TechRadar News

• o3 and o4-mini are out for Pro, Plus and Team users now, free users can try o4-mini, too
• They can combine and use every tool in ChatGPT's arsenal
• o3 and o4-mini add reasoning using images to ChatGPT's abilities

OpenAI has just given ChatGPT a massive boost with new o3 and o4-mini models that are available to use right now for Pro, Plus, Team and even free tier users.

The new models significantly improve the performance of ChatGPT, and are much quicker at reasoning tasks than the earlier OpenAI reasoning models like ChatGPT o3-mini and o1.

Most importantly, they can intelligently decide which of OpenAI’s various tools to use to complete your query, including a new ability to reason with images.

OpenAI provided a livestream for the release:

Here are the three most important changes:

1. Combining tools

Both the new reasoning models can agentically use and combine every tool within ChatGPT. That means they have access to all of ChatGPT’s box of tricks including, web browsing, Python coding, image and file analysis, image generation, canvas, automations, file search and memory.

The important thing though is that ChatGPT now decides if it needs to use a tool itself based on what you’ve asked.

When you ask ChatGPT to do something complicated using the new models, it shows you each step it is taking, and which tool it is using, and how it arrived at that decision.

Once it has done all the research the notes on its working out process disappear and you get a report on its conclusions.

2. Better performance

The way that o3 and o4-mini can intelligently decide which tools to use is a step towards the intelligent model switching we’ve been promised with ChatGPT 5, when it finally arrives.

As you’d expect from advanced reasoning models, the report you get at the end is extremely detailed, and contains links to all sources used.

According to OpenAI, “The combined power of state-of-the-art reasoning with full tool access translates into significantly stronger performance across academic benchmarks and real-world tasks, setting a new standard in both intelligence and usefulness.”

The real world result of this is that these models can tackle multi-faceted questions more effectively, so don’t be afraid to ask them to perform several actions at once and produce an answer or report that combines several queries together.

3. Reasoning with images

Reasoning with images in ChatGPT. (Image credit: OpenAI/Apple)

Both new models are the first released by OpenAI that will integrate uploaded images into its chain of thought. They will actually reason using the images, so for example, you could upload a picture of some cars and ask what the name and model of the cars are, then how much retail value they will hold in five years time.

This is the first time that ChatGPT has been able to integrate images into a reasoning chain and presents a real step forward for multimodal AI.

Introducing OpenAI o3 and o4-mini—our smartest and most capable models to date.For the first time, our reasoning models can agentically use and combine every tool within ChatGPT, including web search, Python, image analysis, file interpretation, and image generation. pic.twitter.com/rDaqV0x0wEApril 16, 2025

My verdict

I’ve tried the new models on the Plus tier and I’m impressed with both the speed and comprehensiveness of the answers to my queries. While I’ve always enjoyed the depth of reasoning that the o1 and o3-mini models have provided, it’s always meant waiting longer for a response.

The o3 model has now become my default model to choose on Plus because it’s fast enough that I don’t feel like I’m waiting around too long for an answer, but I get a satisfying amount of detail.

In short, I’m impressed. The new models feel like a natural evolution of ChatGPT into something that’s smarter and more capable. I also like the way that it can decide which of ChatGPT’s various tools it needs to use to provide the best answer.

Trying it for yourself

Here’s how to try the new ChatGPT models for yourself:

Plus, Pro and Team users will see that they can select ChatGPT o3, ChatGPT o4-mini and ChatGPT o4-mini-high from the drop-down LLM menu inside ChatGPT, and free tier users can get access to o4-mini by selecting the Reason button in the composer before submitting your query. Edu users will gain access in one week.

There’s no visual notification for free tier users that they are now using the 4o-mini reasoning model, but if you click the button and ask ChatGPT which LLM it is using then it now says 4o-mini.

There will be a rate limit for how many times a free tier user can use the Reasoning feature, and for Plus users is much higher.

OpenAI say they expect to release o3-pro “in a few weeks”, with full tool support. Pro users can already access o1-pro.

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• Nvidia’s new Game Ready Driver 576.02 has a mountain of bug fixes
• It cures many problems with games crashing, and black screen lock-ups with RTX 5000 models
• While past-gen Nvidia GPUs aren’t mentioned in the release notes, it appears they got some love here too

Nvidia has released a new graphics driver that brings in support for its freshly introduced RTX 5060 Ti GPU, but I suspect what most gamers will be more interested in is the absolute mountain of bug fixes delivered here.

That includes the solutions for various games being crash-happy, as well as the most important fix of all for those who’ve bought one of Nvidia’s Blackwell graphics cards.

Yes, Game Ready Driver 576.02 (the release of which VideoCardz flagged) resolves the random black screen crashes that have been frustrating those with an RTX 5000 GPU, or Nvidia claims it does anyway.

On top of that, Nvidia lists a couple of other separate bug fixes for issues with RTX 5000 graphics cards getting black screen lock-ups “when playing graphically demanding games” as well as hitting black screens upon installing drivers and booting into Windows. (How about RTX 4000, or earlier RTX GPUs, black-screening, you might be thinking – well, I’ll come back to that).

On top of that vital work, a whole lot of general bug fixes are put in place here, such as “stability issues” with Windows 11 24H2 and stability quirks elsewhere, page fault error crashes when using DLSS 4 MFG (Multi-Frame Generation), PCs failing to wake after spending a long period asleep, DisplayPort-related problems, and much more besides.

Regarding the fixes for bugs that have hit specific games, we’ve got a lot of work on that front too. Check out the following list of solves:

• [Fortnite] random crashes during gameplay
• [The First Berserker: Khazan] DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED Crash
• [Star Wars Outlaws] Application will freeze after leaving the game idle for 5+ minutes
• Game stability issues when playing games with DLSS Frame Generation + GSYNC
• [Monster Hunter Wilds] Crash after accepting quest with DLSS-FG Enabled
• [InZoi] Game crashes with error "GPU crashed or D3D Device Removed"
• [Overwatch 2] Stutter when using VSYNC
• [Hellblade 2 Senua's Saga] Increased aliasing when using TSR
• [Hellblade 2 Senua's Saga] Crashing when using Smooth Motion
• [The Last of Us Part 1] Crash when using Smooth Motion
• Dithering/banding in some games on RTX 50-series GPUs
• [Control] Flickering corruption in multiple areas
• Stutter when using VSYNC
• VSYNC in NVCP + frame generation causes issues in DLSS 4 games
• [Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection] Artifacts on screen when collecting treasures

If you want the exhaustive list of cures applied by Nvidia with this new graphics driver, see Chapter 3 of the full release notes [PDF]. Be warned, it’s a lengthy read.

(Image credit: Nvidia) Analysis: The importance of getting it right from the off – and what about RTX 4000 GPUs?

There’s a lot of good work here, then, and some important cures for RTX 5000 GPUs. Still, the sheer volume of the remediation work contained within this release doesn’t reflect well on Nvidia, because, in an ideal world, it shouldn’t have been necessary to apply these fixes in a ‘live’ fashion, as it were. These bugs, and notably the showstopping black screen crashes that have been present since the first Blackwell GPUs emerged, should’ve been ironed out before those graphics cards appeared on shelves.

This isn’t just about Blackwell, though. These black screen crashes that gamers have been suffering have also affected some of those with past-gen Nvidia GPUs (RTX 4000, or even RTX 3000 models going by some reports, but it’s more the former). There’s no mention of any fixes for black-screening with those graphics cards in Nvidia’s release notes here.

However, the positive news is that taking a sampling of reports on Reddit – caveat: hardly a scientific method, but a reasonable barometer of how things are going – it seems that a fair number of folks are saying their RTX 4000 black screen blues have been resolved. Now, not everyone is claiming that – some are still reporting issues (as you can see in the thread below) – but overall, the wind appears to be blowing in a more favorable direction with this latest driver.

Comment from r/nvidia

Overall, then, it seems this is a solid step forward for Nvidia in terms of rectifying the many glitches that have manifested in its graphics drivers since Blackwell GPUs first emerged, which has to be a good thing.

But as noted, those bugs should never have been witnessed in such quantities to begin with, and it’s kind of bewildering as to how this happened – only serving to bolster the cases of those who theorized that Blackwell was a rushed launch.

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• AWS, Microsoft and Google testify at UK CMA investigation
• Microsoft’s licensing terms and fees appear to be a problem
• Google denies dominance, says it’s a challenger

Ever since the UK’s Competition & Markets Authority has been investigating the health of the UK cloud market, the hyperscalers in question have been battling it out against each other by submitting little digs in official documentation meant to act in their defense.

This time, AWS is slamming Microsoft for its unfavorable licensing terms, which are preventing customers from being able to use alternative cloud storage providers without excessive fees.

“Perhaps 50% of those workloads currently running on Azure would move elsewhere if it was economically feasible,” AWS told the CMA.

AWS criticizes Microsoft’s licensing terms and high fees

Microsoft’s 2019 changes increased the costs relating to running Windows Server on non-Azure cloud (such as AWS, Google Cloud and Alibaba Cloud), making it up to four times more expensive for customers.

Those fees aren’t just affecting customer, either. “AWS said that it has to offset the additional costs imposed by Microsoft’s licensing restrictions including on the cost of licences that need to be repurchased and the additional monetary impact of non-pricing features,” the CMA hearing summary continues, but “it cannot offset all those costs in a profitable way.”

Google also agreed with AWS’ comments in a separate hearing summary, providing an example where a customer chose Azure solely for licensing/commercial reasons despite having an actual preference for Google Cloud.

However, Google might not be entirely on Amazon’s side. The company described itself as a “challenger cloud provider and a distant third in size to the two market leaders, AWS and Microsoft.” Still, Google is worried that Microsoft could dominate the UK cloud market in as little as five years “if nothing change[s].”

Defending its position, Microsoft argued that egress fees are not a major concern for customers, adding that even after removing the fees under the EU Data Act, switching remained low.

The outcome of the investigation is anyone’s guess, but the market dominance is clear.

When Ofcom first submitted its complaint to the CMA in October 2023, it noted in a report that Microsoft and Amazon accounted for 70-80% of the UK’s cloud market in 2022, estimated to be worth £7 to £7.5 billion. Google, in third place, only accounted for 5-10%.

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• GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke advocates for coding education in schools
• Artificial intelligence is just amplifying human work, not replacing it
• Using AI is just another pillar of continuing to learn

Microsoft-owned GitHub, which has introduced a series of powerful generative AI tools to its popular developer platform in recent years, still believes that there’s a place for traditional code.

Speaking on a recent podcast interview with EO (via Business Insider), CEO Thomas Dohmke explained his belief that schools should teach coding just as they do other core subjects, like physics, geography and maths.

Advocating for an early start, Dohmke believes children should learn coding from a young age, expressing his belief that skilled developers are still in high demand despite the emergence of artificial intelligence.

GitHub advocates for coding education despite AI

AI tools like GitHub's own Copilot and other popular chatbots, like ChatGPT and Gemini, have democratized coding by making software development more accessible to everyone, ultimately lowering the barrier to entry.

For experienced developers, small teams and even solo programmers can now unlock more scale, with AI freeing up time that was otherwise spent on repetitive tasks that can now be automated.

With the emergence of the tech, questions have been raised about the future of jobs in coding, with leaner teams potentially reducing job openings, but Dohmke doesn’t seem to be concerned about this and instead still urges people to learn to code.

“The anxiety is understandable, but time and again, developers have discovered how to channel the new capabilities into entire domains of innovation that didn't exist before,” he said, indicating that use cases are expanding and the need for skilled programmers isn’t taming.

“You got to keep training. You got to keep learning. You're never done with learning,” he added. Reflecting on his three decades in the industry, Dohmke says that if he’d stopped reading blogs and other literature, he’d have been left behind. With this in mind, AI is very much just an evolution of the role rather than the end of it.

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• Galaxy S25 series phones are getting a small One UI 7 update
• The release schedule for other phones remains uncertain
• Galaxy S23 models could get the update next week – or next month

Samsung's rollout of One UI 7 (based on Android 15) has been a long and frustrating one for users, with delays and bugs aplenty – and we've got some more details about when the software might actually arrive on your phone.

First up, well-known tipster @UniverseIce notes that the "final full version" of One UI 7 is now rolling out for the Samsung Galaxy S25. Or at least it appears to be in South Korea, so it should reach the rest of the world soon.

The Galaxy S25 phones launched with One UI 7 on board back in January, but this latest "final" version seems to bring the handsets up to date with the latest features – including a new charging animation and improved interface support for media player apps.

That leaves every other Galaxy phone. Officially, One UI 7 was supposed to be heading to the Galaxy S24, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 6 on April 7, though that process was put on pause, and it's not clear if it has fully resumed. Based on reports on Reddit and social media, it seems it may depend on where in the world you are.

Coming soon?

The official One UI 7 rollout timeline for the India region‼️Repost pic.twitter.com/WqzOnmNdU6April 16, 2025

With ongoing uncertainty about the One UI 7 update for Galaxy handsets launched in 2024 and 2025, it's perhaps no surprise that we're seeing conflicting leaks around when older phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S23 are going to be included.

If you own a Galaxy S23, you'll be encouraged by a report from Android Headlines suggesting the phone could get One UI 7 as early as next week – though it seems the Canadian carrier listing the leak is based on has now been revised.

From Canada to India, where well-known tipster @tarunvats33 has posted another rollout timeline that specifies the Galaxy S23 upgrade date as May 25. Some other phones and tablets will apparently have to wait until June or even July.

As has tended to be the norm with One UI 7, we're left with a lack of clarity from Samsung and a lot of conflicting rumors – not helped by the complex logistics of managing software updates across multiple countries and carriers. Once again, Galaxy phone owners are having to patiently refresh their Android update screens and wait.

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• Apple has released the iOS 18.4.1 update to iPhones
• It fixes an annoying CarPlay bug that has been causing issues for drivers
• CarPlay users have been reporting the problems for weeks

For a few weeks, users of Apple’s CarPlay have been plagued by a series of bugs, crashes and all-round problems that have hampered the in-car entertainment system. Now, though, it looks like Apple has rolled out a fix that has finally put the issues to bed.

The fix is included in the iOS 18.4.1 update, which Apple released yesterday. The release notes explain that the patch “provides important bug fixes, security updates, and addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles.”

That should provide some comfort to Apple customers affected by the irritating issues in their CarPlay-enabled vehicles. That said, we’ll have to wait for user reports to roll in to be sure the fix has worked. That’s because there were several problems that were previously reported rather than just one.

A variety of problems

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Hadrian)

Scouring online forums and message boards, you can find a variety of CarPlay glitches that seem to have recently affected people, as we reported a couple weeks ago.

For instance, one user reported that their vehicle’s dashboard was no longer displaying Now Playing information. For others, their devices would repeatedly connect to CarPlay, promptly disconnect, then reconnect again, over and over. Still other users couldn’t connect their devices to CarPlay at all.

The problems were being experienced across a variety of different car brands, suggesting that the issues lay with CarPlay itself rather than the vehicles’ own software. And sure enough, the release of this patch by Apple seems to have confirmed that.

If you’ve found yourself affected by recent CarPlay issues, we’d recommend that you download and install the latest iOS 18.4.1 update on your iPhone. Hopefully, that should finally remedy the glitches once and for all.

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• A new iPhone 17 Pro render shows a single color for the whole back of the phone
• This is at odds with previous renders
• However, it matches a design claim from a reputable source

So far, most renders of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max have shown them with a two-tone design, where the rumored large new camera block is one color, and the rest of the rear is another. But a new render shows these two elements in the same shade.

The image you can see below was shared by @kdctweets (via Phone Arena), and we’d take it with a pinch of salt, since they don’t yet have much of a track record as a leaker – and also it’s unclear whether this image is based on new information they’ve obtained, or just their own vision of what the iPhone 17 Pro might look like.

But it’s notable regardless, because recently Mark Gurman – an Apple watcher with a superb track record – claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro series wouldn’t have a two-tone design. So there’s a good chance this image provides a more accurate look at the iPhone 17 Pro’s design than previous renders do.

pic.twitter.com/4vWww2aP7KApril 16, 2025

No two-tone for your iPhone

Whether it all being one color is better or worse than two-tone is somewhat subjective – and may not matter much anyway if you’re just going to put the phone in a case. But while nothing is certain just yet, we’re inclined to believe Gurman on this – meaning the design in this render is probably something along the lines of what Apple will unveil.

That said, even if the colors of the two sections are mostly a match, there may be some slight differences in the tone, as a previous iPhone 17 Pro leak suggested the camera housing would be metal, while the bottom half of the phone would be glass. So the colors might not be quite as uniform as they are here.

We’ll probably find out for sure in September, as that’s when the iPhone 17 series is likely to be unveiled, but we’d expect plenty more unofficial renders will emerge in the meantime.

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• Comper Joris de Man would return to write music for another Horizon Zero Dawn game
• De Man says Guerrilla Games is "very, very good at keeping their cards close to their chest"
• He couldn't confirm if he's working on a third game, but says, "I'm there for it, is all I can say"

Composer Joris de Man, best known for Killzone and the Horizon series, can't confirm if he's working on the third Horizon game, but would return if Guerrilla Games asked.

Ahead of the PlayStation: The Concert Tour, a live music event scheduled to play music from PlayStation's most iconic games like The Last of Us and God of War, TechRadar Gaming sat down with Joris de Man to discuss his time composing music for video games and expressed interest in returning for another Killzone game.

When asked if he will continue working on the Horizon series in the future or on the third installment, de Man said he's all in.

"I'm there for it, is all I can say," de Man said. "Yeah, in terms of what's happening, what I will say is that Guerrilla is very, very good at keeping their cards close to their chest, and even as someone who's known them the past 20 years, I'm always kind of almost a bit shocked and a bit perturbed that I don't know more about what they're cooking up there in Amsterdam."

On the topic of different genres he would like to explore next in his career, de Man revealed the desire to write music for a role-playing game (RPG), similar to Diablo or even a Fallout game.

"I'd love to do an RPG, like a proper RPG, you know, whether it's something a bit like Diablo..." de Man said. "I mean, I'm a massive Diablo fan, so although I have not been much of a fan of the recent one [...] I've not managed to get into it as well as I did with the other three, which I played until the disc was literally gray.

"But yeah, no, I love those games, so I'd love to write something for that, and otherwise, a Fallout game would also be quite cool to write on, because I just love the original soundtracks, and I'd love to explore that kind of vibe a bit further for a future Fallout game."

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• The first gameplay trailer for Cronos: The New Dawn has arrived
• It shows off the upcoming survival horror game
• It also offers a glimpse at its unique 'Merge' mechanics

Silent Hill 2 remake developer Bloober Team has released the first gameplay trailer for its next game, Cronos: The New Dawn.

An all-new survival horror property, Cronos: The New Dawn looks a little bit like Silent Hill crossed with Dead Space and The Medium. Its set across two parallel time periods - the post-apocalyptic far future and 1980s Poland.

In Poland, players will explore the fictionalized ruined district of New Dawn, which was inspired by the real-world Nowa Huta in Krakow.

As a Traveller and agent of the mysterious Collective, it's your job to travel back in time to rescue key people from the incoming apocalypse.

Standing in your way are the Orphans, supernatural creatures that don't stay dead. If you're not able to burn their bodies, other enemies can absorb them in a unique process called 'Merging' - becoming stronger and gaining additional abilities. This is certainly an interesting idea and reminds me a little bit of the terrifying Crimson Head zombies from the Resident Evil remake.

The trailer also offers some glimpses of the combat mechanics, with the player wielding a mix of powerful range weapons including a pistol, a meaty shotgun, and a few futuristic looking launchers.

They game will feature a soundtrack from award winning composer Arkadiusz Reikowski, who has helmed music for a number of Bloober Team games, in collaboration with the Polish-Ukranian indie folk band Zazula.

Cronos: The New Dawn is set to release in 2025 and is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

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• Xbox's official support account may have spilled the beans on the Oblivion remaster's release date
• Several X / Twitter users have been sharing direct message videos and screenshots
• The alleged release date is just a few days from now on April 21, 2025

Xbox's official support account may have just shared more than it was supposed to on the alleged remaster for The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.

After a round of screenshots leaked online this week, the internet was once again abuzz with speculation as to if (or indeed when) we'll get to play the long-rumored Oblivion Remastered anytime soon.

It seems like we may have just gotten our answer. As reported by GamesRadar, several users on X / Twitter have been claiming that Xbox's official support account, via direct messaging, has been outright stating a release date of April 21, 2025 for Oblivion Remastered. At the time of writing, that's four days from now.

pic.twitter.com/U1SqhpKMbvApril 16, 2025

The above video shows a DM interaction between X / Twitter user Ser_Raven18 and what appears to be the official Xbox Support account.

"The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered is set to release on April 21, 2025," writes the account.

Furthermore, in a reply to gaming account 'Synth Potato, another user shared a screenshot with details on how Oblivion Remastered will be handling the original's bevy of downloadable content, including the legendary Shivering Isles expansion.

"The remastered version of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion on Xbox Game Pass will include the base game only. The Shivering Isles DLC, along with other expansions like Knights of the Nine, will be part of the Deluxe Edition."

As a screenshot only, this message does carry less weight, and there's always the chance that correspondence here could be fabricated just to stew the pot. So naturally, take everything here with a healthy pinch of salt.

That said, a lot of things do seem to be lining up. Hopefully the speculation can be put to bed with an official announcement or trailer soon, especially as the alleged release date is mere days away.

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• OpenAI CEO says saying "Please" or "Thank You" to ChatGPT costs the company 'Tens of millions of dollars'
• A Future survey found that roughly 70% of people are polite to AI
• Experts believe being polite to AI is actually beneficial to the responses you receive, but at what cost?

Do you say "Please" or "Thank you" to ChatGPT? If you're polite to OpenAI's chatbot, you could be part of the user base costing the company "Tens of millions of dollars" on electricity bills.

User @tomiinlove wrote on X, "I wonder how much money OpenAI has lost in electricity costs from people saying 'please' and 'thank you' to their models."

OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, responded, "Tens of millions of dollars well spent - you never know." Thanks for lowering the world's anxiety around an AI uprising, Sam. We'll all be sure to waste even more energy by saying "Please" or "Thank You" from now on.

In February, Future PLC, the company that owns TechRadar, compiled a survey of more than 1,000 people on their AI etiquette. The survey found that around 70% of people are polite to AI when interacting with it, with 12% being polite in case of a robot uprising.

Obviously, there's an energy cost when using ChatGPT, which has massive AI-powered servers that run the whole operation. But as these tools thrive in popularity, are most of us even aware that one simple message, or one AI-generated meme, is impacting the planet?

TechRadar reached out to OpenAI for comment, we'll update this story when we hear back.

tens of millions of dollars well spent--you never knowApril 16, 2025

Should we be polite to AI?

If being polite to AI can have such an impact on energy consumption, should we even bother being nice to ChatGPT?

Presumably, these 'Tens of millions of dollars' Altman speaks of are due to users saying "Please" or "Thank You" in a contained message rather than at the end of a prompt. Hopefully, OpenAI will respond to our query to give us more of an understanding of how people frame these particular messages.

TechRadar writer Becca Caddy stopped saying thanks to ChatGPT and found that being polite to an AI chatbot might actually help with responses.

In her article, she wrote, "Polite, well-structured prompts often lead to better responses, and in some cases, they may even reduce bias. That’s not just a bonus – it’s a critical factor in AI reliability.

As AI evolves, it will be fascinating to see whether politeness itself becomes a built-in feature. Could AI favor users who communicate respectfully? Will models be trained to respond differently based on etiquette?"

So while it may not be energy-efficient, being polite to AI could in fact give you a better experience while interacting with ChatGPT. But is it worth the environmental cost?

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As we reported last year, the first season of Citadel struggled to achieve a 50% Rotten Tomatoes rating. It's currently sitting at a rather sad 51%, but its spin-offs Citadel: Diana and Citadel: Honey Bunny are much higher rated, with 82% and 75% respectively.

So of course Prime Video has canned both spin-offs after just one season apiece.

The reason's simple enough: the reviews were often rank: "As generic as they come"; "style over substance"; "what you'd get if a child tried to draw an action blockbuster from memory"; "so frustratingly low-effort it's honestly kind of offensive"), but lots and lots of people streamed it anyway.

It's not all bad news for fans of the now cancelled shows, however. Amazon MGM TV boss Vernon Sanders says the tales will continue as part of the mothership show.

What's happening with Citadel?

Here's Sanders: "Having successfully traversed India and Italy, storylines from both Citadel: Honey Bunny and Citadel: Diana will be woven into the upcoming second season of the mothership series Citadel."

He continues: "While these successful and widely enjoyed international chapters will not continue as individual series, Season 2 of Citadel will be our most exhilarating yet. With high-stakes storytelling, new additions to our amazing cast and bold, cinematic ambition, the new season will deepen the emotional journeys of Nadia, Mason and Orlick against the relentless force that is Manticore."

He also shared a premiere date, or at least a premiere window: Q2 of 2026.

The writing was on the wall for the spin-offs because, as Deadline reports, they "have not been global breakouts". The two shows "have been waiting for word on their fates since launching their first seasons in September and December, respectively."

That also means the end of what I slightly sarcastically described as a Citadel Cinematic Universe of multiple connected shows set in different countries. It's all about the single show now, and hopefully it'll raise its game for season 2.

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• Samsung Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro brings rugged durability with IP68, MIL-STD-810H and Gorilla Glass
• Mid-range Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip handles essential business tasks
• Supports a hot-swappable 10,100mAh battery and POGO charging

Samsung has launched a new rugged tablet featuring a 10.1-inch WUXGA TFT LCD display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, adaptive refresh rate up to 120Hz, and touch sensitivity for gloves under 2mm thick and wet screen use - though not underwater.

There aren’t many rugged tablets from major brands, so it’s great to see the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro built specifically for tough environments. It boasts an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, MIL-STD-810H certification for durability in extreme conditions, and Gorilla Glass Victus+ to protect the screen against scratches and disinfectants like ethanol and bleach-based cleaners.

Power shouldn’t be an issue, as the tablet includes a 10,100mAh user-replaceable battery that supports dual hot-swap, allowing one battery to be changed without powering down the device. A POGO pin interface supports dock-based charging, although the dock is sold separately.

3.5mm headphone jack

This isn’t a device aiming to compete with mainstream tablets in raw performance. It’s powered by a 4nm Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chip, paired with 6GB or 8GB of RAM and 128GB or 256GB of storage, expandable via microSD up to 2TB. This chip delivers mid-range performance and sits below the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 series in Qualcomm’s lineup.

For connectivity, the tablet supports 5G (Sub-6), LTE, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.4, and NFC with front tagging. It also supports both physical SIM and eSIM, though eSIM availability may vary by region. Navigation is covered by GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, and QZSS, although satellite coverage may differ based on location.

The Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature increasingly rare in modern devices. Samsung retained the port specifically for frontline workers who rely on wired headsets where Bluetooth may be unreliable or restricted.

Don’t expect flagship-level photography from the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro. This productivity-focused tablet includes a 12MP rear camera and an 8MP front-facing sensor. It does come bundled with an IP68-rated S Pen for added functionality, however.

Weighing about 680g, the tablet also supports a USB 3.2 Type-C port, Samsung Knox and Knox Vault for enhanced security, an RGB light sensor, and a programmable Active Key for quick access to user-defined functions.

“At Samsung, we understand that frontline professionals need technology that adapts to their fast-paced and demanding work environments,” said Jerry Park, EVP and Head of Global Mobile B2B Team, MX Business at Samsung Electronics.

He added the Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro combines "ruggedised durability, enterprise-grade security, seamless connectivity and intuitive AI-driven features to help businesses operate efficiently in harsh conditions while maximizing productivity and minimizing downtime.”

The Galaxy Tab Active5 Pro will be available starting April 2025, with a recommended retail price of £769 in the UK. US pricing has yet to be confirmed.

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• Deezer is rolling out four new features between now and the end of May
• They include new customization options for algorithms and the interface
• My Deezer Month and unique Universal Sharing are also coming

Well then, Spotify still down? Parisian rival Deezer picked a cute moment to unveil a quartet of new features coming to its music streaming platform, didn't it?

Deezer is clearly on a mission, not just to provide a Wrapped and Replay answer in the shape of My Deezer Month, coming in May, but to enable its users to express themselves and connect with others through music – whichever of the best music streaming services they're pinging you a track from.

Always subscribe to Spotify because it's the one your friends use? You're about to get another option.

Alexis Lanternier, CEO of Deezer, said: "At Deezer, we are constantly innovating to offer the most personalized and customizable music experience on the market. The new features we’re introducing today give users more control over their algorithm, greater flexibility to personalize their experience, and easy ways to share content with their friends, even beyond Deezer. We want to keep surprising fans with new and engaging ways to experience music."

What of the four brand-new features? Let's get into it…

Deezer's new features: let's get granular

(Image credit: Future)

The four-pronged suite of updates Deezer is bringing is as follows:

More control over the algorithm
Deezer tells me 40% of music streamers are either 34 or younger (well don't I feel old?) and the message is clear: they want better control over the algorithm. Deezer has already evolved its Flow feature to let users influence their algorithm-delivered recommendations over the years (including 'like' buttons), but starting in April, Deezer is launching an algorithm customization feature that it claims puts users "fully in control" of their music discovery. For the first time in music streaming, Deezer tells me users get to tweak their recommendations algorithm without restriction.

During an online briefing, Lanternier showed off what he jokingly calls Deezer's new personalized "nightmare section" within every user's personal account: all of the bands you have disliked and a timeline of what you shunned, and when. Don't like it? You'll no longer be sent tracks from those artists, or similar tracks to the one you listened to and hated. Apple Music offers vaguely similar 'favorite' (star) and 'suggest less' (thumbs-down) buttons for tracks, but it's nothing like this.

Enhanced personalization of the interface
The Deezer app is becoming even more customizable. Starting in May, users will be able to organize the Favorites tab for quick access to their preferred content, creating a truly personalized space. They'll also have the option to customize their playlist covers by adding photos, shapes, and stickers – remodeling the app to fit their personality. During the demo we were shown how to create a cover – think emoji stickers like suns, sunglasses and maybe a drink, a colorful background and a title like 'Summer 2025 Ibiza' maybe. (Lucky you, by the way…)

New stats to discover and share your musical identity
Building on its annual recap, My Deezer Year, Deezer is launching My Deezer Month. And let's not mince words: this builds on the mixed successes of Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay (which was vastly better than Wrapped late last year). Starting in early May, users will receive fresh stats – including most listened-to songs, artists, genres – and a detailed breakdown of their activity, all presented in a "unique and engaging way" every month. Yes, we have heard of this before, but just wait…

Share your music beyond Deezer
Coming late April, Deezer is introducing a next-level approach to music sharing, and one that transcends your streaming platform. With a universal sharing link, Deezer tells me users will be able to send their favorite tracks to friends and family who are using other streaming services (Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music). The launch builds on Shaker, another unique Deezer feature that allows subscribers to create playlists with their community, even with friends who are not on Deezer – but come on! It's huge, no?

At a time when there's still no official sign of Spotify HiFi, Apple Music, Tidal and Qobuz's hi-resolution streams have become ever-more tempting options. Deezer's audio file resolution still tops out at CD-quality, aka 16-bit/44.1kHz, (better than Spotify, not as good as the best offerings from Tidal, Qobuz and Apple Music) but music I can send to a friend, safe in the knowledge that they'll be able to open and enjoy it, even if they're used to lowly Spotify streams? That is huge – and a big reason to switch.

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Netflix's new series The Gardener has been a big hit, rocketing to the top of its most-watched chart of non-English-speaking shows. It's the tale of a young man whose mother uses his lack of feelings to turn him into a hitman – but then he falls for his next intended victim.

What's made the show so popular is most likely the fact that it's character driven rather than action driven – and of course that means when things kick off, you're emotionally invested. And that's something that applies to these thrillers too: they're thrilling, of course, but they also feature characters you'll be rooting for.

Black Doves

With a whopping 94% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this Keira Knightley-starring spy story has "compelling performances, striking visuals, and a cheeky sense of humor," says the Times of India. It's the story of a woman having an affair, only for her partner to fall victim to the criminal underworld – so she's assigned Sam (Ben Wishaw), to protect her.

"It’s a smart, frolicking action-adventure full of twists and turns, but it also knows how to make the most of its stars, expand upon an audience’s expectations, and even riff cleverly on current events in our topsy-turvy world," says The Establishing Shot.

"Knightley and Whishaw are terrific here, playing all the layers of their characters’ lies and all the layers of their pains and joys," says The New York Times. It does get violent: however, as the UK Times says, it "is ultimately quite heartwarming despite the blood and gore."

House of Ninjas

Everybody loves a good ninja show, and this is a very good ninja show: season 1 of House of Ninjas has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Here's what we said about the first season. "Sharpen your shurikens and dust off your daggers: Japan faces a national crisis and the only ones who can help are ninjas in Netflix's new Drama series. Luckily for the people of Japan, the ninjas are still around, having spent years in hiding to stay out of sight and out of mind.

But when the nation needs their help, the last and deeply dysfunctional ninja family must spring into action."

Not everybody loved the story – the SF Chronicle found it "predictable". But ScreenAnarchy begs to differ. It's "a marvelous mix of stealthy ninja action, family drama, and gentle comedy. The cast is outstanding at playing the various notes called for throughout the series, and the action is bone crushing and bloody."

The Night Agent

The Night Agent comes from the same pen as The Shield, which was also created by Shawn Ryan. It follows low-level FBI agent Peter Sutherland who's in the wrong place at the wrong time when the phone rings: the call plunges him right into the middle of a massive conspiracy.

Reviews have been mostly positive with a few tomato splats, such as The Age saying that it's a "solid" if "unspectacular run-and-gun narrative that at least has a zesty female counterpart." But the San Jose Mercury News liked it a lot: it's "A solid conspiracy movie/series throwback involving two lethal killers, a bombing in a subway, a mole within the White House and a newbie FBI agent who’s in over his head."

Variety was enthusiastic too. "It’s a pleasure to see a show better than it might have been, when so often the opposite is true: The Night Agent sparks with curiosity and intrigue, a richly detailed show that propels viewers forward with a relentless pace."

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• Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch 2 Editions will let players repair their equipment
• Players will need to download the Zelda Notes app to access the exclusive feature
• The Daily Bonus offering will give players the chance to repair their weapons

The Nintendo Switch 2 versions of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom will give players the ability to repair their equipment with a companion app.

Although this hasn't been officially announced by Nintendo itself, the discovery comes from YouTuber Zeltik, who spotted in the recent Nintendo Treehouse Live that the new Zelda Notes app will offer the feature exclusively for the Switch 2 Editions (via IGN).

When using Zelda Notes, players will be able to access a Daily Bonus feature once per day, allowing them to roll a roulette wheel and redeem a random bonus in-game. Some of these include health recovery, a fireproof elixir, a hasty meal, stamina recovery, energy cell recharge, and more.

These are all items or buffs that can be found in-game but, notably, the Daily Bonus will also offer ways to repair your equipment, something neither Breath of the Wild nor Tears of the Kingdom offers in the current Switch versions.

Some bonuses that can be spotted in the video are "Bow Repairs" and "Equipment Repairs", suggesting there may also be Sword and Shield repairs as well.

For players who may not be a fan of the game's weapon durability, this new Zelda Notes app feature seems like a decent workaround if you don't want to risk losing your favorite sword in the middle of a boss fight.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle. The Switch 2 Editions of Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom are day-one launch titles.

Although there was some initial confusion, it's now been confirmed that both games will contain the full game and upgrades on the cartridge, although there is still some uncertainty as to whether players will need to re-purchase Breath of the Wild's downloadable content (DLC).

If you're looking to get your hands on a Switch 2, pre-orders are now live in the UK, but US pre-orders and Canadian pre-orders have been delayed as Nintendo assesses the potential impact of tariffs.

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Tesla often likes to bundle a number of big software updates into one, with its popular ‘Holiday Update’ typically introducing a series of choice tech upgrades to existing customers.

The latest over-the-air update, dubbed the ‘Spring Update’, sees a number of new features added across the line-up, with perhaps the most notable of all being Adaptive Headlights for cars in North American and Canada.

Both the Model S and Model X have also been catered for with a new blind spot camera video feed in the instrument cluster and an overall upgrade to the Dashcam and Sentry Mode camera coverage will benefit all owners, especially those worried about the prospect of anti-Musk protests.

Here are those Tesla updates and who's getting them...

1. Adaptive headlights arrive in North American and Canada

(Image credit: Tesla)

Available on Tesla models that feature matrix headlights, the software update will introduce high beams that automatically adapt to avoid blinding oncoming road users.

It works by dimming individual pixels, illuminating the parts of the road drivers need without inconveniencing others.

The technology and required software has been available in Europe for some time now, but the update, which can be toggled on and off in the Lights setting menu, comes to North American and Canadian customers thanks to recent changes in legislation that now allow for it.

That said, adaptive high beam headlights have been commonplace on models from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and many more for over ten years now, so it’s not exactly a mind-blowing addition to the Tesla tech arsenal.

2. Route planning gets smarter

(Image credit: Tesla)

Tesla’s route-planning is largely excellent, arguably among the best in the EV business, but it has just got better thanks to clearer choices for multiple route-planning options.

There’s now an option labelled ‘Fastest’ that keeps travel (and charge time) time to the bare minimum, while a ‘Best amenities’ option prioritizes Supercharger stops near top-rated restaurants, shops and restrooms, according to a Tesla post on X. Users can also manually toggle an option to avoid highways for more scenic drives.

Finally, there’s a ‘Fewer Stops’ that aims to reduce the number of charging stops by taking the most direct and efficient routes.

Plus, when scrolling through the various Tesla Supercharger stations, the infotainment system will offer details on any nearby attractions it deems worth visiting.

3. Improvements to Dashcam and Sentry Mode

(Image credit: Tesla)

For the Model S, 3, X and Y with the latest hardware, Tesla has added footage from the side cameras (mounted in the b-pillars) to both Dashcam and Sentry Mode recordings.

This means that the captured camera angles now jump from four to six, which will see pretty much all of the car covered, both when driving and when parked.

On top of this, the Dashcam Viewer app has been redesigned with a grid layout option, showing a selection of camera angles on one screen.

Users can now more easily navigate the captured footage thanks to quick-swipe video review tools, as well as easily toggle between the various angles captured by all six cameras.

4. You can charge accessories after leaving the vehicle

(Image credit: Tesla UK)

One subtle feature has been added that allows users to continue using USB ports and phone chargers after exiting and locking the car.

The system will keep charging accessories so long as the vehicle’s battery level is above 20%, to ensure there’s enough charge remaining to get drivers to a nearby charging station.

It’s a nice addition, but many rival manufacturers deliberately offer accessory outlets in the trunk and/or frunk for this exact purpose.

5. Driver screen gets a blind spot camera

(Image credit: Tesla)

Rather than having to look down to the central touchscreen when indicating to change lanes, a live feed from the blind spot cameras now appears in the driver display… but there’s a catch.

This update is only available on the refreshed Model S and Model X, which encompasses vehicles made between 2021 and now.

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• Google is testing even more new features in its Messages beta app
• These include an expanded 14-line message view and new RCS message labels
• While these are still in beta testing, they could start rolling out to users this month

Over the past couple of months, Google has been doubling down on eradicating all traces of Google Assistant to make Gemini its flagship voice assistant, but amidst the organized Gemini chaos, Google has been paying a lot of attention to improving its Messages app, giving it some much-needed TLC.

It’s safe to say that the new revisions to the Google Messages app have significantly improved its UI. Its new snooze function for group chats also comes to mind, but Google is still in its beta testing era. For a while, Google was experimenting with an easier way to join group chats, following WhatsApp’s footsteps. Now, it’s testing five more features that could make up the next wave of Google Messages upgrades this month.

Although these features are in beta, there’s been no comment on whether they’ll be officially rolling out to users. With that said, we’ll be keeping an eye out for any further updates.

Google expands its 4-line text field limit

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Just a few weeks ago, we reported on a new upgrade found in Google Messages beta indicating that Google would get better at handling lengthy text messages.

For a while, Google Messages users have been restricted to a four-line view limit when sending texts, meaning that you would need to scroll to review your entire message before sending. This is particularly frustrating when sending long URL links.

But that could soon be a thing of the past, as 9to5Google has picked up a new beta code that reveals an expanded message composition field on the Pixel 9a that now reaches up to 14 lines.

New RCS labels

Recently, Google has been testing new in-app labels that could distinguish whether you’re sending an SMS or RCS message.

Thanks to an APK teardown from Android Authority, the labels found in beta suggest that soon you’ll be able to see which of your contacts are using RCS in Messages, adding a new RCS label to the right side of a contact’s name or number.

Unsubscribe from automated texts

This is a feature we’re quite excited to see, and we’re hoping for a wider rollout this month. A few weeks ago, an unsubscribe button was spotted at the bottom of some messages, which could give users an easier way of unsubscribing to automated texts and even the option to report spam.

When you tap this, a list of options will appear asking you for your reasons for unsubscribing, which include ‘not signed up’, ‘too many messages’, and ‘no longer interested’ as well as an option for ‘spam’. If you select one of the first three, a message reading ‘STOP’ will be sent automatically, and you’ll be successfully unsubscribed.

Read receipts gets a new look

(Image credit: 9to5Google)

Google could introduce another revamp of how you can view read receipts in the Messages app. In November 2024, Google tested a redesign of its read receipts that placed the checkmark symbols inside the message bubbles, which used to appear underneath sent messages.

In January, Google tested another small redesign introducing a new white background, which could roll out soon, and while this isn’t a major redesign, it’s effective enough to make read receipts stand out more.

Camera and gallery redesign, and sending ‘original quality’ media

We first noticed that Google Messages was prepping a new photo and video quality upgrade. In March, more users started to notice a wider availability, but it’s still not yet fully rolled out, meaning it could be one of the next new updates in the coming weeks.

Essentially, Google could be rolling out a new option that allows you to send media, such as photos and videos, in their original quality. This will give you the choice of the following two options:

‘Optimize for chat’ - sends photos and videos at a faster speed, compromising quality.

‘Original quality’ - sends photos and videos as they appear in your phone’s built-in storage.

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• Zeekr 007 GT will join 007 sedan in rapidly expanding line-up
• Sporty variant offers bags of space and plenty of pace
• Company says it will offer the car in further markets in the future

Fresh from the launch of its 7X SUV model outside of China, Zeekr has announced that it will make a sleek, grand touring shooting brake version of its 007 sedan available in China.

Slated to start at just RMB 202,900 (or around $27,615 / £21,000/ AU$43,300), the 007GT measures almost 5 meters (16ft 4in) in length, enabling the trunk to swallow 645 liters of kit with the rear seats up and a massive 1,737 liters with the rear seats folded flat.

It rides on the same platform as the recent 7X, as well as numerous other Geely Group products, with an 800V electrical architecture that allows for 10% to 80% battery charging in just 10.5-minutes from a suitable DC ultra-fast charger.

According to CNEV Post, the 007 GT will offer two battery sizes, with a cheaper 75kWh LFP battery from CATL providing just over 400 miles of range on China’s CLTC testing cycle.

Similar to the 7X, Zeekr will also offer its larger 100kWh ‘Golden Battery’ that sees the range jump to an impressive 512 miles.

Performance is also impressive, with even the lower-powered single motor models able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds, while the AWD dual motor variant can cover the same spring in just 3.8 seconds.

Nvidia Orin-X system-on-a-chip and Lidar technology provides the basis for advanced automated driving functionality, with advanced automatic parking and even automated robotic charging offered in the Chinese domestic market.

Analysis: Teasing Tesla with a more enticing range

(Image credit: Zeekr)

Having ridden in the back of a Zeekr 007, I can vouch for the comfort and levels of luxury the brand has managed to achieve. It’s a striking car from the outside, but also a very pleasant way to travel from the passenger seats.

The 007 GT bolsters Zeekr’s line-up in so much that it is aimed at families and couples, with the accompanying press imagery showing the car being used for camping getaways and various outdoor active lifestyle pursuits.

Although not 100% confirmed, Zeekr has said that it hopes to bring the 007 GT to global markets (thankfully dropping the 007 and opting for 7GT instead), where it will likely be priced to take on Kia’s EV6, the VW ID 7 Tourer and even Tesla’s Model Y.

Zeekr already has eight models available in China, covering sedans, shooting brakes, MPVs and a variety of SUVs. It is this kind of choice that Tesla is so desperately lacking right now and is a weak spot that rivals, like Zeekr, are looking to exploit.

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• Toshiba has unveiled a new portable turntable for vinyl records
• Similar to the iconic Audio-Technica Sound Burger, it has a 10-hour battery
• Despite its portable design, we'd think twice about taking it to the beach

Bluetooth speakers are pretty much a necessity when it comes to a beach day or a summer day at the park, but have you ever wanted to flaunt your vinyl record collection in public? Well, Toshiba’s new portable turntable aims to answer that question.

Toshiba, though not renowned for producing the best turntables, has announced the Aurex AX-RP10, a new wireless vinyl record player expected to be released later this month designed for analog music fans who want to take advantage of their collection outside of their usual home audio set up. Pricing hasn’t been unveiled yet, though we can’t imagine it'll be long before that's out in the open too.

Toshiba's portable turntable comes with an arm lifter, making it easy to raise and lower the needle. There's also an auto-stop function for when the record finishes playing. (Image credit: Toshiba )

Though the Aurex AX-RP10 isn’t quite as pocket-friendly as other music playback devices (it's a lot bigger than the best digital audio players), it still packs a compact size of 160mm x 300mm that can be transported around in its dedicated storage bag. But how does it run you may ask? It’s quite simple; a built-in chargeable battery with a 10-hour battery life.

Let's be honest: Toshiba’s new portable turntable is strikingly similar to the iconic and re-released Audio Technica Sound Burger, which is a minor red flag in itself, given the original 1983 Sound Burger’s reported tendency to gradually scratch vinyl records over time (possibly not the Sound Burger's fault because I mean, if they're coming on road-trips with you, it's going to happen at some point). If this is the case for the Aurex AX-RP10 though, I worry for its longevity, and its audio quality likely won’t be enough to sway audiophiles.

Since the Aurex-RP10 lacks its own inbuilt speakers, there's a stereo mini audio jack for plugging in the best wired headphones or your more traditional sound system, but if you're out and about, the turntable’s Bluetooth connectivity means you can also hook it up to Bluetooth speakers or headphones (and invite a bit of compression).

I’m not saying ‘never’ when it comes to Toshiba’s answer to portable tangible music – I still think it would look great as part of a minimal audio setup, especially if you’re limited for space. Or perhaps you want to replicate a Pinterest-perfect image in your living space, something I’d be guilty of and I'm not sorry. But as far as its portability goes, the beach is the last place I’d take it; my vinyl collection is far too precious for sand.

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