talking up the timeframe on the usage of robots here. After all, in these kinds of forecasts, it's in the firm's interest to build up its future prospects and drive more investment.

Clearly, though, Micron is in a very strong position, and robots are something that's on the radar. And with there being a great deal of doubt as to whether the AI bubble is going to burst at all — depending on who you listen to — this is just another concern for consumers (alongside robots taking over jobs to boot).

It seems clear enough that RAM won't be reaching affordable pricing levels for a long time yet.

It's Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale next week, on October 6 and 7. But just like all previous events, the retailer is kicking things off ahead of time with dozens of early deals across tech, home, essentials, and more. I've picked out the 26 best offers worth buying if you want to get some shopping in now.

• Browse the early Prime Big Deal Days sale
• Sign up for Amazon Prime

Naturally, some of the first products to go on sale are the full range of Amazon devices, including Fire TVs, Blink cameras, Ring doorbells, and Kindles. But what is a surprise is that several of these offers match or beat the record-low prices we saw during the previous Prime Day sale.

Some standouts include the Kindle Colorsoft for £144.99 (was £259.99), the handy Blink Mini 2K+ for £16.99 (was £39.99), and the Amazon Ember 50-inch 4K Fire TV for £279.99 (was £499.99).

Away from Amazon tech, though, there are a handful of other excellent offers already live. The main two I want to shout out are the Nintendo Switch 2 for a record-low price and this super-cheap Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 for £31 (was £41.94).

It's a strong start to the sale, then, and with many more offers expected to drop on October 6, you'll want to stick myself and the rest of the TechRadar team as we hand-pick all of the tech and best bargains that are worth the cash.

Just remember, you need an Amazon Prime membership to access most of these offers, but new and returning subscribers can get a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial to cover you for the sale.

26 best early Prime Day deals at Amazon UK

Amazon has the Nintendo Switch 2 at its lowest price ever for Prime Big Deal Days. Given that the console was only recently hit with a price hike, I'm surprised that you can score such a big price cut on it right now, so definitely take advantage while you can if you've been thinking of picking it up, as this price almost certainly won't be beaten all year.View Deal

Galaxy Fit 3: was £41.94 now £31
At almost £30, now is a great time to buy Samsung's budget fitness tracker. As well as all the basic fitness, health and sleep tracking features, the Galaxy Fit3 is an excellent extension to your smartphone that lets you check your messages, control your music and navigate easily with simple gestures. Everything centres around the impressive 1.6-inch AMOLED display, and battery life is also not a problem, with 13 days on a single charge.View Deal

The new Blink Mini 2K+ has a couple of nice upgrades compared to the previous model, including a built-in spotlight, night view in colour support and the option to use it outdoors with the weather-resistant adaptor. Aside from that, it offers the same raft of security features such as motion detection, two-way audio and smartphone app integration. Get it now for a record-low price.View Deal

The Blink Outdoor Camera 2K+ is packed with the essentials. It has 2K video quality, so you can see what’s going on more clearly. You can also zoom in on what’s happening with 4X zoom, and use the two-way audio to talk to a delivery person or whoever is visiting. It’s simple to set up and weatherproof, with two AA batteries powering the device for up to two years. Plus, this bundle includes a free Blink Battery Doorbell.View Deal

Battery Video Doorbell: was £99.99 now £39.99
The latest wireless Ring Doorbell has been discounted to just £2 more than the record-low price. We've tested this and have been impressed with the video quality, high zoom, and night vision colour, but it's a shame that some of this device's value is only usable with a Ring Protect subscription. However, if you're fine with paying for a subscription or already using a Ring-based home security system, it's worth the cost.View Deal

The newest Ring Battery Doorbell Plus model drops to £50 in Amazon's latest sale. Its camera features 1536p HD resolution, night vision with color, and an improved motion sensor. It also includes an increased head-to-toe field of view of 150 by 150 degrees.View Deal

Echo Dot (5th Gen): was £54.99 now £29.99
Amazon's best-selling Echo Dot is down to under £30 for Prime Big Deal Days. This is an OK offer, but far from the previous record-low of £22.99. Nevertheless, the Echo Dot offers an improved audio experience, plus a new temperature sensor and all the handy features from Alexa, like playing music, answering questions, and checking the weather completely hands-free. As far as a cheap and cheerful smart speaker goes, it's one of the better options out there.View Deal

Amazon's Echo Spot smart clock is down to its record-low price for Prime Big Deal Days. As well as a time display and wake-up alerts, this compact bit of kit can play music, check the weather and control other smart devices throughout your home.View Deal

Fire TV Stick HD: was £59.99 now £19.99
You can get the upgraded version of Amazon's standard Fire TV Stick for £19.99 — that's just £3 more than the record-low price. In our Fire TV Stick review, we found the original version was a cheap way to add essential smart features to your TV, including access to streaming apps in HD, Alexa voice controls, and the ability to control other smart home devices.View Deal

Fire TV Stick 4K Select: was £64.99 now £21.99
Amazon's newest 4K streaming stick is down to within £2 of its lowest-ever price for Prime Big Deal Days. Considering it's only a few quid more than the cheaper HD version, you might as well pay for the upgrade and get access to higher resolution streaming — as long as you have a 4K TV. It lacks a few premium features found in the more expensive Plus and Max models, such as improved Wi-Fi and Dolby Atmos, but this is more than enough to cover general everyday use.View Deal

Amazon's new Fire TV Stick 4K Plus streams shows and movies to your TV in ultra-high-definition 4K resolution. This updated version now supports Dolby Vision for improved colours, Wi-Fi 6 for better connectivity, and includes 2GB of RAM for faster performance. This offer isn't particularly great, given it was £10 cheaper during the last Prime Day, but it's still good value for an all-around streaming device.View Deal

This is £9 more than the record-low price for Amazon's premium streaming device. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max streams the same content at the same quality as the standard 4K version, but the extra power inside delivers faster app navigation. Plus, it uses Wi-Fi 6E technology to deliver a more stable, consistent streaming experience.View Deal

The latest version of the standard Kindle is on sale as part of the Prime Big Deal Days sale. It's a basic ereader, but it still boasts a four-week battery life and space for thousands of books. Given it's significantly cheaper than the Paperwhite, this is clearly a better pick for the infrequent reader who's after a more budget-friendly option. At £85, though, this deal is a little underwhelming, given it's been as low as £69.99 before.View Deal

The Kindle Colorsoft just fell to its lowest-ever price as part of this year's Prime Big Deal Days sale. As Amazon's first colored Kindle, it's a must-have if you love reading travel guides, graphic novels, and other genres with a lot of images and photographs — or just want to view your entire ebook library in its full colour glory. The ereader is also USB-C and wireless charging compatible, lasts up to eight weeks on a full battery, and has enough storage for thousands of books.View Deal

This is the new lowest-ever price for the newest version of the Kindle Scribe with 64GB of storage. This ereader combines some of the best features of the Kindle Paperwhite, such as the glare-free and auto-adjusting display, along with the option to take notes, comment on documents, and doodle using the included stylus pen. We were a little disappointed by the original Kindle Scribe because of some missing features, but after some updates and upgrades to this new model, we were happy to award it an impressive 4.5 stars, as it offers good value for such a multi-functional device.View Deal

The Blink Video Doorbell is now £3 more than its lowest-ever price on Amazon, which is great news if you're interested in buying your first smart doorbell. This latest model comes with a head-to-toe HD view, infrared night vision, and two-way audio – all you'd want in a basic video doorbell. You can watch packages get delivered and answer the door in real time from the Blink app, but you can't save footage without a Blink Subscription or a Sync Module (which is included here). Thankfully, you get a 30-day Blink Subscription Plan trial with your purchase, so you can try before you buy.View Deal

Indoor Camera Plus: was £49.99 now £24.99
This half-price offer gets you an easy-to-install Ring Indoor Camera for a new low price. The Alexa-enabled plug-in security camera features motion-activated notifications, 2K resolution video support, a privacy cover and two-way talk to allow you to see, hear and communicate throughout your home.View Deal

Amazon's best-selling Echo Show 5 is down to £54.99 for Prime Big Deal Days — its lowest price in almost two years. The latest version of the Echo Show 5 features a compact 5.5-inch display but packs impressive sound with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Voice controls are enabled through Amazon Alexa, while you can use the smart screen to listen to podcasts, watch movies, stream videos, play music, and more.View Deal

Amazon's larger smart display just got its biggest discount all year for Prime Big Deal Days. The Echo Show 11 boasts a vibrant 11-inch full HD screen and spatial audio support for room-filling sound when listening to music or watching videos. With Alexa+ support, too, you get access to all of its advanced AI features and an easy way to connect and control other smart devices around your home.View Deal

Ember TV 32-inch 2-Series HD TV: was £249.99 now £129.99
Amazon's Prime Day sale includes this 32-inch TV on sale for a record-low price of £129.99. While the Amazon 2-Series TV is just a basic HD display, you get smart capabilities with the Fire TV experience and Amazon Alexa on board for hands-free control at a bargain price. It's far from the best TV in the world, but if you need something small and basic for the kitchen or a kid's room, then this is fine for the job.View Deal

Ember 50-inch 4-Series 4K TV: was £499.99 now £279.99
The 50-inch Amazon Ember TV is the mid-sized version of the budget-friendly 4-Series range and it's now down to its lowest-ever price. It's a nice buy if you're on a budget, as the premium 4K resolution delivers excellent clarity and picture quality for TV shows, movies, sports and general viewing. All major streaming apps are ready to go, too, plus there's voice control support through Alexa. It's an all-around solid TV for the price that I'd buy if I needed an affordable and capable display.View Deal

Ember TV 55-inch Omni Mini-LED TV: was £849.99 now £599.99
Amazon has taken the biggest step up in terms of quality with its latest Omni Mini-LED Series Fire TVs. That's clear in the price, which puts these very close to top-end OLED displays from the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG. However, you still get a lot for your money with this Amazon option, including a large 55-inch Mini-LED panel that boasts fantastic contrast, colors and image sharpness, a 144Hz game mode for a fast and responsive experience on consoles, and smart features.View Deal

Ember 55-inch QLED TV: was £749.99 now £429.99
Amazon's Ember QLED Series is a big step up in the otherwise cheap and cheerful range of smart TVs. This set boasts premium features, including a QLED display for better brightness and contrast, HDR and Dolby Vision for brighter and more vivid colours, local array dimming for richer blacks and HDMI 2.1 support to deliver a top-quality picture for all-around viewing and fast response times for gaming. It's not always easy to find a TV of this size and with these high-end features for just over £400, so it's an excellent buy for the budget-conscious without compromising on quality.View Deal

The Philips OneBlade 360 is a quick, simple and affordable electric razor that's suitable for a wide variety of face and body grooming needs. This jam-packed bundle was a little cheaper over Prime Day, but today's offer is still a solid one. This bundle includes the handle, as well as two spare blades, four combs, a body kit, and a USB-A charging cable.View Deal

Soundcore Portable Speaker: was £29.99 now £18.67
If you want a cheap and basic Bluetooth speaker, then you can't go wrong with this Anker Soundcore for under £20. Sure, it's not going to give you the biggest and boldest audio quality, but it's still a solid option at an affordable price. Battery life is an impressive 24 hours, too, so it's great to use around the home or take it with you when on the go.View Deal

I'm not sure how I feel about smart rings, but our fitness editor, Matt Evans, is a big fan of the Oura Ring 4. He said it was "nearly the perfect fitness tracker" in our review, praising the design, ease-of-use, long-lasting battery and detailed health information it offers. This fascinating bit of tech is now down to its lowest-ever price on Amazon — although be warned that some sizes and colours are selling out.View Deal

• Google Home is rolling out updates for Find My Phone and other voice commands
• It's also fixing bugs with video doorbells, security cameras, and Automations
• Despite the upgrades, users are still running into performance issues

If you’re a Google Home early access user, you’ll be glad to learn that the company is rolling out an expansive roster of new upgrades for voice commands, the Google Home app, and more — as per Google’s notes.

Google Home updates are fairly consistent with Google keeping on top of refreshing its smart home services. Just two weeks ago it fixed Gemini’s follow-up question issues as well as streaming playback bugs, which the tech giant also detailed in its Home and Nest help page.

Prior to this, Google announced it had solved issues with Spotify voice commands and smart light controls, however users claimed there were even bigger issues that needed addressing. But despite the new round of improvements, it appears Google still hasn’t been able to solve the issues plaguing users.

Voice commands

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Voice command improvements are the main fixes that Google has rolled out. For starters, the company says that Gemini is more proficient in filtering out background chatter in your home when you’re making a voice request, as well as other smaller issues including reduced latency for sharper responses and more fixes to conversation follow-ups.

That said, one of the most valuable upgrades is for the Find My Phone tool, which Google says it has rolled out quality and reliability improvements to improve the experience. Additionally, language recognition for Gemini is getting an upgrade, which the company says will ‘better support households where three languages are commonly spoken’.

Google Home app

As far as the Google Home App goes, the company is rolling out more device controller upgrades, which includes more accurate smart light shutoff, redesigned camera and doorbell tiles to better distinguish active cameras, and improved offline switch status, fixing an issue where Matter switches failed to display their offline status.

Google is also rolling out Bluetooth connection and Wi-Fi pairing fixes for setting up new Nest devices on iOS and Android. Also, when you add a device to your ecosystem, the Google Home app will cache network information on your smartphone, so you can reuse them for setting up new devices in the future.

Camera fixes

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

For devices such as the AI-powered Nest Doorbell and security cameras, you can expect to see fixes for video history viewing, removing an error that displayed a ‘Video not available’ pop-up when trying to access footage. If you own any of Walmart’s Onn devices, you should now be able to scrub your video timelines a lot smoother.

Google is also launching new ringtone audio previews for video doorbells, which allows you to listen to snippets of chimes right from the Google Home app before setting it as your default. Google says it will be rolling out holiday-themed chimes, while different themes will become available throughout the year.

Automations

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

The final fix is with Automations, which Google says has eliminated a bug where multi-button switches and sub-devices were missing the names of their parent devices. It’s a small fix, but one that helps you differentiate between buttons.

Is this enough?

The transition from Google Assistant to Gemini has been far from a smooth operation, and users have been reporting severe performance issues since Google made its first steps with integrating Gemini into its smart home devices.

That said, since Google unveiled its latest update, users have welcomed the new improvements — mainly the chime sound previews and upgrades to Automations. However there's a handful of users that Google has yet to convince.

Despite the rollout of Google's upgrades users are finding themselves yet stuck in another cycle of performance issues when using Gemini for Home, and it seems to be the case more so for audio devices and voice commands.

As one user highlights on Reddit, their Google speaker turns itself off in the middle of the night when playing white noise, which, if you rely on sleep sounds to get a full eight hours, is quite frustrating to say the least. The same goes for voice commands, and as one user shared, Gemini is still having issues with switching off devices within a specific time frame.

As it stands, there's still a lot that Google has to come to grips with as it enters the final stages of the Gemini for Home takeover. While some fixes are proving to be successful, there's still work to be done before Google Home users are satisfied.

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt lead writer Marcin Blacha has explained what it takes to create a worthwhile Witcher remake
• He says CD Projekt Red needs to "stay true to the spirit" of the original game
• However, the remake has to appeal to a new audience using modern technology

CD Projekt Red VP of narration and story director Marcin Blacha has revealed the secret to making a worthwhile Witcher remake, and it's about balancing what made the original game good with appealing to a new audience.

During a panel at Logitech Play 2026 attended by TechRadar Gaming, Blacha, who was a lead writer on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, explained that the studio needs to "stay true" to the 2007 original, but also design a fresh experience for gamers who didn't play it.

"The secret is to identify what was good in the original game, and find a way to retell it to the audience that, for some reason, cannot participate in this experience," Blacha said. "Those are two different things, and each of them is difficult on its own, because it's not that easy sometimes to recreate this experience."

The writer went on to discuss what the studio calls "Act Four" of The Witcher 1, which takes place in a rural lakeside region "that is very folklorish" and "full of beautiful landscapes," but said it's difficult to recreate that feeling again because it's a different experience for every player and can be "a little bit vague."

"To create a good remake, you need to identify what was good and find a way to recreate it using newer technology, [while] staying true to the spirit of the original game," Blacha added.

The Witcher remake is in development at Fool's Theory and will utilize Unreal Engine 5, as CD Projekt Red is currently all hands on deck making The Witcher 4, the first game in a new trilogy of Witcher games that it wants to release within a six-year time frame.

CDPR has also just launched The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered, which offers a massive collection of improvements that promise an entirely new experience for the decade-old role-playing game (RPG).

If you ever need a sign that AI is coming for Hollywood then it must be that Jeffrey Katzenberg, the veteran Hollywood executive who co-founded Dreamworks, has just announced that he’s launching an AI-focused studio.

Crucially, he told The Wrap that AI output was “slop” until very recently, but that in the last couple of months something has changed. Now he wants to make feature films and TV with AI, arguing that falling production costs will mean more films and new forms of storytelling.

At the same time The Gifted, an AI-generated trailer, has just won a competition that puts $2.5m towards turning it into a proper feature film. Future Vision XPRIZE is one of the world's largest film competitions for hopeful and optimistic science fiction filmmaking that answers the question: what does a future worth building actually look like?

You can watch the trailer for The Gifted here.

Unfortunately, the industry focus on AI seems to be happening at exactly the same time that the audience is being turned off by it.

Filmustage, a movie production planning platform, analyzed Google Trends data and found searches rising on both sides of the AI debate. It found that the phrase “movies with no AI” was up 345% in the past month, while “movies made with AI” was up 112% in the same period.

Google Trends percentage increases can often be massive, so we shouldn't read too much into the numbers themselves, but the overall trend is upwards. The motivations behind those searches may be very different, but both suggest audiences increasingly want to know one thing before they watch: was AI involved?

I don't think it's hard to understand why. You only have to look at an AI film to understand why people have reservations.

You can judge the trailer for The Gifted yourself, but while it may be a stunning technical achievement that AI has made this three-minute video, if I’m judging it as a movie trailer… then I don’t want to watch the movie.

The flaws are obvious. AI is clearly very good at spectacle: lightning, explosions, collapsing buildings and impossible camera angles. Not to mention lead characters who look almost like famous actors you know, but not quite. (Is that Amy Adams in The Gifted's poster? No, it's not quite Amy Adams.)

The harder test is whether it can sustain believable characters, performances and emotional continuity for two hours rather than three minutes. If it does, then it's going to need much better dialogue than what's presented here.

I remember watching the pure-AI film Hell Grind in a theater recently, and that just about kept my attention for its 90-minute duration, but I was ready for it to be over by the end. It also played to AI’s strengths, by not trying to make its world look ‘real’. It's when AI pretends to be real life that I think it falls down the most.

Pure AI films... still look like AI

Tom Cruise thinks “people want to see real things”, even in the age of AI. (Image credit: Getty Images / FilmMagic)

Actors, perhaps seeing a future in which their skills are not as widely appreciated, are famously against AI, but even they seem to have accepted the overall trend towards it now.

As Deadline reports, Tom Cruise earned spontaneous applause for a six minute speech during a recent BAFTA “Life in Pictures” conversation in London. Cruise talked about how AI “is coming”, but “people want to see real things”.

“There is nothing like human” said Cruise, citing a summer of blockbuster films as proof that “people want human experience.”

From what I've seen of AI movies, I'd say Cruise is exactly right. AI still can't produce an experience that looks human and the connection to the audience that goes along with that. But with even Tom Cruise acknowledging that AI is coming, and executives like Katzenberg jumping on board, AI movies seem almost inevitable now, especially with the saving in production costs that they bring with them.

But while AI might be economical, it definitely has its problems, and if people are already searching for “movies with no AI” then Hollywood has a branding problem before the AI movie era has even properly begun.

AI as another tool for filmmakers

The upcoming movie Cortés from Utopai Studios. Set in 1519, the historical epic follows Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. (Image credit: Utopai Studios)

But perhaps before we assume that AI in films means the end to human actors and an influx of AI slop, let’s talk to one of the AI studios making waves at the moment, Utopai Studios, who creates original films and television series using their own proprietary PAI software.

I talked to Kevin Chong, Chief Operating Officer at Utopai Studios.

“We don’t think of AI films as a separate genre”, explains Chong. “AI is another tool filmmakers can use to tell stories, just as visual effects, digital cinematography and virtual production became part of the filmmaking process. It can help filmmakers create worlds, achieve a level of scale that might otherwise be difficult or prohibitively expensive, and give creators more choices.”

And what about the end of human actors? “At Utopai Studios, we don’t see AI as a replacement for human actors, and that isn’t the future we’re building toward”, Chong explains. “There may be stories where a completely synthetic character makes sense creatively, just as animation has always created characters that don’t physically exist. But that is very different from saying audiences are going to stop wanting human performances.

“Performance is one of the most human parts of filmmaking”, Chong continues. “Actors bring interpretation, emotion, instinct and life experience to a character in ways that are fundamental to storytelling. AI can become another part of the filmmaking toolkit — including helping extend performances, create environments or enable things that would be difficult to achieve traditionally — but the creative decisions still need to come from people.”

Tom Cruise is right: there is nothing quite like human, but perhaps there will be a way for humans and AI to coexist in the future of movies after all.

October 1 is International Coffee Day, and if you've been thinking of upgrading your coffee maker, it's the perfect opportunity. As TechRadar's resident coffee expert, I've put together a list of my three favorite bean-to-cup espresso machines that make preparing perfectly extracted espresso a breeze, even if you've never used fresh coffee before.

There's something for everyone here. If you're on a tight budget, or are making the leap from coffee capsules to whole beans, the compact and affordable Philips Baristina is the perfect choice for you. Interested in tinkering with brew options and understanding how different factors affect the taste of your drink? Take a look at the Sage Barista Impress With Cold Extraction. Want a fully automated machine that produces even complicated drinks with the tap of a button? The Philips Café Aromis is the coffee maker of your dreams.

Many retailers are offering special discounts for International Coffee Day too, and you'll find the best deals on each coffee machine below as well.

Philips BaristinaFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

The Philips Baristina is the most affordable bean-to-cup coffee maker I've ever tested, and easily one of the best. In fact, I recommend it so frequently, my colleagues are probably quite tired of hearing about it. It makes brewing espresso with fresh coffee beans just as simple as using Nespresso capsules or K-Cups, and opens up a whole world of speciality coffee without requiring any specialist skills.

Load your coffee beans into the top of the Baristina, fill the water tank, and you're ready to get started. Push the filter handle into the machine, hit the start button, and it will automatically grind just the right amount of coffee, tamp it down, and then slide the handle underneath the brewing group, which will extract your shot using the ideal water temperature and pressure. When it's finished, just tap out the used coffee grounds, wipe out the filter, and you're ready to go again.

Unlike most bean-to-cup coffee machines, the Baristina doesn't have a case that covers everything up, which helps keep everything clean and hygienic. There's no enclosed space for stray coffee grounds and moisture to build up, so maintenance is a breeze.

The biggest downside of the original Baristina is the lack of a steam wand, which means there's no way to prepare lattes and cappuccinos. However, the machine is available bundled with a good quality standalone milk frother for a small additional cost, and earlier this year Philips launched the Baristina Latte, which has an integrated steam wand.

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Philips Café Aromis 8000 SeriesFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

At the other end of the scale, we have the Philips Café Aromis — the company's flagship bean-to-cup coffee machine with a huge array of hot and cold drinks options, excellent milk frothing, and app compatibility that makes customizing your brews a breeze. It's gorgeous as well, with its sleek silver chassis, crisp touchscreen, and a natural wood cap on top of the dispenser to complete the look.

Drinks are almost infinitely customizable, and the cold menu is a particular highlight. Unlike some bean-to-cup coffee makers I've tested, which just dump a shot of hot espresso over ice, the Aromis can extract coffee using water straight from its tank for a mellow flavor akin to traditionally made cold-brew. It also has separate milk carafes for frothing hot and cold milk, and each one can be disassembled into three dishwasher-safe parts for easy cleaning. So, there's no need for scrubbing milk residue from pipes and hoses.

It's not the only bean-to-cup coffee machine with its own app, but it's the only one I've used where the app offers something useful apart from a quick-start guide and warranty details. The Philips HomeID app makes it easy to create personalized user profiles, and even had a clever chatbot-style feature that asks you questions about your flavor preferences and then tweaks the coffee maker's settings accordingly.

The Aromis is definitely one of the more expensive espresso machines I've reviewed this year, but its price tag isn't excessive considering just how much you're getting, and you could easily pay half as much again for an alternative from a different brand.

Read our full Philips Café Aromis 8000 Series review

Sage Barista Touch Impress With Cold ExtractionFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

This bean-to-cup machine (which is sold under the brand name Sage in the UK, and Breville elsewhere for complicated reasons) is an upgraded version of the original Barista Touch Impress, and like the Philips Café Aromis, it offers genuine cold extraction for smooth-tasting iced coffees (as well as delicious hot-brewed espresso).

Unlike the other two bean-to-cup machines in this list, this one is semi-automatic, which means that although you don't have to get your hands dirty, it gives you some control over the coffee-making process if you want, introducing you to barista skills in a friendly, easy-to-follow way. You'll discover the effect of each variable on your finished drink (including dosage, grind size, tamp pressure, and brewing temperature), and the machine will offer feedback and suggestions if it doesn't taste quite right.

The Puck Impress System, which tamps your freshly ground coffee with a pull of a handle, is particularly satisfying and greatly reduces mess compared to tamping by hand. Unlike the Breville Oracle Jet below, I didn't have any issues with static electricity making coffee cling to the grinder.

The Barista Touch Impress offers both manual and automatic milk steaming options too, so you can have your foam dispensed into your finished drink, or prepare it yourself and have fun practicing your latte art.

Read our full Sage Barista Touch Impress With Cold Extraction review

• Claude for Government runs in a FedRAMP High-authorized environment
• Pricing is now based on pre-allocated spend, not per seat
• Claude for Microsoft 365 is also being added

Anthropic has announced the general availability of Claude for Government specifically for government agencies.

First launched as a public beta in July 2026, the industry-specific variant is designed to give government employees access to the same sorts of tools as commercial Claude customers, within a FedRAMP High-authorized environment.

But better still, now that Claude for Government is officially available, Anthropic has implied that new features will land on this platform at the same time as they do on commercial versions of Claude, so that government workers don't risk being left behind.

Claude for Government is now generally available

Naturally, security is one of the biggest messages that coincides with the launch of Claude for Government, and the company notes that admins can set model restrictions, monitor usage, allocate spending, control external connections and more.

But Anthropic has also made some changes to its pricing structure in a bid to make spending more predictable, given public sector scrutiny and AI costs that can quickly spiral out of control. Rather than per-seat billing, Claude for Government works on the basis of having fixed increments.

Under this new model, agencies would need to commit to a specific amount, and Claude usage cannot exceed that amount.

"Administrators define user tiers with spend and model limits per group, track usage by user and by model, and get burndown alerts before a balance runs low," the company explained.

At the same time, Claude for Microsoft 365 is also being made available via early access, which puts Claude tools directly within Microsoft's three biggest pieces of office software – Word, Excel and PowerPoint – as well as Outlook (in beta).

By confirming that it will be adding new features at the standard public cadence and including Claude for Microsoft 365, Anthropic is acknowledging that governments don't want to compromise on features or security.

Today, October 1, is International Coffee Day, arguably the most important day of the year for many of us. And while that may just mean you have a little extra pep in your step as you head to your local cafe, if you do have a takeaway-coffee habit, we think it can also serve as a healthy reminder that adding a quality coffee machine to your kitchen doesn't need to be expensive – and even can save you money in the long run.

If you're looking for a new espresso machine, De’Longhi is a brand that should be on your list. It lives and breathes coffee via an extensive range of fully automatic and manual espresso machines — and better yet, right now TechRadar readers can save 15% on the purchase of any machine with our exclusive De’Longhi coupon code.

Just head to our dedicated De'Longhi coupon code page, click on the very first green 'Get Code' button and copy the resulting code to your clipboard. Then, head to the De'Longhi website, shop for what you'd like, and paste the code into the field at checkout.

Now, we have one quick word of advice before you pull the trigger on your purchase: De’Longhi also has a specific code of its own — SPRING20 — which can be used to save 20% on three specific machines that are exclusive to its online store: the Eletta Explore (ECAM450.65.S), Magnifica Start (ECAM22061W) and Magnifica Evo (ECAM29083TB).

Also note that right now, every De'Longhi coffee machine purchase comes with a free essentials pack valued up to AU$140, depending on which specific the machine you buy.

With such a huge range of bean-to-cup coffee machines available to shop, you'd be forgiven if you didn't know where to start. As the resident coffee expert for TechRadar Australia, I’ve picked out a selection of my favourites that have my stamp of approval.

Fully automatic coffee machines

Rivelia (EXAM44055W): was $1144 now $972.40
This compact bean-to-cup coffee machine is nothing short of outstanding. Not only does it look the part, but it serves up consistently delicious coffee. There's plenty of customisation on offer, so you can tweak the various preset recipes and it uses De'Longhi's LatteCrema technology for expertly frothed milk.View Deal

Magnifica Evo Next (ECAM31080TB): was $1399 now $1189.15
Excellent espresso and a variety of coffee- and milk-based drinks is what you'll get from this automatic bean-to-cup machine. It is a little fiddly to use for the first time, but once you've got your preferred settings saved, you'll be churning them out like a true barista.View Deal

Eletta Explore (ECAM45065S): was $1599 now $1279.20
This flagship coffee machine can, quite literally, do it all. It can make over 50 coffee-based drink recipes across hot, cold and even takeaway. Two LatteCrema carafes are supplied to take care of hot and cold milk foam, while Wi-Fi connectivity allows for fine-tuning drinks via an app. And with Bean Adapt technology automatically adjusting the grind, dose and temperature, you’ll have a perfect cuppa each time. Note that this machine is eligible for a 20% discount with code SPRING20.View Deal

Manual coffee machines

Dedica Duo (EC890WI): was $279 now $237.15
The Dedica Duo is a stunning espresso machine that earned five stars in our review. A perfect model for novices, the Duo delivers a consistently well-extracted espresso, and it even has an effective cold brew mode — a feature not often found on more expensive machines. There’s no built-in grinder, so you’ll need to add your own ground coffee, but otherwise this is a machine you’ll be proud to display in your kitchen. View Deal

La Specialista Touch (EC9455MEX2): was $1099 now $934.15
The La Specialista Touch is the De’Longhi machine I wish I owned. While it’s a manual machine, it can guide you through the entire process to ensure you’re left with a perfect cuppa. I also love its compact compact dimensions, great looks and its touchscreen display. View Deal

Chefman Coffee Station Pro: two-minute review

The Chefman Coffee Station Pro is a great idea. People like their coffee brewed in different ways, and it's easy to end up with two or even three coffee machines on the counter to accommodate households with multiple coffee drinkers. For example, my husband usually drinks drip coffee, but occasionally likes an espresso. I rotate between drip, espresso, and iced coffee, depending on my mood and the weather. I also like my Nespresso machine, since the capsules are available in some interesting flavors I occasionally enjoy. I also drink a lot of tea, so an instant hot feature is welcome. We don't often drink lattes or cappuccinos, but when our kids or guest come to visit, they often do. We could easily end up with three different coffee machines (plus a frother and a tea kettle) in our coffee nook, but the Chefman Coffee Station Pro can do all that and more.

Sounds like a dream, but unfortunately it doesn't do everything well, or even acceptably. For example, it doesn't brew Nespresso capsules fully or correctly, resulting in a weak and tiny brew. If you don't need every single feature, this machine might be a perfect fit for you because it does a lot of things well. I tested everything and found that it did some things far better than others.

(Image credit: Karen Freeman / Future)Chefman Coffee Station Pro: price and availability

• Available on Chefman's website and other retailers
• Retails for $399.99 (about £300 / AU$570)
• Just one colorway, black and silver

You can buy the Chefman Coffee Station Pro on Chefman's website as well as brick-and-mortar and online retailers like Best Buy and Target. The retail price is $399.99, which is about £300 / AU$570, though it's not currently sold in the US and Australia.

Chefman Coffee Station Pro: specs

Name

Chefman Coffee Station Pro

Type

Semi-automatic

Dimensions

13 x 11.7 x 13.9 inches / 33.02 x 29.72 x 35.31 cm

Pressure (for espresso brewing)

20 bars

Brew styles

Espresso, single serve, drip, cold press, cold brew

Milk frother

Yes

Connected device

No

Chefman Coffee Station Pro: design

• Smaller than you might expect
• Has storage for accessories
• Ten in one machine

The Chefman Coffee Station Pro is designed efficiently so it has a lot of features in its reasonably-sized footprint. The machine provides ten different brewing methods: espresso (with grounds or Nespresso capsules), cold press espresso, latte, cappuccino, milk frother, K-cup pods, carafe of drip coffee, drip over ice, cold brew, and instant hot water. You control everything with a touch-screen interface.

It comes with everything you need to make all of the beverages listed above. The big 100-ounce water tank fits onto the back of the machine. On the coffee side, you get a coffee filter holder and a reusable coffee filter basket. If you prefer, you can use paper filters instead. There is also a K-Cup adapter for brewing K-Cups. The glass carafe holds anywhere from four to twelve cups of coffee and it rests on a warming plate (which has a "hot" indicator light.) When you're brewing a single serve K-Cup rather than using the carafe, there is a fold-down cup platform with a removable rubber trivet for resting a mug.

On the espresso side, you get a portafilter with three different filters you can put inside. There's small filter for brewing single espresso, a larger one for double espresso, and an adapter for Nespresso capsules. You get a two-sided espresso tool, one side is a measuring scoop and the other side is a tamper. The included 16-ounce milk reservoir can be removed when not in use.

The Chefman Coffee Station Pro stores its own accessories cleverly. It has a hook on the side to store the portafilter and a compartment on top to store other accessories.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

When you first set up the Chefman Coffee Station Pro, you'll want to set the clock for the correct time. There is a Delay Brew feature so you can set the machine up when you go to bed and you'll have a hot carafe of drip coffee waiting for you in the morning. The Keep Warm feature will keep your carafe hot for up to two hours.

There is a hot water spout, which runs separately from the coffee so you don't have to worry about stale coffee taste mixing with your hot water. This is perfect for making hot chocolate, tea, and other hot beverages with ease. I suppose you could even use for making instant ramen or really anything you might need hot water for. It's worth noting that it's hot but not boiling.

As with any coffee machine, it does need to be cleaned regularly. Since this one has so many features, there's more cleaning that needs to be done. Every time you use it, you'll want to wash any accessories you use, run a clean cycle on the milk frother wand, and wipe down the exterior as needed. Of course you'll want to remove the milk reservoir and refrigerate any unused milk right after use.

On a weekly basis, empty and wash out the water tank, empty and wash the milk reservoir, run a clean cycle on the espresso side, and flush the frother system if you're using it daily. Every month or two, you'll want to do a deep clean of the frother's internal parts.

Roughly every 100 cycles (or 50 for hot water), you'll need to descale the coffee, espresso, and hot water systems. The owner's manual included detailed instruction on how to do all of that, plus you can find videos on Chefman's YouTube channel for guided instruction.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

• Design score: 4/5

Chefman Coffee Station Pro: performance

• Fairly easy to use
• Most of the features work well
• Some features don't result in good coffee

In my testing, most of the drinks I made came out really well. Some came out ok, and some came out actually undrinkable.

Espresso

The espresso came out fine and it had a nice crema. It was pretty easy to do, just measure your grounds with the provided scoop, pour your grounds in the portafilter with the appropriate filter inside. Use one scoop in the smaller filter for a single espresso or two scoops in the larger filter for a double espresso. Tamp them down firmly with the included tamper, and then twist the portafilter into place. Select your drink from the touch-screen menu and you'll have espresso in just a minute or so. I used a carefully measured flat scoop, and found the espresso to be rather weak, but your tastes may vary.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureEspresso with Nespresso capsule

Using the Nespresso capsule basket in the portafilter, you can brew any Nespresso or Nespresso-compatible capsule. Note that this is only for the small original line capsules, not the larger Vertuo line capsules.

This was a big fail, in my opinion. The capsule was only pierced partway, there was water left in the portafilter, and the resulting brew was sour and weak and had very little crema. It was not worth drinking.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

In the photo gallery below, I compare the results of brewing the same kind of Nespresso capsule in both the Chefman Coffee Station Pro and my actual Nespresso machine. In both machines, I brewed it as a small or single espresso. The Nespresso machine results are on the left and the Chefman on the right in both photos.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureLatte and cappuccino

Technically, a latte and a cappuccino are pretty different. Though they are both espresso drinks with frothed milk added, the proportions are different. A cappuccino is one third espresso, one third steamed milk, and one third milk foam.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

A latte is one-third espresso and two thirds steamed milk with a light layer of milk foam on top.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

You can probably tell from my photos above, they don't look all that different. They didn't taste all that different, either, though they were both delicious.

I also tried just frothing some milk and then brewing an espresso separately and putting them together. Again, it just made a lovely foamy milky beverage.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureCold-pressed espresso

This was just a fail, in my opinion. It was so weak that I couldn't even drink it. Again, that's just my taste, yours may be different.

Note that pretty much every time you do a cold-pressed espresso brew, the machine will prompt you to run a cooling cycle on the carafe side first in order to prime the machine for cold press. It's not a big deal, but you'll have to factor in the extra time and place a container under it to catch the flushed water.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureK-Cup

Using the included K-Cup adapater on the carafe side of the machine, you can make any K-Cup you like. I actually thought the Chefman Coffee Station Pro did a great job with this one. I'm not generally a fan of K-Cups but this machine brewed it as well as any Keurig machine I've tried. Note that unlike a Keurig machine, you are using a separate adapter part that you'll probably want to wash each time you use it before putting it away. So it is an extra step.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

There is also an option to brew the K-Cup pod as cold brew. But I can't recommend it, unless you like a super weak iced coffee. I used the same kind of pod, but look at the difference.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureDrip coffee in carafe

The drip coffee came out great. It was easy to do, just like any traditional drip coffee machine. I used the metal and plastic reusable filter, but you could use a paper filter if you prefer. You have the option to set up a delayed brew, so you can get everything ready the night before and have a hot, fresh carafe of coffee when you wake up. The metal plate under the carafe can be set to keep your carafe warm for up to two hours, and an indicator light will let you know that it's hot.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureCold Brew

The Cold Brew feature brews your coffee slower, cooler, and with less water in order to extract the most flavor and give you less ice melt. This came out very well. It does take longer to brew, and it does usually require running a cool cycle first, but the results are tasty.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureOver Ice (in carafe)

The Over Ice funtion is a little different from the Cold Brew. It's brewed into the carafe just like regular hot coffee but a bit stronger to compensate for ice melt. This worked fine, and it wasn't watered down too much. However, it was less smooth than the Cold Brew method and more bitter to my taste.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureHot Water

Hot water comes from a separate spout, not through the coffee system. It works fine and just tastes like pure water with no hint of coffee taste.

I selected maximum temperature setting, but water measured just 163°F/73°C. So, it's certainly hot enough to make hot cocoa, certain delicate teas, and perhaps your instant ramen. But it's not that all that close to boiling water, which would be 212°F/100°C.

Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / Future

• Performance score: 3/5

Should you buy the Chefman Coffee Station Pro?Chefman Coffee Station Pro score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

The price is similar to other multi-functional semi-automatic machines

4/5

Design

The clever design allows for many functions in a not-too-huge footprint

4/5

Performance

This was very much a mixed bag; some types of brew came out great and some definitely not.

3/5

Buy it if

You have a multi-coffee-drinker household

The Chefman Coffee Station Pro does it all: espresso, latte, cappuccino, drip coffee, cold brew, iced coffee, K-cup, Nespresso capsule, and even hot water on demand.

You don't have space for many machines

While this isn't a small machine, it's certainly a lot smaller than separate machines for all of the different functions.

You want lots of options for guests

Even if your household doesn't need all of the features, it's nice to have just about any coffee option available for guests.

Don't buy it if

It's out of your price range

You can get a simple espresso machine plus a drip coffee machine and a basic frother for less than this all-in-one.

You want all of the features to be great

Though there are a lot of ways to brew coffee beverages with this machine, not all of them produce a great result.

You have extremely limited counter space

Considering how many features it has, the footprint isn't that huge. But it's still quite a bit bigger than most coffee machines.View Deal

Chefman Coffee Station Pro: also consider

Ninja AutoBarista Pro Fully Automatic Espresso Machine

This machine lacks the drip coffee carafe function and doesn't accept pods, but it has most of the other functions. Plus it has a built-in coffee grinder and comes with two different hoppers you can easily swap out.

Read my Ninja AutoBarista Pro Fully Automatic Espresso Machine reviewView Deal

Terra Kaffe TK-02

No pods here but you can make excellent drip coffee and espresso with just a tap. Use the built-in grinder or the ground coffee chute. The attached milk frother expands this machine's repertoire to six figures. Yes, you read that right. The Terra Kaffe TK-02 connects to an app (and Alexa!) so you can start your brew before you get out of bed.

Check out my Terra Kaffe TK-02 review.View Deal

How I tested the Chefman Coffee Station Pro

I brewed and drank every kind of coffee beverage the Chefman Coffee Station Pro makes. I brewed a Nespresso capsule and a K-cup. I brewed espresso from grounds, both hot and cold-pressed. I frothed milk (barista-style pistachio milk) and added a shot of espresso. I made latte and cappuccino. I brewed a carafe of drip coffee. I made cold brew and coffee over ice. I used the hot water feature, tasted it, and measured the temperature.

First reviewed September 2026

It’s International Coffee Day today, October 1, and I’ve written that phrase so many times already this morning that I’m glad it’s acceptable to be on my third cuppa already — in celebration, of course.

And right on cue, Breville — the brand responsible for many of the best coffee machines in Australia — has discounted a number of its top-performing models to commemorate the occasion. And TechRadar readers can save an extra 10% on already discounted machines with our exclusive promo code.

In fact, our exclusive coupon code can be used to any Breville appliance, not just espresso machines either — it will work site wide!

Just head to our dedicated Breville coupon code page, click on the very first green Get Code button and copy the unique one that's generated just for you. Head to the Breville website, shop what you'd like, then use the code at checkout.

It’s all about the coffee today though, and to help with any purchasing dilemmas you might have, I’ve picked out a few of my favourite Breville espresso machines that get the TechRadar seal of approval.

The Breville Bambino Plus is incredibly simple to use, and can take care of most of the coffee making process for you. Grind some beans into the porta filter, insert it into the group head and use the one-touch controls to brew. It also has a hands-free milk texturing system for expertly frothed milk, while ThermoJet technology means the machine is ready to use in seconds. There's very little you need to do other than simply enjoy the results.View Deal

The Barista Express is about as iconic as they come. It has everything one needs for cafe-quality coffee at home, including built-in grinding, dosage control and a hand tamp. You can also customise the water volume and temperature for the perfect espresso. Available in various colours, the three different shades of black work out to be the most affordable once our coupon code is applied. View Deal

Barista Express Impress (BES876): was $869 now $719.10
The Barista Express Impress takes everything that’s great with the Express, and adds Breville’s Impress tamping lever to ensure you apply the same tamping force to your ground beans each time. It also benefits from smart dosing, which will automatically correct the grind size if the machine detects the previous espresso was under- or over-extracted.View Deal

The Barista Touch is another fine choice for coffee aficionados. It includes a compact integrated grinder, tamping functionality, auto-dosing, and auto milk frothing, along with Thermo Jet technology for quick heat-up times. Its user-friendly interface means anyone can operate it via the touchscreen too. View Deal

The Oracle is one of Breville’s older machines, but it still more than holds its own against newer alternatives. It boasts automatic grinding, dosing, tamping and milk texturing, while its dual boiler means you can extract espresso and foam milk at the same time. View Deal

The Oracle Jet is perhaps all the coffee machine anyone could need. Its front panel is dominated by a large colour touchscreen, making it easy to select and see whatever drink you want. It will grind and tamp for you (and give intelligent feedback), and can steam milk (including non-dairy) automatically too. Plus, it heats up and is ready to use in seconds. It's not cheap, but you'll hold onto it for years to come.View Deal

Vivo's latest foldable just hit the global market, after first appearing in China in June. I'll rip the band-aid off early: the X Fold 6 won't be launching in the UK or US, but it will be available in select European markets (as per usual).

The Vivo X Fold 6 is launching at a very interesting time. Apple's first-ever foldable, the iPhone Duo, is just about to land, and Samsung shook things up with its passport-sized Galaxy Z Fold 8 earlier this year, too. Vivo keeps things a little more traditional; the X Fold 6 is the normal book-style fold that Android users are accustomed to. And to keep it appealing, Vivo has maxed out the specs in every department.

Choosing a foldable over a bar phone has always come with compromises, whether that be size and weight, battery capacity, or camera performance. Vivo has been working to eliminate every single one of these limitations, and it's getting really close. I've been using the X Fold 6 as my main device for the past week to see if it lives up to the hype.

The polar opposite of the iPhone Duo

(Image credit: Future)

At the moment, it feels like all eyes are on Apple, as the official launch of the Duo draws closer. I get the impression Vivo is more interested in one-upping the likes of the Honor Magic V6 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but the launch timing means that many will be weighing up the difference between it and Apple's first attempt at the foldable form factor. It's an interesting comparison, because the two devices couldn't be more different.

The X Fold 6 looks and feels like a Pro Max-sized flagship when folded shut. The cover screen isn't narrow like the Z Fold 8 Ultra's, nor is it shorter like the Duo. It's meant to feel like a regular phone that can unfold into a spacious tablet when you need it, and it succeeds at doing so.

(Image credit: Future)

It almost feels like this form factor is going out of style, and I think that's a real shame. The utility is plain to see; apps are all perfectly designed for the cover screen, and when you open it, you can have two apps side by side in their intended aspect ratio. I loved using the Z Fold 8, but I ran into software optimization hiccups on many occasions.

The X Fold 6 is a fairly big and heavy phone, especially compared to the slender Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but somehow, it's still lighter than the iPhone Duo. The Vivo tips the scales at 235g, while the smaller iPhone Duo weighs 254g. That chunky camera bump on the Vivo is sure to be divisive, though.

On the other hand, the camera bump is there for a good reason. While the Duo forgoes a telephoto camera entirely, the X Fold 6 has the most impressive telephoto I've ever seen on a foldable. Plus, if you really want to take things to the next level, it supports the same external teleconverter lens as the X300 Ultra.

FutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

And the camera prowess doesn't stop there. The X Fold 6 has a 200MP main camera with a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, and a 50MP ultra-wide to boot. It also benefits from Vivo's Zeiss partnership, with the signature T* lens coatings and co-developed picture styles in tow.

I've tested almost every foldable phone in 2026, and so far, I reckon Vivo's photos and videos are probably the best. Sadly, I haven't tried the Duo yet, but I do own the iPhone 18 Pro, and in most situations, I prefer the results I'm getting from this foldable phone. That's quite the achievement, and without a telephoto, I don't see Apple competing.

(Image credit: Future)

Vivo is also light-years ahead of the competition with its battery tech. Somehow, there's a 6,900mAh battery crammed into the X Fold 6, and I've been getting two days on a charge quite consistently. That's with heavy use, spending lots of time with the large folding screen and taking loads of photos.

Apple hasn't revealed the iPhone Duo's battery capacity (it never does), but what it did say at the phone's launch was revealing enough. Users can expect up to 24 hours of typical use. That's not even close to what the Vivo is offering here.

The same goes for the charging speeds; the X Fold 6 supports up to 80W with a wire and 40W wirelessly. Again, Apple hasn't confirmed the wired speed, but we already know enough. The brand says you can expect up to a 50% charge in 20 minutes; meanwhile, the Vivo can fully charge from flat in about 35 minutes.

(Image credit: Future)

Obviously, there will be a lot of differences in the software, but Origin OS 7 is closer to iOS than ever, at least in terms of aesthetics. It has a Dynamic Island clone, really nice-looking Liquid Glass styling, and very similar lock screen customization, too. If there's anything you don't like, you can almost certainly change it, as the customization options are extremely detailed.

Where the X Fold 6 truly pulls ahead is with its multitasking capabilities. So far, all sources report that the iPhone Duo can only display two apps side by side in split-view, and that these windows aren't resizable; it's always a 50/50 split. What Vivo is doing is on a whole different level.

On the X Fold 6, you can have up to four apps open in split view, all resizable, and then you can open a fifth as a floating window on top. Still not enough? You can also add tabs to the floating window to quickly switch between apps. I can't imagine anyone ever needing more than that; it's essentially desktop-level multitasking in your pocket.

(Image credit: Future)Where Vivo falls short

Of course, no device is perfect, and the X Fold 6 has its shortcomings. The biggest one is the phone's software polish, notwithstanding those aforementioned multitasking features. I doubt I'm alone when I say I was salivating when I first saw the iPhone Duo's unfolding animation. It's incredibly slick.

By contrast, the X Fold 6 reacts more slowly than most when being opened or closed. Instead of smooth animation, you'll be greeted with a blank screen every time you unfold it, and then you'll have to wait a split second for the UI to catch up and appear on screen. This transition isn't hard to live with, but it's far less polished than what Apple is offering on the iPhone Duo.

(Image credit: Future)

For the most part, though, I really like the X Fold 6's software. It's quick, smooth, and extremely customizable. Unfortunately, it has the same quirks we always see from Chinese brands. Apps will close themselves in the background to conserve battery life, which can result in delayed notifications until you go in and tweak the settings.

There's also that ever-present lock screen feature that just shows random images until you disable it. Weird.

The iPhone Duo impressed with its almost-invisible crease, too. The Vivo X Fold 6's crease is minimal, but it's still there. I'd say it trades blows with the Z Fold 8, and it's a step behind the Oppo Find N6's crease. It seems like Apple might be leading the pack in this particular area, but we'll pass judgment once we've spent more time with it.

(Image credit: Future)

Then, there's the issue of availability. If you live in a region where Vivo is present, then great, no issue — but that won't be the case for a lot of our readers. I live in the UK; Vivo doesn't operate here, so the only way for me to get a Vivo phone is to import one from a European neighbor, or grab a Chinese model.

It's not hard to do, but it means there are no contract deals on offer, and if anything goes wrong with the phone (which is more of a worry with foldables), I'm on my own.

(Image credit: Future)Should you get one?

The Vivo X Fold 6 is a foldable phone with almost no compromises. Honestly, it'd be a pretty solid phone if it didn't unfold, and the fact that it does is just the icing on the cake. The battery life is incredible, gaming performance is solid, and the cameras are among the best we've seen on a foldable to date.

If the iPhone Duo is the foldable phone for people who didn't know they needed a foldable, the Vivo X Fold 6 is the phone for foldable users who are fed up with compromises. The two couldn't be more different, and I'm glad they both exist.

As someone into photography, gaming, and content creation, who often needs to get serious work done on the go, the Vivo X Fold 6 is almost certainly more suited to my needs. But most people don't demand so much from their phone.

I have no doubt that many will prefer what Apple has cooked up. Still, I've been having an amazing time with this Vivo, and I don't want to put it down anytime soon.

• Critical safety hardware for an upcoming range of Rolls-Royce’s turbine-equipped nuclear power stations is being provided by ŠKODA JS
• The Czech company will provide safety mechanisms for 470 MW reactors
• ŠKODA JS was bought by the Czech Republic’s state-backed electric power company ČEZ in 2022, removing it from its previous Russian owner, OMZ

Development of new nuclear plants based around Rolls-Royce turbines will feature critical safety hardware from ŠKODA JS, it has been announced. The Czechia-based company – once part of the old ŠKODA Works organization – will design and manufacture the Control Rod Drive Mechanisms, which are vital for regulating output and handling safety in emergencies.

The Rolls-Royce SMR (small modular reactor, but also referred to as UK SMR) is a reactor capable of outputting 470 MW of energy. That’s the equivalent of 150 onshore wind turbines, and offers a low-carbon, always on, and virtually invisible alternative to landscape-spoiling steel and fiberglass constructions.

Competition for nuclear hardware expertise is strong across Europe, and ŠKODA JS is considered a “tier-one” supplier. The deal is expected to be worth Kč 1 billion Czech Koruna (around £35 million) per Rolls-Royce power station.

Memorandum of Understanding

Announcement of the ŠKODA JS built Control Rod Drive Mechanisms (CRDMs) follows an earlier Memorandum of Understanding with Rolls-Royce, in which the British company developed plans to develop sites in the Czech Republic, enabling deployment of up to 3GW of power.

Daniel Beneš, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of ČEZ, said: "It is precisely ČEZ’s role as a strategic partner and shareholder of Rolls-Royce SMR that is key to these successes for Czech companies. Škoda JS now faces the task of developing a prototype specifically for small modular reactors so that it can subsequently supply them to Rolls-Royce SMR worldwide.”

The Rolls-Royce SMR project is forecast to create 40,000 jobs in the UK by 2050, and is targeting £250bn of exports. It has additional Memorandums of Understanding in place with Estonia and Turkey, and is delivering a trio of SMRs to locations on Sweden’s west coast.

Leading the SMR field

Small modular reactors are seen as the future of nuclear power, providing the option to assemble on-site rather than requiring huge civil engineering projects. While smaller in size and output (providing 300 MW rather than 1,000 MW), they are also more affordable than traditional nuclear power stations, and can be situated closer to industrial sites.

“ŠKODA JS has proven capability in delivering one of the most important components in our power plant," noted Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce SMR Chief Executive.

"As one of the few businesses in Europe able to provide this vital component, we are proud to have secured Skoda JS as a strategic supplier, further demonstrating the industrial benefits that this project brings."

Rolls-Royce is seen as one of the foremost SMR builders, an extension of its turbine technology. This dates to the 1940s, and over the years has been adapted for propulsion across a number of vehicle types, land, sea and air, as well as power generation. Similarly, ŠKODA JS has a notable legacy and draws on around 70 years’ worth of nuclear power know-how.

While Dyson might be the most popular vacuum brand everyone keeps lusting after, some of its high prices make the brand a hard choice for many people. Moreover, as someone who's been testing and writing about some of the best vacuum cleaners in Australia for a decade, I know there are other options that more powerful and perform better than what Dyson currently offers.

And that brings me to Shark.

Now going under the banner of SharkNinja, the latter has been competing with Dyson for yonks and seems to be consistently making alternatives that aren't just more affordable, but also work very well indeed.

Like the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty, which is my #1 pick of the best stick vacuum in Australia. It's currently sold out on the SharkNinja website despite a AU$799.99 price tag, but it's still available on Amazon for a much lower AU$462.10. That's sadly not the lowest price I've seen for this model — that was just over AU$438 when Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026 started on September 29 — but I'd easily recommend it at around the AU$600 mark as that's how good I think it is.

• Follow our dedicated live coverage of the Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2026 sale for more deals and discounts

PowerDetect Clean & Empty: was $999 now $462.10
With powerful and dynamic suction, plenty of attachments and an auto-empty charging dock, this is arguably the best value cordless vacuum right now. It would have been great if Amazon had kept its previous all-time low price of AU$438 but, hey, this is still good. Please note that while Shark lists this vacuum's RRP at AU$999, it is typically listed on Amazon at around the AU$750 — still a fabulous discount.View Deal

Now, I haven't tested the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty myself, but I trust my colleague Ruth Hamilton who did — she's also quite the floorcare expert. According to her, the PowerDetect "came out top in my cleaning trials, beating even Dyson's priciest vacuums to the cleaning crown”.

Like all pricier options, the PowerDetect can automatically adjust suction when it detects different floor types and how dirty the floor is. In fact, it will do so even when it senses it's close to a room edge. Moreover, the floorhead's design allows it to suck just as well when moving backward as it does on a frontal push.

The free-standing self-emptying charging dock is also a fabulous feature at this discounted price, and it doesn't even need replacement dust bags. The box in the dock is easy to empty every now and then, plus it's fully washable too. You can purchase ongoing odour neutraliser pucks so bad smells don't build up inside the vacuum, but that's optional — just keep it clean and you won't need to spend the extra cash.

You can roll with this one too

Hold on for a sec longer as that's not the only vacuum recommendation. The heftily named Shark Cordless Vacuum with Self-Cleaning Brushroll (IZ102) is always popular with our readers and stock typically runs out quick when it gets a discount.

And it's now at a record-low price of just AU$189 (or AU$10 less than what it was during July's Prime Day sale). We haven't tested it ourselves at TechRadar, but something has got to be said about the 4.3-star average rating it's got with hundreds of Amazon customers giving it 5 stars. It's even got 72% positive ratings on Product Review, so it must be doing something good.

Honestly, at this price, this no-frills stick vac is perfect for those quick cleans, whether that's inside the house or the shed. Hey, even use it in the car or boat.

Cordless Vacuum with Self Cleaning Brushroll (IZ102): was $399.99 now $189
It may not have fancy features or the latest tech, but it's a great price for a no-frills stick vacuum that has some glowing user reviews. With a 40-minute runtime, LED lights to expose hidden debris, versatile attachments and a hair-dominating self-cleaning brushroll, it's worth hoovering up (pun intended).View Deal

If neither Shark tickles your fancy, I've handpicked more of the best October Prime Day vacuum deals, which includes a Dyson going for just under AU$290. I've also included some good robot vacuum deals, as well as upright, handhelds and corded barrel types. So there's plenty to choose from and no need to wait for Black Friday 2026 sales in Australia to pick up a new vacuum cleaner.

• One AtlasBase DNA capsule could eventually hold as much as 50 PB
• One cartridge holds 100 capsules, giving between 100 TB and 5 EB
• Stored DNA can last more than 1,000 years without electricity or cooling

AtlasBase is developing DNA storage hardware that could eventually place as much as 50 PB of digital information inside a small capsule by encoding data in synthetic DNA.

The company’s Thalia platform combines conventional semiconductor controls with biochemical processes to convert digital information into combinations of four DNA bases and write the resulting sequences at very high density.

AtlasBase says its latest chip contains 5.6 billion reaction sites, representing a 700-fold increase over earlier DNA synthesis technology, with the silicon platform chemically producing the encoded DNA sequences.

A tiny capsule could hold huge amounts of data

The chip uses a 16nm CMOS layer beneath a separate biological section, allowing electrical controls to direct reactions across millions of tiny sites.

Each site contains components that enable chemical reactions, with electrical pulses determining which DNA base is added during each synthesis cycle.

The resulting synthetic DNA strands can then be dried and sealed inside metal capsules, which are designed to fit into storage cartridges.

AtlasBase says a capsule can initially contain between 1 TB and 50 PB, while its cartridge design accommodates 100 capsules.

That would create a potential capacity ranging from 100 TB to 5 EB within one cartridge-sized storage footprint for archival storage.

The company also says its molecular medium can remain usable for more than 1,000 years without continuous electricity, cooling or mechanical movement.

“For 2 billion years, DNA has flourished as nature’s data platform, an incredibly capable structure for processing the information that defines every living thing,” said Jeff Treuhaft, CEO of AtlasBase.

“We’re now harnessing that same architecture for computing at a scale that was never before possible.”

The storage proposition therefore centres on long-term preservation rather than replacing high-speed systems.

Molecular computing adds another layer

AtlasBase is also developing ways to perform selected calculations directly with DNA molecules instead of repeatedly transferring data between storage and processors.

The approach uses chemical reactions to examine many possible combinations simultaneously, making it potentially useful for optimization problems involving enormous numbers of possible outcomes.

One example involves scheduling flights, where numerous combinations of aircraft, routes and available times must satisfy several constraints simultaneously.

AtlasBase says its system can examine thousands or millions of candidate combinations concurrently, although accessing stored material still requires preparation and sequencing.

Retrieving previously stored material for computation can take minutes, while the final processing time depends on the complexity of the application.

That timing makes the technology fundamentally different from conventional processors, where calculations can occur far faster once relevant data reaches memory.

AtlasBase has already begun offering early-access programmes covering molecular storage and computing to selected organizations and technology users.

The company says potential applications include archives, records preservation, transport planning, industrial operations, financial work, scientific studies and resource analysis.

However, the technology still lacks the operating history and commercial deployment evidence needed to establish how it compares with established archival systems.

Via Blocksandfiles

The second Prime Day in Australia for 2026 is now live, and that means the next seven days represent one of your best opportunities to secure a new set of headphones at a big discount.

That's right, Prime Big Deal Days, as it's officially known, kicks off today, Tuesday, September 29 and will come to a close next Monday, October 5. As the deals already live are proving, there are massive savings to be found on popular brands including Bose, Sony and Sennheiser, to name a few.

It's fair to say that the prices I've found so far aren't quite as good as those we saw during the main Prime Day back in July, but many come awfully close. Plus, with them being available on Amazon, in many instances, you can have your new headphones arriving at your front door within two days (or sooner) if you have a Prime membership.

And, as experience tells me, fresh deals and prices can appear at any time, so be sure to check back on this page throughout the sale for all the latest finds.

The best Prime Big Deal Days headphone deals in AustraliaOver-ear headphones

If you're looking for a truly cost-effective audio upgrade, the 1More Sonoflow are up for the task. We praised the comfort, noise cancelling capability and the mammoth 70 hours of battery life in our 1More Sonoflow review. You'll struggle to find better at this price, which is the lowest I've seen in a long time.View Deal

Sonoflow Pro: was $129.99 now $82.14
If your budget can stretch a little, you can get yourself the Pro version of 1More's talented over ears. They've maintained a position as the best budget noise-cancelling headphones for some time now, due to their satisfying sound, excellent battery life and the best ANC for the money.View Deal

Soundcore is another brand that knows how to produce a budget-friendly set of headphones that don't scrimp on quality. Check out our Anker Soundcore Space One review for more info, but they reduce noise by 98% and offer continuous playback of up to 55 hours. In other words, these headphones are perfect for any audiophile and offer a great Beats alternative where looks are concerned.View Deal

Soundcore Space One Pro: was $349.99 now $199.99
The Space One Pro headphones improve upon the non-Pro version with improved sound quality, with the added benefit of hi-res audio support (thanks to LDAC). ANC is strong, and battery life is great at up to 60 hours. The companion app also opens up a wealth of customisation and includes a HearID feature that will tailor the sound profile to your personal preference. View Deal

Live 780NC: was $299 now $189.05
JBL's rather stylish over ears are definitely worth checking out if you want a touch of style with your music. They also happen to be a top performer, as we said in our review, they are "everything you want in headphones at this level". Only the orange and and purple pairs are discounted. View Deal

Not only do the Headphone (a) offer a distinctive design, but they’re also crammed with features that make them an utter joy to use. Sound quality is superb too, making these attractive over-ears a genuinely viable alternative to the more established names. The best price is on the white colour option.View Deal

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are simply stunning and prove why the company is the king of ANC. They do miss out on some features only found on their Ultra sibling, but for a solid, everyday pair of over-ear cans, you really can't go wrong here. Check our Bose QuietComfort Headphones review for more info.

The 'SC' variant, with a soft case, is also available for the same price.View Deal

Momentum 4 Wireless: was $624.95 now $240
Sennheiser has now finally released a newer version of its stunning Momentum headphones, but that only means this fourth-gen model becomes even more affordable. In our five-star Sennheiser Momentum 4 review, we highlighted their effective active noise-cancellation, 60-hours of battery life and excellent sound quality. The best price is on the black model, but other colours get good discounts.View Deal

WH-1000XM4: was $439 now $299
They might be a couple of generations old now, but the Sony XM4s are still a formidable pair of headphones that I'm always more than happy to recommend. They're comfortable, sound fantastic, and benefit from very capable ANC. A true gem.View Deal

QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Black): was $649 now $378
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra are a stunning set of headphones and comfortably the best when it comes to active noise-cancellation. Their sound quality is nothing short of exquisite, and the ability to turn any song into a spatial audio one thanks to Immersive Mode earns it another gold star. View Deal

Apple's first-generation AirPods Max get a welcome discount for Prime Day, in a variety of colours too. Undoubtedly still an investment, but one that is worth it if you're looking for excellent ANC and "unbelievable audio performance" according to our Apple AirPods Max review. They do have a couple of flaws, but the pros outweigh the cons. View Deal

In-ear headphones

It's not the all-time low price of AU$299 that I saw during the last Prime Day, but any saving on the AirPods Pro 3 is worth mentioning. They offer a much-improved fit over the 2s, class-leading ANC and a wonderful sound profile. If you own an iOS device, they're a no brainer.View Deal

Ear (3a): was $179 now $127.75
We're not a fan of the call recording feature, but in all other aspects, these Nothing earbuds are excellent. Sound quality is exemplary, and there's plenty of tweaking available via the app, and the ANC is effective too. The best price is on the black model, but other colours including yellow and pink also see discounts.View Deal

QuietComfort Earbuds: was $289 now $170.05
Coming in at just AU$10 more than their Prime Day price (in black, pink or white only) the Bose QC Earbuds are worth checking out. They employ best-in-class noise cancellation, an unbelievably comfortable and secure fit, solid battery life and a feature-packed app.View Deal

AirPods 4 (ANC): was $299 now $185
If your budget doesn't quiet stretch to the Pro 3, there's a great discount on the AirPods 4 with ANC. They're mightily impressive, being able to effectively block out external sounds, despite not fitting in your ear quite as much. The soundstage is excellent, and they support spatial audio. Battery life is decent with five hours on a single charge or 30 hours with the included carry case.View Deal

Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds: was $499 now $247
We gave these stunning earbuds 4.5 stars out of 5 in our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review, as they have class-leading audio handling and impeccable sound quality that rivals the best wireless earbuds. With balanced sound, effective ANC and a great battery life, these Sennheiser buds will make any audiophile smile. View Deal

Powerbeats Fit: was $329 now $269
We've not reviewed this set of Beats earbuds just yet, but we've been impressed with the brand's previous efforts, including the previous Beats Fit Pro. This new model arrives with a more secure fit, perfect for workout sessions, a smaller case and full IPX4 water and sweat resistance. They don't get the heart-rate sensor as found in the Powerbeats Pro unfortunately, but otherwise this is a cracking set of in-ear headphones. The price here is just AU$19 more than Prime Day.View Deal

EAH-AZ100: was $499 now $331
These Technics buds deliver a sound packed with detail and clarity, and one that is entirely engaging. ANC is great, and they're packed with useful features. View Deal

They are still expensive for a set of in-ear headphones, we know, but the B&W Pi8 are unlike any pair of earbuds we've heard before. They are exceptionally detailed in their audio delivery and the ANC onboard can comfortably compete with the very best. A number of other useful features only add to their appeal. The best price is on the white and jade green colours. View Deal

Open earbuds

Clip 1: was $86.99 now $66.74
If you're unsure if the a clip-style earbud is for you, then you can try it out with this inexpensive pair from Soundpeats. They've claimed a spot in our guide to the best open earbuds thanks to superb battery life and the fact they support hi-res audio. Admittedly, more expensive pairs do sound better, but you can at least tweak the EQ settings in the app to find a sound that's good for you. View Deal

If you're in the market for a pair of open-style earbuds, the Soundcore AeroClip are a fine choice. As we found in our review, they deliver "clear, engaging audio", and are incredibly comfortable to wear. They do miss out on some features you'll find in other, more expensive models, but where sound quality is concerned, they're a winner.View Deal

OpenFit 2+: was $340 now $227
We heaped praise on these open-style earbuds in our review, going as far to say they're "better than Bose". They're comfortable, boast long battery life and we loved the inclusion of Dolby cinematic sound. The price here is for the white model, black is available for AU$238. View Deal

Our reviewer called the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 the ideal runner’s headphones thanks to its lightweight form factor, comfort, stability and sound quality. There’s also a “classic mode” to switch to purely bone conduction that’s better suited for windy conditions or for cycling. The listing here is for both the 'Mini' and 'Standard' sizes. This price is the lowest we’ve seen on Amazon so far. The black colour has sold out, but you can still get this price in orange.View Deal

Offering “incredible sound” according to our review, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have all the power and quality you’d expect from a Bose-branded item while providing the benefits of an open-ear form factor. The Immersive sound is excellent, and they give up to 7 hours of music. At full price they're certainly a premium investment, but this discount scratches that itch.View Deal

Wired headphones

Soundmagic has been at the forefront of quality wired earbuds for years now, and the E11C are the latest in a long lineage of top-performing pairs. They are a few years old, but they're so brilliant, Soundmagic hasn't felt the need to replace them. And at this price, they represent an affordable route to quality in-ear headphones. Note that I've taken the 'before' price from the official Soundmagic Australia website.

The E11D with a USB-C connector for higher quality audio is also available for under AU$82.17 from the Global Store.View Deal

Triple Driver in-ear headphones: was $119.99 now $83.99
We said in our 1More Triple Driver in-ear headphone review that these wired buds deliver "stellar audio", alongside "excellent build and design". Do note that these use a 3.5mm aux connection, but if that's ok for you, this is a great example of what's possible from wired earbuds.View Deal

This Quad Driver set of earbuds ups the ante over the Triple Driver model, delivering an even more engaging sound that's also better built. We did say their higher price could put people off in our 1More Quad Driver in-ear headphones review, but your money does get you improved performance.View Deal

HD 505: was $449.95 now $225
These open-back Sennheiser headphones are extremely comfortable to wear over longer periods and, as we said in our review "are an expansive, wide-open listen — and they can control a soundstage just as confidently as they lay it out in the first place". The fact they're open-backed does mean they're better suited to home listening though.View Deal

• Opera's browser now solves one of the biggest problems travelers face abroad
• The built-in eSIM connects the entire phone rather than Opera alone
• Travelers can activate connectivity without buying another eSIM application first

Opera has added a built-in eSIM to its Android browser, giving travelers 3GB of complimentary mobile data for three days across supported destinations.

Travelers who arrive in a new country can skip the hunt for public Wi-Fi, because the free data requires no card details, purchasing a plan or entering an email.

The connection covers the entire phone rather than only the browser, so maps, messaging and ride apps keep working without roaming charges.

Connectivity starts inside the browser

The new service is available across 47 destinations. International travelers can install the eSIM before departure and activate it after reaching their destination.

Once the introductory allowance expires, users can purchase additional packages through Opera, with options offering 3GB, 5GB or 10GB for 30 days.

Opera says its eSIM plans are about 33% cheaper on average than six major competitors, based on a 5GB United States comparison.

The comparison used prices recorded in August 2026, which means the actual costs can differ depending on the destination and selected package.

The service can connect through 5G where local networks support it, while supported phones can retain their normal cellular number separately.

Why other browsers could copy the approach

The practical advantage of this feature is that travelers no longer need to depend entirely on their carrier's roaming package when crossing international borders.

They also avoid downloading a separate eSIM application while disconnected, although initial installation still requires reliable internet access before departure.

“Opera has spent decades getting people online where data is expensive or hard to come by,” said Tim Lesnik, Product Manager of Opera.

“Roaming is the same problem in a different shape: you pay a disproportionate amount for the same internet you have at home.”

Opera's approach combines connectivity with services already associated with travel, including its VPN and data-saving tools, giving the browser another function beyond opening websites.

“The eSIM, alongside our data savings and VPN, makes browsing while traveling more convenient. After all, a browser is pointless without a connection – so now we provide that as well,” Lesnik added.

The eSIM is data-only, requires Android 10 or later, and works only with compatible phones that are not locked to a carrier.

The free data is currently available in the US, UK, Germany, France, Canada, UAE, Brazil, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Poland.

The underlying eSIM service can be purchased worldwide, while users traveling through several countries can keep one installed SIM and add country-specific data.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, September 30 (game #1710).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1711) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• N

• S

• B

• T

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1711) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1711, are…

• NAVEL
• SHEER
• BIRTH
• TACKY

When you get stuck on a word with a missing letter and can’t see anything that would work, the key is invariably the letter V.

Two years into my Quordle obsession and I am still ignoring it, and today I spent ages ruling out every other combination before I final gazed upon NAVEL.

Daily Sequence today (game #1711) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1711, are…

• CLUNG
• SLURP
• WHEAT
• RECAP

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1710, Wednesday, 30 September: CHOKE, BATCH, MOSSY, EAGER
• Quordle #1709, Tuesday, 29 September: BILGE, MEDAL, LODGE, PORCH
• Quordle #1708, Monday, 28 September: BRUNT, TORSO, STONE, HEATH
• Quordle #1707, Sunday, 27 September: VALET, CHEST, VIGIL, PUREE
• Quordle #1706, Saturday, 26 September: SNORT, BIBLE, LAPSE, CRANE
• Quordle #1705, Friday, 25 September: SWEAR, FLOOD, GUPPY, GROAN
• Quordle #1704, Thursday, 24 September: TOPIC, METRO, SCALP, FREED
• Quordle #1703, Wednesday, 23 September: SHEET, BLAND, JOIST, GUAVA
• Quordle #1702, Tuesday, 22 September: COMFY, LOBBY, DRESS, PANEL
• Quordle #1701, Monday, 21 September: WAXEN, HIPPO, PETAL, LEASH
• Quordle #1700, Sunday, 20 September: DERBY, LIMBO, GAWKY, REIGN
• Quordle #1699, Saturday, 19 September: SCOPE, HEIST, PULSE, CHAMP
• Quordle #1698, Friday, 18 September: MUCUS, MIRTH, APPLE, TILDE
• Quordle #1697, Thursday, 17 September: CRIER, CHIRP, NEIGH, FREER
• Quordle #1696, Wednesday, 16 September: SPEAR, PRICE, BLUNT, FISHY
• Quordle #1695, Tuesday, 15 September: SHUSH, LITHE, DELTA, BUGLE
• Quordle #1694, Monday, 14 September: ZEBRA, LEGAL, RATIO, TROLL
• Quordle #1693, Sunday, 13 September: LUCID, SPRAY, MANGE, EMAIL
• Quordle #1692, Saturday, 12 September: SUPER, BRUSH, RESET, SOWER
• Quordle #1691, Friday, 11 September: PLUSH, PAINT, RIVAL, AFOUL

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, September 30 (game #1207).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• NATIONAL
• KEN
• NECK
• SHINS
• ACRO
• STICK
• WAIST
• WALKMEN
• SITUATE
• SLEEVE
• CROSS
• PLACE
• SUD
• POSITION
• CHEST
• DECEMBERISTS

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Manoeuvre into a spot where it belongs
• GREEN: Required for sharp dressing
• BLUE: Alt rock with something missing
• PURPLE: A puzzling beginning

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: PUT
• GREEN: DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS
• BLUE: 2000S INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH "THE"
• PURPLE: STARTS OF NYT PRINT PUZZLES

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1208) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1208, are…

• YELLOW: PUT: PLACE, POSITION, SITUATE, STICK
• GREEN: DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS: CHEST, NECK, SLEEVE, WAIST
• BLUE: 2000S INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH "THE": DECEMBERISTS, NATIONAL, SHINS, WALKMEN
• PURPLE: STARTS OF NYT PRINT PUZZLES: ACRO, CROSS, KEN, SUD

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

NYT got very meta with today’s purple group, with an online game paying homage to the NYT's offline games. I’m ashamed to say it flew over my head.

Instead, I was focused on the appearance of one of my favorite bands of all time in Connections, The NATIONAL, alongside three other equally highly regarded bands which made it into 2000s INDIE ROCK BANDS, WITH "THE". Even though the majority of music I like could be described as “indie rock” I find genre names cringe, but it’s not a hill I’m willing to die on, or even suffer a mild ankle sprain on, so I’ll let it go.

Anyway, I digress… Fortunately, with that purple group not registering, DRESS SHIRT MEASUREMENTS and PUT were both easy to collect

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, September 30, 2026, game #1207)

• YELLOW: SECURITIES: BOND, FUTURE, OPTION, STOCK
• GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE SHAKEN (NOT STIRRED): ETCH A SKETCH, MARTINI, SPRAY PAINT, TAMBOURINE
• BLUE: GANGSTER MOVIES: BUGSY, CASINO, DONNIE BRASCO, SCARFACE
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH MONTH ABBREVIATIONS: DECENT, NOVELTY, OCTOPUSSY, SEPTUM

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.