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LG’s C-series OLEDs have been a popular TV range over the past few years, delivering brilliant picture quality, great gaming performance and features, and an intuitive smart TV platform, usually at the best price in the mid-range OLED category.

The new LG C5 continues this trend, and it’s among the best TVs released this year. I gave the C5 five out of five stars in my LG C5 review, finding that it covered every base when it came to picture quality, gaming performance and smart TV features.

As good as the LG C5 is, there is an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed: the C5 is not that much of an upgrade over its predecessor, the LG C4. Certainly not compared to the leap between the LG C4 and its predecessor, the LG C3, which involved a complete performance and picture quality overhaul.

As a result, the C4 remains in the top slot on many of our best-of TV lists, such as the best OLED TVs, as there’s not enough of an upgrade with the C5 to justify the current price gap between the two.

Looking ahead to next year’s C-series (most likely called the LG C6), here are three upgrades I think would enable it to make a bigger splash at launch than this year’s C5.

1. Higher brightness

The C5's peak brightness is good for a mid-range OLED, but its fullscreen brightness could be better. (Image credit: Future)

Brightness has traditionally been a weak point for OLED TVs. You can expect around 1,000 nits peak brightness with most mid-range OLEDs, which is less than what you get with most mini-LED and even some LED TVs. Having that extra peak brightness can give a TV’s picture a nice HDR punch with movies, while higher fullscreen brightness allows it to perform better with programs like sports and for general daytime viewing.

When I tested the C5, I measured its peak brightness at 1,180 nits in Filmmaker Mode, a respectable result for a mid-range OLED, and a 10% increase over the C4. But its fullscreen brightness measured at 195 nits, a lower result than the C4, which hit 199 nits.

Recent flagship OLED TVs, such as the LG G5, hit over 300 nits fullscreen brightness, a marked improvement (although still less than most mini-LEDs). It would be nice to see results like this in more mid-range OLEDs such as the future LG C6.

2. Better built-in sound

The C5 has new sound features, but could use better built-in speakers (Image credit: Future)

It’s no secret that many TVs have weak built-in sound that can be easily topped by one of the best soundbars, even a budget one. For some, though, a soundbar isn’t an option, and they choose to rely on their TV’s built-in sound.

LG’s C-series OLEDs typically have average built-in sound quality that doesn’t match up to the picture. Sadly, that continues with the LG C5. I found the C5’s sound to be better than previous C-series iterations when I tested it, but it certainly couldn’t take on some of the best TVs for sound from the likes of Panasonic, Sony and Philips.

Even a slight improvement over the C5’s 2.2-channel, 40W speaker array would be welcome. A stronger built-in subwoofer, perhaps, or the addition of up-firing or side-firing speakers for greater immersion would give a C6 a step-up over the C5.

3. Lower screen reflections

The C5 is best viewed in dim conditions, as it suffers from screen reflections in brighter rooms. (Image credit: Future)

Screen glare is another challenge OLED TVs struggle with. Due to dimmer fullscreen brightness and a lack of anti-reflection measures, mirror-like reflections can be a real curse for OLEDs in brighter viewing environments.

That situation changed somewhat in 2024 when the Samsung S95D with its OLED Glare Free anti-reflection tech was introduced. During my testing of the S95D, I found that dark movies such as The Batman could even be viewed in rooms with bright overhead lighting. Black levels were sacrificed in this scenario, but I’ve seen the new Samsung S95F with OLED Glare Free 2.0, and it looks to fix this issue.

The S95F is a pricey flagship OLED TV, so I wouldn’t expect the same measures in a mid-range OLED like the LG C-series. Improved anti-reflection measures would be welcome in next year’s C6, however, since I found during testing that the C5 struggled with screen reflections.

LG has already pulled this off with the flagship LG G5 OLED, which did a fantastic job of limiting reflections in our testing space. If the company can find a way to bring that benefit to the C6, it could be a game-changer.

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• Many employees secretly hold multiple remote jobs due to low oversight
• Social media tips help workers juggle meetings across dual roles
• Undisclosed multitasking causes burnout legal issues and lost productivity companywide

Remote work has opened the door to a growing trend of employees secretly holding multiple full-time jobs, a practice known as polygamous working or being “overemployed.”

While having multiple jobs isn't illegal, doing so without disclosure often breaches contracts, strains productivity, and can pose legal and ethical issues.

HR Magazine notes, “Moonlighting in this way can have serious consequences. It’s not just about reduced productivity; there’s a real risk of employee burnout, misuse of company resources, data security breaches and overall erosion of trust in the workplace."

Tips from Reddit and TikTok

The rise of flexible and hybrid work models means many roles can now be done without ever stepping into an office.

“The practice has boomed since the Covid pandemic triggered a rise in working from home, creating an opportunity for shrewd employees to take on multiple remote roles – sometimes as many as three or four at once,” reports The Telegraph.

One woman, going by the name "Nadia", told the paper she earned £87,000 working two jobs simultaneously from her home office.

On Reddit and TikTok, thousands share tips on managing multiple roles, with some workers boasting about using mouse jigglers and dual laptops to juggle overlapping meetings.

One British influencer claimed: "It worked for me, it was great. I was able to do really nice things and take care of myself, go to nice places, save up for property."

But experts warn of the risks. “These issues can quickly escalate into legal and reputational disasters,” HR Magazine noted, suggesting “ongoing or periodic rescreening” of employees can help manage risk and protect both workers and employers.

In some cases, fraud charges have been brought - The i Paper claims one man was sentenced to a year in prison after being paid for two full-time contracts over 10 months.

Peter Boolkah, a business coach, told The Telegraph of the dangers of polygamous working.

“It could mean small business-owners find their employees off work sick more because of burnout," he said.

"Those who stay working two jobs will be overstretched. Inevitably, this will lead to lower productivity for businesses, and those who are off sick will find themselves back where they started, with less money than before.”

Whether a symptom of economic necessity or opportunism, polygamous working raises urgent questions about trust, governance, and the sustainability of remote-first work culture.

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• Whoop changes its device upgrade policies
• Current users no longer have to pay an extra fee
• Whoop subscribers had been complaining

Premium fitness company Whoop showed off some shiny new wearables this week, and has now confirmed that existing users with more than 12 months left on their subscription can get hold of the new devices free of charge.

As reported by Bloomberg, the company was facing a backlash from users after initially charging a $49 upgrade fee – a fee that broke a promise made last year, in a now-deleted blog post, that subscribers would get new devices without paying extra

There was plenty of vitriol directed towards Whoop over on Reddit and social media, from users who expected to get the new bands for free within their current subscription. That's now the case again, after Whoop decided to reverse course.

"Like any company, we from time to time update our commercial policies," a Whoop spokesperson told Bloomberg. The company emphasizes that there's also a newly introduced $199 / £169 / AU$299 per year plan, which is the least expensive yet.

The subscription economy

The Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG (Image credit: Whoop)

There are now three pricing tiers for Whoop: the one mentioned above, Whoop One, plus Whoop Peak ($239 / £229 / AU$419 per year) and Whoop Life ($359 / £349 / AU$629 per year. The most expensive option gets you a Whoop MG (Medical Grade) band, otherwise you get a Whoop 5.0, included in the subscription.

Paying more gets you some additional features. If you're sticking with your Whoop 4.0 wearable, you miss out on a few of the features in the new subscriptions, including physiological age estimates and women's health tracking.

There's lots that's new in the 2025 devices, including ECG readings and blood pressure estimates, and the screen-less wearables also offer 14-day battery life. However, existing users feel they're being pushed into an upgrade.

It's not been the most well communicated of u-turns from Whoop, and it's part of the growing trend for fitness companies to put features behind paywalls to get as much money as possible out of users. As with access to music, movies, and software, you have to keep paying to get what's on offer.

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Boox, the maker of some of the best ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, has just announced its first ever color PC monitor. Called the Boox Mira Pro, it uses a 25.3-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display that emulates the look of paper – a screen technology that's already in use in several popular ereaders, including the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kobo Libra Colour.

Like ereaders, the Mira Pro is front lit rather than having backlighting like on LCD screens, with the ability to adjust both brightness and the light temperature (warm or cold). There's also a dedicated refresh button to minimize ghosting which can be a major problem on e-paper displays. This paper-like panel will also reduce reflections and glare.

To bolster its monitor credentials, the Mira Pro also features a pair of built-in speakers and five ports, including USB-C, HDMI, mini HDMI and DisplayPort. You can also get a Mira Pro version to support the operating system you use, whether that's Windows, Mac or Linux.

That's about it for the Mira Pro's main credentials, which is essentially a color version of the black-and-white Boox Mira that was launched in 2023.

(Image credit: Onyx Boox) An easy read

I'm a huge proponent of ereaders because of the E Ink screens they use, whether in grayscale or color. For avid readers like me, they're 'easy on the eyes', allowing you to read right until bedtime. So wouldn't it be nice if there was a capable E Ink PC monitor that didn't strain the eyes as much for the approximately eight hours I spend working?

As a photographer, I wouldn't use an E Ink screen to edit my photos as the colors would be too soft and unsaturated, but I can absolutely see it fitting into my workflow in the office, which is predominantly as an editor of articles for TechRadar. It would replace the aging 24-inch Dell monitor I currently have set up in the vertical orientation specifically for editing articles because it has major viewing-angle issues.

Checking drafts written in a Google Document by one of the writers on my team would be fantastic on an E Ink display. I've already tried doing so on an E Ink screen, albeit on the 10-inch one on the Boox Go 10.3 as it allows me to log into my Google Drive account. However, it's not the easiest device to type on (and I can't write on Google Docs on it), so a dedicated monitor that seamlessly connects with my MacBook and other peripherals would be nice indeed.

(Image credit: Onyx Boox) Got any spare change?

It's the limited use of an E Ink display that has me questioning its launch price of $1,899.99 / AU$2, 499 (about £1,400). I'm also a little concerned with how well the E Ink Kaleido 3 display on the Mira Pro might have been optimized to display the 4,096 colors in its palette.

While color Boox ereaders are good – and I've tested many of them – I think Kobo has done a better job of making full use of the Kaleido 3 tech. So while the Mira Pro might be just enough for my specific use case, I suspect other users would find it lacking.

Moreover, based on my previous experience with Boox ereaders (color or monochrome), the company hasn't always been able to minimize ghosting – except on the Boox Palma – despite offering multiple refresh rates that can be applied on a per-application basis. Would the refresh button be any better? Well, I can't say for sure as I've not tried either the Mira or the Mira Pro.

As high as the price might seem, particularly taking into consideration the limitations of such a screen, it does seem to be kinda, sorta on par with ereader prices. For example, 10-inch monochrome E Ink writing tablets like the 2024 Kindle Scribe and the reMarkable 2 sell for upwards of $400 / £370 / AU$600, while the color reMarkable Paper Pro (which uses a custom version of the newer E Ink Gallery 3 technology) will set you back $579 / £559 / AU$929 with the basic Marker. Extrapolate these prices for a 25-inch display and throw in the cost of the stand and I can see why it's priced so high.

And customers in the US will need to also take into consideration any potential tariffs, so expect to pay more than the listed launch price.

Despite the high price, I'd be very excited to have something like that on my desk.

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• Bypasses email gateways and security tools by never hitting a real server
• Blob URIs mean phishing content isn’t hosted online, so filters never see it coming
• No weird URLs, no dodgy domains, just silent theft from a fake Microsoft login page

Security researchers have uncovered a series of phishing campaigns that use a rarely exploited technique to steal login credentials, even when those credentials are protected by encryption.

New research from Cofense warns the method relies on blob URIs, a browser feature designed to display temporary local content, and cybercriminals are now abusing this feature to deliver phishing pages.

Blob URIs are created and accessed entirely within a user's browser, meaning the phishing content never exists on a public-facing server. This makes it extremely difficult for even the most advanced endpoint protection systems to detect.

A hidden technique that slips past defenses

In these campaigns, the phishing process begins with an email that easily bypasses Secure Email Gateways (SEGs). These emails typically contain a link to what appears to be a legitimate page, often hosted on trusted domains such as Microsoft’s OneDrive.

However, this initial page doesn’t host the phishing content directly. Instead, it acts as an intermediary, silently loading a threat-actor-controlled HTML file that decodes into a blob URI.

The result is a fake login page rendered within the victim’s browser, designed to closely mimic Microsoft’s sign-in portal.

To the victim, nothing seems out of place - no strange URLs or obvious signs of fraud - just a prompt to log in to view a secure message or access a document. Once they click ‘Sign in,’ the page redirects to another attacker-controlled HTML file, which generates a local blob URI that displays the spoofed login page.

Because blob URIs operate entirely within the browser’s memory and are inaccessible from outside the session, traditional security tools are unable to scan or block the content.

“This method makes detection and analysis especially tricky,” said Jacob Malimban of the Cofense Intelligence Team.

“The phishing page is created and rendered locally using a blob URI. It’s not hosted online, so it can’t be scanned or blocked in the usual way.”

Credentials entered on the spoofed page are silently exfiltrated to a remote threat actor endpoint, leaving the victim unaware.

AI-based security filters also struggle to catch these attacks, as blob URIs are rarely used maliciously and may not be well-represented in training data. Researchers warn that unless detection methods evolve, this technique is likely to gain traction among attackers.

To defend against such threats, organizations are urged to adopt advanced Firewall-as-a-Service (FWAAS) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solutions that can help secure access and flag suspicious login activity.

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We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Artificial Intelligence is changing the face of cybercrime, and phishing is one area where it's hitting the hardest.

New data from security firm Cofense has warned AI-powered phishing campaigns are not only more frequent but also far more convincing than ever before.

These emails are cleaner, more polished, and tailored to fool even more cautious users, and with generative AI tools now accessible to nearly anyone, threat actors are scaling their operations at a rate that many businesses simply can’t keep up with.

(Image credit: Cofense) Highly evasive delivery system

In its latest threat intelligence report, The Rise of AI - A New Era of Phishing Threats, Cofense details how phishing tactics are evolving at a phenomenal rate.

In 2024, the Cofense Phishing Defense Center detected one malicious email every 42 seconds, many of which slipped through legacy perimeter defenses.

Email-based scams jumped 70% year-over-year, fueled by AI’s ability to mimic tone, spoof internal emails, and personalize messages with impressive accuracy.

Messages now feature perfect grammar, accurate formatting, and realistic sender addresses. They often also impersonate C-suite executives, reply within existing email threads, and use lookalike domains such as “@consultant.com.”

This shift toward business email compromise (BEC) has become a major threat. AI-generated content lacks the telltale signs that previously gave phishers away, such as typos, spelling mistakes and awkward phrasing, often clues that suggest English might not be the sender’s first language.

Polymorphic phishing campaigns are another area of concern, according to Cofense. These constantly-changing attacks modify their content in real time to evade signature-based security tools. Subject lines, sender details, and text all shift dynamically, which makes detection with traditional filters all but impossible.

Malware embedded in these emails has also evolved, Cofense reports, with over 40% of samples in 2024 being newly observed threats, many of them Remote Access Trojans (RATs).

How to stay safe

(Image credit: Shutterstock / MargJohnsonVA)

Scrutinize email content carefully: Be skeptical of emails involving financial actions, urgent requests, or out-of-place language, even if the formatting looks perfect.

Verify internal requests: If an email claims to be from a coworker or executive, double-check using known contact methods before taking action.

Don’t rely on appearance: AI-generated emails often look flawless, so focus on context, timing, and content rather than how “professional” it looks.

Avoid clicking on links without verification: Hover over links to check their destination and avoid downloading files from unfamiliar or unexpected messages.

Use security tools that go beyond the perimeter: Look for solutions that offer post-delivery analysis and threat response based on behavior, not just signatures.

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If the rumors are to be believed, we are creeping closer to the launch of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, likely happening in July once we get past the launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge, which is very likely to make an appearance at a Galaxy Unpacked event on May 12.

As is the case with a lot of the best phones these days, the changes expected for the next-generation Galaxy foldable phone are set to be somewhat incremental: a specs boost, an improved main camera, potentially improved battery life, and maybe a few nips and tucks to the design. Not a bad suite of upgrades, but it’s almost certainly the classic story of evolution over revolution.

Now this isn't necessarily bad news. I’ve used a couple of generations of Galaxy Fold phones and rather like what they offer. I currently have a Galaxy Z Fold 4 on my desk as I write this, and genuinely enjoy using it as a secondary phone; afraid I’m still an iPhone 16 Pro Max user despite how boringly good Apple’s phones are and me missing the quirks of Android.

So there’s arguably not a lot to get excited about with the next-generation Fold; it’ll almost certainly be a contender for a high spot on our best foldable phones list, but it may not be a phone I’d lust after.

Unless artificial intelligence is at its core.

Aim high with AI

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Now I’m not a 100% generative AI convert, so my flirtations with Galaxy AI, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and so on have been sporadic. But I do appreciate how AI can make my smartphone life easier.

However, outside of the Google Pixel 9 series, I think AI hasn’t been well baked into smartphones; Apple Intelligence being a notably messy launch and integration, especially from a company that’s usually so good at slick software.

As Senior Editor Philip Berne noted in his Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review, Galaxy AI has improved over the past 12 months, but still has scope to better integrate into the overall phone experience. And while Galaxy AI is evolving, it still feels like it has some way to go to be genuinely useful on a daily basis.

My hope is that Samsung knows this and, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, the AI tools and experience are given an overhaul. I especially think this could be the key to getting more out of the extra screen space foldable phones offer.

For example, when it comes to slick multitasking and having multiple apps and windows open on the display of a Fold phone, I find it a thoroughly awkward and borderline irritating experience to get everything sized correctly and neatly positioned. So I’d love for Galaxy AI to be integrated into One UI so that it can figure out how I want my multitasking display to look, or at least serve up options.

I’d also like to see some form of AI upscaling or clever resizing of videos to better fit the esoteric aspect ratios of Fold main displays, to make what I’m watching on the screen without cropping in.

In short, I don’t want to hear more about how Galaxy AI can totally rework photos or better organize the Photos app, but I do want to hear how AI can help me get more out of solid foldable phone hardware and let me do more at speed.

Ultimately, I want AI on all sorts of phones to go this way, but I reckon the most potential is on the foldable front; what do you think? Let me know in the comments.

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• AI threatens jobs across sectors from routine work to skilled professions
• CrowdStrike cuts 500 jobs citing efficiency and AI-driven restructuring
• IBM uses AI to streamline HR while increasing hires in tech roles

Many people worry the rise of AI and robotics could lead to job losses, as machines become increasingly capable of performing tasks faster, cheaper, and more accurately than humans, concerns have grown about the long-term impact on employment, wages, and job security.

Even skilled professions, such as those in healthcare, finance, law, and technology, may not be immune. The growing capabilities of AI suggest that no sector is entirely safe from disruption.

These concerns are no longer hypothetical, they're becoming reality for some IT workers, after CrowdStrike recently announced it is cutting 500 jobs, which equates to around 5% of its workforce.

Realigning the business

In a memo announcing the cuts, the security firm's CEO George Kurtz said, “CrowdStrike is defined by our mission to stop breaches, our disciplined execution, and our commitment to protecting customers."

"Today, our customers are facing an intensifying threat landscape and growing complexity. They trust us to help them move faster and operate more securely. To keep earning that trust, we are evolving how we operate."

Explained the company would be "realigning" parts of the business "to continue scaling with focus and discipline" and explained that: “AI has always been foundational to how we operate. AI flattens our hiring curve, and helps us innovate from idea to product faster. It streamlines go-to-market, improves customer outcomes, and drives efficiencies across both the front and back office. AI is a force multiplier throughout the business.”

CrowdStrike isn’t the only tech firm cutting jobs because of AI.

The Wall Street Journal reports IBM has, “used artificial intelligence, and specifically AI agents, to replace the work of a couple hundred human resources workers.”

However, as a result of these cuts, it was able to hire more programmers and sales and marketing people.

“While we have done a huge amount of work inside IBM on leveraging AI and automation on certain enterprise workflows, our total employment has actually gone up, because what it does is it gives you more investment to put into other areas,” IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told the publication.

So while AI might be taking some people’s jobs, it’s resulting in an increase of opportunities in other areas.

Krishna also urged the Trump administration to increase, rather than cut, federal AI R&D funding, telling TechCrunch:

“We have been an extremely strong advocate - and this is both the company and me personally - on that federally funded R&D should be increased. That’s the position, which is unequivocal, and we strongly believe in that.”

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Well, there goes Skype. Bye-bye, you garbage piece of software. I'm surprised you managed to hang around for as long as you did, frankly.

Okay, I’m being a bit mean here; the impact of Skype on the global tech ecosystem shouldn’t be downplayed, as it effectively brought video communication to the mainstream - something that previously was the domain of corporate execs with money to burn on expensive early video-conferencing solutions. For a wonderful, all-too-brief period in the early 2010s, Skype was everywhere: a way to chat face-to-face with distant relatives or schoolmates who were just beyond the reach of an after-class bike ride.

But I can’t pretend Skype was all sunshine and rainbows, even before the pandemic lockdowns and the rise of its chief competitor, Zoom. I remember sitting for ages waiting for a call to connect, frequent audio dropouts, and sometimes struggling to log in at all. Sure, internet connections are faster and more consistent now than they were when Skype was first conceived back in 2003, but that’s not an all-encompassing excuse for the app’s many failings.

The Microsoft problem

See, Skype’s greatest victory was also a sword of Damocles hanging over its head: its 2011 purchase by Microsoft. A multi-billion dollar deal that positioned Skype to replace Windows Live Messenger (formerly known as the ever-iconic MSN), the purchase proved to be an immediate boon for Skype, as it was widely inserted into Windows devices over the following years, thus reaching a massive global audience.

Unfortunately, this deal also meant that Skype was owned by Microsoft, which is rarely a safe position to be in. Remember Zune? Yeah, me neither. The list of products and services killed off by Microsoft over the years is long and storied, and many - including myself - saw the writing on the wall long before serious external competition arrived on the scene.

Aside from a recent cameo role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Microsoft's attempt to beat the iPod was a colossal failure. (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

A key issue was Microsoft’s long-running and ill-placed desire to make Teams work. I’ll be honest: as someone who was, in a previous and much worse place of employment, forced to use Microsoft Teams, I can say with conviction that it sucks. Rigid settings, feature bloat, and an inexplicable ravenous hunger for RAM make it a frequently painful piece of software to use, especially on an outdated work PC.

But Microsoft wanted - and still wants - it to be a Thing People Want To Use, which ultimately led to Skype taking a back seat as its features were gradually cannibalized to improve Teams. In fact, now that Skype has officially been taken out back with a shotgun, Microsoft is actively encouraging users to port their accounts over to Teams.

And what did Skype get in return? A drip-feed of features that nobody asked for, most of which did little to improve the core video-calling functionality. The interface became more cluttered, frequent UI redesigns left users confused, and yet there was a paradoxical feeling of stagnation; meanwhile, the meteoric rise of social-media-driven video calling across platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp offered a far more streamlined and pleasant user experience.

Impacts of the pandemic

Zoom has been around since 2011 (ironically, the same year Microsoft acquired Skype) but you’d be forgiven for thinking that it just popped into existence at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. When we were collectively displaced from our offices and had to construct impromptu workspaces inside our homes, video conferencing became an everyday necessity - and as we all know, this was where the cracks in Skype’s facade really started to show.

Zoom just works - here's TechRadar's own Lance Ulanoff and Jacob Krol proving it. (Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

Technical debt is never an easy hurdle to overcome, and Skype’s aging software architecture - while cutting-edge back in 2003 - gradually became a weight chained around its ankle. With Teams at the forefront, investing in updating Skype never seemed like a priority for Microsoft. The app didn’t even change over to a centralized system from its outdated peer-to-peer networking until more than half a decade after Microsoft bought it.

One of the worst blunders was Microsoft’s insistence on keeping it partially anchored to actual phone numbers (with a dial pad feature, no less) in an era when interlinked accounts are king and phones are more than just phones. It was no doubt a move intended to retain the crop of older users who were unaware of the alternatives, but the 100-user call capacity and streamlined interface of Zoom made it an easy choice for professionals who needed to keep their careers afloat while the world screeched to a halt outside.

Long live Zoom

It’s certainly not a universal truth that Microsoft ruins everything it touches - the Surface tablet line is finally good now! - but the tech giant has something of a reputation for enshittification. I’ve been following the gradual decay of Windows for years now, and looking at how Microsoft treats its most widely known product makes understanding the fall of Skype very easy.

Microsoft has finally achieved some success with its Surface tablets, but I'm quietly surprised the brand has lasted this long. (Image credit: Microsoft)

I’ve settled into a belief that Microsoft isn’t able to just let things be what they are. Everything had to be more! More features, more information, more settings, more AI! Forget what consumers actually want; the line must go up, the goalposts must keep moving, everything must be constantly changing and innovating or it’s worthless. Once you start to see Microsoft as a tech company incapable of sitting still, its successes and failures all start to make a lot more sense.

What people needed for the remote working shift during the pandemic was an effective, straightforward video conferencing tool. They didn’t find that in Skype, which had already become a bloated shell of its former self after years of ‘innovation’ at the hands of Microsoft. So I say this now, to the creators of Zoom: if it ain’t broke…

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• We have new details on the Sony Xperia 1 VII
• Upgrades for the cameras and screen are promised
• The phone is set to launch on Tuesday, May 13

We're expecting a brand new flagship phone from Sony in the very near future, and a new leak has revealed plenty about the upcoming handset – including the design of the device, the colors it's going to be available in, and some of the features it'll offer.

This all comes from Android Headlines, where you'll find a host of images of the Sony Xperia 1 VII, as well as some of its marketing material. We can see the standard Xperia design language in evidence here, including a flat screen and boxy corners.

The three colors the phone is going to come in are apparently black, green, and purple, and there are plenty of shots of each shade. We can also see a triple-lens camera around the back, matching the Sony Xperia 1 VI released in May 2024.

Only a few days ago we heard that this phone would be unveiled on May 13, and "powered by Alpha" – the name of the technology in Sony's digital cameras. It's clear that photography capabilities are going to be a big focus for the smartphone.

Battery and screen

The Sony Xperia 1 VI (Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)

In our Sony Xperia 1 VI review, we praised the core specs of the handset, the strong photo and video performance, and the battery life. However, we did have concerns over the durability of the design and the charging speeds.

For the follow-up, the materials leaked by Android Headlines suggest that we'll get a new Zeiss coating on the screen to combat glare, while there'll be a 5,000 mAh battery inside (the same as on the Xperia 1 VI) that apparently offers two-day battery life.

Focus lock and macro photography features are highlighted, as well as full-stage stereo speakers, while the screen is apparently going to make some use of the same Bravia technology that Sony deploys in its television sets.

This coming Tuesday everything will be made official, and of course we'll bring you all the details of the Sony Xperia 1 VII as they're announced. From what we've heard so far, it looks set to jump straight to the top of our best Sony phones list.

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• Beelink’s GTR9 Pro runs a Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor and delivers 126 TOPS for next-gen AI
• Dual 10Gbps Ethernet ports mean lightning-fast clustering and insane data transfer speeds
• Integrated Radeon 8060S GPU rivals RTX 40 series without the bulk or noise

Beelink, a relatively unknown Chinese PC vendor, has introduced a compact mini PC aimed at AI workloads, gaming, and content creation.

The system, dubbed the GTR9 Pro, is powered by AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor and is designed for high data throughput and demanding computing tasks.

Beelink says the GTR9 Pro delivers processing capabilities of up to 126 trillion operations per second (TOPS) and can run AI models with as many as 70 billion parameters, including those based on frameworks like DeepSeek.

Compact AMD-based system built for AI, gaming, and creative tasks

The GTR9 Pro can function as a standalone system or be integrated into clustered computing environments.

With two 10Gbps Ethernet ports and two 40Gbps USB4 ports, the device supports high-speed data transfer both between systems and to external devices.

Its integrated AMD Radeon 8060S GPU features 40 cores and offers graphics performance comparable to Nvidia’s RTX 40 series. It also supports up to 96GB of dedicated video memory, positioning it as one of the more powerful workstation options available.

The GTR9 Pro is capable of running modern gaming titles at high settings and handling AI tasks and media production with ease. It is part of Beelink’s “Quietly” series, indicating a low-noise thermal design.

For creatives, it supports professional applications such as Adobe After Effects and Photoshop, and it is well-suited for tasks like rendering and live streaming.

Beelink describes the system as “engineered for innovators, gamers, and creators who demand more performance, less noise.”

The GTR9 Pro will be priced at $1,999, although Beelink has not yet announced an official launch date.

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Last year, I finally upgraded from an iPhone 12 Pro to an iPhone 16 Pro, and to say it was a big step up would be an understatement. From the speedy performance and improved camera system to the Dynamic Island and super-smooth 120Hz display, I’ve found a lot to love about the best iPhone money can buy in 2025.

Since getting an iPhone 16 Pro, one thing I’ve really grown fond of is Camera Control. This built-in tool lets me quickly open the Camera app when time is of the essence, and I can even do it as I’m taking my phone out of my pocket. There’s no need to look at the display or fumble with on-screen controls – it’s just a quick, snappy way to start shooting.

Yet there’s one new feature in my iPhone 16 Pro that I really haven’t taken to: the Action button. Simply put, I’ve never found a compelling use case for it.

Part of my indifference towards the Action button comes down to how little time it might save me. Lots of the pre-defined options that Apple proposes – like activating the flashlight and setting off Shazam – are easy enough for me to get to in other ways, either via the Lock Screen or in the Control Center.

Likewise, I’ve set my Focus modes to start up automatically, so I never really need to do so manually using the Action button. I don’t use Visual Intelligence or Voice Memos enough to warrant adding them instead. And I’ve found nothing in Apple’s suggested list of controls, shortcuts, or accessibility features that I’ve wanted to add to the button.

In the end, I’ve spent most of my time with the Action button set up as a mute toggle, which is exactly what the feature replaced on my old iPhone 12 Pro.

Shortcuts to success

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Part of the problem is that the thing I’d really love to use the Action button for is incredibly fiddly (or downright impossible) right now.

For me, it would be great to use the side-mounted toggle for contextual shortcuts – where, at a certain time of day or a specified location, the Action button does one thing, and at another time or location, it does something else. I haven’t found a way to do that yet.

And while there are ways to have multiple shortcuts run when you press the button, setting them up is an involved, complex process. I’d like to see a native option to do so from Apple, but that doesn’t seem to be forthcoming, unless the company has something up its sleeve for the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) this June.

Sure, maybe this is a “me” problem – after all, my colleagues John-Anthony and Axel have found some excellent uses for the Action button involving artificial intelligence and language translation. But neither of their setups really appeals to me and my lifestyle. Right now, I’m still looking for something to change my mind.

Still searching

(Image credit: Apple)

Perhaps the only thing that might convince me of the Action button’s utility is Shazam – like Camera Control, it’s something that’s designed to be used quickly. But even so, adding it to the Action button is only likely to save me a second or two compared to opening Shazam from the Control Center. Yes, identifying a song can be time-sensitive, but not quite as much as snapping a photo before the moment’s gone.

At the end of the day, I’m fine with the Action button and my minimal use of it. After all, it doesn’t get in the way or slow down my day-to-day life. Most of the time, I simply forget it’s there.

But it would be great to find a really convincing reason to use it that can revolutionize how I use my iPhone 16 Pro. If anyone can suggest one to me, I’m all ears.

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Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, May 10 (game #699).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #700) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BOSS
• GOOSE
• TICKLE
• SUIT
• DUCK
• HEALTH
• SHAKE
• SKIRT
• PLEASE
• MAY I
• SUPERIOR
• LEVEL
• DODGE
• DELIGHT
• EARTH
• POWER-UP

NYT Connections today (game #700) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Put a smile on your face
• GREEN: Watch out
• BLUE: Mario must haves
• PURPLE: [Not a father] blank

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #700) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: MAKE HAPPY
• GREEN: EVADE
• BLUE: COMMON VIDEO GAME FEATURES
• PURPLE: MOTHER ___

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #700) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #700, are…

• YELLOW: MAKE HAPPY DELIGHT, PLEASE, SUIT, TICKLE
• GREEN: EVADE DODGE, DUCK, SHAKE, SKIRT
• BLUE: COMMON VIDEO GAME FEATURES BOSS, HEALTH, LEVEL, POWER-UP
• PURPLE: MOTHER ___ EARTH, GOOSE, MAY I, SUPERIOR

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 mistake

I might be missing something here (in fact I am definitely missing something here) but what on earth does MOTHER MAY I mean? That one caught me out today, which was a shame because otherwise I spotted all of the elements of the MOTHER ___ group, EARTH, GOOSE and SUPERIOR, which would have given me purple before any of the others.

As it happened I only solved that one by default, but fortunately none of the other groups were too tricky either. I got blue, COMMON VIDEO GAME FEATURES first – POWER-UP and LEVEL made it too obvious – then whizzed through yellow and green without any problems. If only they were all so easy.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, May 10, game #699)

• YELLOW: LETTER SIGN-OFFS BEST, CHEERS, LOVE, SINCERELY
• GREEN: WITHOUT ABSENT, MINUS, SANS, WANTING
• BLUE: VIGOR BEANS, ENERGY, PEP, ZIP
• PURPLE: __ STRIP BACON, COMIC, LANDING, SUNSET

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Saturday, May 10 (game #1202).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1203) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1203) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1203) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1203) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1203) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• Q

• M

• A

• U

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1203) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1203, are…

• QUASH
• MUNCH
• ALTER
• UNDUE

Quordle threw a couple of curveballs our way today, in the shape of QUASH and UNDUE. There aren't many words that contain two Us, so that one in particular may have been tricky to spot.

But the hardest word here was MUNCH, simply because there are so many -UNCH words: PUNCH, LUNCH, HUNCH and BUNCH, as well as the answer itself. I solved it, but needed to play HIMBO to rule out three of those words in one go.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1203) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1203, are…

• FREAK
• INNER
• WHARF
• BATCH

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1202, Saturday, 10 May: RELIC, BADGE, CHAMP, SATIN
• Quordle #1201, Friday, 9 May: MINUS, CRIME, NOSEY, SLAIN
• Quordle #1200, Thursday, 8 May: ELUDE, GREET, POPPY, ELITE
• Quordle #1199, Wednesday, 7 May: QUOTH, TRUNK, BESET, NAIVE
• Quordle #1198, Tuesday, 6 May: UNITE, SOGGY, FILET, PORCH
• Quordle #1197, Monday, 5 May: WREAK, COWER, STEAD, QUEUE
• Quordle #1196, Sunday, 4 May: PINCH, SMOKE, SCARY, CANNY
• Quordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDO
• Quordle #1194, Friday, 2 May: CAUSE, RISEN, MACAW, SMELT
• Quordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPE
• Quordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWN
• Quordle #1191, Tuesday, 29 April: HOVER, HENCE, OCTAL, COPSE
• Quordle #1190, Monday, 28 April: JAUNT, ALLOW, FRUIT, BURNT
• Quordle #1189, Sunday, 27 April: PRIOR, YOUTH, CREDO, CHIDE
• Quordle #1188, Saturday, 26 April: LINGO, LOCUS, THROW, CLICK
• Quordle #1187, Friday, 25 April: SHALT, WRATH, MAMBO, HUMPH
• Quordle #1186, Thursday, 24 April: CHOKE, COLOR, FRAME, CAIRN
• Quordle #1185, Wednesday, 23 April: VALET, PUPAL, CREEP, DRIFT
• Quordle #1184, Tuesday, 22 April: POUTY, CHEST, BROOM, TEPEE
• Quordle #1183, Monday, 21 April: SHARD, PRINT, SUMAC, LEACH

• Dimensions for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 have leaked
• The device apparently has super-thin bezels
• It could measure a mere 3.9 mm front to back

The rumors around the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 are starting to seriously pick up, and a new leak suggests the new foldable will be taller, wider, and thinner than its predecessor, as well as having smaller bezels around the main display.

This comes from well-known tipster @UniverseIce, who claims the bezels around the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be a mere 1 mm thick. That compares to 1.9 mm on the current Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, so it's a substantial difference.

There's also a mention of the bezels around the display on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, which apparently measure 1.2 mm. It seems that super-thin bezels are going to be a feature when Samsung gets around to unveiling these two foldables.

If Samsung sticks to the same schedule as last year, we'll see these phones sometime in July. There has also been talk of a Samsung tri-fold phone which may be unveiled at the same time, though there's a good chance it'll go on sale later than the other two handsets.

Going thin

I made a table to compare the body sizes of Samsung Fold6, Fold SE, and Fold7. pic.twitter.com/VzjCZYGtjgMay 9, 2025

We also have some dimensions from @IceUniverse about the size of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Apparently it's going to measure 158.4 mm by 143.1 mm when opened out, and will be just 3.9 mm thick front to back.

The current handset – see our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review for details – measures 153.5 mm x 132.6 mm x 5.6 mm. It seems Samsung's engineers have been busy getting the new foldable as thin as possible, reducing the thickness by almost a third.

Head to our Oppo Find N5 review to read about the phone that currently has the title of the thinnest foldable on the market: it measures just 4.21 mm front to back. If these rumors are true, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be even thinner.

That thinness might have an impact on battery life, but we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime we're looking forward to the launch of another super-thin phone from Samsung next week: the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

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• EuroNCAP will award high safety scores for cars with buttons
• Modern touchscreens have proven distracting for drivers
• But as cars get more complex, digital seems the logical way forward

There has been a fresh call from both the industry and drivers to reduce the amount of distraction found in many modern cars. A vast number are demanding more physical switches and easy-to-reach buttons to replace fiddly touchscreens and illogical menu systems.

EuroNCAP, arguably the leading vehicle safety organization in Europe, has stated that it will “incentivize” those manufacturers that provide easy-to-locate, tactile switchgear for core functionality.

This will mean that manufacturers might not be able to achieve the coveted five-star safety rating unless they meet this criteria.

Ironically, the decision has come from the very same safety body that made it mandatory for manufacturers to provide a plethora of active safety systems should they want to gain top marks. To many at least (including this writer), these are more of a hinderance than a help.

The endless bonging of a speed limit alert system, the erratic actions of automatic lane keep assist technology and the incidents of 'ghost braking' when a camera system misinterprets a non-existent hazard up ahead are all the bane of a modern motorist’s life. But it was EuroNCAP that actively encouraged such solutions in pursuit of safer roads.

Dacia boss, Denis Le Vot – who has had to put up with lower-than-average EuroNCAP safety scores because his cut-price products couldn’t afford such systems – understands that they are essential for the public perception of safety but knows the vast majority of his customers turn them off.

So the Renault Group as a whole has introduced a button that does just that… with a simple long press.

But EuroNCAP’s director of strategic development Matthew Avery wants to take tackle the sticky issue of touchscreens and told Wired that major manufacturers are “on notice”. “They’ve got to bring back buttons,” he added.

A sensible move, seeing as there has been a growing trend among carmakers to bury core car functionality under layers of touchscreen menus.

(Image credit: Zeekr)

Call it the “Tesla effect”, but having to tap multiple icons to access the fog lights, turn up the heating or to adjust the side mirrors is infuriating, not to mention distracting. Don’t get me started on opening a modern glovebox.

The same Wired article pays reference to a study carried out by British consultancy TRL, which concluded that infotainment systems impair reaction times behind the wheel more than alcohol and narcotics use.

Driving is hard work, requires skill and a great deal of concentration, even if we feel we can do it with our eyes closed.

Manufacturers will wax lyrical about their AI voice assistants' ability to assist with many functions, with everyone from VW to Mercedes-Benz innovating in that area. But real-world testing reveals they don’t always work and most of the time, the entire process takes longer and more brain power than relying on muscle memory to prod a switch.

Not everyone has got the memo

(Image credit: Volkswagen)

While many manufacturers have listened to customer feedback and have promised more physical buttons (VW is a good example), a number of others are pushing further into touchscreen territory.

Many new EVs hailing from China seem to have “borrowed” from the Tesla infotainment handbook wholesale and most commit everything to menus and submenus.

Mercedes-Benz has essentially introduced IMAX into its vehicles with the upcoming Supersceen system that’s to be debuted on the CLA.

Similarly, BMW revealed an update of its once fantastically tactile iDrive system that’s soon to become largely screen-based, swapping any remaining physical buttons for annoying haptic surfaces on the steering wheel.

In the US, Chevrolet just revealed an all-new interior for the iconic Corvette, which is now packed with screens. Although its original button layout was massively over-the-top.

As a modern car designer, it’s not easy to balance a clean, stylish and architectural interior with something that is safe and easy to use – the default is to remove as much clutter as possible, including helpful switchgear.

But it feels like the public has spoken and, finally, essential items like wipers, lights, indicators, horn, and hazard warning lights will be scrutinized by Europe’s leading vehicle safety organization.

However, with automotive manufacturers already eyeing up a time when we will all be driven around in fully autonomous pods, the return of physical buttons won’t be for long.

• Tesla launches cheaper Model Y in the US, but confirms it's ditched the Cybertruck's promised range extender
• Forget foldable phones – LG's 'stretchable' in-car display can grow physical buttons when you need them, and I can't stop watching it
• Mercedes' new steer-by-wire tech is the next big EV trend – and I'll begrudgingly accept that it's the future

TechRadar's experts regularly spend hours trying and testing all the most popular VPN services on the market. Our reporters closely follow the industry for the latest news, too, mapping how new online threats are shaping VPN usage.

This work is pivotal in ensuring that we recommend only the best VPN apps available and keep you up to date with new trends across the industry. However, it still doesn't provide the full picture of what our readers actually need from our VPN content.

This is why TechRadar needs you! We're interested to hear from you regardless of what you think about VPNs – even if you don't know what a VPN is or you aren't a fan of the technology. We then invite you to take our quick VPN survey and help us inform the content we create. Don't worry, though – it'll take less than five minutes to complete, and your answers are completely anonymous!

TechRadar needs you! We want to know what you think about the world of VPNs. Whether you're a novice or a VPN pro, we want to hear your thoughts. Don't worry, though, your responses are completely anonymous, and it takes less than five minutes to complete!

To take part, click the link below: https://futurenet.questionpro.eu/tr-vpn

Why more people just want a VPN

A VPN, short for virtual private network (VPN), emerged as a security tool to boost users' online privacy and security.

It does so by both encrypting all internet connections to prevent third-party snooping, then rerouting these via its VPN servers dotted across the world to spoof users' real IP addresses for extra privacy.

Around since the 1990s, VPNs were initially a technology reserved for businesses and IT nerds. As life increasingly moved online, however, the need for everyone to secure their online privacy became more relevant.

Recent statistics show, in fact, that an estimated 1.6 billion people worldwide used VPNs in 2024, with the global VPN market projected to reach $76 billion by 2027.

Do you know?

(Image credit: Future)

NordVPN is currently TechRadar's top recommendation. Our reviewers praised its many security features, great performance, and extensive server network. You can read our full NordVPN review here.

Besides being more private online, VPNs also turned out to be a great tool to bypass geo-restrictions you may find on the internet. That's because VPNs' IP-spoofing capabilities make you look as if you're browsing from a completely different country within a couple of clicks.

More and more people have started using a streaming VPN to unlock foreign libraries enforced on Netflix catalogs and similar platforms.

Likewise, VPNs also enable millions of people worldwide to access a free and uncensored web. As per Proton VPN data, 119 countries saw VPN usage soar in 2024 during times of political crisis, as citizens needed a way to evade government-imposed internet censorship.

As new policies are stifling internet control everywhere across the world, and new tech like AI and quantum computing expose all of us to new threats, we expect to keep seeing the world of VPNs evolving and becoming increasingly relevant.

We want to be the best place to be informed about everything VPNs, so please consider helping us shape our future content. If you want to contribute, please take our VPN survey here today.

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Google’s Pixel range comprises some of the best phones on the market right now, but it’s with the A series that the phonemaker really shines. Year on year, the company has produced one of the best affordable premium smartphones, beating out competitors on price while offering exceptional performance where it matters. In 2025, however, I’m feeling less energetic about the beloved handset.

Don’t get me wrong – the Google Pixel 9a is a phenomenal phone and there are legitimately good reasons to buy it. It’s no doubt better than the iPhone 16e where it matters most and more accessible than the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE.

However, it’s only slightly higher specced than the Pixel 8a, and introduces a new design that looks more iPhone-like than anything else.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The Tensor G4 chip found in the Pixel 9a only offers gentle performance improvements over the G3 in the Pixel 8a. The larger battery only accounts for about two extra hours of battery life in our stress test – worthy of note and praise, but not enough to offset the Tensor’s habit of being a power hog.

And so when collecting my thoughts on the Pixel 9a, a phone I’ve enjoyed using over the past month, I’ve really only been pushed back to the Pixel 8a – a phone I truly loved but scolded for a price bump it received in Australia (where I live) over the 7a. Weighing the differences, it’s tough for me to recommend the Pixel 9a as the phone to buy, when the previous model is now cheaper and technically similar. After all, the main focus of the A series device is to be accessible – so I’m naturally in favor of the less expensive device.

Old vs new

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The Pixel 8a is much the same beast as the Pixel 9a, but in fairness I think there are legitimate reasons for someone to upgrade. Looking at benchmarks passed through Geekbench and 3DMark, there’s not much of a performance argument to be made here, but there are odd features that may have you wanting the newer device, such as the new editing tools and the higher brightness.

I’m just going to be efficient. Below I’ve listed the areas where the phones actually differ. I’m not listing the price, as they both had the exact same starting cost though retailers are now offering the Pixel 8a cheaper.

Additionally, the Pixel 9a also includes several editing features previously found on the more expensive Pixel 9 devices, such as Add Me, macro focus, auto frame, Reimagine and macro focus video. The charging time figures above were observed by the good folks at Android Authority.

With retailers still offering the Pixel 8a, and often at a steeply discounted price, there’s not really a lot of improvement here that’d make me want the Pixel 9a instead. The screen is nicer and slightly larger, but not as large as the one found on the similarly priced Nothing Phone 3a Pro – a phone that I personally prefer over the Pixel 9a, also.

The Pixel 9a has observably better gaming performance, but I’d argue that, if gaming’s a priority for you, you’d be better off with the iPhone 16 Plus or, hell, the Pixel 9 Pro XL – though obviously these don’t come cheap, and if you’re OK with a smaller display, the 9a might be fine.

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

The battery may be larger in the Pixel 9a than in the Pixel 8a, but that hasn’t really translated to a meaningful difference on testing (or in my day-to-day use). The same can be said of charging times, despite a 5W increase in capacity.

The cameras are brilliant on both devices and I’m not prepared to say one is better than the other – Google’s really good at this specific thing and you’re getting a brilliant snapper either way.

Finally, on the topic of ongoing support, it’s brilliant that phone companies are starting to support their devices for seven years. However I’d argue that, even if shopping for an affordable all-rounder like the Pixel 9a, you’d likely upgrade within that time. You’ll notice quality and battery alike degrade and you’ll probably be looking for the next thing within three or so years – but even if you want to keep your phone around for a while, six years of remaining support isn’t bad at all.

What's worth upgrading for?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Don’t take me as pessimistic – there are legitimate reasons for getting the Pixel 9a instead of the 8a.

The brighter screen is a good one. The 700 nits difference in favor of the Pixel 9a is observable, although the 2,000 nits performance of the Pixel 8a still leaves many key competitors (looking at you, iPhone 16e) in the dark.

The stronger IP rating of the Pixel 9a would give me greater peace of mind that it wouldn’t break as easily from contact with water. The same goes for the greater battery life – even if I may argue in the previous section that it’s not that big of a difference, you may personally be shopping for the biggest battery possible, and I can’t argue against that.

There's also those earlier mentioned camera and editing tools that the Pixel 9a has – you might be particularly taken by some of them (Add Me is very cool), and although I don't think any of them are more worthwhile than a saving, you might prefer a more feature-rich handset.

Finally, the phone looks great! I actually love the design – Google’s removal of the camera bar originally had me apprehensive, but I don’t mind what they’ve done with a more neutral shape. It’s more iPhone-like and generally might be preferred among some shoppers.

Look for a sale

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

It’s a safe bet the Pixel 8a will be discounted more and more as time goes on, and I’d encourage you to jump on it when the price suits. The Pixel 9a will also likely see a discount sometime in 2025 from some retailers (likely including Google itself come Pixel 10 season), but we’ll have to wait and see.

I’d really love for Google to reshape its range around the A series – it’s a phenomenal device, but I can’t help but feel that they could make it more appealing. A cheaper variant is at the top of my list, but also a model with a larger screen would be nice – one that brings the fight to other Android phones that may offer larger displays but miss out on all the other great Google features.

For now though, while I’m usually head over heels for new phones, I’ve long been of the mind that Google’s Pixel range should be just a tad more accessible, given a couple of price increases in the past five years. I’d certainly like the Pixel A to be cheaper, and it’s a shame that we can’t call the Pixel 9a ‘budget’. With price drops, however, the Pixel 8a is looking more and more attractive.

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What a week we've had. GTA 6 got a new trailer that looks stunning, Sonos and IKEA sadly ended their audio partnership, and Sony teased its new flagship headphones.

To catch up on all this and more scroll down to see the week's seven biggest tech news stories with quickfire snippets on each and links to the larger story if you're keen to know more.

When you're done be sure to check out seven new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend (May 9).

7. YouTube Premium started seeing double

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

YouTube started to pilot a two-person YouTube Premium membership in select countries this week (namely France, India, Taiwan, and Hong Kong).

It will allow two people to split a subscription at a rate that’s cheaper than two individual plans, or splitting a family plan. In France an individual plan costs €12.99 per month and a family plan is €23.99, while a two-person plan is €19.99 – so we’d expect it to cost around $18.99 / £16.99 / AU$26.99 in the US, UK, and Australia.

Apparently, this plan is part of YouTube’s ongoing experiments that look to find “new ways to provide greater flexibility and value to our YouTube Premium subscribers.” Though it’s yet to be seen if this will make YouTube Premium a better value proposition.

• Read more: YouTube Premium's new two-person tier looks like a good deal – but it's still not enough to get me to pay for YouTube

6. The Netflix homepage got its biggest-ever upgrade

(Image credit: Future)

Netflix is finally acknowledging that it’s not just for movies and TV shows anymore, redesigning its home screen to accommodate live events and gaming in a way that should better connect you to real-time events.

It’s also finally dabbling in generative AI in, perhaps, the smartest way possible: search. Now you can find your next binge using natural language queries.

There are other big changes like labels on top of title images and a general reshuffling of interface elements. It’s too soon to say if everyone is loving the new Netflix.

• Read more: Netflix is redesigning your TV homepage

5. Whoop revealed two new promising wearables

(Image credit: Whoop)

After four years without hardware, Whoop has unveiled not one but two new wearables for 2025. The Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG are actually one and the same device, the latter a "medical-grade" variant with more intensive health features like ECG, blood pressure, and more. The wearables look great and boast a 14-day battery life, as well as a new design.

Unfortunately, there's also a new pricing structure that means the very best features are reserved for those who pay the highest price. There is now a cheaper option and a more expensive one to the previous offering, but the Whoop 5.0 has some features disabled at the cheapest pricing tier.

It's a tough pill to swallow for users who have waited four years for new Whoop wearables, but with Garmin and others taking subscriptions to another level, it's the direction the industry appears to be heading in with no remorse.

• Read more: Whoop unveils two brand new wearables, but their best features are hidden behind a paywall

4. Sonos and IKEA ended their unlikely audio duet

(Image credit: IKEA)

Earlier this week, Sonos and IKEA announced that they would be parting ways after six years of collaborating on audio homeware tech which includes the popular Symfonisk bookshelf and lamp speakers. In an email sent to The Verge, Sonos spokesperson Erin Pategas broke the news and revealed that Symfonisk’s current inventory of products is being phased out globally at all IKEA locations, with no plans to release future products.

Though the future of Sonos and IKEA will cease to exist, Sonos has offered reassurance that existing products in its Symfonisk range will still receive software updates despite the discontinuation of the partnership. The news come as quite the surprise since we’ve been very fond of Symfonisk’s speakers, but with the unpredictable future of new tariff laws looming over businesses, this is a measure that Sonos has had to carefully consider.

• Read more: Sonos and IKEA have announced they are parting ways after a six year collaboration

3. Microsoft announced two new Surface devices

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft expanded its Surface lineup, with the all-new Surface Laptop 13-inch and the Surface Pro 12-inch 2-in-1 device using the Snapdragon X Plus processor. Most importantly, the former is the lightest and thinnest Surface Laptop to date. Battery life has also been upgraded for both, providing that extra time needed while you're away from your desk or power source.

It’s worth noting that these new devices are much cheaper on this occasion; the Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $899 / £899 / AU$1,699, while the Surface Pro starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,499 – a huge fall from the previous versions for both, starting at $1,099 / AU$1,899. They’re available for pre-order right now.

• Read more: Here are the 4 key things you need to know about Microsoft's new Surface devices

2. We got a launch date for Sony’s next flagship headphones

(Image credit: Sony)

It’s been three years since Sony debuted its top-end wireless headphones, the WH-1000XM5s. But after numerous leaks, the tech giant has confirmed exactly when we’ll be seeing its successors – on May 15, next week.

What can we expect from them? The rumors so far point to improved noise cancelling and audio processing, plus the return of a hinged design that Sony skipped on the current model. On the downside, there will also likely be a small price hike. But despite that, May 15 (or May 16, if you’re in Australia), is a date for your diary if you’re in the market for some premium, travel-friendly cans.

• Read more: Sony confirms launch date for flagship WH-1000XM6 headphones – here are 6 things to expect

1. GTA 6 got a brand new trailer

GTA 6 broke the internet this week with a brand new trailer focused on Vice City and the game's partners in crime, Jason and Lucia. But story teasers aside, it looks incredible.

We’ve already called it one of the most beautiful games of this generation – it looks leagues ahead of what other studios have achieved – and most staggering of all the trailer was apparently captured entirely on a PS5.

It clearly impressed many others too as the trailer has racked up over 94 million views in three days (at the time of writing) and Spotify streams of the song Hot Together which featured heavily in the trailer surged by 182,000% in the hours after the trailer released.

All we have to do now is wait a little over a year until May 26, 2026 so we can play it for ourselves.

• Read more: Grand Theft Auto 6 looks mind-blowingly beautiful in latest screenshots

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Someday, hopefully not soon, I'll shed this mortal coil and in short order be forgotten. Unless someone makes an AI Lance Ulanoff.

In short, please don't.

I had this epiphany and realized the need for a public statement that might one day protect my likeness from appearing after my demise after reading about the tragic case of an Arizona man and road rage victim whose AI avatar delivered a short and, I must admit, moving speech to a judge who was considering the sentence of the man who, according to the ruling, killed him.

It's a terrible and sad case, and in the video, Christopher Pelkey appears to deliver forgiveness and even some humor. It's not a perfect rendering. The voice sometimes sounds robotic, and the video is a bit stiff, but the overall effect is quite a thing.

There's no getting around the tragedy of the court case, but the decision by Pelkey's family to bring him to life as an AI-generated avatar is problematic. While Pelkey appears to be delivering the impassioned words, they're actually written by his sister. I assume she knew her brother well, but I doubt she can know exactly what he would have said in the event of his death.

There's no stopping this now

This slippery slope we're standing over is crumbling underfoot, and we are about to slide down into a very weird and uncanny valley. That this technology was used in a court of law and done without, it appears, the assistance of a major corporation or significant funds, means that more and more people will consider not only trying to bring dead relatives back to digital life but also enabling real-world and sometimes important interactions for them.

Pelkey's appearance is an extreme case, for now, but will likely not be an outlier. I expect others to start putting long-lost relatives to work as AI avatars in all sorts of cases, from class action suits to civil divorce proceedings.

I'm sure many family members will think they're acting in your best interest when they digitally resurrect you. Just this week, we saw the family of legendary NBA broadcaster Jim Fagan okay the AI recreation of his voice for future NBA games (mostly promos and not, it seems, any play-by-play). I'm sure that a full-bodied AI Fagan isn't far behind.

Pelkey, though, was not a celebrity, and businesses will likely crop up to help anyone digital revive Grandma, a brother, Sis, Aunt June, anyone you've lost and desperately miss.

Just don't

I understand the intention and, to be honest, I don't know if I would reject a chance to "bring back a loved one." Of course, you're not bringing back anyone. The AI avatar will only look and sound like the deceased, though I guess it could go further than that.

Last year, I wrote about Silicon Intelligence, a Chinese company that wants to use photos and videos to build a digital persona that can even respond in ways that the original, living relative might have done.

The technology necessary to make fully functioning digital replicas of anyone living or dead is here now, which is why I'm encouraging everyone to declare publicly whether or not they approve of this for their corporeal presence.

I understand that with the hours and hours of videos and thousands of photos available online depicting me blathering on about technology, I'm an easy target for this. My family may not be interested in resurrecting me, but I worry any enterprising techy could build their own Lance Ulanoff and then spend hours teasing it about all the times the real Lance Ulanoff was wrong.

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