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

Meta unveils the Quest 3 and some bold AI plans Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( September 29, 2023 CONNECT WITH TECH RADAR  [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Youtube]( [Tech Radar]( [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE]( ADVERTISEMENT Welcome to the Week in Review [] Welcome I remember the first time I ever tried VR – the HTC Vive in 2016. And I remember the absolute thrill of it, the shock of being genuinely impressed by something completely new, rather than an iterative update; it was truly breathtaking. VR has moved on since then of course, but it hasn't yet hit the mainstream in the way many predicted it would. That's partly due to the cost – which is still too high to make it an impulse purchase – and partly because most headsets are still a bit bulky and uncomfortable. Why do I tell you all this? Because this week Meta released its Quest 3 headset, and things could be about to change. While Apple’s Vision Pro is aimed squarely at the premium crowd (with a $3,500 price tag!), the Quest 3 is much more affordable. It's also thinner and more comfortable, and has greatly improved mixed-reality skills; think full-color passthrough, among other treats. How do I know about all this? Because our resident VR expert, Hamish Hector, has tried both the Quest 3 and Meta's new smart glasses, and you can find out what he thinks of them both below. Meta aside, it's been a relatively quiet week in the tech world, but then again we're still catching our breath from all the launches earlier in the month. On that front, we've now published our full reviews of the Apple Watch 9 and iPhone 15 Pro, so may I suggest that you check those out before deciding whether to spend your money on a new phone or watch – or maybe on a VR headset. Until next week, Marc McLaren, UK Editor-in-Chief [Enjoy up to 30% off selected big brand Electricals at Very]( Fancy a tech update? You can grab amazing deals right now at Very, on over 100 famous brands like Samsung, NINJA, Hoover Hotpoint,LG, Shark and more. Don't miss out - these offers won't be around for long! [Shop Now]( ADVERTISEMENT [] The week in Meta [] [9 key AI and VR updates from Meta Connect 2023]( Mark Zuckerberg on stage at Meta 2023 (Meta) [9 key AI and VR updates from Meta Connect 2023]( There was a lot to take in at the big Meta Connect 2023 event this week, but our 9-point summary will bring you right up to speed. The announcements majored on VR and AI, and these are the technologies that are going to be shaping Meta in the years to come. [Read the full story]( [] - [Hands-on with the Meta Quest 3: a new VR headset to rule them all]( [] - [Saying 'Hey Meta' to Ray-Bans is not the smart glasses world I ordered]( [] - [How much more data can Meta collect? Probably a lot]( [Enjoy up to 30% off selected big brand Electricals at Very]( Fancy a tech update? You can grab amazing deals right now at Very, on over 100 famous brands like Samsung, NINJA, Hoover Hotpoint,LG, Shark and more. Don't miss out - these offers won't be around for long! [Shop Now]( ADVERTISEMENT: [] The week in Apple [] [Our full review of the Apple Watch 9 has landed]( It's the Apple Watch 9 (Future) [Our full review of the Apple Watch 9 has landed]( Don't even think about buying a new smartwatch until you've read our Apple Watch 9 review: we'll tell you what to expect in terms of performance, features, software, battery life, size and material options, and the new Double Tap gesture control. [Read the full story]( [] - [iPhone 15 Pro review: Apple's smaller flagship makes all the right moves]( [] - [macOS Sonoma is better without being hugely different, and I'm here for it]( [] - [I bought an iPhone 14 last year, and now I feel like an idiot]( [] The week in Android phones [] [The Google Pixel 8 event is almost upon us]( New Pixel products ahoy (Google) [The Google Pixel 8 event is almost upon us]( Next Wednesday, October 4, Google will be unveiling the Pixel 8, the Pixel 8 Pro, and the Pixel Watch 2. Ahead of the big occasion, we've outlined everything we know so far – and what some of the leaks and rumors are saying around pricing, specs, and features. [Read the full story]( [] - [Pixel 8 leak suggests it'll be supported for longer than iPhones]( [] - [The Pixel 8 Pro might come with a free Pixel Watch 2]( [] - [Leaked Samsung Galaxy S24 renders tease iPhone 15 Pro-style frame]( [] The week in cameras [] [Read our full review of the DJI Mini 4 Pro]( The DJI Mini 4 Pro (James Abbott) [Read our full review of the DJI Mini 4 Pro]( DJI's latest drone, the Mini 4 Pro, is here, and we've been busy putting it through its flight and photography paces. Coming in at a sub-250g weight it's ideal for beginners, while also packing enough features to appeal to more advanced drone flyers. [Read the full story]( [] - [One-off Nikon 135mm 'Plena' lens promises flawless bokeh for portraits]( [] - [Fujifilm Instax Pal review: a pocketful of fun]( [] - [Sony FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II review: a superb multi-purpose tool]( [] The Week in Entertainment [] [Gen V is an 'outrageously fun' spin-off from The Boys]( Gen V is here, and we're into it (Brooke Palmer / Prime Video) [Gen V is an 'outrageously fun' spin-off from The Boys]( The Boys remains one of our favorite shows on Prime Video, and new spin-off Gen V has a lot to recommend it as well: we found the neo-noir mystery thriller to be a superb blend of The Hunger Games and Murder, She Wrote (and it's as good as that sounds). [Read the full story]( [] - [Netflix's third most-watched movie is an old sci-fi film nobody liked]( [] - [Apple TV Plus is getting two wildly different movies I cannot wait for]( [] - [7 new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend]( [] More of this week's top stories [] - [Google changed everything about the web, and we're stuck with it]( [] - [I lived with LG's pricey Easel TV for a week, and the G3 OLED is better]( [] - [New ChromeOS update for Chromebooks makes it feel more like Android]( [] - [We went to a live gig to test the ANC in Bowers & Wilkins' luxe headphones]( [] - [Another leak suggests Nvidia's RTX 5090 could be ridiculously powerful]( Sharing TechRadar with your network keeps the quality of content high and these newsletters free. 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