It’s been another busy week in the tech world. After digging through the Prime Day sales (some are still ongoing), we saw Microsoft defend its Xbox Game Pass price hikes and we also reviewed the world’s best travel camera.
To keep up with all this and more, you can scroll down to see our recap of the seven biggest stories of the week, along with links to the full articles if you want to read more.
When you’re done, don’t forget to also check out our picks for the seven new movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max and more this weekend (October 10).
7. Microsoft defended Xbox Game Pass
Following significant fan backlash following its recent Game Pass price hikes, Microsoft has decided to change course… wait, sorry, no, it’s doubled.
Microsoft’s director of gaming and platform communications Dustin Blackwell said price increases are “never fun for anyone” but insisted the increases were the right thing and that more value was being added to its Game Pass plans.
Many of us here at TechRadar aren’t convinced yet, and it seems a lot of people aren’t buying it either. More and more people would search on Google how to cancel their subscription.
6. Tag Heuer revealed its expensive Apple Watch rival
Smart watches are very practical, but often lack the design and prestige of classic watchmaking. Well, Tag Heuer attempted to change that this week with its new Caliber Connecté E5, whose “Made for iPhone” billing means it works particularly well with iOS devices.
Beneath its sophisticated stainless steel design, the E5 is packed with sensors for fitness tracking and can measure your blood oxygen, heart rate, and sleep quality. And while it works with Android phones, you should experience faster pairing, improved connectivity, and more consistent updates on iPhones. The only stumbling block might be the $1,600 price tag (around £1,200 / AU$2,400).
5. Wake Up Dead Man blew us away
Even though the Netflix film won’t be released until December 12, we were able to see Wake up dead man at the start of the London Film Festival where it debuted.
The third in the At loggerheads The series starring Daniel Craig as Detective Benoit Blanc is “a near-perfect Netflix binge” according to our reviewer who gave it four stars out of five.
To give you a longer excerpt from the full review: “Thanks to an ultra-clever script, there’s almost a laugh every minute between Blanc’s exceptional monologues that we know and love. Netflix, the actors, and the absurdity of what’s happening around them are all in the crosshairs, and the metaphorical shots fired create the most pleasant surprises. Nothing is too scathing or overt, and there’s no “woke brigade” here. It’s just a smart profession, and that’s what we want.
4. We tested a five-star travel camera
The new OM System OM-5 II travel camera has been criticized for being a little too identical to its predecessor – but as the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
You can raise the price, increase the specs, and change the identity of this camera, or you can get what you get from this travel snapper: a fast, responsive travel experience with an EVF, weather sealing, excellent IBIS, and a wide range of compact, affordable, high-quality lenses.
The OM System OM-5 II has divided opinions, but we firmly believe it’s great – which is why we gave it five stars.
3. Sennheiser revealed new headphones
Audio technology stalwart Sennheiser has unveiled the HDB 630 headphones, which it promises will deliver “true audiophile sound”. That’s largely because they come bundled with Sennheiser’s BTD 700 USB-C dongle, which can bypass the wireless transmitter your phone uses to enable aptX, aptX HD, and aptX adaptive audio, no matter your device — looking at you, iPhone.
The quality is so good that even Spotify’s new Lossless update doesn’t really optimize it. Instead, you’ll need a Tidal or Qobuz (or similar) subscription to get the best Bluetooth listening experience.
2. A reality-distorting camera fell
AI image and video tools are very popular right now, and Camera Intelligence’s new Caira device has integrated Google’s new Nano Banana AI image model into a MagSafe attachment so you can edit reality in real time.
The benefit here is that you can see what your end result will look like before you walk into your home editing studio and realize that a differently composed photo would have looked much better than the one you took after all the adjustments were made.
As with all of these tools, there are questions about ethics and responsible practices, but Camera Intelligence says it limits identity-distorting features and is committed to what it calls an “ethics-first” development strategy.
1. We reviewed the Pixel 10 Pro Fold
This week we published our review of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold – and while it’s a “phenomenal smartphone”, after some time of use we “wanted more… or maybe less”.
The problem is that the new Pro Fold costs $1,799 / £1,749 / AU$2,699, which is $950 / £750 / AU$1,000 more than the Pixel 10 Pro. The Fold can’t just be good, it really has to justify its price compared to the excellent flat phones on the market – and it doesn’t really hit the mark in terms of cameras and features that take advantage of its unique design.
Still, it looks great, has a “charming software personality” and is currently the most durable smartphone on the market, so this foldable still has a lot going for it.
