Technology News of last week

Meta is planning to release the last OS update for its Quest 2 and Quest Pro VR headsets by March 2027, the company announced today. The last OS update for those devices is planned to be v213, and after that, Meta will continue to ship security patches and critical bug fixes through the end of […]

Apple has reportedly delayed the launch of its rumored smart home robot until next year at the earliest or possibly even 2028, according to The Information. It says the robot's hardware "has been finished for around two years," but that the software isn't ready. The device's software team has reportedly pushed to delay the launch […]

A truce has cooled the trade conflict, but neither country has done anything to limit the outbreak of new hostilities Donald Trump’s trade wars have largely fallen off the headlines. Fears of new tariffs flare up from time to time when the US president goes off the rails – for instance, threatening to end US trade with countries with which it has a deficit unless the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. But the sense that the world’s two largest economies are plowing ahead into an overt economic conflagration has taken a back seat to other, more salient fears, about Trump ending American democracy, AI killing us all and stuff like that. The sense of calm is misleading. Under the radar, the world is marching toward an economic war of potentially epic proportions, one that, history suggests, could well spill over into the real thing. Continue reading...

As companies from Amazon to JPMorgan block AI personal agents like Meta's Muse, retail experts warn that technology that removes customer friction usually wins.

From a drone carrying traffic lights to a remotely operated robot, exhibitors at Milipol Qatar demonstrate equipment designed for emergency response, surveillance and work in dangerous places.

Xbox's former chief operating officer, Helen Chiang, suddenly left Microsoft less than two weeks ago after being promoted into the role in July. I wrote in my Notepad newsletter last week that it seemed very weird for Chiang to suddenly depart Microsoft after 21 years with a surprisingly short memo from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma. […]

We cannot let the billionaire class take unprecedented risks with our future America is a divided country in crisis. Despite the sunny economic forecast coming from the Trump administration, millions of Americans are struggling to find and keep jobs, getting crushed under the rising cost of living, and losing health insurance when they need it the most. Meanwhile, via corporate consolidation and political corruption, the billionaire class is getting richer faster than ever before: a 40% increase in wealth in just the last two years. Today, the combined wealth of nearly 3,000 global billionaires equals one-fifth of the entire world’s yearly output. Nearly 1,000 billionaires live and do business in the United States. Continue reading...

Using a fake DOB or leaving the field blank when making an online account can offer protection from identity theft You get a call from your bank saying there has been suspicious activity on your account. They read out your name, address and date of birth so you are happy it is a legitimate caller. But you are talking to criminals who have used your date of birth as part of a web of verifying information to convince you they are someone else. Continue reading...

After Apple raised iPhone prices earlier this year, a new rumor claims it plans to launch the base iPhone 18 with a higher price, too. A Weibo post from leaker Digital Chat Station, spotted by 9to5Mac, says the base iPhone 18 is getting a couple upgrades with the price hike, including a larger battery and […]

Dyson’s first electric toothbrush watches you brush and flosses for you, but there are far cheaper ways to get an effective clean • The best electric toothbrushes for every budget When Dyson announced it was entering the toothbrush market, the world responded almost as one: “Four hundred and twenty pounds? For a toothbrush!?” No, it wasn’t a stray decimal point – or if it was, Dyson is doubling down and leaning into the mistake. Unlike high-end brushes from Oral-B or Philips Sonicare, where the “recommended” in “recommended retail price” is doing a heroic amount of heavy lifting given the frequent discounts, the Dyson CameraJet will actually set you back £419.99. Continue reading...

Sonos is rolling out a big app update that includes new Presets and early access to its AI voice assistant. You can create a preset to play music at a specific volume in a certain room, which will appear directly on the homescreen so you can quickly start playback. If you're in the US, you […]

People, including on this staff, keep asking me with varying degrees of excitement or trepidation when the AI bubble will burst. I'll tell you what I tell them: If I knew that, I would make a life-changing bet on the market, levered up as far as I could, and then, after I made my money, […]

Huawei FreeBuds Neo: Two-minute reviewStoried Chinese company Huawei may still be struggling to win friends in the phone and tablet worlds, with its lack of access to the Play Store still making the company's hand-held products impossible to recommend, but the brand's been a surprisingly reliable maker of admirable earbuds.We gave the Huawei FreeBuds 5 Pro a perfect score earlier this year, and I maintain that the Huawei FreeArc are the best hook-style open earbuds I've ever tested. But now, instead of doing something better than everyone else, Huawei is doing something different.The Huawei FreeBuds Neo seem to be the result of someone thinking the AirPods Pro 3 are perfect except for being too big; the brand continues its mission of all-but imitating Apple, while slyly improving the formula. That is to say, these are wireless in-ear buds which are ice-white (note: other finishes are available) but really small.We've seen small earbuds before (see the JLab JBuds Mini for something really diddy) but they often tend to be cheap and feature-light. Not the FreeBuds Neo, which don't ask you to make compromises and are still affordable, compared to the FreeBuds 5 Pro or AirPods. The carry case is a slender pill, which was second to none when it came to how easy it was to slip into my pocket and forget about. The buds are light, with shortened stems which make them look truncated.It's not all about the design. These buds sound fun and energetic, with a V-shaped sound profile that adds some zest to your music. They're not the best-sounding buds I've tested, even at the price, but only audiophiles will be let down by what you're getting. Now for the let-down, and it's a common one for Huawei: software. You see, the brand's app isn't on the Play Store, and you have to download it through its own app store, which you have to side-load on your phone. A complicated process which literally didn't work for me. Throughout my testing process, I couldn't access the app, and I know from past experience that this isn't an unheard-of occurrence. Admittedly the app isn't that useful if you don't want EQ — a problem in and of itself — but if features are locked behind the roll of the dice that is 'will the app download?', it's not great. Add to that the knowledge that the battery life and ANC are both good, but not particularly stellar and you'll see compromises — but these are all more understandable when you bear in mind the small size. Despite the setbacks, these are still the best small earbuds you can buy — the best of a small bunch, if you'll pardon the pun — but they might not be mighty enough to sway people who don't care all that much about the compact and oh-so-portable size of their earbuds.Huawei FreeBuds Neo review: Price and release date(Image credit: Future)Released in September 2026, sold OctoberGoes for £119.99 / AU$290 (about AU$160)Don't get excited though; there is unlikely to be a US releaseThe Huawei FreeBuds Neo were unveiled on September 2, 2026, ahead of a release later in the month. The buds cost £119.99 / AU$290 (about $160, but Huawei doesn’t officially sell them in the States). So they’re about a third cheaper than the brand’s top buds, including the FreeBuds Pro 5, which go for £179.99 (about $240, AU$360).It’s a smart price, for buds which feel like a ‘Lite’ alternative to the Pro model, as you can consider them a streamlined pick.Huawei FreeBuds Neo review: SpecsDrivers11mmActive noise cancellationYesBattery life6 hours (ANC on), 9 hours (ANC off)Weight4.8g (buds) 31.4g (case)ConnectivityBluetooth 6.0Frequency response20-40kHzWaterproofingIP55Huawei FreeBuds Neo review: Features(Image credit: Future)Significant app download problemsUnimpressive 6-hour battery lifeANC is fine, not greatInstalling Huawei’s Audio Connect is a real challenge for Android users like me. It’s not on the Play Store, so you have to side load the Huawei AppGallery, and use that to download it. (If you have an iPhone, you’ll find Audio Connect on the App Store, easy peasy).Not only does that mean you’re downloading an unwanted app just to get to another one, but the process is fraught with difficulty. Case in point, I simply couldn’t install the AppGallery onto my Samsung phone, despite trying multiple times and diving into the settings. The APK wouldn’t take, and so I couldn’t use Audio Connect. I’ve had troubles with the process before, and I’m ready to declare the app unusable for some people. Every time I need to use it on a pair of buds, it feels like I’m tossing a coin to see if it’ll work out this time.If you do download it, you’re offered the bare bones of such an app, including the ability to change the touch control functions, tweak ANC strength, adjust EQ, use multipoint connections and turn on spatial audio. I used the FreeBuds Neo just fine without Audio Connect, though if I’d paid money for the buds, I’d be irked that I wasn’t getting all of these tools.(Image credit: Future)The buds have a 6-hour battery life with ANC on and 9 hours with it turned off (not 6.5 and 10 hours, as Huawei advertises loudly — the small text on its website reveals that this is just for lower-quality music such as MP3s, which I really hope you don’t listen to). Using the case, you get up to 22 hours with ANC on, or 33 hours with it turned off. Again, those stats are for higher-resolution music streaming, but you'll get more if you listen to low-res tunes. Don't do that to yourself, though.It’s not an especially competitive battery life, but in my testing, it often felt like I’d eke an extra half hour or so out of the buds. And it’s hard to be too annoyed with the limited battery life with small buds: where would a chunkier battery pack go?ANC isn’t ground-breaking either, but it’s absolutely fine. I used it on planes, trains and buses; it removed the engine rumble from the last two and lessened it on the former, but didn’t do as much to silence people around me with all their unreliable or sporadic sounds.Features score: 3/5Huawei FreeBuds Neo review: Design(Image credit: Future)Tiny 31.4g lozenge caseLight short-stem budsReliable in-ear fitThe FreeBuds Neo’s entire pitch rests on their design: they’re the JLab JBuds Mini meets the AirPods Pro 3. They’re small earbuds, both in terms of the carry case and the buds themselves.As soon as I removed the lozenge-shaped charging case from the box, I was surprised by how small it was. It’s just shy of 7cm wide and 3cm deep, and weighs just 31.4g. It disappeared into my trouser pockets enough that I kept losing them, only to discover that what I thought was a rolled tissue was in fact the charging case.Like the earbuds, the case comes in white, black, silver or pink. The case basically just has enough space for the earbuds, along with a USB-C charging port and color-changing status indicator LED, which was useful for letting me know if the buds were at full charge.(Image credit: Future)Those earbuds don’t take up much space either, because like the case, they’re minuscule. Unlike those other baby buds from JLab, the FreeBuds Neo are ostensibly stem-toting earbuds, but with the tiniest stem I’ve ever seen. They look a lot like imitation AirPods Pro, but if Huawei changed its mind half-way through making the stem.True to the pint-sized promise, the FreeBuds Neo only weigh 4.8g, and the weight isn’t just useful for comfort. Tip-toting earbuds can be rather hit-or-miss when it comes to in-ear stability, but not once in my testing did the Huawei’s wobble or fall. Despite the small size, Huawei found space in the Neo to add touch controls — if you can set them up in the app. The buds also have an IP55 protection, ensuring they’re safe against limited dust ingress and gentle jets of water (including rain).Design score: 4.5/5Huawei FreeBuds Neo review: Sound quality(Image credit: Future)11mm driver per bud.Has V-shaped sound: focus on bass and trebleSupports LDAC playback on supported phonesHuawei hasn't returned the FreeBuds 5 Pro's dual-driver system in the FreeBuds Neo, and I don't blame it; the whole point is for them to be nice and small.Instead, you're getting a sole 11mm driver per bud, which acts as a jack of all trades across the audio spectrum.Don't expect audiophile-level sound, then, but I see these being pleasing for the average listener. They offer a V-shaped sound profile, which means the bass is hearty and the treble sharp. As is always the case with V-shaped sounds, it means that you'll sometimes find mids are lacking. For example in Mipso's Talking in My Sleep, you get lovely textured strings and vocals, and the bass is controlled and full, but it's hard to tell where the acoustic guitars begin and other instruments end. Likewise in What About Flamingos? by Lake Street Dive, you get lovely resonant low-end and articulate treble, but only the faint hint of all the other instruments making up the composition.(Image credit: Future)Of course, in plenty of songs, all you want is low-end and top-end. I enjoyed listening to pop and electronic music without feeling like I was missing out on anything. There's a reason this kind of sound profile is chosen by earbud manufacturers; it's a crowd-pleaser.Perhaps a symptom of the small size or driver configuration, but I didn't hear as prominent or pronounced a sound stage as you often do in earbuds like this. Sometimes instruments sounded a little more squished together than I'd like, but it was only an issue in songs with a complex instrumentation.If you perked up at my earlier mention of high-res and low-res playback, in the battery section, then you'll be happy to know that the buds do support the LDAC codec (as long as you're on Android, because iPhones somehow still don't support it).Sound quality: 4/5Huawei FreeBuds Neo review: Value(Image credit: Future)Cut the costs from premium alternativesCost more than alternative small budsIs size all you care about when it comes to your earbuds? Then as a super-small option, you're likely going to find these poor value for money. Buy the JLabs — the JLab JBuds Mini ANC even have noise-nixing!For everyone else, though, these are a good get. They look like premium earbuds, they feel like premium earbuds, and they sound like them... However, they cost a fair bit less than you'd expect.I'd happily recommend the FreeBuds Neo at their retail price. Obviously, discounts are always great, but you shouldn't wait for one before buying them if you're interested.Value: 4/5Should I buy the Huawei FreeBuds Neo?(Image credit: Future)Huawei FreeBuds Neo score cardAttributesNotesRatingFeaturesThe battery life and ANC won't wow you, but the app problems make the features worth ignoring.3/5DesignThey're lovely and compact, and I never had comfort or fit issues4.5/5Sound qualityA charming V-shaped sound will be a crowd-pleaser, but not ideal for audiophiles.4/5ValueYou're getting some solid ANC headphones for a smaller price.4/5Buy them if…You want small-form earbudsThat's the main appeal of these, right? If you want something smaller than the average earbuds, these are the best ones to look at.You want premium-feeling earbudsI kept forgetting that the Huawei cost what they do, because they feel like buds which cost 50% more.You want a charging indicatorIt's a small feature, but many brands do it poorly; the Huawei's LED is great so you know as soon as your buds are charged.View DealDon’t buy them if…You're a frequent app userAlways using your earbud app to tweak with settings? Fine if you're an iOS user, a bit risky if you're on Android. You need top-tier ANCThe FreeBuds Neo are fine for noise cancellation, but you can do better, and you don't need to pay that much more for it either.Huawei FreeBuds Neo review: Also considerLooking for alternative over-ears? Here are a few small-sized ones we would recommend.Huawei FreeBuds NeoJLab JBuds Mini ANCSony WF-C710NDrivers11mm6mm40mmActive noise cancellationYesYesYesBattery life (ANC on)6 hours (buds) 22 hours (case)7 hours (buds) 25 hours (case)8.5 hours (buds) / 30 hours (case)Weight4.8g (buds) 31.4g (case)3.4g (buds) 20.7g (case)5.2g (bud) 38g (case)ConnectivityBluetooth 6.0Bluetooth 6.0Bluetooth 5.3WaterproofingIP55IP55IPX4JLab JBuds Mini ANCThese are small and, more importantly, roughly half the price of the Huawei. You won't get the same audio quality, but the even-smaller case and buds will please those who just want something tiny. Read our hands-on with the JLab JBuds Mini ANC Sony WF-C710NAnother tiny premium option comes from Sony, so you know they're good. They have fantastic ANC and sound great, but they don't support LDAC and don't have great touch controls.Read our full Sony WF-C710N reviewHow I tested the Huawei FreeBuds NeoTested for a monthPaired with Android phone for Bluetooth playbackUsed on multiple holidays as well as use at home and around neighborhood.The Huawei FreeBuds Neo got the pleasure of an entire month of use before I wrote this review, which gave me time to fully appreciate how they work.That time included multiple holidays, so I brought the buds to various countries and tested them on flights, train journeys and coach trips. Of course, I also used them at home, at the gym, and on walks around my neighborhood.During the testing process, the buds were connected to my Android phone. I listened primarily on Spotify and to my own music library of WAV tracks, but also conducted calls, played games and streamed lots of TV on Prime Video.I've been reviewing tech for TechRadar since early 2019, and in that time have tested many other pairs of earbuds, as well as countless Huawei products.First reviewed in October 2026Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

The Garmin Fenix 9 Pro is Garmin's latest — and greatest — watch. The Fenix series always occupies a flagship position in Garmin's lineup: while the company does make more expensive watches, most of those are specialist pieces of gear, such as the Tactix for soldiers, the Descent for professional divers, and the Marq series as an ultra-premium option for fashion-forward Garmin users. The Garmin Fenix series is its top-tier 'generalist' watch, and considering it only comes out once every few years, anticipation is always high. Fortunately, the Fenix 9 Pro lives up to the hype, and is my Fitness Devices of the Year at the TechRadar Product of the Year Awards 2026.It's a powerhouse of a watch, from construction and performance, and has coped with every test we have thrown at it, from hikes in Chamonix, to comparison tests against the Apple Watch Ultra 4 and an electrical heart rate monitor, the Frontier X2. Let's start with construction. The Fenix 9 Pro's entire case is now made of titanium, rather than a titanium bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer (that's plastic, to you and me) elsewhere. It's thinner, and the lack of visible screws (aside from the back plate) make for a refined, sleek aesthetic. The display is sapphire crystal as standard, too, protecting the super-bright AMOLED touchscreen display, with the usual MIP Power Glass solar charging options as an additional extra. The construction makes for an amazing watch, and these upgrades make the Fenix 9 Pro really feel just that, Pro — more like a Marq. I'm wearing the 43mm version, and it really doesn't feel like an ultra-chunky Fenix. In fact, it feels far more like wearing an upmarket metal dive watch. This sealed unit design necessitated a redesign in the buttons, according to Garmin's promotional material, in order to make sure it remained waterproof up to 40m deep, but Garmin cracked it and the watch retains Garmin's distinctive five-button design. It's even revamped the LED light, with an introduction of a third green option to add to its black and red tones. The green light offers improved visibility compared to the red option, without sacrificing your night-eyes. Software-wise, the UX is familiar to Garmin watch users, as everything is innately customizable, from the widget stack to workout views to watch faces. New features include Garmin Epic, which allows you to string several workouts together into one mega-event, such as multiple ski runs over one long weekend, for example. You can start it from the watch, and view or share it in the app. Rucking also got a useful redesign, while Maps has been updated to provide an angled POV option.(Image credit: Future / Julia Clarke)In our performance test, I was expecting accuracy — after all, the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro retains Garmin's Elevate V5 heart rate sensor array from previous years — but I wasn't expecting it to cleave so close to the heart rate monitor and the Apple Watch Ultra 4 (which Apple claims is the most accurate wearable to date) during my test workouts. Rerouting course directions has proven to be responsive and speedy, while the battery performs as described, lasting for a week, and the watch is comfortable to wear during sleep, workouts and every day. There wasn't really any doubt that the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro was going to be a good watch, or even a great one. Like the Apple Watch Ultra 4, it builds on everything Garmin has done before to create a worthy successor to the ever-popular Fenix line. When the Fenix 10 comes out in a few years, this one will come down in price just like the Fenix 8 before it, and we'll see far more adopters take it on and have fun with it.I suppose I could have chosen something like the cheap Google Fitbit Air, the Garmin Cirqa, or the Apple Watch Ultra 4 to be our Fitness Device of the Year. But when I thought about what was going to dominate my limited wrist real estate if I sign up for a race, there was only ever going to be a handful of options, and the 43mm Garmin Fenix 9 Pro was first on the list. It's smart enough not to look out of place in the office, it's got everything I need for training, it's got all the complications I need from the Connect IQ score, like Spotify and Komoot, and a week-long battery life (sorry Apple) that cinches it for me over the Ultra 4.

Mississippi regulators say three SpaceXAI sites began work without required stormwater permitsSpaceXAI could face $6.1 million in penalties across three Mississippi sitesState officials are seeking daily penalties of up to $25,000Elon Musk's SpaceXAI faces potential penalties reaching $6.1 million after Mississippi regulators identified alleged construction permit violations involving three data center facilities in the state.State environmental authorities claim construction activities began before the company obtained the necessary stormwater authorization, exposing its subsidiary to substantial financial penalties.It is now seeking penalties of up to $25,000 daily, with the company's preliminary financial exposure calculated across all three affected facilities.Three Mississippi data centers face regulatory scrutinyThe Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality issued the enforcement notice to MZX Tech LLC, a subsidiary responsible for the company's local infrastructure.The affected facilities include Macrohard and Macroharder, both already operational, while construction continues at a third computing complex known as Minihard.Although the three facilities support operations around Memphis, Tennessee, their locations across the state boundary place them under Mississippi's environmental regulations.A fourth computing facility sits within Memphis itself, where the company began developing its artificial intelligence infrastructure during 2024.The alleged violations were disclosed through a regulatory filing submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the company's financial reporting.SpaceXAI confirmed that it is cooperating with state environmental officials and discussing a possible settlement covering the alleged violations at all three locations.The proposed arrangement would consolidate the regulatory matters into one agreement, although the company has not disclosed any finalized settlement terms.Separate lawsuit challenges gas turbine operationsBeyond the construction allegations, SpaceXAI faces another legal challenge concerning gas turbines used to generate electricity at its Southaven facility in Mississippi.The NAACP alleges that the company constructed and operated the power generation installation without securing environmental permits required under federal and state regulations.The organization is seeking financial penalties and an injunction restricting turbine operations, arguing that the company's activities violated federal air pollution legislation.Federal government lawyers attempted to dismiss the lawsuit, maintaining that the requested penalties and operational restrictions could threaten economic and national security interests.However, US District Judge Debra Brown rejected that intervention, determining that federal enforcement responsibilities did not grant unrestricted authority over environmental litigation."The EPA’s role as a primary enforcer of the Clean Air Act does not mean that the federal government retains complete control over all Clean Air Act litigation," said Brown.The decision permits the NAACP's lawsuit to continue without establishing whether the company's turbine operations breached the environmental requirements cited by the organization.Mississippi has previously penalized developers for construction without stormwater permits, including Complete Oil Field Disposal, which received a $4,200 sanction in August 2024.In February 2025, JS LLC was fined $10,200 after regulators identified unauthorized construction affecting approximately 10.44 acres.SpaceXAI has faced separate environmental scrutiny over its Memphis power generation, removing 20 generators and obtaining permits for another 15 following complaints about unauthorized operations.The company's potential $6.1 million liability across three Mississippi sites remains unresolved, with regulators still discussing a possible settlement.Via DCD

Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8) reviewThe Sony Bravia Theater Trio is hard to define, but easy to love. Hard to define because its three-speaker (Trio, geddit?) package doesn’t feel quite like either a soundbar or a home theatre separates system; easy to love because it sounds amazing. Sony’s own story of how the Trio came to be states that it was borne from frustration in its audio department about the inability of regular soundbar solutions — even high-end ones — to deliver sound with enough power and scale to convincingly partner with really big TVs. It was deemed that rather than creating a mammoth uber-long single soundbar to solve this problem, a much more practical solution would be to create a three-piece centre, left, right speaker package instead. (Image credit: Future)While the left and right speakers of the Trio system are larger and heavier than the sort of satellite speakers usually sold with or as options for regular soundbar systems, the package overall still looks startlingly compact overall for a system designed for king-sized TVs. The center speaker only measures in at 23.19 x 2.52 x 6.5 inches / 589 x 64 x 165mm, in fact. But you can, of course, place the wireless left and right speakers pretty much as far apart as your room allows, to help create a soundstage commensurate in scale with a monster TV. I would quickly add at this point, though, that I personally don’t see the Trio as only worth getting if you have a huge TV. It’s actually so good and, as I’ll explain, so flexible with its sound that it’s worth considering by really any home theater fan who’s able to afford it.Just throwing a trio of speakers at the big TV audio problem won’t in itself guarantee a satisfying home theater audio solution, of course. Especially when those three speakers only deliver dedicated left, right, centre and up-firing channels, rather than the many more channels that even some single bar soundbars can manage these days. The thing is, though, the Bravia Theater Trio’s channel count isn’t actually restricted to the the handful we’ve just mentioned. The brand’s revolutionary 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system is capable of adding up to 24 ‘virtual’ (created by psychoacoustic processing) extra channels of sound to the system’s ‘physical’ ones. (Image credit: Future)The 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system’s calculation process for figuring out where to place the sound from these extra virtual speakers uses a supplied, high-quality mic dongle that plugs into your phone to tailor the sound to your room layout. This works so well that you’ll be able to still enjoy a totally coherent, balanced, symmetrical soundstage from your Trio system no matter how awkward your room layout might be. This room adaptation part of the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system becomes even more useful if you add a pair of Sony’s new Rear 9 optional surround sound speakers. Even when I deliberately set the the two front and Rear 9 speakers in the most unhelpful positions I could manage, the processing still somehow manages to put me at the heart of a colossal 360-degree soundstage.I’ve let the Trio’s cleverest trick, though, lead me into discussing the system’s performance before I’ve finished going through every feature it has to offer. So let’s quickly get back to that. While the Trio’s centre speaker’s long, slim design suits simple placement on a desktop under your TV, the left and right speakers sneak a narrow straight bit into their otherwise cylindrical shape to allow them to be wall mounted if that suits your set up. (Image credit: Future)Connectivity is passable. The highlight is an HDMI loop through that supports 4K/120Hz gaming feeds — as you’d hope with a sound system from the brand responsible for the PlayStation 5 — as well as the HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision HDR formats, but not HDR10+. And the HDMI output also supports the eARC system for taking in sound from your TV.Unfortunately, the only other port is a USB slot that’s apparently only for software updates. A second HDMI input and an optical digital audio input would have been nice on a £1,999 home cinema system these days perhaps, but the Trio’s support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (6.0) alongside the HDMIs will likely deliver everything most modern households will need. These wireless options support direct streaming from Spotify Connect and Apple Airplay 2. On top of this, the system can also utilize Hi-Res Audio files and carries Sony’s redoubtable DSEE Ultimate AI upscaling system for making compressed audio sound better.The latest Bravia Connect app for iOS and Android helps you set the system up, as well as providing an attractive and useful visual interface as a back up to the fairly basic remote control the system ships with. And it's particularly handy, given the Trio doesn’t carry an LED display.Finally in the feature department, the Trio can play both the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound formats. In fact, it doesn’t just play them; it eats them for breakfast. Any doubts about the Trio’s $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$2,999 price evaporate in an irresistible bombardment of almost impossibly massive sound staging, levels of power, detail and impact that seem to go far beyond the system’s claimed 405W of confirmed power. It also serves up mesmerizing detailing and precision, and an immaculate tone that has more in common with a premium full separates system than a minimalistic three-speaker package.(Image credit: Future)The system’s remarkable drivers and even more remarkable 360 Spatial Sound Mapping processing create a soundstage that fills at least the front half of even very large rooms, with the physical existence of the Trio’s three speakers essentially completely disappearing. As well as being capable of creating an epic sense of space for big movie locations, the size of sound the Trio can produce means it's effortlessly able to ‘fill’ the screen area and match the cinematic scale of even the very biggest TVs.Despite its immense and immersive size, though, the Trio’s sound doesn’t forget the small things in home cinema and music life. It can pull in the boundaries of its sound superbly when a soundtrack wants to portray a tight space, for starters. Also, every detail in a movie sound mix is beautifully rendered, no matter how small, and produced with exactly the correct weight relative to other mix elements.There’s no hint of harshness or brittleness to any sound the Trio makes, no matter how high pitched or deep it might be. In fact, despite the center speaker’s small size, the system gives the impression of having no ceiling for treble sounds to butt up against and turn harsh, and no low-frequency floor for bass sounds to flatten off against. The relatively hefty left and right speakers do most of the heavy low-frequency lifting without making deep sounds feel trapped in, hard edged or distorted. They’re reactive enough to serve sudden bass hits with impeccable timing, too, and have enough range in the low frequencies they can produce to stop rumbles becoming overwhelming or coarse. (Image credit: Future)This excellent bass performance is particularly welcome, given that bass has been a weakness of some of Sony’s current soundbars, and that the system is quite compact. Perhaps an even bigger worry is that Sony sells Sub 8 and Sub 9 external wireless subwoofer upgrades for the package, which always makes me wonder if there’s a weakness in the core system that such an add-on is required to fix. The Trio can deliver hard, sudden impact sounds with proper venom and propulsion, while the soundstage remains balanced and authoritative even at high volumes, no matter how dense the content might be. Sound systems that go as big and dynamic with film soundtracks as the Trio can aren’t always able to turn their hands effectively to music. The Trio, though, is at least as engaging with music as it is movies. Even in native stereo mode, without any of Sony’s remarkable virtual surround processing in play, the trio of speakers deliver excellent stereo separation and vocal placement. Nothing sounds at all strained, no matter what type of music you’re playing or how dense a track gets. It retains its genuinely hi-fi feel, too, at higher volumes than you’ve probably ever heard your favorite albums before. And yet, at the same time, people with neighbors will be pleased to hear that its speakers are sensitive enough to deliver music compellingly even at low volumes, something many soundbars struggle with. Dolby Atmos music sounds similarly refined. It's detailed without being forensic, but also enjoys a more three-dimensional presentation that includes height elements. And if you’re happy to take off your purist music hat, I’d also recommend you try stereo tracks — or, at least, relatively poppy or ambient stereo tracks — through its 360 Spatial Sound Mapping processing, which gives it a more spacious and surround sound feel. Certainly Sony’s ‘upmixing’ with this effect is much superior to similar modes attempted by most other home audio packages. (Image credit: Future)It’s a tough ask to find things I don’t love about Sony’s Trio system. But I’m paid to try, so here goes. First, for all its virtual speaker creating talents, it only creates a quite limited sense of sound coming from behind your seating position. This can be solved extremely well by adding Sony’s new Rear 9 extra wireless surround speakers — though, at $749.99 / £699 / $ 1,299 a pair, this upgrade isn’t cheap. The left/right spread of stereo music strangely narrows slightly when playing music through the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping despite expanding in every other way. And finally — and possibly most frustratingly depending on how big your household is — the area you need to sit in after calibrating the Trio for the optimal 360 Spatial Sound Mapping effect is quite small. Though even outside of this sweet spot, it’s still gloriously easy to appreciate just how good the Trio’s overall sound is.Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8) review: Price and release dateReleased: July 2026 (UK and Australia), May 2026 (US)$1,999 / £1,999 / AU$2,999At first glance the Trio’s $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$2,999 price looks substantial for a three-piece speaker package. Samsung gives you a full surround soundbar package, the HW-Q990H, for just $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$1,499, after all. Once you’ve placed the Trio’s speakers wherever you want them to go, though, and run the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping system setup, the system reveals itself to be a pretty much separates-grade performer capable of partnering with a huge screen and even filling a big room.Hitting almost $2,750 / £2,700 / AU$4,300 if you add the admittedly impressive Rear 9 speakers starts to look a bit of a stretch, but you could always add the rears later as funds allow. The out-of-the-box Trio won’t let you down in the mean time.Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8): SpecsDimensionsMain bar: 23.19 x 2.52 x 6.50 inches / 589 x 64 x 165mm; left/right speakers: 6.3 x 13.27 x 6.5 inches / 160 x 337 x 165mmSpeaker channels3.0.2ConnectionsOne HDMI input (with eARC), one HDMI output (4K/120Hz), USB service port Dolby Atmos / DTS:XYes/YesSub includedOptional extraRear speakers includedNoShould I buy the Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8)?Sony Bravia Theater Trio (HT-A8) ScorecardAttributeNotesScoreFeaturesThe system’s three-front-speaker approach enables it to deliver a sound appropriate to really any screen size, even really huge ones. Its processing and audio format support is excellent too.4.5 / 5PerformanceDespite the fairly compact size of its three speakers, the Trio package often manages to sound like a premium separates system5 / 5DesignFrom the surprisingly compact shape of the center speaker to the gorgeously well-built cylindrical stance of the left and rights, the Theater Trio is an elegantly understated addition to your room.4.5 / 5Setup & usabilityThe speakers all connected with each other automatically during my tests, and provided you plug the provided mic into your phone and run the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping set up procedure, its speakers are extremely flexible when it comes to where you put them.4.5 / 5ValueThe Theater Trio package’s price puts it above the vast majority of regular soundbars — but its sound is a cut above any regular soundbar, too4 / 5Buy it if...You have a very big TVThe Trio’s package of separate center, front left and front right speakers was expressly designed to solve the issue where regular soundbars just don’t create a sound stage big enough to match the size of the pictures made by massive TVs (especially those of 85 inches and more).You want fantastic movie and music sound qualityThe Trio throws off the shackles of some of Sony’s current soundbars, using hi-fi grade speaker designs and up to 24 virtual speakers created by Sony’s amazing 360 Spatial Sound Mapping to craft one of the most powerful but also most refined, balanced and immersive soundstages I’ve heard from a one-box speaker package.You have an awkwardly shaped roomA key part of the Trio’s 360 Spatial Sound Mapping involves adapting the sound of its real and virtual speakers to your room layout — and this process is so flexible that it can deliver a convincing sound stage no matter how awkward your speaker placement might be.Don't buy it if...You can’t afford itThere are some very good soundbars around for much less than the Trio’s $1,999 / £1,999 / AU$2,999 asking price - which rises to nearly $2,750 / £2,700 / AU$4,300 if you add the Rear 9 surround speakers. But if you can afford it, the scale and finesse of the Trio’s sound is a cut above those cheaper soundbar alternatives.The small sweet spot is a problemThe Trio optimizes the sound stage created by its real and virtual speakers around what turns out to be a rather compact sweet spot. So if you have a big household to cater for, you’ll have to accept that not everyone will get the perfect experience — unless you all huddle up.You want a sound system that can work as a switch boxThe Trio’s limited connectivity prevents you from attaching more than one hard-wired source to it at a time.Sony Bravia Theatre Trio (HT-A8) review: Also considerSamsung HW-Q990HIf you can’t quite stretch your finances to accommodate the Sony Trio package, Samsung’s HW-Q990H soundbar system delivers a powerful and detailed full surround sound solution for $1,499 / £1,499 / AU$1,499. The Q990H crafts a remarkably full hemisphere of sound for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks, but the Trio’s sound is more refined and flexible — and only requires you to house three speakers. Read our full Samsung HW-Q990H review.Sennheiser Ambeo MaxSennheiser’s most powerful soundbar delivers a remarkably large sound stage for a single-bar device, courtesy of the fearsome array of ultra-robust and punchy drivers it squeezes into its uncompromising chassis. This helps it get nearer than any other remotely mainstream single-bar soundbar to supporting really big screens like the Trio does. While it used to cost $2,999.95 / £2,199 / AU$3,999, too, it’s now widely available for $1,699.99 / £1,599 / AU$2,999. It still can’t ultimately match the scale of the Trio, though, due to the latter’s separate left and right speakers.How I tested the Sony Bravia Theatre Trio (HT-A8)I used the Sony Trio as my main living room audio system for 11 days.Also tested in a second room with a different size and layout, and with a pair of optional Rear 9 surround speakers.Tested with 4K Blu-rays, CDs, streamed audio, and games, using all direct HDMI connection, eARC and wireless connection optionsI tested the Trio as my main living room audio system for 11 days overall, as well as using it in a second room with a different layout for two further days. I also moved the left and right speakers (and the optional rears) to all sorts of awkward places to test the flexibility of the 360 Spatial Sound Mapping processing. During the testing period, I fed the Trio system audio content from a wide range of sources, including movie soundtracks from streaming boxes and 4K Blu-ray players over HDMI; music from a CD player and the various music streaming services the system supports; and game soundtracks from an Xbox Series X. Key movies used were Blade Runner 2049, It Chapter One, Civil War, and Sinners.First reviewed: October 2026Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Laboratory-grown muscle tissue has been developed to improve robot dexterity and motionResearchers working at ETH Zurich have demonstrated tissue-based muscle actuators that flexThe actuators enable small robots to jump and swim, as well as walk and graspFlesh-covered robots that can walk, jump, swim and move among us may be closer than we think. Researchers working out of ETH Zurich have been busy developing muscle actuators from centimeter-scale living tissue. These muscle actuators are the latest in a design program, and motion has been improved over 10 times compared with previous iterations.In designing the biohybrid robots, the researchers have found that it isn’t all about the volume of muscle tissue. How the muscle and the bone (or in this case, an “artificial scaffold”) interact is also important.Grown from mouse muscle cells, the results are being viewed as a new way of building robots.Biohybrid muscleThe project is run from the ETH Zurich Soft Robotics Lab and is overseen by Professor Robert Katzschmann, who states that “We’re just beginning to build robots in a more natural way.” The research focuses on biohybrids, which basically refers to integrating biological materials like muscle tissue with artificial, man-made materials like electronics or mechanical scaffold.Design of the robots has evolved through the research to the current state, where the muscle tissue is secured to the scaffold using grooves that the tissue can attach to. Meanwhile, the robots are currently limited to motion within a nutrient solution intended to feed the muscles and keep them “alive.”An interesting result from the research is that not all muscle actuators behave in the same way. This “natural variability” that comes from using living tissue contrasts with what is achievable with manufactured components.Flesh for cyborgsDevelopment of flesh muscles for robots has taken place over several years, with designs built on computer. Over what has been called an “iterative process” by co-lead author of the published study Aiste Balciunaite, the idea of “a fixed form for our muscle geometry” was eschewed in favor of designing “the whole thing from scratch on the computer.”“With previous systems, you sometimes had to look under a microscope to see the flexing,” Balciunaite adds, highlighting how far the project has come. The video above demonstrates the range of movement that can be performed by the muscle actuators, with the activity now visible to the naked eye. Measuring over 1cm, the bioactuators can move and grasp, and are shown here swimming. Other biohybrid robots have been programmed to walk, managing to cover 6.2 millimeters a second.Will these bio-attached structures develop into an army of time traveling, human-destroying cyborgs? Probably not, and as they have applications for exploration and medicine, we shouldn't be too concerned.

Looking for a different day?A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, October 28 (game #1738).Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.Quordle today (game #1739) — hint #1 — VowelsHow many different vowels are in Quordle today?• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). Quordle today (game #1739) — hint #2 — repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.Quordle today (game #1739) — hint #3 — uncommon lettersDo the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.Quordle today (game #1739) — hint #4 — starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:Quordle today (game #1739) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?• P• M• S• URight, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.Quordle today (game #1739) — the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle, game #1739, are…PRUDEMINUSSAVOYUSHEROnce I decided I had a word ending in S-U-S my first thought was “sinus”.Fortunately, due to my starter word of “slate” I had already ruled out any other words (after SAVOY) beginning with S, so it had to be MINUS.This was just one of many things that seemed to work in my favor today, all of which makes me suspect a dastardly game tomorrow.Daily Sequence today (game #1739) — the answers(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1739, are…SCOLDDELTAACORNPLAIDQuordle answers: The past 20Quordle #1738, Wednesday, 28 October: DEALT, FLUME, SLEEK, RELICQuordle #1737, Tuesday, 27 October: ANKLE, HAVOC, SULKY, WHITEQuordle #1736, Monday, 26 October: ASSAY, GLEAM, MUCUS, WRINGQuordle #1735, Sunday, 25 October: RAINY, BUSED, PROXY, UNDIDQuordle #1734, Saturday, 24 October: TOXIN, SMART, MOUSE, STYLEQuordle #1733, Friday, 23 October: BLIMP, HOIST, FRIED, LURIDQuordle #1732, Thursday, 22 October: DECAL, WIDTH, WOKEN, LEVERQuordle #1731, Wednesday, 21 October: MOIST, VALVE, VERSE, NORTHQuordle #1730, Tuesday, 20 October: COYLY, SAUNA, TRIAL, RASPYQuordle #1729, Monday, 19 October: EXIST, DECOY, HITCH, FLUIDQuordle #1728, Sunday, 18 October: FLINT, FUROR, WEDGE, RODEOQuordle #1727, Saturday, 17 October: QUARK, ENEMY, SPASM, BLOCKQuordle #1726, Friday, 16 October: SHORT, WORTH, JOIST, SLUNKQuordle #1725, Thursday, 15 October: STALE, EPOCH, PIANO, CORNYQuordle #1724, Wednesday, 14 October: TIMID, GROUP, GRILL, EVERYQuordle #1723, Tuesday, 13 October: FLUFF, DEBUT, TEETH, STEINQuordle #1722, Monday, 12 October: HELLO, BELOW, RIGHT, SLANTQuordle #1721, Sunday, 11 October: LILAC, INLET, TRIAD, SHAPEQuordle #1720, Saturday, 10 October: SWEAT, THIRD, RURAL, CLASPQuordle #1719, Friday, 9 October: OLDEN, DUNCE, SWATH, HILLY