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The cases against Harvey Weinstein: A timeline of allegations and trials

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 08:00

The former Hollywood producer is on trial for sex crimes in New York — again. Here are the allegations and proceedings that have led to this.

(Image credit: Jeenah Moon)

Categories: News

The Justice Department is about to make its case for a Google breakup. Here's what to know

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 08:00

Google and the Justice Department will face off in the final stage of a landmark antitrust case that could force the company to spin off its Chrome browser business.

(Image credit: Richard Drew)

Categories: News

Premier League Soccer: Stream Leicester vs. Liverpool Live From Anywhere

CNET News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 07:30
Today's match could see the Reds seal the title, while the Foxes could have their relegation confirmed.
Categories: Technology

Zelenskyy says Russia trying to create 'impression of ceasefire' as attacks continue

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 07:22

Zelenskyy said that Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraine's offer to extend the truce for 30 days, starting midnight Sunday.

(Image credit: Iryna Rybakova)

Categories: News

Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says we should reframe how we think about AI

TechRadar News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 07:02

“My experience with people who ever doubt themselves is that they will prepare, they will read everything, they will reach out to the experts, they'll do their job with humility because they won't believe they have all the answers,” former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on stage at the recent Zendesk Relate 2025 conference.

After sharing stories from her time as Prime Minister, including her approach to empathetic leadership, the nation’s struggles with social media and her own battles with confidence when stepping into the global spotlight, Ardern’s discussion quickly turned to artificial intelligence.

“You can either have excitement or enthusiasm for the opportunity that lays ahead,” she said as she likened the emergence of artificial intelligence to an endless list of technological advancements over the course of decades.

A human-centric AI landscape

One of the biggest concerns we’ve been writing about regarding AI since the public preview of ChatGPT, which opened up a new chapter in public artificial intelligence, is its impact on the workforce.

The growing apprehension that AI will replace human workers, particularly in roles involving repetitive and administrative tasks, continues to play out today.

According to Ardern, these fears don’t just stem from the technology itself, but from workers’ past experiences of changes that have maybe failed them – changes that didn’t fully consider human impact.

In her discussion with the audience at Zendesk Relate 2025, it was clear that the former New Zealand Prime Minister advocates for proactively addressing such concerns through more clarity, guidance and transparency.

Ardern’s approach involves shifting the dialogue from one of fear to one of opportunity – understanding that jobs will be redefined rather than wiped out completely.

Although their roles will change, potentially considerably, the leader said that workers need to understand that the value they bring to organizations will remain constant.

Sure, artificial intelligence can significantly boost the productivity of workers who operate within certain fields, but even AI agents can’t operate entirely autonomously – they still require plenty of human input, be it on development, guidance or correction.

Moreover, she highlighted how governments can protect workers on a macro level. Ardern cited New Zealand’s initiatives, including state-level income insurance and lifelong learning programs designed to ease the transition into this new era of employment.

Citizens are more likely to feel comfortable about such major changes when there’s the guarantee and backing of their own government.

This aligns with the need for a cultural evolution, where citizens and employees must adopt the values of continuous learning, innovation and increased agility. Companies and government agencies hold most of the responsibility for this, however workers must be just as proactive in their approach to adapting.

To summarize, it appeared that Ardern is not concerned about AI’s impact in the long term. Though she acknowledges short-term displacement can be worrying for some, deeper support and commitment from all parties involved, including governments, companies and staff will ultimately secure our continued role on this planet.

Categories: Technology

I put in some serious flight time with Hori's HOTAS Flight Stick Control System and enjoyed the surplus of inputs, but I'm stuck on its pricing

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 07:00
Hori HOTAS flight control system: one-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

If you want to take your flight sim experience to the next level, a HOTAS – hands-on throttle and stick – setup will make aviation a hundred times easier and more immersive than using a controller or mouse and keyboard.

Developed in partnership with War Thunder developers Gaijin, Hori’s HOTAS flight control system endeavors to provide exactly that solution. It’s marketed for combat flight sim pilots, but also just as useful for virtual commercial aviators who log their flight time in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and the like.

There’s a vast array of switches, buttons, hat switches, paddles, and dials here to play with and map to your preferred commands, so no one’s going to feel short-changed in functionality terms here. The included desk mounts for the throttle and flight stick are also very welcome additions, well-constructed and satisfyingly weighty, allowing a nice ergonomic angle once you’ve mounted the peripherals to the left and right of your seating position.

But there’s a really uneven feel to the actuation of all those inputs. Some feel great, others don’t come anywhere close to the $499 / £449 pricing. When there are such legendarily good alternatives out there for similar pricing like Thrustmaster’s Warthog HOTAS, that’s a real problem.

Ultimately the sensation of the flimsy plastics used at the contact points where your hands interact with them and the wobbliness of some inputs makes this Hori offering difficult to rationalize next to the Warthog HOTAS, or even Logitech G’s cheaper, more limited, but sturdier X56.

Hori HOTAS flight control system: Price and availability
  • $499 / £449
  • Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS now sells for less
  • Much more expensive than the Logitech G X56

The price is the Hori HOTAS’s major problem. It compares very unfavorably to Thrustmaster’s best-in-class Warthog HOTAS, nor does it blow cheaper models like Logitech G’s X56 out of the water. In all fairness, there are mounting brackets included in this model that aren’t in the others, and a huge number of inputs, but that doesn’t completely compensate for the flimsy construction feel.

For a more budget-friendly option, consider Turtle Beach’s $120 / £120 VelocityOne flight stick, which features two throttle inputson either side of the joystick itself.

Hori HOTAS flight control system: specs

(Image credit: Future) Hori HOTAS flight control system: design and features
  • Looks convincingly pro at a glance
  • Sensible ergonomic layout
  • Let down by cheap materials

So, what does the virtual aviator want from their HOTAS? Two things. Firstly you’re looking for a control layout that makes flying a plane easier than it would be when using a pad or mouse and keyboard. That’s fundamental.

Flight sims are among the most mapping-heavy pieces of software in existence, and it’s always been a challenge to even memorize the inputs required to get a plane off the ground, talk to ATC, engage autopilot and navigation systems, and control your view, let alone map them to a comfortable and intuitive layout.

Sim racers have racing wheels that offer just about a 1:1 recreation of the inputs and displays they’d have on a real racing car, but for pilots that’s not feasible unless you drop many thousands on a room-sized rig.

Secondly, you want to feel immersed in the experience. You can control a plane’s throttle input using an analog stick on your Xbox controller, just like Flight Sim 2024 expects you to by default, and in truth, the difference in precision that this Hori’s twin throttle allows is unlikely to ever be the difference between crashing or staying aloft.

Instead, it’s about creating a sensory environment that feels like flying a plane. A matter of passion for the enthusiasts, and a crucial point for aspiring pilots supplementing their real air time with a flight sim.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s important to lay these two objectives out because Hori’s HOTAS is perfectly good at the first - making planes easier to fly by offering a sensible and numerous layout of inputs - but just can’t deliver what you’d expect for the price when it comes to immersion.

Let’s delve into those statements. You’ve got three modes on each peripheral, and a total of 61 different button functions. That’s… probably enough. In both War Thunder and Flight Sim 2024, I found I was able to map every input I’d conceivably need and have it within close reach.

In fact, the reality was that I’d mapped a bunch of inputs that I didn’t end up touching. There’s a surplus of functionality here, and it does indeed make flying planes much easier, in both a combat and commercial environment. We can put a giant tick in that box.

Immersion, though, is elusive when piloting with the Hori HOTAS. That’s because despite it looking the part from a distance, when you’re up close and interacting with the throttle and flight stick, it simply looks and feels closer to a toy than part of an aircraft. Certain inputs hold up their end of the bargain, specifically the metal toggle switches on the throttle’s base, the rudder paddles on the throttle and the one on the flight stick.

The two-stage trigger has a nice mechanical-feeling actuation to it too, which makes firing weapons very satisfying. Elsewhere though, the surfaces feel too light and flimsy to be believable and the buttons and hat switches have too much play to them. For over $400 / £400, it’s surprising and disappointing.

The throttle actuation also leaves a lot to be desired. I found that mine was prone to sticking at the 100% point, and along the plasticky track of its axis, there’s a juddering, notched feeling. It’s almost as though there’s a deliberate notch to help you find 50%, except there are two or three of these sticking points on my unit… and none of them are at 50%.

There’s a saving grace, though. The mounting brackets supplied with this HOTAS are top-notch and added a lot to the overall experience once I mounted the throttle and flightstick to them on my left and right. The clamps are adjustable, with four different heights on offer, and I must say once they were fitted to my ideal position and the green backlights of the inputs were gently glowing in my cockpit, the pricing started to make sense for a brief moment.

Then I put my hands on it and the moment went.

Hori HOTAS flight control system: performance
  • Hall effect sensors for precise joystick input
  • Useful backlit input controls
  • Useable default schemes in most sims

I enjoy the precise feeling of this Hori flight stick. There’s just enough resistance and centering spring strength for my tastes, particularly in War Thunder where inputs tend to be of a more severe nature since you don’t have passengers and the contents of their stomach to consider.

It’s a little trickier to achieve those tiny, delicate bank angles in a commercial flight setting due to the strength of that spring, but after a couple of hours of acclimation, I found myself flying a bit more smoothly. There are Hall effect sensors to keep track of exactly where the flight stick is on its axis, theoretically making for more precise input recognition. I’ll level with you - I haven’t busted into the game code to verify exactly what’s happening there or how, but I will say that the sensation feels immediate and smooth to track.

Fortunately, in a performance setting, the issues I have with the grainy throttle don’t translate to in-game problems with thruster operation, and the previously mentioned loose feeling on some buttons doesn’t actually affect them being registered as inputs when you press them. So when you’re up in the air, the underwhelming build quality isn’t a de facto disadvantage. Just a shame.

I’ve sung the praises of those mounting brackets previously in this review, but they really do hold each peripheral firmly in place and in an ergonomic position when you’re sitting in your cockpit. Anyone who’s used a HOTAS or joystick whose base is too light knows how irritating it can be for your inputs to translate as peripheral wobble instead of flight control, and happily, that just doesn’t happen here.

It’s a strong performer then, but that doesn’t go all the way towards negating the problems this HOTAS has competing against similarly priced but better-constructed rivals like the Thrustmaster Warthog.

(Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Hori HOTAS flight control system? Buy it if...

You usually fly in combat flight sims
It’s perfectly good at commercial flight, but you’ll get the most out of the control layout in dogfights. Plus there are bundled in-game bonuses for War Thunder.

You’re tired of mapping inputs to your keyboard
There are enough buttons, dials, hat switches, and paddles to keep you from having to reach back towards your mouse and keyboard.

You don’t want to buy mounts separately
The sturdy, adjustable metal mounts are a big bonus of this package and add a lot to the sensation of being inside a cockpit.

Don't buy it if...

You’re on a budget
There are much cheaper options out there with comparable layouts and in some cases a better sensation, too.

You take flight on consoles too
This model’s a PC-only offering, so you’ll need to find a different peripheral for PS5 or Xbox piloting otherwise it’s back to the pad.

You want a compact setup
The HOTAS layout plus the mounts does take up space, so fairweather fliers might prefer a one-unit peripheral like Turtle Beach’s VelocityOne.

Hori HOTAS flight control system: Also consider

If the Hori HOTAS doesn’t make your heart soar, keep these cheaper alternatives on your radar.

Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One
A time-honored budget option with far fewer inputs than the Hori HOTAS, but nonetheless a great overall package for the price.

For more information, read our full Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One review

Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick
The throttle-on-joystick design is unusual and means dual-thruster operation can be tricky, but the great build quality, numerous inputs, and cool digital display on the joystick itself make this another stellar budget option.

For more information read our full Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightstick review

How I tested the Hori HOTAS flight control system
  • Several weeks of regular use during testing
  • Used on PC with and without mounts
  • War Thunder, Flight Simulator 2024, and Elite Dangerous all tested

Since War Thunder’s all over the box due to that Gaijin partnership, this dogfighting sim felt like a sensible place to start.

I also logged plenty of flight time in commercial jets and prop planes in Flight Sim 2024, and sauntered around the Milky Way in Frontier’s infinitely impressive Elite: Dangerous. Functionality was great out of the box in all three titles and required just a few re-binds in the latter two.

Categories: Reviews

The Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer turned me into a kitchen BBQ master, but it has some pesky drawbacks

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 07:00
Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer: one-minute review

Ninja is a trusted (and arguably the biggest) name in the air fryer market for a reason. Several of the brand's products feature in our best air fryers roundup, thanks to their top-tier performance, but that high quality comes with a premium (sometimes eye-watering) price tag. The Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer EG351UK, too, comes with a premium price tag, but one that's somewhat more affordable than its siblings while offering the same top-grade quality we've come to expect from Ninja. If your air fryer budget maxes out at £200 (roughly $250 / AU$450), this just sneaks in there.

It's still not cheap, but for that price you get a top-notch air fryer and indoor grill that offers pretty consistent results across its five cooking functions. The Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer makes baking, grilling (even from frozen), air frying, dehydrating, and roasting easy, though you may need to use some trial and error with certain foods and functions to get optimal results.

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

The included user manual and inspiration booklet are helpful, with notes on nearly any question you may have, but the food guidelines can be a bit optimistic at times. This isn't necessarily a deal-breaker but means you should keep a close eye on your food as you get to grips with it, as I had some issues with uneven cooking over overdone foods on the outside with the air fryer function. Thanks to the probe attachment, however, you have several avenues to check when your meat or fish is cooked, giving you some peace of mind.

The issues I had mostly arose with air frying foods and were exacerbated by the 5.7-liter cooking pot's lack of a handle, which made shaking foods like fries and vegetables for even cooking tricky. However, the other cooking functions offered impressive results, delivering perfectly baked muffins, delicious flatbreads and succulent chicken.

Perhaps my biggest issue with the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer, however, is how much cleaning it requires for maintenance – and how tough it is to keep the appliance and its various attachments (particularly the splatter guard) clean, despite following the included instructions. That's something which could potentially cause further issues with performance over time.

Aside from this, the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer is a solid air fryer for those who regularly grill and air fry their foods, combining the two in one appliance. If you haven't the space for a BBQ, it offers the same delicious results, with considerably less smoke, and is easy to use for seasoned air fryer users and newbies.

Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer: price and availability
  • Price: £199.99 (roughly $262 / AU$419)
  • This model is available in the UK, but not US or Australia
  • Available from Ninja and third-party retailers

The Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer has a premium price tag of £199.99 (roughly $262 / AU$419), meaning it's one of the more affordable options if you have your heart set on a Ninja. It costs slightly less than the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer and considerably less than the Ninja Double Oven and Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker, so if you're after Ninja quality under the £200 mark, it's a great choice.

While this air fryer is on the pricier side, considering it packs in five cooking functions, including the ability to grill, with solid results, it's worth the price tag for those who plan to utilize its various functions. There's also a two-year guarantee included for those who register with Ninja, giving you extra peace of mind.

You can buy this air fryer from Ninja or third-party retailers like Amazon and Argos, with the latter likely to offer discounts during sales periods like Black Friday. You'll find today's best prices below. Unfortunately, this model isn't currently available in the US or Australia.

  • Value score: 4/5
Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer: specifications Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer: design
  • Modern black and steel-brushed design
  • Thermometer probe for meat
  • High-maintenance cleaning
  • No handle for shaking

The Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer comes in a black and steel-brushed finish, with its top opening upward (like most grills) to reveal its 5.7L cooking pot inside. In the box, you get two ceramic-coated plates that slot easily into the cooking pot, a grill plate for grilling foods, and a crisper plate for most other cooking functions. On the front is a digital display, with its cooking functions clearly shown below and sizable buttons to adjust its settings.

Despite its capacity, this air fryer isn't as physically intrusive in my kitchen as others I've reviewed. It still takes up a decent chunk of counter room, making it potentially less suited for smaller kitchens but much easier to home than the Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Steam Air Fryer, for example.

This air fryer is about the right size for a household of four, depending on what you plan to cook, with plenty of room for veggies and smaller items on the crisper plate and the grill plate easily fitting four chicken breasts or burgers. However, when it comes to larger items, like a whole chicken, for example, you may have some difficulty. While the Ninja website claims the appliance can fit a 1.4kg whole chicken in the cooking pot, the crisping plate is recommended for roasting, but this means the chicken needs to be smaller, about 1kg.

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

Fortunately, I was able to use the included thermometer probe to check my chicken was definitely cooked. The probe jack connects to the appliance, with the other end inserted into the thickest part of your meat, and allows you to set the meat type you're cooking (and desired doneness for relevant meats).

The appliance then displays your food's internal temperature and desired temperature and tells you when it reaches that temperature. This is usually a few degrees off the actual temperature the meat should be, as the air fryer tells you to rest the meat and counts down the resting time, too. The guidance on this is pretty thorough in the user manual – and on pretty much everything, in fact – and meant my meat always (internally, at least) was cooked to perfection.

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

That thorough user manual also comes with instructions on how to clean the air fryer and its attachments – a pretty high-maintenance affair. Ninja recommends hand washing the plates and splatter guard, understandably, after each use. The company even provides you with a cleaning brush with a scraper to help. While handwashing the cooking pot and crisping plate is pretty painless, I found cleaning the ceramic-coated grill plate and splatter guard a challenge (even with the included brush). Tough residue eventually came off the grill plate's many crevices with some elbow grease and soaking, but despite following the instructions and cleaning the splatter guard after every cook, during my week of testing, more and more grease built up on it.

I thoroughly cleaned it after each cook and even followed the deep cleaning instructions, boiling it in a pot, but that tough grease did not come off, and some had even made its way behind the splatter guard. The instructions mostly focus on cleaning the detachable parts rather than the appliance itself, so I tried wiping it off with a cloth to no avail. The problem is that while the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer is largely smokeless, the tough grease started to cause more smoke, and I could not get it off following the included instructions. Over time, this could become a larger issue. So, for optimal performance, you need to be very thorough in your cleaning of each nook and cranny.

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Cleaning the splatter guard is a challenge, and it proved impossible to remove during testing (Image credit: Vic Hood)Image 2 of 3

Despite cleaning after each use, the splatter guard had accumulated a considerable amount of grease after a week of testing (Image credit: Vic Hood)Image 3 of 3

Dirt easily builds up in small spaces (Image credit: Vic Hood)

This isn't the only design issue I had with this appliance. In addition to its high-level maintenance, the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer lacks a handle for its cooking pot, making shaking foods more difficult. Many competitors offer a heat-proof handle to grab, so you can easily shake veggies, chips, and other food items, but the Ninja 5-in-1 only has slightly protruding edges on its cooking pot for this, meaning you need to pick up the whole pot and shake it. This is tricky because you need to lift the 5.7L pot and try and shake its contents evenly, but also because those contents are hot. It's an addition that could have made air-frying certain foods much more convenient.

  • Design score: 4/5
Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer: performance
  • Air frying results are inconsistent
  • Baking, dehydrating, roasting, and grilling are excellent
  • Great recipes in inspiration booklet
  • Quality-of-life features like automatic preheat function

The Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer has five cooking functions: grilling, air frying, baking, dehydrating, and roasting.

The grill feature is by far the highlight, with the included inspiration booklet offering recipes to help you utilize the feature, alongside tips and recipes for marinades, seasonings, and more. To kick off my testing, I tried one of the booklet's kickstarter recipes: barbecue chicken breasts.

The recipe required frozen chicken breasts, with the cooking time set to take about 25 minutes, which I was a bit skeptical about. However, after 25 minutes and several bastings, I had perfectly cooked BBQ chicken fillets that were sticky and smoky on the outside but succulent inside. This doesn't account for the seven-minute preheat time, with the appliance automatically preheating on most functions. If you're in the no-preheat club, have no fear, as there's a button to skip this if you want to.

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

Burgers provided the same consistent results, but when the appliance chirped to let me know to flip the burgers halfway through cooking, it didn't give me much time to do so as the time continued to tick on. Frustratingly, this meant the cooking time ended, and the resting timer began, but the burgers weren't done, and I had to reprogram the grill to finish them off as I couldn't easily add on a few extra minutes. To ensure they were cooked, I inserted the probe and set the function to beef and 'medium well', which allowed me to save my food.

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(Image credit: Vic Hood)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

While I usually have a control chicken wing rub I use for tests, I decided to use the Everyday Spice rub laid out in Ninja's booklet. After following the booklet's advice of waiting 30 minutes before grilling and checking the food guidelines, I added my wings to the grill. While I followed the recommended time and temperature Ninja gave for chicken wings, mine came out quite overdone on the outside but perfectly cooked and tasty inside.

Again, when cooking any meats in this appliance, I highly recommend utilizing the probe more than the food time guidelines, as it's a safety net if your food appears to be overdone on the outside, but you don't want to pull it out in case it's not cooked inside.

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(Image credit: Vic Hood)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Vic Hood)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

It's not just meats this grill provides solid results for, either. Following another of Ninja's recipes, I made flatbreads for the first time and cooked them to perfection, each taking only two minutes on the preheated grill.

These high-quality results were pretty consistent across the appliance's functions, as I perfectly dehydrated my leftover flatbread parsley in four hours, baked tasty lemon and blueberry muffins, and roasted my aforementioned harissa chicken with (relative) ease, so it was juicy inside and slightly crispy outside.

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(Image credit: Vic Hood)Image 2 of 3

(Image credit: Vic Hood)Image 3 of 3

(Image credit: Vic Hood)

The only issue I had with the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill & Air Fryer's performance was its air fryer function. I will caveat this by saying a lot of air fryers require some experimentation for optimal results, and food guidelines are helpful but not always 100% accurate. Ninja acknowledges this in a way, noting in its air-frying food guidelines section that its times are a guide, and you need to adjust to your preference, check your food frequently, and shake or toss it. I kept this in mind when testing carrots, courgettes, frozen fries, and fresh fries, and regularly checked on and shook my with some overdone and some underdone. For example, many of my carrots had burnt edges and were almost roasted after roughly 15 minutes, while others were underdone.

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(Image credit: Vic Hood)

Considering this is a premium air fryer, these results were disappointing, especially after the brilliant results of the other functions. Like many air fryers, it may take some trial and error to get optimal results with this function, but if you want an appliance that air fries consistently well off the bat, this may not be the appliance for you.

  • Performance score: 4/5
Should you buy the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer? Buy it if

You want that BBQ flavor in your kitchen

If you haven't room for a BBQ or simply love indoor grilling, this is a solid option with minimal smoke.

You want an air fryer with various cooking functions

In addition to grilling and air frying, this appliance can bake, roast, and dehydrate to a high standard, allowing you to cook a variety of food types to your liking.

You cook meat and fish regularly

If you regularly cook meat and fish and want to do so in an air fryer, the probe function on this appliance allows you to do so with peace of mind. There's nothing worse than cutting into your food only to find it's underdone inside. The included probe means you can track your food's internal temperature alongside its overall look, ensuring your meat and fish are cooked to perfection inside and out.

You want a Ninja air fryer under £200

Ninja air fryers are premium products, with many of the best costing over £250. With this appliance coming in just shy of £200, you can get that same Ninja quality but for a bit less.

Don't buy it if

You won't keep up with cleaning

This air fryer grill can be tough to clean, but thoroughly cleaning it and its detachable parts after each use is critical. While the included brush makes this a bit easier, the splatter guard and grill plate can prove particularly challenging.

You don't grill (or plan to grill) much

The biggest selling point of this air fryer is its ability to grill, so if you don't plan to utilize that function much, then it's probably not the air fryer for you.

You want an air fryer that works with little hassle

Frustratingly, the air fryer function on this air fryer is where we've had the most issues with uneven cooking. Like most air fryers, the more time you spend cooking food in this appliance, the more you'll get to grips with how to get the most optimal results. However, if you want a simple, consistent air frying function out of the box, this may not be the best choice for you.

Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer: also consider

Not certain that the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer is right for you? Here are two other options you might like to consider.

Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone

If you live outside the UK where the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer isn't available, this is two-drawer air fryer is a great alternative. It looks smart, and produces consistently good results (though we'd appreciate a reminder to shake to food for even cooking).

Read our full Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone review

Ninja Double Stack

If you don't have space for a full-width two-drawer air fryer, the Double Stack is the appliance for you. It's deeper and taller, but much narrower than the Russell Hobbs Satisfry or the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone, and in our tests it produced evenly browned, crispy fries every time.

Read our full Ninja Double Stack review

How I tested the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer?

I used the Ninja 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer for a week, cooking a wide variety of foods including fries, chicken wings, fresh vegetables, and muffins. I tested all the air fryer's various modes and cleaned the air fryer in line with the instructions provided in the manual. For more details, see how we test.

First reviewed March 2025.

Categories: Reviews

Best Fiber Internet Providers for April 2025

CNET News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 07:00
Fiber internet is the gold standard when it comes to internet connection types. Here are our top picks for the best fiber providers.
Categories: Technology

Premier League Soccer: Stream Ipswich vs. Arsenal Live From Anywhere

CNET News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 07:00
The Gunners look to delay the end of their title challenge as they go in search of a win at Portman Road.
Categories: Technology

Portraits: A 10-year-old, a house painter and a mom who are running out of HIV pills

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 06:41

HIV medications were supposed to be exempt from U.S. aid cuts. In Zambia, for example, those on the ground say otherwise.

(Image credit: Ben de la Cruz/NPR)

Categories: News

Pope Francis appears on Easter Sunday to cheers as he recovers from pneumonia

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 06:00

"Brothers and sisters, Happy Easter!" Francis said, his voice sounding stronger than it has since his hospitalization. "Viva il Papa!" (Long live the pope), the crowd responded.

(Image credit: Gregorio Borgia)

Categories: News

Starry Internet Review: Plans, Pricing, Speed and Availability

CNET News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 06:00
This fixed wireless provider offers customer-friendly service terms and fast speeds. Is it worth the price?
Categories: Technology

Nothing CEO Carl Pei just told us when the Nothing Phone 3 will be launched

TechRadar News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 05:30
  • We can expect the Nothing Phone 3 in Q3
  • July seems a good bet based on previous launches
  • We already have the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro

We've been waiting a while for the Nothing Phone 3 – you may remember its launch was pushed back last year because Nothing wanted more time to work on its software and AI – but we now know it will definitely be arriving this year.

After opening up an 'ask me anything' session on X, Nothing CEO Carl Pei said that the Nothing Phone 3 would be launching in "Q3", the third quarter of this year. That puts the launch window as July, August, or September.

We didn't get any more details than that, unfortunately, so it remains to be seen exactly when the next flagship phone from Nothing will make an appearance. The Nothing Phone 2 was launched in July of 2023, which may give us a clue.

Back in November of last year we heard a tip that Nothing would launch three phones by the middle of this year, which means around June and July time – and the Nothing Phone 3a and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro were both unveiled in March 2025.

The story so far

Q3April 18, 2025

If Nothing had stuck to a regular schedule, we would've seen the Nothing Phone 3 in July 2024. However, in June 2024, Pei announced that the handset's launched would be pushed back to this year, stressing the need to "get the product right".

Pei went on to say that "integrating hardware and AI in a way that is both useful and brings a smile to people's faces" was the aim with the next Nothing flagship phone, so we can expect to see a bundle of artificial intelligence features included.

As our Nothing Phone 3a Pro review will tell you, there's already plenty of AI on board the current Nothing handsets – but these features, including the Essential Space 'second memory', could still use some work. Improvements may arrive with the Nothing Phone 3.

From the leaks we've come across so far, it sounds as though the Nothing Phone 3 is going to be a significant upgrade on its predecessor, and quite possibly one of the phones of the year. In a few months time, we should know for sure.

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Categories: Technology

Into the barn: The joys of spring lambing season

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 05:00

Spring brings lambing season, a time of hard work and long hours for farmers. But it's also a time made joyful by cuddly newborns.

(Image credit: Brian Mann)

Categories: News

5 questions to ask Gemini today for an instant life upgrade

TechRadar News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 04:30

AI is going to take over our lives. At least that’s what we keep being told. So, in a world where thousands of jobs could be replaced by AI, it’s easy to scoff that AI can make our lives better.

But it can. As we’ve seen from our use of scores of artificial intelligence platforms, artificial intelligence can equip all of us to do many things that were once beyond the scope of the majority.

And, as controversial as some of those things may be, they can also make a big difference to our overall well-being, freeing up time, making us skilled in new areas and helping to keep us calm.

Having played around with Gemini, I’ve certainly seen its transformative powers and it’s helping me to become more productive, informed and chilled.

Whereas once I was getting severe FOMO, having missed a heap of events I would have loved to attend, I’m even very much on top of my social life. Here are five things you can ask Gemini to help improve your life, too.

1. How can I save time doing something?

(Image credit: Pixabay)

Many of us perform monotonous, repetitive tasks each day, whether that’s trying to extract information from documents to organize into spreadsheets, checking text for grammar errors, writing code and more.

Gemini can help with most of this and all you need to do is ask “how can I save time doing XXX” where XXX is the thing that you need assistance with.

You should see a rundown of the steps you need to take to complete that particular task. So, for example, when we’re asking to save time with data entry, it’ll tell you to indicate the columns you need, the data types for each column and more.

This saves you having to browse the web looking for instructions but this time-saving tip also extends beyond what Gemini itself can do for you. You can ask it to shave hours off practically any task whether it’s laying a patio, assembling IKEA furniture or tips on how to make journeys quicker.

2. Is there a mindfulness or de-stress routine I can try?

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, Gemini can come to the rescue by helping you to relax or focus on the tasks you need to complete. It can give you a full mindfulness routine lasting up to 15 minutes or tailor it for a specific set of time.

Gemini can also act as a therapist and it’s interesting to note that a study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders observed “noteworthy improvements in depression and anxiety” among 3,477 participants who used AI-based chatbots to treat these conditions.

Taking cues from that, there is a Mental Health Companion AI app, which has leveraged the power of Gemini, that was an entry in a Gemini API Developer Competition. It’s certainly worth trying, although always seek professional guidance if necessary.

3. What solutions can you offer me for a problem?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / fizkes)

If you’re stuck on a task and just can’t think of a way around it, Gemini can usually offer you a fresh solution and help to move you forward.

For example, if you’ve spotted some damp on your wall and you can’t work out what could be causing it, you could ask Gemini to offer some different perspectives.

You could ask it to help with an afternoon slump, perhaps detailing the food you’ve eaten today and the things you’ve done in order to discover a potential cause. If you get in the swing of asking for assistance, it’ll become second nature and that can make life better in the long run.

4. What is the weather today and what can I do?

(Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Rainforest Fund)

Gemini is able to make use of your location to not only tell you what the weather is going to be but also what you may be able to do with your time.

You can specify exactly the kind of thing you’re after – tell it if you want low-cost or free activities and whether you’re looking to relax, for example – and it will give you a list of suggestions, the length of which will be dependable on your area.

The AI platform can access the web and discover any events that may be on with direct links to the source so you can read more or obtain tickets if required.

In that sense, it can revolutionize your free time by ensuring you don’t miss out. What’s more, with Gemini Live on your phone, you can also get suggestions based on what’s on your screen – for example destination ideas based on a video or article.

5. Learn a new skill

(Image credit: Pixabay)

According to scientists at the Zuckerman Institute in Columbia, you should seek to learn something new each day. A study published in the journal Nature suggested discovering new skills can prime the brain to adapt to changing circumstances and it keeps our gray matter ready to learn.

There’s a simple way to do this in Gemini. Just write: “I want to start learning” and detail what it is you want to skill up in. Then add: “Can you outline the first steps I should take and suggest some good free online resources or tutorials”. This can break down those daunting tasks and it makes use of Gemini’s ability to find and structure information.

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Categories: Technology

How to dismantle democracy: Lessons aspiring autocrats may take from Hungary's Orban

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 04:30

The dismantling of Hungary's democracy is a point of fascination for political scientists around the world — including those advising the Trump administration.

(Image credit: Rob Schmitz)

Categories: News

OpenRock S review: solid affordable open earbuds that are a bit weak around the edges

TechRadar Reviews - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 04:00
OpenRock S: One minute review

Audio brand OneOdio is back with its second-gen air conduction headphones – the OpenRock S are more affordable and longer-lasting than their predecessors the OpenRock Pro, but include quite a few extra features that unfortunately don’t work too well.

Air conduction is a tech intended to let you listen to music while exercising without impacting your awareness of your surroundings, and it features heavily in our guide to the best open earbuds (often called the best open ear headphones). While the AirPods Pro 2 have Transparency Mode to intentionally boost the sounds of your surroundings and Shokz has its bone conduction, OneOdio’s solution is to dangle a mini speaker over your ear, so it’s not blocking out all your surrounding noises but instead traversing a bit of open space and still getting the job done.

While air conduction hasn’t historically leant itself to fantastic audio fidelity, the feature works for its intended purpose, and you can enjoy music while also being aware of vehicles, people, aggressive dogs or other hazards. Too aware, perhaps, as one of the S’ big problems is that its max volume is just too low. Lots of the time during my testing, music was all but drowned out by noises such as cars, treadmills or, as my parkrun testing will attest, the sounds of other runners!

That’s doubly true if you’re riding a bike or somewhere windy, as the sounds of gusts of wind rushing past your ears will all but drown out your tunes.

If you can get around this volume issue (if perhaps you listen during a yoga class, say), then you may well be impressed by the OpenRock S. Like their predecessors, the OpenRock Pro, they have an incredibly comfortable fit that keeps them secure on your ear; they’re lightweight too, and it’s easy to forget you’re wearing them.

Plus, the battery life here is absolutely incredible. You can listen to music for 19 hours non-stop before you need to charge the earbuds, and when you factor in the charge of the carry case itself, that number goes up all the way to 60 hours. You’d be hard-pressed to find a rival sports earbud that comes even close to that figure.

These are some of the most affordable sports earbuds too, costing roughly half the price of some of the best-known rivals from the likes of Shokz. A great pick for people on a budget.

As you can tell from that description, these are some solid sports earbuds at heart. OneOdio has added quite a few features which don’t work too well – the touch controls perform poorly and the EQ modes seem to have little effect whatsoever – but if you can ignore these, the OpenRock S are decent buds for fitness fans.

OpenRock S review: Specifications OpenRock S review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)
  • Announced and released in October 2023
  • Cost $99 / £89 (roughly $150)
  • Some of the most buds with this kind of tech

The OpenRock S was announced in mid-October 2023 as the newest entry to OneOdio’s line-up of over-ear sports headphones.

You’ll pay just $99 / £89 (roughly $150) for them, which is a competitive price compared to rivals within and without of the company. This is the price that OneOdio announced them for, and that they’re selling for, but Amazon US lists this as a discounted cost down from $129. As far as we can tell, they’ve never actually sold for this price.

At this price, the S undercuts OneOdio’s own previous entry into the running earbuds space, the OpenRock Pro, which cost $119/£119 (around AU$185). For the most part, those are more premium, though in some areas (like battery life) the S is the better buy.

Most rivals cost more, like the Shokz Openfit which sells for $179.95 / £179.99 / AU$289. So you could well consider these budget options if you’re looking for air conduction earbuds, though of course, you can buy fitness earbuds for much cheaper if you don’t need this tech.

  • Value score: 4/5
OpenRock S review: Design

Yes, that's an earbuds case, not a reading glasses case…  (Image credit: Future)
  • Solid and light earbuds build
  • Temperamental touch controls
  • Carry case is big, bulky and heavy

There are two aspects to the OpenRock S’ design: the earbuds themselves and the carry case.

I’ll touch briefly on the carry case because you can't miss it: it’s a big sturdy plastic shell that charges the buds and keeps them safe when you’re not using them. However, it’s pretty long and wide, so it may not slip into your backpack’s side pocket like most other buds' charging cases will.

Now the buds: these are very comfortable. They’re lightweight at just 12g each, and have the hooked design common in sports earbuds that means they stay lodged on your ears whether you’re on a mountain bike or running around on an uneven surface.

The best testament to the design is to point out that not once during testing did they fall out. I will say, though, that the OpenRock Pro did feel even more robust on the ear, thanks to a tighter grip.

Ostensibly there are touch controls on the buds, but in testing these rarely worked reliably. You’re meant to be able to tap the OpenRock logo on the buds to control your music or calls, but I found it often failed to pick up touches. That was doubly the case if my hands were damp from rain or sweat, and I would sometimes end up just hammering at my ears trying to stop a track. I found it much easier to just use the paired phone to change tracks or hang up a call.

The OpenRock buds are IPX5 water resistant, which in theory means they’re protected from water jets and low-pressure streams. They’re certainly sweat-proof, which is the most important thing, but I wouldn’t recommend using them in heavy rain if you’re hoping to use the touch controls.

  • Design score: 4/5
OpenRock S review: Features

(Image credit: Future)
  • Air conduction makes sure you can hear your surroundings
  • Possibly the best stamina on the market
  • EQ modes have little impact

As was mentioned in the introduction, the OpenRock S are air-conduction earbuds. This means that a speaker on the bud hovers over your ear canal and ‘projects’ the music in – the whole point is that you can wear these and also hear surrounding sound, perfect for if you’re on a road or somewhere else where awareness is important.

For this purpose, the OpenRock S works really well – I could hear my music while also having situational awareness. The main issue would be that this is often too much the case – sometimes I couldn’t actually hear music, for reasons I’ll get into in the ‘Performance’ section.

There’s also fairly little audio spilling, so people around you aren’t going to hear you working out to an hour-long loop of Mambo No. 5 (unless you sing along, of course).

The best feature of the OpenRock Pro is back and even better for the S, and that’s the battery life. The Pro version of these sports headphones had incredible lasting power but OneOdio has turned that up to 11 for the OpenRock S.

(Image credit: Future)

The OpenRock S buds last for 19 hours straight of music or calls, but when you factor in the battery in the case, you can get a whopping 60 hours of use time before you need to power them back up. That’s an incomprehensibly long battery life when you consider that many sports headphones only last for 10 hours or less before needing a boost.

With this one feature, the OpenRock S make themselves invaluable for people doing long expeditions and trips, who want to listen to music but might not have reliable access to a charging point.

Not all the features of the headphones are this commendable though. One I’ll flag is OneOdio’s attempt to utilize adjustable EQ: pressing and holding both buds’ touch controls at once will toggle you between ‘Rock’ and ‘Relax’ modes. Sounds useful for whatever kind of exercise you’re doing, right?

Not quite right. Ignoring what I’ve already said about the messy touch controls, the difference between these two modes is incredibly minor. What’s worse, is that you can’t actually change the mode when you’re on a call or listening to music – you have to turn that off before you change the mode, making it harder to perceive the EQ changes. An app would work so much better for this function, but the OpenRock doesn’t have one.

  • Features score: 3.5/5
OpenRock S review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)
  • The design doesn't lend itself to great audio fidelity
  • OneOdio's TubeBass only succeeds ensuring there's any bass
  • Max volume is very low

Given the nature of air conduction technology, it’s understandable if you’d expect the OpenRock S to struggle in the audio performance department compared to other fitness bud rivals… and you’d be right.

The biggest issue I faced during the testing period is that the OpenRock S was just too quiet, even at max volume. The point of the tech is to let you hear surrounding sounds, but sometimes that’s all I could hear – for example at the gym, it was sometimes hard to hear parts of a song over the sound of surrounding treadmills, and when wearing the buds near a road, traffic could drown out a song. To be clear, this isn’t an issue I had with the OpenRock Pro to the same degree.

Of course, you don’t want to be deafened by earbuds, especially since air conduction tech could easily disturb people around you if it were too loud. But OneOdio would only have improved the buds by letting them crank out a few more decibels.

When you can hear them properly, the OpenRock S sound just fine – audiophiles won’t be impressed but with the drivers dangled close to your ears instead of directly in them you’re not getting the same treatment as you would for in-ear earbuds or headphones. Yes, the tech is improving a lot, but these earbuds aren't the best example of great sound in an open design.

OneOdio has a tech called TubeBass which offsets some of the issues of air conduction, as it’s designed to enhance bass. However its benefits can only go so far.

As I mentioned before, there are two sound profiles you can toggle between. Rock mode is the one I’d recommend – relaxed is just too tinny.

  • Performance score: 3/5
OpenRock S review: scorecard OpenRock S: Should I buy them?

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

Battery life is important to you

The OpenRock S battery life is so good that it makes almost all other sports headphones feel rubbish in comparison. An easy recommendation here.

A lightweight bud is important

Depending on your sport, lightweight headphones might be much more valuable than good-sounding ones. The OpenRock S are easily the former, not so much the latter.

You need to hear your surroundings

The central feature of air conduction works well here (if anything, too well). Using these, you'll be able to hear traffic and people around you.

Don't buy them if...

You care about music quality

If loud, booming tunes are all you need for a good workout, you'll find that the OpenRock S doesn't really impress in that regard.

You need a svelte carry case

If you prefer to travel light at all times, you might find the OpenRock S' carry case is a little unwieldy. It won't fit in clothes or bag pockets very easily.

You rely on touch controls

If you want earbuds with stellar touch controls, so you can ignore your phone on a workout, avoid the OpenRock. The touch controls are too unreliable.

Also consider

(Image credit: Future)

OpenRock Pro

The OpenRock S' predecessor (and higher-end sibling) costs more and has a lesser battery life. However the audio sounds a little better, the fit is tighter (and therefore a little cosier) and the travel case is much smaller and lighter too.

Read our full OpenRock Pro review

Shokz OpenFit

These are perhaps the OpenRock Pro's closest rivals, as alternative air conduction headphones. They're smaller, lighter and better-sounding, but don't have as impressive battery lives and the fit isn't as customizable.

Read our full Shokz OpenFit review

How I tested

The full testing period for the OpenRock S ended up being well over a month, and while that was partly due to an illness which meant I couldn't test these buds for exercise purposes for the entire period, it does mean I got to use them a lot.

I tested the buds in the following ways: while cycling through a city along roads, while running in busy and quiet areas, while in gyms on various pieces of equipment, and also when at home in an otherwise-quiet area. I really put the OneRock S through their paces, with different activities and in different environments.

Mainly I streamed music through an Android smartphone, but I did test calling and video calls with them too. I also tested them side-by-side with the OpenRock Pro, to fully test out how they compare.

I've been writing for TechRadar for almost five years now, for several as a full member of team and several more as a freelance tester. I've tried various pieces of fitness equipment including earbuds, headphones, smartwatches, fitness trackers and sleep headphones and also tablets, smartphones, ereaders, speakers, scooters and a lot more.

Categories: Reviews

A Texas Easter tradition connects the generations

NPR News Headlines - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 04:00

Cascarones are confetti-filled egg shells that families smash over each other's heads as part of Easter celebrations in Texas and Northern Mexico.

(Image credit: Patrick Davis)

Categories: News

Outer Banks season 5: everything we know so far about the Netflix teen drama's return

TechRadar News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 03:00
Outer Banks 5: Key information

- The fifth and final season was confirmed in November 2024

- Production is expected to start in early 2025 through until the end of the year

- Confirmed cast include Madison Bailey (Kiara), Carlacia Grant (Cleo), Drew Starkey (Rafe) and Carlacia Grant (Sofia)

- The plot is likely to be about the friends avenging JJ’s death – he was stabbed by his dad, Chandler Groff – and trying to get back the Blue Crown

- The focus of season five is going to be on Kiara and Cleo

- The creators also teased that it will be an incredible season: “We think it will be our best yet”

Outer Banks season 5 is one of the most highly-anticipated Netflix teen dramas.

The show is based around two rival groups, the Kooks and the Pogues – no, not affiliated to the bands of the same names – who live on the fictional island of Kildare in North Carolina.

The previous series of the show, which premiered in April 2020, has mainly followed the Pogues through all types of high drama, but the fourth series rolled to an end in November 2024. Alongside the show’s first feature-film length episode, the creators announced that a fifth – but final – season had been confirmed.

Writing an open letter to OBX fans on social media, creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke said: “From this beginning, we imagined a mystery that would lead to a five-season journey of adventure, treasure hunting, and friendship. At the time, seven years ago, it seemed impossible that we would really get to tell the whole five-season story, but here we are at the end of our fourth season, still chopping away."

"Now, with a little sadness, but also excitement, we're putting season 4 behind us, and are turning to season 5, in which we hope to bring our beloved Pogues home in the way we imagined and planned years ago.”

With production planned in for 2025, it’s going to be a while before it hits our screens, but in the meantime, here’s everything we know so far, including OBX 5’s release date, confirmed cast, trailer news and potential plots:

Outer Banks 5: does it have a release date?

(Image credit: Netflix)

As the fifth season hasn’t gone into production yet – it’s been pencilled in from early 2025 to the end of the year – there’s no release date on the horizon.

We might expect to see it on screens in late 2026, but it could even end up being more like 2027 before we join the gangs again.

Outer Banks 5: is there a trailer yet?

(Image credit: Netflix)

No, not yet, but a warning, be wary when Googling for it, as there’s quite a few fan-generated trailers claiming to be genuine, however they are not the official trailer. We’ll let you know when that drops.

Outer Banks 5: has there been a cast confirmed?

The shock death of JJ will have repercussions and revenge in season 5 (Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

The shock death of JJ Maybank – stabbed by Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane), who he had just discovered was his biological father – obviously means there will be no Rudy Pankow in season 5, unless he appears as flashbacks.

As a result, speaking with Deadline, the creators confirmed some key characters who the fifth season would focus on. “Kiara [Madison Bailey] is going to be a big focus, but we definitely want to give more time to Cleo [Carlacia Grant] too,” Josh Pate said. “It’s a question of bandwidth in the show that we have with all these stories, so it’s hard to say, but we definitely want to develop Cleo and honor her character as well.”

Pace also confirmed a return from Rafe (Drew Starkey) and his ex-fiancée, Sofia (Fiona Palomo): “We have plans for both of them. We love Drew and we think he can do anything, so he's heavily involved in our seconds for next year.”

We’ll keep you posted as to when other cast members are confirmed as making a comeback.

Outer Banks 5: what do we know about the plot?

The friend's search for the Blue Crown continues, now it's in Chandler Groff's murderous hands (Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

Well, the feature-length ep of season 4, The Blue Crown, definitely gave us lots to chew on, and a lot of storylines that could be picked up in the final season. Namely, the murder of JJ by Chandler in Morocco. The rotter even stole the Blue Crown from his Pogue son, and planned to sell it in Portugal. So it’s likely that season 5 will see us all travel to the Mediterranean country, as his gang mates were forced to bury JJ in the desert, but vowed to get revenge on Groff.

Speaking with Tudum, Josh Pate said: “We’re planning a story of redemption, and a season that embodies the friendship that JJ had come to represent. JJ’s death was a hard but necessary piece of the architecture for the story, and we plan on honoring that as much as we can because we love the character as much as the fans do.”

Meanwhile, John B (Chase Stokes) and Sarah (Madelyn Cline) announced that Sarah is pregnant with their baby, so a new Poguelet arrival is likely on the cards for the follow-up season. The storyline might also follow Pope (Jonathan Daviss) having his imminent Marine enlistment, as well as dealing with PTSD from killing Lightner.

Whatever the plot for the season will be, the creators have promised: “Season 5 will be our last season, and we think it will be our best yet. We hope you'll join us for one more paddle out to the surf break.”

Outer Banks: what’s the future?

(Image credit: Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix © 2024)

While Outer Banks is coming to an end with this next season, there are plans already in place for a prequel, called Kildare.

According to Port City Daily: “It will have a whole new set of younger actors, as it will take place at the founding of each group and explore the class divide present on the show’s fictitious Figure 8 (named after Wilmington’s own private island of wealthy residents) in Kildare County.” It will be reportedly shot in Wilmington.

For more Netflix TV series coverage, read our guides on Bridgerton season 4, One Piece season 2 and Emily in Paris season 5.

Categories: Technology

I finally found a use for Camera Control on my iPhone 16 Pro Max, but in the weirdest way possible

TechRadar News - Sun, 04/20/2025 - 02:31

In many ways, I’m an odd guy – I do odd things, think odd thoughts, and find odd solutions to odd problems. But then I also use and love the iPhone 16 Pro Max, which probably makes me seem supremely basic as a tech journalist.

Yet putting aside that imagined juxtaposition, I have found an odd use for Apple’s new Camera Control feature that I really wasn’t expecting to catch my attention.

Now, I’ve written before about how I’m interested in the haptics-centric extra button Apple has added to its best iPhones with the explicit idea of doing more with the cameras with greater control. But Camera Control isn’t a feature that I’ve fully embraced; more often than not, I’ll forget about it if I’m shooting quick snaps. I appreciated its potential, but Camera Control still feels a little half-baked…

That was until I needed to photograph and record the back of my head.

Thinking with my head

(Image credit: Future)

No, no, before you rush to the comments section, I haven’t gone mad. Rather, I needed to do so for a pseudo-medical reason. Specifically, I was concerned about the health of my hair at the back, and potential skin irritation (look, I’m 38, and at the age where parts of my body start to malfunction bit by bit).

If you’ve ever tried snapping a photo of the back of your noggin, then you’ll know it’s a nightmare.

Trying to guess the angle of the cameras – whether you’re using rear or selfie snappers – is an exercise in frustration and borderline madness. Then, when you think you’ve nailed the angle after a deluge of attempts, you fail to hit the digital shutter button or tap it in such a way that the shot goes askew.

Such moments can make you want to fling your phone across a room or at an inviting wall. But I can’t alleviate my irritation like that, as the phones I use are review samples and I’d get into more trouble than a moment's angry respite is worth.

However, for me, having a physical shutter button changed the weird photography game.

Through the use of Camera Control and my iPhone’s selfie camera, I was able to get some semi-useful shots and videos of the back head, ready to be pored over with increasing paranoia.

It's growing on me

The simple ability to smoothly tap a physical dedicated button was mildly transformative, letting me keep what I thought was the right framing and snap shots at speed, two things I would and have struggled to do before Camera Control.

Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture, as I’ve gone about my travels and odd wanderings, I’m slowly finding myself using the Camera Control button a lot more. It’s a weird mental leap, not automatically tapping the digital shutter button, but when I need to keep a nicely lined-up shot in place, Camera Control proves its usefulness.

I’m not fully won over by it, and I’ve yet to really get to grips with the Apple Intelligence features it facilitates. Yet there’s scope for Apple to build out the functionality and intuitiveness of Camera Control, which I hope to see realized on the rumored iPhone 17.

What do you reckon? Do you use Camera Control, or do you think it’s still a bit of a dud now that the iPhone 16 line has had time to settle in? Let me know in the comments.

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