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From my vantage point, I see the legacy mainframe landscape as both a testament to decades of reliable operation and a critical juncture demanding strategic evolution. The global economy’s reliance on these systems is undeniable – they are the silent workhorses powering a significant majority of business transactions.

However, the accelerating pace of technological advancement, coupled with the realities of hardware lifecycles and a shifting talent pool, calls for a proactive and thoughtful approach to their eventual end-of-life. The question is no longer if we modernize, but how we navigate this complexity without disrupting the very core of operations.

Cost and complexity

A primary hurdle is the significant cost and inherent complexity of these transformations. Mainframe modernization isn't a simple tech refresh; it demands substantial investment, time, and meticulous planning. Decades of accumulated technical debt, often manifested as undocumented code and intricate dependencies, require a phased and strategic approach.

Carving the application portfolio into thin, business-aligned slices, is a great approach to deliver tangible value in shorter cycles. Prioritizing initiatives with clear and early ROI, such as migrating non-critical workloads, builds momentum and stakeholder confidence.

The shrinking pool of mainframe-skilled professionals presents another critical challenge. The reality is that the workforce with deep expertise in these legacy systems is nearing retirement, creating a potential knowledge vacuum. To mitigate this, we advise for codification of tribal knowledge.

This involves leveraging tools to harvest specifications from production logs and source code analytics, while also pairing retiring experts with cross-skilled engineers. Investing in upskilling programs that bridge the gap between COBOL literacy, modern cloud-native and observability skills is paramount to building a future-ready workforce capable of managing both legacy and target environments during transition.

Data migration

Migrating petabytes of critical, often poorly documented, business data and its embedded logic to modern platforms is a high-stakes challenge, with severe risks of data loss or corruption. A recommended strategy involves inverting data gravity: implement an API façade over shared datasets and incrementally replicate data to the target platform using event streaming, thereby minimizing disruption.

Employing anti-corruption layers ensures a clean decoupling of legacy systems, aligning migration with modern architectures while safeguarding core business processes. Another technique we support is behavior equivalence and leveraging data seams to integrate into the origin system while the architecture is going through its evolution.

Beyond the technical aspects, organizational misalignment is a frequent stumbling block. Modernization is a business transformation, not just an IT project, and one of the most reliable indicators of success is a courageous, well-supported leader who can steer the program through the inevitable stumbles and issues that arise. A clear business vision, tied to measurable outcomes like improved customer experience or reduced operational risk, is essential.

Culture of change

Fostering a culture of change through transparent communication, targeted training, and deliberate capability-building is crucial: the destination team must be fully trained and capable of operating a platform of this criticality and complexity, which goes far beyond a typical N-Tier architecture. Such preparation helps overcome internal resistance and ensures everyone understands, and can realize, long-term benefits.

Finally, integration and observability gaps can derail even the most well-intentioned modernization efforts. Legacy systems are often deeply embedded within the broader IT ecosystem, so updating core components can surface unforeseen integration challenges.

To counter this, we advocate for enhancing observability from day one, including baselining the performance of existing mainframe jobs and screen transactions; these metrics establish a benchmark to keep the modernized environment aligned with current service levels.

This early telemetry is paired with modern monitoring solutions and real-time dashboards that provide comprehensive insights into system behavior. Prioritizing API-first integration ensures seamless communication between legacy and new architectures, while automated testing at integration points minimizes disruption risk during the transition.

The advent of AI

Generative AI is accelerating mainframe modernization by offering powerful opportunities to analyze legacy systems and streamline transformations, delivering greater agility and resilience. This shift is mirrored by modernization spending moving from defensive capital expenditure to growth-focused operational expenditure.

Success in this evolving landscape hinges on disciplined execution, continuous measurement, and transparent communication, rather than merely relying on tools. Furthermore, enhanced cloud platforms now provide flexible and secure migration paths, significantly boosting the strategic importance of these efforts due to heightened regulatory scrutiny on operational resilience.

Here’s a modernization manifesto to bear in mind:

• Start with the business capability map, not the code tree. Technology serves the business.
• Prefer incremental stranglers over all-or-nothing migrations. Decommissioning legacy components is a tangible win.
• Automate everything twice – first to understand, then to transform. Leverage code scanners, synthetic data, and automated testing.
• Invest in people before platforms – empower cross-functional teams that own both the old and the new.
• Measure outcomes continuously and publicly – demonstrate the business value of modernization with clear KPIs.

In conclusion, mainframe end-of-life is not an event to be feared, but a strategic imperative to be navigated with diligence and foresight. It’s a long-term commitment to ensuring our critical value streams remain adaptable and resilient.

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PocketBook InkPad Eo review

My first thought as soon as I took the InkPad Eo out of its packaging was, “Ooh, that’s different.” It’s physically unlike any PocketBook device I’ve tried before, with a premium and hefty build that it’s borrowed from Bigme – made possible after the Chinese brand became a co-owner.

This was a good move as the metal-bound chassis feels nice to hold and, despite an 8MP rear camera, there’s no bump, so it lies completely flat on a table. However, the use of metal edges and the camera could be what’s made the InkPad Eo heavier (at 470g) than some of its competition, like the Onyx Boox Go 10.3 (375g), and uncomfortable to hold for long sessions. I've tested other 10-inch E Ink writing tablets and most of them are more comfortable to hold than the InkPad Eo.

Other than its design, there’s just a couple of other positives I appreciate about the PocketBook InkPad Eo. One is the adoption of the global handwriting feature – aka the ability to write on third-party apps – which is not always supported in other epaper note-taking tablets and could well sway some potential buyers. The other is the color palette – while not as well optimized as the Kobo Colour Libra's screen, book covers on the InkPad Eo look lovely in color. However, this has not quite translated to the ink colors when writing or drawing and those look far more washed out.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

And that's where my positives for this device stop. While I commend the attempt at giving the Onyx Boox devices competition, the Eo is unable to hold its own in other areas.

For starters, it’s very easy to lose the stylus as it doesn’t secure magnetically to the side of the tablet itself. Moreover, the eraser on the top of the pen doesn’t quite behave as expected – it’s more a selector, and the erasing happens after you’ve selected something in the notes app. It’s not a massive lag, but I much prefer the way the Kindle Scribe’s Premium Pen or the Kobo Stylus 2 behaves – erasing as you move along the writing (or drawing), much like an actual pencil eraser would do. Even the reMarkable’s Marker and the Boox pens erase in real time.

The camera, despite being a nice touch, isn’t worth having at all. It doesn’t actually ‘scan’ a document as your phone might do – instead it takes a photo. And the quality of the image isn’t great either, much like the Onyx Boox Palma 2.

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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

The one thing you expect to do easily with any ereader is transfer files, but even that basic task was frustrating with the InkPad Eo. While there’s Dropbox support (and I’m not a user of this cloud service), there’s no cable transfer possible from a MacBook (I’m not a Windows user either). All possible solutions recommended by PocketBook that I found online to move ebooks to the library application didn’t work and I had to resort to using a microSD card instead. That worked well, along with allowing me to add custom fonts, and a restart enabled the latter easily enough. Even Boox devices don’t have Apple support, but it’s still a lot easier to transfer files without resorting to using a microSD card, and that's thanks to BooxDrop and Google Drive support.

It’s also not easy to check if a file import (in my case via the microSD card) has been successfully completed on the InkPad Eo. There’s no progress bar and the files don’t uncheck when the import is done. Strangely, there is a greyed-out Import button with a check mark, but it’s barely visible.

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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Even ghosting is a massive issue. Nearly every app and every page turn results in a light overlay of the previous screen, which can get distracting after a while because you keep expecting it to happen. And that’s despite PocketBook adopting the multiple refresh rate options that Boox devices also have, and yet the latter does it better. I found that the best refresh rate setting to successfully minimize ghosting on the Inkpad Eo is the Regal option, but the only way to select that is to choose Custom Mode, otherwise it’s greyed out. It’s a simple thing and should be available as one of the default options.

The InkPad Eo is the first epaper writing tablet from PocketBook that I’ve tested, but the user interface was instantly familiar. It’s like a love child of reMarkable and Boox, inheriting more from the latter. And, of course, that means the Eo struggles with similar issues that I’ve previously complained about with Boox. The interface is clunky and not very streamlined, with important submenus tucked away when they should be easier to access.

I’m also not too chuffed about a tablet released in April 2025 running Android 11. That’s outdated now and, even though I don’t expect security to be an issue on a device like an E Ink note-taking tablet, surely it’s time to move on – even Boox has adopted Android 13.

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

There are a whole lot of other little bugs which can be fixed via a firmware update, but are, at present, rather annoying. For example, tapping on the Home icon doesn’t take you to a home screen at all – it just refreshes the screen you’re already on or takes you to the home page of the app you were using.

Another example is that even though PocketBook has thought about adding a Night and Bedtime frontlight setting, they’re both very bright by default and require manual adjusting anyway. So having those presets was of no use, at least to me who prefers dim screen light when reading at night.

Long story short, PocketBook needs to do better. The InkPad Eo has the makings of a good epaper writing tablet but, as it is now, it’s hard to recommend when there are other brands that do a far superior job at the same or lower price.

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(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)PocketBook InkPad Eo review: specs

Display type:

E Ink Kaleido 3

Screen size:

10.3 inches

Screen resolution:

300ppi grayscale; 150ppi color

Processor:

Mediatek MT8768 (octa core 2.3GHz)

Frontlight:

Yes (SMARTlight)

Storage:

64GB (expandable via microSD)

Battery:

4,000mAh

Speaker:

Yes (stereo)

Water protection:

None

Software:

Android 11

Connectivity:

USB-C, Wi-Fi (dual band), Bluetooth 5.0

File support:

14 document, 3 image, 2 audio

Dimensions:

226 х 191 х 7 mm

Weight:

470g

PocketBook InkPad Eo review: price & availability

• Announced March 2025
• Available now in North America and Europe from authorized sellers
• List price: $550 / £449 (about AU$850)

The PocketBook InkPad Eo was announced at the end of March 2025 and has been available to buy in select markets from third-party sellers since April. With a price tag of $550 / £449 (about AU$850), it’s an expensive E Ink note-taking tablet, but then so is the Bigme InkNoteX from which it takes its cues, as are other color 10-inch E Ink writing tablets.

For example, the reMarkable Paper Pro will set you back $579 / £559 / AU$929 at the very least. For that kind of money, you’re getting a much better device too – an e-paper screen that displays color better and a very streamlined, minimal user interface. That said, it’s not the best for using as an ereader as well – its sole purpose is to be a writing tablet.

While we haven’t tested the Boox Note Air4 C, we’ve liked the previous generations and, for a color e-note taker of the same size as the InkPad Eo, with the same screen tech and very similar UX, it could be the better buy at $529.99 / AU$874 (ships to the UK via the EU warehouse for about £465).

At the time of writing, the InkPad Eo isn’t being listed at too many US stores, although Amazon has it listed for $579. It seems to be well stocked in the UK, though, although prices vary a little. For example, Amazon UK has it down for £504.26, but Currys lists it for £499. Laptops Direct is the only UK retailer stocking it for £449 at the time of writing.

PocketBook devices aren’t officially available in Australia, but imports are listed on Amazon AU and eBay, but at high markups.

Should I buy the PocketBook InkPad Eo?Buy it if...

Global handwriting is an important feature you need

Not all epaper writing tablets support handwriting in third-party apps. In fact, it's pretty rare. But PocketBook has enabled it on the InkPad Eo, which gives it a major edge over the competition.

You're a PocketBook or Bigme loyalist

There's no denying that PocketBook or Bigme fans will appreciate this tablet – it's well made and inherts Bigme's global handwriting feature. For everyone else, it might be worth looking elsewhere for an alternative.

Don't buy it if...

You don't have the patience to deal with bugs

There's a heck of a lot that's not executed well with the PocketBook InkPad Eo, and it's more than just bugs. If things like ghosting and a clunky interface are going to annoy you, you're better off spending your money elsewhere.

You want value for money

For what it offers, the InkPad Eo is expensive. You'll find far more value for money by opting for a similar tablet from another brand. And if it's an Android one you're after, the Boox devices should be top of your list.

Also consider

Onyx Boox Go 10.3

It looks lovely and it's arguably the thinnest and lightest 10-inch E Ink writing tablet I've used. It doesn't have a color display, but its feature packed and runs Android 12. It's my pick for being the best E Ink writing tablet as its more versatile than the reMarkable 2.
Read my in-depth Onyx Boox Go 10.3 review for more information.

reMarkable Paper Pro

If money is no object and you want a color epaper writing tablet, there's none better than the reMarkable Paper Pro. Instead of using the standard E Ink Kaleido 3 screen tech, it uses a customized version of the Gallery 3 display, so colors are more saturated in comparison. And as a reMarkable, it's a creator's tablet through and through.
Read our full reMarkable Paper Pro review to learn more.

How I tested the PocketBook InkPad Eo

• Used every day for three weeks as ereader and note taker
• Downloaded a few Android apps, including Kindle and Kobo for reading
• Listened to some audiobooks and music files to test speaker quality

(Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I've tested about 30 ereaders in the last eight years, so I've developed a routine when I begin a new review. First, I connect to Wi-Fi to set up the device, then immediately see if I can transfer some ebooks and comic files for testing. And if it's a note-taking tablet like the PocketBook InkPad Eo, I start a new notebook called Scribbles where I test writing, drawing and handwriting recognition.

I did all this for the InkPad Eo, then also signed into the Google Play Store to download some other apps, including some benchmarking ones as I'm always curious to see how the processor performs.

I spent about 30 hours over a period of three weeks reading ebooks, and took all my work-related notes on the InkPad Eo. This gave me plenty of experience with the workings of the tablet. I also tried out the rear camera a few times, plus tested all the refresh rate options and various settings.

Given my experience with different brands of ereaders and E Ink writing tablets, I was able to compare the InkPad Eo as objectively as possible with the competition from Onyx Boox, Kindle, Kobo and reMarkable.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed June 2025]

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 25.

The character-driven miniseries features solid performances from Dominique Thorne, Anthony Ramos, Lyric Ross and Alden Ehrenreich.

Slight spoilers follow for Ironheart.

Ironheart is an underdog in every sense of the word.

Despite man-of-the-moment Ryan Coogler's involvement, the final TV show of the Marvel Phase 5 era was mostly written off well ahead of release; few other live-action Marvel TV projects have faced an uphill battle to convince Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) devotees and casual fans alike to watch it.

Write off Coogler, the comic giant, and the series' titular hero at your peril, though, because Ironheart is an impressive Disney+ TV Original that largely hits its marks. Yes, it falls into the perennial traps that other small-screen MCU projects have, but after watching all six episodes I was pleasantly surprised by its style, energy, and emotionally impactful story that explores themes around family and flawed heroes.

Tech check

Ironheart reintroduces us to Riri Williams, who made her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Set days after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, i.e., the MCU movie in which Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) made her live-action debut in, Ironheart opens with the eponymous character returning to her hometown of Chicago. The reason? She's kicked out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for selling completed assignments to other students to fund development of her Iron Man-inspired super-suit.

Financially broke and suit-less – after the self-made prototype suit, which she steals from MIT, malfunctions on the flight home – Riri soon crosses paths with Parker Robbins/The Hood (Anthony Ramos). The mysterious, magical cloak-wearing leader of a street gang, Robbins preys on Riri's ambition to build a new, souped-up suit by saying he'll fund her creation in exchange for helping his crew conduct heists.

Ironheart occasionally paints Riri as an anti-hero in the vein of Breaking Bad's Walter White

Central to Ironheart's story is the internal struggle Riri continually wrestles with. At her core, she's a good person – indeed, due to a deeply traumatic event that occurred years prior, Riri wants to "revolutionize safety" by creating a suit that can be used by first responders and other emergency services personnel.

After she's kicked out of MIT, Riri builds a new suit at her Chicago-based childhood home (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

It's that philanthropic nature, among other things, that draws parallels with a certain Tony Stark, whose ghost looms large over yet another MCU project. However, given their comic book ties – Stark is a long-time mentor of Riri's in Marvel literature – Stark's posthumous influence is more valid here than in prior MCU productions, even if the namedropping is occasionally incessant.

That said, while Riri wants to build on Stark's legacy and make something "iconic", her unwavering ambition and Stark-sized ego occasionally paints her as an anti-hero in the vein of Breaking Bad's Walter White or, in more familiar MCU terms, Frank Castle/The Punisher and Loki. Riri's a more complicated and naïve hero than we're used to seeing, and that make the decisions she makes, and the consequences spawned by her actions, all the more fascinating.

Fight off your demons

Ironheart does a much better job of examining post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and panic attacks than Iron Man 3 did (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The dichotomy at the heart of Riri's story is further heightened by the moral complexities and grief born out of the loss of her stepdad Gary (LaRoyce Hawkins) and best friend Natalie (Lyric Ross) in a random act of gun violence.

This excruciatingly painful event is not just a driving force behind Riri's ambition to make the world a safer place, but also a moment she refuses to confront. Such a deep-seated mental and emotional scar is a breeding ground for PTSD and panic attacks, which here are handled with greater precision, creative flair, and sensitivity than Stark's post-Avengers mental health problems were in Iron Man 3.

In Thorne, Ironheart has a talented lead with the swagger, emotional nuance, and comedic timing – despite its melodrama, occasional toe dips into horror, and suspense-filled Ant-Man-like heisting, Ironheart is a surprisingly funny show – to bring all aspects of its protagonist to life, too.

Thorne has the swagger, emotional nuance, and comedic timing to bring all aspects of Ironheart's protagonist to life

She's not the sole bright spot among Ironheart's cast of characters.

The scene-stealing Ross, who plays Natalie in flashbacks and also portrays N.A.T.A.L.I.E – an AI construct like Iron Man's J.A.R.V.I.S. and F.R.I.D.A.Y, and Black Panther's Griot, who Riri inadvertently creates – helps to bring a playful and squabbling relatability to the dynamic Riri shares with both characters. The pair's natural rapport is evident from the outset and, while the way in which N.A.T.A.L.I.E helps to strip away Riri's metaphorical armor to allow the latter to process her grief is a little on the nose thematically, it's a 'bestie' dynamic that's full of real heart.

Dancing with the devil

Anthony Ramos' Parker Robbins/The Hood is Ironheart's primary antagonist (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Ross, Riri's concerned and warm-hearted mom Ronnie Williams (Anji White) and Natalie's brother Xavier (Matthew Elam) notwithstanding, Thorne shares the most screentime with Ramos' The Hood, whose introduction is not only novel in its execution, but also happens very early on.

Some Marvel TV shows are guilty of prolonging their narrative setup, but Ironheart gets to the crux of its primary plot within the first 30 minutes of its premiere. That might seem quick, but I can fully get behind a story that tackles its meatier content sooner rather than later – and which still maintains an air of mystery despite its fast-paced nature.

Ironheart follows in most MCU TV series' footsteps by rushing through its finale

This doesn't mean Ironheart's narrative structure is consistent in its quality. Some episodes feel hurried and, by proxy, don't spend enough time reflecting on character choices or fleshing out certain plot threads. It also follows in most MCU TV series' footsteps by rushing through its finale that, spoilers notwithstanding, sets up a possible sequel season and teases wider implications for the MCU via the arrival of a character MCU fans have waited years for.

Some MCU fans think they know who Alden Ehrenreich is really playing in Ironheart (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Ironheart has a semi-regular issue with its villains, too. Fans were full of praise for Ramos' take on The Hood when the show's first full clip was released online, but he feels a little underdeveloped in Ironheart's first half. It's not until the series' second three-episode batch that he's fully realized as a menacing antagonist through his powerset, and positioned as a sympathetic villain via his backstory. In certain lighting, his magic-infused cloak is a tad garish, too, but I suspect that's intentional.

Joe McGillicuddy (Alden Ehrenreich) falls into a similar category. A fascinating mix of bumbling and unhinged with his own tragic past, Joe bonds with Riri over their shared technical expertise and grief until their budding camaraderie is shattered by events midway through Ironheart's six-episode run. The fallout creates another conflicted antagonist for Riri to deal with but, while Ehrenreich does a fantastic job of capturing Joe's betrayal of trust and emotional turbulence, his evolution from timid ally to complicated foe happens too quickly for my liking.

Ironheart satisfyingly blurs the lines between the magic versus technology-led storyline we've been sold

Still, Joe's transformation, along with Riri's magic-based suit upgrade and other references to the MCU's mystical elements (there are as many ties to Doctor Strange as there are to Iron Man here), satisfyingly blur the lines between the magic-versus-technology storyline we've been sold. Yes, Ironheart pits these diametrically opposed forces against each other, but also acts as a collision point where they can come together and create something wholly unique for the MCU.

What's more common is the at-times clunky and stifled dialog, which some fans pointed out in Ironheart's first trailer and isn't aided by hard cuts between specific scenes, particularly in early episodes.

It's also another Marvel production that refuses to explain certain things with enough intent. Sure, the MCU is a franchise where superpowered beings run riot and parallel universes exist among other things, but I don't think I'm asking for much by wanting a bit more story exposition, especially for viewers who haven't seen Black Panther 2. I guess my Wakanda Forever ending explainer will have to do!

My verdict

Ironheart exceeded my expectations with its smaller-scale, family-oriented, street-level-style narrative that reminded me of Hawkeye, Ms Marvel, and Daredevil: Born Again, all of which I similarly enjoyed. I feared the worst when Marvel confirmed Ironheart's unusual release schedule, but its two-part release format lends itself well to the story it tells.

It isn't the best Marvel TV Original, but I suspect Ironheart will prove a lot of people wrong. It'll be a tough ask to win round anyone who's already dismissed it but, if it does so through mine and other critics' reviews, plus positive word of mouth, then Coogler, showrunner Chinaka Hodge, and the rest of its chief creative team might have built something iconic for Riri Williams after all.

Ironheart episodes 1 to 3 are out now on Disney+. Read my Ironheart release schedule article to see when its final three episodes will be released.

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• A federal judge rejected a ChatGPT user's petition against her order that OpenAI preserve all ChatGPT chats
• The order followed a request by The New York Times as part of its lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft
• OpenAI plans to continue arguing against the ruling

OpenAI will be holding onto all of your conversations with ChatGPT and possibly sharing them with a lot of lawyers, even the ones you thought you deleted. That's the upshot of an order from the federal judge overseeing a lawsuit brought against OpenAI by The New York Times over copyright infringement. Judge Ona Wang upheld her earlier order to preserve all ChatGPT conversations for evidence after rejecting a motion by ChatGPT user Aidan Hunt, one of several from ChatGPT users asking her to rescind the order over privacy and other concerns.

Judge Wang told OpenAI to “indefinitely” preserve ChatGPT’s outputs since the Times pointed out that would be a way to tell if the chatbot has illegally recreated articles without paying the original publishers. But finding those examples means hanging onto every intimate, awkward, or just private communication anyone's had with the chatbot. Though what users write isn't part of the order, it's not hard to imagine working out who was conversing with ChatGPT about what personal topic based on what the AI wrote. In fact, the more personal the discussion, the easier it would probably be to identify the user.

Hunt pointed out that he had no warning that this might happen until he saw a report about the order in an online forum. and is now concerned that his conversations with ChatGPT might be disseminated, including “highly sensitive personal and commercial information.” He asked the judge to vacate the order or modify it to leave out especially private content, like conversations conducted in private mode, or when there are medical or legal matters discussed.

According to Hunt, the judge was overstepping her bounds with the order because “this case involves important, novel constitutional questions about the privacy rights incident to artificial intelligence usage – a rapidly developing area of law – and the ability of a magistrate [judge] to institute a nationwide mass surveillance program by means of a discovery order in a civil case.”

Judge Wang rejected his request because they aren't related to the copyright issue at hand. She emphasized that it's about preservation, not disclosure, and that it's hardly unique or uncommon for the courts to tell a private company to hold onto certain records for litigation. That’s technically correct, but, understandably, an everyday person using ChatGPT might not feel that way.

She also seemed to particularly dislike the mass surveillance accusation, quoting that section of Hunt's petition and slamming it with the legal language equivalent of a diss track. Judge Wang added a "[sic]" to the quote from Hunt's filing and a footnote pointing out that the petition "does not explain how a court’s document retention order that directs the preservation, segregation, and retention of certain privately held data by a private company for the limited purposes of litigation is, or could be, a “nationwide mass surveillance program.” It is not. The judiciary is not a law enforcement agency."

That 'sic burn' aside, there's still a chance the order will be rescinded or modified after OpenAI goes to court this week to push back against it as part of the larger paperwork battle around the lawsuit.

Deleted but not gone

Hunt's other concern is that, regardless of how this case goes, OpenAI will now have the ability to retain chats that users believed were deleted and could use them in the future. There are concerns over whether OpenAI will lean into protecting user privacy over legal expedience. OpenAI has so far argued in favor of that privacy and has asked the court for oral arguments to challenge the retention order that will take place this week. The company has said it wants to push back hard on behalf of its users. But in the meantime, your chat logs are in limbo.

Many may have felt that writing into ChatGPT is like talking to a friend who can keep a secret. Perhaps more will now understand that it still acts like a computer program, and the equivalent of your browser history and Google search terms are still in there. At the very least, hopefully, there will be more transparency. Even if it's the courts demanding that AI companies retain sensitive data, users should be notified by the companies. We shouldn't discover it by chance on a web forum.

And if OpenAI really wants to protect its users, it could start offering more granular controls: clear toggles for anonymous mode, stronger deletion guarantees, and alerts when conversations are being preserved for legal reasons. Until then, it might be wise to treat ChatGPT a bit less like a therapist and a bit more like a coworker who might be wearing a wire.

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At the recent Display Week 2025 event, Chinese firm BOE showed off the first-ever 31.5-inch 8K monitor capable of running at 120Hz.

The CR3000 offers a contrast ratio of 8000:1, a color gamut of 99% DCI-P3, and also supports 240Hz in 4K mode.

BOE, which is the largest panel maker in the world and was also a sponsor of the show, told 8K Association it expects to begin mass production later in 2025, although details on pricing and final product integration are still unknown.

Other 8K panels on show

Display Week often serves as a glimpse into where display tech may be headed rather than where it currently is. That pattern continued this year with a number of other 8K panels on show.

TCL/CSOT brought an inkjet-printed OLED 8K TV panel, a project built partly from its acquisition of JOLED, and SEL surprised attendees with an 8.3-inch 8K LCD panel that offered over 1,000ppi, making it the sharpest full-color LCD shown to date.

As well as its 8K 120Hz beast, BOE had a number of other products on show. These included the latest version of its miniLED UB Cell 4.0 ADS Pro TVs, which aim to challenge OLED with deeper contrast and better efficiency, and an 85-inch 4K panel with an RGB backlight system running in a filterless mode that could one day reduce power usage and complexity, especially in 8K applications.

It also had a 3D display prototype with eye-tracking based on a 16K development. Although still early-stage, the image quality and parallax control impressed those who got to see it in action.

Still ahead of its time

BOE's CR3000 panel arrives at a time when the broader market is still catching up to high refresh 4K gaming, let alone 8K.

While PC gamers have begun to see mainstream GPUs offer stable 4K60 gameplay, pushing that four times over in resolution and double in refresh raises some difficult questions. Upscaling and frame generation may be more of a necessity than a feature if such a panel is to be usable for gaming or creative work.

While I can't help but be impressed by BOE's 8K 120Hz monitor, it feels like it’s ahead of its time. The hardware to drive it effectively doesn’t exist at scale, and most buyers likely aren’t ready for what would surely be a high-cost niche product.

8K monitors were expected to hit the mainstream a few years ago, but that didn’t happen. This latest panel might be technically impressive, but I for one am not convinced the world is ready for it.

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(Image credit: Foster + Partners)

President Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran on social media and the agreement was immediately tested. We'll hear the latest. And China has been watching developments in the war closely because gets much of its crude oil imports from Iran through a "dark fleet" of vessels to evade American sanctions.

Whether for aesthetic reasons or to cut down on screen time, having a TV in the bedroom isn’t for everyone. I didn’t factor a TV in when I designed my bedroom, as it wasn’t worth sacrificing the space when I’ve already got one in my living room, but after a while, I found I missed having the option to curl up in bed and binge-watch my comfort shows on Netflix.

Having not always had the luxury of separate living spaces, I’d put a lot of work into curating my bedroom into a calming and visually pleasing environment, so the idea of sticking a big black rectangle in the middle wasn’t going to do my zen any favors. Therefore, I knew I had to think of an alternative solution that could cure my content cravings without taking up valuable space.

The concept of using a projector to watch shows in bed wasn’t new to me, as I’d racked up plenty of hours watching movies on the Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE. Sadly, though, as impressive as that projector is, it proved impractical for bedroom use as it was a bit big and loud for the shelf above my headboard and, as I’m yet to find a tripod that can handle its weight, it just wasn’t the bedfellow I was looking for.

Thankfully, I found the perfect alternative in the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 1080p Mini Google TV Projector, which has a list price of $529.99 / £499.99 / AU$1,599, so it doesn’t cost any more than a decent budget TV. The Nebula Capsule 3 uses the same Google TV operating system that I found so effortless to use with the Cosmos 4K SE, but this time in a conveniently compact package.

Below, you’ll find the reasons why I believe the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 1080p Mini Google TV Projector makes for an amazing alternative – and one reason why opting for a projector over a TV may not be the brightest move.

HighlightsPerfect placement isn't paramount

Finding space for a TV set can be tricky, but choices are far from limited when it comes to finding a home for the Anker Nebula Capsule 3.

Its dinky diameter of just 3.1 inches / 78mm makes it conveniently compact and easy to fit on shelves or tabletops, and it has a super convenient tripod mount thread on the base, so it’s easy to find a place for it even if surface space is limited.

And for those times when it isn’t possible to get the angle of the projection spot-on, the Nebula Capsule 3 will automatically adapt its settings to ensure it projects a well-focused image within the space provided, adjusting the keystone positions and avoiding any obstacles along the way.

I can go big and go home

The beauty of a projector like the Nebula Capsule 3 is that I can change the screen size to suit what I’m watching, and I can do so in a matter of moments.

This means that it’s super easy for me to go from watching TV on a 49-inch projection on the wall at the side of my bed to a projection of around 80 inches on my free-standing projector screen, if I’m in the mood for some big-screen entertainment, simply by rotating the Capsule 3 90 degrees and waiting for the settings to auto adapt based on the new position.

Pleasantly portable projection

Whether you’re staying at a friend's or going camping, the compact dimensions and light weight of 1.9lb / 850g combined with a built-in rechargeable battery make the Capsule 3 satisfyingly easy to pack up and take away.

These features can prove useful even if you don’t plan to take it away from home, especially if your bedroom is anything like mine, with its awkwardly located power outlets. While the 15,000 mAh battery only allows for about two and a half hours of screen time, the USB-C charging cable does mean that one of the best power banks could be used to stretch this duration a bit further.

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(Image credit: Future)Low lightNight owls get the best view

Despite the space-saving and versatility on offer from the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 1080p Mini Google TV Projector, you’re going to be sacrificing deep blacks and the details in darker scenes if you opt for one over one of the best TVs.

This issue isn’t uncommon, even amongst some of the best projectors on the market, but it’s something to keep in mind if you want your shows to look picture-perfect when watching in the daytime without efficient blackout blinds.

With that being said, this hasn’t been a deal breaker for me personally, because as comfy as my bed is, it’s not my primary place for watching shows in the daytime. And during the times I’ve needed to curl up when it’s still light outside, I’ve learned that I can tolerate the picture looking a little washed out when the compromise is that I essentially have a pocket-sized 50-inch TV.