There's now an explanation for the delay to Apple's smart glasses. We previously reported that the Meta Ray-Ban rivalling glasses had been delayed, but now it seems that part of the reason is the concern over privacy.

Writing in his PowerOn newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says: "The teams developing glasses … see privacy as priority No. 1, I’m told", leaning on the fact that Apple has used privacy as core to its marketing for the last decade.

While Meta has enjoyed the buzz of getting the first AI glasses to market, it's facing a privacy backlash, especially with plans to release "super sensing" glasses that might always be recording video and audio.

Meta recently had to push an update to disable the cameras if the privacy LED was tampered with, addressing concerns about people using the glasses for nefarious use. It has been reported that wearers are recording people without their consent, with the camera integration into the glasses making it more difficult to see when someone is filming you.

That's led to smart glasses being banned in some settings, with further investigations into exactly how such glasses are regulated. For Apple, launching into this category gives them a chance to bring Siri to another device and boost the Apple ecosystem.

According to the report, Apple has prototyped glasses that don't have cameras available for photos or videos, so while calls can still be taken, music enjoyed and Siri interrogated, the privacy concerns are abated.

At the same time, removing the ease with which moments can be captured will also strip away the appeal. Currently, all the features offered by smart AI glasses, except capture, can be accessed through AirPods. Part of the appeal of smart glasses is you can record without a phone in your hand.

That means you can get great point of view video, perfect for things like sports or driving, cooking or anything else that involves using your hands. That's always going to be open to abuse and that seems to be the challenge that Apple is facing.

Meta hasn't made this category any easier: reports that humans conducting moderation and AI training work were watching intimate videos captured on the Meta glasses bring everyone's privacy fears to life, something that Apple needs to find a way around.

With privacy being Apple's core message for so long, it's going to be a bumpy road for any AI glasses that the company plans to release - especially if they include cameras.

Google has pushed the button on the huge Immersive Navigation update that's now rolling out to Google Maps users. The new navigation visuals have been reported by multiple users, and importantly it's available to those who aren't using the beta version.

That means that this is a real update, although it's not currently universal and it's likely to move from region to region. Google said that Immersive Navigation was its "biggest navigation update in over a decade" when the feature was first shown off in March 2026.

The update isn't limited to Android users, with some reporting that they have it on iPhone and it should also benefit those using Android Auto, as well as Apple CarPlay.

Immersive Navigation uses Gemini to bring maps to life and give a more realistic view of what the world looks like. It uses a 3D view with better spatial understanding, with Maps adding useful details for navigation when they are relevant.

This is thanks to Gemini being able to interpret Steet View and aerial photos to make your navigation richer and that should lead to clearer directions, with a map that's instantly recognisable compared to the world around you.

Although Immersive Navigation was said to arrive immediately when it was announced in March, we're only at the stage where people are seeing it. Additional features announced, such as Ask Maps, have been accessible for a while, while everything hinges on having Gemini in Google Maps.

That's not something that everyone has yet. In the availability information from Google's original announcement it said that Immersive Navigation was coming to the US before expanding - although from experience we know that other regions might have to wait for some time.

Mixed into this update, it's also reported that people are seeing the new speedometer in Android Auto. This was first spotted last week, bringing an additional detail to help keep your driving on the right side of the law.

Immersive Navigation could represent a huge step forward in mapping so this roll-out could be slow to make sure that Google gets everything right. Be sure to share the experience if you've got access to the update in the comments below.

If you’re headed to do your weekly shop in your local Lidl, the global supermarket chain has just added its own version of the Ninja Crispi air fryer to its stores. The Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer has four pre-set programmes, two glass containers, and an affordable price tag of just £59.99.

Glass air fryers have taken the kitchen by storm since Ninja debuted its Crispi air fryer in 2025. Having a glass cooking and storage container instead of a ‘normal’ air fryer compartment means you can see your food’s progress without having to open the drawer and disturb your cooking.

Since the Ninja Crispi launch, many brands have made their own versions including Cuisinart, Dreame and Salter. Now, Lidl is trying its hand with this air fryer style with the Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer that just arrived in stores. It looks almost identical to the Ninja crispi with its ‘pod’ cooking system that clips on to the glass containers.

With 1500W of power, the Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer heats up quickly and cooks from 60°C to 200°C. The controls are on the top of the ‘pod’ and includes a dial and buttons for quick and easy operation. Users can choose between air fry, roast, keep warm and re-fry pre-sets for even quicker use that’s ideal for air fryer beginners.

The Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer uses little to no oil when cooking, and Lidl states that it’s also handy for baking and grilling. It comes with two heat-resistant glass containers, including a small one with a two litre capacity, and larger one with a four litre capacity.

The glass containers can be used for cooking as well as storage. They come with cool-touch handles and leak-proof lids so you can take the containers with you on-the-go. The Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer also comes with a trivet which is dishwasher safe, just like the lids and containers.

The Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer is available to buy in select stores for £59.99. If you’re a Lidl Plus member, you can get it for £49.99. Compared to the original Ninja Crispi which is priced at £149.99, the Silvercrest Glass Air Fryer is 60% cheaper so if you’re on a budget, it looks like a good choice for your kitchen.

If you have a first generation Google Home device, like the Google Nest Mini or the Google Nest Hub, you can now use Gemini Live. Thanks to a recent update, Gemini Live is now available on these older devices but there’s a slight catch – you’ll need a Google Home Premium subscription.

Google finally launched its new Google Home Speaker this year after six years of no new speakers or displays from the company. But while Google has its Nest Mini and Nest Audio after this new launch, users who still have these devices just got a handy update which means they don’t have to replace their gadgets any time soon.

As of 23rd July 2026, Google has given access to Gemini Live to its first generation smart speakers and displays. What’s better is Google has also increased Gemini’s conversation memory window to 15 minutes so you can ask Gemini follow-up questions within this time frame and the voice assistant can carry on the chat and understand the context.

But there is a bit of a catch with this new update, and that’s that you’ll need to have a Google Home Premium subscription, and be part of the Gemini for Home early access program. Prices on the Google Home Premium plans start at £8 / $10 a month for a standard plan or £16 / $20 a month for an advanced plan.

If this is all set-up for your old Google Nest devices, then you should be able to start using Gemini Live. All you have to do is say “Hey Google, let’s chat” to try it out.

Google has also introduced other upgrades and improvements to its Google Home app. Firstly, automations are now easier to create as you can save them without any starters. App navigation has also been improved so when you click on a device set-up or settings, you’ll be taken directly to the right page.

Other improvements include better labels for smart blinds, and passcode reminders for smart locks if you remove a member. Google has also fixed playback error updates for iOS users of the Google Home app, as well as video playback issues and missed battery alerts.

Google is clearly working hard to fix any issues which is a blessing to both old and new users, as even the new Google Home Speaker recently experienced some problems.

The iPad mini is expected to get an update in October 2026 that includes water resistance, something that no iPad has so far offered.

The new compact iPad is expected to implement a new design that removes the speaker holes, instead using flat surfaces on the device to create the sound. While it's not known what IP rating it might carry, it's thought that it will offer water resistance for the first time, according to Macrumors.

The new speaker system was first reported in 2025, while it's also expected that Apple's smallest tablet will make the jump to an OLED display. It will join the iPad Pro in offering those higher quality visuals, although the impact on the price might see this tablet suffer.

The iPad mini is currently £599 / $599 making it more expensive than the standard iPad which offers a larger display. The iPad mini is more powerful using the A17 Pro chip compared to the A16 in the standard iPad, although the next iPad mini is expected to move to either the A19 Pro or unreleased A20 Pro.

That, combined with the OLED display, might see the iPad mini creeping up on the price of the iPad Air, perhaps priced at £699 / $699, which is a lot of money for an 8-inch tablet.

Sealing the tablet to give it water protection will boost its credentials, however, meaning that people will be more comfortable using it in adverse conditions. Its compact nature makes it great for travel, where a soaking in the rain might be more common than when sitting around the home.

But the iPad mini's compact form makes it more like a reading device and I'm sure that many have used it in the bath because if its handholdability. With an IP rating, if it does slip, it likely won't be a disaster, although using it at the beach probably won't work unless Apple gives it a really bright display - currently, it's only 500 nits.

There could be a drawback with that display too: it's only said to offer 60Hz, which means that this won't be the compact gaming tablet that some will want.

The iPad mini is a great tablet, but it looks like Apple plans to make it increasingly premium. It's expected to launch alongside refreshed Mac devices in October 2026.

Nanoleaf has launched a new Smart LED Monitor Stand, expanding its ambient RGB lighting portfolio. Created in partnership with Fantaqi, the stand combines a practical monitor riser with customisable RGB lighting, as well as Matter compatibility, voice assistant control and touch controls.

The brand's Pegboard Desk Dock won Best Smart Light at the T3 Awards 2025, combining customisable lighting with practical storage in a space-saving design. The new monitor stand has a similar approach, putting the focus on keeping your desk tidy whilst adding a more immersive lighting setup.

The Nanoleaf Smart LED Monitor Stand is priced at £179.99/$169.99 and is available via the Nanoleaf online store.

The stand itself features a solid wood base with a natural walnut veneer top, measuring 100 x 22.5 x 12.1cm. It can support up to 28kg without the central support column and up to 70kg with it, providing users with plenty of flexibility.

Nanoleaf has used dual-flux lighting technology to combine independent front-facing task lighting with an ambient rear light. There are 102 individually addressable LED zones in total, with the front task lighting delivering up to 550 lumens and the rear ambient lighting reaching up to 480 lumens.

You can also adjust the colour temperature from 1,700K to 6,500K, allowing you to switch between warmer lighting and cooler illumination depending on what you're doing.

Samsung announced three new folding phones recently, featuring a change to the battery technology. Samsung has embraced silicon-carbon for the first time, following the lead of many smartphone brands. But there's a downside to that battery technology: it doesn't last as long.

The specifications for Samsung's new folding phones show the change clearly, with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 listed as having a minimum battery endurance (in charging cycles) of 1200. The Z Flip 8 is 1200 and the Z Fold 8 Ultra is also 1200.

While we can't compare the Galaxy Z Fold 8 to a previous model, we can check the details for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7, both of which state that their batteries are good for 2000 charging cycles.

In the case of the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the battery capacity remains the same at 4300mAh, but its longevity is reduced because of the move to silicon-carbon battery tech. For the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra there's some benefit, with an increase to 5000mAh over the 4400mAh so this battery will last longer between charges, but again, won't last as many years.

Silicon-carbon battery technology has the advantage of being more energy dense, allowing the manufacturer to get greater capacity within the same physical size. It's the tech that's see phones soar over 5000mAh which seemed to be the ceiling on battery capacity in a practical design.

That's resulted in phones with huge capacity, some over 7000mAh, with very little impact on the phone's design. For Samsung's part, it said that moving to silicon-carbon enabled the 45W charging now offered, but that's not strictly the case: the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra offered 45W charging in 2022, using a regular lithium-ion battery.

The evolution of silicon-carbon use in smartphones has followed a path that tells us a lot: it was first used by the Honor Magic 6 Pro in 2023 and then went on to be widely used by the likes of Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo and Motorola, all with the aim of increasing the capacity to extend the endurance of the phone.

These brands have also championed fast charging, while Samsung, Apple and Google have been a little more conservative.

That reluctance to move to silicon-carbon probably comes down to the fact that it doesn't last as long and with Samsung, Apple and Google all offering the longest software support to keep devices going, that doesn’t dovetail with a battery that has a shorter lifespan.

There have been calls for brands to adopt silicon-carbon from some corners of the media, but the true cost is right here in the specs: these phone batteries won't last as many years as they would with traditional lithium-ion.

Steam Machine owners disappointed by the demise of Dbrand's gorgeous Companion Cube case have been handed a second chance – provided they have access to a 3D printer and a little patience.

Just weeks after Valve pulled the plug on Dbrand's officially planned shell over licensing issues, maker Jaron has released a fully printable alternative through the Printables community.

Rather than copying Dbrand's files, the creator says the model was built entirely from scratch using publicly available images as reference, complete with detailed assembly instructions and a list of the extra screws, magnets and components required.

The result is remarkably close to the design that captured PC gamers' imaginations before it was cancelled. It transforms Valve's compact gaming PC into the instantly recognisable Weighted Companion Cube from Portal, complete with layered panels and contrasting colour sections that can be produced on a standard single-extruder printer using filament swaps. It's not exactly a beginner project, but it looks well within reach for experienced makers.

The Companion Cube isn't the only project breathing new life into Valve's latest hardware. The growing modding community has also begun releasing replacement faceplates, alternative shells and even entirely new small-form-factor PC builds inspired by the Steam Machine's design.

"The Orange Box", is a greta example. This is a far more powerful custom gaming PC housed inside a SilverStone chassis but styled around Valve's ecosystem. Alongside printable accessories and cosmetic upgrades, these projects suggest the Steam Machine could end up becoming just as interesting for modders as it is for gamers.

If nothing else, it's proof that cancelling an official accessory doesn't necessarily kill the idea. As long as the maker community keeps designing clever alternatives, some of gaming's best concepts can still find a way into players' homes, one layer of filament at a time.

Apple has been offering its Care+ device insurance around the world for many years, but its AppleCare One subscription plan has only been available in the US... until now.

The plan, which launched in the States a year ago, is now rolling out in the UK, Australia, Germany and France too. It enables owners of multiple Apple devices to cover them all for a single monthly fee.

It includes coverage for drops, accidental damage and even loss or theft, where the devices will be repaired or replaced at no extra cost. And the subscription covers up to three devices for a standard fee of £16.99 per month (in the UK), with additional products able to be added for £4.99 per month extra each.

That provides big savings on purchasing AppleCare+ for each separate device. For example, if you have an iPhone, Apple Watch and iPad, you will save up to £11.48 per month with AppleCare One against each being covered individually.

You can also swap an existing AppleCare+ plan for AppleCare One at any time.

It's also not exclusive to new devices – you can enroll products that are up to four years old, as long as they are eligible. That means they will have to be in a good condition at the time of inclusion, but can have general wear and tear. A diagnostics check may be necessary before they can be added.

Other Apple devices that can be covered include MacBook, HomePod, AirPods, Apple TV, and even an Apple Pencil.

What if I only have one Apple product?

Of course, this level of protection is not necessary if you only own one Apple device, but there's also a new version of AppleCare+ you might be interested in.

Available for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, the plan now includes theft and loss, so you can have your product replaced if stolen or missing.

The plan covers up to two thefts/losses per year, while AppleCare One covers up to three thefts or losses.

You can find out more about AppleCare One on the dedicated website. Those who've recently bought an Apple device or have an existing AppleCare+ subscription can sign up or switch over directly on an iPhone, iPad or Mac.

The Google Pixel Watch 5 could be in for an upgrade, with a listing for the device pointing to 3GB RAM. That doesn't sound like a lot, but it's a 50% upgrade compared to the Pixel Watch 4 and it's also 50% more than Samsung packed in the Galaxy Watch 9 that's just been announced.

Google's leaning towards RAM is the only real upgrade for the wearable device seems to point to one particular feature – Gemini.

On-device AI functions need plenty of RAM to keep things moving along and while the design, processor and display are all expected to be the same as previous years, the functionality, aided by Gemini, is likely to take a step forward.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll probably be aware that there's a components crisis in consumer technology at the moment, with prices skyrocketing because of the demands that have been put on the industry by rapidly expanding data centres and other AI functions.

That's one of the causes of price increases across a number of brands, but also makes it more remarkable that the Pixel Watch 5 will get this increase.

The details come from 9to5Google, with the Pixel Watch 5 listed in the Google Play Console under the codename Godric. Additional details point to the new Pixel Watch powered by the same Snapdragon SW5100 that was used to power devices since the Pixel Watch 2.

However, while this Snapdragon platform comes in a number of iterations, the CPU and GPU appear to be the same configuration as the Pixel Watch 4. That suggests it might not have more power – and the lack of the Snapdragon Wear Elite chip as found in the new Galaxy Watch 9 might leave some disappointed.

The Pixel Watch is popular for its minimalist design and easy-to-use interface, while the battery life is a common point of criticism. The fitness tracking is generally well regarded, with accurate heart rate tracking.

But the best thing about Pixel devices, whether that's phone, watch or buds, is the clean software approach and access to Gemini. Google designs Gemini to add value to its hardware and it often works best on those devices.

So, while the Pixel Watch 5 isn't going to be hugely different to the Pixel Watch 4, you can be fairly certain that it will have greater Gemini powers thanks to that additional RAM.

Aldi has just added two new LED beauty gadgets to its stores, a.k.a the last thing I ever thought I’d see Aldi sell. Featuring a face sculptor and hairbrush, the LED collection uses red light therapy and vibrations to enhance your skincare and haircare – but I’m not convinced you should buy them.

Aldi has gone beyond just selling groceries and toiletries. Over the past couple of years, the global supermarket chain has become known for its middle aisle which has become packed full of kitchen appliances, garden furniture and even barbecues.

But this latest launch has surprised me more than all the others, as Aldi has just introduced an LED Face Sculptor and LED Hairbrush to its stores. This isn’t the first time Aldi has branched out in LED skincare, as it has previously launched an LED face mask and LED wand which are also returning to Aldi stores this weekend.

Among the new launches is the LED Face Sculptor which uses red light therapy and vibrations to tone and lift your skin. It looks similar to the Shark FacialPro Glow which glides across the face to cleanse, hydrate and depuff the skin.

I imagine the Aldi LED Face Sculptor offers a similar action but in a much simpler way. Where the Shark FacialPro Glow comes with multiple attachments for different treatments, the LED Face Sculptor is just a single device. Price is also a major difference as the Shark FacialPro Glow is £300 whereas the LED Face Sculptor is £12.99.

The other new launch from Aldi is the LED Hairbrush which is also priced at £12.99. Like the LED Face Sculptor, the hairbrush uses red LED lights and gentle vibrations to stimulate the scalp to encourage hair growth and healthier locks. This might sound odd to some, but red light has been found to be beneficial for hair and to enhance the scalp’s blood flow.

These two launches join Aldi’s LED Face Mask which has seven light settings to reduce fine lines and redness, and the LED Wand which precisely tackles these problems in tool form. Both cost £12.99, making Aldi’s entire LED beauty collection the same cheap price.

Now, I love Aldi and I love a good bargain, but if you were to ask me if you should buy these LED gadgets, my answer would be no. LED skin care is expensive for a reason, and skin isn’t something to mess around with, especially not for the low price of £12.99.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with buying cheap gadgets. In fact, I use the Silk’n LED Face Mask 100 as part of my weekly skincare routine, and it’s the most budget-friendly LED face mask you can buy (albeit it’s still £150). But an LED mask or sculptor that’s only £12.99? This raises some concerns for me.

When buying an LED skincare product, it’s important to look for ones that are FDA-approved, meaning it has passed rigorous testing for safety and efficiency. I can’t see that written anywhere on the LED range from Aldi and as these products come into contact with skin and hair, I’m not sure I’d completely trust them.

But if you still want to try them for yourself, the LED beauty line-up is available in select Aldi stores from 26th July.

Google is expanding the number of ways to secure your Google account, adding a surprise addition – selfie videos. The industry as a whole is on a mission to replace passwords and passcodes with a wider range of sign-in methods, so now we have the selfie video.

Face has long been used to unlock phones – with Apple popularising the method with Face ID back in 2017 – but using your face to secure your Google Account makes a lot of sense.

That's because you're not going to write it down on a Post-It note stuck to your monitor, it's not going to be dog's birthday backwards or your mother's first pet name. Instead, it's a multi-faceted biometric.

Google isn't the first to turn to offer face verification for account access, it's popular with banking apps like Revolut. But Google says that you'll be able to use your face to get back into your account if you're ever locked out of it. Google describes it as an optional private backup for your password.

That's a great move, because if you've lost that Post-It note and you have no idea what your password is, you'll probably have your face with you to be able to unlock via the camera on any device.

Of course, there are huge privacy fears here, as this means Google is storing your literal face which provides access to your account. But the tech giant emphasises that it can be deleted at any time and it's only used for signing in.

Security assurances

There will be lots of security to keep it protected and if you're locked out, you'll be tasked with recording another video, with movements to prove that it's live, which will be compared to your face on record.

There's an interesting detail in Google's wording too, with the firm saying: "It’s used only for helping you sign in, unless you opt to share it for additional purposes."

There's no word on what those additional purposes are.

Google already loves faces: it was first to bring facial recognition to the Nest Hello in 2018 – as Familiar Faces – so it could announce who was at the door and it still uses that system in Nest cameras now. It also likes to link Google Photos to faces so it's easy to find people.

But I'm still interested in what "additional purposes" there might be. I'd love to be able to sign in with a video selfie on new devices rather than tapping in my randomised password every time.

On my first attempt to access the new service I was told that selfie video was not available for my account, so it's not exactly clear how this will roll out.

I’ve tested many coffee machines in my time as T3’s Home Editor, but I’ve never seen an espresso maker like this before. The Flair Classic was originally launched in 2016, but as of late 2025, Flair has updated it with a pressure gauge, a stainless brew cylinder, and two portafilters.

Dubbed the first lever espresso maker, the Flair Classic works in a similar way to an Aeropress but on a larger scale. Unlike the Aeropress which has a small, cylindrical design, the Flair Classic looks like something out of a DT classroom, with a simple yet innovative lever system that requires a little bit of elbow grease.

Made from cast aluminium and stainless steel, the Flair Classic espresso machine makes barista-style espresso using a manual lever system – no electronics required. To ‘pull’ a shot of espresso, you simply add ground coffee to a portafilter before adding it to the brew base. Next, you add the brew cylinder on top and pour in boiling water.

Now for my favourite part – and the reason why I’m desperate to try the Flair Classic – you insert the piston and pressure gauge before pushing down the lever to extract your coffee. This should make a 40ml shot of espresso with crema. All the parts are removable from the main brewing head or base, so it’s easy to use and clean afterwards.

One of the main updates to the upgraded Flair Classic is its portafilters. It now comes with a bottomless 2-in-1 portafilter and a flow control portafilter to offer users more control over their coffee. The former comes in black and is designed for advanced baristas, and the latter is red and is for use with pre-ground coffee, making it better suited for beginners.

As I said before, I’ve tested my fair share of coffee machines, including bean-to-cup, pod, drip and more, and the Flair Classic is the most intriguing espresso maker I’ve ever seen. While it might look a bit too high tech at first, the Flair Classic is easy to get on with, and is a fun change from all the automatic and semi-automatic machines on the market.

The upgraded Flair Classic is available to buy for £169 / $159 at Flair.

Shark Beauty has upgraded its award-winning CryoGlow LED face mask, adding improved LED coverage and better battery performance. The new CryoGlow Plus features 560 LEDs compared to the original's 480, whilst battery performance has been boosted by around 75%.

The new Shark CryoGlow Plus also arrives in two fresh colourways – Pastel Berry and Pastel Dusk. Following this launch, the mask will be available in eight different colour options, which fits with SharkNinja's usual approach of offering its products in a wide variety of shades.

It isn't available to buy just yet, but it will launch for £339.99 via Shark's website and selected retailers, with deliveries starting from 29th July. For comparison, the original model is now available from around £250, making it a cheaper option if you don't need the latest upgrades.

The original Shark CryoGlow achieved five stars in our full review back in 2024 and went on to win Best LED Face Mask at the T3 Awards 2025, so expectations are high for this updated version.

Aside from the new features, the CryoGlow Plus remains very similar to the original model. It still includes the same Better Ageing, Blemish Repair and Skin Sustain LED modes, alongside Shark's InstaChill Cold Technology, which uses three adjustable cooling levels to soothe the under-eye area.

G-Shock has unveiled a particularly eye-catching take on its classic DW-6900, created with Bay Area rapper Larry June and his lifestyle brand, Midnight Organic.

The limited-edition G-Shock DW6900MO26-4 is finished almost entirely in bright orange.

The colour comes from the custom interior of June’s 1987 Chevrolet C4 Corvette, which he calls “Tropical Guts”.

June reportedly bought the car for just $3,500 (~£2,628 / €3,079 / AU$5,014) in 2018 after spotting it parked beside a road in Pacifica, California.

Its stock silver and grey metallic exterior contrasts with the vivid orange cabin, making it one of the most recognisable symbols of the rapper’s self-described “laid-back luxury” lifestyle.

G-Shock has translated that combination to the watch with metallic elements around the dial and a silver-coloured metal keeper inspired by the Corvette’s exterior.

The resin bezel and strap supply a considerable helping of orange.

It is based on the familiar DW-6900 silhouette, complete with the model’s three circular indicators and oversized front-mounted light button.

Midnight Organic branding appears above the display, while “1991” is printed prominently along the strap.

A feel-good surprise hidden in the display

There are more collaborative details around the stainless-steel case back, including an engraving with Midnight Organic’s circular “1991 – You’re Doing Good” emblem.

Pressing the light button also illuminates the display with a custom red “Good Job!” message.

The watch is supplied in equally bright special-edition packaging decorated with Midnight Organic branding and the same “You’re Doing Good” artwork.

The watch itself offers shock resistance, water resistance to 200 metres, a 1/100-second stopwatch, countdown timer, multifunction alarm and a Super Illuminator LED backlight. Both 12- and 24-hour time formats are supported.

“I’ve been collecting G-Shocks for years, so it was special to see the process and be able to design my own watch,” June said.

The G-Shock DW6900MO26-4 is priced at $170 (~£128 / €150 / AU$244). Sales begin through Midnight Organic on 24 July, before availability expands to G-Shock’s US website, its SoHo store and selected retailers on 31 July.

G-Shock has not announced UK, EU and AU pricing or availability.

Are we past the nepo-baby era? By that I don't mean are we now fine with them, but I am curious as to whether people still care as much about the whole concept. Rightly or wrongly, it seems clear that they're here to stay, and Netflix's latest movie is a great example of that – starring none other than Adam Sandler's daughter in the lead role.

To do her proper justice, though, it's Sunny Sandler (what a name), and this isn't exactly her first rodeo. She's had roles in multiple of her dad's movies over the years, including You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah recently, and a small part in Happy Gilmore 2. Now she's the lead in Don't Say Good Luck, which looks like a very different proposition.

The first key point is that the movie doesn't star Adam Sandler – it's a totally fresh project, and Sunny Sandler seems to be the key to it. She plays Sophie Birenbaum, a high schooler going through all the regular stress of school life, as she tries to get a role in the school musical without making a fool of herself.

The real meat of the emotion in the movie, though, comes from the fact that Sophie's mum (Melanie Lynskey) gets what sounds like a cancer diagnosis. That's a devastating turn, and it clearly rocks her dad (Max Greenfield) too, as you'd expect. Sophie's attempts to maintain some normality while dealing with this traumatic process will clearly be pretty emotional to behold.

In fact, this first trailer makes the movie look incredibly sweet, and full of that adolescent lack of confidence that can be so affecting to watch when it's done right. Sunny Sandler might be in this position because of her father's fame (that's quite hard to argue with, to be honest), but from the glimpses we see here, she's clearly going to be quite a performer in her own right.

Plus, she might have the bravery to do what her dad did and pick some weird projects – that's the only way to end up in something magical like Punch-Drunk Love, after all. I'm not saying Don't Say Good Luck is in that bracket, but it'll be interesting to see how it's received. It hits Netflix on 14 August.

RingConn first announced its third-generation smart ring at CES 2026, but the ring is finally available to buy. There’s a special partnership running over the summer, too.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as well as RingConn’s own fifth birthday, RingConn has partnered with Warner Bros Home Entertainment for a campaign based on being an “Everyday Hero”.

US customers who currently buy a RingConn Gen 3 will receive a Lord of the Rings-themed charging case pouch (you need to be one of the first 3,500 buyers). And if you don’t make it into those first few thousand, you’ll get a digital movie code to redeem any three films from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.

What features does the RingConn Gen 3 offer?

In terms of the smart ring itself, its headline feature is vascular health tracking, coupled with smart vibration alerts, next-generation sensing and up to 14 days of battery life.

For vascular health tracking, you’ll see a sliding scale between Stable, Slight and Noticeable, determined by the ring monitoring nighttime patterns, daily habits, and manual inputs.

In terms of the vibration alerts, the RingConn Gen 3 directly vibrates on your finger to flag health alerts, sedentary reminders and low battery in a bid to reduce reliance on phone notifications.

With vibrations turned off, the battery life is claimed to be two weeks, which would be the latest Oura Ring 5, though with them turned on, you’re looking at between 10 and 12 days.

Elsewhere, the titanium ring offers sleep apnea pattern insights, women's cycle predictions and continuous tracking of SpO2, respiratory rate, skin temperature and stress, all without a subscription. It ships in five finishes, spans sizes 6 to 15, and comes with a new universal wireless charging case.

If you want to be in with a chance of getting one of those LOTR pouches though, you had better get a wriggle on. Prices start at $349 on the RingConn website.

Watch out, Echo Hub – Shelly has just launched its new smart wall display to the UK market. The Shelly Wall Display X1i is a centralised smart home hub in the form of a 4-inch high-resolution colour display which is easy to install and can even replace your home’s light switches.

Founded in 2018, Shelly is still a relatively new smart home brand, but it’s seriously expanded into all categories within the sector. Its range of sensors, switches, dimmers, smart plugs and more offer an affordable way to upgrade your home into a smart one.

Having a centralised smart hub for all your devices is paramount to keeping your home running smoothly. While you can achieve this by apps, a smart speaker or display, sometimes a dedicated hub makes things that much easier, and this is what Shelly has become known for.

Shelly previously launched its Wall Display XL in late 2025. Measuring 6.5-inches, it was a pretty sizable device that took up a lot of wall space. Shelly’s newer model, the Wall Display X1i offers much of the same features and functionality but in a smaller 4-inch size.

Available in black or silver, the Shelly Wall Display X1i is designed to fit standard European flush-mount wall boxes so it’s easy to install and doesn’t look like an eyesore. It can even replace your traditional light switches, which is especially helpful if you have smart lights already set up around your home.

The Shelly Wall Display X1i connects your smart home devices together and keeps them in one central place. Powered by an ultra-fast quad-core processor, it has a built-in relay for direct control of lighting and appliances, and it responds quickly and smoothly.

Within the Shelly Wall Display X1i are proximity, luminosity and gesture sensors, so the hub responds naturally to you and what’s happening around your house. For example, it can trigger automations when it notices changing conditions in a room, like temperature fluctuations.

The display itself is all colour, and the home screen can be personalised with shortcuts. Aside from customising your devices, the Shelly Wall Display X1i also monitors your energy consumption to help you save on your household bills.

Alongside its new smart control panel, Shelly has also launched the new Shelly BLU Motion ZB, its latest smart sensor. Both devices can be used together to make your smart home automations more seamless.

As a wireless motion sensor, the Shelly BLU Motion ZB detects movement and ambient light levels using PIR technology. This allows the sensor to respond quickly to changes and notify the display which then makes adjustments or starts automations if necessary.

The Shelly BLU Motion ZB comes with Bluetooth and Zigbee connectivity, and it’s powered by a CR2477 battery which allows it to operate for up to five years without needing to be replaced. It can sit on surfaces or be mounted on walls via its mounting pad, so installation is easy, too.

Both smart devices are available to buy now, with the Shelly Wall Display X1i priced at £162, and the Shelly BLU Motion ZB costing £18. The former is a similar price to the Echo Hub which goes for £169.99, so there’s not a huge cost difference.

However, if you don’t fancy diving into the Amazon ecosystem just yet, the Shelly Wall Display X1i is a great – and simpler – alternative.

Amazon has issued an update to its Alexa+ assistant that will allow it to connect with more smart home devices than ever before. The update expands Alexa+'s compatibility with products from brands including Bosch, Delta, Ecovacs, Sonoff, Govee, iRobot, Twinkly, Yale Home, Whirlpool, Tapo and Eufy, with the AI assistant also able to automatically route requests to the right device.

With the new update, customers can simply describe what they want to do, and Alexa+ will map the request to the relevant device and feature. Alexa+ will also learn your preferences and suggest Routines that make better use of your connected devices.

The update comes just days after Amazon rolled out Alexa+ via Alexa.com in the UK, allowing users to access the assistant directly from their browser. Together, these updates are expanding both who can access Alexa+ and what it can actually do.

Alexa+'s ability to interact with third-party services is also set to improve. Since Amazon launched its revamped AI assistant earlier this year, its integrations have been relatively limited, with existing support for services including Ticketmaster, OpenTable, Uber, Thumbtack, Expedia, Yelp, Square and Angi.

Now, Amazon is looking to expand those capabilities by adopting the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open-source standard that allows AI models to connect with external systems and tools. This should make it easier for more companies to build integrations with Alexa+, with Canva, Headspace, Priceline, Lyft, Cengage, Virgin Atlantic and Weekend, among others, expected to launch support later this year.

Finally, Alexa+ is getting an update related to payments, with Amazon Wallet allowing customers to check out using the payment method already saved to their Amazon account. Brands including Atom Tickets, Cengage, Fandango, Priceline and Taskrabbit plan to build task-completion experiences with Amazon Wallet this year.

For the last couple of months, there have been no end of reports on the rumoured iPhone Ultra. We’ve seen everything from dummy leaks to give us an idea of what it could look like, to specification rumours to let us know what we can expect in terms of things like screen sizes.

Most reports of late haven’t focused on whether Apple will launch a folding phone (that much appears to be clear) but on when. And there have been a few about its release date, with claims that could be significantly delayed, slightly delayed, or barely delayed at all.

Will the iPhone Ultra be delayed, or won't it?

Now it seems to be been flipped again. A report on DigiTimes (via 9to5Mac) suggests the delay could be back on.

DigiTimes writes that “Foxconn is now carrying out 'final mass-production adjustments' for the device”, which could lead to "production hurdles".

However, there is nothing in the report to confirm whether those adjustments are routine or an issue. So unfortunately, we are back to things being a little up in the air.

We're choosing to look at this positively though.

Samsung has just announced its latest folding phones, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a new, wider format. It is widely thought this new shape will be showcased on the iPhone Ultra too, offering a squarer phone when folded and an iPad mini-like aspect when unfolded.

So with Samsung having put its marker down, all eyes are now on Apple and what it will bring to the folding phone space. Sure, the phone might release a little later than the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro XL, to give those devices a chance to sell, but we suspect the “final mass-production adjustments” won’t stop us seeing a folding iPhone this year.

If it is indeed on the cards.

Zara is best known for quickly turning fashion trends into clothing you can find on almost any high street.

Its latest release, however, isn't something you can try in a changing cubicle.

The Spanish retailer is now selling a fully fledged car rooftop tent for £3,300 (~$4,397 / €3,865 / AU$6,292), complete with an aluminium shell, built-in mattress and telescopic ladder.

It is available through Zara Home in the UK and looks every bit as Zara-like as a rooftop tent possibly could.

Finished in beige and earthy brown, with a slim black frame and sparse branding, the tent resembles something from an unusually expensive outdoor editorial.

Even the product photography features an old Land Rover Defender parked in an idyllic mountain setting.

Looks aside, the tent appears to be a serious piece of camping equipment.

The wedge-shaped tent opens to provide a 260 x 144cm interior, with a maximum height of 125cm, and has space for two people, side mesh windows, a front opening and a ladder that extends to 230cm.

It even comes with a fitted mattress, an internal USB-powered light strip, a protective case, mounting hardware, tools and assembly instructions.

Peak Zara

The £3,300 price is not entirely unheard of for an aluminium rooftop tent, but the price certainly makes the shelter one of the more expensive models in the category

For comparison, the two-to-three-person Thule Approach M costs £2,400, while TentBox offers several models for considerably less. Even the four-person TentBox Lite XL currently costs around £1,900.

The remote-operated Dometic TRT120E tent, which recently won the T3 Awards 2026 in the Best Tent category and goes up in a matter of minutes on its own, costs less than half as much at £1,400.

At the premium end, Thule’s aluminium Widesky sits in a similar price bracket and adds features including rapid opening and a built-in sofa configuration.

Zara’s listing, meanwhile, provides no waterproof rating, wind-resistance figure or warranty details specific to the tent.

There are also some important limitations to note. The tent has a maximum load of 150kg despite being designed for two people, and Zara says the vehicle must have a dynamic roof-load capacity of between 70 and 100kg.

Still, practicality may be beside the point. Zara previously tapped into the supershoe trend with an extraordinarily tall running shoe; now it has apparently discovered overlanding.

At least this time, the high stack sits on top of your car.

The aptly named Car Roof Tent is available to buy at Zara UK.

Jaeger-LeCoultre has just expanded its Rendez-Vous collection with two new timepieces, designed with feminine elegance in mind. While the new Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day will draw all the attention with its intricate hand-painted dial, the Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute is the one that’s got me excited – and it might have finally changed my mind about women’s watches.

The Rendez-Vous collection by Jaeger-LeCoultre first debuted back in 2012, its dedicated collection of fine mechanical women’s watches. The models in the line-up come in smaller sizes between 29mm to 36mm to cater to smaller wrists, and typically feature hand-guilloché dials and diamond details.

The new Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day has kept these features with its multi-layed dial featuring a miniature hand-painting in lacquer. Limited to just 10 pieces, the watch measures 34mm and sits in a platinum 950 collection which is a first to the Rendez-Vous range.

The bezel of the case is set with 49 baguette-cut diamonds that sparkles around the painted dial. Described as an ‘ode to nature’, the dial of the Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day features an Asian Paradise Flycatcher which sits on a branch with Korean Dogwood blossom.

If you look just beneath the bird, there’s a disc which has a 24 hour day and night display. It rotates every 24 hours to show the transition from the sun to the moon. It’s also been meticulously hand-painted.

Oversized numerals sit atop the hand-painted disc, and they differ in size with 12 being the largest, and nine and three shrinking to the side. It sits atop the miniature painting which is separate from the dial with an oval ring that has grain-set diamonds dotted around it.

Powered by the Calibre 733 movement, the Rendez-Vous Jewellery Night & Day has a rotor that’s crafted from 22kt gold. It’s finished with a blue alligator strap to match the main colour of the dial.

My favourite launch from the new Rendez-Vous collection is the updated Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute. Now available in steel or 18kt pink gold, the new watch has a refined, minimalist style that sits in a small 29mm case.

The new Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute is very simple, just displaying the hour and minutes on the dial. It keeps the signature Rendez-Vous Floral numerals, and it has a light sunray guilloché texture. The case and bezel are smooth and sans diamonds, but there are small diamonds that loop around the dial that also act as hour markers.

The steel version of the Rendez-Vous Hour-Minute has black numerals, blue hands and a snow-white dial, while the pink gold model matches in colour with the case, hour markers and hands. The watch also comes with metal or alligator leather straps. It’s powered by the Quartz Calibre 657 movement, and prices start at £6,800.

Kapten & Son has launched its lightest backpack to date, combining a packable design with enough protection and storage for everyday technology.

Founded in Münster in 2014 and now headquartered in Cologne, Kapten & Son is a German lifestyle brand that began with minimalist watches before expanding into backpacks, luggage, eyewear and clothing.

The new Åre Daypack Lite weighs 700g, meaning it is less than half the weight of the current 15-inch MacBook Air, which tips the scales at 1.51kg.

Despite that difference, the backpack has a padded compartment large enough to accommodate Apple’s portable computer.

The bag is not only spacious, but its soft construction also allows the Åre Daypack Lite to pack flat inside a suitcase.

This makes it particularly suitable as a secondary bag for holidays and work trips, providing something more substantial than the flimsy drawstring bags often sold as packable daypacks.

The 13-litre main compartment is accessed through a fold-open front panel, while two mesh bottle pockets provide additional storage.

There are also several internal compartments, including mesh and zipped pockets for organising smaller items.

Light work

Although Kapten & Son describes the Åre Daypack Lite as ultralight, there are lighter hiking backpacks available.

Patagonia’s similarly sized Terravia Pack 14L, for example, weighs approximately 471g.

However, the Åre includes several features normally found on heavier commuter and travel bags.

These include a breathable padded back panel, adjustable padded shoulder straps, a chest strap and an integrated sleeve for securing it to a suitcase handle.

A concealed anti-theft pocket provides somewhere to keep a passport or wallet, while an included rain cover offers additional protection when the water-repellent outer material encounters heavier downpours.

The backpack is constructed from 90% recycled PET and 10% polyester, and measures 42 x 28.5 x 13.5cm. Kapten & Son also describes the design as vegan.

The Åre Daypack Lite is available now at Kapten & Son for £99.90 / €99.90 (~$114 / AU$163) in All Black, Taupe and Muted Rose colourways.

Expanding its ever-growing line-up, Ring has just announced two new outdoor security cameras with its simplest installation yet. The standout from the new launches is the Peephole Camera 2K which can be easily set-up on your existing peephole without any drilling required, an option that renters are sure to love.

Starting with the Ring Outdoor Camera (2nd Gen), this new model has 2K video resolution and up to 6x Enhanced Zoom, a feature Ring is slowly but steadily adding to its range of cameras and video doorbells. Available in wired and battery versions, the Ring Outdoor Camera (2nd Gen) has a wide angle lens that covers 140 degrees horizontally and 85 degrees vertically for enhanced views.

The Ring Outdoor Camera (2nd Gen) keeps its 2K resolution throughout the day and into the night, so you can clearly see who’s at your property, even in low light. For low light conditions, the camera shows everything in true colour and automatically switches to black and white night vision when it gets dark.

With similar looks to the Ring Outdoor Camera Plus, the Ring Outdoor Camera (2nd Gen) can be installed anywhere with its mount. This camera also comes with the usual Ring features like live view, two-way talk, motion detection and privacy zones which are available in the Ring app.

The second – and in my opinion, the most impressive – launch from Ring is the Ring Peephole Camera 2K. If you live in rented accommodation or a flat, this camera gives you the chance to add technology and an extra layer of security to your front door without any fussy or permanent installation.

The Ring Peephole Camera 2K looks like a video doorbell with its long triangle shape, and it kind of acts like one, too. It has a camera at the top with Retinal 2K resolution and 6x Enhanced Zoom, and a button just beneath it which visitors can press to talk to you, thanks to Ring’s live view and two-way talk features.

The best part of the Ring Peephole Camera 2K is its easy to set up. There’s no drilling required or cables required as it’s a wireless model with a quick release rechargeable battery. To install it, you just unscrew your existing peephole and install the camera – that’s it!

When you move, you can just reverse the installation and take the Ring Peephole Camera 2K with you to your next place. It’ll need to be ‘compatible’ with your existing peephole which Ring states needs to be from 12mm to 14mm in size, and for doors between 32.5mm and 60mm.

The Ring Peephole Camera 2K also comes with motion detection and 140 degree horizontal and vertical views, so it should be able to see down to your doorstep.

The Ring Outdoor Camera (2nd Gen) is available to pre-order now at Amazon for £99.99 with expected shipping dates from 12th August. The Ring Peephole Camera 2K arrives slightly later on 19th August and will cost £79.99. As of writing, US pricing hasn’t been announced, but the prices are usually quite similar.

Xbox is testing a way to provide cloud gaming access for free, without the need for Game Pass membership. It is ad-supported and allows Xbox gamers to access their own library of games on different devices at no extra cost.

Initially available to Xbox Insiders with an Xbox account, the service is currently limited. It allows play in one hour sessions and you'll have to sit through adverts before each game starts, but the core experience is then uninterrupted.

Any Xbox gamer can join the Insider program to be part of the test, you just need to download the Xbox Insider Hub on your Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One or Windows PC and follow the sign-up instructions.

As this is not part of Xbox Game Pass, you won't have access to games outside those you've already purchased and own. You might also find that some of your games are unsupported, but Xbox is adding new games to the list all the time, so you might find additional titles become available over time.

Xbox free cloud gaming test – other details

It's also worth remembering that this is just a viability test for now – there's no guarantee that Xbox will continue to offer the service in future. However, it believes that there is a need for a free service for users who cannot easily access a console or PC.

It could also help Xbox One owners who are yet to upgrade play enhanced Xbox Series X/S games on their consoles.

The adverts that will be shown have been carefully vetted, the company claims, to ensure they meet the correct standards. They will also be "what players expect on each platform".

If you are an Xbox Insider and do not currently subscribe to an Xbox Game Pass tier that includes cloud gaming, you should be able to help test the ad-supported service now. It'll be available for a "limited period", although it's currently unclear how long that will be.

Amazon has followed Netflix by adding games to its Prime Video service, but it's raced ahead in quality and quantity. That's because the new "Games" tab on the Prime Video app gives you direct access to its ever-growing library of Luna games.

That means you will be able to play the likes of the multiple award-winning Dispatch, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, EA Sports FC 26, and the Harry Potterverse RPG Hogwart's Legacy for free, straight from Prime Video itself.

Luna is Amazon's cloud gaming service, which gives all Amazon Prime members access to a catalogue of console and PC quality games to stream over the internet. The game is run on remote hardware with the video feed streamed to your TV, while the controller codes are sent in the opposite direction.

There's a small amount of lag (latency) in comparison with playing directly on a PS5, for example, but everything is still very playable. All you need is a Bluetooth controller connected wirelessly and away you go.

Some of the games can even be played using a mobile phone or tablet as the controller, including an expanding selection of party games for family and friends to enjoy together.

That includes the new season of Courtroom Chaos, with Arnold Schwazenegger as the judge.

Other games available on the platform include some of Amazon's own properties, such as the most recent Tomb Raider trilogy. Fallout 4 is also available, to complement the TV series on Prime Video.

The Games tab is now available on Fire TV models in the UK and US, with a wider rollout coming "in the months ahead".

Hopefully that will include Prime Video apps on TVs and streaming devices from other manufacturers. As things stand, you can play Luna games through a browser on most devices by heading to the dedicated website.

This week on The Gadget Show Podcast, it's all about Samsung – which revealed its latest folding phones at its Unpacked showcase.

T3's Tech Editor, Mike Lowe, was at the event and took time out of the schedule to talk with Jason about the new products – and why this year could be the biggest for foldables yet.

The headline-grabber is the Galaxy Z Fold 8, given its new aspect ratio, but Samsung also revealed the 'business-like' Z Fold 8 Ultra (an update over the Z Fold 7) and 'trendy' Z Flip 8 (which updates the Z Flip 7).

Watch the full episode of The Gadget Show Podcast below or watch on YouTube.

• Check out The Gadget Show's YouTube channel for more

Your favourite lifestyle tech publication, T3, has partnered with the legendary TV and YouTube sensation that is The Gadget Show.

T3 has celebrated its print magazine's 30th birthday this year, while T3.com continues to grow and reach wider audiences year on year.

Over the coming weeks, we'll be bringing you all the latest news on tech and gaming from Jason Bradbury, Suzi Perry and members of the T3 team.

What is The Gadget Show?

The Gadget Show launched in 2004 on Channel 5 in the UK and has delivered previews and reviews of the latest gadgets since.

With a range of presenters and formats over the years, the new podcast sees the return of the original duo Jason Bradbury and Suzi Perry in a weekly episode, hosted on its YouTube channel.

It's worth subscribing and liking their weekly videos – and, of course, returning to T3.com to see other members of the team talk over the latest tech with The Gadget Show team.

Philips Hue could be about to launch a giant smart lounge table, despite initially being revealed as an April Fools' joke. According to Fabian from Hueblog, the massive lounge table has appeared multiple times in video footage from Capital Markets Day 2026, where the rumoured Hue Play Screen Sync Camera was also spotted.

From the few glimpses we've seen, the lounge table appears to be designed for outdoor use, with a power cord clearly visible in the footage. That means it won't be portable like the standard Hue Go 2.0, but it's a small detail that adds more credibility to the rumours. After all, why would Philips Hue include a visible power cable on a product that was supposedly only intended as a joke?

Signify has since edited the video, removing almost all of the sections that showed products that haven't yet been officially announced. However, the image used as the cover for the article is still online, whilst another brief glimpse of the product can also be spotted for just a second in the video.

Fabian has also reportedly heard that the launch was originally planned for spring but was later postponed. Hopefully, we'll get some more concrete information in September at IFA, where Philips Hue is expected to unveil several new products.

IFA 2025 saw one of the biggest Philips Hue launches in years, including the long-awaited Hue Bridge Pro, so it remains to be seen whether this year's event will be quite as exciting. However, if the giant smart table does make an appearance, it would certainly be one of the more unexpected products we've seen from the brand.

Chinese car maker XPeng has revealed the L03, a coupe-SUV aimed to deliver supercar styling in a practical package, and with the choice of being a full EV or range-extender hybrid.

There’s no price or exact release date yet – and not much in the way of specification, either – but XPeng says the L03 is coming to 65 global markets at once, including the UK.

The car represents XPeng’s “In Europe, for Europe” design approach, and comes from a team led by JuanMa Lopez, former Ferrai exterior design chief. Expected to sit below the XPeng G6, the L03 is a little smaller and with a sleeker, more tapered roof line.

There are hints of Polestar and Porsche all over the exterior, while the interior will be familiar to anyone who has spent time in a G6 (XPeng, that is, not Gulfstream). It’s a minimal cabin with lots of clean surfaces, a letterbox-shaped display behind the steering wheel, and a large, 15.6-inch central touchscreen for the infotainment system.

XPeng says there are 37 separate storage spaces spread across the cabin, so good luck finding your sunglasses, and what’s described as “generous cargo capacity”. The L03 also benefits from “immersive ambient lighting, intelligent climate control and lounge-style seating”.

There’s no news on power, range or performance, but XPeng says the L03 will be available as both a full EV and a range-extender hybrid, called the L03 Power X. The latter will see an electric drivetrain joined by a small engine used as an onboard generator to add power into the battery and increase the overall range.

Since it sits below the G6, the L03 is expected to use a 400-volt electric architecture (instead of the G6’s 800-volt setup), and while battery capacities haven’t been confirmed, a choice of 58 kWh and 71 kWh is expected, with range figures likely landing in the region of 270 to 320 miles for the EV, and around double that for the range-extender variant.

While the official range remains under wraps, XPeng is keen to talk about the L03’s computing power. It says the car uses a system called Next Generation Pilot, which is based on a “physical-world foundation model” that XPeng plans to roll out progressively through Europe in 2027.

The company explains: “Unlike conventional [Advanced Driver Assistance Systems] that focus on individual driving assistance functions, XPeng NGP (VLA 2.0) is designed to understand and navigate highly complex real-world driving scenarios, bringing intelligent driving closer to how humans perceive and respond to the road.”

The L03’s intelligence comes from a trio of XPeng’s own Turing AI Chips that deliver up to a combined 2,250 TOPS of computing power.

Standing for Trillions of Operations per Second, that TOPS figure is significant, given how cars like the Tesla Model X, Polestar 3 and Lotus Eletre run at about 500 TOPS. Mercedes’ MB.OS has a figure of around 1,000 TOPS, while JLR says its next-generation vehicle system with Nvidia Drive Thor also runs at up to 2,250 TOPS. For context, an iPhone 16 Pro runs at 35 TOPS.

As well as driver assistance, all that power is also used to run the L03’s new intelligent cockpit experience, with a new operating system called XOS 6. This features a next-generation AI voice assistant, which XPeng says has been rebuilt to support more natural conversations, contextual understanding and “seamless multilingual interaction”.

XPeng added: “Rather than responding only to commands, the system can interpret user intent and intelligently adjust vehicle functions accordingly, creating a more intuitive and human-centred cockpit experience. The new capabilities will be introduced to users through future OTA updates.”

Nike ACG has unveiled a new trail-running collection inspired by the landscape surrounding Chamonix, the birthplace of modern mountaineering and the home of UTMB, admittedly one of the most popular ultra-trail running events in the world.

The new range transforms the colours and textures of the French Alps into an unusually convincing camouflage print.

Chamo Camo stretches across five of Nike’s trail-running shoes, including the ACG Ultrafly, ACG Zegama Trail, Pegasus Trail, Wildhorse and Terra Kiger.

Each receives a layered grey and green pattern informed by the granite, limestone and sandstone formations found around Mont Blanc, alongside the region’s forests, vegetation and lichen.

The result is considerably subtler than conventional military-style camouflage.

Nike says the inspiration for the pattern came from how the landscape changes between dawn and dusk, helping the products blend into the terrain that inspired them.

Hide and peak

Chamo Camo will also feature across the All Conditions Racing Department’s athlete race kit and a wider collection of men’s and women’s apparel.

The range includes Dri-FIT ADV singlets, distance tops, race shorts, tights and warm-up layers.

Nike has also applied the pattern to clothing featuring its Aero-FIT Radical AirFlow technology, which uses a highly open structure to promote airflow during hot-weather exercise.

Retail pieces include trail-running tanks, Solar Chase tops, lined shorts and graphic T-shirts, allowing runners to recreate the coordinated race-day look without necessarily heading off to compete in the Alps.

The launch arrives as Nike continues to reposition ACG as a serious performance-outdoor brand.

Its expanding footwear line now covers everything from technical trail racing to cushioned ultramarathon running and lightweight hiking.

Nike hasn’t formally labelled Chamo Camo as a UTMB collection, but its Chamonix inspiration and summer launch leave little doubt about the mountain-running moment it is targeting.

The Nike ACG Chamo Camo collection launches on 29 July at Nike US, with availability through selected ACG retailers.

The ACG Zegama Trail Chamo Camo is priced at $180 (~£135 / €158 / AU$258) in the US, while UK, EU and AU pricing has yet to be confirmed.

Samsung Galaxy Watch users will soon be able to access Strava Routes on their wrist through Samsung Health, thanks to a significant expansion of the two companies’ partnership.

Strava will be pre-installed on new Galaxy Watches sold globally, beginning with the latest Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

Buyers of either smartwatch will also receive a 60-day trial of Strava’s subscription service, which unlocks a complete selection of premium training and route-planning features.

More importantly, Strava Routes will be integrated natively into Samsung Health later this year, giving you on-wrist access to routes created through Strava without relying solely on the separate Strava watch app.

Strava and Samsung haven’t fully explained how the integration will work, including whether routes will synchronise automatically or which older Galaxy Watch models, such as the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, will be supported.

However, the companies say the Samsung Health integration will begin rolling out globally to Galaxy Watch users in the coming months.

Finding a better way around

Strava Routes uses activity data from the company’s enormous user community to generate courses suited to different sports, distances and preferences.

Strava Premium subscribers can also create their own routes and download them for navigation in areas without a reliable data connection.

The feature could make Galaxy Watch more competitive with outdoor watches from brands such as Garmin, Suunto and Coros, where route creation, synchronisation and on-wrist navigation are already important parts of the experience.

Its arrival is particularly timely after Strava expanded its hiking tools in June.

The recent update introduced improved route planning, navigation and trail-discovery features, reflecting the company’s efforts to become more useful beyond running and cycling.

Samsung is also placing greater emphasis on personalised fitness services across its wearable ecosystem.

Alongside the Strava announcement, the company revealed that iFIT’s Tailor personal trainer will use sleep, heart-rate and recovery information recorded by Galaxy Watch to generate adaptive workouts through Samsung Health.

The two integrations arrive with the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

The Watch9 is Samsung’s everyday health-focused model, while the Ultra2 adds an 800mAh battery, trail-running metrics, hydration guidance and support for recreational diving.

Strava says the Routes integration is the first of several improvements planned for Samsung users, although it hasn’t revealed what will follow.

Strava Routes requires a paid subscription once the complimentary 60-day trial has ended.

Read more about the integration at Strava.

Samsung is adding an AI-powered personal trainer to Samsung Health that can turn data collected by a Galaxy Watch into personalised workouts and weekly training plans.

Created through a partnership with connected-fitness company iFIT, the new feature combines Samsung’s health and recovery insights with iFIT Tailor, the brand's AI fitness coach.

Tailor builds training plans around your goals, current fitness, workout history, available time and location.

According to the company, it can recommend anything from strength and HIIT sessions to cycling, yoga, Pilates and mindfulness, drawing on workouts created by iFIT’s team of 180 trainers.

The feature can also continually adjust its recommendations as you complete workouts, recover or change your routines.

Samsung says information already captured by Galaxy Watch, including sleep, heart rate and recovery data, will feed into its Fitness Index and help the coach decide what the user should do next.

That could make the partnership considerably more useful than a conventional library of follow-along workout videos.

A coach that travels with you

The feature can also account for where you are training and how much time you have available.

iFIT says Tailor can generate an appropriate workout for home, travelling or when you're heading out onto a trail.

Progress milestones, activity streaks and achievement recognition will of course be included to encourage consistency, while the plans will remain available through Samsung Health on compatible Galaxy devices.

Samsung and iFIT unveiled the expanded integration alongside the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

The Watch 9 is positioned as Samsung’s everyday health and fitness smartwatch, while the more rugged Ultra 2 introduces an 800mAh battery, specialised trail-running metrics, hydration guidance and support for recreational diving.

There are, however, two catches. iFIT Personal Trainer will require a paid iFIT membership and is not included as a free Samsung Health feature, although monthly and annual subscriptions will be available directly through the app.

The initial rollout will also be limited to India, South Korea and the US later this year.

Samsung and iFIT say other markets covered by their partnership will receive the feature during 2027, meaning Galaxy Watch owners in the UK will have to wait a little longer to try it.

For more information, visit iFIT.

If you've been keeping tabs on the biggest tournament this summer, you'll know that the winner has now been crowned. No, not that tournament (though congratulations, Spain).

The T3 Tech Cup has pitted 48 of the best tech products against each other since 11th June. On 19th July, the cup final saw the Antigravity A1 drone take on the mighty Leatherman Arc in an all-or-nothing final, and there was only one winner.

With nearly 250 votes cast, the Antigravity A1 took 61% of the vote and the title of T3 Tech Cup Champion. This immersive drone took flying to a new level with its 360-degree approach, and it clearly captured the imagination of our readers, so a big congratulations to the team.

In the Third Place Playoffs, the Nothing Phone (3) beat the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro 54-46, giving them the bronze medal. That puts the final standing at:

• 1st: Antigravity A1
• 2nd: Leatherman Arc
• 3rd: Nothing Phone 3

In our review of the Antigravity A1, Matt Kollat said: "The Antigravity A1 is a bold step forward for drones, delivering an immersive 360-degree flying experience that feels genuinely new. It’s expensive and niche, but also thrilling, creative and unlike anything else in the sky. If you want innovation rather than iteration, this is the drone to try."

How the T3 Tech Cup works

The T3 Tech Cup is based on the same format as the football World Cup taking place this summer. Here, instead of 48 nations from around the world, we've selected 48 of the top tech products from across the various industries T3 covers.

The format will follow the football exactly, meaning every time there's a game on TV, there's also a poll to vote on! We'll be keeping points tallies for the group stage to pick out the winners, runners-up and highest third-place finishers, which then feeds into the knockout rounds.

Planner

To celebrate the release of their 25th studio album, Foreign Tongues, The Rolling Stones have teamed with Technics for a limited edition version of the EAH-AZ100 earbuds.

We awarded the standard variant five-stars in our review last summer, saying that they "sound excellent" and improve on their predecessor in every way possible. Clearly Mick and the gang agree, as they've allowed Technics to release the buds in a special edition collector's case.

The rubberised shell features the band's Lips & Tongue logo, with each version sold also engraved with an individual serial number from 1 to 5,000. That gives you an idea of how limited these could be, with just 5,000 pairs being available worldwide.

They are priced the same as the original version though (pre-discounts), so you'll have to be quick if this is the model you fancy. You can find them on the Technics website now for £259 / €299.

What do the Technics EAH-AZ100 offer?

A true step up from the AZ80 wireless earbuds release before, the EAH-AZ100 buds feature adaptive noise cancellation and excellent battery life. They can be charged from flat to full in around two hours, but last up to 10 hours with noise cancellation switched on.

The case can expand that to 28 hours with ANC on.

Each bud sports a proprietary 10mm Magnetic Fluid Driver, which promises low distortion and accurate bass. They support spatial audio for Dolby Atmos playback, as well as Dolby Head Tracking, and you get multipoint connectivity for up to three devices with seamless switching.

Bluetooth 5.3 is on board for wireless hook-up to your phone or another device, and there's IPX4 weather and sweat proofing, so you could wear them in the gym or on a run.

The Rolling Stones x Technics buds are available now.

Ultrahuman has pushed what it calls its "biggest platform update ever" – which includes a number of new features and a redesigned app for owners of its smart rings.

Available from today, 23 July, the update introduces the "UltraSphere" a new centrepiece for the app and decision engine that helps you make fitness choices without needing to plough through your own data first.

It will generate options for you as "Next Best Actions", which you can then choose to enact. These will be based on the numerous readings from an Ultrahuman ring, including sleep, recovery, HRV, skin temperature and more.

Actions will also take into account your location and even the weather outside. So you might be advised to "get light" – ie. step outside for a few minutes – or "cut caffeine" in order to get better sleep.

Ultrahuman claims this is a more intuitive way to interact with its app, rather than having to wade through your own data and make your own plans. That's possible still, of course, but the 60-plus suggestions might cut down time and effort.

What else is added with the Ultrahuman Emerald platform update?

The update also brings a "fundamental change" to the way your Ultrahuman ring works. All processing is performed on the ring itself, so insights and Next Best Actions will be available to you when offline – such as on a plane.

There is also better workout tracking for both the Ultrahuman Ring Pro and Ring Air. It is now more accurate so should better detect your workout automatically. There are are new heart rate algorithms too.

Finally, the brand's VO₂ Max fitness marker has also been improved. The algorithm now takes into account a study by Ultrahuman of over 100 athletes.

There are a wide array of other tweaks and user experience improvements that will be found right across the updated app, but those are the headline additions and improvements.

The Emerald update is free to all Ultrahuman users.

Samsung used Galaxy Unpacked to showcase its new AI glasses (again), but it didn't go as far as telling us when we'll be able to buy them or how much they are going to cost. All we know is that they are still on track for 2026, launching "this fall".

Samsung, Google and Qualcomm announced they were getting together to work on XR devices in 2023. While Qualcomm provides the chip to power these devices, Android supplies the platform – Android XR – with Samsung building the devices themselves.

That's resulted in the Galaxy XR headset, but it's also powering a new wave of AI glasses – what Samsung currently calls "Intelligent Eyewear". That starts with audio glasses, before moving into display glasses at some point in the future.

To nail down the design of these glasses, Samsung worked with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, so these aren't generic Samsung-branded glasses. They come with a name that some will recognise and will, ultimately, have a range of styles to choose from.

Google stole Samsung's thunder to a certain extent, previously revealing the glasses at Google I/O earlier in the year, mostly as a way of pushing the Android XR platform's progress.

At Unpacked, the AI glasses had a little time on stage, showing how they would slot into the Galaxy ecosystem, offering access to Google's Gemini for AI tasks, while in partnership with the Galaxy phone in your pocket and Galaxy Watch on your wrist.

These glasses are powered by the Snapdragon AR1 Gen1 chip, with Samsung suggesting that they will be able to do things like summarise meeting notes on a whiteboard, provide live translation, give real time information and route guidance, while also sharing and recording what they can see.

Samsung confirmed that the glasses will offer nine hours of battery life, beating Meta's eight hour claim.

Privacy concerns mount when it comes to smart glasses

While AI glasses have seen a huge boom in popularity with influencers and online content creators, they are also getting the attention of lawmakers, with concerns about privacy and surveillance. Filming using the camera is generally only indicated by a small LED on the front of the glasses.

Meta is facing a lawsuit over such concerns, in fact, and the European Parliament is also looking into privacy risks.

Samsung's own plans for smart glasses have been confusing to date, and when I asked what the go-to market name would be for the glasses, I was told that that hadn't been announced yet. Some believe that Samsung will release its own Galaxy AI glasses separate to the Warby Parker and Gentle Monster models that have come out of this collaboration.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked introduced a slew of new folding phones, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8 which already appears to be winning fans, along with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and refreshed Galaxy Z Flip 8.

Apple is planning to refresh all of the Mac models that it offers, with an onslaught of updates planned for the latter half of 2026 and into 2027. That's going to include new M6 chips in some models, as well as the introduction of an OLED model that supports touch.

We've previously reported on Apple's plans for a high-end MacBook Pro model that could adopt the name MacBook Ultra. This is said to come in 14- and 16-inch sizes, with the internal names K114 and K116.

The launch window isn't exactly known as yet, but it's said it will be between the end of 2026 and early 2027. It's also thought to be powered by the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.

The details come from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who details that the first models to launch will be the refreshed version of the current MacBook Pro. That will see the debut of the Apple M6 chip, but the design will, in the short term, remain the same.

However, there's a replacement for the base MacBook Pro in the works too, with plans to launch this in 2027.

The staggered launch of what appears to be the same product line might be confusing, but it seems that Apple's focus is on getting the M6 into the hands of consumers, before updating the design to match the new MacBook Ultra. That might cause some who are planning an update to wait to see the new design before committing to a purchase.

Apple will also release a redesigned MacBook Air, it's claimed, which is slated for an early 2027 release.

Both 13- and 15-inch models are expected and it's said that the design "will closely resemble the current version" which some might be disappointed with. That's considering the dramatic design that the MacBook Air has offered in the past and the current likeness to the MacBook Pro.

An OLED MacBook Air is reportedly in the works, but this isn't expected until 2028.

Finally, the MacBook Neo will also be updated to keep it fresh, although plans are less certain. It's said that a model with the A19 Pro chip (which powers the iPhone 17 Pro) is in testing, but given the recent launch of the Neo, it's unlikely to appear soon. Apple will likely change the colour to retain its appeal.

Apple's desktop models are also getting updated

It's not just MacBook models that are in the frame for updates, Apple's desktop computers are also in the works. Gurman says that's going to start with refreshed iMac models, launched alongside the updated base MacBook Pro. It will likely benefit from the M6, but there's no mention of a redesign.

In the future, there are plans for an iMac with OLED display.

The Mac mini and Mac Studio are also in line for a refresh, with the M5 Pro and M6 in testing for the mini, while the Studio is testing the M5 Max and M5 Ultra. However, it's said that the supply situation makes the timeline for these updates less certain. The Mac Studio has been popular with those running AI applications, so demand is high.

That's a huge run of updated models planned by Apple, so to clarify, here's a timeline of what to expect when based on the information we have so far:

• 2026: MacBook Pro M6
• 2026: iMac M6
• 2026/2027: MacBook OLED M5 Pro, M5 Max
• 2026/2027 (?): Mac mini M5 Pro, M6
• 2026/2027 (?): Mac Studio M5 Max, M5 Ultra
• 2027: MacBook Air M6
• 2027: New MacBook Pro M7
• 2027/2028: MacBook OLED M7 Pro, M7 Max
• 2028: New MacBook Air OLED
• TBC: MacBook Neo A19 Pro

Dimplex has just launched its new eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ, and I think it could win over even the most traditional barbecuers. With its generous cooking space and high temperature range, the Dimplex eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ can cook just about anything – even a full rotisserie chicken.

When I first started testing barbecues for T3, I came up against one major issue – I didn’t have a garden. This was during the pandemic, so it was hard to get outside anyway, but I did have a small balcony which I used to my full advantage.

Despite my small outdoor space, I was pleased that between 2020 - 2022, electric barbecues finally started to get popular, despite barbecue purists' annoyance. One issue some people have with electric barbecues is they can struggle to get really hot which is what you want to get those authentic barbecue flavours and smokiness.

But the Dimplex eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ seems to have sorted this problem. This compact, portable electric barbecue can reach temperatures over 300°C to get that perfect sear, and its high hood with a warming rack means it gets hot and big enough to cook whole birds and large cuts of meat.

Using infrared technology, the Dimplex eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ has two 1100W carbon fibre infrared elements which allow it to get up to this high head. It gets up to temperature very quickly, and as there’s no flames involved, it produces less smoke, making it great for smaller gardens, balconies and patios.

The Dimplex eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ has a large 2772cm² grill area, so you can cook for plenty of people. Thanks to its heating technology, the cooking surface stays consistently hot across the entire grill for even cooking. It also comes with a built-in meat probe for more accurate cooking.

The design of the Dimplex eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ is simple yet effective, with its all-black colour with silver accents. It has a digital display at the front which allows you to adjust its settings and see the grill’s real-time temperature.

Compared to other electric barbecues, the Dimplex eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ has quite a high price tag, but it’s currently on sale. The Dimplex eXtreme Electric Infrared BBQ is available to buy for £499 at Dimplex. As of writing, it’s discounted to £349, saving you £150.

Xbox is currently undergoing a reset which has resulted in a vast amount of jobs being lost across the business. It is also dramatically changing strategy – nigh-on reversing a decade of decisions to refocus the company and brand. And it seems that some of the endeavours are working.

It has been revealed that, in the US at least, sales of the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles have "more than doubled" year-on-year.

In comparison, hardware sales for PlayStation and Nintendo have dipped – with the latter falling by 79%.

To be fair, that's understandable. The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 so the company reported a massive spike in sales as pre-orders were shipped and launch stock sold out quickly. The sales for June 2026 were always likely to be much lower.

More interestingly, perhaps, is that PS5 sales dipped by 19% YOY. But then, Sony did recently raise its console prices significantly. And the Xbox Series X/S equivalent price hike is yet to come into affect.

It'll occur in just over a week, on 1 August, so consumers could be snapping up the consoles before that happens.

The sales figures are also relative. Mat Piscatella of data firm Circana revealed on Bluesky that while Xbox performed better than many expected last month, it still sold fewer consoles that its rivals. The Nintendo Switch 2 continued to be the best-selling option, in both units and dollars earned, with the PS5 in second.

Uncertainty in the games business

Whatever the trends, the games market is still looking uncertain at present. When it comes to the next generation, at least.

Xbox has admitted that its Project Helix plans might have to change in the light of the ongoing components crisis. Its hope to launch a "premium" PC/console hybrid might have to be scaled back to remain affordable.

Meanwhile, Sony is said to have delayed the PS6 for similar reasons, and we all know what happened with the Steam Machine. While it seems to have found a market, it is undeniably overpriced for what you get.

And so it seems we'll see this current console generation continue for the foreseeable, which is good news for those who already own a PS5, Nintendo Switch or Xbox Series X/S. At least the games are still coming thick and fast.

BBC iPlayer could be locked behind a paywall in the future, as the Beeb looks to restrict its content from those who refuse to pay for a TV Licence.

Its chief consumer officer has revealed that locking out licence dodgers from its "free" streaming service is one of the options that is being considered.

It comes as the corporation finds itself at a crossroads. It recently revealed that while 94% of UK households watch programming covered by the paid TV Licence, only 80% pay for one. And that disparity is resulting in the loss of jobs and budgetary constraints for future productions.

Some ideas have been touted around, including from the UK government's secretary of state for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy. She revealed that streaming services that are currently exempt from TV Licence requirements, such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, could be added.

Currently, viewers need a licence to watch platforms that show live TV (including, confusingly, live broadcasts on Netflix and Prime Video), while the only streaming service that is covered fully by the TV Licence is BBC iPlayer.

Now it seems that could be about to undergo change, too.

Could BBC iPlayer go behind a paywall?

As reported by Deadline, the BBC executive, Kerris Bright, told staff during a call on Monday that there is a future "opportunity" to lock down iPlayer to licence payers only.

However, Bright also admitted that it didn't make sense in the short term: "iPlayer is the only service really that’s licensable where you could actually decide to put a gate in front of it. But, the data today says that actually [there’s] not really the return on investment for doing that," she said in the leaked call.

"The vast majority of people that are watching iPlayer are people that are paying their TV Licence... that would make it a very difficult experience for people that are paying for the licence."

Times are a-changing though, with new streaming services coming to the UK regularly, while Sky's acquisition of ITV (pending regulatory approval) will present the corporation with new challenges.

It could create a market where it is much more financially viable to put a paywall in front of iPlayer, for the BBC to compete. That's Bright's thinking, anyway: "It is something we should absolutely keep looking at because it might be something that you actually would want to do in the future," she added.

BowFlex has unveiled the next generation of its popular SelectTech adjustable dumbbells, giving one of the best-known names in home strength training its first major redesign in years.

The new SelectTech 52 replaces the long-running Bowflex SelectTech 552, retaining the dial-based weight adjustment system that made the original a favourite among home gym users while introducing a number of hardware upgrades aimed at improving durability and feel.

Like its predecessor, the SelectTech 52 is designed to replace multiple pairs of traditional dumbbells.

Each adjustable dumbbell covers weights from 2kg to 24kg (5 lbs to 52 lbs), allowing you to switch between 15 weight settings in seconds without taking up the space required for a full rack.

An icon gets an upgrade

BowFlex has swapped the moulded weight plates for premium metal plates, added a redesigned locking mechanism and introduced a new ergonomic, non-slip handle intended to provide a more secure grip during heavier lifts.

The launch comes as strength training continues to enjoy a surge in popularity.

Resistance training has become a cornerstone of many fitness routines, driven by growing awareness of its benefits for muscle maintenance, athletic performance and healthy ageing, as well as the continued rise of Hyrox-style functional fitness and home workouts.

"Strength training continues to grow in popularity," said James Moffat, Sales Director at BowFlex.

"Our original SelectTech 552 completely transformed the world of strength training, making it more accessible for everyone, and our new SelectTech 52 continues to build on that legacy with a new premium design."

Each purchase also includes a two-month trial of JRNY, BowFlex's digital fitness platform, which offers guided workouts, adaptive training plans and performance tracking.

The BowFlex SelectTech 52 adjustable dumbbells are available now directly from BowFlex UK and selected retailers, priced at £270 for a single dumbbell or £530 for a pair.

In the US, they're available from $480 per pair, with an introductory launch price of $400.

De'Longhi has launched a new bean-to-cup coffee machine, combining three dedicated brewing methods – espresso, drip coffee and cold brew – with a menu of 20 different recipes.

The Magnifica Duo arrives just a few days after the Rivelia Start, a more compact and affordable version of De'Longhi's original Rivelia, which first launched in 2024. It seems the brand is contributing to a growing demand for coffee machines that are easier to fit into smaller kitchens, whilst also coming in at a slightly more accessible price.

The De'Longhi Magnifica Duo is available to buy now from the brand's website, priced at £699.99 in the UK and $999.95 in the US.

The Magnifica Duo uses different brewing methods depending on the type of coffee you're making. For espresso, high-pressure brewing with pre-infusion is designed to create a bold and intense flavour. For drip coffee, lower pressure and no pre-infusion allow the coffee grounds to bloom. The cold brew setting takes a different approach again, using ambient-temperature water and very low pressure to steep the grounds for longer, resulting in what De'Longhi describes as a smooth, sweet and refreshing flavour.

It also features De'Longhi's popular dishwasher-safe LatteCrema Hot and LatteCrema Cool technologies, giving you the option to create both hot and cold milk-based drinks with adjustable foam levels.

For households with multiple coffee drinkers, the Magnifica Duo offers three dedicated user profiles, allowing everyone to customise and save their favourite drink settings. Through the intuitive 2.4-inch digital display, you can choose from five drink sizes, four intensity levels and three temperature settings, making it easy to adjust your coffee exactly how you like it.

Adidas has expanded its Hyperboost running range with the launch of the new Hyperboost Run, a daily training shoe that brings the franchise's high-energy ride to a broader audience.

Set to launch on 1 August, the Hyperboost Run is designed as an all-round road shoe for runners who split their time between easy miles, faster sessions and everyday wear.

Adidas says the new model focuses on balancing comfort, responsiveness and versatility in a single package.

The Hyperboost Run sits below the Hyperboost Edge in Adidas' latest running shoe franchise.

While the Edge is positioned as the brand's lightweight "super-trainer" for longer, faster efforts, the Run takes the same design philosophy and adapts it into a more accessible daily trainer.

The new trainers feature the Hyperboost Pro midsole, a 38mm heel stack and a 6mm drop.

The brand says the lightweight foam is tuned to provide high energy return while maintaining the cushioning needed for everyday mileage.

The Hyperboost Run also features a lightweight Primeweave engineered mesh upper designed to improve breathability and comfort during longer runs.

Underfoot, Adidas combines its LIGHTTRAXION outsole with Continental rubber pods at the forefoot to boost grip without adding weight.

The shoe also adopts a wider platform and anatomically shaped 3D-printed heel elements to improve stability.

The new trainer weighs 247g (UK men's 8.5), putting it firmly in the lightweight daily trainer category.

Its sculpted midsole and oversized Three Stripes also give it a noticeably more lifestyle-inspired look than many traditional mileage shoes, suggesting Adidas is targeting runners who want one pair to cover training sessions and day-to-day wear.

Alongside the new shoe, Adidas is also introducing fresh colourways for the Hyperboost Edge, continuing its push to establish Hyperboost as one of the brand's flagship cushioning platforms.

The Adidas Hyperboost Run launches globally on 1 August, priced at €170 at Adidas EU. UK, US and AU pricing has yet to be confirmed.

Philips Hue has confirmed that it will replace a select number of Hue Bridge Pro units affected by a recent firmware update issue, after users reported that their devices became completely unresponsive.

At the time, Philips Hue advised affected users to get in touch and apply for a replacement under warranty. Now, the company has confirmed that it will replace every affected unit free of charge, regardless of its warranty status.

Philips Hue hasn't yet provided a specific timeline for when the free replacement units will be sent out, although it continues to process affected cases as more reports come in.

Philips Hue told Ars Technica that the issue appears to be limited to users who had switched off automatic updates and were running older firmware for some time. The problem was reportedly triggered when an update that had already been downloaded to the Bridge was manually installed more than 10 days later, outside the device's usual update window.

Unfortunately, getting a replacement won't necessarily make the whole process seamless. Anyone affected will still need to set up their best Philips Hue lights, scenes and automations again from scratch, which could be a headache if you've spent a while building your setup.

Meta is giving away free Xbox Game Pass membership with its own Meta Horizon+ subscription. That will give every Meta Quest owner who signs up a library of more than 50 Xbox games to stream on a virtual display in their headset, with 10 hours of cloud gaming access per month.

It's a similar deal to the one Discord started offering its Nitro subscribers in May. You don't have to pay any extra, but you will currently need an Xbox controller to play the games.

That's until Meta pushes a forthcoming update to the Touch Controllers for the Quest 3 and Quest 3S. They will soon be able to emulate an Xbox controller too, with the firmware patch rolling out "in the coming weeks".

The games in the new free Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition include the likes of Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Overcooked 2, Grounded and DayZ. They don't give you a full, immersive VR experience but you can play them on a huge virtual screen inside the headset – up to the equivalent of a 26-foot display.

You can even choose to play them from within an Xbox-themed virtual space.

Of course, a Meta Horizon+ subscription doesn't just include Game Pass, it also gives you access to more than 100 virtual games you can download and play on a Quest.

A subscription costs $59.99 / £59.99 per year or $7.99 / £7.99 per month, with the first month free for new members. That's a lot of gaming for the usual price of just one console title.

You'll just need to own a compatible headset and away you go. We're also hoping to hear plans on new Meta Quest devices during Meta Connect in September.

Whatever happens T3 will keep you informed all the way.

Now that the World Cup is over, I'm finally redressing the imbalance in my viewing habits in recent times – meaning I don't have to watch multiple football matches every day. For one thing, I'm gagging to get back to actually watching movies now that my evenings are my own, but it's also allowed me to catch up on House of the Dragon.

I've been a moderate defender of the show in the last couple of years, since I think it's definitely maintaining a higher average quality than the last two or three seasons of Game of Thrones, and that makes it highly watchable. That said, its third season has been hit and miss, to me.

It opened with a great sense of momentum and some big battles, staged at the sort of scale that few other TV operations can match. Some truly crazy practical sets and backdrops make it look far better than most of its rivals, and the craft that go into it is hard to overestimate.

Still, a few episodes later and I can't help but feel we're back in the mire of plot conveniences, confusing timelines and locations, and a general sense that the showrunners don't know how to keep its war going credibly without basically having to remove characters (and dragons) from the board.

Now, the show has a mid-season trailer giving glimpses of what's coming in the second half of the season, and it's giving hope that the short answer will be "more action".

We certainly seem to get a look at battle formations and siege tactics, as the Targaryen forces encircle Tumbleton, where their enemies have taken root – a battle that looks set to decide much of the outcome of the bloody war of succession.

It's fairly clear that a whole heap of characters are going to converge on the town, but what I'd like is for some more clarity when we're not in the middle of big battles. It's all well and good having tentpole moments a couple of times a season, but the show's a little too blurry outside of these sequences.

Part of the genius of Game of Thrones' animated intro sequence was that it reminded you where everyone was in relation to each other as each episode kicked off, and that made it all the more frustrating when distances ceased to matter in later seasons (as the writing got lazier).

Now, I'd say House of the Dragon is committing the same sin, and without even a map to help viewers figure anything out, it's really confusing to try to work out where people are. That makes it all the more baffling when we're told that a dragon like Vhagar, the size of a jet plane, can't be found despite the number of sheep she seems to consume.

In the same way that Daemon (Matt Smith) was locked in purgatory in Harrenhal last season, it's also now Aemond's turn, and it's just as boring the second time around. Unpredictable characters who turn events on their head are the heart of this series' attraction, so putting them in a box for hours at a time to keep things simple is a dull solution.

I'm hopeful that the season can right that wrong and get Aemond and others back into more meaningful positions quicker than I'm worried about, but it's an unknown until those new episodes arrive. Still, from the trailer it's clear that I'll at least get some sort of denouement to enjoy in the next few weeks.

During the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 launch last summer, I queried Samsung's Minseok Kang, Head of Smartphone Product Planning, about when we might see the company release a phone with new battery technology.

He confirmed that "years of work" had already gone into testing at that stage. But now the wait is finally over – as the all-new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and 8 Ultra each feature a silicon-carbon (Si-C) battery type. That's a first for the Korean giant.

But it's far from a first for the industry, which is why so many have been querying when the mobile-maker would invest in the higher-density battery technology. After all, a key function of Si-C is greater longevity as a result, or the option of utilising less space in a design without compromising.

History lesson

I'm not surprised there's been an extended wait, though. It was almost a decade ago when the launch of the Galaxy Note 7 prompted a recall after risk of fire was identified. Ever since then Samsung has been cautious in pushing ultra-capacity batteries or the fastest-charging technologies.

“When Samsung apply or implements the battery, we consider three key points: one is the size; second is the charging speed; and the third one is safety – the reliability of that battery. We think a little more priority on the reliability is best practice," Kang said to me 12 months ago.

Clearly there's been ample testing time for Samsung's testing processes to be passed for these product lines. While it was initially thought that only the Ultra would feature such a battery, Samsung has confirmed it's that device, plus the all-new Z Fold 8 – which some have dubbed the 'Wide', given its less tall and wider ratio – and Z Flip 8 products.

A glimpse of the future

For future Samsung products I think this marks big potential to see further leaps forward. The Galaxy S27 Ultra is prime for a key update or two come next year – with battery being an area where it's stagnated. Sure, its 5,000mAh cell is perfectly capable, but when Oppo is delivering a 7,500mAh in its Find X9 Pro flagship, it's clear where the market is going.

Samsung can no longer afford to sit behind the pack, depending on its loyal customer base. But the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series is proof that it's put the work in to keep up with the times – and on its own terms. And a safety first approach is no bad thing, even if a bit of patience has been required.

There's a whole lot going on around Samsung's second Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026, with the Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, Z Flip 8 and Watch Ultra 2 launches the major headlines. Keep your eyes on T3 for more, as we'll be reporting live and direct.

Philips Hue could soon be launching its own TV backlight camera, according to a new report from HueBlog. Rumoured to be called the Philips Hue Screen Sync Camera, it's expected to make its debut at IFA 2026 alongside several other new Hue products.

Govee has long dominated the TV backlight camera market, with several popular models that use a camera mounted on top of the TV to mirror on-screen colours with compatible smart lights. Whilst Philips Hue already offers an impressive entertainment setup with the Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, it relies on an HDMI connection, making it less flexible than a camera-based system..

Pricing and an official launch date are still unknown, but if HueBlog's report is accurate, IFA in September is expected to reveal all.

From the single leaked image, the new accessory appears to clip onto the top edge of a TV or monitor, where it uses a built-in camera to monitor what's happening on screen. It then analyses the image and sends colour data to compatible Philips Hue lights, extending the action beyond the display and into the room.

TV backlight cameras have been a huge success for Govee in recent years, so it'll be interesting to see how Philips Hue's take compares. Personally, I think it could be a fantastic addition, especially for anyone looking to create a more immersive home entertainment setup without relying on an HDMI Sync Box.

Google might be planning to link Google Maps to various other applications to take advantage of its Gemini -powered Personal Intelligence feature. That could see Maps having instant access to a lot more information and avoid frequent app switching.

Personal Intelligence was announced by Google at the beginning of the year. The Gemini system has access to information from across Google's apps like Gmail and Photos, so that Gemini (in all its forms) can be more useful.

Code has now been discovered in the Google Maps beta that points to the feature coming to the popular navigation app, which could reduce the number of steps you need to make when planning a route or trip.

As uncovered by Android Authority, there are code strings within the Google Maps beta that directly reference the new feature, saying "Supercharge Maps with Personal Intelligence".

There's a lengthier description, saying that information about reservations and flights will be available directly in maps. That could mean if you're trying to figure out where you're supposed to be, you don't have to jump back and forth into your calendar or start searching through Gmail.

This leans on Google's Connected Content Apps and it's something that Gemini can already do. For example, you can ask Gemini where you need to be today and it will pull that information from your Calendar.

Personal Information works across Contacts, Google Photos, Google Workspace (that's Gmail, Drive and Calendar), Search, as well as YouTube.

Android Authority speculates that Google is going to use the Ask Maps feature as the starting point for this. Ask Maps is the Gemini-powered conversational side of Google Maps. It's not universally available yet (I still have the old voice search in Maps in the UK), but it make sense for Google to use this.

With all these dots joined, you should be able to open Google Maps and access a wide range of information. You won't have to go and dig it out elsewhere and copy it to another app. That should speed up route planning and navigation, making things more seamless.

That's also thought to expand to things like accessing Google Photos to ask about places that you previously visited in the area.

Gemini can do some of this already and there is a big question mark over all of this: if every app is getting Gemini powers, why not just start every interaction in Gemini and have it supply the final Google solution that you need?

As this is currently in beta, there's no telling when it might appear on Android phones.

Expanding its E line-up, JURA has just launched a new version of its E10 bean to cup coffee machine. This upgraded model comes with 36 drink options, as well as hot, cold and light brew and sweet foam functions – but as a luxury brand, the JURA E10 will set you back.

The original E10 debuted back in 2004, but 22 years later, the new and improved JURA E10 is finally here, and it combines four coffee modes in one premium appliance. JURA is one of the main coffee machine brands that have jumped on the cold brew bandwagon, and the JURA E10 is no exception.

As a 4-in-1 coffee machine, the JURA E10 can make hot brew, cold brew, light brew and sweet foam drinks at the touch of a button. It uses JURA’s Cold Extraction process which it’s introduced to many of its other coffee makers, including the Z10 which we gave five stars in our JURA Z10 review.

Using freshly ground coffee beans, the JURA E10 makes rich cold brews by pulsing cold water at a high pressure to extract the right flavours without any dilution. Its light brew is a new addition to JURA’s coffee machines, which brews drinks at a 60°C temperature for smoother and lighter coffees that are ready to drink straight away.

Sweet Foam is for milk-based drinks which – you guessed it – froths milk foam and gives it a subtly sweet taste. This, as well as its hot, cold and light brew functions, can be used on all its 36 drink options, which include latte, cappuccino, cortado, espresso and flat white to name a few.

Another new and impressive feature of the JURA E10 is its Coffee Timer, which allows you to schedule your coffee ahead of time. Available via the touchscreen, you can select what coffee you want and when you want it made, and the JURA E10 will have it ready for you when you want it – an incredibly handy feature for busy mornings.

The JURA E10 is almost identical to its other E coffee machines, although it only measures 27cm wide so it's much slimmer. Available in an onyx black colour, the JURA E10 has a 3-5-inch colour touchscreen display with side buttons for easy controls.

While it might look intimidating at first, the JURA E10 is an automatic bean to cup coffee machine, making it ideal for beginners as the machine does all the work for you. The JURA E10 is available to buy now for £1,425 at JURA.