Feed aggregator

• Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that the iPhone SE 4 could come with support for Apple Intelligence
• Due to the hardware requirements of Apple's AI toolkit, we could end up with an iPhone SE that feels like a flagship
• The current-gen iPhone SE is reportedly running out of stock, suggesting an imminent refresh

Apple could soon make Apple Intelligence much more accessible by equipping the rumored iPhone SE 4 with the company’s full set of AI features.

A report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests that the supposedly upcoming fourth-generation iPhone SE will indeed support Apple’s AI toolkit, and as such come with at least 8GB of RAM and an A17 Pro or A18 chipset (all current Apple Intelligence-enabled devices come with some combination of these specs, or better).

Gurman is a leading commentator on all things Apple and we have referred to his reports and predictions several times in the past, so there’s certainly some weight in this latest rumor.

If the refreshed iPhone SE launches with 8GB of RAM and the A18 under the hood, it’ll match the flagship iPhone 16 for internal power. We’ll likely see differences in battery capacity, and potentially cooling and heat dissipation, but otherwise, the internal hardware of each device could be remarkably similar.

And with Apple Intelligence enabled, the software experience between the two phones could be close to identical, too. We don’t expect the new iPhone SE to feature the Dynamic Island, but otherwise, iOS is likely to feel near-identical on either handset.

The current-generation iPhone SE 3 retails for $429 / £429 / AU$719. We’ve heard rumors of a possible price hike for the iPhone SE 4, but we’re still expecting it to come in below the $500 mark, which would still be substantially cheaper than the iPhone 16, which costs $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

For some, this value proposition would be hard to ignore. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to launch with a single-camera system, and we’d be surprised to see the Camera Control button make an appearance. But it stands to reason that, for some users, missing out on these features will be worth a couple of hundred dollars in savings.

Personally, if the iPhone SE 4 is as close to the iPhone 16 as these rumors suggest, I think I’ll have trouble recommending the latter – especially considering Apple’s latest flagship is still holding on to an outdated 60Hz display and barely-useful ultra-wide camera.

Android Authority notes that iPhone SE 3 stocks are running low with no sign of replenishment, so it may not be long before we see the rumored fourth-generation model take its place. If you can’t wait until then, feel free to check out our list of the best iPhones.

You might also like

• The iPhone 17 and iOS 19 rumored to be coming with a Camera app redesign inspired by the Vision Pro
• The best Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra model could be exclusive to Asia
• This ingenious iPhone grip has lived on my 15 Pro Max for six months – here's how it has transformed my iPhone camera experience

Today is Trump's Inauguration Day. Last night, during a rally, he reiterated promises to sign executive orders. And, Atlanta Civil Rights icon Lonnie C. King recounts a historic moment with MLK Jr.

(Image credit: Jim Watson)

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim may skip US at launch
• Leaks say it won't come to the US, but don't reveal why
• Similar to how the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold SE also skipped many regions

Having already had to prepare ourselves that the hotly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim likely won’t launch at Wednesday’s Galaxy Unpacked event alongside the regular Galaxy S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra – instead leaks say it’ll be dropping around May – it now seems that the Slim might not even come to every market: notably skipping the US if leaks are to be believed.

The first comes via reputable tipster Evan Blass who took to his private X account to state that the S25 Slim “will almost certainly not be offered through US carriers,” with Phone Arena following up with a report from a “historically trusted source” who reached out to tell them that while the S25 Slim will come to 39 markets the US won’t be among them – however the UK and Australia are.

All leaks should be taken with a pinch of salt – especially the Phone Arena leak as we can’t name or verify the claim of the info’s source – but this wouldn’t be the first ‘Slim’ Samsung gadget to boast a limited release in recent years.

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Case in point the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim, which wound up being called Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE (Special Edition), only released in South Korea and China when it arrived last year. The S25 Slim appears to be having a slightly wider release, but again not quite as wide as Samsung’s flagship devices.

The only question we’re left asking is why it would skip the US specifically? Given Samsung’s home market is South Korea it makes sense it might limit some releases to just that one market, or South Korea and a handful of nearby Asia territories like we saw with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 SE. However, if it is launching more widely, skipping the US – the third largest market for smartphones behind India and China – feels odd.

The only justification we can think of is Samsung is concerned about possible US tariffs that incoming President Trump has threatened to levy at various US imports – especially those coming in from China which is where plenty of smartphones are manufactured. If Samsung plans to produce the S25 Slim in a region Trump is imposing tariffs on imports from then it may decide that releasing the phone in the US won’t be worthwhile, and so while we wait and see precisely what Trump’s plans are Samsung might be taking the route of under-promising and over delivering if tariffs aren’t as impactful as expected.

A Slim by any other name would be just as thin

Beyond borrowing its more limited release the S25 Slim may also copy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Slim’s name – i.e. not being called Slim. That’s according to Blass who in a separate post asked why we expect the so-called Galaxy S25 Slim to be branded as such when the Z Fold 6 Slim wasn’t.

Will the Slim get a cmaera upgrade? (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

That’s not to say the S25 Slim won’t be a thin device – with leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo saying the Slim and rumored iPhone 17 Air will be around 5-6mm thick. Compared to the 7.8mm thick iPhone 16 (read our iPhone 16 review) and 7.6mm for the Samsung Galaxy S24 – but a name not focused on it simply being less thick may imply it’ll come with some additional hardware changes and upgrades over the base model.

Such an upgrade has already been teased by rumors suggesting it’ll boast a 200MP main camera instead of the 50MP expected of the base Galaxy S25 smartphone.

For now we’ll have to wait and see what Samsung has up its sleeve for the S25 Slim, but if you’re in the US you probably don’t want to hold your breath that’ll you’ll be able to get your hands on it in 2025.

You might also like

• This Samsung Galaxy S26 rumor might make you rethink buying a Galaxy S25
• This could be our best look yet at the Samsung Galaxy S25 series
• These new Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim renders look great, but the phone's key selling point could also be its downfall

• ESET finds bug in a UEFI application allowing malicious actors to bypass UEFI Secure Boot
• The move grants criminals the ability to deploy bootkits to affected systems
• Microsoft addressed the bug in January 2025 Patch Tuesday update

An unnamed, but apparently popular, UEFI application, was signed with a vulnerable certificate, allowing threat actors to bypass UEFI Secure Boot and deploy bootkits to target endpoints.

Cybersecurity researchers at ESET discovered the bug and reported it to the CERT Coordination Center - Microsoft has issued a fix in this month’s Patch Tuesday cumulative update, which was released on January 14, 2025, but all Windows users are advised to apply the patch as soon as possible.

UEFI Secure Boot is a security feature that ensures a computer boots using only software trusted by the manufacturer, protecting against malware and unauthorized software at startup. The UEFI application in question is apparently part of “several real-time system recovery software suites,” including those built by Howyar Technologies Inc., Greenware Technologies, Radix Technologies Ltd., SANFONG Inc., Wasay Software Technology Inc., Computer Education System Inc., and Signal Computer GmbH.

Concerning findings

It was vulnerable to CVE-2024-7344, a bug caused by the use of a custom PE loader instead of using the standard and secure UEFI functions LoadImage and StartImage.

All UEFI systems with Microsoft third-party UEFI signing enabled were said to be affected. The bug can lead to the “execution of untrusted code during system boot, enabling potential attackers to easily deploy malicious UEFI bootkits” even on protected devices.

“The number of UEFI vulnerabilities discovered in recent years and the failures in patching them or revoking vulnerable binaries within a reasonable time window shows that even such an essential feature as UEFI Secure Boot should not be considered an impenetrable barrier,” says ESET researcher Martin Smolár, who discovered the vulnerability.

“However, what concerns us the most with respect to the vulnerability is not the time it took to fix and revoke the binary, which was quite good compared to similar cases, but the fact that this isn’t the first time that such an obviously unsafe signed UEFI binary has been discovered. This raises questions of how common the use of such unsafe techniques is among third-party UEFI software vendors, and how many other similar obscure, but signed, bootloaders there might be out there.”

ESET also stressed that the list of vulnerable devices extends beyond those with the affected recovery software installed, since crooks can bring their own copy of the vulnerable binary to any UEFI system with the Microsoft third-party UEFI certificate enrolled.

You might also like

• The first UEFI bootkit malware for Linux has been detected, so users beware
• Here's a list of the best antivirus tools on offer
• These are the best endpoint protection tools right now

Kinetic offers fiber, cable and DSL. If available, we recommend its fiber tiers. Can this rural provider meet your home internet needs?

Juovi J2621 20000mAh 45W Power Bank review

The Juovi J2621 is a 45W power bank with a large 20,000mAh capacity and four ports for versatile, long-lasting charging performance. It’s a hefty brick for sure, but thankfully it’s not as heavy as it looks. This means it would be easy enough to carry around in a back, but not slim enough for pocketing.

Overall, its design is fairly anonymous, although the two-tone colorway adds some interest. There’s no clutter to ruin its minimalist credentials, as there’s only one button for the power, but ultimately, the J2621 won’t win any awards for style.

The build quality isn’t on a par with some of the best power banks, as there’s some flex in the chassis when pressed, and the front and back panels have prominent joins that feel sharp in the hand.

However, one very smart-looking feature is the display. It’s imperceptible when inactive, since there’s no glass screen; instead, it shines through the chassis when on. This also means there’s no delicate glass to scratch or crack, which is reassuring.

The USB-C ports provide up to 45W of power. Charging a Google Pixel 7a from half to full took just over an hour, which amounts to an average performance. Thanks to its large 20,000mAh capacity, though, the J2621’s battery only depleted by 16%, which means you should be able to get about six charges out of it.

On the other hand, the USB-A ports only reach a maximum of 30W each. Charging a Pixel 7a via this method was inevitably slower, taking closer to two hours, with the J2621 depleting by 17%.

There’s also a trickle charging mode, designed for low-current devices such as earbuds and smartwatches. It can be activated easily by pressing the power button twice, with an indicator appearing on the display.

The J2621 itself took just over an hour to charge itself from 70% to full, which isn’t bad considering its large capacity.

Ultimately, if you need a large capacity and port selection, then the J2621 is a worthy choice. It undercuts some other power banks, including those from Anker, and although it’s not as well engineered as its rivals, or as portable, it still makes for a versatile power bank.

(Image credit: Future) Juovi J2621 20000mAh 45W Power Bank review: price & specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Juovi J2621 20000mAh 45W Power Bank? Buy it if…

You have multiple devices
With two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, the J2621 is great if you have lots of devices to charge at once.

You need the power and space
With a 45W maximum output, the J2621 is capable of charging larger devices, such as handheld consoles and tablets. It also has enough juice to offer multiple charges.

Don't buy it if…

You want something ultra-portable
Although it’s light, the J2621 is thick and long, so it’s not ideal if you want to slip it into your pocket.

You want the best build
Although the screenless display is a nice touch, the rest of the chassis doesn’t feel like the toughest.

Juovi J2621 20000mAh 45W Power Bank: also consider

Iniu B61 10000mAh power bank
If you want charging power and versatility in a portable package, the Iniu B61 is a great choice. It offers three charging ports and has a light, slender form that makes it easy to carry in your pocket. It also features a large display, although it’s a little overkill considering the dearth of information it presents. It’s also a shame there’s only one USB-C port. But while the J2621 is slightly cheaper, the B61 is still great value for money.

The three biggest tech companies all offer a wealth of options to limit screen time, find lost devices, and more.

Apple Intelligence lets you generate custom emojis when the default options aren’t hitting it.

After Virginia Squier's young daughter accidentally boarded a train without her, a stranger stepped in to help.

(Image credit: Virginia Squier)

• New custom instructions added to ChatGPT
• Responses become more personal to you
• More new features expected in 2025

OpenAI has confirmed via X.com that it has introduced new customization features to ChatGPT. The new features that allow you to customize how the AI chatbot responds to you are rolling out now in the browser-based version of ChatGPT and on desktop on Windows.

The release currently doesn’t cover users in the EU, Norway, Iceland Liechtenstein, and Switzerland, but will be “available soon” according to OpenAI. It’s also not available yet in the Mac app. OpenAI says the new features will be coming to desktop on MacOS ”in the next few weeks.”

We've updated custom instructions to make it easier to customize how ChatGPT responds to you.With the new UI, you can tell ChatGPT the traits you want it to have, how you want it to talk to you, and any rules you want it to follow. pic.twitter.com/BaXaqAw5cEJanuary 17, 2025

Accessing the new features

The update includes two new options in the Customize ChatGPT dialog box (available by clicking on your icon, and then choosing Customize ChatGPT from the menu that appears). The first is ‘What should ChatGPT call you?’ and the second is ‘What do you do?’ which is asking for your occupation.

In the ‘What traits should ChatGPT have?’ box you’ll find new options have been added including ‘Chatty’, ‘Witty’, and ‘Opinionated’.

Below this box is a new ‘What else would you like ChatGPT to know about you?’ box, where you can type in your interests and values.

Once you’ve entered some information in these boxes you’ll find your interactions with ChatGPT are taken to a much more personal level, which can help save you time, since you don’t have to keep asking it to respond in a certain way. It will also tailor information to your profession.

Click on your user account icon in the top right of the screen to access the new customization options. (Image credit: OpenAI/Apple) Much more personal

I've experimented with the options and the effects are immediate. I love the more chatty GPT, for instance. And if you want a bit of fun you can ask to reply in "casual bro talk", or "like you're in a Jane Austen novel". In fact, the possibilities are endless.

The only thing I found a bit limiting was not being able to set up multiple personality profiles. Currently, if you want to turn off your custom settings, or switch easily between two different modes of reply, you have to go back to this menu then edit and save it every time.

While welcome, this update to ChatGPT is fairly minor, and we’re still waiting for some of the more exciting updates we’ve been promised for 2025, most notably an AI Agent from ChatGPT. So far in 2025 OpenAI has added a new tasks feature, which goes some way towards the goal of an AI agent by enabling you to set reminders for certain times using ChatGPT, but is still a fair way off the full autonomous agent experience we’re looking forward to.

You might also like

• I’ve been waiting years for ChatGPT’s new Tasks feature – here’s how I’m planning to use it to organize my life
• Sam Altman predicts artificial superintelligence (AGI) will happen this year
• Perplexity vs. ChatGPT – which AI chatbot is the ultimate knowledge fountain?

• Analysts have commented on the branding of the Nintendo Switch 2
• They suggest that it is a good name for the console
• This is because it is unlikely confuse consumers

If you were worried that the average consumer wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, then you can breathe a sigh of relief.

“Thank god Nintendo did not try to be creative with the name - which I think makes a lot of sense,” said Dr Serkan Toto of market research firm Kantan Games while speaking to IGN. Other analysts shared a similar sentiment, including George Jijiashvili of Omdia Research. “While calling it ‘Switch 2’ isn’t creative,” they said, “it’s very clear and effective.”

Although it seems like the obvious choice, Nintendo has traditionally shied away from numeric naming conventions as demonstrated by the likes of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy Advance, or Nintendo 3DS. Still, following the underwhelming performance of the Wii U, which many have attributed to its confusing name, Nintendo appears to be taking a leaf from rival Sony’s book.

“It's a strategy that has served PlayStation very well for quarter of the century,” continued Jijiashvili. “Calling it something like 'Super Nintendo Switch' would have provided nice fan service, but doing so would have risked causing confusion among consumers, similar to what happened with Wii U.”

"Now that Nintendo has all its console eggs in the Switch basket, it simply cannot risk confusing fans," added Rhys Elliott of Midia Research. "After all, Nintendo’s cross-entertainment efforts across film, theme parks, toys, and even alarm clocks all lead back to its core console brand."

The Nintendo Switch 2 was officially unveiled in a brief first-look trailer posted on January 16. It showed off the console’s design, which looks awfully similar to the original Nintendo Switch, and hinted at some of its potential features. Footage of what appears to be a new Mario Kart game was also shown, giving us what could be our first look at a launch title.

You can see how we reacted to the reveal below.

You might also like...

• From a new Mario Kart to mouse-like controls, these are my six biggest takeaways from the Nintendo Switch 2 reveal
• Nintendo Switch 2: what we know about the next-generation system so far
• Nintendo Switch 2 Direct - five things I want to see

In a statement released Monday, President Biden said the pardons "should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing." President-elect Trump has criticized many of the officials Biden pardoned.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

• President Trump has extended TikTok's service in the US by 90 days
• The extension may not be legally enforceable
• Trump promised to not enforce fines against companies hosting the app

TikTok has restored its service in the US after being offline for less than 24 hours following its ban for failing to sell or divest from owner Bytedance, which the US alleged had connections to the Chinese government.

However, Presdient Trump’s restoration of service (which was acknowledged in-app) may not be legally binding, and could put web hosting services at risk of lawsuits and huge fines.

“Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law,” Senator Tom Cotton warned on X (formerly Twitter), “not just from DOJ, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs. Think about it.”

Trust Trump or the law

Despite not being in power at the time the ban was declared, President Donald Trump reassured providers that the 90 day extension would be put into place, and that fines would not be enforced so that Americans could see his inauguration. However, the issue remains that Congress issued a legal ruling that TikTok must divest or be sold to a US company to keep operating in the US, or face the ban.

As a result, providers hosting the TikTok app, such as Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, could face fines of up to $850 billion, or $5,000 per user who accesses the app via their services.

As The Verge points out, companies which violate the law and restore service would be able to challenge the fines and lawsuits in court by pointing to Trump’s promise to not enforce Congress' ruling against providers.

Also, Trump himself could be challenged in court by TikTok’s competition such as Meta or X, by users who don’t want their data being handed over to the CCP, or by a provider looking to clarify where they stand legally by hosting the app.

However, given major tech CEOs including Zuckerberg, Musk, and Cook have all donated seven-figure sums to the Trump inauguration fund, it's unlikely Trump will face any objections from those looking to curry his favor.

You might also like

• These are the best website builders around today
• Take a look at our guide to the best WordPress hosting providers
• Independent professionals are all about value for money when it comes to choosing web hosting, but still value sustainability

Meal kits make cooking easy, and these kitchen must-haves make the process even easier.

When it comes to selecting best budgeting apps and personal finance software, most of us are looking for something quick and easy to use. Time is money, so having something like Rocket Money close at hand makes total sense. As its creator’s state on the website, Rocket Money is an app that has been designed to help you save more and spend less. What’s more, there’s a free version although the real value comes from the Rocket Money Premium edition.

Either way, Rocket Money is a great tool that is available for both iOS and Android, along with a very good desktop incarnation for good measure, that is one of the best-looking creations out there. It’s easy to use and chock full of features with the bonus of credit reporting that adds additional value to an already impressive package. On top of that, there are everyday tools for tracking spend, monitoring expenses and also managing subscriptions.

• Want to try Rocket Money? Check out the website here

Admittedly, some might find the paid-for incarnation of Rocket Money a little more than they wanted to lay out. However, there are enough features and functions that make Rocket Money feel like good value, although it faces competition from the likes of perennial favourite Quicken and also Simplifi.

Rocket Money comes in desktop and app editions. (Image credit: Rocket Money) Rocket Money: Pricing

The good news is that Rocket Money is initially free to use, with a straightforward download and setup procedure that introduces you to its core features. However, in order to access the more useful Premium features, there’s a suggested monthly fee of $10 and you can actually choose whether or not to pay more or less between $3 and £$12, presumably depending on what you think of it. Whatever route is taken, the billing cycle is an annual one, which might not appeal if you prefer more of a pay-as-you-go approach to personal finance apps.

Rocket Money offers a range of financial tools within its slick interface. (Image credit: Rocket Money) Rocket Money: Features

Once the Premium edition has been accessed, there are plenty of features that make Rocket Money feel like the outlay has been justified. First up, the app or desktop edition both offer a view of personal finances in simple but very vivid colour, with a comprehensive breakdown of personal finances being the main appeal. There are useful nudges to help with future spending and it’s also possible to setup alerts to ensure that spending never gets too wayward.

Another useful tool is the negotiator option, which can pick through your ongoing bills and scour the deals out there in order to find a way of shaving costs. Meanwhile, the Net Worth tool brings everything together and allows for much better planning when it comes to future finances. Similarly, there’s a credit scoring tool that can assist with seeing how you’ll fare in terms of securing loans and the like.

One of the novel features that lots of people don’t really think about is having the ability to find and cancel any unwanted subscriptions. This is a neat tool that can help curb spending, especially on things that might have slipped under the radar. Add on financial goal tools, budgeting assistants and some funky widgets within the interface and it’s a solid enough package.

The Rocket Money app experience offers an insight into finances on the go. (Image credit: Rocket Money) Rocket Money: Performance

There’s plenty of appeal when it comes to the performance characteristics of Rocket Money. This is a lean and mean app, with a desktop edition to match, and it speeds along very nicely in either scenario. Naturally, as you’d expect from software that is dealing with personal finances, there’s also 256-bit encryption, which is standard fare for bank-level processes. That means connecting to bank accounts is simple, straightforward and, crucially, secure too.

Rocket Money: Ease of use

Rocket Money is certainly an easy thing to use, whether you head for the app option or prefer a desktop variant. There’s some of the usual signing up to be done first, as well as connecting to your financial accounts, but once this is done and plugged in, progress is wonderfully straightforward. A lot of this is down the layout of the interface, which is good on the eyes for app and desktop alike. The graphics are clear and concise while there’s a clever use of colour where it’s needed most, especially when it comes to breaking down spending habits.

Rocket Money is easy to use either via the desktop website or the excellent app. (Image credit: Rocket Money) Rocket Money: Support

The ease of use mentioned above is a good thing as support is a little on the thin side. However, there is an email or chat facility if needed, but the great thing about Rocket Money is its simplicity. Spend some time checking out the demo or free version, which will give a good grounding in the basics, and it seems unlikely that you’ll come unstuck after advancing to the Premium edition.

Rocket Money: Final verdict

Rocket Money is a good option for anyone who needs to manage their personal finance situation more effectively. The free version is worth bypassing to get the full benefit of this app though, with either the mobile or desktop Premium editions really offering the best potential. Expect a sumptuous graphical interface, with lots of power tools that will enable you to stay on top of every aspect of your finances. Some of the reporting could be a tad better and ditto for the investment tracking potential, but Rocket Money is otherwise very solid indeed.

• We've also highlighted the best tax software

• Nvidia’s Blackwell stock levels are again rumored to be shaky
• Launch stock of the RTX 5090 might be very thin on the ground
• The RTX 5080 should be better, but still might be tricky to find in the early days

Nvidia’s RTX 5000 graphics cards could be in short supply when these next-gen GPUs first arrive, if a fresh rumor is right – and this isn’t the first time we’ve heard chatter from the grapevine along these lines.

This time it comes from a regular source of rumors on YouTube, Moore’s Law is Dead (MLID), who discussed the subject of Blackwell stock in his latest video.

The top-level summary is that the RTX 5090 is looking very shaky indeed for its amount of launch stock, and the news doesn’t sound all that much better for the RTX 5080.

MLID’s first source – season all of this appropriately – works at a US distributor and said that their organization will only have around 20 boards for the RTX 5080, and nothing at all for the flagship. Yes, zero stock for the RTX 5090, which sounds worrying indeed.

The theoretical allocation of 20 or so for the RTX 5080 graphics cards is for the first month of sales (meaning February), and to compare with the last generation, this distributor had a couple of hundred RTX 4080s back at launch in 2022. So we could potentially be looking at a tenth of that stock for the RTX 5080.

The second source is a graphics card maker (presumably in the US) who said that their firm has the same amount of RTX 5090 boards as with RTX 3090 – and if you recall, RTX 3090 stock was vanishingly thin on the ground. As for the RTX 5080, apparently supply is a ‘fraction’ of that seen with the RTX 4080, although this source doesn’t estimate it’ll be quite as bad as a tenth – more like a third to half of that seen with the RTX 4080.

Another source, also a graphics card maker (in the EU), said that the RTX 5090 is looking like it’ll be ‘very rare’ but that the RTX 5080 seemingly has ‘okay’ stock levels, for the graphics card’s initial launch anyway.

Remember that these are all rumors around third-party Blackwell graphics cards, so they don’t apply to Nvidia’s own Founders Edition RTX 5090 and 5080 cards.

MLID did hear from a contact at Nvidia, although that person made it clear that they weren’t involved in any discussions related to supply – but did observe that Team Green has warned staff that there won’t be many RTX 5090 Founders Editions available from the employee store at launch. They noted that with the RTX 4090, it was very easy to get one of those (heavily discounted) GPUs from that in-house store.

Analysis: Caveats and more optimistic glimmers

Obviously, all this comes with weighty caveats. It’s still only a few sources, even if multiple insiders have chimed in here – and it’s only the one US distributor (others could be faring better, perhaps, especially for the RTX 5080).

Indeed, there’s some mixed chatter here for the RTX 5080, and some indications of stronger stock levels, like that mention of inventory being a third to a half of that seen with the RTX 4080. That doesn’t sound as gloomy as some of the other estimations here, but as MLID points out, RTX 4080 supply wasn’t great, though, and part of the reason it hung around was because this GPU wasn’t very popular. The RTX 5080 could prove a great deal more in demand, and so could still sell out in a relative flash.

We don’t know how much trust to put in this speculation, of course, and the Founders Edition could be different too – there’s no solid evidence on those models. But it certainly makes sense that Nvidia wouldn’t particularly want to prioritize RTX 5090 stock in particular – for its own boards, or third-party graphics cards. Firstly, because AMD RDNA 4 isn’t even remotely competing with Nvidia’s new flagship, and secondly, because Team Green will doubtless want to use the top Blackwell chips for AI rather than the 5090, as that’s where all the big profits lie.

All this doesn’t fill me with confidence about the general picture of RTX 5000 stock, it must be said, particularly as a report from last week chimes pretty much with the assertions here, hinting that it could be a battle to get one of Nvidia’s next-gen GPUs at launch.

You might also like...

• The end of the Nvidia RTX 4000 series is nigh – with the RTX 4070 expected to sell out in weeks
• Nvidia releases stats that prove DLSS and Frame Generation are here to stay - sorry, angry gamers
• Best PC games: must-play titles you don't want to miss

Hisense HS214 review

The Hisense HS214 could be the perfect soundbar for you if you've decided it's time for an upgrade on plain ole TV audio, but you’re working on a pretty tight budget. The Hisense HS214 is a popular budget option, typically priced at just $99 / £79 (about AU$160). It’s a 2.1 channel soundbar with a built-in sub that aims to offer powerful audio via a compact, all-in-one build. But does it deliver?

Well, before I answer that definitively, let’s take a look at sound quality. I’m happy to report that out of the box, the Hisense HS214 sounds pretty good. When watching I Think You Should Leave on Netflix, a scene with two characters conversing in a people-filled room had clear dialogue, which was decently separated from background murmurs.

Similarly, when watching Howl’s Moving Castle, the vocals of protagonist Sophie felt a bit more defined in the overall mix than with standalone TV audio. During one scene, whistling winds were also replicated accurately, without any tinniness or unintentional harshness – something I always listen out for in my hunt to find the best soundbars available in all price brackets.

(Image credit: Future)

One aspect of the HS214 that Hisense talks up is its bass output. That’s mainly because the Hisense HS214 has a built-in woofer, which is meant to offer “powerful bass”, according to the Chinese electronics giant. And in fairness, the soundbar mustered up a bit more of a boom than my TV could manage alone – although it wasn’t massively striking, that’s to be expected given its size.

I watched the horror movie Smile and during a heart-racing scene with screaming and object-smashing, the deep bass playing throughout was a touch underpowered, meaning the full weight of the scene was slightly restricted. Luckily, this can be remedied significantly, thanks to the bass boost/reduce option on the remote. This enables you to raise or decrease bass output by five levels. When cranking up low-end output, the spooky scene in Smile had more impactful bass, which created a darker atmosphere in the build up to the scene’s climax (I won’t spoil it, don’t worry).

So, even if you won’t get massive, imposing bass out of this mini soundbar, it has the potential to offer a considerable leg-up to some of the best small TVs. You may notice the soundbar struggling with deeper bass tones and sub-bass when listening to music, however. For instance, when I tuned in to the bass-heavy Splash Mountain by Yung Gravy, the low-end boom from deep bass running throughout the track was a little bit feeble. More generally, music sounds solid with the HS214, though. It’s decently clear for the most part and doesn’t get awful tinny like some cheap soundbars.

(Image credit: Future)

I mentioned that bass boost/reduce option a moment ago, but you might be wondering what other features the Hisense HS214 has to offer. You get three different sound modes here: Movie; Music; and Night. However, those of you with a Hisense TV will also be able to access Sport and Night mode if you alter the EQ mode via the soundbar settings menu, rather than the soundbar’s remote. Each of these are well differentiated, with Movie adding a bit of emphasis in the low-end. I used this for the majority of testing.

Another feature is surround sound mode, which to clarify, has nothing to do with Dolby Atmos or DTS:X/Virtual:X. When I realised this was an option, I was looking forward to trying it, because even if the HS214’s overall audio quality was good, it didn’t offer much of a spatial impression. Unfortunately, though, surround mode isn’t worth activating. I tried using it when playing Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth on PlayStation 5 and despite providing broader, more nuanced positioning, it wasn’t long before I switched it off. And that’s down to one big issue – it significantly hampers audio quality, which is tinny and a bit unpleasant.

This isn’t the end of the world, of course – the HS214 sounds totally fine without surround mode. And even if it doesn’t offer mesmerizing spatial audio, it does plate up a solid helping of power. It has a total power output of 108W and can get pretty loud, making it an ideal step-up for TVs with weaker audio, or sound that gets easily distorted at higher volumes. And placement isn’t too bad either. During gameplay, one character whizzed across the screen on a motorbike and I got a solid impression of his directionality. Of course, this is a small soundbar and you won’t get much width out of it – especially with Surround Mode off – but general audio placement is decent.

(Image credit: Future)

One more feature worth mentioning is the dimmer option, which can alter the brightness of the LED light display on the front of the soundbar. I kept it at max brightness, but I have to say, I wasn’t a massive fan of the LED display used here. Rather than displaying volume numbers, EQ modes and more, you just see a small light flash when you change settings or volume. This isn’t the most clear or intuitive and a lot of cheap soundbars, like the Majority Elias, for instance, use clearer displays with words and letters.

But look, I don’t want to be overly critical, especially as I personally like the design of the Hisense HS214 overall. It has an almost leather-like plastic casing on top of that soundbar which is attractive and adds a touch of class. It also has button controls for power, source and volume if you don’t have the soundbar's very neat-looking remote to hand.

(Image credit: Future)

On the reverse side, there are a number of ports that enable you to connect your soundbar to a TV in multiple ways. These include: HDMI (ARC); AUX; coaxial; digital optical; and USB-C. That means it should be good to go with any modern TV and gives you plenty of options if all of your HDMI slots are used up. I opted for the HDMI ARC connection type and found setting the soundbar up incredibly easy – just plug in the connector and a power cable and you’re good to go.

All in all, the Hisense HS214 is a very solid budget soundbar. It’s wide of the mark on spatial audio and you may not be wowed in the bass department, but it’s an attractive, compact, easy-to-use soundbar that plates up clear dialogue and solid amounts of power. Given the price you pay, that does make it an attractive offering. If that’s all you need, I’d say this soundbar is worth considering, but for those seeking a stronger spatial impression, one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars will offer a more nuanced, expansive and premium-sounding experience.

(Image credit: Future) Hisense HS214 review: Price and release date

• $99 / £79 (about AU$160)
• Launched in 2021

The Hisense HS214 is positioned as a budget, entry-level option for those looking to add a bit of power to their TV setup. It was released back in 2021 and has a list price of $99 / £79 (about AU$160). However, you may well be able to snap this soundbar up for even less. I’ve personally seen this soundbar available for less than £70 via Amazon UK, for instance, so keep an eye out for some sweet deals.

Hisense HS214 review: Specs

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Hisense HS214? Buy it if...

You’re working with a fairly tight budget
If you’re looking for a solid, cheap soundbar, the Hisense HS214 is an option worth considering. For less than $100 / £80, you get decently powerful audio, clear dialogue and a bundle of connectivity options – not bad at all!

You’re a little low on space
Something I really liked about this soundbar was its ultra-compact build. It was small enough to just fit under my TV stand and so if, like me, you’ve not got a ton of space to play with, this soundbar will fit the bill.

Don't buy it if...

You want truly cinematic sound
Sure, the Hisense HS214 has a surround mode, but it’s just not very good. On top of that, it’s a small, standalone soundbar, so you’re not going to get the most immersive sonic experience.

You’re an audiophile
And if you’re someone who’s picky about sound, this soundbar might not quite hit all the right notes for you. It’s by no means a poor-sounding soundbar, especially for its price, but if you’re hoping for top-tier music replication, deep, impactful bass and supremely crisp vocals, this may fall short.

Hisense HS214 review: Also consider

Panasonic SC-HTB100
This soundbar is UK only, but if it’s available to you it’s a great budget option. You don’t get any fancy tricks from the Panasonic SC-HTB100 – no Atmos or DTS:X and no hi-tech display either. But if you want clear dialogue, strong connectivity options and solid EQ options at a low price, you’ll be well-served here. Read our full Panasonic SC-HTB100 review.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar
But here’s one that’s available in the US as well – the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar. This budget option supplies pretty impressive sound, as well as a simple setup process and ultra-compact build. Once again, there’s no Atmos and you’re unlikely to be blown away in the bass department, but this is still a very solid option. Read our full Amazon Fire TV Soundbar review.

Hisense HS214 review: How I tested

• Tested for one week(s)
• Used at home with the Hisense U7K TV
• Predominantly used the HDMI ARC connectivity option

I put the Hisense HS214 to the test over a week-long period. I mainly used HDMI ARC when connecting the soundbar to my Hisense U7K TV – a model which had integrated support for the HS214 in its options menus.

While testing, I watched a number of TV shows, videos and movies – mainly using streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube. I also played Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth on the Playstation 5 to judge the soundbar’s capabilities for gaming. In addition, I connected the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE to the Hisense HS214 using Bluetooth connectivity for playing music. I made sure to play tracks from the TechRadar testing playlist to assess the quality of the soundbar’s Music EQ configuration.

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

Spectrum is an obvious choice for home internet in Duluth, but it’s not the only internet provider in the area. These are the best options according to CNET experts.

• Marvel Snap is still not available in the US
• It was caught up in the recent TikTok ban
• Service is expected to resume soon, with affected players receiving compensation

Mobile card game Marvel Snap was one of the unexpected casualties of the US TikTok ban, with the app becoming unavailable early yesterday morning.

“A law banning Marvel Snap has been enacted in the U.S,” reads a message displayed to users in the region. “Unfortunately, that means you can’t use Marvel Snap for now. Rest assured, we’re working to restore our service in the U.S. Please stay tuned!.”

If you’re wondering why it was affected, Marvel Snap was developed by mobile studio Second Dinner and published by Nuverse, a subsidiary of TikTok owner ByteDance. Still, the decision to take the game offline in the US was a “surprise” to the developer, per a recent post to its official X / Twitter account.

Unfortunately, MARVEL SNAP is temporarily unavailable in U.S. app stores and is unavailable to play in the U.S. This outage is a surprise to us and wasn't planned. MARVEL SNAP isn’t going anywhere. We’re actively working on getting the game up as soon as possible and will…January 19, 2025

TikTok was also briefly unavailable, though service has since resumed in anticipation of an executive order that will be signed by incoming President Donald Trump. That does not appear to be the case for Marvel Snap, however, with many users on social media still reporting that they are completely unable to access the game.

The latest word from Second Dinner is that it has “been working around the clock to bring Marvel Snap back up in the US and hope to have it back online within 24 hours.” We also now know that players will be “compensated for their lost time” so there’s no need to worry about your missed daily challenges if you currently can’t play.

Fingers crossed that the game will be back soon, or we’ll all have to find something else to do while sitting on the toilet.

You might also like...

• Nintendo Switch 2: what we know about the next-generation system so far
• Sony seems eager to avoid another Concord level flop, canceling two unannounced live service PlayStation games
• Watch out, this convincing Steam scam could risk your entire game library

• Citrix Session Recording Agent could be blocking your Windows update
• Microsoft and Citrix are both aware of the issue and are investigating
• We’re hoping for a fix, but the temporary workaround is simple

Microsoft has warned devices with version 2411 of Citrix’s Session Recording Agent might be incompatible with its latest January 2025 Patch Tuesday update.

The latest update, available for Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices, may fail to install if users have Citrix’s software installed.

Updates download and apply, but then fail to complete. Users are then seeing a warning message which reads: “Something didn't go as planned. No need to worry – undoing changes.”

Citrix software is breaking January 2025 Windows update

In a guide for the software update, Microsoft wrote: “Devices that have certain Citrix components installed might be unable to complete installation of the January 2025 Windows security update.”

Citrix is also aware of the issue and promises to be investigating the cause and determining a fix. Home users are not expected to be affected, and not all organizations are likely to be affected given that version 2411 was launched in November 2024.

In the meantime, Citrix says users can avoid the problem and successfully install the January 2025 Windows update by stopping the client and disabling the startup type. When the application is closed, users may install the Patch Tuesday update then re-open their Citrix software.

A company update also provides a set of instructions to circumvent the issue with Powershell or Command Prompt.

The article goes on to explain: “The January 2025 security update is unable to update some of the driver files when 2411 Session Recording is installed. This issue is not observed with earlier versions of Session Recording.”

Although an update to prevent the issue from happening in the first place hasn’t yet been released, the workaround is at least a very simple one. As with any software, users should monitor for updates and install them promptly to iron out issues and prevent any vulnerabilities.

You might also like

• Fancy a swanky new laptop? Here are the best business laptops and best mobile workstations
• Microsoft reveals more on a potentially major Apple macOS security flaw
• We’ve curated a list of the best productivity apps