Oscars to stream exclusively on YouTube starting in 2029 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that the Oscars will air exclusively on YouTube beginning in 2029. The longstanding broadcast partnership with ABC will continue through the Academy’s 100th anniversary in 2028, after which the ceremony will move to the streaming platform. This marks a major shift for one of entertainment’s most high-profile live events, moving from a traditional network broadcast model to a global streaming-first distribution. The announcement signals how legacy media and awards shows are adapting to changing viewer habits and the growing dominance of digital platforms. Key details Exclusivity: The Oscars will be exclusively available on YouTube starting in 2029; ABC will continue to broadcast the show through 2028. Timing: The change aligns with…

macOS 26.2 refreshes Apple Music’s MiniPlayer with Liquid Glass styling Apple’s macOS 26.2 update brings a visual refresh to the Apple Music MiniPlayer, aligning it with the system’s newer “Liquid Glass” design language. The compact player now looks sleeker and more consistent with the rest of the OS UI, while keeping the same shortcut to toggle it: Alt + Command + M. The MiniPlayer remains a lightweight way to control playback without opening the full Music app. With this update Apple focused on visual polish — rounded translucency, softened highlights and improved contrast — so the small control feels less obtrusive and more integrated with the desktop. What changed Visual overhaul to match Liquid Glass aesthetics: more translucency and smoother surfaces. Same functionality and keyboard shortcut (Alt + ⌘ +…

007 First Light: IO Interactive reimagines James Bond as a young, reckless spy IO Interactive—the studio behind Hitman—is taking its expertise in open‑ended, sandbox gameplay to the James Bond universe with 007 First Light. The game casts a young, inexperienced James Bond (played by Patrick Gibson) in an origin story that emphasizes social infiltration, player agency and a mix of stealthy sandbox levels with high‑octane set pieces. The developer promises missions that "breathe": tightly designed sandbox locations where you can choose social approaches, stealth or brute force, plus levels built around chases and set‑piece encounters. The team wants players to feel Bond’s charisma and resourcefulness — whether bluffing past guards, charming targets, or sneaking through tight spaces. Cast, characters and villains James Bond: Patrick Gibson portrays a younger, brash Bond…

WristSpeed Pro brings real‑time GPS speed to the Apple Watch WristSpeed Pro is a new Apple Watch app focused on a single, practical task: displaying your current GPS‑measured speed in real time directly on your wrist. The app runs on the watch itself and does not require a paired iPhone to show speed, making it convenient for on‑the‑go activities. The app is aimed at users who need a quick speed readout while they move — cyclists, runners, e‑scooter riders and anyone who wants an unobtrusive speedometer on their wrist. Because it uses the watch’s GPS, you can check speed without pulling out your phone. Main features Real‑time GPS speed: Shows your current speed directly on the watch face or within the app interface. Standalone operation: Works without a connected iPhone…

Monarch Money: 50% off first year with code MONARCHVIP — $50 for new users Monarch Money is offering a limited-time promotion: new users can get 50% off their first year by entering code MONARCHVIP at checkout. That reduces the annual price to $50 for the first 12 months (regularly $100). The deal is aimed at people who want to review their finances and set budgets for the coming year. Monarch was a runner-up in our guide to the best budgeting apps of 2025. It’s feature-rich and highly customizable, with strong tools for setting goals, sharing account access with others, and generating detailed month-in-review reports. However, the app can feel complicated initially and the mobile experience is sometimes less intuitive than the web version. Deal details Offer: 50% off first year…

Munich court rules Amazon misled customers about Prime Video ads The Regional Court Munich I (Landgericht München I) has ruled in favor of the German consumer protection association in a case concerning Amazon’s announcement of advertising on Prime Video. The court found that an email Amazon sent to customers about upcoming changes to the streaming service earlier this year was misleading and did not provide sufficiently clear information. According to the judgment, the notice sent by Amazon failed to make key facts transparent for consumers, prompting the consumer group to sue. The court sided with the plaintiffs and set a legal limit on how subscription services may communicate changes that affect users’ expectations about ad‑free access or the nature of the service. What the ruling means Consumer protection win: The…

OnePlus 15R review: big 165Hz display and huge battery at a lower price OnePlus published the 15R just weeks after the OP15 as a more affordable sibling starting at $700 — about $200 less than the flagship. The 15R keeps many strengths of the OP15: a fast, bright display, very long battery life and snappy performance — but sacrifices camera versatility and top‑end silicon. The phone features a 6.83‑inch 165Hz AMOLED display capable of very high brightness (around 1,800 nits reported), an ultrasonic in‑screen fingerprint sensor, IP69K water/dust resistance and the new Plus Key (replacing the old Alert Slider) for customizable shortcuts. Performance & battery The 15R ships with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 (not the Gen 5 Elite used in the OP15). Benchmarks show a noticeable gap — the…

How a VPN works — what it does and why it matters VPNs (virtual private networks) are a popular way to add privacy and change your apparent location online. They route your traffic through a remote server and encrypt the connection between your device and that server, which helps hide your IP address and can prevent local eavesdroppers from seeing your activity. But VPNs aren’t a silver bullet. They protect the path between you and the VPN server; sites you log into or services you use can still identify you. Performance, trustworthiness and features vary widely between providers, so understanding the basics helps you choose one that fits your needs. Quick overview — what happens when you use a VPN Your VPN client authenticates with a VPN server and they…

Samsung P9 microSD Express 256GB sale Samsung's P9 Express microSD card (256GB) is on sale for $33, down from $55. It offers up to 800MB/s transfer speeds and Dynamic Thermal Guard for heat management. Compatible with Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, PCs and cameras.

Ocenaudio for Mac gets speed and usability boosts in v3.16.5 Ocenaudio, the free cross‑platform audio editor, has released version 3.16.5 for macOS. Building on the lighter UI and expanded editing tools introduced earlier this year, the latest update focuses on faster access to audio files and a smoother everyday editing experience. The v3.16.5 update aims to make common tasks quicker: opening large files, navigating the workspace and performing routine edits now feel more responsive. These improvements are particularly useful for podcasters, students and anyone who needs a lightweight but capable audio editor without the complexity of pro tools. What’s new in v3.16.5 Quicker file loading and browsing for large audio projects. Smoother UI interactions and reduced latency during editing operations. Refinements to the editing toolset added in the previous major…