When photography enthusiasts begin shopping for action cameras, the latest models with all of their bells and whistles typically receive all of the attention. These newer models have fancy resolutions and tons of sensors, but after months of putting the DJI Osmo Action 4 Essential Combo, priced at $198.99 (was $299), through its paces, hiking, bicycling, and even taking it underwater, users have surprisingly come to dub it the most undervalued action cam around.

It handles difficult terrain and quick moves with ease, keeping the film as steady as a rock thanks to its internal stabilizer. Getting pro-quality footage without having to deal with extra equipment and software is a huge plus, and 4K at 120 frames per second in slow-motion is just the icing on the cake. You also get a larger 1.3 inch sensor, which lets in more light and allows you to take stunning images in low light or dense forest.

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The battery lasts longer than expected, making it ideal for all-day shots, especially on frigid days when other cameras start to droop. The Essential Combo pack includes the main body, a replacement battery, and a quick-release frame that fits into any standard mount, which is really good value for the price.

The D-Log mode provides 10-bit color depth and allows editors to experiment with tones while maintaining quality. The 4:3 aspect ratio allows you to easily upload some amazing tall vertical movies from social media, and the bitrate is sufficient to maintain those fine textures looking great in grass, water, or cloth, often exceeding newer models in real-world use. It also effortlessly pairs with DJI mics, allowing you to capture high-quality audio without much fuss.

It has a water resistance rating of 18 meters on its own and 60 meters with the extra case, so you can go for a splash or dive with complete confidence. The magnetic clip mechanism allows you to swiftly attach and detach from handlebars, chest straps, and helmets. Yes, there is no built-in storage, but most folks will have an SD card lying around somewhere.

When Apple unveils its next macOS at WWDC 2026, a new report says that it will have a slightly redesigned Liquid Glass interface, though really just the same design iterations the company has always done.

Liquid Glass has had vocal critics, but just as with every version of macOS before, Apple is going to refine and mildly redesign it each year. According to Bloomberg, this year’s revision is chiefly concerned with the appearance of different Mac elements with Liquid Glass.

Specifically, the “slight redesign” is to concentrate on improving various readability issues. Where those have arisen so far, it’s been in Liquid Glass’s transparency and shadow effects, so presumably that is what Apple will work on.

This is the same thing Apple does after every significant redesign, starting with the toning down of the Aqua interface in the first years of Mac OS X. It was perhaps most noticeable with iOS 7 which debuted a very flat design that over the next years was slowly improved and clarified.

Speaking of iOS, though, the report also says that Apple’s work on the next version of this will include a benefit for macOS 27. Apple is said to be working to have tabs in Safari automatically organize themselves, as can already be done in rival browsers.

Tab Groups is definitely an area that needs attention, and not only because elements of it are better on other browsers. Many years ago, Apple added an option to Shortcuts on the Mac that was supposed to let users switch automatically between Tab Groups, but to this day the Shortcut action fails with an “internal error.”

It does work perfectly on iOS and iPadOS, though, so hopes that improvements on those platforms will come to the Mac as well could yet be wishful thinking.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Some really old-timey words appear in today’s NYT Strands puzzle. I found a few of the answers difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story. 

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: A nice medley

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: This and that.

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:

• PODGE, MELD, BEND, SHAME, DOPE, RIDE, HAMS, BARN, DOSE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

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:

• JUMBLE, RAGBAG, VARIETY, HODGEPODGE, MISHMASH

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is ODDSANDENDS. To find it, look for the O that is five letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind across.

The idea of using cardboard for a sloppy PC case isn’t new; it’s a time-honored tradition dating back to at least the 1990s. That said, with today’s CNC cutters and other advanced tooling available to hobbyists, you might be curious to see how far you can push the concept. As demonstrated in a recent video by [mryeester], the answer appears to be that good planning and a solid understanding of cardboard’s limitations are as essential as ever.

After having the PC case drawn up in CAD and cut on a professional CNC cutter by a buddy who makes commercial cardboard displays, the installation procedure for the PC components showed where a bit of foresight could have saved a lot of time and effort.

The first problem was that the GPU couldn’t be installed due to wrong measurements on where the IO bracket normally is screwed into the case. Some cardboard cutting later, the GPU slid into place, but of course, there’s no way to screw it down, putting the full weight on the PCIe slot of the mainboard. Fortunately, the mainboard was quite literally bolted into place, and the case consists of multiple layers of corrugated cardboard to add some rigidity.

Next was more carving as the PSU cut-out was designed for an SFX PSU, not an ATX one. After that ordeal, one could say that perhaps a nice thing about a cardboard case is that you get to pick where buttons are located, though this comes with its own logistical issues.

Finally, mounting side panels turned into another chore, with perhaps some engineering possible to make it work better. For example, we recently looked at making cardboard hinges that would look pretty good on a cardboard PC case. You can also waterproof cardboard and make it much stronger, turning a throwaway, temporary cardboard solution into something that will last for years, even with occasional exposure to moisture and a water-cooling leak. (more…)

On May 9th, workers at Tesla’s Fremont factory in northern California were left staring at a still production line, which is an unusual sight to say the least. Aerial images of the final cars in the outbound lot showed them lined up and ready to be picked up by their new owners, just like they used to be, though these weren’t quite like the typical batch. There were only 250 Model S cars and 100 Model X SUVs produced, all of which included the Plaid powertrain and a number of handcrafted features that set them apart.

The people waiting to take delivery of these cars were handpicked from a small list of devoted Tesla owners who had received invitations just a month before. However, none of these were ever going to be widely distributed. Each one of these vehicles is an eye-catcher, painted in a deep rich red, while the seats are pristine white with gold piping, and they even have one of those gold Tesla logos on the front. On top of that, they each have a small plaque in the dash that tells you where in the production line it came from, e.g. number 47 out of 250. It’s what happens when you open the door that’s truly remarkable, as the Signature Edition lights turn on and are fully loaded with everything included in the Premium trim.

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These sold for $159,420, and before they could drive off the lot and take possession, each buyer had to make a clear pledge to hold onto the car for at least a full year. To ensure they kept their promise, Tesla has the option to buy back the car at the conclusion of this period if the owner attempts to sell it. The owners of these very unusual automobiles will then be invited to a special delivery celebration on May 12th to meet and celebrate with the other owners.

The Model S has been a staple of the lineup since its introduction in 2012, and it has remained a prominent participant for the past 14 years. And, of course, the Model X sold eleven. This may not sound like much, but it is a remarkable run for any vehicle. Selling hundreds of thousands over the years, the Model X demonstrated that electric vehicles could be top of the line for speed, range, and comfort while still being the real deal. Meanwhile, the production plant is being fully rebuilt in preparation for mass production of Optimus, Tesla’s latest humanoid robot.
[Source]

Sharp and Roku are expanding their partnership in the UK with the launch of the first Sharp Roku TV QLED. This is a new 50-inch 4K set that combines Sharp’s display tech with Roku’s streaming platform.

Available now through Currys, the new model marks the first QLED TV the two brands have released for the UK market. It looks aimed squarely at buyers wanting a simpler smart TV experience and without stepping into flagship-level pricing.

The TV pairs a 4K UHD panel with QLED (Quantum Dot) colour. This promise a brighter and more vibrant picture quality than standard LED sets. While Sharp hasn’t positioned it as a premium Mini LED competitor, the addition of QLED should give colours more punch for films, sports and streaming content.

More importantly for many users, though, the set runs on the Roku TV OS, which remains one of the cleaner and easier smart TV interfaces around. The software offers access to thousands of free and paid apps.

Alongside this, there are features like universal search, automatic updates and a customisable home screen. This home screen is refreshingly straightforward compared to some cluttered TV platforms.

Roku says the launch comes as more UK households upgrade to larger TVs and higher-quality streaming setups. “It combines premium picture performance with the award-winning simplicity people expect from Roku TVs,” said Rob Woollard, Director of Retail Partnerships at Roku UK.

The partnership itself isn’t entirely new as Sharp has released Roku-powered TVs before. However, this is the first time the collaboration has moved into QLED territory in the UK. That makes this model feel less like an entry-level streaming TV. Instead, it feels more like a step toward the mid-range market currently dominated by brands like TCL and Hisense.

The new Sharp Roku TV QLED is available now in a 50-inch size through Currys.

Trump Mobile has repeatedly let down over half a million people waiting for its T1 smartphone, with the fabled device still not going on sale almost a year after its launch. It may never do so.

Launched back in June 2025, the Trump Organization’s Trump Mobile said it would release the T1 smartphone as a “made-in-USA” device. It was a popular device for supporters of President Trump, but no-one’s managed to actually get their hands on it.

Approximately 590,000 people put a deposit of $100 down for the smartphone, which would ultimately sell at $499, reports IBTimes. Despite receiving an advance in the region of $59 million, Trump Mobile has yet to ship a single unit to consumers.

There doesn’t seem to be any sign of it arriving by the quickly approaching one-year mark, either.

A stretching timeline

The T1 was pitched as a “Made in USA” smartphone, almost in response to Apple and others constructing the iPhone and other smartphones in other countries. Shortly after its introduction and after many assurances of its USA-centric nature, the Internet quickly determined that it was probably a rebadged budget Android device made in China.

The research didn’t stop the surge of preorders for the device, even when Trump Mobile silently dropped the “Made in America” claim.

After failing to ship in the late summer of 2025, the release date kept being moved back to later in the year, then into early 2026. A redesign of the Trump Mobile website in April 2026 removed the release date entirely, instead showing a link to “join the waitlist.”

Previous images of the fabled Trump Mobile T1

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Reports into the delay involved one call center representative telling journalists that the T1 was in the “final stages of certification and field testing” in January 2026. There was apparently a ship date of Q1 2026, but that has passed.

At one point, a representative blamed a 43-day federal government shutdown, though critics pointed out that such a claim didn’t really impact a privately held hardware producer.

Considerable doubt

While those who have put down a deposit for the T1 are patiently waiting, there is a possibility that they may not ever get the smartphone at all.

The April website update also included a revised terms of service, which discussed the deposit scheme. The document states that the deposit is not a guarantee that they will receive a working device.

Instead, it explains that the deposit provides “only a conditional opportunity” if Trump Mobile actually puts the T1 on sale. The deposit isn’t a biding sales contract, doesn’t lock the price, can change specifications before release, and isn’t even guaranteed to function on a phone network.

At best, depositors have paid $100 that could turn into a $100 credit towards the T1. That is, if it goes on sale.

If Trump Mobile decides to cancel the T1 entirely, it will issue refunds of the original deposit amount. However, it won’t be liable for any delays caused for issues such as “parts shortages or hold-ups with regulators.

Consumers can also submit a request for a cancellation before a sale is completed.

FTC radio silence

The severe lack of progress has led to some lawmaker complaints about the ordeal. This includes a request from Senator Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic lawmakers to the Federal Trade Commission in January, over the use of alleged “bait-and-switch tactics” and false advertising over the “Made in the USA” claim.

However, as of May 2026, the FTC has not confirmed the existence of such an investigation, nor if one will ever be opened.

As it stands, 590,000 consumers have handed over their money for a smartphone that isn’t “Made in the USA” and may not even get made at all.

At best, they’ll get a smartphone with underwhelming specifications that is bolstered by branding. At worst, the deposits are gone, and all the consumers get is an expensive lesson.

Earbud-based translators are the next game changer. These are over-ear devices that come in a pair—one for you, one for your conversation partner. Each of you wears one earbud, and the software on your phone handles the translation, both ways, behind the scenes. The best earbud translators make for the most natural way to communicate with someone in a foreign language that I’ve found to date, though handhelds tend to have more capabilities. (Earbud-based designs seem to be the direction the industry is heading.)

When shopping for a handheld translator, watch out for expensive subscription plans. Many devices come with free service, but only for a time, and re-upping after the trial period ends can be pricey. Check the fine print before you buy. Also, make sure the translator you’re considering covers all the languages you need. Note that while some translators support hundreds of languages, they may be limited in the language pairs they can translate between.

Who Really Needs a Handheld Language Translator?

Again, if you only need casual translation for occasional or emergency use, you can definitely get by with a free translation app on your phone. Translation devices are best for frequent users who expect to carry on multiple sustained conversations with speakers of other languages over time.

Those scenarios could include attending a reunion with your Swedish wife’s extended family or a lengthy workshop series with colleagues from other parts of the world. These tools are also often marketed to first responders who need to quickly assess a situation when human translation services aren’t available.

In situations where you may need to communicate with several speakers, each speaking a different language, a portable translator can make even more sense. If you expect your journeys to take you to far-flung areas or off the grid entirely, where internet service may be poor or nonexistent, a translator can be a helpful tool in your travel bag, even if you only expect to use it for emergencies.

Which Handheld Language Translators Are Best?

After testing numerous handheld translators, I recommend this trio. Which one you pick will depend on how you expect to use it—and your budget.

Best Stand-Alone Translator

The Timekettle T1 is a reasonably affordable and very pocketable device that makes for an easy addition to your travel kit. Built for two users to communicate, each with access to half the screen, the T1 translates each side of a conversation—written or spoken—into that user’s own language. Using it can be a little tricky: a color-coded button on the side of the device or a virtual one on the 4-inch touchscreen must be held down to tell the T1 which language to listen for. But once you get the hang of it, the system works pretty well.

Accuracy is solid, and translations are fast, popping up in well under a second. One challenge I had with the device relates to its small screen. Like most translators, the T1 supports photo-based translations via its 8-megapixel camera, but the 540 x 1080-pixel screen is too small to display much text at once. Also, while the unit includes a global eSIM with two years of free service included ($50/year after that), I encountered plenty of signal gaps, even in my own home. The good news is that if Wi-Fi’s available, that works too. The unit also supports 31 offline language pairs (10 in combination with English), so if you plan ahead, service woes may not be an issue at all.

Best Translator Earbuds

iFLYTEK

iFLYTEK AI Translation Earbuds

If you want to upgrade your translation experience and make it more immersive, you’ll want to invest in a pair of earbuds, which give you a more personal and natural way to communicate. As described above, the iconic way to use these is to pop one on yourself and give the other to your friend. An app on your phone handles two-way translation, back and forth.

These 12-gram on-ear earbuds are the best I’ve tested, primarily because once they’re configured, they work completely hands-free. No clicking buttons or tapping the side of your head every time you’re ready to speak: The earbuds understand who’s talking and when, and they work with remarkable speed, almost like a professional interpreter whispering in your ear.

In this week’s “Sunday Reboot,” a good chip issue for Apple to have, regulatory comparisons with oranges, and “Schmigadoon!” gets 12 Tony Award nominations.

Sunday Reboot is a weekly column covering some of the lighter stories within the Apple reality distortion field from the past seven days. All to get the next week underway with a good first step.

This week, Apple had to contend with Maryland lawmakers siding with Apple Towson employees after the store closure announcement, Canada wants Apple to weaken encryption, and Apple failed to reduce the scope of a $4.1 billion iCloud suit in the UK.

A tale of two chip struggles

Apple had to deal with two chip shortage situations this week, but with wildly different results.

On Tuesday, it was discovered that Apple had pulled some of the configuration options for the Mac mini and Mac Studio. Consumers planning to get models with mountains of memory were stopped, as Apple removed the 256GB option from the M3 Ultra Mac Studio.

At the same time, if you wanted an M4 Pro Mac mini with 64GB of memory, you are out of luck. You have only the 24GB or 48GB options available.

These haven’t been the only changes to the lineup, as the Mac Studio lost the 512GB RAM option in March, and the 256GB SSD version of the M4 Mac mini has similarly disappeared.

The upshot here is that, while this is obviously an issue stemming from the global memory crisis affecting the entire tech industry, it is one of Apple’s ways to avoid significantly raising prices. Sure, eliminating high-RAM options isn’t the greatest way, but the alternative would be to raise the prices considerably.

By doing this, it can allow the existing memory inventory to last a bit longer for the models, by still allowing the lower-capacity options to remain on sale. The lower memory variants are also not going to be as badly affected by the cost versus a configuration that is RAM-heavy in nature.

Some may think that this is not really a RAM problem but is Apple preparing to bring out new models by cutting down on existing stock. It’s a thing we have seen before, but current CEO Tim Cook’s remarks during the recent financials indicate we won’t be seeing any real Mac upgrade options until September.

The other chip issue was one of Apple’s own making.

The MacBook Neo is too popular for Apple’s own good.

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The MacBook Neo is an extremely popular model, beyond Apple’s own expectations. As a budget MacBook, it has managed to get so much demand that Apple had to double its production plans for the model.

That brought about a new problem for Apple, in the form of a lack of A18 Pro chips.

The MacBook Neo is cheap for Apple to produce, partly because it relies on the use of existing component inventory. It was a recycling effort, using up surplus chips that Apple had already paid for, allowing it to slim down the price to consumers since it was cheaper to produce.

With the massive success of the model, it is believed that Apple now has to do another production run for the A18 Pro chips.

Evidently, while Apple has a good idea of what can make a product a hit, sometimes it can even surprise itself.

Apple and oranges in logos

Big companies are extremely protective of their brands, and Apple is one of the most defensive. Add the Apple logo to something that’s vaguely Apple-like will quickly result in legal issues from Apple’s lawyers.

This makes sense, as Apple has a need to pursue anyone misusing its trademarks to prevent diluting its worth. There’s also the whole thing of preventing consumers from buying fake products that use the brand without authorization.

However, sometimes Apple’s battle over its precious Apple logo goes in some strange directions.

The latest instance is a filing with the EU Intellectual Property Office, trying to convince the regulator to not grant a trademark to another company. This turned out to be a partly-successful act for Apple, as the trademark cannot be used for keyboards and computer equipment.

The logo being objected to, used by keyboard maker Yichun Quinningment Electronics Co., wasn’t an apple, but citrus. It was a circular fruit with a top leaf, a section taken out the right-hand side, and visible segments and “keys” in the middle.

Apple logo [left], Yichun Quinningmeng’s logo [right]

You could argue that the cut-out bit is reminiscent of Apple’s bite section, and the leaf is pretty close, but they aren’t the same. The EUIPO admitted that they were “visually similar, but qualified that it was “to a very low degree,” but that was still enough to create a “mental link” between the two companies for consumers.

Apple has done this a few times in the past, taking on people submitting fruit-based trademarks and complaining of how they are trading off Apple’s logo.

Cases have included the Norwegian Progress Party that stuck an F motif in the middle of an Apple, the pear logo used by Prepear, and the battle against Fruit Union Suisse. In the last case, that was against a century-old organization that used a red apple image with a white cross for many years, and Apple complained about an anniversary redesign.

In trying to work out how far Apple will go over fruit-based trademarks, I discovered there are limitations to its reach. In November 2018, it failed to block logos for Banana Mobile and Banana Computer in Europe.

At the time, the EUIPO concluded that an apple is not a banana.

Cancelled, but nominated

Apple TV shows are frequently listed as nominees for awards. Sometimes, those awards come after the show has ended, typically the following year, but there are exceptions.

On Wednesday, “Schmigadoon!” was the recipient of a massive 12 nominations for the 2026 Tony Awards.

This is a big achievement, but there are massive asterisks at play here. The awards weren’t for the show itself, but for the broadway production.

Apple TV’s ‘Schmigadoon!’

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Apple ended the TV version in early 2024, killing it after two seasons despite the third already having been written. The popularity of the show wasn’t enough to save it from continuing, but it did live on in theater.

A stage adaptation of the comedy musical arrived in 2025, as a precursor to the Broadway version, which Apple has co-produced.

This isn’t the first time the show has gone up for awards. This includes a Creative Arts Emmy in 2022, a Critics Choice TV award nomination in 2021, and a spot on the American Film Institute’s “Television Programs of the Year” list for 2021.

With 12 nominations at the Tony Awards, the Broadway musical could end up picking up more trophies in its stage life following its TV death.

Who knows, maybe a big win will convince someone at Apple that they made the wrong move and commission that third season.

Last week’s Sunday Reboot covered Apple’s F1 ambitions, its massive Q2 financial results, and the return of “Ted Lasso” in August.