CANON

Canon EOS R6 V: 7K recording and integrated fan

Canon has announced the EOS R6 V, a new full-frame mirrorless camera aimed at content creators and vloggers. Derived from the R6 Mark III, the new camera includes advanced features for everyday audiovisual production and does not have the traditional electronic viewfinder. On the other hand, it has an internal fan to prevent overheating during prolonged use.

To check the framing, it is necessary to use the three-inch articulated rear display or external monitors. The sensor has 32.5 MP and does not use stacked architecture, which requires care in scenes with very fast movements, as it can cause distortions.

Inside, the tech is all Canon Using a 32 megapixel full-frame sensor capable of capturing 7K video in RAW at up to 60p, or bringing down the video to 4K at 120p and 2K’s slightly better than Full HD at a faster slow-mo friendly 180p.

Of particular note is the style of capture, with an “open gate” recording that allows you to edit horizontal or vertical video out of a clip, and a tripod mount on both sides of the camera, bottom and side, making it able to capture in either by default and edit the results later.

The system also features some Canon staples, such as eye detection and subject tracking for autofocus, as well as a vari-angle screen that comes off the side.

There’s also built-in 5-axis image stabilisation with around seven stops of flexibility, and while video is the main focus, the image side of things can capture up to 40 frames per second using the 32 megapixel sensor.

The camera records videos in 12-bit RAW files in 7K at 60 fps and allows full sensor readout at 30 fps, which helps creators who publish content vertically and horizontally at the same time. For slow motion, there are options in 4K at 120 fps and in 2K up to 180 fps. The R6 V offers Log 2 and Log 3 profiles in 10-bit for greater flexibility in color correction, and Canon claims a dynamic range of over 15 stops in the flattest mode.

Canon has unveiled the EOS R6 V, a new full-frame RF-mount camera capable of 7K open gate recording, active cooling, 5-axis in-body stabilization, and Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus II. This compact video-forward body is ideal for content creation, streaming, podcasting, and a host of other modern production scenarios. Releasing alongside the EOS R6 V is a new RF 20-50mm f/4 L IS USM Power Zoom lens that weighs less than a pound and can be controlled remotely. We have all the details on these exciting new offerings.

The EOS R6 V has the same 7K 32.5MP CMOS sensor seen in the R6 III, now with an expanded suite of recording formats. Record in 7K Canon RAW 3:2 open gate at a resolution of 6960 x 4640, or 4K from the oversampled 7K readout. There’s also uncropped 4K120p and 2K180p, alongside ATOMOS 7K Raw recording via HDMI. Standard Canon RAW is available at up to 7K30p in open gate, while 7K60p is capped at RAW Light and 16x9. Open gate resolution slightly drops to 6912 x 4608 when shooting in MP4. The camera should be able to capture 15 stops of dynamic range when shooting in Canon Log 2.

The R6 V is dust and water resistant, and features both a CFexpress Type B and an SD card slot for redundancy, sub-recording, or proxies. As mentioned, expect 5-axis in-body stabilization and three different levels of active cooling. The IBIS system also has a Coordinated Control mode that combines sensor, optical, and digital stabilization. There’s a full-size HDMI port, as well as a USB-C for power and data. UVC/UAC streaming is supported at up to 4K60p. Photo Mode is capable of up to 40fps continuous shooting, but the R6 V is electronic shutter only.

The camera has a 3” vari-angle LCD, DIGIC-X processor, tally lamp, zoom lever, front record button, White Balance button, Color Mode button for picture styles and filters, plus EOS VR System support and a Live button for streaming. The body has a vertical tripod mount for easy social media shooting, and the UI will automatically rotate. Exposure aids include waveforms, false color, and zebras, and the DPAF II system includes people, animal, and vehicle tracking. The R6 V is capable of four channel audio and should have full compatibility with the TASCAM CA-XLR2d-C XLR adapter and the Canon DM-E1D stereo mic.

The body features a dedicated zoom lever, full manual controls, and an active cooling system with a fan, designed to avoid the overheating problems of previous releases. In mild conditions, the camera records for more than two hours straight at maximum quality; in intense heat, the battery life drops to 52 minutes with the exhaust fan at maximum.

Canon’s new RF 20-50mm f/4 L IS USM PZ lens is the first RF power zoom that can also be switched to a traditional manual zoom. Controlling the zoom and changing the speed can be done in camera, on a smartphone or tablet via Canon’s Camera Connect app, or with a Bluetooth remote. 

The lens has six stops of optical image stabilization on its own, or eight when used in conjunction with a camera’s IBIS system. The zooming mechanics are self-contained and the lens has a fluorine coating for dust and water resistance. It weighs less than a pound, has a 67mm filter thread, and features 13.

elements in 11 groups.The 20-50mm is compatible with a new Canon BR-E2 Wireless Remote, as well as a new HG-200BTR Tripod Grip. The lens should prove popular in the same premium content creation and small production scenarios where the R6 V excels. There is also a new Creator Accessory Kit with the remote, grip, and the DM-E100 stereo microphone, available on its own or bundled with cameras like the EOS R50 V and PowerShot V1.

Internal stabilization reaches up to 8.5 stops, and the autofocus uses algorithms trained to recognize people, animals, and vehicles. There is also a dedicated focus mode for product demonstrations, useful for technical review channels. The body will arrive on the European market for 2,619 euros, with sales expected at the end of June along with the RF 20-50mm motorized lens, priced at 1,569 euros.

by mundophone

TECH

They look like harmless game features, but these design tricks quietly reshape how young players spend money

Originally, video games were a product you paid for once and that then provided as many hours of entertainment as users wanted to spend at the computer or console. Now, however, on the mobile phones that are in almost everybody's pockets, the industry's growth has taken a darker turn, with game design using a range of mechanisms that encourage user spending and can help normalize gambling habits. A study led by researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) published in the journal Entertainment Computing, reveals a consistent relationship between these hidden mechanisms and behaviors associated with problematic gambling among young people.

The article reviews 15 scientific studies of the use of video games by people between the ages of 15 and 24, suggesting that these more or less hidden mechanisms in the architecture of video games exploit the vulnerabilities typical of young people, such as impulsiveness, reward sensitivity and social pressure, to push up revenues.

"Realizing that, online, the boundaries between playing and betting were becoming blurred, especially among young people, led us to investigate what young people do, but also how the devices themselves and the design of the games condition these practices," said Joan Arnedo and Daniel Aranda, the researchers from the Learning, Media and Entertainment Research Group (GAME) behind the study. The research team also included Antoni Baena (UOC), Joan J. Pons (Pompeu Fabra University) and Paula Rodríguez-Rivera (University of the Balearic Islands).

"Dark patterns are elements integrated into the game's architecture, designed to prolong playing time and stimulate spending."

The researchers highlight various systems built into the design of games to encourage consumption, such as "loot boxes" (collections of random rewards that serve to personalize games or give players competitive advantages), virtual currencies that disconnect from real money and hide spending, systems to advance faster through payment, and temporary offers that give a sensation of urgency. "These are not isolated tricks," explained Aranda, "but features built into the architecture of the game, designed to prolong playing time and stimulate spending."

A conscious 'deception'...One of the most significant findings of the study is that young people are not simply "fooled" by monetization systems: They are often aware of them, but accept them as part of the gaming experience. This acceptance cannot be understood only at the individual level, but within the framework of a broader ecosystem in which the video game functions as an economic and financial infrastructure.

"Video games based on this type of strategy are platforms designed to generate data, calling for constant attention and continuous spending," according to researchers from the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Social and Cultural Transformations (UOC-TRÀNSIC).

The most problematic mechanisms are those that combine uncertainty and reward, especially when they involve repeated spending with no guarantee of results, such as loot boxes, but also systems that make it difficult to trace spending, such as virtual currencies, and those that penalize players who do not spend by slowing down their progress in the game.

"Loot boxes have been identified as the most significant mechanism, but this is because most of the research has focused almost exclusively on this. The other patterns have not been studied in such detail, but problems associated with them have also been found," said Arnedo, a member of teaching staff at the Faculty of Computer Science, Multimedia and Telecommunications.

Young people are no strangers to these video game dynamics. "In many cases, they know how these systems work and accept them as a normal part of the gaming experience, because they do not appear as external or imposed mechanisms, but as a component part of the game itself and its ecosystem," said Aranda, who teaches in the Faculty of Information and Communication Sciences. "Many young people have grown up with these systems and see them as the norm, not as a deviation," he added.

Moreover, due to their design, the link between young people and gaming is not only functional. There is also a bond related to affection and personal projection: stopping play does not simply imply interrupting an activity, but also turning away from a whole world of possibility, progress, achievement and belonging. This means that, even if they are critically aware, it is often easier to continue playing than to quit.

Mass consumption, moderate expenditure...The incorporation of gambling mechanisms into video games, also known as gamblification, has had an impact on the habits of young people. A survey carried out in the course of this research of 1,000 people between the ages of 16 and 25 showed 92.7% of young people regularly play video games. Mobile phones are the outstanding gaming platform (70.9%), followed by consoles (47.6%) and PCs (45.1%), while tablets are used much less (10.9%). More than half of young people (57.7%) spend between 3 and 10 hours a week playing and 21.8% spend more than 10 hours a week.

A qualitative study (infographic available in Spanish), in which Ronald Sáenz Leandro, who recently earned his Ph.D. at the UOC and is a researcher in the GAME group, took part, also investigated spending, finding that 6 out of 10 young people say they spend money every month on video games, although mostly in small amounts. The most common case (22.7%) is those who spend between €1 and €9.99 per month, followed by 14.3% who spend between €10 and €19.99 and 11.3% who spend less than one euro. However, 38.4% of young players don't spend anything.

The data, therefore, show that spending is common but consists of occasional small amounts, reinforcing the idea that the design of video games—based on chance, urgency and payment—can normalize consumption within the game.

We need to rethink how games are regulated...Based on these results, the UOC experts propose rethinking current regulations by also incorporating the logic of design, monetization and interaction typical of contemporary video games.

"This involves expanding the criteria to explicitly include dark patterns, random-based mechanics and the internal economies of games, as well as strengthening transparency requirements, especially with regard to probabilities, real costs and virtual currency conversion systems," said Arnedo. "There is an urgent need for coordinated action to reduce the risks associated with these digital environments," Aranda added.

The authors argue that the video game industry is viable without these hidden mechanisms (there are examples of good practice, with transparent one-time purchase, subscription or monetization models). Companies should, therefore, review their design practices from the viewpoint of responsibility, recognizing that decisions about mechanics, interfaces and monetization systems have direct effects on players' behavior, emotions and consumption.

The UOC develops new tools...The project has not only made it possible to identify the problem; UOC researchers are also developing tools to address it. They are already working on the creation of an educational analysis app that will identify and flag these mechanisms in video games. They are also preparing a series of preventive recommendations and lines of action for professionals and institutions.

In addition, through Arnedo, the UOC is participating in the Konexio-Ona project, an educational and social initiative whose main aim is to analyze and work on the impact of technology on young people, especially in the development of their identity and habits. Through educational initiatives, workshops and pedagogical material aimed at schools, families and professionals, the program seeks to raise awareness of the role of hidden patterns in video games and propose safer and more responsible alternatives. Due to its interest, the program is one of the three short-listed projects to be presented to the Senate this month for the 2026 Internet Day Awards.

Aranda and Arnedo also agree that the video game industry needs to move away from dependence on self-regulation towards more robust control mechanisms, such as effective age verification, the implementation of limits on spending and time, and the introduction of design safeguards that reduce urgency and monetary pressure. The authors also recommend the integration of these problems within the general frameworks of preventive medicine and public health, which do not currently have specific protocols for gamblification.

Provided by Open University of Catalonia

TECH

MediaTek Dimensity 9600: the company's first 2nm processor, may be about to give Apple a headache

MediaTek is not messing around, and the brand's next big chip promises to shake up the market. The highly anticipated Dimensity 9600, the company's first 2nm processor, may be about to give Apple a headache. According to a new leak, expectations are high.

The well-known "leaker" Digital Chat Station has revealed details that indicate a performance leap that will make the competition envious. It seems that MediaTek wants not only to get closer to, but in certain scenarios, surpass the powerful chips from Cupertino.

This is a bold move in the world of mobile silicon, where Apple has reigned almost unopposed in benchmark charts. If MediaTek manages to deliver what the rumors promise, the game could change completely.

According to the shared data, the Dimensity 9600 architecture bets on an aggressive 2+3+3 “all-big-core” configuration. The goal is clear: to guarantee single-core performance on par with Apple chips and multi-core performance capable of surpassing them. However, it remains unclear whether the comparison focuses on the current A19 Pro or the future A20 Pro.

In addition to brute force, the new chip promises a significant increase in CME/SME capabilities, potentially doubling performance compared to the previous generation. Changes to the cache, however, seem to be more restrained.

Next-generation graphics...In the graphics department, MediaTek seems to have kept a trump card. The Dimensity 9600 should arrive equipped with a next-generation “Magin” GPU, promising to be larger than the 2nm alternatives from the competition.

The list of expected visual capabilities is, at the very least, promising for the mobile segment:

-Support for native frame interpolation.

-"Super-resolution" technologies.

-Significant improvements in "ray tracing".

-Overall increase in rendering efficiency.

Change in CPU cluster and new core architecture...Part of the generational leap is explained by the change in the processing cluster configuration. The Dimensity 9600 Pro adopts an arrangement that, according to the information released, will follow the 2+3+3 scheme.

The immediate competitive advantage lies in the presence of 2 high-performance cores operating at 5.00 GHz. Previous generations from the company, as well as rival solutions, usually limit the maximum frequency to a single main core.

This 2-core approach at peak speed allows the platform to register noticeable gains in workloads that depend on greater simultaneous processing bandwidth.

The values ​​obtained in Geekbench 6 reflect recent adjustments made by MediaTek engineering, since the current numbers are slightly higher than those seen in leaks from previous weeks.

What to expect from upcoming releases...The first smartphones equipped with the Dimensity 9600 may be closer than you think. The leak points to a debut in September. This timeline puts the Vivo X500 Pro series at the forefront to debut the new technology, as its announcement is expected for the same month.

But it's not all about Vivo. The Oppo Find X10 Pro and Find X10 Pro Max are also in the running to adopt the new processor. It remains to be seen whether they will arrive in September or if they will maintain the October launch, as happened with the previous generation.

September looks scorching for the mobile world. Qualcomm should also present its new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Pro line around the same time. With the Xiaomi 18 series in line to debut these rival chips, the battle for top-tier performance promises to be fierce.

The Dimensity 9600 is expected to be MediaTek's first platform based on TSMC's 2nm N2P lithography. Now, insider Digital Chat Station has revealed that the chip should be so powerful that it may even outperform some Apple models in certain types of tasks.

Starting with the layout, the insider reinforces that the chip will have a 2+3+3 CPU architecture, which may give it superior multi-core performance compared to Apple's by relying on more than one large core.

The GPU should be the next-generation high-performance "Margin" with performance superior to rival 2nm platforms thanks to native frame interpolation support, super-resolution, enhanced ray tracing, and greater efficiency in rendering objects.

Another point is that the Dimensity 9600 should have optimized CME/PME resource management, doubling the performance compared to the previous generation, but without major changes to the cache.

The new generation should be announced soon, arriving on the market with the vivo X500 Pro in September 2026. Reports also indicate that the OPPO Find X10 may be revealed in the same timeframe, but OPPO usually presents new models in the line in October.

It is worth remembering that the competition should be strong in September, because in addition to the new Apple phones, MediaTek should also compete with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, but instead of focusing on performance, the new Qualcomm chip may focus on increasing the energy efficiency of cell phones.

mundophone

TECH

Merged security model could close 5G gaps with 98% attack detection

Research into 5G cellular network security suggests that we need to unify encryption and intrusion detection to better protect those networks rather than treating encryption and detection as separate processes. The research in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology focuses on the demands of 5G networks, which offer high data speeds, very low latency, and massive device connectivity. These capabilities allow us to use sophisticated mobile applications and have autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and industrial automation. But they come at a cost of increased exposure to fast-changing security threats from malware and malicious third parties.

The researchers have identified a structural limitation in conventional security design. Encryption typically protects data confidentiality, while intrusion detection systems independently monitor network traffic for malicious behavior. In high-speed 5G environments, this separation can introduce delays and reduce the system's ability to respond to attacks in real time.

To address this, the researchers have developed a dual-modal architecture that combines AES-GCM with a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network. AES-GCM is a symmetric encryption method that scrambles data to prevent unauthorized access while also verifying that information has not been altered during transmission. The LSTM component is a type of deep learning model designed to analyze sequences of data over time, allowing it to identify patterns in network traffic and detect anomalies.

The system integrates these functions so that encryption and anomaly detection operate in parallel. Data is secured while being continuously monitored, rather than processed in separate stages. According to the researchers, this combined approach offers a detection accuracy of 98.1% and a false positive rate of just 0.5%, meaning it rarely mislabels normal activity as malicious. Encryption and decryption times are reported at 18.4 milliseconds and 21.7 milliseconds, respectively, performance levels considered suitable for real-time communication systems.

The team adds that this new model works under varying network loads. In high-bandwidth conditions, encryption delays are lower, suggesting the system adjusts dynamically to traffic intensity. They also add that energy consumption is reduced compared with encryption-only methods. This could be critical for edge computing environments where processing occurs on the device and where power resources might be limited.

Provided by Inderscience

TECH

Powerline Adapters: Why should have them in your home

Powerline adapters are a home connectivity solution that uses the existing electrical wiring in the home to transmit data between rooms, without the need to run network cables or rely on a wireless signal. The vast majority of models available on the market in 2026 include Wi-Fi integrated into the remote adapter, making them a complete alternative in homes where the wireless signal does not reach due to physical obstruction. The decision to adopt them, however, requires knowing their real limitations before any investment.

Powerline adapters work in pairs: one adapter connects to the router via Ethernet cable and an electrical outlet, and the second adapter, in another room or floor, receives the signal through the home's electrical wiring and distributes it via cable or Wi-Fi. Communication between the two adapters uses the existing electrical infrastructure as a transmission medium, eliminating the need for construction work or additional network cables.

Most Powerline adapters currently available include integrated Wi-Fi in the remote adapter, allowing you to connect wireless devices directly to the receiving point without the need for an additional cable. Models without integrated Wi-Fi, such as the TP-Link TL-PA9020P KIT, are more suitable for connecting fixed devices via Ethernet cable, offering better performance and lower latency.

Transmission speed depends on the quality of the electrical installation, the distance between the adapters, and the presence of interference in the electrical network. Under ideal conditions, adapters with the HomePlug AV2 standard achieve theoretical speeds of up to 2 Gbps, although real-world values ​​in a home environment are typically lower.

HomePlug AV2 vs. G.hn: the two standards that dominate the market...The Powerline adapter market is dominated by two technical standards with distinct characteristics. The choice between the two depends on the type of electrical installation and bandwidth needs, although in the Portuguese consumer market, HomePlug AV2 is by far the most affordable.

HomePlug AV2 is the most widespread standard in the European home market, with broad compatibility between brands and models. It operates in the frequency range between 2 MHz and 86 MHz and supports theoretical speeds up to 2 Gbps in the MIMO version. It is the safest choice for homes with conventional electrical installations and the only one with widespread availability in Portuguese retail.

G.hn (ITU-T G.9960), developed by the International Telecommunication Union, supports higher theoretical speeds and operates on multiple physical media, including electrical, telephone and coaxial cabling. The availability of G.hn products in the Portuguese consumer market is currently very limited, with the standard being more geared towards business and operator solutions than the home segment.

When Powerline adapters are the best solution...Powerline adapters are the most suitable solution in specific scenarios where other technologies fail or involve disproportionate costs. The use cases where they stand out are the following:

-Homes with granite, schist, or solid concrete walls: common materials in Portuguese construction prior to 1980, which severely attenuate the Wi-Fi signal and make Mesh systems less effective.

-Offices or bedrooms on different floors from the router: when vertical distance and building materials prevent a stable Wi-Fi connection.

-Garages or outbuildings adjacent to the main dwelling: provided they share the same electrical circuit and the same distribution panel.

-Homes where it is not possible to run a network cable: for aesthetic, rental, or structural reasons.

T-elevisions, consoles, and desktop computers: devices that benefit from a stable Ethernet cable connection, which the second Powerline adapter can provide directly.

When Powerline adapters fail: the risks that no one explains in the store...Powerline adapters have technical limitations that can make them completely ineffective in certain homes. Knowing them before buying avoids returns and frustration.

The most common problem is incompatibility with separate electrical circuits. When a dwelling has two or more independent electrical panels, as often happens in houses with garages, basements, or annexes with their own electrical installation, the adapters cannot communicate with each other because they are on different electrical phases. This limitation is structural and has no technical solution without intervention in the electrical installation.

Interference from electrical equipment is another significant degradation factor. Appliances such as refrigerators, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, and electric vehicle chargers introduce noise into the electrical network that can significantly reduce transmission speed. Connecting adapters to network extensions or filters should be avoided, as these devices block the Powerline signal. Adapters should always be plugged directly into the wall electrical outlet.

Powerline and Mesh: how to combine the two technologies...Powerline adapters and Mesh systems are not necessarily alternatives. In large homes with hard-to-reach areas, combining the two technologies may be the most effective solution. For those considering these options, the article Mesh Wi-Fi System: how to choose the right one for your home details the selection criteria for Mesh systems based on the type of home.

One possible configuration is to use a Powerline adapter to bring the wired connection to an area of ​​the home where the Wi-Fi signal does not reach, and connect an additional Mesh node there via Ethernet. This approach combines the reliability of wired backhaul with the wireless coverage of a Mesh system, without the need for construction work. It is also the recommended configuration in homes where wireless backhaul between Mesh nodes is insufficient due to excessive walls or distance.

For those still deciding between Mesh, Powerline, and repeaters, the opinion piece by Bruno Silva, Marketing Manager at TP-Link Portugal, offers a contextualized perspective for the Portuguese home market.

FAQ:

- What are Powerline adapters and how do they work?

Powerline adapters use the home's electrical wiring to transmit data between rooms. One adapter connects to the router via Ethernet cable and to the electrical outlet; the second, in another room, receives the signal and distributes it via cable or Wi-Fi, without the need for construction work or additional cabling.

- Do Powerline adapters work in older homes with original electrical wiring?

It depends on the quality of the installation. In homes with degraded electrical wiring or circuits on different electrical phases, performance may be very low or nonexistent. In single-circuit installations with good wiring, Powerline adapters work satisfactorily even in older buildings.

-What is the difference between the HomePlug AV2 and G.hn standards in Powerline adapters?

HomePlug AV2 is the most widespread standard in the European home market, with broad compatibility between brands and theoretical speeds up to 2 Gbps. G.hn, developed by the ITU, supports multiple physical media in addition to the electrical network, but has very limited availability in the Portuguese consumer market in 2026, being more geared towards business solutions.

Key points:

-Powerline adapters use the existing electrical network to transmit data, making them ideal for homes with thick walls or areas without Wi-Fi coverage.

-Most models available in 2026 include integrated Wi-Fi in the remote adapter, eliminating the need for additional cables at the receiving point.

-The HomePlug AV2 standard is the only one with widespread availability in Portuguese retail, with theoretical speeds up to 2 Gbps and broad compatibility between brands.

-Adapters do not work between electrical circuits on different phases, a common limitation in garages or annexes with independent electrical panels.

-The combination of Powerline adapters with a Mesh system is an effective solution for large homes with hard-to-reach areas.

mundophone

TECH

Amazon looks to redefine a need for speed with 30-minute deliveries

More than 20 years after it redefined fast shipping, Amazon is preparing to raise the bar on consumer expectations again by offering to fulfill customers' most urgent product needs in a half-hour or less for an extra fee.

The company, which revolutionized online shopping in 2005 with two-day deliveries for Prime members, is rapidly opening small order-processing hubs in dozens of U.S. and foreign cities to cater to shoppers who can't or don't want to wait for cough medicine to relieve flu symptoms or tomatoes for tonight's dinner salad.

The ultrafast service, called Amazon Now, first launched in India last June. Amazon says 30-minute deliveries now are also available in urban areas of Brazil, Mexico, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The mini-warehouses devoted to Amazon Now are about the size of a CVS drugstore. They stock about 3,500 products for expedited delivery, including beer, diapers, pet food, meat, nonprescription medications, playing cards and cellphone charging cables.

"We know that customers love speed and always have," Beryl Tomay, Amazon's head of transportation, told The Associated Press on Monday. "What we see customers doing, when we offer faster speeds, are they purchase more from Amazon. And Amazon becomes more top of mind for that or other types of items as well."

In the U.S., the company first tested Amazon Now in Seattle, the home of its headquarters, and in Philadelphia. Most residents of Atlanta and the Dallas-Fort Worth area now have access as well. The service also is live or expected to land by year-end in Houston, Denver, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Florida, and dozens of other cities, Amazon said.

The service charges for Amazon Now start at $3.99 for Prime members, who pay an annual fee of $139, and $13.99 for non-members. A $1.99 small basket fee applies to orders under $15, Amazon said.

The company's bet on a need for speed also comes as some consumers are rebelling against rushed deliveries as they weigh the potential impact on the environment and the workers tasked with preparing orders at a rapid rate.

Amazon Now UK...Amazon has officially introduced their new ‘Amazon Now’, this offers a new ultra fast delivery service designed to get every day essentials to consumers in 30 minutes or less.

This marks another major step in Amazon’s mission to push their convivence, speed and customer expectations. The launch follows from an announcement that they’re planning to invest £40 billion in the UK over the next three years, highlighting their plans to continue expanding into the online delivery of groceries and household essentials.

What does this mean for brands?

⭐️ Delivery speed is becoming a competitive advantage

⭐️ Customer expectations will continue to rise

⭐️Marketplace strategy is longer just about product

⭐️Amazon is investing heavily in fulfilment innovation

Despite this currently being in London, when this is rolled out across the UK it will be essential for brands to adapt quickly. As Amazon evolves, brand that stay aligned with innovation, customer behaviour and fulfilment capability will be the brands that grow with Amazon rather than get left behind.

Amazon's approach...A relentless focus on speed helped Amazon build a logistics and e-commerce empire. After it made two days the new delivery time normal, Amazon moved into one-day and same-day deliveries for its Prime members. This spring, the company began making 90,000 products available in one hour or three hours at an extra cost.

The scaled down and sped up microhubs that are designed to handle 30-minute orders represent another step in Amazon's pursuit.

Only a handful of people prepare orders from aisles of shelves in the 5,000- to 10,000-square-foot facilities, unlike the sprawling fulfillment centers storing millions of items where Amazon employs a mix of human workers and robotics to pick and pack orders.

Amazon tailors the product inventory to each location and uses artificial intelligence and other technology to analyze what customers buy, as well as when and how often. The most popular U.S. purchases so far include soap, toothpaste, mouthwash, toilet plungers, bananas, limes and wireless earbuds, Amazon said.

Parking signage for drivers stands outside an Amazon Now location, Monday, May 11, 2026, in Bellevue, Wash. Credit: AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

The competition...Amazon's attempt to up the instant gratification ante provides direct competition to on-demand food delivery platforms like Instacart, Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub, which don't have the scale of the e-commerce titan, according to independent retail analyst Bruce Winder.

"What Amazon brings is their prowess in supply chain," Winder said.

These smaller companies said they don't see Amazon as a threat, though, citing the hundreds of thousands of items they are able to deliver to users' doorsteps by partnering with various merchants and restaurants.

"DoorDash has a mission to empower grocers and retailers and augment their existing footprint, not to replace them," DoorDash spokesperson Ali Musa said in an emailed statement. "We win only when they win, which is how we can offer over half a million grocery and retail items in under an hour across the country."

Amazon also is in a race with Walmart to become the retailer that reliably gets orders to online shoppers in under an hour.

For an additional $10 on top of standard delivery charges, shoppers can place Walmart Express Delivery orders from among more than 100,000 products that are guaranteed to arrive in an hour. Many customers, however, are receiving the items under 30 minutes, Walmart CEO John Furner told analysts in February.

Domino's cautionary tale...Companies have promised deliveries in 30 minutes or less before, but the landscape also is littered with failed attempts to break the speed barrier.

The COVID-19 pandemic produced a flurry of companies that promised 10- to 15-minute grocery deliveries from microwarehouses in dense neighborhoods, according to Sucharita Kodali, an analyst at market research firm Forrester Research.

But soaring operating costs, low customer loyalty and the drying up of investor money ultimately caused most to fail before the pandemic was over, analysts said.

Domino's in 1984 pushed a guarantee that customers would receive their pizzas for free if they weren't delivered in under a half-hour. The company amended the "30 minutes or it's free" policy after two years, providing only a $3 discount for late deliveries.

The promotion helped Domino's win market share, but it ended up tarnishing the company's reputation. It dropped the guarantee in December 1993 after a string of crashes and lawsuits involving drivers racing to meet the deadline.

Brad Jashinsky, a retail analyst at information technology research and consulting firm Gartner, said he thinks Amazon should take the pizza chain's experience as a cautionary tale.

"You get in trouble when you start overpromising something like that," he said.

Amazon won't be making any time guarantees and instead plans to keep customers who chose the 30-minute delivery option updated on the progress of their orders, Tomay said.

"There's no rushing either in our building workers or the gig workers," she said.

Taking it slow...Kodali thinks Amazon will need a lot of people placing orders around the same time from the same or adjacent apartment buildings for the 30-minute service to be cost-effective.

Consumers may appreciate rapid receipt of products like toilet paper and batteries, but retailers and logistics experts said they also see some online shoppers, especially members of Generation Z, choosing no-rush shipping for products they don't need in a hurry.

Amazon for several years has invited customers to skip one- or two-day delivery and to receive their orders on the same day in as few parcels as possible. Consolidating orders into fewer packages by electing to have them delivered at the same time cuts down on boxes, shipping envelopes and fuel use, analysts said.

"The millennials who came to age in an era that was on fast delivery came to expect it de facto, whereas ... Gen Z is more accepting of a slower speed than previous generations before them," said Darby Meegan, a general manager at Flexport, a supply chain and logistics company that fulfills orders for thousands of online merchants.

Still, Amazon executives have cited positive early results for Amazon Now in India, where they said Prime members tripled their requests for 30-minute deliveries once they started using the service.

Amazon Now also is attracting more repeat American customers, Tomay said.

"It's in early days and time will tell," she said. "I think that it will be interesting to see how it evolves."

© 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

DIGITAL LIFE

'News will find me' mindset makes people trust algorithms and online networks

One in three people believe they don't have to seek the news from traditional outlets like newspapers and television. Instead, they think the "news will find me" (NFM), relying on algorithms and social networks to get their information. A research team led by Penn State scholars recently found that these individuals often consider their online networks to be as trustworthy as professional editors and journalists.

This mindset may make people more vulnerable to believing and sharing misinformation, according to the researchers, who have published their findings in the journal Social Media & Society.

To understand news consumption behavior, the researchers designed an experiment that allowed them to observe how individuals with different levels of NFM engage with news. The researchers found users with higher NFM considered news recommended by algorithms or shared by others in their social network to be just as credible as news recommended by editors and reporters.

However, mid- and low-NFM individuals more critically evaluated news sources and placed higher value on stories from editors and reporters.

"The good news is that overall, professionals are still valued," said corresponding author S. Shyam Sundar, Evan Pugh University Professor and James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects at Penn State. "But people with this tendency to rely on news coming to them—which is becoming more and more people—are trusting algorithms and social media friends to be their news sources."

When readers grant algorithms and social networks the same authority as journalists, it's easy for bad actors to manipulate that digital space versus imitating a trusted news source, the researchers said.

"The underlying psychological mechanism was not parsed out in previous studies," said first author Mengqi Liao, assistant professor at the University of Georgia who completed her doctoral studies with Sundar at Penn State. "We did this experiment to understand and explain why respondents evaluate the recommended news the way they do."

The web-based experiment included 244 participants. Each user completed a pre-questionnaire that measured NFM level using a standardized survey scale. Then participants were randomly assigned to one of three simulated news feeds, which recommended content by a news editor, social media friends or an algorithm.

The content stayed the same across news feeds, only the source of the recommendation—algorithm, friends or editors—changed. This allowed the researchers to examine how each source prompted participants to rely on different heuristics: "mental shortcuts," or rules of thumb that people use to make quick judgments.

For example, when a news article is recommended by an editor, this activates the authority heuristic, prompting readers to trust the information because it comes from professional journalists.

When content is recommended by an algorithm, it triggers the machine heuristic. Articles recommended by social media friends activate the homophily heuristic, meaning people are more likely to trust information shared by individuals they see as similar to themselves.

"For some people, the algorithm now carries the same weight as a journalist," said co-author Homero Gil De Zúñiga, distinguished professor of media studies at Penn State. "We're seeing a flattening of authority so that algorithms and social media feeds are being trusted like professional journalism."

Sundar said the fact that this makes people with high NFM more vulnerable to misinformation and less informed overall is especially problematic with more people adopting an NFM approach to their news and information.

Liao added that it "would be a really big problem" if social media friends and algorithms recommended very biased or even false information.

"Subscriptions are going down; people are not actually seeking news," Sundar said. "Machine as a source is now becoming predominant, undermining the more traditional professional sources, and that's worrisome."

Sundar suggested possible strategies for combating the phenomenon, such as targeting high NFM people with customized media literacy interventions. These interventions could inform readers about where information originated, as well as the steps journalists took to uncover the information.

Trusting algorithms and online networks poses significant dangers, primarily because these systems are not neutral, objective, or transparent. They can amplify harmful biases, manipulate behavior through echo chambers, and facilitate the rapid spread of misinformation, ultimately threatening personal safety, social cohesion, and democratic processes.

1. Amplification of bias and discrimination:

-Biased training data: Algorithms are trained on historical data, which often contains societal prejudices. As a result, they can perpetuate, or even amplify, discrimination regarding race, gender, and socioeconomic status.

-Unfair Outcomes: Automated systems used in hiring, lending, or criminal justice can lead to unfair decisions, punishing or marginalizing individuals based on flawed, biased data.

-Facial Recognition Errors: Algorithms, particularly in facial recognition, have been shown to work less accurately for people of color, causing disproportionate issues for certain demographics.

2. Information manipulation and echo chambers:

-Filter Bubbles: Algorithms prioritize content that matches a user's previous preferences to maximize engagement. This restricts exposure to diverse perspectives, reinforcing existing beliefs and creating "echo chambers".

-Prioritizing Polarization: Platforms often highlight divisive or sensationalist content because it generates more engagement (clicks, views), which can radicalize users and increase social polarization.

-Spread of Misinformation: Algorithms can act as a catalyst for misinformation, promoting false or harmful content simply because it triggers high emotional reactions, which can destabilize democracies.

Provided by Pennsylvania State University