Feed aggregator

Considering that in 2024 the Disney Experiences panel at D23 delivered the news that Disney would be bringing new lands to parks across the globe, expansions on the high seas, attraction updates, and entirely new attractions, the bar was set high for D23 2026's Horizons: A Carousel of Progress keynote.

Even more so, many of these projects already have shovels in the ground. At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, construction is well underway for Piston Peak — a new Cars-focused area — and Villains Land. Nearby, at Hollywood Studios, there's Monstropolis, while Animal Kingdom has Tropical Americas being built. Across the coast at Disneyland, work is underway on the expansion of Avengers Campus.

With many of these projects already in motion, the question heading into this year's showcase wasn't necessarily whether Disney would deliver more announcements, but what updates we'd get on the already-announced projects and whether there would be a few surprises.

It was a wide-ranging, two-hour-plus show hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and featuring many of Walt Disney Imagineering's brass, along with Thomas Mazloum, head of Disney Experiences. Here are some of my favorites from the night.

Piston Peak will bring two new Cars attractions to Magic KingdomDisney ExperiencesDisney ExperiencesDisney ExperiencesDisney Experiences

I'm a pretty big fan of Cars, and it's likely no surprise that Piston Peak was the highlight for me.

The main off-road racing attraction will be called Cars: Ridge Run Rally, and like Radiator Springs Racers at Disney California Adventure, guests will race against other ride vehicles, each with its own personality. Disney is also introducing a brand-new ride system designed to give guests a stronger sense of the bumps, dips, and other road elements as they race through Piston Peak.

It also won't be the open road of Route 66. Since Piston Peak is a national park, guests will encounter a variety of landscapes throughout the race. At one point, you'll race toward the top of the mountain for a snow-filled scene before heading back down through bumps and high-speed moments in the desert. Eventually, you'll encounter geysers before reaching two familiar faces at the end of the track: Lightning McQueen and Mater.

Because it will be outdoors in Orlando, Disney says the attraction will be designed to operate in both sun and rain. Of course, lightning will likely shut it down.

There will also be a second attraction, Miss Fritter's Daredevil Spin-Along, which takes its name from the character from Cars 3. Guests will board a vehicle and spin around as they make their way through the attraction, making it suitable for a wide range of ages.

There's still no timeframe for when Piston Peak will open. If we had to guess, 2028 seems like a reasonable target, but construction is already well underway.

Monstropolis will open in 2027 with a show, food, and shops

(Image credit: Disney Experiences)

I've already been behind the walls of the Monsters, Inc. land being built at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and even a few months ago, I noted that construction in the former Muppets area seemed to be moving quickly.

D23 brought confirmation that a portion of Monstropolis will open in 2027. It will include the Glob Theater show, Welcome to Monstropolis, Harryhausen's restaurant, and a pizza eatery named Archie's Scare Pig Pizza.

Those will be the main components when the area first opens, with the much-anticipated Door Coaster arriving later. It appears Disney wants to open the rest of the land as quickly as possible while the signature attraction continues development. At D23, Disney did tease that the suspended Door Coaster will lift you 40 feet in just four seconds right before you venture into the iconic door vault.

We're still waiting for more details on the theater, but the concept art gives us a few hints. A laugh canister appears to jet out into the audience, while monsters can be seen on the main stage, in the crowd, and on elevated stages on either side. It also appears there will be a live monster band, potentially playing the new original song, Welcome to Monstropolis, written by Randy Newman.

Then there's Harryhausen's, which will likely be a dream come true for many Monsters, Inc. fans. Guests will actually be able to step inside the restaurant from the film, complete with an impressive animatronic of Roz.

(Image credit: Disney Experiences)

While we still have plenty more to learn, Disney has now given us a much clearer picture of what will be ready when Monstropolis first opens in 2027 — and what will keep us waiting.

Tropical Americas brings Indiana Jones and Encanto to Animal Kingdom

(Image credit: Disney Expereinces)

Next up was Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, where we got new details on both the Indiana Jones and Encanto attractions.

The Indiana Jones attraction now has an official name: Indiana Jones and the Myth of the Jade Serpent. Perhaps the biggest news here is that, for the first time, Harrison Ford himself is being used as the model for the Indiana Jones Audio-Animatronic.

The ride will use the same ride system as the popular Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland, but with a completely new story, scenes, and animatronics.

(Image credit: Disney Expereinces)

Disney also revealed the name of the Encanto attraction: Antonio's Fiesta de Encanto. The ride will take place on Antonio's gift day, with you invited into Casita to celebrate his new ability.

We got to see the moment guests enter Casita, as well as the ride vehicles, which are designed to feel like pieces of furniture brought to life by the house.

One of the more interesting elements shown was how the attraction will handle elevation changes. Disney appears to be using a new ride system that makes it feel as though the vehicle is moving up or down without the track physically raising or lowering.

The ride will eventually take guests upstairs into Antonio's room, which has been transformed into a rainforest filled with a bevy of animals including a capybara, a toucan, and a donkey.

Interestingly enough, Disney didn't announce an opening date during the panel. The company has already announced that Tropical Americas is expected to arrive in 2027, so for now, that remains the target.

Fans of Expedition Everest will be thrilled with this news — the Yeti will finally be returning to its original form on the rollercoaster after years of the legendary creature being stuck in its B mode. Simply, the Yeti won't be frozen for much longer.

Villains Land will bring Disney's biggest villains togetherDisney ExpereincesDisney ExpereincesDisney Expereinces

The other active construction site in Magic Kingdom right now — or should we say just outside the current edges of the park — is Villains Land. While D23 2024 confirmed that the land was coming, we finally got more details at D23 2026.

The land will actually be named Villains Land, and Imagineering is touting it as something unlike any other land Disney has developed. The focus will be squarely on the characters, bringing together some of Disney's most infamous villains, including Dr. Facilier, Maleficent, and Cruella de Vil.

The main attraction will be a Maleficent-themed coaster that sends guests racing around her mountain fortress before eventually coming face-to-face with the villain herself. The ride will feature tight turns, potentially some tipping-track elements, and a very energetic feel throughout.

The other attraction will be a dark ride themed around the Magic Mirror. Guests will travel into the Mirror Realm and encounter several of Disney's villains along the way. Among those shown so far are Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Jafar, and Mufasa, but Disney is keeping the specific details of the story under wraps for now.

With two attractions on this scale, Villains Land could end up being one of the most ambitious additions ever made to Magic Kingdom.

EPCOT's Spaceship Earth and Figment will get reimagined

Over at EPCOT, Disney also gave us a look at two projects that have been in the works for some time: the reimagining of Spaceship Earth and the return of Figment and Dreamfinder to the Imagination pavilion.

Spaceship Earth will be receiving a major update, expanding the attraction's story while retaining the optimism and wonder that have defined it for generations.

Figment and Dreamfinder, meanwhile, are getting ready to embark on a new journey into imagination at EPCOT. Disney didn't reveal too many details about the new experience, but just the return of Dreamfinder alongside Figment is enough to get plenty of EPCOT fans excited.

Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab will open in 2028Disney ExperiencesDisney ExperiencesDisney Experiences

At Disneyland, the biggest update came from Avengers Campus, which is undergoing a massive expansion that will ultimately double its size. Disney confirmed that both Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab will open in 2028.

Avengers Infinity Defense will put guests in the role of new recruits tasked with helping reassemble the Avengers to take on King Thanos. The attraction will travel across locations including Asgard, Wakanda, and New York City, blending massive physical sets with large-scale media.

Perhaps the biggest casting news is that several heroes will be portrayed by their original on-screen actors, including Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Anthony Mackie as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, and Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man.

Downey Jr. will also appear in Stark Flight Lab, alongside Mackie and Brie Larson. Guests will board two-person pods, then be grabbed by a giant robotic arm and thrown into a simulated flight experience inspired by Iron Man and the other Avengers.

More details for Coco at Disney California Adventure

(Image credit: Disneyland)

Disney also shared more about the upcoming Coco attraction, the first ride based on the Pixar film at a Disney park. The story will take place one year after the original film, beginning in a "casa museo" dedicated to Héctor's music before guests board a boat and travel with Miguel through his memories of the Land of the Dead.

The attraction will feature Miguel, Dante, Héctor, and plenty of other familiar characters, with Disney and Pixar working together to ensure the ride celebrates both the original film and the upcoming Coco 2. There will also be no height requirement, which will make this a family-friendly option at California Adventure.

Disneyland's Tomorrowland set for a major change

Finally, Disney announced that Disneyland's Tomorrowland is set for a major reimagining. There aren't many specifics yet, but Imagineering says the transformation will honor the legacy of the original land while introducing new attractions, more open spaces, and new places for guests to experience the future.

(Image credit: Disneyland)

Looking at the updates coming to Disneyland and Walt Disney World, there's more happening across the parks than we've seen in quite some time. With so many of the projects announced in 2024 now actively under construction, it's clear that Disney wanted to use this year's showcase to give fans a much closer look at what's actually being built.

Could we have gotten a few more details on Tropical Americas, Coco, or even more on Avatar at Disneyland? Absolutely. But overall, Horizons: A Carousel of Progress gave us plenty to be excited about, while showing just how much detail Imagineering is putting into these new lands and attractions.

And perhaps most importantly, there was a sense that Disney is recommitting to some of its longtime fans. The return of Dreamfinder and Figment at EPCOT, the reimagining of Tomorrowland at Disneyland, and even the return of the Yeti to Expedition Everest show that Disney isn't only looking toward what's next. It's also looking back at some of what made these parks special in the first place.

Researchers find Big Tech’s most ambitious builds and climate pledges are colliding with its AI power demands.

• Schenker Element 16 (E26) is on sale now, pairing Intel Panther Lake processors with a 120 Hz 1600p display and a 72 Wh battery in a 1.9 kg chassis, shipping in late August
• The laptop's screwless quick-release chassis and a firmly planned next-generation mainboard swap make it a potential contender to other semi-modular Framework-built laptops rivals
• Its 72 GB RAM ceiling is an interesting configuration, thanks to 8 GB of soldered memory plus a single SODIMM slot that accepts a module with up to 64GB of memory

Schenker has put its long-teased Element 16 on sale worldwide, and the spec sheet leads with a number you will not find on any other laptop this year: up to 72 GB of DDR5 memory.

The 16-inch machine, sold under the model code E26 through the company's Bestware store, starts at 1,499 euros, with orders expected to ship in late August 2026.

Buyers can also get a 5% early-bird discount, available until the end of the month, plus a 20-euro discount voucher if they sign up for the store's newsletter.

A Framework competitor with an interesting RAM configuration

The Schenker Element 16's potential 72GB of RAM deserves scrutiny for a few reasons: how it is configured to get there and whether it's available. The Element 16 pairs 8 GB of soldered DDR5 with a single SODIMM slot, and filling that slot with a 64 GB module produces the magic number (72 GB) in an 8G+64G configuration.

This may not have been intentional; ComputerBase, a German news outlet, reported (DE) that Schenker originally planned a replaceable LPCAMM2 module for this design before settling on the soldered-plus-SODIMM arrangement that shipped.

The silicon is Intel's new Panther Lake generation, marketed as Core Ultra 300. Buyers choose between the eight-core Core Ultra 5 325 in the base configuration and the 16-core Core Ultra 7 356H for a 150 euro premium. Both chips include an NPU for local AI workloads, and both rely on integrated Intel graphics with four Xe3 cores rather than a discrete GPU.

By the standards of a 1.9 kg machine with all-day battery ambitions, the Element 16 is genuinely quick, and 72 GB of memory will happily swallow the virtual machines, containers, and outsized datasets that justify a configuration like this. Getting the memory configuration, however, might be easier said than done, however.

(Image credit: Schenker )

While the laptop can be configured with up to 72 GB, the configurator says the memory configuration is "currently not available." Users can still opt for a Kingston Fury or Crucial memory module that currently offers a 40 GB SKU.

If you are willing to wait, however, the Schenker Element 16 is a compelling alternative to the popular, modular Framework lineup that's been all the rage lately for its upgrade-friendly designs.

The 16-inch IPS panel runs at 2560 x 1600 with a 120 Hz refresh rate, 400 nits of brightness, full sRGB coverage, an anti-glare finish, and a 180-degree hinge. Storage sits in an M.2 slot with PCIe 5.0 connectivity, configurable up to 8 TB, which Schenker's technical FAQ notes is a first for its thin-and-light lineup, since Panther Lake supplies the PCIe 5.0 lanes directly from the processor.

The laptop also meets MIL-STD-810H durability standards and offers solid connectivity, including two Thunderbolt 4 ports with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, Wi-Fi 7, HDMI, two USB-A ports, a microSD reader, and an audio jack.

What distinguishes the Element 16 in a crowded 16-inch market is the promise behind its quick-release bottom panel: a mainstream-looking laptop whose maker has publicly committed to at least one more generation of drop-in mainboards. Whether that commitment holds, is financially viable compared with buying a new laptop, and offers multiple trims based on consumer needs remains unanswered for now, even if you are willing to wait an unstated amount of time to get it in a 72 GB trim.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K: One-minute review

The Keychron K8 Ultra 8K is a wireless mechanical keyboard with an impressive spec that hopes to compete with the more premium offerings in the space.

It exhibits the brand’s typical design language, with its sizable keycaps and retro looks. The whole unit is black, save for some grey and green keycaps. To liven things up, it features some bright backlighting with plenty of customization options, although the keycap legends aren’t transparent, so it doesn’t illuminate them. This makes them harder to see in dark environments, which somewhat defeats the backlight’s purpose.

The board base is very thick, which means you have to angle your wrists considerably to reach the tall keys. It’s in dire need of wrist support, which is an oversight since a lot of the best keyboards come with a rest. It’s also quite heavy, thanks to its metal construction. This does help to keep it planted, though, and it’s as solid as you would expect it to be.

(Image credit: Future)

To customize the inputs of the K8 Ultra 8K, you’ll have to use Keychron’s Web Launcher. Here you’ll find a reasonable selection of rebinding options, and there’s also a basic but functional SOCD function for altering key priority. It’s a relatively easy app to use, and despite being web-based, it’s quick and responsive; I didn’t encounter any disruptive loading times during my time with it.

In action, the K8 Ultra 8K performs well. The keys are sufficiently damped, although some clickiness remains, which can be a little harsh at times, but mostly they’re satisfying to use. They’re snappy and responsive, too, while being forgiving of accidental nudges. The indents and shape of the keycaps are comfortable and offer a secure hold.

However, the switches of my review unit didn’t have the smoothest of motions. The keys are also spaced quite far apart, which can make reaching certain inputs a stretch. What’s more, the aforementioned angle your wrists are forced to adopt can lead to strain after short periods. I had no issues with connecting the K8 Ultra 8K via 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, and switching between them was quick and easy.

The K8 Ultra 8K is a reasonable price when you consider all that it offers. There are certainly much dearer mechanical keyboards, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, but there are also cheaper ones, such as the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra. However, the K8 Ultra 8K remains a solid choice if you like a substantial board — just pair it with a wrist rest.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Price & availability

• $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170)
• Available now in three switch types
• Good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard

The K8 Ultra 8K costs $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170) and is available now from Keychron’s website, with shipping rates varying according to region. It can be had with a choice of three switch types: Red, Brown, or Banana. It comes with a braided USB cable, several spare keycaps, and a keycap puller.

This is a good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable switches. Similar models from bigger names can cost considerably more, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%. However, the performance of that board is far superior, being perhaps the best mechanical keyboard I’ve ever tested. Its switches are a joy to press, while the companion software offers more customizations and tweaks.

If you’re after a more budget-friendly gaming keyboard, the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra is hard to beat for value. It has a surprisingly high-quality design, while its analog switches feel almost as good as mechanical ones, with added actuation adjustments.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

Mechanical (Keychron Apex)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

14.1 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches (359 x 129 x 31mm)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

(Image credit: Future)Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Design & features

• Retro look
• Solid, thick, and heavy
• Reasonable web app for customizations

The K8 Ultra 8K adopts Keychron's signature aesthetics, which is to say it has a thick base, tall keycaps, and a black colorway. However, there are a few grey peripheral keys, as well as a green Escape key, to add some contrast.

Allied to its thick chassis is a substantial weight. This helps the K8 Ultra 8K to stay planted, but makes it a chore to move around frequently. Build quality is also impressive, with its metal frame feeling as solid as you would expect it to feel, while the keycaps have only a hint of play.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s disappointing about them, though, is their opaque symbols. This means the vivid RGB backlighting doesn’t get a chance to shine through them; in fact, it can actively obscure them in dark environments, which defeats at least part of the backlighting’s purpose. Fortunately, it still shines through the spaces between the keys, and there are plenty of customizable patterns for it.

Like some other Keychron models, the K8 Ultra 8K’s USB port is located on the left side of the unit, rather than at the back. This is an interesting location and can help to reduce the cable interfering with deskspace, depending on your particular setup. The included cable’s jack protrudes slightly from the side, but since it’s L-shaped, it's actually quite discreet. This shape also helps the cable to naturally follow a path less intrusive to deskspace.

Keychron doesn’t offer a downloadable app for the K8 Ultra 8K; instead, you’ll have to use the Keychron Web Launcher via a browser. Quite often, such web apps can be slow and awkward, with frequent loading times and connectivity issues. However, I found Keychron’s fast and easy to use.

What’s more, it offers a reasonable amount of customization. Besides standard key assignments, there are quite a few shortcuts for various system commands and media controls. There’s also a SOCD feature with three different modes, as well as a section for altering the bounce (more commonly referred to as debounce) times of key presses and resets, with sliders for each ranging from 10ms to 50ms, with single millisecond increments selectable.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Performance

• Tactile and damped switches
• Snappy yet forgiving
• Uncomfortable thickness

True to its mechanical nature, the K8 Ultra 8K is quite a satisfying board to use. The Brown Tactile switches in my review unit were sufficiently damped, though there was some clickiness to them. For the most part I liked this aspect, although hard presses can feel a little harsh. Worse is the roughness of their motion as they travel, which doesn’t feel particularly pleasant. Fortunately, this doesn't completely sap the joy out of presses, and it didn’t affect my performance in any significant way.

The switches are also quite snappy, requiring only a light touch to actuate. Better yet, they’re forgiving at the same time: whenever I accidentally grazed a key I didn’t intend to hit, often it wouldn’t register. This combination makes it ideal for fast typing.

(Image credit: Future)

The keycaps themselves are comfortable, thanks to their ergonomic indents, which also provide security. This comfort extends to the space bar, which I could easily hit flush when in the WASD position. That’s not something I can say about every space bar I’ve experienced.

Less comfortable, however, is the wide spacing of the keys. I often welcome this aspect, but I found it too great on the K8 Ultra 8K. Reaching certain keys was a stretch, especially when touch typing, or when trying to reach certain peripheral keys such as R and T when gaming in the WASD position.

The aforementioned thickness of the chassis also creates issues. Combined with the tall keycaps, this means you have to angle your wrists to a large degree, and what’s more I frequently caught my fingers on the edges of keys as I glided around them when typing. I’m not sure I’ve come across a keyboard in more desperate need of wrist support.

On the issue of connectivity, I had no qualms with the K8 Ultra 8K. It connected to my Windows PCs with ease via both Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle. Hot-switching between these devices was also quick and easy, merely requiring the flick of switch on the side of the unit.

Should I buy the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The K8 Ultra 8K is keenly priced for a hot-swappable wireless mechanical keyboard with an 8K polling rate.

4.5 / 5

Design and features

Thick, heavy, and solidly made. The web app is functional, but the opaque keycaps are a misstep.

4 / 5

Performance

The Brown switches in my review unit weren’t the smoothest, but they still performed well. You really need to use this board with a wrist rest to make it comfortable.

3.5 / 5

Overall

The K8 Ultra 8K is well-priced for a wireless mechanical keyboard. Its performance isn’t as smooth as I would’ve liked, and you really need to use it with a wrist rest, but it’s still one to consider given its customizable hardware.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You’re on a budget
There aren’t many keyboards offering better value for money than this, thanks to its high spec and relatively low price point.

You want a solid build
This thick metal frame is certainly sturdy, as are the keycaps and switches.

Don't buy it if…

You have short fingers
Reaching certain keys can be a stretch, owing to the wide spacing between them.

You like a low profile
The tall keycaps and thick chassis can easily put strain upon your wrists, so ideally you need support.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Also consider

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra
Another great value keyboard, the FUN60 Ultra is just as well put together as the K8 Ultra 8K. It uses magnetic analog switches rather than mechanical ones, but they feel just as tactile while offering adjustable actuation and other analog features. Read our full MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%
For the supreme mechanical experience, you can’t do much better than the BlackWidow. This is just about the best mechanical keyboard I’ve ever used, thanks to its excellent performance and build quality. There are also plenty of input customizations available via Razer’s Synapse software. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Plentiful keyboard experience

I tested the K8 Ultra 8K for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

One of the games I played was Counter-Strike 2, as it serves as the ideal test for peripherals, since it demands fast and precise inputs.

I’ve been using gaming keyboards for years, and reviewed a great number of them, including other Keychron models as well as those from well-known brands like Razer, SteelSeries, and Corsair.

• First reviewed: August 2026
• Read more about how we test

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K: One-minute review

The Keychron K8 Ultra 8K is a wireless mechanical keyboard with an impressive spec that hopes to compete with the more premium offerings in the space.

It exhibits the brand’s typical design language, with its sizable keycaps and retro looks. The whole unit is black, save for some grey and green keycaps. To liven things up, it features some bright backlighting with plenty of customization options, although the keycap legends aren’t transparent, so it doesn’t illuminate them. This makes them harder to see in dark environments, which somewhat defeats the backlight’s purpose.

The board base is very thick, which means you have to angle your wrists considerably to reach the tall keys. It’s in dire need of wrist support, which is an oversight since a lot of the best keyboards come with a rest. It’s also quite heavy, thanks to its metal construction. This does help to keep it planted, though, and it’s as solid as you would expect it to be.

(Image credit: Future)

To customize the inputs of the K8 Ultra 8K, you’ll have to use Keychron’s Web Launcher. Here you’ll find a reasonable selection of rebinding options, and there’s also a basic but functional SOCD function for altering key priority. It’s a relatively easy app to use, and despite being web-based, it’s quick and responsive; I didn’t encounter any disruptive loading times during my time with it.

In action, the K8 Ultra 8K performs well. The keys are sufficiently damped, although some clickiness remains, which can be a little harsh at times, but mostly they’re satisfying to use. They’re snappy and responsive, too, while being forgiving of accidental nudges. The indents and shape of the keycaps are comfortable and offer a secure hold.

However, the switches of my review unit didn’t have the smoothest of motions. The keys are also spaced quite far apart, which can make reaching certain inputs a stretch. What’s more, the aforementioned angle your wrists are forced to adopt can lead to strain after short periods. I had no issues with connecting the K8 Ultra 8K via 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, and switching between them was quick and easy.

The K8 Ultra 8K is a reasonable price when you consider all that it offers. There are certainly much dearer mechanical keyboards, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, but there are also cheaper ones, such as the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra. However, the K8 Ultra 8K remains a solid choice if you like a substantial board — just pair it with a wrist rest.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Price & availability

• $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170)
• Available now in three switch types
• Good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard

The K8 Ultra 8K costs $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170) and is available now from Keychron’s website, with shipping rates varying according to region. It can be had with a choice of three switch types: Red, Brown, or Banana. It comes with a braided USB cable, several spare keycaps, and a keycap puller.

This is a good price for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable switches. Similar models from bigger names can cost considerably more, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%. However, the performance of that board is far superior, being perhaps the best mechanical keyboard I’ve ever tested. Its switches are a joy to press, while the companion software offers more customizations and tweaks.

If you’re after a more budget-friendly gaming keyboard, the MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra is hard to beat for value. It has a surprisingly high-quality design, while its analog switches feel almost as good as mechanical ones, with added actuation adjustments.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

Mechanical (Keychron Apex)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

14.1 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches (359 x 129 x 31mm)

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

(Image credit: Future)Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Design & features

• Retro look
• Solid, thick, and heavy
• Reasonable web app for customizations

The K8 Ultra 8K adopts Keychron's signature aesthetics, which is to say it has a thick base, tall keycaps, and a black colorway. However, there are a few grey peripheral keys, as well as a green Escape key, to add some contrast.

Allied to its thick chassis is a substantial weight. This helps the K8 Ultra 8K to stay planted, but makes it a chore to move around frequently. Build quality is also impressive, with its metal frame feeling as solid as you would expect it to feel, while the keycaps have only a hint of play.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s disappointing about them, though, is their opaque symbols. This means the vivid RGB backlighting doesn’t get a chance to shine through them; in fact, it can actively obscure them in dark environments, which defeats at least part of the backlighting’s purpose. Fortunately, it still shines through the spaces between the keys, and there are plenty of customizable patterns for it.

Like some other Keychron models, the K8 Ultra 8K’s USB port is located on the left side of the unit, rather than at the back. This is an interesting location and can help to reduce the cable interfering with deskspace, depending on your particular setup. The included cable’s jack protrudes slightly from the side, but since it’s L-shaped, it's actually quite discreet. This shape also helps the cable to naturally follow a path less intrusive to deskspace.

Keychron doesn’t offer a downloadable app for the K8 Ultra 8K; instead, you’ll have to use the Keychron Web Launcher via a browser. Quite often, such web apps can be slow and awkward, with frequent loading times and connectivity issues. However, I found Keychron’s fast and easy to use.

What’s more, it offers a reasonable amount of customization. Besides standard key assignments, there are quite a few shortcuts for various system commands and media controls. There’s also a SOCD feature with three different modes, as well as a section for altering the bounce (more commonly referred to as debounce) times of key presses and resets, with sliders for each ranging from 10ms to 50ms, with single millisecond increments selectable.

(Image credit: Future)Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Performance

• Tactile and damped switches
• Snappy yet forgiving
• Uncomfortable thickness

True to its mechanical nature, the K8 Ultra 8K is quite a satisfying board to use. The Brown Tactile switches in my review unit were sufficiently damped, though there was some clickiness to them. For the most part I liked this aspect, although hard presses can feel a little harsh. Worse is the roughness of their motion as they travel, which doesn’t feel particularly pleasant. Fortunately, this doesn't completely sap the joy out of presses, and it didn’t affect my performance in any significant way.

The switches are also quite snappy, requiring only a light touch to actuate. Better yet, they’re forgiving at the same time: whenever I accidentally grazed a key I didn’t intend to hit, often it wouldn’t register. This combination makes it ideal for fast typing.

(Image credit: Future)

The keycaps themselves are comfortable, thanks to their ergonomic indents, which also provide security. This comfort extends to the space bar, which I could easily hit flush when in the WASD position. That’s not something I can say about every space bar I’ve experienced.

Less comfortable, however, is the wide spacing of the keys. I often welcome this aspect, but I found it too great on the K8 Ultra 8K. Reaching certain keys was a stretch, especially when touch typing, or when trying to reach certain peripheral keys such as R and T when gaming in the WASD position.

The aforementioned thickness of the chassis also creates issues. Combined with the tall keycaps, this means you have to angle your wrists to a large degree, and what’s more I frequently caught my fingers on the edges of keys as I glided around them when typing. I’m not sure I’ve come across a keyboard in more desperate need of wrist support.

On the issue of connectivity, I had no qualms with the K8 Ultra 8K. It connected to my Windows PCs with ease via both Bluetooth and the 2.4GHz dongle. Hot-switching between these devices was also quick and easy, merely requiring the flick of switch on the side of the unit.

Should I buy the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The K8 Ultra 8K is keenly priced for a hot-swappable wireless mechanical keyboard with an 8K polling rate.

4.5 / 5

Design and features

Thick, heavy, and solidly made. The web app is functional, but the opaque keycaps are a misstep.

4 / 5

Performance

The Brown switches in my review unit weren’t the smoothest, but they still performed well. You really need to use this board with a wrist rest to make it comfortable.

3.5 / 5

Overall

The K8 Ultra 8K is well-priced for a wireless mechanical keyboard. Its performance isn’t as smooth as I would’ve liked, and you really need to use it with a wrist rest, but it’s still one to consider given its customizable hardware.

4 / 5

Buy it if…

You’re on a budget
There aren’t many keyboards offering better value for money than this, thanks to its high spec and relatively low price point.

You want a solid build
This thick metal frame is certainly sturdy, as are the keycaps and switches.

Don't buy it if…

You have short fingers
Reaching certain keys can be a stretch, owing to the wide spacing between them.

You like a low profile
The tall keycaps and thick chassis can easily put strain upon your wrists, so ideally you need support.

Keychron K8 Ultra 8K review: Also consider

MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra
Another great value keyboard, the FUN60 Ultra is just as well put together as the K8 Ultra 8K. It uses magnetic analog switches rather than mechanical ones, but they feel just as tactile while offering adjustable actuation and other analog features. Read our full MonsGeek FUN60 Ultra review.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%
For the supreme mechanical experience, you can’t do much better than the BlackWidow. This is just about the best mechanical keyboard I’ve ever used, thanks to its excellent performance and build quality. There are also plenty of input customizations available via Razer’s Synapse software. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron K8 Ultra 8K

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Plentiful keyboard experience

I tested the K8 Ultra 8K for a few days, during which time I used it for gaming, working, and general browsing.

One of the games I played was Counter-Strike 2, as it serves as the ideal test for peripherals, since it demands fast and precise inputs.

I’ve been using gaming keyboards for years, and reviewed a great number of them, including other Keychron models as well as those from well-known brands like Razer, SteelSeries, and Corsair.

• First reviewed: August 2026
• Read more about how we test

Using an app lock on your phone adds a layer of security for sensitive data past your main lock screen.

• Chinese researchers built an AI targeting infrared traces from F-22 and F-35 engines
• Flare decoys reportedly fail to fool this heat-based recognition model
• Lab tests show recognition accuracy above 90 percent for simulated targets

Chinese researchers have claimed a lightweight AI system can identify heat signatures resembling those of F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters.

The F-22 and F-35 are designed to make enemy detection and tracking more difficult, particularly by reducing their visibility to radar and other sensors.

That makes any technology capable of recognizing their remaining infrared signatures potentially important for detecting aircraft built around stealth.

AI recognition focuses on aircraft heat

Unlike radar-based detection, infrared systems look for heat produced by an aircraft's engines, exhaust, and heated surfaces during flight.

The researchers claim that AI can analyze those patterns and distinguish simulated F-22 and F-35 signatures from other airborne objects.

Pilots often use flares to confuse conventional heat-seeking sensors during an engagement.

However, the researchers say that aircraft-generated heat differs from flare emissions, giving an AI system another basis for separating an aircraft from decoys.

The researchers tested their recognition model using simulated targets representing the thermal characteristics associated with F-22 and F-35 aircraft.

According to the study's lead author, the approach is intended to combine rapid processing with sufficient recognition capability for missile applications.

“Lightweight recognition models could become widely used in future air-to-air missiles because they can provide high-speed recognition while maintaining strong identification capabilities,” said An Jiangshan, first author of the study.

Laboratory testing reportedly produced recognition accuracy exceeding 90%, although operational performance against real aircraft remains unverified.

That distinction matters because real aircraft generate changing thermal patterns under different speeds, altitudes, maneuvering conditions, and environmental circumstances.

The researchers also describe the system as lightweight, suggesting that its computing requirements could be suitable for missile-mounted hardware with limited space and processing capacity.

Limits remain around real-world performance

Stealth aircraft are designed primarily to reduce radar visibility, but infrared emissions remain an important consideration for infrared-guided weapons.

Heat-seeking missiles already use infrared sensors, while machine-learning systems could potentially assist those sensors with identifying complex thermal patterns.

However, the reported research does not establish that the system can reliably track operational F-22 or F-35 aircraft under combat conditions.

Actual engagements would introduce atmospheric conditions, changing viewing angles, aircraft maneuvers, background temperatures, and electronic countermeasures that laboratory testing may not fully reproduce.

Even without proving the system can defeat operational aircraft, the research points toward a growing challenge for American stealth platforms.

The United States cannot assume that reducing radar visibility will remain sufficient as AI systems become better at recognizing infrared patterns.

Future F-22 and F-35 upgrades could therefore require greater attention to heat management, exhaust signatures and other infrared characteristics.

The same concern applies to future stealth bombers, which could face increasingly capable AI-assisted infrared sensors.

Stealth designs may need to consider how machine-learning systems interpret heat patterns rather than simply minimizing the strength of those emissions.

That could become increasingly important as lightweight AI processors become easier to integrate into missiles and other airborne weapons.

American defence planners have little reason to wait until such systems demonstrate their capabilities during actual combat.

Via SCMP

The electric SUV gets the 1,070-hp powertrain from Lucid’s Sapphire super sports sedan.

• Iran has destroyed dozens of Reapers, exposing America's costly drone vulnerability
• Forty-five Reapers lost represents roughly one-quarter of America's pre-war fleet
• Washington is buying replacement Reapers as battlefield losses continue mounting

The United States has lost roughly a quarter of its entire MQ-9 Reaper drone fleet during its war with Iran, new reports have claimed.

The Washington Post notes approximately 45 of these unmanned aircraft were destroyed in the conflict - which represents about 25% of the fleet, which numbered approximately 185 units before fighting began.

The report comes as the US slowly realizes how Iran's air defense network became the central challenge facing the Reaper throughout sustained operations near its territory.

Why Iran's defenses inflicted huge losses on the US

The MQ-9 Reaper is a remotely operated aircraft built by General Atomics for surveillance and precision strike missions - it can remain airborne for approximately 24 hours and operate at altitudes reaching around 13,000 metres.

Its weapons include AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Mark 82 guided bombs, allowing one aircraft to conduct reconnaissance and strikes.

These drones fly at relatively low speeds and altitudes, leaving them exposed to ground-based interception systems.

Some aircraft were lost not in flight but while sitting on U.S. military bases during Iranian strikes.

Intensive Reaper use over Iran and near the Strait of Hormuz drove much of the attrition.

Replacing these losses quickly has proven difficult, since building new Reapers requires considerable time and resources.

A single MQ-9 Reaper system can cost up to $30 million, pushing total losses past $1.3 billion.

The US military must also continue supplying drones for other ongoing operations happening elsewhere simultaneously.

Because of this strain, Washington has already resorted to purchasing remaining Reapers from General Atomics' existing stockpiles.

The MQ-9 Reaper serves reconnaissance and strike roles for several allied nations.

Current operators include Belgium, the United Kingdom, Denmark, India, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, France, and Japan.

Wider pressure on America's weapons stockpiles

These drone losses form part of a broader pattern affecting U.S. ammunition and interceptor stockpiles during the conflict.

Iran has used the 358 air-defense missiles, which have an estimated cost of $20,000 to $90,000 per missile.

Even if Iran fired 100 of these missiles at one MQ-9 Reaper, the total expenditure would reach only $2 million to $9 million.

With each Reaper costing tens of millions of dollars, such an exchange would still leave Iran with a substantial financial advantage.

Washington appears to have underestimated how quickly prolonged confrontation with Iran could consume its air-defense interceptors.

The Pentagon declined to comment specifically on Reaper losses and consistently denies that its stockpiles are running low.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disputed recent reports claiming military commanders had flagged critically low interceptor stockpiles.

Regardless of that dispute, the Pentagon has pressed defense contractors to accelerate production of critical weapons systems.

Amid mounting losses, the United States has also begun searching for cheaper drones deployable in far larger numbers.

Such alternatives could reduce the financial and strategic cost of losing individual, expensive aircraft during future engagements.

Whether these cheaper alternatives can match the Reaper's endurance and weapons capacity remains an open, unresolved question.

A federal judge's decision in Texas has major implications for the National Firearms Act. What does this mean for certain guns and other weapons?

(Image credit: PATRICK T. FALLON)

The ideas that we take for granted in today's computing landscape were once all original thoughts that somebody had to devise and implement out of nothing. Both Apple and Microsoft were pioneering companies in this space, but not all great ideas that stuck necessarily came from either company.

Best of frenemies

When word got out that Bill Gates had announced Windows for the first time at the Comdex trade show, Steve Jobs was furious and asked for a face-to-face meeting.

Quote of the day

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

According to an account from Apple's designer of Macintosh system software, Andy Hertzfeld, Jobs "went ballistic" upon learning that Microsoft's new mouse-based system had made its debut.

The two companies had agreed a staggered release – with Windows only allowed to launch in 1983, a year after Mac. Because Mac had been delayed, and that possibility was never defined in their 1981 agreement, Microsoft was still within its rights to launch Windows.

Jobs felt this was a stolen idea anyway and that it represented a betrayal of a fragile partnership. In this meeting, Hertzfeld wrote, Gates simply pointed out the fundamental idea wasn't either of theirs – and that the terms of a 1981 agreement still held up.

North star

Gates' witty quote underlines the frosty relationship that he shared with Jobs throughout their careers, until they buried the hatchet a couple of decades later.

This conflict originated when Jobs recruited Microsoft to be the first software developer for the Macintosh. Both companies, at this point, had exposure to the ideas being developed at Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) – especially the mouse-based system the company's engineers had refined. For instance, Xerox Star was a highly influential predecessor operating system.

Microsoft didn't shift a working version of Windows until almost two years later, and, according to Hertzfeld, it was just as crude as Jobs had predicted. When Microsoft launched a version of Windows in 1988 that Jobs deemed good enough, he sued Microsoft for copyright infringement but lost on a technicality.

Heading back to school and decided this is the year you hit the ground running with your studies? You'll want to equip yourself with the right kit to set yourself up for success. I'm talking about the little extras that will help you focus and improve your efficiency, whether you're studying in your dorm or out and about. Below, I've rounded up nine gadgets designed for just that — and all of them come in under $50.

For studying on the go, a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones will help nix background sounds, and a good power bank will ensure your gadgets don't run out of juice at an annoying time. Staying physically healthy is essential to keep your brain running at its best, so I've included a smart band to help you keep an eye on your sleep and fitness habits. You'll also find remote working peripherals like a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard, which can make a huge difference to your comfort and efficiency levels when working on a laptop.

Read on for my sub-$50 study essentials — hit the 'View details' button to find out more about that product. And if you haven't sorted out your big tech purchases yet, we also have a guide to the best laptops for students.

Productivity essentials

Loop Experience 2 ear plugs

Soundcore Q20i Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

Logitech POP Mouse

Read our full review

Pros

• Satisfying clicks
• Good customizations
• Easy three-way switching

Cons

• No side buttons
• No wired or 2.4GHz wireless
• No rechargeable battery

Amazon Echo Dot (newest Model)

JBL Go 5 Bluetooth speaker

Read our full review

Pros

• Great sound for its size
• Attractive edge lighting
• Highly waterproof and durable

Cons

• Can be beaten for battery life
• Limited bass due to compact form
• Can't change color of the lights

Xiaomi Smart Band 10

Read our full review

Pros

• Lots of fitness modes
• Handy lifestyle features
• Still very cheap

Cons

• Weak clasp
• Price increase over predecessor
• Limited upgrades

UGREEN Uno 10000mAH Magnetic Power Bank

Soundpeats Clip1

Read our full review

Pros

• Fantastic listening test
• Comfortable build
• Competitive value

Cons

• Low max volume
• Cheap-feeling case
• Touch control issues

Logitech K380 pebble keys keyboard

Read our full review

Pros

• Comfortable to type on
• Thin and compact
• Great, useful shortcuts
• Arrow keys are great

Cons

• Surprisingly cheap
• Keys might be too small for some
• Not rechargeable

Bump up the budget...

Got a slightly higher budget? These are the back-to-school extras I'd recommend in the $60-$100 price bracket...

Samsung Galaxy Fit3

Read our full review

Pros

• One of the cheapest trackers
• Bright and responsive touchscreen
• Accurate heart rate readings

Cons

• Doesn't work with iPhone
• Deep stats only viewable on app
• Uncomfortable sensor

Nothing Ear (a)

Read our full review

Pros

• Fun, zealous, expansive sound
• Vastly improved active noise cancellation
• Smaller, more pocketable case

Cons

• No wireless charging support
• No flagship sound profile curation

ASUS ROG Harpe Ace Mini

Read our full review

Pros

• Excellent performance
• Discreet aesthetic
• Small, comfortable size

Cons

• Small size isn’t for everyone
• High price
• Scroll wheel is a bit stiff

Anker 87W 20000mAh Power Bank

Read our full review

Pros

• Large power output
• Well-made
• Integrated USB-C cable

Cons

• Some rivals are smaller
• Unnecessarily powerful for many
• Display lacks detailed information

Instant Pot 4QT Vortex Plus 6-In-1 Mini Air Fryer

CMF Headphone Pro

Read our full review

Pros

• Excellent hearing tests; unexpected at the level
• Emotive, circumaural sound
• Exemplary battery life

Cons

• ANC isn't amazing
• Energy slider feels a tad gimmicky
• No hard carry case or USB-C charger in the box

Sony WH-CH720 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones

Read our full review

Pros

• Great sound balance
• Lots of detail in audio
• Effective noise cancellation
• Full of useful features

Cons

• Sound feels constrained
• Noise cancellation leaks in low sounds
• Plastic feels a little cheap

The family of a Palestinian-American man remain holed up in his West Bank home for more than a week, after Israeli settlers laid siege to the house and the Israeli army then turned it into a closed military area.

• A Florida company has moved from printing furniture to manufacturing military drone boats
• Haddy built its latest unmanned boat using giant robotic 3D printers
• The company completed an earlier autonomous vessel project in nine days

Haddy, a digital manufacturing company in St. Petersburg, Florida, has produced a military drone boat using large-format robotic 3D printing.

The company announced the vessel, called the TF-179 Drone Boat, but did not name the customer behind the project.

Haddy started in 2022 building custom furniture and architectural pieces before shifting much of its focus toward defense manufacturing.

A rapid build process

The St. Petersburg facility spans roughly 30,000 square feet (about 2,800 square meters) and houses eight large-format CEAD printing systems.

Seven of those machines run on rails, extending their reach to produce unusually large single-piece components without seams.

Haddy previously used this process to print a carbon-fiber-reinforced hull for HavocAI, delivering a testable vessel from design to sea trial within nine days.

"The maritime industry is redefining how vessels are designed and manufactured," Haddy said in a company statement announcing the TF-179 vessel.

Haddy released photographs of the finished TF-179 vessel alongside its statement but offered no details about the boat's intended mission.

Demand for small, expendable maritime drones has surged across the U.S. defense industry over roughly the past year, according to the company.

A shift in Naval strategy

Haddy has also partnered with Blue Ops, the maritime drone division of Red Cat Holdings, to help double production capacity for uncrewed surface vessels.

Blue Ops sells those drone boats to U.S. and allied militaries as smaller, cheaper alternatives to traditional crewed patrol vessels.

Haddy was founded by Jay Rogers, a former Marine and Princeton graduate who previously led a similar 3D-printing venture called Local Motors.

The company opened what it describes as the world's largest 3D printing facility, based on total throughput and machine count, in April 2025.

This trend toward faster, cheaper naval hardware follows direct lessons drawn from Ukraine's ongoing war against Russia in the Black Sea.

Inexpensive, remotely piloted drone boats have repeatedly damaged or destroyed far more expensive warships belonging to Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Even in Iran, swarms of very cheap Iranian drones have been used to track expensive aircraft, some of which were eventually brought down, including a $60 million U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle and multiple $30 million MQ-9 Reaper drones.

These outcomes have pushed American and allied defense planners to prioritize speed and volume over the years-long timelines of traditional shipbuilding.

Small, disposable drone boats can be replaced and redesigned far more quickly than a single multimillion-dollar warship ever could.

Robotic additive manufacturing fits into that calculus because Haddy can adjust a vessel's design digitally and print a new version within days.

Conventional shipbuilding for crewed naval vessels can take years to complete, a pace defense planners increasingly view as too slow for today's threats.

Battlefield requirements have shifted quickly in recent naval conflicts stretching from the Black Sea to the Middle East, adding pressure on manufacturers.

Haddy has not said whether the TF-179 design will be adapted for other military customers beyond the still-unnamed client behind this particular order.

Whether this printed approach can match the durability and long-term reliability of conventionally built naval vessels remains to be seen.

Via Defence Blog

Choosing between Android and iOS? I’m here to help you decide between the $1,199 iPhone 17 Pro Max and the brand-new $1,299 Pixel 11 Pro XL.

If you have a dispute with the e-commerce giant, you’ll have to hash it out through an individual claim with a third-party arbitrator.

A federal prosecutor who was fired earlier this year is suing the DOJ, alleging she was unlawfully dismissed for political reasons tied to her work prosecuting a case against anti-abortion activists.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

• Firefox’s iOS app comes with a new built-in ad blocker
• It stops all kinds of ads, but there are some exceptions
• The move could convince me to finally switch from Safari

I’ve been a loyal Firefox user for 20 years now, but that’s only been true for the desktop app. Despite Firefox being one of the best web browsers around, I’ve resolutely stuck with Safari on my iPhone — but a new Firefox feature could finally convince me to make the switch on mobile.

In a support document, Firefox developer Mozilla explains that its browser now comes with an “experimental” ad blocker that is based on the EasyList filter, allowing Firefox to “block many ads before they load.”

The ad blocker puts a stop to a variety of advertising types. That includes third-party advertising networks, ad-related trackers, third-party ads served on websites, and more intrusive formats such as pop-ups and overlays.

The feature is being rolled out gradually and is disabled by default, but you can enable it by opening Firefox, tapping the '…' button, then selecting Settings. From there, go to Browsing and enable the toggle next to Ad Blocker. Alternatively, you can enable it by opening the app menu when browsing a web page.

It’s worth noting that there are a couple of exceptions to what the feature blocks. For one thing, it won’t stop sponsored content on the Firefox Home or New Tab pages, nor will it block search engine ads, as these are both sources of income for Mozilla.

As well as that, Mozilla warns that some ads might slip through the net because “some websites serve ads in ways that are not covered by the current filter list".

Finally making the switch

(Image credit: Mozilla)

Although Safai on iOS can block website pop-ups, it doesn’t have a built-in ad blocker and requires you to use a third-party extension if you want to shut down annoying ads. With Firefox gaining this functionality natively, Mozilla has given its browser a leg up over the competition — and has given me a strong reason to switch.

And since I’m a strong believer in user privacy — its robust privacy stance is one reason why I’ve stuck with Firefox for so long — this is exactly the type of feature that appeals to me. Given how invasive ads and trackers are, blocking them is a priority for me.

I’ve long stuck with Safari due to inertia. I have a lot of tabs open on Apple’s browser and don’t want to lose most of them. But with my beloved Firefox adding a built-in ad blocker on iOS, tab hoarding feels like a bad reason to stick with Safari.

Now could be the time to finally kick that inertia and make the switch. If you hate website ads and want to look out for your privacy, Firefox just gave you a great reason to give it a try.

Oracle AI Database@AWS expands to 22 regions and adds a pay-per-use Exadata option, giving enterprises more flexibility for cloud database migrations.

The post Oracle and AWS Expand Database Partnership With Exadata Service and 22-Region Footprint appeared first on TechRepublic.

One trillion dollar bills could wrap around the Earth almost three times, which means the $1.4T in fines Meta could face if it loses the huge, multi-state lawsuit arguing that the company's social media and the technology behind it encouraged addictive use in teens is more than enough financial rope to potentially squeeze it into submission or worse.

Opening arguments in the case kick off tomorrow (August 18), with Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri expected to testify.

The suit[PDF], which is in some ways the culmination of numerous cases against Meta and its alleged practices, comes on the heels of multiple legal setbacks for Meta. In March, Meta lost a case in LA Superior Court and was, along with YouTube, found negligent in causing a 20-year-old's mental health issues. That ruling came a day after Meta lost a similar case in New Mexico. Just a few weeks ago, the company was ordered to pay almost half a billion dollars after Meta's platforms were found to be, at least according to New Mexico law, a public nuisance.

This latest case, though, might not only change the face of social media but also seriously hamper Meta's ability to function.

As in other cases, AGs across 32 US states argue that Meta has used its technology to hook teens (and younger), lock them into using the platforms, and then, it argues, ignored the potential harms.

Here's how the lawsuit puts it:

"Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains," and "it has ignored the sweeping damage these Platforms have caused to the mental and physical health of our nation’s youth. In doing so, Meta engaged in, and continues to engage in, deceptive and unlawful conduct in violation of state and federal law."

Meta, which has spent the last few years updating its parental controls across all its platforms and marketing those changes to the public, calls the AGs' claims "unsubstantiated" and the potential penalties "vastly disproportionate."

It then adds:

"The AGs offer no proof anyone in their states was misled, claim benign features like having an additional Instagram account somehow harmed their residents, and attempt to penalize Meta for industry-wide challenges like age verification. Rather than sticking to the facts or the law, the states have instead decided to chase an outlandish payout. We stand by our record of creating strong protections for teens, and look forward to making our case in court."

So there you have, in a nutshell, the two sides, but while Meta is putting on a strong front, I don't imagine Zuckerberg and Mosseri will enter the courtroom feeling particularly confident about their chances.

The changing social media landscape

Ever since prosecutors shifted their efforts from trying to prove that Meta and other social media companies were responsible for the online content that appears on their platforms to how each company built these systems and all the ways they engineered them to keep us swiping and engaged, they've been on a winning streak.

And that's probably because it's more provable.

During the golden age of social media, when it was Facebook versus YouTube, versus Twitter, versus Snap, there was no more important metric than monthly active users. Meta (formerly just called Facebook) often touted user numbers and how growth was spreading around the globe. When Facebook surpassed 1 billion global users, Zuckerberg said the milestone was "amazing, humbling and by far the thing I am most proud of in my life.”

That scale also built Meta's value, since it could monetize those eyeballs through ads. It's no secret that, no matter your age, the more time you spend on the platform, the more ads you see and the more money Meta makes.

Even though Facebook's early format was more or less a meritocracy of content, it shifted in 2007 with visual updates organized by Edgerank, a basic algorithm that ranked content based on interactions, what you were likely to look at, and ongoing popularity.

More sophisticated algorithms followed, essentially feeding you more and more of what you'd most likely want to see or would like (to the exclusion of other content), helping further extend time on Facebook and Instagram. It's only in recent years that Meta has given users control of some of those algorithms so they could tailor the content of their feeds.

Of course, that's the current environment, and while these lawsuits want to force more changes, like the end of endless scrolls, their main contention is that Meta built its platforms to addict users and then, they claim, ignored warning signs (even within the company) that Instagram and Facebook might be harming youth and teens.

The intent wasn't harm but was it neglect?

I've never believed Meta intended to harm anyone, but I am convinced its top priority was growing the platform, and it used every tool at its disposal to do it.

It's also incontrovertible that some children and teens have been harmed by social media (Meta is not alone in this). Even Zuckerberg appears to agree with this in some form.

During a 2024 congressional hearing over social media's alleged harms, Zuckerberg (and other social media CEOs) stood up, turned to face parents in the gallery, and offered this apology:

"I’m sorry for everything you have all been through. No one should go through the things that your families have suffered, and this is why we invest so much, and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer.”

It appeared to be an admission, if not of wrongdoing, that perhaps Meta and other social media companies had not done enough to protect young people on their platforms.

I don't expect an apology this time. Instead, Zuckerberg and Mosseri will offer a full-throated defense and, as noted, bring up all the ways these platforms have adjusted to give parents and teens more control.

Even so, Meta could lose, and if so, the AGs will see that $1.4T penalty, which, unsurprisingly, more or less matches the company's current market capitalization.

A loss could push Meta into a difficult financial situation that might result, if not in closure or bankruptcy, at least in a fundamental change in how it operates online. Imagine, for instance, having to pay a monthly subscription fee to use Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, or, at the least, Meta introducing an ad-free subscription tier. Prices of the VR hardware could go up.

Finally, Meta might abandon children and teens as a potential market and shift its marketing efforts to adults only.

That seems unlikely, but I promise you a loss will trigger some kind of change.

Meta will ultimately sense if and when the case is slipping away from it and get to work on an out-of-court settlement. It'll still pay, but instead of over a trillion dollars, it'll be, say, $2 billion or so, devoted to supporting mental health services for teens, and some money parceled out to Meta's billions of US-based users.

That should mark the end of this chapter...until the next lawsuit.