Feed aggregator

Dutton Ranch season 2: key information

- Was renewed ahead of season 1's finale
- Lead stars and executive producers Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser seem set to return
- A new showrunner has yet to be announced
- No confirmed release date, plot or supporting cast

In the least surprising news known to man, Dutton Ranch was renewed for a second season before season 1 had even had time to air its penultimate episode (let alone that explosive finale).

According to Paramount+, season 1 amassed 12.9 million viewers globally in its first seven days following the Yellowstone spinoff's premiere, making it the biggest original series launch in the streamer's history.

But having nailed so many aspects of Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip's (Cole Hauser) new life in Rio Paloma, the numbers make complete sense.

But with Dutton Ranch season 2 now official, what do we know about its development so far?

Dutton Ranch season 2 release window predictions

(Image credit: Paramount)

Currently, there's no confirmed word on when Dutton Ranch season 2 will air. However, it wouldn't be surprising for it to adopt the production of other Taylor Sheridan-produced shows like Landman, which gives us a rough guess.

The best-case scenario is that season 2 will film in late 2026, bringing episodes to the small screen in the first half of 2027. However, we could easily be left waiting until the latter half of the year, too.

Dutton Ranch season 2 trailer: is there one?

Don't be silly. It took us until early May 2026 to get one for season 1, so expect the first full trailer to arrive around two weeks before the second season does.

Dutton Ranch season 2 cast

Michelle Pfeiffer leads our new cast. (Image credit: Paramount+)

We're expecting the following main cast members to return for Dutton Ranch season 2:

• Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
• Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
• Finn Little as Carter Green
• Juan Pablo Raba as Joaquin Jackson Reyes
• Jai Courtney as Rob-Will Jackson
• J. R. Villarreal as Azul Ramos
• Marc Menchaca as Zachariah Moss
• Natalie Alyn Lind as Oreana Lynn Jackson
• Ed Harris as Everett McKinney, the local veterinarian in Rio Paloma and a Vietnam War Navy veteran
• Morgan Wade as Carol
• Berto Colón as Miguel
• David DeLao as Claudio
• Josh Stewart as Sheriff Handy Wade
• Sterlin English as Austin Lewis

We can also expect new faces to join the cast, so watch this space.

Dutton Ranch season 2 plot predictions

This is exactly where I want to be. (Image credit: Paramount)

Spoilers for season 1 ahead.

While no specific plot points have been confirmed (and likely won't be for a while), it makes sense for Dutton Ranch season 2 to pick up exactly where the season 1 finale left off.

Obviously, there are quite a few questions that need answering here. The most pressing is whether Carter will survive his kidnapping, and whether Beth and Rip can get to him before anything bad happens.

Then we'll have the fallout of Rob-Will's death, which will definitely have messed with Joaquin's mind. This is also going to affect Mariano's standing in the 10 Petal business, arguably likely to see even more power than he had before.

Beulah, meanwhile, has absolutely nothing to her name. She needs to grieve Rob-Will, but Everett wants nothing to do with her, so her next moves cannot be immediately guessed.

Then, there's Oreana. Will she keep the baby? Will Beth be there to support her? And will Rio Paloma ever be the same again?

However, because there's set to be a change in showrunner (more on that below), a major shift in narrative tone and/or direction can't be ruled out. We'll know more on this once a replacement has been announced.

Who will take over as Dutton Ranch showrunner?

(Image credit: Paramount+)

As you might have heard, season 1 showrunner Chad Feehan exited the series a few weeks before its launch, after alleged on-set tension with Reilly, Hauser, and executive producer Taylor Sheridan.

Industry rumors have suggested that another writer would take over as lead showrunner, but this has so far been unconfirmed.

Sheridan has not directly led a Yellowstone spinoff since 1883 and 1923, but you can read more about why he'd be my ideal choice (because I won't stop going on about it).

• Discore nine-in-one DVD drive hub currently on Kickstarter for $39 (50% discount on retail price)
• It also supports iPadOS and Android devices via OTG functionality
• SD/microSD and further USB/USB-C ports add to its appeal

Discore is currently offering a nine-in-one DVD Drive Hub on a Kickstarter campaign with backer pricing now available for $39 (a 50% discount on the anticipated $79 RRP), making it a steal before you even consider its unique upgrades.

The campaign, which launched on June 28 2026, had set itself a goal of reaching $500 in backing before going into production, but within less than a week the project now has more than $45,000 in funding from over 750 backers.

The key difference and the reason why backers are so intrigued with this cut-price optical drive? Unlike most external drives, it’s designed to work with iOS and Android devices as well as PCs, allowing users to access and even burn discs from their smartphones and tablets (with suitable software).

This portable DVD drive is a nine-in-one hub

Highlighted specifications include CD read/write speeds at up to 24X and DVD read/write speeds at up to 8X, but being a nine-in-one device, it also houses an SD card reader, a microSD card reader plus USB and USB-C ports, making it an all-inclusive hub for on-the-go connectivity.

Annotated images show four USB-A ports and one USB-C port, with the company claiming speeds of up to 10Gbps and 160MB/s for SD cards using UHS-I.

Discore is clearly targeting creators with this new optical drive hub, including photographers and videographers who still need optical media alongside removal storage like portable hard drives. Acting as a single hub, it eliminates the need to carry multiple expensive adapters, and even at the $79 anticipated retail price, it still represents strong value.

The hub itself connects to smartphones, tablets and PCs via an integrated cable with both USB-A and USB-C connections, rated at USB 3.2 Gen 2.

Its enclosure is finished in a silver-white aluminium-alloy to keep it light, but also to support optimal heat dissipation.

Priced from $35-39 per unit, it connects to iPadOS, Android, Windows and macOS

In the campaign’s documentation, Discore highlights the hub’s support of “iPadOS and Android devices with OTG functionality, allowing connection with iPad Pro, Android tablets, and smartphones for accessing disc content, transferring photos, and managing files.” Most PCs are supported, including Windows, macOS, Chrome OS and Linux.

Discore is also keen to position the hub as a bridge between old and new, with optical drives phasing out but many distant memories already being stored on CDs and DVDs. Its portability and compatibility with certain smartphones and tablets, as well as PCs, is notable here.

Pricing for early backers dropped as low as $35, but Super Early Bird prices of $39 per unit remain available at the time of writing. Multibuy discounts are also available at $69 per two and $89 per three. Additional worldwide shipping fees of between $7-15 per package also apply.

Pre-shipping availability follows more than half a year of research, planning, design, prototyping and testing, per a timeline posted to the campaign. Mass production is on track to start this month, with shipping beginning in August.

The campaign closes on July 13.

When you’re looking for a new pressure washer, it’s easy to focus on the wrong specs. These are the ones that matter.

Shopping for a new phone can be a headache. I've tested phones for 15 years so I know what to look for.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: two-minute review

Blink has become the brand you recommend to people who don't really want a security camera. Cheap, painless, owned by Amazon, and a forgiving field of view. The catch was that previous 1080p pictures turned to mush the moment anything moved, or the sun went down.

The Outdoor 2K+ fixes this by capturing would-be crims at 2560 x 1440 in its top "Best" setting. There's 4x zoom for closer inspections, noise-cancelling two-way audio making doorstep conversations less of a shouting match, and an improved low-light sensor that holds color as the light fades before switching to infrared black-and-white. Drop to 1080p 'Standard' or 720p 'Saver', and you'll claw back a bit of battery life.

FutureFuture

Blink quotes up to two years from a pair of AA lithium cells, and while I can't fast-forward through two summers to prove it, a fortnight’s daily use barely dented the gauge. There's a USB-C port if you'd rather wire it to the mains with Blink's separately sold weather-resistant adapter, an IP65 rating shrugs off wet weather, and it’s compatible with the existing Outdoor 4 accessory range, so floodlight mounts and battery packs carry over.

Setup should be the usual Blink doddle. Scan the code, follow the app, pair the Sync Module, done in under 10 minutes with no cabling and no electrician. For a first-time buyer, it's about as low-friction as home security gets, although we did encounter some teething problems connecting the kit to a home Wi-Fi network.

Then you discover the real kicker. The Outdoor 2K+ ships with a new Sync Module Core rather than the old Sync Module 2 we were supplied with, and the Core has had its USB port removed. That port was the whole point for subscription-averse buyers: plug in a flash drive, store clips locally, pay Amazon nothing.

FutureFuture

Without it, the free experience reduces to live view and motion alerts, while saved recordings, person and vehicle detection and the smarter notifications all sit behind a Blink subscription that starts at £2.50 (about $3.50 / AU$5) a month and rises to £8 (about $10 / AU$20) for unlimited cameras. An older Sync Module 2 still works if you own one, but most people buying this won't.

It leaves the 2K+ in an odd spot. As a camera, it's the best budget outdoor option Blink has made. As a package, it's less optimal. Judge it on the camera and battery life alone, and it's a comfortable recommendation. Judge it on the small print, and you’ve got a new monthly bill the old model didn’t demand.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: price and availability

• List price: £89.99 / $99.99 / AU$119
• Launched October 2025
• Available in the US, UK and Australia

Pitched at the affordable end as ever, the Outdoor 2K+ slots in alongside the cheaper Mini 2K+ and the Blink Arc — a mount that pairs two Mini 2K+ cameras for a panoramic view — as part of the brand's 2K refresh. The one-camera kit includes the Sync Module Core, two AA lithium batteries, and a mount, so nothing essential to buy on day one — unless you want your footage saved anywhere, at which point the maths changes.

That's the rub. The headline price buys you a very capable camera and a deliberately hamstrung storage situation. Anyone who bought the Outdoor 4 specifically to dodge a subscription should know the goalposts have moved, because the bundled module no longer takes a USB stick. Frequent discounting means the camera itself rarely costs full RRP for long, which softens the blow, but the ongoing cost is the number to watch.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Blink Outdoor 2K+: subscription costs

Blink has two subscription tiers to choose from, both offering unlimited cloud storage for recordings for up to 60 days (up to 30 days in the EU and UK). Monthly or yearly billing is available.

• Blink Basic: $3.99p/m | £2.50p/m | AU$4.95p/m
• Blink Plus: $11.99p/m | £8p/m | AU$15p/m

Blink Basic includes support for one device, motion-event recording, live-view recording, instant video access, video sharing, person detection, and photo capture. Blink Plus includes all Basic features, along with unlimited device inclusion, moments capture, notification snoozing and 10% off Blink devices.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: specifications

Specification

Details

Resolution

2K QHD (2560 x 1440)

Field of view

130° Diagonal

Night vision

Color Night Vision (up to 30 ft) & Infrared

Power source

Rechargeable Battery (up to 6 months) or Solar Panel compatible

Connectivity

2.4 GHz Wi-Fi

Storage options

Local MicroSD (up to 256GB) & Cloud Storage

Audio

Two-Way Audio with Noise Cancellation

Smart integration

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Weather resistance

IP65 Weatherproof

Motion detection

AI Person/Vehicle/Pet Detection

Smart home

Amazon Alexa

Camera dimensions

70 x 70 x 41mm

Sync Module Core dimensions:

81 x 45 x 21.55mm

Weight:

142g (camera); 43.6g (Sync Module Core)

Blink Outdoor 2K+: design

• Compact and easy to place
• IP65 weatherproofing
• Sync Module Core changes rules

There's nothing here to frighten the neighbours. The 2K+ keeps Blink's small, squared-off black housing, the kind of camera that disappears into a porch corner or sits on a windowsill without announcing itself. It's light, the bundled mount screws to a wall, and you can equally stand it on a flat surface and forget about it.

The IP65 rating earned its keep through sporadic summer showers and wind with no fogging or dropouts. Power comes from two AA batteries hidden behind a sealed cover, or bypass them with USB-C and an optional weather-resistant power adapter, if you'd rather not think about batteries at all.

Like the Sync Module 2, Blink’s bundled Sync Module Core is a similarly small puck minus a USB connection.

• Design score: 4/5

Blink Outdoor 2K+ performance

• 2K is a visible upgrade
• Color night vision is useful
• Smart features cost extra

The Blink Outdoor’s 2K output greatly enhances the chances of identifying strangers. I set it to watch a back garden, and it did an able job of capturing my faux break-in attempts. The 4x zoom is digital, so it softens as you push in, but it's enough to pick up distinguishing features or marks.

Low-light performance is the other win. An improved sensor holds color as daytime fades, while garden lights and street lamps keep footage useful. Let the light go entirely, and it reverts to black-and-white. For genuine color after dark, you can add Blink's separate Outdoor Floodlight Mount.

FutureFutureFutureFutureFutureFuture

Motion detection was razor-sharp, even if the default settings felt overzealous. Definitely adjust sensitivity and activity zones in the app to avoid being swamped with notifications about plump pigeons and swaying flora… unless you’re aiming for Springwatch in forensic form.

This is also where the subscription cost bites again: person and vehicle detection — the features that stop your phone buzzing every time a fox crosses the lawn — only switch on with a Blink plan.

FutureFutureFuture

Run it free, with the Core module, and you're left with motion alerts and a live view, which is a thinner experience for a 2K camera. As ever, there's no way to view footage on a computer or browser; it's the phone app or nothing.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Blink Outdoor 2K+?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

A capable 2K camera at a low price, undercut by the storage you'll need to pay for.

3.5/5

Design

Compact, weatherproof and dead simple.

4/5

Performance

Sharp 2K video and useful color night vision, with the best features locked behind a subscription.

4/5

Buy it if

You want a sharp camera for very little cash

The 2K upgrade is real, and the entry price stays low, especially during Blink's frequent sales.

You value a two-year battery life

Set it, mount it and largely forget it — the AA lithium endurance is still a standout at this price.

You're a first-time buyer in the Blink or Alexa world

For someone starting from scratch, this is the easiest home security addition going.

Don't buy it if

You bought Blink to avoid subscriptions

The bundled Sync Module Core no longer takes a USB drive, so free local storage is off the table unless you own an older module.

You want Matter or HomeKit

Blink remains its own walled garden — Alexa only, with no Matter, Apple Home or Google Home.

You need top-tier image quality

2K is a welcome leap, but premium rivals shooting 2K HDR or 4K will still out-resolve it.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Blink Outdoor 2K+ is the right home security camera for you, here are two others to keep in mind.

Blink Mini 2K+

The wired indoor sibling with the same 2K sensor and smarts, for less money — handy if you mainly want eyes inside, or outside with the weatherproof adapter.

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus

If it's the front door you care about, Ring's head-to-toe doorbell covers the same ground with a visitor in mind, albeit with its own subscription.

How I tested the Blink Outdoor 2K+

• Tested at a domestic property
• Mounted outdoor
• Assessed video, night vision, audio, and battery

I lived with the Blink Outdoor 2K+ as a normal household would, mounting it to watch the back garden. I ran it through all three resolution modes, checked color night vision against lit and unlit spaces, and held two-way conversations to judge the audio. The two-year battery claim is, by definition, untestable in weeks, so I've reported Blink's figure and my short-term experience rather than pretending otherwise.

For more details, see how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.

Poets like Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes have written movingly about America.

(Image credit: J. Scott Applewhite)

Not quite a desktop tower or a mini PC, the AtomMan G1 Pro ends up with some of the drawbacks of both designs.

Commentary: Netflix's Worst Neighbor Ever is the latest true crime installment from Blumhouse and explores riveting, heartbreaking real-life horror stories that hit close to home.

Windows 11 is being fixed, you heard it here first.

Of course, we're all very much aware that Microsoft is busy addressing a plethora of issues with Windows 11, and has been for some time now. In fact, the campaign to right the wrongs of the OS began late in March 2026, and so Microsoft has now had three full months to get its act together with the initial work towards making Windows 11 better.

So, what's been done to that laudable end throughout April, May and June? And how has Microsoft fared in general during this first quarter of the effort to mend the operating system? This will be my first quarterly report on how fixing Windows 11 is going, and hopefully, I'll have plenty of good things to say about the initiative as it rolls onwards throughout 2026.

I'll pick out my highlights of the top changes made to Windows 11 so far – those moves that are really going to make an impact – and then provide my evaluation of how Microsoft is progressing overall. Then finally, I'll talk about what else the company might do, and what's notably missing thus far.

Key changes and features to fix Windows 11

(Image credit: Future)

There's been a lot of work done in this first quarter of Microsoft's campaign, with some huge moves for the Windows 11 interface that spring immediately to mind.

For starters, Microsoft has delivered what many Windows 11 users have been asking for since the OS first arrived – the ability to move the taskbar to the top or side of the screen (just as you can in Windows 10). As well as taskbar repositioning, we'll also get the ability to make it more compact, too.

Microsoft is revamping the Start menu to allow for a much greater level of customization – which is a theme with the interface changes in this fixing campaign – and that includes turning it into a compact, streamlined box with not a 'recommendation' (read: advert) in sight, if you want. This is one of the absolute highlights for me, and it comes alongside a lot of smoothing over of interface wrinkles, including modernizing legacy parts of the UI that look jarringly old.

The widgets board is also being made a calmer place, with no MSN feed (which comes with ads) by default, and Windows 11 search results are being tuned so you no longer have to suffer websites being surfaced in them, removing that clutter and unnecessary promotion (those results were opened in Bing, of course).

Windows updates have been heavily worked on, including something I must admit that I never thought I'd see Windows 11 Home users get the choice to do – namely to delay an update indefinitely. More updates are going to be bundled together, too, meaning you won't have to reboot to install them quite so often. On top of that, Microsoft is putting mechanisms in place to ensure that installation failures don't happen so often with updates.

Performance in Windows 11 has been another major focus for Microsoft in these early days, and that includes boosting the responsiveness of File Explorer with various optimizations and 'foundational' tuning to speed up this critical part of the Windows 11 interface (which drives the folders on your desktop). This includes a faster overall launch speed for File Explorer, as you might hope.

Away from File Explorer, another key performance enhancement is a 'Low Latency Profile' trick to give the CPU a brief boost when launching apps or Windows 11's menus, to make sure they run in a much snappier manner. Additionally, Microsoft is honing the contemporary framework employed by Windows 11's interface (WinUI 3) to be more performant, and the sum total of all this fine-tuning is that it should make a big difference to the overall feel of how Windows 11 runs in general, eliminating the sluggishness experienced in certain scenarios.

Other notable introductions include a 'turbo mode' for a much quicker installation of Windows 11, and a new 'Driver Quality Initiative' to usher in improvements with OS drivers (including ensuring that they don't excessively drain laptop battery life). A new point-in-time restore feature also gives you an extra recovery option to roll back your PC to a previous state when things go wrong, and that could be very useful should disaster strike.

Microsoft's progress with fixing Windows 11

(Image credit: Microsoft)

As you can see, there's been a lot going on in terms of revamping, honing, and new features. Granted, a good deal of this is still happening only in testing, but of course it takes time to bring through this work, and it's best not to rush vital changes to the innards of Windows 11.

What's also good to see is that Microsoft is engaging with the broader Windows community online, taking on feedback, and acting on it too (in some cases). The company really does appear to be listening, and sessions where it actively solicits the opinions of testers on certain aspects of the desktop OS are a commendable move.

Beyond this, Microsoft has set up a system of panels whereby certain testers are brought in to contribute to studies designed to improve various facets of Windows 11.

Overall, I'm pleased with the scope of the work Microsoft has taken on here, and I'm impressed with the changes, as well as the new attitude towards feedback. All in all, what Microsoft has done in this first quarter of fixing Windows 11 is to resolve a lot of the most pressing issues with Windows 11 (or at least kicked off those resolutions).

Not all of them, mind, and I'll come onto that next.

What else should Microsoft be doing?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / fizkes)

On the subject of what I think is missing from the drive to fix Windows 11, my biggest issue here is that there's not been much talk of how Microsoft is tackling bugs.

Yes, we've heard about working towards a more reliable Windows 11, an OS with better stability – the mentioned driver quality program is part of that, of course – but what about the actual core quality assurance processes?

The fact is that there are still too many bugs creeping through with each monthly update for Windows 11, and while some may be niche in their impact, they're happening too regularly, and some glitches are very odd in nature.

Just in the last couple of weeks we've seen the Recycle Bin weirding out, leading to accusations of 'well Microsoft, this is what happens when you get AI to code', and a strange bug with a Windows component eating up storage space in a mystifying manner (the fix is coming in the July update, and is in preview now, in case you were curious).

These kinds of oddities shouldn't be happening in the first place, though, and what I want to see from Microsoft is some concrete information on how it's revamping QA and bug fixing to be a more organized, thorough, and successful set of processes. This is absolutely key to fixing Windows 11 in my book, so get to it, Microsoft.

As far as crowd-pleasing features that are not yet on the boil, I'd like to see more ditching of 'recommendations' (those pesky ads that pop up here and there), the option to install Windows 11 with a local account should you wish, and the ability to switch off all telemetry with the Home version of the OS (well, save for the barest of details that need to be sent back to Microsoft's servers for security reasons).

And while you're at it, Microsoft, have a word with the marketing team responsible for Windows, and get them to tread a bit more carefully around AI. Overall, though, I can't complain, and as I recently discussed, I'm a lot more optimistic about the future of Windows 11 given what's happened so far in 2026.

Keep it up, Microsoft – but let's not forget about the bugs and QA stuff.

As America turns 250, voters from our Swing Shift project talk about the state of the country. Their views ranged from "uncertain" and "concerned" to "excited" and "cautiously optimistic."

(Image credit: Illustrations by Tara Anand)

At this point in my professional career, I've tested many laptops and computers, and every single one tries to promote what makes it special. It's always the best at something, the lightest at something, the longest something, the brightest something, the most ports, or something like that. Whatever it is, there's always something that is trying to promote the best of the best at it.

The ThinkPad P16V Gen 3 is one of the unique ones that actually tries not to be the best of the best at anything, but to be a really good middle ground and an all-arounder, creating a Goldilocks-like scenario where it is not the best at anything. However, it's probably a really good option for most who want a portable workstation.

Lenovo has a pretty clear and sleek way of doing this. The ThinkPad P16S is a lightweight variant of this workstation. The P16 is a flagship, and the P16V is the value, or, as I'm referring to it, the Goldilocks version.

Yes, if you have the money, you should do the more expensive one - it remains one of the best laptops for engineering students I've ever tested. Yes, if you want the lightweight version, you should do the S version, but if you want the middle ground and you want to have your cake and eat it too, check out the V variant.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The ThinkPad P16V Gen 3 is widely available direct from Lenovo US, Lenovo UK, and other regional sites. You'll also find it from selected retailers.

The base configurations for this laptop start around $2,300, with an Intel Core i7 RTX Pro 5000, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD, all on Windows 11. The version I have is nearing $4,000 and has a Core i7 RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell with 32 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and a WUXGA IPS screen, running Windows 11.

If you're looking for an OLED touch panel, that adds to the price, and you can get up to 96GB of RAM, plus larger storage if you're looking for that as well. The higher you go, eventually it gets to the point where it may be worth just getting the more flagship model rather than the more value-oriented variant.

Depending on what is important to you, you'll want to spec these out on Lenovo's website.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Unboxing and First Impressions

This laptop has the classic, simple, identifiable ThinkPad black finish, a decent enough webcam with nothing crazy, a privacy switch, and a co-pilot key, which I'm seeing on pretty much every Windows PC these days.

Right away, boot-up was pretty straightforward. There are great ports, and this seems like just another one of those old reliable laptops that you would get as a business computer in the best way possible. It's nothing shiny; it's not gonna win any beauty awards, but by golly, will it get work done.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Design & Build Quality

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 3 is only just over an inch thick and starts around 4.5 lb. It has thinner bezels and adds a USB-A port, which is funny compared to the Gen 2, showing that even in a world where we are pushing towards USB-C, people still really do need that USB-A port for quite a few legacy devices.

The ThinkPad P16v Gen 3 also has a MIL-STD 810H rating, a spill-resistant keyboard, a fingerprint reader that matches on-device (not on the server), a ThinkShutter, a Self-healing BIOS, and more.

On paper, these all look great, but in reality, what you need to know is that it is a spec bump plus the addition of a USB-A from the prior gen, which also rated quite well. Through every section that I keep writing about this review, I keep realizing more and more that this truly is just designed to be the Goldilocks computer for people in this kind of line of work

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I think this computer has been great today. Over the years, I've gotten used to using the TrackPoint and trackpad on Lenovo ThinkPad laptops. The keyboard is comfortable to type on, even during extended working and writing sessions. The Dolby Voice 5 field mic is strong enough for virtual meetings or, more relevant to some, works great with Wispr Flow and other dictation tools if that's your kind of jam.

It's great to know that this computer is strong enough to handle CAD files and other 3D project files, video editing if I wanted to, photo editing, and some engineering work. I used this to help build up some workflows in Notion, which took quite a bit of computing power running an expensive terminal — several windows in Notion, VS Code, Chrome, and ChatGPT open at once — and it handled the load like an absolute champ.

But as the continued threat of the jack-of-all-trades master-of-none kind of logic continues, the battery isn't the best on this. It's good. I would even say it's pretty good. It's not spectacular. It's heavy to carry around and can be awkward to fit in some backpacks unless they're larger. It's by no means the kind of laptop that you want to carry around if you're traveling a ton.

If you are in a technical, engineering, coding, tech support, or other similar kind of role and you need a mobile workstation but you don't need the flagship, and you're okay with having a little bit more heft to save some dollars, this laptop gets the job done in most scenarios.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

As I mentioned slightly above, if you're a mobile technical specialist in some way, shape, or form (and trust me, if you are in this field, you know it), and if you want a workstation on the go, or if you had the Gen 2 and you really were missing that USB-A port and don't want to carry around a dongle, you should check this guy out.

If you really need that high-end GPU MPP, you should go with the flagship model. If you're looking for a lighter model, go down to the P16S Gen 4. The P16v Gen 3 is for those who want it all: a decently priced laptop with decent ports, a decent weight, a decent battery, and decent power.

Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future

For more powerhouse performers, we've tested the best business laptops and the best mobile workstations.

Cape Verde didn't win a match at the World Cup, and somehow, that didn't seem to matter. The African team's debut on this stage was unforgettable.

(Image credit: Lynne Sladky)

Iran began a dayslong funeral Saturday for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, months after an airstrike killed him at the start of the war. He was 86.

(Image credit: Altaf Qadri)

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: Two-minute review

It may not always be among the first brands to get a particular type of product to market, but you can usually rely on Bose to have done a proper job by the time it gets around to it. And on paper, that seems to be exactly what’s happened with this new Lifestyle Ultra Speaker — it’s priced and specified to meet the market-leaders head on, and has one or two points of difference to try and make its case even stronger.

The looks, for instance, are just distinct enough from the usual ‘cylinder of sound’ design to stand out in a showroom. The specification, which includes a 38mm mid/high driver angled to fire upwards through the top of the cabinet, promises authentic spatial audio performance where many a rival relies on digital sound processing in an effort to achieve the effect. And the appearance of Alexa+ as a voice assistant marks the first time a non-Amazon product is using the technology.

One of the best wireless speakers around? Yes, in a word. In practice, the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker has an awful lot to recommend it and immediately becomes a real contender. There's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, with Apple Airplay and Google Cast baked in too. It’s also a punchy, detailed and respectably dynamic listen, can play very loudly indeed if you so desire, and has a definite and well-defined sensation of height to its sound. You’ll need to be into the EQ settings to get treble response balanced out and calmed down, but overall this is an upfront, energetic but not remotely unsubtle performer that deserves a place on even very short shortlists.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Price and release date

• Launched May 15, 2026
• $299 / £299 / AU$499 in black or white (the 'sand' finish is pricier)

The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it costs £299. Or, at least, it does in either of the black or ‘white smoke’ finishes. If you fancy the Bang & Olufsen-tastic ‘sand’ finish with its natural oak base, you’re looking at £349.

In America it sells for $299 / $349, while in Australia (where the ‘sand’ finish does not seem to be available), the going rate is AU$499.

At this price, the Lifestyle Ultra Speakers' chief rival in the Bluetooth arena is probably the slightly more expensive (at its regular price, anyway) JBL Xtreme 5. And that's a five-star speaker, so competition is tough. That said, the Bose you're reading about offers streaming over your home's Wi-Fi network too, so in that category, your easy comparison is the Sonos Play.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Specs

Weight:

1.66 kg (3.6 lbs)

Dimensions:

18.5 x 12.1 x 16.8 cm

Battery life (quoted):

N/A (plug-in only)

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.3 with BLE; Wi-Fi (Google Cast; AirPlay; multi-room)

Drivers:

Two front-facing drivers ( 1x 3-inch woofer; 1x 1-inch tweeter), plus a 1.5-inch up-firing 'twiddler'

Aux-in:

Yes

Charger port:

USB-C

Microphone:

Yes; built-in array

Waterproof rating:

Not rated

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Features

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity
• Three-driver speaker array includes 38mm up-firing mid/high drive unit- 3.5mm analog input

In most respects, the feature-set of the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is somewhere between ‘very good’ and ‘very good indeed’ — the features we know about fall into one of those categories, anyway. This is Bose we’re dealing with, of course, which means there are no details whatsoever regarding some aspects of specification forthcoming.

I’m going to go ahead and guess the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker uses Class D amplification, and that there’s an adequate amount of power on board (the ‘sound quality’ section will let you know how I’ve come to this particular conclusion).

What I know for sure is that there’s a three-driver array on board that’s in receipt of this mysterious amplification — a forward-facing 76mm mid/bass driver below a 25mm tweeter, with a 38mm mid/high driver angled up and out through the top of the cabinet.

As for what these drivers are made from, or the frequency response they’re capable of generating, well, your guess is as good as mine. Whatever the frequency response is, though, it’s bolstered by a rear-facing ‘QuietPort’ bass reflex port at the rear of the cabinet.

The port is towards the bottom of the back of the cabinet, just above a 3.5mm line-level analog input that constitutes the Bose’s only physical connectivity.

Wireless stuff is handled by dual-band wi-fi and Bluetooth — the latter is version 5.3 but is only compatible with the bog-standard SBC and AAC codecs, which is a shame when you consider the number of alternatives that are capable of local streaming to a higher standard. Still, Wi-Fi means Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast and Spotify Connect are all available, with TIDAL Connect promised sooner rather than later.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Design

• 184 x 121 x 167mm (HxWxD)
• Choice of three finishes
• Fixed grille

You make your own mind up when it comes to looks, of course, but for my money the shape of the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker makes a very pleasant change from all those cylindrical speakers that make up the bulk of the competition the Bose faces. The soft, rounded shape is miles ahead of the rather boxy stuff Bose has been turning out before now.

At 184 x 121 x 167mm (HxWxD) the proportions are pleasing, and the speaker is just about compact enough to work happily on a shelf (as long as there’s space above it for the up-firing driver to do its thing, of course). The standard of build and finish is basically impeccable, and there’s even a suggestion of tactility to the plastics Bose has used here. No matter which of the three available finishes you choose (the black of my sample, the ‘white smoke’ alternative that has more than a hint of grey about it, or the cost-option ‘sand’ alternative), the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker looks and feels the part.

The looks are nicely enhanced by the wraparound grille that covers a good portion of the front of the speaker. The fact that it’s notably proud of the main body makes it look very much like it can be detached — but it can’t, so don’t even try. No good can come of it.

• Design score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Sound quality

• Spacious and punchy presentation
• Pronounced ‘height’ element to sound
• A little more width and a little less high-end vigour wouldn’t go amiss

First things first: the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker makes good use of its up-firing driver — dial in some ‘height’ in the control app, queue up a FLAC file of Idles’ Never Fight a Man with a Perm, let the ‘TrueSpatial’ processing do its thing, and you get a presentation that’s considerably taller than the cabinet from which it’s coming.

There’s nice even frequency response on display, too — the Bose digs respectably deep, hitting good and hard and the bottom of the frequency range, and the transitions to the midrange and into the highest frequencies is pretty smooth. While it goes out of way to ensure no part of the frequency range is over- or under-represented, the speaker does project the midrange just a little. The ‘V’ shape that results is more of a bump than a spike, though. Control of the bottom end is pretty tight, so the speaker has no real issues in expressing rhythms confidently. Detail levels are high at every stage. The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is quite an insightful listen, and pays good attention to the more minor details in a recording — the fact that it presents quite a spacious and well-defined soundstage helps to make this obvious.

There’s a good sensation space to the overall sound, and certainly more than enough room for every participant in a recording to get the space in which to operate — but the left/right width of the presentation is quite curtailed in comparison to the height element. The result is a slightly narrow, notably tall sound that’s slightly counter-intuitive right until the moment you get used to it.

The tonal balance is, for the most part, pretty consistent; the Bose is a fairly neutral device in this respect. There’s a slight lack of substance to treble sounds compared to the rest of the frequency range, a tiny hint of toothiness that’s rather at odds with the robust way the rest of the range is presented. It’s nothing a moment or two examining your EQ options can’t mitigate, though.

Add in a reasonable facility with dynamics — the broad stuff about volume and intensity, and the more subtle dynamics of harmonic variation too — and the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker makes a pretty convincing case for itself. Unless, of course, you’re listening to content that simply doesn’t enjoy being forced into a spatial audio presentation. You can minimise the effect of the height channel in the app, but you can’t defeat the ‘TrueSpatial’ processing — and uncooperative recordings can sound just a touch vague where more compliant stuff is quite sharply focused.

• Sound quality: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: setup & usability

• Alexa+ voice control
• Physical and app control too
• No auto-calibration feature

As far as ‘setup’ is concerned, the Bose is either mercifully straightforward or rather underpowered — it depends on your point of view. In order to get up and running, it’s simply a question of finding a suitable position for the speaker (Bose will sell you a wall-mount of a dedicated stand, and there’s a thread in the base of the cabinet for use with third-party supports) and plugging it in. Then it’s simply a question of logging into wi-fi and to Amazon in order to activate the voice assistant. There’s no automatic room calibration routine available here (which is distinct from the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar that launched at the same time), so any tweaks to the performance of the speaker will have to be made in the Bose control app.

The app itself is clean and logical, and as well as some EQ adjustment (plus a slider to increase or decrease the sensation of sonic height) it’s where you can create a stereo pair with a second Lifestyle Ultra Speaker or incorporate your speaker into a home theatre system. Use the Google Home app, meanwhile, and a multiroom system using any and all compatible speakers can very easily be set up.There are some physical controls on the top of the speaker, too.

Capacitive buttons take care of play/pause, volume up/down, Bluetooth pairing, input selection, and waking this voice assistant — there’s a button to defeat the mic too, in case you don’t want Alexa+ to listen out for you.

This is the first non-Amazon product to take advantage of Alexa+ voice control and, while Amazon has kept some smart features for itself, this version works very well indeed. It’s alert to voice prompts, and is rapid in its responses to any questions or instructions you might have.

• Setup & usability: 4.5 / 5

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Value

Obviously there’s no shortage of wireless speakers at this sort of money, and some of them are very good indeed. Spending your money with Bose rather than with, say, brands as credible as Apple, Denon, Sonos or WiiM (to name just a few) does have upsides, though.

Obviously there’s the standard of build and finish, the very pleasant aesthetic and the many positives about the way the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker sounds. But there’s also the open and agnostic nature of its multiroom capability, as well as the welcome and well-implemented appearance of Alexa+ as a voice assistant to be factored in too. So while this is not your only choice, the value for money it offers means it should really be on your shortlist.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Should I buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker?Buy it if…

You have other Google Home-compatible wireless speakers
The Bose plays nicely with any number of products from third-party brands

You enjoy a bit of height to your sound
That up-firing driver adds appreciably to the way your music is presented

You have plans for a home cinema system
One more Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, plus the matching Soundbar, makes for a quite compelling surround-sound set-up

Don’t buy it if…

Your Bluetooth source has good codec compatibility
Unfortunately, the Bose doesn’t

You’ve enjoyed the automatic room calibration some Bose products offer
The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker leaves you to deal with things manually

You’ve heard the width, as well as the height, available from alternative spatial audio speakers
The Bose ‘TrueSpatial’ processing doesn’t, in ultimate terms, deliver the ideal impression of ‘left/right’

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Also consider

Sonos Play
The Sonos Play is a portable, battery-powered speaker — with all the logistical positives and negatives that implies when compared to the Bose — but given that it costs exactly the same amount of money, that it’s part of a well-established ecosystem, and that it delivers a big, chunky but quite deft sound, it’s currently the product to beat.
Read our full Sonos Play review for more

JBL Xtreme 5
Want something fairly hefty that you can take outside in the rain, that isn't Wi-Fi enabled (only Bluetooth) but doesn't need to be plugged in? OK, it's possibly a long shot since you came here to read about a Wi-Fi enabled speaker for your home. But just in case, the JBL is a great five-star option for a similar price tag… 
Read our in-depth JBL Xtreme 5 review for more

How I tested the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker

I used the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker on a kitchen worktop, a bookshelf, and a dedicated speaker stand. I used an iPhone 15 Pro to stream to it using Bluetooth (given the lack of worthwhile codec compatibility, there didn’t seem much point in getting anything better specified charged up), and I also used the iOS device to listen to Apple Music via AirPlay 2.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: July 2026

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker: Two-minute review

It may not always be among the first brands to get a particular type of product to market, but you can usually rely on Bose to have done a proper job by the time it gets around to it. And on paper, that seems to be exactly what’s happened with this new Lifestyle Ultra Speaker — it’s priced and specified to meet the market-leaders head on, and has one or two points of difference to try and make its case even stronger.

The looks, for instance, are just distinct enough from the usual ‘cylinder of sound’ design to stand out in a showroom. The specification, which includes a 38mm mid/high driver angled to fire upwards through the top of the cabinet, promises authentic spatial audio performance where many a rival relies on digital sound processing in an effort to achieve the effect. And the appearance of Alexa+ as a voice assistant marks the first time a non-Amazon product is using the technology.

One of the best wireless speakers around? Yes, in a word. In practice, the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker has an awful lot to recommend it and immediately becomes a real contender. There's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, with Apple Airplay and Google Cast baked in too. It’s also a punchy, detailed and respectably dynamic listen, can play very loudly indeed if you so desire, and has a definite and well-defined sensation of height to its sound. You’ll need to be into the EQ settings to get treble response balanced out and calmed down, but overall this is an upfront, energetic but not remotely unsubtle performer that deserves a place on even very short shortlists.

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Price and release date

• Launched May 15, 2026
• $299 / £299 / AU$499 in black or white (the 'sand' finish is pricier)

The Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is on sale now, and in the United Kingdom it costs £299. Or, at least, it does in either of the black or ‘white smoke’ finishes. If you fancy the Bang & Olufsen-tastic ‘sand’ finish with its natural oak base, you’re looking at £349.

In America it sells for $299 / $349, while in Australia (where the ‘sand’ finish does not seem to be available), the going rate is AU$499.

At this price, the Lifestyle Ultra Speakers' chief rival in the Bluetooth arena is probably the slightly more expensive (at its regular price, anyway) JBL Xtreme 5. And that's a five-star speaker, so competition is tough. That said, the Bose you're reading about offers streaming over your home's Wi-Fi network too, so in that category, your easy comparison is the Sonos Play.

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Specs

Weight:

1.66 kg (3.6 lbs)

Dimensions:

18.5 x 12.1 x 16.8 cm

Battery life (quoted):

N/A (plug-in only)

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 5.3 with BLE; Wi-Fi (Google Cast; AirPlay; multi-room)

Drivers:

Two front-facing drivers ( 1x 3-inch woofer; 1x 1-inch tweeter), plus a 1.5-inch up-firing 'twiddler'

Aux-in:

Yes

Charger port:

USB-C

Microphone:

Yes; built-in array

Waterproof rating:

Not rated

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Features

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity
• Three-driver speaker array includes 38mm up-firing mid/high drive unit- 3.5mm analog input

In most respects, the feature-set of the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is somewhere between ‘very good’ and ‘very good indeed’ — the features we know about fall into one of those categories, anyway. This is Bose we’re dealing with, of course, which means there are no details whatsoever regarding some aspects of specification forthcoming.

I’m going to go ahead and guess the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker uses Class D amplification, and that there’s an adequate amount of power on board (the ‘sound quality’ section will let you know how I’ve come to this particular conclusion).

What I know for sure is that there’s a three-driver array on board that’s in receipt of this mysterious amplification — a forward-facing 76mm mid/bass driver below a 25mm tweeter, with a 38mm mid/high driver angled up and out through the top of the cabinet.

As for what these drivers are made from, or the frequency response they’re capable of generating, well, your guess is as good as mine. Whatever the frequency response is, though, it’s bolstered by a rear-facing ‘QuietPort’ bass reflex port at the rear of the cabinet.

The port is towards the bottom of the back of the cabinet, just above a 3.5mm line-level analog input that constitutes the Bose’s only physical connectivity.

Wireless stuff is handled by dual-band wi-fi and Bluetooth — the latter is version 5.3 but is only compatible with the bog-standard SBC and AAC codecs, which is a shame when you consider the number of alternatives that are capable of local streaming to a higher standard. Still, Wi-Fi means Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast and Spotify Connect are all available, with TIDAL Connect promised sooner rather than later.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Design

• 184 x 121 x 167mm (HxWxD)
• Choice of three finishes
• Fixed grille

You make your own mind up when it comes to looks, of course, but for my money the shape of the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker makes a very pleasant change from all those cylindrical speakers that make up the bulk of the competition the Bose faces. The soft, rounded shape is miles ahead of the rather boxy stuff Bose has been turning out before now.

At 184 x 121 x 167mm (HxWxD) the proportions are pleasing, and the speaker is just about compact enough to work happily on a shelf (as long as there’s space above it for the up-firing driver to do its thing, of course). The standard of build and finish is basically impeccable, and there’s even a suggestion of tactility to the plastics Bose has used here. No matter which of the three available finishes you choose (the black of my sample, the ‘white smoke’ alternative that has more than a hint of grey about it, or the cost-option ‘sand’ alternative), the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker looks and feels the part.

The looks are nicely enhanced by the wraparound grille that covers a good portion of the front of the speaker. The fact that it’s notably proud of the main body makes it look very much like it can be detached — but it can’t, so don’t even try. No good can come of it.

• Design score: 5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Sound quality

• Spacious and punchy presentation
• Pronounced ‘height’ element to sound
• A little more width and a little less high-end vigour wouldn’t go amiss

First things first: the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker makes good use of its up-firing driver — dial in some ‘height’ in the control app, queue up a FLAC file of Idles’ Never Fight a Man with a Perm, let the ‘TrueSpatial’ processing do its thing, and you get a presentation that’s considerably taller than the cabinet from which it’s coming.

There’s nice even frequency response on display, too — the Bose digs respectably deep, hitting good and hard and the bottom of the frequency range, and the transitions to the midrange and into the highest frequencies is pretty smooth. While it goes out of way to ensure no part of the frequency range is over- or under-represented, the speaker does project the midrange just a little. The ‘V’ shape that results is more of a bump than a spike, though. Control of the bottom end is pretty tight, so the speaker has no real issues in expressing rhythms confidently. Detail levels are high at every stage. The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker is quite an insightful listen, and pays good attention to the more minor details in a recording — the fact that it presents quite a spacious and well-defined soundstage helps to make this obvious.

There’s a good sensation space to the overall sound, and certainly more than enough room for every participant in a recording to get the space in which to operate — but the left/right width of the presentation is quite curtailed in comparison to the height element. The result is a slightly narrow, notably tall sound that’s slightly counter-intuitive right until the moment you get used to it.

The tonal balance is, for the most part, pretty consistent; the Bose is a fairly neutral device in this respect. There’s a slight lack of substance to treble sounds compared to the rest of the frequency range, a tiny hint of toothiness that’s rather at odds with the robust way the rest of the range is presented. It’s nothing a moment or two examining your EQ options can’t mitigate, though.

Add in a reasonable facility with dynamics — the broad stuff about volume and intensity, and the more subtle dynamics of harmonic variation too — and the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker makes a pretty convincing case for itself. Unless, of course, you’re listening to content that simply doesn’t enjoy being forced into a spatial audio presentation. You can minimise the effect of the height channel in the app, but you can’t defeat the ‘TrueSpatial’ processing — and uncooperative recordings can sound just a touch vague where more compliant stuff is quite sharply focused.

• Sound quality: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: setup & usability

• Alexa+ voice control
• Physical and app control too
• No auto-calibration feature

As far as ‘setup’ is concerned, the Bose is either mercifully straightforward or rather underpowered — it depends on your point of view. In order to get up and running, it’s simply a question of finding a suitable position for the speaker (Bose will sell you a wall-mount of a dedicated stand, and there’s a thread in the base of the cabinet for use with third-party supports) and plugging it in. Then it’s simply a question of logging into wi-fi and to Amazon in order to activate the voice assistant. There’s no automatic room calibration routine available here (which is distinct from the Lifestyle Ultra Soundbar that launched at the same time), so any tweaks to the performance of the speaker will have to be made in the Bose control app.

The app itself is clean and logical, and as well as some EQ adjustment (plus a slider to increase or decrease the sensation of sonic height) it’s where you can create a stereo pair with a second Lifestyle Ultra Speaker or incorporate your speaker into a home theatre system. Use the Google Home app, meanwhile, and a multiroom system using any and all compatible speakers can very easily be set up.There are some physical controls on the top of the speaker, too.

Capacitive buttons take care of play/pause, volume up/down, Bluetooth pairing, input selection, and waking this voice assistant — there’s a button to defeat the mic too, in case you don’t want Alexa+ to listen out for you.

This is the first non-Amazon product to take advantage of Alexa+ voice control and, while Amazon has kept some smart features for itself, this version works very well indeed. It’s alert to voice prompts, and is rapid in its responses to any questions or instructions you might have.

• Setup & usability: 4.5 / 5

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Value

Obviously there’s no shortage of wireless speakers at this sort of money, and some of them are very good indeed. Spending your money with Bose rather than with, say, brands as credible as Apple, Denon, Sonos or WiiM (to name just a few) does have upsides, though.

Obviously there’s the standard of build and finish, the very pleasant aesthetic and the many positives about the way the Lifestyle Ultra Speaker sounds. But there’s also the open and agnostic nature of its multiroom capability, as well as the welcome and well-implemented appearance of Alexa+ as a voice assistant to be factored in too. So while this is not your only choice, the value for money it offers means it should really be on your shortlist.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Future / Simon Lucas)Should I buy the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker?Buy it if…

You have other Google Home-compatible wireless speakers
The Bose plays nicely with any number of products from third-party brands

You enjoy a bit of height to your sound
That up-firing driver adds appreciably to the way your music is presented

You have plans for a home cinema system
One more Lifestyle Ultra Speaker, plus the matching Soundbar, makes for a quite compelling surround-sound set-up

Don’t buy it if…

Your Bluetooth source has good codec compatibility
Unfortunately, the Bose doesn’t

You’ve enjoyed the automatic room calibration some Bose products offer
The Lifestyle Ultra Speaker leaves you to deal with things manually

You’ve heard the width, as well as the height, available from alternative spatial audio speakers
The Bose ‘TrueSpatial’ processing doesn’t, in ultimate terms, deliver the ideal impression of ‘left/right’

Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker review: Also consider

Sonos Play
The Sonos Play is a portable, battery-powered speaker — with all the logistical positives and negatives that implies when compared to the Bose — but given that it costs exactly the same amount of money, that it’s part of a well-established ecosystem, and that it delivers a big, chunky but quite deft sound, it’s currently the product to beat.
Read our full Sonos Play review for more

JBL Xtreme 5
Want something fairly hefty that you can take outside in the rain, that isn't Wi-Fi enabled (only Bluetooth) but doesn't need to be plugged in? OK, it's possibly a long shot since you came here to read about a Wi-Fi enabled speaker for your home. But just in case, the JBL is a great five-star option for a similar price tag… 
Read our in-depth JBL Xtreme 5 review for more

How I tested the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker

I used the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker on a kitchen worktop, a bookshelf, and a dedicated speaker stand. I used an iPhone 15 Pro to stream to it using Bluetooth (given the lack of worthwhile codec compatibility, there didn’t seem much point in getting anything better specified charged up), and I also used the iOS device to listen to Apple Music via AirPlay 2.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed: July 2026

NPR member station reporters across the U.S. asked people how they are thinking about their country on its semiquincentennial.

(Image credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

• Nuclear waste may become fuel for decades-long autonomous operations worldwide
• DARPA wants batteries delivering power continuously for up to 30 years
• Project Omega is converting radiation directly into usable electrical energy efficiently

Scientists working with a United States defense programme are developing compact nuclear batteries intended to supply electricity continuously for several decades.

The effort revolves around radioisotope power systems that convert radiation directly into electricity instead of storing energy through chemical reactions.

Developers believe these lightweight devices could eventually keep drones, satellites, and remote equipment operating without conventional battery replacements for years.

Nuclear waste becomes fuel for decades of uninterrupted power

The programme falls under DARPA's "Rads to Watts" initiative, which seeks compact energy sources delivering high energy density and longevity.

A recent $3.37 million award supports development of a proof-of-concept device producing more than 10 watts per kilogram.

One participant in the programme, Project Omega, is developing the generator that uses isotopes extracted from existing nuclear waste rather than newly produced radioactive material from dedicated facilities.

“Solar cells directly convert sunlight into electricity…Ours directly convert radiation into electricity,” said Stafford Sheehan, CEO and founder of Project Omega.

“We already have some of these small devices running; the ones that are specifically designed to meet the DARPA figure of merit are going to come out early next year.”

Researchers estimate that more than 100,000 metric tons of nuclear waste currently remain stored across 52 reactor locations nationwide.

Sheehan argued that existing stockpiles provide abundant material while unresolved disposal issues continue generating expensive legal disputes for authorities annually.

“At a high level, we take nuclear waste, we recycle it into two products: one is fuel for reactors…the other are power isotopes, so isotopes you can use to power things.”

Unlike conventional rechargeable cells, the proposed units use solid-state isotope blocks layered with semiconductors generating electricity through radiation exposure.

Military planners see obvious advantages for drones and satellites

Radioisotope power systems have powered spacecraft and scientific missions for decades, typically using plutonium-based materials.

Project Omega will now use Strontium-90, which developers describe as less hazardous than Plutonium-238 alternatives currently employed.

The batteries are also expected to function across temperature extremes that frequently create complications for military hardware in difficult environments.

Military interest arrives as demand for unmanned systems grows alongside persistent concerns surrounding charging requirements during extended deployments worldwide.

A drone capable of operating for 30 years with continuous onboard power would alter assumptions surrounding endurance and logistics requirements.

Several organisations are participating in the Rads to Watts programme, including Morgan State University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Northrop Grumman, ARA, and Widetronix.

Researchers expect a minimally viable prototype to emerge by early 2027 following testing under increasingly realistic operating conditions and scenarios.

However, conversion efficiency, radiation effects, reliability, and safe deployment still require extensive evaluation efforts.

If the technology succeeds, autonomous systems capable of operating for decades could become technically feasible.

Via Defense One

I've reviewed a few robot vacuums in the last year sister site Tom's Guide, but I'd yet to try one from powerhouse brand Ecovacs Robotics. With several excellent reviews already on TechRadar, including those by my colleague Sharmishta, who swears by the brand and rated the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni very highly, I was eager to get stuck into my own assessment of the Deebot T90 Pro Omni, which launched in March this year.

On paper, it came across as the perfect pet-friendly robot vacuum. It touted an impressive 30,000Pa suction power across hardwood and carpeted floors, and as a mum to two Border Collies, cleaning up fur every day was my #1 priority.

It also didn't help that I fell pretty hard for The T90's looks (more on that below), but I was anxious about its price — $899.99 / £899 / AU$2,299 seemed rather steep, especially in Australia where I'm based, for a T-series Deebot that's typically been the more mid-range option to Ecovacs' X-series flagships. But then you get what you pay for, right? Or so I thought.

After using it for three months, I was left with an expensive robot vacuum that still looks lovely in its corner but doesn't quite fulfil the rest of its promises.

It's a looker

If you’ve often considered a robot vacuum, but have been put off by the large, rather unsightly docking stations, then you’ll be pleased to learn that the Deebot T90 Pro arrives with the newly enhanced Ecovacs station. The dock and station's combined footprint is slim, and it can easily be placed under a counter or table if you want to store it away. But given its Nordic-inspired, fabric-like design, Ecovacs clearly didn't intend for the T90 to be hidden, especially in homes with minimalist aesthetic settings. Personally, I quite liked the new off-white color as it complemented my apartment decor.

TechRadar / Lucy ScottingTechRadar / Lucy ScottingTechRadar / Lucy Scotting

Unlike some other Ecovacs' robot vacuums, the T90 Pro Omni's bot neglects a turret completely, opting for a LiDAR sensor at the front of the machine, so it can get under furniture without issues. In place of a turret sits a loosely placed fabric-like lid that can, sadly, get dislodged when bumped into with some force.

However, the fact that both water tanks are fully concealed within the dock is a big tick for me, as it means I never once had to catch sight of dirty water throughout the day. The trade-off to this is that you can't see if either tank is full or empty. If you set the robot vacuum to clean everyday, then you’ll need to regularly check the tanks to see if they need filling or emptying.

I found I was consistently emptying and refilling the water tanks after every other clean despite its 4L capacity and the mopping area in my apartment is the living, dining and kitchen (my bedrooms are carpeted). I'm also a little surprised that the dirty-water capacity is so much lower, I was expecting it to be around 3L. What that means is, if you live in a large family home, you'll likely need to clean out the dirty mop water between each session too — beats the purpose I think.

Looks can be deceiving

It's lovely design aside, the T90 Pro struggled from day one, starting with its initial floor mapping. As I've already mentioned, my single-storey apartment has a mixture of carpeted and hardwood floors and a relatively straightforward floor plan, which most robovacs I've tried can get right the first time. Nevertheless, it took six mapping sessions to finally achieve an accurate map of my home.

I'll take some of the blame here, as the one map error was my fault after leaving my built-in wardrobe open, but I wanted to believe that after considerable daily use, the bot would update the floorplan on its own — I suppose I was expecting too much from Ecovacs' software there.

Even after the T90 had mapped my home accurately, I still had to make significant edits in the app to get all the rooms marked out correctly, something I've not had to do with other brands.

(Image credit: TechRadar / Lucy Scotting)

I made sure all carpet areas were marked out and, despite that, the T90 Pro Omni repeatedly mopped the bedrooms when in Auto mode to do a full-house clean. The only way to avoid this was to start setting up Room or Zone cleans every single time. In other words, the Auto Mode, for me, was redundant.

Aside from the copious amounts of remapping and wrong floor recognition, the T90 faltered when it came to vacuuming up pet hair. Despite its high suction power, I found that the T90 consistently left pet hair on even my hard floors (struggling even more on carpets), and I had to do a follow-up clean with my Dreame U20 which, even as affordable cordless option without a lot of suction, does so much better.

This really was my biggest disappointment because Ecovacs' Blast suction promises improved airflow for the best clean and I saw no evidence of that here. Moreover, a lot of the pet hair got entangled in the central bar brush and its wheels, meaning the bot itself required constant maintenance.

TechRadar / Lucy ScottingTechRadar / Lucy ScottingTechRadar / Lucy Scotting

Mopping was a rather unfortunate experience too, especially after all those trips to and from the tap. My wood floors were left streaky and some spills were ignored by the AI stain recognition. My colleague Sharm much prefers the roller mops to the rotating discs on robovacs, but I'm not convinced... yet.

Random starts was another issue I had to face with the T90 Pro Omni — it would just start cleaning on its own, even when there was no voice command or a schedule set up.

There was a silver lining in all this, though: despite being a little basic compared to other robot vacuum apps I've used, the Ecovacs Home app was fairly easy to use (after the remapping shenanigans of course) to set up custom cleaning routines, schedules, suction and waterflow rates.

The easy-to-use app doesn't make up for everything else that went wrong though.

So, what now?

(Image credit: TechRadar / Lucy Scotting)

Look, I'll be honest — I was hard-pressed to find something positive to say about the Ecovacs Deebot T90 Pro Omni. A nice design and a decent app will only take my over user experience so far.

I wasn't looking for perfection; I just needed a robot vacuum that do the daily cleanup so I didn't have to and, in that one task, the T90 failed as I had to vacuum again anyway.

And this isn't the first time a Deebot has disappointed — my colleague Sharm wasn't particularly enthused by the older Ecovacs Deebot T50 Max Pro Omni either. TechRadar's recently published Ecovacs Deebot X12 Omnicyclone review also doesn't look very encouraging.

So what's going on at Ecovacs Robotics, one of the pioneering robovac brands? The company's been pumping out new models in quick succession over the last few years, with three alone announced at CES 2026, but it just feels like software and performance issues aren't being fully tested before release to market. Maybe it's time for Ecovacs to slow down, take a beat, and perhaps learn from its mistakes before releasing another suite of subpar products.

I'm still keeping faith that the brand will impress me one day, it's just not going to be with the T90 Pro Omni.

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, July 3 (game #1621).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

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

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

Quordle today (game #1622) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

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

Quordle today (game #1622) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1622) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1622) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1622) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• M

• O

• T

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

Quordle today (game #1622) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1622, are…

• ARGUE
• MOTEL
• OPERA
• TRUCE

I found ARGUE the hardest word to get today.

U-E is a reasonably common ending, but for some reason I struggled to think of any also containing an R. I got there in the end, though.

Daily Sequence today (game #1622) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1622, are…

• VITAL
• JOINT
• HELLO
• BILGE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, July 3 (game #1118).

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #1119) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• LINGER
• SPOT
• EPIC
• DREAMS
• ZOMBIE
• ODE
• PEA
• SCORPION
• LAST
• HURRICANE
• NOTHINGS
• STAY
• BALLAD
• CONTINUE
• PAINKILLER
• VILLANELLE

NYT Connections today (game #1119) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Not leaving…
• GREEN: Lyrical formats
• BLUE: Tiki bar classics
• PURPLE: Begin with a sugary word

Need more clues?

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

NYT Connections today (game #1119) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: PERSIST
• GREEN: KINDS OF POEMS
• BLUE: TROPICAL DRINKS
• PURPLE: SWEET __ 

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

NYT Connections today (game #1119) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1119, are…

• YELLOW: PERSIST CONTINUE, LAST, LINGER, STAY
• GREEN: KINDS OF POEMS BALLAD, EPIC, ODE, VILLANELLE
• BLUE: TROPICAL DRINKS HURRICANE, PAINKILLER, SCORPION, ZOMBIE
• PURPLE: SWEET __ DREAMS, NOTHINGS, PEA, SPOT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

I came into this game expecting Fourth of July themes — fireworks, Tom Cruise, stars and stripes — and saw none whatsoever.

I did, though, immediately see VILLANELLE, which I know as the character from Killing Eve, but also as a very strictly structured poetic format. Seeing no other fictional assassins I confidently added EPIC, ODE and BALLAD and felt very intellectual about myself until being rewarded with a lowly green. 

With eight tiles left I saw the link with the word SWEET __ — a good job, as the quartet of tropical drinks is something I had no knowledge of.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, July 3, game #1118)

• YELLOW: POSITIVE FEELINGS BLISS, FELICITY, HAPPINESS, WARM FUZZIES
• GREEN: RETRO EXPRESSIONS OF APPROVAL COOL BEANS, FAR OUT, GROOVY, RIGHT ON
• BLUE: BAD THINGS TO GIVE SOMEONE COLD SHOULDER, DIRTY LOOK, HARD TIME, RUNAROUND
• PURPLE: WHAT THINGS PRONOUNCED "T" MIGHT REFER TO GOLF ACCESSORY, GOSSIP, HOT DRINK, SHIRT

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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