Category: 4. Technology

Marshall has unveiled the second-gen iteration of its portable Middleton Bluetooth speaker. The Middleton II adds further features to the original model, promising to deliver “the ultimate listening experience wherever it goes”.

The new speaker is powered by 60 watts of Class D amplification for its twin 7.6cm woofers alongside 20 watts of power for a pair of 15mm tweeters. Marshall promises improved sonic talents with this iteration over the first-gen model, teasing “even deeper bass and more refined performance at maximum volume”.

​Studio RM, the post-production studio renowned for its distinctive approach to colour and retouching, has appointed Susan Pratchett as Interim CEO, effective immediately.

This appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Studio RM as it continues to evolve in response to a dynamic creative landscape. Susan joins the business at a pivotal moment, providing experienced leadership and strategic continuity while the search for a new full-time managing director is underway. She will work across Studio RM’s global locations in London, Paris, and New York.

Susan brings a wealth of experience from leading creative agencies through periods of transformation and growth including Virtue (VICE Media Group), Spring Studios and earlier experience at Droga5 New York and Grey London.

Studio RM founder Robert Moore said, “We’re excited to have Susan join us as Studio RM looks towards the future. Her experience has consistently centred on aligning studios with the changing needs of the industry and their clients—ensuring relevance, resilience, and future-focused innovation. At Studio RM, she will focus on strengthening client partnerships, supporting internal talent, and identifying immediate and long-term opportunities to drive innovation, operational efficiency, and creative excellence.”

The Nikon Z9 for $4,600? That’s a Pro-Level Steal. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to invest in Nikon’s flagship mirrorless beast, the moment has arrived. The Nikon Z9 Mirrorless Camera with the FTZ II Adapter Kit is now available on Amazon Renewed for only $4,600 — a major drop for a camera that continues to push the boundaries of hybrid cinematography and professional stills. Grab it here on Amazon Renewed. This price isn’t just attractive. It’s a golden opportunity for filmmakers and photographers looking to step into Nikon’s most advanced system without the premium price tag.

See the Nikon Z9 on Amazon Renewed

Even in the face of upcoming successors like the Z9 Mark II (explored in The Nikon Z9 Mark II: What to Expect from Nikon’s Next Mirrorless Flagship), the original Z9 remains an industry powerhouse.

It delivers:

• Full-frame 8K video at up to 60p

• No mechanical shutter for silent operation and fewer moving parts

• Advanced AF tracking powered by deep learning

• Dual CFexpress card slots for robust workflows

• Superb build quality trusted by pros in the field

The inclusion of the FTZ II Adapter means users can seamlessly use Nikon’s legacy F-mount lenses with full autofocus capabilities — perfect for hybrid shooters with a legacy lens collection.

Buying from Amazon Renewed means the gear has been professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned by qualified vendors. Plus, it’s backed by Amazon’s satisfaction guarantee, so there’s peace of mind with that savings. In a similar spotlight, we previously covered a gem of a deal in The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II for Just $1,800 on Amazon Renewed: showing that renewed gear is becoming a serious option for serious creatives.

With the Nikon Z9 still dominating the field and the price of entry now dramatically lower, this deal is too good to ignore. Whether you’re a cinematographer looking for 8K RAW power or a photographer seeking uncompromising autofocus and speed, this is your chance to level up your kit without draining your wallet. Check the Nikon Z9 Renewed deal now

Neat, affordable and great-sounding hi-fi is becoming increasingly rare but Elac’s Debut ConneX DCB41 ticks all of those boxes.

Our team of expert testers reviewed the Elac Debut ConneX DCB41 back in 2022 and the system not only earned a glowing five-star rating but it also managed to pick up a coveted What Hi-Fi? Award for the past two years. And all of this at the full asking price of £529. So, you can imagine our delight now that the price has dropped to £339 at Richer Sounds and Peter Tyson.

We’ve seen the Elacs at this price before – during Black Friday last year to be precise – but they went back up and we are pleased to report that they are back to being an absolute bargain.

Current What Hi-Fi? Award winners, these Elacs are flexible standmount speakers, combining superb sound quality with Bluetooth streaming and a phono stage for accommodating a turntable. They can easily double up as a clever soundbar alternative for your TV setup, thanks to their HDMI ARC socket, too.

Set-up is fuss-free: one speaker in the pair contains all the electronics, amplification and connections, and the other sports a more conventional passive design. The speakers are then linked together with a cable.

You don’t get any fancy network streaming smarts included here as there is no wi-fi (see the Triangle AIO Twin and KEFSX II LT systems for wi-fi streaming setups). But it doesn’t get simpler than playing tunes wirelessly from your phone or laptop over Bluetooth, which is what you get here.

Optical and USB inputs offer alternative wired connections to an external music source, while the Elacs can do the job of a soundbar thanks to the provision of an HDMI ARC input.

The Elac package is very well-made, brilliantly executed and of course, very convenient, removing the need for external amplification and boxes along the way.

The added convenience of having nearly all you could want in one place doesn’t seem to have sacrificed the sound stakes, either.

In our Elac Debut ConneX DCB41 review, we explain that we found the speakers to be “controlled and even-handed” with a clear, balanced and insightful sound. In fact, we went so far as to say we could find “no obvious areas of weakness”. As you can tell, we are pretty big fans of this talented speaker pairing.

These fantastic powered speakers are great at their full price, but this excellent £339 deal at Richer Sounds makes them a bargain that deserves serious attention.

MORE:

Here’s our full Elac Debut Connex DCB41 review

Want streaming smarts included? Check out our KEF LSX II LT review

These are the best all-in-one systems you can buy

SAVE $200: As of July 2, the Shark Navigator robot vacuum is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon. This is 44% off its list price of $449.99 and marks its lowest-ever price on Amazon.

There have been plenty of early Prime Day deals dropping ahead of Amazon’s big summer sale event, including robot vacuums. One of our favorite deals is on the Shark Navigator robot vacuum, which has dropped to its lowest-ever price at the retailer.

The Shark Navigator robot vacuum is currently marked down to $249.99. This is 44% off its list price of $449.99, saving you $200. This is the lowest-ever price on Amazon.

This robot vacuum will make sure your carpets and floors get a deep clean. With powerful suction and SmartPath Navigation, the Shark Navigator robot vacuum can map out your home to get the most effective clean without running into any obstacles. It also self-empties after each clean to make things easier. Its bagless base can hold up to 60 days worth of dirt, debris, hair, and more, so you can go a couple of months without even thinking about it.

Why wait for Prime Day to score this deal? Act now to get the Shark Navigator robot vacuum at its lowest-ever price.

Amazon Prime Day is coming up fast, and if you’re hoping to make the most of the sale event when it kicks off on July 8, check out our guide on everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day 2025 to plan ahead.

Roland DG Connect Designer offers easy design tools for beginners and includes a library of images, shapes, fonts, and illustrations.

Roland DGA has released a new software application, Roland DG Connect Designer, which allows users to create print-ready graphics tailored for their Roland DG printers.

As part of the Roland DG Connect software suite, the Designer application—available with the free Basic Roland DG Connect plan—provides three main functions. One of these is a simplified design creation tool intended for users with limited experience in professional design software, such as in-store staff or small business owners. The application streamlines the design process and includes a library of images, shapes, fonts, and illustrations.

A second function is the generation of automated print settings. Instead of having to set detailed print settings in the dedicated VersaWorks 7 RIP software running the printer, Roland DG Connect Designer produces the necessary print settings automatically during the design phase and enables printing to begin immediately once the job is sent to the printer, allowing for a faster, more streamlined workflow.

A third set of capabilities allows for the unique functions of various printers to be incorporated into the design by utilizing modules specific to each device. With Roland DG Connect Designer, users can choose to add the desired design features made possible by their printer and work requirements, and install only the functions they require, for a simpler and more cost-effective operation. Initially, for users of the new DA-640 dimensional surface printer, a DIMENSE module offers preset embossing effects, file preparation, and visualization for creating textured output on the DA-640.

For more information, visit rolanddga.com.

Howden, the global insurance and reinsurance broking group, has acquired a majority stake (68.3%) in Holos Holdings Co., Ltd. (Holos), a Kyoto-headquartered retail insurance broker.

Founded in 2001 by Kei Horii, Holos is a privately owned retail insurance broker with over 400 employees across 20 locations in Japan.

The acquisition marks a significant milestone in Howden’s strategy to scale its business in Japan. Since establishing operations in the country in 2024, Howden now employs more than 450 people. The deal enhances the credibility, relevance, and capabilities of Howden’s service offering in the Japanese market.

With this acquisition, Howden is well positioned to deliver high-quality services across both life and non-life insurance segments to a broad range of clients, from individuals to SMEs and corporates.

The deal follows a series of strategic initiatives by Howden Japan in 2024, including the launch of Howden Re Japan, a partnership with Keystone ILS Capital, and entry into the Japanese retail insurance market through the acquisition of the Foresight Group.

David Howden CBE, CEO of Howden, said, “Right from the very start we’ve known that to provide the best services to clients you must have strong local expertise on the ground. Holos has incredible know-how and like us they have a rich history in the market. And joining forces now gives us strength-in-depth across Japan, enabling us to provide individuals, SMEs, corporates, and insurers with a full suite of services from reinsurance to retail. This is a transformational move for us, and it shows that our commitment to this dynamic market is truly for the long-term.”

Kei Horii, CEO of Holos Holdings, commented, “For the past 25 years, Holos has grown its business with the strong support of our employees and clients. As the Japanese insurance industry enters a new phase, we have decided to join Howden. By combining Holos’ deep experience in the life insurance sector with Howden’s global resources and advanced expertise in the corporate general insurance field, we aim to grow into a trusted and valued insurance group, even more loved by our clients.”

Kentaro Tada, CEO of Howden Japan, added, “Holos and Howden share similar corporate cultures in that we value the independence of each employee and aim to deliver optimal insurance solutions that bring satisfaction to clients. I look forward to working together with the team at Holos to grow our business while continuing to earn the trust of our clients.”

$100 AMAZON GIFT CARD: As of July 2, Amazon is offering a free $100 gift card when you preorder the Samsung 32-inch Smart Monitor M7 (M70F), now priced at $399.99. The monitor officially releases on July 8.

Amazon is heating up its early Prime Day deals, and Samsung fans have another reason to be excited. 

For a limited time, you can preorder the brand-new 32-inch M7 Samsung smart monitor (M70F) for just $399.99 — a full $100 off its regular price of $499.99 — and Amazon will throw in a free $100 gift card to sweeten the deal. Just make sure to select the gift card bundle at checkout. 

The monitor officially launches on July 8, and this offer ends that same day.

Available in black and white, the 2025 model of Samsung’s M7 smart monitor is a versatile 4K UHD display that’s more than just a screen. With Samsung Vision AI, the monitor automatically adjusts visuals for optimal clarity whether you’re working, gaming, or binge-watching. It even includes an AI-powered voice amplifier that bumps up dialogue when your environment gets loud — perfect for those noisy home offices or dorm rooms.

Like Samsung’s higher-end smart displays — such as the M9 version of the monitor also on sale — the M7 features built-in streaming apps, access to Samsung TV Plus, and a surprisingly rich Gaming Hub that supports cloud-based play with no console required. You’ll also get access to Samsung’s 3D SmartThings map view to manage your smart home devices — and Samsung Knox for extra data security.

And if you’re looking to go bigger, the same $100 gift card plus $100 off deal is also available with the 43-inch version of the monitor.

This is one of the best early Prime Day monitor deals we’ve seen under $500, especially with the added Amazon credit. Don’t wait — this launch bundle is only good through July 8.

For more on what’s coming from Prime Day as we build up to the full event, take a look at everything there is to know about Amazon Prime Day 2025 — covering start dates and times, what’s new from past events, and the best early deals. 

While searching for gold in the dingy mines of Ingot Isle, a severe storm sweeps dungaree-donning hero Donkey Kong into a vast underground world. You think he’d be distraught, yet with the subterranean depths apparently rich in banana-shaped gemstones, DK gleefully uses his furry fists to pummel and burrow his way towards treasure. From here, the first Donkey Kong platformer since 2014 is a dirt-filled journey to the centre of the Earth.

Much like the Battlefield games of old, Bananza is built to let you pulverise its destructible environments as you see fit. That seemingly enclosed starting area? You can burrow your way through the floor. Bored with jumping through a cave? Batter your way through the wall instead. There’s a cathartic mindlessness to smashing seven shades of stone out of every inch of the ground beneath you, pushing the physics tech to its limits and seeing what hidden collectibles and passageways you unearth.

In order to add an element of humanity to all the destruction, a young girl named Pauline (whom players may recognise from classic DK games) joins Donkers for the ride, perching on his simian shoulders while singing, like a Brit School-trained parrot.

In a welcome nod to the jazz-filled refrains of Super Mario Odyssey, Pauline sends DK into a frenzy by warbling like Mariah Carey. As DK locks into a gorilla groove by thumping on his chest, Pauline steps up to the mic and sings her heart out, powering him up to new hulking heights – his Bananza form – allowing him to smash through concrete as he glows red and embarks on a rhythmic rampage. As DK’s journey progresses, you unlock additional animal-themed transformations, with one later level seeing DK flutter through the air as a pretty bizarre-looking Ostrich.

As it’s 2025, there’s now a skill tree, enabling players to upgrade DK’s moves, raise his health and even teach him new attacks and tricks. Continuing the RPG-lite approach, collectible hidden fossils are also carefully scattered across each new level, a currency used to buy new stat-boosting outfits. More importantly, these outfits are a huge amount of fun, allowing you to swap DK’s default crimson fur for a more gothic black-furred Kong – along with a pair of blue denim dungarees and a yellow tie of course.

Thanks to its 3D hub worlds, ranged projectiles and wacky transformations, there’s more than a whiff of Rare’s seminal N64 Donkey Kong platformer to Bananza. Part Banjo-Kazooie, part Incredible Hulk simulator, the destruction-led chaos is a world away from the pristine Super Mario Odyssey. If you get tired of punching, you can opt to chuck objects at your surroundings instead. Donkey Kong can hurl slabs of stone and granite at foes, walls and … well, anything really, even launching a special glowing material to destroy cursed structures and unlock one-off challenge areas. Some NPCs are even made out of gems, allowing you to pulverise them mid-conversation before they slowly reassemble, feigning nonchalance with a dead-eyed look in their shimmering crystallised irises.

The development team seems to have had fun coming up with new fearsome foes for DK to face off against. From being bombarded by hordes of tiny angry blobs, to battering a golden skeletal pterodactyl or fleeing a hopping stone alligator head, the slightly nightmarish threats that you pulverise match Bananza’s off-kilter tone, looking pleasingly distinct from the usual Mario fare.

Bosses promise to be a big part of Bananza too, with DK clashing with the nefarious VoidCo, a brooding gang of villainous apes who steal DK’s much-coveted Banandium Gems. Grumpy Kong, for example, pilots a towering concrete mech which you have to chip into layers, eventually lowering him to ground level and doing what DK now apparently does best – delivering a brutal beating.

Mine kart sections make a welcome return, seeing you leap between rails to dodge obstacles and take out enemies and structures alike by chucking glowing rocks into them until they explode. In a bid to keep the frame-rate solid while you chisel the landscapes around you in real time, the visuals take a slight hit. While character models look great, certain environments and areas look a little bland – but most of the time, you’re moving too swiftly to truly care. While we start off in a dingy mine, we travel through a luscious lagoon and find our way leaping out of deadly rivers of toxins in a poison-filled swamp.

Like Odyssey, there’s a half-hearted co-op mode in Bananza. Put in the sulky boots of Pauline, a second player can click and chip away at the environment via the Joy-Con mouse. Each click chucks or destroys bits of the environment, with both players reaching a screen-filling, eyeball-straining degree of carnage. Give this to a young’un and furious-click induced chaos will no doubt ensue. You have been warned.

Donkey Kong Bananza is weird, a little janky at the moment and more chaotic than Nintendo platformers of old. It’s the playable equivalent of Break Stuff by Limp Bizkit, big, brash and impossibly enjoyable. While the Switch 2 has been accused of being iterative rather than innovative, for his first Switch 2 appearance, it seems that the iconic ape is burrowing his way towards a new type of fun.

SAVE $30: As of July 2, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is on sale for $59.99 at Amazon. That’s a saving of 33% on the list price.

Prime Day is just a week away, and we can expect to see a whole lot of discounts on Amazon products. But if you want to start saving now, check out this amazing deal on the Echo Show 5, currently at its lowest price this year.

As of July 2, you can pick up this smart assistant for $59.99, saving you $30.

The Echo Show 5 is basically a smart assistant with a screen, and a perfect all-rounder device. It comes with built-in Alexa, the ability to watch Netflix shows, and it even has video chat capabilities. The design is neat and nifty, with a screen size of just 5.5 inches, so it is perfect for looking at the weather, recipes, or the time at a glance, without taking up too much space in your home.

It can stream music and has compatibility with the most popular streaming apps, including Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Deezer. This model even benefits from a deeper bass and clearer vocals for a more advanced listening experience.

Not to mention, the Echo Show 5 is eco-friendly, featuring fabric made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester yarn and an aluminum body crafted from 100% recycled materials.

Grab this deal before the Prime Day rush.