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Whether it’s helping your kids improve their cyber hygiene, restricting internet access for discipline or productivity purposes, or simply keeping a watchful eye on their internet activities, a parental control app has become a much-needed defense against today’s worsening digital threat landscape.

FamilyTime is one such popular child monitoring application that gives you a granular view of the applications and websites your child visits and allows you to manage their screen time with active limits.

In this review, we’ve taken a deep dive into FamilyTime Premium’s best features, plans, user experience, and customer support to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you. Read till the end because we also compare it with some of the best in the business.

FamilyTime review: Plans and pricing

FamilyTime Premium offers a pretty straightforward pricing structure. There are three plans for you to choose from: My Family, My Family 3, and My Family 5. While the first plan covers only one device, the other two cover three and five devices, respectively.

The single-device plan costs $2.41 per month, billed at $29 annually. My Family 3 costs $4.08 per month, billed at $49 annually, while My Family 5 costs $5.75 per month, billed at $69 annually.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

The good news is that there are no feature differences between the three plans – the only difference is the number of devices they cover. This means you get everything FamilyTime Premium has to offer, even with the basic $2.41 plan.

Before you commit to a paid plan, you can try FamilyTime Premium’s 3-day free trial, where you can test various features to see how they work.

However, note that the free trial isn’t particularly extensive and lacks certain features, especially social media monitoring on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and Signal. Similarly, you can’t read your child’s text messages or view their calls during the free trial.

That said, it’s still one of the most comprehensive free trials we’ve seen, even if it’s for a very limited time. That makes it worth trying if you’re considering FamilyTime and want to explore its features to understand whether it’s right for you.

FamilyTime review: Features

FamilyTime Premium offers a slew of features to help you manage your child’s screen time and phone usage. One of the best is its Balance feature, which gives parents a great degree of control over how much time their child spends on their device.

For starters, parents can define daily usage limits along with individual app limits. There’s also Screen Schedule, which lets you schedule limited screen time for your child during different parts of the day.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

Next, the Scheduled Internet feature offers a finer level of control, letting you block internet access on your child’s device for a specific period. They’ll still be able to use non-internet apps.

What we liked the most, though, is its Time Bank function, which allows a child to carry forward their unused daily allowance. For instance, if you’ve allowed five hours of screen time during weekdays and your child uses their phone for only three hours on a particular day, they can carry the remaining two hours forward for later use.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

Lastly, there’s Family Pause, which can immediately lock your child’s device in case of an emergency. In addition to extensive screen-time controls, FamilyTime also offers several safety features. For example, you can outright block apps or games that you don’t approve of on your child’s device, or block inappropriate and age-sensitive websites.

On the flip side, you can choose to allow your child to access only approved applications and games and enable search filters to block explicit websites, videos, and images.

There’s also a handy SOS Panic Button that your child can use during an emergency. When they activate it, parents receive an immediate SOS alert notifying them that their child needs help.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

FamilyTime also offers a pretty nifty PickMeUp Request feature, which sends real-time reminders and lets you plan your child’s pickup on a day-to-day basis.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

On top of this, FamilyTime offers several visibility features, giving you granular insights into your child’s phone activity. For instance, you can view all the contacts on your child’s device, read their text messages, and access their call logs.

Moreover, you can check the list of installed apps, view your child’s web history, and even monitor their social media activity on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and Signal.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

Lastly, there are location-tracking features as well, which can help you locate all your family members on a live map at a glance. You can also define specific areas on the map and receive instant alerts whenever your child enters or leaves a designated zone.

FamilyTime review: Interface and in-use

FamilyTime works on both Android and iOS. Unlike some other apps that claim they can be installed remotely using iCloud credentials, FamilyTime Premium makes no such claim.

Parents will need physical access to their child’s device to download the FamilyTime Junior app, while installing the FamilyTime Dashboard app on their own device. Once that’s done, the two applications are linked by scanning a QR code.

On Android, parents will need to grant several permissions, such as overlay access and device administrator rights, and allow installations from unknown sources for all the application’s features to work.

Parents will also need to set a four-digit PIN during installation to prevent the child from removing or disabling the FamilyTime Junior app.

A good thing about the platform is that it gives children greater visibility into their own limits, allowing them to check their remaining screen time, send SOS alerts, review their Time Bank balance, and see which applications are blocked.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

The dashboard itself is very intuitive and easy to use. The layout is clean and simple, and parents can quickly navigate through the various features with just a few clicks. You’ll also appreciate that the setup tutorial is very detailed. That said, the installation process won’t take more than a few minutes.

As with any child monitoring application, users might encounter occasional inconsistencies in FamilyTime’s performance, especially on iOS devices, which operate within a more closed ecosystem. That said, both applications generally work well and don’t come with a steep learning curve.

FamilyTime review: Support

FamilyTime Premium has done well when it comes to customer support. For starters, you can access 24/7 live chat through the website even before making a purchase. That lets you iron out any concerns or queries you might have. This was, in fact, one of our gripes with Parentaler, which didn’t offer live chat, at least not before purchasing a plan.

Once you’ve subscribed to a FamilyTime plan, you also get access to 24/7 Premium in-app live chat as well as 24/7 email support, which should be more than enough for most queries or issues you might have.

There’s also a rich collection of how-to articles and FAQs that provide answers to commonly asked questions. We also like that there’s a detailed collection of step-by-step installation guides and walkthrough articles covering various core functionalities of the platform.

FamilyTime review: The competition

mSpy offers more advanced features, such as keylogging, which helps you view every keystroke your child types on their device, including deleted messages and typed URLs. There’s also a keyword alerts function that can notify you whenever specific keywords are typed, which isn’t typically possible with a standard keylogger.

Furthermore, mSpy offers broader monitoring coverage across several social media platforms, including Snapchat, Tinder, Facebook Messenger, and Viber. There’s also AI chatbot monitoring, which lets you see what your child types into chatbots such as Gemini or ChatGPT.

That said, mSpy is pretty costly, starting at $11.67 per month per device on the annual plan. This can become very expensive very fast if you have a household with multiple children.

Qustodio is another strong alternative, particularly if you want a more traditional parental control app with extensive monitoring and filtering tools. It offers screen-time limits, app and website blocking, location tracking, and social media monitoring, while also supporting a wide range of platforms including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chromebook, and Kindle.

If you'd like alternatives that, like FamilyTime, take a more inclusive approach, you can check out applications like Bark or HeyPolo.

Bark, for example, explicitly addresses children during setup to explain that the goal is safety, not spying. It also uses an AI alert system to flag genuine risks such as predators, cyberbullying, or self-harm, rather than handing parents a full transcript of everyday conversations for them to go through.

FamilyTime review: Final verdict

We’d recommend FamilyTime Premium for several very good reasons. For starters, it’s one of the most inexpensive parental control applications out there, with plans starting as low as $2.41 per month for a single device. Even its multi-device plans are pretty affordable, starting at just $4.08 per month.

Next, the platform offers a relatively transparent Junior app for your child’s device, where they can view their own screen time, check blocked apps, and send SOS alerts when needed. This is in stark contrast to the closed monitoring environment offered by apps such as mSpy.

You also get 30-day activity reports, location tracking and geofencing, social media monitoring, and a free trial with nearly all the available features. However, if you need even more features, such as keylogging, keyword alerts, or remote camera access, consider splurging on mSpy.

• We've also featured the best parental control software

Whether it’s helping your kids improve their cyber hygiene, restricting internet access for discipline or productivity purposes, or simply keeping a watchful eye on their internet activities, a parental control app has become a much-needed defense against today’s worsening digital threat landscape.

FamilyTime is one such popular child monitoring application that gives you a granular view of the applications and websites your child visits and allows you to manage their screen time with active limits.

In this review, we’ve taken a deep dive into FamilyTime Premium’s best features, plans, user experience, and customer support to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you. Read till the end because we also compare it with some of the best in the business.

FamilyTime review: Plans and pricing

FamilyTime Premium offers a pretty straightforward pricing structure. There are three plans for you to choose from: My Family, My Family 3, and My Family 5. While the first plan covers only one device, the other two cover three and five devices, respectively.

The single-device plan costs $2.41 per month, billed at $29 annually. My Family 3 costs $4.08 per month, billed at $49 annually, while My Family 5 costs $5.75 per month, billed at $69 annually.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

The good news is that there are no feature differences between the three plans – the only difference is the number of devices they cover. This means you get everything FamilyTime Premium has to offer, even with the basic $2.41 plan.

Before you commit to a paid plan, you can try FamilyTime Premium’s 3-day free trial, where you can test various features to see how they work.

However, note that the free trial isn’t particularly extensive and lacks certain features, especially social media monitoring on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and Signal. Similarly, you can’t read your child’s text messages or view their calls during the free trial.

That said, it’s still one of the most comprehensive free trials we’ve seen, even if it’s for a very limited time. That makes it worth trying if you’re considering FamilyTime and want to explore its features to understand whether it’s right for you.

FamilyTime review: Features

FamilyTime Premium offers a slew of features to help you manage your child’s screen time and phone usage. One of the best is its Balance feature, which gives parents a great degree of control over how much time their child spends on their device.

For starters, parents can define daily usage limits along with individual app limits. There’s also Screen Schedule, which lets you schedule limited screen time for your child during different parts of the day.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

Next, the Scheduled Internet feature offers a finer level of control, letting you block internet access on your child’s device for a specific period. They’ll still be able to use non-internet apps.

What we liked the most, though, is its Time Bank function, which allows a child to carry forward their unused daily allowance. For instance, if you’ve allowed five hours of screen time during weekdays and your child uses their phone for only three hours on a particular day, they can carry the remaining two hours forward for later use.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

Lastly, there’s Family Pause, which can immediately lock your child’s device in case of an emergency. In addition to extensive screen-time controls, FamilyTime also offers several safety features. For example, you can outright block apps or games that you don’t approve of on your child’s device, or block inappropriate and age-sensitive websites.

On the flip side, you can choose to allow your child to access only approved applications and games and enable search filters to block explicit websites, videos, and images.

There’s also a handy SOS Panic Button that your child can use during an emergency. When they activate it, parents receive an immediate SOS alert notifying them that their child needs help.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

FamilyTime also offers a pretty nifty PickMeUp Request feature, which sends real-time reminders and lets you plan your child’s pickup on a day-to-day basis.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

On top of this, FamilyTime offers several visibility features, giving you granular insights into your child’s phone activity. For instance, you can view all the contacts on your child’s device, read their text messages, and access their call logs.

Moreover, you can check the list of installed apps, view your child’s web history, and even monitor their social media activity on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and Signal.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

Lastly, there are location-tracking features as well, which can help you locate all your family members on a live map at a glance. You can also define specific areas on the map and receive instant alerts whenever your child enters or leaves a designated zone.

FamilyTime review: Interface and in-use

FamilyTime works on both Android and iOS. Unlike some other apps that claim they can be installed remotely using iCloud credentials, FamilyTime Premium makes no such claim.

Parents will need physical access to their child’s device to download the FamilyTime Junior app, while installing the FamilyTime Dashboard app on their own device. Once that’s done, the two applications are linked by scanning a QR code.

On Android, parents will need to grant several permissions, such as overlay access and device administrator rights, and allow installations from unknown sources for all the application’s features to work.

Parents will also need to set a four-digit PIN during installation to prevent the child from removing or disabling the FamilyTime Junior app.

A good thing about the platform is that it gives children greater visibility into their own limits, allowing them to check their remaining screen time, send SOS alerts, review their Time Bank balance, and see which applications are blocked.

(Image credit: FamilyTime)

The dashboard itself is very intuitive and easy to use. The layout is clean and simple, and parents can quickly navigate through the various features with just a few clicks. You’ll also appreciate that the setup tutorial is very detailed. That said, the installation process won’t take more than a few minutes.

As with any child monitoring application, users might encounter occasional inconsistencies in FamilyTime’s performance, especially on iOS devices, which operate within a more closed ecosystem. That said, both applications generally work well and don’t come with a steep learning curve.

FamilyTime review: Support

FamilyTime Premium has done well when it comes to customer support. For starters, you can access 24/7 live chat through the website even before making a purchase. That lets you iron out any concerns or queries you might have. This was, in fact, one of our gripes with Parentaler, which didn’t offer live chat, at least not before purchasing a plan.

Once you’ve subscribed to a FamilyTime plan, you also get access to 24/7 Premium in-app live chat as well as 24/7 email support, which should be more than enough for most queries or issues you might have.

There’s also a rich collection of how-to articles and FAQs that provide answers to commonly asked questions. We also like that there’s a detailed collection of step-by-step installation guides and walkthrough articles covering various core functionalities of the platform.

FamilyTime review: The competition

mSpy offers more advanced features, such as keylogging, which helps you view every keystroke your child types on their device, including deleted messages and typed URLs. There’s also a keyword alerts function that can notify you whenever specific keywords are typed, which isn’t typically possible with a standard keylogger.

Furthermore, mSpy offers broader monitoring coverage across several social media platforms, including Snapchat, Tinder, Facebook Messenger, and Viber. There’s also AI chatbot monitoring, which lets you see what your child types into chatbots such as Gemini or ChatGPT.

That said, mSpy is pretty costly, starting at $11.67 per month per device on the annual plan. This can become very expensive very fast if you have a household with multiple children.

Qustodio is another strong alternative, particularly if you want a more traditional parental control app with extensive monitoring and filtering tools. It offers screen-time limits, app and website blocking, location tracking, and social media monitoring, while also supporting a wide range of platforms including Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Chromebook, and Kindle.

If you'd like alternatives that, like FamilyTime, take a more inclusive approach, you can check out applications like Bark or HeyPolo.

Bark, for example, explicitly addresses children during setup to explain that the goal is safety, not spying. It also uses an AI alert system to flag genuine risks such as predators, cyberbullying, or self-harm, rather than handing parents a full transcript of everyday conversations for them to go through.

FamilyTime review: Final verdict

We’d recommend FamilyTime Premium for several very good reasons. For starters, it’s one of the most inexpensive parental control applications out there, with plans starting as low as $2.41 per month for a single device. Even its multi-device plans are pretty affordable, starting at just $4.08 per month.

Next, the platform offers a relatively transparent Junior app for your child’s device, where they can view their own screen time, check blocked apps, and send SOS alerts when needed. This is in stark contrast to the closed monitoring environment offered by apps such as mSpy.

You also get 30-day activity reports, location tracking and geofencing, social media monitoring, and a free trial with nearly all the available features. However, if you need even more features, such as keylogging, keyword alerts, or remote camera access, consider splurging on mSpy.

• We've also featured the best parental control software

Motorola’s $349.99 Moto Watch Ultra returns to Wear OS with LTE, Polar health tools, a two-day battery claim, and two promised OS upgrades.

The post Moto Watch Ultra Launch: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on TechRepublic.

Apple Pencil is coming to the iPhone with iPhone Duo, but users will have to wait beyond launch before stylus support becomes available.

The post iPhone Duo Brings Apple Pencil to the iPhone for the First Time — but Not at Launch appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Grass Valley police ended its contract with Flock and removed its cameras
• They later found that Flock had reinstalled the devices
• This was allegedly due to one of Flock’s automated systems

Flock is not exactly the most popular company in the world right now, with its automated license plate recognition (ALPR) devices attracting protests, vandalism and canceled contracts with cities across the US. And it’s managed to invite even more negative headlines thanks to its reaction after one city had had enough of its cameras.

According to Fox40, the police force of Grass Valley, California, decided to end its contract with Flock and remove all of the company’s cameras in mid-August. Yet the authorities have since discovered that Flock took it upon itself to reinstall many of the cameras in the following weeks.

Grass Valley Police Chief Alexander Gammelgard had previously written a public letter to the town’s community explaining that the force’s contract with Flock had been canceled due to data privacy concerns, claiming that “Hundreds of thousands of California agency queries were being performed against our data.”

Despite the police’s actions, the force subsequently found that Flock had reinstalled and serviced some of the devices without permission from the city or the police force.

For its part, Flock told Fox40 that it reinstated the cameras because Grass Valley authorities had removed them before the cancelation process had been completed. This triggered Flock’s “automated maintenance system” to create work orders and send repair crews to put the cameras back in place. But whatever the cause, it’s not a good look for Flock.

Switching to Axon

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The Grass Valley controversy is not the only piece of bad news to have hit Flock recently. As pressure mounts on local governments to shelf the contentious cameras, they are apparently increasingly turning to rival products that might generate less negative news coverage.

One such beneficiary of Flock’s woes is Axon, whose devices are allegedly being deployed around the US. A report from 404 Media (via Newsweek) notes that cities from California to New York State have opted for Axon products over those from Flock, with some stating that they made the move because Axon met their public safety requirements while also protecting user privacy.

While that might help these authorities avoid some of the storm surrounding Flock, it evidently does not mean that they are moving away from ALPR technology altogether — which itself has become a lightning rod for opposition, whether it involves Flock or not.

As the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has put it, “Simply replacing Flock surveillance with another company’s surveillance won’t necessarily solve any of the privacy and other civil liberties problems posed by this mass surveillance technology.” Time will tell what sort of reaction the switch to Axon will therefore create among members of the public.

It’s impossible to avoid Microsoft if you’ve got a family full of tech - with laptops, PCs, smartphones and games consoles full of Redmond’s software, they’re everywhere.

But while that might sound all-encompassing, it might not be a bad idea if you need a parental control app. With features that smoothly integrate with your existing tech and a free price, Microsoft Family Safety could be the parental control app that your family needs.

In this article, we’ve broken down this free parental control app's key features, described its user experience and installation experience, and compared it with a few other alternatives, including paid ones, to help you make an informed choice.

• Interested in Microsoft Family Safety? Check out the website here

Microsoft Family Safety: Plans and pricing

There’s not much to say here, because Microsoft Family Safety is free. You don’t have to fork out any cash, you don’t need to investigate different product tiers and their varying features, and you don’t have to mess around hunting for deals or registering for free trials.

When we say free, we don’t mean that it comes free with a Microsoft subscription. In fact, you only need a Microsoft account to use Microsoft Family Safety. No subscription is required.

Microsoft Family Safety: Features

Family Safety runs on Windows, Xbox, Android, and Apple devices, and parents can also use Mac OS computers to access the web dashboard and monitor their children. Bear in mind, though, that you can’t install Family Safety on Mac OS devices used by your children - on Apple’s desktop and laptop OS, it’s a one-way street.

It’s easy to get started with Family Safety - more on that later - and once you’re up and running, the app has a decent set of core parental control features, at least on paper.

Take web filtering, for instance: while this is a core component of any good parental control app and rivals like Qustodio do a tremendous job, on Microsoft Family Safety you’re only able to filter the Microsoft Edge browser.

That might work for Microsoft, which wants to keep people using its own software, but that’s not practical in families where people want to use Chrome, Safari or other browsers. Many alternative browsers are just blocked by the app instead, and it’s possible for parents to block individual websites - and allow favored ones, too.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Frustratingly, Microsoft Family Safety doesn’t let parents see the categories of content it blocks, and users report frequent issues with unsafe websites not being blocked and not being flagged on the parent dashboard.

Family Safety’s screen time functionality is one of its strongest selling points. You can set schedules for your children’s devices, save them easily, and customize them for different days. On Android, parents can set limits on a per-app basis, too.

Even when the allotted screen time for the day is over, your child could request an extension, and you’ll receive a notification about the request. However, mobile screen time only applies to Android devices and isn’t available on iOS.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Family Safety also offers a spending limits feature where you can add money to your child’s Microsoft account, which acts as their allowance or balance for Microsoft Store and Xbox purchases.

However, this doesn’t mean that your child can spend the money unchecked. Every purchase above the balance will require parental approval. Optionally, you can also toggle on the Require approval for every purchase setting, so that everything goes through you regardless of the account balance.

When you turn on spending notifications, you get alerts about the purchases your child makes, money added to the account, or purchase requests approved by other family members.

Elsewhere, app blocking and whitelisting are supported and parents can allow children app access if kids send a request from their phones.

However, a deeper dive by intrepid users online suggests that device screen time limits don’t work particularly well on Android - some reports suggest that children could continue using their devices even when contravening their scheduled limits.

Family Safety used to offer location tracking features along with a Drive Safety mode. However, these functions have now been discontinued.

What’s missing from Family Safety? Sadly, quite a lot. Outside of its web filtering, there’s no social media, messaging app or text message monitoring, and none of the camera and audio features that you’ll find in some more forward-thinking tools.

Microsoft Family Safety: Interface and in-use

Family Safety is very easy to use: install the app, grant some basic permissions and build a family group using people’s Outlook addresses, phone numbers or alternative emails and you’re good to go.

In a nod towards transparency, children can see the restrictions they’re under on their app’s dashboard. On Windows devices, functionality is similar - you just make your children a new account on the device rather than using their phone number.

Once you’re all set up, Family Safety is exceedingly easy to use. The interface is clean and spacious with familiar Microsoft green accents, and everything is laid out well - all of the key options are in obvious places.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

One of Microsoft Family Safety’s standout features is its detailed activity reports. When toggled on, you can view various metrics such as which games and apps your family members have been using and for how long.

You can also view which websites your child has been visiting or the terms they’ve been searching. Along with this, you can see detailed daily and weekly details about a child’s screen time.

If you don’t have the time to constantly check the Family Safety app to get updates on your child’s phone usage, you can also opt in to receive weekly emails about your family members’ activities, giving you all the information from the week at a glance.

(Image credit: Microsoft Family Safety)

However, note that Microsoft has also added a consent mechanism when it comes to activity reporting. Kids who are 13 or older have the ability to opt out of sharing usage data with family members. Once they do so, you can’t simply toggle on the setting and would need to regain their consent before doing so.

Microsoft Family Safety: Support

Microsoft Family Safety’s website includes setup guides, FAQs and troubleshooting tips that should solve most common issues, and Microsoft’s busy forum is also available for more specific queries.

In-app support and reporting is available on Android and iOS, and the central Microsoft support website is available if you need to get in touch with Microsoft – although that does mean delving into the support functionality of one of the world’s biggest companies, and that means a likely slow response.

Microsoft Family Safety: The competition

Users may pin down Microsoft Family Safety’s lack of features due to its free nature. However, even free applications like Google Family Link offer a few additional features.

For instance, Google offers real-time location tracking, where you can see your child’s live location at all times using Google’s mapping prowess. Besides this, you can even monitor your child’s device battery status.

Google also allows parents to whitelist calls or texts and approve or block specific numbers. This isn’t a feature category that Microsoft touches at all.

If you’re looking for something premium, you can choose mSpy, which offers some of the most advanced features in the parental control category. There’s extensive keylogging, which captures every keystroke your child types on their devices, including deleted messages.

Next, it comes with social media monitoring, which allows you to see your child’s interactions on platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Instagram, and so on. mSpy also offers extensive call log monitoring, call recording, remote camera, and microphone access.

Unlike Microsoft Family Safety, mSpy comes with geofencing alerts, where you can get notifications whenever your child arrives at or leaves a specific marked location on a map. But if mSpy's $11.67/month pricing is a deal breaker, you can consider more affordable options like Parentaler, HeyPolo, or Bitdefender.

If you’re looking for a more comprehensive security package, Aura is another strong option. It combines parental controls with an antivirus, VPN, password manager, and identity protection, making it a more complete digital security solution for the whole family.

Microsoft Family Safety: Final verdict

There are certainly some areas where Microsoft Family Safety fights back. It’s free, for starters, and is easier to use for families that already use the Microsoft ecosystem through PCs, laptops or games consoles alongside smartphones.

It’s easy to use, too, and has accessible and moderately effective filtering, location-tracking, app management and screen time features. The platform did offer location tracking a while back. However, this has now been discontinued, which doesn’t bode well for the platform when compared to peers.

Plus, the iOS app is more limited than the Android version, and its rivals, while not free, are far more capable in every key area. So, if you want basic parental control without spending any money, Family Safety is a great choice.

However, if you’re at all serious about parental control and need features like social media monitoring or location tracking, you’ll have to consider alternatives like mSpy or Parentaler.

FAQsDo I need a Microsoft 365 subscription to use Family Safety?

No, you don’t need a Microsoft 365 subscription to use Family Safety, as it’s entirely free. However, you will need a Microsoft account to sign in to be able to use Family Safety.

How can I view my child’s activity report?

You can view your child’s activity reports either through the Family Safety app or opt in to receive weekly emails detailing your family members’ activities. The activity reports are pretty detailed, showing you which apps or websites your kid spends the most time on, along with detailed daily and weekly screen-time information.

Can I track my child’s location and driving data through Microsoft Family Safety?

Unfortunately, Microsoft discontinued its location tracking and Drive Safety features on November 29, 2024, which means you can no longer see where your child is or receive detailed data about their driving routes and metrics.

• We've also featured the best free parental control software

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve played the original Final Fantasy 7, and the thought of soaring through the skies aboard the airship Highwind with Midgar, Junon, the Gold Saucer, and Wutai scrolling past below in this level of detail always felt like an impossible dream. Now I’m watching it unfold in front of me in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation — and it’s glorious.

I cruise around for far longer than is even necessary, just soaking it all in. It’s a moment that finally fully realises what we expected when Square Enix first announced that it would be remaking the iconic 1997 RPG.

This journey has been a long one: from the restricted but well-focused part one of Remake, through the expansive and a little more erratic part two in Rebirth, and now this monumental finale to cap off the trilogy.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

After a quick introduction to the cast for this demo section that takes place at the start of Chapter 4, I’m given the controls of the Highwind. I’m told the next destination for Yuffie, Barret, Red XIII, as well as playable newcomers Cid and Vincent, is Wutai. But I don’t need to go there right now. And I choose not to.

I zoom over to see what’s changed at the Costa Del Sol: this world’s happening holiday resort and lively town. How do I make my final approach? Not by landing the airship, but by parachuting off the edge, watching the terrain and the town grow larger as I approach the ground. It’s an impressive feat that this is possible, with such huge freedom given to how and where I land.

When I reach the Costa Del Sol, it is, effectively, exactly as it was in the previous entry. Folks are soaking up the sunshine in swimwear, popping to the bar to pick up a drink, and enjoying all sorts of entertainment by the seaside. The detail and density still impress and define the approach that Square Enix has taken with the trilogy as a whole. It’s bigger, bolder, flashier, expanded, and extended. There’s just more to everything.

I step out into the outskirts of the party playground, and I’m immediately hit by how Square Enix has taken this approach in other areas of the game. Sometimes, I feel, for the worse.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

The demo was not afraid to impress upon me the sheer number of side activities that are going to be available in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. Photo hunts, monster hunts, the Queen’s Blood card game, environment investigations — all of these and more popped up as soon as I landed in a new location or were added as I explored. With an AI assistant, MAI, also trying to explain them all, it almost overwhelmed me.

I get why we played this section of the game, but hot-dropping into a location while completely fresh to the game and getting barraged by all of these notifications instilled in me equal levels of excitement and dread. Yeah, there’s going to be a heck of a lot to do in Revelation if you want it, but I don’t know how much of it is going to be compelling.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

What does still shine, though, is the combat. Zipping over to Wutai for a change of scenery, I ran into several monsters on the path to the village, and my muscle memory from the dozens of hours I sunk into Remake and Rebirth started to come back.

Cid and Vincent both seem like excellent new additions to the roster. I gravitated more toward the vampiric ex-Turk after a couple of battles, enjoying the rhythm of how he’s played. Effectively, you build up attacks over time, before eventually being able to unleash his ferocious Galian Beast mode to deal more devastating damage. Even against unthreatening monsters, he was very satisfying to play.

What I didn’t get to explore too much was the new FITS mechanic, which gives your characters more focus by taking on a specific class. I could see how these roles help you refine your party and add another layer to the already strong combat system. For example, Barrett could be set as a Knight in some impressive, shiny, and slightly absurd mech armor, elevating his job as a defender and protector.

Intrigued by both the new characters and mechanics, I found myself seeking more combat, so my journey through Wutai was full of distractions, including accidentally wandering into a boss monster that was about 40 levels above me and destroyed me in a matter of seconds. One of the many, many, many side activities in the region that I’ll no doubt have to return to in the full game, if I don’t get burnt out by them again.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

And then, even with those doubts in my mind, I did find myself in awe of Revelation again just as quickly after seeing the scale and glow-up given to Wutai village. The pagodas and the familiar Turtle's Paradise bar have gone from half-memories of pixelated and blocky buildings to stunning and expressive environments that I could never have imagined.

Overall, there was just so much that it felt impossible to wrap my head around even half of it in just the short 60 minutes I had to play Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. I’ve barely had a chance to mention all the new pieces of equipment you have to navigate the world and interact with it.

What I want to make clear, though, is that all of these features haven’t put me off the game at all. It might not have settled some of the worries I had after tiring of the deluge of mostly throwaway content in Rebirth, but I left wanting more time with Revelation.

More time cruising through the clouds of the Highwind, more time testing how easy it is to jump out from pretty much anywhere on the overworld map, and more time digging into the combat system with new characters and how the FITS system mixes it up. And that’s before we see what direction Square Enix takes the story after the controversial ending to the previous entry.

Whatever happens, I have the feeling that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is going to be a huge game when it launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on April 8, 2027.

When you look up the best free parental control app, you’re bound to run into apps that either don’t work or hide premium features behind paywalls. However, that’s not the case with Google Family Link. Most importantly, since the tool comes from Google itself, you can be rest assured that it isn’t a scam.

Unsurprisingly, this tool works well with Google’s own apps, like Search, Chrome and YouTube, and comes with several nifty features such as screen-time controls and location tracking.

But a deeper dive into its features reveals some missing capabilities when compared to the best parental control apps. We’ve done a detailed review of Google Family Link, discussing its best features and interface, and we’ve also compared it with a few other options, so you can decide for yourself if it’s the right tool for you.

• Want to try Google Family Link? Check out the website here

Google Family Link: Features

We’ve skipped our usual “Plans and pricing” section because there’s nothing to say beyond the fact that this app is free.

Family Link allows users to set screen time controls, including downtime and app-specific time limits. Parents can also manage app, website, and extension permissions and downloads through the control software. You can always see your child’s location thanks to Google’s mapping prowess, too.

Delve into many of these features, though, and you’ll discover that they’re relatively basic.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

You can set device usage limits and restricted times for your children, with support for 15-minute increments, so they won’t be browsing their phones during school hours or bedtime, for instance.

In February 2025, Google added a dedicated “School Time” mode – you only need to toggle a button within the app settings to enable it. You can also add a school-time break to allow your kids a small window of phone access during school recess or breaks.

(Image credit: Google)

Device locking is supported, and you can also give your children always-on access to certain apps. But when compared to other tools, like Bark or Qustodio, Google’s Family Link is pretty basic here.

The filtering is relatively rudimentary, too. While there’s no doubt that Google’s SafeSearch filtering works very well by blocking or blurring unsuitable text and images, other apps offer dozens of categories to choose from if you want to block specific topics, and you can’t go any further than SafeSearch here.

You can block certain sites and allow others, but you’ll have more control elsewhere. And while Family Link filters YouTube, too, the options here are still fairly basic. More impressive is Family Link’s app capability. You can see exactly which apps your children have installed and either block or limit their usage individually.

Content restrictions are available for Google Play, and you can prevent your children from making purchases as well – handy if you want them to stop spending a lot of money on addictive games. You can also prevent app installation from unknown sources and stop your children from adding or removing users from their devices or delving into the Developer options.

Unsurprisingly, Google’s location tracking is very accurate, and you can set up geofenced locations with decent radius limits – although other apps are even wider here.

You’ll get notified if children leave the area. One smart addition is the ability to view your child’s battery status, allowing you to spot if they’re about to run out of charge, too. One notable omission here, though, is location history – it’s simply not available.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

Elsewhere, Family Link doesn’t include text or call monitoring, and across basically every part of the app you don’t get the granular control you’ll find on other tools. That said, Google did add the ability for parents to whitelist calls or texts – approve or block specific numbers.

Other apps also offer more comprehensive activity monitoring, including email and social media monitoring. And when your kids are 13, they can opt out of the monitoring if they wish.

However, unlike before, kids below 18 will now require their parent’s approval to opt out. This means they can’t simply delete the app from their devices until their parents approve it.

Google Family Link: Interface and in-use

Before you get started, it’s worth checking Family Link’s device compatibility, too. For kids, Family Link is compatible with Android devices running version 7.0 (Nougat) or higher. However, only certain settings will function on devices using Android 5.0 or 6.0. There’s no kids app for iOS.

For parents, the control app runs on Android devices running Android 7.0 or higher or iOS devices running iOS 16 or higher. This means parents can use their iOS devices to monitor their kids’ Android devices as well.

However, the “other way round” isn’t possible. This means if your kids use an iOS device, Google Family Link might not be for you.

Family Link also works on Chromebooks with Chrome OS 71 or higher. However, location tracking doesn’t work on Chromebooks.

(Image credit: Google Family Link)

As you’d expect from a Google app, Family Link is a sleek and minimalist piece of software that looks clean and uncluttered. It’s easy for parents and kids to navigate most of the settings available, which means setup is quick.

That’s great if you want an app that doesn’t overwhelm you with information, but it also means that some crucial bits of info can be hard to find. You’ll need to use different screens to check children’s app and YouTube usage, for instance, and you'll also have to delve into various menus to view their web history.

Many competitors make it easier to access this information, offering more centralized access to reports, alerts, and details. Lastly, setup is quite easy. Because this is an official Google product, you don’t have to deal with the sideloading that's sometimes required elsewhere.

Google Family Link: Support

Unsurprisingly, from a computing behemoth like Google, Family Link’s support is a little sporadic and impersonal.

If you need help you’ll need to go through Google’s official channels, and you’ll probably not get a fast response.

Thankfully, there are plenty of good knowledge base articles in the help center, but that’s it. If you want more extensive or faster support, a dedicated app will be far better.

Google Family Link: The competition

While Google Family Link is a free application and does a decent job of providing basic parental control features, it does lack a lot of functions, which is why you might consider alternatives.

For starters, a provider like Parentaler offers more comprehensive social media content monitoring, which is entirely absent from Google Family Link. With this, you can view the content your kids post on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok.

Similarly, Parentaler can also show incoming and outgoing texts and even allow parents to view deleted ones. Parentaler also has a very nifty keyword alert feature, which can inform parents whenever specific objectionable keywords show up in their conversations.

That said, Parentaler isn’t free and can cost as high as $10.17 per month when you purchase the annual plan. If you’re looking for something more affordable, you can consider FamilyTime Premium. Its plans start as low as $2.41 per month, while also offering family plans starting at just $4.08.

FamilyTime offers granular screen-time control, allowing parents to schedule allowed screen time. We also liked its Time Bank function, which can allow a child to carry forward their unused daily allowance of time. It also has an SOS alert for emergency situations, just like HeyPolo, another affordable child location tracking app.

Google Family Link: Final verdict

Google Family Link’s biggest advantage is that it’s free, and elsewhere its key strength comes from its granular, powerful app controls and its decent screen time and scheduling options. Since it’s an in-house Google product, its location tracking tends to be more reliable than some other competitors.

Go beyond this, though, and Google Family Link is lacking. For instance, it doesn’t offer social media monitoring at all or keyword alerts. Plus, parents can’t read their children’s incoming and outgoing texts or monitor their calls. You may have to pay for rivals like mSpy, but they have far more extensive filtering and device management options and work on a broader array of devices.

Overall, Google Family Link is ideal if you want to use it alongside other parental control apps, perhaps to control Google Play usage or double up on filtering to have an extra safety net. But it’s just not powerful enough to function as your primary parental control tool.

FAQsCan my teenager delete Family Link from their phone?

No, your child won’t be able to delete Family Link from their phone without your approval. Google says that children above 13 years of age may delete Google Family Link on their devices. However, a policy update now requires explicit parental approval for children to be able to do so.

Can I use Family Link if my child has an iPhone?

No, Google Family Link doesn’t offer an app for iOS devices, which means if you want to monitor your child who uses an iOS device, Family Link isn’t ideal. That said, the company does offer the parent app for iOS. So, if you’re using an iOS device, you’ll still be able to monitor your child’s Android devices.

Does Family Link work on Chromebook?

Yes. Chromebooks running Chrome OS 71 or higher can be supervised using Google Family Link. Features such as screen time and website restrictions can be used freely. However, location reporting isn’t available for Chromebooks, even though it works on Android phones.

Does my child need to be connected to Wi-Fi or data for parental controls to work?

Location tracking specifically requires the device to be powered on, recently active, and connected to the internet, either through mobile data or Wi-Fi. If it’s offline, you won’t get any updates on its current location. Other controls, such as app blocking or screen time, are enforced locally on the device and don’t require an active internet connection.

• We've picked out the best free parental control software

The Luna Pro has a lot in common with the pricier Luna Ultra at a lower price, but not its dual-camera design.

• Fable associate game director Will Kennedy says the game's combat system will be "faithful" to the classic RPG series
• However, Playground Games wanted to make the game "approachable" for modern audiences
• Kennedy says the game's "Style-weaving combat" offers more "breadth and depth" to achieve that

Fable's "style-weaving" combat system is designed for a modern audience, while remaining faithful to the classic role-playing game (RPG) series, according to Playground Games.

That's according to associate game director Will Kennedy during a Q&A session at Gamescom 2026, where he discussed the game's humor and how that has also been woven into the battle system by allowing players to turn enemies into chickens.

Speaking more about the design intention behind what Playground Games calls "style-weaving combat," which lets players mix and match different weapons and spells, Kennedy said the team wanted to balance what long-time fans of the series are familiar with, while making combat approachable for new players.

"When we're talking about being faithful to the classic franchise, we thought about how there was an approachability to combat there, and we knew that we wanted to be able to capture some of that for our game as well," Kennedy said. "But at the same time, we're making a game for gaming today."

He added, "We wanted there to be breadth and depth to it, so we landed on wanting to have style-weaving combat. We wanted to be able to move from move to move really smoothly and easily, and that combined with the level expression that you've got."

Kennedy explained that players can customize every element of their loadout, including ranged and melee weapons, and the four spell slots, which can be upgraded, and "by the time you play the game for even a little bit of time, you have a really broad, deep, rich suite of options to choose from."

"But being able to move so freely between the moves, and it feeling so responsive and so satisfying, is something we're really proud of," Kennedy continued, "because I think we've landed somewhere that is still approachable but has that depth that we want and so therefore is faithful but works in gaming today as well for players, which is sometimes to be proud of."

Fable is set to launch on February 23, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.

Kennedy also confirmed that Fable's main storyline will take up to 20 hours to beat, but the game's life systems are "limitless."

Insta360 Luna Pro: Two-minute review

I'll be honest: my first reaction to the Insta360 Luna Pro wasn't really about the camera itself — more its price tag. At $599.99/£599.99/AU$859.99, it sits close enough to the flagship Luna Ultra model (at least in the USA and UK) that I've been wondering whether Insta360 has left itself room for a proper budget option in this range. The Pro doesn't offer a significant saving over the Ultra, which I suspect will drive many buyers into opting for the latter simply because it features a second lens for a similar price.

That's not a knock on the Luna Pro itself, though, because it handles its actual job — smooth, hands-free footage you don't have to think about — with real aplomb. Popping the touchscreen module free from the body and using it as a standalone remote is a neat trick, and it's just as handy here as it was on the Ultra. Tracking is another standout feature for me: click the joystick once, or tap a subject on screen, and the Luna Pro locks on and stays locked on, whether I was walking, gesturing or just generally being difficult to follow. But all that is also available on the Luna Ultra.

With just a single lens, the Pro misses out on the second 3x telephoto camera that the flagship Luna Ultra has (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

I did come away with a couple of gripes concerning the Pro (both of which, incidently, one could also level at the Ultra). The little wire tripod tucked into the handle is more fiddly than useful once you're off a flat surface. Battery life also isn't quite what Insta360 claims — you can expect closer to 90 minutes than the quoted 240 (for 1080p) if you're shooting 8K with the screen switched on.

Photos are also an afterthought here — they're soft and low on contrast, and in most cases a smartphone will do a better job. Video is a much stronger story, particularly once you dip below the headline 8K resolution into the more practical 4K modes, and vertical shooters will get unexpected bragging rights over owners of the Ultra thanks to the Pro's sharper 9:16 footage. The fact that the Pro has just the one lens does affect things, of course: push the digital zoom past 2x and the drop-off in detail becomes obvious immediately.

So where does that leave the Luna Pro? As a piece of hardware, it's a likeable and very capable little camera that does almost everything I wanted it to. As a purchase decision, it's a trickier sell than Insta360 probably intended, sitting just a little too close to its more versatile sibling for comfort.

Insta360 Luna Pro: Price and release date

• Launched on September 10, 2026, priced at $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99
• Only one bundle available at launch
• Costs $170 / £50 / AU$370 less than the flagship Luna Ultra

The Luna Pro comes with a few accessories, but at present there appears to be no Creator Bundle available. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

At $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99, the Luna Pro undercuts Insta360's flagship Luna Ultra ($769.99 / £649 / AU$1,229.99) by a relatively modest margin, especially in the UK, where the difference works out to less than £50, or $170 in the US. That's a narrower gap than I was expecting, given the Pro features only one lens while the Ultra has two, and it puts the newer camera in a slightly awkward position; it's not quite the budget-friendly alternative you might expect a single-lens model to be (like the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is).

Insta360 Luna Pro specsInsta360 Luna Pro specs:

Type:

Compact video camera

Lens:

20mm, f/1.8 (35mm equivalent)

Sensors:

1-inch CMOS

Video:

8K up to 30p / 4K up to 120p / FHD up to 240p

Photo:

9MP JPEG & RAW / 37MP UltraPhoto mode / panorama

LCD:

2-inch OLED, detachable

Memory:

47GB internal, 1x micro SD (up to 2TB)

Battery

1,550mAh, rated up to 4 hours of 1080p

Dimensions

2.08 x 6.13 x 1.51in / 52.78 x 155.7 x 38.47mm

Weight:

7.6oz / 215g (Cosmic Black), 7.7oz / 218g (Stellar White)

Insta360 Luna Pro: Design

• Effectively a single-lens version of the Luna Ultra
• Clever detachable touchscreen module, complete with its own built-in mic
• A rubber cap replaces the Ultra's bulky protective case

Strip away the second lens and the Luna Pro is basically the Luna Ultra all over again. The dimensions and weight between the two cameras are barely different (the Pro is about half an inch shorter and 20g lighter than its dual-lens sibling), so if you've read my colleague Tim Coleman's take on the Ultra's design, most of the same applies here too: the Pro, like the Ultra, has a stick-like, gimbal-topped body that sits comfortably in the hand, with the option to extend the included handle for a more secure grip.

Its signature design feature is unchanged, too: the entire touchscreen-and-controls module pops free, working as a standalone remote with a 20m range and its own built-in microphone. It's just as useful here for solo shooting as it is on the Ultra.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

One design compromise that did stand out to me during my time with the camera is the thin wire tripod that extends from the handle base — another thing carried over from the Ultra. On a genuinely flat surface, like a tabletop, it holds the Luna Pro upright well enough, but it offers little stability on uneven ground, and it's fiddly to pull out in the first place. Thankfully there's a standard tripod thread on the base too, so a proper mini tripod is only ever a few twists away.

The included protective case is also more basic than the Ultra's: it's just a rubber cap over the lens and gimbal, which trades some protection for a slimmer profile and much easier removal and replacement.

Insta360 Luna Pro: Performance

• Dual-chip setup (4nm flagship chip plus dedicated imaging chip)
• Sticky, reliable subject tracking, and smooth stabilization whether shooting horizon-level or FPV-style
• Video up to 8K 30fps or 4K 120fps in 16:9 mode, 4K 30fps in 9:16

The Insta360 Luna Pro pairs the same 1-inch sensor and 20mm-equivalent f/1.8 lens found on the Ultra's main camera with a leaner dual-chip setup — a 4nm flagship chip and a dedicated imaging chip. The Ultra has three chips.

On paper that sounds like a step down, but in practice I rarely found the Luna Pro underpowered or sluggish. Subject tracking is a particular highlight: a single joystick click will pick out people and animals automatically, or you can tap a subject on the touchscreen and even adjust its position within the frame, which is useful if you don't want it to be dead center. It's sticky and dependable throughout. Stabilization is equally impressive, delivering smooth, level footage on the move, with the option to switch to a more dynamic FPV-style movement if you want it.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Insta360 rates the 1,550mAh battery at 240 minutes, but that figure is sneakily based on 1080p 24fps recording with the screen and Wi-Fi both switched off, which isn't how most people will use this camera. Shooting 8K at 30fps with the screen active, a much more realistic scenario, drained the battery in around 90 minutes during testing. That's still a respectable battery life in my book, so I'm not sure why Insta360 saw fit to base its claims on an underpowered setting.

The camera runs a little warm under sustained use of its more demanding modes like 4K120fps and 8K30fps in particular, but during my testing, it took more than 75 minutes of continuous 8K recording before it shut itself down. What I'd consider normal use never triggered any overheating issues.

The four microphones (three on the main body, one on the detachable module) handle audio reasonably well, and 32-bit recording is on offer for anyone editing seriously. Still, anyone prioritizing audio quality should consider buying an Insta360 Mic Air or Mic Pro, both of which pair directly and add proper wind protection and noise cancellation.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

Moving on to image quality, and photos are the camera's weak point: detail and contrast are both underwhelming, and it's not a device worth buying for stills alone. Frankly, in most cases you'd be better off using your smartphone for snaps than pulling out the Pro.

Video is a different story: footage looks clean and sharp in good lighting, across Standard, Dolby Vision and I-Log color profiles, though the 120Mbps maximum bitrate (shared with the Ultra) seems quite modest. 8K is the headline spec, of course, but I think 4K is a much more practical everyday choice thanks to its smaller files, greater range of frame rate options (up to 120fps), and the fact it still offers plenty of detail.

Slow motion goes up to 4x at 4K (120fps) or 8x in 1080p (240fps) and, surprisingly, vertical shooters get a genuine edge over the Ultra here: 4K30fps in 9:16 (built from 6K oversampling) versus the Ultra's ceiling of just 3K. One thing to note about vertical footage though: while the Ultra can hit 60fps in that mode, the Pro tops out at 30fps.

The digital zoom is the clearest trade-off for losing that second lens, and the Pro lacks the reach of its pricier cousin. Up to 2x magnification, Insta360's "lossless zoom" claim holds up in practice, but push it further and the digital crop shows, with softer detail and muddier edges.

Should I buy the Insta360 Luna Pro?Buy it if...

You want excellent tracking and stabilization
Whether it's a single joystick click or tapping a subject on the touchscreen, the Luna Pro locks onto people and pets reliably, and its gimbal keeps footage impressively smooth in both horizon-level and FPV-style modes.

You shoot a lot of vertical content
Its 4K30fps 9:16 mode, built from 6K oversampling, is sharper than anything the pricier Luna Ultra can manage in that orientation.

Don't buy it if...

You can stretch to the Luna Ultra
With a relatively small amount separating the two, the Ultra's second lens and true 6x lossless zoom could be worth the step up.

You need all-day battery life
Insta360's four-hour battery claims are based on using 1080p at 24fps, so if you're an 8K or 4K shooter, the real-world figure is a lot less.

Insta360 Luna Pro: also consider

DJI Osmo Pocket 4

If you're not tied to the Insta360 ecosystem, DJI's Osmo Pocket 4 remains the benchmark single-lens compact vlogging camera. It lacks the Luna Pro's detachable touchscreen module (though there is an optional controller available), but its tracking and color science have been refined over several generations, and it's a joy to use.

Read our in-depth DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review

Insta360 Luna Ultra

Insta360's flagship costs a little more than the Luna Pro, but justifies it with a second, 60mm-equivalent telephoto lens offering 6x lossless zoom, and a third processing chip for extra power. It's a little larger and heavier, and caps vertical video at a lower 3K, but I think the added versatility makes it worth the modest premium for many creators.

Read our in-depth Insta360 Luna Ultra review

How I tested the Insta360 Luna Pro

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

• Insta360 sent me the Luna Pro's basic box bundle ahead of launch
• I shot footage and photos at all available resolutions, and tested the slow motion and PureVideo special shooting modes
• I tested battery life and thermal management by running the camera continuously

I was sent a Luna Pro sample ahead of the launch day, allowing me time to test the Luna Pro over a few days. I shot a mix of horizontal, vertical and slow motion video across its available resolutions and color profiles, and put its subject tracking and stabilization through everyday use. I also took photos in and outdoors, in both JPEG and DNG format. I ran the camera's battery down twice to test its battery life, and tested its thermal performance too, to see how real-world use compares to Insta360's claims.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read more about how we test

• Bitdefender finds Google Play Early Access platform could give malicious apps an easy breeding ground
• User reviews and ratings are not publicly displayed, removing the ability for users to evaluate if an app is legitimate
• Games, casinos, and utility apps are being loaded with malicious packages and downloaded thousands of times

Google has unveiled an Early Access program for the Play Store, allowing developers to list early-access apps for testing and feedback.

While great for smaller apps looking to weed out any wrinkles in their apps, Early Access also offers a lucrative way for malicious actors to lure users into downloading apps that look legitimate, but can hide malicious packages inside.

However, new research from Bitdefender notes the fact that the Early Access program hides public reviews and ratings could lead to an app ecosystem filled with scams, fake casinos, and malware-laden packages masquerading as legitimate software.

Early Access is filled with dangerous apps

When looking for apps on the normal Play Store, one of the first things users are greeted with is an app’s rating. For fake or malicious apps, users can quickly evaluate whether or not to download the app thanks to the star rating and user reviews. While there is the potential for nefarious developers to fake reviews and ratings there is at least some ability to check if an app is legitimate.

But the Early Access system does away with public user ratings and reviews entirely. There is effectively no way for users who fall victim to a fake app to publicly warn other users not to download the app.

Add to this equation that ability for developers to show off their apps through sponsored Facebook and TikTok videos, offering outrageous rewards or using deepfakes of celebrities to entice users to install their apps.

This is especially true for fake gambling apps. Bitdefender has spotted numerous adverts for casino apps using deepfakes of well known celebrities such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Jason Statham, and Andrew Tate. These apps actively push users into the Google Play Early Access store, or direct to the apps website.

(Image credit: Bitdefender)

Other listings mimic well-known apps, adding financial incentives for downloading such as doubling the money you invest every time you complete a task or overcome an obstacle. Other apps take advantage of the hype for upcoming game releases, such as Grand Theft Auto V and VI. These apps often use screenshots from the actual games in order to appear legitimate.

When detected as illegitimate, these scam apps will often be deleted before being replaced by exact copies that perform the same malicious functions. Some illegitimate apps have been downloaded thousands of times, Bitdefender said, but many remain available on the Google Play Early Access store.

But the scam apps aren’t limited to games and casino apps. Bitdefender also saw numerous apps offering utility functions such as QR code scanners or PDF readers. In some circumstances, the exact same apps were listed multiple times by different developers - likely to expand the reach and maximize the number of downloads.

Bitdefender notes that Google Play’s reputation relies on users being able to trust the apps they are downloading, but the Early Access program removes almost every way users can detect a malicious app before installing.

It’s not an old-school party line, but you can get some entertainment advice when you give this hotline a ring.

Insta360 Luna Pro: Two-minute review

I'll be honest: my first reaction to the Insta360 Luna Pro wasn't really about the camera itself — more its price tag. At $599.99/£599.99/AU$859.99, it sits close enough to the flagship Luna Ultra model (at least in the USA and UK) that I've been wondering whether Insta360 has left itself room for a proper budget option in this range. The Pro doesn't offer a significant saving over the Ultra, which I suspect will drive many buyers into opting for the latter simply because it features a second lens for a similar price.

That's not a knock on the Luna Pro itself, though, because it handles its actual job — smooth, hands-free footage you don't have to think about — with real aplomb. Popping the touchscreen module free from the body and using it as a standalone remote is a neat trick, and it's just as handy here as it was on the Ultra. Tracking is another standout feature for me: click the joystick once, or tap a subject on screen, and the Luna Pro locks on and stays locked on, whether I was walking, gesturing or just generally being difficult to follow. But all that is also available on the Luna Ultra.

With just a single lens, the Pro misses out on the second 3x telephoto camera that the flagship Luna Ultra has (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

I did come away with a couple of gripes concerning the Pro (both of which, incidently, one could also level at the Ultra). The little wire tripod tucked into the handle is more fiddly than useful once you're off a flat surface. Battery life also isn't quite what Insta360 claims — you can expect closer to 90 minutes than the quoted 240 (for 1080p) if you're shooting 8K with the screen switched on.

Photos are also an afterthought here — they're soft and low on contrast, and in most cases a smartphone will do a better job. Video is a much stronger story, particularly once you dip below the headline 8K resolution into the more practical 4K modes, and vertical shooters will get unexpected bragging rights over owners of the Ultra thanks to the Pro's sharper 9:16 footage. The fact that the Pro has just the one lens does affect things, of course: push the digital zoom past 2x and the drop-off in detail becomes obvious immediately.

So where does that leave the Luna Pro? As a piece of hardware, it's a likeable and very capable little camera that does almost everything I wanted it to. As a purchase decision, it's a trickier sell than Insta360 probably intended, sitting just a little too close to its more versatile sibling for comfort.

Insta360 Luna Pro: Price and release date

• Launched on September 10, 2026, priced at $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99
• Only one bundle available at launch
• Costs $170 / £50 / AU$370 less than the flagship Luna Ultra

The Luna Pro comes with a few accessories, but at present there appears to be no Creator Bundle available. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

At $599.99 / £599.99 / AU$859.99, the Luna Pro undercuts Insta360's flagship Luna Ultra ($769.99 / £649 / AU$1,229.99) by a relatively modest margin, especially in the UK, where the difference works out to less than £50, or $170 in the US. That's a narrower gap than I was expecting, given the Pro features only one lens while the Ultra has two, and it puts the newer camera in a slightly awkward position; it's not quite the budget-friendly alternative you might expect a single-lens model to be (like the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 is).

Insta360 Luna Pro specsInsta360 Luna Pro specs:

Type:

Compact video camera

Lens:

20mm, f/1.8 (35mm equivalent)

Sensors:

1-inch CMOS

Video:

8K up to 30p / 4K up to 120p / FHD up to 240p

Photo:

9MP JPEG & RAW / 37MP UltraPhoto mode / panorama

LCD:

2-inch OLED, detachable

Memory:

47GB internal, 1x micro SD (up to 2TB)

Battery

1,550mAh, rated up to 4 hours of 1080p

Dimensions

2.08 x 6.13 x 1.51in / 52.78 x 155.7 x 38.47mm

Weight:

7.6oz / 215g (Cosmic Black), 7.7oz / 218g (Stellar White)

Insta360 Luna Pro: Design

• Effectively a single-lens version of the Luna Ultra
• Clever detachable touchscreen module, complete with its own built-in mic
• A rubber cap replaces the Ultra's bulky protective case

Strip away the second lens and the Luna Pro is basically the Luna Ultra all over again. The dimensions and weight between the two cameras are barely different (the Pro is about half an inch shorter and 20g lighter than its dual-lens sibling), so if you've read my colleague Tim Coleman's take on the Ultra's design, most of the same applies here too: the Pro, like the Ultra, has a stick-like, gimbal-topped body that sits comfortably in the hand, with the option to extend the included handle for a more secure grip.

Its signature design feature is unchanged, too: the entire touchscreen-and-controls module pops free, working as a standalone remote with a 20m range and its own built-in microphone. It's just as useful here for solo shooting as it is on the Ultra.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

One design compromise that did stand out to me during my time with the camera is the thin wire tripod that extends from the handle base — another thing carried over from the Ultra. On a genuinely flat surface, like a tabletop, it holds the Luna Pro upright well enough, but it offers little stability on uneven ground, and it's fiddly to pull out in the first place. Thankfully there's a standard tripod thread on the base too, so a proper mini tripod is only ever a few twists away.

The included protective case is also more basic than the Ultra's: it's just a rubber cap over the lens and gimbal, which trades some protection for a slimmer profile and much easier removal and replacement.

Insta360 Luna Pro: Performance

• Dual-chip setup (4nm flagship chip plus dedicated imaging chip)
• Sticky, reliable subject tracking, and smooth stabilization whether shooting horizon-level or FPV-style
• Video up to 8K 30fps or 4K 120fps in 16:9 mode, 4K 30fps in 9:16

The Insta360 Luna Pro pairs the same 1-inch sensor and 20mm-equivalent f/1.8 lens found on the Ultra's main camera with a leaner dual-chip setup — a 4nm flagship chip and a dedicated imaging chip. The Ultra has three chips.

On paper that sounds like a step down, but in practice I rarely found the Luna Pro underpowered or sluggish. Subject tracking is a particular highlight: a single joystick click will pick out people and animals automatically, or you can tap a subject on the touchscreen and even adjust its position within the frame, which is useful if you don't want it to be dead center. It's sticky and dependable throughout. Stabilization is equally impressive, delivering smooth, level footage on the move, with the option to switch to a more dynamic FPV-style movement if you want it.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Insta360 rates the 1,550mAh battery at 240 minutes, but that figure is sneakily based on 1080p 24fps recording with the screen and Wi-Fi both switched off, which isn't how most people will use this camera. Shooting 8K at 30fps with the screen active, a much more realistic scenario, drained the battery in around 90 minutes during testing. That's still a respectable battery life in my book, so I'm not sure why Insta360 saw fit to base its claims on an underpowered setting.

The camera runs a little warm under sustained use of its more demanding modes like 4K120fps and 8K30fps in particular, but during my testing, it took more than 75 minutes of continuous 8K recording before it shut itself down. What I'd consider normal use never triggered any overheating issues.

The four microphones (three on the main body, one on the detachable module) handle audio reasonably well, and 32-bit recording is on offer for anyone editing seriously. Still, anyone prioritizing audio quality should consider buying an Insta360 Mic Air or Mic Pro, both of which pair directly and add proper wind protection and noise cancellation.

Future | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam KieldsenFuture | Sam Kieldsen

Moving on to image quality, and photos are the camera's weak point: detail and contrast are both underwhelming, and it's not a device worth buying for stills alone. Frankly, in most cases you'd be better off using your smartphone for snaps than pulling out the Pro.

Video is a different story: footage looks clean and sharp in good lighting, across Standard, Dolby Vision and I-Log color profiles, though the 120Mbps maximum bitrate (shared with the Ultra) seems quite modest. 8K is the headline spec, of course, but I think 4K is a much more practical everyday choice thanks to its smaller files, greater range of frame rate options (up to 120fps), and the fact it still offers plenty of detail.

Slow motion goes up to 4x at 4K (120fps) or 8x in 1080p (240fps) and, surprisingly, vertical shooters get a genuine edge over the Ultra here: 4K30fps in 9:16 (built from 6K oversampling) versus the Ultra's ceiling of just 3K. One thing to note about vertical footage though: while the Ultra can hit 60fps in that mode, the Pro tops out at 30fps.

The digital zoom is the clearest trade-off for losing that second lens, and the Pro lacks the reach of its pricier cousin. Up to 2x magnification, Insta360's "lossless zoom" claim holds up in practice, but push it further and the digital crop shows, with softer detail and muddier edges.

Should I buy the Insta360 Luna Pro?Buy it if...

You want excellent tracking and stabilization
Whether it's a single joystick click or tapping a subject on the touchscreen, the Luna Pro locks onto people and pets reliably, and its gimbal keeps footage impressively smooth in both horizon-level and FPV-style modes.

You shoot a lot of vertical content
Its 4K30fps 9:16 mode, built from 6K oversampling, is sharper than anything the pricier Luna Ultra can manage in that orientation.

Don't buy it if...

You can stretch to the Luna Ultra
With a relatively small amount separating the two, the Ultra's second lens and true 6x lossless zoom could be worth the step up.

You need all-day battery life
Insta360's four-hour battery claims are based on using 1080p at 24fps, so if you're an 8K or 4K shooter, the real-world figure is a lot less.

Insta360 Luna Pro: also consider

DJI Osmo Pocket 4

If you're not tied to the Insta360 ecosystem, DJI's Osmo Pocket 4 remains the benchmark single-lens compact vlogging camera. It lacks the Luna Pro's detachable touchscreen module (though there is an optional controller available), but its tracking and color science have been refined over several generations, and it's a joy to use.

Read our in-depth DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review

Insta360 Luna Ultra

Insta360's flagship costs a little more than the Luna Pro, but justifies it with a second, 60mm-equivalent telephoto lens offering 6x lossless zoom, and a third processing chip for extra power. It's a little larger and heavier, and caps vertical video at a lower 3K, but I think the added versatility makes it worth the modest premium for many creators.

Read our in-depth Insta360 Luna Ultra review

How I tested the Insta360 Luna Pro

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

• Insta360 sent me the Luna Pro's basic box bundle ahead of launch
• I shot footage and photos at all available resolutions, and tested the slow motion and PureVideo special shooting modes
• I tested battery life and thermal management by running the camera continuously

I was sent a Luna Pro sample ahead of the launch day, allowing me time to test the Luna Pro over a few days. I shot a mix of horizontal, vertical and slow motion video across its available resolutions and color profiles, and put its subject tracking and stabilization through everyday use. I also took photos in and outdoors, in both JPEG and DNG format. I ran the camera's battery down twice to test its battery life, and tested its thermal performance too, to see how real-world use compares to Insta360's claims.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read more about how we test

Amongst all the hype over Apple’s first-ever foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, which was announced at the company’s ‘Surprise and Shine’ event, Apple (rather quietly) also revealed when Mac users can get the latest version of its desktop operating system, macOS 27 Golden Gate: September 14.

While pretty much all of the attention was focused on the foldable, the launch of macOS 27 is noteworthy for anyone with a modern Mac or MacBook, as this free upgrade brings some tasty new features, while also addressing some of the less popular changes that came with its predecessor, macOS 26 Tahoe.

If you have a compatible Mac, then you should be prompted to download and install macOS 27 Golden Gate once September 14 rolls around. However, if you have a Mac from before 2020 that doesn’t run on Apple Silicon (so any Intel-powered Macs), then you won’t be able to get the update.

For reference, here are all the Mac models that are compatible with macOS 27 Golden Gate:

• MacBook Air M1 or later
• MacBook Pro M1 or later
• MacBook Pro 13-inch M1 2020 or later
• MacBook Pro 14-inch M1 Pro 2021 or later
• MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Pro 2021 or later
• MacBook Neo
• iMac M1 2020 or later
• Mac mini M1 2020 or later
• Mac Studio 2022 and later

Apple recently announced new M5 and M6-powered Mac mini and Mac Studio products, and they'll likely launch with macOS 27 preinstalled when they start shipping on September 22.

(Image credit: Apple)Fixing past mistakes

The main focus of macOS 27, as with Apple’s other operating updates such as iOS 27, and seemingly every piece of new software these days, is AI.

The upcoming macOS 27 upgrade paves the way for Siri AI integration – the long-awaited improvements to Apple’s virtual assistant that should make it more useful. When launched, Siri AI should be able to have two way conversations with you and execute multi-step tasks quickly and easily, which could make using your Mac a lot more convenient. It will be able to interact with apps such as Calendar to complete tasks such as creating events and reminders.

AI is also coming to macOS Spotlight to make finding things on your device better, and Visual Intelligence can be brought up to get information about what’s on your screen. Other AI features, such as Image Playground, are getting improvements as well.

If you’re not a fan of AI, then macOS 27 should still have plenty of reasons to download and install. One reason that will hopefully please a lot of people is that macOS 27 Golden Gate makes tweaks to some of macOS 26 Tahoe’s most controversial changes, especially when it comes to the polarizing Liquid Glass interface. The new macOS will allow you to adjust transparency effects to make using your device more comfortable, and during the beta testing process, it was one of the things our contributor Alex Blake was particularly thankful for. I’m sure he’s not the only one.

When Apple announced macOS 27 at WWDC 2026 earlier this year, it promised lots of performance improvements, especially when it comes to how responsive the operating system feels. This alone should make macOS 27 worth installing on September 14.

If you have an older Mac and feeling left out, make sure you check out our guide on the best Macs and MacBooks, which can help you find a new macOS 27-ready Mac that suits your needs and budget.

One small step for AI, one giant leap for mankind.

• Matt Mullenweg accuses Automattic board of conspiring against him
• Former CEO is now in a period of paid leave
• His role at WordPress.org is currently unaffected

Automattic CEO and founder Matt Mullenweg has been placed on a paid leave of absence by the company's board, but while this is currently being seen as a temporary measure, Automattic has not publicly stated how long the leave will last.

The reason for the board's decision remains unclear, but TechCrunch reports that some employees were "ecstatic" or "relieved" at the decision.

However, Mullenweg is clearly unhappy with the decision, alleging that the board gave him 50 minutes' notice before the meeting and insufficient time to seek legal counsel.

Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid absence

Mullenweg remains a member of Automattic's board, but claimed in a company-wide Slack message seen by TechCrunch that CFO Mark Davies had "conspired" with board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider and Sue Decker to remove him temporarily. Mullenweg, a board member, voted against the change but was, of course, outvoted. Davies has been appointed interim CEO in the meantime.

"I won’t be able to make the [meeting] tomorrow. @Mark Davies has conspired with @Ann Dunwoody, @Toni, and @Sue Decker behind my back and they voted to put me on a paid leave of absence," he said.

"Matt remains the leader of the WordPress project and I remain Executive Director of WordPress. Our teams, priorities, and work continue as planned," WordPress.org executive director Mary Hubbard wrote. WordPress.com (an Automattic product) runs on WordPress.org.

While the reasons have not been publicly shared, Mullenweg hasn't been short of the odd high-profile incident in recent years. He accused WP Engine of profiting from the WordPress ecosystem, which resulted in WP Engine suing Automattic and Mullenweg.

He also offered insiders who disagreed with his direction an exit package worth either six months' pay or $30,000, mounting internal tensions.

"Matt Mullenweg is currently on leave from Automattic," a company spokesperson told us in a statement. "Mark Davies, Automattic’s CFO, will lead the company as interim CEO. The Board has full confidence in Mark's leadership and in the team's ability to execute against the company's priorities."

Asus Zenbook 14 (2026): Two-minute review

The new Asus Zenbook 14 is designed to be an ultra portable device with a mid-range price that doesn’t compromise on performance.

True to other models in the line, the finish of the Zenbook 14 is different to the usual fare at this kind of price point, with its soft texture and uncommon colorways that are far more vibrant than many.

More impressive, though, is the Zenbook 14’s build, which blends strength and lightness in a way very few can match. Compared to other 14-inch laptops, this has to be one of the best laptop constructions around in terms of portability.

However, it’s not quite as thin as you might expect, and the thick feet underneath only add to the bulk. What’s more, although most of the unit is remarkably sturdy, the keyboard has a tendency to flex while typing on it, which is a little disconcerting.

(Image credit: Future)

As you might expect for a laptop this portable, the Zenbook 14 isn’t loaded with interfaces, but those included are wisely chosen. You get one USB-A and two USB-C ports — the latter of which support power delivery and display signals — as well as an HDMI output and a headset jack.

The Zenbook 14 performs competently at everyday tasks. It can handle basic productivity and browsing, as well as 4K streaming. It struggles with even light gaming, but that isn’t too surprising given its lack of a dedicated GPU.

Fortunately, the Zenbook 14 remains composed even when undertaking heavy workloads. The fans are audible in such circumstances, but they’re certainly more hushed than many other examples. Temperatures also remain impressively cool, with only a few hotspots appearing — and mercifully these steer clear of commonly touchable surfaces.

The 1920 x 1200p resolution is sharp enough for its 14-inch real estate, while the OLED technology provides the vividness and contrast you’d expect. Reflections are visible at times, but the maximum brightness level should keep them from disrupting your viewing experience too much.

One of the main drawbacks of the Zenbook 14, though, is its battery life. It lasted just over 12 hours when I played a movie on a loop, which is short compared to many of its competitors. In fact, the Zenbook A14, a similar machine to the 14 in many ways, more than doubled this time when I ran the same test.

What’s more, the A14 is similarly priced to the 14, so all things considered it offers the better value. The 14 is the better the choice if you want a slightly more solid body, but in all other regards, the A14 would be the better choice.

(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Price & availability

• Starts from £799.99 (about $1,080 / AU$1,500)
• Preorders open now (ships September)
• Some rivals offer better value

The Zenbook 14 starts from £799.99 (about $1,080 / AU$1,500) and is available to preorder now, with shipments expected early to late September. Availability in the US and Australia is yet to be confirmed, but we'll update this section once it has.

The base model gets a Qualcomm Snapdragon X1 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 50Wh battery. More powerful AMD Ryzen AI 7 and Intel Core Ultra 9 models, both with 70Wh batteries, can also be preordered for £1,399.99 and £1,499.99 respectively. These two also get backlit keyboards, but the Snapdragon model doesn’t. Each model has three colorways to choose from: Zabriskie Beige, Arctic Blue, and Komodo Coral.

This is a reasonable price considering its spec. However, the already available Asus Zenbook A14 is slightly cheaper, yet has superior battery life and a marginally lighter build. Then there’s the HP OmniBook 7, which we’ve seen in recent sales with a similar price, and is a fantastic all-rounder that’s hard to beat at this point in the market.

Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Specs

Base configuration

Mid configuration

Max configuration

Price

£799.99 (about $1,080 / AU$1,500)

£1,399.99 (about $1,900 / AU$2,600)

£1,499.99 (about $2,030 / AU$2,800)

CPU

Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) (up to 2.97GHz, 8 Cores)

AMD Ryzen AI 7 345 (up to 4.6GHz, 6 Cores)

Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 386H (up to 4.9GHz, 16 cores)

GPU

Qualcomm Adreno (integrated)

AMD Radeon (integrated)

Intel Graphics (integrated)

RAM

16GB LPDDR5X

16GB LPDDR5X

16GB LPDDR5X

Storage

512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD

Display

14-inch WUXGA 3K (1920 x 1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz

14-inch WUXGA 3K (1920 x 1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz

14-inch WUXGA 3K (1920 x 1200) OLED, 16:10, 60Hz

Ports and Connectivity

2x USB-C (3.2 Gen 2, display / power delivery support, 10Gbps) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2, 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3

2x USB-C (1x 4.0 Gen 3 40Gbps, 1x 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps, display / power delivery support) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2, 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4

2x USB-C (1x 4.0 Gen 3 40Gbps, 1x 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps, display / power delivery support) 1x USB-A (3.2 Gen 2, 5Gbps), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack; Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4

Battery

50Wh

70Wh

70Wh

Dimensions

12.3 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches / 311 x 216 x 17mm

12.3 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches / 311 x 216 x 17mm

12.3 x 8.5 x 0.7 inches / 311 x 216 x 17mm

Weight

2.43lbs / 1.10kg

2.65lbs / 1.20kg

2.65lbs / 1.20kg

(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Design

• Light and strong body
• Unique finish
• Reasonable port selection

The unique Ceraluminum body certainly sets the Zenbook 14 apart, as do the bright colorways. The beige finish of my review unit was more interesting than the usual monochromatic shades we’ve grown accustomed to, looking softer and more inviting as a result. This was further aided by the rounded corners and the odd texture of the material, which has a slight graininess that’s comfortable in the hand.

One of the major selling points of the Zenbook 14’s construction is its lightness. It weighs around 2.5 pounds (just over a kilogram), which is impressive for a 14-inch laptop. However, it’s not quite as thin as you might expect, with a bit more unexpected bulk at the rear. The two long bars that run underneath, acting as feet, don’t help matters, either.

(Image credit: Future)

However, some may view this a worthy sacrifice for the unit’s surprising solidity. Both the base and the lid have very little flex to them. It feels slightly sturdier than the A14 I reviewed previously, although that model is slightly lighter at 2.16 lbs / 0.98kg.

There is, though, one weak point to the Zenbook 14’s build, and unfortunately that’s the keyboard. Hammering away on the keys often depresses the whole board, which can be quite annoying and doesn't inspire much confidence. There’s also no backlighting, which is an omission I always lament.

On the plus side, there are a reasonable number of ports on the Zenbook 14. There’s one USB-A port on the right-hand side of the unit, which is the only port on this side. On the left, you’ll find two USB-C ports (both of which support external display signals and power delivery), an HDMI port, and a headset jack.

(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Performance

• Fast everyday performance
• Vivid but reflective display
• Good for typing

Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) benchmarks

3DMark: Night Raid: 16,506; Fire Strike: 3,644; Steel Nomad: 224; Solar Bay: 6,135; Solar Bay Unlimited: 6,132; Solar Bay Extreme: 624; Solar Bay Extreme Unlimited: 625
Geekbench 6.5: Multicore: 10,701; Single-core: 2,145
Cinebench R23: Multi Core: 7,403; Cinebench R24: Single Core: 58; Multi Core: 435
Crossmark: Overall: 1,118; Productivity: 1,047; Creativity: 1,188; Responsiveness: 1,132
Passmark Overall: 2,989.3; CPU: 12,886; 2D Graphics: 330.3; 3D Graphics: 1,848.8; Memory: 2,338.2; Disk: 37,339.4
BlackMagicDisk: Read: 3,832MB/s; Write: 2,810MB/s
HandBrake 4K to 1080p: 37.6fps
Battery Life (TechRadar movie test): 12 hours and 15 minutes

For everyday tasking, the Zenbook 14 is a solid performer. The Snapdragon X1 chip in my review unit was fast and smooth when conducting basic productivity workloads such as word processing. It also handled multi-tab browsing and 4K streaming with plenty of composure as well.

Sadly, but somewhat expectedly, the Zenbook 14 isn't ideal for a spot of light gaming. It struggled to run Cyberpunk 2077 even on the lowest preset, blighted by rough visuals and debilitating slow downs during chaotic scenes. The A14 I tested previously, equipped with a Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, was able to handle low presets better, although it still wasn’t a flawlessly smooth experience.

Some fan noise is evident when the Zenbook 14 is under stress, but this isn’t too distracting. For such a compact laptop, the Zenbook 14 also does well to keep temperatures from soaring. I only noticed portions above the keyboard and underneath getting hot, while the commonly touchable surfaces, such as the keyboard, only became lukewarm at most.

(Image credit: Future)

The 1200p OLED display is crisp and sharp, with plenty of contrast and vividness. It can show reflections a little too readily, especially when deep blacks are displayed. Mostly, though, the high brightness levels do well to keep reflections at bay.

Despite that aforementioned flexing of the keyboard, the Zenbook 14 is still good for typing. It may feel a little harsh due to the lack of dampening, but the keycaps are comfortable and well spaced, while their low profile and short travel make them feel snappy and easy to glide over.

Complementing the keyboard is the super smooth touchpad that allows for easy swipes and gesturing. It’s not very large, but it maximizes its real estate commendably by extending from almost the bottom edge of the unit to the bottom of the space bar, which makes navigation less of a chore than it otherwise would be.

(Image credit: Future)Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Battery life

• Middling longevity compared to rivals
• Zenbook A14 massively outlasts it
• Quick to charge

The battery life of the Zenbook 14 isn’t particularly impressive. When I played a movie on a continuous loop unplugged, its 50Wh battery lasted 12 hours and 15 minutes. While this is quite long, it falls short of quite a few of its rivals.

For context, the A14 has a 70Wh battery, and the difference shows, as that laptop lasted over 28 hours in the same test, one of the best results we’ve seen. And if you’re looking for another enduring 14-inch laptop, the HP OmniBook 7 posted a time of 26 hours. Fortunately, the Zenbook 14 is at least quick to charge, just around two hours to fully top up.

Should I buy the Asus Zenbook 14 (2026)?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Similarly priced rivals are better all-round propositions.

3 / 5

Design

The construction is unique, super light, and high in quality, but the flexing keyboard is a small shame.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Great for everyday tasking, but don't expect more beyond that. It remains remarkably cool and quiet at all times, though.

4 / 5

Battery Life

The Zenbook 14 can last a while, but it’s disappointingly short lived compared to rivals. It’s quick to charge, though.

3.5 / 5

Final Score

The Zenbook 14 is a capable and highly portable laptop, but when rivals occupying same price point are better all-rounders, they might make more sense.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want something portable
You won’t find many 14-inch laptops more portable than the Zenbook 14, thanks to its compact dimensions and light footprint.

You want a unique design
You won’t find many constructions like this, either: it’s solid with a soft-touch finish and has some interesting colorways to boot.

Don't buy it if…

You want a stable keyboard
While the 14 is great to type with, the keyboard flexing as you do so might irk some users.

You want the best battery life
The Zenbook 14’s battery life isn’t anything special, while the A14’s is.

Asus Zenbook 14 (2026) review: Also consider

Asus Zenbook A14
The A14 is very closely matched to the 14, but it has a much better battery life — the best in class, in fact — and despite having a very similar Ceraluminum construction, it’s ever so slightly lighter (0.98KG as opposed to 1.10KG). It’s similarly priced, too, so might be the better pick of the two. Read our full Asus Zenbook A14 review.

HP OmniBook 7
The OmniBook 7 is a terrific laptop across the board. Its battery life is much longer than Zenbook 14’s, although it can’t quite match the endurance of the aforementioned A14. Its list price is quite steep, but we’ve seen it with significant discounts, bringing it more in line with the Zenbook 14. Read our full HP OmniBook 7 review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Asus Zenbook 14 (2026)

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks and benchmarks
• Extensive laptop reviewing experience

I tested the Zenbook 14 for a few days, during which time I used it for all manner of tasks, from basic productivity and general browsing to 4K streaming and gaming.

I also ran our series of benchmark tests for laptops, designed to assess every aspect of performance. I ran a movie on a loop to test the battery life, too.

I’ve been using laptops for decades, and have reviewed a large number of them, ranging from small budget offerings to large gaming monsters.

• First reviewed: September 2026
• Read more about how we test

• New Incogni research has found that the privacy preferences of Americans don't really align with what they say
• Many of those with 'nothing to hide' will happily snoop on the phones of their family members and partners
• But those same people tend to get twitchy when handing over their phone to strangers, or their data to the government

A new survey by Incogni has found almost half of Americans say they have ‘nothing to hide’ when it comes to their privacy, but almost immediately change their perspective when it comes to strangers looking at their phone - or sharing their private messages with the federal government.

Even when offered substantial sums of money, many of those with nothing to hide still wouldn’t hand over their devices, and their personal habits such as covering cameras or installing privacy screens show a level of contradiction in what they say, and how they behave.

Of those surveyed as part of Incogni’s research, Gen Z were the most likely to say they had nothing to hide at 57%, whereas just 26% of Baby Boomers offered the same response.

Americans don't want strangers or the government accessing their phones

(Image credit: Incogni)

As it turns out, those who fell into the 45% of respondents who said they had nothing to hide were more likely to snoop on other people's devices. In fact, when polled on whether they looked at other people’s devices in public, people with nothing to hide were double as likely (42%) to snoop compared to their something to hide counterparts (27%).

(Image credit: Incogni)

Those with nothing to hide were also more likely to look through the phones of their partners and family members without permission. In fact, 41% who fell into this category admitted to snooping on their partners phones, and 35% had looked through their family members' phones.

(Image credit: Incogni)

Despite claiming to have nothing to hide, 39% still covered their cameras with tape, stickers, or sliding covers - especially those of Gen Z. Over a quarter of respondents also said that they deliberately obscure their personal information when signing up to online services with fake names, false dates of birth, and masked emails.

But the most interesting data comes from paying for privacy. 41% of those who said they have nothing to hide would pay more for a product if it was better for their privacy. But when offered money in return for handing over their phone to a stranger, 60% of respondents refused any amount of money. 20% said it would take an amount of $1 million or more, and just 6% offered access for $100 or less.

When breaking these numbers down by group, 58% of those with nothing to hide would not let a stranger access their unlocked phone for any amount of money.

Even when offered three months of their salary, just 26% of respondents would hand over their SMS, chat-app, and email messages with law enforcement. This number drops to 25% with Big Tech companies, 24% for local government, and a staggering 21% for the federal government.

(Image credit: Incogni)

Incogni theorizes that those who said they have nothing to hide may be equating privacy with secretiveness and secretiveness with guilt. It may also be true that many people fail to see how their seemingly innocent data, such as an email address or phone number, should be kept private.

As numerous data breaches have shown, the leaking of such information can lead to phishing emails, scams, and general harassment or doxxing. Incogni says that people fail to see why this information should stay private, especially in an era when social media and the websites we use hoover up as much information as possible to be sold to advertisers and third-parties.

“The findings suggest that the “nothing to hide” argument may therefore say less about how much people actually value privacy than about how difficult it is to see the consequences of losing it,” the report concludes.

• IBM and NASA launch open source AI model to help further lunar research
• Researchers will be able to better analyze petabytes of Moon data from last five decades
• IBM and NASA also release dataset for public usage and analysis

IBM has launched a new open source AI model it hopes will help spur on NASA researchers in their push to get humanity back to the Moon.

The new NASA-IBM Lunar Foundation model, available on Hugging Face, will allow researchers to analyze decades of lunar observation data, and identify geological features that are critical to understand for NASA as it looks to build a sustained human presence on the Moon.

The model has been trained by IBM and NASA researchers on a huge, multimodal NASA dataset, which will also be released alongside the model, providing wider access to the latest advanced AI systems in a bid to push on wider progress in lunar exploration.

To the Moon (and beyond)

At its most obvious level, the model will allow a much easier way for researchers to study petabytes of data gathered on the Moon's surface for potentially hazardous locations such as ice deposits or craters.

Currently, scientists often rely on manual analysis or low-resolution, task-specific AI models, which can be not only computationally demanding, but also often lack the accuracy needed for detailed geographic analysis.

The new release will now mean that instead of needing to build a new AI model for every potential issue, scientists can now adapt a single foundation model to investigate a range of lunar geologic features.

The model has already proved useful, identifying craters and volcanic features far more accurately (see below) and significantly reducing errors in locating potential ice deposits.

(Image credit: IBM)

IBM, which has worked with NASA for over five decades, including on the Apollo missions, believes the model could help future astronauts navigate safely and even find essential resources, as well as helping scientists better understand the Moon's geological history.

“Uncovering the mysteries of the Moon requires an ability to learn from an extraordinary volume of scientific data,” said Juan Bernabe-Moreno, Director of IBM Research Europe, UK and Ireland.

“The NASA-IBM Lunar Foundation Model gives scientists a foundation to explore the Moon at scale, connecting observations across instruments, revealing patterns that are difficult to see in isolation, and providing an open platform the global research community can build on.”

The release of the dataset will mark the first time a unified, publicly-available cache has been made available and ready for machine learning. It brings together over 30 spatially aligned layers from nine instruments across four missions, including tens of thousands of images and maps showing unique geophysical properties of the lunar surface from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and NASA’s GRAIL mission.

Identifying lunar ice deposits could be particularly vital, as the presence of both water and oxygen will be crucial to establishing a human base on the Moon, and even creating rocket fuel for future Mars missions.

Scanning the Moon's volcanic features, known as Iregular Mare Patches, can allow scientists to better understand the Moon's volcanic history and thermal evolution, as well as helping identify potential sites for landing and other surface operations.

Finally, studying the Moon's craters can offer a wealth of information on its history, including the age of different terrains, their geology, and even the chemical composition of the early lunar interior - as well as again helping to identify safe landing sites without hazards such as steep slopes and boulders.