Sony has secured a new patent describing a PlayStation controller concept that removes physical buttons entirely, replacing them with adaptive touch-based input surfaces. The filing, published in late January, outlines a highly customisable controller designed to adjust to different hand sizes, play styles, and accessibility needs, though there is no confirmation it will ever become a consumer product.

Sony Granted A New Buttonless Controller Patent

Sony Interactive Entertainment has been granted a United States patent for a controller that does not rely on traditional buttons, triggers, or sticks. The patent, identified as USPTO grant number 12533573 and first highlighted by Video Games Chronicle, was officially published on January 27, 2026, after being filed back in February 2023.

Unlike most PlayStation controller patents, which still incorporate some form of physical input, this design centres on adaptive input surfaces capable of detecting touch, taps, long presses, swipes, slides, and pressure. The concept represents a clear departure from conventional gamepad layouts rather than a minor iteration on existing designs.

How The Touchscreen Controller Would Work

According to the patent documentation, the controller replaces fixed buttons with touch-sensitive surfaces that can dynamically generate virtual controls. These controls appear and adjust based on how the player is holding the controller, allowing layouts to shift in real time.

In some illustrated implementations, the controller uses multiple touchscreens that illuminate virtual buttons, D-pads, or sticks where the player’s fingers naturally rest. However, the core patent claims do not require a screen at all. Instead, they broadly cover adaptive input surfaces, with visual feedback described as optional rather than essential.

This means the technology could theoretically be applied to a more traditional controller design that still includes some physical elements, rather than requiring a fully screen-based device.

Image Credit: Sony

Custom Layouts And Accessibility Focus

A central argument in Sony’s patent is that fixed controller layouts do not work for everyone. The company notes that standardised button placements can be uncomfortable or impractical for players with different hand sizes, physical disabilities, or unconventional play setups.

With the proposed design, players could reposition virtual buttons, resize them, or remove them entirely depending on the game. For example, a simple platformer could be mapped to a single oversized jump button, while a game that only needs a D-pad or left stick could eliminate unused inputs altogether.

Image Credit: Sony

Sony argues this approach could reduce the need to manufacture multiple specialised controllers, offering flexibility through software rather than hardware variants. At present, the company addresses accessibility through dedicated devices like the PlayStation 5 Access Controller, which launched in December 2023.

Sensors To Prevent Accidental Inputs

One potential concern with touch-based controllers is accidental input when a player rests their thumbs on the surface. Sony’s patent addresses this by referencing pressure and heat sensors capable of detecting the condition of the input surface.

While the filing does not clarify whether these sensors operate on simple on-off detection or varying sensitivity levels, the implication is that the controller could distinguish between a resting finger and an intentional press. This is a known issue in earlier touch-based controllers, such as third-party designs from the 1990s that replaced D-pads with touch panels and suffered from unintended movement.

Patent Volume And Commercial Reality

Sony files and secures a large number of patents every year, most of which never result in consumer products. Data cited from Parola Analytics shows that the Sony Group was granted 2,256 U.S. patents in 2025 alone, ranking it as the 14th most prolific patent filer, just below Dell and above Intel.

As of January 31, 2026, Sony and its subsidiaries reportedly hold more than 133,000 U.S. patents. The vast majority of these inventions have never been commercialised, making the statistical likelihood of this controller reaching market relatively low.

Could This Be Linked To PS6 Plans?

The timing of the patent’s publication has led to speculation about its relevance to Sony’s next console generation, often referred to as the PlayStation 6. However, the patent itself makes no reference to a specific console or release window.

That said, Sony has shown increasing interest in adaptive and context-aware controller technology. Recent patents have explored features such as controllers that detect whether a player is reclining or lying down and adjust inputs accordingly, as well as experimental designs involving deformable shapes or biometric sensors.

Given that accessibility is becoming a growing priority across the industry, this particular filing may have a higher chance of influencing future hardware than the average Sony patent, even if it never appears in its current form.

The post PlayStation Touchscreen Controller Patent Revealed With No Physical Buttons, Letting You Choose Button Placement Yourself appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Zurich-based startup Sparkli has officially emerged from stealth, and it’s doing so with serious momentum. Founded by former Google and YouTube veterans, the company has raised a $5 million pre-seed funding round to build what it calls the world’s first multimodal AI-native learning engine for children aged five to twelve.

The round was led by Founderful, with participation from Arc Investors and a grant from Innosuisse. It stands as one of the largest pre-seed rounds ever seen in the EdTech space, signalling strong confidence in Sparkli’s vision to reshape how children learn with AI.

Turning Screen Time Into Active Learning

Sparkli positions itself as the “anti-chatbot” for kids. Instead of delivering walls of text or static answers, the platform uses real-time multimodal AI to turn curiosity into interactive learning expeditions. These experiences blend visuals, voice, simulations, debates, and gamified challenges to encourage children to think, create, and explore.

Image Credit: Sparkli

If a child asks how to build a city on Mars, Sparkli does not respond with a list of facts. Instead, it generates a guided expedition where children learn age-appropriate physics, simulate environmental conditions, and design their own habitats. Along the way, they are asked to make choices, debate ideas, and defend their decisions, building critical thinking rather than simple information recall.

Image Credit: Sparkli

Built To Close The Agency And Curiosity Gap

According to Sparkli, modern childhood education is facing an “Agency and Curiosity Gap”, where learning is too passive, too slow, and too disconnected from real-world relevance. The platform is built around three major shifts designed to address that gap.

The first is a velocity shift, replacing static curriculums with real-time exploration of topics as they emerge. The second is an engagement shift, moving away from passive screen time such as watching videos or scrolling through text, and toward playable, interactive learning environments. The third is a skills shift, prioritising creativity, complex problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and design thinking over memorisation.

Under the hood, Sparkli builds a personalised interest and knowledge graph for each child, allowing learning paths to adapt over time based on what genuinely excites them.

Early Validation From Schools And Families

Sparkli is already validating its approach through a strategic pilot with one of the world’s largest private school groups. The partnership gives the startup access to more than 100 schools and over 100,000 students, providing real-world feedback at scale.

Early classroom pilots have shown promising results. In one session, eight-year-olds used Sparkli to simulate running their own food cart businesses, debating budgeting, pricing, and customer experience. In another, students took full control during an unstructured “Freedom Friday”, launching expeditions on topics ranging from game design to the Big Bang.

Parents testing the consumer version have also noticed a shift in how their children engage with screens. One parent shared that their child finished a session excitedly outlining a sustainability plan for what they would do if they were mayor for a day.

A Team With Deep Tech And Education Roots

Sparkli was founded by Lax Poojary, a former Google Area 120 leader, alongside co-founders with experience across Google Search and YouTube. The team includes engineers and designers from ETH Zurich and the education sector, combining generative AI expertise with pedagogy, motion design, and game mechanics.

Image Credit: Sparkli

“Our goal is to build agency in the next generation,” said Poojary. “Children learn by exploring, making choices, asking questions, and discovering what inspires them. Sparkli turns screen time into a place where curiosity grows rather than fades.”

The company is focused on delivering a platform that is powerful yet safe, with strong guardrails and age-sensitive design, addressing concerns that open-ended AI tools can be overwhelming or unsuitable for younger users.

Aiming At A Massive Global Opportunity

Education is widely predicted to be one of the most significant use cases for artificial intelligence, with the global market valued at over $7 trillion. While platforms like Duolingo have built massive businesses by digitising structured drills, Sparkli is aiming much broader by reimagining how children acquire knowledge from the ground up.

“Sparkli represents a step change in how children can interact with knowledge,” said Lukas Weder, Partner at Founderful. “Their traction with schools shows a real appetite for tools that foster curiosity and agency rather than passive consumption.”

Image Credit: Sparkli

The startup was also selected as a main stage speaker at Bett, the world’s largest education technology conference, where it officially unveiled the platform this January.

What’s Next For Sparkli

The new funding will be used to scale Sparkli’s generative learning engine and prepare for a private beta launch in January 2026. A consumer launch is planned for June 2026, with early access spots expected to be limited.

Long-term, Sparkli envisions becoming an AI-native operating system for childhood development, extending from curiosity-driven learning into hands-on creation. The ultimate goal is a lifelong AI companion that remembers what a child cared about at age six and helps nurture those passions well into their teenage years.

For now, Sparkli is positioning itself as something many parents and educators have been waiting for, a way to make screen time feel meaningful, creative, and genuinely exciting again. Schools and parents interested in joining the waitlist for the upcoming private beta can register their interest at https://sparkli.ai/

The post Sparkli, The ‘Anti-Chatbot’ AI Platform Turning Screen Time Into Game Like Interactive Learning For Kids, Raises $5 Million From Google And YouTube Veterans appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Today at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Samsung announced Galaxy Z Fold7, a device that brings together the best of Galaxy design, camera functionality and AI innovation in the thinnest and lightest Galaxy Z Fold series to date.

It delivers the premium performance and experience of an “Ultra” smartphone, while unlocking new levels of efficiency and productivity with a larger, more immersive display when unfolded. And with the new One UI 8 as its foundation, it seamlessly integrates intelligent, multimodal agents optimised for the foldable form factor.

“Galaxy Z Fold7 combines Galaxy AI with powerful hardware to deliver our most advanced smartphone experience yet,” said TM Roh, President and Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics.“ This next chapter of foldables brings together design and engineering, with AI built specifically for the foldable form. It gives people the ultra experience they want— powerful, immersive, intelligent, and portable all in one.”

Galaxy Z Fold7 is crafted for those who want the everyday portability and intuitive feel of a traditional smartphone, combined with the enhanced power and flexibility of a larger, unfolded display – all in one device. With its ultra thin and light design and wider cover display, Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers a seamless on- the-go experience that makes typing and browsing effortless when it is folded. At just 215 grams, Galaxy Z Fold7 is even lighter than Galaxy S25 Ultra. It is just 8.9 mm thick when folded and 4.2 mm thick when unfolded.

The device comes with 6.5-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x cover display, a wider screen with a new 21:9 aspect ratio. When unfolded, Galaxy Z Fold7 becomes more than just a smartphone. It transforms into another device entirely and revealing an expansive screen that expands the workspace for editing, multitasking and immersive viewing – and for getting more out of Galaxy AI.

The main display on Galaxy Z Fold7 is 11% larger than the previous generation, providing even more screen real estate for content editing and multitasking across multiple apps.

The 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x main display offers ultra-rich contrast, true blacks and vibrant detail that make everything pop — from movies to tabs open while multitasking. With Vision Booster and up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness, Galaxy Z Fold7 stays brilliantly visible even in direct sunlight.Thin and light, Galaxy Z Fold7 is built to move with users, confidently.

The Armor FlexHinge is thinner and lighter, thanks to an enhanced water droplet design and newly implemented multi-rail structure that reduces visible creasing. The cover display is made with Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic, a new glass ceramic that has crystals intricately embedded within its glass matrix. This secures the screen’s durability and crack deflection capabilities and delivers protection in a remarkably thin form factor.

The main display is restructured to be thinner and lighter – yet stronger. This was achieved by implementing the Titanium plate layer. Additionally, Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) was increased to be 50% thicker, making the display tougher.

Under the hood, Galaxy Z Fold7 is powered by the best-in-class processor used in Galaxy devices. It’s uniquely customised and makes on-device AI processing tasks – like real-time language translation and Generative Edits – faster and more seamless.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy delivers performance boost of 41% in NPU, 38% in CPU, and 26% of GPU compared to the previous generation. This power fuels Galaxy Z Fold7’s ability to process more AI experiences on-device without compromise.

Galaxy Z Fold7 now brings the best of the Galaxy’s pro-grade camera experience to a foldable, combining advanced hardware with intelligent processing for consistently stunning results. Its high-resolution camera captures incredible detail, vibrant colour and rich texture, pulling users back into every moment. AI-enhanced imaging automatically optimises lighting, detail and realism, so photos and videos stay sharp and vivid, even in low light settings such as milestone dinners and late-night café scenes. Featuring the first 200MP wide-angle camera in the Galaxy Z series, it captures 4x more detail. The 10MP 100° camera on the main display expands the frame, so when users unfold their phone, it’s easy to capture group selfies, valuable moments and more of the world in a single shot.

Samsung’s next generation ProVisual Engine processes images faster, enabling every photo and video to be more crisp, vibrant and full of detail. With Night Video, intelligent motion detection now separates moving subjects from still backgrounds to reduce noicses. 10-bit HDR provides more colour depth. The result is videos with richer colour, deeper contrast and more lifelike detail, no matter the time of day.

Galaxy Z Fold7 puts a pro-grade creative studio in users’ pocket, with AI-powered tools optimised for its large display. Users can capture stunning photos and videos and then edit with ease. From cleaning up clutter in product shots to removing background noise from café recordings, studio-quality enhancements can be done in a few easy steps. The intuitive and intelligent features on the Galaxy Z Fold7 make it effortless to transform photos and videos into pro-level content, with no extra tools required.

Shots look flawless with Photo Assist, 11 which moves, erases or enlarges objects and adjusts angles and fills in backgrounds with AI-powered precision. Users can seize vibrant expressions, including pet profile with Portrait Studio and refine their photos using Galaxy’s enhanced Generative Edit. The ability to seamlessly remove distractions and fill in backgrounds has made Generative Edit a fan favourite, and now it’s even smarter. It offers proactive suggestions with the new Suggest Erases , which automatically detects passersby with the tap of a button. Side-by-Side Editing and Show Original enables real-time comparison of original images and edited versions on the large screen, making it easier to decide what to modify and what to keep.

Audio Eraser has also been upgraded to be more intelligent and convenient. There’s a new toggle in Gallery, and it now proactively detects and removes unwanted background noise like wind or traffic from video recordings.

Galaxy Z Fold7 harnesses the power of the foldable display to amplify the power and convenience of AI, delivering experiences that are instinctive, adaptive and effortlessly efficient. The new One UI 8 is context- aware and naturally responsive, optimised for Galaxy Z Fold7’s flexible format and expansive screen offering a more intuitive and immersive way to interact with AI. There’s less jumping between apps and screens and more frictionless creativity and productivity happening seamlessly in one place.

Designed as a true multimodal agent, One UI 8 seamlessly combines large-screen multitasking with intelligent tools that understand what users type, say and even see. And with an AI-powered camera and privacy built into every layer, Galaxy Z Fold7 becomes a smart and secure personal assistant, ready to help anytime, anywhere.

Launching with the all-new One UI 8 on Android 16, Galaxy Z Fold7 debuts Samsung’s latest AI- powered platform on foldables, delivering the latest Android experience straight out of the box. Gemini Live is now enhanced with multimodal AI that understands what users see, say and do, making it possible to seamlessly type or speak contextual questions and get answers without having to toggle back and forth between apps. And with screen sharing on Gemini Live or camera sharing on Gemini Live, you can simply show Gemini what users are looking at on the screen or on the camera, then ask questions to get instant insights.

With Circle to Search, gaming tips appear exactly when and where you need them. Just circle an item on screen and get instant results, tips or tactics in a floating view that ensures a smooth, uninterrupted experience.

With Galaxy AI Optimised for Large Screens, Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers experiences that maximise the benefits of the expansive foldable display to boost productivity. AI Results View displays results from AI features in a separate Split View or in a Floating View, so the user’s original content remains unobstructed and visible. Users can be more efficient with Drag & Drop AI-generated content, including images and text, directly from Multi Window. With tools like Drawing Assist or Writing Assist, it’s easier than ever to move ideas and visuals, enabling a smoother creative process.

As mobile experiences grow ever more intelligent and interconnected, Samsung is reinforcing the foundations that protect them – unveiling new protections for on-device AI, expanding cross-device threat detection and enhancing network security with quantum-resistant encryption. One UI 8 brings enhanced privacy to personalised AI experiences with the new Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP).

KEEP creates encrypted, app-specific storage environments within the device’s secure storage area, ensuring each app can access only its own sensitive information and nothing more. With One UI 8, Samsung is advancing Knox Matrix to deliver more proactive and user-friendly protection across the Galaxy ecosystem. Furthermore, as part of its ongoing commitment to quantum-safe security, Samsung is integrating post-quantum cryptography into Secure WiFi. This enhancement secures the key exchange process at the core of encrypted connections, helping ensure robust privacy even over public networks.

The Galaxy Z Fold7 will be available for pre-order starting  July 10, with general availability beginning July 25, 2025. The Galaxy Z Fold7 comes in Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow, Jetblack and Mint (online exclusive) colour options.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 Raises the Bar appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Today at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Flip7, a compact AI phone with multimodal capabilities, powered by a new FlexWindow.

Small enough to slip into a pocket, yet powerful enough to deliver the handiest assistance, it melds Galaxy AI with a now edge-to-edge FlexWindow, a flagship level camera and an ultra-compact and iconic design. From intuitive voice AI to the best selfie capabilities, the Galaxy Z Flip7 is an intelligent pocket-sized companion built for seamless interaction and everyday reliability.

“Galaxy Z Flip7 is proof that big intelligence can come in a small, pocket-sized form factor,” said TM Roh, President and Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) at Samsung Electronics. “By bringing rich multimodal AI capabilities and seamless functionality to the FlexWindow, we’ve created a device that adapts, anticipates and empowers users, unlocking a smarter, more intuitive way to engage with the world.”

Content spills elegantly from edge to edge on the Galaxy Z Flip7’s stunning FlexWindow display , which brings essentials front and centre and makes it easy to type out quick messages, check schedule at a glance and snap high-quality selfies. Galaxy Z Flip7’s brightest FlexWindow yet delivers a super-smooth refresh rate, so everything looks vivid and feels fluid – even when outside on a sunny day.

The 4.1-inch Super AMOLED FlexWindow is the largest on a Galaxy Z Flip yet, with edge-to-edge usability that enables users to see and do more on the cover screen. With 2,600 nits of peak brightness and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate on both the main display and the FlexWindow, Galaxy Z Flip7 enables ultra-fluid scrolling, streaming and gaming. Plus, the FlexWindow gets an upgrade with Vision Booster, enhancing outdoor visibility so users can stay connected wherever they are.

The main display is a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, built for an ultra-smooth, immersive experience.

Galaxy Z Flip7 is crafted for portability and puts powerful performance right in the palm of the user’s hand. With its compact size and sleek silhouette, it slips effortlessly into a small pocket or purse, perfect for whatever the day brings. Whether catching calls during a coffee outing or snapping pictures at the store – no need to worry about the inevitable drops and bumps along the way. It’s also built to last and engineered to handle the rigors of daily use.

Weighing just 188 grams and measuring only 13.7mm when folded, Galaxy Z Flip7 is the slimmest Galaxy Z Flip yet. The cover and back are protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus.

The Armor FlexHinge is thinner than the hinge on the previous generation and features a restructured design and the robust Armor Aluminum Frame provides a tough exterior for resilience.

While the Galaxy Z Flip7 has been slimmed down and refined throughout, it now features a bigger battery and an even bigger display – all in a more compact form. With the largest battery in the Galaxy Z Flip series yet, users can stream music or listen to podcasts during long commutes, edit photos on the fly and share updates throughout the day without missing a beat.

The 4,300mAh battery 7 is the largest ever on a Galaxy Z Flip yet, and the Galaxy Z Flip7 is powered by the latest 3nm processor, customised for Galaxy and fit for today’s lifestyle with an even more powerful CPU, GPU and NPU than Galaxy Z Flip6.

Samsung DeX comes to a Galaxy Z Flip for the first time, enabling it to instantly transform into a handy workstation: users can flip it open, connect to a screen and instantly get PC-like tools for enhanced multitasking. Pocket-Perfect AI

With FlexWindow enhanced for greater usability and Galaxy AI 10 that is smarter and more intuitive than ever, Galaxy Z Flip7 introduces a new era of convenience and functionality, empowering users to search with their voice, get answers and take action directly on FlexWindow. Powered by the newest One UI 8 and Android 16 right out of the box, it delivers true multimodal AI experiences optimised for the Flip’s iconic design, with many tasks now able to be handled right from the cover screen.

This intuitive, one-handed experience enhances productivity and introduces even more personalisation options, making the Galaxy Z Flip7 a smart and handy companion, whether a user is traveling around the globe or simply navigating a busy day.

Galaxy Z Flip7 brings a new level of AI-powered personalisation, tailored to users’ style and routine. From curated wallpaper suggestions to emoji, color and widget customisation, the FlexWindow becomes a dynamic extension of a user’s personality. Whether prepping for travel or matching the mood, personalisation is effortless and always evolving.

Gemini Live is now available directly on the FlexWindow, enabling users to search for information with their voice and complete tasks – hands-free. It’s like having a personal assistant, right on the cover screen.

With camera sharing on Gemini Live, getting real-time help is as easy as pointing the camera. Whether packing for a trip or choosing an outfit, users can simply show Gemini what they’re looking at. Ask questions like, “Which of these outfits is better for the weather in Seoul?” Gemini will respond, just like a helpful friend would.

Galaxy Z Flip7 brings flagship-level photography and Samsung’s best selfie camera yet. With Samsung’s advanced ProVisual Engine, it intelligently optimises every scene to deliver crisp, detailed shots in any lighting, without any manual adjustments needed. From playful pet moments to zoomed-in festival shots and glowing sunset portraits, Galaxy Z Flip7 captures stunning results without a tripod or even unfolding the screen.

The dual rear camera system includes a 50MP Wide and a 12MP Ultra-Wide lens, delivering flagship-level clarity in any lighting, whether capturing scenic shots or snapping high-quality selfies directly from the cover screen.

With Enhanced Nightography, users can capture vivid photos in low-light environments through improved lighting adjustments and the removal of noise and blurred frames. 10-bit HDR provides richer colour, deeper contrast and more life-like detail in video, no matter the time of day.

Galaxy Z Flip7 takes selfies to the next level, right from the FlexWindow. Real-Time Filters now lets users preview and perfect FlexCam shots instantly. And with the new Zoom Slider, users can quickly zoom in or out with just a swipe- making it perfect for capturing a full outfit or fitting everyone into the frame for a flawless group selfie.

With Dual Preview, the photographer and the subject can see the composition live on the FlexWindow, helping users nail the perfect shot on the first go. Everyday pet moments become eye-catching shots with Portrait Studio in Photo Assist whether featuring a playful cartoon style, a quirky fisheye look or a polished, professional finish.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 FE brings the foldable experience to even more users.

Compact when folded and expansive when opened, Galaxy Z Flip7 FE features a 6.7-inch Main Display for an immersive viewing experience. The 50MP FlexCam enables high-quality selfies and video in Flex Mode, letting users capture content hands-free, without even opening the device. Now Brief surfaces helpful updates – including weather, daily schedules and commute alerts – on the cover screen, in a layout optimised for Galaxy Z Flip7 FE’s compact form.

Available in Black and White, it delivers a minimalist look that complements its intelligent, foldable design.

As mobile experiences grow ever more intelligent and interconnected, Samsung is reinforcing the foundations that protect them – unveiling new protections for on-device AI, expanding cross-device threat detection and enhancing network security with quantum-resistant encryption. One UI 8 brings enhanced privacy to personalised AI experiences with the new Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP). KEEP creates encrypted, app-specific storage environments within the device’s secure storage area, ensuring each app can access only its own sensitive information and nothing more. With One UI 8, Samsung is advancing Knox Matrix to deliver more proactive and user-friendly protection across the Galaxy ecosystem. Furthermore, as part of its ongoing commitment to quantum-safe security, Samsung is integrating post-quantum cryptography into Secure Wi-Fi.

This enhancement secures the key exchange process at the core of encrypted connections, helping ensure robust privacy even over public networks.

The Galaxy Z Flip7 will be available for pre-order starting July 10, with general availability beginning July 25, 2025 and comes in 21 Blue Shadow, Jetblack, Coral-red and Mint 22 (online exclusive) colour options.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7: A Pocket-Sized AI Powerhouse appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Samsung has just introduced Galaxy Watch8 and Galaxy Watch8 Classic, establishing an iconic design identity across the entire Galaxy Watch lineup.

Building upon the foundation of the Galaxy Watch Ultra’s cushion design, this series boasts the thinnest, most comfortable Galaxy Watch ever for continuous health tracking. The Galaxy Watch8 series suits diverse lifestyles and provides advanced capabilities, setting a new standard for style and personalised health experiences.

“We are committed to empowering billions of people to live healthier lives through our innovative technology,” said TM Roh, President and Acting Head of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “By combining purposeful design with advanced sensor technology and an intuitive AI-powered experience, the Galaxy Watch8 series serves as a starting point for a healthier, more connected life, making it easier than ever to take meaningful steps toward users’ well-being.”

By reimagining both form and function, the Galaxy Watch8 series delivers unmatched comfort alongside industry-leading performance, making it the ultimate companion for everyday wellness. The distinctive cushion design, which debuted with Galaxy Watch Ultra, now defines the entire Galaxy Watch lineup. To achieve the thinnest design yet, the internal structure of Galaxy Watch8 was completely reengineered and its component mounting capability has been improved by 30%, resulting in an 11% thinner design.

Combined with the Dynamic Lug system, this design moves naturally with the wrist, providing greater comfort and improved stability for a better fit and enhanced health-tracking accuracy.

Galaxy Watch8’s sleek profile is complemented by its exceptional performance. Even when you are outdoors under bright sunlight, the display is 50% brighter with a peak brightness of 3,000nits for easy visibility, and the enhanced battery ensures the watch can keep up with an active lifestyle. Moreover, the dual-frequency GPS provides more detailed and precise location results while our most powerful 3nm processor delivers faster performance and greater power efficiency.

With the groundbreaking BioActive Sensor that enables deeper and more accurate health insights, the Galaxy Watch8 series helps provide a holistic view of your health.

Sleep is a window into your overall health and each restful night allows your body and mind to recover immediately the very next day. That’s why Samsung is continuously advancing the sleep experience, offering tailored sleep coaching, helping to create an optimal sleep environment. On top of that, the Galaxy Watch8 series comes with new unique health features on the Samsung Health app that help you build healthier habits through instant, motivational insights – from sleep to nutrition and workout.

Bedtime Guidance 4 can measure your circadian rhythm to suggest the optimal time to go to bed so you wake up refreshed the next morning.

Whether you’re a novice or experienced runner, the Galaxy Watch8 series delivers personalised fitness insights to keep you motivated when you need it most. Running Coach 5 calculates your fitness level from 1 to 10 and develops a tailored training plan complete with real-time guidance and motivational insights. With the updated Together feature, which now supports running, you can gamify your fitness journey by challenging friends and family.

If high level of stress persists, High Stress Alert will immediately signal so that you can take a break to help manage your stress levels in real-time. With Mindfulness Tracker, you can record your mood and receive guidance on breathing exercises to relieve your stress – all at once on your wrist.

Plus, the AI-powered Energy Score 6 gives you a snapshot of your energy level, combining physical and mental energy metrics so you can have a healthier day, every day. Developed in close collaboration with Google, the Galaxy Watch8 series is the first smartwatch equipped with Wear OS 6 as well as Gemini 7 , Google’s AI assistant, as pre-loaded.

Go hands-free using natural voice commands to get things done on the go with your Galaxy Watch apps like Samsung Health, Calendar, Reminder, and Clock. For example, you can ask Gemini to find a nearby cafe and text a friend to meet you there, all in one go. Or, if you’re ready to start your workout and you have a goal in mind, simply say, “Start a 30-minute run.” The watch seamlessly initiates the workout in Samsung Health.

In addition, thanks to the new One UI 8 Watch, the user interface is optimised for the size and shape of the watch face. The new Multi-Info Tiles provide easy access to health metrics, weather, events and more – all in a single, quick look. Moreover, the new Now Bar and depthless notifications ensure key activities are front and centre.

Galaxy Watch8, Galaxy Watch8 Classic and the new Galaxy Watch Ultra are available for pre-order starting today, with general availability starting from July 25th, 2025.

Featuring a sleek and minimalist design, Galaxy Watch8 is designed for everyday wellness. Available in 44mm or 40mm sizes and in Graphite or Silver, it provides comfort and style for daily activities.

Meanwhile, Galaxy Watch8 Classic brings timeless sophistication to the wrist with modern features such as a rotating bezel and a quick button for added convenience. The Classic model measures 46mm and comes in Black and White. Plus, both models can be matched with a range of stylish bands designed to suit diverse lifestyles.

For those who love outdoor adventures, Galaxy Watch Ultra is the most advanced and durable Galaxy Watch model yet. Available in four titanium finishes including the new Titanium Blue, it offers the longest battery life and the most robust performance in the lineup.

The post Samsung Galaxy Watch8 Series Reveal appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

For storage on the go, Kingston have you sorted.

This year’s (2025) XS1000 portable SSD series sees 1TB to 4TB in storage options via SSD packed into a casing that is smaller than  a credit card.

Kingston sent STG Play a 2TB Kingston XS1000R to test out.

Now, let’s mention portable PC gaming, which is on the rise.

With differing manufacturers offering anywhere 2TB down to a laughable 512GB for your onboard storage, it does not take long for that to get chomped up by data heavy games from Steam.

If you have a substantial games library, and like me, want game options on the go, and try to cram as many games on to the portable PC as you can, the Kingston XS1000R series is a must have.

The SSD has a singular USB-C port with USB-A 3.0 to plug in to your device. Thankfully Kingston provide a USB-A to USB-C in the box.

This is especially necessary if you are going to use on a later model Apple laptop.

Having that extra 2TB on the go is excellent, but can you play games directly from it?

Yep, the Kingston XS1000R doesn’t miss a beat, with 1050 Mbps read and 1000 Mbps write.

Secure and reliable, the palm sized SSD does not miss a beat.

An Apple MacBook Pro was able to write at around 147 Mbps, read at 78 Mbps. An OneXPlayer Pro 2 was around the same for read, but write speed was a higher at 112 Mbps.

Trying this on a gaming laptop, the ASUS ROG X13 beat all of the above.

Write speed climaxed at 286 Mbps, read 174 Mbps.

A 2025 Android smartphone saw the slowest though. Write at 52Mbps and read a very low 18 Mbps.

If you have a microSD card in your portable device, to save regular data corruptions, my advice is to swap out for one of these. Small, pocketable and of course ready to go.

Totally reliable and a trusted triple AAA brand that is focused on both quality and speed the Kingston XS1000R SSD is going to see you right for multimedia rendering, gaming on any platform or simply expands on local storage.

Game on the go without interruption with Kingston XS1000R Series.

The post Kingston XS1000R 2TB SSD Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

I’ll say it. My porch is a bit lifeless. It’s lovely to sit out there in the day but on dark cloudy nights, it’s simply too dark to enjoy.

As a result, string lighting has been on my “to buy” list for a while. That’s when Wiz’s Smart Outdoor String Lights arrived.

Waterproof, weather proof, app controlled with colours, light levels and smart home functionality! It was everything I needed… Everything I wanted… and more.

Initially, I was rather intimidated by the 14.8m length. After measuring my porch I thought I had far too much, with no option to shorten it. It wasn’t until I started hanging the lights that I realised it was perfect. The lights look much better when they are draping down, which means 14.8m is really just the maximum distance. You can make anything less work.

As I was weaving them through my porch supports, I just added an extra loop here and there to space them out nicely. It did end up being a 2 person job, but that was just to save time.

The lights have been up for a few weeks now, and that weatherproof and waterproof label has been put to the test. There have been some windy nights, howling with rain, and sunny days blaring down heat, but the Wiz Smart Outdoor String Lights have held strong. In the past, I had fairy lights hanging on the porch. They didn’t last a month. I am confident Wiz have made their products to last.

You may notice in the photos that I was unable to utilise the smart lighting functionality on my porch. It’s important to note, for any smart lighting from any company, you’ll need 2.4 gHz WIFI to use the smart functions. However, you can always buy a 2.4 gHz extender, but that’s an expense you should be aware of up front. You can find the details for your WIFI on the bottom of your router.

Before hanging up the lights at mine, I took them to a friend’s house (with 2.4 gHz WIFI), and the setup was a dream. The Wiz lighting app “Wiz Connect” is exactly what you want from a smart device app. It runs you through exactly what to do, step by step, and it covers troubleshooting too. I can tell the app was made for first time users, and because of that… We had the colours going in no time!

Without the app, you can still turn the Wiz Smart Outdoor String Lights on, off and dim them using a button on the cable, but the standout feature is the quick release section just before the lights. It’s hard to explain in words, but let’s say your property is like mine and the easiest way to power these lights is by plugging them in through a window. You don’t want your window to be permanently wedged open, so the cable has a section before the lights that disconnects and connects with ease. I didn’t realise it until I saw it, but it really is a must have feature for a lot of homes.

Overall, the lights are fantastic. It’s a shame I can’t use them to their full capacity unless I buy the extender, but I do have a new slot available on my “to buy” list…

As for my rating, if you have 2.4ghz WIFI, this product is a solid 4.4. It’s exactly what you want from smart lighting, and more.

Even without the 2.4ghz WIFI, these lights get a 3.8 from me! As they really have brought life to my time out on the porch.

The post Wiz – Smart Outdoor String Light Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

OPPO has released its latest A Series lineup, the A5 range with a new wave of smartphones built for durability, performance and outstanding everyday value.

Combining unbeatable resilience, smart features and polished design, the A5 Series makes high-performance essentials accessible to everyday users, without the premium price tag.

The expanded A5 Series includes the OPPO A5 5G and A5 4G, two feature-rich devices made for daily life. They join OPPO’s toughest smartphone to date, the A5 Pro 5G – which launched in June 2025 – in offering more choice when it comes to durable, dependable tech.

OPPO New Zealand Managing Director Morgan Halim says the A Series range is for Kiwis who need a good-value phone that works as hard as they do. “Whether someone’s on the tools, outdoors in all conditions or buying a reliable first phone for their kids, the A Series is a dependable, great-value choice that’s made to last,” says Halim. “It’s built to survive backpacks, pockets and the occasional drop – and it keeps up with your hustle, whatever your day looks like.”

The A5 5G and A5 4G are engineered to handle more than just the basics. With large, high-refresh-rate displays, splash and dust resistance and OPPO’s 300% Ultra Volume Mode, these phones are made to be heard and seen clearly – even outdoors or on noisy job sites.

With 6,000mAh batteries across both models and support for 45W SUPERVOOCTM Flash Charging, users can spend less time plugged in and more time getting things done. OPPO’s battery technology has been tested for 1,700 full charge cycles, equivalent to approximately five years of regular use, while maintaining at least 80% battery health. It’s power that lasts day after day, year after year.

And because durability should extend beyond hardware, the A5 Series is backed by OPPO’s industry-leading software support – with 5 years of operating system updates and 6 years of security updates. It’s long-term peace of mind that sets a new standard in this price bracket, especially compared to competitors who typically offer only 2 years of updates or less.

These devices are made to move at your pace. They offer practical, efficient performance for everything from messaging and music to maps and media.

The OPPO A Series is available online at OPPO’s official website and from electronic retailers.

The post Tough just got smarter – OPPO’s A5 2025 Series appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

For years, Samsung Electronics has designed its devices around what people truly need, such as better performance, sharper cameras and smarter ways to stay connected.

And, with Galaxy AI, it goes beyond what devices can do — it’s about how people interact with them.

As AI rapidly becomes the new user interface, it’s redefining our relationship with technology. No longer just a collection of apps and tools, the smartphone is evolving into a smart companion that understands user intent and responds in real time. This transformation moves us from reaction to anticipation – where, as AI becomes the UI, intent becomes instant.

The next-generation Galaxy devices are being reimagined around a new AI-powered interface, supported by breakthrough hardware built to unlock their full potential. This future is already unfolding, and the best of Galaxy AI and Samsung craftsmanship is about to be unveiled.

On July 9, Samsung Electronics will host Unpacked in Brooklyn, New York – a borough with an extraordinary spirit and a distinctive history. Brooklyn is where visionary thinking and bold ideas shape the future, so it’s only fitting that Samsung unveils the latest and greatest additions to the Galaxy portfolio in a place known for its culture, creativity, and collaboration.

The event will be streamed live on Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom, and Samsung’s YouTube channel or you can watch it here:

Stay tuned and make sure to visit news.samsung.com/global for all upcoming teasers, trailers and updates ahead of Unpacked 2025.

The post The Ultra Experience Is Ready To Unfold appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Kingston Technology announced the refreshed Kingston XS Series of External SSDs, featuring a bold new design that highlights Kingston’s commitment to performance, reliability, service and innovation.

The new look proudly features Rex, Kingston’s iconic redhead mascot, representing the company’s nearly 40-year legacy of leadership in the global tech industry. Paired with the ‘Built on Commitment’ tagline, the refreshed design reflects Kingston’s ongoing promise to deliver high-performance, dependable storage solutions.

Compact yet powerful, the XS Series, including the XS2000 and XS1000 family, delivers impressive storage performance in a sleek, pocket-sized form, tailored to meet the needs of both professionals and everyday users.

The XS2000 stands as Kingston’s professional-tier external SSD, offering speeds up to 2,000MB/s and large capacities up to 4TB. Designed for content creators, videographers, and media teams, it supports Apple’s ProRes direct video recording, enabling seamless integration with mobile devices and production workflows. It’s the ideal solution for creators who demand studio-grade performance in the palm of their hand.

Meanwhile, the XS1000 and XS1000R are Kingston’s mainstream solutions for everyday storage, file transfer and backups. With read speeds up to 1,050MB/s and capacities up to 2TB, they offer versatile, lightweight storage solutions for a wide range of users, from students and business travelers to hybrid workers, balancing performance, portability, and everyday value.

“At Kingston, our commitment goes beyond just building products, it’s about building trust.” says Kevin
Wu, Sales/Marketing and Business Development Vice President of APAC region. “The refreshed XS Series, featuring Rex and the ‘Built on Commitment’ tagline, reflects our promise to deliver reliable, innovative, and adaptable technology that evolves with our customers’ needs.”

With the XS Series, Kingston strengthens its leadership in memory and storage, blending trusted performance with modern design to empower creators, professionals, and consumers alike.

The post Kingston Refreshes XS Series External SSD appeared first on Shane the Gamer.