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Punxsutawney Phil is adorable, but a woodchuck from New York has him beat for accuracy, according to NOAA weather data analysis.

Denver-based Boom Technology's XB-1 demonstrator plane hit Mach 1.122 — 750 mph. It's the first independently developed supersonic jet. The company is also working on a supersonic passenger airliner.

Pat Riley, the current president and former head coach of the Miami Heat, owns half a dozen trademarks related to the word "three-peat." That could affect whether it appears on Super Bowl merch.

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• A new phishing scam has targeted a Google programmer
• The attack was worryingly convincing, and has made Google tighten defenses in response
• Not sure how to spot a phishing scam? Follow our tips

A new ultra-realistic phishing scam reported by a Google programmer could make a lot of us a little uneasy.

Zach Latta, warned in a recent blog post, “Someone just tried the most sophisticated phishing attack I've ever seen. I almost fell for it. My mind is a little blown.”

Starting with a phone call from the Caller ID ‘Google’, this phishing attempt was enough to convince a Google programmer into being one button press away from disaster - here’s what we know so far.

A convincing story

On the other side of Latta's phone call, which is a genuine number associated with Google Assistant calls, was a ‘Google engineer’ called Chloe.

The connection was ‘super clear’, with Latta noting the scammer had an American accent, and claimed to be from Google Workspace - asking if he had recently attempted to log into his account from Frankfurt, Germany.

From there, the programmer asked if ‘Chloe’ could confirm this by emailing from an official Google email. Worryingly, the scammer obliged, and sent Latta an incredibly official looking email with a case number.

Not only was the email sent, but it was sent from the address ‘workspace-noreply@ google.com’, and related to his ‘password for important.g.co’ which the attacker claimed was an internal Google subnet. This is important, because even our own TechRadar phishing advice identifies this as a serious indication of risk.

But g.co is an official Google URL - which is confirmed by Google and even has its own Wikipedia page. Latta, being a tech worker, knew to verify the phone number, so Googled the number - and was encouraged to do so by the scammer, who advised him to quote his case number if he called. The number is listed on google.com pages, which was enough to placate Latta enough.

The scammer was encouraging Latta to carry out a ‘sessions reset’, on his device, which rang alarm bells for the programmer. The scam's first stumbling block came when Latta checked his Google Workspace logs himself, and of course, didn’t find any suspicious activity.

When pressed, the scam began to unravel - with the attacker transferring to a manager who further encouraged Latta to log out from all devices and reset his password. Shockingly, the scammer was able to provide the genuine MFA code that was sent to Latta, which, if entered, would’ve given the attackers access to Latta’s account.

Thankfully, Latta was able to spot the red flags and by this point, was already suspicious enough to avoid handing his account over - but the scammer got close, Latta admitted.

“Literally 1 button press from being completely pwned. And I'm pretty technical!”

This particular attack has made Google up its defenses in response.

“We’ve suspended the account behind this scam, which abused an unverified Workspace account to send these misleading emails" a Google spokesperson told TechRadarPro.

"We have not seen evidence that this is a wide scale tactic, but we are hardening our defenses against abusers leveraging g.co references at sign up to further protect users."

Google also reiterated: "Google will not call you to reset your password or troubleshoot account issues.”

The news follows a trend of cybercriminals deploying smarter and more frequent attacks, in part enabled by the advent of AI. This particular scam even bypassed MFA and used a legitimate Google domain, so even the most tech-savvy among us should be on the lookout.

Escaping phishing attacks

What’s concerning about this scam in particular is that it has found workarounds for some of the classic tell-tale signs of a scam. As Latta said,

“The thing that's crazy is that if I followed the 2 "best practices" of verifying the phone number + getting them to send an email to you from a legit domain, I would have been compromised.”

Checking the legitimacy of the email and phone number is pretty much the first recommendation for any unexpected communications - and that’s still good advice, but clearly it will only filter out the lower level attacks at this point. If you’re not sure what exactly a phishing attack is, we’ve put together an explainer.

That said, remaining suspicious of any and all unknown communications, especially those urging action, really is the best defense against phishing attacks.

In the kindest way possible, it’s unlikely you’re important enough for Google to be concerned enough to call you about your personal email account - so be very wary of anyone reaching out to you out of nowhere.

A Google spokesperson told TheRegister, “As a reminder, Google will not call users to reset their passwords or troubleshoot account issues, so feel free to treat any incoming calls as the garbage they are.”

Look out for any obvious markers, like bad spelling or grammar - and be mindful of which organizations would already know your name - it’s unlikely your bank would start an email with ‘Dear customer’.

Alongside that, avoid clicking any links on emails from people you don’t know, and don’t open attachments or scan QR codes either. If you’d like more detail, take a look at our full phishing defense and how to stop it.

Another layer of defense against scams, is using the best identity theft protection, which can help if you do accidentally click the wrong thing.

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• A recent Android Auto update has altered the way Google Maps looks
• Defaulting to a centered view is making it difficult to see live location
• Workaround requires closing the search bar, which is irritating and distracting

Google has recently updated its Google Maps software on vehicle head units and infotainment systems that are compatible with Android Auto, and it has forced some users to hit the forums and chatrooms to express their displeasure.

Not to be confused with Android Automotive, the operating system a growing number of vehicle manufacturers are installing natively on recent models, Android Auto allows for certain apps housed on Android smartphones to be mirrored on an infotainment system or an aftermarket head unit.

A recent software update to the smartphone app now means the Maps application defaults to a centered view when a destination hasn’t been selected. Google’s suggested ‘Destinations’ box takes up most of the screen real estate.

This large, obtrusive black box takes up most of the screen's top right quadrant, diminishing the number of streets and nearby points of interest that drivers can see when casually cruising rather than navigating to a destination.

Google Maps is now centered on the screen
byu/steelbreeze9 inAndroidAuto

This box can be collapsed with a prod of the finger, but it’s not a permanent action, meaning drivers have to take their eyes off the road to remove it... every time they drive.

A Reddit post by a disgruntled user (via Android Authority) has already garnered well over 130 comments, with folks stating that they have transitioned to Waze because “that Search monstrosity taking up 1/4 of the screen is brutal,” according to one Redditor.

It’s also worth noting that many Google Maps users probably won’t even notice the change. They are either navigating to a set destination (the Search Box disappears in this mode) or not paying attention to the digital maps anyway because they either know the way or are simply enjoying the drive.

Regardless, it will be difficult for Google to ignore the backlash, and it will likely address the issue in future updates.

Analysis: Smaller screens suffer

(Image credit: Myriam Joire)

The screen grab accompanying the Reddit user’s post shows a very small, fairly low-resolution infotainment head unit, which is likely exacerbating the situation.

Many vehicles launched in the past few years have predominantly been sold with much larger screens, allowing Google Maps more room to display more information.

Run Maps on an Android Automotive-powered system found in a Renault or Volvo, and there’s enough screen real estate left over to run several other applications simultaneously.

It seems Google may have overlooked the fact that not everyone can afford a 12-inch touchscreen display that’s powered by the latest Snapdragon processors. Afterall, most of us mere mortals forced to retrofit smaller aftermarket head units in order to modernize an older vehicle.

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• Zimperium research finds SMishing campaign leveraging carefully crafted PDF files
• The campaign is impersonating the USPS
• The goal of the campaign is to steal login credentials

Corporate email accounts may be under the watchful eye of different security solutions, but mobile devices aren’t enjoying the same level of protection, experts have warned, as criminals are devising advanced, complex mobile phishing attacks to steal valuable login credentials.

Cybersecurity researchers at Zimperium recently discovered a new campaign using a unique obfuscation technique - they would first build a PDF file, mimicking the United States Postal Service (USPS). The file’s structure is quite complex, the researchers said, as it has a header, body, cross-reference table, and a trailer. The link, which leads to a malicious landing page, is embedded without using the standard /URI tag, which makes detection and forensics somewhat more difficult.

The uniqueness of the attack is seen in the URL, which comes with an embedded XObject. This allows the crooks to turn it into a clickable button.

SMS messages and PDF files

The attack starts with an SMS message, instead of an email. This way, the threat actors are able to bypass any email security protections set up, but also presents two unique challenges: one - they need to know their victims’ phone numbers, and two - sending SMS messages in bulk is not as cheap, easy, or private, as sending emails.

In the SMS message, the attackers impersonate the USPS and, in the usual scamming fashion, warn the victims about a parcel. They share the link to the PDF, which then leads to a malicious landing page, where victims end up sharing their login credentials. This information is ultimately encrypted and relayed to the attacker-owned C2 server.

This campaign highlights the fact phishing attacks can happen anywhere, not just in email, and that businesses need to expand their training sessions to cover virtually all communications platforms in use today.

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• Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti is supposedly going on sale on February 20
• This is purportedly info gleaned directly from Nvidia by a tech site
• That date does align with some past rumors, making it seem more likely

Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti could be out on February 20, or that’s the latest talk coming from the rumor mill, taken with the usual pinch of seasoning as ever.

VideoCardz has the scoop on this one, with the tech site informing us that this is word from Nvidia itself, courtesy of the latest info on review embargoes from Team Green.

Obviously this must still be regarded as a rumor, but the theory is that reviews of the RTX 5070 Ti graphics cards that are pitched at MSRP ($749 in the US, or £749 / AU$1,109) will arrive on February 19, and those above the MSRP level will follow the next day, with the GPUs all on shelves on that same day, February 20.

There’s an important point to note about the RTX 5070 Ti, and that’s the fact that this graphics card won’t have a Founders Edition from Nvidia, unlike all the other GeForce Blackwell models that have been announced so far.

In other words, only third-party RTX 5070 Ti graphics cards (from the likes of Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, PNY and Zotac) will be available to buy.

According to VideoCardz, Nvidia originally intended to launch these RTX 5070 Ti models on February 14, but that date was put back due to the Chinese New Year (and presumably stock concerns therein).

All that Nvidia has officially said is that the RTX 5070 models, both the vanilla and Ti graphics cards, are going to be out in February 2025.

(Image credit: Shutterstock / DC Studio) Reinforcing past rumors, and worries around RTX 5070 timing

It’s no surprise to hear that Nvidia is planning to unleash the RTX 5070 Ti later in February, as this is something we’ve caught wind of before. Previously, there was some speculation about a mid-to-late February release, before a retailer actually listed a February 20 launch date, as aired here.

It’s also not surprising that the RTX 5070 Ti could turn up later next month, given the rumors we’ve been hearing about stock shortages – and there’s been a lot of that chat floating around. Such a weight, in fact, that it’s becoming easier and easier to believe that Nvidia will have issues here (and it’s not like this hasn’t happened before).

So, the hope with the RTX 5070 Ti is that, unlike the rumors around the RTX 5080, we’ll actually get a decent amount of graphics cards that are priced at the MSRP (or at least very close to it).

The difference with the RTX 5070 Ti is that, as noted above, there isn’t a Founders Edition in place underlining the MSRP. So, you’d hope Nvidia will be pushing to ensure that its card making partners are going to have a suitable selection of 5070 Ti models at that MSRP, otherwise, well, setting that recommended pricing level starts to look a bit pointless (if everyone’s ignoring it).

Moving from the hope, to the fear with the RTX 5070 Ti, this is that stock is going to sell out lightning-quick, as we get the first semi-affordable – a relative term, of course – Blackwell GPU actually available to buy. In particular, those graphics cards at the MSRP may disappear in the blink of a ray-traced eye, and we may be waiting for some time before stock levels get beefed up a bit (given the inevitable price scalping, too).

The other question is if the RTX 5070 Ti is due on February 20, where does that leave the RTX 5070? To be fair, in theory the vanilla card could be close behind, and as it’s grabbing more interest than the 5070 Ti currently – as gamers are not convinced the 5070 Ti will provide a convincing uplift over the 4070 Ti – that may pull the focus from the Ti model in short order.

This is all guesswork naturally, certainly the talk around the RTX 5070 Ti looking like a less robust next-gen upgrade – that’s mostly based on a few Nvidia performance graphs, the GPU’s specs, and drawing parallels based on how the RTX 5090 panned out relative to its predecessor – and so these are notions we should not get carried away with.

There are also some rumors that the RTX 5070 might be delayed to March 2025, though, and if there’s anything to that particular smouldering fire – with no mention of this GPU from Nvidia yet, apparently – the RTX 5070 Ti might be the only option on the Blackwell mid-range table for a little while. All as AMD looks to get into the game with its RX 9070 models in March, although those GPUs have faced plenty of controversy of their own.

Indeed, I’m not sure I can ever remember a pre-launch period for GPUs that has been so thick with rumors and oddities, than this current run-up to Blackwell and RDNA 4.

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Dreame R20 cordless vacuum: two-minute review

The Dreame R20 is a sterling lightweight compact cordless stick vac that delivers exceptional cleaning performance at a very competitive price. Its exceedingly powerful suction, useful blue light dust detection, superb manoeuvrability and user-friendly design make it a very strong contender against expensive premium brands like Dyson and Miele.

A sub brand of the massive Xiaomi empire, Dreame (pronounced Dreamy) is fast becoming a lead player in the arena of innovative floor cleaning products. Whether it's stick vacs, robot vacs or wet and dry hard floor cleaners, it seems the Chinese company has a product to suit all pockets and applications.

At 2.7 kilos, the R20 also one of the lightest stick vacs currently on the market, and that's not something to be sniffed at. Some of the best cordless vacuums on the market are notoriously heavy in the hand and therefore tiring to use for long periods of time.

Despite one minor anomaly – namely the over-sensitive on/off trigger – the R20 is a joy to use (if vacuuming could every be considered a joy). If you're in the market for a highly accomplished cordless stick vac that costs a fraction of the price of a Dyson and even some Shark models, step right this way. This is one of the very best budget vacuums I've tested. Read on for my full Dreame R20 cordless stick vacuum review.

Dreame R20 review: price & availability

• List price: $449.99 / £279
• Available: UK, US, various other territories (not Australia)

Those living in the US can head straight to the US Dreame store where it has a list price of $449.99, but is currently selling for just $269.99. Amazon also lists the R20 though it's currently unavailable on its website.

If you live in the UK, the list price is £279, discounted (very slightly!) to £259 when shopping direct at the UK Dreame store. Alternatively, it's stocked at a range of third party retailers, including Amazon, Currys and B&Q.

Incidentally, the Dreame website lists 27 countries in all – including most European territories – so head there if you have trouble sourcing this product in your country. Although Dreame does have a presence in Australia, the R20 isn't currently available there.

In the US and UK, the Dreame R20 sits near the bottom of the mid-range price bracket, and offers excellent value for that price, competing exceedingly well with premium brands like Dyson and Miele in terms of features and performance. In fact, it's become my new favourite vac, beating the excellent Halo Capsule X for size and storability and the Dyson Gen5detect for price and weight. It also ships with a wide range of accessories, including a short bendy suction tube for reaching deep under beds and sofas.

• Value for money score: 5 out of 5

Dreame R20 cordless vacuum specs Dreame R20 review: design

• Compact cordless, bagless stick vacuum
• Light in the hand and very easy to maneuver
• Overly sensitive power trigger, easily accidentally activated

Although I've only reviewed two Dreame products to date – this mid-size cordless stick and the excellent Dreame L40 Ultra robot vac and mop – I have to say that I'm suitably impressed by what I've seen so far, at least when compared to some of the competition.

This model arrived in a larger box than the norm but that's only because it ships with a multitude of attachments, including two main floorheads for hard floor and carpet, a mini motorized head for upholstery and carpeted staircases, a ridiculously lightweight carbon fibre suction tube, a short Shark-like articulating suction tube that bends forwards 90 degrees for reaching under beds and sofas, plus the obligatory crevice tool with pull-down brush for cleaning hard-to-reach areas and along skirting boards and, to top it all off, a rectangular dusting brush for shelves and around the fireplace.

(Image credit: Future)

It also came with a Dyson-style wall-mounted charger that is thankfully far less fiddly to fit, and a power plug that looks identical to those provided by Dyson. A lot of Dyson-esque stuff, in other words. (See how it compares to those brands' top offerings in TechRadar's guides to the best Shark vacuums and the best Dyson vacuums.)

The Dreame R20 weighs in at 6 lbs / 2.7kg – almost a kilo lighter than my (admittedly very weighty) Dyson Gen5detect, and 26g lighter than the comparable Dyson V15 Detect. I put much of this lower weight down to the R20's featherweight carbon fibre suction tube (a paltry 205g against the Dyson Gen5's 387g) and the smaller size of its handheld motor and bin housing. Believe me, you'll come to appreciate this model's lower weight when it comes to a full clean of the home; it not only makes the R20 easy to push but also just as easy to carry from room to room, and especially up a flight of stairs.

(Image credit: Future)

The Dreame R20 wins no awards for unique design innovation since it adopts the same motor housing and bin configuration as the vast majority of other manufacturers, Dyson notwithstanding. Nevertheless, the hand unit feels comfortable enough to hold when being used, though the jury's out on the position and sensitively of the on/off trigger. It's not a major bind but I found that my index finger inadvertently set it off when carrying it from one part of a room to another.

I'm also not too enamored with the flat finger guard below the trigger, which feels a bit uncomfortable at times. There is, thankfully, a little button on the rear of the housing that engages the motor for continual running but even this handy feature is spoiled by the fact that you need to hover the index finger above the trigger or you might mistakenly turn it off again. In truth I'd prefer to have seen a system like that used on some of Dyson's most recent products where there's a single on/off button on the rear and no trigger whatsoever.

(Image credit: Future)

While we're discussing the hand unit, I should also mention the cute little elliptically-shaped LCD interface on the back. This provides battery information in percentage terms and a pretty butterfly icon that indicates which suction mode is in use.

There are two main modes – Standard (which lights up green) and Boost (which shows up blue/white). You can switch between the two manually by simply tapping a small button just below the rear interface. However, the vacuum also contains sensors that mean it'll automatically ramp up from Standard to Boost mode if there's a lot of dust about. This works really well – I used the vacuum to sweep my fire log shelf and it switched in and out of Boost on a regular basis. There's also a supercharged mode for when the sensor detects a really filthy section (the butterfly icon turns red for this).

Most modern stick vacuums will have a low-powered mode to extend the battery life when dealing with light cleaning tasks, but that's missing here. However, runtimes are still exceptional (more on this in the Battery section).

(Image credit: Future)

Before we look at the floorhead setup, let's take a tour of the R20's bagless dust bin. The bin itself has a 0.6-litre capacity which is about 0.2-liters less than much of the competition. This means the bin will fill faster and perhaps require an extra trip to the dustbin to empty it, especially if you have a household of shedding pets. It also means that this model may not be suitable for a larger house, unless you have one on every floor.

Like a lot of stick vacs, the R20's bin-emptying system is a basic affair comprising a simple latch that opens the bottom flap to eject the debris. When it's full of general detritus like dust, crumbs and the like, this system works perfectly well. But when it's full of mostly pet hair you will almost certainly need to reach into the canister with your fingers or tweezers to extricate the clumps. This isn't a slight on the product, mind, because it's the method used by the vast majority of vacuum manufacturers – an exception being Dyson. Besides, pet hair is one of the most obstreperous forms of debris found in the home and the nemesis of most vacuum cleaners.

One of the R20's standout features is its exceptional suction power. Equipped with a 190 Air Watt motor, it effortlessly tackles dust, debris, pet hair and even larger particles like puffer rice cereal and biscuit crumbs on both hard floors and carpets. However, the motor does produce an annoying high-pitched whine in both power settings.

It's not the worst I've ever heard and you'll soon get used to it, but it's also a bit of an irritant when vacuuming with someone else in the room. Dreame lists it at 85dB but I measured a more reasonable 75.4dB in Boost mode at head height.

In terms of filtration, the blurb says the R20 has a five-stage filtration system that supposedly deals with 99.9% of particles. All I can say is that it does indeed seem to effectively trap dust and allergens, ensuring cleaner air in the home. Cleaning the filter is a doddle and simply involves pressing a latch and removing the main cyclone housing, which you then rinse under a tap along with its small circular cloth filter. Just be sure that both parts are thoroughly dry before refitting, or you'll end up with a vacuum cleaner that smells.

(Image credit: Future)

Okay, let's get down to floor level and the business end of this model. The Dreame R20 ships with two main floorheads: a motorised 22.5cm roller fitted with hard plastic ribs and two curvy bristle brushes that's been designed for carpet use; and a 21.5cm bristle-coated head for hard floors. The ribbed head can also be used on hard floors if you can't be bothered to keep swapping heads though I have to say that the hard floor-specific roller is more efficient on wooden and tile flooring. And besides, it buffs up the flooring in the process. Both heads swivel at a near 90-degree angle for Dyson-like manoeuvrability.

Like many modern stick vacs, this model's carpet floorhead is also fitted with two bright blue LEDs that project onto the floor, illuminating hidden dust and debris that might otherwise go unnoticed. No, it's not as effective as Dyson's innovative laser light system but it's arguably better than much of the remaining competition.

(Image credit: Future)

Overall construction of the R20 seems very good, and the smooth shiny plastics used appear to be very robust, too. I especially like the look and feel of the carbon fibre suction tube, which adds a touch of class while dramatically reducing the weight of the whole package. However, I'm not sure the carbon tube would survive the weight of a misjudged foot were the unit lying on the floor – let's just say that it has a little more flex in it than I would expect from carbon fibre. At least I'm presuming it's authentic carbon fibre, given that it's mentioned on the Dreame website.

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame R20 review: performance

• Excellent suction performance on hard floor and carpet
• Superb manoeuvrability
• Light in weight

On test, the Dreame R20 delivered exceptional suction power for its compact size and I've been extremely impressed by its floorheads' ability to steer around chair legs and swivel at almost 90 so they can reach into the tightest of spaces. Top marks in this respect.

However, the high suction combined with the design of the main carpet-specific floorhead means that it's difficult to push the R20 on medium- and deep-pile carpet. I really needed to put my shoulder into it – a bit of a workout, in other words. But wait, I lie, because I subsequently found a small, almost invisible sliding air intake that improved carpet resistance immeasurably without affecting the R20's cleaning power. Just wish Dreame hadn't disguised it so well.

This model generally feels remarkably light in use and it's amazingly manoeuvrable – as easy to steer as any Dyson I've tested, I'd say. The flexible hose attachment further enhances its versatility, allowing for convenient cleaning under furniture and beds.

For my tests I stuck to the usual TechRadar remit and scattered a mixture of oats, flour and crushed digestives on both my wooden kitchen floor and medium-pile rug. I also scattered some Coco Pops for good measure (no, I haven't grown up yet).

I was frankly blown away by the R20's performance in the hard floor test because, as soon as its 'intelligent dirt detection' system kicked in, the motor ramped up to Boost and everything disappeared up the tube and into the bin, leaving a clear path with zero evidence of any flour remaining in the wooden floor's grooves. Yes, it scattered a couple of pieces of rice cereal up against the skirting board, but I simply aimed the front end at them and they were easily snatched by the fast revolving bristle head. Top marks again.

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(Image credit: Future)

I then performed the same task on my pet hair-strewn medium pile carpet rug and it sailed through the test collecting almost every last scrap in a single pass. Again, it flung some large biscuit crumbs and a few Coco Pops to the fore but these were easily collected with a second pass.

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(Image credit: Future)

I was also amazed at the huge volume of dog and cat hair it collected at the same time with no evidence of tangles on the floorhead. And that just goes to prove that this model handles pet hair with aplomb – I'd rate it amongst the best vacuum cleaners for pet hair. However, you may need to visit the kitchen dust bin more often because, as mentioned above, the R20's 0.6-litre dust container is a bit smaller than many of its competitors.

I had zero issues using the controls other than accidentally pressing the trigger when carrying it. In fact, I found this one to be one of the easiest interfaces I've used. I also liked the way the digital display provided real-time feedback on both battery life and colourful info relating to its intelligent dirt detection.

I also gave it a whizz in handheld mode, using the long suction tube and rectangular detail brush to sweep the shelves, and it didn't feel too heavy in the hand. I also gave the mini motorized upholstery attachment a whirl on the dogs' bed; it worked a treat though I did need to apply some vigorous back and forth movements.

My final thoughts? As close to full marks as you can get, especially given the generally low asking price. Yes, I might suggest a model with a larger bin if being used in a three story house but for everyone else, the Dreame R20 will suffice just fine.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreame R20 review: battery life

• Maximum runtime is 90 minutes (well above average)
• Expect shorter runtimes if the floor is dirty
• Recharge is also fast, at around 2 hours

According to the manufacturer, the R20’s maximum running time is a well-above-average 90 minutes. I suspect this figure applies more to laboratory conditions than the real world, but it's still incredibly impressive. To put that in context, most cordless stick vacuums offer 40 minutes to an hour, and prior to testing this model, the longest maximum battery life I'd seen was offered by the far more expensive Dyson Gen5detect, with up to 70 minutes.

In my hard floor test I managed to eke 84 minutes out of the battery in standard mode with no automatic boost kicking in (I started by vacuuming, then propped the vacuum up with suction lock on, and timed how long the R20 lasted before running out of juice).

If used to clean for the whole time, I suspect the runtime would be closer 75 minutes if used on a dusty hard floor and quite a lot less (between 45 and 60 minutes) when used on medium-pile carpet, which adds much more friction to the roller brushes. To be honest, I don’t know anyone capable of vacuuming for more than 40 minutes in any one session without an arm falling off, so these figures are more than sufficient in my opinion. Since the battery is removable, you could also purchase a spare to swap in, if you need even longer than that.

At this juncture I should also point out that the juice-hungry Boost mode is almost too powerful for use in any scenario other than cleaning hard-to-reach areas of the car because the battery percentage drops by almost one percentage point every five seconds or so. And that means Boost mode won’t get you much more than about seven minutes of use out of it. (It's not unusual for a vacuum's maximum suction mode to bleed the battery very quickly.)

• Battery life score: 5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreame R20? Buy it if...

You want to be able to clean for a long time

The R20 offers up to 90 minutes of cleaning on a single charge, which is the longest battery life we've found anywhere and long cleaning sessions. Recharge times are fast, too.

You have a lot of pet hair

In my tests, the R20 effortlessly tackled the large volumes of pet hair from my dogs.

You want something light

Clocking in at 6 lbs / 2.7kg, this vac is lighter than much of the competition, and won't tire you out when using it for long periods.

Don't buy it if...

You're dealing with large volumes of dirt

This model has a relatively small dust cup, which means those with larger homes might find themselves having to empty it more often than they'd like.

You want an easy-empty option

This vac has the same empty mechanism you'll find on the vast majority of vacuums – i.e. one that requires a little bit of manual help, especially when filled with pet hair. The system on most Dyson vacuums (V10 and newer) is more efficient, or if you don't want to be bothered with it at all, Shark's newest flagship models – the PowerDetect Cordless and Detect Pro Cordless – have a compatible dock with a large dustbin, that not only charges the vacuum but also empties the small onboard bin.

How I tested the Dreame R20 cordless vacuum

TechRadar adopts a strict testing regime for all its products so potential buyers know exactly what they're getting. As usual I stuck to the remit and lived with the machine for a couple of weeks before putting it through some rigorous carpet and hard floor tests using a variety of obstreperous ingredients, including flour and raw oats. I also considered the unit's ergonomics, overall design and experience of using it before alighting on my final verdict.

Read more about how we test vacuum cleaners

• First reviewed January 2025

There’s nothing like a bit of comparative advertising to spice up Flagship Android Launch Season, and Chinese mobile maker Honor seems determined to play chief mischief-maker.

After apologizing to Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 owners who may have felt “let down” by their “chunky” folding phone last year, the company has again taken aim at Samsung by highlighting five key hardware and software features supposedly missing from the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

The jab comes as part of a new social campaign that sees Samsung – or ‘Sam’ – gifted with accessories designed to “enhance” the Galaxy S25 Ultra. These include a zoom lens, a power bank, and a ring light. The implication here is that Honor’s new flagship phone, the Honor Magic 7 Pro, boasts better zoom capabilities, battery life, portrait capture technology, and other key features versus Samsung’s latest device. Meow.

In a press release accompanying the new campaign, Honor details these supposedly superior features in writing:

• Magic Portal for Seamless App Access: Magic Portal enables quick access to over 150+ third-party apps with a simple circle gesture, streamlining tasks across search, transportation, entertainment, shopping, and office tools.
• AI Super Zoom for Richer Details: Leveraging cloud AI, Honor's AI Super Zoom delivers superior image quality for long-distance shots beyond 30x, capturing far clearer and more detailed photos compared to Samsung’s Space Zoom.
• Stunning Portraits and Fast Capture: Featuring the industry’s first on-device portrait large model, the Magic 7 Pro delivers striking portrait details with AI Enhanced Portrait and Harcourt Portrait. Its HD Super Burst and AI Motion Sensing further solidify Honor's leadership in fast capture technology.
• Unmatched Durability and Charging: The Magic 7 Pro boasts IP68 and IP69 water and dust resistance, 100W wired SuperCharge, and 80W wireless SuperCharge. It also features the industry’s first dual 3D biometric security system with 3D Ultrasonic Fingerprint Unlocking and 3D To Face Locking.

Jeez, talk about confidence.

Seeing as the Galaxy S25 Ultra only launched a matter of days ago, we haven’t yet put the phone through its paces, and as such, we’re not in a position to say whether Honor is being too big for its boots here.

We do, however, know that features like AI Super Zoom, Harcourt Portrait, and Magic Portal are unique to the Magic 7 Pro and more of the best Honor phones, so we can understand Honor’s eagerness to highlight them in some playful marketing.

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The Honor Magic 7 Pro hit shelves in January (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra was announced at Galaxy Unpacked (Image credit: Future)

Indeed, we described Honor’s latest flagship as “an outstanding phone that impresses in almost every area” in our Honor Magic 7 Pro review, and it’s true that Honor’s proprietary smartphone software has come on leaps and bounds in recent years (see its Deepfake Detection feature).

That said, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is certainly no slouch – and we don’t need to have completed our full review process to tell you that.

In our hands-on Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review, we described Samsung’s latest flagship as potentially “the most complete AI-ready mobile package on the market,” so we look forward to pitting the Galaxy S25 Ultra against the Honor Magic 7 Pro and more of the best Android phones very soon.

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