Author: Eternity Lab

Electrical retailer AO has upgraded its networks to accelerate its business with informed decision-making, securely connecting a diverse range of devices and streamlining IT operations across all 26 of its offices and logistics centres across the UK.

AO describes itself as the UK’s most trusted electrical retailer, and is known for its home appliances, consumer electronics and mobile phones. The firm started life in 2000 as part of a £1 bet by founder John Roberts on his mission to sell electrical appliances online.

The company has grown to own an in-house logistics business to manage the delivery process for a variety of white goods, and in its latest financial statement for the six months ended 30 September 2025, it posted revenues of £586m, driving an operating profit of £18m.

AO operates highly complex, interdependent workflows spanning production, logistics, delivery and installation, all of which are well-suited to artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimisation.

However, legacy network infrastructures have been ill-equipped to support AI workloads at scale, particularly when they must also integrate and manage large numbers of connected devices used to track and monitor operations across packing, delivery and installation.

To achieve its digital transformation aims, AO upgraded its networks with HPE Mist’s AI-native capabilities, specifically trained for AI workloads and self-driving operations – designed to flag network issues before they happen, shortening response time.

The network is attributed with empowering AO’s fast-paced, customer-first service culture by supporting 24/7 logistics operations, including voice-activated inventory picking, packing, shipping, delivery, installation and recycling.

AO has deployed HPE Juniper Wi-Fi at its head office, design hub, creative studio and several logistics sites, with plans to extend coverage to all of its logistics and recycling centres at pace.

Wi-Fi Assurance is intended to proactively optimise wireless to meet service-level expectations (SLEs) set by the AO IT team, and provides one-click root-cause analysis and remediation to boost network experiences and performance.

“We’re a developer-centric organisation, and we saw the opportunity to use the HPE Juniper Networking platform to drive data-led decisions around internal user experiences, leading to amazing customer experiences,” said Matthew Brooks, network team lead at AO. “The ability to see exactly what devices are on the network and to leverage real-time device and occupancy analytics enables us to make smarter, faster business decisions, in IT and across our entire operations.”

In addition, use of the Marvis AI Assistant enables proactive actions and self-driving network operations from the service desk to the network engineering team. As the system constantly ingests data and learns from network devices and applications, IT teams can resolve issues with increased accuracy. The Marvis Client provides Wi-Fi insights from the end user point of view. AO plans to use the system’s Indoor Location Services to optimise desk and meeting room utilisation. By using location data, the AO team can identify usage patterns and address peak-time demand more effectively.

Ultimately, said HPE, by using AI-native Wi-Fi and switching in the Mist platform, AO can boost operational efficiency, enhance real-time visibility and improve the overall workplace experience.

“AO exemplifies how forward-thinking enterprises are using AI-native networking to drive real business outcomes,” said Mark Weeks, UK and Ireland sales director at HPE Networking. “By adopting a cloud-managed, AI-native networking architecture from HPE, AO has gained robust, secure connectivity that spans corporate offices and complex operational environments. The advanced HPE Mist platform delivers actionable insights and intelligent automation, empowering AO to accelerate decision-making and sustain competitive agility in a dynamic market.”

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Four years after its original release, Apple unveiled the second-generation AirTag model. With improved tracking capabilities and louder sound, this new item tracker might look almost identical to its predecessor. However, it can be a great upgrade if you have some of Apple’s latest products, such as the iPhone 16, iPhone 17, iPhone Air, or an Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, or newer.

Still, even if you’re relying on an older iPhone, Apple is using a new Bluetooth specification to increase range, so you’ll be able to track your belongings with ease with the second-generation AirTag.

Once the company unveiled the new model, I made sure to get a pack of four to replace my current AirTags — or better yet, to use my old AirTags in other items and focus the new ones on my most important belongings, like my keys, Nintendo Switch 2, and backpack. Here are my impressions of this new model alongside some of the important improvements it brings, as the company officially kicks off the year with the first release of 2026.

Increased Track Range

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If you’re buying the new AirTag, the most important reason is probably the increased tracking range. With a compatible U2 device, the item tracker and your iPhone (or Apple Watch) can use Precision Finding 1,5x further awaythan before. Apple also says it’s using an upgraded Bluetooth chip that “expands the range at which items can be located.”

While the company doesn’t exactly mention the new Bluetooth specification, this should mean that the AirTag can connect more easily to other devices, so you can discover where you lost it, while Precision Finding makes finding an item near you more straightforward.

Conducting some early tests between my original AirTag and the second-generation model, my iPhone 17 Pro Max can connect to the second-gen model faster, and it’s more precise when showing where my misplaced AirTag is. Of course, the original model also gets the job done, but it requires a few more steps before it shows exactly where I misplaced it. For me, who’s usually leaving my keys behind or forgetting where I put them just before I leave, having this increased range will definitely be a quality-of-life improvement.

Precision Finding on Apple Watch

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Another big change with the second-generation AirTag is the ability to use, for the first time, Precision Finding with Apple Watch. As long as you have an Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, or newer, you can now use Precision Finding with it to locate an item. If you have an Apple Watch Series 11 or Apple Watch Ultra 3, this technology will work from 1.5x further away, as both devices have the U2 chip.

What’s interesting about this feature is that Apple already offered the ability to locate an iPhone 16 or newer by using an Apple Watch Series 9 or Apple Watch Ultra 2 or newer, and it’s now expanding a similar feature to the Apple Watch.

While using Precision Finding with your iPhone sometimes can be more convenient than on the Watch, having the same experience on your wrist can bring some peace of mind when you don’t have your phone nearby, or you’re just going to the bakery with your watch and keys. However, using Precision Finding with the second-generation AirTag is a bit tricky, as you need to add each AirTag to the Control Center, instead of going directly to the Find My Items app. 

Louder Speaker

Apple says the second-generation AirTag speaker is 50% louder than the one in the original model. Besides that, the new model makes a different sound. While most people won’t realize there’s a difference between the two, it’s interesting that Apple tweaked it on the new item tracker.

In my experience, it’s really noticeable how loud the new model is, and it’s great for when you have other things on top of your item. That said, the Precision Finding + louder sound makes it even easier to find your AirTag at home or when you’re close to it.

Besides that, it’s important to note that Apple made a new internal design for the item tracker to accommodate the new speaker. Rumors previously suggested Apple would make it harder for people to remove the AirTag’s speaker, but we still need to wait for iFixit or someone to disassemble it, so we can understand how impactful this new internal design actually is. If the rumor is correct, Apple was also able to improve users’ privacy, as even though the iPhone can tell when an unknown AirTag is being carried with you, these modified versions wouldn’t let the item tracker chime in, as it does when it stays too long away from a known device.

Improved Reset Process

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Finally, the last important thing that changed with the new AirTag is the reset process. The original model required you to remove and insert the battery a few times before it would completely reset. The new version needs you to wait five seconds between inserting and detaching the battery, and you might have to wait up to 12 seconds before you hear the final tone.

While the process of opening up the AirTag remains the same by just twisting its bottom part, Apple now makes resetting the item tracker more intentional, as you need to wait a few seconds before continuing the process.

Besides all of these features, Apple promotes that the new AirTag continues to have all the great features from the previous model, including the ability to share item location with others and over 50 participating airlines. The company also continues to use the same CR2032 coin cell battery that lasts for over a year, and another slight tweak from the original mode is that the bottom side of the AirTag now has text all in capital letters to mention IP67 resistance, NFC, and Find My support. You can also customize the AirTag, like I did, with a custom, free engraving.

Should you buy the second generation AirTag?

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While everything in tech seems to be getting more expensive, it’s kind of impressive that Apple continues to offer the AirTag for $29, or a pack of four for $99. What actually surprised me is that Apple only offers a single keychain accessory, which is the FineWoven Keychain. With the original release, Apple had a few different accessories so you could hold your item tracker.

Even though it’s unfortunate that Apple still requires users to buy an accessory to an accessory, the AirTag market is a lot more solid, and there are several cheaper third-party options available.

Whether you’ve been willing to upgrade your AirTag pack with newer models or you just want to add extra units to your collection, I think the second-generation AirTag can be a great purchase if you have some of the latest iPhones and Apple Watches, as the increased range and louder speakers can truly make a difference in your everyday usage. After all, you should forget about your AirTags until you need to open Find My and locate an item you misplaced. Then, at this time, you’ll really be pleased with these extra improvements.

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A distinct wave of voice phishing (vishing) attacks attributed to the notorious ShinyHunters hacking collective is spreading fast, with defenders urged to be on their guard following breaches affecting at least three major organisations so far.

The campaign appears to involve custom vishing kits targeting Google, Microsoft and Okta environments – as Okta itself warned last week – and may have already ensnared business intelligence specialist Crunchbase, music streaming platform SoundCloud, and financial planning and investment firm Betterment.

Charles Carmakal, chief technology officer at Google Cloud’s Mandiant, is among those following the campaign as it develops.

“Mandiant is tracking a new, ongoing ShinyHunters-branded campaign using evolved vishing techniques to successfully compromise SSO [single sign-on] credentials from victim organisations, and enrol threat actor controlled devices into victim MFA solutions,” he told Computer Weekly via email.

“This is an active and ongoing campaign,” said Carmakal. “After gaining initial access, these actors pivot into SaaS [software as a service] environments to exfiltrate sensitive data. An actor that identifies as ShinyHunters has approached some of the victim organisations with an extortion demand.

“While this is not the result of a security vulnerability in vendors’ products or infrastructure, we strongly recommend moving toward phishing-resistant MFA [multi-factor authentication], such as FIDO2 security keys or passkeys where possible,” he said.

“These protections are resistant to social engineering attacks in ways that push-based or SMS authentication are not. Administrators should also implement strict app authorisation policies and monitor logs for anomalous API [application programming interface] activity or unauthorised device enrolments.”

Researchers at the Sophos Counter Threat Unit (CTU) told our sister title, Cybersecurity Dive, that they had been tracking about 150 hacker-controlled domains used in the campaign, most of which seem to have been created in December 2025.

CTU threat intel director Rafe Pilling said he was unable to confirm if all of those domains had been used, but noted that the attackers appeared to be using them to create target-specific phishing websites, often impersonating authentication providers, including Okta.

Victims speak out

Crunchbase has already confirmed that hackers stole and leaked a 402MB compressed archive after failing to extort its victim, but that day-to-day operations were not affected, and it has otherwise fully contained the breach. It is working with the US authorities on its investigation, and is reviewing the leaked data to determine if it needs to legally notify any users.

Separately, SoundCloud and Betterment have also disclosed data breaches. SoundCloud, which was breached in December 2025, said the intrusion took the form of unauthorised activity in an ancillary service dashboard – although its notification makes no mention of social engineering or vishing as its source. It said the compromised data took the form of email addresses and publicly available information posted on about 20% of SoundCloud user profiles.

Betterment, meanwhile, said it detected a breach on 9 January, when “an unauthorised individual gained access to certain Betterment systems through social engineering” against its marketing and operations teams. The attackers used their access to send a fraudulent cryptocurrency-related message to some customers, all of whom have been notified.

Adaptive vishing

In Okta’s advisory, the supplier warned that threat actors are rapidly iterating custom vishing kits to meet the specific needs of their social engineering staff.

Such kits – which likely evolved from the same lineage – are “sold” on an as-a-service basis and designed not only to intercept an unwitting victim’s credentials, but also to provide their users with the supporting, on-the-fly context they need to get their targets to approve MFA challenges or take other actions as needed.

For example, Okta said, they could be adapted to control what pages are presented in the user’s web browser to sync to the caller’s script.

“Once you get into the driver’s seat of one of these tools, you can immediately see why we are observing higher volumes of voice-based social engineering,” said Moussa Diallo, threat researcher at Okta Threat Intelligence.

“Using these kits, an attacker on the phone to a targeted user can control the authentication flow as that user interacts with credential phishing pages,” he said. “They can control what pages the target sees in their browser in perfect synchronisation with the instructions they are providing on the call.

“The threat actor can use this synchronisation to defeat any form of MFA that is not phishing-resistant,” said Diallo.

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Noting that demand for a resourceful and transformational leader of the global LPWAN ecosystem has “been on the market’s wish list for years”, Massive internet of things (MIoT) network operator Netmore Group has taken control of low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) solutions provider Actility.

Actility is one of the co-inventors of technology based on the LoRaWAN specification, operating in unlicensed radio frequency bands and is known for its long-range capabilities (up to 15 km in rural areas), low-power consumption and the ability to connect a large number of devices to a single network. A founding member of the LoRa Alliance, the company regards itself as a leader in industrial-grade LPWAN connectivity and IoT tracking solutions.

Actility’s ThingPark platform, which supports multi-radio connectivity standards – such as LoRaWAN, NB-IoT and LTE-M – powers many public networks and numerous private and enterprise networks worldwide. Through its Abeeway subsidiary, Actility offers patented ultra-low power, multi-radio trackers and indoor and outdoor geolocation services.

Assessing what the move could mean for his company, Actility CEO Olivier Hersent regarded joining Netmore Group as a transformative step for Actility, its customers and the market.

“Our shared commitment to advancing IoT innovation creates a unique opportunity to power some of the most advanced IoT solutions globally,” he said. “Through our close alignment on values, culture and commitment to service, we can accelerate adoption across industries, enabling operators and enterprises to unlock the full potential of connected ecosystems. Together, we will make LoRaWAN the default infrastructure for massive IoT.”

By combining Actility’s multi-technology mediation capabilities with its carrier-grade network expertise, Netmore claims that is creating a “powerhouse” for scalable and reliable IoT connectivity solutions, unifying the global LoRaWAN ecosystem and turning years of market fragmentation into “a new world of connections”.

Netmore believes that the transaction will lead to synergies across commercial markets, and that this transaction strengthens Netmore’s leadership in its primary vertical segments – including utilities, buildings and smart cities – while expanding reach into the enterprise, industrial, asset tracking and operator sectors.

Actility is said to be able to bring Netmore thousands of LoRaWAN project deployments across more than 100 countries, partnerships with more than 50 LoRaWAN network operators, and a customer base that includes tier-1 operators and global utility and manufacturing leaders. Contracted IoT devices now under Netmore management total more than 14 million.

Other additions to Netmore’s offerings include on-premise, high-availability LPWAN network infrastructure for regulated or security-sensitive environments; native DLMS (Device Language Message Specification) over LoRaWAN for smart metering; autonomous all-in-one gateways with embedded network server and direct BACnet/Modbus connectivity, enabling Building Management systems (BMS) expansion; LoRaWAN Relay functionality that enhances reach and fulfilling SLAs in challenging environments, which could be a game-changer for water metering; and firmware broadcast and firmware update tools that allows customers to match the upcoming EU Cybersecurity Resilience Act (CRA).

The move also creates a ThingPark Exchange (TEX) roaming hub that allows private and public networks to exchange sensor data and expand coverage, bringing an open ecosystem for network roaming and partnerships with operators including KPN, Swisscom and Orange.

Commenting on the acquisition, Etienne Robert, head of unified communications, network and IoT integration of Orange Business, which operates one of the largest public LoRaWAN networks powered by ThingPark, said: “As a long-standing strategic partner…we welcome this exciting milestone for Actility and Netmore. For Orange, the acquisition supports the continued operation of our LoRaWAN-based enterprise and smart-territory solutions and it maintains a solid partnership for the delivery of IoT projects. We see this consolidation as very positive news for the entire European IoT ecosystem.”

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A survey from Wakefield Research for Informatica has found that organisations expect to partner with seven tech providers to support their data management priorities in 2026.

Along with having to organise multiple data management providers, the poll of 600 data leaders reported that those companies that have adopted generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) say they expect they will be working with eight IT providers, while those deploying agentic AI anticipate they will need nine.

The survey suggests that some organisations are opting for multiple partners for more practical reasons, such as perceived cost-effectiveness (41%) or to meet the specific requirements of their organisation (41%).

Looking at regional difference, data leaders in the US say cost-effectiveness is more likely to be a reason for companies to use multiple IT providers (48%) compared with those located in the Asia-Pacific region (36%). The UK and European Union falls in the middle at 40%.

According to Informatica, using multiple IT providers for data and AI management increases risk. It believes that the multi-supplier approach suggested by the survey results is just a temporary trend.

As companies develop the skills to do more of their own AI development – combined with industry consolidation of tools and platforms – Informatica believes there will be less reliance on using multiple data management software providers in the future, which it claimed would improve the total cost of ownership of an organisation’s data management strategy.

Among European data leaders, the survey found that 85% of European businesses are increasing their data management investments in 2026, with 23% expecting to significantly increase their spend. The top drivers for this are: upskilling employees to improve data and AI fluency (44%); improving data privacy and security (44%); and enhancing data and AI governance (44%). Businesses in the UK have a heightened appetite to improve data literacy, with 49% planning to invest in this area.

When asked about their AI readiness, more than three-quarters (77%) of European businesses say their company’s AI visibility and governance has not kept pace with employee use of AI technology.

There also appears to be a lack of data and AI literacy. Data leaders believe the majority of employees trust “most” or “all” of the data that their organisations are using for AI. However, 96% believe that employees need more data or AI literacy training to use AI or its outputs responsibly. In fact, 82% say their employees need more data literacy training, and 71% feel there is a need to improve employees’ AI literacy training.

“The promise of AI is immense, but so are the risks if you don’t have confidence in a reliable data foundation,” said Krish Vitaldevara, chief product officer at Informatica. “Although employees generally trust the data used for AI, many are lacking in data and AI literacy skills, and organisations lack underlying AI governance structures for achieving the responsible and ethical outcomes they desire. This poses significant risk exposure and hurts confidence in AI initiatives.” 
 
He added that organisations need to prioritise data reliability, invest in rigorous AI governance and upskill their workforce to help ensure their AI-driven decision-making is based on trusted, high-quality data.

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The embedded subscriber identity module (eSIM) market has gained momentum over the past two years or so.Now, two research studies from Juniper Research and CCS Insight have confirmed this trend, adding that the internet of things (IoT) arena is ripe for eSIM, especially in connected logistics, oil and gas, and smart street lighting in 2026.

Juniper Research’s eSIMs and iSIMs market 2025-2030 report predicted that the number of IoT devices using eSIMs will grow by 30% in 2026, rising from 1.2 billion in 2025.

Looking at drivers for the market, Juniper Research highlighted the GSMA’s eSIM IoT Architecture and Requirements SGP.32 specification, launched in 2025. This is the global mobile trade association’s eSIM standard for IoT that enables scalable, server‑driven remote SIM provisioning. It is designed to offer benefits such as bulk activation, reduced operational costs and greater flexibility to switch connectivity providers.

Juniper believes that as the standard gains traction across the IoT market, connected logistics, oil and gas, and smart street lighting will be the fastest-growing IoT eSIM sectors in 2026. In turn, the analyst believes that these industries will benefit the most from the standard in 2026, contributing a combined 75 million new eSIM connections.

Yet despite its optimism, Juniper noted several challenges for eSIM platforms, the biggest of which is pivoting away from pull models (in which the device pulls a single profile to it) to a push model where profiles are pushed to multiple devices at the same time. Juniper Research urges these platforms to develop their own push model to serve enterprise eSIM users as adoption among enterprise IoT users proliferates.

“Enterprise users demand a completely different set of requirements, most notably a server-driven approach that enables centralised orchestration of deployments,” said Ardit Ballhysa, senior research analyst at Juniper Research. “For enterprise IoT users, it is inefficient to use a pull model to provision so many devices, and eSIM platforms must adapt.”

Meanwhile, CCS Insight found that in the UK there has been a surge in eSIM awareness and users are increasingly deploying the technology to connect to a domestic or international provider.

Across the sample of more than 1,000 respondents, nearly three-quarters said they had heard of eSIM, up from just 27% in 2022. Among these, almost a third used the technology to sign up with a UK provider. iPhone customers were the top users, which CCS Insight said is a reflection said of Apple’s drive for adoption that included the launch of the eSIM-only iPhone Air in 2025.

Almost three-quarter of respondents in the survey are considering using a travel eSIM for their next international trip, including 86% of those who have used one before. The main reasons cited were convenience and saving money.

Assessing the trends revealed in the survey, Kester Mann, CCS Insight director of consumer and connectivity, said the results cemented the “indelible” role of eSIM in people’s journeys to get connected.

“We’ve seen a surge in awareness of eSIM, as well as encouraging intention to use the technology,” he added. “Combined with rising compatibility in smartphones and support from operators, it won’t be long before eSIM becomes the de facto way to sign up to a mobile service.” 

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An E Ink tablet gives you the best of both worlds: the satisfying feel of using pen and paper and the convenience of keeping all your notes in one place. E Ink tablets are best known for offering a distraction-free environment to jot down your notes while providing a paper-like reading and writing experience. Moreover, they minimize the chances of eye strain that comes with looking at regular displays for hours on end, making them a must have for any avid reader. So if you’re done buying physical notebooks and want something that can offer you an almost identical experience but with the added convenience of digital tools, an E Ink tablet is worth getting. 

But E Ink tablets aren’t cheap. You may have to fork out at least $300 to get one, so you certainly have to do your research well to avoid buying a model that doesn’t deliver on its promise or meet your specific needs. Although we’ve reviewed several models, such as the reMarkable Paper Pro Move, we set out to find the best E Ink tablet that online users swear by because user reviews can be a solid metric to base your purchasing decisions on. 

10.2-inch Amazon Kindle Scribe

In our Kindle Scribe review, we loved this device, and unsurprisingly, it stands out as one of the best E Ink tablets based on user reviews — it boasts an excellent 4.4 out of 5 rating from over 3,000 reviews, with 85% of reviewers giving it at least 4 stars. The Kindle Scribe features a 10.2-inch display with 300 pixels per inch that should make text look crisp. However, the Scribe is meant for writing, and Amazon includes its Premium Pen for the job, which doesn’t need to be charged. 

The Scribe comes with a built-in notebook for taking notes with 18 preloaded note-taking templates (and you can download more) to make your work easier when writing. Furthermore, it includes two handy AI-powered features in the built-in notebook: text summary and handwriting to text conversion. The Scribe is also a capable reading device, and Amazon allows you to import your documents to it using the Send to Kindle feature. While reading, the Scribe gives you the ability to annotate documents, and you can even write notes in Kindle eBooks using Active Canvas. 

Many users praise its usefulness when it comes to both reading and writing. Users also say how easy it is to transfer documents to the device and organize notes. However, it’s not perfect. Some say you can’t export notes written in books, and others find it to be bulky. It also lacks built-in speakers for reading text aloud with Amazon’s Assistive Reader feature, forcing you to pair it with a Bluetooth speaker. You can buy the 10.2-inch Kindle Scribe from Amazon with either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of storage for $399.99, $419.99, and $449.99, respectively.

reMarkable 2

The reMarkable 2 is a highly-rated E Ink device by users. As of this writing, the device has earned an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 from over 2,100 reviews, with over 70% of the users giving it a 5-star rating. Priced at $449, this E Ink tablet has a 10.3-inch black and white display and ships with a pen that has a built-in eraser for taking notes, so you don’t have to spend extra for that. What’s even cooler is that reMarkable includes nine spare tips for the pencil. 

For note-taking, reMarkable 2 has a built-in notebook with templates and makes writing easier with useful features like undo, erase, resize, move, and copy and paste. The tablet is built with organization in mind and offers folders and tags to make it easier to organize files and notebooks. Similar to the Kindle Scribe, you can write in PDFs and even convert your handwritten notebooks into typed text. For the latter, reMarkable supports 33 languages. In addition to writing notes with your hand, you can also type on a keyboard if you purchase reMarkable’s $199 Type Folio. 

The reMarkable 2 promises up to two weeks of battery life and charges via USB-C. There’s no app store here to download distracting apps, but you can import web articles or Microsoft Office documents to read or work with in the reMarkable 2. Multiple users say the reMarkable 2 is a great product, and one reviewer says it’s “one of the most life-changing products” that they have bought in a while. However, some say it’s pricey, and others point out that the pen tips must be changed often, which might be a challenge.

reMarkable Paper Pro

As the successor to the reMarkable 2, the Paper Pro delivers some additional niceties for more convenience. So if the reMarkable 2 doesn’t quite feel like the perfect E Ink tablet for you because of its black and white display, the Paper Pro should be better, as it uses a colored display. The display measures 11.8 inches and has a 2160 x 1620 resolution with a front light for night use. The Paper Pro is available on Amazon for $679.99 and includes reMarkable’s so-called Marker Plus pen (with a built-in eraser at the end of the stylus) with six spare tips. 

The company promises up to two weeks of battery life under normal use, which should be more than enough. Weighing slightly over a pound, the Paper Pro is lightweight and easy to carry around. You can write your notes using the stylus, a virtual keyboard, or a physical one (if you purchase the keyboard folio). The Paper Pro also supports the conversion of handwritten notes to text and document annotation. You can bring your files to the Paper Pro, although you can only do so via reMarkable’s app or website. 

For writing, you get the same handy tools available on the reMarkable 2, such as copy and paste, but since it has a color E Ink display, you can write in colors other than black. The Paper Pro has a 4.1 out of 5 rating from over 1,500 user reviews on Amazon. Users say it’s easy to use, lightweight, feels paper-like, makes organizing notes easier, has great battery life, and is a reliable notebook and a game changer. But some feel it’s expensive, and others find the display to be too dark.

Kobo Libra Colour

Kobo’s Libra Colour E Ink tablet is the most affordable option on this list and has one of the highest average ratings of 4.4 out of 5 from close to 3,000 reviews on Amazon. It features a 7-inch colored display with 1264 x 1680 resolution. It also has the smallest display on the list, which is the perfect option if you feel the other options might be tedious for you to handle due to their 10- or 11-inch displays. The only catch with the Libra Colour is that the $229.99 reader doesn’t include a stylus pen out of the box – the Kobo Stylus 2 is sold separately for $70. 

The stylus has a built-in eraser, three pen styles, and supports writing, drawing, and highlighting text in different colors. As an e-reader, the Libra Colour has dedicated page-turn buttons next to the display. Using the Libra Colour, you can highlight and write notes in eBooks and create notes from scratch using the built-in notebook. The Libra Colour is IPX8 rated, meaning it can withstand up to 6.56 feet of water submersion for up to an hour without any damage. Kobo says this tablet can last up to 40 days on a single charge with 30 minutes of reading per day. 

The tablet comes in either black or white, and you get 32GB of storage as standard. Users love it for its long battery life, lightweight profile, user friendliness, customizable reading experience, and the fact that it doesn’t restrict you to a specific book vendor. Some downsides of the Libra Colour are that it’s slow to start, doesn’t support Kindle and Hoopla eBooks, and the software experience could be better.

Kobo Elipsa 2E

The Kobo Elipsa 2E retains the best parts of what Kobo’s E Ink tablets are best known for, including excellent battery life, deep integration with OverDrive and Libby eBook library services, and a customizable reading experience. This one packs a bigger 10.3-inch touchscreen display with 1404 x 1872 resolution, although it’s black and white. Despite the relatively large screen, the Elipsa 2E only weighs 0.84 pounds, so it shouldn’t feel heavy in your hands. In fact, users do say it’s thin and light. And unlike the Libra Color, Kobo ships the reader with the Stylus 2 pen out of the box. 

However, the Kobo Elipsa 2E is slightly more expensive than the Libra Color at $399. The Elipsa 2E also comes with 32GB of storage to store your eBooks and promises up to several weeks of battery life per charge, depending on your usage patterns. You can also annotate eBooks by highlighting, underlining, and even writing in the margins. And if you need space to write your notes, it includes a built-in notebook that has search functionality, making it easy to find keywords or certain notes in your notebooks. 

Like some E Ink tablets, the Elipsa 2E also lets you convert your handwritten notes to typed text. The Kobo Elipsa 2E has earned a 4.0 out of 5 rating from over 450 reviews on Amazon. Users say it’s great for reading, responsive when writing, and has impressive battery life. However, multiple users have raised concerns about its writing functionality, with one saying it doesn’t allow you to adjust the brush size when writing.

How we selected these E Ink tablets

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The main criteria for choosing the best E Ink tablets were to find models that are highly rated with at least an average rating of 4.0 out of 5, and have more than 400 reviews. Of course, based on these two factors alone, our selection tends to favor older products that have been selling for a while and have earned more reviews. 

To do our research, we mainly focused on three of the major e-commerce sites, including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. In addition to that, we also considered what users who reviewed each product said, including the overall user experience and why they thought a given product is worth buying. 

And since no product is perfect, we didn’t shy away from considering the negatives of any given tablet, especially from reviewers who rated each item low, as these reviews are great for pointing out any caveats you should keep in mind before buying a certain item. We’ve listed these products in no particular order.

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed what it describes as a “package of measures” to improve how Google delivers search services in the UK.

Last October, the CMA classified Google search and search advertising with strategic market status (SMS). This designation enables it to consider proportionate, targeted interventions to ensure that general search services are open to effective competition, and that consumers and businesses relying on Google can have confidence that they are treated fairly.

Following on from the SMS designation, the regulator is now looking at how it can ensure the 200,000 UK businesses that spend £10bn a year on Google advertising are treated fairly.

The CMA sees internet search as central to the economy and everyday life. Search engines are increasingly providing AI-generated responses, a development of the search engine giant’s capabilities that the regulator is now focused on. 

In a blog post discussing the proposal, Will Hayter, executive director for digital markets at the CMA, said: “Our goal is to support innovation and growth, ensure people benefit from a high-quality digital experience, deliver fairer outcomes for content publishers and help businesses and consumers make active, informed choices.

Looking at Google’s AI Overview functionality, the CMA has proposed that Google gives publishers a meaningful choice over how their content is used in AI-generated responses within and outside internet searches. The CMA also wants Google to be more transparent about how publisher content feeds into AI-generated responses in search, and how people use these features. In addition, it is calling for proper attribution of publisher content in AI results, along with a clear explanation of how this works.

With regards to the way the Google search engine lists websites in its search results, the CMA has proposed that Google ranks organic results fairly, which, in effect, means it should not favour websites that advertise on Google or have entered other commercial arrangements with Google. The CMA also wants Google to provide more information on how it ranks results, including in AI Overviews and AI Mode. In addition, the CMA is proposing that Google strengthens the complaints processes for ranking issues.

Sarah Cardell, chief executive of the CMA, said: “Today is an important milestone as we consult on the first conduct requirements under the digital markets competition regime in the UK.

“These targeted and proportionate actions would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control over how they interact with Google’s search services – as well as unlocking greater opportunities for innovation across the UK tech sector and broader economy. They would also provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organisations, over how their content is used in Google’s AI Overviews.”

The CMA will be closely following the US Department of Justice’s attempt to curb what has been ruled as anti-competitive practices by Google in the search engine market.

In August 2024, the US District Court for the District of Columbia released a 277-page opinion, concluding that “Google is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly” in violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act. In September, the Justice Department said it would continue to review the opinion to consider its options and next steps regarding seeking relief.

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The Magic Cue feature on the Google Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro is due to get a lot better with Google Wallet and Google Task integration, reports Android Authority. Available for over six months, the new Google Pixel lineup promised an AI revolution with Magic Cue, which could theoretically use AI to suggest certain tasks based on your usage patterns. For instance, if you told someone you’re taking a flight the next day, Magic Cue would automatically fetch your flight details from Gmail and prompt you to send them details like your flight’s timings, flight number, etc. Something that the long-rumored iOS 27 Siri chatbot aims to deliver, too.

However, during the first month of the Pixel 10, it was nearly impossible to use Magic Cue, as it lacked a deeper integration with the Android system. A couple of months later, users started to report that the company finally rolled out a broader experience, as they noticed Magic Cue suggestions throughout the UI. Google says Magic Cue integrates with Gmail, Messages, Calendar, Notes, Screenshots, Contacts, and more. Powered by on-device AI thanks to the Tensor G5 processor, it seems the company is about to announce the next big upgrade for Magic Cue with Wallet and Tasks integration.

Magic Cue keeps expanding its capabilities, and it’s about to get a lot better

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If a Google Pixel 10 owner adds a trip to their calendar, Magic Cue will automatically provide weather information for the location, along with travel suggestions on what to pack, what places to visit, etc. If the integration reported by Android Authority launches soon, Magic Cue will offer support for the Google Wallet, which could help display real-time information about tickets (train, flight, and even cinema) or even help you better understand your spending.

On the other hand, the Google Task integration could mean that Magic Cue can access your to-do list and calendar events to suggest relevant actions based on your schedule. At this moment, it’s unclear when Google plans to integrate both these services with Magic Cue. However, since Telegram user Kieron Quinn was able to find the settings toggle for these two apps within Magic Cue, it’s only natural that the feature might be coming sooner rather than later.

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It’s not a good time to be a Pixel user, especially if you installed Google’s recent January 2026 update.  The update is causing a series of issues, according to a growing number of reports on Reddit and Google’s own forums, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity problems. As 9to5Google reports, the wireless connectivity issues aren’t new, as Pixel users have reported them after the last software update. However, the January Android update is impacting more devices than before, and there’s no fix in sight.

As of this writing, Pixel 10 series devices and the Pixel 8 Pro have been affected. The Pixel 10 series was launched last August, while the Pixel 8 series debuted in 2023. Since the issues appear across multiple Pixel models, a hardware problem isn’t likely to cause these issues. In addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth problems, some Pixel owners have also complained of camera and flashlight issues. Specifically, the camera may not turn on. The Android phone’s flashlight can also fail to turn on, especially if the software sees the non-functioning camera app in use. 

It’s likely that a software patch will fix these issues in the future. Google has not provided specifics, but the company is aware of the problems, according to posts on social media.

What you can do to fix your Pixel

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If you’ve installed the January Android 16 update and are experiencing connectivity issues, there’s not a lot you can do. A Reddit user explained that they’ve tried “every recovery or reset fix” they could think of. They even performed a phone factory reset, while consuming a “heap of mobile data” to restore their Pixel 10 handset. These procedures didn’t work. Google advised the user to take the phone to a technician or mail it to Google. Google users are also reading through Reddit threads and advising users to reach out to the Pixel support teams, pointing users to Google’s support page.

You have some limited options while you wait for an official fix from Google. Losing Wi-Fi access means you will have to rely on mobile data, which should not be a problem for Pixel owners on unlimited data plans. But anyone dealing with data usage caps may have a tougher time until Google fixes the problem. If Bluetooth isn’t available, you won’t be able to connect to wireless earphones, speakers, and other accessories. Buying a pair of cheap wired earphones can be a temporary fix, assuming you get USB-C buds or a USB-C to AUX adapter. 

The camera issues may be just as bad as the lack of Wi-Fi to some users. However, if the camera doesn’t work, there’s little you can do. You may want to try a third-party camera app from the Play Store, but that doesn’t mean that app will work. The flashlight failure might be the least of your problems, but it’s still a nuisance.

Is Google Play Services to blame?

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Some intrepid Pixel users have tried to fix the problem. Pixel 8 Pro owner Julas23 shared a detailed account of their investigation on Google’s forums. After tinkering with their Pixel device, they discovered that the Google Play Services (GMS) might be responsible for the Wi-Fi issues. They were able to fix their Wi-Fi connectivity by uninstalling or disabling “Sandboxed Google Play Services and Fitbit” and clearing the cache. However, this caused a “massive security headache” for the user. With GMS crashing, the push notifications for 2FA authentication failed to reach the device, locking the user out of their Google and Microsoft accounts.

Separately, a Reddit user tried to fix the issue by booting in safe mode and clearing the phone cache, without seeing improvements. They claim they were able to fix the Wi-Fi connectivity problems by downloading the latest public Android build and following specific recommendations. However, they don’t detail their update process so others can attempt to replicate it.

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