ICYMI: the 8 biggest tech stories of the week, from new Moto foldables to electric air taxis | Daily Reports Online
Every week we like to showcase the biggest stories on the TechRadar website over the previous seven days in our ‘In Case You Missed It’ (ICYMI) round-up — both to help you catch up with the news, and also because we’re proud of our work.
Once again, it’s been a really busy week in technology: we’ve got stories here covering new phones from Motorola, electric helicopters, Taylor Swift taking on AI, robots playing table tennis, the new Steam Controller, and more besides.
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8. We were terrified by the first Resident Evil trailer
Weapons director Zach Cregger is turning his attention to the Resident Evil movie franchise, describing his upcoming flick (premiering on September 18) as a “reinvention” of the series — one that isn’t tied to any of the video games or video game characters (a tactic that has worked well enough for the Prime Video TV show based on Fallout).
The first trailer for the film has now arrived — and it’s a pretty terrifying affair. We won’t spoil any of the beats for you, but you can watch the teaser yourself via the link below, and we’re more hopeful for the future of Resident Evil on the big screen than we have been in a while (the least said about Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, the better really).
7. New York City’s first electric air taxi took off
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the new all-electric Joby Air Taxi, which is currently being tested in the skies of New York city — and TechRadar was there to watch the first demo. With its eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) technology, the flying machine has the potential to transform the way that New Yorkers get around their urban environment.
Able to climb and land like helicopters, and switch to a more airplane-like mode in between, these air taxis have been a long time coming (an early prototype was tested three years ago). With regulatory clearance now on the way and pilots in place, we’ve got a transportation system that’s much quieter and eco-friendly than existing options.
6. A handy YouTube Premium feature came to free users
It means you can keep your DIY tutorial videos, lo-fi chill-out mixes or celebrity interviews rolling while you get other stuff done on your phone. It’s a welcome boost for YouTubers on the free tier, as Google has been pushing YouTube Premium and Premium Lite quite a bit lately — not least through an excessive number of ads playing around videos.
5. Sony’s table tennis robot blew our minds
Robotics technology continues to improve and impress, and the mind boggles when it comes to what these machines will be able to do in 10 or 20 years. For now, the AI-powered robots that are part of the Sony Project Ace scheme have been beating some of the best players in the world at table tennis — a game that requires a lot of speed and dexterity.
These bots were shown mastering ball speeds of up to 70mph (plus plenty of spin), in a new video, and there are implications way beyond competing at sports. The systems put in place to track ball and bat movements here will be useful in many other areas too — helping robots to adjust on the fly whenever they’re met with unpredictable scenarios.
4. Taylor Swift took on the AI deepfakes
AI-made music is on the rise, and Taylor Swift is one of the flesh-and-blood artists taking a stand: she’s filed three trademark applications to protect her identity, and to make sure AI models can’t produce deepfakes based on her likeness or her tunes. If the applications are approved, it gives Swift some useful legal protection against any AI-based mimicry.
Given Taylor Swift’s profile, it’s difficult to imagine any AI prompter would get away with trying to rip off her creative output, but smaller artists aren’t as well protected. We know that AI music is flooding the music streaming platforms at the moment, and those platforms are still playing catch-up when it comes to working out how to deal with it.
3. Android fans started a Google protest
Changes are coming to Android, and many users aren’t happy: Google is pushing ahead with plans to get developers to verify their identities, which doesn’t sit right for those who choose Android because of its claims to be an open platform. It means Google will be able to more effectively block apps on the Play Store from developers who aren’t verified.
Disgruntled users have now set up a ‘Keep Android Open’ campaign online, arguing that the changes give Google the power to block apps it simply doesn’t like (or that governments tell them not to include). One privacy advocate has gone as far as labeling Google’s mobile OS ‘Darth Android’ because of the restrictions being applied in the coming months.
2. We tested the Valve Steam Controller
We’ve given the shiny new 2026 refresh of the Steam Controller a thorough testing, and the good news is that the improvements are real and noticeable: this is a significantly more polished and user-friendly device than its rather lackluster predecessor was. If you’re in the market for a gamepad upgrade, this could be the controller you’re looking for.
Available for $99 / £85 / AU$149 from May 4, the Steam Controller (2026) is available direct from Steam, and is designed to work with games for PC, Mac, and mobile — either from the Steam Store or otherwise. With great battery life and a solid feel, it’s almost great enough to make us forget about the long time we’ve been waiting for the Steam Deck 2.
1. Motorola gave us some impressive new foldables
We got news on no fewer than five new products from Motorola this week: three clamshell foldables, plus US availability updates on the Razr Fold and Moto Buds 2 Plus. The highlight is perhaps the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026, offering a 7-inch foldable screen, three 50MP cameras, and a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset running everything very capably.
Follow the link below for all the details on all of these gadgets, including the new silicon-carbon battery technology being used in the Razr Fold and the Razr Ultra 2026. The tech allows higher capacity batteries to fit into the same physical space, and as it rolls out to more manufacturers it has the potential to make a substantial difference to battery life.
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