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• The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max could have a smaller camera sensor
• However, a boost in megapixels is also expected
• The changes may not make much of a difference to photo quality

The expected launch might still be some eight months off, but we're already hearing numerous leaks and rumors around the Apple iPhone 17 – and the latest tidbit from those in the know suggests the cameras on the Pro and Pro Max models may get both downgrades and upgrades.

According to recognized tipster Digital Chat Station (via MacRumors), the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will sport a triple-lens 48MP+48MP+48MP camera on the back – a jump in megapixels from the triple-lens 48MP+48MP+12MP camera fitted to the rear of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

That's the upgrade, but the downgrade is that the primary 48MP camera is expected to use a 1/1.3-inch sensor rather than a 1/1.28-inch sensor – a small reduction in size. Generally speaking, the larger the sensor the better, as it's able to capture more light and more detail in whatever it is you're taking a photo of.

Rumors around the telephoto camera getting an upgrade from 12MP to 48MP have actually been floating around since last year, but this is the first we've heard about the primary camera having a smaller sensor size.

Spot the difference

The iPhone 16 Pro Max (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

As for how much difference the changes in sensor size and megapixel rating will make, it's hard to say – especially as modern day phones apply so much image processing to photos and videos after they've been captured. The actual hardware doing the capturing is only partly responsible for picture and clip quality.

If the main camera sensors on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are indeed going to be smaller, it may free up some space for other components – like a bigger battery or a more powerful communications chipset (the rumor is that the 2025 iPhones will be the first to use an Apple-made Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip).

This particular rumor doesn't say anything about what might happen to the cameras on the standard iPhone 17. As our iPhone 16 review will tell you, the current model and the iPhone 16 Plus use a dual-lens 48MP+12MP camera setup on the back – and it's possible there will be changes here too.

Perhaps you might even want to wait until 2026 and the iPhone 18: there's been talk that the handset will include a variable aperture on the cameras of the Pro and Pro Max models, meaning better low light shots and more control over depth of field.

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Schlage came to CES 2025 with a new trick: This smart lock uses ultra-wideband to predict exactly when you're reaching for the door.

The fires around Los Angeles arrived just as Hollywood's awards season kicked off. It's an ominous sign at a time when film and TV production is already down.

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The 1,100-pound mystery object landed in Kenya at the end of December. Experts are still baffled.

• Lenovo stand has motors to move the display to fit the user's position
• It can be voice-controlled as well to make adjustments without accessing the monitor control panel
• The yet-to-be-named curved monitor is likely to be launched under the ThinkVision banner

Lenovo has announced a range of AI-driven concept devices at CES 2025, including an AI-powered display prototype which promises to be more than just a screen.

According to Lenovo (via Yanko Design), this curved AI display adapts to user behavior, monitoring a users' physical activity and nudges them when it detects extended periods of inaction.

Fitted with motors and advanced sensors, the monitor adjusts its tilt, rotation, and height to match the user’s posture in real-time.

Lenovo’s AI-powered monitor

Lenovo claims the focus of the AI display, which comes with a built-in voice control, is to create a healthier, more productive environment.

The company adds this display addresses privacy concerns by featuring sensors which blur the screen when the user steps away, protecting sensitive information from prying eyes.

Though Lenovo has yet to name this curved display, it is expected to debut under the ThinkVision brand, known for its premium monitors.

Though still in the prototype stage, Lenovo's monitor invites an important discussion about the privacy trade-offs we’re willing to make for smarter technology in our lives.

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As a technology journalist, I am open to technological change and the impact of it. But the recent rise of generative AI has left me with a lack of galvanized enthusiasm.

This is not necessarily down to the existential threat generative AI can have on ‘content’ – a big part of my job – and various jobs, art forms, information decimation, and more. Instead, my lackluster view on AI stems from a feeling that it should be pushed further to augment human experiences and society instead of simply taking on usually human-centric work.

Don’t get me wrong, generative AI can do some very useful things; I’ve been impressed with AI-powered transcription and live translation. I also appreciate the likes of Google’s Magic Eraser when it comes to removing unwanted objects from photos. And AI can help with one’s day-to-day organization.

On top of this, Google’s NotebookLM can act as a form of education tool by making podcasts out of articles it’s been fed; an evolution of this, reportedly dubbed Daily Listen, could transform articles in the Google Discover section of Chrome and Android phones into podcasts; this sounds genuinely useful.

However, nearly every advert or use case I’ve seen for generative AI stems from making run-of-the-mill human tasks easier, and often in a way I perceive as mundane at best and utterly joyless at worst.

Sure, Generative Edit via Galaxy AI on the Samsung Galaxy S24 can wholly rework a photograph, but where’s the thrill of going out and creatively snapping the photo you want from the beginning?

Apple’s recent adverts for Apple Intelligence show how generative AI can rework a casual, poorly written email into a formal missive. But, forgive me for sort of sounding elitist, if you’re a professional who can’t write a proper email then maybe you should consider some tutoring rather than rely on AI.

The same goes for artwork; sure, generative AI can help rework a few art assets for, say, games, but if it does it all, where’s the real artistic merit? Also, AI art is painfully mid.

I’ve also been served adverts touting how generative AI can help marketers better create content and generate leads, which is effectively an auxiliary tool for an, arguably, auxiliary business function. It’s all so dull. Where are the AI systems that will really revolutionize things for the greater good rather than help speed up the creation of spreadsheets or flyers?

This push to make human-led tasks easier also has a sting in its tail, with tales of students using the likes of ChatGPT to write their essays, people using it to mass apply for jobs, and other ways of churning out content, potentially without any real thought process and at the risk of eroding education and understanding.

Don’t do as the human do

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The crux of my argument is I don’t think AI shouldn’t be trying to do jobs for humans – sure, it might make businesses in a capitalist world a little bit more money to tout in their yearly financial reports, but at the cost of a creative and vibrant human-led labor market.

Not to sound too socialist, but ultimately, companies exist as a mechanism to help society function so we don’t all go bashing each other’s heads in for a loaf of bread. If AI does replace a lot of work humans do, where does that leave society? Generative AI could free up people to do different things, but its functions so far seem to be doing human-esque tasks wholesale rather than augmenting them and this makes me question what future jobs AI will unlock rather than replace.

I don’t think AI should be doing art, poetry, or other creative pursuits. Ultimately, generative AI simply regurgitates an amalgamation of what we already have based on the way large language models are trained. It doesn’t really create anything truly new like humans do; granted, there’s a whole argument to be had here into what’s really ever new – see Alan Turing’s paper "Computing Machinery and Intelligence” – but that’s for another time.

My point here is that generative AI is seemingly being created to take on tasks humans can already do; maybe not always easily, but with some training and effort pretty much everything these AIs can do are within the reach of bipedal organic meatbags.

It’s the same idea as generative AI systems that can seemingly beat the Turing Test; they’re programmed to mimic humans rather than being their own thing.

And it all seems so painfully uninspired despite the technical prowess to get to this point.

Think different

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Sansoen Saengsakaorat)

Instead, I’d much rather see generative AI be used in ways that actually augment human lives and society as a whole by supporting them in tasks and functions instead of replacing them.

Recent reports in the US and UK have shown a lack of qualified teachers to fill vacancies in the education systems. So, to make up for that shortfall, I could see generative AI used as a support tool in teaching, letting students ask questions of a smart system while their teachers are busy, or to host auxiliary classes. Generative AI could also be used to support people with learning difficulties on a 24-hour basis or provide a framework for homeschooling for children who live remotely or struggle with a traditional schooling environment.

On the other end of the spectrum, with a growing elderly population, there’s a burden of care on families and society that wasn’t as acute as before, especially in Western families where families tend to be more spread out. As such, the provision of care, delivered by the state or privately, has become more challenging.

It’s here I could envision a generative AI-powered system with natural-language comprehension acting as a form of 24-hour support, helping answer questions from elderly people and – with the help of robotics – complete tasks such as grocery shopping for them when a human care worker might not be available or overburdened with other tasks.

The same could apply to farming, whereby AI-powered robots could fill a shortage of farmhands. Or said robots could help farm workers, say feeding livestock or stacking hay bales, monitoring lambing season overnight, and supporting human workers rather than just doing a task for them.

There’s also scope for generative AI to be increasingly used to help people seeking therapy but might not feel comfortable opening up to a human; this wouldn't replace the function of human therapists but augment access to therapy for a wider population.

Look, I’m not against generative AI in its current form. It has numerous shortcomings, issues, and a negative environmental impact, all of which need to be worked on for a secure AI future. Yet its potential is vast, ranging from a useful tool to potentially transformative tech.

It's the latter point that I want to see pushed further. Essentially, I’d like to see AI be used to address issues in society, not just help Joe Idle write an email or Sandra Snappy rework a photo in lieu of learning proper photo editing.

There’s already a lot of research being done in AI technology, but we’re still far from a utopia of smart tech; heck, self-driving car systems, which are almost certainly safer than the majority of human drivers, aren’t commonplace despite their use of advanced tech.

Ultimately, I feel if tech behemoths like Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google could put their tech nous into generative AI designed to benefit society rather than deliver punitive profits and erode learning. We could see AI that actually could make the world a better place to the benefit, not replacement, of humans.

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The government provides HIV medicines free of charge. Yet in one indigenous territory, cases and deaths are increasing at an alarming rate.

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A series of unexpected events after the narrow election has set up a power struggle in the Minnesota Legislature. Days before the legislative session kicks off, it's unclear who will take control.

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The next generation of Samsung flagships is nearly here – we’re expecting to hear official news of the Samsung Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra by the end of the month – and I suspect that this year's most consequential Galaxy upgrade will have nothing to do with the new phones' appearance.

It’s easy to get excited about the prospect of cutting-edge tech whenever a phone maker announces a new flagship model, but in reality, we’ve generally seen year-on-year progress slow down when it comes to the major components and functions of modern smartphones – at least those that you can see.

The Samsung Galaxy series, for its part, has inhabited roughly the same form factor for half a decade; the Google Pixel series has focused on stabilizing performance with each version; and the iPhone 16 is the first truly new-feeling handset from Apple in years.

We’re again expecting to see a slew of marginally improved specs for the S25 lineup this January, particularly so on the base-model S25 and its identically-specced big sibling, the S25 Plus; both will miss out on the highest-end upgrades destined for the S25 Ultra. For the two ‘standard’ models, the latest S25 specs predictions suggest a bit more RAM, a slightly larger screen, and maybe some bumped-up storage options. Cameras and battery sizes are due to stay the same. It's hardly Christmas, is it?

There is, however, one category where we’re expecting to see much more of an improvement this year, and it’s not one you can see – not without ripping your phone in half, anyway (which TechRadar famously advises against).

Each and every Galaxy S25 model is tipped to launch with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, the latest in Qualcomm’s line of class-leading mobile chipsets. Put simply, this could be a game-changer for performance and instantly rocket Samsung to pole position in the performance race with Apple. Allow me to explain why.

Elite by name, elite by nature

The S25 may look similar to the S24 (pictured), but big boosts under the hood could make for a radically different experience. (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

For those not in the know, the Snapdragon 8 Elite follows up the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 – already one of the most powerful mobile chipsets ever produced – and improves (by Qualcomm’s own metrics) on that chipset's single and multi-core performance by 45%; it also offers vastly improved power efficiency.

When TechRadar’s US Mobiles Editor Philip Berne ran preliminary benchmarks on the 8 Elite, he found that Qualcomm's latest effort almost doubled the scores attained by the A18 Pro in the iPhone 16 Pro.

Keep in mind that, at a predicted price of $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, the baseline S25 will compete with the iPhone 16 and its less powerful A18 chipset, rather than with the iPhone 16 Pro. Should these benchmarks translate into real-world performance, the race between Apple and Samsung could end up resembling me chasing after a Dodge Charger on foot (as per our Google Pixel 9 Pro review, Google’s Tensor chipsets aren’t quite in the conversation yet).

What does this mean for the average user? Essentially, an even faster Galaxy handset – speedier load times, smoother app switching, and expanded AI possibilities. "Benchmarks aren’t everything," Qualcomm told us at Snapdragon Summit last year, and even though, as mentioned, the 8 Elite's benchmark scores are indeed mightily impressive, Qualcomm is equally keen to shout about the tangible, real-world benefits of its latest chipset.

The key specs of the Snapdragon 8 Elite (Image credit: Qualcomm)

With rumors swirling of a massive AI push from Samsung this year, we could see the S25 lineup enter our list of the best AI phones thanks to this increased hardware power, which should empower users to make better use of Samsung’s productivity and generative AI alike. What’s more, the S25 and S25 Plus are tipped to launch with 12GB of RAM, 4GB more than the previous generation, giving these new phones even more headroom for AI and multitasking.

We don’t even need to wait for the S25 series to launch to see the Snapdragon 8 Elite in action – the first globally available phones to sport the new chipset landed in December 2024 in the form of the Asus Rog Phone 9 and Rog Phone 9 Pro gaming phones. In our Asus Rog Phone 9 Pro review, the latter attained a 5/5 score for performance thanks to its exceptional consistency, improved gaming, and excellent graphical performance. It’ll be up to Samsung to optimize around the needs of the everyday user with the S25 series.

Samsung has never been a slouch when it comes to performance – in our Galaxy S24 review, we found the company’s most recent baseline flagship to be hot on the heels of the S24 Ultra in the power department – but the gains brought about by the Snapdragon 8 Elite could prove truly superlative, and may even offer S24 users a compelling reason to upgrade this year.

All that being said, most of the above is still based on rumors for the time being, so be sure to keep up with our Samsung phones coverage for the latest official information as wear hear it from Samsung.

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Activo Q1: two-minute review

The Q1 are made to match the Activo P1 player, but you don't need Activo kit to enjoy them. (Image credit: Future / Carrie Marshall)

Activo is the lifestyle sub-brand of audiophile digital audio player specialist, Astell & Kern, delivering high quality hardware for considerably less cash than its parent company. These earbuds are a collaboration with Singaporean IEM firm DITA Audio who, like Astell & Kern, typically focuses on the more affluent audiophile. Are the Q1 set to feature in our best wired earbuds buying guide? It's highly likely.

I tested Activo's debut Activo P1 hi-res audio player last year and found it to be very enjoyable, and as you can see from the colour-matched design the new Q1 hybrid IEMs are clearly intended to be paired with it – although with both 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm standard connectors included in the package they're compatible with a wide range of the best MP3 players and other music-serving sources.

The Q1 are hybrid IEMs with a Knowles balanced armature and a version of DITA Audio's PM1+ 9.8mm dynamic driver, which is highly regarded for its neutral, transparent sound. The PM1+ driver used in the Q1 has extra windings on the voice coil and uses brass instead of the usual stainless steel housing too. Which sounds good on paper – and it is in the listening too.

The sales pitch here is that these are affordable IEMs for audiophiles on the go, and they're a fraction of the price you'd pay for Astell & Kern-branded headphones. They deliver a very clear and entertaining sound, but if you like heavy bass you may need to adjust your device's EQ to push them just a fraction harder.

The Q1s come with a protective case, five pairs of eartips and two connectors. (Image credit: Future / Carrie Marshall) Activo Q1 review: price and release date

• $349 / £299 / about AU$600
• Launched in December 2024

The Activo Q1 hybrid IEM headphones were launched in December 2024 with a recommended retail price of $349 / £299 / about AU$600.

Although that makes them cheaper than Astell & Kern's typical IEMs, it's hardly cheap when you consider that our current top pick for wired earbuds, the 1More Triple Driver in-ear headphones, launched at $100 / £70 / AU$150 and can now be found for a little less. And even our 'best step-up' option from those, the Sennheiser IE200, will only set you back around $149.95 / £129.99 / AU$239.95.

Then again, higher-end options such as the fantastic FiiO FH19 cost $599 / £549 / AU$999 and, as any audiophile knows, these types of headphones can stretch into the thousands. It's all about sound-per-pound value isn't it? And here, I think the Q1 have a lot going for them.

Activo Q1 review: design and features

• DITA PM1+ 9.8mm dynamic driver and Knowles balanced armature
• 32-strand MOCCA 2 cable from Cardas
• 3.5mm standard and 4.4mm balanced connectors

The Activo Q1 resemble professional musicians' IEMs with their mix of white powder-coated centres and transparent resin outers, and their color scheme matches the Activo P1 digital music player. They come with an Activo + DITA-branded mini Tanos Systainer protective case and five sizes of Type-E eartips in a Final Audio case.

The Q1 are built around a modified version of DITA's PM1+ 9.8mm dynamic driver. Here, it's housed in a brass casing and teamed up with a Knowles 33518 balanced armature driver. The dynamic driver first appeared in DITA's Project M IEMs, and according to Activo the modified version here delivers a "hint of romance and sweetness on the foundation of the Project M's sound" – in other words, a slightly warmer and more resonant tone.

The nozzles are PVD stainless steel and the supplied eartips should cover most ear sizes. The tips are a very tight fit; fiddly to put on, but firmly fixed once installed. I lucked out with my first choice of size, easily achieving a good seal without any adjustment. The Q1 also fit very snugly and are well balanced. You never feel as if you've got large lumps stuck in your ears, even after long listening sessions.

The cable is a 32-strand MOCCA2 ultra-pure copper cable from Cardas and its connectors fit easily and feel strongly anchored to the earbuds. At the other end, you can choose between the 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm connectors for your audio source, which is a nice addition to have.

Impedance is 31 ohms and the frequency response is 20Hz to 20kHz. Sensitivity is 109 dB/mW @ 1kHz.

• Design and features score: 5/5

The Q1s come with a standard 3.5mm and a balanced 4.4mm connector (Image credit: Future / Carrie Marshall) Activo Q1 review: sound quality

• Excellent instrument separation
• Superb clarity
• A little bass-light for our taste

These are very responsive, transparent headphones, delivering a well separated sound stage and spacious high frequencies that are particularly fun with close-miked acoustic music of the expensively and/or simply recorded variety. They excel with layered vocals; the Taylor Swift and HAIM collaboration No Body No Crime is particularly luminous. And they're enormous fun with live recordings too.

Like many high quality headphones, the Q1s aren't here to flatter poorly recorded music. But give them something shiny and turn them up a bit and they're very good indeed. The dynamic driver and Knowles balanced armature driver are fast, precise and entertaining: the Q1s make classic tracks such as Orange Juice's Rip It Up sound factory-fresh with shimmering guitars and squelching synths, while in more modern pop such as Charli XCX's Brat the vocals are crisp and clear without struggling with the beats or the bass.

The Q1's frequency response goes down to 20Hz, lower than a standard bass guitar, but lower frequencies often need a bit more juice to be properly present and I found some music, particularly heavier rock, sounded a little too polite for my taste. It's not that the Q1s can't handle the lows; it's that they're not tuned to emphasise them.

It doesn't take a dramatic EQ change to give the lows a bit of a boost, although that may be an issue if your preferred audio source doesn't offer EQ adjustment. Activo's P1 music player does, and I found that a relatively small EQ curve adjustment on the P1 added extra fizz to SOPHIE's Lemonade, made the grinding bass of The Cure's Lullaby remix even more spidery and turned Peter Gabriel's live version of Digging In The Dirt into the Godzilla-stomps-the-city soundtrack you'd have experienced from the front row.

Whether you tweak the low end or not, the Q1s are impressively clear – and that clarity is useful not just for relaxed listening but for making or mixing music too. In my own projects I was able to hear detail and mistakes that weren't as apparent on my usual mixing headphones or on my AirPods Pro/Max.

• Sound quality score: 4.5/5

You can have any color you like as long as it's white with transparent resin (Image credit: Activo (Astell & Kern)) Activo Q1 review: value for money

• Very affordable compared to the parent brand
• Half the price of the best rival devices
• Narrower frequency range than some

Activo may be a lifestyle brand, but these in-ears are still aimed at the more premium listener, and that means they're up against some of the very best wired headphones around.

Our current in-ear audiophile pick, the Sennheiser IE 600, has an MSRP of around $800 / £699 and a current street price of $599 / £499; the eight-driver FiiO FH19 has a recommended retail price of $599 / £549 / AU$999. So the Activo Q1s are considerably cheaper than both sets of rivals.

The big difference between these in-ears and the two rivals is the frequency range: the Activo Q1 offers 20Hz to 20kHz but the FiiO delivers 8Hz to 40kHz and the Sennheiser has 4Hz to 46.5kHz. Whether that's worth paying considerably more for will depend very much on personal preference and the quality of your audio sources.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Activo Q1: Should you buy them? Buy them if… 

You want premium sound without the price
The Q1s deliver a very clear, convincing sound stage with lots of air up topView Deal

You've got a player with EQ adjustment
The low-end sometimes needs a bit of extra pushView Deal

You've got multiple sound sources
Balanced 4.4mm and single 3.5mm connectors cover most devicesView Deal

Don't buy them if… 

You're all about that bass
Rival in-ears deliver wider frequency ranges, albeit for more moneyView Deal

You don't like white
The Q1s don't come in multiple color options

View Deal

You mostly commute
Good quality noise cancelling may be better for long bus or train journeysView Deal

Activo Q1 review: also consider

Sennheiser IE 200
These wired earbuds from a truly trusted name in audio don't cost much for what you get. If you're not planning on getting the Activo player to pair them with, they may even be the better option – although do note that the plastic housing won't feel as luxurious as the Activo's headshells.
Read more in our full Sennheiser IE 200 review

Shure AONIC 3
There's such great passive isolation here, it can sometimes feels as if you’re using active noise cancellation. The sound is also elegant, balanced and with excellent separation and layering, although the bass weight is just a shade off well weighted compared to pricier IEMs, including the Activo Q1 you came here to read about.
Read the full scoop in our in-depth Shure AONIC 3 review.

How I tested

• Tested with Activo P1 player, hi-fi and Mac
• Compressed, lossless and hi-res audio
• Tested at home and while traveling

I tested the Q1s with their intended partner, the Activo P1 hi-res audio player, and I also used them with my Marantz CD player, with vinyl through my Onkyo amp and with my own music projects on a Mac with a Komplete Audio interface.

For that latter option I compared the Q1s with my go-to mixing headphones, a set of Beyer-Dynamic DT770 Pros, as well as more casual earbuds from Apple and Bose. And I have to say, the Activo Q1 more than held their own, however I tested them.

Read more about how we test.

• First reviewed: January 2025

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Creature Commandos season 2: key information

- Announced in December 2024
- Will be available to stream on Max in the US
- Release date yet to be revealed
- No trailer has been unveiled, either
- Some season 1 cast members likely to return
- Unclear if its plot will pick up directly after the season 1 finale
- Other DCU projects could impact its narrative
- No news on whether a third season will be made

Creature Commandos season 2 is officially a go at DC Studios. The DC Universe's (DCU) first project will be back for more monster mayhem after a second chapter was greenlit in December 2024 and, unsurprisingly, that's all we really know about it right now.

Concrete details on its cast, plot, and release date are virtually non-existent, but there's still plenty we can speculate on regarding Creature Commandos' next season. In this guide, you can read about our best theories on the R-rated Max show's next installment but be advised that full spoilers for season 1 are discussed from this point on. So, proceed at your own risk if you haven't seen all seven episodes yet.

Creature Commandos season 2 release date: what we know so far

You wanted monsters? Well, you’re getting even more. We’re coming back for season two! But don’t worry, we’ve still got plenty left this season for you. Catch new episodes of #CreatureCommandos every Thursday, with the season one finale dropping January 9 exclusively on… pic.twitter.com/74JeDzscRaDecember 23, 2024

Creature Commandos season 2 was announced on December 23, 2024. As we reported at the time, Max confirmed that a new season of DC Studios' first animated series was in the works, so we'll definitely be getting more adult animated action at some point.

We don't expect to see Creature Commandos return to our screens any time soon, though. There are many other DC Studios projects at various stages of development, including, but not limited to, James Gunn's Superman movie, Lanterns, Peacemaker season 2, and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Gunn, one of DC Studios' co-heads, is involved in two of those projects, so it'll be August – the month Peacemaker 2 is expected to debut – before he's free to pen the scripts for Creature Commandos' next entry. Gunn wrote its predecessor's scripts, so I suspect he'll be on head writing duties for season 2 as well.

Providing he doesn't hire a new chief scribe for the series' next chapter, I'd be surprised if season 2's screenplays are ready to go before the end of 2025. If that's the case, Creature Commandos season 2 may not arrive until late 2026 – and that's me being incredibly optimistic. Animated shows can take years to make, so it might even be 2027 or even 2028 before it's released.

Creature Commandos season 2 likely cast

Task Force M's line-up of villains and antiheroes is going to look very different in season 2 (Image credit: Max)

Major spoilers follow for Creature Commandos season 1.

The cast of Creature Commandos season 2 hasn't been announced yet but, based on last season's finale, here's who I'd expect to return:

• Indira Varma as The Bride
• Sean Gunn as G.I. Robot and Weasel
• Alan Tudyk as Doctor Phosphorus
• David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein
• Viola Davis as Amanda Waller
• Steve Agee as John Economos

The four characters voiced by the first three actors were the only remaining members of Task Force M's original line-up once season 1 episode 7's end credits had rolled. As I discussed in my Creature Commandos season 1 ending explained article, they're still part of the titular team heading into next season, so I'd expect Varma, Tudyk, and Gunn to reprise their roles in season 2.

Harbour's Frankenstein, who isn't part of the group but played a major antagonistic role in season 1, should return, too. Davis' Waller and Agee's Economos may do likewise, especially as Task Force M reports directly to ARGUS' commander-in-chief and her right-hand man.

The season 1 finale also revealed that three new metahumans had joined Task Force M's ranks. Vampire bat humanoid Nosferata, the mummified Khalis (confirmed by Gunn per a Rotten Tomatoes YouTube video), and King Shark – last seen in 2021's The Suicide Squid movie – will be part of next season's line-up. There's no word on which actors will voice them, but season 1 episode 7's end credits sequence listed Diedrich Bader (American Housewife, Napoleon Dynamite) as the voice of King Shark, so I suspect he'll do it again in season 2.

Nina and Princess Ilana won't be back in season 2 (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Some other individuals who featured last season, such as Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr, could be part of proceedings as well. As Grillo told TechRadar, he'll be "on a mission" for justice in Superman and Peacemaker season 2 first, though.

However, it's unlikely that Circe and/or many of Pokolistan's minor characters, including Sergei, will return. They were only involved because of how season 1's story panned out. With that narrative wrapped up before season 1 ended, I'm confident they won't be seen in the sophomore outing of one of the best Max shows.

Two individuals who definitely won't be back for another monster mash are Zoe Chao's Nina Mazursky and Maria Bakalova's Princess Ilana Rostikov. Ilana murdered Nina in season 1's final episode and was then killed by The Bride in retaliation for the Pokolistani monarch-in-waiting's execution of Nina. For what it's worth, Bakalova told TechRadar she hasn't given up hope of playing Ilana again. Unless she appears in a flashback sequence, I seriously doubt she will.

Creature Commandos season 2 story speculation

Creature Commandos completed their season 1 mission to kill Princess Ilana of Pokolistan (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Full spoilers follow for Creature Commandos' first season.

Creature Commandos season 2's story synopsis hasn't been disclosed yet. It'll be sometime before it is, too, so we can only speculate on where things will go from here.

To start with, things will largely depend on what happens in other DCU Chapter One movies and TV shows. With the likes of Superman (one of 2025's most anticipated new movies) and Peacemaker season 2 arriving in the months ahead, events transpiring in these productions will likely have an impact on the plot of this show's second season.

One thing I'm already confident about, though, is Task Force M being sent on another death-defying mission to tackle a planet-wide threat. Last season, the eponymous team was initially tasked with protecting Princess Ilana from Circe, an Amazonian sorceress who is one of three big ties to Wonder Woman's eventual DCU debut. However, when it emerged that Ilana planned to conquer the world using her high-tech Pokolistani forces, Task Force M was asked to eliminate her instead, which it duly did, even if it came at the cost of Nina Mazursky's life.

RIP, Nina (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Whatever quest they're sent on, I expect we'll see more of the team's members butting heads. After all, they were thrown together by circumstance – i.e. their incarceration at Belle Reve penitentiary – so they haven't voluntarily joined forces to tackle a greater foe. With Nosferata and King Shark among the gang's newcomers, who have their own unique personalities, motives, desires, fears, and likely traumatic backstories, there'll be plenty more melodrama and R-rated humor to enjoy next season

It's also possible that Creature Commandos season 2 will continue to explore new parts of the DCU. The show's first season did a stellar job from a universe-building perspective, with cameos from iconic DC heroes like Batman in episode 5 and B-list DC Comics villains, the debut of the DCU's Justice League, albeit in one of Circe's premonitions, references to famous cities including Metropolis and Gotham City, and plenty more Easter eggs besides. By the time season 2 is released, a number of the DC's most prominent heroes and villains will be established in Gunn and co-chief Peter Safran's new-look cinematic universe, so there'll be more potential for them to run into Task Force M in Creature Commandos' next chapter.

Creature Commandos season 2 trailer: is there one?

"Sorry, everyone, but our show's next trailer won't be ready for a long time" (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

No. There won't be one for a long time. I'll update this section once a trailer is finally released.

Will Creature Commandos season 2 get a sequel?

Sitting around and waiting for news on Creature Commandos season 3 like... (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

Nobody knows. As I said earlier on, Creature Commandos was only renewed for a second season in late 2024. Until it launches, we won't know if a third installment will be greenlit, too.

Even if DC Studios announces a third season, there's no telling when it would even air. In January 2023 when Gunn revealed DCU Chapter One's full line-up (well, full at the time, anyway), 11 projects were confirmed to be part of this first phase of the DC Universe. Since then, another three – this show's second season, a Dynamic Duo animated film starring iconic Robins Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, and a Mike Flanagan-written Clayface movie – have been announced. It's becoming an increasingly busy time for DC Studios, then. The fate of a third Creature Commandos entry will depend on whether there are still stories worth telling, whether it continues to be popular among viewers, and whether there's time and resources to make another season. In short: keep your eyes peeled.

For more Max-based TV coverage, read our guides on The Last of Us season 2, House of the Dragon season 3, The White Lotus season 3, and Euphoria season 3.

If you live in one of these nine states, you might notice less being taken out of your paychecks as of the start of 2025.

If you're in the PSLF program and the payment pause prevented you from receiving debt relief, this option could help.

Requesting an extension can buy you some time to get your paperwork in order before filing your tax return. Here's what to know.

Ayaneo Pocket Micro: One-minute review

The Ayaneo Pocket Micro truly needs to be held in your hands to be believed. It’s an incredibly small Android tablet, weighing under 9oz / 250g and coming in at just 6.1 x 2.5 x 0.71in / 156 x 63 x 18mm, with in-built thumbsticks, D-pad, face buttons, and shoulder inputs. It sports a colorful 960 x 640 3.5in IPS touchscreen75, in a 3:2 aspect ratio that is perfect for playing Game Boy Advance games.

It’s no secret that this has been designed as an emulation handheld first and foremost, as it even comes with a custom Android launcher and Ayaneo app suite useful for importing a wide range of retro games - even if it is a bit jagged and unpolished at times. Links to top emulators on the Google Play Store, plus the easy-to-access microSD card slot, make it surprisingly simple to get a library full of games up and running.

Diving into Game Boy Advance classics like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Pokémon Ruby is a treat, thanks in no small part to the wonderfully responsive controls. If you’ve ever tried your hand at mobile emulation, you’ll know that touchscreen inputs feel nowhere near as good as the real thing. The buttons and D-pad here are pleasantly soft, with a spongy feel reminiscent of the Nintendo 2DS. GBA games run perfectly and look sublimely crisp. This even includes more demanding titles that skirted with 3D visuals, like the open-world crime caper Driver 3.

While Game Boy titles are the focus thanks to the size of the display, the Ayaneo Pocket Micro is also capable of emulating a wide range of other systems. Performance does begin to suffer if you attempt anything more advanced than a PSP, however, which is to be expected given the use of the more budget-oriented Helio G99 chipset.

This is also the story with native Android gaming. Simple 2D experiences like Stardew Valley or the Vampire Survivors-like 20 Minutes Till Dawn run superbly, while complex 3D worlds like those in Genshin Impact or Zenless Zone Zero cause frame rates to tumble. It’s also hard to ignore the quality of the speakers which are pretty poor. It’s reasonable to expect these kinds of cutbacks at this price point, but the muddy audio makes headphones almost a necessity even when you’re gaming at home.

(Image credit: Future) Ayaneo Pocket Micro: Price and availability

• Currently available via IndieGogo
• Prices start at $189 (around £153) via early bird pricing
• Retail prices start at $219 (around £177)

The Ayaneo Pocket Micro is currently only available via IndieGogo.

A basic model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will set you back $189 (around £153) via early bird pricing, or $219 (around £177) at retail. You can also grab a more premium version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage starting at $249 (around £202) via early bird pricing, or $279 (around £226) at retail. IndieGogo will ship to a wide range of regions, but just bear in mind that prices can vary depending on the current exchange rate.

Multiple colors are available for each version. The more affordable variant comes in a cute red or sleek black, while the more premium model is offered in black or a clearly Game & Watch-inspired gold and maroon.

This price is certainly not a huge amount to pay for an Android tablet, let alone one with a specialist design like this. It is roughly the same price as other modern Game Boy successors, like the premium Analogue Pocket which starts at $129.99 (around £174), so a pretty good value proposition on the whole.

Ayaneo Pocket Micro: Specs Ayaneo Pocket Micro: Design and features

• Very robust metal shell
• Pleasant buttons and D-pad
• Full Android functionality

When you take the Ayaneo Pocket Micro out of the box, the first thing you’ll probably notice is that it’s built like a tank. I tested an early production sample, but you wouldn’t know it from the quality of the overall feel. It’s constructed using a CNC aluminum alloy frame, lending the outside of the tablet an incredibly robust feel. It seems considerably more sturdy than the likes of the Nintendo Switch Lite, and could probably go head to head with the brick-like original Game Boy in a drop test - though for obvious reasons I wasn’t too keen to test that.

The back of the tablet is plastic, which helps keep the weight at a manageable 8.21oz / 233g. My model came in the black colorway, so the front is a clean black with a bezel-less 3.5-inch screen. To the left of the screen, you will find the well-sized D-pad and left thumbstick. On the right are the face buttons (in the traditional Nintendo layout) and the right thumbstick. Both thumbsticks are very small but are still capable of more than enough motion for 3D gaming.

Underneath all of that, there are two sets of small rectangular buttons. The first set serves as the start and select button in games, while the others are an ‘Aya Button’ (which calls up a floating settings menu) and a button that returns you to the system’s home screen.

On the top of the console, there are four shoulder buttons, a power button with an integrated fingerprint reader (an excellent feature that saves you from having to enter passwords on the tiny little screen), and a simple volume rocker. That’s not all, though, as the console’s flat right side features a dedicated home button and a mappable ‘RC’ button.

(Image credit: Future)

If you want to expand your storage, there’s a microSD card slot on the left-hand side under a little rubber flap. No microSD card is included, so you will need to source your own. I found that it was incredibly tricky to insert a card on my model, as the flap was difficult to open and the card itself just didn’t seem to click into place properly. Thankfully, Ayaneo states that this is a known issue with pre-production versions of the device and should be ironed out by the time you get your hands on one.

As you might expect, there is your usual USB-C port for charging on the bottom of the system.

In terms of overall features, the Ayaneo Pocket Micro is a fully-fledged Android tablet. You can download apps using the Google Play Store, though the small screen will make it difficult to perform tasks like messaging, document editing, and so on. Gaming is definitely where this device shines, and the custom Ayaneo software is designed to ensure a simple gaming experience. Links to recommended emulators (both paid and free) are easy to access from the AyaSpace app and the system’s in-built controls were immediately recognized by every one that I tried.

(Image credit: Future) Ayaneo Pocket Micro: Performance

• Perfect for Game Boy emulation
• Also plays basic mobile games
• Speakers are poor

The Ayaneo Pocket Micro excels at Game Boy emulation. Every GB, GBC, and GBA game that I tested ran perfectly. Running at 4x the original Game Boy Advance resolution, the picture is incredibly crisp. While not OLED, the colors of the IPS screen are still very vibrant with great viewing angles that are well-suited to portable play. The screen is also bright enough to be used comfortably outdoors without any glare.

You will begin to encounter some performance issues if you attempt more intensive emulation, however. PlayStation 2 titles are hit-and-miss and I found that the screen size actually made it difficult to work out what was going on in detailed environments like the open world of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. PSP games ran acceptably too, but again the screen size made it difficult to read tutorial text in the likes of God of War: Chains of Olympus.

Attempting to emulate more recent consoles results in a stuttery, laggy mess but that’s to be expected given the relatively modest chipset here. This is definitely one to buy if you’re most keen to play Game Boy games.

Unlike a conventional mobile phone, the Ayaneo Pocket Micro has an in-built fan for active air cooling. It can get slightly loud when you crank it up to the maximum power in the settings menu, but it seems very effective at keeping the device cool while you play.

As an Android tablet, the Ayaneo Pocket Micro can also be used for native mobile titles but keep your expectations in check. This is not a high-spec gaming phone, so it’s going to struggle if you don’t stick to the simplest titles. Throughout my testing, I managed to consistently achieve 5-6 hours of battery life which is pretty solid given the tablet’s miniscule size. It should comfortably last for the duration of a commute, where its pocketable nature really shines.

That said, the rectangular shape did start to dig into my palms when I attempted longer sessions. The corners have been rounded off slightly, which definitely helps, but your palms are still going to get sore after a few hours.

There is one bigger problem with the Ayaneo Pocket Micro though: its speakers. They’re very poor, producing a weak, muddy sound that lacks any bass or real clarity. In-game music sounds tinny and sometimes even a little crackly.

It’s not massively noticeable when you’re playing Game Boy titles, as they have relatively limited audio capabilities in the first place, but is incredibly apparent when trying out more modern games. Headphones are an absolute must, which makes the lack of a 3.5mm headphone jack a real shame. Bluetooth is an option, but having to fiddle with headphone pairing is an obstacle every time you want to play.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Ayaneo Pocket Micro? Buy it if...

You want a modern Game Boy
The Ayaneo Pocket Micro is ideal for emulating GB, GBC, and GBA games. They run flawlessly and look absolutely superb on the small 3:2 screen. The physical controls are also a joy to use.

You’re after a cheap tiny gaming tablet
The Ayaneo Pocket Micro might not be the most powerful tablet out there, but it’s incredibly small and easy to stash in your pocket.

Don't buy it if...

You want higher specs
The MediaTek Helio G99 is a modest mobile chipset. Dedicated gaming phones will offer significantly better performance in mobile games, while handheld consoles like the Nintendo Switch Lite will run retro titles more smoothly at a similar price.

Also consider...

After a device like the Ayaneo Pocket Micro? Consider these two alternatives.

Modretro Chromatic
The Modretro Chromatic is capable of playing your favorite GB and GBC cartridges natively. It’s got excellent buttons, superb overall build quality, and a shape incredibly reminiscent of the original handheld.

For more information, check out our full Modretro Chromatic review

Nintendo Switch Lite
Plenty of GB, GBC, and GBC games are available on Nintendo Switch Lite as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription services or in various retro collections. It also benefits from a huge library of great exclusive games, plus a compact all-in-one design.

For more information, check out our full Nintendo Switch Lite review

(Image credit: Future) How I tested the Ayaneo Pocket Micro

• Tested for three months
• Played a wide variety of Game Boy games
• Tried at home and out and about

I tested the Ayaneo Pocket Micro over a period of three months. I used the 8GB + 256GB model in its black colorway, accompanied by a case provided by the manufacturer. In addition to the built-in storage, I relied on a SanDisk Extreme microSD card to transfer game files from my PC.

I played a wide variety of Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance games on the Ayaneo Pocket Micro. This included Tetris, Pokemon Red, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Wario Land 3, Pokemon Ruby, Driver 3, Metroid Zero Mission, and more. I also tested a small handful of PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable games in addition to a few other platforms. I was also careful to evaluate the handheld's performance in native mobile titles, such as the popular Call of Duty: Mobile.

Throughout my time with the handheld, I constantly compared the playing experience to my hands-on testing of gaming smartphones and a wide range of gaming handhelds. For audio, I relied on a pair of Beats Solo Buds.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed January 2024.

• Intel SSD division became Solidigm when it was sold to SK Hynix
• SK Hynix launched its own consumer SSD products
• Expect more brands to exit the cut throat B2C SSD market in 2025

Solidigm, a subsidiary of SK Hynix, has officially announced the discontinuation of its consumer solid-state drives (SSDs), the P44 Pro and P41 Plus models.

The company, which began operations in 2021 after SK Hynix acquired Intel’s NAND and SSD business for $9 billion, has removed the "Client SSD" section from its website.

The "Client Product Category" hyperlink on the site redirects to a "Discontinued Products" page. This confirms (via ITHome and Guru3D) that Solidigm will no longer produce its last two consumer-grade SSD models and older Intel-era drives like the 660p and 670p.

Solidigm shifts focus to Data Center Solutions

According to Solidigm, there are no plans for replacement products in the consumer SSD lineup, marking Solidigm's exit from the consumer market.

Since the acquisition, Solidigm has focused more on the enterprise and data center markets. The company is now prioritizing high-capacity SSDs, especially for artificial intelligence applications.

The consumer SSD market has been difficult, with oversupply leading to lower prices and shrinking profit margins.

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Reporters covering a Chinese dissident in Europe were accused of making bomb threats. An NPR investigation now has them wondering if it was the work of the Chinese government or someone else.

(Image credit: ‎‎)