News

The Breville Luxe Brewer is a new premium drip coffee makerIt has a removable water tank and customizable brewing profilesIt's available with either a glass or stainless steel insulated carafe

Breville, maker of some of the best coffee makers we've tested here at TechRadar, has launched a new drip coffee machine that helps you get more flavor from your beans, and avoid one of the most common pitfalls when making filter coffee: water spills.Even the best drip coffee makers tend to have an integrated water tank, so you have to fill it using the carafe (risking spillage) and you can't easily see how clean it is, whether it needs descaling, or how much water is inside.That's not the case with the new Breville Luxe Brewer, which has a 12-cup water tank with integrated filter that simply lifts off the base, and has an extra-wide top for easy filling.

(Image credit: Breville)

Like the Fellow Aiden Precision Coffee Maker I reviewed recently, the Breville Luxe Brewer can make brewing as simple or technical as you like. You can begin brewing a pot of coffee with a single button press, or get technical by customizing the bloom volume (the amount of hot water dispensed to pre-infuse your coffee grounds before brewing), bloom time (how long that water is allowed to sit on the coffee grounds), brewing temperature, and flow rate. Once you've found your preferred settings, you can save them as a preset for next time.Other features include a programmable timer so you can wake to freshly brewed coffee first thing in the morning, a cold-brew setting that promises to make smooth, full bodied filter coffee in just 30 minutes, and a hot plate to keep your brew warm for up to six hours.

Hot stuff

Opinions on hot plates vary. Personally I find them convenient and don't find they affect the taste of my drinks too much, but if you disagree then you'll be pleased to know that it's not the only way to keep your coffee at the right temperature. Like its predecessor, the Breville Precision Brewer, the Breville Luxe Brewer is available in two versions: one with a glass carafe, and one with an insulated double-walled jug to keep your coffee hot for up to four hours.The machine is supplied with two filter baskets – one cone-shaped and one flat-bottomed – which are intended to help your coffee infuse in different ways, bringing out subtly different flavor profiles.According to research by the Speciality Coffee Association (SCA) and partners, the cone should create fruitier notes, while the flat-bottomed basket brings out softer chocolatey and floral flavors.

(Image credit: Breville)

The Breville Luxe Brewer is on sale now, and costs $319.95 (about £240 / AU$500) with a glass carafe, or $349.95 (about £260 / AU$550) with a thermal pitcher.The new brewer isn't yet available outside the US, but we'll keep you updated with international launch dates and prices when they are announced, and hope to bring you a full review very soon.

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Two Netflix video game film remakes have received exciting updates from their creatorsThe streamer's Gears of War movie has reportedly found its directorThe filmmaker behind Netflix's Bioshock flick has provided a positive update on its script

Two highly anticipated Netflix video game movies have received significant updates.The streaming giant's adaptations of Bioshock and Gears of War have been trapped in development hell for years now. But, with new information about both projects emerging, it sounds like there'll be forward momentum on the pair in the near future.Where Netflix's take on 2K Games' beloved Bioshock game franchise is concerned, director Francis Lawrence recently spoke positively about the development of its script. During a conversation with IGN that took place on May 6 but was only published yesterday (May 15), Lawrence admitted that making progress on the film had been "tricky" of late but, ahead of a meeting with its new screenwriter, he was confident that the bulk of the project's problems were behind it."It's a tricky adaptation, so there's lots of things to figure out and to get right," Lawrence, whose previous credits including The Hunger Games film series, said. "There [have beeen] regime changes at Netflix, and so things stall out and get re-energized, and stall out and get re-energized, [but] I think we're in a pretty good place, honestly."I just actually just got a [new] draft [of the script]," he added. "[And] we have a meeting with the writer [Justin Rhodes] tomorrow [May 7]."

The streamer's Gears of War film was initially revealed in November 2022 (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

As for Netflix's similarly long-gestating Gears of War flick, The Hollywood Reporter has claimed that David Leitch is in talks to helm that project.Leitch, whose most recent movie was 2024's Ryan Gosling-fronted offering The Fall Guy, hasn't officially signed on to make it. However, he's supposedly thrashing out terms with Netflix to board the big-budget adaptation.If Leitch signs on, his production company 97North will reportedly co-develop the film alongside The Coalition. That's the Xbox-owned studio that took over development of the movie's video game franchise namesake from Epic Games in 2014. Jon Spaihts, who co-wrote the scripts for the first two Dune films, A Minecraft Movie, and Passengers, is said to be penning the Gears of War flick's screenplay.

Gaming the system

Netflix has enjoyed success with its TV adaptations of beloved video game franchises, such as Arcane (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Netflix has made no secret of its desire to turn its streaming platform into the go-to hub for all things video games-related.Indeed, the world's best streaming service hasn't just become home to a number of Netflix video game originals and classic third-party titles, such as the Grand Theft Auto franchise, in recent years. It's also looking to make its own mark on the golden age of video game film adaptations.From money-printing productions like A Minecraft Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, to fan-favorite offerings including the Sonic the Hedgehog film series, the world's leading entertainment companies are going all-in on big-screen video game adaptations.It's no great surprise, then, that Netflix wants its slice of the pie. The streaming titan has already shown it can produce unmissable video game-inspired TV shows, such as its multi-award-winning and hugely popular League of Legends animated series Arcane, plus its reimagining of Capcom's Devil May Cry and Castlevania franchises. If you've seen any or all of them, it won't shock you to learn that these have appeared on our best Netflix shows list over the last few years.So, the foundations are in place for the streamer to create similarly great new Netflix movies that are influenced by, or are direct translations of, game series like Gears and Bioshock. Of course, there are those (myself included) who are still trepidatious about both projects – after all, they've languished in development purgatory for years at this point.However, if Lawrence and – if he signs on – Leitch can get them up and running, and deliver takes on both that honor the tone, vibe, and style of these acclaimed franchises, I'll be the first to suggest that they deserve a spot in our best Netflix movies guide. Now, would you kindly get the development cogs fully turning on these projects please, Netflix?

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The Beako Kiwibit bird feeder camera launches on Amazon on May 20 It delivers 4K video – that's more detail than our current favoritesIt also has some unique design features, including a pole attachment

We've reviewed most of the best bird feeder cameras, and they're the kind of tech we can truly get behind – literally getting you closer to nature by delivering a close-up view of your feathered garden visitors.Designed to be left in situ for months and even years on end, bird feeder cameras snap into action when they detect motion, providing a live view and capturing videos of your garden birdlife. The novelty of the remote view and bird notifications doesn't wear off.However, to date there's been one area where most bird feeder cameras come up short, even our favorite options like the Bird Buddy, and that's image quality – but that could be set to change with the new Beako Kiwibit.Following the Camojojo, which we're yet to test, the Kiwibit records true 4K video and 8MP stills – that's much more detail than is currently possible with our top-rated bird feeder cameras, which max out at half the resolution.And that's not all. There are some pretty nifty design features that we haven't seen before, and which could make the Kiwibit one of the most versatile bird feeder cameras available.

(Image credit: Beako)

Designed for any garden

Like most of today's bird feeder cameras, the weatherproof Kiwibit is armed with AI-powered bird recognition, informing you which birds have visited from a database exceeding 10,000 species, plus it can be paired with a solar panel for continuous power.It also has pest deterrents, which are especially useful if squirrels frequent your garden. However, those features are nothing new, and the Kiwibit goes one step further than most options, with multiple mounting options.In addition to a wall and tree mount common in bird feeder cameras, Kiwibit features a pole mount on its underside, meaning it can be placed freestanding anywhere in your garden, without relying on something to attach it to – neat.But that's not all. The seed tray is removable for easy cleaning, plus the entire 1.5L twin seed compartment can be removed for easy refills, and cleaning. There's also an adjustable flow control to limit the amount of seed in the tray.Features-wise, it feels like the Beako Kiwibit has left no stone unturned, even if the FeatherSnap Scout's integrated solar panel looks slicker, while Wi-Fi connectivity is just 2.4GHz.Initially the Kiwibit launches in the US only at Amazon and the product website on May 20, 2025, with an initial $167.99 deal available.We're yet to complete a review of the Kiwibit – that'll land in the coming months, and hopefully the Kiwibit delivers on its lofty 'unmatched detail' promises.

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In the early hours of May 14, xAI's chatbot Grok repeatedly gave X users responses that referred to claims about a "white genocide" in South Africa even if their inquiries had nothing to do about the subject. Now, in a statement posted on the social network, Elon Musk's AI company has explained that "an unauthorized modification" to Grok's prompt on X caused it to "provide a specific response on a political topic." It didn't say what had happened to the personnel involved in rolling out the rogue update. But it added that the modification violated its "internal policies and core values" and that it has conducted a thorough investigation about the incident.

The website's various users had posted several instances wherein Grok included references to the controversial claims that white South African farmers are facing racial discrimination and land seizures in their country. Their questions? Well, in one tweet, someone asked how many times HBO has changed its streaming service's name. In another, the user asked a baseball player's salary history. In yet another one, someone asked for more information about a WWE match. CNBC was able to replicate the chatbot's responses with white genocide references. When the news website asked if it was specifically programmed to promote "white genocide," Grok said that it wasn't and that its "purpose is to provide factual, helpful, and safe responses based on reason and evidence."

Before xAI issued a response, OpenAI chief Sam Altman posted a snarky response on X. "I’m sure xAI will provide a full and transparent explanation soon," he wrote, and then mimicked Grok's responses by segueing into talking about white genocide. xAI said that from now on, it will be publishing its system prompts on GitHub so that the public can give feedback on every alteration. The company also said that it will put additional checks and measures to ensure xAI employees can't modify Grok's prompt without a review. Whoever edited it recently was able to circumvent its current review process in this case. In addition, the company said it's putting together a team that can monitor incidents related to Grok's answers not caught by automated systems 24/7.

As TechCrunch has noted, this isn't the first time xAI had blamed a contentious Grok behavior to an unauthorized change. Back in February, the chatbot briefly censored sources that talked about how Musk and President Donald Trump are spreading misinformation. xAI co-founder Igor Babuschkin said at the time that a rogue employee had pushed an unapproved modification to Grok's prompt.

We want to update you on an incident that happened with our Grok response bot on X yesterday.What happened:On May 14 at approximately 3:15 AM PST, an unauthorized modification was made to the Grok response bot's prompt on X. This change, which directed Grok to provide a…— xAI (@xai) May 16, 2025

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-kept-talking-about-white-genocide-due-to-an-unauthorized-modification-120044119.html?src=rss

If you’re looking for the best noise-canceling headphones, you’re in for a treat — there have never been more great options to block out the world and dive into your music, podcasts or just pure silence. Whether you need peace and quiet while traveling, working from home or during daily commutes, the right pair of noise-canceling headphones can make all the difference in your day.Many noise-canceling headphones deliver incredible sound quality, all-day comfort, smart features like adaptive ANC and seamless connectivity to your devices. Some even let you customize how much outside sound you want to let in, so you can stay aware of your surroundings when you need to.No matter if you're prioritizing battery life, sound performance, travel-friendly design or just finding the most comfortable set for long listening sessions, we’re here to help you pick the perfect pair to suit your needs.

Table of contents

Best noise-canceling headphones for 2025

How to choose the best noise-canceling headphones for you

How we test noise-canceling headphones

Other noise-canceling headphones we tested

Noise-canceling headphones FAQs

Best noise-canceling headphones of 2025

How to choose the best noise-canceling headphones for you

Design

When you’re shopping for the best wireless headphones, the first thing you’ll need to decide on is wear style. Do you prefer on-ear or over-ear headphones? For the purposes of this guide, I focus on the over-ear style as that’s what most noise-canceling headphones are nowadays. Sure, you can find on-ear models with ANC, but over-ear, active noise-canceling headphones are much more effective at blocking outside sounds since your ears are completely covered.

For gamers, there are also gaming headsets that feature noise cancellation — some even have detachable microphones, so they can double as over-ear headphones. However, for the purpose of this article, we’re only going to be focusing on noise-canceling headphones rather than headsets. Look for models with a comfortable headband and memory foam ear cups to ensure you can wear them for long periods without discomfort.

Many headphones also come with a range of color options, so if aesthetics matter to you, you’ll find plenty of choices beyond just black or white. Whether you’re looking for something neutral or a bold pop of color, brands now offer a variety of styles to match your personal taste.

Finally, if you’re planning to wear your headphones for long periods of time, it’s important to pick a model with a comfortable fit. Memory foam ear cups, an adjustable headband, and lightweight materials can make all the difference during extended listening sessions. After all, great sound is only part of the equation; comfort matters just as much.

Type of noise cancellation

Next, you’ll want to look at the type of ANC a set of headphones offers. You’ll come across terms like “hybrid active noise cancellation” or “hybrid adaptive active noise cancellation,” and there are key differences between the two. A hybrid ANC setup uses microphones on the inside and on the outside of the device to detect outside noise and cancel it out. By analyzing input from both mics, a hybrid system can combat more sounds than “regular” ANC, but it does so at a constant level that doesn’t change.

Adaptive ANC takes the hybrid configuration a step further by continuously adjusting the noise cancellation for changes in your environment and any leakage around the padding of the ear cups. Adaptive noise-canceling also does a better job with wind noise, which can really kill your vibe while using headphones outdoors. Some high-end headphones also support Dolby Atmos, which enhances spatial audio and makes everything from music to movies sound more immersive. For the purposes of this best headphones list, I’m only considering products with hybrid ANC or adaptive ANC setups because those are the most effective at blocking noise and improving your overall listening experience.

Customization

You’ll also want to check to see if the ANC system on a prospective set of headphones offers adjustable levels of noise cancellation or presets. These can help you dial in the amount of ANC you need for various environments, but it can also help you save battery life. Master & Dynamic, for example, has ANC presets that provide both maximum noise blocking and more efficient cancellation that is more energy efficient. Other companies may include a slider in their companion apps that let you adjust the ANC level to your liking. Some high-end models even allow you to fine-tune the ANC for specific types of environments.

How we test noise-canceling headphones

The primary way we test headphones is to wear them as much as possible. I prefer to do this over a one-to-two-week period, but sometimes deadlines don’t allow it. During this time, I listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the headphones to take both voice and video calls.

Since battery life for headphones can be 30 hours or more, I drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent). Due to the longer battery estimates, I’ll typically power the headphones off several times and leave them that way during a review. This simulates real-world use and keeps me from having to constantly monitor the process for over 24 straight hours.

To test ANC performance specifically, I use headphones in a variety of environments, from noisy coffee shops to quiet home offices. When my schedule allows, I use them during air travel since plane noise is a massive distraction to both work and relaxation. Even if I can’t hop on a flight, I’ll simulate a constant roar with white noise machines, bathroom fans, vacuums and more. I also make note of how well each device blocks human voices, which are a key stumbling block for a lot of ANC headphones.

ANC-related features are something else to consider. Here, I do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as I work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the headphones I’m testing are an updated version of a previous model, I’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older set. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of headphones that I review.

Other noise-canceling headphones we tested

AirPods Max

Apple’s AirPods Max are premium, well-designed headphones that incorporate all of the best features you find on standard AirPods: solid noise cancelation, spatial audio and easy Siri access. However, their $550 starting price makes them almost prohibitively expensive, even for those with Apple devices. There are better options available at lower prices.

Sonos Ace

The Sonos Ace is an excellent debut for the company’s first headphones. The combination of refined design, great sound quality and home theater tricks creates a unique formula. However, ANC performance is just okay and key functionality is still in the works for many users.

Beats Studio Pro

The Studio Pro lacks basic features like automatic pausing, and multipoint connectivity is only available on Android. Moreover, they’re not very comfortable for people with larger heads. Overall sound quality is improved, though, and voice performance on calls is well above average.

Noise-canceling headphones FAQs

Does noise cancellation block all noise?

Noise cancellation doesn’t block out all noise, though it does drastically reduce the volume of most external sounds.

Is there a difference between wired vs wireless noise-canceling headphones?

In terms of sound quality, if you have two headphones — one wired and one wireless — with similar specs, the difference is going to be very minimal. However, wireless headphones offer more convenience, allowing you to move around more freely with your headphones on, which is why they often feature noise cancellation to minimize external sounds.

Does noise cancellation impact sound quality?

ANC does bear some weight on sound quality, but the impact of this often doesn’t outweigh the benefits. Noise cancellation reduces ambient noise, allowing a greater focus on audio detail. For audiophiles, however, there may be a small difference in sound fidelity when ANC is turned on.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-noise-canceling-headphones-130029881.html?src=rss

Coinbase confirmed suffering a cyberattack recentlyThe attack started when crooks bribed the company's employees overseasPasswords, and user funds, were not affected

Coinbase, one of the biggest centralized cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, suffered a cyberattack which might cost it between $180 million and $400 million. This is according to Reuters, citing a regulatory filing submitted by the company earlier this week.The exchange said that on May 11, it received an email from an unknown threat actor who claimed they obtained internal documents, and sensitive data about certain customer accounts. Coinbase later confirmed these claims, saying that only a “small subset” of customers were affected.The data stolen doesn’t include login credentials or passwords, but Coinbase did say it would reimburse anyone who gave their money to the attackers. To obtain the files, the criminals allegedly paid “multiple contractors and employees” who were working in support roles outside the US.

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Demanding ransom

The individuals involved were identified and subsequently fired. There is no information on possible legal action against them.The attackers demanded a ransom of $20 million in exchange for the data, which Coinbase refused to pay. Instead, it is now offering that exact amount of money - $20 million - as a bounty to anyone who comes forward with actionable information regarding the hackers’ identities or whereabouts.Crypto is in a difficult position right now, trying to establish itself as a legitimate industry, while being surrounded by theft, scams, crime, and regulatory pressure. Just a few months ago, ByBit - another major cryptocurrency exchange - was hacked, with North Korean cybercriminals walking away with $1.5 billion in different tokens.Earlier this May, Alex Mashinsky, the former CEO of the bankrupt crypto bank, Celsius Network, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to securities fraud and commodities fraud, and recently - in broad daylight - three individuals tried to kidnap the daughter of a crypto exchange CEO.At the same time, Reuters is reporting that the SEC took the opportunity to investigate if Coinbase misstated user figures and if it has inadequate KYC practices. Coinbase denied the probing, though.Via Reuters

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Nikon Rumors says mirrorless Nikon Zr is coming later in 2025Nikon acquired RED in April 2024Since takeover, RED has released Z-mount versions of two of its cameras

Nikon could be working on a video-oriented mirrorless camera incorporating technology from RED – at least that's according to a new rumor.Nikon Rumors posted a story claiming the next camera to be released by Nikon will be a Z-mount model bristling with cinema-focused RED features and tech. The story suggests it could even be called the Nikon Zr or Nikon ZR – the ‘R’ in the name possibly a nod to the RED tech on board.Other claims in the story are that the camera will have a ‘brick-shaped’ design, without a pentaprism or an electronic viewfinder, and will look something like a cross between the Sony FX3, Nikon Z30 and the blocky look of existing RED cameras like the Komodo or V-Raptor.It also states that the camera will have the same sensor as the excellent Nikon Z6 III (a 24.5MP partially-stacked full-frame sensor, then) and a ‘very large’ LCD screen. Most mirrorless cameras have 3-inch screens, so we think this suggests a 4-inch or even 5-inch screen is in the offing.

RED's V-Rapter and Komodo cinema cameras are now available in Z-mount editions. (Image credit: Nikon)

Nikon is now firmly in the RED

RED, originally founded in the USA in 2007 as RED Digital Cinema, was acquired by Nikon in April 2024 for $85 million. Since then, it has released versions of the Komodo and V-Raptor with the Nikon Z-mount, but it’s long been expected that closer collaborations would emerge from the partnership.In the wake of the RED purchase, Nikon president Muneaki Tokunari told Nippon.com, “Nikon Corp. aims to expand its market share for cameras by utilizing the video technologies of a U.S. movie camera company acquired in spring.” The rumored Nikon Zr could be the first all-new camera to come with those technologies.Nikon Rumors believes the camera will be officially announced later in 2025, most likely in the third or fourth quarter. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for more hints of what this rumored Nikon Zr might bring to the table.Filmmakers and cinematographers, what would you like to see from RED-influenced Nikon Z camera? Let us know your dream features in the comments below.

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Those keen on trying out a VPN to protect their online activity can get a great deal on ProtonVPN thanks to an Engadget-exclusive offer. Two-year plans are on sale for $81 right now, which represents a whopping $158.40 discount and comes out to $3.39 per month. If you'd prefer to try out ProtonVPN for a shorter amount of time first, you can get a one-year plan for just $48, or about $4 per month.

Proton topped our list of the best VPN services, and with good reason. It's incredibly powerful and easy to use, which is a boon for those new to the space. The end-to-end encryption is solid and everything's based on an open-source framework. This lets the company offer an official vulnerability disclosure program.

A subscription includes an IP-masker, so websites can't track you online, and a built-in ad blocker. We found in our tests that browsing the web and watching streaming content were both speedy while using this VPN, which isn't always the case with this type of service.

The only caveat? The company will automatically bill you at the normal price when the discounted subscription runs out. Be sure to cancel before that if you aren't vibing with the platform.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/protonvpn-deal-get-66-percent-off-two-year-subscriptions-191045133.html?src=rss

When it comes to headphones, we can’t shut up about Sony’s top-tier buds and over-the-head options. In each iteration, the company adds new features, develops better technology and hones its strengths in portable audio, and three years on from the WH-1000XM5, the sixth-gen model does it yet again.

Sony’s overhauled its flagship headphones in all the right ways. The WH-1000XM6 sound better, with improved active noise cancellation and convenient features that match the best-sounding and the most feature-packed rivals.

You should definitely check out Billy Steele's full review. The headphones' only major challenge remains a non-clunky naming convention.

— Mat Smith

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Android gets a young, vibrant makeover

It’s bright, it’s brash, it’s… bouncy? It’s Android 16.

Google

As spoiled by Google itself, Android is getting a major visual refresh. Dubbed Material 3 Expressive, it’s the latest evolution of the Material You design, adding customizable color swatches and, I guess, spicier fonts.

Google says the Quick Settings menu can now fit more actions, and there is an addition of live-updating notifications, similar to Apple’s Live Activities.

In Android 16 (and even Wear OS 6), expect more animation between menus and items, while notifications will jiggle and offer haptic responses to your touch.

Google is basing a lot of these tweaks on research: The company claims up to 87 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds prefer expressive design — a term hard to define. There’s a lengthy post on Google’s design blog if you want to get into all that.

Continue reading.

The Xperia 1 VII is here, with some Walkman inspiration

Sony still makes phones!

Sony

Sony has now folded in Hi-Fi sound from its Walkman series, as well as the company’s Bravia screen tech and Alpha camera smarts. The Xperia 1 VII has launched quietly with an array of new audio features, including high-end Walkman components. Unlike other smartphone makers, Sony has kept its headphone jack and improved wired sound via a premium-grade integrated circuit. The Xperia 1 VII supports Sony’s DSEE Ultimate AI sound upscaling technology, along with 360 Reality audio or Dolby Atmos formats.

The latest Xperia also features a new 48-megapixel ultrawide camera with a good-sized 1/1.56-inch sensor, significantly improving the specs of the Xperia 1 VI’s ultrawide. That’s on top of the main 48MP 1/1.35-inch 24mm camera and a 12MP telephoto zoom.

Sony is also trying to differentiate its smartphones through camera features, with improved Bokeh mode, real-time tracking, and even real-time eye autofocus. It claims low-light shooting is “in line with full-frame cameras, " which is bold!

I’m wondering what other parts of Sony’s corporate machinery it will integrate next. Maybe Aibo dog ears?

Continue reading.

One year of Peacock Premium is on sale for only $25

The Memorial Day deal knocks off $55.

Want a cheaper sub for Peacock? You’ll need a code, but if you input SPRINGSAVINGS at checkout you’ll get $55 off the standard annual price of the Premium plan. It does include ads, however. The big draw for this particular streaming service is likely the long-awaited spinoff of The Office, called The Paper. That premieres in September, so you’ll be primed and ready to watch (and rewatch).

Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-123515822.html?src=rss

The best Marvel Rivals graphics settings can really make the difference in battle, allowing you to make use of higher frame rates, spot enemies more easily, and more. Depending on which console you're playing on, you'll have different options to work with. There are extra bells and whistles for some, allowing for a best-of-both-worlds balance between performance and resolution.Now that I've played hundreds of hours of Marvel Rivals at this point, I'm in a good position to offer my advice on which graphics setting to pick. I've been playing since Season 0, and have been busy keeping my Marvel Rivals Tier List up to date as Season 2 continues on. After the time spent on my Marvel Rivals review back at launch, I'm impressed that it has managed to evolve with each seasonal update, something that's kept it firmly on my list of the best crossplay games to play in 2025.Here's my recommendations for the Marvel Rivals best graphics settings, including which mode to pick on PS5 Pro. I'll give some info on each of the three modes, and some additional advice on settings to change to make the game clearer and easier to read.

Marvel Rivals best graphics settings for PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox

(Image credit: NetEase)

Here's an overview of the best graphics settings to use depending on the platform you're playing on. I'll then go into detail for each and offer some additional advice.

PS5 - High Frame Rate Mode (120 FPS)Xbox Series X - High Frame Rate Mode (120 FPS)Xbox Series S - Standard ModePS5 Pro - High Framerate Mode

It's worth noting that additional graphics options have been added since launch, like the Pro Mode for the PS5 Pro. Keep an eye on updates via our Marvel Rivals Patch Notes page.

Marvel Rivals best graphics settings for PS5

(Image credit: NetEase)

On PS5, you have two options to choose from: Standard Mode and HFR Mode (High Frame Rate). The former achieves 1440p resolution while hitting a consistent 60fps (frames per second), and HFR Mode boosts things up to 120fps while reducing resolution somewhat. I'd recommend HFR Mode if it's available to you.You'll need a monitor capable of 120fps or higher, and you will get the best possible advantage over your opponents. You'll be able to react faster and generally have more control over your Hero.

Marvel Rivals best graphics settings for PS5 Pro

(Image credit: NetEase)

Once again, there are two modes to choose from for the PS5 Pro. One of them is exclusive to Sony's most powerful console, however, and it's a great option for those looking for a balance between graphical fidelity and performance.Pro Mode targets a stable 60fps and delivers higher 4K resolutions. In addition to Lumen Global Illumination, it also features support Lumen Reflections, offering more immersive and dynamic lighting effects for an enhanced visual experience. PS5 Pro also offers higher resolutions in 120fps High Frame Rate Mode.Personally, I recommend going with High Frame Rate Mode here, as extra frames per second can be crucial to improving your performance in a Competitive game like Marvel Rivals.

Marvel Rivals best graphics settings for Xbox

(Image credit: NetEase)

On Xbox Series X, you have two modes to choose from: Standard Mode and HFR Mode. As with PS5, and especially if you plan on playing Competitive Mode, you'll want to go with HFR Mode. Of course, you'll need a display capable of 120fps and above.If you're playing on Xbox Series S, you unfortunately only have access to Standard Mode. This still hits 60fps, so you'll be on par with the majority of other players anyway.

Marvel Rivals best graphics settings - enemy outline colors

(Image credit: NetEase)

I also think that there are some extra changes you can make in an effort to make Marvel Rivals a little bit easier to read when you're in battle.I find that heading to the Accessibility settings and switching the enemy outline to yellow makes it much easier to pick out targets. This is generally because maps tend to have dark purple, blue, and black areas. Yellow stands out more than red does for me personally. If you'd like to take things further, consider my guide on changing your Marvel Rivals crosshairs.

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Acer, a company best known for computing components, is releasing a new health-tracking smart ringThe Acer FreeSense Ring comes in Rose Gold or Black, and will pack 'AI enhanced' wellness insightsAcer hasn't announced a price of the ring, but it has said there will be no additional subscription fee

Acer has announced the Acer FreeSense Ring, a new health-tracking smart ring offering 'AI enhanced' wellness insights.It was unveiled at this year's Computex conference in Taipei, and we don't yet know how much the Ring will cost, or when it will go on sale – but we do know that it won't come with any additional subscription fees.With two color options, Rose Gold (a matte finish) or Black (gloss finish), the Ring will be available in sizes 7-13. It'll weigh between 2-3g, and Acer says it's "crafted from ultra-light titanium alloy."Even the best smart rings have a plastic interior to better accommodate the sensor array, and we imagine that will also be the case here. It's waterproof-rated at 5ATM, which means it's shower- and swim-safe, but likely not suitable for diving.The Acer FreeSense sounds a lot like other smart rings from Oura and Samsung, specifically in terms of the data it collects. A press release from Acer states that "the ring tracks vital physiological metrics such as heart rate, heart rate variability, blood oxygen levels, and sleep quality."The data points are analyzed through a companion mobile app, which generates personalized wellness insights and provides suggestions. With features such as sleep stage analysis and continuous tracking, the Acer FreeSense Ring helps encourage proactive health management and lifestyle awareness."

Back in the health & fitness ring

Acer has released smartwatches and fitness trackers in the past with its Acer Leap range, but none of those devices ranked among the best fitness trackers of the era, and never really caught on. With smart rings now a rapidly growing category of health device, this could prove to be a second chance for Acer in the health space.Acer is also the latest of several smart-ring manufacturer to make a point of the fact that its device doesn't require an additional subscription, as a key selling point to differentiate it from the likes of the Oura Ring 4. With so many health and fitness services now requiring a subscription, it's refreshing to see more companies embracing the one-time-purchase philosophy.Acer is already busy at Computex this year – in addition to the FreeSense Ring it's also announced a pair of earbuds specifically for translation, a new range of electric bikes, and computing equipment.

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With Computex 2025 now just a few days away, we can expect a whole host of new PC hardware announcements soon – and fortunately, Acer has already made a start on that, with its new Swift and Aspire laptops ready to hit the market for consumers as early as June and, in the case of the ones below, July.While there are plenty of new Acer devices coming your way, we've cherry-picked a few in particular that stand out the most; the Acer Swift X 14, Swift X 14 AI, the Swift Go 16 AI, and the Acer Aspire 16 AI (Intel).All of these new laptops share similar specifications, such as processors that are built to provide great performance in a number of scenarios including gaming – most importantly for AI workloads as Copilot+ PCs. But here are the four main things you need to know about Acer's new laptops...

1. Acer's Swift X 14 AI, Swift Go 16 AI, and Aspire's 16 AI laptops will all have OLED displays

(Image credit: Acer)

Yet again, OLED is getting the attention it deserves, and Acer is using OLED panels across a wide range of its new laptops – fortunately, all of these cherry-picked laptops are among them.The Acer Swift X 14 AI will feature an OLED 14.5 WQXGA+ (2880 x 1800) touchscreen display, which will also take advantage of the VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification. It's ideal for accurate image quality with deep blacks, with a minimum of 500 nits in brightness.The Acer Swift Go 16 AI will fare slightly differently, with a 16-inch OLED WUXGA+ (2048 x 1280) display. It uses a lower-resolution panel, but to compensate for the difference in graphics capabilities (which I'll get into soon).With the Acer Aspire 16 AI, only one of the configurations features an OLED (2048 x 1200) display; unlike the Swift X 14 AI, it won't be touchscreen but its IPS configuration will.

2. All of them will be powerful gaming machines, especially the Swift X 14 AI

(Image credit: Acer)

I must note that these aren't gaming laptops, as they're made for creators using tools like Copilot+. However, both processors and GPUs (including iGPUs) are powerful enough to yield great gaming performance.The Acer Swift X 14 AI will be the most powerful among the group; configurations up to Nvidia's RTX 5070 (the laptop GPU, including Nvidia Studio Drivers) and AMD's Ryzen AI 9 365 processor will be available, which are both capable of great performance in demanding creative AI workloads, or gaming. Its non-AI counterpart (Swift X 14) will feature up to Intel's Core Ultra 9 285H processor.While the Swift Go 16 AI and Aspire 16 AI won't feature any discrete GPUs, they'll both be powered by (depending on the configuration) Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V – the same processor and Arc 140V iGPU featured in the MSI Claw 8 AI+ handheld gaming PC, known for its great gaming performance.

3. The Swift Go AI models are among the thinnest and lightest Acer laptops

Acer Swift X 14 (Image credit: Acer)

While it packs a powerful processor, fast Wi-Fi 7 connectivity, and an OLED display, Acer claims the Swift Go (its 14-inch model in particular) is "as light as 15.9mm and as light as 1.39kg". To put it simply, this means it will be one of Acer thinnest and lightest laptops, easy for travel and packing – even with its 14-inch screen size.It's a similar story with the Swift Go 16 AI. While it's not exactly as thin or light as its counterpart, it only weighs 1.6kg, which shouldn't be enough of a noticeable jump in weight.They will both also take advantage of an "all-day battery life", ensuring you don't miss a beat during productive and creative workflows, and will have a 64Wh battery that should last a claimed 16 hours (likely with adjusted brightness levels or settings).

4. They will be available starting from July going into August

These new Acer laptops in particular will arrive as early as July; the Acer Swift X 14 AI (and Swift X 14) will be available in Europe in July, starting at €1,799 – prices in North America and Australia are yet to be announced, but that converts to around $2,015 / £1,515 / AU$3,140.Unlike the Swift X 14 AI, the Acer Swift Go 16 AI will be available in Europe in August, starting at €1,299 – again, prices in North America and Australia have not been announced, but that converts to about $1,455 / £1,095 / AU$2,270)In similar fashion, the Aspire 16 AI (Intel) will be available in Europe in August, starting at €1,099 as the cheapest of the group – there is again currently no word on prices in North America and Australia, but that equates to around $1,230 / £925 / AU$1,920.It's worth noting that each laptop's price will vary depending on the chosen configuration, which ranges in processors, GPU, RAM, storage, and display.

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Acer has unveiled a group of new gaming monitors, including a pair of 26.5-inch QD-OLED screens under its Predator label. The Predator X27U F5 has peak refresh rate of 500Hz and a resolution of 2560x1440, while the Predator X27 X has a 4K screen and a 240Hz refresh rate. Both monitors offer AMD FreeSync Premium Pro technology to prevent screen tearing and support true 10Bit color. They are slated to be available in the third quarter for the EMEA region and China. The X27U F5 will start at €899 and the X27 X starts at €1,099.

The high refresh rate on the Predator X27U F5 is particularly notable. Samsung just opened limited pre-orders of its own 500Hz monitor over the weekend, which the company claimed was the first product to pair that refresh rate with OLED visuals in a gaming monitor.

Other Acer monitors in the lineup are part of its line of Nitro Google Smart TV monitors. The Acer Nitro GA321QK P is a 31.5-inch 4K screen with a 165Hz refresh rate, while the Acer Nitro GA341CUR W0 has a 34-inchultra-wide QHD curved display that refreshes at 240Hz. There's also a portable option in the lightweight Acer Nitro PG271K, which has an adjustable kickstand. This 27-inch monitor can be a 4K display with a 72Hz refresh rate or a full HD one with a 144Hz refresh rate thanks to Dynamic Frequency and Resolution technology. No prices or timeline has been shared yet for the first two Nitro monitors, but the PG271K is projected to cost €499 when it arrives in the EMEA region.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/acer-introduces-five-new-gaming-monitors-130041537.html?src=rss

Summer is right around the corner, and while it is the perfect season for being outside in the sunshine, there's nothing quite like returning home to a perfectly climate controlled space to cool off. The fourth generation Nest Learning Thermostat from Google can help you beat the heat with even more efficient air conditioning, and it's on sale right now ahead of the Memorial Day holiday. You can snag this smart home gadget for $50 off with the code ENGAD50 at Wellbots. That means you'll pay just $230 for this tool to control the temperature in your house, because the deal also includes free shipping.

Google did an update to its Nest thermostat last August that increased the LCD display size of the gadget by about 60 percent. You can also customize the display with this version so that it will blend in with your own home decor, and the chassis is available in black, silver or gold options.

As with so many Google products these days, the Nest uses AI to help take more accurate readings and make predictions to increase your energy savings. It can automatically adjust to your individual habits to create a temperature schedule if you don't want to program it all manually. This version of the gadget is a particularly good option if your home has issues with cold spots, because the Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a wireless temperature sensor that you can place in that hard-to-heat area. If you need more, you can separately buy additional sensors for monitoring those hot or cold pockets of your house.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/googles-latest-nest-learning-thermostat-is-50-off-ahead-of-memorial-day-130027461.html?src=rss

Acer is updating its lineup of Swift Edge, Go and X laptops at Computex with the latest Intel chips, and in of one of these Copilot+ PCs, a unique matte display treatment developed by Corning, the glass manufacturer behind the Gorilla Glass covering millions of smartphones.

The beneficiary of that new display is the Swift Edge 14 AI. The laptop's display has an anti-glare Gorilla Matte Pro finish that's the first of its kind on a laptop, and is supposed to "reduce screen reflection by 95 percent" compared to alternative anti-glare glass. Acer introduced the original Swift Edge 14 AI alongside the parade of Copilot+ PCs that accompanied Microsoft's big push into AI last year. The new Swift Edge 14 AI benefits from those same AI features like Recall or Click to Do thanks to its updated internals. You can spec the Swift Edge 14 AI with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor with Intel Arc graphics, up to 32GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 1TB of storage. All of this components are packed into a white and relatively light (2.18 lbs) magnesium-aluminum alloy body, with a 14-inch OLED screen and a "soft-touch" stain-resistant keyboard.

For the new Swift Go 14 AI and Swift Go 16 AI, Acer lets you build the laptop with up to an Intel Core Ultra 7, up to 32 GBLPDDR5X RAM and up to 2TB of storage. On the Swift Go 14 AI you can opt for a 16:10, 1,920 x 1,200 resolution OLED and a similarly laid out 2,048 x 1,280 resolution OLED on the Swift Go 16 AI. Neither laptop is as sleek as the Swift Edge 14 AI — in terms of appearance, the Swift Go laptops seem like the kind you'd be assigned for work. Case in point, both Go models have 1080p, Windows Hello-compatible webcams and touchpads with built-in video conferencing controls.

Acer is also updating its Swift X laptops, the company's go-to option if you're looking for more graphical oomph. Both the Swift X 14 AI and the plain Swift X 14 include a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 laptop GPU, which should power you through all sort of video editing and 3D rendering tasks. You can pair the GPU with up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 on the Swift X 14 AI or up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 on on the Swift X 14. Both laptops can include up to 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM and up to 2TB of storage. This year's Swift laptops also feature a 14.5-inch 3K OLED displays and larger haptic touchpads that support tilt-enabled styluses for drawing and photo retouching.

Likely due to the unpredictable nature of global trade, none of Acer's new Swift laptops have finalized pricing or availability in the US, though we can share the info Acer has for Europe. The Swift Edge 14 AI is expected to be available in June for €1,599, the Swift Go 14 AI a little bit later in July for €1,199 and the Swift Go 16 AI in August for €1,299.

The story is the same for Acer's Swift X laptops. Both the Swift X 14 AI and Swift X 14 will be available in July for €1,799.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/acers-new-swift-edge-14-ai-laptop-packs-in-a-matte-display-and-ai-features-130010112.html?src=rss

Acer is announcing a boatload of PCs and gadgets for Computex 2025. But among the sea of new tablets, monitors, productivity machines and more is the Predator Triton 14 AI, which just became my most anticipated laptop of the year.

The Predator Triton 14 AI tops out with an RTX 5070 GPU, but that's understandable given its compact size (3.5 pounds and 0.68 inches thick). Aside from that limitation, this thing has practically everything I look for in a premium notebook. It sports a slick design, a bunch of fancy features and a gorgeous display — all in a surprisingly portable chassis. In some ways, calling it a gaming laptop is kind of a disservice, because it's clear Acer designed this thing to do a whole lot more.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

For performance, the Predator Triton 14 AI features up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V chip, 32GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. Acer then turned things up a notch by equipping it with its latest sixth-gen AeroBlade fans (which are made of metal instead of plastic) and a vapor chamber. But the potential cherry on top is that Acer says the Triton is the world's first laptop to use graphene thermal interface materials. The company claims this increases thermal capacity by as much as 14.5 percent over more traditional pastes.

Meanwhile, the Triton 14 AI also comes with a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Calman Verified certification. So not only is it accurate, it also has a wide gamut that covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 color spectrum. And unlike a lot of rival gaming machines, the Predator's display is touch-enabled. For content creators, the laptop comes with a new haptic touchpad covered by Gorilla Glass with native stylus support (and the pen comes included). This means artists can use the track area as a mini Wacom pad (with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity) while traveling.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Honestly, the closer you look, the more impressive this laptop gets, because it feels like Acer paid attention to every little detail. Thanks to some help from AI, the Triton's 1080p IR webcam offers human presence detection, which allows it to automatically lock itself when you walk away or dim the display when you're looking elsewhere to prevent Peeping Toms from spying on your work. Acer even coated both the screen and the laptop's deck with an anti-fingerprint finish to prevent it from looking greasy.

Despite its slim dimensions, the Triton also has great connectivity. There’s support for Wi-Fi 7 along with two USB-C ports (one of which is Thunderbolt 4), two Type-A jacks, 3.5mm audio, a microSD card reader and a full-size HDMI 2.1 connector. And because it's a gaming laptop, it naturally comes with per-key RGB lighting.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Unfortunately, Acer has yet to release official US pricing for the Predator Triton 14 AI, which is almost certainly due to the ever-shifting tariff situation. But if European info is anything to go by, this thing won't be cheap with a listed starting price of 2,999 euros. That's steep, but it makes sense given the laptop's impressive specs.

On the bright side, if you like the Predator Triton 14 AI, Acer is also making a more affordable sibling in the Predator Helios Neo 14 AI. It features the same display, a similar Intel Core Ultra 9 285H chip and up to an RTX 5070, but with a different (and less elegant) chassis, Wi-Fi 6E and older fifth-gen AeroBlade fans. Like the Triton, there isn't official pricing for this one yet either, but with it starting at 1,699 euros overseas, it doesn't present nearly as big of a hit on your wallet.

The biggest change for the Helios Neo 14 AI compared to the Predator Triton 14 AI aside from price is that it has a bulkier chassis with a large thermal shelf in back. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Besides gaming, the Triton 14 AI looks like it could be a great video editing station, featuring enough performance to blast through practically everything else you can throw at it. I'm going to be eagerly awaiting its release (along with the Helios Neo) sometime later this summer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/the-acer-predator-triton-14-ai-is-now-my-most-anticipated-gaming-laptop-of-the-year-130007910.html?src=rss

After winning a court case pretty decisively against Apple, developer Epic submitted Fortnite to the US App Store and suggested it would soon be back on iOS. However, according to the Fortnite team, Apple has blocked the game on both the US App Store and the EU's iOS version of its own Epic Games Store.

Fortnite had been available on iPhones in Europe since August last year due to EU rules that allow third-party iOS stores.

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney suggested that Apple didn't have any particular reason to refuse the application. "Apple’s App Review team should be free to review all submitted apps promptly and accept or reject according to the plain language of their guidelines," he tweeted. "App Review shouldn’t be weaponized by senior management as a tool to delay or obstruct competition, due process, or free speech." Apple has yet to comment on the matter.

To recap: this entire kerfuffle between Apple and Epic has been over, essentially, rent-seeking, and who gets to profit from it. Apple thinks it should keep getting a cut of sales through its App Store; Epic, naturally, would like to keep lining its own pockets. This fight initially opened up the option for developers to use third-party app stores for iOS apps, though a portion of their sales were still flowing back to Apple's coffers. The most recent court ruling attempted to close that apparent loophole.

The latest Fortnite version submitted by Epic included payment systems for Apple along with external payment via Epic's own store. Fortnite was originally banned from the App Store in 2020 after it submitted a version that included an external payment system that violated Apple's rules at the time — a decision subsequently backed by a court decision in 2021. To that end, Apple may not be legally obligated to reinstate Epic, despite the fact that the rule originally broken by the developer no longer existed.

This fight is, of course, ongoing. Apple appealed the most recent ruling and asked the court to halt App Store changes until a final decision is made.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fortnite-is-offline-on-ios-around-the-world-131535163.html?src=rss

For Paul and Chris Weirtz, Murderbot — the upcoming TV adaptation of Martha Wells' sci-fi novella All Systems Red — was an experiment: Can you have a hero who tries to do nothing?

The 10-episode sci-fi series, which debuts May 16 on Apple TV+, follows an anxious security robot (Alexander Skarsgård) assigned to protect a survey group on a planetary mission. As the mission progresses and deadly surprises emerge, Murderbot grapples with concealing its capacity for free will — an ability enabled when it hacked its governor module — and its insecurities around humans, all while navigating existential questions about its purpose in the universe. Above all, though, Murderbot wishes it could spend its days simply viewing the 7,532 hours of video content it secretly squirreled away in its system for entertainment — a true media junkie, like most of the show's viewers.

Apple

Bringing All Systems Red to TV took years, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Writers Guild of America strike in 2023. But with support from Apple TV+’s head of worldwide video Jamie Erlicht, a fan of Wells’ work, Paul and Chris chipped away at the show’s scripts, sending every version to Wells for feedback. (Wells, as a consulting producer, ultimately weighed in on other aspects of the project, including design and casting.)

The series stays faithful to All Systems Red — the first of several books and short stories comprising The Murderbot Diaries — in most of the ways that count. The plot largely follows that of the novella, but also makes substantial additions. Members of the PresAux survey group which Murderbot protects, including Dr. Mensah (Noma Dumezweni), Gurathin (David Dastmalchian), Pin-lee (Sabrina Wu), Ratthi (Akshay Khanna), Arada (Tattiawna Jones) and Bharadwaj (Tamara Pdoemski), now have more nuance and deeper backstories.

The Preservation Alliance, an independent group of planets which the PresAux survey group hails from, is now eccentric, even downright bohemian. During Murderbot’s season premiere, PresAux holds hands in a meditative circle, eyes closed, deliberating over whether to rent the refurbished Murderbot for their mission. Soon after landing on the planet, they dance in the desert, their bodies heaving, arms waving to the music’s beat — little touches inspired by aspects of Chris’s two decades of experience with Burning Man. (Several members of the mission also find themselves navigating the particular dramas of polyamory.)

“We also wanted a sense of these people being out of their element and out of their social setting,” Chris told Engadget. “They’re in the corporation rim, which is a really brutal, extractive capitalist world, but these people are egalitarians from outside of that system. They are [seen as] freaks not just to Murderbot, but to the corporation flunkies who are upselling them.”

While Murderbot’s favorite TV series, The Rise & Fall of Sanctuary Moon, is referenced in Wells’ novel, in Murderbot, the futuristic soap opera is its own fleshed out universe – a bonafide show-within-a-show. Intended as a parody of classic sci-fi, most obviously the original Star Trek series, Sanctuary Moon’s scenes are rife with heavily saturated sets and gaudy costumes. John Cho, as the captain of a starship, falls madly in love with a navigation systems robot (DeWanda Wise); Jack McBrayer portrays a navigation officer out of his depth. Their performances are comically over-the-top, but that’s the point.

“I have a theory that people think of good acting as being very restrained, and that is the case often, but my theory is that humans are emoting maniacs all the time. They're hamming it up in front of the mirror, in their bathroom,” Paul said. “There was something great about being able to enter a David Lynch-like telenovela world and do the sci-fi version of those things.”

Casting the droll but irreverent character of Murderbot took time. Part-human, it experiences a full range of emotions but struggles with deep-seated social anxiety, and detests showing its face to humans — which may help explain why the character has become popular with members of the neurodivergent community. Skarsgård, whose diverse acting resume includes a Viking prince in The Northman, a ruthless tech CEO in Succession, the titular character in The Legend of Tarzan and a physically abusive husband on Big Little Lies, had traits and experiences Paul and Chris felt were essential for effectively playing the show’s central character.

As one might expect for a security robot, Paul Weisz noted Skarsgård is "physically imposing.” "You get the sense maybe he could kill somebody," said Paul. But much like the titular character Paul felt this sometimes terrifying exterior belied something much more nuanced. "Alexander also has a really quirky sense of humor. His mind is very different from his body. He’s really unique.”

Bringing in Cho and McBrayer for their roles in the Sanctuary Moon scenes wasn’t nearly as intensive a search; Cho and the Weitz brothers had worked on several projects together over the years.

“It's like a Faustian bargain when you work with us once, that we're probably going to get your home cellphone,” Paul mused. “Jack McBrayer is best friends with Alexander, so that was the route to [him]. In terms of John, we worked with him first on American Pie, and I think we've done 12 things in different ways with him over the years. So it's a little like The Godfather where it's like, someday, I'm going to ask you for a favor.”

Apple

Filmed in Ontario, production started in 2024, lasting six months. Shooting the show’s planetary scenes meant scouring for locations like mining quarries, slag heaps and abandoned factories. Interior shots for scenes at Port Freecommerce, a vast star base, in the season premiere were filmed on soundstages in Toronto.

All along, Paul and Chris set out to present a far-flung universe seen less often on screen in recent years. Shirking the dark, grim aesthetic heavily favored in many more recent sci-fi TV and film projects, they worked with production designer Sue Chan to create a universe dominated by bright lighting, white and gray sets, light-colored fabrics and colorful patterns.

“We drew on the wellspring of science fiction we read when we were kids and on science fiction paperback covers of the 1980s, which always seemed to have such great concept design and a bright, interesting world in which to lose yourself,” Paul recalled. “Specifically, it seemed like since this was a world that was dominated by corporations, there'd be a lot of logos everywhere. There'd be a cheapness to a lot of what was manufactured. Also, if you look around, there are a lot of things that seem to have been extruded by giant 3-D printers. Even the food is extruded by 3-D printers.”

Designing Murderbot’s armor was a collaborative process with the costume department, led by costume designer Carrie Grace and specialty costume designer Laura Jean Shannon. To start, they looked at helmets from virtually every well-known robot depicted in military and sci-fi movies from the last 50 years. Initial designs resembled Star Wars stormtroopers, but Skarsgård “really pushed” for the robot’s look to be “something unique,” according to Paul. Drawing inspiration from The Little Rascals’ Petey, who had a large black circle around one of his eyes, the team built a large, distinctive black eye piece into Murderbot’s helmet visor.

Apple

Murderbot spends much of its time clad in armor, but it also has downtime when the armor comes off, revealing an impossibly smooth humanoid form resembling Mattel’s Ken dolls. To achieve that look, Skarsgård regularly waxed his entire body during filming.

“Alexander actually volunteered to have his body waxed, because he thought it was what would be best for the character,” Chris recalled. “I remember discussing it with him, and I said, ‘Listen, man, I don't know if people are even going to notice, but it might make just a tiny bit of difference in terms of the believability of the character.’"

“[Alexander’s] like, ‘Yeah, I should wax myself,’” Chris continued. “Then for the next five, six months, he had to do that every week until he realized eventually that his next role was to play a hairy biker [in the romance drama Pillion].”

In Murderbot, Paul and Chris saw more than a quirky sci-fi novella — they saw a deeply human story wrapped in armor and deadpan humor. Their TV adaptation doesn’t just bring Wells’ world to screen with panache, it leans into the quiet radicalism of a character who resists heroism, craves isolation and struggles to navigate the messiness of human connection.

That emotional core — unexpected, thoughtful, and entirely sincere — is what makes Murderbot more than just another sci-fi romp. It's a mirror for our most vulnerable selves, disguised as a robot who’d really rather be watching TV.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/how-murderbots-chris-and-paul-weitz-adapted-all-systems-red-for-tv-130034113.html?src=rss

Inkjet-printed OLEDs are very close to mass productionSamsung Display seems may have solved EL-QD's longevity problemDon't pause your new-TV plans if you're currently shopping

The race to find the next big thing in TV tech just passed two big milestones: TCL CSOT – TCL's display-making subsidiary – has demonstrated its inkjet-printed OLED tech at a TV size with panels up to 65 inches, and Samsung Display has demonstrated the potentially OLED-beating EL-QD in a new and brighter version.IJP OLED and EL-QD are vying to be the next tech that replaces current OLED production, and both are self-emissive technologies like current OLED.Both are very exciting, but neither's coming to your front room any time soon – and of the two, printed OLEDs are likely to arrive long before EL-QD. But they could both prove to be revolutionary.

Why we're a bit excited about printed OLED and EL-QD

Inkjet-printed OLED panels are the most immediately exciting, because they can be used in a wide range of applications: phones, tablets, laptops, PC monitors, TVs, car dashboards... pretty much anywhere you might want to put a display.TCL has showed inket-printed 65-inch panels before: an early prototype in 2021, and a curved prototype in 2023. But this one is much closer to production than before, and some of the smaller panels TCL showed off included a new oxide backplane that apparently delivers faster response times and lower power consumption.Although TCL CSOT says that it has become "the first manufacturer to commercialise a complete family bucket of IJP [inkjet printed] OLED products", we're not pausing our new-TV plans just yet: any new panel technology starts off eye-wateringly expensive until yields improve and costs come down.IJP OLED is still very much an OLED tech in that it uses organic material to create self-emissive pixels, but structure of the panel is totally different because of the manufacturing process, so it's very much a next-gen OLED rather than just tweaking the current tech.It has the potential to be more power efficient and cheaper long-term – but it's not quite ready to go.TCL has told TechRadar directly that it will likely be several years before IJP OLED will be affordable in TVs – but it's landing in smaller screens already.

(Image credit: FlatpanelsHD.com)

Is the future bright for EL-QD?

EL-QD sounds like it should be the name of a bullfighter, and Samsung Display is bullish about its prospects: it uses quantum dots as light-emitting diodes and could deliver wider color gamuts, faster response times and lower power consumption than other display technologies.Like TCL CSOT, Samsung Display was showing off its tech at the SID show in the USA. It brought some printed OLEDs and some bendable ones, but the most technically interesting was EL-QD because Samsung seems to have solved that tech's biggest problem.So far, EL-QD displays have suffered from a lack of longevity: early versions used cadmium, and that's banned in many countries; without it, the longevity of the blue materials essential to EL-QD wasn't great. But Samsung Display says it has "dramatically increased" the lifespan with its latest cadmium-free prototypes.That enabled Samsung to make the brightest EL-QD prototype to date, but it still falls far short of the brightness you'd want in your front room: the latest EL-QD panel has 400 nits; many of the best OLEDs deliver over 1,000 nits while my mini-LED TV appears to put out ninety billion nits.It's also quite a bit smaller than your TV: 18.2 inches with 3,200 x 1,800 pixels.EL-QD is a long way from production, then – assuming it ever makes it into mass production at all. The future's bright, but it needs to get a lot brighter before it can be an HDR TV.

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We’re living through a moment of massive, accelerating problems. Social, political, and economic upheaval is reshaping how we live, how we think, and how we spend. These issues are more interconnected than we realize, and we are only scratching the surface of how deeply intertwined these problems are.

We can’t keep solving the surface. We have to go deeper

There is an opportunity to not just look at the problem, but to go deeper into the causation and correlation of these issues as one system. From the chemicals in our water to the food on our plates and the air we breathe, what once seemed like separate issues are revealing themselves as symptoms of something bigger. Infertility. Obesity. Chronic disease. Fragile supply chains. Food insecurity. These aren’t isolated problems. They’re outcomes of larger, systemic breakdowns.Too often, we treat symptoms while ignoring the root. The true drivers such as chemical exposure, over-processed supply chains, degraded ecosystems and outdated infrastructure remain largely absent from mainstream conversations. But they’re driving the cascade of issues we face today.

Systems issue

And we’ve barely begun to unpack the scale. Consider these stats and the downstream consequences:- More than half of all couples could be infertile in 20-30 years because of the chemicals in our environment that we’re coming into contact with daily.- 75% of the world’s food comes from just 12 plants and 5 animals.- 90% of crop varieties have disappeared as 70% of U.S. farmland has been converted to monocropping.- Over 45% of U.S. tap water contains at least one PFAS chemical, linked to cancer, infertility, and immune disruption.- Microplastics have been found in human blood, placentas, and across soil systems.- Since 1970, wild animal populations have dropped by more than 70%, today, just 4% of land mammals are wild.- Semiconductor manufacturing, central to the AI boom, is a growing source of toxic chemical waste.More than half of all couples could face infertility within the next 20-30 years due to environmental toxins. These trends predict larger problems from food scarcity, lack of biodiversity, increased cancer rates, inefficient supply chains, and unsustainable energy sources.This isn’t just a climate or healthcare issue. It’s a systems issue, and it’s moving faster than most institutions can keep up.

Cultural shifts driving change

Major transitions are happening, based on much more than “climate.” For instance, people are realizing the real health consequences of materials they use, air they breathe in, or water they drink.They are changing their behavior as a result - everything from filtering water, to choosing less processed food, demanding supply chain transparency, choosing non toxic products, changing to electric vehicles, installing electric or solar in households to lower household costs or prevent house fires, rethinking building materials and construction, buying used products over new, taking proactive measures on wildfire preventive, and replacing disease school businesses to lower asthma rates in children.Driving this change are factors beyond sustainability, like health, cost-efficiency, and time-efficiency. As a result, there’s pressure to modernize infrastructure that was never built for this era, including construction, manufacturing, CPG, food, agriculture and energy infrastructure.It’s not about “climate” alone, it’s about upgrading trillion dollar infrastructure to meet the needs of people today. In fact, we think the word climate needs a full rebrand. Sustainability is a value prop to an overall systems problem.

We need systems-level thinking

We’re not just managing one crisis. We’re standing on the threshold of something bigger, a chance to rethink how we live, work, and care for each other. There are multiple ways to change the trajectory of these problems. For instance, government policy could make change, consumers can shift behaviors and products they purchase (as we see happening), and companies can choose different solutions because they are frankly better for business.The acceleration of innovation and technology gives us an opportunity to solve some of these problems. Entrepreneurs must be bold and ambitious to solve these massive problems, and investors should take bolder bets on transformative long-term technology versus incremental innovation.While the problems are complex and interconnected more than we realize, it starts with us and the power is in our hands to drive real change. These technologies can be real businesses, scalable companies that solve massive problems in trillion dollar industries. They will impact both people and the planet.We need to commercialize more of this breakthrough technology. We need to tell better stories around it where it’s less abstract, and why it matters. We need to show and prove that these businesses are not just better for the planet, but better, cheaper, healthier, more sustainable. Because in the end, this isn’t just about climate or chemicals or cancer alone. It’s about how we live, work, and operate. It is about how humanity flourishes for the long-term. It’s about how we have more cost-efficiency, less dependency, better outcomes, more reliability, more abundance.Technology and science can help.The change won’t be easy, but it’s already happening. If we’re bold enough to focus on root causes, not just symptoms, we can create a world that doesn’t just work better for everyone—it’s also more sustainable.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we 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/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, May 17 (game #705).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #706) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

MACARONIANIMALKINGMAILRULERSCOOTERPLANTEMPERORBEAKERBACTERIACOMMERCESYRINGEFUNGUSSIGNATURECHINSTRAPPROTRACTOR

NYT Connections today (game #706) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: Classification of organismsGREEN: Tools to measure BLUE: Varieties of flightless bird PURPLE: Precede with a letter

Need more clues?We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #706) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

YELLOW: MEMBER OF A KINGDOM IN TAXONOMY GREEN: GRADUATED INSTRUMENTS BLUE: KINDS OF PENGUINS PURPLE: "E" THINGS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #706) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #706, are…

YELLOW: MEMBER OF A KINGDOM IN TAXONOMY ANIMAL, BACTERIA, FUNGUS, PLANTGREEN: GRADUATED INSTRUMENTS BEAKER, PROTRACTOR, RULER, SYRINGEBLUE: KINDS OF PENGUINS CHINSTRAP, EMPEROR, KING, MACARONIPURPLE: "E" THINGS COMMERCE, MAIL, SCOOTER, SIGNATURE

My rating: EasyMy score: Perfect

A clear run for me today. My only hesitation was over KINDS OF PENGUINS, as I knew CHINSTRAP, EMPEROR and KING but took a guess with MACARONI as there seemed no likely alternatives.Meanwhile, I got the group MEMBER OF A KINGDOM IN TAXONOMY thinking the four words described an evolutionary scale from BACTERIA to FUNGUS to PLANT to ANIMAL. Wrong, but also right.“E” THINGS is somewhat of a cruel category as there are hundreds of products that have the same prefix. In fact, think of anything and it’s likely that there’s also an “E” version of it – from eAlarm to E-Zips. How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, May 16, game #705)

YELLOW: KINDS OF PLANTS HERB, SHRUB, TREE, VINEGREEN: DISCONTINUE DISSOLVE, END, SCRAP, SUNSETBLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH BULLS MICHAEL JORDAN, RODEO, TAURUS, WALL STREETPURPLE: ENDING WITH BUILDING MATERIALS HOLLYWOOD, HOURGLASS, KUBRICK, NEUROPLASTIC

What is NYT Connections?NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Looking for a different day?A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, May 16 (game #439).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #440) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?• Today's NYT Strands theme is… She's got game

NYT Strands today (game #440) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

RALLYSORTVETOSEEMMASKBRUT

NYT Strands today (game #440) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #440) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?First side: bottom, 4th columnLast side: top, 5th column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #440) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #440, are…

LYNXWINGSSTORMLIBERTYDREAMFEVERMERCURYSPANGRAM: BASKETBALL

My rating: ModerateMy score: 1 hint

In my ignorance I thought we were looking for female game characters – and being unfamiliar with game characters male and female, I thought LYNX (which I got from a hint) sounded like a possibility.It wasn’t until I tapped out the spangram that the penny dropped and I realized we were looking for WNBA team names to coincide with the start of the 2025 season.Today’s search didn’t include the best-named and newest team to join the league – the Golden State Valkyries.In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (which means 'chooser of the slain') is a female figure who guides souls of the dead to the god Odin's hall Valhalla. I don’t quite know how this translates to basketball prowess, but it sounds good. Maybe they’ll arrive on court in a longboat.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, May 16, game #439)

GOWNPHOTOSPEECHDIPLOMATASSELPROCESSIONSPANGRAM: GRADUATION

What is NYT Strands?Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, May 16 (game #1208).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1209) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1209) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1209) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1209 - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1209) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• S• R• U• G

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1209) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1209, are…

STRIPRANGEUNITEGEESE

Yesterday it was SHEEP and today it was GEESE, so I’m fully expecting more animal plurals tomorrow – ZEBRA, maybe.I had an easy start with all the letters for RANGE and the next three letters opened up nicely, with minimal thinking required.I experienced some deja-vu with UNITE, as we had that word recently and I guessed UNTIE instead. The aforementioned GEESE was the only word that took some brain noodling, as I tried to think of words that started with G and ended SE, but eventually realized there was only one possibility.How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1209) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1209, are…

THROBMELONALOUDCROWN

Quordle answers: The past 20

Quordle #1208, Friday, 16 May: SHEEP, SNUCK, DRIFT, BREAKQuordle #1207, Thursday, 15 May: PAINT, CROUP, PEDAL, FLUKEQuordle #1206, Wednesday, 14 May: FAVOR, METER, PICKY, MAKERQuordle #1205, Tuesday, 13 May: SCENT, AGAPE, POLAR, YEARNQuordle #1204, Monday, 12 May: ROYAL, ARGUE, BUNCH, READYQuordle #1203, Sunday, 11 May: QUASH, MUNCH, ALTER, UNDUEQuordle #1202, Saturday, 10 May: RELIC, BADGE, CHAMP, SATINQuordle #1201, Friday, 9 May: MINUS, CRIME, NOSEY, SLAINQuordle #1200, Thursday, 8 May: ELUDE, GREET, POPPY, ELITEQuordle #1199, Wednesday, 7 May: QUOTH, TRUNK, BESET, NAIVEQuordle #1198, Tuesday, 6 May: UNITE, SOGGY, FILET, PORCHQuordle #1197, Monday, 5 May: WREAK, COWER, STEAD, QUEUEQuordle #1196, Sunday, 4 May: PINCH, SMOKE, SCARY, CANNYQuordle #1195, Saturday, 3 May: PLUSH, VERGE, WROTE, CONDOQuordle #1194, Friday, 2 May: CAUSE, RISEN, MACAW, SMELTQuordle #1193, Thursday, 1 May: IDIOM, EXILE, SPOOF, DRAPEQuordle #1192, Wednesday, 30 April: BATON, TORSO, ANNEX, DROWNQuordle #1191, Tuesday, 29 April: HOVER, HENCE, OCTAL, COPSEQuordle #1190, Monday, 28 April: JAUNT, ALLOW, FRUIT, BURNTQuordle #1189, Sunday, 27 April: PRIOR, YOUTH, CREDO, CHIDE

Congratulations, you've made it to the end of another week. You know what that means – yep, it's time to kick back and enjoy a plethora of new movies and TV shows that have just landed on the world's best streaming services.I'll admit that this week's streaming list is very light on the new film front, but at least there are lots of options for TV aficionados to be entertained by. So, without further ado, these are seven things you won't want to miss before Monday arrives. – Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

Love, Death & Robots volume 4 (Netflix)

Netflix's animated anthology series Love, Death and Robots has finally returned with 10 new episodes, each hailing from a different team of talented artists. Indeed, what's so striking about the series is the drastically different visual styles on showcase, from stop motion and hand-painted 3D models to photorealistic CGI.It's one of the best Netflix shows for this exact reason and has wide appeal because of the different stories it brings to life. In volume 4, you can expect to find a mix of genres again, including horror, sci-fi and fantasy. To give you an idea of the variety, there's even a Red Hot Chilli Pepper music video that David Fincher directed.If, however, you don't want to go into the series blind and risk falling prey to a jump scare, then make sure to give our episode ranking of Love, Death and Robots volume 4 by fear factor a read to avoid any unwelcome surprises. – Amelia Schwanke, senior entertainment editor

Watch Love, Death & Robots volume 4 on Netflix

The Brutalist (Max)

The Brutalist is out now on Max this weekend, and the three-hour-plus movie has received much critical acclaim, making it worthy of a space on our best Max movies round up.As well as scoring a healthy 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, it also won three Oscars including Best Actor for Adrian Brody and Best Cinematography, so it's no surprise people were excitedly waiting for its streaming release.The movie is so long, in fact, it had an intermission in theaters, which is a very rare occurrence these days. Watching it in the comfort of your own home, though, means you can choose your own intermission where you can get up and make a cup of tea. Or, you can stay glued to your screen the whole time, and given how good it is I wouldn't blame you if you did! – Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

Watch The Brutalist on Max

Overcompensating (Prime Video)

This new Amazon TV Original is a yet another comedy about fraternities, football players, and enjoying the perks that college has to offer. But, before you roll your eyes, it's got a very surprising score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. I guess that's what I get for judging a series by its marketing!Prime Video's latest offering follows Benny, a football player who struggles with his sexuality. As the title suggests, he starts overcompensating to try and fit in as someone he's not, and the result is a heartfelt comedy show that's really all about self-acceptance.Those who love coming-of-age-dramas will likely have a good time with Overcompensating, which should join our best Prime Video shows hub by virtue of its high RT rating. It's also soundtracked by Charli XCX, so you can expect some catchy tunes along the way. – LB

Watch Overcompensating on Prime Video

Duster (Max)

J. J. Abrams helms this new Max thriller series, which seems to be a divergence from his usual brand of 'watch out for lens flares!' sci-fi. Instead, he's honing in on the FBI's first Black woman agent as she works to stop a crime syndicate with the assistance of a talented getaway driver.It's set in the Southwest in 1972, looks like it'll be a very intriguing watch, and is a marked change for projects Abrams is involved in. It's important to note that the characters and their storylines have no direct connection with real-life people or events so, while it may have been inspired by things, it's ultimately a work of fiction. – LB

Watch Duster on Max

Murderbot (Apple TV+)

You've heard of The Terminator, now get ready for Murderbot. Alexander Skarsgård leads the cast of this new Apple TV+ show, which follows a rogue security robot who secretly gains free will and spends more time trying to decipher humanity than, well, murder people he comes across.TechRadar recently spoke to Murderbot's cast about, their bias aside, it sounds pretty unique for its primary genre. Sci-fi has done well on Apple TV+ so far, so this looks like another genre-based winner for the tech giant that'll deserve a spot on our best Apple TV+ shows list. – LB

Watch Murderbot on Apple TV+

Bad Thoughts (Netflix)

New Netflix sketch comedy Bad Thoughts has proven divisive with the critics, which asks the question: what would happen if you actually followed through on your intrusive thoughts.However, I’m among those that actually had a very good time with this. While it’s not rated highly enough by my peers, I’d still argue it’s worth a go and its controversial brand of comedy will definitely land with some viewers. If you’re a fan of dark comedy and crude humor, then Tom Segura’s latest project might be your ideal binge watch this weekendYou can expect parodies of things like action flicks, disaster movies, and A24 movies, as well as some ridiculous characters, many of which are played by Segura himself. If you’re looking for something quick to watch, its episodes are on the short side, too. – LB

Watch Bad Thoughts on Netflix

Welcome to Wrexham season 4 (Hulu/Disney+)

The soccer-based docuseries that just keeps on giving, Welcome to Wrexham returned for its fourth season on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally) this week. And, spoilers notwithstanding, it may be the show's most intense installment yet.Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenney, two of Hollywood's most recognizable faces and the owners of Welsh soccer club Wrexham FC, are the driving force behind this program and the sport team's rapid rise up the English football pyramid. But, as always, it's the personal stories of those involved in the day-to-day running of Wrexham FC, plus the local community, that make this such a compelling and oft-times tear-jerking watch.Season 4's first two episodes are out now and, with new entries releasing weekly, I'm ready to laugh, cry, and learn more about one of the UK's oldest soccer institutions in one of the best Hulu shows' (and best Disney+ shows') latest chapter. – TP

Watch Welcome to Wrexham season 4 on Hulu (US) and Disney+ (internationally)

For more streaming suggestions, read our guides on the best Netflix movies, best Prime Video movies, best Paramount+ shows, and best Apple TV+ movies.

America could soon tackle diverted and misused advanced chips with geotrackingThe proposed legislation could enforce tracking within 6 monthsManufacturers would also have to report back to the US

New proposed legislation in Congress could see the US integrate geotracking capabilities within high-end GPUs, marking the introduction of more dynamic ways to monitor exports rather than just blanket bans.Bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Chip Security Act to prevent high-end GPUs and AI chips from reaching countries of concern, such as China.Currently in review, if passed, exporters would need to comply with new tracking rules while also reporting violations, such as disabled tracking, back to the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS).

US could introduce advanced chip tracking measures

"Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall require any covered integrated circuit product to be outfitted with chip security mechanisms that implement location verification, using techniques that are feasible and appropriate on such date of enactment, before it is exported, reexported, or in-country transferred to or in a foreign country," the bill reads.Lawmakers cite national security risks and concerns over smuggling networks and shell companies exporting US chips to China illegitimately as key drivers for the tracking proposals."I know that we have the technical tools to prevent powerful AI technology from getting into the wrong hands. With advanced AI chips being smuggled into China and posing a national security risk, Congress must act," Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) added.Location sharing should be enabled and supported before chips are exported if the bill gets passed, with the Secretary of Commerce to be made responsible for assessing second-level security mechanisms to prevent the misuse or diversion of chips covered under the proposed rules.The bill follows the Trump administration's removal of Biden-era chip export diffusion rules, with the White House pledging renewed export restrictions that don't negatively impact allies.

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The Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 is high-density acrylic for reduced resonancePower housed in a breakout box to eliminate interference (and to stop it ruining the looks)$2,000 / £1,699 / €1,999 (about AU$3,488)

If you're looking for a great gift for The Invisible Man, Audio-Technica has just the thing: its new flagship turntable is (almost) completely transparent.The new Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 is made from high-density transparent acrylic, and has a clear acrylic platter too. The internals such as the power supply unit are housed separately, and the result is a turntable that looks so good it's almost a shame to cover it up with a record.The acrylic isn't just there to look good, though. Audio-Technica says it provides "exceptional" resonance control, leading to sound that's as clear as its plinth and platter.

Audio-Technica AT-LPA2: key features and pricing

Recommended listening: I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash; How To Disappear Completely by Radiohead, Heart of Glass by Blondie… (Image credit: Audio-Technica)

The AT-LPA2 is a belt-drive turntable with an optical sensor immediately below the spindle to monitor and correct the platter rotation. Like most current turntables it's a two-speed model; you won't be able to play 78s on it if you're a collector of really old records.The turntable has a newly designed carbon-fiber tonearm that features adjustable VTA, azimuth adjustment, a finely adjustable string-type anti-skate mechanism, and interchangeable counterweights (110g and 130g) for wide cartridge compatibility.The cartridge is Audio-Technica's AT-OC9XEN dual moving coil, which features a nude elliptical stylus and high-purity PCOCC coils that Audio-Technica says delivers low distortion and excellent clarity.The Audio-Technica AT-LPA2 is available now with an RRP of $2,000 / £1,699 / €1,999 (about AU$3,488).

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is here. After months of waiting, we’ve finally had our first look at the long-awaited thin and light addition to this year’s Galaxy S25 lineup.While our hands-on Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review has a full rundown of the phone’s specs, pricing, and availability, I want to take a second to recognize what I think is the phone’s best feature – its design.To cut to the chase, I think the Galaxy S25 Edge is an extremely good-looking device – in fact, I think it’s the best-looking smartphone of 2025 so far.That might come as a surprise to some, given that the Galaxy S25 Edge is actually pretty plain-looking. It’s impressively thin at just 5.8mm, but construction-wise, two slabs of glass, titanium rails, and a dual-camera island on the top-left corner of the rear panel are pretty much all you get.However, I think this simplicity is one of the phone’s greatest strengths. While other simple-looking phones like the iPhone 16e and Google Pixel 9a have been released this year, none have merged form and purpose quite as elegantly as the Galaxy S25 Edge.

The Titanium Silver color option was first teased at the January 2025 Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event (Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

Here on TechRadar’s phones desk, we’ve gone back and forth about the state of phone design in 2025, running polls, penning features, and wondering whether the trend of minimalism will prevail.After all, it’s been a few years now since the convergence of flagship phone design around simple, flat designs – I’m sure some folks would struggle to tell the difference between the Galaxy S25 and Sony Xperia 1 VI, for instance, and the recently launched Google Pixel 9a is maybe the simplest-looking handset we’ve ever seen.The latest rumors suggest that this trend could be about to change. The iPhone 17 series has been heavily tipped to bring radical design changes to the table, and where Apple goes, the phone industry typically follows.In a way, these latest rumors make me even happier to see that Samsung has stuck to its guns with the Galaxy S25 Edge.The phone’s central concept – and what people will look for when they first pick one up – is its thinness, and by following its own ultra-minimal design language, Samsung has shown confidence that this engineering prowess is enough to make the phone stand out.As our US Phones Editor Philip Berne puts it, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge “isn’t a phone you should experience on paper”. Having gone hands-on with the device myself, I agree that there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about it – I actually found it quite enthralling to hold for the first time, and I think users will appreciate the lack of visual distractions on a device that’s built around ergonomics.After the wobbly launch of One UI 7 and several months of radio silence on the Galaxy S25 Edge before its launch on May 13, it’s genuinely encouraging to see Samsung show confidence and competence in launching what really amounts to quite a simple product.

You say boring? I say elegant (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)

But even beyond the context of Samsung's year so far and the wider phone industry, I’m a straight-up fan of the way this phone looks.In particular, the Titanium Silver color option is an absolute knockout, and had me thinking the phone was an all-metal construction during my first encounter. It’s shiny, industrial, and oh-so-stylish.As for the other colors, I appreciate the way the understated Titanium Jetblack option complements the phone's minimal dimensions, and the remaining Titanium Icyblue color was already my favorite of the base Galaxy S25 options, so I’m happy to see it make the jump.Ultimately, this is all a matter of personal opinion – we take design into account in our lists of the best phones and best Samsung phones, but aesthetics are certainly more subjective than something like comfort or durability.With that, I want to know what you think – let us know what you make of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge’s design in the comments below.

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Two of the largest cable companies in the US are intent on merging. Charter Communications’ proposed acquisition of Cox Communications — the largest division of Cox Enterprises — will value the former at over $34 billion inclusive of debt.

In Cox Communications, the Cox family, which acquired its first cable business in 1962, already operates the largest private broadband company in America, supplying homes in more than 30 states, and it will be the majority shareholder in the acquisition with a stake of around 23 percent. In a press release, Charter said it will inherit Cox Communications’ commercial fiber and managed IT and cloud businesses, while Cox Communications' residential cable business will move to Charter’s Charter Holdings subsidiary.

"Cox and Charter have been innovators in connectivity and entertainment services – with decades of work and hundreds of billions of dollars invested to build, upgrade, and expand our complementary regional networks to provide high-quality internet, video, voice and mobile services," said Chris Winfrey, President and CEO of Charter. "This combination will augment our ability to innovate and provide high-quality, competitively priced products, delivered with outstanding customer service, to millions of homes and businesses."

The new combined company will continue to operate its cable, broadband and mobile consumer businesses under Charter’s Spectrum brand, and said it will offer existing customers the choice to stick with their current plans or pay less for new bundled services it intends to offer.

Of course, such mega-mergers are rarely cut and dried. Rivals, like Comcast, might attempt to scuttle the deal, while government antitrust enforcers may also not allow the transaction to go through.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/cable-giants-cox-and-charter-agree-to-34-billion-merger-140652859.html?src=rss

As AI grows, tough questions about data privacy are hitting the mainstream.Here in the UK, the government’s Data (Use and Access) Bill has just entered its second reading in the House of Commons. At the same time, the government is navigating a legal challenge from Apple, which refuses to allow it to access a customer’s private data if required. Concerns around privacy, and the rules that guarantee it, are being examined at the very top.The details are complex, but for most people it boils down to one simple question: “Is my data the cost of progress?”From an enterprise perspective, we know that the technology used to house, transmit, and safeguard data isn’t necessarily built to prioritize privacy. Insufficient security, siloed data, and the pains of outdated infrastructure can all leave an organization exposed — in other words, those consumer concerns can be well founded.Fixing this starts with how we collect and move data. If we can embed privacy straight into the data collection process, assessing and directing data in real time, we can minimize risk to both organization and consumer.

Tackling patchwork infrastructure

One of the reasons that fear around data privacy have risen in recent times is that it’s extremely difficult to keep up with new regulations – particularly given how quickly AI is evolving as a technology.New and important legislation is constantly being introduced, with the UK’s Data Bill just one of many: the EU’s AI Act, China’s Deep Synthesis Provisions, and so on. But such laws are attempting to regulate technology as it develops, and can’t necessarily pre-empt the next big application of AI. The rule of law can’t always keep up with the blistering pace of change, often focusing on compliance at the expense of proactive security measures.As a result, many organizations will continue to depend on a unique mix of hardware and infrastructure. The business can function, but it can’t robustly enforce a consistent standard of cybersecurity and data privacy.Take, for example, the classic problem of data fragmentation. Spreading private data across multiple systems — each with their own capabilities, purposes, and cybersecurity measures — makes it incredibly difficult to standardize the use of data. It might be duplicated, accessible in some systems and not others, or simply absent from where you’d expect it.The chinks in this armor are exacerbated by human intervention. Employees might have differing levels of access across different systems, retain permissions that they’re no longer supposed to, or not understand how to protect the data they’re accessing once they’ve used it. All of these things can cause a serious breach.While regulations like GDPR and HIPAA are designed to mitigate these risks, insisting on the immediate execution of data deletion requests, the infrastructure that houses this data might not be capable of meeting these demands. Legacy technology both decelerates audits and response times and fails to paint a comprehensive picture of exactly what data needs to be deleted.

Introducing data streaming

All of these challenges make it clear that privacy can’t be an afterthought. If you don’t prioritize it at the points where data enters your ecosystem, it’s incredibly difficult to work back to a point of robust compliance.This is where real-time data streaming excels. In processing data as it arrives, data streaming prevents the creation of vast datasets that demand slow, cumbersome batch processing en-masse. Being able to contextualize data and the protection it needs even as that data is in motion frontloads that security and organizational work, literally point by point.Data streaming platforms (DSP) take this a step further. As a platform purpose-built to coordinate the streaming of data across a business, they offer a single point of access that integrates advanced security capabilities by design.End-to-end encryption, for example, offers an additional layer of protection while the data is in transmission. Similarly, tokenisation can replace business-critical information with identifiers that make transcription impossible. Another option is differential privacy – the introduction of mathematical noise to datasets, protecting individual identities without stopping a business benefitting from analyzing that data.All of these elements offer protection against the myriad of potential cybersecurity concerns across an organization — from accidental access to bad actors.

Security and the DSP

Research suggests that a vast majority of UK tech leaders — 91% — believe that data streaming improves cybersecurity and digital risk management.Much of that value comes from the DSP acting as the organization's central nervous system, managing systems to keep everything in sync, and guaranteeing access to real-time data where it’s needed. Privacy and security are inherently baked into the system, from the point of entry to the point of use.As AI continues to establish itself as a norm, this will only become more important. The business world is speeding up – and the technology we use to protect it has to accelerate, too.

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A full year of Peacock Premium is on sale right now for $25 as part of a Memorial Day promotion. This is $55 off the typical price of $80. Just enter SPRINGSAVINGS at checkout. The promotion is live until May 30. This is the ad-supported version.

Peacock is a decent platform and made our list of the best streaming services. It doesn't get the attention of Netflix or Disney+, but it's home to several nifty original shows. There's the AI-adjacent tomfoolery of Mrs. Davis and the Rian Johnson-made whodunnit Poker Face. It also airs several video game adaptations, like Knuckles and the surprisingly-decent Twisted Metal.

The big draw here, however, is likely the long-awaited spinoff of The Office, which is called The Paper. That one premieres in September and is a Peacock exclusive. The platform also signed an 11-year agreement with the NBA and that goes into effect this fall. The mobile app could be getting minigames and short-form vertical videos (like TikTok) in the near future.

There's one caveat. This subscription will automatically renew for $80 after the year runs out. Stay on top of scheduling if you want to cancel before then.

The Scranton documentary crew is heading to Toledo. #ThePaper arrives this September on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/Mzmbw7TBzF— Peacock (@peacock) May 12, 2025

Check out our coverage of the best streaming deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/peacock-premium-is-only-25-for-one-year-right-now-163231072.html?src=rss

In February, Sigma announced the Sigma BF. It's a full-frame, interchangeable lens camera with just a shutter release, a dial and three buttons. That minimalism speaks to me, and I felt the BF was potentially transformative. Photography is one of my favorite hobbies, and I've always felt modern cameras are too complicated. When I received a unit of the Sigma BF to test, I wanted to love it. Unfortunately, it might be too simple.

It all starts with the design. The Sigma BF is one of the industry's few unibody cameras. It's carved from a single slab of aluminum, a process Sigma says takes seven hours to complete. The result is a camera unlike any I've used before, with build quality that surpasses either of my current Fujifilm models, the X-E3 and X-S20. Now, I know what you're thinking: The BF looks like an ergonomic nightmare. Surprisingly, it's not too bad, thanks to the inclusion of two beveled edges where your hands meet the bottom of the camera body.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

Still, it's missing a few features that would have made it more comfortable to use, likely due to the limitations of its unibody design. For one, a proper grip would have been nice, especially when you're using a heavy 50mm lens like the one Sigma sent me for testing. The BF is also missing a hot shoe mount, so third-party thumb grips are off the table. Most annoying of all, it only has a single strap eyelet, so if you don't want to use a neck strap, you'll need one that attaches to the camera's tripod mount. I don't own one of those, so I had to carry around the $2,000 BF in my hand the entire time I was using it. You can imagine how that felt.

The BF offers a very different shooting experience from your typical digital camera. As I mentioned, it has only a shutter release, a single dial and three buttons (one for powering the camera on and off, one for reviewing your photos and footage and one for accessing the overflow menu). There's also a touchscreen, but you wouldn't know it at first, because other than when selecting a focus point and toggling some options, you won't be using it much while shooting.

The BF's one dial is the primary way to interact with the camera. To adjust your exposure, you first press left or right on the dial to cycle to a specific setting, and then spin it to tweak the levels as desired. A second smaller screen above the dial allows you to adjust those parameters without interacting with the main display.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

Alternatively, you can press down on the center of the dial to open the BF's "dual layer" menu system. As the name suggests, Sigma has organized most of what you might need across two levels of menus. For example, say you want to switch the camera from matrix to spot metering. That involves pressing down on the dial, scrolling over to one of the exposure settings, tapping the center of the dial again, and then using your thumb to press the touchscreen and enable spot metering. Accessing most of the settings you'll need won't be as tedious, but this worst case scenario demonstrates where the experience of shooting with the Sigma BF falls short.

The BF isn't great for capturing fleeting moments. In ditching most of the physical controls modern cameras are known for, the Sigma BF makes it difficult to change multiple settings simultaneously. I was most annoyed by the BF whenever I wanted to shoot a fast-moving scene.

On one of my photo walks with the Sigma BF, I saw a father riding a bike with his son in the seat behind him. With my X-E3 or nearly any other camera, capturing that moment would have been simple. I could have changed the drive mode, focus system and shutter speed independently of one another. On the BF, I had to adjust each setting consecutively. By the time I was done, the father and son were long gone.

Some of the BF's shortcomings could be addressed if Sigma at least allowed you to edit the quick settings screen to show fewer options. I don't need easy access to change things like the aspect ratio, for example. In 2025, every new camera ships with an overly bloated menu system, and in that regard the Sigma BF is a breath of fresh air. However, allowing the user to make their own tweaks would have made for a much better experience.

And that’s the thing: With the BF, Sigma breaks camera interface conventions that are conventions for good reason. Let me give you one of the more frustrating examples: The camera inexplicably doesn't offer an easy way to measure the exposure of a scene. There was no meter to indicate whether I was about to under- or overexpose a shot, and I couldn't add one to the main screen.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

The only way I could see a histogram, my preferred method for nailing exposure, was to access the second layer of the interface from one of the capture settings. This is an especially confounding decision because you can half press the shutter to make quick exposure compensation adjustments with the control dial, but as soon as you do, the BF jumps out of whatever menu you were looking at. If digging through menus isn't your thing, there are two live view overlays you can enable to see if you've clipped your shadows or highlights. The first is your usual zebra pattern. The second, which Sigma calls False Color, turns most of the screen grayscale and uses warning colors. Neither felt as precise as a proper exposure meter or histogram.

On paper, the BF is a decent camera for video, with support for 6K recording, HEVC encoding and L-Log. Unfortunately, the BF's minimalism is a weakness here too. To start, framing a shot is a challenge since the camera has a fixed screen. Getting usable footage is also tricky. The BF doesn't offer in-body image stabilization, and while there are a few L-mount lenses with built-in stabilization, most wouldn't be practical to use with the BF due to their size and weight.

Igor Bonifacic for Engadget

If you've gotten this far, you're probably wondering if I have something positive to say about the BF. Well, the best thing about the camera is that it takes genuinely great photos, which is what makes all its shortcomings all the more frustrating. The 24-megapixel, backside illuminated sensor and Sigma's lenses capture and render detail beautifully without being clinical. The BF also has great subject detection autofocus that makes shooting portraits of people and pets easy.

The Sigma BF has some interesting ideas about what a camera can look like in 2025, but those ideas are often marred by poor execution. As a first stab at a minimalist camera, the BF has enough going for it, and with refinement, I could see future versions evolving into something special. For example, I’d love to see Sigma find a way to include a flip-out screen in the BF's unibody frame. Until then, $2,000 is a lot to ask for a camera that could be so much more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/sigma-bf-hands-on-minimal-to-a-fault-144024445.html?src=rss