While Apple has now unveiled the iPhone 16e, it won't actually be available to buy for another week – and ahead of that February 28 date, benchmarks have appeared online that tell us a bit more about the newest iPhone.
As spotted by MySmartPrice, the information apparently revealed here includes the impact of the reduced GPU core count on the A18 processor: it has a 4-core GPU, rather than the 5-core GPU on the iPhone 16 flagships.
That means a drop of around 15% in graphics performance terms compared to the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16 Plus. It's a difference worth being aware of, though it's unlikely to be all that noticeable if you were comparing the handsets side by side.
The Geekbench listing also confirms the iPhone 16e has 8GB of RAM, which is something that was widely assumed, but hasn't been specifically mentioned by Apple. That's a jump up from 4GB on the iPhone SE 3, in part to add support for Apple Intelligence.
Specs comparisons The iPhone 16, which shares some specs with the iPhone 16e (Image credit: Future)The final little tidbit of information from the MySmartPrice report suggests that the iPhone 16e will offer a wired charging speed of 29W, as per a Chinese regulator certification – another upgrade over the iPhone SE 3, which delivered 20W.
As you can see from the iPhone 16e specs page, Apple doesn't typically list every last detail of its devices. We don't yet know the phone's battery capacity, though up to 26 hours of video playback on a single charge is mentioned (beating the 22 hours of the iPhone 16).
Preorders are now live for the iPhone 16e, and you may well have decided whether or not you're picking up this phone – but if you're still unsure, these extra details may help you come to a decision one way or the other.
While the iPhone 16e does stack up well against the pricier iPhone 16, there are some features missing (including MagSafe), so if you're choosing between the two then it's important to do a thorough comparison check before buying.
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We say this every week, but what a week it's been in tech: we've seen a flurry of new product launches, reported on a seismic shift in one of the biggest movie franchises in history, and spent some time with the thinnest foldable phone on the planet.
It's a lot to keep up with, which is why our weekly 'In Case You Missed It' round-up exists. Get yourself a beverage, settle down somewhere comfortable, and let's go through everything that happened over the last seven days.
Once you're fully caught up, we're all set for the next week in tech – and you can rely on TechRadar to bring you all the tech news that matters, as it happens.
8. You told us how you’re using AI The rise of AI continues (Image credit: Anthropic / OpenAI / Perplexity AI)The TechRadar team has been polling the general public in a new Special Report that takes the temperature of how AI tools are continuing to change our lives: there's no industry hype here, just real data taken from hundreds of users in the US and the UK.
We made some interesting discoveries about which AI tools are the most popular, how polite we're being to our AI companions, what AI is actually useful for, and why AI search is a genuine threat to Google – it's well worth your time to read through all these in full. Or just get your favorite AI tool to summarize them, at least.
Amazon-owned MGM Studios bought the Bond franchise back in 2022, but now the company has full creative control over the property: long-time stewards of Ian Fleming's creation, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson, are stepping aside.
It's a huge shift, and the world of James Bond won't ever be the same again. Let's hope the executives at MGM Studios keep everything that's great about the suave spy and resist the urge to churn out 12 spin-off television shows that we'll never get around to seeing.
6. Amazon culled a useful Kindle feature A long-standing Kindle feature is being taken away (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)When it's not charting out the future of James Bond, Amazon makes ereaders: and older Kindles owners are losing the ability to download their purchased ebooks to a computer. In the future, these files will be transferred wirelessly and locked to a Kindle.
This was a useful way of backing up ebooks you'd bought direct from Amazon, but it was also a feature people were exploiting to pirate files and distribute them across the web. Once again, normal users lose out because of the shady actions of a minority.
5. We met the new OnePlus Watch 3 The new OnePlus Watch 3 (Image credit: Future)Fresh from the launch of the excellent OnePlus 13, OnePlus has now pushed out the OnePlus Watch 3 to go with it – and we've been spending some hands-on time with the big, beautiful wearable. It's an iterative update, but it's still an impressive one.
Our full OnePlus Watch 3 review is still pending, but immediate highlights are the long, long battery life, the classic look of the timepiece, the new health features, and the extensive support for Google's third-party apps. This could be one of the best smartwatches for Android yet.
4. Canon teased a promising little video camera Say hello to the PowerShot V1 (Image credit: Canon)Vloggers in the market for a compact and capable camera would do well to consider the newly teased Canon PowerShot V1. Quietly announced on the Canon Japan website, it features an all-new 22.3MP sensor and some rather handy features for video makers.
We're still waiting for the full details of the camera, and global pricing, but we're liking what we've seen so far. While there are already a lot of vlogging cameras at this sort of price point, Canon may have come up with the perfect mix of price and performance here.
3. Amazon revealed two powerful Wi-Fi 7 routers Amazon has new routers to show off (Image credit: Amazon)When it's not charting out the future of James Bond, or making ereaders, Amazon also manufacturers routers. The Eero series has long been a great choice for affordable and reliable home networking kit, and there are now two new Wi-Fi 7 models available.
The Eero 7 and Eero Pro 7 come in at cheaper price points than the premium Eero Max 7, but still appear to do a fantastic job of blanketing your entire home in speedy Wi-Fi – ideal for busy households and power users. The devices start shipping on February 26.
2. We reviewed the world’s thinnest foldable phone The Oppo Find N5 is super-thin (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)Full marks to the engineers at Oppo, who have managed to build a foldable phone that measures just 4.21mm front-to-back when unfolded. That's incredibly thin, and we've been putting said phone – the Oppo Find N5 – to the test in a full review of its capabilities.
In short: Samsung should be worried, because the Oppo Find N5 stacks up very well against the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Not only is the phone very thin and light, it boasts a couple of excellent displays, and offers an impressive level of battery life for a foldable handset.
1. The iPhone 16e landed – and replaced the SE series Apple's newest iPhone is the iPhone 16e (Image credit: Apple / Future)There's no doubting the biggest news of the week: with the iPhone 16e, Apple revamped its most affordable iPhone series, ditching the Home button, Touch ID support, and the iPhone SE name at the same time. And there's a new modem chip for good measure.
Find out everything you need to know about the iPhone 16e on TechRadar below, including the internal specs (which compare very favorably with the iPhone 16), and how much it's going to cost you. It could well be the best value iPhone on the market at the moment.
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Hamas to release the last six live hostages whose freedom they agreed to under the current ceasefire deal.
(Image credit: Omar Al-Qattaa)
- Coming to Hulu in April 2025
- No official trailer, but short teaser unveiled
- Main cast all set to return
- New cast member announced
- Final season, but sequel, The Testaments, in the works
The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 will arrive in spring 2025, and while we eagerly await the final season of one of the best Hulu series, there’s plenty to talk about.
Adapted from Margaret Atwood’s best-selling novel of the same name, five gripping seasons so far have told the dystopian tale of a totalitarian society, Gilead, that forces fertile women to become surrogates for the rich and privileged. Led by Offred (Elisabeth Moss), a handmaid assigned to a couple, has fought for her freedom over five seasons, and yet there's still more to come.
As one of the best streaming services, Hulu has astounded with The Handmaid’s Tale, winning a multitude of awards during its eight intense years – and the finale aims to tie up the show with a bow - in any color, we hope, but red. Here’s everything we know from release date, possible plot, confirmed cast, news, rumors, and more.
The Handmaid's Tale season 6: is there a release date?A post shared by The Handmaid's Tale (@handmaidsonhulu)
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In September 2024, an official Instagram post of Moss holding a production clapper board revealed that filming had commenced. It also revealed that The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 will be coming in the spring of 2025, which has since been confirmed by Hulu to be on April 8. Exciting news, considering it’s been nearly three years since season 5.
While the previous seasons came out in consecutive years, there was a delay for The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes. Fortunately, with resolution came the chance to finally start filming the long-awaited final season and bring the dystopian tale to a close.
Three of the past five seasons have been released in April – and filming for those took place between September and February – so the release date is inline with previous seasons. Filming for season 6 started in September and is yet to wrap.
The Handmaid's Tale season 6: has a trailer been released? (Image credit: Hulu)While there’s been no full-length trailer yet for The Handmaid’s Tale season 6, there was a teaser embedded in the Disney Plus and Hulu 2025 trailer. Unfortunately, while we can't share the trailer, we can tell you what is shown. It starts with Serena Joy saying: “Something big is about to happen,” followed by June adding: “Let’s bring them home.” For now, that's all we have to go on, but we'll update here when a trailer drops.
The Handmaid's Tale season 6: confirmed cast The main cast will return for The Handmaid's Tale season 7 - plus, two new faces (Image credit: Hulu)Potential spoilers follow for The Handmaid's Tale season 6.
First look images of The Handmaid’s Tale season 6 officially confirmed the return of most of the main cast – though we imagine any not featured will still be back for the sixth and final season:
While the main cast are reprising their roles, there's also two new roles that have been cast - though details on their roles are being kept firmly under wraps.
Firstly, in July 2024, Deadline revealed that The Veil and The Good Wife star, Josh Charles, would be joining season 6: "in a series regular capacity." Then, in September 2024, as per Variety, a new role for Veep and Nobody Wants This star, Timothy Simons, was unveiled. Simons has reportedly been cast in a guest role, but as mentioned, we have no further intel than that right now.
The Handmaid's Tale season 6: story synopsis and rumors (Image credit: Hulu)Full spoilers follow for The Handmaid’s Tale seasons 1-5 below.
The Handmaid's Tale season 6 is the final season of the show - and so, there's a lot to tie up, especially considering how season 5 ended. June found herself on a train with her former captor, Serena, and their babies in tow. They're not exactly on good terms, so the situation as they escape to Canada will certainly be interesting to watch unfold.
Though June wasn't meant to be alone as the escape plan was always meant to involve Luke. Unfortunately, after June was almost murdered by a man instructed by Gilead, Luke killed him and ultimately handed himself over to the police, letting June leave without him.
(Image credit: Hulu)For June's role in season 6, Elisabeth Moss spoke to Elle: "I think that it's going to be a season where June is going to figure out who she is and who she's going to be for the rest of her life." She added: "The fight is not just about one individual; it's much larger than that. And I think she is, in season five, getting to that place where she's realizing that. And then season six is going to be very much about that, and then about all the characters figuring out whose side they're on and what their next move is."
There's also Nick's successful escape to Canada after his wife, Rose, left him. Janine being pulled away by The Eyes and Aunt Lydia showing some real emotion around the situation. Plus, Commander Lawrence's hopes and dreams for New Bethlehem seem entirely more likely after the death of Commander Putnam.
Creator Charlie Brooker has more sci-fi tales to tell (Image credit: Hulu)But, there's a big change when it comes to who's running the show as Bruce Miller stepped down to focus on his next project - the screen adaptation of Margaret Atwood's sequel, "The Testaments," as reported by Deadline. Great news for the spin-off, but he's left The Handmaid's Tale season 6 in the hands of Eric Tuchman and Yahlin Chang. Who, both worked on the show before this move.
Before he left though, Ben Miller spoke to Entertainment Weekly regarding the final season: “We are ending our show on our own creative terms. Hulu and MGM have been uniquely remarkable and generous in that way. So I think the good thing is, I’m able to do it the way that I want to do it. So if you hate it, it actually was on purpose. It wasn’t a mistake. I didn’t stumble.”
And the cast and crew are clearly dedicated to delivering a season six that impresses. Producer Warren Littlefield revealed to Deadline that when it comes to the final season: "A lot of people won't make it to the end of Handmaid's Tale. It's pretty chilling, but also exciting." Adding: "And I think we will satisfy those who have been with us through six seasons, I think they're feel powerfully rewarded."
Will there be more seasons of The Handmaid's Tale? (Image credit: Getty Images)We've mentioned this a few times already, but The Handmaid's Tale season 6 will be the show's last. But, in Littlefield's interview with Deadline, he spoke about Miller's focus on The Testaments and the future of the franchise as a whole. While Deadline reported that there had been "chatter that the project is heating up for a series greenlight," Littlefield said that it was "a priority project" and that it's a show that "we're spending a lot of time on" and that "we're full speed ahead; it's a really important franchise."
So it seems while The Handmaid's Tale may be coming to an end, the story of the Republic of Gilead could live on through an adaptation of Atwood's follow-up novel. The Testaments is set 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale – narrated by Aunt Lydia, Agnes, a woman living in Gilead, and Daisy, a woman living in Canada. Without giving anymore away for those who haven't read the book, there's plenty of story left to tell.
For more Hulu-based coverage, read our guides on Only Murders in the Building season 5, Shōgun season 2, and The Bear season 4.
Leaders from Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states met in Saudi Arabia to discuss alternative plans for Gaza's future than the one laid out by President Trump, which calls for displacing Palestinians.
(Image credit: Saudi Royal Palace)
The Bureau of Prisons is moving forward with plans to move transgender inmates out of prisons that align with their gender identity and into facilities that align with their assigned sex at birth.
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The idea of AI podcasts built from whatever documents you have lying around still feels like a trick of some kind, but Google's NotebookLM has shown me repeatedly that it can make informative, if not always lively, audio episodes on whatever subject I like.
The concept is simple: texts and transcripts become conversations among AI characters. They might casually discuss your research, breaking it down in an engaging, digestible way. You can even jump in, ask questions, and guide the discussion if you want.
But setting up NotebookLM to provide the best episode isn't necessarily intuitive. So, if you're a big audio learner or simply have many long car rides coming up, here are some tips to make the best fake podcasts possible.
Gather all your sources firstBefore diving into any project, one of the best things you can do is gather all your materials in one place. We all like to think we’ll remember which tab we left open for later, but we won’t. The beauty of NotebookLM is that it functions best with as much context as possible, so uploading everything relevant in a single notebook helps it find connections, identify patterns, and deliver meaningful insights.
For my gardening plans, it was like having two expert gardeners discuss my exact research – except I didn’t have to chase them down at a plant nursery. Instead of clicking through multiple articles, I got a clear, organized breakdown of what I needed to know, making it easier to retain and act on.
Ask follow-upsNotebookLM's podcasts aren't just passive, either. You can turn them into an interactive call show. Whenever the AI podcast brings up something interesting or unclear, you can take advantage of the ability to ask follow-up questions. This will help you refine the information and tailor it to your needs.
For my garden plans, the fertilizer discussion confused me a bit, but I jumped in and asked what to use for the kinds of veggies I wanted to grow. Then, the AI hosts immediately started answering my question before returning to the broader topic.
Tailored episodesNotebookLM’s podcast feature isn’t one-size-fits-all. You can tailor it based on what’s most important to you. Since I wanted a low-maintenance garden, I adjusted my NotebookLM session to focus on drought-resistant plants and natural pest control.
The AI picked up on this and emphasized strategies like mulching and using marigolds to deter insects. If you have a different goal, like maybe maximizing vegetable yields or growing flowers for aesthetic appeal, you can make whole new episodes that cover those elements alone.
'Hire' the right voicesI quickly realized that the AI-generated podcast sounds even better when you tweak the voice settings to match your preferences. NotebookLM offers different pacing and tones, and adjusting them can make a huge difference in how engaging and digestible the content feels.
For example, I found that setting the voices to a slightly slower pace helped me absorb the information better, especially when dealing with detailed gardening instructions. You can also break long episodes into smaller chapters. You can hear a good overview example from my gardening podcast experiments below.
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ChatGPT is used by 400 million people a week, as confirmed by OpenAI in a Reuters report. That's a shocking number, considering the AI chatbot is only a little over two years old. It makes ChatGPT one of the most widely used digital tools on the planet, putting it in the same league as search engines and social media platforms.
ChatGPT was a huge hit from its debut, hitting 1 million users in five days after launching in November of 2022. But, the pace of adoption has only accelerated, as, in December, it had reached 300 million weekly users, but its numbers have rocketed up by 100 million just two months later.
But just because a lot of people use ChatGPT doesn't mean they're all experts. You might still be only scratching the surface of what ChatGPT can actually do. If you want to really put ChatGPT through its paces, here are some tips.
Be specific (Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)How you ask ChatGPT for something dramatically affects what you get in return. If you type in something like, “Tell me about the French Revolution,” sure, it’ll give you a solid history lesson. But if you want more than a thumbnail explanation, get specific. Ask for an explanation of how the French Revolution impacted modern democracy, written in the style of a political thriller. Or tell it to summarize the causes of the revolution from the perspective of Marie Antoinette’s hairdresser.
ChatGPT is better when you add more detail. If you want help finding a job, don’t just ask, “Can you help me with my resume?” Instead, say, “I’m applying for a marketing manager role at a sustainability-focused company. Can you help me write a resume summary that highlights my experience in digital campaigns and environmental advocacy?” That gets the AI to really drill into ways to help you personally, not just on a general level.
Tell ChatGPT who to be (Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)One of the best ChatGPT tricks is getting the AI to play a role. Instead of making it guess what kind of response you want, you can tell it to become a character. If you need legal advice, though not the type that will hold up in court, you could say, “You’re an expert in intellectual property law. Explain how trademarks work in the fashion industry.” If you’re stuck on a creative project, tell ChatGPT, “You’re a veteran screenwriter. Help me outline a sci-fi movie about time travel paradoxes.”
When you assign ChatGPT a role, you'll notice its responses become sharper, more relevant, and more insightful as it sifts through its databases for how to behave and respond like the kind of person you tell it to be. It’s the difference between asking a random stranger for advice and sitting down with an actual expert, except, in this case, the expert just happens to be a chatbot with a deep knowledge base.
Don't take the first answer as final (Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)One of the most common mistakes people make is treating ChatGPT like Google or another search engine. Sure, you can ask a question and get an answer or a link, but that should be only the beginning. It's like treating a world-class chef as a vending machine.
Instead, think of ChatGPT as your brainstorming buddy, helping shape your ideas and getting shaped in turn by your prompts. If it gives you an answer that’s too formal, tell it to loosen up. If it writes something too long-winded, say, “Make this more concise.” If you need a more cheerful approach, you can ask, “Can you rewrite this from a more optimistic perspective?”
Refining ChatGPT’s output is the real power of the AI chatbot. Try having a back-and-forth, tweaking the response until it fits your needs. If you’re working on an important email, don’t just accept the first draft. Instead, ask ChatGPT to make it friendlier, then ask to make it more persuasive, and then shorten it. Before you know it, you’ll have an email that makes you sound like an absolute pro.
Get weird (Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)Most people tend to use ChatGPT in predictable ways. They ask the AI to summarize things, answer questions, draft emails, and do other dull tasks. But if you want to see what ChatGPT can do, you need to push the boundaries.
Instead of just asking it to explain a complex concept, tell it to do it in the form of a Shakespearean sonnet or a rap battle between Newton and Einstein. Instead of asking for a meal plan, tell it, “Create a week’s worth of meals for someone who eats like a medieval knight but needs to lower their cholesterol.”
Weird prompts lead to creative, unexpected, and often brilliant results. If you’re brainstorming for a project, don’t just ask for ideas. Combine the specificity and role suggestions above and tell the AI to think like a rebellious 1980s ad executive, a minimalist Zen master, or a time traveler from 2090. You’ll get answers you might never have come up with on your own.
Learn from the AI (Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)Most people use ChatGPT to do things for them, but the AI chatbot can have a longer-lasting impact on your life by teaching you how to learn better. The trick is treating ChatGPT like a coach, not just a tool.
If you’re learning to code, don’t just ask it to fix your errors; have it walk you through what went wrong and how to avoid it next time. ChatGPT can converse casually in several widely spoken tongues and correct you in real time if you want to learn to speak a new language. And if you need to be better at job interviews, you can practice to your heart's content with ChatGPT and get it to vary in interview style and difficulty. Thinking of ChatGPT as a personal tutor you can meet with at any time, and that doesn't judge you open up a lot of possibilities for self-improvement.
With 400 million people using ChatGPT every week, the AI chatbot is quickly becoming part of everyday life. That doesn't mean all those millions are taking advantage of ChatGPT's full abilities. The difference between a dabble and an expert in ChatGPT is how much someone pushes the AI chatbot beyond its most basic functions. So, get weird and specific. Combine ideas and act out scenarios with the AI chatbot. Remember, it will never outdo you at being human, but it could be the teacher and assistant supporting your goals in ways you've never imagined.
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Because of a Trump executive order, the Census Bureau is stopping work on statistics that could help protect the rights of transgender people, its recently departed director, Robert Santos, tells NPR.
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