Samsung’s mid-year Galaxy Unpacked launch for 2024 was a bit dull. The Galaxy Watch range didn’t see many improvements bar the introduction of the Ultra (which is really only intended for the most diehard fitness heads), and time was mostly devoted to the show stopping Galaxy Ring, an entirely new product category for the smartphone maker (one that I’m excited for in Australia, where it is still yet to launch). Combined with an extremely lukewarm year for the sixth generation Samsung foldables, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 arguably received the least love of all the new gadgets – but I’ve come to appreciate the phone for what it is beyond the obvious gimmick.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 has existed in a weird space among Samsung’s premium phone lineup for some time now. Vertically foldable akin to trendsetting phones of the 2000s, the Z Flip’s only real drawcard is in the name – it’s fashion before function. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 makes a much better case for its existence, acting as a tablet-phone hybrid, albeit at a high price point.
Internally, the phone underperforms compared to similarly priced models in the flagship Galaxy S product range, with a dimmer and less detailed screen along with a smaller body. Its unimpressive cameras don’t do it any favors and its battery life is middling at best.
But I don’t really want to be too down on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, because it’s an aesthetics first device – and it aces that. In fact, it’s more fun than almost every other phone I’ve used this year. The flipping function makes for a fun fidget toy and the phone can be placed in a bunch of creative poses.
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But as it turns out, my favorite aspect isn’t actually that it folds – it’s the narrow portrait orientation that the form factor creates.
But why is that cool?
Perhaps it’s me admitting that smartphones are sort of blending together in my head, as they all share the same basic ‘big glass rectangle’ characteristic, but I’ve truly fallen in love with just how tall the screen of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is.
The phone folds in on itself from top to bottom, and to avoid being too short for casual use in its folded form (where it’s square-shaped and usable in a limited capacity via the screen on the back) it has a taller stature.
Let’s pull up the specs: the dimensions of the Galaxy Z Flip 6 are 165.1 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm (H x W x D), while the Samsung Galaxy S24 (the phone with which it shares the most DNA) has dimensions of 147 x 70.6 x 7.6 mm. The Z Flip 6 has a slightly narrower (and thinner) chassis, with thicker bezels that give the S24 a great screen-to-body ratio.
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The 18mm taller screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 makes me wish we had more phones with zanier dimensions. That’s 18mm more for Google results to fill in Chrome, or for lines on a news article, or displaying more tweets, or for text in your messages, and while a lot of the extra space can be counteracted by the simple act of scrolling, I’ve been enjoying the longer display and the way content fills it from top to bottom.
Somehow it brings me back to the early iPhone years, when touchscreen phones were dramatically smaller and fake iPhone concept videos included completely absurd designs (particularly this one). It also takes me back to the early smartphone years when these gadgets were much more creatively designed, particularly models like the LG BL40.
Today you’re unlikely to find a smartphone smaller than six inches (excluding the 4.7 inch iPhone SE, which is likely to be defunct soon), with all dimensions getting a bump as the size goes up.
And that’s what we want, right? The uniformity of display dimensions across brands and manufacturers is informed by how we use the tech and the content we consume. It’s no coincidence that most streaming services cater content to a 16:9 aspect ratio with cinematic bars added in for a better viewing experience – it’s because smartphone use habits stem greatly from TV use.
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Even more so than movies and TV shows, smartphones require display uniformity for the sake of app consistency. Some apps still have compatibility issues between tablet and smartphone versions, where on the tablet the app is scaled up to cater for the display size at the cost of image quality. If smartphone makers suddenly had to cater for vastly different aspect ratios from longer (or wider) smartphones, let alone simply bigger screens, the result would be greater pressure on developers and more unused dead space as developers try and hit the sweet spot of aspect ratios (letting the tops and bottoms of displays go to waste).
How far can a gimmick take the Z Flip 6?
It’s at this point that it’s worth discussing the inevitable – can Samsung continue to make the cool, quirky, yet stylish little foldable interesting enough to buyers?
There’s always going to be the space for consumers wanting something a bit more aesthetically pleasing, but in the vertical folding space, Samsung’s now competing with cheaper (and arguably better looking) options from Motorola and other smaller brands. Comparative to the Z Flip 5, the Flip 6 was less a revision and more a re-release with some small changes made.
It’s also a clash with reality to try and position the Z Flip 6 as an upmarket device, which is likely why we heard rumors of a cheap Flip FE earlier this year. The Flip isn’t meant to be a performance phone and the constraints of the display present a considerable obstacle to positioning it that way. So why not go down market with the FE, then?
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For now though, I’m pretty satisfied with having a long phone. The taller screen meshes so well with my smartphone habits that I can’t help but love it. The folding aspect is cool too, and I’ve found a bunch of great uses and situations for it, but I’ve fallen for the display in a way not intended.
We are just a few days from the official kickoff of Amazon Prime Day, but the deals have already been filling up our inbox. This one’s a doozy. Amazon’s well-reviewed Echo Buds earbuds are on sale for $25, which is half off and a record low price.
Amazon’s Echo Buds actually made our list of the best budget wireless earbuds, and that was at the full $50 price. We appreciated the lightweight form factor and the pocket-friendly case, both of which contributed to enhanced portability. There’s also multi-device connectivity and automatic wear detection.
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This is an open design, which some people prefer and some hate. Basically, an open earbud design allows for more ambient noise from the world around you. This can be annoying, as it could get in the way of what you’re listening to, but it could also keep you safe while aimlessly wandering a busy city. You’ll be able to hear if a car is careening toward you.
The sound is actually great for budget-friendly earbuds, though it takes a bit of EQ adjusting to get everything perfect. On the downside, the battery life is on the lower side and the water resistance is bare-bones at best. Still, we recommended these earbuds at $50 so we absolutely recommend them at $25.
GamesBeat Next is almost here! GB Next is the premier event for product leaders and leadership in the gaming industry. Coming up October 28th and 29th, join fellow leaders and amazing speakers like Matthew Bromberg (CEO Unity), Amy Hennig (Co-President of New Media Skydance Games), Laura Naviaux Sturr (GM Operations Amazon Games), Amir Satvat (Business Development Director Tencent), and so many others. See the full speaker list and register here.
Multiplayer battle arena game Moonray Studio announced its mobile Autobattler game is coming in the first quarter of 2025.
Complementing its flagship online game, available to download in the Epic Games store, the mobile game is intended to expand the Moonray ecosystem further and capture a broader gamer population.
Autobattler will leverage the same digital assets as the PC/console version including the MNRY Token enabling players to unlock special content and earn rewards in tournament matches, generating additional demand.
Set in a distant future “post-human” world, Moonray (the game) provides immersive gameplay and intense combat experiences. Moonray’s competitive gameplay is easy to pick up and hard to master, appealing to both casual players and esports professionals.
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Join us for GamesBeat Next!
GamesBeat Next is almost here! GB Next is the premier event for product leaders and leadership in the gaming industry. Coming up October 28th and 29th, join fellow leaders and amazing speakers like Matthew Bromberg (CEO Unity), Amy Hennig (Co-President of New Media Skydance Games), Laura Naviaux Sturr (GM Operations Amazon Games), Amir Satvat (Business Development Director Tencent), and so many others. See the full speaker list and register here.
Leveraging blockchain technology to enhance the game experience with asset ownership, customizable NFTs, and token rewards, Moonray engages the community in a way it says goes beyond conventional games, incentivizing thoughtful play over “button mashing” and fostering a sense of loyalty to the game.
Despite its blockchain-powered features, the game maintains an easy onboarding and purchasing experience familiar to the broader online gaming community, the company said. Its Web3 elements (such as connecting wallets and purchasing tokens) are open to those who wish to use them but hidden to those who don’t.
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Autobattler is part of the wider Moonray ecosystem that includes the PC/console game, a graphic novel Mother’s Skin that develops the lore for the game and provides inspiration and concept art for game artists. The comic book is available to 4,000 comic bookstores including Midtown Comics and Barnes and Noble in North America and the UK. It also has a partnership with Reel FX to bring the game and comic book to the screen in an animated series.
All these initiatives allow users to explore the Moonray world and engage them beyond the game. Moonray’s core team of 40 programmers, designers, and artists is highly regarded in its field and has shipped several titles.
The Moonray ecosystem has held two successful raises from powerhouse investment firms including Animoca Brands, Polygon Ventures, and Cardano, taking the total capital raised to over $8.25 million. Moonray has also forged several strategic partnerships including with Digital Void for game development, Reel FX for streaming content, and gaming guilds like YGG, Snack Club, and Unix for user acquisition.
The company’s Discord channel has amassed over 100,000 members with more than 170,000 followers on X.
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Hans Andersson, cofounder of Moonray, said in a statement, “The Autobatter mobile game will allow us to vastly expand our user base and playtime by providing access to gamers who cannot play the [PC/console] version and allowing users to play on-the-go. We’re super excited to progress along our roadmap and build out the Moonray ecosystem further.”
Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands, said in a statement, “The addition of a mobile game to Moonray’s immersive combat experience will broaden the game’s user base and appeal and the easy integration of blockchain technology is subtle and smart. Users familiar with blockchain wallets and purchasing crypto can elevate their gaming experience while traditional online players can dive into the game unhindered by typical adoption barriers.”
The Miium Foundation is the creator of the $MNRY platform, which powers the Moonray universe.
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– Hasn’t been officially announced yet – Showrunners are “working on it”, though – No release date set – No trailers or other footage revealed – Many of its primary actors expected to return – No new cast members unveiled – Plot details are thin on the ground, but J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary works hold some clues about its direction – Five-season plan expected to be seen through to completion
The Rings of Power season 3 feels like an inevitability at this point. Regardless of whether you like or loathe it, Amazon‘s Lord of the Rings (LotR) prequel series is one of its biggest TV Original hits so, in our view, a third installment is all but confirmed – especially as work is ongoing on the high fantasy show’s next chapter.
Before The Rings of Power is officially renewed for another season, then, you’ll want to get up to speed on everything we know about it so far. In this guide, we’ve rounded up the latest intel on the Prime Video show’s third season, including its probable cast, likely story threads, when we think it’ll air on the streaming platform, and more.
Updates have been few and far between since we spoke to the show’s co-creators. However, in September, director and executive producer Charlotte Brändström told RadioTimes.com that “there’ll be good news soon”, which suggests an announcement could be made shortly.
If it’s renewed for a third outing, we predict season 3 will debut on Prime Video sometime in mid to late 2026. The Rings of Power season 1 was released on September 2, 2022, while its follow-up launched on August 29, 2024. If filming begins as soon as the forthcoming chapter is announced, we’d expect those in charge of development to maintain its two-year schedule, meaning it should air in August or September 2026.
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The Rings of Power trailer: is there one?
No, and there won’t be one until much closer to The Rings of Power season 3’s release date, either. We’ll update this section once a trailer is available – but, sit tight, because it’s going to be a while.
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The Rings of Power season 3 cast speculation
Full spoilers follow for The Rings of Power season 2.
Based on how season 2 ended, here’s who we expect to see again in The Rings of Power season 3:
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Charlie Vickers as Sauron
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel
Robert Aramayo as Elrond
Benjamin Walker as Gil-galad
Ismael Cruz Cordova as Arondir
Owain Arthur as Durin IV
Sophia Nomvete as Disa
Kevin Eldon as Narvi
Lloyd Own as Elendil
Maxim Baldry as Isildur
Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Míriel
Ema Horvath as Eärien
Trystan Gravelle as Pharazôn
Leon Wadham as Kemen
Tyroe Muhafidin as Theo
Daniel Weyman as Gandalf
Rory Kinnear as Tom Bombadil
Ciaran Hinds as The Dark Wizard
Markella Kavenagh as Nori
Megan Richards as Poppy
There are a number of big-name characters who won’t return next season. Charles Edwards’ Celebrimbor will be the most notable absence, with Eregion’s leader and the master smith dying in the season 2 finale. Unless Celebrimbor returns in a flashback sequence, as one of Sauron’s disguises (the Dark Lord masqueraded as Celebrimbor during his season 2 showdown with Galadriel), or – as depicted in Tolkien’s wider works – his corpse is paraded on a banner as part of Sauron’s army in season 3, Edwards won’t reprise this role.
Peter Mullan’s King Durin III won’t be back, either, after Khazad-dûm’s former monarch perished in an unwinnable duel with the Balrog known as Durin’s Bane. Sam Hazeldine’s Adar, Robert Strange’s Glûg, and Amelia Kenworth’s Mirdania are also on the deceased pile. Adar was murdered by Glûg and a band of orcs after Sauron used his dark magic to turn them against their Lord Father. Meanwhile, Glûg was slain by a furious and impulsive Sauron – in the final throes of the Siege of Eregion – when a legion of Khazad-dûm’s dwarven soldiers arrived in the elven city to aid the fleeing elves’ escape. Lastly, Mirdania was fatally injured after she was thrown from Eregion’s walls by Sauron (although it was made to look like Celebrimbor did it) in season 2 episode 7. She was beheaded by an orc moments later.
As for potential newcomers, The Rings of Power season 3 should introduce new characters – those already established in LotR and original creations alike – to bolster the show’s already extensive cast ranks. New faces could include Prince Durin’s brother, who’s set to vie with his sibling for Khazad-dûm’s throne, and the nine kings of mortal men – Rhûn’s Khamûl the Easterling among them – who’ll surely be gifted one of the final nine Rings of Power by Sauron next time around.
Celeborn, Galadriel’s presumed dead husband who’s been conspicuous by his absence in the show so far, is another option. Celeborn not only plays an integral role in the elves’ war to come with Sauron (more on this shortly) but also establishes the realm of Lothlórien with Galadriel in Middle-earth’s Third Age, so he seems like a safe bet to appear. We’ll update this section once any new characters (and the actors playing them) are announced.
The Rings of Power season 3 story rumors
Major spoilers follow for The Rings of Power season 2, plus J.R.R. Tolkien’s various literary works.
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The Rings of Power season 3’s story synopsis hasn’t been revealed yet. However, based on what happened in its forebear’s final episode – read our The Rings of Power season 2 ending explained piece for more details – and LotR‘s source material, we can predict what’s to come.
Let’s start with Sauron. Now he has Fëanor’s hammer and is experienced in the art of metallurgy, Morgoth’s successor is primed to forge his own ring – the legendary One Ring – next season. It’s one of three big wishes that Sauron star Charlie Vickers has for season 3, too; the Australian actor telling TechRadar he sees the One Ring’s creation as the “next piece of the puzzle” for Middle-earth’s Big Bad.
Sauron is also set to hand out the nine rings for mortal men, too, after finally acquiring the nonuplet in season 2 episode 8, titled ‘Shadow and Flame’. These rings are the ones he’s imbued with the greatest amount of dark magic – remember, his literal blood was secretly poured into them – so he’ll be able to corrupt and control Middle-earth’s human kings more efficiently than the elves (he didn’t help to make that trio) and the dwarves (he had a hand in those rings’ creation, but their corrupting influence isn’t as strong as he’d hoped).
It’s unclear who’ll receive the nine rings in The Rings of Power. In LotR’s canon, Khamûl the Easterling is the only named individual who’s gifted one, so Amazon’s prequel has creative freedom to distribute them to whomever they want. He’s not a king, but our money is on one of them going to season 2’s slimiest character in Kemen, i.e. Pharazôn’s son.
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Sauron won’t have everything going his way in The Rings of Power season 3, though. After regrouping at what appears to be the location Rivendell will eventually be built upon, Gil-galad, Galadriel, Elrond, and Arondir rally Eregion and Lindon’s remaining forces to halt Sauron’s victory procession across Eriador. This marks the official start of The War of the Elves and Sauron, a centuries-long conflict where both sides trade telling blows and devastating losses as they vie for peace and world domination respectively.
Read more of our Rings of Power season 2 finale exclusives
As mentioned, this war is a protracted one, so we suspect one of the best Prime Video shows‘ writing team will considerably shorten the length of this conflict to ensure storylines involving its mortal characters – those being humans and dwarves – can still run concurrent to events playing out between the immortal elves and seemingly unkillable Sauron.
Speaking of the dwarves, two major plot threads were left dangling after the season 2 finale. The first involves finding a permanent successor to King Durin III and, while the smart money was on Prince Durin IV becoming Khazad-dûm’s new monarch, his brother – Durin IV doesn’t have a sibling in Tolkien’s works – is also eyeing the subterranean kingdom’s royal seat.
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Durin IV, though, has an ace up his sleeve in the dwarven rings. He previously promised his wife, Princess Disa, that he’d never use or wear them but, with his brother garnering support from numerous dwarf lords, Durin and Disa may need to revisit that pact to sway some of his brother’s supporters to their cause. Whether that means using the rings themselves or gifting them to the other lords, is currently unclear.
Aside from the familial melodrama, there’s also the ever-looming danger of Durin’s Bane. It’s likely that, following King Durin III’s sacrifice, it’ll be trapped for the rest of the show. But, as we’ve said before, The Rings of Power has taken creative liberties with Tolkien’s works, so it could rear its ugly head in future seasons.
Over in Rhûn and Middle-earth’s eastern regions, Nori and Gandalf have gone their separate ways. After finding his staff, learning his real name, and reuniting with Tom Bombadil, the latter is ready to master his abilities ahead of his forthcoming showdowns with The Dark Wizard and Sauron. Meanwhile, Nori has headed off for pastures new with Poppy and the Stoor community. We’re not sure whether we’ll see Nori, Poppy, and the Stoors (not to mention the Harfoots) again, but a reunion between Nori and Gandalf hasn’t been ruled out by their actors. It’s possible their storyline has been split in two and we’ll follow both characters on their individual paths next season.
Moving back west, there’ll be plenty of familial and civil war-based drama to come in the realms of men. Indeed, Númenor and Pelargir are set to be the stages upon which more political infighting, not to mention actual battles, will play out.
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Where Númenor is concerned, Elendil – with the legendary sword Narsil in hand – has fled Armenelos to rally The Faithful, i.e. those still loyal to the elves and the Valar (Middle-earth’s angels, essentially), who haven’t been imprisoned by the false king Pharazôn. One of those captives is Queen Regent Míriel, who’s been accused of being in league with Sauron. However, we don’t know yet if, as in the source material, she’ll be forced to marry Pharazôn as a Hail Mary move to preserve the peace between The Faithful and The King’s Men (those loyal to Pharazôn), or if things will play out differently. Oh, and let’s not forget that Isildur is finally on his way back to Númenor. We wonder what he’ll make of everything that’s happened on the island since he was last there…
Meanwhile, Kemen and a legion of Númenórean soldiers have taken control of Pelargir and are now overseeing the production of a vast fleet of ships for his father. We won’t spoil why they’re being built, but let’s just say it ties into Númenor’s eventual downfall. Anyway, based on how this storyline ended in season 2, we don’t think it’ll be long before Theo, Estrid, and the rest of the Southlands’ refugees – maybe with a little help from the Ents they ran into last season, too? – revolt against their newly installed superiors in The Rings of Power season 3.
Is The Rings of Power season 3 going to be the last one?
Before The Rings of Power‘s first season aired, Payne and McKay told Time magazine they had a five-season plan for their Lord of the Rings TV adaptation. However, discussing season 2 with TechRadar in late August, they kept referring to the show as a “multi-season” project.
Does this slight change in terminology mean that five-season blueprint has been revised down to four? With season 2 getting off to an inauspicious start – per Deadline, its three-episode premiere suffered a 50% drop in viewership compared to its forebear – there were some fears that Amazon may renege on Payne and McKay’s original master plan.
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However, it appears that the five-season outline hasn’t been altered, with a Prime Video spokesperson telling The Hollywood Reporter that Amazon “remains committed” to it. With one billion minutes (around 16.7 million hours) streamed in the US, according to streaming experts Nielsen, in its first week on Prime Video, plus 55 million viewers globally in its first month on the platform (per Variety), it seems Amazon’s LotR prequel is still popular enough to warrant more entries. Don’t expect The Rings of Power season 3 to be the end of the series, then.
Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you’ll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle.
Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There’s no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you’re stuck and need to know the answers to today’s Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below.
You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the “theme words” hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable.
If you find a word that isn’t a theme word, it still helps! For every three non-theme words you find that are at least four letters long, you’ll get a hint — the letters of one of the theme words will be revealed and you’ll just have to unscramble it.
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Every single letter on the grid is used to spell out the theme words and there is no overlap. Every letter will be used once, and only once.
Each puzzle contains one “spangram,” a special theme word (or words) that describe the puzzle’s theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. When you find the spangram, it will be highlighted yellow.
The goal should be to complete the puzzle quickly without using too many hints.
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