Week in Review: The top stories in phones, computing, cameras, and more

AI setbacks are no joke, plus a US DJI drone ban moves closer Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( June 21, 2024 CONNECT WITH TECH RADAR  [Facebook]( [X]( [Instagram]( [Youtube]( [Tech Radar]( [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE]( [] Welcome to the Week in Review [] Welcome AI is not just a new fact of life, it’s a pervasive one, whether it’s appearing in new computers that have it baked into the core of their silicon brains, or being pushed by companies promising to make ultra-smart AI that’s safe for humanity. About the only thing that’s consistent now is that things don’t always go smoothly when AI comes into contact with consumers. I mean, it’s always exciting and fun, especially when you can quickly whip up an illustration of a robot babysitter without hiring a photographer or drawing a single pixel by hand (see my story linked below). But for every AI success there’s a Microsoft Recall – that bit of privacy-concerns-raising technology is now out of the latest Windows build, at least for the time being. Things didn’t go much better when AIs tried to write jokes, as you’ll also see below. AI’s appeal will really be put to the test when Apple’s next iOS and new iPhones arrive in September. Most, if not all, will feature Apple Intelligence, which may or may not be a way for Apple to sell more iPhones (Apple insists it isn't). I’ve been distracted this week by US lawmakers' new penchant for trying to ban all sorts of technology. TikTok has been in their crosshairs for years (its Chinese parent company ByteDance just filed a brief calling a potential ban or forced sale unconstitutional). Next up, Kaspersky Antivirus, security software that comes from Russian and may soon face a ban, and DJI drones. DJI is the most popular drone-maker in the US, and also happens to be a Chinese company. I can’t say I love this knee-jerk urge to ban things. For a break from all this, I must turn to TV. I just polished off Star Trek: Discovery, and my next jam might just be Max’s Penguin (that’s Batman’s nemesis), which drops in September. It looks so gritty and intense. From this week to next, and we have something special planned starting Monday: Smart Home Week. I asked our Managing Editor, Lifestyle Josie Watson to describe a little of what you can expect. She told me this is the moment to get in on the smart home craze, and that Smart Home Week “will be filled with helpful tips and tricks, expert insights, and all the latest news to help you get started building your smart home, or take your existing smart setup to the next level.” I’m sold, and ready to make the dumb parts of my home smarter – though I’m still not sure about the AI… Lance Ulanoff, Editor-at-Large [] The week in AI [] [Is completely safe artificial intelligence a pipe dream?]( We might never be able to fully trust AI (Shutterstock) [Is completely safe artificial intelligence a pipe dream?]( There's a shiny new AI company on the scene called Safe Superintelligence, set up by departing OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, but TechRadar Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff argues that we'll never get advanced AI tools that are completely safe. [Read the full story]( [] - [Comedians tried to get AI to write jokes, and it didn't go well]( [] - [Sorry, Elon, nobody wants your robot babysitting their kids]( [] - [AI-generated movies will be here sooner than we thought]( [] The Week in Apple [] [Apple says its AI isn't just an iPhone upgrade ploy]( Apple Intelligence is coming this year (Apple) [Apple says its AI isn't just an iPhone upgrade ploy]( We're getting a pile of Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18 later this year, but they'll only be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, of the iPhones currently on sale – something Apple says is about hardware limitations, not forcing upgrades. [Read the full story]( [] - [Apple's free Final Cut Camera app just landed for iPhones and iPads]( [] - [The Apple Vision Pro 2 has reportedly been put on ice]( [] - [The iPad Pro might only be the start of Apple's new 'thin' era]( [] The week in computing [] [Microsoft pulls controversial Windows 11 Recall feature]( Microsoft could be having second thoughts about Recall (Future) [Microsoft pulls controversial Windows 11 Recall feature]( Microsoft has come in for a lot of criticism over the Recall feature it's been testing for Windows 11 – which essentially records everything you do on your PC – and now it seems to have been pulled from the latest testing builds of the operating system. [Read the full story]( [] - [I asked a Copilot+ PC to make me a beach ball, and here's how it went]( [] - [Windows 11 loses its keyboard shortcut for Copilot for some reason]( [] - [New MacBook Pro 2024 laptops might come with a surprise upgrade]( [] Today's best deals, picked by TechRadar's experts [] - [Walmart weekend sale: shop the best deals on TVs, iPads, and more]( [] - [Apple's huge Back to School sale has started in the US]( [] - [Dyson UK summer sale: save up to £150 on vacuum cleaners and more]( [] The week in cameras [] [DJI drones might soon be banned in the US]( DJI sales in the US are under threat (Shutterstock) [DJI drones might soon be banned in the US]( The potential US ban on DJI drones just got a step closer: a bill has now passed the House of Representatives and is heading to the Senate, which means it's not looking good for the leading drone maker, or for drone enthusiasts in the United States. [Read the full story]( [] - [Pentax revives analog with its first film camera in over 20 years]( [] - [An entirely real photo wins an AI photo contest]( [] - [I tested the new Nikon Z6 III, and I'm considering upgrading]( [] The week in entertainment [] [The best movies and shows to stream this weekend]( Jessica Alba stars in Trigger Warning on Netflix (Netflix) [The best movies and shows to stream this weekend]( Wondering what to watch this weekend? The latest batch of on-demand arrivals includes Trigger Warning and Black Barbie on Netflix, while Federer: Twelve Final Days and Five Nights at Freddy's begin streaming on Prime Video and Sky, respectively. [Read the full story]( [] - [New trailer for The Penguin TV show teases a Batman crime epic]( [] - [Why The Acolyte's big Sith Lord reveal is going to be a letdown]( [] - [Marvel's Blade movie reportedly lands Mia Goth as its villain]( [] More of this week's top stories [] - [5 things to expect from Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked]( [] - [Nintendo Switch Online gets four new games, including a Zelda title]( [] - [Here's why stretching needs to be a crucial part of your life]( [] - [Meta secretly delayed my most anticipated Quest 3 feature]( [] - [An ultra-tiny translucent design is the best part of the Beats Solo Buds]( Sharing TechRadar with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. 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