Technology

Every Prime Day, Amazon tends to really steal the headlines. I mean, it's not hard to see why considering the retailer started the ball rolling with big summer sales and continues to do so. That doesn't mean Amazon is the only game in town, however.

For example, if you have a penchant for Samsung products (as we do at TechRadar), then you're in for a treat over at the official Samsung Store. Right now, it's hosting a Prime Day-adjacent 4th of July event with record-low prices on the latest models. I haven't seen a sale this good at Samsung since Black Friday, in fact.

- Check out today's big summer sale at Samsung in full

If you're interested, I've picked out today's best deals at Samsung just down below. Highlights include the latest Galaxy S26 series, the Galaxy Watch 8, and the brand new Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, which are only a few months old as of writing.

While I'm here, it's worth mentioning that Samsung's deals on TVs are particularly good today. Not only are some of the latest 2026 models available with their first-ever real price cuts, but a few slightly older outgoing models are getting clearance deals. If you're looking for a bargain, I'd absolutely recommend checking those out.

Huge Samsung sale — quick links

• Appliances: 4th of July sales on ranges, refrigerators, washers
• Phones: record-low price on the Galaxy S26 series
• Tablets: $400 off Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
• TVs: up to $1,700 off OLED and Neo QLED TVs

Phones, tablets, and earbuds

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: $330 off upfront, or up to $720 off with a trade-in at Samsung
The outstanding Galaxy S26 Ultra has just been listed for its lowest price yet at the official Samsung Store this week, with an excellent $350 discount on unlocked devices. Available across all storage variants and colors, this deal can get you a device for as little as $949 upfront. Trade-in rebates of up to $720 are also available, but we've seen slightly better offerings in the past for trades.

Galaxy S26: $200 off upfront, or up to $400 off w/ trade
Galaxy S26+: $300 off upfront, or up to $450 off w/ tradeView Deal

The Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra is the latest and greatest of Samsung's tablets, and today's deal offers the choice between a $400 upfront discount or a trade-in of up to $500 off. While pricey, the Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra boasts specs that challenge even the most powerful of iPads. With a 14.6-inch display, a top-notch build quality, and desktop-level power, you're getting a serious tablet here.View Deal

Save $200 on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra in all colorways, including the fetching Titanium Blue version introduced last year. While it's not the best choice for everyone, its power, longevity (up to 100 hours!) and rugged durability means it's well-made for adventurers and triathletes. Watch out, Garmin. Today's deal at Samsung offers either $200 off upfront, or the option to trade-in for a discount of up to $250.View Deal

A 4.5-star-rated smartwatch with super-accurate health and activity tracking. If you throw in the industry-leading AI features, then you really do have the complete package with the excellent Galaxy Watch 8. Today's deal at the Samsung Store gets you either an upfront $120 discount or the option to trade-in for up to $200 off; a really good bargain for both the Bluetooth and LTE variants.View Deal

One of the first major deals on Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, you can currently get an impressive $40 discount on these new premium buds. We rated the buds 4.5 out of five stars thanks to innovative technology such as head-gesture operation, an intelligent ambient mode, and fantastic ANC. Even though they work with any Bluetooth-enabled phone, it is Samsung users who will benefit from the complete set of features here, so they're a good pairing with one of the latest Galaxy S26 series. View Deal

2026 Samsung TVs on sale

Samsung's rival Prime Day sale has a rare $300 discount on Samsung's all-new 65-inch R85H Micro RGB 4K Smart TV. Perfect for watching the World Cup on, Samsung's R85H Series delivers brilliant colors that come to life thanks to its Micro RGB technology and AI engine.View Deal

The S95H is the successor to the wildly popular S95F, which was one of our top-rated TVs of 2025. We haven't reviewed this iteration yet, but we have no hesitation recommending one of the first price cuts we've seen on the model. The main upgrades here are a QD-OLED panel, updated AI processing, and a new picture-frame design with a built-in bezel. Otherwise, you're still getting a stunning picture and support for a 165Hz refresh rate.View Deal

The new QH series from Samsung are a good choice if you want a decent TV but don't want to completely break the bank. The QN80H is the higher-end model and features AI-based picture and audio optimization, and SDR to HDR upscaling. QN80H also features Motion Xcelerator 144Hz support, which makes it a good choice for sports or gaming. You don't get as deep blacks with a Neo-QLED, but the picture quality is still absolutely fantastic.View Deal

The Frame series is a real crowd favorite, and it's certainly a very unique idea. Specs-wise, you don't tend to get the best of the best with these TVs, but they do offer a gorgeous art-like design that melds into any environment. The latest 2026 Pro model features a matte anti-reflective coating and a Neo-QLED panel with support for 144Hz refresh rates. View Deal

Older Samsung TVs on sale

The 65-inch S90F is a slightly older model now, but it still holds up great, with the same comprehensive set of gaming features as the higher-end Samsung S95F OLED. The 65-inch S90F was already a great value, but today's massive $1,300 price cut at Samsung just makes it one of the best buys on the entire site this week. This price is $200 lower than Black Friday, for example. View Deal

Samsung's flagship OLED TV for 2025 improves upon its predecessor with even higher brightness and a 2.0 version of its Glare-Free OLED screen. Gaming support has expanded with 4K 165Hz support across all four HDMI 2.1 ports, and the TV's Tizen smart interface now features the Samsung Art Store portal. All sizes apart from the 55-inch are sold out right now, annoyingly, so grab this still-amazing TV while you still can. View Deal

The QN90F is a slightly older model now, but it's still an amazing choice if you're looking for a great quality display with fantastic brightness. Samsung is offering a record-low price on the larger 75-inch model right now (the smaller sizes are already sold out). This Neo QLED TV features mini LEDs and Samsung's Glare-Free 2.0 technology, allowing you to view it from nearly any angle. Paired with high brightness and punchy colors, this makes it a great pick for sports.View Deal

• EUROPOL’s Operation Endgame froze $47M in cryptocurrency and dismantled infrastructure for SocGholish, Amadey, and StealC malware
• 326 servers, 142 domains, and 14,971 infected websites were taken down, disrupting distribution networks and recovering 27M credentials
• No arrests were made; experts warn such disruptions often only temporarily halt criminal operations before infrastructure is rebuilt

Millions of dollars in cryptocurrency were frozen, and hundreds of servers taken down, in a sweeping operation by EUROPOL and multiple national law enforcement agencies against cybercriminals.

Over the last couple of weeks, EUROPOL ran Operation Endgame, together with law enforcement agencies from Canada, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Multiple private companies, including Microsoft, participated as well.

The goal was the dismantling of digital infrastructure used by three distinct hacking operations: SocGholish, Amadey, and StealC. These are known malware variants, granting attackers backdoor access, and stealing valuable secrets from compromised devices.

Shutting down servers and cleaning websites

SocGholish, for example, is a sophisticated JavaScript downloader and loader, linked to a Russian Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) operation called Evil Corp.

During the operation, the police managed to identify and freeze $47 million in cryptocurrencies. It cannot access or retrieve these funds, but by freezing them, it effectively removed them from circulation. Around 27 million login credentials were also recovered as part of this operation.

Furthermore, law enforcement shut down 326 servers and 142 domains that were used to host and distribute the malware. This, EUROPOL says, “severely crippled” the malware’s distribution network: “By taking down these tools simultaneously, the collaboration between law enforcement and private parties has increased friction for cybercriminals, making it harder for attacks to succeed, spread, or recover.”

EUROPOL also said that by taking down SocGholish, 14,971 infected websites were “remediated”. These are legitimate sites, belonging to different businesses such as restaurants, auto repair shops, and others, but were compromised and used as launchpads for malware delivery.

Sadly, no arrests have been made, and EUROPOL did not say if key players of these groups were even identified. Usually, disruptions such as this one only momentarily stop malicious activities, which resume in a few weeks once the infrastructure is rebuilt.

Dell's thinnest and lightest XPS yet is a smart choice that exemplifies how good design gets out of your way.

If you are looking for a security suite for your team or business, NordLayer may have just what you're looking for - and they currently have a 20% discount code.

The core features include a business VPN, access control & zero trust architecture, threat prevention & intelligence, password management, device protection, and advanced device security.

There are also numerous handy integrations across identity & access management, cloud networks, and cybersecurity.

Today's top NordLayer deal

Logging into work accounts while traveling increases the risk of business access being intercepted or exposed. This opens the door to phishing and unauthorized login attempts. NordLayer helps teams stay protected wherever work happens – now with up to 20% OFF annual plans during the Summer Sale.

Apply your discount using coupon code: nl-summer-26View Deal

NordLayer Lite

(Image credit: NordLayer)

For small teams looking for an essential layer of business protection, the Lite plan offers all of the core features at $8/month per user.

Network security connection speed is up to 1 Gbps (across all plans) with Shared Gateway locations across 40+ countries , so your security won't slow down your collaboration, business meetings, or general connectivity.

Your network will also be protected with Download Protection, Web Protection, VPN protocol variety to suit your preferences, and the highly efficient NordLynx VPN protocol.

For each license, you get 6 device network connections with multi-platform app support. The Lite plan also features multi-factor authentication and single sign-on, alongside activity monitoring reports to spot any suspicious or unsecured activity.

NordLayer Core

NordLayer Core adds additional functionality across network security, internet access security, network connectors, user authorization & management, and visibility at $11/month per user.

For a start, your team will benefit from a server with a dedicated IP, alongside IP allowlisting and IP-based split tunneling, plus a choice of Virtual Private Gateway locations in 40+ countries. You'll also be able to manually configure your network connections.

Core also adds category-based DNS filtering, custom DNS, and an application blocker to keep your team from accessing disruptive or unsecured apps.

For security, your team will have access to biometric authentication to verify that it is actually your colleagues accessing your network, and not a malicious actor. For additional visibility into the security of your team members, Core adds device posture monitoring.

NordLayer Premium

Premium ups your protection significantly at $14/month per user.

On the network security side, NordLayer offers a Cloud Firewall (FWaaS) and device-level posture security, plus URL-based split tunneling available as a browser extension.

It also adds site-to-site configurations for your network connector, with a Cloud LAN and browser extension for added usability. Premium also adds user provisioning to speed up onboarding for new employees.

• Take a look at our full guide to the best antivirus software

Interpol’s latest Asia and South Pacific cybercrime assessment shows how phishing, ransomware, DDoS attacks, infostealers, and AI-enabled scams are raising security risks across APAC.

The post Interpol: Cybercrime Hits 30% of Recorded Crime in Surveyed APAC Countries appeared first on TechRepublic.

My first DJI drone was the flagship DJI Mavic Pro that launched in 2016. At the time, it was the brand's smallest consumer market drone ever made, replacing the bulky DJI Phantom, and that meant it wasn't cheap at $999 / £999.

It didn't take long after unboxing it for me to crash it into a wall. I was excited; the controls were inverted. Back then, there was no way I could simply fork out for a replacement drone — but luckily it just needed a new arm rather than a whole new drone (phew).

Since then, DJI has expanded its consumer drone range considerably, from the ultra-lightweight Mini Series to the more accessible Neo Series for casual flyers. The most beginner-friendly of the lot is the DJI Neo, which you can find at Amazon for as low as $139 (was $199) in the US and £113 (was £169) in the UK for the drone itself.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

I've rounded up the best DJI drone deals, like the DJI Neo, below. Hopefully, you're shopping to upgrade rather than replace, though. Happy flying!

Today's best DJI drone deals in the US

The DJI Neo is the easiest 4K drone you'll ever fly, and a fantastic gateway for beginners. You're not buying a Neo for its 12MP photo and 4K video quality, but its host of beginner-friendly features like one-tap takeoff and automatic return. Weighing just 135g, no registration is required, and, thanks to today's low price at Amazon, the drone itself is less than $140. View Deal

It's not a huge discount on a drone that's now been succeeded by a newer model, but that doesn't mean this DJI drone deal that saves you $150 should be ignored. If you're yet to fly high or want to upgrade from a much older quadcopter, this 249g drone is still pretty darn good. Read our review for the full scoop.View Deal

DJI's latest entry-level drone upgrades the Mini 2 SE with 4K video capture, whereas the Mini 2 SE only shoots in 2.7K. And with this Prime Day deal, it's available for a record-low price, beating the previous low of $255.55. This combo includes DJI's updated remote controller and two batteries for a 62-minute flight time. If you're looking for your first drone equipped with a camera, the Mini 4K Camera Drone Combo is a great starting point. View Deal

The DJI Neo is the easiest 4K drone you'll ever fly, and a fantastic gateway for beginners. You're not buying a Neo for its 12MP photo and 4K video quality, but its host of beginner-friendly features like one-tap takeoff and automatic return. Being just 135g, no registration is required, and, thanks to today's low price at Amazon, both the standalone drone and combo packages are available for very cheap indeed. This deal is for the Motion Fly More bundle, which includes the RC Motion 3, three batteries, and a charging hub. View Deal

Today's best DJI drone deals in the UK

In our DJI Mini 3 review, we praised it as "an enticing choice for eager drone pilots willing to sacrifice the obvious safety benefits of collision avoidance for a more affordable model". While it has since been succeeded, this 35% saving is still a notable discount worth considering if you want an entry-level drone. View Deal

I've been tracking DJI prices for the last three and a half years, and the current Mini 4K price is the lowest it has ever been. This package includes the drone, controller, and one battery. The camera is mounted to a three-axis gimbal for smooth 4K video capture, offers a handy 2x digital zoom, and boasts 31 minutes of flight time.View Deal

Usually, I recommend Fly More Combos for first-time buyers because you get a controller, extra batteries, and a charging hub, but of any beginner drone, the autonomous Neo is possibly the one where you can get away with the single-battery, drone-only bundle. There's a huge price drop for the Neo drone-only option, with more than £50 off the original price. By my reckoning, this is the lowest price ever in the UK for a DJI drone that shoots 4K video. View Deal

If you've read our DJI Neo review, you'll already know that it's the easiest 4K drone you'll ever fly, with one-tap takeoff, subject tracking, and automatic return. Both the drone itself and combo packages are discounted at Amazon right now. This deal is for the Fly More bundle, which also includes a controller, three batteries, and a charging hub.View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

As far as the best running headphones go, we're still obsessing over the range of audio devices that Shokz has, especially those on offer right now during Amazon Prime Day.

I recently rounded up the best workout headphones deals and thought they're all solid picks, but not all of them are suited to running and intense cardio quite like Shokz. With that said, if you're more of a runner and less of a gym rat, investing in a good pair of headphones from Shokz might work out for you much better in the long run. Pun intended.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Our best overall running headphones, the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, are now down to $124.95 from $179.95 on Amazon in the US. There's also a UK deal to match, taking the same pair of headphones down to £134 from £169.

However, if bone conduction headphones aren't on your list this Prime Day and you'd rather go without the connective band, the Shokz OpenFit 2+ are a great alternative, now $109 from $199.95 — and £144 down from £179 in the UK.

Last year, I ran my first half-marathon, ticking off another bucket list achievement, but deciding to go music-less was a huge mistake. Besides, my current headphones aren't designed for high-intensity running, which is why I wish I had looked into these models from Shokz before completing the whole 13 miles.

Today's best Shokz deals in the US

If you're a keen swimmer and are looking for a pair of headphones to soundtrack your way up and down the lanes, the OpenSwim Pro are a solid shout thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity for live music streaming, which has been added to the existing built-in MP3 support. This means they're ideal for listening to music both in and out of swimming environments.

Read our full Shokz Open Swim Pro reviewView Deal

As Amazon doesn't have price history information for these in the US, we don't know if this is a record low for the OpenFit 2+. But what we do know is that $90 off is a staggering discount on a pair of fitness headphones we said were "better than Bose".

Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2+ reviewView Deal

A $55 saving on the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 (bone conduction headphones that don't actually go into your ear) is not to be sniffed at, especially as it's the biggest discount these headphones have ever had — they briefly dropped to $139 before now, but never this low! Available in both standard and mini sizes in three colors, the Pro 2 uses bone conduction and air conduction to deliver great sound on multiple fronts, all while keeping you aware of your surroundings.

Read our full Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 review View Deal

These only came out last year, and we gave them 4.5 out of 5 in our glowing review – so this discount is fantastic. Clip-style open earbuds hook onto your ear, and don't go into the ear canal – they're really comfortable, they leave you able to hear the world around you as well as your music, and they sound superb.

Read our full Shokz OpenDots One reviewView Deal

Today's best Shokz deals in the UK

OpenRun Pro 2 (a set of bone conduction headphones that don't actually cover the ears, so are almost like open earbuds!) are among the very best running headphones available right now, at the lowest price they've ever been – a solid Prime Day no-brainer for the long-distance runner in your life.

Read our full Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 reviewView Deal

If you're in the UK, you can also get the Shokz OpenFit 2 for a record-low price. These excellent open earbuds are the ideal pick for runners and they are much easier to recommend at this massively discounted price. Get them for the impressive sound quality, lengthy battery life and dependable fit.

Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2 review View Deal

The OpenFit 2+ are slightly more pricey than the standard OpenFit 2, but there's a reason. Not only do they have incredible sound and fit comfortably even as a glasses wearer, but the battery life runs on a durable 11 hours playtime, 48 hours with the charging case.

Read our full Shokz OpenFit 2+ reviewView Deal

This is a pretty great discount to score since these earbuds are just over a year old. The OpenDots One are comfortable, pack solid audio, and are now even more affordable than before. What's not to love about this better-than-Black Friday deal?

Read our full Shokz OpenDots One review View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

• Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently available to pre-order
• The standard edition version of the game costs $79.99 / £69.99
• The majority of those we polled said its price was too high

With Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders live right now, there's been plenty of discussion about the game's price.

Two versions of the game are available: a standard edition that costs $79.99 / £69.99 / AU$129.95 and an upgraded Ultimate Edition that throws in some bonus digital content for $99.99 / £89.99 / AU$159.95.

In my eyes, it's a pretty reasonable price point. The game has taken over a decade to develop and is estimated to have a massive budget, which has led some analysts to suggest that prices could start at as much as $100 / £100 / AU$200 before they were made official.

In the US, it's $10 more expensive than most major games, which generally go for $69.99. In the UK, it's actually the same price as most other releases with the likes of Ghost of Yotei or Stellar Blade also costing £69.99.

Still, according to a poll we ran with TechRadar readers, some fans are disappointed, particularly given the fact that physical versions of GTA 6 won't actually contain a proper disc but rather a printed download code.

Most think GTA 6 costs too much

(Image credit: Rockstar Games)

We took to our almost 400,000 member strong WhatsApp channel to find out what our readers think and, after 459 responses, the results are pretty interesting.

Overall, the majority (59%) of responses said that GTA 6 is priced too high. Of that group, 68% stated that they would not by the game — vowing that "Rockstar just lost a sale" — while 32% admitted they would buy the game anyway, even if they thought it was too much.

Meanwhile, 41% were keen to get a pre-order locked in, selecting the option that said they will definitely "be there day one". This means that on the whole 59% said they were going to buy the game, even if they expressed concern with the price.

This leaves a sizeable minority that have seemingly been completely turned off. We'll have to wait and see whether this reservation is reflected in the official sales figures when they eventually release.

• The first trailer for the new film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, fronted by Daisy Edgar-Jones, has been released
• Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, George MacKay and Fiona Shaw are also in the cast
• The movie is set to be released in cinemas on September 25

The first trailer for the new movie adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, starring Daisy Edgar-Jones as lead protagonist Elinor Dashwood, has been released — you can check it out below.

Releasing in cinemas worldwide in September 25, other cast members include Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Dillane, George MacKay, Herbert Nordrum, Bodhi Rae Breathnach and Fiona Shaw.

The new movie, directed by Georgia Oakley, is the eighth adaptation of the Jane Austen novel since 1971, across all global media. However, fans of the book are already worried that the new film won't live up to one version in particular: the 1995 movie led by Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson.

"Unnecessary," one fan comment on YouTube reads, with another agreeing, "Gonna be very hard to top the Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson one."

A third adds on X, "1995 stans will riot, but this looks like it actually gets the heartbreak. Count me in for the tissues and the bonnets."

While fans are already divided over the impact of Oakley's take on the classic book, we're potentially overlooking the most crucial casting of the bunch: Caitríona Balfe.

Opinion: Caitríona Balfe's Outlander experience could elevate Sense and Sensibility

We've all been so busy talking about Daisy Edgar-Jones in the role of Elinor Dashwood that we've completely neglected how inspired a piece of casting Caitríona Balfe is.

The Outlander star will be playing Mrs Dashwood, originally played by Gemma Jones in the 1995 movie. Balfe is no stranger to creating compelling historical romance, having starred as Claire in the hit Starz series since 2014.

Frankly, she's the ideal person to cast in the face of a Jane Austen remake being so noticeably divisive. The new movie will need as many safe pairs of hands as possible to fend off the 'There-was-no-point-in-making-this-movie' brigade, especially if the idea is to showcase something completely different.

As far as the above trailer is concerned, we can expect traditional period-drama vibes throughout. Universal Pictures describes the adaptation as "an irresistible new take on Jane Austen’s iconic Sense and Sensibility: a charming, witty, and deeply relatable story of love and sisterhood."

Most plumbing jobs aren't planned. After all, a burst pipe doesn't wait for business hours. The company that answers the phone first usually wins the work.

Running that kind of business also means juggling a tight labor market and a stack of admin work that piles up the moment you stop chasing it. Now, I don’t run a home services business myself, but I’ve spent a lot of time reviewing business software for a living.

For this article, I tested different tools and platforms across five categories using sample data modeled on real plumbing scenarios, from urgent service calls to routine maintenance paperwork. Here's how it went.

#1 Field service management keeps the schedule honest

A field service management (FSM) platform schedules jobs and dispatches the closest available technician. It also stores every customer's repair history in one place, so nobody has to dig through paper invoices to remember what got replaced last time.

I tested one by building a week's worth of sample jobs, mixing emergency calls with routine maintenance the way a busy schedule actually looks. Everything was much easier to manage as the FSM software took care of most of my admin overhead. Meanwhile, my phone synced job notes and photos back to the dashboard in real time.

Industry research backs up what I saw. One 2025 survey of trade businesses found that 94% of companies using field service software reported real productivity gains. Eighty-three percent said the software helped their business grow.

The catch: techs used to working off a clipboard need real coaching before the software earns its keep. Switching systems mid-season can throw off a busy crew.

#2 Asset tracking stops tools from going missing

Plumbing crews lose more money to missing tools than most owners realize. An asset-tracking app assigns a QR code or GPS tag to every truck and major tool, so you always know who has what and where it's parked.

I built a sample inventory of tools and vehicles inside the app, then simulated one tool sitting unused in the yard for several days. The app flagged it within that same test run. It's exactly the kind of alert that would catch a missing drain snake before it becomes a bigger problem on a real job site.

Construction equipment theft costs the industry more than $1 billion a year in the US. Fewer than a quarter of stolen tools are ever recovered. One analysis found that businesses with full visibility into their assets boosted maintenance productivity by 28% and cut repair costs by 18%.

#3 AI lead capture tools answer calls you'd miss

AI-powered lead generation covers everything from chat widgets that qualify leads on your website to AI phone agents that answer calls after the office closes.

I set one up against a batch of sample after-hours calls, the kind that would normally roll to voicemail. In the test runs, several of those calls turned into booked appointments before a human ever saw the missed-call notification.

How fast you respond matters more than which specific tool you use. Contractors who reply to a lead within five minutes book the job far more often than those who wait half an hour, according to lead-response research.

Most contractors remain cautious about AI, though. One survey of more than 1,000 contractors found that just 25% use it in any meaningful way. So be sure to plan well before you roll it out.

#4 Accounting apps turn receipts into cash flow clarity

Accounting software is the least exciting tool on this list, but it's probably the one that saves the most time. It pulls in your bank transactions automatically and turns a pile of receipts into a usable profit and loss statement for your business.

I fed it a batch of sample receipts, the kind a plumbing crew would rack up in an average week. They landed already categorized in the right expense column within seconds. Generating a profit and loss statement from that sample data took minutes instead of an evening with a spreadsheet.

Manual bookkeeping eats up roughly 8 to 12 hours a month for the average small business owner. Decent software cuts that down to 2 to 4 hours.

Generic accounting platforms still fall short on job costing. They handle invoices fine, but rarely break down labor and materials by job the way a plumbing business actually needs.

#5 Training software shortens the learning curve

Specialty trade roles can take 45 to 60 days just to hire. New techs often need another 12 to 18 months before they're fully productive.

Many new techs quit within a year if there's no clear path forward for them. Forty-seven percent of trade workers say they'd leave a job that doesn't offer a clear way to learn new skills. That share has climbed sharply over the past year, according to recruitment research.

That’s why staff onboarding and training software turns tribal knowledge into a checklist that a new apprentice can actually follow. Training modules and certification checklists live in one app instead of a binder in the back of the truck.

I built a sample new-hire profile and ran it through one platform's onboarding checklist. I was able to clear the required certifications faster than I expected. The app even flagged exactly which ones were still missing instead of leaving that to memory.

Why software plays a big role in a plumbing business

Plumbing used to run on a paper schedule and word-of-mouth. Neither one has disappeared. Neither one is enough by itself anymore.

Part of the reason is the labor shortage. The industry is short an estimated 550,000 plumbers by 2027, a gap projected to cost the broader economy roughly $33 billion a year. When you can't hire your way out of a busy season, the work has to get done faster with the crew you already have.

That's what ties these five categories together. Scheduling, asset tracking, AI lead capture, accounting, and staff training don't replace a good plumber. They remove friction around everything else the job demands.

We tested each tool against scenarios modeled on how a busy plumbing business would actually use it, not as a polished sales demo. The ones that made this list are the ones that held up under that kind of pressure.

Tim Cook said that RAMageddon would make price increases "unavoidable." And now they're happening.

I need to make something abundantly clear, gentle reader. I ought perhaps to mention that we're tracking every Amazon Prime Day deal worth noticing if that's what you're after (and that the event is ongoing as I type), but, probably because of this big sale thing, I've been getting the question a lot and wanted to pin my colours to the mast.

Right then: the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and no other set of earbuds before or since these June 2025-issue buds still offer the best active noise cancellation on the market, provided your source device doesn't have a piece of fruit with a bite taken out of it etched on the back. I test earbuds as a full-time job and have done so since 2019 (I know, nice work, etc.), so it's my job to know these things.

Other buds can offer better sound; I might point you towards Technics or Bowers & Wilkins here. And there are further buds I'd nudge you towards if you want novel features (here it is impossible not to note Samsung's own sets with live translation, as well as the ubiquitous ice-white offerings from Tim Cook's behemoth, some of which can monitor your heart rate). But for solid ANC, with music present and correct? Bose wrote the book on the technology, and Bose's buds are emphatically still the best.

And although I'm contractually bound to tell you that right now, you can get the QCU Earbuds (2nd Gen) for a whopping £89 off, since they're now £209 rather than £299 at Amazon (and their lowest discount before today was to £249, so it's big), that's not why I'm here.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

(Image credit: Future)

No, I want to set the record straight once and for all. Until such time as a new set of earbuds swoops in and steals the spoils, this is the current, up-to-the-minute hierarchy.

Yes, AirPods Pro can cut out the noise, and I've got a roundup of the top AirPods Prime Day deals if you need 'em. But unless you own an iPhone, those won't serve you as well — which is how Apple wants to keep it. If you're on Android, I maintain that the earbuds you're reading about now are hands-down the best. And they don't care what file format or streaming service you're listening to when it comes to offering the excellent head-tracked spatial stuff, too…

Today's best Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) deal

Black Friday late last year was the first-ever saving I saw on this set of 5-star, 2025-release noise-cancelling earbuds, and that saw them drop to £249. Here's the thing: Bose products rarely see discounts, and that is because they basically walk all over anything else on the market for noise cancellation (except maybe Apple's AirPods Pro 3 — but if you don't own an iPhone, I don't recommend those, however good the deal). A lowest-seen fee on a truly excellent set of new earbuds from Bose? Yes please. View Deal

My in-depth Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review is the place to go for my own even more detailed appraisal, but a cursory glance at the maximum five-star rating is perhaps all you need, along with this: They're just really, really good.

Also, for those with particular interest, the 'Sonic Sangria' finish pictured above is in the deal (hurrah!), and please believe me when I tell you they get plenty of compliments when I wear them. (All other finishes are included in the deal, though.)

I keep these buds beside my home desk, because the tree surgeons have been out in force recently (joy), and nothing cuts out chainsaw shrieks and the sound of falling timber quite like these. I also keep them here for when I'm testing the active noise cancellation efficacy of the competition. Yes, the Bose QCUE (2nd Gen) are essentially my reference product for ANC — a benchmark for what can be achieved in an in-ear design, if you've got a very special set of skills.

With this particular second-generation model, you get wireless charging from the box (which wasn't so with the originals) and multi-point connectivity that works seamlessly, something the original QCU Earbuds also bizarrely lacked on their release.

I also need to point out that I adore the Immersive audio profiles, which somehow mix device- and streaming service-agnostic spatial audio plus Bose's iconic noise-nixing to provide various vigorous, zealous, exciting soundstages for your movies or music.

Some of the best earbuds on the market? Oh absolutely. And one of the best Prime Day earbuds deals I've seen? Oh, OK then — 100% yes.

More Prime Day deals

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

AeroPress coffee makers are super versatile, portable, and easy to use — and they're going cheap for Amazon Prime Day. The deals include both the AeroPress Original and the compact AeroPress Go, both in a rainbow of colors. Even if you already own one, like I do, you might be tempted to grab another while they're going chep.

• Check out the full Amazon Prime Day sale

There's also a great deal on the AeroPress Original XL, which is a great size for making a large carafe of coffee to share at home, at the office, or at camp. Pair it with the AeroPress Original XL Flow Filter Cap, which prevents coffee dripping before you start to press the plunger, and you've got total control over how your coffee is extracted - all for a bargain Prime Day price.

AeroPress Prime Day deals

AeroPress AeroPress Original

AeroPress AeroPress Original, Pink

AeroPress AeroPress Original, Green

AeroPress AeroPress Original, Red

AeroPress AeroPress Original, Clear

AeroPress AeroPress Go Plus, Cream

AeroPress Aeropress Go Plus, Pink

AeroPress Aeropress Original XL

AeroPress AeroPress Go

AeroPress AeroPress XL Flow Control Filter Cap

AeroPress AeroPress Bundle - Premium

AeroPress AeroPress Travel Mug, Red

The only thing missing is the new AeroPress Manual Coffee Grinder, which is still full price, but I'm keeping an eye on it, and will let you know as soon as it gets its first price cut. It's the best manual coffee grinder I've ever used, and it's not even close.

More Prime Day deals

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

Logistics operators are under pressure from every direction.

Warehouses are being asked to process higher volumes, respond faster to disruption and maintain tighter inventory control, all while managing labor shortages and rising operational costs.

UK Warehousing Association research shows that recruitment challenges continue to affect the sector, with only 13% of employers reporting no difficulty hiring staff and more than half anticipating critical skills shortages in the years ahead.

At the same time, investment in warehouse automation continues to accelerate. McKinsey estimates adoption is growing at more than 10% annually as operators look to improve efficiency, resilience and cost management across increasingly complex supply chains.

Yet the defining shift in logistics is no longer the rollout of isolated automation tools. It is the emergence of autonomous systems capable of continuously capturing operational data, generating live insight and supporting faster, more informed decisions across the warehouse environment.

Moving beyond static automation

Historically, automation in logistics has been limited to controlled and predictable settings. Fixed systems deliver value in stable workflows.

That is beginning to change.

Most warehouse environments are dynamic, with changing inventory, layouts and operational demands. Advances in artificial intelligence, sensing and mobile robotics are enabling more effective operation in complex environments. At the same time, digital modelling technologies are improving how operators understand and manage warehouse operations.

Gartner predicts that by 2030, half of new warehouses in developed markets will be designed as human-optional facilities, supported by robotics and digital twins. This does not signal the removal of people from logistics. It reflects a shift towards systems that can support human decision-making with more accurate and timely data.

Creating a live operational picture

One of the biggest constraints in warehouse operations is visibility. Many decisions still rely on periodic stock checks, incomplete system data or manual investigation.

Digital twins are beginning to address this challenge.

By combining continuous data capture with virtual models of the warehouse, digital twins provide a real-time view of inventory, storage and movement. This allows operators to detect discrepancies earlier and respond before issues escalate.

Deloitte research indicates that improved inventory visibility can reduce operational inefficiencies and improve fulfilment accuracy, especially in high-volume distribution settings. More broadly, the ability to maintain accurate, real-time inventory data is directly linked to warehouse performance. Industry studies predict that poor inventory accuracy can significantly increase costs through mis-picks, stockouts and excess safety stock.

Turning data into operational action

The value of autonomy increases when insight leads directly to action.

As real-time data is combined with analytics, warehouse systems can identify issues such as misplaced inventory, congestion or underutilized space as they occur. This enables faster intervention, whether through human decision-making or system-driven recommendations.

Over time, this creates a more responsive operating model. Instead of reacting to problems after they occur, warehouses can move towards continuous optimization.

McKinsey notes that advanced analytics and automation can significantly improve warehouse productivity and reduce operational costs when deployed effectively.

Scaling logistics intelligently

A persistent challenge in logistics is that growth often brings added complexity. Higher volumes typically require more labor, more oversight and more manual processes.

Autonomous systems offer a way to change that dynamic.

By automating data capture and improving decision-making, organizations can scale operations without a proportional increase in manual intervention. This is particularly important in a constrained labor market.

At the same time, newer forms of automation are designed to be more flexible than traditional fixed systems.

Autonomous mobile robots, for example, can operate within existing warehouse environments, eliminating the need for large-scale infrastructure changes and making adoption accessible more easily.

How autonomy is changing warehouse roles

Autonomy does not replace people. It changes how they contribute.

As repetitive and physically demanding tasks are automated, workers can focus more on oversight, exception management and continuous improvement. This shift is already visible in facilities where humans and machines operate together, combining physical automation with human judgement.

Safety is also a key factor. Warehousing remains a high-risk environment, with industry data showing that the transportation and storage sector, which includes warehousing and distribution, experiences above-average non-fatal injury rates and around 38,000 workplace injuries each year. Reducing manual handling and improving situational awareness through automation can help mitigate these risks.

Building resilience through visibility

Autonomy is becoming a foundational capability for modern logistics operations. The greatest value does not come from robotics alone, but from the ability to combine automation, AI and real-time operational intelligence into a single connected system.

Warehouses that can continuously monitor inventory, identify inefficiencies and respond dynamically to changing conditions will be better positioned to manage disruption and scale sustainably.

As supply chains become more complex and less predictable, the competitive advantage will increasingly belong to organizations that can make faster and more accurate decisions. The future of warehousing will depend on how effectively businesses turn operational data into meaningful action.

We've listed the best ERP software.

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

Yes, the news that Apple fans have been fearing is here — Apple isn't immune to the RAM crisis and has just raised prices across Macs, iPads and the HomePod mini.

Those price hikes are global and are now live in its online store. An Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg "we know this is not welcome news, and we are working tirelessly to find solutions".

The headline news is that the MacBook Neo, praised for its excellent value, has seen its starting rise from $599 / £599 to a slightly less palatable $699 / £699. There have also been price hikes for the iPad Air, iPad Pro, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini and some Mac Studio models.

What should you do if you were looking to buy one of those Apple products? You've can follow all the latest reaction and deals here in this liveblog...

Welcome to our Apple support group

Hello, and welcome to this liveblog for our reaction to Apple's bombshell news today that it'll be raising prices across Macs, iPads and more.

I'd call it a 'shock' but if you've been following the news lately, it sadly isn't. The RAM crisis news continues to worsen, and Tim Cook recently dropped an unsubtle hint that "price increases are unavoidable".

So what should you do if, like me, you've been looking at upgrading your Apple kit recently? I'll be rounding up all of the latest advice and reaction from TechRadar's experts here — along with the best Prime day deals that could be your savior.

Why is Apple raising prices so much?

(Image credit: Apple)

The RAM crisis is actually more of a PC component crisis — and unsurprisingly, Apple has said that it's this that's forced it to make unprecedented price hikes today.

An Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg that “the rapid expansion of AI data centers has created an extraordinary surge in demand for memory and storage”. They added that the company has “never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly.”

It's very unusual for Apple make statements like this, which shows how bad the crisis has become. Apple also added it has “shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we have now reached a point where we need to begin raising prices on a number of products including today’s increases for iPad and Mac.”

So what are the price hikes?

(Image credit: Future)

Here's a list of the most notable price hikes today for Apple products in the US and UK.

This isn't an exhaustive list — there are various spec configurations for Macs, for example, that will also be hit, particularly if you want to add more RAM.

But it's a handy overview if you want a quick look at the damage for your chosen product. No price hikes are welcome, but those MacBook and Mac mini ones are particularly painful considering the decent value they previously offered.

US price hikes

New price

Old price

Price difference

MacBook Neo

$699

$599

+$100

MacBook Air

$1299

$1099

+$200

MacBook Pro

$1999

$1699

+$300

Mac mini

$799

$599

+$200

iMac

$1499

$1299

+$200

Mac Studio

$2499

$1999

+$500

iPad A16

$449

$349

+$100

iPad mini

$599

$499

+$100

iPad Air

$749

$599

+$250

iPad Pro

$1199

$999

+$200

HomePod

$349

$299

+$50

HomePod mini

$129

$99

+$30

Apple TV

$199

$129

$70

UK price hikes

New price

Old price

Price difference

MacBook Neo

£699

£599

+£100

MacBook Air

£1299

£1099

+£200

MacBook Pro

£1999

£1699

+£300

Mac mini

£799

£699

+£100

Mac Studio (M4 Max)

£2499

£1999

+£500

Mac Studio (M3 Ultra)

£5,299

£3,999

+£1300

iPad Air

£749

£599

+£250

iPad Pro

£1199

£999

+£200

Deals to the rescue

If there is a small crumb of comfort from today's news, it's that there are some good deals around at Apple's old prices — which could net you some big savings.

I'll be running through some of the best of them now in this liveblog, for both the US and UK. And I have a personal stake in this too, having mulled over buying a MacBook Pro M5 just a few days ago (yes, it hurts).

So without further ago, let's get deals hunting...

iPad deals

The iPad deals below just got a whole lot better in light of today's Apple price hikes.

The iPad A16, for example, is now effectively $150 off, rather than just $50 in the US. Similarly, the iPad Pro's sale price of $899 is now a massive $300 less than Apple's new price, rather than the still-decent $100 saving you got previously.

For those in the UK, there aren't quite as many Prime Day deals right now, but there is a good one on the older iPad Air 11-inch (M3).

Today's best iPad deals in the US

While Apple just raised the starting price of the iPad A16 to $449, Amazon still has it down to just $299 for Prime Day. The most significant upgrade for this model over the previous generation is the A16 chip for faster performance, and you'll also get double the storage as standard (128GB instead of 64GB).

Other features include a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display and solid 12MP front- and rear-facing cameras, making this iPad the best iPad for casual streamers and scrollers.

Read our 11-inch iPad A16 review here.View Deal

Amazon has the newest iPad Air with the M4 chipset on sale for $519 right now, which is an even stronger deal with Apple's new starting price set at $749 for the 11-inch Air. In addition to Apple's superfast M4 chip inside, this iPad features a crisp Liquid Retina display, 128GB of storage as standard, 12MP front and rear cameras, and support for Apple's AI features.

Read our iPad Air 11-inch review here.View Deal

Apple's iPad Pro offers one of the best views on any tablet, thanks to a Tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display, and excellent performance from the superfast M5 chip under the hood. For Prime Day, Amazon has the Wi-Fi, 256GB 11-inch iPad Pro with M5 at just $899, which is a 10% discount for Prime Day, but an even larger discount over Apple's new price of $1,199.

Read our iPad Pro 11-inch review here.View Deal

Much like the larger iPad Air, the 13-inch iPad Pro offers the excellent top-of-the-line iPad experience at an even bigger scale. It has an excellent, vibrant OLED screen and great performance thanks to the M5 chip. It's $100 off on Prime Day at Amazon, at just $1,099 for the Wi-Fi 256GB variant, and that's an even larger discount over Apple's new starting price of $1,499.View Deal

Today's best Apple iPad deals in the UK

If you prefer a tablet with a larger display, you can save £200 on the 13-inch iPad Air with an M3 chip and bag one for its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Apart from the bigger screen, it's identical to the 11-inch version. So, you get the same powerful M3 chip, a sharp Liquid Retina display, 12MP front and back cameras, 128GB of storage at a minimum, and Apple Intelligence compatibility for all the fancy new AI features.View Deal

What does this mean for iPhone prices?

(Image credit: Getty Images / Anna Barclay )

Fortunately, the iPhone is unaffected by today's price hikes — for now. But there's a good chance we'll see the iPhone 18 Pro get a price bump when it lands in September.

This week, we saw speculation based on JP Morgan research that the iPhone 18 Pro could get a price increase of $50-$100. It true, that would be pretty acceptable compared to the bigger price rises we've seen today.

The Apple Watch and AirPods have both also been spared price increases, though they could also be susceptible later this year (if to a lesser extent than Macs and iPads).

What MacBook deals are there?

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

If you're looking to buy a MacBook, the Prime Day deals just became a lot more important — maybe even essential, given the unprecedented Apple price hikes we've seen today.

For example, in the US you can buy the MacBook Neo (Apple's most affordable laptop) for $110 less than Apple's new pricing. Earlier today, that discount was only $10.

There are even bigger savings on pricier models like the MacBook Pro. The base 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 model is available for $1549 in the US, a massive $450 under Apple's new official price. How long these deals will last, though, is anyone's guess...

Today's best Apple MacBook deals in the US

Apple's MacBook Neo has been a hit since its launch earlier this year, and Prime Day is your chance to save on this impressive machine. Right now, Amazon has the starting configuration at just $589.99, which isn't the largest discount, but still some savings. For that, you can get a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life.

That Prime Day discount is made even stronger, as the Neo now starts at $699 from Apple, so it's effectively over $100 off.View Deal

If you're after the MacBook Neo with Touch ID built into the color-matched keyboard and 512GB of storage versus the 256GB starting size, Amazon's also discounting the higher-end model. This MacBook Neo is seeing a similar 2% discount, down to $689.99 from $699. But again, that's an even bigger discount now as Apple is listing this at $799!View Deal

With an impressive $150 discount, this Prime Day deal makes the 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 an excellent purchase. And Apple's price increase makes this even more of a steal, as it's $949 on Amazon and starts at $1,299 from Apple. For that price, you get the latest chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a bigger 512GB SSD for much less. Simply, it's a workhorse.

Read our MacBook Air 13-inch M5 review here.View Deal

After a larger screen, but still ultra-portable Mac? Well, the 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 is also discounted for Prime Day, down to $1,149.99 in every color. That's an even better deal than the now-$1,4999 starting price directly from Apple for the same configuration.View Deal

If you don't need an M5 Pro or M5 Max but still want a larger 14-inch screen with a Pro shell that offers more ports, Prime Day is also bringing discounts on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip. Right now, the starting configuration with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is 9% off at $1,549. That is an even larger discount than Apple's, though, as the M5 MacBook Pro now starts at $1,999 there.View Deal

For creative professionals, the 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the performance-driven M5 Pro chip is the one to choose, and Prime Day has it starting at $1,549. This beast flies through demanding workloads like video editing without skipping a beat. It's also a major discount compared to Apple's now-$2,499 starting MSRP.

Read our full MacBook Pro M5 review here.View Deal

Today's best Apple MacBook deals in the UK

The latest MacBook Neo has been available for less earlier this Prime Day, but is still on sale for £50 below RRP. This brand-new and fantastic laptop packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for only £650.View Deal

When I'm planning my summer get-togethers there are three important things I have to tick off my list: good food, good company, and even better music — and for the past two years, the JBL Clip 5 has helped me check off that final entry.

While there are plenty of decent Bluetooth speaker offers kicking about for Amazon Prime Day, it's annoying to see them slip through your fingers if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership. Thankfully, Best Buy is pulling through with some great deals of its own.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Best Buy is currently matching Amazon's offer, listing the JBL Clip 5 for $59.95 down from $79.95, taking the speaker to a reasonable sub-$60 — and, unlike the Amazon offer, you don't have to sign up for a membership in order to get this deal.

Today's best JBL Clip 5 deal

The JBL Clip 5 has been one of our favorite budget-friendly Bluetooth speakers even before this current price drop. And despite its compact design and affordable price, it doesn't compromise on performance.View Deal

Despite narrowly missing out on a spot in our picks for the best Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Clip 5 is still one of our favorite models we've tested, and packs quite the punch despited its diminutive size.

It's simple to use and easy to carry around, and comes with IP67 rating, making it an ideal speaker to have at a pool party. Additionally, the fact you can hang it anywhere using its clip handle makes it a solid option for an outdoor speaker.

On the audio front, the JBL Clip 5 is surprisingly impressive for a sub-$60 Bluetooth speaker. You don't lose the details in deep bass, and while it can be a little strained with its trebles, that's pretty much to be expected given its budget-friendly price, and not a major issue for me.

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

• Zscaler uncovered “Edgecution,” a malicious Edge extension deployed via fake Outlook update sites shared in Teams phishing
• Attack uses ZIP archives with Python runtime to escape browser sandbox, creating a backdoor capable of shell/PowerShell execution and system data theft
• Believed linked to Initial Access Brokers tied to ransomware group Payout Kings, showing evolving sophistication in access‑for‑sale operations

If you are using the Edge browser be careful - there is a malicious campaign going round that uses the browser to deploy a backdoor via an extension.

According to security researchers Zscaler, scammers are reaching out to their victims via Microsoft Teams, pretending to be IT support. They claim the user needs to install an Outlook update, or a spam filter, and direct the victims to a fake “Outlook Updates Management Console” website.

There, the users are instructed to run one of the three provided processes, all of which download a ZIP archive that, when executed, creates a scheduled task. This task starts the Edge browser in headless mode (invisible to the user) and installs an extension officially called “Edge Monitoring Agent”. Zscaler, on the other hand, calls it “Edgecution”.

Creating a Native Messaging manifest

The ZIP archive also contains an embedded Python runtime and a Python-based backdoor. The runtime creates a Native Messaging manifest - a file that tells the browser how to communicate with the backdoor. That’s the way the threat actors managed to escape the browser’s sandbox and run the backdoor on the compromised computer itself.

That backdoor can do multiple things, from executing shell commands, to running PowerShell and arbitrary Python code. It can also write files on the host, enumerate running processes, and gather system information.

Zscaler believes this is the work of an Initial Access Broker (IAB), a malicious group whose only job is to obtain access to a victim’s infrastructure and then sell it - or share it with a partnering group. This particular IAB, the researchers believe, is connected to a ransomware operation called Payout Kings.

“The Edgecution browser extension illustrates the evolving sophistication of initial access brokers operating in the ransomware landscape,” Zscaler warns. “The reliance on a malicious browser extension to relay commands to a Python-based native host demonstrates a creative approach to evade traditional endpoint detection.”

A full list of Indicators of Compromise (IoC) can be found on this link.

Via BleepingComputer

We're officially on day three of Prime Day 2026, and Amazon's discounts on MacBooks and iPads couldn't be better timed.

Apple just raised prices across nearly its entire Mac lineup — including MacBooks, iMac, and Mac Studio — alongside the iPad family and home products such as the HomePod and Apple TV 4K.

While Apple's online store is already reflecting the higher prices, Amazon is still offering some of the best discounts we've seen all year on MacBooks and iPads — even without updating the new original prices.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Those deals look even better now that Apple's higher MSRPs are officially in effect. For instance, Apple now lists the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage at $1,299.99, but Amazon currently has it for $949. Likewise, the entry-level iPad now starts at $449 from Apple, while Amazon is selling it for just $299.

There's no telling how long these prices will last — though we're hoping they stick around through the remainder of Prime Day's four-day run. For now, keep scrolling for the best live deals on Macs, iPads, and Apple home devices that let you beat Apple's latest price increase.

You can even use the sidebar to jump to specific sections for each device category in the United States and the UK. Furthermore, while Apple hasn't raised prices for the Apple Watch, AirTags, or iPhone, I'm including deals for those as well since it's Prime Day after all.

Today's best iPad deals in the US

While Apple just raised the starting price of the iPad A16 to $449, Amazon still has it down to just $299 for Prime Day. The most significant upgrade for this model over the previous generation is the A16 chip for faster performance, and you'll also get double the storage as standard (128GB instead of 64GB).

Other features include a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display and solid 12MP front- and rear-facing cameras, making this iPad the best iPad for casual streamers and scrollers.

Read our 11-inch iPad A16 review here.View Deal

Amazon has the newest iPad Air with the M4 chipset on sale for $519 right now, which is an even stronger deal with Apple's new starting price set at $749 for the 11-inch Air. In addition to Apple's superfast M4 chip inside, this iPad features a crisp Liquid Retina display, 128GB of storage as standard, 12MP front and rear cameras, and support for Apple's AI features.

Read our iPad Air 11-inch review here.View Deal

Apple's iPad Pro offers one of the best views on any tablet, thanks to a Tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display, and excellent performance from the superfast M5 chip under the hood. For Prime Day, Amazon has the Wi-Fi, 256GB 11-inch iPad Pro with M5 at just $899, which is a 10% discount for Prime Day, but an even larger discount over Apple's new price of $1,199.

Read our iPad Pro 11-inch review here.View Deal

Much like the larger iPad Air, the 13-inch iPad Pro offers the excellent top-of-the-line iPad experience at an even bigger scale. It has an excellent, vibrant OLED screen and great performance thanks to the M5 chip. It's $100 off on Prime Day at Amazon, at just $1,099 for the Wi-Fi 256GB variant, and that's an even larger discount over Apple's new starting price of $1,499.View Deal

Today's best Apple MacBook deals in the US

Apple's MacBook Neo has been a hit since its launch earlier this year, and Prime Day is your chance to save on this impressive machine. Right now, Amazon has the starting configuration at just $589.99, which isn't the largest discount, but still some savings. For that, you can get a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life.

That Prime Day discount is made even stronger, as the Neo now starts at $699 from Apple, so it's effectively over $100 off.View Deal

If you're after the MacBook Neo with Touch ID built into the color-matched keyboard and 512GB of storage versus the 256GB starting size, Amazon's also discounting the higher-end model. This MacBook Neo is seeing a similar 2% discount, down to $689.99 from $699. But again, that's an even bigger discount now as Apple is listing this at $799!View Deal

With an impressive $150 discount, this Prime Day deal makes the 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 an excellent purchase. And Apple's price increase makes this even more of a steal, as it's $949 on Amazon and starts at $1,299 from Apple. For that price, you get the latest chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a bigger 512GB SSD for much less. Simply, it's a workhorse.

Read our MacBook Air 13-inch M5 review here.View Deal

After a larger screen, but still ultra-portable Mac? Well, the 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 is also discounted for Prime Day, down to $1,149.99 in every color. That's an even better deal than the now-$1,4999 starting price directly from Apple for the same configuration.View Deal

If you don't need an M5 Pro or M5 Max but still want a larger 14-inch screen with a Pro shell that offers more ports, Prime Day is also bringing discounts on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip. Right now, the starting configuration with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is 9% off at $1,549. That is an even larger discount than Apple's, though, as the M5 MacBook Pro now starts at $1,999 there.View Deal

For creative professionals, the 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the performance-driven M5 Pro chip is the one to choose, and Prime Day has it starting at $1,549. This beast flies through demanding workloads like video editing without skipping a beat. It's also a major discount compared to Apple's now-$2,499 starting MSRP.

Read our full MacBook Pro M5 review here.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirPods deals in the US

This might just be the best Prime Day tech deal — Apple's AirPods Pro 3 for $179. Apple's newest premium buds feature improved Active Noise Cancellation, outstanding audio, a comfortable in-ear design, and new features such as live translation and heart-rate tracking. These do-it-all buds really are 100% flagship audio, and the noise-canceling quality is outstanding.View Deal

The AirPods 4 are Apple's cheapest AirPods, and you can find them on sale for $99, which is the lowest price we've seen this year and $30 shy of the record-low. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and feature Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for wireless charging via USB-C.

Read our full Apple AirPods 4 reviewView Deal

Amazon has the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation on sale for $148.99, which is the best deal you can find right now. The AirPods 4 feature a new comfortable design, handy controls, and Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation.

Read our full AirPods 4 with ANC reviewView Deal

Amazon has the all-new AirPods Max 2 on sale for $399, which is the lowest price we've seen. The over-ear headphones now include Apple's H2 chip, which delivers adaptive audio, personalized volume, and improved voice isolation, resulting in superior sound. You're also getting up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation and 20 hours of battery life.

Read our full AirPods Max 2 reviewView Deal

If you haven't heard, wired headphones are all the rage, which is why Apple's EarPods for $14.88 are an excellent Prime Day deal. A slim, quality-looking design, clear sound, and comfortable fit are just a few of their best qualities. This model works with all devices that have a Lightning connector – which is iPhone 14 and before – so if you've got a newer iPhone, you'll instead want the USB-C version ($16.99 at Amazon).View Deal

Today's best Apple Watch deals in the US

Amazon has a $50 discount on the new Apple Watch SE 3, making it an excellent bargain. The Apple Watch SE 2 currently holds the position as the best budget smartwatch, but the SE 3 more than matches it — and it's a smarter buy while it's on sale this week at Amazon.

Read our full Apple Watch SE 3 reviewView Deal

My favorite Prime Day Apple deal is an over $100 discount on the Apple Watch Series 11. The thinnest Apple Watch yet, with a wraparound LTP3 OLED display, it's a great-looking watch with Apple Intelligence-powered smarts and a boosted battery, clocking in at 24 hours of average use.

Read our full Apple Watch 11 reviewView Deal

You can save $100 on the brand-new Apple Watch Ultra 3 at Amazon's Prime Day sale. Packed with premium features, you're getting Cellular connectivity, a boosted 42-hour battery life, and emergency satellite messaging. Today's deal is the lowest price we've seen this year.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirTag deals in the US

Apple's second-generation AirTag with louder sound, a 50% improvmenet in range for Precision Finding, and the rest of the features that made the first-gen such a great item tracker are at the lowest price ever ahead of Prime Day 2026. Right now, Amazon has a single AirTag for just $24. View Deal

Another very good Prime Day Apple deal - Apple's 2nd-generation AirTag 4-pack is getting a first-time discount, on sale for $89. Great for people like me who tend to misplace things, simply attach the AirTag to anything you don't want to lose or keep track of, such as luggage or your keys, and your iPhone will locate the item.View Deal

Today's best Apple iPad deals in the UK

If you prefer a tablet with a larger display, you can save £200 on the 13-inch iPad Air with an M3 chip and bag one for its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Apart from the bigger screen, it's identical to the 11-inch version. So, you get the same powerful M3 chip, a sharp Liquid Retina display, 12MP front and back cameras, 128GB of storage at a minimum, and Apple Intelligence compatibility for all the fancy new AI features.View Deal

Today's best Apple MacBook deals in the UK

The latest MacBook Neo has been available for less earlier this Prime Day, but is still on sale for £50 below RRP. This brand-new and fantastic laptop packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for only £650.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirPods deals in the UK

Apple's newest premium buds feature improved Active Noise Cancellation, outstanding audio, a comfortable in-ear design, and new features such as live translation and heart-rate tracking. To use, these are the do-it-all buds that offer excellent audio quality and top-tier noise-cancellation. Today's deal is the best price you can find on Apple's newest AirPods, and just £5 more than the record-low price.View Deal

This is a new record-low price for Apple's newest buds. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and pack Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for USB-C for wireless charging. Just be aware that this cheaper version does not support active noise cancellation, so it may be worth paying the extra to get that benefit with the deal below.View Deal

Willing to spend a bit more? Amazon's early Prime Day deals feature the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation for their lowest price ever. These AirPods 4 feature a new comfortable design, handy controls, and Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalised spatial audio and voice isolation. There's also that all-important ANC to block out distracting noises and outside sounds, which is great when you want to focus at work or are commuting.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, personalised 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. Grab them now for a record-low price.View Deal

Today's best Apple Watch deals in the UK

Here's a new record-low price for the Apple Watch SE 3. Apple's cheaper smartwatch is currently our pick for the best Apple Watch to buy if you're on a budget, as it delivers a full health and fitness tracking experience, all the convenient on-wrist features you need, and that familiar Apple style, but at a fraction of the price.View Deal

The latest Apple Watch 11 is down to its lowest-ever price in the latest Amazon Prime Day sale. The thinnest Apple Watch yet, with a wraparound LTP3 OLED display, it's a great-looking watch with Apple Intelligence-powered smarts and a boosted battery compared to previous devices, clocking in at 24 hours of average use.View Deal

This is the lowest price for one of Apple's latest and most advanced wearables — not bad, considering it was only released just last September. Apple deals are very few and far between, and though £100 off may seem a little stingy, it's quite the steal for a brand new premium Apple device.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirTag deals in the UK

This four-pack of the best-selling Apple AirTags is on sale for 15% off for Prime Day. These are a great way to keep track of keys, your phones, a child's backpack, luggage, or any other possession you'd rather not misplace. The AirTag can be attached to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone will locate it or send out a ping so you can track it down.View Deal

Today's best Apple iPhone deals in the UK

The high-end iPhone 17 Pro Max has fallen to its lowest-ever price at Amazon. We gave this premium handset an impressive 4.5-stars in our review for its stellar performance and fantastic cameras. Quite simply, if you demand a lot from your phone, this is easily one of the best you can buy right now.View Deal

The Apple iPhone Air 512 GB is the thinnest iPhone ever. It has a 6.5-inch Display with ProMotion, a powerful A19 Pro chip, Center Stage Front Camera, all-day battery life and a whopping 24% off thanks to this Amazon Prime Day deal.View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

Banks aren’t short on AI ambition. Across the industry, there are almost weekly announcements about new deployments, new partnerships, and new capabilities.

But amidst the lofty pronouncements, not enough attention is given to building the underlying architecture that makes any of it sustainable.

The UK Treasury Committee has already warned that the financial system is not adequately prepared for a major AI-related incident, and from where I sit, that warning is aimed squarely at how modernization programs are being run.

This is a governance problem which stems from unmade decisions; most banks have yet to make the strategic, organisation-wide commitment that should determine what gets built, before anyone starts building.

There is a real opportunity to be grasped by inviting the risk team to be part of design before you begin delivery.

Risk teams are being invited to the table too late

In traditional program structures, risk and compliance are brought in to validate decisions already made. Platforms are selected, designs agreed and timelines set, and the role of the risk function has typically been to check these things, rather than shape them. That model was never ideal, but now, in the AI-era modernization push, is structurally backwards at best and dangerous at worst.

A genuinely AI-ready bank requires continuous data lineage, runtime-embedded controls and a real-time, cloud-native core. None of these can be retrofitted cheaply once architecture decisions have already been made. By the time a compliance team discovers that a new platform can't meet AI governance or data traceability requirements, the cost of fixing it is prohibitive

If the risk function is part of the design process from the outset, banks can build a risk-conscious architecture rather than a risk-adjacent one. The difference in outcome is substantial, and increasingly, the difference between an institution that can operate confidently with AI and one that can't.

How legacy cores create invisible risk

The story of legacy architecture's constraints on innovation is well told, but it also creates blind spots that risk professionals can't see, let alone manage.

Batch-processing cores are the clearest example of this. When a core updates positions overnight rather than in real time, AML and fraud systems are operating on stale data. Suspicious activity that occurs between batch runs is invisible until the next cycle, a direct operational liability as the volume and speed of financial crime increases.

Fragmented data pipelines create a related problem. Continuous lineage (the ability to trace every decision to its data source) is a prerequisite for AI governance. On architectures where data moves through multiple disconnected systems before reaching an analytics layer, that lineage is structurally impossible to maintain without a modern, cloud-native architecture.

Finally, third-party AI deployment adds an additional layer of exposure. When models are embedded in platforms a bank doesn't have full control over, it leaves compliance teams operating with limited visibility into how decisions are being made.

Under the EU AI Act, which requires traceability and explainability for high-risk AI systems which may credit decisioning and fraud detection, that becomes a direct regulatory risk, and that's just one of a raft of emerging AI regime banks must navigate.

Risk is moving from chronic to acute

What has changed is the speed at which risk moves.

Banks now have to contend with an increase in state-based cyberattacks on financial supply chains, a trend accelerated by geopolitical instability, with agentic AI substantially increasing the speed and scale of those attacks.

Under regimes such as DORA, which introduce near real-time cyber incident reporting, means institutions need detection and response infrastructure that operates on live data, capable of identifying and escalating incidents as they happen rather than after the fact. Batch architectures don't meet this standard, and the window to remediate is narrowing.

The EU AI Act raises the bar further on traceability and explainability, particularly for credit decisioning and fraud detection, both areas where AI adoption is moving fastest.

Banks not designing against these requirements are accumulating risk, not avoiding it. The regulatory deadlines are known. The technical requirements are understood. The question is whether the architecture being selected today is capable of meeting the obligations that will be enforced tomorrow.

What risk-intelligent modernization looks like

I have sat in enough program steering committees to know that the moment risk professionals are brought into a modernization program shapes everything that follows.

When we arrive after the architecture is set, we are negotiating against decisions that are already expensive to reverse. When we are in the room from the start, we can design the non-negotiables in rather than bolt them on.

The practical starting point is three questions that every bank should answer before any platform decision is made:

What risk posture must we preserve throughout migration? The answer defines the non-negotiables for any new architecture: data integrity, audit continuity, access controls, and the governance structures that cannot lapse during transition.

What are we engineering against on a ten-year horizon? Regulatory requirements in 2036 will look different from those in 2026. The architecture being selected today needs to be capable of meeting obligations that do not yet fully exist, which means flexibility and real-time data capability are not optional extras. Some of the newer, digitally-native fintechs have demonstrated that building with this horizon in mind from the outset produces materially different, and more resilient, architecture than retrofitting compliance onto an existing estate.

What governance must change so we don't embed legacy risk into a modern platform? New infrastructure running old processes is window-dressing. If you modernize technology without modernizing governance, you recreate the same control failures in a different environment.

Modernization is not risk-free. But the risk of standing still now exceeds the risk of moving carefully, and the cost of getting the architecture wrong compounds with every year it goes unfixed.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

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