Considering it’s very possible to drive an F1 car into a wall at 200mph and authentically feel all the unpleasant sensations that go with it, that’s not necessarily very appealing. So what if you could experience the next best thing? Earlier this year, F1 and Playseat teamed up to release an F1 driver endorsed cockpit simulator. But that went for over £2000 – a steep ask even for a wannabe Lewis Hamilton. But this new Playseat simulator is the closest you can get to driving an F1 car for just over £500.

Playseat has birthed this lightweight cockpit that claims to deliver an immersive, realistic racing experience. But for much less than £2000. It’s designed to mimic the authentic F1 racing position to a tee. Whether you’re a professional racer or an enthusiast, this simulator is said to offer the authenticity, comfort, and precision needed to make your F1 racing dreams come true.

The seat comes decked out with modular fabric padding and Modufoam technology for customisable lower back and shoulder support. It ensures you stay comfy during marathon F1 racing sessions. The patented aluminium X-Adapt quick-release system means your steering wheel is securely fastened but easily adjustable. Plus, the customisation options for angle, height, and length are as extensive as they come, so you can tweak your setup to perfection.

And it doesn’t stop there. Stability is key in high-octane racing, and the reinforced frame design delivers professional-grade braking and overall control. You’ll hit every apex with precision. The fully adjustable pedal plate and patented adjustment systems mean this F1 cockpit is versatile enough to accommodate racers of all ages and sizes. And when you’re done burning rubber, its lightweight structure and clever design make for easy storage. So it won’t dominate your living room when you’re not on the virtual track.

The Playseat Formula Instinct – F1 Edition will be hitting the shelves in late July, priced at a rather tempting £549. So, if you’re itching to channel your inner Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen, this sim might be your chance.

The best new smartphones are redefining what we expect from our pocket-sized companions. This year’s crop of cutting-edge mobiles boasts jaw-dropping features that will leave even the most tech-savvy users impressed.

We’ve rounded up the latest and greatest smartphones below (including some yet to hit the shelves). There’s a bit of everything —from cameraphones that rival dedicated snappers, to handsets designed for those seeking a digital detox. Whatever your preference, we’ve got you covered.

The Boring Phone

It’s 2002. Avril Lavigne deals with complications. Tom Cruise catches criminals with psychic precognition. Four years have passed since Opal Fruits were rebranded to Starburst, and you’re still bitter. You whip out your flip phone, bash out a T9 predictive text SMS (complete with homemade ASCII art) and go about your day.

This is what the Boring Phone encapsulates: a new flip phone harking back to those days, it’s the perfect retro-fuelled companion for anyone seeking to break free from the constant distractions of smartphones and social media. With its monochrome display and limited functions, it strips away all unnecessary features, apps, and 3am doomscrolling, leaving only calls, text messages and a basic 0.3MP camera.

Huawei Pura 70 Ultra

Huawei Pura 70 Ultra The Pura 70 Ultra makes its case with a 1in camera sensor that, combined with a variable aperture, promises to capture moving objects with unbeatable detail. Huawei reckons it can crisply capture a car speeding past at 185mph, which is as specific as it is impressive. Still np Play Store though…

ZTE Nubia Music

This is a bold smartphone that’s gone all-in on audio… speaker audio, to be precise. Yes, really. That giant perforated circle on the back? It’s a driver that’s apparently capable of reaching volumes up to 600% louder than traditional phones. It’s not subtle, this one.

Moondrop MIAD01

Moondrop’s smartphone won’t win spec fiends over with its mid-range MediaTek processor. And that’s OK. Its main focus is providing exceptional sound quality, courtesy of a dual Cirrus Logic DAC and two headphone ports: 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm.

Vivo X Fold3

The X Fold3 claims the title of world’s lightest book-style foldable, coming in at a mere 219g. Anyone who’s ever carted around a hefty folding handset will appreciate that… but build aside, it’s packing a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, three 50MP cameras and water-resistance to IPX4.

Samsung Galaxy A55

Want a budget price tag (sort of) but not a budget brand? Say hello to the Galaxy A55. Aiming to bring flagship design and features to the mid-range world, it packs a 6.6in 120Hz AMOLED, a 5000mAh battery and 25W charging. Not bad – and there’s a triple-camera array on the back.

Blackview Hero 10

Is this the world’s most powerful flip phone? No. But it’s set to be the most affordable, paving the way for more wallet-rescuers. Before you know it, everyone from zoomers to grannies will be rocking origami handsets… and the specs here are decent, with a 6.9in display, 4000mAh battery and sub-200g weight.

Polestar Phone

The 90 Smart is a budget-friendly smartphone that punches well above its weight. Despite the low price it has a massive 5330mAh battery, a 108MP camera and a generous 6.8in display. With impressive battery life and 35W charging, it’s a no-qualms recommendation at this money.

The newest British streaming service is officially here. Freely launched on Hisense TVs in April, and will be available across selected brands’ new TV sets in the coming months.

The service aims to streamline on-demand TV and live public service channels into one, easy-to-navigate service, without an aerial. It’s essentially the online streaming version of Freeview. It comes from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, and will stream each broadcaster’s programming live – with more channels set to follow. If you’ve not had access to live TV in a spare room up to now because you lacked an aerial connection, this might be solution.

It’s still early days and the initial offering will expand with extra features later down the line. But for now, here’s everything we know about Freely.

What is Freely?

Freely is a streamlined, online-only way to watch live and catch-up content from British public service channels through your TV. Freeview does this at present via an aerial, while Freesat does it over a satellite signal. Freeview Play adds on-demand programmes. Freely will do the same, only via your internet connection.

The service essentially pools together BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5’s live channels, plus their streaming services, into one handy electronic programme guide (EPG). Currently, if you’re watching Bake Off live through All 4 but want to switch over to BBC iPlayer, you’ll need to navigate from one app to another. Freely will streamline that annoying process by providing access to a single, consistent experience for both live free-to-air TV and catch-up content.

Viewers will be able to seamlessly browse channels through a revamped programme guide, and can search and explore new shows directly from live TV.

How can I get Freely?

Freely will come built into new TVs sold in the UK, similar to how current models ship with Freeview. Dispense and Vestel (the manufacturer behind TV brands including Toshiba, Bush, and JVC) were first to confirm they were on board; the former’s entire 2024 line-up of 4K sets, updated for the new model generation in May 2024, now include Freely. It will also be the native guide on Vestel TVs for at least the next five years.

Sharp, Panasonic and Metz joined the Freely train in June 2024, with each brand’s respective 2024 models set to get the streaming service; they are set to start rolling out over the next few months.

Other TV brands will likely follow later. If you can buy a TV today with Freeview Play built-in, the expectation is that brand will have a Freely offering in the next few years – though Freeview Play isn’t being retired.

What can I watch through Freely?

Freely is being developed by Everyone TV, which runs free TV in the UK and is jointly owned by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. At launch you’ll be able to watch those broadcasters’ live channels, as well as all their on-demand content. Other channels are expected to follow suit later, including UKTV and Sky News.

If you plug your TV into an aerial, other free-to-air channels that you’d otherwise access through Freeview will also appear in the Freely TV guide. You just won’t be able to pause live TV while watching them, or access any sort of catch-up offerings directly through the EPG.

What features does Freely have?

At launch, Freely has three main elements: a Browse screen, which suggests live and on-demand programmes from Britain’s leading broadcasters; A TV Guide, with seven-day forward functionality; and a Mini Guide interface that pops up each time you switch live channels. There’s also a Search function, for finding specific shows.

The Browse menu includes shortcuts to the five main terrestrial channels, as well as each broadcaster’s native on-demand app. These are the same versions you’ll have on your existing TV or streaming device. Scroll down and you’ll see top picks from each broadcaster. Choose one and you’ll be taken straight to the content. It was quick to load and navigate through on the Hisense TV we tried; according to the firm the UI was developed to run well on entry-level TVs as well as top-end ones.

The TV guide is a comprehensive planner for the next seven days, with episode descriptions and images representing each show. There’s currently no backwards planner for past broadcasts, so if you’ve missed something live you’ll need to find it using the dedicated Search function. It’s possible previous days will be visible after an update later down the line; Freely reps also said setting reminders for upcoming programmes is a feature they’d like added eventually too.

When watching free-to-air channels, the Mini Guide shows the currently playing show and how long it has left to run, plus what’s coming up next (and at what time). There are shortcuts for activating subtitles and audio description where supported. You’re able to pause live TV for up to 15 minutes, and restart the current programme via catch-up (where the service supports it, anyway). Pressing the Info & episodes button then displays previous episodes – with an option jump straight into them through the relevant catch-up service.

Search is currently onscreen text input only, with voice support on the wish list. It suggests potential matches before you’re finished typing, based on what’s proving popular across all the available channels. Typing B-L instantly suggested BBC crime drama Blue Lights and children’s TV show Bluey, for example.

All the demos we’ve seen so far have been on Hisense TVs. Freely is the default TV guide here, opening when you press the dedicated Freely button as well as the Guide button. It appears as its own app on Hisense’s VIDAA smart TV interface, alongside BBC iPlayer and the like. The integration goes further, though, with its own carousel entry showing live TV channels, and content appearing in the TV’s top-level search results. How other manufacturers integrate Freely into their TVs remains to be seen.

The Freely UI is minimal, clearly labelled and very easy to navigate. There are still a few features we’d like to see added, but at launch it already looks like a much more coherent way to get between live and catch-up content across multiple broadcasters. If you’re one of the four million (and counting) UK households that don’t watch TV through an aerial or satellite, it’s definitely worth looking out for Freely support when buying your next TV.

Will it replace iPlayer or ITVX, for example?

Freely isn’t a replacement for existing streaming services – it’s simply a way of getting to your content from a single location, whether it’s live or on demand. Using the Freely TV guide to watch a programme on catch-up will open the relevant service – for example BBC iPlayer, ITVX, All 4 or My5. All four will continue to work as normal, and be available through your TV’s smart home interface.

When will it launch?

Freely is available right now on Hisense and Bush TVs. The first sets officially went on sale at the start of May 2024. Other Vestel-built TVs are set to follow soon, with Panasonic, Sharp and Metz sets due before the end of the year. Other manufacturers are expected to follow later, though no further brands are confirmed at the time of writing.

Whether or not you believe anyone over a certain age when they say everything was better in the old days, there’s no question retro and throwback design are all the rage right now. That’s especially true in speaker land, where there are more vintage-looking wireless speakers than modern ones. The Edifier D32 is the latest to go old-school, with a hand-made wooden housing ripped right from the 60s.

Launching in Black (which is really a dark walnut) and white (which looks more like cream to my eyes), the D32’s braided fabric grille and gold trim has real old-timey charm. This tabletop speaker’s cabinet has also been given an acoustic treatment to strip out unwanted resonance.

There are two 1in silk dome tweeters, a 4in mid-low driver and dual bass reflex ports at the rear, powered by 60W of Class D amplification. Edifier reckons the combo is good for a wide 52Hz – 40kHz frequency range, which is enough to earn Hi-Res Audio certification.

It has dual-band Wi-Fi on board for AirPlay 2 streaming from your Apple gadgets, along with Bluetooth 5.3 from everything else. SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs are supported, plus ALAC when in AirPlay mode. LDAC streaming means the D32 also gets the Hi-Res Audio Wireless seal of approval, while multipoint connectivity lets you connect two devices at once. USB and auxiliary inputs handle your wired kit.

Edifier’s ConneX mobile app lets you tweak EQ using a bunch of pre-sets, or your own custom configuration using a six-band slider. Finally, the built-in battery pack means you can move it around the house for up to 11 hours of listening between charges.

Just about the only thing missing is a built-in voice assistant – but given the price I don’t think that’s a major omission. Music lovers with an eye for design can able to bag an Edifier D32 for $180/£190.

On-device and generative AI are still fresh to the phone world, and (aside from a few exceptions) are mostly limited to flagship phones. That’s not the case for the new Oppo Reno12 and Reno12 Pro, which are heading to Europe at sensible prices to compete with the best mid-range smartphones.

The duo will launch at €499 and €599 respectively. They’ll be taking on the likes of the Google Pixel 8a and Honor 200 Pro with triple lens camera systems, big batteries with rapid wired charging, and large AMOLED displays – but it’s the AI additions that make them stand out.

Best Face – Oppo’s take on Google’s Best Take, which looks through multiple shots and swaps out faces so none of your subjects are blinking or looking away from the lens – and AI eraser – which can delete background distractions from your photos with a tap – sound familiar.

The big addition is AI Studio, which can create generative AI portraits of your subjects from a single snap. You pick from several styles, rather than write your own prompt, and the heavy lifting is likely done on a server somewhere rather than your phone – but I’m pretty sure this is the first time this sort of tech has come baked in to a smartphone.

On the hardware front it’s the Oppo Reno12 Pro that leads the way, with tougher Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 glass protecting its 6.7in AMOLED screen. That’s a first at this price point, according to Oppo. The glass curves slightly at all four edges, and sits over a 2412×1080 panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1200 nits peak brightness. It’ll display HDR10+ content, too.

There’s a 50MP main camera at the rear, with an f/1.8 aperture, omni-directional phase-detect autofocus, and optical image stabilisation (OIS). A 50MP telephoto is good for 2x optical zoom, with up to 20x hybrid zoom on tap. There’s also an 8MP ultrawide, plus a 50MP selfie camera (with PDAF) up front.

Power comes from a Dimensity 7300-Energy chipset, which MediaTek has tweaked specifically for the Reno series. Exp[ect up to 12GB of RAM and as much as 512GB of storage. There’s also a 5000mAh battery that should manage all-day use between charges, which can be at up to 80W using an Oppo Supervooc adapter. It’s running Android 14 out of the box and should get three three new software generations over its lifespan.

The Oppo Reno12 Pro’s polycarbonate frame is IP65 dust and water resistant, and can be had in Nebula Black (a mix of matte and glossy black) or Nebula silver (a subtle silver-to-purple blend) colours. There’s an in-display fingerprint sensor and even a microSD card clot.

Colours and cameras are the two main areas the more affordable Reno12 differs from the Pro. It can be had in Black Brown or Astro Silver hues, and is the first phone to use Gorilla Glass 7i to protect its display. It also keeps the IP65 weather resistance.

The 50MP main camera sticks around, but the ultrawide drops to an 8MP unit, and the telephoto has been ditched in favour of a 2MP macro camera with 4cm focus distance. I’m not a big fan of these, given a good ultrawide with autofocus can usually do a better job – even at this price. The selfie cam up front gets a 32MP sensor, but keeps its autofocus abilities.

The Reno12 Pro goes on sale through the Oppo web store on the 28th of June for £499 in Nebula Silver and Nebula Black. Early birds with an existing handset to trade in can get a £100 bonus. The Reno12 will follow in mid-August.

Panerai, a watch brand renowned for its work in luminescence, has once again pushed the boundary when it comes to telling the time in low-light environments. Drawing from its rich history, Panerai has introduced the Submersible Elux LAB-ID ‘PAM01800’ which boasts a fully mechanical movement that can power electric lights on the dial.

It’s very impressive stuff – mixing the artistry and tradition of watchmaking with the latest technology and advancements.

The story begins with Elux, a technology patented on June 15, 1966. Elux, short for ‘elettroluminescenza’ or electroluminescence, represented a significant leap in lighting technology. These panels, free from radioactive substances and incredibly durable, provided a reliable and energy-efficient light source for various applications, including naval instruments for the Italian Navy.

Fast forward to today, and Panerai’s Laboratorio di Idee has harnessed this retro technique to create the Submersible Elux LAB-ID PAM01800.

So how does it work, I hear you asking. Instead of a battery powering everything, this watch uses the mechanical movement to power the light.

The watch features a groundbreaking mechanical system with four dedicated energy-storing barrels. These power a microgenerator that converts mechanical energy into electricity, illuminating the watch’s indicators.

Encased in a Ti-CeramitechTM case (that’s ceramised titanium, if you didn’t know, and the process which also gives the case its distinctive blue hue) the watch is both incredibly light and remarkably strong. It’s able to withstand high pressure and thermal stress, water-resistant up to 50 bar (500 meters).

The dial includes a Power Light reserve indicator and a seconds indicator at the 9 o’clock position, with the bezel featuring patented illumination technology.

With only 150 pieces available, released in batches of 50 per year over three years, this watch is a true collector’s item. The Paneri Elux LAB-ID is available now for £76,800.

The Polaroid 600 is already a retro classic: the boxy instant camera hit the scene in 1981 and quickly became an icon. But design studio Retrospekt thought it deserved a true throwback glow-up. The limited-edition InstantArt Polaroid takes inspiration from pixelated ’80s and ’90s computer graphics, along with a colour scheme that wouldn’t look out of place at a roller disco or rave.

The collection includes three different colourways, comprised of hot pinks, electric blues and vivd yellows – a far cry from the original Polaroid 600’s basic black finish. Geometric patterns and a set of pixel-art-style symbol stickers complete the look.

Each one is based on authentic Polaroid 600 components, refurbished in-house by Retrospekt, and uses newly moulded plastic shells. The firm is no stranger to pre-loved tech, and has released several Polaroid collabs in the past – but this is the first that wouldn’t look out of place in the Saved By the Bell intro credits.

“With InstantArt, we wanted to create a fun little throwback to those early days of digital art and its enduring influence on visual culture,” Retrospekt Creative Director Michael Kempen said. “These cameras celebrate the joy, quirkiness and unmistakable style that defined an entire generation’s first exposure to the computer as a creative tool.”

Even the packaging gets the retro treatment, looking like a box of shrink-wrapped software before CD case sizes became standardised.

Naturally the camera shoots on Polaroid 600 film, which is now readily available directly from Polaroid in colour and monochrome options. Each pack is good for eight shots, and will set you back around $20/£19.

Camera collectors will need to move fast if they want an InstantArt Polaroid; most of the run will be sold in Asia as an exclusive retail partnership, with the remaining units available through the Retrospekt website. US shoppers can expect to pay $179 each.

With 2024 all but certain to be the final year of the Nintendo Switch, its maker will want its phenomenally successful hybrid console to go out with a bang, and after the June 2024 Nintendo Direct, we know a fair bit more about what that bang will look like.

Ahead of the Direct presentation, Nintendo warned players that the Switch successor would not be making an appearance at the summer Nintendo Direct, with a reveal confirmed by the company to take place at some point before April 2025. And it turns out we’ll have plenty to keep us occupied until the next Nintendo console arrives.

The slate for the rest of 2024 and beyond is, as expected, peppered with more remasters and remakes, but Nintendo did have a few very exciting surprises in store, too. We’ve rounded up all the highlights and trailers below, and you can watch the whole thing here if you like.

1. Mario & Luigi: Brothership

The twilight years of Switch are also turning out to be something of a golden age for Mario RPGs. Not content with sprucing up old classics Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door in the last 12 months, Nintendo is also giving us a brand new entry in the Mario & Luigi series – the first all new one in nine years, which opened the Direct in style. 

The equally moustachioed brothers are off on another adventure, this one of the seafaring variety, with familiar Mushroom Kingdom faces expected to appear throughout. Gameplay involves controlling both Mario and Luigi as they explore Shipshape Island (part ship, part island, according to Nintendo), and in the turn-based battles, in which you use timed button presses to pull off their patented team-up Bros. Moves. More recent Mario RPGs have become more streamlined, simple affairs, which hasn’t always gone down well with hardcore fans. We’re looking forward to seeing how this one turns out later this year. 

Due: 7 November

2. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

For the first time since the series’ introduction in 1986, a Zelda game (we’re not counting spin-offs or Smash Bros. here) will let you play as the titular princess herself. Just as Peach starred in her own entirely Mario-less adventure earlier this year, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is giving Link the day off. That is, if you count being abruptly sucked into a rift as having a day off. 

With the famous Master Sword-wielder and other Hyrule residents missing, it falls on the Princess and her new fairy companion, Fi, to save the day. Unlike Link, who tends to get the job done with his aforementioned magic sword and various other weapons and tools, Zelda uses a staff called the Tri Rod to create “echoes” of things she finds in the environment. This can be used for exploration – wave the Tri Rod at a table and you’ll be able to place climbable tables in the environment – and in combat, where you’ll be be able to create echoes of monsters to fight for you.

With a toy-like art style reminiscent of the excellent The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake, Echoes of Wisdom looks set to be a standout game in what we thought would be a year off for the Zelda series. And it’s out pretty soon.

Due: 26 September

3. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

It’s real! And it’s (apparently) out in 2025! After years of no-shows in what has felt like countless Nintendo Direct presentations, Metroid Prime 4 finally made an appearance in the June Direct, and it even has a name. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will see everyone’s favourite badass and not particularly chatty bounty hunter head off on another dangerous adventure in space. Scanning, shooting, rolling: you know the drill. 

The re-reveal wasn’t a comprehensive one, but we did see some gameplay and heard plenty of those oh-so satisfying Metroid-y sounds. There’s a little tease of what appears to be the game’s villain too. Nintendo is officially saying that Metroid Prime: Beyond is coming to Switch in 2025, but we do wonder if it might also be a launch title for the as-yet unannounced Switch successor. Either way, we can’t wait.

Due: 2025

4. Nintendo Switch Online additions

Metroid Prime 4 wasn’t the only treat for fans of the series in the June Nintendo Direct. The beloved Game Boy Advance remake of the very first 2D game, Metroid: Zero Mission is being added to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service today, along with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Four Swords, complete with online multiplayer. 

And after Xbox showed off its long-awaited Perfect Dark reboot during Summer Game Fest, the original N64 game joins the Expansion Pack tier, alongside fellow “Mature” outing from the same era, Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. Lots to enjoy for retro FPS lovers. 

Due: Out now

5. Super Mario Party Jamboree

The Mario Party series has been one of Nintendo’s most prolific in the Switch era, and we’re getting another new entry later this year. Super Mario Party Jamboree sees the party-loving plumber and his pals head off to a new island resort to compete in the largest selection of minigames (110) in the series to date. Some of those will feature motion controls. Sorry Switch Lite owners.

There are five new game boards, with two from previous entries making a return, and while like all Mario Party games, Jamboree will no doubt be at its best with a group of friends in tow, there’s also a 20-player head-to-head online mode called Kooplathon. It all amounts to the biggest Mario Party game to date.

Due: 17 October

6. Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake 

Teased earlier in the year, this remake of Square Enix’s classic RPG is the latest game to receive an HD-2D glow-up, and it looks very pretty indeed. While the core experience will be the same fantasy adventure about a hero and his companions saving the world from the Demon Lord Baramos, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake will feature an expanded narrative and modernised turn-based combat. 

As what is chronologically the first game in the series, this remake will be the first of three, with Dragon Quest I and II HD-2D arriving in 2025 to round out the Erdrick Trilogy. 

Due: 14 November

7. Everything else

We got another look at already announced upcoming Switch games, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition,  Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD and Lego Horizon Adventures, basketball is being added to Nintendo Switch Sports later in the summer, and we’re also getting a decidedly unexpected Looney Tunes sports game in the autumn, called Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports. Donkey Kong Country Returns will return once again in January 2025, with an HD remaster for Switch following up the original Wii game and its 3D-toting 3DS port. New DK game soon please, Nintendo?

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game (coming later this year) is a life sim about living as a Hobbit that isn’t ordered to save the world, while cosy game fans will also be happy to learn that the Apple Arcade game, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, will meow its way onto Switch next year. Cat fans can also look forward to a Switch port of the cat adventure game, Stray, which hits Nintendo’s console later in 2024. 

When it comes to tablets, the screen is usually the star attraction – but so often these displays are a let-down, difficult to see in bright sunlight due to their glossy reflectivity and, for stylus users, unnatural to draw on. Slick, shiny screens just can’t reproduce that feeling of sketching on a pad of paper or reading a book outdoors on a glorious day.

That’s why the Huawei MatePad 11.5” S PaperMatte is so exciting. It’s the first tablet to feature a new-generation Huawei PaperMatte display, which sports a textured surface that cuts down ambient light reflections and, when used in tandem with Huawei’s new 3rd Generation M-Pencil, brilliantly replicates the feel of drawing or writing on paper. With its 3:2 aspect ratio, ultra-sharp 2.8K resolution and fast, fluid refresh rate of 144Hz, the screen is also perfect for productivity.

No more glare

This PaperMatte display is Huawei’s first to organically combine nanoscale anti-glare etching technology with a nanoscale magnetron optical coating. That’s just in the first layer of the screen, though – there’s also multi-layer diffusion technology and other proprietary tech tweaks that, when combined, reduce the screen surface reflectivity down to under 2%. That means 99% of light interference is removed, with the result being a screen that retains its vibrancy and contrast in any environment.

Even outdoors in direct sunshine, you can watch videos, play games or read on the MatePad 11.5” S PaperMatte without glare putting the dampers on your enjoyment or increasing eye strain.

For readers seeking a paper-like experience, Huawei has engineered Colour eBook mode. When engaged on the tablet, this uses a proprietary algorithm to adjust screen brightness, hue and colour temperature. The result is an image that’s ideal for newspapers or comic books, replicating the look of soft colours printed on paper.

Pleasingly paper-like

But the paper-like experience doesn’t begin and end with the image on the MatePad 11.5” S PaperMatte  – it’s also in the very texture of the screen. When you’re drawing or writing using a stylus, the nanostructures etched into the display’s surface create a gentle resistant micro-vibration reminiscent of writing on paper. It’s subtle, but very pleasing.

And in the new M-Pencil (3rd Generation), Huawei has created the perfect stylus for writing, drawing and note-taking. Ultra-responsive thanks to its low-latency NearLink technology and the world’s first stylus with over 10,000 levels of pressure sensitivity, it can perceive the tiniest changes in force to create lines of differing thickness; you’ll hardly believe you’re holding a stylus and tablet rather than a pencil and paper.

Stylus-friendly software

The tablet comes with some fantastic software to make the most of its stylus functionality, too. Huawei Notes has been upgraded with new capabilities like Note Replay: during a meeting, jotting down the main points will allow you to return to your notes later, then tap a particular note to play back audio from that part of the meeting. Huawei’s GoPaint is a brand-new and free pro-level digital painting app created in conjunction with experts from fine arts academies and comes with a fast compositing, rendering and efficient use of storage – all with the purpose of lowering latency, minimising resource strain and raising the number of layers a file can contain. The result is a feature-rich, responsive painting experience ideal for professional creatives.

The Huawei MatePad 11.5” S PaperMatte is on sale now for £449.99 (with Inbox keyboard) or £349.99 (tablet only). And there’s a special introductory to take advantage of: order the £449.99 Inbox keyboard edition from the UK Huawei Store before 2 July and you’ll get a free 3rd Generation M-Pencil included for free; or order the £349.99 tablet-only edition and get a free cover.

Fed up of breaking out the magnifying glass to enjoy the photos your instant camera spits out? That’s not an issue for the Fujifilm Instax Wide 400: this fresh-faced take on a point-and-shoot classic uses Instax Wide film, which is twice the size of a standard Instax print.

The camera replaces the venerable Instax Wide 300, which has been doing the rounds for a decade now. It brings a bunch of helpful additions and a pared-back design – but it remains about twice the size of Fuji’s more compact Instax offerings. There’s just one colour on offer now: sage green, which neatly compliments the Instax Mini 12‘s pastel hues.

New additions include a self-timer, with an LED countdown that gives a twelve second window to get yourself in the frame. The bundled strap now comes with two plastic chocks that can prop up the camera at an angle, saving you from lugging a tripod around with you.

Like before, you can choose from two focus ranges (there’s no autofocus), while a clip-on attachment lets you shoot close-ups from as little as 40cm away. It also has a built-in mirror to help selfie snappers avoid lopping off any heads with their framing.

Automatic exposure and flash control should make impromptu snaps a little more consistent than a more manual instant camera, whether you’re outdoors or in low-lit interior environments.

The Fujifilm Instax Wide 400 goes on sale on July 12, for $150/£130. Twin packs of Instax Wide film (which contain 10 shots each) should set you back around $20/£17.

A refreshed Instax Mini Liplay is also on the way. The hybrid instant camera finally gains USB-C charging – meaning you’ll have one less gadget to keep those old micro-USB cables around for – and firmware updates can now be uploaded from a smartphone companion app, instead of via the microSD card.

Otherwise it’s the same deal as before: a 5MP digital sensor up front, a 2.7in LCD display around back, and Instax Mini prints spat out the side.

You’ll be able to get one in Matcha Green, Misty White or Deep Bronze colours from July 19, for $170/£150.