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The OnePlus 16 brings a 9,000mAh battery, 200MP camera, and faster processor. Here's how it compares with the OnePlus 15 and whether upgrading makes sense.

The post OnePlus 16 vs OnePlus 15: Bigger Battery, 200MP Camera — but Is It Worth Upgrading? appeared first on TechRepublic.

Like many others this year, I've been watching gaming laptop prices spiral upwards with a feeling of exasperation. Every now and again, however, I spot a listing that bucks that trend, somewhat.

Right now, the best deal on the market is this Gigabyte Gaming A16 Pro with an RTX 5070 Ti for $1,449 (was $2149.99). This is quite possibly the best RTX 5070 Ti deal I've seen for a few months now and one that I would be surprised if it got any cheaper over Black Friday.

I've seen one or two sub-$1,500 RTX 5070 Ti gaming laptops, but they've usually had 16GB of RAM, an older chipset, or some other kind of glaring compromise for the price. In comparison, this machine has 32GB of RAM, an Ultra 7 chipset, and a 1TB SSD, which isn't bad considering the price.

A year ago, we'd see machines like this getting price cuts every week, but it's obviously quite rare these days with laptops being so ridiculously priced. In short, if you are looking for a decent laptop in this budget range, this particular machine should offer a decent value - and last a few years down the line, too.

Today's best gaming laptop deal at Walmart

Gaming A16 Pro: was $2149.99 now $1449
Graphics card: RTX 5070 Ti
Processor: Intel Core 7 240H
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB

If you're looking for a high-end laptop without breaking the bank, you can do a lot worse than this Gigabyte A16 Pro at Walmart. Not only are you getting a powerful RTX 5070 Ti graphics card and an Ultra Core 7 chipset, but it also features 32GB of RAM right out of the box. While still a little on the pricey end, a massive $700 discount at Walmart makes this one much more affordable this week.View Deal

• See more: check out all of today's gaming laptop deals at Walmart

We were impressed when we reviewed this model

(Image credit: Future)

We reviewed the Gigabyte Gaming A16 Pro last year and found it a decent performer for the price - so much so that we awarded it a respectable four stars out of five.

It features a 115W TGP limit on the power delivery side, so it's not as performant as some higher-end RTX 5070 Ti options, but it's still very good for the price. You'll have no issues running any of the latest games here - or with any form of creative work.

Other features include a decent array of ports (HDMI 2.1, headphone jack), a 1600p IPS display, and a lay-flat design that could be useful depending on your setup. It's also relatively light for an RTX 5070 Ti laptop, at just 2.3 kg.

Apple’s Mac shipments fell 11.3% as global PC shipments dropped 20.1%. Explore IDC’s figures and what they mean for IT budgets and hardware upgrades.

The post Apple Mac Shipments Fall 11.3% as Global PC Market Drops 20%, IDC Says appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Rumors point to a 'Nikon Z70' reveal before 2026 is out
• It's supposedly a mirrorless successor to the crop-sensor Nikon D500 DSLR flagship
• As such, expect a rugged design and high-speed photography to feature

One DSLR that Nikon is yet to give to give the mirrorless camera treatment to is the decade-old D500 — but rumors over the last few months suggest that the wait could be over soon through what's being dubbed the Nikon Z70.

The D500 was Nikon's flagship crop-sensor DSLR (APS-C, known as 'DX' for Nikon cameras), with a rugged body, dual card slots and high-speed burst shooting. In other words, it's a mini, crop-sensor version of Nikon's D6 full-frame camera that's used by professional sports, wildlife and news photographers.

We already have the Nikon Z9 as the mirrorless spiritual successor of the D6, and next there could be the crop-sensor equivalent, a rumored Nikon Z70, which sounds like a dream camera for enthusiast wildlife and sports photographers.

The long-time Z70 rumor mill still lacks firm details, and largely lists out educated guesses. The New Camera, however, spotted a Z70 listing on Apple's official ProRes and ProRes RAW Authorized Products page in August, and believes the Z70 will land in November this year.

A flagship Nikon crop-sensor camera would naturally sit above the Nikon Z50 II with a tougher pro-grade body, and likely a faster sensor (perhaps the stacked type like the Fujifilm X-H2S), in-body image stabilization, and shooting speeds we haven't seen from a Nikon camera before. New Camera also suggests video specs will be strong, and include internal ProRes Raw recording (based on the Apple listing).

These kind of features put the would-be Z70 in direct competition with the Canon EOS R7 — which could get a powerful successor soon — the Fujifilm X-H2S, and the Sony A6700, and I wouldn't be surprised if Nikon's tops the lot. Where it would currently come up short, however, is lens selection. On that front, there was concrete, promising news last week.

Will the D500 finally get a spiritual Z-mount successor? (Image credit: Future)More good news for Nikon 'DX' shooters

While we don't know a lot about the rumored Z70, we do know that a new Z-mount lens for APS-C cameras was announced last week; the Sigma 16-300mm do-it-all travel zoom.

The lens has been around for over a year in Sony, L-mount and Canon RF versions, but it becomes the first Sigma zoom lens for Nikon's Z-mount, which is a promising sign for Nikon shooters.

Nikon has poured a lot of resources into its full-frame mirrorless camera system, but its APS-C cameras haven't received the same love. As such, it's slim pickings for any enthusiast sports/wildlife photographer wanting a high-quality Z-mount super-telephoto zoom native to its crop sensor cameras.

Sigma's 16-300mm lens, which has a 24-450mm equivalent focal length, isn't quite the bright aperture lens for demanding sports/wildlife photographers. But with the door seemingly open to Sigma, we could start to see more crop-sensor Z-mount lenses that might just scratch that itch.

And for photographers with a deep pocket (and a strong back), the Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S (with built-in 1.4x teleconverter) for full-frame cameras (which would work with crop-sensor cameras like the rumored Z70) is en route. Nikon announced its development earlier this year, and recent rumors suggest it will land soon.

If you're looking for a powerful laptop that can handle demanding AI workloads without relying entirely on cloud services, Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra is available to pre-order now. Aiming to be a MacBook Pro killer, it combines Nvidia RTX Spark processing, Blackwell graphics, and a high-resolution touchscreen in a portable design.

The Surface Laptop Ultra is designed to handle demanding AI applications locally, with Nvidia Blackwell graphics and unified memory options reaching 128GB. That could make it an alternative to cloud processing or a dedicated desktop workstation for certain workloads.

• Best for: AI developers, researchers, creative professionals, and businesses looking for a powerful laptop capable of running compatible AI models locally.

• The deal: The base configuration Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra is available to pre-order from $2,599.99 at Microsoft. In the UK, the pre-order is priced at £2,599.99.

Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra features Nvidia RTX Spark N1X processing, Blackwell graphics, up to 128GB unified memory, a 15-inch PixelSense Ultra touchscreen, Wi-Fi 7, USB4 connectivity, and removable SSD storage.

In the UK: now £2,599.99View Deal

Why we recommend it

Microsoft describes the Surface Laptop Ultra as its most powerful Surface Laptop yet thanks to the inclusion of Nvidia's RTX Spark N1X processor. The entry-level model combines an 18-core CPU with a 5120-core Nvidia Blackwell RTX GPU. A higher-end version increases that to a 20-core CPU and 6144-core GPU.

The platform can deliver up to one petaflop of AI compute and run models containing as many as 120 billion parameters locally. The size of the models you can realistically run will depend on the configuration and software.

The laptop uses LPDDR5x unified memory shared between the processor and graphics hardware, with consumer configurations offering 24GB, 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB. The Ultra features a 15-inch PixelSense Ultra touchscreen with a 3270 x 2180 resolution and a dynamic refresh rate reaching 120Hz. It supports 100% DCI-P3 color coverage, Dolby Vision IQ, and peak HDR brightness of 2,000 nits.

Connectivity includes three USB4-capable USB-C ports, HDMI 2.1b, USB-A 3.1, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack. You also get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, a 1080p webcam, and a precision haptic touchpad.

Microsoft quotes battery life of up to 15 hours for local video playback or 12 hours for active web browsing, although intensive AI processing will obviously place heavier demands on the battery.

Price context & historical value

The Surface Laptop Ultra, with Windows 11 Home, starts at $2,599.99, with the 18-core Nvidia RTX Spark N1X processor, 5120-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, and a 512GB Gen 4 SSD. Models with a 1TB SSD start at $2,999.99, while the higher-end Nvidia RTX Spark N1X processor, featuring a 20-core CPU and 6144-core GPU, starts at $3,699.99.

Consumer models with 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB memory include Windows 11 Pro and storage options include removable 512GB Gen 4 and 1TB or 2TB Gen 5 SSDs.

Microsoft also offers a Surface Laptop Ultra for Business, with commercial support and service options. Its available configurations and included accessories may differ from the consumer models.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Microsoft Ultra RTX Spark if...

You're an AI developer, researcher, or business professional who needs powerful local processing capabilities and access to substantial amounts of unified memory. Its high-resolution touchscreen, wide connectivity, and Windows 11 Pro options also make it well suited for demanding professional environments.

❌ Skip the Microsoft Ultra RTX Spark if...

You mainly use Microsoft 365, web applications, email, and video conferencing. A conventional business laptop would be considerably more affordable and more than capable of handling those tasks.

• Google is rolling out improved automatic detection for over 100 new workouts
• Compatible devices will use an upgraded LLM to create a more reliable and accurate wellness tracking experience
• Health Guardian is also coming to Fitbit Air and Fitbit Edge, but this requires a Google Health Premium subscription

Google's screenless Fitbit Air wearable and Garmin Cirqa rival is set for a fresh dose of updates following user feedback.

The most notable upgrade is Fitbit’s improved automatic workout tracker, which will use a new LLM foundation to boost its activity detection abilities. Google hasn’t given an exact date, but we know it’s coming to the Fitbit Air, Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, as well as the recently announced Fitbit Edge later this month.

Since screenless wearables don’t have an interactive bezel like the rest of the best fitness trackers, users put their faith into automatic detection tools to record workouts and log activity. The fact that the Fitbit Air can read your body movement to detect what you’re doing is beyond smart, however false tracking is always a possibility — so this upgrade is highly welcome.

Furthermore, activity that meets your minimum duration threshold with a sustained elevated heart rate will automatically be picked up by your Fitbit/ Pixel Watch, with a summary sent to your mobile app within 30 minutes.

The update is not only designed to make the experience more reliable, but it’s also much broader with what it can track. Now, your wearable can pick up on more than 100 new workouts as opposed to the mere 10 that were available before, which includes strength training, swimming, and more.

Fitbit’s upgraded workout detection is also powered by Google Health’s critical context readings, a tool that takes data such as your exercise routines, history, and location (with your permission) to detect activity with 2x more accuracy. It also cuts missed workouts by more than half. ‘This marks a huge advancement for automatic tracking, and we will keep working to make it even better,’ the company shared in its release notes.

Fitbit Air and Fitbit Edge get the Health Guardian treatment

(Image credit: Google)

On top of workout tracking improvements, you’ll also be getting access to Google’s roster of Health Guardian features, which use background health-monitoring tools to track shifts in your health over time. As exciting as this sounds, it requires a Google Health Premium subscription ($9.99 / £7.99 / AU$14.99 a month).

With Health Guardian, you can set up and keep tabs on trends in the app including blood pressure and insulin resistance and, as per Google’s release notes, ‘if you meet the monthly wear requirements, you'll get a report at the beginning of each month to help you make lifestyle adjustments early’.

As well as this, Health Coach is also handy for contextualizing changes in your patterns, and giving you informed guidance on your personal lifestyle and wellness. However, Google iterates that this feature isn’t designed to diagnose or treat any health issues that may occur, and encourages you to seek professional medical advice if you have any concerns.

Garmin has dropped the third-generation Garmin Marq series, a range of six of the best Garmin watches that are as much about luxury and style as they are about performance.

If you're already a Garmin user, there's a good chance you’re most familiar with its adventure and activity smartwatches like the Fenix, Instinct and Forerunner series’. They’re renowned for their practicality and a big well of features. However, the Garmin Marq series is its ultra-premium, style-forward luxury range that lets the company flex some different muscles, while still retaining the same featureset and software that people love.

The six models include the classy Aviator model, designed with complications for pilots; the debonair Adventurer; the serious military Commander; the Athlete with its energy drink colour accents; the ‘maritime blue’ Diver (new for this generation, replacing the seafaring Captain); and the exceptionally green Golfer.

The titanium price

(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)

The price of these watches varies a little between models, but you're looking at $2,500 / £2,199 / around AU$3,500 and up, double that of the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro. A higher budget lets Garmin indulge in the kind of watch manufacturing touches that just can’t be justified in its sport and outdoors models, like polished ceramic bezel inlays, micro-knurled buttons and a full grade-5 titanium casing, with no significant plastic elements on show.

This alone requires feats of engineering to ensure the antennas have enough room to figuratively breathe — metal blocks their signal, and a fitness watch without reliable GPS or Bluetooth is not going to be much use at all.

The solution is slim strips of plastic polymer in the frame that you probably wouldn’t even notice unless you look close, and know they are there. These polymer strips are fused to the titanium metal of the casing ‘at nano scale’ using a process called nano-moulding technology. In effect it’s similar to the little non-metal strips in an iPhone’s casing, applied with what sounds like a pretty expensive procedure.

Built to last, just not forever

(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)

Garmin COO Brad Trenkle explained to me the company isn’t fooling itself into thinking it’s making a direct alternative to a Patek Philippe, Rolex or Audemars Piguet here.

“We didn't set out to build a mechanical watch that was designed to be passed down from from generation to generation,” says Trenkle. Smartwatches inevitably have a shelf life due to being a sealed unit with lithium batteries. But the way people use their Garmin watches means they have more longevity than some other kinds of consumer gadgets, according to Garmin’s own user data.

“Most users actually tend to use their Garmin watches longer than they they use their smartphone,” says Trenkle.

Making an ultra-premium smartwatch is different to making an heirloom analog watch. Case in point: the buttons, and how you add them to a watch designed to dive over 40 meters deep. Over the last few years Garmin has played around with button tech, a move forced by dive-ready water resistance becoming a common feature in high-end sport watches.

When the Garmin Fenix 8 arrived in 2024 there was a lot of talk about how watch’s inductive buttons made the series’s 40m dive-ready water resistance possible. It’s a design that means there’s no hole made in the casing to house the buttons.

“We have this wall of polymer that makes a complete seal between the watch case. There's no gasket, and it's just one piece,” explains Trenkle of the new Marq.

The style is ideal for hardcore water resistance, but not so great for the feel of the buttons. A Garmin Fenix 8’s buttons feel pretty spongy compared with other models. But in a classic Garmin Marq exercise of low-to-no compromise design, these watches have a mechanical clicker purely for the feel, combined with an inductive button for actual function. The result is perhaps what I noticed most clearly about the Marq Adventurer while wearing it: it has exceptionally bright but substantive button feedback.

Garmin Marq’s leveled-up tech

(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)

The tactical Commander and scuba-friendly Diver relate to features like aircraft outboard systems and interfacing with dive equipment, but all six watches share some common upgrades. For example, while the Garmin Fenix 9 and Enduro 4 have shown 64GB storage is now the standard for higher-end Garmin models, the Marq Generation 3 has 128GB.

These watches don’t offer massively exciting ways to use that space beyond adding more maps, music, podcasts and audiobooks. But it’s an upgrade such a luxury watch surely deserves.

Similarly, when the second Marq arrived in 2022 I was half confident its unique magnetic charge interface would inevitably dip down to prestige series like Fenix. Years later, that still hasn’t happened, and now the Marq generation 3 has its own tweaked version of that standard — a four-pin magnet interface. Not more jamming in that classic Garmin charger bung, which would hardly befit a luxury watch.

(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)

A lot of the Garmin Marq’s design touches aren’t shouty, but they do add up to make the physical presence of these watches feel distinctly different to, for example, the Forerunner 970. I wore the 970 alongside the Marq Adventurer on a test hike, and could really feel the difference between the two watches.

Once you get deeper into watch specs, the Garmin Marq series starts to sound very familiar. These watches have 1.4-inch AMOLED screens with peak brightness of 3000 nits. There is no micro LED option, or any MIP display models.

All that changes in the display is a “borderless” design than lets the metal of the bezel reach right up to the start of the display panel. It’s a sleek look, but not an improvement I would necessarily have clocked without being pointed towards it.

All Marq models have a mid-table diameter of 47mm, and the same kind of Elevate V5 heart rate array used in other top Gamins (accurate as tested against a heart rate monitor and the Apple Watch Ultra 4). There’s a flashlight, support for ECG readings and battery life is rated at 18 days, or seven days with the always-on display mode engaged. Like the Fenix 9 Pro, the Garmin Marq also supports not just communication over 4G/LTE, but satellite too, when used with an InReach subscription.

Should you buy?

Is a Garmin Marq “worth it” for the average Garmin shopper? Absolutely not.

These watches are here for the person who wouldn’t baulk at the price tag, let alone the rising costs of the Fenix family. It nets you that series’ best bits in a more stylish chassis, plus even more storage and model-specific features if you pick one of the specialised Marqs like the Aviator.

Which of the six is your favourite? Let us know in the poll below.

Garmin Marq AdventurerFutureGarmin Marq AthleteFutureGarmin Marq AviatorFutureGarmin Marq CommanderFutureGarmin Marq DiverFutureGarmin Marq GolferFuture

The Big Red Sale has been running at Argos for almost a week, but the event is due to end tonight, so there are only a few hours left to score savings of up to 50% off tech, furniture, toys, and more. I'm here with one final search through the sale to bring you 22 of the best deals that are worth checking out before it ends.

• Browse the full Argos Big Red sale

As with previous Big Red sales, you need to enter a voucher code at the checkout to receive the discount. Banners at the top of the page will display on eligible products, showing the code and discount value that can be applied.

For example, there's 30% off this Dyson V10 Cyclone when you enter the code 'RED30' at checkout. Other vouchers include 'RED10' for 10% off, 'RED20' for 20% off, and 'RED50' for 50% off.

Other standout deals I've spotted in the sale include 15% off the latest Apple AirPods Pro, 20% off a best-selling Ninja air fryer, and up to 50% off several popular Lego sets. All those offers, plus my highlights from the biggest sale categories, are below, so take a look and see if you'd like to pick anything up before the latest Argos sale ends at midnight.

Argos Big Red sale — quick links

• Appliances: up to 30% off Beko & Hotpoint
• DIY: up to 30% off tools & outdoor goods
• Furniture: up to 50% off
• Gaming: up to 20% off chairs & accessories
• Headphones: up to 30% off Beats & Shokz
• Health & Beauty: up to 50% off Dyson & Oral-B
• Kitchen: up to 20% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Laptops: from £149
• Phones: up to 20% off Samsung & Motorola
• Smart Home: up to 50% off Blink cameras
• Toys: up to 50% off
• TVs: from £149
• Vacuums: up to 50% off Vax & Shark

22 best deals from the Argos Big Red sale

Apple AirPods Pro 3

Samsung Galaxy A17 (5G)

Brita Aluna Water Filter Jug

Dyson V10 Cyclone

Amazon Fire HD 8

Canon Pixma TS3750i Wireless Inkjet Printer

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer

Lenovo Slim 3 Laptop

Lego Creator 3-in-1 Space Exploration Telescope

Oral-B iO3

Ninja Stay Sharp 13 Piece Knife Block

Shokz OpenRun Headphones

Philips L'OR Barista Absolu

Braun Silk-Expert Pro Corded IPL

Russell Hobbs Powersteam Ultra Steam Iron

TCL P6L-UK 55-inch 4K Google TV

Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon Collector Series Set

Shark Stratos Pro Cordless Vacuum Cleaner

GHD Platinum+ Hair Straightener Bundle

Lego Harry Potter Hogsmeade Village Collectors Edition

Shark Navigator Robot Vacuum & Self-Empty Base

Samsung Galaxy Buds4 Pro

The government is using millions of taxpayers' dollars on pro-Trump ads, even after the president said this would not happen. And, federal agents search Rep. Ilhan Omar's D.C. home.

(Image credit: Alex Wong)

If you're looking to improve your home office without spending a fortune, I've always found Dell business monitors to have the right balance of features for work - and they've always performed well in our tests.

The Dell 27 Plus S2725DSM is a prime example that's currently on sale. The 27-inch IPS panel has a 2560 x 1440 resolution, and the IPS technology provides wide 178-degree viewing angles. The matte screen helps reduce distracting reflections from nearby windows and overhead lighting.

• Best for: Home office workers, students, and anyone wanting a larger, sharper display for everyday computing, multitasking, and entertainment.

• The deal: The Dell 27 Plus QHD Monitor is now $170 (was $220) at Amazon, saving you $50.

Today's best Dell business monitor deal

27 Plus QHD Monitor: was $219.99 now $169.99
The Dell 27 Plus (S2725DSM) features a 27-inch QHD IPS display, 144Hz refresh rate, dual 3W speakers, AMD FreeSync, HDMI and DisplayPort connectivity, and adjustable height, tilt, pivot, and swivel.View Deal

Why we recommend it

Although we haven't reviewed this particular model, in his four-star review of the Dell 27 Plus S2725HSM — which is essentially the same monitor but with a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution — our expert Collin said: "For me, it does everything a remote worker or general office staff needs it to do, and does it well."

The 27-inch QHD resolution provides more desktop space than Full HD, while dual 3W speakers eliminate the need for separate audio equipment. Height, tilt, pivot, and swivel adjustments let you position the screen to suit your needs.

Dell specifies a 1500:1 contrast ratio, 350 nits of brightness, a 144Hz refresh rate and AMD FreeSync support. The monitor also includes two built-in 3W speakers and an adjustable stand.

Dell also includes ComfortView Plus technology and TÜV Rheinland 4-star eye comfort certification, with reduced blue light emissions.

Price context & historical value

Amazon has reduced the Dell 27 Plus S2725DSM from $219.99 to $169.99, saving you $50. This isn't its lowest recorded price however. The monitor has previously sold for $161.49, making the current deal a tad more expensive than that earlier low.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Dell 27 Plus S2725DSM if...

You want an affordable 27-inch monitor for everyday use. The QHD resolution gives you more room for applications than a 1080p display, and the built-in speakers and fully adjustable stand are very useful.

❌ Skip the Dell 27 Plus S2725DSM if...

You need 4K resolution, USB-C connectivity, or a monitor that can charge your laptop through a single cable. Its 1440p resolution is suitable for most everyday tasks, but a 4K model will offer sharper text and more detail.

• Shop all the best monitors Amazon

We test a lot of laptops every year at TechRadar, and I've rounded up every Windows 11 laptop we've reviewed this year so far, and which truly impressed us.

Each of the laptops below, many of them prime candidates for our best Windows laptop guide, has been through our vigorous testing, and earned four or more stars out of five. You can tap the View Details button on the product card to see a summary of the main pros and cons of that model, along with a link to read the full, in-depth review.

There are options for a range of priorities and budgets. For example, we declared the moderately priced HP OmniBook 7 Aero "ideal for those who work on the go", thanks to robust performance paired with a svelte build that's kitted out with plenty of ports. For those with heavier demands and deeper pockets, the Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra is well worth a look — our tester called it "a gorgeously designed thin and light laptop with a stunning screen and some of the most powerful components you can buy right now", and pegged it as a potential MacBook-killer.

So, read on for my roundup of our favorite Windows 11 laptops we've tested so far in 2026. If you're in the market to upgrade your machine — perhaps during the not-too-distant Black Friday sales? — this is a great place to start. Note: you'll only be able to see product cards for the laptops available in your region.

Windows winners

ASUS Zenbook A16

Read our full review

Pros

• Impressively light and thin
• Bright and sharp display
• Satisfying keyboard and touchpad
• Excellent battery life

Cons

• Poor graphical performance
• Some fan noise
• Worse value than some key rivals

HP Pavilion x360 14

Read our full review

Pros

• Strong and premium build
• Sharp and bright display
• Satisfying keyboard

Cons

• Integrated graphics only
• Disappointing portability and agility
• Some better-value rivals

HP OmniBook 7 14" AI Laptop

Read our full review

Pros

• Solid and sleek design
• Great all-round performance
• Great display

Cons

• Expensive in some regions
• Impractical port locations
• Keyboard feels a little harsh

Dell XPS 16 (2026)

Read our full review

Pros

• Outstanding hardware and performance
• Exceptional clean design all round
• Phenomenal battery life for an Intel chip
• Beautiful, almost bezel-less 3K OLED screen

Cons

• Three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and that's it
• Pricey, pricey, pricey

Asus Zenbook A14

Read our full review

Pros

• Fabulously thin and light
• Impressive performance
• Satisfying keyboard

Cons

• Display slightly lacking in brightness
• Noisy under load
• Not exactly cheap

HP OmniBook 7 Aero

Read our full review

Pros

• Surprisingly strong performance
• Good port selection for such a small computer
• Good webcam with physical privacy shutter

Cons

• USB-C port placement could be better
• Keyboard has pretty short travel
• Battery life is a little disappointing

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+

Read our full review

Pros

• Ultra-thin design
• Strong, premium build
• Good touchscreen and stylus
• Great all-round performance
• Useful touchpad functionality

Cons

• Frustrating touchpad misfires
• Hot and loud under even moderate loads
• No dedicated GPU
• Display too dim and reflective

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Pro (16-inch)

Read our full review

Pros

• Exquisite design
• Glorious large display
• Respectable graphical performance

Cons

• Not the lightest
• Lacks ports
• Heavy keys

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11)

Read our full review

Pros

• Brilliant build quality
• Ultra thin
• Long battery life

Cons

• Heats up under stress
• Key strokes are a little heavy
• Fewer ports than some rivals

Samsung Galaxy Book6 Ultra

Read our full review

Pros

• Premium design
• Fantastic performance
• Long battery life

Cons

• Very expensive
• Only available in 16-inch size
• Can get hot under load

Dell XPS 14 (2026)

Read our full review

Pros

• Excellent redesign
• Very good performance
• OLED version looks fantastic

Cons

• Only three USB-C ports
• Windows 11 feels bloated
• Still no AI killer app

• VisionQuest's creator Terry Matalas has revealed its MCU timeline position
• Paul Bettany had suggested the Marvel TV show took place in 2024
• The series' lead actor previously said it was set around a year after WandaVision

VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas has revealed where it sits on the Marvel timeline — and his answer will surprise you.

In an exclusive chat prior to the show's October 13/14 debut, Matalas told me that the Paul Bettany-starring program takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) present day.

Furthermore, Matalas stated that the Disney+ show occurs around the same time as Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The latest Marvel movie to hit theaters is also set in the modern day, which some fans believe to be the year 2028.

However, Matalas appeared to throw a spanner in the works of our MCU timeline understanding. Without getting too deep into spoiler territory, there's a moment in VisionQuest that practically states it's set in 2027 — and Matalas essentially reconfirmed that's when the Marvel project takes place.

"It's somewhere around the last Spider-Man movie," Matalas said when I asked him to clarify when VisionQuest is set. When I followed up with "Okay, so around 2027?", Matalas replied: "Yeah, the present day of the MCU."

The MCU timeline has become an increasingly tricky beast to follow ever since Avengers: Endgame premiered in theaters. Originally set in 2018, the most recent Avengers film skipped ahead five years to 2023 once its opening sequence was done and dusted. From that moment on, we've been playing catch up with Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, which has been operating a few years ahead of us. It's only now, then, that we've almost caught up to it.

Even so, ahead of VisionQuest's release, there was further confusion about when it would be set. Indeed, chatting to Rotten Tomatoes last October, Bettany said that the Marvel Phase 6 show picks up Vision's story "around a year or so" after WandaVision's finale.

The latter took place in 2023 and, given Bettany's involvement in both productions, it seemed that he'd confirmed VisionQuest would begin in 2024. However, Matalas also told me "it feels like it's been longer than a year [between WandaVision and VisionQuest]", so it appears Bettany misspoke, or was talking about potential flashbacks that are shown as part of the latter's story.

For more before it's released, read my VisionQuest review to see what I made of all eight episodes (don't worry, it doesn't contain any major spoilers). Once you're done, find out when each chapter will air via my VisionQuest release schedule guide.

• Mozilla wants security-conscious companies to use Firefox Enterprise
• "Choice is a lie," Mozilla CEO says, referring to browser engines
• Thunderbird Enterprise is also in the works

Mozilla has introduced Firefox Enterprise, a brand-new version of its browser designed specifically for organizations that need extra security, governance and compliance controls.

The company argues businesses have become increasingly dependent on a small number of tech companies, handing over certain levels of control to third parties, however it believes that tech consolidation comes with its own risks.

It also acknowledges that these deep dependencies have made it harder for companies to switch providers, and all of this has been factored into its Firefox Enterprise browser.

Firefox Enterprise

"We see [the browser] as a key, but under-governed, layer," Mozilla said in an announcement, slating other browsers' dependencies largely on Google (Chromium) and Apple (WebKit). For reference Firefox runs on Gecko, a free and open-source browser engine developed by Mozilla itself.

"If all your options are built with the same technology underneath, ‘choice’ is a lie," CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo explained.

Firefox Enterprise's biggest selling point is control – customers can choose where data is stored and how it's governed, and it's designed to work with existing systems.

"Keep your identity provider. Keep your SIEM. Keep your MDM. Just add a browser whose management infrastructure you operate," Mozilla said.

Firefox claims to have 200 million monthly users, but per Statcounter data, it only accounts for 6% of desktop browsing sessions globally compared with 65% for Chrome.

France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland will be the first countries to get access to Firefox Enterprise, with other countries added later on. And as for emails, Thunderbird Enterprise "is also in development," so we can expect to hear more about that soon.

Discussions about passkeys replacing passwords as the go-to sign-in method have rapidly accelerated. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has acted as the catalyst for this transition, describing the shift as "overhauling decades of security practice". Finally, the industry has reached a collective point of recognition: traditional, static passwords are a weak defense against modern, automated threats.

AI has turned cybercrime into a highly efficient, industrial-scale enterprise. With researchers uncovering agentic ransomware attacks, we are fast approaching a reality that outpaces traditional human-centric defenses. Cybercriminals routinely deploy industrial-scale AI tooling to orchestrate and deploy vast credential-stuffing attacks and hyper-realistic phishing campaigns at machine speed and scale.

For organizations, the adoption of passkeys and other passwordless verification methods is dependent on the maturity of existing identity and access management (IAM) systems. Of the businesses with less mature, or no IAM strategy in place, only 30% are embracing password alternatives. Without passwordless systems, threat actors will continue to undermine digital trust.

User friction and weak protection

For years, identity security was treated as an isolated concern for the operations department. However, as customer experience dictates corporate revenue, delivering seamless IAM has become a commercial imperative.

Passwords force a broken trade-off: making users create unique, complex strings of characters results in severe password fatigue, while cutting corners by reusing credentials and using easily guessable phrases leaves gateways vulnerable to threat actors. When security kills usability, the business model breaks.

Another barrier passwords create is that, although most of the British public is genuinely worried about identity theft and fraud, only 17% fully trust organizations managing their identity data. Passkeys directly resolve this trust deficit through cryptographic authentication.

Because private keys stay securely on the user's local device and are never shared with a central server or application, there is no central database for hackers to breach. Passkeys are also phishing-resistant, removing the risk of users falling prey to social engineering attempts. Unlike passwords, they are also cryptographically bound to a specific, verified domain name, adding another layer of technological defense against attackers.

Securing autonomous identities

The shift towards agentic AI – fully autonomous systems operating with minimal human intervention – shatters traditional authentication models. Passwords were fundamentally built for human brains to remember.

An autonomous AI agent, such as autonomous digital proxies, personal shoppers and synthetic workflows, cannot "remember" a password without creating severe vulnerabilities, such as hardcoded credentials or shared session tokens exposing permanent risks.

If an agent inherits over-privileged human credentials, a compromised or rogue AI can exfiltrate sensitive data at machine speed, vastly outpacing the response time of traditional security methods.

To secure the growing autonomous workforce, AI agents must be given their own distinct, first-class identities with task-specific, time-bound permissions. Passkeys and decentralized, cryptographic credentials secure these machine identities and allow enterprises to securely verify and audit agentic workflows and interactions, without exposing underlying human credentials.

From passwords to passkeys

The technology industry is driving the momentum behind passkey adoption. Tech giants like Google and Amazon are seeing the need to improve customer convenience and account security, positioning passkeys as their default authentication standard. Businesses that delay moving towards passwordless frameworks are left defending a perimeter built for an entirely different era.

Although most organizations now see the importance of adopting passwordless options, transitioning away from traditional passwords is hindered by real-world complexities. Many core IT systems and legacy infrastructure are reliant on passwords, which remain deeply embedded within business processes.

IT leaders therefore fear that updating these systems will demand massive code rewrites and extensive specialist development resources, meaning replacing them requires careful orchestration.

To address this challenge, modern, low-code or no-code identity platforms allow organizations to visually map, test and deploy sophisticated authentication journeys seamlessly. This enables businesses to introduce modern passwordless options like passkeys or biometric prompts progressively, without disrupting the active user workflow or having to replace entire underlying legacy systems.

By allowing teams to modernize security processes without affecting user experience or uptime, advanced identity orchestration becomes a critical business enabler.

The future of trust starts with identity security

The threat landscape continues to be redefined by automated threats, deepfakes and autonomous software. Against these sophisticated attacks, the concept of static, point-in- time logins is obsolete. The NCSC’s call to action has been the final push many organizations need to drop passwords and rethink how to safeguard digital trust.

Adopting an identity-first approach centered on passkeys and robust identity orchestration allows enterprises to reduce user friction, strengthen the security of both human and machine identities and establish the continuous trust needed to grow confidently in an AI-driven environment.

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Pakistan has imposed emergency rule in the province governed by the political party of imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan.

• Control Resonant composer Petri Alanko tells TechRadar Gaming how he approached the game's musical aesthetic
• He says "human vocals" and the "significant" relationship between Dylan and Hedron helped inform his writing
• Alanko says Dylan being an "involuntary hero" provided "a lot of writing material"

Control Resonant composer Petri Alanko has shared how the game's new setting and the relationship between protagonist Dylan and antagonist Hedron informed the soundtrack.

"Usually, it’s the scenery that hits best, and how the main character is related to the scenery, be that a connection or a disconnection," Alanko told TechRadar Gaming in an interview when asked about his design process. "It’s interesting, as there also are no rules whatsoever; again it’s a classic case of 'Hey, I think THAT would make you think this…'

"It’s basically psychological to an extent, really. Trying to play with your brain first, and later on with the player’s brain."

Alanko said "human vocals" was a term he and Remedy identified as part of the Resonant's core music aesthetic, "offering a whole dimension, practically." In addition, the "significant" relationship between Dylan and Hedron, a powerful Resonant entity, was another angle that "drove this first phase onwards."

"The path of the main character [Dylan] and the main antagonist’s [Hedron] relationship with him, it’s indeed a very conflicted pairing," he said. "Dysfunctional, one would say, but that provided a very human layer to the original setting.

"Dylan, being one might call 'an involuntary hero', or 'anti-hero' even, provided a lot of writing material; his path from a blank, soulless and partially mindless being into something willing to sacrifice himself just to find his sister is worth a dozen stories alone, not to mention the fact that their relationship hasn’t been exactly peaceful."

The composer went on to say that terms like "rough," "larger than life," "gut-wrenching," "human, yet inhuman," and "organic" were all on his Post-It notes at the beginning of development, concerning how he approached Dylan.

On the other hand, for Hedron, he had "strangely familiar yet frightening," "clangorous," "structured and sequenced," "mathematical and procedural" as his terms.

"And when I mention 'procedural', I mean the appearance," Alanko added. "It’s almost as if Hedron communicated with circular shapes, hence the term."

Alanko also shared his approach to the whole Remedy-verse score and musical landscape with TechRadar Gaming, saying, "There’s always the absolute evil lurking in there," at the games' core.

Prices can get sticky. That helps explain why recessions hurt so much — and what policymakers can do about them.

As global AI investment continues to climb — it surpassed $300 billion in 2025, according to IDC — enterprise IT remains primarily focused on supporting the development of training models, with architecture such as large GPU clusters and high-density compute taking center stage.

But now AI inference is becoming the dominant workload, and the architecture that supports models in production, at scale, and to real users and systems has quickly become the future of AI.

The demand for AI inference is there — according to Deloitte, inference already accounts for roughly two-thirds of compute, while McKinsey projects that it will represent between 30% and 40% of total data center demand by 2030 — however, the dedicated infrastructure is not.

Inference is more than a scaled-down training environment

What training and inference require from an IT point of view are very nearly polar opposites. Enterprises have facilitated AI training via data centers with massive, centralized data GPU clusters for extreme power density and specialized, high-speed interconnects meant to maximize communication within a single room.

Inference, on the other hand, is defined by a continuous flow of information and unpredictable user demand as opposed to a pre-defined workload. Once the prompts start coming in, you need geographically distributed compute that responds to and scales with real-time demands.

Because inference runs 24/7 and requires millisecond-fast responses for end users, it relies on commodity ethernet, geographically distributed edge sites, and low-latency network connections rather than isolated throughput within a single data center. The very design choices that make an enterprise data center optimal for training actively work against running inference at scale.

The cost structure is entirely different, too. Training is a one-time capital event — once a model is built, that cost is already sunk. Organizations that continue to optimize their spending for training are now being hit with the reality that they have the wrong foundation.

Inference, meanwhile, is a recurring operational cost that scales with every user, query, agent interaction, and more. It’s more like a living, breathing organism which needs to grow alongside the kind of workload that is going to determine the future of AI economics.

Agents are creating new strain on architecture

Autonomous AI agents are also compounding the infrastructure deficit. Agents don’t generate a single response and then stop; they plan, execute across multiple steps, call external tools, coordinate other agents, and pass outputs between systems. The ripple effect of an agentic workload multiplies the data traffic flowing through a network. As demand for agentic solutions grows, so will the demand for supporting infrastructure.

That growth is already consequential. Gartner predicts that by the end of 2026, 40% of enterprise applications will be integrated with task-specific agents, while IDC projects that agent usage will surge tenfold by 2027, with token and API call volumes multiplying by a factor of thousands.

Inference is also acting as a north-south traffic multiplier in ways that traditional WAN and data center network architectures aren’t designed to handle. McKinsey found that most enterprise WANs are currently unable to support AI data traffic patterns, and must evolve as AI now ranks as the second-highest infrastructure investment priority.

Burst traffic is another issue impacting architecture strain. Agentic workloads aren’t a steady flow, they’re a torrential downpour that comes and goes. A single orchestration event can trigger dozens of downstream API calls simultaneously.

This causes networks that are sized for average loads to hit capacity ceilings when agents coordinate at scale, creating the same latency and reliability problems that lead enterprise AI pilots to crash before reaching production. To thrive in the AI era, enterprises must build the proper infrastructure from the ground-up.

Inference is now the critical CPU use case

Building inference-forward architecture starts at the most basic layer: hardware. CPUs are critical for planning, scheduling, tool-call coordination, and the multi-step reasoning loops that define agentic workloads.

However, the industry’s heavy focus on the GPU market during the AI training boom has directed attention away from the necessity for CPUs in AI inference workloads. As inference workloads increase in scale, CPUs move from a supporting role to a critical one, acting as the main filter to the orchestration layer.

When viewed through a purely agentic lens, high-core-count server CPUs can handle the workload more economically than GPU accelerators. But it’s important to understand that one cannot function without the other. Inference still demands GPU function; it’s simply that CPU capacity is the bottleneck that most organizations aren’t accounting for.

Aligning compute, network, and storage is key

The reality is that AI use cases are generating abysmal ROI in most cases. Gartner’s most recent survey of infrastructure and operations leaders found that only 28% of AI use cases fully succeed and meet ROI projections, while 20% fail outright. The leading cause of failure was expecting too much, too fast from infrastructure that was incapable of supporting the workload.

How can enterprises avoid that trap? Take the time to set up their underlying infrastructure before diving headfirst into building systems they can’t support. Putting real effort into building dedicated compute, network, and storage that function as individually managed resources is the key.

Inference at production scale requires all three to work in tandem, with compute handling model execution, storage determining how quickly context, embeddings, and retrieval data are available, and network defining whether compute and storage can communicate externally with the appropriate latency

The organizations that can make this distinction early will be better prepared for the next phase of AI, and will spend less time managing infrastructure failures during production, and more time actually focusing on generating value through AI inference.

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• Half of UK workers admit to taking personal breaks daily, four in five take 30 to 120 minutes
• Household chores and personal errands are the most common activities
• European workers take fewer breaks and spend less time on them

New research has claimed three in four (76%) UK employees handle personal tasks during working hours at least a few times a week, with half (48%) doing so every single working day, but it might not be such a bad thing.

The vast majority (86%) of respondents in a new LiveCareer study reported that taking short personal breaks during working hours actually helps to improve overall productivity, with a further 11% seeing no meaningful impact. That leaves just 3% who believe there could be harmful effects.

In fact, only 5% of workers choose never to handle personal tasks during working hours, challenging traditional definitions of productivity at work.

Taking personal breaks at work helps to improve productivity

Spread across the working day, nearly three in five (57%) spend between 30 and 60 minutes on personal tasks, with another one in five (19%) spending between one and two hours.

And by far the leading distraction are household chores (54%) and personal errands (51%), which are likely most synonymous with hybrid and remote working.

But despite illustrating just how widespread personal breaks, LiveCareer's data reveals some interesting geographical differences, positioning the UK in a totally different ballpark to other European countries.

While around half (48%) of British workers take personal breaks daily, only around a quarter (27%) of European employees do the same. The figures also point to European workers spending less time on breaks when they do take them.

What the report fails to note is just how productive workers are from each country, to detail whether taking personal breaks has a positive or negative impact on work, however British workers are clearly redefining what productivity looks like in a hybrid working landscape thanks to the added flexibility.

"For employers, the findings suggest that occasional personal breaks are no longer viewed by employees as time lost but as part of a more sustainable approach to managing work and life throughout the day," the report concludes.

• Bose recently launched $99 / £99 'Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds'
• Also, Bose is 'happy to take credit for making open-ear mass market'
• Bose's President of Premium Audio spoke to me about both developments

Last month was huge for Bose's earbuds output, thanks to the release of not one but two successors to the excellent Bose Ultra Open, a delightfully emo collab on the company's flagship cans and a set of wired, inexpensive earbuds that boast ANC, controlled by the inline remote.

So hang on, on the one hand we've got an evolution on a groundbreaking, clip-style, wire-free product Bose pioneered just over two years ago, (something President Raza Haider says he's "happy to take credit for — making open-ear mass market"). And on the other hand we have… wired earbuds like it's 2003?

Yes. And Bose President of Premium Audio, Raza Haider, is happy to talk about the nostalgia-driven technology trend many of us are seeing. After all, who could forget the various 'digital detox' resolves at the start of the year, compounded by the advent of the great privacy revolt concerning glasses, TVs and even wireless earbuds that want to know a little too much about us?

I start off asking Haider simply, "Who knew wired earbuds would be so popular in 2026?"

"Right? I know", Haider laughs. "It was a funny story actually. Over the last three, four years, the team's done a really good job of being able to capture insights and turn them into products much faster than we historically were able to.

"So the idea [for the wired earbuds] actually came a year and a half ago, when I was dropping my daughter off at university. We saw them everywhere. And my daughter was like, 'You know, these are the coolest things ever.'

"And she's like, 'A year ago, we would have made fun of kids who had wired products, and now we all wear them.' So we came back and as a group back in the office, we're like, 'You know, we should do something about it.'

"We saw the trend, but we saw that all the products in the market didn't have great quality audio — none of them had noise cancellation. So, typical Bose, we wanted to redesign something that was a big part of our history and DNA, and bring back something a little bit more retro, a little bit more fun.

"It's a little bit of an homage. I don't know if you remember the old Bose [wired earbuds], it had the little block in the middle, so we kept the block, except it's more like retro color blocks versus the large, big thing.

"These launch in Europe on the 15th October, but we launched them for presale in America on Monday. It is now Wednesday, and they're gone. They're sold out."

'Something is definitely happening'

(Image credit: Bose)

I'm always keen for presidents of audio companies to talk to me about any trends they're seeing. Haider doesn't shy away from telling me how much he thinks this particular trend might stem from buyers avoiding apps that require data collection, as well as trying to bypass the more intrusive aspects AI.

Is that why people are heading back to wires? "There's two dimensions to it. One, there is something larger happening, whether it sticks or doesn't," he said. "You used the term 'digital detox' — now whether it's trust or whatever it is, there's something happening.

Companies, I think, do realize that they need to do a better job of earning consumers' trust, not letting them feel like there's an invasion of privacy

Raza Haider, Bose President of Premium Audio

"Most tech companies will figure out a way around it. There's no way we're going to back away from technology — the technology is here to stay. But companies, I think, do realize that they need to do a better job of earning consumers' trust, not letting them feel like there's an invasion of privacy. So I think one part is definitely that, there's a return to less technologically driven products. That being said, there's a lot of tech in these that makes these great, right?"

He shows me the earbuds and I have to agree, they're pretty cool. But Haider isn't done. "The second part is this: there is a certain convenience and almost comfort in this," he continued, "and I think this is where technology actually should help.

"So, you can leave these in your bag for weeks on end and never lose a charge, never worry about a connection, never have to worry about a sensitive area. You just pull them out and you plug them into your phone physically. There's no app, no settings, and you just go — that's it!

"There's something oddly satisfying about taking this lovely silicone wire, playing around with your hands, hearing the physical click into the interface; you've got actual buttons for volume, and so it's just oddly fun."

'I think the average consumer doesn't know what a Bluetooth codec is, and they couldn't care less'

(Image credit: Bose)

I ask Haider how much he thinks the knowledge that Bluetooth codecs (however improved) still can't quite compete with wired audio for resolution plays a factor in the wired trend? Or is it simply that physical media is having a moment and if you've got a CD Walkman, you want wired buds?

"It's both", he answers. "I think the average consumer doesn't even know what a Bluetooth codec is, and they couldn't care less. All they know is that when they have a wireless headphone, it sometimes drops out, and this doesn't.

"That goes back to my earlier point; it's reinforcing to technology companies that technology needs to work in a way that's invisible to consumers. The days of people using technology just for technology's sake? We've moved past that for certain categories.

"It also goes back to my point on re-plumbing our company's operating model and product development to be able to move faster to capitalize on trends, because there always will be trends.

"The trend of wired now? There'll be a trend for something else. There are trends for colors too. We've done a great job over the last couple of years of launching I think 60 colors to take advantage of that. Companies have to be a lot more nimbler in listening and adapting to consumer trends."

Let's be completely open

(Image credit: Bose)

As well as literally writing the book on active noise cancellation, Bose pioneered what I like to call the 'ear cuff style' open earbuds, with the Bose Ultra Open. To be clear, this was in February 2024, a time when nobody else was doing that.

Did Haider anticipate how popular that particular design would become, and why does he think production of such designs has skyrocketed since? "Yeah! I think as a category overall, it's like the fastest growing category in consumer wearables, right?" he said. "We saw there was a huge need for people to have an alternative to in-ear products.

"For many reasons, starting from the obvious simple logic, in-ear products don't fit in everyone's ear. Some people don't like jamming stuff in their ear. Then, there are many instances where you want to actually be more aware of your surroundings, where it's actually safer to be aware of your surroundings. You're walking home late night, you're going for a run, you're out walking the dog, you want to hear the cars, the roads, the fire trucks.

"There are also many places where there's a social cue — where having one earbud in is disrespectful, people don't engage with you, you lose the human connection. But having a cue or clip which looks and feels like jewelry? It feels more inviting, you don't feel disconnected.

"And so as a result of that, we took a bunch of technology we had, and we spent a lot of time actually designing that cuff, much more than the 10 months it took for the wired earbuds.

The best thing that can happen is, everyone copies us. And that's what happened

Raza Haider, Bose President of Premium Audio

"We were very deliberate about form, fit, feel, design, design intent and look. And when we launched it, people actually asked us whether this would take off, whether people would understand what it is, whether it'd be alienating, would men want to wear something that looks like jewelry? Our answer was, 'We don't know. We've heard our consumers, they said they wanted it, we're giving them an option for something new.'

"And the best thing that can happen is, everyone copies us. And that's what happened. In the last two years, this thing has blown up."

La vie en Bose?

(Image credit: Future)

Our time together is coming to an end, but I'm keen to ask where Haider, as head of a market leader and pioneer in the portable audio space, thinks consumer audio will be in 10 years?

"Given how fast things are changing now, it seems almost impossible to make a prediction," he said. "But let me give you a few just general trends, right? There's always a nostalgia-driven customer, and companies have to be positioned to be able to successfully capitalize on trends.

"Companies well-positioned to capitalize on trends will be at an advantage. But from a tech standpoint — especially with what's happening right now with AI and the pace at which things are getting smarter — I think you'll see edge or wearable devices becoming a lot more intelligent and contextually aware of what a user wants to do.

"As a result, I think you're going to see a lot more fragmentation in the combination of things a user puts on their body, to optimize something that they're passionate about.

"People will soon realize that most of us have a passion point around something. For some people it might be music, for some it might be health and fitness, for some might be wellness, some might be an active lifestyle, some might be content creation, some might be creating and producing.

"And for all of those people, there's a different set of both awareness and sensory capture and sensory orchestration, let's say, that will allow you to do what you're passionate about better. And companies that realize that, and deliver something that's more consumer and passion point-centric, win.

"So, what my daughter will want to do with the combination of her earbuds, her phone, and her watch would be very different than what you and I might want to do, which will be different from someone who wants to go on a run, which will be different from someone who might be interviewing someone at a concert."

It's an insightful and hopeful look at a more tailored wearable future. Will we still be embracing wires, or will wireless audio finally be hi-res enough (and carefree enough) to be the better standard? Time will tell. But as a daughter myself, I for one really hope the people in charge will always listen to theirs.