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One woman's fight to remove barriers for aspiring doctors with disabilities

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:19

After her dreams of becoming a doctor were denied, one California woman is working to make the profession more accessible to those with disabilities.

(Image credit: Grace Widyatmadja for NPR)

Categories: News

The FTC's 'Click to Cancel' Rule Delay Could Make It Harder to Ditch Unwanted Subscriptions

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:04
The rule is meant to make it just as easy to cancel as it is to sign up. Companies asked for more time to comply.
Categories: Technology

I’ve had a blast reviewing the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025, it obliterated every obstacle to buying a flagship flip phone

TechRadar Reviews - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:02
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I really dig the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 – this phone delights in ways other flat slabs simply can't. Using it with the cover display like a tiny, competent smartphone? Love it. The sheer satisfaction of snapping the phone shut to end a call – or my doom-scrolling session? Chef's kiss. The Razr Ultra makes every other phone feel like a boring rectangle. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty great.

What’s your excuse for not owning a Motorola Razr? Cameras? Durability? Raw gaming power? Whatever your hesitation, the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is here to gently overcome your doubts. This isn’t just the best Razr ever; it's a genuinely remarkable mobile device.

Let’s get the sticker shock out of the way early: the Razr Ultra 2025 is more expensive than any previous Razr (yes, even that golden Dolce & Gabbana Razr V3i from the 90s). Starting at $1,299 / £1,099.99, it’s a cool $600 pricier than the base Razr 2025. That's a leap.

However, more than any other phone in this lofty price bracket, the Motorola Razr Ultra earns every penny. Consider what you're getting:

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

A glorious 7-inch main display. That’s one of the biggest screens you'll find on a non-tablet-style foldable. And it's not just big; our testing found that it's incredibly bright, and just as colorful as Moto claims.

But wait, there's more! The Razr Ultra's cover display isn't just for glancing at notifications. It’s a bona fide second screen that ran every app I threw at it. Plus, it's bright, sharp, and boasts a silky-smooth 165Hz refresh rate. Yes, the Razr Ultra's bonus screen is faster than any iPhone display.

This year's Razr Ultra 2025 also finally packs a flagship-level chipset: the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, a processor that's been crushing it in every Android phone I've tested.

That powerful processor contributes to remarkable battery life. Despite its folding nature, the Razr Ultra packs enough juice to last all day, and even beat most competitors in our lab tests.

Even the cameras are good this year! During my cloudy New York City review period, I pitted it against the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Razr Ultra 2025 held its own, with photos sometimes better, sometimes worse – the hallmark of a decent camera shootout.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Need more? The Razr Ultra boasts the most unique selection of materials and finishes around. My review unit is literally made of wood (responsibly sourced, no less).

My colleague at Tom's Guide has one in Alcantara, like a fancy sports car steering wheel. The Alcantara and faux suede devices are technically plastic, but they feel much more premium.

The best you'll get from Samsung and Apple? Glass or titanium. Oh, and speaking of titanium, this year's entire Razr family uses it to reinforce the hinge. Take that, boring slabs!

The Razr is catching on, and Motorola loves to talk about iPhone switchers. After a week with the Razr Ultra 2025, I'm surprised I'm not seeing more of these flip phones in the wild.

Durability is a common concern, and it’s a fair one. The Razr Ultra is the first foldable to use Gorilla Glass Ceramic on its cover display. And did I mention the titanium? It’s also IP48 rated, meaning it can handle an unexpected dip, but dust remains its nemesis.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

I’d love to say the Razr Ultra is bulletproof, but my first review sample had a screen hiccup within a day – it turned white intermittently, then fixed itself after a few days.

Moto replaced it, and the second unit has been flawless. I'll chalk it up to a fluke for now, but reliability is a hurdle for foldables. That said, the folding mechanism feels incredibly solid, closing with a deeply satisfying clap.

More than anything, using the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 reminds me how refreshing a unique design and capabilities can be. Also, I adore hanging up on… well, everything.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • $1,299 / £1,099 for 512GB storage and 16GB RAM
  • No Australian pricing or availability announced yet

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 is Motorola’s priciest Razr, starting at $1,299 / £1,099 / AU$TBC. A 1TB US model is an extra $200, but it's not available in the UK. We'll update this article with Australia pricing when we get it.

Yes, it's expensive – Galaxy S25 Ultra territory, and more than an iPhone 16 Pro Max. Only tablet-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 cost more.

I'd argue that you get more bang for your buck with the Razr Ultra. The Galaxy Ultra gives you a stylus. Do you really need a stylus? The iPhone 16 Pro Max gives you… well, more iPhone. Both have more cameras, but that’s about it.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Razr gives you a huge, foldable display that vanishes into your pocket like magic, and a 4-inch cover display larger than the original iPhone's screen. It’s genuinely two phones in one.

You also get a design with unmatched colors and materials. If natural titanium and moody blues are your jam, Apple and Samsung have you covered. For tactile wood and soft suede, Motorola is your dealer.

A word to the wise: the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 was frequently on sale. Discounts, bundles, you name it. Right now, US buyers get a free storage upgrade to 1TB at launch. If you want to save some money, patience might be rewarded with a future deal.

  • Value score: 5/5
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Specs

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Finally, a Razr that’s mostly flagship with few compromises. The Snapdragon 8 Elite is fast and efficient. The cameras are on a par with flat smartphones (though you only get two lenses). Even battery life is admirable.

I wouldn’t pay extra for 1TB of storage, and at launch, it's a free upgrade. My concern? Instead of price drops on the 512GB model, we might just see "special deals" offering the 1TB version at the 512GB price.

Dimensions:

154.7 x 73.3 x 8.9mm

Weight:

185.9g

Display:

6.3-inch Actua display

Resolution:

1080 x 2424

Refresh rate:

60-120Hz

Peak brightness:

2,700 nits

CPU:

Google Tensor G4

RAM:

8GB

Storage:

128GB / 256GB

OS:

Android 15

Cameras:

48MP main; 13MP ultra-wide

Selfie Camera:

13MP

Battery:

5,100mAh

Charging:

23W

Colors:

Obsidian, Porcelain, Peony, Iris

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Design

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Excellent material options, including actual wood and Alcantara
  • There’s a new button… for AI. You can mostly ignore it

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 looks almost identical to last year’s Razr Plus 2024, but it's available in new materials and new Pantone-inspired colors: Mountain Trail (real, responsibly sourced wood!), Rio Red, Cabaret, and Scarab (Alcantara suede).

No other phone feels like this. Motorola has refined the Razr design to a peak.

It’s not all sunshine and wood grain. There’s a new button on the left side of the Razr Ultra 2025, and I’ll give you one guess what… never mind. It’s AI. It’s a Moto AI button, and you can’t reprogram it to do anything but open Moto AI features (or just to do nothing at all).

To be fair, you can tie Motorola’s fascinating 'Pay Attention' feature to the button, and that intrigues me. I’ll talk more about the AI features in the Software section below, but it really bugs me that there's a whole new button and it’s just for AI.

The new Moto AI button on the side of the Razr Ultra 2025 (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Why? Because Google’s Gemini AI already uses the power button on the other side! So, now there are two different AI buttons sitting on opposite sides of your Razr. Ugh.

If you’re concerned about the crease, don’t be. It never bothered me once. It’s hardly visible, and easy to ignore. It may look dramatic if you’ve never used a foldable phone, but it’s actually quite smooth. When you look at the unfolded screen head-on, you won’t see the crease at all.

Image 1 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Rio Red

Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Scarab

Image 3 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Mountain Trail

Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 in Pantone Cabaret

  • Design score: 3/5
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Display

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Incredibly large man display folds into a surprisingly small package
  • The large cover screen is also fantastic

Think of the Razr Ultra 2025 as a two-screen device, because the cover display is half the fun. Using it closed, interacting with just the 4-inch display, feels wonderfully clever and so convenient; I loved finding new ways to enjoy it. It became my Roku remote, my palm-sized hiking navigator via AllTrails, and my Slack monitor so I could keep my desktop less cluttered.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

That 4-inch cover display isn't just capable with software; it's advanced, refreshing up to 165Hz! Overkill? Maybe. Awesome? Definitely.

The inner display is remarkable as well. It’s a 7-inch, LTPO AMOLED panel that's Dolby Vision certified. The display is nearly the same size as the 6.9-inch screen on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but the Galaxy is also a millimeter thicker and 20 grams heavier than the Razr.

In our Future Labs tests the Razr Ultra 2025 displayed a wider color gamut than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it was just as bright. Samsung still doesn’t support Dolby Vision, so if you’re a Netflix fan, that might give the Razr Ultra’s display a leg up over Samsung’s mightiest screen.

  • Display score: 4/5
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Software

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Useful gestures to open the camera and turn on the torch
  • AI image generator can be... problematic, producing stereotypical and offensive results

First, the good: Motorola’s interface gestures are great. Twist your wrist for the camera – it's the fastest camera shortcut out there. Chop thrice for the flashlight. I use these constantly; so does every Moto fan I've met.

Now, the AI. Motorola has also partnered with Perplexity AI. Perplexity is known to have trained its AI engine by ignoring the robots.txt page on media sites, a serious violation of web ethics. This allowed Perplexity to steal content freely, even content that was behind a paywall. I’m not going to say more about Perplexity here, they don’t deserve my support. Let's move on.

Moto AI has some interesting tricks. ‘Pay Attention’ records and summarizes audio. It can record phone conversations, or it can just record you and your friends talking.

‘Catch Me Up’ summarizes notifications, though it was hit-or-miss in my testing, often ignoring texts or other key alerts.

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

Then there’s the AI image generator. Guardrails seem optional. You can generate images of copyrighted characters and realistic-looking humans. Ask for humans, and you will likely get offensive stereotypes.

If you ask for an image of a person of any nationality or ethnicity, and you'll get a picture of what a bigot might think that person looks like. Ask for a "successful person"? Expect white dudes in suits.

  • Software score: 2/5
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Cameras

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Better than expected, occasionally even outshining the competition
  • Great macro mode helps compensate for the lack of a dedicated zoom lens

Cameras were always the Razr's Achilles heel, but the Ultra 2025’s dual 50MP shooters are a huge step up. I was more impressed with its images than I have been with images from any previous flip phone.

AI processing clearly helps. Compared to the iPhone 16 Pro, the Razr Ultra showed less noise and better detail in distant signs, though close inspection reveals some artificial sharpening. The end result is still pleasant. These aren't the best cameras, but they're very good. You're no longer sacrificing photo quality for that cool flip.

In fact, the Razr Ultra sometimes outperformed top camera phones. Its macro mode is excellent, capturing sharper, more vibrant low-light macros than the Pixel 9 Pro. Motorola seems to have borrowed Samsung’s color tuning philosophy – photos are 'Pantone validated' to be vibrant, making my flower shots pop against dreary scenes. Photographers might prefer the iPhone's naturalism, but I liked the Razr's shareable, satisfying images.

Plenty of modes are available, including Pro and a cool camcorder mode. The Photo Booth feature, using the folded phone as a stand, is perfect. There's room for improvement, but this Razr no longer feels like a camera compromise, especially for selfies using the main 50MP camera and cover display.

  • Camera score: 3/5
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Camera samples Image 1 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 2 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 3 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 4 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 5 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 6 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 7 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Image 8 of 8

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Performance

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Excellent Snapdragon 8 Elite performance
  • Tons of RAM helps, but occasional lag during busy moments

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite continues its reign, with the Razr Ultra 2025 delivering impressive real-world performance and benchmark results.

It's great for gaming. Call of Duty Mobile ran maxed out with my Xbox controller connected, and Vampire Survivors was smooth with tons of enemies on screen.

You can game on the cover display. Vampire Survivors and Mighty Doom were playable, but CoD was illegible.

Benchmarks put the Razr Ultra 2025 on a par with the OnePlus 13 (another Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16GB RAM phone), and slightly below the Galaxy S25 (which gets a slightly overclocked Snapdragon). You won't notice the difference.

The only lag I saw was with cloud-dependent AI features or when downloading multiple apps, where button presses sometimes became unresponsive.

  • Performance score: 4/5
Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Battery

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)
  • Excellent all-day battery life
  • Faster charging than most of the flagship competition

The Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 turned in impressive battery life. The phone had no trouble lasting all day in my weeklong review period, every day I used it.

The phone kept going whether I was using it for work, making video calls and using productivity apps, or using it for fun, taking photos and playing games on the train home. The Razr Ultra never quit before I went to bed.

In our Future Lab tests, the Razr Ultra is a top performer, lasting 18 hours and 30 minutes – just five minutes less than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which has a larger battery. Moto's power management is clearly on point.

It also charges at 68W, faster than many rivals at this price (the Galaxy S25 Ultra is 45W). With a compatible Motorola charger, you get nearly a full charge in 30 minutes, while the Galaxy Ultra hits around 70% in the same time.

  • Battery score: 5/5
Should you buy the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025?

(Image credit: Philip Berne / Future) Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 score card

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The most expensive Razr, but also the first that doesn’t compromise on flagship specs, from the processor to the cameras. The Razr Ultra gives you more than other phones this expensive.

4 / 5

Design

Excellent Razr design keeps getting better, with improved durability, more unique materials and color options, and a new titanium hinge. Not to mention the cover display. Forgive the AI button, there’s still plenty to love if you ignore it.

5 / 5

Display

If the Razr Ultra only had the excellent 7-inch internal screen it would be great, but the 4-inch cover puts this phone in a class of its own. It’s the only flip phone that is truly two phones in one.

5 / 5

Software

Motorola has a clean interface and useful software editions. I especially love the added gestures. Moto AI may have some promise and I like the ‘Pay Attention’ feature, but an offensive image generator spoils the party.

2 / 5

Camera

Much better cameras than you’d expect on a flip phone, and I even liked some of the Razr Ultra’s photos better than my iPhone’s pics. It also excels at macro, which almost makes up for the lack of telescopic zoom.

3 / 5

Performance

Excellent performance from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite inside. It’s not the fastest you can find, but it keeps up with all the best flagship phones and it plays my favorite games at their highest settings with no trouble at all.

4 / 5

Battery

Surprisingly good battery life, as good as the Galaxy Ultra even though the battery is smaller. Fast charging makes it worth splurging on a faster Moto charger – this is a phone that doesn’t want to miss the party, after all!

5 / 5

Buy it if...

You want a phone that is actually stylish
Are you tired of raw metal and phone colors that aren’t colorful? Motorola is making phones stylish again, with faux suede and real wood.

You want two devices in one, a big phone and a compact
Somehow the Moto Razr Ultra gives you one of the biggest displays on any smartphone along with one of the smallest, and both are quite capable.

You're really, really into AI and all the AI apps
AI isn’t my thing, but if you love AI, the Moto Razr puts AI tools front and center – literally, on the cover display, so you can talk to the robot without opening your phone.

Don't buy it if...

You need serious zoom cameras
If your kid plays a sport or you love bird watching, you might want that extra reach to get better photos from far away. The Razr Ultra doesn’t have it.

You want all the style but don’t need the performance
You can get a stylish flip phone for much less if you don’t care about performance or great cameras. The Razr 2025 is just over half the price of the Ultra.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review: Also consider

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
The Razr Ultra 2025 might be great, but the king of smartphone heap is the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the fastest performance, most versatile cameras, and so many features.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review

Motorola Razr 2025
You don’t sacrifice any style by choosing the less expensive Razr 2025, just the faster processor and better cameras. You still get great colors and two amazing displays.
We'll have a full review of the Razr 2025 on TechRadar soon.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Motorola Razr 2025

Price (at launch):

$1,299 / £1,099 / AU$TBD

$1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,149

$699 / £799 / AU$TBD

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy

Mediatek Dimensity 7400X

Display(s)

7-inch AMOLED / 4-inch pOLED

6.9-inch AMOLED

6.9-inch AMOLED / 3.6-inch pOLED

Cameras

50MP main / 50MP ultrawide

200MP main / 10MP 3X zoom / 50MP 5X zoom / 50MP ultrawide

50MP main / 13MP ultrawide

Charging

68W wired / 30W wireless

45W wired / 15W wireless

30W wired / 15W wireless

How I tested the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

I used the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 for one week. I tested the phone on AT&T’s network in the greater New York area, throughout the city and suburbs. I used the Razr Ultra as my primary work phone with all of my work accounts and apps, as well as using it as a personal phone for photos and gaming.

I tested the Razr Ultra with a Pixel Watch 3 and OnePlus Buds Pro 3. I connected the phone to my car and tested Android Auto. I connected an Xbox wireless controller for gaming.

I tested the Razr Ultra camera to the iPhone 16 Pro and Galaxy S25 Ultra. For macro photo comparisons, I compared to the Pixel 9 Pro.

Future Labs tests phones using a mix of third-party benchmark software and proprietary, real-world tests. We use Geekbench, CrossMark, JetStream, WebXPRT and Mobile XPRT, and 3DMark for performance testing. We test a phone's performance on video editing tasks using Adobe Premiere Rush. We also measure display color output and brightness.

For battery testing, we have proprietary rundown tests that are the same for every phone, which we use to determine how long it takes for the battery to run down.

Read more about how we test

Why you can trust TechRadar

☑️ 100s of smartphones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech

First reviewed May 2025

Categories: Reviews

Motorola Razr 2025 Review: It's Got the Look

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:00
The $700 Razr exudes elegance with its design, but you will be taking a performance hit compared with traditional phones.
Categories: Technology

Motorola Razr (2025) Is a Fashion-Forward $700 Flip Phone

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:00
The lower-cost member of Motorola's 2025 Razr phone family is still quite the looker.
Categories: Technology

What to Stream on TV This Weekend: 'The Brutalist,' 'Welcome To Wrexham' and More

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:00
Don't miss the latest on Max, Hulu and other streaming services. Here's what you should binge this weekend.
Categories: Technology

Motorola Razr Ultra Is a Retro Icon Reborn With a Design for the Future

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:00
The new Razr Ultra mixes retro cool vibes with modern power. Here's how it looks up close.
Categories: Technology

I Tested the Motorola Razr Ultra. It's Good, but Flipping Expensive

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:00
Review: Motorola pulled out all the stops for the newest Razr. It has high-end features, tons of AI and more durability. But it also comes with a $1,300 price tag.
Categories: Technology

SAP NetWeaver woes worsen as ransomware gangs join the attack

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:00
  • BianLian, RansomEXX, and others, are jumping the NetWeaver bandwagon
  • In late April, SAP fixed a 10/10 bug in NetWeaver Visual Composer Metadata Uploader
  • Researchers claim there are 1,200 vulnerable instances

Multiple ransomware operators are trying to take advantage of the recently discovered, maximum severity flaw, affecting SAP NetWeaver Visual Composer. This is according to, among others, ReliaQuest, a cybersecurity company that also reported on the initial flaw.

In late April, security researchers reported that more than 1,200 SAP instances were at risk of being hijacked, due to a maximum severity vulnerability found in NetWeaver Visual Composer’s Metadata Uploader component.

The bug stems from the fact that the uploader was not protected with proper authorization, allowing unauthenticated actors to upload malicious executables.

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Multiple critical flaws

The bug is tracked as CVE-2025-31324, and despite SAP releasing a patch rather fast, multiple in-the-wild attacks were spotted.

Now, ReliaQuest said it saw evidence suggesting involvement from BianLian and RansomEXX, two known ransomware families. Other researchers also claim Chinese state-sponsored actors were in on the action, as well. “We assess with moderate confidence that BianLian was involved in at least one incident,” ReliaQuest said. “In a separate incident, we observed the deployment of “PipeMagic,” a modular backdoor linked to RansomEXX.”

The researchers also said that the miscreants moved fast, with the malware being deployed “just hours after global exploitation”.

Earlier this week, SAP patched a separate, also critical, zero-day vulnerability in NetWeaver server. This one, it said, was being chained in attacks targeting some of the world’s biggest enterprises. It is tracked as CVE-2025-42999, and carries a severity score of 9.1/10 (critical). Also discovered in the NetWeaver Visual Composer Metadata Uploader, the bug allows a privileged user to upload untrusted or malicious content which, “when deserialized, could potentially lead to a compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host system.”

SAP said it found this bug when analyzing the maximum severity one. Both were allegedly being abused in attacks since January 2025.

Via BleepingComputer

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Categories: Technology

I tried Spotify’s new ‘Follow Along’ feature that combines audiobooks with music, but it’s missing one key ingredient

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 08:00

Not only is Spotify one of the go-to music streaming services, but it’s evolved into a reliable platform for audiobooks, and it’s just launched a new immersive experience that aims to help fans connect more with the artists and albums they love the most.

This new immersive feature called ‘Follow-Along’ is now available to use in the Spotify app and can be found in selected audiobooks in Bloomsbury’s 33 ⅓ series, a collection of short books about popular albums that was first released in 2003, including books about Oasis’ Definitely Maybe (1994), to Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love (1985).

So, how is Spotify merging popular music with audiobooks? Well, when you listen to one of the audiobooks in Bloomsbury’s 33 ⅓ series, you’ll see additional media such as photos, graphics, and songs appear in the Now Playing section. Imagine you’re listening to the audiobook that discusses The National’s Boxer (2007), when the narrator goes into detail about a specific song, Follow-Along will show you the track right for you to add it to your library.

(Image credit: Spotify)

In Spotify’s blog post, the music streamer stated that Follow-Along ‘marks the beginning of cross-functional collaboration between Spotify’s music and audiobooks teams’, with Manager of Audiobooks Licensing Henna Silvennoinen describing it as ‘a dream project’ for the audiobook side.

Out of the 192 books in the 33 ⅓ series, Spotify has released 51 audiobooks about some of the most influential albums and the artists behind them. But only a select number will come with Spotify’s new Follow-Along function, including Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly (2015) and Pink Floyd’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) - though if it were up to me, it would be The Wall (1979).

I see the vision, but it needs to involve more audiobooks

Music and books go hand-in-hand, and I’m always coming across videos with book recommendations based on specific artists, as well as literature-inspired playlists in the Spotify app. I tested out the new Follow-Along feature, and while I see the vision, there’s one setback that’s preventing it from unlocking its full potential.

One of my favorite things about popular music is learning about its contextual framework, and Follow-Along hits the nail on the head with this, especially with Bloomsbury’s series of books. But wouldn’t it be great if Follow-Along were applied to fiction audiobooks as well?

Think about it; you’re listening to the audiobook of Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, a story set during a prime time for the evolution of music. Whenever the name of a band or artist is dropped, their Spotify profiles and albums appear, or even better, Follow-Along gives you an insight into the inspiration behind the characters and story, sending you into a discography deep dive of Fleetwood Mac or The Doors.

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Categories: Technology

Wix takes aim at Adobe and Canva with new online design platform

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:59
  • Wix announces standalone online design platform Wixel
  • Acts as an alternative to Canva and Adobe Express
  • Includes AI tools alongside traditional design features

Top website builder Wix has announced the release of Wixel, an AI-powered visual design suite that’s effectively an alternative to the likes of Canva and Adobe Express.

According to the company, Wixel aims to “democratize visual design” - in other words, designers and non-designers will now have the tools to create professional-grade content and assets.

Interestingly, Wixel is a standalone product, so even those who don’t use the website builder will be able to sign up to the design tool. And, much like Canva and Express, it’s free to use with an optional upgrade for premium features.

What is Wixel and what can users expect?

When it comes to visual design suites, it’s a pretty crowded market right now, an area notably dominated by Canva.

It may not have been the first to market, but it’s the one that captured the imagination of marketing teams and businesses, letting even non-designers spin up professional-grade images and videos. So popular is it that even Adobe upped the ante and brought much-needed improvements to its Express platform.

Given the popularity of these suites, I’m not completely surprised to see Wix get in on the action. But what can users expect to get from Wixel?

Wix has offered an insight on this. Armed with just a single product photo uploaded to the platform, users can now remove or add backgrounds, crop, convert, and edit images, include text, and customize the layout within a template.

Alongside this, Wixel is capable of AI-generating images across different styles that can better suit the user’s brand guidelines. And voila, a user has a post fit for social media posting or adding to their online store. According to Wix, the entire process can be complete in minutes.

(Image credit: Wix)

Discussing the launch, Avishai Abrahami, Wix CEO and co-founder, said: “AI is the foundation of Wixel. Design is in our DNA, and simplifying complex experiences is what we do best. We’re now determined to revolutionize design by democratizing access to powerful and creative tools for everyone, regardless of their design expertise.”

I toyed with Wixel and, yes, if you’re familiar with either Canva or Express, you’ll have a pretty good idea what to expect. An intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate, customizable templates allowing users to swiftly edit designs and create assets, and, of course, AI tools for enhancing and generating on-brand content.

The company also confirmed that future tools are in the works, including story creation and video. Given trends, this is an absolute essential that can’t come quick enough.

You can check out Wixel now by clicking here.

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Superman trailer #2 breakdown: 7 big details and Easter eggs you definitely missed

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:49

The latest trailer for James Gunn's Superman movie has taken flight and, hoo boy, is it a doozy.

There's quite a lot to unpack from the forthcoming comic book film's newest teaser, not least the fact that Supes will battle yet another villain who's not who everyone thinks they are (in my opinion, anyway). In fact, so much is crammed into trailer #2's two-minute runtime that there are numerous key details and Easter eggs you'll definitely have missed upon first viewing.

Below, I've rounded up seven of the biggest secrets hidden in Superman's latest round of footage. Potentially big spoilers immediately follow for the upcoming DC Universe (DCU) flick, so proceed with extreme caution.

1. Paging Walter Cronkite

The subtle vocal change between Kent and his superhero alias is also noticeable during this scene (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The DCU movie's official trailer begins with David Corenswet's Clark Kent/Kal-El agreeing to be interviewed – as Superman, no less – by his perennial love interest and fellow Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane (played here by Rachel Brosnahan).

It's a sequence that appears as though it'll start out as a fun idea, but soon turns into a more much dramatic affair. Indeed, as Lane politely interrogates the titular hero over recent incidents he's been involved in that haven't exactly put him or the US government in a good light, Kent gets increasingly agitated over her questioning of the good he's doing on his adoptive home, aka planet Earth.

Before the love birds' (if the rumors are to be believed, they've been secretly dating for three months by the time this film starts) interview becomes fraught, though, Kent playfully calls Lane "Cronkite" as the recorded conversation begins.

This is a tribute to the late and legendary US broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite, who anchored CBS Evenings News almost 50 years between 1937 and 1981. He reported on some of the biggest real-life events of the past 50 years, too, including the Vietnam War, the assassinations of JFK and Martin Luther King, the 1969 moon landing, and the Watergate scandal.

2. War never changes

Superman intervenes in an ongoing conflict between two nations in his self-titled DCU film (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Part of the reason why Kent and Lane's interview quickly turns sour is their supposed disagreement over Superman's involvement in stopping a war in what appears to be the Middle East.

Now, there are obvious parallels between this conflict and one currently playing out in the real world, but this isn't the time or place to get into the political and humanitarian weeds of that. All I'll say is, in light of what's going on right now, I'm curious to see how much of Superman's fictional war we'll see in this Gunn-directed flick.

But I'm getting off-topic. What war did Supes stop to draw so much ire from the US government and other interested parties? According to X/Twitter fan account DCU Updates, plus an Instagram post from actor Fahim Fazli, who has a minor role in Superman (thanks to Reddit for the catch), the fictional nations of Boravia and Jarhanpur will be the countries involved in this conflict.

By all accounts, it seems Kal-El's intervention stopped the former from invading the latter, too. If true, it's not surprising that the so-called Hammer of Boravia would track down Superman and engage in a bout of fisticuffs in the skies above Metropolis.

3. Planting a Flag in a new government role

Frank Grillo returns as Rick Flag Sr, who he voiced in Creature Commandos last December, in Superman (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr has dealt with a lot before and since his DCU introduction. Not only was his son was murdered by Peacemaker in 2021's The Suicide Squad film (a movie many now consider to be a progenitor to the DCU's creation), but he was duped by Princess Ilana and almost beaten to death by Clayface in season 1 of Max's adult animated show Creature Commandos. Simply put, he deserves to catch a break.

Nevertheless, I don't think anyone of us expected him to be installed as the US' latest Secretary of Defence. Again, this is seemingly revealed during Kent and Lane's stress-inducing interview, with the trailer cutting to a brief shot of Flag Sr when Lane says "Secretary of Defence".

Now, this could be a bait and switch on Gunn's part. This wouldn't be the first time that some trailer trickery has been employed to suggest one thing (e.g. Flag Sr being Secretary of Defence) but mean another (e.g. he's not really). If he is, though, it'll be a surprise promotion for Grillo's gruff army veteran and one I certainly didn't seen coming.

4. Where the streets have many names

You can just make out the name 'Ross' on the street sign in the top right hand corner of this image (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Walter Cronkite isn't the only individual to be honored with a blink and you'll miss it mention in the DCU Chapter One movie's latest trailer.

In shots where Corenswet's Man of Steel protects a child from falling debris and he's arrested by ARGUS chief Rick Flag (with the aid of Angela Spica/The Engineer and Ultraman (more on this duo later)), the names 'Ross' and 'Waid' can be seen on two street signposts.

The Waid Street sign is even more obvious in this picture (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

These are clear tributes to Alex Ross and Mark Waid, two of the most famous artists and writers who've worked for DC Comics since 1993 and 1985, respectively.

5. Engineering an entrance

Maria Gabriela de Faria will portray Angela Spica in her live-action DC comic book movie debut (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

But let's return to two of Superman's aforementioned villains: The Engineer and Ultraman.

The former was largely conspicuous by her absence in Superman's first official trailer – indeed, save for a missable moment where she's standing on the bridge that connects Luthercorp's two skyscrapers together in that teaser, she didn't feature as much as many people expected her to.

Thankfully, Maria Gabriela de Faria's nanotech-infused antagonist earns more screentime in trailer #2. She's seen going to town on the jaw-dropping Fortress of Solitude's android staffers before receiving a swift paw in the jaw from the adorable yet boisterous Krypto the Superdog. Spica can be spotted later in the trailer, too, when she's seen battling Superman alongside Ultraman.

Ultraman (second right) will surely be unmasked in the movie's third act, right? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Speaking of Ultraman – that's the name that fans have given this mysterious, black-clad villain, anyway – it seems he's going to have a more integral role in the story than many suspected.

Initially, it seemed he was going to be the muscle that Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor employs when things are about to get physical. However, some observers believe Ultraman will not only wind up being the primary villain in one of 2025's most anticipated new movies, but will also be unmasked as none other than a genetically-engineered clone of the eponymous Son of Krypton himself.

I've already sifted through much of the evidence that backs up this fan theory in my main Superman trailer #2 article, which I linked to in this piece's introduction. But, there's one more sign that suggests this hypothesis isn't as outlandish as it sounds.

How does Lex break into the Fortress of Solitude? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

This trailer confirms that Luthor and company will gain access to the Fortress of Solitude at some point. However, in the comics, there are only two ways that someone can enter Supes' secret hideout.

The first, which was used in the early years of Superman literature, involves finding and then using a giant key. Kal-El is the only being strong enough to lift it in the comics, though, and we already know this method won't be used in Superman's latest big-screen reboot. Indeed, the Fortress of Solitude clip article I linked to earlier confirms Krypton-originating individuals, such as Kent and Krypto, can gain entry to it via some form of vocal command.

I don't think that's the only way for anyone to enter the DCU's take on Superman's Arctic-based HQ, though. That's because, in the comics, the second method usually involves some form of highly advanced security system.

This is where Ultraman comes into play. If he is a clone of Kal-El, he could simply remove his face covering in front of the Fortress' likely hidden security cameras. They'll surely recognize him as Superman and allow him (plus Spica, Luthor, and the latter's girlfriend Eve, who can be briefly spotted when the group enters the Fortress) to set foot in it. It's that, or Ultraman utters a command that only Kryptonians would know, which would unlock the Fortress' front door. Either way, he seems key to the group's successful attempt to make their way inside.

6. Journeying to the Phantom Zone

Is this our first look at the DCU's take on the Phantom Zone or another pocket universe? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Later on in the teaser, we see Lane and Edi Gathegi's Mister Terrific exploring what appears to be a cavernous, underground lair.

What if this isn't an Earth-based location, though? Instead, what if it's one of our first glimpses at the DCU's take on Pocket Universes (essentially, alternate realities that are tied to another dimension) and, more importantly, one called the Phantom Zone that Kryptonian criminals are banished to?

This isn't as big a stretch as you might think. For starters, Superman's two main trailers have included shots of him being incarcerated in an undisclosed location. It's likely that he's jailed following his arrest by Flag and company, too.

However, human prisons wouldn't be able to hold him. As such, I predict that, under Luthor's orders, Kent will be sent to and imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, i.e. a place where nobody should be able to find him. Well, unless you're a roving investigative reporter like Lane and a scientific genius like Mister Terrific...

7. Not faster than a speeding Kryptonite bullet

Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho can create any element or substance he desires (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The Phantom Zone should be the least of Superman's worries, mind you, because it seems he'll be injured by an Kryptonite bullet at some stage, too.

Before you scoff at the idea, hear me out. First, consider what Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho – one of Supes' fellow imprisoned metahumans – is creating in the trailer. For the uninitiated, Metamorpho is a superpowered being who can make any substance in the known universe, so it's not outlandish to assume that he'd be able to craft Kryptonite (Superman's one and only major weakness) out of thin air.

Metamorpho is being forced to make some Kryptonite here, isn't he? (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Next, take a good look at the above image. More importantly, look at Metamorpho's left hand. Why is it glowing green? There's only one logical solution: he's created a small amount of Kryptonite, whose primary color is – yep, you guessed it – green.

That's not all. In both trailers, we see Luthor brandishing a revolver whose cartridge chamber he's seen spinning. If Metamorpho has reluctantly crafted a Kryptonite bullet, it's logical to assume that Luthor would load his weapon with it and play a rigged game of Russian Roulette with Superman. If Supes works out that Luthor isn't playing fair, that could be the catalyst for him punching his way out of his glass box-based cell. Again, we see this in both trailers.

I'd be surprised if this scene doesn't occur after Kent is injured by Luthor's Kryptonite bullet (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

However, to paraphrase a classic Superman line from the comics, it seems he isn't faster than a speeding Kryptonite bullet.

Another clip in trailer #2 shows Kent's adoptive parents watching over their bed-bound surrogate son. Take a closer look at the upper left side of Kent's head, and you'll see what appears to be a bullet wound and some form of infection around his left temple.

This has to be the aftermath of not only Supes' escape from the Phantom Zone, but also the Kryptonite bullet striking the titular superhero. It's a good job, then, that Lane and Terrific seem to be on hand to help Supes escape and make his way back to the Kent residence to rest and recuperate.

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Categories: Technology

The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake finally has a new launch window, but we'll still have to wait a while

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:41
  • Ubisoft has confirmed a new March 2026 release window for the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake
  • The company said in an earnings call that the remake will release in fiscal year 2025-2026
  • The game was announced in 2020 and was initially set to release in 2021

Ubisoft has finally shared a release window for the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake.

During the company's latest earnings call on May 14, 2025, Ubisoft revealed that it plans on releasing the long-awaited Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake in fiscal year 2025-2026 (via GameSpot).

This means the game will release before March 31, 2026.

The remake was announced in 2020 alongside a teaser trailer for last-gen consoles, and by the time the game releases, it will mark six years since its initial unveiling.

The Sands of Time was scheduled to launch in January 2021, but was then delayed to March 2021, until Ubisoft delayed it indefinitely.

"This extra development time will enable our teams to deliver a remake that feels fresh while remaining faithful to the original," the company said at the time.

Ubisoft later shared an "important internal milestone" in 2023, but we've yet to receive a new trailer.

It's also unclear if the game will be coming to current-gen consoles, like PS5 and Xbox Series X, considering the long development cycle.

In the same earnings call, Ubisoft said that it is delaying some of its major unannounced titles to allow for better quality games.

According to Ubisoft boss Yves Guillemot, an unspecified number of games from its biggest brands, including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Rainbow Six, The Division, and Ghost Recon, will now release between 2026 and 2028.

Guillemot pointed to Assassin's Creed Shadows' delay, calling it a "good decision" that allowed for the game's success.

"After a review of our pipeline, we have decided to provide additional development time to some of our biggest productions in order to create the best conditions for success," Guillemot said. "As a consequence, FY2026-27 and FY2027-28 will see significant content coming from our largest brands."

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Dali’s mega-powerful 16-inch ported subwoofer wants to shake your home theater to bits, in a good way

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:37
  • Dali V-16 F is its most powerful and precise subwoofer to date
  • 1,500W (2,500W peak) with 18Hz bass reflex ports
  • £4,499 / €4,999 (about $5,970 / AU$9,300.

Dali has unveiled the most powerful subwoofer it has ever built, with up to 2,500W of peak power thanks to its Class D amp. It features the strongest magnet ever connected to a Dali speaker, according to the company, and it's made specifically for the home entertainment systems of audiophiles.

While this particular model is a flagship sub with a price tag to match, Dali hinted during its launch that the tech and design featured here may make their way into smaller and less expensive (relatively speaking) options in the future.

Power and precision

(Image credit: Dali)

According to Dali, while the new V-16 F is capable of filling the largest rooms with staggering levels of bass, it has "all the precision and control needed to work in any audio system context and even in small rooms… Put simply, the V-16 F is the most powerful and least compromised subwoofer we have ever built."

The V-16 F driver has been created to defeat what Dali calls "the main enemies of accurate bass reproduction": distortion and compression. The V-16 F is engineered to minimize the losses from both of those things, and Dali says that its ability "to accelerate huge volumes of air to turn electrical signals into tangible, palpable, room-filling bass is absolutely unprecedented."

The driver is a 16-inch (406mm) unit with the largest ever Constant Surface Surround diaphragm design to date, powered by a 1500W (2500W peak) Class D amplifier. Constant Surface Surround, CSS for short, is different from the usual driver surrounds: it uses alternating positive and negative regions of stepped and curved sections to keep the surface area the same, to reduce distortion and suppress resonance. Dali said this is the only use of this technology in a subwoofer to date, though it's been used in other speaker types.

There are four Continuous Flare reflex ports tuned to a very low 18Hz, and their job is to reduce the need for bass driver excursion at low frequencies, again to reduce distortion. They also mean that the driver spends more time near the rest position, where its damping and motor force are more linear; Dali explains that that means more consistent and accurate low frequency performance across volume levels.

They're open by default, but the V-16F is supplied with optional port plugs if that better suits your listening space or preferences.

The Dali V-16 F will be available in July for £4,499 / €4,999 (about $5,970 / AU$9,300.

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Trump touts 'freedom zone' plan for Gaza in Qatar as ceasefire talks stall

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:27

President Trump is visiting Qatar and the U.A.E. after inking big weapons and tech deals in Saudi Arabia. So far, his trip hasn't seemed to push forward chances for a ceasefire in Gaza.

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

Categories: News

Samsung reveals One UI 8 rollout timeline – here’s which phones and tablets should support it

TechRadar News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:05
  • One UI 8 is coming in "summer" for the US
  • Samsung first pushed out One UI 7 in January
  • It's not clear yet which phones will get it

We've barely had a chance to check out One UI 7 (Samsung's take on Android 15), which first appeared on the Samsung Galaxy S25 phones in January, but One UI 8 (Samsung's take on Android 16) is going to be with us within the next few months.

This comes from Samsung VP and Head of Smartphone Planning, Minseok Kang (via GSMArena). Speaking at Google's recent Android Show event ahead of Google I/O next week, Kang said One UI 8 would launch "this summer" in the US.

That puts the launch date somewhere across June, July, or August. At the same event Google said Android 16 would be pushed out in June after months of beta testing, and previous leaks suggest Tuesday, June 3 will be the big day.

We've known for a while that Google has been planning to push out its big annual Android update earlier in the year, well ahead of the Pixel phone unveilings, and it seems as though Samsung is on board with the plan – and keen for One UI to keep up.

Which phones will get One UI 8?

Great News ‼️Galaxy S22 Ultra spotted running Android 16 with One UI 8 on GeekBench!!Single-Core: 1581Multi-Core: 3680Build Version: S908USQU8GYCB pic.twitter.com/p4aeOGAteHMay 14, 2025

The next question is: which Galaxy phones will get One UI 8? Samsung hasn't said much about this yet, and it's not immediately clear if there are any handsets that are eligible for One UI 7 but not for One UI 8.

Well-known tipster @tarunvats33 has spotted a benchmark showing the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra from 2022 running an early version of One UI 8 – suggesting that the new software will go back to phones that are three years old at least.

As the current flagships, there's no doubt that the Galaxy S25 series will get the One UI 8 update, and it's a fairly safe bet that the Samsung Galaxy S24 phones and other 2024 models will get it too. Beyond that, we're going to have to wait and see.

Earlier rumors had suggested the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, due in July, would come with One UI 8 out of the box. Based on the new comments from Minseok Kang, it looks like that'll be the case.

All of this means that, in theory, the Galaxy S25, S24, S23 and S22 series should all get One UI 8, and potentially also the Galaxy S21 FE.

The last three iterations of the Z Fold and Z Flip series should also be covered (from the Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4 to today's models), alongside the Galaxy Tab range going back to the Galaxy Tab S8 from 2022, plus Galaxy A-series phones stretching back to the A23 from the same year. But we'll have to wait a little longer for that full official list.

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'Nonnas' Have Entered the Group Chat -- and Netflix's Top 10

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:00
Commentary: Netflix's 'Nonnas' is a certified hit, especially among real nonnas.
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39 of the Best Movies on Netflix You Should Stream Right Now

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:00
Don't know what to watch? Dig through these Netflix movie picks that span genres.
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Hughesnet vs. Viasat: Which Is the Better Satellite Internet Provider?

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:00
If you live in a rural community, satellite internet might be your only option. Here’s the full rundown on Hughesnet and Viasat.
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We Tried MealPro Meal Delivery, and It Was Better Than Takeout

CNET News - Thu, 05/15/2025 - 07:00
This premade meal delivery service provides tasty, healthy meals with the nutrition information to back it up.
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