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From Mommy TikTok to that Drake interview and beyond, the podcast host is proof you can brute-force your way to online fame—and make a shit ton of money along the way.

Robin fans, it's your favorite character's – or, should I say, favorite characters' – time to shine, because a dual Robin-starring movie is in active development at DC Studios.

Announced by studio co-chief James Gunn yesterday (October 1), the movie, titled Dynamic Duo, will bring the two most famous Robins – Dick Grayson and Jason Todd – together for an origins story team-up film on the big screen. It's the first collaboration between DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation since the former was set up in the wake of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

Per Gunn's Instagram post (see below), Dynamic Duo will be an animated flick that'll curiously combine animation, puppetry, and computer generated imagery (CGI) to deliver a striking visual style to audiences when the movie is eventually released.

A post shared by James Gunn (@jamesgunn)

A photo posted by on

Swaybox, a visionary animation studio based in New Orleans, is leading development on Dynamic Duo. A company that's quickly earning a reputation for its ground-breaking technology, Swaybox pioneered a visual style known as 'Momo animation', which blends puppetry with CGI, stop-motion animation, and live-action real-time performance. Matt Aldritch, who penned the scripts for Pixar movies Coco and Lightyear, is writing its screenplay, while Swaybox's co-founder Arthur Mintz is on directing duties.

Interestingly, Matt Reeves, who co-wrote and directed The Batman, and who executively produced that movie's TV spin-off The Penguin, is producing Dynamic Duo through his 6th & Idaho production company. However, as reported by Deadline, Dynamic Duo won't be part of Reeves' Bat-Verse, which is now known as The Batman Epic Crime Saga. So, Dynamc Duo's iteration of Grayson and Todd won't cross paths with Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight on the big screen, nor Colin Farrell's Oz Cobb in The Penguin, which is currently airing on Max and HBO (US), Sky and Now TV (UK), and Binge (Australia).

According to Variety, it'll tell the tale of Grayson and Todd, whose seemingly unbreakable friendship is tested when their contrasting ideals of the future butt heads as they grow and mature. It's unclear if the film will be set in Gotham City, feature Batman in a supporting or cameo role, or see Grayson and Todd become the vigilantes Nightwing and Red Hood as they do in the comics.

Is Dynamic Duo part of the DCU, DC Elseworlds, or a standalone movie?

I really think this will be an adaptation of nightwing year one. With it being the origin of nightwing and the origin of Jason as robin. Especially since that article removed the “orphan thieves” bit. Dick even calls them a dynamic duo in the story. https://t.co/4C7Rcop4Xe pic.twitter.com/N3dIjFGLRKOctober 1, 2024

I've got plenty of questions about Dynamic Duo since I learned about its existence, three of which are based around what I wrote in the final sentence of the previous paragraph. However, the biggest question that I – and, judging by what I've seen online since Dynamic Duo was officially unveiled, many other DC fans – have is whether it's part of Gunn and Peter Safran's new-look DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) or not.

Indeed, a cursory glance at numerous social media platforms and forums – including Reddit, X/Twitter, Instagram, and ResetEra – suggests I'm not the only one who's confused about Dynamic Duo's place in DC Studios' increasingly convoluted lineup of movies and TV shows. We know it won't be part of The Batman Epic Crime Saga, but is a DCU project and, if so, will it be added to DCU Chapter One's schedule? If the answer is no, will it fall under DC Studios' Elseworlds banner? Or, because it isn't a live-action property, will it be a standalone production that sits independent of everything else being developed at the Warner Bros. Pictures-owned company?

Without word from Gunn, Safran, Reeves, or anyone else involved in its development, my initial reaction is that it'll be an Elseworlds project. The Batman Epic Crime Saga and Todd Phillips' Joker film universe have been classed as Elseworlds franchises, so logic dictates that Dynamic Duo will do likewise. I've reached out to Warner for an official comment on this and I'll report back if I receive a response. Until then, we're still none the wiser about how Dynamic Duo will fit into the ever-expanding slate of DC Studios productions.

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New code unearthed in the latest Google Messages app update has revealed Google could be planning to bring Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging to Wear OS smartwatches in the not-too-distant future.

While many of the best smartwatches on the market run Google's Wear OS software, the wearable operating system still has some key limitations. Notably, messaging via Google Messages is restricted to texts routed to your smartwatch from your Android phone. Ditch your phone for a run or leave it behind, and you can't send or receive messages.

That could soon be about to change. Android Authority reports that an APK teardown of the new Google Messages beta "has added some flags that indicate standalone RCS is coming to Wear OS smartwatches." Specifically, lines of code seem to include references to Wear OS and standalone messaging support.

AA reports "it is reasonably straightforward to conclude that standalone RCS is coming to Wear OS smartwatches."

A huge boon for Wear OS

(Image credit: Google)

This would be a major overhaul to the messaging experience on Wear OS smartwatches like the Google Pixel Watch 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. As it stands, Wear OS devices aren't capable of standalone messaging, even if you're using an LTE model connected to a cellular network.

Adding this functionality would make more a much-improved Wear OS smartwatch experience, and reduce the advantage enjoyed by the best Apple Watches on the market, which do support receiving and sending messages over cellular.

As to when RCS could come to Wear OS, there's no clear timeline as of yet. There's always the possibility that this is rogue code included prematurely or incorrectly in the Google Messages app. However, if it does indeed indicate RCS is in the pipeline for Wear OS, its inclusion would seem to indicate the rollout is close at hand.

Google recently rolled out Wear OS 5 support to its older Pixel Watch models but was forced to pause the rollout because of reports the update was bricking devices. It remains unavailable while Google figures out the issue.

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NovaBACKUP is a serious bit of backup software for businesses of all sizes as well as home users, and its German coders specialize in enterprise-level data protection – so we’ve got high hopes for this particular bit of software.

Indeed, if you head to NovaBACKUP’s website you’ll see products for specific tasks, like disaster recovery or Microsoft 365 backups, and even areas where the company caters to particular industries, from dentistry to accountancy.

At first glance, then, there’s plenty to like – but should you deploy NovaBACKUP in your business?

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NovaBACKUP: Plans and pricing

It may be good news that NovaBACKUP is a high-end backup solution designed for enterprise, but brace yourself for the pricing – because this app is not cheap.

A one-PC licence for NovaBACKUP costs €100, which at the time of writing converts to $110, including an admittedly generous 1TB of cloud storage. A single-server licence costs €400 – or about $443 – and includes 250GB of cloud storage.

If you need a bespoke solution for your business, then you’ll need to talk to NovaBACKUP to work on a solution together – which makes sense, because then you should get a backup deployment that works for you and maximises value.

NovaBACKUP offers products for companies that need endpoint protection for remote workers, for businesses that need centrally-managed local and cloud backup for PCs, laptops and servers, and even packages for managed services providers who want to provide Backup-as-a-Service to other organisations.

(Image credit: NovaBACKUP) Features

It’s expensive, yes, but NovaBACKUP is absolutely packed with features. You can preserve any files or folders, local or external drives, operating systems and send them to local drives, external drives, your 1TB of NovaBACKUP cloud storage space or any S3 compatible storage. Network-attached locations are also supported.

Additionally, NovaBACKUP now includes hybrid backup, which ensures more robust data protection by storing your data in three places, on two different types of media and with one copy stored offsite – what’s often referred to as a “3-2-1 backup strategy”. That’s important if you preserve mission-critical information in a commercial or healthcare environment.

It’s a comprehensive start, and NovaBACKUP also includes image backups for disaster recovery, VHD and VHDx backups, incremental backups, bare metal restoration and strong compression and encryption settings, including 256-bit AES and Blowfish encryption.

You can enjoy email notifications about your backup jobs – particularly helpful if you’re handling data in a business – and flexible file restoration means you can recover backups from any location.

NovaBACKUP offers extensive scheduling options, backup verification, custom commands to be performed around your backups, and there are extensive filtering options. In terms of core backup features, NovaBACKUP is excellent – there is nothing missing.

(Image credit: NovaBACKUP)

Opt for the Server product and you get support for Microsoft Hyper-V and VMWare backups and Microsoft SQL and Exchange support. Both apps include optional central management and monitoring features – ideal for businesses.

Upgrade to a Server Provider version – or another customised NovaBACKUP solution – and you can also add user account management, unlimited cloud storage, self-hosted cloud storage, and setup assistance.

Interface & Use

NovaBACKUP has every backup option that home and business users could possibly need, even if you wouldn’t know it from the aesthetic. The app looks decidedly old school, with old-fashioned fonts and graphics used throughout.

Still, if you get beyond the visuals then it’s pretty easy to use. Large icons on the home screen represent key backup options, and if you delve into the settings then it’s the usual list of backup sources on the left-hand side with more advanced options in a central window.

Backup logs and schedules are in their own tabs. And while there aren’t many easy wizard options for creating backup jobs, this enterprise-level app provides plenty of granularity that professionals will surely appreciate.

We tested our latest slate of backup apps with a 42GB document folder, a 2.5GB spreadsheet folder, a 162GB folder of media and an 82GB file that mixes all of those file types. We backed them up to three different SSDs to weed out any inconsistency.

And while NovaBACKUP was never slow, its results slipped consistently into the mid-table when stacked up with almost twenty other backup tools.

Its best results came when working with our Excel folder and our selection of mixed media files – it returned averages of four minutes and eighteen minutes respectively. Both of those numbers crept into the top half of our results tables.

Nova averaged sixteen minutes with our folder of documents, and seven minutes with our media files.

None of those results are slow, but lots of other apps are quicker – tools like Acronis Cyber Protect, EaseUS ToDo Backup and Macrium Reflect are notable options that easily outpace NovaBACKUP.

Support

(Image credit: NovaBACKUP)

Instead of taking the lead in the results tables, NovaBACKUP makes a big deal of its support offering – and rightly so.

You can submit support tickets, call a phone line that’s open between 9 am and 5 pm, and consult an extensive knowledge base. You can schedule appointments with the support team, dive into a forum, watch webinars, and get setup assistance depending on the product you’ve purchased.

Competition

NovaBACKUP jumps ahead of rivals like EaseUS Todo Backup and Macrium Reflect when it comes to support and sits alongside other enterprise-level offerings from products like Acronis Cyber Protect.

Verdict

Indeed, it’s probably the pricing that restricts NovaBACKUP’s appeal. While this is a fantastic tool for any business that wants to take backup seriously, especially if you want to build a bespoke package or protect servers, it’s probably overkill for home and small business users.

It’s got every feature you could possibly need, though, alongside excellent support options – there’s no doubt it earns its keep. And while it’s not the fastest, that is moot if you’re backing up to servers, network or cloud destinations.

NovaBACKUP is an excellent preservation option for businesses – expensive, sure, but you get what you pay for.

Despite ongoing interest surrounding artificial intelligence technologies embedded into work environments, UK businesses are still prioritizing hiring workers with basic technical skills.

New research by Indeed found only 2.6% of job postings in the UK mentioned AI skills, with basic skills like Microsoft Office and generic IT expertise coming up more frequently.

According to the report, the most common technical skills sought by UK employers include generic IT skills (10%), Microsoft Office (6%) and Microsoft Excel (5%). Moreover, demand for basic IT skills has remained pretty consistent over the past five years, both in the UK and in other markets like the US.

UK businesses need basic IT skills more than AI

Besides tech skills, Indeed found that UK employers are also prioritizing human skills like communication (30%), leadership (9%) and organization (7%).

Moreover, Indeed’s research into the current state of the UK jobs market tackles ongoing concern that AI could replace human workers. The analysis of over 2,800 work skills found that two-thirds (68.7%) are ‘very unlikely’ or ‘unlikely’ to be replaced by generative AI.

“While AI and other advanced technologies are likely to shape the future labour market, the current reality is that many employers are simply seeking workers with basic computer skills," commented Indeed Senior Economist Jack Kennedy.

“While AI may eventually necessitate a broad upskilling across the workforce to embrace advanced technologies, there remains a more pressing concern around closing basic digital skills gaps and allowing everyone to fully engage with work in the digital age.”

This is despite Britain’s Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer’s ambitions to make the UK a global AI hub.

Despite the Prime Minister’s efforts, the current jobs market suggests businesses are not yet aligned with the vision, with employers still seeking fundamental tech skills and human competencies.

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Just a day ago we saw detailed renders of the Google Pixel 9a, and now the same source is back with a list of colors that the phone might be available in.

According to Android Headlines, the Pixel 9a will be sold in Porcelain (off-white), Obsidian (black), Peony (pink), and Iris (bluish-purple) shades. You can already get the Pixel 8a in Porcelain and Obsidian, but that phone is additionally available in Aloe (green) and Bay (blue) colors – two shades that will reportedly be ditched for the upcoming model.

However, the standard Google Pixel 9 is available in Peony, too, so it’s only Iris that would be particularly new.

Taller, wider, and slimmer

The Pixel 6a, Pixel 7a, and Pixel 8a (left to right) (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Aside from colors, this latest leak also includes dimensions, with the Google Pixel 9a apparently being 154 x 73 x 8.5mm. For comparison, the Google Pixel 8a is 152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9, so that would make the upcoming model slightly taller and wider but thinner.

Android Headlines notes, however, that this dimension change could mean a smaller battery, especially as the camera reportedly sits almost flush with the back of the phone – meaning more of the internal space might be taken up with camera components than on the Pixel 8a.

That camera design – which you can see in supposedly leaked images of the Pixel 9a – represents a major design change, and one that would see it stand out from the rest of the Pixel 9 line, and indeed the Pixel 8a, for better or worse.

Beyond the possible design and colors, we don’t know much about the Pixel 9a yet, although it’s likely to have a Tensor G4 chipset, like the other Pixel 9 models. For everything else, we expect we’ll learn more through leaks and rumors in the months preceding its launch, which, based on past form, will probably happen in May.

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Intel’s Arrow Lake processors will hit the shelves in three weeks, if the latest from the rumor mill is correct.

VideoCardz cites multiple sources who have told the tech site Intel’s intended launch schedule for the next-gen desktop CPUs, backed up by a well-known hardware leaker on X, namely @wnxod (as flagged by Tom’s Hardware).

The theory is that Intel has a prelaunch press briefing set up for October 7, the start of next week, and then the reveal of Arrow Lake (Core Ultra 200) processors follows on October 10. After that, the on-sale date is set for October 24, or so we’re told.

Intel’s Z890 motherboards – premium efforts which will cost a pretty penny in the case of high-end boards, equipped with the new socket for Arrow Lake, LGA 1851 – will also be revealed at the same time.

In other words, you’ll need one of these new motherboards to use an Arrow Lake processor – they won’t fit in the existing socket for current 700 series motherboards for Intel chips (LGA 1700).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: Matching with existing rumors – to a point

We haven’t got long to wait, then, until we witness the official reveal of Intel’s Arrow Lake processors, complete with Team Blue’s internal benchmarking no doubt, next week on October 10 as mentioned.

At least if all this is correct, and note that this purported reveal date of October 10 chimes with what we’ve heard previously, giving it a bit more weight. That said, past chatter indicated this would be followed by the Core Ultra 200 chips hitting shelves on October 17. Apparently this has now been delayed a week (or the former info was wrong), but it’s hardly unusual to have a two week gap between the unveiling of CPUs and the processors going on sale.

Of course, we say the previous info may have been incorrect, but we need to take this new rumor with seasoning too (let’s face it – the new dates could be entirely off the mark for all we know). However, with multiple sources seeming to converge on the new dates, they seem a fair enough bet.

Initially, Intel will only launch ‘K’ models for the Core Ultra 200 family, headed up by the flagship Core Ultra 9 285K – those are CPUs which are unlocked, and so can be overclocked by PC enthusiasts. Vanilla non-K chips, which have their clock speeds locked so they can’t be juiced up in this way, are expected to follow in Q1 of 2025 (and we recently caught a telling glimpse of the performance of the Core Ultra 9 285).

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Opening a high-yield savings account today allows you to maximize your earnings before rates fall even more.

The anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel takes place during the Jewish High Holy Days. It's a time of ending things that need to be ended in order begin things that need to be begun.

(Image credit: Jason DeRose)

Coastal cities often bear the brunt of hurricanes. But as Hurricane Helene showed, extreme rainfall can be life-threatening hundreds of miles away.

(Image credit: Melissa Sue Gerrits)

Vice presidential candidates are unlikely to make a fundamental difference in this election, but there were some takeaways from an interesting night.

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla)

The cloud services market is increasingly driven by customers with highly focused IT requirements. For instance, organizations want solutions built to address a variety of edge and distributed computing use cases and, as a result, they are no longer prepared to accept homogenous technologies that fall short of their requirements.

This is an understandable perspective. While cloud computing has become a compelling option for those with centralized business functions, it has proved less beneficial for organizations reliant on remote infrastructure. Processing and protecting data at the edge is a case in point, with some implementing cloud-first strategies without onsite support. The downside here is that mission-critical, remote applications can suffer from performance and reliability issues, with the knock-on effect that cloud contracts become costly and inefficient.

Difficult challenges

In these circumstances, organizations often choose to resume onsite IT infrastructure implementation and support themselves. On the plus side, this can deliver the high levels of reliability and performance they need, but at the same time, it resurrects some significant challenges the outsourced cloud model was intended to address. This includes the associated costs of implementing hardware, power, and cooling systems at each remote location – and, in some cases, if there is even room to house the technology required at the edge.

These issues aside, administration and maintenance costs can become prohibitive, irrespective of whether it’s a small organization running one remote site or an enterprise operating dozens. The availability of localized expertise can also be a major challenge, particularly for organizations operating specialized systems where fully-trained staff are essential. Even with these requirements all in place, most remote sites will still need some level of cloud or corporate data center connectivity. IT teams must also decide which data should be stored at the edge, in the cloud, or in their data center.

Organizations that find themselves in this situation can easily end up reliant on a complex and incoherent strategy when what they actually need is a cost-effective approach with the agility to meet their bespoke edge needs. In the past 12 months in particular, this has grown to an even greater issue with the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom. After announcing a raft of updates to product bundles and new subscription costs, not to mention the axing of several existing VMware partner agreements, the changes have left many customers feeling lost at sea.

The path forward

For organizations operating in sectors such as retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and utilities, all of these difficulties will be all too familiar. These businesses rely on access to real-time data to inform their decision-making, adhere to performance standards, and maintain the efficiency of supply chains.

At the same time, the range and complexity of edge applications is increasing enormously. From patient health monitoring devices, and smart shelves and self-checkout in retail, to digital twins used in manufacturing locations, these innovations are creating huge datasets and putting even more pressure on existing data centers and cloud computing services.

To address these issues, businesses are looking to digital transformation and AI analytics technologies to drive the performance improvements they need. For example, the data being generated at these edge sites is becoming so time-sensitive that the AI systems need to be deployed locally so that decision-making keeps pace with operational requirements.

The problem is that there just isn’t time to send all the data to a cloud for AI processing, so the answer is to efficiently implement more of this functionality at the edge. This is contributing to a major surge in edge investment, with research from IDC indicating that worldwide spending on edge computing is expected to reach $232 billion in 2024, an increase of 15% compared to 2023, with that figure rising to nearly $350 billion by 2027.

A streamlined approach

In practical terms, organizations are addressing these objectives by implementing a full-stack HCI (hyperconverged infrastructure) at the edge as part of a cloud strategy. HCI consolidates computing, networking, and storage resources into a single, streamlined data center architecture.

In contrast to legacy approaches that rely on specialist hardware and software for each designated function, using virtualization reduces server requirements without impacting performance, providing a solution equivalent to enterprise-class infrastructure. By running applications and storing data at each remote site, this approach also benefits from cloud and data center connectivity according to need. This can be achieved without the hardware architecture and implementation challenges associated with traditional edge technologies.

Of particular benefit is that today’s HCI solutions are designed with the limitations of smaller remote sites in mind. This includes features that simplify the process of connecting edge technologies to cloud services and corporate data centers. The most effective HCI solutions can deliver these capabilities with just two servers and do so without compromising availability or performance, with failover taking place in as little as thirty seconds – a capability that preserves data integrity and keeps operations running. This can be achieved while also offering the associated cost benefits of reduced hardware spend.

For organizations with limited space in their remote sites, HCI reduces the physical footprint required to install hardware. They also consume less power, and don’t require as much cooling, spare parts, or on-site maintenance when compared to traditional technologies.

This is all possible because of the inherent simplicity built into modern HCI systems, where the elimination of complexity also enables easy remote set-up and management. In fact, HCI installations can be managed by IT generalists instead of requiring dedicated experts, with systems usually deployed in under an hour, avoiding disruption to day-to-day operations and getting new sites or applications up and running quickly and effectively.

Given the growing reliance on edge computing, many organizations are also likely to see their needs increase over time. HCI systems can accommodate these scaling requirements, enabling users to meet changes in demand without delay or the need for complex reconfiguration exercises.

On a day-to-day basis, centralized management tools allow administrators to remotely manage and secure all edge sites from a single console. Then, the system automatically balances and allocates resources for computing and storage in real-time, optimizing hardware resources for maximum efficiency – avoiding unnecessary and costly overprovisioning.

Put all of this together and organisations that rely on effective edge infrastructure now have a proven alternative to inefficient legacy solutions. As a result, it’s now possible to create a win-win edge strategy that delivers the benefits of powerful remote computing with the value and flexibility that only cloud computing can offer.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Wahoo Trackr: One minute review

The Wahoo Trackr heart rate monitor chest strap comes from a company known for working with Team GB athletes. As such this is a professional-grade bit of kit which now offers a rechargeable battery, making it more accessible for everyone than the last generation Tickr.

From running and cycling to fitness classes, athletics - and beyond - the Trackr makes for a super accurate way to get the most clear heart rate data. Since most metrics on smartwatches are now extrapolations from heart rate data, it pays to have the most accurate start point and this is what the Trackr is all about.

Sadly, it does lack the oxygen sensing capabilities of the more modern wrist-worn smartwatches, so data like SpO2 is lacking. For this, you'll need a separate bit of kit in the form of a muscle oxygen sensor.

The Wahoo Trackr is compatible with the company's own Wahoo app suite and plenty of popular third-party fitness apps including Cardio Mapper, Endomondo, and Runtastic. It also works with both ANT+ and up to three Bluetooth connections at once making it highly compatible in terms of hardware.

When it comes to battery life, this model goes for a solid 100 hours on a charge. This model is rechargeable (unlike the other Wahoo heart rate monitors before it) and the supplied USB 3.0 cable packs an LED to show charge status at a glance.

In terms of water use, it's not for swimming with just an IPX7 rating. That's not the best and means it's rated for a depth of one meter for 30 minutes, so it's not designed as a swim tracker and doesn't have onboard memory to make that a feature.

Overall this is one of the most convenient and compatible heart rate monitors that's also comfortable and super accurate - making it clear why this is used by professional athletes.

Wahoo Trackr: Price and release date

• Available to buy now in the US, UK, and Australia
• Priced at $89.99 / £79.99 / AU$149.95 RRP

The Wahoo Trackr launched on June 25 and is available across the globe. It launched with a price of $89.99 in the US, £79.99 in the UK and $149.95 in Australia.

The Trackr is a more affordable option than the other top-end options from the competition in the likes of Garmin and Polar. You can buy the Trackr directly from Wahoo or on sites like Amazon.

Wahoo Trackr (Image credit: Future) Wahoo Trackr: Design

• Comfortable to wear
• Small strap length
• Simple design

The Wahoo Trackr unit itself is pretty standard in terms of shape and size, although it is definitely one of the lighter options at 39g including the strap. As such it feels like it's barely there and you won't need to worry about it moving around due to its minimal weight.

The Trackr comes in one size with a strap that extends between 68cm and 91cm (27 inches to 36 inches) which sounds like plenty when you consider Wahoo says this works for up to 50-inch chest sizes. The reality felt quite different though as it was a snug fit even on a 42-inch chest.

Wahoo Trackr (Image credit: Future)

The straps feature skin-sensitive materials that work to detect your heart rate, without the need to wet them or do anything before getting started. There is a clasp system to attach the strap around your chest which is very easy to use and allows for quick adjusting as needed to find the right fit.

The fact that this model features LED lights for status and charging feedback is a really useful addition. As is that magnetic charging port, which makes it very easy to attach to the cable and get charged up.

The unit is IPX7 rated for water making it splash and sweatproof. Technically it's capable of withstanding being submerged in water at one meter depth for up to half an hour, but since it doesn't store data this won't work for swimming unless perhaps you have your phone poolside – although I didn't test that as the device isn't sold as a swim tracker.

Crucially, the Trackr is comfortable, if a little snug, and you won't notice it once you get going. That's the key, isn't it? So unless you specifically want this for water-based tracking there is very little to complain about.

• Design rating: 4/5

Wahoo Trackr (Image credit: Future) Wahoo Trackr: App and features

• App is simple but effective
• No swim tracking
• Lots of third-party app compatibility

The Wahoo Trackr comes with its own app which offers some useful tracking metrics, with some helpful heart rate-specific screens. Of course, you can do this with your training app of choice, so it might seem a little redundant. But for anyone new to this who wants to use the dedicated Wahoo app then it makes sense to have that available.

As mentioned, the Trackr requires an app to work, but it will also pair with a smartwatch. So it's possible to go out without a smartphone and still track all data associated with GPS while getting the chest strap level of accuracy. Usefully, the watch can then store that data so you have it uploaded on your apps of choice when you get back to a connection.

The readouts on the Wahoo app are decent with nice big display data and the ability to pull in more from other hardware. So you could use this with a power monitor, for example, and that will also be displayed in the Wahoo apps. In the case of cycling that can be great for a connected bike and various data monitors all working at once. This is where that ability to use ANT+ and three Bluetooth connections at once comes in handy.

Wahoo Trackr (Image credit: Future)

The LED lights are helpful when charging to get your status, but are even more helpful when connecting to see what the device is doing – as well as getting a battery level update. That said, it connects quickly and easily and is always pairing-ready when you clip in and strap on, so the lights are more for to indicate isn't going as planned. I didn't have that issue as this connected first time with many devices.

Features are few, to be honest, but that's not a bad thing. This is a very smart and accurate heart rate monitor that doesn't try to reach beyond its core task, but rather focuses on doing that to the best possible ability – and in my testing across running, cycling, and HITT, it achieved this.

• Features & app rating: 3.5/5

Wahoo Trackr (Image credit: Future) Wahoo Trackr: Performance

• Super accurate
• Easy to setup and use
• Wide connectivity

Thanks to this HRM's electrocardiography (ECG) heart-rate sensor, you can expect a 99.6% accuracy as standard. While wrist-worn light-based monitors are better than ever, they're still reliant on less accurate input – making all the data extrapolated from that, using algorithms, less accurate too. In that way, this is a very powerful heart rate monitor that's superb for anyone that wants a greater level of accuracy.

All that said, when out running with the Garmin Forerunner 965 and the Trackr connected to an iPhone 15 Pro Max, the compared data was very similar. As heart rate changed, on a hill climb, for example, the chest strap stayed with me accurately and the watch took a little longer to adapt. As the run went on and averages were more detailed that became less varied between the two – but the watch did still have some lag behind the Trackr.

When glancing in a race situation or training hard where you can only spare less than a second to use the energy to crane your neck and move your wrist, the chest strap reliability and responsiveness were really welcome.

Wahoo Trackr (Image credit: Future)

The results were not quite so similar when it came to faster runs – the chest strap really stood out as better here. On doing a fast 5K race with both of these units on, it was clear that the optical Garmin sensor was not as good. It had my heart rate never topping zone three, even though I was all-out and set a PB. The chest strap, on the other hand, was far more accurate, detecting zone four at the back end of the race and my zone five kick-up at the finish. Perhaps this is due to arm movement while going at speed, and sweating, but whatever the reason this put the chest strap into a league of its own.

So, if you're looking to accurately track high-speed, sweaty running, or HIIT classes, then a chest strap is a must and this model makes it easy to set up, monitor, and use with whatever app or device you want. I now run with the Garmin as my display but use the Trackr as the HRM, disabling the optical sensor on the watch in favor of the chest strap's accuracy.

Wahoo Trackr (Image credit: Future) Wahoo Trackr: Buy it if...

You're serious about heart rate training
A chest strap detects changes to your heart rate more quickly than a watch, which makes it a more accurate tool if you're training by heart rate zones.

You hate having to charge your fitness tracker
The Wahoo Trackr’s battery is rechargeable meaning you get a decent 100 hours of use and can then quickly charge back up, rather than faffing about with battery replacements.

Wahoo Trackr: Don’t buy it if…

You like to see your data presented to you in real-time
The Wahoo Trackr must be paired with a device to view the read-out. A phone can be awkward to view while running so you'll need a watch too. Although for cycling, with a mount, that doesn't apply.

You want ultimate ease
If accuracy isn't so important then a wrist-based sensor may be enough for you, with no need to put on the chest strap before you go out to exercise.

Also consider

Garmin HRM-Pro (£119 / US$129.99 / AU$159.00)

Designed for multi-sport use, the HRM-Pro is the most advanced heart rate strap Garmin produces. It’s also one of the most expensive options available. With the ability to connect to multiple devices via Bluetooth and ANT+, capture insights into your running form, and store workout data to its internal memory, the Garmin HRM-Pro has everything you need from a heart rate monitor strap. Although it’s probably of greater interest to those who already own Garmin products.

Read our full MyZone Garmin HRM-Pro review

MyZone MZ-Switch (£139.50 / $159.95 / AU$209.99.)

The MyZone MZ-Switch isn’t just a chest strap. The center sensor node features an ECG monitor as well as an optical sensor and pops out so it can be worn on the wrist like a smartwatch, your arm or even your swimming goggles, giving you the best of both worlds. And, when used in chest strap mode, the MZ-Switch’s accuracy compares with that of the Garmin HRM-Pro. A great alternative if you want to mix it up a bit.

Read our full MyZone MZ-Switch review

Kenwood has just revealed a pair of new mixers designed for small kitchens, which are as powerful as many full-sized appliances but take up far less of your valuable cupboard or countertop space.

The Kenwood Go Stand Mixer is priced at £249.99 (about $330 / AU$480) and stands just 30cm tall, allowing you to tuck it into a pan drawer or stash it more easily on a shelf. For comparison, the classic Kenwood kMix stand mixer is 35cm high, and the KitchenAid Classic Tilt-Head stand mixer requires 36cm headroom.

Unlike many compact mixers, which are mostly plastic, the Kenwood Go Stand Mixer has a metal body, giving it a more premium feel, and has beginner-friendly controls positioned front and center. There's even a carry handle on the top so you won't struggle to move it around your kitchen (a problem I know all to well).

The Kenwood QuickMix Go is a hand mixer that packs away in a case the size of a lunchbox (Image credit: Kenwood) Mobile mixing, no mess

If you're not baking loaves and big batches of cupcakes, the Kenwood QuickMix Go might be a better fit. This handheld mixer packs down into a case that resembles a lunchbox, which you can tuck between your cookbooks when it's not in use.

The case holds the mixer body, plus beaters, kneaders, and a measuring spoon. If you've ever made a mess by accidentally ejecting your mixer's beaters in the middle of preparing something, you'll be pleased to know that the QuickMix Go has a release button on the front to prevent that from happening again. There's also a slow start-up to prevent batter and cream from being flicked across the room and five mixing speeds to choose from.

The Kenwood QuickMix Go is available now for £39.99 (about $50 / AU$80), and like all appliances in Kenwood's Go range, the pair of new mixers come in two colors: storm blue and clay red.

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Since launching in 2014, the world’s premier EV racing series has made huge technological leaps and gained hundreds of millions of fans. But CEO Jeff Dodds won’t rest until every new car is electric.

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It is no surprise that digital transformation remains a top priority for business leaders in 2024. New technology is rapidly changing the business landscape, there is a heightened demand from workforces for hybrid and remote working, and legacy systems are increasingly at risk of falling victim to sophisticated cyber-attacks. Companies are also getting to grips with how best to adopt Artificial intelligence (AI). Not to mention coping with current customer expectations for a seamless customer experience delivered across multiple digital channels.

Yet, while the reasons for digital transformation are clear, the route to success is often less obvious. It is a huge undertaking – and one that can incur considerable costs – requiring far more than simply updating old technology or migrating processes to the Cloud. Despite this, there is still a prevailing attitude that transformation should be approached from a purely technological standpoint, which is part of the reason why as many as 70% of transformation projects fail.

For most companies, the digital transformation journey can be made a lot smoother by embracing the human element behind the process. Companies must recognize the unique needs, motivations, and behaviors of their employees, customers, and other stakeholders, if they are to succeed.

For those seeking a partner that can help guide them through the process, it is important to look beyond the technology here as well. Additional considerations such as shared values, chemistry, and effective communication all become paramount given the length of time digital transformation takes to complete.

People drive change

The starting point for digital transformation should always be people. Whether that is customers, partners, or employees – or a combination of all three – any updates made to IT infrastructure should be led by the benefits it will provide to users. Clear goals link to business outcomes and the needs of the users should be put in place first, with technology acting as the means to achieve those goals.

This, of course, necessitates research before embarking on the digital transformation journey. By engaging in direct conversations with users and leveraging data analytics, businesses can gain a better understanding of the pain points and inefficiencies in their current technology and where their efforts should be focussed.

These insights can then guide businesses through the process, helping set clearer company goals and inform more strategic decisions while benefitting users. Taking a human-led approach can also prevent businesses from falling victim to the common mistakes and pitfalls that other organizations may succumb to; providing more assurance that the time and money spent on the project will not be wasted.

Find the right transformation partner

While some larger organizations may have the resources needed to manage digital transformation in-house, in many cases it makes sense to seek support from a digital transformation partner. By finding people who can take the time to get to know your business, they can help define the strategy, identify the best technology, and put together a roadmap that leads to the desired outcomes. To ensure success, however, it is critically important to find the right partner who is prepared to understand how digital transformation will help both your business and your users.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here either. Some will be better suited to certain businesses or industries, there will be budget considerations, and both parties will need to be aligned on the deliverables. It is important to remember that a digital transformation partner is more than just a technology vendor though and once again, a key consideration needs to be people and what they can achieve through technology.

There are many companies that offer digital transformation support, including some of the world’s largest consultancy firms. But to ensure the transformation process is set up for success, a methodical approach should be taken when choosing a partner.

These four key considerations can help to determine the best transformation partner for your organization:

1. Focus on the outcome: Before starting the journey, you need to clearly define what you want to achieve through digital transformation. Determine the problems you are trying to solve and how technology can help, then work backwards to outline the smaller goals that can get you there. Knowing what you want to achieve, and how you will work towards it, will be crucial when finding the right partner to get you there.

2. Focus on the people: Transformation is an ongoing process and the importance of finding people you are happy to work with cannot be understated. The technology is, of course, important, but this is an undertaking that will likely go on for years. Therefore, it is essential you find a partner that is committed to your transformation, communicates effectively and, ultimately, you have good chemistry with.

3. Look at change management skills: A successful transformation will mean major changes for your organization, which in turn requires change management. When assessing potential partners, it is important to look at their approach towards change management and determine if it matches your own.

4. Experience, expertise and budget: These are fairly common considerations for any partnership and are no less important here. Review potential partners’ previous experience to see if it aligns with what you need, look at where their expertise lies and the technologies they offer and ensure they are within your budget.

Digital solutions with real world outcomes

Digital transformation is a necessary yet complex endeavor requiring a holistic approach that goes beyond mere technology upgrades. It is, of course, a technical process, but success will be far easier to achieve if goals are set with users in mind.

The same people-first mentality should be applied by those looking for a digital transformation partner. Organizations need to find a partner that not only possess the required technological expertise, but also has the personnel that understands their business and is aligned on goals, values and culture.

Though the transformation process will undoubtedly be challenging, with many pitfalls along the way, prioritizing the human element will help pave the way to success; helping businesses to remain competitive and relevant in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

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