Category: 4. Technology

The coming week will see the gas giant Saturn return to the Northern Hemisphere’s late night sky, after spending the last few months as a “morning star” rising in the predawn and early morning hours.

In recent months, Saturn put on a spectacular show for early risers, who witnessed the gas giant climb over the eastern horizon just ahead of sunrise, often in close proximity to Venus, Mercury and dimmer Neptune. Each passing day saw Saturn rise approximately four minutes earlier than the previous night, steadily distancing itself from the dawn’s light.

AI-powered coding tools like Cursor, Replit, Claude Code, and Lovable are helping developers write many lines of code every day to ship products faster. However, app makers still have to rely on either shipping full beta versions of their apps or using simulation software to gauge how upcoming features will work.

Blok, a company that is coming out of stealth, allows developers to use AI to simulate different user personas to test an app’s features and learn how to make their apps better.

The company was founded by Tom Charman and Olivia Higgs in 2024. Both have been serial entrepreneurs and worked on startups together in areas including travel and learning.

To date, the startup has raised $7.5 million across two rounds. Its seed round of $5 million was led by MaC Venture Capital, with participation from people working at Discord, Google, Meta, Apple, Snapchat, and Pinterest. Blok’s pre-seed round was with Protagonist with participation from Rackhouse, Ryan Hoover’s Weekend Fund, and Blank Ventures.

Marlon Nichols, managing GP at MaC Venture Capital, said that Blok is often compared to Optimizely and Amplitude, but those tools are more reactive. He said that Blok is edging them out by providing a predictive layer of testing for apps.

“We backed Blok because we believe product development is at an inflection point. Teams are shipping faster than ever, but they’re still making critical decisions based on A/B tests and gut instinct. Blok’s simulation engine flips that model — giving teams the ability to predict user behavior before a single line of code is written,” he told TechCrunch over email.

Higgs said that the need for testing is increasing as the complexity of interfaces has increased over time. She mentioned that they interviewed more than 100 product engineers to understand problems faced by product teams.

“There is a real need for increased testing because the bar for visual interfaces is getting a lot higher. We’re seeing people interact with technology through chat, through voice. So if you’re introducing visual UI [elements] into the mix, you have to make sure that you are not introducing unnecessary friction into a user’s workflow,” she said.

Charman said that both big and small companies face different problems. While small companies don’t have cohorts to test out their products and get live feedback, big companies want to avoid stuffing features into their apps and making them clunky.

“We are trying to reach a place where companies don’t need to release their features on an experimental basis and wait for a few weeks or months for results to show up,” he said.

When a customer starts working with Blok, they upload their event log data from Amplitude, Mixpanel, or Segment. Blok then performs behavioral modeling and creates different user personas for app makers to test. These personas would roughly cover most of an app’s user base.

Then the development team submits a Figma design and experiment details — including the hypothesis they want to test and the user goal they want to achieve — to Blok, and the user persona agents then try to run the simulation many times. At the end, Blok will show insights about how users would use a particular feature and give recommendations.

These insights include an overall report of the experiment and details about what went well and what could be improved. Teams can also look at a persona-wise report and suggestions. Plus, because it is 2025, there is a chatbot that you can ask queries about your experiment.

Blok has put its product behind a waitlist and is working with an initial set of customers, largely developing solutions in finance and healthcare. The startup said these areas are ideal to target as they can’t put out bad experiments in public and play around with the product a lot.

The startup charges companies through a SaaS model, but it is also figuring out how to balance out compute costs. The company is aiming to hit mid-single-digit millions in revenue this year and open up to more customers.

Another regional form from the Hisui region is slated to arrive in Pokémon GO! Hisuian Lilligant, the Spinning Pokémon, is making its Pokémon GO debut in three-star raids on Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time. If you’re lucky, you might even encounter a Shiny one.

In addition to Hisuian Lilligant appearing more frequently in raids, this Raid Day features a few special bonuses. You can enjoy up to five additional daily Raid Passes when you spin Photo Discs at Gyms, and you’ll have an increased chance of encountering Shiny Hisuian Lilligant!  The Remote Raid limit will increase to 20 from Friday, July 11, at 5:00 p.m. PDT to Saturday, July 12, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. PDT.  

Have fun battling the Spinning Pokémon during Pokémon GO’s next Raid Day, Trainers! And don’t forget to bring plenty of Flying-type Pokémon to take advantage of Hisuian Lilligant’s biggest weakness.

Investing.com — Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) should acquire Perplexity AI Inc. to strengthen its artificial intelligence offerings, according to Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives, who called the potential acquisition a “no brainer.”

Ives highlighted that major tech companies including Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Meta (NASDAQ:META), OpenAI, and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) are engaged in an “arms race” to monetize AI, which he described as “the biggest tech trend in the last 50 years.”

Meanwhile, Apple appears to be falling behind in this technological revolution despite having “the biggest and most entrenched consumer installed base in the world with 2.4 billion iOS devices and 1.5 billion iPhones,” Ives noted.

The analyst pointed to Apple’s disappointing internal efforts to develop Apple Intelligence and the lack of significant AI announcements at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which he said “massively disappointed investors and most importantly developers.”

Ives suggested that Apple’s traditional approach of developing technology internally may no longer be sufficient in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. “The time has come Apple needs to acquire Perplexity to significantly boost its AI platform,” he wrote.

Perplexity, an AI search engine currently valued at approximately $14 billion, could “redefine Apple’s AI strategy and would fit in very well with Siri,” according to Ives. He estimated that Apple might need to pay around $30 billion for the acquisition, which he described as “a drop in the bucket relative to the monetization opportunity.”

The analyst also noted that such a move could help Apple address both offensive and defensive strategies related to the ongoing Google search trial.

Apple’s largest acquisition to date was its $3 billion purchase of Beats in 2014.

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Best Prime Day Apple Deals on Day 2:

Apple doesn’t typically offer discounts across its tech line-up, which means that you’ll need to head to third-party sites like Amazon to find them. With thousands of products now discounted across the site for Prime Day, it’s one of the best opportunities of the year to land savings on the tech giant’s offerings, and there’s already plenty of Prime Day Apple deals to bank across AirPods, Apple Watches, Beats headphones and more.

Shop Apple Prime Day Deals Amazon

If you’re thinking about upgrading your smartwatch or fitness tracker, there’s discounts on all three of the latest Apple Watch models. The flagship Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a hefty £140 off, down from to £799 to £659, the everyday powerhouse Apple Watch Series 10 has dipped under £300 – now just £295, down from £399. The latest entry-level Apple Watch SE is also discounted, with £34 slashed off its ordinary price this Prime Day.

There’s also plenty of opportunities for an audio upgrade. You can now grab the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 for less, reduced by £50 and £30 respectively. Because Beats is owned by Apple, we’ve also included deals on the new workout-leaning Powerbeats Pro 2 – down from £249.99 to £185.25 – and the older, but still excellent, Beats Fit Pro, which are over £110 off at £108.30. Here’s a round-up of the all these, plus more of the best Apple Prime deals we’ve found so far, including more offers on iPads, iMacs and iPhones.

Prime Day Apple Deals

Apple Watch Ultra 2

Now 18% Off

Was £799, now £659

SAVE £140

Apple Watch Series 10

Now 26% Off

Was £399, now £295

SAVE £104

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen)

Now 14% Off

Was £249, now £215

SAVE £34

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Now 20% Off

Was £229, now £179

SAVE £50

Was £219.99, now £108.30

SAVE £111.69

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

Now 26% Off

Was £249.99, now £185.24

SAVE £64.75

Apple AirPods 4

Now 17% Off

Was £179, now £149

SAVE £30

Beats Studio Pro

Now 52% Off

Was £349.99, now £166.25

SAVE £183.74

Was £189, now £139

SAVE £50

Apple Phone 16e 128GB

Now 18% Off

Was £599, now £494

SAVE £105

Apple AirTag (4 pack)

Now 29% Off

Was £119, now £84

SAVE £35

Apple 2025 MacBook Air 15-inch Laptop

Now 14% Off

Was £1399, now £1207

SAVE £192

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When Does Prime Day End?

If you’ve been holding out for a bargain before picking up a new Apple smartwatch, tablet, smartphone or earbuds, the clock is now ticking. You have 96 hours from the start of the sale to make the most of these deals before it ends at midnight on Friday 11 July.

Do You Need a Prime Membership to Take Part?

Yes. To make use of these Apple Prime Day deals, plus all the other offers included in the event this week, you’ll need to either already be a Prime member or you can join for free by signing up to a 30-day free trial, which you can cancel for no fee once the sale ends after midnight on Friday.

More Fitness Tech Deals and Reviews

Prime Day Deals 2025 | Prime Day Headphone Deals | Prime Day Garmin Deals | Best Apple Watches | Apple Watch Ultra 2 Review | Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Review | Beats Fit Pro Review | Best Beats Headphones | Best Gym Headphones

Luke Chamberlain is the ecommerce editor for Men’s Health UK where he compiles expert-led buying guides and in-depth product reviews across gym wear, fitness tech, supplements, and grooming. Responsible for testing everything from the latest gym headphones to the best manscaping tools, Luke also enlists the help of leading health and wellness experts to help readers make informed choices when shopping online – whether it’s to debunk the latest viral hair growth trend or to get the lowdown on a new type of recovery tech. He also covers major sales events for Men’s Health, such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, scouting and verifying hundreds of discounts in order to recommend only the most genuine deals on offer. A magazine journalism graduate from the University of Sheffield in 2018, Luke has also worked as assistant editor for Outdoor Swimmer magazine and as an ecommerce writer for The Recommended. When he’s not testing the latest health and fitness products, he’s busy plotting routes for his next trail run or gravel ride out of London. Follow Luke on Instagram at @lukeochamb

While pricing around new technology is increasing, Amazon Prime deals are still here to bring you a few sales on phones — even those that are already at fair prices. Take this Samsung Galaxy A16 for example. The Samsung Galaxy A series are some of our favorite phones for people on a budget, and while it doesn’t have everything the new Samsung Galaxy S25 series offers, it’s still a solid device. Best of all, Amazon Prime sales just dropped the phone to a new record low of $142. That’s a nice $58 saving for a 2025 model that has 5G built-in; and its the lowest price we have seen all year.

The Samsung Galaxy A-series phones are built to last and are our favorite options for those who want an affordable model that will remain viable for years. Realistically, the new 2025 Galaxy A16 won’t exactly keep up with the latest and greatest models from Apple and Google — or the foldable Samsung devices being announced today at Galaxy Unpacked — but it still boasts some decent specs for the price.

The Samsung Galaxy A15 won the best ultracheap phone on our Best Samsung Phone of 2025 round-up. Our CNET tech experts called it “an easy choice for someone looking to buy a phone that will last for years.” They added in the review, “Samsung provides [the Galaxy A15] with four years of software updates and five years of security support, which in this price range is unparalleled.”

So, the Samsung Galaxy A16 is one step up. Mike Sorrentino, senior tech editor, says that the “Galaxy A16 [is] one of the lowest-cost phones to get a software and security update commitment [for] longer than five years, which could be a benefit for someone looking to buy a simple phone that will be updated.”

The A16 has an Exynos 1330 processor, a 6.7-inch AMOLED display and an impressive 50-megapixel rear camera. It also has 4GB of RAM and 128GB of built-in storage that can be expanded using a microSD card. Other features include a tap-to-pay function, an IP54 weather-resistance rating and 25-watt fast-charging support.

Why this deal matters

We recommend the Samsung Galaxy A series phones as an excellent budget option, which means they’re already great value at full price. This deal marks the best discounts we’ve seen on this new 2025 model, beating out the last record-low price of $175 (now, it’s $33 cheaper than that). Plus, this offer is for an unlocked model, giving you the flexibility to activate it with whatever carrier you prefer or use it exclusively over Wi-Fi.

Want to check out the competition? We’ve rounded up the best phone deals from around the web, including Apple, Samsung, Motorola and more.

CVP, one of Europe’s leading resellers and providers of professional video and broadcast solutions, is proud to announce the return of the European Lens Summit, a flagship event dedicated to the science, art, and innovation of lens technology.

Now in its second edition, the Summit promises to be the most ambitious yet. Hosted at CVP’s state-of-the-art Brentford facility on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th July, this immersive two-day experience will bring together the global lens community for an unparalleled exploration of optical excellence.

Attendees will connect with the world’s leading lens manufacturers, optical engineers, cinematographers, rental houses, post-production specialists, and industry influencers. The event offers a rare opportunity to engage with both cutting-edge lens innovations and classic vintage optics—all under one roof.

“This is Europe’s definitive lens event,” said Jon Fry, CEO of CVP. “The Lens Summit is a collaborative learning environment where innovation, creativity, and technical expertise come together. It brings the brightest minds in optics and cinematography not only to showcase products, but to share ideas, challenge conventions, and inspire one another. Our goal is to foster deep technical understanding while igniting creativity—creating a space where both the art and science of lens technology are celebrated and advanced.”

What to Expect:

• Hands-on access to the latest high-end lenses and character-rich vintage glass
• Technical presentations, panel discussions, and deep-dive masterclasses
• Live demos and training zones to test, compare, and experiment
• The CVP Lens Bar
• Dedicated networking spaces throughout the venue
• The Lens Pub Quiz – a fun and competitive after-hours gathering to test your knowledge and meet peers

Main Stage Highlights Include:

• Inside the Look of September 5 – RED Masterclass with Markus Förderer ASC, BVK
• Glass and Grain: The Visual Language of Shōgun – with Chris Ross BSC
• Through The Lens: Choosing Lenses for Your Project – with Bianca Halpern & Emily Jane Robinson
• Atlas: Bridging the Past & Future – with Dan Kanes & Michael Koerner
• New Collaborations Empowering Cinematographers – with Sara Coppola-Nicholson & Guest Panel
• Inside the Frame: Unlocking Sony’s Native Lens Potential  – with Balazs Bolygo HCA, BSC

Tech Talks and Hands-On Training Include:

• Zeiss: Modern Optics for Modern Requirements
• Angénieux: Oval Iris for the Optimo Prime Series
• Hawk: Anamorphic Lenses Overview
• ARRI: Introducing the ENSO Primes
• TLS: Vintage Compatibility for Large Sensors
• Cooke: Lens Maintenance and /i Technology
• CVP: Back Focus, Camera Comparisons & Live Testing
• Blackmagic: URSA Cine Live Lens Testing
• IBE: The New O-Tool Demonstration

Full programme and registration: https://cvp.com/events/sessions/eurolenssummit

Perplexity on Wednesday launched its first AI-powered web browser, called Comet, marking the startup’s latest effort to challenge Google Search as the primary avenue people use to find information online.

At launch, Comet will be available first to subscribers of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max plan, as well as a small group of invitees that signed up to a waitlist.

Comet’s headline feature is Perplexity’s AI search engine, which is pre-installed and set as the default, putting the company’s core product — AI generated summaries of search results — front and center.

Users can also access Comet Assistant, a new AI agent from Perplexity that lives in the web browser and aims to automate routine tasks. Perplexity says the assistant can summarize emails and calendar events, manage tabs, and navigate web pages on behalf of users. Users can access Comet Assistant by opening a sidecar on any web page, which lets the AI agent see what’s on the web page and answer questions about it.

Perplexity has released several products and initiatives in recent months, but none feel quite as consequential as Comet. The company’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, has significantly hyped Comet’s launch in particular, perhaps because he sees it as vital in Perplexity’s battle against Google.

With Comet, Perplexity is aiming to reach users directly without having to go through Google Chrome, the most popular browser currently. While AI-powered browsers present uncharted territory for many users, Google itself seems convinced this is the direction browsers are headed: The Search giant has deployed several AI integrations into Chrome in recent months, not to mention AI mode, an AI search product with a striking resemblance to Perplexity.

Srinivas said in March that his goal with Comet was to “develop an operating system with which you can do almost everything,” enabling Perplexity’s AI to help users across apps and websites. Becoming the default browser for users can translate to “infinite retention,” Srinivas said in June, which would ostensibly lead to more requests on Perplexity.

That said, Comet is entering a crowded arena. While Google Chrome and Apple’s Safari hold most of the market, The Browser Company launched an AI-powered browser, Dia, in June that seems to offer many of the same features as Comet. OpenAI has also reportedly considered launching its own browser to compete with Google, and has even hired some key members from the original Google Chrome team in the last year.

Comet could get an initial leg up in the browser wars if a meaningful chunk of Perplexity users sign up for the product. Srinivas recently said that Perplexity saw 780 million queries in May 2025, and that the company’s search products are seeing more than 20% growth month-over-month.

Taking on Google Search is no small task, but Perplexity seems to have the right idea by launching a browser of its own. But the startup’s team may find it even harder to convince users to switch browsers than weaning them off Google Search.

Hands on with Comet

The most unique aspect of this browser seems to be Comet Assistant. During our testing, we found Comet’s AI agent to be surprisingly helpful for simple tasks, but it quickly falls apart when given more complex requests. Using Comet Assistant to its fullest potential also requires you to hand over an uncomfortable level of access to Perplexity.

My favorite way to use Comet Assistant, so far, is loading it in the sidecar while I’m browsing the web. Perplexity’s on-browser AI agent can automatically see what I’m looking at, so I can simply ask it questions without needing to open a new window or copy and paste text or links. It’s right there, and it always has the context for what I’m looking at.

Comet Assistant was able to answer questions about posts on social media, YouTube videos, and even sentences I just wrote in a Google Doc. I imagine this will streamline workflows for millions of people that are sending screenshots, files, and links to ChatGPT all day.

Next, I tried getting Comet Assistant to look through my Google Calendar. But before I could do so, I had to give Perplexity significant access to my Google Account — a lot of access. Just look at how long this list is.

I have to say, giving Perplexity permission to view my screen, send emails, look at my contacts, and add events to my Calendar made me a little uneasy. But it seems AI agents need this kind of access to be useful.

Nevertheless, Comet Assistant did a reasonably good job looking through my Calendar. It notified me about some upcoming events, and offered me some advice on when to leave my home, and how to navigate public transit, to get to those events.

The assistant was also able to summarize emails I received that morning from noteworthy senders — in my case, important startups and tech companies with upcoming news. I’ve found that AI agents have a very difficult time parsing through what’s important in an email inbox, but Comet Assistant fared pretty well.

But Comet Assistant fails at more complicated tasks. For example, I tried asking it to help me find a long-term parking spot at San Francisco’s airport for an upcoming trip, specifically places with good reviews that cost less than $15 a day.

The assistant offered up several options that seemed to fit the criteria, so I asked it to book me a spot at one of the locations for the dates I’d be away. The agent navigated the parking lot’s website for me, entered in dates, and even some of my information, then asked me to review what it did and check out.

Turns out, Comet Assistant hallucinated and entered completely wrong dates, later telling me that the dates I wanted were booked, but still wanted to have me complete the check-out anyways. I had to tell the AI agent that the dates were non-negotiable, and asked it to find another location. It ran into the same problem again.

AI agents that mess up key details like this are not new. My experience with OpenAI’s agent, Operator, and Perplexity’s previous shopping agent yielded similar results. Clearly, hallucinations stand in the way of these products becoming real tools. Until AI companies can solve them, AI agents will still be a novelty for complex tasks.

Nevertheless, Comet does seem to offer some new capabilities that may just give Perplexity a leg up over the competition in the modern browser wars.

Sony has announced the ECM-778, a new shotgun microphone designed for filmmakers and content creators requiring high-quality audio in a compact and lightweight package.

Measuring 176mm in length and weighing 102g, the ECM-778 is designed for flexibility on set, whether mounted on a boom pole or directly on a camera. The microphone uses a newly developed capsule, a precision-machined brass acoustic tube, and a dedicated electronic circuit board to deliver clear high frequencies and stable mid-low frequencies, aiming to capture voices and ambient sounds with spatial detail.

Sony states that the ECM-778 offers sharp forward directivity by suppressing sound from the sides and rear across the frequency range. This can help isolate subjects during recording while reducing environmental noise—important when working in confined or acoustically challenging locations.

Features for varied environments

For practical on-set use, the ECM-778 includes a built-in low-cut filter to reduce low-frequency noise from wind or handling. Two windscreen options—a lightweight foam type and a fur type—are included to address different recording conditions.

The microphone’s machined aluminium exterior is designed to reduce external vibrations and electrical noise while maintaining a lightweight form factor. The ECM-778 connects via XLR and is compatible with external audio recorders and cameras with XLR inputs, including Sony Cinema Line and Alpha mirrorless cameras.

Developed with sound engineers

According to Sony, the ECM-778 was developed with input from film sound engineers, who provided feedback during the design and testing phases. The company highlights the microphone’s ability to maintain consistent tonal characteristics across varying distances, which is useful when shifting from close-up to wider shots during production.

Don’t forget to check our other coverage of microphones relevant for filmmakers.

The ECM-778 is positioned as part of Sony’s broader lineup of tools for professional and independent filmmakers looking to match high-resolution image capture with clear and precise audio recording.