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Increasingly, countries, especially in Europe, have been enforcing strict measures lately to halt the spread of pirated content. Yet, Cloudflare, a leading DNS server provider, told TechRadar that "network blocking is never going to be the solution. "

DNS providers were the first to be targeted with blocking orders and lawsuits by French, Spanish, and Italian authorities. However, these authorities have now begun targeting some of the best VPN services on similar grounds. Technologists, however, have long warned that these tactics lead to disproportionate overblocking incidents while undermining people's internet freedom.

"Those kinds of network blocking efforts are having collateral effects and are ruining the internet," Vice President and Global Head of Public Policy at Cloudflare, Alissa Starzak, told TechRadar, suggesting we should think of any internet block as censorship.

Why are DNS and VPNs the target of rightsholders?

Short for domain name system, a DNS acts as the internet phone book. It essentially translates users' requests into strings of numbers – IP addresses – to connect them with the right websites on the web. DNS servers are then essential to navigate the internet, making these services a target of censors and, like in this case, rightholders alike.

A virtual private network (VPN) is then a security software that masks users' real IP addresses. While this skill is crucial to bypass strict government-imposed internet restrictions, it can also be used as a workaround to current anti-piracy tactics that involve blocking access to piracy sites based on users' browsing location. This is exactly what some European rightsholders want to prevent.

After a successful legal action against DNS services last year, French streaming giant Canal+ now wants to block VPN usage, too. It has teamed up with France's professional football league agency, Ligue de Football Professionel (LFP), to issue court orders against the likes of NordVPN, ProtonVPN, CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark.

Italy has also announced plans to upgrade its infamous Piracy Shield system to extend blackout orders against VPNs and public DNS providers. Specifically, rightsholders can demand piracy-related domain names and IP addresses suspected of copyright infringement to be blocked within 30 minutes.

(Image credit: Future)

The Italian case shows how this action can lead to dangerous overblocking incidents, Starzak explains.

"They have blocked some of our IP addresses at various times and even Google Docs got blocked [by mistake] at one point," she said, pointing out the lack of transparency and accountability around these events. "If you agree that a certain piece of content can be targeted and you're blocking other stuff that's should be legally problematic."

The newly launched attack to VPN usage is a further escalation of these "aggressive" anti-piracy measures in Europe, which has opened up even more questions about the legality of these actions.

As Starzak told TechRadar, the French lawsuit isn't based on numbers and facts, but simply on the idea that people might access pirated content through a VPN.

She said: "You could argue that an internet shutdown would also solve your problem. There wouldn't be any streaming if you shut down the internet, right? That's where proportionality comes into play. It's not that every possible mechanism to prevent something is the right answer."

What's next?

While DNS servers are still in open litigation in France, the VPN Trust Initiative (VTI), whose targeted members include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark, confirmed to TorrentFreak the providers are considering leaving the country over the blocking demands.

"We’ve seen this before in markets like India and Pakistan, where regulatory requirements forced some VPN services to withdraw rather than compromise on encryption standards or log-keeping policies," said VTI Executive Director Christian Dawson. "France’s potential move to force VPN providers to block content could put companies in a similar position."

The DNS and VPN industries also worry that these legal actions could create a blueprint for more countries to follow suit.

Starzak believes lawmakers and rightholders should find a more balanced approach to tackle online piracy where oversight, consistency, and transparency go hand in hand.

"It doesn't mean that there may not be a role for network blocking in limited cases, but we have to start putting some controls instead of randomly blocking. We need to understand what's acceptable and what's not," she said. "Once you start marching down the network blocking path, you may forget there's this whole other path of potential solutions that hasn't been considered."

Where to find Sharp Fang in Monster Hunter Wilds? This is likely the first question you'll be asking when trying to craft your first full armor set after a monster hunt. The trouble is, until you hunt a small monster that drops the resource, you won't know where to look. Thankfully, I've tracked down a number of beasts that'll drop Sharp Fang, speeding up the process significantly.

To seek out certain resources in Monster Hunter Wilds, you'll need to venture out into the brand new seamless open world. You'll find a whole host of creatures, from Large Monsters like Chatacabra to endemic life like the Rufflizard. It's this world, teeming with life, that really makes the game stand out from others in the series, and it's a big reason why we've added Monster Hunter Wilds to our list of best crossplay games. To see what else we loved about it, check out our Monster Hunter Wilds review.

Here's where to get Sharp Fang in Monster Hunter Wilds, including some info on which monsters to track down and carve. We'll then go on to detail what you can craft with Sharp Fang.

Monster Hunter Wilds Sharp Fang location Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Capcom)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Capcom)

The best place to get Sharp Fang in Monster Hunter Wilds is from Talioth in the Windward Plains. These are long reptilian small monsters that can be found in small groups. Early on, in Low Rank, you'll receive an Optional Quest called The Reset is Demanding, that'll lead you right to Talioth, though you can also just head to the Plains and open your map to find them. Take them down and carve them to get Sharp Fang. Note that you'll only get it from Low Rank Talioth. Other small monsters also stop sharp Fang when carved:

• Gaijos (Low Rank): Plains, Forest
• Kranodath (Low Rank): Basin
• Piragill (Low Rank): Forest
• Porkeplume (Low Rank): Wyveria, Cliffs

What to use Sharp Fang for in Monster Hunter Wilds

(Image credit: Capcom)

You'll need Sharp Fang to craft certain Low Rank armor pieces in Monster Hunter Wilds. The first you'll come across will be the Chatacabra Coil, a lower armor piece that grants the Botanist Skill. Given how early on you fight and hunt the Chatacabra, its armor set is a great one to spend a bit of time crafting by seeking out its requisite resources. Sharp Fang is one resource that cannot be craved from the Chatacabra itself, though Talioth is often found in the same area.

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• The best graphics settings for Monster Hunter Wilds
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The best Monster Hunter Wilds controller setting can help you customize your combat and traversal, making hunts and Field Investigation easier. By making slight tweaks to some of the new mechanics like Focus Mode, you can seriously streamline the sometimes complex control schemes associated with weapons like the Insect Glaive, and even make moving around on your Seikret feel much more intuitive.

Monster Hunter Wilds is another step forward for the long-running co-op action franchise. By offering up a seamless open world teeming with flora and fauna, the game really switches up the look and feel of hunts. You can read our full Monster Hunter Wilds review to find out why we've placed the game on our best multiplayer PC games list.

Here are the best Monster Hunter Wilds controller settings to change when you first load the game up. We'll cover everything from making the most of extra back paddles to making sure you can always access items quickly.

Monster Hunter Wilds best controller settings

(Image credit: Capcom)

After spending dozens of hours playing the beta and the main game for review, here are my recommendations for the best controller settings to change in Monster Hunter Wilds. I'll then go into some more detail on each, so you can decide which settings you want to run with.

• Focus Mode - Toggle
• Seikret Manual controls - Type 2
• Back Paddle setup (Basic) - prioritize evade and attacks for melee
• Map Zoom settings - Disable
• Monster sighting camera - Disable
• Hold Confirmation Duration - Short
• Focus Mode Sensitivity - raise to your preference, but start with increasing by one for both horizontal and vertical

Focus Mode (Toggle)

(Image credit: Capcom)

First up, there are the controller settings related to Focus Mode. These relate to the new targeting system that's on the left trigger by default. Generally, you'll need to hold down the trigger to enter Focus Mode, but there is an option to set it to a toggle button press. This can really help with some weapons like the Insect Glaive, where you'll need to be holding down multiple buttons at once. Similarly for weapons like the Long Sword, where you'll generally always want to be in Focus Mode, this can save you from having to hold the trigger down for most of a fight.

Seikret Manual Controls

(Image credit: Capcom)

Next up is the Seikret Manual Controls. This option relates to how your Seikret moves when it is not in Auto-Move mode. I find that having this work in Type 2, which is the same as your Hunter moves, is much more intuitive. By default, you'll need to hold R1/RB to speed up, and R2/RT to slow down. If this feels weird to you, as it does to me, then switch to the other option.

Back Paddles

(Image credit: Future)

While we're on the topic of best controller settings, it's worth mentioning some back paddle bindings that'll help those with more premium controllers like the DualSense Edge and Xbox Elite Series 2:

• Evade - having the evade button (A on Xbox, X on PlayStation) on a back paddle can really help, as you can move the right stick while dodging, allowing you to quickly refocus your aim
• Attack 1 - the first of your main attacks (for non-bow-gun users) will likely be on Y for Xbox and triangle for PS5. You'll want this on a back paddle so that you can aim while attacking, without having to take your thumb off of the right stick
• Attack 2 - the second of your main attacks can also be mapped to a back paddle for easier use. As a Long Sword main, I find this setup really helps me focus my aim while using Focus Mode
• Sheathe weapon - sometimes, you're going to want to be sheathing your weapon to switch to item use, or triggering environmental effects with the hook shot.
• Sprint - another option for a back paddle mappable button is the sprint. This is on the left stick click by default.

(Image credit: Capcom)

Of course, how you set up your back paddles will ultimately come down to personal preference. For some tips on the controllers that are best suited for Monster Hunter Wilds, be sure to check out our best controllers for Monster Hunter Wilds guide.

Map Zoom settings

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds features an extremely detailed map, which reveals different points of interest depending on how zoomed in you are. The problem that I ran into was that I use adjustable trigger action on my DualSense Edge, so there's less of a press to activate them. This means that trying to zoom in would automatically make the map jump to the highest zoom, or the lowest zoom, making it very difficult to hone in on what I'm actually trying to see. Disabling this really helps, especially when combing the map for resources.

Monster Sighting Camera

(Image credit: Capcom)

Finally, we have the Monster Sighting Camera, which will zoom in and present a more cinematic shot of large monsters when first encountering them. I prefer to turn this off, as it can lead to you losing control over the camera while riding into battle. More than once, this has led to me losing the element of surprise on a monster at the beginning of a hunt, due to my character continuing to move while the Monster Sighting camera is active. Disable this to avoid this animation from triggering.

Focus Mode Sensitivity

(Image credit: Capcom)

Finally, a note on Focus Mode sensitivity. By default, Focus Mode is supposed to be a slower, more precise aiming mode. This can work for most weapons, and most hunts, but for faster monster you'll want to experiment with upping the sensitivity. This will allow you to swing the camera around faster, especially with ranged weapons. Increase the Focus Mode sensitivity by one for both horizontal and vertical, and see how you get on. Weapons like the Bowguns and Long Sword really benefit from this small change.

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The best Monster Hunter Wilds graphics settings for PS5 and Xbox could make a world of difference considering the game can be a bit of a mixed bag in terms of visual consistency.

On most platforms, players will need to choose between three main modes, before further tweaks can be made to clean things up. I've now played close to 50 hours of Monster Hunter Wilds, experimenting with a whole host of settings to improve the graphics.

Monster Hunter Wilds is another step forward for the long-running co-op action franchise. This time around, there's a seamless open world to explore, filled with monsters great and small, and plenty of valuable resources to loot. You can read my full Monster Hunter Wilds review to find out why I've placed the game on our best multiplayer PC games list.

Here are the best Monster Hunter Wilds graphics settings for PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X|S. I'll cover whether to choose the prioritize Resolution or Framerate modes or if it's worth selecting the Balanced Mode. Then, you'll find some specific settings that can be tweaked to clean up the muddy image that can be found on certain platforms by default. Let's get started.

Monster Hunter Wilds best graphics settings for PS5

(Image credit: Capcom)

On PS5, you'll have the choice between three main graphics modes in Monster Hunter Wilds. You can see the key info on each in the table below:

Monster Hunter Wilds is an action-heavy game, that requires you to make split-second dodges, counters, and attacks. Because of this, 60fps (frames per second) is the way to go, so you'll want to choose the Prioritize Framerate mode here. Unfortunately, this does mean a hefty hit to the resolution, but, in my opinion, it's worth it. In general Monster Hunter Wilds doesn't really have the best performance on the base consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X|S), though there are some tweaks you can make to clean up the image.

Firstly, switch off Motion Blur. Then, go into the HDR settings and turn down the HDR Highlights bar to decrease overall Luminosity. You'll also want to darken the shadows using the slider. This will go a long way in cleaning up the washed-out look that is especially prevalent during the Inclemency seasons.

Monster Hunter Wilds best graphics settings for PS5 Pro

(Image credit: Future)

Now onto PS5 Pro, which, in terms of graphics settings at least, is the best place to play Monster Hunter Wilds on console. As before, there are three settings to choose from:

If you're playing Monster Hunter Wilds on PS5 Pro, I recommend starting the game in Balanced Mode if you have a 120Hz display. This allows for a decent frame rate, and thanks to the Pro's extra power, you'll get to enjoy the game's Ray Tracing features.

If you find that you'd rather have a higher FPS, then you can switch to Prioritize Frame Rate. From here, there are options to cap the frame rate at 60fps or leave it uncapped.

I preferred to keep it capped for more consistent performance, but try uncapped to see if you like it first, especially if you are using a VRR-capable display. It's clear that the PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) features of the PS5 Pro are at play here, using machine learning to enhance resolution and clarity. It's something we praised in our full PS5 Pro review.

As with the base PS5 or PS5 Slim, you'll want to turn off Motion Blur, and go into the HDR settings to tweak things like highlights (lower them to 6), and then shadows (darken them to remove washed-out look).

Personally, I went for the Prioritize Frame Rate mode for the vast majority of my playtime with Monster Hunter Wilds. Thanks to PSSR, the game still looked great, even at 1080p, and the frame rate was extremely consistent.

Monster Hunter Wilds best graphics settings for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Miguel Lagoa)

Finally, let's take a look at the best Monster Hunter Wilds graphics settings for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S:

As you can see, the Xbox Series X is in line with the PS5 settings for Monster Hunter Wilds. As such, I recommend the Prioritize Frame Rate Mode. There's no Ray Tracing to take advantage of here, so you may as well get the game running at a consistent 60fps.

Just like with the PS5, you'll want to turn off Motion Blur on the Xbox Series X and lower the luminosity of the highlights in HDR settings. Darkening the shadows makes things look better as well.

For those with an Xbox Series S, there are no modes to choose from, with the game locked at 1080p and 30fps. Try the visual tweaks mentioned above to clean up the image, however.

How to make Monster Hunter Wilds look less washed out

(Image credit: Capcom)

Monster Hunter Wilds is a visually inconsistent experience on consoles, especially in certain biomes and seasons. In particular, the Windward Plains during Fallow can be extremely washed out, with colors being muted and grey across the board. To remedy this, go into the HDR settings and adjust it to suit your screen. Then, lower the Highlights bar, and darken the shadows slightly. This can really help make colors and shadows pop, while cutting out some of the hazy-gray elements that you'll run into while out on hunts. Hopefully, Capcom releases patch to address the washed-out issues in Monster Hunter Wilds, but for now, try the steps we mentioned.

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"Push! Push!" Spin Master's Primal Hatch aims to excite Jurassic Park fans with its new evolution in the Hatchimals toy line.

Thrustmaster T598: One-minute review

In a previous era, the line in the sand for racing wheels was drawn between those with force feedback, and those without. Today it’s about direct drive vs. belt-driven force feedback, and with the arrival of this innovative new T598 comes an affordable way to enjoy direct drive’s benefits.

Specifically, it delivers an ultra-smooth, cogging-free steering experience, powered by an axial DD motor which doesn’t judder or feel grainy when it sends resistance through your hands like belt-driven wheels can.

In fact, Thrustmaster says the new axial design allows for even smoother, more detailed feedback than existing – and much pricier – direct drive bases, and having spent months using this as my daily driver, I’m inclined to agree.

There are concessions to hit a competitive price point, most notably an all-plastic wheel with very basic inputs and no rotary dials, but importantly, the wheel itself is swappable for other Thrustmaster or third-party units. That makes this an excellent starting platform to build upon in the long term, especially when you consider the high quality pedals bundled with it.

(Image credit: Future) Thrustmaster T598: Price and availability

• List price: $499.99 / £449.99 (around AU$899.99)
• Similar pricing to Fanatec’s CSL 5Nm Ready2Race bundle (around $399.95 / £400)
• Also up against Moza’s R5 bundle: $599 / £460

What a time to be alive – multiple direct drive bundles available for under $500 / £500. Fanatec and Moza have the most popular products in this range, and the T598’s priced to take them on directly. It’s also considerably cheaper than Thrustmaster’s own belt-driven T-GT II wheel, and excellent as the latter may be, it makes sense to spend less on newer tech that provides better driving sensation.

While the Fanatec CSL 5Nm bundle may look cheaper on paper, the online pricing doesn’t include VAT for UK customers, and you may need to buy extras like the desk mount, depending on your setup. Availability is an ongoing issue with Fanatec stock, too.

Thrustmaster T598: Specs Thrustmaster T598: Design and features

• Basic but functional wheel rim
• Odd wheelbase shape
• The pedals look pro

Let’s start with that axial direct drive. What does it mean? It’s all about the design and positioning of the internal components that generate the torque resistance inside the wheelbase. While traditional motor design can generate an undesirable ‘cogging’ sensation where operating the wheel feels grainy or juddery, the T598’s axial flux motor has been designed to eliminate it and deliver smoother steering and feedback.

And that’s why, one suspects, the wheelbase itself is such an odd shape. While Fanatec and Moza offer box-shaped motors, the T598’s hexagonal base sits much taller. It’s been styled with some jet engine-like lines, but the fact remains that this thing looks quite conspicuous. Fortunately I was able to install it onto my Playseat Sensation Pro’s wheelbase shelf without too many dramas, and the tall base doesn’t impact visibility.

The wheel rim itself attaches via a quick release mechanism, although in name only - it takes considerably longer to install or take off the wheel from the base than Logitech’s G Pro wheel, or Fanatec’s QR2 system. Like the wheelbase, the rim’s predominantly plastic, with textured rubberized hand grips and a carbon fiber effect in the central panel that, frankly, isn’t fooling anyone.

(Image credit: Future)

A decent array of input buttons have been placed around the wheel in ergonomically sensible fashion. On the bottom-left and bottom-right corners you’ve got two four-way d-pads, with three console controller-style buttons in the middle. The four face buttons and two of the shoulder buttons are translated to two three-button clusters within easy reach of your thumbs. Then to the rear, of course, you’ve got two nice big aluminium magnetic shifters, with a satisfyingly mechanical thunk to their action.

The pedal offering here is particularly strong for a bundle, and features two load cell pedal units on an all-metal base. This is a modular design, so you can add a pedal and shift the unit placements to your taste, and swap out springs of varying stiffness to get you the brake and accelerator feel that you’re looking for.

Personally, even the stiffest spring set at the highest tension position doesn’t quite get me that high resistance, GT car-like stamp that I’m looking for, but I wouldn’t expect to be able to dial in such an exact preference from a bundle at this price. The main thing is that I’m able to swap parts in or out later to fine-tune that.

Similarly, you can use the wheelbase itself with multiple different wheel rims, including those already part of Thrustmaster’s range via an adapter, or natively using the new Hypercar wheel. Adapters can sometimes disrupt the immediacy of feedback, or the smoothness, so I’ll have to reserve judgment on how well it works with this particular wheelbase until I test it with some different wheels.

One final note on the design - tweaking the settings is currently handled via physical controls and a small LED screen on the wheelbase itself, rather than via Thrustmaster’s proprietary software. This is far from ideal, but I was able to dial in a few different profiles in this way without too much hair-pulling.

(Image credit: Future) Thrustmaster T598: Performance

• Butter-smooth actuation
• Enough torque for most racers
• Compatible games library is growing gradually

If the T598’s design is all about making small compromises to keep the price competitive, its performance and driving experience are where this new contender really shines.

The axial drive system really discerns itself from competitors. You do feel a difference in smoothness, both in comparison to belt-driven force feedback wheels like Logitech’s G923, and direct drive wheels like Moza and Fanatec’s similarly priced CSL 5Nm and R5 bundles, respectively. It’s not night and day, but considering the competitive pricing, it’s impressive to feel the benefits of a breakthrough tech in this package.

Since it hit the market there’s been some discussion among sim racers as to whether the stated 6Nm of torque is enough. Can it really actuate those severe traction loss events, and convey the feeling of dramatic weight shifts while steering under braking? Yes. Yes it can.

Indeed, using some of the profiles Thrustmaster sent me to use with Assetto Corsa Competizione, I found my hands actually aching after 10-15 laps from the sheer exertion of countering that torque. There’s plenty of resistance here.

(Image credit: Future)

Indeed, when you delve into the spec sheet you’ll see that the T598 has a 100% torque overshoot capability. So in theory it can actuate signals of up to 10Nm, and that axial arrangement means it’s easier to keep latency nice and low when that happens - torque undershoot or overshoot is usually the result of motor inertia lagging to meet the new torque demand, and that’s exactly what this new internal motor arrangement’s designed to minimize. In short: when torque overshoot does occur, it doesn’t produce cogging.

But let’s get our noses out of the theory books and back into the driving experience. While it’s definitely inconvenient to have to adjust universal wheel settings via a display on the wheelbase rather than using software, there are some cool features in here that add to the experience, like the gearshift jolt effect. When you turn this all the way up, you feel a surge of power which jolts you backwards on upshifts to simulate the momentary disruption in acceleration when shifting, then feeling the power being laid back down.

Like a lot of sim racers, I prefer to dial down the resistance a bit for easier, more consistent lapping, particularly over longer endurance races. It’s here, in the settings sweet spot (about 50-75% effects strength) where I particularly appreciate how smoothly the feedback’s delivered, and how rock-solid the connection between wheel rim and wheelbase is, even if it’s not connected via a fancy motorsport-style quick release mechanism as you’d find on a Fanatec wheel.

Given that such a bounty of great direct drive sensations is bundled with a sturdy pedal base that looks and feels much more expensive than it is, we’ve got a real winner in this bundle.

Should I buy the Thrustmaster T598? Buy it if...

You’ve been on the fence about direct drive wheels
Now’s the time. This bundle perfectly demonstrates that they’re now affordable in bundles that don’t force major compromises on you.

You’re a smooth operator
It’s incredible how silky the feedback feels, and how the axial motor eliminates that cogging sensation.

You want a solid base to upgrade over time
Everything from the wheel rim to individual pedals can be swapped out or upgraded, so it’s a great foundation purchase.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not a tinkerer
It generally takes some settings tweaking in each game to get the right feel, and that’s done via physical controls on the wheelbase only.

You want a luxurious wheelrim
The rim itself is the weak spot of this package, and doesn’t look or feel very premium.

You like to adjust dials mid-lap
There are no dials or POV hat switches on the wheel rim’s input layout, which means changing TC, brake balance or ABS is a bit more fiddly than usual.

Also consider...

If the Thrustmaster T598 doesn’t grind your gears, consider these rival packages.

Thrustmaster T-GT II
Old school belt-driven force feedback tech, but it still feels weighty and articulate. Less tweaking required than the T598.

For more information read our full Thrustmaster T-GT II review

Logitech G923
It’s ubiquitous for a reason. Well-built, a smart button layout, and Trueforce feedback adds something extra to supported games when it comes to detailed articulation.

For more information read out full Logitech G923 review

How I tested the Thrustmaster T598

• Two months of regular use during testing
• Used with PC and PS5
• Racing sims and arcade titles tested

As an Assetto Corsa Competizione obsessive, I put the majority of my hours spent with the T598 into hotlapping in an M4 and ranked endurance racing. Kunos’s new Assetto Corsa EVO also saw some serious hours, along with The Crew Motorfest on the arcade side of the spectrum, and F1 24. I tested the T598 as a PC racing wheel, and a PS5 racing wheel thoroughly on both platforms overall.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

These are some of our favorite stands, cases, keyboards, and styli, no matter which Apple tablet you have.

It turns out your 12-cup coffee machine is smaller than you think. But figuring just how many cups it makes isn’t always easy, and it’s probably not what you expect.

Samsung has already had a busy year, with the launch of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra, as well as the reveal of the all-new Galaxy S25 Edge. This hasn’t stopped Samsung fans and tipsters from speculating on upcoming releases from the Korean tech giant, though, particularly across Samsung’s folding phone portfolio.

However, a new rumor suggests that Samsung’s most accessible foldable won’t be getting much of an overhaul this year – at least not design-wise.

Unofficial renders that supposedly show the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, based on what appears to be insider information, have been shared by OnLeaks and Android Headlines.

You’d be forgiven for thinking these renders show the current-gen Galaxy Z Flip 6, though, as there’s next to no visual difference between the supposed Galaxy Z Flip 7 and its predecessor – the renders even borrow the current-gen Blue color scheme.

(Image credit: OnLeaks / Android Headlines)

Like the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the rendered Galaxy Z Flip 7 features a tall folding inner screen, and a cover screen that contours to allow space for a horizontally aligned double-camera system. The renders feature colored camera rings, rather than the enlarged black camera housings used by the Galaxy S25 series and Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Android Headlines suggests both screens will be slightly enlarged, at 3.6 inches for the cover screen and 6.8 inches for the inner display compared to 3.4 inches and 6.7 inches on the current-generation Galaxy Z Flip 6.

The buttons appear to be exactly the same as on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and as usual the lower rear panel is one solid colour. We can’t tell much about the phone’s construction from renders alone, but if the phones are as materially similar as they are aesthetically, we’re probably looking at an aluminum frame, glass cover screen, and plastic inner display.

There’s not much in the way of explanation for where these renders come from either – this could just mean the source has chosen to remain anonymous, but it also means we can’t give as much weight to this rumor as we could one with more context.

Still, Samsung producing a Galaxy Z Flip 7 that largely shares the design of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 seems like a realistic possibility; after all, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 effectively inherited the design of the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

And even with a similar design with enough improvements to software, internal specs, cameras, or overall user experience, there’ll be nothing stopping the Galaxy Z Flip 7 from finding a place on our lists of the best Samsung phones or best folding phones. Let us know what you’d like to see from Samsung’s next flip phone in the comments below.

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• Windows 11 is warning some folks to back up their PC with a banner in the Settings app
• This is a way of pushing Microsoft’s own Backup app which uses OneDrive
• Not everyone needs to hear about this, and some users are getting frustrated with the banner repeatedly appearing

If you use Windows 11, you’re doubtless accustomed to Microsoft’s attempts to prod you into using its various services, and there’s been another spot of nudging (or shoving, even) in the OS regarding OneDrive.

Windows Latest picked up on this one, and it works in a roundabout kind of way, meaning that it’s not a flashing banner telling you that ‘You must use OneDrive’ (that’s coming in next month’s update – not really, ahem, though you never quite know with Microsoft).

The tech site tells us that Windows 11 is pushing an ‘Action advised – backup your PC’ warning panel on certain users, at the top of the Settings app home screen. And when I classify it as a warning, that’s because it’s displayed in yellow with an exclamation mark to urge taking action.

According to Windows Latest, this warning is being presented on a regular basis to them (and others). So, what happens if you click on the ‘Continue’ button in the banner? Windows 11 will launch its built-in Backup app, a tool designed to fully back up your PC to the cloud.

But of course, it’s tied specifically to Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage locker, which is why this is an indirect way of promoting that service. The catch is that if you don’t have enough storage space on OneDrive – and the free allocation almost certainly won’t be enough – you might be tempted to buy more space in order to back up your PC, and then Microsoft makes a bit of extra cash.

(Image credit: Shutterstock - monticello) Back off on the backups, Microsoft – or at least provide a choice here

Isn’t backing up your PC a useful thing to do, though, if you haven’t? Well, yes, very definitely, so to be fair, for novice computer users who haven’t taken any such steps to protect their data (or indeed system settings), this could be very useful.

But OneDrive isn’t the only way forward in this regard, and if you’ve already availed yourself of a third-party backup solution of one kind or another, then you might not – well, you almost certainly won’t – want to get nagged in this way on a trip to the Settings app.

And nagged you will be, apparently, as Windows Latest notes that this banner only appears in Settings for users who have turned off cloud syncing and backup settings in Windows 11 (which, of course, you’re likely to have done if you’re taking care of backup duties yourself, and not leaving it to the OS). The repeated nature of this warning popping up also makes it more irksome.

Don’t get me wrong, I actually like the idea of the Backup app, which Microsoft has done some commendable work on in recent times to make it a good way to transfer all your stuff from an old PC to a new one. It’s convenient and handy for less tech-savvy folks in that respect, for sure, despite some limitations (notably third-party apps aren’t included in the backup images, just software from the Microsoft Store).

Even so, this remains a case of overreaching with ‘recommendations’ from Microsoft (once again). Windows Latest further observes there’s a fair bit of chatter on the likes of Reddit discussing possible fudges and workarounds to turn off this warning, but we shouldn’t have to resort to that.

Really, at the very least, there should be a box to tick along the lines of ‘don’t show this again’ with the banner, for those who know what it’s all about, and have their backups well in hand themselves. Surely that isn’t too difficult to implement, Microsoft, while still leaving the nudge present for those who might genuinely benefit from it?

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• Spyzie was found to be vulnerable to the same flaw as Cocospy and Spyzie
• More than half a million Android users were exposed
• Roughly 4,900 iOS users were exposed as well

Hundreds of thousands of Android users, as well as several thousand iPhone users, have had their sensitive data compromised by a spouseware app, called Spyzie.

The apps were found leaking email addresses, text messages, call logs, photographs, and other sensitive data, belonging to millions of people who, without their knowledge or consent, have had these apps installed on their devices. The people who installed those apps, in most cases partners, parents, significant others, have also had their email addresses exposed in the same manner.

The researcher who found all of these flaws is not sharing the details just yet, claiming they’re quite simple to exploit and haven’t been addressed yet.

Email addresses and more

Spyware apps, often also called “spouseware”, are apps that people covertly install on mobile devices belonging to their partners, children, or similar. They are advertised as legitimate monitoring apps, but are essentially operating in the grey zone and are not allowed on major app stores, such as the App Store or Play Store.

This is the third such app with the same flaw, after a cybersecurity researcher recently analyzed Cocospy and Spyic, two other popular spyware apps whose code apparently has significant overlaps, allowing the researcher to pull sensitive information from their servers.

The researcher managed to exfiltrate 1.81 million of email addresses used to register with Cocospy, and roughly 880,000 addresses used for Spyic. Besides email addresses, the researcher managed to access most of the data harvested by the apps, including pictures, messages, and call logs.

For Spyzie, the researcher managed to collect more than 510,000 unique email addresses of Android users, and sensitive data on at least 4,900 iPhone and iPad users.

The operators did not respond to media inquiries and have not, at press time, addressed the vulnerabilities.

Via TechCrunch

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• The Rings of Power season 3 has added actors from two popular Netflix shows to its cast ranks
• Stranger Things' Jamie Campbell Bower and Heartstopper's Eddie Marsan have signed on in mystery roles
• I think two particular roles are tailor-made for them

The Rings of Power season 3 just got a serious cast upgrade with the additions of actors from two of Netflix's biggest TV Originals.

Just two weeks after The Rings of Power's third season was officially announced, the first of many (potentially, anyway) new cast additions have been revealed by Amazon MGM Studios. Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays the villainous Vecna in the hugely popular Netflix series, and Heartstopper supporting actor Eddie Marsan have signed on to appear in season 3 of Amazon's high-fantasy prequel show.

Jamie Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan have joined the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power for the series’ upcoming third season, currently in pre-production with filming scheduled to begin this spring. pic.twitter.com/04iCb7Q6AvFebruary 27, 2025

Amazon hasn't confirmed who they'll be playing in the Prime Video series' next chapter, but did reveal that Campbell Bower will be a series regular and Marsan will feature in a recurring role. The tech giant's entertainment division also reiterated that filming will begin in the spring (that's autumn for southern hemisphere readers).

The Rings of Power season 2's final episode set up some fascinating events – ones depicted in JRR Tolkien's legendarium and wider The Lord of the Rings (TLotR) works – to come. You can remind yourself what happened in that explosive entry by reading my The Rings of Power season 2 ending explained article. Be sure to read my dedicated guide on The Rings of Power season 3, too, to learn more about its cast, potential storylines, and more.

Who could Jamie Campbell Bower and Eddie Marsan play in The Rings of Power season 3?

Campbell Bower will be a familiar face to Stranger Things fans (Image credit: Netflix)

Full spoilers follow for The Rings of Power season 2 Potential season 3 spoilers are also discussed.

We may not know who they'll portray yet, but that won't stop me from speculating. Bear in mind that I have no insider knowledge, so everything from this point on is just me having some fun.

Where Marsan is concerned, he seems tailor-made to play a dwarven character. We already expect that there'll be one new dwarf in one of the best Prime Video shows' third season – that being Durin IV's brother, who's mentioned in season 2 episode 8. Apparently, he's going to make a play for the Khazad-dûm throne following the death of King Durin III. He has the support of some key dwarf lords, too, so it would be fascinating to see Marsan's unnamed character go toe-to-toe (verbally and physically) with Owain Arthur's Durin IV as they battle to become Khazad-dûm's next ruler.

Campbell Bower's role is less clear. He's most well-known for playing Vecna/Victor Creel in Stranger Things season 4 and he'll reprise that role in Stranger Things season 5, which is set to debut on Netflix sometime in 2025.

Given his experience playing a terrifying villain, some readers may expect him to be another commanding, antagonistic figure in The Rings of Power. So, he could be another of Sauron's disguises – indeed, while Charlie Vickers has primarily played Middle-earth's Dark Lord in the show, Jack Lowden briefly portrayed Sauron during a flashback sequence in season 2 episode 1. There's previous form for other actors playing Sauron in The Rings of Power, then. Could Campbell Bower play Sauron upon his return to Númenor? I wouldn't rule it out.

That said, Campbell Bower could also play a more heroic character. Since the cast announcement was made, TLotR fans have flocked to The Rings of Power and The Rings of Power on Prime Reddit pages to say Campbell Bower has the air and appearance of an elf. Maybe he'll play one of this race's most interesting and/or important characters, then, such as Glorfindel or – whisper it quietly – Celeborn, aka Galadriel's husband.

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• Waze 5.4 adds support for heads-up displays
• It works on selected cars
• The update is rolling out across Android and iOS

Waze version 5.4 is rolling out now for drivers across Android and iOS devices, and it comes with a useful new feature that may just convince you to switch over (or switch back) from Google Maps: support for heads-up displays behind vehicle steering wheels.

Many cars now come with two screens, one for the main infotainment panel (which is where you'll find Android Auto or Apple CarPlay), and one directly in front of the driver, showing key details like speed, mileage, gas levels, and so on.

It's this second screen that Waze has now expanded to on select vehicles (via 9to5Google). It means you can see where you're going without glancing across at the main Android Auto or Apple CarPlay display, making it easier to keep your eyes on the road.

As you might expect, this only works on select vehicles for now – those with a graphical heads-up display, for a start. Waze hasn't said which cars are supported, but some BMW, Ford, and Polestar drivers have reported seeing the feature in action.

On the road Waze now shows on my instrument cluster after latest update from r/waze

Some photos posted to Reddit show Waze navigation instructions on a heads-up display – you can see that the graphics stick to the basics, most likely to minimize distractions and adapt to the limited space on this second screen.

This kind of deeper integration has previously been possible on a few car models with Google Maps and Apple Maps as well – but with Waze 5.4, we now have another mapping app that can provide a more seamless driving experience.

Even though it's been owned by Google for more than a decade at this point, Waze continues to hold its own as a separate app from Google Maps: it offers a simpler, friendlier interface and more in the way of community features.

As for fuller heads-up display integration, that's a whole other story. Apple and Google are keen to do more with this screen, while car makers would rather have control over the software experience – which goes some way to explaining the CarPlay 2 delay.

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• The new iPhone 16e misses out on MagSafe
• According to a notable tech blogger, Apple says this is because the phone's target audience doesn't use wireless charging
• However, we're not sure what this claim is based on

The iPhone 16e is finally here, joining the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max as the latest and cheapest addition to Apple’s current-generation smartphone lineup.

However, the iPhone 16e misses out on some of the best features from its predecessors, chief among them being MagSafe, Apple’s proprietary system of in-phone magnets that facilitates a range of charging and accessory options.

The disappointment in the iPhone fanbase surrounding this omission must have been clear to Apple, as the company has apparently given a statement about the iPhone 16e’s lack of MagSafe (which, for reference, has been standard on all numbered iPhones since 2020’s iPhone 12 series).

This is according to notable tech blogger John Gruber (via his blog, Daring Fireball, who paraphrases a statement supposedly supplied by unnamed Apple representatives: “But according to Apple representatives, most people in the 16e’s target audience exclusively charge their phones by plugging them into a charging cable”.

It seems Apple’s opinion is that if you’re looking to buy an iPhone 16e, you probably didn’t even want MagSafe to begin with – whether that reflects actual consumer opinion is another matter.

As GSMArena notes, who exactly Apple thinks iPhone 16e buyers are remains unclear from this paraphrased statement, as do the figures and research upon which you’d imagine Apple would base its claim.

Rather than gaining MagSafe, like the iPhone 16 (right), the iPhone 16e (center) lacks the feature, much like the iPhone SE (left) (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Priced at $599 / £599 / AU$999, the iPhone 16e is now the cheapest iPhone Apple sells directly, replacing the iPhone SE as the company’s budget handset and booting the iPhone 14 off of its price point and into the archives; both the iPhone SE and iPhone 14 (and iPhone 14 Plus) have been discontinued.

You might expect that Apple would replace a pair of three-year-old phones with a handset that can do everything these models could do and more – but as our iPhone 16e review notes, this isn’t quite the case. As well as MagSafe, the iPhone 16e misses out on the iPhone 14’s ultra-wide camera and ultra-wideband connectivity.

The iPhone 16e also replaces the iPhone SE’s Touch ID-enabled Home Button with Face ID, though this feels less like a loss and more like a natural progression that brings the phone's design in line with its peers.

What do you think about the iPhone 16e’s lack of MagSafe? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to join our WhatsApp community to vote in our poll.

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