Apple has introduced a new format for head-tracking spatial audio: ASAF. Apple Spatial Audio Format promises "truly immersive audio experiences" and was unveiled quietly at last week's WWDC 2025 event – not in the keynote, but in a session for app developers.
As FlatpanelsHD explains, there are two components here: ASAF, which is used in audio and video production to position audio elements in a three-dimensional space, and APAC (Apple Positional Audio Codec), which is the codec that's used to deliver it.
If you're thinking "not another audio format" you're not alone: Samsung and Google are promoting Eclipsa Audio as a Dolby Atmos rival, too.
However, Apple's both is and isn't a Dolby Atmos rival – FlatpanelsHD reports that Dolby Atmos can be delivered within Apple's new format, which is then able to add some additional spatial audio tricks on top of it. So this appears to be less about replacing Atmos than expanding… though providing an alternative could be a big part of Apple's plan.
(Image credit: Apple)What does ASAF mean for the future of audio?That's a very good question, because at the moment ASAF is for Apple devices: tvOS, iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS. The iPhone 16 able to be used to capture ASAF audio, and that ease of capture is probably something to pay attention to.
Initially, according to Apple's presentation, it looks like the focus – pun very much intended – is on the visionOS headset. Apple has mandated the use of APAC with all Immersive Video titles, although the codec can be used as a container for Dolby Atmos data instead of ASAF if the creator is already using that format.
The idea with ASAF's extra 3D skills are that they can alter the spatial sound not just based on your own head tracking and positioning, but also based on the virtual environment you're in, changing elements such as the volume and reverb to make the sound seem like it matches the world you're in. So you can see why it goes beyond Dolby Atmos, which just assume you're sitting still in the center of a virtual theater.
However, a further appeal here may not be technical; it may be financial. Dolby Atmos requires royalty payments from producers, and Samsung told us that one of the goals of Eclipsa Audio was in part to ensure that smaller-scale content creators could create and deliver spatial audio videos easily as well.
Apple may be able to offer a similar approach: where previously it kept its formats proprietary, it's become more open in recent years and its Apple Lossless Audio Codec dropped its royalty scheme back in 2011. ASAF can apparently be created using industry-standard software and plugins.
The APAC codec reportedly works at bitrates as low as 64kbps and maxes out at 768kbps, which may seem low, is the same maximum bitrate that Apple, Netflix and others use to stream Dolby Atmos at the moment, so it'll match current quality standards.
You might also likeJames Gunn has confirmed who'll play the villain in Supergirl – and opened up on the importance of Jason Momoa's Lobo in the forthcoming DC Universe (DCU) movie.
In a broad-ranging interview on episode 15 of the official DC Studios podcast, Gunn revealed that Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts will portray Krem.
For the uninitiated: Krem is the Big Bad in 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow', an eight-part graphic novel series that the second DCU film, which releases on June 26, 2026, is heavily inspired by. In fact, the movie bore the title of its comic book namesake until very recently, with Gunn admitting Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow was now known by its much simpler and cleaner title Supergirl.
But back to Krem. Last October, Deadline claimed Schoenaerts had been cast as the movie's terrifying antagonist, but it's only now that Gunn has admitted The Regime and Amsterdam star is part of its cast. For more details on everyone else you'll see in Kara Zor-El's first feature film outing in over 40 years (the first, 1984's Supergirl, is available to stream on Max, FYI) , check out my dedicated Supergirl guide.
Krem is the central antagonist of Superman: Woman of Tomorrow and the DCU movie it's influenced (Image credit: DC Comics)That's not the only interesting information that Gunn discussed. Indeed, the DC Studios co-chief also provided more details on why Milly Alcock was cast as Supergirl, how director Craig Gillespie positively fought to include certain scenes in the superhero flick, and the initial text that Jason Momoa sent to Gunn to persuade him to let Momoa play Lobo.
It's a continuation of that final conversation that'll pique the interest of DC devotees. Indeed, as co-host/comic book expert Coy Jandreau mentioned during the podcast's latest installment, the original draft for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow's eight-part literary series was set to feature the immortal, motorbike-riding bounty hunter. Tom King, who wrote the graphic novel, confirmed this was the case in an interview with ComicBook.com in February 2023.
The invulnerable mercenary known as Lobo will have a small but important role in Supergirl (Image credit: DC Comics)Given Lobo was due to appear in King and Bilquis Evely's comic book series before he was eventually cut from the story, plus the fact that Momoa will play the last surviving Czarnian in Supergirl, Landreau asked if the forthcoming DCU Chapter One film would incorporate "some of the [comics'] original draft ideas" concerning how Lobo fits into the story that Supergirl will tell.
"Woman of Tomorrow, in the comics, is a bunch of little stories," Gunn said, "And we needed to create one through-line, one three-act, more traditional story. So, Lobo helps us to do that.
"It's not an amalgamation of him and Krem," Gunn added about rumors that Lobo and Krem would somehow be combined into a single character. "He [Lobo] is a totally separate character. I love Lobo. I always thought he was a great character to adapt and, maybe, in some way, the biggest comic book character that's never been in a film. So, I think it was a cool thing to do [include him in Supergirl], yeah."
Are you happy that Lobo is in Supergirl? And what do you make of Schoenaerts playing its main villain? Let me know in the comments.
You might also likeTech giants are locked in an arms race to dominate AI-powered ecommerce. At Google I/O, we saw a preview of AI Mode in Search – a search experience where agents recommend products, populate visual panels, and complete purchases.
Next up is Apple’s WWDC, where the company is expected to provide an update on Apple Intelligence, but is believed to be taking a more incremental approach to AI in contrast to the rapid-fire rollouts from other companies racing to define the future of ecommerce.
These developer conferences, previously intended for insiders and engineers, are now mainstream moments because they’re shaping the future of shopping in real time.
Beneath the product demos and flashy interfaces, there’s a problem: today’s internet was counterintuitively built for humans, not machines.
AI Search Is Running on Outdated InfrastructureThe web we use today is a patchwork of skimmable layouts and visual cues meant to guide people, not machines, through a shopping experience. AI agents don’t browse like people do, and they need structured metadata with real-time pricing, inventory and clear product attributes.
When the data is inconsistent, unstructured, or breadcrumbed across interactions, AI agents struggle to extract meaning or skip over it entirely. This means that for brands and shoppers products could become harder to find with AI, even if they are the best choice.
As AI-driven search platforms increasingly mediate product discovery, brands are losing visibility, traffic, and the ability to influence how they show up in the customer journey. The internet isn’t being rebuilt for AI, it’s being retrofitted. Many new interfaces look advanced on the surface but are layered over brittle, outdated infrastructure that machines struggle to understand.
Discovery Is DisappearingWe’re already seeing the early signals. Traffic from generative AI sources increased by 1,200% between July 2024 and February 2025, reflecting increased interest from consumers turning to AI tools for product discovery. The wave is arriving, but most brands aren’t yet positioned to take advantage of it because their websites aren’t designed to continue the AI user journey. Interfaces and product data often aren’t structured for agent interactions or optimized for LLM workflows.
Google’s AI Overviews can siphon off up to 64% of organic traffic, depending on the industry. It’s a dramatic shift in how discovery happens. For brands, it means fewer clicks, fewer opportunities for engagement, and far less control over how they're presented in the shopping journey.
As consumers increasingly use AI agents for shopping and product recommendations, they’ll discover a narrower range of brands and products. Those that are optimized will be more easily found because AI models prefer sources that provide clean, well-structured, commerce-ready data like real-time pricing, inventory, and agentic checkout capabilities.
Without that data, AI agents may surface outdated or absent production information, forcing shoppers back into traditional, clunky checkout processes. The brands that proactively become AI-friendly will significantly benefit, making the path forward clear for their shoppers.
Some platforms are starting to recognize the problem. Shopify’s new Catalog API gives agents access to structured product data, making it easier to surface listings in agent-led environments like Perplexity. The API improves visibility, but not interactivity. One way infrastructure allows agents to access existing product data like descriptions and pricing, but the interaction ends there.
Two-way systems enable brands to proactively influence the experience, maybe by offering a discount, surfacing related products or offering free shipping depending on the customer interaction. Without two-way systems, brands will lose out on the control and context they’re accustomed to having.
What Brands Stand to LoseAI innovation moves too quickly for brands to rely on incremental website updates. New model capabilities and consumer expectations emerge weekly, and without a flexible foundation built for constant adaptation, brands risk permanently falling behind.
Brands depend on search as the backbone of their visibility strategy to reach shoppers. Organic and paid search drove up to 80% of website traffic until Google’s AI overviews launched a year ago. Now, with AI Mode, agents are changing how information is retrieved and displayed, threatening not just traffic but the entire infrastructure of how brands reach, understand, and convert consumers.
This amounts to more than a visibility problem. As AI agents handle more of the customer journey, brands are losing the direct connections they’ve spent years building and the rich data that comes along with it: No more behavioral signals, preference data, or owned loyalty loops. When agents become the interface, the relationship gets rewritten.
Without traffic to their own websites, they forfeit first-party analytics, personalized engagement, and long-term insight into customer behavior. Without clear data connections, they can't optimize experiences, measure ROI, or retain relevance. And without direct visibility, even brand affinity is at risk of erosion. In an AI-mediated internet, consumer choice gets collapsed into a single output. Unless a brand is structurally positioned to appear in that output, it might as well not exist.
A Programmatic Commerce LayerThis demands intelligent infrastructure. Brands should already be thinking about how they present their product information to make it legible to two important audiences: people and machines. Structured, real-time data is not optimization. It’s the baseline requirement for visibility, participation, and growth in an AI-first ecosystem.
In the AI internet, new subdomains like ai.brandname.com serve as intelligent storefronts that can serve both human customers and AI agents in one unified experience. Unlike traditional websites, which are updated piecemeal and built for human browsing, AI storefronts are built for speed, natural language, and agent-friendly architecture.
It’s time to rebuild nowBrands know they’re losing clicks, but the big picture is that they’re losing the ability to participate in the next era of commerce. AI agents are rewriting the script for how discovery and conversion happen; brands that aren’t structurally visible won’t be outcompeted, they’ll be invisible. In the AI internet, visibility is engineered. This starts with rebuilding digital storefronts for humans and machines.
We list the best website monitoring software.
This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we 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/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro
Krispy Kreme has revealed exactly what details were exposed in the breach that hit the donut company in November 2024.
161,676 people were affected by the breach, with most being staff and their family members, the company has said in a filing with Maine's Office of the Attorney General.
The breach saw a very wide range of sensitive information stolen, putting many of the victims at risk of credit fraud, identity theft, and more.
A hole lot of dataThe full list of data stolen in the breach includes:
While not everyone involved will have had all of the above data leaked, it does illustrate just how important it is to properly protect sensitive information, especially when it comes to credit card and payment details.
It appears that all of the data may have been lumped into a single database, making it far easier for the attackers to steal such a trove of information.
The victims were offered 12 months of credit monitoring and identity theft protection, which has become tradition for large companies hit by sensitive data breaches.
Krispy Kreme now shows a statement laying out the details of the data breach, “On November 29, 2024, Krispy Kreme became aware of unauthorized activity on a portion of its information technology systems. Upon learning of the unauthorized activity, we immediately began taking steps to investigate, contain, and remediate the incident with the assistance of leading cybersecurity experts.”
“On May 22, 2025, our investigation into the incident determined that certain personal information was affected. There is no evidence that the information has been misused, and we are not aware of any reports of identity theft or fraud as a direct result of this incident. This notification has not been delayed as the result of a law enforcement investigation,” the statement says.
There is no confirmation on who was behind the breach, but immediately following Krispy Kreme’s disclosure, the Play ransomware gang claimed responsibility.
BleepingComputer claims the Play gang claimed the allegedly stolen files contain "private and personal confidential data, client documents, budget, payroll, accounting, contracts, taxes, IDs, finance information," and more - but did not provide any proof of its activity.
You might also likeA new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, June 20 (game #740).
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #741) - today's words(Image credit: New York Times)Today's NYT Connections words are…
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #741) - hint #2 - group answersWhat are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #741) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Connections, game #741, are…
I made harder work of this than I probably needed to, but in fairness the NYT did throw in some classic misdirection today, with FIRM seemingly going with SOLID, SQUAT and STOUT, in my head at least, when really it was THICK that I was looking for to complete the yellow STOCKY group.
Surprisingly, I got purple first. This was a clever one, with GERM, LUXE, MALT and PORT all forming the starts of European nations – Germany, Luxembourg, Malta and Portugal, obviously.
I should really have got blue, Apple products, given that I spend my life writing about them. But rather than iPads and MacBooks, it was BRANDY, BUTTER, CIDER and SAUCE that I needed here.
How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, June 20, game #740)NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, June 20 (game #1243).
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.
Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
Quordle today (game #1244) - hint #1 - VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #1244) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.
Quordle today (game #1244) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.
Quordle today (game #1244) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.
If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:
Quordle today (game #1244) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• B
• G
• B
• M
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1244) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1244, are…
A bit of a harder Quordle for me today, not least because my three set start words – STARE, DOILY and PUNCH – didn't give me nearly as many letters as I'd had in previous games.
A couple of the words were tricky, too: BUDDY with its repeated Ds and with the alternative word MUDDY, and MADAM with its repeated Ms and As. I got there in the end, but it was a challenge.
How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.
Daily Sequence today (game #1244) - the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1244, are…
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, June 20 (game #474).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #475) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Goose eggs
NYT Strands today (game #475) - hint #2 - clue wordsPlay any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
• Spangram has 11 letters
NYT Strands today (game #475) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: top, 3rd column
Last side: bottom, 4th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #475) - the answers(Image credit: New York Times)The answers to today's Strands, game #475, are…
I spent a fair bit of today's Strands thoroughly baffled by what I was needing to do. For starters, I've never heard the phrase 'Goose eggs' – which apparently means 'nothing', but which I think might mainly be an American sports term, and therefore of no use as a hint to people like me, who don't have any interest whatsoever in US sports. That said, it seemingly comes from the British term 'duck's egg', which then found its way into cricket – a sport I love. So maybe I should have guessed.
Anyway, my first hint gave me NADA, and with no idea at this stage what the hint meant I was still in the dark. A second hint gave me ZERO, at which point I realized what the objective was.
Finding the answers was not that easy though, particularly BUPKIS – another word that was entirely alien to me until today.
How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, June 20, game #474)Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
It's the end of another working week and you definitely deserve a well-earned rest in front of the TV.
Thankfully, there are plenty of exciting new movies and shows to watch at home, too. From the return of fan-favorite series to the official streaming debut of one of the most memorable films of 2025, there's lots to check out on the world's best streaming services before Monday rolls around. So, read on to learn more about the seven biggest new things you should stream this weekend. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
A Minecraft Movie (Max)I don't think anyone expected A Minecraft Movie to be one of the biggest movie hits of the year. As evidenced by my two-star review of A Minecraft Movie, I certainly didn't – and I even took Mojang's best-selling video game namesake's worldwide fanbase into account, too.
And yet, whether it was down to the game series' enduring popularity, its starry cast, or those viral TikTok videos of chaotic screenings – you must have seen those 'Chicken Jockey!' memes by now – A Minecraft Movie has become one of the highest-grossing films of 2025. Not only does that mean it deserves a spot on our best Max movies list, but also that it's worth checking out on Max this weekend. You'll be pleasantly surprised by what's on offer or, like me, wonder what all of the fuss is about, and I say that as someone who's enjoyed the odd Minecraft gaming marathon! – TP
The Waterfront (Netflix)If you're in the mood for a twisty drama, Netflix's latest TV Originals might hit the spot.
Inspired by true events and set in coastal North Carolina, The Waterfront explores family dynamics and the lengths people will go to when their legacy is on the line. The series follows the Buckley family, who has ruled Havenport, dominating everything from the local fishing industry to the town’s restaurant scene. But, all that has started to crumble as patriarch Harlan recovers from two heart attacks.
It's giving similar vibes to Succession in a way, but will this be as popular as that hit series and carve out a space as one of the best Netflix shows? – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer
The Buccaneers season 2 (Apple TV+)Dust off your bustles and bowler hats, because it's finally time to step back into the Gilded Age for season 2 of one of the best Apple TV+ shows: The Buccaneers.
The last time we saw sisters Nan and Jinny St George alongside sisters Lizzy and Mabel Elmsworth in this Apple TV Original, the group were only just starting to settle into London high society after traveling to England for the wedding of Conchita Closson. Now, the American heiresses are practically running the place, which is precisely where the first episode of this Apple TV+ show's sophomore season starts off.
Expect the remaining eight episodes of this Bridgerton and My Lady Jane rival to be released weekly until the finale premieres on August 6. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor
We Were Liars (Prime Video)We Are Liars is an interesting one. It's got a positive 75% Rotten Tomatoes critics score (at the time of publication), but it remains to be seen if the Prime Video young adult drama will similarly appeal to general viewers.
If you love a psychological thriller, you may be keen to see which side of the debate you fall on this weekend. This eight-part Amazon TV series follows a 17 year old girl from a wealthy family, who spends summers on a private island.
However, when she suffers a terrible accident, she struggles to remember events that happened in her past, and it goes from there. Expect lies, deception and shocking truths with this one, which could yet join our best Prime Video shows list. – LB
The Gilded Age season 3 (Max)It's a big weekend for period drama fans, because there's also the return of HBO's hit historical drama The Gilded Age gracing our screens.
Following the end of the Opera War at the end of season 2, New York high society has never been more in flux. Will the Russells be the new top dog in town? Can Agnes come to terms with Ada's new position as the lady of the house? There's a lot at stake.
This season's first episode debuts this Sunday (June 22), with new episodes of one of the best Max shows scheduled to be released weekly through August 10. – AS
Kpop Demon Hunters (Netflix)I love movie soundtracks. They're among my most listened to albums, purely because they always have a way of transporting me back to the film. So, it's exciting to see Netflix put this front and centre in KPop Demon Hunters.
One of June's new Netflix movies features music from K-pop icons, including Danny Chung, IDO, Vince, KUSH, EJAE, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk, Lindgren, Mark Sonnenblick and Daniel Rojas, as well as original songs from Jeongyeon, Jihyo and Chaeyoung of TWICE, giving it all the star power to make it one of the best Netflix movies.
K-pop superstars by day, demon hunters by night, the film follows a famous ensemble that fights off supernatural forces, including a new rival boy band of demons that's out to steal the limelight. – AS
Underdogs (Hulu/Disney+)I love a good nature documentary. I enjoyed Secrets of the Penguins narrated by Blake Lively, and now her husband Ryan Reynolds is following in her footsteps with Underdogs.
In this five-part Hulu and Disney+ docuseries, we examine the weird and unsung heroes of the animal kingdom. You can expect to see questionable parenting strategies, nature's con artists, and how these animals use various tactics to get by.
Each episode is around 40 minutes and is packed with witty commentary and up close footage that's perfect for any nature lover this weekend One for our best Hulu shows and best Disney+ shows guides, perhaps?. – LB
For more stellar streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Hulu movies, best Prime Video shows, best Paramount+ movies, and best Disney+ movies.
The Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo is instantly striking with its retro design and ultra-wide body. If you're after the best instant camera for hybrid photography (i.e. the ability to print film images taken directly on the camera or sent from your smartphone) and prefer to shoot on wide format prints, then this really looks like it's the model for you.
Although it doesn't come cheap, the Instax Wide Evo is very much the step-up from Fujifilm's other Instax hybrid, the Mini Evo, that was launched in 2021, offering most of the same great features, including an LCD display screen, 10 lens and 10 film effects that make 100 different creative combinations, and a microSD card slot, along with a few more new additions that I'll break down below.
(Image credit: Future)A wider film print means this instant camera is a bit on the larger side, but it makes use of the extra real-estate by adding more physical buttons that let you quickly change settings. These include a dedicated wide angle button that lets you switch to a more standard field of view (FoV) if you don't want that cinematic look.
Speaking of, you can also switch between six different film styles, one of which puts black bars to give your pictures that IMAX feeling, using a button on top of the camera. There's also a dial on the left side of the camera to cycle through the 10 different lens effects, with another dial on the opposite right side to switch between the 10 different film effects. My favorite, though, is the crank that lets you manually print a picture by winding it, which is a nice design nod to the crank for winding back film on the best film cameras.
So it's a full five stars for all the creative photo editing options it offers, but what about the Instax Evo Wide's image quality? It's by no means as rich or dynamic as an analog instant camera can produce. Instead the picture quality of the physical print outs is more in line with what you'd expect from your phone's smartphone camera. Of course, the digital copies of these images when compared to those taken your phone can't compete.
The Instax Evo Wide will by no means replace your dedicated digital camera – and if you love the 'magic' of purely analog instant film cameras, then this might not be right for you either as your images will always be digital first – but it is a perfect piece of extra gear if you want to be creative with your photography and experiment with a larger field of view.
Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo: Price and availabilityThere's a dedicated button at the top of the camera for switching between six different film styles. (Image credit: Future)The Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo was launched on January 21, 2025 with a price tag of $349.95 / £319.99 / AU$599.
That makes the Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo one of the the priciest instant cameras of its kind, says TechRadar's cameras editor, Timothy Coleman. Indeed, for comparison's sake, the only other Instax camera that takes wide-format instant film prints is the Instax Wide 400 and that sets you back $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$229.99.
The Wide Evo is also almost double the price of Fujifilm's other Instax hybrid too, the Fujifilm Instax Mini Evo, which retails for $199.99 / £174.99 / AU$299.99. Does the extra cost account for the more premium, larger features in the step-up model? As the brand's first wide format hybrid camera (and second hybrid camera overall), the Wide Evo does offer a premium package, which it's not great on value.
There's also optional accessories available for the Evo Wide, including a leather case that costs $49.95 in the US and £37.99 in the UK. Although optional, this might be a necessary additional cost to make sure to protect the LCD display screen (if this gets too scratched up, then you won't be able to take let alone see your photos).
Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo: SpecsFilm Type:
Fujifilm Instax Wide film
Print size:
62mm x 99mm
Focus range:
f = 16 mm (35 mm equivalent)
Aperture:
f 2.4
Shutter Speed
Automatic switching, 1/4 to 1/8,000 seconds
Power:
Internal lithium ion rechargeable
Charging time:
2–3 hours
Dimensions:
138.7 mm x 125 mm x 62.8 mm (excluding protruding parts)
Weight:
490g
Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo: DesignThe left dial on the Instax Wide Evo is for switching between the 10 different lens effects. (Image credit: Future)When rumors started to circle about the Instax Wide Evo, there was talk that it would be "regarded as the best-looking Instax camera ever made" and that caught a lot of enthusiast's attention, including TechRadar's senior news editor Mark Wilson who said off the back of it that the "Instax Wide Evo sounded like my dream instant camera".
Now that the camera is out in the wild, we can officially say that it's a stunning piece of equipment. It has a relatively slim body to balance the camera's wide build, making the Instax Wide Evo one of the more sizable options on the market. This is offset by a stylish retro look that mimics those vintage cameras that had black textured bodies with silver lenses.
Considering that the only wide-format Instax camera alternative is the big and bulky Instax Wide 400, the Wide Evo's textured, minimal black design is definitely a lot more easy on the eye than the plasticky, dull green finish of its larger cousin. (Another alternative if you're set on a wide-format is 2024's Lomo’Instant Wide Glass – an attractive instant camera that we gave 4.5 stars in our in-depth review.) Indeed, I don't think many would be opposed to slinging the Wide Evo over their shoulder for the day.
This is how you would hold the Instax Wide Evo to take a selfie, with your thumb pulling down on the shutter switch button. (Image credit: Future)The leather case that you can buy alongside the Wide Evo makes this very easy to do and might be a crucial accessory – not just for protecting it from nicks and scratches but – to make sure that it has a long life, as the LCD screen could easily get scuffed up over time. That's not great for a camera that doesn't have a viewfinder. Of course, I can't yet say that this will be an issue but it's worth considering.
It also helps that the Evo Wide is light – it weighs about half a kilo – making it very portable, but don't expect to be able to fit the Wide Evo in any pocket. As you would expect, because it takes wide-format instant prints, it's on the larger side.
Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo: Performance This image was shot with the warm film effect and color shift lens effect settings turned on. (Image credit: Future)The Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo's built-in film and lens effects make experimenting with different styles extremely easy. The fact that you can create 100 different creative combinations with these settings means there's plenty of room to play around.
Fujifilm has made the ability to customize all your images with various different effects a core part of the Instax Wide Evo. Indeed, if you're someone that likes to experiment with different effects such as lens flares, borders and color filters, then this camera is built for you.
The entire design of the camera is focused on making those photo editing tweaks simple, quick and easy. Both the lens and film effects each have dedicated dial buttons on the side of the camera. Even the top most prominent button on the camera (the placement of which is normally reserved for a shutter button) is for adding different film styles to your images.
The Wide Evo even has a dedicated button on the front of it that turns off the wide-angle, which is a nice feature that nods to its hybrid functionality. Another more less visible button is the lens of the camera itself, which can be twisted to adjust the intensity of the filter and film effects you're applying.
The dial on the right side of the Instax Wide Evo is for switching between the 10 different film effects. (Image credit: Future)I had a lot of fun playing around with all the different film effects and styles because of these dedicated buttons, but my favorite physical feature of the camera has to be the hand crank on the side for printing images. It's a nice nod to the analog nostalgia that the Wide Evo embodies.
The shutter button is a lot different to the Mini Evo, which has a standard push button on top of the camera. Instead of this, the Wide Evo has a rocker style switch (like the ones you would use to turn on a light) that's situated on the front of the camera, beside the lens. I found this placement and style initially cumbersome, especially when taking a selfie as I couldn't immediately engage the auto focus by half pressing it down.
To be clear, this might be just be because I didn't spend a lot of time using it and could become more easier, but I will say it's not initially intuitive. That's also not to say that all the buttons are like this. The spin dials and crank for printing photos, for instance, are extremely tactile and easy to use.
On top of all this, there's even an Instax Wide app for more standard editing options, such as being able to crop an image or increase the brightness and contrast, as well as a 'Discovery Feed' for sharing and seeing fellow Instax Wideo Evo owners' creations. One thing to note about the app is that only printed images are automatically saved. Any photos you take on the camera itself won't just appear in your personal library in the app, which means you'll have to still transfer them of a microSD card.
Image 1 of 3(Image credit: Future) Image 2 of 3(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3(Image credit: Future)Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo: Image qualityImage 1 of 3(Image credit: Future) Image 2 of 3(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3(Image credit: Future)There's a trade-off with every instant camera when it comes to picture quality that most of us are willing to accept. These cameras don't produce the same precision as newer dedicated digital cameras, but many people that purchase these type of cameras are more interested in the nostalgia that instantly printed photographs brings, so I appreciate that this isn't the most important component.
When it comes to the picture quality overall, I was most interested in testing out how the film prints compared to those taken on a non-hybrid instant camera as the images are digital first on the Evo Wide. This is a big deal for me because I'm split between analog and digital, and this in my opinion takes a bit of the magic away.
For context, I bought my first Instax in 2014 and of course quickly realized how expensive this style of photography is after discarding some duds, which made me even more selective with every picture I took. My boyfriend decided to buy me an Instax printer to solve this issue, but this for me took away what I loved about the style in the first place. I also found that picture quality from a printer wasn't on par, as the photographs appeared flatter and less dynamic than those printed on an analog instant camera.
Image 1 of 3(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 3(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 3(Image credit: Future)With this in mind, if the image quality of the prints is really important to you then you're better off buying an analog Instax camera in my opinion, because the prints are much more rich in contrast due to the light passing directly though the sensor rather than being digitally scanned. They also don't tend to be as overexposed as those printed on a hybrid Instax.
In terms of the wide-angle prints themselves, the larger size makes them feel much more premium than the smaller rectangular formats that mimic your smartphone pictures and is much more akin to the classic square instant prints that were once more popular.
As for the digital images that are taken by the Instax Wide Evo, these by no means match up to the quality you'd find from one of the best cameraphones, which benefit from more advanced sensors and image processing algorithms. For this reason, outside of sharing the images you take on the Instax Wide Evo to social media, you most likely won't use these elsewhere.
How I tested the Fujifilm Instax Wide EvoMy time with the Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo was brief: following attending the UK launch event in London, I was able to test out the camera for less than a week around the office and home.
However, during this time, I had decent chance to get a feel for the camera; how it handles for regular photos and selfies, plus the various filter and film effects possible through the physical controls on the camera.
I used two packets of the Fujifilm Instax Wide Evo at the event, each of which had 10 prints, and a couple more packets during the week-long product loan
Network Solutions, one of the oldest domain registrar and web services companies out there, is integrating Web.com, a popular website builder and web hosting platform into its Network Solutions brand.
The news was announced earlier this week and described as a move that aims to create a “stronger, more seamless digital experience for customers.”
Network Solutions was founded in 1979, as a company that offers domain name registration, website hosting, email services, and website building tools. In 2011, it was acquired by Web.com for $405 million in cash, plus 18 million shares. Both companies are owned by Newfold Digital, a company that was formed in February 2021 when Web.com and Endurance Web presence merged to form a joint-venture company owned by Siris Capital and Clearlake Capital.
With this integration, Network Solutions sought to create a “secure and stable platform” that will mean peace of mind for the customers, it said. Web.com’s customers will now benefit from Network Solutions’ 45 years of technical support, the company added.
Website builder in the spotlight"This strategic consolidation brings together decades of innovation, reliability, and top-tier support, offering customers a comprehensive experience under the globally recognized Network Solutions brand," said Christina Clohecy, CEO of Network Solutions. "It's the same trusted service our customers know, now powered by the best of both brands, making it easier than ever for businesses to grow online."
In the announcement, Network Solutions stressed that its portfolio of services is now richer for Web.com’s AI Website Builder, offering a more streamlined way to build professional websites in minutes.
AI in web design is growing more popular by the day, and all of the best website builders out there have implemented the revolutionary technology. Bluehost, Wix, Hostinger, Squarespace, 10Web, and many others, have announced variants of AI-powered website builders, offering AI-enhanced experience that minimize the need for coding knowledge.
More from TechRadar ProRepublicans want to change or reduce key social safety net programs that provide health care, food benefits and financial assistance for millions of children.
(Image credit: Annie Otzen)
A new research paper entitled "Who is using AI to code? Global diffusion and impact of generative AI" has found US software developers are the most intensive users of AI coding assistants globally.
By December 2024, artificial intelligence was believed to have generated nearly one in three (30.1%) Python functions by US developers on GitHub.
This puts US developers far ahead of their global counterparts in terms of AI usage, with countries like German (24.3%), France (23.2%), India (21.6%), Russia (15.4%) and China (11.7%) lagging behind.
US developers use AI coding assistants the mostThe researchers also noted more experienced developers are less likely to use AI (28%) compared with newer GitHub users (41%) who might be more receptive to the platform's latest additions.
Despite coming with huge productivity promises, AI doesn't seem to have made such a great impact.
Moving to 30% AI-generated code has only correlated with a 2.4% increase in quarterly commits. The researchers place the economic value of AI-assisted coding in the US at anywhere between $9.6 billion and $96 billion annually, depending on the realistic productivity gains seen.
However, Daniotti et al noted at AI usage could be linked to greater experimentation, with a 2.2% increase in new libraries and a 3.5% increase in new library combinations observed, suggesting the tech could be helping developers expand into new programming areas.
The trend correlates with major tech firms like Google, Meta and Microsoft, which now admit that a large proportion (up to around a third) of their code, depending on project and use case, is generated by AI.
However, in the case of this study, the researchers admitted that the analysis focuses exclusively on open-source Python projects on GitHub, therefore the model effectively assumes that AI usage rates in Python are seen across other languages.
Still, they hope that quantified research could help AI sceptics make better-informed decisions about how they see themselves using AI and its effects on the labor market.
You might also likeNetflix's new drama Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. is a true story that feels like it's been ripped from the fictional drug drama Narcos – and that's something the filmmakers themselves are the first to admit.
Speaking of the four-man arrest that's at the centre of the story, director Olivier Bouchara told Variety that "it’s like a spinoff of Narcos, except that none of the four fit the profile. Two pilots, former air force heroes, family men. And two passengers with no criminal records, not even for stealing potatoes".
The story begins on the 19th of March, 2013, as a Falcon 50 business jet gets ready for take-off in the Dominican Republic. But before it can fly the anti-drug squad swoop in, because there are 26 suitcases full of dope on board.
Alongside two passengers the pilots are arrested. They protest their innocence and ignorance of their cocaine cargo – "we're pilots, not baggage handlers" – but they and the accused passengers are thrown in jail.
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. tells the story of how they ended up there and what happened next, and it has soared to second place on Netflix's global top 10 for non-English content, putting it in the running to be one of the best Netflix shows.
What are people saying about Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft.?As with many Netflix documentaries, there's an argument that the material has been stretched longer than it needs to be to tell the story over a too-long period; Decider definitely felt that at three 45-minute episodes: "it's majorly stretching its material." But the mystery at the heart of the story – were the men guilty as charged, or was it a setup? – is intriguing, so much so that the case was a media sensation in France with alleged connections to the rich, famous and powerful in that country.
Over on r/netflix, top commenter LKS983 "thoroughly enjoyed it – and even laughed out loud a few times at some of the 'porkies' being told!". It's "one of those stories that gets crazier each episode," agreed the excellently named Elegant-Leg540, who "started out thinking the pilots were naive innocents then ended up not so sure."
Telerabbit9000 couldn't believe that the pilots didn't know what was in their cargo. "When they say 'I didnt care what the cargo was, as long as I was paid' they had to be getting paid so much that they would have known what the cargo was. (And if they werent getting paid 1 million, they are even bigger fools, taking such a risk for no money.)"
And the also excellently named 60percentsexpanther loved it too, and was equally dubious about the pilots' evidence. "Imagine putting 34 days worth of blow for the entire city of London in a single plane and then claiming you thought it was all bikinis, knickers, flip flops and sunglasses and you never knew."
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft. is streaming now on Netflix.
You may also likeA US law firm has filed a class action lawsuit against NordVPN over alleged "deceptive and illegal" auto-renewal practices.
The lawsuit, which is still active at the time of writing, also accuses NordVPN of making it difficult for consumers to cancel their subscriptions.
Despite some exceptions, almost all the best VPNs on the market have a similar auto-renewal system in place to handle users' subscriptions.
Four legal complaintsWittels McInturff Palikovic is the main legal firm behind the ongoing class action against NordVPN S.A., Tefincom SA d/b/a NordVPN, and Nordsec B.V.
As mentioned, the class action questions how the provider manages user subscriptions.
Specifically, lawyers are accusing NordVPN of using "deceptive and illegal 'automatic renewal' practices to dupe customers into unknowingly paying for unwanted, pricey subscriptions," the class action's main page reads.
The lawsuit also accuses the provider of employing so-called "dark patterns" when customers seek to cancel their subscriptions. These refer to deceptive design techniques aimed at manipulating user actions.
"As a result, the lawsuit alleges that NordVPN customers paid tens of millions of dollars more than they would have if NordVPN had not used deceptive and illegal automatic renewal practices," concluded the lawyers.
(Image credit: Shutterstock / Freedomz)Wittels McInturff Palikovic has already presented legal complaints on behalf of four former NordVPN customers so far – and seeks compensation of up to $100 million.
The first case TechRadar could find goes back to April 2024 and was filed in the Northern District of California. Two more cases were also filed last year, one in the Western District of North Carolina in July and another one in November in a Colorado federal court. NordVPN was dragged into Court again in the Southern District of New York last March on the same grounds.
In one of these cases (July 2024), allegations against NordVPN also include shady practices around cancellations during the 30-day money-back guarantee period.
According to the lawyers, "Nord Security did not adequately disclose to Plaintiff that it would retain his $131.76 payment despite his cancellation during the 30-day trial unless he affirmatively requested a refund."
It is worth noting that, in at least two cases, NordVPN has already issued a refund to plaintiffs for the unwanted subscription charges.
What NordVPN is sayingWhen approached by TechRadar, a NordVPN spokesperson said that the company complies with legal requirements, while striving to provide excellent customer experience.
"Our auto-renewal practices are clear and straightforward. We are and always have been very clear about the recurring nature of our services, and we also send charge reminders to customers with long-term recurring subscriptions," said NordVPN in a statement.
"Our goal is to provide our customers with services they use and enjoy every day; therefore, as a customer service matter, we may issue refunds even if customers have exceeded the 30-day money-back guarantee window. That said, two of the customers who brought lawsuits had received refunds before they sued."
A virtual private network (VPN) is security software that encrypts (Image credit: BlackJack3D/via Getty Images)The class action is still active at the time of writing, and lawyers are urging all NordVPN customers who were charged for a subscription they did not want to get in touch.
The Wittels McInturff Palikovic firm has previously opened investigations into auto-enrollment practices against ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, and Private Internet Access (PIA).
Yet, no lawsuit was ever filed against these providers.
If you're looking to sign up for a VPN service but don't want to get locked into auto-renewing subscriptions, I recommend looking into Mullvad VPN. Besides being one of the most secure VPNs on the market, the provider axed all recurring subscriptions in 2022 to better preserve users' privacy.
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