TechRadar News

• A new patent has revealed that Samsung is working on an exciting new smart ring charging solution
• It would involve charging your Ring on the back of your Galaxy phone
• The tech reveals a built-in slot that would securely house the device

New technology developed by Samsung could one day let users of its Galaxy Ring charge the device by placing it in a secure slot on the back of its Galaxy phone lineup, according to a new patent.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is the best smart ring out there right now thanks to its comfortable design, extensive feature set, and lack of subscription – a crucial advantage over the Oura Ring 4.

The Galaxy Ring, like most devices on the market, charges using a small, standalone charging case. Battery life is good for up to six or seven days on a single charge, and you can get multiple charges from the case, with a full charge taking about 80 minutes.

Now, a newly published Samsung patent spotted by 91Mobiles reveals how this could change in the future.

The patent comprises a device with a processor, memory, battery, and more, clearly a smartphone, replete with a grooved housing that can seat a smart ring securely to provide wireless charging. It's pretty self-explanatory, but it would be a unique and novel solution to smart ring charging.

The future of smart ring charging

(Image credit: Samsung / WIPO)

One of the reasons to choose a smart ring over the best smartwatches is battery life, with the best models generally tending to last a week or longer.

The charging case solution employed by every smart ring manufacturer isn't particularly cumbersome or inconvenient, but I can see the appeal of an even more streamlined solution like using wireless charging tech on the back of a phone.

Firstly, the case is only good if you have it on you, which means if your smart ring dies unexpectedly or without warning and you don't have it handy, you're at a loss. You'll. likely always have your Galaxy phone on you, so this could be a handy emergency solution and a great alternative to carrying a bulkier case around.

Smart rings don't need a ton of juice to get going, so it's not going to destroy your phone's battery life either.

I don't think this tech solution would be the primary mode of charging, and I can see charging cases sticking around, but as a way to supplement charging, this is a great idea from Samsung. Employing a slot or groove makes sense, too, because the Galaxy Ring is small and light and could easily become dislodged otherwise.

What's more, it would mean you could simply pop the ring in your pocket and forget about it while it's charging and you get on with your day.

Just a patent at this stage, so don't expect to see this technology deployed in the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2, which is probably just a few months away.

Bearing in mind this would require some serious hardware tweaks to Samsung's Galaxy phone lineup, it's safe to assume its probably a couple of years away.

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• New footage for The Fantastic Four: First Steps was revealed at CinemaCon 2025
• The sizzle reel confirmed a big fan theory about the Marvel movie's first trailer
• It's unclear if the MCU Phase 6 film's latest teaser will be released online

Marvel detectives, you've done it again. One week after sleuthing fans claimed they'd worked out Avengers: Doomsday's plot, a big fan theory regarding The Fantastic Four: First Steps' first trailer has been proved correct.

During yesterday's (April 3) Walt Disney Studios showcase at CinemaCon 2025, Marvel chief Kevin Feige revealed new scenes – ones that won't be released publicly, in my view – from the hotly-anticipated Marvel Phase 6 movie. And, in a surprise turn of the events, The Fantastic Four: First Steps' latest teaser revealed fans were right to be curious about something they saw in the film's first round of footage.

Major spoilers immediately follow for The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Do not proceed if you don't want to know anything ahead of its July 25 release.

More like The Fantastic Five... (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

As revealed on social media by CinemaCon attendees, Sue Storm, who'll be played by Vanessa Kirby in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), will be pregnant for a portion of The Fantastic Four's latest big-screen reboot.

This won't come as a huge shock to some fans. As I mentioned earlier, MCU devotees had their suspicions that Sue Storm was with child as soon as The Fantastic Four: First Steps' inaugural trailer dropped online.

Multiple viewers pointed out that, during the teaser's scene where Kirby's Storm and Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards are showing an individual around their home, something looked off about Storm's midriff. That led a number of fans to theorize that Marvel had edited the footage to hide her baby bump. Thanks to the film's CinemaCon sizzle reel, we have confirmation that Storm will not only be pregnant, but is likely to give birth to her first child in First Steps.

Why Sue Storm's pregnancy is such a big deal in The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Say hello to Franklin Richards, everyone (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Potentially big spoilers follow for The Fantastic Four's MCU debut.

Let's cut right to the chase: Storm's pregnancy is such a huge deal because it means Franklin Richards, Storm and Reed's first-born, will appear in First Steps.

For the uninitiated: Franklin Richards is not only a supremely powerful being in Marvel Comics, but he's also someone with incredibly close ties to Galactus, aka First Steps' Big Bad who'll be voiced by Ralph Inseon.

And, when I say 'incredibly close ties', what I mean is they're related. No, Galactus isn't Franklin's real dad – he's actually Franklin himself.

Franklin Richards actually becomes Galactus in one Marvel comic book series (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Well, in one Marvel comic book series, anyway. 'Earth X', a 1999 limited comic series, sees Richards take on the mantle of the planet-devouring cosmic entity following the demise of Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, aka Sue's brother and, by proxy, Franklin's uncle.

Now, it's incredibly unlikely that the Galactus who'll appear in First Steps will be the future form of this universe's Franklin Richards. After all, there have been numerous versions of the character throughout Marvel's illustrious history, many of whom haven't been Franklin Richards to begin with.

Sure, time travel and dimension hopping exist in the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse (MCM), so it's still a possibility. However, I don't think it's the wisest move to have Marvel's First Family face off against a villainous version of the offspring of two of their team members. Not now, anyway.

The more likely scenario is that Galactus – and his most famous Herald, aka The Silver Surfer, who was shown off for the first time in First Steps' CinemaCon sizzle reel – travel to Earth for another reason. That being, Galactus taking an interest in Franklin Richards due to his potent reality-warping and teleportation powers.

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If Galactus learns of Franklin Richards' abilities, I suspect he'd want to commandeer for his own nefarious purposes. Namely, being able to travel across the multiverse to devour as many planets as possible in an attempt to satiate his never-ending hunger.

That could eventually lead to The Fantastic Four being transported to the MCU. Marvel has already teased that the supergroup don't actually exist in the MCU (designated Earth-616), but live in an alternate reality. If their Earth is destroyed by Galactus because they refuse to hand over Franklin, First Steps might end with Franklin teleporting his family to Earth-616 to escape Galactus and survive in another dimension. That would also set the stage for the team's inclusion, and likely big role, in Avengers: Doomsday.

This is all speculation on my part. But, based on what we now know about Franklin's likely introduction in First Steps, it's the most logical theory I can come up with.

We won't find out if I'm right until one of 2025's most exciting new movies lands in theaters in late July. Until then, read up on everything else we know about the film in my dedicated hub on The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

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• Signify has released eight spring-themed scenes for Philips Hue lights
• The new scenes are available in the Philips Hue app with version 5.39
• An updated icon hints that the Philips Hue AI assistant may arrive soon

Want to give your home a quick makeover? Signify, the company behind the Philips Hue lighting system, has released an update for the Hue app that adds eight new lighting scenes that you can apply to a whole room with a single tap.

Scenes are themed presets that use a palette of colors to create a particular mood. The latest collection are all designed around the theme of springtime, with fresh floral shades of pink and yellow alongside fresh greens.

Fabian, editor of Hueblog.com, has shared a screenshot of the new scenes in the app's German language edition. Seven appear to be standard scenes, while the eighth (named 'Die Farben der Natur', or 'The Colors of Nature') is one of Signify's new 24-hours scenes, which shifts to different shades depending on the time of day.

Scenes let you instantly apply a themed color scheme to all the Philips Hue lights in a room (Image credit: Signify) AI is on the way

It looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for Signify the launch the Philips Hue AI assistant that it announced back in January, but it could arrive any day now. Just a couple of weeks ago, the search button in the Hue app changed from a magnifying glass icon to the cluster of sparks that's typically used to represent AI.

For the time being, the change is only cosmetic and the search bar still works the same as before. However, the new icon suggests that the assistant may launch imminently.

According to Signify, the upcoming feature will let you create "personalized lighting scenes based on mood, occasion or style", so you won't need to tinker with colors by hand, or wait for an app update to add a theme that you particularly want.

The Philips Hue system already holds the number one spot in our roundup of the best smart lights, so it'll be interesting to see whether the addition of AI will make it an even more compelling choice.

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Marvel Rivals Season 2 arrives later this month, adding Emma Frost as a brand new Vanguard. There are also interesting changes coming to Team Ups, with some like Magneto and Scarlet Witch's Metallic Chaos ability being removed, while new ones between Captain America and Winter Soldier are being added. By the looks of things, this season will shake up the meta quite a bit.

I'm still absolutely loving Marvel Rivals, having reviewed it back at launch. Since then, The Fantastic Four have been added, and I've spent a considerable time gaining Sue Storm, using the push ability to send enemies flying. By having a good cadence of adding new heroes, Marvel Rivals remains highly ranked in TechRadar Gaming's best crossplay games page. If Season 2 continues to bring new maps, modes, and heroes at a decent pace, I can't see myself being torn away from Marvel Rivals anytime soon.

NetEase has now revealed the main details surrounding Marvel Rivals Season 2. There's a new Hero to try out, and an evolving story set around an opulent gala on Krakoa. Here's when Marvel Rivals Season 2 launches, as well as some info on upcoming changes to the balance of the game. As we near launch day, I'll update this page with all of the latest news.

Marvel Rivals Season 2 release date

Marvel Rivals Season 2 will arrive on April 11 UTC. This means that it'll launch at the following time according to your timezone:

• April 10 at 5PM PST: West Coast US
• April 10 at 8PM ET: East Coast US
• April 11 at 1AM BST: United Kingdom
• April 11 at 2AM CET: Central Europe
• April 11 at 9AM JST: Japan

Based on previous seasons, expect Marvel Rivals to go offline for a few hours before the launch of the second season. Keep on eye on the official Marvel Rivals website for more info.

I'll be sure to update this section with any news of expected downtime once it's revealed.

Marvel Rivals Emma Frost release date

(Image credit: NetEase)

Marvel Rivals will add Emma Frost on April 11 UTC. She's a new Vanguard, operating on the front line of battle by utilizing telekinetic abilities and sheer brawling firepower. -NetEase has fully detailed the character in the video below, which shows off each of her abilities. It appears that she'll have a decent bit of range, as well as the ability to apply her diamond skin and move in for close-quarters combat. She has an ultimate that damages multiple enemies at once with telekinetic beams while pulling them toward her.

There are some interesting details to Emma Frost's kit that are worth diving into. Firstly, her dash and choke slam ability ends with a sweep kick which knocks enemies back. This can be used to throw an opponent off of an edge for a quick kill. Emma Frost can also place diamond shields, using them to block Ultimates like Iron Man's. This works similarly to Groot's shield walls, in that there's a fair bit of range to where you can place them.

Emma Frost joins Hulk, Doctor Strange, Venom, Captain America, The Thing, Groot, and Magneto as a Vanguard. Primarily, she will be used to tank damage on the frontline, though she clearly has a lot of potential as a brawler, and some support elements in her shielding abilities.

Emma Frost joins Hulk, Doctor Strange, Venom, Captain America, The Thing, Groot, and Magneto as a Vanguard. Primarily, she will be used to tank damage on the frontline, though she clearly has a lot of potential as a brawler, and some support elements in her shielding abilities.

I'm a Venom main in Marvel Rivals, so I primarily tend to go with Vanguards over the other two classes, so I'll definitely be giving Emma Frost a go when she launches. We'll have to wait and see how her Team Up with Magneto and Psylocke plays out, but having a 2-tank team with Emma Frost and Magneto could be a good place to start in terms of working out a new meta.

Marvel Rivals Ultron

(Image credit: NetEase)

Now for Ultron, who won't launch until Season 2.5. If we look at the release schedule for the previous season, I expect Ultron to arrive sometime in May. We haven't seen much from this upcoming character just yet, only a brief tease in the Season 2 reveal trailer. It's clear that he's set to be the villain of the season but in terms of how he'll play? Well, that's yet to be seen.

Marvel Rivals Season 2 Team Up Changes

(Image credit: NetEase)

Marvel Rivals Season 2 will bring in a bunch of new Team Ups, while removing existing ones. The first new one sees Emma Frost as the anchor Hero, with an ability called Mental Projection. This gives Magneto and Psylocke illusory projections, making it more difficult for the enemy to hit them. Next up is Arcane Order, which sees Doctor Strange sharing his magic abilities with Scarlet Witch, enhancing her attacks. Then, Stars Aligned allows Winter Soldier to leap towards allies at critical moments.

Here are the key points on the changes coming to Team Ups in Marvel Rivals Season 2:

• Mental Projection: Emma Frost, Magneto, Scarlet Witch (NEW)
• Arcane Order: Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch (NEW)
• Stars Aligned: Captain America, Winter Soldier (NEW)
• Gamma Charge: Hulk, Namor, Iron-Man (Doctor Strange removed, Namor added)
• Ammo Overload: Rocket, Punisher (Winter Soldier removed)
• Dimensional Shortcut: Magik, Black Panther (Psylocke removed)
• Chilling Charisma: Luna Snow, Jeff the Land Shark (Namor removed)
• Voltaic Union: Thor, Storm, Captain America (Removed entirely)
• Metallic Chaos: Magneto, Scarlet Witch (Removed entirely)

Marvel Rivals Season 2 balancing changes

In the Developer Vision video you can view above, some general balance updates are outlined for the future of Marvel Rivals. We've collected the key points in the list below:

• Hero balancing (buffs): Black Widow, Mister Fantastic, Scarlet Witch, Jeff the Land Shark, Peni Parker, Moon Knight, and Rocket Raccoon
• Hero Balancing (nerfs): Doctor Strange, Adam Warlock, Loki
• New Hero schedule: One per month from Season 3 onwards
• Maps: Map rotation will be in effect from Season 2 onwards (ranked), Hellfire: Gala (new map)
• Modes: New limited-time modes will be added over time
• Competitive: Map rotation, Bans added to Gold III, each player drops 9 divisions at the start at Season 2, minimum level requirement now 15, One Above All and Eternity ranks only allow duo queuing, Increasing the rate of individual performance vs match outcome.

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• Adaptive Security secures $43 million in investment
• OpenAI listed as one of the key investors alongside a16z
• Adaptive wants to tackle social engineering and deepfakes

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has backed a security start-up in a sign the company might be about to focus more heavily on cyber protections.

With generative AI enabling more sophisticated cyberattacks like deepfakes and phishing content, OpenAI has revealed a major supporting role for Adaptive Security.

The New York-based startup helps companies defend against AI-powered cyberattacks, and already counts over 100 enterprise clients on its books since publicly launching in January 2023.

OpenAI is backing Adaptive Security

“I’m thrilled to announce our $43 million investment round, led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and the OpenAI Startup Fund – marking OpenAI’s first-ever investment in a cybersecurity company,” shared Adaptive’s CEO and co-founder Brian Long.

Long noted that social engineering continues to be the leading cause of security breaches, but artificial intelligence has enabled attackers to “[increase] the efficacy and blast radius of these attacks.”

It doesn’t just come down to the creation of content, because AI can now imitate colleagues and business leaders to “make phone calls, send emails or text your team.”

For decades, policymakers, leaders and individuals from all walks of life have been split on whether we can fight fire with fire, but Long believes AI can be the solution to AI-enhanced threats: “With the right models and data, we can simulate realistic AI attacks, train employees to recognize threats, triage suspicious behavior in real time, and surface risk before it turns into loss.”

Demonstrating how realistic deepfakes can be, Long even has a deepfake of himself on the website that customers can interact with. I asked the fake Brian to tell me about the company: “We offer a suite of next-generation cybersecurity training and simulation products designed to protect organizations from advanced threats,” he said.

It’s unclear how much money OpenAI invested individually, but the fact that the AI giant is now getting involved with cybersecurity – not least, relating to its own products’ impact – is especially noteworthy.

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• The Nintendo Switch 2 will use Nvidia's DLSS AI-powered upscaling for its games for better performance and image quality
• So far, handheld gaming PCs only have AMD's FSR and Intel's XeSS
• The Switch 2 could see itself compete with other handhelds thanks to DLSS

The Nintendo Switch 2 was finally fully revealed on April 2, with confirmation that the handheld console will use a custom Nvidia processor - and while the device may not outperform handheld gaming PCs, it could have a significant bonus over them.

As highlighted in a blog post, Nvidia confirmed that its DLSS AI-powered upscaling method will be present on the Nintendo Switch 2, along with ray tracing, thanks to its custom chip. This will allow game developers to implement DLSS in games where necessary, creating room for better performance through upscaling while maintaining image quality.

It's not exactly clear what version of DLSS this will be: its latest version, DLSS 4, utilizes a new transformer model to further improve image quality, especially with performance mode - which has been shown to outdo the previous model's quality mode in DLSS 3.

However, handheld gaming PCs have only been able to use either AMD's FSR or Intel's XeSS, as Nvidia hasn't made an APU (a processor with CPU and GPU on the same die) for any of the devices like the Asus ROG Ally or MSI Claw 8 AI+. Both of these rival upscaling methods have yet to match DLSS, and if DLSS 4 is being used by the Switch 2, it could challenge more powerful handheld gaming PCs when it comes to graphics and performance.

(Image credit: Konstantin Savusia / Shutterstock) It won't beat handheld gaming PCs, but it's on the verge of competing

Don't get me wrong, handheld gaming PCs like the Asus ROG Ally, MSI Claw 8 AI+, and the Lenovo Legion Go are all still an easy choice over the Switch 2 as they more than likely still have more powerful hardware (as we don't know the exact specs of Nvidia's chip just yet).

However, if Nintendo’s new console uses DLSS 4, it could be a literal game changer placing the Switch 2 in pole position to compete against other handhelds, thanks to the new transformer model. It takes the upscaled image quality up another level, as I've highlighted previously and has already been a massive benefit to all GeForce RTX GPU users: image quality on the CNN model’s performance mode was blurry and contained ghosting when in motion, and the transformer model fixes this.

Despite the slight performance loss in games with this new model (due to its more intensive processing nature for greater image quality), it's not significant enough to not recommend DLSS 4 - and it's better than Intel's XeSS 2 and AMD's FSR 4, as it maintains much better detail on objects, particularly at longer draw distances in games.

I've begged Nvidia to make an APU for handheld gaming PCs to use DLSS, and this gives me hope that the Switch 2 will make it possible.

We'll have to wait and see how DLSS will work (especially in docked mode at a 4K resolution), but if the Switch 2 ushers in a new generation of PC gaming handhelds with Nvidia hardware, then I’ll be extremely happy.

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• The iOS 18.4 update seems to be causing problems for CarPlay users
• Symptoms include connection issues and missing dashboard information
• There’s no solid fix yet, compounding the problem

Apple has just released iOS 18.4, which has brought a number of changes to users of many of the best iPhones. Unfortunately, though, it looks like the change has rendered Apple’s CarPlay platform unusable for a number of people, bringing disruption to Apple’s in-car entertainment system.

And according to multiple posts on X and Reddit, it looks like the issues are not restricted to one particular aspect of CarPlay. Instead, a wide range of glitches seem to be cropping up.

For instance, user NRein7 posted on Reddit to say that their car’s dashboard no longer displays Now Playing information after updating to iOS 18.4. Other Redditors chimed in to say that they were unable to connect their phone to their car in the first place, while others found their iPhones would only connect when using certain USB ports, or would repeatedly disconnect and reconnect over time.

We've reached out to Apple to find out if this is a confirmed issue and will update this story if we hear back about a potential fix.

Not just one car brand

(Image credit: Future)

The bugs seem to affect users of various car makes and models, including Audi, Ford, Honda and Mazda. That suggests the problem could lie with CarPlay itself rather than a specific car manufacturer’s software. Indeed, one Redditor said Volkswagen had told them that “Apple has to fix” to bug, implying it’s not down to Volkswagen’s own software. We've reached out to Apple to find out if this is the case.

Users have reported trying various methods to resolve the issue, including restarting their iPhones, unpairing and repairing them with their cars, and rebooting their vehicles. Some have found these methods to work, but for others, the problems remained.

Whatever the exact nature of the glitch, it’s a frustrating issue to encounter, and for now, there’s no confirmed fix. If you find yourself falling victim to this CarPlay mishap, you might just have to wait for Apple to roll out an update. The company has deployed the iOS 18.5 beta to testers, and the full version is expected to be released next month. Hopefully that provides a solution, if there isn't a fix before then.

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Application Programming Interfaces, (APIs) are a hot topic right now. With the rise of AI, APIs are crucial for integrating AI into apps, chatbots, as well as automating workflows. There is also the growth of microservices and cloud computing where APIs allow different services to communicate efficiently in the cloud.

APIs are transforming the integration and flow of data and information between different software applications and operating systems. The possibilities of what this will enable us as consumers to do is endless and for businesses its evolution is presents exciting opportunities across the board.

APIs enhance the connectivity between multiple platforms by allowing different systems to communicate and work together more seamlessly, streamlining operations and greatly improving the flow of data to be benefit of end users. It can save staff time and increase the value of tools including payment gateways, social media platforms, cloud services and more to help businesses improve functionality, create scalability and you get better value from existing systems.

An opportunity to grow

In fiercely competitive markets, APIs also provide businesses with an opportunity to grow and enhance their position as leaders in the field bringing significant advantages over competitors. There are other benefits too. Greater efficiency and reliability: APIs ensure consistent and accurate data transfer between systems which reduce errors and enhance the reliability of your operations.

By centralizing and connecting data from various sources, APIs provide a unified view of all the information. With this business leaders can make more informed decisions that enable expansion, moving and adapting quickly to respond to market demands and opportunities.

The operational enhancements that APIs bring mean that companies can enhance their customer experiences, facilitate more personalized services, apply seamless payment solutions, and share real-time updates, all of which lead to greater user satisfaction and engagement.

Everyday examples of this include integrating Google Maps into apps to show location data or where an online retailer provides the ability to pay with PayPal without the need to access sensitive data. APIs are already being used in our everyday lives.

Businesses can also use APIs to integrate chatbots, recommendation engines, and other AI-driven tools to deliver a more customized experience. The ability to connect with third-party services also improves functionality and helps companies offer comprehensive solutions to their customers.

Key considerations

Technology moves at pace and keeping up with these changes can bring key considerations that need to be considered throughout the development process.

The need to ensure the API meets end user needs – it needs to do the job it set out to do therefore it’s important that all stakeholders are involved in the development stage of the process to ensure success and buy-in at the implementation stage. Think about who the end user is, what the efficiency is you’re hoping to gain. The planning stage is key. Design an API with simplicity and test regularly throughout the development.

Consider security aspects – cross-sharing of data across platforms poses possible cyber security risks and APIs can be prone to threats like unauthorized access and data breaches if proper security measures are not adhered to. Robust authentication measures such as OAuth2 and token-based methods can ensure secure access along with encrypting data. This should be regularly reviewed.

Optimize API performance – APIs need to be able to handle high volumes of requests. Poor performance can cause slow response times and cause programs to crash. There are ways to mitigate this including caching for data that is frequently requested and sending only essential data. Developers can create database queries to minimize the level of data retrieved and processing required. Breaking the data retrieval down into more manageable chunks improves scalability and the ability for the API to cope with traffic spikes.

Consider cross-system compatibility – APIs need to work lots of different systems and programs and this needs to happen seamlessly for it to be effective. This can be particularly challenging when dealing with legacy systems that use old programming methods. Widely accepted standards such as JSON or XML should be used to ensure broad compatibility and help futureproof the API.

Summary

The rise of APIs is reshaping digital transformation across industries. From ecommerce and fintech to healthcare and logistics, businesses increasingly rely on APIs to innovate and scale at unprecedented rates. As cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and IoT continue to evolve, APIs will serve as the backbone of interconnected digital ecosystems.

Companies that embrace APIs will not only streamline their operations but also gain a competitive advantage by unlocking new markets and partnerships. The future of business lies in connectivity, and APIs will continue to play a crucial role in shaping this dynamic landscape.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Industry analysts have weighed in on Nintendo Switch 2's controversial pricing
• Hardware prices are in line with expectations, but software is a concern
• Analysts are saying that US tariffs are just one part of the problem

The pricing model of the Nintendo Switch 2 is now public knowledge in the aftermath of the April 2 Nintendo Direct, and there's much to unpack for both hardware and software.

In short, the common consensus is that the retail price of the console - $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for the Mario Kart World bundle - is more or less in line with what folks were expecting. It's the software side that seems to have generated the most concern.

We now know that Switch 2 launch games like Mario Kart World will cost a borderline absurd $79.99 / £74.99, while Donkey Kong Bananza is being listed at the current industry standard of $69.99 / £64.99. In both cases, this is a massive leap up from most of the best Nintendo Switch games, and many analysts are showing concern about the precedent being set here.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

IGN has since spoken to a number of trusted industry analysts on the topic of Nintendo Switch 2 pricing.

There is general agreement on the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration being a factor. NYU Stern professor Joost van Dreunen calls Nintendo's pricing a "strategic balancing act," adding that: "Nintendo appears to be building in a buffer against these potential trade barriers while ensuring they maintain their traditional positive margin on hardware."

Ampere Analysis' Piers Harding-Rolls seems to agree here, saying: "My view is that they probably had a range of pricing for the US market in play up until the last minute due to the uncertainty on import tariffs."

Kantan Games CEO Dr. Serkan Toto also considers competitor Sony as a factor: "Nintendo probably factored in possible tariffs, the current inflationary climate in the world, and the $700 Sony dared to charge for the PlayStation 5 Pro last year."

(Image credit: Future/Nintendo)

Toto and other analysts, then, maybe hinting at a more cynical reason for Nintendo's lofty pricing schemes for Nintendo Switch 2. Toto added that the $80 price tag for Mario Kart World is "quite bold."

He added: "Tariffs could play a role, but I think it is much simpler: Nintendo is charging this price because they feel they can and that people will pay."

Finally, Circana's Mat Piscatella suggests that Nintendo is strongly targeting its enthusiast market for the first year of sales. "Based on what we're seeing across the market, sales to higher-income or more affluent households likely won't be impacted by this pricing," he said.

"And, of course, we have the price-insensitive super enthusiasts that will do and pay whatever it takes to acquire the Switch 2 at launch. Therefore, because of the limited quantities that will be available during the launch year, I do not anticipate this pricing to hinder year one sales volumes."

I personally have to wonder if Nintendo's software pricing for Switch 2 will level out in its second year, as Piscatella says: "The true test will come in year two, as supply is likely to become more readily available, and the addressable market will be forced to widen. So, we'll have to see what happens over the next 9-12 months."

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• Another upgrade has been spotted in Google Messages beta code
• The update would improve how longer texts are handled
• There's no word on how long it will be before the feature goes live

Sometimes the situation calls for a long and thoughtful text rather than a quick and short one, and Google Messages is finally improving support for these extended missives, according to new code spotted in the beta version of the app for Android.

This code isn't activated yet, but as spotted by Android Authority, it extends the text compose box to 12 lines – that's up from the current four, and means you don't have to keep scrolling up and down to review your message before sending it.

If you're a regular Google Messages user, you'll know it can be annoying to be composing a lengthy text and then have half of it disappear. It tends to break up the flow of writing, but it should be less of an issue going forward.

Google hasn't said anything officially about rolling this feature out, so we don't know how long it'll take to reach everyone – but it being baked into the beta code of Google Messages suggests the upgrade will start appearing sooner rather than later.

Getting the message

The compose window, before (left) and after (right) (Image credit: AssembleDebug / Android Authority)

Google Messages is now the default messaging app on both Pixel and Samsung phones, and Google has been working hard to make sure you choose it over any other chat app – such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Near the end of last year, Google rolled out a bunch of features to improve message security, including better scam detection and controls for blocking messages that come in from international senders you don't know.

Earlier this year, Google added upgrades for contacting the emergency services, while it also seems to have been listening to users – reversing a frustrating change that prevented user nicknames and profile pictures from being edited.

It seems there's much more in the pipeline as well: we've seen signs of a remote delete feature, more straightforward group chat management, and support for higher quality photos and videos sent through your chats.

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• A new teaser for James Gunn's Superman movie has been released online
• The extended clip reveals our first look at The Fortress of Solitude
• It also confirms who Alan Tudyk will voice in the DCU Chapter One film

I didn't think I could be anymore excited for James Gunn's Superman movie. But, after the unveiling of its latest jaw-dropping teaser, clearly I wasn't pumped up enough for its July 11 release.

The sneak peek is largely an extended look at the first Superman trailer that made us fall in love with his mischievous canine companion Krypto.

Once a severely beaten-up Clark Kent/Kal-El convinces the lovable scamp to "take him home", though, we're treated to the official unveiling of the DC Universe's (DCU) take on The Fortress of Solitude. And, boy oh boy, did it leave my jaw on the floor.

For the uninitiated, The Fortress of Solitude is Superman's home away from home. It's an Arctic-based headquarters for the Man of Steel to get away from the humdrum of civilian life on Earth, where he first learned he wasn't of this world, and a base of operations where he can recuperate from, I don't know, getting smacked about by his foes.

What's striking about Gunn's take on the Man of Steel's iconic fortress, though, is that it isn't a stationary object that looms over the Arctic tundra. As the DCU Chapter One film's latest clip confirms, it actually grows out of the icy terrain that surrounds it. Oh, and it can spin on a 360-degree axis, which, you know, is handy when you need to point Supes at the Sun so he can heal using its ultraviolet rays.

Alan Tudyk's Superman character revealed

I think this is the DCU's iteration of Kelex (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Luckily for Superman, The Fortress of Solitude is home to a small group of technologically-advanced androids who are also on hand to help him recover.

In DC Comics, it's usually home to a single service robot named Kelex. Essentially, it's the HQ's caretaker whenever Kent is off masquerading as a reporter for The Daily Planet and/or keeping planet Earth safe from threats at home and further afield.

For one of 2025's most exciting new movies, it seems like Kelex will be the de-facto leader of the humanoid robots that inhabit Supes' secret stronghold. It appears he'll be voiced by Alan Tudyk, too, whose voiced countless characters over the years. That includes another sentient android in K-2SO, who first appeared in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and who'll be part of the cast of Andor season 2 on Disney+.

Hear that? It might be the voice of whoever is playing Jor-El in Gunn's Superman film... (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The robots' DCU design won't be unfamiliar to long-time DC fans, either. Indeed, Gunn has taken inspiration from Grant Morrison's 'All-Star Superman' comic book run, which also serves as a key storytelling influence on Superman, for their look.

Away from Kelex and company, it also looks like The Fortress of Solitude is hiding another cast-based secret. Listen closely when the robots are carrying Superman into the heart of his secret lair, and you can hear a voice saying... something in the background.

It's hard to make out who this is but, based on what we know about The Fortress of Solitude from the comics and previous film adaptations, there are references to Clark's Kryptonian parents within its walls. Could it be, then, that the voice we hear has ties to a new Superman cast rumor that suggests a Guardians of the Galaxy star will play Jor-El, Supes' biological father, in Gunn's movie? I wouldn't be shocked if that's the case.

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• Microsoft appears to be working on a big redesign for the Start menu
• This work is hidden in the background of Windows 11 test builds, though, so it isn't officially happening yet
• It rolls the Start menu elements into a single, scrollable panel, and also gives users the choice to ditch recommendations

Microsoft looks to be applying a major change to the Start menu in Windows 11, revamping the layout so that it’s all on a single panel – and allowing recommendations to be turned off if the user wishes.

These are positive steps forward for this central part of the Windows 11 interface, although they aren’t happening just yet.

In fact, this work is still hidden in the background of the most recent Dev and Beta preview builds of Windows 11. So, it’s present, but not yet officially live, and it has to be enabled by fudging things with a Windows configuration utility.

That’s exactly what PhantomOfEarth, a regular provider of Windows info on X, did to uncover the new Start menu layout, which now puts everything on one panel that you scroll down.

This means you now have the pinned apps at the top, then recommendations, and the full list of installed apps below that – rather than the latter being separated off, as is the case now in Windows 11, with the app list being in a different panel you switch to by clicking a button.

Hidden in today's Dev/Beta CUs: a major update to the Windows 11 Start menu! It has a new, larger layout with everything on one scrollable page, with the "All" list below recommendations - which can FINALLY be turned off! Pinned list is now limited to 2 rows, but can be expanded. pic.twitter.com/JkP3V2I5g6April 3, 2025

As Windows Central reports, the rejigged Start menu panel is now also wider, meaning there’s more space to pin your favorite apps for easy access.

Crucially, there’s another move, something I’ve been wanting for a long time, and that’s being able to switch off Microsoft’s recommendations for files or apps you might want to use (based on the history of your PC usage), as mentioned at the outset.

(Image credit: Evgeny Atamanenko / Shutterstock) Analysis: An apparent reversal of course by Microsoft

It’s good to see Microsoft is mulling a big, positive change for the Start menu, but we must remember that this isn’t yet in testing, so we can’t count on this redesign actually being realized. That said, it looks like this work is well underway in the background of Windows 11 preview builds, which is a positive sign.

The worry for me is that at the end of last year, Microsoft categorically said it wasn’t going to remove the recommendations panel, and would instead continue “to work on improving its quality” going forward. Well, that stance appears to have changed, but this previous statement does give me a little pause for thought.

I can only hope that the options to turn off recommendations makes the cut for the release version of Windows 11. Okay, so some folks might appreciate having recommendations flagged to them, and that’s fine – Microsoft has even been exploring some useful tweaks to them in recent times.

However, there are certainly people who could live without recommendations eating up space in their Start menu – myself included – and there should always have been an option to turn them off, really. Give people the choice to either have them, or not, plain and simple.

Also visible in testing here are the new grid and category views which are different choices for how you peruse the list of all the apps on your PC. These aren’t new, and have been in testing (officially) for a while, but I thought I’d highlight them in case you missed this. They’re also a positive stride forward for the Start menu, and the new views are a good alternative to having one long alphabetical list of apps, particularly the category view which groups related applications to make navigation easier. Again, you don’t have to do this, and you can stick with the default long list if you prefer, but as ever, more choice is always good.

Is there a chance we’ll see this new Start menu as part of Microsoft’s big 50th anniversary celebrations (a bash that kicks off later today)? Well, no, because this redesign isn’t even in testing yet, but it may be possible that Microsoft could mention the idea in passing or tease it somehow.

At least that would confirm that the revamp is definitely inbound, and quell any lingering doubts that I have based on some of the company’s past statements. I’ll be keeping my fingers firmly crossed that this is a move that’s incoming, and that it’ll be fully realized as it currently appears in testing (meaning that Microsoft doesn’t whip out the choice to turn off recommendations).

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• The Galaxy S25 Edge will reportedly be announced on May 13, having apparently been delayed from a planned April launch
• It could be unveiled in an online-only presentation
• Its price might be right between that of the Galaxy S25 Plus and the S25 Ultra

In the last few days, there’s been a lot of confusion over when – or even if – the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge will launch.

First, we heard that it might land on April 15, then the very next day, there were claims that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge had been delayed until May or June. Shortly after that, we heard that there was a chance Samsung would cancel the S25 Edge altogether.

Now, though, a SamMobile report from leaker Max Jambor suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is finally set to launch on May 13.

There’s not much more to this story, though Jambor is one of the several sources who previously claimed the phone had been delayed until May or June, so this is in line with that; it's an update to an existing claim.

Jambor also says that it will probably be announced during a small, online-only presentation, rather than a big Unpacked event with an in-person element. That’s largely in line with what other sources have said, though there’s previously been a suggestion that the Edge might just get a press release and no proper launch event at all.

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff) Priced right down the middle

In any case, there’s also a new report on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s pricing, this time from WinFuture.

The site claims that the Galaxy S25 Edge will start at €1,249 in Germany. That’s for a model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while a pricier model with 512GB of storage will apparently be sold for €1,369.

We won’t bother with price conversions here as they’re rarely accurate, but the key point is that this starting price would put the Galaxy S25 Edge right between the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus (€1,149) and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (€1,349).

If the same holds true elsewhere, then you can expect the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge to cost roughly $1,150 / £1,125 / AU$1,950, as that’s halfway between the price of the S25 Plus and the S25 Ultra in those regions.

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• Some of Australia's biggest pension funds hit by cyberattack
• Hackers tried to withdraw hundreds of thousands of dollars
• The government acknowledged the coordinated attacks

Australia’s superannuation industry is experiencing a barrage of cyberattacks which have seen customers already lose more than AU$500,000.

AustralianSuper, Australian Retirement Trust, Rest, Insignia and Hostplus all confirmed breaches, with the former confirming losing 600 member passwords, which cybercriminals tried to use in fraud attacks.

"We took immediate action to lock these accounts and let those members know," AustralianSuper's Chief Member Officer Rose Kerlin said, stressing that all members should reinforce their accounts with new, stronger passwords, and that they should check their balances.

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Unusual login activity

Four members have cumulatively had AU$500,000 withdrawn from their accounts, Reuters further reported, citing an anonymous source. AustralianSuper is yet to comment on this information.

Rest Super, on the other hand, confirmed that the attack affected 20,000 accounts. "Over the weekend of 29-30 March 2025, Rest became aware of some unauthorized activity on our online Member Access portal," Rest CEO Vicki Doyle said. “We responded immediately by shutting down the Member Access portal, undertaking investigations and launching our cyber security incident response protocols."

Australian Retirement Trust also observed “unusual login activity” on “several hundreds” of accounts, but no withdrawals were attempted.

The country’s government has acknowledged these incidents and said it was working on a response.

The industry is a key component of the nation's savings system. It has seen substantial growth and consolidation in recent years. As of December 2024, the industry managed approximately $4.17 trillion in total superannuation assets, up 11.5% increase from the previous year. ​At the same time, there are approximately 23.1 million member accounts across 960 superannuation products.

Via Reuters

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• Android Auto has a new free dash cam app
• It uses the car's in-built cameras to capture the road
• Car manufacturers will need to customize the app for their cars

If you want to add some extra security to your car or keep a record of what’s happening on the road while you drive, then you’ve probably thought about picking up one of the best dash cams. But you might soon be able to rely just on your car’s in-built cameras and Android Auto to do the job.

That’s because Google has recently rolled out a new free Dashcam App via Android Auto, which car manufacturers can easily integrate into the services their vehicles offer (spotted by Android Authority).

A few cars already include dash cam services using their cameras, but these had to be designed by each car maker.

With Google offering this generic service via Android Auto, many drivers are hoping – us included – that manufacturers yet to add this kind of service to their vehicles finally will because Google has made the process much simpler for them.

With Android Auto you may no longer need a dash cam (Image credit: Future)

The documentation Google has released is quite in-depth because it’s aimed at software developers looking to adapt its app to fit their vehicles, so we’ve parsed through it and picked some highlights.

For example, the app recommends you use external storage to keep video recordings so you don’t instantly fill your car’s internal storage. We also know that the dash cam service will start automatically when it detects certain triggers, like driving over a certain speed. These customization options potentially let you design your ideal dash cam setup depending on your needs.

Developers can also set up options for notifications, limits on how long files will be stored for before being deleted, and a ‘streaming_module’ reference has us thinking you might be able to remotely view your car’s dash cam clips remotely from another device.

Android Auto already has plenty of useful tools (Image credit: Google Play)

Now, Google’s Android Auto app system isn’t quite as perfect as an actual dash cam.

For one, this new system will only work if your car has cameras, and if it does, the cameras don’t usually look at what’s happening inside the car – something you can get from dash cams.

For another, you can’t simply install Android Auto’s dash cam today – you’ll have to wait for your vehicle to get support for it in an update.

But as more vehicles boast cameras to help with parking, basic self-driving capabilities, road sign detection, and other driver-assistance features, this Android Auto update will be a big upgrade for many of our cars and could quickly become one of Android Auto’s best features.

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• Phishing emails carrying PDF attachments are on the rise, report warns
• Check Point highlights how hackers love PDFs for customization
• Social engineering attacks using PDFs are also on the rise

At least one in every five phishing emails carries a .PDF attachment, researchers are saying, warning that the popular file format is being increasingly used in social engineering attacks.

A new report from Check Point Research claims PDF-based attacks now account for 22% of all malicious email attachments, making them particularly concerning for businesses sharing large quantities of these files every day.

In earlier years, many of the attacks relied on JavaScript or other dynamic content being embedded within the files. While this approach is still seen in the wild, it has become less common, since JavaScript-based attacks tend to be “noisy” and easier to detect by security solutions.

Email remains one of the most popular attack vectors out there, with more than two-thirds (68%) of cyberattacks beginning this way.

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Customizing the link

Today, cybercriminals are pivoting towards a simpler, more effective approach, Check Point says - social engineering.

Generally speaking, the attacks don’t differ much from your usual phishing email. The PDF attachment would serve as a launch pad, often carrying a link that would redirect a person to a malicious landing page or a website hosting malware.

That way, the malicious links are hidden from security filters, making sure the files are received straight to the inbox.

Furthermore, placing the link in a PDF gives the attackers full control - they can change the text, the image, or any other aspect of the link, making it more trustworthy.

The files are often designed to mimic trusted brands like Amazon, DocuSign, or Acrobat Reader.

“Even though these attacks involve human interaction (the victim must click the link), this is often an advantage for attackers, as sandboxes and automated detection systems struggle with tasks that require human decision-making,” Check Point concluded.

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• Google has updated NotebookLM once more
• It can now search the web and find sources for you
• It's easier than ever to create an AI podcast

Google has updated NotebookLM, its handy learning tool and AI podcast creator, so that it’s easier than ever to add sources. Now you can “search on the web” for sources of information that it turns into an AI podcast, mind map, or which it can answer questions about.

NotebookLM is designed to help you learn anything by breaking down large volumes of information into easily accessible reports and podcasts.

It doesn’t take a genius, however, to realize that its podcasts are so good they could easily replace real podcast hosts talking about literally any subject, and that’s where the new feature from Google leaves me in a bit of a moral quandary.

State your sources

Since I run a tai chi podcast I decided to try out the new feature by asking NotebookLM to see what sources it would find on the subject of tai chi, and I was quite surprised at the articles it found.

There were some academic articles on tai chi in there, as I'd expect, along with articles from various tai chi websites, but also a Reddit discussion offering various perspectives on tai chi’s spirituality, and a YouTube video.

NotebookLM takes all these sources and produces various media for you, including an Audio Overview (it’s basically a podcast) that takes a deep dive into your subject.

It made me ponder whether all those article writers and Reddit commentators were happy that I was using their thoughts as fuel for an AI-generated podcast.

Credit where it's due

It’s not like Google has added any new abilities to NotebookLM – you could always add any source you wanted – but at least you had to add it manually.

Making it actively scour the web to find a curated list of sources for you, without really asking the permission of any of these sources, then turning them into other types of media, does feel a little bit questionable.

If you are using NotebookLM purely as intended - i.e., to learn about a subject I don’t see a problem, but if those AI podcasts that are based on other people’s work, for example, get used in other ways, perhaps as income-generating podcasts, then that doesn’t always feel justified.

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• Businesses still haven't stopped using easily crackable passwords
• Germany, the US, and China suffer the most password breaches
• 123456, password, and qwerty are still being used in 2025

Many businesses are still using weak passwords that can be cracked in less than a second in the event of a brute force attack to secure their accounts, new research from one of the best password managers, NordPass, has found.

Passwords such as ‘123456’, ‘secret’, and even ‘password’ are being used by thousands of businesses across the world, resulting in easy picking for hackers.

The research also found Germany was top in the world for password breaches, with 582,067 incidents, closely followed by the US with 502,435, and China at 448,375.

The password is ‘password’

NordPass’ research used a 2.5 terabyte database compiled from numerous publicly available data sets, including some from the dark web that covered 11 industries.

For enterprise, the most common password in the database was ‘123456789’ with 378,182 uses, followed by the much easier to remember ‘123456’ with 356,341 uses, and just to round it all out ‘12345678’ comes in third with 145,688 uses.

Small and medium businesses don’t fare much better, with ‘123456’ topping the list for both with a total of 852,861 across both business sizes. Other classic passwords such as ‘qwerty123’, ‘abc123’, and ‘iloveyou’ also appear on the list, taking less than one second to crack.

Interestingly, the 28th most used password in NordPass’ dataset was ‘TimeLord12’, possibly suggesting that an IT worker with a love for Peter Capaldi’s work as the twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who was in charge of creating over 30,447 accounts that were later exposed.

NordPass also found many users who didn’t use the most common passwords would often use their own email address as their password, making it fairly easy for an attacker to crack their accounts. Names were also a common inclusion in the database, suggesting that employees were using their own names as a password.

(Image credit: Passwork)

If you’ve seen your password somewhere in this article or in NordPass’ research, it might be time to change it to something more secure, lest you be responsible for a breach.

In order to better protect corporate accounts, businesses should put in place password creation rules that make it harder to use simple passwords that can be easily cracked. NordPass also offers a business password manager tier to help businesses generate and store passwords securely.

Businesses should also implement two-factor authentication when signing in to accounts to help verify that the person accessing the account is a legitimate user, and not a crook with stolen credentials. Businesses can also switch over to using passkeys, which use secure authentication to log in without the need to remember complex passwords.

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Remember last week, when Netflix added HDR10+ support in a move that looked like great news for Samsung TV owners? Well, I assumed that this would be an instant win for the best Samsung TVs across the board, but it seems that's not the case – and Samsung is surprisingly cagey about which of its existing TVs will see the benefit, and when.

Samsung released a statement saying that all of its 2025 TVs, including the Samsung S95F OLED TV, will support Netflix's HDR10+ implementation, as will its 2024 and 2025 HDR computer monitors – but no one owns the 2025 TVs yet, so what about current TVs?

Samsung says there will be "support for additional models in the future", but hasn't offered any further information so far. I've asked Samsung if it's able to share any more specific information for users of these TVs, and will update if I hear back.

My guess is that Samsung will actually bring support fairly broadly, and fairly quickly – but this cagey announcement feels like dropping the ball just seconds away from a touchdown.

The Samsung S95D, our TV of the Year 2024, may or may not get Netflix's HDR10+ support… (Image credit: Future)

HDR10+ is a more advanced kind of HDR, with scene-by-scene metadata, like Dolby Vision. In theory, it can help TVs better 'tone map' the levels of HDR brightness onto the capabilities of the TV's screen, meaning more detail is retained in the brightest and darkest areas of the image, even if your TV isn't great at going especially bright or dark.

Samsung's TVs support HDR10+, and don't support Dolby Vision – it's the only maker of the best TVs that has rejected Dolby's HDR format. And this has been a frustration, because Dolby Vision HDR is the advanced format used by most of the best streaming services.

The lack of Dolby Vision is the big complaint we hear from people when we post about Samsung TVs, and having HDR10+ support on the biggest streamers (Prime Video also supports it) helps mitigate that – so I would've expected Samsung to embrace this instantly. In fact, I just assumed Samsung would have everything prepped in advance for it, given how tied the company is to HDR10+ as a format.

But that's been changing over time, and Netflix supporting HDR10+ felt like a key shift to offer all Samsung TVs an instant boost… but only once Samsung supports it.

When Samsung confirms that it's supporting the Netflix update on more TVs, we'll let you know straight away, Samsung TV owners.

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• JetKVM is a tiny KVM over IP product for full remote control of any computer
• It raised over $4 million in crowdfunding from more than 30,000 backers
• Device includes USB-C, Ethernet, HDMI Mini and RJ11 extension for add-ons

Plenty of crowdfunded campaigns fail to draw enough pledges to turn a project into reality, but that isn’t the case with JetKVM, a $69 next-generation open source KVM over IP device that can control any computer remotely.

It was successfully funded on Kickstarter on December 3, 2024, smashing its $50,000 goal with a whopping $4,370,767 in pledges from an impressive 31,598 backers.

Although the campaign has now ended, you can still become a late backer, and the good news is, you shouldn’t have long to wait to receive the product, as JetKVM is expected to begin shipping in April 2025.

Rare RJ11 extension port

The small hardware device gives you full remote access to a computer’s screen, keyboard, and mouse, just like a physical KVM switch, but over the internet.

It connects to the target machine’s HDMI port to capture video, and to a USB port to emulate input devices. Once set up, you can control the machine from anywhere using a web browser. This is especially useful for headless systems, unresponsive machines, or remote BIOS access.

The device runs a Linux system based on Buildroot, powered by a RockChip RV1106G3 (ARM Cortex-A7, 1.0GHz) with built-in H.264 and H.265 encoding. It includes 256MB of DDR3L RAM, 16GB of eMMC storage, Ethernet, USB-C, HDMI Mini, and a unique RJ11 extension port.

The creators say JetKVM streams 1080p video at 60FPS with 30–60ms latency. Remote access is handled via JetKVM Cloud using WebRTC for encrypted peer-to-peer connections. A 1.69-inch touchscreen shows status and local controls, and the software, written in Go, is fully open source and modifiable via SSH.

Power can be supplied via USB-C, RJ11, or pin header. The RJ11 port, which we're big fans of, supports hardware extensions like sensors, ATX power control, or serial console access.

Even though JetKVM has been successfully financed, and then some, we’d be remiss if we didn’t offer our customary crowdfunding warning: delays happen, features can change, and delivery isn’t always guaranteed, so please bear that in mind.

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