Brace yourselves – Wicked fever is back, as the second part of the stage musical adaptation starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande has finally hit big screens across the UK and US. While the film is likely to be a big box office hit, reviews aren’t quite as favourable as the first movie, which dropped last year. If you’ve had your mind changed (for good) about watching it now, or just have no immediate plans to see the Wicked sequel in theatres, we’ve got you covered....

Sony surprised us by launching an all-new series of smartphones at its press conference at MWC 2016 in Barcelona on 22 February. Called the “X” series, it currently consists of two new smartphones – the Xperia X and the Xperia XA – which are now available to buy. Even more surprising, this new Xperia X family appears replacing the mighty Xperia Z. Read on to find out everything you need to know so far about the Sony Xperia X and the Sony Xperia XA....

In autumn 2019, Apple launched its Apple TV+ streaming service, with enormous self-confidence and a huge budget. Since then, the iPhone company has stuck to its chosen course: exclusive productions, huge stars and high technical quality are constantly rewarded with lavish financial injections. For years, industry analysts have been talking about Apple spending at least $1 billion US dollars a year – a figure that has recently entered public discourse once again thanks to the blockbuster F1, which is being promoted with the utmost PR glamour and is out now in cinemas....

If you’re out somewhere and suddenly notice that SOS has appeared at the top left of your iPhone display, it doesn’t mean that your device is sending out a cry for help. Instead, it’s a simple problem that’s nothing to panic over. Here’s what to do when your iPhone is in SOS mode. Why is my iPhone on SOS only? SOS or SOS only will appear on your iPhone if you’re in an area that has no cellular network connection, but your device is still able to make emergency calls....

At Apple’s iPad-and-Watch-themed Time Flies event, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced not only the new Apple Watch Series 6 and mid-range Apple Watch SE , but also an update to the long-standing entry-level iPad. The 8th-gen iPad hasn’t had the same TLC as the new iPad Air , which received a raft of hardware upgrades and an iPad Pro-like design. However, Apple has addressed one of the biggest flaws of the seventh-gen iPad – the ageing A10 chipset....

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning is the eighth instalment in Tom Cruise’s blockbuster film series and a direct sequel to the seventh film, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning. It’s out now in cinemas. If you’d like to know where to buy tickets, see our dedicated article . The name suggests that it’s the last in the film series – and when you sit down to watch it, that’s certainly the impression you’ll get....

At a Glance Our Verdict Windows 7 may well be an excellent, reliable operating system, but with no more security updates as of 14 January 2020, it’s risky to continue to use it. For that reason, Windows 10 is your only choice if you want to stick with Microsoft. The only alternative is to buy a Chromebook or a Mac instead. Microsoft has been warning the world that this day was coming, and now it is upon us....

Windows 10 and Windows 11 are now installed on a total of 1.4 billion monthly active devices, Microsoft has confirmed. That’s an increase of around 100 million compared to the Windows 10 figure from last April, shortly before its successor was announced. This cements Windows’ position as the most popular desktop operating system worldwide. Apple’s macOS is a distant second, accounting for around 15% of all devices according to StatCounter ....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Stylish & well-made Epic battery life Physically subtle smart features Cons Cheap, awkward charger Various tracking issues No GPS Our Verdict The ScanWatch Nova meets a specific brief of a stylish and high-quality hybrid smartwatch and it does this better than any other in this niche market with 30-day battery life to boot. However, at this price, the inConsistent tracking and lack of GPS are big barriers....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Affordable Great quality light Good indoor range to choose between Cons Colour problems when using Alexa Some luminaires are expensive Limited range of outdoor lights Our Verdict WiZ is a top-quality smart lighting system that’s a lot less expensive than Philips Hue and LIFX. The app is great, and there’s now an indoor security camera which is good value too. Best Prices Today: WiZ Connected Warm White Bulb For years I’ve used LIFX bulbs in my home and put up with fairly frequent Wi-Fi connection problems because I love the quality of colours they produce....

We’ve seen all kinds of products from the Chinese tech brand recently including smartphones , headphones , tablets , action cameras and even an Android TV box. It’s onto the next thing for Xiaomi and the Mi Drone. Xiaomi Mi Drone release date and price We’re not sure on a specific release date yet but Xiaomi has confirmed that there will be two models of the Mi Drone. One which is just 1080p for 2,499 Yen ($380/£259) while the 4K model is 2,999 Yen ($456/£310)....

The Xiaomi Mix Flip 2 could finally put a familiar compact foldable phone weakness to rest if recent rumours are to be believed. According to fresh claims emerging from China (via GSMArena ), Xiaomi’s forthcoming second-generation compact foldable will pack a 5100mAh battery. That’s not only significantly bigger than the 4000mAh battery found in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 , and even the 4780mAh cell found in the original Xiaomi Mix Flip , it’s also bigger than many non-foldable flagship phones ....

Disney’s city of animals has made a return to the big screen, with Zootopia 2 (known as Zootropolis 2 in the UK) premiering in the UK in November 2025. It’s still in cinemas now. The film continues the adventures of the fierce but adorable bunny Judy Hopps, and the cunning, charming fox Nick Wilde. When the animated Zootopia was released in 2016, it was a resounding success. Critics praised its bold characters, humour and playful take on the buddy cop movie genre....

If you’ve ever discovered full-screen ads popping up on your Android phone, you’re not alone. This isn’t a new way Google has decided to show ads: they’re caused by malicious apps which often masquerade as legitimate games or even – ironically – adblockers. Avast recently discovered 47 such games which had this despicable behaviour and reported them to Google. Around 17 remain available to download, including Disc Go!, on the Google Play Store....

The iPhone 16 lineup has arrived, and it’s a big deal. With new chipsets, improved cameras, tweaked displays and, of course, Apple Intelligence AI features across all four phones, there’s plenty to get excited about. In previous years, the new iPhone has arrived before Pixel flagships, giving Google the opportunity to size up its competition before going public. However, things are a bit different in 2024, as the Pixel 9 series launched in August....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Large 15.6in Full HD display 8GB of RAM and 128GB storage Solid performance Good selection of ports Cons Spongy keyboard Average battery life No touchscreen Our Verdict If a large screen is top of your priorities when shopping for a new Chromebook, then the 515 has plenty to offer. You don’t get a touchscreen as standard, but the device is fast, has decent specs and should last a good few years....

At a Glance Our Verdict It’s expensive and a bit bonkers but that’s what Acer does with some of its gaming laptops. Whether you actually want or need a moving keyboard is a good question but it does seem to make sense with the large screen and cooling. There are some high-end specs here so this looks like a power-house desktop replacement and we’re intrigued by the the MagForce keys. We’d perhaps like the option for a 4K screen, though....

At a glance Expert’s Rating Pros Impressive heavy duty performance Bright and crisp OLED display High-resolution webcam Cons Not the best battery life Colour control could be improved Our Verdict Acer has broken the mould by combining a powerful processor with an ultra-thin design with the Swift Go 14. The OLED display is also impressive, but the colour control on it could be improved. Best Prices Today: Acer Swift Go 14 OLED SFG14-71 Most 13- and 14in laptops focus on mobility, with simpler processors built for low-power performance to improve the battery life....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Our Verdict Dull, uninspiring design is offset by low weight and very good sound quality – the AKG K77 headphones are a very good bargain Best Prices Today: AKG K77 AKG’s K77s are circumaural, which means they completely enclose the wearer’s ears. This, in concert with their closed backs, mean plenty of potential for strident, thumping bass. AKG also markets these headphones as being suitable for “professional use” – quite the claim for a pair of £25 headphones....

At a Glance Expert’s Rating Pros Good battery life Great fitness tracking Built-in GPS Cons No speaker for phone calls or notifications No on-board storage for music Limited additional apps Our Verdict The GTS 3 would be a good Fitbit Versa rival if its software was a bit better. At this price you may as well stretch your budget a little and get a Fitbit or even an Apple Watch 3, if you have an iPhone....