News
- Raspberry Pi's new 10.1-inch Touch Display 2 lands at $80 with a 1200 × 1920 IPS panel and ten-finger touch, sitting above the $40 5-inch and $60 7-inch models
- The upgrade breaks backward compatibility, extending compatibility with the Raspberry Pi 5 and Compute Modules only, ruling out Pi 4 and earlier as well as the entire Zero lineup
- The 10.1-inch Touch 2 also offers an IPS display that offers viewing angles of 85 degrees, matched by the 7-inch variant, even as the 5-inch variant clocks in a bit lower at 80 degrees
The Raspberry Pi 5 is a surprisingly capable device, and it finally has an "official" 10-inch display that can hold a candle to its capabilities.
While the new Touch Display 2 has already had 5-inch and 7-inch offerings, the 10-inch variant is new, offering a slew of upgrades under the hood even as it cuts down on peak brightness to go with the larger display.
It is also the first Touch Display that leaves most of the Raspberry Pi installed base behind, essentially scrapping support for older Raspberry Pi options as well as its current Zero lineup.
The 10.1-inch Raspberry Pi Touch Display 2 (Image credit: Raspberry Pi Foundation)A new display with compromises for a limited user baseWhile the 10-inch Raspberry Pi Touch Display 2's announcement is direct about the incompatibility, explaining that the higher resolution needs four DSI lanes and the newer connector is found only on Raspberry Pi 5 and Compute Module IO boards, it says nothing about what that means in practice.
The restriction effectively cuts off a large segment of the user base that runs older Raspberry Pi models, as well as anyone building on the Zero line.
At $80, the display is relatively affordable for its size, and there are real upgrades under the hood.
Resolution rises to 1200 × 1920 in native portrait, the touch controller returns to 10 points after the 5-inch and 7-inch models were limited to 5, and the switch to an IPS panel tightens the worst-case touch response from 40 ms to 35 ms. The 85-degree viewing angle is worth qualifying, though: it beats the 5-inch panel's 80 degrees but matches the 7-inch exactly, despite the announcement presenting it as a step up across the board. Those variants are listed at $40 and $60, respectively.
The math might be a bit ugly for some, considering that a Compute Module with an I/O board isn't how most people buy their Raspberry Pis, and that the pair generally costs more than a board with I/O onboard bought outright.
That matters more than usual right now. The cheapest compliant path is real enough: a 1GB Raspberry Pi 5 at $45 plus the $80 display comes to $125. But anyone wanting memory headroom is buying into a market that has moved sharply against them.
The 16GB Raspberry Pi 5 has climbed from $120 in November 2025 to $305 by April 2026 as Raspberry Pi passed on what it describes as a seven-fold rise in LPDDR4 pricing. The irony is pointed. The company has protected pricing on the Zero series and Pi 3 by drawing down existing LPDDR2 inventory, and those are precisely the boards this display locks out.
(Image credit: Raspberry Pi)The one thing Raspberry Pi does gloss over is peak brightness, which drops to 400 nits from the 500 nits of its older 5- and 7-inch siblings, a difference that will show in the brightly lit rooms where kiosks and signage actually live.
While the panel offers a decent 225 ppi pixel density, slightly outdoing the 7-inch at 210, it does not hold a candle to the much sharper 5-inch display, which shares the 7-inch's resolution across a smaller area for 294 ppi. That makes the 10-inch a middle-of-the-road offering at best in terms of sharpness.
On raw value, the largest panel is the strongest in the family. Its 135.4 × 216.6 mm active area works out to roughly 366 square millimeters of screen per dollar, against about 224 on the 7-inch and 171 on the 5-inch.
The most telling detail about the launch, however, may be the production commitment: Raspberry Pi guarantees availability until at least January 2030, a promise it extends to the smaller Touch Display 2 variants as well.
Coupled with an operating range of −20°C to +70°C and the Compute Module compatibility, that reads less like a hobbyist accessory than a panel intended for embedded integrators building point-of-sale terminals, industrial HMIs, and signage on a decade-long design cycle.
For makers, the 10-inch is a straightforward, if slightly dimmer, upgrade that costs backward compatibility and, at current board prices, rather more than the sticker suggests. For the industry customers Raspberry Pi has courted since listing publicly, it is something harder to buy than a screen: a component with a guaranteed support horizon, available only to those already standardized on the company's newest boards.
The Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband is a small gaming keyboard with a few surprises in store.
True to its name, it certainly doesn’t take up much room on your desk. It’s also pleasingly light, which means it’s easy to move around. Despite this and the plastic construction, the build quality seems high.
There are some unique features to the design of the K63W Pro. One is the prominent springiness of the gasket-mounted layout, which is a little strange at first, but ultimately it’s not an issue and the keys still feel just as solid as those in the best gaming keyboards.
Another is the arrow keys. Not only are they much larger than most, but each of the four directions has a second binding to include right control, right shift, menu, and Fn inputs. There’s a shortcut for toggling between the two sets of bindings, as well as activating both at the same time, with the input triggered determined by whether a key is pressed or held.
(Image credit: Future)There’s also an option to select these modes in Cherry’s companion software. This software has other customizations, but not many. The remapping options are especially disappointing, thanks to their very awkward setup and limited options. There’s barely any performance tweaks here, either.
Thankfully, the K63W Pro is a capable performer as it is. The keys travel further than you might expect given their low profile, but they’re still just about snappy enough for fast gaming and typing. The ergonomic slant of the keycaps, as well as the generous spacing between them, make them easy to use, while the aforementioned thinness of the chassis makes for a comfortable experience, even without a wrist rest.
Cherry makes much of the K63W Pro’s Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless technology, which is designed to prevent potential interference. However, I can’t say I noticed an improvement over other wireless keyboards, and the tech isn’t worth the impracticality that comes with the incongruously large wireless puck. It’s also a shame there’s no Bluetooth support.
The K63W Pro is reasonably expensive for a compact keyboard, although the quality and interesting layout help its case in this regard. The performance is good and it's comfortable to use, but I’m not sure every gamer is going to get along with its unique features.
Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband review: Price and availability(Image credit: Future)- $169.99 (about £150 / AU$240)
- Available now
- Expensive for a small board
The Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband costs $169.99 (about £150 / AU$240) and is available now. It comes with a USB cable and the UWB USB receiver.
This is a reasonably high price for a 70% keyboard, especially one that lacks Bluetooth support and input customizations. However, there are certainly more expensive mechanical boards out there, such as the Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75. I loved the performance of that board when I reviewed it, and it has a much better selection of input customizations than the K63W Pro.
If you want something more budget-friendly, consider the Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra. This keyboard has analog switches with a heap of performance-related features and tweaks at their disposal. They also feel just as good as mechanical switches in my view.
- Value score: 3.5
Layout
70%
Switch
Mechanical (Cherry MX Low Profile 2.0)
Programmable keys
Yes
Dimensions
12.1 x 5.3 x 1.2 inches (307 x 135 x 30 mm)
RGB or backlighting
Yes (customizable)
Cherry XTRFY K63W Pro Compact Ultra-Wideband review: Design and features(Image credit: Future)- Thin and light
- Springboard-like
- Limited input customizations
There's nothing particularly exciting about the way the K63W Pro looks. It keeps things basic, although the rounded edges are a nice touch, helping to relieve its austerity a little.
True to its name, the K63W Pro is indeed compact. In addition to its truncated width, it’s also quite thin, making it comfortable to use even without a wrist rest — which is just as well, since it doesn’t come with one.
Despite its plastic construction, the K63W Pro feels sturdy and built to a high standard. Rather unique is the prominent flex of the keyboard plate. This can be pushed down quite a way when pressing a key, which is a little disconcerting at first, but it still feels perfectly stable and it rebounds fully. I wasn’t concerned about its durability, either.
(Image credit: Future)The keycaps feel premium, too. They’re pleasingly textured and solid with little play. On top of this, the bright RGB backlighting shines through them very well, and the main legends are large and clear, although those for the Fn shortcuts on the function keys are a little too small.
You get more keys on the K63W Pro than you might think, including some navigation ones such as delete and insert. However, it’s odd there’s a blank key in the top-right corner; a missed opportunity to squeeze in another, perhaps, such as a Home key.
There are quite a few useful Fn shortcuts on the function row, including those for adjusting volume and one for opening your default browser, which are all welcome. However, a few remained a mystery to me. Two look like they adjust some sort of performance-related parameter, but I didn’t notice any action when I pressed them. There’s also one on F9 with Cherry’s logo on it that opens the Windows Run box and enters some kind of address, but again nothing happened when I pressed it. The text was too long and disappeared too quickly for me to read it, but my only guess is that it’s supposed to open some kind of Cherry software.
(Image credit: Future)The most interesting aspect of the K63W Pro’s layout is the Mod Tap arrow keys. These are larger than your typical set since they have secondary bindings, with control, shift, menu, and Fn inputs mapped to each direction. Pressing Fn+M (there’s another Fn key mapped to the insert key) will cycle between three different modes: one enables the usual arrow key inputs, one enables the secondary bindings, and one enables both sets at the same time, with taps triggering arrow directions and holds triggering the secondary functions. The M key lights up a different color depending on which mode is active.
You can also switch between these modes using the Cherry Utility. This desktop app also features other customizations, although their dearth is disappointing. It has perhaps the worst rebinding mode I've ever seen in peripheral software, requiring you to click a ‘create’ button for every key you want to rebind, in order to bring up the option to rebind it. The layout graph doesn’t display your remapped bindings, which is another baffling oversight, and you can’t alter the Fn layer of shortcuts. There aren’t many performance-related settings here, either; you can adjust the polling rate for both wired and wireless modes, and there’s a SOCD mode with three basic settings, but that’s all you get.
Rather than your typical USB dongle, the K63W Pro comes with a block-shaped puck that requires a USB cable (also included) to connect to your device. This is what facilitates the UWB connectivity, which Cherry claims reduces interference compared to standard wireless connections. It looks sleek, but it’s quite large and takes up more space than I’m happy with, especially when you factor in the trailing cable.
- Design & features score: 3.5 / 5
- Relatively heavy keys
- Great space bar
- Unnecessary Ultra-Wideband connectivity
I mostly enjoyed my time using the K63W Pro. The keys feel well lubed and reasonably damped, although it still verges on the side of clicky than thocky, which, depending on your preferences, is either a good thing or a bad thing. Personally, I liked the feedback they provided.
I was also fond of the low-profile keycaps, which seem to slant slightly towards the user. This helped me hit keys flush, making up for the somewhat limiting tilt angle of the board, even with the two-stage feet out. This was especially noticeable with the space bar, a key I often hit on its edge but not here. It also feels slightly more damped than the other keys, while still being easy to press, a combination that makes it very satisfying to hammer away at.
The switches themselves are also low profile (specifically, they’re Cherry’s MX Low Profile 2.0). However, they have surprisingly deep travel, which makes them more satisfying than they otherwise would be. Despite this, their actuation point is relatively shallow, which meant I could still type with a reasonably light touch. They strike just the right balance between being snappy and forgiving of minor mispresses.
(Image credit: Future)Tying accuracy is also aided by the large size of the keycaps, as well as their wide spacing. While this made reaching certain keys a little difficult when touch typing, it made gaming in the WASD position quite comfortable and secure. I could also reach the peripheral keys easily from here, including the space bar, thanks to its aforementioned slant and low profile.
In my experience, the Mod Tap feature works reasonably well, achieving Cherry’s aim of reducing side bulk without sacrificing inputs. However, you have to hold an arrow key for a long time to activate its secondary binding. I found this particularly frustrating when typing, as I required quick and regular access to the right shift key, but I often didn’t hold the Up arrow key long enough to access it. It’s also disappointing that you can’t alter the hold time.
Although Cherry makes bold claims about the UWB wireless connectivity, I can't say I noticed any performance gains over other wireless keyboards I’ve tested. Such models have greatly improved in recent years, to the point where regular-sized USB dongles perform pretty much flawlessly. And if you are an elite player concerned about lags and dropouts, you’ll probably opt for a wired connection anyway. All this is to say that the UWB tech and the outsized puck are ultimately overkill for many. What’s more, the K63W Pro doesn’t have Bluetooth support, as lots of other premium wireless keyboards feature.
- Performance score: 4 / 5
Attributes
Notes
Rating
Value
Expensive for a compact board, but the quality and spec is there at least.
3.5 / 5
Design and features
Thin and light, with a solid build and a unique layout. The software is disappointing, though.
3.5 / 5
Performance
The K63W Pro is comfortable for gaming and typing for the most part, but the Mod Tap feature will take some getting used to.
4 / 5
Overall
The K63W Pro is a solid mechanical keyboard that does a few things differently, but not entirely successfully. Still, it’s a reliable and comfortable unit for most gamers.
3.5 / 5
Buy it if…You want a compact board
The K63W Pro cleverly includes keys usually omitted from such a small layout, although it does take some getting used to.
You want a comfortable board
The thin chassis and ergonomic keycaps makes the K63W Pro a board you can use all day long, although touch typing will test your dexterity at times.
You want the snappiest experience
Despite the low profile keycaps, they have a greater travel than you might expect, which might deter those after lighting-quick taps.
You want the best input customizations
The companion software’s rebinding functionality is quite woeful; there are barely any performance-related tweaks.
Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75
If it’s superb mechanical performance you’re after, you can’t do much better than the Razer BlackWidow. I love how tactile and satisfying key presses are, and the number of customizations on offer via Razer’s Synapse software is impressive for a mechanical keyboard, greatly eclipsing the K63W Pro on this front. However, the BlackWidow is an incredibly expensive board, so those wanting to save money should look elsewhere. Read our full Razer BlackWidow V4 Pro 75 review.
Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra
For something decidedly more budget-friendly, the FUN60 Ultra offers all the thrills of a great gaming keyboard without the expense. Its analog switches almost feel as good as mechanical ones, and there are plenty of adjustments you can make to alter their performance. Its construction is surprisingly solid for the price, too. Read our full Monsgeek FUN60 Ultra review.
- Tested for a few days
- Used for a variety of tasks
- Plentiful gaming keyboard experience
I used the K63W Pro for a few days, during which time I used it for working, general browsing, and of course, gaming. I used it in both wired and wireless modes.
I played games such as 007 First Light and Counter-Strike 2, which are good tests for the speed and accuracy of key inputs.
I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used numerous keyboards in that time. I’ve also reviewed a large number of them, ranging widely in their form factors, switches types, feature sets, and price points.
- First reviewed: July 2026
- Read more about how we test
- Ukraine Central Research Institute has unveiled Marichka, a closed neural network intended to cut brigade-level planning decisions from six to 12 hours down to minutes
- The system calculates force ratios, estimates losses, and models courses of action on an interactive map, but has so far only been trialed on test data, with classified document integration still pending
- Marichka adds another layer to Ukraine's tech stack for battlefield planning: the country already fields Delta for situational awareness and works with Palantir at multiple levels
Ukraine's Central Research Institute of the Armed Forces has presented Marichka, a closed neural network designed to compress the operational planning cycle at brigade level and above from hours to minutes.
The system, still in testing, is built to collect and verify battlefield information, then calculate force ratios and estimate required resources and likely losses, presenting commanders with modeled options on an interactive map. Military standards currently allow a regiment or brigade commander six to 12 hours and roughly 20 documents to reach the same point.
It can also alert command posts to changes in the operational situation as new information arrives. Colonel Yurii Kliat, who heads the institute, was explicit about where authority stops, telling the briefing that the final decision remains with the commander.
A battlefield-layer replacement for PalantirPalantir has been embedded in Ukrainian operations since shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, and it remains a mainstay in that theater, with a scope that dwarfs what Marichka is attempting.
Marichka is still an important step. If it works as described, it would give Ukraine sovereign control over part of the reasoning layer that currently sits with a foreign vendor, even as Palantir's pipeline remains the more established presence in the country's software-driven war effort.
According to Colonel Yurii Kliat, head of Ukraine's Central Research Institute of the Armed Forces, Marichka centrally gathers battlefield information, automatically calculates the balance of forces and combat potentials, and estimates required resources and likely losses.
The intent is to let brigade and regiment commanders reach an informed decision in minutes, measured against a doctrinal standard that currently allows six to 12 hours and roughly 20 documents.
Ukraine already fields the system that most closely answers to the description of a homegrown Palantir: Delta, which has provided situational awareness across the defense forces since 2022. Marichka is a new layer proposed on top of a stack that already includes Delta, Palantir's platforms for fusion and analysis, and, as of this year, a dedicated Defense AI Center. Whether it will integrate with Delta or run separately has not been disclosed, and that is arguably the most important open question about the program.
Brigadier General Andrii Lebedenko told the Drone Autonomy 2026 conference in May that the Armed Forces had already begun integrating AI agents into command-and-control systems, which places Marichka within an existing effort rather than presenting it as a departure.
This is not Ukraine's first attempt at an operational-level command system for headquarters. Dzvin was ordered from a contractor in 2016 and frozen in 2021 after the prototypes encountered disputes over cost, timelines, and product ownership.
Delta, developed in parallel rather than as a replacement, succeeded partly because it grew out of a volunteer reconnaissance unit solving an immediate battlefield problem, rather than from a procurement process.
Marichka comes from a research institute, which is a different pedigree again, and the harder test will not be the neural network but the bureaucracy around accreditation for classified data. That hurdle may be reinforced by the argument for the incumbent: Palantir has a proven record in theaters of war, and its early work in Ukraine, much of it provided free, secured a first-mover advantage that a domestic prototype will have to overcome.
Via United24Media
- Nearly 400 4K Blu-ray users shared info about player problems
- There's a huge gap between the best and worst in the poll
- Panasonic will be happy; Sony not so much
One of the things I like best about Reddit is the way people share their experiences of particular products: whether it's a kitchen knife, a portable AC or a Gibson guitar I know I'll be able to find sage advice on what to buy and what to watch out for. And now the good people of r/hometheater have come together to talk about the best 4K Blu-ray players and their reliability.
The poll was carried out by r/hometheater poster "requieminadream" and generated nearly 400 responses — almost double the number of previous poll respondents — from r/4KBluray, r/Bluray, r/PhysicalMediaMatters, the AVS Forums, and the Blu-ray.com forums. And there are some very clear differences between different firms' Blu-ray devices.
Requieminadream very kindly summarized the results in a sentence: "The Sony UBP-X700 is still the problem child, the Panasonic DP-UB820 is still champ, and the pricey UB-9000 posted the cleanest numbers (small sample though)."
But there were some interesting discoveries in the detail too, so it's definitely worth looking at if you're considering a pre-owned 4K Blu-ray player purchase, or just which one seems to make people the happiest long-term.
The 4K Blu-ray Standalone Player Reliability Poll numbers ARE IN! from r/hometheaterWhich 4K Blu-ray players are the best?One of the reasons I like Reddit wisdom is because with few exceptions, reviewers can't spend years with the products they test — so the reviews of my car don't know about the software issues that drive me wild and sometimes require a reboot at traffic lights, and the reviews of my router don't know about its tendency to misbehave every few weeks.
It's the same with Blu-ray players: even the most in-depth review won't be able to tell you if a player's likely to pack up in year two or three. (Though one exception is our Panasonic DP-UB820 review, written by our TV Hardware senior writer James Davidson, because he wrote us a fresh review based on combining using it in our test room and having used it daily for several years beforehand.)
But in general, polls like this are a brilliant resource.
By a large margin, the Panasonic DP-UB820 is the community's favored player: 43.4% of respondents have one, and its problem rate was around half that of the Sony UBP-X700. The rate of serious issues was very low, at just 8% — backing up what James had said, when he called it "the workhorse of the 4K Blu-ray player world".
The "problem child" that emerged from this latest poll is the Sony UBP-X700. Of the 103 Sony users, some 77.7% reported some issues over time; recurring and/or serious issues were 23%. The number one complaint is freezing during triple-layer transitions, which is something that has long been discussed on Blu-ray forums.
The poll shows another interesting pattern, which is problems over time. For the Sony, issues became more common over time — but for the Panasonic the pattern was of any failures showing up early, but better long-term reliability.
The other players in the survey came in between the two extremes, but some of the best results were from "other" players including games consoles and more niche Blu-ray products.
Satisfaction with those products was exceptionally high, with the PS5 getting a significantly higher rating than the Xbox. That's all the more striking given the Sony X700's performance: the PS5 is a more premium product and that seems to be reflected in its reliability — alas, we shouldn't expect any more PlayStations to arrive with a disc player.
I should make clear, as the original Redditor did, that in some cases the sample sizes for ownership in these polls is pretty low, so we should take the results with a pinch of salt. However, the Panasonic UB820 and the Sony X700 were the best-represented, and are the two most popular players, so their data is arguably the most useful anyway.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked took place earlier in the week, and amongst the key launches we the got a look at a brand new compact foldable: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8. This clamshell phone is Samsung's slimmest and lightest Flip yet, measuring just 6.1mm thick when folded, and weighing in at 180g.
Preorders are open now, and if you've decided this is the phone for you, now's a great time to get a case sorted. Below, I've rounded up a selection of my favorites in the US and in the UK. I've focused on reputable brands like Otterbox, Spigen and Casetify, alongside Samsung's official offerings, but I've also mixed in a handful of Amazon options for those seeking something cheaper. As a relatively niche launch, there isn't the usual glut of cases to choose from, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a decent range available.
When making your selection, keep in mind what you need from a case. Do you want the toughest case, with reinforced corners, to keep your foldable safe from bumps and scratches? Are you seeking a fun design that lets you express some personality? Or do you need something minimalist that lets the phone itself take center stage? I've also included a number of MagSafe options.
Scroll down to browse my favorite Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 cases and covers, to keep your new clamshell safe and looking great.
US cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 Spigen Galaxy Z Flip 8 Series — Ultra Hybrid Pro (mag Fit) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Mirror Magnet Case(kakao Friends) Spigen Galaxy Z Flip 8 Series - Nano Pop (mag Fit) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Silicone Ring Magnet Case, Pink Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Clear Magnet Case, Transparent CASETiFY Stamp Collection CASETiFY Black Kingsnake OtterBox Folding Galaxy Z Flip8 Case — Thin Flex Series Pepmune Magnetic Case Matte Clear Bumper, Pink RMOCR Galaxy Z Flip 8 Case With Lanyard, blue WRJ Shockproof Magnetic Phone Case for Z Flip8 — Black Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Flipsuit Case, Silver Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Clear Case, Transparent CASETiFY Dragon Pang Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Mirror Magnet Case(esther Bunny) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Hybrid Shield Magnet Case, Black Spigen Galaxy Z Flip 8 Series - Ultra Hybrid Pro Neo One (mag Fit) Spigen Galaxy Z Flip 8 Series - Core Armor (mag Fit) UK cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 CASETiFY Bridgerton Blooming Flowers Case CASETiFY Strawberry Print OWKEY Magnetic Case With Built-In Screen Protector, Blue Natbok Galaxy Z Flip 8 Case with 2 Screen Protectors, black SIXBOX Flip 8 Case With Stand, Compatible With Magsafe, Dark purple WFTE Split Case with 2x Tempered Glass Screen Protectors Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Flipsuit Case Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Clear Case Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Silicone Ring Magnet Case Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Clear Magnet Case Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 Hybrid Shield Magnet CaseAI is everywhere, which is exciting for some and concerning for others — and nowhere is this dichotomy more prevalent than health. AI has the ability to enable huge leaps in healthcare, both at home on your phones and smartwatches, and in the medical industry advancing tools and research using vast corpuses of training data. However, given that AI relies on harvesting data to train the next generation of models, its use of sensitive personal information is under intense scrutiny.
Samsung, unsurprisingly, is all-in on AI. On 22 July during Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, we saw how AI was being used across Samsung's ecosystem, especially on the Samsung Health app and wearables like the Samsung Galaxy Watch. It's crunching the data you give it to help notify you of problems such as sleep apnea, irregular heart rhythms, and even common illnesses such as a cold.
It's not the only big tech company to dive head-first into AI health: Google's done it too with the revamp of its Google Health app, retooling its premium tier into a Chatbot called the Google Health Coach.
Some people don't trust AI with their health information, as our writer David Nield illustrates, and some AI companies' cavalier use of user data has clearly got users worried. Is the pivot to AI in health happening too quickly? Do we have appropriate safeguards in place yet? And is your data being mined without your consent?
It's all about user trust, it seems. Samsung made headlines earlier this month for the wrong reasons, as a claim hit the internet stating that Samsung Health will delete your data unless you allow the app to access your sensitive health information for AI training purposes. Samsung later clarified this was not the case in a statement to 9to5Google. While the rumor was apparently false, it does demonstrate how worried people are when it comes to AI harvesting their health data.
Trust and Privacy(Image credit: Future)During Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, I got to conduct a one-on-one interview with Annika Bizon, VP of Product and Marketing for Mobile Experience at Samsung, and ask her about Samsung's strategy when it comes to AI and healthcare — including how it's intending to safeguard their user's valuable data.
"The user is in control, right?," she tells me, "you opt-in to decide what you want something to understand around your health. You're in control through your phone and through the Samsung health app. That's number one. AI is there to assist you and make your experience better."
Bizon and her team also clarified that all Samsung Health features are usable whether you choose to share your data or not. This attempt to reassure Samsung users about trust and privacy echoed all throughout the Unpacked conference: when I approached someone to talk about Samsung's new Intelligent Eyewear smart glasses, the first bit of sales spiel I got was centered on privacy and transparency features. Clearly, Samsung and its partners at Google are keen to avoid the growing backlash against smart specs.
(Image credit: Samsung)This continued during a Health Forum attended by journalists. Speaking about medical advances powered by Samsung and AI, Rohit Ali, Head of the Technology Incubation Lab at Samsung R&D Institute UK, said during the panel, "as long as we ensure that data is private, trust can be viable. We at Samsung completely believe that data belongs to the user, and we are just custodians."
Bizon said Samsung's approach is "if it's got AI involved in it, you're in control," with the ability to toggle the data you share and the data you don't. However, she did then go on to say that when users start to use these features, that "you realize you don't want to 'not opt-in' because it's giving you better understanding of your health situation." Without opting in to using the AI features, you're not getting everything Samsung Health has to offer.
'We want to keep people away from doctors'Watch: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 / Watch9 hands-on"Gone are the days of 10,000 steps and eight hours' sleep," said Bizon, telling me that old-fashioned blanket advice was never suitable for everyone. "We're in a space of 'your health, your way', and that's where AI and incredible sensor technology innovation brings those two together.
"We want to keep people away from doctors. We want to give people small nudges so they can make their lives better."
Bizon is talking about AI picking up on your body's trends and seeing things before they happen, with preventative health features ensuring people don't necessarily need doctors — and when they do, they're catching things like heart problems early.
The new Vitals feature is the key to this, which tracks five different metrics, many of them based on heart health, while you sleep with a Samsung watch or Galaxy Ring on. "Through things like understanding how your respiratory system is working, it might tell you that might be coming down with a cold," says Bizon, "and therefore, you can manage that. You might go, 'I need to have more vitamins' or 'I need to sleep a bit more', or 'I might not go to the gym tomorrow'.
"Little triggers and little nudges, right the way through to understanding your heart health in way more detail. Your ECG is taken while you're sleeping. And then that is, you know, even endorsed by the MHRA [the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency], which means that you can send that directly directly to your doctor."
(Image credit: Samsung)An AI nutrition tracking feature will also be launching in beta on Samsung Health very soon, which allows you to take a photo of your plate and it'll log an estimation of your macros like Google Health and Garmin Connect does. These coupled with the Antioxidant Index on watches, which Bizon says help users "understand what you're putting in your body, so that you can manage your overall health in a better way", have the potential to become quite a powerful set of nutrition features across the Samsung ecosystem.
This preventative health design is part of Samsung's desire to keep people away from doctors, as Bizon puts it, and empower its users to lead healthier lives. It just might work, too — as long as that all-important trust and faith in Samsung's ability to keep its user's health data private is maintained.
During Samsung's Health Forum, Samsung's Head of Digital Health Dr Hon Pak said "whether it's data or the insights we derive, someone has to trust this is right for them. And then there's the issue of what we're doing to store and use that data appropriately, because once you lose trust, nothing else matters."
Samsung is being very careful and conscious with all its trust-first messaging, and it's paying attention to controversies involving other companies like Meta. The success of its plans for AI health all depend on this.
As noted in my Ninja Creami Swirl review, with the right ingredients, your frozen dessert can help you meet your protein goals. I have tried dozens of recipes and found that I really don't care for the taste or texture of the ready-made protein shakes and powders that many high-protein recipes call for. Plus, they are quite expensive, often around $3 / £2.50 / AU$4.50 per serving, not counting any other ingredients you might add.
Many recipes also call for pudding mix, which is supposed to help with texture, taste, and added sweetness, but I'm not a fan of those either, so I searched out some options that provide a decent amount of protein without any of those products — just real food.
Just yogurtThe obvious option is just to take a tub (or two) of your favorite yogurt, dump it into the Ninja Creami pint, and freeze. Spin it on the Yogurt setting and you get a nice ice cream texture. The key is to use a yogurt that you really like, because the flavor doesn't magically change into ice cream, just the texture! The image above is two tubs of simple vanilla Greek yogurt. Keep in mind that freezing anything dulls the sweetness, so you might want to add a touch of your sweetener of choice before freezing, or add a sweet mix-in, such as cookies or chocolate.
Cherry-vanilla yogurtYogurt (or cottage cheese) and fruit is always a great combo. One of my favorites is this simple recipe:
Cherry-vanilla frozen yogurt:
3/4 cup dark sweet frozen cherries
1 cup Greek vanilla yogurt
Blend first and then freeze for 24 hours. Spin it on the Frozen Yogurt cycle. If desired, add more cherries for the Mix-in cycle.
I rarely actually blend mine first, but it's probably better for your machine if you do. This is a favorite I make over and over, and it's simply delicious. Sometimes I add 1/4 tsp of almond extract before freezing for a heightened flavor. I also sometimes add more protein and texture by running a small handful of nuts in the Mix-in cycle.
Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FuturePear-vanilla yogurtThis one sounds a bit odd, but it's so good.
Pear-vanilla yogurt:
2 tubs of Greek vanilla yogurt
1 tub pears
No need to blend, just mix and freeze for 24 hours. Spin on the Frozen Yogurt cycle.
Canned fruit is very soft, which is why you don't need to blend it. You can use any fruit here, it doesn't have to be pears. They all work well. You can try different yogurt flavors, too. Canned pineapple with coconut yogurt is a tasty combo, for example. And if you don't have tubs like I used, you can just measure out a roughly 2:1 yogurt to fruit ratio to the max fill line.
Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureChocolate Cottage Cheese Ice CreamI have tried many chocolate 'protein ice creams' and haven't yet hit on that perfect recipe. This one is pretty good, with great texture. Be sure to taste it before freezing, in case you want to add more sweetener. User a sugar-free sweetener if you want to cut calories. If you prefer whole foods, try honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup. You could even just use a few dates.
Chocolate Cottage Cheese Ice Cream:
1 cup cottage cheese
3 tbsp cacao powder
2-3 tbsp sweetener of choice
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Blend well and freeze for 24 hours. Spin on the Light Ice Cream setting.
Add nuts, cookies, and/or chocolate on the Mix-in cycle if desired. I mixed in a few chocolate chips. If the cottage cheese is too salty for you, or you just don't like the taste, you could use milk or Greek yogurt instead. You can even do some combination of the three. The cottage cheese does give a nice texture, but you don't need the full cup to get it. Even a quarter cup helps.
Karen Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureKaren Freeman / FutureAnd moreI have several high protein recipes in my recent article, healthier recipes for your Ninja Creami, including a pistachio ice cream recipe I particularly like and a banana nut ice cream I eat quite regularly. I also have some high protein options in my article about eating ice cream for breakfast!
I know my recipes tend to be dairy-forward, because that's what I like, but there are other options out there. I've seen bean-based and tofu-based recipes, but haven't had the guts to try them.
There are other additions to you can blend into any favorite recipe, such as hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds. Just a tablespoon added to any recipe will increase the protein and other nutrients without doing much of anything to the flavor of your ice cream.
- It's still unclear whether employers should train workers, or if workers should train themselves
- Most organizations would still pay a premium to have employees who know a thing or two about AI
- AI is increasingly common in performance reviews and promotion decisions
New research has claimed, three in four (77%) UK organizations now expect AI proficient to become a baseline requirement across most non-technical roles within the next year.
But despite a clear demand for AI skills, whose responsibility it is to upskill workers is still very much hotly challenged, the report from HiBob says.
For example, a near-identical number of companies are investing in AI upskilling (82%) and have clear strategies for finding candidates who already have strong AI skills (80%).
Employers are recruiting for AI-proficient workersWhen it comes to training workers, employers are using a mix of funding opportunities for employees (33%), providing dedicated time for workers to experiment (33%) and offering pre-built prompts and workflows (31%), indicating that there's not yet a single way forward.
While the report doesn't shift the responsibility onto either party, with more than three in five considering AI when making promotion decisions (63%) and including AI in regular performance reviews (61%), workers are clearly required to take at least some ownership over their upskilling.
"The winners in the AI era will be the organisations that can define a shared language of skills, identify where capability truly sits, and pivot talent to where it creates the most value," CEO Ronni Zehavi wrote.
Regardless, with nearly all (97%) employers prepared to offer at least a 10% salary premium for AI proficiency, demand for such skills isn't going anywhere and the workers who take initiative could be the ones to see the most success in the short term, as organizations battle getting to grips with how to support their workforces.
- Stream Shark Week 2026 on Discovery via YouTube TV free trial (US)
- Unlock your stream with Surfshark (save up to 85%)
- Shark Week 2026 dates: Sunday, July 26 – Saturday, August 1
Findulge your inner child and learn something new along the way by diving into Shark Week, a celebration of one of the natural world's most endlessly intimidating and captivating animal groups, playing out over seven days and 20 specials.
Adrenaline-junkie Molly Carlson is embracing that spirit a little too literally for our liking in Ultimate Shark Dive, by attempting a record-breaking freefall dive from a helicopter into a narrow cage surrounded by reef sharks – some species of which are known to be aggressive and/or a little too curious for comfort.
Yes, one of Shark Week's missions has traditionally been to undo the reputational damage wreaked by Jaws, but with titles like Air Jaws: Red, White and Breach, Bull Shark Dinner Bell, Chum Island: Catching a Killer, What Shark Attacked? and Secrets of the Great White Kill also prevalent on the schedule, you can forgive us for staying out of the water for its duration (and beyond).
After all, you never know where Big Rose might be. Here's hoping Dr Neil Hammerschlag and Paul de Gelder manage to track the supersized great white down in Invasion of the Mega Sharks. Expedition X: Atomic Sharks, Phil Torres and Heather Amaro's study of sharks living amongst nuclear waste, and Dr Tristan Guttridge's intelligence-testing How to Train a Great White sound especially fascinating too.
Read on as we explain how to watch Shark Week 2026 from anywhere and potentially for free. Scroll right down to the bottom for the full lineup of specials.
Can I watch Shark Week 2026 for free?Yes. YouTube TV, which carries Discovery, offers new subscribers a 5-day FREE trial, which would let you watch almost the entirety of Shark Week 2026 for free.
Traveling abroad right now? You can use a VPN to access your usual streaming services from anywhere with a VPN.
Use a VPN to watch Shark Week 2026 from anywhereA VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country and unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend Surfshark – it does everything and comes with up to 85% off.
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How to watch Shark Week 2026 in the USShark Week 2026 airs on Discovery on seven consecutive nights from Sunday, July 26 to Saturday, August 1. A triple-header of specials will start at 8pm ET/PT each evening, with a double-header to close.
The Discovery channel is available on a streaming basis from several OTT operators, including YouTube TV, which comes with a 5-day FREE trial.
Alternatively, the HBO Max streaming platform will let you stream Shark Week programming too. Plans start from $10.99 per month, or you can pay more to add live sports and bundle in other streaming services like Disney Plus and Hulu.
If you have a subscription but you're away during Shark Week 2026, you can unlock access your usual streaming services from anywhere by using a VPN.
How to watch Shark Week 2026 in CanadaIn Canada, Shark Week 2026 airs on Discovery to exactly the same schedule.
Cord cutters can tune in via Discovery+, which starts at CA$5.99/month.
Away from Canada right now? Use Surfshark to access your subscriptions from anywhere.
Can I watch Shark Week 2026 in the UK?Although Discovery+ is home to Shark Week programming in the UK, they tend to hit the streaming service in dribs and drabs, instead of airing as an event.
At the time of writing, it isn't clear when any of the Shark Week 2026 specials will be available to watch in the UK.
For now, a VPN will help you tune in if you're spending time in the UK from the US or Canada. Surfshark is our recommended provider, and you can find out why with our in-depth Surfshark review.
How to watch Shark Week 2026 in AustraliaShark Week 2026 goes out on HBO Max in Australia from Sunday, August 16.
Prices start from AU$11.99 per month.
If you'd rather not wait that long, a VPN will help you tune in if you're an American or a Canadian spending time abroad. The solution? Try using a VPN.
Shark Week 2026 – Need to KnowShark Week 2026 trailerShark Week 2026 episode guideShark Week 2026 comprises 20 specials, which will air in North America on the following schedule:
Sunday, July 26
8pm – “K-Pop Shark Heroes”
9pm – “Air Jaws: Red, White and Breach”
10pm – “Invasion of the Mega Sharks”
Monday, July 27
8pm – “Bull Shark Dinner Bell”
9pm – “House of Sharks”
10pm – “Biggest Mako on Earth”
Sunday, July 26
8pm – “Jurassic Sharks”
9pm – “Jaws vs Orca”
10pm – “Chum Island: Catching a Killer”
Sunday, July 26
8pm – “Expedition X: Atomic Sharks”
9pm – “Expedition Unknown: Shark Secrets”
10pm – “Alien Sharks: Untamed America”
Sunday, July 26
8pm – “What Shark Attacked?”
9pm – “How to Train a Great White”
10pm – “Ultimate Shark Dive”
Sunday, July 26
8pm – “Secrets of the Great White Kill”
9pm – “Sharkzilla Takes New York”
10pm – “My Strange Shark Addiction”
Sunday, July 26
8pm – “Great White Highway”
9pm – “Thresher Shark: Stun to Kill”
(All times ET/PT)
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