This week we celebrated Earth Day with a package of sustainability-focused pieces, so our LG TVs Morf into Xboxes and got to experience the new Insta360 X5.
To catch up with all that and more from the tech world, roll down for recaps of the seven largest tech news stories of the week.
When you’re done, be sure to check out our choices for the seven new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (April 25).
7. We hosted Sustainability Week 2025
To celebrate Earth Day this year, we’ve put together a package of stories from the Tech industry to celebrate, challenge and highlight all things sustainable.
With deep dive in sustainability masters such as Fairphone, exciting details of breakthrough in sustainable technology – such as where extreme heat could be the answer to our lithium ion battery – and guides on how to best shop for used tech, we have covered you with articles worth your time if you are a lot to turn green.
We have also released new video content on our Tiktok, Instagram and YouTube channels, so make sure you subscribe to these platforms if you want to see all our sustainability coverage from this last week.
6. ALEXA+ Early adopters told us their first thoughts
Almost two months after it was announced, Alexa+ still has not appeared on our Echo Show devices. We become impatient, but fortunately a member of Amazon’s Early Adopter program has taken to Reddit to share their experiences with the new voice assistant while we wait.
It sounds like there are still a few quirks to be prepared (Alexa+ tries to direct users to Amazon Music when they want to play from Spotify), but overall they were pretty impressed – especially when it came to interpreting complex questions and synthesis speech. “Old Alexa was hot garbage, but this new one was a pleasant surprise,” the tester concluded.
High praise actually.
5. Nintendo Switch 2 pre -orders went live in the US
Nintendo Switch 2 pre -orders finally went live on April 24 in the United States after the unexpected delay that came under US Customs Insurance earlier this month. And there were, to say the least, mixed results with how it went.
Away from Nintendo’s own invitation -based pre -ordering system, three major retailers in Walmart, Target and Best Buy, launched all their pre -orders at midnight on April 24. There was huge clinging for the product and while some only offered the standard consolence and Mario Kart World Bundle, others (best buy) designed a whole pile of tailor -made bundles.
Gamestop chose to go later in the day and release pre-orders in the store when the stores opened and chose to put its online stock live at 1 p.m. 11. However, this method – from our learned experience, at least – was a huge disappointment. The interest was so high that Gamestop’s site fully stopped working for great periods.
Everywhere it was a well-known story in terms of a sought-after hardware launch: Some people were lucky and some people were not. Here it hopes at all levels soon enough. Britain’s Switch 2 Prepending Status is now less hectic, but easily accessible stock is still difficult to come up with.
4. LG -TV was xboxes
This week, Microsoft continued his mission to transform everything into an Xbox, with its latest effort that transformed your LG TV into an Xbox through its Cloud Gaming Service.
If you have a WebOS 24 or WebOS 25-compatible TV (ie if your LG TV was launched in 2022 or after, or if it’s a Stanbyme screen in 2021), you can install a beta version of the Xbox app. All you need is an Xbox controller and a game passport ultimate subscription.
Just remember that because it all happens in the cloud, the quality of your experience will be determined by the quality of your internet connection, so if your connection is not the most stable, your LG Xbox game may be a little chopped.
3. We got our hands on the new Motorola Razr Ultra
The Motorola Razr family from 2025 is here, including the new flagship Motorola Razr Ultra, and Motorola triples its commitment to unique CMF – color, materials and finishes. In addition to the unique color settings – everything from Pantone’s color catalog – Motorola manufactures phones with unique materials such as real wood and Italian Alcantara and offers finish settings that make the phones feel like nylon, acetate or faux leather.
This razr is really the antidote to boring phone design, and I had fun to turn through the different looks to decide what I liked best. Spoiler: It’s Alcantara that has a luxurious and soft sensation; Although a thrown between the Scarab color and the new mountain path setting.
RAZR Ultra is also no slouch in the spec department, and Motorola finally offers flagship performance in its advanced model. Unfortunately, it comes with a higher price tag this year, but it may be worth the extra cost if the cameras and battery deliver their promise.
2. The Insta360’s new X5 360 -Camer fell
Just over a year ago, we declared that the Insta360 X4 is the best 360 camera out there – and this week got a successor with the inventively named Insta360 X5.
This new and improved model can detect 8K 360 degrees at 30 frames per second or 5.7k at 60fPS as its predecessor-dog with a larger image sensor, it must deliver much better image quality with low light than X4, and should boast better dynamic range in all resolutions to make the color of your shoots look more vibrating.
You will also appreciate the larger battery capacity, efficiency and heat drainage, as the Insta360 says, results in the X5 boasting a 37% longer battery life and the device that runs less hot – a problem we know some had with the X4 before it. This means you need to be able to trust the X5 to record more of your adventures between charges.
Insta360 X5 The default version costs $ 549.99 / £ 519.99 / AU $ 929.99, while the essential bundle costs $ 659.99 / £ 609.99 / AU $ 1.109.99 and includes an extra battery, fast charging, 114 cm invisible selfie -stick, standard lens, lens cap and berries.
1. Adobe gave us a new AI-driven mood board
One of AI’s most useful tricks is to act as a brainstorming sidekick – and Adobe has just launched a new tool that looks ideal for visual creativity sessions.
Firefly Boards (which is the new name of ‘Project Concept’) is available to try now in beta and is an endless canvas for mood board where you can use both AI-generated images and your own reference pictures to come up with fresh ideas. It is built for designers, but can also smooth your birthday party invitations in a big way.
There is a free version with limited credits and you can join the waiting list now. We can see that this one is a massive (and fun) weekend hour sink.
