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After getting hit with tariffs for the imported board games he sells, Jonathan Silva decided to see if he could produce a version of his Monopoly game in the United States. This is what he learned.

(Image credit: WS Game Company)

The Trump administration's executive orders have meant that administrators are questioning what art can — and can't — be seen on campus.

(Image credit: Laila AnnMarie Stevens for NPR)

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham died Saturday evening after a "brief and sudden illness.

(Image credit: Jeffrey Collins)

Julian Alvarez sent defending champion Argentina into the World Cup semifinals with a long-range strike in the 112th minute against Switzerland.

(Image credit: Abbie Parr)

Argentina was taken to the brink in its first two knockout games. In Saturday's quarterfinal against Switzerland, the Albiceleste survived again to advance to the semis, where they will face England.

(Image credit: Odd Andersen)

A historic rainfall event has left communities across several Missouri counties underwater and prompted water rescues, including an evacuation of a summer camp.

The United States attacked Iran early Sunday morning over an Iranian attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran apparently responded with strikes targeting Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

(Image credit: Vahid Salemi)

England's Jude Bellingham has done it again. Scoring both of his team's goals in a thrilling quarterfinal against Norway that needed extra time. It was the first World Cup meeting between the two.

(Image credit: Richard Pelham)

Generative AI has given rise to a new breed of business that can generate synthetic content, be it video or music, and Suno AI is among the biggest names in this category.

The startup's CEO, Mikey Shulman, however, landed himself in hot water when he made comments about the joy and fulfilment that musicians get from practising their craft.

Making music 'enjoyable' again

Shulman was speaking on the 20VC podcast in January 2025 when he remarked that making music isn't something that most people enjoy doing.

Quote of the day

This article is part of TechRadar Pro's QOTD project to provide an insight into the minds of the brightest and most recognized figures in the technology industry today and in years gone by. Read the full series here.

He framed his words in such a way that would suggest that his platform, Suno, cuts out a lot of these steps – largely centered around mastering the skills that you need – which would, in turn, lower the barrier to entry for those who aren't naturally gifted or have the time to 'get good' at making music.

In his words, he wanted to "[give] everybody the joys of creating music" which he deemed a huge departure from the status quo. His remarks, however, drew the ire of countless working within the music industry as well as regular people on social media.

Struggling artists

The threat of AI to the lives and livelihoods of those working in the music industry is very worrisome, according to research, with workers standing to lose 25% of their income over the next four years. It's no surprise, then, that Shulman's comments instigated such a fierce and violent backlash – forcing the CEO to row back and apologize a couple of months later.

His critics also suggested that the comments fundamentally misunderstood the nature of art and working in a medium such as music, where the hours of toil, practice and refinement are, in and of itself, part of what makes it such a fulfilling endeavor.

However, generative AI is still a new phenomenon and companies like Suno have only just entered the arena. Although the nature of the existential threat to the creative industries is clear, the specific economic impact on artists in the years to come remains unclear – especially in an uncertain landscape in which a strong backlash against AI art is brewing.

Warframe Tau might be Digital Extremes' version of Bungie's Destiny 2 expansion The Final Shape.

Palestinians are mourning Mohammed al-Wahidi, a beloved aid worker in Gaza. He was killed by as Israeli airstrike while en route to a World Cup screening which he organized.

When Bill Hillmann was 19 years old, he read Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. That book inspired him to pursue two dreams: a career in literature and to run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

• Video showcases China's road-mobile electromagnetic catapult launching an aircraft for the first time
• The footage comes from a now-deleted social media post from the Beijing Institute of Technology's School of Mechanical Engineering
• Leverages China's existing EMALS tech by miniaturizing what it already uses on its aircraft carrier

China seems to have solved one of the biggest challenges modern drones face: deploying without a runway anywhere on the planet, thanks to a miniaturized version of the EMALS catapults found on its newest aircraft carrier.

A short video clip that surfaced towards the tail end of last month, from a social media post by the Beijing Institute of Technology's School of Mechanical Engineering, shows three eight-wheeled trucks linked together in a Lego-like fashion to form a runway that allows a propeller-driven drone to take flight.

The footage also shows all three trucks detached, coupling with each other, and exhibiting all-wheel steering that, in principle, enables them, if given enough space, to launch drones or small aircraft in any direction.

Replacing a runway in the modern battlefield?

China's move is not one that occurred in a vacuum: the United States was the first country in the world to deploy an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), sparking an arms race when it launched its first aircraft in 2017 aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford.

China followed suit with its own aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which sports three EMALS catapults to the US's four, possibly accounting for the Chinese carrier's smaller size relative to its principal naval rival's largest.

China has, however, beaten the US to the punch when it comes to demonstrating a portable EMALS, it seems, with its three-truck solution essentially marking a first for either country.

Chinese state-owned giants account for a significant share of the 70+ organizations directly involved in an impressive achievement that sets the stage for the next generation of drone-based combat.

Despite the video making its way across social media, it was taken down by the Beijing Institute of Technology's School of Mechanical Engineering, which originally posted it. The move, however, has not stopped defense forums and Chinese analysts from offering insights into what is clearly a major technological achievement for the country.

With France and India both committed to launching EMALS (albeit on future aircraft carriers for now), only two countries currently have the tech deployed on a ship, and only one of them has a land-based, portable option in play for now: China.

Big news for foldable phone fans this week. Reservations for the next generation of Galaxy Z Fold and Flip series phones have just arrived at the official Samsung Store ahead of the next Galaxy Unpacked keynote event.

The event will take place on July 22, 2026, at 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. BST, which means preorders are likely just a few weeks away. If you're interested in picking up a new device, then you'll find everything we know so far right here, including speculation on pricing and potential preorder deals.

While we're expecting the next generation of the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung has already suggested there's something more in store. In its first teaser for the event last week, the company said that "after seven generations of pushing the boundaries of foldables, Samsung is taking a different approach to how it builds anticipation this year."

That message, coupled with months of rumours about a wider foldable design, has sparked speculation that Samsung could finally be ready to introduce an entirely new type of foldable smartphone. With that said, details are still pretty scant as of writing, so take any speculation here as an educated prediction, rather than the gospel.

You can already reserve a device now

You can sign up to reserve the next Galaxy at Samsung directly at no cost and unlock $30 Samsung Credit towards the preorder of the next device and up to $1,230 off with an eligible device trade-in.

In the UK? Reserve your device right hereView Deal

How much will the devices cost?

Right now, we don't even know what these devices will be called, let alone official pricing, so any speculation here is an educated guess. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 debuted at $1,999 / $1,299 respectively, so that's a rough ballpark of what to expect. Over in the UK, the last-gen devices debuted at £1,799 / £1,049.

I have a suspicion that Samsung might increase the price for this year's devices, however. RAM shortages and inflation are potential contributing factors here, and I think the brand could potentially increase the price anyway if the upgrades are big enough. If there's a new form factor, for example, I could see Samsung leaning heavily into that as a justification for a price increase.

How much can we expect to save?

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

• Trade-in rebates of up to $1,100 to $1,200
• Additional store credit at Samsung
• Major carriers matching discounts

Samsung itself has confirmed that there will be discounts of up to $1,230 with a trade-in rebate once preorders open. That will most likely cover both unlocked and carrier devices, so that gives you an idea of how premium these devices are likely to be.

Up until now, we've usually seen discounts of up to $1,100 on the latest Galaxy S26 and iPhone 17 series, so it looks like Samsung is being particularly aggressive with its discounts at launch.

Breaking that deal down, it could potentially resemble something like a trade-in rebate of up to $1,100, $100 of bonus credit to spend at Samsung (usually on accessories), and the $30 bonus for reserving a device. That's roughly in line with what the brand has offered over previous launches.

In terms of major carriers, you can definitely expect Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T to match those trade-in rebates on their sites. We could potentially see these major carriers waive the trade-in criteria altogether, but they usually only do this when you pair up the device with one of their super high-end plans. We're talking about plans that cost over $60 to $80 a month over a three-year duration, so they're usually pretty damn pricey in their own regard.

What about over in the UK?

You can already reserve a device if you're in the UK too, but annoyingly, Samsung hasn't confirmed any of the opening deals with its reservation page in this region. All we know is that you'll be able to get an extra £100 with your trade-in rebate, plus £30 in store credit if you reserve a device right now.

We've seen trade-in rebates of up to £700 with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in recent months, so I suspect a rebate of anywhere between £650 and £850 is likely to be the maximum saving on the next-gen device when it arrives. Major networks like EE, Three, and O2 might have higher discounts than this, but those won't be for unlocked devices — you'll probably need a pretty substantial contract to get big savings.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for July 12, No. 861.

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for July 12, No. 1,127.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for July 12, No. 1,849.

Here at TechRadar, I test some of the best 4K Blu-rays each month as part of the Blu-ray Bounty. This is where we look at the latest 4K releases from that month and judge whether they’d be a worthy addition to your collection, focusing solely on the video and audio quality of each disc.

Every so often, a disc wows me so much that I add it to my rotation for testing the best TVs and best soundbars. 4K Blu-ray is my go-to source for AV testing, as it delivers a higher video bit rate, resulting in better picture quality than streaming, and uncompressed soundtracks for the best audio.

Some of the discs from the near-100 discs I’ve tested as part of the Blu-ray Bounty that have joined over the years include Wicked, The Mask, The Sound of Music and Dark City, to name just a few.

As part of the most recent June 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, there’s another disc that will definitely be joining the testing rotation, as it performs at a reference-quality level. And that disc is Speed Racer.

Breathtaking color

Speed Racer's bold red colors proved an interesting test for the Samsung S95H/S99H (left) and LG G6 (right) (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )

My go-to 4K Blu-rays for color testing have been Wicked and The Sound of Music. Wicked features an oversaturated, candy-color style that really generates a lot of pop on the right screen, while The Sound of Music delivers still-vibrant but more authentic and realistic colors.

Speed Racer falls in Wicked’s camp, but takes it to another level. Throughout the movie, there are some seriously vivid colors. Red is a prominent feature throughout the movie, as it's the color of Speed Racer’s ‘M’ logo and the interior of his car, both of which are often front and center on screen. It’s also the color of the Racer garage at home and Papa Racer’s shirt, which he wears throughout the movie.

When I tested the Samsung S95H/S99H and LG G6 side-by-side, both TVs interpreted the red differently: the G6 gave it a much deeper red hue, while the S95H/S99H made it look paler, almost orange in some places. Both of these TVs, likely to be two of the best OLED TVs I’ll test in 2026, captured the visual punch of this red, but it was useful to see how each TV interpreted the color.

Both the S95H/S99H (left) and G6 (right) do a great job delivering the vibrant purples of Royalton Industries accurately. (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )

There are plenty of scenes where a single color dominates. As the Racer family arrived at Royalton Industries, there were a lot of bold purples, including the airship's color, the walls, and even the transport. On the OLEDs I tested the disc on, these purples had a beautiful richness to them that again was displayed in different ways by the S95H/S99H and the G6, with the latter again adding that bit more depth.

This trend continued throughout the movie, whether it was the neon greens of a grass field in a flashback, the fantastic pink/purple/orange gradients in the sky during sunset or the lush blues of the sky during daytime race sequences (or Speed’s iconic blue and white shirt.) Even the white of the Mach 5 / 6 and Speed’s helmet had a glorious clarity to them, really dazzling on the S95H/S99H and G6.

The use of color is fantastic in Speed Racer, and if you have a TV with Dolby Vision, you’ll be rewarded with the most breathtaking colors, some of the best I’ve ever seen on a 4K Blu-ray. But it’s not just color reproduction where this disc is useful.

A Dolby Atmos showcase

Speed Racer's races sequences are fantastic for sound testing, particularly Dolby Atmos (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future)

When it comes to testing soundbars and TV audio, my go-to 4K Blu-rays have been The Batman, namely the Batmobile/Penguin car chase scene for its detail and bass, and Top Gun: Maverick, for its all-around expansive Dolby Atmos soundtrack.

Speed Racer has proved to be a far more compelling disc, audibly, than I ever thought. While I anticipated some hefty bass from the car’s engines, I didn’t anticipate the level of detail and sound mapping I would hear.

During the opening race, there are plenty of demonstrations of pinpoint accuracy as cars swerve wildly through the corners of the winding track. The sound of squealing tires demonstrates excellent directionality and is fully connected with the action on screen. As a car moves from side to side on screen, you can be sure to hear it in the front channels.

One moment in this scene, in particular, really grabbed my attention, though. As Speed makes his way around the track, he has to grind the rear axle of the Mach 5 against the edge of the track and as I was watching, I heard the sound of a grind come through crystal clear in the left rear speaker of the Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar I was using (an 11.1.4 channel Dolby Atmos system comprising of a soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers). This was the moment that made me realize just how precise and detailed the Dolby Atmos mix of this disc is.

Speed Racer's Dolby Atmos soundtrack is truly immersive and exceptionally detailed (Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )

There’s good use of Atmos effects and height channels too. As Speed uses his spring-loaded chassis to jump over a rival racer, a cut to said rival’s cockpit reveals a burst of not only bass but also the sound of the wind from the Mach 5 as Speed flips over. This sounded immersive, clean, and incredibly precise. There are plenty of helicopter sequences too, which are great for showing what Atmos can do.

There were plenty of highlight moments throughout the movie, but it is the race sequences that showcase the clarity and depth of this Dolby Atmos soundtrack. But there’s one final area where this disc is a perfect testing disc.

Always in motion

Fast-paced race sequences are frequent throughout Speed Racer, and are a great 'stress test' for a TV (Image credit: Warner Bros / Future )

Motion handling is a key component of any TV. If a TV can’t accurately handle fast-moving images, then action movies and sports won’t look good. While motion interpolation settings, such as judder and blur reduction, can reduce these, they can introduce unwanted side effects, such as the ‘ghosting’ of a ball in a soccer game (where a trail of the ball appears as it travels across the screen).

I anticipate that Speed Racer is going to act as somewhat of a ‘torture test’ for some TVs (like The Batman can be due to its low brightness), as there are not only plenty of fast-paced driving sequences with plenty of quick shifts in direction, but one other real challenge: slow panning shots.

Frequently throughout the movie, commentators from various countries slowly track across the screen from side to side, and even on the S95H/S99H and G6, which have proven to have great motion handling with the right settings, these shots still struggled at times. The commentators sometimes showed judder as the TV’s tried to interpolate the motion, meaning this is something I’ll be using in future tests. With these panning shots, however, there is sometimes natural judder.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. / Future )

Again, though, it’s the fast-paced race sequences that can make or break a TV’s motion. Chaotic driving as cars swerve to avoid debris, smash into one another, or pull a tight turn can look unnatural if a TV’s motion isn’t right. Too much blur and judder reduction, and it’ll look artificial; not enough, and it’ll look like a juddery mess.

Speed Racer really is one of the best Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos 4K Blu-rays I’ve ever tested and is a triple threat disc for color, motion and sound, so if you’re a regular reader of our TV and soundbar reviews and comparisons here at TechRadar, expect to see Speed Racer appear very soon.

• Samsung quietly prepares DRAM-free PCIe 4.0 SSD with flagship-level read performance
• Host Memory Buffer replaces dedicated DRAM inside Samsung's upcoming budget SSD
• Leaked specifications reveal 7,150 MB/s speeds from Samsung's mystery SSD

Samsung appears to be preparing a budget PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD which removes the onboard DRAM cache found in traditional drive designs.

The unannounced model surfaced briefly on Samsung's website recently, before the listing was taken down without any official confirmation from the company.

Listed specifications describe a 1TB drive with sequential read speeds reaching 7,150 MB/s and write speeds reaching 6,450 MB/s.

How Samsung plans to compensate for missing DRAM

Traditional SSDs rely on dedicated DRAM to store the flash translation layer, letting the controller locate data across NAND flash quickly and efficiently.

However, as the global “RAMpocalypse” continues to worsen, even the largest vendors are looking for ways to reduce their dependence on DRAM.

Without that DRAM, drives can suffer higher latency and weaker performance during sustained workloads or heavy multitasking sessions.

To offset this gap, Samsung is using NVMe's Host Memory Buffer (HMB) feature, which reserves a small portion of system memory over PCI Express instead.

That borrowed memory holds mapping metadata rather than user files, connecting logical addresses to their physical NAND locations directly.

HMB generally cannot match the responsiveness of dedicated DRAM, though it improves performance compared to drives with no caching mechanism at all.

The drive carries a 400 TBW endurance rating, a modest figure for a 1TB SSD by current industry standards.

That number hints at Quad-Level Cell (QLC) NAND flash, which stores four bits per memory cell and lowers both cost and durability.

Samsung has not disclosed publicly which specific NAND flash technology sits inside this particular unannounced drive model.

Rising component costs are reshaping SSD design choices

Samsung's move comes as NAND flash and DRAM pricing continue climbing sharply across the broader global storage industry this year.

Removing the DRAM package cuts component costs directly, simplifies PCB design, and helps maintain competitive pricing within the mainstream SSD segment overall.

QLC NAND increases storage density and lowers manufacturing costs, though it trails Triple-Level Cell NAND in sustained write performance and long-term endurance ratings.

It also remains considerably less durable than older Multi-Level Cell (MLC) and Single-Level Cell (SLC) NAND technologies still found in some enterprise storage products.

Despite those trade-offs, the listed sequential speeds of 7,150 MB/s and 6,450 MB/s place the drive alongside many mainstream PCIe 4.0 SSDs with dedicated DRAM caches.

Samsung has not announced pricing, availability, the official product name, or the specific NAND technology used in the drive.

Until those details emerge, the leaked specifications point toward a lower-cost PCIe 4.0 SSD designed to balance competitive performance with reduced manufacturing costs as memory prices continue rising.

Via The Guru of 3D

If you love cinematic action games like The Last of Us, then there’s one upcoming release that should be on your radar. Summer Game Fest 2026 gave me the opportunity to go hands-on with Blood Message, which seems set to deliver a killer mix of gripping stealth, visceral melee combat, and intense set-piece moments.

Under the Radar

Under the Radar is our way of highlighting great games that might have passed you by. Through a regular mix of news stories and features, we'll cover great experiences that we feel haven't found the audience they deserve. Read the full series here.

Set in Ancient China, it follows a nameless hero and his son on an epic 1,000-mile journey through the scorching deserts of East Asia towards the historical city of Chang'an to deliver a vital message. The pair must survive against impossible odds, navigating vast sieges and escaping the clutches of relentless enemy forces.

An epic journey

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

Because this is the first single-player title by Naraka: Bladepoint developer 24 Entertainment, I had no idea what to expect when I sat down for my demo.

Showcasing an early segment of the game, the demo opens with our protagonist searching a house, desperate to recover an important letter as hostile soldiers comb through the surrounding town. The high production values are immediately apparent: everything here is rich in detail, with plenty of high-fidelity objects for you to pick up and pore over. The architectural style of the building around you is striking as well, with clay walls, sandy floors, and thatched reed roofs.

While Ancient China is certainly becoming a more common setting in games, I can’t think of the last time I saw its arid desert regions depicted. I’m desperate to explore more of its tantalizingly exotic environments and soak in the unique aesthetic.

Playing with a DualSense Wireless Controller, I also quickly appreciate how the movement feels very fluid and benefits from some impressive animation that, like The Last of Us Part 2, looks seriously cinematic and realistic without sacrificing responsiveness.

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

It’s not long until I find myself in combat against a group of foes, and it’s just as excellent. You have a heavy attack and a light attack, plus the ability to parry. This is by no means a unique formula, but the impeccably slick way that the protagonist interacts with the environment leads to some of the most gripping encounters that I’ve ever experienced. There’s a real meatiness in your swings, which realistically causes enemies to trip and stagger.

Attacking a foe next to a stacked wooden shelf will send them tumbling into it, knocking objects onto the floor and stunning them for a moment. Launch a heavy kick while your opponent is standing in front of a table, and they’ll be pushed right over it onto the floor, creating vital distance when you’re surrounded. Fail to deflect an incoming strike yourself, and you’ll often be forced onto your knees, tapping a button to pelt anything heavy that’s within arm’s reach to give you a few moments to escape.

Although my combat time was limited, I was still impressed by the variety of ways in which fights could unfold, particularly when there was an allied companion in the mix. There were definitely some moments that felt scripted, like when two enemies locked swords with me at the same time near the end of a brawl to trigger a climactic struggle. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it helps introduce unexpected and exciting moments.

(Image credit: NetEase Games)

I really enjoyed going in with my sword drawn, but most of the time, combat is entirely optional thanks to a robust stealth system. This is another area where Blood Message feels similar to The Last of Us Part 2, forcing you to scurry through long grass and crouch in cover to avoid patrols. Get behind one of your quarries undetected, and you can initiate a brutal takedown, though be warned that any wrong move risks thrusting you straight into open combat.

At certain points, getting seen is inevitable, triggering bombastic chase sequences that have you sprinting away from barrages of arrow fire, scrambling up ledges, and leaping over perilous gaps. The path you need to take always feels very intuitive, though there are a few little alternative routes sprinkled throughout if you want to experiment.

Everything I played could easily rival the output of a developer like Naughty Dog, and with Blood Message set to release on consoles and PC, this should be at the top of gamers’ wishlists.