Technology

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for July 2, No. 1,117.

Catch these titles -- plus a new season of Batman: Caped Crusader and much more -- this month.

It's a major shift toward digital distribution.

Despite its understated design and single-motor setup, the VMAX VX2 Hub delivers acceleration and real-world performance that rival those of many dual-motor scooters, all while remaining surprisingly practical for everyday commuting.

The agency also said it was considering repurposing a Mars rover development model for use as a moon rover.

Oh, and don't forget about the return of Shark Week.

A proposed class action suit filed in California accuses Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix of deliberately inflating memory prices.

Keychron M6 8K review

The Keychron M6 8K intrigued me when I first laid eyes on it. The resemblance to Logitech’s MX Master mouse is immediately apparent. I’ve used one iteration or another of Logitech's flagship productivity mouse every day for the last three years; I don’t even want to know how many hours I’ve clocked up with one in hand. Let’s be real, Keychron hasn’t even tried to be sneaky about copying its homework. At $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$129, however, it does set itself apart because that’s nigh-on half the price of an MX Master 4.

For that money you still get the same general ergonomic shape with a sizable thumb rest, a horizontal scroll wheel, and a multi-function scroll wheel. At first glance, the body looks quite sizable, but it isn’t actually quite as chunky as some other ergonomic mice and I found myself shifting from my usual full palm grip into more of a hybrid fingertip-claw arrangement. It’s comfortable, but personally, it wasn’t quite as comfortable over longer work sessions as it would have been if I was able to fully grab the mouse with confidence. But mouse grip is a subjective thing, so I won’t hold it against the M6.

Build quality is generally good. Nothing creaks or flexes across the ABS shell; it just doesn’t quite carry the premium edge of some more expensive competitors. The matte coating across the entire mouse feels pleasant enough and handles fingerprints well, and it’s available in your choice of white or black.

At 86g, the Keychron M6 8K is one of, if not the lightest full-body ergonomic mice you’ll find on the market and this is apparent in general use. For reference, the M6 8K is just over half the weight of the MX Master 4 and felt noticeably hollow and almost insubstantial by comparison. Anyone transitioning from a lighter or gaming mouse will likely find this change less stark, but to me it lacked the reassuring density and planted feel a heavier weight brings.

The Huano Silent Micro switches do keep things quiet and have a noticeably soft feel to them. I found them a little mushy overall though, and on a few occasions I experienced what I think were missed inputs. I’m not entirely sure whether I'd actually physically fired a click that didn’t register on the switch, or that I’d failed to properly trigger the switch at all, but it seemed like I had to go back for another go every now and then.

Visually the upgraded metal scroll wheel is a nice touch and it comes with pleasantly clicky lateral inputs too. As you’d expect for a productivity mouse, there’s a free-scroll mode, which is useful for navigating long documents or pages but the experience isn’t as sleek as the one Logitech offers on the MX Master.

The scroll wheel is surprisingly loud in ratcheted mode, while the toggle button for switching to free-scroll is positioned too far back and requires quite a bit of force to activate. That’s good for preventing accidental switches, but it meant I found myself completely ignoring the free-scroll feature rather than repositioning my entire hand to reach the toggle. The MX Master's automatic switching between modes is a feature I didn't realize I relied on so heavily until it was gone, though that’s also the kind of feature that doubles the price of a product, I guess.

(Image credit: Future)

Within thumb’s reach on the side of the mouse are a horizontal wheel and a pair of additional buttons. This second wheel is really nicely positioned; close enough to need no thought to move your thumb to, but far enough out of the way to avoid accidentally rolling — though I'll admit I'm not much of a side-scroller on any mouse and didn't get much actual use out of it.

That pleasant positioning is also true of the two side buttons, which would usually be forward and back by default, though these don’t register at all in Safari. Both are fine in Edge and this isn't necessarily a Keychron-specific issue, as macOS has long been finicky with third-party mouse inputs. But other brands have cracked the code so it's a shame to see it missing here.

Where the M6 8K genuinely impresses and pulls ahead of more expensive rivals is in sensor performance. The PixArt PAW3950 meant the M6 8K tracked flawlessly across every surface I tested, including a desk mat, solid wood, my leg, the sofa, and even a glass window. Got a funny look from my neighbor checking that one. Keychron claims glass tracking at 4mm minimum thickness, and it delivered so no concerns for glass desk users.

DPI can be adjusted from 100 to 30,000 and polling rate from 125 to 8,000Hz, numbers that extend the Keychron M6 8K from just a productivity mouse into a genuine gaming option. At the higher end of those settings and coupled with the light overall weight, the M6 becomes super responsive and should keep up with every flick during intense gaming sessions. I settled on 1,200 DPI and 1,000Hz polling for daily work, which felt perfectly sharp. Both settings can be adjusted on the fly through customizable presets using physical buttons on the mouse, which is a great touch, or you can use the Keychron Launcher web app for more granular control.

That browser-based configuration software was a surprise highlight for me. It's feature-rich, cleanly laid out, and very familiar if you've used Keychron's keyboards. Personalization features like button remapping, sensor settings, macros, lift-off distance, and scroll acceleration are all accessible without installing a single background process. You can also check battery levels here, though you won’t need to do this often — it seems to sip on its 800mAh battery, so it’ll be weeks between charges at reasonable settings.

As if it’s come straight from certain German supermarket chains, the Keychron M6 8K is a good dupe of a more expensive mouse. It does a lot of things well, but perhaps most importantly, it’s at a price that lets you forgive the things that aren’t quite so good. The scroll wheel lacks the refinement of Logitech's implementation, the clicks can feel a little mushy, and Safari users will miss having a working back button. But the feel is great, the sensor is superb, the battery life is excellent, and the web app is near best-in-class for the segment. If you can't justify the MX Master 4's asking price, this is where you should look instead.

Keychron M6 8K review: Price & release date

• The Keychron M6 8K has a list price of $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$129
• It's often discounted, both directly from Keychron and via retailers
• It's available in black or white

At $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$129, the Keychron M6 8K significantly undercuts the Logitech MX Master 4 ($119.99 / £119.99 / AU$199) that it’s clearly inspired by. You’ll find it both on Keychron’s own web store and from retailers, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for sales as I often saw it discounted while writing this piece. Make sure you’re picking up the right variant too. There’s also an M6 with a less responsive 1K sensor, though if you don't need 8K polling, you could save even more.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron M6 8K review: Specs

Sensor

PixArt PAW3950

DPI

100 - 30,000

Polling Rate

125 - 8,000Hz

Connectivity

Wired, Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wireless

Switches

Huano Silent Micro

Weight

86g

Battery

800mAh (up to 120 hours at 1KHz)

(Image credit: Future)Should I buy the Keychron M6 8K?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Features

Dual scroll wheels and free-scroll mode, 8K polling, and tri-mode connectivity. The browser-based Launcher software is excellent.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Sensor tracking is flawless across surfaces including glass. Battery life is very strong at sensible settings. Silent switches are slightly mushy with occasional missed clicks.

4 / 5

Design

Ergonomic shape that's comfortable enough, but the lightweight feel and scroll wheel let it down.

3.5 / 5

Value

At roughly half the price of the MX Master 4, the M6 8K offers a remarkable amount of hardware for the money.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want MX Master features without the MX Master price
The M6 8K replicates most of Logitech's ergonomic productivity formula at nearly half the cost, and throws in 8K polling and a gaming-grade sensor for good measure.

You hate installing mouse software
Keychron Launcher runs entirely in the browser with no background processes. Configure everything you need, close the window, and forget about it.

You work and play on the same machine
The M6 8K’s sensor is equally at home slowly scrolling a spreadsheet as it is ramping up sensitivity for a quick firefight on your lunch break.

Don’t buy it if…

You jump between scroll modes often
The M6 8K's metal wheel is a little wobbly, its ratchet mode is loud, and the manual toggle for free-scroll is awkward to reach. If the scroll wheel is the feature you use most, spend more on the Logitech MX Master as it’s still in a league of its own.

You prefer a heavier, more planted mouse
At 86g, the M6 8K is noticeably light and will catch you off guard if you’re used to something with more heft. If you like your mouse to feel substantial and anchored on the desk, this featherweight approach won't suit you.

Keychron M6 8K review: Also consider

Logitech MX Master 4
The mouse that the M6 8K is clearly duping. It costs significantly more at $119.99 / £119.99, but you get Logitech's class-leading MagSpeed scroll wheel with automatic mode switching, superior build quality, the new haptic touch panel, and deep OS integration through Options+. If budget isn't the primary concern, it's still the productivity mouse to beat. Read our full Logitech MX Master 4 review.

MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K
If gaming is more your focus, the MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K ($99.99 / £59.99) offers a similar PixArt sensor and 8K polling in a lighter 66g symmetrical shell that's better suited to competitive play. It lacks the M6 8K's productivity features like the horizontal scroll wheel and thumb rest, but it's a strong pick for users who split their time between work and gaming. Read our full MSI Versa 300 Wireless 8K review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron M6 8K

• I used the M6 8K as a daily productivity mouse over multiple weeks, replacing my Logitech MX Master 4
• I tested across multiple surfaces including a desk mat, solid wood, skin, and glass
• I tested all three connectivity modes and evaluated the Keychron Launcher software on macOS

I used the Keychron M6 8K as my mouse for all tasks for a couple of weeks. It was primarily a direct productivity replacement for my daily-driver Logitech MX Master 4, so I used it across extended work sessions on macOS. My testing covered general workflows, gaming, surface tracking across varied materials, and multi-device connectivity. I evaluated the Keychron Launcher software for configuration depth and usability.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

If you've been hunting for a powerful laptop that won't weigh you down, Geekom has you covered. The price of the h GeekBook M16 has dropped to $827 (was $899) at Amazon when you use our exclusive code TRGBM168 at checkout.

The deal is also available direct from Geekom by clicking here. This all-metal 16-inch laptop is built for programmers, data analysts, creators, and professionals who need desktop-level performance without giving up portability.

Powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, 16GB of memory, and a fast 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD, it has the performance to handle demanding multitasking, creative applications, and everyday productivity with ease.

Today's top Geekom M16 laptop deal

Built for demanding workloads, this 16-inch laptop combines desktop-class performance, a huge 99.9Wh battery, expandable storage up to 6TB, advanced cooling, and modern connectivity in a slim aluminum design for professionals on the move.

Use our exclusive coupon code TRGBM168 at checkout.

Also from Geekom for $827 (was $899) here.View Deal

It's clear from the chassis, wallpaper, ultra-thin bezels, and the centered webcam that Geekom has been heavily inspired by Apple's M3 MacBook Pro design, although it comes with Windows 11 Pro preinstalled and can run a Linux OS if you prefer.

The M16 can sustain 55W of performance, helping it tackle demanding workloads such as code compilation, data processing, and intensive multitasking without slowing down.

The laptop features an enormous 99.9Wh battery, the largest capacity allowed on commercial flights. Geekom rates it for up to 24 hours of use, which is great for anyone who travels regularly, or spends long days working away from home or the office.

When it's finally time to recharge, the included 100W GaN charger gets you back up and running in no time. Geekom says just 10 minutes of charging can provide up to three hours of battery life.

Dual PCIe Gen 4 SSD slots allow you to expand storage capacity up to 6TB, which is plenty of room for large projects, development tools, creative software, and growing media libraries.

Geekom's IceBlade 3.0 cooling system keeps everything running smoothly and dual fans and dual heat pipes increase airflow while keeping noise under control.

Connectivity includes USB4, full-featured USB-C, dual USB-A ports, and HDMI supporting up to three external displays.

A fingerprint reader and physical webcam privacy switch also add welcome security features for anyone working with sensitive information.

The CNC-machined aluminum chassis measures just 0.66 inches thick while remaining durable enough for life on the move.

If you're looking for a premium productivity laptop with excellent battery life, desktop-class performance, and plenty of room to grow, this is a terrific deal and one not to be missed.

For more ultra-portable powerhouses, take a look at our guide to the best business laptops for professionals.

• See the full Geekom line-up at Amazon
• Shop the Summer Sale at Geekom

• VPN Super has released beta apps for Apple TV and Android TV
• The apps protect your streaming traffic
• They also rethink how your TV handles your data

Streaming has become one of the main reasons people reach for a VPN, and providers have noticed.

The latest example is VPN Super, which has just rolled out beta apps for Apple TV and Android TV, extending the service from phones and laptops onto the screen we watch the most.

The move follows a clear industry trend. Over the past couple of years, many of the best VPN services have shipped native apps for tvOS and Android TV, chasing viewers who want to unblock content, cut down on buffering, and keep their traffic private without wrestling with router settings.

What VPN Super is bringing to the big screen

The headline feature is straightforward: native apps that let you open the software on your TV, pick a server, and get back to watching.

According to VPN Super, the Apple TV app offers streaming-optimized servers built for smoother 4K playback, more than 50 server locations, and coverage for up to 10 devices on a single Premium subscription.

The company also promotes a no-activity-logs policy and an ad-free interface, along with a 30-day money-back guarantee. The apps are aimed at Premium subscribers, and the Apple TV version runs on tvOS 17 or newer.

There is a sports hook, too. VPN Super points to easier access to international soccer tournaments and major tennis events.

That's a pitch that other providers have leaned into, too, with X-VPN recently launching dedicated servers for the FIFA World Cup.

Why a VPN on your TV matters right now

The privacy argument is arguably the more compelling half of the launch. Modern smart TVs are far from passive screens.

Many use a technology called Automatic Content Recognition, or ACR, which samples what appears on your display and reports it back to manufacturers or their partners. Some sets do this hundreds of times per second, and the practice has been alarming enough that the FBI has urged consumers to weigh the privacy tradeoffs of smart TVs.

A smart TV VPN does not switch ACR off by itself, and you should still dig into your TV's privacy settings to disable it. What a VPN does add is an encrypted layer over the traffic leaving the device, which makes your activity harder to read on the network.

How to set up VPN Super on your TV

Getting started is designed to take only a few minutes: download the app, sign in with your Premium account, choose the location you want, and connect.

Both Apple and Android apps are currently in beta, with sign-up links available through VPN Super's site and its announcement.

• Windows Subsystem for Linux gets new container feature after being teased last month
• CLI and API form the basis of the latest update, Intune management also added
• Other changes being made available to alternative container CLI tools

Microsoft has released Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) containers in public preview following its earlier announcement at Build 2026, as a way to create, run and manage Linux containers directly on Windows.

When the feature update was first revealed, Microsoft described it as "a built-in way to create, run and interact with Linux containers using familiar CLI & API."

The new container feature is now available in the latest pre-release version, which can be downloaded from GitHub, and includes two new core features.

WSL containers now available in public preview

As part of the update, Microsoft has added a built-in container CLI and an API to let Windows applications run Linux containers.

The company noted that the API is particularly useful for reusing existing Linux specific code, like running cloud applications locally, while the CLI tool uses a familiar format so users can "use [their] existing muscle memory when running Linux containers."

Microsoft also added new management settings to let admins control whether people can use WSL distros and containers via Intune.

Besides the headlining container update, Principal Product Manager Craig Loewen also highlighted a series of other changes the company has made to WSL, including a new 'virtiofs' file system that makes Windows file access 2x faster and a new 'consomme' default networking mode to improve compatibility.

Loewen noted that the lower level platform changes are also being made available across "other fantastic Linux container CLI tools" like Docker Desktop, Podman Desktop and Rancher Desktop.

Microsoft has also published a support page covering how to install the API, which includes support for C, C++ and C#.

The company hasn't yet provided a timeline for general availability.

• An ex-Microsoft software engineer has created a lightweight alternative to Notepad
• TinyRetroPad turns back the clock to avoid the bloat Microsoft has introduced to the text editor
• The engineer observes that the app has no bloat or telemetry, and that it's "just pure old school Windows done right"

Ever long for the days when Notepad was a lean, mean, text editing machine? If so, a software engineer who used to work at Microsoft has just released something you may well be interested in.

The Register noticed that Dave Plummer — who was likely one of admittedly many catalysts that sparked Microsoft's fix Windows 11 campaign — has created TinyRetroPad. (It's a fork of Dave's Tiny Editor or DTE by Matt Power, which, in turn, was built on the foundation of Plummer's HelloAssembly — the world's "smallest possible complete Windows application" no less).

TinyRetroPad is a fully functional text editor in the style of the original Notepad, completely streamlined and with all the bloat removed, so it's, well, tiny as the name suggests, weighing in at 2.5KB.

Plummer explains that he isn't keen on Notepad as it is, and so he "rebuilt it from scratch", with: "No bloat. No telemetry. No nonsense. Just pure old school Windows done right."

Analysis: note to Microsoft – debloat Notepad

(Image credit: Dave Plummer)

In case you weren't aware, Notepad has been accused of being a bloated application for quite some time now, as Microsoft has expanded its features to cover all kinds of bases beyond what you'd expect from what's supposed to be a basic text editor.

Of course, the problem is that WordPad — which used to be the app that covered the middle-ground between Notepad and Microsoft's fully-fledged Word — was ditched back in 2024. Since then, Microsoft has drafted more and more features into Notepad in what's essentially covering for the removal of WordPad.

The trouble is that this is very much at odds with Notepad's core philosophy of being a lightweight text editor, and Windows 11 users now fear it's being bloated and will eventually end up less and less responsive, and therefore less useful as a quick-and-easy editor that puts a premium on convenience.

What all this means is that some people have abandoned Notepad and searched out third-party alternatives for Windows 11. Of course, TinyRetroPad represents another of these offerings, albeit about as pure and compact an alternative as you'll find.

How is this app so very small? Essentially, the program can be extremely compact because it taps components already installed in Windows.

As Plummer explains: "TinyRetroPad is basically a wrapper around the RICHEDIT50W control from the WinAPI."

So, Plummer notes, if you want Notepad to be "exactly like you might remember" from the Windows XP era, this is what TinyRetroPad does. I think the ex-Microsoft engineer may have a few takers on his hands.

Check out our favorite Windows laptops and MacBooks for work, tested and reviewed by CNET's laptop experts.

ChatGPT's new finance feature lets the AI chatbot take a look at any bank or similar accounts you care to open up for inspection. I was initially hesitant to try it out, but the tool only looks at the details of how you spend your money, and can't actually carry out transactions, so I agreed to let it analyze some of my accounts and offer its insights.

Finances is currently only available in the U.S. to Plus and Pro users on web, iOS, and Android. Setting everything up is as easy as using any other ChatGPT plug-in. You just select Finances in ChatGPT and then click Get Started then Connect with Plaid.

Finances uses Plaid to link to the accounts; you simply sign in and agree to let Plaid share the information. The service synchronized recent transactions and basically became an interactive, conversational database of my information. It's not that the AI can do things it couldn't before, but now you don't have to manually enter any finance details you want to ask it about.

ChatGPT looks at the receipts

At its suggestion, I asked ChatGPT, "How much did I spend eating out this year?" ChatGPT soon had a breakdown of my how much I had spent at various restaurants, including delivery, and broke down some of the patterns. It pointed out that it had gone up recently, which makes sense as the weather has became pleasant enough to walk into town more often to eat. It also identified a few spikes I could tell were around birthdays and family celebrations.

Next I asked, "What subscriptions am I paying for?"

That turned into one of the most practical moments of the experiment. ChatGPT gathered recurring charges across streaming services, software, and other monthly payments into one clear summary instead of leaving me hunting through statements. It also suggested reviewing whether every subscription still deserved a place in my budget.

"These subscriptions appear consistently each month, making them reliable recurring expenses.", it told me.

Financial chatter

Seeking a more detailed analysis, I asked ChatGPT, "What's changed in my spending this month?"

Instead of overwhelming me with every purchase, ChatGPT focused on the transactions that genuinely stood out. It noted a few large purchases at new locations, and asked if they were something I wanted more information on. I told it those were gifts, and the AI incorporated that fact into its response as not a new regular event but one that explained why overall spending had climbed this month.

"Those gift purchases are unusual compared with your recent history but they account for much of the increase, so your everyday spending has remained relatively consistent despite the higher overall total. Looking beyond one unusual month provides a more accurate picture of your longer term financial habits."

Using ChatGPT this way felt almost like the inverse of most financial software. Most budgeting apps expect you to learn their system first. ChatGPT let me ask questions however they occurred to me and then translated months of transactions into answers that were easy to understand.

That does not mean it replaces dedicated budgeting tools, and it certainly cannot make smarter financial decisions on your behalf. You still have to decide whether to cancel subscriptions, spend less on eating out, or save more each month. But I can see how it might make it easier for people who hesitate to look at their finances if they feel uncomfortable around spreadsheets. It didn't feel like math homework the way it often does.

Of course, it still relies on some trust in both OpenAI and Plaid, but as long as it's purely viewing and not actually touching the accounts, this could be a really useful, practical feature for ChatGPT users.

We've been rolling from one sales event to the next lately, and up now is the Best Buy 4th of July sale, which features discounts of up to 45% across appliances, TVs, laptops, headphones, gaming, speakers, and more. I'm not massively blown away by the offers, but I've still managed to round up 34 of the best deals that I think are worth your attention.

• Browse the full Best Buy 4th of July sale

I think the top offers are found on TVs, with everything from small and cheap everyday displays to premium screens for gaming and sports all up for grabs at great prices. One standout deal is the LG C5 65-inch OLED TV for $1,299.99 (was $2,699.99). It's still the best TV available right now according to our experts, with incredible picture quality, performance and features.

As always, the holiday sale is a good time to buy appliances, as there are savings of up to 45% off. This is on top of discounts on bundles from certain manufacturers, free delivery on all major appliances, and a price match guarantee.

The Best Buy 4th of July sale is live now and ends on Sunday, so there's still a fair bit of time left to browse. I'll be back to update this page with any new and worthwhile offers as soon as I spot them throughout the week.

Best Buy 4th of July sale — quick links

• Apple: up to $400 off MacBooks & iPads
• Appliances: up to 45% off
• Cameras: up to $1,000 off DJI & Canon
• Gaming: up to 40% off PS5 & Switch games
• Headphones: JLab, Beats & Bose from $19.99
• Kitchen: up to 50% off Ninja & Bella
• Laptops: from $179
• Phones: up to $1,100 off iPhone & Samsung
• Smart home: up to $100 off Ring & Arlo
• Smartwatches: up to $150 off Samsung & Oura
• Speakers: up to 35% off Samsung, Bose & JBL
• Tablets: up to $400 off iPads & Samsung
• Toys: up to 30% off
• TVs: from $69.99
• Vacuums: up to $350 off Dyson & Shark

My 9 top deals from the Best Buy 4th of July sale

Major appliances: save up to 45% on major appliances at Best Buy
Best Buy's official 4th of July appliance sale is now live, and you can save up to 45% on major appliances at the retailer. I've spotted savings of up to $1,900 available on refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and kitchen packages from brands like GE, Whirlpool, Samsung, and LG. The retailer is also running a price match guarantee, so if you see the same product cheaper elsewhere, you can call Best Buy, and they should offer you the lower price.View Deal

The newest version of the best-selling Apple AirTag is on sale for $89.99 in the latest Best Buy sale. This four-pack of trackers is a great way to keep an eye on a child's backpack or luggage. Simply attach it to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone will locate it.View Deal

This is my pick for the best Hisense TV deal in the latest Best Buy sale. You get a lot of top TV tech for the money in a reasonably sized display, including a bright and vibrant QLED panel with excellent contrast, and a high 165Hz refresh rate support for smooth images. It will excel as a TV to watch the World Cup, as well as stream all of your favorite shows and movies, and play the latest games.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Snapdragon X
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This is a solid discount on a modern laptop powered by one of the efficient Snapdragon X CPUs. As well as excellent levels of all-around performance, this device boasts a huge all-day battery life, so you won't need to worry about being attached to a charger at all times. There's even 512GB of SSD storage, which you don't often see in combination with those other strong performance components at this price point. This is an all-around excellent laptop for everyday, college and business use.View Deal

The Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum offers convenient automation features and versatile cleaning technology, including a special brushroll that works on both hardwood and carpeted surfaces. Its self-emptying dock doubles as a charging station, which makes it easy to keep fully charged, even though it runs for up to 60 minutes at full battery. For under $300, it's hard to pass up such a high-tech and highly rated vacuum.View Deal

Bose is the best brand around for providing excellent active noise cancellation features, and you can now get these fantastic and affordable earbuds for a great low price. With the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, you get fewer options than the high-end range, but you still get up to 8.5 hours of battery life, the ability to adjust the equalizer and a very comfy fit. They’ll instantly make your commute, your runs, or your walks far more enjoyable.View Deal

The LG C5 OLED is TechRadar's best-rated TV, and Best Buy has the 65-inch model on sale for $1,299.99. The five-star OLED display delivers an outstanding picture thanks to LG's Alpha 9 AI processor Gen8, impressive gaming features, and a comprehensive smart platform featuring all-new AI capabilities.View Deal

Here's a super-tempting record-low price for one of the best action camera bundles in the world right now. The camera offers an impressive 5.3K video resolution inside a rugged and completely waterproof body. A sweet deal just in time for your summer adventures.View Deal

This large and budget-friendly 55-inch TV from Insignia supports high-quality 4K HD resolution, has smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa controls. I've picked out this size in particular as it's a great low price for the already affordable display. All this for under $200 is a solid offer for a no-frills TV of this size.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Televisions

It's one of the smallest and cheapest TVs you can buy, but if that's all you need, then this Insignia F20 is very hard to beat. Definitely don't expect the best picture quality or the fastest performance, but if you just need a display for infrequent streaming in a kid's room, the bedroom, or kitchen, then it's up to the job — and it doesn't cost very much at all.View Deal

This large and budget-friendly 55-inch TV from Insignia supports high-quality 4K HD resolution, has smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa controls. I've picked out this size in particular as it's a great low price for the already affordable display. All this for under $200 is a solid offer for a no-frills TV of this size.View Deal

For a budget-friendly option, consider this Hisense A6 65-inch 4K Fire TV for under $300. It lacks many of the premium features found in the more expensive sets, but you still get solid 4K resolution, a large display size, and support for all of the most popular streaming apps. If it's an affordable and big-screen everyday TV you need and are happy with a reasonable picture quality and performance, this one is hard to beat for the cost.View Deal

If you're looking for a big-screen budget display, Best Buy has this 65-inch 4K TV on sale for $299.99. It won't rival the premium QLED and OLED displays, but this entry-level TV from Samsung still packs a solid 'Crystal' UHD 4K processor, the easy-to-use Tizen operating system, and full HDR support. That's good value for money if you need a straightforward but capable display for your everyday viewing and media streaming.View Deal

Best Buy has slashed a whopping $650 off LG's 48-inch B5 OLED TV, bringing the price down to $649.99. Released as the successor to the popular B4 OLED, the LG B5 is easily one of the best budget OLED TVs on the market. This 48-inch version delivers an exceptional picture with brilliant colors and sharp contrast. You also get excellent gaming features, thanks to the four HDMI 2.1 ports, which ensure smooth and responsive gaming on current-gen consolesView Deal

This is my pick for the best Hisense TV deal in the latest Best Buy sale. You get a lot of top TV tech for the money in a reasonably sized display, including a bright and vibrant QLED panel with excellent contrast, and a high 165Hz refresh rate support for smooth images. It will excel as a TV to watch the World Cup, as well as stream all of your favorite shows and movies, and play the latest games.View Deal

This latest version of the Hisense U6 is a small step down from the U7 I mentioned above, but it's still an excellent TV when it comes to all-around use. You still get a QLED panel, so there's fantastic brightness and rich contrast, even in bright spaces, and the 144Hz refresh rate ensures a smooth and responsive image.View Deal

For a high-end OLED TV, consider this huge $1,300 saving on the 65-inch Samsung S90F. It may be a generation behind now, but this scored an impressive five-star rating in our Samsung S90F review. We praised this display's outstanding picture quality, handy gaming features, and terrific value for money. Altogether, it's a brilliant buy if you've got some cash to spend on one of the best TVs available right now.View Deal

The LG C5 OLED is TechRadar's best-rated TV, and Best Buy has the 65-inch model on sale for $1,299.99. The five-star OLED display delivers an outstanding picture thanks to LG's Alpha 9 AI processor Gen8, impressive gaming features, and a comprehensive smart platform featuring all-new AI capabilities.View Deal

Sony's 65-inch Bravia 8 OLED TV has an impressive $400 discount at Best Buy, bringing the price down to $1,599.99. Sony's Bravia 8 features a sleek, slim design with a wide viewing angle, brilliant images with deep contrast, and cinematic sound from the entire screen.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Laptops

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Snapdragon X
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This is a solid discount on a modern laptop powered by one of the efficient Snapdragon X CPUs. As well as excellent levels of all-around performance, this device boasts a huge all-day battery life, so you won't need to worry about being attached to a charger at all times. There's even 512GB of SSD storage, which you don't often see in combination with those other strong performance components at this price point. This is an all-around excellent laptop for everyday, college and business use.View Deal

Display - 14 inches
Processor - Intel Core Ultra 5
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

This powerful and versatile HP OmniBook Flip offers impressive performance for the price, with powerful components such as a modern Intel Core Ultra 5 processor, a healthy 16GB of RAM to boost performance, and a decent 512GB SSD for storage. You can comfortably handle everyday tasks, demanding work, video calls, media streaming and more with this laptop, all with the option to flip it around to a 14-inch touchscreen tablet when needed, too.View Deal

Display - 16 inches
Processor - Intel Core Ultra 7
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 512GB

One of Samsung's latest premium laptops just got its biggest discount yet in the Best Buy 4th of July sale. While similarly powered devices can be picked up for less, you do get a gorgeous 16-inch LED screen with smooth and responsive 120Hz support with this Galaxy Book6. It's powerful elsewhere, too, with an excellent battery life of up to 24 hours, making it a great pick for business and productivity needs.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Appliances

Major appliances: save up to 45% on major appliances at Best Buy
Best Buy's official 4th of July appliance sale is now live, and you can save up to 45% on major appliances at the retailer. I've spotted savings of up to $1,900 available on refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, and kitchen packages from brands like GE, Whirlpool, Samsung, and LG. The retailer is also running a price match guarantee, so if you see the same product cheaper elsewhere, you can call Best Buy, and they should offer you the lower price.

This will never be one of the best coffee makers you can buy, but there's no denying that it is dirt cheap. It's a basic and no-frills drip filter coffee maker that can brew up to 12 cups at once, has a programmable timer so you can wake up to a fresh pot, and dishwasher-safe components that make it easy to clean.View Deal

The Bella Pro is exclusive to Best Buy, and we have seen this four-quart model a little cheaper in previous sales. However, for under $60, this is excellent value for money this weekend if you just need a compact air fryer for a small household or kitchen.View Deal

The Shark Clean & Empty Cordless Vacuum offers convenient automation features and versatile cleaning technology, including a special brushroll that works on both hardwood and carpeted surfaces. Its self-emptying dock doubles as a charging station, which makes it easy to keep fully charged, even though it runs for up to 60 minutes at full battery. For under $300, it's hard to pass up such a high-tech and highly rated vacuum.View Deal

You can get almost $200 off Dyson's best-selling V11 vacuum during Best Buy's 4th of July sale. This vac nails the basics, offering strong suction and excellent manoeuvrability. Information is displayed on an LCD screen that shows exactly how long you have left before the battery runs out in the current power mode, too.View Deal

Best Buy Memorial Day sale — Headphones

Bose is the best brand around for providing excellent active noise cancellation features, and you can now get these fantastic and affordable earbuds for a great low price. With the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, you get fewer options than the high-end range, but you still get up to 8.5 hours of battery life, the ability to adjust the equalizer and a very comfy fit. They’ll instantly make your commute, your runs, or your walks far more enjoyable.View Deal

If you want more affordable over-ears that don't compromise on quality, then consider these Bose QuietComfort Headphones while they are down to their lowest price this year at Best Buy. As with the Ultra version, you get impressive noise cancellation, top-tier audio quality and 24 hours of battery life, but in a much more affordable package that's only been $10 cheaper over Black Friday.View Deal

The Beats Solo 4 are getting old now, but this is a great price for a pair of solid headphones. This model supports lossless audio that you can listen to via USB-C or 3.5mm audio cable and Spatial Audio that uses head tracking to enhance your listening experience. These headphones also last up to 50 hours on a single charge and can regain five hours of playback time in just 10 minutes of charging.View Deal

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the last-gen earbuds from the manufacturer, so that means the price cuts are only getting bigger now. We awarded them four stars in our Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro review, praising the refinement over the previous model with AirPods-like ear sticks, active noise cancellation, an 11mm driver, and AI-powered features like a voice-call booster and a translation tool — provided you have a modern Samsung phone. They look and feel good in your ears, too, with up to five hours of battery life with ANC on, so they’re good for your commute or workout.View Deal

The AirPods Max use an Apple-designed dynamic driver to provide high-fidelity audio – and they sound fantastic for it. Exceptional active noise cancellation, personalized Spatial Audio, and Dolby Atmos support all reinforce that. They feel good on your head as well, thanks to the knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions, so you can easily wear them for the full 20 hours of battery life if you ever want or need to.View Deal

The brand-new Apple iPad A16 is down to its lowest-ever price in the Best Buy Memorial Day sale, so it's worth taking advantage of if you have an eye on the latest Apple slate. The biggest upgrade compared to the previous generation model is the latest A16 chip for faster performance. You also get double the storage of 128GB as standard, a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display, and solid 12MP front and back cameras.View Deal

There's a decent $100 saving on the latest iPad Pro 11-inch at Best Buy, matching the record-low of $899 we saw on Black Friday. This is still a pricey tablet, but you do get the brand-new M5 chip, high-quality tandem OLED display and 256GB as standard. Expect this to be one of the better offers we see on the tablet until later in the year.View Deal

As work becomes increasingly digital, it’s also becoming more visual. The average adult now spends approximately 7-10 hours per day looking at screens, demonstrating our increased reliance on visual technology for daily tasks and work.

Healthy Vision Month is an important time to revisit the intersection of workplace trends, technology and digital wellness.

As people spend more of their day engaging with screens, there’s an increased focus on how screen experiences can influence comfort, focus and productivity – and what that means for the future of workplace technology.

That opens the door to an interesting question: how will technology evolve to better support the way people naturally work?

As someone deeply invested in the future of visual technology, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly innovation is reshaping the way people work. At the same time, there’s growing awareness that the tools we use every day should not only help us work more efficiently, but also support comfort and wellbeing throughout the day.

In this piece, I’ll explore how smarter, more user-focused display technology can better support the way people work and live - from automatically adjusting brightness and color to features that help reduce eye strain and improve comfort during extended use.

Why digital wellness is becoming a core design principle in display technology

As screen engagement increases across work and personal life, digital fatigue is becoming a growing concern for both employees and organizations. While various factors contribute to digital fatigue, one’s tools and technology stack shouldn’t be a primary cause. In my role, I practice the philosophy for display innovations to be built around a simple but powerful idea: the screen should adapt to the user, not the other way around.

Across the industry, including at Lenovo, this philosophy is influencing how the next generation of display technology is being designed. Displays are evolving beyond passive screens into smarter tools intended to support healthier and more sustainable work environments.

This is reflected in features that address common user challenges, from eye fatigue to discomfort during extended work sessions. Technologies such as adaptive brightness, low blue light settings and intelligent color optimization can help reduce visual discomfort while creating a more seamless and personalized viewing experience.

When these features are a core design principle to building business monitors, we’re making progress in designing tools that reduce discomfort without compromising performance.

How AI is enabling displays to respond to human needs in real time

As AI tools and ambient technologies evolve, screens remain central to how people navigate complex, creative and collaborative work. In fact, Futurum reports that enterprises are shifting their budgets towards investing in personal computers (PCs) over the next year to capitalize on AI-enabled devices.

At the same time, Deloitte research highlights that organizations taking a purely tech-focused AI approach are 1.6 times more likely to not realize returns on AI investments, compared to organizations taking a human-centered approach.

What this signals is that the future of AI in the workplace cannot be focused solely on processing power or automation; it also needs to improve the everyday user experience. In visual technology, that means designing displays that can respond more intelligently and intuitively to how people actually work, helping support comfort, focus and productivity in real time.

While screen time becomes more integral to how we work and think, AI’s role in visual technology will continue to grow to make our monitors smarter and more personal.

For example, embedded wellness features may provide reminders to adjust posture during extended work sessions, while technologies that measure gaze duration and blinking frequency can help users better manage eye fatigue and create more personalized work setups.

Together, these innovations are helping transform monitors from passive work tools into more responsive and supportive technologies.

As businesses look to increase their investments in AI-enabled devices, monitors will continue to be an important interface for AI to enhance user experiences.

What this means for productivity, creativity and reducing burnout in a screen-first economy

In today’s always-connected work culture, wellness can no longer be viewed as separate from productivity as it increasingly shapes how people evaluate the technology they use every day.

McKinsey found that 84% of US consumers now consider wellness a “top” or “important” priority, while 42% of Gen Z and millennials say mindfulness is a “very high priority.”

Together, these trends reflect a broader shift in workplace expectations, particularly among younger generations, leaning toward technologies that better support focus, balance and long-term wellbeing.

From my perspective, this is changing expectations around technology entirely – whether for work or play. At work, employees want tools that feel intuitive and responsive to their natural workflows, rather than systems that add friction or contribute to fatigue.

As AI-driven workflows and screen engagement continue to increase, organizations are beginning to recognize that long-term performance depends not only on efficiency, but on how sustainably employees can work and create throughout the day.

This is where smarter display technology can play a meaningful role when they’re designed to adapt more intelligently to user preferences and enable seamless experiences. Over time, these seemingly small improvements can meaningfully shape how people focus, collaborate and maintain creative energy throughout the workday.

In a screen-first economy, the future of workplace technology will increasingly center on balancing productivity with well-being.

In Conclusion

As Healthy Vision Month reminds us, digital wellness is becoming an increasingly important part of the workplace technology conversation.

Displays are evolving into adaptive, human-centric tools that can help people stay focused, comfortable and creative in a world where screen engagement continues to grow. Looking ahead, the most impactful technology will be the tools that work more naturally along human needs and deliver value through comfort and wellness.

We reviewed and ranked the best laptops for programming: Top picks for professional programmers, coders, software engineers, and developers.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to 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/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• Anthropic has released Claude Sonnet 5, calling it its “most agentic Sonnet model yet”
• The new model is designed to make plans, use tools like browsers and terminals, and run more autonomously
• Sonnet 5 is available across Anthropic plans, and is now the default model for Claude Free and Pro users

Anthropic has released a new version of Claude, called Sonnet 5, which it’s calling “the most agentic Sonnet model yet.” Agentic models are designed to do more than simply answer questions. They can plan, use tools, and carry out tasks with less step-by-step input from the user.

According to Anthropic, the new Sonnet 5 can “make plans, use tools like browsers and terminals, and run autonomously at a level that, just a few months ago, required larger and more expensive models.”

Sonnet 5 is aimed at coding and everyday professional work. Anthropic says the latest version outperforms the previous Sonnet 4.6, scoring 80.5% in Agentic Coding using Terminal-bench 2.1, compared to 67% for Sonnet 4.6.

Despite being aimed at professionals, the new release isn’t being restricted to paid users. It's available across Anthropic plans and is the new default model for Free and Pro users, and is available to Max, Team, and Enterprise users as well. It’s also available in Claude Code and on the Claude Platform.

The age of the agents

Claude Sonnet 5 is now the default model, even for Free plan users. (Image credit: Anthropic)

The release of Sonnet 5 marks a wider shift in the AI race. Chatbots are no longer just competing to sound smarter in a conversation. They are increasingly competing to act like agents — tools that can plan, code, browse, investigate problems, and complete work with less hand-holding.

Sonnet 5 arrives soon after the release of Gemini Spark, Google’s 24/7 agentic personal assistant AI.

Anthropic is also launching Sonnet 5 at the same time that Fable 5 and Mythos 5 have become wrapped up in government scrutiny. Claude Fable 5 has just been re-released after being restricted by the US government, while OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 is still under review.

How AI models are changing

Claude Sonnet 5 may look like just another model launch, but it points to a bigger change in how AI companies are competing. The next stage of the AI war will not be won by the chatbot that gives the neatest answer. It will be won by the assistant that can take a messy task, keep track of the plan, and actually get something useful done.

AI assistants will increasingly complete tasks rather than just suggest steps. In this new future, the best model may not be the one with the cleverest answer, but the one that can finish the job.

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Fable 5 was available for a week before the government demanded access limits.