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Modern IT systems are awash with a constant flow of data providing information on system performance and security. This data is crucial for IT professionals looking to keep IT infrastructures running smoothly.

The snag is, with so much information available, it’s almost impossible to decipher what’s routine and what potentially could pose a threat. Trying to figure out the digital wheat from the chaff requires more than just visibility. It requires increasingly sophisticated systems that can interpret, prioritize and act—not simply collect information.

Unfortunately, most observability tools today don’t work this way. They generate alerts, log events and surface anomalies. And while technology is improving all the time, they don’t always understand what’s happening or how to respond.

Take a typical global enterprise running a hybrid architecture. It may have critical applications that are spread across multiple cloud providers, while also relying on on-premise legacy systems. Together, these systems are shepherded by dozens of monitoring tools generating thousands of alerts every day.

Some are false positives. Others are minor policy breaches. But lurking somewhere in the noise is a genuine security incident. And by the time it’s spotted… well, it could be too late.

Observability is becoming more intelligent

What’s missing isn’t just more tools or greater visibility. It requires a new, highly sophisticated level of observability—one that works more like a human brain with the ability to filter out noise, recognize what matters and trigger the right response at the right time. What’s needed is something intelligent that can ’think’ for itself.

Part of the reason why this is needed is because IT teams have tended to invest in separate tools that often have little contextual awareness. That means it’s up to the human members of IT teams to bridge the gaps, deciding whether an alert is serious, identifying the root cause and initiating the right response. In fast-moving environments, these human assessments can take time which, in turn, adds to the risk.

An intelligent observability system, on the other hand, would do more than simply monitor for known issues. It would detect anomalies in real time using context-aware monitoring, then assess the severity and likely impact based on both the technical and business relevance and risk.

Rather than treating every signal the same, it would prioritize based on urgency and risk, helping teams focus on what truly matters.

Crucially, it would also support automation, enabling routine fixes or containment measures to be initiated. And instead of splitting insight across multiple disconnected views, it would bring together data from on-premises and cloud environments in a single, cohesive picture.

This kind of system doesn’t just monitor IT systems and networks. It has total oversight and is ready to act when needed.

So, how close are we?

The good news is that progress is being made. AI-driven observability is moving from aspiration to implementation. Anomaly detection based on behavioral baselines is becoming more accessible, helping teams distinguish real issues from false alarms. Alert correlation and intelligent escalation paths are improving, reducing alert fatigue and bringing the right signals to the right people at the right time.

Some observability platforms, including those being developed at SolarWinds, are already combining monitoring, analysis and response into more cohesive workflows. Integration across hybrid environments remains a challenge, but the building blocks for intelligent observability are now in place.

What’s still missing, though, is the kind of full-system intelligence that can replicate the nuance of human decision-making. Most observability tools still rely on thresholds, templates, or predefined rules. True context-awareness—the ability to understand why something is happening and what to do next—is still emerging. But the direction of travel is clear.

Why this matters now

According to a recent SolarWinds AI and Observability report focused on the public sector, three-quarters of respondents said hybrid environments were hard to manage. Top concerns included data protection, integration complexity and a lack of visibility across systems.

Managing this complexity is made harder by the reality that observability tools are often siloed—one for cloud, another for on-prem, with separate platforms for detection, logging and remediation.

Security only adds to the unpredictability. In the same report, more than half of IT professionals said insider mistakes were contributing to serious threats, while 59% highlighted increasingly sophisticated attacks from external actors. The rise of generative AI means those external threats are becoming more scalable and targeted, increasing the strain on overstretched IT teams.

Which is why the key is not to add even more tools but to reduce complexity, improve visibility and act with intelligence and speed. An observability system that functions more like a brain does exactly that, because IT systems need to do more than observe. They need to understand.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

• Report finds business AI adoption is exploding, but most companies are skipping the hard work of preparation
• Leadership teams are failing to align on AI priorities, leaving strategies fractured and confused
• AI is only as good as the data behind it, and most data strategies are missing

The surge in artificial intelligence adoption has sparked comparisons to the cloud boom of the past decade, but while usage is growing rapidly, understanding remains shallow, new research has claimed.

A Hostinger report found almost 80% of companies now use or plan to use AI, but a seperate Adecco Group report claims only 10% of C-suite leaders believe their organizations are fully ready for the disruption AI brings.

Among the estimated 359 million companies worldwide, about 280 million now integrate AI into at least one function.

AI adoption accelerates, but strategy and structure lag behind

A growing number of small businesses are turning to the best AI tools to handle tasks like writing emails, analyzing data, or generating content.

Larger companies may build out full teams for implementation, but smaller firms are quietly transforming operations using lean, sometimes improvised, approaches.

Still, readiness doesn’t follow adoption, and there is a worrying gap in strategy, as although 60% of leaders expect workers to update their skills, 34% of companies have no formal AI policy.

Adecco found over half of CEOs admit their teams struggle to align on priorities, and only a third of businesses are investing in data infrastructure that would help close these gaps.

However, a small group of “future-ready” companies is building more responsive strategies by supporting continuous learning and relying on enterprise-wide insight to shape their AI direction.

Adecco’s CEO, Denis Machuel, puts it plainly: “AI-driven transformation must be human-centric.”

Many companies rush into AI adoption without understanding what differentiates them, resulting in scattered or redundant projects.

“Without enterprise-wide insight, AI efforts become siloed and misaligned. Enterprise Architecture can help focus AI initiatives on what truly sets a company apart,” Stendera explains.

By mapping their unique strengths and workflows, organizations can guide AI deployments that reinforce strategic priorities rather than dilute them.

AI depends not just on investment, but on introspection, and it is not a magic fix - and if companies do not understand what they need from AI, they won’t know how to use it, and the result will be catastrophic.

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• Streams 4K video, backs up your phone, and still skips cloud storage entirely
• The TerraMaster F4 SSD promises home privacy, but may offload all maintenance responsibility onto the user
• Up to 32TB of SSD speed sounds impressive, but your router might bottleneck it

As local storage continues to evolve, some brands now offer compact network-attached systems that emphasize privacy, speed, and media versatility.

The TerraMaster F4 SSD provides support for up to 32TB of SSD storage using four 8TB SSDs, and supports file systems such as EXT4, BTRFS, exFAT, and NTFS.

It bypasses the need for cloud-based platforms by incorporating hardware-level encryption and data segregation for over 20 user accounts.

Performance metrics meet household use cases

The device is powered by a quad-core ARM-based Rockchip RK3568 processor clocked at up to 2.0GHz, with hardware decoding support for H.264 and H.265 codecs and resolutions up to 4K@60fps.

It also features 8GB of DDR4 RAM, expandable to 32GB using two SODIMM slots.

Network capabilities include a 2.5GbE port and a 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C interface, while HDMI 2.0 offers 4K display output.

TerraMaster F4 SSD can also stream to TVs and tablets using standard protocols like uPnP and DLNA, and support for media servers such as Plex, Jellyfin, and Emby suggests it will be compatible with the majority of home setups.

The F4 SSD is built around a 5G Ethernet port, reportedly offering speeds up to five times faster than standard Gigabit connections, supporting high-throughput scenarios.

However, in practical terms, users will likely be limited by the speed of their broader home network, not just the NAS hardware.

Software features include backup tools (including cloud sync and snapshot), AI photo management, VPN server, and remote access via TNAS.online, which enables downloads and uploads through the cloud.

Security features include TRAID, a flexible array system that optimizes space while providing redundancy.

It also supports RAID 0/1/5/6/10, JBOD, and includes tools such as S.M.A.R.T., bad block scan, SSD trim, and hot spare management.

TerraMaster’s SPC control system is another layer that restricts app access based on verified permissions.

The F4 SSD also allows bi-directional syncing with cloud platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox.

This hybrid capability, while useful, may seem counterintuitive in a product designed to replace cloud reliance.

The NAS also features tool-free SSD installation with a drawer-style enclosure, making drive upgrades accessible to beginners.

Cooling is handled by a quiet convection fan system, reportedly keeping standby noise around 19dB, like the TerraMaster D4 SSD. Such silence may be beneficial in noise-sensitive environments like home studios or bedrooms.

The system operates on TOS 6.0 and supports up to 128 user accounts, 128 user groups, and 8 shared folder sync tasks.

This makes it suitable for advanced home users or small studios needing high-speed, private data access.

The TerraMaster F4 SSD is ambitious in scope, but its value will depend on whether users make full use of its features.

Via TechPowerUp

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• Experts warn emails sent with sensitive data are still getting delivered unencrypted, and no one gets notified
• Microsoft 365 sends email in plain text when encryption fails, without alerting the user at all
• Google Workspace still uses insecure TLS 1.0 and 1.1 without warning senders or rejecting messages

Most users assume that emails sent through cloud services are encrypted and secure by default, but this might not always be the case, new research has claimed.

A report from Paubox found Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace both mishandle these failures in ways that leave messages exposed, without notifying the sender or logging the failure.

“Using obsolete encryption provides a false sense of security because it seems as though sensitive data is protected, even though it really is not,” Paubox said.

Default settings quietly undermine encryption

The problem isn’t just a technical edge case; it stems from how these platforms are designed to operate under common conditions.

Google Workspace, the report found, will fall back to delivering messages using TLS 1.0 or 1.1 if the receiving server only supports those outdated protocols.

Microsoft 365 refuses to use deprecated TLS, but instead of bouncing the email or alerting the sender, it sends the message in plain text.

In both cases, the email is delivered, and no warning is issued.

These behaviors pose serious compliance risks, as in 2024, Microsoft 365 accounted for 43% of healthcare-related email breaches.

Meanwhile, 31.1% of breached healthcare entities had TLS misconfigurations, despite many of these organizations using “force TLS” settings to meet compliance requirements.

But as Paubox notes, forcing TLS does not guarantee encryption using secure versions like TLS 1.2 or 1.3, and fails silently when those conditions are not met.

The consequences of silent encryption failures are far-reaching - healthcare providers routinely send Protected Health Information (PHI) over email, assuming tools like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer strong protections.

In reality, neither platform enforces modern encryption when failures occur, and both risk violating HIPAA safeguards without detection.

Federal guidelines, including those from the NSA in the US, have long warned against TLS 1.0 and 1.1 due to vulnerabilities and downgrade risks.

Yet Google still allows delivery over those protocols, while Microsoft sends unencrypted emails without flagging the issue.

Both paths lead to invisible compliance failures - in one documented breach, Solara Medical Supplies paid more than $12 million after unencrypted emails exposed over 114,000 patient records.

Cases like this show why even the best FWAAS or ZTNA solution must work in concert with visible, enforceable encryption policies across all communication channels.

“Confidence without clarity is what gets organizations breached,” Paubox concluded.

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If you're getting impatient waiting for Apple to release its long-promised AI upgrade for Siri, well, Apple might agree. There have been reports that Apple is talking with OpenAI and Anthropic about letting one of them power the next generation of Siri.

This would be truly surprising considering how close Apple usually keeps its tech development. If AI plays as big a role as Apple has implied it will in the future, this could be the foundation for a very different company.

And that is something I hope happens. It's not about cheering for the downfall of Apple’s in-house pride. I want this to happen not because I think Apple is incapable of building something great, but because I’ve been living with Siri for over a decade, and at this point, it feels like an ancient Dictaphone compared to communicating with today's AI chatbots.

Even with all the Apple Intelligence announcements this year, Siri still feels more like a feature than a full personality. You can ask her to set timers, maybe control your lights, but be careful how you speak or how conversational you get if you want it to still carry out your requests. By comparison, ChatGPT and Claude seem far quicker, more adaptable, and better at both understanding what people say and communicating back.

If Apple wants to finally make Siri feel like an assistant and not just a vaguely robotic concierge, borrowing someone else’s brain is a smart move. Apple and its Foundation Models group have been working on large language models for a while now, but progress has been mostly invisible to the average consumer. Breakthrough AI features, like contextual awareness and multi-step reasoning, just aren’t there yet.

While Apple is famous for taking its time to get it right (except for the Apple Maps fiasco), the rest of the world isn’t waiting. Google is stuffing Gemini into everything, while Microsoft has ChatGPT running in Office. Even Meta has Meta AI chat available on Instagram. Siri is still not where you go if you have follow-up questions about anything.

Siri AI

Sometimes, the smart thing is to stop fiddling with your own blueprint and just lease the engine. And these engine options are both pretty powerful. OpenAI’s GPT-4o can carry on fluent conversations, understand tone, and juggle complex context. Anthropic’s Claude is similarly capable, albeit with a reputation for more caution and focus on safety concerns, something Apple reportedly likes. Both companies are at the top of the field. Either one would instantly give Siri a massive IQ boost.

Of course, there are trade-offs. Apple loves control. Letting someone else power Siri means giving up a little bit of that control. What happens if OpenAI changes its pricing model? What if Anthropic gets cozy with Amazon, their big investor? What if there’s a data breach?

These are valid concerns. But Apple’s already shown it can integrate external AI in a way that keeps user data private. Their recent Apple Intelligence rollout uses something called Private Cloud Compute, which lets your data get processed on Apple’s own secure servers. Even when they do use ChatGPT for certain features, you have to opt in, and your requests aren’t stored.

Rumor has it Anthropic wants several billion dollars a year to license its tech. That’s not pocket change, even for Apple.

Rumor has it Anthropic wants several billion dollars a year to license its tech. That’s not pocket change, even for Apple. But it’s a lot cheaper than spending the next five years playing catch-up, especially if your catch-up product still doesn’t do what people expect from AI in 2025.

Apple could still develop its own AI models behind the scenes. It could roll them out when they are ready, while giving Siri a much-needed upgrade now. But, for most people, it doesn't matter who built the AI brain, just that it works. If Siri can maintain a conversation and respond to different ways of phrasing something, that would be a big step up. If most people ask Siri to make a reservation at a restaurant and it happens without any stumbles, they're not going to say, “Wait, was this answer generated by Anthropic or OpenAI?” They’ll simply accept that it worked and move on.

So yes, let Siri team up with a working AI model. All these iPhones could use the IQ boost. I don’t need Siri to be uniquely Apple or unique at all. I just need it to be useful.

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• Google Gemini can more easily access your Phone and Messages apps
• Previously, you had to allow Gemini Apps Activity, reducing your privacy
• That's no longer the case, and comes as Gemini RCS support leaks too

Google looks set to give Google Gemini some serious upgrades by allowing it greater access to your apps without forcing you to tweak your privacy settings, and giving it new abilities within those apps.

You might have seen an email that Google sent to Android phone users stating that Gemini will be able to interact with the Phone, Messages, WhatsApp, and Utilities apps, even if you have Gemini Apps Activity switched off.

The immediate reaction was one of concern, but this is actually a huge privacy win.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

With Gemini Apps Activity switched on, Google can see an activity log of how you use Gemini – personal data it can then use to develop its products further. If you want to keep this data more private, you had to lose out on Gemini being able to access extensions, which allow it to perform actions using other apps, such as texting someone if you ask it to.

This change means you can keep your activity log private while still not losing out on these basic smart assistant features, which Google’s Assistant has had for years.

Though that’s not to say Google won’t store any of your Gemini activity even if this setting is off. Google admits it will store some activity data for at most 72 hours. It’s stored for 24 hours within Gemini so that the AI can respond to your conversations contextually. The longer limit is for security and safety reasons, which you can find out more about on Google’s support page.

RCS support incoming?

Perhaps in preparation for Gemini having easy access to Messages – and so presumably more people using the app – Gemini is getting an RCS upgrade too, apparently.

(Image credit: Apple)

That’s based on Android Authority’s analysis of the latest Google app files, which hints at RCS coming to Gemini because the AI can fetch the device’s RCS capabilities. This would only be necessary if the AI were RCS compatible.

This is significant because currently, Gemini’s inability to use RCS means it’s unable to send or play audio, images, or video through the Google Messages app. With access to this messaging standard, that could very quickly change.

As with similar leaks, there’s no guarantee that Gemini will get RCS support any time soon (or at all), but it certainly makes plenty of sense as an upgrade, so it’s one we’ll be keeping our eye out for.

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• Anker just issued two separate recalls for some of its best power banks, spanning a total of six models
• Some of the power banks might pose a fire hazard
• If you qualify, you might be able to get a brand new power bank for free

Anker has just announced its second product recall this year – and while it's bad news for the brand, there could be a silver lining for you. If you own one of Anker's power banks, you might be eligible for a free replacement.

The company is recalling six different power bank models, citing issues with the lithium-ion battery inside. This includes models from Anker's Power Core, MagGo, and Zolo series, among others.

Below, we'll tell you everything you need to know about Anker's power bank recalls and what to do next.

Which Anker power banks are affected by the recall?

Anker has launched two separate recalls. One in early June included a single power bank model, while the more recent second expanded the list by an additional five models across a couple of Anker's product lines.

The power bank that was recalled first was the Anker PowerCore 10000 (A1263). If you bought the power bank through Amazon, you'd have received an email like the one we received below. The subject line would have been 'Attention: Important Safety Notice about your Past Amazon Order'.

(Image credit: Anker)

Not every PowerCore 10000 power bank was recalled. The recalled units only include the A1263 model, manufactured between January 1, 2016, and October 30, 2019. All of the recalled units were sold in the United States between June 1, 2016, and December 31, 2022.

The second recall was more comprehensive and included the following models:

• Anker Zolo Model A1681 (20K, 30-watt, with built-in USB-C and Lightning cables)
• Anker Zolo Model A1689 (20K, 30-watt, with built-in USB-C cable)
• Anker MagGo Model A1652 (7.5-watt, 10,000mAh)
• Anker Power Bank Model A1257 (10K, 22.5-watt)
• Anker Power Bank Model A1647 (22.5-watt, 20,000mAh, with built-in USB-C cable)

In these cases, Anker hasn't specified a manufacturing or sale date for the affected power banks. But in its 'voluntary recall' notice referring the above models, it stated that "while the likelihood of malfunction is considered minimal, out of an abundance of caution, we have decided to initiate a voluntary global recall of several Anker power bank models."

How to check if your Anker power bank has been recalled

(Image credit: Anker)

No matter which of the affected models you own, your first step will be to check the model and the serial number on the back or side of your power bank.

Not every unit from each model is being recalled, so even if you own one of these, it may not be eligible for replacement.

Next, you will have to input the serial number, along with a few other key details, on Anker's online recall form in order to check eligibility.

If it's confirmed to be one of the models affected, you should stop using it immediately and submit a product recall form. This contains information on how to request a gift card or replacement.

What can you get if your power bank qualifies?

If your power bank is affected by one of the recalls, Anker will either offer you a replacement or a gift card. Folks in the U.S. won't be receiving refunds, although Anker is offering refunds in China.

(Image credit: Anker)

In the case of the Power Core 10000, Anker says that you'll be offered a replacement power bank. If it's on back order, you can either choose a $30 gift card instead (to be used at Anker's store) or wait for the Power Core 10000 to be available again.

The second recall is slightly more vague, but Anker says that you'll be able to choose between a gift card or a replacement unit.

How to submit a recall claim

Once you're sure that you own one of the models listed above, submit your recall claim to Anker for verification.

• If you have the Anker Power Core 1000 (A1263), head to Anker's recall form for that model
• If you have one of the other power banks (A1257, A1647, A1652, A1681, A1689), go to this recall form instead.

In both cases, you may be asked for the serial number, proof of purchase, order number, and photos of the power bank.

If this fails, but you still think you're eligible for replacement, contact Anker's Support over live chat, email or phone.

Why are Anker power banks being recalled?

Anker hasn't gone into a whole lot of detail as to the cause of the recall, but in both cases, it seems that the problem lies with the battery.

When announcing the first recall, Anker said that these power banks could be a fire hazard due to a "potential issue with the lithium-ion battery." Reportedly, the battery can overheat, and if that happens, some of the plastic components might melt, resulting in smoke or even a fire.

In the case of the second recall, Anker revealed that it identified a potential issue with lithium-ion battery cells made by one of its vendors. The company admits that problems are unlikely, but it's being cautious and recalling all five of the affected models.

Can you still use your old power bank?

Once it's confirmed that your power bank is affected by the recall, you should stop using it immediately. Even if it seems to be working just fine, it poses a fire risk, so you should dispose of it as soon as possible.

Anker says that you shouldn't dispose of the battery "in the trash, general recycling streams (e.g., street-level or curbside recycling bins), or in used battery drop-off boxes commonly found at retail or home improvement stores".

Instead, Anker recommends discarding it at a local electronics disposal facility that accepts recalled devices powered by lithium-ion batteries. That's because recalled batteries need to be treated differently to regular ones due to their higher fire risk.

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• OWC Express 4M2 enclosure offers an alternative route to large, fast external storage
• Thunderbolt 3 on Windows cripples performance to well below the advertised maximum speed
• OWC Express 4M2 SSD slots are PCIe 4.0 x1 only, so individual drive speeds are limited

In a market saturated with expensive high-capacity storage, the OWC Express 4M2 enclosure offers an alternative route to large, fast external storage without immediately breaching the $3000 mark.

At $239.99 for the base configuration, this device cheaper than the TerraMaster D4 SSD and offers a flexible foundation for building what could amount to a 32TB setup when paired with four 8TB NVMe drives.

The company promotes this device as capable of up to 3200MB/s throughput, but real-world performance is highly variable.

Maximum speed requires RAID and careful system configuration

The four M.2 NVMe slots support only PCIe 4.0 x1, which limits individual drive performance to about 1600MB/s.

Reaching peak speeds, therefore, requires RAID configurations and optimal conditions, factors that introduce complexity.

It provides support for RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, and 10, but again, achieving these benefits depends on software licensing, drive quality, and user knowledge.

Users might be drawn by the enclosure’s speed, but should be aware that performance gains require effort and understanding.

Compatibility with USB4 and Thunderbolt standards across macOS and Windows gives the enclosure broad appeal, although actual speed will be gated by the host device.

For example, systems running on older Thunderbolt 3 ports under Windows are capped well below full bandwidth.

While macOS users gain extra features such as booting from RAID arrays, this is limited to systems running at least macOS 11.3.

The Express 4M2 does deliver in terms of construction and thermal management.

Its aircraft-grade aluminum chassis is paired with a dual-fan system that activates only under high thermal load, which ensures quiet operation in most scenarios.

OWC's inclusion of SoftRAID on some models introduces functionality typically reserved for more expensive storage systems.

For those trying to assemble a portable SSD setup or replace their external HDD with something faster, this enclosure makes economic sense, but only just.

However, the cost of filling all four bays with quality 8TB SSDs still pushes the total towards $3000, making this option practical only for those who can supply their own drives or already have SSDs on hand.

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A fresh selection of new Prime Video movies is on the way to the streaming platform throughout July, delivering a mix of genres, from drama and science-fiction to action and comedy, it’s all here. So whatever you’re in the mood for, there’s plenty to add to your Prime Video watchlist throughout the month. It’s easy to see why Amazon’s streamer continues to be one of the best streaming services around for movie lovers.

In our guide below, we’ve listed every new Prime Video movie that’s arriving in July, along with when you can expect each of them. If you’re only after the best of the bunch, then head straight to our list of the best Prime Video movies available now. Otherwise, read on to find out what’s on its way to Prime Video this July.

New Prime Video movies: July 1

• 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
• A Bridge Too Far (1977)
• A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
• Baby Boom (1987)
• Back to School (1986)
• Bandits (2001)
• Blown Away (1994)
• Blue Crush (2002)
• Blue Velvet (1986)
• Colors (1988)
• Creed II (2018)
• Death Warrant (1990)
• Double Impact (1991)
• Dressed to Kill (1980)
• Duck Soup (1933)
• Every Day (2018)
• Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
• Fast Five (2011)
• Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
• Gladiator (2000)
• Hart's War (2002)
• Hidden Figures (2017)
• Hoodlum (1997)
• How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
• I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (2007)
• Into the Blue (2005)
• Into the Blue 2: The Reef (2009)
• It Came From Outer Space (1953)
• K-PAX (2001)
• Leaving Las Vegas (1996)
• Licorice Pizza (2021)
• Little Fockers (2010)
• Little Man (2006)
• Mad Max (1980)
• Meet the Fockers (2004)
• Meet the Parents (2000)
• Mystic Pizza (1988)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• No Way Out (1987)
• Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
• Paths of Glory (1957)
• Rings (2017)
• Robocop (1987)
• Robocop (2014)
• Robocop 2 (1990)
• Robocop 3 (1993)
• Rocky (1976)
• Rocky Balboa (2006)
• Rocky II (1979)
• Rocky III (1982)
• Rocky IV (1985)
• Rocky V (1990)
• Salt (2010)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• Teen Wolf (1985)
• The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
• The Addams Family (2019)
• The Addams Family 2 (2021)
• The Apartment (1960)
• The Bone Collector (1999)
• The Bounty Hunter (2010)
• The Fast and the Furious (2001)
• The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
• The Funhouse (1981)
• The Great Train Robbery (1979)
• The Horse Soldiers (1959)
• The House Bunny (2008)
• The Hustle (2019)
• The Informant! (2009)
• The Perfect Storm (2000)
• The Usual Suspects (1995)
• Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)
• What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001)
• Windtalkers (2002)
• Witness for the Prosecution (1958)
• XXX: The Return of Xander Cage (2017)

New Prime Video movies: July 4

• Game Night (2018)

New Prime Video movies: July 11

• Better Man (2025)

New Prime Video movies: July 15

• Uncharted (2022)

New Prime Video movies: July 19

• Sabotage (2014)

New Prime Video movies: July 25

• Wicked (2024)

New Prime Video movies: July 30

• War of the Worlds (2005)

For more Prime Video-based coverage, check out our guides on The Night Agent season 2, Fallout season 2, Mr and Mrs Smith season 2, and the best Prime Video shows.

Rumors that Apple might make an affordable, multi-colored MacBook based on the A18 Pro chip sparked considerable excitement and ignited a hope in me and others that it could mark the return of the 12-inch MacBook.

Unveiled a decade ago, the gold-finished 2-lb, full-sized keyboard-sporting MacBook was, for its time, an engineering marvel. Apple arguably rewrote its laptop playbook to create the system.

Shortly after launch, I spoke to the marketing head Phil Schiller and Apple's Mac and iPad lead (and now Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering) John Ternus about all Apple did to make the portable wonder.

The pair spread out before me things like a multi-tiered battery and something called the "speaktenna", which was basically a combination of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth antennas and a speaker system.

"We ended up with a group of antenna engineers who know more about speakers than any other antenna engineers and a group of speaker engineers who knew more about antenna design than just about anyone else in the world," Ternus told me.

There was a passion around the product that rivaled that of the Apple Watch, which launched alongside it.

The 12-inch MacBook was also a bit of an odd duck. It was lighter than a MacBook Air, but it was not an Air. It didn't have the same number of ports. In fact, there was just one USB-C port running at USB 3.1 speeds (pokey compared to the Thunderbolt 4 ones you find on today's MacBook airs). Oh, and did I mention that the port handled charging duties, too?

Encrusted with components on both sides, the 12-inch MacBook's motherboard was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. Everything about the MacBook's components was built in support of its enviable proportions.

At its thickest part, it was, at 0.35cm, thinner than the current MacBook Air. I love the current 13-inch MacBook Air (M4), but I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't enjoy carrying around an even lighter, thinner, and smaller cousin.

It's fair, though, to ask why the market needs such a system now.

First, let's imagine what the MacBook 12-inch 2026 might be. It would have:

• An A18 Pro CPU
• 13-inch LED-backlit Retina display
• 16 GB of memory to support Apple Intelligence
• 128 GB of on-board storage
• 30GB of free iCloud storage
• A fanless design
• A MagSafe Charge port
• A USB-C style Thunderbolt 3 port
• Recycled aluminum enclosure
• A full-sized magic keyboard including Touch ID
• A 4-inch Force Touch Trackpad

Design-wise, the 12-inch MacBook A18 Pro would align closely with the MacBook Air line. No more wedge, instead two flat panels squeezed together into a 0.35cm-thick slab.

Granted that everything above is guesswork, but I believe that configuration would fit neatly into a $599 package (maybe even a $499 one).

Nothing here is new, and the A18 Pro is plenty powerful and efficient to run such a system.

The benefit, obviously, is an affordable, yet nearly full-sized portable that is a complete system. I am well aware you can buy an M4 Mac Mini for $599, but you still need to buy a mouse, keyboard, and screen. This, by contrast, would be the full Apple MacBook package at, finally, an affordable price.

You might have also noticed the rather paltry base storage. That's to help keep costs down. It's buttressed, though, by something Apple desperately needs to do: offer more versatile and forgiving iCloud storage options.

The usual 5GB of free storage is not enough, and I think the extra 30GB will offset the limited local storage, moving those who are on the fence about the 12-inch MacBook into the must-buy territory.

Give them what they want

If Apple balks at reintroducing the confusing "MacBook" name, especially when it's smaller and lighter than the MacBook Air, they could call it the MacBook Air LT (for light) or MacBook Air A (for its A-series chip).

One need only look at Walmart for evidence that consumers want such a system. It's been selling the old-school design MacBook Air M1 for $699 and now $649 for years. People are desperate for a truly affordable Mac, but they are probably tired of the growing performance compromises tied to the aging M1 chip.

The A18 Pro will sing in a tiny 12-inch laptop, and the system's incredibly small proportions will make it a hit with those who thought they might go for a lightweight iPad with a Magic Keyboard Folio, mainly because they thought it wouldn't weigh down their backpack.

Apple has learned, thanks to Apple Silicon, so much about building lightweight and performant systems that it makes sense to extend the MacBook idea in new and maybe unexpected directions.

A revived 12-inch MacBook would sell like hotcakes and pave the way for more fresh ideas, like a 12-inch MacBook Air running an M3 chip. That one could sell for $699.

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Are modern smartphone designs boring? We polled 1,500 readers for their thoughts on that very question earlier this year, and a whopping 78% of respondents answered in the affirmative.

The smartphone industry was once awash with weird and wonderful devices (remember the LG Wing?), but these days, manufacturers are – quite literally – much more straight-edged in their approach to design.

The exception to the rule is Nothing, which has stuck by its mission to “make tech fun again” since being founded by former OnePlus chief Carl Pei in 2021. Nothing phones are designed to stand out from the crowd, and the company’s latest handset, the long-awaited Nothing Phone 3, fulfils that brief and then some.

Nothing’s “first true flagship” is a truly weird-looking thing. Imagine if a kindergartner took an old-school sliding block puzzle game, dipped it in PVA glue, and accessorized it with three black sewing buttons. That’s the Nothing Phone 3. It’s an outlandish creation with specs to rival some of the best phones – and I think it could be the most interesting flagship launch of the year.

So, what’s new versus the well-received (but decidedly un-flagship) Nothing Phone 2? For starters, linear Glyph lights are out, and a new Glyph Matrix interface is in.

This interactive screen sits in the top-right corner of the Phone 3’s 6.67-inch rear panel and is capable of displaying several different types of content – from person-specific notifications to ‘Glyph Toys’ (read: party games) like Spin the Bottle and Rock, Paper, Scissors. Heck, Glyph Matrix can even double as a pixelated viewfinder for selfies, which is a nice retro touch for those who miss the Game Boy Camera.

Image 1 of 3

The new Glyph Matrix interface on the Nothing Phone 3 (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

The Magic 8 Ball Glyph Toy (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

The Magic 8 Ball Glyph Toy (Image credit: Future)

As for other big design changes, the Phone 3 still has that classic modular Nothing look. But its camera lenses sit independently of a physical module, rather than being positioned in a circular or pill-shaped casing, as on the Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro, respectively.

I can see this new lens arrangement being the most controversial aspect of the Phone 3’s design, but I’m personally a big fan of the abstract, asymmetrical vibe it brings to the device as a whole. Previous Nothing phones looked unique, sure, but not to this extent.

(Image credit: Future)

Speaking of cameras, there’s a brand new one. The Phone 3 gets a 50-megapixel main lens, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and an all-new 50MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom. Of course, we can’t yet say how good these cameras are without having tested them properly (stay tuned for our full review), but on paper, at least, they’re flagship-level snappers.

You’ll also get a 50MP selfie camera on the front, which marks a step up from the 32MP equivalent on the Nothing Phone 2. Oh, and the little red dot on the back of the Phone 3? That’ll light up when you’re recording with any one of its three rear cameras.

The Nothing Phone 3 running Nothing OS 3.5 atop Android 15 (Image credit: Future)

Under the hood, the Phone 3 is powered by the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset. I’ve already written about why I don’t think the lack of a Snapdragon 8 Elite is a big deal in a separate piece, but we won’t know for sure until we’ve benchmarked the Phone 3 against similarly priced rivals.

Nothing, for its part, is confident in the performance credentials of its “first true flagship,” and having had a quick play with the Phone 3 at its London launch event, I’m convinced that the 8s Gen 4 will be speedy enough to support the software demands of Nothing OS 3.5 (and, eventually, Nothing OS 4.0).

The Phone 3’s chipset is paired with a 5,150mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is a technology you still won’t find in many of the best Android phones. You’ll get 65W fast charging, too – another notable upgrade over the Phone 2’s 45W charging speed cap.

Other features of Nothing’s newest flagship include an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, Corning Gorilla Glass protection, and a new Essential Search function to go alongside the physical Essential Key, which was introduced on the Phone 3a Pro.

Again, I only handled the phone for a few minutes at Nothing’s launch event, so I haven’t yet taken these new tools for a proper spin. But the bottom line is this: the Phone 3 is unlike any other device on the market right now, and I sincerely hope that its performance lives up to Nothing’s “flagship” billing. If the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 can compete with Google’s Tensor G5, at the very least, then the Phone 3 could well be the most interesting phone of the year.

The device starts at $799 / £799 for the model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, with that price rising to $899 / £899 for 16GB and 512GB, respectively. Those figures put the Phone 3 in league with the iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S25, and Google Pixel 9, so stay tuned for our verdict on whether Nothing’s latest phone can compete with such big-name rivals.

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• WinRAR flaw let crafted archives drop files outside target folder, including into Windows Startup
• New version 7.12 addresses critical path and HTML vulnerabilities
• Windows users urged to update WinRAR for improved file safety

Iconic file archiving tool WinRAR has received a security update addressing a serious flaw that could let attackers run arbitrary code on affected systems.

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-6218, was identified in the way WinRAR handles file paths within archives.

It was discovered by a researcher known as whs3-detonator, working with Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative.

Patch now

The issue exists in Windows versions of WinRAR, where a specially crafted archive can exploit path traversal during file extraction.

If a user opens such a file or visits a malicious site, the exploit can allow files to be placed in unintended directories, including sensitive ones like the Windows Startup folder.

This could cause malicious software to run automatically when the system boots.

RARLAB, the developer of WinRAR, has released version 7.12 to address this flaw.

The vulnerability does not affect versions of RAR or UnRAR for Unix or Android. Users are urged to update as soon as possible to reduce the risk of exploitation.

To stay protected from threats like this, it’s important to use the best antivirus software, reliable malware removal tools, and strong endpoint protection. Even well-known tools can have flaws, so running trusted security software and keeping all apps current helps reduce the risk of malware slipping through unnoticed.

The new WinRAR update also fixes an unrelated issue involving the “Generate Report” feature. In older versions, file names in generated HTML reports weren’t sanitized properly, which allowed basic HTML injection. That has now been corrected.

In addition to the security fixes, WinRAR 7.12 now tests recovery volumes during archive testing, giving users better confirmation that backup files are intact. It also preserves precise nanosecond timestamps when modifying Unix files on Windows.

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• Nothing Headphone (1) have noise cancellation, Transparency and Spatial Audio
• Hi-Res Audio, LDAC and USB-C lossless audio, with tuning by KEF
• Priced at $299 / £299, launching on July 15th

It's official: the striking Nothing Headphone (1) have launched, and they look like no other headphones thanks to a very unusual and somewhat retro-futuristic design.

There's substance to match the style. Developed in association with audio legend KEF, the Headphone (1) are the most premium headphones Nothing has made so far, by a long way. Nothing promises great sound, and a huge range of smart features.

We've already spent a few weeks testing the headphones, and you can read our full Nothing Headphone (1) review – but if you just want to find out more, here's what you need to know.

@techradar

♬ shine on - choppy.wav Nothing Headphone (1): pricing and availability

Headphone (1) will be available in black and white for £299 / $299 / €299 (about AU$625). Global pre-orders begin 4 July 2025 at nothing.tech and select partners, with widespread availability starting from 15 July 2025.

They're available in 'black' and 'white' colors, which are really 'dark gray' and 'silver'.

(Image credit: Nothing)Nothing Headphone (1): design

"We wanted to create something radically different," Nothing CEO Carl Pei said at a lauch event in London. He showed a series of images of competitor headphones, and said that Nothing specifically wanted Nothing Headphone (1) to stand right out, and that's definitely true.

There are some bold choices here, as you can see from the images. But it's not just in the headphones' looks: Nothing has deliberately moved away from touch controls to good old-fashioned tactile buttons and a roller for a more precise way to navigate media, adjust the volume and switch ANC modes.

The key control in the app is the Button, a customizable control that can activate Nothing's Channel Hop feature. This cycles between recent audio apps, or playlists, or favorite functions without having to dig through menus and screens.

It can also be configured to trigger voice commands, launch News Reporter, or open the Essential Space, which is an AI-powered place to store voice notes, reminders and "fleeting thoughts". Or you can just set it to trigger other functions of the headphones, if you prefer.

The earpads are made with leather ear cushions designed to mould naturally to the shape of your head, reducing pressure and providing a comfortable fit for all-day wear.

(Image credit: Nothing)Nothing Headphone (1): key features

The drivers are 40mm custom dynamic drivers promising deep bass, detailed mids and crisp treble, and the headphones come with hybrid ANC, a Transparency mode, and spatial audio with head tracking.

There's a 3.5mm jack for wired listening as well as USB-C for lossless hi-res, and the headphones also support LDAC for high quality wireless audio.

The active noise cancellation system has dual feed-forward and feedback microphones, and there's a four-mic system supported by AI and trained on more than 28 million noise scenarioes to deliver clear voice calls.

Listening time is promised as being up to 35 hours with ANC on, and a five-minute fast charge will deliver 2.4 hours of ANC-enabled playback. Bluetooth is 5.3 with dual device connection, Fast Pair and low latency mode.

The app provides an eight-band customizable EQ, a separate Bass Enhancer feature, the ability to choose how much noice cancellation you want, control of the spatial audio, and the ability to turn on the multi-point Bluetooth support and wear detection, so they'll pause when you take them off, and resume when you put them back on.

Will they challenge the best noise-cancelling headphones? Well, if you already took a look at our Nothing Headphone (1) review, you'll know the answer – take a full read to see if they're a good fit for you.

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Amazon Prime Day is fast approaching, with deals starting July 8 and ending July 11. Here at TechRadar, we'll be rounding up all the best offers on laptops, TVs, cameras, and more. However, personally, there's only one product I'm really hoping will receive a price cut: the Ecovacs WinBot W2 Pro Omni robot window cleaner.

I've been lucky enough to test some seriously cool gadgets during my 15 years as a tech journalist, but the Winbot stands out as the one that's impressed me the most, and one I'd recommend to anyone who wants to take some of the sweat out of one of life's most tedious chores.

I had my doubts at first. Would it attach firmly enough? Could it really remove dirt, or would it just move it around? Would using it be a chore in itself? Thankfully, the Winbot proved me wrong on all counts.

The Winbot attaches to your window using suction from a powerful fan and roams around the surface using a pair of treads. It can be used on windows with frames or frameless glass panels. Once it's in place, it works by spraying the glass with cleaner (stored in a small reservoir on the machine), then scooting over your window to wipe it with a damp microfiber cloth.

The windows in my apartment were embarrassingly dirty (a result of nearby construction work and my own laziness), and presented the little bot with a genuine challenge. Incredibly, though, its 'thorough' cleaning program effectively removed every trace of grime without leaving streaks.

I think the image below speaks for itself. All I had to do was hold the bot against the glass and press a button, leave the machine to do its work, then hold the same button to detach it once it was done.

The view isn't spectacular, but you can't argue with the results (Image credit: Future)

It's very effective, and never showed any signs of losing suction – even when I tried it on my mirrors and shower doors. If it was flat and made of glass, I tried it, and it never failed.

This particular model comes with a cooler-sized case containing a high-capacity rechargeable battery, which means you can carry the bot around your home, inside and out, without needing to keep it plugged in. In the unlikely event that it does lose its grip, the cable attaching the bot to the case is reinforced and serves as a tether to prevent it falling from a height. You can also attach the base station to something sturdy using a carabiner clip for added peace of mind.

(Image credit: Future)

Maintenance is minimal, too; The only tasks that need to be done regularly are washing the removable cloth (which is why you get two) and cleaning the spherical sensor at each corner of the bot, which lets it detect if it's reached the edge of a frameless pane of glass.

You can use the Winbot by itself straight out of the box, or install the Ecovacs app, which lets you access a menu of different cleaning options, including spot cleaning, light cleaning, and thorough cleaning. There's even a manual mode so you can 'drive' the bot around the glass yourself.

The only real negative is the price. It's an excellent device, and can genuinely replace a regular window-cleaning service, but at $699.99 / AU$999 (about £500) it's a significant investment. With the right Prime Day discount, however, I think it'll be one of the smartest purchases you can make.

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A fresh batch of new Hulu movies is heading to the streaming platform this July, and we’ve listed everything that’s coming and when to expect it below. There’s a great selection of movies landing on Hulu in the coming weeks, from jump scares and edge-of-your-seat action to sprawling sci-fi and laugh-out-loud comedy.

Hulu is consistently one of the best streaming services to consider for movie lovers because there’s always a lot to choose from. But there’s plenty more to discover, so if you’d also like to see what's coming to Hulu this month, including TV shows and documentaries, then don’t miss our everything new on Hulu in July 2025 guide. But if it’s only the newest movies you want, you’ll find the full list below.

New Hulu movies: July 1

• Adam (2019)
• Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
• Bride Wars (2009)
• Bridesmaids (2011)
• The Bounty Hunter (2010)
• The Call (2013)
• Catch and Release (2006)
• The Comedian (2016)
• Country Strong (2010)
• Daddy Day Camp (2007)
• The Day After Tomorrow (2004)
• Dear White People (2014)
• Demolition (2015)
• Dirty Dancing (1987)
• Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
• Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
• Easy A (2010)
• The Equalizer 3 (2023)
• Flight of the Phoenix (2004)
• Ford v Ferrari (2019)
• Friends with Benefits (2011)
• Fruitvale Station (2013)
• Garden State (2004)
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
• Home Alone (1990)
• Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
• Home Alone 3 (1997)
• Honest Thief (2020)
• The Internship (2013)
• I Love You, Man (2009)
• I Origins (2014)
• I, Robot (2004)
• I Saw the Light (2015)
• King Arthur (2004)
• Kingdom Come (2001)
• Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)
• The Longest Yard (2005)
• The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997)
• Mission to Mars (2000)
• Pixels (2015)
• The Pledge (2001)
• Prometheus (2012)
• Puss in Boots (2011)
• Real Steel (2011)
• Ruby Sparks (2012)
• The Sandlot (1993)
• Shanghai Knights (2003)
• Shanghai Noon (2000)
• Sisters (2015)
• Sugar (2008)
• Sunshine (2007)
• Tammy (2014)
• Taxi (2004)
• Ted (2012)
• Ted 2 (2015)
• The Way Way Back (2013)
• Wrath of Man (2021)

New Hulu movies: July 4

• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
• The Abyss (1989)
• The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
• In the Lost Lands (2023)

New Hulu movies: July 8

• Marked Men (2023)

New Hulu movies: July 10

• Parkland (2013)
• Buffaloed (2019)

New Hulu movies: July 11

• Big Momma’s House (2000)
• Big Momma’s House 2 (2006)
• The Hot Chick (2002)
• Marmaduke (2010)
• MR-9: Do or Die (2023)
• Riff Raff (1991)

New Hulu movies: July 12

• A Quiet Place Part II (2021)

New Hulu movies: July 13

• Dumb Money (2023)

New Hulu movies: July 15

• Get Away (2013)
• SAS: Red Notice (2021)

New Hulu movies: July 17

• The Amateur (2024)
• Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins (2021)

New Hulu movies: July 18

• High Rollers (2016)

New Hulu movies: July 19

• The Assessment (2024)

New Hulu movies: July 20

• Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017)

New Hulu movies: July 28

• Operation Fortune (2023)

New Hulu movies: July 29

• Memoir of a Snail (2022)

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Sure, watchOS 26 is bringing Apple’s Liquid Glass looks to your wrist, a ‘Workout Buddy’ to give you a vote of confidence or a nudge to hit a personal best during a workout, and a bunch of new Messages features. All that is cool, but it's one of the more basic updates has me the most jazzed, and I’ve had a chance to try it out already.

If you’re anything like me, when a barrage of Slack alerts comes through, or really any notifications that aren't super urgent, I’ll feel the buzz on my wrist and ignore it or place my other hand’s palm over the Apple Watch to dismiss them. So far that’s worked well, but Apple’s latest gesture is taking things to the next level.

‘Wrist Flick’ is precisely what it sounds like – when a notification comes through, you’ll just flick your wrist backwards to dismiss it. You can also use it to go one step back anywhere within the Apple Watch’s interface, or to close out or silence incoming calls, whether they’re cellular or FaceTime ones.

So, say you’re checking the Weather app for the forecast but need to go back, just flick your wrist twice. Once takes you back to the launcher, and another brings you back to your watch face.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

It’ll join the likes of Double Tap when it arrives with watchOS 26, which is set to arrive this fall (likely in September or October). Although it’s available in developer beta now, it'll ship with the public beta, expected this month, July 2025.

To be clear, the developer beta is very much what the name implies – it's an early version of the software and is not recommended for installation on your primary device, as you can expect bugs, slowdowns, speedups, and instability. Simply, it's not final software, but rather an early look.

In my quick demo at Apple Park in a briefing after the WWDC keynote, I quickly got the hang of using ‘Wrist Flick’, and I suspect once it arrives on your wrist, it’ll become a daily habit. It’s simply pairing something you’d expect with a gesture, making it easier to navigate the Apple Watch without needing to touch the screen or dismiss a notification or two.

You will need a relatively new Apple Watch to see ‘Wrist Flick' appear with the watchOS 26 update: it will work on the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. Interestingly, there is no support for either the Apple Watch SE or the original Apple Watch Ultra, as the feature requires the S9 or S10 chip inside. For some, that could be a reason to upgrade to a newer Apple Watch.

Further features

I'm excited about 'Wrist Flick', but in Apple's eyes it's probably not one of the flagship additions for watchOS 26. There’s also ‘Workout Buddy’, which I got to see in action – this upgrade only requires the Apple Watch to be paired with an Apple Intelligence-capable iPhone.

In a demo, I saw the AI-powered trainer speak in a style similar to some of the best Fitness+ Trainers (shout out to Jessica Skye), who were used to train the model. They interject at key moments during the workout: at the beginning to set the stage, in the middle at various milestones, and at the end.

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

The feature is there to provide a nudge at times, but more so a dose of encouragement. The trainer I heard was very peppy; she knew the day and time, noting we were going for a Monday evening workout, and at the end told me I brought it all the way home. It's a nice upgrade, which, for me, I think will get me working out more.

There’s also the Liquid Glass interface and smart hints – subtle icons that’ll appear on the bottom of your watch face or at the top of the interface, suggesting actions. So if you’re using the camera app on your iPhone, a notification on your wrist might remind you that you can control the shutter that way.

It all comes together for a pretty compelling software upgrade for Apple’s chief wearable, but I think you’ll find Wrist Flick to be a standout. And if you’re keen to have an Apple Watch capable of this feature, thanks to Amazon Prime Day 2025 on the horizon, there’s a deal to be had: the Apple Watch Series 10 is back down to the lowest price we’ve seen.

The top-selling Apple Watch Series 10 is currently down to a record-low price of $299. This smartwatch features upgrades such as Apple's new S10 chipset, sleep apnea detection, a depth gauge, and a new design with the most advanced display. View Deal

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What if reality TV made a show that combined Squid Game with The Hunger Games to bloodthirsty effect? That's the premise of The Running Man, which is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name and focuses on America's most popular and most deadly TV show.

If that sounds like a certain Korean drama, The Running Man got there decades earlier – the book was published in 1982 and the first movie version, starring a spandex-clad Arnold Schwarzenegger, came five years later – and appears to be much more violent. And as you'll see from the trailer below, it's a lot grittier-looking too.

"Everybody runs": what is The Running Man about?

The Running Man is the name of America's most-watched TV show, and in that show the contestants – called Runners – must stay alive for thirty days while the cameras follow their every movement. Oh, and they've got a pack of professional assassins on their tails, and they're not pretend assassins either. Think American Gladiators tooled up with assault rifles and hand grenades.

Glen Powell plays blue-collar hero Ben Richards, who needs to win the prize money in order to save his sick daughter. And as Paramount Pictures explains, producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) may regret persuading him to take part: "Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favorite – and a threat to the entire system. As ratings skyrocket, so does the danger, and Ben must outwit not just the Hunters, but a nation addicted to watching him fall."

The mid-80s Running Man was more of a straight-up action hero movie (Image credit: YouTube)

As fun as the Arnie version was, it dropped a lot of the more serious parts of the book to focus on making a typical 80s action movie. But the novel was pretty bleak and some would say, prescient: it takes place in an authoritarian US where the economy has collapsed, an elite few hoard all the wealth, resources are scarce and the government uses propaganda, draconian censorship and reality TV to keep the populace quiet.

This is really dark stuff, and it'll be interesting to see how much of it features in the actual movie. I've got high hopes: Edgar Wright has said he liked the original movie but wished the book had been given a better adaptation. And this version has a much wider scope than the original: where that was set in a single city, the 2025 version is a cross-country flight.

The Running Man will be released in theaters on November 7, 2025.

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LG, Samsung and Sony have dominated the OLED TV market for years, with LG and Samsung offering the best overall bang for your buck and Sony delivering a premium picture and superior sound, but at an inflated price.

Cut to 2025, and the battle for the title of best OLED TV has never been more competitive. We’ve reviewed the flagship OLED TV for each brand, the LG G5, Samsung S95F and Sony Bravia 8 II, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Both the G5 and S95F earned five out of five stars in their reviews, and the Bravia 8 II earned four-and-a-half out of five stars in its review.

I’ve already compared the Sony and Samsung QD-OLED TVs side-by-side and the LG and Samsung TVs side-by-side, but recently got to put all three next to one another, with each one displaying the same content, so I could determine which TV I would pick if I had the money to buy one.

A quick note regarding photos: the Sony Bravia 8 II and especially the Samsung S95F may appear to have a red tint across the screen. This is a result of their anti-reflection screen tech, as it reacts with cameras. In real life, this doesn't look as pronounced.

Screen reflections Image 1 of 3

Samsung S95F with overhead lights reduced to haze on screen (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3

The Sony Bravia 8 II's screen makes overhead lights appear mirror-like, but still reduced compared to other OLED screens (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3

The LG G5's glossy screen has the worst mirror-like reflections of the three, but it's still an improvement over previous screens (Image credit: Future)

One of the things I appreciated about the S95F’s predecessor, the Samsung S95D, was its OLED Glare Free screen, which eliminated mirror-like reflections. Black levels, however, weren't as rich as I’d hoped. The S95F with its OLED Glare Free 2.0 screen mostly solves that problem by still eliminating reflections while also maintaining rich black levels.

The S95F’s screen means darker movies such as The Batman, Nosferatu and Alien: Romulus look good even in brighter viewing conditions. I knew going into this comparison that the LG G5 and Sony Bravia 8 II wouldn’t fare as well as the S95F in bright room lighting conditions, but I was surprised by the results.

Of the three TVs, the LG G5 with its traditional glossy screen was the worst for reflections. The Bravia 8 II’s anti-reflection screen, in contrast, did a surprisingly good job at limiting reflections.

Above are three images of the TVs in our testing lab with overhead lights turned on. The S95F is the clear winner, with the Bravia 8 II second and the G5 third, in terms of reflection handling.

BrightnessImage 1 of 2

The Sony Bravia 8 II (center) with its Dynamic Tone Mapping set to Gradation Preferred appears dimmer next to the LG G5 (left) and Samsung S95F (right) (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 2

Changing the Bravia 8 II's (center) Dynamic Tone Mapping to Brightness Preferred gives it a big brightness boost, bringing it more in-line with the G5 (left) and S95F (right) (Image credit: Future)

One thing that was immediately obvious in my comparison is that the Bravia 8 II doesn’t have the same brightness as the G5 or S95F, and in fact looks dim in comparison. When we measured HDR peak brightness on the LG G5 and Samsung S95F in Filmmaker Mode, they hit 2,268 nits and 2,132 nits, respectively. The Bravia 8 II, on the other hand, measured a substantially lower 1,439 nits HDR peak brightness in its Cinema mode.

Fullscreen brightness was a similar story. The G5 hit 331 nits and the S95F 390 nits, both in Filmmaker Mode. The Bravia 8 II, on the other hand, only managed 183 nits in its Cinema mode, which seems low for a QD-OLED model. That result is actually lower than the mid-range LG C5 OLED, which hit 199 nits on the same test!

This was with the TVs in their default out-of-the-box settings. The Bravia 8 II has a picture setting called Dynamic Tone Mapping, with two options: Gradation Preferred and Brightness Preferred. If you change from the default Gradation to Brightness, the Bravia 8 II gets a nice brightness boost, as you can see in the same image from The Batman above, where Batman’s face suddenly appears much clearer in the second image, compared to the first image. Using the Brightness Preferred setting, black levels and contrast suffer a little, however, so it’ll come down to your personal taste.

Colors, black levels and contrast

All three TVs demonstrate superb colors, but it's the G5 (left) that has the most natural and vibrant look (Image credit: Future)

Firing up a 4K Blu-ray of Wicked, it was clear that all three TVs demonstrated excellent color reproduction. The pink flowers, Elphaba’s green skin, and blue details on the beige walls all looked vivid on each TV, though it was clear that the Bravia 8 II’s lower brightness took away some of the shine.

It was a tough call between the G5 and S95F. While the S95F exhibited more dynamic colors thanks to its higher peak brightness, with all TVs set to Movie/Cinema mode, the G5’s stronger contrast and deeper black levels helped generate better color depth. In the end, I found my eye drawn to the G5 the most.

For HDR color gamut coverage, all three TVs hit over 99% of the DCI-P3 color space, so it’s no wonder all three had spectacular color reproduction.

All three TVs showcase great black levels and contrast, but the LG G5 (left) stands out for black levels, while the S95F's (right) high brightness helps with contrast (Image credit: Future)

For black levels, there was once again a clear winner: the LG G5. Watching The Batman, particularly the opening subway fight scene and crime scene in the mayor’s home, black levels were strong on all three TVs, but the G5’s were the richest and deepest. Next to the G5, the Bravia 8 II and especially the S95F’s black levels looked raised by comparison, although still deeper than what you’ll find on the best mini-LED TVs.

Contrast was exceptional on all three TVs. Watching 4K discs with especially dark scenes such as The Batman, Nosferatu, and Alien: Romulus, all three sets showcased an excellent balance between light and dark tones. But once again, the G5 and the S95F’s higher brightness resulted in a more impactful picture with stronger contrast compared to the Bravia 8 II.

Sony’s sound

The Sony Bravia 8 II (middle) has the best built-in sound system, and it's perfect for action-packed movie scenes like the Batmobile chase from The Batman (pictured) (Image credit: Future)

Reading this, it may seem like I’m underwhelmed by the Sony Bravia 8 II compared to the other TVs. But while the Bravia 8 II doesn’t have the same overall visual impact as the G5 and S95F, it’s still a fantastic TV, and it beats the other two in some key areas.

When watching black and white scenes, such as those in Oppenheimer, the S95F and G5’s higher brightness led to a picture with stronger contrast, but I found the Bravia 8 II’s cooler color balance suited black and white scenes better.

The Bravia 8 II also has superior built-in sound. Sony’s TVs often rank among the best TVs for sound, and the Bravia 8 II is no different. Using the Batmobile/Penguin chase scene from The Batman, the Bravia 8 II demonstrated the punchiest bass, clearest speech and most accurate mapping of sound effects, such as screeching tyres and spraying bullets.

While the S95F delivered impactful bass and clear speech, its soundstage felt narrow compared to the Bravia 8 II, with the sound more contained to the screen. The G5’s bass wasn’t as hefty as the other TVs, but it did deliver a wider soundstage than the S95F. Neither could match up to the Bravia 8 II’s sheer power and accuracy, however.

Final thoughts

(Image credit: Future)

All three of these TVs can be ranked among the best TVs of 2025. They deliver a list of gaming features up there with the best gaming TVs, and have exceptional picture quality and solid built-in sound. Each has its strengths – black levels and picture accuracy on the G5, brightness and Glare Free tech on the S95F, and powerful built-in sound on the Bravia 8 II – but the one TV I would spend my own money on is the LG G5.

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• The latest Steam update adds a new performance monitoring feature
• The overlay can display FPS values, monitor CPU and GPU usage, and more
• Valve says the overlay is designed to help players understand how their PC is performing and how it impacts their game's performance

Valve has released a new Steam Client update that lets players easily monitor the performance of their games.

As explained in a new blog post, this update adds a performance monitoring overlay and is "designed to help you understand how your PC is performing and how it is impacting your game's performance."

Unlike the previous frames per second (FPS) counter that can be toggled to appear in the corner of a game, this new feature will monitor frame rate values, but also break out generated frames from Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) or FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) vs in-game FPS.

There are four levels of monitoring with this overlay, including Single FPS Value, FPS Details, FPS Details, CPU & GPU Utilization, and FPS, CPU, GPU, and RAM.

"It can show you min/max single frame values and a graph of frame rate over time," Valve explained. "Additionally, it will show you CPU performance information, GPU performance information, and system memory usage information. These pieces of data can be useful to understand the causes of bad game performance whether that be a slow CPU, GPU, or too high graphics settings that are over subscribing your video or system ram."

When enabled, the overlay will appear at the bottom of the screen, but players can keep the display small with a single FPS value, or expand it to show the full details when debugging a performance issue.

Players can freely adjust details live in-game, change color saturation, text size, and background opacity to their liking, show a graph of FPS over time, and a graph of CPU utilization per-core.

To enable the new performance overlay, users need to go to Settings > In Game and scroll down to the new Performance Overlay section. There, they can change the position of the overlay, make a hotkey for easier access, and more.

Valve also said it has plans to add additional pieces of data to the performance overlay, "to detect certain common bad hardware performance scenarios, and to show a larger summary of your game's performance in the overlay itself when you hit shift-tab."

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• Microsoft recently threw a lifeline to consumers, offering alternatives to paying $30 for extended support for Windows 10
• PIRG thinks this doesn't go far enough in terms of avoiding an impending e-waste calamity
• The organization suggests Microsoft considers providing longer-term support for Windows 10, or relaxes the spec requirements for Windows 11

Microsoft's recent lifeline to help those stuck on Windows 10 – due to not meeting the stricter hardware requirements for a Windows 11 upgrade – simply isn't enough, according to a consumer rights group.

The Register reports that it has spoken to Lucas Rockett Gutterman, who leads the Designed to Last campaign for the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) in the US.

As you may be aware, PIRG has a mission to combat obsolescence and e-waste. The organization has previously levelled accusations at Microsoft of its Windows 11 requirements effectively shoving hundreds of millions of otherwise perfectly serviceable PCs into landfill, come the end of Windows 10 in October 2025. (The organization isn't alone in that, either.)

You may have seen that last week, Microsoft made a concession on this front. We've long known that one option for consumers will be to pay $30 for an additional year of security updates (something that's never been offered before), but now Microsoft just introduced some other choices too.

Instead of forking out cash, you can elect to use the Windows Backup app to sync all your settings to the cloud (OneDrive). Alternatively, you can redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points.

However, Gutterman remains distinctly unimpressed with the new choices, telling The Register that: "Microsoft's new options don't go far enough and likely won't make a dent in the up to 400 million Windows 10 PCs that can't upgrade to Windows 11."

Gutterman adds that: "What [Microsoft hasn't] done is commit to automatically providing longer support for Windows 10 or loosening the hardware requirements for Windows 11."

"It's obvious that users are frustrated," Gutterman concludes. "They feel yanked around and don't think this [latest] announcement provides a viable solution."

Analysis: thinking beyond a one-year extension

(Image credit: Microsoft)

To be fair to Microsoft, I think that giving Windows 10 users a couple of new options to avoid paying $30 to keep security updates going for an extra year (through to October 2026) is actually a very positive move – especially because simply using the Backup app isn't a particularly hefty imposition.

I can see where Gutterman is coming from with the points he makes, but the suggestion that Microsoft might consider loosening the system requirements for Windows 11 is, I feel, rather a waste of breath. That isn't going to happen at this point, and I think the software giant has been pretty clear on that.

For me, the key point raised is providing Windows 10 support beyond an extra year for consumers, and this is something I've been harping on for some time. While businesses can get a three-year program of extended security updates (if they want that much), so far Microsoft is only offering consumers a single year.

Perhaps the software giant feels that this is enough, but it really isn't – not when it comes to keeping all those olds PCs off the scrapheap. Why isn't Microsoft looking at extending support for multiple years for consumers too, from an eco-friendly angle?

Just a second additional year of support would be some welcome extra breathing room, even if Microsoft charged for it rather than offering any kind of alternative angle like using the Backup app. Of course, a non-paying option would be better. I'd even suggest making Windows 10 ad-supported to keep those security updates coming for two or three years.

What do you mean that's already happened and ads are all over the place? Ahem – in all seriousness, I think allowing Microsoft to push more ad notifications (in a still limited fashion) within Windows 10 would be a compromise many would take, rather than paying extra to keep their non-Windows 11 compatible PC alive through to 2027 or 2028. At least suffering the adverts would have a plus side to it in this scenario, and if you can't stand the idea of yet more ads, you can stump up the $30.

Whatever the case, I fully agree with PIRG that a one-year extension for consumers isn't good enough in terms of Microsoft's responsibilities towards preventing excessive e-waste – and hopefully the company will see the sense in further extended updates for consumers, too, not just businesses.

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