Technology

• B-52 bombers receive gigabit weapon links through advanced fiber optic pylons
• The US Air Force plans 130 modern pylons for the aging strategic bomber fleet
• New pylons allow heavier weapons on upgraded B-52 aircraft for decades

The US Air Force is moving ahead with another major modernization effort for its fleet of 75 B-52H bombers, focusing on replacing weapons pylons originally designed during the late 1950s.

The proposed Advanced Wing Weapons Pylon introduces support for far heavier weapons while also bringing modern digital connectivity through the MIL-STD-1760E interface.

Those interface requirements include gigabit data transfer capability and fiber optic connections that allow advanced weapons to exchange significantly larger volumes of information with aircraft systems.

New pylons prepare decades-old bombers for future weapons

According to an Air Force business notice, the replacement pylon must carry either conventional or nuclear weapons weighing up to 20,000 pounds, while the wing hardpoint remains limited to 28,000 pounds.

This development effort will require about 36 months before reaching a critical design review, although industry feedback will determine whether that schedule remains achievable.

The service expects an initial production requirement of between 20 and 24 pylons, with at least 12 arriving during the first production year before expanding toward roughly 130 units.

The procurement replaces the Improved Common Pylon, introduced during the 1960s after its original design work began in 1959 for considerably lighter weapons.

Air Force documents explained that previous engineers never anticipated external weapons exceeding 5,000 pounds, leaving the current equipment facing structural concerns under modern operational requirements.

Officials said the replacement effort will identify suppliers capable of delivering accelerated pylon designs while modifying existing carriage equipment for newer and substantially heavier munitions.

The standardized electrical interface also enables modern avionics to exchange complex guidance, mission, and release information with sophisticated precision weapons through high-speed digital links.

Upgrade supports broader B-52J modernization effort

The pylon replacement forms part of the wider conversion turning today's B-52H fleet into the B-52J through new engines, modern radar, updated avionics, and expanded weapons integration capabilities.

The Air Force requested $30 million during fiscal 2027 for research and development supporting the new pylons, alongside another $50 million for integrating newer AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile variants.

Budget documents describe the Advanced Wing Weapons Pylon as "the key that unlocks all future heavy-weight weapon capabilities for the B-52," reflecting its importance within broader modernization plans.

The upgraded equipment increases both weapon weight capacity and carriage numbers, allowing each pylon to support eight JASSM missiles instead of six.

Separately, the Air Force requested $1 million during fiscal 2027 to begin examining possible long-term successors for the B-52, even as modernization continues.

Those parallel efforts illustrate how military planners intend to extend the bomber's operational usefulness toward almost 100 years while simultaneously examining eventual replacement options.

Whether every modernization objective proceeds according to current schedules remains uncertain, although ongoing investment shows continued confidence in extending the aircraft's military relevance for decades.

Via Aviation Tech Today

Since disclosing massive global surveillance programs, the former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden has been campaigning to strengthen privacy and the right of citizens to not be monitored by government agencies.

Nothing to hide

Snowden published his memoir, Permanent Record, in 2019 as a means to convey his full story – including his upbringing and how he came to be the whistleblower we all now know.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

In this book, the former NSA contractor used several analogies in a chain to underline what the right to privacy actually means, as he saw it, and to stress that just because you aren't using a particular right, that doesn't mean it shouldn't apply.

He argued that various freedoms may not apply to you, or make sense today, but that they may have meaning for you or those you know in the future. Privacy, too, fell into this category, and he urged more and more people to defend their rights.

Nothing to fear

The legacy of Snowden, since he first helped journalists reveal the breadth and extent of government-led spying in 2013, is far-reaching. His revelations sent shockwaves throughout not only the intelligence-industrial complex but society at several levels.

For example, there's been a dramatic surge in the use of software and applications in which end-to-end encryption can prevent communications data from being intercepted, either in a targeted or indiscriminate way.

Many of the practices he revealed were wound down thanks to the USA Freedom Act, while a US federal court ruled in 2020 that one of the NSA's mass surveillance programs, in which bulk telephone data was collected, was done so illegally and possibly unconstitutionally.

His disclosures also fuelled data protection movements and new laws around the world, like GDPR in the EU.

The move would benefit companies such as Tesla, which are already designing in that direction.

A new ChatGPT Work program can let the AI take charge of your files.

A 20-minute nap will count toward your daily sleep total. But is a quick power nap worth it?

Meta reportedly plans to deploy its fourth custom AI chip by September as it looks to cut AI costs and reduce reliance on Nvidia and AMD.

The post Meta’s Custom AI Chip Timeline Just Got More Interesting appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Custom drone achieved a 261-minute flight after months of engineering refinements
• Guinness World Records recognizes Cape Town pilot for record-breaking multirotor endurance flight
• Software tuning unlocked crucial efficiency gains during the historic flight

A Cape Town YouTuber and drone pilot has secured a new Guinness World Record after keeping a custom-built multirotor drone airborne for 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 39 seconds.

The achievement followed months of redesigns, repeated testing, and engineering refinements that transformed an earlier prototype into an officially recognised endurance aircraft.

Rather than relying on a single breakthrough, the record came through a series of hardware and software improvements that steadily extended flight time beyond previous attempts.

Weight reduction and stronger construction unlocked longer endurance

Luke Bell had already exceeded the previous endurance benchmark with an earlier version that remained airborne for 3 hours, 31 minutes, and 6 seconds, although that attempt was never officially recognised.

Instead of submitting that result, Bell continued refining the aircraft with the goal of securing a larger margin and earning formal recognition from Guinness World Records.

One of the simplest improvements came after viewers suggested replacing two-piece clamp mounts with single-piece C-style clamps, reducing overall weight by approximately 26 grams.

Bell also rebuilt the airframe using continuous 1.88 metre carbon fibre tubes for each rotor arm, removing weak connection points that affected the earlier design.

Additional reinforcement connected the front rotor arms, while a custom mounting system secured the approximately 5 kg high-density SMC battery pack rated at 380 Wh/kg throughout the extended flight.

The drone also received specially designed 3D-printed landing gear incorporating thermoplastic polyurethane joints to absorb landing forces more effectively.

Live software tuning helped extend the record flight

Mechanical improvements alone did not deliver the final result because early test flights revealed vibration severe enough to interfere with the flight controller's inertial measurement units.

Bell replaced the original controller with a Cube Orange Plus system featuring isolated internal IMUs before installing an external antenna connected to a Here4 base unit for real-time kinematic positioning accurate to within 1 centimetre.

Further adjustments focused on the autopilot, where notch filter tuning removed resonant frequencies responsible for instability while reducing unnecessary power consumption during flight.

Bell also monitored live performance through a Wi Fi connection linked to a RadioMaster transmitter, allowing power logs and flight settings to be reviewed while the aircraft remained airborne.

The data showed the drone consumed about 500 W during straight flight, compared with roughly 450 W while turning, prompting a mid-flight route change with more frequent turns.

Flying at approximately 5.5 metres per second, or around 20 km/h, the drone eventually returned after 4 hours, 21 minutes, and 39 seconds before hovering until almost every remaining watt had been consumed.

This feat shows that larger batteries alone may not determine endurance, as careful engineering, software refinement, and efficiency improvements also played important roles.

Via Luke Maximo Bell (YouTube)

A public preview of Muse Spark 1.1 is now available to developers.

Amazon raised $25 billion through a bond sale as AI infrastructure spending accelerates, highlighting the growing cost of competing in the AI race.

The post Amazon Raises $25 Billion in Bond Sale as AI Spending Accelerates appeared first on TechRepublic.

A Pixel 11 pricing leak suggests Google may drop 128GB storage and start all models at 256GB, potentially raising entry prices.

The post Google Pixel 11: Pricing Leak Reveals Bigger Storage, Higher Costs appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Apex Recordhunter drone unofficially set a new air speed record of 434 mph
• High-speed demonstrator will help develop next-gen military drones
• Company targets further records with interceptor drones soon

Germany’s Quantum Systems Group has broken the world airspeed record for an electric drone, hitting speeds of 699km/h (434mph) during internal testing on June 26, 2026.

Though the company is yet to carry out a formal, independently verified attempt at setting a record under the official measurement rules to be recognized by both Guinness World Records and Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the speed far exceeds that of the current record holder – 657.59km/h (409mph).

The latest, unverified record was set in straight and level flight, and would represent a 6.3% increase over the current record. Official testing is expected within the coming weeks, the company said in a press release.

Record-breaker is merely a technology demonstrator

Quantum Systems explained that the Apex Recordhunter drone was developed over the past year, but “serves as a technology demonstrator for next-generation high-speed systems” rather than being a commercially viable product. “Several innovations from the project are expected to support future interceptor drone programs,” the company added.

It is a battery-electric, fixed-wing aircraft developed by the firm’s N3XT advanced development team, benefiting from Porsche-subsidiary-supplied V4Smart battery cells.

Of course, the drone and its successors would not target consumer photographer and hobby markets, instead focusing on high-speed interceptors for modern warfare. Quantum Systems says lessons learned from Apex will directly influence future interceptor platforms for real-world defense scenarios.

“Super proud of the Quantum Systems team, showing our engineering ambition across our Group and reinforcing our commitment to developing world leading technologies,” co-CEO Florian Seibel wrote.

Engineers from Quantum’s Ukrainian WIY Drones division also contributed to the program – a noteworthy inclusion because Russia has increasingly deployed high-speed, jet-powered one-way attack drones. Deploying high-speed drones like the one Quantum Systems has developed could be much cheaper and more accessible than sending off expensive air-defense missiles.

Records continue to be broken as rapid development continues

By mid-July, the company also hopes to have set two other records. The first – the highest speed achieved by an FPV interceptor drone carrying a 500g payload – by its STRILA Interceptor. Second, its SPYS drone, gunning for the highest speed achieved by an anti-aircraft class FPV interceptor drone.

These achievements and potential records reflect an ongoing global race to develop faster military drones, but they also underscore the growing relevance of airborne, remote and autonomous weapons in modern warfare.

That said, other electric drones have technically achieved even higher speeds. Tom’s Hardware recently reported of a New Zealand duo who recorded high speeds of 730km/h (453mph) – that Blackbird drone uses sawtooth carbon fiber prop blades.

Despite lacking official recognition, the duo had previously set a record of 626km/h (388mph) in December 2025 with a separate drone, before quickly being overtaken by another record-holder which achieved a higher 659km/h (408mph). Regardless, an 11.7% increase from December’s first record to today’s unofficial record confirms there’s plenty of scope to continue pushing the boundary.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for July 10, No. 1,847.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for July 10, No. 1,125.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 10, No. 859.

• The Mac mini has emerged as an affordable system for agentic workloads
• Apple has seen "incredible demand" for the Mac mini and Mac Studio
• Apple silicon can handle an agentic AI while other architectures use a GPU and CPU

If you’re looking for the best way to explore and deploy agentic AI without breaking the budget, the Mac mini might be just what you’re looking for.

Apple’s Doug Brooks has expressed enthusiasm for how the Mac mini and Mac Studio desktop computers are capable of handling agentic AI tasks, thanks to Apple silicon, the ARM-based SoC that the company has introduced over the past half decade.

Success with local AI on these machines has been attributed to design choices made before the arrival of advanced LLMs, with the evolution of Apple’s Neural Engine highlighted as a key factor.

How the Mac mini is ideal for agentic AI

The Mac Studio is also suited to agentic AI (Image credit: Future)

Brooks is the senior product manager of Apple silicon, and referred to the “incredible demand” for Mac minis and Mac Studios when speaking to The Deep View before WWDC 2026.

Describing the Mac mini as an “amazing system” that can “tap into the strengths of Apple silicon and unified memory in a very power-efficient way, and increasingly they're delivering compelling price-performance as well.”

The price point of a Mac mini – compared to the more expensive Mac Studio – makes it particularly suited to teams exploring agentic AI but without the budget to pay for tokens and larger systems.

Neural Engine technology dates back to the A11 chip, and its evolution and inclusion within the current generation of Apple chips, and its high-performance, power-efficient compute processes are pivotal in delivering machine learning to the desktop.

As many AI tools were available first on the Mac (or released exclusively for macOS), it seems that upgrading to the latest Mac mini or switching from Windows has been instrumental in demand.

Mac mini: amazing for AI

Apple’s work on AI has seen deployment in everyday use across computers, tablets, and smartphones, and the company has been a leading exponent of hybrid AI, where an agent can “decide what needs to happen locally and what needs to happen in the cloud based on the workload.”

“For agentic workloads, people often want a system that's under their control, isolated from their primary machine, and capable of running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

But it is the strength of the Apple Mac mini and Apple Studio – as well Apple’s notebooks – in handling AI that seems to have enthused Brooks the most. He cites security and economics as concerns for developers and creators who are now realising that they can handle AI workloads sitting at their desk – whether using a Mac mini or something more powerful.

I test a lot of espresso machines here at TechRadar — over a dozen a year — and so far 2026 has delivered a particularly impressive crop. Whether you're looking for your first ever coffee maker or are a seasoned pro hunting for the perfect premium brewer, there's an option for you.

There are so many new espresso machines, in fact, that you might be spoilt for choice, which is where I come in. To help make your decision easier, I've rounded up this collection of the three best machines we've tested this year. Each one has been through our rigorous review process, and received a score of at least four and a half stars out of five.

If you can't see something that quite suits your needs, take a look at our complete roundup of the best espresso machines you can buy today, and the best Nespresso machines if you prefer your morning brew in pod form.

Philips Café AromisFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Release date: March 2026

Score: 5/5

This espresso machine (the Philips Café Aromis 8000 Series, to give it its full name) is a premium coffee maker that looks stunning, makes sublime coffee, and is fun to use as well. It has a menu of 50 drinks — hot and cold — and is astonishingly quiet in use too thanks to cleverly designed noise shielding.

Its milk system is particularly impressive, producing different textures to suit the type of drink you're making, and because the milk never enters the body of the machine itself, it's a piece of cake to keep clean. Just detach the carafe, disassemble it into its three hard plastic components, and wash them in the top drawer of your dishwasher. There are separate carafes for hot and cold milk, and they both work equally well with dairy or plant-based equivalents.

Espresso machines with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity are quite common, but after connecting your phone, usually all you get is a simple instruction manual. Not here. The Philips Home app is styled like an AI chatbot, and asks you a series of questions about your beans and taste preferences to help tailor the brew setting to your liking. It's certainly not cheap, but it's a superb espresso machine that earned a full five stars.

Read our full Philips Café Aromis review

Philips BaristinaFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Release date: February 2026

Score: 5/5

Philips has been really nailing it when it comes to espresso machines this year. The Baristina is very different to the Café Aromis, but if you're new to the world of speciality coffee, or just want something reasonably affordable, it's the better choice.

This is the smallest and cheapest bean-to-cup coffee maker I've ever tested, and it's so easy to use, it's a great option for anyone thinking of making the switch from coffee capsules. Just load your beans in the top, fill the water tank, push in the empty portafilter handle, and slide it to the right. The Baristina will grind the perfect dose of coffee into the basket, tamp it down, then slide the whole handle to the left and pull the shot for you.

It's a piece of cake, and much easier to clean than a typical automatic espresso machine because there's no moisture or debris building up inside an enclosed case. The only drawback is that it can't steam milk (unless you pick up a bundle with the standalone milk frother), but Philips has just launched an updated version — the Baristina Latte — that solves that particular issue. I'm very much looking forward to testing it

Read our full Philips Baristina review

Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2FutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Release date: March 2026

Score: 4.5/5

The Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2 (available direct from Meraki in the US, and from Bella Barista in the UK) is the most stylish coffee maker we've tested so far this year, with its satin finish, chrome and wood accents, pivoting touchscreen display, and separate 'towers' for its twin boilers, water tank, and bean hopper. It's huge, but if you've got the space, it's worth every centimeter.

This is a manual espresso machine, but is packed with thoughtful features that make achieving a delicious brew that little bit easier. For example, there are built-in scales beneath the grinder and grouphead to help you grind exactly the right dose of beans, then weigh your extracted coffee and stop the pump at precisely the right time. There's a temperature sensor to help you avoid scalding your milk, and if you really want a helping hand, you can scan a code on a bag of Meraki's own coffee beans, and the machine will adjust its own settings accordingly.

The standout feature, though, is its dual boiler, which is something we rarely see in a home espresso machine. "Not only does it produce exceedingly well-extracted espresso over and over again, it easily froths a range of milks without losing pressure or cooling down," said our reviewer Josh Russell.

Read our full Meraki Espresso Machine Gen 2 review

• Meta is crossing the border to build a data center in Alberta, Canada
• The data center will have a 1GW capacity and cost $9 billion to build
• It will eventually lead to 300 operational jobs, Meta says

Meta has announced its ambition to build a $9 billion datacenter in Alberta, Canada, with a 1GW capacity.

The project, which was announced in a Meta blog post, is set to be built just outside of Edmonton in Sturgeon County, with the construction expected to take two to three years.

Meta says the data center will support around 3,000 jobs during construction, and then 300 operation jobs when the data center is up and running.

1GW AI-optimized data center

Alongside the data center, Meta has announced that it will improve local infrastructure with a CAD $60 million in roads and water services. The project will also see its electricity usage matched with “100% clean and renewable energy,” with the full costs of the data centers’ energy use covered by Meta.

“This specific location met the factors we typically look for: good access to infrastructure, a robust electric grid and access to energy, a strong pool of talent, and a great set of community partners that helped us move this project forward,” a Meta spokesperson told CNBC.

The project marks Meta’s first data center venture in Canada, and will join a fleet of 32 other Meta campuses across the globe. Alberta was also chosen because of its lenient regulatory environment, allowing the construction to be approved with a comparatively small amount of legwork.

Meta also hopes “to plan for and meet our energy needs years in advance of this data center coming online” by working with Canadian energy services such as Greenlight Limited Partnership, Altalink, Capitol Power and the Alberta Electric System Operator.

The AI capacity offerings from Meta come relatively late in the game compared to industry leaders such as Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft, prompting it to undertake an aggressive buildout across the US and elsewhere.

Meta is also reportedly venturing into the cloud computing industry by selling excess capacity at some of its completed AI data centers in order to offset the costs of construction. Meta predicted that it would spend between $125-145 billion on AI and data centers in 2026.

If you're looking for a cheap portable power station this summer for camping, festivals, or just a little home backup unit for charging essential devices, the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 is our top pick.

Right now, Bluetti's Elite 30 V2 portable power station is down to $219 (was $299) at Amazon. And after putting this device through its paces, we found it a spectacular option for anyone who needs to top up and recharge smaller devices without spending too much.

Calling it a "spectacular option", we scored this one 4.5 stars after testing, and awarded it a Highly Recommended badge. For an all-rounder designed for power backup when you need it, there's not much to dislike, especially at this price. In the UK, the 288Wh unit also has a modest discount, dropping to £230 (was £239) at Amazon, too.

Today's top portable power station deal

288Wh | 600W

There's a lot we liked about the Bluetti Elite 30 V2, which scored 4.5 stars and earned a Highly Recommended badge in our review. We found it ultra-compact, and does very well everything a power station of this size and capacity needs to do.

In the UK: now £230 (was £239)View Deal

In our final verdict during our review of this unit, we said "The Bluetti E30 V2 is a compact, easy-to-use jack-of-all-trades power station. An all-rounder for general usage with spectacular port options, impressive output, and even more impressive lift." Bonus points, too, for including a built-in handle for extra portability.

The battery here uses LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) chemistry rather than the NMC lithium-ion found in older compact power stations. It's a meaningful upgrade for longevity: BLUETTI rates the Elite 30 V2 for 3,000+ charge cycles, which works out to roughly a decade of regular use, backed by a 5-year warranty.

At 600W of continuous rated power and 1500W in "Power Lifting" mode for resistive loads, it can run laptops, mini fridges, and CPAP machines comfortably, and briefly handle higher-draw appliances like kettles or hair dryers. The 288Wh capacity keeps things compact, but it's worth sizing that against what you actually plan to run — this isn't built for multi-day off-grid power, more for day trips, emergencies, and topping up devices.

Charging is fast for the category: 0-80% in around 45 minutes on AC power via Turbo mode, or a full charge in about 2 hours on standard. It also accepts up to 200W of solar input if you pair it with a compatible panel, though the solar charging cable is sold separately.

Port selection is generous for something this size: two USB-C outputs (140W and 100W), two USB-A ports, two AC outlets, two DC5521 ports, and a 12V car port — nine outputs in total. The built-in UPS function switches over in under 10 milliseconds, so it can sit between your wall outlet and sensitive electronics as automatic backup during outages.

Also consider: More portable power station deals

1070Wh | 1500W

We recommend this one for camping this summer - it's practically built for the job. In our review, it also earned top marks, making it one of the best of its class.

In the UK: now £379 (was £549)View Deal

1024Wh | 1800W

Earning top marks in our tests, we awarded this portable power station an Editor's Choice badge thanks to its compact design, versatile charging options, and robust performance.

In the UK: now £579 (was £699)View Deal

• US: Shop all the portable power stations at Amazon
• UK: See all portable power stations at Amazon.co.uk

Moving home is such a pain, and that's doubly true when half of your possessions are tech gadgets. I just spent weeks moving my belongings between two flats on opposite sides of London, and it would've taken half the time if I didn't have to shift countless large boxes that were 10% gadget and 90% packaging to keep said gadget from breaking.

Eventually I finished moving to The Ladder, as the area is called (not funny, since most tenants still aren't on it), and as soon as I had my foot on the rung, as it were, my turntable and hi-fi kit was the first thing I set up. The deposit had barely gone through before my Sony PS-LX310BT was on the cabinet and some Edifier M90s were either side.

That's right, the very first thing. Before I unpacked my clothes. I still haven't unpacked my books or computer. Getting some tunes going was the most important task.

This wasn't just because I wanted to enjoy some music while I unpacked, though, or because I wanted to claim the good speaker spots in the living room before my flatmate moved his own turntable in (OK actually, that was part of it). No: it's because getting your hi-fi set up in a new flat can save you loads of faff later on down the line.

Pride of place

(Image credit: Future)

Speakers aren't something you can just dump anywhere in your living room and get a good experience. A lot of thought needs to go into where they're placed.

Stereo speakers like mine need to be placed so they're spread evenly across a room, to put the listener in the sweet spot betwixt the two, not hidden together in a corner. You want to make sure they're placed on a surface that won't offer unwanted resonance, aren't too close to a wall and are, ideally, at ear level.

If you set up a living room and then bring your hi-fi kit into it, the ideal placement for all of this may already be taken up by other things. Books or DVDs or fancy liqueurs can hog the shelf space on which a speaker would ideally do best.

In my old apartment, the only convenient space for a turntable was on a shelf in the corner of the room. Reaching it to swap a record was a chore, and so I didn't bother using the player as much as I otherwise would.

That's why I thought it important to give my hi-fi set-up priority space in the room. Now, everything else can be place around it.

I'll admit, it wasn't perfect. As you can see in the pictures, I put my speakers on the same cabinet as the turntable. Great for taking pictures, not so great for music, because vibration interference might affect record playback. Unfortunately, it's the only place in the room where I could equally space the speakers, so it's something I'll have to make do with.

A mess of cables

(Image credit: Future)

"There's nothing as fun and sexy as cable management" is what I would say if I wanted to say something totally wrong. I hate the whole process of cleaning up wires and cables, and so often ignore it, leaving trails and black snakes and wire rat kings running like veins around my house.

(I know some people find great satisfaction in cable management and maintenance, with some cables ties and so on, and that's fair enough. It's just not my cup of tea. You can try and help me with mine, if you want though).

Unfortunately, this can quickly become a problem with a hi-fi set-up, when players and speakers need cables for power, cables for music, cables for the sake of it sometimes. I've created some pretty hideous messes in the past.

Sometimes, that makes moving house quite a pain, because you're left tangling or untangling countless wires. It's why I thought it important to set up everything quickly when I moved: I could refresh my cable situation, making sure I had all my audio cables in position before any annoying extras needed to be added.

I'm glad I did, because in the week I've moved here, the behind-the-cabinet area has turned into a nest of vipers. If I had to add my turntable now, it'd give me a migraine trying to work out what goes where.

That's especially true of power plugs, which are few and far between in any rental flat. Where I've plugged in the turntable and speakers, I also have to find space for a refrigerator, internet router, separate internet box (yeah, my ISP really likes taking up power points apparently), and various other things.

Since I've yet to buy a splitter, I'm constantly playing musical chairs with the plugs, removing and replacing them to find space for my laptop charger or projector. Thankfully, since the turntable and speakers were there first, they're too embedded to remove.

Where do the records go?

(Image credit: Future)

When I first set up my turntable and speaker, I thought those pieces of kit getting central spots would be the end of my space issue. I was wrong. And I'm not just talking about the fact that my flatmate and I have far more UK pint glasses than our kitchen storage can cope with.

Records. I'm talking about records. They're pretty big, aren't they? A lot bigger than my Spotify collection, that's for sure, because that takes up zero space.

Partly, I'm talking about how tall and wide records are. They just don't stack on all shelves, so you need to be smart about where you place them.

But the biggest problem for my flatmate and I soon became just how many records we have between us. We must have far north of 50 collectively, which makes them hard to fit on any kind of shelf.

Unfortunately, I didn't think of this ahead of time, and we only realized the issue when we'd already settled in the living room. Where were our records going to go? We'd already filled the crevices in the cabinet with bowls and plates, and reaching the shelves required a stretch, so that was no cigar.

It took some reorganization to carve out a space for them in one of the cabinet's areas, and that's only a half measure, because I had to sacrifice about three-fifths of my collection to the black void that is my unpacked room. But our favorite records are within reach, at least.

If I'd have thought this far in advance, I'd have saved some more cabinet space for records. But it just goes to prove the point: a hi-fi system takes thought, and if you don't bring it into your home before anything else (yes, including bowls and cutlery and little ramekins of the sort I have far too many of), you end up having to totally reorganize when it's too late.

If you just need a reliable Windows laptop for everyday use, this Lenovo deal is a genuinely good price - it's an easy recommendation for remote and hybrid workers, and for my money, it ticks all the boxes for general business work.

So, right now, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i has dropped to £499 (was £599) at Argos. For an all-rounder business laptop, this one of the best budget picks around for under £500.

Inside, the machine is equipped with an efficient Intel Core i5 13420H processor and 16GB RAM, so essential office tasks, photo editing, browsing, and streaming won't be a problem - no slowdowns or sluggishness here.

Today's top Lenovo laptop deal

This ultra-portable work laptop features all the core specs I'd expect from a business-centric or home laptop, making it the ideal companion for anyone running office apps, web browsing, and video calls with the team.View Deal

This is a budget-friendly configuration built around Intel's Core i5-13420H, an 8-core, 12-thread chip from the 13th-gen Raptor Lake-H family, with four performance cores boosting up to 4.6GHz and four efficiency cores.

The 15.3in WUXGA (1920x1200) IPS panel uses a 16:10 aspect ratio, which gives you a bit more vertical space for documents and browsing than the more common 16:9 laptops in this price range. It's rated at 300 nits with an anti-glare coating, with decent contrast and color accuracy (provided you calibrate it). That makes it ideal for creating images for, say, your work's social media pages, though I wouldn't recommend it for colour-critical tasks required by creative professionals.

16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is a sensible balance for this price point — enough headroom for normal multitasking across browser tabs, office apps, and streaming without feeling cramped. The laptop weighs 1.59kg and measures 17.9mm thick, with Lenovo quoting up to 14.5 hours of battery life, though real-world use — especially on the Intel variant — will likely fall short of that figure.

Connectivity is fairly standard for the budget class: two USB-A ports and one USB-C port, all capped at 5Gbps, plus HDMI 1.4 (so no native 4K60 output — you'll need the USB-C port's DisplayPort Alt Mode for that), a full-size SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth round out the wireless side.

Also consider

This IdeaPad features a bigger jump in RAM and storage with an AMD Ryzen 7 chip and 24GB of memory for those that need more power and a smooth workflow.View Deal

• See all laptop deals at Argos.