Author: News Room

Introduction I quite liked the Leapmotor B10 when I drove it a few months ago and, before that, the dinky Leapmotor T03 was an ideal little city runabout. Now there’s the Leapmotor B05, an electric hatchback that slots nicely between those two and further bolsters this Stellantis group sub-brand’s portfolio. The B05 is a C-segment hatchback, which means that it’s nicely proportioned and has space but without the bulkiness of an SUV. What makes it more appealing though is the simplicity of what’s on offer. Leapmotor has adopted an ‘everything as standard’ policy which means the B05 comes fitted with…

From the day it was announced, on June 16th, 2025, the Trump phone sounded ridiculous. The T1 Phone 8002 (gold version), as it was officially called, was a combination of contradictory specs, product images that were clearly not photographs of a real phone, and the worrying requirement of a $100 deposit to secure a preorder of a $499 phone with no release date. But none of Trump Mobile’s outlandish announcements were as bold as the claim that the phone would be “designed and built in the United States.”The US has next to no phone manufacturing infrastructure, few engineers with the…

With crushing inevitability, the UK government is to ban social media access for the under-16s. Having previously announced a ban on smartphones in schools, I half expect to soon hear that British children will be banned from the internet entirely. Or from using anything that has more technology inside than the average stick.  I don’t support the ban. I think the policy is incoherent, illogical and illiberal. Moreover, I don’t think it will work. Worse, it will cause what politicians will later label “unintended consequences” – despite said consequences being evident. We know that because countries like Australia have gone…

On Friday Google announced it was making a relatively unknown feature of Google Earth available to a wider audience. The desktop version of Google Earth has had a hidden flight simulator mode since 2007, but it’s now easily accessible through a web browser without having to download or install any apps.To take to the virtual skies you’ll need to open the Google Earth website and then click on the “Explore Earth” button found near the top right corner of the page. From there you’ll find the “Flight Simulator” mode accessible as the last option in the Tool’s section of the…

The Apple Watch Ultra is an ideal smartwatch for adventurers, endurance athletes, and anyone who wants Apple’s best digital timepiece. And, if the latest rumours are to be believed, the upcoming Apple Watch Ultra 4 could bring some of the biggest – and best – changes yet. Here’s everything we know so far… Price and release date Apple is widely expected to unveil the Apple Watch Ultra 4 alongside its next iPhone 18 Pro lineup later this year, following the company’s long-established autumn launch schedule. While nothing has been confirmed, most reports point to a launch window around the same…

On paper, the Honor Magic V6 sounds like a tremendous leap forward for foldable phones: It’s the thinnest one yet, with the biggest battery, and the best water-resistance ever. In practice, only the bigger battery feels like a meaningful improvement. The other upgrades are only fractionally superior to what came before.This isn’t entirely Honor’s fault. It’s getting harder to make a foldable phone stand out; even last year’s offerings felt like complete flagship phones. Huawei’s Pura X Max stood out for its odd new aspect ratio, which we’re expecting to see both Samsung and Apple replicate later this year. Then…

The UK is the latest country to follow Australia in implementing a total social media ban for children under 16, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced. The ban, which could take effect from early next year, will be joined by wider measures that will also prevent children from talking to strangers in online games, livestreaming, or using sexual or romantic chatbots.“Do we truly believe that social media creates a happy environment for our children? Do we truly believe that it’s a place where they can feel safe?” Starmer asked during a press conference announcing the policy. “I don’t think I…

Last year, the FBI opened a Cyber Range in Huntsville, Alabama, for simulating cyberattacks. Think of it sort of like the famous Hogan’s Alley, but for modern digital crime training. It’s a massive 22,000 square-foot replica of an entire town, complete with a convenience store, gas station, hospital, and even fully furnished houses.It’s a training facility where the bureau can recreate real-world scenarios for training and research purposes. All of the various buildings and facilities are hooked up the way they would be in a real town. There’s even a small data center with over 200 servers that can be…

You don’t really ever have to explain why a universal remote is a good idea. You have a bunch of stuff that needs controlling; this thing controls them all. Many companies have set out to build a product worthy of this idea, and one product came much closer than most. It was called the Harmony, and for many years it was the best universal remote on the market. Maybe the only one that mattered. And still, even the Harmony couldn’t make it work.On this episode of Version History, we tell the story of the Harmony. The Verge’s David Pierce, Nilay…

According to the Wall Street Journal, the export control directive that led to Anthropic cutting off access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 was triggered in part by cybersecurity research from Amazon and conversations between CEO Andy Jassy and the White House. According to the report, the paper from Amazon claims that, through a series of prompts, it was able to get Fable 5 to serve up information that could be used in cyberattacks. Amazon has yet to respond to a request for comment.Shortly after Jassy shared the company’s findings with the government, it made the call to block its…

Bose’s latest QuietComfort Ultra headphones fold down for easy storage. | Image: Bose If you’re planning on traveling anytime soon, Bose’s second-generation QuietComfort Ultra headphones are a great companion for long flights and train rides. Not only do they offer excellent noise cancellation, but they also retain the foldable design of their predecessor, making them easy to pack in a carry-on. They’re even easier to recommend today, now that they’ve dropped to a new low price of $379 ($70 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (second-gen) Where to Buy: $449 $379 at Amazon $449 $379…

Microsoft is preparing to lay off a significant chunk of its Xbox division and is reevaluating the plans for its next-generation Project Helix console. It’s apparently also considering dramatically restructuring its relationship with Xbox, and hasn’t ruled out spinning it off into a separate company.A new report from The Information suggests that Microsoft has considered some dramatic measures to make its Xbox unit more sustainable. That includes turning it into a wholly owned subsidiary, a joint venture, or even spinning it off entirely, with the possibility of selling the business. The report doesn’t suggest anything is imminent, but it does…