Technology

As TechRadar’s Phones Editor, my desk is inundated with accessories from all manner of case makers. I’ve got colorful cases from Casetify, leather cases from Nomad, and sustainable cases from Moft. I’ve got MagSafe wallets, portable chargers, and at least one accessory for every phone in our best phones guide. But until recently, I’d never in my life received a phone case made of human skin.

Okay, the appropriately named Skincase isn’t actually made from human skin (that would be a little too Se7en), but it is clad in a synthetic material that’s designed to look, feel, and react to the elements like our birthday suits – which, quite frankly, is just as gross as the real thing.

This product is the brainchild of UK mobile network O2, researcher Marc Teyssier, and The British Skin Foundation, who have joined forces to raise awareness about the dangers of excessive sun exposure as temperatures soar in summer-hit regions across the globe.

In essence, the Skincase burns when exposed to UV rays, mirroring the damaging effects of the sun on our bodies. To make the case, Teyssier combined 3D printing techniques with flexible filament and silicone, and the surface is pigmented with specialised composites that react to UV light. This combination creates a lifelike simulation of sun exposure, making the effects of ultraviolet radiation shockingly obvious. Check it out in the video below:

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

O2 says the Skincase has been created to highlight the significant disconnect between awareness and behaviour when it comes to sun protection. The network notes that over half (56%) of Brits check their phones three times or more during peak sun hours (11am – 3pm), yet only one in five (20%) reapply sunscreen with the same frequency. More alarmingly, almost one in 10 (9%) do not wear sunscreen at all during these crucial hours when UV levels are at their strongest. I suspect the figures are equally damning for US citizens.

O2 says almost one in 10 Brits don't wear sunscreen during peak sun hours (Image credit: O2)

To be clear: you can’t actually buy the Skincase. It’s a limited-run product that’s intended to be a conversation starter – a visceral reminder that we should take as much notice of our skin as we do our phones – rather than something you can purchase and use.

That said, I do now have one on my desk, so if you want it, you’re welcome to it – though I will be reporting you to the police.

For other health-related gadgetry, check out our roundup of three high-tech home health gadgets that will boost your wellbeing – from home sauna hacks to ambient lights.

You might also like

• The best iPhone 16 cases 2024: every level of protection for your new iPhone
• iPhone content creator? The Moft Creator Kit should be your next purchase
• This case isn't just a rotting banana; it's a window into iconic music history

• Samsung could add more AI bots to the Galaxy S26
• The Ultra model is rumored to be getting a camera boost
• We should see these handsets appearing in January

Now that we've seen the official unveiling of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, we can turn our attention to the next flagship phone series we're expecting to see from Samsung; namely the Galaxy S26 handsets.

There are a couple of bits of news to report: first up, Samsung mobile executive Choi Won-Joon has told Bloomberg (via SamMobile) that we could see more AI assistants on the Galaxy S26, in addition to Bixby and Google Gemini.

Apparently Samsung is interested in allowing chatbots such as Perplexity and ChatGPT to come preinstalled in the Galaxy S26 and future phones, though at this stage it seems no final decision has been taken about any integrations.

"We are talking to multiple vendors," says Choi. "As long as these AI agents are competitive and can provide the best user experiences, we are open to any AI agent out there." Samsung might also be interested in investing in Perplexity, according to Bloomberg.

A major camera upgrade

BREAKING！Galaxy S26 Ultra :HP2+ large aperture ！will greatly increase the light input, improve the dim light quality, and improve all existing problems. The actual effect it brings will be the most obvious upgrade since Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra.July 25, 2025

The second tidbit is less official and concerns the cameras on the Galaxy S26 Ultra model. According to well-known tipster @UniverseIce, the most expensive of the 2026 models is going to come with a significant camera quality boost.

Apparently the phone will get an improved version of the 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor fitted inside the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Crucially, the sensor will let more light in, which should mean better photos (especially in dark conditions).

The tipster goes on to say that this will be the most significant upgrade for the Ultra camera since the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra back in 2020, so we're looking forward to seeing how this camera actually performs in real world scenarios.

Leaks and rumors around the Galaxy S26 series are starting to mount up, and there has been talk that we could get a change in which models are offered. If Samsung sticks to its usual schedule, we'll see these handsets in January.

You might also like

• Samsung and Perplexity talks have previously been rumored
• How the Galaxy S26 Ultra could beat the iPhone 17 Pro Max
• Samsung Galaxy S25 FE configurations and colors have just leaked

• Sam Altman says OpenAI will soon pass 1 million GPUs and aim for 100 million more
• Running 100 million GPUs could cost $3 trillion and break global power infrastructure limits
• OpenAI’s expansion into Oracle and TPU shows growing impatience with current cloud limits

OpenAI says it is on track to operate over one million GPUs by the end of 2025, a figure that already places it far ahead of rivals in terms of compute resources.

Yet for company CEO Sam Altman, that milestone is merely a beginning, “We will cross well over 1 million GPUs brought online by the end of this year,” he said.

The comment, delivered with apparent levity, has nonetheless sparked serious discussion about the feasibility of deploying 100 million GPUs in the foreseeable future.

A vision far beyond current scale

To put this figure in perspective, Elon Musk’s xAI runs Grok 4 on approximately 200,000 GPUs, which means OpenAI’s planned million-unit scale is already five times that number.

Scaling this to 100 million, however, would involve astronomical costs, estimated at around $3 trillion, and pose major challenges in manufacturing, power consumption, and physical deployment.

“Very proud of the team but now they better get to work figuring out how to 100x that lol,” Altman wrote.

While Microsoft’s Azure remains OpenAI’s primary cloud platform, it has also partnered with Oracle and is reportedly exploring Google’s TPU accelerators.

This diversification reflects an industry-wide trend, with Meta, Amazon, and Google also moving toward in-house chips and greater reliance on high-bandwidth memory.

SK Hynix is one of the companies likely to benefit from this expansion - as GPU demand rises, so does demand for HBM, a key component in AI training.

According to a data center industry insider, “In some cases, the specifications of GPUs and HBMs...are determined by customers (like OpenAI)...configured according to customer requests.”

SK Hynix’s performance has already seen strong growth, with forecasts suggesting a record-breaking operating profit in Q2 2025.

OpenAI’s collaboration with SK Group appears to be deepening. Chairman Chey Tae-won and CEO Kwak No-jung met with Altman recently, reportedly to strengthen their position in the AI infrastructure supply chain.

The relationship builds on past events such as SK Telecom’s AI competition with ChatGPT and participation in the MIT GenAI Impact Consortium.

That said, OpenAI’s rapid expansion has raised concerns about financial sustainability, with reports that SoftBank may be reconsidering its investment.

If OpenAI’s 100 million GPU goal materializes, it will require not just capital but major breakthroughs in compute efficiency, manufacturing capacity, and global energy infrastructure.

For now, the goal seems aspirational, an audacious signal of intent rather than a practical roadmap.

Via TomsHardware

You might also like

• These are the best AMD graphics cards you can buy now
• Take a look at the best mini PCs we've rounded up
• Your Gmail inbox could soon be filled with adverts as Google tests new shoppable ad formats

I've found the best picks for security cameras that work well with the Apple Home app, Siri and HomeKit.

Arne Slot's Premier League Champions kick off their tour of Hong Kong and Japan with friendly clash against Italian giants.

I tested the best action cameras on the market so you can choose the right one to take epic photos and videos on any adventure.

The Asus ROG Pelta is a pair of fantastic gaming headphones at a great price.

Ever wondered what your ISP is doing behind the scenes before, after and during a big storm?

• BMW says it has no plans to integrate CarPlay Ultra in future cars
• Manufacturers are increasingly turning to in-house infotainment
• Aston Martin is currently the only brand offering Apple's tech

Apple CarPlay launched to much fanfare in late May, adorning the myriad screens in the stunning Aston Martin DBX 707 model.

But just weeks after its unveiling to the world, a number of big name automotive manufacturers – who were once slated to work with the tech – have started backing out. This time, it's BMW.

Recently, one Renault employee was even quoted as saying “don’t invade our systems” by the Financial Times when quizzed about future partnerships with the tech giant.

Now, a BMW AG spokesperson has stated that the company currently has “no plans to integrate Apple CarPlay Ultra”, according to a post from the independent BMW Blog spotted by 9to5Mac.

Instead, the German automotive powerhouse is backing its own reinvention of the popular iDrive system, which was first debuted at CES late last year.

The system – that will first be seen on the upcoming Neue Klasse iX – includes new haptic controls and a full-width display that spans the entire width of the windscreen. Handing this new and innovative digital real estate over to Apple feels counter intuitive.

As a result, the German automaker will still support traditional CarPlay and Android Auto, but its use will be limited to the main infotainment screen.

Analysis: CarPlay Ultra is a step too far

(Image credit: Aston Martin / Apple)

My early hands-on experience with Apple CarPlay Ultra proved that the system fixed many of the irritating issues that arose from traditional CarPlay use.

Chiefly, the ability to adjust important car settings or enjoy some DAB or satellite radio without leaving the CarPlay environment is a boon.

However, when activated in the beautiful surrounds of an Aston Martin, the system felt overly invasive and the fully digital, very Apple-y cockpit lost some of its unique charm.

This is the overriding issue facing many manufacturers, as most feel that allowing Apple to take control of the entire infotainment experience not only stifles brand differentiation but also sees Apple potentially handling reams of valuable data.

Instead, Porsche remains the only manufacturer I can think of that has worked with Apple’s Automotive Developer Toolkit to produce a sort of halfway house.

Plug an iPhone into a new Macan, Taycan or Panamera and you’ll still be able to adjust the temperature of the air con and fiddle with car settings, without leaving the CarPlay environment or giving up the unique Porsche digital driver’s display.

To me, it feels like Apple needs to pursue this avenue and improve the standard CarPlay experience, which should happen with iOS 26.

Otherwise future cars risk feeling homogenous both on the outside and the interior.

You might also like

• I’ve tried Apple CarPlay Ultra – it fixes everything that’s irritating about CarPlay, but there’s a catch
• Apple quietly reveals CarPlay's big video upgrade in iOS 26, but there's a catch
• Apple CarPlay just got 4 big free upgrades with iOS 26 – here's what you need to know

Given the "hot girl walks" and "Japanese walking" trends, we reached out to personal trainers to find out if walking is actually enough exercise on its own.

It's easy to overlook this iPhone feature from 2023, but it can make your calls clearer.

We get it, there's a lot going on in life – from sports tournaments to school holidays to work pressures – and you're not necessarily going to be able to keep up with every single story TechRadar publishes over the course of seven days (there are a lot of them).

That's why we put together this ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) round-up every week, so you don't miss out on everything that's happening. This week, that includes new Kindles from Amazon, new software from Apple, and a new watch from Nothing.

It's been another packed week in technology, and we've been covering all of it here on TechRadar. Without any further ado, these are seven of the biggest stories published on the site since last week.

7. We gave our verdict on 2025’s final Marvel movie

The Fantastic Four in action (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

It's fair to say that Marvel movies aren't quite the box office smashes they used to be, and the latest film to try and reverse the downward trend is another retelling of the story of The Fantastic Four – so how does the new big screen outing compare to previous fare?

Well, according to our Senior Entertainment Reporter Tom Power, this is the best live-action adaptation of these comics yet. Click through for our full review – with some light spoilers included – to find out why Pedro Pascal and his pals deserve a lot of credit.

• Read more: I watched The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and it heralds a much-needed new dawn for Marvel's First Family on the big screen

6. Nothing launched an impossibly cheap smartwatch

The CMF Watch 3 Pro is stylish, and very affordable (Image credit: Nothing)

Top tech at bargain prices? We're always interested in that combination, and that's what's promised with the new Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro: you get all the standard fitness tracking features here, plus an AI companion ready to give you some personal coaching advice.

The best part is, it's only going to cost you $99 / £99 / €99 (around AU$205) – significantly less than rival wearables from the likes of Apple, Fitbit, Google, and Garmin. We've got all the details here, including information on the smartwatch's upgraded sensors.

• Read more: Nothing's new $99 CMF Watch 3 Pro could become the cheap smartwatch to beat – here's why

5. Breville’s new coffee machine has a neat (and expensive) trick

The new Breville Oracle Dual Boiler coffee maker (Image credit: Breville)

From a very cheap piece of tech to a very expensive one – though serious coffee lovers might consider the new Breville Oracle Dual Boiler worth a look. We're certainly impressed by its signature move: being able to brew coffee and steam milk at the same time.

Launching first in Australia for AU$4,499 (about $3,000 / £2,200), this is a new big sibling for the Breville Oracle Touch. Bearing in mind the high regard in which we hold that latter model, this new addition definitely has potential, even if you'll need to save up for it.

• Read more: Breville's new espresso machine can brew coffee and steam milk at the same time – and it's eye-wateringly expensive

4. Amazon gave us two new Kindle Colorsofts

A cheaper Colorsoft is now available (Image credit: Amazon)

Amazon launched its first color Kindle last year, and now there are two more Colorsoft models to choose from: First up is a cheaper model of the main Colorsoft, with less storage and without some of the premium features of the original (including wireless charging).

There's also a Colorsoft Kids for the youngsters in your household – and they're probably better off staring at this all day than a phone or tablet. Both the new Kindles are available to buy now, and we've got full lists of the features and prices for the latest models.

• Read more: Amazon adds two new Kindle Colorsofts to its lineup – a cheaper 16GB model and a version for kids

3. DJI revealed release dates for its 360 camera and robovac

We've been given a brief look at the DJI Osmo 360 (Image credit: DJI)

There was official and unofficial DJI news this week: the company confirmed that its first 360-degree camera would be launched on July 31, while a leaked (and swiftly pulled) video review gave us far more details about the upcoming camera than DJI has.

We also got confirmation that the first DJI robot vacuum, the DJI Romo, is going to get its grand unveiling on August 6. In short, it's going to be a busy few weeks for DJI, as it continues to push beyond its core business of drone-making to pick up more fans.

• Read more: DJI reveals Osmo 360 release date – as leaked 15-minute video shows exactly how it compares to the Insta360 X5

2. Google accidentally leaked all four Pixel 10 phones

The Google Pixel 9 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Google has told us that the Pixel 10 phones are coming on August 20, but it hasn't revealed too many other details about these devices – at least not officially. However, eagle-eyed users spotted a banner showing off all four Pixel 10 models on the Google Play Store.

It seems that Google didn't really intend this promo to go live quite so early (the accompanying text says "now available"), and if you add in all the other leaks we've seen so far, at this rate there's not going to be much left to reveal at the official event.

• Read more: Oh dear... Google just accidentally revealed all four Pixel 10 models

1. The iOS 26 public beta landed for iPhones

Public beta testing has started for iOS 26 (Image credit: Apple / Future)

The public betas for iOS 26 and Apple's other annual software upgrades are now available, which means that anyone can give them a try ahead of the full launch later this year – or at least, anyone who's prepared to put up with a few extra bugs and errors on their devices.

The TechRadar team has already been testing these updates, including iOS 26, and you can read about what we think are the biggest new features to look forward to. If you're tempted into giving it a try, we've also got a guide to installing the iOS 26 public beta.

• Read more: iOS 26 public beta is now live – here are the 5 biggest new features to try

You might also like

• 7 new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more this weekend (July 25)
• I've been using iOS 26 for a month – here are 3 things I love and 1 I don’t
• This kickboxing robot is just $6,000 and could be the humanoid breakthrough we've been waiting for

• Google's next Pixel products have leaked again
• We have images of the devices in a Moonstone color
• The grand unveiling has been set for August 20

Google has already given us a sneak peek at one of the Pixel 10 phones being revealed at the Made by Google launch event on Wednesday, August 20, but we now have leaked images of the whole range of devices that are expected to be unveiled.

Veteran tipster Evan Blass has posted not one but two threads of images on social media, showing off the Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel Watch 4, and Pixel Buds 2a. It's quite the collection.

Most of these images show the devices in a new color that's apparently going to be called Moonstone. It's an attractive-looking bluey-silver type shade, and it's the same one we've previously seen in the official Google teaser for next month's event.

It's a color that Google clearly likes and will be going all-in with when it comes to the new range of Pixel products. However, we also get a couple of shots of some of the Pixel 10 phones in different shades, which have already been leaked.

A design for life

pic.twitter.com/abIAgjpdppJuly 25, 2025

It's definitely interesting to see the upcoming Google devices in this new Moonstone color, but there's not actually that much that's new in this leak: all of these gadgets look very much like the models they're replacing as expected.

It seems likely that we're once again going to get four Pixel phones, to replace the Google Pixel 9 equivalents. Look out for a processor speed boost, some tweaks to the camera setup, and (we're hoping) no price hikes compared to last year.

When it comes to the Google Pixel Watch 4, previous leaks and rumors have pointed to a bigger battery capacity – which is always welcome of course – as well as improvements in how repairable the smartwatch is going to be.

As for the Pixel Buds 2a, we haven't heard very much about these wireless earbuds at all to date – though the original Google Pixel Buds A-Series might give us some idea of what to expect. In a few weeks, all of these gadgets will be made official.

You might also like

• These are the upgrades we want from the Pixel 10
• Check out the best Pixel phones you can buy
• Unofficial Pixel Watch 4 renders have leaked

Review: I took the Motorola Edge and its 3x telephoto camera to a Mets game and could get photos close enough to see the pitcher's facial expressions.

One of my biggest disappointments of the year so far was no new game footage or deep dive on Fable.

About all we’ve heard is that the game has been pushed back to 2026 – costing me a pint due to a lost bet with Hardware Writer Dash Wood. I had, maybe naively, thought that Fable would launch in the second half of the year with the goal of giving Xbox a big exclusive to finish 2025 on a high. But that wasn't to be.

Now I’m ok with delays if it means polishing a game to a fine shine. Starfield was delayed, and while that didn’t help make it a high watermark game for Bethesda, it launched without a load of bugs.

However, I’d been expecting to see Fable in action. While we’ve seen brief clips of what’s been touted as in-game footage in 2023, followed by a trailer with more game action in 2024, and then a short snippet of pre-alpha 'gameplay' about five months ago,

While the little bits of game footage I've seen so far has me optimistic, we’ve not had anything that properly details how the game plays, what new features it could bring to the table, or just a deep dive into a next-generation Fable now that it's under the wing of Playground Games.

Usually, with a game launching in around the next 12 months, we’ll have got a better idea of what to expect; even if it’s just brief snippets in trailers, like I remember was the case with Red Dead Redemption 2.

A fabled past

(Image credit: Microsoft)

I remember way back when in E3 2007 when Fable 2 was some 14 months away from its 2008 release date, then boss of Lionhead Studios and gaming auteur Peter Molyneux did a dive into how the game will work with contextual one-button combat.

Like a good few of Molyneux's promises, I’m not sure this quite came to fruition in the final release.

Of course, Playground Games isn’t Lionhead, and with E3 more dead than ever, we may have gone beyond the era of post-showcase game deep dives.

As the developer of Forza Horizon, perhaps Playground Games prefers flashier, fast trailers that leave some of the actual game mechanics to the imagination and journalist hands-on previews.

Nevertheless, I’m still a bit surprised we didn’t have any fresh Fable information this year so far, beyond the delay and pre-alpha footage.

Awaiting Albion

So when can we expect to see such stuff? I’d hazard a guess that we could get something towards the end of the year, maybe to juice up interest for people to buy Xbox Series X consoles heading into the holidays.

Or we could hear more early-ish next year, with Microsoft looking to kick off the year with some Xbox positivity, perhaps in one of the developer-led games roundups it does.

But then a lot of that depends on when Fable will get launched next year. If it’s towards the end of the year, we may not hear much until the next Xbox Games Showcase in June 2026.

My hope is we get more information sooner than later. As it stands, I don’t feel we’ve seen a particularly strong year for Xbox exclusive titles (such as they are with PC releases too), with Avowed arguably being one of the biggest so far. Last year, Xbox rounded out the year strongly with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, which despite being available on PS5 felt like an Xbox game gave its day one release on Game Pass.

Microsoft looks set to have some strong titles to propel the second half of the year, with Grounded 2, Gears of War: Reloaded, and Outer Worlds 2. But I’m not convinced any of these will have a big impact; Gears of War is a contender but Reloaded is just a remaster of the first Gears game. So a game footage-heavy Fable trailer or a bit of a deep dive into what we could expect from the game under its new stewardship could be the shot in the arm I feel Xbox might still need this year, especially as there’s no word on The Elder Scrolls 6.

However, I do have a niggling concern: given the upheaval in Microsoft Gaming’s studios and the cancelation of games like the reboot of Perfect Dark – something I was looking forward to – potentially down to development woes, I’m a little concerned that development of Fable could have stalled.

Playground Games has a solid track record, but effectively rebooting Fable for new hardware and to make in compelling in the face of hugely impressive, system-driven RPGs and adventure games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elden Ring, while also retaining that sense of humor, style and sandbox elements of traditional Fable games, is likely a huge proposition.

I’d not be surprised if some information trickles out about Fable going through several iterations in its early development that perhaps means it’s not quite ready to be put in the preview limelight.

For what it’s worth, I have faith in the trailers I’ve seen so far and Playground Games’ ability to produce a compelling open-world game that’s also polished to a standard we’ve come to expect from the developer.

But I’ll need to hear something about Fable reasonably soon to ensure that faith remains burning away, rather than smoulder into nothing… along with my passion for Xbox.

You might also like...

• Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is 36 hours of pure soulslike bliss, even if one level threatened to put me on my villain arc
• Battlefield 6 gets an action-packed first look along with a promise of a multiplayer showcase next week, as new leaks claim the game will launch in October
• Dying Light: The Beast has been delayed so the studio can make it 'best Dying Light game' ever

The tour heads to Melbourne with Andy Farrell's tourists looking to wrap up a series win with victory at the MCG

Mayor of Kingstown season 4: key information

- Officially renewed in December 2024
- Coming to Paramount+ in October
- Main cast expected to return
- New characters confirmed
- No official plot details
- Taylor Sheridan has seven seasons in mind

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 returns in October, which is no doubt excellent news for fans of the crime thriller. Spearheaded by Yellowstone's Taylor Sheridan alongside Hugh Dillon, it's one of the best shows on Paramount+ and there's plenty more where that came from.

Viewers have watched the McClusky family position themselves as power brokers acting as the go-between for police, criminals, inmates, prison guards and politicians. And leading the McClusky family? Mike (Jeremy Renner) as he navigates Kingstown, a place with a real lack of order, in hopes of digging his way out.

Here's everything we can expect from release date speculation, predicted cast, plot rumors, and more.

Full spoilers follow for Mayor of Kingstown seasons 1-3. Potential spoilers are also discussed for season 4.

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 release date prediction

A post shared by Hugh Dillon (@hughdillon)

A photo posted by on

While Mayor of Kingstown season 4 doesn't have an exact release date, it does have a release window – and that's October.

Thanks to an Instagram post by the show's co-creator, Hugh Dillon, it was revealed on June 10 that season 4 had officially wrapped on production and will start streaming on Paramount+ in October.

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 trailer speculation

There's no Mayor of Kingstown season 4 trailer just yet (Image credit: Paramount Plus)

With filming wrapped on Mayor of Kingstown season 4 and an impending October release window in mind, I'd expect the trailer to arrive in September – and when it does, I'll post it here.

If we take a look at season 3's trailer release, it officially dropped on April 25 before the season arrived on June 2. That's just over a month before, which is the same gap as the trailer release to show launch of season 2.

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 confirmed cast

A post shared by Mayor of Kingstown (@mayorofkingstown)

A photo posted by on

Spoilers follow for Mayor of Kingstown season 1 to 3.

The Mayor of Kingstown season 4 cast has been growing in size with returning cast and newcomers alike. Here's who we can expect to star this time round:

• Jeremy Renner as Mike McLusky
• Hugh Dillon as Ian
• Tobi Bamtefa as Deverin 'Bunny' Washington
• Nishi Munshi as Tracy
• Taylor Handley as Kyle McLusky
• Hamish Allan-Headley as
• Derek Webster as
• Clayton Cardenas as Deputy Warden Torres
• Edie Falco as Nina Hobbs
• Lennie James as Frank Moses
• Laura Benanti as Cindy Stephens
• Derek Rivera as Cortez

As mentioned, there's already been a few casting announcements for Mayor of Kingstown season 4 including Edie Falco, Lennie James and Laura Benanti all revealed in the official Instagram post above.

And, as per Deadline in January, Clayton Cardenas joined as Deputy Warden Torres: "the right-hand man to the prison's new warden at Anchor Bay Prison".

Another cast announcement, confirmed again by Deadline in June, is Derek Rivera. He'll be joining the cast for season 4 as Cortez: "a young, cold, and measured Colombian Sicario in a recurring role".

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 story synopsis and rumors

Mayor of Kingstown season 4 picks up after a warring season 3 finale (Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Full spoilers follow for Mayor of Kingstown seasons 1-3. Potential spoilers for Mayor of Kingstown season 4.

The Mayor of Kingstown season 3 finale was tumultuous, to say the least. While a lot of issues were resolved, most importantly the Russian mafia which has had a chokehold on the McClusky family for three strong seasons, the stage is set for Mike to navigate new territory.

It also comes as no surprise really that new cast announcements have been made for Mayor of Kingstown season 4, considering the characters that were lost in season 3. There was Iris (Emma Laird) and Kareem (Michael Beach) met their untimely fates. And, Milo (Aidan Gillen), who seemingly returned from the dead to take over Konstantin, succeeding with the manipulation of Iris before being overpowered by Mike.

Milo's return made Mike's plan to finally rid Kingstown of its Russian problem in the season 3 finale a little tricky, but he managed it all the same. For season 4 though, co-creator Hugh Dillon told The Hollywood Reporter that the season 3 finale: "leaves a vacuum".

But, he adds: "And it will be filled, it's human nature". But, who's next to step into the criminal abyss left behind by the eradication of the Russian mafia, we'll have to wait and see.

What's next for Kyle after the bridge shootout? (Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Then, there was the shootout on the bridge during a confrontation with Bunny's game, which saw Kyle shoot at Robert to protect the innocent civilians around them.

While this subsequently led to Kyle's arrest, it leaves the door open for Robert's story in season 4 given Evelyn is still hellbent on looking into him, despite him recovering in hospital from Kyle's shooting.

It's all speculation for now as the Mayor of Kingstown season 4 plot is kept firmly under wraps. And I'd expect no less from a show filled with complicated dynamics and brutal exchanges.

Though, Dillon did say, when it comes to Mayor of Kingstown season 4: "The scripts are graet, the characters great. And that's what we want to do. We don't want to leave any strone unturned. This show is very much rock 'n' roll".

Will there be more seasons of Mayor of Kingstown?

Taylor Sheridan has seven seasons in mind (Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Mayor of Kingstown has a rather complicated relationship with renewals, especially after Jeremy Renner's serious accident in 2023 left the entire show hanging in the balance.

But, even after returning for season 3, it still took a few months to confirm the return of Mayor of Kingstown season 4 was happening. It appears though that the plan has always been for more.

In conversation with ScreenRant, Hugh Dillon reveals the aim has always been for multiple more seasons – with Taylor Sheridan already having planned an ending in season 7: "Well, Taylor's my mentor, he has been. He's coached me, this was the first thing he ever wrote, and he was my acting coach.

"He coached me on 100 episodes of TV, and we would talk about this all the time. And when we first mapped it out, he's the king of knowing where it ends. I like intros, and I like explosive intros. And he has an ending for it in season 7".

Dillon added: "So, our goal is to get to that season 7, because that's as far as we can get, because that's where he's always had it".

Whether the show makes it that far is one thing, but if Sheridan has plans to extend its run with a multi-year deal at Paramount+ already in place, there's some real hope for more Mayor of Kingstown. Watch this space.

For more Paramount+-based coverage, read our guide to the best Paramount+ shows.

A few days ago, we got our first official look at the DJI Romo – the brand's first foray into robot vacuums – and the more information I get about this surprising new addition to the DJI lineup, the more intrigued I am about how it's going to shape up when it comes to launch.

It certainly looks cool. Both the video clip shared by tech leaker Igor Bogdanov (aka @Quadro_News) and the teaser trailer DJI leaker @JasperEllens show the curvy dock with a transparent plastic cover – and if you look closer, you can see that the bot itself appears to have a clear lid too. It's an unusual design choice and one that'll certainly stand out against competitor models, even if I do have my concerns about how pristine-looking that it'll remain over time (perhaps it's good that DJI seems to be offering a version that doesn't have its insides on show as an alternative).

Although a DJI logo is nowhere to be found on the product and it's the first white plastic I have seen since the #mavicair... the official Chinese #DJIRomo account displayed this little video teaser today, showing they will launch their first vacuum cleaner on August 6th. Cheers pic.twitter.com/zBseU9pfCDJuly 23, 2025

What's particularly interesting is that this peek inside the dock doesn't reveal any water tanks. Almost all of the best robot vacuums have mopping capabilities these days. You don't need a water tank in the dock in order for the bot itself to be able to mop – some models will just have a small integrated reservoir onboard. However, these tend to be the cheaper, more basic robovacs.

Mid-range bots will often have a clean water tank in the dock, and refill the onboard reservoir automatically. Shift into the premium category and you can expect an additional dirty water tank, and automatic mop-washing capabilities. Unless there are some tanks tucked out of sight, it looks like the Romo won't offer either.

DJI's drones are great at navigating... but not so good at mopping (Image credit: James Abbott)

I guess mopping and self-cleaning tech aren't areas that DJI would naturally have expertise in. The brand is known for making pretty much all of the best drones on the market, and there's no crossover there. That's in contrast to, say, navigation and object avoidance tech, which is vital in both drones and robot vacuums. I'd expect the Romo's navigation skills to be top-tier.

A premium proposition?

We don't have pricing information for the DJI Romo yet, but I had assumed DJI would be positioning its debut robovac as a premium choice, with features and specs to match.

That might not be be the case. We do have precedent for a huge brand trying to make waves in the robot vacuum market with a relatively basic model: Dyson and its 360 Vis Nav. It wasn't Dyson's first-ever robovac, but it was a major launch in this area, and seven years in the making. In this case, Dyson offered limited capabilities – no mopping to speak of, and no automatic dust emptying either – but decided to stick with a premium price tag anyway.

Dyson is a firmly premium brand, so that wasn't necessarily a surprise (although it does usually do more to justify its lofty pricing). With DJI, things are more up in the air... no pun intended. On the one hand we have the Amflow, DJI's first and only ebike, which is very much a premium proposition.

The Amflow – DJI's other non-drone launch – sits firmly at the top end of the ebike market (Image credit: Amflow)

However, the drones it's known for range from ultra-cheap (in its Ryze Tello line) to extremely high-end, but the constant throughout is that they're always great value for money, often undercutting similarly-specced rivals. (I asked TechRadar Cameras Editor and resident drone expert Tim Coleman for his take and he said, "I would expect whatever price Romo is, it'll be excellent value. This is the DJI way.")

So the jury's out on where the Romo might sit in the market. We might not have too long to wait to find out either way. The latest teaser trailer suggests the DJI Romo will launch on August 6. That would be in China – I expect the Romo might take a while to make its way overseas to the UK, and US launch is very uncertain given the potential US ban on DJI drones. But that's a whole separate issue...

You might also like...

• DJI reveals Osmo 360 release date – as leaked 15-minute video shows exactly how it compares to the Insta360 X5
• Browse the best DJI drones you can buy
• Dreame's new hybrid robovac has 3 never-before-seen special features that turn it into a lean, mean, mopping machine

• VRLA Tech workstation is first to ship with AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX
• System is built on ASUS WRX90E board with 128GB ECC memory and 1TB NVMe storage
• Supports up to three high-end GPUs including options like the Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada

The first workstation powered by AMD’s new Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX processor has gone on sale, and it comes not from a major PC maker, but from California-based custom builder VRLA Tech.

The VRLA Tech AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro Workstation is available with a choice of processors from the Pro 9000 WX-Series, including AMD’s top-tier 9995WX.

Built on the 4nm Zen 5 architecture, the 9995WX features 96 cores and 192 threads, with a 2.75GHz base clock and boost speeds up to 5.1GHz. It includes 384MB of L3 cache and supports 8-channel DDR5-6400 ECC RDIMM memory.

(Image credit: VRLA Tech)Highly customizable

The default configuration, priced at $20,334.97, pairs the CPU with an ASUS Pro WS WRX90E-SAGE SE motherboard. This board supports up to 1TB of DDR5 memory and provides 128 PCIe 5.0 lanes for add-in cards such as graphics, storage, or networking components.

The unit comes equipped with 128GB of DDR5-5600 ECC RAM, using eight 16GB modules.

For storage, it includes a 1TB Samsung 990 PRO M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.

Additional drive slots provide space for future expansion. Graphics are handled by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 with 8GB of memory in the standard build.

The system is powered by a 1600W 80 Plus Platinum power supply and housed in a black Fractal Design Define 7 XL case.

Cooling is managed by a high-performance liquid CPU cooler and Noctua case fans.

The workstation ships with Windows 11 Pro but you can save money by opting for Linux if you prefer, and includes all necessary drivers pre-installed.

The configuration can be customized prior to purchase. Options include up to three high-end GPUs, including workstation-class cards such as the Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada.

The system also supports a range of NVMe and SATA storage options and additional networking cards, but of course that will crank up the cost considerably. Add all the bells and whistles and price skyrockets to an eye-watering $55,113.90.

You may also like

• 16-Core AMD EPYC 4005 CPU is almost 3X faster than AMD's first server flagship
• Rare AMD CPU powers this just-announced NAS offering
• AMD just launched its 96-core Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX CPU

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 26.