Age of Empires 4 is one of the best documentaries I’ve seen in a long time – which is really saying something, given that it’s actually a real-time strategy game. It’s a game that elegantly builds on its predecessors’ fluid base-building and frenzied unit management to create a refined tactical experience that’s more approachable to modern audiences.

At least, that’s what I’m told. I wouldn’t know. I’ve spent more time watching Age of Empires 4’s cutscenes than thinking too strenuously about its gameplay. Even now that I’m a good chunk of the way through its third single-player campaign, it’s not the battlefield that’s made the biggest impression on me, but the game’s pre-match cinematics.

These aren’t your average in-game cutscenes, but bite-sized documentaries. Head into a battle, and you’ll get the lowdown on who the main players are, what political machinations sparked the conflict, and how it served as a pivotal moment in the history of that country or continent. They’re short history lessons that delve into the timeline and myths behind the skirmish you’re about to enter.

Cinematic flair

They’re also absolutely brilliant. Produced with all the hallmarks of the television documentaries you might have watched on the History Channel 15 years ago – and at a significantly better production quality – the shorts give some modern television documentaries a run for their money. Sweeping aerial camera shots show you historical locations as they exist today, while superimposed CGI armies skirmish across fields and castles. A narrator explains the causes of the conflict, as well as the ramifications of the battle you’re about to fight.

And that’s only the mandatory viewing. After completing each mission, you’ll unlock bonus videos that explore the minutiae of each historical period. These go into immense detail, with expert presenters and academic historians walking you through the fundamentals of life and warfare in the Middle Ages. 

Age of Empires 4's shorts give some modern television documentaries a run for their money

I can confidently say I now know a thing or two about how medieval paint was created using iron oxide, eggs, and tree sap. I can list a few ways in which Mongol heavy cavalry came to dominate the battlefield. Ask me what I know about crossbows, armor, or Guédelon Castle (an architectural history project currently under construction in France), and I can probably think of something intelligent to say about them, as well.

The quality of the videos is impressive, but so is their teaching value. Like every English schoolchild, I learned about the Norman conquest at length, but did I retain much of that information? Only a little bit about motte-and-bailey castles. Ask me what I’ve learned about The Anarchy from playing Age of Empires 4, though, and I could whip up an essay that would have any secondary school student trembling at the sheer scope of my historical knowledge (admittedly, not a particularly impressive feat).

Historical hit

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

I can’t get enough of it. After only a handful of hours in Age of Empires 4, my love of documentaries has been reignited. I’ve caught the learning bug, and have sunk my teeth into every history doc I can get my hands on. The Roman Empire, the Russian Revolution, the seemingly endless mountain of World War 2 documentaries that are released year on year – the time period doesn’t matter; I’ve breezed through them all.

And I’m still smitten with Age of Empires 4. The game hands you just as many history lessons as you can take. If you’re like me, you’ll watch every bonus video as soon as they’re unlocked and keep returning for more. I’ve watched several shorts twice over, waiting in excited anticipation at what historical deep dive I’ll unlock next. But if you’d rather skip the pedagogy, there’s nothing to prevent you from side-stepping the optional shorts and heading straight into a skirmish.

The documentaries are a clever way of baking history into the game while keeping it separate from Age of Empires 4’s core design

That means you’re unlikely to suffer from history fatigue. The mini-documentaries – which are usually a couple of minutes long – are fed to you drip by drip, punctuated by each main mission. They’re less of an expository device than they are a reward for your military conquests: just defeated the Hungarian forces at the Battle of Mohi? Check out this explainer on the unmatched firepower of the multibow crossbow, as a treat.

But they’re also a clever way of baking history into the game while keeping it separate from Age of Empires 4’s core design. I love learning about the battles of old as much as the next person, but I’m not so fussed about historical accuracy that I want it to dictate a game’s fundamental mechanics and features. Age of Empires 4 is no simulator, and only recreates battles in an abstract sense. By handing you these videos to enjoy outside of the main game, the game conveys its reverence for history while letting you command colorful, cartoonish knights across heavily stylized battlefields.

Leave unwavering historical authenticity to the likes of Hearts of Iron and Europa Universalis; Age of Empires takes a gameplay-first approach.

Back for more

This isn’t the first time a studio has tried to bridge the gap between documentaries and video games. The strategy genre is no stranger to implicitly, and explicitly, teaching players the history behind the games they’re playing. Even Age of Empires 2 – which came out in 1999 – included an in-depth timeline of each of its civilizations, handing you an encyclopedia of the factions and figures under your command.

It’s all part and parcel of the genre’s mission to share its excitement for the history that inspires its games – to not only recreate giant battles of old but to spark players’ interest in them. 

And Age of Empires 4 does that to incredible effect. I could say its well-balanced gameplay, its varied mission types, or my desire for a sense of completion have kept me coming back for more. That would be missing the bigger picture. I keep returning to watch the game’s brilliant documentary-style cutscenes. That’s no small feat for a strategy game.

• Want to expand beyond the Middle Ages? Check out the best strategy games to play

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It's been a busy few days for leaks around the Google Pixel Watch, and it doesn't look like the drips of advance information are going to stop anytime soon: new rumors point to the battery capacity and cellular connectivity options on the upcoming wearable.

This is all according to sources speaking to 9to5Google, and the first tidbit of speculation is that the Pixel Watch will come with a 300mAh battery built in. For comparison purposes with other Wear OS watches, the 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 has a 247mAh battery, while the 42mm Fossil Gen 6 has a 300mAh battery.

Both those watches run Wear OS, as the Pixel Watch is expected to do, and both watches offer about 24 hours of battery life (depending of course on how much you use them). It therefore looks as though the Pixel Watch will last about a day between charges too.

Making connections

The other revelation from this source is that at least one of the Pixel Watch models will have cellular connectivity. In other words, you'll be able to get online and make calls with the smartwatch without your phone being anywhere near it.

A few days back we heard that there might be as many as three different versions of the Pixel Watch. While it's not clear what the differences will be, the variations are probably around size or perhaps features. Cellular connectivity could be one of the features only some of the models get.

Less than a week ago we saw pictures of what was claimed to be a Pixel Watch out in the wild after being left behind – presumably by a Google employee – at a restaurant. The device is expected to be officially announced at Google IO 2022, which starts on May 11.

---

Analysis: smartwatches need better battery life

It would seem that we can expect the battery packed inside the Google Pixel Watch to last around a day between charges, which is no real surprise: that's what a lot of the top models on the market offer, including of course the hugely popular Apple Watch.

We can't help feeling these wearables deserve better battery life, though manufacturers are obviously working within the constraints of the form factor. If you forget to charge your smartwatch overnight, then you're in trouble the following day unless you're able to go and sit near a power socket for an hour or two.

Some smartwatch makers have gone for monochrome screens and the option to charge via solar power to try and get past the one day battery limit. Something like the Garmin Instinct Solar, for example, can go for weeks between charges if you're careful about what you're using it for.

However, it doesn't look as though the Google Pixel Watch is going to stand out as far as battery life is concerned. If it's going to tempt consumers into a purchase, it'll have to rely on other features to stand out – such as integrated Google Assistant support.

• Here's everything we know about the Google Pixel Watch so far

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Windows 11 just witnessed the release of a new preview build which brings a few fresh features – including enhancements for the Family Safety widget – plus a ton of bug fixes, and the news that Microsoft is seemingly closing in on finalizing the big update for later in 2022 (known as 22H2 or Sun Valley 2).

Build 22610 improves Microsoft’s Family Safety parental control system by introducing the ability for you to see the location of your other family members who are using the Family Safety app.

Also, for the rest of your family who are designated in a ‘member’ role, they get a better view of screen time usage across devices and apps. Family Safety allows not only for tracking your children, but also setting screen time limits, and applying various content filters across software and games or when web browsing.

This new preview build also makes a bunch of additions on the device management and group policy front for IT admins, as well as some small tweaks to the Windows 11 interface (including the tooltip for the system tray’s battery icon showing an estimated time for remaining battery life, if your laptop supports it).

Finally, one minor but important UI move is the removal of the preview build watermark from the desktop (at the bottom-right), which is generally a sign that Microsoft is moving into the finalizing process for the big 22H2 update.

That said, in the blog post announcing this build, Microsoft does clarify that “this doesn’t mean we’re done”, but still, it’s a fair indication that things are close to finished, and soon everything will be tied up for this year’s Windows 11 update.

---

Analysis: Nearly ready, sort of – but there’s plenty of testing road still ahead

What this means is that soon enough, Microsoft should put a stop to adding new features, and start the process of testing and retesting everything that’s in place to make sure everything works fine (while squashing any bugs that pop up).

As you’re probably aware, the 22H2 update isn’t due out for some time yet – not until the second half of the year, perhaps earlier on, but more likely later in that period (in the past, we’ve typically seen H2 updates roll out in September or October).

So, while things might be close to done for Windows 11 22H2 in theory, there’ll still be a long road of testing to travel (which is a good thing – or it should be, anyway, in terms of making sure that no bigger flaws or bugs slip through the net).

Of course, there are quite a number of bug fixes already being applied, as you can see in the full notes for build 22610, and that includes the resolution of a nasty File Explorer crash loop which affected a “small” percentage of Windows 11 testers.

• Having trouble with Windows 11? We solve all the most commonly encountered problems here

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At Qualcomm’s recent earnings call, it was revealed that its powerful Nuvia chips are finally coming, but not until late 2023.

While this still feels like a long wait, it could be well worth it, as we may finally see Windows 11 laptops powered by ARM chips that can seriously rival Apple’s latest batch of Macs and MacBooks, which run on the company’s ARM-based M1 chips.

Unlike the processors from Intel and AMD that are often found in laptops and PCs, ARM chips were more commonly found in mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, but are increasingly found in laptops as well, bringing benefits such as long battery lives and almost instant wake-up times that you’d usually find in a smartphone.

However, while Apple’s M1-powered MacBooks have really impressed us, ARM-based Windows laptops have been less impressive, mainly due to how expensive and underpowered they are.

Qualcomm’s Nuvia chips could change that, however, with the company’s President and CEO, Christian Amon, stating that this new chip will be “going after the performance tier,” which makes us think that it’ll specifically aim to take on Apple’s M1 chip, as well as the more powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max versions.

---

 Analysis: Patience is a virtue 

The idea that we could see ARM-based Windows 11 laptops finally able to take on the likes of the MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and the MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) is certainly exciting (and could give Apple cause for concern), but there will be a wait, with Amon saying that while Nuvia’s “development is on track,” we’re unlike to see the chips in laptops until “late 2023.”

That’s still some time off, then, and gives Apple an even greater head start. Rumors are also swirling that we could see Apple reveal the M2 chip this year (possibly at WWDC 2022 in June), alongside refreshed MacBooks and Macs. So the question is whether Nuvia be as good as Apple's next-gen chips, or will MacBooks stay a step ahead if Qualcomm can only match what the current M1 chips can do?

Waiting until the end of 2023 for Nuvia could at least give time for Microsoft to make the Windows experience on ARM much better, as another complaint about Windows on ARM devices was the limited amount of apps that could be run on the hardware.

Most Windows 11 apps have been made for Intel and AMD architecture, and Microsoft did a poor job of convincing app makers to port their apps to ARM. This meant purchasers of Windows on ARM devices not only had expensive, under-powered laptops, but they also found many of their favorite apps couldn’t run.

Meanwhile, Apple has done a great job of encouraging developers of Mac apps to create versions that can run on the M1 architecture, while also providing the excellent Rosetta 2 compatibility layer that allowed older apps to run on M1 hardware with minimal impact to performance. For Windows on ARM to be able to challenge to Apple, we’ll need to see a similar push from Microsoft and Windows app makers.

In the meantime, Qualcomm is also working on Snapdragon 8CX Generation 3 chips for Windows 11 devices, and while these will offer better performance than previous generations, it looks like we’ll have to wait for Nuvia to really offer an alternative to Apple’s M1 chips. Let’s just hope it doesn’t prove to be too late.

• Here's everything we know about the rumored MacBook Air 2022

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Network-attached storage (NAS) specialist Synology has warned its customers that some of its products are vulnerable to a number of critical vulnerabilities. 

"Multiple vulnerabilities allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information and possibly execute arbitrary code via a susceptible version of Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) and Synology Router Manager (SRM)," said the firm in an advisory.

The issues were discovered in Netatalk, an open source implementation of the Apple Filing Protocol, transforming Unix-like operating systems into file servers.

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No patch yet

The Netatalk team fixed the issues roughly a month ago, with version 3.1.1., BleepingComputer reported. However, Synology says that releases for some of its affected endpoints are yet to roll out.

In total, four flaws seem to be plaguing Synology’s NAS appliances, all of which received a severity score of 9.8/10.

Synology didn’t provide any deadlines by which it expects the patches to be issued, but BleepingComputer says that the company usually delivers on such things within three months of the vulnerability being disclosed.

Furthermore, NAS appliances running DiskStation Manager (DSM) 7.1.or later have already been patched, it was said.

Read more

> Latest reviews of Network attached storage (NAS)

> Asustor NAS devices hit by Deadbolt ransomware attack

> QNAP NAS owners are under attack once again

Less than a week ago, QNAP, another NAS vendor, discovered vulnerabilities in its products. 

Discovered in Apache HTTP Server 2.4.52 and earlier, the bugs could be used to perform low complexity attacks that don’t require victim interaction.

QNAP warned NAS owners to apply known mitigations, advising them to keep the default value "1M" for LimitXMLRequestBody, and disable mod_sed, as these two things effectively plug the holes.

QNAP also said the mod_sed in-process content filter is disabled by default in Apache HTTP Server on NAS devices running the QTS operating system.

"CVE-2022-22721 affects 32-bit QNAP NAS models, and CVE-2022-23943 affects users who have enabled mod_sed in Apache HTTP Server on their QNAP device,” the company said at the time.

• Shield against attack with the best endpoint protection services

Via BleepingComputer

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Do you ever cycle indoors? Count indoor training as an integral part of keeping fit?  Still to try out some of the new indoor training tech or decided it's not for you?

Here at Future Publishing (TechRadar's parent company) we're undertaking a survey  to learn all about the indoor cycling habits and preferences of our audience, so if you know your way around an indoor workout, enjoy a spin class at the gym, or simply like to pedal whilst watching TV of an evening, we'd like you to take part in our latest survey. 

Cycling is a great way to keep fit, and many consider indoor cycling to be one of the most time-effective ways to work out on a bike. But it can be an expensive sport to get into, with a range of kit that promises to make you more comfortable, tech to track your progress, and apps to keep you entertained along the way. 

In contrast, some people will simply use the same tried and trusted bike they've had for years, fitted to a second-hand trainer and that does the job. 

We want to know where you sit on this spectrum of this fast developing part of the cycling world. We'd love to hear what you really think about trainer kit, what you consider a necessity for a good indoor workout, and how important it is to you to use the latest tech.

This survey should take about 5-8 minutes to complete, depending on your answers. To say thank you for your time, your name will be placed into a prize draw for a chance to win* an Amazon voucher worth £250 or $300 (depending on where you live). 

We look forward to hearing from you!

Take our indoor cycling survey now

The survey is open to UK, US and selected countries in Europe and runs till 9 May 2022. *Prize Draw T&Cs apply

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It's Pixel Watch leaks season now, as barely a day goes by without new news of Google’s upcoming smartwatch breaking, and today we have not one but two leaks.

First up, it looks like there could be as many as three different Pixel Watch models, as model numbers GWT9R, GBZ4S, and GQF4C have all been certified by the Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group).

These are all Google devices and are believed to be smartwatches, as they’re described as wearables, so they’re likely all versions of the Pixel Watch. There’s no additional information here, so it’s not clear how they differ – perhaps their sizes or features vary, or perhaps they’re simply the same watch for different regions.

But this isn’t the only evidence that we’ll see multiple Google Pixel Watch models, as another new leak, this time coming from a source speaking to leaker Yogesh Brar, states that the wearable will come in two different sizes, so that could potentially account for two of the model numbers.

Got some info on Pixel Watch from a relatively new source1) Google Samsung partnership here as well.2) Same sensors as Galaxy Watch (ECG & more)3) new WearOS 3.1 build4) 2 sizes, atleast 4 color watch bands.5) Limited release, priced between $300-400April 27, 2022

See more

The source also claims that Google has partnered with Samsung for the Pixel Watch, and that it has the same sensors as the Galaxy Watch 4 (including an ECG), but that it will ship with a new build of Wear OS, dubbed Wear OS 3.1.

Apparently, there will also be at least four watch band colors, and the wearable will cost between $300-$400 (roughly £240 - £320 / AU$420 - AU$560). We’ve heard the highest of those prices before, but it’s nice to know that it might not cost quite that much.

Interestingly, the Pixel Watch will also apparently only get a “limited release,” however as a Google product it will almost certainly land in the US, and Brar states in a reply to his initial tweet that it should come to the UK as well. We would however take all of this with a pinch of salt, especially as Brar describes their source as “relatively new.”

---

Analysis: what about the third model?

So assuming all of this is right, it’s possible that two of those certifications refer to different watch sizes, but what about the third? Well, one possibility is the Pixel Watch Fit, which is a possibly sport-focused spin-off that’s previously been leaked.

However, it’s not at all clear whether this wearable actually exists. Some sources suggest that could be the launch name for the standard Pixel Watch, while Brar in a reply to his tweet claims that “nothing matching that description is being made,” and that they “haven’t seen any other watch except for this one in two different sizes.”

So exactly what Pixel Watch models there will be and how they will differ (other perhaps than in size) is one of the big remaining questions about this wearable. We should find out soon – possibly even at Google IO 2022 on May 11.

• We're also expecting the Google Pixel 6a soon

Via GSMArena and Phandroid

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If you're a fan of mobile gaming, Netflix probably isn't your first port of call when you're looking to try a new title. You'll probably use our lists of the best iPhone games or best Android games instead, of course.

But it sounds like Netflix is trying to change that: it launched Netflix Games in late 2021, offering a few titles on its mobile phone app, and according to a new report from The Washington Post, that's just the beginning.

The report suggests Netflix will offer as many as 50 games on its app by the end of 2022 - at the time of writing, it has just 18. Currently, some of its titles are based on its TV shows, and others aren't, and it's not clear if this mix will continue.

Netflix offers plenty of TV shows and movies based on popular video games including The Witcher, Cuphead and League of Legends, so the company clearly has games on its mind, though projects in this vein have so far been duds far more than they have been hits.

According to The Washington Post, while Netflix has a legacy in adapting video games into TV series, it's looking to focus more on moving its projects the other way, turning more shows into games. Nailed It! The Game, anyone?

It's already been reported that Netflix is working to adapt the crowdfunding-hit board game Exploding Kittens to the screen, both as a TV show and as a mobile game, but that still leaves at least 30 more titles we can expect to see over time.

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Analysis: quantity or quality?

It seems that Netflix wants to be Apple Arcade: that's a mobile game streaming service for Apple devices that, with one subscription, lets you download loads of games onto your smartphone or tablet.

However, for one big reason, Apple Arcade still isn't the mobile gaming powerhouse that Apple likely wants it to be, and it seems that Netflix could fall into the same trap. To turn eyes, Netflix doesn't need to produce loads of games - it needs one hit title.

Apple Arcade arguably doesn't have a massive title to convince people to use it - there's no rival to Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact or Pokemon Go, three super-popular smartphone titles, to draw people away from those heavyweights.

It's one thing if Netflix increases its offering to 50 titles by the end of 2022, but unless any of those is a must-play, it's simply offering quantity instead of quality. Currently, it doesn't have any stand-out titles, perhaps other than a Stranger Things spin-off RPG which actually released well before Netflix Games debuted.

So if Netflix does want to be a mobile gaming player, it needs to come up with one smash-hit that keeps people coming back. And when that happens, perhaps we'll spend more time playing Netflix's games instead of using it to watch fun but forgettable blockbusters.

• Google's Apple Arcade rival is two years old - so why does no one talk about it?

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The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE only landed back in January, so we’re not expecting to see a Samsung Galaxy S22 FE anytime soon – but we might not see one at all according to a new leak.

Lanzuk (the leaker) posted on Naver (a South Korean blogging site), claiming that there’s currently no development firmware for the phone, and that it’s likely we won’t see the handset this year.

That doesn’t rule out a launch in 2023, which could make sense since the Galaxy S21 FE already landed this year (although only because it was delayed from an expected October launch), but the leaker adds that this situation is similar to that with the Galaxy Note line before it was officially canceled.

So it’s possible that there won’t be a Samsung Galaxy S22 FE at all, or even that the whole line is being killed off.

Of course, this is just one claim from one source, but another leaker, @chunvn8888, recently claimed that the Galaxy S22 FE “is not even in development just yet”. That doesn’t mean it’s not coming, but again it does suggest that it might not be coming this year.

On the other hand, we have previously heard a couple of leaks about the phone suggesting that it is in the works, as they mention the chipset the phone might use, so right now we’re not certain who to believe.

---

Opinion: the Samsung Galaxy S FE line doesn’t make sense

While it’s unclear whether Samsung is canceling the Samsung Galaxy S22 FE, it would probably make sense for it to do so, as the phone itself likely wouldn’t make for a very sensible purchase.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE launched a year after the Samsung Galaxy S21 and had largely similar specs, and while the launch price was lower than for the standard model, the S21 had been available long enough that it was easy to find it discounted below the S21 FE’s price.

That’s a problem, given that if anything the FE is positioned as being at the bottom of the Galaxy S line, although in the case of the S21 FE the issue wasn’t quite as pronounced as it was with the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE.

So Samsung probably should stop making these phones altogether; either that or find a way to differentiate them more clearly from the rest of the Galaxy S line.

• After a new handset? These are the best Samsung phones

Via Notebookcheck and Dohyun Kim

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The Google Pixel 6a isn't a sure thing by any means - although Google hasn't missed an A-series phone since 2019, the Pixel 5a only got a limited roll-out, making it sound like the company wasn't sure about its spin-off affordable handsets.

However, for people hoping for the new device there's some great news: it turns out the Google Pixel 6 series has sold incredibly well, and the 6a could come soon.

In an Alphabet earnings call (a transcript of which can be read at Motley Fool), CEO Sundar Pichai confirmed "[the Pixel 6 is] the fastest-selling Pixel ever [...] I'm excited about the products we have coming and look forward to sharing more at Google I/O".

There are two big things to unpack there: firstly, while Pichai doesn't name-drop the Pixel 6a at all, it seems likely one is coming. If the Pixel 6 has sold like gangbusters, it seems likely that an affordable spin-off would come along too.

Secondly, it sounds like Google has hardware to show off at the annual tech showcase Google IO in mid-May. The event is typically for software - we're expecting to see Android 13 shown off this year - but we sometimes see hardware too, and the Pixel 3a and Pixel Buds A-Series debuted at the event in past years.

The word 'products' would seem ill-suited to software, as you don't 'buy' new versions of Android - that makes it seem very likely that Pichai is teasing the Pixel 6a.

---

Analysis: early is good

Google hasn't proven very reliable when it comes to launch dates for its smartphones - just look at this calendar of the last few years:

Series	Main series announcement	A-series announcement
Pixel 3	Oct 2018	May 2019
Pixel 4	Oct 2019	Aug 2020 (Sep 2020 for 5G)
Pixel 5	Sep 2020	Aug 2021
Pixel 6	Oct 2021	[May 2022?]

Sure, there are some patterns for each series - but there's never been a consistent amount of time between the main-series phone and its A counterpart.

While it doesn't sound like that will change with the Google Pixel 6a, maybe that's a good thing - clearly, people are keen to buy the Pixel 6 series, but with the cheapest option still being pretty pricey, a budget counterpart could go down a treat.

Sure, Google might tease the 6a now but launch it later, and might actually just save Google IO for headphones or the much-rumored Pixel Watch. But May would be the perfect time to give the 6a breathing room before the Pixel 7 debuts later this year.

• Pixel Watch leak suggests Google is going in a drastically different direction to Apple

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We've been anticipating the launch of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones this year, and it looks like we won't have to wait much longer: a big leak has revealed their expected look and new features.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 have dominated our list of the best headphones since their launch, but those were a pretty subtle update over their predecessor – the design was barely changed, and they used a lot of the same features.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 look like a more radical upgrade, though… in fact, from what we're seeing so far, there may not be a single thing that'll be carried over from the last model to this one.

So here are the five key upgrades you need to know about based on the big leak, and one area where it looks like the new headphones will actually be less useful.

1. Niftier noise cancellation

This is the big upgrade you'd hope for from Sony headphones, and it sounds (ahem) like the WH-1000XM5 will deliver. The original leak said that Sony will use two dedicated chips for active noise cancellation here, and I'd expect them to feature a similar design to the Sony V1 integrated system first used in the Sony WF-1000XM4.

Why is the Sony V1 good? It compresses a bunch of different chips into one package, including wireless connectivity, signal processing and the digital-to-analogue conversion needed to actually create sound from the drivers. Integrating these chips together reduces the lag that happens when you you pass information from one chip to another, and this can really help with improving active noise cancellation: the noise cancellation system needs to 'hear' what's going on around you before it can compensate for it – it's always reactive. And the faster it can react, the less sound will leak through before it kicks into gear.

I also expect Sony to use a different driver design that's more dynamic – but we'll come back to that in a moment.

A render of the Sony WH-1000XM5's new earcups. (Image credit: TechnikNews)

2. Cooler looks

The Sony WH-1000XM4 don't look bad by any means, but with their flowing, wraparound plastic, they're not quite following the more modern headphone design trend you see from the likes of the Bose noise cancelling headphones 700 or Apple AirPods Max.

The new look that leaked in the images above takes a big step towards a simpler design – you now have a uniformly round headband all the way along, a simple pole where it connects to the earcup, and a super-plain and symmetrical design for the earcups themselves.

I think it looks great – I don't mind the busier design of the current models at all, but this really looks like a next-gen model, whereas the XM4 barely tweaked the look from the XM3.

The only thing I'm a bit disappointed with is that apparently it'll come in the same colors as before: black and a kind of putty-like gray shade. Hasn't anyone told Sony we're in the era of colorful tech now?

This is what the Sony WH-1000XM5 will look like in black, according to the leak – very smart. (Image credit: TecknikNews)

3. Better sound

As you'd expect, the leak says we'll get better sound from the new model, but there isn't much in the way of specifics. But here's what my money's on: it'll mostly come from the more dynamic driver mentioned above.

When we talk about a speaker driver being more dynamic, we basically mean that it can change its movement more quickly than one that's less dynamic. Speaker drivers work by vibrating back and forth, shifting air, and they have to keep changing the type of movement to create different sounds. Like anything that moves, they build up momentum when moving – and too much momentum makes it hard to change direction quickly – just ask anyone with an SUV.

A more dynamic driver can respond more quickly to changes in the music, which helps it to reveal more detail (because it can respond to the need for subtle sounds more easily) – and this provides better sound quality. You'll hear more detail in the exact same music streams.

And the more dynamic a driver is, the better it will be for active noise cancellation, because the headphones are constantly monitoring and tweaking the sound in order to cancel the noise around you. Again, a more dynamic driver responds quicker, so more noise is successfully blocked.

More dynamic drivers are also better for Spatial Audio (for the exact reasons covered above), and with Sony still pushing its 360 Reality Audio tech, it would make sense for it to use speaker tech that's better for this purpose too. So that's why I expect a new driver to, er, drive the improvements here.

4. Even bigger battery life

The XM5 leak says we can expect 40 hours of battery life from the new model, which is a big leap from the 30 hours the XM4 offer.

Giant battery life is become more and more common among top headphones, no doubt partly because of models like Sony's setting a high standard. So it's nice to see that Sony is likely going to keep up with the pace.

And note that it's 40 hours with ANC turned on, reportedly – it'll be even longer with it turned off.

A render of the Sony WH-1000XM5 in their new carry case, in the lighter gray color option. (Image credit: TechnikNews)

5. Better Bluetooth

The XM5 will apparently include support for Bluetooth 5.2, which provides a few nice upgrades, but the two you're mostly likely to benefit from are support for a new lower-energy codec, meaning you could listen in standard streaming quality while using less battery life (and I suspect that this isn't counted towards the 40-hour battery life, so it may prolong that even further); and the ability for the headphones to connect to multiple devices at the same time.

Note, with the second one there I don't mean to pair with multiple devices at once. That's old news. The headphones will actually maintain a connection with your laptop and phone at the same time, so if you need to switch between them, it'd be instant. No reconnection and awkward pause required.

But… no more folding

I've already mentioned that I love the new look being promised here, but there is a major downside to the design change (for me, at least): they won't fold any more. You'll still get a travel case, but it's larger than the case for the old model.

It's not a dealbreaker in any way, but I think it's a genuine step backwards for a pair of headphones that are made for travel to lose their ability to fold down smaller. I make use of this pretty every time I go anywhere with them – especially when flying.

But I've also spoken to other headphones nerds about it, and not everyone feels the same about the need to fold. Still, it's a shame that it won't even be an option for people like me.

• While we wait for the full reveal of the Sony WH-1000XM5, don't forget to check out more of the best noise-cancelling headphones in the meantime.

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Warner Bros. is considering a big shake-up of its HBO Max release strategy for mid-budget DC movies, according to a new report from Puck News founding partner Matthew Belloni.

In the report, the ex-Hollywood Reporter writer details an alleged debate that's going on at Warner Bros. right now regarding whether it should scrap plans to release its mid-sized superhero movies directly to HBO Max and give them the same theatrical window that was afforded to The Batman.

According to Belloni, the upcoming Batgirl film may be one of the first to benefit from the proposed change in strategy. "But maybe, [Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman] Toby Emmerich and his Warners team are thinking, now is the time to invest a bit more money into Batgirl, perhaps up the visual effects and the music budget and the planned marketing spend, and give the movie a theatrical run first?"

Belloni posits The Batman's success as one of the main reasons Warner Bros. is thinking of updating its approach. "The Batman, admittedly the company’s marquee superhero property, is putting up huge numbers on [HBO] Max, I’m told, even after generating $750 million in theaters over 45 days (or, perhaps, because it generated those numbers)," says Belloni.

Movie theaters are back, baby

Apart from The Batman's enormous box office takings, Belloni thinks Netflix's recent downturn may also have something to do with the studio's reluctance to rely entirely on streaming numbers for its smaller DC films. "The Great Netflix Correction of ‘22 is causing Warners and all of Hollywood to rethink the “all-in” strategy for streaming," says Belloni.

It's also worth noting that the strategy to release smaller DC movies exclusively on HBO Max was the brainchild of Jason Kilar, who has now moved on from his role as WarnerMedia CEO following the company's recent merger with Discovery. With this in mind, it's no surprise that new Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav would want to go in a different direction.

Of course, Batgirl's proposed theatrical run wouldn't be the first time Warner Bros. has changed its mind about one of its made-for-HBO Max movies – late last year, DC’s Blue Beetle movie, which stars Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña, traded its original streaming slot for a theatrical release on Aug. 18, 2023.

However, if there's one big takeaway from this news, it's that movie theaters are finally starting to return to some semblance of normal with the easing of Covid-based restrictions around the world. 

The Batman demonstrated how a film can deliver huge box office takings and streaming numbers when released in the right way, and we imagine the rest of Hollywood is sitting up to take notice.

Batgirl, which stars Leslie Grace in the title role, opposite J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon, Michael Keaton as Batman and Brendan Fraser as Firefly, has yet to receive an official release date, though we expect it to arrive by the end of 2022.

• The best Batman movies, ranked

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It's silly, but I'm a bit of a snob about sports watches. I certainly appreciate the value of compact fitness trackers like the Fitbit Luxe or Huawei Band 3 Pro, I've never really considered wearing one regularly myself. They just don't quite deliver the depth of data I've come to appreciate, and are more about gently nudging you towards getting active.

Although it's seriously chunky (sometimes awkwardly so), the Garmin Fenix 7 has become my everyday wearable due to the sheer volume of data it harvests throughout the day. Stress levels, heart rate variability, recovery status, sleep stages, blood oxygen saturation, temperature – I want it all, and a skinny little band just doesn't deliver the goods. Or so I thought.

The Garmin Vivosmart 5, which I'm currently testing, is a fitness tracker built for data nerds, and the more I use it, the more I like it. 

Looks aren't everything

I'll be honest, compared with the likes of the Fitbit Luxe, the Vivosmart 5 isn't particularly attractive. Although it's small and light (my kitchen scale agrees with Garmin's measurement of 24.5g), it's designed for function rather than aesthetics. For example, instead of installing a discrete touch control on one side of the case, Garmin has plonked a physical button right on the watch's face. It's not very chic, but it sure is easy to use, especially mid-run.

The Vivosmart 5 sports a bright, high-resolution OLED display, but it's monochrome rather than full color, and Garmin's interface designers have wasted no time with unnecessary graphics or animated faces. Data is packed in densely, with at least three key stats visible at any one time.

The Garmin Vivosmart 5 has a monochrome OLED display and comes in three colors: mint, white, and black (Image credit: Garmin / Lifestyle Travel Photo / Shutterstock)

Tapping the face lets you see step count, heart rate, battery level, weather, Intensity Minutes, and Body Battery Score at a glance, and swiping down allows you to drill down for more data on each metric. It's an amazing amount of information to cram into a screen that measures just 10.5 mm x 18.5 mm.

I'm still in the process of testing the Vivosmart 5, but the main downside I've found so far is battery life. Garmin says the watch will last a week on a single charge, but only if you disable SpO2 and sleep tracking. With those two enabled, you're looking at battery life closer to four days. Charging is quick though, and you should be able to get it fully juiced up in around three hours.

I'd still want a fully-fledged running watch for training (the Vivosmart 5 lacks on-board GPS, plus tools like on-screen training status and stamina), but the little fitness tracker has really won me over, and I might just end up investing in my own once I've shipped the review unit back to Garmin after testing.

• Can't choose between the Garmin Vivosmart 5 and Fitbit Inspire 2? We can help

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Elden Ring might be among the most critically acclaimed games to release this year, but the burning questions that's definitely on everyone's mind remains: "why can't I play it on the original Game Boy?"

Worry no more, as an Elden Ring fan has begun developing a 'demake' of the FromSoftware epic, scaling down the game's colossal open world to fit on Nintendo's breakout handheld. 

And the best part? The developer, Shin, plans to have the Elden Ring demake playable on real hardware. That means if you've got an old Game Boy lying around, you could be playing the Elden Ring demake on that as opposed to an emulator on PC.

Shin shared a proof of concept for the demake over on the Elden Ring subreddit (thanks, GamesRadar) where it quickly went viral. The minute-long proof of concept shows a recreation of Elden Ring's starting location, the Chapel of Anticipation, complete with a boss fight with the Grafted Scion at the end. While the animations are rudimentary at this early stage, it's nonetheless an impressive concept that we're eager to see more of.

Development on the Elden Ring demake sounds like it's going smoothly, too, with Shin planning to have Limgrave — Elden Ring's introductory zone — completed by the end of May.

The appeal of From Software demakes

Shin's attempt at creating an Elden Ring demake for the Game Boy is incredibly impressive, but also not the first time a fan has taken to creating a retro version of a popular From Software title. 

Earlier this year, developer Lilith Walther released the finished version of Bloodborne PSX, a demake of the PS4 classic that emulates the look and feel of a PS1 game, complete with relics like texture warping and muffled sound design. A humorous follow-up, Bloodborne Kart, is also in development right now.

There's clearly something appealing about reimagining FromSoftware's games as old-school classics, and it's fascinating that these demakes draw from two very different inspirations. Bloodborne PSX is like early PS1 hack-n-slashers like Nightmare Creatures, while Elden Ring demake is akin to The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.

We've yet to see just how much of Elden Ring Shin's demake will cover. As mentioned, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S title is dauntingly huge, but we're certainly keen to see as much of the fascinating Lands Between translated to a Game Boy adventure as the developer deems possible.

• Struggling to survive in Elden Ring? These tips could save your life

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Halo Infinite’s multiplayer was originally prototyped as a hero shooter that included PvP and PvE features, before the idea was scrapped in favor of the game’s current online build.

That’s according to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, who confirmed on Reddit that developer 343 Industries was at one point working on multiple prototype builds for Halo Infinite that included hero shooter features.

His comments were made in response to YouTuber Chris Ray Gun, who suggested on Twitter that the studio had originally developed Halo Infinite’s multiplayer to be similar to Overwatch, before pivoting to the build that made its way to the final game.

“This was actually cut from my article late last year - yes, 343 spent a while prototyping a hero-based system,” Schreier said.

“I don't remember exactly when they switched to the current version… but I can confirm that they were working on various hero-based prototypes. In fact, I think there were both PvP and PvE prototypes built.”

Well I worked and shipped the game. So there is no leak. We prototyped a bunch of stuff as we worked on the game which is never wasted time. But the way it’s being spun is super inaccurate. It was in the time allotted for the game to go through those design cycles.April 24, 2022

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Schreier said Chris Ray Gun’s original tweet, which claims 343 Industries spent half the game’s development time prototyping the hero shooter build before eventually scrapping it, is “exaggerated to the point where it's mostly false”. 

That’s corroborated by Twitter user Robeytech (Justin Robey) – who is credited as senior insights project manager on Halo Infinite, and said the hero shooter prototypes were among several design ideas that never made it into full release.

“We prototyped a bunch of stuff as we worked on the game which is never wasted time,” they said. “But the way it’s being spun [by Chris Ray Gun] is super inaccurate. It was in the time allotted for the game to go through those design cycles.

“It’s how you innovate and try new ideas. You can’t know it’s good until you try it,” they continued.

(Image credit: Bungie)

Change of plans

The idea that 343 Industries had tested the waters of a Halo hero shooter gives us an interesting look behind the curtain. Halo Infinite’s multiplayer could have been a very different beast if it followed in the footsteps of Overwatch and Valorant, setting itself up as an Overwatch 2 competitor rather than carving out a space among traditional shooters and Halo fans.

As Robey highlights, it's par for the course for development studios to test lots of design ideas that never end up in the final game. Prototyping several builds allows developers to try out a range of gameplay concepts, iterate upon them, and fine-tune them without sinking so many resources into a single one that the wider development schedule suffers from lost resources.

Halo Infinite’s development cycle hasn’t been smooth, though. The game was delayed for a year after its first gameplay reveal was poorly received by audiences, large gameplay features like campaign co-op and Forge mode are yet to be rolled out, and players have voiced their disappointment that staple Halo game modes – including King of the Hill – weren't included in the game’s multiplayer at launch.

Some of those concerns will likely be alleviated later next month when Halo Infinite’s second season – Lone Wolves – releases. It will introduce a batch of new maps, a new battle pass system, and the Last Spartan Standing mode, which looks similar to a battle royale.

• Catch up on Halo Infinite Season 1 – here's everything you need to know

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Oracle has patched a nasty vulnerability in the Java framework, the severity of which cannot be overstated, security experts say.

Tracked as CVE-2022-21449, the flaw was found in the company’s Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) for Java 15 and newer. It allows threat actors to fake TSL certificates and signatures, two-factor authentication codes, authorization credentials and the like. 

As explained by ArsTechnica, ECDSA is an algorithm that digitally authenticates messages. As it generates keys, it’s often used in standards such as FIDO’s two-factor authentication, the Security Assertion Markup Language, OpenID, and JSON. 

Share your thoughts on Cybersecurity and get a free copy of the Hacker's Manual 2022. Help us find how businesses are preparing for the post-Covid world and the implications of these activities on their cybersecurity plans. Enter your email at the end of this survey to get the bookazine, worth $10.99/£10.99.

Forging SSL certificates and handshakes

The vulnerability was first discovered by Neil Madden of ForgeRock, who compared the exploit to the blank identity card from sci-fi series Doctor Who. In the series, the person looking at the ID card sees whatever the holder wants them to see, despite the fact that the card is blank.

“It turns out that some recent releases of Java were vulnerable to a similar kind of trick, in the implementation of widely-used ECDSA signatures,” Madden explained. 

“If you are running one of the vulnerable versions then an attacker can easily forge some types of SSL certificates and handshakes (allowing interception and modification of communications), signed JWTs, SAML assertions or OIDC id tokens, and even WebAuthn authentication messages. All using the digital equivalent of a blank piece of paper.”

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The flaw has received an official severity score of 7.5/10, but Madden disagrees strongly with the assessment.

“It’s hard to overstate the severity of this bug. If you are using ECDSA signatures for any of these security mechanisms, then an attacker can trivially and completely bypass them if your server is running any Java 15, 16, 17, or 18 version before the April 2022 Critical Patch Update (CPU). For context, almost all WebAuthn/FIDO devices in the real world (including Yubikeys use ECDSA signatures and many OIDC providers use ECDSA-signed JWTs," he said.

Allegedly, only Java versions 15 and newer are affected, although Oracle also listed versions 7,8, and 11, as vulnerable. Still, all customers are urged to update their endpoints to the newest version.

• Guard your digital premises with the best firewalls around

Via ArsTechnica

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The Google Pixel Watch hasn’t even been announced yet, but we’re already hearing that it could get a sport-focused spin-off called the Pixel Watch Fit, which may or may not land at the same time.

According to leaker @VNchocoTaco on Twitter, Google is either working on a separate model with this name, or possibly planning to call the standard Pixel Watch the Pixel Watch Fit.

In any case, this wearable apparently has very thick bezels and could cost around $400 (roughly £315 / AU$555). For reference, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 starts at just $249.99 / £249 / AU$399, and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic starts at $349 / £349 / $549. So in the US at any rate the Pixel Watch Fit could be the most expensive mainstream wearable without Apple in the name.

Pixel Watch could have the name or another model with the name “Pixel Watch Fit” Very Thicc bezels Price could sit somewhere about ~$400 According to my source after they saw the leaked images. pic.twitter.com/HMeAjJ3TVkApril 24, 2022

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It could be in other regions too, since price conversions are rarely accurate, and it might at least match the Apple Watch, as the Apple Watch 7 starts at $399 / £369 / AU$599.

Of course, this is just a rumor for now, but there’s more than one source pointing to the Pixel Watch Fit name at least, with @chunvn8888 (another leaker) also saying they’d heard this name.

In reply to one of these tweets, @ianzelbo (a render artist) claimed to have seen both aluminum and stainless-steel models of the Pixel Watch, and speculated that the aluminum one could be the Pixel Watch Fit.

Of course, they might also both just be versions of the standard Pixel Watch, and maybe that could launch with the Pixel Watch Fit name. So even if these leaks are right, we can’t be sure whether there are actually two models or not.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Android Central)

Image 2 of 2

(Image credit: Android Central)

Elsewhere, actual photos of the Pixel Watch (or Pixel Watch Fit) appear to have leaked and been obtained by Android Central.

The images show the watch in a black color, sporting small bezels but a seemingly quite chunky build. It has a circular screen, a crown, and at least one button. Disappointingly, the band appears to be proprietary, so you likely won’t have as many (or as affordable) band options as with wearables that use standard straps.

There’s not much else to see, as the watch reportedly wouldn’t boot up, and of course we’d take this with a pinch of salt. But the Pixel Watch is regularly leaking now, suggesting that it could land soon, and that this could be the real deal.

---

Analysis: one Pixel Watch or two?

Back on the subject of the Pixel Watch Fit, while we can’t be sure whether this is a second wearable or not, we’d think it’s likely.

Assuming the Pixel Watch Fit name is going to be used, it would seem strange for the standard model to be called that. The name Pixel Watch is shorter, simpler, and more obvious. Calling it Pixel Watch Fit sort of suggests there should be a non-Fit version too.

So if the Pixel Watch Fit name leak is right – which is a big if in itself – then there probably will be two models, though they might not launch at the same time.

• Check out all the best smartwatches

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Older iPhones only get new iOS updates for a certain amount of time before Apple decides to put them out to sea, and a report has suggested which devices could sail out into the sunset when iOS 16 launches later this year.

This comes from a site called iDropNews, in a report written by a leaker called AppleLeaksPro with a limited track record. Take the information with a pinch of salt, due to the source, but what's stated does make sense given Apple's habits.

Apparently, iOS 16 won't be compatible with three iPhones that did receive iOS 15: those are the iPhone 6, iPhone 6S and the original iPhone SE. These devices are from 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively so they are pretty old.

Apple drops support for older iPhones with new builds of iOS because the older hardware simply doesn't have the power or space for the newer operating system, and it's something that happens in the Android space too. That's not to say Apple will completely forget about these phones, as they still could see the odd security update, and they'll work just fine as they are - you don't really need the newest software.

This is just a leak for now, so it's not to say that these mobiles have definitely been sunsetted by Apple. But AppleLeaksPro's limited track record does seem fairly accurate.

That's the only real solid information provided by this leak - the leaker also backs up their past assertions about super-widgets, and points to a few tweaks like a redesigned music app and changes to Quick Actions so they work when the phone is locked.

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Analysis: no need to buy a new iPhone

If you own one of the aforementioned iPhones, we're going to make the bold assumption that you're not a technophile - you'd probably have a newer phone if that were the case.

If that's true, this news might not affect you that much. If you don't care about having the flashiest and newest stuff, whether that's new gadgets or software, you don't really need iOS 16.

This new version of Apple's software isn't exactly likely to set to set the world on fire, as it's probably just going to bring a few tweaks and changes that might not affect your phone experience at all. If your device works fine right now, it'll continue to do so.

That's especially the case because Apple will likely continue to provide security updates to these devices for a while, which should stop bad actors from being able to leverage the age of your tech to infiltrate it better.

Sure, if you've got a six-plus-year-old phone, you might want to check out our list of the best iPhones at some point, because tech doesn't last forever. But if you're happy with your phone right now, you don't really need to update it.

• iPhone 16 could be the iPhone to wait for, according to a new rumor

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If you've got an old gadget you love to use even though it's a struggle because of its age, then using one of the best power banks might help you extend its lifespan.

This is something I discovered when trying to eke extra mileage from my iPad Pro 12.9, because while I still like using it for creative and professional tasks, several years of intensive use has made it hard to rely on for stints of work.

That is, until I employed a portable charger to help me improve the way it works.

Taking a battery-ing

The thing that most affects a gadget over time is its battery life ⁠— constant cycles of discharging and recharging can greatly reduce its power capacity, meaning it lasts less and less time while unplugged.

You might not notice it from day-to-day use, but over several years of use, the power drain will become noticeable. If you've got an old iPhone that seems to burn through the battery percentages, you'll know what I mean.

I used to take my iPad for days out working in coffee shops, and I'd spend between six and eight hours on the screen between walks to different cafes and breaks to do other things.

(Image credit: Future)

Nowadays, though, I'll get about half that time. Having plain white documents open on the display will eat up the battery, even if I'm not connected to Wi-Fi and have other features disabled too.

Enter a power bank

I've got several power banks (for testing purposes), but the various ones I've been using all clock in at a massive 20,000mAh. That's generally the biggest capacity charger you'd consider buying, as any bigger and you're getting an absolutely massive device, but smaller and you won't get too many charges.

At that capacity, I'll be able to charge up the iPad's 9,720mAh battery twice, with a little leftover for whatever headphones I'm using (or to give my smartphone some extra juice).

I wouldn't actually power it up to full twice ⁠— that'd give me way more screen time than I'd actually need ⁠— but the versatility of having this amount of power is really useful. 

This amount of extra battery is helpful if I have a smartphone that needs lots of juice. It's also useful for days when I completely forget to power up the portable charger before taking it with me; I'll know I'll have at least enough left in it to power up the iPad once.

A power bank is easy to use at a coffee shop as I can keep it plugged into the iPad while I work. Sure, the banks actually charge at a slower rate than the iPad drains power, but if it's plugged in all the time when I'm using it, this discharge isn't fast at all.

(Image credit: Future)

Lots of the power banks I've started using actually have built-in displays that tell me how much charge they have left, which is really useful when I'm looking to work out which to take. Most others have LED strips which light up depending on how much power they've got, which is a rudimentary but still-useful way of letting me work out which to take.

My only concern is that most of the power banks I used power via micro USB, so they're not too quick to power if I find all my portable chargers are low on power before heading out of the house. It also means that I have to dig up my sole micro USB charger now and then, which I otherwise only use for my Kindle and PS4 controller ⁠—  and hide at the bottom of a drawer as a result.

Keeps an old gadget ticking

If it wasn't for my portable power bank, I'd likely have stopped using my iPad Pro for working when out and about, as the power drain and its aching joints would make it hard to use outside my home (when I'm always near an outlet and charger).

This is the same for other gadgets as well ⁠— if you find your old iPhone runs out of power by lunchtime, or your smartwatch needs constant powering to keep it going, a portable charger will be great for a mid-day top-up.

Sure, in that case you won't need 20,000mAh like me ⁠— 10,000mAh or even just 5,000mAh will be enough, and more portable to boot.

Our list of the best power banks contains a range of different kinds of power banks, so whether you need a chunky charger or a baby bank you'll be just fine (it's also got some interesting ones like solar-powering or wireless). So if, like me, you've got an aging gadget you want to get some extra life from, you should really take a look at this list.

• 8 ways to repurpose your old Android or iPhone

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We've been covering Google Pixel Watch rumors for years now, but it seems that the smartwatch is finally about to see the light of day: Google just filed a trademark application for the Pixel Watch name.

As reported by 9to5Google, the trademark filing doesn't really tell us too much apart from the name of the long-awaited wearable. The documents submitted by Google to the United States Patent and Trademark Office are described as relating to smartwatches and smartwatch accessories.

It's another sign that the device is going to be unveiled in the not-too-distant future. Earlier leaks have suggested that the wearable might be announced in May, although we've also heard that it might not go on sale until October.

Set your watches

We've certainly got a decent idea of what to expect from the Google Pixel Watch at this stage. It looks as though the smartwatch will have a sleek, rounded design, and there might be a physical crown button on the wearable as well.

A few watch faces that might be making their way to the wearable have also leaked out. They feature the sort of information you would expect to be able to get from any smartwatch: step count, heart rate, and current weather conditions.

We've heard less about the sort of pricing that Google is going to attach to the Pixel Watch when it goes on sale. How much the device will cost relative to its competitors is obviously going to be crucial when it comes to establishing its appeal to consumers.

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Analysis: Google needs the Pixel Watch

The likes of Ticwatch, Fossil and Samsung (after switching its smartwatches over from Tizen) are keeping the flag flying as far as Wear OS devices are concerned, but it's clearly important that Google also has its own flagship wearable on the market too.

We know that the Apple Watch has been a huge success, and of course it works seamlessly with the iPhone. Meanwhile, up until this point, owners of Google Pixel phones haven't had a smartwatch that they can rely on and be proud of in the same sort of way.

With the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro proving relatively successful, the time feels right for the Pixel Watch to make its bow: both to give the Apple Watch some added competition and to attract more attention to the Wear OS platform in general.

It remains to be seen how Google's acquisition of Fitbit will play out in terms of the evolution of devices like the Fitbit Sense, but it'll be interesting finding out. Perhaps one day, the Apple Watch won't be quite so dominant when it comes to smartwatches – and what's more, the Pixel Watch might be part of the reason behind that shift.

• Here's everything we know about the Pixel Watch so far

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