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If period cramps and pain are keeping you awake at night, try these simple tips for relief and shut-eye.

Civil rights lawyers say many migrant detainees in Florida's "Alligator Alcatraz" are being barred from meeting regularly with attorneys and are being held in dangerous conditions.

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The Peacocks continue their build up to the new Premier League season with a friendly clash in Dublin against the Italian giants.

• HoverAir Aqua is the world’s first waterproof self-flying camera
• Records video at 4K 100fps from a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor
• Weighs less than 249g

I think the camera drone market is about to undergo a sea change (pun very much intended), thanks to the upcoming HoverAir Aqua from Zero Zero Robotics. Teased on the company’s website, this small, life jacket-orange quadcopter is the first truly surprising flyer I’ve seen in ages.

As a product reviewer, I’ve tested dozens of drones over the past decade or so, and while they’ve got better and better in terms of flying ability, battery life and camera performance, it’s not often that a new announcement introduces me to something completely unforeseen.

The Aqua does that, by being the first water-native drone for the masses. Most drones need to be flown very carefully around bodies of water, as the reflective surface can fox their safety sensors and result in a dunk into the drink. And none of the previous drones I’ve reviewed are even built for flying on a rainy day, let alone landing in a lake.

Not so the HoverAir Aqua. Built to be fully waterproof, it launches from and lands on the water. In fact, it appears to be designed specifically for capturing water sports like kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and wind surfing, following its subject automatically much like Zero Zero’s previous drones, the self-flying HoverAir X1 and HoverAir X1 Pro.

To aid it in that goal, it comes with level 7 wind resistance and a top speed of 55kmph / 34mph, which should give it the capabilities to keep pace with some pretty rapid forms of water-borne transport. The rest of the Aqua’s specifications and features remain under wraps for now, but with the drone now officially confirmed more details should be emerging soon.

Wave of the future

The HoverAir Aqua is built to capture water-based activities, but we don't yet know how suitable it will be for "standard" land-based use (Image credit: ZeroZero Robotics)

While the HoverAir Aqua sounds like a more niche, specialist product than the HoverAir X1 or, say, the DJI Mini 4 Pro, we don’t yet know how useful it might be for land-based launching.

The fact that it’s shaking things up and taking camera drones in a new direction makes it, for me, one of the most exciting drones I’ve seen in recent years. As someone who lives on the coast, the idea of flying a drone right down on the water rather than keeping it a safe distance away is very appealing.

I should add that the Aqua is not the only innovative drone coming this year, with Antigravity’s 360 camera-equipped debut model also due for launch. But it’s quickly risen to the top of the list of upcoming (or rumored to be upcoming) drones I’m most exciting to take for a test flight.

If nothing else, it’ll give me the perfect excuse to finally get out on that stand-up paddle board that’s been gathering dust in my spare bedroom. And maybe it’s time to finally pull the trigger on buying that wetsuit?

Just when the drone market was in danger of getting a little stale, Zero Zero Robotics has given things a bright orange shot in the arm. I’ll be eagerly scanning the horizon for the next round of details on the HoverAir Aqua, so make sure to check back for more news soon.

You might also like

• DJI's first 360 drone could land sooner than expected to take on Insta360's Antigravity debut – here's what to expect
• Will DJI drones be banned in the US? DJI says the clock is ticking – and it urgently needs its fans to help
• The best drones to buy in 2025, based on in-depth testing

The Perseids meteor shower is the most popular one of the year. The meteors during this time are characterized by bright fireballs and long "wakes," the streak of light and color that follow behind.

(Image credit: Preston Dyches)

Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: two-minute review

The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is best summed up as ‘it does the job’. It’s not a standout speaker. It doesn’t offer anything exceptional above the competition, but it is very cheap, easy to track down, and very low-maintenance. Audiophiles will still complain about the lack of 360-degree sound (despite the specs) and when you crank up the volume, the audio quality definitely dips.

However, it’s much, much cheaper than the best Bluetooth speakers and it has the strength of being IPX7 waterproof and very robust, so it competes against the best waterproof speakers on that front. I accidentally dropped it a few times and it’s always fine and eager to work once more. It’s easy to carry in one hand, too, thanks to its strap.

The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus has a handful of attractive buttons for volume, Bluetooth connectivity, and RGB lighting – all the kind of size that’s perfect for tapping while in the pool. There’s only a couple of RGB lighting settings and the app doesn’t support different color schemes, but it does the job. Yup, there’s that phrase again.

Costing $39.99 / £32 / AU$65 (approx.), it's a good price for a simple speaker. There are better options available for slightly more, but not much that you can find for less. If you just need something a little disposable to take on your hike or vacation, the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus will keep you happy enough.

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: price and release date

• $39.99 / £32 / AU$65 (approx.)
• Launched in June 2025

The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus was released in June 2025 at a $39.99 / £32 / AU$65 (approx.) price point and is available to buy in the US, UK, EU, and Australia. It’s already discounted at some third-party retailers, with the speaker dropping as low as £23.99 in the UK.

As with all of Tribit’s speaker range, it’s pretty cheap. Competitors at about the same price include the JBL Go 4, but it only offers IPX67 waterproofing, while the JBL Clip 5 is pricier with the superior audio quality to match.

For the most part, at this aggressive price, you’ll be more likely to find unfamiliar brands.

Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: specs

Weight

545g

Dimensions

118.9 x 90.9 x 90.9 mm (HWD)

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4 (SBC, AAC codecs), AUX-in, USB-C (charging)

Battery life

12 hours (quoted)

Speaker drivers

48mm

Waterproofing

IPX7

Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: features

• IPX7 waterproofing
• RGB lights
• 12-hour battery life

Small yet robust, the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is designed to be that speaker you take wherever you’re headed. It has IPX7 waterproofing so it’ll happily sit in the pool without issue. Accidentally, I dropped it from about 5ft onto concrete and, again, all good here. The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is built to last.

The battery life is a fine-if-unremarkable 12 hours, and you should expect a full recharge to take about 2.5 hours. More would be nice but it’s not the end of the world, especially at this price. Bluetooth 5.4 means dropouts aren’t going to happen and there’s a comparatively rare AUX port if you need it. Support for SBC and AAC codecs are convenient, too.

The Tribit app isn’t the most exciting to look at but it has a simple Equalizer, so you can tweak sound how you like it. This is far from an audio powerhouse (more on that and its mediocre 360-degree sound in a moment) but being able to adjust things is always useful.

I rather liked the RGB lighting. It’s not too in your face and the two presets both look nice without overcomplicating matters. It’s all a nice checklist of the essentials and everything is suitably speedy to get using. Nothing is too complicated.

• Features score: 3.5/5

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: sound quality

• Less-than-encompassing 360-degree sound
• 48mm drivers
• Fine at low volumes

The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus’ principal weakness is its audio quality, which is quite an unfortunate drawback for a speaker. The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is fine-if-unremarkable at low volumes, but crank it up, and the issues become noticeable. Bass is weak and the general sound is pretty muffled. This is a small and cheap speaker so does all that matter? Only you know the answer to that.

For me, listening to podcasts was fine as I had no intention on maxing out the volume. Similarly, listening to some relaxing Chet Baker and other jazz worked fine. Moving over to the more bass-heavy Muse is where I realized the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus sounded weaker and more underwhelming. The soundstage is quite weak, too, with 360-degree sound appearing to be more of a buzz term than something that is actually noticeable.

Adjusting the equalizer helps a little but it still doesn’t solve the high-volume issue. Keep it low, though, and you won’t have many complaints at this price point.

• Sound quality score: 3/5

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: design

• Tactile, chunky buttons
• Clear design
• Grab strap

The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus has a fairly typical design for a portable speaker and it works well for it. Along its side are chunky, tactile buttons for volume and playback, while the back contains smaller buttons for power, Bluetooth, and lighting.

The latter controls aren’t as tactile for those with visual impairments but they’re reasonably divided up so you won’t mis-tap easily. Underneath that lineup are the covered AUX and power ports. Everything works smoothly which should be an obvious one but, well, not always.

At the top is the lighting, while there’s also an easy-to-grab strap that is the perfect size for most hands. If you want to change up the EQ, you’ll need to use the aforementioned Tribit app, which is simple and offers five presets, as well as the ability to manually tweak matters.

There are less weighty speakers around but the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is nevertheless pretty light. I found no issue with carrying it around, placing it on a countertop or even leaving it lying on my bed while napping. The plastic exterior is robust but not harsh to hold.

• Design score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: value

• Cheaper than most of the competition
• Robust design
• Ideal for a summer’s fun

The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is cheaper than most of the competition. For a little more, you could buy the JBL Clip 5 or the Soundcore 3 but there are pros and cons here. The former costs a fair amount more, but boasts much better audio quality. The latter is about the same price but not as portable-looking.

As always, there’s a trade-off here, and I certainly appreciated the form factor of the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus more than a standard speaker.

• Value score: 4/5

(Image credit: Future / Jennifer Allen)Should I buy the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

All the essentials are here, from an app to neat lights, and reasonable battery life.

3.5/5

Sound quality

The weakest element, doesn’t lend itself to high volumes, but it could be worse.

3/5

Design

Portable with tactile buttons and an easy-to-grab strap, with few complaints.

4/5

Value

Well-priced, and feels like the speaker for your summer.

4/5

Buy it if...

You want a speaker for a season
I’m no fan of waste but if you just need a temporary solution rather than a long-term fix, the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus does the job. I’m thinking you can take it on vacation and not worry if you run out of storage space on the way back.

You want something robust
I’m clumsy and the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus was fine with me. It’ll last a few falls and clashes without any issue, which is great for a rugged lifestyle.

You’re on a budget
The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus is cheap and already discounted. It’s perfect if you can’t justify spending too much on a portable speaker.

Don't buy it if...

You’re an audiophile
This is a budget-priced speaker. This isn’t a surprise that punches above its weight so it won’t delight audiophiles by any means. Give it a miss.

You need great battery life
The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus offers reasonable battery life but it’s nothing spectacular. If you need to be away from a power source for a while, this may not suit the bill.

You love music loud
The Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus sounds poorer the louder it gets. If you love your music loud, you’ll have an inferior experience to those keeping it low.

Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: also consider

Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus

JBL Clip 5

Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2

Price

$39.99 / £32 / AU$65 (approx.)

$79.95 / £59.99 / AU$89.95

$69 / £49 / AU$129

Weight

545g

285g

225g

Dimensions

90.9 x 90.9 x 118.9 mm

86 x 134.5 x 46 mm

90 x 90 x 74mm

Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.4 (SBC, AAC codecs), AUX-in, USB-C (charging)

Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C (charging)

Bluetooth 5.1, AUX, USB-C (charging)

Battery life

12 hours (quoted

Up to 12 hours

22 hours (quoted)

Speaker drivers

48mm

Integrated class D digital amplifiers x 1

45mm

Waterproofing

IPX7

IP67

IPX7

JBL Clip 5
Better audio quality, and more portable but a little pricier, the JBL offers great bass and detail. It’s perfect if you want superior sound quality, but it has a IP67 rating rather than IPX7. It won’t stand on its base like the Tribit option, either. Read our full JBL Clip 5 review

Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2
Teeny if a little soulless, the Nokia lacks a great soundstage but up close, it’s pretty crisp. It also has much better battery life and it’s small enough to easily toss into your bag.
Read our full Nokia Portable Wireless Speaker 2

Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus review: how I tested

• Tested over 10 days
• Used with Spotify and Apple Music
• 15 years' audio equipment reviewing experience

I used the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus a lot to entertain me while sick in bed. That meant a lot of podcasts through Spotify and Apple Music, and plenty of chill music via Spotify. As my health improved, it lived on my desk and was paired up with my PC so I could listen to YouTube and Twitch streams.

I also sometimes used the Tribit Stormbox Mini Plus while outdoors, seeing how it faced up against the British summer, and occasional drops on concrete. Basically, it took over as my main listening device for those 10 days to see how it performed.

• First reviewed: August 2025
• Read more about how we test

In the hills of southeastern Turkey lies a site so ancient, it's turning our understanding of civilization on its head and leading to conspiracy theories.

(Image credit: Mustafa Hatipoglu)

• GPT-4o is coming back for ChatGPT Plus users
• There have been plenty of complaints about GPT-5
• OpenAI is looking at ways to improve the new model

When OpenAI rolled out its shiny new GPT-5 model for ChatGPT earlier this week, the plan was to have it replace all of the older models for both free and paying users – but now GPT-4o is being brought back in response to a significant number of user complaints.

"We for sure underestimated how much some of the things that people like in GPT-4o matter to them, even if GPT-5 performs better in most ways," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on social media, after announcing GPT-4o would be sticking around.

However, it's not clear just how long the GPT-4o reprieve will be for, and it's only going to remain available for those on the $20-per-month ChatGPT Plus plan. "We will watch usage as we think about how long to offer legacy models for," Altman said.

There were other updates from Altman as well: GPT-5 rate limits are being doubled for ChatGPT Plus users, and some behind-the-scenes upgrades are making GPT-5 "smarter" too, as the latest model continues to roll out to everyone.

'An overworked secretary'

GPT-5 rollout updates:*We are going to double GPT-5 rate limits for ChatGPT Plus users as we finish rollout.*We will let Plus users choose to continue to use 4o. We will watch usage as we think about how long to offer legacy models for.*GPT-5 will seem smarter starting…August 8, 2025

As we reported yesterday, the response to GPT-5 from a lot of users has been pretty brutal. It's been labeled "horrible", "insufficient", "obnoxious", "atrocious", like "an overworked secretary", and worse than GPT-4o – with tighter restrictions on how much it can be used.

People aren't happy about GPT-5 either giving shorter responses than previous models, or throwing up multiple responses that the user then has to choose between. If you're using AI to try and save time, it's not ideal.

At least OpenAI is listening to its userbase, with the reintroduction of GPT-4o, though you may not see it immediately in the model picker if you've been upgraded to GPT-5. "Users have very different opinions on the relative strength of GPT-4o vs GPT-5," admits Altman.

The OpenAI CEO also says his team are looking at more ways to provide different personalities and customizations within the same model for users. Watch this space for further tweaks to GPT-5 going forward.

You might also like

• The OpenAI GPT-5 launch as it happened
• 3 cool features you can try with GPT-5 for free
• Putting the new GPT-5 model to the test

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(Image credit: Heinz-Peter Bader)

Garmin Venu X1: One-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

When you think of the best Garmin watches, you think of thick, G-Shock-style rugged adventure watches, not a sleek full-screen bezelless smartwatch that sits slim on your wrist. The Garmin Venu X1 bucks the trend, offering a complete redesign, and it’s fun to get to grips with the Garmin experience in what feels like a whole new way.

Personally, I loved it. I’ll discuss the design and display, which of Garmin’s usual suite of metrics and features it gets, and how it performs, in detail below, but it’s an eminently usable watch that has very quickly become a fixture in my usual rotation. The slender nature of the watch and curved stainless-steel backing hugs the wrist and makes it comfortable, and that gorgeous full-color AMOLED display is perfect for viewing maps.

The battery life is a concern in comparison to more typical Garmins, however: if you’re used to a two-week battery, the always-on display will crush the Garmin Venu X1’s longevity down to just a few days. However, without the always-on display you’ll get a week (far more than even the best Apple Watch), even with multiple battery-sucking hour-long GPS workouts.

The other slight concern is the redesigned operating system. The list of widgets (or ‘glances’ in Garmin speak) are navigated via a combination of touchscreen and buttons, and have received a Liquid Glass-style facelift to make use of Garmin’s Apple Watch-style screen. However – and to keep the comparison going – sometimes the framerate can lag, and without Garmin’s five-button configuration or an Apple-style digital crown, swiping around can be cumbersome (especially mid-workout). It doesn’t spark joy, to quote Marie Kondo, in the same way that Apple’s form factor does.

Nevertheless, I’ve been wearing the watch for weeks, and I’ve finished my testing, and it’s still on my wrist – and once I’ve finished testing my next watch, I’ll probably strap it back on again. It’s light, it looks good, it’s comfortable, it lasts longer than an Apple Watch (with the latter two factors helping to make it practical to wear overnight for better sleep tracking), and it’s just a damn good watch. I still can’t get over how good full-color maps look on its enormous screen.

Garmin Venu X1: Price and availability

(Image credit: Garmin)

• $799 / £799 / AU$1,399
• One size
• Around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2

The Garmin Venu X1 is available in all regions, priced at $799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499. That’s around the same price as the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is priced at $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

Like the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Garmin Venu X1 comes in just one size, as opposed to most other Garmin watches that are available in multiple sizes. However, the Ultra 2 does have one major feature the Venu X1 doesn’t: LTE support.

LTE support means you can add the Ultra 2 to your phone’s data plan (this usually costs extra), and allows you to make calls, send messages and even stream music directly without being connected to your phone. The Venu X1, despite being in the same premium price bracket as the Ultra 2, doesn’t have this functionality.

Then again, neither do other Garmin watches such as the Garmin Fenix 8, which actually costs more than the Venu X1. The difference between the two is that the Venu X1 is positioned as a smartwatch competitor, rather than an adventure watch.

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Venu X1: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Gorgeous, bright AMOLED display
• Slim profile, highly unusual for Garmins
• Stainless steel curved backing for comfort

The Garmin Venu X1 is slimmer than any other Garmin I’ve yet tried, and I’ve tried a lot. No chunky adventure watch here: Garmin has opted for a practically bezel-less slender watchwith just 7.9mm of thickness. The slim profile combines with the metal backing, which is curved to follow the wrist, for a fit that I found very comfortable, though people with smaller or larger wrists than mine might not find it quite as good a fit.

Most other smartwatches have straight backs, relying on straps to bind their boxy cases to your wrists, which can cause the sensor to dig into your wrist. I found the Garmin Venu X1 very comfortable indeed, more so than the Apple Watch Ultra series.

While the back is cambered, the wide display isn’t curved at all, unlike the Apple Watch Series 10. Instead, it’s completely flat, slightly reducing glanceability in theory, but the screen is big and bright enough that it doesn’t really matter. The display (a 51.2mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display) is among the best I’ve ever seen on a smartwatch.

The velcro strap included with the watch isn’t particularly stylish, but it’s perfectly adequate performance-wise. It’ll need cleaning, as it’s fabric, and it got a bit dirty even during my first month of training.

The only real design flaw I’ve identified after using this watch for a month is Garmin’s operating system, which has had a bit of a facelift to better suit Garmin’s biggest, brightest display. It looks fine, but to navigate it you have to scroll through with two buttons and the touchscreen, as there’s no digital crown and only two buttons, unlike on most of Garmin’s other watches.

This is something that’s always been a problem with the Venu series for me; however, it’s by no means a dealbreaker. Occasionally you’ll need to swipe between screens during a workout, from heart rate and time to maps for example, with the touchscreen – and this can become smeared with sweat and dirt. However, it’s not enough to be a serious problem with the watch; it’s just a minor gripe.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Features

(Image credit: Future)

• Garmin’s top-tier training features
• Full-color offline maps
• LED torch

First up, all of Garmin’s best features, including Morning Report, Training Readiness score, Endurance and Hill scores, Garmin Coach, full-color maps, work brilliantly here, and the watch functions well as a workout companion that’s much lighter than the chunkier Forerunners and Fenixes, making it ideal for runners and swimmers as you’ll practically forget you’re wearing it.

The added comfort and reduced weight are especially beneficial for sleep tracking. The watch is so much more comfortable than watches with thicker profiles, which means it’s easier to wear in bed. You can get all your recovery metrics, such as sleeping heart rate variability and sleep quality, from the watch directly, rather than not wearing it (or even removing it in frustration during the middle of the night because it’s stopping you nodding off, as I’ve done with some chunky watches) and relying on Garmin’s estimations.

That massive display is transformative when viewing complex information such as multiple glances at once, or full-color maps. You can’t use the touchscreen for precision movements such as responsive pinches to zoom in and out, like you would on a phone, but the maps screen is still ideally suited for getting turn-by-turn directions on city walks, or long runs using the Create a Course functionality.

The Garmin Venu X1 offers a generous 32GB of onboard storage for music and GPX maps, and supports offline playback from apps such as Spotify. It’s also packing Garmin’s useful LED torch, with a red mode for wearing at night as a safety light, and three levels of white light. It can be used for anything from finding your way to the bathroom in the dark to signalling for help atop a mountain, perhaps when you’ve taken a wrong turn after a hike.

The torch uses a fair amount of battery, though, so if you’re going to be out overnight you might want to disable the always-on display to conserve power – more on that in a moment.

• Features score: 5/5

Garmin Venu X1: Performance

(Image credit: Michael Sawh)

• Good battery life without always-on display
• Easy to wear
• I enjoyed training in it

I wore the Garmin Venu X1 for around a month, draining the battery completely, charging it multiple times and doing lots of running and resistance training while wearing it. I also competed in a 12K trail-running event, using the Primary Race training tool to fine-tune my plans for the day. I slept with it, took it out on the roads, and wore it during gym and yoga sessions.

I’ve seen some criticisms stating the battery is very bad with always-on display enabled, and they’re right: with this functionality on, you’re only getting a few days of battery life. However, as someone who found the raise-to-wake functionality more than suitable and sensitive enough for my needs, I’m living with the watch just fine. During testing, the battery lasted around a week with multiple GPS workouts, which is pretty much as advertised.

Using it as a running watch, I found that it’s one of the best I’ve tried this year. It’s not as powerful or rugged, or quite as feature-rich, as the Fenix 8, but it’s a much better all-rounder watch. I used the voice command functionality to set kitchen timers and so on, and it’s certainly easier than swiping through the OS. However, it’s not quite as seamless as the Apple Watch’s nigh-on futuristic raise-and-speak functionality, as it still takes a swipe and tap to set up.

As Garmin’s attempt at an Apple Watch, the Venu X1 very nearly succeeds, and it’s a lovely watch to wear and train with in its own right. However, I think that in order to truly succeed both as a training watch and a smartwatch, it needs to leave more of its Garmin trappings behind – among other things, Garmin needs to completely redesign the interface, and enable users to access its voice command feature with one fewer swipe.

• Performance score: 4/5

Scorecard

Category

Comment

Score

Value

A premium watch with premium features, but not outrageous value.

4/5

Design

A beautiful screen with a transformative slim, light chassis.

4.5/5

Features

Garmin’s best features packed into a slender package.

5/5

Performance

A terrific running watch, but not quite the complete smartwatch package, and so-so battery life with always-on display.

4/5

Should I buy?Buy it if...

You’re on Android

This powerful watch is the closest thing to a system-agnostic Apple Watch Ultra 2.

You want comfort

This slender watch is extremely light and comfortable for workouts, sleep tracking and daily wear.

You’re a power user

Are you a serious runner, cyclist, hiker or triathlete? You’ll love this watch.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget

This is not a cheap watch, even by Garmin standards.

You like the traditional Garmin look

There are plenty of Garmin watches with the usual rugged aesthetic to choose from.

You need a two-week battery life

The Garmin Venu X1 lasts anywhere from two to nine days.

Also consider

Component

Garmin Venu X1

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Price

$799.99 / £679.99 / AU$1,499

$799 / £799 / AU$1,399

$649 / £599 / AU$1,299

Dimensions

41 x 46 x 7.9 mm

49 x 41 x 14 (mm)

47.4 x 47.4 x 12.1mm

Weight

41g

61g

60.5g

Case/bezel

Titanium/Polymer

Titanium

Titanium

Display

51.2 mm AMOLED Sapphire Glass display

49mm poly-silicon always-on OLED Retina Display

480 x 480 full-color AMOLED

GPS

GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, Beidou, QZSS

Dual-frequency (unspecified)

Dual-frequency GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo

Battery life

Up to 8 days

36 hours

590mAh, up to 100 hours

Connection

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi

Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi, LTE

Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi

Water resistant

Yes, 5ATM

Yes, WR100 (diveproof)

10ATM + IP68

Apple Watch Ultra 2

The best all-rounder running smartwatch for iPhone users.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 2 review

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

As above, but for Samsung and Android phone users.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra review

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Venu X1 for a month, draining the battery multiple times and testing it against the Apple Watch Ultra 2. I used the Primary Race tool to complete a trail running event, slept with it, showered with it and completed gym, running and a variety of other workouts with it. I used its maps functionality in conjunction with running routes created on Garmin Connect.

This week, ChatGPT got an upgrade, and Tom Holland swung back into action as Spider-Man.

To catch up on all this and more from the world of tech and entertainment, scroll down for our weekly ICYMI round-up. There are some big stories you won't want to miss.

Once you're all up to speed, be sure to also read our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (August 8).

7. Spider-Man swung into action

Filming is officially underway on Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with people flocking to Glasgow to catch glimpses of the web-slinger in action.

We got a sneak peek at the new suit, which looks to pay homage to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's live-action iterations of the character.

We also saw that the flick will involve the first usage of practical webslinging in one of the webslinger's solo MCU movies.

Lastly, we might have gotten a tease of the principal villain of the movie: Mister Negative, as tanks driving through the set are emblazoned with a logo that resembles the Inner Demons logo associated with Negative’s forces.

• Read more: Everything we know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day

6. Samsung leaked its own earbuds

(Image credit: Samsung Panama)

Oh Samsung, you were doing so well! Having seemingly quashed the Evan Blass image leak in July, it looked as if all noted tipsters had been warned and deterred. But then, oopsie, a half-finished product listing with pricing and images goes live – on Samsung’s own Panama site.

Two colors are shown (white and a very dark gray), and the price, in Panama at least, is listed as $129. We’re trying very hard not to make a bad joke about the Panama Ear Canal, but at times like thes,e it really is best to laugh.

The Galaxy Buds 3 FE also appears to have silicone ear tips, but everything else is still guesswork since the product page doesn't include any actual specs or features, which is yet another indication that somebody hit the ‘publish’ button too early.

The Buds 3 FE are the follow-up to the original Buds FE or 'Fan Edition'. That's right, there's no Buds 2 FE, so we really thought Samsung was handling the launch of this potentially confusing iteration with delicacy and care…

• Read more: Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE accidentally went live

5. Sonos announced a price hike

(Image credit: Peter Hoffmann)

This week, Sonos announced that “later this year, we plan to raise prices” in response to US tariffs.

While the company no longer makes most of its products in China – which is currently facing a 30% tariff – it makes its tech in Vietnam and Malaysia, which are facing 20% and 19% tariffs, respectively (based on rates as of the time of writing on August 7).

Precisely how much of a cost increase the actual speakers will see is yet to be announced, and we don’t yet know exactly when the price hike will come either, but unless things change, it looks like a price hike is coming – so you might want to buy a Sonos speaker sooner rather than later.

• Read more: Get your Sonos speakers at current 'low' prices while you can

4. Harman Kardon took on Sonos

(Image credit: Future)

Audio Advice Live is a US-based consumer audio and video show held annually in Raleigh, North Carolina, and at this year’s event, which ran from August 1-3, 2025, we had the opportunity to check out Harman Kardon’s forthcoming Enchant series soundbars and wireless speakers.

The big news about the Enchant series is that it carries many of the same great features found in Sonos soundbars and speakers, including multi-room playback and app-based control. But the Enchant soundbars go beyond popular Sonos models, such as the Sonos Arc Ultra, in offering both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, along with an HDMI pass-through input for connecting an external device like an Xbox Series X or PS5 console.

Is the Enchant series primed to topple Sonos? We won’t know that until we get our hands on a system for review, but if Harman Kardon can nail the app part of the equation – a recent pain point for Sonos and its customer base – it could provide a compelling alternative to the Sonos multi-room ecosystem.

• Read more: Harman Kardon’s new Dolby Atmos soundbar is like a Sonos Arc Ultra

3. The Z Flip 7 was tortured

Since their launch, we, like many other testers, have been putting the new Samsung foldables through their paces. But some testers take things to an extreme when it comes to judging durability.

JerryRigEverything seriously put Samsung’s new foldable through its paces with a test that involved setting fire to the phone screens, bathing the gadget in dirt, and attempting to scratch every surface with a knife – before trying to snap the phone in half.

Somehow, the Z Flip 7 survived, but it just goes to show that foldables aren’t as flimsy as they once were.

• Read more: Watch the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 go through a torturous durability test

2. Microsoft teased the future of Windows

(Image credit: 2p2play / Shutterstock / Microsoft)

A Microsoft exec shared his vision of Windows in 2030, making the rather bold claim that we’ll not be using keyboards and mice to interact with our computers by then, but rather using our voice and AI. We’ve heard this before (remember when virtual assistants like Cortana [RIP] were going to do everything for us with simple voice commands?), and I’m not convinced.

I don’t want to be speaking to my computer when I’m alone, let alone in a busy place or office, and there’s a reason we still use keyboards, mice, and trackpads decades after these peripherals were created: they remain the fastest and most convenient way to interact with our computers for a lot of people.

• Read more: 'The computer will be able to see what we see, hear what we hear, and we can talk to it'

1. ChatGPT-5 launched

(Image credit: OpenAI)

After hyping up its creation for the past couple of weeks, even saying it scared them, Sam Altman and OpenAI finally unveiled GPT-5 – the latest version of the digital brain which powers ChatGPT.

As expected, GPT-5 is said to be better than its predecessor, apparently being more reliable than before – being more honest with gaps in its knowledge rather than lying, or hallucinating, as it’s called for AI – and it’s also meant to be better at maths and coding, making it a more useful vibe coding partner.

Not everyone is happy, however. Many users have taken to social media to call the new bot “horrible” as ChatGPT now only gives shorter answers with less personality, and the prompt cap seems lower, too.

It might not do much to make affected users feel better about the situation, but OpenAI did at least warn of just this ahead of GPT-5’s launch: teasing “probable hiccups and capacity crunches,” as Sam Altman put it.

• Read more: 5 things you need to know about OpenAI’s ‘most useful’ model yet

The GL.iNet Slate 7 is precisely what I wanted on paper for a travel router, and it still has the potential to be something great. This travel router beautifully blends speed, security, and compact simplicity all in one device. It has dual 2.5GbE ports, a built-in VPN, a touchscreen for ease of navigating the onboard UI, and it is all easily powered by USB-C while barely pulling any power.

Portable routers have gained popularity over the years due to increased cybersecurity awareness, the rise of remote work, and the growing number of devices people carry with them. Portable routers can be helpful for quickly connecting devices, sharing files between devices, providing a layer of security between a public network and your devices, and much more.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )GL.iNet Slate 7: Pricing and Availability

You can grab a GL.iNet Slate 7 for $134.91, currently on sale from $149 on Gl-inet.com. You can also find these via online retailers including Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Since this device does not have an internal battery, consider purchasing a portable charger to make this travel router even more mobile.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )GL.iNet Slate 7: Unboxing & first impressions

When I unboxed this portable travel router, I was surprised by its compact size. The solid, matte-black casing helped keep this light, weighing in at just under 300 grams altogether. The front panel features a touchscreen, which is excellent for changing settings, though I am concerned that it may be a tad too convenient and may share information that I want to keep private.

Regardless of your opinion on this shape, the functionality and performance of this unit are also quite impressive. It's easy to connect devices, with two 2.5 GbE ports, a USB-A port, and a USB-C port on the back, making physical connections a breeze. This is especially true since the device can power over USB-C, which is the single most popular cable in recent history. When connecting devices via Wi-Fi, they are snappy, have a decent range, especially for a small and portable unit, and are easy to use.

As mentioned previously, if you plan on traveling frequently with this unit, it's worth considering a portable power station or a long USB-C cable. This way, you can position it where you want it while still being able to plug into the nearest outlet.

GL.iNet Slate 7: Design & Build Quality

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Specs

Wi‑Fi: 2.4 GHz (up to 688 Mbps), 5 GHz
Ethernet: Dual 2.5 GbE (configurable WAN/LAN)
VPN: WireGuard ~540 Mbps, OpenVPN ~100 Mbps
CPU/RAM: Qualcomm quad-core 1.1 GHz, 1 GB DDR4, 512 MB NAND
Power: USB‑C PD support (5–12 V), ~6–8 W draw

The GL.iNet Slate 7 is very sleek. It looks like what Batman would carry if he were in IT and needed a travel pocket router. The industrial design is compact and well-finished, allowing for the antenna to be folded when not in use. The back houses all the ports, including the PD power input, dual 2.5GbE ports, and a USB-A 3.0 port. The front features a touchscreen that displays pages side by side, allowing you to view all the features and settings of the Slate 7. That's where a significant potential flaw arises with this unit. In theory, anyone could grab this, or view it from a distance, and know precisely what your SSID is, or worse.

Outside of that, though, the design on this unit is super sharp. I love that it can compactly collapse, and I appreciate the overall footprint. This is small enough that it can live in my backpack without taking up much space at all, helping me forget I even have it.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )GL.iNet Slate 7: In use

I've used this router for various purposes during my testing. I've taken it to a coffee shop to have all my devices connect (automatically. I've also taken it on a quick trip to a family cabin and into normal working areas.

In the coffee shop scenarios, I quickly and easily unpack the router and place it to the side, running it off my Anker Power Bank. Next, I pulled out my iPhone, and through the companion app, I was able to join the coffee shop's network with my Slate. Then, my Slate put out my personal Wi-Fi, which all of my devices are already connected to. Additionally, I enabled a VPN through OpenVPN using Primes Lab that allowed me to connect back through my secure home office network. Now, when I pulled out my laptop, iPad, and my iPhone, I was able to see everything on my home network, all while knowing I am secure and protected thanks to Primes and my GL.iNet portable router. Having this router also means that my devices automatically connect to a network they recognize, giving me even more reason to have a portable router like this.

On trips, I rely heavily on this portable router to make connecting all of my devices, my wife's devices, my kids' devices, and more a breeze. Stopping at a hotel is now a snap to reconnect any devices we may need, whether for work or play. Additionally, the ability to press one button and loop back to my home network, all from a tiny box, is invaluable.

As I mentioned briefly above, one potentially significant issue with this is that there are too many ways to accidentally reveal more information than I'd want anyone to know in a coffee shop or lobby through the touch screen. That could be fixed with a patch in the future, as it's a simple software ordeal, but I also understand what they were going for.

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Minimalist and Sleek

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ease of use

Easy to use for what it is

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Practicality

Practical for the right user

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Price

Fairly priced

⭐⭐⭐⭐

GL.iNet Slate 7: Final verdict

The GL.iNet Slate 7 has become an essential device whenever I work outside of a known network. It helps me stay safe while traveling and working, or traveling and staying connected, even if all I'm linking to is PLEX and Netflix.

I wish there were a slight software patch to hide network settings from the screen. For more power users, individuals will want to know that this device has true Wi-Fi 7 with a 6GHz channel. However, for my use cases, the 5GHz channel has been plenty.

Wednesday season 2 is back with a bang, and even though we have to wait until September for part 2, we're off to an excellent start.

Part one of season 2 is made up of four episodes, so it was crucial to keep audiences engaged and make sure they'd come back for the final installment. Considering Wednesday has been renewed for season 3, the pressure is on, but I personally can't wait for this show to keep going.

When we catch up with Wednesday after a two-year break, the gloomy teenager is returning to Nevermore as summer has come to an end. But while her peers were all partying and having fun, Wednesday spent her summer break pursuing a serial killer, very on brand for her.

Upon returning to Nevermore, a lot has changed. Following Gwendoline Christie's departure as Principal Weems, we've got a new head of school in the form of Steve Buscemi's Principal Dort, a dorky yet suspicious character who is keen to secure funding for the school.

He's not the only new addition to the cast, either. Joanna Lumley joins to play Morticia's estranged mother, Hester, expanding the beloved Addams Family and providing more family drama, something season one was seriously lacking.

I was thrilled that the family takes center stage this time, with Wednesday's brother, Pugsley, joining Nevermore, and her parents, Morticia and Gomez, sticking around to help with a gala. Having them around is a delight and you can expect laughs, macabre delights, and some cringeworthy moments because yes, Morticia and Gomez are sickeningly loved up this season.

The Nevermore students are back, too, of course, and we're reunited with familiar faces like Enid Sinclair, Bianca Barclay, Ajax Petropolus, and Eugene Ottinger.

It's not long before more drama ensues, of course, as Wednesday attempts to track down her stalker, deal with her psychic abilities, and figure out why a murder of crows is well, murdering people. There's never a quiet day for Wednesday.

While the main plot focuses on the crows and who (or what) is controlling them to kill people, we do have several subplots going on. Wednesday gets a vision of Enid's death, Enid is caught in a love triangle, Pugsley accidentally creates a zombie, and more.

I will admit, not all of these are attention-grabbing and do slow the pacing down in places, but the main plot is enough to keep you invested. I was also very enamored by the zombie character, named Slurp, who provided laughs and scares in abundance.

Steve Buscemi's new principal is a shady figure. (Image credit: Netflix)

We're only halfway through, but so far, I can confidently say this has been a good season and there's real potential to expand on things across the next four episodes.

I'm hoping we get to learn more about the family and their buried secrets, some of which have been referenced early in season 2. Without spoiling anything, there's plenty for fans to look forward to on that front, and Addams Family drama can rival any reality TV show.

Will Wednesday season 2 continue to impress when it returns on September 3? Until then, why not check out 4 more spooky Netflix shows with over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes to watch next?

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