ChatGPT’s growing collection of plugins has always sounded more useful than it sometimes felt. A long directory can make every integration look equally promising, even though some become regular tools and others enjoy one exciting demonstration before joining the digital attic. I have installed plenty that seemed clever for approximately seven minutes.
A recent recommendation update is designed to make that search more useful. Plugin rankings now give greater priority to tools that people continue using after installation, helping relevant options appear more prominently across ChatGPT on the web and mobile.
That sounded like a useful reason to revisit the directory and see which plugins had earned a place in my own routine. Here are five ChatGPT plugins I use that you might find worthwhile integrating into your life too.
1. Spotify for soundtracks of my day
Music recommendations have traditionally fallen into two camps. An algorithm serves more of whatever you played last week, or a friend gives you a playlist that contains six hours of obscure ambient jazz and demands your gratitude. Spotify’s ChatGPT plugin offers a more conversational middle ground.
Once connected, it can use your listening history, favorite artists and habits to suggest music, find podcasts and build playlists. The advantage is the amount of context you can include. Instead of searching for “workout music,” you can request a precise length, mood, genre mixture and energy curve. You can then refine the result without starting again.
I find it particularly good for playlists attached to a specific activity. Give it constraints and a little personality. A useful prompt would be: “Spotify, make a 75-minute Saturday kitchen-cleaning playlist. Start with indie rock, increase the energy after 20 minutes, avoid songs I played heavily last month and finish with three ridiculous singalongs.”
That produces something more purposeful than a generic cleaning playlist assembled by somebody who apparently dusts to anonymous dance remixes. You can ask Spotify to replace individual tracks, make the selection calmer or rename the finished playlist before opening it in the Spotify app.
The plugin is also handy for rediscovery. Asking for artists you listened to frequently five or ten years ago can produce a surprisingly effective musical excavation, complete with the occasional song you had wisely buried.
2. AllTrails for touching grass
(Image credit: ChatGPT)
I like hiking and finding new places to go. The AllTrails plugin can turn my fuzzy desire to spend time outside into a shortlist that reflects how much time, energy,, and enthusiasm I actually have.
The trick is to describe the practical limits that generic searches tend to ignore. Include your location, maximum driving time, preferred distance, acceptable elevation gain, and any requirements involving children, dogs, shade, accessibility, or parking. ChatGPT can handle those details conversationally and use AllTrails to narrow the possibilities.
For example: “AllTrails, find three loop hikes within 45 minutes of me. Keep them between two and four miles with less than 700 feet of elevation gain. Prioritize recent positive reviews and parking that does not require arriving at dawn.”
That is far more useful than being told about the “10 best hikes in New York.” Follow-up prompts can compare the routes, suggest the best choice for a hot day, or identify the option with the gentlest opening mile. Trail conditions can change, so I still check recent reviews, closures, weather, and the official route before leaving, but it's been a great trip planner, especially for group hikes.
3. Todoist for due dates
(Image credit: ChatGPT)
My relationship with to-do lists has always been hopeful but unstable. I enjoy creating them, feel briefly organized, and then discover the list several days later beneath newer lists. Todoist already offered better structure, but its ChatGPT plugin removed much of the fiddly work involved in turning a collection of thoughts into an actual plan.
After connecting my Todoist account, I might describe a typical overloaded Saturday and ask it to put the errands in a sensible driving order and with a realistic time schedule for getting it all done. I also ask for a preview first lest ChatGPT overload me out of misplaced confidence in my abilities.
The plugin is especially useful for recurring household tasks. I can ask it to create reminders for changing filters, checking smoke alarms, renewing documents or ordering supplies.
4. FitAI Pro for fitness
(Image credit: ChatGPT)
FitAI Pro is designed for planning gym workouts and logging sets, It handles the organizational work that often stands between me and an actual workout.
After installing the plugin, I gave it my experience level, available equipment, preferred number of training days, and the maximum time I wanted to spend in the gym, and I get back a set of workouts to match. It helps to mention any movements you dislike or need to avoid
The large exercise library also makes substitutions easy for when I just don't like a particular exercise or want to mix things up. The plugin cannot perform the workout for me, which remains disappointing, but otherwise it streamlines workout plans in ways that make it harder for me to procrastinate or skip them entirely.
5. Podcast App to learn and laugh
(Image credit: ChatGPT)
Podcast discovery is even tougher than for plugins because it's such a vast sea of OK-to-bad options, with unfortunately rare gems hidden within. Even more so if you only want to find a particular episode and not just a whole show.
The Podcast App plugin lets me search by topic, idea, or program and receive relevant podcast recommendations. I use it for individual episodes, since that is where it saves the most time. You can mention a maximum length if you want to avoid the four-hour monologues, and specify just how much expertise you have if you want general knowledge versus granular detail beyond your interest. Those distinctions matter when the same subject can produce either an entertaining commute or a three-hour academic panel.
I also usually ask the plugin to explain in one sentence why each episode matches my request. I can find one episode about a specific book, scientific question, or historical incident and move on. My queue remains imperfect, but I don't spend more time looking than listening.
The updated plugin recommendation system makes good plugins easier to discover, but discovery is only the opening act. The real value comes from giving a plugin a well-defined job, useful constraints, and permission to ask for clarification. Specific prompts produce specific help. Vague prompts produce the digital equivalent of a sympathetic nod.
Still, I keep these five because they help in ways standard ChatGPT can't, or that would take much longer to set up in the general chatbox. As OpenAI acknowledges with the new system, returning voluntarily to them is the most convincing recommendation for any AI tool.
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Plug-in solar panels became legal in the UK today...
Plug-in solar panels became legal in the UK today (September 27). These panels plug directly into an ordinary mains power socket, and could cut your electricity bill considerably; in fact, experts have told us that a plug-in solar system could effectively pay for itself in three to five years.
However, although plug-in solar panels are now legal, plug-in batteries (which store electricity then discharge it back into the circuit later) are not.
"Without a battery, solar energy generated during the day is either used immediately or exported to the grid, and consumers have to buy electricity at a higher price in the evening to meet their need," explains Anker Solix, which produces portable power stations and solar generators, and today launched the Solarbank 4 Pro solar battery.
The Solarbank 4 Pro is described as "plug-in ready", but can currently only be installed in your home via a hardwired connection, and must be fitted by a Part P registered electrician — for now.
Anker Solix is among many companies banking on plug-in batteries becoming legal in the UK soon, but we don't yet know when that might happen.
What's the problem with plug-in batteries?
The problem (as described by Regen, a not-for-profit organisation promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency), is that wiring in UK homes wasn't designed for energy to be discharged back into it.
Your home has circuit breakers, which protect against overloading and fires. They turn off the power to a circuit if the load gets too high, or there's a major system fault. Each circuit breaker has a lower rating than the physical limit of the circuit, which provides a buffer for safety.
"The problem with a discharging battery is known as load masking," explains Regen. "Circuit breakers only detect the current flowing past them from the consumer unit, and they cannot ‘see’ that a battery is plugged in. So when a battery discharges into a wall socket, the appliances on that circuit can draw power from the battery instead of the consumer unit — and the breaker continues to allow current up to its rating on top of what the battery is supplying.
"The wiring closest to the appliances can therefore carry more current than the circuit breaker is set to protect against. Exceeding the rated current could lead to the wire getting hot, increasing the risk of a fire."
Should you buy a 'future-ready' plug-in battery?
Choosing to buy a plug-in solar battery now is a calculated risk. Companies like Anker Solix can make well-informed predictions about the future requirements for plug-in batteries, and are keeping a close eye on developments. For example, capping the contribution from plug-in batteries at a low level could help avoid pushing wiring beyond its physical limits, even accounting for load masking.
However, although plug-in batteries seem like the logical next step in home solar, and big manufacturers are optimistic, there's no guarantee if, or when, they'll be given the green light.
If you're thinking about installing a plug-in solar system, take a look at our guide to three places you can't install plug-in solar panels first — the planning rules are very specific, and you'll need to think about where you're going to fit them carefully.
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Watch England vs Pakistan on Tapmad (FREE) (PAK)...
2nd Test: August 27-31 from 11am BST / 6am ET daily
Watch England vs Pakistan live streams as the 2nd Test of the three-match Test series gets underway at Lord's, London. The first match was hardly a competition as the English bowlers, especially Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue, who both took 8-fers, ran riot against an inexperienced Pakistani batting lineup. The visitors put up a sorry show with the bat as England won by an innings and 103 runs.
Pakistan are 7th in the ICC’s Test rankings, and they've only won one away Test – in the West Indies – in the last three years. But, if there’s anywhere the Pakistani team would like to be after such a disappointing start, it is Lord's. They’ve won 5 matches here, including both of the last two games played between the two sides.
Mohammad Abbas was the hero of the 2018 win, picking up 8 scalps, and he’ll look to do something similar to turn his side’s fortune around. Another piece of good news for the visitors is the return of their captain, Babar Azam, after he missed the first game due to a finger injury. Azan Awais should make way for him.
The Poms, though brilliant in the first match, have found themselves surrounded by yet another off-field club-related controversy, this time as Brydon Carse was handcuffed following an incident outside a nightclub in Derby. Pending an investigation by the ECB, Carse has been sidelined for the second game, with Sonny Baker named as his replacement.
But captain Root won’t likely make any changes to the playing XI, with their fast-bowling quartet of Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and Ollie Robinson all in-form and delivering wickets.
You can catch all the England vs Pakistan 2nd Test action live and free. Read on to find out how.
Can I stream England vs Pakistan 2nd Test for free?
Yes, in Pakistan Tapmad will be showing the second test between England and Pakistan for free.
Those still tied to the cord can also watch the match free in Pakistan, thanks to the PTV Sports TV channel.
Outside of Pakistan? No worries, you can still stream the action by using a VPN. More details below...
Use a VPN to watch England vs Pakistan 2nd Test from anywhere
If you're keen to watch cricket but you're away from home and your preferred coverage is geo-blocked, you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.
The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with a 75% discount, and three months for free.
Not having a VPN is like leaving your front door wide open in a busy city – anyone can walk right in and take a peek.
TechRadar regularly reviews all the biggest and best VPN providers and NordVPN is our #1 choice.
✅ Up to 75% off today ✅ 3 extra months free ✅ Unlocks international streams
Get NordVPN and stream the England vs Pakistan 2nd Test from anywhere, even for free.View Deal
Quick start: Using a VPN to watch the 2nd Test between England and Pakistan from anywhere
Using a VPN is incredibly simple, just follow these steps.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're visiting the U.S. and want to view a Pakistani streaming service, you'd select a location from Pakistan (like Karachi) from the server list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to Tampad and watch England vs Pakistan 2nd Test just like you would at home.
How to watch England vs Pakistan 2nd Test live streams in the US
(Image credit: Other)
Cricket streaming service Willow TV is the place to watch the England vs Pakistan 2nd Test in the US.
If you don't have it as part of your cable package, you can watch Willow coverage through your choice of Sling TV's Desi Binge Plus or Dakshin Flex plans – starting from $10 per month.
Alternatively, you can add Willow TV to your Prime Video subscription and watch cricket live streams from there.
Outside the US right now? You can make use of NordVPN to catch the action.
How to watch England vs Pakistan 2nd Test live streams in the UK
The England vs Pakistan 2nd Test is being shown on Sky Sports on the Cricket and Main Event channels.
Sky Sports plans start from £35/month or £22 if you're an existing Sky subscriber. Alternatively, grab a NOW Sports subscription from £14.99/day or £34.99/month.
If you're on holiday outside the UK, you can use NordVPN to access Eng vs Pak coverage.
How to watch England vs Pakistan 2nd Test live streams in India
(Image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
In India, England vs Pakistan 2nd Test is being shown on the Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available via Sony LIV.
Sony LIV subscription plans in India start at ₹599 for the Mobile-Only yearly plan, or you can get the ₹999 Premium yearly plan.
If you're currently out of India but want to watch the matches live, you'll need to get yourself a VPN to access streaming services back home.
How to watch England vs Pakistan 2nd Test live streams in Australia
(Image credit: free)
The second test between England and Pakistan is being shown on Fox Cricket via Foxtel in Australia, with live streaming available via Kayo Sports.
Kayo Sports starts at AU$30 per month after a 7-day free trial. Or you can get your first month for AU$1.
Remember if you're out of Australia at all during the match, get NordVPN to stream Eng vs Pak from anywhere in the world.
How to watch England vs Pakistan 2nd Test live streams in Pakistan
In Pakistan, the second Test is free-to-air on PTV Sports (TV) and on Tapmad for cord-cutters.
That said, the free tier on Tapmad will have a lower-quality stream with ads playing during over breaks and fall of wickets. There's a premium tier, too, at PKR 499 per month, which unlocks an ad-free, high-definition (HD) stream.
If you're currently out of Pakistan but want to watch an England vs Pakistan 2nd Test live stream, you'll need to get yourself a VPN, as per the instructions above.
England vs Pakistan: Tickets
Want to watch England vs Pakistan live?Seat Unique have you covered:
Watching on TV is one thing, but nothing beats experiencing a Test Match live. For the next two Tests at Lord’s and Edgbaston, Seat Unique are offering stylish hospitality and standard tickets in the ground.
England: Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Sonny Baker, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue
Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Ghazi Ghori (wk), Awais Zafar, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Abdullah Fazal, Aamer Jamel, Salman Ali Agha, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Sajid Khan, Ubaid Shah, Ali Usman
England vs Pakistan Test series schedule
1st Test: 19-23 August, Headingley (11am BST) - England won by an innings and 103 runs
2nd Test: 27-31 August, Lord's (11am BST)
3rd Test: 9-13 September, Edgbaston (11am BST)
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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Plug-in solar kits become legal in the UK from Au...
That's because these kits are, in theory, a much more affordable and user-friendly way to bring the bill-cutting benefits of solar power to your home. The UK government estimates that plug-in panels could save households up to £70-£110 a year on their energy bills.
For renters and flat owners with little roof space, they represent a long-awaited new alternative to pricey rooftop installations. Instead, as their name suggests, you can theoretically plug them directly into your mains electricity, and place them outdoors in places like balcony railings, fences, garden sheds or patios.
However, despite their promised savings, early plug-in solar kits aren't exactly cheap. Early options that have gained regulatory approval, such as the UKSOL Plug-In Solar Pro Compact 460W Ground Mount Kit, will start at £699 from retailers, and it isn't yet clear when we'll be able to buy them directly from the likes of Lidl, Amazon and Currys.
(Image credit: Getty Images / imageBROKER / Robert Poorten)
Other potential drawbacks include limitations on where you can actually install plug-in solar (in some cases, you may need planning permission) and the fact that you can't currently connect your panels to a battery, without professional help. For many, plug-in batteries are the real game-changer, and some will be waiting for those to become legal before diving into plug-in solar.
But now we want to hear from you — are you planning to buy a plug-in solar kit when they become legal on August 27? Vote in our poll below and let us know your thoughts in the comments too.
A security engineer at Amazon hacked a bunch of peripherals using AI
Claude Opus did most of the legwork in applying modified firmware to a webcam, microphone and more
The relative ease with which AI allows this kind of modification points to a worrying future of peripherals being compromised on a grander scale
In another example of how AI could prove to be a threat to our devices, an Amazon security engineer has demonstrated how powerful Claude Opus is when it comes to reverse engineering PC peripherals.
Chaz Schlarp, who's a Senior Security Engineer at Amazon, wrote a blog post about experiments he conducted with a bunch of peripherals such as a webcam and a microphone.
He wanted to find out how easy it was to modify the firmware and pull off some useful tricks with these devices using AI, but clearly there's a darker side here — namely that the same access could be leveraged by a malicious actor to compromise your system via these gadgets.
Schlarp used Claude Opus 5 to mess around with the firmware for an Insta360 webcam, a Shure microphone, an Asus monitor, an Elgato video capture stick, and an Elgato mini-light (a compact device for lighting your streaming videos).
Schlarp explains: "My process was pretty much the same for each of these devices: grab a copy of the device's firmware and associated update tool from the manufacturer, throw it into my reverse engineering environment, tell Claude Opus 5 what my goals are, and let it churn."
One thing that became quite clear to the security engineer was that these devices lacked any decent firmware integrity protection to prevent modifying and applying a new firmware. Only the Elgato light had any defenses in this respect, and they were easy enough to circumvent.
Schlarp explains a trick with his Asus ROG Swift PG42UQ monitor to demonstrate the kind of useful utility that can be on offer with this kind of firmware modding. He found it was possible to remove an annoying pop-up warning that periodically tells the owner to run the 'pixel cleaning' process (although the engineer hasn't implemented the fix in the firmware yet). He also discovered a way to get DisplayWidget (a Windows utility) features running on his Linux system, with a shell script that can flick through certain bits of functionality like the hardware crosshair or FPS counter (which could be set up on hotkeys).
Most of what he did, though, was about proving how relatively easy it was to subvert the firmware using AI to do the heavy lifting, and, for example, disable the webcam's recording light (in the style of surveillance malware, so the user wouldn't know if the camera was secretly recording). He pulled off a similar feat with the microphone, so the mute LED could be on while the mic wasn't actually muted (this was leveraged via a 'full plaintext command shell').
Schlarp observed: "Peripherals have proven to be an ideal target for agentic RE [reverse engineering] — they're tiny computers attached to my computer, with a data connection to the host and usually a firmware update mechanism, so an agent has something to iterate against. The net outcome is better control and understanding of my machine."
Analysis: fast-tracked exploits?
(Image credit: Shure)
The key point here is how easy Claude Opus made this task. 'Owning' all five of these peripherals boiled down to 13 hours of the AI beavering away under its own steam with just shy of 100 prompts from its human overseer.
Schlarp notes that: "Hardware is almost universally 'open' for tinkering at this point with just a couple hours of mostly hands-off machine-driven labor each, and I look forward to a near future where I can add features to my webcam firmware as easily as I can to software that runs on my Linux machine itself."
However, as mentioned, there's the dark side to all this, as Schlarp makes clear: "On the other hand, as a security professional, this scares me for several reasons. I would work from the operating assumption that any device attached to a computer could have had a malicious firmware implant performed, where previously that required significant per-model investment and was stereotyped as a 'state actor' kind of activity."
In other words, the main difficulty in executing these kinds of exploits is the labor and time required, which currently limits this to individually targeted attacks on more high value targets. However, now an AI agent is capable of doing the grunt work, it makes sense that these kinds of attacks could be far more prevalent as time rolls on.
That means all those peripherals attached to your PC could be used as ways to compromise you, or your system, in the future. Schlarp informs us that he's also managed to get a root shell on a commercial Dell display, adding that: "Obviously it was never best practice to let untrusted clients touch these things, but the speed and scale at which this can be executed makes the risk so much higher now."
There's a potentially bigger threat here, too: an AI-powered worm that automatically actions this kind of reverse engineering. Schlarp explains: "It's only a tiny leap to imagine that someone could make a self-replicating piece of malware that probes its environment, relaying reconnaissance back to a smart command-and-control that actively works to push itself into accessories and IoT devices and industrial equipment found adjacent to an infected target."
There are a lot of worries about where AI could be leading us, and far more dangerous security threats looming in the future (or indeed the present) is another unfortunate prospect to say the least.
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Garmin has scheduled a YouTube live event Titled ...
Titled 'Play Harder', it's scheduled for 25 August at 12:00pm BST (4am PT / 7am ET / 9pm AEST)
It's likely to be the launch of the Garmin Fenix 9
Garmin has scheduled a live event on YouTube, without much fanfare. Titled 'Play Harder', the event — we're not sure if this is a live event, or merely a trailer or series of trailers for another of the best Garmin watches — is scheduled to go live at 12:00pm BST.
For America, that translates to 4:00am Pacific Time (sorry) or 7:00am Eastern Time. For Australian watchers, it's a slightly more reasonable 9:00pm AEST.
Garmin doesn't normally schedule live events to announce new products — as far as I know, this is a first. So to schedule a live event to generate some build-up, presumably culminating in a public product reveal, means whatever's coming has to be pretty special indeed.
Fenix rising
(Image credit: Future / Matt Ray)
It may well be a slate of new products Garmin are announcing, but the star of the show is sure to be the Fenix 9. The Garmin Fenix 9 has been rumored to launch in the second half of 2026 for months, and recent retailer leaks suggest a launch is now imminent.
We're expecting to get three new kinds of Fenix: a standard AMOLED Fenix 9, like the Garmin Fenix 8 before it, and two different kinds of Pro watch: one with InReach satellite messaging connectivity, and one without, plus solar charging options.
The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro launched around a year after the original, but Garmin seems to be dropping the whole range at once this time around.
We've not heard much around the Garmin Enduro 4, the latest version of Garmin's massive watch line that promises near-infinite battery on sunny days. It could launch with the Fenix 9, as the Enduro 3 did with the Fenix 8, or Garmin could be saving it for a rainy day (well, we hope not, or the solar charging won't work!).
You can check out the approaching live stream on the embedded video below, but there isn't much to see right now: just an image of a surfer and a date. But check back with us tomorrow, as we'll be covering the announcements live.
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Watch Rowing World Championships 2026 free on CBC...
Rowing World Championships 2026: Mon, Aug 24 – Sun, Aug 30
Watch Rowing World Championships 2026 live streams as reigning Olympic champions Oliver Zeidler, Karolien Florijn and the Sinkovic brothers battle for global supremacy at the Bosbaan on the outskirts of Amsterdam.
More than 1,200 athletes from over 60 countries are set to face off across 23 boat classes, including both Olympic and non-Olympic races – the men's single sculls and women's single sculls being the twin highlights.
The former will serve as a mouthwatering reunion of sorts, with Zeidler lining up alongside Stefanos Ntouskos and Yauheni Zalaty. All three rowers made the podium in Shanghai, after Ntouskos beat Zeidler by 0.42s. A year previously, the German left everyone in his wake at Paris 2024, his closests challanger Zalaty having trailed him by 5.39s.
The latter will see Florijn aim to dethrone reigning world champion Fiona Murtagh in a hotly anticipated showdown. Murtagh, a former coxless four specialist, has made waves in the single sculls over the past year, but she's yet to face off directly with Florijn in a major event. Murtagh's word title-winning time was 5.01s quicker than Florijn's Olympic gold-winning time, albeit in completely different settings.
Keep reading to discover how to watch Rowing World Championships 2026 online from anywhere – starting with those FREE options.
Can I watch Rowing World Championships 2026 for free?
Yes! Rowing World Championships 2026 will be streamed live and completely free on CBC in Canada, with live streaming available via CBC Gem.
Athletics fans based in the US, UK and Australia can tune in through the Eurovison Sport streaming platform.
Use a VPN to watch Rowing World Championships 2026
Starting on August 24 and ending on August 30, Rowing World Championships 2026 coincides with peak summer vacation season. Unfortunately, you may find that your usual streaming options are geoblocked while you’re away.
That’s where a VPN comes in handy – not only does it let you access your home streaming services from anywhere, but it also protects you from potential online threats. We recommend NordVPN. It does everything and will unblock any free streaming service for you to watch the action.
Not having a VPN is like leaving your front door wide open in a busy city – anyone can walk right in and take a peek.
TechRadar regularly reviews all the biggest and best VPN providers and NordVPN is our #1 choice.
✅ Up to 75% off today ✅ 3 extra months free ✅ Unlocks CBC Gem & Eurovision Sport
Get NordVPN and stream Rowing World Championships 2026 from anywhere.View Deal
Using a VPN is incredibly simple:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the US but want to watch on CBC Gem, you'd select a Canada-based server from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to CBC Gem and watch Rowing World Championships 2026.
How to watch Rowing World Championships 2026 in the US, UK and Australia
Rowing World Championships 2026 hasn't picked up a broadcasting partner in the US, UK and Australia, where it will be available to stream on the free Eurovison Sport platform instead.
All you need to do is register for an account.
If you're traveling right now but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.
How to watch Rowing World Championships 2026 live streams in Canada
(Image credit: Other)
Free-to-air CBC is showing Rowing World Championships 2026 in Canada, with live streaming available via CBC Gem.
Not in Canada right now? You can use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action as if you were back home.
When does Rowing World Championships 2026 start?
Rowing World Championships 2026 starts on Monday, August 24, with the first session beginning at 7.05am PT / 10.05am ET / 3.05pm BST / 12.35am AEST (Tuesday).
The championships end on Sunday, August 30, with the Mixed 8 last up at 6.08am PT / 9.08am ET / 2.08pm BST / 11.08pm AEST.
Rowing World Championships 2026: Schedule
Below is the daily schedule for Rowing World Championships 2026. All times BST.
Monday, August 24: Day 1
3.05pm – Lightweight women's single sculls heats
3.21pm – Lightweight men's single sculls heats
3.37pm – Women's pair heats
3.58pm – Men's pair heats
4.19pm – Women's double sculls heats
4.50pm – Men’s double sculls heats
Click to see full schedule 👇
Tuesday, August 25: Day 2
12.05pm – PR2 mixed double sculls heats
12.36pm – PR3 mixed coxed four heats
12.47pm – Women’s four heats
1.03pm – Men's four heats
3.05pm – Women's quadruple sculls heats
3.21pm – Men’s quadruple sculls heats
3.42pm – Lightweight women's double sculls heats
3.47pm – Lightweight men's double sculls heats
3.59pm – Men’s double sculls quarter-finals
Wednesday, August 26: Day 3
12.05pm – PR3 mixed double sculls heats
12.16pm – Women's single sculls heats
12.42pm – Men's single sculls heats
1.27pm – Women's pair Final C
1.32pm – Men’s pair Final C
1.37pm – Women's double sculls Final C
1.42pm – Men's double sculls Final C
1.47pm – Women's pair Final D
1.53pm – Men’s pair Final D
1.58pm – Women's double sculls Final D
2.03pm – Men's double sculls Final D
2.08pm – Men's double sculls Final E
2.14pm – PR2 mixed double sculls semi-finals
3.05pm – Lightweight women's single sculls semi-finals
3.27pm – Lightweight men's single sculls semi-finals
3.37pm – Women’s pair semi-finals
3.49pm – Men's pair semi-finals
3.59pm – Women's double sculls semi-finals
4.11pm – Men’s double sculls semi-finals
Thursday, August 27: Day 4
12.05pm – PR1 women's single sculls heats
12.26pm – PR1 men's single sculls heats
12.56pm – PR2 mixed double sculls Final B
1.06pm – PR3 mixed coxed four Final B
1.11pm – Lightweight men's double sculls Final B
1.16pm – Lightweight women's single sculls Final B
1.21pm – Lightweight men's single sculls Final B
1.28pm – Men's quadruple sculls Final C
1.33pm – Women's four Final C
1.38pm – Men's four Final C
2.25pm – Women's four semi-finals
2.35pm – Men's four semi-finals
2.47pm – Women's quadruple sculls semi-finals
2.57pm – Men's quadruple sculls semi-finals
3.10pm – Lightweight women's double sculls Final A
3.26pm – Lightweight men's double sculls Final A
3.41pm – Lightweight men's single sculls Final A
4pm – Lightweight women's single sculls Final A
4.20pm – Men's quadruple sculls Final C
4.40pm – PR2 mixed double sculls Final A
4.59pm – PR3 mixed coxed four Final A
Friday, August 28: Day 5
12.05pm – Women's single sculls quarter-finals
12.27pm – Men's single sculls quarter-finals
12.47pm – PR3 mixed double sculls Final B
12.52pm – Women's pair Final B
12.57pm – Men's pair Final B
1.02pm – Women's double sculls Final B
1.07pm – Men's double sculls Final B
1.14pm – PR1 men's single sculls Final C
1.19pm – Women's single sculls Final E
1.24pm – Men's single sculls Final E
1.29pm – Men's single sculls Final F
1.34pm – Men's single sculls Final G
3.05pm – PR1 men's single sculls semi-finals
3.28pm – Women's pair Final A
3.43pm – Men's pair Final A
3.58pm – PR3 mixed double sculls Final A
4.17pm – Men's double sculls Final A
4.35pm – Women's double sculls Final A
Saturday, August 29: Day 6
9.05am – Women's single sculls Final D
9.10am – Men's single sculls Final D
9.15am – Women's single sculls Final C
9.20am – Men's single sculls Final C
9.25am – PR1 women's single sculls Final B
9.35am – PR1 men's single sculls Final B
9.45am – Women's four Final B
9.50am – Men's four Final B
9.55am – Women's quadruple sculls Final B
10am – Men's quadruple sculls Final B
10.05am – PR1 men's single sculls Final A
1.34pm – PR1 women's single sculls Final A
10.22am – Men's four Final A
10.41am – Women's four Final A
10.58am – Men's quadruple sculls Final A
11.16am – Women's quadruple sculls Final A
11.34am – Women's single sculls semi-finals
2.05pm – Men's single sculls semi-finals
2.19pm – Women's eight heats
2.33pm – Men's eight heats
2.46pm – Mixed double sculls heats
Sunday, August 30: Day 7
9.05am – Mixed eight semi-finals
9.20am – Mixed double sculls semi-finals
9.34am – Mixed double sculls Final C
12.05pm – Men's eight Final B
12.10pm – Women's single sculls Final B
12.15pm – Women's eight Final B
12.20pm – Men's single sculls Final B
12.35pm – Mixed double sculls Final B
12.38pm – Men’s eight Final A
12.52pm – Women's single sculls Final A
1.07pm – Women's eight Final A
1.28pm – Men’s single sculls Final A
1.46pm – Mixed double sculls Final A
2.08pm – Mixed eight Final A
Can I watch Rowing World Championships 2026 on my mobile?
Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone's browser to live stream the Rowing World Championships, for example CBC Gem in Canada.
You can also stay up-to-date with all of the key Rowing World Championships 2026 moments on the official social media channels on Instagram (@2026wramsterdam), Facebook (@WorldRowing) and YouTube (@WorldRowingOfficial).
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With the 2026-27 season kicking off this weekend,...
With the 2026-27 season kicking off this weekend, Premier League football teams are facing a new set of rules. But these ones aren’t enforced on the pitch, they’re being enforced by the Premier League board.
As the Premier League has adapted to a new era of fan engagement and interaction, teams are holding huge amounts of personal data, including names, email addresses, credentials, and even financial information. These place them at greater risk of data leaks and make them a primary target for cyber attacks.
In order to ensure teams take the necessary steps to protect both their data and the data of their fans, the board can impose fines of up to £100,000 for teams that don’t meet the requirements across backups, incident response, risk management, security assurance and much more.
What do the new rules mean for Premier League teams?
The teams previously had to align with a non-prescriptive security baseline issued in 2024, but the new rules place requirements on teams with deadlines for their implementation.
If these deadlines are not met, the teams can be subject to the aforementioned fine, or referred to an independent commission.
The teams will be required to meet the first set of requirements by April 30, 2027, with further requirements to be met in April 2028 and April 2029. The teams will also have to assess their own compliance by January 10 each year, with a final assessment and evidence submitted to the Premier League board by April 30.
The board can also request additional detail and evidence where needed to track a team’s progress in adhering to the new rules. If a team does not meet requirements during the interim stage it must submit a plan on how it aims to become compliant within 28 days.
Expert perspectives on Premier League cybersecurity rules
Muhammad Yahya Patel, vCISO and cybersecurity advisor for EMEA, Huntress:
The Premier League introducing mandatory cybersecurity standards is the right move, but the detail is where the questions start. £100,000 sounds significant until you remember that top Premier League clubs generate revenues north of £600 million annually.
The phased timeline, April 2027, 2028, 2029, is pragmatic but slow given the threat environment. Waiting until 2029 for full compliance gives attackers three more seasons to find the weakest link.
£100,000 sounds significant until you remember that top Premier League clubs generate revenues north of £600 million annually.
That said, the direction is unambiguously right. Moving from a non-prescriptive roadmap to formal requirements with deadlines and evidence submissions is a meaningful structural shift.
Backups, incident response, risk management, and recovery testing are exactly the right foundations. The Premier League doing this proactively rather than reactively before a major breach forces the issue deserves genuine credit.
Most governing bodies wait for the headline incident. This one didn’t. The real test is enforcement appetite. Rules without credible consequences change nothing.
Jamie Akhtar, CEO and Co-founder, CyberSmart:
This is an important shift for the Premier League. Cyber security is moving from being viewed primarily as an IT responsibility to becoming an enforceable element of club governance.
Football clubs hold significant volumes of sensitive supporter, employee and player data, while also relying on systems for ticketing, payments, stadium access and match-day operations. Making areas such as backups, incident response, risk management and security assurance mandatory reflects the reality that a serious cyber incident can quickly become an operational, financial and reputational crisis.
For clubs, compliance should not become an annual box-ticking exercise.
For clubs, compliance should not become an annual box-ticking exercise. They need clear board-level ownership of cyber risk, an accurate inventory of critical systems and data, tested and segregated backups, rehearsed incident-response and recovery plans, strong identity and access controls, and effective oversight of third-party suppliers.
Just as importantly, clubs should continuously collect evidence that these controls are operating effectively. The organisations that treat the new requirements as a minimum baseline for resilience, rather than simply a regulatory hurdle, will be in the strongest position when an attack inevitably tests those controls.
Anna Collard, SVP of Content Strategy and CISO Advisor, KnowBe4:
Good to see the Premier League treating cybersecurity as a governance issue rather than an IT afterthought. Mandatory rules with real financial consequences (fines of up to £100,000) send the right signal: boards are expected to own this risk, not just delegate it.
As I've said before, sport is uniquely exposed because it runs on the very emotions social engineers exploit: passion, urgency, loyalty and trust.
But fines only address one side of the equation. As I've said before, sport is uniquely exposed because it runs on the very emotions social engineers exploit: passion, urgency, loyalty and trust.
A rushed transfer payment, a fan chasing tickets, an official acting on a "verified" WhatsApp message from someone posing as a coach or chairperson, these are moments of heightened emotion and time pressure, exactly when human judgment degrades. That's not a firewall problem.
It's worth remembering that one of the most costly incidents in this sector involved a Premier League club being spear-phished during a £1 million transfer negotiation. That wasn't a technical breach, but a person deceived at a moment of pressure.
Rules with teeth are a welcome start. But real resilience means pairing compliance with genuine behavioural readiness, for example helping people recognise urgency as a red flag, not a reason to skip verification.
Cian Heasley, Principal Consultant, Acumen Cyber:
I think it’s a positive step forward. Football clubs are attractive targets because they hold large volumes of sensitive data, process significant financial transactions and rely on operational systems where disruption can have very real consequences. Moving from advisory guidance to enforceable standards creates much-needed accountability, and the financial incentive will inevitably help drive action.
Requiring clubs to have a clear plan, aligned to defined standards and delivered within a set timeframe, also gives them something measurable to work towards. The key will be making sure those standards provide clear structure rather than leaving too much open to interpretation.
The key will be making sure those standards provide clear structure rather than leaving too much open to interpretation.
The focus on backups, incident response and recovery is particularly important. Preventing every incident simply isn’t realistic, so clubs need to prove they can recover quickly when something does happen. If clubs are working towards common standards, there is also a real opportunity to share lessons around what works, where implementation falls short and how security can continue to improve across the league.
In November ‘24, Italian club Bologna FC confirmed a ransomware attack claimed by the RansomHub group, which exfiltrated sensitive data. After the club declined to meet the ransom demand, the ransomware gang published the full dataset on the dark web. The leaked material reportedly included player and sponsor information, and the attackers went as far as invoking GDPR exposure to pressure the club into paying, a tactic that turns a club's own regulatory obligations into leverage.
More recently, Dutch club Ajax was named among the organisations affected by the CEVA Logistics breach, where customer data was exposed through a shared shipping vendor rather than a direct compromise, underlining that supply-chain exposure is also as material a risk as any attack on a club's own estate.
Taken together, these incidents show why these rules were needed then, though they are pitched as proactive, they must also be driven by these football-related breaches.
The £100,000 ceiling is modest against the true cost of a serious incident and the amounts of money tied up in football clubs, so the value lies less in the sanction and more in compelling clubs to build tested backups, incident response and recovery capability before they are needed. The Bologna case in particular demonstrates that ransomware leaks can be damaging, which makes resilience and data minimisation far more important than any assumption that a club can negotiate its way out of trouble.
How do I submit my own perspective on emerging news?
If you have an expert perspective you would like to share on an emerging story or particular topic, please get in contact here: benedict.collins@futurenet.com
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I don’t like ChatGPT’s latest voice model . If yo...
I don’t like ChatGPT’s latest voice model. If you don’t use voice to interact with ChatGPT, this might seem like a strange thing to get worked up about, so let me explain.
Until recently, its voices have all sounded fairly advanced. But there was still something unmistakably AI-y about them. At times, they sounded smooth and even expressive, but also stunted and, well, robotic.
The latest voice update attempts to smooth away the rest of those more robotic edges. Which means that ChatGPT now pauses, hesitates, changes intonation and adds lots of little noises humans make without even thinking about it.
There are lots of “umms” and “hmms”. There are plenty of drawn out “yeeeahs”, as well as enthusiastic “ooohs”. Sometimes it sounds like it’s taking a breath or sighing. Sometimes it pauses halfway through a thought. And often its voice rises at the end of a sentence. In other words, it’s been changed to sound more human and I find it incredibly annoying.
When I first tried it, I thought it was broken. Especially because of the way it said a filler word then paused. Once I’d heard three long “hmmms” in a row, I couldn’t pay attention to anything else it was saying in response. So I decided to turn my irritation into an experiment. I opened the different voices in ChatGPT, started talking and counted all of the filler words.
The filler word experiment
I started with Maple, one of ChatGPT’s more cheerful, female-sounding voices, and within a conversation that lasted about 5 minutes I counted 20 “hmmms”. There were also lots of elongated “yeeeahs”, a couple of “uhhhhs”, an “ooooh”, a “hmm nice” and several enthusiastic “yeah, totally” responses.
There was also a lot of rising intonation, which is when the pitch of the voice goes up at the end of a sentence. That made me wonder whether I was just getting hung up on some speech quirks that were more associated with US English than ChatGPT, so I switched voices.
Next, I tried Vale. It’s a bright and inquisitive British female voice. Interestingly, Vale had a different set of verbal habits. There were fewer “hmmms”, but plenty of “ohhh yeeeahs”, long “suuuures” and a few “riiiights”. And its intonation also seemed to rise constantly, particularly when it was asking me questions.
I thought I’d try a more obviously male-sounding voice next. I chose Arbor, another British voice, which I found calmer but much more stilted. It gave me way less of those exaggerated conversational noises that I disliked in Maple, but replaced them with strange pauses and a staccato rhythm. At times it seemed to stop talking in really odd places.
After around 20 minutes of conversations across the different voices, I'd counted more than 100 filler words and conversational noises.
(Image credit: Getty Images / VCG / d3sign)
Falling for the filler words
I’d gone into these conversations with ChatGPT looking for things that irritated me. I was listening closely for every “umm”, strange pause and exaggerated “yeeeah”. I was intentionally trying to count all the quirks OpenAI had added to ChatGPT’s voice to make it sound more like a person.
But, weirdly, the conversation started to feel different. I reluctantly began talking about priorities and my week ahead to test the voices. And instead of giving ChatGPT prompts and waiting for its responses, I soon found myself slipping into a much more natural conversation. This surprised me because I still didn’t like the voices.
The filler words reamined distracting and the pauses were still in all the wrong places. At no point was I convinced that there was a person on the other side of the conversation. But I had to admit that although on a conscious level I am wary about AI, and the whole point of this was to scrutinize the system, I still seemed to be responding to its more natural-sounding voice by getting increasingly wrapped up in the conversation.
Whether you find that cool or worrying probably comes down to your broader opinions about AI and its influence on us.
Why does AI need to say “hmmm”?
There’s an obvious reason for making ChatGPT sound more natural, which is that humans find natural conversation easier, and are therefore more likely to continue engaging with it.
Real, everyday speech isn’t a clean stream of information. All of us pause, hesitate, change pitch, make noises to show someone we’re listening and use filler words while we’re thinking about what to say next. These small but significant parts of speech do a lot of work.
So what are they doing when AI uses them? Because ChatGPT doesn’t need to say “hmm” when it’s gathering its thoughts or “yeeeeah” to show you it’s listening. It could just retrieve the information and respond. So these sounds are for making interactions feel more conversational, which is what makes me wary.
AI companies frequently position their AI systems as tools that can help us work, learn, create and get things done. When people like me worry about us all becoming too reliant on AI, we're often told that what matters is how we use the tool. But this is just one example of how the tool itself seems designed to behave less like a tool every day.
A calculator doesn’t need to add in a filler word before it gives you an answer and a word processor doesn’t need to pause and say “hmmm, yeah, totally!” when you start typing. But that’s what ChatGPT is now doing.
Some might argue that a voice with a more natural-sounding rhythm and intonation is simply just a nicer experience. But those same choices make interactions feel more social, potentially blurring the line between the role of AI as a tool and something we relate to more like another person.
After my experience, I wasn’t surprised to find research suggesting there might be more to this. Research suggests that voice-based interactions with AI might be associated with increase emotional engagement and anthropomorphism.
This doesn’t automatically mean that adding some “umms” will make us all trust AI. But it seems that adding voice into the mix does change how we perceive and respond to it.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Annoying but effective
One more practical learning from this experiment was that if ChatGPT's voice suddenly drives you mad after the update, try another one. The differences between them felt bigger than I expected. Initially, I couldn't stand Maple's mannerisms and rising intonation, but Arbor's calmer delivery was easier for me to tolerate, even if its strange pauses created a different pacing problem.
I went into this experiment expecting to write about an annoying voice update. I thought I'd count some “umms”, complain about how artificial all of this manufactured naturalness sounded and then just return to typing. Instead, I spent 20 minutes deliberately studying the mechanisms designed to make AI sound more conversational and still found myself becoming more conversational with it.
I knew the hesitation wasn’t genuine hesitation. I knew there wasn’t anyone on the other side of the exchange thinking, listening and searching for the right words. Yet I still responded to the signals by talking more naturally and, eventually, being more open.
I don't think that means I was somehow fooled into believing ChatGPT was human. But I think what it suggests is that we don’t have to believe AI is conscious, or there’s some form of life there, for our deeply ingrained social instincts to start responding to human-like cues.
So, while I still wince at every “hmmm”, I don’t think whether I like the filler words or not really matters. It’s more about what they make us do and how surprisingly instinctive my response to them was.
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The xTool M2 is priced at the entry level of the ...
The xTool M2 is priced at the entry level of the company’s fully enclosed machines, but as ever there’s no mistaking it for anything other than an xTool laser engraver. As I got into using the machine, I could see just how finely tuned it is. Whilst it’s lighter weight than many of its more expensive siblings, the laser engraving power, even from the 10W laser in my review sample, was exceptionally good.
Having reviewed these laser engravers for a few years now, there are several essentials I look for in any laser engraver for TechRadar Pro, and one top priority is that it's fully enclosed. While I might’ve looked at fully open designs earlier on, these days there’s really no excuse for an open-frame design other than cost. When it comes to running a business, safety is obviously paramount, so it makes sense to look for a fully enclosed rather than open-frame design.
Beyond the physical design, I've found a few extras that really help with the review process, simplifying the cutting, engraving, and placement of materials such as cameras. Then there are added features, such as air assist, that are essential for creating clean, crisp lines and reducing scorching.
What’s surprising for a machine of this price is that the M2 ticks all the boxes. It has dual cameras, one that gives you a good view of the entire workspace and a second that gives you a close-up view, air assistance built in, and, as ever, there’s a vent at the back that you can attach to your air filtration system.
But it goes even further by adding more head module options, so you can not only laser cut and engrave but also print and cut. Of course, coming from xTool, it also has a range of accessories that can further expand what you can do with this machine.
I’ve had the M2 for a couple of months and have really been able to give it a more extensive test than I usually would with these machines, partially because I’m interested in getting some of these for use within an educational establishment, and making sure that it’s easy, secure and robust enough is a major focus.
I’ve also been asked by several friends who have been looking at laser engraving machines and which option they should go for. At this price point and with the 610 × 569mm dimensions, it just, on paper at least, looks like a great option.
Sure enough, while I only have the 10W laser model to review in this test, I have looked at previous XTool machines with multiple module heads, and they’ve worked exceptionally well; I will take a look at the print and cutting heads later.
Initial setup was easy, and after I’d run through the unpacking, installing the module head and powering up, it was then just a case of connecting the USB cable directly to my MacBook Pro, installing xTool Studio, waiting for it to connect, allowing the firmware to update, and it was time to start.
The one slight oddity with the modular head is that it installs magnetically, although it requires a connecting cable for data from the head to the machine, which I found a little odd. Why this isn’t wireless or just uses contacts, I have no idea; possibly just to keep costs down, but once that cable is connected, getting into the utilisation of the machine is all pretty fast.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
What I like is that xTool has now introduced a safety video at the beginning, with a longer version that you can view online, and a really good tutorial which essentially enables you to get started with cutting projects such as placemats. You can see the results of this project in the pictures.
Those initial tutorials are essentially a no-brainer setup guide to using the M2, and when you run through those initial projects, which will take you less than an hour, you’ll be pretty proficient with how the machine works.
As ever, in the software you’re able to assign different parts to different cutting, engraving and scoring methods with a simple click; you highlight a path, enabling you to then assign it to whichever type of cut you want. Again, with xTool’s knowledge in the sector, this is all incredibly well thought out.
Essentially, over my two months with the machine, it sat in the corner of the workshop, attached to one of the xTool air filters, and ran seamlessly for every project I’ve thrown at it.
The workflow, from the ability to recognise the materials through to being able to preview so that you can accurately place your designs, and through to the cutting and extraction, all just works incredibly easily.
At present, if you’re looking for a new, fast, relatively cheap professional-level laser engraver for a small business, then you really can’t go wrong with the superb M2.
xTool M2: Price & availability
At present, the xTool M2 is available for $599 / £599 direct from xTool with the 10W laser. I've also often seen promotional offers on this price, so just keep an eye out.
If you’re looking for the colour print-and-cut bundle, which lets you make stickers and other projects, it's available for $749 / £749. There’s also the deluxe bundle, which includes everything, available for $989 / £989.
The laser cutter and engraver is also widely available from online retailers like Amazon.
xTool M2: Design
Specs
Connectivity: USB computer connection confirmed; xTool software required. Audio: Status buzzer Camera: 5MP close-view camera + 16MP distance-view camera. Size: 610 × 569 × 180mm Weight: 12.3kg Software: xTool software / xTool Studio ecosystem Accessories: Depending on the bundle: laser module, CMYK inkjet module, RA3 Lite rotary system and other accessories. Laser: 10W or 20W blue diode; optional 3W infrared module. Laser work area: 426 × 320mm for 10W/20W modules. Maximum XY speed: 600mm/s. Maximum cutting claim: Up to 8mm basswood with 10W; up to 10mm with 20W. Safety: Class 1 enclosed laser system.
The xTool M2 is instantly recognisable as xTool, with its sleek, simple white body and protective transparent yellow hinged lift-up lid. What’s impressive for a machine at this price is that it measures 610 × 569 × 180mm and weighs 12.3kg, which is handy, as I had to move it around quite a lot over the two months to install and remove other machines.
Part of the reason that this machine has been kept out in the workshop for so long is its manoeuvrability; when I needed it, I could just move it over to my computer desk. It was very easy to lift, carry and place, something that I don’t usually find with most of the laser engravers, other than the designs that I tend to avoid.
The full enclosure means this machine has a Class 1 laser safety classification, making it better suited to domestic small business and educational environments. If you work in a business, check whether your insurance covers this device classification.
The transparent upper cover helps keep everything safe; it's yellow and prevents the laser beams from exiting the machine. It also lets you monitor the laser engraving, and the two internal cameras let you view what’s going on remotely.
What’s impressive is that the relatively low-profile design accommodates objects up to 100mm thick. This is essentially for direct cylindrical engraving and without the use of any type of riser base.
It’s also great to see that there is built-in air assist, essentially keeping the smoke away from the beam where the laser hits the material, something which is usually done by an external pump. However, you still ideally need an air filter to use with the machine, or you can vent it out a window.
On inspection, it does feel a little more plasticky than the more expensive xTool machines. However, it’s still a great-quality, solid machine; when I moved it around the workshop, it felt robust.
Another point here is that, with such a large transparent upper cover- something that I have had issues with on other manufacturers’ models in the past, especially splitting- the design of that lid is again good on my unit, although the hinges are free and not sprung or cushioned. After what must be hundreds of openings and closings, it’s still in excellent condition.
One of the slight oddities of the design, which seems to be the case with so many of these enclosed laser engravers, is that there’s no honeycomb grid included in the box. Instead, you get four magnetic clamps that clamp onto the corners of any material you place, plus four alignment markers on the base of the machine.
At first, I wasn’t overly impressed with the design of these clamps. I would’ve preferred the honeycomb grid. However, it doesn’t take long before you realise just how useful they are, and not only do they hold offcuts of work nicely and securely, but they’re also extremely easy to use. After a few days of using them, I warmed to them and now see them as a slightly preferred method, to the point where I’ve made a few additional ones on the Prusa Core One to add to the original four.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
xTool M2: Features
What you get is a feature-packed machine from xTool, and in this review I’m focusing on the 10W laser, so that’s the entry-level version, but there is also a 20W blue laser available as well if you do need a little bit more power or, for that matter, speed.
Other modular heads are available, such as the 3W IR laser, which is designed for metal and plastic engraving. However, that’s not yet available on the market, and there’s an optional full-colour CMYK inkjet system with 1200dpi resolution and 40ml cartridge capacity. This is used alongside a cutter so you can create stickers and other printable objects.
One of the big features for me is the dual camera system. You have a 2-megapixel close-view camera and a 5-megapixel distance-view camera. These are both really useful, especially if you’re trying to refine the positioning of your designs.
From my experience with these machines, especially the F2 Ultra recently, I’d say this close-up camera is especially useful when using the 3W IR module and will probably also come in handy if you’re into printing stickers.
Like any product released today, AI plays a major role through the software. You have the automatic creation system, which is just a point-and-click system: give it a text description, and it will develop something for you.
But more than that, there’s also automatic material detection, which can essentially see what’s put into the workspace, evaluate it, and come up with a close match; through the test, I was really impressed with how well this worked. Essentially, once the material is detected, it adjusts all the settings to optimise for that material, rather than you having to look at a chart or work through trial and error.
Another major feature is the built-in adjustable air assist. You can adjust this in the software, but it essentially blows air across the laser, keeping the site where the laser meets the material clear of smoke. This means you get a much cleaner cut, and it also helps reduce scorching.
When it comes to file support, xTool, as ever, has an increasing library of assets that you can dip into to get straight into producing products. However, if you do want to import your own, then the new software supports SVG, DXF and PDF, and there’s plenty of flexibility, especially with the AI tool, to have a bit of fun with those files as well.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
One feature I really like, especially when trying to cram as many designs onto one sheet of 3mm basswood as possible, is the new smart nesting and batch filters, which, again, are activated through the software.
These seemed to work really well, optimising the spacing on the sheet of basswood well beyond anything that I could do myself, and once again this helps to cut down on costs.
In the software, when I entered a few materials that weren’t recognised by the system, there is a huge material database. This can be a little daunting, but you can take control of the settings manually if you need to. Just do a quick test chart, and then you should have the settings that you need for engraving, scoring and cutting almost any material.
As ever, being from xTool, there’s a range of accessories, including a rotary engraving system for cylindrical and spherical objects. Still, there’s a full list, and it is extensive on the xTool website.
xTool M2: Performance
As ever with these laser engravers, they’re either quick to set up and calibrate or it takes most of the day; thankfully, because this machine is from the xTool stable, it’s extremely easy to unbox and get up and running. That said, the paper manual inside was a little on the sparse side, even for xTool.
However, two very large QR codes on the packaging link directly to the online setup instructions and manual, which include plenty of pictures and information. The point is that the setup is extremely straightforward: position the M2, remove all the packaging, plug in the power, install the laser module with the connecting cable to the machine, and switch on.
Then, in the software, wait for it to connect, run any updates and follow, firstly, the safety guidance, which is a very quick video of less than two minutes, and then follow the tutorials. After completing it, you should be up and running.
Once I’d created some of the tutorial projects, including the placemats, I moved on to my own projects, creating a few boxes, a small display shelving unit and a few other bits and pieces, including a bracket that I needed for my van, and throughout I was impressed with how quick and easy this machine is to use.
This is, of course, an entry-level machine in the pro market of laser engraving, so whilst the machine is extremely competent, through use you do start to notice a few small design points. These points highlight that this is an enthusiast-level machine rather than a pro-level one.
The first of these is the overall design. Whilst the design is solid and works exceptionally well, there’s no kill switch on the side. If you want to use this in education or most workplaces, you’ll need to add something to kill the power yourself.
But really, other than that, there is very little here that doesn’t impress, even when you’re used to using something like the xTool P2. For me, the workflow from the P2 down to the M2 is similar; it’s just a smaller machine.
While it is obviously slower and less powerful, that 10W laser module will happily cut through basswood up to 8mm thick, as quoted by the company. Although I didn’t have any 8mm basswood available, the 3, 4 and 6mm basswood that I generally use cut through with absolutely no issue whatsoever in a single pass.
The maximum speed for the cutter is 600 mm per minute, which is mid-range, and in the test you obviously reduce that depending on whether it is cutting or engraving. What really impressed me was the engraving resolution. If you want to do some really fine detail work, the M2 is an ideal solution, and converting images into halftone and then bringing those in got some stunning results.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
As I went through the pack of test materials, including paper, wood and leather, I was just really struck by how easy the M2 is to use. The software is obviously great, but those two cameras do make a real difference to the precision of the laser, enabling you to get a preview of the material and really closely align the design to a fraction of a millimetre, which is far better than I have seen on even a lot of fibre lasers, where pure accuracy is definitely needed.
What strikes me about the xTool M2 is that it makes a lot of the more expensive xTool laser engravers a little bit obsolete. You get a relatively lightweight machine you can shift and move around, take off the work surface, and easily place on a lower shelf when not in use, freeing up loads of space.
You get a 10W laser for general work, and you can purchase the 20W when you need a little extra power or speed, plus a modular head system with the inkjet so you can push it for further projects.
What I liked was that the workspace area inside the machine is pretty decent, and whilst it’s not the largest out there, it’s surprisingly large for a machine of this size and far easier and safer to use than any open-frame laser engraver on the market.
While in this review I’ve looked at the M2 in isolation, it is worth pointing out that alongside the laser engraving machine, I have also added in the extractor filter, which is essential. I will update this review with the print head and cutter and possibly the 20W head at a later date.
xTool M2: Final verdict
The M2 is really easy to recommend. It’s a very well-priced, fully enclosed laser engraving machine.
A few things really make it stand out against much of the competition, including the built-in air assist, so no extra devices are sitting around on the work surface. But for me, what appealed was that I could quickly lift it and stow it away.
It’s a big machine, but at just over 12kg it’s not particularly heavy, and it’s quick and easy to disconnect and then plug back in.
Unlike some machines that require you to disconnect various pedal switches, air assist, and more, the M2 took a couple of minutes to disconnect and stash, then bring out and get up and running again.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
In the workplace, one major downside is that it doesn’t have that kill switch on the side, which will be an issue. Still, everything else is simple, and if you’re a small business, it makes a lot of sense.
Here you have a high-quality, high-end enthusiast or pro-level machine with a 10W laser. This lets you engrave plenty of materials, and you can also add the inkjet module to create stickers if you want. Plus, with a rotary tool, you can flip the head from vertical to horizontal to engrave cups, mugs, and more.
I’ve looked at plenty of these laser engravers over the last few years, and the xTool machines have always stood out for quality and attention to workflow; the M2 is especially polished for its price point and the audience it’s aimed at.
Should you buy the xTool M2
Value:
One of the most versatile machines that I’ve looked at for the price, making it exceptional value
5
Design:
Great design; I just wish there was no need for the cable between the head and the machine
4.5
Features
Excellent range of features, and with a modular head and accessories, the possibilities are enormous
4.5
Performance
SSpeed, cutting power, and workflow are well balanced at this price range
4.5
Total
A superb, fully enclosed laser engraver at this price and a perfect option for any small business
5
Buy it if...
You want an all-in-one machine If you have a small business or you’re a keen laser engraving enthusiast, then the fully enclosed design and flexibility to print, cut and engrave from this one machine make it a superb choice.
You need easier alignment This is the first machine that I have seen with such accurate alignment for designs over materials, and the dual cameras just work incredibly well compared with other systems.View Deal
Don't buy it if...
You only need powerful engraving. If you need a fast, dedicated laser engraver, the 20W option will boost power, but it’s nothing compared with larger machines such as the xTool P2.
You’re working in an industrial environment. While the machine is feature-packed, the lack of a side kill switch could be an issue, so check your safety requirements before purchasing the M2.View Deal
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