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• Upcoming life sim game inZOI has hit the top of the Steam wishlist charts
• It's currently ahead of Hollow Knight: Silksong and Deadlock
• It comes to PC in early access on March 28

The excitement around the upcoming life sim game inZOI seems to know no bounds as it shoots to the top of the Steam wishlist charts.

According to publisher Krafton, the game amassed more than 50,000 new followers in a single week - a seriously impressive figure that would suggest the game is on track to become one of the biggest releases of the year.

This certainly goes to show that there is a lot of pent up demand in the life sim market, which has been almost entirely dominated by the The Sims series from Electronic Arts (EA) for two decades.

The latest major instalment in that franchise, The Sims 4, launched all the way back in 2014. Although it has received a steady stream of free updates an countless paid downloadable content (DLC) packs over the years, many players now want a full-on sequel with more modern features but there is no indication that this is in the works at EA.

If you head over to the Steam Top Wishlists page, you can see that inZOI is currently sitting just ahead of hugely anticipated titles including the long-awaited indie sequel Hollow Knight: Silksong, Valve's own Deadlock, and Elden Ring Nightreign. It's also substantially ahead of the likes of Doom: The Dark Ages, Dying Light: The Beast, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, and much more.

inZOI is set to release in early access on March 28, 2025. Developer Inzoi Studio has confirmed that it will cost $39.99 throughout the early access period, which is expected to last for over a year. The game will then come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

Is it worth getting excited for?

On paper, inZOI looks like a perfect successor to The Sims, with almost photorealistic visuals and loads of customization options. Many fellow life sim fans seem to be looking forward to it a great deal, though I would personally suggest tempering your expectations somewhat.

I've had to opportunity to play an early build throughout the last couple of weeks and I was ultimately quite disappointed with it. Everything here would be a great foundation, especially the pretty visuals and superb character creation plus building mechanics, but there's not much proper meat to keep you entertained during day-to-day life.

Throw in some annoying glitches and you have a game that would likely be a lot more enjoyable after a substantial patch or two. Of course, this isn't too unusual when it comes to early access products, and I'm optimistic that inZOI will improve a great deal over the coming weeks and months.

Just don't expect anything too ground-breaking if you plan to dive in on day one.

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• Google Chrome has patched its first zero-day flaw of the year
• The bug allowed cyber-espionage, primarily against targets in Russia
• Kaspersky researchers thanked for finding bug, and users told to update now

Google has fixed a high-severity zero-day vulnerability in its Chrome browser that was being exploited in the wild.

In a security advisory, the company described the bug as an “incorrect handle provided in unspecified circumstances in Mojo on Windows”.

The flaw is tracked as CVE-2’25-2783, and it’s yet to be given a severity score. Google just lists it as “high” in its advisory. It was fixed with version 134.0.6998.178 that already rolled out, so make sure to double-check if you’ve already received it.

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Operation ForumTroll

The company did not detail who the attackers, or the victims, are, and just said it will restrict access to bug details and links until the majority of users update their browsers. It did, however, thank two Kaspersky researchers - Boris Larin and Igor Kuznetsov, for uncovering the flaw.

In a separate report, Kaspersky said the vulnerability was being used to escape the browser’s sandbox and deploy malware against targets in Russia.

The researchers spotted it while investigating a "spike in infections" from a previously unknown malware strain, Cyberinsider reported.

The campaign involves phishing, redirecting victims to primakovreadings[dot]info. The entire campaign was dubbed Operation ForumTroll and apparently, the goal is to conduct cyber-espionage.

Kaspersky also said Operation ForumTroll attackers also used a separate vulnerability to enable remote code execution on compromised endpoints. However, patching the Chrome flaw breaks the entire infection chain.

​"While research is still ongoing, but judging by the functionality of the sophisticated malware used in the attack, Kaspersky says the attackers' goal was likely espionage," Kaspersky said.

"The malicious emails contained invitations supposedly from the organizers of a scientific and expert forum, 'Primakov Readings,' targeting media outlets, educational institutions and government organizations in Russia. Based on the content of the emails, we dubbed the campaign Operation ForumTroll."

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DOGE staffers have skirted privacy laws, training and security protocols to gain virtually unfettered access to financial and personal information stored in siloed government databases.

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Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: One-minute review

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently it could be a worthwhile upgrade to your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – it’s already become my favorite Quest 3 accessory.

The built-in battery – the main reason to buy this strap – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity, which is a little more than the battery life of either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S. This doubles your VR and MR sessions, an advantage anyone who has ever had to cut a session far too short because their battery ran out will appreciate.

Beyond direct utility, the battery strap helps improve your Quest setup’s comfort to some degree as it serves as a counterweight to the headset proper and includes front and back padding. With its adjustable hard plastic mechanism, the strap will also remain comfortably attached to your head providing a more stable fit than the strap you get with your Meta Quest 3.

The only downside is that the strap weighs 446g, which is about 60g shy of what the Quest headsets weigh on their own. So while the battery is useful, a non-battery-equipped head strap like the H4 Halo Comfort (which is otherwise identical to the H4 Boost Halo) could be a better pick if you find your headset is heavy enough as it is.

(Image credit: Future) Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Price

• Normally costs $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161
• Regularly on sale for less

At $99.99 / £82.00 / AU$161 this Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap is not cheap. But if you use your VR headset frequently this cost could be worthwhile as the strap effectively doubles how long you can use your Quest 3 for between charges.

What’s more, Kiwi design’s accessories are frequently on sale on Amazon and its store. We’ve seen it drop as much as 40% during sales so it’s worth waiting for a discount unless you’re desperate for a Quest 3 upgrade.

• Value score: 4

Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap: Design

• Comfy and secure Meta Quets 3 or 3S headstrap
• Doubles your Quest headset's battery life

(Image credit: Future)

The Kiwi design H4 Boost Battery Halo head strap can easily replace the base head strap included with your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – just unclip and unloop the original, and attach the H4 in its place – and it’s a near-total upgrade.

First, the hard plastic strap is adjustable and has cushioning on the back and front of your head which combine to create a more secure and comfy setup than the basic Quest head strap. Second, and more importantly, it comes equipped with a battery that increases how long you can use your Quest 3 between charges and can be easily connected to your headset via a built-in USB-C cable.

The battery – which is housed at the back of the head strap and serves as a counterweight to the headset proper, improving comfort – boasts a 5,300mAh capacity.

This is just over the battery capacity of both the Quest 3S (4,324 mAh) and Quest 3 (4,879 mAh) so your headset’s battery life will more than double; if you got 2 hours of usage out of your Quest you’ll now get 4 hours.

Best of all, with your headset hooked up to the battery pack you can use a USB-C cable to charge the pack and headset simultaneously, and fairly quickly, too. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour.

(Image credit: Future)

In my experience, the setup does recharge fairly speedily, and the extended battery is more than enough to game for a whole evening without needing to take a break for my headset to recharge – which is a frustration I’ve dealt with in the past.

The only notable downside is that at 446g this head strap is just 60g lighter than either the Quest 3 or Quest 3S on their own, doubling your setup’s weight as well as its battery life. If you already find your headset is too heavy as is then adding this strap could be a bad idea.

However, during my testing, I never had trouble wearing the H4 Boost Halo Battery strap for an extended play session, so I expect many VR users won’t struggle too much with it either.

• Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap? Buy it if…

You wish your headset could go the distance
If two hours of battery life per charge is never enough, then this battery strap will go a long way to solving your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S woes.

You want comfort
If the regular Quest 3 head strap isn’t comfy or secure enough for you then you’ll appreciate the cushioning and adjustable design of the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap.

Don’t buy it if…

You use your headset infrequently
The H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap is excellent, but it’s not good value if you use your VR headset infrequently. If you’re new to VR wait and see how often you use it before upgrading to this head strap.

You find your headset too heavy already
This strap effectively doubles the weight of your Quest 3 setup. The battery acts as a counterweight to keep it from feeling too uncomfortable, but it’s something to consider if headset weight is already an issue for you.

How I tested the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap

To put this strap through its paces I used it for a few weeks with my Meta Quest 3 and made sure to swap back to the base strap every so often to get a sense of the advantages and disadvantages of each design. I also compared it to the Razer head strap and the K4 Battery strap from Kiwi to judge its effectiveness against other third-party headsets.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed March 2025

Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: One-minute review

This battery-equipped head strap might not be as impressive as Kiwi design’s H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap from a design perspective, but it still ticks many boxes.

It boasts a 5,300mAh battery capacity – effectively doubling the battery life of your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S – and the padding and adjustable plastic deliver a secure yet comfortable fit that’s an upgrade on the default fabric strap that would have arrived with your VR headset.

Best of all, it costs only $69.99 / £57 / AU$113. As such, it’s a relatively affordable option and the perfect choice for first-time or more casual Meta Quest users who aren’t ready to splash out on top-of-the line upgrades, but still want something worthwhile.

The only negative of note is that at 358g this strap weighs about 70% of what the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S each weigh on their own. So, if you’ve been struggling with the headset’s weight already then this will add over half as much weight again and could make your VR system unmanageable.

(Image credit: Future) Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Price

• Usually costs $69.99 / £57 / AU$113
• Typcially discounted during sales like Black Friday and Prime

You can pick up the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap from Kiwi design’s official store or Amazon for $69.99 / £57 / AU$113 – although it can regularly be found at a discount through both outlets.

At this price, the K4 is a more affordable battery strap for your Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S – being cheaper than Kiwi’s own H4 strap, and Meta’s official Elite Strap with battery.

• Value score: 5

(Image credit: Future) Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap: Design

• Like an upgraded version of the official Meta Quest 3 Elite strap with battery
• Just over doubles your Meta Quest 3 headset's battery life

The K4 Boost Battery Strap shares several design similarities with the official Meta Quest 3 Elite Strap with Battery. It’s a hard plastic strap with a battery at the rear, which can be adjusted to fit the size of your head. The hard plastic with padding ensures the design delivers a secure yet comfortable fit on your head; it feels significantly more solid on the head over the fabric strap the Quest 3 headset comes with in its box.

There are some differences between this and the official plastic battery strap, however. The first is that the head strap is padded for additional comfort, and the other is the Kiwi design has a hinge half way along each side.

Not only does this hinge help you to find a better position for the strap on your head; it means you can more easily put on and take off the headset without putting stress on the arms as it just folds up.

I had previously used an official Elite Strap with my Meta Quest 2, but it snapped on one side – roughly where the K4’s hinge is positioned – following just a few months’ use. Based on the K4 Boost Battery Strap’s design then, I expect it to be more durable.

As for the battery itself, beyond serving as a counterweight to the front of the headset, helping improve the comfort of your setup, the 5,300mAh unit will more than double the length of time for which your Meta Quest setup can be used. The Quest 3S features a 4,324mAh capacity battery and Quest 3 a 4,879mAh battery, so with the K4 supplying an extra 5,300mAh, you can expect to run each device for just over double the time.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, while the K4’s battery pack is hooked up to your Quest 3 using the built-in USB-C cable, you can use your Quest’s USB-C charger to refuel both the headset and strap simultaneously. Kiwi design promises that a 45W charger can restore 60% charge to your headset and 65% to the strap in an hour – just like its H4 battery strap – by dividing 22.5W of power between the battery and headset.

The only downside to consider here is that the battery isn’t light. At 358g, the K4 strap weighs about 70% of the Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S on their own. It’s lighter than some battery straps, and from my experience makes up for the weight with added comfort. However, if you already struggle with the weight of either headset then you may prefer Kiwi’s K4 Comfort Strap (which is identical except it lacks the built-in battery).

In addition, the K4 Boost Battery Strap doesn’t offer as much in the way of adjustments as more high-end options such as the H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap – which includes an adjustable front cushion, for example. However, the latter is also more expensive, so this is to be expected.

• Design score: 4/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap? Buy it if…

You’re on a budget
If you want an affordable but capable battery strap then this is one of the best options we’ve tried.

You want to stay in VR for longer
This battery strap effectively doubles the battery life of a Meta Quest 3 or Meta Quest 3S, meaning you’ll be able to play VR and MR games for longer.

Don’t buy it if…

Your Quest 3 feels too heavy already
This battery strap weighs about 70% of a Quest 3 or Quest 3S headset alone, so you may prefer the K4 Comfort instead, which comes without the battery.

You demand something high-end
This strap lacks some of the adjustability of slightly more high-end VR headset straps.

How I tested the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap

To test the Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery Strap thoroughly, I attached it to my Meta Quest 3S and used it as my primary head strap on that headset for a few weeks. I also made sure to swap between the K4 and the base strap to compare, while also pitting against the Razer head strap and the Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery strap (which was attached to my Meta Quest 3) to contrast different third-party options.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed March 2025

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: One-minute review

I’ve fallen in love with the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips since outfitting my Meta Quest 3’s controllers with them (they’re also compatible with the identical Meta Quest 3S handsets). They offer a thorough improvement over the naked controllers – especially for fitness apps and more active VR games like Beat Saber – and I don’t think I could ever go back to standard controllers.

The textured silicone surface is easier to grip than the bare plastic, the side strap more securely attaches the controllers to my hands, and the battery hatch ensures it’s easy to replace the controller’s battery as and when needed.

(Image credit: Future)

That said, for all my praise I’m well aware that these grips fall into that luxury add-on category. Not because they’re particularly pricey – they’re just $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 – but because I don’t think these grips are something everyone with a VR headset needs to own.

If you use your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S fairly regularly and have already upgraded it with a silicone facial interface (and maybe a battery head strap too), then the G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips are a solid next step. Alternatively, if you’re looking for a gift that isn’t just Meta Quest Store credit for someone you know who loves their Meta Quest 3, then these grips are an ideal purchase.

Otherwise, while the grips are great, people who use their headset infrequently would be better served spending their money on great Quest 3 software instead.

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: Price

• Normally cost $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 for a pair
• Often discounted during sale events like Prime Day

(Image credit: Future)

The Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips are available in the US, UK and Australia for $39.99 / £29.99 / AU$65 from Amazon or Kiwi’s own store, although they’re regularly available for less with discounts and limited-time vouchers. It’s worth checking both sites as you might find one has the accessory for a lot cheaper than the other.

This means they’re not overly pricey, but are in the same ballpark as an AA VR game – or a couple of indie titles. I’ll get into why the G4 Pro Performance grips are fantastic in a minute but at this price, I believe people who are complete newcomers to VR or only wear their Meta Quest 3 every so often would generally be better off buying software instead of these grips.

• Value score: 3

Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips: Design

• Effective Meta Quets 3 or 3S controller grips
• Perfect for active games like Just Dance VR or Supernatural

The main design advantage of Kiwi’s G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips is that they make it much easier to, well, grip your controller securely during a VR session. The silicone covering provides more friction between your hand and the controller, so you’re less likely to accidentally let go when swinging your arms around compared to the naked plastic. The adjustable side strap replaces the flimsy cord you get in the Meta Quest box to more securely attach the handsets to your hands.

I’ve found this is especially useful for active fitness games and apps with a lot of movement like Just Dance VR or Supernatural.

(Image credit: Future)

What I particularly like is that you can completely let go of the controller and the strap will still keep it pressed against your palm. So if you’ve ever found it awkward or slightly strange immersion-wise to let go of a virtual object without completely letting go of your controller, this grip’s design could help you out a lot.

An issue I was anticipating with the grips is that the silicone would make it significantly harder to access the Quest controllers’ batteries whenever they need replacing. Thankfully, Kiwi design thought ahead with a built-in battery hatch. A custom plastic battery cover replaces the default Quest controllers’ covers to add a window and pull cord – if you run this cord under the battery you can later tug it to easily free the cell from its cage – then a hatch built into the silicone can be peeled back to reveal the battery without removing the grip.

These simple yet effective design features make the grips a delight to use and a complete upgrade on the base Meta Quest controllers.

• Design score: 5/5

Should you buy the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips?

(Image credit: Future) Buy it if…

You love VR
If you use your Meta Quest 3 or Quest 3S regularly then these grips are worth picking up.

You’re getting a Meta Quest 3 user a gift
I think these G4 Pro grips might be the perfect gift for a Meta Quest 3 user as they’re something I can’t see someone buying for themselves, but they’ll love using them when they get a pair.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re a VR newbie
You don’t need to get the perfect VR setup right away. Use your Quest 3 for a bit, see how often you put it on, and if you’re convinced you still need to upgrade, then consider picking these grips up.

You don’t own a Quest 3 or 3S
These grips are designed to fit Meta Quest 3 or 3S controllers. So even if your handsets look really similar you’ll probably find these grips don’t fit and will be a wasted purchase.

How I tested the Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips

To test these Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips I put them onto my Quest 3 controllers and used them for a few weeks in a wide variety of different VR games. I’d also make sure to swap between my Quest 3 and Quest 3S – which still uses naked controllers – to compare the experience.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed March 2025

• Xbox is testing a new feature known as Game Hubs
• It displays a one-stop dashboard for your game when you attempt to launch it
• Game Hubs are currently available to just a small number of Xbox Insiders

If you're part of the Xbox Insider program on Xbox Series X|S consoles, you might have been rolled into the testing of a new feature known as Game Hubs.

As reported by VGC, Game Hubs are appearing for Insiders when choosing a game to launch. Game Hubs are unique to the game you're choosing to play, and appear as a sort of dashboard before launching the game.

The hub displays information including total play time and achievements earned for each individual game. There are also tabs for quick access to DLC purchases and any screenshots you've captured.

According to VGC, some Hubs - like one for Disney Dreamlight Valley - may also show an 'Events' section which will detail upcoming or current in-game events. Presumably, such sections will show up in popular live service titles like Monster Hunter Wilds or Fortnite.

At present, the feature is only available to a select number of Xbox Insiders, and it's not yet known if or when it'll roll out to the wider Xbox user base.

Personally, it's a feature I've got mixed feelings on. It's certainly handy to have a one-stop dashboard for each game - PS5 games have a similar layout on the home dashboard.

However, I feel the PS5 implementation is less intrusive, as all this information is presented without opening up a separate menu. I'm also not a huge fan of having a good portion of the Game Hub dashboard dedicated to the display of downloadable content.

This will seemingly be on a game-by-game basis of course, and Game Hubs appear to default to the 'Play' button without exception. So at least you can still jump right into a game when they're implemented.

And with the way the Xbox dashboard is designed, this was probably the best way to add such a feature without doing a total user interface overhaul. For now, I'll reserve judgment until I get to try out Game Hubs for myself.

But I can't shake the feeling that it'll be a feature that I'll want to disable fairly swiftly.

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• A new early benchmark reveals that the RTX 5090 laptop GPU outperforms the RTX 4090 variant
• It performs 65% faster in Hogwarts Legacy on DLSS balanced at maximum graphics settings
• With Multi-Frame Generation frame rates are above and beyond what is provided by the RTX 4090 laptop GPU

Nvidia's RTX 5000 series GPU lineup still has more to offer, with new desktop and laptop GPUs in the pipeline. Fortunately, some early benchmarks on the upcoming flagship laptop variant are already here. Spoiler alert: they're very promising.

As reported by YouTuber Dave2D in a new video, the RTX 5090 laptop GPU outperforms its RTX 4090 predecessor across several different demanding titles, using DLSS upscaling in early benchmarks. This was in the new Razer Blade 16, utilizing an OLED 2560x1600 display, and it's currently available for pre-order.

The RTX 5090 features 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM over the previous 16GB GDDR6 seen in the 4090, likely playing a significant part in the performance uplifts. One of the examples in Dave2D’s video is Hogwarts Legacy: with ray tracing and DLSS on 'balanced' mode at ultra graphics settings, the RTX 5090 is 65% faster than the RTX 4090, a significant boost over the last-gen flagship laptop GPU.

In another demanding title, Black Myth: Wukong, the RTX 5090 runs 33% faster on the highest graphics preset, 'Cinematic', with DLSS set to balanced mode - and considering how heavy the title is even on desktop GPUs, that's definitely a significant boost.

It's also worth noting that the RTX 5090 also has a major advantage in Multi-Frame Generation, as it introduces up to three additional generated frames (per each rendered frame) compared to the original Frame Generation's one generated frame.

With MFG, an RTX 5000 series desktop or laptop GPU is a no-brainer

It's evident that Frame Generation is still frowned upon among some PC gamers: I'm aware of the 'fake frames' nickname, and while that may be true to an extent since the frames are AI-generated, it's not necessarily a bad thing if it provides a strong performance uptick with minimal downsides.

If gamers are lucky enough to own an RTX 5000 series desktop GPU or laptop, then it's fair to suggest that performance in most games will be at acceptable standards. Achieving at least 60fps (frames per second) with the likes of an RTX 5070 isn't difficult (even with the recent awful PC ports), and features like MFG take performance up another notch.

With a base frame rate of 30fps or slightly below, enabling Frame Generation will indeed increase frame rates, but it comes at the cost of significant input lag and ghosting in-game. However, when the base frame rate is already close to or above 60fps, input lag is reduced, and games feel smooth. Fortunately, the upcoming Reflex 2 feature from Nvidia intends to tackle latency issues.

While it's hard to obtain any RTX 5000 series hardware right now due to low availability and inflated prices (and I wouldn't advise it yet until all major issues are addressed), MFG makes it worthwhile, especially in non-competitive titles. And with new laptops on the way, there will soon be a new avenue for gamers to get their hands on Nvidia’s latest tech.

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• The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is available in a new color called Candy Pink
• It's the smallest and most affordable Nespresso machine around
• Nespresso has also launched two new flavored coffee capsules

The Nespresso Vertuo Pop is one of the best Nespresso machines you can buy, and now it has a fresh new look with a makeover in a pastel shade called Candy Pink.

It's available direct from Nespresso for $99.99 in the US (reduced from $129.99), £99 in the UK, and $229 in Australia.

The Vertuo Pop is the smallest Nespresso machine currently available, as well as the cheapest, but it doesn't skimp on performance. In fact, it's the machine I have in my own kitchen, which I use when I want one of my favorite Nespresso Coffee+ Ginseng Delight capsules, which launched earlier this year.

This energy-boosting brew is a blend of robusta and arabica beans with a hint of caramel to take off the bitter edge of the higher caffeine robusta. I find it works particularly well as a latte with oat or dairy milk.

(Image credit: Nespresso)

I'm not the only fan, either. Our reviewer Jennifer Olson called the Vertuo Pop "a fabulous entry-level coffee maker" and awarded it a full five stars. She particularly appreciated its compact design and ability to brew four different drink sizes: espresso, double espresso, gran lungo, and mug.

New brews

It's an exciting time for Nespresso fans. Last week, the company released two new capsules to try in your machine: limited-edition Barista Creations White Chocolate and Strawberry, with a 100% arabica base for a fruity flavor, and Coffee+ Active, with biscuit and vanilla notes and added vitamin B6. I've got my hands on both new flavors and will bring you my full tasting notes very soon.

Thinking about picking up a Nespresso Vertuo Pop machine? Take a look at our full review, and check out today's best prices below.

If you prefer to make your coffee the traditional way, our list of the best coffee makers will steer you in the right direction, whether you prefer espresso, filter, or capsules.

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• Broadcom was recently tipped off about an authentication bypass flaw in VMware Tools
• The 7.8 bug was quickly fixed, but no workarounds are available
• The bug affects Windows users, while Linux and macOS users are safe

Broadcom has warned its users of a high-severity vulnerability recently discovered in VMware Tools, a toolset for virtual machines (VM) running on VMware platforms.

In a security advisory, the company said it released a fix for the flaw, suggesting users apply it as soon as possible.

VMware Tools is a set of utilities that enhances the performance, usability, and management of VMs running on VMware platforms. It improves graphics, enables seamless mouse movement, synchronizes time between host and VM, and allows for better integration between the guest OS and the host system.

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Performing "high-privilege operations"

Broadcom, the owner of VMware, said it was recently tipped off about an authentication bypass vulnerability by security researcher Sergey Bliznyuk of Positive Technologies.

The flaw is now being tracked as CVE-2025-22230, and was given a severity score of 7.8/10 (high).

“A malicious actor with non-administrative privileges on a Windows guest VM may gain the ability to perform certain high-privilege operations within that VM,” Broadcom said in the advisory, without mentioning if there is any evidence of abuse in the wild.

The company stressed there were no workarounds for this issue, suggesting applying the patch is the only way to mitigate the risk.

The bug was only found on the Windows platform, with Linux and macOS being safe.

“VMware Tools 12.4.6 which is part of VMware Tools 12.5.1 addresses the issue for Windows 32-bit,” Broadcom concluded.

Ransomware gangs and state-sponsored hackers “frequently target” VMware vulnerabilities, BleepingComputer reported, stating that VMware products were “widely used in enterprise operations” to store or transfer sensitive corporate data.

In late January 2025, for example, TechRadar Pro reported cybercriminals were using SSH tunneling functionality on VMware’s ESXi bare metal hypervisors for stealthy persistence, to help them deploy ransomware on target endpoints.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Apple Music Classical gets Listening Guides, Personalized Recommendations and Editorial Playlists
• These updates are app-only, and not for the web browser
• Apple Music Classical remains free for all Apple Music subscribers

If you're an Apple Music subscriber who's never thought to get into its dedicated and available-for-no-extra-cost Apple Music Classical app, now would be a good time to hit the download button.

Why? Because Apple Music Classical, the place where Apple Music has housed its massive classical music catalog since its launch in March 2023, (much of it in Dolby Atmos), just added three excellent new features: Listening Guides, Personalized Recommendations and – my favorite – Editorial Stations.

The trio of new perks are exclusive to the app (which is a shame, since just this month Apple Music Classical became available on the web), but Listening Guides is available in over 100 works from launch. It's described by Apple as "a groundbreaking new feature that takes users inside a notable work of music as they listen, highlighting details and explaining a work in real time as it unfolds phrase by musical phrase."

Every day is a learning day

I tried it while streaming Wolfie M's as no one calls the hugely prolific composer, who died tragically young) Clarinet Concerto in A Major, and it's like getting CliffsNotes in real time as you stream. Text appears happily on my iPhone, mentioning florid arpeggio runs, intense high trills, and smooth interchanges from the string section to guide us back to the major scale.

It's delightful – I even now know that in 1791 the clarinet was still a relatively new instrument, and that Mozart actually wrote this concerto for the bass clarinet. Every day is a learning day.

Right now, Listening Guides is available in English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese. But Apple says more languages and works will be added – and won't those writers have their good work cut out for them? I look forward to it.

Personalized Recommendations, meanwhile, does what the name suggests, using your listening history to suggest related offerings, as well as new recordings of works you previously listened to.

Both of these perks are hugely welcome in a genre that has felt a little stoic to me thus far (it often feels like discovery across streaming sites is a little stilted when it comes to classical – you're expected to know what you like), but Editorial Stations is by far my favorite.

As you've probably guessed, it's a selection of continually playing playlists (like radio stations but without the DJ or ads) arranged by instrument, composer, period, or genre, curated by Apple Music Classical’s editors. I'm currently listening to one titled Opera, and Bizet's Carmen is all around me in Dolby Atmos.

Added to yesterday's launch of DJ in Apple Music to help budding disc jockeys build epic sets, plus the unavoidable fact that Apple Music Replay walked all over Spotify Wrapped at the end of last year, you can say this for Apple Music and its free-to-users Apple Music Classical sibling: it's good. It's one of the best music streaming services out there, and then some.

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Turns out you can drive electric cars just fine in freezing winter conditions.

• Pixel Buds Pro 2's design means a vent can get blocked
• This can actually affect sound quality
• You'll need micellar water and a soft toothbrush

One of the downsides of the best earbuds is that over time, they get dirty: in addition to external debris such as dust and dirt, there's also ear wax to get in the way of your listening pleasure. And it seems that the design of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 makes them not only prone to getting gummed up with unwanted additions, but these can affect the sound more than you might expect.

That's why Google has published a published a guide to safely cleaning your Pixel Buds Pro 2 (via 9to5Google for spotting it). According to Google, the rear vents and small openings on the outside of the buds can get blocked, and that can "greatly affect" the audio quality.

The good news is that it's simple to solve. All you need is micellar water – you'll usually find it with the skincare and beauty products in a store – plus a paper towel and an extra soft toothbrush. Google advises against using detergent, sprays or alcohol.

The advice here is specifically for Google's earbuds. We've got our own guide to earbud cleaning, including AirPods, right here.

These vents need to be kept clear. (Image credit: Google) How to safely clean Pixel Buds Pro 2

The star here is the micellar water, which is used by many of us to get rid of makeup without feeling like we've sanded half our face off. It's very good at shifting things, and that makes it ideal for your Pixel Buds too.

Google recommends pouring normal water into a cup and micellar water into another, and then swirling the toothbrush in the micellar water. Once you've done that, hold your bunged-up bud in one hand and use the toothbrush to brush the mesh in "deep circular motions" for 15 seconds.

Google recommends blotting the earbud on the paper towel and repeating the brushing two more times before rinsing the brush in the regular water. Once you've done that, it's time for one more brush – this time without the micellar water.

Once you've done both buds you'll need to let them air dry. Google recommends at least two hours, or longer if they need it.

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• Sid Meier's Civilization 7 update 1.1.1 has landed on all platforms except Nintendo Switch
• It adds loads of free quality of life features, plus a new natural wonder
• Paid content spans a new leader and two new Civs

The latest update for strategy game Sid Meier's Civilization 7, update 1.1.1, is here and includes a healthy mix of both free and paid content for players.

In my eyes, the most significant addition here is the reintroduction of Quick Move. This setting disables movement animations for your units and has been a staple of Civilization games for the last few years. I personally love the detailed animations in Civilization 7 but, when you're playing lots of back to back matches then turning them off is a massive time saver that increases the pace noticeably.

Map generation has been tweaked, with the introduction of a whole new default start position option aptly known as 'Standard'. This will feel familiar to Civilization 6 veterans, as it offers randomization and a lesser focus on more predictable continents.

The previous default setting has been renamed 'Balanced' and can be selected in Advanced Options. It will also remain the default option in multiplayer. Developer Firaxis Games also has reassured fans that more map variety, generation, and new, larger maps, are still in the works.

You are now able to rename both settlements and commander units freely too, allowing for more freedom and customization.

Some general UI improvements have been implemented, mainly focusing on increasing the visibility of important information like your current age progress or unit health. You will also find a new 'Restart' button on the main menu, which lets you restart your current game with the same settings in the first few turns.

Finally, a new natural wonder, Mount Everest, has been added. It offers useful tile bonuses and reveals all mountain tiles on your continent when it's first discovered.

Moving over to the realm of paid content, update 1.1.1 rounds off the premium Crossroads of the World Collection with the addition of a new leader and two new Civs. The new leader is Simón Bolívar, who specializes in Expansion, Militaristic play with multiple buffs geared towards maintaining war support and rewarding successful conflicts.

The new Civs are Bulgaria and Nepal, which both come with their own unique ability, civilian unit, and military unit. You learn more about them by visiting the full patch notes on the game's official website.

Although the update is available now for Sid Meier's Civilization 7 on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox One, it will come to Nintendo Switch at a later date.

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Thanks to a recent Monster Hunter Wilds Showcase event, many fans have been left clamoring for more information on a certain sea monster. But is Lagiacrus coming to Monster Hunter Wilds later this year?

Monster Hunter Wilds is another step forward for the long-running co-op action franchise. For one, its huge open world is more seamless, and more alive than ever before, with distinct seasons that promise to mix up hunts in interesting ways. Now that we've published our Monster Hunter Wilds review, the game has landed on our list of best multiplayer PC games.

Furthermore, Capcom has now detailed the next few months of post-launch updates, which you can read about in our Monster Hunter Wilds Roadmap. New monsters are the headline additions set to arrive, including Mizutsune and a new Ray Dau variant.

Here's everything you need to know about Lagiacrus being added to Monster Hunter Wilds. As more info is revealed, we'll be sure to update this page. For now, let's break down the recent teaser trailer, and look at when the fan-favorite monster last appeared in the series.

Is Lagiacrus coming to Monster Hunter Wilds?

Capcom has teased the return of Lagiacrus, showing the sea serpent at the end of a recent showcase event for Monster Hunter Wilds. Given this, I'm confident in saying that yes, Lagiacrus will come to Monster Hunter Wilds in the future.

The only caveat here is that while Lagiacrus is indeed shown in the teaser, Capcom is yet to actually confirm that the monster shown is Lagiacrus, or the details on when they could arrive. As such, keep an eye on this page for updates once we get them.

The reason I'm confident that Lagiacrus is coming to Monster Hunter Wilds is that the brief tease showed a green-scaled monster, with plenty of underwater sound effects. Lagiacrus debuted in Monster Hunter Tri, notably featured in a hunt that made use of the game's underwater combat. Hopefully this style of hunt returns for Wilds.

This is all great news for Monster Hunter fans, who voted Lagiacrus the overall third favorite monster from the series in an official 2023 poll.

When could Lagiacrus arrive in Monster Hunter Wilds?

(Image credit: Capcom)

We don't know exactly when Lagiacrus will launch in Monster Hunter Wilds. What we do know is that the Lagiacrus teaser mentioned previously was paired with the text "Second Title Update".

This is likely Title Update 2, which is set for Summer 2025. As you can see in the image above, the roadmap for Monster Hunter Wilds extends into the end of May, before things get a bit murky. I expect Capcom to air another Monster Hunter Showcase in June that'll detail Title Update 2, and hopefully give some more info on what to expect from Lagiacrus.

Monster Hunter Wilds Lagiacrus FAQ

(Image credit: Monster Hunter Wilds) Is Lagiacrus in Monster Hunter World?

Lagiacrus never appeared in Monster Hunter World. They were also absent from the Monster Hunter World: Iceborne expansion.

What games is Lagiacrus in?

Lagiacrus first appeared in Monster Hunter Tri, as the game's flagship monster. It then came to Monster Hunter Generations, though only on land, providing a very different fight when compared to the underwater action in Tri. In terms of spin-offs, Lagiacrus also notably featured in Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2.

Is Lagiacrus in Monster Hunter Wilds?

No, Lagiacrus is not currently in Monster Hunter Wilds. It has been teased however, and will likely arrive in Summer 2025, though we're still waiting on confirmation.

Is Lagiacrus in Monster Hunter Rise?

Lagiacrus was never added to Monster Hunter Rise, despite being much-requested by fans. In an interview with IGN, Monster Hunter producer Ryozo Tsujimoto explained why:

"Unfortunately Lagiacrus is just a very technological…difficult monster to implement. It's very snake-like, its parts are all kind of touching the ground at different moments,” Tsujimoto explained. “So it's very like a writhing sort of ground-based monster.”

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• Google announces Gemini 2.5
• Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental is available for paid subscribers right now
• Tops Humanity's Last Exam, the most difficult AI benchmark

Google just announced Gemini 2.5, and it's a major upgrade to Gemini that the company is calling its "most intelligent AI model" yet.

Announced on the company's blog, Google revealed the experimental version of 2.5 Pro, which is available today for all Gemini Advanced subscribers. More 2.5 models will arrive in the future.

Google's Gemini 2.5 models are a new generation of thinking models that are able to reach "a new level of performance by combining a significantly enhanced base model with improved post-training."

2.5's thinking capabilities will be implemented into all future Google AI models, which the company says will allow them to "handle more complex problems and support even more capable, context-aware agents."

So what does this mean? Well, Google is doubling down on its impressively frequent AI updates, and this time we're getting better reasoning capabilities than ever before.

Available right now, you can access Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental simply by selecting the model in the Gemini app or directly in Google's AI Studio. You'll need a Gemini Advanced subscription to see this as an option.

Pricing for the improved model (for those who want to use it for scaled production use) will be announced in the coming weeks, and more 2.5 models are expected to launch in due course.

Gemini 2.5 Pro is impressive

(Image credit: Google)

Google shared some benchmark results for Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental and the results are seriously impressive.

The new AI model scores 18.8% on Humanity's Last Exam compared to 14% for ChatGPT's o3-mini and 8.6% for DeepSeek R1. Humanity's Last Exam is the most thorough and difficult AI benchmark, so to score substantially higher than its competitors is no mean feat.

18.8% is the highest score we've ever seen on Humanity's Last Exam (without tool use). Google is calling Gemini 2.5 Pro's reasoning capabilities "state-of-the-art" and it's clear to see why.

Google continues to drive forward with its AI development at a rapid pace. Just last week the company made Gemini Deep Research free for all and followed that up with improvements to its impressive AI podcasting tool, NotebookLM.

We'll be testing Gemini 2.5 Pro and putting the new Experimental model through its paces, so stay tuned to TechRadar for further Google AI coverage.

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Google has finally added humans to the long list of things Pixel Studio on its Pixel phones can generate AI images of. The technology, however, still seems to be in its infancy because the results are, shall we say… variable, verging on terrifying?

For instance, I asked Pixel Studio to generate an image of “an athlete” and it showed me an image of a man without any skin at all! (See the image above.) Not only was the image quite shocking, it wasn’t anywhere near what I’d asked for.

To be fair to Google, it does say “This feature is being fine-tuned, so you might get unexpected results of blocked images” when you open Pixel Studio, but I didn't think that would mean showing me somebody without any skin!

Pixel Studio also did a far better job at generating images of people in other professions than “athlete”, although it does seem to default to males when I asked to see things like a doctor, a paramedic, or a police officer.

Here's what I got from Pixel Studio when I asked for "a doctor". Why the long face? (Image credit: Google) Pixel 9-only

Pixel Studio is Google's on-board AI image generation app included on Pixel 9 phones - it won’t work on earlier models or other phones. The announcement about people being added to Pixel Studio was made a couple of weeks ago but has only just rolled out.

As you’d expect for an AI image generator, it works from a text prompt. You simply type in what you want to see and Pixel Studio generates an image for you. For comparison, Apple’s Image Playground does a similar job, but on the iPhone.

Compared to Image Playground, which seems to only be able to produce cutesy, cartoon-like images, Pixel Studio can produce much more realistic images.

By enabling proper photo-realistic human AI character generation, Google is treating the Pixel Studio app more like the best AI image generators, like say Midjourney or Imagen 3.

Of course, Pixel Studio can make cartoon images too, if you ask it to. It defaults to photo-realistic for images, but you can ask for things to be generated “in a cartoon style” or “in a watercolor painting style”, etc.

Here's what Pixel Studio showed for "a paramedic". (Image credit: Google) Rolling out

Things have improved for AI image generation recently. Google has just added native image generation and editing to its Gemini AI, however, it’s currently only available inside Google AI Studio, its developer tool, which is free to access, but not as easy to use as the main Gemini app.

ChatGPT has also just added native image generation to its 4o model, and Grok 3 can now also edit images. We'll be testing all of these new image generation upgrades and pitting the tools against each other. Stay tuned to TechRadar to make sure you don't miss our future comparisons.

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