TechRadar News

• WhatsApp username reservations are now open for some
• Check inside the app for your reservation invite
• You can link your new handle to Facebook and Instagram

The big WhatsApp username revolution has started — and while usernames won't fully take over until later this year, Meta is letting people reserve their handles starting from now. Open up WhatsApp on your phone, and you'll see an alert above the conversation list inviting you to reserve your name.

Earlier today I got the alert on my phone (maybe because I'm such an enthusiastic WhatsApp user). If you miss tapping the notification before it disappears, you need to head to Settings: On Android, it's the three dots (top right) then Settings; on iOS, tap the You icon (bottom right) to get to the same menu.

From Settings, select Account > Username > Create username to start selecting your WhatsApp handle. It's worth remembering you're up against three billion other users here, so your first choice might be gone — in which case WhatsApp will ask you to pick something else until you land on something unique.

(Image credit: Meta)

You may have to deploy some numbers or special characters to get a username that hasn't already been taken — the same tricks you may well have used to get your handles on other platforms (for example, using underscores and periods). There's also a Suggest username option here you can use if you're stuck, and WhatsApp will come up with a few ideas for you.

You can also link an existing username from Instagram or Facebook, which is helpful if you've got a small business or side hustle set up on those platforms and want to be consistent in every app. Just follow the Use Instagram username or Use Facebook username links when you see them.

What you need to know

(Image credit: Meta)

There are a few things to bear in mind when reserving your username. Firstly, this won't hide your phone number from people who already have it on WhatsApp — it only applies to new contacts you add after the username feature goes live, and it seems as though that won't happen for a few months yet.

Second, if you think that someone might guess or otherwise stumble across your username, you can add an extra layer of protection. From Account > Username, tap Contact me by username and you can generate a key code — a prospective new contact will then need to be told both this key and your username in order to connect with you.

(Image credit: Meta)

If you have a change of heart (or identity) then you can still change your username before the feature goes live: open up Account > Username then tap Edit to pick something different. At the moment, it's not clear how username changes will be handled once the feature goes live later this year.

Fourth, you'll be wasting your time if you try and reserve something like @zendaya or @edsheeran. WhatsApp says it's fenced off usernames that relate to celebrities, politicians, and other VIPs, so you're not going to be able to use this as an opportunity to impersonate someone famous.

Finally, if you do register the same handle as you've got on Facebook or Instagram, Meta will ask you to connect your accounts. That makes them a little easier to manage together, but it also gives Meta more information about you, your devices, and your activities — which may be used for targeted ads in the future.

Loewe, the German speaker and TV maker, has just announced that it's launching a new venture called Loewe Systems. According to the company, this is "a new Berlin-based company focused on developing fully integrated high-end audio and audiovisual solutions for automotive manufacturers, luxury residences, superyachts, recreational vehicles, and other premium mobility applications."

The new team consists of Managing Director Alexander Meisen, Director of Acoustics Ajan Hannemann, and Director of Automotive Engineering Robert Schletze. The team comes from a background of working on the Burmester audio systems in Mercedes-Benz cars, so has a strong in-car audio heritage.

To find out more about the goal of this new team, I spoke with the three members of the Loewe System crew, as well as Loewe's CEO Aslan Khabliev.

TechRadar: What's the goal for you guys of pushing into the integrated installation systems market?

Alexander Meisen: We did projects in residential and one-off projects, and this is really where we see people smiling. This is really where we can create stories. With the new setup with Loewe, creating those kind of experiences this is clearly where we see lots of potential.

TechRadar: What what will success look like for you going into this market?

Alexander Meisen: Clearly more than just adding a brand to projects to speaker grilles in automotive. Really going deep, really creating a special sound signature, really creating outstanding experiences with future partners.

TechRadar: You mentioned the sound profile. Is that one of the main things that will make Loewe's offering unique, or what else do you think will make will make people want to see that brand on the design?

Robert Schletze: I think it's a lots of things, but starting in an automotive project, it's specific knowledge of how to specify the speakers, how to integrate the speakers in the car, partner up with the right partners, having our own sound signature, knowing how to tune a car with 37 speakers like an orchestra [when you're] sitting in the middle, knowing what to do with delays, gains, filters… all that stuff comes together [in our] knowledge.

TechRadar: What are other companies doing wrong that you think you can do differently to win over the the car makers?

Alexander Meisen: There are massive changes and shifts in in-car audio. That's especially where we see lots of potential, because in this field it became quite common to just add a logo to speaker grilles, make it look fancy and try to tell stories — I mean, there's no real USP, there's no real story. So we really go into what Robert just explained, and then in addition, we know that in the hi-fi market or in audio market in general we see a certain lack of really activating partnerships, really communicating and kicking off marketing campaigns together.

This is clearly one of the reasons why we decided to set this up under the Loewe and also Cabasse brand, because Loewe is already doing this — Loewe can offer that to potential partners. And Loewe also has a long heritage, and the feedback we're getting right now from potential partners we're talking to is 'Hey guys, we don't just want to put the name somewhere from a certain brand which is maybe famous or recognized in a certain area. We really want to create those experiences together' — and this is where we're very confident we can offer those [companies] the full package with all the different aspects

TechRadar: Is in-car audio the primary area of the Loewe Systems project? Loewe has history in this area with BMW, so it makes sense.

Alexander Meisen: There is this history, and yes, automotive is clearly the priority to us. This is where our team has lots of expertise. This is where the network is established. This is where… we haven't released the news officially, but we are in talks. There are certain lead times when it comes to establishing new partnerships, but yes, clearly and absolutely [in-car audio is the priority].

Still we're also talking to potential partners in the field of residential building on integrated systems, because the great thing for for us as a team right now is also we have full access to all the expertise and products of Loewe Group. We're not only talking about audio, we're talking about the full experience, which is also the visual element.

TechRadar: What do you see as the ultimate in-car offering from Loewe? Does it stretch to the displays as well as the audio and the DSP?

Robert Schletze: It's an overall experience in the car. You look at the market, there are video screens already integrated lots of them [regardless of the] brand that they're coming from. You have the audio part, you have smell in the car — you can connect all together, so it's an overall experience. Why not add this visual area from Loewe if it works and we can partner up? Anything is possible there. Currently we're figuring it out — we know where our expertise is, and we as we said we're not just just adding elements to a car. We're working together hand in hand [with manufacturers] for the full experience.

TechRadar: Are we talking about Dolby Atmos in cars, or what kind of premium experience are you aiming for?

Robert Schletze: I think Dolby Atmos is a standard now in the automotive area anyway. Yeah, of course. 3D sound, 4D sound, 2D sound.

Alexander Meisen: We've worked with the teams of Dolby before. We know them pretty well. So, this is one aspect, but it's not new anymore. It's not outstanding. It's more like a given to us.

TechRadar: Is there something else new that you guys have in mind that you can bring?

Alexander Meisen: The manufacturers are asking for new features, especially when you compare the markets. You have a look on the European market and then you check the Chinese market and there are there are different demands and requests. We know that we will come up with features that are not [widely available] yet, but we cannot communicate them right now because we're at a very early stage.

Robert Schletze: We have some past experience with what's missing in the market. We've got some ideas there, and partners that we can develop them with. But overall I think you have to go back from adding feature over feature over feature — you have to go back to not adding another speaker in the car, but developing a proper speaker that can reproduce the sound as we want. The basics; go back to the basics. That's missing a lot today.

TechRadar: You talked earlier about working with speaker partners on developing the right speaker for this situation. How involved do you expect to be in like the actual driver design?

Ajan Hannemann: We want to dive into this topic, and we will specify this — we actually already did in the past as well, for Mercedes Group. So we aim to improve those elements, but [the] really important thing for us, like Robert already mentioned, is the packaging of where the speaker is placed — there's room for improvement if you can make it clear to the manufacturer of the car what kind of benefits we get when when we place the speakers in more optimized positions. You can gain a lot of improvement regarding the sound performance.

TechRadar: Can you give us any examples of issues that you see with a lot of in-car systems now that you want to aim to improve?

Robert Schletze: Definitely the design wins over the functionality, which is quite normal today and that shouldn't be the case. So most of the time you have a midspeaker next to your knee, so you don't have a proper staging. It belongs higher up. It's all because the designers have the power.

TechRadar: So you want to work with partners where you can put the acoustic design earlier into the overall car design, and get the speakers where you need them to be. Is that the idea?

Robert Schletze: That should be the target, yeah. To be in early from the beginning stage of every project.

TechRadar: And the partners you're working with now are on board with that?

Robert Schletze: They are on board and they provide the direct access, yes.

TechRadar: Can you say any of the car partners you'll be working with at this point?

Aslan Khabliev: Let's put it this way, they will be German.

TechRadar: What's your goal in the luxury property development market? Are you are you looking at home theater installations, or is it more like convenient built-in sound for kitchens and bathrooms?

Alexander Meisen: Yeah, we're focusing on to B2B [business to business] partnerships, so we're not looking at individual home cinema here. We're more looking to work with developers, architects, interior designers, etc. We're also looking at concepts that we can scale, so not only the one unit, but maybe the whole building. Our main priority is clearly not the bathroom or the ambient sound in the elevator or somewhere, but clearly defined listening situations.

Ajan Hannemann: And here also, the target is to achieve a high-quality sound reproduction from those systems integrated in the environment, that are part of the architecture. From the very first steps, we [want to] define not only materials surrounding our system, but only also the perfect positioning of the system to make the best out of those sometimes-challenging spaces. New architecture is often with a lot of flat surfaces, so you get flatter echoes, you get high reverberation times, and we want to specify exactly the parameters we need to achieve a high-quality sound.

So that's why, in the past, we worked at early stages together with the architects and the engineering and simulation companies to try to achieve the best possible room acoustic parameters. So this is the goal in architectural audio as well, not only home cinema. So this we want to do this in a scaled way, [multiple apartments] in one building. And we will individually tune every apartment, so that you get the transporting sound signature from the car, [bringing] the tuning expertise we have there into real-estate projects.

TechRadar: The yacht market is an interesting one because it seems to have its own genre of audio brands that specialize in, it like JL Audio from Garmin. So what kind of systems are you talking about building in that market and what do you want to do differently?

Ajan Hannemann: In that market, we have to rely on marine partners, because in the portfolio from Cabasse and Loewe there are no marine-certified systems available. So we have to choose strong partners in that market and adapt our skills, our expertise, the human touch we bring regarding sound signature, into the marine sector.

TechRadar: So in that area, are you talking about becoming more like an integrator and not so much offering your own speakers?

Aslan Khabliev: Never say never. This might be the next project for the guys from Cabasse, for example. By the way, you asked a question about drivers: we have our own drivers in Cabasse, with a lot of expertise and IP and patents. I'm very happy that we have acquired Cabasse, I think we bought a real diamond. So there is no project which we cannot do, let's put it this way.

Right now, [Loewe Systems] is only a three-man show. It's a very tiny team, but we have a lot of ambition and knowledge, and it's never going to happen with these three guys by them by themselves. We [Loewe] are a big team now, we have 200 people now in Kronach, and we have 40 people in France, and we all want to help these guys to become successful. So whenever they need some hardware, software, this can all be done in-house.

What we need to do to help them is to basically realize their dreams. And those things which were not possible in their previous experience, to make them possible with our skilled people — and in my opinion, there is nothing that is impossible. It has to make sense financially, because you don't want to spend millions on one project and just sell one or two pieces. It has to make sense, but otherwise I think everything is possible. We've got the right resources for that.

Alexander Meisen: It's amazing for us to see what kind of resources, expertise and and infrastructure we can access now as a team. All three of us are coming from Burmester. So Ajan responsible for overall acoustics at Burmester, Robert was the lead engineer for automotive and responsible for Mercedes. This is well known in the industry and this is also what we're adding here. So a full network but with all the power and direct access within the Loewe group — this makes us really confident.

TechRadar: One of the areas mentioned in the press release was premium mobility brands. Can you say what that means outside of the areas we've already talked about.

Alexander Meisen: Yeah, so we would also call it, like, future mobility concepts. Automotive is is very clear, yacht is very clear, and residential as well. But for instance think about an RV. This is also interesting for us, but it's not the main priority.

TechRadar: Things like tour buses for for bands?

Alexander Meisen: Exactly. But most of the time these are not projects you're allowed to communicate [to other people] in the first place.

TechRadar: A lot of the times they might be private custom designs?

Alexander Meisen: They prefer that, yes. Same for yachts, but it's still it's very interesting for us.

• A new 4K restoration of Hammer's Dracula is coming to theaters and Blu-ray in October 2026
• Uncensored and with new footage believed to have been lost forever
• Pieced together from 'the best original archival materials sourced from around the world'

Here's a tale to really sink your teeth into: Hammer Films has "painstakingly restored" (pun intended, I assume) the original 1958 Dracula, adding "long-lost" footage and delivering an uncensored cut in full 4K. It'll be coming to movie theaters and home entertainment in October 2026.

This isn't a remaster. It's a resurrection. It features footage that was believed to be lost for over six decades, and which was only ever seen by Japanese cinemagoers in the 1950s. The recovered material is "from the best original archival materials sourced from around the world" and has never been released in the US or UK, nor available for home viewing in either country.

Dracula was the second on-screen pairing of Peter Cushing, who plays Dr Van Helsing, and Christopher Lee, who plays… I'm just checking my notes here… Dracula.

Hammer FilmsHammer FilmsHammer FilmsHammer FilmsHammer FilmsFangs for the memories

There have been many Dracula movies, but the 1958 one delivered the definitive Drac: as Hammer Films says, Lee's portrayal introduced "the bloodshot eyes, predatory fangs and visceral physicality that became the blueprint for modern vampire mythology and whose influence can still be seen across horror cinema today."

It's hard to overstate Dracula's influence. Everything you'd expect from a Dracula movie — the fangs, the heaving bosoms, the wooden stakes, the suggestion that some women might actually enjoy having their necks bitten by a charismatic count — features here, and the film has frequently been included in rankings of the best films and horror films of all time.

As director Terence Fisher explained to our friends at SFX Magazine, this was the movie that made vampires sexy. "My greatest contribution to the Dracula myth was to bring out the underlying sexual element in the story… At the moment he bites it is the culmination of a sexual experience."

As you can see from the still images above, the restored version looks absolutely spectacular. And the film itself is a masterpiece. As Empire wrote in its retrospective review, "It was garish, it was sexy and it was never afraid to be gory. And with its spectacular ending — in which The Count's flesh peels away and crumbles to dust when caught in the first rays of the morning sun — Dracula created one of the classic images of horror cinema."

According to the wonderfully named John Gore, CEO of Hammer Films and executive chairman of John Gore Studios, “Bringing Dracula back to audiences in 4K goes far beyond a piece of film restoration work. This is the recovery of a piece of British film history that audiences believed had been lost forever. Seeing Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing together again in such extraordinary detail is a reminder of just how powerful this film remains nearly seventy years after its original release.”

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• Box finds 2 in 3 ITDMs expect headcount to grow over the next three years as AI evolves
• New roles – like agent operators and automation specialists – will emerge
• Nearly all ITDMs admit stronger governance would help

New research from Box has claimed two in three (65%) UK IT decision-makers expect overall headcount to grow over the next three years, not shrink.

In fact, only 14% believe headcount will decrease, with the consensus generally pointing toward AI creating new jobs, not replacing human workers.

This shift in narrative comes at an important point for AI, as it evolves from experimentation to actual deployment.

AI is creating new roles, not eliminating them altogether

Box now believes we're entering the era of the 'agentic enterprise' where AI agents are embedded into everyday workflows and have organizion-wide knowledge and context, but even as they become more sophisticated and capable, the impacts on human workers are expected to be positive.

Of all the companies using or testing AI agents, only 8% say they've led to job losses today.

Among the roles more likely to be created are AI agent operators within IT teams – nearly half (48%) of all organizations are hiring for this role. Workflow automation specialists (32%), security, risk and compliance professionals (31%), change management and AI enablement roles (31%) and AI ethics and governance specialists (26%) are also crucial opportunities for human workers.

"As organisations embrace the next phase of AI, the focus is increasingly shifting from individual productivity gains to transforming how work gets done," EMEA President Samantha Wessels commented.

Though only around one in three companies are hiring for security professionals, the opportunities could grow further as nearly one in two (45%) experience an AI-related data exposure incident.

Rather than framing the opportunities as being capped, with either humans or AI helping to meet goals, Box proposes a higher ceiling where AI and humans can work together to push goals even further. Most ITDMs (94%) now believe better governance would help them adopt agentic AI faster.

• Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced will have three graphics modes on PS5 and PS5 Pro
• Performance, Fidelity, and Balanced modes will run at 60FPS, 30FPS, and 40FPS, respectively
• The PS5 Pro will offer extended ray tracing thanks to PSSR 2.0

Ubisoft has unveiled the PlayStation features for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which is set to have three graphics modes across PS5 and PS5 Pro.

As detailed in a new PlayStation Blog post, Black Flag Resynced, which was rebuilt from the ground up and described as "an experience tailored for modern PlayStation hardware," will offer 60FPS performance options, HDR support, Dolby Atmos, and DualSense haptic feedback.

On PS5 and PS5 Pro, the game will have Performance, Fidelity, and Balanced modes, which will run at 60FPS, 30FPS, and 40FPS, respectively, with an upscaled 2160p resolution.

The game will also utilize the PS5 Pro's upgraded PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) upscaling technology, improving image quality and reconstruction, reducing the visual gap between performance and fidelity modes, and offering an "extended ray tracing support" including both Ray-Traced Global Illumination and Ray-Traced Specular Reflections

"This enables richer lighting and reflection quality while maintaining higher performance targets across Performance, Balanced, and Fidelity modes," Ubisoft said.

Fidelity and Balanced modes on PS5 will also offer extended ray tracing, but it will be "standard" in Performance mode.

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

The developer has also expanded strand-based hair technology on PS5 Pro and it will be available for Edward Kenway across all modes. In Fidelity mode, nearby crowd characters will also benefit from strand technology during gameplay, while cinematics use strand-based hair for all characters regardless of mode.

"Rather than relying solely on traditional hair cards, the engine can simulate and render individual strands for more natural motion and response to wind. All of this allows us to get a very realistic hair render for our characters," Ubisoft explained.

Thanks to Ubisoft's upgraded Anvil engine, Black Flag Resynced also simulates weather in real time through Atmos, the systemic weather simulation framework, which continuously simulates variables such as temperature, humidity, wind, and vapor density, instead of treating weather as an isolated effect.

"These systems evolve over time and influence one another, producing more coherent and dynamic weather," the studio explained, adding that the same simulation extends into gameplay and environmental interaction.

The game's water system has also been modernized using a new tessellation technique, volumetric foam generation, and dynamic bubbles, allowing the sea to respond more naturally to wind conditions, weather, and ship movement.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is set to launch on July 9, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC.

I recently visited Audeze’s HQ in California for a revealing behind-the-scenes look at how one of the most premium audio brands goes about its business, from the science and developments behind the tech to the philosophy, people, and culture driving it.

As someone who covers gaming hardware and tech, one of my most pressing lines of inquiry during my visit was to really nail down why Audeze believes that planar magnetic drivers are superior for gaming audio and in gaming headsets like the Audeze Maxwell 2.

And I got my answer: it’s the driver’s innate ability and technical functionality, but also what it allows a user to do afterwards.

All things transient

“Planar magnetic drivers have several fundamental performance advantages that benefit gaming,” Audeze marketing director Peter James tells me.

“One of those is better transient response … The driver is lighter, moves faster, reacts quicker to the changes in the signal, which means better precision and more realism.”

This can then equate to enhanced “immersion in a single-player game” or a “competitive advantage in a multiplayer game, where you're hearing more precisely and more quickly what's going on around you”, he says.

This is supported by the weighty opinion of Dragoslav Colich (or ‘Dr C’ for short), co-founder and chief technical officer of Audeze: “Transient response is much higher, so bass is much cleaner.”

If you’ve ever compared the likes of an Audeze Maxwell 2 to a competing dynamic driver gaming headset, then this is something you already know. I have had plenty of experience with overly muddy and thumping bass on many leading brands’ gaming sets, which are nowhere near as clean and detailed as the Maxwell 2’s.

Enhanced immersion and precision, regardless of whatever genre of game you're playing

The second major benefit of the drivers’ ability to offer lower distortion and the knock-on effects of that.

“Lower distortion, again, means versions of all those things you're hearing, [with] enhanced immersion and precision, regardless of whatever genre of game you're playing. But additionally, the low distortion enables better customization of the sound,” James argues.

This means planar magnetic drivers might not only sound better by default but can also allow you to tweak the sound profile more effectively than other sets.

“Because these drivers are so flexible and so low in distortion, they take EQ very easily and readily without creating even more distortion the way dynamic drivers often do, particularly when you boost bass,” he goes on. “This allows our headphones to be more customizable to people's individual tastes.”

So, better transient response for higher levels of precision and realism, lower distortion, and great flexibility in taking on EQs — and that’s on top of a level of audio quality that is, at least for me, incredible.

We’ve covered the ThinkPad T16 line extensively, and our verdict on the series has been consistent: it’s “a phenomenal laptop for productivity, traveling, and general business use.” Our hardware editor has sworn by the line for decades now.

So, I was excited to see the ThinkPad T16 Gen 5 has just dropped to $1935 (was $2149) at Lenovo. This business machine features Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 processor and Copilot+ certification. And, of course, the best keyboard you can get on any laptop, period.

For a business laptop with this spec sheet and Lenovo’s enterprise support infrastructure behind it, that’s a meaningful discount on a machine designed to last. The ThinkPad T series has always been Lenovo’s most uncompromising business line, and the T16 Gen 5 continues that tradition.

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The ThinkPad T16 Gen 5 that means business: This 16-inch Windows 11 Pro laptop equipped with the efficient Core Ultra 7 355 processor and fast 16GB LPDDR5X memory for smooth and responsive workflows. That's coupled with 512GB SSD, Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and the sort of ports business professionals can rely on, like the Thunderbolt 4, USB4 at 40Gbps, RJ-45 Ethernet, and a dedicated docking station port. It's also built to MIL-SPEC 810H tested across 12 durability certifications. Fingerprint reader, IR camera for Windows Hello, and Lenovo’s ThinkShield security platform round up the featuresView Deal

The Intel Core Ultra 7 355 is an Arrow Lake chip with P-cores boosting to 4.70GHz, and it’s the right processor for a machine in this category. More importantly for the ThinkPad T16’s target audience — IT departments, road warriors, and enterprise buyers — the Core Ultra 7 includes Intel’s NPU, qualifying it as a Copilot+ PC with full on-device AI acceleration for Windows 11’s latest features. That’s increasingly a practical requirement for enterprise software compatibility and future Windows feature sets, and it’s baked in here without needing to step up to a more expensive configuration.

The port selection is where the T16 Gen 5 sets itself apart from thinner business ultrabooks that compromise on connectivity. Two USB4 40Gbps ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, a full-size HDMI output, RJ-45 Ethernet, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a dedicated docking station port means you can connect to essentially any enterprise peripheral or docking infrastructure without adapters. Wi-Fi 7 covers wireless connectivity at the latest standard. For an IT manager spec’ing laptops that need to work at any desk in the building, this is a port list that doesn’t require asterisks.

The 16:10 aspect ratio on the 16-inch WUXGA display gives you meaningfully more vertical screen space than a 16:9 panel of the same size — the equivalent of another inch of content when scrolling through documents or reading emails. In our review of the Gen 1 T16 we specifically noted this made “content on the screen feel much larger due to having more space vertically.” For productivity work, it’s a genuine day-to-day advantage. One honest note from NotebookCheck’s Gen 5 review: they found the standard IPS panel underwhelming in brightness and color gamut and strongly recommend upgrading to the better display option if that matters for your work. The standard panel is adequate for office productivity, but creative professionals should consider the OLED upgrade tier.

Durability is a core part of the ThinkPad T series value proposition, and the T16 Gen 5 maintains it. MIL-STD-810H certification across 12 test categories means it’s been validated against temperature extremes, humidity, vibration, dust, and drop scenarios that go well beyond what consumer laptops are tested for. For a laptop that will travel, live in bags, and cycle through multiple environments over several years of use, that level of real-world durability testing matters in a way that spec sheet comparisons don’t capture.

The ThinkShield security platform covers hardware-level security, including a built-in fingerprint reader, IR camera for face-based Windows Hello login, and BIOS-level protections. For organizations with security compliance requirements, the T series’ enterprise security credentials are part of why IT departments keep buying them generation after generation.

NotebookCheck noted that the Gen 5 runs very quietly — fan noise maxes out at around 34 dB(A) under full load, which is quieter than many competing business laptops. The one behavioral quirk they flagged is the fan occasionally spinning up briefly during idle in plugged-in performance mode, which is audible but not loud. Battery life on the T16 line has always been a strength: in our Gen 1 review, we had 30% remaining at the end of a full working day, including two video calls and light photo editing, a figure that reflects real-world use rather than lab conditions.

For professionals who need a reliable, well-supported 16-inch business laptop that won’t compromise on connectivity, security, or durability, the ThinkPad T16 Gen 5 at $1,934.10 is one of the cleaner choices in the enterprise tier right now.

Also consider: More Lenovo laptop deals

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Lightweight and thin, the X13 Gen 7 is tailored to professionals working on the go and across multiple locations. View Deal

• See all laptop deals at Lenovo.

• SVP at Samsung says the Galaxy Ring 2 is officially in development
• It could come with a slew of design upgrades as well as deeper integration with other Samsung devices
• The biggest improvement is support for iOS, a first for Samsung wearables

When Samsung released the Galaxy Ring in 2024 it shot to the top of our list of best smart rings, but the Korean tech company has been rather silent on plans for the next-gen wearable — until now.

Speaking with Forbes, Senior Vice President and Head of the Digital Health Team at Samsung, Hon Pak, shared that the company’s next smart ring (presumably named the Galaxy Ring 2) is officially in development; “We are working on the next generation. I can tell you that,” he shared.

The announcement arrives just after the new Oura Ring 5 hit the shelves which, compared to its predecessor, is roughly 40% smaller with an even longer battery life, although does come with a higher price tag. It’s about time Samsung returned to the smart ring world given how fierce the competition has grown over the last two years — so how will the Galaxy Ring 2 stand against its rivals?

When Samsung released the first Galaxy Ring, Pak described it as “a comprehensive and simplified approach” to health and sleep, and it seems that he wants to build on this across both hardware and software.

For starters, if we look at the Oura Ring 5’s slimmer redesign, it wouldn’t come as a complete surprise if Samsung replicated a similar ‘smaller but tougher’ approach to its own smart ring for added comfort improvements.

Additionally, Samsung could take a page out of Oura’s book and remove skin contact bumps from the inside of the ring, all while extending its battery life — we also predicted that it will come with a solid state battery.

(Image credit: Future / Matt Evans)

Though design upgrades are likely, Pak hinted that this won’t be the biggest difference with the Galaxy Ring 2. “If you look at the comparison of other rings, regardless of the competitor, the sensors are not that different right now,” he said, adding “It’s really about what services you create on the top layer. It’s really the software differentiation that you see.”

With these remarks in mind, the Galaxy Ring 2’s main focus will be on developing deeper software integration rather than reupholstering the hardware. Pak also shared that Samsung has plans to build on its connected ecosystem to help users receive more accurate metrics and get a better sense of their health habits.

Instead of using just the Galaxy Ring 2's collection of metrics to present the full picture of your well-being, Samsung takes your data from the smart ring and blends it with other devices in its network via the Samsung Health app. This could include Galaxy Watches and smartphones, and even its range of SmartThings home appliances to give you more detailed context into your daily activity and overall well-being.

For users who are deep into Samsung’s ecosystem of devices already, it’s a huge win, but one of the biggest setbacks with the first-gen Galaxy Ring is its lack of support for iOS. While Samsung has the overall edge over the likes of Oura, the latter supports iOS, giving users more reason to opt for its wearables over Samsung’s — but this could change with the Galaxy Ring 2.

In addition to software upgrades, Pak heavily teased that iOS support will finally be coming to the Galaxy Ring; “I’m smiling but I can’t say anything,” he hinted. Out of all the new upgrades, iOS support would throw the biggest curveball into the competition, giving non-Android users even more reason to make the switch to Galaxy Ring over rival wearables.

While it’s not exactly a formal announcement, it’s certainly a promising affirmation of what to expect from the long-awaited wearable. Despite not giving any details on an official launch date, Galaxy Unpacked 2026 is just around the corner where we’re expecting the announcement of the S26 lineup — could Samsung also throw the Galaxy Ring 2 into the mix?

• FiiO unveils EH13 over-ear headphones
• 40mm drivers, LDAC compatible, ANC and 75 hours of battery
• All that for $49 / £49 (about AU$100)

Audiophiles will know the name FiiO; between the likes of the M27 digital audio player or KA15 DAC-amp, it's beloved by audiophiles looking for portable hi-fi kit (the firm also does non-portable kit, but that's not relevant for this story).

The company's devices generally fall into the 'reasonable' rather than 'cheap' head-fi category, but every rule has an exception, and the new FiiO EH13 are today's exception. These wireless headphones cost just $49 / £49 (about AU$100), so the brand is making a surprise play for top spot in our best cheap headphones list.

Now, FiiO is no stranger to headphones — we gave five stars to its FT5 planar magnetic cans two years ago, and four to its FT13 last year — but these models were distinctly aimed at audiophiles and cost around ten times as much as the EH13. At the $49 (or equivalent) mark, the new EH13 are targeted distinctly at the average cash-savvy consumer.

Team TechRadar has put its best heads together, and can't quite work out why the FiiO EH13 are so cheap. LDAC, 75-hour battery, 40mm drivers, EQ and ANC for $49? How?! Sure, the design is a little quotidian, but beyond that... what's the catch?

We didn't start the FiiO...

(Image credit: FiiO)

Like basically every pair of wireless headphones at this price, the FiiO EH13 have 40mm dynamic drivers and while it's hard to gauge from the specs list just how they'll sound, the company takes pride in maintaining its known-to-audiophiles nod of approval. Mention of a "sapphire-coated composite diaphragm" sounds pretty bougie though, especially for this price.

Thanks to Bluetooth 6.0, you get support for LDAC transmission (as well as AAC and SBC) and the brand's EQ control app to customize your sound.

You're getting a battery life of 75 hours, which drops to 45 hours if you turn ANC on. That's right, a FiiO product with noise cancellation!

The EH13 offer a 3.5mm jack, with a signal processor designed to keep sound consistent regardless of how you listen. And there are other connection tools, like multi-point pairing.

I don't particularly associate FiiO with entry-level tech, so am quite curious to discover how the EH13 sound. But judging by what the brand's shared so far, they could be a great entry-level piece of FiiO tech, before you find yourself buying a new M33 R2R, and sliding further and further down the slippery slope...

Getting ready to head off to college later this year? A decent laptop is essential if you want a reliable, stress-free tool to help you study. Thankfully, many retailers have already started their big 'back to school' sales this week, so there are plenty of options on the market currently.

As TechRadar's retail editor, I've been scanning well-known retailers like Best Buy, Dell, and Amazon today to find the best picks for prospective students. Just below, you can see 9 options for all budgets, including some gaming laptops if you also want something that can double up as a machine for gaming.

Highlights include this excellent value Dell 14 Laptop for $699 (was $1,229) at the official Dell Store, which is one of the best bang-for-the-buck Windows 11 options I've seen in recent weeks. If you're feeling flush, there's also the Dell XPS 13 for $999 (was $1,499), which is a fantastic (albeit expensive) option if you want something a little more portable.

Best Buy's 4th of July sale also includes some great options for cheap Chromebooks right now if you're really on a budget. While these lightweight laptops aren't intended for gaming or intensive applications, they're good if you just want to browse, type out work, or answer emails. For the basics, they're a great value for sure.

Back to School laptop sales - quick links

• Amazon: cheap laptops from $269
• Best Buy: up to $650 off laptops and Chromebooks
• Dell: up to $900 off on back to school deals
• Lenovo: up to 42% off cheap laptops
• HP: up to 71% off Chromebooks and laptops

9 best laptop deals this week

Processor: Intel Core N150
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 64GB

A Chromebook is a fantastic option for budget-conscious students since these lightweight laptops don't require much power to run smoothly. This 2-in-1 14-inch HP Chromebook features a decent Intel chipset and 8GB of RAM, which should be great for all the various browser-based tasks that Chromebooks are intended for, such as streaming content, writing, or emails.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core i5-1335U
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 256GB

HP's 4th of July sale has some great low-cost Windows 11 options this week, such as this heavily discounted Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i. Inside, this machine features a Core i5 chipset and 16GB of RAM, which should provide smooth performance on even relatively demanding Windows 11 applications. Annoyingly, this machine only features a 256GB SSD, so storage is a little on the short side.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core 7 150U
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

Dell's standard laptop series don't tend to be the flashiest machines, but they do offer great bang for the buck. This Dell 14-inch laptop in particular manages to feature a really up-to-date chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a spacious 1TB SSD for a great price thanks to the official Dell Store's back-to-school sale this week.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

The Dell 14 Plus is one of our favorite models from Dell in the past few years. It really surprised us when we reviewed it because it offers great performance and a well-thought-out design at an excellent price. Today's best deal is on this Ryzen 7-equipped configuration, which offers plenty of power in this machine's portable 14-inch form factor. View Deal

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

MacBooks are getting pricier and pricier now, which makes this deal on the rival Dell XPS 13 at the official Dell Store even more compelling this week. The standout feature for the Dell XPS 13 is its stunning lightweight premium design, which is perfect if you need something portable. This is a great price on the Intel-based variant, which provides great battery life, excellent app support, and plenty of power.View Deal

Processor: Snapdragon X Elite 
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 512GB

One of the best deals on the entire Dell site is undoubtedly this discount on the latest Snapdragon-equipped Dell XPS 13. This stylish and lightweight machine is perfect for those who want battery life and performance in a premium package. This particular configuration also includes 32GB of RAM, which is a very rare thing indeed these days at this price. Note, this is a Snapdragon chipset model, however, so make sure all your obscure apps are supported.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core 7 Series 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB

The above Acer Nitro V Slim 16 also comes in an Intel-based configuration, which is also a decent buy today. It's a little pricier, but you get an Intel Core 7 Series 2 chipset and 16GB of DDR5 RAM. These should, on paper at least, give you a decent boost in performance.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 285H
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

The price cut on this HP Omen 16 at Best Buy isn't huge, but it's still one of the best value RTX 5070 gaming laptops you'll find on the market this week. Pairing up your RTX 5070 with a powerful Intel Ultra 9 chipset means plenty of headroom for all the latest titles. Annoyingly, this machine only comes with 16GB of RAM, but you do get a spacious 1TB SSD as a bonus.View Deal

Processor: Intel Core 7 (Series 2) 240H
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB

A number of Alienware gaming laptops are on sale today, but my favorite deal has to be this listing on the brand-new Alienware 15. While a little pricey for a machine with an RTX 5060 graphics card, you get 32GB of RAM and an Intel Core 7 chipset here for great out-of-the-box performance. Considering this machine features a 1200p display, you've got everything you need here for smooth performance in-game.View Deal

• Another Batman villain-led DC Universe movie is said to be in the works
• It could be the next film to arrive after James Gunn's Superman sequel
• There's bewilderment among fans over which projects are being prioritized by DC Studios

DC fans have expressed confusion and concern over the wider plan for the DC Universe (DCU) amid reports that another Batman villain-led film is being prioritized over one starring The Dark Knight.

With Supergirl enduring a calamitous debut in theaters, pulling in a measly $68 million worldwide, all eyes are on DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran to see if they'll make any sweeping changes to their DCU Chapter One lineup.

Anyone hoping to see or hear that a Batman and/or Wonder Woman movie will be fast-tracked, though, should temper their expectations. That's because, according to The Wrap, the next film set to enter production after Man of Tomorrow, aka the sequel to last year's Superman film, will be... one starring Batman foes Bane and Deathstroke. Yes, really.

Comment from r/DCULeaks

The Wrap's sources aren't the only ones who've heard that this movie could soon be a reality. Indeed, X/Twitter user and reliable industry insider Apocalyptic Horseman has also indicated that a Bane-and-Deathstroke flick is shaping up to be the next big-screen project from the Warner Bros. subsidiary.

This isn't the first time that rumors of such a movie have circulated online. In May, Deadline claimed that the project was not only in early development, but that Greg Mottola (Superbad, Peacemaker) had been tapped to direct it.

Should Messrs Gunn and Safran officially greenlight a Bane and Deathstroke movie, it'll be the third one to feature characters associated with Batman before the Caped Crusader even gets a standalone film.

A project starring shapeshifting Batman enemy Clayface, which lands in theaters this October, is the first of that trio. Meanwhile, a puppet animated flick currently titled Dynamic Duo will introduce the DCU's versions of Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, aka individuals who assume the mantle of iconic Batman sidekick Robin in DC Comics.

Why Supergirl's calamitous debut has put serious pressure on DC Studios' co-chiefsComment from r/DCULeaks

Amid the discourse maelstrom that's enveloped DC Studios and Supergirl since the latter's disastrous launch, fans have wondered if Gunn and Safran will go back to the drawing board and rework their entire release strategy.

It appears, though, that they're remaining steadfast in their current approach to their nascent cinematic franchise — and that's certainly riled up some sections of the fanbase.

Indeed, in numerous threads on r/DCULeaks and r/DC_Cinematic, people have expressed their confusion and frustration about the duo focusing their efforts on developing projects that won't star DC Comics' most famous and popular characters.

Comment from r/DC_Cinematic

Some believe that it's now more important than ever to introduce and establish Batman and Wonder Woman in the DCU, and that if it doesn't, DC Studios will face a uphill battle in attracting newcomers to its fledgling universe. Meanwhile, others say that DC Studios should learn from Sony's on-hiatus Spider-Man Universe (SSU), which prioritized stories centered on members of the titular webslinger's rogues gallery and, despite initially doing well, eventually paid the price amid increasingly negative reviews and diminishing box-office returns.

Then there's the small matter of Paramount Skydance's potential buyout of Warner Bros. Pictures. Should it go ahead, some think that the DCU could be axed before it's truly become estabilshed, especially if Clayface underperforms later this year and Lanterns, which comes to HBO Max in August, similarly doesn't do as well as predicted. The pressure would then certainly be on Man of Tomorrow to save the day and ensure the DCU's survival, for however long that might be.

For more DCU coverage, check out the latest casting rumor for the DCU's Batman, and read my Supergirl review to see if I think it's as bad as everyone's making it out to be.

• Digital Foundry predicts that GTA 6 won't support 60FPS on console
• It's suggested that the game will launch at 30FPS, including on PS5 Pro
• A 40FPS mode could be on the table for PS5 Pro if 60FPS is absent

Grand Theft Auto 6 may not support 60FPS on current-gen consoles, including PlayStation 5 Pro, at launch, meaning 30FPS will be the baseline.

That's according to tech experts at Digital Foundry, who suggest that after the recent information drop on the game, pre-order screenshots, and other footage, they're still not convinced that GTA 6 will allow for a 60FPS mode.

The main concern is the game's CPU demand on current-gen consoles, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S, which will likely be extensive.

"In RPGs, dense city locations are the most likely to drop frame rates, and the GTA 6 world looks another level of magnitude more challenging than the likes of Dragon's Dogma 2 or Baldur's Gate 3," Digital Foundry said.

There's also the matter of traversal, whether it be by ground, sea, or air, and vehicles will "require their own computationally expensive physics, of the kind that normally forces console simulation games to 30FPS." For this reason, "60FPS feels like a bridge too far."

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

Digital Foundry also suggested that the PS5 Pro wouldn't be able to output GTA 6 at 60FPS, because "the console only offers a fractional CPU performance bump over base PS5, with most of its advantage deriving from better GPU horsepower, improved RT acceleration and support for PSSR upscaling."

The CPU limitations would mean that GTA 6 will launch at 30FPS on PS5 Pro; however, it notes that a 40FPS mode could be possible if 60FPS is off the table.

It's worth noting that GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 also launched at 30FPS on last-gen consoles, but Rockstar later released 60FPS updates for current-gen consoles, including PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S.

If GTA 6 launches at 30FPS, a 60FPS mode post-launch update could be in the cards.

Rockstar has yet to reveal the finer details, but GTA 6 pre-orders have officially begun.

The game will launch on November 19 and will cost $79.99 / AU$129.95 / £69.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 / AU$159.95 / £89.99 for the Ultimate Edition. Pre-loads begin on November 12.

Any new technology tool is a double-edged sword for a startup founder.

It can be a powerful force multiplier, accelerating processes, cutting back on costs, streamlining communication, and empowering time-saving automations.

But it can also become an attention trap that shifts a founder’s focus away from business goals and towards tool management.

Claude Code is a tech tool that fits that description.

As a platform that can help you do more with less, Claude Code can be a godsend for a startup founder. But its amazing capabilities can also trigger addictive behavior that ultimately leads to startup burnout.

As startup founders seek to harness the power of Claude Code, it’s important to keep the proper perspective. While there is a lot the technology can do for a startup, it can also very easily distract you from the work needed to build a solid and scalable business.

Claude Code can be empowering for founders, but also exhausting

My journey with Claude Code addiction was driven by a desire for efficiency, cost savings, and independence. When kept in balance, those three elements can be extremely beneficial for a startup founder. But Claude Code led me to a place where I lost that balance.

It started when I was introduced to OpenClaw. I knew my tech team was using vibe coding tools for their work, but I had never considered how it might help me with the tasks I was facing as a founder. My research revealed it could be very helpful, simplifying my day through task management. I started using it and was hooked by the way it increased my efficiency.

But there was a problem: OpenClaw was expensive. In the world of startups, cash flow is often an issue in the early phases of development, which is a key reason tech tools are so valuable. A Vibe coding platform can help a startup make progress without hiring a CTO or principal engineer, but it needs to be affordable to make sense.

When I started getting concerned about the expense of OpenClaw, I began looking for alternatives and found Claude Code. At that point, the platform had become more agentic, providing almost all of the same capabilities as OpenClaw. When I learned it was more affordable, I shifted from paying on the go with OpenClaw to a monthly Claude Code subscription.

With Claude Code, I had an efficient and cost-effective tech tool that unlocked a lot of tasks I had previously depended on others for. I could run my own sales outreach campaigns by just connecting Claude to my Google Workspace. I could draft email copies and update the marketing website. I could even code any software project I wanted to without getting programmers involved.

Claude Code was empowering, helping me carry out tasks that opened new doors. But it soon became exhausting.

Claude Code gives founders independence, but also gets them off track

Delegating is a critical skill for startup founders, giving them the bandwidth they need to focus on big-picture work. Without staying committed to delegating, founders can get caught up in day-to-day tasks, which not only slows growth but also leads to founder burnout.

Claude Code made it easier for me to do things myself, so I stopped delegating. For example, with Claude Code, I could manage changes to my website, aligning certain aspects to match the course I was plotting in other areas. While it was great to have the capability, leveraging it required me to invest a lot of time going back and forth with an AI agent to get the site exactly the way I wanted it to be.

As I saw myself spending hours at my desk using Claude Code to adjust the website, I realized I was losing the time I needed to accomplish much bigger tasks. That was when I knew I needed to limit my time with Claude Code and get back to delegating.

A dream come true - or not as the case may be

Getting hooked on the independence you can gain from Claude Code is completely understandable. For startup founders trying to bootstrap their way to success, the platform is a dream come true. Using it means you don’t need to make your budget even tighter by hiring a programmer or outsourcing a project to an expensive tech expert, and there’s no limit to the number of agents it can unleash.

The reality, however, is that Claude Code will never be an experienced senior programmer who understands your context, anticipates issues, and positions you to scale successfully. At best, it is a junior programmer, which means it will need a lot of help from you to get it right. For a busy startup founder, the extra attention Claude Code needs could be the very thing that pushes you into burnout.

Claude Code has triggered a generational moment in the business world, giving startups the capacity to gain valuable skills on a tighter budget. I see it changing entrepreneurship for the better, leading to an increase in business launches.

But founders who want to see long-term success need to know Claude Code isn’t a long-term solution. Using it to get off the ground will give you a beneficial boost. Using it indefinitely will rob you of the time and energy you need to take your startup from launch to growth and beyond.

We've reviewed the best laptop for programming: Top picks for professional programmers, coders, software engineers, and developers.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to 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/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• Microsoft Teams is getting better bot protection
• Humans will now need to clear any bots or agents attending a meeting
• Developers will be able to register and pre-clear their agents

Microsoft is cracking down on bots infiltrating Teams meeting, bringing in a new technology which will let humans check all participants in a call are who they say they are.

Much like a nightclub bouncer, the new tool will require a human user check the identity of bots in the call's lobby, before the meeting commences.

The company says it has used a combination of "behavioral and infrastructure signals to identify bots with a higher degree of accuracy” to be able to boost Microsoft Teams' ability "to distinguish between bots and human participants as they join a meeting.”

Bots in Teams

Rolling out now, the launch comes as transcription and note-taking bots and agents are becoming an increasingly common sight in meetings - ostensibly to help participants recap and recall details, but these unwanted guests could also pose a security and privacy risk.

“Bots have begun joining meetings that participants never intended them to attend,” wrote Microsoft product marketing manager Meera Ajam wrote in a company blog post. “For example, after connecting a third-party service to a meeting, some users have found that its bot continues joining future meetings automatically.”

“Admitting a bot should be a deliberate decision, not something that happens by mistake,” Ajam added, noting that multiple clicks from a human will now be required for a bot to be allowed in.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

If this sounds like unwanted extra hassle, then never fear - Microsoft says it has added a way for users to pre-check agents or bots - notably, “a registration path for independent software vendors (ISVs) that build meeting experiences for Microsoft Teams.”

“When Teams recognizes that marker, it can identify the bot as a known participant,” Ajam wrote.

This means developers will be able to register with Microsoft to make sure their tools are cleared for use in Teams, with Ajam noting the company is working with "a limited set of ISVs to preview this capability and validate the experience before broader availability.”

OpenAI's custom AI chip isn't just another attempt to loosen Nvidia's grip on AI hardware. It's the clearest sign yet that OpenAI is adopting the same vertically integrated strategy that transformed Apple over the past decade.

When OpenAI and Broadcom recently shared new details about Jalapeño, their custom inference processor, most of the discussion focused on Nvidia. Nvidia currently sits at the center of the AI industry, supplying the graphics processors that power everything from ChatGPT to image generators and coding assistants. Any attempt to reduce that dependence is naturally headline news.

For years, Apple has enjoyed a competitive advantage from making the most important parts of its products in-house. Instead of relying on someone else's processors or designing software around third-party hardware, it designed and built its own hardware and software. Competitors spent years trying to match that integration.

With its new custom inference processor, OpenAI appears to be building more than just an alternative chip. It's developing the same kind of vertically integrated ecosystem that helped transform Apple into one of the world's most valuable companies.

The chip is only part of the plan

When Apple introduced its M-series processors, the company aimed to build Macs that woke instantly and ran cool and quiet. Customers cared that everything simply felt smoother. OpenAI appears to be chasing a similar goal, even if the product is completely different.

Instead of laptops, it wants conversations that arrive faster. Building its own processor gives it another lever to pull that competitors relying entirely on third party hardware simply do not have.

Jalapeño is simply another piece of a much larger puzzle. The processor has been designed for inference rather than training. Training is the expensive process of creating an AI model as opposed to the inference done afterward. Every time someone asks ChatGPT a question, that's inference. Those billions of everyday interactions eventually become just as important as building the model itself because they determine both performance and operating costs.

Designing a processor specifically for those workloads gives OpenAI something that off-the-shelf hardware never fully can. It can begin tailoring the hardware around exactly how its own models think and respond, a more efficient method. And every improvement, whether in power consumption, speed, or networking, saves money and improves the AI experience.

OpenAI has been careful not to oversell the timeline, with broad deployment of the new chip still some way off. This is the beginning of a strategy rather than the final result.

Nvidia's challenge

Nvidia isn't going to panic right now, nor should it. Its processors still power much of today's AI boom. Demand continues to outstrip supply in many areas, and OpenAI itself remains one of its major customers. None of that changes because one new custom processor has appeared on the roadmap. What should catch Nvidia's attention is the pattern beyond OpenAI.

Google has spent years developing Tensor Processing Units. Amazon created Trainium and Inferentia. Microsoft has invested heavily in its own AI chips, as has Meta in custom accelerators for its expanding AI ambitions. OpenAI is now following the same path. Different companies have different technical goals, but they all seem to arrive at the same conclusion: as AI becomes a bigger part of their business, they don't want to depend entirely on someone else's hardware.

Of course, Apple designing its own processors certainly did not destroy Intel overnight. But there was a shift as Apple gained more control over pricing and product direction each time it replaced an external component with one of its own. The same could happen with AI.

Plus, OpenAI said its own AI models helped accelerate parts of the engineering process during chip development. AI is actually helping to make the hardware that will power its future iterations. That feedback loop may become increasingly important as chip design grows more complex. The future of AI may belong to the companies that own as much of the underlying machine as possible, regardless of where the models themselves rank.

If Apple's history is anything to go by, OpenAI is ready to be that company.

• OpenClaw has launched iOS and Android companion apps
• Users can remotely control their self-hosted AI agents
• Initial reviews say the apps could do with a bit of refinement

OpenClaw has released its first official mobile apps, giving users an alternative to earlier reliance on messaging platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp.

Importantly, the iOS and Android apps act as companions to an existing OpenClaw installation rather than standalone assistants, much like the Codex controller OpenAI has embedded into the ChatGPT app.

The apps connect to a self-hosted OpenClaw Gateway running on their own hardware, rather than in OpenClaw's cloud, which has been key to the startup's success.

OpenClaw now available for mobile

OpenClaw described three core functionalities for the mobile apps: "native mobile apps, finally; agents in your pocket; and channels, tasks, replies on the go."

Users will be able to receive and approve actions requested by the AI remotely, and get status updates for ongoing workflows. Remote action triggering and managing are also available.

The AI agent gained popularity due to its local-first stance, allowing users to control their own Gateway and ultimately reduce their reliance on Big Tech and insecure cloud.

But while the tool itself proved a hit, selling out Mac minis across multiple regions after users scrambled to buy cost-effective hardware to run the agent, its mobile app has been a bit more of a flop, at least to begin with.

Its Android version in particular has attracted criticism over its poor interface and usability – cosmetic niggles that don't detract from its core functionality.

9to5Google reports many initial reviews are mostly negative, with the app currently on a 2.2 star rating, amid multiple reports of the app being buggy, with users calling it “unusable,” unable to pair, and “the worst app I’ve ever used in my entire life.”

The apps were notably published by the OpenClaw Foundation – an open-source project that OpenAI now supports following its hiring of OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger, who stressed the project would remain "open and independent."

• A leaked video shows an iPhone 18 Pro being drop-tested
• If it's real, then this is a massive leak to occur so far from launch
• But the internet is mostly expressing mild disappointment at the design of the phone

There have been many iPhone leaks over the years, but undoubtedly the biggest concerned the iPhone 4, when a prototype unit of that device was left in a bar and subsequently purchased by Gizmodo. Now, it seems there might have been another big iPhone leak, and while it’s not quite as significant as that 2010 equivalent, it’s potentially not far off.

A video is circulating online that purportedly shows an iPhone 18 Pro undergoing a drop test, though the posts showing it seem to be getting rapidly deleted — it's unclear whether this is for legal reasons or because it's fake.

Still, at the time of writing, this video is still live in a post from @TechKard, among others. You can see a device that looks a lot like an iPhone 17 Pro in silver being dropped onto a surface, and coming out of that scenario more or less unscathed from what we can tell — though it doesn’t appear to be getting dropped from a particularly high height.

iPhone 18 Pro drop test from recent data breach at Apple supplier Tata Electronics.Via:@evleaks #Apple #iPhone18Pro https://t.co/9ZSojlOLSr pic.twitter.com/wdZs6dKuQPJune 30, 2026

A muted response

If this is legit, then it’s footage of a real unreleased iPhone months before launch, so that’s a big deal. But online reactions have been muted, with most posters simply expressing mild disappointment that the design isn’t being updated.

On Reddit, for example, posts include “looks just like the 17 pro lol,” “is this not just a 17?,” and “that's a nice looking iPhone 17.01 you got there.” Some posts also note that this device looks a bit thicker than the iPhone 17 Pro, but it appears as though the video might be slightly stretched, so the actual handset may not be any thicker.

Regardless, the overall reaction seems to be a collective shrug, which is rather different from the excitement generated by the aforementioned iPhone 4 leak.

That said, there’s some reason to doubt this leak. Reuters reports that various iPhone 18 Pro details and images have been shared on the dark web, so that much is probably true, and it’s assumed that this video is part of that leak. But the earliest posting we found of it came from an X account masquerading as famed leaker Evan Blass, but which in fact has nothing to do with him, casting doubts on its credibility.

Still, whether this is an authentic leak or not, we’re not expecting there to be too many visual differences with this year’s iPhones, as Apple is rumored to be overhauling the phones next year instead for their 20th anniversary.

The ultra-popular DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is the camera of choice for content creators for a reason. In testing out this on-the-go cam, we found it “delivers amazing video quality and beautiful slow-motion scenes” — and awarded it a Recommended badge.

If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to pick one up, the DJI OSmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo is $512 (was $639) at Best Buy as part of the 4th of July sale.

That’s a $117 saving on the bundle that includes the mini tripod, wide-angle lens add-on, carrying case, and ND filter set alongside the camera itself — everything you’d need to start shooting without buying accessories separately.

Today's top DJI Osmo Pocket 3 deal

The complete kit: the Osmo Pocket 3 camera with its 1-inch sensor, 3-axis gimbal, and 2-inch rotatable touchscreen, plus the mini tripod, wide-angle lens, carrying case, and ND filter set. Shoots 4K up to 120fps, portrait mode up to 3K, and captures slow-motion at 1080p/240fps. ActiveTrack 6.0 automatically keeps subjects locked in frame. Charges via USB-C. Battery rated for about 166 minutes at 1080p/30 fps.View Deal

For anyone who creates video content — whether for social media, travel, events, or professional work — the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo is one of the best compact cameras available right now.

The Pocket 3 was the upgrade the Pocket line needed. DJI fitted it with a new 1-inch CMOS sensor — the biggest change from the previous generation — and in our review, the improvement in low-light performance was immediately obvious.

That 1-inch sensor is what sets the Pocket 3 apart in the broader action camera market. GoPro and Insta360 alternatives at this price use smaller sensors that struggle in anything other than ideal lighting. The Pocket 3’s 1-inch CMOS captures noticeably more detail and light in indoor environments, evening shoots, and overcast outdoor conditions — the situations where most content creators actually end up filming, rather than in bright daylight, where every camera looks good.

The 4K 120 fps capability is another spec that earns its place in real-world use. At 120 fps, you can slow footage down to 25% speed in a 30fps timeline without it looking choppy — the kind of cinematic slow motion that previously required much more expensive cinema cameras.

For travel content, sports coverage, or anything with movement, it opens up editing options that just aren’t available on competitors that run 4K at 60 fps maximum.

Portrait mode at up to 3K resolution is genuinely useful for social media creators. Instead of cropping a landscape video into a vertical frame and losing half the image, the Pocket 3 captures natively in portrait orientation — the output is optimized for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts without any post-processing workaround.

In our review, we flagged two honest caveats to keep in mind before you buy. The touchscreen, while improved over the previous generation at 2 inches, is still “not the most enjoyable when navigating around settings and menus” given the limited real estate. And, like most compact cameras with high-powered sensors in a small chassis, it can get warm during extended filming sessions. Neither is a deal-breaker, but both are worth factoring in if you’re planning long continuous shoots.

The Creator Combo’s value is straightforward: the ND filter set alone typically costs $40–50 when purchased separately, the wide-angle lens add-on adds another $40–60, and the carrying case and mini tripod add further value. Getting all of it bundled at $512 — $117 off the combined retail value — is the right way to buy the Pocket 3 if you want a complete shooting kit rather than just the camera body.

Also consider

It might not be the latest of DJI's Action range, but this 4K camera shoots crisp footage, features waterproofing, and comes with a range of accessories to get you started creating pro-grade content. In our review, we called it "a polished GoPro alternative." View Deal

This price includes not just the Hero 13 Black, but also a handle, two Enduro batteries, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB micro SD card and a carrying case. You can get the camera standalone for $379.99, but honestly I think $50 for all those accessories is really good.View Deal

• Shop all action cam deals at Best Buy.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 4P was fully revealed on the China page of DJI's website earlier this month, and I've already taken my test sample traveling, but tech journalists like me across the globe are in an awkward position, still being under embargo with our review content.

What I can tell you now, is that the Pocket 4P is available in black or white, has a new 60mm medium-telephoto lens with a large aperture, offers DLog2 support and up to 17-stops dynamic range. The rest is under wraps, or publicly available on the DJI site by selecting the China region (中国大陆).

I can, however, share some of the footage that I've shot with DJI's first dual-lens model in its hugely popular series of Pocket vlogging cameras. I'll say it now — I love its versatility and am really impressed with the videos I have been able to create with it.

Duel of the dual lens cameras

DJI must have been hoping for a dramatic reveal of its first dual-lens vlogging camera, only for Insta360 to somewhat steal its thunder by launching the Luna Ultra first. I've already tested the Luna Ultra and said it's a super impressive first generation product.

That's the competition the Pocket 4P is going up against, and I look forward to sharing my comparisons between the two models soon. Until then, you can enjoy my Pocket 4P sample reel, above.

Like I say, I can't reveal any specs related to the video, though at the least it should be pretty obvious which clips are shot with the ultra-wide lens, and which clips are shot with the new 60mm medium-telephoto lens.

We can get a rough ballpark on pricing, too. According the DJI site, the Pocket 4P Standard kit costs CNY 3,799 (about $562 / £420), and the Vlog kit is listed at CNY 4,299 (about $636 / £475).

The single-lens Pocket 4 starts at £429 / AU$749 for the Standard kit, or £549 / AU$959 for the Creator Combo, however, so I expect the Pocket 4P to cost more than those price conversions above.

Insta360's co-founder already told me it 'won't compete on price' — it's Luna Ultra starts at $769.99 / £649 / AU$1,229.99. My prediction, therefore, is that the Pocket 4P will sit roughly in the middle between the Pocket 4 and Luna Ultra, but don't expect US availability any time soon.

I'll be bringing you my full review when I'm permitted to.

Over the past two years, most of the noise around AI has focused on the model race – whose model is bigger, faster or scoring better on benchmarks.

But as AI moves from pilots into the core of products and workflows, a familiar pattern from the early days of cloud is re‑emerging: systems are more programmable than ever, but they are also much harder to run.

And that means we now know where the most important competition in AI is shifting: from who has the “best” model to who can operate AI reliably, efficiently, and safely at scale.

AI is now hitting operational limits, not model limits

When looking at real‑world telemetry from thousands of production systems, a clear picture starts to form. Nearly 1 in 20 AI requests fails once applications reach scale, and a majority of those failures now stem from capacity limits such as rate limits, quotas and concurrency caps, rather than from model bugs or poor accuracy. That is a very different story from the benchmark charts most teams used to obsess over.

The amount of data sent per request is also climbing. Across many production estates, median users have more than doubled their token usage, while heavy users have seen volumes grow several‑fold. That growth is both a symptom of more ambitious AI use cases and a direct driver of cost and IT infrastructure stress.

You can see the impact most clearly in what many teams now describe as GPU sprawl: fragmented fleets spread across clouds and on‑prem clusters. Some GPUs sit idle while others are consistently saturated, and there is very little correlation between where GPU hours are spent and where they create business value.

The result is familiar to anyone who lived through the early adoption of cloud computing – runaway spend, unpredictable performance and capacity crises that appear out of nowhere.

How this is playing out in APAC

Across Asia‑Pacific, and especially in ASEAN, we’re currently seeing structural pressures: AI adoption is accelerating, but operational maturity is uneven.

Singapore is further along on governance and observability, driven in part by regulatory expectations and a more mature cloud landscape. Meanwhile, markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are moving very fast on deployment, often pushing AI into customer‑facing services while operational practices catch up.

As organizations across these markets roll out multi‑model and agent‑based architectures, they are running into reliability issues, limited visibility and inconsistent model performance. Token usage is increasing quickly, but optimization practices, such as prompt caching and context engineering, are underutilized.

That gap between readiness and deployment is already creating operational and cost debt that will be harder to unwind later.

The four operational disciplines AI teams need

With the evolution of AI resembling the early days of cloud, the good news is that we can predict, at least a little, where things are headed.

Now, the question AI leaders should be asking is this: which disciplines distinguish the teams that will cope best with this complexity?

In my view, there are four that teams working with AI need to adopt to see sustainable success:

1. Establish visibility and attribution

You cannot operate what you cannot see, and AI is no exception.

Teams need to see how GPU hours and tokens map to specific applications, teams and use cases, so they can connect that usage to latency, error rates and user impact.

That makes it possible to separate business‑critical workloads from background noise, and provide clarity into which services are driving cost or consuming capacity.

When usage is visible and attributable on a single view, decisions about where to optimize, protect capacity or dial back become much less emotional and much more data‑driven.

2. Enforce control and guardrails

Without guardrails, AI systems will consume as much capacity as you give them.

Practical controls include rate limits and budget caps, along with safeguards on agent behavior to stop unbounded retries, loops and poorly bounded workflows from exhausting shared resources.

These controls are about making consumption predictable and ensuring that one runaway experiment cannot impact core production services.

Without this discipline, AI programs tend to hit economic limits long before they hit technical ones. You end up with impressive prototypes, but unsustainable unit economics.

3. Optimize GPU utilization before scaling supply

Most teams reach for more GPUs when what they really have is a utilization problem.

GPU instances already account for a significant share of compute costs, and that proportion only grows as organizations push deeper into training and inference at scale.

But idle or underutilized GPUs create the sense of a shortage even when there is headroom in the estate. In turn, many teams can see their overall GPU bill climbing, but cannot see which workloads are driving consumption, or pinpoint the steps needed to improve efficiency.

What we learned during the early days of cloud is that in these instances, overprovisioning becomes the safest default – but then spend balloons even when there is stranded capacity in the fleet.

Treating GPU infrastructure as a first‑class system means tracking utilization so that teams can distinguish genuine capacity shortages from misallocation or fragmentation. Then, they can decide whether to free up capacity or truly add more supply.

4. Design for efficiency at the application layer

High AI costs and rates of failure come from how applications are put together, not from the models themselves.

Inefficient patterns, poor routing across providers and unoptimized prompts all drive up token usage and increase the risk of timeouts, errors and inconsistent behavior.

But with proper visibility into prompts, agents and tools in production, teams can see how requests actually flow through the system and tune for quality, latency and cost in a controlled way.

That turns the application layer from a black box into a place where efficient engineering choices are deliberate, measurable and aligned with business outcomes.

What leaders should do in the new AI race

The early days of cloud taught us that programmability without operational discipline can be as much a liability as an advantage. AI is now at a similar inflection point: the winners will not just be those with access to the most powerful models, but those who treat AI as a long‑term engineering and operations capability.

A useful test for any organization is whether it can explain where AI spend goes, how agents behave in production and which workloads it would protect first if capacity were suddenly cut.

If the honest answer is “I don’t know yet”, then the next phase of the AI journey is clear: stop chasing the next model release, and focus on building the operational foundations that will help you scale AI safely and sustainably.

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