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NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, August 3 (game #518)

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 09:00
Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, August 2 (game #517).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #518) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

Today's NYT Strands theme is… "Sorry, didn't catch that"

NYT Strands today (game #518) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

  • TROLL
  • STROBE
  • FORT
  • ROOF
  • TURF
  • STOP
NYT Strands today (game #518) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #518) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 6th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #518) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #518, are…

  • MUFF
  • WHIFF
  • ERROR
  • FAULT
  • FUMBLE
  • BOBBLE
  • BLOOPER
  • SPANGRAM: SPORTS GOOF
  • My rating: Hard
  • My score: 2 hints

I hated this game. None of these words meant anything to me and my first three game words gave me nothing to steer me in the right direction – I got the first two thanks to the double-Fs and from there took some hints.

In the end it didn’t matter, as my knowledge of sports doesn’t extend to the SPORTS GOOF, but I got the general idea.

Instead, today’s game became a random word search and I fumbled, bumbled and fluked my way to the exhausting end of it.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, August 2, game #517)
  • FILTER
  • CROP
  • BLUR
  • ADJUST
  • ERASE
  • MARKUP
  • ROTATE
  • SPANGRAM: PHOTO EDITOR
What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Categories: Technology

We may now have a full specs sheet for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S25 FE

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 08:30
  • More specs have leaked for the Galaxy S25 FE
  • Battery capacity and charging speeds are getting upgrades
  • We should see a full launch happening soon

We saw the first of the Samsung Galaxy S25 phones launched all the way back in January, and there are now four handsets in the series. We think there's one more to go, the Galaxy S25 FE, and fresh leaks have revealed a full specs sheet for the upcoming handset.

Separate sets of specs posted by well-known tipster @MysteryLupin and Android Headlines point to this phone coming with a 6.7-inch, 120 Hz refresh rate AMOLED display, an Exynos 2400 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB or 256GB of on-board storage.

The cameras are reportedly 50MP+12MP+8MP on the back and 12MP on the front. However, while these leaks agree on the charging speeds of 15W wireless and 45W wired, they differ by listing either 4,500 mAh or 4,900 mAh as the battery capacity.

What's more, the phone is said to be IP68 rated for dust and water protection, with Gorilla Glass Victus protection on the front. The weight is said to be 190 grams, and the handset is apparently going to come running One UI 8.

Specs appeal

6.7" AMOLED, 120HzExynos 2400, One UI 850MP/12MP/8MP, 12MP front4,500mAh battery, 45W wired, 15W wirelessIP68, Gorilla Glass Victus, 190g https://t.co/9nscwbZ5mIAugust 1, 2025

Considering these lists of specs match up so exactly – aside from the battery capacity – gives extra credibility to them, and suggests they've come from the same original source. They also match up with previous leaks we've seen to date.

Going off other previous leaks, it seems a battery upgrade is more likely than a battery downgrade: a 4,900 mAh battery has already been mentioned, upping the capacity from the 4,700 mAh battery seen on the Galaxy S24 FE.

When it comes to other comparisons with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, we're getting a faster processor and an improved selfie camera – but aside from those features and a bigger battery capacity, it appears a lot of the specs are going to be the same.

That might not matter too much, depending on the price. Based on the number of leaks around this handset that we're now seeing, it shouldn't be too long before it sees the light of day – and a September or October launch seems likely.

You might also like
Categories: Technology

A jury orders Tesla to pay more than $240 million in Autopilot crash

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 08:29

A Miami jury decided Tesla was partly responsible for a deadly 2019 crash in Florida involving its Autopilot driver assist technology. The automaker said it will appeal.

(Image credit: David Fischer)

Categories: News

FiiO's wireless little BTR17 headphone DAC and amp is a tour de force at a very attainable price

TechRadar Reviews - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 08:00
FiiO BTR17 review: Two-minute review

Another day, another intriguing FiiO product. Today it’s the BTR17 portable Bluetooth DAC/headphone amplifier, and it seems safe to say it represents another day of FiiO business as usual.

The BTR17 is small, but it’s packed with functionality and specified in a way that seems beyond the tiny physical confines of the device itself. Between Bluetooth 5.4 with top-of-the-shop codec compatibility, a pair of ESS ES9069Q DACs, an disproportionate amount of power when used as a desktop headphone amp, decent battery life, the ability to deal with enormously high-resolution digital audio files, and a choice of balanced or unbalanced headphone outputs, it’s obvious FiiO has endeavoured to do the right thing here.

And that impression of ‘good intentions’ becomes even stronger when you hear the BTR17 in action. There are qualitative differences, of course, between using the FiiO as a wireless receiver and using it as a dongle hard-wired to a smartphone or laptop – but what doesn’t alter no matter the circumstances are the broad strokes of its sonic character.

And generally, it’s a character that’s fast, insightful, properly controlled and very satisfying to listen to. Or, at least, it is if you’re not expecting comparable bass power to the bass speed that’s on display here - the FiiO BTR17 is a rapid, direct listen, but it’s far from the chunkiest sound around. Investigating your options in the menus can bring about some changes in character, but they’re exclusively to the detriment of the device’s fundamental character and attitude.

Come on then, is it still one of the best portable DACs available for this money? Yes, with one caveat (which I'll come to).

If the balance is not to your taste, you’ll look elsewhere/. But those who value speed and dexterity of sound as much as (if not more than) straightforward ‘wallop’ will enjoy the BTR17 no end.

FiiO BTR17 review: Price and release date

(Image credit: Future)
  • Launched in early November 2024
  • Priced $219 / £179 / AU$349

The FiiO BTR17 portable Bluetooth DAC/headphone amplifier is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it sells for no more than £179. In the United States it’s currently $219* and in Australia you’re looking at AU$329. So no matter the territory you’re shopping in, the BTR17 seems notable value for money.

If you don't mind wired connections of course, the world isn't exactly hunting high and low for an affordable USB DAC (see the pricier $499 / £449 / AU$769, the iFi GO Bar Kensei, the iFi Go Link Max at just $79 / £79 / AU$139 the five-star iFi hip-dac 3 at $199 / £199 / AU$349 for starters). But nevertheless, the combination of price and wireless specification could win out here…

(*subject to tariff-related change on a seemingly daily basis.)

FiiO BTR17 review: Features

(Image credit: Future)
  • 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 support
  • Bluetooth 5.4 with LDAC and aptX Lossless compatibility
  • 650mW + 650mW balanced power for headphone amplification

It shouldn’t really come as any kind of surprise at this point that FiiO has specified one of its products in a manner that might easily shame an equivalent product from an alternative brand. And yet I find I’m still mildly startled but just how far into town FiiO has gone with the BTR17.

Regardless of the way the digital audio information gets on board, either by USB-C or via Bluetooth, it’s dealt with by a pair of ESS ES9069Q DACs that are able to handle every major file type up to 32bit/768kHz and DSD512 resolution. If you decide to go with Bluetooth, you have the luxury of the 5.4 version with codec compatibility all the way to LDAC and aptX Lossless – the use of a Qualcomm QCC5181 Bluetooth chip to do the necessary means the FiiO is LE Audio-compliant, too.

Use the BTR17 in ‘desktop’ mode with its ‘power in’ USB slot connected to a source of USB power (FiiO provides a little length of monocrystalline silver- and copper-plated eight-strand USB-C / USB-C cable to ensure clean power and accurate data transfer)and it can churn out a substantial 650mW + 650mW of balanced power. This is the sort of output more commonly associated with bigger desktop headphone amps, and is ample to drive even quite truculent headphones.

If you’re using battery power rather than USB-C power, the BTR17 will run for anywhere between seven hours (making a Bluetooth connection, using a power-hungry codec, driving balanced headphones via the 4.4mm output and listening at hefty volume) and ten hours (in ‘phone’ mode, at modest volume, driving headphones via the unbalanced 3.5mm output and listening to stuff of no more than 16bit/44.1kHz resolution). Charging from ‘flat’ to ‘full’ is a 90-minute job.

Unsurprisingly, there’s more – just as there was with the older FiiO BTR7 Bluetooth DAC (which is not to be confused with the newer model you're reading about today). The BTR17 has a three-stage, ten-rail power supply, and it has multi-stage architecture of the type FiiO fits to its pricey digital audio players. It has a ‘driver-free’ mode that means it can connect to a PS5, a Switch or something like that directly, without the need for downloaded drivers. It has integrated DC output and temperature detection to protect the device if conditions take a turn for the abnormal. And I could go on - but let’s just wrap this section up by saying FiiO has laid in on, specification-wise, with a trowel here.

Features score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)FiiO BTR17 review: Sound quality
  • Great sonic momentum and rhythmic positivity
  • Detailed and insightful
  • ‘All or nothing’ EQ and filter adjustments

I’ve heard a few DAC/headphone amp devices lately that have sounded muscle-bound and barrel-chested in the manner of a bulldog. The FiiO BTR17, by way of happy contrast, is more of a greyhound.

There’s a rapidity, a kind of entirely naturalistic momentum, to the FiiO’s sound no matter if it’s receiving its digital audio information wirelessly via Bluetooth or through one of its USB-C sockets. A fleet-footed recording like Broadcast’s Black Cat fairly motors along – the BTR17 expresses the rhythm with complete conviction, and the tune stays on the front foot as result. There’s nothing forced about the way it’s presented, though - it doesn’t hang around, but neither does it feel like it’s being prodded forwards.

Part of this impression comes from the way the BTR17 handles the leading edge of low-frequency sounds – there’s no overhang or slurring, instead the FiiO snaps into bass information with real purpose. There are some minor issues at the bottom of the frequency range, and I’ll get to those – but there’s no arguing with the speed this little device can invest a recording with.

This is not at the expense of organisation, either. The FiiO creates a decently spacious and easy-to-understand soundstage, and can spread out even complex recordings to the point that individual elements are easy to highlight. There’s plenty of detail available at every part of the frequency range, and the BTR17 is just as attentive to fleeting and/or very minor occurrences as it is to the broader strokes. The upshot is a presentation that seems very much like it’s the complete picture.

Overall tonality is, in almost every circumstance, quite carefully neutral and uncolored, so if you play a warm and sepia-coloured recording like Johnny Too Bad by The Slickers, or a blue-ish and low-temperature number like Floating World by Zodiac Free Arts Club, what goes in is what comes out. The BTR17, left to its own devices, seems perfectly happy not to stick its oar in.

Integration of the frequency range is good, too, with no area being overplayed. I’ve heard plenty of products like this that will ramp up the bottom end or shove the midrange forwards, but that’s the FiiO’s scene at all.

There’s not an awful lot of meat on the low-frequency bones here, though. The BTR17 can dig fairly deep and hit reasonably hard, but low-end substance is in fairly short supply. Of course, a positive knock-on of this trait is that speed and manoeuvrability I’ve already discussed – but there’s also a downside which anyone who’s interested in bass for the sake of bass will already have worked out for themselves.

There are options in the device’s menus to finesse the EQ settings, of course, and also to investigate various filters – you might think this slightly flyweight presentation could be mitigated somewhat this way. But the effects of each are mild in the extreme, right until the moment they become rather ham-fisted and end up spoiling the carefully shaped low-frequency response. You can make the BTR17 sound weightier than it really wants to if you set your mind to it – but you’ll be affecting its speed and rhythmic positivity at the same time. And not in a good way.

Sound quality: 4 / 5

FiiO BTR17 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)
  • 87 x 41 x 16mm (HxWxD)
  • Black or blue finishes
  • 73g

When a product is sincerely intended to be ‘portable’, design has to take a back seat to ‘getting everything into a package as small and light as is realistically possible’. So apart from the little ledge beneath the 33mm screen on the front of the BTR17 and the mildly interesting ‘turn/push’ control at the top left, its 87 x 41 x 16mm (HxWxD), 73g chassis is entirely unremarkable. And that’s the case regardless of which of the black or blue finishes you choose.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the build quality here, though, nor the standard of finish. The BTR17 is almost entirely plastic, but it’s reasonably tactile and seems made to last.

Design score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)FiiO BTR17 review: Usability and setup
  • Tiny physical controls
  • Full-colour screen
  • Staggeringly in-depth control app

The BTR17’s 33mm display may look unhelpfully small, but it’s a crisp, full-colour IPS job and manages to legibly confirm file type or Bluetooth codec, sample rate, EQ setting, battery life and volume level all at the same time. It also gives access to menus that allow adjustment to gain gradients, audio filters, a choice of EQ presets, screen brightness and so on.

You navigate the menus using the rotary control on the top left edge of the BTR17. It feels and looks good, and operates with pleasant positivity – and it also gives access to volume control, ‘play/pause’ and telephony functions. There are other controls arranged beneath it down the edge of the machine – they are, inevitably, very small, and their labelling is even smaller. But take the time to commit their functions to memory and you can deal with ‘skip forwards/backwards’, ‘power on/off’, select ‘Bluetooth’, ‘phone’ or ‘PC’ your usage mode, and switch ‘desktop’ mode on or off.

Those usage modes have a big part to play in the BTR17’s battery life. In ‘PC’ mode, it’s powered by the computer it’s connected to. In ‘phone’ mode, its internal battery contributes to power supply, which reduces the load on your smartphone. In ‘BT’ mode, all the power is coming from the FiiO’s internal battery.

Physical connection to a computer or a smartphone is via one of the two USB-C slots on the bottom of the BTR17. Either can be used for charging and for data transfer, and one is also for power input when the device is in ‘desktop’ mode. At the opposite end of the device, meanwhile, there are Back in the mainstream world, there are a couple of headphone outputs - one is an unbalanced 3.5mm socket, the other a 4.4mm balanced equivalent.

There’s a huge, almost unnecessarily extensive, amount of functionality available in the ‘FiiO Control’ app. Want to adjust the ‘double-click’ function of those physical ‘skip forwards/backwards’ buttons, or create a custom EQ using a ten-band equaliser, or switch ‘distortion compensation’ in a couple of harmonic ranges on or off, or adjust the channel balance between ‘left’ and ‘right’? This is where you do it. If you want a slider to control the length of time the BTR17’s screen stays on, or how bright it is, or how long it stays switched on while it’s at rest, you can do it here too. Unless you’re the sort of person who can’t rest until they’ve customised the minutiae of their audio equipment’s set-up and performance, it is likely to seem like overkill.

Usability and setup score: 4 / 5

FiiO BTR17 review: Value
  • You can't pick fault with the value for money
  • Performs its duties admirably

Obviously it’s important to judge ‘value’ on a basis other than that of ‘how much stuff do I get?” – because while the FiiO BTR17 is necessarily small and light, it’s got a lot of functionality and it performs really well.

Most USB DAC/headphone amps at this sort of money don’t have a wireless aspect to their performance. Very few have a display or a control app, and fewer still have the sort of alacrity of sound the BTR17 can summon. Its sonic attitude will not be for everyone, but for those who are partial, there is excellent value for money to be had here.

Value score: 5 / 5

Should I buy the FiiO BTR17?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Even allowing for FiiO being FiiO, this thing is comprehensively specified

5/5

Design

It's super small and still has a useful screen

5/5

Sound quality

Detailed, agile, neutral – just could be a tiny bit punchier

4/5

Value

It would be an error to argue with the sound-per-pound value here

5/5

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

‘Speed’ and ‘detail’ do it for you where sound is concerned
There’s a dexterity and insight to the way the FiiO presents music that is quite habit-forming after a while

You enjoy a through specification
FiiO has laid it on with the proverbial trowel here - there are alternative products costing much more than this that aren’t specified as impressively

You enjoy an even more thorough control app
'Granular’ is too weak a word to describe the level of influence the app lets you exert over the BTR17

Don't buy it if...

You’re after low-frequency substance
The bass sounds the BTR17 generates are detailed, straight-edged and deep - but they’re not as weighty as some listeners will require

You don’t like having to make choices
What do you want the buttons to do? How long do you want the screen to stay on? How bright would you like it? Decisions, decisions…

Your eyesight isn’t all it used to be
This is a necessarily small product, so don't be surprised if the display and, especially, the physical controls seem all-but invisibleView Deal

FiiO BTR17 review: Also consider

The iFi Go Link Max is a great-sounding USB-C DAC/headphone amp that’s compact and well-made – but it doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity.

Helm Audio’s Bolt USB-C DAC/headphone amp is another great performer and no hardship at all to listen to – but, again, there’s no wireless functionality here.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the FiiO BTR17
  • Used while working, while commuting and in the car
  • Listened in wireless Bluetooth mode, and using wired options

I used the BTR17 as a desktop DAC/headphone amp, connected to my Apple MacBook Pro. I used it connected to an Apple iPhone 14 via its USB-C socket, too, which allowed me to use wired headphones with a device with no headphone socket – and I also connected it wirelessly via Bluetooth to the smartphone, just for the sake of completeness.

I also found it a useful device when in a car with no wireless connectivity – Bluetooth from my smartphone to the FiiO, and the out of the BTR17’s 3.5mm unbalanced headphone socket to the ‘aux’ input of the in-car audio system. In every circumstance, no matter the type of connection or the type of music playing, the little FiiO was always a speedy and revealing listen.

Categories: Reviews

The Best Smart Home Gyms, as Recommended by a Fitness Expert

CNET News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 07:00
Building a smart home gym is easier than you think and it can seriously cut down on time and costs. After looking at price, versatility and performance, this is the gear I’d go with.
Categories: Technology

The Joy-Con 2 are definitely an improvement, but I’d still prefer almost any other Nintendo Switch 2 controller

TechRadar Reviews - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 07:00
Joy-Con 2: one-minute review

The Joy-Con 2 controllers are what you’ll get packaged with your Nintendo Switch 2 console. They differ greatly from the likes of the DualSense or Xbox Wireless Controller in that the Joy-Con 2 are essentially two separate gamepads that can be used either combined as one, or individually for local multiplayer.

From a design standpoint, that makes the Joy-Con 2 quite clever, as was the case with the original model. For families and at social gatherings, they can make access to multiplayer easier - even if their small size doesn’t make for the most comfortable of play sessions.

The Joy-Con 2 controllers do improve things on this front. They’re slightly larger than the 2017 model and more ergonomically sound. Using them both for handheld play, or with the (included) Joy-Con 2 grip, the play experience is serviceable. While I much, much prefer the overall feel of the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, you won’t be hard done by with the Joy-Con 2 thanks to its build quality improvements, convenient magnetic connectors, and decent battery life.

That said, for some Nintendo Switch 2 games, you may be incentivized to opt for the Joy-Con 2 over other controllers. That’s because of the standout new feature: mouse controls. While not a ton of games support this at present, mouse controls work surprisingly well across a variety of surfaces.

Despite the overall improvements, the Joy-Con 2 hasn’t quite managed to escape some design awkwardness of its predecessor. The asymmetrical stick layout just doesn’t sit right with me here, and while I know it would prove irksome for local multiplayer, I found myself wanting a symmetrical stick layout like we see on devices like the Nitro Deck and Steam Deck OLED.

The analog sticks themselves also aren’t much of an improvement. The sticks are still very shallow, and the concave design isn’t particularly comfortable. They’re also not Hall effect, as confirmed by Nintendo itself, so the possibility of stick drift down the line still looms large.

(Image credit: Future)Joy-Con 2 review: price and availability
  • $94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95
  • Available at My Nintendo Store
  • On the expensive side

A single pair of Joy-Con 2 controllers come packaged with Nintendo Switch 2 consoles. However, they can also be purchased separately if you need a spare or you’re looking to get some big multiplayer groups together.

They’re definitely on the expensive side, though, costing $94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95.

That’s $10 pricier than the Switch 2 Pro Controller in the US, but in the UK, they come in at the same £74.99 price. In both regions, the Joy-Con 2 are available to purchase from the My Nintendo Store.

Joy-Con 2 review: Specs

Price

$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95

Weight

4.7oz / 133g (combined)

Dimensions

4.6 x 1.2 x 0.6in / 116 x 31 x 14mm (each Joy-Con 2)

Compatibility

Nintendo Switch 2

Connection type

Wireless

Battery life

Around 20 hours

(Image credit: Future)Joy-Con 2 review: design and features

Are the Joy-Con 2 controllers a better product overall than its 2017 predecessor? The short answer is yes. Nintendo has largely stuck to its guns with the overall concept, but has refined it for a decidedly more polished experience.

Build quality is a noticeable step-up. The Joy-Con 2 are slightly larger, and thus are much friendlier on larger hands. It’s a smart redesign, considering that kids who played with the original Joy-Con controllers as early as 2017 are a good deal older now.

It also means that adults will have an easier time using a single Joy-Con, though not by much. Wielding a single Joy-Con 2 horizontally is still a bit of a squeeze. Though thankfully, the SL and SR buttons have been made larger to compensate.

The Joy-Con 2 definitely give off a less toy-esque impression. The bold neon red/blue color scheme that many original Switch owners had has been swapped out for a more mundane black, though that red and blue can be found beneath the analog sticks and at the sides where the magnetic connector and SL/SR buttons are housed.

They do look slick, boasting slightly rounder edges than its predecessor. Otherwise, you’re getting a familiar Joy-Con experience here. Analog sticks, directional, and face buttons are all found in the same place. The only big difference here is the addition of the GameChat button for accessing the Switch 2’s bespoke voice chat app.

Unlike the original Joy-Con, there’s no rail system here for connection purposes. Mercifully, this has been swapped for much more elegant magnetic connectors, allowing the Joy-Con 2 to click into the Switch 2 handheld or the Joy-Con 2 grip with ease.

A button nestled next to the triggers also pushes the Joy-Con 2 back out. It remains to be seen if these connectors wearing down over time becomes a bigger issue, especially as the magnetic pull is quite strong. But for now, it’s something I much prefer over the awkward rail system of the first Joy-Con.

(Image credit: Future)Joy-Con 2 review: Performance

The most notable addition to the Joy-Con 2 has to be their mouse controls. By detaching one (or both), they can be turned sideways with the SL/SR buttons facing down and used as a mouse. Some games were heavily advertised with this feature, including Cyberpunk 2077, Nobunaga’s Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition, and Sid Meier’s Civilization 7.

Mouse controls work rather well, and can be used in certain games as well as the Switch 2’s Home dashboard and Nintendo eShop. The lack of a scroll wheel definitely hurts navigation and general usability, but overall sensitivity feels fine, and this can even be adjusted in the system settings if you’d prefer faster or slower cursor movement.

The sensor is decent enough that you can use mouse controls on many surface types, including your own trousers. Though for best results, I’d stick to a flat surface like a desk or table.

For more traditional gameplay, the Joy-Con 2 are serviceable, though it’s not much of a jump from the original Joy-Con controllers. I still find the analog sticks to be uncomfortably shallow, and their slippery concave cap design can make it hard to find purchase while playing more hectic or action-focused titles.

I also lament the return of individual buttons for the d-pad. I understand the decision here - opting for buttons makes them more multiplayer-friendly - but I much prefer a more traditional d-pad like we see on the Switch 2 Pro Controller.

Otherwise, all the gubbins from the original Joy-Con are here, too. That includes gyro aiming support - best used with games like Splatoon 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition - and near-field communication (NFC) support for the scanning of amiibo figures and cards.

Battery life holds up decently, as well. I managed roughly 20 hours on a full charge - give or take a couple. This does line up with Nintendo’s official projections, but do note that your mileage will vary here. Each Joy-Con 2 has its own battery, as well, so it’s entirely possible that one could run out of juice before the other.

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Joy-Con 2?Buy it if...

You need a spare pair
You’re getting a pair of Joy-Con 2 in your Switch 2 box, but if you’re keen to get some four-player sessions going in your favorite games, picking up a spare Joy-Con 2 is worthwhile.

Don't buy it if...

You’d prefer a more traditional controller
This is where the Switch 2 Pro Controller comes in. It’s far more comfortable, has a proper d-pad, and features like NFC and gyro aiming. It’s much better-suited to single-player games in this regard. Alternatively, the GameSir Nova Lite makes for an excellent budget pick.

Joy-Con 2 review: Also consider

Consider these two alternatives if you’re looking for a Switch 2-compatible controller that offers something different.

Joy-Con 2

Switch 2 Pro Controller

GameSir Nova Lite

Price

$94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95

$84.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95

$24.99 / £19.99 / AU$39

Weight

4.7oz / 133g (combined)

8.3oz / 235g

7.2oz / 205g

Dimensions

4.6 x 1.2 x 0.6in / 116 x 31 x 14mm (per Joy-Con 2)

5.8 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 148 x 105 x 60mm

6.1 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 155 x 104 x 61mm

Compatibility

Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2

Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC

Connection type

Wireless

Wireless (Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C)

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C)

Battery life

Around 20 hours

Around 40 hours

10-15 hours

Switch 2 Pro Controller
Quite simply, the best Switch 2 controller available now. It’s certainly pricey, but you’re getting sublime build quality, class-leading battery life, and a pair of handy remappable buttons for secondary inputs. A quality controller that every Switch 2 owner should consider buying.

Read our full Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review

GameSir Nova Lite
For something much more budget-friendly, the GameSir Nova Lite really punches above its weight at its price point. Excellent build quality, Hall effect sticks, and decent battery life make this one well worth considering, and it can connect to Switch 2 via Bluetooth.

Read our full GameSir Nova Lite review

How I tested the Joy-Con 2
  • Tested for over a month
  • Played in both handheld mode and with the Joy-Con 2 grip
  • Compared to the original Joy-Con and the Switch 2 Pro Controller

I’ve tested the Joy-Con 2 regularly since getting my Switch 2 console on launch day (June 5, 2025). I’ve primarily used them in handheld mode when traveling or as part of a cheeky before-bed session. However, I’ve also used them while slotted into the Joy-Con 2 grip, as a more traditional controller.

While I think the Joy-Con 2 are perfectly fine controllers, I found myself preferring the Switch 2 Pro Controller for longer gaming sessions, especially in docked mode. The Pro Controller is one I just find to be more comfortable, and its long-lasting battery life cannot be taken for granted. Still, in local multiplayer environments, the Joy-Con 2 shone thanks to the two controllers acting as separate entities, minimizing the need to dig out other gamepads.

First reviewed July 2025

Read more about how we test

Categories: Reviews

Opinion: A little league heartbreak

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 07:00

The State Department denied one Venezuelan Little League team entry into the U.S., but allowed another. NPR's Scott Simon questions how the sports exemption to Trump's travel ban is being applied.

(Image credit: Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Categories: News

Trump tariffs global reactions

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 06:45

We look at international reaction to President Trump's latest round of tariffs.

Categories: News

QR codes are being weaponized in new quishing attacks, and most people don’t realize– here's how to stay safe

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 06:00
  • QR phishing, also known as quishing, is a rising scam where attackers try to trick you into scanning fake QR codes
  • Cybercriminals may target your personal data, login credentials, bank accounts, or try to infect your smartphone with malware
  • These QR codes can be found everywhere, from parking lots to museums

You might be used to receiving scam emails or texts, but did you know that you can also get scammed through a QR code? This increasingly common form of scam is referred to as quishing – and it's been spreading rapidly again recently.

According to CNBC, 73% of Americans have scanned a QR code without verifying that the source link was safe, and NordVPN has discovered that 26 million have been directed to malicious websites as a result.

Meanwhile, in the UK, Action Fraud (the national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime) recently revealed that £3.5 million had been lost to quishing scams in the year leading up to April 2025.

These scam QR codes are being used for anything from sending fake payment links to installing malware on your phone. Here's everything you need to know about the latest quishing attacks and how to protect yourself from them.

What exactly is quishing?

(Image credit: Marielle Ursua (Unsplash))

Quishing is a form of phishing that is done entirely via a QR code. While it wasn't as widespread just a few years ago, it skyrocketed during the pandemic, when QR codes became more than just a fun little quirk.

Over the last few years, QR codes have permeated the fabric of our daily lives. We see them everywhere, from TV commercials to restaurant menus or flyers. Unfortunately, QR codes are inherently opaque. It's hard to verify how secure a link is at a glance, which makes these codes easy to tamper with.

The way it works is shockingly simple. Whether the scam QR code pops up in an email or elsewhere, it's always accompanied by something that'll get you to scan it. Payment prompts, medical forms, or product information are common targets. When you scan the code and click through, you'll be taken to the next part of the scam, which is either a website or a script that installs malware in your phone.

Unfortunately, if the code has been tampered with, the target website is a scam. At best, it'll steal however much you're trying to pay for parking; at worst, it might compromise your phone or your banking login credentials.

Are QR codes in public places safe to use?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Bilanol)

While QR codes found in restaurants or museums seem like a safe bet, that isn't always the case – not anymore.

Unlike phishing emails, QR codes have a strong real-world impact. It's all too simple for threat actors to tamper with legitimate codes found in public spaces. That said, the threat is much greater at open public spaces, rather than indoor ones.

For example, at a parking lot, scammers physically replace the sticker at the parking meter, directing people to a legitimate-looking website where they can pay their parking bill. The same can be done with posters or flyers found just about anywhere.

It's important to remember that this isn't niche, and it can happen to anyone. KeepNet Labs found that QR codes are an increasingly common medium for sending phishing links, with a whopping 26% of all malicious links being delivered that way.

How to stay safe

Above is an example of an email quishing scam, which will redirect unsuspecting victims to a fake Microsoft log-in page. (Image credit: Usecure)

Quishing, much like all other forms of scams, relies on creating a sense of urgency. Whether it's an exciting offer or a serious-looking payment reminder, quishing scammers want you to scan the code and proceed without asking questions. That's why the best way to stay safe is to be vigilant and take your time.

Let's say that you received a QR code embedded in an email that tells you to secure your account, enable multi-factor authentication, or get a discount code. Don't trust it right away – it could be a scam. Even a legitimate-looking email address might not mean that you're in the clear, as scammers can hijack accounts to send out those QR codes.

To stay safe, don't take any unexpected email at face value. If a service tells you that your account has been compromised, don't scan any codes in that email. Instead, go to the website or app directly and change your login credentials there, without interacting with the content of the email.

When faced with QR codes in places where they might have been tampered with, it's better to take your time rather than scan the code quickly. At a parking lot, don't scan the code – go directly to the address. Only QR codes that are physically impossible for scammers to replace are safe.

If you do scan a QR code, make sure to never provide any personal information or login credentials. It's always better to err on the side of caution. Before you follow the link to any website, look at it carefully and compare it to what you know as the real deal.

QR codes certainly make our lives easier, but unfortunately, the more widespread they are, the likelier they are to be targeted by scammers. It's never a bad idea to invest in one of the best Android antivirus apps to protect your phone from hackers.

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How surgeons build a new bladder for cancer patients like Deion Sanders

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 06:00

University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders announced he got a new bladder this week as part of his cancer treatment. Here's how doctors construct a new bladder from a patient's small intestine.

(Image credit: AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group)

Categories: News

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 costs too much – but this could actually be a good thing for folding phones

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 05:30

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is here, and to put it simply it’s a knockout – our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review calls the latest in this line of foldable devices “the nearly perfect foldable phone”.

That’s for good reason: the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like a true overhaul after years of incremental updates, sporting larger displays, new software, a better main camera, and a more powerful chipset, all contained in a thinner design that rivals the likes of the Oppo Find N5.

However, all of this comes with a higher price tag. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999 / £1,899 / AU$2,899 – it is the most expensive widely available smartphone.

I recently wrote that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is simply too expensive for me to consider buying one. A dollar off $2,000 is just too much money to part with in my opinion – the Galaxy Z Fold 6 was already uber-pricey at $1,899 / £1,799 / AU$2,749, and more expensive than the rival Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold (which launched at $1,799 / £1,799 / AU$2,699).

But with that said, I think the Galaxy Z Fold 7 launching at such a high price has the potential to do good things for the folding phone industry as a whole, even if it’s rough on individual customers’ pockets.

Price and possibility

The iPhone X ushered in a new era of more expensive but much more capable smartphones. (Image credit: TechRadar)

Now, before I explain myself, let me just say that I’m not giving phone makers carte blanche to raise prices as they see fit. Price hikes feel especially thorny in the current environment of tariffs and turbulence, and like everyone at TechRadar I want to see the everyday customer get the best deal possible.

With that said, prices are going to rise over time, even if slowly – and in the case of the folding phone market, I think this creates an opportunity for real improvement – if phone makers take that opportunity responsibly.

Think back to the launch of the iPhone X in 2017. Apple’s all-screen handset was the first widely available phone to launch at a starting price of $999 / £999 / AU$1,579 – for general audiences, it was the first thousand dollar phone.

For reference, the Samsung Galaxy S8 also launched in 2017 at a starting price of $750 / £689 / $1,079, and the previous generation iPhone 7 started at $649 / £599 / AU$1,079. This was a proportionally greater price increase than we’ve seen with the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

This felt like a huge hike at the time, but it didn’t take long for phone makers to follow Apple’s example, pushing flagship phone prices towards, and eventually beyond, the thousand-dollar mark. This put more pressure on consumers, sure, but also gave phone makers more resources to improve the models at the top-end of their lineups.

Just look at today’s very best slab phones, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and Google Pixel 9 Pro XL – these are phones with huge, beautiful displays, three or four high-quality cameras each, and enough internal power to make a mid-range PC jealous. A hard limit of $1,000 would give phone makers less flexibility and, frankly, less incentive to make such powerful devices.

Without higher prices and better specs at the top-end of the market, fantastic mid-range phones like the OnePlus 13R would have no reason to exist. (Image credit: Future)

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that, ultimately, breaking the $1,000 barrier was good for the phone industry as a whole. Having used some of the best phones on the market, I think the trade off was worth it.

That’s especially true when you consider that a highly competitive mid-range segment has emerged as the prices of premium and cheap phones have diverged, populated by excellent handsets like the OnePlus 13R and Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, phones that offer a near-flagship grade experience for substantially less money.

These mid-range phones cost around the same, or even less, than flagships did before the entrance of premium models like the iPhone X. The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, for example, starts at $649.99 / £649 / AU$1,099, while the OnePlus 13R comes in at a very respectable $599 / £679.

The future of folding phones

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE suggests there's some interest in cheap(er) folding phones. (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Let’s bring it back to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 – folding phones are still what I’d call an emerging technology. I don’t think we’ve reached the point where folding phones are easy to recommend against traditional smartphones for the everyday person.

Having tested several folding phones, I can say with confidence that there’s still work to do when it comes to ergonomics, durability, and camera quality. Price increases, while hard to swallow, could give folding phone makers the resources to implement these improvements.

Speculatively, we might even see the emergence of a mid-range folding phone market. The launch of the Galaxy Flip 7 FE suggests that Samsung senses some interest in moderately-priced folding phones. If the iPhone X paved the way for the OnePlus 13R, perhaps the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 can pave the way for the first true mid-range booklet foldable, at a similar price to a high-end premium flagship.

Naturally, this all relies on users to still want to purchase pricier devices, and on phone makers to use any additional revenue to invest in their product, rather than just pocketing the difference as profit. That’ll determine whether pushing past the $2,000 barrier is worth it.

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This $15 Sunscreen Applicator for Kids Saves Me Time Before Outdoor Adventures With My Toddler

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Norton adds deepfake protection to mobile apps in push to make sure you don't get caught out by scams

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 05:24
  • Norton Deepfake Protection is part of its Norton Genie AI Assistant on Norton 360 mobile apps
  • The tool is available in Norton 360 mobile products in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand
  • It currently supports English-speaking YouTube clips

Norton has introduced a new feature which aims to help users spot deepfake audio and video content on their smartphones

Norton Deepfake Protection will be part of the Norton Genie AI Assistant on Norton 360 mobile apps - as until now, it was only available on select Microsoft Copilot+ PCs, and was considered an “early access” phase.

Now, Norton is spreading the tool’s availability, allowing even those without AI PCs to defend themselves against sophisticated scams.

(Image credit: Norton)YouTube support

A deepfake video or audio is a media file created using AI to realistically mimic a person’s appearance, voice, or actions, often made by training machine learning models on real footage or recordings.

This type of content was already observed being abused in different scams, and Norton says the tool provides, “an added layer of contextual protection” by spotting inconsistencies or faint deformations in the physical features of people appearing in videos.

For now, the tool only supports English-language YouTube videos, but there are plans to expand platform and language support in the future.

Anyone interested in testing the tool can upload YouTube links to the assistant to receive “real-time guidance on the authenticity of the video”.

The tool is available in Norton 360 mobile products in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, across Android and iOS devices. Desktop support is “coming soon,” Norton added.

One of the most widespread deepfake scams on the internet is the famous “Elon Musk investment scam”, in which crooks created a deepfake of Elon Musk promoting his new cryptocurrency coin. In the video, he talks about the coin being the future of money transfer, and promises “huge gains” for the investors.

While early iterations of the scam were rather easy to spot, AI has improved significantly over the years, and will continue to do so, further blurring the lines between truth and deception.

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What to Know About, and Where to Find, Apple Intelligence Summaries on Your iPhone

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Best Rural Internet Providers for 2025

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Millions of Ukrainians abroad hope to return home once Russia's invasion ends

NPR News Headlines - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 05:00

Some Ukrainians have already returned after fleeing Russia's invasion, and almost half of the more than 5 million still abroad want to, according to a survey this year.

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Categories: News

Huion’s huge drawing tablet aced most tests I threw at it, but let me down where it matters most

TechRadar Reviews - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:45
Huion Kamvas Pro 19: one-minute review

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a drawing tablet with a huge 19-inch screen, 4K resolution and wide color gamut offering 99% sRGB, 96% Adobe RGB and 98% DCI-P3 coverage. While its $1,099 / £1,099 list price is hardly chump change, you can often get it cheaper, and that price includes a range of accessories, including a shortcut remote, stylus box with two styluses, and a selection of cables. So, is it worth the investment? Well, it would be – if it wasn’t for one fairly critical flaw.

Whether I was sketching or blending colors with paint-like brushes, using the Kamvas 19 Pro was seriously smooth. Not only is it without parallax and completely jitter-free, but it can also register strokes at a steep angle of up to 60 degrees, making it easy to trace wide arcs and circles. Its driver software offers a decent amount of customization, despite not always being the most intuitive to use, and the shortcut remote made accessing all my go-to tools and menu items a breeze.

When it comes to its design, though, the Kamvas Pro 19 is more of a mixed bag. Don’t get me wrong: its screen is capable of seriously impressive color and a detailed 4K resolution, and it's ergonomic enough that I always felt comfortable using it. Unfortunately, it gets marked far too easily, in a way I’ve never seen from the best drawing tablets. After roughly eight hours of sketching, the screen was covered with scrapes and scuffs – while these rubbed off with a screen wipe, it does make me worry that eventually this kind of wear will become permanent.

Aside from this tendency to mark the display, the Huion’s two styluses are actually very decent. They’re lightweight and easy to hold, even during long scribbling sessions, and their programmable shortcut keys minimize the number of times you have to shift to another input. Their customizable pressure sensitivity is also excellent, although I wouldn’t put too much stock in the advertised 16K pressure levels – I’ve honestly never been able to tell much difference in practice from devices that offer 8K.

On paper, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is a very decent device, offering great performance and accessories for a pretty reasonable price. Certainly, with sale prices sometimes offering it for as little as $939 / £879, it is a pretty tempting package. But, try as I might, I can’t ignore how susceptible to wear that screen seems to be. In light of that, you may well find that a device like the XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 is a sounder investment long term.

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: price and availability
  • Launched January 5, 2024
  • Retails for $1,099 / £1,099

Released on January 5, 2024, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 is available to buy now. While its list price is $1,099 / £1,099, you’re unlikely to pay that – at the time of writing, Huion has it on sale for $939 / £879.

Included for that price is the drawing tablet itself, the Huion Keydial Mini shortcut tool, pen box, Battery-Free Pen PW600, Battery-Free Slim Pen PW600S, and all the cabling you’ll need. If you’re buying in the UK, you’ll get Huion’s Adjustable Stand ST100A bundled in as a free gift, but unfortunately, you’ll have to pay $29.99 for this if you’re in the US.

All told, though, this is a pretty competitive price when compared to some of the other mid-range drawing tablets I’ve reviewed in recent months. For example, the similarly specced XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 has a list price of $899.99 / £899.99 / AU$1,499.99, while the seriously talented Xencelabs Pen Display 16 goes for $999 / £969 (around AU$1,597) – and that’s without all the accessories that come in the fully kitted out, $1,299 / £1,199 (around AU$2,080) Bundle edition. So the Kamvas Pro 19 is pretty on the money in terms of value.

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: specs

Dimensions

17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)

Active drawing area

14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)

Weight

2kg

Display resolution

3840 x 2160

Pressure levels

16,384

Compatibility

Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: design
  • Display offers gorgeous color but could be brighter
  • Screen scuffs and marks to an inexcusable degree
  • Good range of accessories

Given the price, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s display is pretty impressive, making any art I worked on look pleasingly crisp and well-defined. With a 3840 x 2160 resolution across an 18.4-inch screen, it has a pixel density of 238ppi – that’s essentially the same as the slightly pricier XPPen Artist Pro 19, although it’s a fair bit lower than the 275ppi offered by the smaller and spendier Xencelabs Pen Display 16.

While touching up and recoloring some photography in Photoshop, I was impressed by how boldly it expressed colors, with reds, greens and blues in particular looking deliciously punchy thanks to its color gamut coverage of 99% sRGB / 96% Adobe RGB / 98% DCI P3. It’s not quite as bright as some rivals, however: its 220-nit typical brightness is bested by both the XPPen and Xencelabs above, which can hit 250 nits and 300 nits respectively.

There’s more to a drawing tablet than meets the eye, though: how it feels is also important. And while the Kamvas Pro 19’s anti-glare etched glass does a decent job of keeping reflections at bay, I didn’t find its texture to be that impressive. Rather than offering a paper-like bite when sketching, I could barely feel the grain of the glass at all. The only time it really became noticeable was when I was moving the stylus toward the top left, meaning the haptic feedback the display gave was often inconsistent.

(Image credit: Future)

But there was an even bigger issue with the glass – and it’s the source of my only significant reservation about Huion’s slate. While using the erasers on the styluses, I quickly noticed that they seemed to be leaving marks on the glass, which isn’t ideal given how often you might find yourself correcting mistakes. However, it was only when I turned the screen off after a long session of sketching that I noticed the extent of the scraping; the glass was covered with marks from both the stylus nibs and erasers. These can be wiped away, at least superficially, but it does concern me that the glass will eventually sustain permanent wear.

Fortunately, elsewhere, the build quality feels a lot more robust, with the main body of the device feeling sturdy and well put together. At 2kg, it is hefty enough that you may not be all that comfortable sitting it on your lap, but it does have built-in feet that raise it to a nicely ergonomic 20-degree angle. Several height options would have helped me find the absolute best angle, though. To really maximize the ergonomics here, a deeper bezel might have provided more room to rest my wrist. As it was, I felt its 0.78-inch (2cm) screen borders didn’t give me quite enough space to lean on.

Accompanying its two styluses – the three-button Pen PW600 and two-button Slim Pen PW600S – is a supply of standard and felt nibs, as well as a nib changing tool. You also get a Bluetooth-powered shortcut remote, the Keydial Mini, and all of the cabling you’ll need. It doesn’t include any clips for you to rest the styluses or a carry case, but you can get a free stand when you buy it in the UK, which definitely feels like a decent bonus.

When it comes to cabling, the Kamvas allows you to go maximalist or strip things right back. On the upper end of the scale, you can plug the supplied 3-in-2 adapter into your drawing tablet’s power and data ports, then hook the other end into your computer’s USB and HDMI ports and the mains. This will allow you to both sketch and record the slate’s video output to your hard drive. Alternatively, you can simply plug it directly into the mains and hook it up to your laptop – and thanks to its 40W reverse charging, it can charge your laptop in the process, meaning that’s one less cable on your desk.

  • Design score: 3 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Josh Russell)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: performance
  • Accurate strokes without parallax or jitter
  • Shortcut remote works well
  • Some user unfriendly quirks to driver software

Carrying out some line tests, I found the Kamvas Pro 19 to be accurate. There's no discernible parallax between the nib of the stylus and the brushes on screen, which is fortunate, as I couldn’t see any obvious way to recalibrate this in the drivers. While there is a little lag when moving the nib quickly, I didn’t find this to be a huge issue in maintaining accurate strokes.

When I got started with some actual artwork, the Kamvas Pro 19 felt fluid and responsive, allowing me to sketch out a nautilus shell with remarkable accuracy. While it didn’t feel quite as natural as when drawing on the Xencelabs Pen Display 16, it was able to register the stylus at up to 60 degrees, making tracing wide, fluid circles and spirals a snap. Additionally, the pressure sensitivity made blending colors using an oil-paint brush a cinch, with that vibrant screen making the pastel peaches and pinks look bold and brilliant.

The Keydial Mini shortcut remote makes it far easier to trigger various functions, without having to reach for the keyboard or mouse. Each key has a wide range of assignable shortcuts – including key combos, mouse click or scroll wheel functions, launching apps, media controls, or system-level functions like show desktop or launch mission control – while the wheel can be assigned to various functions from zooming and scrolling to adjusting parameters like brush size or flow.

(Image credit: Future)

Broadly speaking, these made it much easier to interact with menus and manipulate the canvas, although I did experience some slightly odd behavior when it came to assigning shortcuts in the driver software. Once you’ve entered a title or key combination, there’s no way to leave the field, and clicking either ‘X’ button wipes what you’ve entered. It took some trial and error for me to work out that you have to just click away from the window to save the shortcut, which is an odd bit of UX design.

Elsewhere, the driver software lets you further customize various settings. You can assign additional shortcuts to the buttons on the styluses. As well as the options listed above for the Keydial Mini, you can also trigger precision mode – this focuses input from the whole screen onto a tiny area for fine control – pan & scroll, and Fixed Pressure Sensitivity, a handy function that holds pressure at the current level when the button is pressed. You can also tailor the styluses’ pressure curves to your needs, choosing between five settings, from soft to hard, or shaping your own curve.

  • Performance score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: stylus
  • Both styluses are light and ergonomic
  • Increased 16K pressure levels probably unnoticeable for most people
  • The erasers are great – if you ignore how they mark the screen

The Huion Kamvas Pro 19’s styluses are well-designed and feel comfortable in the hand. No small part of this is due to their light weight and ergonomic shape, both of which make them comfortable to use for long drawing sessions. As a result, I didn’t experience any cramping or strain even when working on artwork for hours at a time. Sadly, they’re not quite as well weighted as XPPen’s X3 Pro Roller Stylus – with its center of gravity right where you grip it, that stylus felt almost weightless when pitching or spinning – but Huion’s pens are still easy to manipulate.

Both the Pen PW600 and the Slim Pen PW600S are capable of recognizing 16,384 pressure levels. That sounds seriously impressive, but I wouldn’t put much stock in this; in practice, I’ve rarely been able to distinguish any difference between 16K and 8K pressure sensitivity. The styluses are remarkably responsive, though, fluidly reproducing the weight of your hand. Using the most extreme curves, I did occasionally find it hard to maintain an even pressure, but that’s inevitable: every slight wobble of your hand is exposed at that high a sensitivity.

Buttons on the styluses are well-placed and make triggering shortcuts a breeze. Yes, I occasionally accidentally triggered them with my fat fingers, but this is an issue I’ve found with most styluses I’ve used, so I’m not going to hold this against Huion. if you find this particularly distracting, you can disable the shortcuts in Huion’s driver software.

The inclusion of an eraser on each of the styluses is appreciated as well, as I much prefer the tactile act of erasing with the stylus tip. However, as I mentioned above, the materials of the erasers are hard enough that they tend to mark the screen – this feels like it could become a real issue over time, and isn’t something I experienced with the erasers on Xencelabs’ pens.

  • Stylus score: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Huion Kamvas Pro 19?

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Design

Ergonomic and comfortable to use, richly colored 4K display – but the screen gets far too easily scuffed for my liking.

3 / 5

Performance

No noticeable parallax or jitter, generous 60-degree tilt recognition, easy-to-use shortcut remote, some odd software quirks in the driver.

4.5 / 5

Stylus

Lightweight and comfortable to hold, handy shortcut keys and eraser, 16K pressure levels hard to differentiate from 8K.

4 / 5

Value

Competitive price, good range of accessories – but is it worth the cost if it eventually succumbs to screen damage?

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You want an expansive, colorful display
At 18.4 inches, the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 gives you a huge amount of drawing room. And its wide color gamut means you can be sure every hue you use is as accurate as possible.

You don’t want to be tied down with excess cabling
Not only can you hook up the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 with just one power cable and one USB-C cable, but it also offers 40W reverse charging, meaning you don’t need another cable to keep your laptop juiced.

Don’t buy it if…

You care about having a pristine screen
As I remarked above, my test unit’s display got scuffed pretty quickly during use, particularly while using the styluses’ erasers. If the idea of marks on your drawing tablet sets off alarm bells for you, look elsewhere – or at least pick up a screen protector for it.

You want the brightest display for your spend
With its 220-nit screen, the Kamvas Pro 19 is hardly a dim bulb. But several of its rivals are capable of a typical brightness of at least 250 nits, making them easier to view in stronger light.

(Image credit: Future)Huion Kamvas Pro 19 review: also consider

Huion Kamvas Pro 19

XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2

Xencelabs Pen Display 16

Dimensions

17.7 x 10.7 x 0.8 inches (448.9 x 272.4 x 21.3mm)

18.1 x 12.1 x 0.8 inches (460 x 306.6 x 21.5mm)

16.1 x 10.2 x 0.47 inches (410 x 259.4 x 12mm)

Active drawing area

14.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)

16.1 x 9.1 inches (409 x 230mm)

13.55 x 7.6 inches (344.2 x 193.6mm)

Weight

2kg

4.91 lbs (2.23kg)

2.67 lbs (1.21kg)

Display resolution

3840 x 2160

3840 x 2160 pixels

3840 x 2160 pixels

Pressure levels

16,384

16,384

8,192

Compatibility

Windows 10 or later; macOS 10.12 or later; Android 6.0 or later; Linux(Ubuntu 20.04 LTS)

Windows 7 or later; macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Android (USB3.1 DP1.2); Chrome OS 88 (or later); Linux

PC: Windows 7 or later (latest service pack/build); macOS 10.13 or later (latest update); Linux - Ubuntu 14.04 or above, Debian 9.5, CentOS 7.0 or above, RedHat 7.0 or above

XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2
The XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 rocks pretty similar specs to the Huion Kamvas Pro 19, without costing much more. It offers great color reproduction, an expansive 19-inch display, an identical 4K resolution, two wonderfully well-balanced styluses and a shortcut remote. But the clincher is that its screen doesn’t get scuffed or marked as easily as the Kamvas Pro 19, making it a more reliable choice. Read my full XPPen Artist Pro 19 Gen 2 review.

Xencelabs Pen Display 16
While more expensive than either the Huion or the XPPen once you’ve picked up all its accessories, the Xencelabs Pen Display 16 is still a dream drawing tablet. I was seriously impressed with its lightweight portable build, higher pixel density, 300-nit brightness when mains powered and fantastic accessories, ranging from its super-reliable shortcut remote to the packaged carry case. Read my full Xencelabs Pen Display 16 review.

How I tested the Huion Kamvas Pro 19
  • Tested it over several weeks
  • Conducted multiple line tests
  • Used it to work on both sketches and retouching photos

I spent several weeks putting the Huion Kamvas Pro 19 through its paces. First, I used it for a range of line tests to help me assess its accuracy, check its tilt recognition and monitor for issues like parallax or jitter. Additionally, I spent some time tweaking its driver settings to see the kind of control this gave me over the styluses’ pressure sensitivity and various shortcut buttons.

From there, I started creating artworks in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Sketching out a nautilus shell helped me get a sense of how it performed when creating line drawings and using various paint-style brushes. On top of this, I used the Kamvas Pro 19 to touch up several photos, which helped me assess both its utility and its color accuracy.

Having spent several decades creating digital artwork, I’ve got a large amount of experience creating vector art and manipulating photos. On top of this, I spent many years as the editor of a print magazine, meaning I’m well-versed in assessing how well digital artwork performs in terms of color and resolution when compared to printed proofs.

Categories: Reviews

New iPhone 17 Air leak supposedly shows the super-slim battery Apple may use in this model

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:30
  • An image of the iPhone 17 Air battery has leaked
  • We're expecting a capacity of around 2,900 mAh
  • All of the iPhone 17 models should launch in September

We're expecting the iPhone 17 series to launch sometime during September, including the iPhone 17 Air – apparently a replacement for the iPhone 16 Plus. Now a new leak purports to show off the battery that will be fitted inside the Air model.

Images of this battery have been posted by well-known tipster Majin Bu (via 9to5Mac), and it comes enclosed in a steel frame, which matches the iPhone 16 Pro approach. Of particular note is how thin the battery is, from front to back.

According to Bu, the battery capacity is around 2,900 mAh, which is close to the 2,800 mAh figure we've heard from earlier rumors. For comparison, there's a 3,561 mAh battery inside the current iPhone 16, so we're looking at a significant drop.

However, given improvements in battery life technology, and tweaks set to be introduced with iOS 26, reports suggest iPhone 17 Air should still give you a day of battery life – even with the ultra-slim profile and reduced capacity battery.

Battery worries

iPhone 17 Air New Battery Design RevealedFull Article:https://t.co/dc9wI7LS3K pic.twitter.com/Y9MbDQDiRIAugust 1, 2025

If the rumors are to be believed, then the iPhone 17 Air is going to measure just 5.5 mm, front to back. That's a lot slimmer than the 7.8 mm iPhone 16, and it even beats the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which is 5.8 mm thick.

Ever since we heard an iPhone 17 Air was on the way, there have been concerns about battery life. Putting together a super-slim phone is all well and good, but it does mean less room for the battery and other internal components.

However, we know that iPhones can traditionally get more battery life out of less battery capacity, because Apple develops its hardware and software in tandem – so let's hope the usual trick can be repeated with the iPhone 17 Air.

It should be unveiled alongside the iPhone 17, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max during September. Apple hasn't said anything officially, but well-placed sources have pointed to September 8-10 as the most likely dates.

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Categories: Technology

Best Vitamins for Healthy Hair, Skin and Nails in 2025

CNET News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:00
Improve the health of your hair, skin and nails with the right vitamins and essential nutrients that your body needs to thrive. Here are the best options to get you started.
Categories: Technology

The 3 hottest VPNs for protecting your data this weekend – plus a bonus free option, chosen by our cybersecurity experts

TechRadar News - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 04:00

The UK's Online Safety Act officially introduced age verification measures on July 25, reshaping how people access certain websites and services.

Designed to protect children from harmful content and make platforms more accountable, the rollout has sparked heated debate. Critics worry about increased tracking, potential data breaches, and the loss of online privacy.

With new restrictions in place, VPN interest in the UK has surged as users look for greater control over their browsing and data security. While we don't encourage bypassing age checks, it's clear that VPNs have become a go-to tool for those concerned about privacy and the changing internet landscape.

We've tested countless VPNs over the years – you’ll find our full list of recommendations to the best VPNs and best free VPNs in our dedicated guides.

But if you just need a quick answer to which VPN to choose this weekend, we’ve got you covered here. These are the top options available today, plus a heads-up on what to look for in the small print.

1. NordVPN: best for most people

NordVPN still sits at the top of our rankings because it’s the best all-in-one VPN we’ve tested, delivering world-class security and speed, plus versatility from its extra features. Yes, Surfshark is slightly faster, and ExpressVPN just beats NordVPN on privacy and security in our most secure VPN guide, but at $3.39 / £2.69/month (on the two-year plan) NordVPN is cheaper than Express ($3.99 per month), better at unblocking geo-restricted content (it’s our top recommendation for streaming), and offers more extra features than both rival services.

NordVPN’s Threat Protection feature blocks malware, ads, and trackers well, while its audited no-logs policy means that no browsing data is logged by its servers. (Those independent audits prove that NordVPN is operating exactly as it claims.)

The apps themselves are straightforward to use, making it a good choice for beginners.

In this new era of stricter internet rules, NordVPN is a great choice for most people, and TechRadar has an exclusive dealSign up and get:

✅ Up to 76% OFF
✅ Up to $50 Amazon Gift card
✅ 4 months free protection (TechRadar exclusive)

Choose the Pro, Complete, Ultimate or Prime plans to get the deal. There's a 30-day money back guarantee, so if it isn't right you can cancel your subscription and get a refund.

Read more: NordVPN reviewView Deal

2. Surfshark: top budget option

Surfshark is the cheapest VPN in our top three, at $1.99/ £1.89 per month on the two-year plan. It scored slightly lower than NordVPN and Express VPN in our privacy and security tests, but it’s still an extremely robust choice for keeping your data safe - and it beats the other two on speed. You also get unlimited simultaneous connections, so every device in your home can stay protected, which neither NordVPN or Express VPN offer.

Surfshark's CleanWeb tools block ads, trackers, and known malicious sites, while its audited no-logs policy ensures that your browsing remains private. In our experience, speeds remain consistently fast across both nearby and long-distance servers, making it perfectly capable for streaming, video calls, and general browsing without interruptions.

Pricing is one of Surfshark's strongest selling points: plans start at around $2 per month on a two-year subscription, while monthly and annual plans remain competitive for those who prefer flexibility. All plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee, and there's a seven-day free trial so you can see whether it's right for you.

Read more: Surfshark reviewView Deal

3. ExpressVPN: great for beginners, but not cheap

If you're new to VPNs and want something that works flawlessly from the start, ExpressVPN is an excellent choice. Its apps are simple, intuitive, and consistent across devices, so you can connect securely in one click – we’ve tested it with complete beginners and they were able to get it up and running with no issues.

It also scores highly where it counts, on privacy and security, beating NordVPN (only just though, as you’ll see in our most secure VPN guide). ExpressVPN's commitment to privacy is reinforced by multiple third-party audits and, like the two services above, it has a proven no-logs policy, giving newcomers peace of mind that their data isn't being tracked. Its Lightway protocol also optimises speed and reliability, even on slower connections.

One reason why it’s our third recommendation and not our first is that ExpressVPN costs more. Plans start at around $4 per month on a two-year plan. Every subscription includes a 30-day money-back guarantee, letting beginners test its performance risk-free.

Read more: Express VPN reviewView Deal

PrivadoVPN Free: bonus free option

We don't recommend choosing a free VPN if data protection is your top priority, but if that’s what you’re looking for, then PrivadoVPN Free is one of the better services we’ve tested. It delivers AES-256 encryption, a strict no-logs policy governed by Swiss privacy laws, and industry-standard protocols like WireGuard and OpenVPN. It hasn't yet undergone an independent audit though.

You get 10 GB of full-speed data every 30 days. After that limit is reached, traffic is throttled to around 1 Mbps. That’s fine for light browsing or occasional streaming, not for heavy use.

Despite the cap, speeds during the full-speed window are surprisingly fast, with many tests showing performance comparable to our top-scoring VPNs. It can also unblock major platforms like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.

Still, if you’re serious about protecting your data, we’d recommend signing up for one of the services above.

Read more: PrivadoVPN Free reviewView Deal

Five red flags to avoid when choosing a VPN

VPNs don’t always guarantee complete anonymity, but using a reputable one does significantly boost your privacy online.

However, not all VPNs are created equal. While the services we've highlighted above have proven in our testing over the years to be trustworthy and reliable, there are plenty of options that can put your privacy, and your device, at risk.

Exclusively free VPNs are particularly notorious for tracking users or injecting ads to make money, and some paid services cut corners on security or performance.

Here are five big red flags to watch out for when choosing a VPN:

  1. No independent security or privacy audit
  2. Vague privacy policies
  3. Slow connection speeds or frequent disconnections
  4. Severe data caps that make streaming or gaming impractical
  5. Limited server locations, restricting your connection options
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