Author: News Room

If you’ve ever owned a OnePlus flagship phone then you’ll be familiar with the alert slider – it’s an easy way to switch the phone into silent when it’s in your pocket and it’s always been a feature I’m surprised more Android phone makers didn’t adopt. Now though, the button has been axed, starting with the OnePlus 13s which will be available in India after a 5 June launch. This phone isn’t coming to the US or Europe, though it will have implications for countries outside India since it’s the first OnePlus phone to replace the Alert Slider with a…

Anker’s Soundcore audio brand has released a new pair of wireless earbuds that may be worth the upgrade for the charging case alone. In addition to a status screen, the case incorporates a hefty 3,000mAh battery that can keep the buds powered for over a week, or it can be used to partially top up a smartphone. For comparison, the AirPods Pro 2’s charging case includes a much smaller 523mAh battery.The new Soundcore P41i wireless earbuds are now available for purchase through the brand’s online store in the UK for £89.99, or around $121. They’re currently not listed on the…

Introduction More than three years since its release, Elden Ring has sold over 30 million copies. Not bad for a fantasy RPG that seems to hate you as much as co-creator and Game of Thrones author George RR Martin seems to hate his characters. But you can see why there’s demand to keep the cycle spinning, with a movie adaptation in the works (28 Days Later‘s Alex Garland is attached to direct), and now this new online co-op spin-off, Elden Ring Nightreign. It doesn’t sound like an idea that should work on paper, even if one of the magical parts…

Discord is beta testing “Discord Orbs,” a new in-app currency that can be redeemed for digital items, Discord has announced. Users earn Orbs by completing the app’s promotional Quests, Discord’s initiative that rewards participants who interact with advertiser content like videos or stream specific games to friends.In addition to spending Orbs on regular items on the Discord Shop, users can exchange the digital tokens for Orb exclusives like special badges or 3-day passes to try out Discord’s subscription service, Discord Nitro. Discord says Orbs are rolling out globally to a “small number” of its users to start before a wider…

Despite people harping on about it (which does get rather annoying), we do need to find more sustainable energy sources. Solar, nuclear, wind, and the rest are great – all with their own benefits, uses, and disadvantages. But what about for smaller devices that don’t need so much power – like your outdoor smart home lights? That’s what Nova Innova is working on with its microbe-powered energy sources. The tech is still very much in its early days, but gives us a glimpse at what future smart home gadgets could look like. And there’s potential for the tech to go…

Apple is expanding its self-service repair program to cover a range of iPads, including mini, Air, and Pro models. The program opens tomorrow, at which point you’ll be able to order spare parts and repair kits for the Apple tablets.The program is mostly limited to the iPad models that Apple currently sells, including the A16-powered iPad, the iPad mini running the A17 Pro, and the M4-based iPad Pro. The M2 iPad Air is the only older model supported, along with the current M3 versions of that tablet. Apple hasn’t yet announced prices for the repair kits and components, which will…

Microsoft finally found its answer to the MacBook Air last year with the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop (formerly known as 7th Edition). That Snapdragon X-powered laptop matched the MacBook in build quality, battery life, and at least some aspects of performance — something Windows laptop makers have been trying to do for ages. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop was brilliant, but Windows on Arm’s occasional app incompatibility stopped it just shy of being the default alternative to the MacBook Air.Nearly a year later, Microsoft has new Snapdragon-based Surfaces that are a little smaller and a little cheaper. The $899.99 13-inch Surface Laptop…

Microsoft is starting to open Windows Update up to any third-party app that needs to be updated. The software giant is now allowing developers to sign up for a private preview of what it calls the Windows Update orchestration platform, that will enable Windows Update to support any update for apps or drivers in the future. It’s focused largely on business apps, but it will be open to any apps or management tools.Windows Update is largely used to update the core parts of Windows right now, alongside key drivers for devices and even install some third-party management apps for peripherals.…

When you think of Dyson, your brain probably jumps straight to sleek, pricey dirt-suckers. But somewhere along the way, Dyson also became a posh fan brand. You’ll no doubt recognise the original bladeless Dyson Cool fan. But did you know it’s now 16 years old? After years of letting its fan line coast while it flirted with air purifiers, straighteners and air-purifying headphones (yeah, remember those?), Dyson’s gone back to its roots. The new CF1 fan is a big upgrade to Dyson’s bladeless fan and it looks great. The Dyson Cool CF1 is a full-on refresh of its original bladeless…

Samsung has launched its beta test of One UI 8, the company’s customized take on Android 16. The beta is available now on the Galaxy S25, Plus, and Ultra — though strangely not the new S25 Edge — for users in the US, UK, Germany, and South Korea.Unsurprisingly, Samsung is emphasizing the OS update’s AI features, which purportedly include improved multimodal capabilities and more personalization. Despite that, the company’s announcement and update changelog are light on specific details of AI upgrades beyond speed improvements that make AI Select immediate to use, eliminating the previous start-up delay. One UI 8 has…

One of the undisputed kings of rock ‘n’ roll sound, Marshall’s speakers are some of the best portable speakers for audio buffs. The Kilburn is one of the most recognisable speakers, and a personal favourite of mine. And this next-gen model is even better. The new Kilburn III speaker is a big upgrade over the last-generation. There are a number of improvements both under the hood and on the outside of this speaker. But the biggest upgrade has to be the battery life. Marshall managed to squeeze in over 50 hours of portable playtime, which is more than double the last model.…

The latest web browser coming to Opera’s roster embraces AI agents that aim to use the internet for you. The Norwegian tech company describes Opera Neon as an “agentic browser” that has contextual awareness and performs tasks on the users’ behalf, including researching, building, and designing whatever you need.Oddly, Opera announced a Neon browser in 2017 that never took off. We’ll see if it’s more successful this time.“We’re at a point where AI can fundamentally change the way we use the internet and perform all sorts of tasks in the browser,” Opera senior AI product director Henrik Lexow said in…