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Lots of the best secure email providers use their own platforms and clients, but Virtru is an enterprise-level product designed to integrate with your existing workflows – which means that, in theory, Virtru should seamlessly start protecting sensitive data in your organization.

Indeed, Virtru’s secure collaboration and email product is deeply integrated with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Microsoft SharePoint, and its Secure Share module integrates with Google Drive, Microsoft SharePoint, OneDrive, Zendesk, and Confluence.

Elsewhere, Virtru works with SaaS products from Salesforce, ServiceNow, Kustomer and more. Virtru’s own Data Security Platform delivers secure collaboration and sharing beyond those apps thanks to an agnostic platform.

In short, then, Virtru works with loads of apps and systems. And, as you may have guessed, this is an enterprise-level product that’s not suitable for individuals who need secure email.

Virtru: Plans and pricing 

Despite the service's complexity, Virtru’s products are divided into four tiers, which makes pricing a bit easier to understand.

The Starter package is ideal for smaller businesses that need email protection. It costs $119/£94 per month for a five-user package. With that offering, you get secure email for Gmail and Outlook, Virtru’s full slate of email and file protection abilities, administrator controls, and integration with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. Basic support is also included.

The Business package, again for five users, costs $219/£174 per month. It includes everything in the Starter package and Virtru Secure Share, bulk decryption, integration with Google Workspace CSE and Google Vault, SSO compatibility, an audit log APU and custom branding for your business. You also get a 99.9% guaranteed uptime SLA.

(Image credit: Virtru)

If you're willing to pay extra, you can also add optional virtual private key stores and integrations with other third-party tools.

The next tier costs $399/£317 per month, again for five users. It includes everything in the Business package, as well as features designed for organizations that do business with US federal agencies.

It’s built to help ensure compliance with CMMC, DFARS 7012, and ITAR. It also includes FIPS 140-2 validated encryption.

It includes moderate FedRAMP ATO and a Virtru shared responsibility matrix for CMMC documentation. It also allows your organization to host private encryption keys. You also get deployment support, phone support and a dedicated customer success team. Premium support is also available as an optional extra.

The top package, Enterprise, uses custom pricing. It includes everything from the previous products alongside integration with Zendesk, Salesforce, and more SaaS systems. You can also add optional integrations with more systems and premium support.

It goes without saying that when you want to expand a package that includes support for five users, the price will rise accordingly.

Virtru: Features

Virtru is a far-reaching, complex product, but underneath it all you’ll find robust security credentials. Virtru’s systems use Trusted Data Format, or TDF, which is an open-source end-to-end encryption standard that protects your data at every stage of its lifecycle.

Underneath all of that, you’ll find AES 256-bit encryption, and it’s worth bearing in mind that encryption keys are not stored on Virtru’s servers – so you can control who has access to those, too.

This decentralized approach means you and your organization can maintain complete control over your data and its protection, and this zero-trust model ensures extra layers of security. Additionally, Virtru’s reliance on TDF means that you can embed policies and encryption directly into individual apps and objects across your organization’s workflows, which means you benefit from flexibility and full control.

Beyond the excellent underlying format, you can deploy attribute-based access control to enforce who can access your content dynamically.

Virtru’s underlying security prioritizes protection, control, and flexibility, and this ethos is evident in other features of its software suite.

Opt for its Google or Microsoft-integrated products, and you can secure your email and cloud storage data, encrypt meetings, safeguard documents, protect presentations and ensure data privacy.

Choose file-sharing integrations, and you can meet advanced compliance requirements, monitor and audit your data, give collaborators an effortless experience and, again, keep your data protected.

Virtru’s Data Protection Gateway protects emails and files before they leave your domain with inbound and outbound end-to-end encryption to ensure total protection for sensitive information, no matter the services involved.

Virtru’s Data Security Platform uses a zero-trust architecture and granular controls to ensure that your business has complete control over its data and who can access it.

Virtru: Interface and in-use

(Image credit: Virtru)

Virtru’s interface is a little different from many other secure email products – because this is a necessarily complex service that takes a different approach.

Instead of signing in to a web client, for instance, Virtru largely integrates with your existing software, with management handled by Virtru’s Control Center. In this regard, Virtru is excellent: its interfaces and management apps are attractive, well-designed and easy to navigate as long as you’ve got the requisite experience dealing with complex administrative tools.

Given Virtru’s high-end abilities, your organization should already have people who are well-versed in those apps.

(Image credit: Virtru)Virtru: Support

Varying levels of support are available with different Virtru products: at the lower levels, you get online help, and if you pay for the higher-end products, you can add phone support, a dedicated success team, premium options and deployment help to the package.

Those latter options are precisely the kind of support features we’d expect from a high-end enterprise product like Virtru.

In addition, Virtru’s website has an extensive knowledge base and basic live chat functionality.

Virtru: The competition

Virtru’s status as a high-end, enterprise-grade secure email and data product means it competes with similar products, such as Zoho’s suite of business apps. Indeed, Virtru even competes with Google and Microsoft, albeit with a greater focus on security and encryption.

In many ways, though, Virtru stands alone. Zoho is more focused on productivity across a wider variety of apps, and Google and Microsoft are designed to act as the underlying tools beneath Virtru. There isn’t much out there that offers the broad concentration on enterprise-level security and protection like Virtru.

Virtru: Final verdict

That leaves Virtru in a good position, especially with larger organizations – and that’s no surprise, because there’s lots to like about this product.

It’s packed with features and has excellent security credentials. The overall design of the Data Security Platform means that Virtru’s tools should integrate smoothly with virtually all of your systems.

Virtru can undoubtedly become expensive, but you get what you pay for – and if you’re a large business that wants to take data protection seriously, you should be considering Virtru.

What freedom means in the U.S. may be changing. For July 4, NPR wants to know: What does freedom mean to you?

(Image credit: Stu Forster)

Lots of the best secure email providers function by providing a web client or mobile app for you to use, but PreVeil is a bit different: as well as using PreVeil’s web client or Android and iOS apps, you can also send using your existing Outlook, Gmail or Apple Mail clients.

That immediately adds a huge amount of versatility to this app. If you move beyond that, you’ll find a secure email provider trusted by defense contractors, education institutions and legal organizations – so there’s some pedigree here.

PreVeil: Plans and pricing 

That sort of customer base and feature set makes it all the more amazing that PreVeil actually starts its offering with a free product.

PreVeil’s free account gives you 5GB of encrypted data storage, end-to-end email and file encryption, integration with Outlook, Gmail and File Explorer and mobile device access, so it’s a well-rounded offering if you need secure email and cloud storage.

The Individual plan costs $25/£20 per month, which is immediately more expensive than most of the other individual plans you’ll find on the market – but, in PreVeil’s defense, that package comes with a mammoth 5TB of data storage. That’s more than you’ll find anywhere else. You can also provide free accounts to third parties using this product.

(Image credit: PreVeil)

The Business product costs $30/£24 per user per month but the feature set accelerates. The Business tier meets compliance requirements for HIPAA, FERPA, SOC 2, GLB, FTC and IRS standards, and you can use an admin console, system logs, admin protection and data loss prevention.

Each user in the business product gets a massive 10TB of storage, too, and you get priority support and a dedicated customer success team.

If you work for a government organization or in the defense industry, PreVeil has a product that meets compliance requirements for DFARS 7012, CMMC, and ITAR and is FIPS 140-2 validated.

In this final tier, you get FedRAMP Moderate Equivalent, all data is stored in the AWS GovCloud, and you enjoy a Compliance Accelerator with pre-filled forms – and access to compliance experts.

If you’d like to access that final tier, you’ll need to contact PreVeil for a quote. SMEs can also use PreVeil Pass, a CMMC compliance solution that costs $415 per month for three users and includes encrypted email, pre-filled CMMC documentation, and specialist support.

PreVeil: Features

PreVeil operates using Zero Knowledge encryption with end-to-end ability, which means that all information associated with your emails is only encrypted and decrypted on user devices – so PreVeil can never see or access the contents of your messages. Underneath it all, you’ll find robust AES-256 used for symmetric encryption and elliptic curve P-256 used for asymmetric keys.

Passwords aren’t used with PreVeil, either. Instead, account access is managed by secret encryption keys that are only stored on user devices. Levels of encryption are used to “wrap” those keys to prevent unauthorized access. Your key remains stored on your device, so login is simple and secure.

To encrypt your emails and files, PreVeil deploys a symmetric system with varying keys used with Public Key Infrastructure technology. PreVeil doesn’t use any PGP system, though, which may be worth bearing in mind if you want to work with people who use PGP-based encryption.

Approval Groups cryptographically distribute trust to predetermined groups of users to avoid individuals compromising entire networks, and Trusted Communities allow organizations to safelist domains and email addresses.

We’ve got no qualms about PreVeil’s security, and the service remains impressive elsewhere. Its ability to work with email clients and free Android and iOS apps means that you can access your encrypted emails from anywhere – a boon when using PreVeil’s services in mission-critical business and government scenarios.

It’s not just about email, either, because PreVeil includes secure cloud storage that deploys the same level of encryption as email.

Administrators can manage users, devices and approved groups of users, define rules across their organizations and record the actions of users with tamper-proof logging.

PreVeil: Interface and in-use

(Image credit: PreVeil)

If you use PreVeil’s web browser or mobile apps, you’ll benefit from a straightforward, simple, and well-designed experience. Navigation is down the left, and your inbox is right in the middle.

A pop-up window makes composing emails easy, although there’s no option here to switch to a three-pane email management interface. Indeed, many other products offer a wider range of configuration settings in general. PreVeil is easy to use but not overwhelmed with tweaks and options.

(Image credit: PreVeil)

If you want to use PreVeil with your existing email client, you’ll need to go through a cryptographic setup process. Once that’s done, PreVeil adds a Secure Messages folder to your email app or interface, and a toggle at the bottom of your composition window allows you to activate or remove PreVeil encryption from your messages.

So, while PreVeil may not have as many settings as some rivals, it’s easy to use, whether you use the web client or your existing email app.

PreVeil: Support

Support tickets with PreVeil are filed over email, and there’s a huge knowledge base with loads of information on configuring and using the product.

The support ticket itself is comprehensive. You can provide a phone number to give PreVeil another option for contacting you, and they also have the facility to launch Zoom meetings to provide live assistance.

Certain customers at upper tiers also get priority support, phone support, and onboarding sessions, and PreVeil can provide webinars and training sessions.

PreVeil: The competition

PreVeil’s status as a certified provider for defense, government, and enterprise ensures that the service competes with some major players.

Hushmail, for instance, offers plans designed around the compliances required by legal and medical firms, so both services are worth investigating if you work in those industries. Zoho, too, offers HIPAA compliance. PreVeil goes further than both with military and government accreditations, though.

If you need to explore those accreditations and compare PreVeil to a key rival, check out Virtru. Both aim at the defense industries alongside healthcare and education, and they share many of the same accreditations.

PreVeil: Final verdict

PreVeil might not be the only secure email provider to deliver such a high level of security, compliance and encryption – we’re looking at you, Virtru – but it’s undoubtedly one of the best.

PreVeil's encryption and security are rock solid, and despite the level of power offered, they are very easy to use and, in most cases, very easy to set up.

PreVeil’s ability to work with existing email clients alongside its own interfaces and apps adds versatility.

It might be a little pricier than some secure email providers, but PreVeil justifies the cost with excellent design and security, especially for sensitive data in mission-critical scenarios.

Most of the best secure email providers offer users a new email address, client, and service to start from scratch, but most can be daunting, too, with loads of technical language that non-experts may not understand - and a wealth of tricky, intimidating options to select while setting up and configuring the client.

That’s not the case with Soverin. This secure email provider still aims to provide robust encryption but with a more accessible and straightforward approach than many rivals.

That makes it a potential winner for anyone who wants secure email without delving too much into the technical side of security.

Soverin: Plans and pricing 

Soverin’s pricing structure isn’t divided into rigid tiers. Instead, this product uses a more personalized system that enables you to build a package based on your needs.

The minimum cost of €39/$40/£32 per year immediately undercuts many other secure email providers. For that money, you get one mailbox that uses your existing domain and 25GB of space, which is a generous amount of capacity – lots of other services only provide 5GB or 10GB.

If you want to buy a new domain to set up a new, secure address, that costs extra, with .NL and .EU domains costing €13/$13/£11, .COM and .NET sitting at €18/$19/£15, and .ORG topping the list at €23/$24/£19.

Additional mailboxes cost €10/$10/£ each, and if you want to add an extra 25GB block of storage, it’ll cost you €29/$30/£24 every time.

There’s a thirty-day money-back guarantee, and the service doesn’t need personal information when you sign up – although you can’t pay with cryptocurrencies or cash, as you can with other secure email providers.

Soverin: Features

Soverin offers full encryption to emails sent and received through their servers, which is an excellent start for any secure email service. Soverin strips IP addresses from emails – something that not every secure email provider actually does – and supports two-factor authentication through its own web client.

Outbound SMTP servers check and honor TLSA records, and inbound servers benefit from published TLSA records.

Soverin uses DKIM/DMARC by default and, deploys SRS and ARC for email forwarding, and is fully compliant with a broad range of laws and standards, like GDPR, AVG, SPF, SSL, DANE and more.

Third-party services independently verify Soverin’s encryption: it scores a 100% confidence rating on CheckTLS.com and an A+ from SSL Labs. Soverin also scores 5/5 in the EU’s MESCA email test.

It’s worth noting that while Soverin always uses encrypted connections with OpenPGP used throughout, they don’t control security used outside of the Soverin ecosystem. If you want this level of security, you’ll need to use your own OpenPGP connection using a service like Mailvelope.

There’s no tracking, no advertising, and no chance for Soverin to see the contents of your mailbox.

Elsewhere, lots of features prove Soverin’s versatility. Thanks to IMAP and POP3 support, it works with any mobile or desktop email client, and you can use your own domain. A unified platform with full user control can be built and provided, mail can be imported from external services, and domain management is available, too. The platform also has its own spam filter and 24-hour monitoring and alerting for suspicious activity.

If you’re buying Soverin for an organization you can customize the product with custom colors, menus and your logos, you’ve got complete control over the number of mailboxes and aliases you use alongside custom domains, and the web client has integrated calendar, contact and task functionality.

Soverin’s servers are hosted in three data centers in the Netherlands, where secure infrastructure and disc encryption protect physical hardware. Hosting providers are selected based on Soverin’s strict privacy requirements. No customer information is shared with third-party organizations.

Soverin: Interface and in-use

(Image credit: Soverin)

Because Soverin works by encrypting your existing account, a little setup is required to get things started. You’ve got to verify that you’re the owner of your domain by adding text records to your DNS, MX and SPF settings.

Once that’s done, you can access Soverin’s mailbox. This attractive and straightforward mail client mimics the three-panel design so often seen elsewhere, making it easy to use for anyone familiar with online email.

(Image credit: Soverin)

At the window's top-right are icons that allow you to switch to your calendar, contacts, and to-do list. In the settings menu, you’ll find all of the key options you need for configuration, but it must be said that many other services give you more granular control over functionality – Soverin’s settings menu is not complicated or intimidating, but you will have more options elsewhere.

Soverin: Support

To access Soverin’s support, you can email them – it’s that simple. The company intends to respond to messages quickly and maintains a service status page on its website.

Elsewhere, the Help section includes guides on setting up your service and customizing key functionality. The guides are well-written and have straightforward explanations that should be easy to follow, even for beginners. There’s also a good FAQ section.

That’s it for support, though. There’s no live chat and no phone support here, which is the kind of thing you’ll find from larger organizations, and lots of other email products offer more depth in their online FAQ and help sections, too.

Soverin: The competition

Soverin’s status as an accessible and affordable secure email provider sees it competing with some big names, including Tuta and Posteo.

All three services are similar, with good security functionality and rock-solid core email client experiences.

Soverin offers more storage than Posteo, but Posteo is even cheaper than Soverin – and it’s not like Soverin is particularly expensive. Tuta, meanwhile, has exceptional security and it also has mobile apps, but customer support is not great.

If you’d like more functionality, including Office tools, VPNs and cloud storage, then it’s worth considering products like Proton and Mailbox.org – and even Zoho if you want a complete business solution. But they’re far more complex and potentially much more expensive, too.

Zoho Mail: Final verdict

Soverin is an effective secure email option, with robust security procedures, straightforward design and flexible, affordable pricing – so if you want a no-nonsense secure email product, it’s worth consideration.

That said, products from larger organizations will offer more support functionality, which is essential for businesses, and the lack of in-depth support won’t sate technical users and people who want more control over their emails.

• International critics of Russia and academics have received phishing emails
• Slow rapport building with fake US State Department teams
• Victims are tricked into sharing Google app-specific passwords

Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has shared details of a new threat actor tracked as UNC6293, believed to be a Russian state-sponsored group, targeting prominent academics and critics of the country.

Victims have reportedly been receiving phishing emails using spoofed '@state.gov' addresses in the CC field to build credibility, but instead of being hit with immediate malicious payloads, the attackers are using social engineering tactics to build rapports with their targets.

Google's researchers uncovered the slow-paced nature attackers used to build rapports with their victims, often sending them personalized emails and inviting them to private conversations or meetings.

Academics and critics are being targeted by Russia

In one screenshot shared by Google's threat intelligence team, Keir Giles, a prominent British researcher on Russia, received a fake US Department of State email believed to be part of the UNC6293 campaign.

"Several of my email accounts have been targeted with a sophisticated account takeover that involved impersonating the US State Department," Giles shared on LinkedIn.

In the attack email, victims receive a benign PDF attachment designed to look like an invitation to securely access a (fake) Department of State cloud environment. It's this website that ultimately gives the attackers, which Google believes could be linked to APT29 (aka Cozy Bear, Nobelium), access to a user's Gmail account.

Victims are guided to create an app-specific password (ASP) at account.google.com, and then share that 16-character ASP with the attackers.

"ASPs are randomly generated 16-character passcodes that allow third-party applications to access your Google Account, intended for applications and devices that do not support features like 2-step verification (2SV)," Google explained.

Google highlights users can create or revoke ASPs at any time, and a pop-up on its site even advises users that ASPs "aren't recommended and are unnecessary in most cases."

More importantly, though, is that while attacks come in all different flavors, social engineering and phishing remain highly effective vectors – and yet they're typically comparably easy to detect, with a bit of prior understanding and training.

The standard advice, then, remains – avoid clicking on attachments from email addresses you're unfamiliar with, and certainly never share account credentials with unknown individuals.

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The DeLorean and more commemorative items will arrive at this year's San Diego Comic-Con event.

Ironheart will bring down the curtain on Marvel Phase 5 in the very near future, and, with the Dominique Thorne-starring TV show set to launch on Disney+ in less than 72 hours, you'll want to know when you can watch it.

Below, I'll reveal the release date and launch time for its three-episode premiere in numerous countries (NB: if your nation isn't listed below, you can use one of the following dates and/or times to determine when you can stream it).

There's also a full release schedule at the end of this article, which confirms when its final three chapters will air. So, engage your thrusters and let's dive in.

What is the release date for Ironheart on Disney+?

Ironheart will launch with a three-episode premiere (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Ironheart will make its debut on one of the world's best streaming services on Tuesday, June 24 in the US, and Wednesday, June 25 in the UK and Australia.

Don't worry if you don't reside in any of those countries, though. The next Marvel TV Original will also air on Disney+ across the globe, so read on to find out what its launch date is in other nations via the list below:

• US – Tuesday, June 24
• Canada – Tuesday, June 24
• Brazil – Tuesday, June 24
• UK – Wednesday, June 25
• India – Wednesday, June 25
• Singapore – Wednesday, June 25
• Japan – Wednesday, June 25
• Australia – Wednesday, June 25
• New Zealand – Wednesday, June 25

What is the launch time for Ironheart episodes 1 to 3?

You don't need to be a chaos-magic wielder like Parker Robbins to find out when Ironheart will premiere in your country (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Unlike most Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV shows, which have debuted with two-episode premieres, the first three chapters of Ironheart will be released on launch day. That unique release format was confirmed at the end of Ironheart's first trailer, and reiterated by Marvel when it revealed Ironheart's full episodic release schedule on social media.

So, what time will Ironheart's first three entries arrive on the dates outlined in the previous section? Read on for more details:

• US – 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada – 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Brazil – 10pm BRT
• UK – 2am BST
• India – 6:30am IST
• Singapore – 9am SGT
• Japan – 10am JST
• Australia – 11am AEST
• New Zealand – 1pm NZST

What is the release date for Ironheart episodes 4 to 6?

Ironheart's final three episodes will be released on the same daye (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

As I've outlined in my dedicated Ironheart guide, episodes 4, 5, and 6 will be released simultaneously one week after its first three chapters have premiered. Here's a full rundown of when they'll air in the nations I've included in this guide:

• US – Tuesday, July 1
• Canada – Tuesday, July 1
• Brazil – Tuesday, July 1
• UK – Wednesday, July 2
• India – Wednesday, July 2
• Singapore – Wednesday, July 2
• Japan – Wednesday, July 2
• Australia – Wednesday, July 2
• New Zealand – Wednesday, July 2

For more information on Ironheart, check out the articles linked below. Be sure to check in with TechRadar over the next few days, too, for our review and other exclusive coverage.

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Israel says it struck multiple sites across Tehran, including the Fordo nuclear site hit by the U.S. days earlier and a prison known for jailing regime opponents.

(Image credit: Alexander Kazakov)

You're going to be walking a lot so you might as well put your best foot forward.

This is Hideo Kojima's most relaxing game yet.

Despite my love for all things fast-paced and wild, action-adventure PS5 game Death Stranding 2: On the Beach had me falling in love with the serene.

There’s a magical quality to just strolling around in the Australian wilds as you make your way from station to station delivering parcels, and while you can speed the game up with all manner of gadgets, I found myself leaving it alone so I could take in the world that developer Kojima Productions has created.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5
Release date: June 26, 2025

The trailers for Death Stranding 2 flaunted a ton of action-packed moments, leading me to believe we’d be in for a far more conventional action game after the somewhat divisive reaction to its predecessor. However, I’m happy to say that, while, yes the action is much better, the core of the game is still about parcel delivery and exploration. Kojima Productions hasn’t lost sight of what made the original game shine in order to appeal to a broader audience.

Don’t be so serious

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

Death Stranding 2 once again follows Sam, a legendary deliveryman, who is now living a secluded life with baby Lou right after the events of the original game. And while the United Cities of America (UCA) – which Sam linked up in the original – is now content with automatic delivery robots, Fragile, an ally from Sam’s past manages to track him down and pull him back out for one final job – to link up Mexico into the Chiral Network - effectively a massive internet connection bringing these disparate areas together.

Joining up Mexico opens up a portal to Australia, which in turn has Sam take on another gig there as a member of the crew aboard a floating ship called the DHV Magellan. The crew hopes to open more portals and eventually connect the world and remedy the apocalyptic Death Stranding event, which tore the world apart in the first place.

Without the need to introduce the character, Death Stranding 2 is a very introspective and personal story for Sam, and as a result, it feels like it can go long stretches without any significant plot development happening.

It makes up for it with a far more character-driven approach, bolstered by what is probably the best acting performance I’ve seen from Norman Reedus across any medium. Interpersonal relationships and character studies carry the game before leading into an extremely Hideo Kojima third act full of wild events and tons of exposition that reaches Metal Gear Solid levels of bombast and absolutely nails the landing.

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

And while I wouldn’t call the original Death Stranding supporting cast bad by any means, Death Stranding 2’s newcomers are on another level. Sam’s main crew aboard the DHV Magellan ship includes Fragile returning, with new arrivals like Tarman, Tomorrow, Rainy, and Dollman making up the ranks.

Dollman in particular works akin to God of War’s Mimir, being strapped to Sam’s hip on his trails and providing expository dialogue and the like. I was afraid that this type of companion would interfere with the isolation that defined the original game, but he quickly became one of my favourite characters and a heartfelt one at that – despite being a doll modelled after a Turkish film director.

Meanwhile, the relationship between Fragile, Tomorrow, and Rainy was always a highlight whenever it was on screen, with the latter having one of the most engaging side plots in the game.

On the villain front, Higgs returns from the original with a lust for revenge that pushes that character to the next level. Then there’s Neil, who takes on the role that Mads Mikkelsen’s Cliff had in the first game of a character who appears in flashbacks and otherworld scenes. And after Kojima featured the character so heavily in trailers, I was a touch disappointed with how sparingly he was used. But in the end, it landed that I found myself in tears over a character whom I’d barely seen – thanks in large part to the incredible performance by Luca Marinelli.

I’ll keep coming

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

Death Stranding 2 isn’t some massive overhaul, despite what the action-packed trailers may have you believe. The core of the game is still about traversal and parcel delivery. And honestly, outside of new gear and structures to try, it’s not all that different (not that it needs to be).

The biggest shake-up is with the day and night cycle and weather systems, which can cause earthquakes, sandstorms, and whiteouts, which are cool for sure, but never made too much of an impact on my deliveries. The Strand system – which has other players' buildings and gear appear in your world to drive home that feeling of connection – returns, and it’s still one of the best implementations of asynchronous multiplayer found in a game.

Death Stranding 2 retains one of the original game’s best features, where the licensed soundtrack kicks in and the camera pulls back, really bringing home just how vast the world is that Sam has to traverse, leading to some euphoric moments where you’re treated to a mixture of a gorgeous vista and a beautiful tune. W

hile there are a ton of artists this time, alongside composer Ludwig Forsell, Woodkid takes on the main musical role this time, with his music being as prominent to this game as Low Roar was to the original. Both these vocal tracks and the score are gorgeous, ranking among the best soundtracks in recent memory, with the synth-heavy moments and the ambient vocal tracks.

This time around, you do get an upgrade that allows you to listen to any of the songs when roaming the world, with the game cutting you off when it wants to do these moments, although I elected not to use it to make those musical moments that much more impactful.

Once, there was an explosion

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

This time around, the gunplay feels far better than it did in the original Death Stranding, and the expanded roster of weapons gives you a lot to play with. There are still enemy encampments scattered around the map, which allows for a Metal Gear Solid 5-style approach where you can scout out areas and take your own approach to them, although the enemy AI isn’t quite as in-depth.

Meanwhile, the boss fights – which were a hindrance at best in the original – are much improved. While Sam still fights giant goop monsters, his expanded kit and their altered movesets make battles far more engaging, while the mech bosses are a solid change of pace, even if they do boil down to “shoot the glowy bit.”

On a technical level, Death Stranding 2 may be the best-looking game I’ve ever seen, even in performance mode. The opening scene in the mountains is genuinely breathtaking. The textures on the ground, the snow-topped mountains, the weather, the character models, and even the sky regularly had me in awe in a way you don’t really get in an era where graphical fidelity has started to plateau.

Best bit

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)

Death Stranding 2’s opening scene is one of the most striking openings in recent memory, in which you take a stroll with baby Lou across a mountain range to get back to your home, all while taking in some of the most gorgeous environments I’ve seen in a game.

We all knew what the Decima engine was capable of thanks to the Horizon series, but this takes it to the next level. And having played the game across both PlayStation 5 Pro and the PlayStation 5 Slim, it looks incredible and has a solid frame rate throughout. There is also a resolution mode available, but I found the graphical benefits negligible compared to having the higher frame rate available on the performance mode.

While my time with Death Stranding 2 was mostly glitch-free, I did have various audio issues, including multiple moments where the scheduled music tracks didn’t kick in. This also happened during the final boss, where the battle was happening in complete silence, prompting a restart.

Death Stranding 2 is what a sequel should be. It meaningfully builds on the ideas found in the original while not losing sight of what made it so great in the first place. Kojima Productions is never a studio to play it safe, and doubling down on the brilliant traversal and asynchronous multiplayer focus is exactly the right move.

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)Should you play Death Stranding 2: On the Beach?Play it if...

You enjoy playing unusual and unique games
Death Stranding 2 is filled to the brim with Hideo Kojima’s signature bizarre moments, characters, and world-building, while not sacrificing interesting gameplay. While not a massive departure from its predecessor, it has a weirdness you rarely get from a AAA release.

You want to make the most of your PS5 Pro
While it still looks gorgeous on the original PS5, Death Stranding 2 is one of the most jaw-dropping games I’ve ever played on a graphical front, even in performance mode. While still running at a solid 60fps.

You love great acting in games
While the goo monsters and talking dolls of Death Stranding 2’s world are undoubtedly silly, every lead actor brings their A game, with excellent performances from Norman Reedus, Shioli Kutsuna, Lea Seydoux, Troy Baker, and, yes, even, Jonathan Roumie – who voices the aforementioned talking doll.

Don't play it if...

You don’t like convoluted plots
There’s a lot to the world of Death Stranding, so much so that it includes an in-game glossary where players can read about the various people, phenomena, and terms introduced in the world. And while my past with Hideo Kojima games has conditioned me to extreme worldbuilding, it can definitely get a bit nonsensical if you’re not up to date on your lore.

You didn't gel with Death Stranding
While Death Stranding 2’s larger scope and enhanced combat are sure to bring in some new fans, at its core, it’s still a game about traversing the world and making deliveries. So if you were really against that the first time around, don’t expect to change your mind this time.

Accessibility

Compared to PlayStation Studios’ usually stellar track record of accessibility options, Death Stranding 2 is a bit basic when it comes to accessibility, sadly.

Sprinting and aiming structures to build that can be changed from holding a button to a toggle, while the soothing Lou action can be changed from motion controls to using the left stick, plus you have the ability to change your camera controls and speed.

There are no colorblindness options, and subtitles lack the option for backgrounds, text size, or font color available. Plus, you cannot remap the controls at all. There are four difficulty options (Story, Casual, Normal, and Brutal), but the game isn’t exactly clear about what changes across these modes.

(Image credit: Kojima Productions)How I reviewed Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

I played 40 hours of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach on Normal difficulty. During this time, I completed the main story, as well as the sub-mission deliveries, as well as a few standard deliveries when I wanted to buff up specific outposts. I connected all but two preppers to the Chiral Network before finishing the game, and went back for them after the fact.

I also went back and played some of the original Death Stranding, which I had played to completion twice before, for comparison’s sake.

I played the majority of Death Stranding 2 on a PS5 Pro on a Samsung Q60D TV and a Samsung HW-T450 soundbar. I also played on a PS5 Slim on a Samsung Odyssey G5 gaming monitor with a PlayStation Pulse 3D Headset.

First reviewed June 2025

Bandwidth and latency are often confused, but they aren't the same thing. Though both can impact the speed and quality of your home internet experience.

The Trump administration is defending its strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, which were carried out without congressional approval. And, a look at how Iran could respond to the U.S. strikes.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

Believe it or not, there’s been a massive reduction in scam robocalls over the past few years. According to according to stats we gathered across millions of data points, scam calls are down roughly 75% since the Fall of 2021-- from more than 2 billion every month to roughly 500 million every month currently. That’s a massive decline, and it appears to be great news.

So why does it feel like we’re in more danger, not less?

Because we are.

Total losses

In 2021, the Federal Trade Commission reported the total losses from scams starting with a phone call were approximately $692 million, with a median loss of about $1,200 per victim. By 2024, those numbers had risen to $948 million, and a median loss of $1,500. Simple back-of-the-envelope math shows 25% of the calls led to 37% higher losses. In other words, the scammers have become roughly five to six times more efficient in their scamming ability from phone calls. They are making more money, with fewer calls and taking more from every victim.

That’s not great.

How do scammers do this? The answer is surprisingly simple: they became very efficient marketers.

Scammers used to simply “dial for dollars,” calling one number after another, hoping to find vulnerable targets. That approach meant making calls to a lot of people who were irrelevant to the scam. Now, they are much smarter and more strategic.

They often use curated lists of potential victims. If they want to run a banking scam, they can call everyone hoping to find customers of the bank, or scammers can obtain that bank’s customer list and launch a call campaign in which they impersonate that particular bank.

And that’s exactly what they’re doing.

Getting information

Where do scammers get this information? They can simply go to the dark web, to find the results of data breaches that have exposed the personal details of millions. Breaches provide scammers with names, phone numbers, email addresses and even account details—everything they need to convincingly impersonate a trusted entity such as a bank. If scammers want to target an enterprise, they can easily get a list of employees, and call their personal cell phones.

The sheer volume of data breaches in recent years means much of our personal information is essentially public. Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, Social Security numbers, credit card details, account numbers, medical records—the list goes on. With all that data in hand, it’s not hard to find the right targets with the right information to sound legitimate. After that, scammers can follow their script and pressure victims to transfer funds quickly or take some other problematic action.

So what to do?

Short answer

The short answer for individuals is that you must assume your identity is already out there. The genie is out of the bottle, and pretending otherwise only puts you at greater risk. The real question isn’t how to hide your identity-- it’s how to operate safely in a world where your personal and professional information is already exposed.

Assume attackers know more than they should. They’re using publicly available data to impersonate company leaders, target employees, and launch social engineering campaigns that feel alarmingly real. Add in voice cloning and A.I.-generated deepfakes, and the risk multiplies quickly.

That means you need to be skeptical, not scared. Focus less on chasing privacy and focus more on proactive protection. Assume that all unexpected inbound calls are potential fraud. Use technology like smart call blockers that can help filter out scams.

And always validate the caller by hanging up and calling their institution on a number provided to you by a legitimate source. If they say they’re a bank, call the bank directly. If a caller says they’re from your company, make a call to a number provided by your employer.

Conclusion

While individuals must take those actions to protect themselves, business also play a major role in reducing the risks of scams. That should start with programs educating employees on how to recognize suspicious calls and impersonation tactics. Encourage employees to verify any unexpected requests, especially anything related to financial transactions and sensitive data. A quick phone call to a supervisor can prevent a costly mistake.

The bad guys are only going to get better at their jobs. Your private information is only going to become more public. But if you stay vigilant and take the right precautions, you can protect yourself and avoid becoming the next victim.

We list the best identity theft protection.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Footage purportedly showing the campaign of the next Battlefield game has leaked
• It shows a firefight on a massive dam and some dramatic destruction
• The video was allegedly found in the Battlefield Labs client

A reliable dataminer has leaked footage that purportedly shows part of a mission from the upcoming Battlefield 6 campaign.

In an earnings call bac in February this year, we learned that the next Battlefield title will be released before March 31, 2026. Judging by this timeframe, a reveal is likely set for this summer, and testing is currently underway as part of the ongoing Battlefield Labs initiative.

Described by publisher Electronic Arts (EA) as the “most ambitious community development collaboration ever,” the program allows select players to try parts of the next game and influence its development through feedback.

As you might expect, this means that there has been a steady stream of leaks from those either playing these early builds or combing through them for data.

The latest snippet of info comes from X / Twitter user 'temporyal', who has a strong track record as a leaker, and concerns the game's campaign. It takes the form of a short video file, purportedly found in the Battlefield Labs client.

Here's a short clip from the Battlefield 6 singleplayer campaign in the latest BF Labs update.This work-in-progress footage shows the explosive finale of a mission to destroy a dam in Tajikistan. pic.twitter.com/n9ikBpUrmQJune 19, 2025

In it, we see what appears to be a brief segment from the campaign in which the player boards a military truck in the shadow of a huge dam. Fire is exchanged briefly with some oncoming enemies before the scene reaches a climax as the dam dramatically explodes while the player flees in the back of the truck.

It's the kind of showstopping destruction that you would want from a Battlefield and reminds me of some of the classic set-piece moments from older titles like Battlefield 4. Considering the fact that the latest entry in the series, Battlefield 2042, didn't even come with a single-player campaign component, this already seems like a massive improvement, and I can't wait to see more.

The footage is obviously from a very early build of the game, though, as textures, lighting, and character animation are clearly unfinished. Still, it's easy to imagine how the scene might look in the finished product.

Of course, you should bear in mind that there is no guarantee that anything shown in this leak will appear in the final game - or that it's even from the campaign in the first place. Games can change a lot throughout development, so we'll have to wait for some official details from EA for more concrete information.

The leaker does go on to share some interesting titbits, though, including the fact that the campaign may comprise of a prologue and eight separate missions. These will allegedly take place in a range of global locations, including Egypt, Tajikistan, the US, and Gibraltar.

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• Microsoft Teams is working on variable notification sizes
• The new addition should hopefully minimize disruption while working
• All Microsoft Teams users should benefit upon launch

Being distracted by unruly Microsoft Teams pop-ups could soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new update coming to the service soon.

The video conferencing platform has revealed it is working on adding a feature which will allow users to tweak the size of Teams notifications.

Once released, this tool should mean users are safe from having distracting pop-ups catch the corner of their eye when working - something I know I've definitely fallen victim to in the past.

Microsoft Teams notification sizes

In a Microsoft 365 roadmap post, the company explained the feature will, quite simply, give users the chance to "change the size of Teams notifications".

This includes a new "compact" size, which the company says, "takes up less space on the user's screen and offers a clean, minimalist design."

That's all the detail we currently have on the feature itself, which we're guessing will be accessible from the Settings menu or preferences list.

The feature is listed as being "in development", but has a scheduled rollout start date of July 2025, so users don't have too long to wait. When released, it will be available to users across the world using Teams on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

The launch is the latest in a series of recent improvements to Microsoft Teams announced by the company as it looks to improve the experience for users.

This includes a tweak that will allow multiple people to control slides being presented in a meeting or call.

Microsoft says the addition will mean that presenters are able to maintain "a smooth flow during meetings or webinars" - hopefully meaning the end of manual slide changes - and hopefully, the phrase "next slide please".

It also recently announced it would be adding noise suppression for participants dialing in to a call, which should spell an end to potentially ear-splitting call interruptions, or participants being deafened by background noise from another person on the call.

The platform also revealed it is rolling out "enhanced spell check", giving users the tools to make sure their messages are as accurate as possible.

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• iPadOS’s Stage Manager feature is coming to more iPads
• That could improve multitasking capabilities for iPad users
• But iPadOS 26 brings even better features to iPad than Stage Manager

If you’re a fan of multitasking on any of the best iPads, you were probably heartened to see all the new features Apple brought to iPadOS 26 at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). But while those additions are sure to make a splash for productivity power users, the company is also extending the existing Stage Manager feature to even more iPads.

In case you missed it, Stage Manager lets you group apps into sets and then switch between those sets as needed. It’s designed to help you focus on one task and all the windows you need to complete it, then change to a different task and group of apps after. It’s available on both iPadOS and macOS.

With iPadOS 26, Stage Manager will be available on more iPads than before. Previously, it only worked on the 13-inch iPad Pro with M4 chip, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (third generation or later), the 11-inch iPad Pro (first generation or later), and the iPad Air (fifth generation or later).

As noted on Reddit, in addition to those tablets, Stage Manager now also works with the third-generation iPad Air or later (not just the fifth-generation model), the iPad mini (fifth generation or later), and the entry-level iPad (eighth-generation or later). In essence, Stage Manager works with any iPad that can run iPadOS 26.

Better than Stage Manager

(Image credit: Apple)

Stage Manager has proven to be a somewhat divisive feature since it was released – not helped by a buggy launch – and it’s struggled to establish itself as a must-have element of iPadOS. Although I was intrigued by it at first, I quickly found Stage Manager to be a little half-baked, and it never became a regular part of my setup on either my iPad or my Mac.

What looks to be far more interesting is the range of productivity tools Apple has added to iPadOS 26. That includes a Mac-like menu bar, full overlapping app support, window resizing, and even the “traffic light” buttons used to close, minimize or maximize app windows. Window tiling in particular is an excellent addition to the iPad, as you get a lot more window position options than just using an older feature like Split View.

Being able to use an iPad like a Mac offers much more appeal to me than Stage Manager. That’s partly because the Mac-like interface is just much more familiar to anyone who has used a computer before – there’s no new system to learn, as there is with Stage Manager. And gaining these new tools now makes it much more comfortable to work on the go with my iPad, as I no longer need to sacrifice capability in the name of portability.

Still, with Stage Manager coming to more iPads than before, it could still find an audience among Apple fans who have never had access to it. In any case, combined with iPadOS 26’s new multitasking features, it’s clear that Apple is taking productivity and user interface management a little more seriously.

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• The recent 16 billion record breach may not be as bad as it sounds
• The datasets most likely contain previously leaked information
• Nevertheless, those affected could still be at risk, so be on your guard

Following the recent reports of over 16 billion records being leaked in an ‘unimaginable’ major data breach, further research has claimed the reality of the incident might not be as disastrous as first thought.

Following significant speculation about the effects and origins of the breach, new findings from BleepingComputer suggest this “breach” may not be new, or even a breach - but instead just a compilation of existing leaked credentials.

The inital datasets discovered by the researchers included hordes of personal information, with each of the 30 datasets containing between tens of millions, to over 3.5 billion data points - totaling 16 billion records. It now looks likely this was a series of datasets simply containing breached credentials assembled by a cybersecurity firm (or by criminals) which was then exposed online.

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Infostealers to blame

“Despite the buzz, there's no evidence this compilation contains new or previously unseen data,” BleepingComputer confirms.

The information from these datasets has likely been circulating for a while, and the layout of the breached information suggests that it was collected using infostealers - a type of malware that has become one of the most prolific threats to security teams and internet users alike.

The information found in these datasets is formatted in such a way that points the finger firmly at infostealers, with credentials appearing in a one per line format (URL:username:password) all compiled in one ‘log’.

One attack from an infostealer can exfiltrate all of the credentials stored on a browser, and the logs are then uploaded and usually sold on the dark web.

Criminals will often upload samples of their stolen data as a ‘taster’ to prove the information is legitimate.

Since these breaches can sometimes contain billions of records, these samples frequently hold tens of thousands of credentials - and this data breach is most likely a compilation of these tasters.

What to do next

New or not, leaked credentials pose a huge threat to those affected. If your information has been leaked, make sure to take a look at some identity theft protection software, as criminals can use your name, address, and details to take out credit cards or loans in your name.

HaveIBeenPwned? is probably the best resource only to check if your details have been affected, offering a run-down of every big cyber incident of the past few years.

As a business, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and ensuring all staff are thoroughly trained on the dangers and signs of social engineering attacks is key. Using business password managers can also help ensure all user passwords are secure.

And if you save passwords to a Google account, you can use Google's Password Checkup tool to see if any have been compromised, or sign up for one of the best password manager options we've rounded up to make sure your logins are protected.

"If this news frightens you, then your security program probably has some fundamental gaps,” argues James Shank, Director of Threat Operations at Expel.

“Let this be the fuel you need to position yourself and your department for solving the problem systematically, rather than defending against the news du jour. There will always be another breach, with even more passwords, and emergency handling will continue if you don't have systematic defenses in place."

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• Hackers claim 64 million leaked T-Mobile records, but it denies breach

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Govee Neon Rope Light 2 review

The Govee Neon Rope Light 2 is a fun and flexible RGB light strip that’s easy to use and yet another example of why Govee remains a go-to when many people are shopping for smart lights.

TechRadar Smart Home Week

This article is part of TechRadar's Smart Home Week 2025. From lighting and switches to robot window cleaners and smart thermostats, we're here to help you pick the right devices to make your life easier, and get the most out of them.

I tested the 16.4ft / 5m model of the Govee Neon Rope Light 2, which is available to purchase on the Govee website for $99.99 /£99.99, as is the 9.8ft / 3m length, which has a list price of $69.99 / £79.99. At the time of writing, Govee US is offering the 9.8ft model for $49.99, and the 16.4ft for $84.99, and there’s a 20% discount off the five-meter model at Amazon UK, lowering the price to just £79.99, so it’s worth checking which retailer has the best offer before purchasing. I got to test the white model, but it’s also available in black, so it should blend in whether you’re making a statement in your living room or adding another element to your RGB-heavy gaming setup.

(Image credit: Future)

The material of the Neon Rope Light 2 looked good quality and was as smooth and soft to the touch as you'd expect from any of the best smart lights on the market. However, due to the nature of the material, it proved to be a bit of a magnet for dust and lint. It was flexible and easy to shape, but it still took two of us to recreate one of the example designs on the app – mostly because 16.4 feet / five meters was a lot to wrestle with on my own. The step-by-step process given by the app was blissfully easy to follow, with the rope light showing red sections to indicate where it should be curved or fixed.

I found the bendable metal clips really easy to work with, as I just needed to slot them over the base of the rope light and bend them into the required shape, before peeling off the backing of the 3M adhesive pad and sticking it in place. There were 10 of these bendable clips included, along with 15 plastic mounting clips, which were more than enough to recreate the design of the woman's face, but more are available to purchase for more complex designs, or if replacements are needed.

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(Image credit: Future)

I’ve tested quite a few Govee products to date, and I still can’t help but fan girl a little over the Govee Home app every time. It’s satisfyingly easy to navigate, and pairing it to the Neon Rope Light 2 was almost effortless, as the app detected it mere moments after I connected the rope light’s adapter to an outlet.

Even without connecting to the app straight away, I could easily cycle through warm and cold whites and kinetic color scenes using the control box wired into the power cord, with which I could also control the brightness level and turn the light on or off. There was a whole lot more to play with in the Govee Home app, with a pleasing number of ready-made color palettes and scenes to choose from, plus the option to create my own color sequences.

The level of customization available goes far beyond this, however, with settings such as Segment Management allowing me to fine-tune the color combinations to create satisfying gradients, complementary color combinations, and more. I could easily generate colorful effects using the AI generator too, and the Finger sketch function, which was one of my favorites to use with the Neon Rope Light 2, as it allowed me to simply pick a color and apply it to a very small or large segment, illuminating my creation on the rope light in real time. The only things I felt this feature was missing were a recently used color palette and the ability to undo, as I found it was easy to add color accidentally when trying to scroll down the page.

(Image credit: Future)

I’ve encountered most of these customizable settings before when reviewing other Govee smart lights, such as the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light, but the shape mapping feature was a new one for me, and I’ve got to say, I was very impressed. The idea behind it is that the shape of the Neon Rope Light 2 is mapped from a photograph, allowing for better lighting customization, plus enabling the lighting effects to display accurately across the design as a whole.

To test this feature out, I created a large swirl pattern and took a photo when prompted by the app. I learned quickly that there needs to be a clear gap between each rope light section for it to map correctly, so I loosened the spiral ever so slightly, and it picked it up straight away on my second attempt. I tried out a couple of the Scenes to test how good the resulting effect was, and the Color Painting scene in particular made it clear how well this feature works, as colors strobed across the whole of the swirl.

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(Image credit: Future)

I’m a sucker for anything bright and colorful, but the Neon Rope Light 2 took my appreciation to another level. The wide variety of effects makes it perfect for highlighting existing features with a solid color, or making a statement as a neon sign with some kinetic lighting, adding instant wow-factor to any room. It’s a pricey purchase, undoubtedly, but if you’re someone who’s always coveted a neon sign, or are looking for something a little different to zhoosh up your decor, then you’ll be quite happy with the Govee Neon Rope Light 2.

Govee Neon Rope Light 2 review: Price and specs

Price

$99.99 / £99.99

Model

H61D5

Colors

RGBIC

Number of light sources

420

Connectivity

2.4GHz WiFi, Bluetooth

App

Yes

Voice control

Yes

Additional features

Matter compatible, shape mapping

Should I buy the Govee Neon Rope Light 2?Buy it if...

You want to make a statement
This flexible rope light offers the opportunity to create a colorful neon sign that can be based on one of the many example designs, or your imagination, if you like to get creative.

You want an abundance of options
The Govee Home app offers 64 preset lighting effects, 12 music sync modes, and a wide range of customizable settings, so you can fine-tune the lighting to your satisfaction.

Don't buy it if...

You want subtle and simple RGB lighting
This flexible rope light’s clever format and abundance of features could prove overkill for anyone who simply wants to add some color to their space.

You don’t want a visible controller
It’s unfortunate that the controller for the rope light is a fixed part of the power cord, as it could prove a bit of an eyesore if the chosen design or placement leads to it being visible.

Govee Neon Rope Light 2 review: Also consider

Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light
If you like the sound of the Govee Home app and its multitude of preset scenes and color customization, but want something a little simpler and a lot cheaper, then I highly recommend the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light. It doesn’t offer WiFi connectivity or voice control, but uses the same control box as the Neon Rope Light 2, and can be controlled with the app via Bluetooth. If this sounds appealing, then I highly recommend checking out my review of the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Light.

How I tested the Govee Neon Rope Light 2

• I assessed the material and build quality of the Govee Neon Rope Light 2
• I tested the different features and customizable settings
• I followed the step-by-step process to recreate one of the recommended designs

I began by checking the quality of the Govee Neon Rope Light 2 and its accessories. I tested how flexible it was and experimented by creating various shapes.

I tested the different settings and features in the Govee Home companion app to see the different effects that could be achieved, and used Segment Management, the AI generator, and the Finger Sketch tool to create my own effects.

I followed the step-by-step process provided on the app to recreate one of the many example artworks from start to finish to assess how easy it was to shape and how well the fixings worked.

I created a swirl with the rope light to see how easy it was to use the shape mapping feature and how well it performed.

• First reviewed: June 2025
• Read more about how we test