Technology

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 shortlisted entries were announced last week, and one contender in particular caught the eye — a photo of a swift in flight as an aeroplane looms overhead, shot by 16-year-old photographer Jack Crockford, from the UK.

'Great shot!' chimed a few people in the 500 or so comments on TechRadar's Facebook post, which also received almost 25k reactions. The majority of the comments, however, focused on the camera gear element of the headline (not the photo itself or the age of the photographer), which pinpointed that the photo was captured with a 10-year-old Nikon DSLR.

In case you were wondering, the camera in question is the enthusiast-level Nikon D500 (APS-C), and Crockford paired it with the Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR telephoto zoom lens to get the shot.

Cue the age old photography debate I've read time and again in my 15+ years writing about camera gear — is it the gear, or the photographer, that gets a great photo?

The correct answer, of course, is that there's no simple, single answer — it depends on the context and subject being photographed — and that the end result is the work of both tool and creator. For Crockford, however, gear certainly empowered him to get his WPOTY award contender.

I recently got into bird photography, and had the chance to use Sony's longest lens, the FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS telephoto zoom, which made the task so much simpler. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)Sometimes, gear really does matter

I'm all for celebrating the photographer, and rightly so. The craft and dedication (and, sometimes, a dash of fortune) required to create an image that stands out is undeniable, and deserves appreciation.

I see it in myself — I have a better eye for a photo now than I did at the start of my career, and I'm still improving (emphasis on having an eye for it to begin with).

But to those that simply said in the comments section; "it’s not about the camera", or "photography was never about the equipment", and “it’s the singer, not the song", I say you'll need more than luck to get a photo like the image in question — a distant bird in flight.

Skill alone doesn't reach 600mm, a lens does. Nor is your iPhone bagging you that shot. You need telephoto reach, and decent autofocus helps.

Technically speaking, enthusiast-level and pro-level mirrorless cameras are the most advanced cameras today for wildlife photography, thanks to dedicated subject tracking modes (which, in many models, includes bird detection autofocus), and faster-than-ever burst shooting. You are more likely to get a technically sound image with modern camera gear.

Many of the comments defended DSLRs, but the point of the article was never to attack the format, which in the current market has essentially been replaced by mirrorless, but to highlight how popular (and capable) these systems are still.

DSLRs are still seemingly the camera of choice for wildlife photographers — if the shortlisted entries for WPOTY 2026 are anything to go by. I still rock my Nikon D800 which precedes Crockford's camera, and its age doesn't stop if from taking good photos.

You don't need the latest gear to get the (wildlife) shot, but it does help. But for the incredible shortlisted entries in WPOTY 2026, it took skill and gear to get the shot. There is a gear bottom line required to stand a chance.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 winners will be unveiled in October, and you can see the winning images in the flesh when the exhibition begins in October at London's Natural History Museum, UK — you can grab tickets here.

Apple’s rugged smartwatch could get a back-to-back refresh with more processing power and battery, but potentially at a higher price.

Developer Shapefarm’s debut adventure doesn’t ever really break away from its classic anime inspirations, but that might just work in its favor.

Turns out I need a lot more money than I actually have. 

If you're looking for a new appliance this Labor Day, head to Samsung's Labor Day sale. The retailer is offering up to $1,500 in savings on its best-selling, top-rated appliances, including refrigerators, washers and dryers, dishwashers, ranges, and microwaves.

• Shop Samsung's full Labor Day sale

Samsung is a top appliance manufacturer known for its high-tech products, including the stylish Bespoke refrigerator, which lets you customize the panels to match your home. Another popular Samsung appliance included in its Labor Day sale is the Bespoke AI Laundry combo, which washes and dries clothes in one machine, saving space and eliminating the need to transfer clothes.

You'll find the full list of Samsung's best Labor Day appliance deals below, and keep in mind these are limited-time offers. The tech giant is also offering more savings when you buy more than one qualifying home product.

Samsung's Labor Day appliance sale – quick links

• Dishwashers: save $400 on select dishwashers
• Kitchen appliances: $1,500 off kitchen appliance bundles
• Microwaves: deals starting at $229
• Ranges: up to $800 off select ranges
• Refrigerators: $1,500 off Bespoke refrigerators
• Washers & dryers: save up to $1,100 on washers & dryers

Samsung's 5 best Labor Day appliance deals

Refrigerators: up to $1,700 off at Samsung
The Samsung Labor sale is now live and some of the brand's best savings can be found on its wide selection of refrigerators. Shoppers can enjoy discounts of up to $1,700 on popular models, including French-door styles, Bespoke designs, and fridge-freezer combos. Whether you're upgrading your kitchen or replacing an old appliance, now is a great time to consider something new.View Deal

Dishwashers: up to $400 off at Samsung
The Samsung Labor Day sale also includes dishwashers this week with discounts of up to $400. Multiple styles, colors, and finishes are on sale today, so you'll have plenty of options to match your kitchen. Features include whisper-quiet operation and smart home integration, like auto-door operation. View Deal

Ranges: up to $1,350 off at Samsung
Next up are the brand's ranges, which include gas, electric, and induction models in both freestanding and slide-in designs. Whether you're a casual cook or a kitchen pro, a model suits your style, with premium features like ambient edge lighting, internal cameras to monitor your meals, and seamless smart home integration. View Deal

Washers and dryers: up to $1,100 off at Samsung
Samsung’s Labor Day sale is also delivering big savings on washers and dryers, with discounts available on a wide range of models. Whether you’re looking for front-load, top-load, or space-saving all-in-one units, now is the perfect time to upgrade your laundry setup, since you can save up to $1,100. View Deal

Microwaves: deals from $229 at Samsung.
If you're looking for a high-end microwave that also matches your kitchen decor, Samsung's Bespoke over-the-range microwave range starts at $379, thanks to Samsung's Labor Day sale. You can also save on Samsung's standard microwaves, with prices starting at $229.View Deal

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

If you're looking for a new appliance this Labor Day, head to Samsung's Labor Day sale. The retailer is offering up to $1,500 in savings on its best-selling, top-rated appliances, including refrigerators, washers and dryers, dishwashers, ranges, and microwaves.

• Shop Samsung's full Labor Day sale

Samsung is a top appliance manufacturer known for its high-tech products, including the stylish Bespoke refrigerator, which lets you customize the panels to match your home. Another popular Samsung appliance included in its Labor Day sale is the Bespoke AI Laundry combo, which washes and dries clothes in one machine, saving space and eliminating the need to transfer clothes.

You'll find the full list of Samsung's best Labor Day appliance deals below, and keep in mind these are limited-time offers. The tech giant is also offering more savings when you buy more than one qualifying home product.

Samsung's Labor Day appliance sale – quick links

• Dishwashers: save $400 on select dishwashers
• Kitchen appliances: $1,500 off kitchen appliance bundles
• Microwaves: deals starting at $229
• Ranges: up to $800 off select ranges
• Refrigerators: $1,500 off Bespoke refrigerators
• Washers & dryers: save up to $1,100 on washers & dryers

Samsung's 5 best Labor Day appliance deals

Refrigerators: up to $1,700 off at Samsung
The Samsung Labor sale is now live and some of the brand's best savings can be found on its wide selection of refrigerators. Shoppers can enjoy discounts of up to $1,700 on popular models, including French-door styles, Bespoke designs, and fridge-freezer combos. Whether you're upgrading your kitchen or replacing an old appliance, now is a great time to consider something new.View Deal

Dishwashers: up to $400 off at Samsung
The Samsung Labor Day sale also includes dishwashers this week with discounts of up to $400. Multiple styles, colors, and finishes are on sale today, so you'll have plenty of options to match your kitchen. Features include whisper-quiet operation and smart home integration, like auto-door operation. View Deal

Ranges: up to $1,350 off at Samsung
Next up are the brand's ranges, which include gas, electric, and induction models in both freestanding and slide-in designs. Whether you're a casual cook or a kitchen pro, a model suits your style, with premium features like ambient edge lighting, internal cameras to monitor your meals, and seamless smart home integration. View Deal

Washers and dryers: up to $1,100 off at Samsung
Samsung’s Labor Day sale is also delivering big savings on washers and dryers, with discounts available on a wide range of models. Whether you’re looking for front-load, top-load, or space-saving all-in-one units, now is the perfect time to upgrade your laundry setup, since you can save up to $1,100. View Deal

Microwaves: deals from $229 at Samsung.
If you're looking for a high-end microwave that also matches your kitchen decor, Samsung's Bespoke over-the-range microwave range starts at $379, thanks to Samsung's Labor Day sale. You can also save on Samsung's standard microwaves, with prices starting at $229.View Deal

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

The next generation of iPhones might be imminent, but those who prefer Android don't have to wait if they're on the hunt for a decent upgrade. Right now, the official Samsung Store has some of the best deals of the entire year on the new Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy S26 series.

With what I assume are limited-time-only Labor Day specials, the official Samsung Store is currently offering up to $800 off with a trade-in, or up to $300 off upfront across a range of devices.

We've seen bigger trade-in rebates before, but the upfront discounts here are really, really great. For example, the $300 upfront discount on the brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is $100 better than the one that was initially offered in the pre-order phase last month. The $300 discount on the Galaxy S26 Ultra is equally compelling, matching the lowest upfront price I've ever seen on the device.

Both of these deals are available on unlocked devices, meaning you can still get your discount without having to sign up for any long-term plans. They're also available across a range of storage sizes, alongside a few other additional bundle options, should you want to get some additional cheap accessories like a smartwatch or a pair of earbuds.

Record-low phone discounts at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 / Fold 8 / Fold 8 Ultra: up to $800 off with a trade-in or $300 off without
Samsung's offer on its new Flip and Fold range include trade-in rebates of up to $800 for the Fold 8 and up to $400 for the Flip 8. Don't have a phone to hand over? You can get a flat $300 in Samsung credit when buying the Fold 8 Ultra, $200 on the Fold 8, or $150 with the Flip 8. There are also bundle discounts of up to 15% when buying other accessories, if you're looking for a new smartwatch or a pair of decent earbuds. View Deal

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: $300 off upfront, or up to $720 off with a trade-in at Samsung
The outstanding Galaxy S26 Ultra currently has a fantastic promotion at the official Samsung store - with either the option for a trade rebate or upfront discount. Available across all storage variants and colors, this deal can get you a device for as little as $1,049 upfront. Trade-in rebates of up to $720 are also available, but we've seen slightly better offerings in the past for trades.View Deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Samsung

The next generation of iPhones might be imminent, but those who prefer Android don't have to wait if they're on the hunt for a decent upgrade. Right now, the official Samsung Store has some of the best deals of the entire year on the new Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy S26 series.

With what I assume are limited-time-only Labor Day specials, the official Samsung Store is currently offering up to $800 off with a trade-in, or up to $300 off upfront across a range of devices.

We've seen bigger trade-in rebates before, but the upfront discounts here are really, really great. For example, the $300 upfront discount on the brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is $100 better than the one that was initially offered in the pre-order phase last month. The $300 discount on the Galaxy S26 Ultra is equally compelling, matching the lowest upfront price I've ever seen on the device.

Both of these deals are available on unlocked devices, meaning you can still get your discount without having to sign up for any long-term plans. They're also available across a range of storage sizes, alongside a few other additional bundle options, should you want to get some additional cheap accessories like a smartwatch or a pair of earbuds.

Record-low phone discounts at Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 / Fold 8 / Fold 8 Ultra: up to $800 off with a trade-in or $300 off without
Samsung's offer on its new Flip and Fold range include trade-in rebates of up to $800 for the Fold 8 and up to $400 for the Flip 8. Don't have a phone to hand over? You can get a flat $300 in Samsung credit when buying the Fold 8 Ultra, $200 on the Fold 8, or $150 with the Flip 8. There are also bundle discounts of up to 15% when buying other accessories, if you're looking for a new smartwatch or a pair of decent earbuds. View Deal

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: $300 off upfront, or up to $720 off with a trade-in at Samsung
The outstanding Galaxy S26 Ultra currently has a fantastic promotion at the official Samsung store - with either the option for a trade rebate or upfront discount. Available across all storage variants and colors, this deal can get you a device for as little as $1,049 upfront. Trade-in rebates of up to $720 are also available, but we've seen slightly better offerings in the past for trades.View Deal

• See more: check out all of today's deals at Samsung

Gaming on the go has reached fresh heights over the years, with slim laptops and compact handhelds delivering great performance. AMD and Intel have spearheaded the charge with their mobile processors, but a new player is in town.

Nvidia revealed its RTX Spark at Computex in May, an ARM-based superchip designed for Windows on ARM laptops, with AI capabilities and obvious strong suits for creators – but also gamers, too, with a powerful integrated RTX GPU. It's designed for slim laptops and compact PCs, keeping workspaces less cluttered and making creation alongside gaming much easier when travelling.

I was lucky enough to go hands-on with an RTX Spark laptop at Gamescom 2026, specifically the HP OmniBook Ultra 16, which was running Borderlands 4. Gearbox Interactive's latest entry in the franchise was notorious for its rough performance at launch.

It has significantly improved since then, and the OmniBook Ultra 16 was running the game at an incredible frame rate, one I could tell was above 60 frames per second, with the help of Nvidia's Frame Generation x2.

The mention of Frame Generation may throw some off; after all, it's been frowned upon for a long time with the 'fake frames' nickname (a criticism I disagree with). However, the input delay and overall latency weren't an issue for me on this RTX Spark system.

(Image credit: Future)

I didn't get the chance to put the system through its paces other than playing that particular game, but it's worth noting that the other RTX Spark laptops at Nvidia's booth were running games like 007 First Light and Arc Raiders, both of which ran at smooth, solid frame rates.

If it wasn't clear already, I think RTX Spark is great for laptops and compact PCs, and my only concern is the price. I'm hoping for something that isn't too expensive, but that's probably wishful thinking due to the nature of these devices and the ongoing RAM crisis. However, it would be a shame if RTX Spark laptops don't blossom as a result of memory shortages.

Handheld manufacturers could use RTX Spark

(Image credit: Siberian Art / Shutterstock)

Speaking with Nvidia's staff at Gamescom, I asked if the RTX Spark was intended to be used with handheld gaming PCs, and it was made clear that Team Green is completely open to any handheld manufacturer reaching out to use the superchip.

Handheld territory isn't exactly foreign to Nvidia either. The Nintendo Switch 2 uses the Tegra T239 processor, with access to DLSS across multiple games — and the upscaling technology does wonders for image quality and performance.

While AMD and Intel's processors continue to provide fantastic performance on most handheld gaming PCs, especially with Intel's new G3 Extreme CPU, I told Nvidia that DLSS on something like a Legion Go or MSI Claw would be untouchable.

Of course, performance has to be balanced with battery life and power usage, as well as pricing, and I'm very aware that this could be a tricky equation to deal with.

If the RTX Spark (or any similar chip in Nvidia's plans going forward) could be the engine of a handheld gaming PC, using more aggressive upscaling wouldn't be something to avoid in terms of any easy win to boost performance. DLSS Super Resolution is great at maintaining sharp image quality, and it would work even better on the smaller screen of a handheld.

Will this ever happen, though? That's down to the manufacturers of these devices.

Gaming on the go has reached fresh heights over the years, with slim laptops and compact handhelds delivering great performance. AMD and Intel have spearheaded the charge with their mobile processors, but a new player is in town.

Nvidia revealed its RTX Spark at Computex in May, an ARM-based superchip designed for Windows on ARM laptops, with AI capabilities and obvious strong suits for creators – but also gamers, too, with a powerful integrated RTX GPU. It's designed for slim laptops and compact PCs, keeping workspaces less cluttered and making creation alongside gaming much easier when travelling.

I was lucky enough to go hands-on with an RTX Spark laptop at Gamescom 2026, specifically the HP OmniBook Ultra 16, which was running Borderlands 4. Gearbox Interactive's latest entry in the franchise was notorious for its rough performance at launch.

It has significantly improved since then, and the OmniBook Ultra 16 was running the game at an incredible frame rate, one I could tell was above 60 frames per second, with the help of Nvidia's Frame Generation x2.

The mention of Frame Generation may throw some off; after all, it's been frowned upon for a long time with the 'fake frames' nickname (a criticism I disagree with). However, the input delay and overall latency weren't an issue for me on this RTX Spark system.

(Image credit: Future)

I didn't get the chance to put the system through its paces other than playing that particular game, but it's worth noting that the other RTX Spark laptops at Nvidia's booth were running games like 007 First Light and Arc Raiders, both of which ran at smooth, solid frame rates.

If it wasn't clear already, I think RTX Spark is great for laptops and compact PCs, and my only concern is the price. I'm hoping for something that isn't too expensive, but that's probably wishful thinking due to the nature of these devices and the ongoing RAM crisis. However, it would be a shame if RTX Spark laptops don't blossom as a result of memory shortages.

Handheld manufacturers could use RTX Spark

(Image credit: Siberian Art / Shutterstock)

Speaking with Nvidia's staff at Gamescom, I asked if the RTX Spark was intended to be used with handheld gaming PCs, and it was made clear that Team Green is completely open to any handheld manufacturer reaching out to use the superchip.

Handheld territory isn't exactly foreign to Nvidia either. The Nintendo Switch 2 uses the Tegra T239 processor, with access to DLSS across multiple games — and the upscaling technology does wonders for image quality and performance.

While AMD and Intel's processors continue to provide fantastic performance on most handheld gaming PCs, especially with Intel's new G3 Extreme CPU, I told Nvidia that DLSS on something like a Legion Go or MSI Claw would be untouchable.

Of course, performance has to be balanced with battery life and power usage, as well as pricing, and I'm very aware that this could be a tricky equation to deal with.

If the RTX Spark (or any similar chip in Nvidia's plans going forward) could be the engine of a handheld gaming PC, using more aggressive upscaling wouldn't be something to avoid in terms of any easy win to boost performance. DLSS Super Resolution is great at maintaining sharp image quality, and it would work even better on the smaller screen of a handheld.

Will this ever happen, though? That's down to the manufacturers of these devices.

• New leaks have shed light on colors coming to the iPhone 18 Pro
• The iPhone Ultra’s colors have also been revealed, leakers say
• There are some key changes compared to the iPhone 17 Pro range

We’re just days away from Apple’s Surprise and Shine event, where the Cupertino firm’s new CEO John Ternus will unveil all the latest and greatest iPhones the company has up its sleeve. And with the iPhone 18 Pro range nearly upon us, there’s been plenty of chatter about what sort of colors we might see at the show.

Here, we’ve gathered all the latest iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max color rumors, as well as what the best tipsters believe will be coming to the much-discussed foldable iPhone Ultra.

We haven't seen anything about expected colors for the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e yet, but with those devices expected to arrive next Spring, it might be a bit too early. If you’re interested in what Apple's expected to reveal this week, however, you’re in the right place.

iPhone 18 Pro colors

The iPhone 18 Pro may not be available in a white/silver color this year, per a new rumor.Instead we may only get black, Dark Cherry and Sky Blue. pic.twitter.com/MmHkdBotlwSeptember 2, 2026

According to the latest rumors, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will come in three shades: Silver, a maroon-flavored Dark Cherry, plus Sky Blue. The latest evidence of this comes from renowned leaker Sonny Dickson, who posted an image on X allegedly depicting SIM trays in the iPhone 18 Pro roster that match these reported tones.

But hold your horses: at the same time, a leaker known as Fixed Focus Digital has claimed on Weibo that the color selection will actually consist of Dark Cherry, Sky Blue and Black, with the Silver option potentially missing from the palette. We’ll have to see which pundit is correct once Apple’s iPhone event is upon us.

What seems to be agreed is that there will be no more of the Cosmic Orange that we saw so vividly in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This year’s range will allegedly be a bit more down to earth, with nothing quite so bright making its way into the lineup.

At the same time, none of the colors on offer look to be as dark as the Deep Blue of last year’s iPhones, suggesting Apple is reining in your choices at both ends of the brightness spectrum.

iPhone Ultra colors

(Image credit: ConceptsiPhone)

As for the iPhone Ultra, previous leaks have claimed that Apple’s first foldable phone will come in black and white colors.

Leaker Evan Blass recently threw a spanner in the works by arguing that there would be a third model sporting a reddish tint, but Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman quickly poured cold water on that idea by saying that Blass’s images were in fact renders from rival phone maker Xiaomi. Blass has since deleted the post, suggesting that it might have been in error.

Most iPhone Ultra rumors so far have stuck to the line that Apple will limit its foldable phone to two tones. With the launch event less than a week away, it’s likely we would have seen more evidence if there were to be any additional shades.

While a surprise isn’t impossible, the sensible money is on Apple sticking to black and white for now.

• New leaks have shed light on colors coming to the iPhone 18 Pro
• The iPhone Ultra’s colors have also been revealed, leakers say
• There are some key changes compared to the iPhone 17 Pro range

We’re just days away from Apple’s Surprise and Shine event, where the Cupertino firm’s new CEO John Ternus will unveil all the latest and greatest iPhones the company has up its sleeve. And with the iPhone 18 Pro range nearly upon us, there’s been plenty of chatter about what sort of colors we might see at the show.

Here, we’ve gathered all the latest iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max color rumors, as well as what the best tipsters believe will be coming to the much-discussed foldable iPhone Ultra.

We haven't seen anything about expected colors for the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e yet, but with those devices expected to arrive next Spring, it might be a bit too early. If you’re interested in what Apple's expected to reveal this week, however, you’re in the right place.

iPhone 18 Pro colors

The iPhone 18 Pro may not be available in a white/silver color this year, per a new rumor.Instead we may only get black, Dark Cherry and Sky Blue. pic.twitter.com/MmHkdBotlwSeptember 2, 2026

According to the latest rumors, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will come in three shades: Silver, a maroon-flavored Dark Cherry, plus Sky Blue. The latest evidence of this comes from renowned leaker Sonny Dickson, who posted an image on X allegedly depicting SIM trays in the iPhone 18 Pro roster that match these reported tones.

But hold your horses: at the same time, a leaker known as Fixed Focus Digital has claimed on Weibo that the color selection will actually consist of Dark Cherry, Sky Blue and Black, with the Silver option potentially missing from the palette. We’ll have to see which pundit is correct once Apple’s iPhone event is upon us.

What seems to be agreed is that there will be no more of the Cosmic Orange that we saw so vividly in the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This year’s range will allegedly be a bit more down to earth, with nothing quite so bright making its way into the lineup.

At the same time, none of the colors on offer look to be as dark as the Deep Blue of last year’s iPhones, suggesting Apple is reining in your choices at both ends of the brightness spectrum.

iPhone Ultra colors

(Image credit: ConceptsiPhone)

As for the iPhone Ultra, previous leaks have claimed that Apple’s first foldable phone will come in black and white colors.

Leaker Evan Blass recently threw a spanner in the works by arguing that there would be a third model sporting a reddish tint, but Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman quickly poured cold water on that idea by saying that Blass’s images were in fact renders from rival phone maker Xiaomi. Blass has since deleted the post, suggesting that it might have been in error.

Most iPhone Ultra rumors so far have stuck to the line that Apple will limit its foldable phone to two tones. With the launch event less than a week away, it’s likely we would have seen more evidence if there were to be any additional shades.

While a surprise isn’t impossible, the sensible money is on Apple sticking to black and white for now.

This voice-to-text mic, which is also wearable, is a stylish AI peripheral from former Nothing designers.

Commentary: Samsung’s compact, versatile foldable won my heart the moment I first held it. Will Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone Ultra steal me away?

Dyson popped off at a launch event in Berlin, introducing a whopping 10 new products.

• Man City vs Coventry: Saturday, September 5 at 3pm BST / 10am ET / 12am AEST (September 5)
• Streams: USA Network via Fubo (US)
• Outside the UK? Use NordVPN to unblock your streaming account

Watch Man City vs Coventry in the Premier League 2026/27 season, as Enzo Maresca looks to maintain his 100 per cent record in the top flight following his appointment at the Etihad.

After a disappointing Community Shield defeat, City have enjoyed a smooth start to the Premier League campaign. They had to do things the hard way against Bournemouth, coming from behind to win 2-1 late on, but flexed their muscles in a 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace last time out and have a shiny new toy to play with in the form of Maresca disciple Enzo Fernandez.

Coventry have found things tougher. A 3-0 loss to Arsenal on the opening night was to be expected, but a 1-0 home defeat by fellow promoted side Hull was a blow. Frank Lampard's side will be keen to get their first point on the board as soon as possible, but the Sky Blues are huge underdogs.

It's hard to see Coventry keeping City out. Rayan Cherki has started the season in explosive form, while Erling Haaland looked sharp against Palace. Coventry's best hope is to keep things tight and nick a goal on the break or from a set-piece via new man Taiwo Awoniyi. Their recent experience at Arsenal will serve them well, but knowing what to expect is not the same as being able to stop it.

Here's how to watch Man City vs Coventry in the 2026/27 Premier League from anywhere in the world.

Man City vs Coventry team news

Man City XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Cherki, Anderson, O'Reilly; Semenyo, Haaland, Ndiaye.

Coventry XI: Rushworth; Van Ewijk,

How to watch Man City vs Coventry from anywhere

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How to watch Man City vs Coventry live streams in the USA

Soccer fans in the US can watch Man City vs Coventry in the Premier League on USA Network.

There is no dedicated streaming platform for USA Network, but it is available on cord-cutters like YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Sling (select markets), Fubo or DirecTV, many of which carry free trials.

Outside of the US? Use a VPN whilst you're traveling away from home to unlock your stream. We like NordVPN best.

Can I watch a Man City vs Coventry live stream in the UK?

(Image credit: Future)

Unfortunately, Man City vs Coventry is not being broadcast in the UK this weekend.

That's because of the country's TV blackout rules, which prohibit the broadcast of any 3pm kick-offs on Saturday.

If you're currently in the UK but you're usually based overseas, explore the VPN route to access your streaming accounts from back home. NordVPN is our top pick.

How to watch Man City vs Coventry live streams in Canada

Fubo is the Premier League's broadcast partner in Canada and it has live coverage of Man City vs Coventry.

Prices start from CA$31.49 per month for Fubo's Sports Monthly package. However, the best option right now is the Quarterly Package which costs just CA$27.99 CA$14.99 for each of the first three months. You can also watch Fubo's content if you have a select DAZN subscription in Canada.

Not in Canada? Use NordVPN if you're away from home, in order to tap into your preferred coverage from anywhere.

How to watch Man City vs Coventry live streams in Australia

(Image credit: free)

A Man City vs Coventry live stream is available in Australia on Stan Sport.

You can pick up a Stan Sport subscription for as little as AU$29.99 per month for the basic plan containing adds. That price consists of the AU$9.99 Stan subscription fee plus the Sport add-on for AU$20.

Outside of Oz? You can use a VPN to access your usual Premier League coverage. We recommend NordVPN.

What is the Man City vs Coventry start time?

Man City vs Coventry kicks off at 3pm BST / 10am ET / 7am PT on Saturday, 5 September.

If you are in Australia, the game will be broadcast at 12am AEST on Sunday, 6 September.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

I saw a lot of fun things at IFA 2026, but among the many halls full of tech, one experience has stuck with me the most. It was the Strutt ev1c personal mobility vehicle, which basically mashes up tech from robot vacuums and self-driving cars to create a wheelchair/mobility scooter that can take you from room-to-room in your home without you touching the controls.

Equipped with cameras and LiDAR to sense the world around it, the ev1c really has two key sets of interesting features that come from these sensors: being able to fully self-drive within a known and mapped environment; and being able to offer automatic measures for safer use when you're out and under manual control.

Within the home, what it does at first is exactly what robovacs do: it takes a map of the whole area using LiDAR. The system is able to distinguish temporary, moving objects (people and pets) from static objects (walls and tables) — that's obviously important for mapping, but also means you can see what it 'sees' at all times on a little touchscreen on the armrest.

The LiDAR map on the ev1c — the black parts are solid objects that don't move; the blue areas just below where it says "ipad" and "Kitchen" represent me taking this photo and Strutt's guide standing behind me, respectively. (Image credit: Future)

Once the map is created, you can then choose different areas to set as "Waypoints", basically giving you a menu of places you want it to self-drive you between. So you can use the touchscreen or the connected phone app to select a waypoint, and the chair just starts driving you, no controls necessary from there.

You can also trigger waypoints using voice, so you can tell the app "Take me to my bed" and as long as you have a waypoint called "my bed", it'll take you there.

This also means that if you're someone who doesn't need the vehicle all the time, though you may sometimes need it suddenly. You can use the app to have the ev1c bring itself to you, even if you'd left it on the other side of the house.

There's another feature that the team is testing right now for people who only need the vehicle intermittently, which is a "Follow me" mode — so you can start walking, and the ev1c will just trundle along behind you. If you need it, there it is, ready to go.

I tried that out at Strutt's booth, and while it was buggy at this stage, it did work — and would probably take some getting used to, because having something quietly following right behind you is pretty unnerving.

The chair steers itself pretty slickly around the demo area (Image credit: Future)

However, the self-driving side of the tech is ready to go, and when I tried that side out as well, I was truly impressed. The chair can be a little jerky when it's turning around in a small space, but that's really the only issue I could take from it, from my admittedly limited demo.

Starting at one end of the fake 'living space' in Strutt's booth, it steered me around a dining table, through a narrow gap towards a doorway, through the doorway, and then up to the couch. It finished with me facing the couch, for convenience, and it didn't touch a single thing along the way — no brushing a dining chair or clipping wheels against the door. I went across a rug as well as a hard floor, and that made no difference.

I also tried it in its more manual modes, with the 'Co-Pilot' feature switched on. This is the 'smart' system for when you're driving it yourself, and the key thing it adds is object avoidance. The simplest benefit is that the system won't let you crash into anything — Strutt's team told me to drive towards them at full speed, so I did, and the vehicle just stopped as we got a few inches away. It wasn't like slamming on the brakes — it just ramped down and left me stationary.

These are the general controls — the big joystick is at the bottom, and then you can trigger various smart options using the buttons above (Image credit: Future)

Other handy features for when you're in manual control include a reversing camera (with a line of your steering trajectory) and a 'cruise control' mode so you can just set it to go in a straight line at a set speed, and you can relax your hand.

But there is also a 'Co-Pilot+' more advanced assistive mode, and the interesting feature the team showed me here was an alternative to the auto-stop, in which the system will look for space and actually steer around the blockage, rather than just braking when you get too close.

Perhaps more useful in the day-to-day use of the chair, is that this mode will just finesse your driving, so if you're at risk of clipping the door in your home it'll automatically adjust the steering to make sure it doesn't happen — it's like the steering assist in Mario Kart.

I tried the same demo of driving into someone, but this time the ev1c steered in an arc around them, then returned me to my original position on the path and carried on forward — but my hand had just stayed on pushing the controls forward the whole time, I didn't contribute any motion to the steering.

There's a big rear light, and below that is the battery unit, which is easily removable when needed (Image credit: Future)

As for the vehicle's general specs, it's capable of going up to 8mph, with a range of around 20 miles on its battery, depending on the terrain. It can handle grass and gravel, as well as inclines of up to 13° (23%) and two-inch curb heights, all powered by a four-wheel drive system.

The ev1c breaks down into five pieces for packing into car, and Strutt told me that it's looking into offering a backup battery bag, so you can hot-swap when away from home if you want support for longer distances.

It's officially priced at $7,499 / £5,995 / AU$9,999, though the actual price you pay might be affected by local schemes to make mobility vehicles more affordable.

It's a lot of money, though I assumed it was going to be even more expensive than that. I'm not someone who uses a personal mobility vehicle, so all my opinions here need to be taken in that context, but I was really impressed with how the chair works in practice, how it's been designed and built, and what it can do — it even picked up one of our 'IFA 2026 Best in Show' awards.

Plug-in (or balcony) solar tech has been booming in Europe for a while now, but it seems as though the rest of the world is slowly catching on: these kits are now legal in the UK, while an increasing number of US states are approving them too.

The simplicity is the main appeal of these solar panels, which can be plugged straight into a standard outlet in your home, without any expensive roof mounting or time-consuming planning permission required. Any energy that you generate from free sunlight is used immediately for the appliances in your home, cutting down your electricity bill.

Now that the tech is legal in a growing number of places, we're seeing more and more certified kits and compatible batteries appear on sale. During our travels around the IFA 2026 tech expo in Berlin, the products below particularly caught our eye.

There's one big caveat here — in the UK and US, grid-tied plug-in batteries aren't currently a legal part of plug-in solar, so in those regions the products below will need professional installation (which slightly negates that 'plug-in' descriptor).

Still, there are hopes that plug-in batteries could soon be legalized in the UK and elsewhere, which means the bill-cutting products below could be a glimpse of our home energy future...

1. EcoFlow Stream 2 / Ocean 2

(Image credit: Future)

EcoFlow has been in the energy storage game for some time of course, and brings all of its expertise to bear on these two new products. Starting with the 3-5kWh Stream 2 home battery, we've got support for up to 5,000W of solar input and 3,000W of electricity output, so enough to power washing machines, dishwashers, and the like.

It's modular too, so you can stack these up like Lego bricks as your energy needs change, and the units offer four MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) inputs if you need to connect panels in different spots. There's also an AC version if you already have solar panels installed and just need somewhere to store the electricity.

As for the Ocean 2, this is a fitted home battery, replacing the PowerOcean line. It does up to 30 kWh with a single inverter, and can provide backup power if the grid goes down with an instant switchover so you'll never even notice. Both require professional installation, but you can take the Stream 2 with you when you move.

2. Anker Solix Solarbank Max

(Image credit: Future)

On to the Anker Solix Solarbank Max, and this impressive-looking home battery brings with it 7 kWh of storage capacity, which should be enough to keep an entire home going overnight (assuming it hits the average figure for usage).

Unlike the AC version that's already on the market, this can connect directly to your solar panels, and it can take on 10,000W of solar input across three MPPTs. You can also expand the capacity up to 42 kWh with extra batteries.

You do need to get an electrician to fit this to your home power network, just to avoid anything blowing up, but Anker reckons you'll have saved on up front costs and be getting pure profit within 2.5 years — though your mileage may vary.

3. Zendure SolarFlow 2400 Pro / 4000 Mix Pro

(Image credit: Future)

The Zendure SolarFlow 2400 Pro and 4000 Mix Pro aren't entirely new, but they were shown off at IFA, and we're including them here. Again the emphasis is on simple, easy to manage solar energy storage: the SolarFlow 2400 Pro can take on 4,800W of solar input across four MPPTs, and offers 2,400W bi-directional AC power (hence the name).

With the SolarFlow 4000 Mix Pro, we've got capacity for 13,000W of solar input across two MPPTs, and you get (you've guessed it) up to 4,000W of bi-directional power, so it's a more heavy duty operator and larger unit.

Both these batteries can be connected to plug-in solar panels as well as retrofitted to panels that are already on your roof, though obviously the SolarFlow 4000 Mix Pro can handle more of them.

4. DJI Power 2000 and solar bundle

(Image credit: Future)

We were very impressed with the DJI Power 2000 portable power station when it launched last year, and at IFA 2026 it told us that it's going to turn this into a fully fledged balcony solar system — complete with its own solar panels and a microinverter for connecting to a standard power network.

Details are a bit thin on the ground though, as we don't know how much it's going to cost or exactly how it's going to work. Apparently the bundled kit is going to be sold in Germany first, with no word yet on an international expansion.

What we do know is that DJI has the technical experience and nous to put together one of the most compelling plug-in solar packages out there — and one which you can pick up and take camping with you. We'll be keeping a close eye on this.

5. Bluetti Balco 260 / Balco 500

(Image credit: Future)

While the kits were unveiled shortly before IFA 2026, we've been able to get a good look at the Balco 260 and Balco 500 at the expo. They offer 2,400W (through four MPPTs) and 4,300W (through a single MPPT) of solar input, respectively.

As with the Zendure models, they're basically an entry level and more advanced version of the same pack: They can be hooked up to balcony solar or rooftop solar as needed, and connected to the mains electricity network in your home.

We were at the launch of these units back in May, and there was a big emphasis on simplicity throughout. The aim here is to reduce as many barriers to entry as possible, which is helped through the changes in regulations now happening in the US and UK.

For a budget business monitor in the Labor Day sales, the one that stands out to me is the Philips 24-inch 241V8LB, which is down to $75 (was 90) at Amazon.

To me, this is the perfect display for anyone working from home, who doesn't need ultra high-resolutions or massive screens that take up half the desk.

Don't let the price fool you. It's not entirely feature-free. Budget monitors in this range usually cap out at 60Hz or 75Hz, so the jump to an above-average 100Hz with Adaptive Sync is a genuine step up for everyday use, whether that's office work, browsing, or even light gaming.

24-inch Computer Monitor: was $89.99 now $74.99
23.8-inch Full HD (1920x1080) VA panel with a 100Hz refresh rate, 4ms response time, and Adaptive Sync. Virtually frameless on three sides, with HDMI and VGA inputs and a 4-year advance replacement warranty.View Deal

Why we recommend it

At under $75, most competing monitors settle for a 60Hz or 75Hz panel. The 241V8LB's 100Hz refresh rate with Adaptive Sync makes everyday scrolling and window movement noticeably smoother, and it's enough of a step up that it's worth seeking out even for buyers who aren't gaming.

The VA panel trades some of the wide-angle color consistency of an IPS display for deeper blacks and stronger contrast, which suits office and productivity use well. Philips also backs the 241V8LB with a 4-year advance replacement warranty, longer than the 1 to 3 years typical of budget monitors in this price bracket.

The nearly frameless design on three sides is a small but useful touch for anyone running two or more of these side by side, keeping the visual gap between screens to a minimum.

Price Context & Historical Value

A $15 drop from $89.99 to $74.99 is a modest discount in percentage terms, around 17 percent off. It isn't a dramatic markdown, but the 241V8LB is already positioned as a budget monitor, so this price puts it firmly among the cheaper 24-inch 100Hz options available right now.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Philips 241V8LB if... you want an affordable 24-inch monitor for everyday office or home use, you'd like a 100Hz refresh rate and Adaptive Sync instead of a standard 60Hz panel, or you're setting up a multi-monitor desk and want a nearly frameless design.

❌ Skip the Philips 241V8LB if... you need an IPS panel for wide-angle color accuracy, you want a resolution higher than 1080p, or you need USB-C or DisplayPort inputs rather than HDMI and VGA.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

This is a 1080p VA panel, not an IPS display, so colors will shift somewhat at extreme viewing angles compared to pricier alternatives. Connectivity is limited to a single HDMI 1.4 port and VGA, with no USB-C or DisplayPort, so it's worth checking that fits your setup before buying.

• See the full Labor Day sale at Amazon

I hold my hands up. I got this one wrong. In 2022, when Garmin announced the headline feature for the Garmin Fenix 7X was an LED flashlight, I might have had a bit of a chuckle to myself about it.

Since moving to multiple model sizes for its premium outdoor smartwatch, the largest ‘X’ models quickly came to represent the introduction of exciting, cutting-edge innovations that then start to filter down to the rest of the best Garmin watches. But I wasn;t convinced a multi-LED flashlight on the top of the watch case was something prospective Garmin watch owners should get excited about.

Garmin claimed it would be a “game-changer for sport, adventure and daily life”. In the early weeks of testing the 7X, that wasn’t my experience. I’d quite quickly written it off as rather gimmicky. The question I kept on asking myself was; ‘why would I choose it over reaching for the pretty good LED flashlight I have on my phone?’

It probably wasn’t until being out of that testing bubble of a month with the 7X and I started simply living with it, that my opinion began to change. I was using it more and more each week.

(Image credit: Future / Michael Sawh)

It probably wasn’t until being out of that testing bubble of a month with the 7X and I started simply living with it, that my opinion began to change. I was using it more and more each week.

It started to become the flashlight I used when trying to quietly hunt out charging cables at night moving around my flat without turning on the main light and getting a telling-off. I didn’t need to be a further nuisance and look for my phone because I already had an exceptionally bright light on my wrist. Then it became the source of light on darker sections of my nighttime running routes or helping me to navigate my way back home from the gym. When I was dabbling in some DIY, it was less awkward to use than a phone to line up fixings.

I began to appreciate that Garmin didn’t just slap on a flashlight because it could. It wanted to show how useful a wrist-based source of light could be. I now also had a flashlight I could set to strobe or match my running cadence to improve visibility. It could also switch from white to red light for a still bright, yet less intrusive way to illuminate what lay ahead and around me.

As Garmin moved to share the flashlight love to other watches in its range, it also continued to evolve its abilities to become smarter. Now when I went out for a run or walk after sunset, the watch would display a prompt to turn on the strobe mode to make sure I was thinking about staying seen as day turned into night. There’s a distress mode that when set up from the Garmin Connect app, can display emergency contact information on screen while flashing an SOS light pattern.

It’s no big surprise that rival watchmakers thought it was a great idea too. Suunto, Coros, Amazfit and Polar now all have torch-toting smartwatches.

(Image credit: Future / Michael Sawh)

Are there any downsides of having a flashlight on a smartwatch? Well, it does mean creating more space on the watch case for it. That’s likely why so far it’s mainly been included on larger more rugged watches like the Suunto Vertical 2, Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro and the Polar Street X, although Garmin has managed to plant it onto its slimmer Forerunner and Venu series watches.

Another consideration is battery life. Running a flashlight while also using GPS or any other onboard watch sensors will contribute to that battery drain, but unless you’re planning to keep it switched on continuously for hours, I’m not sure the type of battery life drop you’ll experience is going to be anything to be massively worried about.

How could it become even smarter? I think Garmin in particular has shown it can be more ingrained with your current environment or the time of day. Further integrating with safety features is an obvious one. Especially for anyone that goes on solo adventures. Could we get a UV mode or even be one strong enough to start a fire for that added outdoor appeal? As smartwatch makers focus on making brighter watch displays, should the same happen for the built-in flashlight?

When it feels like there’s more of a focus on breaking new health tracking ground or cramming our lives and screens with more metrics , it’s easy to forget about some of the simpler gadgets that makes a smartwatch a useful thing to own. I’d now put the LED flashlight in the bracket of things I hope to see on any new smartwatch. We’ve not seen one on an Apple Watch Ultra model yet, so maybe that’s to come. I’ve definitely seen the light and it’s in the form of a feature I thought had gimmick written all over it. How wrong I was.