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Garmin Forerunner 70 review: Substantial upgrades that come at a cost

Thu, 07/02/2026 - 04:16

Garmin Forerunner 70: One minute review

The Garmin Forerunner 70 is a Garmin watch that we’ve waited a long time for. This is the natural successor to the Forerunner 55, the watch that was pitched at beginner runners or runners who like to stick to the basics (and can even run a marathon in under two hours, as it was worn by record-breaker Sebastian Sawe).

With such a large time gap between the two watches, it’s hardly surprising to see Garmin make some big changes, not only with the hardware but the software too.

It’s clearly been a task of bringing the 70 in line with other new Forerunner watches, which includes adding an AMOLED display and touchscreen while keeping the full array of physical buttons to give it that traditional running watch feel. While keeping the AMOLED on at all times does dent the battery much quicker, it elevates the software and what it’s like to use the 70 as a smartwatch.

There’s some upgrades to the sensors, and while you don’t get Garmin’s latest multi-band GPS or Gen 5 Elevate optical sensor, the improved GNSS sensor and move from Gen 3 to Gen 4 sensors does deliver strong GPS and heart rate tracking performance still.

The additions made in the training and smartwatch departments also make this feel like a more advanced watch than the Forerunner 55. You now have a watch that has full access to Garmin’s Connect IQ store and brings in some of Garmin’s nicest smartwatch features like morning and evening reports. No you don’t get payments, Bluetooth calls or a music player, but if you’re looking for the basics that go beyond what the 55 offered, the 70’s got you well covered.

It’s also great to see some of Garmin’s best training features. Training Readiness now features on a cheaper Garmin to help you decide when to train and rest. You can now use the 70 to navigate your way. You don’t get full maps, but the breadcrumb navigation still makes it useful to have on your wrist when exploring new surroundings or struggling to get back home after a run.

Those added features do, unsurprisingly, come at an added cost. A cost that does push the Forerunner 70 out of that entry level category into more of a mid-range one. That does mean you can find cheaper alternatives like the Suunto Run or can pay a bit more for the Coros Pace 4 and get newer sensors including dual-band GPS. If you’re sold on Garmin’s software, still want that strong tracking performance and like the idea of having an AMOLED screen and the best smartwatch experience you’ll find on a running watch at this price, those are going to be the biggest reasons to grab the Forerunner 70.

Garmin Forerunner 70: Specifications

Component

Garmin Forerunner 70

Price

$249.99 USD / £219.99 UK / $399 AUS

Dimensions

42.6mm wide, 11.9mm thick

Weight

40g

Case/bezel

polymer case, polymer bezel

Display

1.2-inch AMOLED Screen, 390 x 390 px resolution

GPS

GNSS, 6 satellite systems

Battery life

Up to 5 days of heavy use, or 13 days typical

Connection

Bluetooth, ANT+

Water resistance

5 ATM

Garmin Forerunner 70: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Mike Sawh)

$249.99 / £219.99 / AU$399
More expensive than the Forerunner 55
Cheaper than the Forerunner 170

The Garmin Forerunner 70 has a launch price of $249.99 USD / £219.99 UK / $399 AUS, which puts it firmly in the mid-range running smartwatch category. That’s in contrast to its predecessor the Forerunner 55, which launched with a sub-$200 price tag when it landed back in 2021.

Given there’s been some pretty sizable upgrades with the hardware and software, including adding an AMOLED display and richer smartwatch features, it’s not surprising that the price has leapt up a bit. It does feel like it’s lost a bit of the beginner-friendly appeal of the Forerunner 55 in the process.

The Forerunner 70 was launched alongside the Forerunner 170, which at $299 / £259.99 / AU$479 gives you additional features like contactless payments and a music player, longer battery life and additional sensors like an altimeter.

Value score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Design

One case size option
Added AMOLED screen
Combination of touchscreen and physical buttons

Like the Garmin Forerunner 55, the Forerunner 70 remains a watch that sits pretty small on your wrist. That might be an issue for fans of bigger watches like a Fenix. For runners, typically smaller and lighter is better and that is what you get here.

Garmin has moved up slightly from a 42mm sized-polymer case to a 42.6mm one. It’s just the one case size that’s light to hold and comes in four different colors. Whether you want something plain or like a splash of color, you’re catered for here. The strap attached to the case is pretty typical of the ones you find partnered up to most Garmin Forerunners. It’s a 20mm silicone one that uses a pin mechanism, so you can remove it when the strap included gets sweaty or dirty or you just fancy switching to another color.

Garmin sticks to including five physical buttons for that classic running watch navigation experience. That’s now matched up with a 1.2-inch, 390 x 390 resolution AMOLED touchscreen. That sees Garmin move away from the memory pixel display on another watch line, sacrificing the longer battery life and more impressive viewing angles in brighter outdoor light for that added colour, vibrancy and to be more in keeping with other smartwatches. It’s still going to be a screen you can view comfortably outside when it’s really sunny. You just might need to crank up the brightness to do that, which will have an impact on battery life.

Like the Forerunner 50 and most other more affordable Garmin watches, the Forerunner 70 carries a 5ATM waterproof rating. That makes it safe for swimming and showering with it. There’s only a pool swimming tracking mode as Garmin leaves out open water and triathlon modes. That’ll be disappointing for anyone hoping they could pick this up as an affordable triathlon watch.

Design score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Features

(Image credit: Future / Mike Sawh)

Upgraded Gen 4 Elevate sensor from Forerunner 55
Includes latest training insights like Training Readiness
Offers breadcrumb-style navigation

Garmin is pitching the Forerunner 70 as an entry-level running smartwatch, so it’s giving you some running features, but not all that it has to offer.

Like the GPS support, where the Forerunner 70 uses multi-GNSS, as opposed to the latest multi-band GPS included on the Forerunner 570 and above watches. This means you miss out on having improved tracking accuracy when running or moving near tall buildings or locations with a lot of tall trees.

Other hardware improvements include upgrading from the Gen 3 Elevate optical heart rate sensor to the Gen 4 version. That’s actually not the latest version of Garmin’s in-house sensor technology. That’s Gen 5, which gives you added features like ECG heart rate measurements. This will cover continuous monitoring and tracking heart rate during exercise. You can also pair external heart rate monitors to it as well.

In terms of software features, there’s a lot that’s been added to the Forerunner 70 over the Forerunner 55. Along with bringing the UI up to date with other AMOLED-toting Garmins, you’re now getting more smartwatch features. You can set up smart alarms, view morning and evening reports for a summary of your day and recommendations for the following day.

There’s improved notification support for Android users, so now you can view more information being shared in notifications. A big one is the added Connect IQ support: previously, this was restricted to only downloading watch faces. Now you have full access to the storefront to download apps, watch faces and data fields.

There’s plenty that’s been upgraded on the tracking and training front too. You can now follow routes using breadcrumb-style navigation as opposed to the full maps you’ll find on pricier Garmin watches. Garmin has brought in a raft of its latest training metrics and features including Training Readiness, wrist-based running power, more strength-focused training support and this is a watch that’s compatible with Garmin’s Coach. That’s free access to Garmin’s training platform that now comprises running, cycling and strength training plans that can be synced over to the watch.

Features score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Performance

Good GPS despite lack of dual-band
Smartwatch features work well across Android and iOS
Heart rate tracking solid with support for external sensors

In terms of tracking your runs, the Forerunner 70 does a sterling job like most other Garmins and not just for running. When I’ve used it for pool swims, indoor rows, treadmill runs and bike sessions, the tracking has been as solid as other Garmins I’ve tested.

Some will be disappointed that Garmin doesn’t include its latest multi-band GPS technology. As I’ve found when using Garmin’s watches with multi-GNSS setups, they still perform better than a lot of dual-band watches. I’d say it’s the same story for the Forerunner 70. It might get a bit more shaky in places with a lot of tall buildings for the GPS technology to deal with, but I’ve been using it alongside the Forerunner 170 and Garmin’s markedly more expensive Garmin Forerunner 970, and the 70 has more than held its own.

It’s a similar story with heart rate tracking. While you’re getting the older Gen 4 version of Garmin’s Elevate optical heart rate sensor technology, that doesn’t equal a bad performance. For steady paced runs and runs in some significantly hotter running conditions, the 70 held up well against Garmin and MyZone heart rate monitor chest straps. It can take a bit longer to match up when you’re easing off during interval work. Overall though, the 70’s older sensor gets the job done, with the option to pair a Bluetooth heart rate sensor to improve performance.

Where Garmin has really bolstered things on the 70 compared to the 55 is the influx of training insights and bringing it more up to speed in terms of smartwatch features. It’s great to see Training Readiness make the cut where previously Garmin had left this useful insight into your preparedness to tackle a tough session off from its more affordable watches. It’s also about the presentation of these features, which is something Garmin does better than the competition. Like the well integrated daily suggested workouts or helping you keep an eye on your recovery time.

While you’re not getting the best that Garmin has to offer in smartwatch features, the added AMOLED touchscreen and general changes made to the user interface does mean it operates better as a smartwatch than most other running-focused smartwatches. The stream of Glances (widgets) offer a nice snapshot of your data, morning and evening report summaries are great additions, while the music playback controls work well with third party music services like Spotify. Unlike the Forerunner 55, you do now have full access to the Garmin Connect IQ store and that means increasing your ability to personalise the watch software with the features, apps and data fields you care most about.

Sleep tracking has been a bit of a weakness for Garmin. Particularly when overreporting sleep duration and the time it’s taken to recognise when you’d fallen asleep. Things thankfully have gotten better and I count the Forerunner 70 in the 'good' camp of sleep trackers. I’ve been wearing it to bed with an Oura Ring 5 and core sleep stats have largely told a similar story about my night’s sleep. The now added sleep coach and recommendation features brings sleep more into the training equation as well as helping you think more about your recovery time between runs and other workouts.

In terms of battery life, you’re unsurprisingly not getting the best Garmin has to offer on that front. What you are getting is a watch that should hold for a week’s worth of training. If you’re using it with the always-on display mode while tracking outdoor runs, you’re going to get less than a week.

GPS battery numbers give you a good amount to play with as well. I found that an hour's worth of running in the best available GPS mode hit the battery by just shy of 10%. That doesn’t add up to the 16 hours promised.

Performance score: 4/5

Garmin Forerunner 70: Scorecard

(Image credit: Future / Mike Sawh)

Mobile Industry Awards 2026: Our shortlist revealed!

Thu, 07/02/2026 - 04:00

We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the Mobile Industry Awards 2026!

The MIAs represent the gold standard of excellence in the industry - from the boardroom to the grassroots, the entrants represent the best and brightest the UK mobile industry has to offer.

The Mobile Industry Awards 2026 will take place on 17th September 2026 at the stunning Royal Lancaster London - the perfect setting for a night of fine dining, networking and industry celebration.

The MIA 2026 nominees are....

Best Mobile Service & Solution Provider

ege
Plan.com
Salt Communications

Best Mobile/Gadget Insurance Service

Asurion
Barclays Tech Pack - powered by Likewize
EE Gadget Cover
insurance2go

Best Wholesale Service & Solution Provider sponsored by Business Mobiles

eSIM Go
VodafoneThree Wholesale

Best Customer Service (Business)

Active Digital
ege
Pure Communication Group

Best Customer Service (Consumer)

Envirofone
Lebara Mobile
Mazuma Mobile
Saily
Sky Mobile
Talkmobile
Tesco Mobile
The iOutlet
VodafoneThree

Best Place to Work (under 1,000 employees) NEW FOR 2026

Bamboo Connect
BusinessMobile.com
Mova
Pure Communication Group
Saily
The Big Phone Store

Best Place to Work (over 1,000 employees)

EE Retail
Tesco Mobile

CSR Initiative of the Year

Active Digital – Closing the Gap on the Digital Divide
Safer SIMs from EE
Samsung Solve for Tomorrow
Tesco Mobile’s Online Safety and Technology Grants
VodafoneThree - everyone.connected: Closing the UK Digital Divide

Marketing Campaign of the Year

GK Telecom Nationwide Omnichannel Customer Acquisition Campaign
Lebara Mobile - The Smarter Choice
Motorola - Brilliant Collection Launch

Sustainability Initiative of the Year

Envirofone x ZSL London Zoo: Trade In, Give Back, Protect the Gorillas
Likewize Circular Device Lifecycle Services
The Big Phone Store
The Fairphone (Gen. 6): The one that lasts

Sales Team of the Year (new for 2026)

Belkin UK Sales Team
Pure Communication Group
VodafoneThree Indirect Sales Team Excellence

Team of the Year

Samsung Mobile Experience (MX) UK & Ireland - Marketing, Omnichannel, Sales and Product team
Tesco Mobile People team
Virgin Media O2 CTO team
VodafoneThree Discovery Team

Accessory Manufacturer of the Year

Belkin International
Motorola

Smartphone Manufacturer of the Year

Apple
Google
Motorola
Samsung
TCL

Best eSIM Provider

ByteSIM
eROAMING eSIM
EE Instant Connect
Saily
SureSIM

Best MVNO sponsored by GK Telecom Ltd

iD Mobile
Lebara Mobile
plan.com
Sky Mobile
SMARTY Mobile

Best Network for Business

BT + EE Business
Vodafone Business UK

Best Network for Consumers

Sky Mobile
VodafoneThree

Best SIM Only Network

iD Mobile
Lebara Mobile
Spusu Mobile

Innovation of the Year (Product or Service)

Bamboo Connect: Optima and Device Intelligence Platform
Freshwave 5G on Omni
musicMagpie - 'Take it to Timpson' Trade-in Service
Samsung – Galaxy S26 Series Privacy Display
SIMPL’s Compass Platform
SureSIM Travel ProtectO2 Satellite
Vodafone Business - the UK's first commercial 5G network slicing service

Best Recycling and Refurbishing Service

Likewize
Mazuma Mobile
musicMagpie
Samsung in partnership with MTR
The Big Phone Store
The iOutlet
VodafoneThree

Best Repair Service

Likewize We Come To You Repair
The Big Phone Store
The iLab
VodafoneThree Fix&Go

Distributor of the Year

ege
GK Telecom

Retailer of the Year (High Street and Online)

EE
musicMagpie
The Big Phone Store
The iOutlet
VodafoneThree

For all awards updates visit our site www.mobileindustryawards.com - we look forward to seeing you on September 17 2026!

If you have any questions or queries about how to attend or enter, get in touch at kate.smith@futurenet.com

Categories: Technology

The security alerts you ignore are the ones that matter

Thu, 07/02/2026 - 03:53

With alert volumes running into the hundreds of thousands, security teams have built habits around what to ignore. And attackers have learned to exploit them.

For years, security operations centers (SOCs) have dealt with sorting through the noise of security alerts by prioritizing vulnerabilities based on severity level.

As the enterprise technology stack became more complex with a growing number of endpoints, cloud infrastructure, and multiple identity systems, it became impractical, if not impossible, for SOCs to address every single alert that got flagged.

As a result, most teams have adopted an approach where they focus their efforts on mitigating the medium- and high-severity alerts and dismissing or deprioritizing those flagged as lower risk.

However, just because a threat is deemed “low risk” doesn’t mean it’s “no risk.” Recent large-scale analysis of enterprise security alerts found that around 1% of all incidents can be traced back to alerts initially categorized as low severity.

For an average enterprise with 450,000 alerts per year, this translates to approximately one real threat slipping by each week. Although the percentage sounds small, it does represent a number of real threats that are being dismissed instead of being addressed by security teams.

These findings challenge the current best practice of prioritizing alerts based on severity level. They raise a critical question for today’s security teams: how can they realistically consider low-severity alerts while managing the high volume of alerts they’re receiving every day?

Real Threats Are Hiding in the Noise

Companies get hundreds of thousands of security alerts every year, and that number can rise to over a million for the largest enterprises. At this scale, security teams might be dealing with thousands of alerts every single day, so it’s no surprise that several recent studies have found that over half of alerts are never even reviewed.

Given this volume, triaging alerts by severity has been a necessity to sort through the noise. Instead, SOCs focus their efforts on the threats that appear most impactful and urgent. This makes sense, of course, as it would be unwise (and potentially dangerous) to ignore a critical alert in favor of a low-risk anomaly that likely will never amount to anything.

However, when these low-severity alerts are ignored, they create the opportunity for real threats to persist undetected.

Attackers Favor Stealth

Threat actors would prefer to sneak in and remain hidden, quietly carrying out their attacks for as long as possible. Instead of launching high-impact attacks that would immediately raise alarm bells, they gain access and try to remain undetected so that they can move laterally throughout a network, escalating privileges and extracting data over time without raising suspicion.

Severity classifications don’t always reflect this reality. Alerts are typically categorized based on a number of factors, including how critical an affected system is, the impact if that system were to go down, known threat actor activity, and how confident the security system is that malicious activity is taking place.

For example, detection of mass file encryption might be categorized as a high-severity alert because it indicates ransomware execution, whereas a suspicious PowerShell command might be low severity because it could just as easily be legitimate activity from an admin. Yet in practice, that PowerShell command could be from an attacker downloading payloads, establishing persistence, or running recon within the environment.

In many cases, major security incidents are the result of a string of multiple low-severity actions that don’t appear malicious individually. This allows the attacker to continue conducting their activities for weeks or even months without being noticed.

Rethinking Alert Triage in the SOC

The challenge for modern SOCs is not only to work faster but to work with more complete information. Treating alerts as isolated events, each evaluated on its own merits and severity score, is a structural limitation that threat actors have learned to exploit.

Low-severity alerts rarely tell a complete story on their own. A login anomaly, a suspicious script execution, a privilege change, each one individually may be inconclusive or entirely benign. But when those signals appear across the same user, system, or time window, they describe something far more concerning. The ability to surface that pattern depends on whether the investigation goes looking for it.

This requires two shifts in how security teams operate. The first is contextual. Alerts need to be analyzed against what else is happening in the environment, not just against the criteria that triggered the original detection. The second is coverage. Teams cannot build a complete behavioral picture if a large portion of signals never get examined at all. When low-severity alerts are systematically skipped, the picture has gaps, and those gaps are where attackers persist.

The practical implication is that alert triage can no longer rely solely on human capacity to determine what gets investigated. The volume problem is real, and severity-based prioritization exists for good reason. But the teams best positioned to catch early-stage threats are those that have found ways to extend consistent investigative coverage across the full alert stream, not just the top tier, and correlate what they find into a coherent view of attacker behavior over time.

The question is no longer whether low-severity alerts deserve attention. The data shows they do. The question is how to build an operation that can actually give it to them.

We feature the best antivirus software.

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

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

Categories: Technology

A Bluetooth tracker for just under AU$18 apiece? Show me the way!

Thu, 07/02/2026 - 01:03

If you own one of the best Samsung phones, and have a habit of mislaying your wallet or keys, then the Samsung SmartTag 2 is exactly what you need. Samsung’s answer to the Apple AirTag, the dinky SmartTag 2 can be attached to, or inserted in, practically anything you can think of. If you lose said item, you can use your Samsung device to track it down.

And right now you can grab a 4-pack for the low price of just AU$71.06 at Amazon for a limited time. That’s just under AU$18 per tag, which is a surefire bargain.

If you're the proud owner of a Samsung Galaxy phone, then there are few more valuable accessories to add to your arsenal than the Galaxy SmartTag 2. Whether you’re always losing your keys, you travel often and don’t want your suitcase going missing, or are sick of losing your wallet, the SmartTag 2 will reunite you with them with no trouble. Make sure to apply the 5% coupon for the full saving.View Deal

The SmartTag 2 is incredibly simple to use. Just connect a tag to any object, register it with the SmartThings Find app and use Search Nearby to find your item. You can also make the Galaxy SmartTag 2 play a sound if it's near enough to find with its ringtone feature.

You can track the Galaxy SmartTag 2 so long as it stays attached and intact. And, don't worry, with a battery life of up to 700 days and IP67 rating for protection against dust and water, it will last long enough for you to find your items, even if they somehow find their way to the desert or the bottom of the pool.

If you're looking for an iOS compatible smart tag, try the Apple AirTag 2, which is also seeing a discount on the 4-pack at Amazon, now down to AU$132.82 thanks to a AU$6 saving at the checkout, but I’d wait to see if these drop in price further come Prime Day 2026 in Australia.

If you want a smart tag that works for multiple devices, including iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel, try the much cheaper Life 360 Tile, which is now AU$55.95 for a 4-pack.

Categories: Technology

Amazon Prime Day Apple deals 2026: the best early iPhone, iPad, AirPods and MacBook deals in Australia

Thu, 07/02/2026 - 00:03

Amazon Prime Day starts in Australia on July 7, 2026, and runs to July 13. But just like last year, there are already early Apple deals available.

So we’re already checking prices every day across AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, iPhone, Apple accessories and MacBook, and we’ll keep updating this page as new deals appear or prices drop.

Of course, not every Apple discount is worth buying, especially if a deal only applies to one colour, one size or a product that has been cheaper before. So we’re focusing on the Apple deals that are genuinely good after comparing to Apple’s official pricing and what else is available at Amazon or elsewhere.

Want discounts on more than just Apple? Check out our full Prime Day deals page for the latest discounts across all brands.

Quick links to the best Apple deals on Amazon

These direct links are the fastest way to check the main Apple categories on Amazon before =delving into the individual deals below.

Amazon Prime Day: shop the main Prime Day sale
Apple at Amazon: browse everything Apple in one place
AirPods deals: check the best AirPods prices
iPad deals: shop iPad offers at Amazon
Apple Watch deals: see the best Apple Watch prices
iPhone deals: check current iPhone deals
Apple accessories: browse AirTags, chargers, cables and more
MacBook price checks: find MacBook restocks and price drops

Best early Amazon Prime Day Apple deals

These are our favourite early Amazon Prime Day Apple deals. We’ve split them by product type so you can easily compare deals on AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, iPhone, accessories and MacBooks.

If you don't see any products in a particular category, check back later as we'll be working hard every day to find more deals.

On June 26, Apple raised prices in Australia across Macs, iPads, Apple TV 4K and HomePod.

Check out our price rise guide to find out more.

Best AirPods Prime Day deals

AirPods are usually one of the easier Apple products to find discounted at Amazon. The cheapest option here is the open-fit AirPods 4, while AirPods Pro are the better choice if you want noise cancelling, while AirPods Max are great for anyone who wants over-ear headphones.

The AirPods 4 are a tempting buy if you want Apple’s latest open-fit earbuds without stepping up to the ANC model. Our AirPods 4 review found they sounded good and offered a secure, comfortable fit despite the lack of in-ear tips.View Deal

They have been cheaper before, but this is still a solid discount on Apple's noise-cancelling buds. If you're upgrading from an older pair of AirPods 2 or 3, they are worth a look, though Pro 2 owners have less reason to jump. Check out our review for the full story, including the new heart-rate monitoring feature and improved ANC.View Deal

It's hard to find Apple's over-ear cans with much of a discount, so this is worth checking if you're keen on a new set of premium AirPods. The AirPods Max remain expensive, but our Apple AirPods Max review praised their excellent ANC and superb audio performance.View Deal

I saw a small discount on Apple's latest release of its over-ear cans during EOFY at another retailer, but this is definitely a better offer from Amazon with select colours dropping AU$200 in price via the same listing. So, what's different and are they worth the cash? Well, if you're an Apple fan, then yes, they are, but the only thing new here is the H2 chip that offers better noise cancellation, voice isolation, adaptive audio and improved head gestures. Yeah, the only thing different...View Deal

Best iPad Prime Day deals

iPad deals can be tricky because Amazon often only discounts specific storage sizes or colours, and the deals tend to change rapidly. Sadly iPads also just got hit by Apple's price rises, so the base cost has gone up.

We think the standard iPad is the best fit for casual use, though the iPad Air is worth the extra cost, whereas the iPad Pro is aimed at those who really need the better screen and higher performance.

If you don't see any iPad deals below, don't worry, we'll add more as soon as we can. In the meantime, there are some discounted iPad accessories worth checking out.

This is a tempting discount on the 11-inch iPad Air (base price was AU$999 yesterday) if you want a fast, lightweight tablet for streaming, study or work without stepping up to an iPad Pro. The M3 chip gives it plenty of headroom for multitasking and creative apps, and our iPad Air 11-inch (2025) review noted its excellent screen and impressive battery life.View Deal

Apple did just bump the base price up from AU$599 to AU$749, so this deal is much pricier than it was last month, but it's still the best discount currently available on Amazon. The A16 chip is a good fit for streaming, browsing, note-taking, video calls and light productivity, while our iPad A16 review found it zippy for everyday apps. It doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, but that’s unlikely to bother most casual tablet buyers.View Deal

Still definitely an investment, but this could be a powerful laptop replacement if you work on the go a lot. The M5 chip gives it plenty of performance headroom, and if you use your savings to pick up a keyboard folio, it becomes a far more portable package than a MacBook. If you're using it for work, it may also be worth checking whether it is eligible for your tax situation.View Deal

This is a decent buy if you’ve got a compatible iPad and want Apple’s best stylus for drawing, note-taking and document markup. The squeeze and barrel roll controls are the main upgrade over cheaper Apple Pencil options, while Find My support helps if you accidentally misplace it. Just check your iPad model first, because it’s only compatible with select iPad Pro, iPad Air and iPad mini models. Or grab the discounted standard Apple Pencil from Amazon. View Deal

Best Apple Watch Prime Day deals

Apple Watch deals are worth watching if you use an iPhone and want fitness tracking, notifications and health features without paying Apple’s normal price.

Case size, colour and band choice can change the price, so if comparing options under the one listing, double check the exact model selected before hitting buy.

This is a tempting price for iPhone users who want a full-featured Apple Watch without jumping to the Ultra. The always-on display, ECG app, sleep score and fitness tracking make it a useful everyday smartwatch, while the 42mm case is the more manageable size. Our Apple Watch Series 11 review praised the improved battery life, though Series 10 owners have less reason to upgrade.View Deal

Best iPhone Prime Day deals

iPhone deals are often harder to judge than AirPods or iPad deals because Amazon discounts often apply to one colour or storage size.

If you don't see any iPhone deals below, check back soon, as they can change day to day.

Best Apple accessories Prime Day deals

Apple accessories usually aren't the deals people are most excited about, but they are useful add-ons if the price is right. AirTags, chargers, cables and Mac desk gear are also the kinds of Apple products Amazon tends to discount more often than iPhones or MacBooks.

This discount matches the previous lowest on Amazon and makes the 2m MagSafe Charger a solid buy if your bedside table or desk needs more reach than the standard 1m cable gives you. It supports faster wireless charging up to 25W with compatible iPhones, but you’ll need a 30W USB-C power adapter to get that top speed.View Deal

This four-pack is a decent buy if you want to cover keys, bags, wallets and luggage in one go, especially in an iPhone household. Our AirTag 2 hands-on found the new model easier to find from farther away and clearly louder than the original. View Deal

Matching the lowest price we’ve seen on Amazon, the Magic Trackpad is a handy upgrade for a Mac desk if you prefer gestures to a mouse. The large glass surface, Multi-Touch gestures and Force Touch support make scrolling and precise control feel more comfortable.View Deal

This is a useful spare if you still have Lightning-based iPhones, iPads, AirPods or accessories around the house. The 2m length is the main reason to choose it over a basic replacement cable, giving you more reach from a desk, bedside table or couch.View Deal

Best MacBook Prime Day deals

MacBook deals are hard to find at Amazon right now. We’re still doing our best to rustle up any discounts because MacBooks are one of the Apple products we are all excited about during Prime Day. Especially after the recent Apple price hikes that bumped up the base cost by as much as 17%.

There's not much worth recommending yet but check back as we'll be adding more deals as soon as the prices drop.

All the MacBook Neos on Amazon are currently listed as temporarily out of stock, but you can still order one from Amazon at this price to lock it in, and then Amazon will ship it out once available. With stock disappearing quickly, this might be one of your best ways to score the old price, as long as you don't mind waiting for delivery. View Deal

The MacBook Air M5 launched recently, so most of this saving comes from Apple's price hikes, but that means it's still a useful discount on Apple's newest lightweight laptop. In comparison, it's currently AU$2,099 from Apple. Want to know more? Check out our MacBook Air M5 review.

Also consider the 1TB SSD model for AU$1,897 — now AU$2,549 from Apple. Or the 24GB RAM, 1TB Air, for AU$2,197 — now AU$2,849 from Apple. View Deal

This 16GB MacBook Pro currently has a great discount from Amazon compared to buying it for AU$3,199 from Apple. There's very limited stock though so it will likely sell out fast.View Deal

Amazon Prime Day Apple deals 2026: key informationWhen is Amazon Prime Day 2026 in Australia?

Amazon Prime Day in Australia starts at 12am AEST on Tuesday July 7 and ends at 11:59pm AEST on Monday July 13. Early deals can appear before the sale starts, especially on Amazon devices and selected tech, so we are checking Apple prices before the event as well as during it.

Does Amazon Prime Day have Apple deals?

Yes, but not every Apple category gets the same treatment. AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad and Apple accessories are usually easier to find on sale at Amazon. iPhone deals can happen too, though the lower price often applies to one colour or storage size. MacBook deals are more hit and miss, but we are always looking for more discounts.

Do I need Amazon Prime to get Apple Prime Day deals?

A lot of Prime Day deals are Prime-exclusive, so you will usually need an active Amazon Prime membership to get the lowest prices. There may also be public deals anyone can buy, but if a price is marked as a Prime Day deal, check the Prime requirement before you plan around it.

Are early Prime Day Apple deals worth buying?

Sometimes. If an early price matches or beats what we have seen before, it can be worth buying before the main sale starts. If the discount is small, or if you do not need the product right away, it may be better to check back once Prime Day begins on July 7.

Will MacBooks be discounted during Amazon Prime Day?

Possibly, but MacBook deals are hard to find on Amazon right now. We are still watching for Prime Day price drops and restocks, because MacBooks are one of the Apple categories people look for during big sales. For now, check Apple’s official price first and compare any Amazon offer carefully, especially after Apple’s recent Australian price rises.

Is Prime Day or Black Friday better for Apple deals?

Black Friday usually has more retailers competing at the same time, so it can be better for broader Apple price matching. Prime Day is more Amazon-focused, but it can still be a good time to buy AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, accessories and the occasional iPhone. If a Prime Day price is only a small discount and you are not in a hurry, Black Friday is often the best time to buy.

How do we choose the Apple deals on this page?

We look at the current Amazon price, Apple’s official Australian price, previous prices where we can check them, product availability and whether the discount is actually any good. We also use our own reviews and buying guides to help judge deals. A product won’t make it onto our list just because Amazon slaps on a large discount percentage.

Amazon Prime Day Apple deals: shopping tips

Prime Day can be a good time to buy Apple gear, but it’s also often hard to navigate. Amazon can show large percentage discounts from old prices, and Apple products often get small price cuts that only apply to one colour, size or storage option. So we created some steps that can help you work out whether an Apple Prime Day deal is worth buying.

1. Check Apple’s official price first

Start with the current price on the Apple website. That gives you a clean comparison point before you look at Amazon’s claimed discount. It matters more than usual this year because Apple recently raised Australian prices on a number of products, including Macs and iPads.

2. Look at price history, not just the discount badge

It's easy to get pulled in by a big percentage saving, but the current price is what matters. For Amazon deals, camelcamelcamel.com can show whether today’s price is actually low or just lower than an old list price.

It is also worth searching OzBargain.com.au to see whether the same product has been cheaper before and how other shoppers rated past discounts. If the deal still looks good after those checks, you can buy with confidence.

3. Figure out what features you actually need

A discount on an iPad Pro or MacBook Pro can look tempting, but the best Prime Day deal is not always the product with the largest saving. If you mainly want a tablet for streaming, browsing, note-taking and video calls, a standard iPad or iPad Air may be the better-value buy.

The same logic applies across Apple’s range. If you're buying a laptop, think about whether you really need a MacBook Pro or whether a MacBook Air is the better choice. If you're buying a phone, decide whether camera quality, storage, battery life or price matters most before jumping on a deal just because it has a big discount.

4. Be flexible on colour, storage and case size

Apple deals at Amazon often apply to one specific version of a product. That might mean one AirPods model, one iPad storage size, one Apple Watch case size or one iPhone colour. Check the exact model before you buy, and make sure the cheaper version is actually the one you want.

5. Check whether the price needs Prime

Many Prime Day deals need an active Amazon Prime membership. Some early deals are available to everyone, but others only show the lowest price once you're signed in with Prime. Also check the delivery estimate, especially if the product is coming from overseas or has limited stock.

6. Don't assume MacBooks will be the best category

AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad and Apple accessories are usually easier to find discounted at Amazon. MacBook deals can happen, but they are hard to find right now, and some listings have long delivery dates or limited stock. If you see a MacBook discount, compare it with Apple’s current price and check whether the saving is enough to justify buying now.

Is there a particular Apple deal you're hoping to see during Amazon Prime Day? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Categories: Technology

‘It tracked flawlessly across every surface I tested’ — this Logitech productivity and gaming mouse I reviewed is almost as good as my all time fave, thanks to its sky-high 30,000 DPI and 8,000Hz polling rate

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 10:27

Keychron M6 8K review

The Keychron M6 8K intrigued me when I first laid eyes on it. The resemblance to Logitech’s MX Master mouse is immediately apparent. I’ve used one iteration or another of Logitech's flagship productivity mouse every day for the last three years; I don’t even want to know how many hours I’ve clocked up with one in hand. Let’s be real, Keychron hasn’t even tried to be sneaky about copying its homework. At $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$129, however, it does set itself apart because that’s nigh-on half the price of an MX Master 4.

For that money you still get the same general ergonomic shape with a sizable thumb rest, a horizontal scroll wheel, and a multi-function scroll wheel. At first glance, the body looks quite sizable, but it isn’t actually quite as chunky as some other ergonomic mice and I found myself shifting from my usual full palm grip into more of a hybrid fingertip-claw arrangement. It’s comfortable, but personally, it wasn’t quite as comfortable over longer work sessions as it would have been if I was able to fully grab the mouse with confidence. But mouse grip is a subjective thing, so I won’t hold it against the M6.

Build quality is generally good. Nothing creaks or flexes across the ABS shell; it just doesn’t quite carry the premium edge of some more expensive competitors. The matte coating across the entire mouse feels pleasant enough and handles fingerprints well, and it’s available in your choice of white or black.

At 86g, the Keychron M6 8K is one of, if not the lightest full-body ergonomic mice you’ll find on the market and this is apparent in general use. For reference, the M6 8K is just over half the weight of the MX Master 4 and felt noticeably hollow and almost insubstantial by comparison. Anyone transitioning from a lighter or gaming mouse will likely find this change less stark, but to me it lacked the reassuring density and planted feel a heavier weight brings.

The Huano Silent Micro switches do keep things quiet and have a noticeably soft feel to them. I found them a little mushy overall though, and on a few occasions I experienced what I think were missed inputs. I’m not entirely sure whether I'd actually physically fired a click that didn’t register on the switch, or that I’d failed to properly trigger the switch at all, but it seemed like I had to go back for another go every now and then.

Visually the upgraded metal scroll wheel is a nice touch and it comes with pleasantly clicky lateral inputs too. As you’d expect for a productivity mouse, there’s a free-scroll mode, which is useful for navigating long documents or pages but the experience isn’t as sleek as the one Logitech offers on the MX Master.

The scroll wheel is surprisingly loud in ratcheted mode, while the toggle button for switching to free-scroll is positioned too far back and requires quite a bit of force to activate. That’s good for preventing accidental switches, but it meant I found myself completely ignoring the free-scroll feature rather than repositioning my entire hand to reach the toggle. The MX Master's automatic switching between modes is a feature I didn't realize I relied on so heavily until it was gone, though that’s also the kind of feature that doubles the price of a product, I guess.

(Image credit: Future)

Within thumb’s reach on the side of the mouse are a horizontal wheel and a pair of additional buttons. This second wheel is really nicely positioned; close enough to need no thought to move your thumb to, but far enough out of the way to avoid accidentally rolling — though I'll admit I'm not much of a side-scroller on any mouse and didn't get much actual use out of it.

That pleasant positioning is also true of the two side buttons, which would usually be forward and back by default, though these don’t register at all in Safari. Both are fine in Edge and this isn't necessarily a Keychron-specific issue, as macOS has long been finicky with third-party mouse inputs. But other brands have cracked the code so it's a shame to see it missing here.

Where the M6 8K genuinely impresses and pulls ahead of more expensive rivals is in sensor performance. The PixArt PAW3950 meant the M6 8K tracked flawlessly across every surface I tested, including a desk mat, solid wood, my leg, the sofa, and even a glass window. Got a funny look from my neighbor checking that one. Keychron claims glass tracking at 4mm minimum thickness, and it delivered so no concerns for glass desk users.

DPI can be adjusted from 100 to 30,000 and polling rate from 125 to 8,000Hz, numbers that extend the Keychron M6 8K from just a productivity mouse into a genuine gaming option. At the higher end of those settings and coupled with the light overall weight, the M6 becomes super responsive and should keep up with every flick during intense gaming sessions. I settled on 1,200 DPI and 1,000Hz polling for daily work, which felt perfectly sharp. Both settings can be adjusted on the fly through customizable presets using physical buttons on the mouse, which is a great touch, or you can use the Keychron Launcher web app for more granular control.

That browser-based configuration software was a surprise highlight for me. It's feature-rich, cleanly laid out, and very familiar if you've used Keychron's keyboards. Personalization features like button remapping, sensor settings, macros, lift-off distance, and scroll acceleration are all accessible without installing a single background process. You can also check battery levels here, though you won’t need to do this often — it seems to sip on its 800mAh battery, so it’ll be weeks between charges at reasonable settings.

As if it’s come straight from certain German supermarket chains, the Keychron M6 8K is a good dupe of a more expensive mouse. It does a lot of things well, but perhaps most importantly, it’s at a price that lets you forgive the things that aren’t quite so good. The scroll wheel lacks the refinement of Logitech's implementation, the clicks can feel a little mushy, and Safari users will miss having a working back button. But the feel is great, the sensor is superb, the battery life is excellent, and the web app is near best-in-class for the segment. If you can't justify the MX Master 4's asking price, this is where you should look instead.

Keychron M6 8K review: Price & release date

The Keychron M6 8K has a list price of $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$129
It's often discounted, both directly from Keychron and via retailers
It's available in black or white

At $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$129, the Keychron M6 8K significantly undercuts the Logitech MX Master 4 ($119.99 / £119.99 / AU$199) that it’s clearly inspired by. You’ll find it both on Keychron’s own web store and from retailers, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for sales as I often saw it discounted while writing this piece. Make sure you’re picking up the right variant too. There’s also an M6 with a less responsive 1K sensor, though if you don't need 8K polling, you could save even more.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron M6 8K review: Specs

Sensor

PixArt PAW3950

DPI

100 - 30,000

Polling Rate

125 - 8,000Hz

Connectivity

Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wireless

Switches

Huano Silent Micro

Weight

86g

Battery

800mAh (up to 120 hours at 1KHz)

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Keychron M6 8K?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Dual scroll wheels and free-scroll mode, 8K polling, and tri-mode connectivity. The browser-based Launcher software is excellent.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Sensor tracking is flawless across surfaces including glass. Battery life is very strong at sensible settings. Silent switches are slightly mushy with occasional missed clicks.

4 / 5

Design

Ergonomic shape that's comfortable enough, but the lightweight feel and scroll wheel let it down.

3.5 / 5

Value

At roughly half the price of the MX Master 4, the M6 8K offers a remarkable amount of hardware for the money.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want MX Master features without the MX Master price
The M6 8K replicates most of Logitech's ergonomic productivity formula at nearly half the cost, and throws in 8K polling and a gaming-grade sensor for good measure.

You hate installing mouse software
Keychron Launcher runs entirely in the browser with no background processes. Configure everything you need, close the window, and forget about it.

You work and play on the same machine
The M6 8K’s sensor is equally at home slowly scrolling a spreadsheet as it is ramping up sensitivity for a quick firefight on your lunch break.

Don’t buy it if…

You jump between scroll modes often
The M6 8K's metal wheel is a little wobbly, its ratchet mode is loud, and the manual toggle for free-scroll is awkward to reach. If the scroll wheel is the feature you use most, spend more on the Logitech MX Master as it’s still in a league of its own.

You prefer a heavier, more planted mouse
At 86g, the M6 8K is noticeably light and will catch you off guard if you’re used to something with more heft. If you like your mouse to feel substantial and anchored on the desk, this featherweight approach won't suit you.

Keychron M6 8K review: Also consider

Logitech MX Master 4
The mouse that the M6 8K is clearly duping. It costs significantly more at $119.99 / £119.99, but you get Logitech's class-leading MagSpeed scroll wheel with automatic mode switching, superior build quality, the new haptic touch panel, and deep OS integration through Options+. If budget isn't the primary concern, it's still the productivity mouse to beat. Read our full Logitech MX Master 4 review.

MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K
If gaming is more your focus, the MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K ($99.99 / £59.99) offers a similar PixArt sensor and 8K polling in a lighter 66g symmetrical shell that's better suited to competitive play. It lacks the M6 8K's productivity features like the horizontal scroll wheel and thumb rest, but it's a strong pick for users who split their time between work and gaming. Read our full MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron M6 8K

I used the M6 8K as a daily productivity mouse over multiple weeks, replacing my Logitech MX Master 4
I tested across multiple surfaces including a desk mat, solid wood, skin, and glass
I tested all three connectivity modes and evaluated the Keychron Launcher software on macOS

I used the Keychron M6 8K as my mouse for all tasks for a couple of weeks. It was primarily a direct productivity replacement for my daily-driver Logitech MX Master 4, so I used it across extended work sessions on macOS. My testing covered general workflows, gaming, surface tracking across varied materials, and multi-device connectivity. I evaluated the Keychron Launcher software for configuration depth and usability.

Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
First reviewed: July 2026

Categories: Technology

Geekom's ultra-portable Apple MacBook Pro rival promises Core Ultra 9 performance and up to 24 hours of battery life — and it's just $827 with our exclusive code

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 10:09

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

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

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

Today's top Geekom M16 laptop deal

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

Use our exclusive coupon code TRGBM168 at checkout.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

VPN Super hits the living room, and your smart TV's data habits are the target

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 10:06

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

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

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

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

What VPN Super is bringing to the big screen

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

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

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

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

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

Why a VPN on your TV matters right now

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

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

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

How to set up VPN Super on your TV

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

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

Categories: Technology

Microsoft just made a huge Linux move that developers and container fans everywhere will love

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 10:05

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

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

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

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

WSL containers now available in public preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

'Pure old-school Windows': Ex-Microsoft engineer shrinks down Notepad to 2.5 kilobytes with 'no bloat, no telemetry, no nonsense'

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 10:00

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

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

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

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

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

Analysis: note to Microsoft – debloat Notepad

(Image credit: Dave Plummer)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

I tried ChatGPT's new finance feature — and it opened a new window into how I spend my money

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 09:47

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

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

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

ChatGPT looks at the receipts

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

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

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

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

Financial chatter

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

Best Buy launches its mega 4th of July sale — get up to 45% off appliances, TVs, laptops, headphones, and more

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 09:41

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

• Browse the full Best Buy 4th of July sale

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

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

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

Best Buy 4th of July sale — quick links

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Televisions

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

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

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

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

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

For a high-end OLED TV, consider this huge $1,300 saving on the 65-inch Samsung S90F. It may be a generation behind now, but this scored an impressive five-star rating in our Samsung S90F review. We praised this display's outstanding picture quality, handy gaming features, and terrific value for money. Altogether, it's a brilliant buy if you've got some cash to spend on one of the best TVs available right now.View Deal

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

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Laptops

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

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

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

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

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

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Appliances

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

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

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

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Headphones

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

Why human-centric displays matter in the screen-first workplace

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 09:29

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Conclusion

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

Claude Sonnet 5 is here, and the 'most agentic Sonnet model yet' shows that the AI war is shifting from chat to agents

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 09:03

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

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

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

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

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

The age of the agents

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

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

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

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

How AI models are changing

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

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

Categories: Technology

Forget the dull iPhone 18 Pro leak — hackers took 181 files from Apple's India assembly partner, and we should brace for more

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 08:28

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

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

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

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

A trickle could become a flow

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

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

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

Why not Ultra?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

That free VPN Chrome and Firefox extension may be reading your clipboard every half a second, researchers warn

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 08:22

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

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

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

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

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

What Socket's research uncovered

(Image credit: Chrome)

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

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

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

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

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

Why clipboard stealers are dangerous for users

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

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

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

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

How to stay safe

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

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

Categories: Technology

A24's Backrooms has an extended cut with over 15 minutes of unseen footage — here's when you can watch it in theaters

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 08:19

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

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

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

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

The hype around Backrooms isn't dying down

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

‘Families, farmers, and small businesses should not be forced to cover the costs of new power generation’: Forget Trump’s voluntary commitment, this new bipartisan act wants to force AI companies to pay for the energy they use

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 08:05

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

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

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

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

Ratepayer Protection Act

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

This new tool can let you ask Claude if that 'too good to be true' online offer is actually a scam

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 07:20

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

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

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

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

Norton scam detection now available in Claude, ChatGPT

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

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

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

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

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

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

Categories: Technology

What is the release date for Silo season 3 on Apple TV?

Wed, 07/01/2026 - 07:19

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

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

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

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

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

Internationally, look out for the below times:

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

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

(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)

Episode 1: July 3

Episode 2: July 10

Episode 3: July 17

Episode 4: July 24

Episode 5: July 31

Episode 6: August 7

Episode 7: August 14

Episode 8: August 21

Episode 9: August 28

Episode 10: September 4

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What is the release date for Silo season 3 on Apple TV?

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