Feed aggregator

Officials from Russia and Ukraine are meeting in Istanbul today for the latest round of peace talks. Both countries are trying to get the upper hand militarily ahead of possible negotiations.

(Image credit: AP)

Russia has proposed another attempt at peace negotiations with Ukraine on Monday in Istanbul, but both sides remain firmly entrenched in positions likely to prolong the war.

(Image credit: Sergey Bobok)

In an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape, the concept of "hacking yourself first" is not new as such. Organizations have long been engaging white hat hackers to simulate attacks and identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.

However, the traditional approach to red teaming, which typically involves selecting a few trusted individuals to test a system, is no longer sufficient.

More open and competitive red teaming

The issue lies in scale and diversity. A small, internal team will always be limited by their own experiences and perspectives, while cybercriminals operate in a global, decentralized environment. To stay ahead, security testing has to reflect that same breadth and depth of capability.

We believe that this is where a more open and competitive red teaming model comes into its own. Rather than relying on a fixed set of internal engineers or external consultants, organizations are increasingly turning to decentralized architectures.

These invite skilled professionals from around the world to solve specific, targeted challenges. The best talent is incentivized to respond, and the organization benefits from rapid, high-quality insights tailored to the specific threats it faces.

In practice, this model offers two significant advantages to the ‘standard white hacking’ exercise. First, it ensures that the right expertise is applied to the right challenge. Not every engineer is equipped to uncover flaws in VPN detection or anti-fingerprinting solutions. A decentralized approach enables organizations to source the most relevant skill sets directly, without needing to retrain or reallocate internal teams.

Secondly, the incentive mechanism encourages speed and transparency. Contributors are motivated to share findings immediately so that they can claim rewards. This reduces and even eliminates delays and ensures that critical information reaches defenders quickly.

Traditional methods

The benefits of this approach are already being realized. In sectors such as fintech and Web3, attacks discovered through decentralized red teaming have been observed in the wild months later. This lead time allows businesses to prepare and adapt before those attacks gain traction in broader markets.

It’s important to recognize that decentralized red teaming is not about replacing traditional methods entirely. Conventional penetration testing still plays a valuable role in improving baseline security. But as threats evolve and attackers become more sophisticated, organizations need a more dynamic and scalable way to test their defenses.

Proactive security

Ultimately, the shift from reactive to proactive security cannot be achieved through periodic exercises alone. It requires continuous, adaptive engagement with the threat landscape, and a willingness to invite external expertise into the process. By embracing a more competitive and decentralized approach to red teaming, businesses can significantly improve their resilience and stay one step ahead of attackers.

Cybersecurity is no longer about responding to yesterday’s threats. It is about anticipating tomorrow’s, and making sure your defenses are ready today.

We feature the best business VPNs.

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

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Two-minute review

The Hisense C2 Ultra is an impressive 4K projector that delivers sensational visuals, boasts impressive sound output and features a user-friendly operating system that provides access to the best streaming services. While it requires mains power, it’s small and light enough to be considered portable, which means not only can it be considered one of the best 4K projectors, but one of the best portable projectors too.

Key to the C2 Ultra’s success in projecting excellent images is its triple-laser projection system, which combines red, blue and green light sources. This system can not only go incredibly bright – Hisense says it’s rated for a peak brightness of 3000 ANSI lumens – but also covers a wide color spectrum, 110% of the BT.2020 color space, to be precise. Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats are all supported, and it's IMAX Enhanced.

The results are outstanding, with content appearing vibrant and punchy, and contrast levels are good too, giving images great depth. It’s not only in bright, colorful scenes where the C2 Ultra excels though, as it also serves up deep blacks and is more than capable where shadow detail is concerned. If you were ever of the notion that a projector still isn’t a genuinely viable alternative to a TV, particularly outside of home movie nights, then the Hisense C2 Ultra bucks that trend in a big way.

What took me most by surprise upon my first use of the C2 Ultra was the audio performance from the built-in 2.1 channel speaker system tuned by JBL. I had the unit set up in my spare bedroom on a stand, just to the right of the bed and my viewing position. When I was watching movies, the sound appeared to be coming from the opposite wall and not blasting straight in my ears as I had expected, resulting in a much more immersive experience. The speaker system can go loud while still retaining a good amount of detail. Dialog comes through clearly, while the subwoofer can go low, which helps a lot during high-octane scenes such as explosions or rumbling car engines.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

I think it’s a good-looking unit too and one that’s impeccably built. The main projector housing can not only be moved around a full 360º to suit your specific viewing position, but it can also move upwards to a maximum of 135º to project images onto higher surfaces.

The C2 Ultra’s Vidaa OS is by far the most accomplished projector operating system I’ve personally come across. Not only is it intuitive to use right out of the box, but it also provides access to virtually all of the main streaming apps you’re likely to want. Android-based projector systems can often fall foul of not offering such wide support and often require workarounds to get some of the more popular apps. Hisense’s OS also offers a number of picture adjustment settings to help you achieve the best overall image.

Finally, it’s a great option for gamers. Not only is it ‘Designed for Xbox’ certified, but it features a 240Hz gaming mode to help with particularly fast-paced gaming action.

Its list price may initially make you think it’s expensive, but considering its capabilities rival most TVs and the fact it can project an image up to 300 inches in size, then it suddenly presents itself as a certified bargain.

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Price & availability

• Release date: October 2024 (March 2025 in Australia)
• Price: $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499
• Can already be found with discounts

The Hisense C2 Ultra was announced in October 2024 and went on sale in the US and UK at the same time, but didn’t arrive in Australia until March 2025. At launch, it was listed at $2,999.99 in the US, £2,499 in the UK and AU$4,499 in Australia.

However, it’s already received discounts worldwide, so you can now feasibly expect to pay around $2,499 / £2,299 / AU$3,999. I’ve also spotted select retailers offering the option of a free projector screen with the purchase of a shiny new C2 Ultra, should you wish to go down the ‘full’ home cinema route.

The C2 Ultra is more expensive than two of our favorite portable 4K projectors, the BenQ GP520 and Anker Nebula Cosmos Laser 4K. However, the Hisense machine is objectively brighter than either of its competitors, offers greater gaming and HDR support and is more forgiving in where it’s positioned thanks to its gimbal design.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Design & features

• Semi-portable design
• Excellent Vidaa OS software
• Good selection of connections

The Hisense C2 Ultra is the replacement model to the C1, but you would only really know that based on the model number. Design-wise, the two projectors are worlds apart. Where the Hisense C1 was a boxy affair, the C2 Ultra is much sleeker with rounded corners and a circular base that plays home to the speaker system’s subwoofer.

The main projection unit is mounted onto a gimbal stand that allows you to move and tilt it in virtually any direction you wish. Hisense says it can tilt up to a 135º angle, but technically it can swing to a full 180º and still project an image. I can only assume the company doesn’t expect owners to want to look directly above them to view content, with the 135º angle being more comfortable.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

It is a portable projector, although the term portable should be used loosely. Not only does the C2 Ultra rely solely on mains power to work (the cord integrates a power brick too), it is still quite a sizable unit. At least, it’s sizable when compared to truly portable lifestyle projectors such as the Xgimi MoGo 3 Pro and Samsung The Freestyle, which both adopt a much smaller, cylindrical design that allows them to be slipped into a bag.

The main projector housing measures 9.7 x 7.1 x 9.7 inches (24.7 x 18.3 x 24.7 cm), but with the stand included, the total height increases to 11.3 inches (28.6cm). And coming in at a relatively lightweight 6.3kg, I can’t see many people having too much issue moving it around.

The whole unit is finished in a gun-metal gray color that shines pleasantly in the light. It features a number of ventilation panels on the front, sides and underside, while a large grille dominates the rear of the unit to help ensure everything remains cool when the projector is in use. The ventilation system certainly works as I noticed barely a murmur from the fans during use.

Sitting above the rear ventilation grille is a series of connections, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which supports an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and eARC for connecting to an external soundbar or home theater system. The other can be used to connect, say, a media streaming device. You’ll also find 2x USB-A 3.0 inputs, a 3.5mm audio out and a digital optical audio out, along with an Ethernet port for a more stable, wired internet connection. However, thanks to Wi-Fi 6E support, I never had any major issues streaming wirelessly.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

On the front is where the true magic happens. The projector lens is protected by a thin layer of what I presume to be glass, helping to prevent the lens itself getting covered in dust and debris. You will still, however, likely want to give this protective layer the occasional wipe to keep it clean – there’s no motorized cover as you’ll find on the likes of the Xgimi Aura 2.

There are also a few sensors to aid with autofocusing and to facilitate an eye-protection feature that will automatically switch the light off when it detects someone in front of it to prevent it shining into their eyes. It’s incredibly sensitive, which you may or may not think is a good thing. I ultimately left it turned off during my testing and made a conscious effort to not look into the light whenever I walked past it.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

One of the standout features of the lens is its optical zoom capability, which promises to retain image quality if you zoom in or out – making the image smaller or larger – without needing to move the main unit. If you have the projector set up at a far distance opposite your projection surface, for example, which would naturally cause the image to be large, you can zoom in to decrease the size while not affecting the quality.

For the most part, I imagine the majority of owners will simply rely on the autofocus and auto-keystone adjustment settings (and potentially the manual adjustment settings) to get the best picture. I was projecting onto a white wall but, whenever I ran the auto keystone adjustment, the results were less than satisfactory. The image was totally skewed, meaning I had to go into the manual four-point adjustment settings to fix things up. I would like to believe that the same issue wouldn’t occur if you’re projecting onto a dedicated screen, but I didn’t have one to test this out.

Hisense’s Vidaa OS is used on the C2 Ultra, which I found to be exceptional. It was also a pleasant surprise, considering the company’s own, rather excellent PX3-Pro uses the Google TV OS instead. The home page is clearly laid out, albeit chock full of ads, and all the major streaming apps are supported, along with a plethora of others for those who wish to seek out less-mainstream content.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The Hisense C2 Ultra has impressive high dynamic range support, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG and IMAX Enhanced. It also supports 3D images and audio, but you’ll need optional 3D eyewear to take advantage.

Full control of the C2 Ultra is done via the remote control. The previous C1 did have onboard buttons, but they’ve seemingly been dropped this time around. The remote is a good one, boasting a satisfying weight and premium feel. Buttons are clearly laid out, although I would have preferred the settings button to feature the more widely used cog icon, as opposed to what could be mistaken for a shopping list. It supports voice control and features quick keys for Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video and Disney+.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

• Design & features score: 5/5

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Picture & sound quality

• Excellent color and brightness
• Comprehensive HDR support and 240Hz mode for gamers
• Superb sound output

The Hisense C2 Ultra produces fantastic images from its tri-color laser projection system that will not only give you a true home cinema experience, but which can comfortably rival many of the best TVs to make it your sole media viewing device.

Despite it claiming a peak brightness of 3,000 lumens, it naturally performs at its absolute best when the room is as dark as possible, but I found that even with some ambient light coming into my test room, I was still able to watch unaffected.

I even turned the overhead lights on to see how it fared, and while color and contrast took an obvious knock, the image was still bright enough for me to be able to watch. I wouldn’t expect many people to use the C2 Ultra in such bright conditions, but it’s good to know it is truly capable of holding its own against pesky light.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

The C2 Ultra’s vast array of HDR support options makes recently released movies such as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and even older, remastered movies such as Blade look fantastic in Dolby Vision, as well as TV shows such as Fallout in HDR10+. It will even support IMAX Enhanced content from Disney+, but I wasn’t able to test this since I don’t have a subscription – the price increases became too much to justify!

I was especially impressed with animated movies – the triple-laser system in combination with the C2 Ultra’s wide color support meant they were presented with outstanding color. I should note that the images included with this review don’t quite do the picture quality justice – you have to see it in reality to be impressed. The images are plagued by a peculiar pink hue that’s definitely not present in the image projected onto the wall.

The C2 Ultra supports screen sizes from 65 to 300 inches and I managed approximately an 80-inch image for my testing. The larger the image gets, the higher the likelihood of a drop in picture quality. This is where the optical zoom can come into play, allowing you to make easy adjustments rather than having to physically move the whole unit closer to the screen or rely on digital zoom, which can often not yield good results.

Image 1 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 2 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 3 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 4 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Image 5 of 5

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

Gamers also have reasons to get excited about the C2 Ultra as it features a dedicated game mode to help lower input lag, and it can enable a 2K/240Hz mode for super-smooth gameplay. It’s also ‘Designed for Xbox’ – the world’s first mini projector to lay claim to the title, says Hisense – meaning it will automatically apply optimum settings regardless of game genre when it detects a signal from an Xbox console.

I don’t own an Xbox, so I couldn't test this, but I was able to enjoy smooth gameplay from my PS5, with the fast movements of Spider-Man 2 being handled with expert authority.

Audio performance is another highlight in the C2 Ultra’s repertoire. Its 2.1 channel JBL system kicks out a surprising amount of bass, vocal clarity and immersion, aided by the fact it supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X 3D sound formats. If the content you’re watching is encoded with Dolby Atmos, then you won’t get a true reproduction, owing to the lack of physical channels, but the performance is better than what I’ve heard from many TVs. Just note, while I was certainly impressed with the overall performance considering the projector’s size, it’s not the widest soundstage, nor is there a genuine sense of height – compared to other projectors I’ve tested, however, it comes out on top.

Of course, owners wanting a more authentic home cinema experience will want to add a fully-fledged theater system or one of the best soundbars, but casual users should find little to fault.

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

• Picture & sound quality score: 4.5/5

Hisense C2 Ultra review: Value

• Versatile with placement
• Pricey, but packed with features

The Hisense C2 Ultra isn’t the most affordable projector at $2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499, but given the fact I’ve already seen it come down in price since launch, I think it makes for a compelling investment. It’s more affordable than Hisense’s own PX3-Pro, although that projector has the benefit of being an ultra-short throw model, potentially making it easier to place in your room.

However, given the C2 Ultra’s default, relatively short 0.9:1 throw ratio, you can get a decently large image from a short distance. Plus, the fact it has an optical zoom and a wealth of picture adjustment settings should make it easy for anyone to set up in their room.

Then factor in its comprehensive HDR support, truly stunning images, impressive audio delivery and an intuitive interface, and there’s no doubt that it’s not only a remarkable projector, but a worthy rival to TVs.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Hisense C2 Ultra?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Design & features:

A good-looking package that’s brimming with useful features, connections and a great OS.

5/5

Picture & sound quality:

Bright, colorful images make it usable in virtually any lighting condition, and the built-in sound system is better than most TV speakers.

4.5/5

Value:

Not quite impulse-buy price, but ticks all the boxes where picture quality, features and versatility are concerned.

4.5/5

Buy it if...

You want a moveable projector

OK, so truly portable is a bit of a stretch, but the C2 Ultra can be picked up and moved around wherever you want thanks to its compact build and wealth of automatic picture adjustment settings. It still needs mains power to work though.

You want an affordable alternative to a big-screen TV

TVs with screen sizes 80 inches and above can cost a significant chunk of change. The C2 Ultra can produce much bigger image sizes for about the same or even less money. View Deal

Don't buy it if...

You watch movies and TV shows in brightly lit rooms

The Hisense C2 Ultra does fare well against overhead lights, but the fact remains, as with virtually all projectors, that it performs to its best ability in dimly lit rooms. View Deal

You want a truly portable projector

Going against my earlier point, if you want a projector you can take away on holiday or outside, you’ll want to look for one that’s smaller and/or can run on battery power.View Deal

Also consider

Hisense C2 Ultra

BenQ GP520

LG CineBeam Q

Price:

$2,999 / £2,499 / AU$4,499

$1,499 / £1299 / AU$ 2,199

$1,299 / £1,299 / AU$2,499

Screen sizes supported:

65-300 inches

50-180 inches

50-120 inches

Brightness (specified)

3,000 ANSI lumens

2,600 lumens

500 ANSI lumens

HDR support:

Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG

HDR10+, HLG

HDR10, HLG

Display technology:

RGB laser DLP

LED DLP

RGB laser DLP

Resolution:

4K (3,840 x 2,160)

4K (3,840 x 2,160)

4K (3,840 x 2,160)

Connections

2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 2x USB-A, 1x S/PDIF, Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm, Bluetooth 5.3

2x HDMI 2.1 (1 with eARC), 1x USB-C (DP Out, DP In, 2x USB-A 1x 3.5mm

HDMI, USB-C (display, power)

BenQ GP520

It’s a similar size to the C2 Ultra, offers similar connectivity and supports 4K content, but its HDR support isn’t as vast and it can’t go as bright. But it is cheaper.

Read our full BenQ GP520 reviewView Deal

LG CineBeam Q

If you’re on a tighter budget but still want a portable 4K projector, the LG CineBeam Q is a fine choice. It does still require mains power like the C2 Ultra, but its smaller size makes trips out of the house a more viable option.

Read our full LG CineBeam Q reviewView Deal

How I tested the Hisense C2 Ultra

(Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)

• Tested at home in a variety of real-world viewing conditions
• Watched a variety of content including streaming and 4K Blu-ray

I tested the Hisense C2 Ultra at home in a variety of real-world conditions, which saw it being faced with in-room lighting, natural light coming into the room and with no light at all. It was tested against a bare white wall for the duration of the review period, with an 80-inch image being achieved. I also tested the optical zoom function to see if and how it affected image quality.

I watched a range of 4K HDR and HD content from built-in streaming services, as well as using the 4K Blu-ray player in the PS5.

First reviewed May 2025

The close race had the country on edge since a first round two weeks earlier and through the night into Monday, revealing deep divisions in the country along the eastern flank of NATO and the EU.

(Image credit: Czarek Sokolowski)

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 2.

Authorities said at least 80 shots were fired in the shooting that began at about 12:45 a.m. People reported running, ducking for cover and scrambling to their cars for safety.

(Image credit: WSOC)

Air quality reached "unhealthy" levels in North Dakota and small swaths of Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota, according to the EPA.

(Image credit: Manitoba government)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center says a severe geomagnetic storm is possible Sunday night.

(Image credit: Geoff Robins)

This June on Netflix, check out Taraji P. Henson in Straw, plus Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy and more.

The 2025 hurricane season officially began on Sunday. Forecasters are predicting an active season.

(Image credit: Sean Rayford)

• Nord Quantique promises quantum power without the bulk or energy drain
• Traditional HPC may fall if Nord’s speed and energy claims prove real
• Cracking RSA-830 in an hour could transform cybersecurity forever

A quantum computing startup has announced plans to develop a utility-scale quantum computer with more than 1,000 logical qubits by 2031.

Nord Quantique has set an ambitious target which, if achieved, could signal a seismic shift in high-performance computing (HPC).

The company claims its machines are smaller and would offer far greater efficiency in both speed and energy consumption, thereby making traditional HPC systems obsolete.

Advancing error correction through multimode encoding

Nord Quantique uses “multimode encoding” via a technique known as the Tesseract code, and this allows each physical cavity in the system to represent more than one quantum mode, effectively increasing redundancy and resilience without adding complexity or size.

“Multimode encoding allows us to build quantum computers with excellent error correction capabilities, but without the impediment of all those physical qubits,” explained Julien Camirand Lemyre, CEO of Nord Quantique.

“Beyond their smaller and more practical size, our machines will also consume a fraction of the energy, which makes them appealing for instance to HPC centers where energy costs are top of mind.”

Nord’s machines would occupy a mere 20 square meters, making them highly suitable for data center integration.

Compared to 1,000–20,000 m² needed by competing platforms, this portability further strengthens its case.

“These smaller systems are also simpler to develop to utility-scale due to their size and lower requirements for cryogenics and control electronics,” the company added.

The implication here is significant: better error correction without scaling physical infrastructure, a central bottleneck in the quantum race.

In a technical demonstration, Nord’s system exhibited excellent stability over 32 error correction cycles with no measurable decay in quantum information.

“Their approach of encoding logical qubits in multimode Tesseract states is a very effective method of addressing error correction and I am impressed with these results,” said Yvonne Gao, Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore.

“They are an important step forward on the industry’s journey toward utility-scale quantum computing.”

Such endorsements lend credibility, but independent validation and repeatability remain critical for long-term trust.

Nord Quantique claims its system could solve RSA-830, a representative cryptographic challenge, in just one hour using 120 kWh of energy at 1 MHz speed, slashing the energy need by 99%.

In contrast, traditional HPC systems would require approximately 280,000 kWh over nine days. Other quantum modalities, such as superconducting, photonic, cold atoms, and ion traps, fall short in either speed or efficiency.

For instance, cold atoms might consume only 20 kW, but solving the same problem would take six months.

That said, there remains a need for caution. Post-selection - used in Nord’s error correction demonstrations, required discarding 12.6% of data per round. While this helped show stability, it introduces questions about real-world consistency.

In quantum computing, the leap from laboratory breakthrough to practical deployment can be vast; thus, the claims on energy reduction and system miniaturization, though striking, need independent real-world verification.

You might also like

• Upgrading to Windows 11 just got easier - Microsoft introduces a new business backup tool
• Check out the best 3D modeling software for 3D printing and more
• We've rounded up the best portable monitors available now

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 252, for June 2.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 456 for June 2.

Hints and answers for Connections for June 2, #722.

President Trump wants to make a deal with Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. Putin says Russia wants to engage in peace talks, but Putin has also been ordering the most widespread and violent aerial attacks on Ukraine in years. This has led Trump to criticize Putin more and more in public — a step that's been rare over the course of Trump's two terms in office.

Three years into his war on Ukraine, what does Putin really want? It's a question leaders around the world are trying to figure out.

To learn more, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with Angela Stent, Professor Emeritus at Georgetown University, Senior Fellow at the Brookings institution — a nonpartisan policy organization in Washington DC — and author of the book "Putin's World: Russia Against the West and With the Rest.

For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

(Image credit: Alexander KAZAKOV)

• Seagate’s HAMR roadmap could deliver 150TB hard drives - but not before 2035
• Mozaic platform now enables 4TB platters, paving the way to 10TB disks by 2028
• Mozaic 4 to ship in 2026, while Mozaic 5 aims for late 2027 qualifications

At Seagate’s recent 2025 Investor and Analyst Conference, CEO Dr. Dave Mosley and CTO Dr. John Morris outlined the company’s long-term roadmap for hard drive innovation.

This hinted at the possibility of 150TB hard drives, the largest HDD ever, by groundbreaking 15TB platters, but cautioned that this milestone remains at least a decade away.

The foundation of this future lies in Seagate’s HAMR (Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording) technology, currently being deployed through the company’s Mozaic platform.

10TB per platter on track for 2028

“We have high confidence in our product roadmap through Mozaic 5. And notably, the design space for granular iron platinum media that's in Mozaic 3 looks very viable to get us up to 10 terabytes per disk,” said Dr. Morris

That 10TB-per-disk benchmark is expected to be reached by 2028. “We do have confidence that we can provide a path to 10 terabytes per disk in roughly this time frame,” Morris added, explaining that spin-stand demonstrations of new technologies typically take five years to reach product qualification.

Looking beyond 10TB, Seagate is exploring how to extend the capabilities of its Iron Platinum media.

“We believe that there's another level of extension of that granular iron platinum architecture that could theoretically get as high as 15 terabytes per disk,”

Such an achievement would pave the way for 150TB hard drives by stacking 10 platters per unit. However, he warned, “beyond 15 terabytes per disk is going to require some level of disruptive innovation.”

Seagate’s CEO, Dave Mosley, echoed this long-range vision, noting, “We now know how we can get to 4 and 5 and beyond. As a matter of fact, we have visibility... beyond 10 terabytes of disk with the HAMR technology.”

“It’s not going to be easy, but I’m convinced that’s going to keep us on a competitive cost trajectory that no other technology is going to supplant in the next decade, probably beyond.”

The company’s confidence is backed by recent milestones. Mozaic 3, which delivers 3TB per platter, is now in volume production, and Mozaic 4 (4TB per platter) is scheduled to enter customer qualification next quarter.

Seagate expects to begin volume shipments of Mozaic 4 drives in the first half of 2026. Meanwhile, Mozaic 5, targeting 5TB per platter, is planned for customer qualification in late 2027 or early 2028.

Still, Seagate made it clear that 150TB drives based on 15TB platters are not imminent. As Morris emphasized, “This is just one other element in the work that we do to underpin our strategy... it will take time. There’s still a lot of work in front of us to get there.”

You might also like

• DragonForce ransomware hacks SimpleHelp RMM tool to attack MSPs
• These are the largest SSDs and hard drives in the market
• Here are the best microSD cards for your microstorage needs

• Details of two HMD smartwatches have emerged
• Both wearables are said to be running Wear OS
• One of the models comes with a 2MP camera attached

It appears we may soon get a couple of new contenders for our best smartwatches list. HMD (perhaps best known for releasing Nokia-branded phones in recent years) is rumored to be working on two smartwatches, both running Wear OS, and with a camera fitted to one of them.

This comes from tipster @smashx_60 (via Notebookcheck), and while we can't guarantee the accuracy of the claim, smartwatches would be a sensible next step for HMD – which already makes phones, tablets, earbuds, and the HMD OffGrid.

According to the leak, the first smartwatch will be the HMD Rubber 1, with a 1.85-inch OLED screen, a 400 mAh battery, and heart rate and spO2 tracking. There's also, apparently, a 2-megapixel camera on board this model.

Then there's the HMD Rubber 1S, which comes with a smaller 1.07-inch OLED display, a smaller 290 mAh battery, and no camera – though the heart rate and SpO2 tracking features are still included. It sounds as though this will be the cheaper choice.

For adults or kids?

HMD RUBBER 1- oled 1.85" display - 5ATM Waterproof - BT5.3, WiFi, NFC, Accelerometer, heart rate, SpO2- 2MP CAM- Wear OS- 400mAh, USB-C, QiHMD RUBBER 1S- oled 1.07" - 5ATM Waterproof - BT5.0, WiFi, Accelerometer, heart rate, SpO2- Wear OS- 290mAh, USB-C, QiMay 29, 2025

The camera on the HMD Rubber 1 is interesting, as this would be something we haven't seen on a Wear OS watch before. While it's not clear how the camera would be integrated, presumably it would allow photos and videos to be captured from your wrist, with or without a phone connected.

There's some speculation in the Notebookcheck article that these smartwatches may be intended for kids to use, rather than adults – something along the lines of the Samsung Galaxy Watch for Kids that launched at the start of the year, perhaps.

The leak also mentions that these smartwatches will come with 5 ATM waterproofing, which is good for depths of up to 50 meters. That suggests they'll have a relatively robust casing around the internal components.

We'll have to wait and see what HMD might have in store, though as yet there's been nothing official from the company. In the meantime, we're patiently waiting for the arrival of Wear OS 6, which is expected to be pushed out in the next month or two.

You might also like

• HMD steps out from Nokia's shadow
• The best Android smartwatches right now
• Gemini is coming to Wear OS

While the broadband options in Eugene are a bit limited, residents can still access fixed wireless, fiber and cable internet in the Emerald City. Our CNET experts have rounded up the top choices to help you find the best ISP for your home.

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: two-minute review

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is a premium bean-to-cup espresso machine that’s a pleasure to use, brewing exceptionally well-balanced coffee and giving you a huge array of ways to enjoy it.

Once you’ve tailored your espresso to your liking, the Primadonna Aromatic presents you with an enormous menu of hot and cold drink options so you can enjoy it any way you like. You don’t need to worry about being blinded by choice, though, because the machine will ‘learn’ what drinks you enjoy and when, and will bump them to the front of the queue depending on the time of day.

The interface is thoughtfully designed, with a chatty tone, step-by-step instructions, and diagrams and animations to walk you through everything from brewing a macchiato to cleaning the brew unit.

(Image credit: Future)

For me, there are only two drawbacks. The first is the Primadonna Aromatic’s sheer size. I've tested some big coffee makers over the past few years, but this is definitely one of the largest.

Width isn’t much of an issue because the water tank can be removed from the front, making it possible to push the machine up against a wall and only move it out for occasional cleaning. The problem is the height. At 16in / 46.3cm this is a seriously tall appliance, and if you position it on a counter under a wall cabinet, you might struggle to open the bean hopper on top when it's time for a refill. Make sure you measure your space carefully before investing.

The second issue is the price. This is one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines I’ve ever tested, but also one of the most expensive. In fact, only the Jura J10 is pricier. You’ll need a household of coffee lovers with varied tastes to get the most out of the Primadonna Aromatic.

(Image credit: Future)De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: price and availability

• Costs £1,549.99 (about $2,100 / AU$3,300)
• Launched in the UK in April 2025
• Not yet available in the US (but likely to arrive soon)

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic launched in the UK in April 2025, priced at £1,549.99 (about $2,100 / AU$3,300). At the time of writing, it’s not yet available in the US, but I anticipate a wider release soon.

It’s one of the more expensive coffee machines in De’Longhi’s fully automatic series, sitting between the De’Longhi Primadonna Soul (which only brews hot beverages) and the top-end De’Longhi Maestosa (which has dual bean hoppers and a special milk carafe that can combine ingredients like cocoa powder).

The Primadonna Aromatic is definitely at the upper end of the price scale when it comes to home coffee makers. However, if you’re a fan of chilled espresso-based drinks, it’s a more affordable option than the Jura J10, which is also great for hot and cold drinks, but has an eye-watering price tag of £1,795 / AU$3,990 (about $2,300).

The Primadonna Aromatic is easily one of the best coffee makers I’ve tested this year, but there’s no avoiding the fact that its price will be beyond the budget of many coffee aficionados.

• Value score: 4/5

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: specifications

Name

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic

Type

Automatic bean-to-cup

Dimensions (W x H x D)

10.3 x 16 x 18.2in / 26.2 x 40.7 x 46.3cm

Weight

28.7lbs / 13kg

Water reservoir capacity

2.3 quarts / 2.2 liters

Milk frother

Automatic, hot and cold

Bars of pressure

19

User profiles

4

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: design

• Very large, but stylish
• Five-inch touchscreen and intuitive interface
• Two-carafe system for hot and cold milk foam
• Easy to clean with dishwasher-safe components

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is a large but stylish espresso machine, with a brushed metal finish and black accents. Its most striking feature is a 5in color touchscreen that displays the menu options (there are 35 customizable hot and cold drinks to choose from), which is supplemented by four buttons: power, profile selection, hot drinks, and cold drinks.

The coffee dispenser on the front can be moved up and down to accommodate different-sized cups and has a magnetic cover that’s easy to remove when you want to clean the nozzles.

The Primadonna Aromatic comes with two milk carafes – one for hot milk and one for cold – that push into a connector on the left of the coffee dispenser. Each carafe has a dial on top that allows you to pick from three foam textures, from creamy to thick. Turning the dial all the way to the right will select cleaning mode, which you should run before returning the carafe to the fridge (the machine will remind you to do this if you forget).

The two milk carafes push into a connector on the front of the machine, and can be stored in the fridge between use (Image credit: Future)

Both carafes have lids to keep the milk fresh while it’s refrigerated. When it’s time to give them a deep clean, they can be easily disassembled and cleaned in the top drawer of a dishwasher, or left to soak in hot, soapy water for 30 minutes and rinsed.

The water tank is also nicely designed. It has a generous 2.3 quart / 2.2 liter capacity, and unlike some others, it's large enough to get your hand inside when you want to clean and dry it. There’s also a lid with a funnel-shaped hole for mess-free filling, and the machine comes with a water hardness testing strip that helps you set it up correctly, plus a water filter that screws inside.

The large water tank slides into the machine from the front (Image credit: Future)

The Primadonna Aromatic will alert you when it’s time to replace the filter. New ones can be purchased directly from De’Longhi for £15.99 (about $20 / AU$35), but at the time of writing, they are discounted to £8.54 (about $10 / AU$20).

In addition to the main hopper, the Primadonna Aromatic has a chute you can use to add a scoop of pre-ground coffee when you want to drink something different from your usual beans. It’s a great feature that you’ll find on most De’Longhi machines, and is ideal if you want to switch to decaf in the afternoon.

There's a large-capacity bean hopper on top, or you can use a scoop of pre-ground coffee if you want to switch to something different (Image credit: Future)

My only real issue with the Primadonna Aromatic’s design is its height. This mighty machine stands an imposing 16in / 407mm tall, which means there’s not much headroom between its lid and my wall cabinets. That usually wasn’t a problem, but it made refilling the bean hopper trickier than I’d like. I was just about able to remove the lid (which has a soft seal to keep your beans fresh) and slip scoops of coffee inside. It’s well worth measuring the space you have available to make sure this impressive machine will fit.

The good news is that you don’t need much room on the sides. The water tank is located on the right, but slides out from the front of the machine. If you position the Primadonna Aromatic right against a wall or cabinet (as I did), you’ll only need to move it out approximately once a month to clean the brew unit.

• Design score: 5/5

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: performance

• Produces well-extracted, balanced espresso
• Hot and cold milk frothing both work very well
• User profiles provide smart recommendations for multiple users

Image 1 of 3

The drinks you make more frequently at the current time of day will be displayed first in the menu (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

You'll be prompted to create profiles for everyone who'll be using the machine during setup (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

All instructions and other text is written in a chatty style that makes the Primadonna Aromatica more pleasant to use (Image credit: Future)

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is a joy to use, and manages to nail both the fundamentals and the details.

First (and most importantly), it can brew an excellent espresso. The machine’s standard settings appear to be configured for medium roast arabica beans, because it produced a delicious, sweet, well-rounded espresso first time using my preferred beans. If the taste isn’t quite to your liking, you can delve into the Bean Adapt tool, which is accessible via a link above the main drinks menu.

Just select the type of beans you’re using, either through the machine’s touchscreen or De’Longhi’s Coffee Link mobile app, and the machine will automatically adjust its brewing settings accordingly, including the grind size. If the resulting espresso doesn’t meet your expectations, you can tinker with the options manually to achieve the optimum extraction.

Once you’ve perfected your espresso, you can take your pick from a selection of hot and cold drinks.

(Image credit: Future)

One of the Primadonna Aromatic’s main selling points is its ability to ‘learn’ which drinks you like at different times of day. This excellent feature helps you avoid scrolling through the vast menu every time you want to make a beverage, and is great for households with more than one coffee drinker.

User profiles for coffee machines sometimes feel a bit superfluous (after all, who’s actually replacing all the beans in the hopper when they want to brew a drink for themselves?), but with the Primadonna Aromatic, profiles are an integral part of the experience. When you first set up the machine, you’ll be asked to provide names for all the people who’ll be using it, and given the option to set different-colored profile icons. I set one for myself, and a second for my husband. You can switch between these profiles at the press of a button, and the menu will rearrange itself with that person’s preferred drinks listed first for quick selection. I test new coffee machines every month for TechRadar, and this is the first time I’ve found user profiles in an espresso maker genuinely useful.

The LatteCrema hot milk frothing system is excellent and produces some of the best results I’ve seen from an automatic espresso machine. De’Longhi advises that you’ll get the best results with whole dairy milk or plant milk, and during my tests, I found that dairy and oat produced the thickest, most stable foam. Push the milk carafe into place, tilt the dispenser so the nozzle is positioned over your cup, turn the dial to the position described on the machine’s screen, and you’re ready to begin.

(Image credit: Future)

Another of the Primadonna Aromatic’s key features is its ability to make tasty cold-brewed drinks. These aren’t a tacked-on extra, and are given just as much prominence in the menu as hot beverages. There are even quick-access buttons beside the touchscreen that let you filter the drink menu by temperature.

The machine comes with a silicone ice cube tray, and after selecting a cold drink, you’ll be prompted to add a certain number of cubes to your cup or glass (at least six for an iced latte macchiato, for example). For milk-based drinks, you’ll then be asked to connect the cold carafe (the one with the white lid), which should be filled with either skimmed dairy milk or a plant-based alternative for the best results.

One of the biggest drawbacks of most automatic espresso machines is the cleanup, which sometimes takes so long that I think I’d be better off making my coffee manually. The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic is different. It rinses itself automatically after brewing and prompts you to rinse the milk carafe, but both processes only take a couple of seconds and seem to require very little water. I tested the machine for several weeks and never noticed any change in the taste of my drinks, so this system clearly works.

When it’s time to give the machine a deep clean, the Primadonna Aromatic provides step-by-step instructions to help you disassemble and wash the coffee dispenser components, and remove and rinse the brew unit. I found a small build-up of coffee grounds in the hatch containing the brew unit, but these were easy to wipe up with a damp cloth.

I was a little nervous about cleaning the plastic milk carafe components in the dishwasher, but they came out sparkling. Washing by hand is fine too, but it's reassuring to know they've been cleaned at a high temperature to remove residue that might harbor bacteria.

• Performance score: 5/5

Should you buy the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic?De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: score card

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

It's a brilliant machine, but there's no escaping the fact that the Primadonna Aromatic will be beyond the budget of many coffee lovers.

4/5

Design

Smart and stylish, with a super-intuitive interface and dishwasher-safe components to make maintenance a breeze.

5/5

Performance

Brews consistently well-balanced and tasty espresso. Both hot and cold milk foaming work well, and user profiles that 'learn' your preferences are extremely handy.

5/5

Buy it if

You enjoy cold drinks regularly

The De’Longhi Primadonna Aromatic makes excellent iced espresso drinks, and its cold foam is particularly impressive. Use skimmed or plant-based milk for the best results.

You have a generous budget

This is one of the most expensive espresso machines I’ve tested. It’s a joy to use, but there’s no escaping the fact that it’s seriously pricey.

Don't buy it if

You have just a couple of favorite drinks

The Primadonna Aromatic learns your drink preferences, but if you only drink cappuccinos and double espressos (for example), most of this machine’s functions will be superfluous. There are over 30 drinks to choose from, and sticking with one or two would be a real shame.

You’re the only coffee drinker in your house

This machine’s smart user profiles are one of its best features, and if you don’t share your coffee machine with anyone else, you might be better off with a simpler machine that doesn’t offer such depth of customization.

De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic: also consider

De'Longhi La Specialista Touch

If you don't have the space or the budget for the Primadonna Aromatic, this compact semi-automatic machine from De'Longhi is well worth a look. It can automate the trickiest parts of making espresso-based drinks, or let you take control. It's much smaller than you'd expect, and very reasonably priced.

Read our full De'Longhi La Specialista Touch review

Jura J10

If money is no object and your coffee orders are so complicated they give baristas a headache, the J10 could be the espresso machine for you. Like the Primadonna Aromatic, it does an excellent job of brewing hot and cold (with only one milk carafe needed), and it can even infuse foam with a flavored syrup of your choice.

Read our full Jura J10 review

How I tested the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic

I used the De'Longhi Primadonna Aromatic for two weeks in place of my usual coffee machine, and brewed coffee using a blend of freshly roasted Brazilian and Colombian arabica beans. I set up a separate user profile for my partner to test the smart recommendations, and we both used the machine to brew a variety of hot and cold drinks throughout each day.

(Image credit: Future)

I tested the hot milk frother with whole dairy milk and oat milk and used the cold milk frother with skimmed dairy milk and oat milk, as instructed by De'Longhi. All milk was bought fresh and used cold from the fridge.

First reviewed May 2025.