It’s been another busy week in the world of technology. After reviewing the Prime Day sales (some are still ongoing), we saw Microsoft defend Xbox Game Pass price increases and also reviewed the world’s best travel camera.
To catch up on all this and more, you can scroll down to see our roundup of the week’s seven biggest stories, plus links to the full articles if you want more information.
When you’re done, be sure to also check out our picks for the seven new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, and more this weekend (October 10).
7. Microsoft defended Xbox Game Pass
After significant fan backlash over recent Game Pass price hikes, Microsoft decided to change course…wait, sorry, no, it doubled down.
Microsoft’s director of gaming and platform communications Dustin Blackwell said price increases are “never fun for anyone” but insisted these increases were the right thing to do and that more value is being added to its Game Pass plans.
Many of us here at TechRadar are still not convinced, and it seems like a lot of people don’t believe it either. More people than ever are reportedly searching Google for how to cancel their subscriptions.
6. Tag Heuer revealed its expensive Apple Watch rival
Smartwatches are very practical, but they often lack the design and prestige of classic watchmaking. Well, Tag Heuer tried to change that this week with its new Connected Caliber E5, whose ‘Made for iPhone’ billing means it works particularly well with iOS devices.
Beneath its sleek stainless steel design, the E5 is equipped with sensors for fitness tracking and can measure blood oxygen, heart rate, and sleep quality. And while it works with Android phones, you should get faster pairing, improved connectivity, and more consistent updates on iPhones. The only hurdle might be the $1,600 (around £1,200/AU$2,400) price tag.
5. Wake Up Dead Man captivated us
While the Netflix movie won’t air until December 12, we were able to watch it. Wake up dead man early at the London Film Festival where it made its debut.
The third in the Knives out The series starring Daniel Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc is “a near-perfect Netflix binge,” according to our reviewer, who gave it four out of five stars.
To give you a longer snippet of the full review: “Thanks to a clever script, there’s almost a laugh every minute between Blanc’s exceptional monologues that we’ve come to know and love. Netflix, the cast, and the absurdity of what’s happening around them are all in the line of fire, and the metaphorical shots create the most pleasant surprises. Nothing is too biting or overt, and there’s no ‘brigade’ wake up’. here. “It’s just an intelligent ship, and that’s what we want.”
4. We tested a five-star travel camera
The new OM System OM-5 II travel camera has faced some criticism for being too similar to its predecessor, but as the saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
You could raise the price, improve the specs, and change the identity of this camera, or you could get what you get from this travel camera, which is a fast, responsive experience for traveling with an electronic viewfinder, weather sealing, excellent IBIS, and a wide range of high-quality, affordable, compact lenses.
The OM System OM-5 II has divided opinion, but we firmly believe it’s fantastic, which is why we gave it five stars.
3. Sennheiser revealed new headphones
Audio technology stalwart Sennheiser has revealed the HDB 630 headphones, which it promises will deliver “true audiophile sound”. That’s largely because they come with Sennheiser’s BTD 700 USB-C dongle, which can bypass the wireless transmitter your phone uses to enable aptX, aptX HD, and aptX adaptive audio no matter your device—looking at you, iPhone.
The quality is so good that even Spotify’s new Lossless update doesn’t maximize it. Instead, you’ll want a subscription to Tidal or Qobuz (or similar) for the best Bluetooth listening experience.
2. A camera that distorts reality fell
AI imaging and video tools are huge right now, and Camera Intelligence’s new Caira device has brought Google’s new Nano Banana AI imaging model to a MagSafe attachment so you can edit reality in real time.
The advantage here is that you can see what the final result will look like before you walk into your home editing studio and realize that a differently composed shot would have looked much better than the one you took once all the adjustments have been made.
As with all of these tools, there are questions about ethics and responsible practices, but Camera Intelligence says it is limiting identity-warping functionality and is committed to what it calls an “ethics-first” development strategy.
1. We review the Pixel 10 Pro Fold
This week we published our review of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and while it’s a “phenomenal smartphone,” after some time with it, we were left “wanting more… or maybe less.”
The problem is that the new Pro Fold costs $1,799 / £1,749 / AU$2,699, which is $950 / £750 / AU$1,000 more than the Pixel 10 Pro. The Fold can’t just be good, it needs to really justify its price against the excellent flat phones out there, and it misses the mark in terms of cameras and features that take advantage of its unique design.
Still, it looks great, has a “lovely software personality,” and is the most durable smartphone on the market right now, so this foldable still has a lot going for it.
