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English teachers are excited to have a new adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey to use to get students excited about the epic poem.

(Image credit: Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pic/Melinda Sue Gordon)

Hannah Chin and Nate Rott of NPR's Short Wave podcast talk about the building blocks of birdsong, the evolutionary history of avocados and Egyptian warrior princesses.

The Trump administration has terminated or suspended more than 100 federal advisory committees. Former members say agencies like NASA now have less accountability to stakeholders and the public.

Invasive species can wreak havoc on ecosystems. A new study in Science suggests low- and middle-income countries in the Global South experience greater harms.

• Flamingo delivers longer range while costing roughly half as much
• Cheap missiles are forcing expensive defense strategies to evolve rapidly
• Ukraine's defense industry is becoming impossible for competitors to ignore

Ukraine's defense industry increasingly produces weapons that promise comparable battlefield effects at substantially lower costs than their Western counterparts.

Fire Point's Flamingo cruise missile has become one of the clearest examples of this broader shift in production.

A new report from The Atlantic notes it travels roughly twice as far as the US Tomahawk while carrying a larger payload at about half the cost.

Cost-driven innovation is reshaping missile production

Fire Point founder Denys Shtilerman says the company now produces roughly 200 long-range drones every day alongside up to three Flamingo cruise missiles.

The Flamingo reportedly achieves its lower production cost partly by using repurposed jet engines from older Soviet aircraft instead of new propulsion systems.

The missile also relies on carbon fiber construction rather than conventional aluminum alloys, while drone wings contain lightweight foam.

This is because durability beyond operational requirements offers little financial value and “they need to fly for 15 hours. Anything beyond that is a waste of money," Shtilerman explained.

This approach differs sharply from many legacy Western weapons, where long service life frequently outweighs manufacturing economy during development decisions.

The comparison naturally extends beyond cruise missiles because pressure to lower costs is already influencing established American defense companies facing changing battlefield realities.

Lockheed Martin recently introduced the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector, or ACE, which is expected to cost less than half the price of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor currently valued at more than $4 million each.

That places the projected ACE price below $2 million while allowing more expensive interceptors to remain available for the most demanding ballistic missile threats.

Such developments suggest legacy manufacturers increasingly recognize that affordable, mass-produced systems may become just as strategically valuable as technically superior but significantly costlier alternatives.

Cheap weapons can create expensive consequences

Flamingo's lower production cost could carry consequences extending beyond the battlefield because successful wartime systems often attract foreign manufacturers seeking industrial partnerships and joint production agreements.

Europe has already begun moving in that direction after nine countries joined Ukraine in announcing an Integrated Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition supported by Ukrainian missile technology and industrial experience.

Those partnerships are unlikely to remain limited to procurement because manufacturing knowledge, production techniques, and engineering expertise often accompany long-term industrial cooperation between defense companies.

Similar developments followed the Iran war, where battlefield success became an effective public relations opportunity for companies pursuing new commercial relationships with foreign governments and manufacturers.

Ukraine could now follow a comparable path because combat-tested systems provide valuable credibility when negotiating production agreements with potential international partners.

Shtilerman welcomed that direction, saying, "It's not America that decides whether Europe can defend itself. Europe is building its own shield."

However, Shtilerman’s background and authenticity remain questionable because he studied and worked in Russia, served two prison terms there, and his company became linked to a major corruption investigation.

• Bloomberg pegs outstanding AI data center debt above $500 billion right now
• CoreWeave isolates each loan inside its own separate special purpose vehicle
• Parent companies report only a fraction of their real total exposure, hiding the rest in shell entities

A growing body of analysts now warns that AI data center debt increasingly resembles the subprime mortgages that triggered the 2008 financial crisis.

Much of that debt is issued through special purpose vehicles, structures that keep billions of dollars off corporate balance sheets entirely.

Bloomberg estimates more than $500 billion in outstanding AI data center debt, with roughly $200 billion held by private credit funds.

A debt structure built on theoretical revenue

Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) raise debt to build data centers, then repay creditors only once paying customers begin generating revenue.

That structure is exactly why CoreWeave has raised billions through separate SPVs for individual loans, including an $8.5 billion facility tied to Meta's contract, since each loan stays isolated inside its own entity.

The same logic explains why Nikkei Asia reported that Meta, Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Oracle have accrued around $1.65 trillion in debt over five years, much of it spread across similar vehicles rather than sitting on any single balance sheet.

That gap between real exposure and reported debt exists because these vehicles are jointly owned with outside investors, letting the parent company report only a fraction of the risk.

Meta's Hyperion data center shows the pattern clearly: it is owned 80% by Blue Owl and only 20% by Meta itself, so the bulk of the debt lives with Blue Owl on paper even though Meta is the intended tenant.

Google has used the same approach, backstopping debt-funded data centers built by Fluidstack, Cipher Mining and TeraWulf without those obligations ever touching its own balance sheet.

That kind of arrangement is precisely what drew scrutiny from auditor Ernst & Young, which flagged Meta's structure as a critical audit matter, questioning who ultimately bears its economic risk.

The stakes extend well beyond the companies involved, because pension funds and insurers are also directly exposed, with many now relying on data center returns to fund future payouts.

Echoes of the 2008 mortgage collapse

The comparison to 2008 holds up because both bubbles rested on the same flawed premise: that demand would keep growing forever and never needed to be tested.

Subprime mortgages were the proof of that thinking at the time, and by 2006 roughly 20% of all new mortgages issued in the United States were already classified as subprime, according to government data.

Rather than treat that as a warning sign, financial institutions bundled those loans into complex securities, a move that obscured the true underlying risk from investors and rating agencies alike.

Financier Michael Milken captured the mood of the era when he publicly described such securities as a "financial innovation" that would broadly increase national prosperity and jobs.

Reality caught up with that optimism once mortgage defaults began rising sharply in 2005, and the damage cascaded through the entire financial system from there.

Lehman Brothers embodied how unchecked that confidence had become, operating at more than 25 times leverage in 2005 without serious pushback from regulators or rating agencies.

Today's numbers echo that same pattern of unexamined risk: analysts estimate more than $1.4 trillion in bank exposure to private credit, with $300 billion of it held by major banks alone.

Some estimates suggest planned AI data center capacity exceeds actual annual compute demand by a factor of roughly 15 times.

Unlike 2008, this risk is not driven by derivatives but by the sheer scale of individual data center construction costs.

Whether this debt unwinds gradually or all at once likely depends on how quickly major AI customers can pay their bills.

For now, the scale of exposure across banks, pensions and insurers suggests the comparison to 2008 is not merely rhetorical.

Via Ed Zitron

A council packed with Trump appointees is poised to rewrite historic preservation rules. Critics say that could help him build his D.C. arch faster — and endanger important sites across the country.

(Image credit: Jen Golbeck)

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 873 for Friday, July 24.

You can now tell Claude to work with connected tools with your voice.

• Adata chief predicts memory shortages could persist throughout the next decade
• Chen says AI demand still exceeds most industry expectations worldwide
• DDR5 prices climbed another 7% during July despite earlier market optimism

Chen Li-bai, chairman of memory chip manufacturer ADATA, has dismissed growing market speculation about an imminent collapse in AI-related investment.

Speaking after TSMC's stock price plummeted following its recent earnings call, Chen argued that discussions about an AI bubble remain premature at this stage.

He stated bluntly that any real conversation about a potential bubble should wait until after 2030.

Global demand still outpacing market expectations

Global demand for AI computing power, memory chips, and electricity continues to exceed what most market analysts had projected.

Meta's recent decision to lease out surplus computing resources sparked speculation that cloud providers had overbuilt capacity faster than demand justified.

That interpretation, according to Chen, does not necessarily mean overall AI demand has fallen below earlier projections.

Future AI applications, he believes, will expand across multiple business models simultaneously, spanning B2B, B2G, B2C, and B2B2C categories.

Chen criticized analysts who judge the broader AI boom using only short-term capital expenditure or single-company utilization figures.

Such a narrow approach, he warned, amounts to a "view of the sky through a pipe" that underestimates long-term demand.

Even as Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron pursue expanded production capacity, Chen predicted continued scarcity across the memory sector.

Electricity, particularly green electricity, and memory will remain the two scarcest global resources over the coming decade, in his view.

Manufacturers are now expected to pursue rational, prudent expansion rather than repeat past cycles of disorderly, large-scale capacity increases.

DDR5 prices already reflect the tightening squeeze

Real-world pricing data already supports Chen's underlying argument about persistent structural shortage rather than temporary market noise.

DDR5 memory kits in Germany rose 7% in July 2026 alone, reaching new all-time price highs according to 3D Center.

That increase pushed average DDR5 costs to 448% above prices recorded in July 2025, representing more than a fourfold jump within a single year.

Much of that surge occurred between October 2025 and January 2026, despite brief stagnation between February and June.

Beyond AI data centers, Chen expects robots, autonomous vehicles, unmanned factories, unmanned stores, smart homes, low-orbit satellites, and related ground infrastructure to require additional memory capacity.

He argued these combined demands cannot be satisfied by the three dominant memory manufacturers, or even major Chinese producers, within a single decade.

As AI applications extend from centralized data centers into physical devices and infrastructure, memory scarcity may become a structural trend rather than a passing cyclical phase.

For consumers and PC manufacturers already contending with elevated component costs, Chen's outlook offers little indication that relief is arriving anytime soon.

Via Ctee (originally in Chinese)

Get a peek at Sinestro in DC’s Lanterns, plus The Rings of Power, Avatar: Seven Havens and more.

• JFrog found Newtonsoftt.Json.Net, a trojan NuGet package mimicking the popular Newtonsoft.Json library
• Malware specifically targeted Digitain’s crash‑game backend, rigging outcomes with insider knowledge of its codebase
• Issue was quickly fixed but attackers remain unidentified

Security researchers JFrog have discovered a unique trojan targeting one specific company, while letting everyone else who’s infected walk away unharmed.

Named Newtonsoftt.Json.Net, the trojan is a typosquatted NuGet package variant of the hugely popular JSON library called Newtonsoft.Json. The legitimate package is one of the most-used code libraries in the .NET programming world, needed by almost every project in existence. It is a small piece of software that helps .NET applications read, understand, and exchange data between different systems.

According to JFrog, someone published an almost identical package, copied the real author’s name, license, and made it work as intended. For almost anyone who installed it, it worked entirely normal. However, for developers working on Digitain’s crash-game backend, it’s a whole different story.

Rigging the games

Digitain is an Armenian software company providing online sports betting and gaming software platforms to gambling companies around the world.

On the infected machine running Digitain’s real crash-game code, the malware swaps in a rigged number instead of a fair one, using a formula based on the date and time.

What this means is that the results of the gambling game are rigged, allowing the attackers to know, in advance, which rounds are manipulated and place their bets accordingly.

The malware also sets up a private confirmation channel to report back for every rigged round, allowing the attackers to know if the cheat code still works or not.

JFrog did not identify the attackers, but they did stress that it was most likely an insider.

Apparently, only someone with inside knowledge of Digitain’s codebase (for example a current or former employee, or a contractor) could have built such an exploit, since it required knowledge of the exact internal function name inside Digitain’s game engine that decides the crash-game outcome.

The researchers reached out to Digitain on July 7 2026 and were notified, two days later, that the issue had already been escalated to the team and, in the meantime, fixed.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K: One-minute review

The K2 Ultra 8K is a wireless mechanical keyboard that aims to compete with the big names in the space.

It adopts a fairly basic design, harking back to keyboards of yore with its chunky chassis and tall keycaps. This substantial form is complimented by a reassuring weight that keeps the unit in place, without being too heavy to move around when needed.

The aluminum frame is also welcome thanks to its pleasingly solidity, although its texture isn’t the most alluring. The keycaps are of a better quality, though, since they’re Double Shot PBT, which often adorns the best gaming keyboards. Their opaque lettering means the backlighting fails to shine through them, which is an oversight committed by many Keychron keyboards.

(Image credit: Future)

To customize the inputs of the K2 Ultra 8K, you can use Keychron’s Web App. There are plenty of remapping options here, with numerous system and media commands available. There’s also a SOCD feature with a few different modes to choose from. You can also adjust the bounce time of both down and up strokes.

My review unit came with Red switches, which performed quite well. They were slightly lubed and well-damped, while still retaining a certain snappiness. However, I found their actuation a little too deep, which did result in some of my presses failing to register. Also, the sheer thickness of the keyboard did cause my wrists to ache after a while.

Using the WASD position when gaming was a little more comfortable than a typing position, and the generous spacing of the keys made navigating them quite easy. The quick rebound of the keys was also something I appreciated, and helped to make up somewhat for that aforementioned deep actuation point. Both wireless connectivity options worked well, and hot-swapping between devices was easy, thanks to the switch on the side of the unit.

The K2 Ultra 8K is competitively priced for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable hardware. It can’t match the sheer performance and premium designs of its more notable rivals, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% and the HyperX Origins 2 1800, but considering all that it offers, the K2 Ultra 8K is good value.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170)
• Available now with various switch types
• Reasonable for a wireless gaming keyboard

The K2 Ultra 8K costs $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170) and is available now. Three stock switches are available to choose from: Red, Brown, or Banana.

This is a reasonable price for a hot-swappable, wireless mechanical keyboard with premium materials and numerous customizations available. Equivalent models from bigger brands are generally more expensive. Take the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, which is an eyewatering $299 / £299 / AU$499. However, this is one of the best mechanical gaming keyboards I’ve ever tested, and it offers a wealth of customizations that put many others, including the K2 Ultra 8K, to shame.

Then there’s the HyperX Origins 2 1800, another superb mechanical keyboard, but one that’s only marginally more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K. Again, I thought this performed better than the K2 Ultra 8K when I tested it, although its customizations aren’t as extensive. It’s also wired only, which diminishes its value somewhat relative to the K2 Ultra 8K.

• Value: 4.5 / 5

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

Keychron Apex Switch (mechanical)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

12.3 x 4.8 x 1.2 inches / 311.5 x 121.5 x 31.2mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Design and features

(Image credit: Future)

• Very thick
• Solid aluminum frame
• Numerous customizations via web app

The K2 Ultra 8K has a somewhat retro design with some modern touches. The chunky chassis and squared off frame are certainly throwbacks to simpler time, but the keycaps are more contemporary affairs, thanks to their soft, rounded form.

With that thick body comes a considerable weight. This helps keep the K2 Ultra 8K planted, yet it’s not too heavy to make moving it around a chore when needed. It also contributes to the unit’s durability, as does the aluminum construction of the frame. This doesn’t feel quite as premium as others, owing to its slightly rough texture, but it’s welcome all the same. Better are the keycaps, since they’re Double Shot PBT, which is the gold standard in the keyboard world.

Somewhat unusually, the USB-C port is located on the left side of the K2 Ultra 8K rather than the rear. This may prove inconvenient for certain setups, but thankfully it’s positioned quite far back, so the difference isn’t that huge. Also, the provided USB cable has an L-shaped jack, so it doesn’t protrude outwards all that much, with the cable naturally running towards the likely location of your device.

(Image credit: Future)

There is some RGB backlighting on the K2 Ultra 8K, but like other Keychron keyboards, this is quite lackluster. It barely shines through the spaces between each keycap and since the keycap symbols are opaque, you still can’t make them out in a dark environment, which rather defeats the point of backlighting in the first place. Keychron does sell transparent keycaps, but this is an add-on you have to purchase separately rather than being a configurable substitute.

At least this lighting can be customized, either by using the dedicated key in the top-right corner or Keychron’s Web App. This app contains a lot of options for patterns and colors. It also features input customizations, with a wealth of rebinding options that includes various media and system shortcuts.

There aren’t any advanced performance-based features here, save for bounce time settings and an SOCD function. The former lets you set the press and reset times independently for keys. There are two sliders for this purpose with a range of 10-50ms, with millisecond increments. The latter lets you adjust key priority when two are pressed at the same time — you can set the first pressed key to take priority, a chosen key to always take priority, or both to cancel.

As web apps go, Keychron’s is fast and easy to use. I didn’t encounter any frustrating loading times and or major bugs. Still, I would’ve preferred a standalone app for the sake of convenience, saving you from having to load your browser every time.

• Design and features: 4 / 5

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Actuation too deep for effective typing
• Good key spacing and response for gaming
• Unit thickness can cause discomfort

My review unit came with Keychron’s Red switches, which felt a little heavier than I’m used to. They’re damped and lubed to a reasonable degree, though, which made their operation smooth, and I found the clicky impact at the end of a key’s travel quite satisfying.

I was less enamored with the actuation point. It felt like I had to press down quite far for inputs to register, which caused me issues when typing fast, as characters were often missed. Typing isn’t helped by the tall keycaps, either: as someone who usually prefers a low profile, my ability to glide around the board was limited.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, that aforementioned thickness of the chassis caused me some discomfort after a while, even with the feet folded out, as I had to angle my wrists a fair amount. The K2 Ultra 8K is crying out for a wrist rest, but alas it doesn’t come with one.

Thankfully, I found gaming in the WASD position less problematic. Despite the compact nature of the layout, the keys are still generously separated, while the ergonomic shape makes navigating them quite easy. They also rebound quickly, too, which somewhat makes up for that deep actuation point.

I didn’t have any issues when connecting the K2 Ultra 8K to my PCs wirelessly via the 2.4GHz USB dongle or via Bluetooth. Hot-switching between two devices was also easy and effective, thanks to the slider on the side of the unit.

• Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Not many mechanical keyboards offer better value than this.

4.5 / 5

Design and features

Very solid and quite heavy. The keycaps are high quality, too, although the backlighting is poor. It sorely needs a wrist rest, too.

4 / 5

Performance

Presses are satisfying and quite quick, although it requires a heavier touch than I would’ve preferred.

3.5 / 5

Overall rating

Considering its spec, the K2 Ultra 8K is good value for money, but its key registering issues and uncomfortable thickness dent its appeal somewhat.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a tough unit
The aluminum frame and substantial weight make the K2 Ultra 8K a durable board.

You want to save money
There aren’t many keyboards offering this kind of spec at such a low price point.

Don't buy it if…

You have a light touch
With the Red switches at least, the K2 Ultra 8K doesn’t always respond to light presses, especially when typing quickly.

You don’t have a wrist rest
The K2 Ultra 8K is a very thick unit, and using it can get uncomfortable after a while if you have no wrist support.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Also consider

HyperX Origins 2 1800
The Origins 2 1800 isn’t much more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K, but it feels slightly more upmarket. It also performed better in my testing. It doesn’t quite have the same level of input customization, and this model isn’t wireless, but it’s still a great mechanical experience. Read our full HyperX Origins 2 1800 review.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%
I don’t think I’ve tried a better mechanical keyboard than this. The feedback and satisfaction from key presses is second to none, and the amount of customization is fantastic. However, it’s vastly more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K — and many other gaming keyboards. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Plenty keyboard reviewing experience

I used the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K for a couple of days, during which time I used it for working, gaming, and general browsing. I connected to two different Windows 11 PCs, one via the 2.4GHz dongle and the other via Bluetooth. I also used it in wired mode with the supplied cable.

I played games such as 007 First Light and Counter-Strike 2, both of which are good tests for the responsiveness of key presses and the comfort of using the all-important WASD position.

I’ve been using keyboards for decades for all sorts of purposes, from working to gaming. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, from budget offerings to high-performing, feature-filled extravagances.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

My favorite interviews over the course of my career have involve people I'd never normally get the chance to speak to in everyday life.

So far this year that's involved two former FBI agents, but Dr. Sarita Robinson — who you can see in Pompeii: Out of Time, out now on Disney+ and Hulu — might just take the cake. Known as "Dr. Survival," her work specialises in figuring out why some people are more likely to survive disasters than others.

This makes her a compelling expert for the three-part docuseries, which explores the events leading up to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, which destroyed the nearby Roman city of Pompeii, and features Tom Hiddleston as presenter.

But it's not her take on the past that I'm actually as interested in... it's her take on the disasters of the future. As a TechRadar writer, I can't pass up an opportunity to talk to Robinson about the dangers of the rise of AI usage across the globe.

While some of us happily wile away the hours asking ChatGPT to generate images of us as hot dogs, others are getting concerned about increasingly awry security reports, such as Open AI models breaching rival company, Hugging Face.

Add in potential climate change risk, and I think that AI is more than a viable candidate for the sort of survival emergencies that Robinson researches. But surprisingly, AI isn't what she's most worried about.

'We theoretically have a risk from AI'

First, I begin by asking Robinson exactly how she defines a survival emergency. Does it have to be a natural occurrence, like the Mount Vesuvius eruption near Pompeii?

"Absolutely not," she replies. "For me, when I'm looking at emergencies, it's anything where your life is at risk. That can be as simple as you walking across a road and a car coming, small scale emergencies that are just enough that you have to respond, or it can be huge emergencies. The last one that I did quite a lot of research on, as you might expect, is the pandemic. The next one will be climate change, the era of global boiling."

"Medium scale would be an earthquake in a region, a terror attack — so they can be human made disasters... they don't have to be just natural disasters."

So far, so good. When it comes to categorizing AI within Robinson's research boundaries, is this kind of technological disaster something she's ever considered?

"I think I've watched enough science fiction movies to know that we theoretically have a risk from AI," she tells me. "Exactly what that risk would be or how it would look is very difficult to predict at this moment. But yes, absolutely, I would definitely add it onto my list of things that can go wrong... my list is quite extensive."

'I would be far more worried about a solar pulse'

(Image credit: Disney+/Hulu/National Geographic)

"To be fair, I think the thing I worry about more on the tech front is something like a solar pulse that then knocks out a whole load of technology," Robinson adds. "I can't imagine my life without a mobile phone, a computer... it would be very odd to go into an age of no internet."

It's at this point of the interview where I stop feeling bad for adding a disaster scenario to Robinson's list, as she's certainly just added one to mine. Before this point, I'd never even heard of a solar pulse, which can best be described as a sudden burst of energy from the sun. According to the University of Minnesota, they can trigger "explosive releases of radiation and magnetized plasma ripple through space, occasionally triggering geomagnetic storms on Earth and producing auroras."

Fantastic, another reason to have anxiety in 2026. But what is Robinson's advice for not feeling so anxious about... well, general impending doom?

"Be prepared: active coping, doing something about it, keeping it in perspective, but making sure that you have the resources if something goes wrong," she responds. "I don't mean building a nuclear bunker in your back garden. For example, when the pandemic hit back in 2020, I had a 'pandemic kit' under my sink. I felt like I had a little bit more control in that moment."

"I did some research on the pandemic and what it did show was that those people who'd made some preparations prior to the lockdown were doing much better in terms of mental health, stress, anxiety and depression."

Can we make a solar pulse or anti-AI kit for under our sinks? Most likely not. But that doesn't mean that Robinson's advice should be discarded — control also means vigilance, so keeping a mix of online and offline resources in day-to-day life could be a great way of achieving this.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K: One-minute review

The K2 Ultra 8K is a wireless mechanical keyboard that aims to compete with the big names in the space.

It adopts a fairly basic design, harking back to keyboards of yore with its chunky chassis and tall keycaps. This substantial form is complimented by a reassuring weight that keeps the unit in place, without being too heavy to move around when needed.

The aluminum frame is also welcome thanks to its pleasingly solidity, although its texture isn’t the most alluring. The keycaps are of a better quality, though, since they’re Double Shot PBT, which often adorns the best gaming keyboards. Their opaque lettering means the backlighting fails to shine through them, which is an oversight committed by many Keychron keyboards.

(Image credit: Future)

To customize the inputs of the K2 Ultra 8K, you can use Keychron’s Web App. There are plenty of remapping options here, with numerous system and media commands available. There’s also a SOCD feature with a few different modes to choose from. You can also adjust the bounce time of both down and up strokes.

My review unit came with Red switches, which performed quite well. They were slightly lubed and well-damped, while still retaining a certain snappiness. However, I found their actuation a little too deep, which did result in some of my presses failing to register. Also, the sheer thickness of the keyboard did cause my wrists to ache after a while.

Using the WASD position when gaming was a little more comfortable than a typing position, and the generous spacing of the keys made navigating them quite easy. The quick rebound of the keys was also something I appreciated, and helped to make up somewhat for that aforementioned deep actuation point. Both wireless connectivity options worked well, and hot-swapping between devices was easy, thanks to the switch on the side of the unit.

The K2 Ultra 8K is competitively priced for a wireless mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable hardware. It can’t match the sheer performance and premium designs of its more notable rivals, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% and the HyperX Origins 2 1800, but considering all that it offers, the K2 Ultra 8K is good value.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future)

• $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170)
• Available now with various switch types
• Reasonable for a wireless gaming keyboard

The K2 Ultra 8K costs $119.99 (about £90 / AU$170) and is available now. Three stock switches are available to choose from: Red, Brown, or Banana.

This is a reasonable price for a hot-swappable, wireless mechanical keyboard with premium materials and numerous customizations available. Equivalent models from bigger brands are generally more expensive. Take the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%, which is an eyewatering $299 / £299 / AU$499. However, this is one of the best mechanical gaming keyboards I’ve ever tested, and it offers a wealth of customizations that put many others, including the K2 Ultra 8K, to shame.

Then there’s the HyperX Origins 2 1800, another superb mechanical keyboard, but one that’s only marginally more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K. Again, I thought this performed better than the K2 Ultra 8K when I tested it, although its customizations aren’t as extensive. It’s also wired only, which diminishes its value somewhat relative to the K2 Ultra 8K.

• Value: 4.5 / 5

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Specs

Layout

TKL

Switch

Keychron Apex Switch (mechanical)

Programmable keys

Yes

Dimensions

12.3 x 4.8 x 1.2 inches / 311.5 x 121.5 x 31.2mm

RGB or backlighting

Yes (customizable)

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Design and features

(Image credit: Future)

• Very thick
• Solid aluminum frame
• Numerous customizations via web app

The K2 Ultra 8K has a somewhat retro design with some modern touches. The chunky chassis and squared off frame are certainly throwbacks to simpler time, but the keycaps are more contemporary affairs, thanks to their soft, rounded form.

With that thick body comes a considerable weight. This helps keep the K2 Ultra 8K planted, yet it’s not too heavy to make moving it around a chore when needed. It also contributes to the unit’s durability, as does the aluminum construction of the frame. This doesn’t feel quite as premium as others, owing to its slightly rough texture, but it’s welcome all the same. Better are the keycaps, since they’re Double Shot PBT, which is the gold standard in the keyboard world.

Somewhat unusually, the USB-C port is located on the left side of the K2 Ultra 8K rather than the rear. This may prove inconvenient for certain setups, but thankfully it’s positioned quite far back, so the difference isn’t that huge. Also, the provided USB cable has an L-shaped jack, so it doesn’t protrude outwards all that much, with the cable naturally running towards the likely location of your device.

(Image credit: Future)

There is some RGB backlighting on the K2 Ultra 8K, but like other Keychron keyboards, this is quite lackluster. It barely shines through the spaces between each keycap and since the keycap symbols are opaque, you still can’t make them out in a dark environment, which rather defeats the point of backlighting in the first place. Keychron does sell transparent keycaps, but this is an add-on you have to purchase separately rather than being a configurable substitute.

At least this lighting can be customized, either by using the dedicated key in the top-right corner or Keychron’s Web App. This app contains a lot of options for patterns and colors. It also features input customizations, with a wealth of rebinding options that includes various media and system shortcuts.

There aren’t any advanced performance-based features here, save for bounce time settings and an SOCD function. The former lets you set the press and reset times independently for keys. There are two sliders for this purpose with a range of 10-50ms, with millisecond increments. The latter lets you adjust key priority when two are pressed at the same time — you can set the first pressed key to take priority, a chosen key to always take priority, or both to cancel.

As web apps go, Keychron’s is fast and easy to use. I didn’t encounter any frustrating loading times and or major bugs. Still, I would’ve preferred a standalone app for the sake of convenience, saving you from having to load your browser every time.

• Design and features: 4 / 5

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Actuation too deep for effective typing
• Good key spacing and response for gaming
• Unit thickness can cause discomfort

My review unit came with Keychron’s Red switches, which felt a little heavier than I’m used to. They’re damped and lubed to a reasonable degree, though, which made their operation smooth, and I found the clicky impact at the end of a key’s travel quite satisfying.

I was less enamored with the actuation point. It felt like I had to press down quite far for inputs to register, which caused me issues when typing fast, as characters were often missed. Typing isn’t helped by the tall keycaps, either: as someone who usually prefers a low profile, my ability to glide around the board was limited.

(Image credit: Future)

What’s more, that aforementioned thickness of the chassis caused me some discomfort after a while, even with the feet folded out, as I had to angle my wrists a fair amount. The K2 Ultra 8K is crying out for a wrist rest, but alas it doesn’t come with one.

Thankfully, I found gaming in the WASD position less problematic. Despite the compact nature of the layout, the keys are still generously separated, while the ergonomic shape makes navigating them quite easy. They also rebound quickly, too, which somewhat makes up for that deep actuation point.

I didn’t have any issues when connecting the K2 Ultra 8K to my PCs wirelessly via the 2.4GHz USB dongle or via Bluetooth. Hot-switching between two devices was also easy and effective, thanks to the slider on the side of the unit.

• Performance: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K?Scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

Not many mechanical keyboards offer better value than this.

4.5 / 5

Design and features

Very solid and quite heavy. The keycaps are high quality, too, although the backlighting is poor. It sorely needs a wrist rest, too.

4 / 5

Performance

Presses are satisfying and quite quick, although it requires a heavier touch than I would’ve preferred.

3.5 / 5

Overall rating

Considering its spec, the K2 Ultra 8K is good value for money, but its key registering issues and uncomfortable thickness dent its appeal somewhat.

3.5 / 5

Buy it if…

You want a tough unit
The aluminum frame and substantial weight make the K2 Ultra 8K a durable board.

You want to save money
There aren’t many keyboards offering this kind of spec at such a low price point.

Don't buy it if…

You have a light touch
With the Red switches at least, the K2 Ultra 8K doesn’t always respond to light presses, especially when typing quickly.

You don’t have a wrist rest
The K2 Ultra 8K is a very thick unit, and using it can get uncomfortable after a while if you have no wrist support.

Keychron K2 Ultra 8K review: Also consider

HyperX Origins 2 1800
The Origins 2 1800 isn’t much more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K, but it feels slightly more upmarket. It also performed better in my testing. It doesn’t quite have the same level of input customization, and this model isn’t wireless, but it’s still a great mechanical experience. Read our full HyperX Origins 2 1800 review.

Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75%
I don’t think I’ve tried a better mechanical keyboard than this. The feedback and satisfaction from key presses is second to none, and the amount of customization is fantastic. However, it’s vastly more expensive than the K2 Ultra 8K — and many other gaming keyboards. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75% review.

(Image credit: Future)How I tested the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K

• Tested for a few days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Plenty keyboard reviewing experience

I used the Keychron K2 Ultra 8K for a couple of days, during which time I used it for working, gaming, and general browsing. I connected to two different Windows 11 PCs, one via the 2.4GHz dongle and the other via Bluetooth. I also used it in wired mode with the supplied cable.

I played games such as 007 First Light and Counter-Strike 2, both of which are good tests for the responsiveness of key presses and the comfort of using the all-important WASD position.

I’ve been using keyboards for decades for all sorts of purposes, from working to gaming. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, from budget offerings to high-performing, feature-filled extravagances.

• Read TechRadar’s reviews guarantee
• First reviewed: July 2026

We could also see the first new iMac in two years, followed by redesigned MacBooks and iMacs with OLED displays next year.

• Athlete Josh Kerr just broke the world record mile time
• He did so while wearing an Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro smartwatch
• Amazfit has published data from the record-breaking run

What does it take to run a mile in a world record time? After Scottish athlete Josh Kerr’s recent world record-shattering 3:42.66 achievement, Amazfit has published a wealth of data straight from the track — and there are some fascinating insights to be found within.

Perhaps the most impressive data point to emerge from Kerr’s race, logged on a Cheetah 2 Pro, is the remarkable consistency in his split times. His four laps clocked in at 55.3, 55.8, 55.4 and 54.9 seconds, with just 0.9 seconds separating the fastest lap from the slowest. His quickest lap, in fact, was the last one, helping to push him over the line and claim the world record, which had previously stood for 27 years.

Even more striking were Kerr’s 200-meter times, which ranged from 24.7 to 24.9 seconds — a difference of just 0.5 seconds from first to last. With an average speed of 26km/h, he was comfortably quicker than the 24.1km/h required to hit a four-minute mile.

Kerr averaged 194 steps per minute during the race, with his heart rate hitting a maximum of 188 beats per minute around 400 meters in. In both cases, the measurements rose sharply early in the run, settled in the middle, then jumped again as Kerr pushed for a fast finish.

Project 222

(Image credit: Future / Paul Hatton)

The info comes from the Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro that Kerr wore during his winning race.

We were impressed with this device when we reviewed it, commending its accurate features and “outstanding battery,” both of which help make it one of the best running watches money can buy. And if it’s good enough for world record holders like Kerr, it could be worth a place on your wrist, too.

The previous one-mile record — set by Hicham El Guerrouj and standing at 3:43.13 — had stood for 27 years before Kerr broke it, making him the first person to ever log a mile in under three minutes and 43 seconds.

(Image credit: Amazfit)

Amazfit has been sponsoring Kerr as part of his Project 222, which is a bid to run a mile in 222 seconds, or three minutes and 42 seconds. Kerr’s record time is just 0.66 seconds off that target, showing how close he was to his goal.

How long will it be before he speeds past that time? No one can know, but you’d be brave to bet against him doing it, and Amazfit will be hoping he's wearing one its running watches again when that happens.

After a tumultuous summer for my health, I put ChatGPT Health to the test.

Four Republicans joined Democrats to approve the measure. And while it is not legally binding, the resolution represents growing frustration inside Congress over the war.

(Image credit: J. Scott Applewhite)

• Beginning September 1, 2026, passkeys will become the default for Entra ID
• Microsoft is retiring SMS/phone call authentication from February 1, 2027
• Victims are more likely to open AI-assisted phishing emails

Microsoft has confirmed plans to make passkeys the default or preferred authentication method for Entra ID beginning September 1, 2026, announcing further changes to account authentication in a bid to combat sophisticated attacks.

A few months later from February 1, 2027, the company will also stop providing its own SMS and voice call authentication codes for Entra ID in the hope that business users fully adopt passwordless sign-in.

While passkeys don't promise to totally stop attacks, they make phishing attempts far less effective because attackers would need access to victims' hardware to gain access.

Microsoft continues its drive for passkeys

While the company may be ending support for its own SMS and phone call authentication methods, passkeys won't be the only sign-in method after the change. Windows Hello for Business (biometrics) and FIDO2 security keys will still be available, for example.

"The AI era demands stronger, phishing-resistant authentication," a company notice seen by Windows Latest reads. "We are making passkeys the default authentication experience in Microsoft Entra to help customers securely adopt AI at scale."

Though AI hasn't exactly made attacks better at breaking through traditional authentication methods, it has made attacks more convincing. According to the company's own information, the click-through rate for phishing emails stands at 54% for AI-assisted campaigns, compared with just 12% for conventional ones.

With more people opening up malicious links, the effects are compounded, hence the push to improve general security.

Looking ahead, Microsoft's suggested plan for impacted organizations includes identifying users who still use SMS/voice authentication, planning a company-wide passkey rollout and keeping workers up-to-date.

"SMS and voice have served their purpose well, bringing multifactor authentication to billions of users who otherwise would have had none," Microsoft concluded, declaring that "the threat environment has evolved beyond their capabilities."