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My Yamaha XSR900 is a real hoot. It’s powerful, it sounds amazing, and it’s properly fast. But it’s getting old. I bought my 2017 XSR from the first owner a few years ago, and it’s got over 20,000 miles on the odometer. In the next few years I’ll likely see some serious value drop out of the bike if I continue to tack on the miles and maintenance costs will continue to rise.
So, it’s time to commit to one of two ideas: Buy a new bike, or keep riding the old one for the foreseeable future. And with so many excellent café-styled bikes on the market now, there’s a lot to choose from. In the last few years, there’s been a pretty significant expansion of the café bike trend. Many manufacturers have leaned into the idea that people like classic, round-headlight styling, but they want it paired with legit performance and modern features.
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How I tested these four bikes
Travis Langness/SlashGear
To see what was out there, and what stood a chance of replacing my XSR, I hit up a few motorcycle manufacturers and asked what they had in the fleet that fit my needs: Café motorcycle looks, but with modern tech. Fun to ride, but reasonably priced.
The bikes that fit my needs (and were available for testing) are as follows: BMW R 12, Suzuki GSX-8TT, and Kawasaki Z900RS. So, it was a four-bike test to see what could potentially replace a bike I love.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Back-to-back-to-back-to-back. I rode the BMW, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha bikes you see here for a few weeks, rotating between each model and familiarizing myself with the controls, quirks, and features. Then, I spent a weekend riding them all on the same canyon routes, about 100 miles at a time, to see how they stacked up on my local roads. I wanted to see what they were like to live with and what sort of fun I could have on each bike — and what it would cost me to upgrade.
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Pricing out the rivals
Travis Langness/SlashGear
I bought my XSR used, so the price I paid for it isn’t really a fair yardstick by which to judge the other bikes. The current XSR900 is a better starting point, coming in at $11,299 (including $700 destination fee). The modern but classically-styled Kawasaki Z900RS SE has an MSRP of $15,439, while the base trim non-SE model will set you back $13,739.
The BMW R 12 has some serious heritage, and it has a base MSRP of $13,640, but the options on the model you see here brought it up to $17,359. That doesn’t put it completely out of range as a rival of the XSR, but it makes it a reach — still, it was definitely on my list of potential replacements.
The Suzuki GSX-8TT has an MSRP of $11,849, though there is a version called the GSX-8T that’s slightly lower at $11,349, but it’s missing the headlight cowl and the gold wheels.
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What I liked about the BMW R 12
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The BMW felt extremely well built, using excellent materials everywhere. Every time I swung my leg over the seat, I felt like I was riding an ultra-premium product. Up close, it’s one of the best-looking bikes on the road today. The upfront pricing might scare some people off, but it’s worth the extra cash.
The R 12 is powered by a two-cylinder 1,170cc boxer engine that makes 95 horsepower and 81 lb-ft of torque. The back-and-forth rumble provided by the flat twin boxer engine is utterly unique. At stoplights, the bike felt like it was rocking back and forth, idling like a child on a swing that rocks to build momentum before jumping off.
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Travis Langness/SlashGear
The thick-sidewall tires gave the BMW some small-pothole-absorption capabilities, but the ride was rough over larger road imperfections. Thankfully, the seat is made of thick and forgiving materials, so a long ride doesn’t wear you down much. The Brembo brakes felt excellent — quick to respond, even if the BMW’s weight added some stopping distance.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Stable at speed, and maneuverable for its size, the BMW felt good stitching a few corners together. It’s also plenty low enough that I can flat-foot it while stopped (the seat height is just 29.7 inches), but the low ride height meant it was the only bike of the bunch to scrape during my test.
Things about the R 12 that weren’t so impressive
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The R 12’s engine felt so wide that I had to double-check to make sure it didn’t outsize the handlebars. Splitting lanes and fitting into tight spaces felt particularly precarious, based solely on the engine’s large footprint. The BMW is also missing a temp gauge and a fuel gauge, both of which could easily be displayed on the digital readout, but they simply aren’t. Really, there isn’t much in the way of information on the small display, other than RPMs and riding mode.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The single-sided swingarm is an excellent aesthetic, and the paralever brace is a unique suspension setup, but with just 3.5 inches of suspension travel, those large imperfections mentioned earlier can bounce you around a bit. The BMW is also the heaviest of the bunch, with a 500-pound curb weight to throw around.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The BMW’s quick shifter is a bit delayed sometimes, too. From the time my foot performed a shift request at the foot lever to the time I felt the bike make the physical shift in the transmission, there was often a one-Mississippi count to fill the time delay.
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The Kawasaki Z900RS makes a strong case for itself
Travis Langness/SlashGear
With four-cylinder power, the Kawasaki has the smoothest powerband of all the bikes assembled here. Power comes on in a linear and predictable fashion when you twist the throttle. The 948cc inline four-cylinder makes 115 horsepower and 73 lb-ft of torque, which is a match for my XSR, but no matter what scenario I was in, it never felt snappy or scary. The resonance of the Kawasaki’s four-cylinder engine is excellent, too. Aside from my modified Yamaha, the Kawi is the best-sounding bike of the bunch.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The Z900RS’ highly-adjustable Öhlins suspension was also a highlight of the test. The bike turned in with ease, tracked well through corners, and absorbed mid-corner bumps without any detectable disturbance from the seat. The seat was excellent too — perfectly shaped and well-padded for long rides.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Styled after the classic Z1, the Z900RS really looks the part of a café bike. Of the three new bikes in this test, it’s the only one without a proper TFT screen. Instead, it gets a pair of gauges with a small digital readout between them, so it feels a bit more nostalgic, but that does introduce a small issue.
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The Z900RS has very few drawbacks
Travis Langness/SlashGear
There’s not a lot to complain about with the Z900RS. It’s mostly competent in the areas where it isn’t masterful. The tall mirrors look a bit silly, but that’s an easy fix on the aftermarket. The biggest gripe I have is with the mismatched look and feel of some of the controls. The cruise control buttons and various other handlebar controls feel out of place on such a classic-looking bike.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The small digital readout between the two analog gauges feels squeezed in, with a completely different style than the rest of the bike. The big cruise-control buttons feel the same way. I get it – Kawi has to put some modern tech on this bike, but I’d almost prefer a stripped-down version without those features to make the view forward a bit better. That said, the cruise control did work well during my test, taking away some riding fatigue on open stretches of highway.
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A strong entry from the Suzuki GSX-8TT
Travis Langness/SlashGear
At just 445 lbs, the GSX-8TT is nimble and light on its feet. It moves extremely well through corners, though some of that is likely attributed to the aftermarket tires fitted to the test bike Suzuki let me ride. The 776cc parallel-twin engine puts out just 82 hp and 57 lb-ft, but it’s an excellent fit for this bike, providing torque low in the rev range, and enough top-end power for faster maneuvers on the highway. On the highway and between lanes, the GSX-8TT feels narrow. It’s thin enough to slice-and-dice traffic with no issues.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
On the highway and over rougher city streets, the Suzuki was unbothered by bumps and cracks in the pavement. The seat, while basic, is comfortable enough for long rides. Even with mid-corner bumps, the GSX-8TT felt stable.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Aesthetically, Suzuki nailed it with the GSX-8TT. The Pearl Matte Shadow Green paint contrasted with the gold wheels is a timeless combination. The small stripes give it a bit of extra flare without looking gaudy, and the lower cowl rounds out the look of a bike that feels modded directly from the factory. For less than $12k, this is one hell of a bike.
The Suzuki GSX-8TT is good, but not perfect
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The GSX-8TT was probably my favorite of the three competitors I lined up to potentially replace my Yamaha. Like the XSR, the GSX felt playful and eager to perform. It had a nice combination of modern and classic vibes, without feeling like it was faking its aesthetic. The 5-inch TFT screen was the best of the bunch, with high contrast graphics and a display that didn’t wash out in heavy sunlight (helped by the headlight cowl, no doubt).
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Unfortunately, the brakes on the GSX-8TT were the least confidence-inspiring of the bunch. Both the front and rear levers felt a bit spongy, with poor feedback for a bike that felt so impressive otherwise. The bike required much more brake pressure than any of the other three to bring it to a similar stop. It’s possible that this was an issue of boiled brake fluid from a previous rider (these media-loan bikes see some serious abuse), but if that’s the way the bike rides from the factory, it’s something I’d need to address right away.
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The joys of a modified bike
Travis Langness/SlashGear
It’s always hard to let go of a vehicle you’ve modified, so I figured listing what I like about my bike would help me be a bit more objective. Even before I started messing with it, this Yamaha XSR900 had a rowdy character. The 847cc three-cylinder engine feels like it wants you to wheelie every time you set off. The most aggressive ride modes are twitchy.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Yamaha doesn’t list horsepower numbers for the XSR, but according to most sources, it’s around 115 hp: still enough to keep up with all the modern bikes on this list (and the new version is only up to 117 hp, according to UK specs). And even before I started doing things like removing the passenger pegs, the XSR900 was light for its class, with a weight of just 430 lbs when stock (the 2026 model weighs just 425 lbs). It makes its way between corners with an urgency that none of the other bikes quite matched. Turn in is light and immediate with the XSR, which is part of what makes it such a versatile bike.
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My XSR could use some updates
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Being an older version of the XSR, my bike is missing some modern features. It doesn’t have the modern bike’s TFT screen (it’s just a simple digital readout), nor does it have the larger-displacement version of the CP3 engine, so it’s down on power a bit. Plus, my older XSR is missing a quick shifter. I might eventually install one, but the newest Yamaha has a quick shifter as part of the package.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Having sat on a new XSR, it also has a better seat. I love the comfort that the Corbin seat provides on long rides, but it’s a bit too wide. Even though it’s set at a proper height, the width of the seat makes it harder for me to place my feet flat at a stoplight.
Travis Langness/SlashGear
The aftermarket mirrors are great for splitting lanes. I can quickly fold them in, making the bike instantly a few inches narrower for fitting in tight spaces, but they’re small and sometimes hard to see — ah, the trade-offs we make for aesthetics.
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The verdict: Best big café bike
Travis Langness/SlashGear
Every bike here was extremely good in its own unique way, and all three of the rival bikes gave me inspiration for modification of my own Yamaha. I’ll probably be powder coating my wheels gold and adding some suspension upgrades very soon. But none of the other bikes were so earth-shatteringly good that I wanted to get rid of mine, which probably means that the latest XSR 900 would win this test too. Of the four, the Kawasaki was the most enjoyable to ride, and the Suzuki presented the best value for money; the BMW felt special, but the riding experience didn’t justify its big price tag.
These aren’t the only bikes in the class, though. There are all sorts of café-styled bikes available from Triumph, Royal Enfield, and even a few Hondas, potentially landing in the U.S. in the near future. Maybe it’s worth repeating this test with a few of those British bikes in the near future (my DM’s are open to Triumph and Royal Enfield loans). Did somebody say annual café bike round-up?
Vivo’s product manager Han Boxiao took to Weibo this week to talk telephoto cameras, and what he described sounds less like a smartphone spec sheet and more like a pitch for a professional cinema rig.
The subject: the fifth-generation Zeiss 200-megapixel “Thanos” periscope telephoto lens coming to the Vivo X300 Ultra — and if even half of it holds up, the iPhone 17 Pro and Galaxy S26 Ultra have a real problem on their hands.
Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
New zoom sensor with some serious resolution and stabilization muscle
The centerpiece is a new Samsung HPE sensor sitting behind Zeiss’ fifth-gen 200MP Thanos telephoto lens, with improvements across colour, focus, HDR, and power efficiency. But the thing that jumps out is the stabilization.
Regular telephoto OIS on most phones wobbles between 0.7° and 1°. The X200 Ultra’s 1.2° was already making competitors nervous. The X300 Ultra reportedly triples that, hitting 3° optical image stabilization — CIPA 7.0 territory, the kind of rating you’d expect on a dedicated professional camera, not something that fits in a jacket pocket.
Han Boxiao showed the lens physically moving in a demo video, and it’s the sort of thing that makes you do a double-take.
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Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends
Faster autofocus for moving subjects
Then there’s autofocus. A new Blueprint high-refresh-rate AF engine pushes telephoto motion capture to 60fps — double what the rest of the industry manages at 30fps. Wildlife, sports, kids who won’t stay still — the X300 Ultra is apparently ready for all of it.
Zoom out to the full camera system and it gets more interesting. The X300 Ultra pairs this telephoto with a 200MP Sony LYT-901 primary sensor, making it the only phone currently expected to field two 200MP cameras simultaneously. Neither Apple nor Samsung are anywhere near that on paper.
A China launch is expected later this month, with a global rollout pencilled in for sometime in Q2 2026 — the first time Vivo’s Ultra series is heading to international markets at all.
Buc-ee’s, the popular chain of convenience stores and gas stations located largely in the more southerly states of the U.S. and owned by Arch “Beaver” Aplin III and his business partner, has planned a major expansion that is slated to take place between 2026 and 2027. This expansion will take the Buc-ee’s establishments into a total of seven new states, some of which are definitely in either a northerly or westerly direction from the company’s so-far established choice of location. Buc-ee’s current store count is 54, of which 36 are within the borders of Texas. This expansion will increase that count to at least 62 when all the announced locations are open for business.
In addition to its existing stores in Texas and Tennessee, Buc-ee’s has announced an additional store in each of those states, with one going into San Marcos, Texas and another being built in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Aside from these two stores, Buc-ee’s will be establishing beachheads in seven more states where it has never before had a single store. These states include Ohio, Wisconsin, Arizona, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, and North Carolina. If you find yourself approaching one, be aware of the unwritten rules drivers should know before pulling into a Buc-ee’s. The Goodyear, Arizona location will be located on Interstate 10 west of Phoenix, which puts it less than two hours away from the California border for those present and future fans of Buc-ee’s who happen to live in the Golden State.
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What else should you know about Buc-ee’s?
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Buc-ee’s currently holds the record for the largest convenience store in the world, with its Luling, Texas store measuring in at 75,593 square feet. The company’s Katy, Texas car wash also holds a world record, with 255 feet of conveyor within its walls. Buc-ee’s can also lay claim to having the biggest gas station in the world, with 120 fueling positions. All of Buc-ee’s locations are open 24 hours, every single day of the year. Buc-ee’s never closes.
Arch Aplin and his business partner, Don Wasek, began their partnership in 1985. They each stay in their own lanes, with Aplin handling construction and marketing, while Wasek oversees Buc-ee’s operations. Their iconic beaver mascot started out as Aplin’s nickname, “Beaver,” bestowed on him by his mother.
In addition to the huge square footage of their convenience stores, gas stations, and car washes, Buc-ee’s other claim to fame is the sheer size as well as the cleanliness of its restroom facilities. In 2012, Cintas bestowed an award upon the Buc-ee’s New Braunfels, Texas location for having the cleanest restrooms in America. Buc-ee’s Katy, Texas location boasts a men’s room featuring 30 urinals and 12 stalls, while the women’s room has 28 stalls that provide total privacy for occupants. And just like Buc-ee’s philosophy of being open 24/7/365, its uniformed bathroom cleaning staff is always available to keep the facilities clean and spotless. Buc-ee’s has earned a reputation as a destination in its own right.
We have tested many other USB flash drives that did not make the cut. Here are a few that might be worth considering for some folks.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Kingston Dual Portable SSD (1 TB) for $229: With a snazzy metallic red body, this SSD disguised as a flash drive is very speedy, matching the stated 1,050 MB/s read and 950 MB/s write in my tests. It is USB 3.2 Gen 2 with a C jack at one end and an A jack at the other, both with removable covers. As much as I like this drive, which comes in 512-GB, 1-TB, and 2-TB models, it is on the pricey side.
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Amazon Basics Flash Drive (128 GB) for $18: I like the grippy texture on the slider of this drive because it’s easy to open one-handed and locks in place securely. The loop at the top is perfect for a key ring, and it is lightweight. Performance was limited, as you might expect at this price, but it consistently exceeded the stated 130 MB/s read and 30 MB/s write speeds for larger files, though it only had 116 GB usable out of the box.
Buffalo External SSD-PUT Stick (500 GB) for $70: Another SSD in a flash drive body, this drive hit 450 MB/s in my tests and offers shock protection for falls. There’s also a sliding USB-A, and it comes with a USB-C adapter. It is pretty chunky for a flash drive, so you may find it blocks adjacent ports. You can also get reasonably priced 1- and 2-TB versions of this drive.
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PNY Pro Elite V2 (256 GB) for $60: This sliding drive has a plastic cover to protect the USB-A plug, and was our compact pick for a while. It performed well (read and write speeds hovered around 415 MB/s and 425 MB/s) in my tests, and has an opening for a lanyard or keyring. I tested the 256-GB drive, but there are 512-GB and 1-terabyte models.
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go (128 GB) for $29: This handy drive swivels to give you USB-C or USB-A, and comes in various sizes and some fun colors, but the lower capacity drives are slow (USB 3.1). You can get the 128 GB drive and up in USB 3.2 Gen 1 for up to 400 MB/s read and it’s a solid alternative to the PNY Duo above.
PNY Elite-X (128 GB) for $16: This super-compact, sliding drive has a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 jack and a loop on the end to fit on a keyring. It worked fine but proved unremarkable in my tests (around 200 MB/s read, and 130 MB/s write).
Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 (16 GB) for $112: If you need a secure drive, Kingston’s IronKey boasts FIPS 140-3 certification, XTS-AES 256-bit encryption, and a special epoxy on its circuitry to make it impossible to remove components. On the downside, it is expensive, the keypad is fiddly, and 10 wrong entries wipe the drive.
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Samsung Bar Plus (256 GB) for $52: An elegant, one-piece, curved design makes this drive easy to withdraw and there’s a loop so you can slip it onto a keyring. Test read speeds were just shy of 400 MB/s, with write speeds just over 100 MB/s, but the smaller drives (32 GB and 64 GB) are significantly slower. The Bar Plus is also a durable option, with Samsung claiming it is waterproof, shock-proof, temperature-proof, magnet-proof, and x-ray-proof.
Avoid These Flash Drives
Photograph: Simon Hill
Silicon Power DS72 Portable SSD (1 TB): This is a reasonable price for a 1-TB drive with USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A and USB-C connectors, and it consistently hit 450 MB/s read and write speeds in my tests (it can hit 1050 MB/s and 850 MB/s with the right gear). It got quite warm to the touch, but the reason I don’t recommend this drive is the stupid plastic connector covers. You have to bend them back, and they get in the way when you’re trying to insert the drive.
Verbatim Dual (64 GB): This teeny drive is cheap and has both USB-A and USB-C plugs, but I found write speeds were variable (60 MB/s for USB-C and 90 MB/s for USB-A) and read speeds were around 150 MB/s for both. There is a cover for the USB-A and a wee strap you can attach, but this drive is almost too small, and it proved awkward to insert and remove. It also comes in 16- or 32-gigabyte options.
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How to Eject and Format Drives
It’s a good idea to format your USB flash drive before you start using it. You’ll usually be asked what format you want to use. Almost every device will recognize the FAT32 format, but it limits the individual file size to 4 GB. Go for exFAT if you have larger files. If you format a flash drive, it will completely wipe everything stored on it. Here’s how to do it manually:
On a Windows computer: Open File Explorer and look for your drive under This PC. Right-click on it, and select Format.
On a Mac: Type Disk Utility into the Search, or find it via Applications > Utilities. Select your drive from the list and click Erase at the top. Then you can rename and choose a format.
On a Chromebook: Open Files and right-click on your drive to choose Format device.
You’re probably familiar with warnings about removing a drive without ejecting it first. But there’s a genuine risk your data will be corrupted, so here’s how to do it properly:
On a Windows computer: You can click the Safely Remove Hardware notification icon in the system tray and choose the Eject option. If you prefer not to have to eject, type Device Manager into the search bar and click to open. Expand Disk Drives and right-click on your USB flash drive, choose Properties, Policies, and set to Quick Removal.
On a Mac: You will see an eject icon listed next to the drive name in Finder, or you can simply drag the flash drive image on your desktop to the trash.
On a Chromebook: Open Files and right-click on your drive, then select Eject device.
On an Android device: You can open and expand the USB notification to find an Eject option.
On an iPhone or iPad: There is no eject option. Ensure no data transfer is in progress before you pull it. It’s a good idea to close the Files app or whatever app you were using to transfer files.
How to Get the Most From Your USB Flash Drive
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for USB flash drives, and we also have some tips for using them.
Capacity: To decide on the capacity of the storage device you need, first check the size of the folders or files you want to copy. Each USB drive in our guide has a stated capacity, but the usable storage will be slightly less than that, because the device’s firmware requires space.
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Speed: USB standards are advancing all the time, and we recommend USB 3.0 as a minimum, though higher is better. While USB standards have different theoretical maximum speeds, it’s crucial to check the manufacturer’s stated read and write speeds for each drive. If you’re primarily transferring data, you’ll want to look for a drive with high write speeds. If you’re planning on launching software on a computer through the drive (like a video game), then you’ll want a model with high read speeds. Manufacturers will state average speeds, but most drives are much faster at transferring large files and tend to be far slower at transferring small files.
Compatibility: Many flash drives will work with any device with the relevant USB port, but check compatibility to avoid disappointment. If you want to use a drive with an Android device or something from the iPhone 16 range or later, it will require USB on-the-go (OTG) support. Most Android devices do support USB OTG. You will get a notification when you insert a flash drive with options that should include File Transfer. You can try the USB OTG Checker app to confirm support if you’re unsure. Apple’s earlier iPhones and iPads don’t support USB OTG, but you can install a companion app for drives, like SanDisk’s iXpand series.
Connectors: Most flash drives have USB-A connectors, but you can also get drives with USB-C, MicroUSB, and Lightning connectors. If you plan on using a flash drive with your smartphone and computer, snag one with both of the required types of connectors. You can also buy USB hubs with multiple USB ports or adapters, but pay close attention to the supported standard or it may limit your data transfer speeds. This Anker USB-A to USB-C adapter, for example, is USB 3.0.
Security: Remember that USB drives can cause security issues, particularly for businesses, and you should never plug in random drives you find lying around. If you plan to keep sensitive data on your flash drive, then consider biometric or passcode protection, and look into the level of encryption it offers. There are software services that offer encryption and allow you to password-protect your files on any USB flash drive.
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I run read and write speed tests on every drive using USB Flash Benchmark and CrystalDiskMark. I also load HD and 4K movies onto each drive and play them on an LG OLED TV, make photo backups from phones and laptops, and copy files across supported devices. I have tested some drives as security camera backups, as NAS (network attached storage) in routers, for playing MP3 music files, and to load games and saves onto various retro consoles. Our top picks continue to be used regularly for file backups over months, so we can be confident that the performance does not degrade.
The new office has capacity for growth as the Cork team expands amid an investment plan announced in 2024.
Global semiconductor, power systems and IoT company Infineon Technologies has officially opened a new Cork-based R&D centre. The new location will focus on Infineon’s innovations in the automotive and consumer microelectronics space, in areas such as battery management, motor control and touchscreens.
The premises is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland and Infineon has stated that the continued growth will include senior and junior positions as well as a strong contingent of local university graduates through the Infineon Ireland Graduate Programme.
The Infineon research teams in Ireland are focused primarily on IP development for the automotive and consumer markets and new hires will support the development of new technologies and products that help drive digitalisation and decarbonisation on a global scale.
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Headquartered in Munich, Germany, Infineon has a presence in more than 100 countries. In 2024, the company announced plans to significantly expand its research and development presence in Ireland with the creation of more than 100 engineering jobs across its Dublin and Cork sites, with roles to be filled over the course of four years.
Commenting on the announcement, Minister for Enterprise Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, TD, said, “I welcome Infineon Technologies’ continued commitment to Ireland, as well as today’s opening of their new design centre in Cork. This investment strengthens our position as a hub for cutting‑edge research and development in microelectronics and supports additional high‑quality jobs for both experienced engineers and new graduates.
“The expansion reflects Ireland’s strong talent base and our growing role in advancing innovation across the automotive and consumer technology sectors. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this centre will deliver for Cork, for Ireland’s technology ecosystem, and for the global transition toward digitalisation and decarbonisation.”
Thomas Mende, the senior vice-president of development, microcontroller automotive at Infineon said, “we are committed to actively driving decarbonisation and digitalisation. As a global semiconductor leader for the automotive industry, we are shaping the future of mobility with products and solutions to make cars clean, safe and smart.
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“The strategic development of our research and development sector in Ireland is central to this mission with semiconductor-based system integration and artificial intelligence for highly connected and increasingly autonomous vehicles being among major trends. This new office enables us to strengthen our team even further with the high-calibre talent that Ireland has to offer.”
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Apple’s upcoming iPhone 17e might be positioned as the more affordable entry in the iPhone 17 lineup. Up until now, we didn’t know how much memory the phone would have – but now it’s been revealed and it’s exactly as we expected.
According to data uncovered in Apple’s developer tool Xcode, the iPhone 17e comes with 8GB of RAM. This is the same amount found in the iPhone 16e and the baseline configuration we expected for this generation.
In this case, the Xcode listing confirms the device meets the minimum requirement for Apple Intelligence, Apple’s suite of AI features introduced alongside its latest iOS releases. That means even the lower-end iPhone 17e will be capable of running Apple’s AI-powered features – putting it on relatively equal footing with the standard iPhone 17 in that area.
The two models also share another important piece of hardware: Apple’s A19 chip. However, there is still some separation between the devices. While both run the same processor, the iPhone 17e features a 4-core GPU. By contrast, the regular iPhone 17 includes a 5-core GPU.
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The iPhone 17e is available to pre-order now and is scheduled to launch on March 11.
The Chinese tech firm OPPO unveiled new on-device AI advancements at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona. It presented these innovations in collaboration with MediaTek. At the event, the duo emphasized the significance of their collaboration, which is helping the world embrace the latest developments in the field of artificial intelligence through the latest smartphones. The focus of the event was the development of the latest AI phones, which will have the ability to process information quickly on the device itself.
New On-Device AI Features
The Chinese tech firm OPPO unveiled AI features powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip at the event. Among the notable features is the AI Translate, which enables the user to translate information directly from the device. This offers better accuracy and smoother results, even when the network is poor. Another notable feature is the AI Portrait Glow, which helps the user to achieve sharper portrait photos in low-light conditions. These features are expected to arrive with the latest OPPO Find X9 Series via the upcoming ColorOS 16 update.
Omni Full-Modal AI Model
OPPO and MediaTek previewed Omni, the first full-modal AI model designed to run directly on smartphones. This technology allows the device to read its surroundings using voice, video, and text, making it easier to interact with the device.
The Find X9 Pro was also shown at the event, with the device’s camera with Hasselblad support and AI capabilities. The OPPO Reno15 Pro showed the AI capabilities of the device in terms of its camera.
Improved Cross-Device Connectivity with Quick Share
To improve connectivity between different platforms, OPPO introduced support for Android Quick Share. With this feature, users will be able to easily share files between OPPO devices and other devices running the operating systems iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, without the need for any other app. OPPO announced that the feature will begin rolling out to compatible devices via a software update in March.
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Industry Recognition and Future AI Plans
The OPPO Find X9 Pro was recognized as one of the finalists in the GLOMO Awards under the “Best Smartphone” category. This shows the capabilities of the device in terms of performance, camera, and the presence of AI features. This also shows the kind of innovation that OPPO is bringing to the device. In the future, OPPO and MediaTek will continue to collaborate in the development of the AI features of the device in order to take smartphones to the next level in terms of speed.
Infinix has thrown its hat firmly into the flagship ring with the Note 60 Ultra, a new top-tier phone unveiled at MWC 2026 in Barcelona. It’s aiming far higher than the brand’s usual mid-range territory.
The headline feature is a 200MP camera system, but the phone is also packing satellite connectivity, a massive battery and a striking design developed with Italian automotive design house Pininfarina.
Taken together, it looks like Infinix’s most serious attempt yet to compete with the big names in the premium phone space.
The design is where Infinix wants to make its first impression. Rather than the increasingly chunky camera bumps we’ve seen across recent flagships, the Note 60 Ultra uses an aluminium unibody rear with what the company calls a Uni-Chassis camera module.
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This module is formed from a single sheet of Gorilla Glass Victus. The idea is to keep the back smooth and uninterrupted. Therefore, it is more like the bodywork of a sports car than a traditional smartphone.
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There are some flashy touches too. A “Floating Taillight” lighting strip runs across the back and lights up when the phone powers on, while a hidden Active Matrix rear display can show notifications, icons or a pixel-style companion.
Under the surface sits a triple-camera setup anchored by a 200MP Samsung ISOCELL HPE sensor, joined by a 50MP periscope telephoto camera and an ultra-wide lens. Zoom runs from a 2× optical crop and 3.5× optical zoom through to 7× lossless digital zoom. Meanwhile, it stretches all the way to 100× hybrid zoom for long-distance shots.
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Elsewhere, the phone leans heavily into big-spec hardware. A 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultimate chip powers the device alongside 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Additionally, a 7000mAh silicon-carbon battery supports 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, with a full top-up claimed in around 48 minutes.
Infinix is also adding two-way satellite calling and messaging, allowing users to stay connected in areas without mobile coverage.
The display is another highlight, with a 1.5K panel capable of 144Hz refresh rates and a peak brightness of 4500 nits, backed up by stereo speakers tuned by JBL.
The Note 60 Ultra runs Android 16 with Infinix’s new GlowSpace interface, and the company is promising three years of OS updates and five years of security patches.
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Whether it can truly challenge the heavy hitters remains to be seen, but on paper at least, the Note 60 Ultra is shaping up to be one of the more ambitious phones launching in 2026.
“The deal is tied up with so much debt that it virtually guarantees layoffs the likes of which Hollywood hasn’t seen before. That’s going to mean far less output from the suite of properties under Paramount and Warner’s control. And it will mean that the production apocalypse which has been brewing since the pandemic, the end of Peak TV, and the contraction of runaway green lights for streaming networks will grow still more apocalyptic.”
The real world costs of this kind of pointless consolidation is always borne by consumers and labor. Executives get disproportionate compensation, tax breaks, and a brief stock bump. Workers get shitcanned and consumers get higher prices and shittier overall product in a bid to pay doubt debt. We have seen this happen over and over and over again in U.S. media. It’s not subtle or up for debate.
Keep in mind Warner Brothers has seen nothing but this kind of operational chaos over the last two decades as it bounced between pointless mergers with AOL, AT&T, and Discovery, all of which promised vast synergies and new innovation, but instead resulted in oceans of layoffs, higher prices, and consistently shittier product.
Now comes the granddaddy deal of them all to try and cement Larry Ellison’s obvious desire to try and dominate what’s left of U.S. media. Run by his son David, whose operational judgement (if Bari Weiss’ start at CBS is any indication) is arguably worse than all the terrible, fail upward, trust-fund brunchlord types that preceded him.
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All of the debt from past deals just keeps piling up and being kicked down the road in a lazy, pseudo-innovative shell game (and this doesn’t; include CBS!):
“In its initial $30-a-share bid for Warner Bros., Paramount was financing the purchase with up to $84 billion in pro forma debt. That has now risen to $31 a share, tacking on roughly another $2.5 billion, plus a “ticking fee” of 25 cents per share per quarter for every quarter the deal doesn’t close after September 30 of this year. Paramount is also paying Netflix’s breakup fee of $2.8 billion. Paramount has not released the financing details for the new deal, but it’s likely to be an even higher debt load.”
Ellison is pretty broadly also leveraged in the AI investment hype cycle, and if that bubble pops (or pops worse, as the case may be), this entire gambit could go wrong very, very quickly. Even the ongoing Saudi cash infusions may not be enough to save them. Larry Ellison’s nepobaby son will of course be fine; the employees, consumers, and broader U.S. media market, not so much.
As the 2026 Formula 1 season kicks off in Melbourne, Lego has unveiled two new display sets celebrating Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.
The new Lego Editions Scuderia Ferrari HP helmet sets recreate the drivers’ 2025 helmet designs in detailed brick form. They come complete with signature plaques and for the first time minifigures of both drivers in Ferrari colours.
Both models are designed as compact display pieces for F1 fans rather than full race cars. The Charles Leclerc helmet includes 886 pieces and highlights details from the Monaco-born driver’s real helmet. It includes his number 16, Ferrari’s prancing horse logo, and personal tributes to his father and the late driver Jules Bianchi. In addition, it includes Leclerc’s signature on a display plaque and his first official Lego minifigure.
The Lewis Hamilton helmet set is slightly smaller at 884 pieces, but still packs in plenty of detail. It features Hamilton’s number 44, a signature plaque, and a minifigure version of the seven-time world champion wearing a red Ferrari race suit. This reflects his high-profile switch to the team.
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To mark the announcement, Lego also created life-size brick-built versions of both helmets that appeared in the paddock during the Australian Grand Prix weekend. These oversized builds use more than 3,500 Lego elements each. They measure roughly 26cm tall, and weigh just under 3kg. They were designed by Lego Certified Professional Ryan “The Brickman” McNaught. Reportedly, each took about 60 hours to construct.
Each set is aimed at builders aged 14 and up and cost £79.99. These sets will be available globally too from May 1, although pre-orders are open now.
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