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

The outage that shook the globe: the latest on the big Windows crash, plus more of this week's news Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( July 19, 2024 CONNECT WITH TECH RADAR  [Facebook]( [X]( [Instagram]( [Youtube]( [Tech Radar]( [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE]( ADVERTISEMENT Welcome to the Week in Review [] Welcome Sometimes, Fridays don’t stick to the slow-news-day script. Sometimes, they like to deliver a horse-kick to your IT systems, followed by a global tech meltdown of epic proportions. That’s what most of us woke up to today, thanks to cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike delivering some bad code to countless Microsoft Windows customers – customers who run health, travel, TV networks, and other businesses, enterprises, and infrastructure-level services that impact everyday people. Cases in point: millions stuck at airports, others unable to access healthcare systems. The list goes on. The good news is that, as you’re reading this, CrowdStrike has resolved the issues and delivered the necessary updates, and most systems are coming back online. Even so, we won’t soon forget The Real Y2K moment of 2024, and questions will persist about what happened, why, and how we prevent such incidents in the future. It was such a crazy morning that I almost forgot about all the other awesome stuff we did this week. Once again, there’s been a ton of steady, low-grade AI news to consider, from ChatGPT rivals like Claude on Android (finally) to AI that can do research without you. Apple dropped all its public betas, and we’ve been poring over them – especially iOS 18, which has gotten a lot of new customization capabilities. And I was especially excited by all the hands-on pro-level camera testing our Cameras Editor Timothy Coleman’s been doing – and the best part is that we get to enjoy some of his truly excellent photography. Okay, I have to get back to tracking the recovery from this CrowdStrike mess. You can read up on that, and all of the week’s other big news, in the articles linked below. Lance Ulanoff, Editor-at-Large [Pre-order the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 now!]( With mind-blowing Galaxy AI and loads of screen space, getting more done on Galaxy Z Fold6 is easier than ever. [Pre-order it today]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] Global Windows Outage [] [A huge Windows outage takes down the globe]( It's been a bad day for Windows PCs and CrowdStrike (Future / Rafapress / Shutterstock) [A huge Windows outage takes down the globe]( It's not been a happy Friday for CrowdStrike, as one of its software updates crippled Windows systems across the world, affecting hospitals, banks, airlines, broadcasters, and more. We've got all the details on what happened, and the considerable fallout. [Read the full story]( [] - [Today's global Windows disaster could be tomorrow's digital apocalypse]( [] - [Why did Xbox Live go down and what does it mean for gamers?]( [] - [What we know about the Windows 'blue screen of death' crisis]( [Pre-order the newly launched Samsung Galaxy devices now!]( From foldable smartphones, to smart watches and buds, you've never had a Galaxy ecosystem as impressive. [Pre-order it today]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] The week in AI [] [New AI could do research without human help]( ChatGPT keeps on getting smarter (Daniel Chetroni / Shutterstock) [New AI could do research without human help]( According to a new report, ChatGPT developer OpenAI is busy working on new AI models that are better at reasoning, and that can carry out research tasks without human help. If this was the start of a science-fiction movie, we'd be somewhat concerned. [Read the full story]( [] - [Google quietly cuts down on AI Overview responses to search queries]( [] - [Apple says it isn't using YouTube data to train Apple Intelligence]( [] - [Claude AI is now on Android, and it could dethrone ChatGPT]( [] The Week in Phones [] [The iOS 18 public beta feels like it's missing something]( Anyone who wants to can now try iOS 18 (Apple) [The iOS 18 public beta feels like it's missing something]( Apple has pushed out the public beta of iOS 18 for anyone who wants to try it on their iPhone, but despite some interesting improvements there's the unmistakable feeling that something is missing: all the Apple Intelligence features that are due later this year. [Read the full story]( [] - [We might have just got our first proper look at the iPhone 16]( [] - [Google reveals the Pixel 9 Pro Fold design]( [] - [Xiaomi's first flip phone makes the Galaxy Z Flip 6 look old already]( [] Today's best deals, picked by TechRadar's experts [] - [Prime Day is over, but no one told Amazon: these fantastic deals are still live]( [] - [Missed Prime Day in the UK? Currys has your back with some great deals]( [] - [LG's C4 OLED TV is still down to a ridiculously low price at Amazon US]( [] - [The brilliant Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are down to just $199 at Best Buy]( [] The week in cameras [] [Putting the brand new Canon EOS R1 to the test]( The new EOS R1 (Future) [Putting the brand new Canon EOS R1 to the test]( The EOS R1 is one half of the most exciting Canon camera launch for a long time, and TechRadar's Tim Coleman has been busy putting the high-speed sports shooter through its paces with an action photography session – and he came away very impressed. [Read the full story]( [] - [Canon launches two new flagships, the EOS R1 and the EOS R5 II]( [] - [Read our hands-on review of the Canon EOS R5 Mark II]( [] - [How a photographer snapped the Trump 'flying bullet' image with a Sony A1]( [] The week in entertainment [] [The best new movies and shows to stream this weekend]( Those About to Die is new on Prime Video (Prime Video) [The best new movies and shows to stream this weekend]( Another week is over, so it’s time to kick back and enjoy a veritable bounty of movies and shows on the best streaming services, including the return of Cobra Kai on Netflix, and new movies like Young Woman and the Sea and Those About to Die. [Read the full story]( [] More of this week's top stories [] - [Here's what we think of the new 2024 Amazon Echo Spot]( [] - [Android 15 might let you set an 80% charge limit on your Pixel]( [] - [Samsung Galaxy AI's coolest feature stopped my dentist in her tracks]( [] - [Roku fans just got 350 new, free streaming channels thanks to TCL]( [] - [This wireless, audiophile CD player is actually super-cool]( Sharing TechRadar with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. Help Spread the Word [SHARE]( Or copy and share your personalized link: smartbrief.com/techradar/?referrerId=mvfLmxwvzC [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Cookies Policy]( | [Terms and Conditions]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:techradar@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE]( [Future]( © Future Publishing Limited. Reg No. 2008885 England. Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA.