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GameSir X4 Aileron: one-minute review

The GameSir X4 Aileron is a mobile controller purpose-built for cloud gaming on an Android phone, turning your device into a glorified handheld. The typical Xbox layout is present and correct here, with the familiar face buttons and asymmetrical sticks. The all-black colorway does little to liven its appearance, although the RGB rings around the sticks are a nice touch.

The build quality of the X4 Aileron is excellent. Every part feels solid and premium, and the material of the sticks is ultra smooth while offering enough grip. The same is true of the rubberized rear of each pad’s handles.

These portions also have a relatively sharp edge that cuts through the middle of the curve. I found this as comfortable to grip as many of the best Xbox controllers, and the angle these edges create allowed me to secure my fingers better, which in turn made the back buttons easier to use.

Connecting the X4 Aileron to my smartphone was quick and simple, although having to disconnect and reconnect by unclamping and re-clamping is a somewhat clunky process. The clamping mechanism of the X4 Aileron is secure, although it’s not the most elegant. It’s understandably tight, but this makes it hard to move it up and down when attaching and detaching a phone. I often found it best to slide my phone in and out rather than move the clamp by hand. It just about fit my phone in its case, although the lips of the clamp didn’t quite overhang the edges of my device, as they were supposed to.

Still, my phone stayed in place, although it was noticeably looser when attached without my case. Optional pads are included to remedy this, although these require sticking to the X4 Aileron, so this is a permanent solution rather than a removable one, which is a shame.

Customizations and tweaks can be made using the GameSir mobile app, but it’s disappointingly limited in scope. There’s no option to remap inputs, and while you can alter the deadzone for both the sticks and triggers, you can’t adjust their curve profile. There is a Hair Trigger mode, though, which is useful when rapid taps are called for.

The overall performance of the X4 Aileron is pretty good. The buttons are very snappy, especially the D-pad, which is very fast and easy to use, while the Hall effect joysticks and triggers are smooth and precise.

However, my major contention concerns the right stick, which I found hard to reach without sacrificing my grip. This is particularly problematic when using the right trigger at the same time, as you’ll be doing when playing shooters.

Battery life doesn’t seem particularly impressive either. After a couple of hours, each pad lost about 15% charge. However, the battery readouts in the GameSir app were a little erratic, flitting up and down in an instant, and changing quite drastically on occasion when reconnecting to my phone. Hopefully, this is something a firmware update can fix.

In terms of price, the X4 Aileron sits towards the higher end of the mobile controller sector, with many cheaper alternatives available. The Backbone One, which nominally is priced the same as the X4 Aileron, can often be found for less, and has the advantage of being compatible with iOS as well as Android systems. However, it’s cheaper than the Razer Kishi Ultra, but we do think that is among the best mobile controllers right now, so is deserving of its price tag.

Regardless, if you were to opt for the X4 Aileron, you won’t be disappointed, so long as you don’t need iOS support and can live with the placement of that right joystick.

(Image credit: Future) GameSir X4 Aileron review: Price and availability

• $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$169
• Available in black only
• Expensive compared to rivals

The GameSir X4 Aileron costs $99.99 / £99.99 / AU$169 and is available now in one colorway (black). It comes with a carrying case, two extra sets of joystick caps (one of which is smaller), an extra D-pad hat, and optional rubber cushions that can be stuck onto each pad to fit thinner phones.

The X4 Aileron is priced towards the top end of the mobile controller market. However, it’s still cheaper than the Razer Kishi Ultra, which is one of the most expensive models around. That controller excels in virtually every aspect, though, and unlike the X4 Aileron, it’s compatible with iOS as well as Android devices, and can even handle tablets up to eight inches. It doesn’t have Hall effect sticks, though – only its triggers use this technology.

With the same list price as the X4 Aileron, the Backbone One is another close competitor. However, you can often find it for a lot less than this. We think this is another very capable mobile controller and is again compatible with both Android and iOS phones and tablets. However, it doesn’t use Hall effect technology.

GameSir X4 Aileron review: specs

(Image credit: Future) GameSir X4 Aileron review: design and features

• Premium and clever design
• Clamping mechanism can be awkward
• Limited mobile app

The X4 Aileron adopts a fairly typical mobile controller design, although it protrudes less than some others, both lengthways and outwardly. There’s some subtle but vibrant RGB lighting around both analog sticks, which helps to liven up the total black finish.

The grips felt very comfortable in my hands, offering plenty of security thanks to the rubberized finish. One quirk of their design, though, is the sharp line running through their center.

This was initially jarring, but I quickly found this created an angle that allowed my fingers to get more purchase, which helps a great deal when using the two back buttons, as these are quite small; I would’ve struggled to use them comfortably otherwise. Overall, the X4 Aileron makes gaming on your phone feel similar to the best handheld games consoles.

It’s also built to a high standard, with premium materials used for the buttons and sticks. The latter of these feels especially smooth to the touch, while at the same time offering plenty of grip thanks to the texture of their outer edges.

The magnetic attachment for storing the X4 Aileron is well-engineered too, with both sides slotting together with a strong hold that’s also easy to remove when needed. This also helps to save space when traveling, as they fit snugly in the included hard-shell carrying case, which is similarly well-made.

(Image credit: Future)

The X4 Aileron just managed to fit over my phone with a case attached, although the ledges of the clamps didn’t quite hang over the sides as they’re seemingly designed to do. Regardless, the attachment was sufficiently secure to prevent any undue movement.

However, the same can’t be said when clamped to my phone directly, as the X4 Aileron is prone to sliding and tilting back and forth. In normal use, this wasn’t much of an issue, and rubber pads can be installed to prevent this scenario. It’s a shame, though, that these pads aren’t removable once stuck in place; a removable or adjustable method would’ve been welcome, especially at this price.

The clamp system in general isn’t the most elegant solution, and while its tightness is reassuring, lifting it by hand is a little awkward, as there’s no real place to grip it with your fingers. Consequently, I often found myself mispressing my phone’s screen when attaching and detaching the X4 Aileron.

This is a small usability issue in the grand scheme of things, but worth mentioning. I found the best way to attach and release the X4 Aileron was to slide my phone in and out of both portions – although I can’t say this is a method GameSir condones.

What’s more, the fact that turning on and off the X4 Aileron involves lifting the clamps is somewhat inconvenient if you need to reconnect for whatever reason.

Various customization options are available for the X4 Aileron via the GameSir app, including deadzone alterations for the triggers and sticks, as well as a quick trigger mode for binary rather than analog inputs. There’s no button remapping, though, which seems like a fairly big oversight, and no curve profiles for the sticks to more finely tune their responsiveness and sensitivity.

The only other adjustments are a few other minor functions and tweaks to the RGB, so it falls behind adjustments other peripherals allow for. Compared to many other controllers, including those made by GameSir, this is quite the paucity of options.

At least the app is stable enough, although oddly there were certain menus and sections that couldn’t be navigated with the X4 Aileron, and other areas where it could. Certain sections had no English text either, although thankfully this was a rarity and didn’t affect usability. A firmware update also failed to install despite several attempts, only succeeding after I re-paired the X4 Aileron to my phone.

(Image credit: Future) GameSir X4 Aileron review: performance

• Clicky buttons
• Poor stick placement
• Battery life not great

Despite its looks, the X4 Aileron doesn’t exactly feel like a traditional console controller. The buttons aren’t damped: instead, they actuate with an emphatic click, which provides plenty of feedback, but if you’re someone who prefers the silent, softer feel of standard gamepads, then these might not be to your liking.

The D-pad is especially clicky but very satisfying to use. Presses are easy in all directions and the rebound is very quick. The stock hat design is very amenable to rolling in multiple adjacent directions, which I appreciated when playing Mortal Kombat 11.

Both the triggers and the sticks use Hall effect technology, which offers greater precision than their standard potentiometer counterparts. When playing Forza Horizon 5, the steering was smooth and accurate, while the triggers provided plenty of control over acceleration and braking, thanks to their well-weighted resistance.

The triggers don’t have as much travel as those on the best Xbox controllers or best PC controllers, so I didn’t quite get the same level of granular control over inputs, but I was still impressed. However, they do curve around to follow the contours of the X4 Aileron itself, which increases their surface area and makes for a more natural and comfortable finger placement.

One major gripe I have with the X4 Aileron, though, concerns the right joystick. Owing to the asymmetrical design, it’s positioned low down, which isn’t a problem on standard gamepads. But since there’s no middle portion to the X4 Aileron, it’s also much closer to the edge of each pad, rather than further inward.

This combination makes for awkward thumb placement, forcing me to either bend it uncomfortably to reach it, or grip the entire right pad much lower down than usual and therefore sacrifice a secure hold.

I found this especially problematic when playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, as you need that secure hold when using the right trigger to fire. I reckon even ardent Xbox controller fans would find an issue with this, and if you’re a fan of the best PS5 controllers, then the issue may be even more egregious.

Connecting the X4 Aileron was straightforward enough, although waking it from sleep wasn’t always that seamless, as I had to re-clamp it to reconnect on occasion.

Battery life isn’t particularly impressive, as, after only a few hours of testing, each pad seemed to drop by about 15%. However, the readout provided in the GameSir app was inconsistent, sometimes oscillating in an instant and changing more drastically when reconnecting.

There were also occasions where only one of the pad’s battery readouts was displayed, requiring the other to be reattached for it to show. Perhaps these issues can be fixed in a firmware update.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the GameSir X4 Aileron? Buy it if...

You want precise controls
The clicky buttons are satisfying and responsive (especially the D-pad), while the Hall effect triggers and sticks confer plenty of accuracy and smoothness.

You want something easy to carry around
The clever magnetic attachment to keep both sides of the X4 Aileron together when detached from your phone makes it a cinch to travel with.

Don't buy it if...

You have an iPhone
Unfortunately, the X4 Aileron isn’t compatible with iOS devices, so you’ll need to be an Android user.

You don’t like asymmetrical layouts
Like many gamers, I usually like asymmetrical joysticks, but here I found it uncomfortable to use the right stick, given its positioning.

Also consider...

Razer Kishi Ultra
We think the Rishi Ultra is the best mobile controller, thanks to its excellent comfort levels, performance, and software. However, it’s more expensive than the X4 Aileron, and only has Hall effect triggers, not sticks, but we still think it claims the top spot all things considered. It’s also compatible with iOS in addition to Android and fits tablets up to eight inches as well as phones.

Read our full Razer Kishi Ultra review

Backbone One
For the same price as the X4 Aileron (or cheaper if you hunt around), you could also grab the Backbone One, a similarly capable mobile controller that’s also compatible with both iOS and Android systems. It has clicky buttons like the X4 Aileron, as well as a compact form factor, but can also handle tablets. There’s no Hall effect technology here, though.

Read our full Backbone One review

How I tested the GameSir X4 Aileron

• Tested on Google Pixel 7a
• Played various games on Xbox Cloud Gaming
• Plentiful gaming experience

I tested the X4 Aileron for several days, during which time I used it on my Google Pixel 7a, both with and without a case. I also used the GameSir mobile app for customizing and tweaking the controller.

I played a variety of games via the Xbox Cloud Gaming app, which GameSir claims the X4 Aileron is designed for. I played Forza Horizon 5 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 to test the trigger and stick accuracy, as well as Mortal Kombat 11 to test button response.

I have been gaming on multiple platforms for decades, including mobile and handheld systems. I have also reviewed numerous controllers compatible with mobile devices.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed March 2025

The company's new chips can power Android handhelds from small retro devices to the next Steam Deck competitor.

• Snap's fifth-gen Spectacles are getting a major update
• The update includes new location-based tools and better hand-tracking
• There are also new AR dog-walking and basketball-coaching apps

While Meta, Google, and Samsung take up a lot of the air in the next-gen AR glasses space with their lofty plans, they aren’t the only players – and Snap is making sure we don’t forget that, with a suite of new health-related updates and apps rolling out to its fifth-generation Snap Spectacles to celebrate six months since their launch.

The Snap Spectacles are developer-focused, so the changes focus around app-making tools, such as unlocking the ability to build new software that incorporates GPS, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and compass heading data, or is built for specific locations.

As an example of this in use, there's NavigatAR from Utopia Lab, which facilitates AR-enhanced navigation between two places, and Path Pioneer, which allows you to create customized AR walking courses to help keep people active.

If you want to see these tools used in a more finished state there’s Doggo Quest, which brings your furry friend into AR. SnapML (Snap’s machine learning) can recognize your dog and create a visual overlay that tracks metrics like the route you’ve taken and your pup’s step count – even gamifying the experience with virtual rewards.

Then there's Basketball Trainer which, as the name implies, is an AR basketball coach that can provide you with shooting drills, and track your shots using SnapML to provide you with a live score update. This tool sounds ideal for fledgling sports stars who want to improve their game between their in-person training sessions.

Beyond fitness, Snap is also adding new hand-tracking capabilities such as phone detector – so the glasses can recognize when you have a phone out – and an improved AR keyboard for more streamlined typing.

An exciting tease for the future

(Image credit: Future)

For now, Snap’s latest specs are only available through its developer program, which costs $99 plus tax per month (or €110 including VAT in the EU, around £90 / AU$190) unless you get a 50% educational discount. But that doesn’t mean we can’t get excited about the software being made for them today.

Consumer smart glasses are coming (for example, Meta’s Orion AR glasses are expected to launch in 2027, and I’m sure they won’t be alone), but it’s no use having impressive next-gen XR tech if it can’t do anything exciting.

These developer kits and early apps should mean that when the tech is rolled out to the public there will be a host of uses for our smart glasses out the box on day one that’ll make them feel like a worthwhile wearable – and not an overpriced fashion accessory.

We’ll obviously have to wait and see what Snap, Meta, Google, and the rest have up their sleeves when next-gen AR glasses make their consumer debut, but this update has me excited for an XR future which can’t come soon enough.

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• With Alpine’s input, the new R5 Turbo packs 540hp
• It will be one of the first production cars with in-wheel motors
• Renault’s halo model is limited to just 1,980 units

We are calling it: the award for the wildest electric vehicle of 2025 has already be scooped up by Renault’s 5 Turbo 3E - an all-electric homage to a 1980s icon that tore up race tracks and rally circuits, while simultaneously adorning the walls of hot hatch and car-tuning fanatics around the world.

But despite creating a serious amount of buzz when it was first teased at the end of last year, the full extent of its performance, innovation and utterly jaw-dropping looks have been kept under wraps until now.

We now know that it will feature an 800V electrical architecture that will allow it to charge from 15 to 80% in around 15 minutes from a 350kW charger.

Phillipe Varet, one of the chief engineers on the project, says that it will manage around 20-minutes of track time, before requiring a 20 minute charge before it will happily head back out on circuit again.

In terms of performance, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E is the dictionary definition of a pocket rocket, with the two-seat hot hatch using two innovative in-wheel motors that package most of the drivetrain inside the rear wheels.

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(Image credit: Renault)

Motorcycle-style brake calipers provide the stopping power, while the twin 200kW (540hp) motors have enough power to propel the sub 1,450kg hatchback to 62mph from a standstill in just 3.5 seconds... and then on to 168mph.

But more than simply a straight-line performance pony (aren’t most EVs?), Renault has leaned on the expertise of sister company Alpine to create a true driver’s vehicle.

The carbon fibre superstructure helps keep structural rigidity high and the weight down, the battery packs are mounted as low as possible for an optimal center of gravity, while aerodynamic splitters, spoilers and side scoops help channel the air to aid downforce and improve aerodynamic efficiency.

Sneak a look through the windows and you’ll find an interior that joyously plays on Renault’s quirky legacy, yet also propels the brand into the future. There’s even a vertically-mounted handbrake that helps driver’s initiate drifts and other rallying maneuvers.

“We didn’t want to just look back and create something retro,” Gilles Vidal, Design Vice President at Renault told us at the exclusive reveal event in France. “This had to appeal to our kids as much as it did to fans of the original cars."

It nails that brief and then some, taking plenty of styling cues from the even more banzai concept vehicle of 2022, but pairing it with a modern and practical interior... if you look past the roll cage.

There is a 10.1-inch driver display and a 10.25-inch OpenR infotainment system that’s found in the standard R5 E-Tech electric hatchback, which houses a bespoke digital dial design but still offers Renault's AI assistant.

Analysis: Renault ramps up the EV excitement

(Image credit: Renault)

The French marque has already won some serious accolades for its R5 E-Tech model, which I raved about after driving.

More importantly, it has gone on to win numerous global awards for its looks, affordable price and everyday practicality, while snatching the sales crown from Tesla's Model Y in its home country of France last year.

Building on this buzz, Renault is now flexing its design and innovation muscle, proving that electric platforms have the potential to produce truly exciting and interesting vehicles that have the power to bust genres.

The Renault 5 Turbo 3E is the same length as a practical city car, but sits as wide as most modern supercars. Its innovative in-wheel electric motors provide blistering performance, yet its engineers say it can still manage an electric range of almost 250-miles and be driven to the shops every day.

In that sense, it is the epitome of the coveted hot hatch of yesteryear - a pragmatic "shopping trolley” that could also prove an absolute blast on the right roads. But, seeing as this is a demonstration of Renault's technological prowess, it packs performance figures that would make most modern sports cars weep.

(Image credit: Renault)

Alas, only 1,980 will be available when the order books open later this year, with first deliveries expected to land in 2027. It’s also going to be a lot more expensive than the standard model upon which it is loosely based.

That said, Renault’s design chief Gilles Vidal claims that his team will be on hand to assist with creating truly unique cars for customers, with completely bespoke paint jobs, ‘Gentleman Racer’ liveries and wild interior finishes up for discussion. “If you want a Hello Kitty scheme, we can help with that,” he joked.

Above all else, it feels like Renault, and its current CEO Luca de Meo, have unwavering faith in electrification, to the point where it is comfortable experimenting. Just look at the R17 concept or the Filante Record 2025 rolling laboratory as examples.

At a time when a number of manufacturers are busy backtracking on pure EV plans, it’s a bold stance.

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Welcome to the live blog for Adobe Summit 2025 in Las Vegas, where I will be bringing you all the news, updates, and announcements in real time. I'm getting ready for everything to kick off on March 18, so bookmark this tab and be sure to come back to see all the biggest news and announcements as they happen.

Google’s plans to completely retire its Google Assistant software is officially under way following last week’s announcement that its AI-advanced Google Gemini will replace Google Assistant in Android smartphones by the end of 2025. This news doesn’t come as a huge shock to us, as Google has been phasing out some of its Google Assistant tasks since October 2024, however we’ve come to learn that it’s not just the best Android phones that are getting the Gemini treatment.

As well as smartphones, Google’s line of smart home assistants which includes the best smart speakers and best smart displays are also going through some changes, implying that they too will also receive a Gemini facelift. Since Gemini started supercharging Google Assistant on smart displays and speakers late last year, we could only guess that it would be a matter of time before this evolved into a complete Gemini takeover, and now it’s looking that way in light of Google’s recent decision to disable certain Google Assistant features from its smart home devices.

In order to get the ball rolling with Google’s big transition, the company is eradicating traces of Google Assistant bit by bit to make room for its more advanced Gemini software, which we guess will be fully rolled out by the end of 2025 - at least to Android smartphones. It may take a little longer for the case of Nest devices, but now that Google has removed functions such as Live Translation and Family Bell, it’s already got a leg up on making smart devices more Gemini-friendly. This isn’t to say that Gemini will have less functionality than Google Assistant, it’s simply a case of Google slowly removing one to make room for the other.

Google Photos capabilities

You’ll no longer be able to use voice commands to ask Google Assistant to favorite or share your photos, or ask specific questions regarding when and where they were taken. With that said, you’ll still be able to share them through the Google Photos app, and use your smart display to see where they were taken.

Smart display ambient screen settings

(Image credit: Google)

To enable photo frame settings or ambient screen settings on your Google smart display, you’ll have to refer to the Smart Display app to change these manually as Google Assistant will no longer support the voice command.

Live Translations

(Image credit: Google )

Since Google Assistant introduced its useful Interpreter Mode function in 2019, users have been able to translate live conversations from one language to another. This is no longer the case following Google’s decision to axe it from Assistant’s functions, however it’s still possible to translate singular words or phrases.

Birthday reminders with Routines

Routines is Google’s version of a personal task assistant which can automate tasks and actions by voice commands such as turning the lights off, playing music, or sending you notifications of important birthdays in your calendar. Google has now disabled the latter, but you can still use the Assistant voice control to set reminders about upcoming birthdays.

Family Bell announcements

Google’s Family Bell function was helpful for the whole family, allowing you to schedule reminders or announcements so that everyone in your household would be in the loop with family events.

As part of Google’s transition to integrating Gemini with smart home devices, you can no longer use Assistant to create or read your previously scheduled announcements. This was a favorite among Google smart home users, now Routines is its alternative.

Daily updates

(Image credit: Google)

This is a basic function, but a rather useful one that Google has just terminated. Just like you can set Alexa to give you daily updates, Assistant will no longer support voice requests such as ‘send me the weather everyday’. Instead, you’ll have to manually schedule updates when you create a custom Routine.

Google Assistant on car accessories

Google has disabled the ability to use Assistant on car accessories that support Bluetooth connection or have an AUX plug.

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• EU tech leaders want to move away from relying on foreign-owned infrastructure
• Establishing a Euro-stack would increase competition and innovation
• EU companies want common standards and less red tape

Several major European tech companies are pushing for greater action from the European Union to reduce the bloc’s reliance on foreign-owned infrastructure by buying and building locally.

In an open letter to the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the EU’s digital chief, Henna Virkkunen, around 100 organizations called for greater adoption of EU-grown apps, platforms, AI models, chips, computing, storage, and connectivity.

The move comes as the Trump administration seemingly positions itself to burn an 80 year relationship that the United States has held with Europe.

Developing the ‘Euro-stack’

The European digital sovereignty movement has been gradually gaining momentum over the past few years, but has seen a massive increase in support and traction following the re-election of President Trump. Companies such as Airbus, Element, OVHCloud, Murena, Nextcloud, and Proton have all put their mark on moving towards EU digital sovereignty.

A paper [PDF] published in January 2025 by a number of prominent business heads and tech experts has given some foresight to how a “Euro stack” would work: “The objective is to reduce Europe’s current total dependency on non-European actors for service to European citizens, businesses, and institutions, to enhance security, create redundancy and resilience, improve opportunities for innovation and digital competitiveness while establishing European governance rules.”

Essentially, the European Union has become overly reliant on foreign-owned infrastructure - especially US Big Tech - and if nothing is done soon, EU countries will become subservient to foreign tech companies.

The solution therefore is to foster growth at home, with the letter stating, “Industry will invest if there are adequate demand prospects. Prioritizing areas where Europe can already deliver will be key to shifting resources fast to European suppliers, creating value and market in a virtuous circle.”

Among suggestions made on how to achieve a Euro stack are plans for the development of common standards to help EU companies compete and defend against US hyperscalers, establishing a ‘Sovereign Infrastructure Fund’ to publicly fund new digital infrastructure in the EU, and promoting innovation by cutting through the burdensome red tape of EU lawmakers.

Via TechCrunch

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• Google Gemin 2.0 Flash's image generator in AI Studio can remove watermarks from images
• It seems to lack the guardrails found in the full Gemini app
• Gemini 2.0 Flash in AI Studio can also generate images of celebrities

Google Gemini 2.0 Flash's new image generation capabilities enable it to remove watermarks from images so well that it could enable large scale copyright violation and that’s very concerning for all of us.

Lots of users on the X platform have posted examples of how they’ve been able to use the AI tool to easily remove watermarks.

New skill unlocked: Gemini 2 Flash model is really awesome at removing watermarks in images! pic.twitter.com/6QIk0FlfCvMarch 15, 2025

Digital watermarks on images enable digital creators to show a preview of their work before somebody decides to purchase it, at which point the watermarks are removed. AI tools that remove watermarks on images for free are nothing new but are deeply unethical, and can land you in legal hot water if you use the stolen images they create in any way.

Other users on X have noted that Gemini 2.0 Flash accessed via AI Studio can add celebrities into images, although in testing I found the results seem a little bit random, with Gemini often refusing the request.

left: my deskright: elon musk sitting at my deskI usually tend to think worries re:photoshop etc are overblown, but goddam, the internet is about to get a lot weirder pic.twitter.com/O9gXBaWgkYMarch 14, 2025

The power of AI Studio

Google recently released a new version of its Gemini 2.0 Flash AI model that can generate its own images. This sounds slightly confusing when you realize that we’ve all been able to go to gemini.google.com or fire up the Gemini app and ask it to create an AI image for well over a year now.

However, what the mobile app and browser-based versions of Gemini do is call upon Imagen 3, Google’s flagship AI image generator, to generate the image for them. Imagen 3 will not remove watermarks from images if asked.

Recently Google has enabled Gemini 2.0 Flash to create and modify images itself. You can’t access the image generation power of Google 2.0 Flash from the regular Gemini interface, instead you need to access it via Google’s AI Studio, a developer-focussed interface for interacting with its latest AI models.

An image created using Gemini 2.0 Flash (with images) in AI Studio. (Image credit: Created with Google Gemini) Cause for concern

AI Studio is free to access and just requires a normal Google account for registration. To test it out I uploaded a watermarked image and was able to easily remove the watermark.

The results weren’t perfect - the image became slightly degraded and it added its own Gemini star logo to the bottom left corner, but what is especially concerning with the new Gemini 2.0 Flash watermark removal ability is how well it does it.

It’s clearly not the purpose that Gemini 2.0 Flash was created for, but the fact that Google hasn’t put sufficient guardrails in place with its image generator is a concerning development and something that needs addressing urgently.

TechRadar has reached out to Google for comment on this issue and will update this story when we hear back.

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• Saber Interactive has issued a small update on its upcoming projects
• Its games are still in development, which indicates the Knights of the Old Republic remake is still being worked on
• It was initially teased all the way back in 2021

A brief flash of potentially good news for those of you excited for the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake.

As reported by IGN, Saber Interactive CCO Tim Willits has shared an update on the developers' upcoming projects via X / Twitter. Willits doesn't mention the KOTOR remake outright, but insists that the studio's upcoming projects (which would presumably include the remake) are all still in development.

"Saber Interactive is one of the largest independent developers in the world," Willits wrote. "We are working on numerous games across many different genres. Everything that we have talked about is still in development. We will share information on upcoming games when we have something cool to share."

Becoming independent from Embracer Group as of last year, Saber Interactive managed to keep hold of its projects including the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake. However, given the tumultuous nature of Embracer's acquisitions and subsequent mass layoffs, things were looking fairly grim for awhile there.

While Willits doesn't outright state it's still a go-ahead, it's possible that we'll receive a more constructive update on the remake sometime in the future. When that'll be, we're not sure, and indeed we haven't had any concrete updates since that initial 2021 teaser.

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• Percy Jackson and the Olympians has been renewed for another season before season 2's premiere in December 2025.
• Season 3 will be based on Rick Riordan’s third book in his Percy Jackson series, The Sea Monsters.
• We'll also be introduced to fan favorite characters the Hunters of Artemis and Nico di Angelo for the first time.

Disney+ has renewed Percy Jackson and the Olympians for a third season ahead of its season 2 debut in December 2025.

Adapted from Rick Riordan’s best-selling novels of the same name, the hit teen fantasy series brings to life the epic tale of the 12-year-old demigod once more. Walker Scobell (The Adam Project) plays the titular character Percy, who is coming to terms with his newfound powers. When the sky god Zeus (Lance Riddick) accuses him of stealing his lightning bolt, Percy embarks on a dangerous quest to restore order to Olympus with the help of his friends Annabeth (Leah Jeffries) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri).

According to Nielsen, the hit teen fantasy series was one of the top five most-watched original series across all of the best streaming services after its December 2023 launch and received rave reviews by critics, with TechRadar contributor Laura Martin writing in her Percy Jackson and the Olympians review: "Percy Jackson and the Olympians' literal world-building is indeed impressive, with its rich mythos (underscored by its terrific ancient Greek representation), detailed cinematography, and real-world settings as a backdrop to the expansive storyline."

Disney Branded Television president Ayo Davis said in a statement of the renewal: “From the moment Percy Jackson and the Olympians debuted, it was clear this series had struck a chord with fans of all ages. With season 2 set to premiere this December, we’re thrilled to announce that Percy’s journey will continue with a third season. Huge thanks to our incredible cast and creative team, our partners at 20th Television, and our visionary and talented producers who continue to bring Rick Riordan’s world to life with such depth and imagination.”

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 3: what we know so far

While official details are being kept under wraps for now, we know that season 3 of one of the best Disney+ shows will be based on The Titan’s Curse, the third installment of Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series.

Riordan revealed to Disney+ that the third season "will be new territory for the screen, bringing fan favorites like the Hunters of Artemis and Nico di Angelo to life for the first time".

Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 2 is based on Riordan’s second book The Sea of Monsters which sees Percy go on a perilous journey to rescue Grover, who is on a quest to find the god Pan but is captured by the same Cyclops that once kidnapped Odysseus.

Turning a much-loved fantasy book series into a TV show was always going to be a big risk for Disney+. However, it's a decision that certainly paid off as the storming Disney show was renewed for a second season after Percy Jackson and the Olympians season 1 became incredibly popular.

Disney boss Bob Iger shared that the first season was streamed for more than 110 million hours on Disney+ and Hulu, which is a remarkable feat for the young adult (YA) fantasy franchise after the movie adaptions flopped in the early 2010s.

Percy Jackson's two big-screen adventures in the early 2010s faced criticism from fans and even Riordan himself as he exclusively told TechRadar that the movies "just didn't resonate" with audiences and agreed to partner with Disney to do Percy Jackson justice and create a fitting on-screen adaptation, a project that has had (and going by the most recent renewal will continue to have) incredible success on Disney+ and Hulu.

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• Circular's Ring 2 is a new smart ring coming in 2025
• The company has just revealed it will add blood pressure monitoring before the end of the year
• It is also planning to add blood glucose trends in 2026

The Circular Ring 2 is Circular's brand new smart ring coming in 2025, and the company has just announced two massive health features we can expect to be added following the launch.

Unveiled at CES and arriving later this year, the Ring 2 is coming for the likes of the Oura Ring 4 and Samsung Galaxy Ring as a contender for the best smart ring on the market.

Not only will it feature atrial fibrillation detection and ECG (a first for smart rings), but the company now says it is also getting blood pressure and possibly blood glucose monitoring.

"The Circular Ring 2 will soon help you track Blood Pressure and Blood Glucose trends over time—giving you deeper insights into your health in a completely non-invasive way," the company announced on March 17.

Circular says that an over-the-air update for the Ring 2 coming "at the end of 2025" will add blood pressure trend monitoring.

"By measuring Pulse Transit Time (PTT)—the time it takes for blood to travel through your arteries—the ring can estimate BP trends in a way that’s both convenient and reliable. A quick measurement (between 30 seconds to 2 minutes) will give you valuable insights into how your daily habits affect your blood pressure," Circular says.

But that's not all, the Ring 2 could get an even more exciting feature next year, and it's one that Apple has been trying to crack for years.

A smart ring with blood glucose monitoring?

"Circular is also working on something truly groundbreaking—blood glucose trend tracking," the company said.

By way of another over-the-air update "in late 2026", Circular says its feature will let users monitor fluctuations in blood glucose levels without finger-pricks of constant glucose monitors.

The feature will reportedly use advanced machine learning to analyze the way light interacts with blood through its PPG heart-rate monitors, to help understand how factors including diet and sleep impact glucose levels.

Crucially, Circular says the feature won't replace traditional glucose monitoring for those with diabetes or who need to track micro intraday variability. Rather, it will provide "trend insights to help users make more informed health choices."

Regardless, it's still a massive health upgrade and makes the Circular Ring 2 perhaps the most exciting health and fitness wearable launching this year, more so even than the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Apple is expected to add blood pressure monitoring that can detect hypertension to its Series 11 and Ultra 3 later this year, but whether it will beat Circular to the punch is anyone's guess.

Accuracy and efficacy remain key questions, but Circular's announcement is the most exciting development in smart wearables for many years. The Circular Ring 2 is live now on Kickstarter, ahead of launch later this year.

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• Apple execs have called Siri's delay ugly and embarrassing
• Apple's top 100 executives will meet later this week, with Apple Intelligence likely to be a major talking point
• It's not too late for Apple's AI division to succeed, but time is running out

Apple Intelligence is expected to be the main topic of conversation at Apple's major exec offsite meeting later this week, as the company looks for a solution to its AI turmoil.

It hasn't been a great week for Apple's AI endeavors, with the company struggling to meet its launch window for the headline Apple Intelligence feature, a new and upgraded Siri voice assistant.

Apple officially delayed Apple Intelligence-powered Siri with personal context and on-screen awareness last week, removed an ad showcasing the voice assistant, and failed to give a launch window for a headline software that was expected to launch as part of the iPhone 16's first year of release.

On Friday, Mark Gurman reported for Bloomberg that Robby Walker, a senior director at Apple, "told staff that delays to key features have been ugly and embarrassing, and a decision to publicly promote the technology before it was ready-made matters worse."

Now Gurman is reporting that this week is going to be pivotal for Apple Intelligence, with Apple's top 100 executives meeting for a company offsite that's expected to have Apple Intelligence as its focal point.

Gurman also notes that a shake-up to Tim Cook's executive team because of these AI shortcomings is unlikely. Writing in his weekly Power On newsletter Gurman said, "Given the nature of this collective failure, it’s unlikely to result in management changes on Cook’s executive team. That would mean admitting fault, which Apple hates doing. A shake-up would also suggest that the company took one of the world’s preeminent names in AI — [John] Giannandrea — and failed to put him in a position to succeed, making yet another failed outside hire to Cook’s cabinet."

With all eyes on Apple and Apple Intelligence, the company has to make major changes and fast, but is too little too late? Or can Apple Intelligence still thrive like we all initially expected it to?

Apple Intelligence could still flourish

At WWDC 2024, Apple showcased an AI-powered Siri that was capable of personal assistant features we'd not seen anywhere else. With the ability to know what's going on in your life through your iPhone, while still maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy features, the next generation of Siri was met with huge fanfare and excitement.

Fast forward nine months later and that fanfare and excitement has completely flickered out. With Apple Intelligence's lukewarm initial launch, and delays to the piece de resistance, with no one from the industry actually seeing Siri in action, it's fair to say that these are worrying times for Apple's AI division.

That said, if any company can take shortcomings and turn them into positives, it would be the Cupertino-based tech giant. With execs meeting later this week, and public perception of Apple Intelligence dwindling, now would be the time for Apple to make major moves and show its loyal fan base why they should still drink the Apple juice.

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• Details of an upcoming SwitchBot Hub 3 have appeared online
• The new hub will have a physical dial for controlling smart home devices
• SwitchBot has yet to announce the Hub 3, and there's no release date yet

SwitchBot, maker of some of the best smart home devices, is preparing to launch a new hub that will make controlling them all easier than ever thanks to one major addition: a programmable physical dial.

SwitchBot's gadgets (such as the little SwitchBot Bot switch pusher, and the SwitchBot Lock) are particularly smart because they don't require you to replace anything in your home. Instead, they attach to the electronics and objects you already own, whether that's your curtains, your door handle, or the power button of your coffee maker. That makes them a particularly great choice for renters who can't easily replace the items in their home, and want smart-home devices they can easily take with them to a new house or apartment.

Personally I use a trio of SwitchBot Blind Tilts to open the three small blinds in my bedroom in the morning, and close them automatically at night. SwitchBot now makes a smart roller blind, but the Blind Tilts are cheaper, work well, and took 10 minutes each to install.

Joined-up thinking

Your devices are connected to your home Wi-Fi network via a SwitchBot Hub, and there are currently two different models available. If you're just controlling a few devices in a relatively small space (like me) then the SwitchBot Hub Mini will fit the bill, but if you have a more complex system then the SwitchBot Hub 2 is a better choice thanks to its greater range, ability to control A/C systems, humidity and temperature sensors, LED display, and touch buttons to start custom scenes. It also supports the Matter smart home standard, allowing you to integrate your SwitchBot devices into a multi-platform ecosystem.

Now, HomeKit News and Reviews has spotted details of a forthcoming SwitchBot Hub 3 on the website for the Connectivity Standards Alliance, the organization behind Matter – and it should give you even more control thanks to the addition of a physical dial.

Post by @homekitnews View on Threads

The dial will let you control your A/C system, as well as media playback via services including Apple TV and Spotify.

The new smart hub will also have a motion-activated screen, similar to many of the best smart thermostats, which should prevent unnecessary light disturbing you at night. It will be able to show temperature and humidity in your home, and draw on third-party weather services to show current forecasts. It can also show the real-time status of SwitchBot smart locks

SwitchBot itself has yet to announce the new hub, so we don't yet know when it will be released or how much it will cost, but hopefully we won't have to wait much longer.

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