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• Knowles has found a way for headphones to use balanced armature drivers
• This could let future headphones offer greatly improved sonic qualities
• Currently, no headphones offer this tech, only earbuds — but they will

While earbuds makers have been tripping over themselves to bundle more and more drivers in their buds — the Soundpeats H3 have three and they cost less than the AirPods Pro 3 (which don't have three), while the Status Between 3ANC pictured below sport dual Balanced armature drivers and one 10mm dynamic driver — it's a race that's not yet reached the best headphones.

Hold the phone: it has now reached them, thanks to Knowles' new design. The company, best known for its Balanced Armature (BA) driver because in 1955, Hugh Knowles invented it for the hearing aid market, thinks it's finally ready to revolutionize the headphone game.

Knowles has unveiled a new hybrid design for headphones, which allows its small and light BA drivers to sit alongside the much bigger dynamic drivers typical in over-ear designs. While the dynamic driver would handle the same frequencies as always (typically lower-end ones), the BA driver would add a bit of high-end sparkle.

Basically, headphones might soon sound a lot better, and have a lot more room under the ear cups to add extra features.

At the time of writing, no headphones have been unveiled with this tech, but hopefully, we'll start seeing cans which benefit from it roll out very soon.

Knowling Me, Knowling You (ah haaa)

(Image credit: Future)

Traditionally, most headphone makers have believed that multi-driver systems in headphones is a bad idea. It's a shame, because in earbuds, each driver can focus on a different range of frequencies, instead of relying on one to do as much as possible. And when done well, (see Campfire Audio's lineup for several gorgeous examples) it can sound utterly sublime.

For a combination of reasons like phase avoidance, complications with spatial audio tuning and ear positioning, most (though not all) headphones have a single driver. It's because the drivers are further from your ears than in buds, where they're up close and personal with your ear canal, which complicates matters.

However, BA drivers are popular for being small and lightweight, so they add some much-needed versatility within the acoustic architecture.

Knowles' design for cans features one dynamic driver with two BA drivers, which sit in front of the dynamic unit, pointed precisely at your ears.

According to Knowles, this is one of the main draws: a hybrid design can be used "without significantly changing industrial designs, comfort, or overall product dimensions". So they won't be heavier than your standard cans — if anything, they might be lighter.

However, reading between the lines, it sounds like a precise fit will be even more important on over-ear headphones with this architecture. I imagine that it rules out the tech being implemented in on-ears, which I've always found to fit quite loosely, and possibly also workout headphones, due to the natural shake of exercises.

Knowles has already put BA drivers in buds from JBL, Status (pictured above this text), JLab, Edifier and Baseus, so these companies may well be the first to take Knowles up on its offering and release over-ears using the tech. But only time will really tell — so for now, we wait.

Venezuelans living in the U.S organize donation drives in response to the devastating earthquakes.

(Image credit: Lucio Vasquez)

• X screenshot shows new Claude Cowork mobile remote UI
• OpenAI already has a Codex remote control tool in the mobile app
• Anthropic has already indicated that Dispatch is in beta – launch could be imminent

Anthropic could be testing a mobile companion feature for Claude Cowork, giving users remote access to the autonomous agent that handles long-running tasks on their computer.

Cowork will remain a desktop-only tool for carrying out longer tasks autonomously, like arranging and analyzing local files and generating documents, with the mobile addition only serving as a remote control to check in on progress.

Importantly, users may also be able to start tasks remotely from their phone, giving the mobile app near-identical functionality to the desktop app even though it doesn't actually run those tasks locally.

Claude Cowork could soon get a mobile controller

Screenshots of the upcoming feature were shared in an X post, implying that the remote functionality can be used both on the mobile app and on the web.

The company has not officially announced the rumored update, but it would make sense following OpenAI's introduction of a Codex controller within the ChatGPT mobile app in May.

Adding remote access would strengthen Claude Cowork's position as an always-on digital colleague, rather than just a conversational chatbot, allowing it to carry out tasks even when a human user may be otherwise occupied.

The Cowork web page does indicate that pairing a phone is now available in beta, but the finer details are unconfirmed – such as which accounts might get access first.

A separate support article also implies that Dispatch, the remote tool, is available in beta for Pro and Max plans, noting that an active internet connection on both devices is required and that the desktop must also be active.

All in all, the fragmented information hints at an imminent launch.

This week, the beleaguered body of water faced new woes. Plus soccer, gambling and U.K. politics!

As the U.S. prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, former national park rangers are hosting teach-ins and sharing history that the Trump administration has sought to erase from federal land.

(Image credit: KT Kanazawich for NPR)

Former NOAA staffers have launched a new website that provides climate information. It replaces a government site that was shut down when the Trump administration took office.

(Image credit: Chandan Khanna)

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

It may be a line borrowed from Spider-Man, but it captures the inflection point facing the telecoms industry today.

Telecom networks are the invisible infrastructure of modern life. Every message sent, video streamed and connected device depends on the vast digital highways that telecom operators build and maintain.

But the industry is now at a crossroads.

As UK telecoms intensify their journey toward Net Zero and with 6G on the horizon, AI is emerging as both a transformative enabler and a sustainability challenge.

A dual approach to AI

Telecoms has entered a new phase of AI-fueled growth. Data demand is surging, networks are becoming denser, and the next wave of innovation is pushing digital infrastructure to new limits.

With this growth comes a clear opportunity to lead on sustainability – but to seize it, the industry must unlock AI’s full potential responsibly. On one hand, AI enables smarter operations across the telecoms system, from network traffic optimization to supply chain analytics and carbon reporting. On the other, it brings rising energy and water demands driven by compute-intensive workloads.

A dual approach is therefore central to ensuring technological innovation supports the climate agenda. That means advancing both AI for sustainability – using AI to reduce emissions, optimize resources and accelerate progress towards Net Zero – and sustainable AI, ensuring that AI itself is designed, deployed and governed in a way that minimizes its environmental impact.

This is the defining tension of the next decade: scaling intelligence without scaling impact.

Pinpointing high-impact AI use cases

AI is already creating new possibilities for progress, but real value lies in prioritizing use cases that drive both business value and environmental benefit. Not every use case delivers equal value—and in a resource-constrained world, prioritization is critical.

First and foremost, energy optimization is an area of significant opportunity. Energy consumption accounts for up to 40% of telecoms’ network OPEX, and GSMA Intelligence indicates that operators could reduce OPEX by 4% for a 20% reduction in energy costs through power efficiencies.

Here, AI can assist with network load balancing to help distribute traffic evenly and reduce unnecessary energy consumption. Meanwhile, energy use in data centers can be reduced through intelligent workload distribution, predictive cooling and server optimization, all of which lower overall demand. In effect, AI enables networks to think more intelligently about how and when energy is used.

On the reporting side, AI is also playing an increasingly important role. It’s being used to support customer carbon reporting, particularly in analysing large datasets from multiple sources – estimating notoriously obscure Scope 3 emissions and helping customers better understand their impact.

For example, a network operator seeking to assess B2B customer emissions can integrate data from traffic records and device energy use, linking it with customer profiles to generate more accurate insights. What was once opaque is becoming measurable, and therefore manageable.

Establishing the foundations for sustainable AI

Without the right foundations, scaling AI risks putting the cart before the horse. Organizations must establish strong governance to ensure AI is used ethically and sustainably – and that requires close collaboration across sustainability, technology and operational teams.

A centralized governance body can accelerate decision-making, enforce accountability, and ensure AI initiatives are aligned with wider sustainability goals. It also provides the guardrails needed to scale AI with confidence.

This oversight should extend across the full AI lifecycle — from design and development to training and deployment — embedding environmental, social and ethical considerations from the outset, rather than treating them as an afterthought.

For instance, organizations can adopt a “decision tree” approach to evaluate whether AI is needed at all, and if so, what type is most appropriate, considering alternatives that may deliver similar outcomes with a lower environmental footprint.

Assessing and mitigating environmental impact

Understanding AI’s environmental footprint must be the starting point for responsible adoption. After all, you can’t manage what you can’t measure. In truth, only a minority of companies are actively monitoring and disclosing the environmental footprint of their AI models, and even fewer have set reduction targets. This indicates a broader need for lifecycle assessments and accountability in AI operations.

But this is a daunting task on a few levels. Many organizations lack transparency from AI providers regarding energy efficiency and carbon footprints, which is crucial for informed decision-making – and without clear, standardized metrics and greater visibility across the value chain, organizations are left making critical decisions in the dark. Addressing this gap will require closer collaboration across the ecosystem to establish common standards, improve transparency and embed sustainability into AI decision-making.

A responsibility that extends beyond telecoms

The impact of telecoms sustainability decisions goes far beyond the industry. Telecoms already account for at least 1.6% of global carbon emissions. Decisions made here influence energy demand, emissions reduction and resource efficiency across national economies. By acting decisively, telecoms can set a standard for other sectors, demonstrating that AI-powered growth and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.

But there is work to be done. As AI adoption accelerates across networks, customer operations and enterprise services, understanding and managing its energy impact will become increasingly important. Ultimately, the challenge facing telecoms is not simply to connect the world, but to do so responsibly.

We feature the best business phone systems.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

Rescuers in Venezuela continue search for the missing after devastating earthquakes, SCOTUS rulings give Trump more power to set immigration policy, Trump works to woo struggling American farmers.

On this week's StoryCorps, a man remembers being raised by gay parents at the height of the AIDS crisis.

As Venezuela begins counting the cost of its deadliest quake disaster in over a century, a shattered economy and struggling health system threaten to slow recovery efforts.

(Image credit: Pedro Mattey)

A top official at the National Park Service says a liner along the bottom of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was cut with a sharp knife or razor this month, causing damage to the foam sealant installed as part of a $16 million rehabilitation project.

(Image credit: Carolyn Kaster)

(Image credit: Amirhosein Khorgooi/AP Photo/Amirhosein Khorgooi)

The decision was announced Thursday during a briefing on royal finances at which Charles became the first British monarch to reveal the taxes he paid to the government.

(Image credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for June 26.

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for June 26, No. 641.

This is the third price hike for Xbox consoles since May of last year.

From Windows models with Qualcomm Snapdragon X and Intel Panther Lake processors to MacBooks running on Apple's latest M5 chip, these are the longest-lasting laptops we've tested.

Apple has just announced major price rises on a huge range of its products, and among them are its two HomePod models. The price of the HomePod mini is rising from $99 / £99 to $129 / £129, which is a 30% increase.

The full-size HomePod 2 is also getting a price change, but it's a more palatable 17%, meaning that it's changing from costing $299 / £299 to now $349 / £349.

I think the HomePod 2 can take that price rise, even though I'd obviously rather we were still in an era when products came down in price over time; the big HomePod is already a more premium product, and still sounds very good for the price.

But I think this change is devastating to the HomePod mini. I reviewed it when it came out, and I was so impressed by the dynamic range of its sound and its detail, bearing in mind not only the price, but the size. For ages, I had a pair as my desktop speakers out of choice, even though, as an audio editor, I can get my hands on pretty much any stereo setup I want to try.

As a result, I've been strongly recommending the HomePod mini since it came out, and advocating for its position as the best 'cheap' option in our list of the best wireless speakers. Being a HomePod, it's very limited as to who it's ideal for (all-Apple households, basically), but it's been in a totally different league to anything else when it comes to value since it's launch, in my opinion — yes, even five years later.

Well, until today.

The problem is that the gap has very suddenly closed between it and the next-best cheaper wireless speaker, which is the freshly released Sonos Era 100 SL.

The Sonos speaker has much bigger sound, Android and iOS support for all streaming services, Bluetooth as well as AirPlay and direct app control, and the ability to connect analog devices via an adapter — it's way more capable, but it was fair enough that the HomePod doesn't do all that considering its lower price.

At the start of this week, there was $90 / £70 between them. Today, the gap between them is $30 / £12.

Today's best Sonos Era 100 SL prices

We gave this speaker 4.5 stars in our Sonos Era 100 SL review, based largely on it being a great low price while having impressive audio and connectivity. And now it's even cheaper — it's my top pick for a small wireless speaker.View Deal

The Era 100 SL is an even better deal in the UK — for just £12 more than the HomePod mini, you're getting something that's way more futureproof. There's no contest between them any more.View Deal

Now, that's a slightly unfair comparison — I'm comparing full price to the Sonos' discounted price — but it's a very practical one, because it's the real choice most people will face when they buy.

The biggest sales for something like the Sonos Era 100 SL happen during sales events. Right now, it's Amazon Prime Day. Soon, it will be the July 4th sales in the US. And obviously Black Friday is huge for selling this stuff — the Era 100 SL will be discounted to this kind of level at all these times, and more besides.

The HomePod mini was very rarely discounted, by comparison, and usually only by a couple of bucks. So once this price rise settles in, and at the times most people are actually thinking about which one to buy, the comparison of the $129 / £129 very limited HomePod mini vs the $159 / £141 chad Sonos Era 100 SL is going to be the choice people will actually face.

And despite being the HomePod mini's strongest advocate since its launch, I'm just not going to be able to recommend it any more.

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

In the current climate where tech devices seem to be rocketing in price due to the global memory shortage (Apple just annouced some pretty brutal hikes, as has Xbox), buying a new Wi-Fi router has now become one of the most affordable - and impactful - ways to upgrade the devices in your home, and for Prime Day, Amazon has cut the price on a number of its eero routers, including the three-pack eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi system, which is now $194.99 (down from $299.99).

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Mesh routers are fantastic devices for ensuring every device in your home can access your Wi-Fi. Unlike single routers, mesh routers consist of several units that wirelessly connect to one another and help spread their Wi-Fi signal throughout your home.

Because so many devices in our homes need internet connections these days, making sure you have fast, reliable Wi-Fi can boost the performance of a wide range of devices in your home.

And while the likes of laptops, tablets, graphics cards, and other memory-dependent devices are seeing price hikes, mesh routers aren't as affected. So, rather than despairing over constantly rising prices, check out these eero router deals below and upgrade your entire home's internet instead.

Today's best eero router deals

If you've already got an eero mesh system, you can expand it with this extender, which is now under $50. This is great for people who need extra coverage, but note that you need an existing eero network to add this to - it won't work on its own. According to Amazon, this will add 1,500 square feet to your coverage.View Deal

This two-pack eero 6 system features a router and extender, and is ideal for medium-sized homes, with coverage of up to 3,000 square feet. Many homes won't need more than two units, so you can save some money by getting this smaller pack. If you find you need more coverage, you can buy an extender (listed above).View Deal

This three-pack has had a $70 price cut, making it very tempting, and the perfect Wi-Fi solution for most large homes thanks to its 4,500 sq. ft coverage and support for over 75 simultaneous device connections. If you don't want, or need, Wi-Fi 7 support (the vast majority of your devices are likely Wi-Fi 6) this is a brilliant buy that can make a big difference to your home Wi-Fi.View Deal

If you have more modern devices in your home but haven't fully embraced Wi-Fi 7, then the eero 6+ Mesh Wi-Fi System is a great choice. Unlike the eero 6 systems, the eero 6+ uses an extra Wi-Fi radio channel, which means network congestion is reduced - and that means a potentially faster and more reliable internet connection for the devices around your home. This two-pack offers coverage of up to 3,000 square feet, and for $80 off, this is an excellent value.View Deal

Summer's here, the World Cup is on, so making sure your outdoor space has great Wi-Fi is essential, and eero's outdoor model connects to your existing eero network, whilst spreading super-fast Wi-Fi 7 wireless to the furthest reaches of your yard, and ensuring garages and summer houses all have solid, fast internet.View Deal

This three-pack features Amazon's latest and fastest eero mesh system, with Wi-Fi 7 support, so compatible devices will get maximum speeds from your Wi-Fi. It can handle internet speeds of up to 5 Gbps, cover up to 6,000 square feet, and cope with over 600 devices connecting to the Wi-Fi. As the name suggests, this is mainly aimed at professional environments, but big homes will benefit as well, and with the $150 price cut, it's more affordable than ever.View Deal

All of these eero systems benefit from an easy, app-based installation process, automatic updates to keep your home secure, and they also act as an Alexa smart home hub, allowing your smart devices to be controlled by an Alexa-capable smart speaker.

Not in the US? Check out these eero deals where you are:More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK (DELETE IF US ONLY DEAL)

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

A group representing child actors is criticizing contracts that would allow AI to reuse a child's voice.