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Microsoft customers are facing over 600 million cyber attacks per day, ranging from simple phishing attacks launched by opportunistic individuals, to complex ransomware and espionage campaigns conducted by state-sponsored cyber groups, the company has claimed.

Microsoft’s fifth annual Digital Defense Report has examined how cyber criminals and nation states are motivated, interact, and conduct attacks.

Geopolitical tensions are also fueling cyber attacks, as adversaries seek to gain the upper hand by disrupting critical infrastructure and stealing technological, political and military secrets. As a result, nation states are taking advantage of the skills provided by cybercrime organizations, and exchanging them for funding and training.

Tactics, techniques, and procedures have changed - but not motives

The motivations for both cybercrime organizations and state-sponsored groups have overwhelmingly remained the same, with the former being financially motivated and the latter motivated by damage, intelligence and influence. What has changed however, is the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used.

Microsoft has observed nation state actors increasingly rely on tried and tested infrastructure used by cyber criminal groups, such as infostealers and command and control (C2) frameworks, to conduct attacks. For example, Russian threat actor Storm-2049 was spotted using the Xworm and Remcos RAT tools - malware available for purchase or for free and usually used by cyber criminals - to attack at least 50 Ukrainian military devices. Remcos RAT was recently hidden by cyber criminals inside fake patches during the CrowdStrike outage earlier this year.

North Korea is also adapting its espionage campaigns to provide financial benefits by deploying a bespoke ransomware called FakePenny, which has been used to exfiltrate sensitive data from the aerospace and defense sectors for intelligence purposes before encrypting files and requesting a ransom. Both of these examples signify a blurring of the lines between nation state threat actors and cyber criminal groups.

Microsoft also highlights how the primary focus of nation state activity remains in active conflict zones and areas of regional conflict. Following the dedication of resources by NATO countries to Ukraine’s effort to combat Russia’s invasion, the focus of the Kremlin has been on gathering intelligence on Western policy and opinion of the war, with 75% of Russia’s targets either being in Ukraine itself, or in a NATO member state.

China has also focused on attempting to solidify itself as a regional hegemon by focusing its attention on the military and political policy of Taiwan and other countries in Southeast Asia - particularly those involved in disputes over territorial borders within the South China Sea.

There has also been a significant spike in election influence related campaigns, with Microsoft noting a significant increase in domains registered to look legitimate but actually direct a victim to a spoofed website (known as homoglyph domains). For example, replacing a ‘w’ with ‘vv’ within the domain, or ‘.gov’ with ‘.org’ at the end of the address.

China and Russia have both also been observed experimenting with generative AI to manipulate text, imagery, video and audio to construct influence campaigns. Their effectiveness however, has been limited so far.

The full report, alongside recommendations for cybersecurity professionals and policymakers, can be found here.

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The highly anticipated Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has hit the headlines in a bad way with a report flagging up that it can chomp your bandwidth when streaming the in-game world to the tune of up to 180Mbps.

Tom’s Hardware observes that this works out at something like 81GB of data per hour of gameplay when flying over densely populated areas with high detail settings, and that’s a figure that has understandably put some frowns on the faces of PC gamers.

The data is drawn from a YouTube video uploaded by Compusemble (see below) which comprises four test flights taken in the technical alpha of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, measuring both performance and internet bandwidth.

And here’s where we need to take a flight over (the densely populated) Caveat City.

The first and most glaring point is that Tom’s notes that data can ‘reach as high as’ a streaming rate of 180Mbps, but of course that’s a worst-case scenario, and it doesn’t get up anywhere near there most of the time.

Indeed, in the video, we can see that when flying over New York, the bandwidth is more like 30 to 50Mbps in the main, with spikes over 100Mbps (up to 180Mbps) which are very much the exception, not the rule. It’s more like 10 to 30Mbps when the level of detail is turned down a bit more, the vast majority of the time.

Similarly, in the Grand Canyon gameplay, we’re looking at 60 to 90Mbps (or 40 to 70Mbps with the details lowered somewhat).

We should also point out that this is in 4K resolution, Ultra details, which not everyone will be running at either – these levels of detail are obviously going to be quite a bit more intense for streaming.

We’re also looking at an alpha of the game, not the finished product, as Tom’s acknowledges – this may not be optimal performance in any given department (in fact, it almost certainly won’t be). The alpha is only a 9GB install compared to the full 30GB size of the game as stated by Microsoft recently (though it’ll require 50GB of free space, we should note).

So, is this all a bit of a storm in a teacup? We feel that it is, in many respects – though at the same time, bandwidth concerns are not unwarranted. Let’s discuss the ins and outs a bit further.

Analysis: Caching out

As we saw when the game’s specs were revealed, Microsoft has trimmed the installation of Flight Simulator 2024 down to 30GB (compared to 130GB minimum for Flight Simulator 2020), while observing that: “By tapping into the latest cloud streaming technology, installation size has been trimmed down to about 30GB to get you in your seat and flying as quickly as possible, streaming in the higher detailed areas that are only necessary for your flight path.”

So, we guess that this talk of tapping cloud streaming, combined with the bandwidth spec for the 2024 version – which ups the recommended connection bandwidth to 50Mbps, and 100Mbps is now the ideal spec (compared to 20Mbps and 50Mbps respectively with FS 2020) – is causing some definite concern.

And that’s fair enough – we don’t all have the fastest internet connection, or the best router, after all – but Tom’s is rather fanning the flames here by picking out a figure of 80GB odd of hourly usage, when the real story is not remotely close to that (even in the unfinished alpha). This is a misleading way to present FS 2024’s demands, particularly as it also doesn’t take into account the game’s settings.

You can download Flight Simulator content to your drive, and there’s a manual cache you can set (to store world data locally, rather than streaming), and a rolling cache to boot (that stores frequently visited areas). With those measures in play, in theory, your Flight Simulator 2024 bandwidth needs should be much more modest. Generally speaking, anyway, but that said, there are complaints from FS 2020 players that the rolling cache can have serious issues (including causing the game to crash), but we can hardly judge the 2024 incarnation on that basis.

It comes back to that rusty old phrase ‘let’s not leap to conclusions’ here as there are too many undetermined factors floating around. Still, we’ve got to say, Microsoft upping the bandwidth requirements is a little ominous, so we get it – particularly those gamers in the US hamstrung by a data allowance on their internet pipe might well be worrying. But let’s wait for the full picture here, because it most definitely won’t be anywhere near as bad as some reports are painting it.

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Powered by the A17 Pro chip from the iPhone 15 Pro, it works with the newer Apple Pencil.

Tesla’s troubled electric pickup is illegal in Europe, yet somehow a barely modified model has found a way to get licensed. A group of European transport organizations claim this ride could spell disaster.

Greetings from Seattle! TechRadar Pro is on the ground for Lenovo Tech World 2024, covering all the latest news and announcements from the show.

We're expecting a whirlwind few days, full of news and updates on everything from AI PCs to data centers and much more.

The event kicks off today with an opening keynote from Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang, so stay tuned for all our live coverage!

Good evening from Seattle - well, actually Bellevue, a lush, green suburb that houses (among other things) the Meydenbauer Convention Center.

Tomorrow, we'll be there for a keynote from Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang, who has a host of special guests set to join him on stage.

The line-up includes no less than Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, AMD Chair and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Lisa Su, Meta Founder & CEO Mark Zuckerberg - so you won't want to miss it!

Good morning from Seattle, where we're up and ready for day one of Lenovo Tech World 2024.

We'll be heading over to the conference shortly, so stay tuned for all the updates today!

(Image credit: Future / M)

We've arrived! It's a chilly morning here, but we're here nice and early for a tour of the show floor, before the main keynote begins in about two hours time.

This one-day deal saves you $120 off a new Apple Watch Series 9, but you'll need to act fast.

Shares of Nvidia have surged to a record high once more, closing at $138.07 on Monday, leading it well on its way to becoming the world’s most valuable company again.

Per CNBC, Nvidia had recently dropped a couple of places behind long-time leaders Apple and Microsoft after a very brief period in pole position. However the chipmaker has now overtaken Microsoft once more and set its sights on top spot.

With a market cap of $3.386 trillion, Nvidia is one of only three companies to have surpassed a three-trillion-dollar valuation.

Nvidia set to be most valuable company… again

Nvidia’s early entry into the artificial intelligence (AI) chip market has allowed it to become a dominant player in the ongoing AI race, with major tech companies and market cap rivals such as Microsoft, Google, Meta and Amazon purchasing its processors to support their expanding AI infrastructure.

Nvidia shares are up 186.6% in 2024 to date, and up a staggering 2,800.6% over five years. Much of Nvidia’s success must be credited to the public preview launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, which fueled widespread interest and adoption of the technology.

In the space of twelve months, Nvidia has more than doubled its quarterly revenue to the sum of $30 billion thanks to its 95% share in the AI chips market. However, this is a long reach from Apple’s most recent quarterly revenue of $85.8 billion.

Furthermore, Nvidia’s upcoming Blackwell chips could further boost revenue as companies look to acquire more powerful components to futureproof their infrastructure, which analysts predict could reach nearly $33 billion this quarter. If true, it would mark a considerable 82% year-over-year increase.

However, despite off-the-scale figures, some investors remain cautious that optimism surrounding AI could fade, leaving Nvidia with little to hang on to.

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Lindsay Lohan in another Christmas movie? Count me in. Lohan looks to spill the beans in the first-look images for the new Netflix movie Our Little Secret and it's the Mean Girls reunion that I needed in my life.

While I have my roast turkey with a side of Virgin River season 6, I can now complete my festive feast with a slice of Lohan's Christmas rom-com Our Little Secret. But reading the synopsis, it looks like it won't be a very merry Christmas for Lohan's character, Avery, when she finds herself in the exact situation she was hoping to avoid: spending the holidays with her ex-boyfriend Logan (Ian Harding).

Lohan has become a holiday rom-com staple on the best streaming service, after starring in one of the best Netflix Christmas movies Falling for Christmas and the St Patrick's Day-themed movie Irish Wish. Now, she has Our Little Secret to add to her Christmas list, but there's another gift under the tree in the form of a surprise Mean Girls reunion.

Lohan shares the screen once again with Mean Girls Principal Duvall (Tim Meadows), 20-years after the iconic teen movie was released – and now I don't think my Christmas can get much better. In the first-look image of Our Little Secret (see below), Meadows stars as family friend Stan, along with his wife Margaret (Judy Reyes).

(Image credit: Bob Mahoney/Netflix ) What is Our Little Secret about?

(Image credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Netflix )

The potential best Netflix movie is about two resentful exes, Avery (Lohan) and Logan (Harding) who are forced to spend Christmas with each other after discovering that their current partners are siblings, all while trying to hide their romantic history.

Lohan told Tudum: “The movie is about a girl who's dating someone, and she goes to meet his family for the holidays. Then she bumps into her ex, who is dating her boyfriend’s sister. And all kinds of stuff breaks loose.”

While the former couple have been split up for some time, Logan knows Avery better than anyone else, including her love for snacks, coffee, and "the inability to realize that she will most likely be cold in any temperature under 70 degrees," Harding added. But since Christmas is a time for forgiveness, could the bickering duo put aside their bitterness and rekindle their romance? We'll have to see!

Also starring in Our Little Secret are Kristin Chenoweth as mom Erica, Dan Bucatinsky as dad Leonard, Katie Baker as daughter Cassie, and Jon Rudnitsky as Avery's boyfriend Cameron.

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Jus over three years on from the iPad mini (2021), Apple has finally revived the little tablet by announcing the new iPad mini 7 – and it packs an A17 Pro chip for Apple Intelligence.

That new chip isn't the only new feature for the 8.3-inch tablet. Apple has announced two new colors – blue and purple – alongside starlight and space gray – and has beefed up the storage options.

The mini 7 starts with 128GB storage, and there are now 256GB and 512GB options, too. Naturally, it also runs the latest iPadOS 18. You can pre-order the iPad mini 7 from today, with pricing starting at $499 / £499 (for the Wi-Fi model) and $649 / £649 for the Wi-Fi and Cellular model.

Another big bonus for the mini 7 is that it supports the Apple Pencil Pro, making it a tempting little digital notebook for creatives. Apple says that the A17 Pro chip – which debuted in the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max – doubles the speed of the tablet's Neural Engine compared to the mini 6 and delivers a faster CPU and GPU.

Like before, the iPad mini 7 has a 12MP rear camera, but this time, it's been upgraded to Smart HDR 4 processing. There's also now support for Wi-Fi 6E for speedier wireless connectivity.

The iPad mini 7 (above) is available in four different colors – purple, space grey, starlight and blue (Image credit: Apple)

But the biggest software boosts will come from that Apple Intelligence support, which will be landing fully "later this month" in the US. That includes new AI-powered writing tools in apps like Mail, Notes and third-party apps, plus imaging tricks like Apple's Clean Up tool.

If you've been patiently waiting for the iPad mini 7, you can finally order one now from the Apple Store. We'll soon give you our full verdict on where the dinky tablet ranks in our guide to the best iPads.

Worth waiting for?

(Image credit: Apple)

Considering we were close to giving up on Apple launching a new iPad mini, seeing a refresh of the little tablet is great news – and the new model has everything we could have asked for.

The main benefit is that new A17 Pro chip, which future-proofs it not only for future iPadOS updates, but also Apple Intelligence. Even if you're not particularly blown away by the Apple Intelligence features so far, it was hard to recommend investing in an iPad mini 6 without the spec bump.

The added support for the Apple Pencil Pro is also a welcome bonus. The previous iPad mini (2021) supports the Apple Pencil, but the Pencil Pro brings some major benefits for digital artists, including a barrel sensor and haptics support. The only downside is that it doesn't come bundled with the tablet and costs a fairly punchy $129 / £129 / AU$219.

Also, while Apple promises an "all-day battery life" with the iPad mini 7, we don't yet have an estimate for how long it'll last. That was a notable weakness with the previous model, so we're looking forward to testing it out.

Those weaknesses aside, the iPad mini 7 does – on paper – have a strong shout for being the best 8-inch tablet you can buy, and it's good to see Apple sticking with the format despite the increasing size of the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro.

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The Ring Doorbell Plus is one of our favorite video doorbells, so don't miss this chance to save $50 on it.

The Sonos Arc Ultra is official, and it's launching on October 29, 2024, at a price of $999 / £999 (Australian pricing is yet to be confirmed). It's a massive upgrade over the existing Sonos Arc, and introduces a brand-new speaker technology that promises to deliver incredible immersion which looks set to rival the best soundbars.

Here's what you need to know…

Sonos Arc Ultra: key features and specifications

The original Sonos Arc was a 5.1.2 surround system, but the Arc Ultra is 9.1.4. And it has what Sonos calls Sound Motion, the technology it acquired when it bought speaker firm Mayht a few years ago. The technology, previously known as HeartMotion, enables speakers to be made much smaller than those with traditional speaker drivers without compromising on power or sound quality.

Sonos says: "A significant breakthrough in audio engineering, Sound Motion drastically reduces the size of the transducer while supercharging the bass, opening a new chapter in sound innovation where bigger, better sound can be delivered from smaller products."

That means Sonos has been able to cram more bass power into what's still a relatively slim soundbar – in fact, Sonos says it's 18% smaller by volume than the original Arc. The Arc Ultra has dimensions of 2.95 x 46.38 x 4.35 inches (75 x 1178 x 110.6mm), and weighs 5.9kg. It comes in black and white finishes, as usual for the best Sonos speakers.

There are 14 drivers here, three more than in the Arc: seven silk-dome tweeters "with waveguides on both ends", six mid-range drivers, and a a built-in Sound Motion woofer.

Sonos adds that "a proprietary four-motor, dual-membrane woofer delivers exceptional bass in a revolutionary flat, compact design".

There are 15 channels of Class D amplification behind all of this – I presume two channels are going to the Sound Motion woofer, otherwise there's a spare.

Of note in the speaker configuration is that only two of the tweeters are upfiring, which raises questions about the 9.1.4 configuration – is Sonos just using processing to suggest more upfiring channels, or has it arrived at this figure some other way? I'll aim to find out.

As ever there's built-in support for wireless streaming services and easy integration with other Sonos devices. There's also a redesigned touch control panel, and the addition of Bluetooth to bring the Arc Ultra in line with Sonos's other products.

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(Image credit: Sonos) Sonos Arc Ultra: clever customization

The Sonos Arc Ultra can listen to the sound of your room and adjust its configuration accordingly thanks to the combination of integrated microphones and Sonos's Trueplay software, which is available for Android as well as for iOS for the first time, and there's also a more advanced Speech Enhancement tool that "lets you choose your preferred level of dialogue clarity in the Sonos app."

Sonos says the Arc Ultra is also designed for "improved serviceability" compared to the Sonos Arc, using "more screws and fewer adhesives, halogen-free PCB materials, less silicon material, and a reduced idle power consumption by as much as 20% as a standalone player compared to Arc."

The Arc Ultra is also designed to work with the new Sonos Sub 4 subwoofer ($799) for even more low-end power.

The Sub 4 has also been "rebuilt, inside and out", even though Sonos also says it has the "same iconic design". It includes "increased processing power and memory, as well as new Wi-Fi radios for better connectivity" and can be used in a pair with either another Sub 4, or with previous Sub models.

Sonos Arc Ultra: what we still need to know

I've approached Sonos for information about whether it will have only one HDMI eARC port, though I strongly suspect so based on the available information – this will be a huge disappointment if so.

I'm also waiting to hear whether any DTS decoding is supported (I doubt it) and whether the Sonos Ace headphones' switching feature is supported (I'm 99.99% certain it will be, but Sonos didn't explicitly say, though one of the press images shows them being used together).

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DJI Air 3S: one-minute review

The Air 3S is the latest flagship model in DJI’s mid-range Air series of consumer camera drones, supplanting the July 2023-launched DJI Air 3. Like the Air 3, the Air 3S’s main draw is its two-camera setup: instead of a single camera for aerial photos and video, its camera module pairs wide-angle and medium-telephoto cameras, mounted on a three-axis gimbal on the drone’s nose.

In many ways – physical design, specifications, battery life, and pricing – the Air 3S and Air 3 are close, if not virtually indistinguishable. That being said, the Air 3S does offer a couple of notable improvements over its predecessor: a larger image sensor on one of its cameras, and a more effective omnidirectional object-sensing system to help it avoid mid-air collisions with obstacles. With the front-facing sensors now powered by LiDAR rather than standard vision tech, DJI says the Air 3S is better at navigating tricky terrain at night. It’s also packed with technology that makes it easy to fly, including automatic take-off and landing, advanced return-to-home flight, and super-stable video transmission courtesy of DJI’s O4 system. The battery life is very impressive too, with a full charge providing up to 45 minutes of flight time.

The cameras are both excellent, able to shoot raw photos and 10-bit 4K video at 60fps (120fps in slow-motion mode) with HLG or D-Log M color profiles that allow more flexibility in post-production. Users can expect up to 14 stops of dynamic range, plus superb stability in footage thanks to the three-axis gimbal. The new larger sensor on the wide-angle camera, meanwhile, gives the Air 3S a distinct advantage over the Air 3 when it comes to shooting in lower-light conditions.

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

DJI suggests that the Air 3S’s compact size and camera arrangement make it ideal for travel photography and video, but potential buyers should note that its take-off weight puts it in a class of drone that requires much more regulatory and administrative hoop-jumping than an ultra-lightweight model like the DJI Mini 4 Pro. EU- and UK-based users will need to have completed a paid competency course and passed an exam in order to fly it in almost any public space or built-up area, and US-based users will have to register the drone and pass an exam.

If you can live with the paperwork and revision, however, the DJI Air 3S is a truly fantastic mid-range camera drone that’s safe and easy to fly, capable of capturing gorgeous photos and videos, and only a little more expensive than the Air 3. If you already own the latter, we’d suggest you stick with it for now, but for anyone upgrading from an entry-level drone, the Air 3S represents a logical progression.

DJI Air 3S: release date and price

• Released October 15 2024
• Base kit costs $1,099 / £959 / AU$1,699
• Fly More Combo bundles from $1,399 / £1,239 / AU$2,129

The DJI Air 3S is available to buy from the day it was announced to the world: October 15 2024.

At launch, it’s available in three different configurations. The base kit, which consists of the drone, a single battery and an RC-N3 controller, costs $1,099 / £959 / AU$1,699, and there are also two Fly More Combo bundles available. These include the drone, three batteries, a battery charging hub, an ND filter set and a shoulder bag, in addition to a controller. The Fly More Combo with an RC N3 controller costs $1,399 / £1,239 / AU$2,129, and the Fly More Combo with an RC N2 controller costs $1,599 / £1,439 / AU$2,429.

This makes the Air 3S slightly more expensive than the Air 3, as you’d expect, slightly cheaper than the larger Mavic 3 Classic and significantly cheaper than the Mavic 3 Pro.

• Price score: 4.5/5

DJI Air 3S: specs DJI Air 3S: design and handling

• Compact folding design
• Weight puts it in UK A2 subcategory
• Level 6 wind resistance (up to 12m/s or 26mph)
• 42GB of internal storage plus microSD card slot

The Air 3S sports a folding design that’ll be familiar to anyone who’s encountered a DJI Mini, Air or Mavic drone before: a blocky main body with a gimbal-mounted camera at the nose and space for a battery at the back, plus four fold-out arms holding the motors and rotors that keep the drone airborne.

When fully folded it’s compact and lightweight enough to carry around in a small bag – although with extras like a controller and spare batteries you’ll probably want to carry it in something with a bit of room and extra protection. I found that the shoulder bag that comes with the Fly More Combo bundles does the job perfectly, as it features padded partitions to keep all the elements snugly and safely in place, plus a zip-up pocket for cables, spare propellers, ND filters and the like. DJI also supplies the Air 3S with a hard plastic cover to keep the delicate camera and gimbal protected during transport.

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At 724g take-off weight, the Air 3S is subject to more restrictions on its use than a sub-250g drone like the DJI Mini 4K. In the US, for instance, recreational Air 3S users will need to register their drone with the FAA and have passed the TRUST exam. In the UK, recreational users, in addition to getting a flyer ID and passing the CAA’s free online theory test, will also need to fly the Air 3S at least 50m away from people and 150m from ‘residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas', with the latter including parks, beaches and the like. UK pilots who take and pass the A2 CofC course (which costs around £100 and requires taking a 90-minute invigilated exam) will be able to fly their drone in the above areas, provided it remains at least 50m from people.

So, the Air 3S’s weight does present an issue that sub-250g drones do not. It’s not a deal-breaker by any means – anyone willing to put in a bit of time, effort and money into learning how drones work can have a lot of legal fun with this thing – but I think it’s enough to put off casual users. They should just get a Mini or DJI Neo instead.

I found the Air 3S to be a solidly constructed piece of equipment and, while I’ll talk about its flight capabilities in the next section of this review, its sturdiness and motor power mean it can stand up to pretty strong winds, hovering in place in gusts of up to 12m/s or 26mph.

It’s flown with a remote controller. For this review, I used the touchscreen-equipped, 420g RC 2 controller, which is also solidly built and comfortable in the hand. It has a bright 5.5-inch Full HD screen, 32GB of storage capacity, and controls for both flight and camera functions. It connects to the drone in seconds, and it’s just excellent all-round, and I much prefer it to having to mess around with my iPhone and a smaller controller.

The drone’s connectivity is nice and simple. At the back there's a USB-C port which can be used to charge the battery or transfer data, plus a microSD slot for storing videos and photos. However, you may not need to use the latter, as DJI has added 42GB of on-board storage here – room enough for about one hour of 4K/60p footage, 2.5 hours of FHD/60p footage, over 2,200 raw photos or 5,400 JPEGs.

• Design score: 4.5/5

DJI Min 4K: features and performance

• Up to 45 minutes flying time per battery
• Automatic return-to-home feature
• Omnidirectional obstacle sensing including forward-facing LiDAR
• Up to 20km transmission distance

When it comes to flight performance and safety, the Air 3S improves even on the strong showing of previous Air and Mavic drones.

The battery life is roughly the same as the Air 3’s, lasting an impressive 45 minutes in ideal conditions. In reality, due to wind speed and other factors, you’ll get significantly less, but I never felt any major anxiety over the battery running low while flying due to the strong starting point. I also had two additional batteries to use as I was sent the Fly More Combo for testing, so I could land the drone, quickly swap out a flagging battery for a fresh one and get back in the air, all within a minute or so.

Batteries can be charged on the go ‘in-drone’ using the USB-C port, but the Fly More Combo’s charging hub does things much better. Not only can it accommodate three batteries at once, charging them in sequence; it can also consolidate the remaining battery power from two half-spent batteries into a third. Charging speed varies depending on the power adapter used, but a DJI 100W adapter will refill an empty battery in about one hour.

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Flying itself is about as simple as it gets. The controller’s flight app takes care of a lot of the busy work (you press a button on the touchscreen to take off, for instance), and GPS means the drone can be brought back to its home point at any time for a safe landing; it’ll also return to home automatically in the event of the signal being lost or the battery reaching low levels. As with most DJI drones there are three flight modes: Normal, Cine (which slows things down to help you get smooth video), and Sport, which turns off safety features and increases the top speed to around 21m/s (or about 50mph).

The twin stick controls are easy to learn, and the Air 3S flies much like any other quadcopter – as someone who’s been flying them for over a decade now, very little has changed except for battery life and the level of safety features, both of which just keep getting better. The Air 3S has omnidirectional object sensing, allowing it to avoid crashing into trees, lampposts and the like (either by braking automatically or re-routing itself around them), and is DJI’s first drone to use LiDAR for the front-facing sensors. DJI claims that this helps to make the obstacle detection far more effective at night, where traditional vision-based sensors can fail to spot objects.

Due to UK restrictions about flying in public parks or built-up places, I wasn’t able to test the Air 3S’s obstacle-dodging capabilities as rigorously as I would have liked, but even during some dusk-time flying I noticed the directional sensor indicators blinking on the controller’s screen when I was taking off and landing the drone. I would say, though, that the front-facing LiDAR isn’t going to help object sensing with obstacles to the side or rear of the drone at night. These sensors still use vision to detect things, and in low light they don’t work as well. So you'll still need to exercise caution at night.

DJI’s O4 video transmission system (the same as used on the Air 3) is robust and slick, beaming a low-latency FHD/60fps image live from the Air 3S’s camera to the RC 2’s screen. I never had it cut out or even stutter during the week I was testing the drone. That said, even though the transmission’s theoretical range is up to 20km I never flew the Air 3S further than a few hundred meters from me due to UK drone laws dictating that drones must remain in visual range of the operator.

In terms of special flight modes, the Air 3S features ActiveTrack 360º, which debuted on the DJI Mini 4 Pro and was later added to the Air 3 via firmware update. This feature allows you to drag a box around a subject on the touchscreen and have the drone perform movements around it while keeping it centered in the shot, all while using its obstacle detection system to avoid crashing. The idea is that you can walk, run, ride a bike, ski or skateboard and the drone will automatically follow along, effortlessly dodging potential obstacles while moving around you and creating cinematic shots.

• Features score: 4.5/5

DJI Air 3S: image and video quality

• Dual-camera setup (wide-angle and medium-tele)
• 1-inch (wide-angle) and 1/1.3-inch (medium-tele) sensors
• 4K video at up to 120fps and 2.7K vertical shooting
• DNG raw and JPEG still photos

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The Air 3 has a dual-camera array, with wide-angle (equivalent to 24mm on a standard 35mm camera) and medium-telephoto (equivalent to 70mm) options to switch between. The Air 3S has practically the same setup but better, thanks to DJI upping the physical size of the wide-angle camera’s CMOS sensor from 1/1.3-inch to 1-inch. The tele camera keeps the same 1/1.3-inch CMOS as the Air 3’s. Both cameras’ lenses are fixed-aperture, so videographers will probably want to ensure they get hold of DJI’s ND filter set in order to use slower shutter speeds on sunny days.

I think having more than one camera on a drone is a brilliant asset. The tele lens really expands the Air 3S’s creative options, both by allowing it to get ‘closer’ to subjects while staying physically far away and by giving it the ability to compress perspective to give a scene a different look. There’s a digital zoom option for both cameras, but it does noticeably soften the video quality, and I tried to avoid using it in order to keep my videos and photos as sharp and crisp as possible.

Image 1 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with wide-angle camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 2 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with medium tele camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 3 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with medium tele camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 4 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with medium tele camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 5 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with medium tele camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 6 of 9

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 7 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with medium tele camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 8 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with wide-angle camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)Image 9 of 9

DJI Air 3S shot with medium tele camera (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

DJI has packed a lot of video and photo options into the Air 3S, albeit nothing that really surpasses the range of options that comes with the original Air 3. Both the wide-angle and tele camera can capture 4K video at 24/25/30/48/50/60/120fps (with 120 reserved for slow-motion footage), FHD video at the same frame rates plus 240fps (again, with 120 and 240fps reserved for slow-motion), and TikTok-friendly 2.7K vertical 9:16 video at 24/25/30/48/50/60fps. Video can be captured in normal, HLG and D-Log M color modes, with 8-bit and 10-bit options for normal (HLG and D-Log M are always 10-bit) encoded in H.264 or H.265.

Photos can be capturing in DNG raw format and/or JPEG. The wide-angle camera takes photos at 12MP or 50MP resolution, while the medium tele takes them at 12MP or 48MP resolution.

The major difference between the cameras here and on the original Air 3 is the larger sensor on the wide-angle camera, which boosts its performance, particularly in low-light situations.

As you can see from the photo and video samples above, image quality is generally excellent – including in those tricky dusk and night-time conditions. I thought the Air 3 was a fine performer in this regard already, but the Air 3S’s larger sensor bumps the wide-angle camera’s low-light capabilities; these images look clean, clear and noise-free in situations where smaller sensor 4K cameras, like the one on the DJI Mini 4 Pro, would struggle.

I had a blast color-correcting and grading the footage shot in 10-bit D-Log M. I used DaVinci Resolve Studio 19 for this, which already includes some DJI LUTs for converting D-Log M footage. There was plenty of scope for grading here, and aerial videographers who want to create great-looking footage and have maximum control over the end results will love what the Air 3S’s cameras can do.

• Image quality score: 4.5/5

DJI Air 3S sample video 4K DJI Air 3S: testing scorecard

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen) Should I buy the DJI Air 3S? Buy it if...

You need a two-camera drone
The Air 3S’s dual-camera setup opens up a world of new shooting possibilities. If you’re used to wide-angle only, having the extra camera feels like a breath of fresh air.

The Mavic 3 Pro is too expensive
The triple-camera Mavic 3 Pro is still the pinnacle of DJI’s consumer range – and still pricey. If you want something approaching its capabilities at a much cheaper price, the Air 3S is ideal.

You want great battery life
Up to 45 minutes from a full battery takes much of the time-related anxiety out of flying. And you'll get three times that with the Fly More Combo bundle.

Don't buy it if...

You want a casual camera drone
The price and weight class of the Air 3S makes it more suited to drone experts than beginners. If you’re starting out, a cheaper sub-250g drone like the DJI Mini or Neo is a much better choice.

You already own a DJI Air 3
The Air 3S is an improvement on its predecessor, but not enough of one to warrant an expensive upgrade – unless you’re really picky about low-light video performance.

DJI Air 3S: also consider DJI Mini 4 Pro

Currently our favourite sub-250g drone around, the Mini 4 Pro is an ultra-lightweight folding drone that can be legally flown almost anywhere. It doesn’t lack for advanced features, though, with omnidirectional object avoidance tech and a fantastic gimbal-mounted 4K camera.

Read our in-depth DJI Mini 4 Pro review

DJI Mavic 3 Pro

The world’s first triple-camera consumer drone is about as versatile and high-quality as it gets for aerial imaging without spending many thousands of dollars or pounds. It’s easy and safe to fly too, but its 900g weight means it’s subject to the same legal flight restrictions as the Air 3S.

Read our in-depth DJI Mavic 3 Pro review

How I tested the DJI Air 3S

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

• One week of use
• Flown with the DJI RC 2 Controller
• Camera tested in sunny, cloudy, windy and low-light conditions

I’ve been testing the DJI Air 3S for a week using pre-launch firmware and the Fly More Combo, which meant I had a couple of extra batteries and the RC 2 touchscreen controller, plus the ND filter set and a nice sturdy bag to carry everything around in.

I flew the drone in a variety of locations near my home on the English coast, including in potentially tricky windy and low-light conditions, although legal restrictions meant I couldn’t fly it close to buildings or in public parks, which did make testing out the drone’s obstacle avoidance system quite hard.

I captured photos and videos in a wide variety of formats, editing and adjusting my images and clips using Adobe Lightroom and DaVinci Resolve 19 on my computer.

First reviewed October 2024

Many software and hardware updates to the latest Oura ring make it more accurate, useful, and easier to wear.

Roku has announced new home security features that are coming to its range of Roku TV and players soon, allowing you to cycle through a carousel of your Roku camera feeds and receive notifications straight to your TV. Additionally, Roku will be adding functionality to other devices like phones or computers via the Web View.

Previously, the best smart home displays were among the only means of monitoring your smart home security cameras without opening up your phone. However, in recent years some of the best TVs have emerged as suitable alternatives, giving you a big-picture view of your whole security setup at once.

If you own a Roku camera or video doorbell, your Roku TV or player will have two new features rolling out this winter, though we don't yet have firm dates.

The first is Camera Carousel, a new view that automatically cycles through each camera feed on your TV, and uses motion detection to display cameras where there's activity you might want to catch. This comes in addition to the existing live stream view and voice control features available within Roku TVs and players.

Secondly, Roku is introducing more notifications on the TV, giving you the option to receive alerts when cameras detect activity.

Matter still missing

Apple Intelligence for the smart home (Image credit: Roku)

Later in the year, Roku will also roll out a Smart Home Web View, allowing users to monitor all camera feeds from one page on any computer or web device. There's no firm date for this yet, either, but Roku aims to also release this feature during the winter (in other words, sometime between December and early February).

All of the listed features will become available as free, automatic software updates to Roku devices, and will be compatible with all Roku Smart Home camera and doorbell products.

Unfortunately, and despite its Connectivity Standards Alliance membership, Roku's home devices aren't Matter-compatible, and it doesn't seem like this rollout will be changing that.

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A little over a year since the Air 3 took to the skies, DJI has followed it up with an iterative update in the shape of the new DJI Air 3S. We already rated the DJI Air 3 as the best all-round drone, and its successor – which you can learn more about in our in-depth DJI Air 3S review – delivers even better bang for buck for enthusiast pilots keen on capturing high-quality aerial images.

The key upgrades delivered by the Air 3S are its dual-camera array, which now includes a primary 24mm camera that utilizes a larger 1-inch sensor, alongside the secondary camera – a 3x telephoto zoom (70mm approx) for the times you need to get a tighter perspective of your subjects.

In addition to a better main camera, the Air 3S is equipped with front-facing LiDAR – that's a first for DJI – plus downward infrared time-of-flight (TOF) sensors and six vision sensors. Combined, this omnidirectional obstacle-sensing tech enables the Air 3S to automatically identify and avoid obstacles during its flight and return paths, for daytime and now nighttime imaging, together with 'next-gen' Smart Return to Home (RTH).

The DJI Air 3S is the ideal all-rounder, sitting between DJI's best sub-250g drone, the Mini 4 Pro, and DJI's professional Mavic series of drones, headlined by the Mavic 3 Pro. The Air 3S standard bundle with DJI's RC-N3 controller costs $1,099 / £959 / AU$1,699, while the Fly More Combo is $1,399 / £1,239 / AU$2,129. You can upgrade the Fly More Combo by opting for the DJI RC 2 controller instead for $1,599 / £1,439 / AU$2,429. Those prices make the Air 3S a fair whack cheaper than the Mavic 3 Pro, but a little pricier than the Mini 4 Pro.

DJI has equipped the Air 3S with upgraded omnidirectional object sensing, fitting it with LiDAR that's more effective in low light (Image credit: DJI) Worth the upgrade?

As its name suggests, the Air 3S is a minor upgrade of the Air 3, otherwise it probably would have been named the DJI Air 4. And for most people who own an Air 3, the Air 3S isn't worth the upgrade. However, if you're new to drones or looking to level up from sub-250g drones like the Mini 4 Pro, the Air 3S could be your best bet – though at 724g you'll need a certificate of competency in most regions before taking the Air 3S airborne.

Updates-wise, firstly there's that excellent 1-inch sensor in the main camera, which delivers 50MP stills, 4K video up to 120fps (that's 4x slow motion), HDR video up to 4K 60fps, plus color-rich 10bit recording in DJI's D-Log M color profile. The second camera features the same 1/1.3-inch sensor as the Air 3, with 48MP stills plus the same video recording modes as the main camera. These image-making chops are a cut above the Mini 4 Pro's, although the triple-camera Mavic 3 Pro has a larger-still Four Thirds sensor for its main camera, plus 5.1K video recording.

DJI says that both cameras boast up to 14 stop of dynamic range through DJI's D-Log M color profile, meaning that you retain plenty of detail in highlights and shadows, and can easily grade footage to get the look you like. There's an all-new 'Free panorama' mode, which captures multiple images that you can stitch together for highly detailed compositions and framable prints. You also get 42GB of built-in storage.

The Air 3S can be purchased as a Standard Combo or one of two Fly More Combo's – the drone is pictured here with the DJI RC N3 controller and charging hub (Image credit: DJI)

Other stand-out features in the Air 3S include 360-degree active subject tracking with a new Subject Focusing feature, which together plans out a flight path based on the terrain, and works in conjunction with object sensing obstacle avoidance to keep your subject in sharp focus.

The Air 3S offers a max flight time of 45-minutes per battery – although quoted times are calculated in controlled environments, and you'll generally get shorter durations in real-world use. Should you opt for the Fly More Combo you get an additional two batteries, effectively tripling your flight time per trip, while the Charging Hub supports fast charging and power accumulation, whereby the remaining power of low power batteries can be transferred to the one with the highest power remaining to get you airborne again faster.

The Air 3 was already an excellent drone, and as mentioned, if you own one there probably isn't enough reason to upgrade to the Air 3S. However, for enthusiasts coming in fresh, the latest model is DJI's most compelling all-rounder drone yet.

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Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Available on: Nintendo Switch
Release date: October 17, 2024 

With the holidays fast approaching, you can’t really go wrong with a new Mario Party game as the best way to bring people together or drive each other crazy. Super Mario Party Jamboree is even more special as the third entry on the Nintendo Switch, which feels like a big blowout for both the series and the console, as it takes the best of everything to make it the Mario Party with the biggest and most varied amount of content for every type of player.

Motion controls are back for those who enjoyed them in Super Mario Party, though if you didn’t you can opt out as they only take up a small portion of the more than 110 minigames in Jamboree. There are even more options for online multiplayer, including two modes made exclusively for online play (or AI if matchmaking becomes an issue). 

Minimayhem

(Image credit: Nintendo)

For newcomers, the Switch game Super Mario Party Jamboree is essentially an interactive board game where up to four players roll (or rather bump) dice to move across a range of lovingly designed Mario-themed boards, competing to win coins and in turn obtain stars to come out on top. That’s the civil description, as of course it also involves a lot of shenanigans with minigames where you’re actively screwing over your rivals to bag the most coins or having to work together in 2v2 or 3v1 minigames.

Those underhanded tactics, often based on luck, also play out on the board themselves, each with different mechanics and paths to take. For example, on Goomba Lagoon, the changing tide might find you stranded and going around in circles for a couple of turns, and while the star is always at the same location in Mario’s Rainbow Castle, you can flip the rules so that your rival has the misfortune of collecting a fake star instead. Nothing however is quite as evil as getting a Boo to steal stars for you.

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

As a fan of rhythm games as well as being a bit of a foodie, I couldn’t help but instantly take to Rhythm Kitchen, which combines well-timed motion-controlled shaking with food-themed minigames. From spreading butter on bread slices to skewering meats and vegetables flying towards you, it’s all rather delightful. For those less motion-inclined, there’s also some mouthwateringly-rendered food in button-based minigames that can also be grouped together in Minigame Bay’s Daily Challenges.

This level of unpredictability is, much like the controversial blue shell in Mario Kart, Nintendo’s unique brand of leveling the playing field, so that no matter how good or bad you think you are at Mario Party, everyone’s got a chance to be a superstar. Even then, minigames, from the super-short item minigames to the gauntlets required to obtain an ally character who can also double your rewards, are simple and intuitive enough for players of all skill levels to understand, while by default you can practice as long as they like until everyone’s ready to play the minigame for real.

Suffice to say that much of what makes Mario Party work so well is being able to play together, so I found the board mechanics and watching everyone to have their turn tedious when just playing solo with AI players, even with the option to speed up some animations. Boards can be played online too, and there are some charming emotes you can use, which have also been designed so that trolls can’t spam them repeatedly, but even post-pandemic, it’s a poor substitute to being in the same room. If you are going to play online, then I can only recommend setting up a group with friends instead of random matchmaking and to also have your own separate voice chat group rather than the Switch Online app. 

Don't play alone

(Image credit: Nintendo)

While the main attraction, boards are just one aspect of Super Mario Party Jamboree, as you can traverse this bountiful party resort, reminiscent of Wii Sports Resort’s Wuhu Island, and pick a range of other modes, while the Party Plaza hub also contains what you could call the game’s single-player campaign; Party-Planner Trek.

It’s the weakest element of the package, since playing Mario Party by yourself can feel like a drag outside of minigames. It’s all the more peculiar that it guts the boards of their inventive mechanics as you simply move across them freely while ticking off a series of mundane fetch quests to earn mini-stars. It may be a short campaign but I still resented playing this mode in order to rank up with achievements and unlock game content. Your mileage may vary with unlockables, but I found it frustrating that the game’s newest features, such as new playable characters Pauline and Ninji, require jumping through a bunch of hoops first. 

Faring better is side content that cuts out the futz and focuses on minigames. Minigame Bay is the perfect pitstop for short burst sessions, whether you want to play whichever of the more than 110 minigames available or jump into the Daily Challenge, with a selection of minigames grouped into themes. I was however most taken by the bespoke motion-themed islands, such as Toad’s Item Factory, a series of puzzle challenges as players guide balls around to a goal using motion-controlled platforms and blocks, and which feels fun even when soloing. 

For the times when getting people together is impossible, there are also online-specific modes. Compared to the stop-start of co-op-based Bowser Kaboomb Squad, the 20-player Koopathlon has a peculiar charm to it as you’re competing against other players but almost always in parallel. Each minigame you’re thrown into gives you the chance to collect as many coins, which in turn keeps your character moving along a racetrack that’s also visible to the right of the screen. It’s a refreshing mode in a post-Fall Guys world and one that may have the most staying power, given its also button-only minigames make it easy to jump into for a quick handheld session. 

Accessibility

Super Mario Party Jamboree doesn’t have accessibility settings as such but you’ll have the option to toggle various settings before the start of any mode. These include adjusting difficulty, whether or not to start each minigame with a tutorial, or the option to turn off motion minigames. Note that there are no alternate button controls for motion minigames, which means modes such as Rhythm Kitchen will be inaccessible if you’re not able to play with the required control configuration.

(Image credit: Nintendo) Should you play Super Mario Party Jamboree? Play it if...

You love having people over for couch multiplayer
Getting up to four people together in front of the TV is the way Super Mario Party Jamboree is best experienced, providing all manner of charm, hilarity, and shenanigans that anyone can enjoy.

You’re after a varied party package
There’s not just a large selection of boards but other modes, including some dedicated to motion controls, that provide a good variety if you’re after a quick burst of fun.

Don't play it if...

You’re prefer single-player Mario adventures
The joy of Super Mario Party Jamboree comes from playing with others in the same room. While there are single-player and online options, they pale compared to good old couch multiplayer.

How I reviewed Super Mario Party 

I played Super Mario Party Jamboree for more than 15 hours on my Nintendo Switch OLED, which included multiple local multiplayer sessions. I was able to complete the single-player campaign, unlock all the party boards, try every minigame, and unlock lots if not all cosmetic items. Nintendo didn’t host online play sessions during the review period, so my experience with the online modes was limited to playing with AI players.

I played primarily in docked mode on an LG C2 OLED TV and played with a single Joy-Con, which is the default configuration if you want to swap between button and motion minigames. I also spent some time playing in handheld mode, which didn’t impact visuals and performance but would mean I wouldn’t be able to access motion-based minigames.