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Water fluoridation is still up for debate in the US. According to experts, here are the facts.

• The accuracy achieved by the top-scoring AI in the world's hardest benchmark as improved by 183% in just two weeks
• ChatGPT o3-mini now scores up to 13% accuracy depending on capacity
• OpenAI Deep Research obliterates competition with 26.6% accuracy result

The world's hardest AI exam, Humanity's Last Exam, was launched less than two weeks ago, and we've already seen a huge jump in accuracy, with ChatGPT o3-mini and now OpenAI's Deep Reasoning topping the leaderboard.

The AI benchmark created by experts from around the world contains some of the hardest reasoning problems and questions known to man – it's so hard, that when I previously wrote about Humanity's Last Exam in the article linked above, I couldn't even understand one of the questions, let alone answer it.

At the time of writing that last article, world phenomenon DeepSeek R1 sat at the top of the leaderboard with a 9.4% accuracy score when evaluated only on text (not multi-modal). Now, OpenAI's o3-mini, which launched earlier this week, has scored 10.5% accuracy at the o3-mini setting, and 13% accuracy at the o3-mini-high setting, which is more intelligent but takes longer to generate answers.

More impressive, however, is OpenAI's new AI agent Deep Research's score on the benchmark, with the new tool scoring 26.6%, a whopping 183% increase in result accuracy in less than 10 days. Now, it's worth noting that Deep Research has search capabilities which make comparisons slightly unfair, as the other AI models don't. The ability to search the web is helpful for a test like Humanity's Last Exam, as it includes some general knowledge-based questions.

That said, the accuracy of results by models taking Humanity's Last Exam results is steadily improving, and it does make you wonder just how long we'll need to wait to see an AI model come close to completing the benchmark. Realistically, AI shouldn't be able to come close any time soon, but I wouldn't bet against it.

It looks like the latest OpenAI model is very doing well across many topics.My guess is that Deep Research particularly helps with subjects including medicine, classics, and law. pic.twitter.com/x8Ilmq1aQSFebruary 3, 2025

Better, but 26.6% never got me any SATs

OpenAI Deep Research is an incredibly impressive tool, and I've been blown away by the examples that OpenAI showed off when it announced the AI agent. Deep Research is able to work as your personal analyst, taking time to conduct intense research and come up with reports and answers that would otherwise take humans hours and hours to complete.

While a score of 26.6% on Humanity's Last Exam is seriously impressive, especially considering how far the benchmark's leaderboard has come in just a couple of weeks, it's still a low score in absolute terms – no one would claim to have passed a test with anything less than 50% in the real world.

Humanity's Last Exam is an excellent benchmark, and one that will prove invaluable as AI models develop, enabling us to gauge just how far they've come. How long will we have to wait to see an AI bypass the 50% mark? And which model will be the first to do so?

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• Ninja has launched a white version of the five-star Double Stack air fryer
• Off-white is slated to be one of this year's most popular colors for kitchens
• KitchenAid and Breville are also trying out lighter and more natural shades

Ninja has given its best air fryer, the Ninja Double Stack, a new look for 2025 with a fresh white color scheme - a bright alternative to the usual matt black and brushed stainless steel. We gave the Double Stack top marks thanks to its smart two-tier design and consistently great cooking results, and thanks to this fresh new look it'll look at home in even more kitchens - including yours.

The Ninja White Collection, which launched this week, also includes the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer, Rapid Boil Perfect Temperature Kettle, and the Foodi 3-in-1 Toaster, Grill and Panini Press.

According to Ninja, the new-look air fryers, kettle, and grill are "designed to complement any kitchen, beautifully crafted to blend modern aesthetics with effortless functionality" – and it's not the only company hoping to brighten up your kitchen this year.

(Image credit: SharkNinja) Lighten up

According to our colleagues over at interior design site Homes & Gardens, off-white is set to be one of the hottest trends of 2025, and opting for appliances in fresher colors could be a quick and easy way to bring your kitchen right up to date,

Just a few days ago KitchenAid announced that its full range of espresso machines is now available in Porcelain White – a creamy shade with a matt finish. The company first launched the color in 2023, in response to demand for appliances in softer hues.

KitchenAid also tried something different a few weeks ago with its Artisan Design Series Evergreen stand mixer, which has a soft green chassis and a bowl made from real walnut wood rather than stainless steel. Home cooks were divided on its practicality, with some arguing that wood is an impractical choice that needs too much maintenance, but it's hard to deny that it's striking.

Meanwhile, Breville has put a new twist on its best espresso machine with brass accents and colors inspired by nature. The Breville Barista Touch Impress is now available in warm shades of blue, olive, and off-white with warm-toned metal rather than stainless steel.

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• A new Pixel Watch feature has been found in an APK teardown
• Adaptive Charging will use AI to charge your watch more efficiently, extending its lifespan
• The feature is already used on Pixel phones

Google Pixel Watches are consistently among our list of the best Android smartwatches and score highly in reviews, but we’re always a little let down by the battery life. Compared to watches that last a couple of days, even the Google Pixel Watch 3’s 24 hours with always-on display enabled seems a little lackluster.

A new feature could be added to the Pixel Watch 3 which will improve the battery’s health and overall lifespan, although it probably won’t change how long your watch will last between charges directly. During an APK teardown, a process in which an app's code is examined to predict new features that could arrive in the future, Android Authority discovered a hidden chunk of code referring to an Adaptive Charging feature.

Adaptive Charging is a machine learning-powered feature used on Pixel phones, which learns your charging habits and charges the phone at different rates depending on your usage. If you plug it in overnight, the phone will eventually charge slowly at these times, while if you tend to top it up at regular intervals, the battery will charge quickly.

This is done to extend the device’s overall lifespan, reducing both energy consumption and e-waste. It also stops the battery from deteriorating as quickly.

It’s not confirmed that the feature will arrive on Pixel Watches, but it would be a welcome addition. We would like the feature to come hand-in-hand with Adaptive Battery, another Pixel feature that uses similar machine learning to put little-used apps to sleep to avoid battery drainage. This would extend the watch’s life between charges, possibly aiding Google to reach the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s 36-hour figure.

Tackling e-waste in wearables

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Adaptive Charging will prevent battery degradation and reduce e-waste – both very important issues plaguing the wearables world at the moment. We live in a time in which smartwatches do not have replaceable batteries, new products are brought out each year, and old ones deteriorate quickly.

Similar problems occur with the best earbuds and best smart rings: if smartwatch manufacturers are unwilling to create their watches with easily replaceable batteries, extending their lifespan is going to be key. And who doesn’t want their gadgets to last longer, meaning they’re better value for money?

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Prime Video's huge library has got even bigger with the arrival of 90 new movies in February. There's an impressive selection available, from classic rom-coms to rib-tickling comedies.

While there's only a limited number of TV shows arriving on the streamer this month, it doesn't make it any less exciting as the highly-anticipated Reacher season 3 and Invincible season 3 are set to arrive.

Prime Video's constant haul of fresh content every month is why it's one of the best streaming services around and you can also check out the cream of the crop available in our best Prime Video movies guide. However, if you're looking for something new to watch on the platform, have a look at the list below for its latest arrivals.

Everything new on Prime Video in February 2025

Arriving February 1

50 First Dates (movie)
A Fish Called Wanda (movie)
Along Came Polly (movie)
Annie (2014, movie)
Arctic (movie)
Because I Said So (movie)
Birdman Of Alcatraz (movie)
Bowling for Columbine (movie)
Breach (movie)
Capote (movie)
Dances with Wolves (movie)
De-Lovely (movie)
Duel At Diablo (movie)
Fargo (1996, movie)
Fiddler On the Roof (movie)
Four Weddings and a Funeral (movie)
Friday Night Lights (movie)
Friends with Benefits (movie)
Gang Related (movie)
Get Shorty (movie)
Ghost World (movie)
Gridiron Gang (movie)
Groundhog Day (movie)
Heartbreakers (movie)
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (movie)
Irma La Douce (movie)
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (movie)
Jason's Lyric (movie)
Just Friends (2005, movie)
Knocked Up (movie)
Lady Chatterley's Lover (1982, movie)
Lakeview Terrace (movie)
Lars and the Real Girl (movie)
Leap Year (movie)
Leaving Las Vegas (movie)
Legally Blonde (movie)
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (movie)
Legally Blondes (movie)
Love Field (movie)
Married to the Mob (movie)
Midnight Cowboy (movie)
Milk (movie)
Mod Squad (movie)
Moonstruck (movie)
Mr. Deeds (movie)
PBC on Prime Video (TV show)
Pitch Black (movie)
Platoon (movie)
Red River (movie)
Repo Men (movie)
Rescue Dawn (movie)
Riddick (movie)
Rob Roy (movie)
Running Scared (movie)
Sarana! (movie)
Saved! (movie)
Sayonara (movie)
Scarface (movie)
Six Degrees of Separation (movie)
Southside With You (movie)
Teen Witch (movie)
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (movie)
That Awkward Moment (movie)
The Barefoot Contessa (movie)
The Big Country (movie)
The Birdcage (movie)
The Bridges Of Madison County (movie)
The Chronicles of Riddick (movie)
The Devil Wears Prada (movie)
The Five-Year Engagement (movie)
The French Lieutenant's Woman (movie)
The Madness Of King George (movie)
The Manchurian Candidate (movie)
The Mighty Quinn (movie)
The Nutty Professor (movie)
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (movie)
The Wedding Date (movie)
Throw Momma From the Train (movie)
Undercover Brother (movie)
Untamed Heart (movie)
Uptown Girls (movie)
West Side Story (1961, movie)
Witness For The Prosecution (movie)

Arriving February 2

Past Lives (movie)

Arriving February 4

Didi (movie)
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (movie)

Arriving February 6

Clean Slate (TV show)
Invincible season 3 (TV show)

Arriving February 7

Blue Period (movie)
Contigo en el futuro (movie)
ONE Fight Night on Prime Video (TV show)

Arriving February 11

50,000 First Dates: A True Story (TV show)

Arriving February 12

Dino Dex Part 2 (TV show)

Arriving February 13

Broken Rage (movie)
My Fault: London (movie)
Sweethearts (TV show)

Arriving February 15

Next Goal Wins (movie)

Arriving February 18

George Lopez: Muy Católico (TV show)

Arriving February 20

Reacher season 3 (TV show)

Arriving February 23

The Meg (movie)

Arriving February 27

House of David (TV show)
Su Majestad (TV show)

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• Hidden code points to another Gemini and Google Maps integration
• You'll be able to ask Gemini about places on the map
• There's no official word on when the feature will actually go live

We've seen a smattering of Gemini AI features added to Google Maps so far, and it looks as though another integration is on the way: a pop-up option to ask the AI model about any location you're looking at on a map.

The feature isn't live yet, but code for it was spotted by Android Authority in the latest version of Google Maps for Android. If you invoke Gemini with a place selected in Google Maps, you'll see an Ask about place button above the standard search box.

Tap that button, and the location reference is appended to your Gemini search – so you can ask the AI what type of place it is, how to drive there, whether or not it's suitable for families, what its history is, or anything else you like.

It's the latest in a series of contextual 'chips' that have been added to the Gemini assistant, which try and anticipate what you're going to search for – you might see a chip displaying Ask about screen or Ask about video, for example, depending on what you're looking at.

Gemini's rapid expansion

There's no official word on when this extra Google Maps functionality might go live, but considering the code is in place, it shouldn't take too long to appear. It's the latest example of Gemini getting its hooks deeper into apps from Google and other developers.

In recent months we've seen updates enabling Google Gemini to take more control of your smart home, see what's on your phone screen, and summarize your messages in Google Chat so you don't have to read through every single one.

Updates are also appearing across apps for photos, music, phone calls, and weather, with extensions linking the AI bot into apps such as Spotify and WhatsApp. It looks as though the influence and reach of Gemini will grow and grow.

This is all happening while the tricky issue of AI hallucinations remains a problem: let's hope Gemini doesn't give users any false information about tourist hotspots, famous landmarks, or local coffee shops (maybe double-check the details, just to be sure).

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• Apple says you can prevent your MacBook from automatically turning on
• This normally happens when you open the lid or connect the power cable
• The Terminal-based solution is aimed at more advanced users

It’s been a familiar part of owning any of the best MacBooks for years: open the lid or connect your charger when it’s powered off and your laptop will automatically start up, without you having to press the power button. But that situation doesn’t work for everyone, and Apple has now explained how you can bypass this behavior if you want to.

In a new support document, Apple explains the process for turning off this feature. Once it’s disabled, your MacBook will only load up when you press a button or the trackpad.

That said, it’s not a particularly simple process – there’s no toggle to change in the Settings app, for example. So it’s likely more of a power-user solution than anything else.

According to the support document, you’ll first need to ensure your Mac has an Apple silicon chip and is running macOS Sequoia or later. Next, open the Terminal app (located in the Utilities folder) and type one of the following commands, then press Return:

• To stop your laptop from turning on when you open the lid or connect the power cable, type sudo nvram BootPreference=%00
• To prevent the laptop starting up only when you open the lid, type sudo nvram BootPreference=%01
• Or to prevent startup only when you connect the power cable, type sudo nvram BootPreference=%02

To finish off, type your administrator password and press Return. To undo the commands and restore your MacBook to its previous way of working, just type sudo nvram -d BootPreference and press Return.

A power-user fix

(Image credit: WeDesing via Shutterstock)

That gives you a few options to customize your MacBook’s startup behavior as you wish. While it’s not the simplest fix, it does at least give you a bit more control over your laptop. With the automatic startup disabled, your MacBook should only load up if you press a key or the trackpad.

Why would you want to stop your MacBook from booting up when you open the lid? You might simply want to inspect your laptop, for example, or take photos of it if you want to sell it. Having it power on when you open the lid means you then have to turn it off again, something you wouldn’t need to bother with if you could just disable that behavior in the first place.

As always with the Terminal, make sure you know what you’re doing before you start entering commands. If you do, this could be a helpful way to gain a little more control over the way your MacBook works.

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• The second hotfix for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on PC is now live
• The patch features various crash fixes and improve stability
• A bug preventing players from earning Steam Achievements has also been resolved

A new Marvel's Spider-Man 2 patch has been released on PC, which addresses various bugs and improves stability.

This is the game's second patch on PC since it launched for the platform on January 30 and comes after a series of crash reports from players. According to the patch notes, "various crash fixes" have now been implemented and changes have been made "aimed at further improving game stability".

Alongside some technical fixes, the update has also resolved a bug that was preventing some players from earning Steam Achievements.

Thankfully, there's no need for players to replay certain sections of Spider-Man 2 to get their achievements after installing the patch. Instead, affected players will unlock them retroactively after updating their game and loading a save file.

Nixxes Software, which ported Insomniac's superhero game to PC, also confirmed that it has fixed a bug related to DualShock 4 button prompts, as well as addressed a frame rate-related progression blocker that some players were experiencing in the mission 'Show Me New York'.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 - Version 1.202.0.0 patch notes

• Various crash fixes and stability improvements.
• Fixed a bug that could cause Achievements not being awarded on some configurations.
• Triangle and Square button prompts are now displayed correctly when using a DualShock 4 controller with Steam Input enabled.
• Resolved a frame rate related bug that could block players during the mission ‘Show Me New York'.

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• Ex president of PlayStation Studios Shuhei Yoshida has commented on the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal
• He said that there were "not many surprises"
• He hopes that Nintendo still has something more exciting in store

Shuhei Yoshida, former president of PlayStation Studios, has commented on the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal.

Speaking in a new interview on the MinnMax YouTube channel , Yoshida mused that he "thought the Switch 2 announcement could have been a larger reveal."

Referring to the many Nintendo Switch 2 rumors and leaks, which detailed everything from its overall design to even the look and color of the new Joy-Con controllers, he said that it was "just confirmation [that] you know this is Switch 2 - and this is Switch 2.

"I was surprised there were not many surprises," he continued. "The only surprise to me was the mouse thing they showed."

Leaks have suggested that the Nintendo Switch 2 controllers will feature unique optical sensors, which will reportedly allow them to be placed flat and used like a PC mouse. This was alluded to, though not fully confirmed, in the reveal trailer, with two Joy-Con shown sliding along a surface like mice.

Although he didn't find the trailer particularly exciting, Yoshida is optimistic that "because it's Nintendo, they'll use it in some weird, amazing way, something that people wouldn't anticipate. I hope in the next show in the beginning of April they'll reveal something that is still hidden to us about Switch 2."

With the Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Direct set to air on April 2, 2025, we'll have to wait and see whether Yoshida is correct.

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• Google Sheets is getting some speedy upgrades
• Faster loading and pasting times between spreadsheets now available
• Updates are rolling out now, so be ready

Creating your dream spreadsheets with ease could be about to get a whole lot easier thanks to some important upgrades for Google Sheets.

The spreadsheet software has revealed updates which it says decrease loading times and boost overall performance, particularly when it comes to calculations.

The news could be the next big shot in the arm for Google Workspace's tool as it looks to topple the likes of Microsoft Excel and become the most reliable workplace office software.

Google Sheets speed upgrade

The updates include improvements such as a 50% faster speed when pasting data from one spreadsheet to another, as well as spreadsheets loading existing data up to 30% faster.

Filter conditions can also now be set up to 50% faster than previously, giving users a much quicker way to access the information they need.

"These changes help various users work faster and more efficiently in a variety of scenarios," a Google Workspace update blog post announcing the news declared.

It outlined examples such as a data analyst being able to can paste small or large quantities of data from an existing spreadsheet to a new one much quicker, a campaign manager being able to add filtering conditions to better understand the performance of a campaign at a certain time faster, and a small business owner being able to quickly see their data load.

The news comes after the company announced it had doubled the calculation speed in Google Sheets in June 2024, boosting actions such as formulas, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and more, regardless of file size.

The updates are available now, and require no additional admin controls or changes. They will be available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

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AI has moved mountains for enterprises in the last five years, breaking down large datasets into digestible insights that inform strategies and grow businesses. Now, the technology is undergoing a new and fascinating evolution: emotional intelligence.

With customer experience (CX) at the forefront of business minds, this advancement has sparked the attention of industry leaders, innovators and strategists alike. As the demand for lightning-fast, personalized experiences grows more prominent, a key question arises: can businesses rely on emotionally attuned AI to deliver?

The current state of natural language models

ELIZA, the very first chatbot, marked the birth of a technological revolution that would pave the way for the likes of Siri, Cortana and Alexa. While this familiar technology laid the groundwork for modern conversational AI, the early chatbots were often found to be somewhat repetitive and rigid in how they interacted with users, only scraping the surface of what AI can achieve.

Now, large language models are being trained to obtain more human-like qualities as leading tech giants like OpenAI search for new ways to develop smarter, more intuitive AI models. In the company’s recent roll-out, Advanced Voice mode for ChatGPT, the world got a taste of what today’s AI is capable of in a natural language setting —offering real-time responses on virtually any topic, near-seamless vocal delivery, and even handling interruptions and unexpected inputs.

With the market for emotionally intelligent AI projected to reach $7 billion by 2029, it’s safe to say we can expect a transformative shift — not only in how we interact with this technology but how businesses use it. From valuable customer support with empathetic virtual assistants to hyper-personalized sales interactions, the applications of emotionally intelligent natural language processing (NLP) models are vast and varied, generating tailored responses across all customer touchpoints.

Connecting on a human-like level

Customer experience has moved on from simply solving problems and ensuring a seamless transaction. It’s progressed into something deeper; a foundation for forging deeper connections and shaping memorable interactions.

Equipped with emotional intelligence, AI systems could interpret, understand and respond to nuanced emotions like frustration, anger or disappointment and offer context-appropriate support. Going beyond customer communication, AI could also apply this data to identify areas for improvement and present valuable insights into customer sentiment, proactively addressing potential CX roadblocks.

Responding to the need for more sophisticated and efficient business processes, AI agents have also emerged as a promising solution to free up employees for more pressing tasks. An AI agent is software that can autonomously perform tasks, make decisions, and interact with users or systems to achieve specific goals. Unlike traditional chatbots, which are typically limited to scripted interactions and predefined workflows, AI chatbot agents leverage advanced capabilities like contextual understanding, continuous learning, and integration with multiple systems to deliver more dynamic and personalized experiences. These agents can act proactively, adapt to changing environments, and execute complex, multi-step processes without constant human input.

While highly powerful and offering breakthroughs in productivity, AI agents often have required significant technical skills both to build and train their models. The technical expertise and access to AI developers has impeded many businesses wanting to pursue their potential. Finally, the first wave of AI agents has often seemed “robotic” – impersonal, almost parroted responses to the user’s requests. However, this has led to use of another innovative technology – no-code platforms – as a way to accelerate adoption.

New-found AI Agent accessibility through no-code + empathetic AI

No-code platforms are software development tools that allow users to create applications and automate processes without writing any traditional code. With no coding background required, these platforms make complex systems accessible to all, empowering business leaders to build customizable applications. This directly translates to notable efficiency gains as repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as data entry and lead qualification, can be automated.

Paired with AI agents, no-code is incredibly powerful. Enabling seamless integration with emotionally intelligent NLP AI models, no-code platforms allow businesses to build AI agents that connect with customers on a deeper and more personalized level. With intuitive interfaces and pre-built integrations (configured by no-code), businesses can incorporate AI-powered features like sentiment analysis, personalized recommendations and contextualized responses into their customer interactions with ease. As mundane duties fall to AI agents, employees also gain more time to focus on high-value tasks, such as developing innovative solutions and driving strategic business growth.

With these intelligent tools, no-code platforms can improve productivity at a faster rate, with greater agility and greater than ever before. Businesses can lean on these AI tools to improve experiences across customer touchpoints and create systems that respond to emotional cues, leading to more personalized, human-like customer experiences. Hesitation during a purchase could prompt clarification, or expressions of satisfaction could create upselling opportunities — all handled in a conversational, non-intrusive manner.

Reimagining the customer experience

Humanity’s journey with emotionally intelligent AI is just getting started and its potential is infinite. While this developing technology is not without its challenges, businesses can increasingly rely on these systems to deliver exceptional CX when paired with the right tools, strategies and human oversight. The journey is ongoing, but the evidence points to a promising, reliable future for emotionally attuned AI.

Whether it’s through text or voice, AI is set to drive better customer satisfaction for businesses. With an intricate understanding of complex emotions and needs, simple service interactions can transform into relationship-building opportunities. No-code platforms can facilitate this need and support businesses in experimenting, iterating and scaling solutions with unprecedented speed and flexibility. Together, these technologies allow businesses to define and reshape what it means to deliver exceptional customer experiences and connect with individuals on a deeper level.

We've compiled a list of the best mobile app development software.

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

• Google Messages code suggests it'll soon support emergency RCS messaging
• Last year, Google confirmed that support was coming for the feature
• It'll let you share photos and videos over text with emergency services

Sometimes texting can work better than calling for contacting the emergency services, and Google has previously promised that support for emergency texts in RCS (the modern take on SMS) would be arriving this year. Now we've got some clear signs that work on the feature is progressing and has taken a step closer to reality.

Android Authority did some digging into the latest Google Messages update on Android, and found hidden code mentioning emergency RCS messaging, and sharing information with the emergency services.

None of this code works or is live at the moment, but Google's engineers seem to be putting in the groundwork for this feature to roll out in the coming months – at least for the US and the 911 service.

Right now, it's possible to contact the emergency services over SMS in some parts of the world, but it's not supported everywhere. Only around 53% of emergency responder call centers in the US support SMS-based text support, for example.

'Critical safety communications'

RCS is now available on iPhones too (Image credit: Apple)

Last June, Google announced that it would be starting to upgrade call center tech in the US in partnership with RapidSOS. That upgrade was getting underway at the end of 2024, suggesting this might all go live at some point in 2025.

Not only will this make text support more widely available, it'll also enable the sharing of photos and videos from your emergency situation. With RCS read receipts, you'll be able to see when your messages are being viewed too.

"First available on Google Messages, emergency texting with RCS will bring critical safety communications capabilities to you when you need it most," says Google. Eventually, support should roll out for other apps – and potentially, other countries.

Eventually, iPhones should get this too, now they have RCS support. It's already possible to contact the emergency services via SMS on iPhones, but as with Android, availability varies by region. If you have an iPhone 14 or later, you can also send emergency texts over a satellite connection when you don't have Wi-Fi or cellular coverage.

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Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM: two-minute review

Ultra wide-angle zoom lenses are a necessity for landscape, architecture, cityscape and travel photographers. Not only do they allow you to capture wide vistas and, indeed interiors, but they also allow you to get in close to subjects to exaggerate perspective for more dramatic results.

The Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM is a professional ultra wide-angle zoom that provides an incredibly versatile focal range, solid features and great image quality to top everything off.

Being a professional Canon L-Series lens, the 15-35mm comes in at a price that might make the average enthusiast wince. But at $2,400 / £2,400 / AU$3,500, while it certainly is expensive, it's comparatively priced to competitor's f/2.8 ultra-wide zooms, so its price is hardly surprising.

There are less expensive ultra wide-angle zooms in the RF line-up, and for many people the RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM will be more than sufficient, but it's not the flagship option with the faster f/2.8 maximum aperture.

(Image credit: James Abbott)

This is a lens that's designed for use on full-frame cameras to take advantage of the advertised focal length, although APS-C Canon users can still use the lens with an equivalent focal range of 24-56mm. This certainly wouldn’t maximise the full benefits of the lens, but if you intend to upgrade to full-frame it would make the 15-35mm a worthwhile investment.

Throw in features such as weather sealing, optical image stabilization and a short minimum focus distance and this immediately becomes an interesting lens if you shoot any subjects that will benefit from a professional lens offering this wide-angle focal range.

Image quality overall is great, but there's a slight caveat here, and this is becoming increasingly common with mirrorless lenses, and that's a heavy reliance on lens corrections. Import your raw files into Lightroom and you'll see that Lens Corrections are switched on by default for this lens. Turn them off and you get an idea of just how strong the adjustments applied are.

Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM specs Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM: Design

• Quite a heavy lens
• Excellent build quality
• Fast and silent autofocus

There's nothing to be excited about or, indeed, disappointed by when it comes to the design of the 15-35mm. Well, except for the heavier than expected weight of 29.6oz / 840g, when you consider the dimensions are pretty much the average for this type of lens at 3.48x4.99in / 88.5x126.8mm. The lens does, however, balance well with full-frame bodies when shooting handheld.

I'm just thinking back to the early promises that mirrorless cameras and lenses would be smaller and lighter than their DSLR equivalents, and nearly choke on my tea as I write since this isn't the case.

Weight aside, the 15-35mm is undoubtedly built to the high standard you'd expect of an L-Series lens including weather sealing, which is essential for a lens that's aimed, in part, at landscape and travel photographers.

The lens is made up of 16 elements in 12 groups including three aspherical and two UD elements. Plus, it has an 82mm fluorine-coated front element. Externally, there's an AF/MF switch, an Image Stabilization On/Off switch, manual focus and zoom rings alongside a lens control ring at the front end of the lens.

The lens control ring can be programmed to adjust certain settings in-camera if you'd find this useful. For me, it's not useful and could be easily knocked, but that's my personal opinion rather than fact.

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The lens has internal focusing so the front element doesn't rotate, but the zoom isn’t internal so the front of the lens extends as you zoom out from 35mm. An internal zoom would be much neater but would add to the already hefty weight, not to mention it's common for ultra wide-angle zooms around this focal range to be designed this way.

There's no manual aperture ring like many modern lenses, which would be a useful feature for videographers if present. Many lenses in recent years have offered a traditional manual aperture ring for this purpose, so it’s a shame that Canon's flagship wide-angle zoom has omitted what is a popular and useful feature.

(Image credit: James Abbott) Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM: Performance

• Fast and silent autofocus
• Captures sharp images
• Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture

Being a pro-spec lens, the 15-35mm comes with a handful of features you'd expect in a premium Canon L-Series offering. First up there's the constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, which paired with the 5-stop Optical Image Stabilization makes the lens as effective handheld in low light conditions as it is tripod mounted, with the latter being the most likely way for the lens to be used for pro landscape and architecture images.

The f/2.8 aperture is also useful for creative, differential focus, which is ideal for travel photographers. And although this aperture isn’t the best option for astrophotography (larger is better), it's certainly useable and further extends the potential of the lens.

Then there's the fast and silent autofocus and the minimum focus distance of 11in / 28cm. With a wide-angle lens, this can be fantastic for creative shots.

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Image quality is great overall with decent edge sharpness as well as in the center of the frame. Although, as you’d expect for a lens as wide as this, edge sharpness is lower than the central area.

The 15-35mm relies heavily on lens corrections, whether in-camera when shooting JPEGs or in software when shooting in raw. Considering the price point and pro L-series status, I'm surprised just how heavy the lens corrections are. The lens does, however, produce fantastic sunstars around artificial light sources at medium apertures when shooting at night.

When you load raw files into Lightroom both Remove Chromatic Aberration and Enable Profile Corrections are switched on by default, so this must be programmed into raw files when shooting with the lens.

Switch lens corrections off and even stopped-down shots exhibit a vignette while optical distortion pops back in; slight barrel distortion at 15mm and 24mm, with slight pincushion distortion at 35mm.

Chromatic aberration is minimal but can sometimes be seen along high-contrast edges. Images are sharp overall and look great with lens corrections applied, but for a lens of this price and bearing the coveted L-Series tag, you'd be forgiven for expecting more with no corrections applied.

Should you buy the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM? Buy it if...

You're a pro landscape photographer

If you're a pro landscape photographer an ultra wide-angle zoom is an essential addition to your kit, and the fast 15-35mm F2.8 will undoubtedly serve you well.

You need a fast maximum aperture

A fast f/2.8 maximum aperture is ideal if you shoot handheld in low light and also if you'd like to use differential focus creatively to emphasize subjects.

You need a tough wide-angle

The 15-35mm features premium build quality and weather sealing, so it ideal for outdoor photographers who can confidently shoot in a range of weather conditions.

Don't buy it if...

You're on a budget

This is an expensive lens so if you can’t quite justify the cost, the Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM is quite a lot less expensive, is an L-Series lens and offers an extra 1mm at the wide end.

You mainly shoot astrophotography

While the 15-35mm can be used for shooting astrophotography, a faster wide-angle prime lens will be a much better option if this is your main purpose for the lens.

You shoot APS-C

If you shoot with an APS-C Canon camera, the 15-35mm has an equivalent focal range of 24-56mm so it's only worth buying if you know you'll be upgrading to full-frame down the line.

How I tested the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM

• Tested with the Canon EOS R1
• Shot night and landscape photography
• Used both handheld and tripod-mounted

The Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM was only available on a short loan with the Canon EOS R1, so the shooting time was tight and poor weather compounded the challenge. This meant most of my testing occurred around dusk to take advantage of late blue hour, as well as some daytime landscape shots when the weather cleared briefly.

The various features and functions were tested, while shots were taken specifically to check for any optical distortions. One of the main lenses I use with my cameras is a premium 16-35mm f/2.8 which provided a foundation from which to judge the RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM.

The two lenses are made by different manufacturers, so they're different in many ways, but it does provide a level of realistic expectation of features and performance.

• First reviewed February 2025

• Microsoft’s next ID@Xbox showcase will air on February 24, 2025
• The event will be part of IGN Fanfest and feature exclusive trailers, reveals, and more
• The next Balatro collaboration will be revealed at the event

Microsoft has announced that the next ID@Xbox showcase will air later this month on February 24.

The indie-focused event will officially be a part of IGN Fan Fest and can be viewed exclusively via “IGN platforms” at 6 PM BST / 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. Like previous events, we can expect the broadcast to air on its official YouTube and Twitch channels.

This year’s show will show off new “trailers, gameplay, and reveals from indie studios”, such as Raw Fury, Team 17, Akapura, 11 Bit, Thunder Lotus, and more.

Although we don’t have any details on what to expect from these specific studios, we do have confirmation that LocalThunk will present a look at ”the next big collaboration for Balatro”, though any indication of what it could be is being kept under wraps for the moment.

ID@Xbox - February 24, 2025 attendees:

• 11 Bit Studios
• BigFan
• Critical Reflex
• Daedalic
• Game Source Entertainment
• No More Robots
• Panic
• Playstack
• Raw Fury
• Thunder Lotus Games
• Cult Games
• Team17
• Curve
• Akapura
• Don't Nod

The last ID@Xbox showcase was held in April 2024 which was filled with a ton of announcements. Some highlights included a new trailer for Lost Records: Bloom & Rage from developer Don’t Nod, which is expected to launch on February 18, the reveal of a new Vampire Survivors downloadable content pack (DLC) called Operation Guns, a massive update for Palworld, and more.

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• Samsung has a new Galaxy Ring patent
• It reveals that the smart ring could one day be used to control other devices like a tablet or laptop
• You'll be able to control the display, shift things around, and even move windows between devices

We rate the Samsung Galaxy Ring as the best smart ring you can buy, and now Samsung is working on a new feature that could improve how useful it is when it comes to using your laptop or laptop.

A new patent spotted by 91Mobiles reveals a patent that clearly points to a smart ring that can be used to control and manipulate windows on devices like Samsung's Galaxy Book and Galaxy Tab range.

The patent is stuffed with the usual dense terminology, but the images attached give us a much clearer picture of how the technology could work. A Galaxy Ring of the future (the Galaxy Ring 2 feels ambitious) could connect to other devices with displays, communicating with them and using gestures to control what's on screen.

Samsung's Galaxy Ring gamechanger

(Image credit: Samsung)

The patent diagram reveals that the ring could connect to multiple devices simultaneously. Between them, the devices would be able to establish their relative positions to the ring and each other, in the same way you might configure a mouse to work in a multi-monitor setup.

You could then use the Galaxy Ring (or a device like Samsung's S Pen) to move things around on the display, or even move windows between devices in a manner similar to Apple's Universal Control feature.

(Image credit: Samsung)

This is the second exciting Samsung gesture patent we've seen in as many months. In January, it was revealed that Samsung was working on turning its Galaxy smartwatch into a James Bond-style TV remote that would let you use gestures and finger movements to control a TV, even using the watch as as pointer to select things and navigate.

While both are unlikely to feature in 2025 Samsung devices, the patent shows that Samsung is committed to the idea on paper, and could implement it in future designs. As we mentioned, though, don't expect it to feature in the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2, which we're hoping to see as early as this year.

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• The Nintendo Switch has officially passed 150 million units sold
• The Switch family collectively shifted 4.82 million units in Q3 FY25
• It's just 4 million shy of the Nintendo DS's lifetime sales

The Nintendo Switch family of consoles has reached yet another sales milestone as lifetime hardware sales surpass 150 million.

This is per Nintendo's latest financial results presentation, which shows that the Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, and Nintendo Switch OLED systems collectively shifted 4.82 million units in FY25 Q3 (that's October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024).

This positions the Nintendo Switch as the company's second best-selling console, but it's not miles away from the Nintendo DS which reached lifetime sales of 154 million. It is, however, still roughly 10 million units away from beating the PlayStation 2, which Sony claims to have shifted 160 million units of.

The Nintendo Switch will likely still have some gas left in the tank before and after the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, which the company has now confirmed will arrive this year. As such, it's not unrealistic to expect the Switch to take the DS's crown this year - though beating that enormous PS2 milestone may be a bit of a stretch.

Other notable details from the financial results reveal that Super Mario Party Jamboree was the star of the show when it came to software sales this financial year. It's currently sitting at a whopping 6.17 million sold, followed by (say the line, Bart) Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at 5.38 million. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom also put in a respectable 3.91 million.

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