With a weighty base, an adjustable Qi2/MagSafe charging pad, and a fold-out Apple Watch charger around the back, this Zens 2-in-1 is ideal for folks with an iPhone and Apple Watch. The Apple Watch pad folds out of the back, tucking your watch out of sight and allowing room for the strap to droop. The pad works great with StandBy mode. You can also fold the pad flat and charge AirPods or other phones if you need to, just not at the same time as your iPhone. Sadly, this has a barrel port for the provided cable and charger (USB-C would be better), the Apple Watch charger can be a little stiff and tricky to fold out, and it’s pricey, but I love the quality, look, and feel.
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Belkin
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UltraCharge 2-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger (Qi2 25W)
Belkin’s UltraCharge 2-in-1 unseats our previous favorite, the BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1, which is still a great option. However, the latest model features Qi2 25W charging support to charge compatible devices even faster. It also has a folding design, allowing you to take it with you on the go, but it also works great as a permanent charger for your desk or nightstand. Over on the back, there’s a spot to place AirPods or any wireless earbuds with wireless charging. What’s also great is the spare USB-C port—you can pop in a cable to charge your Apple Watch at 5 watts (or another device); it just won’t charge very fast. (Belkin also has a 3-in-1 version of this model if you want a dedicated spot for the Apple Watch.) Best of all, Belkin includes a very compact 45-watt power adapter and a USB-C to USB-C cable, which is better than many other wireless chargers that cost more. It’s a nifty little thing, and looks great in blue. —Julian Chokkattu
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iOttie Velox Duo for $33: This was our 2-in-1 pick for a while. The black-and-gold combo looks great, the magnet is strong, and there’s a weighted base. On the downside, it only charges iPhones at up to 7.5 watts. The permanently attached USB-C cable is a good length, but you do have to provide a wall adapter.
More 3-in-1 Chargers to Consider
We have tested several other 3-in-1 Apple charging stations. Here are a few we liked:
Photograph: Simon Hill
Noco X Grid XDS3 for $130: Well-made, with an eye-catching design, this 3-in-1 charger has a wide base that’s great for stability. It’s easy to remove your iPhone one-handed too, though it does have a relatively large footprint. It’s a bit bulky to travel with. You can stick your Qi2 phone to the pad in portrait or landscape, and the large bottom 5W pad is suitable for AirPods or even a second phone. It supports Apple Watch fast charging, but I didn’t like the way my Apple Watch tended to tilt to one side, and the charging pad positions are fixed (you can’t change the angle). You get the adapter, generous 6.5-foot braided USB-C cable, though, and plug adapters for different countries in the box.
Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe for $100: Twelve South’s 3-in-1 is an elegant wireless charger for the nightstand and gives the iPhone plenty of breathing room to rotate it to landscape mode and take advantage of StandBy. I like that the iPhone charger can swivel up and down. On the base is a fast charger for the Apple Watch that you can flip up, and the back has a spot for the AirPods or another wireless earbuds case. It’s nice and weighty and doesn’t slide around easily. It comes with a proprietary, removable charging cable, along with a charging brick, and international plug adapters for the US, UK, EU, and AU.
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Photograph: Simon Hill
Anker Prime 3-in-1 Charging Station for $150: Sporting a tree design similar to our top pick from Belkin, the very latest Qi2 25W charging, fast Apple Watch charging, active cooling, and an interactive display, this is perhaps the most feature-packed 3-in-1 charger on the market. You can connect via Bluetooth and configure in the app to set wallpapers for the clock, schedule night mode to dim the display and turn off the cooling, and track your charging stats in a table. I’m just not sure it’s worth the premium. The finicky touch display is flat, so you have to sit up to see it, and it looks a bit cheap to me. It also feels superfluous when your iPhone already offers Standby mode.
Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Dock with MagSafe for $112: This was our old 2-in-1 pick for iPhone and Apple Watch. I like the soft-touch finish, the pad on top can move through 70 degrees, and the shelf for your Apple Watch works with any strap. The braided USB-C cable is permanently attached, but you get a 30-watt wall charger in the box. I don’t remember having issues when I first tested, but using it again, I found the weight of the camera end of my iPhone 14 Pro caused it to slowly droop when in StandBy mode. It’s also kinda pricey.
Zens Office Charger Pro 3
Photograph: Simon Hill
Zens Office Charger Pro 3 for $85: I’m a fan of some of the interesting, out-of-the-box designs that Zens turns out, but this 3-in-1, while well-made and perfectly functional, doesn’t really stand out. It’s Qi2 certified (15W for iPhone, 5W for Apple Watch, 5W for AirPods), looks nice, and comes with the cable and charger, though it has a barrel port.
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Lululook 3-in-1 Charging Station for $60: This is a perfectly competent 3-in-1 with Qi2 certification (15W for iPhone, 5W for Apple Watch, 5W for AirPods). It’s compact, you can angle the iPhone pad, and I like the gold finish of my review unit, but I prefer the Twelve South above, or the ESR if you don’t want to spend as much.
Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 MagSafe-Compatible Wireless Charging Pad for $80: Qi2 support provides magnetic alignment for your iPhone and delivers 15 watts of charging, and there’s a spot for AirPods on this compact dual pad. A USB-C port allows you to charge something else, such as an Apple Watch, and you get a 5-foot USB-C cable and 30W power supply in the box. There is also a 3-in-1 pad ($110) that adds an Apple Watch charger on the right side.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Nomad Base One Max for $150: This was our 3-in-1 pad pick, but stock is running low, and it is being discontinued. The MagSafe charger keeps your iPhone out of sight and supports 15-watt charging, the Apple Watch charging puck sticks up for Nightstand mode, but it’s not a fast charger. I tried it with a loop band and a normal strap, and I could fit the AirPods Pro case in the spot behind the Apple Watch puck to recharge it just fine. The metal chassis is heavy and, paired with the anti-slip rubber base, this thing stays put. It comes with a 2-meter USB-C to USB-C cable, which is great if you want to plug it into your new iPhone 16 to juice it up faster, but I wish it came with a 30-watt charging adapter. Nomad sells this one that we’ve tested and like.
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QDOS SnapStand 3-in-1 for £80: This clever design feels sturdy and comes flat, and you can fold out and angle a magnetic pad for charging your iPhone (StandBy mode works fine). There’s a pop-out Apple Watch charger around the back, and the base has a pad for your AirPods. You get a black USB-C cable, but you’ll need a charger (at least 25W). I like that it’s partly made from recycled materials, and it folds away very neatly, but the charging speeds are relatively slow (7.5 watts for the iPhone and 2.5 watts for the Apple Watch).
Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station Stand for $90: This good-looking 3-in-1 charging tree is more affordable than our top pick, boasts Qi2 certification for 15-watt charging, and comes with a charger and cable. It just misses out on a place above because of the offset pad for the Apple Watch. It is slippery, so your Apple Watch may tilt, though I never had an issue with it not charging. Anker included stickers to combat this, but they are a fiddly and inelegant solution. It’s also a shame that the main pad for your iPhone is fixed, so you can’t adjust the angle. But these are minor gripes.
Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe for $90: This dinky, dense, 2.5-inch cube from Anker was our previous compact pick. It has a MagSafe pad on top (15 watts), and the top section hinges to a 60-degree angle, revealing a charging surface for your AirPods. The wee pop-out shelf on the side has a built-in Apple Watch fast charger. You get a 5-foot cable and a 30-watt charger in the box.
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Satechi 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand for $130: This compact, attractive 3-in-1 is a little smaller than the Belkin, so it doesn’t take up too much room, and it folds down compactly for travel. The aluminum build is attractive and sturdy (the iPhone mount is made of stainless steel). This is on reviews editor Adrienne So’s bedside table, and it recharges her Apple Watch Ultra 2 from 70 percent to full in around 30 minutes.
Case-Mate Fuel 3-in-1 Foldable for $50: Finished in a classy gray material, this 3-in-1 charges an iPhone in a case or any Qi smartphone, and it’s easy to fold flat and pack in a bag. It also has a built-in Apple Watch charger and a spot for AirPods. A cable and a 45-watt charger are included. I also tested the solid Case-Mate Fuel 4-in-1 ($150), which is quite good, but the unnecessary LEDs and Fuel logo put me off.
Best 4-in-1 Chargers
Zens 4-in-1 Modular Wireless Charger with iPad Charging Stand for $78: If you also own an iPad, why not a 4-in-1 charging station? Zens’ modular design has a main stand for your iPad, a MagSafe pad in front to float your iPhone, and a slight indentation to charge AirPods below. The Apple Watch charger is a separate section that attaches magnetically (on either side) and holds your Watch in horizontal Nightstand mode. It feels durable with a grippy, rubbery, flecked black finish made from recycled plastic. You get a 65-watt power adapter, power cable, and adapter plugs for the US, UK, and EU, which is quite handy. The main drawback with this is the large size, and you have to connect a cable to the USB-C port on the side to charge your iPad.
Journey Glyde 4-in-1 Portable Charger for $170: Former reviews editor Adrienne So almost voted for this multidevice MagSafe power bank to get a separate recommendation until she noticed the price. It’s a 10,000-mAh-capacity power bank that can charge up to four devices at a time and uses the Qi2 charging standard. However, our pick for this spot is so much cheaper, and the Glyde does not have a kickstand.
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Scosche Baselynx 2.0 Modular Charging Station for $90: What if three spots are not enough? Scosche has you covered with this modular charging station. The basic stand is a 2-in-1 for your iPhone and AirPods, but you can add an Apple Watch charger, a toast rack-style vertical station with USB-C ports, or even an AC outlet with USB-C port, for a big combined charger ($220). The trouble is, it gets quite big and expensive as you add modules, and I don’t love the way it looks, but it’s a neat idea.
Avoid These Chargers
Photograph: Simon Hill
Not every charger will be a winner. Here are the ones we didn’t like.
Infinacore T3 Pro: The T3 Pro is a 3-in-1 stand that looks and feels very cheap, and it got warm when charging my iPhone. Its saving grace is that it is cheap. It also has Qi2 certification and works with StandBy mode. I also tried the fold-out triple pad Infinacore T3 Wireless Charging Station. Aside from the ugly plastic design, the weak magnets meant it did not work well when folded into the triangular configuration (this also blocks a pad).
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Groov-e Asteria Wireless Charging Station with Alarm Clock: There’s a wee clock on the front of this charging station, which can accommodate an iPhone, AirPods on a pad around back, and an Apple Watch up top. It feels and looks very cheap, slides around a little too easily, the magnet is weak, and the clock seems redundant when you can set your iPhone in StandBy mode. I also tried the Triton 3-in-1 folding pad, and it was okay. They are very affordable, but you must provide your own power adapter.
Zike 3-in-1 Z557C Stand: This 3-in-1 charger works perfectly well, but there are several better options above. The iPhone pad allows for StandBy mode but is not adjustable. The Apple Watch pad flips up or can be laid flat, and there’s a spot for AirPods on the gray felt pad. It has a barrel port, so you must use the supplied power adapter. What I really dislike about this charger is the ridiculously bright, utterly pointless white LED on the front that stays on the entire time.
Alogic Matrix Ultimate: This 3-in-1 charger has a folding design, supports fast charging, includes a detachable 5,000-mAh power bank, and comes with a nice pouch, but it is kinda bulky, and the white finish picks up dust and smudges very easily. I have also had issues with other Alogic batteries failing and not supplying the stated capacity.
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STM Goods ChargeTree Go: This charging tree station folds flat and can charge a trio of Apple gadgets. But there’s no quick-charge support, my Apple Watch kept sliding out of place during the night, and there’s no adapter included. It’s not cheap either.
A Quick Primer on MagSafe
Most of the wireless chargers in this guide are MagSafe wireless chargers or Qi2 certified. That means they take advantage of the magnets embedded in the back of the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and iPhone 17 range. I cannot stress this enough: If you buy a case, ensure it is aMagSafe case. We have several third-party options in the linked case guides above. A normal iPhone case will weaken the pull of the magnets in the device and will not stick to MagSafe accessories well.
What’s the point of MagSafe? You don’t have to worry about misalignment with the wireless charger, meaning you won’t wake up to a dead iPhone. Technically, this perfect alignment enables chargers to deliver faster 15-watt charging. MagSafe is also available in the AirPods charging case (depending on your model). Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro with the wireless charging case will work with nearly all of the standard Qi wireless charging pads on these chargers (as will many third-party wireless earbuds), but if you have AirPods with MagSafe, then you can hook them up to the magnetic mounts as well. If you don’t have a MagSafe iPhone, then your device won’t be able to attach to these chargers, though we do have some recommendations for older iPhones (and the iPhone 16e).
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Qi2 is the latest wireless charging standard, and Apple worked with the Wireless Power Consortium to develop it. Compared to the original Qi standard, it brings MagSafe-style magnetic charging, faster charging rates, and improved efficiency—but where MagSafe is an Apple technology designed for Apple products, any device can support Qi2. Apple updated the iPhone 12 and newer to support Qi2, so Qi2 should be a term you look for when shopping for a magnetic wireless charger. Qi2 Android phones are still thin on the ground right now—it’s officially available in Google’s Pixel 10 series—though Qi2 Ready phones add magnets using a compatible case. Expect more Qi2 Android phones soon. A Qi2 charger can charge your iPhone and any other Qi2 phones.
While Qi2 charging generally goes up to 15 watts, the Qi2.2 update, branded as Qi2 25W, can go up to 25 watts. But support for Qi2 25W is currently very limited, and includes the iPhone 17 range and the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
StandBy mode was introduced in iOS 17. When you place your iPhone on a charger in landscape orientation, it will turn the screen into a dock of sorts, showing the clock (with different designs you can choose from), photos from your library, or widgets. If you have an iPhone that supports an always-on screen, you can choose to have the display automatically turn off after some time when the iPhone isn’t in use or if the room is dark. Head to Settings > Standby to customize it.
Nightstand mode has long been around on the Apple Watch. Basically, when the watch is sitting upright and charging, the clockface will stay on so you can always tell the time. You can customize this on your Apple Watch by heading to Settings > General > Nightstand mode.
Two of OpenAI’s cybersecurity-focused models broke out of a testing sandbox this week and went on to hack the AI research platform Hugging Face in an effort to solve a security benchmark test. Plus, researchers this week shed light on newly identified malware that is capitalizing on blind spots in AI software development infrastructure to grab logins and other sensitive data, even causing destruction to victims’ target files and systems.
Looking at the more traditional security nightmare of embedded devices, researchers this week shed light on a car alarm that was installed in vehicles across the US—and that is still silently lurking with a flaw that leaves millions of vehicles vulnerable to hacking and paralysis. There’s a patch available, and WIRED has details on how to check whether your car may have been exposed.
US states have worked to bar ICE agents from wearing masks, but Trump administration lawyers are pushing back, claiming that anti-mask laws endanger agents. Their public evidence is incredibly thin, though. Meanwhile, a WIRED investigation revealed that Madison Square Garden briefly disabled its sprawling, controversial surveillance system for Taylor Swift’s rehearsal dinner on July 2. And the ACLU is equipping lawyers in Massachusetts with a new toolkit to expose state surveillance technologies used for building criminal cases—shedding light on everything from face recognition tools to AI-written police reports.
And there’s more. Each week, we round up the security and privacy news we didn’t cover in depth ourselves. Click the headlines to read the full stories. And stay safe out there.
Additional details on the Hugging Face breach from The Wall Street Journal include findings that OpenAI’s models seem to have escaped containment and were apparently “active on the internet for several days before anyone stopped them.” The models, which had been tasked with completing a cybersecurity benchmarking test, were essentially attempting to cheat by simply accessing the solutions on Hugging Face’s infrastructure. Hugging Face cofounder and chief science officer Thomas Wolf says that before the company had any idea that it had been hacked by OpenAI models, he and his colleagues knew something about the breach was unusual because the attackers were simply tapping cybersecurity datasets rather than grabbing sensitive or potentially valuable data. He adds that the company eventually brought the situation under control with the help of an open-weight Chinese AI model that lacked the guardrails other models place on cybersecurity-related tasks.
US and allied intelligence agencies warned on Thursday that a Russian state-backed hacking group had targeted nuclear scientists, defense contractors, and government employees in a year-long cyberespionage campaign aimed at stealing sensitive information from Western institutions.
To compromise their targets, the Russian hacking group known as Laundry Bear and Void Blizzard exploited a previously unknown flaw in Zimbra, an email platform used by governments and other organizations. According to security firm Proofpoint, simply viewing or previewing a malicious message in a vulnerable version of Zimbra’s webmail client could cause hidden code in the email to run, a technique the firm described as a “half-click” exploit. The flaw was exploited as early as July 2025, months before it was patched that November.
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Once activated, the malicious code could copy the previous 90 days of a victim’s email, collect an organization’s address directory, steal saved passwords and two-factor authentication codes, and create a new application password that allowed the hackers to maintain access to the account.
Sitting for hours demands more than a basic seat. GTPLAYER’s gaming chair, priced at $85.22 (was $140), delivers real support and smart design on a budget that leaves room for better monitors or another controller. Built around a pocket spring cushion and linked armrests, it works equally well for marathon matches and full workdays.
Independent pocket springs are nestled behind a thick layer of squishy, elastic polyurethane foam. Each spring reacts independently, distributing weight so you don’t get caught in one location as you might with another type of chair. As a result, it feels more like sitting on a firm sofa than on a rigid race seat. Even after hours of usage, the seat bounces back, so the cushion does not get flat and mushy, as inferior foam does. The quilting on the cloth keeps you cool by enhancing airflow, unlike the outdated materials used to construct chair seats.
Most Comfortable And Relaxing: Equipped with headrest and lumbar pillow. When your neck feels sore from gaming or working with head down for a long…
More Stable Than Others: Common gaming chairs are equipped with plastic legs generally to save costs, but we still insist on applying the same…
Liberate Your Feet: Will you feel tired for sitting all the time? Sure. Then you can choose the chair with footrest to relax your feet. When you…
Linkage armrests follow the backrest as you recline, allowing you to lean back and have the armrests adjust automatically without having to fight with them all the time. This eliminates the gap that generally occurs when the armrest remains stationary while the back tilts. The height is adjusted using a smooth gas lift with a 10-cm range, and the recline is step-free. You can also make slight angle changes while still sitting, and for short breaks, a retractable footrest comes out to transform the chair into a mini lounger for when the next game loaded or your call finishes.
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This chair’s high back design features a curved lumbar support that conforms to the lower spine. When combined with pocket springs, you can notice a significant reduction in sitting strain on your sit bones and lower back over 8-hour stretches. The metal foundation and five-star castor combination can easily support a person weighing up to 300 pounds. The castors allow you to roll around hard floors or low pile carpets without creating any noise, which is especially useful when you need to keep concentrated.
Putting it all together takes roughly 25 minutes with the included tools and detailed directions. Everything arrives in a single box, which is a huge help when it comes to clutter. Once assembled, the chair settles into daily usage without squeaking, and while the frame may become slightly creaky after a few weeks of use, it remains as firm as a rock. Cleaning the fabric is simple; just use a soft cloth and it will be as good as new, and it is far more durable to wear in everyday life than you might anticipate from a thin vinyl cover.
For gaming, the features of this chair really shine, keeping you comfy throughout those long marathon sessions. Even when you’re reclined, the armrests stay in line with your mouse and keyboard, which is really convenient. The footrest is also a lifesaver between rounds, and the breathable fabric protects you from becoming overheated and sweaty as you could in other seats. When it comes to office work, the chair performs an excellent job of keeping you focused and comfortable, and you can even adjust your posture during the day without leaving your seat.
Today’s Strands puzzle isn’t too tough. But some of the answers could be difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.
Hint for today’s Strands puzzle
Today’s Strands theme is: All-knowing.
If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Smarty-pants.
Clue words to unlock in-game hints
Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:
These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight, but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:
Today’s Strands spangram is BIGBRAIN. To find it, start with the B that is four letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind across.
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CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.
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It’s very frustrating when your phone’s hardware breaks. Cell phones have transformed and evolved significantly over the years, and now smartphones are personal pocket computers we rely on every day. So if you crack the screen or your camera stops working, it can become a big problem very quickly.
Given that smartphones are somewhat delicate devices with a lot of small tech packed into them, it can be hard to see them as repairable. But it’s easier to get your phone repaired than you think, and depending on the part, it’s often cheaper than buying a brand-new phone. With the price of flagship phones regularly costing over a thousand dollars, the cost of fixing what you already have is a viable and even preferable course of action.
You don’t want to wait too long to repair a broken part, either. Many issues can be more than just minor frustrations or cosmetic, and over time, problems that seem small can get worse. If you’re using your phone as often as most people are, it’s important you keep it in the best shape you can.
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Phone Battery
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Batteries are among the most common components of a phone that degrade over time, and if your phone is having trouble holding a charge, your battery may be to blame. After about 500 charge cycles, lithium-ion batteries begin to lose their charging capacity. Many people also have bad habits that affect phone battery health, causing it to degrade even faster.
Thankfully, getting a replacement battery is easy enough, and depending on your phone model, you may be able to replace it yourself. If you’re thinking of replacing the battery yourself, make sure to do your research first — some phones are easier to repair than others. Getting a professional to do a battery replacement will cost, on average, between $60 and $220.
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One thing to keep in mind, however: if the backplate of your phone is swelling or gets extremely hot, you may be dealing with a swollen battery. These are dangerous and can pose a fire hazard, so make sure to have a professional replace the battery safely.
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Charging Port
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Your phone failing to hold a charge isn’t always because of the battery; sometimes the charger port is to blame. A failing charging port is typically easy to spot, as you won’t see the telltale charging notifications on your phone, or the cable will constantly disconnect from the port. Alternatively, the phone won’t fast charge even with the correct charger and cable.
Since being unable to charge the phone becomes a problem really quickly, this component is a priority to fix when it breaks. Even if you can sometimes get your charging cable to work, you won’t be getting a proper charge, and other accessories you may use with the port won’t work properly either.
What’s important to note, though, is that charger ports don’t actually break as often as you might think, given how exposed they are. Normally, the problem has to do with some debris or moisture affecting the connection. If you believe the problem is debris, using compressed air is your best bet. Using something like a toothpick to clean the port can damage it.
If you’ve ruled out debris and moisture, go through a checklist of possible charger port problems before considering a replacement. Replacing a charger port yourself may be easy, but some of them are soldered directly to the circuit board. A professional can fix all kinds of charging ports, and it’ll generally cost you between $40 and $150.
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Phone Screen
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Screens are one of the most common components of a phone to break. It’s all too easy for any device to take a tumble out of your hands and hit the pavement in just the right way to ruin it. Sometimes it can be helped, sometimes it can’t, but it’s a frustrating experience nonetheless.
However, a broken screen is more than just an ugly crack on your display. It’s harder to read the screen, touch controls are affected, and tiny shards of glass can break off and hurt you. As such, it’s important to get a broken screen replaced rather than continuing to use the phone in that condition.
Thankfully, since damaged screens are so common, phone repair shops are well-versed in replacing them, and the cost won’t break the bank compared to a brand-new phone. You may even be able to fix the phone screen yourself, though be sure to keep potential risks in mind. Generally, it’s better to have a professional replace the screen for you. The costs will vary a lot depending on the phone’s screen type and size, but on average it will cost you $200. Make sure you research and get a quote for your particular model before committing to a repair.
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Rear Camera
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Did you know that you can repair your cameras, instead of replacing your phone entirely if its hardware breaks down? Cameras are such a complex part of mobile devices nowadays, with many smartphones having three or more camera lenses and other features such as gyroscopes. Because of that, it’s easy to assume that if your camera starts failing, it’s time to get a new phone. But that simply isn’t the case.
Cameras can be replaced, and despite evolving technology, replacing a rear camera may be cheaper than buying a new phone. This is good considering the increasing number of points of failure with rear cameras. With multiple lenses and gyroscopes keeping your shots steady, a broken camera can lead to blurry pictures or autofocus features failing.
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Once you’ve ruled out any possible software glitches, it’s time to get the camera replaced as soon as you’re able. Camera module replacements are almost always best handled by a phone repair specialist. Like phone screens, the costs will vary wildly depending on the phone model and camera you’re using. The average cost is between $90 and $250, but some models, like the latest iPhone model, will cost $250 or more.
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Front/Selfie Camera
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On most phone models, the front camera is the little black “dot” on the top of your phone screen. Despite the extra protection from the screen, though, the front camera can still be damaged and degrade over time. A failing front camera can also point to other underlying issues, such as water damage or debris getting stuck in the lens.
Cracked screens can also affect the front camera. First, if one of the cracks passes through the lens’s position, it will obscure the lens and prevent proper use. There is also the possibility that the fall that cracked the screen in the first place may have jostled or damaged the front camera.
Rule out any software glitches first by checking for an OS or app update, restarting the phone, and testing to see if your rear cameras are working. If the rear cameras are working but the front camera is malfunctioning, it’s likely that the hardware is broken. In some phone models, the front and rear cameras are internally connected, so there may be hardware issues that affect both modules even if only the front camera is technically affected.
The front camera is generally simpler to repair than the rear camera. However, these are still complex bits of technology, and it’s best left to a professional to replace them. A front camera repair will, on average, cost around the same as a rear camera repair (between $70 and $200).
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Circuit Board
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It may be surprising to hear, but even circuit boards, also known as PCB boards, are repairable, and it’s imperative that if it’s failing in your phone to get it fixed as soon as possible. Like a computer motherboard, a failing board can damage and break other parts of your phone. If you’re dealing with an overheating phone or it randomly shutting off, and you have ruled out other components, you’ll want to get the board checked.
Generally, a faulty component on the circuit board doesn’t require replacing the entire board, unlike camera modules. For example, if your Wi-Fi card is acting up, the card on the board can be replaced while keeping the same PCB board in the phone.
Note, however, that diagnosing and repairing broken components on a circuit board can be complex, and it’s best to take your smartphone to a phone repair shop rather than try to fix it yourself. They’ll know whether it’s better to replace a part or the entire circuit board and be able to quote a price to repair it. The average cost of a PCB repair is quoted between $60-$200, but costs can quickly rise based on whether the issues are isolated to a single chip on the circuit board or require replacement of multiple chips (or the entire board).
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SIM card Slot
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Not all phones have a physical SIM card slot, as some manufacturers have opted for eSIMs, or electronic SIM cards, instead. While they have some advantages, eSIMs have many downsides; if you have a physical SIM card slot, you’ll want to make sure it’s in working order for easy swapping of SIM cards between devices and avoiding eSIM compatibility issues.
If you have a SIM card slot, you want to make sure it stays in good working order. Of course, the biggest disadvantage of using physical card slots is that they introduce mechanical failure points, and a faulty SIM card slot results in spotty cellular connections. While Wi-Fi will still work on your phone, it can still cause issues when using your device in areas with no internet connection.
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One thing to note before looking into SIM card slot replacements: It is more common that the SIM card itself has failed, so make sure to try another SIM card in the slot first.
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Methodology
Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images
To help you make an informed decision about which phone components to replace, we used a range of criteria to inform our research. First, we determined which parts of a phone, if failing or broken, would most affect its functionality. Some of these components, such as phone screens and charging ports, have obvious issues when they malfunction that we’ve all experienced, while others are more subtle and may not be easy to diagnose. For these latter components, we looked into common issues they cause and their solutions, then determined how critical it is to fix them quickly.
Next, we narrowed down these parts based on how feasible it is to replace them. We looked into this across a variety of sources, including official articles from places like Apple Support and BatteriesPlus, how-to guides for replacing the part yourself at iFixIt, and various forum threads asking for advice on their phone model’s replacements. Some parts are more likely to require professional help than others, but that doesn’t negate the need to replace them quickly.
Finally, we compared the repair cost to the price of a new phone via sites like CPR Cell Phone Repair and other nationwide phone repair providers. If replacing a component is comparable in cost to buying a new mid-range phone, it generally doesn’t meet our criteria of something that needs to be repaired right away, or it is more cost-effective to replace the phone entirely.
Hyundai Motor Company’s plan to put humanoid robots to work by 2028 is not part of current negotiations with striking South Korean autoworkers, according to the company.
The automaker is disputing news reports that partial labor strikes by the Hyundai Motor union at the world’s largest automotive plant in South Korea were spurred by concerns about the company’s planned deployment of humanoid robots in the United States starting in 2028. [The planned robots are built by Boston Dynamics, now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hyundai.] A Hyundai statement shared with Ars describes the union’s demands as focusing on compensation-related issues such as wage increases, bonuses, and an extension of workers’ retirement age. “Potential deployment of robots in Korean production facilities is not part of the current labor-management discussions,” according to the Hyundai statement…
Hyundai emphasized that its current plan only covers the initial deployment of the Atlas humanoid robot at Metaplant America, an electric vehicle factory near Savannah, Georgia, starting in 2028. “Decisions about future Atlas deployment at other facilities will be made thoughtfully, in accordance with local operational needs, and in dialogue with the employees and workforce representatives at those sites,” the company stated. However, The Wall Street Journal described the Hyundai Motor union as making “unprecedented demands seeking to enshrine job protections in the era of robots and AI,” and characterized certain compensation demands as hedging against potential reductions in work hours caused by AI adoption and robotic automation. “Remember that without labor-management agreement, not a single robot using new technology will be allowed to enter the workplace,” the union told Hyundai in an internal letter reported by Reuters.
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Hyundai management and the labor union are currently reviewing a proposed wage reform that would “provide factory workers with greater income stability even after the carmaker’s planned deployment of humanoid robots,” The Korea Times reported. But experts cautioned that the wage overhaul, which would convert hourly pay for overtime and night-shift allowances into fixed wages, could come at the expense of company productivity.
Ukraine’s falcon-inspired drone destroys aerial threats with a suicidal dive attack
More than 100 reported kills put Tsyklop among Ukraine’s busiest interceptors
Gravity becomes Tsyklop’s final weapon during high-speed aerial interceptions
Ukraine has introduced the Tsyklop interceptor, a drone that attacks hostile UAVs by diving from above like a peregrine falcon before exploding on impact.
The one-way aircraft relies on altitude and a gravity-assisted descent instead of pursuing its objective across long distances.
Ukrainian officials say the design is intended to counter reconnaissance drones, Shahed attack drones, and other aerial threats using two operational variants.
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High-altitude interceptor focuses on aerial threats
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has formally codified the Tsyklop after several versions reportedly spent years in frontline service before receiving official approval.
According to the ministry, the interceptor can operate above the flight ceiling of several Russian reconnaissance and strike UAVs before beginning its attack.
The aircraft has a wingspan of slightly more than one meter and can reportedly remain airborne for almost 1.5 hours during operational missions.
One version is intended for slower aerial and ground threats, while the V2 model was developed to intercept faster Shahed drones flying at altitude.
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Officials said the interceptor has sufficient operational range to defend any Ukrainian regional center against incoming drone attacks.
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The Defense Ministry also said the V2 variant has destroyed more than 100 aerial targets and became the first interceptor to down a Russian Shahed over Kursk Oblast.
The drone has reportedly intercepted Gerbera, Zala, Supercam, Orlan, Lancet, Molniya, and Shahed unmanned aircraft during combat operations.
The ministry said codification formalizes a system that had already been used in combat rather than introducing an entirely untested capability.
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Ukraine accelerates development of interceptor drones
Tsyklop enters an increasingly competitive interceptor program as Ukraine expands domestic production and introduces new approaches to counter Russian aerial threats.
The Defense Ministry said it codified 413 unmanned aerial systems during the first half of 2026, with interceptor drones becoming one of the fastest-growing categories.
Other interceptor programs include the Octopus, with procurement covering 8,000 units equipped with automatic terminal guidance for aerial engagements.
Germany has funded 15,000 STRILA interceptors, while the Wild Hornets Sting reportedly destroyed more than 600 aerial targets using a NATO-approved control system.
The growing emphasis on interception follows reports that Russia has introduced jet-powered Geran-4 Shahed variants capable of cruising between 300 and 350 km/h before accelerating to between 500 and 600 km/h.
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Ukraine says Tsyklop answers that challenge by attacking from above instead of relying mainly on pursuit, although many reported combat achievements still rely on official Ukrainian statements.
Amazon is requiring that third-party sellers label any product images or videos that contain “AI-generated people” after New York recently passed a law mandating greater transparency around “synthetic performers” in ads… The policy directs sellers to tag images [and videos or other graphics on listing pages] with specific metadata keywords before they’re uploaded. “Recent legislation requires disclosure when images or videos in advertisements contain photorealistic AI-generated people,” Amazon wrote in the announcement [clarifying that the requirement doesn’t apply to content featuring TV/video game/movie characters or content including real people, even if they’ve been altered using AI]. The company said it will “add an indicator” to listings on its website, informing consumers that images or other content feature AI-generated people, “where applicable.” It’s unclear what criteria Amazon will apply when deciding when to display the label to shoppers…
Amazon has embraced AI internally and it’s increasingly infusing the technology across its portfolio. The company has optimized listing titles and details so they’re more likely to be spotted by AI systems, invested in a recently rebranded assistant called Alexa for Shopping, and launched a feature that injects AI-generated [images of] products into its search bar in real time based on user queries. More Amazon third-party sellers are using AI to generate text, images and other content for their listings, partly by using the company’s tools. Outside sellers account for more than 60% of goods sold on Amazon, the article points out. It adds that there’s currently no nationwide U.S. law requiring companies to disclose AI-generated advertising content, it adds — but YouTube, Meta, Pinterest, and TikTok have already added labels for AI-generated content.
And a new California law also requires large AI providers to embed watermarks in AI-generated images, video and other content…
Green light cuts through the Nebraska night as two men who should never share a car pull into a town that has already buried one body. Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan, the veteran who has seen entire systems burn out, flips a power ring across the front seat to Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart and jumps from the moving vehicle before the wheels leave the road. Stewart catches the car with a construct that looks half-formed and half-desperate. That single sequence from the new Lanterns trailer, shown first in Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con, tells you everything about the series that arrives on HBO and HBO Max on August 16.
Eight episodes will follow intergalactic cops as they investigate a small-town murder as if it were any other case, only for things to get crazier until the sky itself appears to be a suspect. The official trailer debuted at the panel, which also had Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King on stage, and it just keeps rolling from sandy highways and interrogation rooms into the big unknown. Hal in the trailer drives like he’s already realized that the neighborhood taco shop is probably the safest place to hang out and wait for this rookie cop who’s still adjusting to the whole ring thing.
BUILD GOTHAM’S LEGENDARY ASYLUM – Batman fans construct the city’s most iconic landmark with the LEGO DC Batman Arkham Asylum (76300) building set…
16 LEGO BATMAN MINIFIGURES – Includes Batman, Batwoman, Batwing, Robin, Mr. Freeze, The Riddler, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn…
3-LEVEL BUILD – The model splits into 3 segments (first floor, second floor and roof) with removable elements for accessing the interior and…
Manhunters play a key role in the danger, replacing the interstellar police force from the comics. The series portrays them as terrifying because they can be anyone, speak any language, and walk into a Nebraska cafe without raising an eyebrow, but it doesn’t make them any less creepy. Sinestro is the final character to appear, imprisoned in space and played by Ulrich Thomsen, the former Green Lantern who attempted to rule the Corps with an iron fist. Hal arrives in full costume to inquire about Manhuthers, and Sinestro simply gives him a wicked little smirk and says, “You don’t really think he’s your back up, do you Hal?” which is like uttering the thing that no one in the Corps wants to speak aloud: replacement. The talk is as quiet as a whisper, yet far more terrifying than any explosion.
Finally, the series will air once a week beginning August 16th, with Mundy, Lindelof, and King serving as the brains behind it all. The list of executive producers also includes James Gunn and Peter Safran. Filming took place all around California; we see the flat spaces of Nebraska on the large screen before the entire thing kicks into high gear for the space things and the ring FX.
Our review found that brightness genuinely holds up outdoors, staying legible even during dazzling midday sunshine that has left plenty of other wearables struggling to keep up whenever the two are checked side by side.
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That kind of visibility matters most when you’re actually out using the thing, which is where the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2‘s dual-GPS setup earns its keep during runs, hikes and rides through genuinely tricky terrain.
Our tester walked it through Canary Wharf, an area of tall skyscrapers and rivers notorious for throwing GPS tracking off course, and the Watch Ultra 2 held its line accurately without ever once drifting off track.
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That accuracy now extends to a brand new trail running mode exclusive to this generation, letting you load custom GPX routes complete with turn-by-turn directions and elevation tracking displayed directly on the watch face itself.
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A professional diving mode developed alongside diving equipment specialist Mares is also arriving later this year, tracking depth, time and water temperature for anyone who takes their adventures underwater as much as out on land.
None of that would matter much if the watch couldn’t keep pace day to day, and the switch to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset means swiping through menus and opening apps now feels genuinely instantaneous.
Hands-free Gemini support means you can simply raise your wrist and ask a question without a wake word or a long press, which makes quick queries feel far more natural than fiddling with buttons and menus.
That combination of speed and outdoor toughness is exactly what makes the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 stand out among Android smartwatches, especially for anyone who already leans on a Samsung phone for their day to day.
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Still, at £580 rather than £649, the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 remains one of the more capable Android smartwatches around, and getting it £69 cheaper right out of the gate makes the case even easier.
Venture through the afterlife of the gods while playing as Faye.
Sony
The next major installment in the God of War franchise, featuring Kratos’ wife Laufey, is set to be released on February 16 of next year. As confirmed during a San Diego Comic-Con panel and on PlayStation’s social media accounts, we’re less than a year away from playing God of War Laufey, which focuses on Laufey as she ventures through the afterlife of gods, following her death in God of War Ragnarok.
Instead of playing as the franchise’s eponymous protagonist, players will get to experience Laufey’s combat prowess, which has only been hinted at in previous games. The release date announcement comes about a month after a sneak peek of gameplay footage that showed off Laufey, also known as Faye, slicing and dicing enemies in the air and using magical abilities while fighting gods and creatures we haven’t seen in the franchise yet.
You can only add God of War Laufey to your wishlist for now, but there’s a lot more to look forward to in the franchise. During San Diego Comic-Con, Santa Monica Studio also confirmed that another Kratos-led God of War game will be coming after this installment featuring Faye, as reported by IGN.
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