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I've been hoping for a long while that bad performing PC ports would become a thing of the past, but over the last few years, that hasn't panned out. The biggest examples of recent games are Rise of the Ronin (which I've covered previously), Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and Monster Hunter Wilds, which all suffer from constant stuttering and rely on upscaling methods like DLSS for performance stability.

It's not just performance either; the lack of ultrawide compatibility in some games today is alarming, as there's no secret that ultrawide displays have become more mainstream than ever before.

Fortunately, Shift Up's Stellar Blade is one of the recent outliers, with fantastic performance and optimization, including ultrawide compatibility up to a 32:9 aspect ratio.

This also applies to cutscenes, as some titles that do have ultrawide introduce black bars during cutscenes – and yes, I know this is to prevent some strange glitches from happening where you're not supposed to see them. However, I want more titles to include the option to disable black bars (as some games do).

There are numerous popular games I've mentioned before that don't have ultrawide support whatsoever; I won't go into a full deep dive again, but Stellar Blade is another game coming from Sony's PlayStation 5 console that both runs well and adheres to multiple user configurations well – so this is another plea for other game developers to do better.

Stellar Blade is a dream for most desktop and handheld gaming PCs

(Image credit: Sony / Shift Up)

To give you an idea of how good performance is in Stellar Blade, I've been able to achieve over 60fps at 1080p on medium graphics settings on my Asus ROG Ally, sometimes even reaching low 80fps. Switching on AMD Frame Generation sees the frame rate shoot up to 112fps – and notably, it doesn't feel choppy or laggy, since frame generation tech works best when the base frame rate is up to a good standard (and 60fps is perfect for that).

With the Steam Deck, 60fps on lower settings is easily achieved, too, and this is perhaps one of the very few games that is Deck Verified, and lives up to it. It only gets better if you're using a device like the MSI Claw 8 AI+, which boasts more horsepower than its competitors.

On the side of desktop PCs, Stellar Blade easily runs at over 100fps consistently without the use of Nvidia's Frame Generation, on the highest graphics settings. It's possible thanks to an RTX 4080 Super and an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D, and it's a huge indication of just how powerful PC hardware can be when games are made to run optimally.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying there aren't other games that don't impress with good optimization, but rather, there are too many bad apples among triple-A titles. Those bad PC ports leave a sour taste behind for those who spend on high-end hardware, because as good as those systems may be, there's only so much they can do to brute force things.

It's also worth noting that handheld gaming PCs are becoming mainstream (or arguably already have), and while a portion of them utilize very powerful hardware, it's not the case with others like the Steam Deck. So, ports like Stellar Blade on PC are great for fans to see, and I'm hoping game developers and publishers can look at this as a template going forward.

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• Apple still hasn't made a decision about which to include
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For a while now, we've been hearing rumors about how thin the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is going to be – and a newly leaked hands-on video, supposedly showing a dummy unit for the foldable, gives us more evidence of the foldable's svelteness.

This video comes from TheSinza on YouTube (via 9to5Google), and the dummy unit is compared directly to Samsung's current foldables in terms of its thickness and dimensions, including the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

These dummy units often appear ahead of phone launches, and are based on schematics and information leaked from the supply chain. They don't actually work as phones, but they can be useful for accessory makers getting their wares ready for launch day.

Based on the new video, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be 4.5 mm thick when unfolded, so it's going to be significantly slimmer than it's predecessor (5.6 mm), while not quite taking the honor of being the thinnest foldable phone away from the Oppo Find N5 (4.21 mm).

Long-running rumors

Rumors that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 would be super-slim have been swirling since last year, and while nothing is confirmed until this handset is official, it'd be a surprise if it didn't shed some millimeters compared to the 2024 model.

It was only yesterday that we saw freshly leaked renders of this foldable, which again showed off how thin the handset is going to be, front to back – and hinted that the camera bump might be rather large too.

Camera quality is always a concern when you've got a really thin phone, as is battery life. The rumor is that Samsung will introduce new and improved battery tech so that decent battery life can be maintained, even with less space to accommodate a battery.

We've had a leaked release date too: the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is apparently going to see the light of day on Wednesday, July 9. At the same event we should also see the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 and at least one Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 model.

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• TerraMaster D4 SSD packs massive storage and extreme data transfer speed up to 40Gbps
• Designed for silence, this SSD stays whisper-quiet even when under full creative workflow load
• With USB4 and NVMe support, it rivals internal storage in speed and reliability

TerraMaster has introduced the D4 SSD, a 4-bay direct-attached storage (DAS) device that promises to combine ultra-fast speeds with a portable design.

Built to accommodate up to four M.2 NVMe drives, the D4 supports a maximum capacity of 32TB, up to 40Gbps data transfer bandwidth, and read/write speeds up to 3224MB/s when configured as RAID 0 via macOS Disk Utility.

However, it achieves this only under ideal conditions with top-tier drives such as the Samsung 990 PRO. In single-disk operations, read speeds taper to about 1608MB/s, which is more in line with what many expect from high-end external drives.

Design priorities: small footprint, silent operation

The D4 SSD is barely larger than an Apple Mac Mini, yet it houses four high-performance SSDs.

Its compact design, along with an active convection cooling system featuring a second-generation temperature-controlled fan and four internal heat sensors, ensures stable performance during heavy workloads.

Noise levels drop to 19dB in idle mode, keeping it virtually silent, which is important for audio-sensitive environments like editing suites.

Its compatibility with 12–20V input adapters allows it to share power bricks with common laptops and monitors, reducing the need for extra accessories during travel.

TerraMaster’s decision to support USB 4 means broad compatibility across Thunderbolt and legacy USB protocols.

It says this device is optimized for media professionals and aims to match the performance of internal NVMe storage, whether in 8K footage editing or expanding a macOS boot drive.

It also supports automatic backup tools for Windows and mobile platforms and integrates seamlessly with macOS Time Machine.

This level of flexibility might give it an edge over the best portable hard drive options, but only for those needing such advanced throughput.

While the D4 SSD presents an appealing profile for its intended audience, it is not the only compact device with high storage potential.

The GMKtec NucBox G9 mini PC, for instance, functions as a full NAS system at a lower price.

Although it can't reach the nearly 40Gbps speeds of the D4, nor is it a DAS, it includes broader capabilities like networking, compute power, and a more integrated interface for home labs or small businesses.

The D4 SSD straddles the line between high-end convenience and niche overkill. It could be the best external SSD for professionals who need fast, reliable, and compact storage, but more casual users or those on tighter budgets might consider alternatives.

This device is available on the TerraMaster official website and Amazon for $299.99.

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• Spider-Man: Brand New Day will feature a major character from Daredevil: Born Again
• They aren't one of the two individuals that Marvel fans want to see in the movie
• Audiences have long clamored for a Spider-Man and Daredevil big-screen team up

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to include a major character from Daredevil: Born Again.

That's according to The Hollywood Reporter (THR), who claims the forthcoming movie will feature a fan favorite who's appeared in Daredevil's first TV show on Netflix and its recently released sequel on Disney+.

So, who's the individual in question? Have Sony and Marvel finally answered fans' perennial prayer for a big-screen team-up between Tom Holland's webslinger and Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock? Or is Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Fisk set to feature as Spider-Man 4's primary antagonist?

Sorry to disappoint you all, but it's neither of those actors. Instead, Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle/The Punisher is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) character who's reportedly set to turn up in Spider-Man's next solo flick. Now, a lot of people – myself included – are big fans of Bernthal and his take on Frank Castle. Nonetheless, I'm sure MCU devotees were hoping Cox or D'Onofrio was the individual who'd appear in Spider-Man 4.

If THR's sources are to be believed, Brand New Day would represent the second time that Holland and Bernthal have teamed up on a project. The duo were also part of the cast for Pilgrimage, an Irish medieval film that arrived in theaters in July 2017.

What role could The Punisher play in Spider-Man: Brand New Day?

How will Frank Castle fit into Spider-Man 4's story? (Image credit: Netflix/Marvel Television)

Nobody outside of the Marvel Phase 6 movie's chief creative team knows, but we can certainly speculate on Frank Castle's involvement.

For one, his inclusion suggests that Brand New Day's plot might be more grounded than its predecessor. Indeed, 2021's Spider-Man: No Way Home, aka one of the best Marvel movies post-Avengers: Endgame, was a multiversal affair. If The Punisher is part of Brand New Day's growing ensemble, it would be bizarre to include him if Sony and Marvel haven't collaborated on a film with street-level story sensibilities.

It's possible that he may be drafted in to help tackle one of the original Avengers who's also slated to appear, too.

In late May, rumors emerged that Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/The Hulk will have a major role in Spider-Man 4. Industry insiders indicate that The Hulk will, well, Hulk out at some point in Brand New Day. If he does, Spidey could use Castle's assistance in stopping the big, mean, green machine if he goes rogue and/or starts rampaging through New York City. Castle has worn the War Machine armored suit in Marvel Comics, too, so he could make use of James 'Rhodey' Rhodes' super-suit to help tackle The Hulk.

Of course, the biggest question of all concerns the level of violence Brand New Day will contain. Bernthal's Castle has only appeared in R-rated MCU projects – those being, Daredevil, Daredevil: Born Again, and The Punisher, all of which are among the best Disney+ shows around.

However, the wallcrawler's next film is nailed on to be a PG-13 film (in the US, anyway) when Brand New Day releases on July 31, 2026. Given how one of Bernthal's non-negotiables was the retention of the character's hyperviolent tendencies in Born Again season 1 and other projects he's set to appear in, such as The Punisher's standalone Disney+ special and Daredevil: Born Again season 2, it'll be interesting to see how an ultraviolent character like The Punisher is utilized in a more family-friendly Marvel production.

Do you think Bernthal will appear in Spider-Man 4? Is Frank Castle a good inclusion if he does? Let me know in the comments.

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Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, June 21 (game #741).

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #742) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PORT
• PURSUIT
• PROGRESSIVE
• SUCCESSION
• HAPPINESS
• DEPARTED
• FLASH
• LIBERTY
• WIRE
• EUPHORIA
• REMAINING
• ENTOURAGE
• INSECURE
• BULLETIN
• LIFE
• REPORT

NYT Connections today (game #742) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Breaking!
• GREEN: We hold these truths to be self-evident
• BLUE: Box-set staples
• PURPLE: Not right

Need more clues?

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

NYT Connections today (game #742) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT
• GREEN: NOUNS FROM A FAMOUS LINE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
• BLUE: HBO SHOWS
• PURPLE: WHAT “LEFT” MIGHT MEAN

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

NYT Connections today (game #742) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #742, are…

• YELLOW: NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT BULLETIN, FLASH, REPORT, WIRE
• GREEN: NOUNS FROM A FAMOUS LINE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE HAPPINESS, LIBERTY, LIFE, PURSUIT
• BLUE: HBO SHOWS ENTOURAGE, EUPHORIA, INSECURE, SUCCESSION
• PURPLE: WHAT “LEFT” MIGHT MEAN DEPARTED, PORT, PROGRESSIVE, REMAINING

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

My first thought on seeing the word board today was that surely ENTOURAGE, EUPHORIA and SUCCESSION went together as examples of glossy US TV shows. But what to add to them? The WIRE, maybe, but it was missing the definitive at the start, so seemed unlikely. Was there a show called DEPARTED maybe – or was that The Departed? Or it could be LIFE, as that's definitely a TV show – but a British one.

In the end I got cold feet on that and looked elsewhere, spotting that LIFE, LIBERTY and the PURSUIT of HAPPINESS were all NOUNS FROM A FAMOUS LINE IN THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

That gave me an easy green, so I decided to next search for the supposedly easier still yellow. Yellow groups are almost always just straight groups of words with no subterfuge or misdirection, so I looked at the board with a clear mind and spotted FLASH, REPORT, WIRE and BULLETIN as examples of a NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT.

With one more needed I looked again at the TV shows one, now shorn of LIFE and WIRE, and played those three with DEPARTED. That gave me 'one away', but I added INSECURE as another possible and got it right. Turns out they were all HBO shows.

That just left purple and WHAT “LEFT” MIGHT MEAN, a nice oblique group with DEPARTED, PORT, PROGRESSIVE and REMAINING.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, June 21, game #741)

• YELLOW: STOCKY SOLID, SQUAT, STOUT, THICK
• GREEN: COMPANY CONCERN, FIRM, HOUSE, OUTFIT
• BLUE: APPLE PRODUCTS BRANDY, BUTTER, CIDER, SAUCE
• PURPLE: STARTS OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES GERM, LUXE, MALT, PORT

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, June 21 (game #1244).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

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

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

Quordle today (game #1245) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

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

Quordle today (game #1245) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1245) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1245) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1245) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• W

• C

• P

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1245) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1245, are…

• WREST
• CRAZE
• PAPAL
• SCION

Today's Quordle gave us a difficult selection of words, and I duly struggled to uncover them, needing all nine guesses to complete the set.

SCION was for sure a tricky one, although I got that first, helped by having all five letters in place. Likewise CRAZE, with its Z, was also difficult – and I lost a guess here playing CRAVE first.

When I messed up WREST, playing TRESS first, I was down to my final attempt and was relieved with PAPAL proved to be correct even though when I played it I had only one green and two yellow letters.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1245) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1245, are…

• DANDY
• OMBRE
• GROVE
• STILL

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1244, Saturday, 21 June: BUDDY, GROUT, BEGIN, MADAM
• Quordle #1243, Friday, 20 June: BRAID, DULLY, HASTE, LURID
• Quordle #1242, Thursday, 19 June: BRUSH, ISLET, FRUIT, PRIVY
• Quordle #1241, Wednesday, 18 June: MEDIA, SHARK, GUPPY, MOURN
• Quordle #1240, Tuesday, 17 June: LEAPT, PRISM, ADMIN, WHINE
• Quordle #1239, Monday, 16 June: RETRY, SCALD, DINGO, FEIGN
• Quordle #1238, Sunday, 15 June: SHOCK, STEIN, BROIL, COVEN
• Quordle #1237, Saturday, 14 June: STICK, FERRY, THESE, IONIC
• Quordle #1236, Friday, 13 June: REPEL, LARGE, SNIDE, CARRY
• Quordle #1235, Thursday, 12 June: SCANT, BATCH, UNDER, PARSE
• Quordle #1234, Wednesday, 11 June: CRAVE, ROOST, ANGLE, FLOOD
• Quordle #1233, Tuesday, 10 June: DECRY, CHEEK, FILET, EASEL
• Quordle #1232, Monday, 9 June: DERBY, LEMON, WRITE, HOVEL
• Quordle #1231, Sunday, 8 June: REBAR, ALERT, PAYEE, FLUME
• Quordle #1230, Saturday, 7 June: FLUNK, ESTER, SPITE, CHEAP
• Quordle #1229, Friday, 6 June: ELUDE, KHAKI, VISTA, SMOKY
• Quordle #1228, Thursday, 5 June: CHIDE, RABBI, GUSTY, LANCE
• Quordle #1227, Wednesday, 4 June: BANAL, STOUT, SEDAN, HIPPO
• Quordle #1226, Tuesday, 3 June: FUGUE, SYRUP, FLACK, WORST
• Quordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULE

The iPhone 17 will likely launch in a few months, but what if you need a new phone right now? Should you wait for the next iPhone? Definitely not. I can help you pick a phone that you'll love for years, and won't regret buying when you see what Apple has next.

To buy a new phone, you need to answer three questions for me. Are you willing to sign a contract? Would you consider a pre-owned iPhone? Are you sure about getting an iPhone versus an Android? Here’s the best iPhone for you.

Get an iPhone 16 Pro for free with a new contract on a wireless carrier

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

If you don't have $1,000 / £1,000 / AU$1,800 to spend on a new iPhone 16 Pro, you might consider signing up for a new contract with a wireless carrier. If you’re not entirely happy with your old carrier, most carriers will give you a free phone if you switch.

With three months to go until a new iPhone arrives, I’m seeing wireless carriers clearing out inventory. In the US right now, all three major wireless carriers will give you a free iPhone 16 Pro for switching.

You'll need to stay with them for two years (T-Mobile) or three years (AT&T and Verizon), depending on the carrier, and you’ll need to subscribe to an unlimited data plan, but it’s a good deal if those conditions fit your needs.

Get an iPhone 13 Pro Max refurbished from Amazon or Best Buy

(Image credit: Future)

If you need to save money and don't want to sign up with a wireless carrier, you can also shop for renewed or refurbished devices. I've had a great experience buying used devices on Swappa.com in the US, but Best Buy, Amazon, and other major retailers sell refreshed products at a discount.

I would recommend an iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max as the oldest refreshed iPhone you should consider. Those phones have a great reputation for battery life and performance. Also, Apple gave the iPhone 13 Pro a major camera upgrade over the iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone cameras haven't improved dramatically since.

The iPhone 15 Pro is still available new, just not from Apple

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

If you want a new iPhone, I'd recommend the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro (including the Plus and Max models). Compared to the new iPhone 16 family, the only feature that you'll lose is the Camera Control button, and frankly… I think you're better off without it.

In my experience, the Camera Control has been buggy and inconsistent. I prefer using the Action Button – first launched on the iPhone 15 Pro – to open the camera instead.

I wouldn't buy a new iPhone older than an iPhone 15, because older iPhone models use Lightning for charging and cables, and you don't want to be stuck with an old connector on its way to the connector's graveyard.

The iPhone 15 and newer iPhones use USB-C. This universal connector makes a huge difference when shopping for accessories or just borrowing a charger.

Here's why I would avoid the iPhone 16e

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

The iPhone I would avoid is the new iPhone 16e. While it looks good on a spec sheet, in practice, the iPhone 16e compromises too much to make it a better choice than buying a slightly older iPhone 15.

A new iPhone 15 is only $100 / £100 / AU$300 more than the iPhone 16e, but it offers a more iPhone-like experience. First of all, you get much better cameras – two sensors instead of one, including an ultra-wide lens.

Second, you get MagSafe, which is a huge part of Apple's accessory ecosystem. MagSafe accessories include batteries, wallets, grips, cases, wireless chargers, and much more. I pop my iPhone sideways onto a wireless stand every night, and it becomes my Standby bedside clock. You can't do that without MagSafe.

The OnePlus 13 will exceed your expectations, iPhone switchers

The OnePlus 13 can use MagSafe accessories thanks to this case (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

What if you want to venture outside Apple's walled garden? Have you been admiring the green grass on the Android lawn? Assuming you are coming from an iPhone, I have a suggestion that will be an easy transition to enjoy.

These phones are a great choice today and will be fun to own for years

The OnePlus 13 is the best Android phone for iPhone switchers. OnePlus has an elegant interface that will be somewhat familiar and easy to pick up. The phone itself is polished and well-built, and it is impressively durable. I watched a OnePlus representative wash the phone in a dishwasher with plates and cups.

The OnePlus 13 has incredibly fast charging and amazing battery life that will last you more than a full day. It performs as fast as any phone I've tested. Its cameras are excellent and produce photos that are stylish and unique, thanks to OnePlus's partnership with Hasselblad cameras.

If you need a new phone right now, don’t wait until September. I don't expect any groundbreaking innovation from Apple this year, and these phones are a great choice today and will be fun to own for years. The iPhone 17 will arrive with a totally new look, and you can just shake it off and read the news from your brand new phone.

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• French startup IXI is working on glasses with autofocus lenses
• Built-in sensors track eye movements
• Liquid crystal lenses adjust focus to match what you’re looking at

Squinting to see a sign, tilting your head to look at someone, peering down your nose to read a menu: for millions of far-sighted people, glasses are a constant compromise. But a new kind of smart eyewear is aiming to clear things up, with the help of autofocus lenses.

Finnish startup IXI is one company developing frames with adaptive optics. Its glasses uses tiny sensors to track what you’re looking at, then liquid crystal lenses to adjust your view to suit. So you can go from checking your phone to watching a game in a blink.

What’s more, no-one should see any difference. IXI’s goal is to make them look and feel just like your normal glasses, with electronics tiny enough to fit into the frames. So while they might not let you ditch your specs entirely, autofocus glasses won’t require you to wear a bulky headset either.

Take a look aroundImage 1 of 2

(Image credit: IXI)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: IXI)

When it comes to far-sightedness, the standard fix is currently bifocals. These lenses are divided into two zones: one for distant objects, the other for near detail. When a user wants to read something up close, they have to look through the latter. It’s a solution with a learning curve – and one that can involve unnatural head tilts and limited viewing angles.

Progressive lenses offer a bit of a refinement, smoothing the transition between near and far, but they still have focal sweet spots. Fundamentally, you can’t look anywhere in the frame at anything you want. That’s the problem IXI plans to solve.

At the heart of its design is a powerful pairing: eye-tracking sensors and a fast-shifting lens system. The sensors monitor eye movements, firing harmless light pulses to measure the distance between you and what you’re looking at. This data is then fed back to liquid crystal lenses, which can rapidly change their curvature to give perfect focus.

According to IXI, the lenses adjust in just 0.2 seconds. The human eye focuses in around 0.4 seconds, which should mean there’s no discernible lag between looking and seeing. That’s particularly true for older users: our eyes get slower to focus as we age, because the eye’s natural lenses become less flexible. This is called presbyopia and it’s the same condition that causes long-sightedness.

This kind of optical tech has been talked about before, but mainly in a research setting. IXI is one of the first labs attempting to miniaturize the concept into a product for daily wear. It helps that the startup has secured some $36 million (around £27m / AU$56m) in funding to accelerate development.

That said, IXI isn’t the only company working on autofocus glasses. Laclarée and Elcyo are rival ventures developing similar solutions. None of the three has yet brought a commercial solution to market, which is perhaps indicative of the obstacles that remain before the frames land on public faces.

Prescription-grade optics are subject to strict medical regulation, which means the autofocus lenses will need to pass muster. There’s also a question of durability whenever it comes to moving parts. Other factors include how to incorporate batteries to power the glasses, while keeping the frames lightweight and comfortable.

Still, the promise is compelling: a single, adaptive pair of glasses that can replace reading specs, distance lenses and bifocals. It’s a step towards truly intelligent eyewear. If IXI can pull it off, the days of peering over rims might be behind us.

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• Microsoft is developing tech that would let users write with their eyes
• These smart contact lens prototypes could convince future me to ditch my glasses

This week, Oakley and Meta finally revealed their smart glasses (and they look kinda awesome), we published our Nintendo Switch 2 review (it's great, but not perfect), and Donald Trump launched a mobile phone (yes, really, and it's stranger than it sounds).

To catch up on all this and more, we have this quick recap of the seven biggest tech news stories of the week, as well as links to the full story so you can dive into the topic more deeply.

Once you're finished, be sure to also check out our picks for the seven new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend (June 20).

7. Garmin launched something other than a watch

(Image credit: Garmin)

Garmin's latest in a veritable barrage of new releases, the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor, is something other than a watch for once – designed to be worn on the upper arm, it's a dedicated sleep tracker. With a battery life of up to a week and a more accurate signal than wrist-based trackers, the idea seems to be to swap your Garmin watch for the sleep tracker overnight, as many people find chunky running watches uncomfortable to wear to bed.

We've known this was coming for a while, and are excited to get to grips with it – and it's the latest in the trend of screenless wellness trackers. Polar is also getting in on the act with a screenless, subscription-free Whoop alternative, although that's not launching until September. If you're tired of the idea of yet another flashing display in your life, you can check out this week's discreet fitness tracker guide here.

• Read more: Garmin just launched the Index Sleep Monitor

6. Xreal launched new smart glasses

(Image credit: Future / Hamish Hector)

Xreal’s new One Pro AR smart glasses are easily the best we’ve ever seen, in large part due to their new optical setup, which offers a larger image and clearer picture (due to reduced reflections) than any of its competition.

This feels like a true precursor to the Android XR specs it’s working on, and if Project Aura can boast these features and more, Xreal could be onto a killer machine.

The only downside of the Xreal One Pro’s impressive nature is, as you might expect, its price. Currently a pair costs $649 / £579, and if you factor in ‘optional’ add-ons like the Xreal Beam Pro (at $199 / £189) it can start to add up. Though as a portable entertainment and productivity companion, Xreal’s glasses won’t let you down if you decide to pick them up.

• Read more: Xreal has changed the game with its One Pro AR smart glasses

5. Trump tried to make phones great again… we aren’t convinced

(Image credit: Trump Mobile)

Trump Mobile priced its mobile service at $45.47 a month, a not-too-subtle nod to Trump’s two terms as President of the United States. Beyond that, though, the service, and especially the new, gold T1 phone, aren’t offering too many direct references to the sitting president.

We focused on the head-scratching device, which offers a mix of older and new technologies (some are thrilled about the 3.5mm headphone jack) and makes a hard-to-believe claim that it’ll be made in the USA.

The $499 Android 15 phone is set to arrive in September, just in time for the next iPhone. We can’t wait to see that matchup.

• Read more: The Trump Mobile T1 Phone is official and strange

4. Apple Music’s new AI DJ impressed many

(Image credit: Apple)

At Apple’s recent WWDC event, the company unveiled its exciting new AutoMix feature for Apple Music. Unlike the crossfade function, which simply crosses from one song to another to avoid gaps of silence, AutoMix creates a seamless playback experience using beat matching and time stretching to connect each song in a queue.

Though we have a few months to go until AutoMix rolls out with the wider iOS 26 release, it’s currently in developer beta, and those with early access are already revealing its capabilities online, marking one of the first viral Apple Music trends.

It’s a big step towards improving Apple Music’s sense of community, even if it’s still behind Spotify on the social front. But from what we’re seeing so far, AutoMix is a fun and engaging new feature that will win over many users, and as a Spotify fan, I hope it’s taking some notes.

• Read more: As a Spotify fan, I'm feeling very jealous of Apple Music

3. We spent a week with Alexa+

(Image credit: Amazon)

It’s been months since Amazon unveiled Alexa+, its AI-infused reimagining of its popular voice assistant, but we’ve been waiting ever since for a full public release and a chance to try out the platform, until now.

We spent a week with the Alexa+ early access and found that while it’s not fully baked (and sometimes buggy), the new platform shows tremendous promise.

It’s the first LLM that seems smart home aware, and that means it can help you set up, adjust, and improve your smart home, provided all the gadgets work with Alexa and can be discovered by the new Alexa+.

It’s also proving to be a great conversationalist, and it’s very likely that your relationship with Alexa+ will be far different from the one you had with the timer-friendly and weather-knowledgeable OG Alexa.

• Read more: This could be the AI that finally changes your home

2. Meta teamed up with Oakley

(Image credit: Oakley / Meta)

Meta has expanded its smart glasses partnership with EssilorLuxottica by introducing a pair of Oakley smart glasses based on the brand’s HSTN design.

This writer thinks it’s beautiful, but our office Slack chat is less than appreciative of the distinctive look. Aesthetics aside, the glasses are packed with hardware and software upgrades.

We’re talking double the battery life of the Meta Ray-Bans (it’s now eight hours instead of four), improved cameras (3K quality video capture), and improved AI assistance, which includes things like asking about surf conditions and golfing technique.

They’re due to launch later this summer, starting at $399 / £399, but a limited edition pair will go up for preorder sooner on July 11, for $499 / £499.

• Read more: These new Oakley smart glasses are making me jealous

1. We reviewed the Nintendo Switch 2

(Image credit: Future)

The Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here, and we've thoroughly tested the all-new console for review over the past couple of weeks. In short, it's a phenomenal upgrade over the original Switch system. While it certainly lacks that hallmark Nintendo innovation, what we have here is a powerful hybrid handheld gaming device.

We now have a crisp 1080p display, capable of refresh rates of up to 120Hz. Furthermore, the handheld also features HDR and variable refresh rate tech for smoother performance while out on the go. Players who prefer docked mode aren't left out in the cold, though, as those playing on a TV or monitor can benefit from 4K and 1440p resolution settings.

While battery life definitely leaves a lot to be desired, the Switch 2 is nonetheless an accomplished handheld games console, and we can't wait to see what kinds of games Nintendo has in store in the years to come.

• Read more: The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date

• We asked our readers about their thoughts on switching to a new OS
• Most of our readers are feeling pretty prepared
• Some think that the upgrade is just a way for Microsoft to make money

Installing a new Operating System (OS) isn’t as easy as it may sound, and often requires specific device features or knowledge - so we asked TechRadar readers how confident they were about upgrading, and found even our tech-savvy fans have some reservations.

We previously found a shocking number of people don’t even know what version of Windows they have, and many have unfounded confidence about meeting the requirements for upgrades. More exclusive research shows that many of our readers are still confident about upgrading their OS, but some might need a bit of guidance.

Almost two thirds of our readers are up for the challenge, with over a third (38%) saying; ‘bring it on - I’m pretty tech savvy’. Slightly more (41%) think it could be done, but they could ‘probably figure it out with some guidance’.

Money maker

Around 15% said they found the idea of a switch daunting, and a further 6% say they’d ‘rather not break things’ - which is all well and good, but as Windows 10 End of Life (which will come on October 14, 2025) creeps closer, those few that are unprepared may need a little push.

Despite this, the overall sentiment is pretty positive, with 37% looking forward to the new features and improvements, although 9% do express frustrations with the endless updates to keep up with - and many content with the system they have right now.

The OS transition does represent an opportunity to buy or sell hardware though, with 37% having already upgraded to a new laptop/computer, and 21% admitting to having a look at new devices on offer.

That might be just what Microsoft is counting on though, with one respondent saying they believe the OS end of life “is just a way for Microsoft to try and make money, since they know that previous OSes work just fine and that it is planned obsolescence.”

Overwhelmingly though, respondents said they would stay with Windows (72%), and only 3% reporting that they would switch to another like Mac, Linux, or Chrome - so even those who think the upgrade is a hassle seem to be loyal to Windows.

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• Google’s new Search Live feature lets users hold real-time voice conversations with an AI-powered version of Search
• The Gemini-powered AI attempts to simulate a friendly and knowledgeable human.
• Google is keen to have all roads lead to Gemini, and Search Live could help entice people to try the AI companion without realizing it

Google's quest to incorporate its Gemini into everything has a new outlet linked to its most central product. The new Google Search Live essentially gives Google Search's AI Mode a Gemini-powered voice.

It’s currently available to users in the U.S. via the Google app on iOS and Android, and it invites you to literally talk to your search bar. You speak, and it speaks back; unlike the half-hearted AI assistants of yesteryear, this one doesn’t stop listening after just one question. It’s a full dialogue partner, unlike the non-verbal AI Mode.

It also works in the background, which means I could leave the app during the chat to do something else on my phone, and the audio didn’t pause or glitch. It just kept going, as if I were on the phone with someone.

Google refers to this system as “query fan-out,” which means that instead of just answering your question, it also quietly considers related queries, drawing in more diverse sources and perspectives. You feel it, too. The answers don’t feel boxed into a single form of response, even on relatively straightforward queries like the one about linen dresses in Google's demo.

AI Search Live

To test Search Live out, I tapped the “Live” icon and asked for speculative fiction books I should read this summer. The genial voice offered a few classic and a few more recent options. I then opened Pandora's box by asking it about its own favorites. Surprisingly, it had a few. I then decided to push it a bit and tell it it was wrong about the best fantasy books and listed a few of my own. Suddenly, I found myself in a debate not only about the best examples of the genre, but also about how to define it.

We segued from there to philosophical and historical opinions about elvish empathy and whether AI should be compared to genies or the mythical brownies that do housework in exchange for cream. Were it not for the smooth, synthetic voice and its relentless good cheer, I might have thought I was actually having an idle argument with an acquaintance over nothing important.

It's obviously very different from the classic Google Search and its wall of links. If you look at the screen, you still see the links, but the focus is on the talk. Google isn't unique with a vocal version of its AI, as ChatGPT and others proffer similar features. Google Search Live does come off as smoother, and I didn't have to rephrase my questions or repeat myself once in 10 minutes. Being integrated with Google’s actual search systems might help keep things grounded. It’s like talking to someone who always has a stack of citations in their back pocket.

I don't think Search Live is what people will use to replace their usual online search methods, but here’s a real accessibility benefit to it. For people who can’t comfortably type or see, voice-first tools like this open new doors. Same goes for kids asking homework questions, or for someone cooking dinner who has a random question but doesn't want to pause to wipe flour off their screen.

There’s a tradeoff, of course, in terms of how people browse the web. If this kind of conversational AI becomes the dominant interface for search on Google, what happens to web traffic? Publishers already feel like they’re shouting into the void when their content is skimmed by AI and hiring lawyers to fight it. What will the AI search if its sources shrink or vanish? It's a complicated question, worthy of debate. I'll have to see how Search Live lays out the arguments.

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• MiniMax’s new Hailuo 02 AI video model has sparked a viral trend of cats performing Olympic dives
• The videos blend advanced physics-based animation with internet absurdity
• Though not the quality of Google Veo 3, Hailuo 2 is rapidly gaining in popularity among casual AI users

Watching the cat walk onto the diving board, I could imagine calls to the fire department or a huge crowd rushing to save it, causing a catastrophe, while the feline simply blinked at the tragedy. Instead, the cat executed an Olympic-caliber triple somersault into the pool. If it weren't for the impossible feat and my awareness that it was an AI-generated video, I'd be checking to see if there was a Freaky Friday situation with the U.S. swim team.

Instead, it's a hugely viral video produced using Chinese AI video developer MiniMax's Hailuo 02 model. The millions of people watching the video of cats diving may not be real, but it's real enough to elbow its way into the competition for AI video dominance, alongside Google Veo 3 and OpenAI's Sora, among many others.

MiniMax debuted Hailuo 02 earlier this summer, but the virality of the faux Olympics video suggests it's going to become a very popular tool for making still images or text prompts into videos. The model only makes five- to ten-second clips for now, but its motion customization, camera effects, and impressive imitation of real-world physics, like the movement of fur or splashing of water, make it more intriguing.

Testing Hailuo 02 on cats diving came about seemingly organically when X user R.B Keeper (presumably not their real name) tried a prompt they'd seen tested on Veo 3. The idea spread from there to a version that garnered millions of views in a matter of hours and appeared on TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram, with numerous variations.

A post shared by Pablo Prompt (@pabloprompt)

A photo posted by on

AI video battles

Hailuo 02 uses frame-by-frame physics simulation, attention-mapped motion prompts, and multimodal input parsing. In other words, if you type a strange idea, the model will do its best to make it look and behave like it would in an approximation of the real world.

Notably, Hailuo 02 is reportedly far cheaper and faster than Veo 3, though perhaps without quite the high-end gloss. Still, it's more accessible, not being limited to enterprise services and beta programs like Veo 3.

The cat diving videos are the apex of a very specific Venn diagram of internet trends, accessible tools, and low-stakes fun. You don’t need to be a professional editor or own a supercomputer to try it. And more upgrades are on the horizon. MiniMax has outlined plans to integrate synchronized audio, lighting, and texture control, as well as longer clips.

As for Google Veo 3 and other major players, they have their professional niche for now. But if they want to widen their appeal to the masses, they might look to what MiniMax and smaller developers like Midjourney, with its V1 video model, are doing. Hailuo 02 is the kind of tool that will get people, like the cats, to dive in.

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• Tuxedo InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen10 sets a new bar for Linux power
• Cheaper Windows laptops can offer Linux dual boot without the Tuxedo price
• Ryzen AI 300 chips bring serious speed but also drive up the cost

Do you want the fastest Linux machine out there, or something more affordable that still runs open source software smoothly?

Tuxedo’s new InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen10 could well be one of the fastest Linux laptops available today, but it comes at a price that’s frankly tough to justify unless raw power is your number one priority.

The laptop features AMD’s new Ryzen AI 300 series processors. Buyers can choose between the Ryzen AI 7 350 with 8 cores and 16 threads, the Ryzen AI 9 365 with 10 cores and 20 threads, or the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 with 12 cores and 24 threads.

Performance, portability, and polish

The AI 9 365 delivers around 10 percent better multicore performance compared to the AI 7 350. The AI 9 HX 370 goes further, with up to 20 percent more performance and around 40 percent faster than last year’s InfinityBook Pro Gen9.

The new model comes with a 3K display that reaches 500 nits of brightness. The aluminum body keeps the weight at just 1.45kg.

It's packed with options, like dual upgradeable RAM and SSD slots, and a rare full port selection including USB4, HDMI 2.1, and even Ethernet.

Battery life is decent, too, with an 80Wh unit promising around 9 hours of web use.

On paper, it's everything Linux power users want: performance, portability, and polish.

But at over €1,000 ($1,152) for the entry-level version (Ryzen AI 350, 2x 8 GB 5600MHz DDR5 RAM, a 500 GB Samsung 980 SSD) for users outside of Europe, and more than €1,200 for users in Europe, the price pushes this machine out of reach for many typical users.

While some high-end Linux laptops carry similar price tags, users can often find better value by purchasing a comparable Windows machine at a lower cost.

There's nothing stopping you from wiping the drive and installing Linux yourself, or setting up a dual-boot system to keep both operating systems available.

Where Tuxedo does excel is its deep Linux integration. Tuxedo OS is pre-installed, and their hardware ships with everything tested and configured.

The InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen10 is certainly sleek, powerful, and thoughtfully built for Linux, but unless you truly need the performance or the flexibility, there are cheaper options that still do the job well.

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I’ve finally gotten my hands on a Nintendo Switch 2, and having come from a Switch OLED (and an original Switch before that) and being a player that almost exclusively uses it in handheld mode, I was also keen to find the right accessories.

Sure, Nintendo has its own official case for the Switch 2, and there are dozens of other options available on the web – see Amazon – but Belkin’s entry into the accessory market for the popular console had me intrigued. And quite simply, I think there’s a lesson here for other accessory makers in the form of Belkin’s two cases for the Switch 2.

There’s the Charging Case for Nintendo Switch 2 and the Travel Case for the Switch 2 – both come in three shades. Although I wish Belkin would add some vibrant options, I also appreciate total protection for the console, along with plenty of storage. However, where both of these truly succeed is that they aren't bulky, and the design doesn’t get in the way of utility.

Let’s start with the Travel Case – it’s priced very affordably at just $29.99 / £17.99 / AU$39.95 and comes in three shades: charcoal, sand, or green. I’d love a little more variety here, especially as Nintendo hasn’t dropped the Switch 2 in any fun shades, but it’s not the end of the world.

The case is also available on Amazon in the US here and from Belkin directly in the UK here for £17.99, or from Belkin directly in Australia here for AU$ 39.95.View Deal

It’s constructed from a pretty durable polyester outer shell with a softer, velvet-like interior and opens and closes seamlessly with a zipper all around. It’s also about the size of the Switch 2 and is purpose-built to hold it. When you open it up, the main bed where the Switch 2 lies screen up, has indentations in the top corners for the rear triggers of the Joy-Con 2s.

I can easily store the Switch 2 with zero concerns, toss this in a backpack, or carry the case on its own. The interior top of the case is a mesh, sponge netting for easy storing of other accessories like cables, batteries, cleaning cloths, and really anything else. There’s also a dedicated spot for an Apple AirTag. As someone who has dealt with an airline losing my luggage that thankfully had an AirTag inside, this is a brilliant addition.

Even better, though, there’s a fold-down slot for 12 game cartridges for the Nintendo Switch 2. I'm aware of the controversy surrounding virtual game cards, but whether you’re bringing an extensive collection of games from the Nintendo Switch for the new generation or have pre-ordered a bunch, this Travel Case lets you bring your core 12 with you.

All in all, a very functional design, but the Travel Case also doesn’t add much weight or thickness. With a Switch 2 inside, the entire pack is under two pounds at 1.81 lbs, and with some accessories, it doesn’t stretch much more than that. I especially love that it has an adjustable handle, making it easy to carry.

Belkin’s Travel Case is all about seamlessly carrying your Switch 2, and it doesn’t add bulk or extra flair – in fact, from the outside, it’s hard to tell what is inside. Belkin generally takes this minimalistic, simple approach with its design, and I really like it here. Just take a look at Apple’s official Vision Pro case versus Belkin’s; the latter is less marshmallow and a lot smaller.

Now, I’ve also quickly learned that the Switch 2’s battery life isn’t great, and Belkin’s Charging Case offers a solution, which is a slightly larger travel case with a dedicated spot for charging via a battery pack. Luckily, the higher price of $69.99 / £49.99 / AU$99.95 includes a 10K Power Bank and charging cable. That stores right under the bottom of your Switch 2 – once inside – and gets strapped in with a purposeful cable that can plug right into your console when it’s inside.

The case is also available on Amazon in the US here and from Belkin directly in the UK here for £49.99, or from Belkin directly in Australia here for AU$ 99.95.View Deal

The main tray still fits the Switch 2 like a glove, and the interior of the top is nearly identical to the Travel Case. That means twelve spots for game cards, an AirTag slot, and mesh netting that can hold quite a bit of stuff. This is really a purpose-built option with a battery integrated, though I know it does add a bit more heft.

It also has a handle, but lacks the extra embellishments – it’s a bit more subtle. I do wish this had pass-through charging, but that’s not the case here.

Either way, though, I love these cases because they really stand out from the rest. Both are simple additions that make it a breeze to travel with the Switch 2 – both near and far – and the Travel Case is an affordable option that doesn’t skimp on protection.

I think your Switch 2 – if you’ve managed to get one – will be right at home. Both are backed by a two-year warranty as well.

And if you’re debating whether it’s worth it, you can read TechRadar’s full review of the Nintendo Switch 2 here.

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• ChatGPT now leads AI referral traffic worldwide, leaving Google’s Gemini far behind in usage
• DeepSeek’s domination in China reveals how tight control can forge domestic AI superpowers fast
• StatCounter confirms ChatGPT is now the default gateway to websites in most global markets

New research claims ChatGPT is dominating AI chatbot referral traffic globally, with a commanding 79.8% share.

Figures from Statcounter says OpenAI's platform leads in all G20 nations except China, where Deepseek has emerged as the unexpected frontrunner.

Despite ChatGPT’s widespread influence, it has struggled to make inroads into China’s tightly regulated digital ecosystem, which now stands as a rare blind spot in its global push.

DeepSeek rules China - while ChatGPT takes the rest of the world

ChatGPT's global influence is evident in its significant lead over competitors like Perplexity (11.8%), Microsoft Copilot (5.2%), and Google Gemini (2%).

This dominance suggests users are increasingly turning to AI chatbots not just for answers, but as gateways to the wider web, effectively reshaping the traffic model long dominated by traditional search engines.

“We are already moving into a new era from SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO),” said Aodhan Cullen, CEO of Statcounter.

This shift could pose a substantial threat to traditional search models, particularly for Google, whose AI-based search tools lag in referrals.

While ChatGPT continues to function as a leading driver of traffic and arguably the best SEO tool in most of the world, its inability to penetrate China reveals a distinct limitation.

There, Deepseek holds a staggering 89.3% market share. Although globally it commands only 0.8% of referrals, Deepseek has effectively capitalized on its domestic environment to exclude foreign competitors.

When it launched, Deepseek garnered significant attention, becoming the world’s most popular AI term for a day.

It surpassed ChatGPT by becoming the most downloaded free app in the US and UK and recorded 12 million downloads in 2 days, even faster than OpenAI.

In China, it is an indigenous alternative to OpenAI's tools, partly due to its early alignment with government AI policy, and was banned or investigated by several nations.

Google, meanwhile, finds itself in an awkward position. Despite developing much of the foundational AI technology, it is now trailing in adoption and impact.

Cullen likens Google’s current struggle to that of “traditional on-premise software providers at the birth of cloud computing.”

There are now rumors about Apple potentially introducing AI search capabilities in Safari, which would further intensify the pressure on Google’s search business.

Statcounter’s findings are based on over 3.8 billion monthly page views, and it offers a real-time look at the shifting balance of power.

Still, the picture is not fully complete. Grok, another major chatbot, was excluded from the rankings due to its lack of header referral data, leaving a small blind spot in the broader market analysis.

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• TP-Link’s EAP772-Outdoor survives immersion, but the signal won’t follow it into the water
• Built to endure harsh elements, but not the hype surrounding underwater wireless capabilities
• Enterprise users might love it, but it feels like overkill for your average Wi-Fi needs

TP-Link has announced a new Wi-Fi 7 access point that not only supports the latest wireless standard, but also boasts an IP68 rating which allows it to withstand full water immersion.

On paper, this rugged Wi-Fi 7 access point looks great, with tri-band wireless speeds up to 9.3Gbps, support for over 380 connected devices, and 2.5Gbps Power over Ethernet (PoE) for streamlined setup.

However, the decision to highlight full immersion capabilities invites a more skeptical look, especially considering the known limitations of wireless communication in water.

How relevant is the IP68 rating?

The device is equipped with two 4 dBi antennas for the 2.4GHz band and two 6dBi antennas each for the 5GHz and 6GHz bands.

It operates across the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands, offering maximum theoretical speeds of up to 688Mbps, 2.88Gbps, and 5.76Gbps, respectively, and supports a coverage area of around 300 square meters and a five-year warranty by the company.

So, while the router might physically survive immersion, the idea of underwater Wi-Fi remains questionable.

Standard Wi-Fi is inherently ineffective underwater. Radio frequencies, especially at 2.4GHz and above, are quickly absorbed by water, leaving little room for practical transmission beyond a few feet.

Water blocks the very signals the device is designed to emit, raising doubts about how the LAN port would even be protected from moisture once submerged.

If we momentarily entertain the concept of underwater wireless use, the practical applications are narrow and not well served by conventional Wi-Fi.

Divers, for instance, would benefit from the ability to send data or communicate without relying on hand signals or physical boards.

Real-time image sharing or sensor readings from underwater drones to surface computers could be useful in scientific or military operations.

However, these needs are already being addressed by emerging technologies like Aqua-Fi, which uses LED, laser, or acoustic waves for underwater data transmission, none of which involve standard Wi-Fi frequencies.

TP-Link has not suggested any integration with such systems, nor has it indicated that the EAP772-Outdoor is intended for submerged deployment beyond mere survivability.

That raises the question of why the waterproof feature is being emphasized at all. For outdoor venues, where rain, dust, and heat are threats, weatherproofing makes sense.

But full immersion? Unless the router is accidentally dropped in a pond or installed in a highly flood-prone area, it’s difficult to see the value.

For users seeking the best Wi-Fi router, the EAP772-Outdoor may excel in terms of outdoor reliability.

Enterprise clients needing tough gear for open-air deployment might also make sense out of this device, but for anyone shopping for a mobile hotspot or switch for home or office use, this might seem more like overengineering.

The TP-Link EAP772 is expected to retail around $565 when it launches in June 2025.

Via Guru3d

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• An act passed by Congress requires security review by December
• DJI says it's willing to co-operate, but no agency has started the process
• If the audit is not completed, a ban on DJI drones will come into force

DJI drones are the most popular flying cameras in the US. Both its consumer and professional quadcopters sell in huge numbers, and they also rank among the best drones you can buy. Yet a huge question mark still looms over their immediate future. By the end of 2025, DJI drones could be banned in the US – and that's prompted the Chinese giant to raise the alarm bells about the obstacles it's flying into.

We have reached out to the relevant agencies to fulfill this obligation set out by Congress. However, more than six months have passed, and that process still hasn’t begun.

DJI spokesperson

Talk of a ban on DJI drones has been circulating for more than year, as the Countering CCP Drones Act made its way through the halls of US Congress. It’s motivated by national security concerns and specifically targets drones made by Chinese companies, including DJI.

The risk of a ban came closer to reality late last year, when Congress passed an act which legally mandated a review of DJI drones. If that fails to happen by December 2025, customers in the US might no longer be able to buy the best DJI drones. How likely is that? We’ve unpacked DJI's latest statement on the subject and all of the details below.

What the law says

At the center of the issue is the FY25 National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA), passed by Congress in December 2024. Section 1709 requires an “appropriate national security agency” to assess whether drones manufactured in China – which includes drones made by DJI – pose an “unacceptable risk” to US national security. This must be completed within a year.

Crucially, the legislation doesn’t specify which agency must undertake the required assessment. If no agency takes up the mantle and completes that audit by the end of 2025, DJI drones could be added to the FCC’s “Covered List”. This would automatically restrict future DJI product approvals in the US.

In practical terms, that could mean:

• No new DJI drones sold in the US
• No FCC certification for updated models
• Potential disruption to support for existing customers.

And so far, more than six months since the act was passed, no agency has started the review.

What DJI says

(Image credit: James Abbott)

DJI has become increasingly vocal on the issue, warning that the clock is ticking to avoid a US ban on DJI drones.

In an official statement shared with TechRadar, the company said: “DJI has repeatedly said publicly that we welcome and embrace the opportunity to demonstrate our privacy controls and security features. We stand ready to cooperate with any rulemaking processes or investigations.”

The statement continues, “We have also reached out to the relevant agencies to fulfill this obligation set out by Congress. However, more than six months have passed, and that process still hasn’t begun.”

On 13 June 2025, six months until the NDAA deadline, DJI published a blog post calling for action on the “overdue security review”. The post states that “America’s drone community deserves due process” and called on DJI operators to speak up.

It issued a rallying cry to the “thousands of businesses, public safety officials, farmers, entrepreneurs, and others” who “use DJI technology to serve your community, protect lives, grow your business, or deliver essential services.”

The post echoed an earlier article shared in December 2024, when the NDAA was first approved, which emphasized the risk that “DJI would be prevented from launching new products in the U.S. market through no fault of its own, but simply because no agency chose to take on the work of studying our products.”

Verdict: no ban yet – but the countdown is on

(Image credit: DJI)

For the time being, DJI drones are still legal to buy and fly in the US. But if no national security agency initiates and completes the audit required by law, expect to see a ban on new models in late 2025. Existing owners might still be able to use their drones, but support and future updates could be cut off.

The impact of that would be huge, both for DJI and its customers. Speaking to Rest Of World, Elsa Kania, a researcher at the Center for a New American Security, said “Among the downsides of a ban are the near-term impacts on a range of users and consumers, considering DJI’s comparative advantage relative to most competitors in price and performance.”

So the threat isn’t imaginary. Whether it comes to pass depends entirely on bureaucratic follow-through. With no guarantee of that happening, US drone users may need to advocate for action if they want to continue buying and flying DJI drones.

That’s exactly why DJI is asking its users to petition their elected representatives, via coalitions like the Drone Advocacy Alliance. But clock's ticking is now getting louder and time is running out ahead of DJI's potential US ban.

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• Cybersecurity experts recommend we rethink the way we name attackers
• Names like Salt Typhoon and Fuzzy Bear are misleading, they argue
• Microsoft and CrowdStrike have agreed to align their naming conventions

A co-written article from former heads of the UK and USA cybersecurity agencies, Jen Easterly (CISA) and Ciaran Martin (NCSC), has called for the naming conventions of threat actors to be reconsidered, calling the current names ‘misleading’.

“These names aren’t just confusing—they’re misleading. They obscure attribution, mystify the public, and often glamorize dangerous adversaries,” the Just Security article urges.

“That’s why we welcome the news that cybersecurity leaders Microsoft and CrowdStrike are teaming up to better align how they name and categorize cyber threat actors.”

The latter sentence refers to a new strategic collaboration in which Microsoft and CrowdStrike will align in their threat actor taxonomies, which it hopes will help improve confidence in threat actor identification, ‘streamline correlation’ between reports, as well as ‘accelerate defender action in the face of active cyberthreats.’

Objectively ridiculous

Easterly and Martin believe while this collaboration will help, it won’t ‘fundamentally reform’ the naming convention in the way that’s needed.

“Here’s the problem: we still lack a shared, vendor-neutral, public taxonomy that enables global alignment and interoperability," they added.

“In the meantime, we’re still using names that sound more like comic book characters than what they really are: nation-state hackers and cybercriminals actively trying to disrupt hospitals, paralyze governments, and hold businesses hostage.”

The security experts believe that giving cybercriminals names like 'Scattered Spider' or 'Volt Typhoon' contribute to a sort of brand identity for the groups, running de-facto marketing campaigns for them and misleading the public on the severity of the threats.

The article calls for security experts to stop naming groups in ways that ‘mystify, glamorize, or sanitize their nefarious activities’, and even goes as far as to call it an ‘objectively ridiculous way to inform the public’ about dangerous organized crime gangs.

Organizations like Scattered Spider have done serious damage and have disrupted public life in a measurable way, as it did with the alleged ransomware attack targeting British retailers - and their name should reflect the danger they pose.

“These actors don’t deserve clever names," the article notes. "Calling them dirtbags would frankly be more appropriate, or if creative branding is aimed at making them more memorable, we’d suggest names like Scrawny Nuisance, Weak Weasel, Feeble Ferret, or Doofus Dingo.”

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• US text message scam claims that unpaid toll fees are owed
• Messages include a malicious link to steal payment information
• FBI warns users to delete and report messages from unknown senders

The FBI has warned of a new phishing scam sweeping smartphones in the US. The con is targeting drivers with convincing fake texts which claim to be from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). It’s part of a growing trend of SMS toll scams designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and handing over their credit card information.

As reported by local Memphis TV station WREG and later picked up by Men’s Journal, the FBI has issued a warning to anyone who receives a suspicious SMS. The bureau has urged smartphone users not to click on links from unknown sources and to delete these text messages immediately.

Speaking to WREG, FBI Supervisory Special Agent David Palmer described the scam as a “copycat” of the widespread toll scams which surfaced earlier this year. Those attacks also used fake unpaid toll notices to lure victims into handing over sensitive personal details.

What makes these toll scams so dangerous is the ease with which they can be distributed, as well as what they can gather. “It costs next to nothing for them to…send these messages and calls out,” Palmer told WREG. “In return, they can…go in and steal information from your device, or collect your payment information.”

How the scam works – and how to spot it

(Image credit: Guardio)How to spot a fake text

While some scam text messages are surprisingly polished, there are several common signs to watch out for:

• Generic greetings with no personal details

• Urgent or threatening language such as “your account will be suspended”

• Unusual links or email addresses, often ending in strange domains or unrelated names

• Obvious mistakes including typos or formatting errors

• Unknown senders, such as random numbers or clearly fake email handles

Most toll scam texts follow a similar format. The message usually claims that you have outstanding toll charges and urges you to follow a link to settle the balance. The link typically leads to a fake payment site designed to steal your information. This will be a convincing replica of a real government website, using similar fonts, colors and logos, all of which appear to be official.

Most messages include the threat of late fees or legal action if you don’t act quickly. This is intended to create a sense of urgency and panic, triggering an emotional response which may cause the recipient to overlook inconsistencies and act without verifying whether the message is legitimate.

Palmer reportedly received one of the fake texts himself – and quickly spotted several red flags. “A couple of things that I noticed immediately…the text message I received said it was from the North Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles,” he said. “Obviously, there is no North or South Tennessee.”

Inconsistencies like these are a clear hallmark of a message which is trying to dupe you. So are sender details which don’t add up. Agent Palmer gave an example: “The message I received was from email address @catlover.com, obviously that is not a government address.”

Other signs to watch out for include spelling and grammatical errors, as well as generic greetings that don’t reference your name or license plate. If you’re uncertain, don’t engage with the message. Instead, contact the relevant agency directly for clarification. Or as Palmer put it: “If you don’t know who it’s from, don’t click the link.”

Suspicious messages should be deleted immediately. You can also report them to the FTC and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

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• Tesla says it begins limited launch of its robotaxi service later this month
• But VW’s ID Buzz AD offers a turnkey autonomous solution to fleet operators
• Large scale deployment is due next year

While Tesla’s share price remains intrinsically linked to the promise of a fully self-driving future, Volkswagen has been quietly but busily working on its own autonomous driving solution.

Through its MOIA mobility company, Volkswagen has developed its first fully-autonomous production vehicle in the ID Buzz AD, which is designed to offer the complete package to those looking to launch autonomous services “quickly, safely, and at scale”, according to the marque.

It comes at a time when Tesla is poised to launch its long-awaited and long-promised Model Y robotaxi service in Austin, Texas. However, critics have been quick to point out that the ride-hailing service will consist of only 10 cars, all of which will be geo-fenced and monitored by a remote teleoperator.

A recent report by Bloomberg has caused further controversy among a number of Tesla commentators, as it claimed that Tesla is “closer to vehicle autonomy than its peers”, including Waymo.

As a reminder, Waymo is operational in four major US cities, with a fully autonomous fleet that now consists of over 1,500 vehicles.

(Image credit: Volkswagen/MOIA)

Arguments aside, it looks like both Tesla and Waymo will have some stiff competition from one of Germany’s largest automakers, as it will unleash its own fleet of stylish ID Buzz models onto the roads of Hamburg in 2026, with further European and US cities soon to follow.

The vehicle is unique in that it's part of a “fully connected 360-degree package”, according to VW CEO Oliver Blume. It features Mobileye’s self-driving system, complete with 27 sensors, including 13 cameras, nine LiDARs, and five radars.

MOIA’s turnkey solution also includes AI-driven software that can manage fleets in real time, assist passengers automatically, ensure safety, and integrate seamlessly into existing booking apps.

Better still, the entire package meets key regulatory requirements for SAE Level 4 automated vehicles and MOIA also offers solutions for training and deployment of live operators, enabling remote control over large-scale fleets.

Essentially, if you wanted to roll out an autonomous fleet of robot taxis in your local vicinity tomorrow, Volkswagen’s mobility-as-a-service company could provide all the tools you need – and that's exciting news for punters looking for a driverless ride, too.

Analysis: The robotaxis are taking over

(Image credit: Tesla)

There may still be some question marks over Elon Musk’s claims that his entire Tesla fleet could one day operate as an autonomous ride-hailing service, but there is no getting away from the fact that the technology is moving on at a pace.

Waymo is still clearly leading the pack, with popular services in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Austin already running. The company is also poised to take delivery of Hyundai’s first mass-produced autonomous Ioniq 5 model, which will speed up deployment further.

In the UK, Uber recently announced that it will bring forward trials of its own self-driving fleet in London next year and Nissan is also ploughing ahead with its driverless services that it says could connect remote rural communities with larger towns.

I have personally experienced Nissan’s most recent autonomous innovations and was blown away by the speed and confidence in which it tackled some very challenging, broken British roads.

Despite all of the bluster, Tesla’s robotaxi technology still feels some way off, with the roll-out slated for later this month already looking like it will be delayed while Texas lawmakers pass some new legislation.

What’s more, the “fleet” of 10 cars feels very much like the company is still in its very early testing phase, where key rivals already have more technologically-accomplished solutions ready to roll.

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