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• Spotify AI DJ just got a huge upgrade, and now it can take your requests just by listening to your voice
• This new feature is designed for users to have more of a say in their listening experiences, while interacting more with their personal AI DJ
• The feature is being rolled out today in over 60 markets for Premium users

Spotify’s AI DJ tool has divided users since it was introduced in 2023, and now the platform’s resident maestro has just received its first major upgrade. As of today, your AI DJ will be able to take your requests in English, launching in more than 60 markets for Premium users.

That’s right, as well as curating a personalized listening experience based on your music habits, you can feed AI DJ voice prompts, and from there, it will use your request to update your listening session based on the music you want to hear at that moment.

For example, you can use the prompt 'Surprise me with some indie tracks I’ve never heard before' to discover new indie artists, or even “Play me some electronic beats for a midday run” so that DJ can motivate you during times of hard work.

(Image credit: Spotify)

For a while, Spotify users have been asking for more ways to interact with their AI DJs and have more say in what they play during their listening sessions. The DJ tool’s new ability to take requests from users is definitely a much-needed upgrade for the feature.

But despite this big change, Spotify has made it clear that it will continue to honor AI DJ’s original ethos of bringing you closer to new music, as well as reacquainting you with old favorites with "insights from (its) global editorial experts".

It’s no secret that Spotify’s AI DJ hasn’t been able to grab my attention, and that’s down to my preference for its Daylist feature, however, its new requests function is really tempting me to dip my toe back into AI DJ. I just hope I can get past its slightly jarring commentary this time.

How to use AI DJ’s request function

(Image credit: Spotify)

As of today AI DJ will be able to take your voice requests and vamp up your listening session in ways it hasn’t before, and one of the greatest things about it is that it’s very simple to use.

1. Go to Spotify's search tab and search for 'DJ'

Press to start a standard AI DJ- curated listening session.

2. Press and hold the DJ button to ask a request

In the right-hand corner, you'll find the DJ button. Press and hold until you hear a beep, and that means DJ is ready to take your request. From there, you can use your voice to ask DJ to play a specific kind of music, for example, 'Play me some music to soundtrack my life as a movie', or 'Play modern country songs for my cowboy era'.

3. Experiment to your heart's content

You can mix things up by holding the DJ button and asking it to switch up the vibe of your listening session and make new requests. If you don’t have a specific request but want to change the vibe, you can tap the DJ button to quickly skip to the next section.

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DJI Mavic 4 Pro: one-minute review

I’ve flown and reviewed every DJI drone from the past 10-plus years, and I’m blown away on an almost yearly basis; and that's the case once again with the DJI Mavic Pro 4, which sets a new benchmark for what’s possible with consumer and prosumer UAVs. The Mavic 4 Pro is, without a doubt, one of the best DJI drones you can buy.

The responsiveness of the controls and speed and smoothness of flight remind me more of the DJI Inspire 3 than the Mavic 3 Pro. Let’s not get carried away though; the Inspire 3 and Mavic 4 Pro are different in many ways, and the Mavic 4 Pro takes prosumer drones to a whole new level.

(Image credit: James Abbott)

And this is all before we consider the three impressive cameras with true vertical shooting. That’s right – the gimbal rotates 90 degrees, which is a first for a drone with more than a single small camera and sensor, let alone one with a Four Thirds camera.

The Mavic Pro 4 camera offering is headed by a 28mm 4/3 camera with up to a 100MP resolution and an adjustable f/2-f/11 aperture. This is complemented by a 70mm camera with a 48MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, and a 168mm camera with a 50MP 1/1.5-inch sensor. Video is available up to 6K 60fps with the main camera, and up to 4K 120fps with the two telephotos.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: release date and price

• Released on 13 May 2025
• Three kit options
• Prices start at $TBC / £1,879 / AU$3,099

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro was announced and released on 13 May 2025, and is available directly from DJI and authorized retailers. There are three kits, starting with the DJI Mavic 4 Pro (DJI RC 2), which costs £1,879 / AU$3,099; as mentioned, DJI has yet to confirm when or if the Mavic 4 Pro will be available in the US. This kit includes the Mavic 4 Pro, RC 2 smart controller, 64GB of internal storage, an Intelligent Flight Battery and accessories.

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo costs £2,459 / AU$4,039. This includes all of the above plus two additional Intelligent Flight batteries, a DJI 100W USB-C Power Adapter, a Battery Charging Hub and a shoulder bag. In my opinion, this kit offers exceptional value for money.

The third and most high-end kit option is the DJI Mavic 4 Pro 512GB Creator Combo. This costs £3,209 / AU$5,359, and includes everything in the standard kit plus 512GB of internal storage, a 240W power adapter, two additional Intelligent Flight batteries, a Parallel Battery Charging Hub, a USB-C to USB-C High-Speed Data Cable and a Shoulder bag.

(Image credit: James Abbott) DJI Mavic 4 Pro: specs Specs

Camera

28mm 100MP 4/3 sensor / 70mm 48MP 1/1.3-inch sensor / 168mm 50MP 1/1.5-inch sensor

Video resolution

Up to 6K

Frame rates

6K up to 60fps / 4K up to 120fps / FHD up to 60fps / Vertical 4/3 up to 4K 60fps, Tele 2.7K up to 60fps

Video transmission range

18.6 miles (FCC) / 9.32 miles (CE, SRRC, MIC)

Flight modes

Sport, Normal, Cine

Battery

6654mAh / up to 51 minutes flight time

Charger type

USB-C / charging hub

Weight

2.34lbs / 1063g

Dimensions

10.14 x 4.91 x 4.07 inches / 257.6 x 124.8 x 103.4mm folded / 12.94 x 15.37 x 5.32 inches / 328.7 x 390.5 x 135.2mm unfolded

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: design and handling

• Excellent design and build quality
• Impressive gimbal
• Great new controller

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro features the folding design we’ve become accustomed to, but the drone is slightly larger than the Mavic 3 Pro, with larger propellers. As a result, the Mavic 4 Pro is also slightly heavier than its predecessor at 2.34lbs / 1063g. In use, you don’t notice this, but the increase in speed, power, and maneuverability are noticeable.

The most obvious difference between this drone and the Mavic 3 Pro is the new camera and gimbal design. We get three cameras as before, but the camera housing is more spherical, with a more robust gimbal that supports upright shooting, with vertical movement of the camera available between -90 and 70 degrees.

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This opens up new creative possibilities, and during testing I was able to capture the northern lights by flying at a low altitude and tilting the camera up to capture more of the night sky. Further enhancing creative convenience, the drone switches on automatically when you unfold the propeller arms, while the controller switches on when you raise the screen to reveal the controls beneath. The controller goes into sleep mode when closed, unless you switch it off first.

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The new DJI RC 2 smart controller features a completely new design with an impressive 2000-nit 7-inch high-bright Mini-LED display. This can be rotated 90 degrees when shooting in portrait format to give you a full-screen camera view.

There’s also a new adjustment dial that makes changing camera settings easy, an HDMI port for video-out, up to four hours of battery life, and 128GB of built-in storage, while audio can be recorded with the built-in mic or when paired with a DJI Mic.

The screen also covers the control sticks when closed to make the controller more compact for transport and storage. Since the controller runs Android, you can view a standard Android interface that supports third-party apps.

This wasn’t tested because I didn’t have any relevant APK files to install and the Google Play Store isn’t installed on the controller. The Firefox web browser is, however, installed, so this would provide one way to install apps.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: features and performance

• Fast and positive flight
• Excellent Return to Home
• Advanced subject tracking

The Mavic 4 Pro's responsive controls and speed and smoothness of flight remind me of the Inspire 3. It’s not as powerful, of course, but flight performance overall is noticeably improved compared to the Mavic 3 Pro. Flight is incredibly smooth and positive, with a top speed of 60.4mph in Sport mode and 40.3mph when tracking moving subjects. Wind resistance is 26.8mph. You also get all the usual features including Quickshots, timelapse, burst shooting, exposure bracketing and free panorama.

Subject tracking is great, and tracking cars works well, with the Mavic 4 Pro maintaining tracking even when the target vehicle is partially obscured by trees, as claimed by DJI. During testing, I tried to position the drone in front of, directly above, and to the side of the car, as well as the standard behind. Above and behind worked well, but when I tried the other two orientations the drone reverted to behind automatically, so although highly effective, the Mavic 4 Pro isn't as versatile as the DJI Flip or Neo for general tracking. The drone also allows adjustment of the gimbal and flight parameters during tracking.

The Mavic 4 Pro features DJI's 0.1-Lux Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing system, comprising six low-light fisheye sensors, a forward-facing LiDAR on the right propeller arm, and an infrared sensor at the bottom of the aircraft. When flying in highly complex environments the obstacle avoidance worked well in both daylight and at dusk, with Brake and Bypass options available alongside off. Sometimes, the latter is essential for smooth flight but is naturally high-risk. The drone is also backed up by DJI O4+ with up to 18.6 miles and 10-bit HDR Video Transmission.

Car tracking with the DJI Mavic 4 Pro

Adding to the safety credentials, Return to Home has seen some impressive improvements, including the ability to take off and Return to Home without a GPS signal. This is achieved using real-time vision positioning and map construction technologies, with the drone capturing flight paths when light levels allow.

Then there’s Dynamic Home Point, where the Home Point is set by the controller location rather than the take-off point. This is useful when tracking vehicles if you’re in the vehicle, but if doing so you should always maintain visual line of sight (VLOS) of the drone.

The Mavic 4 Pro can transfer files to your computer without being switched on when connected via USB-C, and it can also transfer files to the DJI Fly app when switched off using off-state quick transfer. I’ve never found phone transfer functionality useful myself, but many people do, and it allows you to view and download files to the DJI Fly app on your phone using WiFi 6, which could be useful for sharing photos and videos quickly to social media and clients.

Flight times per battery are claimed to be up to 51 minutes, and during testing my flight times were typically around 37 minutes, with the drone offering Return to Home at 15% battery. Also, during one test flight, an airplane flew around my flight area at an altitude of roughly 660ft / 200m, and the controller alerted me to the aircraft being close. This is impressive, although I had seen the plane 30 seconds before the alert was displayed on the controller.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: image and video quality

• Three impressive cameras
• Up to 6K 60fps and 4K 120fps video
• Up to 100MP photos in raw and JPEG

(Image credit: James Abbott)

The cameras on the DJI Mavic Pro 4, along with the innovative gimbal, are impressive, and each offers excellent image quality alongside some impressive features. There is some fall-off in sharpness towards the edges of the frame when shooting photos, and the higher-resolution images aren’t as sharp as those taken at lower-resolution settings, while video doesn’t suffer from the fall-off in sharpness.

All three cameras feature Dual Native ISO Fusion, a feature seen in previous DJI drones to reduce noise in photos and videos. A photo of the northern lights shot with the main camera at 100MP was quite noisy but still useable, although in theory 25MP should have been more effective. The short duration of the phenomenon didn’t allow for a lower-resolution example to be captured, unfortunately.

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The main Hasselblad camera features a 28mm equivalent focal length and an adjustable f/2-f/11 aperture. F/2 is a hugely welcome upgrade over the Mavic 3 models, which have a maximum f/2.8 aperture. The new Four Thirds sensor can be set to capture at 100MP or 25MP. The 70mm equivalent camera features a 48MP / 12MP 1/1.3-inch sensor, while the 168mm equivalent camera uses a new 50MP / 12.5MP 1/1.5-inch sensor. Both of these telephoto cameras have a fixed f/2.8 aperture. Photos can be captured in raw and JPEG formats.

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Shot with the 168mm camera (Image credit: James Abbott) DJI Mavic 4 Pro 4K 30fps video

The main Hasselblad camera can capture up to 6K 60fps video, while the 70mm can capture up to 4K at 120fps and the 168mm up to 4K at 100fps. Cropped vertical video is also available with all three cameras, with the main camera offering up to 4K 60fps, and the telephoto cameras able to capture up to 2.7K up to 60fps. You can also rotate the camera to portrait orientation to capture video.

During testing rotating the camera allowed me to capture 6K vertical video with the main camera and 2.7K with the 70mm camera. Sometimes, this caused the drone to fly slowly, which may be a quirk of the pre-release firmware because it wasn’t consistent.

Video color profiles include Normal for straight-out-of-the-camera use, D-Log, D-Log M and HLG (HDR). Shooting HDR, the 28mm can capture up to 16 stops of dynamic range, the 70mm up to 14 stops, and the 168mm up to 13 stops. The 512GB Creator version of the Mavic 4 Pro can also capture video in the ALL-I 4:2:2 codec. Overall, you've got plenty of options for a variety of workflows and requirements.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: testing scorecard DJI Mavic 4 Pro

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Price

A surprisingly inexpensive Fly More Combo.

5/5

Design

New design for aerodynamics with an innovative new gimbal.

5/5

Performance

Flight is fast and smooth while features perform well.

5/5

Image and video quality

Excellent image quality from the three cameras with upgrades to the main Hasselblad camera.

5/5

Should I buy the DJI Mavic 4 Pro? Buy it if...

You require speed and power
The Mavic 4 Pro is a fast and powerful drone with excellent flight performance that allows the drone to be flown in winds of up to 26.8mph.

You need three cameras
With impressive 28mm, 70mm and 168mm equivalent cameras capable of capturing a variety of photo and video formats, you have many creative possibilities available to you

You capture professional aerial video
If you use a drone for professional video capture, the Mavic 4 Pro can capture D-Log, D-Log M and HLG (HDR). The 512GB Creator version can also capture video in the ALL-I 4:2:2 codec.

Don't buy it if...

You’d like a less restricted drone
If you’d prefer an easier-to-carry, more regulations-friendly DJI drone, the DJI Mini 4 Pro is the best sub-250g drone money can buy.

You'd like a less expensive dual-camera drone
The DJI Air 3S offers dual cameras and is smaller and lighter than the Mavic 4 Pro. What’s more, the smart controller kit is considerably less expensive.

You’d like to capture a first-person view
If you'd like to capture immersive FPV video, the DJI Avata 2 is a beginner and expert-friendly FPV drone that offers excellent video quality. Photos, however, are extremely limited with this drone.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro: also consider DJI Air 3S

The DJI Air 3S is similar to the Mavic 4 Pro in several ways, but comes in at a more affordable price for consumers. Not only is it smaller and lighter, it also features dual 24mm and 70mm cameras. This is the logical drone for you if you don't need the Mavic 4 Pro's 168mm camera.

Read our in-depth DJI Air 3S review

How I tested the DJI Mavic 4 Pro

• All features and functions tested
• All three cameras tested for photo and video capture
• Tested in different conditions

I tested the DJI Mavic Pro 4 over several weeks, testing all of its features to assess their effectiveness in real-world situations. I also captured a variety of photos and videos to test the quality of the three cameras.

Photos and videos were captured in a range of conditions including overcast, sunny, and windy to see how well the drone performed in these situations.

First reviewed May 2025

I've tested the drone, and its new gimbal and image quality are seriously impressive. It's a shame you can't buy it in the US.

Accessibility Nutrition Labels will help you understand which apps and games are accessible before downloading. Personal Voice, Music Haptics and other features also get an update.

Just two days before United Airlines is set to offer its first Starlink-equipped flight, which will deliver internet speeds up to 50 times faster and offer a ‘living room in the sky’ experience, the airline is making more waves by unveiling its next-generation cabin experience.

United Airlines' Polaris seat offering is already impressive, with a large, bright screen, plenty of ports, and a full lie-flat seat. But the airline has put years of work into its next product, stretching beyond the flagship seat.

Arriving first on the new Boeing 787-9, which United expects to land before the end of 2025, is the next-generation of Polaris seat and the entirely new Polaris Studio, along with upgrades to Premium Plus, Economy Plus, and even Economy – yes, those who travel in standard extra legroom will also get some significant enhancements.

Polaris gets more ways to recharge, a larger screen, and a door for privacy

(Image credit: United Airlines)

Leading the enhancements with United’s core Polaris Business class seat are four ways to recharge your device, likely your phone, within your pod. You’ll still get a standard outlet, but United is promising three others, including a wireless charging pad supporting the Qi-standard baked into your counter space, meaning you could just lay your iPhone 16 or Galaxy S25 Edge on the surface and let it recharge without bringing out a wire.

In addition to the standard outlet, you also get USB-C and USB-A ports. Basically, it affords you plenty of power, which is handy if you’re hoping to work while at 35,000 feet.

The entertainment screen is again touch-enabled, and gives you access to a wide array of movies and TV shows, as well as a flight map if you’re an aviation geek like myself, but it’s now stretching to a full 19 inches diagonally and is a 4K OLED panel. This should mean that if you’re by a window the screen can get bright enough to compete with the sun, and it can also be angled or pulled out.

Bluetooth is of course supported, so you can connect your favorite Bluetooth headphones or some of the best true wireless earbuds directly to the infotainment system. You’ll also get a pair of Polaris-branded over-ear headphones in the amenity kit.

With the press of a button you’ll get a seat that can be transitioned to a bed for a lie-flat experience or various other positions. It’s now a wool-blend covered seat, with United promising that the new material is more breathable, and to top it all off there's now a door on the Polaris seat to afford you more privacy.

The Polaris seating configuration will also be in a 1-2-1 setup on the Boeing 787-9 when it arrives later this year, with 56 seats spread across 14 rows.

(Image credit: United Airlines)

United's brand-new Polaris Studio is larger-than-life if you’re looking for the best seating in the sky and are willing to pay for it. As United Airlines teased when it first announced Starlink, it’s our best look at the living room sky vision. You get the classic Polaris lie-flat seat, but you’re facing a massive 27-inch 4K OLED screen that should be excellent to watch. It also supports Bluetooth connectivity to listen with your own cans.

There are also four ways to charge, including the Qi-standard wireless charger, multiple wall plugs, and a USB-C port to plug right in. The real kicker, though, is that as the Studio nomenclature hints at, there’s an ottoman to have someone else join you in the Studio. You’ll also get more countertop space and more storage.

This one feels exceptional. Just imagine Starlink connectivity plus the ability to kick back and watch a favorite film on a 27-inch screen on an airplane. It’ll likely be costly, but for long trips you might think it's worth it.

More chargers for Premium Plus and Economy

(Image credit: United Airlines)

While Polaris is leading the news, United Airlines isn’t leaving Premium Plus – a step-up class for long-haul domestic and international flights – or Economy hanging. The ‘purple seats’, as they are known on the plane, get bigger, brighter 16-inch 4K OLED touchscreens with the aforementioned Bluetooth support, but more importantly, they give you more ways to charge your devices.

Each Premium Plus seat has a wall plug, a USB port, and a wireless charger – so you can charge how you want. You also have a dedicated spot next to your seat to hold your headphones.

(Image credit: United Airlines)

Passengers in Economy or Economy Plus will get 13-inch 4K OLED screens, but the real win is now six power outlets in each row. That’s way better than the two spread across three seats or three for four seats in some configurations, and should put an end to the dreaded fight over ports.

All in all, the focus on tech and making flying less stressful, at least in terms of the in-flight experience, is a major upgrade. And in addition to the new cabin tech, United has committed to bringing much faster, free for MileagePlus members Starlink internet to all of its regional jets by the end of 2025, and this is due to arrive on its first mainline jet by the end of the year.

Starlink will also be on the Boeing 787-9 when it arrives. The new aircraft will be fitted with 56 Polaris seats, eight Polaris Studios, and 35 Premium Plus, 33 Economy Plus, and 90 Economy seats.

The first of these planes will be delivered by the end of this year, and they'll go into service in 2026, starting with United's San Francisco to Singapore and San Francisco to London routes.

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(Image credit: Rebecca Rosman for NPR)

We had strong indicators for a while that Apple is experimenting with in-ear cameras as inputs for Apple Intelligence. And according to a new report, Apple plans to have cameras in AirPods as soon as 2027. It'll also be adding a tiny camera to the Apple Watch in 2027, and launching its first camera-equipped smart glasses.

That's according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, but another report suggests that the cameras might not be cameras as you might imagine them: last year, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that Apple was aiming to put infrared cameras in AirPods by the end of 2026.

Those cameras would be able to see gestures, which could then be used to control app or system features. It’s possible that Gurman and Kuo are describing the same buds.

Which AirPods are going to come with cameras?

Here's a puzzle: if Apple's on track to release AirPods Pro 3 this year, which is what we're expecting and has long been rumored, then 2027 seems too early for another iteration of AirPods Pro: the first-gen ran from 2019 to 2022, and the second generation is expected to have run from 2022 to 2025.

So on that basis, AirPods Pro 4 aren't due until late 2028 – quite some time after Gurman's reported camera timeline.

It's highly unlikely that Apple's going to put a premium new feature like this in less-than-premium AirPods, so if we assume AirPods Pro 4 won't come earlier than usual. that leaves us with two options: AirPods Max 2, or an even more premium kind of AirPods Pro – AirPods Ultra, anyone?

I'm betting against the cameras coming in AirPods Max, because all the reporting on cameras so far has been about camera-equipped earbuds, and they sell way better than AirPods Max.

But adding yet another tier to the AirPods range would set the late Steve Jobs spinning: rather than his preferred lineup of three – good, better, best – it could mean five different flavors of AirPod: standard AirPods, standard AirPods with ANC, AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Max and AirPods Ultra. That doesn't seem very Apple.

But perhaps the 2027 date is off, or there's some other twist coming. In any case, we'll have a while to wait and find out.

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• Windows 11 has a redesign of the Start menu incoming
• Microsoft has shared info on the process of that revamp and how it took in a wide range of feedback
• We also get to see some of the abandoned designs for the Start menu

Windows 11 is getting a major revamp for the Start menu and in an interesting move, Microsoft has shared the feedback which drove that redesign, as well as some of the concepts that fell by the wayside.

In case you overlooked the emergence of that Start menu overhaul, Microsoft gave us a first look at it recently. Essentially, it changes the menu into a single scrollable panel (rather than two separate efforts) and applies some other useful tweaks.

Broadly speaking, I’m a fan and I think it’s a clear step forward (more so now that a point of doubt has apparently been clarified, and I’ll come back to that momentarily).

Windows Central picked up on the blog post Microsoft published about the process of redesigning the Start menu, explaining why the new layout was chosen, and also looking at other treatments that were discarded based on user feedback.

Indeed, Microsoft says it combed through a whole lot of notes on the Feedback Hub (where testers and enthusiasts give their opinions on Windows 11) as well as conducting “thousands of remote interviews” in order to get the redesign of this part of the interface right. On top of that, we’re told: “Over 300 Windows 11 fans joined unmoderated studies and dozens more hopped into live co-creation calls.”

Apparently, from all this, a key message repeatedly came through from those people: “Help me find my apps faster. Let me bend Start to fit the way I work. And please – keep the magic, don’t lose the soul.”

Yes, I’m guessing the final part of that quote was never something Microsoft heard – it sounds more like something Freddie Mercury sang in a Queen song back in the eighties – but the first two points fully make sense. Windows 11 users want the Start menu to be, most of all, the place where they find and fire up their apps, and a part of the interface that they can customize.

I think the latter is a particularly crucial factor, and elsewhere in the post, Microsoft talks about the Start menu providing: “Recommendations made just for you that learn in real time and a way to hide them if you don’t find them helpful.”

Regarding the second half of that sentence, I take this as confirmation that Microsoft is indeed incorporating a switch to remove the recommendations panel from the Start menu entirely, for those who don’t want it.

I don’t, and I know I’m not alone in that, and this option was spotted in testing with the Start menu revamp. So, this comment about giving users a ‘way to hide’ recommendations surely refers to turning them off. For me, this represents indirect confirmation that a key part of the redesign is indeed coming.

Analysis: What about the Start menu concepts that didn’t make the cut?

It’s also good to see Microsoft becoming more transparent here, and showing off the discarded Start menu concepts, too. Are any of them any good? Obviously, this is a subjective matter to an extent, but for me, some of them definitely deserved to be chucked in the bin, while others seem sensible enough.

Let’s take a look at the candidates which stand out from the efforts that ended up being dumped.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

This is a more tablet-focused take on the Start menu (where the background is blurred out), although that’s not going to be ideal for traditional desktop PCs (obviously). I don’t like that it takes a step back in terms of still having the ‘All apps’ list as an entirely separate panel. It’s quite a clean layout to be fair, but there is some suggestion-related stuff here that I’m not so keen on. Pass.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Essentially, this is the Start menu from Windows 10 ported to Windows 11, although the design elements kind of clash for me (the category lists for apps, bottom-left, feel particularly out of place). Despite it all feeling shoehorned into Windows 11, I don’t mind the idea of just having the Windows 10 Start menu back in some ways. I’m surprised Microsoft even considered the idea, though.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Erk, what is this? It looks like someone’s lobbed a hand grenade into the guts of Windows 11’s Start menu, and this is the aftermath of the almighty explosion – bits of interface all over the place. It’s too busy, suggestion-heavy, and again like the first concept above, it grows limbs and splits off other sections into separate panels. No thanks.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

This one I quite like – it keeps things simple, and it’s mainly focused on the apps, with some recommendations and reminders in the left panel. Note that Copilot has crept into the reminders, bottom-left, but overall, I think this is my favorite of the abandoned designs.

However, the Start menu redesign Microsoft has chosen is the winner for me, although you may well have a different opinion (Windows Central certainly does). Why? Because it keeps things simple, with everything on one panel, and the new category view for the full list of apps ensures that’s more tamed – plus you can (hopefully) drop the recommendations panel to make more space, too. (Worries about Phone Link have been swerved as well, with a simple button to retract the panel, for those who use this app).

Is Microsoft’s chosen revamp too boring? Well, yeah, maybe. I guess it is the safe, not overly adventurous option, but it works for me. I don’t want a fancied-up Start menu. I want a functional one, a streamlined system, and yes, that crucial ability to customize and further trim anything I don’t need (while those who like recommendations can have them).

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Importers are ready to get back to business after the U.S. cut tariffs on China, but uncertainty looms. And, media mogul Diddy's first day of trial held a slew of accusations.

(Image credit: Frederic J. Brown)

While Big Pharma seems ready to weather the tariff storm, independent pharmacists and makers of generic drugs — which account for 90% of U.S. prescriptions — see trouble ahead for patients.

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• iOS 18.5 has just launched to iPhone users
• There are a few new features in the upgrade, including one for the iPhone 13
• iOS 18.5 also contains over 30 security fixes, so update your device now

Apple has just released iOS 18.5, and it comes with a raft of new features to improve all of the best iPhones that it’s compatible with. It’s not a huge update in terms of new additions, but it’s an important one to download, since it packs in over 30 vital security fixes.

In terms of new features, one of the most notable is a change relating to the Screen Time function. This can be used by parents to control how their child uses an iPhone, and it lets you place limits on app access and more. Now, parents will be alerted if their child has successfully entered a passcode to remove Screen Time’s restrictions.

Elsewhere, iOS 18.5 rolls out carrier-provided satellite services – such as T-Mobile’s collaboration with Starlink – to the iPhone 13, which wasn’t previously compatible with these features.

Apple has also tweaked the Mail app to make a few common controls easier to find. The Settings app now displays your AppleCare+ information more prominently, while Apple also released a new Pride Harmony wallpaper for its devices.

Security updates galore

(Image credit: Shutterstock / nikkimeel)

It’s usually a good idea to update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS to get both new features and security fixes. But the iOS 18.5 update truly underscores the importance of getting your device on the newest software, as it packs in over 30 security patches that will help keep your Apple phone safe.

Many of the fixes listed on Apple’s website are intended to stop hackers from accessing your private data. For example, one patch prevents attackers with physical access to your iPhone and the Notes app from viewing documents on the Lock Screen. Another fixes a flaw that would let bad actors listen to deleted call recordings.

Elsewhere, iOS 18.5 addresses a bug that wouldn’t always mute FaceTime properly (which could reveal sensitive info on a call), while call history from deleted apps will no longer appear in Spotlight searches.

Bluetooth security has also been strengthened, and iCloud Document Sharing has been tightened up to stop attackers sharing folders without authentication. There are also patches for WebKit, denial-of-service attacks, Core Graphics bugs, out-of-bounds vulnerabilities, and more.

Interestingly, iOS 18.5 also contains the first known fix for Apple’s new C1 modem chip, which is currently only available in the iPhone 16e. There, iOS 18.5 now stops hackers who have got inside your wireless carrier from accessing network traffic.

Fortunately, it doesn’t appear that any of the bugs and vulnerabilities that Apple has patched have been actively exploited yet, unlike the fixes issued in iOS 18.3.2 and iOS 18.4.1. But that doesn’t lessen the importance of installing the iOS 18.5 update, as the more secure your device is, the less likely you are to suffer attacks from hackers and bad actors in the future.

Aside from iOS 18.5, Apple has also released security updates for older Macs and iPads. The specific versions – macOS 13.7.6, macOS 14.7.6, and iPadOS 17.7.7 – are available for Apple products that have not been updated to the latest operating systems, whether that’s due to hardware limitations or enterprise policies. You can find out exactly what was patched in these updates by browsing Apple’s security releases page.

Returning to iOS 18.5, there are many more security fixes than we have listed here on Apple’s website, so be sure to have a read if you’d like to know what the update patches in full. Combined with the new features that have also been added, it’s a notable update for your iPhone.

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• Nintendo has detailed a new Nintendo Switch 2 feature via the Nintendo Today app
• It caps the battery's charging level at around 90%
• This should help extend the battery's lifespan

Nintendo has revealed that the Nintendo Switch 2 will have new charging settings intended to extend the battery's lifespan.

As detailed in the company's latest post to the Nintendo Today app, the 'Stop Charging Around 90%' feature will let you slow down the Nintendo Switch 2's charging speed when it hits about 90%.

This stops the battery from reaching its full capacity as often, which cuts down on the time that you can use the system unplugged, but helps extend the battery's longevity.

Generally, repeatedly charging a battery to full capacity before depleting leads to degradation and quicker loss of charge.

If you own a Nintendo Switch that you bought within the first few years of its release, then you're probably already familiar with this effect.

My first Nintendo Switch can now only last around an hour unplugged - significantly less than the around seven hours that it used to be able to achieve.

Similar settings to limit charging in this way are already available on most modern smartphones, tablets, and laptops, as it's becoming increasingly popular to help gadgets hold up better in the long term.

Nintendo has stated that the Nintendo Switch 2 battery will last between two and six and a half hours - though this figure likely does not account for potential wear over time.

The upcoming console is set to launch on June 5, 2025. It costs $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a bundle that includes a digital copy of Mario Kart World.

UK pre-orders and US pre-orders are now live.

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• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says the way you use AI differs depending on your age
• Speaking at an AI event, Altman explained how different age demographics use ChatGPT in their own way
• Older people use ChatGPT as a Google replacement, while those in their 20s and 30s use it like a life advisor, according to Altman

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says the way users interact with ChatGPT changes depending on the user's age.

Whether that's "older people who use ChatGPT as a Google replacement," or "people in their 20s and 30s who use it like a life advisor," Altman says the interactions with AI differ depending on when you were born.

Speaking at Sequoia Capital's AI Ascent event, Altman said that while it was a "gross oversimplification," real trends are appearing in terms of how individuals use ChatGPT. In the YouTube video, which you can watch below, Altman, most interestingly, says that "people in college use it as an operating system."

He goes into more detail by explaining how younger individuals interact with ChatGPT and AI as a whole by using it "to connect it to a bunch of files, and they have fairly complex prompts memorized in their head or in something where they paste in and out."

Altman adds, "There's this other thing where they don't really make life decisions without asking ChatGPT what they should do. It has the full context on every person in their life and what they've talked about."

More and more users are indeed turning to ChatGPT for life discussions and therapy, and I've even noticed friends and family opting for genuine conversations with the chatbot about major decisions.

Should you use ChatGPT to make life decisions?

Reading the headline to this article, you might be ready to dismiss the whole idea of using AI and ChatGPT as a genuine 'life tool'. However, there are some real benefits to continuously talking to AI before making a decision. I find ChatGPT to be a good starting point for researching a topic when I'm thinking about smaller life decisions.

For example, thanks to its memory features, ChatGPT can remember all of my discussions related to my hobbies, and give me tips when I need them. For example, I use ChatGPT to help motivate me with my Peloton use, and sometimes I need advice on what program or class to take next.

ChatGPT knows what I've used in the past, and what types of Peloton classes I enjoy doing, and helps me to make a decision based on my preferences. This same functionality can be used across a broad range of topics.

I'm a 30-year-old man who barely uses TikTok, so I can't even imagine how Gen Z interact with ChatGPT. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Altman is correct, and there are indeed many people out there who no longer make bigger life decisions without the input of AI, which to me sounds a little worrying.

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• More updates are apparently on the way to Samsung Messages
• Previously, it looked like the app was on the way out
• Google Messages was the default messaging app on the Galaxy S25

We feared the worst for Samsung Messages when the Galaxy S25 series launched without the app on board – Google Messages was preinstalled instead – but it seems Samsung Messages isn't actually going away, as a major batch of new updates have been spotted.

These updates haven't been officially announced or pushed out to users, but the team at Android Authority has seen them in the latest app code. The signs are that Samsung is keen to keep the rival to Google Messages alive after all.

The features that have been discovered include birthday reminders for the people in your contacts list, live location sharing (also apparently on the way to Google Messages), and support for emoji and sticker reactions to messages.

Another upcoming feature that's been spotted links Samsung Messages to Now Brief, the AI-powered update panel on the latest Samsung phones. It appears that Now Brief will soon be able to show alerts about suspicious, malicious, and blocked messages.

What happens next?

Samsung Messages lives on in the Galaxy Store (Image credit: Samsung)

That's quite the feature dump, including some big new upgrades, even if it's not live yet. It doesn't really fit with the idea of an app that's on the way out – and you might remember it got full support for RCS chats back in February as well.

It's mixed messaging from Samsung, because there's no doubt that Samsung Messages was, genuinely, on the way out. Samsung even used the word "sunsetting" in a statement issued in January, as the app was removed from the Google Play Store.

You can still get at Samsung Messages through the Galaxy Store, however, if you've got a Samsung phone. We'll have to wait and see whether these new features come with any fresh announcements from Samsung when they actually see the light of day.

It's also going to be interesting to see if Samsung Messages appears on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Flip 7, due in July. The 2024 versions of those phones were actually the first to come without Samsung Messages preloaded.

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Jay Foreman, CEO of Basic Fun!, says the Trump administration's shifting tariff policy has created chaos for businesses — and could still disrupt the holiday season.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle)

Businesses are rushing to import Chinese goods after the U.S. struck a temporary deal. This "stop-go" nature of trade could still mean higher prices and doesn't ease uncertainty, an economist warns.

(Image credit: Jae C. Hong)

• A new high-end Garmin watch has been spotted online
• It could be the successor to the D2 Mach 1 from 2022
• Several upgrades could be borrowed from the Garmin Fenix 8

We could soon get a new contender for the premium entry in our best Garmin watches list: there are signs that a high-end Garmin smartwatch is now close to launching, which might be built on the improvements ushered in with the Garmin Fenix 8.

As per the5krunner (via Notebookcheck), a mention of the D2 Mach 2 watch has appeared on Garmin's own website, as one of the models compatible with the Grade Adjusted Pace feature available in the Garmin app (a tool for more accurately measuring average pace).

It's the first time we've heard the Garmin D2 Mach 2 mentioned anywhere, so it looks as though this particular support page has been edited before it should have been – and the premium-level wearable could be launching very soon.

The Garmin D2 Mach 1 was unveiled back in March 2022, and was specifically designed for pilots (though of course you didn't have to be a pilot to use it). At the moment it's not clear exactly what upgrades the second-gen version might bring with it.

What we could get

The D2 Mach 2 could be based on the Fenix 8 (Image credit: Craig Hale)

According to the5krunner, we're looking at a watch that's a variant on the Fenix 8 that launched in August 2024 – a smartwatch that's so good we awarded it five stars out of five in our full Garmin Fenix 8 review.

Features we can expect to see on the D2 Mach 2 include a built-in database of worldwide airports, an altimeter with adjustable barometric setting, a 3-axis compass, weather updates on a moving map, and flight plan syncing from Garmin Pilot.

There's also talk that the watch may gain some diving features, which the D2 Mach 1 didn't have. Like the original version though, the D2 Mach 2 is thought to be missing out on features relating to golf and sailing, available in other models.

In the meantime, we're patiently waiting for the arrival of the Garmin Forerunner 975 too. Back in March we saw a regulatory filing suggesting another Garmin wearable was on the way, but we're still not sure what it is.

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