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Apple Vision Pro — Apple’s mixed reality headset — seems to have found a good market in medicine, as it’s just made history by being used to perform a cataract surgery. As explained by SightMD, an ophthalmology practitioner in the New England area, Dr. Eric Rosenberg performed the initial procedure in October 2025, and since then, several other cases have been performed using Apple’s new platform. While it only made the news now, Dr. Rosenberg used an app he developed called ScopeXR, which helped him see the surgery in a deep, 3D view, while digital maps of the patient’s body and test results appeared right in front of his eyes.

While surgeons have used the Apple Vision Pro to help perform spinal surgery earlier, it’s impressive that the mixed reality headset, which doesn’t require users to touch any surface to interact with it, continues to be improved for several medical purposes. “What we accomplished in that operating room is something that has never been done before anywhere in the world,” said Dr. Eric Rosenberg. “This isn’t just about a new device; it’s about reimagining what the operating room of the future looks like. We’ve created a platform that makes surgeons safer, smarter, and more connected.”

Inside ScopeXR’s software

Even though Apple Vision Pro is the platform that helped perform this surgery, it was the ScopeXR app — designed for ophthalmic surgery — that made it possible. According to SightMD, the software integrates with other 3D digital surgical microscopes, which gives real-time surgical images on the Vision Pro. The platform is compatible with several surgical systems, and it doesn’t require major infrastructure changes to be widely adopted. This tool also enables real-time collaboration between other doctors and health professionals in real time, which can let other specialists be part of the procedure from anywhere in the world by letting them see what the operating surgeon sees with live microscope feeds, diagnostic data, and with two-way audio support.

“We are now able to bring the world’s best surgeon into any operating room, at any hour, from anywhere on the planet,” said Dr. Rosenberg. “From residents performing their first cases to surgeons facing unexpected complications, this technology democratizes access to expertise, and that will save vision.” Another important feature of this tool is that, in the same way that other doctors and specialists can participate in the surgery, it can also be used by students, residents, and others to observe and learn how to perform those surgeries.

Here’s why Apple Vision Pro is a perfect match for surgeries

Despite these advancements, the Apple Vision Pro is far from being a successful Apple product. Unlike all other devices offered by the company, which are available worldwide, the mixed reality is only available in select regions, and with a hefty price tag of $3,499. Then, there’s the poor battery life and uncomfortable feeling when used for a few hours. Nonetheless, the Apple Vision Pro is a well-crafted product with two high-end micro-OLED displays offering an excellent mixed reality experience. Apple even updated the headset recently, with the M5 Apple Vision Pro offering 10 percent more pixels and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

Apple says its 12 cameras, sensors, and microphones stream images within 12 milliseconds, which is an impressively low latency. The M5 processor, which now powers the Vision Pro, makes apps load faster, in addition to hardware-accelerated ray tracing. The new Neural Engine cores of the M5 chip also make AI features run twice as fast, and the revamped Dual Knit Band makes the heavy headset more comfortable to wear. Since all actions are performed with the eyes, pinch gestures, and voice commands, the headset seems like a natural fit among health professionals.

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A new series is quickly dominating streaming, though some viewers may need a feel-good Netflix show to cheer them up after watching it. If you’re in the mood for a semi-dystopian thriller in the same vein as “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Netflix’s miniseries “Unchosen” may be the right pick for your weekend.

“Unchosen” quickly dominated the charts after releasing on April 21, taking the No. 1 position for shows on Netflix in over 40 countries, including the U.K. and the United States. With a focus on a woman attempting to survive in a repressive community, the drama series takes inspiration from reality without being based on a true story. Nonetheless, its creator still hits audiences with some rather brutal truths about people living in private sects.

With six episodes, each averaging around 45 minutes, “Unchosen” can be knocked out pretty quickly, making it an addictive Netflix series you can finish in a day. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 70% Tomatometer score and a 42% Popcornmeter score. In a review for Metro, critic Sabrina Barr states, “‘Unchosen’ demonstrated how important it is to look beyond the surface, delving deep until you discover what’s really bubbling underneath.”

Unchosen is a must-watch on Netflix

Written and created by Julie Gearey, “Unchosen” is set around a conservative cult led by Christians known as The Fellowship of the Divine. With “Doctor Who’s” Christopher Eccleston acting as the leader of the group, those within the sect are hidden away from the rest of the world, known as “the unchosen.” With limited access to technology, women are required to obey the men within the group, who have free rein to do as they please.

The story focuses on Rosie (Molly Windsor), a wife and mother who encounters an escaped convict by the name of Sam (Fra Fee). From there, Sam joins the cult, and Rosie begins her journey toward freedom and personal liberation. Along with Eccleston, Fee, and Windsor, the miniseries also stars Asa Butterfield, Siobhan Finneran, and Alexa Davies, among others. Like other shows on Netflix, you may not be able to stop after the first episode.

What makes “Unchosen” interesting is that Gearey interviewed several former cult members for the series, as she explains in an article for Netflix’s Tudum. She found many through online communities. Through her research, Gearey also learned that over 2,000 cults continue operations within the United Kingdom. You can find “Unchosen” streaming on Netflix, though it’s currently up in the air whether the series will get a second season. No spoilers, but the first season ends conclusively, so don’t worry about a cliffhanger should it not return.

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Apple paved the way for ultra-thin tablets with the iPad Pro a few years ago, and now other companies are starting to follow suit. The latest of those is Honor with the new Honor MagicPad4. The new tablet has an incredibly thin build, a high-end chipset, and an OLED screen on the front.

Those things alone aren’t necessarily enough to make for a great tablet. Android tablets are notorious for lacking software refinement, and while some of this has gotten better over the past few years, you’d be hard pressed to argue that Android is as good on tablets as iPadOS. That’s not to mention the fact that Apple has started shipping its laptop-class chips in its higher-end tablets, making them perform better than ever before.

Does Honor do enough with the Honor MagicPad4 to get around these issues, or should you consider a different Android tablet instead? I’ve been using the Honor MagicPad4 to find out.

Design

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At 4.8mm thick (not counting the camera bump) and 450g, Honor is calling this the world’s thinnest Android tablet, and that tracks. It’s very thin — thinner than the iPad Pro, which is saying something. I use an iPad Pro regularly, and the ultra-thin form factor wasn’t quite as mind-blowing for me as it might be for someone coming from a thicker device — but that’s just because of the novelty of it. It’s still very impressive to hold.

The build quality is good too. Overall, the MagicPad4 feels refined and premium. It has flat edges, like pretty much every new phone and tablet these days, and it comes in a few different metallic finishes. I have the gray model, and it looks nice.

The buttons and ports are more or less where you would expect them to be. There’s a power button on the left side (or top, depending on orientation), USB-C port on the bottom (or right) edge, and a front-facing camera positioned along the top when you’re holding it in landscape. That’s the ideal placement.

The bezels are very thin too, and they look great. But there’s a practical trade-off — super-thin bezels on a tablet make it hard to hold the device without accidentally triggering touch inputs on the screen. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s a recurring minor annoyance, and you’ll have to get used to holding it in a way that you don’t unintentionally tap the screen.

Overall, design is a clear win here. It’s portable, it’s premium, and it feels great. Whether anyone actually needs a tablet this thin is another conversation, but Honor has proven it can build one.

Display

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The MagicPad4 features a 12.3-inch OLED panel with a 3:2 aspect ratio, running at 3000 × 1920 resolution (roughly 3K) with 290 PPI. That’s a shift from the MagicPad 3, which had a larger 13.3-inch LCD screen. The size reduction might sound like a downgrade on paper, but the jump from LCD to OLED more than makes up for it — you’re getting dramatically better contrast, deeper blacks, and richer colors.

Peak brightness hits 2,400 nits in HDR, which is easily bright enough for any indoor scenario and handles direct sunlight reasonably well, even if it doesn’t quite match the peak figures on Honor’s latest phones (though that’s an unfairly high bar to set).

The 165Hz refresh rate is higher than what most competing tablets offer, and while I’d argue the difference between 120Hz and 165Hz is subtle enough that most people won’t notice it day to day, scrolling and animations do feel very smooth. It’s probably unnecessary for productivity work, but for gaming or simply enjoying a buttery interface, it’s a nice bonus. In daily use, the display looks excellent. Colors are vibrant, text looks crisp, and it hits the marks you want from a premium tablet.

Keyboard

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Honor sells a dedicated smart keyboard with an integrated trackpad as a separate purchase, and it’s a solid if slightly imperfect companion to the MagicPad4. The keys offer good travel despite the thin profile, and typing for extended periods feels comfortable and responsive. The trackpad works well too — it’s generally smooth and does the job.

The stand mechanism is highly adjustable, and it’s sturdy enough. That said, the hinge feels a little fragile in practice. The way the keyboard folds and attaches to the tablet seems like something that could wear over time. It’s not flimsy, exactly, but it doesn’t inspire the same confidence as, say, Apple’s Magic Keyboard.

That said, if you’re planning to use the MagicPad4 as a laptop replacement for lighter work, the keyboard gets the job done. It won’t replace a proper laptop keyboard for typists, but for its intended purpose, it’s more than adequate.

Performance

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The Honor MagicPad4 runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 built on a 3nm process, paired with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on configuration. This isn’t the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite variant, so you’re not getting the absolute best silicon Qualcomm makes. But in practice, the performance difference is small for productivity workloads.

Day to day, the MagicPad4 handled everything I threw at it without breaking a sweat. Heavy multitasking across numerous apps, split-screen productivity, and media playback all run smoothly with no stutters or freezes. The tablet also handled sustained workflow pretty easily without getting overly hot, which is impressive given how thin the build is.

All that said, the iPad Pro with Apple’s M-series chip still outperforms the MagicPad4 in pretty much every measurable way — though it’s also a fair bit more expensive. For the vast majority of users, the MagicPad4 still offers more than enough when it comes to performance.

Battery and charging

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The MagicPad4 boasts a 10,100mAh silicon-carbon battery, which delivers solid but not groundbreaking endurance. In my experience, it’ll comfortably get most productivity users through a full workday of mixed use. If you’re a power user, you might find yourself reaching for the charger by late afternoon. This is almost certainly a direct consequence of that ultra-thin 4.8mm design.

When you do need to charge, 66W Honor SuperCharge support via USB-C fills the battery reasonably quickly. It’s faster than what many competing tablets offer, though it doesn’t hit the blistering speeds Honor and others achieve on some of their phones. For a tablet you’ll typically charge overnight or during lunch, the speed is more than adequate.

Camera

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The MagicPad4 comes with a 13-megapixel rear camera, alongside a 9-megapixel fixed-focus front camera at f/2.2. Let’s be honest — tablet cameras exist primarily for video calls and the occasional document scan, and that’s about it. Nobody is choosing a tablet based on its camera system, and nobody should be.

Given that, the cameras here are fine. The rear camera produces images that are sharp enough but lean toward the dull side for color and dynamic range — perfectly serviceable for scanning whiteboards or snapping reference photos, but you won’t be replacing your phone for anything creative. The front camera, benefiting from that smart top-edge placement in landscape mode, works well enough for video calls with decent quality and exposure.

Software

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The MagicPad4 ships with MagicOS 10 based on Android 16, and Honor has committed to six years of OS and security updates — something that puts it in line with the industry’s best update policies. More importantly, the actual software experience on this tablet is genuinely good, which isn’t something you can always say about Android on bigger screens.

The standout here is PC Mode, which gives the interface a desktop-like environment with a taskbar, floating windows, mouse support, and more. It works pretty well, especially once you get used to the layout and how the multitasking system works. The tablet supports up to 20 simultaneously active windows, giving you real flexibility in organizing your workspace.

Honor Connect deserves a mention too — it enables cross-device connectivity and even lets the tablet function as an extended display for a Mac, which is a clever way to appeal to users who aren’t fully locked into one ecosystem. It’s similar to the feature on iPad but, you know, not on an iPad.

Honor has adopted a Liquid Glass-style design language that looks pretty similar to Apple’s implementation. It looks decent, and it’s quite customizable — you can tweak the appearance to your preferences.

Conclusions

The Honor MagicPad4 is a great tablet. It’s beautifully built, impressively thin, and packs enough power to handle anything a reasonable user would throw at it. The OLED display is gorgeous, the software experience is surprisingly competent, and the keyboard accessory makes it a viable productivity machine. It can’t quite compete with the iPad Pro though — Apple’s combination of superior silicon, a better tablet OS, and a deeper app ecosystem still puts it in a different league. But if you’re committed to Android or simply want a premium tablet that isn’t an iPad, the MagicPad4 is one of the best options you can buy today.

The competition

The MagicPad4’s core differentiators come down to its extreme 4.8mm thinness, the 165Hz OLED display, a comprehensive and actually functional PC Mode, and AI tools focused on genuine productivity scenarios like meetings rather than empty gimmicks. Against Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S series, I find the MagicPad4 more compelling overall. It’s better designed, performs comparably or better, and offers a more thoughtful software experience for productivity users.

That said, if raw ecosystem support and app optimization are what matter most to you, the iPad Pro remains king. But taken as a complete package, the Honor MagicPad4 punches well above its brand recognition in Western markets.

Should I buy the Honor MagicPad4?

Yes, if you’re looking for a well-built, premium Android tablet.

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Microsoft has published the earliest-discovered version of the DOS operating system on an open-source GitHub repo. This comes after MS-DOS 1.25 and 2.x were open-sourced in 2018 and the source for MS-DOS 4.0 was released in 2024. The version being published in 2026 actually predates the MS-DOS branding — it’s 86-DOS 1.00, and the release was timed to coincide with the software’s 45th anniversary. That naming disparity hints at the fact that Microsoft didn’t write MS-DOS entirely on its own — rather, it purchased the rights to 86-DOS (which was originally called “QD-DOS,” for “Quick and Dirty”) and hired its creator, Tim Paterson, in the process.

After purchasing the rights to 86-DOS, Microsoft rebranded the software and MS-DOS was born in July 1981. That became the basis of PC DOS 1.0, which Microsoft adapted for the IBM Personal Computer 5150 that debuted in August 1981. Microsoft would then go on to license MS-DOS to other IBM-compatible PC makers like Compaq and Zenith. These versions of DOS (disk operating system) are what came before Windows, and until Windows XP, served as the brains behind the operation. Windows would effectively run on top of MS-DOS or PC DOS, acting as a graphical user interface for the system’s functions, rather than requiring the use of the command line.

According to Scott Hanselman, who helped release these ancient operating systems for anyone to tinker with, the “earliest DOS source code” was found in Paterson’s garage. These printouts had handwritten notes scrawled over them, giving a snapshot of how development worked in the ’80s, long before Microsoft features started to become invasive. You could, in theory, rewrite all of this in assembly code and produce your own version of DOS.

86-DOS 1.00 helped kick off DOS domination

The legacy of 86-DOS 1.00 cannot be overstated. So many of the office machines that ruled the ’80s would eventually adopt one of its derivatives: PC DOS on IBM-branded machines, or MS-DOS on computers marketed as “IBM-compatible.” Ultimately, the latter became the more common disk operating system — even IBM itself ended up using MS-DOS in some capacity, despite having OS/2 and PC DOS.

Shortly after version 1.00, 86-DOS 1.10 added support for the EXE executable format. Following Microsoft’s acquisition, the software was rebranded as MS-DOS 1.10, and the first release to not feature any “86” branding (MS-DOS 1.25) debuted in June 1982, adding the ability to use double-sided disks. By March 1983, MS-DOS 1.25 was superseded by MS-DOS 2.0, which brought about a groundbreaking concept still in use today: installable device drivers.

Those into PC gaming who remember using MS-DOS would have likely used a much later version. DOOM, released in 1993, would have been played on MS-DOS 6.0, which was released the same year. Starting with Windows 95, however, MS-DOS began to take a back seat. With prior versions, MS-DOS had served as the OS, while Windows was a GUI running on top of it. Windows 95 started taking some of the operating system-level responsibilities into its own hands, and Windows 98 took things further. The final version of MS-DOS, 8.0, came bundled with Windows Me, but by the release of Windows XP in 2001, MS-DOS was no more.

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Netflix has announced a big redesign for its mobile app, unveiling a new “Clips” feature that will remind users of TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and every other social media app that offers a feed of short-form vertical videos that users can keep scrolling for entertainment purposes. Netflix isn’t looking to replace TikTok with the new Clips feature, but it is competing for users’ attention in those moments when quick social media scrolling might scratch an itch that the regular mobile Netflix experience can’t. Netflix addressed that point at the start of the press release announcing the new feature: “Whether you’re on your lunch break, commuting, or waiting for your next flight, Netflix on your phone is always with you.” The new Clips feature is an “exciting first step towards evolving mobile for members,” according to Netflix.

Netflix also put the mobile app redesign on par with last year’s redesign of the Netflix TV app, an experience that some users criticized at launch. However, Netflix thinks “the same focus on simplicity and delight” is going to work for the mobile experience, at least for content discovery. The purpose of the vertical video feed in the new Clips section is to help users find new content to watch, and it may have some value. Rather than endless scrolling in the regular Netflix app, on mobile, PC, or desktop, a highly personalized feed of clips may be more helpful.

Importantly, the Clips section will not offer users endless scrolling like TikTok and Instagram do. That’s something Netflix addressed in the press release, suggesting a limited number of videos will appear at any time in the Clips section.

When will Clips be available?

The new mobile experience will be available beginning April 30, 2026, in several markets, including the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and South Africa. Users in those markets may need to update the Netflix mobile app to start seeing the vertical video feed. The rest of the world will get access to Clips in the coming months. Initially, the Clips section will show videos from movies, TV shows, and specials. Netflix said that videos from podcasts and live programming will be available later. Also, specific Collections based on genres may be featured in the Clips section (as seen in the image below).

As for the personalization features, Netflix said that the vertical videos that will appear in the Clips section will be based on the user’s preferences. This suggests that the Clips feed will be different for all users, rather than showing the same reel of trailer-like clips. There’s no indication that the Clips section will feature ads, but considering Netflix’s focus on personalization, that might happen in the future. “Our vision is to make our mobile experience as entertaining as what you watch, delivering increasingly personalized, immersive experiences for any mood or moment,” Netflix’s Chief Product and Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone said in a statement. “This is just the beginning.”

Since the Clips feature competes with TikTok vertical videos and other social media apps for user attention, it’ll also have a somewhat similar interface, with buttons placed on the right side of the vertical video, including buttons for adding titles to the user’s list and discovering new content. A Share feature is also available, letting users send clips from their favorite shows to friends and followers. It’s unclear how the followers feature would work, however.

Clips isn’t exactly a surprise

Longtime Netflix users and investors may not find the Clips feature surprising. Netflix explored vertical videos in the past, such as with the Fast Laughs feature. The company also launched a Netflix Moments feature in 2024 that allowed users to highlight specific scenes from Netflix shows and share them with friends. More importantly, the company started testing a TikTok-style vertical feed in the Netflix mobile app in May 2025. In January 2026, Greg Peters mentioned the pilot, hinting that Netflix was already seeing it as a success, and that plans for more vertical video content were in the works. In mid-April, Netflix said in a letter to shareholders that the updated mobile experience, including a vertical video feed feature, would be launched by the end of the month.

The focus on vertical video is limited to the Clips section, which aims to boost content discovery. That means subscribers will still have to consume long-form Netflix content in landscape mode on their mobile devices, not portrait mode. The vertical video format is restricted to the Clips feature.

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Apple TV is no stranger to producing some primo content. With shows like “Severance” and “Ted Lasso” under its belt, the service is also home to the Academy Award-winning movie “Coda,” among other critically celebrated hits. However, fans of the horror-comedy genre may have been longing for something new to binge — especially after Drew Barrymore’s “Santa Clarita Diet” was canceled too soon — and an emerging series on Apple TV is winning the approval of critics and audiences.

For anyone interested in a terrifyingly entertaining time, the new series “Widow’s Bay” is showing promise. So far, the 10-episode series is off to a rather impressive start in terms of reviews, as it currently holds a 100% Tomatometer score and a 93% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. Only a couple of episodes of Season 1 are currently available, meaning you may need to check our recommendations if you want an Apple TV miniseries you can finish in a day.

In a review for the Tech Advisor, critic David Opie says “Assuming that an old-timey curse doesn’t come along and spill everything, we might just have the next big hit from Apple TV on our hands. It’s a classic in the making.” Of course, if critics and the internet aren’t enough motivation to give it a watch, know that series creator Katie Dippold is no slouch in Hollywood, as she has writing credits for shows like “Parks and Recreation” and “The Heat,” if that helps give you an idea of what you’re in for.

Widow’s Bay is a horrifyingly fun time on Apple TV

While not super predominant on the platform, there is horror content to be found on Apple TV. In fact, the first terrifying offering from the service was M. Night Shyamalan’s 4-season series “Servant,” which did take on some dark comedy elements from time to time. Naturally, there’s also plenty of corporate-horror and thrills in the previously mentioned “Severance” as well. However, the company’s latest series aims to make you laugh just as often as it makes you scream.

Following a small island town off the New England coast of the same name, “Widow’s Bay” centers on the story of Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys). Longing to bring some vitality to the townspeople’s poor living conditions (no Wi-Fi!), Mayor Loftis does his best to appease his constituents despite being convinced the island is under a curse. While the mayor slowly begins bringing tourists to the island, it turns out the locals of Widow’s Bay were right to be worried, as the superstitious stories plaguing the island soon become a reality.

Along with Rhys, “Widow’s Bay” also stars Stephen Root, Kate O’Flynn, Kingston Rumi Southwick, Dale Dickey, and Kevin Carroll. The series currently has its first three episodes streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes arriving each Wednesday until June 17. While things look rather promising for the series so far, we’re hoping “Widow’s Bay” becomes an Apple TV show you can binge again and again — but for now, we’ll just have to wait and see.

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For those with a Google TV-powered television or a standalone device like the Google TV Streamer, your experience is about to include some more doomscrolling. With Google now having a larger focus on its artificial intelligence assistant Gemini, the company is delivering even more tools to users, with the most impactful addition being the inclusion of a new “Short videos for you” section directly on the Google TV home screen. Now, users will be able to easily scroll through collections of YouTube Shorts, though Google is also bringing some additional changes. 

According to a Google blog post, along with the new feed, the company is also bringing generative AI photo and video tools to the platform. Now, users will be able to generate images and video clips directly from their TV. Along with these features, there will also be the ability to search through a Google Photos library and add additional elements to located images. While some of these features are already beginning to roll out, those looking for the new Shorts feature should expect it later this year. 

The news follows Google’s introduction of artificial intelligence features to its TV platform in January, including Google Photos support and new Gemini features for Google TV. Though the new generative AI features introduced for Google TV will have some novelty appeal, it will be interesting to see how users react to the new row of short-form videos being added directly to their home screen.

Google brings more Gemini features to Google TV

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Along with users being able to scroll through a collection of “snackable videos” primarily arriving from YouTube Shorts on their Google TV home screen, the wording in the company’s blog post suggests this will be a starting point for content, with the possibility that more will arrive in the future. Additionally, Google states that the new feature will begin rolling out to those in the U.S. this summer. 

The company is also bringing Nano Banana and Veo photo and video editing tools to Google TV, providing users with options to build new media from scratch based on prompts or to add additional elements to existing pictures. Those in the U.S. with a TCL Google TV that has Gemini enabled may already be able to take advantage of these tools, which may grow into the type of hidden features every Google TV user needs to know. For those that have access to the feature, you can start prompting by navigating to the Gemini tab on your device and choosing Create.

Lastly, additional image options are also arriving, including the ability to search through your Google Photos library using Gemini. Once you’ve found a photo, you’ll then have options like the ability to create a dynamic slideshow or tweak the image using Google Photos Remix, a feature that allows users to bring a new twist to an old shot. Both search and Remix are coming to devices in the U.S. that feature Gemini, whereas slideshows will be available at some point globally.

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Sci-Fi fans are having a good time, with shows like “Severance,” “Resident Alien,” and “Pluribus.” This genre has given them seasons of television that have captured the minds of many by pushing the boundaries of human imagination. Some managed to end their run, but left fans without a true sense of closure. Others ended abruptly due to factors beyond the creators’ control, such as declining viewership, budget constraints, and studio interference. While many have disappeared into the ether, others have continued in a form that is free from the constraints of the TV format: comics.

Comic books give creators of canceled shows a chance to flex their imagination even more. They don’t have to worry about things like big budgets, special effects that may not age well, and locking in actors for the next few years. They are gifts to fans for sure, but they can also present the uncompromised vision of the showrunners. These shows include the early years of a young Man of Steel, a beloved cheerleading vampire slayer, and a cult-classic space western. 

All these found a home in the comic book fandom and have told stories that often expand the lore, instead of just being distant tie-ins. With TV show reboots all the rage these days, you can only hope they have a chance to come back. But even if they don’t, at least you have a way to catch up with them and see how certain cliffhangers or lingering questions were resolved.

Invader Zim

“Invader Zim” was a NickToon that debuted on Nickelodeon in 2001. It centers on the titular character, Zim, who belongs to the Irken Empire, a race of conquering bug-like aliens from the planet Irk. His leaders find Zim annoying since he is such a screw-up, and they send him to Earth just to get him out of the way. They hope he fails and never returns, but Zim is so determined to succeed. While on Earth, he disguises himself as a human child and even attends school. But only one person in his class, Dib, can see through his disguise. The problem is that everyone thinks he’s crazy.

The series is all about Zim learning about the human race in order to conquer it, while Dib tries to stop him. For a kids’ show, “Invader Zim” earned a cult following for its dark and gritty humor. It ran until 2006, but it had such a troubled production cycle that it only had two seasons. It was canceled due to low ratings since the target audience was just not watching it. Zim would return in 2015 in comic book form, which had a monthly run that ended in 2020. It has 50 issues in total, but the comic book as a whole ended in 2021 with a one-shot — a single issue that tells a stand-alone story.

Smallville

“Smallville” is about a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling), who would grow up to become Superman. Despite Clark only becoming The Man of Steel for a brief moment in the series finale, characters from the comic books made an appearance earlier than they should have, including Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Supergirl, Bizarro, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. It also introduced new characters, such as Clark’s best friends, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross, and Lex’s father, Lionel Luthor. It was a lore-breaking show, but an enjoyable one, considering it lasted 10 seasons.

Just when fans thought the story of “Smallville” was done, season 11 was announced by DC Comics in early 2012. The first issue dropped digitally on April 12, 2012, picking up six months where the show left off, with Clark trying to figure out what being Superman is all about. The digital chapters of “Smallville” season 11 were released weekly for the majority of its run, from 2012 to 2014. It had 69 chapters in total, but the story was continued through 47 more chapters in a mini-series. There were 19 print issues in total.

To the surprise of fans, Tom Welling would briefly reprise his role of Clark Kent in the “Arrowverse” on the CW. He played a version of Clark that gave up his Superman powers in the crossover event “Crisis on Infinite Earths.”

Jericho

“Jericho” was an intriguing post-apocalyptic series that aired on CBS in 2006 for two seasons. The story centers around Jericho, a fictional small town in Kansas, where its residents are trying to rebuild life after a devastating nuclear strike isolates it from the rest of the world. It focuses on the lives of a core group of characters after seeing the mushroom cloud from the nuclear strike that hit Denver, Colorado. The intrigue that made the show a cult hit stems from its strong cast of characters and its mix of shifting power dynamics, the establishment of a local government, and uncovering the mystery behind who attacked the U.S.

The show was canceled in 2007 due to low ratings, but a massive fan campaign brought it back for a second season. When ratings remained low, CBS pulled the plug permanently, but that wasn’t the end of “Jericho.” “Jericho Season 3: Civil War,” published by IDW Publishing, was a direct continuation of the series, and it was written by the original writers of the TV show. It ran from 2009 to 2011 and consisted of six issues. Then came “Jericho Season 4,” which ran from 2012 to 2013 for five more issues.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was originally a 1992 movie that flipped the script of the monster chasing the girl to be the other way around. In the movie, cheerleader Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson) discovers she is a chosen warrior known as the Slayer, with superhuman physical abilities like enhanced strength and sharper reflexes, for the purpose of killing vampires. The movie was a flop, but the writer, Joss Whedon, didn’t give up on the concept.

Whedon felt his original vision was butchered by studio involvement, turning the movie into a comedy. Instead of using the movie as a prequel, he wrote a show that was darker, grittier, and would serve as a fresh start. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” premiered on The WB in 1997, with Buffy being played by Sarah Michelle Gellar. She transferred to Sunnydale High in California, a school that happens to sit on top of a Hellmouth, a supernatural portal that attracts all sorts of evil, including vampires, demons, and witches, that she must stop with the help of her friends.

The show ran for seven seasons, but Dark Horse Comics picked it up for an eighth season, which ran from 2007 to 2011 and had 40 issues. It’s a direct sequel to the TV show and was written by Whedon and several other writers. There was a “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” reboot in the works at Hulu, with Gellar set to return (without Whedon’s involvement). Sadly, Hulu passed on it.

Firefly

“Firefly” was another Joss Whedon show that was prematurely canceled. The show is a space western that stars Nathan Fillion as Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds, the captain of a small ship called the Serenity. The show didn’t have any world-ending stakes, just Mal and his crew of renegades doing what it takes to survive in the dangerous parts of the galaxy that have been ravaged by a universal civil war years earlier. At the same time, they must avoid warring factions, with the most feared being the flesh-eating Reavers. Naturally, the crew also has frequent run-ins with the authorities.

The show debuted on the Fox network in 2002, but low ratings and high production costs led to this sci-fi show being canceled after one season. “Firefly” would become a cult hit, and fans would have a chance to go on one more adventure with the crew in the movie “Serenity,” released in 2005. Dark Horse Comics would then release “Serenity” comics from 2005 to 2017, which started out as prequels to the movie and follow-ups to the TV show, but would later continue the story beyond the movie. 

Boom Studios Comics would also release “Firefly” comics in 2018, with some being prequels and others continuing after the “Serenity” movie. In 2026, Nathan Fillion announced that “Firefly” would be returning as an animated TV show. The series is a prequel to “Serenity” and will feature the entire cast of the original show reprising their roles.

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Smartphones are an integral part of almost everyone’s lives. We use them to stay in touch with one another just as much as we use them for entertainment. However, without a mobile network, a smartphone is little more than an expensive flashlight. Currently, 5G is the fastest network type that is widely available, but China is experimenting with the next iteration. And it is already a huge improvement over 5G.

Recently, China began testing what officials hope will become its first 6G network. This “pre-6G” trial network is built off the skeleton of a pre-existing 5G framework but is allegedly 10 times faster than its predecessor. The test took place in Nanjing, a major city in the Jiangsu Province, but it didn’t just show off the burgeoning technology’s speed — it also demonstrated features such as extremely high bandwidth, lower latency, and AI integration. It’s unclear how AI was implemented in the cellular network, however.

While the test was promising, 6G networks are nowhere near ready for the general public. Engineers don’t expect to finalize system specifications and capabilities until 2028 at the earliest. However, China is funding a $485 million investment into 6G technologies and their associated applications and talent, so don’t be surprised if the release build of 6G zooms past the recent pre-6G test network’s speeds.

6G networks could finally give us holographic communication

If we are being blunt, we can’t wait for 6G. This technology could revolutionize the communication industry if the speeds it displayed in the pre-6G network test are any indication. But connecting to websites and downloading apps faster only scratches the surface of 6G’s capabilities.

During the network test, engineers conducted verifications regarding 6G’s application in numerous fields. These included low-altitude inspections, industrial manufacturing, and even holographic communications. This last one is of particular interest, as in 2024, scientists developed an antenna that used 6G signals and made holograms a hypothetically viable communication method. If you thought using apps like Zoom to video chat with coworkers was impressive, imagine talking to a small holographic projection of them. That would be every “Star Wars” fan’s dream come true.

6G could also completely upend the transportation industry. Earlier this year, reports surfaced that Chinese engineers were developing a “smart surface” that could draw energy from 6G radar waves. With the power coursing through 6G signals, this technology hypothetically could give anything using this material all the fuel it could ever need. While this technology is intended for jets, imagine EVs built with the smart surface. Sure, you could probably only drive them in major cities with 6G networks, but they would never need to recharge or refuel. A small price to pay.

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Aftermarket roof racks are one of the most common attachable car accessories, and projections from Market Research Future indicate that the market for roof racks will grow from $1.747 billion to $2.909 billion by 2035. But if you have a roof rack attached to your electric vehicle, it is undeniably affecting your battery range. This is because a roof rack increases the frontal surface area of your vehicle, which also increases the amount of wind drag your car has to overcome while traveling down the road.

Experiments have shown that an empty roof rack reduces a gasoline-powered car’s fuel efficiency by up to 12%. Of course, roof racks are often used to carry bulky objects like bicycles, storage boxes, and outdoor recreational gear, and mounting these types of objects on your roof could reduce efficiency by 30% or more.

Electric vehicles are far more fuel-efficient than gasoline-powered cars. The best electric vehicles convert up to 95% of their stored energy into mechanical power, while a gasoline car only converts up to 30% of its chemical energy into motion. The aerodynamics of wind drag are the same for either type of car, but you’ll actually notice its effects much more starkly if you’re driving an EV. The average EV battery range of 2026 model-year EVs is 325 miles. So if an empty roof rack is causing you to lose 12% from your 95% efficient EV battery, your car’s range may decrease by more than 35 miles per charge. Similarly, a full roof rack could cause you to lose more than 90 miles in range.

How to improve EV battery range while using a roof rack

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The best way to extend your EV battery range is to simply detach your roof rack while it’s not in use. If that’s not an option, though, there are a few other ways to extend your electric vehicle’s range. If you’re going on a long trip with a bicycle or a roof box mounted on top of your vehicle, preserve your battery range by properly inflating your tires, keeping the windows rolled up, and making smart use of regenerative braking features.

Keep in mind that some EVs exceeded their advertised range in Consumer Reports’ tests. That’s why it’s not always a good idea to reference your car’s advertised range. When you want to see exactly how much a common car accessory is affecting your energy efficiency, try to conduct your own tests or rely on expert testers like those at CR. If you plan to use a roof rack on a regular basis, it’s definitely better to have an EV that exceeds its advertised range, rather than one that falls short.

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