The team discusses the disruptive emergence of China’s open-source DeepSeek AI engine, steep price hikes for Microsoft Office and Amazon’s vision for drones over Darlington. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Toybox, a user-friendly 3D printer aimed at kids.

The team discusses the will-they-won’t-they drama of the US TikTok ban, the latest lunacy in the AI industry and UK government proposals to replace physical driving licences with an app. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Anker Prime 250W USB charger, a six-port power supply costing a cool £170.

The team discusses plans to force websites to check visitors’ ages, drones causing mayhem and Meta’s newly relaxed attitude as to whether social media posts are true or not. Our Hot Software candidate is NordVPN – not a new product, but one that Barry Collins recently found a big help on his travels.

In a special podcast report – recorded in Las Vegas in the small hours of the morning – Barry Collins, Tim Danton and Jon Honeyball discuss what they've seen at the Consumer Electronics Show 2025. Topics include Nvidia's latest graphics chips, a new generation of mini PCs and upcoming developments in laptop screens, AR glasses and gaming handhelds. The delegates also nominate their Hot Hardware picks of CES – a gaming chair with integrated air conditioning, a hot-swap system for phone batteries and an innovative new desktop appliance for laser engraving.

The team discusses the arrival of new, smarter AI systems – plus one that’s accused of endangering impressionable kids. We also welcome an innovative battery technology and cast an eye over the latest hardware offerings from Raspberry Pi. Out Hot Hardware candidate is the HP OmniBook Flip, a slim but versatile laptop that ticks all the boxes.

The team discusses the surprise ousting of Intel’s CEO, questions the planned merger between Vodafone and Three and asks what dangers might be lurking in an innocent-looking USB cable. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Smartech GoChess Mini, an intelligent chess board that plays against you.

The team discusses reports of yet another antitrust investigation in the offing against Microsoft, and the company’s latest attempts to get people off Windows 10. We also look at how Google is injecting content onto other people’s websites, and consider whether we’d buy a new phone from Huawei that ditches Android in favour of the company’s own HarmonyOS Next platform. Our Hot Hardware candidate is the Showscreen 14in portable touchscreen, a slimline display that does precisely what you’d expect for under £100.

Microsoft announced that it would be selling companies a $349 black box that's ideal for big rollouts - all you need is a Windows Cloud subscription, a monitor, keyboard and mouse. Jon, Tim and Barry deliver their verdict. Plus all the other highlights from Ignite 2024, Flight Simulator 2024's failure to launch and a business-friendly Moto phone that might just win Tim a hot hardware of the week...

The team discusses the accelerating exodus from Elon Musk’s social media platform, the EU’s latest quarrel with Apple and what’s coming in Wi-Fi 8. Lee Grant also walks us through a quartet of sustainability-related news stories, and our Hot Hardware candidate is the tiny but powerful Mac Mini.