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

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

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

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

Bots in Teams

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

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

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

(Image credit: Microsoft)

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

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

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

You seem pretty glad for a girl so in Lego.

More U.S. scientists are heading abroad. Three researchers explain why they decided to shift their research to universities in the U.K.

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

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

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

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

The chip is only part of the plan

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

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

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

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

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

Nvidia's challenge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OpenClaw now available for mobile

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A muted response

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

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

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

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

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

Brivity is a real estate-focused CRM and marketing automation platform that aims to streamline the daily workflows of agents and brokerages. Its integrated suite of tools covers lead generation, contact management, transaction management, and team collaboration.

Brivity enables agents to efficiently manage client relationships with customizable action plans, mass emailing, unique single property websites, a client portal, and more. The CRM platform also includes a built-in dialer and texting functionality to facilitate client communication.

In addition to the CRM, Brivity provides a customizable IDX website, text-to-lead capture, CMA reports, and even open house automation. While this breadth of functionality is impressive, it may come with a learning curve for users. Customer reviews praise Brivity's feature set, but adopting the full platform requires a commitment to learning the system.

Brivity CRM core capabilities

(Image credit: Brivity)

Brivity is a comprehensive real estate CRM that provides agents with a centralized hub to manage their contacts, transactions, marketing, and productivity.

The platform makes it easy to keep track of leads from various sources in one place. Lead details, behavior insights, and communication history are readily accessible. You can set up custom filters, tags, and alerts to stay on top of hot prospects.

I found the messaging center quite useful for client engagement. It allows you to send personalized texts and emails using templates, and even set up auto-responses. The email sync with Gmail is also very handy.

Where Brivity really shines is transaction management. It provides a clear pipeline view of all your deals, with quick access to contacts, documents, tasks, and key dates for each transaction. I like how it automatically notifies clients of status updates.

Another standout is the customizable dashboard. At a glance, you can see how many new leads you've gotten, upcoming appointments, messages that need a reply, and priority tasks. It's a great way to plan your day.

While not groundbreaking, the MLS search and property pages are well-integrated into the CRM. You can easily add listings and share them with clients. The built-in comparative market analysis tool is also nice.

Other notable features include drip campaigns, single property websites, virtual tours, social media marketing, and team collaboration tools. There's no built-in dialer, but Brivity makes up for it with a wide range of integrations and an app marketplace for the CRM.

Brivity covers all the essential functions of a real estate CRM and adds quite a few extras. The interface is modern and intuitive, though the sheer number of features can feel overwhelming at first. But once you get the hang of it, Brivity can be a massive time-saver and productivity booster for a busy agent.

How easy is Brivity to use?

Brivity makes ease of use a top priority for its CRM. Upon signing up, you provide some basic details about your team and intended usage, then dive right into the platform as soon as billing is verified. While the array of tools and features may feel a bit overwhelming at first glance, Brivity's interface is thoughtfully designed to be easy to navigate on both desktop and mobile.

The main dashboard is divided into six core tabs that provide quick access to key functions like your calendar, contacts, transactions, and marketing tools. I found it simple to move between these areas and locate the specific features I needed. The Brivity Go mobile app is also well-designed, allowing agents to stay productive on the move - responding to messages, tracking web activity, finding prospects, and more.

What really impressed me was the level of user support Brivity provides to help new users get up to speed quickly. There's a dedicated support phone number and email address for any questions that come up. The Help Center is packed with detailed video tutorials and FAQs covering essential topics like initial setup, key features, and CRM best practices. You can also tap into the knowledge of the Brivity community by joining the Brivity Masterminds Facebook group to connect with other users, share tips and tricks, and stay updated on new feature rollouts.

While it offers an array of customization options to tailor the platform to your specific needs and workflow, Brivity’s essential functions are very approachable and don't require extensive setup to start using them effectively. Common tasks like logging contact interactions, setting up email campaigns, generating market reports, and managing transactions are quite straightforward.

The learning curve comes with exploring more advanced capabilities and optimizing your configuration. But overall, I'd estimate that a new user could get comfortable with the core day-to-day functions within a few hours, thanks to the intuitive design and breadth of learning resources. More advanced users will appreciate the ability to set up custom dashboards, data fields, sales pipelines, and more to suit their needs.

Integrations

Brivity offers a number of ways to sync data and automate workflows with external applications.

First, Brivity connects natively with Gmail, allowing users to send and receive emails directly within the CRM interface. This eliminates the need to switch back and forth between separate email and CRM apps.

Additionally, an in-app store provides access to multiple pre-built integrations that can be enabled with just a few clicks. Popular options include syncing contacts and events with Google, automating email campaigns via MailChimp, posting video updates with BombBomb, and importing leads from Zillow.

For more advanced use cases, Brivity supports integration with iPaaS tools Zapier and Make (formerly Integromat). This opens up possibilities to connect the CRM with hundreds of other SaaS apps and create custom automated workflows.

Real estate-specific integrations are available too, such as RealSynch for syndicating listings data and Callingly for automating lead follow-up calls. Clicking a lead capture form on a website can instantly trigger a call that connects the lead with an available agent, with the call data saved to Brivity.

Under the hood, Brivity provides a REST API that enables developers to programmatically insert and update data within the CRM. So companies with development resources can build fully customized integrations if needed.

In my testing, setting up basic integrations was simple and worked smoothly. Zapier automations reliably added or updated records without any noticeable sync delays. The breadth of turnkey integrations with common real-estate and productivity tools is impressive.

On the downside, API documentation is quite limited and hasn't been updated recently. So, more complex custom integrations may require some trial and error to implement. The interface for managing active integrations could also be improved; it's not always clear which integrations are enabled and how to troubleshoot issues.

How good is Brivity customer support?

Brivity offers solid customer support options to assist users with any questions or issues they may encounter while using the CRM platform.

In terms of live support channels, Brivity provides a dedicated support phone line that users can call to get help from a real person. The support number is 855-427-4848, staffed during regular business hours. Email support is also available by contacting support@brivity.com. While live chat doesn't appear to be offered, the phone and email support should meet the needs of most customers.

For those who prefer to troubleshoot issues on their own first, Brivity maintains a knowledge base with FAQs, how-to articles, and video tutorials. This self-service resource library enables users to quickly find answers and solutions without needing to contact a support rep. However, discussion forums where customers can interact with each other don't seem to be available.

Details on Brivity's average first response and resolution times are not readily published. But many user reviews praise the CRM provider for its prompt and helpful customer service. While response time data would provide a clearer picture, the glowing customer testimonials suggest most users are very satisfied with the speed and quality of support they receive.

As someone who has tested dozens of CRM systems over the years, I'm impressed by how Brivity's executives make themselves personally accessible to customers who need support. That level of leadership involvement and commitment to customer success is rare.

So while it may not have every support channel or resource one could want, Brivity still delivers high-quality customer service overall. Between the live phone support, email assistance, self-help knowledge base, and responsive team that even includes the company's leaders, most customers should feel well taken care of. The rave reviews from real users further boost confidence in Brivity's support.

Brivity CRM plans and pricing

Plan

Growth

Accelerate

Expand

Mega

Custom

Price

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Custom pricing

Best For

Individual agents needing basic CRM functionality

Small teams up to 5 users seeking collaborative tools

Medium teams up to 10 users requiring enhanced capabilities

Large teams up to 25 users needing comprehensive solutions

Teams over 25 users with specific needs

Features

Core CRM

High converting drip campaigns

Unlimited texting and dialer

All the Growth plan features

Lead ponds

Advanced lead routing

All the Accelerate features

Transaction Auto Plans

Client portal access

All the Expand plan features

Dedicated success manager

Extensive reporting tools

Tailored features and support

Scalable solutions

Custom integrations

Limitations

Limited to 2 users, fewer advanced features

Limited to 5 users, additional costs for some add-ons

Limited to 10 users, requires setup time

Limited to 25 users, higher cost structure

More expensive than some competitors

(Image credit: Brivity)

Brivity takes a tiered subscription approach to pricing its CRM platform, with the cost and features steadily increasing across its plan lineup. The plans — Growth, Accelerate, Expand, Mega, and Custom — scale from 1 user up to 25+ users. Exact pricing is no longer provided since Brivity revamped its pricing, so you'd just have to request a demo to get those details.

On the low end, Brivity’s Growth plan provides core CRM functionality for up to 2 users. This could work for a solo agent or small team just getting started. Stepping up, Brivity Accelerate ups the user limit to 5. For larger teams, the Expand plan supports 10 users. There’s also a Large plan for 25 users and a Custom plan for more than 25 users.

While the features across the plans appear to be similar, higher prices get you more user seats. That said, a few features like lead capture, lead pricing, and dedicated success manager support aren’t available on the entry-level plans. And, if you need more than just a CRM, Brivity offers three additional tools: Virtual Assistant, Lead Generation, and Recruiting. These are available as add-ons on top of the base plan.

Unfortunately, I didn't see any discounts advertised beyond the savings from paying annually instead of monthly. And it doesn't look like Brivity offers a free plan or even a free trial to test the software first. Contacting the sales team for a custom demo without any idea of the pricing can be frustrating, but consider that Brivity’s entry-level plan used to be priced at $299.90/month for 2 users before the revamp.

Overall, Brivity's pricing seems reasonable if you just need a basic CRM for a small team. The entry-level plan should suffice for most independent agents or small agencies. But costs can add up quickly if you require more users or additional features beyond the core CRM. And not having transparent pricing or a trial for its more robust plans makes it hard to evaluate the full value you'd be getting.

How we tested Brivity

During our CRM testing process, we put real estate-specific platforms like Brivity through rigorous, hands-on interaction over a period of weeks. I didn't just judge Brivity by its marketing specifications but deployed the platform in simulated, real-world real estate environments to evaluate how it may perform for high-volume agents and teams.

For this Brivity evaluation, I looked at the platform's setup and data migration, its lead capture and routing speed, and its transaction management pipeline. It's not just the big picture either. I also examined daily agent workflows, assessing Brivity's usability by spending hours using the primary communication center on both desktop and the mobile app.

Brivity CRM review: Final verdict

Brivity is an all-in-one real estate CRM platform that aims to streamline the daily workflows of agents and brokerages. In my experience testing the software, I found that it covers all the core functions needed to manage client relationships and transactions.

While costs can add up for larger teams or those needing add-on features beyond just the CRM, all in all, I see Brivity as an excellent choice for agents and small brokerages seeking an affordable yet comprehensive platform to orchestrate their daily operations. If you're willing to invest a bit of time learning the ins and outs, Brivity can be a big asset for efficiently managing and growing your real estate business.

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

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

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

Today's top DJI Osmo Pocket 3 deal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also consider

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

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

• Shop all action cam deals at Best Buy.

Use either of Samsung or Apple thin flagships and you'll wonder how you ever tolerated a thick phone. Here's how these two compare.

As the Supreme Court today weighs the Trump administration's effort to revoke birthright citizenship, NPR looks at what else the White House has done to curb illegal and legal migration.

146 Venezuelans were deported from Texas to Caracas on June 24. Hours later, while the deportees were in a guarded hotel, powerful twin earthquakes struck.

(Image credit: Matias Delacroix)

Live election results: Get the latest on Colorado's U.S. Senate, U.S. House and gubernatorial primary races.

July 1 marks the official opening of a program that allows federal dollars to go toward short-term workforce training programs. So far just 11 states have created roadmaps for colleges to apply.

(Image credit: Annelise Capossela for NPR)

A few years ago, experts worried about a "new normal" of elevated violent crime in the U.S. Now the country is flirting with breaking its all-time low murder rate

(Image credit: Mark Stockwell)

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

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

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

Duel of the dual lens cameras

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AI is now hitting operational limits, not model limits

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

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

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

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

How this is playing out in APAC

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

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

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

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

The four operational disciplines AI teams need

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

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

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

1. Establish visibility and attribution

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

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

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

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

2. Enforce control and guardrails

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

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

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

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

3. Optimize GPU utilization before scaling supply

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

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

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

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

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

4. Design for efficiency at the application layer

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

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

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

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

What leaders should do in the new AI race

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

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

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

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

The U.S. and Iran will resume peace talks Tuesday, SCOTUS expected to make a decision on birthright citizenship, Colorado voters head to the polls.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive customer relationship management (CRM) solution packed with advanced features enhanced by AI capabilities. One of the best CRM platforms on the marker, it offers a robust set of tools to help businesses manage customer data, streamline sales and service processes, and gain actionable insights.

Dynamics 365 integrates tightly with the Microsoft ecosystem, including Office apps like Outlook, Word, and Excel. This allows for seamless data sharing and collaboration for cloud-based businesses already using Microsoft 365. It also offers connectors to many popular third-party business apps.

While it delivers a lot of functionality, Dynamics 365’s interface can feel a bit complex and overwhelming at first for smaller business users. The pricing model is also on the higher end compared to some other CRM platforms. But for organizations already using Microsoft tools, Dynamics 365 CRM is a powerful platform to unify customer data and processes.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 core capabilities

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides a centralized database to store and manage all customer data, including contact information, interaction history, and purchase records. This allows sales and marketing teams to have a complete 360-degree view of each customer.

Contact management in Dynamics 365 enables users to easily track and manage leads, opportunities, and customer accounts. The system can automatically capture lead and customer data from various sources, like web forms, and import it into the CRM. Users can then qualify and nurture leads through the sales pipeline using built-in workflows and automation.

Dynamics 365 also offers advanced sales forecasting and analytics capabilities. Sales managers can get real-time visibility into their team's performance and pipeline with interactive dashboards and reports. AI-driven insights help predict revenue, uncover at-risk deals, and provide actionable recommendations to improve win rates. Integration with Microsoft's Power BI tool allows for even deeper analysis.

To optimize marketing efforts, Dynamics 365 includes features for segmenting customers, managing campaigns, and tracking ROI across channels. Marketers can use the data in the CRM to personalize their messaging and target high-value prospects. The system also has native integrations with LinkedIn and other social media platforms for social selling.

For on-the-go sales reps, Dynamics 365 provides a fully-featured mobile app. It has an intuitive interface that allows reps to access and update customer data, manage their pipeline, and even scan business cards to create new contacts - all from their smartphone. Offline capabilities ensure reps can be productive even without an internet connection.

Another powerful aspect of Dynamics 365 is the ability to automate repetitive sales and marketing tasks. Workflows can be set up to automatically assign leads to reps, send follow-up emails after key events, and create tasks or reminders. This frees up the team's time to focus on higher-value activities.

Integration is also a strong point of Dynamics 365. The platform has pre-built connectors for popular business apps like Microsoft 365, Outlook, SharePoint, and Power Automate. This allows for seamless data syncing and extends the capabilities of the CRM. Custom integrations can also be built using the system's open API.

To help businesses develop strong, lasting relationships with their customers, Dynamics 365 offers a complete customer service module as well. It includes features like case management, knowledge base, and SLAs. Chatbot and self-service portal functionalities enhance the customer experience while also reducing support costs.

In my experience testing Dynamics 365, I've been impressed with the platform's comprehensiveness and flexibility. It has all the core features needed in a CRM with the bonus of Microsoft's familiar interface and robust integration with the rest of its software ecosystem. Setup and navigation are very user-friendly.

However, for smaller businesses, the vast capabilities may be overkill. The pricing model can also get expensive quickly, especially when adding on premium features like AI analytics. Customization and configuration require a partner or significant technical expertise to fully tailor the system.

How easy is Microsoft Dynamics 365 to use?

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers an intuitive and modern user experience. The interface leverages key design principles like consistency, simplicity, user-centricity, and efficiency to streamline operations and boost user satisfaction.

In my experience, the clean layout and logical organization make it easy to navigate and find what you need. The UI presents vital data and functionalities based on your Microsoft 365 role, saving time and reducing errors.

Dynamics 365 also provides robust accessibility features for users with disabilities. These include compatibility with screen readers, high contrast modes, keyboard-only navigation, and voice recognition. So the platform can be tailored to individual needs.

Another strength is the wide range of customization options. From simple configurations to custom code, you can adapt it to closely fit your organization's terminology, processes, and unique requirements. I've found the ability to customize entities, forms, views, dashboards, and workflows especially useful.

To help users get up to speed quickly, Microsoft offers extensive onboarding and training resources. These cover everything from basic setup to advanced customization. Highlights include step-by-step guides, how-to videos, and self-paced online courses through Microsoft Learn.

However, it’s worth remembering that Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a fully-featured enterprise CRM, unsuited for most small business needs. Its learning curve, feature set, and pricing structure all reflect that. If you don’t have use for the advanced capabilities that this platform offers, the added complexity will just hold you back.

Integrations

Out of the box, Dynamics 365 has pre-built connectors for many popular business apps like Office 365, Outlook, Power BI, SharePoint, and LinkedIn. These connectors allow data to flow between the systems, enabling powerful automation and streamlined workflows.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 also provides an extensive API that allows developers to build custom integrations with virtually any other application or data source. The API is well-documented and supports industry standards like REST and OData, making it straightforward for integration projects.

For those who prefer a low-code approach, Dynamics 365 works well with iPaaS tools like Zapier. Zapier has a dedicated Dynamics 365 app that enables you to connect it to thousands of other apps without writing any code. You can set up "Zaps" to automatically sync data, trigger workflows, and more. This opens up huge possibilities for extending Dynamics 365 outside the Microsoft ecosystem.

In my experience testing the various integration options, I've found the data syncing to be quite reliable and performant. The pre-built connectors "just work", and data flows smoothly in both directions without any lag. Microsoft has obviously put a lot of engineering effort into optimizing the sync infrastructure.

Integration is an area where Dynamics 365 shines. I'd give it top marks here. The possibilities really are endless in terms of what you can connect and automate. It's one of the product's key selling points compared to the competition.

How good is Microsoft Dynamics 365 support?

Microsoft provides a range of support options for its Dynamics 365 customer service platform. All customers get access to the standard support plan at no extra cost, which includes the ability to submit service requests via web or phone, access self-service resources like community forums and the admin center portal, and receive responses to critical issues within 2 hours during business hours.

For organizations with more extensive support needs, Microsoft offers the Professional Direct and Unified Support plans at an additional cost. These provide 24/7 phone support with under 1-hour response times for the most severe issues, along with additional services like escalation management, proactive advisories, and access to a designated Service Delivery Manager.

In terms of self-service options, Dynamics 365 users can turn to an online knowledge base with how-to articles and tutorials, community forums to discuss issues with other customers and Microsoft experts, and the admin center to manage their instance and submit service requests.

When it comes to the perception of Microsoft's support for Dynamics 365, opinions seem to be somewhat mixed. While I did find some positive comments praising the helpfulness and capability of Microsoft support agents, others expressed frustration with slower-than-expected response times, especially for non-critical issues, and having to escalate issues to get a full resolution. Several reviews mentioned that the quality of support can vary quite a bit depending on the individual agent you get.

Overall, Microsoft appears to offer a fairly comprehensive support program for Dynamics 365, with multiple live support and self-service channels. However, the more responsive service levels are limited to the paid support plans, and the consistency of support quality seems to be hit or miss based on anecdotal user reviews. Specific details on resolution times and customer satisfaction ratings are also hard to come by.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 pricing and plans

Plan

Sales Professional

Sales Enterprise

Customer Service Professional

Customer Service Enterprise

Price

$65/user/month

$105/user/month

$50/user/month

$95/user/month

Best For

Small to medium businesses, basic sales needs

Large enterprises, advanced sales features

Small to medium businesses, basic customer service

Large enterprises, advanced customer service

Features

Sales automation

Opportunity management

Outlook integration

AI-driven insights

Advanced analytics

Customizable workflows

Case management

Knowledge management

SLAs

AI-powered chatbots

Omnichannel support

Extensible platform

Limitations

Limited customization and analytics

Higher price point

Limited automation and AI capabilities

Higher price point

Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers several different pricing plans and licensing options depending on the specific CRM applications and features needed.

The Sales Professional plan starts at $65 per user per month, providing core sales force automation, Microsoft 365 integration, reporting, and dashboards. The Sales Enterprise plan is $105 per user per month for the base license.

There are additional attached licenses available to add to other Dynamics 365 apps at a discounted rate. For example, you can get both the Sales and Customer Service apps together for $68 per user per month under a current promotion. Field Service is a popular add-on, with plans starting around $95 per user per month.

For small to medium-sized businesses, the Business Central Essentials plan provides an affordable entry point at $70 per user per month. This includes key accounting and operational features. Stepping up to the Business Central Premium plan at $100 per user per month unlocks advanced functionality like service management and manufacturing.

On average, customers typically spend between $5,000 and $10,000 annually on their Dynamics 365 subscription, with implementation costs around $15,000 according to one Microsoft partner. Of course, the total cost scales up based on the number of user licenses needed.

Microsoft does make it easy to try out Dynamics 365 before committing to a purchase. Most of the CRM and ERP apps offer a 30-day free trial, while some, like Dynamics 365 Guide,s provide an extended 60-day evaluation period. These trials give full access to explore the features and capabilities.

Discounts may also be available for certain customers. Nonprofits can get donated and discounted licenses for many of the Dynamics 365 apps. Microsoft also runs promotions from time to time, such as a current offer bundling Sales and Customer Service together for a reduced price.

Following a broad price adjustment to match its expanded AI toolsets, Business Central Essentials is priced at $80 per user, per month, while the manufacturing-heavy Premium tier sits at $110 per user, per month. It is critical for prospective buyers to note that these figures represent software subscription costs alone: because Dynamics 365 is incredibly sophisticated, a typical mid-market implementation routinely requires a certified third-party Microsoft Partner, raising consulting, custom data schema mapping, and training engineering fees.

How we tested Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM

Evaluating an enterprise-tier ecosystem like Microsoft Dynamics 365 requires a far more complex framework than testing a standard, out-of-the-box SaaS CRM. Following TechRadar Pro's comprehensive CRM testing methodology, I subjected Dynamics 365 to rigorous infrastructure stress testing to evaluate its core capabilities, structural ease of use, system integrations, and actual value for money.

I assessed the platform's core capabilities, AI Copilot latency, and its onboarding complexity. The platform's support and integration (especially with other Microsoft tools) were also evaluated. And, of course, the cost is always taken into account with these reviews. By cost, we always take into account the total cost of ownership - not just your initial outlay.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 review: Final verdict

Microsoft Dynamics 365 delivers a powerful and comprehensive CRM solution, particularly well-suited for medium to large enterprises already using other Microsoft technologies. Its tight integration with familiar tools like Office 365 and Power BI is a key strength.

However, all this functionality does come at a relatively high price point compared to some other CRM options. Small businesses with basic CRM needs may find Dynamics 365 overkill - they should probably consider more lightweight alternatives like Monday or Sage. But for organizations with complex sales processes and customer lifecycles, particularly those already using Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 is a top choice. Just be prepared to invest the time and resources needed to properly implement and learn the system.

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• Fable will feature a repopulation system if players murder too many NPCs
• Playground Games originally thought about letting players live with the consequences of their actions
• It decided the absence of NPCs would ruin some of the game's other systems

Playground Games has confirmed that if Fable players, for some reason, decide to kill every non-player character (NPC) in a settlement, they will repopulate over time.

During a press Q&A at an Xbox event adjacent to this year's Summer Game Fest (SGF) attended by TechRadar Gaming, associate game director Will Kennedy discussed Fable's reactive world, including the permanence of player actions. As a role-playing game (RPG), decisions will impact the NPCs around you, and players will have a reputation that will be remembered through their actions.

Player actions will also have consequences and be remembered, but if players decide to go on a killing spree, NPCs will later respawn through the game's repopulation system.

In fact, Playground originally thought about letting players live with this decision; however, it ultimately decided that the absence of so many NPCs would spoil other systems.

"In terms of killing NPCs, you can kill every NPC in a settlement, and the settlement will stay empty for some time," Kennedy explained. "But we do have a system that begins to repopulate in a settlement as well, but the reason that we do that is, we thought about it, there was a school of thought where you just live with that consequence literally forever, but we also thought in doing that it would cut off a lot of systems to players.

"It would be cool [at] first, but then it might actually get a bit annoying, so we may make the choice to prevent that."

We followed up with Playground Games after the event and received the following from game director and general manager of Playground Games, Ralph Fulton, on how repopulation will work: "The new NPCs who, over time, repopulate a settlement to replace NPCs who have sadly died (i.e., were killed by you…) will be full NPCs like the ones they’re replacing. They’ll have all the elements that all our Living Population NPCs have – name, job, traits, home, clothing, appearance and yes, voice – and will be fully functional in all the same ways.

In the same Xbox event interview, Fulton revealed that Fable will feature over 150,000 lines of dialogue, and over 1000 hours of voice-over were recorded this year alone.

"We've had multiple studios set up running in parallel for over 1000 hours just this year alone, just recording VO," he said, "so it's a huge machine, because the vision that the guys have for this part of the game just requires that way of writing."

Fable will officially launch on February 23, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.