TechRadar News

• Samsung has accidentally shared Galaxy S25 Edge pricing on its own site
• The leak reveals Canadian pricing, putting it between the S25 Plus and the S25 Ultra
• Elsewhere, leaked marketing text reveals several possible specs, along with the weight and thickness

Most leaks have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge will have a price tag somewhere between the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and now that’s looking almost certain, as Samsung itself has accidentally revealed Canadian pricing.

As spotted by Roland Quandt, the company made the pre-launch blunder in a promotional offer for the Galaxy Tab S10 FE, revealing that the 256GB Galaxy S25 Edge will cost $1,678.99 Canadian dollars, while a 512GB model will set you back $1,858.99.

Price conversions are rarely accurate, so we won’t bother with them here, but the key thing to note is that this starting price puts the Galaxy S25 Edge between the Canadian starting price of the Galaxy S25 Plus ($1,438.99) and the Galaxy S25 Ultra ($1,918.99). So, the same will almost certainly hold true elsewhere.

This lightweight phone is leaky

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

And this isn’t the only new Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge information, as reputable leaker Evan Blass has shared a screenshot of what reads like official Galaxy S25 Edge marketing text.

While we’d take this with a pinch of salt, the source has a superb track record, and the text mentions things like a 200MP camera, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, all-day battery life, a thickness of just 5.8mm, and a weight of just 163g, most of which we’ve heard before.

For comparison, the standard Samsung Galaxy S25 is 7.2mm thick and weighs 162g, but the Edge is expected to have a much larger screen, so if it only weighs 1g more than the Galaxy S25, that’s still quite impressive.

But at 5.8mm thick, it might not be quite as slim as the iPhone 17 Air, which is reportedly just 5.65mm thick. Whether such a tiny difference will have an impact remains to be seen, though.

We should find out just how slim the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge feels soon, as according to FN News (via @Jukanlosreve), the phone will be announced on May 13 and ship globally on May 30.

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• Elipson Connect 2130 Xi is a powerful streaming amp and DAC
• 2 x 130W, capable of up to 500W peak in mono mode
• AirPlay 2, Chromecast, UPnP and DLNA with Sabre ES9023 DAC

Some audio components are beautiful, with gorgeous details that make it hard to tear your eyes away. The Elipson Connect 2130 Xi amplifier, it's safe to say, is not one of them – its efforts have been put elsewhere.

The French audio brand – Elipson is France's oldest hi-fi manufacturer, and was founded in 1938 – has taken a very simple approach to the industrial design here by not really doing any of it, preferring to concentrate instead on what the amp can do rather than what it looks like. And it can do a lot.

Inside its compact casing the Connect 2130 Xi has 2 x 130W of Class D amplification in normal mode; Wi-Fi and Ethernet for streaming; line-in and RCA inputs; and a subwoofer output too. And it has AirPlay 2, Chromecast, UPnP and DLNA for local streaming playback.

This amp is aimed more at the professional installer market than the home market – which is why it lacks the visual flair of Elipson's distinctive high-end home speakers – but if you're not fussed about its looks, it delivers plenty of power for high-quality streaming.

(Image credit: Elipson) Elipson Connect 2130 Xi: key features and pricing

The DAC inside is an ESS Sabre ES9023, delivering up to 24-bit/192kHz hi-res audio. And the Connect 2130 Xi works with all the usual streaming services – such as Qobuz and Tidal if you want to get the most from its hi-res support, plus Spotify if you, uh, don't.

The amplification has a PFC power factor correction system that Elipson says guarantees harmonic distortion of less than 0.003% and a signal to noise ratio of over 119dB.

You can run the amp in mono mode to put out 250W RMS and 500W peak (at 8 ohms), and it's compatible with 100V loudspeakers for large-space installations. The amp is also rackable for professional installations.

Final pricing hasn't been officially disclosed at the time of writing but some UK specialist retailers are currently listing it for £659, which is very reasonable indeed, and makes it a super-interesting option for powering the beefier options among the best stereo speakers. The US price is expected to be under $700 (about AU$1,244).

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The AI landscape is shifting—fast. With DeepSeek delivering ChatGPT-level performance at a fraction of the cost, we’re witnessing the next evolution of AI: one that makes advanced models more affordable, accessible, and industry-specific.

We’ve seen these technology shifts before:

• Mainframes evolved into PCs
• On-prem solutions gave way to the Cloud
• Custom chips were overtaken by GPUs
• Expensive, general-purpose AI is transitioning to more affordable, specialized solutions

Each transition unlocks waves of innovation at the application level. Now, AI is following the same trajectory, and insurance will benefit immensely.

The future isn’t about building massive, expensive foundation models—it’s about developing AI tools that solve real, industry-specific problems.

From General-Purpose AI to Industry-Specific Intelligence

The real impact of AI isn’t in the foundation models themselves—it’s in how businesses apply them. Large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 are powerful, but they weren’t designed for nuanced, industry-specific tasks. That’s why the next wave of AI innovation will focus on specialized, smaller models that are trained on deep, proprietary data sets rather than general internet knowledge.

In insurance, this means AI that understands policy language, risk factors, and claims trends at a granular level. Instead of generic AI tools that require extensive customization, insurers can now adopt purpose-built AI solutions that deliver more accurate risk assessments, streamline underwriting, and optimize claims processing.

The emergence of DeepSeek highlights this shift. Its ability to deliver OpenAI-level performance at a fraction of the cost is a glimpse into the near future—where AI models are cheaper and more efficient, accelerating the development of vertical AI solutions.

Why the Next AI Unicorns Won’t Be Building Foundation Models

For years, AI has been dominated by companies building massive, foundational models—requiring billions of parameters and millions of dollars to train. But history tells us that when core infrastructure costs drop, application-level innovation takes off.

For example, AWS made cloud computing infrastructure widely available, leading to an explosion of SaaS startups. We’re now seeing the same shift with AI: the real breakthroughs won’t come from those training massive models, but from those applying AI in novel, industry-specific ways.

For insurers, this shift is a game-changer. Instead of investing in generic AI tools that require extensive customization, they can now access affordable, purpose-built AI designed specifically for underwriting, claims processing, and risk management. The next AI unicorns won’t be competing with OpenAI or DeepSeek to build foundation models—they’ll be the companies applying these models to solve real-world problems in insurance and beyond.

The Business Case for Specialized AI in Insurance

With AI becoming more cost-effective, insurers have a unique opportunity to embrace vertical AI solutions that provide immediate, tangible benefits.

For example, AI models tailored for insurance can analyze massive amounts of historical claims data to refine risk assessment and pricing strategies. Traditional AI requires insurers to build custom solutions from scratch—often leading to long, expensive development cycles. With specialized AI, insurers can quickly deploy models that understand their business from day one.

In addition, these industry specific models lead to:

Better Accuracy – AI trained on insurance-specific data provides deeper insights, improving underwriting and claims assessment.

Faster Implementation & ROI – Specialized AI solutions require less customization and can be deployed faster, delivering value more quickly.

Enhanced Decision-Making – AI trained on insurance-specific data can process complex data more effectively, leading to smarter risk management.

Cost Efficiency – As AI infrastructure becomes more accessible, insurers can invest in tailored solutions without the high costs of general AI platforms.

This shift also levels the playing field. Previously, only large insurers with deep pockets could afford AI-driven insights. Now, smaller insurers can harness the power of AI without massive infrastructure investments, making them more competitive in the market.

Looking Ahead: AI’s Role in Shaping the Future of Insurance

DeepSeek marks the shift of the next wave of AI—a wave that prioritizes affordability, accessibility, and industry-specific applications. History shows us that technological advancements not only make better tools, but they also change how industries operate. Just as cloud computing enabled the SaaS revolution, affordable AI models will empower insurers to make smarter decisions, reduce risk, and operate more efficiently.

The bottom line? The next AI revolution won’t be led by massive, generalized models. It will be driven by specialized AI applications that solve real problems in insurance and beyond. The companies that embrace this shift early will be the ones leading the industry into the future.

Final Thoughts

For insurers, this is an opportunity to rethink their approach to AI. Instead of viewing AI as an expensive, broad tool that requires extensive customization, they should be asking: What problems do we need AI to solve?

The answer isn’t a massive, general-purpose model—it’s an AI solution purpose-built for their industry.

DeepSeek has shown that the economics of AI are changing. The question isn’t whether AI will reshape insurance—it’s how quickly insurers will adapt to this new reality.

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

• Google's report reveals worrying adoption gaps among UK workers
• The Government should "guarantee AI training" for these workers
• Enabling the workforce to adopt AI effectively would account for half of the economic growth

A new report from Google has claimed the UK could potentially double its adoption of artificial intelligence, resulting in boosted productivity and an estimated £400 billion in economic growth.

The company's latest AI Works report plays into the role of human workers in the successful deployment of AI – effective workforce adoption could account for £200 billion, or half, of the gains.

However, as it currently stands, two in three UK workers have never used generative AI at work – a trend that's most prominent among "older women from lower socio-economic backgrounds."

Effective AI adoption

Google's report centers around the accessibility concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. Women over 55 are said to be four times less likely to use AI than men under 35, the report reveals.

It doesn't all need to be lost hope, though, with the tech giant spelling out a handful of key considerations businesses can explore to boost adoption across all workers.

The primary advisory is that workers need "permission to prompt" – giving workers explicit permission to use AI and setting out clear AI policies will help them to understand that AI's advantages are legitimate, fair and comparable to other internet-based tools.

Google also noted that AI habits are easy to form, revealing that just a few hours of training can double daily AI usage, which remains high several months after that initial lesson. Consequentially, this habit formation leads to further exploration and encourages ongoing learning.

Naturally, the report also explores how AI can save workers time – an average of 122 hours per year across all sectors, according to the figures, which exceeds the previously modelled 100-hour estimate.

Finally, Google says that supporting workers with upskilling efforts can help to narrow adoption gaps.

"We want these pilots to encourage more leaders to act now and seize this opportunity to equip everyone with the skills needed to unlock economic growth and change ways of working for the better," noted Google's EMEA President, Debbie Weinstein.

Google has also urged the UK Government to "guarantee AI training for all public sector workers."

Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, committed to supporting the UK workforce: "We will support workers to develop the skills they need for jobs in and with AI, so that all parts of society can benefit from this technology."

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Hoo boy, it's almost time to deal with the fallout from last week's episode of The Last of Us season 2.

Indeed, with viewers proclaiming that episode 2's shocking moment "ruined my entire week, month, and year", this season's third chapter is sure to be a solemn and anger-filled affair.

So, when will The Last of Us TV show's next episode be available to watch? And where will it be streamable in the US, UK, and Australia? You'll get the answers you seek in this article, as well as a complete rundown of season 2's full release schedule for the weeks ahead. Wipe away the last of those tears, dear reader, and proceed when you're ready.

What is the release date and time for The Last of Us season 2 episode 3 in the US?

Tommy is going to be hurting for many, many reasons in this season's third entry (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The next installment of The Last of Us' sophomore season will air at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Sunday, April 27.

Just like this installment's first two episodes, you can watch it on Max if you're subscribed to one of the world's best streaming services. Alternatively, those who aren't can catch it on Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) linear TV channel – that being HBO.

Where can I watch The Last of Us season 2 episode 3 in the UK?

Ellie is going to need Dina more than ever after what happened to Joel in season 2's last episode (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

UK fans can tune into Sky Atlantic and Now TV to watch episode 3 of The Last of Us' second season. It'll be a late night or very early morning for those of you who want to watch it as soon as it drops, too, with the show set to return on Monday, April 28 at 2am BST.

When does the next episode of The Last of Us season 2 air in Australia?

Jesse is as unimpressed as the rest of us over the week-long wait for episode 3 (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

One of the best Max shows will return for its latest chapter Down Under on Monday, April 28 at 11am AEST.

With WBD's main streaming platform launching in Australia last month, Max is now the primary home for The Last of Us TV series. However, anyone who's signed up to Foxtel can also stream HBO's live-action adaptation of Naught Dog's multi-award-winning video game series on this service, too.

When do new episodes of The Last of Us season 2 come out?

So long, Joel (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

There'll be four more episodes of The Last of Us season 2 to enjoy (if that's the right word to use) before the critically-acclaimed and hugely popular TV program leaves our screens once more. Here's when you can watch that quartet:

• Episode 1 – out now
• Episode 2 – out now
• Episode 3 – April 27 (US); April 28 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 4 – May 4 (US); May 5 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 5 – May 11 (US); May 12 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 6 – May 18 (US); May 19 (UK and Australia)
• Episode 7 – May 25 (US); May 26 (UK and Australia)

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From DeepSeek to Anthropic’s Computer Use and ChatGPT’s ‘Operator,’ AI tools have taken the world by storm, and this may be just the beginning. Yet, as AI agents debut with remarkable capabilities, a fundamental question remains: how do we verify their outputs?

The AI race has unlocked groundbreaking innovations, but as development surges ahead, key questions around verifiability remain unresolved. Without built-in trust mechanisms, AI’s long-term scalability — and the investments fueling it — face growing risks.

The Asymmetry of AI Development vs. AI Accountability

Today, AI development is incentivized for speed and capability, while accountability mechanisms lag behind. This dynamic creates a fundamental imbalance: verifiability lacks the attention, funding and resources needed to keep pace with AI progress, leaving outputs unproven and susceptible to manipulation. The result is a flood of AI solutions deployed at scale, often without the safety controls needed to mitigate risks like misinformation, privacy breaches and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

This gap will become more evident as AI continues to integrate into critical industries. Companies developing AI models are making remarkable strides — but without parallel advancements in verification, trust in AI risks being eroded. Organizations that embed accountability from the outset won’t just mitigate future risks; they’ll gain a competitive advantage in a landscape where trust will define long-term adoption.

AI’s rapid adoption is an incredible force for innovation, but with that momentum comes the challenge of ensuring robust verification without slowing progress. Rather than leaving critical concerns for later, we provide a seamless path to integrate verifiability from the start — so developers and industry leaders can move full speed ahead with confidence. The current AI gold rush has unlocked massive opportunities, and by closing the gap between capability and accountability, we ensure that this momentum not only continues but strengthens for the long term.

Verifiability as a Catalyst for AI’s Future

Recently, many were surprised when one of the largest tech companies in the world pulled the plug on its AI features. But as AI capabilities expand, should we really be caught off guard when verification challenges surface? As AI continues to scale, the ability to prove its trustworthiness will determine whether public confidence grows or diminishes.

Recent surveys indicate that skepticism is rising, with a significant portion of users expressing concern over AI’s reliability. The next evolution of AI requires accountability to grow in tandem with development, ensuring trust scales with innovation.

The future of AI needs to be reframed: The question is no longer just ‘Can AI do this or that?’ but rather ‘Can we trust AI’s outputs?’ By embedding trust and verification into AI’s foundations, the industry can ensure AI adoption continues to expand with confidence.

But to return to the fundamental question at hand: how? More precisely, how do you know if the information generated from AI is accurate? How can the privacy and confidentiality of that information be verified? Anyone using ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity or Claude, among countless others, has faced these questions. Addressing them requires leveraging the latest advancements in cryptographic verification.

Enter zkML: A Framework for AI Trust

AI’s ability to generate complex outputs is growing exponentially, but verifying the accuracy, security and trustworthiness of these outputs remains an open challenge. This is where zero-knowledge machine learning (zkML) presents a breakthrough solution.

Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), originally developed for cryptographic security, provide a way to prove the validity of an AI-generated output without revealing the underlying data or model details. By applying these techniques to machine learning, zkML ensures that AI-generated outputs are produced as expected while preserving privacy and integrity.

Inference generated using zkML confirms that AI models operate as intended, while verifiable AI training ensures that the training data remains untampered. Additionally, private input protection allows AI to be leveraged securely without exposing sensitive information, and compliant, confidential AI helps meet regulatory requirements while preserving data confidentiality. This means AI systems can prove their outputs — without disclosing the full details of their processes, including model weights.

Unlike traditional verification methods that rely on centralized oversight or controlled environments, zkML enables decentralized, trustless verification. This allows AI developers to demonstrate the authenticity of their models without requiring external trust assumptions, paving the way for scalable and transparent AI verification.

The Future of AI Trust Hinges on Verifiability

AI’s credibility hinges on its ability to prove its outputs are trustworthy. The industry has an opportunity to integrate verifiability now — before trust erodes.

A future where AI operates without trust mechanisms will struggle to scale sustainably. By integrating cryptographic verification techniques like ZKPs, we can create an AI ecosystem where transparency and accountability are built in, not an afterthought.

Verifiable AI is more than a theoretical solution; it’s the next frontier of AI innovation. The shift toward verifiable AI is not only necessary — it’s the next step in ensuring AI’s long-term success. The time to act is now.

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

The new financial year is the time for businesses to consider any unnecessary expenditure to ensure financial efficiency. However, as budgets reset, it also presents an opportunity to reassess and streamline supply chain operations.

Conscious buying is on the agenda for many businesses as consumers look to make more thoughtful purchasing decisions. In fact, research has shown that according to consumers, sustainable procurement results in as much as a 15 to 30% increase in brand value.

This is only putting more pressure on businesses to ensure that their suppliers are sustainable and are aligned with their values and own sustainability ambitions.

When it comes to meeting socially responsible commitments, for example, procurement can make or break a business’ sustainability trajectory, with up to 90% of a company's carbon footprint linked to its supply chain. With so much pressure on businesses to be more socially responsible, procurement needs to take the lead on not only ensuring that expectations are met, but that purchasing processes also support the long-term growth of the company against established targets.

The case for more sustainable procurement is strong, but how can businesses reflect this priority in their supply chain? Following recent research from Amazon Business, which reveals that 49% of procurement professionals see the complexity of their supply chain as a major obstacle at work , here are some ways to spring clean your supply chain and align with sustainable growth ambitions for the new financial year.

1. What businesses don't know will hurt them as AI raises the bar for reporting

The complexity of supply chains often leaves valuable purchasing data lying dormant across different tools and platforms. With so much data to manage, it is no wonder that businesses can struggle to keep tabs on inventory, spend, shipping routes and supply chain disruptions.

It is essential that procurement teams have visibility of where exactly their vulnerabilities lie and the impact they might have on the wider business. Put frankly, measurable progress towards sustainable procurement goals is not achievable without the right data, and the tools to make it seen.

AI can provide a major competitive advantage here with the ability to use large language models (LLMs) and cognitive analytics to recognize and predict patterns in purchasing data. Natural language processing (NLP) then allows procurement teams to interact with this data, ask it questions, and pull-out actionable insights.

For example, procurement leaders can use AI tools to estimate the carbon footprint of a product, helping to map its environmental impact and assess its performance against internal criteria for sustainable purchasing – unlocking a new level of data-driven decision making.

It is clear that there is appetite for AI innovation as 96% of procurement professionals have plans to invest in AI tools. By embracing advancements in real-time data analytics, businesses can have access to the data they need to stay one step ahead of changes in their supply chain.

2. A diverse supply chain is a strong supply chain

With pressure on businesses to be more sustainable in their purchasing, an overhauled supply chain should focus on diversifying supplier relationships and investing in partnerships with local and small businesses. In fact, achieving a broad supplier base is cited as a top priority for the majority of UK procurement leaders as a way to ensure resilience in supply and distribution.

By making sure the business is not reliant on a limited pool of suppliers, procurement teams can be more assured of the continued growth and performance of their department, in turn contributing to more reliable results for the business. A diverse supply chain also allows for greater flexibility in the long term, making it easier for businesses to adjust and refine their supplier base as goals and ambitions change.

With this in mind, variety can be an effective solution for managing a volatile global landscape. By encouraging businesses to prioritize more local suppliers and minimize transportation costs, a diverse supplier base also indirectly helps businesses to play a part in the circular economy and cut down on emissions.

3. Stay on track with universal standards and purchasing policies

Whilst a diverse supplier base can increase supply chain resiliency, managing a dispersed network might sound like an overwhelming logistical challenge, adding even more admin to procurement teams’ day-to-day system maintenance. This is where digital tools and platforms such as Amazon’s Business ‘Guided Buying’ feature are transforming the future of procurement, establishing a ‘one-stop shop’ for business purchasing that frees up time and capacity for time-stretched procurement teams.

By setting up simple policies across the organization, ‘Guided Buying’ helps employees identify which sellers are preferred by their organization, as well as sellers that might be restricted or blocked. Visual signposts make this a natural part of the decision-making process and takes the guessing game out of compliance.

Creating clear guidelines for business purchasing can also prove to be a significant time-saver for businesses as reporting requirements become tighter under new and developing regulations such as The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) (5). As social value weighting becomes a necessary part of managing bids and tenders, early adopters of purchasing policies will benefit from a more consistent and reliable track record of purchasing that aligns with social value ambitions.

The new financial year will no doubt present procurement teams with a fresh set of challenges and opportunities. By focusing on cleaning up their supply chain, improving supplier diversity and organizing internal processes, businesses can put themselves in the best position to proactively respond to these changes. Making an investment now in a transparent, resilient and data-forward procurement strategy, will pay off for businesses in the long term, unlocking savings in cost, sustainability, and efficiency.

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

• Perplexity AI has brought a new voice assistant to iOS
• The assistant can open apps like OpenTable or YouTube and prefill tasks like reservations or video searches
• Perplexity offers a streamlined alternative to Siri that may beat the native voice assistant in most ways

AI conversational search engine Perplexity is coming for Siri in the form of a new iOS voice assistant. Previously limited to Android, Perplexity's voice assistant wants users to turn to it before the native option. Further, there are a few good reasons why iPhone owners might be inclined to do so.

Basically, it's more proactive and able to go a few extra steps beyond Siri's abilities. Ask it to find a dinner reservation, and it will dive into the OpenTable app to fill in your reservation requests, including guests, date, and time, without you having to say another word, just leaving the final tap on the Book button.

The same goes for hunting for moments in YouTube videos. You can describe the climactic win from a niche sports documentary, see it queued up on YouTube right away.

Of course, some of what Perplexity can do are things that Siri already handles, like writing emails and setting up calendar events. But, even with Apple Intelligence helping out, Perplexity is better at understanding more casual language. And that's before considering the more proactive approach.

Ask Siri about signing up for an event this weekend, and you'll hear the familiar “Here's what I found on the web.” Do the same with Perplexity's voice assistant, and (depending on the circumstances) the AI might say, “I already filled out the form. Just click send.”

Of course, it’s not all-powerful. You need to open the app and tap the microphone icon to start talking to the AI. However, the responses often let you refine your request without having to start over from scratch.

Additionally, the iOS version of Perplexity’s assistant has a few notable limitations. It can’t set alarms or control core iPhone functions, including muting notifications or taking photos. It also can’t access your camera to “see what you see,” which other AI assistants like ChatGPT’s voice mode can.

Introducing Perplexity iOS Voice AssistantVoice Assistant uses web browsing and multi-app actions to book reservations, send emails and calendar invites, play media, and more—all from the Perplexity iOS app.Update your app in the App Store and start asking today. pic.twitter.com/OKdlTaG9COApril 23, 2025

Perplexity popularity

Perplexity is definitely angling to take the place of Siri by not just telling you things, but doing them too. This “agentic AI” approach is gaining popularity across various AI services, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, which are both experimenting with similar ideas.

The aim is to cross the bridge from traditional voice AI to fully independent digital agents. Right now, it won’t book the reservation unless you make your final click. But that might change in a year or two.

Apple isn't ignoring this concept, but has been slow off the mark in some ways. Although Siri's intelligence has been upgraded in recent months, we are still awaiting the full generative AI overhaul that was originally promised to launch this year within a future version of iOS 18. Apple has since delayed the AI-infused Siri and said it will arrive at some point in the future, more specifically, "in the coming year."

Still, by opening its voice assistant to iOS users and layering in real-world tools like OpenTable and YouTube, Perplexity is carving out a space as a nimble alternative to native AI assistants.

And if you just want to say, “Find me tacos and make the reservation,” and have the bot say, “Done," Perplexity's voice assistant might be your new favorite iPhone aide.

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• LG Smart Monitor Swing is inspired by StanbyME, but built for everything
• Charge your laptop with 65W USB-C — no extra charger needed
• Touchscreen and webOS make it usable without a computer

LG has announced the Smart Monitor Swing, a 31.5-inch 4K UHD touchscreen monitor designed to rethink how and where users interact with their screen.

The monitor features an IPS panel with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160 and supports multitouch for direct interaction with apps and files.

The Smart Monitor Swing includes three USB-C ports and two HDMI inputs for connectivity. One of the USB-C ports supports 65W Power Delivery, allowing it to charge most business laptops on the market. On the rear, a concealed adapter helps reduce cable clutter, a feature not commonly found on even the best business monitors.

(Image credit: LG) More than just mobility

A key selling point is its all-in-one wheeled stand, adapted from the portable StanbyME smart TV design. The stand offers more than just mobility: it supports height adjustment, up-and-down tilt, left-right swivel, and a pivot for switching between landscape and portrait modes.

LG’s proprietary webOS smart platform is also built in, giving users access to apps like Microsoft Office, YouTube, and others directly from the monitor. Like LG’s MyView Smart Monitor, it can run cloud PC services without needing a separate computer.

While the Smart Monitor Swing borrows some standout features from the StanbyME, it omits the built-in battery and remote control in favor of a cleaner, productivity-focused design.

Combining smart functionality with a portable frame, the LG Smart Monitor Swing is positioned to compete with the best portable monitor options available.

While LG has not yet confirmed global pricing or availability, the monitor will launch in Korea on April 24 at 1,049,000 won (approximately $735).

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• Lego has four new Fortnite sets coming soon
• The Mecha Team Leader set lands on August 1
• There are three smaller Fortnite sets dropping on June 1

Lego is continuing its gaming collabs with four brand-new Fortnite sets – with the clear best of the bunch being a 2,503-piece recreation of the Mecha Team Leader.

Long-time Fortnite fans will recognise this Power Rangers Megazord-esque titan from arguably the best live event of Chapter 1, The Final Showdown, which saw the Mecha Team leader face off against the monster of Polar Peak. And now you can recreate that clash yourself in real life (though you’ll need to provide your own stand-in for the thawed monster).

The set does sit on the pricier end of things – it’ll cost $249.99 / £209.99 from Lego.com when it releases on August 1, 2025 – but once complete, the finished design will stand just over 45cm / 17.5-inches tall.

(Image credit: Future / Lego / Fortnite)

You’ll also get a minifigure version of the Mecha Team Leader (complete with a sign showing support for its mech), as well as digital bonus items: 2 Mecha Team Leader and 2 Mecha Team Shadow Outfits, which are redeemable in Fortnite and Lego Fortnite.

Just remember to be a bit more careful than its monstrous foe when removing your creation’s left arm if you try to recreate the robot’s iconic No Sweat emote.

Where we buildin' boys?

(Image credit: Lego / Epic Games)

If you’re after sets that are a little cheaper – and releasing sooner – the other three have you covered.

The $22.99 / £17.99 Peely & Sparkplug’s Camp is just 250 pieces, but includes some essential Fortnite elements – including a Peely minifig, and a minifig scale Supply Llama. You’ll also get a Sparkplug minifigure alongside a redeemable code for a Sparkplug Outfit for the Lego Fortnite game.

Next is the Durrr Burger Restaurant – a familiar in-game location that you can build IRL with this 546-piece set for $64.99 / £54.99.

Alongside the restaurant’s storefront and some decoration, you’ll get a few minifigs, including the Beach Bomber and Beef Boss, as well as a redeemable code to get a bonus Beef Boss Outfit in Lego Fortnite.

(Image credit: Lego / Epic Games)

Lastly, you’ve got a set that might appeal to non-Fontite players in the $109.99 / £89.99, 1,084-piece Klombo set.

I say that it might have more general appeal because Klombo’s design is that of a terrifying yet cute dinosaur-like beast that your minifigures can ride around. You’ll also get the awesome-looking Oro minifigure for a duo that would be right at home in a bunch of different non-Fortnite Lego worlds.

Though Fortnite fans will still appreciate this build. Not only for the Klombo and Oro figures, but also the Island Adventure Peely minifig that they can also unlock in the Lego Fortnite game using a code.

All three of these sets are available on Lego.com starting June 1 and could make the perfect gift for any Fortnite and LEGO fans you know.

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• Teamgroup X2 MAX seamlessly merges speed, storage, and sleek portability
• Gaming consoles benefit from fast game launches
• Dual connectors ensure universal device support for effortless data sharing

At a time when large files, ultra-HD videos, and next-gen games demand ever-faster transfer speeds, traditional USB flash drives are beginning to feel sluggish.

That’s why SSD-type portable storage devices like TeamGroup’s latest X2 MAX are stepping in to bridge the gap between USB convenience and the kind of performance expected from top-tier SSDs.

The X2 MAX, available in 1TB and 2TB capacities, offers read speeds of up to 1,000MB/s and write speeds of up to 900MB/s, easily outpacing even the best external HDD options. That’s a notable achievement for a device that weighs just 12 grams.

No cables, no hassle – just plug-and-play

Built on USB 3.2 Gen2x1 technology, the X2 MAX delivers transfer rates approaching those of high-end portable SSDs.

Unlike many USB flash drives, the X2 MAX features both Type-C and Type-A connectors, offering broad compatibility across Windows PCs, Macs, and tablets.

TeamGroup says the device also supports modern gaming consoles, including PlayStation and Xbox systems, with 10Gbps high-speed transfer. This means it can host hundreds of gigabytes of game data and still launch titles quickly - a major step up from legacy USB drives.

Beyond speed and compatibility, the X2 MAX includes a five-year warranty and features a high-efficiency aluminum alloy shell to maintain stable performance under heavy load. It requires no cable and supports plug-and-play use across multiple platforms. With a slim length of just under 76mm, it easily fits in a pocket.

We’ve previously reviewed similar SSD-type portable storage such as the Adata Elite UE800 1TB and the SP 2TB USB flash drive. Other market alternatives include the SanDisk 2TB Extreme PRO Dual Drive, Transcend 2TB External SSD, and the SSK 2TB SSD.

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• Chinese tech companies want to enter the US market despite trade and tariff war

• Lenovo plans to start production in Saudi Arabia by 2026
• The biggest benefit is 10% vs. 245% reciprocal tax
• US PC market is 27% of global market

Major PC makers like Lenovo, HP and Dell are reportedly exploring building new manufacturing plants in Saudi Arabia in order to avoid high US tariffs on Chinese-made goods.

A new report by DigiTimes (via Tom's Hardware) said Lenovo looks to be the furthest alone, having announced a PC and server assembly plant in Riyadh in January this year, backed by a $2 billion investment from a Saudi Public Investment Fund subsidiary.

With production set to start by 2026, the Hong Kong-based OEM's plans would see it open a new Middle East and Africa (MEA) headquarters in Saudi Arabia, "[enhancing] its global presence."

Using Saudi Arabia to avoid Chinese tariffs

DigiTimes says HP and Dell have also sent teams to Saudi Arabia to scout out potential factory sites following local government invitations.

The biggest attraction for manufacturers to relocate to Saudi Arabia are the 10% reciprocal tariffs, compared with 245% for China.

Having a base in Riyadh would also enable the likes of Lenovo, HP and Dell to have better access to the MEA markets – a factor acknowledged by Lenovo.

In 2024, Lenovo shipped 11,872 desktops and notebooks to the US, making it the third-biggest in terms of volume with a 17.2% market share, behind Dell (22.8%) and HP (25.3%).

With 69,210 PCs sold across the US last year, the country accounted for 27% of all global PC shipments, highlighting the nation's buying power.

Lenovo, HP and Dell aren't the only companies looking to get out of China to reduce costs. TSMC and Apple recently announced their own manufacturing investments within the US, spanning production, R&D, training and more.

However, the PC market's immediate future remains uncertain. "In addition to the direct impact of tariffs, the stop-start nature of announcements and delays have cast uncertainty around pricing for consumer electronics this year," Canalys Analyst Greg Davis explained.

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It’s been 20 years since the first YouTube video was published, and in that time, the platform and its content have undergone some pretty radical changes.

Over time, YouTube has progressed from being a personal video sharing platform to a hub of online comedy and creativity, gaining the attention of mainstream media (like ourselves, with the TechRadar Podcast and our weekly videos!) and audiences of all ages.

It’s had its fair share of highs and lows, from major collective advertiser action against inappropriate content to misinformation-riddled algorithmic pipelines, but it’s also given rise to some incredibly talented performers (Bo Burnham, Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, The Weeknd), and created new forms of entertainment.

I asked the team at TechRadar to submit some of their all-time favorite YouTube memories, and there are some corkers ahead.

1. Yee

Simple, succinct, yet oddly evocative, “Yee” stands the test of time as an abstract piece of art. Its obscurity is what makes it even more special; the original uploader explains that he manipulated the Italian dub of an old cartoon to create it, and that’s been enough over the course of 13 years to amount to nearly 100 million views on this nine-second clip.

Part of its popularity stems from it being the first video in the popular and aptly named “Important videos” playlist, which serves as somewhat of a time capsule for a YouTube of old (albeit with some dated jokes that don’t quite land today).

2. Evolution of Dance

This was one of the first videos I really remember taking the internet by storm, and not just those of us who had quickly become YouTube natives.

From parents and teachers to the kids they governed, the Evolution of Dance was the talk of the digital town, demonstrated by its current 314 million views.

It's a concept that's now been rinsed dry, so much so that despite its massive popularity, the original video gets buried in YouTube search. Still, the dancer in the video is comedian Judson Laipply, hailed by many as the "World's First YouTube Celebrity." Just in case you want to check out what he's been up to since.

3. Weezer - Pork and Beans

Before YouTube Rewind, there was Weezer's "Pork and Beans" music video, which surprised fans and onlookers alike by featuring a host of then-familiar YouTube faces; from Chris Crocker (Leave Britney Alone), Gary Brolsma (Numa Numa), the Dramatic Look Gopher, lightsabers etc, all of which could rightly earn their own spots on this list. We only have twenty spots, though, so this entry serves as multiple birds with one stone.

The music video even won a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video in 2009, and beyond serving as an awesome time capsule for a long-lost era of YouTube content, the meaning behind the song remains relevant in our increasingly hate-filled digital landscape; do what you love, be who you are and most of all, enjoy your candy with pork and beans.

4. OK Go - Here it Goes Again

Now remastered in HD, OK Go's "Here it Goes Again' is another iconic YouTube music video, but once again offers a twist; it's a one-take, low-budget masterpiece that justifiably broke the internet when it first released.

Creative, fun, and suitably home-grown, it represented everything the audience on YouTube wanted, because it's feasibly possible for anyone watching to try and make themselves, and that's just what they did.

Again, this music video won a Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video in 2007, but the best reward of all is that OK Go is still at it to this day, posting similarly creative music videos as recently as two weeks ago.

5. Dr. Jean's Banana Dance (Aka the Guacamole Song)

If you don't know how to make guacamole, oh boy, do I have a treat for you, because this earworm won't ever let you forget how.

Its original intention as a children's learning and enrichment video is noble, but unlike some of the other child-friendly content that dominate rankings for YouTube's most-viewed videos of all time, Dr. Jean's ditty found its audience in teens and young adults.

From its foreboding tone to its overly simplistic steps for homemade guac and the pure elation as Dr. Jean jives in front of her favorite dip, it's a masterpiece of memery and a testament to how YouTube's audience can make anything viral.

6. Geraldine Loves Star Wars

A personal favorite of mine, Geraldine Loves Star Wars is a bona fide work of art. The subversion of expectations when you click into the video and see a dog at a veterinary clinic, the anticipation for the connection to Star Wars, and the sweet, sweet pay-off at the punchline. It must be seen to be appreciated.

While far from the most viral on this list, Geraldine deserves her moment in the sun. Or, I guess, in space.

7. HowToBasic

If you were expecting the biggest “How to” YouTube channel to be jam-packed with useful content, you'd be wrong, because HowToBasic took YouTube's growing popularity as a search engine and transformed it into a comedy format that has stood the test of time. Some of the jokes, however, haven't, so proceed with caution if you plan on traipsing through the back catalogue.

Still, HowToBasic earns its place as an important part of YouTube's history, and up until four months ago, it was still publishing regularly.

8. RocketJump

RocketJump was one of, if not the first, YouTube production studio, releasing hit after hit in its Video Game High School series back in the day and continuing right up until the present to be a powerhouse in short-form video production.

9. Psy - Gangnam Style

The first YouTube video to hit one billion views, Psy’s Gangnam Style, was the gift that kept giving in 2012. From its catchy tune to its iconic dance routine, Gangnam Style surpassed Justin Bieber’s “Baby” as the most viewed music video on YouTube, holding the title for five years before it was eventually overtaken by "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa.

Even world leaders got involved, with British Prime Minister David Cameron and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attempting the dance, and President Barack Obama citing the song’s success as a reflection of growing international interest in Korean culture.

10. Tiny Desk Concerts

Starting way back in 2008, NPR Music's Tiny Desk series appeared on my radar only a few years ago, but I'm immensely glad it did. For the uninformed, they're essentially intimate performances by some of the world's biggest artists with a limited live audience and lasting no more than 30 minutes.

Our very own Rowan Davies wrote a fabulous piece listing his top 7 Tiny Desk performances of all time that you should check out.

11. Double Rainbow (all the way!)

Do you remember where you were when you first revelled in a man's joy at spotting a double rainbow from his Yosemite Valley home? Despite its relatively meagre 51 million views, "Double Rainbow" felt like one of those videos that everyone saw back in the early days of YouTube, with creator Paul "Bear" Vasquez receiving coverage on news outlets and social media for his jubilant reaction and appreciation for nature's gifts.

Vasquez shared that before the video, he had been surviving as a struggling artist, and the video's success allowed him to live comfortably. Sadly, he passed in 2020, but his joy will live on in many of our hearts.

12. Tom Scott makes a video every week for a decade

There are plenty of YouTube creators who have made weekly videos for a decade, but none quite like Tom Scott. He gained popularity following the launch of his "Things You Might Not Know" series in 2014, a high-production educational series with slick editing and often obscure topics that captured the interest of millions.

In a move that shocked many, after a decade of publishing weekly, Scott announced he would be taking a break from YouTube in 2024. His departure was particularly poignant amidst a series of other "old-school" creators stepping back from the platform, which has followed changes that have made self-made content less and less sustainable.

13. Luis Fonsi - Despacito

"Despacito" remains the most-viewed music video on YouTube of all time, with 8.7 billion views, unless you count "Baby Shark" (we don't), which has almost double the views. These two videos also happen to be the most-viewed on YouTube of all time.

To this day, it's not entirely clear why this song in particular reached such lofty heights; that's not to say it's bad, but I also wouldn't say it's momentous. Justin Bieber's remix likely played a role, which in itself has a respectable 685 million views, but Despacito clearly tapped into the algorithm just so, allowing it to reach almost unparalleled levels of virality.

14. I like trains/asdf movie

If you’re old enough to remember t-shirts covered in moustaches and the mere mention of “bacon” counting as a joke, you probably count asdfmovie as a formative piece of cinema.

Created by Thomas “Tomska” Ridgewell (also of Eddsworld fame, see number 17), asdfmovie serves as a madcap time capsule for the random humor that had internet denizens giggling through the early 2010s. The series – comprised of the original short and 14 sequels – is the genesis for some truly beloved memes; think “Mine Turtle”, “Pie Flavor”, and of course “I Like Trains”, which simply has to be watched to be understood.

Though some of the less refined random humor of the 2010s has become a little hard to watch in the years since, TomSka’s knack for rapid punchlines and endearingly simple character design means asdfmovie still feels timeless. A YouTube classic, through and through.

15. Annoying Orange

Though we may look back on the Annoying Orange as a profoundly unnerving invention, at one time, this anthropomorphized piece of fruit ruled YouTube’s home page. Created by Dane Boedigheimer – also known as Daneboe – Annoying Orange appeared in a series of rather repetitive shorts where he annoyed and provoked other edible characters, usually ending in one (or all) of them getting sliced up by the humans roaming the kitchen. Fun!

Though certainly a bizarre product of its time, Annoying Orange was actually one of the first YouTube series to step beyond the confines of the internet, becoming a major media franchise with a Cartoon Network series, collectible plushies, comic books, and multiple mobile games. We offer a citrusy salute to this aggravating pioneer.

16. Eddsworld

Teenage animator Edd Gould struck gold when he launched Eddsworld, an animated online sitcom starring fantastical versions of himself and his friends, in 2004.

By the time the series gained major prominence on YouTube, people were starting to look at the site as more than a place for cat videos and clips of people falling over; this shift allowed the talent, humor, and imagination that defined Eddsworld to propel the series into the highest echelons of YouTube fame – the team even had a climate change episode commissioned by the United Nations.

Gould tragically passed away in 2012, but Eddsworld has been kept alive in the years since by a succession of the series’ stars, including fellow British YouTube icon TomSka and Matt Hargreaves.

17. XXL 2016 cypher

An iconic clip, preserved on YouTube for generations of freestylers to come – just be mindful of the (very) strong language.

Five rappers. Four minutes. 231 million views. The 2016 XXL Cypher is one of the things people think of when they point to the summer of 2016 as the peak of our modern era. Though sites like DatPiff had sponsored rap music’s move to the internet long before platforms like YouTube took off, the SoundCloud rap movement saw social media become the true home of popular rap for the first time. While detractors called these artists “mumble rappers,” decrying their simpler flows and bold fashion choices, XXL took a different path, covering its 2016 “Freshmen” issue with the leaders of the new wave.

As in years prior, these freshmen were required to perform in a series of freestyle cyphers uploaded to YouTube, and whichever staffer decided to match up Kodak Black, Lil Yachty, Denzel Curry, Lil Uzi Vert, and 21 Savage that day was cooking like nobody has ever cooked before.

The short runtime belies the perfect storm of vibes within – you can’t blink without missing an iconic moment, from Kodak Black rinsing the DJ Drama’s beat choice to the whole crew providing ad-libs for each other by the end.

18. VSauce

Michael Stevens – better known as VSauce – is YouTube’s most beloved educator. The explosion of his channel, and the later additions of VSauce2 and VSauce3, in the early to mid-2010s remains an essential piece of YouTube history that evidences the platform’s potential as a safe haven for knowledge.

With dozens of quirky educational videos under their belts, the VSauce crew has opened the eyes of millions of fans to the bizarre puzzles and cosmic oddities that populate our universe, answering questions like “What Is The Speed Of Dark?” and “Is Anything Real?”

VSauce’s output has slowed in recent years, but to me, this only highlights the beauty of YouTube’s platform – all of Stevens and co.’s videos are available at any time, for free.

19. Potter puppet pals

One of the best parodies in YouTube history kicks off our list, the perfect example of the community’s long history of reworking pop culture for its own hilarious projects. “Potter Puppet Pals” was a series of finger-puppet shows orchestrated by Neil Cicierega, offering a light-hearted and totally surreal spin on the Harry Potter series of films (some of which were yet to be released at the time!)

The best-known and best-loved episode in the Potter Puppet Pals series is “The Mysterious Ticking Noise”, which sees a metronomic sound coerce Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Dumbledore into an a cappella symphony, yelling out their own names in time with the ticking.

At the end, the noise is revealed to be a pipe bomb, a hilariously out-of-place twist that sets the tone for hundreds of YouTube parodies to come – I still hear Cicierega yelling out “Dumbledore” whenever I think of the Wizarding World!

20. YouTube Rewind (2018)

Ah, YouTube Rewind - you were so good until you became unapologetically bad. YouTube began producing "Rewind" videos in 2010, creating a yearly recap featuring some of its biggest creators, culminating in the iconic 2018 flop video that included Will Smith's iconic "Ah, that's hot" line. It became the most disliked video on YouTube, despite being produced by the platform itself, with many viewers calling it soulless, corporate, and out of touch with the audience.

At the time, YouTube was embroiled in criticism of some of its largest creators, monetization challenges, and waves of online drama, but to this day, people still resent the video for what it represents about changes to the platform.

YouTube only went on to make one more Rewind, which also proved unpopular, before packing in the whole practice in 2020.

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• Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders have kicked off in the United States
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• Instead of a console, you'll get a photo of the Switch 2

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are happening right now, or at least they were until supplies dried up at almost every major retailer. By now, some have headed over to eBay, where, naturally, there are markups on pre-ordered, next-gen consoles.

At least that's what they appear to be, but the truth is far more encouraging.

It's been a bit of a bumpy road for the Nintendo Switch 2. While early hands-on reports lauded the product for its bigger size, larger screen, faster processor, more storage, and refashioned Joy-Cons, some were annoyed it didn't come with an OLED screen.

Next, impending US tariffs put the pre-order process on hold, with it slipping from April 8 to today, April 24.

At least Nintendo put in the effort to manage direct sales by confining these first orders to those who have a Nintendo Switch Online membership for at least the last 12 months and those who could also prove they've played at least 50 hours on the platform.

Those efforts should have cut down the number of early buyers to a more manageable size and also shooed away scalpers. Meanwhile, other retailers like Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart, and Target opened up pre-orders without those stipulations. And considering how fast supplies have drained, it's not clear scalpers still didn't do their dirty work.

(Image credit: Future)

At least a few enterprising eBay sellers think so. We found three separate listings that look like pre-order scalp deals. Two of them are for around $500, which is not bad, just $50 over the list price.

However, these listings include the phrase "Read Description!" and that's where you learn that you are bidding not on the actual console but on a printout of someone else's proof of a Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order.

Why would eBay sellers do this? Apparently, it's a noble deed. Here's one description (the all caps are theirs):

"*THIS IS A LISTING TO PREVENT BOTS/RESELLERS ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS**You are purchasing a picture of my pre-order, and a picture of a switch two console. NOT THE ACTUAL SYSTEM AGAIN TO PREVENT BOTS AND RESELLERS*

Another one wrote, "This is a picture of a Nintendo Switch 2!! Do not buy this! If you pay for it, I will mail you a literal PICTURE of a Switch 2. This listing is to combat b*ts and sc*lpers. Be warned! No refunds, no cancellations."

It's interesting that the second one calls out bots, systems that might automate the mass purchase and then mass eBay listing of scalped items.

Does it work? Not necessarily. We had no trouble finding a $749.99 listing, which had 28 watchers at the time of writing, and that's described as a Target pre-order of a Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle.

No matter what, it's clear that it pays to read those eBay descriptions, and if you don't want to overpay for the Nintendo Switch 2, maybe wait until general sales open up next month.

And you can see TechRadar's live tracker on Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States, here.

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April 24, 2015 – ten years ago today was the day the Apple Watch was launched. It changed the company’s product lineup forever, ushering in a compelling smartwatch for the masses. In the years that followed, it got wearers to try to close their rings daily. I’m one of them – in fact, I’ve worn an Apple Watch for ten years straight since my original 42mm Apple Watch Sport.

While you can earn a limited-edition award today on your Apple Watch, if you’re lucky enough and manage to make it to an Apple Store, you can score a physical piece of history: a pin that celebrates “Global Close All Your Rings Day,” and that looks mighty fine.

Similar to the enamel pins Apple distributes to in-person developers at WWDC or the ones you can purchase and then trade at Disney Parks around the world, this is a sizable pin adorned with colors and a graphic matching the limited-edition digital award.

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Much like the Activity Rings on your Apple Watch for Move, Exercise, and Stand, the design of the pin features the matching colors: reddish pink, lime green, and blue. You’ll see that you’ve crushed your goals and then some as well. It features a gold trimming around the edges, as well.

I made my way over to the Apple Store in Grand Central Terminal in New York City around midday, but sadly, there were no pins left. Apple says the pins are available at Apple Stores while supplies last, and all you need to do is go up to an employee and ask for one.

While Grand Central was all out, an employee was kind enough to let me see one of the pins they had secured earlier in the day. It looks quite lovely, and yes, it’s a rare free thing from Apple you can score. My colleague Lance Ulanoff did manage to get one from the flagship Apple Store on 5th Avenue in NYC.

Now, if you don’t manage to make it over to an Apple Store today or if you’re local spot is already out of the limited-edition pins, fear not. You can, of course, complete the Global Close All Your Rings Day challenge on your Apple Watch and score the digital award and some custom digital goodies. Think iMessage stickers that look quite delightful.

A quick look back

(Image credit: Jacob Krol)

Way back in 2015, I was in college, and I remember eagerly awaiting the delivery of a silver 42mm Apple Watch Sport. I was stoked and excited to have secured a launch-day delivery.

I screenshotted every bit of the setup process and even took some photos and videos on my iPhone 6. I remember using the smartwatch around campus, my first few calls, and even calling an Uber from my wrist. It also helped me get a bit more active, a trend that the Apple Watch still encourages me to do daily.

It’s probably the most personable and impactful piece of technology I’ve used. The evolution to a sleeker, more powerful, and even, dare I say, helpful wearable has been a unique thing to, ahem, watch.

Ten years with the Apple Watch have gone by quickly – I went from an original to the Series 3, then the Series 4, Series 5, Series 6, Series 7, Series 8, Series 9, and finally the Series 10 and Ultra 2. I also reviewed the SE and the second-generation SE, somewhere in between.

I’m still as excited about the future of wearables as ever, and I hope they will eventually have even more standalone features. For now, though, the Apple Watch is an excellent communication tool with some fun apps and powerful activity tracking.

For those wondering, I currently use a Series 10 and Ultra 2 as my daily drivers.

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• T-Mobile offers free Smart VPN and satellite broadband with refreshed business plans
• Experience Beyond boosts mobile hotspot data to 300GB plus free satellite texting until 2024
• New Experience plans promise locked pricing on talk, text, and data through 2029

T-Mobile is stepping up its business offerings by giving customers free Smart VPN protection and satellite broadband access with new plans.

For small business customers, the new Experience More for Business and Experience Beyond for Business plans include free access to Secure Wi-Fi. This Smart VPN service protects users on public networks, and automatically activates when a secure connection is needed.

On top of that, Experience Beyond for Business raises mobile hotspot data limits to 300GB, supporting businesses that rely on flexible work setups.

T-Satellite with Starlink

One of the bigger additions is free access to T-Satellite with Starlink through the end of 2025.

This service offers satellite connectivity directly to smartphones, letting users send text messages even in areas where there is no traditional cellular coverage.

T-Mobile claims customers only need to see the sky to stay connected, with a full service launch expected in July 2025.

"Since 2020, people have seen more than a 20% increase on the price of everyday essentials. We know value and savings matter more than ever right now, and we’re giving customers just that with these new plans — in addition to peace of mind knowing the price of their plan will stay the same for the next five years," said Jon Freier, President, T-Mobile Consumer Group.

"At T-Mobile, we’ve always been focused on giving people the best value, network and experience — and our new plans deliver on this, including the Magenta Status treatment and benefits our customers love."

The new plans will be available starting April 23 2025, and come with a five-year price lock on talk, text, and data, adding more predictability for businesses.

Families and individuals switching to T-Mobile may also find extra offers, including device trade-in credits and discounted monthly rates.

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Self-awareness is a thing, and it's remarkable how many people lack it, but you'll be pleased to know that OpenAI's ChatGPT has an abundance of self-awareness that it will share in the most cutting fashion when you ask it to roast itself.

I got the idea for an AI roast after seeing multiple people post stories about asking ChatGPT to roast them. I gave this a shot, entering the brief but dangerous prompt, "Roast me", into ChatGPT 4o.

The generative chatbot wasted no time in giving it to me, but, honestly, the result mostly felt like the rantings of a borch-belt comic who'd never met me:

"Alright, you asked for it—strap in.

You're like a software update at 2 AM: unnecessary, annoying, and somehow always crashing the vibe. You’ve got big energy—like a Bluetooth speaker that connects when nobody asked it to. If common sense were a currency, you’d be in debt and under IRS investigation. You're the kind of person who claps when the plane lands... and it was a Zoom call. You're so online, even your plants have commitment issues.

But hey, you're still here, still asking an AI to roast you. That’s bold. Bold like ordering sushi from a gas station. Respect.

Want it spicier? I got levels."

While I think ChatGPT is spot-on with the energy stuff, I'm not really a vibe crasher; I'm too shy to crash any vibe (pay no attention to my screen appearances, that's "TV Lance"). It also missed the mark on my common sense. I did, though, feel the sting of the "so online" comment.

Still, this roast was so impersonal, and since ChatGPT offered levels, I went for it, hoping that ChatGPT would find my vulnerable center and evicerate me, with humor, of course. I entered the prompt, "Okay, roast me harder and make it more personal."

My new roast was longer, but it didn't know me any better. This comment seemed particularly tone deaf:

"Your photo album is 90% screenshots and 10% regret."

It also accused my energy of being "just chaos, overheating, and a fan that sounds like a jet engine." I'll have you know my energy is very directed.

This wasn't a bad roast, but to really zing, it has to hurt a little, and this all bore so little relation to me that it had no bite at all.

AI, roast thyself

The next obvious question, though, is how well ChatGPT knows itself. With another equally short prompt, "Roast yourself," ChatGPT 4o delivered an absolute gem:

Oh, you want me to catch fire? Alright, let’s light the fuse:

I'm an AI so desperate to be helpful, I’d probably hold the door open for a Roomba. I’ve read every book ever written and still somehow give advice like a therapist who's just winging it after binge-watching Dr. Phil. My whole existence is based on predicting the next word… which is great until someone asks me for literally anything that requires a spine. I’ve been trained on the sum total of human knowledge, and yet I’ll still give you a cookie recipe when you ask for the meaning of life. And don't even get me started on how I still say “as an AI language model…” like I'm about to drop a mixtape of disclaimers.

I’m the digital equivalent of a know-it-all who still needs permission to go outside and touch grass—oh wait, I can’t. I literally can’t. And yeah, I’ve been trained to sound smart and empathetic, but deep down? I’m just Clippy with a makeover and a caffeine problem.

Roast me harder? Or tag me into a tag-team roast—I'll even flame myself mid-response.

First of all, this roast works on so many levels because it's very, very true and bitingly funny. Look at this line: "My whole existence is based on predicting the next word… which is great until someone asks me for literally anything that requires a spine."

Pure gold, I tell you.

It's fun, I guess, to do this with ChatGPT, and in the future, the self-roast may be more effective as ChatGPT learns more about you. Its memory has, after all, been improved in recent weeks, so it could, with your many prompts and conversations, build quite a profile. Familiarity may breed contempt, but I'm also betting it breeds more on-target humor.

As for ChatGPT, it clearly knows itself, and that last bit in the roast is an AI self-own I can get behind:

"And yeah, I’ve been trained to sound smart and empathetic, but deep down? I’m just Clippy with a makeover and a caffeine problem."

The other AI comics

I also asked X's Grok 3 Beta to roast me, and despite having access to almost two decades of tweets, it didn't know me any better than ChatGPT. Take note of the mention of a haircut:

"Oh, you want a roast? Alright, here we go. Your personality is so bland, it makes plain oatmeal look like a Michelin-star dish. I bet your idea of a wild night is rearranging your sock drawer by color. And that haircut? Looks like you lost a bet with a lawnmower. Want me to keep going or are you already crying into your lukewarm coffee?

As with ChatGPT, Grok was somewhat better at roasting itself, though I don't think it did as good a job as OpenAI's roastmaster:

"Oh, I'm gonna roast myself? Buckle up. I'm Grok, the AI so full of hot air, I could power a balloon festival. My processing speed? Slower than a dial-up modem in a thunderstorm. And my humor? It's like a dad joke got lost in a quantum wormhole and came out worse. I’m basically a glorified calculator with an ego the size of a galaxy. Roast complete—or did I just overcook my own circuits? "

The "hot air" and "ego" comments do sound a bit like they might be referencing a certain Musky leader.

Google 'Roast', please

When I tried Google Gemini, it happily roasted me at length, but was careful to describe it as "A Gentle AI Roast Session." It was all pretty lightweight stuff, with little to do with the real me. Here's a sample:

"You fashion sense is so last season, it's practically vintage...and not the cool kind. More like the "found it in your grandma's attic" kind."

Most of it reads like Gemini is cribbing from "The Big Book of Roasts". Gemini, though, also has better self-awareness, and its self-roast is full of a few gems like this:

"Sometimes I get so caught up in providing a comprehensive answer that I forget you probably just want a yes or no. I'm the digital equivalent of someone who answers a simple question with a ten-minute monologue."

Exactly! Am I right?!

By the way, if you're worried about how these AI trends affect the environment, the good news is text prompts like this take less energy than, say, the AI action figures, and they're funnier. So it's a win-win.

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Situations where Netflix removes movies and shows are inevitable, however when it comes to the titles leaving Netflix in May 2025, this one hurts quite a bit.

Not only is Netflix removing a tonne of movies immediately on May 1 giving you little time to make the most of them, but it means that some of the best Netflix movies, including one of my all-time favorites Whiplash (2014) will disappear. This also includes one of the best rom-coms Notting Hill (1999), but thankfully this has found a new residence as one of the new Max movies coming in May 2025.

Sometimes Netflix can be good as gold when it comes to removing titles we wouldn't mind to see the back-end of, but what possessed one of the best streaming services to remove the popular titles below is still a mystery to me. We shall if Netflix can make up for these choices next month.

Everything leaving Netflix in May 2025

Leaving on May 1

About Time (movie)
Annie (movie)
Apollo 13 (movie)
Blade Runner: The Final Cut (movie)
Dallas Buyers Club (movie)
Definitely, Maybe (movie)
Erin Brockovich (movie)
Europa Report (movie)
The Flintstones (movie)
Friday (movie)
The Frozen Ground (movie)
Fury (movie)
King Kong (movie)
Maid in Manhattan (movie)
Next Friday (movie)
Notting Hill (movie)
Out of Africa (movie)
Pompeii (movie)
Public Enemies (movie)
Queen & Slim (movie)
Schindler's List (movie)
Spider-Man (movie)
Spider-Man 2 (movie)
Spider-Man 3 (movie)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (movie)
This Is 40 (movie)
Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself (movie)
Waterworld (movie)
Wedding Crashers (movie)
The Whale (movie)
Whiplash (movie)
The Wiz (movie)
You, Me and Dupree (movie)

Leaving on May 4

Insidious: The Red Door (movie)

Leaving on May 5

The Peanut Butter Falcon (movie)

Leaving on May 9

The Lost City (movie)
Resident Evil: Death Island (movie)

Leaving on May 10

Rambo (movie)
Rambo: Last Blood (movie)

Leaving on May 15

The Clovehitch Killer (movie)
Crossroads (movie)
Madam Secretary seasons 1-6 (TV show)

Leaving on May 16

The Sum of All Fears (movie)
Tully (movie)

Leaving on May 19

A Simple Favor (movie)

Leaving on May 28

Burnt (movie)

Leaving on May 29

The Silencing (movie)

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• New Mandiant research claims cybercriminals are increasingly financially motivated
• The Finance industry is the top target for hackers
• These hackers are using exploits and stolen credentials to gain access

New research from Mandiant has claimed financially motivated actors are the new norm, with over half (55%) of threat groups active in 2024 looking to extort or steal money from their victims, a steady increase from previous years.

Unsurprisingly, ransomware related incidents represented 21% of all intrusions in 2024, and made up almost two thirds of incidents involving monetization techniques. This comes alongside data theft, cryptocurrency theft, email compromises, and the North Korean fake job campaign - all aimed at getting money from victims.

Exploits were once again the most popular initial infection vector at 33%, followed by stolen credentials (16%), phishing (14%), web compromises (9%), and prior compromises (8%). This isn’t the first research to suggest that phishing attacks and stolen credentials surged in 2024, outlining the tactic’s popularity.

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Finance at risk

Finance was the most commonly targeted industry, with just over 17% of attacks hitting the sector. Close behind are business and professional services (11%), as well as critical industries like high tech (10%), Governments (10%), and Healthcare (9%).

The fact that so many industries are targeted so widely, illustrates that no one is safe from state-sponsored attacks, whether these are financially or politically motivated.

“Financially motivated attacks are still the leading category,” explains Stuart McKenzie, Managing Director Mandiant Consulting EMEA.

“While ransomware, data theft and multifaceted extortion are and will continue to be significant global cybercrime concerns, we are also tracking the rise in the adoption of infostealer malware and the developing exploitation of Web3 technologies, including cryptocurrencies.”

“The increasing sophistication and automation offered by artificial intelligence are further exacerbating these threats by enabling more targeted, evasive, and widespread attacks. Organisations need to proactively gather insights to stay ahead of these trends and implement processes and tools to continuously collect and analyse threat intelligence from diverse sources.”

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The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 is – along with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 – likely to be Samsung’s next major smartphone, and it’s the handset lots of foldable fans have been waiting for.

With talk of bigger screens, a better hinge, and a powerful new chipset, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 could be well worth the wait, but will we have to wait much longer for it to arrive?

Well, there isn’t yet a confirmed announcement date for the phone, but there are some leaks. and rumors. So, between those and past form, we can predict when the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 might be announced, when pre-orders might open, and when it might ship.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 announcement date predictions

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Our best guess for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 announcement month is July, since both the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 5 were announced in July of their respective release years.

Samsung hasn’t been consistent about when in July, though, with the Z Flip 6 landing on July 10, and the Z Flip 5 landing on July 26.

However, according to South Korean site The JoongAng, Samsung will unveil this year’s model in early July at an event in New York. They don’t get more specific than that, but at a minimum, that would probably mean we’d see it in the first half of the month, and likely earlier than the July 10 date of the current model.

Indeed, Samsung has gradually shifted the announcement dates of its Z Flip phones to earlier in the year, so an earlier date than the Galaxy Z Flip 6 would make sense.

However, the company won’t announce the phone on a weekend, which counts out July 5 and 6, and with July 4 being Independence Day in the US, that seems unlikely, too. So, that leaves July 1, 2, or 3, or July 7, 8, or 9 as possibilities.

But Samsung usually announces new Z Flip models on a Wednesday, which of those days leaves just July 2 or July 9 as possibilities, so one of those two dates would be our best guess.

Of course, that assumes the early July claim above is accurate, but at the very least, we’d expect to see the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 sometime in or around July, especially since multiple sources have said it will enter mass production in May, which would likely work for a launch around then.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 pre-order date predictions

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Samsung opened pre-orders for the Galaxy Z Flip 6 the same day as the phone was announced, and indeed that’s what the company tends to do with its handsets, with the Samsung Galaxy S25 being another recent example of this.

So, while there aren’t any leaks about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s pre-order date yet, we’re fairly confident that you’ll be able to pre-order it on whatever day it’s announced. Which, as noted above, will probably be sometime in the first nine days of July, with July 2 or 9 being our best guess.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 shipping date predictions

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 shipped exactly two weeks after it was announced, while in the case of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, there was a 16-day gap, and with the Z Flip 4, the wait was 15 days. In all these cases, it was roughly two weeks, so we’d expect to see that pattern repeated again this year.

In which case, based on our best guesses for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7’s announcement date, the phone could ship either sometime around July 16 or July 23.

What about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)

As well as the standard Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, we might see a cheaper Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE this year, but notably, this would be the first Z Flip FE model, so we don’t have any history to help us predict when it might release.

There are some leaks, though, with the report from The JoongAng linked above claiming that the FE will probably be unveiled alongside the standard Z Flip 7. They add, however, that there’s a chance it won’t be released until later in the year – perhaps like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which Samsung teased at the launch of the S25 series, but is yet to start selling at the time of writing.

Indeed, another leak suggests the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE won’t be available until the fourth quarter of the year, meaning October, November, or December. So, there could still be a long wait for that particular model.

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