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You're missing out if you have never used Alexa to assist you with laundry.

Apple is about to launch the brand new iPhone 16 at its “Glowtime” event on September 9, and it’s made me wonder what it could do to win me back. When the Google Pixel 9 range came out I switched to a Google Pixel 9 Pro. Having been an iPhone user all my life I was nervous about dipping my toes in the Android waters, but I can report that the temperature is lovely, come on in! Full disclaimer: my previous iPhone was pretty old, so it was long overdue an upgrade, meaning that the bar was set very low, but thankfully the Pixel 9 Pro easily cleared it, and then some. 

To be honest, after reading our Pixel 9 Pro review, I was just curious to find out what a Google Pixel phone would be like, and it became readily apparent that for everyday use, there’s very little that separates a Google Pixel 9 from a new iPhone. Sure, they use different hardware, the haptic feedback is slightly different, and have different camera specs, but for everyday use, it’s the experience of using the phone that matters most. Once you understand that you’re using the Play Store to download apps, not the App Store, life kind of carries on as normal for an ex-iPhone user. Pixel phones have face recognition for unlocking the phone, so there's no change there for an iPhone user, but they also fingerprint recognition when it needs more security for payments. 

All the apps I used on my iPhone, like Facebook, Threads, X, Instagram, Slack, Gmail, YouTube, etc, are available on the Pixel 9 Pro, and they all work in exactly the same way. The basic gestures for using the phone are similar enough, and my AirPods Pro work with an Android phone just fine. I can even keep my Apple Music subscription and Google Pay works just like Apple Pay in shops. Even my banking apps look and feel the same.

(Image credit: Google) Apple Intelligence vs Gemini

There is one area where Google and Apple have the chance to differentiate themselves however, and that’s with artificial intelligence. Google has beaten Apple to the punch by getting its AI assistant, called Gemini, to market first, but at the moment I’d describe the Gemini execution as somewhat clunky.

You can tell your Pixel 9 to use Gemini instead of Google Assistant, but there are still some things that Gemini can’t do, so it pulls in help from Google Assistant anyway, and it sometimes feels like they’re fighting each other for ownership of the phone.

When I say “Hey Google, launch Gemini”, Google Assistant tells me it can’t find Gemini on the phone and then starts to tell me about the Project Gemini spaceflight missions! The only way to get to Gemini Live (the part where you talk to your phone and it talks back to you like a human) is by launching Gemini and then touching the Gemini Live button on the phone. It feels counterintuitive to have to touch the phone to get to the part where you talk to the phone... But the lack of deep integration goes further - you can’t start timers from inside Gemini Live right now, for instance, and a lot of the features that Google showed off at the launch event, like searching in your Gmail inbox using Gemini Live, require extensions that haven’t launched yet. Basically, a lot of Gemini Live is ‘coming soon’. Plus, you have to pay for it. You get a year's free trial with a new Pixel 9 phone, but after the year is up it’s going to cost you $20 a month (£18.99, AU$30) to be a Gemini Advanced subscriber via a Google One AI Premium Plan, which does come with some nice extras, like 2TB of storage space.

So, it looks like Apple has a chance to use Apple Intelligence to better Gemini when it launches the iPhone 16 range. Unfortunately, it’s not like Apple is about to knock Gemini out of the park with Apple Intelligence. At launch, it’s looking like the iPhone 16 lineup, which comes with iOS 18, won’t have any Apple Intelligence features at all. We have to wait for them to arrive in iOS 18.1 when it launches in October (hopefully), then we have to wait until early 2025 for the full Siri 2.0 experience. 

It used to be the case that I’d compare phones in two ways, firstly on specs like processor, memory, and camera, but then consider the operating system and apps, and how they would fit in with my current workflow. These days I’m finding the line between iOS and Android operating systems has blurred enough that they feel interchangeable, so now it’s down to who nails AI. There is one exception to the spec comparison though, and that’s RAM. RAM is integral to how well AI performs on a smartphone, so I’ll be interested to see how much RAM Apple packs into the iPhone 16 range on September 9, and then we’ll know if Apple can win me back.

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Ransomware operates primarily by encrypting files on the victim’s infected system, rendering them inaccessible to the user. The attacker then demands a ransom, often payable in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

A recent survey from Zscaler [PDF] shows that there has been a huge surge in ransomware activities and this year is projected to be a record year for ransom payments.

Ransomware typically affects organizations that rely on immediate access to critical data, such as hospitals and municipal agencies.

Why the surge in ransomware activities?

This surge is largely attributed to a strategy known as "big game hunting," where cybercriminals target fewer but more significant entities, extracting much larger sums than before. The largest ransom ever recorded is a staggering $75 million payment made to a ransomware group called Dark Angels by a Fortune 50 company.

Victims of ransomware attacks often face a difficult decision of whether to pay the ransom to regain access, or risk permanent data loss. If the ransom is not paid, attackers may threaten to destroy or leak sensitive data publicly. While paying a ransom may seem like the quickest way to recover data, it is generally discouraged as it perpetuates the cycle of cybercrime.

Many organizations opt to negotiate with attackers through third-party incident responders or cyber insurance firms, often using cryptocurrency for payments. However, paying does not guarantee recovery, and there is always a risk of future attacks or data exposure.

Also, normalizing the payment of ransoms leads to an exponential increase of the ransom demand. Just last year, most attackers demanded less than $200,000 but by June of this year, the average ransom demand had increased to approximately $1.5 million.

Refusing to pay a ransom sends a message against the profitability of cybercrime. However, organizations must be prepared for the potential fallout, including the possibility of data leaks. Experts recommend contacting cybersecurity professionals to assess the situation and determine the best course of action, including evaluating backup options and the potential impact of data exposure.

“Recently, ransomware has become the greatest cyber threat to organizations. It keeps spreading and targeting various businesses, from hospitals to oil pipelines, to capitalize on the fear of operation disruption and data loss,” says Vakaris Noreika, head of product for NordStellar. “To pay or not to pay a ransom is the hardest question companies struck by cyber extortion must answer as they face the prospect of permanently losing access to their information.”

“Companies that agree to pay a ransom shouldn‘t be victim-blamed as they surely went through a big moral dilemma, and surrendering to threat actors must have been the last resort to restore their business and protect their client's reputation,” Vakaris Noreika added

However, organizations can mitigate ransomware attacks by implementing a couple of cybersecurity measures.

One of the most fundamental steps is to use antivirus software and firewalls to protect every device and network within the organization. This helps prevent malware infections that can lead to ransomware attacks.

Additionally, it is crucial to keep all systems up-to-date with the latest software patches and updates, as cybercriminals often exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated software. Employee training is another critical component of a comprehensive ransomware defense strategy. By educating staff on how to recognize and avoid phishing attempts, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access to their systems and networks.

Regular backups of important data are also essential, ensuring that organizations can restore their systems and data in the event of an attack. Encryption is another powerful tool in the fight against ransomware. By encrypting sensitive information, organizations can protect their data from unauthorized access, even if it is stolen during an attack.

Finally, in the unfortunate event of a ransomware attack, organizations must cooperate with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts. By reporting the incident and sharing information, organizations can help authorities track down and prosecute the perpetrators, while also receiving guidance on how to mitigate the damage and prevent future attacks.

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A few months back, TCL announced the details of its next flagship mini-LED TV – and I've just had the first chance to see it in action at the IFA 2024 show, and it really is a stunner.

It's available in 85-inch and 98-inch sizes, and both were on display. Even without worrying about the price (which I have to assume will be high) it's clear that I won't be getting either of these giant TVs to fit in my modest living room, but it makes me excited to see the tech inside them coming to TCL's regular TV range… though also proved to be a reminder of just how good the company's current TVs are.

The X11H is capable of 6,500 nits of brightness according to TCL, and bear in mind that around 3,000 nits is most you get from the more standard-priced mini-LED TVs that appear in our guide to the best TVs – and that's still for the more premium ones.

Super-high brightness isn't really a benefit if all the light is leaking from bright areas into dark areas, so the X11H has over 10,000 dimming zones in the 85-inch model, and over 14,000 in the 98-inch model.

Seeing this combination of brightness and light control in action is pretty mesmerizing. Colors are so intense without falling over the line to over-saturation, and the the dark parts of the screen were inky black with no obvious bleeding from the light areas at all.

(Image credit: Future)

Now, a trade show floor isn't the best place to get a look at the nuances of light control, I readily admit, so I'd love to get the TV in our dark testing room, but I was still impressed at the level of contrast I saw there, because TCL's demo footage wasn't afraid to lean into having small bold areas surrounding by darkness.

Still, I kind of assumed the level of contrast would be good, so the colors were the element that really jumped out at me. The thing about ultra-bright TVs isn't that they don't necessarily make HDR movies any better – in fact, with these very bright TVs, we always recommend using Movie or Filmmaker modes that usually drop the brightness, because it tends to help with accuracy.

But big brightness and big colors are fantastic for recreating the real world, which is a very bright place. It's fantastic watching sports matches or nature documentaries filmed in ultra-detailed 4K on a screen with brightness that makes them look closer to real life – the advantage of the brightness is the flexibility, rather than wanting everything to be bright by default.

(Image credit: Future)

However, I mentioned before that something I picked up on is the comparison to TCL highest-end TV for regular people in Europe this year: the TCL C855. I could see the X11H and the C855 right next to each other at 85 inches, and while that comparison showed what the extra tech of the X11H can do, what I took away even more strongly is just how good the C855 is – not a surprise if you've read our glowing TCL C855 review.

(Being a European trade show, the US-focused TCL QM851G wasn't on show to compare with.)

The 85-inch C855's handling of local dimming didn't seem meaningfully different from the X11H's – the C855 does still have over 2,000 dimming zones, after all.

TCL has a great demo of what a different backlighting technology makes to the LEDs that underlie the picture, to add nuance to the images. (Image credit: Future)

I could see a much clearer jump in color strength on the X11H from the C855, thanks largely to the extra brightness most likely, but even then it kind of served as a reminder that the C855 still looked fantastic and is likely to be a fraction of the price of the X11H – especially since the C855 will drop in price over time, and the X11H won't arrive until later. Plus… well, the C855 is available in more realistic sizes for most people.

As with most high-end AV tech, there's definitely a case of diminishing returns as you spend more and more, but the X11H still made a really strong case for what you get from taking TV tech to the extreme.

We gave the TCL X11H one of our Best of IFA 2024 awards, thanks to this beautiful demonstration of color and contrast – take a look at our other favorite tech from the show too.

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Morel Biggie: Two-minute review

The Morel Biggie is the smaller sibling of Morel’s Högtalare (Swedish for speaker) – and is ironically named, given its compact size. But don’t let that fool you, because sonically it packs a punch.

It oozes class thanks to its superb engineering, evident from the perfectly planned surfaces on every side. It’s hard to imagine it looking out of place in any home, especially given the myriad colorways available. But home is where you’ll want to keep the Biggie, because even though Morel describes it as a portable speaker, it’s still too big and heavy to be carried around easily.

True to form, the Biggie’s feature set is similarly spartan, even for a Bluetooth-only speaker. One for our best Bluetooth speakers buying guide? Well, there’s no app to control or alter its settings, which is a pretty big omission and one the bulk of the competition (even at much lower price-points) does offer in 2024. There are five buttons for operation, but the only additional interface feature is the battery level indicator. And this is poorly implemented, requiring you to hold both volume buttons to reveal the level via the LEDs of all five buttons, which is far from precise.

As for audio features, the biggie (sorry) is Auracast compatibility, which allows you to join Auracast audio streams, designed for broadcasting to an unlimited number of playback devices. You can also use two Biggies in unison for stereo playback, although I was unable to test this feature as I was only given one unit to review.

The Biggie makes a strong impression on first listen, bellowing out the bass notes and creating a sense of space that rivals some of the best Bluetooth speakers out there. Mids and highs are mostly clear and detailed, but there are too many occasions when that low-end dominates the sonic space, masking the subtleties of other frequencies.

Morel’s dynamic EQ also fails to achieve its goal of optimizing the listening experience depending on volume, and the lack of hi-res codec support means there’s no way to improve the audio further.

Battery life is also average, and during my tests it failed to live up to its claimed 20 hours, ending up closer to 16. Fast charging is available, though, which means going from empty to full takes just two hours and only 20 minutes to get four hours of playback.

As for price, the Biggie is undeniably costly, and it seems most of your money is going towards the superlative build quality. The lack of features could be forgiven if the sound was truly exceptional, but it fails to deliver on that front too.

If it’s features you’re after, Sonos’s range of speakers, including the Sonos Roam 2 and Sonos Era 100, offer a ton of options and customizations plus wi-fi support, and cost less than the Biggie. If you want a standout sonic performer, the Audio Pro C20 is one of the best in that department.

(Image credit: Future) Morel Biggie review: Price & release date

• $299 / £299 / $AU499
• Multiple colorways
• Available worldwide

The Morel Biggie is available now for $299 / £299 / $AU499. It comes in several colorways, ranging from monotones and oak to shades of blue, green, and red. The faux leather strap is either black or brown, depending on the colorway.

It sits towards the higher end of the market, making it more expensive than the Sonos Era 100, our current pick as the best wireless speaker. It is considerably cheaper than the Era 300, though, which is slightly bigger than the Biggie, and features Dolby Atmos support plus multi-room audio using your home wi-fi network, among other technologies.

There are also cheaper alternatives that offer better portability, such as the Sonos Roam 2, our number one pick overall for Bluetooth speakers, and the B&O Beosound A1 Gen 2, which we think is the best for sound quality.

Morel Biggie review: specs

(Image credit: Future) Morel Biggie review: Features

• Bluetooth and 3.5mm AUX playback
• Stereo playback possible
• No app

In terms of functionality, the Biggie is about as simple as wireless speakers get. There are only five buttons on the Biggie: one for power, two for volume, one for pairing, and one for switching between wired or wireless connections. On the back is a single USB-C port for charging the speaker, which can also be used for charging a phone (although this didn’t work with my Google Pixel 7a). The port doesn’t allow for wired playback, though – there’s a 3.5mm AUX input for that.

There’s also very little in the way of audio enhancements, with no support for Dolby Atmos, Spatial Audio, and hi-res codecs like aptX. It is Auracast compatible, which lets you join audio broadcasts that can potentially reach an unlimited number of playback devices. You can use two units together in stereo, but as I only had one test unit, I couldn’t try this out.

There’s only one way to use the Biggie wirelessly and that’s via Bluetooth. While it paired instantly with a FiiO M11S music player, it struggled to connect to my Pixel 7a. It remained stuck in pairing on the first attempt, and on the second it paired but failed to establish a connection, with the Biggie’s pairing button flashing interminably. After pressing the mode select button twice it connected successfully. Of course, minor glitches like this can occur when pairing devices, but I’ve never had an issue pairing the latest audio devices with my phone before, and it’s a blemish on a speaker of this price.

To check the battery level, you have to hold both volume buttons for two seconds. The lights of all five buttons indicate the battery's remaining charge, making for an imprecise measurement – and since there’s no app, it’s the only option. Again, it’s an oversight on a modern-day premium wireless speaker to have no mobile app of any kind.

(Image credit: Future)

There are other issues with the battery indicator too. When I tried checking the level on a full charge, all five buttons flashed very quickly and faintly, which seemed like a glitch of some kind. Also, when holding the two volume buttons together they’re obscured, so when the battery is between 21-40% or 10-20% – which is when only the volume buttons will light – you can’t see the readout until you’ve taken your fingers away. Suffice to say, it’s not the most elegant solution – ironic given it’s designed to preserve the Biggie’s minimalist design.

Morel claims the battery will last up to 20 hours, which is reasonable for a wireless speaker. Things didn’t get off to a good start during my tests, though: after only one hour of continuous playback, it dropped to four lights, indicating a level of between 61-80% (I believe it was closer to the latter figure).

However, for the next five and a half hours of playback, it remained at this level before dropping to about 60%, so thankfully the battery’s rate of depletion didn’t follow its initial trajectory. Extrapolating beyond this figure, though, the Biggie still falls short of its purported lifespan: realistically, it’s closer to 16 hours.

• Features score: 2/5

(Image credit: Future) Morel Biggie review: Sound quality

• Full and rich sound
• Excessive boom
• No hi-res codec support

Given the compact size of the Biggie, the bass sounds are surprisingly full and powerful, with plenty of punch. Highs are crisp and mids are clear for the most part. What’s most impressive is the sense of space the Biggie imparts, doing an admirable job of rendering the kind of experience you’d expect from a much larger speaker.

However, the Biggie is all too prone to excessive amounts of boom, even with the volume low; the so-called dynamic EQ fails to keep the sound in check at all levels as is claimed, and it’s unable to rein in mild distortion at higher levels. The speaker is definitely best experienced at a distance, but even then, that boominess all too often masks the finer details, especially in classical and other string-heavy music.

It’s also a shame that a speaker aiming for the premium end of the market only supports lossy SBC and ACC codecs, losing out on the higher fidelity offered by LDAC, aptX (which the larger Högtalare supports), and others. Using a wired connection via the 3.5mm AUX input doesn’t improve matters either, sounding near-identical to its wireless counterpart.

The volume controls don’t offer enough increments, with the lowest possible setting still too loud and boomy for more discreet listening. They also frequently clash with the volume controls on playback devices, with one overriding the other. A dedicated app could’ve kept volume levels consistent between speaker and source. It could’ve also offered an adjustable EQ for those who like to dial in their preferred settings.

• Sound quality score: 3/5

Morel Biggie review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Brilliant build quality
• Ultra-minimalist
• Weight compromises portability

It’s clear the Biggie is going for the sleek, ultra-minimalist look, with a hint of tradition courtesy of the large faux leather handle – which, together with the strap locks, serves to imitate a pair of headphones, a design choice I have to believe was intentional.

The overall engineering of the Biggie is impeccable, even down to the included USB-C cable. Every edge and fixture is solid and seamless, although the fitting of the back panel in my test model wasn’t quite perfect. Still, it was more than acceptable and barely a cause for complaint.

Every side of the Biggie is completely flat, making it easy to fit anywhere in your home. The four rubber feet are thick and sturdy, keeping the Biggie firmly planted. However, despite Morel claiming it to be a portable speaker, it’s too cumbersome and heavy to take on your travels. Really, this is an indoor speaker meant to be kept in place.

The aforementioned strap can be removed if you want to streamline the Biggie even more, simply by unscrewing the side clamps. There’s an optional wall mount available from Morel, should you wish to declutter your space even more.

The magnetic cloth grill is incredibly slick and, again, feels engineered to the highest standards. A small yet sturdy leather tab can be used to pull the panel off, although it's a little surplus to requirements, more of a style accessory than anything else. The fit and finish of the panel are faultless, and it's an incredibly elegant solution to masking the buttons that sit behind, invisible until the LEDs shine through once powered on.

But despite the quality of the grill, I do worry that the thin cloth will degrade after repeated button presses through it. After only a few days with the Biggie, I began to notice a crease running up the cloth from repeated compressions against the large button panel.

Another issue is that you can’t see the power button when it’s off. Muscle memory will take hold quite quickly, but it’s still a quirky design choice to hide it from view completely and illustrates just how committed Morel is to the Biggie’s minimal aesthetic.

True to the rest of the speaker, the Biggie’s buttons are solid yet light to the touch, with a pleasing clack to the presses. Their fit isn’t quite as perfect as other aspects of the Biggie’s overall construction, but I’m nitpicking here; they’re certainly up to the standards you would expect from a speaker of this price.

• Design score: 3.5/5

Morel Biggie review: Value

At $299 / £299 / AU$499, there’s no denying the Biggie is an expensive wireless speaker. It’s more expensive than the Sonos Era 100, our number one pick for the best wireless speaker, which has more features and the brand’s unique ability to create a network of speakers for a complete home setup.

If you’re looking for a more portable experience, then our current pick for the best Bluetooth speaker, the Sonos Roam 2, is cheaper than the Biggie and fits in your luggage nicely thanks to its pill-like shape. It also has an IP67 waterproof rating, making it ideal for travel. Overall, it’s a more versatile performer than the Biggie.

Other similarly premium speakers include the Bose SoundLink Max, which is sturdy and portable but $100 more than the Biggie. Being a hardy, go-anywhere speaker, though, it’s also got an IP67 rating, and a battery life that actually lasts the 20 hours it claims, according to our tests.

Should I buy the Morel Biggie?

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

You adore minimalism
If you want zero fuss in your speaker, then look no further than the Biggie. It’s as clean as they come and fits in virtually any space in any home.

You want a sense of space
For such a small unit, the Biggie impresses with its all-encompassing soundscapes. The low-end response is also powerful.

Don't buy it if...

You want the best sound
The Biggie gets boomy all too easily, and the lack of any hi-res codec support is a real shame on a speaker this premium.

You want plenty of features
There are no extras on the Biggie: you get Bluetooth and wired playback, and a few buttons for control. There’s no app or settings to adjust.

You want portability
Despite what Morel says, you’ll struggle to carry the Biggie around comfortably. There are plenty of Bluetooth speakers out there that are much better suited for this purpose.

Morel Biggie review: Also consider

Sonos Era 100
The Sonos Era 100 is at the top of our wireless speaker list for a reason – and that is stellar sound that’s improved even over its sibling, the Sonos One, including better bass tones and a wider broadcast for optimal listening across a larger area. It also undercuts the Biggie on price.
Find out more in our Sonos Era 100 review

Tribit Stormbox Micro 2
If you’re after something more budget-friendly, the Tribit is one of the best Bluetooth speakers around. The sound quality belies its tiny size and it comes packed with features, including a power bank function, a built-in strap that can fit on your bike, and a microphone.
Read our full Tribit Stormbox Micro 2 review

How I tested the Morel Biggie

I tested the Morel Biggie for about a week and tried it with a variety of playback sources, including my phone, a laptop and a music player. I tested both its Bluetooth and wired capabilities.

I mainly listened to music via Tidal, a streaming service that allows for hi-res playback, although this wasn’t applicable in the Biggie’s case, reverting to the SBC/ AAC formats instead. I used TechRadar’s specialized playlist, designed to put audio devices through their paces with a comprehensive mix of genres and sonic styles, ranging from pop and electronic dance, to jazz and classical across multiple eras.

I tested the battery by letting the Biggie run continuously for six hours and took readings about every hour. Since there’s no volume readout, I can’t say exactly what levels I had set but suffice to say, I would describe my sessions as being comfortably loud.

First reviewed: September 2024

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