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iOS 26 is imminent and is expected to come to public beta very soon. While we’re excited to see how Apple’s biggest software update will upgrade the iPhone experience, Apple Watches will also be getting the same treatment when watchOS 26 is rolled out, and we're just as excited.

If you own an Apple Watch Series 6 or later, an Apple Watch SE 2, or any Apple Watch Ultra model, then you’ll be able to reap the benefits of watchOS 26’s exciting new features. However, it does come with some setbacks.

Though the models mentioned above will receive a lot of handy new functions, there are four watchOS 26 features that will only be available to use on the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra models only – leaving owners of older models in the dust.

It’s best to double-check and see what watchOS 26 features your current Apple Watch model will support when the update is rolled out in September. If you want to make the most of more advanced features, take this as your sign to upgrade in time for watchOS 26.

(Image credit: Apple)4 features your older Apple Watch won’t get

The following features will be available on Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra models only.

1. Wrist Flick

In 2023, Apple rolled out the Double Tap gesture for the Apple Watch, a multi-functional feature that allows you to do things such as close Smart Stack, begin workouts, silence alarms and timers, and dismiss notifications.

Apple’s Wrist Flick function is a new hands-free gesture designed to carry out similar functions which sounds a lot more reliable than Double Tap, but only the Apple Watch models mentioned above will be able to support this.

2. Smart Replies updates

(Image credit: Apple)

While it doesn’t matter which iPhone model you have (as long as it supports the latest version of iOS), you’ll still need one of the newer Apple Watch models to make the most of watchOS 26’s upgrade to Smart Replies, which offers more precise and contextually-relevant messaging suggestions.

3. Automatic volume adjustment

Similarly to Wrist Flick, automatic volume adjustment won’t be coming to models released pre-2023. This is a little disappointing, as it sounds like it would be a very handy function when it comes to managing noisy notifications.

With this new watchOS 26 feature, your Apple Watch will have the ability to ‘automatically adjust the speaker volume based on the ambient noise in a user’s surroundings for notifications, timers, alarms, incoming calls, and Siri’ – as it states in Apple’s press release.

4. Live Translation

(Image credit: Apple)

One of the biggest iOS 26 upgrades announced at WWDC 2025 was the addition of Apple Intelligence’s Live Translation function for iPhone, and now certain Apple Watch models are getting the same treatment.

With the arrival of watchOS 26, you’ll be able to view these right from your wrist – that’s if you own an Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, or an Apple Watch Ultra 2.

5 features your older Apple Watch will receive

If you have an Apple Watch Series 6 or later, or an Apple Watch SE 2, look out for these new features when watchOS 26 rolls out.

1. Liquid Glass

(Image credit: Apple)

Liquid Glass is one of the biggest upgrades coming with watchOS 26 – a huge operating system design upgrade that will roll out across all of Apple’s hardware. Not only will it give your interface a transparent and glossy look, but will make the use of small spaces by using expanding widgets.

The best part about this? You won’t have to worry about upgrading to a newer Apple Watch model for this new look, as it’s coming to Apple Watch Series 6 or later, Apple Watch SE 2, and all Apple Watch Ultra models.

2. Apple Intelligence Workout Buddy

(Image credit: Jacob Krol / Future)

watchOS 26 is also getting some upgrades on the fitness front, the main new addition being the Workout Buddy function. Powered by Apple Intelligence, Workout Buddy is a new experience in the Workout app that accesses the user's fitness, health, and workout history to provide spoken motivation and personalized fitness summaries.

You should note that to take advantage of Workout Buddy, you’ll also need an iPhone capable of supporting Apple Intelligence – those being models that support iOS 18.4 and later.

3. Notes on wrist

(Image credit: Apple)

One of the most asked-for features is the addition of the Notes app to watchOS, and if you have an Apple Watch Series 6 or above, you’ll soon be able to use Notes right from your wrist as nature intended.

Not only will you be able to access existing notes made on your iPhone, watchOS 26 will allow you to create new ones from your Apple Watch using Siri, dictation, and the keyboard function – and even complete checklists. Your grocery list can now live on your wrist!

4. Watch face ‘Hints’ in the Smart Stack

(Image credit: Apple)

With watchOS 26, new visual prompts called ‘Hints’ are coming to the watch face Smart Stack, which appears when you use the Digital Crown on the side of your watch to scroll.

Apple says Hints are designed to make your everyday interactions more convenient, offering the following examples of what to expect from its new addition: ‘A hint for Backtrack may appear when a user is in a remote location with no connectivity, or a hint for a Pilates workout may show up when a user arrives at a studio location at their usual time’.

5. Third-party control functions

The final new feature coming to the wider group of watchOS 26-compatible models are new third-party controls, which will allow developers to create their own custom controls that Apple Watch users can add to their Control Center, Smart Stack widget, or Action Button.

When editing your Control Center, your Apple Watch will also show a ‘From your iPhone’ section, which will then allow you to add third-party controls found in your iPhone.

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Bad news, animation heads: according to Amazon MGM+, the first two seasons of Helluva Boss won’t arrive on Prime Video until late 2025, but we still don’t know exactly when. Amazingly, the new Prime Video show has also been commissioned for seasons 3 and 4, with these episodes set to join the existing two seasons on YouTube. All of this has happened without us even seeing a single scene, and that makes it the first deal of its kind for the streaming service.

Unsurprisingly, Helluva Boss is set like its namesake in Hell. The main protagonist of the show is Blitzo, the leader of I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals) who is tasked with killing targets in the human world alongside a ragtag crew, amid an ongoing complicated situationship with the demon prince Stolas. It’s the most darkly comic work-life balance you could imagine, getting more absurdly violent the longer we watch.

That description alone makes me want to binge all of the show’s episodes immediately, but we’ve still got months left until its Prime Video release window (sometime between September and October) arrives. Thankfully, if you look through the streamer right now, you’ll find an equally bonkers animation ready to be streamed while you wait… and if you want my opinion, it’s absolutely unmissable.

Why I recommend streaming Hazbin Hotel on Prime Video while you wait for Helluva Boss

You might be thinking that Hazbin Hotel looks remarkably like Helluva Boss, and that’s because both animations come from the same creative team. Both shows are set in the same ‘Hellaverse’, with Helluva Boss technically a spinoff of Hazbin Hotel (although with a different set of characters, as far as we can see). Basically, delving into the original is only going to expand your understanding of the show’s lore, and help you get fully acquainted with its absolutely unhinged approach to entertainment.

In the Hellaverse, Hell itself is incredibly overpopulated. Trying to find a non-violent alternative to house everyone there, Lucifer’s daughter decides to open a rehab hotel, where a group of demons try their best to get a second chance. That sounds rather gentle written down, but trust me when I say it’s anything but.

Hazbin Hotel is an animation that isn’t afraid to take its narrative direction to the extreme, mixing crude humor with outright musical numbers that would even make the genre’s most prolific haters sing and dance along. Creatively, it takes a total detour from what we’d typically expect from cartoon shows (yes, even the ones made for adults like Rick & Morty), swinging fans from hideously explicit schoolyard banter towards incredibly serious topics handled with a deftly light touch.

In a nutshell, the Prime Video animation isn’t conforming to any blueprint of existing narrative structure, and that’s what really makes it sing. Effortlessly diverse in its subject matter as well as its casting, we’ve got everything the mind could possibly comprehend to exist in a cartoon world packed into visual animation styling we’d recognize from our fondest memories of growing up. Get someone who can do both, as the kids say.

With only eight episodes to stream, fans can make easy work of their Hazbin Hotel binge in plenty of time to be ready and prepared for Helluva Boss. In my opinion, you’ll want to savour every minute, or at least go back and watch copious amounts of highlight clips on YouTube. If you don’t understand what on Earth’s going on, you don’t really have to – there's a method to their madness in keeping us hooked.

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• CrushFTP had a flaw that allowed admin access via HTTPS
• It was patched in early July 2025, but risks persist
• Around 1,000 servers running older versions at risk as attacks are spotted in the wild

Hackers are actively exploiting a critical vulnerability in CrushFTP instances, gaining admin access to vulnerable servers, experts have warned.

It was addressed in early July 2025 with a patch, with file transfer company urging customers to apply it as soon as possible.

However, on July 18, the company said it saw a zero-day exploit being used against this vulnerability - meaning it is possible the attacks have been going on for longer, and were only observed then.

Around a thousand targets

In a recently published security advisory, CrushFTP explained that in all versions 10 below 10.8.5 and all versions 11 below 11.3.4_23, when the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) proxy feature is not used, there was a mishandling of AS2 validation vulnerability, which allows remote attackers to obtain admin access via HTTPS.

“Hackers apparently reverse engineered our code and found some bug which we had already fixed,” the advisory reads. “They are exploiting it for anyone who has not stayed current on new versions.”

We don’t know if the attackers are using the bug to drop malware, or steal data, and we don’t know the exact number of organizations that were already compromised as a result of this flaw.

We do know that just below 1,000 organizations remain vulnerable, as per the latest data from Shadowserver. These organizations are now being notified of the potential risk. Those who were exploited should restore a prior default user from their backup folder.

“As always we recommend regularly and frequent patching,” CrushFTP warned. “Anyone who had kept up to date was spared from this exploit. Enterprise customers with a DMZ CrushFTP in front of their main are not affected by this.”

The bug is tracked as CVE-2025-54309, and has a severity score of 9.0.

Via BleepingComputer

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• Microsoft promises to reduce data retention costs to less than 10%
• Sentinel Data Lake will break down silos and empower security teams
• A layer of AI will improve detection and response time to outpace adversaries

Microsoft has launched Sentinel Data Lake as looks to break down silos, lower costs and improve large-scale threat detection with an updated, AI-optimized security data lake.

Now in public preview, Microsoft says users will no longer need to choose between retaining critical data and staying within budget, promising to reduce data retention costs to less than 10% of traditional analytics logs.

It combines SIEM, XDR and threat intelligence into a single platform, bringing together data from Microsoft and third-party sources with over 350 native connectors, promising to be a whole "new architecture," not "just a new product."

Microsoft Sentinel Data Lake

In order to democratize threat intelligence and improve coverage, Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence capabilities will now be available in Defender XDR and Sentinel without adding to the cost.

This is on top of the injection of artificial intelligence, which promises "faster detection, smarter response and the ability to outpace even the most sophisticated adversaries."

Microsoft says the update allows security teams to uncover attacker behavior without worrying about storage limits, which can significantly improve detection by analyzing company-specific trends.

Sentinel Data Lake "enables security teams to proactively detect latent attacks, detect emerging threats with AI-driven models, reconstruct attack timelines in forensic detail, and retroactively uncover indicators of compromise that might otherwise go unnoticed," Microsoft explained.

Among the benefits of Microsoft's upgraded Sentinel include the ability for companies to keep raw data for compliance and digital forensics and a lower TCO with faster ROI.

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If you were wondering where OpenAI’s vision for AI is going in the future, then a good place to start getting a feel of what the company has in store for us is the new article posted by incoming CEO of Applications, Fidji Simo.

Simo doesn't start for a few weeks yet, when she'll be joining OpenAI as CEO of Applications, "helping get OpenAI’s technologies into the hands of more people around the world."

Her article is a pretty good summation of the benefits we can all get from AI right now, but I found some of her predictions for how AI can help by "filling a gap that often goes unfilled" could have serious implications for the future.

Two CEOs

Confusingly, OpenAI is about to have two CEOs. Sam Altman, the actual CEO of OpenAI, announced that Fidji Simo is joining as 'CEO of Applications', back in May, and emphasized that he was still in control of the company:

“To strengthen our execution, I’m excited to announce Fidji Simo is joining as our CEO of Applications, reporting directly to me. I remain the CEO of OpenAI and will continue to directly oversee success across all pillars of OpenAI – Research, Compute, and Applications – ensuring we stay aligned and integrated across all areas. I will work closely with our board on making sure our non-profit has maximum positive impact. “

Simo was previously at Instacart, and had already been serving on the board of OpenAI for a year.

In a new article on the OpenAI website, Simo writes, “I’ve always considered myself a pragmatic technologist – someone who loves technology not for its own sake, but for the direct impact it can have on people’s lives.”

Six areas of impact

Simo goes on to set out six key areas of our lives that she sees AI making the most impact in – knowledge, health, creative expression, economic freedom, time and support.

Her vision starts with knowledge, where Simo notes that “people who use AI tutors learn twice as much as they do from human ones, and the gains are even bigger compared to learning in a traditional classroom”.

She then moves on to health, and explains how, “AI can explain lab results, decode medical jargon, offer second opinions, and help patients understand their options in plain language. It won’t replace doctors, but it can finally level the playing field for patients, putting them in the driver seat of their own care.”

AI is often thought to be the enemy of creativity, taking opportunities away from human artists, for example, but Simo neatly dodges that issue, saying, “If AI gives everyone access to the tools to transform their ideas into images, stories, or songs, it will make the world a much richer place.”

However, it’s her final area of AI innovation – support – that makes me raise my eyebrow most quizzically. Simo notes that “Many people don’t feel comfortable opening up to family or friends, and most people don’t have access to a therapist or coach they can call regularly. Even people who do have access often spend an hour a week or less with these professionals. AI coaches, on the other hand, can be available throughout every day, leverage their full understanding of all aspects of your life to help support you, and bring your subconscious patterns to your consciousness.”

(Image credit: Shutterstock/elenabsl)Trust in AI

I can see her point, but I’m also wary of a world where people begin to trust AI with their innermost thoughts, and start to shy away from talking to friends and family, or even human therapists. While I think it can be helpful for many, I worry about the power that it gives to the AI companies, who will know more and more intimate details about our personal lives.

As I found out in my conversation with serial entrepreneur Simon Squibb last week, trust is going to be a key value going forward as AI levels the technological and economic playing field, so that everybody can create a product and start a company without having to invest thousands of dollars.

If we put our trust in companies that are trying to make a profit (OpenAI has a complicated structure that combines a non-profit with a Public Benefit Corporation) then will we always be sure they have our best interests at heart?

We’ve already seen how easily it was for social media to be used to influence public opinion in an election. What happens when the AI we’ve come to trust as our help and support structure starts accepting adverts?

Currently, there are no adverts on the big AI platforms, but most of the experts I talk to think it’s only a matter of time before the AI giants seek to monetize the hugely expensive systems they’ve created.

I think that Simo’s overall point that AI can be used right now to enhance many areas of our lives, democratizing access to technology and giving us opportunities we haven’t had before, is valid, but there seem to be very few guardrails in place as we march towards this new AI future.

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Pokémon Presents returns later today (July 22, 2025), and so far, we’ve only really gotten one small (and rather confusing) tease as to what’s going to be shown. Of course, Pokémon Legends Z-A is the big release coming later in 2025, so it’s highly likely we’ll see more, even if it’s just some more info on Mega Evolutions. We’ll be covering the event live, giving up-to-date coverage and impressions of each announcement as they happen.

Pokémon Presents key info

Start time
Duration
Teases
Predictions
Live coverage

While many fans will be hoping for big announcements on mainline Pokémon titles, it’s worth remembering that these Pokémon Presents events tend to cover a wide variety of different announcements.

We’ll likely see more on Pokémon Champions, which looks to focus entirely on battles, and then there are other games like Pokémon GO, Pokémon Unite, and Pokémon Sleep to cover too. Regardless, we’re betting on some surprise announcements, hopefully new additions to NSO (Nintendo Switch Online) like Pokémon Colosseum (GameCube) and the Pokémon Pinball games (Game Boy Color).

Here’s our live coverage of Pokémon Presents, including predictions for things we’d like to see announced. We’ll provide up-to-date details as the event is happening, as well as some commentary and impressions on any of the bigger announcements. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but we could even see a tease for Gen 10, which should be imminent. We’ll have to wait and see.

Pokémon Presents - cut to the chase

Looking for a quick overview? Here are the most important details of Pokémon Presents to know about:

• Start time: July 22 at 6am PT, 9am ET, 2pm BST, 3pm CEST, 11pm AEST
• Duration: 24 minutes
• Where to watch: YouTube or Twitch

Pokémon Presents start date and time

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

The next Pokémon Presents presentation is scheduled to air on July 22, 2025. You'll be able to watch it live on the official Pokémon YouTube and Twitch channels at the times below:

• 6am PT
• 9am ET
• 2pm BST
• 3pm CEST
• 11pm AEST

Pokémon Presents teases so far

(Image credit: The Pokémon Company)

At present, we only really have one tease for the Pokémon Presents event. An image has been shared on the official Pokémon X account showing Pikachu standing next to a pair of DJ decks (embedded below). This could mean a new music-focused game, or some tie-in with the Nintendo Music App. I’m certainly hoping it’s the former, as a Pokémon-themed DJ Hero-like experience could be really fun.

7月22日（火）に配信される「Pokémon Presents」は、同日21時から視聴ページがオープンするよ。ピカチュウが何やら準備しているみたい……？続報をお楽しみに！#ポケモンプレゼンツ pic.twitter.com/9CJWjwvL2WJuly 15, 2025

How long will Pokémon Presents be?

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

The Pokémon Company is yet to reveal how long the Pokémon Presents event will last, well, not officially. As reported by GamesRadar+, the Korean YouTube channel for The Pokémon Company appeared to upload the listed presentation before taking it down. This revealed that the upcoming showcase is 24 minutes long.

Pokémon Presents predictions

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Given that there’s been very little teased for Pokémon Presents so far, we’re left to our own devices in terms of predicting what will be announced. The safe bets are Pokémon Legends Z-A and Pokémon Champions, as we’re yet to see a lot of either. Pokémon Legends Z-A is currently planned as the next major title, so I’d love to see some details on multiplayer and a look at how the game runs on Nintendo Switch 2.

I know it’s unlikely, but my dream is to have old mainline Pokémon games added to Nintendo Switch Online. This would mean the first three generations, though, as someone who never played Gen 5, I’d also love to see Pokémon Black and White added to the online service. Generation 9 launched back in 2022, so we’re due for Gen 10 sooner rather than later. It’s unlikely that we’ll get another mainline Pokémon game in 2025, but it’s possible we’ll get a tease for next year.

Finally, I’d love to see the Pokémon Pinball games added to Switch 2 in some form. These are underrated Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games that’d fit perfectly into the current NSO offering. In terms of other games that could be added, it’d be great to see GameCube’s Pokémon Colosseum made available to modern platforms.

Live coverage as it happensHello and welcome!

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Hello and welcome to my live coverage of today’s Pokémon Presents event. I’ll be following the show live, and posting every announcement, as well as my thoughts, right here on this live blog. Hopefully, we’ll get some info on future games, as well as some nice surprises. Let’s get started.

What time does Pokémon Presents start?

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Let’s start by taking a look at when the event starts. Pokémon Presents will go live at 6am PT, 9am ET, 2pm BST, 3pm CEST, 11pm AEST. The show will last 24 minutes, and can be watched via the official Pokémon YouTube and Twitch channels.

Will we see more on Pokémon Legends Z-A?

(Image credit: Captura de pantalla del tráiler oficial de Pokémon Legends Z-A en YouTube)

The safest bet for today’s announcements is easily more info on Pokémon Legends Z-A. The game focuses on Mega Evolution, so I’m betting we’ll see some more on that. We also need to see more on multiplayer, which will no doubt be a big part of the endgame.

Pikachu is a DJ now?

(Image credit: The Pokémon Company)

The only tease we’ve gotten for today’s show came from the official Japan Pokémon X account. It’s an image showing Pikachu standing beside DJ decks (shown above). What this actually means is anyone’s guess, but I’m hoping to see a new Pokémon music game, perhaps in the style of DJ Hero. One can hope.

Gen 1-3, is now the time?

(Image credit: Nintendo)

One thing I've always wanted to happen in a Pokémon Presents broadcast is the announcement of the series' first three generations coming to Nintendo Switch Online. That's Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow for the Game Boy, Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal for Game Boy Color, and finally Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald for Game Boy Advance.

Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have always seemed oddly reluctant to host these legendary titles on Nintendo Switch Online's various libraries, and I'm not really sure why. Some of these games have been re-released in the past, on 3DS as Virtual Console titles. They'd surely also bring in new Switch Online subscribers in droves, especially while we wait on Pokémon Legends Z-A and a potential Gen 10.

Hopefully today is the day, but I won't hold my breath.

How likely is a Generation 10 reveal?

(Image credit: Niantic)

While there's certainly an outside chance the next mainline Pokémon titles get announced today, I don't think it's overly likely. Pokémon Legends Z-A is on the horizon, as well as Pokémon Champions.

Furthermore, Game Freak is currently developing Beast of Reincarnation, a multiplatform action game for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The developer will undoubtedly have its hands full with the upcoming game, so I'd estimate we're at least another year or two out from Pokémon's tenth generation.

That said, Pokémon games have routinely been on a notoriously rushed schedule. Most recently, we saw this with Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet launching within the same year, and you could clearly see the effects of this. I would hope Game Freak is instead given the proper amount of time to create Gen 10, better suited to the Switch 2's increased power.

One hour warning klaxon!

(Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)

This is your one-hour warning, people!

Only 60 minutes until we hopefully get a glimpse of some exciting new Pokémon news and details.

Get your snacks in order and your live stream of choice lined up! Remember, you can catch the presentation on YouTube or Twitch.

Eevee Mass Outbreak in Pokémon TCG Pocket

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

While you wait for the show to start, why not check out Pokémon TCG Pocket’s new limited time event? There’s now Eevee and Eevee evolutions in Wonder Picks, and even Missions that give out shop tickets as rewards. This event runs until July 29, so make sure to jump in and make the most of the new bonuses and rewards. It’s likely we’ll see more on Pokémon TCG Pocket during the event too.

• Existing Kiro users are being limited, new users are not currently being welcomed
• Pricing details have been pulled – could a change be on the way already?
• Users cited poor performance and a desire for additional models

Just days after Amazon Web Services launched its new Kiro AI coding tool, the company has imposed daily usage limits and a waitlist for new users due to high demand.

By imposing these temporary measures, AWS hopes to buy its teams time to scale the supporting infrastructure and improve performance, following complaints from early adopters that performance was already suboptimal.

Existing users are being advised not to install Kiro on multiple machines, with warnings now being triggered once they read the temporarily imposed usage limits.

AWS Kiro restrictions

Even though Kiro is barely a week old and the temporary restrictions are even newer, malicious actors have already been busy readying a fake download site to capitalize on users seeking unrestricted access. With no option to bypass limits or buy extra tokens, users are being urged to be patient.

Originally offered in free, Pro and Pro+ tiers, AWS has removed pricing details, stating that "updated pricing details for different tiers will be shared soon."

"The way humans and machines coordinate to build software is still messy and fragmented, but we're working to change that," Nikhil Swaminathan and Deepak Singh explained when they lifted the wraps off Kiro on July 14, 2025.

When it launched, Kiro was set to be free for users during a preview period, but that all changed when it popularity surpassed expectations.

Looking ahead, it's expected that paid plans with metering will return, though it's unclear whether AWS will make changes to the costs in light of high demand.

Further down the line, it's possible that AWS might also expand on the existing models available (Claude Sonnet 3.7 and 4.0), with users requesting support for Gemini 1.5 Pro.

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• Hitman: World of Assassination seems to have an unofficial "performance mode" on the Nintendo Switch 2
• After changing the game's resolution from 4K to 720p, the game's performance significantly increases in some locations
• Digital Foundry conducted an investigation and found Whittleton Creek offered the biggest frame-rate difference, hitting 59.93FPS at 720p

The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Hitman: World of Assassination appears to have an unofficial "performance mode" hidden behind its settings.

That's according to Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter (via Eurogamer), who received an email claiming that the game can run at a higher frame rate after changing the resolution settings from 4K to 720p.

"Hitman: World of Assassination on Switch 2 runs around 30-45 fps around 90 percent of the time," the email from Harry Mingham reads. "Out of curiosity, I went into the system settings and changed the TV output res from 4K to 720p, went back into the game and found it vastly improves performance. The Hawkes Bay Mission ran at... a very solid and stable frame-rate."

Leadbetter then conducted an investigation and captured scenes from Paris, Mumbai, Berlin, and Whittleton Creek at 720p, 1080p, and 4K resolution.

He found that Whittleton Creek offered the biggest frame-rate difference, hitting 59.93FPS at 720p, 46.88FPS at 1080p, and just 40.45FPS at 4K, showing a 62.5 percent increase in performance when the game is set to the lowest resolution.

Leadbetter explained that this is happening simply because setting the game to 720p "seems to be producing a straight 720p image, allowing for a much higher frame-rate".

It appears that the game renders at a slightly higher resolution at 1080p, with pixel counts suggesting 1152p to 1188p, but when the Switch 2 is set to 4K, performance drops, but the pixel count stays the same.

Meanwhile, Berlin at 720p output is 61 percent faster than 4K, while 1080p is seven points clear of 4K.

"This is a slightly more demanding scene than Whittleton Creek with 720p averaging 55.1fps, 1080p at 36.7fps, and 4K at 34.26fps," Leadbetter said.

It was found that scenes that are packed with NPCs reduce performance. There are wide gaps in frame rates between the resolution in certain areas in Paris, for example, but when Agent 47 enters more crammed areas, the gap closes significantly.

At 720p, the game can hit 42FPS, 1080p can reach 39FPS, but 4K struggles at 35FPS.

"720p should be higher, but the bottleneck shifts from a GPU limitation to the CPU instead. Frame rates also close up in Mumbai for similar reasons," Leadbetter explained.

While players can reduce their resolution to 720p in favor of higher performance, Digital Foundry says that the problem is that the "very noticeable" lower resolution won't make Hitman: World of Assassination look good.

Here's hoping IO Interactive will consider adding an official performance mode in the future.

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• Auracast support is in LG's 2025 OLEDs and some QNED TVs too
• One-to-many broadcasting is great for hearing aids and headphones
• Auracast is also in many Samsung TVs – but not all headphones offer it

Some of the most important technologies aren't necessarily the most eye-catching – so while LG's 2025 OLED TVs are impressively bright, for some people the most important feature may be their support for Auracast. That's an optional part of the most recent Bluetooth standards that enables multiple devices to stream audio from the same TV, or from other audio sources, without pairing.

It's a big deal for people with compatible hearing aids, or people who want to share the same show or movie while wearing a pair of the best wireless headphones.

LG has been pretty quiet about its Auracast support, which is surprising: as FlatpanelsHD notes, the only official announcement has been in collaboration with Starkey hearing aids, which suggests that LG sees Auracast as more of an accessibility feature than a mass-market thing.

But while supporting hearing aids is of course vital, Auracast also enables a shared audio experience for headphone users – and that's handy if you're in an apartment where listening loud is likely to upset the neighbors, or if you've got sleeping kids in the next room.

What's so great about Auracast audio?

Auracast is appearing in all kinds of home entertainment kit including turntables and wireless speakers (Image credit: Victrola)

Most wireless audio connections are one-to-one, so when I connect my Samsung TV to my AirPods Max, I'm the only connected listener. But Auracast is one-to-many, so provided everybody's headphones (and other compatible kit such as Auracast-enabled Bluetooth speakers, hearing aids, AV receivers and soundbars) support the technology, they can all listen to the same audio at the same time with minimal latency.

There's more to Auracast than TV shows and movies, although it's great for that. It's also potentially very useful in places like transit hubs and lecture theaters, in sports bars and at speaking events.

LG isn't the first TV firm to support Auracast – that was Samsung, which first put Auracast into some of its high-end TVs two years ago – but the tech is in multiple LG models including the LG C5 and LG G5 OLED TVs, as well as the LG B5, the LG M5, and the QNED85A, QNED89A and QNED9M. And there's a growing selection of Auracast-enabled products out there.

One of the reasons for the relatively slow rollout of Auracast is that it isn't part of the core Bluetooth standard, so manufacturers can decide whether or not to support it.

However, a growing number of firms do, and hopefully that'll create a virtuous circle of firms making products that transmit Auracast audio and products that receive it – we're definitely happy to see it become standard among many of the best TVs.

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• Tipster Evan Blass reportedly shared unreleased Buds 3 FE images on X
• The images now show the message ‘withdrawn by the copyright holder’
• After a leaky Buds Core release, Samsung may be tightening the reins

Must be tough being one of the biggest names in tech. Imagine journalists (yes, like me) and avid fans in every corner, trying to peak behind the red velvet curtain and get the scoop before anyone else – especially when it's a new set of 'Fan Edition' Samsung earbuds predicted to be significantly cheaper than the flagship Galaxy Buds 3 Pro.

Late last week, noted tipster Evan Blass took to X to post an image entitled 'GB3FE' (see what they did there) showing what was said to be the Galaxy Buds 3 FE – as reported by Android Headlines.

The thing is, said image is now empty apart from a placeholder message that simply reads:

Media not displayed
This image has been removed in response to a report from the copyright holder

Is this an indication that the photo was indeed an official Samsung press shot of the unreleased Galaxy Buds 3 FE – and Samsung didn't like it? Impossible to say for sure, but it's certainly possible…

GB3FE pic.twitter.com/qNp57isIw7July 18, 2025

Why so coy, Samsung?

You may remember the somewhat haphazard release of the Galaxy Buds Core. They were first spotted in an APK teardown alongside the still-unofficial Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 FE on June 12, then listed by name in a tweet by Samsung India on June 23, alongside a June 27 launch date (and even an Amazon listing) and then, on June 26 – a day earlier than billed – actual published specs and images arrived, this time on Samsung's UAE site. It just felt like there could've been an email.

Consider also the fact that no Galaxy Buds 2 FE model exists. Essentially, the newest official Samsung Galaxy earbuds, the Buds Core, adopt this position, which means the Buds 3 FE (the unreleased set you're reading about now) are both a follow-up to the original Galaxy Buds FE – and they're not.

What I'm trying to say is that it feels to me as if Evan Blass' leaked images were probably genuine, but that Samsung really wants to get this launch right and minimize confusion so isn't having it, thank you very much.

Given that the August 2024-issue Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are still some of the very best earbuds we've tested (but far from the cheapest), I can see why Samsung would want to refine and perfect the launch rocket this time around.

And so far, it's not doing a bad job! Aside from the efforts of Android Authority, who wheedled out the name 'Galaxy Buds 3 FE' from the latest Galaxy Buds Controller app in June (Wear OS version, v1.0.08.38) and this now-disappeared image, concrete information on the Buds 3 FE is incredibly hard to find.

Rest assured that as we know more, so shall you. For now, we wait – but at least it looks increasingly like we're waiting for something real, and may not be waiting too much longer…

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• The Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn't require any Marvel movie or TV show homework
• Its director Matt Shakman says it's a standalone story in every sense of the word
• Shakman also confirms he wasn't asked to directly set up Avengers: Doomsday story

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman has reiterated that the movie is a standalone story that doesn't require any homework on Marvel fans' part.

Speaking to TechRadar, Shakman says the forthcoming film isn't beholden to the same connective tissue that other Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects are because it exists in a parallel dimension. It's for this reason, Shakman believes, that the Marvel Phase 6 flick can be enjoyed by MCU devotees and newcomers alike.

For the uninitiated: The Fantastic Four's latest big-screen reboot is set in an alternate reality to the MCU. They reside in another universe designated Earth-828, which is a reference to the birthday (August 28) of Marvel icon Jack Kirby, who co-created Marvel's first family alongside Stan Lee.

The eponymous superteam's existence in a separate dimension is the first time that a Marvel Studios project has been set outside of the MCU, aka Earth-616. It's a decision that's not only vital to the tale that First Steps will tell, but also freed Shakman and company of the increasingly complex shared universe that began 17 years (and counting!) ago with 2008's Iron Man.

The Fantastic Four's world, Earth-828 is more utopian than the MCU's Earth-616 (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

"I love Marvel's shared storytelling," Shakman told me. "I love interconnectedness and I certainly enjoyed doing WandaVision [the Disney+ show that Shakman directed all nine episodes of], which was a big part of that interconnection.

"But, it was very freeing to just focus on this universe where we didn't have to deal with all of that. This was our chance to build a whole new universe where they [Fantastic Four] are the only heroes. You don't need to see other Marvel movies or shows to appreciate it. There are no Easter eggs. There are no other heroes. It's just about them, their world, and their story."

That won't be the case once First Steps' end credits have rolled. One of this year's most exciting new movies is the progenitor for Avengers: Doomsday, with events in the final Marvel film of 2025 directly leading into the next Avengers movie. For more details on that, read my ultimate guide on Avengers: Doomsday.

At the time of publication, Avengers: Doomsday's filming schedule is three months deep (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

So, despite First Steps being a standalone story, was Shakman asked to establish any story beats for Avengers 5 in his first MCU film?

"Where they go from here, that's up to others," he teased. "They'll eventually join up with Earth's Mightiest Heroes and that'll be fun to see."

I guess we'll find out when First Steps arrives in theaters worldwide on Friday, July 25! In the meantime, read my ultimate guide on The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and my First Steps cast and character guide, to learn more ahead of its release. Then, read the section below for more exclusive coverage of the superhero movie.

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• Nothing’s CMF Watch 3 Pro smartwatch has just launched
• It’s priced at $99 and offers AI health tracking
• The watch is an updated version of the CMF Watch 2 Pro

The best smartwatches don’t have to break the bank, as the CMF Watch 2 Pro from Nothing showed last year. Now, Nothing has updated this digital timepiece again with the launch of the CMF Watch 3 Pro, which is priced at an affordable $99 / £99 / €99 (around AU$205).

Nothing describes the Watch 3 Pro as its “most intelligent smartwatch yet,” and it packs in updated health-tracking features alongside an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant that is designed to help you improve your wellbeing through targeted coaching.

The Watch 3 Pro comes with a “dual-band five-system GPS setup,” which Nothing says brings improved route tracking, while there’s also a new heart rate sensor that offers “improved accuracy across all skin tones and workout intensities.”

As for the AI coach, this “builds and adjusts plans based on your fitness,” according to Nothing, and provides guidance on your workouts and the ways you can improve. It uses ChatGPT and works using natural language voice prompts. You can also use your voice to record notes and make phone calls.

An affordable smartwatch contender

(Image credit: Nothing)

When we reviewed the CMF Watch 2 Pro, one of our key criticisms was the lack of water resistance. That’s something that’s been addressed in the Watch 3 Pro, which now comes with IP68 water and dust resistance.

A deeper concern with the Watch 2 Pro was its performance, which was frequently beset by quirks and odd behavior. Hopefully that’s something Nothing has been able to put right, but we won’t know for sure until we’re able to review the latest model.

Elsewhere in the Watch 3 Pro, you’ll find blood oxygen monitoring, stress tracking and guided breathing exercises, women’s health tools, reminders for inactivity and hydration, and more.

It also comes with a six-axis accelerometer, a 50% increase over the Watch 2 Pro. Nothing says you’ll get 13 days of battery life on a single charge, or 4.5 days with the always-on display enabled. Charging from zero to 100% takes 99 minutes.

The Watch 3 Pro goes on sale today (July 22), although it won’t be available in “some regions” (including India) until “later this year.”

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• Disney is reportedly using generative AI from the same startup as Netflix
• Lionsgate and AMC Networks have also inked deals with Runway AI
• An increasing number of studios are experimenting with the tech

Disney is reportedly the latest Hollywood studio to quietly use the same generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool as Netflix – and it's easy to see why others have been attracted to the controversial tech as they cite time and cost saving benefits on production.

According to Bloomberg, The Walt Disney Company has been testing Runway AI's tools, and has even gone as far as to talk to the startup about possibly using its generative AI tools in movies and TV shows. While a Disney spokesperson has confirmed there are no plans to integrate the software, it's just another sign of how studios are becoming more comfortable with utilizing AI.

It's no secret that Netflix is using AI, for instance. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos openly confessed as much – during the company's earnings call last week – when he revealed AI was used to generate a VFX (visual effects) sequence in an original production for the first time in dystopian drama The Eternaut. At the time, it wasn't disclosed which AI software was used, but a source has reportedly confirmed to Bloomberg that it was indeed Runway AI's tech.

To be clear, The Eternaut was not the first time that Netflix had used AI. It unsuccessfully tried to fix 80s sitcom A Different World with AI upscaling and was caught up the AI Oscars controversy after Emilia Pérez was criticized for using voice enhancement tech. Still, it marks the first time that Netflix has used generative AI in one of its own original projects.

The reason why that's notable is because generative AI has the potential to completely upend the entire industry. There's a reason why the Hollywood actors' and writers' strikes in 2023 were so heavily focused on putting in place safeguards to protect the livelihoods and creative integrity of VFX artists and animators.

It's one thing to mess around with Runway's AI to turn your home videos into Hollywood blockbusters, but for a billion dollar industry to start cutting corners is a slippery slope that many are rightfully concerned about.

Which other Hollywood studios are using Runway AI?

It's not just Netflix and Disney that are reportedly working with Runway AI. Two years ago, Variety revealed that VFX artist Evan Halleck used the startup's tools in Everything Everywhere All At Once to remove the background from certain scenes.

The same justifications were used then as they're now, with Halleck claiming that it was cheaper and faster to use AI tools than more time consuming processes like rotoscoping. Sarandos recently echoed these sentiments when he said "that the VFX sequence [in The Eternaut] was completed 10 times faster than it could have been completed with visual, traditional VFX tools and workflows".

At the time, it was also reported Runway was even working The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. "They’re using it almost for on a daily basis to translate hours of work. The team is able to iterate their ideas faster, and it’s helping them augment their creative workflow," Runway CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela told Variety.

In the years since, Hollywood has begun to warm to AI even faster then some may have initially predicted. Indeed, it's been reported that Runway AI inked a deal with Lionsgate in September 2024. Vice chairman of the studio Michael Burns says the tie-up will help it produce "movies and television shows we’d otherwise never make".

Since then, more production companies have jumped on the bandwagon. The creator and co-showrunner of Amazon's House of David , Jon Erwin, revealed to Variety that various AI tools were used to create a scene in the show, including Runway's AI video generator.

Just last month, Runway AI also partnered with AMC Networks to use its tools to help visualize a TV show that hasn't yet been produced as well as to generate marketing images, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) reported. "It’s kind of a natural transition for every entertainment and media company; they need to think through what AI means for them," Valenzuela told THR when asked about the AMC partnership.

It seems inevitable that more studios will continue to work with Runway AI as more become comfortable making it publicly known, and it looks like the startup isn't stopping at Hollywood. A new text-to-video game AI generator is on the way that will no doubt have a huge impact on the gaming industry once it's further developed, according to The Verge. Could we see Runway AI make the same inroads in the gaming industry? I'd look to Hollywood as the blueprint.

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• Project Stargate could be targeting a smaller Ohio data center as its first site
• Oracle CEO Safra Catz says the project is not even formed yet
• OpenAI and SoftBank disagree over some things

OpenAI may have already significantly scaled back its multi-billion dollar Project Stargate initaitive, with no data center deals completed under the project in the six months it has been live.

Announced in January 2025 as a $500 billion effort to "[build] new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the United States," people familiar with the matter say Project Stargate is now targeting a smaller data center in Ohio by the end of the year, marking a slowdown compared with early plans.

Despite delayed progress, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son have both stated that the partnership remains strong and active.

Project Stargate could be experiencing delays

According to new Wall Street Journal reporting though, OpenAI and SoftBank have disagreed over data center locations and the use of SB Energy sites (a SoftBank-backed energy firm). OpenAI has also made its own progress separate from the Project, including striking up a $30 billion deal with Oracle for 4.5 gigawatts of capacity.

In January, OpenAI said: "The buildout is currently underway, starting in Texas, and we are evaluating potential sites across the country for more campuses as we finalize definitive agreements."

Speaking on an investor call last month, Oracle CEO Safra Catz countered Altman's assertion: "Stargate is not formed yet."

Although many of the industry's key players, including Arm, Microsoft, Nvidia, Oracle and OpenAI, are partnered with the project, Stargate is still presented with challenges including bringing down costs and sourcing land, AI chips and energy.

Dubbed the largest investment of its kind, the $500 billion Stargate Project was followed by further announcements designed to strengthen the US' position as a global leader in tech and AI, including $500 billion from Apple geared towards manufacturing and training, and a further $500 billion from Nvidia to expand US AI infrastructure.

Like Stargate, those are long-term four-year projects, and it's unclear how much progress has been made and whether any regulatory, financial or other struggles lay ahead.

TechRadar Pro has asked OpenAI for more information.

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• The Lenovo Legion Go 2 has leaked in China with prototype units reportedly available to buy on second-hand platforms
• The prototype seen in a Bilibili video isn't using the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
• There's still no confirmation on a release date or what the finalized version of the handheld will be

It's been a while since we've had any updates on Lenovo's release plans or schedule for its next handheld gaming PC, since its announcement and brief showcase at CES 2025. Now, there's yet another twist in the tale, but not in the way you might expect.

As reported by VideoCardz, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 prototype has leaked in China, and units are rumored to be available for purchase on a second-hand platform, ahead of its official release. In a Bilibili video, it already has a brief teardown and showcase – and it's worth noting that the units appear to be missing the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor.

Instead, it's reportedly using the Ryzen Z2 processor, or at the very least the widely-used (yet older) Ryzen Z1 Extreme. This isn't surprising, since Lenovo has technically confirmed that there will be other configurations of the Legion Go 2, as it stated that "the prototype features up to the new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme processor".

However, what is quite odd is the lack of transparency from Lenovo. The Legion Go 2 has been slated for a launch sometime in 2025, and it seems as though that may be around September, based on launch rumors for Mexico, but we've still not seen the device beyond its prototype, despite it apparently launching soon.

There is some very encouraging news, however, as the handheld will use an OLED PureSight touch display, and from what's showcased in the Bilibili video, it's a sight to behold combined with the 8.8-inch display size. While it will likely cost around $1,000, I think the OLED screen may just about justify it, pitting it against competitors like the Steam Deck OLED.

(Image credit: Future)Analysis: I'm still not willing to pay $1,000 for a handheld gaming PC, but a slightly lower price for the Legion Go 2 might be justified

Regardless of how powerful these devices get as the best handheld gaming PCs on the market, I'll always find it very hard to recommend any one of them that hits the $1,000 mark.

I've had the same thought about the new MSI Claw 8 AI+ and the new MSI Claw A8 – but if any device comes close to potentially justifying it, it's the Lenovo Legion Go 2.

Again, it's still in prototype, so we don't have the full picture of what it will have at launch, hardware and ergonomics-wise. However, I'm willing to bet that the highest configuration will cost $1,000 due to the addition of an OLED screen, combined with the improved performance using the AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme.

Now, I'm sure I won't be the first one to mention how unappealing that price point sounds, but it's possibly the only handheld that sounds like it might be worthwhile. I know other handhelds using OLED screens and powerful processors exist, but there's no world where you would ever find me recommending a handheld gaming PC that's over $1,500 (I'm looking at you, OneXPlayer).

If the Lenovo Legion Go 2 ends up being priced at or below the MSI Claw 8 AI+'s $899 / £899 / AU$1,799 price, then it instantly becomes an easier recommendation, especially up against the Steam Deck OLED or Nintendo Switch 2 – but again, it may still struggle to sell with a price that isn't affordable.

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• The next free update for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will be released on December 5, 2025
• The update adds two highly requested features, Third-Person Mode and New Game Plus
• Massive Entertainment has reworked animations, controls, audio, and camera systems to make Third-Person Mode work seamlessly

Massive Entertainment has announced that a new update for Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora will arrive later this year and add two new ways to play.

The free patch will be released on December 5, 2025, and introduce two new features that have been highly requested by players: Third-Person Mode and New Game Plus.

With Third-Person Mode, players will be able to play Frontiers of Pandora from a new perspective, which brings "a new sense of scale, freedom, and immersion" at the press of a button.

The studio has reworked animations, controls, audio, and camera systems to make for a seamless transition from the game's original first-person mode.

Meanwhile, New Game Plus will let players replay the game's story while keeping their inventory and skills, face higher-level enemies, and unlock a brand-new skill tree and stronger gear.

"We've always envisioned Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora as a living world that evolves with our players," said Omar Bouali, creative director at Massive Entertainment.

"This update is a celebration of our community's passion and we're thankful to our players for their support. It means the world to our team."

The next update follows two post-launch story packs, The Sky Breaker and Secrets of the Spires. However, Massive Entertainment has confirmed that this content is unavailable in New Game Plus.

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• Rollei Powerflex X8 compact camera unveiled with dual lenses
• One lens is an 8x optical zoom, the other a fixed selfie lens
• It costs €299, which converts to about $350 / £225 / AU$535

The Rollei Powerflex X8 was unveiled last week, but the headline specs and branding of this cheap dual-lens compact aren't quite what they seem.

As is the case with other, non-branded, cheap cameras that you can pick up from the likes of Amazon, there's a catch with the Powerflex X8's impressive-sounding 64MP stills and 5K video.

Top-resolution JPEG-only stills are achieved through interpolation – this isn't a true 64MP camera, but an 8MP one with a small 1/2.8-inch sensor. 5K video is also interpolated from 4K / 30p video.

I'm not surprised that the camera is touted as a 64MP / 5K one, because the authentic 8MP / 4K specs sound way less impressive.

Without getting too technical about it, the bottom line is that the huge leap in resolution is a digital enlargement from an 8MP sensor, so don't expect the same quality as from a true high-resolution camera.

Unlike non-branded cameras available online with similar sounding specs, the Powerflex X8 has the legendary Rollei name attached to it. However, this isn't a camera from the Rollei of yesteryear, but a standard cheap compact camera, just with the licensing of the Rollei name applied to it, much as it was to the altogether different Rollei 35AF by Mint.

In fairness, we can't expect too much from the Powerflex X8 given how cheap it is – €299 converts to about $350 / £223 / AU$535.

(Image credit: Rollei)

The camera packs an 8x optical zoom lens that covers a 38-310mm zoom range that's more versatile than your phone's, although it might be a little tight for wide-angle lovers, and which has a f/1.8-2.6 max aperture.

There's also a simple selfie camera with f/2.2 aperture, nestled above the large 3.6-inch IPS touchscreen. The pixel count of the smaller sensor it uses (1/3.06-inch) isn't mentioned in the specs, but I've calculated the lens focal length to be approximately 24mm.

The camera body is a lightweight 13.5oz / 383g and it features a generous-looking grip, plus there's USB-C connectivity and a mic input, while images are recorded onto micro SD card (not supplied).

I haven't used the Powerflex X8, but I would expect it to feel okay in the hand, complete with a decent array of controls and connectivity. Just don't have high hopes for the image quality you can get out of it – cameras like the Powerflex X8 promise much, but the reality is somewhat of a letdown.

If you're in the market for a low-cost compact camera with genuine image-quality chops I've highlighted three of the best cheap cameras available below. I'd also recommend looking at secondhand snappers.

Cheap compact camera alternatives

Dedicated cameras aren't exactly cheap these days, but below are three affordable alternatives to the Powerflex V8.

Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99

A respectable travel-zoom pocket snapper, the Lumix ZS99 (which is known as the TZ99 outside the US) packs a 30x optical zoom, a flip-up touchscreen and USB-C charging. Like the Powerflex V8, it has a small sensor on a par with many smartphones, but its 20MP stills are the real deal. It's around twice the price of the Rollei Powerflex X8, but twice as versatile, and more pocketable. If you don't mind buying secondhand, the older Lumix ZS80 / TZ95 that this model replaces can typically be had for a similar price to the Powerflex V8, or less from reputable secondhand retailers.

Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix ZS99 / TZ99 review

Sony Cyber-shot HX99

With similar specs to the Lumix ZS99 / TZ99, the discontinued Sony Cyber-shot HX99 is another solid option purchased secondhand, again for a similar price to the new Powerflex V8. It features a 30x optical zoom with 5-axis stabilization, and unlike the ZS99 it features a handy viewfinder. I've included it here because, in the UK at least, it can be found easily at reputable secondhand dealers.

Read our Sony Cyber-shot HX99 review

Kodak Pixpro AZ425

Putting the 'super' into superzoom, Kodak makes a range of what are otherwise known as bridge cameras, most of which can be had for less than the Powerflex V8. The AZ245 is one of the better ones, with 42x optical zoom, 20MP stills and DSLR-style handling, with a large grip and pop-up flash. Image quality isn't up to much either, but this is an extremely versatile snapper.

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• Around 100 organizations have been targeted by Microsoft SharePoint vulnerability
• Series of cyberattacks appear to be the work of Chinese hackers
• The vulnerability has left as many as 8,000 servers at risk

A cyberespionage campaign exploiting the recently-revealed Microsoft SharePoint issue has targeted roughly 100 organizations, compromising server software and primarily hitting government agencies in the US and Germany, experts have warned.

Google released a statement in which it attributed at least some of the attacks to a ‘China-Nexus threat actor,’ and warned against further expansion of the threat.

Microsoft recently released urgent security flaw patches to address a zero-day vulnerability that affected SharePoint servers, which have been abused in attacks since July 18, with victims reportedly including a private energy operator in California as well as a private fintech firm in New York.

China-Nexus threat actors

The attacks saw hackers extract cryptographic keys from servers that are run by Microsoft clients. The keys would then let them install pretty much anything - including malware or backdoors that hackers could use to return.

Only SharePoint versions that are hosted by the customer, rather than the cloud, are vulnerable. These types of attacks could allow attackers to steal corporate secrets or install ransomware to encrypt key files.

“We assess that at least one of the actors responsible for this early exploitation is a China-nexus threat actor” said Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer of Google’s Mandiant Consulting.

“It's critical to understand that multiple actors are now actively exploiting this vulnerability. We fully anticipate that this trend will continue, as various other threat actors, driven by diverse motivations, will leverage this exploit as well." he continued.

Researchers say that so far, the attacks can be attributed to a single hacker or a set of hackers, rather than a large number - but there has been a broad range of targets, and a vast number of potential targets - with some researchers estimating up to 8,000 vulnerable servers.

Whilst the update should prevent new intrusion, users will also need to rotate machine keys, search for any missed breaches, and deploy Antimalware Scan Interface (AMSI) as well as antivirus software.

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• Atari and Bandai Namco are teaming up for Pac-Man's 45th anniversary
• This comes in the form of the upcoming Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition
• The package includes the console, a unique joystick, and a Pac-Man game cartridge

First, there was a sublime Tekken 8 stage, then the release of bizarre metroidvania Shadow Labyrinth. Now, Bandai Namco has teamed up with Atari for a rather unexpected Pac-Man 45th anniversary collaboration.

The Atari 2600+ Pac-Man Edition is an upcoming version of the recreated console that sports a fittingly yellow coat of paint. Pre-orders for the unit are set to go live tomorrow (July 23, 2025) at Amazon and Atari's own website, and it'll cost you $169.99 / £129.99. As for the release date, it's expected to launch on October 31, 2025. Spooky.

The console also comes packaged with a unique Pac-Man Edition CX-40+ joystick and a Pac-Man: Double Feature cartridge, which includes the original Atari 2600 version of Pac-Man, as well as an all-new Atari 7800 version.

CX-40+ joysticks based on Pac-Man's ghostly enemies - Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde - will also be available to pre-order separately at $39.99 / £29.99 each. These come in the colors of their respective ghost, either blue, red, pink, or orange.

Otherwise, you can expect all the same features as the original Atari 2600+. That includes full compatibility with existing 2600 and 7800 cartridges, HDMI output, and widescreen support.

Atari is also preparing a limited High Score Collection, which bundles four cartridges into one package. Each game - Pac-Man: Double Feature, Dig Dug, Xevious, and Galaga - comes with its own packaging and some "exclusive extras" according to the store page. Pre-orders for the High Score Collection also open up on July 23 for October shipping.

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UK companies are significantly increasing their investment in AI, with spending by small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) growing fivefold between 2022 and 2024. In fact, in 2025, SMBs could save over £29,000 annually through the adoption of AI tools. With economic uncertainty and rising operational costs still affecting UK businesses, AI’s ability to boost efficiency and drive profitability is especially important for the competitiveness of businesses.

One key area experiencing fast growth is customer communications, where AI is enabling businesses to personalize messages at scale, respond faster to queries and streamline service workflows. These capabilities aren’t just improvements, they’re becoming expectations.

When done right, AI can increase customer satisfaction, improve accuracy, and free employees to focus on more complex tasks. But without careful, responsible implementation, businesses risk eroding trust just as quickly as they boost performance.

Trusting AI to make the right connections

Generative AI is still a relatively new presence in customer communications, yet many people are already growing accustomed to its role. Nearly half (49%) of consumers aged 18–35 are now comfortable with organizations using AI-generated communication, appreciating the potential for more personalized, timely interactions that improve their experience. When implemented thoughtfully, AI enhances the human touch, handling routine tasks efficiently while enabling deeper, more meaningful engagement.

AI in communications can also drive measurable outcomes for wider business goals. According to a 2024 KPMG report, UK brands saw a 1.4 percent increase in customer satisfaction as a result of using AI in customer interactions. These improvements might take the form of real-time delivery updates, personalized recommendations based on past behaviors, or greater accuracy in billing and appointment scheduling, all of which improve the customer experience.

Building consumer trust in AI

However, the newness of AI means trust isn’t universal. Just 23% of consumers aged 55 and over feel comfortable with AI communications, highlighting the ongoing challenge of earning trust across a diverse customer base. Similarly, skepticism remains around communication quality, security and privacy. Research shows that 58% of people believe AI produces lower-quality written communication than humans, while 81% of UK consumers expect companies to disclose when AI has been involved in communications.

Failing to be transparent about AI’s role or data handling can leave customers uneasy and unsure about the systems, and companies, they’re engaging with. This concern is especially strong in sensitive sectors, where emotional and ethical stakes are high. Nearly half (45%) of consumers say they would respond with anger, discomfort or disgust if AI generated their medical test results, and more than a third (34%) feel the same about AI handling their insurance claims.

As people become more aware and discerning, the pressure is on businesses not just to use AI, but to show exactly how it improves, not undermines, customer experience and communication quality. This shift begins with thoughtful implementation.

From algorithm to ally in customer care

To build consumer trust, businesses must demonstrate that AI genuinely improves the customer experience, especially by enhancing the quality, relevance and reliability of communication. With concerns around data misuse and inaccuracy, businesses need to clearly explain how AI supports secure, accurate and personalized interactions, not just internally but in ways customers can understand and see.

AI should be positioned as an enabler of human service, taking care of routine tasks so employees can focus on complex, sensitive or high-value customer needs. A key part of gaining long-term trust is transparency around data. Businesses must clearly communicate how customer information is handled securely and show that AI is being used responsibly and with care.

This could include clearly labelling AI-generated communications such as emails or text messages, or proactively informing customers about what data is being used and for what purpose. The key to earning consumer trust lies in consistently proving that AI is not just a tool that can boost efficiency internally, but a thoughtful, secure and beneficial addition to the customer experience.

The AI audition

As conversations move beyond why AI should be used to how it must be used responsibly and effectively, companies have entered a make-or-break “audition phase” for AI. In customer communications, businesses can no longer afford to just talk about AI’s benefits, they must prove them by demonstrating how it enhances quality, security, and personalization.

Those that fail to act strategically and transparently risk losing customer trust, while those who get it right will not only pass the audition, they will secure AI’s role as a trusted voice in every interaction.

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