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Walk deep into Walt Disney Imagineering’s sprawling, surprisingly unassuming Glendale campus, and you’ll eventually find Studio C.

It’s where Imagineering mixes the audio for its attractions, but when I recently stepped inside, I quickly realized it was much more than a recording studio. The room is lined with dozens upon dozens of speakers designed to recreate the sound field of Disney attractions, letting Imagineers hear a ride long before guests ever do.

During my visit, I watched a live mix session for Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, Shanghai Disneyland’s trackless dark ride, and the experience was almost uncanny. Sound moved seamlessly around the room, tracking the ride vehicle as though I were actually inside the attraction.

That same room became the proving ground for one of Imagineering’s most unusual engineering challenges yet: figuring out how to mix the audio for Soarin’ Across America.

(Image credit: Walt Disney Imagineering)

The reimagined version of Disney’s iconic flight simulator debuted this summer at both EPCOT at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California, timed for America’s Semiquincentennial celebration. Disney’s Unscripted behind-the-scenes video confirmed that Imagineers used the Apple Vision Pro during production of Soarin’ Across America, but it left one obvious question unanswered: why? That’s what I wanted to find out.

So I spoke with Greg Lhotka, Sr. Manager, Audio Media Design at Walt Disney Imagineering, who walked me through the surprisingly complicated process behind mixing one of Disney’s most technically demanding attractions.

“For Soarin’ Across America, we utilized Studio C not only as a production facility, but as a proving ground for an entirely new field-mixing approach developed specifically for this film. On the sound design side, we partnered with Skywalker Sound, and together we used Studio C to prototype and validate a custom speaker configuration that closely mirrors the unique audio architecture of the Soarin’ theaters.”

Disney ExperiencesDisney ExperiencesDisney ExperiencesDisney Experiences

If you’ve ridden Soarin’, you already know why that matters. Riders are lifted into the air in three stacked rows facing a massive curved projection screen, while sound moves not only around the theater but above and below you as well. As Lhotka explained, the attraction uses a four-tiered speaker system — upper, mid-level, lower, and a dedicated floor array — creating an audio environment that’s far more complex than a traditional movie theater.

Having now ridden Soarin’ Across America several times, it’s easy to appreciate the result. The updated film sweeps from New York Harbor and the Grand Canyon to California’s rolling hills and countless landscapes in between through soaring aerial cinematography, practical effects, and a soundtrack that glides almost effortlessly alongside you. The audio shifts just as fluidly as the visuals, making each transition feel natural as the ride carries you across some of America’s most recognizable landmarks and scenic vistas.

Studio C could simulate much of that during production, but not all of it.

“For Soarin’ films, mixing historically required the construction of scaffolding inside the theater to reach the appropriate listening height for final mix decisions,” Lhotka explained. “Even then, the process was far from ideal, as the ride canopy significantly influences the acoustics. For this project, one of the key requirements was that the theater remain fully operational and open to guests throughout production — eliminating the possibility of scaffolding altogether.”

How do you mix a show with over 1,000 audio tracks and an extremely complex panning matrix while seated in a ride vehicle?

That constraint forced Imagineering to rethink its entire workflow.

“The challenge was clear: how do you mix a show with over 1,000 audio tracks and an extremely complex panning matrix while seated in a ride vehicle? The solution came through an innovative use of new AR technologies. By leveraging advanced screen-sharing capabilities, we were able to remotely control our production system — directly connected to the theater — while seated in the ride vehicle itself. This allowed us to place virtual screens in our field of view, effectively bringing the mixing console into the theater environment.”

Before anyone tested it inside the attraction, Studio C became the test lab.

“Studio C once again played a critical role as our testbed. Over the course of a week, we evaluated multiple configurations to confirm that things could be controlled precisely in this way, and that the AR headset’s external cameras would allow us to view the film clearly in the theater’s low-light conditions while simultaneously monitoring the virtual screens. The final configuration exceeded expectations.”

Once validated, the workflow moved from experiment to production.

“This workflow was ultimately used as the solution — and it became the method by which Soarin’ Across America was mixed. The result is a soundtrack that was shaped directly from the guest’s perspective, using tools and techniques that reflect our continued commitment to innovation, immersion, and storytelling.”

(Image credit: Walt Disney Imagineering)

Having experienced Studio C for myself, that revelation immediately clicked. The room is already designed to recreate the feeling of sitting inside a Disney attraction with remarkable accuracy. But even a purpose-built facility couldn’t perfectly replicate Soarin’s unique acoustics. The only place left to finish the mix was inside the attraction itself.

It’s an elegant solution that solved two problems at once. Guests never lost access to Soarin’ during production, and Imagineering’s audio team was able to shape the soundtrack from the exact seat every future rider would occupy. Rather than approximating the experience from scaffolding or even Studio C, the final mix was crafted where it mattered most: inside the attraction itself.

• A Chinese robotics firm has said that some workers ‘want to be replaced’ by its humanoid robots
• Agibot has launched its range of humanoid and quadruped robots in the UK B2B sector
• The company's Europe and US lead also said that robots could become nurses and teachers

An executive for Chinese robotics firm Agibot has said the company believes its humanoid robots could replace certain human workers — and that “in some jobs, they want to be replaced.”

Agibot, founded in 2023 by two ex-Huawei engineers, makes humanoid, quadruped, and cleaning robots for the business-to-business (B2B) sector, advertising use cases like manufacturing, cleaning, entertainment, and construction.

The company recently rolled its 15,000th unit off the production line and announced its expansion into the UK market at an event in London on June 30.

The Agibot A3 and several X2 units opened the company's UK launch event with a dance routine (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

In a press conference at the event, attended by TechRadar, the president of AgiBot Europe and America, William Shi, told reporters that “we’ve got to factor people doing dangerous, boring, and repeatable jobs — these kinds of jobs can be very easily replaced.”

Shi added: “For some job descriptions, they want to be replaced, because it’s very boring, very dangerous, and very high-risk — nobody wants to do this [kind of job]”.

‘Replaced by robotics’

The Agibot G2 has already seen deployment in factories in China (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

Agibot's product range includes the full-sized A3 humanoid robot, the half-sized X2 humanoid robot, and the D1 range of quadruped robots (with form factors resembling dogs, though the company never describes them as such).

Though the company has just landed in the UK, its robots have been successfully deployed in manufacturing facilities in China. A recent YouTube livestream shows the G2 industrial robot ‘at work’ at the Longcheer electronics factory, where the humanoid robots are deployed alongside human employees.

Speaking about Agibot's deployment with Longcheer, Shi said: “They have a lot of workers standing for eight hours per day. They take a smartphone, turn it around, and put it in a box. And then they take the box and move to the next production phase.”

“These kinds of steps can be easily — and are expected to be — replaced by robotics,” he continued, “because that doesn’t create value or create happiness for people. They don’t learn when they do this job. They don’t invent things.”

At present, Agibot's products are not autonomous, but each is equipped with a three-part AI model, with each part controlling interaction (with people), locomotion (moving around), and manipulation (of the local environment — i.e., picking stuff up), respectively.

The company is actively aiming for autonomy, powered by the collection of usage data and further AI development, but Shi emphasizes that Agibot humanoids will remain “under the control and expectation of the human.”

Robot child-rearing

The Agibot X2 is clearly designed to be friendlier and more approachable than its full-size counterpart (Image credit: Jamie Richards / Future)

As well as manufacturing, Shi highlighted baristas, live entertainment workers, and even teachers and nurses as professions that could be occupied by robots: “There’s a big lack of nurses in every country, from China, to America, to Europe, and also a big lack of teachers.”

“Most of children’s questions can be responded to [by robots] — phonics, science, and mathematics questions, or even some common conversations. You ask for the weather, the humidity; you can ask these questions to all the robots, because they’re based on large language models.”

Still, there’s some distance between using ChatGPT to conduct research and allowing a humanoid robot to teach children — and according to 2025 research by KPMG and the University of Melbourne, while almost three quarters of UK adults use AI at work, less than half say they trust it.

With the B2C market a distant target for Agibot and an array of business partners — including Nvidia, which provides chipsets for the robots — backing the company's UK launch, it's clearly expecting to make big progress in B2B industries first and foremost. But Agibot isn't ruling out a future in which robots are part of our everyday lives.

“What we want in the future is that the robot can take some responsibility in daily life,” said Shi, “but they will never make the decisions instead of a human.”

We’re approaching the first anniversary of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which means it won’t be long before we see the phone (or phones, as the case may be) that will replace it in Samsung’s lineup.

As someone who has relied on the Fold 7 as my daily driver since it landed, I couldn’t be more excited to see what the next generation holds, and I have a few wishes I hope Samsung will make come true — with leaks teasing some of them just might…

Before we get into that, vote in our poll to tell me which upgrade you most want to see in the Z Fold 8 when it’s finally announced.

1. An Ultra camera boost

(Image credit: Amanda Westberg)

The Z Fold 7 has been my go-to every day since I first received it, but for the past six months I’ve also consistently carried a second phone in my pocket — becoming the kind of kind of tech journo I hoped I never would, one obsessed with tech perfection no matter how inefficient and niche my collection of gadgets is (just you wait, I’ll be wearing two smartwatches next).

The reason I mention this is that the second phone is the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and its primary purpose is as a camera, because it frankly puts my Z Fold 7's shots to shame.

If you want a clearer sign that 200MP sensors aren’t made equally, see this pair’s photos side by side. Couple that with the Ultra’s superior zoom cameras — further amplified by its boasting dual 5x and 3x telephotos compared to the Fold 7’s lonely 3x — and for photo enthusiasts, it’s clear the S26 Ultra has an edge.

My hope is that if the Z Fold 8 is getting an Ultra moniker, as some leaks suggest, it’ll boast identical cameras, or risk feeling like a subpar alternative, despite having a price point that demands excellence in every category.

2. Affordability dreams

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

Speaking of price, the reality I’m preparing for is that the Z Fold 8 will cost more than the Fold 7, thanks to RAM and storage cost increases. There’s a chance Samsung could avoid this by having its memory-producing arm give its mobile division a discount, although there are conflicting reports about a cost-saving collaboration based on leaks and Samsung’s own comments.

Regardless, I think the Z Fold 8 design could hint at a slight discount. I’m not talking about the wider display — though it does seem to have a smaller area, which should reduce costs somewhat — I’m referring to the lack of a third camera.

With it being rumored to boast 12GB of RAM and a top-end Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset — essential components for Samsung’s top-tier AI — it’s yet to be seen if the display and camera downgrades will bring the cost down in real terms or merely counteract the cost increases we would have faced thanks to the RAM crisis. I have my fingers crossed we might see the cheapest Samsung Fold yet with the 8 (defeating the reigning champ: the $1,799 / £1,599 / AU$2,499 Galaxy Z Fold 3).

3. Begging for battery

Could we get a battery as big as Oppo's? (Image credit: Future)

The Z Fold 7 boasts a 4,400mAh battery just like the Z Fold 6 before it, but thanks to software and chipset optimizations, Samsung promised the battery life of the 7 would be a little longer. My anecdotal evidence, however, as someone who used the Z Fold 6 as my main handset before the 7 launched, is that the battery seems to disappear faster on the newer model.

Now, this isn’t based on any tests, but speaking to a few other regular Z Fold 7 users who had upgraded from the 6, my perception of worse battery life was echoed. Thankfully, leaks tease a bigger battery for the 8, taking us up to a whole 4,800mAh. The Ultra will apparently stretch to 5,000mAh.

Considering some reasonably priced Chinese brands are delivering phones powered by silicon-carbon batteries with capacities over 7,000mAh, the leaked specs leave me underwhelmed. However, considering my usage currently forces me to charge my phone in the middle of the day — or risk it running dry before I get home — I’ll be happy with any upgrade in the battery department.

4. Privacy display please!

The S26 Ultra's Privacy display in Off and On (Image credit: Blue Pixl Media)

The star of the show on the S26 Ultra is the privacy display, but after spending more time with it, the tech does need a little tweaking. An easy software update would be to add app controls that let me choose which software uses maximum privacy mode. I don’t want to use it all the time, but I would love for it to come on automatically for password entry and mobile banking. However, it is still impressive.

Seeing it on the Z Fold 8 would be fantastic, especially on the Z Fold 8 Ultra, as, like the cameras, it would bring the Fold Ultra on par with the unbending Ultra, though I’m willing to accept the tech only showing up on the outer screen.

Unfortunately for me, leaks don’t tease this addition making its way to Samsung’s latest foldables, but maybe I’ll get lucky!

5. Keep the S pen away

Does the Z Fold 8 need a stylus? (Image credit: Future)

I’ve come around a little on the S Pen after experiencing it in the S26 Ultra, though I’m still not keen to see it return to the foldable line.

Why?

There’s no space to add it without making the phone thicker again. Frankly, the supreme thinness of the Z Fold 7 is what makes it infinitely more manageable than Samsung’s previous foldable phones.

With the Wide design being more tablet-like, I 100% see the appeal of a stylus to make the design perfect for casual digital artists, but I don’t think the S Pen’s positives outweigh the negatives. I hope it stays gone when the Z Fold 8 debuts.

Spread by parasitic worms that can infect via a splash of water, schistosomiasis causes debilitating symptoms. It hits kids hard. A board game teaches how to prevent it.

(Image credit: Daniel Amao)

It's July, I'm fresh off writing my 2026 cameras half-year review, and in the process something became clear to me — neither Nikon nor Fujifilm has released a new camera this year (the Instax mini Evo Cinema instant camera doesn't count).

So while I've personally tested standout models from other manufacturers in recent months, such as the Sony A7R VI and Canon EOS R6 Mark III mirrorless cameras, plus the Ricoh GR IV and Panasonic Lumix L10 premium compacts, we're yet to see new Z-mount or X-mount bodies.

I'm sure the question on many a camera fan's lips is this: can we expect new Nikon and Fujifilm cameras later this year?

I've reviewed every major camera release over the last few years, attended countless events, and have studied the timeline and cadence of previous releases to form a picture of what could happen next.

I've considered which bodies could be due for an upgrade, and what direction each brand has been headed recently. So let's see what could happen next for 2026's quiet camera manufacturers, Nikon and Fujifilm.

Nik-none?

The last Nikon camera body was the Nikon Zr from September 2025, which was its first cinema camera co-branded with RED. It packed super-impressive video specs, many of which were borrowed from the superb Z6 III, into a particularly small body with an epic 4-inch touchscreen and stellar audio features.

For a true mirrorless hybrid with viewfinder, we need to go even further back, over a year in fact, to the Nikon Z5 II in May 2025. This was a decent upgrade of Nikon's affordable Z5, which delivered a raft of performance improvements to redefine what entry-level full-frame models can do, and went on to bag our Camera of the Year 2025 award.

Currently, the range of Nikon cameras includes the Nikon Z30, Z fc and Z50 II APS-C bodies, and the Z5 II, Z6 III, Z f, Z7 II, Z8 and Z9 full-frame bodies, plus the ZR cinema body.

The Nikon ZR was the first Nikon / RED co-branded camera, and I expect other models to follow next (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

The most heavily rumored Nikon cameras are the Nikon Z9 II — what with the Z9 being over four years old — and new cinema camera bodies; potentially a premium and larger option with pro-grade connectivity that could sit above the ZR, plus an even more affordable version with an APS-C sensor.

We could get a new Z f-series model — both of the retro-styled bodies have been around for a while now. Personally, I'd like to see a Nikon camera in the Z f style, but as a compact camera version with a fixed fast aperture prime lens.

Tipsters believe we're unlikely to see another Z7 camera; the Z6 III (and obviously the Z5 II) is too recent for a replacement, while the Z8 has aged well and still holds its own today. CoolPix compact cameras have seemingly been sunsetted — besides refreshing its old 125x zoom bridge camera with the CoolPix P1100, we haven't seen a true new CoolPix in several years.

For me, having been hosted by Nikon at IBC 2025 in Amsterdam last September around the launch of the ZR, it was clear that Nikon has its head in cinema camera gear, so a high-end cinema body to follow the ZR is highly plausible, though I don't know what it would be called.

A new Nikon cinema camera with an APS-C sensor is also highly likely. In theory, it would effectively render a direct Z30 successor redundant, although it would cost a fair whack more than a potential Z30 II would. That would be a shame — the Z30 is Nikon's cheapest mirrorless camera, and Nikon has otherwise largely ignored truly affordable cameras for beginner photographers.

Fujifilm's next generation processor inbound?

As for Fujifilm cameras, the X-T30 III was its most recent X-mount release, back in October 2025, which followed the classy X-E5 from June 2025.

Those launches meant that practically every current X-mount model is fitted with Fujifilm's latest X-Processor 5 chip, besides the X-Pro series, with a range of 26MP and 40MP options.

I wouldn't bank on an X-Pro 4 until the next generation of processor is out in the wild, if at all, and usually each new processor comes with the latest high-end X-T model, the most recent of which was the X-T5.

The wacky Fujifilm X-Pro 3 with its film simulation window and hidden rear LCD is among the X-series cameras most due a successor (Image credit: Future)

It comes as no surprise then that the X-T6 is the most-rumored Fujifilm camera, which is being tipped for a September release when Fujifilm typically hosts its once- or twice-yearly X-Summit.

I've written about what upgrades I'd hope for in an X-T6, especially improved autofocus performance and an all-new processor, but otherwise it's hard to see where Fujifilm can better the X-T5 without treading on the toes of the high-speed XH-series.

Elsewhere in the range, the X100VI premium compact continues to sell well, and so I'd be really surprised if a seventh generation model comes this year — a new processor needs to come first, too.

Stepping outside of new gear and into photography, it's worth noting that Fujifilm recently shared its new 'Look Up' campaign (see below), encouraging people to look up from their screens and connect with the world around them, saying:

'Our cameras bring you back into the moment, giving you agency over how you see, how you feel and how you remember. They allow you to turn emotions into images — a grounding force that doesn’t tell you what to think, but helps you stay focused and present.'

Are you a Nikon or Fujifilm photographer? Which camera would you like to see next, and what are the upgrades that would benefit your photography the most? Have your say in the comments.

TCL PlayCube Portable Projector: 30-second review

If you’re looking for a small, portable projector for business presentations or just to sit back and relax and watch a movie, this Google TV-enabled 1080p projector is a superb option. What I really liked about this projector was that as I fed a presentation from my 4K output through the projector, it was downscaled without any issue, no black screen or flickering it just worked.

Essentially, with Google TV installed, linking it to my selection of mobile phones, be that Android or iOS, was straightforward, all done through the Google Home app. Once you’ve run through that initial setup process, along with all the updates, you’ll be up and running within a few minutes.

Since it's based on Google Home, you can install any native apps you want. If you are primarily using this for entertainment, you can download Amazon Prime, Netflox, 4oD, and any other apps you want, although iPlayer and the BBC apps do need to be cast. There's also a slight compatibility issue with iPhones when trying to cast from Apps like iPlayer, but for the most part it's simple enough. It’s all very simple, as ever with anything that runs on Google Home, and the connection speeds provide fast downloads in most situations.

When the unit arrived, it came in a semi-hard case, which is great for portability, especially if you’re going to business meetings or are running a workshop, as I was. In which case, it makes it a very neat and easy way to carry. The other point that I like about the design is that it has a 90-degree rotating body, which means you can very easily tilt the projection at will, no need for book to prop it up, and with the auto keystone correction, it automatically corrects the verticals. If, however, you want to mount it onto a tripod, then there is a quarter-inch thread on the base, making things especially easy.

Considering the size, the 750-lumen projection brightness is pretty decent for a portable model, although you do still need to present in slightly subdued lighting. In midday daylight, it’s worth just pulling down the blinds so you can see the projected image clearly. But if you’re viewing this later in the evening or at night, then that projection clarity is superb, and the uplift to Full HD, not just HD as many portable projectors are, really does make a difference to the quality.

The one thing I would say is that it has an integrated 5W speaker, and whilst that is actually pretty decent and was fine for my presentation, it’s a little low on the volume stakes. However, as you’ve got a 3.5mm audio output jack, if you do want to plug in a louder soundbar, then thankfully, that’s very easy to do.

The point here is that, alongside the Home integration, which is great for entertainment, when it comes to business use, you also have the HDMI input. So, you can connect it straight into a laptop, in my case, the MacBook Pro M1 Max, or there’s a USB Type-A port as well, so USB keys can be plugged directly in.

There’s also the built-in 66Wh battery, which is rated for up to three hours, which is enough to watch most films and get through most presentations without too many issues, but you can be cutting it a little bit fine. I found that just plugging it in via USB-C into the mains was the best way to keep the projection topped up and running, and, when out in the field, I used the Jackery 1000 V2 power station, which proved a great option.

TCL PlayCube Portable Projector: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? £799 TBC
• When is it out? Now
• Where can you get it? Most large high street retailers and online

The TCL PlayCube is widely available in the US, UK, and beyond, from retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Argos, and Richer Sounds. I generally found it selling for around the $799 / £799 mark.

• Value: 4/5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)TCL PlayCube Portable Projector: Specs

CPU: MT9630 processor

Graphics: DLP projector, 0.33-inch DMD chip, RGB LED light source

Rear / main ports: 1 x HDMI, 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A, 1 x 3.5mm audio output, USB-C power connection, IR input

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.1, Google Cast

Audio: Integrated 5W speaker, Dolby Digital Plus, four EQ sound modes

Size: 5.9 x 3.8 x 3.8 inches / 150 x 97 x 97mm; 2.87lb / 1.3kg

OS Installed: Google TV

Accessories: Power cord and user manual

TCL PlayCube Portable Projector: Design

I absolutely love the design of the PlayCube portable projector. It just looks great once you remove the semi-hard case it arrives in, unzip it, and the cube-like projector inside is revealed, along with the remote, plug, and USB cable that supplies AC power when not utilising the battery.

The design is somewhat unique, earning it the PlayCube name: part of the body rotates 90° to let you tilt the projector up onto a wall when it’s on a desktop, making it extremely portable and easy to use in different locations.

I used a workshop I was running to fully test this projector and even the set up process that was as simple as popping it onto a desk, tilting the body to project onto a wall was extremely quick and straightforward.

With the auto keystone and focus correction, I could literally get on with setting up without worrying too much about the projector. It’s just a very nice, neat design.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

At just 5.91 x 3.82 x 3.82 (150 x 97 x 97mm) and weighing 2.87lb (1.3kg), it’s also relatively light, so you can easily position it on a desk if giving a presentation. Equally, if you’re at home or out camping and want to watch a movie, it’s very easy to position and place. Great if you’re just taking it with you to watch a sporting or music event this summer, or to kick back and watch a movie at the end of the day.

In my case, it’s brilliant for workshops because you never know how much room you’ll have or what you can project onto. Just having something small and versatile like this is especially useful, even more so when it has a quarter-inch thread on the base, letting you mount it on any standard tripod.

Design-wise, it looks ultra-modern, extremely stylish, and well-made, and with that semi-hard case, it feels good and durable. So, if you are using it as a professional piece of kit rather than just for entertainment, then, stashed away in a Peli case for transport, it should survive more than a knock or two. it feels well made and robust, and durability has certainly been a consideration.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)TCL PlayCube Portable Projector: Features

Considering this is a portable projector, the feature set is quite impressive, with a step up to 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, which is far better than the standard 720p resolution we often see with this style of portable projector. What’s more, it also supports 4K input, so if you’re outputting from your laptop at 4K directly to the projector, or from a media player, it will downscale it to the correct resolution without issue.

The other point here is that 750lm is exceptionally high for a small portable projector, which means you can use it in slightly brighter conditions than you would usually consider. For myself, running a workshop, that brightness was just enough to produce a clear image in daylight conditions that was easy for everyone attending to see.

The brightness was matched by decent clarity and sharpness, and the autofocus really does lock on. Again, with that auto keystone correction, you’ve got a nice rectangular visual, even when you’re projecting up at an angle towards the wall.

The size of the projection is dependent on how far you move the projector back from the wall, you can go from a relatively small 30-inch projection to a 150-inch one. Obviously, the closer you are to the wall, the brighter the projection, so during the day you’re probably going to want that close-range projection of just 30 inches, which is still relatively large in small workshop situations, all the way up to about 150 inches if you’re kicking back of an evening and watching a movie.

Checking the quality of the projection, the image is produced via an Aura RGB LED light source, which the company claims has a 124% Rec.709 colour gamut. I’m also pleased to see that it’s got autofocus, auto keystone correction, auto screen alignment, and obstacle avoidance, meaning the screen will actually resize to avoid certain obstacles like light sockets and doors, all helping to make the setup nice and straightforward.

As we see with quite a few of these projectors now, safety guards, including the TOF active guard eye safety feature, help reduce the risk of direct eye exposure. As a multi-use projector, you get Google TV, Netflix certification, Google Assistant voice control and Google Cast, meaning you can cast directly from an Android phone to the projector, making things ultra-simple.

When it comes to connectivity options, if you don’t want to use Google Home and just want to use it as a straight projector, there are HDMI and USB ports, and I was pleased to see a 3.5mm audio jack for connecting external speakers. You also have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless connectivity to stream to online services and connect to external devices such as speakers.

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

• Features: 4.5 / 5

TCL PlayCube Portable Projector: Performance

Getting started with the PlayCube is extremely easy. After all, it has Google TV, and the setup and installation process is exceptionally quick. The only thing I would say is that during use, my home internet connection completely failed, so I had to rely on a mobile network. Still, the connection speeds were exceptionally good using the D-Link G572 5G router, which I highly recommend as a backup for your home internet if it’s slightly temperamental.

Once I’d run through the setup process, installed all the apps that I wanted, connected my Google account and run all of the updates, which did actually take some time, I was then able to use Google TV to project from all of my favourite streaming apps, and this all worked as expected, with a few notable exceptions.

While the projector works with most main stream apps, there's no option to download iPlayer and trying to cast to the projector from my iPhone through the iPlayer app also proved a non event. All other apps worked incredibly well.

What I liked here was that the remote control is really well thought out and very responsive in use. The quality of the projected image was also exceptionally good, and compared with some of the portable projectors that I normally use for workshops, the higher-resolution 1920 x 1080 display, alongside the 750lm brightness, really did make a difference to the clarity and internal gradation, even in relatively bright daylight conditions.

As the afternoon and evening drew in, the quality of the projection really stood out, and for presentations and workshops, this projector is an ideal solution. Coming in that small semi-hard case, this is easy to transport and even easier to set up.

There are several things that really appeal to me. First, the semi-hard case keeps everything neat and tidy, and the second is just how easy and quick it is to set up. Essentially, place it onto a desktop, rotate the cube around so you get the tilt onto the wall that you want, power on, and then you can connect whichever device you want, be that through the Wi-Fi connection for streaming services or, in my case, connecting my MacBook Pro through HDMI directly into the back of the projector so that I could project my presentation as well as examples.

The speakers are only 5W, and while they’re relatively decent quality, I did plug into an old pair of Fostex monitors just because they gave me better, louder audio.

I also found that, as I was setting up, the autofocus, keystone and object avoidance all happened automatically and extremely quickly. Once you get enough distance from whichever surface you’re projecting onto, it is very easy to get it to sit within a projection screen or wall, from the relatively close quarters of the workshop to pulling the projector right back for watching a movie later on that evening.

The fact that it’s got that quarter-inch thread on the base, enabling me to mount it onto a tripod, just made it far easier to manoeuvre around, and whilst the battery does last a good two and a half to three hours, for safety, especially while I’m watching the movie, I plug it into a Jackery 1000 V2 power station just to ensure it doesn’t power down right at the end of the movie.

Through the tests, the projector just worked exceptionally well, and whilst there is quite a bit of fan noise, especially in these weather conditions, it’s just about bearable, and in workshops where there’s plenty of chatter, so that fan noise really wasn’t an issue. However, when I was watching a few movies, the fan's background noise was a bit distracting at first, but you soon get used to it and kind of block it out.

When it comes to the visuals, they are clear and bright, and for such a small projector, it certainly packs in a great deal of power. For entertainment on the move, on holiday, or at home, the small projector is a great option because it packs away easily, unlike larger home projectors that take up a lot of space.

You can use it at home when you want to watch a film big on the screen or a sporting event, and then just simply pack it away in a cupboard when that’s over. Likewise, if you’re off on holiday, you can easily pack it, take it with you, and it doesn’t add too much weight to your luggage.

More importantly, if you’re away on business or you’re running a workshop, then having a small projector like this is an ideal solution. It enables the entire group to easily see what you’re talking about without needing to connect up to a TV screen, monitor or large projector. Because it’s small, lightweight and extremely versatile when it comes to connectivity options, it gives you plenty of flexibility.

The ease of connection really won me over during the test, as did the image's brightness and clarity. What I also really liked was that it would last for a good two and a half hours without issue, and with most of my workshops lasting around three hours, it meant that I wasn’t having to be too precious about switching the projector on and off, of which the boot-up process can take up to a minute.

When the projector does indicate that the power is running low, it can always be powered via USB-C. For the most part, because I have other kit that also needs to be plugged in, I take the Jackery 1000 V2 along with me just to have some extra power when needed.

For both home and business use, the small projector, with its premium build quality and matching pricing, makes a great option. It might not be as bright as the larger desktop projectors, but if you’re looking for one of the best portable options on the market at present, then this certainly fits the bill.

• Performance: 4 / 5

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)TCL PlayCube Portable Projector: Final verdict

(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)

From the outset, the TCL PlayCube impressed, firstly with a semi-hard case that instantly gives it an ultra-portable, premium feel. As it was opened, the projector inside had a decent weight and build quality, and it looked pretty stylish too.

As I ran through the test, checking out how Google TV and all the apps worked, it all seemed very fluid, exactly what I expect from anything based on the Google TV system. But then, branching out from just pure entertainment and streaming, I checked it out for the more serious business of work.

Connected out to my MacBook Pro M1 Max and a couple of the mini PCs that I’ve had on test recently, I was impressed to see that it was able to scale the video output instantly, ready for projection. There was no fiddling around with options or settings. It adjusted automatically, ready to project on the wall as and when needed.

Setup was exceptionally easy, with battery power, which provided plenty of projection time. This is one of the easiest projectors I’ve used: just set it on a desktop, project it onto the wall, plug in the HDMI, and off you go. If I wanted a little more audio volume than those 5W speakers provide, I could simply plug in a set of monitors and aim to vastly improve the output volume.

As ever there are a few issues with app compatibility for the likes of BBC iPlayer which isn't available, and trying to cast from iPlayer to the device from my iPhone just wasn't possible.

However, that aside as a compact and highly versatile portable projector, the PlayCube is a superb design and ideal for entertainment, both at home and away, as well as for business use, presentations and workshops.

Should I buy the TCL PlayCube Portable Projector?

Value

Expensive for a portable projector, but equipped with good brightness that makes it suitable for home and business.

4/5

Design

clever design with its twistable casing that enables you to easily position it or mount it on a tripod.

4.5/5

Features

Using Google TV, everything is very straightforward, and if you just want to use it as a straight projector, then just plug in the HDMI. It’s all well thought out and easy to use.

4.5/5

Performance

750lm portable brightness does make a real difference, and the clarity and colour of the image are also superb.

4/5

Overall

This is a well-rounded package that’s equally suited to home as well as business use, and you do pay extra for the quality it provides.

4/5

Buy it if...

You need a projector for business
The compact, semi-hard case that keeps everything neatly together, and the easy setup and use without a power supply make it a good portable business solution.

You stream content
After work, it is great to know that you can easily stream content from Google TV, Netflix and other streaming services without too many issues.

Don't buy it if...

You need daylight
Even with a powerful projection, 750lm can still be drowned out by daylight, so if you do need to display content through the day, a TV screen might still be a better option.

You demand cinema
Whilst for business and light entertainment use, 1080p and a 5W speaker might be adequate, if you want true cinema, then you might need something with a higher resolution and louder audio.

For more top performers, we've tested the best portable projectors you can get.

The shake-up is believed to be an effort to ensure the military's loyalty to the Communist Party and its leader, Xi Jinping.

(Image credit: Li Gang)

Google's Learn About is impossibly easy to use.

Dutton Ranch season 2: key information

- Was renewed ahead of season 1's finale
- Lead stars and executive producers Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser seem set to return
- A new showrunner has yet to be announced
- No confirmed release date, plot or supporting cast

In the least surprising news known to man, Dutton Ranch was renewed for a second season before season 1 had even had time to air its penultimate episode (let alone that explosive finale).

According to Paramount+, season 1 amassed 12.9 million viewers globally in its first seven days following the Yellowstone spinoff's premiere, making it the biggest original series launch in the streamer's history.

But having nailed so many aspects of Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip's (Cole Hauser) new life in Rio Paloma, the numbers make complete sense.

But with Dutton Ranch season 2 now official, what do we know about its development so far?

Dutton Ranch season 2 release window predictions

(Image credit: Paramount)

Currently, there's no confirmed word on when Dutton Ranch season 2 will air. However, it wouldn't be surprising for it to adopt the production of other Taylor Sheridan-produced shows like Landman, which gives us a rough guess.

The best-case scenario is that season 2 will film in late 2026, bringing episodes to the small screen in the first half of 2027. However, we could easily be left waiting until the latter half of the year, too.

Dutton Ranch season 2 trailer: is there one?

Don't be silly. It took us until early May 2026 to get one for season 1, so expect the first full trailer to arrive around two weeks before the second season does.

Dutton Ranch season 2 cast

Michelle Pfeiffer leads our new cast. (Image credit: Paramount+)

We're expecting the following main cast members to return for Dutton Ranch season 2:

• Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton
• Cole Hauser as Rip Wheeler
• Finn Little as Carter Green
• Juan Pablo Raba as Joaquin Jackson Reyes
• Jai Courtney as Rob-Will Jackson
• J. R. Villarreal as Azul Ramos
• Marc Menchaca as Zachariah Moss
• Natalie Alyn Lind as Oreana Lynn Jackson
• Ed Harris as Everett McKinney, the local veterinarian in Rio Paloma and a Vietnam War Navy veteran
• Morgan Wade as Carol
• Berto Colón as Miguel
• David DeLao as Claudio
• Josh Stewart as Sheriff Handy Wade
• Sterlin English as Austin Lewis

We can also expect new faces to join the cast, so watch this space.

Dutton Ranch season 2 plot predictions

This is exactly where I want to be. (Image credit: Paramount)

Spoilers for season 1 ahead.

While no specific plot points have been confirmed (and likely won't be for a while), it makes sense for Dutton Ranch season 2 to pick up exactly where the season 1 finale left off.

Obviously, there are quite a few questions that need answering here. The most pressing is whether Carter will survive his kidnapping, and whether Beth and Rip can get to him before anything bad happens.

Then we'll have the fallout of Rob-Will's death, which will definitely have messed with Joaquin's mind. This is also going to affect Mariano's standing in the 10 Petal business, arguably likely to see even more power than he had before.

Beulah, meanwhile, has absolutely nothing to her name. She needs to grieve Rob-Will, but Everett wants nothing to do with her, so her next moves cannot be immediately guessed.

Then, there's Oreana. Will she keep the baby? Will Beth be there to support her? And will Rio Paloma ever be the same again?

However, because there's set to be a change in showrunner (more on that below), a major shift in narrative tone and/or direction can't be ruled out. We'll know more on this once a replacement has been announced.

Who will take over as Dutton Ranch showrunner?

(Image credit: Paramount+)

As you might have heard, season 1 showrunner Chad Feehan exited the series a few weeks before its launch, after alleged on-set tension with Reilly, Hauser, and executive producer Taylor Sheridan.

Industry rumors have suggested that another writer would take over as lead showrunner, but this has so far been unconfirmed.

Sheridan has not directly led a Yellowstone spinoff since 1883 and 1923, but you can read more about why he'd be my ideal choice (because I won't stop going on about it).

• Discore nine-in-one DVD drive hub currently on Kickstarter for $39 (50% discount on retail price)
• It also supports iPadOS and Android devices via OTG functionality
• SD/microSD and further USB/USB-C ports add to its appeal

Discore is currently offering a nine-in-one DVD Drive Hub on a Kickstarter campaign with backer pricing now available for $39 (a 50% discount on the anticipated $79 RRP), making it a steal before you even consider its unique upgrades.

The campaign, which launched on June 28 2026, had set itself a goal of reaching $500 in backing before going into production, but within less than a week the project now has more than $45,000 in funding from over 750 backers.

The key difference and the reason why backers are so intrigued with this cut-price optical drive? Unlike most external drives, it’s designed to work with iOS and Android devices as well as PCs, allowing users to access and even burn discs from their smartphones and tablets (with suitable software).

This portable DVD drive is a nine-in-one hub

Highlighted specifications include CD read/write speeds at up to 24X and DVD read/write speeds at up to 8X, but being a nine-in-one device, it also houses an SD card reader, a microSD card reader plus USB and USB-C ports, making it an all-inclusive hub for on-the-go connectivity.

Annotated images show four USB-A ports and one USB-C port, with the company claiming speeds of up to 10Gbps and 160MB/s for SD cards using UHS-I.

Discore is clearly targeting creators with this new optical drive hub, including photographers and videographers who still need optical media alongside removal storage like portable hard drives. Acting as a single hub, it eliminates the need to carry multiple expensive adapters, and even at the $79 anticipated retail price, it still represents strong value.

The hub itself connects to smartphones, tablets and PCs via an integrated cable with both USB-A and USB-C connections, rated at USB 3.2 Gen 2.

Its enclosure is finished in a silver-white aluminium-alloy to keep it light, but also to support optimal heat dissipation.

Priced from $35-39 per unit, it connects to iPadOS, Android, Windows and macOS

In the campaign’s documentation, Discore highlights the hub’s support of “iPadOS and Android devices with OTG functionality, allowing connection with iPad Pro, Android tablets, and smartphones for accessing disc content, transferring photos, and managing files.” Most PCs are supported, including Windows, macOS, Chrome OS and Linux.

Discore is also keen to position the hub as a bridge between old and new, with optical drives phasing out but many distant memories already being stored on CDs and DVDs. Its portability and compatibility with certain smartphones and tablets, as well as PCs, is notable here.

Pricing for early backers dropped as low as $35, but Super Early Bird prices of $39 per unit remain available at the time of writing. Multibuy discounts are also available at $69 per two and $89 per three. Additional worldwide shipping fees of between $7-15 per package also apply.

Pre-shipping availability follows more than half a year of research, planning, design, prototyping and testing, per a timeline posted to the campaign. Mass production is on track to start this month, with shipping beginning in August.

The campaign closes on July 13.

When you’re looking for a new pressure washer, it’s easy to focus on the wrong specs. These are the ones that matter.

Shopping for a new phone can be a headache. I've tested phones for 15 years so I know what to look for.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: two-minute review

Blink has become the brand you recommend to people who don't really want a security camera. Cheap, painless, owned by Amazon, and a forgiving field of view. The catch was that previous 1080p pictures turned to mush the moment anything moved, or the sun went down.

The Outdoor 2K+ fixes this by capturing would-be crims at 2560 x 1440 in its top "Best" setting. There's 4x zoom for closer inspections, noise-cancelling two-way audio making doorstep conversations less of a shouting match, and an improved low-light sensor that holds color as the light fades before switching to infrared black-and-white. Drop to 1080p 'Standard' or 720p 'Saver', and you'll claw back a bit of battery life.

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Blink quotes up to two years from a pair of AA lithium cells, and while I can't fast-forward through two summers to prove it, a fortnight’s daily use barely dented the gauge. There's a USB-C port if you'd rather wire it to the mains with Blink's separately sold weather-resistant adapter, an IP65 rating shrugs off wet weather, and it’s compatible with the existing Outdoor 4 accessory range, so floodlight mounts and battery packs carry over.

Setup should be the usual Blink doddle. Scan the code, follow the app, pair the Sync Module, done in under 10 minutes with no cabling and no electrician. For a first-time buyer, it's about as low-friction as home security gets, although we did encounter some teething problems connecting the kit to a home Wi-Fi network.

Then you discover the real kicker. The Outdoor 2K+ ships with a new Sync Module Core rather than the old Sync Module 2 we were supplied with, and the Core has had its USB port removed. That port was the whole point for subscription-averse buyers: plug in a flash drive, store clips locally, pay Amazon nothing.

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Without it, the free experience reduces to live view and motion alerts, while saved recordings, person and vehicle detection and the smarter notifications all sit behind a Blink subscription that starts at £2.50 (about $3.50 / AU$5) a month and rises to £8 (about $10 / AU$20) for unlimited cameras. An older Sync Module 2 still works if you own one, but most people buying this won't.

It leaves the 2K+ in an odd spot. As a camera, it's the best budget outdoor option Blink has made. As a package, it's less optimal. Judge it on the camera and battery life alone, and it's a comfortable recommendation. Judge it on the small print, and you’ve got a new monthly bill the old model didn’t demand.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: price and availability

• List price: £89.99 / $99.99 / AU$119
• Launched October 2025
• Available in the US, UK and Australia

Pitched at the affordable end as ever, the Outdoor 2K+ slots in alongside the cheaper Mini 2K+ and the Blink Arc — a mount that pairs two Mini 2K+ cameras for a panoramic view — as part of the brand's 2K refresh. The one-camera kit includes the Sync Module Core, two AA lithium batteries, and a mount, so nothing essential to buy on day one — unless you want your footage saved anywhere, at which point the maths changes.

That's the rub. The headline price buys you a very capable camera and a deliberately hamstrung storage situation. Anyone who bought the Outdoor 4 specifically to dodge a subscription should know the goalposts have moved, because the bundled module no longer takes a USB stick. Frequent discounting means the camera itself rarely costs full RRP for long, which softens the blow, but the ongoing cost is the number to watch.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Blink Outdoor 2K+: subscription costs

Blink has two subscription tiers to choose from, both offering unlimited cloud storage for recordings for up to 60 days (up to 30 days in the EU and UK). Monthly or yearly billing is available.

• Blink Basic: $3.99p/m | £2.50p/m | AU$4.95p/m
• Blink Plus: $11.99p/m | £8p/m | AU$15p/m

Blink Basic includes support for one device, motion-event recording, live-view recording, instant video access, video sharing, person detection, and photo capture. Blink Plus includes all Basic features, along with unlimited device inclusion, moments capture, notification snoozing and 10% off Blink devices.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: specifications

Specification

Details

Resolution

2K QHD (2560 x 1440)

Field of view

130° Diagonal

Night vision

Color Night Vision (up to 30 ft) & Infrared

Power source

Rechargeable Battery (up to 6 months) or Solar Panel compatible

Connectivity

2.4 GHz Wi-Fi

Storage options

Local MicroSD (up to 256GB) & Cloud Storage

Audio

Two-Way Audio with Noise Cancellation

Smart integration

Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Weather resistance

IP65 Weatherproof

Motion detection

AI Person/Vehicle/Pet Detection

Smart home

Amazon Alexa

Camera dimensions

70 x 70 x 41mm

Sync Module Core dimensions:

81 x 45 x 21.55mm

Weight:

142g (camera); 43.6g (Sync Module Core)

Blink Outdoor 2K+: design

• Compact and easy to place
• IP65 weatherproofing
• Sync Module Core changes rules

There's nothing here to frighten the neighbours. The 2K+ keeps Blink's small, squared-off black housing, the kind of camera that disappears into a porch corner or sits on a windowsill without announcing itself. It's light, the bundled mount screws to a wall, and you can equally stand it on a flat surface and forget about it.

The IP65 rating earned its keep through sporadic summer showers and wind with no fogging or dropouts. Power comes from two AA batteries hidden behind a sealed cover, or bypass them with USB-C and an optional weather-resistant power adapter, if you'd rather not think about batteries at all.

Like the Sync Module 2, Blink’s bundled Sync Module Core is a similarly small puck minus a USB connection.

• Design score: 4/5

Blink Outdoor 2K+ performance

• 2K is a visible upgrade
• Color night vision is useful
• Smart features cost extra

The Blink Outdoor’s 2K output greatly enhances the chances of identifying strangers. I set it to watch a back garden, and it did an able job of capturing my faux break-in attempts. The 4x zoom is digital, so it softens as you push in, but it's enough to pick up distinguishing features or marks.

Low-light performance is the other win. An improved sensor holds color as daytime fades, while garden lights and street lamps keep footage useful. Let the light go entirely, and it reverts to black-and-white. For genuine color after dark, you can add Blink's separate Outdoor Floodlight Mount.

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Motion detection was razor-sharp, even if the default settings felt overzealous. Definitely adjust sensitivity and activity zones in the app to avoid being swamped with notifications about plump pigeons and swaying flora… unless you’re aiming for Springwatch in forensic form.

This is also where the subscription cost bites again: person and vehicle detection — the features that stop your phone buzzing every time a fox crosses the lawn — only switch on with a Blink plan.

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Run it free, with the Core module, and you're left with motion alerts and a live view, which is a thinner experience for a 2K camera. As ever, there's no way to view footage on a computer or browser; it's the phone app or nothing.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Blink Outdoor 2K+?

Attribute

Notes

Score

Value

A capable 2K camera at a low price, undercut by the storage you'll need to pay for.

3.5/5

Design

Compact, weatherproof and dead simple.

4/5

Performance

Sharp 2K video and useful color night vision, with the best features locked behind a subscription.

4/5

Buy it if

You want a sharp camera for very little cash

The 2K upgrade is real, and the entry price stays low, especially during Blink's frequent sales.

You value a two-year battery life

Set it, mount it and largely forget it — the AA lithium endurance is still a standout at this price.

You're a first-time buyer in the Blink or Alexa world

For someone starting from scratch, this is the easiest home security addition going.

Don't buy it if

You bought Blink to avoid subscriptions

The bundled Sync Module Core no longer takes a USB drive, so free local storage is off the table unless you own an older module.

You want Matter or HomeKit

Blink remains its own walled garden — Alexa only, with no Matter, Apple Home or Google Home.

You need top-tier image quality

2K is a welcome leap, but premium rivals shooting 2K HDR or 4K will still out-resolve it.

Blink Outdoor 2K+: also consider

If you're not sure whether the Blink Outdoor 2K+ is the right home security camera for you, here are two others to keep in mind.

Blink Mini 2K+

The wired indoor sibling with the same 2K sensor and smarts, for less money — handy if you mainly want eyes inside, or outside with the weatherproof adapter.

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus

If it's the front door you care about, Ring's head-to-toe doorbell covers the same ground with a visitor in mind, albeit with its own subscription.

How I tested the Blink Outdoor 2K+

• Tested at a domestic property
• Mounted outdoor
• Assessed video, night vision, audio, and battery

I lived with the Blink Outdoor 2K+ as a normal household would, mounting it to watch the back garden. I ran it through all three resolution modes, checked color night vision against lit and unlit spaces, and held two-way conversations to judge the audio. The two-year battery claim is, by definition, untestable in weeks, so I've reported Blink's figure and my short-term experience rather than pretending otherwise.

For more details, see how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.

Poets like Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes have written movingly about America.

(Image credit: J. Scott Applewhite)

Not quite a desktop tower or a mini PC, the AtomMan G1 Pro ends up with some of the drawbacks of both designs.

Commentary: Netflix's Worst Neighbor Ever is the latest true crime installment from Blumhouse and explores riveting, heartbreaking real-life horror stories that hit close to home.

Windows 11 is being fixed, you heard it here first.

Of course, we're all very much aware that Microsoft is busy addressing a plethora of issues with Windows 11, and has been for some time now. In fact, the campaign to right the wrongs of the OS began late in March 2026, and so Microsoft has now had three full months to get its act together with the initial work towards making Windows 11 better.

So, what's been done to that laudable end throughout April, May and June? And how has Microsoft fared in general during this first quarter of the effort to mend the operating system? This will be my first quarterly report on how fixing Windows 11 is going, and hopefully, I'll have plenty of good things to say about the initiative as it rolls onwards throughout 2026.

I'll pick out my highlights of the top changes made to Windows 11 so far – those moves that are really going to make an impact – and then provide my evaluation of how Microsoft is progressing overall. Then finally, I'll talk about what else the company might do, and what's notably missing thus far.

Key changes and features to fix Windows 11

(Image credit: Future)

There's been a lot of work done in this first quarter of Microsoft's campaign, with some huge moves for the Windows 11 interface that spring immediately to mind.

For starters, Microsoft has delivered what many Windows 11 users have been asking for since the OS first arrived – the ability to move the taskbar to the top or side of the screen (just as you can in Windows 10). As well as taskbar repositioning, we'll also get the ability to make it more compact, too.

Microsoft is revamping the Start menu to allow for a much greater level of customization – which is a theme with the interface changes in this fixing campaign – and that includes turning it into a compact, streamlined box with not a 'recommendation' (read: advert) in sight, if you want. This is one of the absolute highlights for me, and it comes alongside a lot of smoothing over of interface wrinkles, including modernizing legacy parts of the UI that look jarringly old.

The widgets board is also being made a calmer place, with no MSN feed (which comes with ads) by default, and Windows 11 search results are being tuned so you no longer have to suffer websites being surfaced in them, removing that clutter and unnecessary promotion (those results were opened in Bing, of course).

Windows updates have been heavily worked on, including something I must admit that I never thought I'd see Windows 11 Home users get the choice to do – namely to delay an update indefinitely. More updates are going to be bundled together, too, meaning you won't have to reboot to install them quite so often. On top of that, Microsoft is putting mechanisms in place to ensure that installation failures don't happen so often with updates.

Performance in Windows 11 has been another major focus for Microsoft in these early days, and that includes boosting the responsiveness of File Explorer with various optimizations and 'foundational' tuning to speed up this critical part of the Windows 11 interface (which drives the folders on your desktop). This includes a faster overall launch speed for File Explorer, as you might hope.

Away from File Explorer, another key performance enhancement is a 'Low Latency Profile' trick to give the CPU a brief boost when launching apps or Windows 11's menus, to make sure they run in a much snappier manner. Additionally, Microsoft is honing the contemporary framework employed by Windows 11's interface (WinUI 3) to be more performant, and the sum total of all this fine-tuning is that it should make a big difference to the overall feel of how Windows 11 runs in general, eliminating the sluggishness experienced in certain scenarios.

Other notable introductions include a 'turbo mode' for a much quicker installation of Windows 11, and a new 'Driver Quality Initiative' to usher in improvements with OS drivers (including ensuring that they don't excessively drain laptop battery life). A new point-in-time restore feature also gives you an extra recovery option to roll back your PC to a previous state when things go wrong, and that could be very useful should disaster strike.

Microsoft's progress with fixing Windows 11

(Image credit: Microsoft)

As you can see, there's been a lot going on in terms of revamping, honing, and new features. Granted, a good deal of this is still happening only in testing, but of course it takes time to bring through this work, and it's best not to rush vital changes to the innards of Windows 11.

What's also good to see is that Microsoft is engaging with the broader Windows community online, taking on feedback, and acting on it too (in some cases). The company really does appear to be listening, and sessions where it actively solicits the opinions of testers on certain aspects of the desktop OS are a commendable move.

Beyond this, Microsoft has set up a system of panels whereby certain testers are brought in to contribute to studies designed to improve various facets of Windows 11.

Overall, I'm pleased with the scope of the work Microsoft has taken on here, and I'm impressed with the changes, as well as the new attitude towards feedback. All in all, what Microsoft has done in this first quarter of fixing Windows 11 is to resolve a lot of the most pressing issues with Windows 11 (or at least kicked off those resolutions).

Not all of them, mind, and I'll come onto that next.

What else should Microsoft be doing?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / fizkes)

On the subject of what I think is missing from the drive to fix Windows 11, my biggest issue here is that there's not been much talk of how Microsoft is tackling bugs.

Yes, we've heard about working towards a more reliable Windows 11, an OS with better stability – the mentioned driver quality program is part of that, of course – but what about the actual core quality assurance processes?

The fact is that there are still too many bugs creeping through with each monthly update for Windows 11, and while some may be niche in their impact, they're happening too regularly, and some glitches are very odd in nature.

Just in the last couple of weeks we've seen the Recycle Bin weirding out, leading to accusations of 'well Microsoft, this is what happens when you get AI to code', and a strange bug with a Windows component eating up storage space in a mystifying manner (the fix is coming in the July update, and is in preview now, in case you were curious).

These kinds of oddities shouldn't be happening in the first place, though, and what I want to see from Microsoft is some concrete information on how it's revamping QA and bug fixing to be a more organized, thorough, and successful set of processes. This is absolutely key to fixing Windows 11 in my book, so get to it, Microsoft.

As far as crowd-pleasing features that are not yet on the boil, I'd like to see more ditching of 'recommendations' (those pesky ads that pop up here and there), the option to install Windows 11 with a local account should you wish, and the ability to switch off all telemetry with the Home version of the OS (well, save for the barest of details that need to be sent back to Microsoft's servers for security reasons).

And while you're at it, Microsoft, have a word with the marketing team responsible for Windows, and get them to tread a bit more carefully around AI. Overall, though, I can't complain, and as I recently discussed, I'm a lot more optimistic about the future of Windows 11 given what's happened so far in 2026.

Keep it up, Microsoft – but let's not forget about the bugs and QA stuff.

As America turns 250, voters from our Swing Shift project talk about the state of the country. Their views ranged from "uncertain" and "concerned" to "excited" and "cautiously optimistic."

(Image credit: Illustrations by Tara Anand)

At this point in my professional career, I've tested many laptops and computers, and every single one tries to promote what makes it special. It's always the best at something, the lightest at something, the longest something, the brightest something, the most ports, or something like that. Whatever it is, there's always something that is trying to promote the best of the best at it.

The ThinkPad P16V Gen 3 is one of the unique ones that actually tries not to be the best of the best at anything, but to be a really good middle ground and an all-arounder, creating a Goldilocks-like scenario where it is not the best at anything. However, it's probably a really good option for most who want a portable workstation.

Lenovo has a pretty clear and sleek way of doing this. The ThinkPad P16S is a lightweight variant of this workstation. The P16 is a flagship, and the P16V is the value, or, as I'm referring to it, the Goldilocks version.

Yes, if you have the money, you should do the more expensive one - it remains one of the best laptops for engineering students I've ever tested. Yes, if you want the lightweight version, you should do the S version, but if you want the middle ground and you want to have your cake and eat it too, check out the V variant.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The ThinkPad P16V Gen 3 is widely available direct from Lenovo US, Lenovo UK, and other regional sites. You'll also find it from selected retailers.

The base configurations for this laptop start around $2,300, with an Intel Core i7 RTX Pro 5000, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD, all on Windows 11. The version I have is nearing $4,000 and has a Core i7 RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell with 32 GB of RAM, a 1 TB SSD, and a WUXGA IPS screen, running Windows 11.

If you're looking for an OLED touch panel, that adds to the price, and you can get up to 96GB of RAM, plus larger storage if you're looking for that as well. The higher you go, eventually it gets to the point where it may be worth just getting the more flagship model rather than the more value-oriented variant.

Depending on what is important to you, you'll want to spec these out on Lenovo's website.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Unboxing and First Impressions

This laptop has the classic, simple, identifiable ThinkPad black finish, a decent enough webcam with nothing crazy, a privacy switch, and a co-pilot key, which I'm seeing on pretty much every Windows PC these days.

Right away, boot-up was pretty straightforward. There are great ports, and this seems like just another one of those old reliable laptops that you would get as a business computer in the best way possible. It's nothing shiny; it's not gonna win any beauty awards, but by golly, will it get work done.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Design & Build Quality

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 3 is only just over an inch thick and starts around 4.5 lb. It has thinner bezels and adds a USB-A port, which is funny compared to the Gen 2, showing that even in a world where we are pushing towards USB-C, people still really do need that USB-A port for quite a few legacy devices.

The ThinkPad P16v Gen 3 also has a MIL-STD 810H rating, a spill-resistant keyboard, a fingerprint reader that matches on-device (not on the server), a ThinkShutter, a Self-healing BIOS, and more.

On paper, these all look great, but in reality, what you need to know is that it is a spec bump plus the addition of a USB-A from the prior gen, which also rated quite well. Through every section that I keep writing about this review, I keep realizing more and more that this truly is just designed to be the Goldilocks computer for people in this kind of line of work

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I think this computer has been great today. Over the years, I've gotten used to using the TrackPoint and trackpad on Lenovo ThinkPad laptops. The keyboard is comfortable to type on, even during extended working and writing sessions. The Dolby Voice 5 field mic is strong enough for virtual meetings or, more relevant to some, works great with Wispr Flow and other dictation tools if that's your kind of jam.

It's great to know that this computer is strong enough to handle CAD files and other 3D project files, video editing if I wanted to, photo editing, and some engineering work. I used this to help build up some workflows in Notion, which took quite a bit of computing power running an expensive terminal — several windows in Notion, VS Code, Chrome, and ChatGPT open at once — and it handled the load like an absolute champ.

But as the continued threat of the jack-of-all-trades master-of-none kind of logic continues, the battery isn't the best on this. It's good. I would even say it's pretty good. It's not spectacular. It's heavy to carry around and can be awkward to fit in some backpacks unless they're larger. It's by no means the kind of laptop that you want to carry around if you're traveling a ton.

If you are in a technical, engineering, coding, tech support, or other similar kind of role and you need a mobile workstation but you don't need the flagship, and you're okay with having a little bit more heft to save some dollars, this laptop gets the job done in most scenarios.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16V Gen 3: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

As I mentioned slightly above, if you're a mobile technical specialist in some way, shape, or form (and trust me, if you are in this field, you know it), and if you want a workstation on the go, or if you had the Gen 2 and you really were missing that USB-A port and don't want to carry around a dongle, you should check this guy out.

If you really need that high-end GPU MPP, you should go with the flagship model. If you're looking for a lighter model, go down to the P16S Gen 4. The P16v Gen 3 is for those who want it all: a decently priced laptop with decent ports, a decent weight, a decent battery, and decent power.

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