news,technology

Sophos researchers found a new variant of PJobRATAndroid RAT now targets Taiwanese usersThe RAT can run shell commands and exfiltrate data

PJobRAT, an Android Remote Access Trojan (RAT) which disappeared roughly six years ago, has made a rather quiet comeback, targeting users with some arguably more dangerous functionalities.Cybersecurity researchers from Sophos’ X-Ops security team discovered new samples in the wild, noting the 2019 PJobRAT could steal SMS messages, phone contacts, device and app information, documents, and media files, from infected Android devices.The new variant can also run shell commands: “This vastly increases the capabilities of the malware, allowing the threat actor much greater control over the victims’ mobile devices,” Sophos explains. “It may allow them to steal data – including WhatsApp data – from any app on the device, root the device itself, use the victim’s device to target and penetrate other systems on the network, and even silently remove the malware once their objectives have been completed.”

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Inactive campaign

The 2019 variant was mostly targeting Indian military personnel, by spoofing different dating and instant messaging apps.The new variant seems to have ditched the dating angle, and focuses exclusively on being an instant messaging app.In fact, Sophos says that the apps actually work, and that the victims, if they knew each other’s IDs, could even communicate to one another.Speaking of the victims, the attackers no longer target Indians, and have instead switched to the Taiwanese.Some of the apps found in the wild are called ‘SangaalLite’ (possibly a typosquatted version of ‘SignalLite’, an app used in the 2021 campaigns) and CChat (spoofing a legitimate app of the same name).The apps were being distributed through WordPress sites, Sophos said, suggesting that they cannot be found on popular app stores. The sites have since been shut down, meaning that the campaign is probably completed, but the researchers reported them to WordPress anyway.“This campaign was therefore running for at least 22 months, and perhaps for as long as two and a half years,” it was sad. However, it doesn’t seem to have been a large, or successful campaign, since the general public wasn’t the target.Edit, April 8 - A Google spokesperson reached out to TechRadar Pro to confirm that there are no traces of this malware on the Google Play Store: “Based on our current detection, no apps containing this malware are found on Google Play," they told us. "Android users are automatically protected against known versions of this malware by Google Play Protect, which is on by default on Android devices with Google Play Services. Google Play Protect can warn users or block apps known to exhibit malicious behavior, even when those apps come from sources outside of Play."

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Daredevil: Born Again season 1 has almost drawn to a close. There are only two more episodes of Marvel's latest TV offering – until its second season is released, anyway – so it's time to lock in and find out when its next chapter will land on Disney+.Below, I'll tell you exactly when episode 8 of Daredevil: Born Again will air in the US, UK, and Australia. I'll also run through season 1's full release schedule. Although, with only one more episode left of this season, you'll probably be able to work out when the finale will launch. But enough rambling – here's when you can stream the show's next episode.

When will Daredevil: Born Again episode 8 be released on Disney+ in the US?

Born Again episode 7 gave us a lot to chew on (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Daredevil: Born Again episode 8 will be released on Disney+ in the US on Tuesday, April 8 at 6PM PT / 9PM ET.That's the same time that new episodes of one of the best Disney+ shows have landed on one of the world's best streaming services for a number of weeks now. Nevertheless, it's always good to be reminded, otherwise you wouldn't have opened this article!

What time can I watch Daredevil: Born Again episode 8 in the UK?

What role will Vanessa Fisk play in Born Again's next two episodes? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

The eighth installment of Daredevil's standalone Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) project will launch on Disney+ UK on Wednesday, April 9 at 2AM BST.Before March 30, new chapters had been released on British shores at the earlier time of 1AM GMT. However, with the clocks going back on the aforementioned date, UK viewers have had to wait an extra 60 minutes for their arrival. Regardless, it's been a late night or early morning for anyone wanting to catch them as soon as they're released.

When can I stream Daredevil: Born Again's eighth episode in Australia?

"Buck, Daniel, let the people know when they can stream episode 8" (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

Australian audiences can stream Daredevil: Born Again season 1's penultimate episode on Wednesday, April 9 at 11AM AEST.Before this week's chapter was released, new entries launched at 12PM AEDT. With the clocks going back Down Under last Sunday (April 6), though, you can actually watch the Marvel Phase 5 TV show's eighth episode an hour earlier.

How many episodes of Daredevil: Born Again will there be?

Heather Glenn is onto Matt Murdock and his secret identity, I can tell (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)

As I mentioned in this article's introduction, there's only one more episode left of this MCU TV series after this week's release. Read on to see when it'll be available in the US, UK, and Australia below:

Episode 1 – out nowEpisode 2 – out nowEpisode 3 – out nowEpisode 4 – out nowEpisode 5 – out nowEpisode 6 – out nowEpisode 7 – out nowEpisode 8 – April 8 (US); April 9 (UK and Australia)Episode 9 – April 15 (US); April 16 (UK and Australia)

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Lenovo, LG, and Razer have leaked some laptops carrying the RTX 5060 and 5050 GPUsThese leaks come in the form of press material or product listingsThey back up the rumor that Nvidia will reveal these mobile graphics cards in a couple of weeks

Nvidia’s RTX 5060 desktop graphics card is thought to be landing very soon – maybe next week, in fact – and the laptop spin on the GPU may not be far behind, as further leaks have pointed to its existence, and the RTX 5050 mobile, too.VideoCardz reports that these laptop graphics cards are expected to arrive in two weeks, and some notebook makers have already issued press material, or product listings, that accidentally mention the GPUs.The offending vendors are Lenovo, LG, and Razer, so let’s take them in that order.As part of an unboxing video on YouTube, Lenovo highlighted an IdeaPad Pro 5 16-inch laptop that’s coming later this year as having an Nvidia RTX 5050 graphics card, with that GPU mentioned in the clip’s description.More recently, LG announced its Gram Pro laptop for 2025, and in the press release published via its Taiwanese press center, there’s also a mention of the RTX 5050 (not for the first time, I should add).The laptop maker says: “In addition, the Gram Pro 16 equipped with the Nvidia RTX 5050 discrete graphics card is also expected to be available for pre-order in the second quarter of this year.”A footnote to the release also clarifies that the RTX 5050 will come equipped with 8GB of video RAM.Finally, Razer’s Chinese website already lists the new Razer Blade 16 for 2025, and one of the GPU options is the RTX 5060 mobile.

(Image credit: Future)

Analysis: Hoping for the best, but fearing the worst (at least supply-wise)

While both the RTX 5060 and 5050 laptop GPUs are supposedly coming with 8GB of video RAM onboard, there could be slower VRAM in the lesser model. As VideoCardz notes, instead of the newer (and much faster) GDDR7 as seen in other Blackwell GPUs, Nvidia may switch back to GDDR6 with this lowest-end model. (That’s rumored to be the case for the desktop RTX 5050, certainly – and yes, the theory is there will be a desktop spin on the graphics card this time, when there was never a desktop RTX 4050).Given that on the desktop GPU side of the equation, the RTX 5060 Ti is supposed to be arriving next week, and the RTX 5060 is expected to be revealed too. If VideoCardz is correct, Nvidia will have a separate announcement the following week for these mobile GPUs.We shall see, but with these laptop graphics cards popping up in multiple places now – with a specific mention of Q2 availability in one case (LG), meaning a launch before June 2025 – it seems a good bet they are nearing release.A lot of gamers will doubtless be keen to see what kind of price point more affordable laptops using the RTX 5050 GPU might land at, and whether these will make great budget gaming laptops (or not). A lot of that will depend on the performance level of the RTX 5050, of course, and we don’t have much in the way of rumored specs for this model yet (or the laptop 5060, for that matter).Availability is also a concern here, given that while laptops with Blackwell GPUs inside officially ‘launched’ at the end of March, you can’t buy them. They were all listed as out of stock right from the start, and although they should become available throughout April, it’s not clear in what kind of quantities. The way Blackwell supply has gone thus far doesn’t exactly instill confidence, though.

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The American National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is rather busy on the cryptographic front these days. Not only has it been busy in the area of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), it is also in the process of standardizing the lightweight cipher Ascon, and it is also embarking soon on a major effort to examine threshold cryptography, but in late 2024 it announced that it would be looking at standardizing a larger block size variant of the AES algorithm.To understand what this proposal is, and why it is important, we need to dig a bit deeper into what a block cipher is, and the history of the AES algorithm.

Block ciphers explained

A block cipher is a mechanism to encrypt single blocks of data using a secret key. The two important characteristics of a block cipher are the number of bits needed to determine the key (the so-called key size) and the size of the data which each application of the block cipher encrypts (the co-called block size).Children often encounter block ciphers as a first introduction to cryptography by making a table of letters, and then placing a random permutation of the letters underneath them such asA - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - MT - M- A - H - X - S - C - Q - N - R - P - D -ESo the word BAD would encrypt to the ciphertext MTH. In this example the key is the second row of the table (you need the second row to encrypt and decrypt). This gives a total number of keys of26 · 25 · 24 ··· 3 · 2 · 1 ≈ 2 88.3which corresponds to a key size of 88.3 bits. The block size is however only one letter, i.e. something which can be represented in bits. This key size is quite large, if I just gave you an encrypted message of three letters it would be hard to determine the key.However, because the block size is small it is easy to break in practice, since a large encrypted text will reveal repeats of plaintext blocks. For example the words “HIDE ME” will encrypt to “QNHX EX”, and we can see the repetition of X encrypting E. As we know E is the most likely letter in English this means it is likely that the attacker can guess X encrypts E.Even if we were encrypting random messages (and not English) this repetition of blocks is a way for an attacker to attack any system which uses the block cipher. Due to the birthday paradox, if we have a block size of b bits, then we expect such a collision to after a few blocks. For the case of our toy cipher this means, for a random message, we expect a collision to occur after about 5 blocks.

AES

AES is a block cipher, which is the workhorse of almost all cryptographic systems in the world today. It was standardized by NIST in 2001, and has a variable key size of 128, 192 and 256 bits, but a fixed block size of 128 bits. This fixing of the block size was not originally on the cards.In the original preliminary call for AES, NIST proposed having 128, 192 and 256 bit key sizes, with a fixed block size of 128-bits, but with the option for other block sizes.However, as the process to choose AES progressed, in the official first call in 1997 NIST decided to focus only on 128 bit block sizes. In 2001 this block size seemed alright. After all, it means that for a random message we only expect to output blocks to be identical after ciphertext blocks, or 256 Exabytes.The problem is that this “seemed alright” was not quite true. AES was actually based on an algorithm called Rijndael (invented by two Belgian mathematicians called Joan Daemen and Vincent Rijmen). In its original design, submitted to NIST, Rijndael had three possible key sizes (128, 192 and 256 bits) and three possible block sizes (128, 192 and 256 bits).As we just remarked, during the AES process, in order to simplify the competition, NIST decided that it would only focus on 128-bit block sizes. Thus the original Rijndael design was modified to only allow one block size.

Unfortunate consequences

The fact that collisions happen more likely with a smaller block size means that applications needed to limit the number of blocks they could encrypt. This means that we only use a single 128-bit key to encrypt a relatively small amount of data. In practice this limit on the amount one can encrypt with one key becomes blocks, or only 64 Gigabytes (which is less than most harddisks in a laptop these days) , when AES is used in its most popular scenario (called AES-GCM mode). Meaning we need to rekey our ciphers more often, or use another method of calling AES.Due to AES being super fast in hardware it would be good if we could use AES to construct a hash function (which are very slow normally). One can use block ciphers to construct hash functions, but they are not very secure (or are more complex to construct) unless the block cipher has a big block size (such as 256 bits).The mismatch between block size and key size for the AES algorithm led to a theoretical “attack” (in a very special situation) on the AES algorithm with 256 bit key size in 2009 due to Biryukov and Khovratovich. Thus AES-256, with its 128-bit block size, was not as good as one would expect. On the other hand using Rijndael with 256-bit key and 256- bit block size would have avoided this “attack”.

Summary

Thus what NIST has announced is to revisit, what in hindsight, was the mistake it made back in 2001. AES should really have been standardized with a 256 bit block size variant.If cryptographers had a DeLorean time machine they would go back about twenty five years, and modify the AES competition so that the final decision would have allowed AES to be used with a 256-bit block size.

We've compiled a list of the best encryption software.

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

You don’t need a set of AirPods to get wireless audio from your iPhone, iPad or Mac, but Apple’s earbuds and headphones offer a lot of convenient integrations with its other products that you won’t find anywhere else. After helping popularize true wireless earbuds with its original AirPods, the company has expanded its lineup to include noise-canceling models and a set of over-ear headphones. Here’s what you need to know about AirPods in general, along with the best overall, budget and over-ear picks from Apple’s current slate of products.

Table of contents

What you need to know about AirPods

Best AirPods for 2025

Best AirPods specs comparison chart

Other AirPods we tested

What you need to know about AirPods

When it comes to Apple’s earbuds and headphones, there are several things you’ll want to keep in mind before making your final decision. First, the standard AirPods are the open-design earbuds with no tip that allow some environmental noise to come into your ears at all times. The Apple AirPods Pro are the model with the soft ear tips that completely close off your ear canal, which enables features like more powerful noise cancellation and the hearing test. Lastly, the Apple AirPods Max are the company’s over-ear noise-canceling headphones preferred by audiophiles, and currently the company’s only option for wireless headphones at all that aren’t made by Beats.

There are a few features that are available across all models as they’ve become inherent to the AirPods experience. First, you can expect connectivity perks like Automatic Switching between Apple devices that are synced with your iCloud account. This means that a pair of AirPods will automatically change to your phone when you get a call while you’re listening to music on a MacBook, for example. It’s functionally similar to multipoint Bluetooth, but the feature isn’t limited to two devices like most earbuds and headphones. Second, hands-free access to Siri is the default, allowing you to ask the assistant for help without touching your AirPods. And lastly, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is available across the entire lineup, even on the most affordable version and the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation.

If you don’t think any of the AirPods options are right for you, consult our recommendations on the best wireless earbuds and best wireless headphones for some alternatives.

Best AirPods for 2025

Best AirPods specs comparison chart

AirPods 4

AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Max

Price

$129

$249

$549

Design

In-ear

In-ear

Over-ear

H2 chip

Yes

Yes

Yes

ANC

No

Yes

Yes

Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking

Yes

Yes

Yes

Hearing test

No

Yes

No

Rated battery life

5 hours

6 hours

20 hours

Durability

Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54)

Dust, sweat, and water resistant (IP54)

N/A

Other AirPods we tested

AirPods 4 with ANC

The AirPods 4 with ANC represent the first time active noise cancellation has been available on the open-wear, “regular” AirPods. Design-wise, they’re the same as the non-ANC model, so the difference is entirely in the features list. This more expensive version adds Adaptive Audio, Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness and a wireless charging case. The ANC isn’t as powerful as the AirPods Pro 2, partially due to the fact that the AirPods 4 doesn’t completely seal off your ears. The noise-canceling performance is definitely useful though, working best with constant, low-frequency annoyances like fans and white noise machines. Lastly, you won’t get access to Apple’s hearing test and hearing aid features, partially due to the fact that the AirPods 4 with ANC doesn’t seal off your ears, which would affect accuracy and effectiveness.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-airpods-100041810.html?src=rss

Microsoft is deploying the monthly patch for Windows 11 24H2 todayIt’ll arrive with useful fixes, including the cure for a weird File Explorer bugA couple of problems with wake-from-sleep functionality have also been resolved, but Microsoft has taken some time to implement these fixes

Microsoft pushes out its monthly round of updates later today (likely imminently), and the patch for Windows 11 version 24H2 is set to come with some important fixes.As Windows Latest reports, the cumulative update for April delivers the resolution of an annoying File Explorer bug, and more besides.As a quick reminder, File Explorer is the app in Windows that powers the very folders and files you work with on the desktop likely on a daily basis. The bug means that when users click the three-dot icon in the top menu bar (to access extra options), the flyout menu extends upwards rather than down.What this means is that if the File Explorer window in question is near the top of the screen, the menu actually goes off the top of the desktop, so you can’t click on some of those extra options, as they’re not visible.Windows Latest further outlines some other fixes Microsoft is providing with the April update, and that includes the cure for a problem where a Windows 11 24H2 device would wake from sleep and immediately crash with a Blue Screen of Death. (Perhaps soon to become a Black Screen of Death).Another issue with coming out of sleep mode, where a 2-in-1 laptop would change its screen orientation to portrait mode randomly, has also been remedied – likely a driver-related issue with the orientation sensors.

(Image credit: Future)

Analysis: Fixing the holes

These are some useful fixes, then, and Microsoft will possibly deliver more with the April update for Windows 11 24H2, too. We shall have to see the full patch notes when the update actually lands.The File Explorer issue may not have been a huge problem, as it was easy enough to work around. By this, I mean if a File Explorer window had a menu flying off the top of the screen, you could simply drag that window down lower on the desktop to see the full contents of the three-dot menu.Still, that’s clunky, and not something you should have to do at all. What’s odd is the rather baffling nature of this bug – how did this go wrong in the first place? – and the time Microsoft took to fix it. This gremlin has been present in Windows 11 since November 2024, in fact.On top of that, Windows Latest notes that Microsoft is currently deploying bug fixes (or at least some of them, including this one) as a controlled rollout. In other words, not every Windows 11 user will get this to begin with, and you may have to wait. Officially, this cure became available with the preview update of this imminent patch – released late in March – and the bug fix was only provided to a limited number of folks with that rollout.Hopefully, from today, every Windows 11 user will see this problem - and the other aforementioned bugbears - ironed out in swift fashion.Speaking of ironing, there’s still work to be done smoothing out further wrinkles with Windows 11 24H2 – some of which have been very weird affairs indeed – but hopefully Microsoft will start to get fully on top of all the issues for the latest incarnation of its desktop OS as we come towards the middle of 2025.

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OpenAI is testing watermarks on ChatGPT 4o's image generationFound in the latest Android app beta, watermarks could affect free usersPaid ChatGPT subscribers are likely to not see watermarking on images

ChatGPT 4o's image-generation capabilities have been the talk of the town over the last week or so, but it looks like free users might get hit with a downgrade very soon.OpenAI is currently testing watermarks in a new version of the ChatGPT Android app and it looks like free users are going to be the ones to suffer.Shared by @btibor91 on X, code in version 1.2025.0912509108 beta references "image-gen-watermark-for-free", hinting at upcoming watermarking presumably for users on the ChatGPT free plan.This watermark implementation comes off the back of ChatGPT server overload following the release of 4o's impressive image-generation capabilities and the viral use of the platform to create Studio Ghibli-esque imagery.Up until this point, the Studio Ghibli-style images have had no watermarking, causing huge concern among creatives as the ethics of AI image generation has once again been called into question.Now it looks like you'll need to pay for ChatGPT Plus, which costs $20 / roughly £16 a month, in order to get full access to 4o's image-generation tool without watermarks and without a minuscule 3-a-day limit.

ChatGPT updates- Student Plus referral program now also available for Colombian students (Universidad Nacional de Colombia)- new mentions of "shared posts" in addition to shared conversation, canvas and deep research in the web app- the new ImageGen watermark is mentioned… pic.twitter.com/j4sYfWJXLBApril 5, 2025

Not confirmed, but likely

(Image credit: Future / ChatGPT)

While it's possible that OpenAI is just testing watermark capabilities in the beta release of the ChatGPT Android app, this implementation is likely to occur sooner rather than later.There has been significant backlash following the viral trend of anime images that resemble Studio Ghibli, and this looks to be the first step in addressing those copyright concerns.While ChatGPT Plus is already a compelling value proposition for those who use AI frequently, including a watermark on images generated by free users could see an increase in paid subscriptions.That said, we don't know what these watermarks look like as of yet, and depending on how large they are it could be a positive step in regulating AI-generated images on social media.

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A possible iOS 19 design has been shown off in a videoApp icons look a bit more circular and Android-likeHowever, there's reason to doubt the accuracy of this leak

One of the more consistent rumors we’ve heard about iOS 19 is that it will usher in a major redesign, and look quite different to iOS 18 as a result. Exactly what it will look like, however, is disputed.Leaker Jon Prosser claims to have a good idea though, having followed up an early look at the possible design of Apple’s upcoming software with a new YouTube video (via AppleInsider), showing a mock-up of iOS 19 that’s supposedly based on a more recent build.If the video is accurate, iOS 19 could be taking some inspiration from Android, as the app icons are shown as being more circular than in iOS 18, bringing them more in line with some Android skins.

Other changes include a more glass-like design, with some translucent elements to the interface, and some visionOS-inspired parts, such as a new pill-shaped bar at the bottom of many built-in apps.

Don't count on this

You can see all this in the video, but it’s worth taking these images with a serious helping of salt. For one thing, Prosser has a mixed track record – he has accurately leaked some things in the past, but he's also been very wrong about others.For another thing, when Prosser previously leaked iOS 19, Apple watcher Mark Gurman (who has a much better track record) posted on X saying the images aren’t representative. This time around he simply reposted that message, so he’s seemingly no more confident about Prosser’s updated iOS 19 information than he was about the original leak.Who’s right here? We probably won’t know for sure until WWDC 2025 in June, where Apple is likely to announce the new operating system. Given Gurman’s better track record though, we’re skeptical of this leak.It’s worth noting though that Gurman himself has said to expect a redesign, so we’re likely to see big changes in iOS 19 – it just might not look like this.

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Google's Scam Detection feature uses AI to detect calls from scammers as they happenThe feature is now available on Pixel Watch It means users will get Scam Detection alerts without the need to take their phone out of their pocket

Google recently rolled out its AI-powered Scam Detection feature to Pixel phones, and now the feature is coming to the Pixel Watch, bringing alerts directly to your wrist in real-time.From today, Pixel Watch 2 and 3 users will be able to get Scam Detection alerts directly on their wrist, meaning they don't have to take their phone out of their pocket while on a call in order to receive the alerts.Scam Detection uses AI to detect conversation patterns commonly used by scammers as they happen. While it's not 100% accurate, and scammers often switch up their approach, if the AI picks up anything fishy, it'll alert you with a notification, sound, and vibration.Previously, that would work on the Pixel Phone, and now it works on the Watch too. It means you can take calls from unknown numbers directly from your wrist with more confidence, and it is a brilliant extension of this very helpful feature.

Pixel Watch scam detection

There are many ways to deal with scam calls, but Google's AI-powered solution is definitely one of the most novel solutions and much more effective than simply choosing to ignore calls or silencing calls from unknown numbers.To get it to work on your wrist, you'll need either a Pixel Watch 2 or 3 connected to a Pixel 9 or later. The two devices will need to be paired via Bluetooth for the feature to work, and Scam Detection only works in the US for calls in English.Scam Detection is turned on via your Pixel Phone's Settings under Scam Detection. Once turned on, you'll hear a beep at the start of the call and intermittently during calls so that you know it's working.The latest Scam Detection addition is another reason the Pixel Watch 3 (and its predecessor) are some of the best Android smartwatches you can buy, especially when paired with a Google phone.

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Audio-Technica ATH-R30x are available now for $99 / £85 / AU$219Open-back headphones promising reference quality soundMade for content creators and home audio producers

Audio-Technica's latest open-back headphones come with a price so low I had to check it wasn’t a misprint: the ATH-R30x headphones are just $99 / £85 / AU$219. That's a very low price for a set of headphones with this kind of specification.The ATH-R30x promise to deliver reference-quality audio, so they're targeted primarily at content creators and home-based music producers. That's me! And according to Audio-Technica, the new model delivers pro-level performance without the pro-level price tag of many of the best wired headphones.

(Image credit: Audio-Technica)

Audio-Technica ATH-R30x: key features

The ATH-R30x are one of three pairs of reference headphones launched by the brand: they're launching alongside the ATH-R50x and the flagship ATH-R70xa, both of which attracted rave reviews.Like those headphones the ATH-R30x offer a natural, neutral open-back listening experience – which can be just as attractive to audiophiles on a budget as creators. The driver here is 40mm, which is very slightly smaller than the one in the R30x's siblings, and unlike the other models the cable isn't removable.Audio-Technica says that the "meticulous" transducer design "translates every diaphragm movement directly into sound" to deliver a spacious soundstage with natural clarity. Frequency response is 15Hz to 25kHz, impedance is 36 ohms and the sensitivity is 92dB.I haven't heard these headphones yet but the hi-fi and music production blogs have, and they've said that these are very credible studio headphones: for example, Recording Magazine says they are "highly enjoyable" and "deliver outstanding sound at an incredible price."The ATH-R30x are available from today, 8 April 2025.

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Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has confirmed the cost of the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome TourThe software will seemingly cost $9.99 and releases day one on Nintendo Switch 2Bowser says the mini games in Welcome Tour are "very deep" and thinks $9.99 is "a fair price"

It looks like Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has confirmed the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.Welcome Tour was unveiled during the exciting Nintendo Switch 2 Direct last week, where the company finally revealed the release date for the upcoming console - June 5, 2025 - and several launch titles, such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.The price of Welcome Tour, a piece of launch day software featuring a series of mini games, was notably absent from the showcase; however, in a new interview with The Verge, Doug Bowser has now seemingly confirmed that it will cost $9.99, which he thinks is a "fair price"."As this game was being developed, what’s been packed into it is a depth of minigame experiences," Bowser said."They’re very deep, they’re very repeatable. And so, as we looked at that depth of play experience and opportunity, we felt that $9.99 was a fair price to ask for that."The price of the Nintendo Switch 2 was also missing from the Direct, so we didn't learn that the console will cost $449.99 / £395.99, or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle, until after the broadcast.Pre-orders are scheduled to open on April 8 in the UK, however, Nintendo has announced that it has delayed Switch 2 pre-orders in the US from its original April 9 date as it assesses the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.Nintendo confirmed it will share the new pre-order date soon and that the console's launch date is unchanged.

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The Joy-Con 2 controllers will not feature Hall effect thumbsticksThis was confirmed by a Nintendo executive in a new interviewThe technology could help prevent thumbstick drift

Almost every Nintendo Switch owner is aware of the dreaded Joy-Con drift, where the thumbsticks of the controllers can register false inputs after even just light use.It was one of the biggest complaints with the original Nintendo Switch console and, while Nintendo did begin to offer free Joy-Con repairs in both the US and UK, many were hoping that the Joy-Con 2 controllers of the Nintendo Switch 2 would feature a revised design intended to address these issues.One possible solution that has been posed by many would be the implementation of Hall effect technology, which removes the need for physical contact between components to increase durability in the long term.Unfortunately, we now know that the Joy-Con 2 will not feature Hall effect technology. This was confirmed by Nintendo of America's senior vice president of product development and publishing Nate Bihldorff in a new interview with Nintendolife."The Joy-Con 2 controllers have been designed from the ground up," he said. "They're not Hall effect sticks, but they feel really good."Bihldorff was also evasive when asked whether the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller will use Hall effect parts, which would indicate that it doesn't.This is definitely bad news for those concerned about the durability of the Nintendo Switch 2 and, in my eyes, seems like a massive missed opportunity. What's the point of redesigning the entire console if you're just going to make the same mistakes as the first time around all over again?Still, it might not be the end of the world as there are other technologies available that can help prevent drift.TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) thumbsticks, for example, rely on magnets that, like Hall effect components, remove the need for physical contact between parts. Hopefully we will learn a little more about the Joy-Con 2 controllers in the coming weeks.

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Meta is bringing its “teen accounts” to Facebook and Messenger. Like on Instagram, the company will begin automatically moving younger teens to the new accounts, which come with mandatory parental control features and restrictions on who they can message and interact with.

The company first introduced the feature on Instagram last fall and now has 54 million teens with the more locked-down accounts. (Instagram requires teens between the ages of 13 and 15 to use a teen account and has in-app tools meant to catch those lying about their ages.) Teen accounts on Facebook and Messenger will operate similarly. Teens won’t be able to interact with unknown contacts or change certain privacy settings unless a parent approves the action. Parents will also be able to monitor their child’s screen time metrics and friends list.

Meta is also adding new safety features to teen accounts on Instagram. With the change, teens under 16 will need parental permission to start a live broadcast. The app will also prevent younger teens from turning off nudity protection — the feature that automatically blurs images in direct messages that contain “suspected nudity” — unless they get parental approval.

Those may seem like obvious safeguards (they are) but they at least show that Meta is closing obvious gaps in its teen-focused safety features. The company has come under intense scrutiny over the effect its apps, particularly Instagram, have on teens in recent years. Dozens of states are currently suing Meta over alleged harms to younger users.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-brings-teen-accounts-to-facebook-and-messenger-100042497.html?src=rss

President Trump’s tariffs could lead to higher iPhone pricesThis appears to be causing customers to panic-buy Apple productsBut one analyst report says the rises might not be as bad as feared

Trump’s tariffs are already having an effect, but it’s unlikely to be one that the US President had anticipated. According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple customers are panic-buying iPhones ahead of what they fear could be steep price hikes.Bloomberg cited “Employees from different Apple locations across the country” who reported that Apple Stores were filled with customers over the past weekend.These buyers were seeking to snap up iPhones to beat price rises that could potentially happen as a result of the US tariffs, Bloomberg said, with some Apple employees saying they were being bombarded with questions on the matter.Right now, most iPhones are made in China, which is due to be hit with 54% tariffs over the coming days. That could rise to as much as 104%, as per Trump’s latest threat, which might be spurring shoppers to buy now.

Impossible to predict

(Image credit: Apple)

Interestingly, there’s very little consensus on how the tariffs will affect Apple. Late last week, Rosenblatt Securities claimed that the iPhone 16 Pro Max could end up costing $2,300 – up from its current $1,599 price – thanks to the tariffs, with iPhone and Apple Watch costs shooting up 43% across the board. The analysts predicted similar 42% and 39% rises for the iPad and AirPods, respectively.Yet a competing analysis has just emerged that suggests the price rises might not be as severe as has been feared. According to a report from analysts at UBS (via AppleInsider), the iPhone 16 Pro Max could see a price hike of up to $2,062 – still a hefty margin over the regular $1,599 price, but not as wince-inducing as the $2,300 alternative suggested by Rosenblatt Securities.Part of that comes down to how Apple will deal with the tariffs. The company has a long history of keeping prices the same through thick and thin – the flagship iPhone has cost $999 since 2017, after all. It’s likely that it will put pressure on its suppliers to lower costs, and could absorb some of the price increases itself, Bloomberg reports.That said, Apple is not averse to pushing up prices where necessary, something it did in the UK after the Brexit referendum caused market uncertainty, for example. Ultimately, Trump’s tariffs have resulted in so much uncertainty that predicting what will happen to the iPhone’s price is a fool’s errand, although it does mean that some degree of panic buying is understandable.

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Another Galaxy S25 Edge price leak has appearedThe phone could be costlier than the Galaxy S25 PlusWe might see a full launch sometime next month

It seems clear that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is on the way, but how much is it going to cost? If the latest leak is accurate, the super-slim handset could be the second most expensive phone in the series, just behind the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.This comes from listings on two online retailers, Zanetti and Epto, spotted by 91mobiles. They put the pricing at either €1,361.41 or €1,363.90 for the 256GB version of the Galaxy S25 Edge, and €1,487.99 or €1,490.90 for the 512GB variant.There's not much point giving you currency conversions for those prices, as they're unlikely to reflect the pricing elsewhere in the world. The main takeaway is that those prices are above the €1,246.99 starting price of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus in Italy.That means the Galaxy S25 Edge pricing may well exceed the $999 / £999 / AU$1,699 that you can get the Galaxy S25 Plus for – even if these two retailers disagree about exactly how much money you're going to have to part with for the final S25 phone to launch.

The waiting game

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff / Future)

This isn't the first time we've heard pricing rumors around the Galaxy S25 Edge. Information that emerged last month pointed to a price somewhere between €1,200 and €1,300, which lines up neatly with what we've heard in this latest leak.All this is assuming the Galaxy S25 Edge is actually going to see the light of day again. We were given a brief glimpse of it at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked in January, and then again at the MWC 2025 trade show in Barcelona in March.Since then, there's been talk of technical issues with the phone's production, and the rumored launch date has been pushed back from April 15 (next week) to May 13. Let's hope those issues can be resolved sooner rather than later.There's lots to look forward to if and when the phone actually does appear. It's rumored to be bringing with it a vapor chamber cooling system, a bundled Gemini Advanced subscription, and impressive internal specs, as well as its ultra-thin chassis.

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New Denon buds have 12mm drivers and a choice of open or ANC modelsDenon AH-C500W open earbuds are £99 / $99 (about AU$208)Denon AH-C840NCW ANC earbuds are £159 / $159 (about AU$334)

Denon has announced two pairs of true wireless earbuds; one with an open-ear design for environmental awareness, and one with hybrid active noise cancellation and transparency modes.The new Denon AH-C500W and Denon AH-C840NCW earbuds come with Bluetooth LE Audio, Auracast and multi-point pairing, and they're both rated IPX4 for water resistance. Both offer strong battery life and feature Denon's 'FreeEdge' 12mm drivers.These should be very impressive earbuds: we've previously reviewed the AH-C830NCW from 2022 and we really loved the sound quality. Our only major gripe was the "unremarkable" noise cancellation of those ANC buds, and Denon's had three years to work on that to rival the best noise cancelling earbuds.

The AH-C500W earbuds have an open design so you can hear the world around you (Image credit: Denon)

Choose your fit

The open earbuds are the Denon AH-C500W, and they promise up to 24 hours of listening time from a single charge with a fast charge adding an extra hour of playback in just 10 minutes. The drivers are 12mm and there are dual microphones in each bud for clear calls.They're open-ear in the same sense as the AirPods 4 are – they sit just outside the ear canal, with no tip inserted inside (unlike many of the best open earbuds that leave a bigger gap between your ear and the speaker). And then the ANC buds, the AH-C840NCW, are like the AirPods Pro 2 (and most of the best earbuds) in that they're a similar design but with the in-ear isolating tips.The ANC buds, the AH-C840NCW, use their charging case to deliver battery life of 35 total hours, and they charge faster than their siblings: the extra hour of playback takes just five minutes from flat. There are three eartip sizes included.The pair have similar designs to the AirPods models referenced above, but have two tempting elements that make them a great alternative. The first is more likely useful for Android users, and it's Bluetooth LE Audio support, which is capable of higher quality and better stability than regular Bluetooth (though support is still thin on the ground). Bluetooth Auracast support is also nice as a future-proofed option.The other element is the price. The AH-C500W are £99 / $99 (about AU$208) and the AH-C840NCW are £159 / $159 (about AU$334). These are the kinds of prices that AirPods fall to when they hit record-low prices, so by having these as a starting price, Denon has a nice edge. Both sets of buds will be available to buy from 15 April 2025.

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The best Assassin's Creed Shadows graphics settings for PS5 and Xbox will make a huge difference on how good the huge open world looks and runs. Thanks to new dynamic seasons, the game really sings if you get it looking right, which is where we come in having played the game collectively for hours and hours.On most platforms, players will need to choose between three main modes, before further tweaks can be made to clean things up. I personally am still fairly early in Assassin's Creed Shadows, but I've already been floored by how good the coastal towns of Sakai look, with the PS5 Pro really offering a boost to all the puddles and beaches found in the area, and Rob, our managing editor is more than 60 hours in now.Assassin's Creed Shadows is a real step forward for the franchise, offering up the best open-world yet, as well as some truly excellent action and stealth mechanics. You can read what we thought of the full game in our Assassin's Creed Shadows review, but needless to say, we hugely enjoyed it, and it's now ranked highly in our best Assassin's Creed games list. Personally, I've been particularly enjoying the exploration, which is bolstered by just how great the graphics are.Here are the best Assassin's Creed Shadows graphics settings for PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X|S. I'll cover whether to choose the Fidelity or Performance mode or if it's worth selecting the Balanced Mode. Then, you'll find some specific settings that can be tweaked to clean up the image a bit, though the game definitely looks great by default anyway.Update (April 8, 2025): I've made some changes to the PS5 Pro best graphics setting section of this page, following an update for Assassin's Creed Shadows that dropped on April 7. This update now enables the PS5 Pro's PSSR technology, further enhancing visual fidelity. Balanced Mode now features Raytraced Specular as well, bringing the mode more in line with the Quality Mode.

Assassin's Creed Shadows best graphics settings for PS5

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

On PS5, you'll have the choice between three main graphics modes in Assassin's Creed Shadows. You can see the key info on each in the table below:

Assassin's Creed Shadows is an action-stealth game. As such, I'd recommend playing it in Performance Mode on PS5, given that you'll get 60fps (frames per second). Generally, you'll need to have quick reaction times to stay out of sight, and take down any enemies that are about to spot you. Higher frame rates definitely help with this, and in fighting multiple enemies at once, as well. The cutscenes and Hideout section are all at 30fps anyway, but the gameplay will be silky smooth, making stealth a lot easier.If you do have a display that supports HDMI 2.1 and is either 120hz or 240hz however, we think you should go for Balanced Mode. You'll get access to standard Raytracing, at 40fps. This keeps the game looking beautiful while giving you some extra performance required for action.

Assassin's Creed Shadows best graphics settings for PS5 Pro

(Image credit: Sony)

Now onto PS5 Pro, which, in terms of graphics settings at least, is the best place to play Assassin's Creed Shadows on console.In fact, it offers a massive upgrade when compared to the base console. As before, there are three settings to choose from:

If you're playing Assassin's Creed Shadows on PS5 Pro, and have access to a 120hz/240Hz display then you have what we think is the best way to play the game: Balanced Mode on Sony's enhanced PS5.This setting allows for a decent frame rate, and thanks to the Pro's extra power, you'll get to enjoy the game's Standard Ray Tracing features. The reason to go with the Balanced Mode is additional visual fidelity, like a strand-based hair system. This is the mode I've played most on so far, and find it to be the best of the three.Since launch, Ubisoft has improved the PS5 Pro modes further (April 7, 2025). Now, PS5 Pro makes use of PSSR technology in Assassin's Creed Shadows, enhancing visual quality. In addition, Balanced Mode now features Raytraced Specular, making it even closer to the Quality Mode.If you find that you'd rather have a higher framerate, then you can switch to Performance Mode - you'll still get to enjoy the standard Ray Tracing features there - and while the Fidelity mode looks incredibly beautiful, it being locked to 30fps has us going for the Balanced mode all day long.

Assassin's Creed Shadows best graphics settings for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S

(Image credit: Future)

Finally, let's take a look at the best Assassin's Creed Shadows graphics settings for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S:

As you can see, the Xbox Series X is in line with the PS5 settings for Assassin's Creed Shadows. As such, I recommend the Performance Mode. There's only selective Ray Tracing to take advantage of here, but the 60fps really improves the gameplay.Just like with the PS5, there's also a Balanced Mode, which is great for those using a compatible display.For those with an Xbox Series S, there are no modes to choose from, with the game locked at 1620p upscaled and 30fps. There are some selective Ray Tracing features however, which is a nice touch.

Other graphics settings to change for Assassin's Creed Shadows

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Aside from the main graphics setting in Assassin's Creed Shadows, I recommend switching off Motion Blur and Chromatic Aberration for a cleaner image. In addition, HDR should be tuned for your display. Try to bring the Exposure slide down a bit and see how it looks, as some areas of the open world have very intense lighting and bloom effects.

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Though we're still in the era of iOS 18, we're already hearing some key rumors about iOS 19, Apple's next major iPhone software update.From speculation on new features to the possibility of a massive design overhaul, there's plenty of buzz already about what Apple could bring to its mobile operating system.Furthermore, there could be huge new Apple Intelligence features on the way, with Siri specifically poised for a revamp.Keep reading for an overview of everything you need to know so far about iOS 19.

Latest newsA sketchy leak has shown how iOS 19 might look.

Cut to the chase

What is it? The next major update to the iPhone’s operating systemWhen is it out? Probably September, following an announcement in JuneWho will get it? If you bought a new iPhone in the last five years, you'll probably be able to upgrade to iOS 19

iOS 19: release date rumors

iOS 18 was released in September 2024 (Image credit: Apple)

iOS 19 will probably launch in September 2025, alongside the expected iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and possible iPhone 17 Air.Though we haven’t heard any solid rumors about exact release dates yet, Apple normally launches major version updates of iOS alongside that year’s iPhone lineup.Likewise, we don’t know for sure when the iPhone 17 family will release, but Apple has stuck to September for many years, so this feels like a safe bet.That said, iOS 19 will probably be announced much earlier based on past form, with the unveiling likely happening in June at WWDC 2025, followed by some betas.

iOS 19: rumored new features

(Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

iOS 19 is expected to launch with a slew of useful new features, ranging from overhauled apps to an Apple Intelligence-powered Siri, finally.

A new camera app

(Image credit: Front Page Tech)

iOS 19 could bring with it a redesigned camera app, taking design cues from visionOS.We previously heard that this could be part of a wider UI redesign which would extend that VisionOS inspiration across the whole of iOS, but at the time of writing we’ve only seen supposed screenshots of the new camera app.The redesigned app does away with the clutter of the current interface, instead using transparent icons and overlays to tuck options away into menus.

Apple Intelligence, meet Siri

(Image credit: Apple)

Siri was due to get a major Apple Intelligence upgrade at some point during the iOS 18 life cycle, but Apple is now rumored to bring users this update later this year (as Daring Fireball reports)To us, that suggests Siri could be getting its long-awaited overhaul with iOS 19, either at launch or during a mid-year update.As we recently covered, Siri is well overdue a decent update – it’s currently struggling to answer even basic questions.

RCS encryption

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tero Vesalainen)

Apple made waves late last year by enabling RCS messaging on iOS, but users were left without access to one of the main benefits of RCS – end-to-end encryption.End-to-end encryption secures messages by scrambling them into code which is only decipherable by the sender and recipient – effectively meaning your message can’t be understood if intercepted.We’re expecting a new RCS standard developed by the GSM Association and partners, including Apple, to come to iOS 19, finally giving Apple users the full capabilities of RCS.

AirPods could get live translation

(Image credit: Future/Lance Ulanoff)

As MacRumors recaps, a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests that AirPods may get the ability to translate spoken language in real-time thanks to a new Apple Intelligence feature in iOS 19.Gurman is the foremost source for Apple rumors and insights, which lends this rumor some additional weight.The way this supposedly works is by picking up speech with the AirPods microphones, and relaying the translated audio through the AirPods’ speakers. The AirPods wearer will then have their speech picked up and relayed by their iPhone speaker, theoretically enabling conversation.There could also be attendant updates on the way to the iPhone's translation capabilities.

iOS 19: redesign rumors

iOS 19 could take inspiration from VisionOS (Image credit: Apple)

One of the biggest iOS 19 rumors we’ve seen so far concerns a design overhaul for Apple’s user interface, the likes of which we haven’t seen in over ten years.Word of a redesign comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, so though this is still very much an unofficial rumor, there is some weight behind it. Gurman has a great track record, though he tends to gloss over times he has gotten things wrong.iOS 19 has been rumored to bring with it the largest redesign to the iPhone software experience since iOS 7 launched alongside the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c.This redesign may take cues from Apple Vision Pro’s visionOS software, introducing more circular elements and making use of transparent overlays. You can see how these iOS 19 changes might look in a video from Jon Prosser, though note that Gurman claims this is inaccurate, so take it with a pinch of salt.We also recently reported on a supposed leaked screenshot of a new camera app that follows this new visionOS-inspired design philosophy.

iOS 19: rumored compatible devices

iOS 19 may drop support for the iPhone Xs (Image credit: Future)

The list of devices compatible with iOS 19 will probably look similar to the list of devices compatible with iOS 18, though naturally expanded to include the iPhone 17 family.Conversely, we may see Apple drop support for the oldest currently-supported iPhones – the iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, and iPhone XR.However, this loss of support for the older iPhones isn’t assured – the models mentioned above were all eligible to upgrade to iOS 18, despite also being the oldest phones to run iOS 17.In any case, it’s a fairly safe bet that all iPhones released alongside or after the iPhone 11 will support iOS 19.What do you want to see on the best iPhones as a result of the iOS 19 update? Let us know in the comments below.

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Pixel 9 smartphones now have access to Gemini Live Astra capabilitiesAstra can answer questions related to what you see or what's on your device's screenThe powerful AI tool is free, and it arrived on Samsung S25 devices yesterday

Google Pixel 9, 9 Pro, and 9a owners just got a huge free Gemini upgrade that adds impressive Astra capabilities to their smartphones.As we reported yesterday (April 7), Gemini Visual AI capabilities have started to roll out for Samsung S25 devices, and now Pixel 9s are also getting the awesome features.So what is Gemini Astra? Well, you can now launch Gemini Live and grant it access to your camera, and it can then chat about what you see as well as what's on your smartphone's screen.Gemini Astra has been hinted at for a long time, and it's immensely exciting to get access to it via a free update.You should see the option to access Gemini's Astra capabilities from the Gemini Live interface. If you don't have access yet, be patient, as it should be available to all Pixel 9 users in the coming days.While I don't personally have access to a Google Pixel 9 to test Gemini Live's Astra prowess, my colleague and TechRadar's Senior AI Editor, Graham Barlow, does.I asked him to test out Gemini Astra and give me his first impressions of the new Pixel 9 AI capabilities, and you can see what he made of it below.

Hands-on impressions with Pixel 9's new Gemini Astra capabilities

Once you’re in Gemini Live you’ll notice two new icons at the bottom of the screen – a camera icon and a screen share icon.Tap the camera icon and Gemini switches to a camera mode, showing you video of what your phone is looking at, but the Gemini Live icons remain at the bottom of the screen.There’s also a camera reverse button, so you can get Gemini to look directly at you. I tapped that, and asked Gemini what it thought of my hair, to which it replied that my hair was “a lovely natural brown color”. Gee, thanks Gemini!I tested Gemini Live with a few objects on my desk – a water bottle, a magazine, and a laptop, all of which it identified correctly and could tell me about. I pointed the phone at the window towards a fairly nondescript car park and asked Gemini which city I was in, and it instantly, and correctly, told me it was Bath, UK, because the architecture was quite distinctive, and there was a lot of greenery.

(Image credit: Future)

Gemini can’t use Google search while going live, so for now it’s great for brainstorming, chatting, coming up with ideas, or simply identifying what you’re looking at.For example, it could chat with me about Metallica, and successfully identified the Kirk Hammett Funko Pop I’ve got on my desk, but it couldn’t go online and find out how much it would cost to buy.The screen share icon comes up with a message prompting you to share the screen with Google, then when you say "Share screen" it puts a little Gemini window at the top of the screen that looks like the phone call window you get when you start to use your phone while you’re on a call.As you start to interact with your phone the window minimizes even further into a tiny red time counter that counts how long you’ve been live for.You can keep using your phone and talking to Gemini at the same time, so you could ask it, "What am I looking at?", and it will describe what’s on your phone screen, or "Where are my Bluetooth settings?", and it will tell you which parts of the Settings app to look in.It’s pretty impressive. One thing it can’t do, though, is interact with your phone in any way, so if you ask it to take you to the Bluetooth settings it can’t do it, but it will tell you what to tap to get you there.Overall I’m impressed by how well Gemini Live works in both of these new modes. We’ve had features like Google Lens that can use your camera like this for a while now, but having it all inside the Gemini app is way more convenient. It’s fast, it bug-free, and it just works.

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Samsung Korea has shared its rollout plan for One UI 7While some devices are getting the update already, others could be waiting until sometime in JuneHowever, timings may differ in other countries

It has been a long wait for One UI 7 (Samsung’s version of Android 15), and while the update is now rolling out to some devices, others might be waiting months.This is according to a post on Samsung’s Korean site (via SamMobile), which states that the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy Tab S10 Plus, Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23 Plus, and Galaxy S23 Ultra will all get the update in April.So, if you own one of those devices then you shouldn’t have long to wait. But if you have a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Tab S9 Plus, Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, Galaxy S23 FE, Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3, A34, A35, S22, 22 Plus, S22 Ultra, Tab S8, S8 Plus, S8 Ultra, S21, S21 Plus, S21 Ultra, Galaxy A16, Galaxy Quantum 5, or Galaxy Quantum 4, then you’ll apparently have to wait until sometime in May.Worse still, owners of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE, Tab S9 FE Plus, Galaxy A53, A33, A25, A24, A15, Quantum 3, Jump 3, Jump 2, Buddy 3, Galaxy Tab A9, Tab A9 Plus, Tab Active 5, Tab Active 4 Pro, and Wide 7 will apparently be waiting until sometime in June.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is first in line for One UI 7 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

Timings may vary

However, it’s worth noting that this list is specifically for South Korea, so timings may differ a bit elsewhere – and indeed an earlier list from Samsung Czechia did include some differences. So some of these devices may get updated sooner where you are – but it’s not impossible that some may also get updated later.Whenever you get the One UI 7 update though, it should be worth the wait. New features include the likes of Now Brief, which provides an AI-powered summary of your day ahead, and the Now Bar, which brings important real-time updates from apps to the lock screen, a bit like Live Activities on iOS.One UI 7 also brings some new camera features, including AI-powered tools like Audio Eraser and Best Face. Though note that not all features will arrive on every device, with some requiring more recent and powerful hardware.

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The data breach that Oracle first denied has now been confirmedThe company is reaching out to affected customersOracle is facing an alleged lawsuit

Oracle has started notifying customers about the recent data breach at its cloud services.In early April, a threat actor with the alias “rose87168” opened a new thread on an underground forum to advertise the sale of a database stolen from the company. The database allegedly contained six million records, including private security keys, encrypted credentials, and LDAP entries, all belonging to Oracle customers.To confirm the authenticity of the information, the hacker even uploaded a new document to the cloud, containing their own email address.

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Lawsuit incoming?

At first, Oracle denied the claims, but later confirmed them. However, it also tried to downplay the importance of the hack, claiming the data was taken from an old, unused server, and that the information found there was eight years old and thus obsolete. However, there might be more to this story.According to The Register, the data belonging to one of the victims was created in 2024. Another victim (we’re not sure if it’s the same company, or a different one) is preparing to sue Oracle over the incident. The Register also notes that Oracle has reached out to at least two organizations so far.The investigation is currently ongoing and the details won’t be known until it’s concluded. So far, it seems that the attacker exploited a vulnerability in Oracle Access Manager to breach Oracle-hosted servers. The vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2021-35587, and was assigned a critical severity score 9.8/10. It was patched in mid-January, 2022, raising questions over whether Oracle kept its own servers vulnerable to a flaw it fixed more than three years ago.Cybersecurity experts CrowdStrike are currently analyzing the incident. The FBI was also notified about the attack, Oracle has confirmed.Via The Register

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If you live somewhere that has poor broadband connectivity, Amazon could soon have the answer: the company is launching a constellation of satellites with the goal of making low-cost internet available worldwide. The initiative is called Project Kuiper and it’s coming sooner than you think – with the first batch of satellites being blasted into space tomorrow on Wednesday April 9.A competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink, the aim of Project Kuiper is to bring the world online, by offering high-speed connectivity in remote regions. Amazon says it plans to make the service accessible by offering affordable plans and outdoor antennae.With the first full-scale satellite deployment taking off this week (weather permitting), Amazon is planning to make the service available to customers "later this year". As the race for satellite internet supremacy heats up, here’s everything you need to know about Project Kuiper.

What is Project Kuiper?

Project Kuiper is a planned satellite internet service from AmazonIt will use a constellation of thousands of low Earth orbit satellitesIt aims to provide data coverage in remote regions

Project Kuiper is the name for Amazon’s planned satellite internet service. The company intends to offer fast, affordable broadband by launching its own network of thousands of low Earth orbit satellites.One of the aims of Project Kuiper is to provide internet service in areas of the world which are beyond the reach of “traditional, ground-based fiber and wireless connectivity solutions”. Amazon plans to address these “coverage gaps” by investing heavily in satellite technology.Amazon began working on Project Kuiper in 2018. It received a license from the FCC in July 2020 to launch and operate satellites. In 2023, two major developments were announced: a processing facility at Kennedy Space Center and a dedicated satellite production facility in Washington (where Project Kuiper is based).

(Image credit: Amazon)

How does Project Kuiper work?

Amazon will initially launch a constellation of 3,232 satellitesThese will orbit lower than traditional geostationary satellitesCustomers connect using terminals installed at home

Project Kuper will use a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites to deliver high-speed internet to users on the ground. Like SpaceX’s rival Starlink system, customers will need to install a small outdoor antenna to connect to the service and communicate with the satellites passing overhead.Amazon initially plans to launch 3,232 satellites. At around 375 miles above the ground, these orbit much closer to the Earth than traditional geostationary satellites. This results in lower latency and faster data transmission. The constellation is designed to provide global coverage by seamlessly handing off connections between satellites as they orbit.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Both the satellites and antennae rely on a single custom chip developed by Amazon, codenamed “Prometheus”, which handles processing, traffic and point-to-point connectivity.Amazon will also operate a network of stations on the ground to manage data coverage and traffic, communicate with the satellites and keep them operating correctly.

When will Project Kuiper be available?

Two prototype satellites launched in 2023First full-scale deployment planned for April 2025Service rollout scheduled for later in the year

To get its satellites into space, Amazon is working with commercial launch providers such as SpaceX and Blue Origin. It has already secured more than 80 heavy-lift launches, enough to put most of its constellation into orbit.Amazon launched a pair of prototype satellites in 2023. It’s now ready to begin full deployment of its constellation, with the first batch of 27 satellites set to launch from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday 9 April, aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket.Amazon hasn’t confirmed when the service will roll out commercially, but confirmed on April 2 that it expects it to be available “later this year”.

How fast will Project Kuiper be?

Standard antenna will support 400Mbps connectivityLow-cost, compact terminal will offer speeds up to 100MbpsLargest antenna gives enterprise users 1Gbps speeds

To begin with, Amazon has developed three “customer terminals”, each of which offers different connectivity speeds.The standard antenna measures less than 11 inches square and is designed for domestic roof-mounting. Amazon claims it will deliver speeds of up to 400Mbps and cost less than $400 (around £320 / AU$633) to produce.Amazon has also engineered a cheaper, more compact antenna which measures 7 inches square and weighs just 1lb. Designed as a low-cost, portable option, this will be the most affordable way for customers to access the service. It will offer internet speeds of up to 100Mbps.For enterprise and power users, as well as telecoms and government use, Amazon has created a larger antenna that can deliver connectivity at up to 1Gbps.

(Image credit: Amazon)

How much will Project Kuiper cost?

There's no confirmed pricing yetAmazon says it's targeting “affordability”Production cost of standard terminal is less than $400

Amazon hasn’t confirmed pricing for Project Kuiper yet. However, the company has made clear that “affordability is a key principle”. The company is taking a similar approach to satellite internet as it did with “low-cost devices like Echo Dot and Fire TV Stick”, with the aim of connecting as many customers as possible around the world.That’s why it has developed a compact, low-cost antenna, as well as keeping the production cost of its standard terminal below $400.It’s likely that the service will be accessible as part of a monthly subscription. Amazon has confirmed that the offering and its pricing “may vary from country to country”, just as its Prime membership does currently.To give you an idea, Starlink's residential plan (with unlimited data) currently starts at $120 / £75 / AU$139 per month, with its on-the-go Roam plan (capped at 50GB data) setting you back $50 / £50 / AU$80 per month, with the unlimited Roam plan costing $165 / £96 / AU$195 per month.

Project Kuiper vs Starlink: how do they compare?

Both services use low Earth orbit satellitesStarlink is already operational with more than 7,000 satellitesProject Kuiper is likely to be more affordable once it’s launched

Both Project Kuiper and Starlink, operated by SpaceX, aim to use satellites to provide high-speed internet connectivity to remote corners of the world. Each system relies on low Earth orbit satellites to achieve low-latency data transmission, with users able to connect the services using a range of terminals.One key difference is that Starlink is several steps ahead of Project Kuiper. It already has more than 7,000 functioning satellites in orbit. Customers can access its services in countless locations right now by purchasing a Starlink antenna and paying for a subscription. Starlink is also trialling smartphone to satellite connectivity with T-Mobile (below).

(Image credit: Starlink / T-Mobile)

Because it owns its own rockets, SpaceX has more flexibility to deploy Starlink satellites. Amazon has to rely on third-party launch partners, including SpaceX. On the other hand, Amazon is able to rely on its established cloud service network, AWS, to support the backend infrastructure of its satellite network.While Project Kuiper is still several months away from offering comparable coverage to consumers, it’s likely to be the less expensive option once it’s up and running. Amazon has made clear that it wants its satellite internet service to be affordable, including both antenna hardware and connectivity packages.We’ll only know how the performance and value of each service compares once we’ve carried out an in-depth review of Project Kuiper. But competition is certainly no bad thing, even if it is between companies run by two of the world's richest men.

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New model is an evolution of 2022's Instax Mini 40, adding new featuresUpdated design steps away from full retro for a more modern lookAvailable from 17 April for £94.99 in the UK, with US pricing TBC

Fujifilm has launched the latest model in its Instax instant camera range. The Instax Mini 41 is a successor to the 2022-released Instax Mini 40, with a similar price, shape and size – but Fujifilm has lavished a number of notable improvements upon this new addition to the series that make it a very tempting buy in the run-up to summer.The first improvement is with the overall styling and aesthetics. That’s a subjective one, I know, but I find the Mini 41’s sleek modern looks to be a lot more interesting than the strictly retro design of the Mini 40. There are hints of vintage cameras in the Mini 41’s proportions and colors, but the gunmetal grey finish, curved body, finely textured grip material and orange accents feel fresh and fully contemporary.Despite the looks, the body is made of lightweight plastic. It’s just 12.2oz / 345g in weight (without batteries or film) and 104.5 x 122.5 x 67.5mm in size, making it ideal for taking on day trips and nights out.

Image 1 of 3(Image credit: Fujifilm)Image 2 of 3(Image credit: Fujifilm)Image 3 of 3(Image credit: Fujifilm)

An end to blown-out highlights?

The other improvements are perhaps more interesting for photography fans, as they should result in better quality shots compared to the Mini 40. First and foremost, the Instax Mini 41’s new automatic exposure function optimizes shutter speed and flash output to compensate for ambient light. I’ve often found that the cheaper Instax cameras like this tend to under- or overexpose images, with the flash often blowing out highlights in close-ups. This should fix that.And speaking of close-ups, the other major improvement is parallax correction, which helps center subjects shot in close proximity to the lens – a position where centering them in the viewfinder would ordinarily result in an off-center photo.So, with better design and better photos that are easier to compose, the Mini 41 looks like a major glow-up on its predecessor, and all for the reasonably low price of £94.99 in the UK. A US price has yet to be announced, perhaps due to Fujifilm assessing the ongoing situation with US tariffs before committing to a price. A protective case is also available for £20.99.You will, of course, need to buy Instax Mini film to use with the camera. These come in a variety of types including monochrome and with different frame styles, and cost around $16 / £14.99 for a pack of 20 exposures.

Fujifilm's Instax photos are credit card-sized and develop in around 90 seconds. (Image credit: Fujifilm)

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Timing is everything. Hours after I published our Friday newsletter, debating the price of Nintendo’s new console, the company announced it would delay US pre-orders for the Switch 2 as it wrestled with a new set of tariffs introduced by President Trump.

“Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in the US will not start April 9, 2025, in order to assess the potential impact of tariffs and evolving market conditions,” Nintendo told Engadget. It added that the console is still set to launch on June 5, however.

Last week, the Trump administration announced a set of new tariffs on a swath of countries, including Japan (Nintendo’s base of operations), China and Vietnam. Those last two countries, where Nintendo manufactures much of its hardware, will be subject to import duties of 54 percent and 46 percent.

Nintendo said the Switch 2 would cost $450 at launch — and we’ve discussed the rises enough — but there’s no word yet on whether that price will get readjusted, or whether the company will just distribute fewer consoles to the US.

It’s not the only one reassessing things in the wake of the recent tariffs. Jaguar Land Rover is pausing shipments to the US. Vehicle imports face a 25 percent tariff, and the company told the AP it was “taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid- to longer-term plans.”

Relatively smaller companies are also figuring things out: Framework, best known for its modular, repairable laptop series, announced it was also suspending US sales for some of its laptops.

— Mat Smith

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Eufy’s new robot mowers use smart vision to trim your grass

No GPS needed.

Engadget

Anker’s lifestyle brand, Eufy, is expanding from its successful move into robot vacuums and going outdoors. The company has been sharing details of its first two robot mowers for a few months, but now the pricey robo-gardeners are on sale: The Eufy E15 ($1,599) can cover up to 800 square meters (sqm) and the E18 ($1,999) can handle 1,200 sqm, and they’re available to order today from Eufy and Amazon. We’ve been testing them, and we’re impressed. They’re also surprisingly quiet. Read on for our full verdict.

Continue reading.

Amazon’s new AI feature will buy stuff for you

Brands still need websites in the Amazon app for it to work.

Amazon’s latest AI-powered feature to make you buy more things is called Buy for Me, where the company can make purchases for you from other websites. The feature is built into the Amazon app. When you search for an item from a particular brand, you may see results labeled Shop brand sites directly, separate from your usual results. Amazon will purchase the item for you, using agentic AI, a type of AI that doesn’t need human intervention, to provide your name, address and payment details for the checkout process. Amazon says it’s not getting a cut from these sales, at least at this experimental stage, but there must be something in it for Amazon.

Continue reading.

Miso from space

It’s apparently nuttier than terrestrial miso.

Jimmy Day

In a study published in the journal iScience, researchers from the US and Denmark say they were able to make decent-tasting miso on the International Space Station — but the flavor and smell was different from similar miso made on Earth. The team suggests the findings reflect a sort of space terroir, playing off the term used in relation to wine grapes to describe unique, location-specific flavor characteristics.

“There are some features of the space environment in low earth orbit — in particular microgravity and increased radiation — that could have impacts on how microbes grow and metabolize and thus how fermentation works,” co-lead author Joshua D. Evans of Technical University of Denmark said in a press release.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111618899.html?src=rss

Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser confirms that support for the original Switch will continue after the Switch 2 launchesThe Switch won't get a price drop, but Bowser says, "the door is open to the possibility"He also hopes that "with time and with the right games" Switch users will want to move to the Switch 2

The new and improved Nintendo Switch 2 is launching pretty soon, but Nintendo has confirmed that support for the original Switch will continue.In a new interview with The Washington Post following the big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser was asked about the company's plans regarding the original Switch going forward.Unfortunately, there seems to be no intention to reduce the price of older devices like the Switch any time soon, but, according to Bowser, "the door is open to the possibility"."What I would say is that we’ll continue to observe consumers and how they engage and enter into the platform at various levels to try to really understand what the future may look like," he continued."Here’s the other point. We have an install base [for the Switch] of 150 million plus units. We’ll probably announce more on May 8, when we have our next earnings call. We want to keep those players engaged. Not all of them may be ready to jump to Switch 2."Although upcoming games like Mario Kart World, The Duskbloods, and Donkey Kong Bananza will be exclusive to the Switch 2, the original Switch is still getting a bunch of new titles including Pokémon Legends Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond."Hopefully with time and with the right games, it’ll be compelling for them to want to come on to Nintendo Switch 2," Bowser added. "We know there’s a group of consumers that will be absolutely ready on day one to come on to the platform."The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle.Pre-orders are scheduled to open on April 8 in the UK, but Nintendo has delayed Switch 2 pre-orders in the US from its original April 9 date as it assesses the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration.

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Garmin has announced a new Marathon Series eventThe company is hosting multiple races in US cities in 2025, with more locations coming in 2026There will be multiple race distances, a tech expo, and a finish-line festival

Garmin has today announced a new Garmin Marathon Series, a new road running race that it says "flips convention on its head."According to Garmin, the Garmin Marathon Series is wholly owned and produced by Garmin itself from start to finish. Beginning in the fall, Garmin will host events in Toledo, Ohio, and Tucson, Arizona, on September 21 and November 15, respectively.The event promises four race distances and a celebration of all things Garmin. There will be a two-day tech expo showcasing the best Garmin watches and other technology in the lead-up to the event; these expos will be open to the public and will include limited edition race gear and meet and greets with Garmin athletes.The races will include a USATF-certified and Boston Marathon qualifier full marathon, USATF-certified half marathon, 10K, and 5K in each city.Following the event, a finish line festival (also open to the public) will include local food, live entertainment, and other activities.

Garmin Marathon Series

(Image credit: Garmin)

Garmin says locations for 2025 were selected based on existing races and event schedules, local run communities, local and cultural highlights around the course, and favorable weather conditions.You can already register for all race distances in Toledo and Tucson on Garmin's website.Susan Lyman, Garmin's Vice President, Consumer Sales and Marketing, said the event was "an opportunity to go above and beyond conventional sponsorships and create something truly special in our running communities."While the event is sure to be a festival of the best running watches and the likes of the Garmin Forerunner range, the allure of limited edition race gear is also sure to be a draw. Garmin hasn't confirmed whether this will include any special devices or limited edition smartwatches, but we don't have long to wait and find out.Let's hope it does a better job of this than it did the Garmin Connect+ subscription.

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Google's new advisory details 62 vulnerabilitiesSome of them are deemed critical, and for some no user interaction is requiredAt least two flaws were being actively abused in the wild

Google released a new update for Android, which addresses more than 60 vulnerabilities. Among them are two that are being actively exploited in the wild, and a few with a critical severity rating.In a security advisory published on the Android blog, Google said that there are indications that two flaws “may be under limited, targeted exploitation”.The vulnerabilities are tracked as CVE-2024-53150 and CVE-2024-53197 and are now patched. According to Amnesty International, the latter was used late last year to break into a Serbian youth activist’s Android phone, after being chained with two additional flaws.

Monitor your credit score with TransUnion starting at $29.95/monthTransUnion is a credit monitoring service that helps you stay on top of your financial health. With real-time alerts, credit score tracking, and identity theft protection, it ensures you never miss important changes. You'll benefit from a customizable online interface with clear insights into your credit profile. Businesses also benefit from TransUnion’s advanced risk assessment tools.Preferred partner (What does this mean?)View Deal

Targeting protestors

In Serbia, protests against the government have been raging for months, after an eave on a railway station collapsed, killing 16 people. The country’s students, leading the protests, demanded the release of all documents related to the renovation of the Novi Sad railway station. They believe that making these documents public will shed light on any corruption or negligence involved in the project. ​In total, Google fixed 62 flaws. While there is no evidence that the rest are being abused in the wild, there are still a few dangerous ones that warrant fast patching.“The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability in the System component that could lead to remote escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed,” Google warned.“User interaction is not needed for exploitation. The severity assessment is based on the effect that exploiting the vulnerability would possibly have on an affected device, assuming the platform and service mitigations are turned off for development purposes or if successfully bypassed.”In total, there are three flaws that were labeled as critical: CVE-2025-22429, CVE-2025-26416, and CVE-2025-22423.Via The Hacker News

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Anyone else feel like half the time their phone rings these days it's spam? Sometimes there's an alert before you even pick up, but other times it takes being in the call to know. Well, Google is now making it easier to do the latter, adding in-call scam detection to the Pixel Watch.

The new AI-powered feature gives a loud beep at the start of the call and every couple minutes afterward. It will give a notification, beep and vibration in cases where a scam is very likely. You can dismiss the notification from the watch if you know it's not a scam. Try it out by turning on scam detection in settings.

There's a few caveats, as the in-call scam detection works only on the Pixel watch 2 or 3. They also need to be connected by Bluetooth to a Pixel 9 or newer phone. It's also only available right now in the US and for English-language calls.

Google first introduced the feature to select phones in beta last November. It's now available on the Pixel 9 and newer devices, but this addition lets you see the notification without ever taking out your phone. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/google-brings-in-call-scam-notifications-to-pixel-watches-120008825.html?src=rss

Apple fans are still discovering the new upgrades found in the latest iOS 18.4 software update since it came out last week – and now we’ve had more time to experiment with it, we think it’s safe to say that Apple’s mid-year update is bigger than you might think.We’ve already drawn your attention to the more obvious iOS 18.4 changes such as the new Apple Intelligence Priority Notifications feature, and are patiently waiting for bigger upgrades like the delayed next-gen Siri. But iOS 18.4 is still a glimmer of hope that hints at better things to come from Apple Intelligence, and the update contains five other handy little features that'll help tide us over for now.While these new tricks haven’t gone unnoticed, they’re still small enough to easily fly under-the-radar. So in case you missed them, here are five other new features in iOS 18.4 that could help change the way you use your iPhone...

1. New Shortcuts actions

(Image credit: Future)

The new upgrades to Shortcuts are small but effective, pointing to the possibility that changes to Siri could be next on Apple’s agenda, since Shortcuts could serve as the foundation for Siri’s upcoming upgrades.When you go to the Shortcuts app, there’s a new action that allows you to change settings for a number of different Apple apps, including Safari, Apple Maps and Apple News, with each one packing another layer of actions you can perform.

2. Lots of new emojis

(Image credit: Unicode / Emojipedia)

Everyone uses Apple’s extensive keyboard of emojis and iOS 18.4 introduces eight new emojis to brighten up your texts and social media captions. It’s a very minor upgrade, but new emojis are always exciting.Out of all of the newest additions to Apple’s emoji gallery, which includes a new fingerprint, harp, and funky splatter emoji, one has already proven itself to be the next most-used emoji - the new smiley with sinking, under-eye bags. Relatable? I think so.

3. Ambient Music

(Image credit: Future)

One of the more well-known, but easily missed, additions to iOS 18.4 is the expansion of Apple’s existing Background Sounds function.The Ambient Sounds feature packs four different playlists – Chill, Sleep, Productivity, and Wellbeing. Perfect if you rely on instrumental music for studying, working, or relaxing.To use it, just add the Ambient Music icon to your Control Center during customization, then choose your relaxing playlist.

4. Apple Photos improvements

(Image credit: Future)

iOS 18.4 is doubling down on organizational tools, bringing a shed load of new improvements to the Photos app.For starters, you’ll have the freedom to enable and disable your ‘Recently Viewed’ and ‘Recently Shared’ galleries, as well as two new filtering options, ‘Shared With You’ and ‘Not in an Album’, saving you having to scroll for ages trying to find a specific photo.The new Photos functions also include a new album-sorting category ‘Sort by Date Modified’ and the ability to delete or recover photos all at once. It’s a helpful software improvement for iPhone photographers everywhere.

5. Visual Intelligence for iPhone 15 Pro

(Image credit: Apple)

The new Apple Intelligence Priority Notifications are one of iOS 18.4’s most handy new features, but you may have missed that Apple has also added a new Action Button that opens Visual Intelligence. Also, while this feature was previously exclusive to the iPhone 16 range, Apple has now brought it to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max model, too.In a nutshell, it’s an Apple Intelligence feature that's similar to Google Lens and allows you to take a photo of something in front of you, before finding out more about it. You can get more information using ChatGPT, Google Search or by highlighting any text within the snap.Although the iPhone 15 Pro doesn’t pack the same Camera Control button like its superior iPhone 16, Visual Intelligence can be accessed through the Control Center or Action Button.

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The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has released the administration's revised policies for the use of AI in federal agencies. As Reuters notes, it has altered Biden-era guidelines and has rescinded orders by the previous administration related to safety over the technology's use. The Trump administration said it's shifting towards a "forward-leaning, pro-innovation and procompetition mindset" instead of maintaining and "pursuing the risk-averse approach" of Biden's government.

Before Trump took office, the government ordered federal agencies to ensure that any AI tools they use "do not endanger the rights and safety of the American people" and to be transparent about the technologies they use. It also placed restrictions on AI acquisitions. According to the Trump administration, the new rules "will no longer impose unnecessary bureaucratic restrictions on the use of innovative American AI."

Federal agencies will still have to appoint a Chief AI Officer like the previous administration had ordered. While Biden's government wanted those officers to ensure that agencies are using AI responsibly, their main role in the current government is to serve as "AI advocates," promoting agency-wide AI adoption. "Agency Chief AI Officer roles are redefined to serve as change agents and AI advocates, rather than overseeing layers of bureaucracy," the White House said. Accountability for using AI will be more akin to the existing process for using IT in the government, OMB said, "instead of creating new layers of approvals." In addition, the new rules remove what the new administration calls "burdensome agency reporting requirements" for the acquisition of AI in the government.

The government now wants federal agencies to develop an AI strategy within the next six months. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-white-house-wants-federal-agencies-to-maximize-the-use-of-american-ai-123053019.html?src=rss

A new 'unsubscribe' button has been spotted in Google MessagesThis gives you an easy way to unsubscribe from automated messagesYou can also use it to report spam

If you’re finding yourself inundated with unwanted messages from businesses or other spam, then a new Google Messages tool could come in handy.Android Authority has spotted that a new option has started appearing at the bottom of some messages, saying “unsubscribe to stop receiving messages.” Tap this, and you’ll be presented with options asking why you want to unsubscribe, with the choices being “not signed up”, “too many messages”, “no longer interested”, “spam”, or “other”.If you select any of the first three then the message “STOP” will automatically be sent, while if you select “other” there’s a box where you can fill in more details before sending the “STOP” message, and if you select “spam” then you’ll additionally have the option to report the sender.

(Image credit: Google / Android Authority)

Once you’ve completed the unsubscribe process, the text “unsubscribe request sent” will appear underneath the “STOP” message, and a “Start” button will be visible in the bottom right, which you can use to resubscribe to automated texts from that sender.

Simply send 'STOP'

So it’s a fairly comprehensive system, though since most of the time all it really does is send the word “STOP” it’s not necessarily any quicker than typing that out yourself. The main point seems to be to make it easier for people to unsubscribe when they don’t realize they can do that though.This feature is in the process of rolling out, so if you don’t have it yet, keep an eye out, because you probably will do soon – though currently it’s only being rolled out to users in the US, UK, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Mexico, and Spain.Note also that this feature only works with Google Messages, so if you’re using a different messaging app you’ll have to keep on unsubscribing the old-fashioned way.

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Google loves to integrate its services and that’s more than evident when you start getting to grips with apps in Gemini. There are a good number of apps at your fingertips, a list of which will appear whenever you type @ and they extend the capabilities of the AI platform by offering targeted features – so long as you allow them to connect with your personal information and make use of content.Apps can be used in Gemini for Android, iOS and iPadOS. You can also make use of them by going to the Gemini website in a browser. They mean you don’t need to keep hopping out of Gemini to make use of various services. Want to listen to songs? Connect YouTube Music. Want to control your smart home appliances? Google Home is there for you.But we think there are even better apps than those, which is why we’ve decided to go into greater depth with our top five. I use them all the time now, and it may well change the way you use Gemini in the future.

Google Maps

I actually find it’s easier and more convenient to type "@googlemaps" and a request within Gemini than it is to use the Google Maps app itself.With a simple prompt such as “give me directions to” or “what’s near [a location]”, I can get answers at lightning speed and then switch back to Gemini without missing a beat to ask for more information such as what’s in a specific art gallery or whether there are any roadworks on the way.When I do use the Google Maps app itself, though, I’m still benefiting. By typing “things to do with kids during the day”, for example, the app is generating great ideas curated with Gemini and by asking questions of specific destinations, I’m getting relevant answers. It’s a great example of AI working well.

Google Flights

(Image credit: Future)

With Summer on the way and vacations very much on the agenda, Google Flights is coming into its own just now. Just type "@ Google Flights" to access it from within Gemini.You can be quite specific, for example stating that you want to fly direct from New York to Orlando in a stated month, departing in the morning if possible and at the best possible prices.It will then give you some direct morning flights and list the prices and times. A clickable window will also appear showing results from Google Flights with even more information. This will allow you to get even more information and select the most desirable flight.Again, you can switch easily between Flights and Gemini, so you can get the AI to produce a seven-day itinerary if you wish and to suggest accommodation according to the type you’d like and the approximate budget per night. You can even create a Gemini Gem to work as a trip planner – try something like, “you’re an expert trip planner and you need to remember that I’m going to such a place in May at such a time” and so on. Future answers will be based around that.

Google Workspace

(Image credit: Pexels / Olia Danilevich)

Gemini features are available in the Google Workspace suite of office software and that includes Gmail. Docs, Sheets and Slides. It allows users to summarize, draft and search for information across the suite and make use of Gemini Advanced chat for more complex tasks.To use it within Gemini, you can just type @gmail, @google calendar, @google docs, @google drive, @google keep, @google tasks or @workspace.For example, type "@Google Calendar when am I free on Friday?"If you encounter an error, it’ll be because you haven’t allowed Google Workspace to use your content and activity to personalize your experience but if you go to an app such as Gmail and select your Settings, you can rectify that if you select Manage Workspace smart feature settings and then turn on Smart features in Google Workspace. You’ll be prompted to connect your Workspace.You can also do the same for smart features in other Google Products so you get a fuller experience with Gemini – as well as seeing events from Gmail in Calendar and personalized search, you’ll get suggested tickets in Wallet and takeaway orders in Maps.

OpenStax

Based at Rice University, OpenStax is the world’s largest nonprofit publisher of open educational resources and it allows users to dive into dozens of openly licensed, peer reviewed academic textbooks. You can just ask a question such as “@openstax describes the structure of a neuron” and it will find the relevant work and pull out the description.The good thing is that you know the source of a respected one and that you’re going to be getting an accurate answer. Given how much misinformation is out there right now, this is really important and it’s a great app for Gemini to have.

YouTube

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Mamun_Sheikh)

The benefit of Google owning both Gemini and YouTube is that you can get much more out of the platform’s videos. You can, for example, search for videos, channels and playlists from a Gemini chat and play videos from within a Gemini chat.Just type "@Youtube" followed by your query. So, "@YouTube Find me a video showing how to unblock a sink", for example.But what’s even more magical is that you can ask questions about those videos.If a video is instructional, try asking for a step-by-step breakdown of what’s being discussed. The Gemini app will effectively watch the video for you if you ask it to (just give it the URL) and provide an overview.Being able to summarize videos like this is a real time-saver and it cuts out the hassle of working out if a video is going to be worth viewing.

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Whether you're planning a long vacation or just want more peace of mind, a security camera can make a big difference in your life. Now, our choice for best budget security camera is half off, making safety all the more accessible. You can pick up the newest Blink Mini 2 for $20, down from $40 — a deal last seen during Amazon's Spring Sale.

The Blink Mini 2 offers a great device for the price. It's easy to set up and can be used outside (with a separately purchased water-resistant power adapter). It also has a 1080p HD live view with a built-in spotlight and night vision in color.

If you're in need of multiple Blink Mini 2 cameras then you can take advantage of multi-pack deals. Right now, the two-pack of Blink Mini 2s is down to $38 from $70 — a 46 percent sale. A trio of the cameras is 45 percent off, down to $55 from $100.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-a-blink-mini-2-camera-while-its-up-to-half-off-125338790.html?src=rss

Wicresoft has stopped handling Microsoft-related workPreviously, it served as an important JV for Microsoft in ChinaAn estimated 2,000 workers have lost their jobs as a result

Wicresoft, Microsoft’s joint venture that allows the firm to sell products and services in China, is reportedly halting projects and laying off workers, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).The decision was communicated via email to Wicresoft’s Shanghai-based workers, who were told that work related to Microsoft “will be terminated” owing to “geopolitical shifts and changes in the global business environment.”It’s believed that around 2,000 workers will lose their jobs as a result of the changes in a big blow not just to workers but to Microsoft’s presence in the region.

Wicresoft is pulling out of certain Microsoft-related work

The SCMP said that Microsoft-related work comprises most of Wicresoft’s business, citing a worker affected by the change. The publication also noted that workers had been seen leaving the offices with their belongings.Microsoft remains a major shareholder in the company, accounting for 22% of ownership. A Shanghai-listed firm and a state-owned venture capital firm both own 23% each of Wicresoft. The joint venture operates in around 20 cities across China, including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong, but globally, it employs around 10,000 workers.Microsoft said rumors that it was shutting down operations in China were inaccurate (via Reuters), however Redmond did recently shut down its IoT and AI Insider Lab in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park. Moreover, the move reflects a broader trend of US-China tech decoupling, largely brought on by the escalating trade tensions and reciprocal tariffs.Moreover, the scale down of operations raises questions on how Microsoft will service its Chinese customers going forward, with a fairly significant chunk of its footprint gone.TechRadar Pro has asked Microsoft for more information, but the company did not immediately respond.

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Motorola isn't radically reinventing the Moto G Stylus for 2025, but it is improving the midrange smartphone where it matters. And when the other stylus-friendly smartphone is the $1,300 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, that might be all it needs.

The Moto G Stylus has a 6.7-inch Super HD pOLED display with an 120Hz refresh rate and a max brightness of 3000 nits. Like the previous Moto G Stylus, this year's model also has a 5,000mAh battery that Motorola says should offer 40 hours on a single charge. That's paired with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip, 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage — a good step-up from the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 in the last Moto G Stylus.

Motorola

Other than the updated internals, the Moto G Stylus is also much safer around water and dust. The phone has IP68 water protection and MIL-STD-810H certification, which means its covered when it comes to dust and rain, but can also survive falls from "nearly 1.5 meters and total submersion in nearly 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes," according to Motorola.

Motorola's main improvement to the namesake of the Moto G Stylus is to make it more responsive. The new stylus is "6.4x" more responsive than the previous generation, and can also be used for new Android features like Circle to Search and Motorola's "Sketch to Image," which can turn scribbles into detailed images with AI.

Motorola

Despite all of those changes, the Moto G Stylus doesn't look all that different the new Moto G and Moto G Power Motorola announced in January, with a textured, faux-leather back in either a blue-green or a bright blue, and a raised plateau for its camera system. The selfie camera on the front of the Moto G Stylus is 32MP, and the rear cameras include a 50MP wide with optical image stabilization, a 13MP ultrawide / macro and a "3-in-1 light sensor."

The Moto G Stylus will launch on April 17, unlocked, for $399.99 at Amazon, Best Buy and Motorola's website. The phone will also be available in the coming months through Metro by T-Mobile, Visible, Total Wireless, Straight Talk, AT&T, Cricket, Spectrum Mobile, Consumer Cellular, UScellular, Xfinity Mobile, Google Fiber Wireless, Optimum Mobile and Boost Mobile.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/motorola-is-updating-the-moto-g-stylus-to-make-it-more-durable-130051835.html?src=rss

One $100 billion technology company is probably looking at the current chaos caused by President Trump’s tariffs with a serene, detached view. Huawei.The firm was blocked from the US market in 2019, during the first term of the current President, and has had to adjust, losing out on its biggest market outside of mainland China.The Executive Order prevented Huawei from working with US companies, both in B2C and in B2B, forcing major US networks to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on replacing networking kit from the Chinese company.The EO was not removed by the next incumbent US president, Joe Biden, effectively making it permanent.Fast forward to 2025, and Huawei is in good shape. Necessity is the mother of all inventions, the saying goes, and Huawei has had to adapt fast or risk becoming a footnote, having to literally fight for its survival.It acted rapidly and decisively. In 2020, it sold its smartphone unit, Honor, to a Chinese consortium and has invested massively in research and development (R&D).It is supremely ironic that its latest annual report, issued on the 31st of March 2025, just days before the current market turmoil, shows that Huawei revenues are almost back to their 2020 peak.Yes, net profit fell 28%, but that was because the company is doubling down on R&D, a sector to which it dedicated more than 20% of its revenue, or almost $25 billion. Altogether, since 2014, it has spent more than $170 billion on R&D.

“What doesn’t kill you make you stronger”

As of December 2023, Huawei had more than 140,000 active patents and had filed more than 3,000 patents in the US in 2024, a 44% growth compared to the year before, a bigger number and a faster rate of growth than Apple, IBM, or Alphabet, Google’s parent company.Huawei focused on developing its homegrown ecosystem, like Microsoft, Google, and Apple. Its Ascend compute platform and HarmonyOS operating systems are now used on hundreds of millions of devices in China and, most importantly, around the world.It has succeeded where even the mighty Microsoft failed, singlehandedly creating and maintaining a third OS outside of the current US-centric duopoly of iOS and Android.Its Kunpeng server CPU range and Ascend AI chips are gradually lessening the US's hegemony on computer hardware in mainland China.And that’s notwithstanding the role HiSilicon, another of its subsidiaries, is playing in the push to develop RISC-V as an alternative to both x86 and Arm (a move that’s not without controversy).Given the current speculations that US President Trump may impose additional tariffs on China, essentially making it even more difficult to do business with the world’s second biggest market, Chinese companies may contemplate eliminating the US market from their business plans.Using Huawei’s experience as a playbook wouldn’t be a bad place to start for whoever wants to take that perilous path.A common proverb in China is if you endure the bitterest of bitterness, only then will you become a person above others (thanks Google Gemini).Sometimes, short-term pains, however harsh they are, is the only viable gateway to long-term gain.

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Fans of action horror series are having fun with The Bondsman, which is currently Prime Video's most popular show in the US at the time of writing.It's the tale of a backwoods bounty hunter (Kevin Bacon) who unexpectedly finds himself dead – and then even more unexpectedly finds himself alive again. That means he's got a second chance at live and love, but the Devil himself has got other ideas.If you like your shows with a bit of silliness amid the action, The Bondsman definitely delivers. And if you're looking for more quirky shows to stream on Prime Video, these three are well worth watching.

Ash vs Evil Dead

RT rating: 99%Where to watch: Prime Video (US), Netflix (Australia)

Evil Dead 2 is one of my very favorite films, a gloriously gory, spooky and silly horror classic that’s delighted generations of film fans. The TV spin-off is true to the original movies, with Bruce Campbell reprising his role as the undead's worst enemy.As the Sydney Morning Herald explained, "If you're a fan of the mixed-genre genre, this is a cracker, and aficionados of Sam Raimi​'s original films will love revisiting tropes, touchstones and Raimi's distinctive style. This also works perfectly well for newbies, though."And the LA Times urged readers to "praise Bruce Campbell, the strong-chinned star". The show "splendidly, even triumphantly converts the comedy-horror movie franchise into a TV series."

Preacher

RT rating: 92% (season 3)Where to watch: Prime Video (US)

I watched Preacher with my teen, and I think that makes me one of the world's worst parents: this live-action comic book caper is incredibly violent, deeply damaged and gratuitously horrible. And I mean all of that as a compliment.It's a flawed show for sure, but it's wickedly funny and keeps turning a dial marked "too much?" ever higher; if you like the gross-out moments of The Boys, you'll love this.As The Straits Times explains, "It is an eccentric blend of existentially charged science fiction, the supernatural, action, comedy and drama, and spiced up with some very graphic violence and grotesque special effects."

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

RT rating: 100% (Season 2)Where to watch: Prime Video (US), Netflix (UK and AU)

From the mind of Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams, this quirky adventure "is a whirlwind of time traveling madness, beautiful friendships with a dash of a secret government conspiracy added in for good measure," says The Digital Fix."The series is Sherlock suffused with the DNA of Twin Peaks, Lost and Benny Hill," the Boston Herald raved. "This is a delightful, addictive show."It's a very loose adaptation of the original novels, Den of Geek says, but it's "a freewheeling comedy-thriller, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency is agreeably daft entertainment". And the St. Louis Post-Dispatch said "It's dark and funny and appalling and sad and silly, and very much its own thing."

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Russia's Roskomnadzor issued 212 VPN blocking orders against Google Play between March and April 2025Out of these targeted VPNs, only 6 apps are unavailable on the country's app storeIn contrast, Apple was found to have killed at least 60 VPN apps in 2024 alone upon Roskomnadzor's request

Russia's censor body Roskomnadzor issued 212 VPN blocking orders against Google between March and April 2025. Among these, however, only 6 apps appeared to have been removed so far, bringing the total of unavailable VPN services on Russia's Google Play Store to 53.Russian investigative journalist Maria Kolomychenko first discovered that Google received at least 47 VPN removal orders of some of the best VPN apps starting on March 12. After this revelation, researchers at GreatFire’s AppCensorship Project began to analyze the availability of 399 VPN apps, unveiling that Roskomnadzor actually targeted 212 VPN-like tools.GreatFire's findings show an escalation in the Kremlin's war on VPNs. Unlike Apple, however, which killed at least 60 VPN apps upon Roskomnadzor's request in 2024 alone, Google appears to have resisted most Russian VPN blocking requests so far.

214 removal requests targeting 212 VPNs

Roskomnadzor's fight against VPN apps is certainly nothing new. Yet, as GreatFire’s Campaign and Advocacy Director, Benjamin Ismail, puts it: "The Russian government is waging an all-out war on VPNs and all other tools enabling Russian citizens to bypass censorship and surveillance."Specifically, GreatFire recorded a total of 214 removal orders issued against Google between March 12 and April 1, 2025. Among these, 212 targeted virtual private network (VPN) and similar apps like VPN client and proxy tools.Several of these requests were issued under a law enforced in March last year, which criminalizes the spread of information about ways to circumvent internet restrictions – VPNs included. Nonetheless, using a VPN isn't a crime in Russia.As mentioned earlier, Google appears to have largely resisted Russia's censorship demands so far. GreatFire found, in fact, that only 6 of the VPNs targeted by the last wave of Roskomnadzor requests are currently unavailable in the Play Store. These include the popular service ExpressVPN.A total of 53 VPN services were found to be unavailable on Russia's Google Play Store. These include the likes of NordVPN, CyberGhost, Private Internet Access (PIA), and Astrill VPN.Popular apps like Proton VPN, Mullvad, and Amnezia VPN remain accessible via the Google Play stores in the country at the time of writing.

As of September 16, 2024, GreatFire found a total of 98 VPN apps were unavailable from the Russia's App Store, showing Apple's higher compliance rate with removal requests. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Interestingly, though, researchers found some inconsistencies with Roskomnadzor’s own takedown requests, which in several cases targeted VPN apps that had already been removed.ExpressVPN is an example of that, as it appears to have been unavailable on Russia's Google Play at least since sometime between March and September 2024.Another challenge is to determine when an app got removed as well as the exact reason behind its unavailability. For instance, Avast VPN confirmed in a blog post the company's decision to cease its operation in Russia following the Ukraine war. More developers may have also been pressured by the government to leave the country's app stores.Yet, according to Ismail, this doesn't mean censorship is absent.He told TechRadar: "Self-censorship is still censorship: it’s just a more indirect, systemic form, rather than a formal takedown. And if, in the end, it was the developer’s sole decision to take down the app as part of a broader withdrawal from the Russian market, we regret such a choice."AppCensorship is now calling for greater independent oversight and transparency from tech platforms.You can check the full list of unavailable VPNs on Google Play here. If you're in Russia and struggling to download your desired VPN, we recommend changing your app store location or, on Android, finding alternative sideloading options.

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As someone who has moved around quite a bit, VPNs have always been essential to ensure I can access my sites and shows. The problem is that these often cost a pretty penny, sometimes more than I'm willing to fork out. But, now, our favorite VPN for multiple devices is now having a massive sale.

Surfshark Starter VPN is down to $54 for 27 months — a plan that typically costs $417. It breaks down to $2 each month and three months free. This tier offers perks like a secure VPN, unlimited devices, ad and cookie pop-up blockers, a rotating IP and masked email and personal detail generators.

The two other plans, Surfshark One and One+, are on sale for $67 and $81, respectively. They both offer the Starter's features, along with scheduled scans, leak alerts, no data tracking or storage and personal data security reports. Surfshark One+ also includes data removal from company databases and data removal from people search sites.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/surfshark-vpns-two-year-plan-drops-to-only-54-133540084.html?src=rss

Prime Video is one of the best streaming services out there, but it's also not the cheapest, which is why it's great to see that its 30-day free trial is still up for grabs.That’s a huge draw for entertainment junkies, giving potential new subscribers an entire month to catch award-winning Amazon Originals, live sports and whole host of movies, including recent Oscar winners like Anora, for free.

Prime Video free trial: sign up to get it now!

Signing up is easy, there’s tons to watch, and a paid membership doesn’t have to break the bank once the Prime Video free trial has come to an end. Indeed, there's so much to uncover – just look at our best Prime Video shows and best Prime Video movies roundups for the biggest and best titles.I've really been enjoying Prime Video, especially since the streamer adapted my favorite video game series, Fallout, for the small screen. With Fallout season 2 and other great Prime Video Originals like The Wheel of Time and The Rings of Power impressing audiences, it's worth sticking around beyond your free trial.

Steps for how to get an Prime Video free trial

If you’re new to Amazon Prime, or it’s been over twelve months since you were a Prime member, then the 30-day Prime Video free trial is available. It’s even better for students, who are entitled to an incredible 6 months of free streaming.Signing up is easy, just follow the bullet points below:

Go to Prime VideoSelect ‘Try Prime’Sign in to your Amazon accountFollow the on-screen instructions if prompted

Your Amazon account will need a current, valid credit card linked to it. But, as long as you cancel your membership before the free trial period expires, you won't be charged.In the US, Amazon Channels often provide a seven-day trial too, letting you explore a la carte options like Cinemax. But you need to be a fully-fledged, Amazon Prime subscription member to get those.

Step by step guide for how to get a Prime Video free trial

Visit the Prime Video app or site

(Image credit: Prime Video)

To get started, head to the Prime Video site or download the app on your tablet or phone. If you're a new customer, you'll be prompted to "start your 30-day free trial", which you can click on to navigate to the next step.

Sign in to Amazon or create a new account

(Image credit: Amazon)

If you already have an Amazon account but you've never used Prime Video, you can sign in to continue to your free trial. If you're a new customer, you'll be prompted to sign up for an Amazon account where you'll provide details like your email, shipping address, and preferred billing card details. You will also complete a small captcha puzzle to verify you are human.

Sign up for your 30-day free trial

(Image credit: Prime Video)

Finally, you'll be taken to this screen which prompts you to add a billing card for when your 30-day free trial ends. Once you've done this, you'll be redirected to start your trial. Remember to cancel before your 30-day period is up if you don't want to get charged!

Prime Video free trial: What to watch

Don't miss the critically-acclaimed Fallout on Prime Video. (Image credit: JoJo Whilden/Prime Video)

There’s plenty to feast your eyes on with thousands of movies and TV series. It has classic Hollywood fare licensing movies like It’s A Wonderful Life, brooding modern thrillers – like You Were Never Really Here and Zodiac, for example – and plenty of comedies and feel-good indie flicks.Prime Video is packed with great Prime Video Originals too, including Hunters, Fleabag and The Boys to name only a few. Then there’s a slew of hugely anticipated releases like the Gen V, as well as Mr. and Mrs.Smith.Meanwhile, sports fans can enjoy live matches and docuseries like All or Nothing. And, if some of your favorite programming is missing, chances are you’ll find it via Amazon Channels. There are more than 100 you can subscribe to, such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Shudder, which often provide their own 7-day free trial.Much like Netflix, the content available does vary from country to country. So the best way to see exactly what's on offer where you are is to head to Amazon and grab that 30-day free trial.

Prime Video free trial: FAQs

How much does Prime Video cost?Amazon Prime – which bundles together Prime Video, unlimited music, free delivery, and more – typically costs $14.99 a month in the US and £8.99 in the UK, AU$9.99 in Australia and €8.99 in Europe.If you pay for a full annual membership, you can save a decent chunk of change, all the while getting lightning-fast delivery and multi-media entertainment all year round.

Which countries is Prime Video available in?Prime Video can be watched in over 200 countries and territories, giving access to both Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscriptions to anyone with a compatible device.The only places it's not available is Mainland China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Russia, Belarus, Syria, and Vietnam.

Can I get a Prime Video free trial as a student?Yes, in the US you can sign up for Prime for Young Adults, a six month free trial which gives you access to free shipping, access to Prime Video and Amazon Music. You are eligible for this deal if you are a currently enrolled student, or between the ages of 18-24. It lasts until you turn 25, or graduate. After that sixth month trial, Prime for Young Adults members are charged a monthly payment of $7.49 unless cancelled.In the UK, you can sign up for a similar subscription called Prime Student which entitles you to the same benefits, and entitles you to a six month free trial. You’ll need to be enrolled at a UK university with a .ac.uk email address to be eligible, and after the trial you'll pay £4.49 a month.

How do I cancel my Prime Video free trial?1. Go to Amazon.com 2. Go to Account & Settings, then select the Your Account tab.3. If it's a Prime Video-only subscription, select End Subscription. 4. To cancel your whole Amazon Prime subscription, go to Prime Membership Settings, Manage Subscription, then choose to End Subscription.